The early winter morning light fills the dry and cold air with a shallow warmth, and from the moment the slender hands push open the floor-to-ceiling windows, they gush into the entire living room. The yellow-brown lacquered wood floor instantly seems to be inlaid with a warm golden veil.

There were a few bubbles floating in the air that had not yet completely burst, and they were slowly flying out of the windows by the wisp of wind when the floor-to-ceiling windows opened. It contrasts with the sea opposite, like a beautiful picture.

It was just after Xia Xu finished washing, on a whim, with a few bubbles blown up by the "bubble liquid" that Sen Sen bought yesterday and put on the table.

I don't remember when it started, as long as Xia Xu got up early, he would open the floor-to-ceiling window in the living room, close his eyes in the wind, and feel the slight warmth of the morning sun perched on his cheeks. When you open your eyes slowly, you will always see the unchanging blue sea outside the floor-to-ceiling windows. Even in the particularly cold deep winter, when the sea water has frozen, she will still look at the place where the sea and the sky are lined, and she will be distracted. A good morning greeting to the old man who misses him.

Upstairs, Sen Sen and Sun Zuo were still asleep in their respective rooms, the doors closed and quiet.

It's rare to get up very early today, Xia Xu simply ate a few bites of the breakfast that Aunt Yang had just made, and remembered that the textbooks and homework that had not been completed yesterday, so she took a taxi to school first.

No one knows that this second-year high school girl who looks independent and sweet on the outside is actually the most popular novel writer on the Internet today - Bubble (pen name).

As early as the age of 12, Xia Xu was favored by the publishing company of which Sun Zuo's grandfather was the president with her most unique and attractive writing style, and became a long-term signed novel writer.

Coupled with the strength of the company and Xia Su's own requirement to keep his true identity confidential, "Bubble" has been a mystery novel writer in the hearts of book fans for several years.

As for the speculation about herself, there are even more opinions on the Internet.

The classroom was quiet, and compared with the time when everyone usually came to school, Xia Xu was more than an hour earlier today.

As soon as he closed the finished workbook and took out the workbook, he didn't read a few pages, but he saw Sen Sen and Sun Zuo walking towards him with embarrassed faces at the door.

"It's rare. You two were able to come so early today, and when I went out, I saw that you were still sleeping, so I didn't wake you up. Xia Xu was slightly surprised, put down the book, took out a few more textbooks from his schoolbag, and continued to look at them.

"Hmm. Sen Sen replied lightly. A little overwhelmed, he bit his lip and stopped talking, glanced at Sun Zuo, and stood beside Xia Xu.

If it were usual, Sen Sen would have jumped up and down in front of Xia Xu at this time, and said proudly with a look of satisfaction: "Look, look, people got up so early today, how is it, have you been taken aback, haha." ”

"What's wrong? You two are weird today. Xia Xu looked at Sen Sen's abnormality, and simply glanced at the two people who were standing beside him, and asked puzzledly.

"That's... Xiaoxu, a few days ago, the award ranking of the poem that asked Sun Zuo to vote for you anonymously came out...... This is what we received in the morning when we just went out. Sen Sen didn't know how to continue, and his two hands kept fiddling with the corners of his clothes.

"Ah, is it? so fast, what is the result?" Xia Xu excitedly stood up from his seat excitedly, and looked at Sen Sen and Sun Zuo with anticipation.

remembered that the three of them had boasted to their grandfather before, saying that they would win the first place this time, and that they would take the award-winning manuscript fee to eat Häagen-Dazs together.

Sen Sen said with an expectant face: "If they knew that it was written by Xiao Xu, would they be surprised and moved?" Who would have thought that a novelist who was already red and purple would go to great lengths to participate in a national poetry contest for a poem used in a novel.

was originally full of confidence waiting for the announcement of the awards, but now seeing Sun Zuo and Sen Sen's expressions, Xia Xu seemed to understand something, and was a little regretful and frustrated.

"It can't be the name of Sun Shan, right?" with a shocked look on his face, he sat back in his chair.

"No, it's not that bad!" Sen Sen hurriedly added, "It's just that we all thought it would be the first place, but we didn't expect to be robbed of the first place by a guy from nowhere." Sen Sen pouted unconvinced and muttered, but his voice became quieter and quieter.

Sun Zuo glanced at the magazine in his hand, and just opened the page where the list was announced. With a little regret, he handed it to Xia Xu. "This is just published, the list of award-winning works and the corresponding author's magazine. ”

After taking the magazine, Xia Xu saw the poem that won the first place at a glance, and there was an indescribable sense of loss in her heart. Thinking about the excitement before, now I really don't feel in the mood to appreciate other people's masterpieces, so I have to close the magazine and put it aside.

Sen Sen looked at Xia Xu's lonely and disappointed face, and couldn't help but feel a little worried. "Heck, we still think that Xiaoxu's poem is the best written, and each editor likes a different style, maybe it's just a one-sided idea. So...... "I didn't know how to comfort her, so I had to say words of encouragement all the time."

Xia Su let out a long sigh, pretending to be indifferent, and tried to squeeze out a smile at Sen Sen and Sun Zuo on the side.

"The second is the second, it seems that we still have to change it again. Although he said that, the pen in his hand turned anxiously between his fingers, and then he lowered his head and scribbled on the scratch paper.

I don't know how long it took, Xia Su raised her head in a trance, and saw Sen Sen and Sun Zuo standing next to her with a bewildered expression.

"It's okay, I'm fine, it's going to class, let's go back quickly. It's just ......" Xia Xu paused and said in a deeply sorry tone, "I'm afraid the matter of Häagen-Dazs is ......"

"Ah, it's okay, someone said that there would be a treat on the weekend. Isn't it?" Sen Sen said, winking at Sun Zuo on the side with a smile.

"Haha, okay, it can be regarded as a reward for Xiaoxu's hard work for more than a month, thank everyone. Sun Zuo said with a smile.

Xia Xu smiled faintly, but because of the second place, he was still a little unhappy and depressed.

The sunlight has completely spread from the horizon, illuminating the entire northern hemisphere, and the students have come to the classroom one after another, Xia Xu put the magazines on the table into his school bag, and flipped through the workbooks on the table, although his eyes have been staring at the workbook, his eyes are full of absent-mindedness.

Sen Sen and Sun Zuo also followed closely back to their respective seats.

"I didn't expect it to be the second, we were too confident in grandpa, I don't know if Xiao Su will feel very faceless in grandpa?" Sen Sen whispered to Sun Zuo in the next seat, and thought again, "Looking at her appearance, it shouldn't be enough, right?" Sen Sen turned his head uneasily and muttered.

Listening to Sen Sen's words, Sun Zuomo was silent. Because he wasn't sure if this incident would affect Xia Xu, after all, she was very confident in her work, and even a little too much.

Probably this is also related to the fact that she has been in full swing at the peak since the publication of her first novel.

"Don't worry, Xiao Su won't care too much. In fact, it is normal for such things to happen. No one can always guarantee that they will be the first. Sun Zuo comforted Sen Sen, who looked worried.

Sen Sen didn't say anything more after hearing this, just nodded silently.

After Sun Zuo finished speaking, his eyes still stayed on Xia Su's back.

Although he met Xia Su much later than Sen Sen, he had a clearer understanding of Xia Su's changes over the years than Sen Sen, and what kind of girl Xia Su was.

The difference between Xia Su and Sen Sen is that she is always used to carrying all the pain alone when she is the saddest, unlike Sen Sen who is used to breaking out.

Quiet, this word was what Sun Zuo felt the most when he first came into contact with Xia Xu. It may be that with their company later, she slowly got better.

Just like every year when it comes to the Chinese New Year, she will get used to locking the whole person in the room and rarely come out, in Sen Sen's words, as soon as Xia Xu arrives in winter, she will get used to regressing and evolving, and like those small animals that are afraid of cold, they need to hibernate.

And how cold her heart is that is afraid of cold, only she knows best.

Under the dazzling celebrity business card, she can only make herself forget life and those people who make her miserable and miss day and night by curling up in a small space and indulging in the plots of those novels that are vivid in her own pen.

How many years have I not seen them again? The two who left themselves here and resolutely chose to leave...

… She wasn't used to thinking about it, but she always remembered it so clearly and remembered it without thinking

Today is exactly 8 years, 3 months and 9 days. Xia Xu read those numbers in her heart, lowered her head and bit the pen, quietly waiting for the class bell to ring, her heart was full of sadness and sadness.

It wasn't until the teacher stepped up to the podium that Xia Xu's thoughts were pulled back.

On the podium, it was the rapid friction between the chalk and the blackboard, making a squeaky sound, and Xia Xu's heart went up and down together. I didn't listen to a word during the whole class.

Finally got out of school late, Xia Xu finished his homework in the classroom alone, and then walked out of the school gate slowly, Lao Zhao's car had been waiting for a long time.

Lao Zhao was specially arranged by Grandpa Sun Zuo for Xia Xu, who was responsible for transporting them to and from school and a special driver when they might need to attend activities in companies and other venues.

Sun Zuo went to his grandfather's company to help as usual, while Sen Sen stayed in the school's piano room to practice in preparation for next month's school celebration performance. So Xia Xu had to take a special car home alone.

When I entered the bedroom, I felt tired. Xia Xu put down his schoolbag and fell headlong into the bed.

Lying on the soft bed, but tossing and turning and unable to sleep.

The days in the cold winter are always extraordinarily short, and it is already dark at six o'clock. Fortunately, the moonlight tonight is very beautiful, with a hint of white light, slanting through the window into the bedroom. It adds a touch of coziness to the silent cabin.

Xia Xu leaned sideways and stared blankly at the window. Wandering glances, he caught a glimpse of the schoolbag that he had placed next to the chair.

After several struggles, he still got up from the bed. I opened my bag and took the magazine out.

Gently open the cover page, and the brand new paper seal still has a faint ink fragrance. It's the kind of smell when a book has just been printed and hasn't been mixed in with other books.

I turned on the lamp on the desk, and under the reflection of the light, the line of eye-catching printed large characters "Literature Cup National Poetry Essay Contest Winners and Corresponding Works List" came into view, and then the following was the first place winning work.

Just a simple little poem, not very long. Xia Xu glanced at it roughly, and then glanced at his own poem next to him. An indescribable feeling suddenly appeared in my heart.

That's the pain of a girl's inherent strength and the little pride that was originally full of self-confidence when it was frustrated.

Suddenly, Xia Xu's heart tightened.

"No, this poem ......"

Hurriedly read it carefully word by word, and "this" instantly overflowed the entire heart with an indescribable feeling of excitement or sadness.

"How come?" Xia Xu muttered to herself, lost in a sure and uncertain contemplation.

After a long time, I slowly moved my eyes to the cardboard box next to the table, although it was a little old, but it looked clean.

Xia Xu put down the magazine, quickly squatted down to open the box, and an indescribable mood was beating in his heart. Her hands even trembled a little with excitement, and she tore open the tape on the box little by little.

These tapes were pasted on this box by her one by one 7 years ago, like talismans with magic, mixed with complicated feelings.

As the tape paper was completely torn off, Xia Xu just opened the lid, and a stale musty smell emitted due to the lack of ventilation all year round came to his nose, the smell was not very big, after all, there were only some beach toys from his childhood, and a brown notebook. But Xia Xu, who was choking, coughed a few times.

Soon the brown notebook was taken out and placed on the table. The pages flipped rapidly under her hands.

It wasn't until the page with the torn mark appeared that Xia Xu stopped turning.

I glanced at the first-place poem in the magazine next to me.

Fragmented, blurry images slowly emerge again...... Xia Xu only felt that her eyes were filled with tears, and it was hazy.