Just Be Happy in Life

Under the clear blue sky and drifting white clouds, Zhuang Ziang and his new friend Su Yudie had stuffed themselves with snacks, which served as their lunch.

Sitting on a bench in the mall, they basked in the afternoon sun.

Yudie's dark blue pleated skirt fluttered in the breeze, revealing her slender legs, which she swung back and forth restlessly.

"Ziang, are you going back to school this afternoon?" Yudie looked up at the sky.

"No," Ziang replied decisively.

The rebellious streak within him was awakened, and he decided to skip school for half a day.

After being a good kid for so many years, he finally felt like letting loose.

Spending time with a good friend was far more interesting than being at school.

For the first time in his life, he experienced this kind of thrill and excitement.

"So, where are we going this afternoon?" Yudie leaned closer to him.

The subtle fragrance of the young girl wafted into his nose.

Before they knew it, they had transitioned from strangers to "us."

Ziang thought for a moment, then asked, "Do you like fishing?"

Yudie shook her head firmly, "No, I've never caught a fish before."

"Then I'll take you fishing by the river. I'm an expert," Ziang boasted.

Every summer vacation, he would spend some time in the countryside with his grandfather, enjoying the leisure of fishing.

In truth, he wasn't much of an expert, having caught only a few fish in his life.

"Alright, you have to catch a big, fathead fish for me," Yudie smiled.

With that, they set off. Ziang went to a fishing gear shop and spent over a hundred yuan on a cheap fishing rod.

In the past, he might have been hesitant to spend the money, but now he felt it was too late to worry about it.

Passing by a convenience store, Yudie tugged at his sleeve, "Let's buy some snacks to eat by the river."

"Are you a reincarnated glutton?" Ziang was speechless.

Yudie gazed at the glass window of the convenience store, pleading, "Just a little bit of snacks, please?"

He surrendered, "Alright, alright, whatever you say."

"Yay, let's go buy!" Yudie cheered like a child.

Inside the store, Ziang randomly picked up some nuts, beef jerky, and cookies.

Since they had just met, he wasn't sure what she liked to eat.

Next to the convenience store was a small bookstore. When he came out, he saw Yudie scrolling through her phone, laughing at some silly jokes.

"Wow, you're reading some deep stuff," Ziang teased.

Yudie, catching his sarcasm, replied nonchalantly, "Life is about being happy, who cares about depth?"

"Good point. Knowing more doesn't necessarily make you happier," he agreed.

"Exactly. Scientists, philosophers, thinkers—they all die in the end," she said casually.

As a young person, she seemed unbothered by the concept of death.

Ziang was taken aback for a moment, then murmured to himself, "Yes, I'm going to die too."

The school was built on a hillside, with a river flowing through the town below.

The green water rippled and shimmered under the afternoon sun.

Ziang baited the hook and cast the line smoothly, then sat cross-legged on the riverbank's pebbles.

Like Jiang Taigong fishing by the Weishui River, he was calm and composed.

Suddenly, a bell-like laughter broke his concentration.

"Keep your voice down, or you'll scare away the fish," he warned.

"Sorry, but this joke is too funny. Look at it," Yudie handed him her phone.

"I'm way too deep for childish jokes," Ziang feigned annoyance.

"Come on, just look!" she begged playfully.

He glanced at the joke to humor her, and just those two looks led him down a path of no return.

"Hahahaha..."

Before they knew it, they were huddled together, laughing at the silly jokes, their laughter echoing one after another.

Yudie's laugh was infectious, making even the simplest joke seem hilarious.

Despite considering himself someone with a high threshold for humor, Ziang couldn't help but be affected by her laughter.

Afraid of disturbing the fish, he stifled his laughter, trying hard not to laugh too loudly.

"Ziang, bring out your snacks. I want to eat," Yudie requested.

He pulled out a plastic bag, "We've got nuts, cookies, beef jerky. What do you want?"

"You choose for me. I like everything."

True foodies aren't picky.

He grabbed a pack of cookies and handed it to her.

Yudie eagerly tore it open and took a bite, "So crispy! You should try one."

"I'm full, don't want any," Ziang drawled.

She shoved a cookie into his mouth, chiding, "Stop being so fussy."

The cookie was crunchy and sweet, but not as sweet as her smile.

Forgetting all about being a fishing expert, he spent the afternoon reading jokes with Yudie.

They laughed like two silly kids, finding pure joy in the simplest things.

When his neck grew sore, he finally looked up and stretched.

Suddenly remembering his fishing, he lifted the rod to find the bait long gone.

Time had passed like petals falling one by one, and the sun cast longer shadows.

Afternoons at school always felt endless to Ziang, but today, from noon to sunset, seemed to pass in the blink of an eye.

The setting sun painted their faces with golden light.

"I have to catch the 6:10 bus home," Yudie said, stretching.

"I haven't caught a fish yet," he grumbled.

"You look like a fathead fish yourself," she teased.

They left the riverbank, walking back to the snack street.

Passing a dessert shop, Yudie stopped and stared at the beautifully decorated cakes in the window.

"Seriously, you're hungry again?" Ziang exclaimed.

"No, you mentioned having a poor relationship with your family. Why not buy a cake for them? Eating sweets brings happiness," she suggested sincerely.

If someone else had made such a suggestion, Ziang would have rejected it outright.

Years of estrangement couldn't be mended with a cake.

But seeing the sincerity in Yudie's eyes, he couldn't bring himself to say no.

She genuinely wanted to help him mend his family relationships.

She believed in the warmth of humanity overcoming the world's coldness.

Finally, he bought a strawberry cake, feeling a twinge of pain at the price.

At the school bus stop, the No. 19 bus arrived just in time.

"Goodbye, Ziang," Yudie waved as she boarded.

"Goodbye, my friend," he waved back.

But his voice was too soft for anyone but himself to hear.

What an interesting girl.

Oh no, he forgot to get her phone number.

The bus slowly disappeared into the traffic.