After being reborn, I gained a childhood sweetheart who appeared out of nowhere.

7:30 p.m.

When Lin Chuan and Wang Xu arrived at the playground, many students had already gathered there. Since it was just for a party, there was no need for everyone to line up; each class sat in a designated area.

Before even joining the group, they ran into Chen Xiyu and Zhou Yun.

"Where did you go this afternoon?" Chen Xiyu asked. "I was thinking of going somewhere with you."

"I was reading in the library and didn't notice my phone," Lin Chuan said. Although he really went to the internet cafe to "study" this time, he didn't say anything more.

Wang Xu turned to look at Lin Chuan, thinking to himself, "Dude, you lie so naturally, without even blushing or skipping a beat."

"Hey, we're in the library too, how come we don't see you?" Chen Xiyu said.

"Our No. 1 Middle School library is quite big, so it's normal not to run into anyone. I was just reading in a corner," Lin Chuan said.

"oh."

When he arrived at his class, Lin Chuan did not join the group with the others. Instead, he counted the number of students in the class as usual, and only after confirming that all the students had arrived did he inform Instructor Liu, who was at the front.

"Instructor Liu, everyone's here," he said.

"Okay, tell them later that they should watch the show properly and not run around. They should also go to the toilet and come back quickly," Instructor Liu instructed.

"I've already said that."

"Okay." Instructor Liu waved his hand.

Lin Chuan turned around and saw Chen Xiyu waving at him from afar, patting the grass next to her, "I saved a seat for you, come on." He walked over and sat down next to Chen Xiyu.

The lights on the stage came on, and a girl walked up in a white dress. She looked quite tall and had a gentle smile. There was a handsome boy next to her. Neither of them looked like freshmen in their second year of high school.

The girl picked up the microphone, her voice carrying a distinct announcer's tone, "Respected teachers, dear classmates, good evening everyone. It's a pleasure to meet you all today..."

After the familiar opening remarks, the leaders present were briefly introduced, and each leader whose name was called stood up to acknowledge the introduction.

The evening's cultural performance officially began only after the row of leaders on the side finished their introductions.

"Let's give a warm round of applause to welcome the group dance from Class 10 of Grade 11." After the host finished speaking, he and another boy left the stage.

The stage was plunged into darkness, and several students wearing white T-shirts quickly walked onto the stage in the dark.

The next second, the spotlights shone down, and they began to dance to the loud music and flashing lights, looking quite energetic.

Some students in the audience were watching, some were taking pictures, and some were chatting in groups. Zhao Jiajia in front of them was snapping away with her phone, while Wang Xu next to her watched and praised, "Great pictures!"

Lin Chuan, on the other hand, looked around aimlessly. He wasn't really interested in this kind of party, and he had even gone out to go online in the afternoon, so he was feeling slightly sleepy.

If he could, he would prefer to find a secluded place to take a nap, but that idea was unrealistic, as Instructor Liu didn't allow him to wander around, and besides, he was the squad leader.

Lin Chuan could only prop his chin up with his hand and stare blankly.

"It's a bit boring," Chen Xiyu said from the side.

"Um."

"Should we find something to do?"

"For example?" Lin Chuan asked.

Chen Xiyu thought for a moment, "I have a place I'd like to go. Since you don't want to see a performance anyway, shall we go together?"

"Where?" Lin Chuan asked.

"You'll see when you get there," Chen Xiyu said.

"From what you're saying, it seems like you won't be back anytime soon, right?" Lin Chuan asked.

"It's a performance, not a drill. We won't be noticed if two people are missing. If you're not coming, I'm leaving." Chen Xiyu said, getting up and crouching as she walked to the back of the line.

Lin Chuan clicked his tongue and patted Wang Xu on the shoulder. "I'm going to the restroom. If Instructor Liu needs anything, just send me a message."

"Okay," Wang Xu replied. He didn't actually know why he had to tell him specifically to use the restroom.

Lin Chuan also bent over and walked out of the line, only to see Chen Xiyu already waiting outside. It seemed like she knew Lin Chuan would definitely follow her out.

The last day of military training happened to be Friday, and by evening, the second and third-year high school students had already gone home.

Apart from the playground, there was no one to be seen anywhere else in the school, and the teaching buildings, which were usually lit up, were all dark.

The incandescent lights along the roadside illuminated the empty campus path. Chen Xiyu walked ahead, her steps light, her high ponytail bobbing as she passed through one light after another. Lin Chuan followed behind her with his hands in his pockets.

After a while, the two stopped in front of a college wall.

Chen Xiyu turned to look at Lin Chuan and asked mysteriously, "Do you know what's on the other side of the wall?"

"Where?" Lin Chuan asked, but seeing the stool by the wall, he knew that someone had climbed over the wall to get out here, which was why they had put a stool there. He was used to this kind of thing.

"A good place," Chen Xiyu replied, yet it seemed like she hadn't really answered.

"Are you trying to bypass the Great Firewall?"

"Is there a problem?"

"Of course, that's against school rules. Aren't you a model student?" Lin Chuan said.

"When did I say I was a model student?" Chen Xiyu winked at him, then stepped on a stool and nimbly climbed over the wall. Her movements were as nimble as Lin Chuan's, a student who used to skip classes frequently.

"Come over here quickly." Chen Xiyu's voice came from the other side of the wall.

Lin Chuan then stepped onto the stool and jumped onto the wall, looking out into the distance. His view suddenly opened up.

Outside the wall was a municipal park, with lush greenery below. Rows of streetlights illuminated the winding cobblestone paths, and a river ran through the entire park. Wild chrysanthemums grew along the riverbank, and occasionally a few elderly men and women from the neighborhood would come for a stroll.

Lin Chuan stepped off the wall using a stool on the other side and walked onto the cobblestone path beside it.

"I discovered this municipal park when I was at the library this afternoon," Chen Xiyu said.

"You contacted me this afternoon just to see this?" Lin Chuan said.

"Mmm."

The two walked along the cobblestone path. Lin Chuan felt a cool breeze and the scent of green leaves around him. He was a little sleepy, but now he was much more awake. This place was indeed better than staying on the playground to watch the performance.

"Hey, fireflies!" Chen Xiyu suddenly said, pointing to the distance.

Lin Chuan looked in the direction the finger was pointing and saw fireflies dancing in the night on the green grass by the river.

He was somewhat surprised, as he only remembered seeing fireflies in his hometown. After moving to the city, he saw them less often, let alone in the rapidly urbanizing city center, where fireflies seemed more like something out of a legend.

Lin Chuan's phone suddenly vibrated. He took it out and glanced at it. It was a message from Wang Xu: "Old Lin, come back quickly, Instructor Liu is looking for you!!!" He also added three exclamation marks to indicate the urgency of the situation.

"Is there something you need?"

"It seems they've realized you've been gone too long, and if you don't come back soon, Instructor Liu might lose his temper," Wang Xu replied.

Lin Chuan looked up and saw Chen Xiyu cautiously approaching the fireflies. When she got close, the fireflies didn't fly away; instead, they danced around her, their lights twinkling.

She stretched her hands out in front of her, then gently closed them, and turned to Lin Chuan, saying, "I caught a firefly."

"I understand. Tell the instructor I'll be back soon." Lin Chuan replied, put his phone in his pocket, and walked towards Chen Xiyu. "Did you really catch a firefly?"

"Look," Chen Xiyu said, placing her hand between the two of them.

She slowly opened her hand, and fireflies, shimmering with light, rose from her palm. The two people's gazes followed them, until they flew into the distance.

Chen Xiyu smiled, then squatted down and played with the fireflies for a while before suddenly turning around and asking, "Do you think the river water is cold in this kind of weather?"

"I just saw on the wall that the source of this stream seems to be an underground spring, and underground water is usually quite cold," Lin Chuan said.

"So, do you dare?"

"Oh?"

Without needing to exchange any further words, the two of them took off their shoes and stood on the rocks by the stream.

They exchanged a glance and stepped into the water together. The moment they touched the water, a chill instantly rose from the soles of their feet.

Neither of them complained of being cold; instead, they stared intently at each other until they couldn't help but burst into laughter together.

After playing in the water for a while, they sat on a rock nearby. Lin Chuan's phone wasn't ringing. He wondered if Instructor Liu had given up looking for him, or if Wang Xu had given up calling him back.

Chen Xiyu kicked at the icy water, glistening droplets dancing at her feet. Suddenly, she spoke, "Have you ever thought about what you want to do in the future?"

"How did it suddenly turn into a late-night confidante program?" Lin Chuan said.

"I asked as soon as I thought of it."

"This question is beyond my level; I'm only fifteen years old," Lin Chuan said casually.

In fact, he had thought about it long ago and even made a simple life plan for himself, but he still lied, after all, he was just a fifteen-year-old boy.

Chen Xiyu rested her chin on her hand and thought for a while. "I once read a sentence that said that people are always racing against time. You will definitely be caught by it, but before that, how far you run and how beautiful the world you see is the meaning of life."

"You mean the ancient saying, 'Heaven and earth are but an inn,' right?" Lin Chuan asked.

"Yes, yes," Chen Xiyu said with a smile.

Lin Chuan suddenly thought that if you don't enjoy your new life, do things you've never done before, go to places you've never been before, and experience a new life, wouldn't that be a waste?

Even though you knew you would be scolded by Instructor Liu, you still chose to sit on the rock and chat, listening to the songs coming from the playground, sometimes near, sometimes far. The water surface was shimmering with neon lights at night, and her clear pupils reflected the faint light.