Unfortunately, there were many people in front and also behind them, so they could only step out of the line, heading straight in the direction of Arnold Simmons and Hannah.
Hannah, feeling drowsy, paid no attention to her classmates, whereas Arnold’s tall stature stood out in the crowd, imdiately noticing the group of boys.
"Hey! Look over there, doesn’t that guy look familiar? Seems like he’s in our class."
"That looks like Arnold Simmons, doesn’t it? And there’s a girl next to him, wearing a hat so her face isn’t clear!"
"What Arnold Simmons, why would he co to a place like this, you guys must be seeing things..."
Several boys craned their necks to look this way, but just at that mont, Arnold and Hannah happened to stand under a tree, where the light didn’t reach, making them hard to recognize.
Just as the boys were about to co over, Arnold hurriedly reached out and pulled the unsteady Hannah into his embrace.
He turned his body, holding her close.
This sowhat intimate posture naturally discouraged further scrutiny.
Hannah was suddenly hugged tightly, still a bit slow to react, "Arnold, what’s going on?"
Her nose hurt a little from the bump, her voice hoarse, her head nestled in his chest, listening to the strong beating of his heart.
"Shh!"
Arnold lowered his head to look at the fuzzy head in his arms, his lips slightly pursed, his heartbeat quickening.
It was an unmistakable flutter of excitent.
Hannah looked up at him, her eyes beneath the hat misty as if covered with a veil of water, unclear whether it was from drowsiness or the recent bump on her nose.
"I’m sorry." Arnold coughed twice, loosening the hand around her waist slightly.
Hannah hadn’t noticed the group of boys until they passed by, hearing a familiar voice, she then realized what had happened.
There was no need to ask Arnold why he suddenly hugged her, she naturally kept quiet on her own.
As the crowd gradually dispersed, they walked out together.
Hannah looked down at the path, hands in her pockets.
They neither of them ntioned that sudden hug.
Hannah didn’t bring it up because she thought it was normal, and Arnold didn’t because...
He was watching Hannah, hesitating to speak, feeling a turmoil within, like a tangled ss of threads at first able to be untied but now knotted tightly.
It was no longer sothing that could be undone.
A complete and utter ss.
He wondered why Hannah had no reaction.
Was it because she didn’t like him, and therefore felt nothing special about the hug?
Or was she pretending to be calm?
Hannah humd a song, seemingly in good spirits.
Arnold thought in silence, convinced she wasn’t just pretending to be calm, because the one pretending was him.
The sound of his heartbeat clung to his ear like a vine, incessant, as if trying to draw all his senses into it.
Seeing her indifferent deanor, he felt an indiscernible twinge of unjustified grievances.
He must be mad.
In the early morning, the streets were empty, leaving the bustle of the amusent park as if entering another space, with fireworks visible between the distant tall buildings.
By the ti they got ho, the sky had begun to lighten slightly, as if the revelry and noise had finally receded, with the distant sound of soone sweeping the ground.
The cool breeze carried a hint of chill, and the surroundings were incomparably tranquil.
The two large red lanterns hanging at the door, however, remained bright and dazzling.
After Chinese New Year’s Eve, the mornings beca even livelier, nearly every dawn breaking with the loud sound of firecrackers.
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