Atlas Studios

  Atlas Studios

  She raised her head and saw huge, gold letters spelling out “Imperial Group Middle School.”


  Even though it was in the dark of the night, the signature mark of this school for the upper-class was shining brightly. It was the most eye-catching building in the vicinity.

  It had been five years. There were more buildings within the school now. However, the hallmark of the school, the teaching block, still remained unchanged.

  At this time, the school was empty and the teaching block’s lights were all turned off.

  Zhuang Nainai craned her head and looked into the building. She had planned to enter from the entrance, but it was locked. There was also no one stationed at the security guard post.

  She thought for a while, then made a beeline for the field beside the school. She climbed up the railing separating the field from the school.

  Si Zhengting alighted from his car somewhere along the bend in the round, then he tailed her silently.

  The familiar sight of the school and the vicinity made him feel as though he had traveled back in time.

  He hid in a dark corner, observing her small and frail figure. She fought to climb every inch of the railing, tottering along the way. Just when he thought that she would fall in the next second, and when he was about to rush over to help her, he saw that she had made it to the top.

  She carefully crossed over the railing, then heaved a sigh of relief. Then, she poked her head out and tried to judge the distance at which she would be falling. Gritting her teeth, she jumped down!

  Si Zhengting’s heart lurched!

  That railing was at least two meters tall. Wasn’t she afraid that she would break her legs?

  Just then, he heard the sound of tearing fabric accompanying a low sound of surprise.

  It turned out that when she jumped down from the sharp metal railing, it had caught on the back of her dress and caused her to stumble. The force of gravity that had enabled her to reach the ground quickly had also ripped her dress.

  From a distance away, Si Zhengting could see Zhuang Nainai’s dress catching on the railing. He also observed her milky white, flowery-fabric-coated long legs dangling in the air frantically a couple of times. He could also see her small, pink undergarments clearly. Then, he saw her clothes tearing and her falling onto the ground.

  Si Zhengting’s expression darkened immediately. His first reaction was to scan his surroundings. When he saw that there was nobody around, he looked less gloomy.

  Her movements had still attracted the attention of the security officers. Si Zhengting saw the door to the security officer’s room opening and someone stepping out with a flashlight. That person was looking directly at the field. There were a couple of yellow street lights there, so he could make out a body flailing.

  The security guard was so scared that he had covered his mouth with his hand. Then, he picked up his walkie-talkie, intending to speak. It was then when the walkie-talkie was suddenly grasped by a pale and slender hand.

  The security officer jerked his head up in surprise. When he saw the person, he exclaimed in shock, “Mr…… Mr. Si?”
……

  Zhuang Nainai sat on the ground. A large portion of her dress had been torn. It was fortunate that she was wearing a very thick and long overcoat that day, which covered her torn clothing perfectly.

  She completely didn’t care about how her clothes looked. She stood up, as though she was possessed, and walked toward the sports building, which was behind the field.

  The buildings on the way there were magnificent and striking.

  The Imperial Group Middle School was a private school. Those who attended it were either wealthy or from the upper echelons of society. Many students who attended school here did not hold a household registration account that was tied to the city of Beijing; thus, the annual school fees were about fifty to sixty thousand dollars. It was not manageable for most ordinary families.

  Zhuang Nainai was able to attend this school back then because she had won the top prize for the “creative drawing” award in a drawing competition, and she had been specially invited to join the school.

  She had originally learned how to draw from her mother. As for designing, she had a natural talent for it. However, because of Si Zhengting, she had become the class’ physical education committee member. Thus, she had an indelible bond with this sports building.

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  Atlas Studios

  Atlas Studios

  Beside the school field sat a dense grove.

  Making her way through the grove, she glanced at the dense parasol and ginkgo trees. Pain flashed through her eyes.

  The silliness and innocence of her youth came rushing back to her.

  There were always many couples who would get together in the earlier part of high school, but when the time came for graduation, most of them would become unsure about their futures.

  And so, on the night of the end of the college entrance examinations, this little grove would fill up with many couples.

  It was almost like a standard practice.

  In the grove, many couples liked to etch their names on a particular paulownia tree with thick large branches, which was nearly a century old.

  She recalled how, on the last day of the college entrance examinations, after handing in her exam paper, she had hurriedly gone to find Si Zhengting at his exam venue. Without so much as a word, she had grabbed him and brought him here.

  When they had gotten here, they realized that they were late and a long queue had already formed.

  Zhuang Nainai had made a disappointed expression.

  Si Zhengting, not understanding, had asked, “What are we doing here?”


  Raising her head and pointing toward the paulownia tree, she had said, “Do you see that tree over there? Everyone likes to etch their names there so that their love will be ‘imprinted’ on the campus grounds. But it seems like we’ve come too late.”


  Si Zhengting had furrowed his brows. “Why must our memories be stuck in school?”


  Perplexed, Zhuang Nainai had turned around, only to feel his hand holding hers and hear his calm voice telling her, “We’re going to be together for life, and so will our memories.”


  Hearing the sweetness, she had been unable to resist a smile. Yet, there had still been some regret. “But I still want to keep our memories from high school! I heard that this tree had a lifespan of more than 200 years, and right now it hasn’t even hit 100! If we etch our names onto the tree, it will mean that we can be together for a century more!”


  At this point, she suddenly reconsidered what she had said. “But how can 100 years be enough? I want to be with you for a very, very long time.”


  Smiling at Si Zhengting, she had grabbed his hand tightly. “I want to be with you in this life, and the next, and the following one…… Si Zhengting, am I being too greedy?”


  Si Zhengting’s gaze at that point in time had been warm and full love.

  After thinking for a moment, he had then grabbed her by the arm. “Come with me.”


  Following him with curiosity, they had then gone into the depths of the grove.

  Amongst the trees stood a strong, eye-catching pine tree.

  Si Zhengting had pointed toward it. “We can etch our names here.”


  Zhuang Nainai had been confused, asking, “Why?”


  “Because a pine tree normally lives for 4000 years,” Si Zhengting had replied.

  Four thousand years……

  Zhuang Nainai’s eyes had brightened, then dimmed back down. “The school brings in new trees to plant every year, so we won’t know if this pine tree is going to be moved away. Even if it can live for 4000 years, what’s the use?”


  Si Zhengting had then grabbed her by the wrist and walked forward. “It won’t be moved away.”


  Zhuang Nainai had been stunned for a moment before she finally understood. “Oh right, the Imperial Group belongs to your family, so if you tell them not to remove it, nobody will ever dare! Ha, this is great!”


  Picking up a sharp rock, she had run over to the tree, beaming at Si Zhengting. On the tree, she had etched both their names, linked together by a heart shape in the middle of their names.

  With a glance at Si Zhengting, she had then added “together forever.”