Side story: Castorice's high school life (5)

In the summer after the college entrance examination, it seemed as if particles called "liberation" were floating in the air, thick, hot, and with a slightly intoxicating sweetness.

The burden that had been building up for six years, especially the three years of high school, was finally lifted the moment the results were announced, regardless of the outcome.

Countless young lives, on this night, were eager to squander all their accumulated energy and hormones.

Luo Li's grades were neither good nor bad.

He barely made it into a good key university in his province, which was a close call, and it was consistent with his usual upper-middle-class ranking in his class.

Castorice, unsurprisingly, became one of the stars of Jiangcheng No. 1 High School.

Her score was high enough to get her into any top university in the country.

Fortunately, the university she ultimately chose, which gathered many elites, happened to be the same one that Luo Li was about to attend.

"See you at the same university." -- This was an unspoken promise between the two before the college entrance examination. Now, it has actually come true.

It's 9 PM right now.

Beside a quiet riverbank on the edge of the city.

Far from the hustle and bustle of graduation celebrations in the city center, here you'll find only the chirping of insects on a summer night, a gentle river breeze, and a sparse starry sky.

Luo Li leaned against the electric scooter, a picnic blanket spread out on the ground with several cans of chilled beer and some snacks on it.

Castorice sat beside him, wearing a simple white dress, her long silver-purple hair swaying gently in the night breeze.

She also held a can of beer in her hand, only taking small sips occasionally. Her fair cheeks glowed with a faint pink hue against the backdrop of the hazy night and the distant city lights.

The car stereo was connected to my phone and was playing "Can We Be Together?" at a low volume.

Can I be with you?

We have so many memories together...

I fell in love with you, for no reason at all.

It just so happened that I met you when I was just beginning to experience love...

A gentle melody flowed through the air, each word seemingly tapping into the hearts of young boys and girls.

"Tsk, it still feels a bit surreal."

Luo Li took a swig of beer, the icy liquid sliding down her throat, taking away some of the heat. "We... we're really going to the same university."

He turned his head to look at Castorice, his eyes filled with a mixture of disbelief and joy, as well as a sense of relief.

God knows how worried he was before, wondering if he wouldn't get into the university and that the promise of "going to the same university" would become a regret that would end without a trace in his youth.

Castorice gently shook the beer can, watching the tiny bubbles rise and burst inside, a faint smile playing on her lips, "Hmm, not bad luck."

"This isn't luck."

Luo Li retorted defiantly, "You're just too amazing, carry me with you, okay!"

He knew in his heart that in the final sprint, if it weren't for Castorice's well-organized notes and occasional precise guidance, he probably wouldn't even have had a chance to cross the finish line.

Castorice didn't reply, but simply took another small sip of wine.

The alcohol made her more relaxed than usual, and her purple eyes, in the night, lost some of their usual coldness and gained a softer, more dreamy quality.

The atmosphere was perfect, with the subtle buzz of hops and the unique ambiguity of a summer night.

Luo Li suddenly remembered something, her eyes lit up, and she rummaged through the motorcycle's trunk, pulling out a rather ordinary-looking tablet computer.

"By the way, how about we play a game?" He sat back down with great interest, opened his tablet, and brought up an app with a simple, even somewhat crude, interface.

"What is this?" Castorice asked curiously, moving closer until her hair almost brushed against Luo Li's arm, causing a slight itch.

"I bought an anti-fraud themed game for 29 yuan, which claims to effectively detect lies."

Luo Li introduced it with a showy air, but her eyes gleamed with slyness, "However, we'll change the rules, using its core principle—'Only the truth can be told.'"

He cleared his throat and solemnly announced the rules, "The rules are simple: we ask each other questions, and we must answer them."

If you feel the other person is lying or their answer is too perfunctory, you can ask them to have a drink.

He pointed to the beer cans on the ground.

"So, are you brave enough to play?"

This clumsy excuse, this obviously malicious game, made Castorice raise her eyebrows slightly.

She looked into Luo Li Li's eyes, which shone brightly in the night, filled with anticipation and a hint of nervous probing.

She was silent for a few seconds, and just when Luo Li thought she would be rejected, she nodded slightly.

"Good."

The sound was very soft, yet it was like a pebble thrown into Luo Li's heart lake, creating huge ripples.

The game begins.

The background music continued to play softly, "I fell in love with you, for no particular reason, it just so happened that I met you when my heart was just beginning to open..."

Luo Li spoke first, her question simple and direct, "What's the first thing you want to do after the college entrance exam?"

Castorice thought for a moment and replied, "I'll sleep until I naturally wake up."

Luo Li stared at her for two seconds, trying to find a flaw, but to no avail. "... You pass."

He was somewhat unwilling to accept it.

When it was Castorice's turn, her question was quite ordinary, "Why did you buy an electric scooter?"

"I feel... more free."

Luo Li answered, her fingers unconsciously stroking the beer can.

"You can go wherever you want without waiting for the bus or squeezing into crowds."

More importantly, if I want to see her in college, I can move around the huge campus much faster.

He held back the last sentence.

Castorice nodded, but did not ask him to drink.

After several rounds of bland questions and answers, the atmosphere gradually became more subtle, enhanced by the alcohol and music.

Luo Li's question took a turn, "During your three years of high school, did you... ever secretly curse any teacher?"

Castorice glanced at him and said frankly, "Yes, there is a physics teacher. He speaks with an accent, and sometimes I can't understand him."

Luo Li laughed; she never expected that the aloof Castorice would have such a moment.

In the next round, Castorice asked, "What's your best record for spinning pens? How many pens did you spin at the same time?"

"Five! It lasted about ten seconds!" Luo Li perked up instantly, but then her face fell again. "But then the homeroom teacher confiscated four of them..."

Castorice's lips curved slightly, and Luo Li stared in disbelief.

As the alcohol took effect, he became bolder.

Luo Li took a deep breath and asked a question that had been lingering in her mind for a long time, "When... did you first notice me? Not because of the time Polyxena egged me on?"

Castorice's fingers tightened slightly as she gripped the beer can. She lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings.

A gentle river breeze blows, and melodious music plays.

"In gym class... when you handed me the wildflower."

Her voice was softer than usual, almost blending into the music. "My hands are shaking, and my ears are very red."

Luo Li's heart skipped a beat, and a flush rushed to his cheeks. He thought he had concealed it well.

"Drink!" He pointed at Castorice's beer can as if he had caught her red-handed, his tone a mixture of embarrassment, annoyance, and inexplicable excitement.

"You must have been laughing at me in your heart back then..."

Castorice looked up at him, her purple eyes shimmering with a rare, sly smile.

She didn't argue, but obediently tilted her head back and took a sip.

The wine moistened her lips, which gleamed alluringly in the starlight.

Luo Li stared at the watery liquid, her Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily.

It was Castorice's turn to ask a question.

She looked at Luo Li, her gaze seemingly able to pierce through the night and reach the heart.

Why... do you want to go to the same university as me?

The question is direct and pointed.

Luo Li's breath hitched.

The background music perfectly captured the deepest emotions of the moment.

He opened his mouth, the joking remarks swirling around his lips before he swallowed them back down.

In this game where "only the truth can be told," he couldn't lie under her clear gaze.

"Because..." His voice was a little hoarse, his fingers gripping the beer can tightly, his knuckles turning white.

I don't want to be too far away from you.

He raised his head, bravely meeting her gaze, his eyes burning with intensity. "I won't be used to not seeing you."

The air seemed to freeze.

The chirping of insects, the sound of the wind, and the distant sounds of traffic all disappeared.

All that remained were their heartbeats and their tender songs.

Castorice listened quietly, neither immediately asking him to drink nor looking away.

Her cheeks flushed even more, the redness spreading down to her neck. Her hands, resting on her knees, unconsciously curled up.

After a long silence, she whispered, "... It's true."

Therefore, you don't need to drink it.

These words were like a silent permission, instantly igniting all the emotions that had been building up in Luo Li's heart for a long time.

He put down his beer can and moved a little closer to her.

The distance between them instantly became ambiguous; they could feel each other's breath, tinged with the smell of alcohol.

"Then let me ask one more question..." Luo Li's voice was low and husky, with a captivating magnetism.

"Castorice, may I... kiss you now?"

The question was so audacious that even he was alarmed.

But he didn't want to wait any longer.

High school was over, and the constraints seemed to have been lifted. On this summer night that belonged only to them, he wanted a clear answer.

Castorice's pupils dilated slightly, and her body stiffened for a moment.

She looked at Luo Li, who was so close to her. In the boy's eyes was undisguised longing and nervousness, as well as a hint of vulnerability from the fear of rejection.

Her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to burst out of her chest.

The music continued, as if accompanying this moment.

She didn't say anything.

But under Luo Li's burning gaze, she closed her eyes very slowly, almost imperceptibly.

Her trembling long eyelashes resembled a butterfly with folded wings; it was a silent, ultimate acquiescence.

Overjoyed, Luo Li no longer hesitated.

He reached out and gently cupped her cheeks.

Her skin was slightly cool to the touch, and incredibly smooth.

He slowly and tenderly lowered his head and kissed those soft lips he had long coveted.

The first kiss carried the faint malty aroma of beer, along with her unique cool and aloof aura—both raw and warm.

It started as a gentle touch, like a feather falling—but soon, deeper emotions surged forth, and the kiss deepened, becoming tender and forceful.

Castorice was initially somewhat passive, her body trembling slightly, but soon she also began to respond awkwardly.

Her hand had somehow gripped the fabric of his shirt at his chest, her knuckles turning white from the force.

Starlight bathed the two embracing, and the river breeze twirled their hair.

The tablet screen had long since gone dark due to lack of user interaction, and the melody of "Can We Be Together?" was nearing its end.

This kiss had nothing to do with the game or the rules; it was simply the pent-up emotions of three years finally bursting forth on this night after the college entrance exams ended, breaking through all the dams.

After an unknown amount of time, until both of them were panting heavily, they slowly separated.

Castorice's face was as red as a ripe fruit, her eyes were hazy, and her lips were moist and slightly swollen. Her usual aloof temperament had vanished, leaving only the shyness of a young girl.

Luo Li wasn't much better off; his forehead was pressed against hers, his breathing was heavy, and his face was filled with an uncontrollable silly grin and satisfaction.

"This..." His voice was hoarse, tinged with amusement.

"It must be true."

Castorice, feeling embarrassed and annoyed, lightly punched his chest, the force so light it was like a tickle.

Luo Li grabbed her hand and held it tightly in her palm.

"Castorice..." He looked at her, his eyes filled with utmost seriousness.

"We'll be together in university too."

Castorice didn't answer directly, but simply rested her head gently on his shoulder.

Silence is the best answer.