Those things that happened in those years

Chapter 62 Love Letter Delivered

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Hong Liguo arrived at the village entrance with his mind preoccupied.

Fa Zi, Jun Ge, and the others had already arrived. After they met up, they laughed and joked as usual, then got on their bicycles and sped off towards the township middle school.

The wind brushed past his ears, carrying the scent of wildflowers from the field ridges, but Hong Liguo paid no attention to any of that—the letter in his schoolbag felt like a huge stone, so heavy that he couldn't relax.

"What's wrong with you today? You're talking so casually, what's on your mind?" Fa Zi rode up next to him and bumped his arm with a smile.

Hong Liguo panicked and unconsciously gripped the handlebars. He hurriedly explained, "No, no, what could be on my mind? Don't make wild guesses." After saying that, he pedaled the bicycle a few times, trying to leave his hair behind to avoid being questioned further.

But Fa Zi seemed to be teasing him on purpose, and he caught up with him with renewed vigor, his eyes filled with inquiry: "I don't believe it. You seem really strange today. There must be something on your mind."

Hong Liguo quickly changed the subject and called out to Jun Ge in front of him, "Jun Ge, did you actually read that novel we talked about yesterday?" Fa Zi saw that he was deliberately avoiding the question, so he didn't press the matter further and started talking about the novel.

They arrived at school in no time, parked their bicycles, and walked to their respective classrooms.

Hong Liguo followed behind Fa Zi. As soon as he entered the classroom, he couldn't help but glance around. Although the classroom was just like usual, with some people doing their homework and others playing around, he felt that everyone was secretly looking at him, as if their eyes could see through his schoolbag and into the love letter that held his secrets.

Hong Liguo's face flushed instantly, even his ears felt burning. His heart pounded wildly, so much so that he didn't hear Yi Jianping walk by and greet him until Fa Zi patted him on the shoulder again, bringing him back to his senses. At the same time, he became even more nervous.

"What's wrong with you today? You seem so absent-minded, like your soul has flown away. Did someone cast a soul-capturing spell on you?" Fa Zi teased Hong Liguo with a martial arts plot from a novel.

"Nothing's wrong! I'm fine, you're the one who's been bewitched! Why are you staring at me like that?" Hong Liguo quickly retorted to Fa Zi.

"Nothing? Just now, Ichikenping was talking to you, and you didn't even respond. And you still say nothing happened?" Fa Zi pouted.

Hong Liguo turned to look at Yi Jianping, who was already chatting animatedly with other classmates. "Yi Jianping? What did he say to me?"

Fa Zi stared at him, then suddenly smiled mysteriously: "Nothing." He paused, then added, "You've definitely got something going on with you today. I've noticed something's off about you ever since I came across you from the village entrance."

Hong Liguo panicked even more and quickly lowered his head to pack his schoolbag, avoiding Fa Zi's gaze—he was afraid that if he kept looking, all his little schemes would be exposed.

Just then, the classroom door creaked open, and Qiao Shuang walked in with two other female classmates.

Hong Liguo's heart leaped into his throat, pounding faster than the school bell. Staring at Qiao Shuang's back, he inexplicably felt that her gaze seemed to penetrate the air and see the love letter in his schoolbag. He subconsciously stuffed his schoolbag further into his desk.

A wave of tension washed over him—he recalled the scene of Zhang Qiaoyun reading someone else's love letter aloud in public, and his face turned pale instantly. But then he thought: No, the love letter is still in my bag, Qiao Shuang hasn't received it at all, what's there to be afraid of? With this thought, he relaxed a little.

For the rest of the day, Hong Liguo was tormented by anxiety. He kept his eyes on Qiao Shuang's seat, trying to find an opportunity to slip the love letter inside, but either Qiao Shuang remained seated, or people were coming and going in the classroom, making it impossible for him to make a move.

By the time school was almost over in the afternoon, he was nearly in despair, even thinking: Maybe I should just give up and just watch her from afar, like before. He didn't want to confess and be laughed at instead; if he were to publish his love letter like Zhang Qiaoyun did, he would be too ashamed to face anyone.

But just then, the teacher sent a classmate to deliver a message saying that the office renovation was finished and everyone needed to help move things—the office supplies had been moved to another room a few days ago during the renovation and now they needed to be moved back.

Hearing this, Hong Liguo's heart pounded wildly, almost leaping out of his throat. He gripped his backpack strap tightly, thinking: The opportunity has arrived! This is truly heaven-sent! I must seize this chance to send the love letter and let Qiao Shuang know my feelings. Even if she makes it public, I must express my love for her; otherwise, wouldn't I be left with lifelong regret!

He deliberately pretended to organize his books and his schoolbag, then deliberately slowed down his pace, scanning the students in the classroom like a thief, hoping they would leave quickly.

Fa Zi reached the classroom door, and seeing that he hadn't followed, turned back and called out, "Xiao Guo, hurry up!"

"Okay! I think I got sand in my shoe. You go ahead, I'll empty it out and be right back."

As Hong Liguo spoke, he pretended to take off his shoes and adjust them, then put them back on and continued moving forward slowly.

After everyone had left the classroom, he quickly called out to Fa Zi's retreating figure, "You go first, I'm going back to get something, I'll be right back!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he rushed back to his seat like a gust of wind. He glanced at the door to make sure no one was there before quickly pulling the love letter from his bag. His hands were clenched so tightly that his fingertips were trembling, but he didn't dare waste a second, afraid of missing this golden opportunity. With the determination of "a hero going to his death," he ran to Qiao Shuang's desk and quietly slipped the love letter into the lining of her bag.

After finishing all this, Hong Liguo breathed a long sigh of relief, finally feeling a weight lifted from his shoulders. He quickly scanned the classroom again to make sure no traces were left and no one had seen anything before rushing out of the classroom to catch up with the students who were carrying their things.

After everyone had moved the office supplies back to the classroom, the school bell rang to signal the end of the school term.

Hong Liguo secretly watched Qiao Shuang, and only after she packed up her books and walked out of the classroom chatting and laughing with her classmates as usual did the anxiety in his heart finally subside.

"What's wrong with you today? You've been acting all mysterious." Fa Zi came over again and patted his shoulder. "You usually run home faster than anyone else after school, why are you dawdling like this today, like you're absent-minded?"

Hong Liguo forced a smile and said, "I'm just packing my things! But you, you're usually not in such a rush, why are you acting like you're being pressured today? Are you in a hurry to get back to your date?"

Fa Zi's face flushed red instantly, and she glared at him: "What nonsense are you talking about! Who am I going on a date with?"

"Guo Xianmei!" Hong Liguo whispered in his ear.

Fa Zi's face turned even redder, and he quickly pushed his bicycle, saying, "Hurry up, hurry up, stop talking nonsense, it's not true."

The group rode their bicycles home. Fa Zi and Jun Ge chatted and laughed, while Hong Liguo lagged behind, his mind filled with thoughts of Qiao Shuang.

As he pedaled, he couldn't help but wonder: Is Qiao Shuang almost home by now? What will her reaction be when she sees the love letter? Will she be happy, as I expect? Or will she be annoyed? Or will she simply throw the love letter into the stove and burn it all?

The more he thought about it, the more confused he became, even imagining the worst-case scenario: What if Qiao Shuang showed the love letter to the teacher and then told her parents? Even worse, what if Qiao Shuang took out the love letter as soon as she got to school tomorrow and read it aloud in front of everyone like Zhang Qiaoyun did? He would be too ashamed to face anyone then, because his love letter was not like the one Zhang Qiaoyun read; he had left his name on the love letter he wrote to Qiao Shuang.

Suddenly, Hong Liguo felt a pang of regret. He regretted writing his own name on the letter, and even regretted writing that love letter to Qiao Shuang!

Various thoughts swirled in his mind, leaving him utterly exhausted.