Du Kang first ran down waving his hand, holding a stool. Lu Qinglian also followed behind him, her steps unhurried.
Zhang Shutong glanced at the two of them and was about to ask where they went, but Du Kang was out of breath and wanted water as soon as he got down. Ruoping found a bottle of mineral water from the bike basket and threw it to him, then she pulled Du Kang to the side to question him, like a big bad wolf intimidating a little white rabbit.
No need to say, it must be gossip again.
Zhang Shutong was too lazy to join in the fun. He called out to Qingyi, first handed him the fishing rod, then took out his own retractable rod, and asked the other party to shine the flashlight on it so he could start tying the fishhooks.
Qingyi watched for a while and said strangely:
"Why are you using this method to tie it?"
Zhang Shutong's hand paused. He realized he had made a mistake.
He used to know a "two-finger winding method," in short, he would wrap the fishing line directly around his fingers and then pull the end of the line. The fishhook would then be securely attached, and it was fast and neat;
But he hadn't fished in many years, and he had forgotten his skilled technique. After struggling for a while, he almost tied his two fingers together. He had to think of the most idiotic method, like threading a needle.
Suddenly, a clear and cold voice came from behind him:
"Didn't he used to tie it like this?"
He turned his head and realized that Lu Qinglian had walked behind him at some point. The girl was holding her knees and leaning forward, and her exquisite face was expressionless.
"Of course not. This one is for beginners. He thinks only idiots who just started would tie it like this," Qingyi said casually.
Thank you so much for thinking so highly of me.
The idiot put on his hat.
"Then you can teach me this one,"
Lu Qinglian said to him.
Then she naturally walked over and sat down next to Zhang Shutong, as if it was a given that he would teach her. That was originally Ruoping's spot.
If you were to say she was interested, her eyes and expression had nothing to do with the words "very interested"; but if you were to say she wasn't interested, Lu Qinglian blinked and looked at the fishhook in his hand.
Zhang Shutong could only politely decline:
"I don't have time. Wait for Du Kang to come over."
Not to mention that he himself was still fumbling with it, this was clearly not the script he should be playing.
"But he's still talking to student Feng Ruoping."
"...You can wait for them to finish talking."
"Do you dislike me?" she asked in confusion.
"No, I'm just used to being alone."
This girl was probably a natural airhead.
"Then do you like me?" she suddenly asked.
"..."
Zhang Shutong bit the soft flesh inside his cheek.
He couldn't help but look up at Lu Qinglian. She was sitting on the stool with a normal expression. Her skin looked even fairer in the moonlight, and she was looking back at him:
"I thought there were two types of boys who liked girls. One is always looking for a chance to talk to them, and the other is deliberately ignoring them to get attention. Are you a more awkward type?"
Towards the end, she actually frowned, as if she was really studying it like a thesis.
"Neither." Zhang Shutong lowered his head and continued to tie the fishing line. "I don't like you, and I don't dislike you. I'm... well, a bit aloof. Please understand."
This was the first time someone had made him voluntarily claim the word "aloof." Zhang Shutong suddenly felt that being a bit aloof wasn't so bad.
He thought that was the end of it, but Lu Qinglian said again:
"But you just lent me your gloves."
"What are you trying to say?" Zhang Shutong sighed. He thought, "Girl, aren't you a temple priestess? Temple priestesses should be on the mountain. What are you doing here by the lake arguing with me?"
"I don't mean anything. Why can't you teach me how to fish?" Lu Qinglian asked, not understanding.
She had a pair of almond-shaped eyes. When she didn't talk, her eyes were filled with a coldness, but whenever she was confused, the corners of her eyes would slightly droop, as if an ice sculpture was melting. Zhang Shutong glanced at them and felt that the name was not wrong. She really did have a pitiable quality.
But when she said it like that, it made Zhang Shutong seem strange.
Well, he was a bit strange, but Zhang Shutong also had his own frustrations:
There was nothing wrong with teaching her how to fish, but his best friend, who had a crush on her, was still standing behind them. Zhang Shutong could still recall the heartbroken look on Du Kang's face eight years later.
It's not that he had to get them together just because he went back in time. Du Kang was very willing, but the girl might not be. His attitude toward these things was just to let them happen naturally.
But Zhang Shutong had always felt that for a boy who loved fishing, a night fishing trip with the girl he liked was a romantic thing. With the moonlight above, the evening breeze blowing, and the reeds swaying, the two of them would hold a fishing rod together...
Although others might not think so, and he had never met a girl who was good at fishing, this was his idea of romance. So even if he wasn't playing matchmaker, he didn't want to get in the way and ruin the beautiful scene.
But on second thought, Du Kang was going to come over anyway. Instead of wasting time with Lu Qinglian now, it would be better to teach her early and get some peace.
So Zhang Shutong agreed:
"I'll demonstrate it for you first. Watch carefully..."
Lu Qinglian also watched with rapt attention.
He tied it once, but didn't tighten it. He then shook the fishing line open and handed the entire rod to her:
"You can use your phone... I forgot you don't have one," Zhang Shutong took out his own. "I'll shine the light for you. You try it first."
The flashlight illuminated the girl's hands. Zhang Shutong looked at the small cuts on her fingers and said helplessly:
"You can't tie it with your hands like this."
"It's fine."
After she said that, she gently pinched the fishing line—this was the difference between a boy and a girl. Zhang Shutong didn't have fingernails, so he would naturally use his fingertips to hold the line. He hadn't thought that it could be done this way.
Lu Qinglian was very clever. She learned it perfectly after watching it once. Zhang Shutong looked at the hands that had done a lot of work and felt that she must have mended clothes herself, otherwise, she wouldn't be so skilled.
The fishhook and fishing line were very obedient in her hands, like vines dancing under a magician's command. They wound themselves around the wire and succeeded on the first try. Lu Qinglian politely thanked him. Zhang Shutong nodded and then taught her how to roll the bait into a ball:
"The first time was very good. Now, you need to choose a spot to cast the line. It's best to stand up, and then..."
But before he could finish, he saw the girl twist her waist and cast the fishing rod while sitting. Her movements were light, powerful, and very beautiful.
Only then did Lu Qinglian add:
"I've already learned how to cast the line."
"That's great."
Zhang Shutong breathed a sigh of relief. He thought he could finally have some peace and quiet. Just as he was about to relive the fun of his childhood, he looked down and found that his hands were empty.
His fishing rod was being held by Lu Qinglian.
He saw the girl maintaining a similar posture to the one in the photo, with her back straight, and staring intently at the water.
"That's my rod..." He was about to remind her, but he saw the girl extend her finger, put it on her lips, and shush him. Then the fishing float tugged, and Lu Qinglian pulled up the rod. A fish the size of a palm jumped out.
Zhang Shutong was stunned.
It hadn't even been half a minute since she cast the line, had it?
Is this for real?
He wasn't even at this level in his prime. No, it wasn't a matter of skill. It was pure luck. He saw Lu Qinglian take off the hook, throw the fish into the bucket, and without him having to remind her, she put on new bait, gave her waist a little twist, and a ripple spread on the water.
The whole sequence of movements was smooth and fluid.
"Have you fished before?"
"This is my first time."
"Oh, you're in the beginner's protection period."
"What does that mean?"
"It's to make a beginner fully feel the joy of doing something..."
"Wait."
Before he could finish, she shushed him again. The fishing float moved, and she caught another fish. Although this one was smaller, the frequency was completely abnormal.
Even a penguin going to catch fish in the water wouldn't be this fast.
"What did you just say?" Lu Qinglian cast her line gracefully again. Her high ponytail swung with her. He had to admit, she looked pretty cool when she was serious, like a queen who had descended on this body of water.
"...I didn't say anything. You just fish on your own."
Zhang Shutong suddenly lost interest. He came here to fish, but now he only felt that all the fish in the water were Du Kang.
Fortunately, the third fish wasn't as fast as the first few.
The two of them looked at the water. One was focused, and the other was yawning in boredom.
"What did you come here for today?" Zhang Shutong rested his chin in his hand and asked casually.
"To fish." Lu Qinglian didn't even change her expression.
"Hmm... that's a very perfunctory answer."
But he didn't care that much. She was different from Gu Qiumian. At least she could safely get through these eight years. She didn't even need his occasional attention.
And if he continued to sit next to her, his "Dao heart" would be affected. It would probably leave an indelible mark on his beloved fishing career;
He was about to call Du Kang and Ruoping to switch, but as his body was about to leave the stool, he heard Lu Qinglian say faintly:
"You've been perfunctory with me all this time too, Zhang Shutong."
Zhang Shutong subconsciously stopped moving.
For some reason, when she said that, he could eerily hear a hint of sternness. Although her tone was still flat, she shed her natural airhead demeanor, as if she had suddenly dropped her disguise... or rather, she had gone from a girl to a queen.
Zhang Shutong knew it was inappropriate to say this, but he had seen Lu Qinglian's funeral photo. The young woman had a slight frown and her eyes were as calm as an old well. She was sealed on the black and white photo paper, as beautiful as she was eight years ago, but with a completely different feeling from her school days, just like now.
"If you have nothing to say, then sit down and listen to me."
The girl's tone was calm:
"First, there's something you need to apologize to me for."
Zhang Shutong was a bit surprised when he heard this, but it was indeed his negligence. There was nothing to say about it: "It was my fault. I'm sorry. I'll find a way to fix it in the next few days."
"Not that."
To his surprise, she shook her head, staring at the gloomy water with no expression on her face:
"I mean, you shouldn't have been perfunctory with me because of your friend. It's very rude."
"You mean..."
"Don't pretend to be stupid." She seemed to have suddenly taken control of the conversation and said in an unquestionable tone, "Also, it's best not to intentionally try to get us together. Although it's a bit of a fuss, I think it's better to clear the air now."
Zhang Shutong was stunned on the spot. He didn't know what to say.
He started to think back to when Du Kang was officially rejected by Lu Qinglian. He had confessed once, but that seemed to be after junior high graduation. He said it would be pathetic to have a crush on a girl for four years without confessing. A few of them helped him get hyped up. As a result, Du Kang went to the temple early in the morning and came back at noon looking like a wilted eggplant.
But why did it happen earlier now?
He thought of all the possibilities. It could have been those few cartons of student milk, or it could be related to this fishing trip...
As luck would have it, Ruoping finally let Du Kang go. The boy immediately ran over and asked:
"Student Lu, um, that, just now..." He stammered for a while and finally asked, "Do you want me to teach you how to fish?"
"Thank you, but he's already taught me," the girl politely refused.
"Then if there's anything you don't understand..."
But Lu Qinglian said again, "I can just ask student Zhang Shutong."
Du Kang was about to argue, but Ruoping grabbed him by the collar and pulled him away.
Zhang Shutong thought, "That can't be right. Did Du Kang act like a beast and anger her when they were walking together just now?"
But he knew Du Kang's personality best. If he had the guts to do that, he wouldn't have had a one-sided crush for so many years. So what happened on that walk that would make Lu Qinglian suddenly bring this up?
He looked at Du Kang, then at Lu Qinglian, and found that Lu Qinglian was staring at him.
To be honest, the atmosphere was a bit tense. He saw Ruoping run over again with a big plastic bag:
"Come on, come on. Have some cookies. You guys stop fishing for now..."
And with this opportunity, she pulled Zhang Shutong to the side and whispered in his ear:
"I just found out they didn't come back together."
"What?"
"Du Kang didn't go with her. I was just asking about it. He said he just caught up to Lu Qinglian, but she didn't let him follow her..."
"Then how did they..."
"You boys are amazing. He was originally going to go back the way he came, but halfway there, he thought that she wouldn't have a place to sit, so he ran to the 'Base' to get a stool and came back. I really... sigh."
Ruoping stopped herself from saying more:
"Then when they came back, they happened to run into each other, and it made us think they came back together. Alright, alright, you say less from now on. Let's just eat and shut our mouths..."
Ruoping had no idea about the conversation between him and Lu Qinglian, but girls' minds were always more flexible. She just thought that Du Kang had annoyed her, so she came out to smooth things over.
Zhang Shutong could understand this, but he couldn't understand what Lu Qinglian was up to. He just realized that he had been thinking in the wrong direction all along. Was this what she meant by the important thing she wanted to talk about after school? Well, in a sense, they were annoying, so it was pretty important.
So it was better for everyone to just eat cookies. Eating cookies didn't require any brainpower. They were sweet and crispy. Just shut your mouth and pretend nothing happened. He was about to take one, but Qingyi reached out and stopped him, taking off his earmuffs:
"Wait a minute."
Where did you come from, brother?
But both Zhang Shutong and Feng Ruoping thought he had some profound insight. They were about to listen respectfully. To their surprise, he took out a bag of compressed biscuits from his pocket and smiled:
"For fishing, you have to eat this."
"Meng Qingyi, has your brain been compressed too?" Ruoping was dumbfounded.
"What's wrong?" Qingyi said strangely. "You have to eat compressed biscuits when you're fishing to get the right feeling. Who eats Oreos? Right, Shutong?"
Zhang Shutong thought to himself that with the two of them standing on either side of him, he was about to become an Oreo. He simply asked Lu Qinglian, "Which one do you want to eat?"
"What's an Oreo?" the girl asked with an indifferent expression.
Zhang Shutong was also confused. Why was she acting like a natural airhead now? Where did that queen-like aura from earlier go?
But to his surprise, she really had never seen an Oreo. He saw her thank Ruoping, tear open the packaging, take out a cream-filled chocolate cookie, and look at it, asking Zhang Shutong:
"How do you eat this?"
How else could you eat it? But more than that, Zhang Shutong was more concerned about what she had just said:
"Is what you wanted to talk to me about after school this?"
"For now, you can think so." She said each word carefully.
Actually, Zhang Shutong didn't understand what "for now" meant. Was it "yes" or "no"?
But now was not the time to be hung up on that. His tone became more serious, and after a long pause, he said:
"...I'm sorry. I was too presumptuous. This kind of thing won't happen again."
He suddenly felt that Lu Qinglian was much more three-dimensional than he had thought. His previous impression of her was an ice sculpture-like girl, a mysterious temple priestess on the mountain. But mystery meant that his understanding of her was always shrouded in a fog. The other party was like a sculpture hidden in the fog;
Later, he felt that she was more of a natural airhead than aloof. But now he realized that she was neither an airhead nor stupid. She just didn't want to point things out. She was as clear as a mirror in her heart about what they were doing.
But this made her feel less foreign. It was as if she had suddenly moved closer to the crowd. Although she was still wearing that light-blue robe, she no longer looked like an otherworldly fairy.
"I'm not angry. I was just a little troubled." Lu Qinglian's voice was still clear and her tone was still flat. "So how do you eat this 'O' something...?"
Zhang Shutong suddenly looked at her and smiled:
"How else would you eat it? You twist it, lick it, and then dunk it."