Chapter 224: Moonlit Embrace

The kettle on the stove started bubbling with steam, letting out a steady “gurgle gurgle”.

Xu Chen set down the bamboo pole he was holding and moved to grab it.

Xie Bingran beat him to it, lifting the heavy kettle off and setting it on the ground before placing an iron lid over the stove fire.

“I’ll grab a couple of cups,” Xie Bingran said.

She turned and walked to a wooden cabinet against the wall, pulling out two white enamel mugs from inside.

At the stove, she poured a bit of hot water into each mug, rinsed them carefully, then filled them halfway with fresh hot water.

She carried them over gently and set them on the table in front of Xu Chen.

“Let it cool—it’s scalding hot,” Xie Bingran warned.

“Mm,” Xu Chen replied.

He glanced at the two white enamel mugs and smiled as he said:

“I remember back in middle school, we used these exact mugs at school. The little store there only sold this kind.”

Xie Bingran: “These… are from middle school.”

Xu Chen paused, then crouched down for a closer look.

The mugs in front of him were clearly worn, their edges chipped and faded to show black iron underneath.

“They really are from middle school!”

Xu Chen examined them closely, his face lighting up with surprise, though a touch of nostalgia stirred in his heart.

Xie Bingran suddenly spoke up: “I found something else too!”

With that, she turned and headed to the inner room.

When she returned, she carried the brown backpack.

She unzipped it and pulled out a reddish-brown booklet—it was the household register they had come for.

She flipped it open and slid out a photo from inside, handing it to Xu Chen.

Xu Chen took it, studying it under the dim glow of the incandescent bulb, his emotions stirring.

It was their middle school graduation photo.

A scene from over three years ago.

Xu Chen stood in the middle of the back row, while Xie Bingran was at the far end of the third row.

By then, Xie Bingran was already known as “Bing Ge,” her eyes cold and brooding.

Back then, the two of them had drifted apart, barely speaking, like strangers.

Xie Bingran took the photo back, carefully tucking it into the household register and returning it to the backpack.

……

The roof of the south room had been swept clean.

Xu Chen propped up the bamboo poles, linking them together.

Xie Bingran tied ropes around the tops of the poles to secure them.

Together, they spread out the mosquito net over the poles, creating a small tent.

They clipped the edges in place, forming a safe space against bugs.

Xie Bingran crouched down and slid the mat into the net, unfurling it with a soft rustle.

Xu Chen grinned and crawled inside…

Sitting on the mat under the net, Xu Chen felt a sense of novelty and glanced around.

He looked up and, through the translucent netting, spotted the bright moon.

The fresh mist from the river still drifted in, brushing his senses.

Xu Chen sighed, “This is so comfortable!”

Xie Bingran tilted her head back, gazing at the moon, her wide eyes sparkling in the moonlight.

Without a word, they both reached out and gently clasped hands.

The moonlight was beautiful, and so was the warmth of their touch.

……

A sudden buzz came from Xu Chen’s pants pocket—it was his mobile phone.

Xie Bingran looked puzzled: “Who’d call you this late at night?”

Xu Chen pulled it out and checked: “It’s just an alarm I set.”

Xie Bingran: “Why set an alarm in the middle of the night?”

Xu Chen smiled: “I need to grab something from the car!”

With that, he stood and crawled out of the tent.

Xie Bingran thought about following but decided to stay seated.

She lay back on the mat, staring at the moon, lost in thought.

She heard Xu Chen open the main gate, step out, and soon return, quietly closing the door behind him.

……

Xu Chen crawled back in, now holding a small bag.

This was from the airport, when Xu Chen had said he wanted to buy a gift and picked it up from a bakery.

Xie Bingran: “Is that food?”

Xu Chen smiled but didn’t answer, carefully opening the bag.

In the moonlight,

Inside was a small cake.

Xu Chen pulled out a candle and stuck it in the cake.

In his other hand, he had a box of matches; with a quick strike, the match lit, and the candle flickered to life.

The flame danced, and Xie Bingran looked confused:

“Are you celebrating a birthday?” Xie Bingran asked.

Xu Chen gave her a wry look:

“It’s your birthday, silly girl!”

It had just passed midnight, ushering in a new day.

Xie Bingran froze for a moment.

She stayed silent for a while, not saying a word.

“Why are you crying again?” Xu Chen asked.

Xie Bingran composed herself and smiled as she said:

“I had no idea today was my birthday…

I’ve never celebrated one growing up.”

Xu Chen chuckled and gently wiped the tears from her face.

Xie Bingran: “But how did you know?”

Xu Chen explained: “When I went to pay off that loan for you, the contract had a copy of your ID—I saw your birthday there.”

Xie Bingran stared at the candle flame, her eyes reflecting its light.

“Thank you, Xu Chen,” she whispered.

“Happy birthday, Xie Bingran.”

……

Under the white moonlight in the small tent,

Xie Bingran made a wish and gently blew out the candle.

Xu Chen pulled out two small spoons and held the cake in his hands.

They sat cross-legged, sharing smiles as they finished the cake…

“Xu Chen, I feel so happy right now,” Xie Bingran said.

“You’ll always be happy,” Xu Chen replied with a smile.

Xie Bingran paused for a moment and reached out her hand.

Xu Chen understood and took her hand in his.

“Ask me that question again,” Xie Bingran suddenly said.

Xu Chen hesitated: “Which one?”

Xie Bingran lowered her head: “The one you asked me on the mountaintop.”

Xu Chen thought for a second, then smiled:

“Xie Bingran, can you hug me?”

Xie Bingran bit her lip, looked up at Xu Chen, her eyes shimmering:

“I’m eighteen now, so I think… I can hug you, right?”

Tears rolled down her cheeks again.

“You’re such a silly girl,” Xu Chen murmured softly.

Xie Bingran’s body tensed as she awkwardly lifted her arms and leaned in to hug him.

Xu Chen’s eyes softened, and he wrapped his arms around her in return.

……

In the embrace, they were close, yet hidden from each other’s full view.

Xie Bingran whispered:

“Xu Chen…”

She only said his name, swallowing the rest.

She wanted to say “I like you”…

But she didn’t dare.

The last time she had said it, years ago,

Xu Chen had stopped talking to her.

She feared losing him again, so the words stayed inside.

……

Xu Chen was quiet for a moment, then gently stroked the back of Xie Bingran’s head and whispered:

“I like you too.”

……