Chapter 34: Childhood Ties

Heqing bought two bunches of bananas and carried them over to Lin Zheng Ran’s house.

After four years, she arrived with a mix of nerves, finally back at this familiar spot, knocking on Lin Zheng Ran’s door. His home hadn’t changed much since then.

At first glance, some appliances and details had shifted, but everything still felt so familiar.

Lin Ying Jun and Lin Xiao Li, watching TV on the sofa, saw a female classmate arrive and thought their son had brought another girl home. But recognizing her, they were too surprised to speak.

“Hello, Uncle and Aunt,” Heqing greeted shyly.

Hearing the voice, especially Lin Xiao Li, she looked at the girl who used to be a shy little thing barely reaching her thigh, now grown into a pretty, sweet 1.5-meter tall young woman, and couldn’t help but call out:

“Is that… is that Qingqing? Little Qingqing, it’s been years! How did you grow so beautiful?”

Lin Ying Jun straightened up with a hum, amazed: “Qingqing? It’s been years, and you’ve grown so tall!”

Heqing smiled bashfully, biting her lip as she handed the bananas to them: “Uncle and Aunt, it’s been so long. This is a little something I bought for you. It’s not expensive, but it’s from the heart. Thank you for taking care of me when I was little.”

Lin Xiao Li chuckled and walked over to Heqing: “Oh, Qingqing, you didn’t need to bring gifts to our house! Look how formal you’re being. Didn’t I tell you back then to treat this place like your own home?”

Heqing nodded with an embarrassed smile: “I remember…”

Lin Xiao Li examined her sweet appearance and marveled: “Qingqing, you’re really beautiful now. Are you with Zheng Ran every day?”

Heqing shook her head slowly: “No, Aunt, we’re not in the same class, so we’re not together much, but we eat together and hang out after school.”

Lin Xiao Li nodded: “That’s fine then. Ever since you left, Zheng Ran has thought about you every day and waited for you to come back.” She looked up at her son: “Right, Zheng Ran?”

Heqing turned back in surprise to look at Lin Zheng Ran, wondering if it was true.

But Lin Zheng Ran looked completely puzzled; he’d just come in, changed shoes, and gone to wash his face in the bathroom, missing the whole conversation: “Huh? Mom, what did you say?”

Lin Xiao Li didn’t repeat it and just whispered to Heqing: “See, he just said ‘ah,’ which means he’s agreeing.”

Heqing felt too shy to respond.

Whether Lin Zheng Ran missed her, she wasn’t sure, but she had missed him terribly, thinking about him every day and longing to see him.

Lin Zheng Ran washed his face and went to his bedroom as usual.

Lin Xiao Li gestured for Heqing to follow, and she gave a soft “Mm” and trailed behind Lin Zheng Ran.

Lin Xiao Li called out: “I’ll shout when lunch is ready!”

Once the two were in the room and the door closed, Lin Xiao Li and her husband Lin Ying Jun exchanged glances and smiled: “Qingqing has turned out so beautiful. Who’d have thought she’d be back with Zheng Ran after four years?”

Lin Ying Jun said: “Girls change a lot at eighteen. They must have a strong connection.”

In the bedroom, Lin Zheng Ran flopped onto the bed without a second thought. Heqing stood by the bed: “Do you want to rest? I can give you a massage; it’s really relaxing.”

Lin Zheng Ran closed his eyes: “Thanks.”

Hearing his response, Heqing’s face lit up with joy, shaking her head like an excited bobble: “No trouble at all! I’ll get right to it. I used to massage Grandma all the time at home, and I’m good at it.”

She bit her lip, quickly sat beside him, and gently kneaded his shoulders with her small hands.

Heqing’s visit made Lin Zheng Ran’s parents especially happy; they even prepared a big feast for lunch, and the family chatted and laughed throughout the meal.

Just like when she was little, Heqing sneaked the first shrimp’s body into Lin Zheng Ran’s bowl while sucking the meat from the shrimp head herself.

Lin Zheng Ran, as always, teased: “You’re so picky. Why give it to me if you’re not eating it?”

Heqing whispered quickly, scared to speak up: “I’m not being picky; I just want you to have it first…” When Uncle Lin and Aunt Lin noticed their quiet chat, they burst out laughing: “It’s just like when Zheng Ran and Qingqing were in kindergarten, always whispering secrets.”

After lunch, Lin Zheng Ran said he needed to go out and buy something, so Heqing tagged along.

She wondered what he was buying that required a trip all the way to the mall.

Lin Zheng Ran replied casually: “A birthday gift for someone. She gave me one last year, so I should return the favor. Oh, and Mom asked me to pick up some snacks for you.”

On that Saturday, Heqing and Lin Zheng Ran spent the whole day together before she waved goodbye, feeling thrilled on her way home.

But smiles don’t last on everyone’s face forever.

For instance, in another neighborhood just across the street.

A girl in casual shorts, showing her legs, sat cross-legged on her bed in the bedroom, strumming a guitar. Her long twin tails fell over her chest, swaying gently with her fingers.

The room’s pink decor usually felt dreamy, but today it just didn’t lift her spirits.

“Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are…” Lily plucked the strings, her voice slow and melodic: “Up above the world so high.”

Gazing out the window, she could only see other buildings, but in her mind, she pictured that fool and that girl chatting and laughing in a bedroom.

A knock came at the bedroom door—it was Lily’s mom’s voice: “Xue Li, are you busy?”

Lily responded: “Mom, go ahead.”

Her mom asked through the door with a laugh: “Tomorrow’s your birthday. Do you want to go out or have us celebrate at home in the evening?”

Lily paused: “Let me think. Anyway, the birthday’s not until tomorrow evening, so no rush.”

Her mom didn’t press: “Okay, I’m free this afternoon since the company’s closed. You can decide later.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

After hearing her mom’s footsteps fade, Lily strummed the guitar strings again.

Suddenly, she straightened up and flopped sideways on the bed, her twin tails losing their usual energy as they crossed quietly.

“You big idiot, what have you been up to with Heqing today? Probably having a blast, even getting a massage!” She grumbled, annoyed: “Who needs a girl to massage you? Just sleep more yourself!”

She set the guitar down flat and stared at the distance with her bright eyes.

That Saturday night, Lily barely slept. She lay in bed, legs bent, holding two movie tickets in one hand and her phone in the other.

She tossed and turned, debating whether to call Lin Zheng Ran and tell him it was her birthday tomorrow.

She wanted to invite him to a movie.

But every time, her finger hovered over the dial button without pressing it.

She even thought about sending a message, typing it out word by word.

[Hey big idiot, do you know tomorrow’s my birthday? I don’t need you to come or anything, but I somehow ended up with two extra movie tickets. Want to join so they don’t go to waste…]

Embarrassed, she squeezed her eyes shut and deleted it quickly: “That sounds just like a confession! Anyone would misunderstand!”

She buried her head under the pillow and pulled up the covers, escaping reality: “How do I even tell him? Why hasn’t anyone invented dream messaging? If I could, I’d say it in a dream.”

Soon after, she caught herself and muttered: “Who am I kidding? Even in a dream, I wouldn’t have the nerve.”

The next morning, with birds chirping on the apartment rooftop, she sat up with dark circles under her eyes, still staring at her phone and the movie tickets.

Until her mom called from the living room: “Xue Li, your dad and I are heading to work. If you’re going out, grab your keys.”

She sat up, glancing at the bright window: “Is it morning already? What was I doing all night?”

Gritting her teeth at her phone: “I have to send that message! I will! Otherwise, I’ll really lose out!”