Those things that happened in those years

Chapter 74 Brother Jun's Love

During those innocent yet beautiful years of youth, the correspondence between Hong Liguo and Wang Yuxin was like an invisible yet resilient thread, tightly binding their two young and naive hearts together.

Although their interactions weren't very frequent, there were letters going between Hong Liguo and her almost every week, conveying their feelings and thoughts to each other.

In order to present a better version of himself to Wang Yuxin and win her favor, Hong Liguo, like a devout seeker of knowledge, plunged headlong into the vast ocean of poetry and literature.

He diligently studied both classical poetry with its strict rules and modern lyrics with their free and unrestrained style.

Whenever a piece of work that he felt satisfied with was created, the surge of joy would drive him to copy it neatly, then seal it up and send it to Wang Yuxin through Fa Zi's hands, hoping to see the light of approval in her eyes and hear words of praise from her mouth.

Whenever the anticipated recognition and praise arrived as expected, Hong Liguo's heart soared like a light bird into the sky, and an indescribable sense of pride would arise from the bottom of his heart and permeate every corner of his body.

Despite their increasingly frequent communications, Hong Liguo and Wang Yuxin maintained a perfect distance on campus, like two parallel tracks that were close yet never intersected.

They didn't rush to elevate their relationship to the intimacy of lovers. Wang Yuxin didn't take the first step, and Hong Liguo didn't bravely break through the thin veil of secrecy. They maintained this delicate, unspoken relationship, enjoying each other's company and the warmth and happiness it brought.

Wang Yuxin's smile was like the warm spring sun, dispelling the gloom in Hong Liguo's heart; Hong Liguo's care was like a gentle breeze, brushing away the faint sorrow between her brows. Each of them cherished this sweet little secret, moving forward peacefully through their time on campus, filled with joy and tranquility.

Just as this seemingly peaceful campus life was slowly flowing by, Hong Liguo and several of his inseparable friends unexpectedly discovered that a beautiful woman had quietly appeared beside Jun Ge.

The girl was from another class. She was slender, beautiful, with eyebrows like distant mountains and eyes like autumn water. Her long, black, shiny hair cascaded down her shoulders like a waterfall. She exuded a fresh and natural beauty in every gesture. She was undoubtedly a beauty in everyone's eyes.

However, if one were to nitpick, her wheat-colored skin might appear slightly duller compared to her snow-white complexion. But this minor flaw does not detract from her overall charm; on the contrary, it adds a unique healthy and vibrant beauty to her.

At first, everyone's jokes were like seeds scattered by the wind, taking root and sprouting on Jay.

The crowd teased him, one after another, making him blush with embarrassment every now and then.

Then, the winds of jokes blew towards Fa Zi, drawing him into this youthful and playful atmosphere.

Not long ago, this "joking wind" unexpectedly turned towards Hong Liguo. Curious eyes and questions rained down on him like a dense storm, as if he had done something he shouldn't have and had been summoned to the police station by the imposing Wang Dabazhang, sitting upright and giving a statement.

The feeling of being the center of attention made Hong Liguo feel a little uncomfortable, but also a bit confused and shy, typical of youth. He had mixed feelings, not knowing whether he should be happy about this special attention or annoyed that his privacy had been invaded.

However, fortunes change, and now everyone's attention is drawn to Brother Jun as if by a magnet.

Hong Liguo and a few other curious guys surrounded Jun Ge, bombarding him with questions about every detail of his love affair, determined to get him to tell them the whole story of this sweet romance.

Jun was caught off guard by their sudden enthusiasm, and a helpless, bitter smile appeared on his usually resolute face.

But under the persistent pleading of Hong Liguo and others, he finally had no choice but to surrender and recount the whole story of how he met and fell in love with that girl.

It turns out that Brother Jun and this girl named Xiao Jie met in a rather traditional and unexpected way—through an introduction.

When Hong Liguo and the others heard this news, they couldn't help but widen their eyes, their faces full of surprise and doubt, as if they had heard a fantastical tale.

In Hong Liguo's and his friends' minds, the campus should be a place full of pure and natural love. Most of those budding romances quietly sprouted from accidental glances and unintentional collisions. However, the way of introducing someone to another person, which is full of adult world colors, seems to be out of place with the atmosphere of the campus.

A big question mark appeared in their minds: There are actually matchmakers in schools? This was beyond Hong Liguo and his friends' imagination, making them feel both novel and somewhat incomprehensible.

The key figure who acted as the "matchmaker" was none other than the younger sister of Jun Ge's second aunt.

She and Xiaojie were deskmates, and during their time together, she was deeply attracted by Xiaojie's beauty, generosity, and outstanding qualities.

During a casual conversation, she learned that Jun Ge was still single, and from the way he looked at his friends like Hong Liguo who already had someone they liked, she keenly sensed a hint of envy in his eyes.

Then, a bold and novel idea instantly sprouted in her mind—she wanted to introduce her deskmate to Jun Ge.

At first, when Jun learned of his cousin's idea, he was extremely shy and embarrassed. His bronze cheeks flushed slightly, like the sunset, and his eyes revealed a hint of nervousness and unease. He repeatedly waved his hands to refuse his cousin's kindness, claiming that he did not want her to act as a matchmaker.

In truth, his deepest worry was that if his feelings were rejected, he would find himself in an awkward and embarrassing situation, becoming a laughing stock in the eyes of others. The thought of his self-esteem being hurt made him feel ashamed.

However, my cousin is a kind-hearted person who will not give up until she achieves her goal. She is full of confidence and enthusiasm in bringing this marriage together and is not discouraged by Jun's rejection.

On a sunny, breezy break between classes, she meticulously planned a seemingly accidental yet subtly planned encounter. She cleverly brought Xiao Jie and Jun Ge along, arranging for them to "bump into" each other on a path in the schoolyard.

When Jun Ge and Xiao Jie's eyes met for a moment, time seemed to stand still.

Xiao Jie's eyes sparkled with a lively light. She gracefully broke the brief silence, greeting Jun Ge with a smile, and then naturally started a conversation. Her clear and melodious voice flowed like a mountain spring into Jun Ge's ears.

Her words and actions exuded confidence and composure, showing none of the awkwardness or shyness that most girls would have when facing unfamiliar boys.

As for Brother Jun, he was clearly a little uneasy in this sudden situation.

His hands unconsciously fiddled with the hem of his clothes, his eyes darting around, avoiding Xiao Jie's gaze. Whenever Xiao Jie asked him a question, he would answer briefly and somewhat awkwardly, like a nervous elementary school student answering a teacher's question. He had completely lost the courage and bravery he usually displayed on the battlefield, looking exactly like a frightened little rabbit, which made his cousin, who was watching from the side, unable to help but laugh.

Xiao Jie is a year older than Jun Ge, and perhaps it is her age and experience that have given her more composure and maturity.

Looking at Jun Ge's nervous and helpless appearance, she slightly raised the corners of her mouth and revealed a faint smile. The smile contained a hint of good-natured teasing, as well as a touch of appreciation for Jun Ge's youthful innocence.

Her smile only made Jun Ge more flustered. His already unclear thoughts became even more chaotic. He stammered, unable to express his true feelings. In the end, like a soldier deserting his post, he hurriedly made an excuse and fled the scene.

The moment Jun fled the scene, he felt his heart was about to jump out of his throat. That feeling of tension was something he would never forget. When he later talked about it with Hong Liguo and the others, his tone still carried a hint of panic.

Seeing her cousin's disheveled appearance, the younger sister found it both funny and a little heartbreaking.

She stepped forward, gently patted Jun Ge's shoulder, and encouraged him in a gentle yet firm tone, telling him not to give up easily. She promised to create another opportunity for him in a few days so that he could interact with Xiao Jie more confidently and show his true charm.

Thanks to his cousin's tireless efforts, Jun and Xiaojie had their second meeting. This time, perhaps because of the groundwork laid last time, Jun's nervousness was significantly reduced, and he was no longer as afraid and shy as before.

The two strolled side by side under the shade of the campus trees, basking in the warm sunshine, talking about their hobbies, daily life, and their hopes for the future.

To their delight, they discovered that they shared many common topics and similar viewpoints, as if two parallel rivers had finally converged and merged, creating a dazzling display of color.

Gradually, they grew closer and closer, their hearts drawing nearer to each other. Soon, they fell in love, immersing themselves in the sweet whirlpool of love, unable to extricate themselves.

Under repeated questioning from Hong Liguo and several friends, Jun Ge finally couldn't resist their "offensive" and confessed his love story with Xiao Jie with a blush on his face. Every detail was heard by Hong Liguo and the others.

At this moment, Hong Bo looked at Hong Liguo and the others with a half-smile and a sour expression on his face, his eyes clearly filled with envy, jealousy and hatred.

He curled his lip and sneered, "You guys are really pathetic. You've all become prisoners of girls, making us Six Swordsmen look bad. Are you even brothers anymore?"

Upon hearing Hong Bo's words, Yan Bin licked his dry lips, shook his somewhat clumsy head, and flicked his long tongue, agreeing, "That's right. In my opinion, we're no longer the Six Swordsmen. Ever since Jie betrayed the Six Swordsmen, joined Nine Dragons and One Phoenix, and won the heart of a beauty, he's no longer one of us. Now we're probably only the Five Swordsmen."

Hong Bo slightly raised his chin, a complex expression on his face, and then said, "Hmph, I think we can't even be called the Five Swordsmen anymore. Now it's just the two of us single. If things continue like this, we might as well just be called the Two Swordsmen."

Yanbin then added, "Two swordsmen—the high and low duo."

Hearing their words, Jay looked aggrieved. He frowned and said indignantly, "Although I joined Nine Dragons and One Phoenix and am now with Zhang Qiaoyun, I've never forgotten my brothers! I haven't done anything to wrong anyone, so why am I excluded? This is so unfair!"

Hongbo glanced at Jie with disdain, his contempt evident on his face, and said coldly, "You still dare to say that? Look at yourself now, always hanging around Zhang Qiaoyun, practically her follower. And you still say you haven't left us? In my opinion, if this continues, the two of you will probably become one, and you won't care about us brothers anymore!"

Upon hearing Hong Bo's sarcastic remarks, everyone was taken aback at first, then burst into laughter. Hong Liguo couldn't help but laugh along, patting Jie's arm to signal him not to take it to heart.

Jay's face flushed red with anger at the laughter, the veins on his neck bulging. His eyes widened, and he gritted his teeth, saying, "Fine, laugh all you want! I'll break up with Zhang Qiaoyun tomorrow, is that alright? Let's see what you can say then!"

Hong Bo, however, showed no sign of backing down. He shrugged and said nonchalantly, "Fine, go ahead and break up. You guys are all womanizers anyway. From now on, it'll just be Yanbin and me. Our group is completely split up. We'll go our separate ways, and nobody's going to bother anyone else!"

Yanbin joined in the commotion, grinning and revealing a set of crooked teeth, shouting, "Group up! Group up!" With that, he hopped on his somewhat dilapidated bicycle and rode off one after the other with Hongbo without looking back.

Jie stood there, stamping his feet in anger, muttering to himself, "I'm breaking up with Zhang Qiaoyun tomorrow, and I mean it! Friends are like limbs, women are like clothes; I can't let her ruin our brotherhood. Humph, I don't believe it, what can happen after we break up!"

Seeing Jie's furious expression, Hong Liguo felt a pang of pity. He stepped forward, gently patted Jie's shoulder, and earnestly advised, "Don't talk nonsense. Zhang Qiaoyun has been so good to you, how can you just break up with her like that? How can you do this to her sincere feelings for you? Love is hard to come by, you should cherish it!"

Fa Zi came over, scratched his head, and said with a smile, "Those two are just feeling a bit resentful because all of us are dating, so they said a few hurtful things. Don't take it seriously. If you break up over something like this, you'll definitely regret it later."

After pondering for a moment, Jun Ge nodded slightly and said, "I think the best way now is to quickly find a way to get Hongbo and Yanbin into a relationship. That way, they will feel more at ease, and we brothers can get along well and stop arguing over these things."

Hong Liguo listened to Jun Ge's words and nodded in deep agreement. He thought to himself that if he could really help Hong Bo and Yan Bin find suitable people, they would be happier to get along in the future. These little episodes in their youth might even become a beautiful and unforgettable memory.