As the evening approached, the light from Zhang Shutong's phone screen illuminated his face. He silently opened his mouth; the message was truly shocking. Why was she here?
That distinctive green robe was unmistakable—there was no mistaking it. The girl sat seriously on a small folding stool, which was quite low to the ground; anyone else would have had to hunch over to sit on it, but she sat up straight, looking almost like she was in class.
Some snow that hadn't melted yet surrounded her, giving off a vibe of "solitary fishing in the cold river snow." Zhang Shutong tried to recall—he had forgotten most things from his student days, but he was sure that Lu Qinglian had never fished with them before.
What could have caused this? Another butterfly effect? It couldn't have been him, could it? Zhang Shutong was not the type to think too highly of himself.
He remembered that Lu Qinglian had spoken to him a few times after school, but he had felt it was best to clarify the situation. He didn't think she was the type to be tangled up in things, and he certainly wasn't someone who inspired obsessive attention from others.
It seemed unrealistic to think she would cling to him over a misunderstanding.
However, it wasn't a big deal. After all, they were in the forbidden zone, and it was easy for the mind to feel a little tense. In fact, the forbidden zone wasn't far from their fishing spot—during the day, you could see the opposite shore across the lake.
So when Zhang Shutong first thought that maybe Ruoping and the others had encountered the murderer, he was genuinely shocked. But compared to that, Lu Qinglian showing up seemed harmless enough. He could just leave her to Du Kang to handle.
It only took about ten minutes to get to the agreed-upon location.
The moonlight spilled through the dense clouds, offering just a sliver of light. Zhang Shutong parked his bike in the dark and looked down. Through the thick reeds, he could see Ruoping, idly scrolling through her phone.
This spot wasn't like the forbidden zone, where you could walk directly to the shore from the road. The lake's surface was much lower, so you had to walk down a dirt slope. Because of that, the water here was very shallow—an ideal place for winter fishing. The bike couldn't be left on the road, so they moved it into the reeds. This way, they didn't have to worry about being caught by patrolling police officers. Sitting behind the reeds was like having a natural screen, and with the night setting in, it was quite private.
Oddly enough, when Zhang Shutong looked around, he only saw two people. The closest one was a short-haired girl, who was absorbed in her phone.
She had a delicate face, with a flower-petal headband in her short hair, and neatly trimmed bangs. When she wasn't talking, she really did have a refined aura, like a lady from a good family.
But despite her graceful appearance, she had a rather large mouth. Zhang Shutong couldn't say it was a flaw because several famous actresses with larger mouths were considered beautiful. He himself had little taste in matters of beauty, so he kept that observation to himself.
He remembered a couple of years ago when Ruoping had dragged them all to see a movie—a romantic indie film called "If You Are the One." Afterward, she kept asking them about their thoughts.
Zhang Shutong and the others had absolutely no idea what the movie was about, and even if they did, it didn't line up with what Ruoping wanted to hear. When they walked out of the theater, she stomped her foot and pointed at the poster of Shu Qi, saying, "Who says a woman with a big mouth can't be beautiful?" They all nodded vigorously, praising her until she beamed like a flower.
That was Ruoping—lively and boisterous. Zhang Shutong always thought she had the spirit of a female hero. Though she appeared gentle, her temper was fiercer than anyone else's. All three of the boys were afraid of her. She had a knack for bullying people and protecting her own, though the victims of her bullying were often her three close friends.
Now, the girl was instinctively biting her thumb, her other hand swiping on the screen, seemingly lost in whatever game she was playing. Zhang Shutong had expected her to turn around and interrogate him as soon as she heard him approach, but when he reached her, she didn't even look up. Before he could speak, Ruoping furrowed her brows and muttered: "Go away, we'll talk later..."
Zhang Shutong glanced at her screen, where her finger was hovering over a red, plump bird... Or was it a little bird? The bird, wide-eyed, was perched on a slingshot, and as soon as Ruoping's words finished, the bird shot off, tragically slamming into a concrete wall, leaving behind only the green pig's gleeful laughter. The game displayed the words: "Level Failed".
"Zhang! Shutong!" Ruoping immediately raised her head, her expression full of fury, much like the angry bird on the screen. Zhang Shutong raised his hands innocently.
"Don't listen to her, she's been stuck on this level for days," a calm voice called out from ahead. The voice belonged to a boy. The boy was wrapped in a khaki woolen coat, with a pair of fluffy earmuffs covering his head. His black hair hung loosely in front of his forehead, and with one hand holding a fishing rod while the other was holding a book, he looked almost perfectly composed. Full marks for the outfit—Zhang Shutong would give it an eight out of ten.
"Of course it's because you showed up wearing earmuffs and not talking! What else should I do, go catch a turtle?" Ruoping immediately shifted her anger, "And what's with wearing earmuffs in this weather? Are you cold or something?"
The boy turned his head but didn't say anything.
"What does that mean?" Ruoping suddenly spun around.
"He can't hear you," Zhang Shutong translated.
"Huh?"
"To put it more clearly, he's creating a persona. He thinks with the way he's dressed, he shouldn't be listening."
Qing Yi was deep into his "second adolescence" phase, with a strong dose of "literary youth." He always had a book in his hand, whether it was a trendy magazine, a volume of old comics, or a hardcover book. He rarely spoke, instead lost in his own world. Zhang Shutong always thought, considering Qing Yi's example, that the term "aloof" never applied to himself.
Eight years later, looking at Qing Yi's social media, it seemed like he had become a department head at a large corporation—definitely a model example of a "technician elite." Sometimes, he would post pictures, but they weren't scenic photos; rather, he'd take them from a high-rise office, with a cityscape in the background.
The bustling night scene of the city, with people below like ants and cars flowing like a ribbon of light. On rare occasions, he would post photos of office gatherings, with young girls flocking to him, but even in those photos, his face remained expressionless.
He also owned a golden retriever, and occasionally posted selfies with it, and only in those moments did his usually stoic face show the faintest of smiles. More often than not, he would quote profound philosophical statements, recommending books he was reading, but Zhang Shutong never took his suggestions.
He would just give a like, and Qing Yi would reply with a smile—one of those sarcastic emojis from the WeChat stickers.
Their contact had persisted like this for years, never really chatting, just interacting via social media—like two masters sparring, knowing when to end the exchange, but there was a certain unspoken understanding between them. In a sense, that was how it had been eight years ago too.
"What book are you reading today?" Zhang Shutong asked, walking over to his best friend, glancing at the book in his hand.
"'The Headless Man: The Haunting,' just published last year. It's a mystery novel."
Honestly, Zhang Shutong didn't need the detailed explanation. He had never heard of it. The famous mystery novels he knew were Conan and Sherlock Holmes. But that didn't stop him from giving a thumbs up: "Cool."
Under the moonlight, Qing Yi returned the gesture.
"But can you really read the words in this dark?" Zhang Shutong asked.
"...To be honest, no," Qing Yi replied.
"I'm done for," Ruoping sighed dramatically. "You really have a serious case of second adolescence."
Qing Yi immediately turned around and shot her a glare, abandoning his book. See, this was second adolescence: the biggest flaw was in the three words themselves.
Four stools were set up by the water's edge. Zhang Shutong sat first, watching the two of them bicker. Ruoping couldn't stand it and yanked his earmuffs off. Qing Yi then reluctantly made a deal with her. Ruoping smiled like a devil and said, "Fine, you help me beat five levels of Angry Birds." It took a while before they quieted down.
They sat on either side of Zhang Shutong, and Qing Yi handed him a fishing rod, asking him to fish while he struggled with the green pig. Just as Zhang Shutong was about to ask if anyone had water to drink, Ruoping suddenly leaned over and said, "If it weren't for you, I would've passed that level already. Don't forget, you owe me five levels."
He encouraged her, "You can try the same thing at school tomorrow. I bet you won't even have to play, just take the phone back and uninstall the game."
Then Ruoping got angry and reached for him, and Zhang Shutong didn't dodge in time, his hair getting messed up. She loved messing with their hair, even though she thought men's hairstyles were important—she knew exactly how to press his weak spot.
She didn't care much about fishing. Instead, she propped her face up, watching the boys fish and acting like a referee. Sometimes, Zhang Shutong felt sorry for her—always hanging around a bunch of boys. But Ruoping was a hopeless romantic. Once, when he asked her about it, she covered her mouth and smiled, saying, "I like how you and Qing Yi look handsome." At that moment, he shrugged, unsure how to respond.
Then she asked: "What were you doing earlier?"
Zhang Shutong hesitated. "My mom asked me to deliver something. I biked there."
"Wow, you rode pretty fast. Haven't had dinner yet? I brought some cookies, want some?"
"Okay."
"Want some water?"
"If you have it, that'd be perfect."
Zhang Shutong had a hard time describing the relationship between the group and Ruoping. They were all only children, but if you had more sisters or younger siblings, it would probably feel the same. Sometimes, Ruoping felt like the big sister. She was a bit nagging, but also caring. She always took charge, asking everyone a million questions, but no one minded; they all just followed her lead.
Other times, she felt like the younger sister. Once, a higher-year student made her cry. She came back home with red eyes, startling everyone. She wiped her tears for a long time, frustrated that no one came to comfort her.
Then she looked up and saw three boys with cold faces, preparing to grab their weapons. They were ready to go after the student who had upset her. She was so shocked that she immediately asked, "What are you going to do?"
They were in their "base" at the time, an old drainage tunnel that was hiding their treasure chest of supplies. The three boys, each wearing a motorcycle helmet, looked fierce as they got on their bikes to confront the student.
But when Ruoping heard them, she couldn't help but burst out laughing, saying that she had already scolded the student until he cried. She had won, but on the way back, she thought maybe she hadn't scolded him enough. She regretted not saying this or that—if she had, she could've truly broken him down emotionally. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got, until she ended up crying over it herself. What could anyone say in response?
After that, Zhang Shutong and Ruoping lost contact. He didn't know how she was doing now, but he remembered these stories whenever he thought back to his childhood on the island.
The float on his fishing line bobbed, and Zhang Shutong lifted his rod. A small fish leaped out of the water. The fish was no longer than his index finger—hardly an impressive catch. He tossed it back into the water, thinking, "I'll spare you today. Come back when you're bigger, and don't forget to repay the favor."
In truth, once a fish has been caught once, it's harder to catch it again. It's like people growing up. Just like the fish, each time you take the hook, you learn something. Over time, you become a slower, more cunning old fish, avoiding the hook. The fish that swam beside you when you were young—where did they go? The process inevitably slows down, and you can only stretch it out. He couldn't help but sigh: "It'd be nice if things stayed like this forever."
This offhand remark made both Qing Yi and Ruoping nod in agreement. It wasn't clear who started discussing the future, but it wasn't long before they were talking about high school, the upcoming winter and summer breaks, and weekend activities. The world outside always seemed so full of possibilities.
"But this is good too," Zhang Shutong said.
"Yeah," Ruoping agreed.
"Just the three of us," Ruoping smiled.
The three of them fell silent and stared at the water. Sometimes, the surface would ripple, and the sound of birds chirping could be heard as they flew toward the pig's head. After a while, Zhang Shutong suddenly asked, "Hey... aren't we missing someone?"
Ruoping snapped to attention, "Oh, right. Where's Du Kang?"
...
Ruoping immediately felt a little embarrassed, especially since she had just said, "Just the three of us are good."
Zhang Shutong finally realized the issue and quickly asked, "How come it's just the two of you?"
"Don't change the subject, I still want to know what happened today. Why did you suddenly go sit next to Miss Gu? And that note...?"
"Didn't Du Kang tell you?"
"Do you think I'd believe him?"
Qing Yi seemed interested too, "You like Gu Qiumian? We saw her after school today, should we help you call her this weekend?"
Zhang Shutong rolled his eyes at them.
"Come on, tell us!" Ruoping grinned, "Your future girlfriend is going to have it tough."
Just as he was thinking about how to change the subject, Qing Yi suddenly spoke, in a mysterious tone: "You shouldn't ask. The reason a man is a man is because there's always a place in his heart that no one else can reach."
Zhang Shutong thought to himself, Where did you find this cringey line? But he latched onto it, grasping the lifeline: "I agree."
"Then stop asking."
Ruoping had never gotten along well with Gu Qiumian.
Zhang Shutong breathed a sigh of relief, "So where did Du Kang go? I saw his bike still there."
"He?" Ruoping smiled mysteriously, "He's probably having fun right now. Oh, by the way, did you see the photo I sent you?"
"Lu Qinglian? Oh, right, why is she here?"
"I was about to ask you that."
"Me?"
"Well, you're the one who wrote her name down on the note. I can't think of any other reason she'd be here."
Zhang Shutong pretended he didn't hear and asked, "What happened?"
"Well, after school, we were about to go eat without waiting for you, but Du Kang forgot something and went back to get it. When he came out, he was dragging his feet like he had something on his mind. I said, 'What's up with you, acting like a big girl?' Guess what happened?"
Ruoping chuckled as she continued, "I saw him move to the side, and behind him, there was indeed a girl hiding. Lu Qinglian came down after him. Du Kang told us that when he went back to the classroom, Lu Qinglian asked if she could come fishing with us."
Zhang Shutong raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued, "So they finally have something going on?"
Ruoping gave him a teasing look, not responding to the question, and went on: "I thought Lu Qinglian was the kind of person with no spark, but who knew she'd be interested in fishing? So I told her where we were going. We ate first, and after a while, she showed up."
Zhang Shutong glanced around, "Then she fished for a while and left. Did Du Kang send her off?"
"No, actually, he was teaching her how to cast the rod, and that's when I took the photo for you. Then she suddenly remembered she had something to do, put down her rod, and left without saying where she was going. Du Kang was just sitting there, looking confused..."
At this point, Qing Yi continued the story: "We told him, 'It's so late, why aren't you going to check on her?' Then he finally remembered and rushed after her, but not long after, you showed up."
Zhang Shutong pieced everything together, but still couldn't reach a conclusion. So, after all this, they still didn't know why Lu Qinglian had come. She couldn't have really come just to fish, right?
He thought the way she acted seemed oddly familiar—like himself back in the day. Sometimes, while doing something else around friends and family, time travel would trigger, and he wasn't good at making up excuses. So, he'd come up with a vague reason and run off, or try to insert himself into something that didn't concern him. People's puzzled looks didn't bother him. He even felt like a superhero in those moments.
Just as he was about to ask more, Ruoping waved behind her: "Here they are… if you've got questions, just ask."
It was getting late, and Zhang Shutong apologized for holding them up.