Quick Travel to the Clouds

Chapter 401 Yun Xiaqing 8

On July 1988, 7, the sky in Beijing was that unique summer blue, without a trace of cloud. The sun shone on the white Chang'an Avenue and the gray walls of the alleys, steaming up the scorching heat.

The examination venue is located outside a key middle school in Xicheng District, which is an old Soviet-style building. The roadside of Fuyou Street is already crowded with eager parents.

Bicycles gathered together, the sound of bells and whispers intertwined, and the air was filled with sweat, dust and the occasional sweet and sour smell of fruit leather.

Yun Chu and Han Yanzhi were standing in the shade of a thick locust tree not far from the school gate.

Yun Chu was wearing a green cheongsam today. Han Yanzhi, who was standing beside her, was wearing a Zhongshan suit. His posture was still upright, like a steady pine tree.

He was nearly a head taller than Yun Chu, and his eyes scanned the noisy crowd sharply. From time to time, his gaze would retract and fall on Yun Chu's temples, which were wet with sweat from the heat, revealing silent worry and care.

Han Yanzhi silently handed over a half-warmed bottle of Beibingyang soda, the water droplets on the bottle still not completely dried up. "Cool down! Beijing's reputation as a 'furnace' is well-deserved. You need to take care of yourself."

He didn't say it explicitly, but Yun Chu understood his concern. Ever since she had been with him, he always used this silent way to support the shaky part of her when she was most vulnerable.

Yun Chu took the bottle. The cold touch brought her back to her senses slightly, and their fingers overlapped briefly.

At this moment, there was a sudden commotion in the crowd!

The tightly closed vermilion door finally opened with a creaky sound under the gaze of countless pairs of expectant eyes!

Like a floodgate releasing water, exhausted figures in vests, dacron shirts, and skirts began to pour out.

"They're out!" Someone shouted, and the crowd suddenly rushed forward like water dripping into hot oil.

Yun Chu leaned forward and almost dropped the soda bottle in his hand.

Han Yanzhi reacted extremely quickly, almost instinctively taking half a step sideways, using his broad back to create some space for the crowded crowd.

At the same time, his right hand firmly held Yun Chu's elbow, and the other hand was raised high to search for the target. His body was tense, and his eyes became as sharp as an eagle, scanning quickly among the countless swaying faces.

Han Yanzhi immediately locked onto the girl in the goose yellow Dacron dress—Yun Xiaqing!

She was carrying the familiar grass-green canvas backpack, her ponytail was a little loose, and her face was obviously tired, but her bright big eyes lit up instantly when she saw Yun Chu and Han Yanzhi, and a sense of relief was revealed in her tiredness.

She quickened her pace, almost jogging through the crowd towards the shade of the trees.

Amid the noisy sounds around him, Han Yanzhi clearly felt Yun Chu's hand holding his arm loosen, followed by a face with a bright smile.

He saw Yun Chu rushing towards his daughter like a fledgling swallow, calling out, "Are you done with the exam? Are you tired?"

The tense lines on Han Yanzhi's face instantly melted away, revealing a generous, relieved smile.

He calmly took a small step back and stood quietly in the denser shadow of the locust tree, looking at the mother and daughter hugging each other tightly, watching Yun Xiaqing chattering about something, watching Yun Chu nod, and watching the same bright light on their faces.

The summer in Beijing is still scorching hot, the cicadas are buzzing, and the dust floating in the air is dancing in the sunlight, but in this small space outside the examination room, with the wind brought by the girl's running, it seems that all the anxiety and weight are gently blown away.

"Let's go home first." Han Yanzhi said.

"Yeah." Yun Chu nodded.

Han Yanzhi drove them home.

When I got home, Sister Guihua was already preparing the food for dinner.

Han Yanzhi did not leave either, and prepared to celebrate with Yun Chu and the others that Yun Xiaqing had successfully completed the college entrance examination.

Yun Chu also went to help prepare, and after more than an hour, dinner was ready.

Several people ate and drank happily.

Yun Chu was in a good mood and opened his collection of wine to drink.

Yun Xiaqing also tasted a little. After she had eaten and drunk her fill, she went to wash up.

After taking a shower, Yun Xiaqing, with rosy cheeks and bright eyes, was in the living room, flipping through the graduation yearbook that her classmates had handed her.

After ten years of hard study, on the first night after the college entrance examination, the air was filled with a sense of relief as if the dust had settled.

From time to time, she looked up at the dining table with a sweet, quiet smile on her lips.

The atmosphere at the dinner table was completely different from hers, with a hint of drunken liveliness.

Yun Chu was obviously drunk.

Yun Chu's cheeks were flushed at this moment, as if they were stained with the most beautiful peach blossoms in early summer.

The collar of that simple floral dress had been loosened a little because she felt hot, revealing a small part of her delicate neck.

Her eyes were misty and shimmering, no longer as clear and bright as usual, but with a kind of charming charm that was rarely seen in other places, a bit naive.

In one hand she was still holding the glass that was half filled with wine, with a faint lipstick mark on the rim.

The other hand actually reached out directly, and with a bit of curiosity, pinched Han Yanzhi's earlobe with its cold and wet fingertips across the table.

Han Yanzhi was lowering his head, concentrating on picking up the few remaining peanuts on the table and putting them on a small plate for Yun Chu to fill her stomach.

The sudden cool touch made his whole body stiffen! It was like being struck by a slight electric current.

He almost jumped up and suddenly raised his head, his deep black eyes fixed in surprise on the woman in front of him with a beautiful smile and a dazed look.

"Yanzhi..." Yun Chu's voice was like honey, the ending syllable was soft and long, with a strong nasal tone, "Your ears... why are they so hot?"

She giggled, as if she had discovered something extremely amusing, and fearlessly rubbed her fingertips against his well-defined earlobe again.

Han Yanzhi's breathing stopped for a moment, and then became heavy.

She would never do that little gesture on a normal day, let alone call him "Yanzhi" so bluntly... She usually murmured this name only when they were alone and her emotions were overwhelmed.

Under the dim light, he saw the hazy light in her eyes, like the shimmering lake water under the moonlight, almost drowning him.

His Adam's apple rolled up and down violently, and his strong jawline was stretched tight, as if he was trying hard to restrain something.

The man who was always calm and steady in the face of adversity was actually upset by her unconventional behavior. The blush at the roots of his ears quickly spread to the base of his neck - this was definitely not just the effect of alcohol.

"Ahem!" He cleared his throat forcefully, his voice barely audible, "Yun Chu, you've had too much to drink."

He tried to make his voice sound as calm as usual, and reached out to remove her hand that was pinching his ear, but his fingertips paused when they were about to touch her wrist.

In the end, he just quickly and a little awkwardly pushed away the rebellious hand. His action seemed rough, but it was filled with undisguised panic and caution, for fear of hurting her.

"Ouch!" Yun Chu muttered in dissatisfaction, and his hand, which was pushed away, shook twice in dissatisfaction in the air.

She leaned forward again, almost her entire upper body resting on the table, and got closer to look at Han Yanzhi's face, which now had an extremely complicated expression.

"Who said I drank too much? I didn't..." She blinked cunningly, and the breath she exhaled carried the unique sweet aroma of wine, brushing across Han Yanzhi's tightly pursed lips.

"Yanzhi...Brother Yanzhi..." She deliberately changed her address, her voice soft and light, like a feather scratching her heart. "You looked so handsome today at the entrance of the examination room...blocking everyone else's way..."

Han Yanzhi felt as if the vein on his forehead twitched.

Yun Xiaqing glanced over with curiosity.