19 Tonight Dream Cold

At 7 am on June 28th, due to delays in the past two days, I am currently catching up on my teaching assignment and have been up all night. At this moment, Xiaohang and Miaozhou are walking towards the North Gate with their suitcases.
"Eighteen, I'm leaving. If you're busy, don't bother coming to see me off. Miaozhou is accompanying me."
"I told Xiaohang in advance to meet me in front of the north gate. Zhuanjiao is very close to the north gate, so when I saw the message, I grabbed the red watch and left. After seeing off Xiaohang, I happened to need to go back to the dorm to catch some sleep, so I borrowed a bike from Changsha."
As I pedaled desperately towards the north gate, I happened to see Xiaohang and Miaozhou arrive. I didn't get off the bike, just exchanged a few casual greetings. Maybe it was because I had been drawing all night, my mind was blank at that moment, as if there were many things I hadn't had a chance to say, and I couldn't think of what to say for a moment.
Even just two days ago, it seems like I didn't realize that today, when we said goodbye, we may not have another chance to see each other for a year. And now, standing in front of Xiaohang, that choking feeling suddenly became stronger.
My friend Xiaohang and I were classmates in high school. Coincidentally, we both scored the same on the college entrance examination, so we ended up attending the same university. Later on, Xiaohang met Miaozhou, and even more coincidentally, Miaozhou is not only from the same hometown as us, but also scored the same on the college entrance examination as both of us. In other words, Xiaohang and Miaozhou have not been separated for almost four years, while Xiaohang and I have not truly separated for seven years.
"Do you still remember this watch? We bought it the day before you got together with Miaozhou at the Wanda Plaza. After thinking it over, I felt that no matter what gift I bought for you, it wouldn't be suitable. So, I decided to give you this watch."
"This..." Xiaohang took the watch with trembling hands, tears beginning to well up in his eyes.
"You should choose the red one, it looks nice!"
"Then I'll take it!" Xiaohang straightened his back and forced a smile.
"Let's go, no need to say more. Miao Zhou will accompany you to Yi City, right?"
"Yes, he will stay with me for a few days, and once I settle down there, he will come back."
"Good, that puts my mind at ease."
I didn't know how many times we waved our hands, until I chased after them and came back to the school gate, watching them dragging their suitcases into the subway station.
On the way back, I rode even faster than when I came, as if afraid that tears would catch up. I kept repeating a few lyrics in my mind, "I'm afraid I won't have the chance to say goodbye to you, because maybe I'll never see you again. Tomorrow, I have to leave, parting with familiar places and you. Tears fall from my eyes, I will remember your face, I will cherish the longing you gave me, these days will never be erased from my heart..."
Perhaps you have also heard of the song "Campus Belle and Liukchuanfeng" by the band Heisa. When you really come to this point, you will find that the people coming and going in the campus every June are just like the lyrics of the song. Xue Xiaohang and Miao Zhou are just an ordinary couple among them.
Actually, two days ago, Xiaohang took me to Haixi Island.
Haixi Island is connected to the east coast of Jia City and is about forty kilometers away from the school. It's a place I had never been to before. Perhaps because it was the weekend, there were many people going to and from Haixi Island.
From the island to the mainland and back to the island again, we took photos all along the way. Finally, before nightfall, we sneaked into Qiongzhou Road Pedestrian Street.
Qiongzhou Road Pedestrian Street, the oldest snack street in the city, once known as a must-visit place for locals. In recent years, with the development of the downtown area, the storefronts on Qiongzhou Road have aged, gradually fading from people's memories. But that night, there were surprisingly many people on Qiongzhou Road.
The neon lights flickered and the night was dark. Amidst the crowd, I quietly opened the film filter and snapped a cool photo in front of a street food stall. Xiaohang wore a reverse denim jacket, looking down at his phone. Behind him, his black long hair naturally hung down from the double-breasted jacket. With the enhancement of the film filter, a strong Hong Kong style exuded from the photo.
That night, we had a big bunch of grilled tofu skin as our main meal. Just before taking a bite, we took a photo of us holding the bag and cheering "Cheers!" Under the same film filter, the five words were shining brightly: "Grilled Skewers, Bros!"
I lay on the bed, thinking about everything that had happened between Xiaohang and me over the years. I can't remember if tears were flowing, nor do I remember when I entered the dreamland.