Chapter 581: Holding Hands, Holding Hands

It was her. Zhang Yan.

Watching that familiar yet strange figure sprint out from the unit entrance, Tang Song's arms tightened slightly around the cat he was holding.

Although he had seen photos of her in the Hanfu portraits she sent, right now, with this living, breathing, warm presence appearing so vividly before his eyes,

an indescribable sense of intimacy and familiarity instantly overwhelmed him.

It was as if she had never left, always remaining that quiet friend by his side.

In his memory, she always wore the most standard student haircut, short hair not reaching her shoulders, approaching everything with a nearly clumsy earnestness.

Her eyes were always timid; her cheeks would turn rosy the moment she spoke, making her the most typical quiet and introverted girl of their school days.

But now, she had matured somewhat; all baby fat had long vanished from her face, revealing a clear and clean jawline.

She wore her hair in a gentle collarbone-length style, and her figure was sturdier than before, no longer so frail it seemed a gust of wind could knock her over.

Actually, this middle school desk-mate had always been quite pretty.

Her features were quiet and delicate, possessing a gentle and soft temperament reminiscent of the Jiangnan water towns.

Their gazes collided in the humid air on this late autumn night in the south; he held her cat, reuniting with her in such a direct, sudden, and unprepared manner.

Tang Song was not as composed as he appeared on the surface; inside, he was actually somewhat flustered.

He didn't even know what his first words should be.

Just as Zhang Yan had written in her letter: 【I don't know what form of address would seem both formal and sincere; nor do I know what opening line wouldn't appear abrupt or rude.】

He realized that his mood at this moment was exactly the same as hers when she wrote the letter.

"Tap, tap, tap—"

Amid this breath-holding silence, a hurried sound of footsteps came from the hallway.

"Sister Yan Yan! Slow down!"

"Did you find it?!"

Lulu and Li Chao rushed out one after the other, their faces still bearing anxiety and tension.

Immediately after, they saw the man standing directly opposite under the light, utterly out of place amidst the surrounding old environment, along with the orange cat in his arms.

The instant Lulu made out Tang Song's features, she froze abruptly.

Wait, this person looks a bit familiar... She then suddenly remembered: last Saturday, on the platform of Shencheng High-Speed Rail Station, that "super handsome guy" who had passed right by them!

Although it had only been a fleeting glimpse back then, preventing a clear view of his specific features, that unique and outstanding temperament and upright physique were absolutely unmistakable!

With someone so outstanding, it was hard not to leave a deep impression.

Especially since today he was wearing a well-tailored, high-texture casual suit that perfectly accentuated his innate calm and noble demeanor.

He looked just like a male lead who had walked straight out of a well-produced urban idol drama.

"Phew—thank goodness, thank goodness, Orange!" Li Chao was the first to breathe a sigh of relief, walking over somewhat awkwardly. "Thanks, bro. This cat belongs to my friend; really sorry to trouble you."

He was genuinely quite nervous, mainly because the man before him projected such an overwhelming aura.

Those clothes obviously cost a fortune, and coupled with his indescribable temperament, they made this ordinary corporate slave unconsciously feel half a head shorter.

He hadn't even been this nervous when facing his company boss.

Tang Song's lips moved slightly, but he said nothing, merely nodding gently before turning his gaze back to the stunned Zhang Yan.

Lulu gradually sensed something was off; she moved closer to Zhang Yan and said with a flushed face, "Zhang Yan, Orange is right here; he hasn't run off anywhere, so don't worry."

Seeing Zhang Yan staring fixedly at the other person, she assumed she was just smitten.

Actually, this was quite normal; she had seen many handsome guys, but which woman wouldn't be dazzled by someone excellent to this degree?

It was just that she never expected her colleague, who was always silent, introverted, and even somewhat timid, to have such a side to her.

In her mind, a loud "Buzz—" echoed.

Zhang Yan blinked hard, then her lips trembled as she emitted an incredulous, faint gasp from her throat.

There was absolutely no way she could mistake him.

From middle school to the imperial capital, through so many years of silent gazing from afar, his familiar brow and eye contours had long been carved into her soul.

It was just that he now stood out far more than he had two years ago in the imperial capital, as if that passionate and clear "youth" from their middle school days had gradually grown up from within a dream.

"Thump, thump, thump—"

Her heartbeat was so violent she could barely breathe.

She couldn't comprehend everything happening right now.

Could she have drunk alcohol and fallen asleep on the sofa?

But what kind of dream could be this real?

Dragon Ball?

Could it be that the wish I made actually came true?

Did the "Divine Dragon" hear my heart's cry and intend to grant me a miracle?

She could no longer distinguish whether this was reality or an illusion conjured by her own excessively intense sense of loss.

All her longing, timidity, shame, and desire intertwined at this moment into a huge net, trapping her firmly in place, unable to move.

Seeing Zhang Yan still standing there dazed, both Lulu and Li Chao felt somewhat awkward.

Lulu cleared her throat lightly and took the initiative to smooth things over: "Sorry, handsome, my friend was just so nervous about her cat that she hasn't quite recovered yet."

Even she herself felt this explanation was truly too far-fetched.

After all, Zhang Yan was looking at the guy, a god among men, not at the cat!

Tang Song took a light breath, finally stepping forward slowly until he was less than a meter away from Zhang Yan.

He could clearly perceive that she was trembling.

He pressed his lips together, gently stroked the head of the orange cat in his arms, his gaze and expression warm and sincere.

"Orange seems to know me; I just called its name, and it ran over on its own."

He spoke softly, as if sharing a wonderful discovery, his voice clear and magnetic.

Hearing this, both Lulu and Li Chao were stunned.

Zhang Yan's eyelashes trembled violently; she subconsciously reached out her hand, wanting to take Orange, but the instant her fingertips touched his sleeve, she withdrew them quickly as if burned.

"Meow?" Orange meowed in front of her, seemingly urging him on. Tang Song smiled gently and handed the heavy orange cat in his arms toward her. "It is indeed very smart and well-behaved, just as you said, Classmate Zhang Yan."

The four words "Classmate Zhang Yan" were like a needle, gently piercing Zhang Yan's dazed dream.

Moisture instantly welled up in those eyes widened by shock.

She finally realized that everything before her was real.

Tang Song was truly standing here, standing right in front of her.

First came disbelief and astonishment, followed immediately by being overwhelmed by a massive sense of shame.

Although she didn't know if it was the "Divine Dragon's" magic, he had seen that letter; he knew about her humble feelings on QQ, and he had even appeared before her eyes in such a peculiar way.

Lulu and Li Chao turned to look at Zhang Yan in unison, completely bewildered.

They actually knew each other?

Lulu had known Zhang Yan for nearly a year, yet she had never heard her mention having such an extraordinary-looking friend.

"Meow~" Orange let out a cry and impatiently jumped into its owner's arms.

Zhang Yan subconsciously hugged it tight, shrinking her whole body backward; she bit her lip desperately to keep tears from falling right then and there.

She wanted to say something, but found her throat seemed blocked tightly by something, unable to utter a single word.

Seeing her in this state, a trace of indescribable heartache rose in Tang Song's eyes.

He turned around to face Lulu and Li Chao, who were also in a state of shock.

With a warm smile on his face, he proactively extended his hand: "Hello, I am Zhang Yan's good friend, Tang Song. Very pleased to meet you both."

Looking at Tang Song, Lulu extended her hand with slightly flushed cheeks to lightly shake his, her voice trying its best to sound ladylike: "H-hello, I am Zhang Yan's colleague, Zhang Lu."

"Oh?" Tang Song's eyebrows raised slightly, clear laughter rippling in his eyes. "Lulu, right? I know of you; Zhang Yan often mentions you." "Ah!" Lulu instantly became so nervous she was somewhat incoherent: "Th-that so? Haha—"

Li Chao hurriedly wiped his somewhat greasy hands on his pants and also stepped forward to shake hands: "Hello, hello, I am Zhang Yan's former colleague, Li Chao."

Tang Song's gaze landed on him, and he said warmly: "Li Chao, hello. Zhang Yan said that recently you helped her replace that broken lightbulb in the hallway; thank you."

Seeing the people mentioned in the letter appear one by one before his own eyes,

Tang Song felt an inexplicable surge of emotion in his heart and gradually relaxed.

Li Chao honestly scratched his head: "Ah—that was just a small thing, a trivial matter."

He simply couldn't figure out how Zhang Yan would mention something as trivial as changing a lightbulb to a friend who looked so obviously wealthy and noble.

After Tang Song exchanged greetings with Li Chao and Lulu, the atmosphere at the scene fell into a peculiar silence.

The halo of the streetlamp shone exceptionally bright in the night, casting the figures of the several people clearly onto the ground.

Lulu couldn't help but lightly nudge Zhang Yan, who was still in a daze, and asked in a lowered voice, curious yet shy: "Zhang Yan, how come we've never heard you mention someone like this?"

Zhang Yan looked flustered, her cheeks burning with shame and excitement, her head still spinning.

She took a deep breath, as if exerting all her strength, and looked at that figure she had hoped and waited for in her heart for so, so long.

Her voice was as faint as a mosquito's hum, carrying a barely perceptible tremor: "Cl-classmate Tang Song, w-why are you here?"

Seeing her both nervous and cute appearance, Tang Song blinked and said in a half-joking, gentle tone: "Didn't you say you were going to give me a 2009 edition of Dragon Ball? You're not reluctant to part with it, are you?"

"N-no, no, no, I..." Zhang Yan hurriedly waved her hands, then raised her eyes to look at Tang Song.

But the moment her gaze touched his eyes, she lowered her head quickly as if scorched.

She wished she could bury her entire face into Orange's warm fur.

Lulu, standing to the side, suddenly had a moment of complete realization!

So Zhang Yan had worked so hard to collect that set of Dragon Ball actually for him!

So, he was that "Smile"!

No wonder, oh my heavens!

Lu Lu sighed in astonishment in her heart; Zhang Yan actually knew such an awesome male god, and their relationship looked so good, yet she herself had previously noticed not even a trace of it!

No wonder when colleagues had pursued her before, she hadn't been moved in the slightest.

She had hidden this too deeply!

The tangerine in her arms let out an uncomfortable protest due to its owner's overly forceful embrace.

Zhang Yan flusteredly loosened her arms, resulting in the tangerine slipping from her embrace and falling to the floor with a "whoosh."

"Ah! Tangerine!" she cried out softly, quickly crouching down, her hand just about to scoop up her cat.

Tang Song, however, crouched down simultaneously, moving a step faster than her, and steadily held that ball of orange fur.

Zhang Yan's hand accidentally covered the back of his hand.

A warm, solid sensation transmitted through, and her cheeks "boom"ed, instantly turning red as if about to explode, causing her to snatch her hand back as if electrocuted.

She whispered softly: "Sorry."

Tang Song shook his head, his gaze not leaving her, his voice clear and gentle as he said: "I really like Tangerine; let me hold him, okay?"

At this moment, Zhang Yan had completely lost the ability to think, able only to ramble incoherently: "Okay, okay, oh."

Lu Lu and Li Chao watched this ambiguous scene before them, exchanged a glance, and tactfully remained silent.

Footsteps echoed in the hallway.

The four of them began to go upstairs together.

Zhang Yan felt as if she were walking on clouds, every step floating and dizzying.

Arriving at the sixth floor, the scent of roasted meat drifted out from the half-open door.

Tang Song sniffed lightly. "Eating barbecue? It seems I've arrived at just the right time."

Lu Lu said somewhat embarrassedly: "Th-there's not much left; how about I go down and buy some more?"

Li Chao immediately volunteered: "I'll go! I'll go!"

"No need, I've already eaten dinner; just letting me have a bite is fine." Tang Song's gaze shifted to Zhang Yan, his eyes filled with smiles. "You don't mind, do you, classmate Zhang Yan?"

Zhang Yan shook her head stiffly: "N-no, I don't mind."

They walked through the door.

Zhang Yan suddenly seemed to remember something; her face changed drastically, and she stood at the doorway with her head bowed, looking as if she wanted to shrink into the wall.

"What's wrong?" Tang Song stopped, looking at her gently.

"H-home... it's very messy, um—"

Her rental room was truly terrible.

The room didn't even have basic floor tiles; instead, it was covered with the cheapest kind of vinyl flooring;

The walls were simply painted with a layer of white paint, still bearing various mottled marks:

All the furniture consisted of old items from over twenty years ago;

The kitchen and the toilet were even more crude, unbearable to look at, lacking even basic tiles.

She was afraid, afraid that even a hint of inadvertent disgust might show in his eyes.

That shame and inferiority, deep in her bones, nearly overwhelmed her completely in this moment.

"It's quite tidy," Tang Song said with a smile, stroking Tangerine in his arms. "A very cozy little nest; it's great."

On his face, no abnormal expression appeared.

His gaze carried a sincere delight and curiosity as he surveyed this small room that had been described countless times in Zhang Yan's messages.

He saw the tenacious pothos plant on the windowsill, the old desktop computer on the desk, and that small but neatly organized little nest for Tangerine.

Zhang Yan secretly raised her eyes; seeing the gentle smile on his face, the shame and inferiority in her heart seemed to diminish greatly in this moment.

"Bang—"

The door was gently closed, shutting out the chill from the hallway,

On the coffee table, the electric grill still radiated residual warmth, with a few skewers of ingredients waiting to be cooked scattered on top, alongside three cans of R10 cocktails.

Tang Song gently placed Tangerine from his arms onto the floor.

The little fellow immediately trotted with light steps to its owner's feet, rubbing its furry body affectionately against her ankles.

As if apologizing for its earlier "runaway," Lu Lu enthusiastically called out from the side: "There's still some beef, green peppers, and giant river prawns left; I'll grill them! But we're out of alcohol. Zhang Yan,

do you have any drinks or something at home?"

Named directly, Zhang Yan's body stiffened; an embarrassed expression instantly floated onto her face, her voice so low it was barely audible: "N-no, none,

j-just a few packs of milk; I'll go downstairs to buy some!"

"It's fine," Tang Song spoke gently, breaking her awkwardness. "Milk works too; I drank alcohol during dinner tonight, and now I just want to drink some milk."

Zhang Yan, head bowed, ran into the kitchen as if fleeing, rummaged a bag of milk out of a cardboard box, then quickly walked out, holding it with both hands and offering it to Tang Song.

Throughout the entire process, she dared not raise her head to look at him.

Tang Song's gaze fell upon the walnut milk in her hand, and his eyes once again blurred with a momentary trance.

Previously, in Zhang Yan's QQ messages, she had mentioned the "walnut milk" he had given her during the second semester of her third year of junior high.

He hadn't expected that she had maintained this habit until now.

So, some trivial little things really can be treasured by another person for so, so long.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the fluttering in his heart.

Seriously accepting that bag of milk, he tore open a corner right in front of her and tilted his head back to take a large gulp.

Zhang Yan pressed her lips together, her fingers twisting together.

The four of them sat down again around the coffee table in the living room.

The aroma of roasted meat rose once more in the small space; Tang Song ate with relish, chatting with them about their respective jobs.

He was like an old friend long unseen, filled with sincere curiosity about their lives.

Witty and knowledgeable.

Whether it was Li Chao complaining about the involution in the self-media industry or Lu Lu envisioning the prospects of AI marketing, he could easily pick up the topic and offer his insights in a way that was both profound yet easy to understand, witty and humorous.

Gradually, the initial awkwardness and tension of Lu Lu and Li Chao disappeared.

The atmosphere became incredibly relaxed and lively.

As for Zhang Yan, she just sat quietly to the side, sipping the cocktail in small mouthfuls, occasionally glancing at Tang Song, who was very, very close to her.

She still felt dizzy and somewhat unable to react.

The ritual of the Divine Dragon from "Dragon Ball," which she had regarded as her ultimate fantasy, seemed to have truly summoned an unimaginable miracle for her in reality.

More than twenty minutes later.

The ingredients on the grill were completely cleared; Lu Lu stood up, a mischievous smile on her face. "It's getting late; Li Chao rode an electric scooter, so he can just drop me off at the subway station. We'll head off first then, won't disturb you old classmates catching up!"

Zhang Yan quickly stood up, wanting to see them off downstairs.

"No need to see us off, no need! You've come up so many times already, why be so polite with us!"

Lu Lu and Li Chao walked to the door, waved vigorously at them, and then left quickly.

The room door closed again with a "click,"

This time, in this small rental room, only the two of them truly remained.

Zhang Yan's cheeks instantly flushed crimson, and her breathing became difficult.

She felt as if she might faint from lack of oxygen at any moment.

Tang Song's body was somewhat tense; he also felt a trace of inexplicable awkwardness.

He exhaled gently.

He approached the simple small bookshelf on the desk.

His fingers lightly, volume by volume, stroked the spines of those 34 volumes of "Dragon Ball."

His lips moved slightly, and a warm mist rose indistinctly in his eyes.

He turned around and said solemnly and sincerely: "This is the most meaningful gift I have ever received; thank you, Zhang Yan."

Zhang Yan's expression went blank; helpless, she lowered her head, looking at Tangerine at her feet.

Subsequently, Tang Song suddenly pulled the first volume of "Dragon Ball" from the bookshelf; the familiar retro cover warmed his heart.

He turned around, the smile on his face as brilliant as it had been in his youth, pure and clean light flickering in the depths of his eyes.

"Zhang Yan, would you like to read it together?"

This suggestion struck Zhang Yan's heart like an electric current.

She blankly raised her head, her heart pounding "thump-thump," beating so fast it nearly burst from her chest.

Scene after scene from junior high school surged into her heart like a tide.

The deskmate who would vividly explain the plot to her during breaks; the young Tang Song who would without hesitation lend her his beloved, brand-new manga books. Before she could answer, he moved two small wooden stools on his own, placing them side by side, then smiled and beckoned to her.

"Come on, I really haven't read manga in so long; I quite miss the feeling of reading manga with you back in junior high."

Zhang Yan's lips moved slightly; as if possessed by a ghost, she took one step, then another, walking over.

She sat down cautiously beside him.

Very close, very close.

Close enough that she could clearly smell the fresh, pleasant scent on him, making her face flush, her heart race, and her head spin.

Tangerine walked over at the right time, rubbing affectionately against her feet.

As if finding a savior, Zhang Yan quickly scooped Tangerine into her arms, using its soft, warm body to mask her panic and helplessness.

Tang Song spread the manga book between the two of them and began flipping through it from the first page with relish.

As he read, he softly discussed the story plot with Zhang Yan.

After so many years, many details had long grown blurry; picking them up again now, she unexpectedly felt a unique sensation anew.

Zhang Yan's cheeks and the roots of her ears remained scalding hot.

She dared not look directly at his profile; most of her gaze fell upon the open comic book.

Unknowingly, the sky outside grew darker and darker.

Halfway through flipping a comic book, Tang Song stopped.

He glanced at the time and said, "It's very late; I should go."

Zhang Yan's breath suddenly hitched; her chest felt as if blocked by something, heavy and stifling.

Yet she only stammered, "I... I'll see you off."

Tang Song gently closed the comic book and carefully tucked it back into that simple bookshelf.

He turned around, his gaze settling on her face. "By the way, what about the letter? Paper truly holds more meaning than a digital version."

Zhang Yan's body froze in place.

After a moment, she spoke with a trembling voice, "In... in the drawer on the right."

Tang Song gently pulled open the drawer; an exquisite pale blue envelope lay quietly inside, upon which a postage stamp was indeed affixed.

His breathing instantly became somewhat rapid; he carefully picked up the letter, his gaze fixed upon it.

A long while later.

Only then did he solemnly place the letter into his pocket. "I will keep it safe!"

Having said this, he nodded to Zhang Yan and strode outward.

Zhang Yan followed two steps, but just before reaching the door, she suddenly remembered.

She whispered, "And... and that set of Dragon Ball."

Tang Song turned his head to look at her, his smile filled with warmth and ease. "Leave it here for now; I haven't finished reading the first volume yet. I'll come over tomorrow to continue."

Hearing his words, Zhang Yan widened her eyes in disbelief. "To... tomorrow?"

"Mm-hmm." He nodded as a matter of course. "I'll come find you tomorrow to play; we'll finish reading the comics together."

"Oh, oh."

Dizzy and befuddled, Zhang Yan followed Tang Song out the main gate and down the stairs.

Along the dim concrete path within the residential compound, they walked forward in silence.

She kept her head lowered; occasionally, she would stealthily lift her eyes to steal a quick glance at Tang Song, but due to guilt and timidity, each time she could only see his shoulder.

Yet even this was enough to make her feel deeply, deeply satisfied.

For her, every scene that unfolded tonight truly felt like an unreal, overly beautiful dream.

Even now, she dared not fully confirm that all of this was real.

Stepping out of the residential compound's main gate, a night wind carrying the sound of traffic swept past their ears.

Zhang Yan pointed in a direction and instinctively said, "The subway station is over there."

Taking the subway for her daily commute had become a habit for her.

Tang Song paused briefly, did not contradict her, and simply smiled as he walked in the direction she indicated.

Soon, the two arrived at the intersection outside the compound.

The red light was on; they stood quietly waiting.

Zhang Yan instinctively stepped back half a pace, standing in his shadow slightly behind him, uneasy and apprehensive, like a child who had done something wrong.

Car after car sped past before their eyes; the glow of headlights flashed across them and vanished, quickly merging into the boundless darkness.

"The light is green," Tang Song reminded, his voice exceptionally clear in the night.

Zhang Yan murmured an "Mm" and was about to step forward.

Suddenly, a warm, slender large hand reached out and gently took hold of her left hand.

Boom—blood surged upward in an instant, burning from her slender neck all the way to the roots of her ears, scalding and intense.

Zhang Yan's mind went completely blank.

The only thing she could feel was the endless warmth and palpitation transmitting from where their palms clasped together.

He led her and began to walk.

All sounds, all sights, all thoughts were, in this moment, adjusted to a frame-by-frame slow motion.

She could hear neither the clamor of traffic nor feel her own breathing.

Her soul seemed extracted, floating in midair, gazing contentedly at Tang Song's hand.

The brilliant night scenery gently rippled in her peripheral vision.

The outlines of skyscrapers softened; the figures of passersby melted into swaying patches of color; the halos of traffic lights diffused in the humid air; neon signs and streetlights transformed into a flowing, colorful galaxy.

Near and far; clear and blurred.

The night of Yangcheng completely lost its focus.