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Lin Xu put down her phone, her heart pounding like a drum. A recruiter from Peking University? She could hardly believe her ears. "What's wrong?" Lu Ming asked with concern. Lin Xu took a deep breath and forced a smile. "It's nothing, maybe just a wrong number." She didn't want Lu Ming to know about it, at least not now.
"Well... I’ll be on my way then." Lu Ming hesitated for a moment but eventually turned to leave. Lin Xu stood there, her mind in a whirl. Why would Peking University call her? Was it because of her grades? But that couldn't be true; she had just started her sophomore year...
Just as she was lost in thought, her phone rang again. This time it was her mother.
"Hello, Mom?" Lin Xu answered the call, her voice trembling slightly. "Xu Xu," her mother's voice sounded weary, "I have to work late today and might not be home until very late. You’ll have to eat dinner by yourself."
Lin Xu's heart sank. Today was her birthday, and her mother had forgotten.
"Okay... okay, Mom." She fought back tears. "Please take care of yourself." After hanging up, Lin Xu felt as if the whole world had turned gray. She quietly walked toward the school gate, filled with disappointment and loneliness.
At that moment, a familiar voice called out from behind her: "Hey, Lin Xu!"
She turned around to see Ye Feng standing at the entrance of a supermarket, holding a bottle of cola.
"Ye Feng?" Lin Xu was surprised. "What are you doing here?" Ye Feng smiled. "Just buying some things. By the way, I heard you ranked first in your grade? Congratulations!"
Lin Xu managed a weak smile. "Thanks." Ye Feng seemed to notice that something was off with her mood and frowned slightly. "What's wrong? Are you not happy?"
Lin Xu shook her head. "It's nothing."
Just then, a gust of wind blew and Lin Xu's student ID fell out of her pocket. Ye Feng quickly caught it. "Hey, your student ID..." His words suddenly halted as he stared at the information on the card, his eyes widening. "Wait a minute, is today your birthday?"
Lin Xu froze; she had forgotten that her birthday was on the student ID. Ye Feng's eyes lit up suddenly. "What a coincidence! Come on, let me treat you to dinner! It’ll be a celebration for your ranking and your birthday!"
Before Lin Xu could react, Ye Feng grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the school gate.
"Wait, Ye Feng, we can't..." Lin Xu said in a panic. Ye Feng turned back with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "What are you afraid of? It's your birthday; we should celebrate! Besides, you ranked first—are you really worried about breaking school rules?"
Lin Xu felt warmth in her heart but still hesitated. "But..."
"No buts," Ye Feng said with a smile. "Come on, let’s sneak out over the wall. Consider it your birthday gift—a little adventure!"
Looking at Ye Feng's eager expression, Lin Xu suddenly felt her heart race. She bit her lip and nodded reluctantly. "Alright."
They arrived at the back wall of the school, and Ye Feng easily climbed over it. Lin Xu felt nervous but tried to mimic his actions as she climbed up too. Just as she was about to get over the top, her foot slipped unexpectedly.
Lin Xu gasped as she fell backward. "Watch out!" Ye Feng shouted and reached out to catch her.
She found herself falling into a warm embrace. Looking up, she met Ye Feng's worried gaze. "Are you okay?" he asked anxiously. Lin Xu felt heat rush to her face and quickly straightened up. "I’m... I’m fine." But just then, she felt a sharp pain in her waist and leg. She gritted her teeth to keep from crying out.
"Are you really okay?" Ye Feng still looked concerned. Lin Xu forced a smile again. "Really fine; it’s probably just a little scrape." She didn’t want to ruin the mood or make Ye Feng worry.
Ye Feng sighed in relief. "That’s good then! Come on, I’ll take you somewhere fun!"
They walked along a small path with Lin Xu limping behind him. The pain in her waist and leg intensified, but seeing Ye Feng's excited figure made it hard for her to voice her discomfort.
"Here it is!" Ye Feng suddenly stopped, pointing at a small shop ahead.
Lin Xu looked up and saw a skewer restaurant. A large sign at the entrance read: "Birthday Special, Free Meal for the Birthday Star!"
"That's great!" Ye Feng exclaimed excitedly. "You can eat as much as you want today!"
Lin Xu was so touched that she couldn't find the words. No one had ever celebrated her birthday like this before.
They walked into the shop, and Ye Feng announced loudly, "Boss, today is my friend's birthday!" The customers in the restaurant turned their heads curiously to look at them.
The boss approached with a big smile, "Oh, it's the birthday star! Come, come, sit over here; I'll get you a good spot." Lin Xu felt a bit shy but followed Ye Feng to sit down.
"Let's order this one, and this one..." Ye Feng eagerly pointed at the dishes. Lin Xu watched his serious profile and suddenly felt a warm current in her heart. She remembered all the moments they had shared; even though Ye Feng often clashed with her, he always showed up when it mattered most.
"Ye Feng," Lin Xu suddenly spoke up, "thank you."
Ye Feng was taken aback for a moment before smiling, "For what? It's your birthday; we should celebrate properly. By the way, did you make a wish?"
Lin Xu shook her head.
"Then hurry up and make a wish!" Ye Feng said, pulling out a candle from his pocket. "I bought this at the supermarket just for this."
Lin Xu looked at the small candle and felt her eyes welling up with tears. She closed her eyes and silently made a wish: she hoped time would pass quickly, that she could become better, and that... she hoped to always be with Ye Feng. "Have you made your wish?" Ye Feng's voice broke her thoughts.
Lin Xu opened her eyes and nodded. "Then blow out the candle!" Ye Feng said as he inserted the candle into a skewer of meat.
Lin Xu smiled and gently blew out the candle. Just then, the restaurant suddenly erupted into song. Lin Xu looked up in surprise to find all the customers and staff singing for her.
"Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you..." Tears welled up in Lin Xu's eyes. She had never felt such warmth before.
"Thank you, thank you everyone," she choked out.
Ye Feng watched Lin Xu's emotional expression and felt a stir in his own heart. He suddenly realized that although Lin Xu seemed strong on the outside, she had a vulnerable side within her.
"Come on, let's eat," Ye Feng said softly. "Today you can have whatever you want."
Lin Xu nodded and began to enjoy the food, but her mind was elsewhere. She stole glances at Ye Feng, filled with complex emotions.
"By the way," Ye Feng suddenly said, "are you and Lu Ming... something going on?"
Lin Xu froze. "What?"
"I mean... you two seem pretty close lately," Ye Feng said somewhat awkwardly.
Lin Xu shook her head. "No, we're just... helping each other with studies."
Ye Feng sighed in relief. "Oh, that's good."
Lin Xu's heart stirred. "Why do you ask?"
Ye Feng felt a bit awkward. "It's nothing, just... asking casually." The two fell silent for a moment, the atmosphere becoming somewhat delicate.
"Actually," Lin Xu mustered her courage to say, "I've always been curious about why you dislike Lu Ming so much."
Ye Feng's expression grew complex. "Well... it's a long story."
"We have plenty of time," Lin Xu said softly.
Ye Feng sighed. "Alright. It all started during the Chusan competition..." He began recounting the grievances between him and Lu Ming. It turned out that during an important competition at Chusan, Lu Ming had misunderstood and thought Ye Feng was cheating. Although the truth eventually came to light, their relationship had since become strained.
Lin Xu listened quietly, feeling a deeper understanding and sympathy for Ye Feng.
"So," Ye Feng said with a hint of embarrassment after finishing his story, "I actually admire you. The fact that you can be friends with Lu Ming shows you're much more magnanimous than I am."
Lin Xu shook her head. "No, it's not like that. I just... believe everyone has their own story. Maybe we should try to understand each other more."
Ye Feng looked at Lin Xu, surprise and appreciation flickering in his eyes. "You're right. Maybe... I should learn to let go of the past."
They exchanged smiles, and the atmosphere lightened. After finishing their meal, Lin Xu excused herself to go to the restroom. Standing in front of the mirror, she looked at her red, swollen eyes and suddenly felt a wave of grievance wash over her. "Lin Xu, what are you doing?" she said to her reflection. "Didn't you say you wanted to become better? Why are you still so weak?" Tears streamed uncontrollably down her face as she recalled the efforts of these past years, the indifference at home, and Ye Feng's warmth...
"No," she wiped her tears dry and took a deep breath. "I can't do this. I need to become stronger; I want to... I want to be someone worthy of Ye Feng." When she walked out of the restroom, Ye Feng was reading a book. Lin Xu quietly approached him and saw he was reading Eileen Chang's "Love in a Fallen City."
"You like Eileen Chang too?" Lin Xu asked in surprise.
Ye Feng looked up, a bit embarrassed. "Yeah, I think she writes really well."
Lin Xu sat down and pointed at a line in the book. "Look at this line; it's beautifully written: 'In the midst of millions of people, encountering those you encounter; in the endless wilderness of time over countless years, neither early nor late, just right on time; there’s nothing else to say but gently ask: 'Oh, you're here too?'"
Ye Feng was taken aback as he looked at Lin Xu, suddenly feeling his heart race.
"Lin Xu," he said softly, "you... you're really special."
Lin Xu felt her face flush; she lowered her head, unable to meet Ye Feng's gaze. Just then, Ye Feng's phone rang. He glanced at it and his expression suddenly turned frantic.
"What’s wrong?" Lin Xu asked.
"Oh no," Ye Feng stood up quickly. "My mom is calling. We need to hurry back!"
They hurriedly settled the bill and rushed out of the restaurant. Lin Xu's legs still hurt, but she gritted her teeth and kept pace with Ye Feng. "Ye Feng!" Lin Xu shouted while running, "Wait up!"
Ye Feng stopped and turned back to look at her.
Breathless, Lin Xu suddenly reached out and grasped Ye Feng's wrist. He froze for a moment, feeling his heart skip a beat.
"Thank you," Lin Xu said earnestly, "this is the most unforgettable birthday I've ever had."
Ye Feng gazed into Lin Xu's bright eyes and felt a rush of emotion.
"Lin Xu," he whispered, "happy birthday."
They exchanged smiles once more before continuing their run together. Under the moonlight, their youthful figures gradually faded into the distance, leaving behind a trail of joyful laughter. Lin Xu closed her eyes again and silently made a wish: hoping time would pass more quickly, hoping she could become better, hoping... hoping to always be with Ye Feng.
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