During the st barbecue and beer outing, when they returned to the rented room, Zhuang Zi’ang unexpectedly kissed Su Yudiel. But when Su Yudiel woke up, she remembered nothing.

  This time, however, the kiss on her cheek came while she was fully awake—and its meaning was entirely different.

  She was the kind of girl who did whatever came to mind, without a care for the consequences. How could she have known that this gentle kiss would stir such a tidal wave of emotion in the heart of a boy just beginning to experience love?

  For a long while, they sat in silence, nestling together on a stone—watching the sunlight glimmer on treetops, feeling the mountain breeze ripple through the wheat fields, and witnessing their precious moments quietly slip away.

  “It’s getting te; let’s head down the mountain!” Su Yudiel said as she gazed at the drifting clouds on the horizon.

  “Just a little longer—only five more minutes,” Zhuang Zi’ang replied, reluctant to let go.

  Those azaleas bnketing the mountain would be the st time he saw them. How he wished they could one day grow old together like his grandparents—living in perfect harmony until the end. But such an ordinary dream was destined to remain a fantasy.

  After descending the mountain and returning to the small courtyard, the moment of farewell had finally arrived. Zhuang Zi’ang’s heart felt unbearably heavy.Zhuang Jianguo and Lin Suzhen, however, were more at ease—they believed that when summer vacation arrived in three months, Zhuang Zi’ang would return.

  “Grandpa, cut down on the cigarettes and alcohol. Please take care of your health.”“Grandma, your back isn’t what it used to be—don’t overdo it.”“Spend your money when you need to; don’t just save it all for me…”

  Holding the hands of his grandparents, Zhuang Zi’ang found himself choked up and at a loss for words as tears streamed down his face.Zhuang Jianguo was a bit puzzled—usually when Zhuang Zi’ang left, though he was sad, he never spoke so much or cried like this. He mused that perhaps his own worthless son had caused his grandson to suffer too much.

  “Zi’ang, if you don’t feel like coming home, then stay out there—but take good care of yourself,” his grandmother urged.Lin Suzhen added earnestly, “Eat well, sleep well, don’t overwork your studies, remember to bundle up when it’s cold, and if you’re short on money, call home.”These kinds of words, repeated over and over without weariness by every elder, had once annoyed Zhuang Zi’ang—after all, he wasn’t a child anymore. But now, he longed to hear them a thousand, even ten thousand times.

  Lin Suzhen then turned to Su Yudiel. “Little Butterfly, since it’s your first time here, your old granny doesn’t have much to give you—please accept this red envelope.”This was an old custom; clearly, she already considered Little Butterfly as her future granddaughter-in-w.

  “Grandma, I can’t accept it,” Su Yudiel protested quickly.But Lin Suzhen insisted, putting Su Yudiel in a difficult spot, so she looked to Zhuang Zi’ang for help.

  Wiping away his tears and taking a deep breath, Zhuang Zi’ang said, “My grandma’s heart is in it—just take it!”Reluctantly, Su Yudiel accepted the envelope.Lin Suzhen beamed, “When summer vacation comes, you and Zi’ang come back to visit—I’ll cook you a feast!”Su Yudiel nodded vigorously, “Okay, thank you, Grandma.”

  After embracing both elders goodbye, Zhuang Zi’ang finally mustered the courage to turn away.Zhuang Jianguo smiled and said, “Hurry along now—the bus won’t wait, and you’ll be back soon enough.”Lin Suzhen waved repeatedly, “Come back early when vacation comes!”Though his steps were heavy, Zhuang Zi’ang dared not look back, afraid he might break down.How strong must one’s heart be to face such a farewell?

  Leaving the vilge via the stone bridge, the two waited at the bus stop.Zhuang Zi’ang’s sorrow was infectious, and Su Yudiel couldn’t help but feel deeply moved.“You have such a close bond with your grandparents—I know I’ll think of my own grandma, too.”Zhuang Zi’ang had learned from Li Junnan that Su Yudiel had been raised solely by her grandmother, her only family.Such a profound bond is something few can truly understand.

  Curious, he asked, “What’s your grandma like?”“She’s amazing—she can do everything. I learned so much from her,” Su Yudiel replied.“Remember that qingtuan you made st time? You said it was your grandma who taught you.”“Exactly—wasn’t it delicious?”That qingtuan, filled with red bean paste and imbued with the rich aroma of mugwort, was sweet, fvorful, and left a lingering taste that Zhuang Zi’ang would never forget.

  “You’re so beautiful—your grandma must have been a great beauty in her youth,” Zhuang Zi’ang remarked.Su Yudiel nodded earnestly, “My grandma still looks great. She hardly has any white hair or wrinkles, and her eyes sparkle with life.”Her description painted a vivid picture of a vibrant elderly dy in Zhuang Zi’ang’s mind. Surely, that was what Little Butterfly would look like when she was old!

  All the while, Su Yudiel couldn’t stop thinking about the iron flower dispy. Once on the bus, she urged Zhuang Zi’ang to pull up a video online.The screen filled with breathtaking visuals: molten iron at 1600 degrees transformed mid-air into a cascade of brilliant colors, as if the whole world were being dusted with gold.That fleeting, extraordinary beauty stirred something deep within them.

  “Wow, this is just too beautiful,” Su Yudiel excimed.“Trust me—the video is barely a tenth as impressive as seeing it live. I still can’t believe it when I first saw my grandpa perform the iron flower dispy—it was like witnessing a scene from another world,” Zhuang Zi’ang said with quiet admiration.

  “Does it only look that spectacur at night?” Su Yudiel asked timidly.“Are you kidding? How could you see it clearly in broad daylight?” Zhuang Zi’ang replied without hesitation.For a moment, Su Yudiel parted her lips as if to speak, then fell silent, and Zhuang Zi’ang let the topic drop.

  Their conversation on the rooftop of the teaching building with Teacher Li Junnan had cleared up some of his doubts.Little Butterfly had to return before nightfall for reasons beyond her control; that pce even cked cell signal.For someone who loved freedom as much as she did, it must be so painful.

  The bus rocked and swayed as the scenery outside rushed by.Feeling a bit tired, Su Yudiel rested her head on Zhuang Zi’ang’s shoulder for a short nap.The snting sunlight gilded her long eyeshes with a rim of gold, and her cherry-red lips, slightly parted, exuded a unique allure.Zhuang Zi’ang fought hard to restrain the urge to kiss her.

  After three transfers and a long, tiring journey, they finally arrived at the bus stop near the school gate before 6:10.The evening glow that day was exceptionally beautiful.

  Su Yudiel pulled out the red envelope and handed it to Zhuang Zi’ang. “Your grandma gave this—it’s for you.”“No, it’s for you; I don’t want it,” he protested.“But holding onto it feels so strange,” Su Yudiel frowned.“Sometimes these things can be a bit hot to handle,” Zhuang Zi’ang teased with a pyful smile.Judging by Little Butterfly’s expression, she had no idea what the red envelope truly meant—she was adorably clueless.

  “How about we spend the money inside together, so you won’t be caught in an awkward spot?” Zhuang Zi’ang suggested.“How are we supposed to spend it?”“Eating, drinking, and having fun—you’re probably more of an expert at that than I am.”At that, Little Butterfly’s smile widened; just the thought of indulging in good food and fun lifted her spirits.

  Before boarding, Su Yudiel said, “Tomorrow morning, I’ll come find you so you can try my homemade tofu pudding—would you like it sweet or savory?”“Of course savory—I’m not like that Deng Haijun guy with his bizarre tastes,” Zhuang Zi’ang replied with a ugh.Tomorrow—what a day to look forward to!