I was born and listened to my neighbor's older sister talk about her family of origin.

After listening to Jiang Ye's explanation.

Ji Xiaoxiao breathed a sigh of relief, and the vague awkwardness in her heart seemed to dissipate a little.

The whole pot of stewed chicken, along with the flatbread around the pot, was devoured clean by a few middle school students who seemed to have been reincarnated from starving ghosts.

The group split up halfway through the journey, each going home to their own mother.

Ji Xiaoxiao and Jiang Ye walked along the street lined with sycamore trees, heading to the bus stop to go home.

On Wutong Street in the afternoon, the cicadas chirped as if they were free, making it incredibly noisy and annoying.

Ji Xiaoxiao's breath of relief was immediately pushed back by the heat wave.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, sticking to her hair and causing a slight itch.

"Ugh—it's so hot!"

She finally couldn't hold back and let out a howl at the sky.

Jiang Ye ignored her symptoms of intermittent madness.

He remembered something.

"Oh, right, my mom gave me some money."

Ji Xiaoxiao turned her head weakly, her wheat-colored cheeks flushed red from the sun.

"and then?"

Jiang Ye paused, turned to the side, and wore a smug look on his face that seemed to invite a beating.

"Buy me a bicycle."

Ji Xiaoxiao's eyes lit up instantly, and her previous listlessness vanished.

Then Jiang Ye continued slowly, "I'll give you a chance. Come with me to choose. If you pick one that satisfies me, you'll be allowed to sit in my back seat from now on."

His tone and demeanor were just like an ancient emperor bestowing favors.

Ji Xiaoxiao's temper flared up instantly.

She raised her hand and slapped Jiang Ye hard across the back. The crisp sound startled the cicadas in the roadside trees, causing them to pause for a second.

"Cough, cough! Ji Xiaoxiao, you're trying to murder me!"

Jiang Ye was so shocked by her slap that he almost fainted.

"What do you mean by 'I'm allowed to sit here'?"

Ji Xiaoxiao put her hands on her hips and proudly announced.

"Since you bought a bicycle, the back seat is mine, Ji Xiaoxiao's, exclusive domain! It's my world! You hear me? Hahahaha!"

She laughed wildly, her mind already racing with all sorts of fantasies.

In fact, she had long imagined the scene of riding a bicycle to school.

However, in her original script, she was the one riding the bike, and Jiang Ye was the one sitting on the back.

How cool is it for a girl to give a ride to a boy?

Jiang Ye, with his small frame, looked exactly like a little wife when he sat in the back seat.

How fun is it?

Unfortunately, reality dealt her a heavy blow.

During summer vacation, she begged and pleaded with Ji Yue to accompany her to practice driving, but she ended up falling and scraping her knees. Those two-wheeled things just seemed to be her nemesis; she just couldn't learn how to drive.

This was a disgrace to Ji Xiaoxiao's entire life, the only stain on her life's record.

He originally planned to keep it a secret from Jiang Ye, secretly learn it himself, and then catch him off guard.

Who knew that her biological mother, Ms. Chen Mei, would let the cat out of the bag while chatting with Aunt Hao at some point.

Then there is no more then.

That night, Jiang Ye sent her a light, sarcastic message on WeChat.

She still remembers it clearly to this day.

"Do you really need to learn how to ride a bicycle?"

I almost made her angry.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"This is the one."

Jiang Ye pointed to a mountain bike that was all black with sleek lines. Several dark red flame patterns were printed on the frame, making it understated yet exuding a wildness.

Ji Xiaoxiao walked around the car twice, squeezed the tires, and pressed the brake, like a seasoned veteran.

"Okay, it looks pretty sturdy. But... are you sure you don't want the blue one? I think that one's flashier, more in line with your class monitor's style."

Jiang Ye's lips twitched, too lazy to pay attention to her, and went straight to the cashier to swipe his card.

For him, a bicycle is just a means of transportation; as long as it's sturdy and durable, that's enough.

But in Ji Xiaoxiao's eyes, this thing is her exclusive "throne" for the next few months, or even years, and she must personally oversee it.

The two pushed the new car out of the mall, the sky already tinged with a warm orange hue.

"Come up."

Jiang Ye stepped into the car, supported himself with one foot, and raised his chin at Ji Xiaoxiao.

Ji Xiaoxiao didn't stand on ceremony and plopped down in the back seat, expertly grabbing Jiang Ye's clothes around his waist with both hands.

The bicycle smoothly glided into the evening traffic.

A cool evening breeze ruffled the stray hairs on Ji Xiaoxiao's forehead, sweeping away the daytime heat.

In high spirits, she released her grip on Jiang Ye's clothes, opened her arms like a big bird, and felt the wind flowing through her fingertips.

The afterglow of the setting sun cast a long shadow of her, and even her wheat-colored skin was bathed in a gentle golden light.

"Jiangye! Ride faster! The wind feels so good!"

She shouted loudly, her clear laughter echoing all the way.

Jiang Ye, who was pedaling hard in front, was covered in sweat and his breathing was a little unsteady.

"Shut up! It's not like you're the one riding the bike!"

He gritted his teeth and squeezed out a few words.

The distance from the mall to home isn't short; it's been almost half an hour since we started riding. And this girl on the back seat is still restless, like she has ADHD.

Jiang Ye felt his thigh muscles burning and couldn't help but complain, "Ji Xiaoxiao, tell me honestly, did you gain weight again during the summer vacation? You look like you've been carrying a pig."

No sooner had she finished speaking than her soft waist was struck with a precise sneak attack.

"hiss--!"

Ji Xiaoxiao pinched him hard, smugly humming, "You're the fat one! Your whole family is fat! No, you're short! You're a little dwarf!"

Jiang Ye: "..."

Is this a personal attack?

He's only just started developing; his height potential is limitless!

The two bickered and teased each other all the way, filled with an unspoken understanding and joy that no one else could penetrate—a unique way of getting along that had been cultivated over ten years of friendship.

Just then, the bicycle passed a milk tea shop on the side of the road.

Two figures wearing the same school uniforms walked out of the store, each holding a cup of milk tea.

It was Lin Youxun and Lin Xinghe.

Because of the roadside trees blocking their view, Jiang Ye and Ji Xiaoxiao didn't notice them and rode straight past.

Lin Youxun was taking a sip of milk tea when she looked down. The cool liquid slid down her throat, making her squint her eyes comfortably.

Hearing a somewhat familiar voice, she looked up and her gaze fell upon two people on a bicycle in the setting sun.

And he recognized them at a glance: Jiang Ye, and the short-haired, round-faced girl who had walked into the classroom with him that morning.

It seems to be her name, Ji Xiaoxiao.

Lin Youxun unconsciously took a bite of the straw, flattening the straw opening.

In the setting sun, the boy's sweaty hair clung to his face, and his cheeks were flushed with a healthy rosy glow from exercise.

He was riding a brand new bicycle, with a girl on the back who was smiling brightly.

The girl opened her arms as if to embrace the whole world.

The scene was so beautiful, it was like a close-up shot from a coming-of-age movie.

Lin Youxun paused slightly as she looked at the scene, her hands momentarily still, somewhat dazed.

She wasn't some ethereal fairy, nor was she the aloof type.

On the contrary, she had also fantasized about such a scene on countless quiet afternoons.

She and the boy she liked rode their bikes together in the evening after school. He rode his bike with her on the back, the evening breeze blowing through her long hair, and the air was filled with the scent of grass and sunshine.

I never expected that such a pure and beautiful scene would appear before my eyes in this way, so unexpectedly.

Looking at the uninhibited, genuine smile on Ji Xiaoxiao's face, she suddenly felt a small, subtle envy that she herself hadn't even noticed.