The rumors about the 2012 apocalypse had been circulating for a long time, so long that some people actually believed them.
Yuan Yi had long ago made a to-do list about the end of the world, checking off items one by one. For example, having a passionate romance, watching a magnificent sunrise, kissing at the top of a Ferris wheel, striking up a conversation with a stranger in a bar… Yuan Yi’s wishes were quite diverse.
Li Yixun’s comment was that this to-do list was basically copied from the online “X things you must do in your lifetime” list, wasn’t it?
Nevertheless, Li Yixun still felt a sense of awe towards this “end of the world” on December 22, 2012. She was both afraid that the apocalypse would come true and leave her with regrets, yet she also felt that the whole world dying together was a unique kind of romance.
The rumored end of the world was a Friday, a day when even office workers could relax and slack off, pondering whether the end of the world was a hoax.
But the poor students who started early had a packed schedule of classes that day, and by the time Li Yixun emerged from the lecture hall, it was already past six. December days are naturally short, and the gloomy sky truly gave off an apocalyptic feel.
When Li Yixun and her group arrived at the agreed-upon restaurant, everyone else had already ordered and was just waiting for them to arrive so the food could be served.
“Yuanyi, why are you taking so long? We’re starving!” The one who complained was Yuanyi’s friend from the student council.
Yuan Yi winked at the other person and smiled generously, “I told you we had classes, so you guys could eat first. We could have ordered more food later.”
The pretty girl sitting on the other side of the table teased, “That won’t do. President Meng is sitting here; how could he not wait for his girlfriend?”
Hearing this, Yuan Yi’s smile widened, and she threw herself at Meng Yuran, shamelessly acting coquettishly in front of everyone, “I knew Yuran cared about me the most~.”
Meng Yuran steadily caught his overly lively girlfriend, trying to pull her out of his arms to sit properly, but he couldn’t resist her childish tantrums and was momentarily at a loss. The usually composed student council president was completely helpless with his little girlfriend; under everyone’s gaze, he didn’t know where to look, and his ears instantly turned bright red.
The sight of the clingy couple acting coquettishly drew teasing smiles from everyone.
Everyone sighed, marveling that only a stunningly beautiful woman like Yuan Yi could make the usually stern student council president break his rule and publicly display their affection.
The bar downstairs was hosting a “Doomsday Ark” themed event, using the apocalypse as a pretext, and this group had already booked booths to join the fun.
“Would you like something else to drink?” The bar was too noisy, and Yan Che and Li Yixun spoke intimately, like lovers whispering.
Li Yixununcomfortablyy pulled away, squinting and shaking her head.
She casually picked up a beer from the table, opened the tab, and, regardless of whether Yan Che could hear her, said, “This will do.”
Yan Che didn’t say anything more, opened a beer in return, and lightly clinked his hand against hers.
He tilted his head and smiled, staring into her beautiful eyes, and slowly drank his beer.
A silent, ambiguous atmosphere quietly spread in this dimly lit corner.
Li Yixun held a beer bottle in one hand, her fingers tapping unconsciously on the bottle as she gazed at the man before her in the dim bar light.
His eyes, so captivating that they seemed to look at a dog with such affection, made her uninterested in Yan Che, even somewhat resistant.
Putting aside the fact that she didn’t have much time to spend on romance, the similarity between Yan Che and another person easily reminded her of some embarrassing experiences.
Tempting into a thorny rose would only leave her covered in thorns herself; Li Yixun was unwilling to fall into the same trap of gentleness again.
Glancing at the time, she put down her beer, straightened her dress, and mouthed to Yan Che, “I’m going to the restroom.”
Li Yixun slowly washed her hands in front of the mirror, the sound of running water reminding her of how many unfinished tasks remained on her doomsday to-do list.
As she drifted off into thought, a “click” came from behind her; Li Yixun recognized it as the sound of a lighter lighting a cigarette.
Hearing the sound, Li Yixun looked up and saw a figure leaning lazily against the wall behind her in the mirror.
He had cut his hair shorter than in high school, but it also made him look more refreshed. His handsome face was expressionless, revealing no emotion. Those familiar peach blossom eyes of Li Yixun’s were now fixed on the mirror, as if observing her expression through it.
Noticing Li Yixun looking back at him through the mirror, Chen Nian remained unperturbed, even offering a faint smile while smoking a cigarette.
“Long time no see, Li Yixun.” He exhaled a puff of smoke, instantly blurring his face in the mirror.
Li Yixun wasn’t too surprised by this encounter.
This bar was near Chen Nian’s school, and she had uncontrollably imagined the scene of their reunion ever since she heard the news, even rehearsing her smile.
But it was only at this moment that Li Yixun realized how difficult a fake smile was. Her lips seemed glued shut, unable to form a proper curve.
The mirror reflected a blank face, like a robot that had been rendered unusable since its manufacture.
Silence, like the flowing water from the tap, continued to flow.
After an unknown amount of time, Chen Nian finally broke the silence. He reached out and turned off the tap in front of her. “Don’t waste water.”
He deftly stubbed out his cigarette, tossed the butt into the trash can, and then carefully washed his hands under the tap beside him.
Having done all this, he lifted his eyelids again, looking at her who had remained motionless. His voice was hoarse from smoking. “Have you forgotten me?”
Chen Nian looked directly into her eyes, as if confirming something.
Li Yixun shook her head with difficulty under his gaze. “No…long time no see.”
“I thought you’d forgotten me, that’s really heartbreaking.” Chen Nian resumed his nonchalant, teasing tone. “Going out with your boyfriend?”
“Yeah.” Vanity got the better of her, and Li Yixun forced a nod.
She hadn’t forgotten that a handsome guy like Chen Nian was never short of admirers.
Chen Nian’s smile widened, his eyes gleaming. “Bring him over and introduce him. Maybe we can hang out sometime.”
Before Li Yixun could refuse, the ringing of Chen Nian’s phone interrupted the conversation.
“Still here…coming right away.”
Hanging up, Chen Nian glanced at the time on his phone.
A cryptic smile played on his lips. “The main event of tonight’s apocalyptic theme is coming up. My friend is urging me to go back. Let’s go.”
Li Yixun’s face stiffened slightly. She knew exactly what he meant by the main event. Before coming, she’d seen the promotion in the group chat—a three-minute lights-out kissing game that seemed utterly boring and cliché to her.
The apocalyptic gimmick was just an excuse for indulgence. A respectable excuse to fulfill unfulfilled desires, to kiss the lover with whom one’s heart fluttered.
Chen Nian didn’t give Li Yixun a chance to space out. He gently grasped her slender shoulder and pushed her directly outside.
Li Yixun’s senses were only focused on the barely applied pressure to her shoulder; she didn’t even notice where Chen Nian was leading her.
Before they even reached the crowd, suddenly all the lights and music disappeared, and the world became empty and silent.
Li Yixun couldn’t hear the breathing or heartbeat of the person beside her; she could only sense his presence through the hands on her shoulders. She tried to reach out and grasp those hands, but hesitated for a few seconds before letting go.
“Li Yixun.”
In the darkness, all her senses were amplified, becoming even more acute. She clearly heard that deep, melodious voice calling her, and she heard her own heavy breathing, heavy with nervousness.
The next second, she was enveloped in an embrace with a faint smell of alcohol.
Distracted, Li Yixun caught the scent of alcohol on him, deducing that Chen Nian had been drinking, but not much; at least he was still quite sober.
Thump-thump.
This time, she clearly heard his slightly rapid heartbeat, echoing her own uneasy heartbeat.
Li Yixun knew that Chen Nian was going along with this “lights out” game; it was only because she happened to be beside him that she was now in his arms.
So, would they kiss?
Li Yixun found it hard to describe the feelings she had when the thought crossed her mind.
Like a piece of candy thrown into a sea of bitterness, the thought of kissing made her whole body boil. Knowing the pain of the impossibility, she couldn’t help but fantasize about that tiny bit of sweetness.
In the darkness, Li Yixun clearly felt something soft touch her forehead, hot and slightly alcoholic.
The moment she realized it was a kiss, her breath caught in her throat.
“Want to be with me behind your boyfriend’s back?” A maliciously teasing voice rang in her ear.
In the darkness, Li Yixun could even clearly picture the dimples that flickered across his cheeks when he smiled mischievously.
From a very young age, Li Yixun knew that rejecting Chen Nian was difficult, especially since his suggestion was a fantasy from her teenage years. Even if it was a joke, tearing apart her past desires was a cruel thing to do.
Li Yixun was acutely aware that although his suggestion wasn’t taken seriously, she still couldn’t help but feel a flutter in her heart for him.
But Li Yixun also knew that she truly didn’t have time for a relationship, nor could she bear the pain of a breakup.
Besides student loans to cover tuition, she had a huge monthly shortfall in living expenses. This amount might not be much for an adult, but for a student juggling studies, earning that money wasn’t easy. Her schedule was always packed with part-time jobs; she genuinely didn’t have time for a relationship.
Moreover, she always remembered the class disparity between them. The little she earned from tutoring for a whole semester wasn’t even enough for a rich kid like Chen Nian to buy a pair of limited-edition sneakers.
She also hadn’t forgotten what he and his friends had said behind her back in high school: “She’s quite pitiful.”
What right did someone who was pitied have to have the time and resources to engage in a casual, playful relationship with Chen Nian?
Faced with Chen Nian’s half-hearted invitation, Li Yixun could only shake her head and say no. Chen Nian didn’t force her; instead, he sincerely praised her, “You look beautiful today.”
In the darkness, no one saw Li Yixun’s desolate and sorrowful gaze. Like a tattered rag doll cherished in someone’s arms, she curled up in her most beloved embrace, inhaling the lemony scent mixed with the smell of alcohol on him, etching all of this deeply into her heart.