An eighteen-year-old working in a soymilk shop
At five o'clock in the morning, the sky in Taipei was still white as fish belly, and Cheng Yusen was already standing behind the counter of "Yonghe Soy Milk Store", wiping the countertop skillfully. This is his last week of work before going abroad. The air was filled with the aroma of soy milk, and also mixed with the indescribable smell of farewell.
"Yusen, you're the first to arrive again!" The boss poked his head out of the kitchen, "Isn't Xiang'er here yet? Isn't she always earlier than you?"
Cheng Yusen smiled and his eyes unconsciously drifted to the door. Gu Xiang'er, his neighbor since childhood, is also a partner of this soy milk shop. He knew that Xiang'er always came to the store early just to spend more time with him. This was a secret she accidentally revealed last month, although she blushed and tried to deny it afterwards.
The wind chime on the store door rang, and Gu Xiang'er ran in panting, her ponytail slightly messy.
"I'm sorry, I'm late! Mom was not feeling well last night, so I took medicine very late."
After saying that, her eyes met Cheng Yusen's, her cheeks turned slightly red, and she hurriedly got into the staff room and put down her bag.
Looking at her back, Cheng Yusen felt a surge of complex emotions in his heart. He will fly to the United States to study at university next week, and he has not yet told Xiang'er personally about this. In fact, he had already prepared a letter, lying quietly in his cram school backpack, but he could never find the right time to give it to her.
"Yusen, can you teach me how to fry fried dough sticks?" Xiang'er changed into her uniform and came out, her fingers in the apron tangled together due to nervousness. "After you leave, someone has to take over your work."
Cheng Yusen was startled, "You know?"
"What do you know?" She blinked and then smiled: "Are you talking about going abroad? Mother Cheng mentioned it when she was buying groceries yesterday. I'm very happy for you!"
She smiled brightly, but Yu Sen caught the flash of disappointment in her eyes. Throughout the morning, they cooperated tacitly, and the busyness in the steam was like countless mornings before, but there was an extra layer of silence that hesitated to speak.
During lunch break, Cheng Yusen finally summoned up the courage: "Xianger, I actually——"
At the same time, Xiang'er also spoke: "Yusen, I have something to say——"
The two were stunned, then looked at each other and smiled.
"You go ahead and say it." Yu Sen's palms were slightly sweaty.
"You go first." Xiang'er lowered his head and stirred the soy milk in the cup.
He was thinking: he would put the letter in her backpack in the afternoon.
However, fate always likes to joke. At two o'clock in the afternoon, Xiang'er received a call from the hospital and her face instantly turned pale.
"Mom suddenly fainted, I have to rush there right away!" She took off her apron in a panic and hurried out of the store without even changing into her uniform.
Yu Sen looked at her retreating back, feeling a feeling of emptiness in his chest. He took a deep breath and decided to quietly put the letter into her backpack. But unexpectedly, she discovered that there was also a letter written to him hidden in her side pocket.
At night, while packing his backpack at the cram school, he finally opened the letter. On the envelope was Xiang'erjuanxiu's handwriting: "To Yusen".
"Yusen, when you read this letter, you may have already prepared your luggage to go abroad. Growing up, you always walked in front of me, and I tried hard to catch up with your back. Do you still remember when you taught me to ride a bicycle in elementary school? I fell many times, but you always supported me patiently. From that moment on, my eyes have never left your side..."
The three pages of letter paper were full of her sincere feelings. After reading to the end, Yu Sen’s eyes were already wet. He immediately called Xiang'er, but only received a cold voicemail.
The next day, the airport hall was bustling with people. Cheng Yusen clutched his letter tightly and kept searching the crowd with his eyes. He longed to see her before boarding the plane.
"Yusen, it's time to go through the security check." My mother's voice was gentle but urging.
He looked back for the last time, but there was still no sign of her in the bustling crowd. With unfinished words, he walked into the security checkpoint and silently promised in his heart: No matter what, he will definitely come back and tell Xiang'er his feelings personally.
In the hospital ward at this time, Xiang'er was standing beside her mother's bed, looking haggard. She turned on her phone and saw the message left by Yu Sen——
"Xian'er, I read your letter. When I come back, I have something to say to you face to face."
Her tears fell on the screen. Outside the window, a plane flew across the sky. She didn't know if that was the flight carrying Yu Sen.
Growth is always accompanied by sweetness and bitterness, just like the taste of soy milk - it is dull at first, but has a long aftertaste. In the summer of eighteen years old, their love had just sprouted. Even if they miss each other temporarily, they have taken root deeply in each other's hearts and are quietly waiting for the moment of reunion.
(Complete book)
