- What pleasant surprise! Who's made us happy with the visit? If you want, we could find some secure place to chat a little?

To tell, that Guangning was unpleasantly struck by this meeting with Luo Zihui – to tell nothing.

But as far as he was a real gentleman, he held the pleasant smile upon his face, accompanied with polite exclamation:

- Of course. Why not? But I only would not like to leave too far from this place. Let's take a walk in the next alley.

The girl shrugged shoulders and went nearby, carelessly shook a fine mass of her straight hair, which were laying in the art, well-arranged disorder on her shoulders, with blonde locks flashed in the twilight under light of streetlights, charming the people walking around:

- I did not expect that you will come to our meeting today.

- How could I miss so rare opportunity to meet the former fellow students? – the man with astonishment hitched up an abrupt eyebrow, not clearly understanding, what namely his charming interlocutor drives at.

- And I now together with Zhuo Ximing, - suddenly Luo Zihui changed a topic of their strange conversation.

Guangning, puzzled with unexpected jump of her thoughts, tried to refresh his memory – and a boring muzzle of the faculty computer genius emerged before his inner eye. Ah, with him. OK. Good guy!

But how it is related personally to him? Our hero vaguely suspected that he misses some important nuance in a conversation, and consequently he does not manage to reach true mutual understanding with his interlocutor in any way.

- My Ximing, maybe, is not too romantic, but he is very attentive to me! – feeling that Guangning does not understand, Luo Zihui raised the voice in which some impatience and the hidden claim began to sound. – Earlier I was eager to be near the person who was adored by me. But at last I understood, that if heart of your elected is not free, then your relations will bring no joy to either him, or you.

The girl suddenly stopped and, rising her head, directly and strictly looked in eyes of her high satellite:

- I suppose, you consider, that it was me, who was an initiator of our break with Zhang Linyi?

Guangning grew dumb with surprise. Frankly speaking, he never risked to ask his flatmate a question about him and Luo Zihui and what had happened between them four years ago.

Of course, there was a deep, latent scar, laid on his heart, but he was not eager to open the semi-healed wound, broke his soul over there, in the rain, when he saw the face of this girl, hiding under protection of an umbrella hand in hand with HIS PERSONAL GONG.

Something, obviously, was reflected in his hardened features, because Luo Zihui, seeing that her satellite was silent, was suddenly mitigated and quietly laughed:

- How you are similar at last! It is no wonder that you managed to become so close to each other within so short time ... Either you, or him - instead of fairly to tell something sensible to people around you - you are silent and force others to guess ... Stubborn rams – deservedly Buddha took away your mind ...

And, seeing that Guangning still does not understand, she explained:

- Did not pass a year as we broke...

The word of honor, it was Guangning, who had to guess – these women will not tell a word in simplicity, only hints and secrets ... The amazement, written on his face, forced the girl to shrug impatiently her shoulders and to continue the "legal speeches" though the old disappointment saddened her pretty face again.

She gathered her mind, seeing, as eyes on Guangning's face were becoming bigger and bigger, then with easy regret sighed and explained:

- We stayed in couple only a month ... And for all this month mister the First Handsome of University awarded me with a date only three times ... He was awfully busy ... that month when couples in love tremble with passion and seek any opportunity to stay alone, our Linyi all his heart and thoughts aimed at one purpose ... and this purpose was ... guess what?

She grinned again, rather bitterly, than cheerfully:

- This purpose was ...

It became noticeable, how unpleasant for her was, what she intended to tell; however, she overcame her weakness:

- You... only you were always his purpose. I do not know, what happened between you and him in the last days of your study in our university, why suddenly cold and selfish (to tell the truth) heart of our handsome attended to your affairs and problems, but it became soon absolutely clear to me, that never my importance for him will be equal to his feelings to you. It is ridiculous, don't you think so?

Luo Zihui reluctantly plunged into memories of that awful year ... and suddenly with relief understood, that, contrary to all that troubles, the curative force of time passed by had already managed to make it's good deed – and she could remember about those events without bitterness and rage, without taking them very much close to heart. She suddenly saw the tears of that time, melancholy and offense now from a different angle – as the events which helped her to find one person, who became important for her heart. And quite sincere snicker of simplification flied from her beautifully depicted chubby lips:

- Do you know, what became the last straw, which overflowed my patience? Your avatar on his phone. I tried to replace it with my photo – and he snatched out this precious gadget from my hands and did not allow even to touch the screen with your mean physiognomy. Ha-ha ...

The sketch with practically fight for above-mentioned phone vividly emerged in her mind, and the sad smile distorted a beautiful mouth again:

- If I correctly remember, Wang Guangning, your phone was also decorated by the photo of our adored Linyi, wasn't it?

Indescribable tranquility, almost pleasure covered restless soul of the young man, heart beat accelerated, jumping in his breast as the mad hare, but the haughty physiognomy still did not reflect his intense internal rush. He hanged in infinity, again and again repeating to himself these unexpected words ... Zhang Linyi's only purpose was always him, Wang Guangning... Could it be possible?

Luo Zihui seemed, that there passed already whole eternity, but her interlocutor did not respond on her malicious jeer in any way...

Wang Guangning was silent with absolutely stone mine on his beautiful, intense face, but eventually, feeling dissatisfied impatience of the girl, he amusingly smiled and scratched his nape in a plain way:

- Oh, damn! After your words as if I took a sip to gin: you allowed me to glance in the World behind the looking-glass and to see, what is covered in Linyi's soul and what place I take in it...

This confession broke from his lips unexpectedly for him. And immediately our strict handsome man recovered, reproaching himself for fieriness and lack of good manners, fastened severity on his face and with a well-educated, graceful smile said:

- Heartily I thank you for the devoting me in these events.

He thought for a second:

- Also, I wish you good luck!

- Undoubtedly, it is, what I deserve! – Luo Zihui remembered, how she sharply broke off those humiliating relations, how four years ago she abandoned the one, whom she secretly so faithfully adored. Unless not to stop senseless tortures of jealousy and to find in the future new love and happiness for the rest of life?

But it seems, she opened her heart too much... When she saw Wang Guangning, there were no plans to make confessions and sobbing in a pillow at all..., it seems, that that far break off did not become too easy for her – and the wound in her soul was still burning ... But all of them are already adult, conscious people, who can keep a tight rein for themselves and their emotions.

Luo Zihui took leave and disappeared so promptly, that Wang Guangning managed to wave only a hand to her following.

Having remained alone, he fell into the deepest thoughtfulness...

No complains – recently Zhang Linyi clearly showed the sincere love to Wang Guangning. Also, he did not hide, that his love arose in his heart long ago.

But the young man never doubted, that he, Guangning, fell in love the first, – and this feeling was unrequited. For all those lonely, painful last years this thought firmly became stronger in a brain of our shou. And now how he, Zhang Linyi, tried to please his old friend, how he was exulted at any sign of favor from Guangning, a latent thought, that this handsome is too smart for Wang Guangning, tormented him constantly, forcing to suspect a sneer and deception of the most harmless gesture or the word, forcing to expect, that at any moment their idyll can end and turn back absolutely idiotic joke.

Luo Zihui's words opened Zhang Linyi from the side, which was still completely hidden from our trembling shou.

So, how it turns out? Really impudent Gong crashed in him still then and in the same way, as Guangning was?? And did he also be in panic of Guangning's disappearance after vacation?

Him ... so smart ... so... haughty ... so... awesome ... also had got into the same plain trap, as himself did???

Wang Guangning suddenly felt how his entrails began to burn, the breast suddenly began to fill with unclear feelings – it seemed, that inside him the violent army of emotions hammered into war drums, being going to begin a military liberating campaign against the enemy after long captivity.

***

Zhang Linyi ran away, at last, from annoying schoolmates, extended his phone from a pocket, being going to ask his shou, where he had got stuck – as suddenly he saw just arrived message: "I am on the bank of the Lunar lake. Drag your ass here quickly – and do not forget to take a blade".

Having been stupefied with mysteriousness of the message, Zhang Linyi, however, did not dare to torment his severe shou with inquiries and obediently ran in the 24 hours supermarket, where he managed to buy a small metal scoop – desperately hoping in soul, that the scoop is necessary for something peaceful and that his darling did not beat his most annoying admirers in a rush of rage, and now does not intend to involve Linyi in the gloomy coffin-digging procedure.

When Linyi arrived to the coast of the lake, he was unpleasantly struck with the chaos reigning on usually quiet and lonely paths – many graduates of all neighboring educational institutions, after attending the celebration party in stuffy halls and having drunk a significant amount of strong drinks, went out to their former favorite places of romantic appointments - to honor their long ago left youth. Noise and din rattled over the Lunar lake.

Linyi angrily went among crowd, helplessly looking around and trying to find the ultimate goal of his sudden travel.

- Shou-shou ... at last! – having found required person, he shouted in a voice, fiercely swinging the scoop over the head:

- And what we are going to do here?! (absolutely our brave gong has some problems with his mind... - comment of translator. 😊 I am sure that all readers perfectly know, what our heroes will do here)

Guangning strictly looked on his confused Gong and severely pointed a finger at tree roots behind his back:

- To dig!

-???

Guangning rolled up his eyes and shook the head ... Externally unperturbable, he was trembled with fear of the next fiasco and a shy anticipation inside.

One minute ... one minute ... what the tree is it? It seems familiar somehow... FUCK! But it is...

Behind shou's back their was and African fig tree... the only one on the whole coast of the Lunar lake.... That place where four years ago, following pedantically the list of their Great Gay agreement, before the parting they buried the confidential messages, having buried with them the vicious secrets ... With intention to dig out them after graduation and to laugh together about their funny confessions ... But Wang Guangning ran away without a word, and Zhang Linyi completely dismissed all this thrash...

Why now his unpredictable shoe suddenly remembered about it?

Zhang Linyi's stupefaction knew no limit – he was sure, that they just played the fool then, observing formalities of the agreement, and that Wang Guangning could not hide in this box anything really significant.

Our dumbheaded Gong now remembered fragile tin box with weak colorful cover.

There could be nothing important or really confidential... It was just the entertainment, a joke, a trick ... But now Guangning demands to dig out this box – and looks such dreadfully serious ... What the reason??? And what he himself wrote in that devil's note buried, as he thought, forever???

Powerful memory of the excellent student did not deceive its owner – he took from its distant, dusty depths the text, scribbled in a hurry – and his heart received the blessing... devil's crap...

- Dig! - having noticed, that his disobedient Gong stood without action, the autocratic dictator shou impatiently hastened a slow devoted dog ...

As the old Chinese proverb says – in for a penny, in for a pound! (Sheldon Cooper holds in hand the plate SARKAZM – translator's comment)

Therefore, the proud handsome Gong obediently undertook a scoop and began to dig quickly between roots, where his master's forefinger directed.

It is necessary to tell, that the behavior of our couple, who were digging out roots of a rare tree in daylight, did not remain unnoticed by walking people. They were stared at.

What is it? Why these two dig the earth? Or they were going to dig out and steal this magnificent tree? But who steals trees in the face of the amazed public?? Such decent young people – and suddenly banal thieves? Perhaps it is necessary to call the police?

Zhang Linyi in fever of search of the lost treasures also did not assume, what villain he looks like in the opinion of the walking dear public – he vigorously dug the earth by the scoop, until its keen edge tinkled about something - hurrah! It really was that tin box of the known chocolate brand. Having lain so long in the earth, it all rusted and warped, but was closed on a latch, as well as at the time of burial. It lay on his palm – small and dirty ... What secrets were concealed by this pathetic little coffin? Whether there could be something there...

Linyi puzzly darted a glance at the organizer of exhumation:

- Well, and what we do? We open?

Wang Guangning looked at the box too – his heart was in complete confusion. He darted a glance at a path along the lake – from all directions watched at them hundreds of eyes– and all had such strange expression ... The frost was run on the ridge of the great emperor – and he made the decision:

- Not here. Hurry to home ...

Linyi got Guangning at home in record-breaking short time. On his hands there was still a dust of the Lunar lake – and he went straight to a bathroom to wash.

When he went back, Guangning had already removed dust from the box – it stood in the middle of a table in a drawing room, and the great emperor shrank on a sofa waiting for his devoted dog.

Seeing gravity of the friend, Zhang Linyi internally strained too and slowly approached a sofa, sitting down nearby. Both men several minutes did not take eyes from the box in complete silence.

Linyi felt, how everything begins to shiver a small shiver inside...

- Zhang Linyi, - Wang Guangning glanced at him with an unreadable look, - give me your mobile phone.

- What?? - puzzled even more, Linyi extended demanded gadget from a pocket and stretched to the workmate.

Wang Guangning accepted it. Attentively examined ... it was the same phone, what he remembered in hands of his smart Gong within their last student's year. For last fourth anniversary it was rubbed, paint on its sides got down, the screen became covered by small scratches... He turned it on. The shabby screen was lit – and the familiar screensaver, it seemed, burned a hole in the emperor's heart – the unexpected shame and the expected confusion poured over him as a hot wave. Phone was password-protected – and Guangning, holding a brutality mask on his face, quickly typed the date of his birthday.

Yes, it is correct ... access opened.

- Shou-shou, what you want to see there? - the confusion covered Linyi, who did not understand purposes of his beloved shou. He felt shou's doubts by all fibers of his own soul– but could not grasp the events' reason in any way.

- Nothing... - Wang Guangning tried to shrugge his shoulders – but his favorite trick was not successful now, the cruel spasm warped him. He threw phone back – and imperiously ordered:

- Open the box.

Executing the order, Linyi I took the box in the shaking hand. Edges of a cover stuck to the body – and gallant Gong was necessary to spend many efforts to open a cover of this storage of secrets– having covered everything with lumps of a rust and the dirt, hammered under a cover around.

But inside, fortunately, no dirt appeared.

Two leaves of paper, yellow from time, lay inside – couple of mysterious copies of their thoughts of four-year prescription.

Other couple - the dolts, who sent to themselves messages from past to the future - looked at the papers with reverential horror – and though it seems both prepared that will be farther – both shuddered at the same time suddenly with a nervous trembling.

- Let's look... - Wang Guangning with demonstrated tranquility gave the first a hand to the notes, trying not to show too much his uncontrollable shiver in fingers.

The message opened its mysterious depths – and the flying-up dragon blazed the fire together with the dancing phoenix (the Chinese idiom for either very beautiful, or too negligent handwriting – it is interesting what option will be chosen by the reader? – translator's comment)

"That night in Xiamen I was hard not because of a porn, but because of shou-shou nearby..."

Our boys (simultaneously):

- FUUUCK! ... - Zhang Linyi (confusedly).

- FUCK? – Wang Guangning (perplexedly).

- He-he-he, - hiding confusion, gallant Gong silly started giggling and began to scratch strenuously in his nape, being washing with a scarlet flush as the sun at sunset: - Shou-shou, you only do not laugh – I understood only then, that I already had fell in love with you.

Whether the poor Guangning could laugh? He was overwhelmed by absolutely opposite, equally strong feelings – on the one hand, he wanted to shout from delight and to begin to jump on one leg, and with another ... with another he was so confused, that he did not know where to put his eyes ...

Oh, this Zhang Linyi! He again gets to two hares from one gun!

Having felt some simplification, that his secrets, at last, are revealed, could not waiting, our Gong stretched his hand with curiosity to remained note –– in an anticipation and with sudden caution ... What there his timid beloved could write? Guangning did not prevent a shy hand to touch the old mystery of his heart.

Guangning's note was simple and short, written by fair, readable handwriting – and any double interpretation did not assume ...

"If you were a girl, I could not hide the fair love to you in the whole world!"

Zhang Linyi looked at the note, having been dumbfounded, and did not know whether to trust him to the eyes. He read it one time... another... turned then to Guangning and, faltering, murmured, trying to glance directly to his eyes:

- Shou-shou... I correctly understand what here is written? (Linyi, be not in a stupor! ... translator)

Wang Guangning, reddening even more with ears and cheeks of poppy color, hemmed few times, cleaning a throat, then slowly raised his eyes on the sitting next guy:

- Zhang Linyi... I love you... Really...

He kept silent, sighed and added:

- And four years ago, I loved you too...

Zhang Linyi's eyes began to shine, he both trusted, and did not believe, that all this occurs not in one of his numerous dreams, but in reality, his heart, missing blows, suddenly became constant visitor almost in a throat, and corners of lips uncontrollable spread up:

- Oh, my shou-shou! Do not you definitely lie????!!

§