Chapter 28 Over the long years, countless times…

In the end, Jiang Meng did not get on that car.

She followed Chen Jizhou on a long and winding road, eventually returning to her home, her starting point.

She still wanted to see Jiang Su.

But ultimately they are different. Even though the old saying goes that different paths lead to the same destination, the journey itself is the most important part, because people always live in the process.

The last thing Jiang Meng snatched from Chen Jizhou was his watch.

During the mock exam for the four cities, she wasn't wearing a watch. She happened to run into him in the corridor when they were being assigned to different exam rooms. In the chaos, Jiang Meng urgently asked him for his watch, saying, "Thank goodness, there's hope!"

After finishing the exam, Jiang Meng came out of the next exam room and saw the boy waiting for her leaning against the railing.

"wait for me?"

Chen Jizhou replied matter-of-factly, and found her feigned ignorance utterly baffling: "Give me back my watch."

"..."

Jiang Meng hadn't originally intended to keep it, but she was annoyed at the moment and pouted, "It's just a watch, why are you fussing over it?"

Chen Jizhou paused for a moment and accepted her plunder.

He looked at Jiang Meng in front of him, deliberately provocatively put on his watch, and suddenly said, "My heart rate is high, it beats a little faster than others, three beats in two seconds."

Jiang Meng looked up at him, puzzled.

Meeting Chen Jizhou's ambiguous smile, he leaned back, with the clear blue sky and white clouds behind him.

The boy's eyes softened: "It will stay with you."

Jiang Meng: "You mean the watch? Or your heartbeat?"

"Of course it's a watch."

He walked forward with a smile, rolled up the draft paper in his hand, and patted her head, "What are you thinking about?"

Jiang Meng lowered her head and fastened the watch strap, feeling embarrassed by her own wild thoughts.

Soon after, the school held a coming-of-age ceremony for them. There weren't many fancy decorations; teachers gave speeches, students shared their aspirations, and the television station filmed—it was all just for show.

Jiang Meng was drowsy while sitting in the audience when she heard the sound of a piano.

She looked up and saw Chen Jizhou on the stage.

He wore a suit today, looking elegant and sophisticated. The piano, which he hated the most as a child, finally had a chance to be used.

As the song ended, Chen Jizhou stood up, smiled, and said, "Wishing everyone a happy adulthood."

Even a formal suit couldn't restrain his unrestrained and flamboyant personality.

He doesn't need stage lights; he is the light himself just by standing there.

The paper airplane took off from his hand, and together with hundreds of other paper airplanes carrying hopes, flew far into the sky above the auditorium.

Jiang Meng wrote a lot of things on the paper.

She wanted liberation, wanted to have a beautiful hairstyle, wanted to take charge of her own life, and wanted to freely control her time outside of exams.

During high school, when we were still unable to break free from the rules, we were always too eager to see hope, too eager to find a way out, and too eager to get results.

So all the expectations were placed on the tip of the pen.

As she left, Jiang Meng found herself lost in the crowded plaza below, unable to see her destination. She simply kept her head down and moved forward with the flow of people. When others moved, she moved; when others turned, she turned. As long as she continued to walk like this, she would be pulled and pushed towards her destination.

Until a girl from her class tapped her on the shoulder from behind: "Jiang Meng?"

She turned around: "Hmm?"

"There's an airplane in your hat."

The girl excitedly took the paper airplane out of her hoodie hoodie and handed it to her with a smile.

"What a coincidence! Look who it is, it actually flew here to you."

Jiang Meng stood there blankly, looking down at the folded paper. She didn't know what was written on it yet.

But she saw the airplane's wing and wrote three words with a pen: Friend A.

Jiang Meng stood there, stunned.

It's probably a boy's handwriting. It's not particularly good-looking, but it's not ugly either. It's just average. Moreover, the three characters have simple strokes and no special features. You could probably find ten characters like this in a class.

The wind blew, carrying the soft, fluffy wings into her palm.

Jiang Meng looked back and saw that the square was still packed with people.

On a sunny day, the chill of the cold wind had not yet faded.

She turned back, but there was no way back, so she had to carve out a path for herself.

That person has probably already gone far away.

But it's okay, she wants to try one more time, to give each other one last chance to be honest.

I know you're here.

I know you're watching me.

I know you're with me.

It doesn't matter if you're not handsome.

It's okay if it's unremarkable.

It doesn't matter if you're not as tall as me.

I want to see you.

Her steps grew increasingly hurried, and before she knew it, Jiang Meng was running.

She ran back with the paper airplane in her hand.

The endless stream of people, like fireflies covering the mountains and fields, flew out of her dream.

At the end of the long road, she saw Chen Jizhou.

The auditorium was indeed empty.

Apart from Chen Jizhou.

He was wearing a very formal suit, leaning against the Steinway on the stage. The lights were all off, leaving only a sliver of light shining from behind the curtain, illuminating half of his shoulder. Chen Jizhou stood in the shadows, his head down, holding the keychain in his hand. He did nothing but carefully observe her pumpkin carriage.

He showed neither curiosity nor admiration for the research; he simply held it in his palm and looked at it quietly.

It's like trying to find hope, a way out, and a result.

The piano and his temperament are remarkably compatible, both serene and gentle.

Jiang Meng suddenly didn't know what she had come for, and she carefully put the paper airplane away.

"Why haven't you left yet?" she asked as she walked over.

When Chen Jizhou saw Jiang Meng coming over, he casually put away the pumpkin carriage and then naturally stuffed it back into his trouser pocket as he put his hands in his pockets.

He looked calm and tilted his chin down slightly: "I picked up all the trash."

Jiang Meng looked at his smile.

The wooden floor amplified her footsteps, especially in such a quiet setting, making her approaching footsteps clearer, more distinct, and deeper. A resounding thud, like a tapping on the heart.

With a clean-cut face and a nonchalant smile, he casually remarked, "After three years of being a living Lei Feng, I wonder when Lao Tao plans to award me a banner of appreciation—"

Before Chen Jizhou could finish speaking, his pupils contracted as Jiang Meng hugged him.

Jiang Meng stretched out her arms and gave the hug in a very standard manner.

He lowered his gaze slightly and saw her ears and temples; further down, her eyelashes trembled as she blinked.

Chen Jizhou still had one hand in his pocket, and he didn't react immediately, but just let her hug him.

Jiang Meng patted his back twice to make things less ambiguous.

She said, "Don't overthink it. It's just that I'll miss you a little now that we're apart."

Chen Jizhou didn't hesitate and hugged her back.

He hesitated for a moment, carefully calculating and thinking about where to place his hand.

It won't cross any boundaries, it won't give me any extra thoughts, and it's the perfect place to showcase the true nature of our friendship, rather than making my heart race with thoughts of taking things further.

But he didn't want to make things difficult for himself at this time.

He allowed himself to indulge in unbridled love for half a minute.

Chen Jizhou put one arm around her waist and the other hand on the back of her head.

This is a way of hugging that makes girls feel very safe.

...He's better at flirting.

Jiang Meng had originally planned to stop while she was ahead, but instead, she found herself trapped in his arms. She blinked, feeling her cheeks burning.

Chen Jizhou asked her in a low voice, "You hugged a lot of people?"

Jiang Meng gave a soft "hmm" insincerely.

He said, "You are my first."

The first one.

The only one.

It was also the last one.

Fortunately, she was quite tall; if she were close to his heart, he would surely hear the tremors that arose because of her.

She will hear the rhythm of her heart writing "I love you" for her.

Jiang Meng said, "No matter where you go in the future, you must remember me. No matter where you go, you must be carefree like you are now, okay?"

He smiled and agreed, "Okay."

Jiang Meng suddenly remembered something and gently pushed him away.

She was carrying a shoulder bag and took an album out of it.

"I'm really sorry, I've been a bit strapped for cash these past few years, and all my money has been spent on me. I haven't been able to give you a proper gift yet. I'll give you one of my favorite songs, one that we listened to together. I bought it the other day when I passed by a CD store. I hope you won't mind."

It's that song, "Falling Flowers and Flowing Water".

Just as Chen Jizhou received the small gift, Jiang Meng started rummaging through her bag again.

"And there's more." She took out her things as a makeshift gift, "and this novel, a romance novel, with my picture in it, the one you took with me last time, do you remember?"

Chen Jizhou took it and looked at it. The novel was called "Seventeen Years Old and Missing".

"What are you going to talk about?" he asked.

"Childhood sweethearts".

Looking down, I did see a line of small print: Childhood sweethearts, bickering lovers.

Chen Jizhou then looked at Jiang Meng: "Is the ending happy?"

“It doesn’t seem like a good idea,” Jiang Meng told him frankly, “but…”

"but?"

"But this is only the first volume; the second volume hasn't been written yet. It might be good though."

She lowered her eyes and said, "It should get better."

Each word was softer than the last: "We'll meet again."

Just as Chen Jizhou was about to continue flipping through the pages, Jiang Meng awkwardly snapped the book shut and muttered, "Don't look here, it's so embarrassing!"

He chuckled and said, "Okay, I'll take it back and enjoy it slowly."

They stood there, no longer speaking. Like sitting in a rough pickup truck, as night fell, listening to the final moments of a song.

We briefly met, leaving no trace. But having experienced it, we resonated with the gentlest of feelings.

The story continued in this way until its final chapter.

Chen Jizhou also wanted to say something to her.

It's okay if you don't love me.

He said, "You must take good care of yourself."

Chen Jizhou told her, "No matter where you go in the future, you must put your feelings first, okay?"

Jiang Meng nodded, "I will."

That night, they went home together.

They repeated something they had been doing for over a decade.

She never imagined that something like this would make her uneasy, in pain, and heartbroken, making her want to stop and halt her progress.

But there are always forks in the road ahead.

She thought he was a perfect friend.

Few people could make Jiang Meng feel completely relaxed, but Chen Jizhou was one of them. In front of him, she didn't need to weigh her thoughts; she could speak her mind freely, and she didn't need to force a smile in hopes of receiving praise.

Because I know that I won't be abandoned even if I don't try to please others.

Once, Jiang Meng secretly wrote about her friend Chen Jizhou in an essay. She was in a hurry, so she paused for less than two seconds after the word "like" before quickly filling in the blank with the word "home." Subconsciously, she described this feeling as a kind of home.

Although when I looked back at it later, I was somewhat shocked and disdainful.

A place to belong and home are not the same thing.

It would make her abandon all thoughts of right and wrong, and follow him blindly regardless of everything.

More importantly, it doesn't matter if she doesn't follow; she simply exists and will naturally receive a warm embrace.

Over the long years, countless times.

-

It rained during the college entrance exam, and the sun only managed to come out a little on the last day.

On the night it ended, someone tore up books, and the atmosphere in the teaching building became a complete mess.

Jiang Meng ate her meal slowly and leisurely before returning to her class.

When she returned, the setting sun was faintly visible in the long corridor.

Jiang Meng walked towards the classroom when the class monitor came from the opposite direction: "Song Zixuan, are you still tidying up the classroom?"

Song Zixuan doesn't need to take the college entrance exam, but he came over to say goodbye to everyone.

He didn't answer her question, but pointed to the classroom door: "There's a gift for you."

Jiang Meng asked curiously, "Did you give it to me?"

"No." He thought for a moment, wondering how to explain it. "Never mind," he said, "go in and see for yourself."

Jiang Meng quickly pushed open the classroom door and entered.

She entered through the back door.

The classroom was empty at the moment, so from where she stood, she could see this scene—

Torn books were scattered all over the floor, and the blackboard was covered with messy signatures. The classroom, which had darkened with the rising sun, resembled a chaotic battlefield.

And in the center of the station.

On the podium, there was a pair of high heels and a rose.

It's Jimmy Choo's crystal shoes.

The shoes were safely placed in a transparent acrylic box, illuminated by beautiful string lights, shimmering with tiny silver sparkles, like stars, like diamonds, like the glow of hope.

It is serene and beautiful, yet out of place.

He made the string lights himself, and her name was written on the rose ribbon.

Jiang Meng, who is still young, can't hold onto anything: the starry sky of her childhood, her parents' love, or a family that is struggling to survive.

She grew haphazardly in a web of pain, confusion, and inescapable torment, ultimately sinking into a mundane existence.

But someone will bring hope.

Bring her hope and tell her that the wind, snow, and prison will all go away.

Her crystal shoe sat there, like a solid mountain.

It became the only trophy of this chaotic youth.

It belongs to her, unwaveringly, from this day forward.

Jiang Meng dialed Chen Jizhou's number.

Before the call connected, a premonition arose in her mind, and she walked to the window.

Chen Jizhou, who had been walking forward with his back turned, turned around at that moment as if by telepathy.

He looked up at her classroom window and at the girl inside.

Chen Jizhou chuckled into the phone and said, "We already have a pumpkin carriage, how can we not have glass slippers?"

Jiang Meng looked down and saw the square still bustling with people. The crowd was moving outwards, but he was the only one with his back to everyone, looking up at her. Among the new camphor leaves, his curved eyes sparkled, brighter than stars, diamonds, and brilliance combined.

"This is a coming-of-age gift for you; may you find your prince soon."

In Jiang Meng's endless silence, he lowered his voice again: "It's okay if you can't find it. I hope you're happy and free."

Chen Jizhou hung up the phone, and in the last rays of the setting sun, he pressed his hand to his heart and bowed deeply to her, a gesture of great solemnity, much like an elegant farewell.

This is said to be a medieval knightly salute.

Everyone wished her success in the exam and a bright future.

Chen Jizhou would never say such a thing.

All he would say was, "You should be happy, you should be free."

Jiang Meng, of course you have the right to live within the rules. Of course you can study hard, strive to become a superior person, and continue to work towards being number one.

But I hope you will take good care of yourself.

It's okay if you don't aim for higher places; you can go left or right. I believe that no matter which path you choose, it will lead to a better life.

The last old leaf was blown off that night.

Summer is coming.

Chen Jizhou started school very early, leaving Pingjiang half a month in advance.

That day, Jiang Meng was going to attend her graduation ceremony.

The first thing she did when she woke up was to check his flight information; he was scheduled to take off in forty minutes.

Jiang Meng, dressed in her beautiful uniform, walked from home to school. This short journey was filled with subtle signs of her growth.

But it was something she had never noticed before.

She passed through the South Third District where she had lived during her childhood.

When he was in third grade, the school required students to do a group dance. He secretly ran to the front row to hold her hand and practiced dancing with her. It was under the wisteria trellis at his grandfather's house. Her shoes got dirty from being stepped on, and she sat there crying, feeling wronged. He awkwardly circled around her a few times, embarrassed, and wiped away her tears, saying, "I'm sorry, I was just a little nervous."

She boarded bus number 48.

In her third year of junior high, she fell and broke her leg, unable to walk. Not wanting help from unfamiliar male classmates, he waited for her outside her classroom every day after school. On the bus, she would listen to music with her earphones in, and he would share one with her. After getting off the bus, he would carry her through the streets and alleys. She asked if his phone was charged, saying she wanted to listen to more music. He didn't give her his phone, but instead sang for her. In the alley at night, she listened to him sing "Red Bean." He didn't sing about the gentle flow of water; she only heard that everything has an end.

She passed by a street full of locust trees.

That spring, she said she wanted to smell the scent of locust trees. He said, "Sure, I'll pick some for you." The boy rode his bike, raised his hand, and touched the leaves with his long, slender fingers. The bicycle wheels rolled, and the flowers and leaves slid past his fingertips like water. Everything flowed forward in a rush. The locust trees shattered, and the sunlight shattered too. He stopped right in front of her, stretched out his palm, and playfully threw a handful of locust leaves at her face, asking with a mischievous smile, "What does it smell like?" Jiang Meng wrinkled her nose, shook off the petals, and chased after him. He escaped easily, rode away, and looked back at her, his smile unchanged. The wind took shape on the hem of his school uniform, on the tips of his hair, and on his back.

She was reciting as he took off.

In your youth, you were but a fleeting shadow.

Youth is a book that is written too hastily.

She walked out of the auditorium, looked up at the sky, and pondered quietly.

Which year was it?

Kite flying competition for primary school students.

Her kite was ruined by several boys, and Chen Jizhou stood up for her.

Where does he get any competitive spirit?

In his life, he never had anything he wanted or didn't want, and the gain or loss of any person or thing would never pose a threat to Chen Jizhou.

But he will help Jiang Meng get what she wants.

Jiang Meng wanted to be number one, so he took number one.

She stood on the green field wiping away tears, and through those tears she saw a kite soaring in the air.

She heard a little boy calling her name from not far away.

"Jiang Meng, look, I've flown it! This is the kite I flew for you! Look! Quick! Look!"

She rubbed her eyes and looked up, seeing huge marker writing on the kite.

"Jiang Meng's Kite," "Happy!", "You're number one," "Don't be sad," followed by a cute emoji that was either crying or laughing. She judged it to be laughing, because he always hoped she could be happier.

He put his hands on his hips, looked at her, and smiled, "Let them be furious."

The teachers nearby whispered among themselves: "Wow, he's so young, and he already knows how to pick up girls."

Yes, he was so romantic, so passionate, so unique.

She was looking at the same sky.

Ten years have passed since the kite flew away.

The plane took off, piercing through the clouds and leaving a straight contrail heading south towards the end of the Asian continent.

When Jiang Meng was little, she traveled to Australia and transited through Changi Airport.

Singapore is like a giant transit hub; some people stop there, and some people stay.

The plane will return, bringing with it the scent of the sea breeze that permeates the island, and fresh travelers and wanderers, but it cannot take back those who went there and stayed.

She will never see her best friend again.

The boy who grew up with her left, taking a piece of her soul with him.

A's paper airplane was opened by her at the end of that summer. Before she went to Ningcheng to study, Jiang Meng imagined many possibilities: what would he write?

It might be an apology letter.

It might be a farewell letter.

It might be a letter of blessing.

She made a lot of mental preparations.

If it were an apology, she would say:

"It's okay, it's been so long, I forgive you for breaking your promise."

If it were a farewell, she would say:

Goodbye, I had a great time being your friend.

If it were a blessing, she would say:

"Thank you, I will definitely have a bright future."

Jiang Meng comforted herself and made herself very open-minded.

But when she unfolded the entire sheet of paper, there was no long explanation or apology as she had imagined.

The paper was unexpectedly simple and empty.

A few simple words, hidden between the folds of her hair, are now laid out in this most intense summer, leaving her mind blank and rendering all her prepared answers useless.

Because the other party doesn't expect a response.

The handwriting of a young person is like the first hint of green on a branch at the turn of winter and spring, spreading and growing from her heart.

I will always love you.

——Friend A"

(End of Volume 1)