Spend Summer Chapter 1

Class Reunion

As evening approached, the sun sank gently below the horizon.

Autumn always arrived late in Chuzhou, and the summer heat was slow to fade. Fortunately, it had rained the previous night, and the air was thick with moisture, slightly dispersing the stifling heat.

Inside the white-walled office, the faint vibration of the air conditioner’s external unit woke Shen Wan from her rest at her desk.

Her forehead was covered in a cold sweat. Her skin was a sickly shade of white, and the dark circles under her eyes were clearly visible.

Shen Wan exhaled slowly, finally pulling her soul back from that bizarre and fragmented dream.

She looked out the pearwood window, only then realizing how late it had become.

She stood up, her body swaying uncontrollably as her vision went black. She quickly steadied herself against the wooden table. Once her sight returned, she stepped out of the room.

Sister Shen, why are you awake again? Xiao Mu, who was leaning over a desk organizing documents, looked up quickly upon hearing the sound.

Shen Wan rubbed her brow with her slender, well-defined fingers. She forced a reflexive smile and said, It’s nothing. It’s late; you should head home first.

Xiao Mu sighed and set the documents aside. Alright then, I’ll head out. You should get some rest soon too, Sister Shen.

Shen Wan nodded. Under the fluorescent light, her face appeared even more bloodless.

Xiao Mu picked up her phone and walked to the door. As she closed it, she glanced back at Shen Wan. Though Shen Wan stood under the light with a smile, her expression was cold and distant, as if she were far removed from the warmth of the glow.

Xiao Mu let out a breath, her eyes filled with pity. Her team leader seemed gentle and cheerful, always smiling, but deep in her eyes was a profound sadness—like a glacier from the ice age, impenetrable and unmelting.

With a creak, the door slowly shut, leaving Shen Wan alone.

Shen Wan flipped through the documents. The drowning rescue robot experiment had entered the testing phase, and she could finally take a half-month break.

Looking at the word Success on the page, Shen Wan finally smiled—a smile full of relief and nostalgia.

Setting the documents down, Shen Wan turned off the lights, took one last nostalgic look around the room, and walked out.

The sun was setting, and the streets were crowded with people hurrying to and fro.

On Central Avenue, the fiery red maple leaves seemed to reflect the glow of the sunset, carpeting the road. Cars drove over them with a rustling sound.

Suddenly, her phone rang. A young girl’s voice sang from the speaker: You are like the midsummer sun, the parasol flowers blooming…

Shen Wan pressed the answer button. The sound of a crowd came through. The person on the other end seemed surprised she answered so quickly, pausing for a few seconds before shouting, Sister Shen, how much longer until you get here?

A smile touched Shen Wan’s eyes. Ten minutes. Go ahead and order first.

Alright, hurry up then, the voice said before hanging up.

Today was the sixth day of the tenth lunar month—a long-awaited high school reunion. Everyone took it seriously and had arrived early.

Back then, they only thought about how great it would be to graduate. After the college entrance exams, everyone scattered.

It wasn’t until they started working that they realized how difficult it was to meet again. Consequently, everyone who could make it to this reunion had shown up.

The traffic light flashed, and her car sped past, kicking up fallen maple leaves.

The reunion was at a restaurant on the second floor of Jinhui Plaza. Shen Wan parked in the underground garage and took the elevator up.

During the rare National Day holiday, the restaurant was bustling. Led by a waiter, Shen Wan reached the private room.

After thanking the waiter, she pushed open the heavy door. Inside were faces both strange and familiar.

Lin Jiayue was the first to spot Shen Wan. She immediately came forward, her voice crisp. You’re finally here! We were just waiting for you.

At those words, the other classmates began to tease her.

Our Grade Topper has arrived.

Sister Shen is getting prettier and prettier.

Lin Jiayue laughed and scolded them playfully. Of course! Who do you think our Sister Shen is? She was the number two student in our year at No. 2 Middle School!

The classmates laughed and replied, Who doesn’t know that? Alright, alright, sit down. The food will be out in a moment.

Lin Jiayue raised her hand and then lowered it, standing beside Shen Wan. Look, I saved the seat next to Sister Zhao specifically for you.

Shen Wan looked over. Sure enough, there were four empty seats at one of the tables.

The two of them took their seats, with two empty chairs between them.

The surroundings fell silent for a few seconds. The Class Monitor, Wang Fei, was the first to break the silence. Haha, Sister Shen is looking more and more like Sister Zhao these days.

As soon as she said this, the room became even quieter. One could have heard a pin drop.

Finally, Shen Wan picked up the conversation herself. Then I’ll take that as a compliment from the Class Monitor. Let’s eat.

The others saw the waiters bringing in the food and looked at them as if they were saviors. Their eyes lit up as they chimed in, Yes, yes, let’s eat first.

The awkwardness passed just like that, leaving no trace in the minds of the others—except for Shen Wan.

The shadows of white plates were reflected on the polished glass table. In them, Shen Wan saw her own blurred face.

Her eyes were downcast, her long, slightly curled lashes casting a faint shadow. She whispered inwardly: Zhaozhao, look, there’s so much food. When are you coming back?

Eating and drinking, the now-adult classmates naturally opened up. Some discussed the trivialities of work, while others reminisced about the beauty of high school life.

After three rounds of drinks, Shen Wan hadn’t touched any alcohol, yet she seemed drunk.

Dressed in red with her long hair down, her pale skin made the vibrant color particularly striking. The mole on her earlobe stood out under the lights. She gently swirled her glass, lost in thought.

Wang Fei’s eyes widened slightly in admiration. She sighed inwardly; it was no wonder Sister Zhao liked her so much. Shen Wan’s looks were truly beyond reproach.

Sitting next to Shen Wan, she tried to find a topic. Um… Sister Shen, I heard you’re going to be on break for a while. Where do you plan to go?

Shen Wan looked up at Wang Fei, sat up straight, and smiled. I haven’t decided yet. What about you? What are your plans?

Speaking of work, Wang Fei had a belly full of grievances. What plans could I have? This crappy job only gave me three days off. I have to go back the day after tomorrow to deal with those idiotic leaders. The salary is tiny, but there’s a mountain of nonsense to deal with. It’s so frustrating…

Shen Wan maintained a polite smile and listened, but in reality, not a single word registered.

After dinner, they were set to move on to a KTV. Although Shen Wan wasn’t interested, she followed along.

Female friendships are always a wonder. In just a short time, these women who hadn’t seen each other in nearly eight years were walking arm-in-arm again, acting as close as they had been in high school when they went to the restroom in groups.

The KTV room had been booked the day before, so they walked straight in.

The most popular songs were playing in the room. Fruit platters and snack trays were laid out on the wooden tables.

Since there were many people, two extra microphones had been provided.

Wang Fei went to the song selection screen first, shouting to ask what everyone wanted to sing.

The others gathered in small groups to chat. Hearing Wang Fei’s question, they scrambled to answer all at once.

I want Gentle Evening Breeze!

I want Rose Thorns!

And don’t forget our class song!

Wang Fei sat by the screen, entering them one by one. Got it, got it! Don’t rush me!

Shen Wan sat in a corner, quietly watching the scene. Neon lights flashed, enveloping everyone in their glow.

Lin Jiayue pulled a deck of cards from the bar and called out, Let’s play Dare!

Everyone agreed.

The classmates gathered in a circle around the table, with Lin Jiayue sitting in the middle as the host.

We’ll play the simplest version. Whoever draws the Joker can command the person the bottle points to.

Sounds good! Hurry up!

I can’t wait.

Lin Jiayue shuffled the cards. Coming, coming. What’s the rush? Can’t you see I’m shuffling?

Hehe, I see it, I see it. The person rubbed their head and gave a silly grin.

After shuffling, Lin Jiayue dealt the cards. Come on, whoever has the Joker, speak up.

After dealing, Lin Jiayue gave the bottle a spin. It whirled around and around.

After one round, the atmosphere became even more lively. Some people were howling into the microphones, while others were performing punishments.

In the next round, Lin Jiayue handed the hosting duties to the Class Monitor and came over to Shen Wan. Want to play a round?

Shen Wan shook her head. No, you guys go ahead.

Lin Jiayue snatched Shen Wan’s phone away. Just one round. Sister Zhao loved playing Dare the most.

At the mention of Ji Zhao, Shen Wan’s expression shifted. Fine, I’ll play one round.

She stood up and walked over to the group. Lin Jiayue watched her back, her brow furrowed with worry.

Seeing Shen Wan approach, the others quickly made room. Sister Shen is joining! Sit here.

Here, here, sit down!

Shen Wan sat on the sofa. Lin Jiayue stood behind her. Wang Fei began dealing. Shen Wan glanced at her card—it was a common yet not-so-common number: six.

Shen Wan looked down, the corners of her mouth curling slightly, her eyes shimmering.

Lin Jiayue spun the bottle. By coincidence, it pointed straight at Shen Wan.

Wang Fei said brightly, It’s our Grade Topper! Come on, who has the Joker?

Lin Jiayue revealed the Big Joker in her hand. I’m the Joker. Sister Shen, do you choose Dare or Truth?

Shen Wan considered for a few seconds. Truth. Ask away.

Lin Jiayue had been waiting for this. She immediately asked, Now that the Eight-Year Pact is over, what do you plan to do?

The fingers Shen Wan had hidden under the table twitched. She tried her best to remain calm. See the sights, enjoy life a bit.

The other classmates chimed in, That sounds great.

Sister Shen, don’t forget to bring back some local specialties!

Shen Wan nodded. Of course.

It was unclear whether Lin Jiayue believed her. She stared at Shen Wan for a moment before calling for everyone to continue playing.

Shen Wan quickly gave up her seat to someone else and returned to her corner.

Lin Jiayue also quietly slipped away and sat next to Shen Wan. She turned to look at her. The red dress was a vivid, eye-catching color, but on Shen Wan, it carried a different flavor—one that felt cold.

Although the corners of Shen Wan’s mouth were still turned up, it wasn’t the same.

Lin Jiayue sighed and suddenly asked, You still haven’t let go.

It was phrased as a question, but her tone was certain and firm.

Shen Wan’s smile flattened. She replied with the same weight, Neither have you.

Lin Jiayue put an unlit lady’s cigarette in her mouth. Shen Wan, you know what I’m talking about!

Shen Wan didn’t answer. Instead, she said something else. I’m leaving.

Lin Jiayue grew frustrated with Shen Wan’s evasiveness. Spitting out the cigarette, she suppressed her anger and said, Fine. I’ll see you out!

After sending a quick message to their classmates on her phone, the two of them left one after the other.

Wang Fei was the first to notice they had gone. Looking at the message on her phone, she replied with a Sure. She sat in a daze for who knows how long until a girl beside her called her name, snapping her back to reality to rejoin the game.