I’ve done this walk a thousand times, and every time I notice that steamed Bun store down the street. It has been around for about 40 years ever since my parents were young. My pace slows down every time I pass the historic bun shop down the street. In the freezing morning air, red lanterns dangle gently in front of the bun shop, as if to welcome everyone who passes by. When I walk closer, the hot steam and fragrance from the store always hypnotizes me until my legs slow down and let the aroma. The shop is run by one respected old couple. Whenever I pass by, the grandmother always greets me with her warm smile, which seems to be an icon of the store just like KFC. Sounds of people chatting go a long way and disappear. I begin my day here whenever my mom is too lazy to prepare breakfast.
Since it is a morning walk, I could often see the florist watering the flowers to keep them fresh. The scent of the flowers mixed with the smell of earth, like the perfume of nature, makes me intoxicated every time I pass by. Although the variety of flowers changes every day, sunflowers are still my favorite, and the pot of sunflowers in full bloom is particularly dazzling in the morning sun, as if they are passing a positive power to me, so that I feel a joy and moved by beautiful things in my heart.
It takes about twenty minutes to walk from my home to the school, and the road is not all flat concrete. One section of the road is paved with stone slabs, which are often loose and you need to be careful when walking on them. The buildings on both sides have a history of thousands of years, and each step seems to feel their heavy accumulation of history. Look up and you can see the tall sycamore trees, their thick branches and leaves through the sun cast dashes of light and shadow on the ground. These shadows seem to jump on the ground, sometimes bright, sometimes dim, they seem to tell the passage of time. Birdsong in the morning is the most beautiful music on this road. The birds are singing in the branches or soaring in the sky. Their crisp songs are in stark contrast to the tranquility of the morning, and they seem to greet the passers-by, bringing an indescribable peace and harmony.
Along the way, I usually walk with Judy, who lives on Building three, to find Anna, the florist’s daughter, and then we walk to school together. Along the way, we talked about these childish but great dreams. Every time we flew overhead, we fantasized about becoming pilots. When a police car rolls by, we dream of being cops. When we see a wounded person, we imagine ourselves as doctors again. Sometimes we would stop and sit on a bench by the side of the road to continue our conversation, observing the people rushing by and feeling the vitality of the city. The busy office workers, the classmates who go to school hand in hand, the vendors who set up stalls on the roadside, their lives are closely connected with this road, and everyone is the protagonist of this road.
As the seasons change, I have witnessed countless changes in the landscape along this road. In spring, the cherry blossoms along the roadside bloom like pink clouds, and their petals fall gently, like dreamlike rain. In summer, the trees are shaded, the sun shines on the ground through the gap between the leaves, forming a dappled light and shadow, and the cicadas sing, making people immersed in an indescribable peace. Autumn, golden leaves covered the whole road, stepping on the sound of rustling, as if telling the story of autumn. In winter, the world is covered with snow, and the thick snow on the road records every footprint, showing different silence and beauty.
Years from now, when I no longer have to do this walk, I’ll miss the past moments: the aroma of the Bun store, the light and shadow under the plane trees, the birds singing in the morning, the different scenery that each season brings. I have moved to a different city after my senior high school. Years passed when I come back here again. The steamed bun store closed because of the death of grandma; flower shop moved to a more prosperous area because of the business boom. These seemingly mundane details constitute some of the most cherished memories of my youth, a journey I look back on with great gratitude and nostalgia. I will miss the beautiful moments and details, people, and things I met along the way. These memories will stay with me forever and become the most precious part of my life.
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