Today is Thursday, June 21, 2091, the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, the Summer Solstice, and the Dragon Boat Festival.
It is Simon's fourteenth birthday. Although he doesn't celebrate birthdays, today still holds special commemorative significance. At fourteen, he is no longer considered a child; even the adolescent mode will relax for him, allowing him to access more information online, and even participate in national standard psychological evaluations to apply for greater freedom and universality of information.
These are indeed precious. So much so that every Chinese citizen values their fourteenth birthday greatly; it has become a tradition.
Students whose birthdays fall on a weekend can, of course, enjoy a lively party, but a birthday during school hours is awkward. Ninghu Middle School stipulates that students celebrating their fourteenth birthday can take leave from one evening self-study session to celebrate. Though it's unclear what meaning a solo celebration holds.
Simon still didn't feel anything special about today. It was just the Dragon Boat Festival, so he could eat zongzi. Some people eat zongzi every day, but most Chinese people might only remember to taste this ancient glutinous rice food once a year, during the Dragon Boat Festival.
Today, the cafeteria offered zongzi with various fillings, four liang each, with a limit of two per person.
On the way to the cafeteria, Simon walked while holding a tablet, reading Mo Yan's short stories. Now that he was fourteen, he could finally openly search for such profound literature online. Buying an electronic collection of his short stories cost forty yuan, but students got a 30% discount, which was very practical.
Su Xiangli, bored and focused on eating, circled Simon, muttering, "Eating zongzi is a betrayal of boiling, but zongzi smells so good. I'll just eat two. Tomorrow is a holy day, and today is Xiao Lu's birthday, so I guess today is his day?" She made up her mind, then suddenly slapped Simon's back, "Hey, you scoundrel, here's a chance to show off your culinary talent. Tell me, which kind of zongzi is the best?"
Simon was almost knocked out of his wits by Su Xiangli's slap, but he was, after all, a tough guy with an iron will. He withstood this fatal palm strike from his girlfriend. He put his e-book back in his backpack, and after some unscientific deliberation, he began to spout nonsense: "You see, when we talk about zongzi, don't we think of Qu Yuan? When we think of Qu Yuan, don't we think of the Miluo River? When we think of the Miluo River, don't we think of river fish?"
Su Xiangli suddenly understood, "So we should eat salted fish-filled zongzi?"
"No, I haven't finished yet. When we think of river fish, don't we think of fish and shrimp devouring Qu Yuan's body?"
"Eww, how disgusting."
"There's more. When we think of fish and shrimp eating Qu Yuan, don't we think of the people rowing boats and throwing zongzi to make the fish spare Qu Yuan?"
"That makes sense, so what filling should we have in the end?"
"The answer is clear. We should eat zongzi-filled zongzi." Simon's expression was firm. "My deduction cannot be wrong."
It took Su Xiangli two seconds to react. During those two brief seconds, her expressions, from sudden realization to doubt to shocked understanding, were all very amusing to Simon.
Simon skillfully and politely took out his phone, snapping a picture at light speed, capturing the final frame of her stunned expression.
Su Xiangli suddenly pounced, "Delete it!"
Simon watched Su Xiangli fly towards him. They say cherry blossoms fall at five centimeters per second, but Su Xiangli's leap and pounce must have been five kilometers per second. Anyway, by the time he came to his senses, he was already holding a girl in his arms.
Simon held his phone up to prevent Su Xiangli from knocking it away. This ballet girl had grown up and was no longer as light as a feather as she once was. While not heavy, she certainly had some weight. Simon found it quite strenuous to hold her with one arm. Su Xiangli wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, squeezing tightly, almost taking Simon from this beautiful world on the spot.
"I'll delete it right away! Cough, cough, spare me!" Simon feigned, but he didn't fool Su Xiangli. She merely relaxed slightly, resting her chin on Simon's shoulder. The firm touch of her bones pressed through his skin, making him ache.
Simon had never imagined such a scene, but he genuinely sensed Su Xiangli's presence.
Around them, people came and went—men and women, adults and students, and even non-human machines. They were all staring at Simon and Su Xiangli.
Bai Fengjiu stopped, and Zou Jiaqi also stood still, looking tense. "What's wrong?"
The class monitor looked at the young couple under the shade of a tree ahead. The boy's back was to them, holding up his phone, while the girl nestled in his arms, her face looking comfortable. Actually, in a different setting, like a flood relief site, it would be a hero saving the beauty, then holding up his phone high to find a signal. Thinking that way, it would be quite moving. But now they were at school, in broad daylight, so it was a public violation of school rules.
Zou Jiaqi followed Bai Fengjiu's gaze. "Oh, Lu, the great Casanova. Wow, how bold! He's definitely going to get a disciplinary warning."
Bai Fengjiu recited with a look of rapture: "On days of playful rides on bamboo horses, first acquaintance at the gate. Not yet shy, but sweetly naive, standing in the wind with flowing hair against creamy skin."
Zou Jiaqi listened with longing. "Class monitor, you know so much."
"It's alright." After her poetic inspiration, Bai Fengjiu became aloof again and walked towards the cafeteria on her own.
Simon patted Su Xiangli's back. "Come down. So many people are watching."
"No, I want you to carry me to the cafeteria."
"Wow, you're so shameless now, and you're clumsy and fat, like a little pig."
"I'll get down, but only if you guess what kind of zongzi filling I want to eat right now."
Simon looked speechless. He realized Su Xiangli completely underestimated Someone Lu's thick skin. Since they were embarrassing themselves together, he wasn't afraid at all.
He put his phone in his pocket and comfortably hugged Su Xiangli.
"Hey, hurry up and guess!"
"I don't want to guess. Why don't you guess what I'm thinking?"
"You want to eat red bean paste zongzi?"
"What? I wasn't asking about zongzi. I was thinking of you."
Su Xiangli cried out, "Zone D. You're so disgusting! Haha, ouch!" She suddenly cried out in pain. Simon felt her body relax, her hands falling limply. Simon held her tighter to prevent her from slipping.
"What's wrong?"
"My stomach hurts."
Simon said, "Oh," then, "Then don't let go. I'll take you to the cafeteria."
"I don't want to eat. I want to go to the dorm to rest."
"You still have to eat..."
"No, I can't eat."
"Alright then."
Simon sighed, holding Su Xiangli, but he couldn't see the mischievous smile on her face.
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