OBS Chapter 39 This feeling might not come all at once.
Chapter 39 This feeling might not come all at once.
After a long while, Li Xiaoyun whispered, "If you don't come over, I... I'll go over myself."
Seeing her serious expression, Li Xiangyang finally gave in.
He carefully moved over and huddled in the corner of his cotton-padded coat.
Their bodies were pressed tightly together, their breaths mingling.
Li Xiaoyun could clearly feel his slightly trembling body gradually warming up.
“That’s good,” she said softly. “If you really get cold, I’ll... I’ll...”
She didn't finish her sentence, but Li Xiangyang understood it.
"You silly girl," he chuckled helplessly, "where did you learn to talk so much?"
“It’s what I was born with,” Li Xiaoyun raised her chin. “What, you don’t like it?”
Li Xiangyang didn't say anything, he just stared at her blankly.
Unlike other girls, Li Xiaoyun was not shy or timid.
She speaks her mind and does what she wants, and her natural and generous nature makes her seem more like a woman.
“Li Xiangyang,” Li Xiaoyun suddenly spoke up, “what do you mean after we get out of here…”
"We'll talk about it after we get out," Li Xiangyang interrupted her. "For now, you get some sleep, I'll keep watch."
Li Xiaoyun nodded and gently rested her head on his shoulder.
Li Xiangyang could feel her breathing gradually becoming steady, and knew that she was really tired.
He didn't know how much time had passed when Li Xiangyang suddenly felt drowsy. Startled, he quickly nudged Li Xiaoyun awake, saying, "Wake up, wake up!"
"Huh?" Li Xiaoyun mumbled a response, still completely dazed.
"You can't sleep anymore," Li Xiangyang said, pulling her up. "It's too cold. Just rest for a bit; you'll get hypothermia if you stay in bed too long."
Li Xiaoyun then came to her senses, but her whole body was stiff and her movements were much slower.
"Indeed, my hands and feet are numb from the cold." She tried to move them, but found that her fingers were not very responsive.
"Don't move, I'll help you." Li Xiangyang grabbed her hand and began to rub it vigorously. "We need to get the blood circulating."
His palms were dry and warm, with a thin layer of calluses.
Li Xiaoyun could feel a warmth coming from her palms, which slowly dispelled the chill.
"I'm sorry to have made you suffer with me," Li Xiangyang said, rubbing her hands as he did so, "but there's no other way, we have to get moving."
“Okay, let’s move. You tell me,” Li Xiaoyun asked while moving around, “How long do we have to stay here?”
“Let’s wait until dawn,” Li Xiangyang pointed to the small ventilation hole above their heads. “When the sun comes out and the light shines through the snow, I’ll be able to determine our direction. Then we’ll dig a tunnel and climb down the mountain.”
"That will take a long time."
“Yes,” Li Xiangyang laughed, “so we need to move around more now. Come on, I’ll teach you a trick, hug your arms like this…”
He explained and demonstrated, teaching Li Xiaoyun some simple ways to keep warm.
The two people moved around in the cramped space, occasionally bumping into each other, and then quickly separating, appearing somewhat awkward.
“You city folks,” Li Xiangyang suddenly said, “you never encounter things like this normally.”
"What, you look down on city people?" Li Xiaoyun raised her chin.
"No," Li Xiangyang quickly explained, "I just think you're pretty amazing. Anyone else would have been crying and begging to go back."
“I wouldn’t,” Li Xiaoyun scoffed. “If I really did that, you’d look down on me even more.”
Li Xiangyang was stunned for a moment, not expecting her to care so much about his opinion.
"By the way, to be honest, we haven't met much and don't really know each other. Let's get to know each other again. My name is Li Xiaoyun, and I'm from the city. My father works in a machine factory, and my mother works in a textile factory. I was supposed to be in high school in the city, and I was about to graduate, but then..."
She paused for a moment, then continued, "Actually, among our group of educated youth, I was relatively lucky. My parents were both workers, and our family background was good. If I had the chance, I might have been able to return to the city. But..."
“But what?”
"But I don't want to be a worker. I told you, I want to be a teacher."
Li Xiaoyun suddenly said with a hint of bitterness, "You know, I don't know when this will end. Even if you say the college entrance exam will be reinstated, I don't think I'll have a chance then. Actually, I know I'm not very smart."
Li Xiangyang sensed the confusion in her words.
How many of the educated youth of that era were not confused?
“Actually,” he thought for a moment and said, “everyone needs something to look forward to in life. Look, I just want to make a good living for my family, so that Mom and my sister can have enough to eat and wear. You should do the same. Study hard before the college entrance exam is reinstated. Even if you don’t achieve your goal in the end, at least you tried. If you don’t want to go back, that’s fine too. Here, I…we will all help you.”
"You," Li Xiaoyun suddenly laughed, "how can you speak so sweetly?"
“It’s not a matter of whether it sounds good or bad,” Li Xiangyang said earnestly, “I genuinely feel this way.”
"Then I'll tell you the truth," Li Xiaoyun took a deep breath, "I think I've fallen for you."
Li Xiangyang was stunned.
"Don't be nervous," Li Xiaoyun said softly. "I just feel that you're a very reassuring person. You're very composed in your words and actions, and you don't panic when things happen."
She paused, then continued, "Like now, even though we're both trapped here, you're still thinking about how to take care of me, how to keep me from being scared. You say you don't have that special feeling, but can you tell me what that feeling is?"
Li Xiangyang remained silent for a long while.
“To be honest, I don’t really understand it either,” he finally said slowly, “but I think that feeling is... wanting to be good to someone you see, not because she can give you anything in return, but simply wanting her to have a good life.”
"Just like you do to your sister?"
“No, that’s different,” Li Xiangyang shook his head. “It’s familial love for my sister. But that special feeling is…”
He thought for a moment, then continued, "It's about seeing someone smile and feeling happy too; seeing her sad and feeling even more anxious than she is. Wanting to protect her, yet hoping she can protect herself. Wanting to witness her success, yet hoping I'm worthy of her..."
At this point, Li Xiangyang himself was stunned.
He never expected that he could say so much.
"Oh, I see," Li Xiaoyun said softly. "Now I understand."
“Understand what?”
“I understand why you said you didn’t have that feeling,” Li Xiaoyun smiled. “Because you’re really thinking about this seriously. Unlike some people who say they like every pretty girl they see.”
When she said this, her eyes held a light that Li Xiangyang couldn't understand.
“But Li Xiangyang,” she continued, “I think this feeling might not come all at once. Like me, at first I didn’t think much of you, but slowly…”
She didn't finish speaking, but Li Xiangyang understood.
In this enclosed space, the two people's breathing sounds were exceptionally clear.
Li Xiangyang suddenly realized that, without knowing when it started, he no longer felt cold.