Chapter 25: Midsummer
Summers used to feel long, spent lounging in air-conditioned rooms, gazing out at the scorching sun, longing for the heat to pass. But this summer seemed to have flown by, nearing its end.
The midsummer clouds were thick, like layers of cotton blankets piled on top of each other, giving a sense of simple honesty.
Su Yu stared blankly at the sky, his mind empty, the cicadas chirping noisily, yet he still felt at ease.
He and He Mu Qing hadn’t gone far, just wandering around their neighborhood until the afternoon, then blinking, they found themselves at the nearby milk tea shop, He Mu Qing’s favorite.
“Su Yu, hurry up.”
He Mu Qing walked with a light step, as if she never got tired no matter how far she walked. She had always been like this since she was young.
She wore a newly bought dress, a simple, long, fitted dress with a blue and white polka dot pattern, covering her shapely legs, only her fair ankles exposed. The color of her nail polish had also changed to a clean sky blue, matching her dress perfectly. As she walked beneath the trees, her skirt fluttered like a dancing elf.
The low-heeled crystal sandals she wore were a gift from Su Yu for her sixteenth birthday. They weren’t expensive; he hadn’t had much money back then. Among the pile of gifts she received from her classmates, they were quite inconspicuous.
But the quality seemed to be good. Compared to the other gifts that had long since disappeared, He Mu Qing had worn these sandals for a year and a half, having the heels repaired once by the old shoe repairman downstairs.
“Coming, you walk too fast.” Su Yu caught up, walking in the shade of the trees along the sidewalk, still sweating profusely.
“It’s actually open! Quick, buy me milk tea.”
He Mu Qing excitedly swung her arm. The milk tea shop was privately owned, its opening hours unpredictable. The owner was a free-spirited person, sometimes opening for only two or three hours a day. They had been worried that the shop might be closed, but luckily… they were in luck today.
The midsummer ivy grew rampantly, covering the entire wall with its green tendrils, even in the slightest bit of sunlight. The milk tea shop’s wooden sign was completely obscured, only the single character for “tea” visible.
But the name didn’t matter. Whenever he and He Mu Qing talked about the milk tea shop, it was always this one.
“Yo, you two are here together today?”
A man in his forties or fifties stood behind the counter. His surname was Mo, but they didn’t know his first name. Su Yu and He Mu Qing always called him Old Mo.
Old Mo had a neatly trimmed beard and his long hair was tied back in a small braid. He looked sharp and clean, just like the milk tea he made.
Old Mo was surprised. It had been a long time since these two had come to the shop together. He Mu Qing had come alone to buy milk tea not long ago.
“I’m leaving soon, so I’m taking Mu Qing out for a walk.”
“I see. Mu Qing told me you’re going to Qingchuan, right? That’s quite far.” Old Mo nodded, stroking his beard. “From what you’re saying, it seems like the little girl is reluctant for you to leave.”
“Ugh, Old Mo, stop your nonsense! I’ll pull your braid off!” He Mu Qing’s face flushed red, her voice loud enough to fill the entire shop.
“Alright, alright, I’ll stop.” Old Mo clearly knew He Mu Qing’s temper and changed the subject. “What do you want to drink today? No one’s been in the shop all afternoon. I was about to close.”
“The usual.”
“Okay, go find a seat.”
Old Mo put on the pink apron hanging on the wall and went to prepare the ingredients.
“Su Yu, come sit here.”
He Mu Qing found a seat by the window and called Su Yu over.
“Want to go to the night market later?”
“No…”
He Mu Qing rested her head on the table, her face flushed, making him want to pinch her cheeks.
“Tired? I thought you never got tired of shopping.”
“Why are you so annoying?” He Mu Qing rolled her eyes at Su Yu, her expression fierce.
“You’re the one with the bad temper.”
“Haha…”
He Mu Qing ignored Su Yu, staring blankly at the familiar street outside. The scenery outside wasn’t always the same. A new fried chicken restaurant had opened, and a small supermarket had been closed for a while. As time went on, everything was changing, including this summer.
She remembered how much she had hated running into Su Yu at school during middle school. She had always felt embarrassed to be seen with him, afraid of being teased by her friends. She would avoid him after school, not wanting to walk home with him.
Back then, the boy hadn’t understood these things and had always treated her the same as he did in elementary school. He would sometimes sneak into her class to find her, making He Mu Qing so angry that she scolded him in front of everyone. The boy left, dejected, but that day after school, he waited for her near the school gate, until she was alone, then handed her milk tea and mango pudding, apologizing.
They had both been immature back then. Later, as they grew up, she no longer felt embarrassed when he came to her class, but he stopped coming altogether.
Everyone was changing, becoming someone they didn’t like.
“Mango pudding. The milk tea ingredients aren’t fresh anymore, so I can’t make it. I brewed some tea instead, consider it a gift. It’s my latest creation, try it.” Old Mo brought the pudding and tea to their table.
“Old Mo, you haven’t added any new paintings lately. They’re still the same ones.” Su Yu looked at the paintings on the wall; he had seen them all before.
“Sigh, maybe I’m tired of the scenery here. I don’t know what to paint anymore.” Old Mo shook his head, his tone helpless. “Alright, you two chat. I’ll clean up and close the shop.”
“Old Mo’s skills are still as good as ever. It’s a pity he’s only running a small shop here.” Su Yu tasted the complimentary tea and sighed. “I won’t be able to drink this for half a year.”
“I’ll go to Qingchuan, I definitely will.”
He Mu Qing suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with determination. “I’ll find you then, and you’ll have to buy me milk tea.”
“Huh?”
Su Yu was stunned, but he quickly smiled. “If you get into Qingchuan University, I’ll gladly buy you milk tea every day, not just one cup.”
“Okay, then… let’s write it down and post it on the wall as proof, in case you go back on your word.”
He Mu Qing pointed to the message board on the wall, covered with yellow sticky notes. They had left messages there before, but later, they felt it was too childish and tore them down.
“Fine, let’s write it down. I’m just afraid you won’t make it to Qingchuan.”
“Haha, arrogant.” He Mu Qing scoffed, seeing through his provocation.
The setting sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm glow, the clouds painted red as if draped in a thin veil.
Bathed in the setting sun, they looked down at their names written on the sticky notes, their heads unconsciously close together, close enough to feel each other’s breath.
“Click!”
The camera shutter clicked. Old Mo stood behind them, smiling. Looking at the blank canvas, he suddenly thought… he would close the shop a little later.