Chapter 82

◎If you hadn't left back then...◎

In May, Moon City is in full bloom with jacaranda trees, creating a sea of ​​blue-purple flowers that makes you feel as if you are in a blue-purple ocean.

After checking into the hotel and putting down her luggage, Cheng Jiamo went for a stroll on the street by herself with her bag.

She deliberately wore a dress that matched the color of the jacaranda tree and walked unhurriedly under the tree. Just then, a gust of wind blew, and the blue and purple flowers fell from the tree. Her long purple dress was also blown up by the wind and became entangled with the dancing petals.

People walking on the road stopped and all looked at Cheng Jiamo, who was surrounded by petals, as if they saw the jacaranda tree transformed into a fairy.

"Wow!" someone suddenly exclaimed, "So beautiful!"

Then the person said, "You're so beautiful, young lady."

Cheng Jiamo pressed down on her skirt with her hand and smiled at the girl who had complimented her.

The girl screamed and excitedly ran to Cheng Jiamo's side, asking nervously and excitedly, "Miss, can I take a picture with you?"

After graduating from university, Cheng Jiamo went to Guancheng. During the five years she worked in Guancheng, she always worked for Qi Kangyu and often went out with him to discuss business. She rarely interacted with her female colleagues in the company, and she didn't have any close classmates in Guancheng. Therefore, she didn't have any good female friends or male friends in Guancheng. In short, she had no friends.

During her five years in Dongguan, her closest relationship was with her boss, Qi Kangyu. But Qi Kangyu was, after all, her boss. Although he treated her well, she couldn't really consider him a friend. Who would consider their boss a friend?

She has always been a loner in Dongguan. When she's not working, she usually stays home alone, sleeps, watches TV, or goes shopping and eats alone. During her holidays, she travels alone to relax.

When she's alone, she usually just snaps some nice landscape photos when she goes out, and rarely takes photos of herself because she doesn't really like taking selfies, and when she's alone, she's not in the mood to take selfies.

So when a little girl asked Cheng Jiamo, "Can I take a picture with you?", Cheng Jiamo was taken aback.

After regaining her senses, she looked at the girl's "longing" eyes and couldn't bear to refuse, so she smiled and agreed, "Okay."

The girl hurriedly called her friend, handed her phone to her slightly flustered friend, and asked her friend to take a picture of her with Cheng Jiamo.

The girl was much taller than Cheng Jiamo, but she took the initiative to link arms with Cheng Jiamo, slightly bent her legs to make herself the same height as Cheng Jiamo, and then tilted her head to rest on Cheng Jiamo's shoulder, showing a very intimate appearance.

Cheng Jiamo was a little stiff, and her smile wasn't very natural. She hadn't taken a photo with anyone in five years. Apart from some unavoidable group photos, she had never taken a photo with anyone alone in private, so she felt awkward. On top of that, the other person was a stranger, which made her even more awkward.

But she couldn't bring herself to refuse, mainly because the other person's smile was so sincere and warm. Rather than saying she was embarrassed to refuse, it was more accurate to say that she was somewhat tempted by such pure sincerity and warmth.

Even though she felt uncomfortable, Cheng Jiamo still smiled and took a photo with the other person.

The girl took the phone and looked at the photos her friend had taken. She smiled and asked Cheng Jiamo, "Do you need this photo, Miss? If you want it, I'll send it to you."

Cheng Jiamo smiled and replied, "Okay."

As soon as she finished saying "okay," the girl immediately clicked the scan button and said with a smile, "I'll scan you."

After scanning the QR code, the girl introduced herself. Her name was Ji Shuyi, and her friend's friend's name was Zhao Xinle.

Both are senior students at Beijing Normal University, about to graduate. They came here for two reasons: tourism and to see the local poverty alleviation schools in person. They plan to teach in these schools after graduation, as it will help them get a guaranteed place in a graduate program.

When Cheng Jiamo heard them talk about teaching in rural areas, she immediately became interested and pulled them aside to ask them about it.

Seeing that she was interested in teaching in rural areas, Ji Shuyi asked, "Miss, are you also from a teachers' college?"

Cheng Jiamo laughed: "No, but I studied Chinese Language and Literature."

Ji Shuyi then asked, "Which university did you attend?"

Cheng Jiamo looked at her like she was a child and replied with a smile, "M University in Beijing."

Ji Shuyi said excitedly, "Really? I have a high school classmate who is also at M University. What year are you in?"

Cheng Jiamo teased her, "What age do you think I am?"

Ji Shuyi actually guessed: "He should be a senior too."

Cheng Jiamo raised her hand and patted her head: "I'm about to enter my teens."

When Ji Shuyi first heard this, she thought Cheng Jiamo couldn't distinguish between retroflex and alveolar consonants. But when she saw Cheng Jiamo trying to suppress her laughter, she realized that Cheng Jiamo had already graduated five years ago.

Ji Shuyi was very surprised: "Heavens, I really can't believe you've been out of school for five years! I feel like you're about the same age as us."

Cheng Jiamo smiled and said, "Thank you, but when you reach my age, you'll look just like this."

Ji Shuyi was overjoyed by the praise and, in her excitement, insisted on taking a picture of Cheng Jiamo.

Cheng Jiamo initially refused, but after being bombarded with sweet words by Ji Shuyi, she finally agreed.

Ji Shuyi held up her phone and took the picture directly with the original camera without adjusting any beauty filters or effects.

Cheng Jiamo didn't strike any of the trendy poses for photos. She simply stood quietly under the flowering tree, facing Ji Shuyi, looking at her with a serene and gentle smile.

Ji Shuyi was stunned. She was nudged by her friend Zhao Xinle and then snapped out of it, taking a flurry of photos of Cheng Jiamo.

When Ji Shuyi was taking pictures of Cheng Jiamo, many people stopped, and soon the street became more and more crowded.

Chinese people have an innate tendency to enjoy watching a spectacle. Seeing a large crowd, everyone came over. Upon closer inspection, they discovered a girl who was exceptionally beautiful, and they all stopped to watch.

Some people even took out cameras to take pictures secretly, but Ji Shuyi spotted them and ordered them to delete the photos, and strictly prohibited anyone from taking pictures secretly.

In order to get closer to Ji Shuyi, Cheng Jiamo took many photos with her. Seeing that there were more and more people, she realized that if she didn't leave soon, she might not be able to get out today.

She smiled and took Ji Shuyi's hand: "Alright, let's go look at other places."

Just as the three were about to leave, a rain of blue-purple petals suddenly began to fall from the sky, but there was not much wind.

Everyone looked up at the same time, only to see that it was a drone scattering flower petals.

Everyone was stunned, and many people even took out their phones to take pictures.

The children passing by ran around excitedly in the shower of flowers, jumping and skipping with excitement.

Ji Shuyi casually remarked, "Is some big shot here to confess their feelings?"

Zhao Xinle added, "It could also be a marriage proposal."

As soon as Zhao Xinle finished speaking, a deep and clear voice suddenly sang, accompanied by beautiful and melodious guitar playing.

Those painful memories

Falling into the spring soil

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound, including Cheng Jiamo.

He Qingzhao was wearing a loose, casual linen shirt with Chinese knot buttons and equally loose black linen trousers. He looked more refined than when he wore a shirt and suit. Not only was he refined, but he also had an artistic air about him, like an elegant artist.

He was holding a guitar in his arms, playing and singing as he walked towards Cheng Jiamo amidst a shower of flowers.

Everyone else present was stunned, except for Cheng Jiamo, who kept her lips tightly pressed together.

Your tears in the wind

Drops fall into memories

Let's name it Cherish

He Qingzhao walked up to Cheng Jiamo while playing the guitar and singing. He looked down at her and sang to her with deep affection.

I will muster my courage

Take good care of you

I won't let you suffer any injustice

Cheng Jiaming turned to leave, but He Qingzhao quickly reached out to block her way: "Cheng Jiaming, eleven years ago, I offered you a hand in the storm of a foreign land. Now that I'm in trouble, can you lend me a hand?"

Cheng Jiamo didn't speak, but just looked at him calmly.

He Qingzhao did not forcefully take her hand, but simply extended his hand in front of her, looking at her with a gentle smile.

Ji Shuyi was stunned, her mouth slightly agape.

Cheng Jiamo didn't want to be stared at in public, so she gently pushed his wrist and said, "Let's go." She took two steps, then suddenly stopped, turned around and said to Ji Shuyi, "I'm leaving now, I'll contact you later."

Cheng Jiamo kept walking until she reached the riverbank before stopping. A railing had been built along the river. She rested her hand on the railing, looked at the shimmering river, and said in a soft, calm voice, "If you have anything to say, just say it here all at once."

He Qingzhao leaned against the railing, turning his face to look at her: "I didn't reply to the message on New Year's Eve five years ago."

Cheng Jiamo: "Yes, I know." She added, "You won't ask me to pay you back, nor will you say those humiliating things."

He Qingzhao: "The day you left, I was in a car accident. I was in the hospital on New Year's Eve. He Jingyang used my phone to reply."

He didn't say that the car accident happened while he was chasing Cheng Jiamo, because he didn't want to cause her any psychological burden.

Cheng Jiaming's heart, which had just been at peace, suddenly felt blocked again. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end, she said nothing.

He Qingzhao watched her expression change, saw the slight ripples in her eyes that quickly subsided. But his heart was far from calm; it felt as if a tide had risen within him, and the torrential rain of eleven years ago poured into his heart at that moment.

He raised his hand, rested his arm on the railing, gripped the railing with his palm, and gently scratched the white-painted rectangular iron railing with the tip of his index finger.

“Momo, I’m not married. I won’t marry anyone but you. If you hadn’t left five years ago, if you had accepted my proposal, our child might already be in kindergarten.”

At this point, he seemed to laugh at himself, and couldn't help but chuckle.

As he laughed, his voice lowered and became slightly hoarse.

"But that's not necessarily true. If you don't leave, I might have to send you abroad for your safety."

Cheng Jiamo finally couldn't hold back and asked, "How did you get into the car accident?"