Chapter 2863: Extra Number (2)

Today, Yang Zhaodi did not evade as she had before. She met his gaze bravely, her eyes clear and expectant, waiting for whatever words might come next. Perhaps a single sentence—the right one—could change everything. But which words should he choose? Tan Shuangxi felt a suffocating tension, heat spreading through his entire body. He could almost hear the pounding of his own heartbeat.

Chen Shixin had Old Zhang escort the girls to the changing room to try on clothes. Watching Tan Shuangxi and Yang Zhaodi locked in that silent exchange of gazes, he seemed to understand something. The corner of his mouth curved upward despite himself. If only he could swing the camera around to capture this moment. No—a camera would not suffice. Photographs rendered only lines and the interplay of light and shadow. Only his paintbrush could truly record the tense longing of this moment, that trembling, yearning quality in the air. A desire to create stirred within him.

"Zhaodi, why don't you join us for the photo? We're all from the same village—practically family." The voice that shattered the tension belonged to Tan Shuangxi's parents, who could no longer bear to watch. Clearly, they were quite taken with this prospective daughter-in-law.

There was a touch of cunning in it—using the invitation as a pretext to test the girl's feelings.

"That wouldn't be appropriate. I'll just watch from over here." Yang Zhaodi broke free from the charged atmosphere, retreating to stand beside the camera with a graceful smile.

Tan Shuangxi felt a twinge of disappointment, though he could not let it show. He sat down first.

"Come now, look here. Ready..." At Chen Shixin's command, Tan Shuangxi entered that statue-like stillness once more. Unlike his mechanical stiffness before, his mind now raced with a single thought: perhaps he would never see her again after this. The requirement to hold perfectly still gave him license to conceal his natural shyness, and he fixed his gaze entirely upon Yang Zhaodi. She, too, watched him throughout with a gentle smile, like a magnolia flower blooming quietly in the night.

"Three, two, one... Done."

Those were the longest dozen seconds Tan Shuangxi had ever experienced—and also the shortest. Neither spoke, yet somehow it felt as though they had said everything.

"This is your pickup voucher. You can collect the photograph at the front desk the day after tomorrow. If the shot didn't turn out, you may retake it free of charge." Returned to reality, Tan Shuangxi remembered the day's primary purpose. He first took his parents to complete the collection procedures. Old Zhang filled in the number and pickup time on the voucher while explaining the relevant precautions. This photography method often encountered problems; among a hundred shots, there were always a few failures. In such cases, retakes were unavoidable.

"We'll make our own way back. You stay here and wait for Zhaodi and the others to finish their photos. See them off properly. Say what needs to be said—don't keep it hidden inside." His parents left early, considerately pushing Tan Shuangxi away and firmly refusing his offer to escort them to the station.

When their figures disappeared around the street corner, Tan Shuangxi returned to the photo studio. The girls had already changed into new clothes and were adjusting their poses under Chen Shixin's direction. Taller than the local girls, Yang Zhaodi had been arranged in the very center of the group. She had not changed; she wore the same Song-style blue dress with white floral patterns from their first outing together. The hem dancing in the wind had appeared in Tan Shuangxi's dreams many times, and now it drew him once again into a hypnotic dreamscape. Under the watching eyes of all those girls, Tan Shuangxi smiled—smiled like a fool.

The girls possessed a tactful sense of discretion. After the photograph was taken, they teased Yang Zhaodi briefly before heading off to change. Chen Shixin carried the freshly exposed plate into the workroom. The bustling space suddenly held only Tan Shuangxi and Yang Zhaodi. Their eyes met. They faced each other in silence. Whatever courage Yang Zhaodi had summoned seemed utterly spent; she unconsciously lowered her head, leaving Tan Shuangxi equally at a loss for how to break the stillness.

The silence shattered with the sound of Chen Shixin pushing open the door. Both looked over instinctively. Chen Shixin retreated in haste. The two exchanged a glance and smiled, the awkwardness finally dissolving.

"Brother Shuangxi, are you heading north again?"

"No orders yet. But I'm going to study."

"Study what?"

"A training course." He explained about enrolling in the Class B Diploma program.

"Hehe, I've already earned my accounting certificate!" Yang Zhaodi said with a touch of pride. "Brother Shuangxi, you must work hard."

"Indeed! Without this diploma, I'll be stuck spinning my wheels as an acting platoon leader forever." Tan Shuangxi felt the sincerity in her words.

"What are your plans? With the certificate, you could find better work. The farm is so grueling—the sun beats down mercilessly..."

"I haven't really thought about what I want to do... The farm is actually quite nice..."

"I heard from your classmates that several are going north. Haven't you considered it? At least you'd be with your mother."

Yang Zhaodi smiled wryly. "So she can hit me whenever she pleases? She hits hard! If I went to Foshan where nobody knows anyone, living in collective dormitories—if she beat me there, where would I hide my shame?"

"That's true." Tan Shuangxi recalled what had been specifically discussed during sergeant training about why the Fubo Army had no corporal punishment like military canes or floggings. The reasoning was that such punishment stripped soldiers of their sense of shame and degraded their military honor. He sighed. "Your mother is also..."

"Let's not talk about her." Yang Zhaodi shook her head and said softly, "I heard the troops will deploy again after a few months of rest."

"Probably not within three or four months. Our leave is three months, at any rate."

"Then when will you come back?"

"How would I know? We follow orders—wherever they send us to fight, we fight... Maybe..." At this, his mood turned somewhat melancholy. He nearly said "might not be able to come back," but immediately thought better of it—who curses themselves? He quickly amended, "...probably two or three years."

"Brother Shuangxi, can you still write letters after you go north?"

"Of course. My military postal number is..." He recited a number, then asked, "Where should I address them?"

"Just write to Nanbao Tropical Crops Farm. I don't plan on moving for now. The farm is pleasant, and the people are kind. Besides, I have good friends there. Even if I'm not around in the future, they'll help forward anything."

The door creaked again. Both turned toward the sound. Chen Shixin stood in the doorway, his face wreathed in smiles. "I don't mean to disturb you two, but everyone inside has finished changing. They're just waiting for you."

The two shared a smile. A faint blush rose to Yang Zhaodi's cheeks. She said softly, "Wait for me." Without waiting for his reply, she walked in on her own.

Those two words poured into his heart like a bowl of warm rice soup. Tan Shuangxi's mind spun, and he managed only a single response: "Okay."

While waiting, Tan Shuangxi found himself imagining the next several decades—even calculating how many sons and daughters they would have, what they would be named, where they would attend school... He nearly got as far as contemplating burial plots.

A sudden commotion arose at the doorway. The girls who had finished their photographs emerged in a chattering, laughing cluster. As each one passed Tan Shuangxi, she would cast him either a furtive or boldly appraising glance, and an ambiguous, mischievous smile would bloom across her face. They whispered to one another in low voices, then suddenly burst into unrestrained laughter, leaving Tan Shuangxi restless and his face burning.

After what felt like an eternity, the last of the girls departed. Yang Zhaodi emerged from the studio, her own face flushed. Clearly, she too had endured her companions' "baptism."

He rose hastily to greet her but found himself at a loss for words. The two simply stood there facing each other, heads bowed.

Chen Shixin walked in carrying a black box. Seeing them still standing there, he smiled knowingly. With a light cough, he asked, his own smile slightly self-conscious, "There's one extra plate left. Any interest in taking another photograph?"

By now, he understood the feelings flowing between this girl and the sergeant. Since the affection was mutual, he might as well capture it for them—a beautiful memory to keep.

"One extra plate?" Tan Shuangxi's eyes lit up as an idea struck him. "Why don't you take one of the two of us? I'll pay for it myself!" As he spoke, he probably did not dare look at Yang Zhaodi. He imagined her face was surely like his own—burning red.

"Pay yourself? It's not cheap..." Chen Shixin said, drawing out his words deliberately.

Tan Shuangxi was magnanimous. "That's fine. I'm heading north soon—nowhere to spend my money anyway. Having a keepsake is worth it." Though his words were directed at Chen Shixin, by the second half his eyes had drifted unconsciously toward Yang Zhaodi, making her lower her head once more.

The photo studio had recently been handling only complimentary experience coupons, and Chen Shixin had not yet had occasion to familiarize himself with the paid procedures. He had mostly forgotten how to issue tickets and record the accounts. It took him quite some time to finally complete the transaction.

"Would you like to change into different clothes...?"

"No need. This is fine." Yang Zhaodi answered quickly.

The room fell quiet again, holding only the sound of the camera's adjustments and Chen Shixin's instructions.

"Move closer. A bit closer..."

"Offset your shoulders slightly—the lady in front, the sergeant behind..."

"Tilt your heads toward each other. Very good. Now smile..."

As they drew nearer, Yang Zhaodi's hair occasionally brushed across Tan Shuangxi's cheek, sending an itch through him and setting his heart aflutter. Her hair carried a pleasant fragrance—something like the scent of soap pods from the village tree, mingled with some unfamiliar sweetness... It left him feeling flushed and lightheaded.

"Look here." Chen Shixin tapped a mirror mounted above the camera, focusing both their gazes toward the lens.

"Smile a little. Come on, just a little smile. Sergeant Comrade, don't look so serious!"

Through the mirror, Tan Shuangxi met Yang Zhaodi's gaze. He could not blink—nor did he wish to. In the reflection, she was returning his look. Her lips seemed to curve ever so slightly, the dimples in her cheeks deepening, her expression transforming from intent concentration to tender warmth, like a pool of cool water on a summer's day.

"Perfect. Begin..."

(End of Chapter)