until the last minute

Five minutes after twelve o'clock, Zhou Yin got up from the bed, ready to make the call.He opened the bedroom door to let in the light from outside, and tucked himself into the narrow passage between the wardrobe and the bed.

He dialed his number, and was picked up after the ringtone. The noisy voice came from the other end of the phone before Li Qing's voice. Zhou Yin held the phone and didn't speak. A few seconds later, Li Qing's short words came into the eardrums, " Zhou Yin, wait for me."

Then the phone was hung up, Zhou Yin maintained the motion of tucking his knees, and his tense calf suddenly let go.He was barefoot, and his two feet were stuck under the bed. The place that he was most afraid of when he was a child was no more than that now.

The darkness could not engulf him, the claustrophobia could not frighten him, only the perpetual light in the house frightened him.Each light is like an eye, witnessing the normality that this family has tried to maintain for many years, and the current precariousness.

At this moment, he needs to take advantage of this little light to remind himself not to fall into another seemingly bright cage.

Li Qing's call came quickly, he pressed to answer, and when Li Qing said sorry to him and explained the reason why he hung up the phone just now, his usually steady voice showed a bit of anxiety.

Zhou Yin held the mobile phone with one hand, and supported the cold floor with his left hand. He still didn't speak, and looked up at the dark ceiling.The little light outside can only illuminate a limited range, and he is still hidden in the dark, he is safe.

After Xu Shi didn't hear a response for a long time, Li Qing's voice became even more anxious, and he began to call his name repeatedly.Zhou Yin hummed and said, I am listening, I have something to tell you.

It's late at night, and everything around is silent. This is a peaceful night where dreams will not be disturbed.Zhou Yin wrapped his arms around his knees and curled his body into a ball. He didn't know if the next request would be granted. He wanted to hide in the deep darkness and beautify all the temptations, hesitation, suffering, and trials into dreams. .

Before receiving the call from Zhou Yin, Li Qing was busy all night without touching the ground. He carried the goods delivered that night, checked the receipt, checked the inventory, and replenished the goods.When the mobile phone rang, he was clearing the shelves. Since he was standing on the ladder, he could only answer the phone and say a word before hanging up.

After coming down from the ladder, there were customers waiting to check out at the cash register. Li Qing had to go back to the counter and continue to work until the last customer walked out of the convenience store.He entered the small warehouse, immediately called back the number just now, and apologized to Zhou Yin after getting through, and explained to him the reason for hanging up.

"Sorry, I was busy just now so I hung up the phone. Have you been waiting for a long time?"

There was only a slight breathing sound on the other end of the phone. Li Qing walked a few steps in and stopped before the mountains of goods, "You called me, did you have something to say to me?"

The air in the warehouse was not well ventilated, the cramped and stuffy place made Li Qing sweat all over his body, his body was extremely dry and hot, and there seemed to be a kindling in his heart, Zhou Yin's subtle breathing made his chest burst into flames, every part of his body seemed to be burning. Sparks are just around the corner.

"I forgot to ask you what time you went back tonight? Who sent you back, the owner of the bar?" Li Qing's voice became lower and lower, and he took the call as an intimate whisper in a trance.He once saw the long-term worker of the convenience store call her boyfriend, behind his back, or hide in the warehouse, talking in such a low voice that he couldn't even hear her when he passed by her.

Lovers seem to form a barrier of their own, and there is no one else in the world of lovers.

Li Qing has enough patience to imitate the gentleness of others, but Zhou Yin never made a sound, he was suddenly a little uncertain, suspecting that Zhou Yin was not there at all, "Zhou Yin, Zhou Yin? Are you listening?"

Zhou Yin responded, he said, I am listening, I have something to tell you.

Li Qing felt relieved and asked, "What do you want to tell me?"

"What do you want to do for Christmas?" Zhou Yin asked without reason.

Li Qing was a little surprised, "Christmas?"

"By Christmas, we've known each other for a hundred days." Zhou Yin smiled, as if talking to himself, "It turns out we've only known each other for such a short time."

"Do you know me well enough?" Zhou Yin didn't give him a chance to answer, and changed the topic, "Actually, I don't know you either, I don't know what you like or don't like, what you are good at or not good at, what time you go to bed at night , think about something now."

Li Qing clenched his fist, only the air was clenched.Zhou Yin's words not only drilled into his ears, but also drilled into his left atrium.He became irritable and paced up and down the warehouse.

The welcome doorbell of the convenience store rang, Li Qing abruptly stopped, walked out of the warehouse and returned to the counter, this time he didn't hang up the phone, turned on the speakerphone, and put the phone on the cash register.

He skillfully scans each item with a code scanning gun, quotes the final price, and quickly assists customers to pack the items into bags.

After the customers left, the surroundings became quiet again. Li Qing glanced at the dazzling array of well-organized shelves, lowered his head, and spoke slowly, his voice floating in the small convenience store.

"I have to work part-time at night, finish at two o'clock, and usually go to bed around three o'clock."

"I like running, and I'm good at it. You borrowed my motorcycle tonight. I drove it very much. I'm not good at invigorating the atmosphere. My mouth is stupid. Now I'm thinking about something related to you."

Li Qing propped his hands on the table, and spoke slowly, as if every sentence was carefully thought out.After finishing the last sentence, he closed his eyes and exhaled lightly, "I can tell you anything you want to know about me."

Zhou Yin was silent on the phone and did not reply immediately, Li Qing waited with bated breath.After a while Zhou Yin called his name, the question was very soft, and he would miss it if he didn't pay attention, "Do you like me? Li Qing."

Li Qing choked for breath, his mind went blank, and he answered with words before thinking, "I like it."

These two words rolled on the lips, and then returned to the brain to accept the slow test. Li Qing repeated the words cautiously, "I like it, I like it."

What greeted him was silence for nearly half a minute. Li Qing propped his elbows on the counter, his head was lowered, and he didn't look at the phone that was still on the phone.

The second hand of the wall clock on the wall was ticking, and even the passage of time became loud and loud. Li Qing listened attentively, and suddenly realized that it was his own heartbeat that was beating like a drum.

"Li Qing," Zhou Yin called out his name suddenly, "Let's make an agreement."

"What agreement?"

"At the end of this year, we are only friends, doing what friends should do, and not crossing the line."

Zhou Yin's voice was soft and slow, like the breeze sneaking into a dream.Li Qing was dazzled by the dusty wind, he rubbed his eye sockets, raised his head again, the lights of the convenience store brightened his heart like a mirror.

A friend means closeness, but also means that you can only retreat but not advance.He thought he understood what Zhou Yin meant.

When a customer walked into the convenience store, Li Qing turned off the speakerphone and picked up the phone.Before hanging up, he hesitated for a second or two, and confirmed to Zhou Yin: "How can it be considered crossing the line? You make it clear, and I will consider whether to agree or not."

He still doesn't want to obey easily, he's never been one to be pushed around.

Li Qing didn't ride his motorcycle back to school the next day. He wouldn't be so bold as to openly challenge the school rules and regulations.The mobile phone has been kept in the trouser pocket, intending to return it to Zhou Yin if it encounters him.

The plastic runway in the school playground is being refurbished recently, and this week's inter-class exercises have been changed to free activities.Li Qing went to the Academic Affairs Office to submit the application materials for the bursary.When he was leaving, he was sent to run errands by the teacher. He carried a large stack of experiment manuals to the laboratory building, and put them into a certain laboratory on the first floor according to the instructions.

Next, he was supposed to go back to the classroom, but he passed the entrance of the stairs on the first floor, but he went up the stairs in a strange way, taking two steps in three steps, climbing up one floor after another.Knowing that this was a hot-headed and impulsive behavior, and knowing that it was likely to get nothing, he pushed open the door of the laboratory he had visited twice.

The room is full of darkness, and the flamboyant dust is showing off its might in the dark.

Li Qing walked into the laboratory, closed the door, found a chair and sat down.Unavoidably thinking of Zhou Yin and everything that happened here, he lay down on the table and slowly closed his eyes.

In the dream, he was also climbing the stairs. The stairs were not long and never reached the end.The movement of stepping forward was repeated thousands of times, and it seemed to form an inertia. His limbs began to disobey him. He tried to stop, but the next step was empty——

Li Qing opened his eyes and woke up from a nap.His shoulders were pushed, he sat up straight suddenly, and suddenly found that Zhou Yin was sitting in the front seat and looking at him.

The curtain on the other side was drawn, and the laboratory was no longer as dark and hidden as usual. He was able to see Zhou Yin's face clearly, a quiet and calm face, and there seemed to be a faint glimmer of water in his eyes. He blinked, The speck of crystal clearness disappeared quickly, as if it was just an illusion.

Zhou moved his lips, "You're awake."

"Why did you come?" Li Qing subconsciously asked, and then remembered that Zhou Yin brought him here.

Zhou Yin asked him back: "Then what about you, why did you come?"

"I'll come if I want to."

"Did you ever think about seeing me?"

"No." Li Qing's hand resting on the table was restless, he first made a fist, then stretched out his fingers, tapped the table with his fingertips, and grabbed Zhou Yin's hand at the same time as he spoke again, "But I think. "

Zhou Yin lowered his head and looked at the hand being held. Li Qing's five fingers were thrust into the gap between his fingers domineeringly, wanting to intertwine with his ten fingers domineeringly.He raised his head, stared at Li Qing, and said word by word: "This laboratory is usually locked."

"En." Li Qing responded.

"I haven't had a lock since the last time you left."

Li Qing's eyes quietly wandered over Zhou Yin's face.

"I'm not waiting for you," Zhou Yin said after a pause, "I'm not here because of you."

"I know."

"What do you know?" Zhou Yin sneered, and there was even a bit of pity in his tone, "You don't know anything."

Li Qing said calmly: "I know you don't like me."

Zhou Yin didn't answer.

Li Qing laughed at himself, "I understand what you said last night. If that's what you want, then so be it, I promise you."

He stood up and let go of Zhou Yin's hand naturally.He took a few steps towards the door, just when Zhou Yin thought he was going to leave here completely, Li Qing suddenly stopped, turned around, and quickly walked back to Zhou Yin.

Zhou Yin's standing up was half a beat slow, Li Qing lifted his whole body up, grabbed the front of his school uniform with force, and Li Qing pulled him to his eyes in an instant.

Before the kiss was over, Li Qing asked: "You haven't told me yet, how can it be considered crossing the line, is this counted?"

After speaking, the four lips touched together, and Li Qing's lips ran over roughly without leaving any room. This was a one-sided kiss with a compulsive and punishing nature.

Zhou Yin kept his eyes open from the beginning to the end, Li Qing avoided his gaze, closed his eyes cruelly, and aggravated the kiss.

Li Qing smiled when his lips were parted. He helped Zhou Yin tidy up the messy skirt and neckline. , I'm even with you."

Zhou Yin, who had been silent all this time and let Li Qing do the talking, suddenly said, "No, what you said is wrong, we're not fair."

Zhou Yin's face was flushed, and his lips were still slightly moist. He glanced at Li Qing, "You said last night that you like me, does it count?"

"Calculate."

"Well, listen up, me too."

Zhou Yin's eyes quickly gathered a lot of water vapor, and even his eyelashes were condensed with water. He looked directly at Li Qing, his expression was unwilling and aggrieved, but his tone was like accepting fate, "I should also like you a little bit, no More, just a little, I can't fool myself."