That Nameless Summer Chapter 16

i like you

The leaves of the locust trees at the entrance of the alley were rustling in the evening breeze, and the afterglow of the setting sun stretched the shadows of the two people, overlapping on the bluestone road, like a blurred ink painting.

Song Li had just hung up the phone from Xu Jiangyou, with the warmth of the phone still on his fingertips. He turned around and saw Ling Qingye standing under the locust tree, holding the iron box containing marbles and candy wrappers in his hand, his knuckles turning slightly white.

“Xu Jiangyou is entangled by Qin Jiangwen again?” Ling Qingye’s voice was blown a little softly by the wind, and his eyes fell on Song Li’s face, with an imperceptible smile.

“No, you’re talking about tutoring. I think it’s just an opportunity to be clingy.” Song Li sneered and put the old photo frame in his pocket. The smiling faces of the two little boys on the photo felt warm against the palms of their hands through the fabric.

The two of them walked slowly along the alley without saying another word.Passing by the corner where they squatted together when they were children, Song Li saw a few ants lining up to carry biscuit crumbs. He suddenly remembered the way Ling Qingye picked up stones to help him drive away the older child that day. Even though he was trembling with fear, he still protected him behind him.

“You were quite timid when you were little, and you dared to rush up to me.” Song Li looked sideways at him, with a hint of teasing in her eyes.

Ling Qingye paused and turned to look at him.

My heart is so soft.He remembered the day they reunited in high school, when Ling Qingye was sitting by the window, the sun falling on his hair, and his heart skipping a beat at that moment; he recalled that during the evening self-study, the other party’s breathing was faintly scented with ink when he leaned over to give a lecture; he recalled that on a snowy night, the two of them walked side by side under the street lamp, Ling Qingye tilted his umbrella towards him, and half of his shoulders were covered with snow.

These tiny moments, like stars scattered in time, were suddenly strung together at this moment, making them dazzlingly bright.

Reaching the end of the alley, Song Li was about to turn into the road home, but Ling Qingye stopped him.

“Song Li.”

Ling Qingye’s voice was deeper than usual. He took a step forward and blocked Song Li’s way, holding the iron box in his hand tighter.The evening breeze carried the scent of locust flowers and blew the broken hair on his forehead. His eyes, which were always cold, were filled with emotions that were stronger than the sunset.

Song Li’s footsteps paused, his heartbeat suddenly accelerated, his fingertips trembled slightly, and he subconsciously took half a step back, but his retreat was blocked by the locust tree behind him.

“I have something to tell you.” Ling Qingye took a deep breath, his eyes so magnanimous that Song Li didn’t dare to look directly at her, “From the first time I met you in kindergarten, when you gave me candy; from the time you sat next to me in high school and asked me how to solve this problem; from the day you accompanied me to sort out my mother’s belongings, and made me feel like I wasn’t alone without saying a word… I knew that I was more than just a friend to you.”

His voice was not loud, but his words were clear, like pebbles thrown into Song Li’s inner lake, creating ripples in circles.

“I know that my family is very complicated, and there may be a lot of troubles in the future.” Ling Qingye’s Adam’s apple rolled, and there was a hint of nervousness in his voice that he didn’t notice, “But I don’t want to hold it in any longer. Song Li, I like you. It’s not the kind of like that a friend has, but the kind of love that I want to face all the wind and rain with you, want to see you every day, and want to be with you year after year.”

After saying these words, he seemed to be relieved, but also seemed to be more nervous. The fingers holding the iron box turned white, and his eyes were locked on Song Li’s face, for fear of missing any expression on his face.

Song Li froze in place, with only the rustling of the leaves in the evening wind and the beating of his own heartbeat like a drum in his ears.He looked into Ling Qingye’s eyes. There was expectation, anxiety, and unconcealable tenderness in those eyes. They gradually overlapped and became different from the cold, quiet young man in his memory.

It turns out that those tacit understandings and those concerns about details were never his illusion.

He opened his mouth, his throat was a little tight, and the words he wanted to say were stuck in his chest. In the end, he only turned into a hoarse response: “…me too.”

The three words were as light as a sigh, but Ling Qingye’s eyes instantly lit up, as if stars had fallen into them.He was stunned for a moment, as if he couldn’t believe it, and then the corners of his mouth raised uncontrollably, a genuine smile that completely relieved his guard.

“What did you say?” He took another step forward, almost standing side by side with Song Li under the locust tree, their shoulders lightly touching, “I didn’t hear clearly.”

Song Li’s cheeks were surprisingly hot. He turned away, but couldn’t help but turn back, looked into Ling Qingye’s eyes, and repeated word for word, his voice clearer than before: “I said, me too.”

The moment he finished speaking, Ling Qingye suddenly reached out and gently held his wrist.The warmth from the palm of your hand spreads through your skin, warm and firm, like the night breeze at this moment, so gentle and addictive.

The setting sun has completely set, and an orange-red sunset glow blooms on the horizon.The leaves of the locust tree rustled, as if whispering blessings.The two stood under the tree, holding hands, without saying another word, but they felt that the whole world had quieted down, leaving only each other’s breathing and the overflowing joy in their hearts.

The street lights not far away lit up one after another, and the warm yellow light shone on the bluestone road, stretching the shadows of the two people longer, cuddling tightly, and never separated again.