A Young Woman's Heart

Chapter Six, Eight O'Clock

At eight o'clock, the air was still filled with heat.

The consecutive sunny days make it feel like midsummer has returned.

Even the streetlights felt warm to the touch.

Although it was only the first day of evening self-study, Mo Xueyao felt an unprecedented sense of fatigue.

—It's just a change of location to do homework.

"I feel like I haven't practiced the piano much, and I still have to carry the electronic keyboard around every day. It's so tiring..." Mo Xueyao walked out of the school's open gate. Under the streetlights, many small insects were hitting the light bulbs. The large trash cans by the roadside were piled high with garbage, and flies and mosquitoes buzzed around them. Several cats and dogs were confronting each other, fighting over this 'buffet' that humans didn't want.

"No, our band hasn't stopped yet, we have to perform every day!"

"Tch—Yinyin's pipa is convenient, my electronic keyboard is so big and heavy."

"My pipa is heavy too, isn't it?"

"I'm so much more relaxed~" Mo Zhuyou hummed a song as she got on the electric scooter her sister had borrowed. "I just need to take it back on Friday!"

"But aren't you always the one who suffers the most on Fridays?" Wang Jiale teased with a light laugh.

"Cough—"

Mo Xiaoxiao glanced back at her younger sister, who was pretending to cough, then took a long detour and turned the electric scooter around.

"Let's go!"

She said with a smile.

It was both a way of getting her younger sister to sit properly and a way of saying goodbye to everyone.

"See you tomorrow!" Wang Jiale waved vigorously.

"See you tomorrow." Mr. Xue put his hands in his pockets, tilted his head slightly, and looked at the street lamp behind them.

He seemed quite interested in the flying insects.

Everyone watched as the electric scooter carrying the two sisters sped away, and as Mo Zhuyou, waving her little hand, gradually disappeared from sight.

Although it's only the first day of school, it feels like the last day.

Next, we'll be traveling along the same route for a while.

Although it's only a few steps away, we'll be saying goodbye at this familiar intersection.

After saying goodbye, the others disappeared into the city streets.

Only Mo Xueyao and Li Wanyan remained, continuing their journey through the night.

The sky wasn't particularly dark yet; at least you could still see the blue of the night sky.

The walk back to the fruit shop wasn't far, but at this moment it felt rather long.

"Ah...it's so hot and tiring." Mo Xueyao sighed, wishing she could fly home right now.

Li Wanyan pinched her little face and took the schoolbag she was holding in her arms.

"Phew, that's a little easier... But I still think the keyboard is a bit heavy? Maybe I shouldn't bring it home, since I don't have time to practice anyway."

"what ever."

"But is it safe to leave it at school... um...?"

Li Wanyan didn't answer, but just gave her a look.

"It should be safe, right? Well, I'm just a little bit worried."

"Let's go quickly." She sighed helplessly and urged softly.

She seemed to be feeling a bit tired too.

At 8 p.m., the fruit shop was doing good business, but it was mostly people with poor living conditions who were picking out cheap clearance fruits.

They were all fruits that were partially rotten, or had a small part that was ripened, or were about to spoil.

A whole bunch of them were thrown into a cardboard box, and people could choose whatever they wanted.

They are trying to find something that isn't so bad.

For them, the best pieces are the ones that are already well-preserved, and the next best are those with only a small piece broken...

Mo Xueyao stood at the door, reluctant to go in, feeling that it was hot and crowded inside.

"Dad!" She raised her hand and waved it vigorously. "Are we going straight back?"

"Oh? Oh! Go back by yourself! We won't close for at least another two or three hours!"

"understood--"

"By the way, how about we have some watermelon before we go back?" The father casually opened the refrigerator, where there was a sliced ​​watermelon that had been sealed with plastic wrap and frozen.

"Hmm...you can't eat anymore, can you?"

"Then I'll cut it for you."

While answering questions from the guests next to him, the father deftly began cutting the watermelon.

It was just a small piece of watermelon, cut into four thin slices. You can take as many slices as you can eat.

The mother was busy weighing the fruit for the customers who bought it.

"Three yuan and forty cents."

"Three yuan is fine."

"It's only three yuan and forty cents in total, which is forty cents less. Look at how much you've already bought, this fruit is cheap enough."

"Well, if you couldn't sell them anyway, they were going to be thrown away anyway."

The mother was a little annoyed by the choking and couldn't help but frown, but she still tried her best to keep a smile: "If my other fruits can't be sold, they'll have to be thrown away anyway. How about my fruit shop just waits for them to rot before selling them to you at a low price?"

"Cough cough!"

The father walked over with a cigarette in his mouth, laughing heartily to ease the tension: "Hey, how about I add an apple for you? It'll be three yuan and fifty cents in total, okay?"

"Your apple is rotten."

"You can still eat it even if you cut off half of it."

"Alright, alright." The other party hesitated for a moment, but ultimately decided not to pursue the matter further.

Different lives shape different people.

If you had enough money, you probably wouldn't want to haggle over a penny.

"Dad, I'm done eating, time to go home!"

"Okay, okay, fine—"

"Yaoyao, wipe your mouth before you go, it's all watermelon juice." Her mother didn't forget to glance at her.

The lives of ordinary people are not easy.

When you're in school, you can look forward to one holiday after another, especially summer and winter vacations.

And what happens after you start working?

Even on holidays, they remain busy, sometimes even busier than during working hours.

She suddenly felt like there was no hope in life.

Why am I so busy and working so hard all my life? What am I doing it all for?

Even after making money, it seems there's not much to enjoy.

Everything always proceeds according to the established plan.

Boring and uninteresting.

But just like the road at night, even if it seems pitch black ahead, you have to keep going, and there will always be some sections of the road with lights.

The two of them, exhausted, boarded the bus.

The bus was almost empty around 8 o'clock.

But there were still a few people who had just finished get off work, slumped in their chairs like boneless jellyfish.

There were people carrying briefcases who looked respectable; there were also workers whose clothes were covered in paint and various stains that couldn't be washed off; and there were students like them.

The bus swayed and rocked, only turning on its lights briefly when it stopped at a bus stop.

Because there were hardly any passengers getting on or off the bus, even the opening and closing of the doors seemed perfunctory; they would open for only a second or two and then immediately close, as if there were no pauses at all.

Those who want to get off should wait at the drop-off point in advance to avoid missing the bus if the driver closes the door too quickly.

Even so, there's no need to worry, because you can quickly shout to make him stop again.

Leaving the street halfway up the mountain, there is a secluded road.

There were hardly any shops on the roadside, and even the streetlights were intermittent.

Traffic lights often break down and are often off, so crossing the road relies entirely on the self-discipline of drivers and pedestrians.

After passing through this road shrouded in darkness, the area ahead gradually begins to bustle with activity again.

The shops and passersby bring a sense of life to the area, especially at the supermarket entrance, where many people come in the evening to buy things and cool off.

There were adults carrying large bags and children carrying lighter items in the square.

Adults always smile wearily, while children always laugh energetically, or run around.

Mo Xueyao and Li Wanyan got off the car here.

On the zebra crossing, many pedestrians crossed against the red light, while the two people standing still waiting for the green light seemed somewhat out of place.

I crossed the road and entered the residential area.

The street stalls have already set up.

Night has begun.

Many people who sleep during the day come out full of energy at night.