I managed a forced smile. “Then don’t leave.” He brushed my hair away, and I traced the sweat on his forehead and the contours of his face. I knew this was our last night; it wasn’t as ethereal as I imagined, but it was enough. This beautiful first love ends here, and I ask for nothing more. After resting, he kissed me again, and my body gradually swelled.
I moved my body slightly, feeling quickly filled with no way to escape. I closed my eyes in resignation. Ah! Let him do what he wants, however many times; anyway, this is the last night.
Early the next morning, I opened the curtains. Ye Zhengchen, sleeping, reached out to cover his eyes and woke up. “So early?” he asked.
“I’m going to Kobe today,” I replied.
“To Kobe?” he sat up.
“Didn’t I tell you I have a classmate at Kobe University who invited me to play…”
“I’ll accompany you.”
“I’ll stay at her place tonight and return tomorrow.” I indeed had a classmate at Kobe University whom Ye Zhengchen had met.
He hesitated. “I have a report to submit tomorrow.”
“A gathering between women; it wouldn’t be appropriate for you to come.”
Seeing I would not let him accompany me, he stopped insisting. After breakfast, I changed into sportswear, put on sports shoes, and carried a backpack, including a large bottle of water. Before leaving, Ye Zhengchen helped me put on a sun hat, laughing and patting my head. “Come back early.”
“Okay!”
I walked a few steps, then ran back and stood on tiptoe to kiss his lips, reluctant to leave his soft taste.
After dusk, night fell. I tilted my head back, looking at the pure white magnolia flowers overhead, clustered and beautiful.
Whenever I heard a car approach and then recede, I would stand on tiptoe and peek over the one-person-high wall, looking toward the small building at the other street corner. Ye Zhengchen never came, not once.
I took a sip from the remaining half bottle of water, secretly hoping I had guessed wrong. Perhaps everything was not as I thought… I even planned to leave and cook a bowl of dan dan noodles for Ye Zhengchen.
