Chapter 115 A Hasty End "I'll go south with you."...

The exam papers were piled up here and there on the desk. Now, it's not unusual for Jiang Yueming to have his desk piled with books. Before, his desk was piled with all sorts of toys, toy cars, models and the like.

On a summer night in Shengping, the air was slightly sticky. Two small fans were blowing directly at him. Jiang Yueming, wearing a vest and shorts, sat seriously at the table, engrossed in his exam paper. Despite having the right equipment, he still felt hot.

A gust of wind blew in from outside, lifting the exam papers on the table. Several papers were knocked to the ground, making a rustling sound.

Jiang Yueming bent down to pick it up. He blew away the barely visible dust on the test paper, and his gaze fell on a piece of paper in the corner. He picked it up again, and the words "Learn from Li Leshan" immediately caught his eye. The handwriting was terribly messy; he vaguely remembered writing it when he was in elementary school. Logically, many years had passed.

He couldn't bear to throw away anything related to Li Leshan, such as the various test paper analysis papers Li Leshan had written for him, Li Leshan's essays, anything even remotely connected to him, even things Jiang Yueming had scribbled his name on scrap paper when he was bored. He felt that if he threw them away, something would be missing.

The note had always been on the table, ostensibly to remind himself. But he didn't know when it had drifted to the ground, or how long it had been sitting in that corner; the note was dusty and the edges were yellowed. If it weren't for the three words "Li Leshan" on it, it would have been just an ordinary note, one that Jiang Yueming wouldn't have even glanced at while lying among his books.

Now the note stands on the table, silently "staring" at Jiang Yueming.

It seems like a provocation. Jiang Yueming thought to himself.

"Why is this handwriting so ugly?" Jiang Yueming thought again. He hadn't noticed it at all before, and even thought his imitation was seven or eight parts similar. Now, looking at it again, it was incredibly ugly. It seemed he couldn't write "seeing the letter is like seeing the person" in his letters anymore. Even if he wrote a letter, he would have to include a photo of himself inside, not because he was narcissistic. Otherwise, if someone saw the letter, they would think the person on the other end was a super ugly monster.

A gust of wind blew in from outside, and the note swayed slightly.

"What do you want to say?" Jiang Yueming muttered to himself as he looked at the note. He was just bored and could even talk about something based on a piece of paper. "Just say what you have to say."

Separated by this note, and by the past six or seven years, he felt that what he saw was not just a piece of paper, but more like a glimpse of his former self, foolishly and indignantly questioning him, "Were you good to Li Leshan?", "Didn't you make him angry?", "Has your relationship become incredibly good?", "Remember to learn from him!"

Each question was like a heavy hammer blow to his heart.

Jiang Yueming raised her eyes, then shoved the note down, covering it up so she wouldn't have to see it.

If you're so capable, come and fight me across seven years. If you can actually do that, then I'll consider you skilled.

He took a deep breath and picked up his pen again to study the physics exam. This damned physics exam—he didn't know how to do a single question. He stared at the circuit diagram for ages, but couldn't even determine the direction of the current. Biology was the same; at a glance, all he could fill in was "glucose, glucose..."

The door was pushed open with a click, and Lin Cuiqin peeked out quietly, her voice soft as if afraid of disturbing him, "Yueming, are you doing your homework?"

Jiang Yueming was struggling with the test questions, but her wits failed, so she decisively turned around and asked, "What's wrong, Auntie?"

Lin Cuiqin walked in carrying a plate of fruit. She gently placed the fruit on the table and found a chair to sit down.

"I'm just looking at you," Lin Cuiqin said gently, "Are you tired from studying lately? You're in your final year of high school, the pressure is high, don't always push yourself so hard."

“What do you mean I’m tired, Auntie?” Jiang Yueming laughed. “I’m not that tired.”

My aunt knows what kind of person he is. It's not like him to be heartbroken over doing so many problems.

Jiang Yueming carefully observed her under the lamplight. His aunt had changed quite a bit over the years, and seeing the few graying strands in her hair, he felt a pang of sadness. So many years have passed in the blink of an eye; how has everything changed?

“You’ve grown up,” Lin Cuiqin said with a smile, her eyes full of emotion. “In the blink of an eye, you’ve become a big girl. Auntie still remembers how you were when you were so small. How did you suddenly grow up so much?”

“It’s good that you’ve grown up,” Jiang Yueming looked up at the ceiling, “I can protect you now.”

Protect his aunt, Tian Tian, ​​and Li Leshan. Even though many burdens weigh on him, even though the growing pains may accompany him for life, Jiang Yueming doesn't care much; he is still single-mindedly focused on growing up.

But as people grow up, they face more challenges and more barriers. Because he's not the only one growing up, and he's not the only one thinking this way.

“Yueming,” Lin Cuiqin remained silent for a long time, as if she had made a huge decision. Suddenly, she took his hand and held it tightly. “Your grandfather is sick, and your aunt has to go back to the south to take care of him. But your aunt is worried about you. I know you can’t bear to leave here, just like when I wanted to take you there, you couldn’t bear to leave your mother. Now there is Leshan here, and you can’t bear to leave Leshan.”

She took a card out of her pocket and put it in Jiang Yueming's hand. "Take this card. I will deposit money into it every month. If you need money, be sure to tell me. Take good care of yourself, don't be stingy, eat more, eat good food. Actually, your aunt doesn't care how good or prestigious the university you get into, as long as you are safe and sound."

Jiang Yueming felt as if something had suddenly struck his heart, a heavy blow that hurt deeply. He felt the card in his hand was so hot he could barely hold it. "No..."

“Take this,” Lin Cuiqin said firmly. “I really can’t bear to leave you. I wanted to stay here and at least get through your senior year of high school so I could watch you go to college, but… your aunt has no choice.”

She patted Jiang Yueming's hand, then reluctantly stood up, saying, "Remember to eat the fruit on the table, don't study too late."

Watching Lin Cuiqin's departing figure, his image gradually overlapped with that of his mother. In his heart, he had long regarded his aunt as his second "mother." She had the same blood flowing in her veins as his mother, and she had truly taken care of him, this "outsider," for so many years without a single complaint.

Going back to the South, is that right?

How far is it from the south to Shengping?

How far is it from the south to Beijing?

He didn't know how far it would be, he hadn't calculated how many times the distance of the three bridges would be this time.

More than that, he was worried about leaving Li Leshan alone in Shengping. If he left, would Li Yong come back? Would he continue to threaten him? Would anyone bully him? Without anyone to take care of Li Leshan, without anyone by his side, he would truly be all alone.

But can he really leave his aunt alone? She has to take care of her grandfather, take care of Tian Tian, ​​work, and worry about him, who is thousands of kilometers away. Can she manage all that on her own?

Jiang Yueming covered his face, his mind in turmoil. He didn't know what to do, he didn't know how to choose. He couldn't rest easy about either side, and he felt indebted to both.

The clock struck two in the morning. Jiang Yueming slowly got up. Faint sobs could be heard outside the door. Lin Cuiqin sat on the sofa, her shoulders trembling slightly, clutching a wet tissue in her hand.

Jiang Yueming's breath hitched, and his eyes stung. He knew his aunt too well; her feigned ease concealed too many unspoken difficulties.

He slowly walked forward and squatted down in front of her.

"Auntie, I'm going to the South with you." Jiang Yueming choked up, but her tone was especially firm.

Lin Cuiqin looked up in surprise, her eyes blurry with tears.

“I’ll take care of your grandfather and Tian Tian, ​​and I’ll take care of you too. Take me with you when you go.”

She raised him from age seven to seventeen. His aunt raised him for a full ten years. This ten years of nurturing is not something his aunt owes him.

Jiang Yueming can't forget the moment his parents passed away. He stood alone in a vast crowd, weeping bitterly, not recognizing a single person. Only his aunt pulled him into her arms, calling him by the name his mother would use, "Mingming, don't cry. Auntie will take care of you. From now on, Auntie will be your mother..."

In the past ten years, Jiang Yueming has not suffered much. His grades were poor, and he was frequently called to the teacher's house, but she would only say, "As long as Yueming is safe and sound, that's good enough." He was mischievous and often confronted other parents, but she would again say, "My child wouldn't hit someone for no reason..."

My aunt is easily influenced and kind-hearted. She believes everything people say, except for one thing: she doesn't believe people who say they won't amount to anything.

Actually, she didn't expect Jiang Yueming to live a successful life or stand out from the crowd. She didn't need things like making a lot of money. She just didn't want others to speak ill of Jiang Yueming.

Therefore, Jiang Yueming couldn't let her shoulder this burden alone. If he did nothing, wouldn't he be heartless? He'd grown up; it was time for him to take care of his aunt.

Lin Cuiqin's eyes were red and swollen. She touched Jiang Yueming's face with trembling hands, and finally hugged him tightly. "Yueming, your aunt really can't bear to part with you. When I see you, I think of my sister. If only she were still here..."

Jiang Yueming hugged her back tightly, "Thank you for taking care of me all these years. I'm doing well now, and Mom would be so happy if she knew."

“No need for thanks,” Lin Cuiqin patted his back. “Auntie is willing. Even ten or twenty years from now, Auntie will still be willing. You and Tiantian are the best children in my heart…”

Jiang Yueming gazed out the window at the deep night. The summer night in Shengping was still sweltering, the cicadas chirping tirelessly. His childhood was about to come to a hasty end in this oppressive heat.

He recalled Li Leshan asking him, "I'm going to Beijing, will you come with me?"

He didn't answer then, but now he knows the answer. He will go, but it will be a very, very long detour.

On the desk, the note that read "Learn from Li Leshan" still lay quietly in the moonlight.

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Author's Note: Finally, finally... After a lot of procrastination, "The Puppy" has reached 2/3 of its progress (wiping away tears). The end is really just around the corner!

The later chapters will likely switch between Yueming's and Lele's perspectives, but mostly from Lele's point of view. Just letting you know...