Chapter 37 The Little Fish Blows Out Three Bubbles

Jiang Meng woke up before her alarm clock.

Summer days dawn early, and the morning light shone directly on her eyelids.

I heard a "thud" and the watch that I had been holding loosely all night slid down the edge of the bed and fell to the floor.

Jiang Meng woke up with a start and leaned over the edge of the bed to see what it was.

A men's black mechanical watch lay on the ground.

She quickly bent down and picked it up, checked it to make sure it wasn't broken, and put it in the still-open drawer. She glanced at the time; it was only a little past six.

She couldn't sleep, so she got up, washed up, and prepared to go to work.

Jiang Meng was brushing her teeth with a headband on when she noticed a bump on her forehead.

Oh my god, it's swollen up.

Yesterday at the basketball court, a ball flew straight into Jiang Meng's face. It was hit by a girl from next door. The girl apologized immediately, and Jiang Meng didn't take it seriously. She only felt a dull pain from the impact and said a few words that she was fine while covering her head.

The pain will subside.

I didn't expect it to be so powerful! It's a huge bag, and it really ruins a beautiful woman's image!

Jiang Meng quickly rummaged through the medicine box, found a tube of Yunnan Baiyao, and applied some to her forehead.

While waiting at a red light, Jiang Meng checked Chen Jizhou's WeChat Moments again. Although he didn't post anything, he would update a background image every day.

He would take a picture of the first cloud he saw every morning when he woke up, and draw cute, simple emoticons on it.

Today's cloud is a big one, which he drew as a small fish, with three small cloud clusters floating beside it, and three circles that become the bubbles blown out by the little fish.

He always had many whimsical ideas, finding little moments of romance in the midst of a serious and boring life. Perhaps this is what they call an interesting soul, far removed from the mundane, overworked atmosphere of her class.

Jiang Meng's lips curved into an unintentional smile.

She would occasionally click into his WeChat Moments to see what his world was like, the first cloud that rose every morning.

Jiang Meng looked up and, sure enough, saw the little fish blowing three bubbles in the colorful morning glow.

They can look up at the same sky again.

Jiang Meng swiped her card and entered the student affairs office of the School of Telecommunications. Several students and teachers were handling their affairs. As she sat down, she took out a mirror to look at her wound, and heard Yan Yuqing and Liang Shanshan talking beside her.

Yan Yuqing said, "There's some kind of show at the aquarium on Thursday, do you want to go see it?"

Liang Shanshan: "I saw it. Isn't that a Children's Day event? Why did you go and join in the fun? You're old enough to have a child."

"..." Yan Yuqing turned to Jiang Meng with a black line on her face, "Listen to what she's saying."

"I heard that," Jiang Meng said absentmindedly, still worried about her ruined appearance, after applying some more Yunnan Baiyao. "She said you're old enough to have a child."

Yan Yuqing was about to throw a tantrum: "What's wrong with that? Does being thirty mean you don't have the right to celebrate Children's Day anymore!"

Jiang Meng paused, twisted the medicine tube shut, and looked at Yan Yuqing: "What kind of activity is it?"

“This is it, it looks pretty lively,” Yan Yuqing handed her her phone to show her, “These tickets are hard to come by.”

Jiang Meng glanced at it and saw that it was a market event by the sea. The market itself was free, but there were also some aquarium shows and tours, including sailing experiences, which were sold as package tickets.

She asked, "How many tickets do you want to buy?"

Yan Yuqing said, "I want to go, but I don't know if Shanshan is going. What about you?"

Jiang Meng nodded: "Go."

"Quick, tickets go on sale at 10, let's grab them together."

Jiang Meng then turned on her phone.

She suddenly discovered that Chen Jizhou had sent her a message.

Jiang Meng was startled and immediately clicked on it.

Chen Jizhou only sent one punctuation mark: "?".

Jiang Meng realized that when she had double-clicked his profile picture while stalking his Moments, her empty chat box must have appeared on his end because of the "tap" function.

This is terrible.

The worst fears have come true...

On the bright side, it's good that it was Chen Jizhou, not her boss.

Try to come up with some excuse.

Jiang Meng glanced at the mirror that hadn't been put away yet, took a picture of the wound on her forehead, and sent it to him.

Jiang Meng: "A glorious injury sustained on the court"

After a while, Chen Jizhou asked, "Who did it?"

This tone...

Jiang Meng grinned and typed: What's up? Are you going to help me get revenge?

After typing it, she deleted it.

Forget it, they're not suited to say things like that anymore.

Jiang Meng truthfully confessed: "They're from the venue next door, I don't know them."

Jiang Meng: "But it was an accident."

Chen Jizhou typed for a while, feeling he could write a short essay, but all he sent back were a few words: "Apply some medicine, it's not serious."

Jiang Meng: "Yes, I've already applied it."

She asked again, "Are you coming again?"

Just in case he misunderstands, Jiang Meng added, "I'm practicing my high clear, but Brother Qi isn't teaching me very well."

Chen Jizhou: "You can have Xu Fang give you guidance, he's the tallest one."

Jiang Meng had seen Xu Fang play basketball before; he was ruthless and didn't talk much, and was their team's number two warrior.

Jiang Meng: "Mmm"

Chen Jizhou didn't reply.

She reassured herself, "He's probably busy early in the morning."

Jiang Meng was still conflicted and needed to talk to someone, so she moved her chair next to Yan Yuqing and asked her in a low voice, "Do you have any friends who you used to be very close to but have lost contact with since?"

“There are many,” Yan Yuqing looked at her. “What’s wrong? Missing your old friends?”

Jiang Meng nodded quickly.

Yan Yuqing was silent for a while, recalling her past experiences: "I used to be quite internally conflicted too, but it got better later. To say I've forgotten is an exaggeration. When I'm walking in a city and think about what we went through together, it still hurts a lot. We used to be so close, why did you just disappear like that? The withdrawal period was too long, and it's hard to recover. But have you ever heard the saying? A few moments between people are enough. Even if you can't recover, you should try."

Jiang Meng listened and nodded in agreement.

After listening, she said with a hint of regret, "If I wanted to try to keep you, do you think the chances of success are high?"

Yan Yuqing: "I tried, but I couldn't go back. In the end, I just gave up. It was just that our fate had run its course. There's no need to force it."

Jiang Meng took a deep breath, letting out a suppressed feeling: "That's too heartbreaking."

Yan Yuqing changed the subject: "But if the person you want to win back is your ex-husband who is so handsome he doesn't seem like a real person, I'll be the first to support you."

Jiang Meng: "...?"

Before she could finish speaking, her superior knocked on the door: "Xiao Yan, come over for a meeting."

Okay.

Yan Yuqing put down the cup and quickly went out.

Jiang Meng opened her phone again.

Chen Jizhou didn't reply to her as expected.

However, there was some activity in the badminton players' group.

Fearing it would affect her work, she usually muted this group. The last message displayed in the chat window was a reply from Chen Jizhou.

A perennial lurker has suddenly surfaced.

Jiang Meng had to click in and take a look.

Shen Shuhuai asked, "My company gave us two tickets to an event for Children's Day, to the aquarium. Anyone want them?"

Chen Jizhou: "I want two."

Qi Yunqing: "Let's join in the Children's Day activities! Which pretty girl are you taking along?"

Chen Jizhou: "My mind is full of beautiful women."

This is what she saw after clicking in, and then Qi Yunqing replied with an innocent emoji.

Children's Day activities.

He couldn't possibly be going with a guy, could he? Does he have someone he likes? Or is he pursuing someone?

Jiang Meng felt regretful again.

After Chen Jizhou left, she stopped celebrating Children's Day. She went out to play for the first few years, but it was boring; doing anything with anyone was boring. It seemed she had truly passed the age of initial excitement.

She has grown up.

Jiang Meng received several documents from class officers. While organizing the materials, she heard Yan Yuqing come in and say, "Don't think I'm being love-struck. Strictly speaking, the only people who can accompany you for a lifetime are your partner and your children. Even your partner isn't guaranteed; you can get divorced after marriage. But your children won't. They'll have to officiate at your funeral."

...The more they talk, the more absurd it becomes.

Jiang Meng pulled her chair forward, preparing for the task: "Actually, you don't know anything about palmistry. You must have been sent by the baby-making office, right? You can't stop talking about having children."

Jiang Meng, who had been praising the sorceress, finally couldn't take it anymore and showed a "I don't believe you" expression.

Yan Yuqing slammed her fist on the table. "This is outrageous!"

-

Children's Day is on Thursday, a workday.

Jiang Meng went with the two of them after work, and the event lasted from dawn to dusk.

However, summer nights fall late, and when they entered the Fun Market, the sun was still high in the west.

While Yan Yuqing and Liang Shanshan were picking out gifts at the seaside market, Jiang Meng absentmindedly glanced into the crowd.

She thought she was being nonchalant, but both of her friends could tell she wasn't really thinking about it. Liang Shanshan put a cute headband on her head and asked, "Are you waiting for someone?"

As she said this, Jiang Meng saw Chen Jizhou.

She recognized him, her eyes lit up, but...

Why is he holding a child?

Jiang Meng hesitated for a moment as she prepared to step forward and say hello.

Does he really have a child?

Yan Yuqing, this charlatan, actually has some skill.

Did he secretly get married without telling anyone?

Jiang Meng hesitated for a few seconds, but decided to go and check it out. She smiled at the two of them and said, "I saw an acquaintance, so I'll go say hello. You guys have fun, don't wait for me tonight."

Jiang Meng waved and ran off quickly.

Chen Jizhou had just parked his car and was coming from the entrance.

He was tall and had a good physique, making him very conspicuous in the crowd. Sunglasses perched on his high nose bridge concealed the roguishness in his eyes. His clean, short hair made him look bright and clean. He wore a black shirt with the cuffs rolled up, revealing his strong arms. A four or five-year-old girl sat on his arm; the short-haired child only showed Jiang Meng the back of her head.

Chen Jizhou stood unhurriedly in front of a bustling stall, waiting for the crowd to disperse and for a space to be made before he went over and exchanged a few words with the child in his arms.

He has a superior appearance and physique, and can switch freely between a vibrant, athletic state and an unintentionally revealed elite temperament.

At this moment, he exudes the air of a nonchalant young master.

It looks like he could catch ten beautiful women in one night.

However, it didn't seem quite in harmony with the presence of the child in his arms.

That stall sells merchandise featuring popular anime characters.

Chen Jizhou lowered his head slightly and looked at each of the little girl's fingers as she pointed east and west.

Jiang Meng urgently opened her phone and asked Su Yu, "Chen Jizhou has a child?"

The top student occasionally takes a break to play on his phone, and surprisingly replied instantly: "Yeah, maybe she had a few babies in Vancouver, since school is so boring."

Jiang Meng: "...He's in Toronto."

Su Yu: "I did it on purpose, haha. This is called 'read and reply randomly,' a joke I just learned."

Su Yu: "Isn't it funny?"

Su Yu sent an awkward kitten emoji.

Jiang Meng: "You're the funniest."

Su Yu: "To be honest, although I haven't heard any news about him getting married and having children, it's not impossible for him to have a secret marriage and children. Of course, there's also a certain probability of him having children out of wedlock. However, based on what I saw of him last year, he doesn't seem to have the demeanor of a father yet."

Jiang Meng glanced at Chen Jizhou holding the child and replied, "Actually, there are quite a few."

As Jiang Meng approached, a woman stepped in between them. She looked at Chen Jizhou, seemingly trying to strike up a conversation or something else, and suddenly said to him, "You can't hold a child like that all the time. He's not a little kid anymore. It's not good to spoil him."

Chen Jizhou didn't look at the other person, but continued to look at the surroundings, and smiled faintly: "Is that so?"

He then glanced at the child in his arms.

Wang Runying licked her ice cream and said matter-of-factly, "I can't walk anymore."

Chen Jizhou's smile deepened, and he looked at the stranger who had given him pointers, giving him a "did you hear that?" look: "She said she can't walk."

Then I continued to hold him.

"..."

The woman shook her head: She's definitely been spoiled.

He picked up a badge, not the one he'd chosen for Wang Runying. Through the lenses of his sunglasses, which softened the colors, Chen Jizhou stared at it silently for a few seconds. His fingertip brushed against it, the metal reflecting light, and memories flowed back along the straight line of light for a moment.

The perceptive children had already recognized it: "It's Kidd."

Wang Runying stopped licking her ice cream. She stretched out her cute finger and pointed at Chen Jizhou's hand, "Uncle's hand—mmm!"

Chen Jizhou stuffed the ice cream into her mouth.

Someone is coming.

Chen Jizhou immediately looked at the bump on Jiang Meng's forehead.

Fortunately, it wasn't serious and it's almost gone.

Then, he looked at her smiling eyes, and his brow relaxed slightly.

Sunglasses are a good thing; they can reduce the urge to rush out into the world without any cover, and the uncontrollable worry, concern, or love.

Jiang Meng wore light makeup today.

She doesn't need heavy makeup, because her natural beauty is already striking enough; she's most beautiful this way, exuding tenderness and sexiness in the night, and playfulness and liveliness in the sunlight.

A long, strappy dress perfect for a leisurely stroll, in a fresh and elegant light green.

She herself was like a flower blooming among forest plants covered in dew.

Combined with a smile where the corners of her mouth and eyes curve to the perfect angle, she looks remarkably like she did in her teenage years.

Jiang Meng lowered her head slightly, bypassing the child's blind spot, and said in a light voice, "We meet again, Chen Jizhou."

Wang Runying echoed, "We meet again, Chen Jizhou."

Just as he was about to respond to Jiang Meng, a defiant voice came from beside him. He glanced at the person in his arms and said, "Is Chen Jizhou someone you can call me?"

Jiang Meng raised an eyebrow: "Your daughter?"

He put the smack back and introduced, "My cousin's child, Wang Runying."

Jiang Meng suddenly exclaimed "Oh!"

She knew her cousin, and she knew most of Chen Jizhou's relatives. She even received an invitation to her cousin's wedding, but she was studying in another city at the time and missed it. Counting the wedding time, it was about the same. The children are growing up so fast that she was almost sighing like a middle-aged person: "They're all so big now."

Chen Jizhou then said to Wang Runying, "Call her aunt."

Wang Runying didn't call out, but turned to look at Jiang Meng and posed a difficult question to her, her voice sweet: "Is Auntie Uncle's wife?"

Jiang Meng's smile froze on the spot. She cleared her throat and carefully explained the complicated family relationships to the child: "Auntie is Uncle's sister, and Auntie is Uncle's wife."

“Oh,” Wang Runying nodded, indicating that she understood, then gave a sly smile, “Auntie.”

"..."

Chen Jizhou paused for a moment, frowned as he looked at the little girl with a serious expression that said, "I'm about to get angry," and called her in a low voice, "Wang Runying."

He felt a little embarrassed and glanced at Jiang Meng beside him.

Knowing Jiang Meng as he did, Chen Jizhou knew she would run away in a fit of rage. But she didn't run away; instead, she was smiling.

When she met his gaze, Jiang Meng casually looked away with a smile.