(1)
Silence filled the outskirts of the small town today.
Silence hung over the scattered clouds on the horizon.
Silence traced the beads of sweat rolling down An Jing’s calm cheeks.
“But I have to admit, these clothes fit pretty well!” “I’m…”
“Cut the crap, man. If after all these years I can’t recognize you, then I’m a damn idiot!” “Damn…”
“Don’t talk. The minute you open your mouth, you don’t seem like a girl at all.” “Gee, thanks,” An Jing said, sincerely.
“Heh heh, bro, why are you dressed like this today? Is this your first time, or are you already used to it? You seem pretty natural—”
“It’s my first time! Absolutely the first! You’d better keep this a secret!”
“Hahaha!” Fang Qiang threw his head back and laughed. “Don’t worry! I definitely won’t blab. But seriously, don’t get addicted, or you’ll turn into a real weirdo.”
An Jing almost rolled her eyes right out of her head.
“Hey, those black stockings… uh, don’t tell me they’re Zhu Ying’s?” “Of course they’re brand new.”
“Ahem… what are you doing?”
“Nothing…” Suddenly, Fang Qiang looked nervous and hid his hands behind his back. “Really, nothing, damn, I think I’m done for.”
“What’s wrong with you?”
“When I see you in women’s clothes, I can’t help but want to take a few more glances.”
“It’s fine, you’re not ‘done for.’” An Jing shook the Stuffed Bunny in her hand.
“Damn, could it be I like men?”
“Do you have any interest in Zhou Chao or Yang Lingfei?”
“Hell no, of course not.”
“Actually, Yang Lingfei might look good in a skirt too.” “…Now that you mention it, kind of interested.” “…You’re done for.”
“Crap!” Fang Qiang smacked his forehead. “No way, I gotta hurry up and find a girlfriend again!” “It’s fine, I wouldn’t judge you for liking men.” This time, it was An Jing’s turn to tease him.
“Damn!”
“Keep the secret, seriously.” “How are you going to bribe me?” “Next time I’ll treat you to a meal!” “Deal, I’ll remember that!” “Now get lost already—”
“Heh, honestly bro, you really pull this off. Next time we go out, you should dress up as a girl again. Otherwise, it’s just a bunch of dudes—how boring is that?”
“That pervy vibe of yours is about to start leaking out!”
“Relax, I’m kidding. Don’t take it seriously.” Fang Qiang waved his hands, finally acting a bit more proper. He wanted to sling his arm around her shoulder like usual, but hesitated halfway through.
“What’s up?”
“Uh, nothing, just wanted to have a smoke.”
“What good does telling me do? I don’t smoke.”
“I know.” Fang Qiang cleared his throat and fished out half a pack of cigarettes, sticking one between his lips.
Zhou Chao, Sun Wei, and Fang Qiang—three of them smoked.
But Sun Wei wasn’t hooked; he just did it to look cool.
Zhou Chao smoked even less, maybe a couple when hanging out.
As for Fang Qiang, he was definitely addicted. If he went a whole school day without sneaking a smoke in the bathroom, something was seriously wrong.
And when school was out, he could smoke half a pack a day, and it was only increasing.
Zhu Ying’s eyes darted back and forth between them. She looped her small arm through An Jing’s, pulling her a little closer.
“So, where are you two going for a walk?”
“To Bailiu Mountain. You know the way?”
“Damn, that’s a bit far. Walking will take at least twenty minutes.” Fang Qiang took a drag, then slapped An Jing on the shoulder. “Want me to give you a ride?” “Can your crappy Motorcycle fit three?” “Yeah, if it was like Zhou Chao’s, maybe…“
“We’ll just walk.”
“Hold up, I just got my bike fixed. The tires are about to be changed. Why don’t you guys take my Motorcycle? Just bring it back later.”
“Huh? I’ve never ridden a Motorcycle.”
“If you can ride a Bicycle, you can ride a Motorcycle! This one’s easy, and mine is small, easy to handle.” “You need a Driver’s License to ride a Motorcycle.”
“Come on, you know Zhou Chao and I aren’t old enough to even take the test. Just ride. No one checks around here.”
“Xiao Ying?”
“How about we skip the mountain and just go for a ride instead?” “Huh?”
“Hiking is exhausting!”
“Hey hey, changing your mind that fast?” “Next time!”
“It’s fine, let’s go for a joyride. There’s half a tank left. You could go forty or fifty kilometers, easy.”
“Really?” “Trust me!”
Fang Qiang’s Motorcycle really wasn’t big, about the size of a Little Donkey Cart.
But the seat was a lot more comfortable than a Little Donkey Cart’s, and surprisingly—it was even a bit lighter. Even An Jing could lift it with ease.
“Hey—how’s it going—” Fang Qiang waved hard at An Jing, who was circling the block. “An Jing—” “Seems fine—!”
“Then take Zhu Ying with you, just go slow!” “Okay! I’ll bring it back soon!”
“Leave me enough gas to get to the Gas Station—” “Sure—!!”
An Jing nodded at Fang Qiang in the distance. Seeing Zhu Ying already sitting sidesaddle on the back, she asked, “Is it okay to sit like that? Won’t you fall off?”
“If you drive slow, it’s fine. We’re just joyriding, not racing.” “Which way do you want to go?”
“How about we just pick a road at random with our eyes closed?”
“Sure, I’m not that familiar with this area anyway.” “But… hmm, let’s head toward Bailiu Mountain first!” “Back to hiking?”
“No, just want to see it.”
“Alright, Bailiu Mountain, so we go straight here first.” An Jing gently twisted the throttle, the engine roared, she quickly lifted her feet onto the frame, and the speedometer’s needle began to inch right.
“Xiao Jing, go a bit slower.”
“Uh, it’s only forty kilometers an hour.”
“But forty on a Motorcycle feels really fast.” Zhu Ying squinted slightly, letting the wind brush past her face. “Ah, the post-rain breeze feels so good.”
“How’s this speed?”
“Mm, just right~”
The Motorcycle rolled forward at a leisurely pace, scenery slowly slipping past.
“Whoa~! Xiao Jing, there’s a Little Donkey Cart up ahead.” “Huh, you’re right.”
“I didn’t know donkeys were so small.”
“Of course, compared to horses, they’re way smaller…” “Is that old man napping in the cart?”
“Looks like it.” An Jing glanced twice in the rearview mirror. “The donkey’s walking on its own.”
“Can it find its way home?”
“It should be able to… Big animals like that are smart, they know where home is.” “Oh~ So this is self-driving, huh?”
“Nobody’s ‘driving’ it, but in a way, the driver is the donkey itself.”
“I have a little donkey~” Zhu Ying started singing the children’s song, swaying her head with the tune.
“Careful you don’t fall, hold on to me.” “Like this?”
“Ah… That’s a bit too tight, I can barely breathe.”
Zhu Ying giggled softly, loosening her hold a bit, then rested her cheek against An Jing’s back.
Mischievous winds whipped around them, shredding the white clouds into tatters, bending the lush wheat fields, and carrying dandelions off into the distance.
In spring, even the wind seemed to be green.
“Phew~! Riding a Motorcycle feels so free. But maybe walking a bit halfway would be fun, too.” “You didn’t say so earlier…”
“When you’re sitting there, it just feels like you could ride forever. But it’s fine, we still have to walk back, don’t we?”
“Next time, let’s hike for real. I like those quiet mountains with stone steps.” An Jing stretched her arms wide, tossing the keys to Fang Qiang, who was waiting nearby.
“So, how was the bike?” “Pretty good. I didn’t go very fast.”
“If you ever want to borrow it again, just ask me. Motorcycles are super handy.” Fang Qiang winked at An Jing, darting a glance at Zhu Ying.
“Don’t think I’ll need to borrow it much…”
“You definitely will!” Fang Qiang raised his brows and slapped her back. “Anyway, if you need a ride, come to me. No need to be polite, we’re bros!”
“Alright.”
“Yo, who’s this?”
“YI!?” An Jing heard another familiar voice, clutching the Stuffed Bunny in panic and spinning around.
It was Zhou Chao.
“Finally decided to give it a try?” “I was forced into this!”
“Xiao Jing volunteered for it, you know~”
“Hey hey hey, stop making stuff up!”
“Hahaha—”
“What brings you here all of a sudden!” “Ah Qiang invited me out for a ride today.” “Where’s your girlfriend?”
“Just dropped her off at home to shower and change. Later we’ll go somewhere else. So I’ve got an hour or two to spare.”
“Why’d she suddenly go home to change? What have you two been up to?”
“We did it.”
“Huh? No way!”
Fang Qiang laughed, spinning the keys in his hand, and hopped onto the Motorcycle An Jing had just returned. “It’s small, but hey, it’s mine.”
“Wait till you get a car to celebrate.” Zhou Chao chuckled, “Come on, let’s hit the road.” “Let’s swing by the Gas Station for a refill first.” “Alright.”
“An Jing’s little sister, we’re off!”
“Your sister!!” An Jing, exasperated by Fang Qiang’s teasing, flipped him off.
“Who’s An Jing’s little sister?” Zhou Chao smiled slyly, feigning seriousness.
“You didn’t know? This is An Jing’s little sister—her name is An Yin, right, An Yin!” “Die already!!”
“Haha, got it.” Zhou Chao twisted the throttle, the Motorcycle roared, “See you Monday, An Jing’s little sister An Yin!”
An Jing gritted her teeth, flipping them both off, and even wished she could flip her toes at them, too.
The two of them sped off, leaving nothing but dust and the lingering scent of diesel in the air.
“Xiao Jing, your Stuffed Bunny is about to fall.” “Huh? Oh, right…” “Hold it tight.”
“…What are you doing?”
“Taking a picture!” As Zhu Ying said this, she had already pressed the shutter on her phone. With a ‘click,’ An Jing’s puffed-up cheeks, clutching her Stuffed Bunny, were forever captured in that moment…