Under the moonlight

As evening fell, the sky was ablaze with crimson clouds. Huang Meng sat alone on the balcony, gazing at the crimson expanse, lost in thought for a long, long time. Many past events flashed before her eyes, and the people in her memories were vivid and bright.

But time flies, and can the people of the past and the people of today still be the same? For example, this morning I was excited and thrilled, but now I'm calm and collected. Of course, I'm still the same person, but have my state of mind and my thoughts remained completely unchanged?

Huang Meng looked at the bustling crowd on the street in the distance, and heard the occasional cries of children and the voices of women coming from downstairs. We are in the torrent of time, which takes away more than just our age, but also our past.

"Hey, Huang Meng, instead of spending your time here contemplating the philosophy of life, why don't you go read more books? Maybe you can even pass the civil service exam and make your parents happy."

Huang Meng sighed deeply. She had been immersed in the memory of regaining what she had lost all morning, which made her mind a little dazed. She finally calmed down, but then fell into endless sorrow.

Huang Meng opened her phone; in the WeChat chat interface, their WeChat group displayed the last few sentences they had exchanged.

"Huang Meng, let's get together for a meal sometime!"

"That's right, it's been a long time."

"Mmm, let's treat this trip to X city as a vacation, hehe~"

"Sure, I'm fine with anything. When would be a good time for you?"

After she said that, there was no further sound.

She was never a carefree person; in fact, she was very nostalgic and calculating.

She would feel anxious if they didn't reply to her messages promptly, and she would feel down if her last invitation went unanswered.

She knew they were no longer carefree children; they had jobs, families, and social lives. Yet, she was still sad. The question that had previously crossed her mind resurfaced: perhaps they had already left behind their former selves and grown into independent and beautiful girls, while she, at thirteen, was still holding onto them at thirteen. Who was it that couldn't let go of the past and grow up happily?

She suddenly thought of Xu Ao and sent a message without any apparent reason. She didn't know why, but whenever she was bound by memories, she would think of Xu Ao and want him to pull her out of the past. Her longing for him reached its peak.

"Okay, I'm almost done with work this afternoon. I'll come find you in half an hour." Xu Ao sent the message shortly after.

Looking at his WeChat messages, Huang Meng suddenly felt a lump in her throat and secretly mocked herself for being useless. She slowly began to pack.

Xu Ao was very punctual. Huang Meng had just come downstairs when Xu Ao arrived. Before he could even get out of the car, Huang Meng quickly walked to the car, opened the door, and plopped down inside.

"What's wrong?" Xu Ao asked with concern, turning off the car as he looked at Huang Meng, who was pouting and looking unhappy.

"It's nothing, I'm just a little unhappy," Huang Meng said, feeling wronged, unsure how to explain her inner turmoil and struggle.

"Who bullied you? Or is something wrong at work? If you're unhappy, we won't go, um~" Before Xu Ao could finish speaking, Huang Meng suddenly threw herself into his arms. Xu Ao didn't know what was wrong with her, but seeing her aggrieved look, he didn't ask any more questions. He reached out and hugged her tightly. If she wanted to tell him, she would.

Huang Meng buried her face in Xu Ao's clothes, greedily inhaling the scent of his embrace. He never wore perfume, yet he always had a faint, pleasant fragrance about him, and there was no pungent smell of smoke. However, he did smoke, but Huang Meng had never smelled it on him.

She nuzzled her head against his chest, like a spoiled kitten. Xu Ao smiled and gently patted her head, saying softly, "Sit down, I'll take you to eat something delicious, I promise you'll forget your unhappiness."

"What delicious food is so amazing?" Huang Meng knew he was just trying to flatter her, so she went along with him.

"Want to know?"

"What?" Huang Meng had just raised her head when Xu Ao pressed the back of her head and brought her lips to his. Unlike before when she was passive, this time it was her turn. She parted her red lips slightly, placed her hands on his waist and applied a little force. Xu Ao couldn't resist the ticklish feeling and she took the initiative. A soft piece of her lips slid in, their lips and teeth rubbing together, and a shiver ran through him.

"If we don't leave now, we won't be able to eat." Xu Ao looked at Huang Meng, who was completely intoxicated, with a flushed face and hazy eyes. He felt a discomfort in a certain part of his body, so he reached out and gently picked up Huang Meng, whose body was almost limp against him.

"Why?" At this moment, Huang Meng was like a kitten that didn't know how to back down, and seemed a little displeased that he had interrupted her.

“Because…” Xu Ao looked down and Huang Meng followed his gaze.

"Okay, okay, let's go, let's go~" Huang Meng quickly looked away, feeling a little guilty, and sat up straight to fasten her seatbelt. Good heavens, what had she just seen? Although she had read countless books, this was still different from seeing it with her own eyes! Besides, that guy, it was because he kissed her! Huang Meng dared not look at Xu Ao again, and could only pretend to look out the window.

Xu Ao looked at her bright red earlobes and found it amusing, but he felt even more uncomfortable. After adjusting his posture, he started the car, glanced at Huang Meng who was still trying to maintain her composure, and said with a smile, "Little glutton, let's go, I'll take you to eat something delicious!"

Huang Meng turned her head and looked at the tenderness in his eyes, and unconsciously smiled. Xu Ao, he was her warmth in reality.