Chapter 5: Li Xiaoman

Chapter Five: Li Xiaoman

The old campus hadn't changed much from before. What had changed were the people who came and went, leaving behind unforgettable memories from four years of their youth.

Under the shade of trees and by the grassy lawns, some younger students were quietly reading, creating a scene of harmony and tranquility. Ye Fan and the others felt as if they had returned to the past, escaping the restlessness and commotion they had experienced over the last three years.

After graduation, everyone had been busy pursuing their lives and ideals. Many had moved away from the city, and aside from Ye Fan and a few others, most were returning to their alma mater for the first time.

The small lake nearby still rippled gently, and the scenery remained unchanged. They vividly remembered the figures by the lake from years past—some melancholic and disheveled, others vibrant and spirited—strumming guitars and singing campus folk songs.

Even years later, whenever those melodies played, they evoked memories of that carefree, innocent era. The faint sorrow felt both poignant and sweet, easily moving one's heart.

The passage of time always leaves a bittersweet taste.

They wondered if those people could still pick up a guitar and sing today, as it was difficult to trace their whereabouts after graduation.

"I vaguely heard from a friend that the melancholic guitar master from back then is now performing in a bar in another city. He's really weathered over the years."

"Remember the talented, long-legged girl from the school band? The incredibly beautiful and pure lead singer? Word is she's now working as an escort in a nightclub."

Everyone could only sigh.

After graduation, many had faced the harsh reality of their ideals clashing with their circumstances. Sometimes life felt truly helpless, leaving people feeling deeply frustrated and lost.

After a brief silence, they continued walking forward.

Just then, Lin Jia approached Ye Fan.

She was wearing a blue and white chiffon dress, the hem reaching her thighs and accentuating her long, fair, and attractive legs. A black belt cinched her waist, making it appear more delicate, and her long hair flowed over her chest, highlighting her captivating silhouette.

With her beautiful face, fair skin, and slightly upturned phoenix eyes that held an exotic charm, Lin Jia exuded a unique temperament.

"You clearly had a car. Why didn't you tell me yesterday?"

"When did I get a chance to say anything?"

"Aren't you going to invite me to ride in your car today?"

"I'd be delighted. Here and now, I formally invite Miss Lin Jia."

Both of them laughed after this exchange.

Lin Jia had abruptly brought up yesterday's events but then casually glossed over them. She didn't dwell on the matter or deliberately humble herself to ingratiate herself.

After saying this, she smiled, turned, and left. Lin Jia was a clever woman; she knew that being overly deliberate would be counterproductive and appear insincere. It was far better to be direct and natural.

This subtle shift in attitude was also evident in some other classmates.

It was almost noon when they left the campus. The group headed to the food street and went up to the restaurant building.

Wang Ziwen privately invited Ye Fan to join their table, but Ye Fan merely smiled, offered a few toasts, and then returned to sit with the same group as yesterday.

"Ye Fan, please don't mind my drunken ramblings from yesterday. I'll toast you, bottom's up..." The male classmate who had boasted about his fiancée being a bank executive's niece, and had lectured Ye Fan the day before, now spoke humbly, desperately trying to explain away his previous behavior.

The female classmate who had mentioned her husband's promotion to company vice president also dropped her former pretense, treating Ye Fan with courtesy.

"Come on, everyone, let's raise our glasses together."

...

Compared to yesterday, Ye Fan's table was much livelier today. Everyone was constantly toasting, and people from other tables frequently came over to offer drinks. Ye Fan, unable to refuse, clinked glasses repeatedly and even shared a drink with each person who came from Wang Ziwen's table.

Liu Yunzhi remained very calm. Although he had been clearly embarrassed yesterday, today he showed no ripple of emotion, no unusual expression, as if nothing untoward had happened.

"Everyone, last night I received a call from across the ocean..."

The speaker was Zhou Yi, a refined young man whose family's deep background was no secret among their classmates. He was the very person Wang Ziwen had waited for outside Sea Moon City yesterday.

Everyone stopped and looked at Zhou Yi. Whether during their school days or now, he had always been very easygoing and had never given anyone the impression of being arrogant.

Zhou Yi announced that three of their classmates who had been studying abroad were already on their way back to China, sparking an immediate buzz among those present.

...

"After graduation, we all went our separate ways, each on a different life path. It's truly rare for us to gather like this. When we meet again, perhaps we'll all be fathers and mothers, and who knows how many years will have passed by then. Since three of our classmates who were studying abroad are returning, I have a suggestion: let's extend this gathering a bit..."

*****

Ye Fan drove back home, brewed a cup of light green tea, and quietly gazed at the sycamore trees outside his window. He found himself reminiscing about old times.

The people he had missed, the departing footsteps, the path that had slowly faded into the distance—it all felt like the sycamore leaves gently falling outside his window.

The name Li Xiaoman had faded from Ye Fan's memory a long time ago.

When Li Xiaoman went to study abroad after college graduation, their contact remained close for the first few months. However, as time passed, their emails and phone calls gradually diminished until all communication ceased entirely.

It was less a case of gazing across the ocean and more one of forgetting across the ocean. A relationship that none of their friends had believed would last had, as predicted, come to an end.

Today, learning from Zhou Yi that Li Xiaoman was returning to China, Ye Fan initially felt a strange sense of unfamiliarity upon hearing her name. Looking back, more than two years had passed.

*****

The gathering was extended to include a trip to Mount Tai. All expenses would be covered by Wang Ziwen, Zhou Yi, and the others. While this might be a significant cost for ordinary people, it was negligible for them.

Three days later, at the foot of Mount Tai, Ye Fan saw that familiar figure again. Three years had passed, but Li Xiaoman remained graceful and slender, showing little change.

She was about 170 centimeters tall, wearing sunglasses, her dark long hair blowing in the wind as she stood elegantly. Her outfit was simple, casual, and cool: shorts that reached above her knees, revealing fair, long, and attractive legs, paired with a T-shirt adorned with a cartoon print.

Li Xiaoman was undoubtedly beautiful. Her skin was fair and delicate, her large eyes with long lashes gave her a spirited look, and her overall demeanor was understated yet confident.

She conversed calmly and naturally with her classmates, clearly becoming a central figure while also remaining approachable.

Beside Li Xiaoman stood a tall young man, introduced as her American classmate. In contrast to the soft, smooth features of an East Asian face, he had a typically Western face with strong, defined features, a high nose bridge, slightly sunken blue eyes, and somewhat curly blonde hair. By Western aesthetic standards, he was very handsome.

"Hello everyone, I'm Cade. I've... longed to see Mount Tai... and finally I can." Although Cade, the American youth, wasn't very fluent, he managed to convey his meaning clearly enough.

Meanwhile, the other two classmates who had returned from abroad were already enthusiastically surrounded, being asked about their lives and studies across the ocean.

After three years, Ye Fan saw Li Xiaoman again, and he felt a sense of shifting spaces and flowing time.

Both of them remained calm and exchanged polite greetings, devoid of the joy typically felt after a long-awaited reunion. Their interaction was as placid as still water, even carrying a hint of detached indifference.

Without many words, they gently brushed past each other. Some things didn't need to be said; silence was a conclusion in itself.