When Zheng Su Nian’s acceptance letter arrived, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Being polite, he told Zheng Jin he would buy some fruit to give to Luo Huaijin as a token of thanks. Shao Xue was on break and eagerly tagged along. The two of them stood at a fruit stall, staring blankly at the row of imported fruits on display.
“Auntie, you’ve gone upscale, huh?” Shao Xue said. “You used to sell just apples and pears.”
“This isn’t upscale,” the fruit vendor chuckled. “People send these as gifts now; they’re presentable.”
“Su Nian-ge, look at these cherries,” Shao Xue tugged on his sleeve. “Why are they so expensive? They’re just big cherries, right?”
Zheng Su Nian squatted down, looking at the fruits for a while, then asked, “You’ve never had these before?”
“Nope. My mom is frugal. This is the first time I’ve even seen them.”
“Auntie, we’ll take a box of those, and weigh some cherries too.”
The total came to 230 yuan.
“We might as well be eating money,” Shao Xue clicked her tongue. “Let’s not get the cherries. They’re too expensive.”
“What are you being stingy for?” Zheng Su Nian didn’t seem to mind the cost. “I’m buying them for you. I made quite a bit tutoring those middle school students recently.”
During school breaks, kids like them, who were children of workers, had a lot of free time. After being guaranteed admission, Zhang Qi had originally been enthusiastic about continuing his passion for mathematics. But then, that year, Super Girl happened, and he became utterly obsessed with Li Yuchun.
He stopped playing basketball and hanging out with friends, pouring all his energy into voting for her, even becoming a head of some obscure fan group. Sometimes, Shao Xue would cautiously ask, “Zhang Qi, want to go for some barbecue?”
“No money.”
“Go to the movies?”
“No money.”
“Where does all your money go?”
He would tilt his chin toward the TV, “Voting.”
The two of them would sigh deeply at Zhang Qi, then turn to look at the high-definition television at Zheng Su Nian’s house. This was the reason Zhang Qi frequently visited. In his words, “Only this giant high-def screen lets me see Chun Chun’s face clearly.”
Shao Xue rolled her eyes, “Why did Peking University even want you? You’re a disgrace to them.”
It was a replay on TV. Zhang Qi, with his mom present, was restrained enough not to stay up all night watching the show. He’d instead channel his enthusiasm the next afternoon, watching replays at Zheng Su Nian’s house. There were also fans of the show in Shao Xue’s class. After squinting at the screen for a while, she hesitantly pointed, “Isn’t that Huang Yali?”
“What’s wrong with your eyes? That’s Zhou Bichang!”
“Oh,” she nodded, “I like her.”
Zhang Qi was instantly alarmed, “Do you even have taste? Let me tell you, Shao Xue, you can like her all you want, but don’t you dare vote for her. If you do, we’re done being friends.”
After years of bickering, Shao Xue took this chance to tease him, “Why not vote for her? I’ll vote ten times.”
“Are you out of your mind? You just learned her name, and now you’re voting?”
“I fell in love at first sight.”
“Girls can’t fall in love with other girls!”
“And guys don’t become crazy fans like you!”
Sixteen years of friendship ended over this.
During that time, Kang Mo Shui often invited Shao Xue to her house for meals. Since she wasn’t a full-time employee, her schedule differed from Yu Dong Ge’s and the others. When there was extra food at lunch, Kang Mo Shui would call and invite Shao Xue over.
Kang Mo Shui's cooking was Jiangsu-Zhejiang style—small portions, but exquisitely prepared. Shao Xue couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but she felt a deep affection for Kang Mo Shui, sensing that while she was completely different from Jin Ning, they shared the same grace.
One day, while watching her embroider, Shao Xue noticed a set of cosmetics under the worktable.
Kang Mo Shui rarely wore makeup, but she knew a lot about it. Sometimes, when Yu Dong Ge had an event to attend, she’d bring her products and help her get dolled up. Seeing Shao Xue’s curious gaze, Kang Mo Shui smiled, “Want me to do your makeup?”
They weren't any luxury brands. Domestic products, but all genuine. Kang Mo Shui led her to the vanity and gathered her hair back.
“You’ve got so much hair.”
Her own hair was soft and fine, tied up in a thin, long strand. But Shao Xue’s thick, long locks reminded her of the actress Chung Chor-hung, whom she had admired in her youth.
“With such good features, yet you don’t seem to dress up.”
Shao Xue stuck out her tongue playfully. “If my mom sees even a hint of me trying to look pretty, she treats it like a national crisis.”
It was Shao Xue’s first time wearing makeup. Later in life, she would always find it magical how all the lessons she had learned about beauty during her youth came from Jin Ning and Kang Mo Shui.
Once her brows were carefully shaped, and lipstick applied, her features instantly became striking. The mind of a young girl is hard to grasp—wearing that makeup, she suddenly felt like she had the courage to face the world.
Before heading home, she washed off the makeup, her steps light as she left Kang Mo Shui’s apartment. The evening breeze touched her face, and Yu Dong Ge was waiting at home for dinner. By then, Zheng Su Nian had been accepted to the Academy of Fine Arts, and Zhang Qi had secured his place at Peking University. The weather remained relentlessly hot, and Li Yuchun had just claimed the title of Super Girl champion. Everyone was carrying on with life, laughing, joking, and teasing as though everything had returned to normal.
But, in truth, some things had changed for good.
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