That Nameless Summer Chapter 15
byI’ll accompany you
The wind during the holiday was hot and dry. Song Li walked around the alleys of the old city twice with a few WeChat messages that Ling Qingye had not replied to.He did not go to Ling Qingye’s house, but instead turned into the old residential area where the two lived when they were children – he suddenly wanted to see what the place where he and Ling Qingye once squatted in the corner watching ants and sharing half a biscuit had become now.
Most of the old houses have not been demolished, but the walls are a lot mottled. The locust trees at the entrance of the alley have grown stronger and stronger, and their branches stretch out of the walls, casting a large amount of shade.
Song Li walked to the door of his former home. The wooden door had long been replaced by an iron door with faded Spring Festival couplets on it.He was looking at the house number in a daze when a familiar voice came from behind him.
“Song Li?”
Song Li turned around and saw Ling Qingye standing at the entrance of the alley, carrying a black backpack and holding an old photo frame in his hand. Inside was a yellowed photo of two little boys in kindergarten uniforms, holding hands and smiling brightly.In the photo, Song Li’s hair is a little messy, and there are some cookie crumbs stuck to the corners of his mouth; Ling Qingye stands upright, but his eyes show a calmness that belies his age.
“Why are you here?” Song Li’s heart skipped a beat. He didn’t expect to meet Ling Qingye here.
“Come and get something.” Ling Qingye walked up to him and handed the photo frame to Song Li, “You.”
Song Li took the photo frame and brushed the two little dots on the photo with his fingertips, feeling sour in his heart.He remembered that this photo was taken on the day of kindergarten graduation. A few days after the photo was taken, Ling Qingye moved and the two lost contact. Unexpectedly, this photo was well preserved by Zhou Yanan.
Song Li smiled mockingly to himself. The person in the photo was completely different from the person he was now.
“It’s very cute.” Ling Qingye’s voice was very soft, with a gentleness that was not easy to detect, “I will always remember it.”
Song Li’s ears felt slightly hot and he quickly changed the subject: “Why do you have this?”
“I found it when I was sorting out my dad’s belongings. There are many things in it that were from our childhood.” Ling Qingye paused and then said, “I came here today because I want to put these things back to their original places.”
He took out a small box from his backpack, which contained marbles, glass balls, and a badly worn doll.”These were things we played with when we were kids, and my mother kept them for us.”
Song Li looked at those familiar small objects, his eyes burning a little.He remembered that the doll was Ling Qingye’s treasure. He usually wouldn’t let others touch it, but on his birthday, he gave it to him without hesitation.
“I thought you had forgotten this a long time ago.” Song Li’s voice was a little hoarse.
“I haven’t forgotten, I have never forgotten.” Ling Qingye’s eyes fell on his face, deep and focused, “It’s like I haven’t forgotten you.”
Song Li’s heartbeat accelerated instantly. He turned away, not daring to look into Ling Qingye’s eyes, but his fingertips unconsciously clenched the photo frame in his hand.The sun shines warmly on the two of them through the gaps in the leaves, and the air is filled with the faint scent of acacia flowers, just like the summer when they were children.
The two of them walked slowly along the alley without speaking, but they didn’t feel awkward at all.Song Li occasionally kicked the pebbles on the roadside, while Ling Qingye followed him quietly, eyes always following his figure.When he reached the end of the alley, Song Li suddenly stopped.
“Ling Qingye,” he turned around and looked into Ling Qingye’s eyes, “I know you are sad about your parents, but don’t bear it alone, I…”
“I know.” Ling Qingye interrupted him, stepped forward, and gently held his wrist, “Song Li, with you here, I am not alone.”
His palm was warm and had moderate strength. Song Li didn’t struggle and let him hold it.The sunlight shone on the hands held by the two of them, as if they were gilded with a layer of gold.
“I found my mother’s diary.” Ling Qingye’s voice deepened, “There are many things written in it, about my father, about their relationship, and… about me.”
Song Li looked at him, waiting for him to continue.
“My dad said that he never regretted being with my dad, even if he was abandoned in the end, even if he paid the price with his life.” Ling Qingye’s eyes were a little red, “He also said that adopting me was the happiest thing in his life.”
“He must love you very much.” Song Li said softly.
“Well, he loves me very much, and I love him very much.” Ling Qingye’s voice was choked with sobs, “So I can’t let him leave like this without any reason. I must find out the truth and make him pay the price.”
Song Li nodded: “I’ll accompany you.”
Three simple words, but like a reassurance, Ling Qingye’s heart instantly calmed down.He held Song Li’s hand tightly with his backhand, and the two of them looked at each other and smiled. All the anxiety and worries disappeared in this smile.
At this moment, Song Li’s cell phone rang, and it was Xu Jiangyou calling.”Song Li, where are you? Qin Jiangwen, that guy came to bother me again and said he wanted to give me tutoring. Come back and save me!” Xu Jiangyou’s helpless and a little bit coquettish voice came from the phone.
Song Li smiled helplessly: “I know, I’ll go back right away.”
After hanging up the phone, he looked at Ling Qingye: “Xu Jiangyou has something going on there, I have to go back and take a look.”
“I’ll see you off.” Ling Qingye let go of his hand and spoke in a natural tone.
The two of them walked out of the alley side by side. The sun was just right and the breeze was not dry.Song Li suddenly remembered something and turned to look at Ling Qingye: “Ling Qingye, we were neighbors when we were children. Then you moved, and I was sad for several days.”
Ling Qingye was stunned, and then a trace of surprise and joy flashed in his eyes: “I… don’t know.”
“I know now.” Song Li smiled and his steps became much brisker.
Ling Qingye looked at his back and couldn’t help but raise the corners of his mouth. His heart seemed to be filled with something, warm and at ease.He quickly followed Song Li, and their shadows clung to each other in the sunshine, as if they had never been separated.
On the other side, Xu Jiangyou was “glaring angrily” at Qin Jiangwen.Qin Jiangwen sat in front of her desk, holding an English dictionary in her hand, and said slowly: “You are wrong about this question. You should use the present perfect tense.”
“I’m obviously right!” Xu Jiangyou retorted unconvinced, but secretly looked at Qin Jiangwen’s profile.The way he looks serious is pretty good-looking.
Qin Jiangwen raised his eyes, with a smile in his eyes: “Do you want to make a bet? The loser will drink milk tea.”
“Just bet!” Xu Jiangyou patted the table, but he was thinking: If he loses, just treat him as a cup of milk tea. Anyway…he helped him a lot.
The quarrel between the two people came out through the window, with the unique throbbing and ambiguity of youth, which was particularly clear in this quiet afternoon.