New Life
The end of the year is approaching, and the two-week winter vacation will arrive as scheduled.
Goujuanji learned lip reading by trial and error from autumn to winter, and even went to the bookstore to look through specialized books, but he always felt that something was missing.
He was afraid that when he really showed it to Hinata Aoi, he would make a mistake and fail to express what the girl wanted to say, thus disappointing her.
However, the more you use a skill, the more proficient you become. There is no standard to measure what level of proficiency is considered true.
He was also extremely anxious. If he continued to practice like this without getting any positive feedback, he would eventually drive himself crazy.
Inujuki Satoru suppressed the urge to talk to Hinata Aoi and endured it until the New Year.
When cleaning, I was absent-mindedly wondering how to take the first step. When watching the Red and White Songs Festival, I stared at the host's mouth to see his lip movements, and I wanted to get into the TV and slap the microphone that was blocking my mouth.
Seeing their son staring at the TV intently, Goujuan and his wife thought he had started to become a fan like others.
That star wasn't a big name and only appeared for a few seconds at the Red and White Songs Contest. If you didn't look carefully, you would definitely miss it.
In the end, there was nothing that could make Goujuanji particularly excited. He kept looking nervous, and when he got tired of watching, he even rubbed his eyes to relax.
"Haha, if you don't know, you would think Ji is having some show on the stage~" Goujuan's father teased with a smile, making his wife laugh, and she received a gentle pat on the back from Goujuan's mother.
"What are you talking about? Hahaha..."
Goujuan's mother laughed so hard that tears came out of her eyes, but she already knew in her heart why Goujuan Ji behaved like that.
No one knows a son better than his mother. Gojuan Ji never told her explicitly, but she also discovered that her son was learning lip reading, and it was for that girl.
The girl who was kidnapped by her own son and made her son try hard to make friends afterwards.
They are not just ordinary friends. Judging from Goujuan’s attitude, he will not stop until they become his best friends.
Haibara Yu never told the Inuju couple about Hinata Aoi's ability. After hearing Haibara say that it was a secret, Inuju Satoru kept his mouth shut and never mentioned it to anyone, not even his biological parents.
So Goujuan's mother didn't know that Goujuan Ji had caused the girl to be kidnapped again, and she was saved by the girl's ability and escaped death.
But this does not prevent Gojumaki's mother from believing that Hinata Aoi is the lucky star of their family.
Hinata Aoi had already helped her family a lot without her knowledge.
It was because of Hinata Aoi that Haibara Yu was able to rush to the scene with his companions so quickly and save the two children.
Especially now that Goujuanji is becoming more and more cheerful, her mother is very grateful to her.
It’s not that Goujuan’s mother hasn’t been worried.
Goujuanji's attitude towards the girl was as if he was holding on to a life-saving straw. He didn't know when to relax, was unwilling to let go, and didn't want to spend time looking for other straws. He only held on to this one.
Adults all understand the principle of "don't put all your eggs in one basket". The risk is very high and there is a high possibility of getting nothing in the end.
But even if the children know, they are unlikely to use it, especially Goujuanji, who is particularly pure and cherishing in this regard. Once he makes up his mind, he will bury his head in pursuing what he wants, and may not let go until he is hurt.
Fortunately, both of them are very good children.
Goujuan's mother often went to observe Hinata Aoi on Parents' Day, and was captivated by her indifference and tranquility at first sight.
This kind of child seems to have principles and is organized in everything he does. If Goujuanji really has any friction with this girl, it would probably be Goujuan's fault. He doesn't even realize that he has done something to make her unhappy.
The more Goujuan's mother looked at Hinata Aoi, the more she liked her. When she was pregnant with Goujuan, she thought she was carrying a daughter. She was also injured when giving birth to Goujuan, so she couldn't have both a son and a daughter.
It’s really hard not to be moved when seeing such a cute and delicate girl nowadays.
And that's what children's friendships are like; little fights are normal. Whether they're happy and joyful, or embarrassing and sad, they're all precious memories, and Inuju finally had a normal childhood.
As long as my son is happy, let him do whatever he wants. Enjoy life in time so that this encounter will not be in vain.
The next day, Goumaki's family braved the cold wind to visit the shrine.
There were many people along the way, including many families wearing kimonos. The crowds created a sense of warmth, and gathering at the shrine with carved beams and painted buildings gave people a sense of peace and prosperity for the New Year.
Line up at Goujuan's, throw coins into the wooden box, put your hands together and make a New Year wish.
The coins made a dull sound as they hit the wood. Goujuan's father prayed for a promotion and a raise to provide a better material foundation for his family; Goujuan's mother prayed for the family's good health and the children's happy growth; Goujuan Ji also prayed for his parents to have everything go well, and at the same time prayed to the gods for the smooth progress of "lip reading".
Some of the pressure of the new year was shared by the gods, and everyone's steps became lighter.
The next step is to draw fortune sticks. The Goujuan family doesn’t usually have this hobby. They only come to worship during the Chinese New Year. Everyone draws one to pray for good luck.
After washing his hands carefully with spring water and drawing the lot based on his feeling, Gojumaki was particularly pious this year. He regarded the lot as the response of the gods to his wish.
If you draw an unlucky lot, you must quickly tie it to a tree branch and keep the bad luck for the year in the temple for purification.
Goujuan's family is very lucky. Both his father and mother got medium luck, and Goujuan got very lucky.
He didn’t have a clear wish in his mind before, so he wasn’t very happy about drawing such a good fortune. However, his parents were happier than he was when they saw him draw such a good fortune.
This year he really wants God to show His power and bless him with everything going well.
He was very excited to get the lucky dog Juanji, and he specially asked for an amulet, hoping to double his luck and hope that the gods would give him extra care.
On the way back, Goujuan held the neatly folded fortune sticks and amulets tightly, and decided to talk to Hinata Aoi after the winter vacation.
The students enjoyed the two-week vacation very much, only Goujuan wanted to set the clock forward so that he could meet Hinata Aoi earlier.
On the first day of school, Goujuan Ji couldn't help getting nervous when he thought about what he was going to do today, and he spent the whole day trying to calm his heart which was beating too fast.
Ueno Naoka was chatting with Kawai next to Goujuan. She glanced at Goujuan, raised her voice, and pretended to casually reveal that she had accidentally met Hinata Aoi who was waiting for someone while visiting the shrine.
The girl was wearing a light pink kimono with a darker belt of the same color tied around her waist. The hem and sleeves of the kimono were decorated with bright forsythia flowers, which echoed the color of her eyes that sparkled with tiny glimmers.
The long, smooth black hair was braided into a bun behind her head by some skillful pair of hands, and pinned on her hair in order from large to small were a bunch of gorgeous pink platycodon flowers.
Her fair and tender face does not need any makeup to support this set of clothes that are just right in terms of complexity and simplicity. Her whole body exudes refinement, a beauty that has been carefully nurtured.
Hinata Aoi was wearing wooden clogs, standing slightly staggered, looking at the sky. Her calm face highlighted the tranquility beneath the grandeur.
The playful colors make her look like a noble lady going out for a parade.
Ueno Naoka, who also came to the shrine in a kimono, was not at all jealous of the contrast. She just exclaimed that it was so beautiful. She had seen Hinata Aoi's countless sets of private clothes, but none of them were as stunning as this formal dress.
At that time, I only regretted that I didn’t have a mobile phone so that I could take a few sneak shots and save them to enjoy them slowly.
When he heard that the name of the shrine Ueno mentioned was the same one he went to, Goumaki Tsutomu couldn't help but envy Ueno a little, but the next second he remembered that Hinata Aoi was afraid of the cold, and he worried about whether she was dressed enough and whether she had kept warm.
On second thought, the visit to the shrine was long over, and the luck that the gods could give him was limited. He could be greedy but not too greedy. The most important thing was to ensure the success of today's plan!
After school, Inumaki Tsuchiya did not go to the training camp early as usual. Instead, he waited anxiously in the classroom for Hinata Aoi to come back from playing volleyball and pick up her schoolbag.
He couldn't sit still, so he stood up to help with the duty and sent the students on duty away as soon as possible. He had no intention of doing his homework. He stared at the second hand, pressed his right hand on the fortune stick and amulet in his pocket through the cloth, praying for blessings, and continued to wait for Hinata Aoi to come back.
Hinata Aoi hadn't been playing volleyball for long. She was standing against the wall of the gymnasium with her volleyball in her arms, head bowed like a sculpture.
She was given a note by Goujuanji, knowing that he was waiting for her in the classroom.
This is also part of the Goujuan plan.
If she hadn't slipped the note, Hinata Aoi could have pretended not to notice Gojuan's unusual behavior today and left quietly. But if Hinata Aoi left after getting the note, she would have been a deserter, standing him up.
This note is like a precise warning letter sent by Kaito Kid. Once you receive it, it will be like a hot potato. You know something is going to happen and you have to respond.
If you stick your head out, you will be cut by the sword; if you keep your head down, you will also be cut by the sword. It will not happen today, but tomorrow.
Hinata Aoi walked back to the classroom with her head held high, opened the door, put the volleyball back into the locker under the watchful eye of Goju Saki who was following her closely, and sat back in her seat. Just as she was about to raise her hand to sign, Gojuan pressed her wrist to stop her.
His excited mind went blank, and he forgot that he had prepared for a long time and revised several versions of his opening remarks. The undeniable look in his eyes said, "Speak, I can understand."
Before the two of them could communicate with each other through lip language, Inumaki Satoru had already learned to communicate with Hinata Aoi through eye contact without any instruction.
Hinata Aoi pursed her rosy lips awkwardly, and then realized that Inumaki Saki was staring at her mouth meticulously. She quickly stopped moving her mouth, and was stiff, not knowing what to do.
Most of her few moments of panic were directed at Gojuan Ji.
After a long time, the girl didn't speak. Inujuan Ji's hand, which was pressing on Hinata Aoi's wrist, slid down and wrapped around Hinata Aoi's clenched fist, and gently squeezed it to urge her.
Hinata Aoi was surprised by this intimate behavior and instantly became even stiffer.
When he realized what he had done, Gojuan Ji was so scared and embarrassed that his ears turned red. He quickly let go of his hand and leaned back, but the chair legs could not keep up with the speed of his retreat and he almost fell off the chair.
Goujuan grabbed the back of the chair to steady himself, and looked back shyly but stubbornly, wanting Hinata Aoi to "speak".
Hinata Aoi withdrew her hand that was helping him to stabilize, feeling relieved of some of the burden she had on her shoulders after this incident.
She originally thought that she was the only one who was at a loss, but she didn't expect that Goujuan was even more flustered than her.
But she didn't know what to say.
Gently opening and closing her lips, Hinata Aoi uttered Inumaki Saki's name:
"い, め, ま, き, と, げ"
She even unconsciously slowed down her lip movements, as if she was afraid that the person she was talking to wouldn't understand what she was saying.
Goujuanji's pupils shrank slightly, and his body, which had been bent over to read the lip shape, straightened up.
He understood what Hinata Aoi was saying.
It would be foolish not to understand this.
He started by practicing with his own name and common expressions like "hello" and "thank you".
But he didn't expect that the first word Hinata Aoi said would be his name.
Goujuan turned his gaze back to the girl's face and found that her eyes were lowered, not looking at him, and her cheeks were slightly flushed.
His heart beat faster, his blood rushed and boiled in his body, and his sweaty palms felt numb again.
In the silence, Hinata Aoi finally gave in. She covered her eyes with her hands and looked away completely, saying:
"Stop that, okay?"
Goujuanji finally regained consciousness, pulled down his mask, opened and closed his mouth a few times, and managed to find a way to speak again. His weak voice was hoarse:
"Feel sorry."
I'm sorry all the time, and this time too.
"I want to tell you more."
So I'm sorry, can you forgive me?
Goujuanji's uneasiness subsided, and he confirmed that his words had really lost their power and only served to express his thoughts.
He reached out and pulled down Hinata Aoi's hand that was covering her face, holding it in his palm, revealing Hinata Aoi's moist eyes, which made the gold in them appear even richer.
There was a hint of thirst hidden in the slightly trembling voice, and he spoke like coaxing a child:
"Come."
"Can you say a few more words?"
I can "hear" it all.
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