Ch 7: Text Messages Across Time

【There?】

【?】

【.】

………

Over the next two days, Qin Weidong kept sending messages to Lin Wu from time to time. Whether during the day or at night, every single one failed to send. In the end, he even began to suspect that the previous conversation had been his imagination.

But the message records were right there. It had really happened.

On the morning of September 9, Qin Weidong had just woken up when he received a call from Hu Wei.

“Brother Qin, my dad’s here. I can’t make it over today…”

“Why’s your dad there?” Qin Weidong was scheduled to be discharged today after three days in the hospital.

“I turned in my self-criticism yesterday. The homeroom teacher said it wasn’t good enough and called my dad…” Hu Wei had written self-criticisms before, usually a few hundred words to get by. This time, since it involved personal safety, he couldn’t just brush it off.

“Call your dad and have him arrange someone to pick you up after I’m discharged?” Hu Wei was worried it might be inconvenient for Qin Weidong.

“It’s fine. I’m being discharged, not admitted.” Hu Wei’s family ran a small eatery. Qin Weidong had met his father a few times and knew he was strict, probably because he had high hopes for his son. After a moment’s thought, Qin Weidong said, “When you get back, just admit your mistake to your dad. Don’t be stubborn.”

“I know… sigh. I actually put effort into writing it, but the teacher still said it didn’t pass.” Hu Wei still felt resentful about being called in. He was about to complain more when his father’s voice sounded in the distance. “My dad’s calling me. Call me if anything comes up.”

“Alright, go take care of it.” After a few more words, Qin Weidong hung up. It was 7:20. Unable to fall back asleep, he got up, ate two bananas, and started playing games to pass the time.

He played from 7:30 to 10:00. During that time, Qin Jianzhang called once to ask if he needed a driver.

“No need.” Qin Weidong might be a bit carefree, but he wasn’t delicate. His foot had mostly recovered, and his arm would only need a couple more days in a sling.

At 10:50, after completing his discharge procedures, Qin Weidong returned to his dorm. It was a four-person room, and since it was Sunday, no one else was there. His bed was the top bunk. After tidying up briefly, he lay down.

Outside, students were playing ball or coming back from the washroom. The cuckoo birds called softly, and the campus felt peaceful. Suddenly, being alone felt a little dull.

He played a bit of Snake, then fell asleep again. At 2 p.m., his roommate Gao Mingming came back carrying a meal tray.

Though Qin Weidong was a troublemaker, he was loyal, and he got along well with both classmates and roommates. Gao Mingming had been humming when he walked in, but froze when he saw him.

“You’re back already?”

Hu Wei lived in the next dorm. Translated on Hololo novels. Gao Mingming had heard about Qin Weidong being hospitalized and had planned to visit him later with a few others. He hadn’t expected him to be back already.

“The hospital was boring, so I came back.” Gao Mingming and another roommate, Xu Zhou, were usually inseparable. Seeing only Gao Mingming, Qin Weidong casually asked, “Xu Zhou didn’t come with you?”

“No. He went to wait for his girlfriend.”

“When did he get a girlfriend?” Qin Weidong felt like he had missed a lot in just three days.

“Just started the day before yesterday. Met at a tutoring class.”

“Which school is she from?”

“No. 1 High.”

“No. 1 has classes today?” Qin Weidong thought of the strange message. The person he had been told to find was also from No. 1 High.

“Yeah. They’re strict over there. School ends at 3 p.m. on Sundays. Only half a day off.”

“No. 1…” Qin Weidong recalled the message:

【For the sake of me telling you about the fire, please go to Class Five, Senior Year, Xuhu No. 1 High School, find Lin Wu…】

He hadn’t taken it seriously before, but after confirming the number was truly inactive, the thought had lingered in his mind these past few days. Suddenly, he sat up.

“What’s wrong?” Gao Mingming was startled.

“I’m heading out.” Qin Weidong swung his long legs off the bed, changed into lighter clothes, and put on a baseball cap. Before leaving, he asked, “You sure No. 1 lets out at 3?”

“Yeah.”

“Thanks.” Adjusting his cap, Qin Weidong walked out.

He didn’t quite understand his own mindset. Being misunderstood by the police had been too frustrating. He was holding onto that anger. Now, instead of fixating on the messages themselves, he wanted to use them to figure out who had sent them. “Lin Wu” was his only lead.

Lide and No. 1 High were two intersections apart, about 1.3 kilometers in a straight line. Instead of taking a taxi, he bought a popsicle and strolled over while eating it.

Just as he arrived at the school gate, students were being dismissed in small groups.

Standing at the entrance and looking at these top students, Qin Weidong suddenly realized something important:

Who exactly was Lin Wu?

Or even… was there really a Lin Wu in Class Five?

Outsiders weren’t allowed into the school, so he didn’t bother the gate guard. Realizing he couldn’t identify the person on his own, he directly stopped a passing student.

“Has Lin Wu come out yet?” Qin Weidong asked casually.

“Which Lin Wu?” the student looked confused.

“Class Five, senior year.”

“Oh, that Lin Wu. I saw him come out just now.”

“Where is he?” Qin Weidong looked around but couldn’t tell.

“He probably went to the bus stop up ahead,” the student pointed.

Qin Weidong was about to head over when he suddenly felt things were going too smoothly and turned back suspiciously. “How do you know Lin Wu?”

“A lot of people in senior year know him, don’t they?” the student said, puzzled.

“…Thanks.” Though it felt strange, Qin Weidong didn’t press further and followed the direction.

It was about 500 meters to the bus stop, passing several food stalls along the way. Translated on Hololo novels. He didn’t stop, walking straight through. By the time he arrived, more than a dozen people were already waiting, most of them students from No. 1 High.

His gaze swept over the crowd before settling on a boy standing slightly behind.

The boy was about 1.8 meters tall, thin and slender. His side profile was pleasant, with a straight nose and fair skin.

He wore a faded schoolbag and stood quietly at the stop. He was so still that he seemed out of place amid the surrounding bustle.

Warm sunlight fell across his face, half in shadow, half in light.

The moment Qin Weidong saw him, he had an instinctive feeling:

This might be Lin Wu.

Perhaps it was because of the mysterious nature of the messages, but after thinking about it, it was likely because the boy gave off an unusually quiet presence.

At that moment, the student he had spoken to earlier rode past on a bicycle.

“Wait!” Qin Weidong called out.

Screech—

The bike stopped abruptly. The student looked startled, then asked, “What is it?”

“That’s Lin Wu, right? Haven’t seen him in a while. Feels like he’s gotten thinner. Not sure if I recognize him,” Qin Weidong said, pointing.

“Thinner?” the student looked puzzled. “I think he’s always been like that.”

“It’s him, right? The one with the blue denim bag?” Qin Weidong confirmed again.

“Yeah…” the student was still thinking about whether Lin Wu had lost weight.

“Thanks.” Qin Weidong thanked him again, then walked quickly toward the bus stop.

There were even more students now. Using his size advantage, he quickly pushed his way behind Lin Wu.

He stood half a head taller, and from his angle, he could see the soft black hair on top of Lin Wu’s head and a small mole behind his ear.

Lin Wu was looking toward the direction of incoming buses, unaware of him.

Qin Weidong studied him from behind. He still couldn’t see his full face clearly, but he seemed even paler and thinner up close.

Then Qin Weidong fell into thought.

There really was a Lin Wu in Class Five.

So the question was:

How should he bring up the matter of the messages?

Start directly with the two car accidents?

He imagined the scene and suddenly felt…

that would make him look like an idiot.

Just as he was thinking about how to begin, Bus 22 arrived.

The boy in front took out his transit card and boarded with the crowd.

Qin Weidong snapped out of his thoughts and followed, squeezing onto the bus.

It was rush hour, and they were pushed to the back. Outside, the scenery drifted past. The plane trees were still green, as if stubbornly holding onto the last vitality of summer.

✧˖°.──⋆⭒˚.⋆💌⋆⭒˚.⋆──✧˖°.

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