Age of Legends

Chapter 273 Still Not Recovered
It's hard to imagine how shocked Zhang Chen must be right now. She's a chivalrous heroine, always ready to help in times of crisis. All those initial good impressions of the girl, all those seeds of attraction planted in his heart, have now been replaced by the realization that she did it on purpose that day.

I thought the stage around her was already packed with people, but I didn't expect that her gaze wasn't on what was in front of her, but rather on that corner that no one noticed.

"So... that time, you were doing it to give me water?" Zhang Chen asked softly.

Shen Nuoyi quickly looked away, a smile curving her lips. "No, Wang Shuowei and I grew up together. I can't bear to see him looking so pitiful. You're here too, so the two of you just happened to come along. Besides, everyone's pretty much out of supplies. Don't overthink it."

"Oh, I see..." Zhang Chen said with a smile.

"Of course that's how it is, hey, don't you believe me!" Seeing her fluctuating expressions of anger and joy, Zhang Chen could only wave his hand and nod, "I believe you, I believe you!"

"You just don't believe me!" Shen Nuo's ears turned completely red. "I didn't do it because of you."

"Okay, okay..."

A momentary attempt to argue cannot change the established facts. The two chatted and laughed casually.

“Sometimes, I feel that life is also a process of selection,” Shen Nuoyi said.

"How so?" Zhang Chen asked.

"You will meet many people. Some of them may be very close to you, and you may wish you could spend every day together. But in fact, it may be because of the environment in which you and the other person grew up. You both have limits and can't leave that environment, so you can only stick together for warmth or confide in each other. But perhaps you don't realize that once you have a bigger world, you may fly in different directions and never go back to the way things were."

"Are you talking about... Han Zhouxuan?" Zhang Chen asked.

"I'm not referring to anyone in particular, it's just a sudden thought. As for Han Zhouxuan, I used to think she was my best friend, that we would be together no matter what, that we would buy houses next door to each other, and meet at least once a week to talk about our views on life, and complain about certain people or things we dislike at work. In fact, in front of her, love wasn't the most important thing, but our friendship was. But now I think that maybe this was just wishful thinking and an immature idea of ​​mine. In fact, we are all constantly growing and changing, and most relationships will change and adjust as we grow up. What's important is not mourning the estrangement, but cherishing what we have in the past and focusing on the present. At least now, I can face her with equanimity."

As Shen Nuoyi spoke, she looked at Zhang Chen. Perhaps she was responding to the time when Zhang Chen had to step back in front of Han Zhouxuan.

“Be calm, how do you mean calm?” Zhang Chen asked.

"It means I'm not as childish as before. For example, when I see her doing well, having a new circle of friends, and new life goals, I'm genuinely happy for her. I won't feel anxious or insecure like before when she didn't reply to my messages or ask me out. I won't feel secretly jealous when she's having fun with other people. When we meet, we'll still laugh and chat about each other's lives. We might even talk about anything and everything, just like before, but there's no need to feel like we have to be tied together anymore. If one day she leaves to go far away, I'll only wish her well, remember the days we spent together, and hope that everything goes well for her in the future, while I'll focus on my own journey."

Shen Nuoyi's voice was soft in the wind, yet exceptionally clear: "It was only at the age of eighteen that I slowly began to see something clearly. People, things, and events that I once thought would always be by your side, existing naturally like air and water, might one day slip away silently through your fingers, like sand. Whether it's lovers, friends, or the alleyways we often pass by, perhaps a gust of wind in the future will change them beyond recognition, and they will never be found again."

While hiking with Shen Nuo, they didn't worship Buddha or visit temples, but here, the two of them had never talked so deeply about their views on the past.

This has nothing to do with ideals, but is limited to the life they are experiencing now.

Zhang Chen turned his head to look at her. The misty light in the mountain forest shone through the leaves, and the Tyndall effect danced on her lowered eyelashes.

He smiled. As someone who had already gone through this stage, Zhang Chen's gaze was gentle, yet it concealed a barely perceptible sigh. He said softly, "You've had a worthwhile coming-of-age ceremony. Many people, even if they lived another ten years, might not be able to see it so clearly."

"Life is like a train journey. At each station, as the lights come on, people board with their luggage, sit beside you, and chat and laugh. But when the next station arrives, no matter how reluctant we are, someone always has to get up and leave—classmates, friends, people like Xiao Wang, and even..."

Zhang Chen paused, a serene calm as if from another world, "Including me too."

"Time is a butcher's knife, and the long river of life ages us. If you're not careful, your life will be riddled with holes."

Zhang Chen recalled the jokes from later generations and probably felt that his words were a bit serious, so he made a joke afterward, but his words did not make Shen Nuoyi laugh.

"Don't say such things!"

Shen Nuoyi's voice suddenly trembled slightly, interrupting him. Almost instinctively, she reached out and gently grasped the cuff of his t-shirt, the force light but carrying an undeniable plea to stay.

The moment she touched his body heat, she recoiled as if burned, her fingertips curling up and hiding in her palm. She turned her face away, saying, "The car doors are welded shut. You're not allowed to get out. And... don't ever say things like that again." A gentle breeze blew by, carrying the unique coolness of the mountains. Zhang Chen's gaze fell on her slightly reddened earlobes and clenched fists, his Adam's apple bobbing.

He nodded, his voice gentle, "Okay, I understand."

He paused again, then said, "But thinking about those things that can't be kept, I do feel a bit empty inside."

Shen Nuoyi did not respond immediately. She took a deep breath, and a mixture of emotions, including an indescribable bitterness, welled up in her chest.

After a few seconds, she turned her head and her gaze finally landed on his face, with an almost stubborn insistence, "So, don't say it."

"We're on the same train, going to a very, very far place together."

After a moment of surprise, Zhang Chen nodded gently.

"it is good."

Birdsong, tree shadows, and the wind carrying the scent of grass as it swept past them.

Everyone witnessed the conversation between the man and woman.

……

The hiking trip was a great success. Zheng Xue and Wang Shuowei were still bickering towards the end, and Zhang Chen and Shen Nuoyi took many photos. Before parting, Zheng Xue reminded Zhang Chen, "Send me the photos via QQ as soon as you get home! Immediately, right now, don't delay!"

"Okay, okay!" Zhang Chen replied casually. When he got home, he turned on his computer, connected the digital camera cable to the USB port, and since each photo was only 1 MB, uploading would still take some time. Zhang Chen then sent her a package of solo photos and group photos with Zheng Xue.

Then Zhang Chen turned around and looked at the photos carefully. The main ones featured Xiao Shen were all quite pleasing to the eye. Sure enough, the first secret to taking photos is still the importance of the model.

After receiving Zhang Chen's compressed file, Zheng Xue unzipped it and carefully admired the photos from today, selecting what she considered to be the best-looking photo of herself and Shen Nuoyi.

She opened her QQ contact list and saw Han Zhouxuan's profile picture lit up. Han Zhouxuan's profile picture was her personal photo. In the January QQ update this year, in addition to enabling the "Avatar" personal image show, it also allowed users to upload local photos to customize their profile pictures, although each customization cost 5 QQ coins.

When the version was updated, Han Zhouxuan uploaded her own photo as her profile picture. It was a photo of her on a cliff abroad, facing the light, with tanned skin and a youthful and energetic vibe. It fully showcased her personal charm.

Zheng Xue had already topped up 5 QQ coins, then used the personalized profile picture function to upload a photo of herself and Shen Nuoyi in front of the stone lion, and then updated her personal status accordingly.

Han Zhouxuan was online, surfing the internet with QQ open. Since her estrangement from Shen Nuoyi, she had been keeping an eye on Zheng Xue's activities. Through her friends at Yude Hospital, she knew that Shen Nuoyi and Zheng Xue were now on good terms. Previously, Han Zhouxuan had completely disregarded Zheng Xue, and besides, she believed that Shen Nuoyi's good relationship with Zheng Xue was merely compensation for her coldness; how could Zheng Xue possibly compare to her? Sooner or later, she would realize that she was irreplaceable.

Nevertheless, Han Zhouxuan would still check Zheng Xue's updates when she went online, especially now that there's a feature to show updates. Han Zhouxuan could see that Zheng Xue would mention all the good things about her best friend in a one-sentence description of her updates.

Every time, Han Zhouxuan would pout.

Today, when Han Zhouxuan refreshed the list again, she saw that Zheng Xue's profile picture had changed.

That stone lion! Shen Nuoyi! Isn't this Fangshan?
Han Zhouxuan and Shen Nuoyi had mentioned climbing Fangshan Mountain with Pei Yan and the other two several times, but due to various unsuitable timings among the three of them, this wish had never come true.

Now, Zheng Xue's updated profile picture clearly shows her climbing Fangshan with Shen Nuoyi!
Here's another post on her personal page: "Only the wind at the mountaintop knows how many whispers we shared, only the path we climbed knows how much sweat we shed, and our screams along the way. The moment we collapsed at the summit and saw the rainbow is a memory worth treasuring for a lifetime. This is a special memory between me and my treasure girl!"

Snapped!
Han Zhouxuan closed the QQ interface by clicking the mouse.

Then I patted my chest hard and felt a tightness in my chest, and it took me a long time to recover.

(End of this chapter)