Those things that happened in those years

Chapter 71 A Postcard Arrives

As the first semester of the second year of junior high school was coming to an end, a wave of postcard-giving craze quietly swept through the school.

Those postcards were mostly rectangular cardboard printed with images of Hong Kong and Taiwan celebrities. The surface had a faint sheen, and the back was neatly printed with a postal code box. Below the box, there were several lines arranged in a neat row for people to write their blessings.

There are also some small cardboard signs printed with photos of Hong Kong and Taiwan celebrities. Most of them are square, much smaller than postcards, with a layer of self-adhesive on the back and a smooth backing paper covering the adhesive surface. Students usually call them stickers.

The students gently peeled off the backing paper and stuck it on the book covers, bicycle frames, and desks with a "snap," creating a colorful and attractive effect.

At first, the boys only gave them to each other among their close male friends, and the girls only exchanged them among their girlfriends. But before long, the situation quietly changed.

Boys start secretly sending postcards to girls, and girls blush as they reciprocate by sending them to the boys they like. In addition to their blessings, there seems to be some subtle feelings that are hard to express and inconvenient to talk about.

During that period, the vendors outside the school were making a fortune.

Most students couldn't resist the craze and eagerly spent their money to buy the cards. Many emptied their pockets, willingly spending all their money on these cards, clutching their newly purchased cards with satisfied smiles on their faces.

Students buy postcards for various reasons. Some students idolize Hong Kong and Taiwanese celebrities, finding them beautiful or handsome, seemingly radiating light. They carefully tuck the postcards into their textbooks as souvenirs, taking them out to look at them during breaks, as if owning a postcard brings them one step closer to their idols. Others simply use them for decoration, peeling off the adhesive backing and randomly sticking them on desk corners, book covers, and even bicycle frames, making them look colorful and appealing.

Jay's family wasn't well-off; he would hesitate for a long time even to buy a new fountain pen, so naturally he didn't have the spare money to buy such things.

But Zhang Qiaoyun was different. Her family was well-off, and she had much more pocket money than her classmates. She spent lavishly to buy many postcards and even specially picked out a few cards with the Four Heavenly Kings printed on them to give to Jie so that he could use them to decorate his bicycle.

That unremarkable black crow has transformed into an eye-catching magpie.

Hong Liguo also followed the trend and took out his pocket money saved up for a semester to buy some postcards. However, after buying them, he was in trouble. He went through his classmates in his mind over and over again, but he couldn't find a suitable recipient.

After much deliberation, I still couldn't find anyone I liked, so I carefully put them into my schoolbag as a way of remembering that lively time.

One day, on his way home from school, Hong Liguo was a little later than usual because he was on duty that day and had to stay behind to clean the classroom.

Fa Zi, Jun Ge, Hong Bo, and the others didn't leave first. They waited by the roadside not far from the school gate, pushing their bicycles slowly and glancing at the school gate every now and then, hoping that Hong Liguo would come out soon.

Hong Liguo rode his bicycle and saw their figures in the distance. When he sped up to catch up, he heard Fa Zi and Jun Ge chatting and laughing.

Hong Liguo pedaled hard on his bicycle for a while and quickly caught up with them. Catching his breath, he asked with a smile, "What are you guys chatting about, having so much fun?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the group of people, as if they had planned it beforehand, all turned to look at him, their faces bearing a mysterious smile, the corners of their mouths slightly upturned, and their eyes carrying a knowing look. That smile made Hong Liguo feel puzzled, even a little uneasy. He had no idea why they were looking at him like that and smiling so strangely, as if they had discovered some terrible secret.

Hong Liguo scratched his head awkwardly, his eyes darting around as he asked, "What are you guys laughing at? You're not laughing at me, are you?" His voice carried a hint of doubt and unease as he scanned their faces, trying to find the answer in their expressions. But everyone's smile was exactly the same, and he couldn't find the slightest flaw.

Jun cleared his throat, deliberately put on a stern face, and said seriously, "Don't you have any idea what you've done?"

His eyes were fixed on Hong Liguo, unmoving, as if trying to glean some clue from Hong Liguo's reaction. His tone was as if Hong Liguo had really done something he shouldn't have, and he already had solid evidence, so serious it was unsettling.

Hong Liguo was completely baffled by his question. He looked at Jun Ge with a puzzled expression, his brows furrowed slightly, and his eyes revealed a hint of confusion and innocence: "I haven't done anything lately. What you're saying is really strange. I don't understand what you mean."

Hongbo chimed in, "You're quite the actor, quite the actor. You were saying Fa Zi was amazing a few days ago, but I think you're not so simple either."

As he spoke, he nudged Yanbin beside him with his elbow. The two exchanged a smile, a smile that seemed to conceal more things that Hong Liguo was unaware of, leaving him even more confused and his doubts deepening.

"What's so great about me?" Hong Liguo hurriedly retorted, his tone full of helplessness. "I don't even know what you're talking about. Where did this even begin?"

He was completely baffled, utterly bewildered by their inexplicable teasing.

Yanbin, with his long, thick tongue, said enviously and with a hint of sourness, "How come you guys are all so capable? One after another, if one doesn't work out, there's always the next one. Why am I so unlucky? I can't hook up with a single one. All these years have been a waste." As he spoke, he even sighed exaggeratedly, looking so aggrieved that everyone around him couldn't help but laugh.

Upon hearing Yanbin's words, everyone burst into laughter.

Fa Zi stood to the side, not saying a word, just with his hands in his pockets, looking at Hong Liguo with a half-smile.

Hong Liguo couldn't hold back any longer and turned to Fa Zi, his tone filled with anxiety and helplessness: "What's wrong with you guys today? Why are you all stammering and coming at me like that? What did I do to offend you?"

He desperately wanted Fa Zi to give him a reasonable explanation so he could get out of this inexplicable predicament, even if it was just a hint.

Jun Ge laughed and said, "Fa Zi is such a tight-lipped guy. We kept asking him the whole way, but he just wouldn't say who that person was. I think if he were in the War of Resistance Against Japan, he would definitely be an outstanding Communist Party member who kept secrets. No matter how severely the enemy tortured him, they couldn't pry his mouth open. He was even more steadfast than the revolutionary martyrs!"

Although Jun Ge's words were somewhat teasing, his tone was very serious, and he did indeed say that Fa Zi was tight-lipped. This made Hong Liguo even more curious about what secret they were talking about, and what this secret had to do with him. His curiosity grew like wildfire.

Upon hearing Jun Ge's words, Hong Liguo suddenly felt a surge of urge to know the truth. So, he puffed out his chest and said, feigning composure, "He's tight-lipped and won't talk, but you guys tell me! I have plenty of ways to get him to talk, no matter how tight-lipped he is, I can find a way to make him confess everything!"

As he spoke, he put on an air of confidence and even deliberately clenched his fist, though in reality he had no idea what was going on. He just didn't want to be kept in the dark any longer and wanted to find out what was really going on as soon as possible.

As soon as Hong Liguo finished speaking, the group burst into laughter again, as if they had heard a particularly funny joke. Their laughter was even more exaggerated than before, with Jun Ge laughing so hard he bent over and had to hold onto the handlebars of his bicycle to steady himself. Their exaggerated reactions left Hong Liguo even more bewildered. He had no idea whether they were laughing at his "boasting," at Fa Zi's "tight-lipped" nature, or at this so-called "secret" that left him completely baffled.

After they finished laughing, Fa Zi slowly straightened up and said to Hong Liguo with a smile, "Xiao Guo, if you really want to know what they want to know today, you don't need to torture me, I'll tell you everything. But if I tell you your secrets, don't blame me, you forced this upon yourself, so don't get mad at me later." A sly glint appeared in Fa Zi's eyes, and a wicked smile played on his lips.

"Wait, what do I have to do with this?" Hong Liguo was suddenly stunned, his eyes wide. "Didn't you all keep saying Fa Zi was tight-lipped and you wanted to know about him? Why are you suddenly dragging me into this? What does this have to do with me?"

Fa Zi lowered his voice mysteriously and leaned closer to Hong Liguo, saying, "This is your business! I just told them that a girl asked me to pass on a postcard to you, and they want to know who she is, but I haven't said. If you keep pressuring me like this, I'm really going to tell them, and then everyone will know, so don't blame me." As he spoke, he deliberately patted his backpack.

When Jun Ge and the others heard Fa Zi say this, they all gathered around, urging Fa Zi to tell them quickly, their voices full of impatience.

"Tell me quickly, stop hiding it!"

"Exactly! Xiao Guo is right here, what are you waiting for?!"

Hongbo's face flushed with anxiety, and he hurriedly said, "The person in charge is right here, why aren't you telling us? What are you waiting for? Tell us quickly, who is it? If you don't tell us, we're not waiting any longer!"

As he spoke, he stamped his foot impatiently, as if he couldn't wait to get the answer out of Fa Zi's mouth.

When Hong Liguo heard that it was about him, he became even more puzzled. He quickly searched his memory for all the girls in his class… He suddenly thought of Qiao Shuang. Could it be that Qiao Shuang had replied? A while ago, he had secretly slipped Qiao Shuang a postcard with a picture of dawn on it, and even wrote on the back, “I hope you are happy every day.” Did she see it and specially ask Fa Zi to reply to him? This thought flashed through his mind, and Hong Liguo’s heart skipped a beat, pounding like a rabbit. No, if that were really the case, he couldn’t let Fa Zi tell anyone. After all, this was a little secret between him and Qiao Shuang, and he didn’t want anyone else to know. If they found out, they would definitely tease him, and that would be too embarrassing.

"Stop, stop, stop! You'd better not say anything!" Hong Liguo hurriedly stepped forward to stop Fa Zi, his tone tinged with panic. "Just be a good 'Communist Party member,' keep this secret, and don't tell anyone!"

His eyes revealed a hint of tension and unease, fearing that Fa Zi might actually reveal something about Qiao Shuang, embarrassing him in front of everyone. He was also worried that it would affect his still unclear relationship with Qiao Shuang, so he could only try to stop Fa Zi.

Hongbo frowned angrily, looking at Fa Zi and saying, "Fa Zi, you're so hateful! Either you don't say a word and keep us completely in the dark, or you just tell us everything straight. Stop keeping us in suspense! You've left me completely confused and anxious, like a cat is scratching at my heart. Tell me, who is it?"

Fa Zi shook his head firmly and said seriously, "It's not that I don't want to tell her, it's that I promised her I wouldn't tell anyone her name. A person has to keep their word, and I can't break my promise." His tone was very sincere, and it was clear that he really didn't want to break his promise.

Jun Ge had clearly lost his patience. He rolled his eyes and said in a tone full of dissatisfaction, "You promised not to tell us, so why did you tell us? And even if you did, you didn't tell us everything, just keeping us in suspense. It's so boring! Humph, fine, don't tell me then! I don't want to hear it anymore. It's just your two little squabbles. What's so interesting about that? Who cares!" After saying that, he angrily pedaled his bicycle a few times, the chain rattling loudly, and rode off ahead, his back view exuding impatience.

Hongbo also sighed and said helplessly, "I'm not listening anymore, it's pointless! You two can go and chat privately, we're not going to waste time with you!" After saying that, he pedaled his bicycle a few times, the wheels spinning rapidly, and he sped off to catch up with Brother Jun.

Yanbin and Jie both shook their heads, pedaled their bicycles a few times, and quickly left. In the blink of an eye, only Hong Liguo and Fa Zi remained on the once bustling roadside, riding slowly side by side, and the air suddenly became quiet.

At this moment, Fa Zi called out to Hong Liguo and asked him to stop his bicycle. He carefully took out something wrapped tightly in a notebook from his schoolbag. The edges of the notebook were carefully folded several times, showing that it was wrapped with great care, for fear that the contents would be damaged.

Then he leaned closer to Hong Liguo and whispered to him, "Xiaoguo, a girl asked me to deliver this postcard to you. She told me to keep it a secret and not to tell anyone, so I didn't take it out in front of them just now. Now I'm giving it to you." His voice was very low, as if he was afraid of being overheard.

Hong Liguo was filled with doubt after hearing Fa Zi's words. Who could this girl be? The first name that came to his mind was Qiao Shuang, it must be her! He had been waiting for her reply for so long, could it be that she had finally replied to him? Thinking of this, Hong Liguo couldn't help but feel overjoyed, his heart began to beat faster, a feeling of anticipation and excitement surged into his heart, and even his hands trembled slightly.

"Who asked you to send me this postcard? Was it Qiao Shuang? It must be Qiao Shuang!"

Hong Liguo was so excited he almost jumped up, his voice trembling slightly. His eyes were fixed on the postcard in Fa Zi's hand, as if he wanted to snatch it immediately to see if it was a reply from Qiao Shuang. His eagerness was palpable, and even his breathing became rapid.

Fa Zi rolled her eyes at him, saying with a hint of disdain, "You, you only have Qiao Shuang in your eyes and heart. I think you're completely infatuated with her, aren't you? You're under her spell, your mind is full of her, can't you think about anyone else?"

His tone was somewhat teasing, but it also made Hong Liguo realize that he might have been wrong.

Fa Zi's words were like a bucket of cold water, instantly extinguishing the flame of excitement that had just ignited in Hong Liguo's heart, causing him to slowly calm down and begin to rethink the problem. Could it really not be Qiao Shuang? Then who could it be? Which other girl in the class would send him a postcard? He looked at Fa Zi with confusion and expectation in his eyes, hoping that Fa Zi could give him a clear answer, even if it was just a hint.

Seeing Hong Liguo's expression, Fa Zi's teasing gaze faded, replaced by a hint of understanding. He gently waved the postcard in his hand, his tone softening, "Stop guessing. Go back and open it yourself; the answer will be clear then. If I tell you beforehand, you'll lose that anticipation." With that, he carefully handed the postcard to Hong Liguo. Then, he rode off on his bicycle.

When he got home, Hong Liguo put his schoolbag on the table and, taking advantage of the fact that no one else was in the room, carefully took out the paper package. The package was folded neatly, and he held the edge of the paper with his fingertips, slowly unfolding it, afraid of tearing the cards inside.

Finally, a postcard featuring Andy Lau was revealed. His hands trembled as he forced himself to suppress his excitement and turned the card over. On the back, the neat, elegant handwriting in blue fountain pen showed meticulous care in every stroke: "Liguo, final exams are coming up soon. I wish you the best of luck and hope you achieve the results you desire!"

The two lines below contain four short poems, not the classical poems in textbooks, but brimming with youthful sentiments: "Day and night I accompany you to the school, together we admire the starlight and moonlight on our journey. A smile hides secrets in my heart, a wisp of emotion drifts into the dream."

Hong Liguo read it twice, and then he followed the handwriting down to see the words "Wang Yuxin" clearly written in the lower right corner of the card, along with the date.

It was her! Hong Liguo could hardly believe his eyes. After confirming it again, he couldn't hide his excitement and joy. Afraid that his family would discover his secret, he quickly stuffed the postcard back into his schoolbag, took out his books and pretended to do his homework. However, his mind was already filled with Wang Yuxin and her sweet smile.