CH 10

After Xie Wenyu arrived in the United States, his life became busy and full. In addition to attending classes, he also joined the school basketball team and played with a group of foreigners who were much taller than him. After playing for a long time, his basketball skills and oral English improved by leaps and bounds.

He has an outgoing and pleasant personality, he quickly adapted to life in a foreign country and quickly made many friends. In order to record his life, he applied for an instagram account and often posted photos of eating, drinking and having fun. Of course, most of them are photos of playing basketball with friends.

At the beginning of December, there is a Christmas break, and it is a very long break.

In the past few days, Xie Wenyu has been thinking about whether to go back to China. His parents told him to go home for a while. Xie Wenyu also felt a little homesick. He listened to his parents’ advice and bought a return ticket.

The moment he was about to pay, he received a message from An Ran.

An Ran asked him if he wanted to travel to the west together during the break.

Xie Wenyu was a little hesitant about this. He had never traveled with a girl before, so he felt quite weird.

Soon, An Ran sent another message, telling Xie Wenyu that several high school classmates were going with her. Xie Wenyu thought for a while and agreed to An Ran.

So the return ticket became a travel ticket.

The winter was really too cold. In order to avoid the cold, they went to the southwestern part with the most sunshine and played there for a week.

Back at the hotel at night, Xie Wenyu sat on the bed with his companions, sorted out the photos taken during the trip that day, and sent them to the family group one by one.

Mother Xie sent a series of thumbs up emoticons and then sent a voice message to ask Xie Wenyu to keep warm when going out.

Xie Wenyu: “The lowest temperature here in winter is only ten degrees, it doesn’t snow, and it’s not cold at all.”

The mother and son started chatting with each other in the group. After a few minutes, Xie Wenkai suddenly appeared and asked Xie Wenyu: Where did you go?

Xie Wenyu: California!

Xie Wenkai: Who did you go with?

Xie Wenyu answered: High school classmates.

After that, Xie Wenkai disappeared, and the group returned to quiet. Xie Wenyu “patted” his brother. After ten minutes, Xie Wenkai replied: I just answered a call.

Xie Wenyu: Oh.

Xie Wenkai: Be careful when you go out. have fun.

Xie Wenkai is a person who rarely expresses his emotions. Xie Wenyu seldom got a word of concern from his brother. The corners of his mouth couldn’t help but curl up. He sent an OK emoji, then put down his phone, hugged his knees, and looked out the window at the quiet night.

The sky is dark and the moon is bright.

A few pedestrians passed under the tree, the leaves rustling and falling. They were only wearing a light sweater.

Xie Wenyu suddenly realized that this was the first winter in his life without snow.

After playing for half a month, Xie Wenyu and An Ran took the same flight on the day they flew back from the west coast to the east coast. They landed in New York and were about to part ways.

Xie Wenyu sent An Ran back to Pennsylvania by car. On the way, An Ran sat next to Xie Wenyu, seemingly tired. Her head was nodding, and she fell asleep leaning on Xie Wenyu’s shoulder.

Xie Wenyu straightened his back and froze, not daring to move.

After arriving at the car station, An Ran opened her eyes. When she turned her head, she saw Xie Wenyu rubbing his neck. She looked ashamed: “I’m sorry, you didn’t get a good rest all the way.”

Xie Wenyu shook his head, saying it was okay.

An Ran: “Actually, you can wake me up.”

Xie Wenyu: “I thought you were too tired, so I didn’t wake you.”

An Ran got out of the car with him and said while walking: “Xie Wenyu, you are really a good person.”

Xie Wenyu paused, he didn’t expect An Ran to suddenly hit a straight ball¹. They walked on the ground, and a gust of wind blew in front of them, blowing Anran’s black and soft hair.

An Ran raised her head and looked at him with a smile on her face: “Does what you said a year ago still count?”

Xie Wenyu nodded hesitantly: “Count.”

An Ran: “Then are you willing to date me?”

Xie Wenyu: “I…”

An Ran: “Let’s try first, don’t feel pressured.”

From sending the love letter to now, An Ran has liked him for more than two years. It would be a lie to say that Xie Wenyu was not moved. He stood where he was, lost in thought.

He didn’t speak, and An Ran didn’t speak either, just quietly waiting for his reply.

Perhaps today’s sun was too bright and the breeze was too intoxicating. Xie Wenyu looked into An Ran’s sincere and expectant eyes and couldn’t say the words of rejection.

Xie Wenyu: “Okay. Let’s try.”

Two young adults who have just grown up started a long-overdue first love in this way.

An Ran was right when she said “try”. Because Xie Wenyu and her are separated from each other, they can’t meet often, so they can only keep in touch with each other through mobile phones.

One month later, the Spring Festival² arrived.

After Xie Wenyu finished his studies, he took the last bus to Pennsylvania to spend the Spring Festival with An Ran and a few mutual friends.

Xie Wenyu and An Ran’s love affair was only known to these few friends; the two parties did not publicize it widely. On the night of the Spring Festival, Xie Wenyu posted some photos on social media, including scenery, food, and funny photos with friends, two of which were photos with An Ran.

There is no close contact, no ambiguous behavior, the two just sat on the same sofa, shoulder to shoulder, close to each other, looking at the camera.

Different from the comments of “99” when he posted graduation photos last time, this time Xie Wenyu received the most likes ever.

Needless to say, everything is beyond words.

There is a five-hour difference between US Eastern Time and London Time. On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, it is the morning when a new day begins.

The temperate maritime climate is always rainy and the sun is dim. Xie Wenkai has lived in London for more than two years. He has already integrated into the local area and has developed the habit of going out without an umbrella.

At nine o’clock in the morning, he braved the light rain and went to school for a group meeting. After the meeting, a British friend who was traveling with him invited him to dinner. They went to a Chinese restaurant and chatted about graduation.

When the waiter served the food, his friend picked up his phone and leaned over to find the most suitable angle to take a photo.

Xie Wenkai smiled when he saw this. He thought of a person on the other side of the ocean who loves to take pictures every time he goes out to eat. If someone moves their chopsticks first and destroys the original arrangement of the food, that person will complain dissatisfiedly, “I haven’t finished taking pictures yet.”

With that in mind, Xie Wenkai unlocked his phone and clicked into Xie Wenyu’s social account.

When he saw Xie Wenyu’s latest update, Xie Wenkai narrowed his eyes slightly and slid his fingers gently over each photo, until he reached the last two photos. His smile faded. Zooming in on the picture, he stared at Xie Wenyu’s smiling face, and a trace of unknown emotion flashed in his eyes.

“Xie, who is this?” The British friend glanced at his screen.

Xie Wenkai turned the phone on the table: “My younger brother.”

British friend: “What about the girl next to him?”

Xie Wenkai: “I don’t know.”

British friend: “As an older brother, can’t you tell their relationship?”

Xie Wenkai : “I can’t tell.”

After speaking, he got up and went to the table beside them to get two pairs of chopsticks and two straws.

This restaurant pays attention to environmental protection and provides recyclable straws. Xie Wenkai returned to his seat and put the chopsticks and straws on the table.

The moment he put them down, the British friend slightly widened his eyes.

He saw two broken straws lying on the table.

“Are you so strong?” His friend squeezed the straw, which is made of very hard material.

Under the slightly surprised gaze of the other party, Xie Wenkai stood up with his usual expression: “Sorry. I’ll get new ones.”

His friend thought he was a bit weird, but he couldn’t tell what was wrong. Only Xie Wenkai knew how much effort it took him not to lose his composure in public.