Chapter 88: Elementary School

Chapter 88: Elementary School

Ten minutes later, Gao Yang stood at the gates to Yushan Elementary School, a little stunned.

He turned to Wan Sisi. “Is this...”

“My elementary school.” Wan Sisi nodded with a smile.

“I studied here too!” Gao Yang was taken aback. “If you were a student here, how come I didn’t know you?”

Wan Sisi smiled in lieu of a response.

The shop selling cold drinks by the school entrance was holding a marketing campaign. A person in an ice cream suit stood by the road attracting customers. They had a selfie stick in their hand and a signboard on their neck, which said, ‘Take a selfie for free ice cream cones.’

Wan Sisi changed the subject by saying, “Do you want ice cream, Gao Yang?”

“Sure.”

Wan Sisi quickly went up to the mascot and had two pictures with them. Then she returned to Gao Yang with two ice cream cones. “Here.”

Gao Yang accepted the offer and took a bite. “It’s sweet.”

Wan Sisi followed suit and said with her eyes curved, “Yeah...it’s so sweet.”

She then turned to the school entrance and said in a pleading tone, “I’d like to walk around in our old school, Gao Yang.”

“Why not? We have time.” Gao Yang was feeling nostalgic as well. It had been years since he last came back.

The Yushan Elementary School wasn’t big. Past the running track claimed by weeds was an old classroom building covered in ivies. They walked into the first classroom on the first floor. The door lock had fallen off, and the wall was weathered with patches of discoloration. The desks were covered in dust. On the blackboard, Gao Yang could still make out the faint traces of everyday writings, and the chalk ledge had collected dust of different colors. It looked like the place hadn’t seen any visitors for quite some time.

“Is the school abandoned?” Gao Yang had thought the school was empty because the students were on vacation, but it was clear to him now that the school had closed down. This chapter made its debut appearance via noooveeelll biiiiiinnnn.

Wan Sisi said a little sadly, “Yeah, there are less and less children in the town, so the schools were consolidated, and Yushan closed down last year.”

The setting sun of dusk cast the classroom in a lonesome wine red. A breeze swept through the window and ruffled Wan Sisi’s bang. She snuck a glance at Gao Yang’s profile; his eyes were gentle and distant.

Naturally opinionated, Li Weiwei pointed at the ginkgo tree on the hill beyond the wall and said, “Let’s have a race! To the top of the hill!”

The three of them happily vaulted the wall and made it to the hilltop.

Gao Yang was the first, Li Weiwei the second, and Liu Xiaoli the third.

Li Weiwei and Gao Yang put their allowance together and used the pennies to buy the most beautiful box of sweets at a small shop in the neighborhood. It was a tin box printed with the drawing of the seven fairies, and inside were seven fruit gummies of different colors. Gao Yang and Li Weiwei each ate two, while Liu Xiaoli was given three. Liu Xiaoli ate two and didn’t have the heart to finish the last one. She hid it in her pocket.

Afterward, the three of them started talking about the future. About what they wanted to do and who they wanted to become.

Li Weiwei got another idea. She stood up with her hands on her hip and took out a crayon from her pocket. Then she picked up the three gummy wrappers on the ground. “Let’s write down our dreams and bury them under the tree. Then our dreams will come true!”

“Great idea!”

Gao Yang and Liu Xiaoli clapped in agreement.

The three of them each wrote down their wish with a crayon and folded the wrappers. They then put the wrappers into the tin box and dug a small hole under the ginkgo tree to bury it, serious and devoted.

A few days later, Liu Xiaoli didn’t come to school. The homeroom teacher said that she had transferred out. It was in such a hurry that she wasn’t able to even finish the proper procedures.

Then Gao Yang found out from the adults’ gossipping that Liu Xiaoli’s mother found her a stepdad with the surname Wan, and that they had taken Liu Xiaoli to Li City.

It hadn’t been long until Gao Yang and Li Weiwei moved to Li City as well, leaving Yushan Elementary School behind, along with their childhood promise. It ended up lost and forgotten in the passage of time.

The rush of memories left Gao Yang lightheaded. He stared at Wan Sisi. The girl with fair skin, orderly teeth, and clear eyes were night and day from the unkempt girl with an overbite. Her nervous, deer-like eyes, however, were the same as those of Liu Xiaoli.

“When did you realize it was me?” Gao Yang asked. “And Li Weiwei too. Did you recognize her?”

Wan Sisi nodded. “I recognized both of you on the first day of military training in our first year. But neither of you recognized me.”

“You’ve changed a lot.” Gao Yang smiled apologetically. “Why didn’t you tell us?‘

“I don’t know.” Wan Sisi tilted her head and smiled. “I was going to, but I couldn’t find the right time. Then I couldn’t find the right words.”

Gao Yang’s heart was filled with a myriad of emotions. “It’s good to see you again.”

“Gao Yang, there’s a question I’ve always wanted to ask you.” Wan Sisi looked up at him. The nervousness in her eyes was replaced by determination.

Gao Yang pursed his lips. “What is it?”