BSS - Chapter 159

Chapter 159

According to P University's schedule, the graduation ceremony was the final event for graduates before they left campus.

At this time every year, the campus was very lively.

The ceremony didn't last long. After it ended, graduates in spacious academic gowns held equally golden bouquets under the brilliant sun. Large sunflowers, symbolizing good wishes and arranged in exquisite bouquets, shone brightly against the neat, clean collars of the graduates. Perhaps many of them would find it hard to meet again, but the pure and beautiful moment of standing shoulder to shoulder was an indelible milestone in their lives.

Besides classmates, the people who attended were all important: family, friends, lovers, and familiar alumni. The laughter and chatter were loud, but no one felt impatient. P University was a prestigious school, and there were many spots the students wanted to check in at. After half a day, they were tired and sweaty, plopping down on the roadside to drink water, surrounded by an adoring group of friends. This, too, was happiness.

No matter what the future held, on this day, the graduates were the happiest people.

From the very beginning of the morning, Deng Chuan felt this happiness.

In the darkness of an early summer dawn, all hard things seemed to soften. The bed was narrow, making Xu Wei's breath as she leaned closer seem particularly moist and distinct. It drifted over quietly, just like her scent, like the sea rising at high tide beneath a sandbank, brewing a faint wind and rain.

Xu Wei took Deng Chuan's hand to get her out of bed. There were many preparations to be made, so Deng Chuan needed to wake up very early today. They had agreed on this before going to sleep last night.

The kid hummed twice, clutching the blanket, refusing to get out of bed.

Shaking her a few times didn't wake her, but it did wake the two cats sleeping nearby, who jumped off the bed and got underfoot. Xu Wei thought for a moment and decided to leave her be, turning to wash up. When she returned, her hands were wet. She hesitated, not having the heart to wake her like that, so she dried her hands and pulled open the tightly closed curtains.

The sky brightened quickly in the summer, and soon, the room was completely clear.

The kid was hugging the blanket tightly. Perhaps uncomfortable with the sunlight, she mumbled and turned over, burying her head in the pillow.

Xu Wei found it amusing. She knelt by the bed and gently shook her shoulder.

"Deng Chuan? Deng Chuan? Time to get up, we're going to be late."

Xu Wei's voice was light and gentle. Deng Chuan felt lazy all over from being called. The bed was soft and warm after a night's sleep; she really wanted to stay there forever. But she knew it was time to get up, so she followed the pull of Xu Wei's wrist and sat up, leaning against her shoulder as if she had no bones.

"Hugs," she said, drawing out the word.

Xu Wei let her lean, patting her back. She grabbed the clothes draped over the back of a nearby chair and began to unbutton her pajamas to help her dress, as if she were serving an emperor. In the end, Deng Chuan was too embarrassed to enjoy such meticulous care. She clutched her collar and opened her eyes. "I'll do it myself..."

Xu Wei pinched the kid's face, which was warm from sleep, and teased her for being shy. "So thin-skinned."

Unsure if she was truly shy, Deng Chuan avoided her gaze, awkwardly got dressed on her own, tugged at her pant legs, and went to wash up.

When she came out, she was completely awake. Xu Wei was sitting at the desk waiting for her. The chair was fixed and didn't swivel, but Xu Wei stretched out her legs, tapping her toes on the ground, rocking slightly. When she saw her come out, her eyes immediately filled with a smile.

"Happy graduation," Xu Wei said. "I've wanted to say this for a long time, but I didn't want to waste it. I had to say it when you were fully awake."

Deng Chuan said, "Thank you."

Without stopping, she walked over to Xu Wei and kissed her cheek with a sense of ceremony.

Xu Wei tilted her face up and wrapped her arms around her waist.

Now, both of their eyes held a smile.

Xu Wei had Deng Chuan sit down and helped her with her makeup. She had been the one to do the kid's makeup on the few occasions since she'd come of age. A young face had few flaws and didn't need much concealing. Xu Wei didn't do much technical adjustment to her features, only enhancing Deng Chuan's complexion. At first, Zhou Liu and Juzi were nearby, making a fuss, walking back and forth as if to cause trouble and knocking several things off the table. Xu Wei's brow furrowed, and her expression turned a little stern. Deng Chuan quickly scooped them both up before Xu Wei could scold them, opened a can of food for each, and made sure they wouldn't cause any more trouble.

After placating the little ones, she had to placate the big one. When she returned, Xu Wei was still pouting. Deng Chuan leaned in and smiled at her sweetly, her eyes sparkling as she looked at her. Xu Wei was most susceptible to her acting cute like this. She hadn't been angry in the first place, and now any frustration had vanished, but she didn't let it show on her face. She just subtly turned away and held Deng Chuan's shoulders to make her sit up straight.

The kid obediently sat up straight. Xu Wei tilted her head up slightly, concentrating on applying foundation and shaping her eyebrows. Her hands were very light and steady. A few stray hairs slipped from her forehead, falling into Deng Chuan's line of sight. Xu Wei, without any makeup, was as beautiful as a wisteria vine draping by the window.

Deng Chuan suddenly wanted to say something to her.

But as she moved her lips, Xu Wei's soft fingertip pressed against them.

"Shh." Xu Wei lowered her eyes, looking at her half-jokingly, half-seriously. "Don't get distracted. Look at me seriously."

Deng Chuan was taken aback.

Because there weren't many steps, it didn't take long. Finally, Xu Wei chose a lipstick she often used. The bright red cream glided smoothly over Deng Chuan's thin lips as Xu Wei's fingertips held her chin. As their eyes met, they both felt a little shy and didn't dare to look at each other.

After all this time, they still got shy. Xu Wei thought this with surprise as she felt the heat on her face. She looked at Deng Chuan, half sweet, half embarrassed, and found that she was also looking at her.

The tips of the kid's ears were red, but she still looked at her bravely.

After Xu Wei's touch, Deng Chuan's features were unbelievably beautiful. Xu Wei had originally done Deng Chuan's makeup with a solemn and cherished attitude, wanting her kid to look perfect on this day. But now, Xu Wei herself was captivated by the beauty she had created. Deng Chuan's red ears were just as they were in her shy student days, but her face had completely matured. Xu Wei's eyelashes trembled. She realized her kid would soon grow into a woman.

Naturally, Deng Chuan's fingertips brushed over Xu Wei's lowered eyes. The shade of lipstick Xu Wei often used was, just as naturally, transferred to her own lips.

In the end, they both left with full makeup. Xu Wei tied a very nice knot in the tie on the white shirt Deng Chuan wore under her academic gown.

At the graduation ceremony, many non-student spectators were present. The school leadership was considerate and kept the ceremony brief. After going through the necessary steps, they announced it was time for photos and dismissal.

The field was now filled with boisterous noise. The sun was intense. Deng Chuan led Xu Wei toward the shade, but they were quickly caught by her roommates who had rushed over.

Bouquets and balloons instantly swamped her.

Xu Wei stood where she was, smiling and waving at them. "Go on."

Deng Chuan squeezed her hand. "You come too."

Because of Deng Chuan's insistence, Xu Wei was led along to meet her classmates. The kids were quite shy but greeted Xu Wei politely before clamoring to take commemorative photos with Deng Chuan.

Xu Wei acted as their photographer.

In the crowd, only Deng Chuan wore the academic gown. She was surrounded by classmates, her eyes full of smiles. Her eyebrows and lips, enhanced by Xu Wei, were exquisite and spirited. The combination of impending maturity and beauty on her face was captivating to anyone who looked at her.

Gradually, more and more people wanted individual photos with Deng Chuan, and the scope expanded from classmates in her year to students from other schools and other grades.

Time passed bit by bit. The rising midday sun made everything on campus exceptionally dazzling. Everyone was tired but still in high spirits, chatting endlessly. Deng Chuan went to a vending machine on the roadside to buy water, handing them out one by one, and even asked if they wanted ice cream.

Xu Wei hadn't been able to say more than a few words to Deng Chuan all morning. Now that it was break time, the kid, after taking care of her classmates, immediately rushed to her side. "Are you tired?"

Xu Wei took out a tissue to wipe her sweat and shook her head with a smile.

In the distance, someone called Deng Chuan's name again. Xu Wei urged her to go. But Deng Chuan leaned in, squeezed her hand firmly with her warm palm, then stood up and ran off.

Deng Chuan received new bouquets and blessings. Xu Wei saw clearly that Deng Chuan's smile was brighter than the beautifully wrapped sunflowers in her arms.

Xu Wei watched her and smiled quietly to herself.

After growing up, one discovers that many happy moments are accompanied by melancholy. Perhaps their bodies can no longer bear pure emotions. In their eyes, the world has become complex, and opposites are actually connected. For instance, the moon wanes after being full, and water overflows when it's full. For many, graduation is not liberation, but a new kind of constraint.

But Xu Wei still felt pure happiness for Deng Chuan.

Just like this moment.

The crowd gradually thinned. At the brightest time of day, Deng Chuan walked toward Xu Wei, smiling. Following her were several classmates, also in formal attire. Xu Wei recognized them as Deng Chuan's former roommates. The kid wasn't wearing formal attire, just the spacious academic gown and a tie. As she walked over, the hem of the black gown fluttered slightly above her knees.

Such a group walking over was quite imposing.

Xu Wei nodded to Deng Chuan's classmates, then said to her, "What? Are you bringing people to kidnap me?"

Deng Chuan suddenly laughed, as if at some thought.

She smiled and said to Xu Wei, "Kidnap you, to take a picture with me."

Under everyone's gaze, she reached out, took Xu Wei's hand, and then held it firmly.

That evening, all of Deng Chuan and Xu Wei's friends saw their social media posts. If they had mutual friends, they would also discover that they had posted the exact same photo.

The photo was an overexposed Polaroid taken in the sun. The background was a lush green lawn, with some balloons and vibrant bouquets floating in the air. The blurry white light cast on their faces obscured their features but encircled the two of them, nestled together.

In the blank space below the photo, written with a mosaic pen:

Happy graduation.

At P University, in the fourth summer spent with you.

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