allonlinenovel Chapter 241 Graduation
Chapter 241 Graduation
The days passed by in a hurry, and in the blink of an eye it was early summer.
The campus of Jingshi University is filled with the sweet fragrance of locust flowers. The white petals fall in the wind, forming a soft blanket of snow on the stone paths.
The chirping of cicadas came from the tall sycamore trees, one after another interweaving into a summer melody. The sunlight shone on the ground through the gaps between the layers of leaves. The mottled light and shadow swayed gently in the breeze, as if dancing a silent waltz.
Shen Xiaoxia stood in front of the dormitory window, holding a slightly yellowed telegram paper in her slender fingers.
The fragrance of locust flowers outside the window lingered around her nose, but it could not hide the waves in her heart.
The telegram was from Wang Hongmei in Shenzhen. On the thin slip of paper was a single, brief line: "Five hundred new electronic watches have arrived in Hong Kong. Call back to confirm."
Her slender fingertips gently stroked the edge of the telegram paper, and her thoughts drifted away involuntarily.
After returning to Beijing, through many transactions, her relationship with Wang Hongmei became closer and closer, and the trust between them became higher and higher.
In addition to wholesale fashionable clothes from her, Shen Xiaoxia also specifically asked her to help keep an eye on the latest news from the Special Administrative Region, those real business opportunities that you will never see in newspapers, with the salty smell of sea breeze.
"Xia Xia! What are you still dawdling about? The graduation ceremony is about to begin!" Han Zhuxin's crisp voice suddenly sounded behind him, accompanied by the creaking sound of the dormitory door being pushed open.
She rushed in, wearing a floral dress that she designed and made herself. The elegant goose yellow base was dotted with sky blue flowers, which made her skin look as white as snow.
Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail, swaying happily behind her head with her lively movements, and she looked particularly energetic.
"Here it comes..." Shen Xiaoxia came back to her senses, folded the telegram and put it in her pocket.
Before going out, she adjusted her collar in front of the dressing mirror. The girl in the mirror had picturesque eyebrows and eyes, and a tall and graceful figure.
The two walked side by side on the tree-lined avenue leading to the auditorium, the sunlight filtering through the gaps in the leaves casting dappled shadows on them.
Han Zhuxin chattered about her plans after graduation.
In the auditorium, the graduates sat in neat rows, and the crystal chandeliers hanging from the dome reflected tiny rays of light, making the entire space look dreamy.
The principal stood on the stage, his voice loud and powerful: "Students, you are the first batch of graduates after the resumption of the college entrance examination. You are the pillars of our country! I hope that you will contribute to the modernization of our country in your respective positions in the future!"
His voice echoed in the spacious auditorium, carrying the weight and expectations of the times.
The applause rang out like thunder, but Shen Xiaoxia's gaze involuntarily drifted to Jiang Yan who was sitting next to her.
He leaned sideways on a chair in the auditorium, his left leg casually resting on his right knee, his jeans showing off the toned lines of his thighs.
The cuffs of his simple white shirt were rolled up to his elbows, revealing his slender, tanned arms.
The two buttons on the collar were casually open, revealing the well-defined collarbone.
While the principal was speaking, he was writing something on the back of the program with a pencil, and the tip of the pen made a slight rustling sound as it moved across the paper.
Occasionally he looked up and glanced at the podium. The pair of peach blossom eyes under his thick eyebrows that always smiled now showed a bit of impatience. The tip of his tongue unconsciously pressed against his cheek, making a small bulge on his left cheek, like a child throwing a tantrum.
As if he noticed Shen Xiaoxia's gaze, he suddenly turned his head, his eyes softened instantly, and a gentle arc appeared at the corner of his mouth, "What's wrong?"
Shen Xiaoxia chuckled and shook her head, feeling a little emotional for a moment. "Nothing, I just feel like time flies by so fast. In the blink of an eye, we've all graduated..."
Her voice gradually lowered and her eyes became distant, as if she had traveled through time and seen those years of educated youth working hard in the fields.
In the front seat, Han Zhuxin was leaning on He Tingyuan's shoulder, her slender fingers quietly pointing at the gilded school badge pinned on the principal's suit and whispering.
He Tingyuan tilted his head slightly, his eyes behind his gold-rimmed glasses gentle as water. He reached out and gently tucked her scattered hair behind her ear. The action was so natural as if he had repeated it thousands of times. His fingertips inadvertently brushed her earlobe, causing a faint blush to appear on the tip of Han Zhuxin's ear.
After an unknown amount of time, the bronze bell on the dome of the auditorium suddenly rang, and the deep bell sound resonated in the air.
The principal announced the official end of the graduation ceremony, and the graduates rushed out of the auditorium. The sweet fragrance of locust flowers, mixed with the noisy crowd, hit them in the face, filled with the restlessness of youth and the sadness of parting.
The five people gathered under the old locust tree by the lake as agreed.
This old locust tree with lush branches and leaves was the "base" they agreed to establish when they entered school. Over the past few years, they had spent countless mornings and evenings here studying, chatting, and looking forward to the future. The crooked marks on the trunk witnessed their transformation from immaturity to maturity.
"Come on, let's take a photo!" Xie Yunheng got a Seagull camera from somewhere, and the black body shone with a low-key luster in his hand.
He wore a brand new rayon shirt today and combed his hair meticulously, completely unlike his usual sloppy appearance.
He carefully adjusted the camera lens, fearing that he would miss this precious moment.
Han Zhuxin stood on the far left holding He Tingyuan's hand. She looked particularly beautiful today. Her floral dress was particularly eye-catching in the sunlight. The hem of her skirt swayed gently in the breeze, like a blooming flower.
He Tingyuan was as calm as ever, his eyes behind his gold-rimmed glasses were gentle and firm, his slender fingers interlocked with Han Zhuxin's, silently expressing his tenderness.
Shen Xiaoxia and Jiang Yan stood on the right side. Jiang Yan's arm was naturally placed on Shen Xiaoxia's shoulder. His warm body temperature came through the thin clothes. Shen Xiaoxia could smell the familiar scent of soap on him.
"One, two, three - eggplant!" Xie Yunheng set up automatic shooting and ran back to the team quickly.
With a click, the smiling faces of five young people were frozen in this special summer, at the most important turning point in their lives.
To be on the safe side, Xie Yunheng pulled everyone to take another photo. In the photo, Han Zhuxin's floral skirt was blown up by the sudden wind, and He Tingyuan quietly reached out to hold it down for her, his eyes full of doting.
Jiang Yan had a gentle smile on his face, but his eyes were fixed on Shen Xiaoxia beside him.
Shen Xiaoxia looked straight ahead with a bright smile.
Xie Yunheng made a "yeah" gesture to the camera, his bright eyes filled with anticipation for the future.
"Where are we going to eat?" Han Zhuxin asked impatiently after taking the photos. She pointed to her rumbling stomach and said, "I'm starving! I haven't eaten anything since this morning."
"The usual place," He Tingyuan pushed his glasses up, a smile in his eyes behind the lenses. "That restaurant at the school gate, they make the best braised pork, fatty but not greasy, melts in your mouth."
As he spoke, his Adam's apple rolled unconsciously, causing Han Zhuxin to cover her mouth and chuckle.
The five of them walked towards the hotel chatting and laughing. As they passed through the familiar tree-lined avenue, Shen Xiaoxia noticed that the plane trees on the roadside had become thicker, and their rough bark was covered with traces of time, just like the youth they spent together, which had unknowingly deposited thick annual rings.
The sunlight shines through the gaps between the leaves and onto the ground, forming swaying spots of light, like scattered gold coins, or like the glittering life that is about to unfold in their lives.
The restaurant was bustling with people; it was lunchtime.
The waiters shuttled between the tables and chairs, with trays in their hands filled with steaming dishes.
A few people found a seat by the window and sat down. The mottled sunlight shone through the glass window, casting swaying shadows on the table.
After ordering a few signature dishes and a few bottles of Beibingyang soda, when the soda was served, Xie Yunheng couldn't wait to pry open the soda bottle cap with chopsticks, and white foam immediately poured out.
"Come on, let's have a drink first!" Xie Yunheng raised the soda bottle high, "For all the years we've walked together!"
After he finished speaking, he sighed again, "Life now gives us more hope. We really have to thank the existence of the college entrance examination. If it hadn't been reinstated, we might still be farming in the village now!"
This sentence was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, making the air suddenly quiet.
The five of them simultaneously fell into reminiscence, and scenes from their days as educated youth flashed through their minds: the threshing ground at four in the morning, the biting ice in the cold of winter, and the day-to-day farm work...
Complex emotions appeared in everyone's eyes.
"But it is precisely because of those days that we have become who we are today." Shen Xiaoxia was the first to break the silence and raised the soda bottle.
Sunlight shines through the glass bottle, casting mottled shadows on her face. "Salute to the years of educated youth, to the college entrance examination, and to our university days!"
"Cheers to the years of educated youth!" Jiang Yan then raised his glass, his voice clear and powerful.
"Cheers to the college entrance examination!" He Tingyuan pushed his glasses, his eyes shining behind the lenses.
"Let's cheer for our college days!" Han Zhuxin said loudly.
"Let's cheer for our future!" Xie Yunheng was the last one to raise the bottle, his tone excited.
Five glass bottles collided in the air, making a crisp and pleasant sound and reflecting colorful light, just like the colorful life they were about to unfold.
"Okay, let's cheer for the future!" Everyone shouted in unison, their voices full of expectations and longing for the future.
Shen Xiaoxia sipped the soda in small sips. The sweet liquid slid down her throat, bringing a cool feeling.
Her eyes slowly swept across her friends' faces. Each of them carried the vicissitudes and tenacity left by the years of educated youth, but there was a glimmer of hope in their eyes.
A few years ago, they entered university with calloused hands and full of expectations.
A few years later, they will go to different stages of life with their own dreams.
This summer is destined to be the most special turning point in their lives.