Wanqiu's joy lasted for a long time.
He seems to have gotten used to occasionally expressing his happiness.
Whenever he's happy, it seems like everyone around him is a little happier.
This made Wanqiu very certain that happiness was contagious.
It wasn't until just before going to sleep that Wanqiu remembered something important.
Wan Qiu knocked on Chu Yigui's door.
Chu Yigui opened the door very quickly today. Wan Qiu looked up at her tall younger brother.
"I thought you wouldn't contact me again today." Chu Yigui smiled faintly, without any sign of excessive joy or displeasure, but rather calmly, as if she were waiting for him.
"Does my younger brother know I'm coming?"
Chu Yigui replied, "Mm."
Chu Yigui is really amazing; Wan Qiu would make this remark every now and then.
Wan Qiu asked, "Little brother, do you attend extracurricular classes?"
"Hmm." Chu Yigui had attended many extracurricular classes, and the teacher who had been teaching her during the holidays was hers.
Why go?
In that instant, Chu Yigui almost understood what Wan Qiu was thinking about, amidst his hesitation, doubts, and cautious probing.
"Is your brother planning to attend extracurricular classes? Is it because of your older brother's request?" Chu Yigui asked.
Wan Qiu nodded, but then shook his head.
Chu Yigui understood: "It was my elder brother's request, but does he want to go himself?"
Wan Qiu simply nodded this time.
Is that really the case?
Chu Yigui unconsciously squinted her eyes.
For Chu Zhang, it was probably to cultivate Wan Qiu's interests and hobbies, or perhaps he received help from a psychologist.
Chu Zhang must have intended to help Wan Qiu make friends.
But Chu Yigui didn't think it was a good thing to let Wanqiu come into contact with the outside world right now.
At a time when Wanqiu's understanding of the world is still superficial, any friend could have a different influence on him.
Wanqiu, who doesn't know how to refuse and can be easily controlled, is extremely dangerous among her peers who are gradually forming their own ideas but haven't yet been completely bound by them.
If the malice of a young child, whose shackles are not fully tightened, is aroused by compliance, it will surely cause harm to Wanqiu.
But since Chu Zhang had already asked Wan Qiu to attend the extracurricular classes, and Wan Qiu was now asking so earnestly, his expectations had been aroused.
Those clear eyes held a joyful anticipation of new things to come, a bold and tentative exploration.
Like white fabric about to be dyed, it is only attracted by new colors.
Social interaction is unavoidable.
What can be done to prevent Wanqiu from suffering any potential harm?
Or perhaps it's something that can't be avoided no matter what you do.
A jumble of thoughts surfaced in her mind, but Chu Yigui calmed all the chaos and said, "The extracurricular classes I'm taking might be different from the ones you want, brother. Brother, do you know if you have any alternative extracurricular classes?"
Wan Qiu listed several extracurricular class options that he and Yang Ze had discussed together.
Chu Yigui thought for a moment and said, "Why does brother want to go to extracurricular classes?"
Wan Qiu truthfully replied, "My elder brother said that studying more will make me more beautiful, and I will become more pretty."
This sentence made Chu Yigui understand the difference between what Chu Zhang wanted to express and what Wan Qiu understood.
Chu Yigui explained to Wan Qiu in more detail: "Brother, perhaps what I want to tell you is that there are many kinds of beauty, and becoming beautiful is just one of them. What you truly want is what is worth striving for and learning."
Wan Qiu remembered that Yang Ze said the same thing.
My eldest brother, second brother, and younger brother all attended extracurricular classes, so those classes must have been very good.
"Does your younger brother also want to take extracurricular classes?"
However, Wan Qiu simply asked the question, hoping to get the same answer as his second brother.
When her second brother showed off the results of his extracurricular classes, Wanqiu saw confidence, strength, and focus.
It's as if you've personally written beautiful words on a clean, white notebook, transforming the empty notebook into a book that exudes a faint scent of ink and is rich in emotions and knowledge.
Surprisingly, Wanqiu's younger brother, who always answered all of his questions, did not answer him immediately this time.
Wan Qiu looked up and stared at Chu Yigui, not understanding his silence.
"I might like someone, but I haven't found someone I truly like yet." Chu Yigui wouldn't lie to Wan Qiu, and this time, he spoke the truth.
This was the first time Wan Qiu had seen Chu Yigui's confusion.
“But it’s okay, just give it a try. Even if you fail, it doesn’t matter. We’ll have many more chances to try again.” Chu Yigui bent down slightly and hooked her hand around Wan Qiu’s finger. “We can take our time to find what we like.”
Wanqiu gazed at his younger brother's handsome face, which was so close to his own. Even in his confusion, his brother still had a direction to move forward.
"Is your younger brother doing the same thing now?" Wan Qiu asked.
"Mm," Chu Yigui replied with a smile.
Wan Qiu also grasped Chu Yigui's hand: "So, will we search together?"
Chu Yigui was somewhat surprised. He touched Wan Qiu's forehead and smiled faintly, "Yes, my brother and I searched together."
Chu Yigui didn't know what she really liked.
I don't know how many experiences I need to go through before I can truly discover my own preferences.
However, the tedious and repetitive learning process seemed to be infused with a vitality called anticipation by Wanqiu.
——
Wanqiu is really looking forward to her birthday.
The concept of birthdays was gradually unearthed from the depths of my mind.
Wan Qiu never saw Wan Xiaohua celebrate her birthday, and it seems that Ning Qiaozhen and Ning Hai never celebrated their birthdays at home either. Before his death, he never left behind any memory of his birthday.
Birthdays seem to be just a word that exists in some corner of memory, and they have no meaning for Wanqiu.
Wanqiu's earliest concept of birthdays came from what her classmates told her.
"Happy birthday!"
"Holy crap, who's so mean as to send me underwear for my birthday?"
"It's my birthday today. Let's go to my house for dinner tonight."
"Birthday party! Treat everyone!"
The sounds that could be heard occasionally in the classroom made Wanqiu's concept of birthdays very vague at first.
I only vaguely remember it being a very happy day.
But Wanqiu couldn't remember how she knew the meaning of birthday.
Even after finding out, I didn't have any expectations.
Because we know it doesn't exist, and it won't exist.
During a break between classes with Jiang Chengfeng, Wan Qiu wrote the words "birthday" on her notebook.
Suddenly, Wan Qiu remembered why he understood those two words.
He once wrote an essay about his birthday.
After reading his essay, his Chinese teacher called him to the office and explained the meaning of birthday to him.
Birthday.
“It’s the day I came into this world,” Wan Qiu murmured.
"Your birthday is coming up soon," Jiang Chengfeng's voice rang out in front of Wan Qiu. The young man smiled as he looked at the bewildered boy who looked up. "Your teacher will come to celebrate your birthday with you."
Wan Qiu looked at the unfamiliar words "birthday" and asked, "What am I supposed to do?"
"You don't need to do anything. Others will celebrate your birthday," Jiang Chengfeng said with a smile. "We'll give you a gift on your birthday, so you can look forward to it."
Wanqiu is looking forward to it.
But Wanqiu didn't quite understand: "Why do we celebrate birthdays?"
Why is a birthday something to celebrate?
“Birthdays are a way for those who love you to express their gratitude for the day you were born,” Jiang Chengfeng said with a smile, comforting Wan Qiu. “It’s an expression of love.”
Wan Qiu was taken aback: "So not celebrating birthdays means you don't love me?"
"You can't say that, there are other possibilities." Jiang Chengfeng wanted to ruffle Wan Qiu's hair, but since she was just a student, he couldn't do it. He could only say, "But the person who celebrated your birthday must like you."
Wan Qiu, however, was somewhat bewildered.
Wanqiu has always believed that she grew up surrounded by love.
But why has he never celebrated his birthday?
Now that we can celebrate our birthdays again, is it because the love between us is even stronger now?
"I..." Wan Qiu wanted to say something, but swallowed his words halfway through.
He never celebrated Ning Hai's, Ning Qiaozhen's, or his grandmother's birthdays.
Was it because I didn't show love that I was abandoned?
"I also want to celebrate my parents' birthday, my older brothers, and my younger brother's birthday," Wan Qiu said.
Jiang Chengfeng smiled.
He always smiles when he sees his lovely students.
Upon meeting Wanqiu, I inexplicably felt a longing to have a child of my own.
"Then we'll have to ask Mom and Dad their birthdays and wait for the time to come," Jiang Chengfeng said.
"Can I celebrate their birthdays every day?" Wan Qiu asked.
Jiang Chengfeng was taken aback: "Why?"
"I want to tell my parents, my older brother, my younger brother and I love them every day."
The love, whispered without any concealment, is like a sweet heart-shaped cake, quietly placed in front of everyone. Just looking at it makes you feel the sweetness spreading in your mouth.
A mere touch of his finger would leave it covered in cream; he wanted to spread his love to everyone he loved without reservation.
"It's okay. Even if it's not a birthday celebration, you can still express your love." Standing next to Wan Qiu, Jiang Chengfeng felt his heart soften.
Wanqiu blinked, a hint of anticipation in her bright eyes: "Teacher, when is your birthday?"
At that moment, Jiang Chengfeng couldn't hold back.
He hugged Wanqiu.
It's so light, but I just want to hug it. Who can resist a child who is so open about their love?
"Teacher's birthday is still a long way off, but when it does happen, we will definitely call him Wanqiu."
Jiang Chengfeng suddenly felt somewhat fortunate to be a special education teacher.
He seems to have regained an unexpected passion for the profession of special education.
Yang Xiaoyu was somewhat dissatisfied with Yang Ze for telling Wan Qiu about her birthday ahead of time; she genuinely wanted to prepare a surprise for Wan Qiu.
However, after seeing Wan Qiu's positive reaction after learning about his birthday, Yang Xiaoyu felt that letting Wan Qiu know in advance might not be a bad thing.
Perhaps because she had something to look forward to, Wanqiu seemed more lively than usual.
Hearing the housekeeper's account of the conversation between Yang Ze and Wan Qiu, and knowing that it was Wan Qiu's first birthday, Yang Xiaoyu's feelings were complicated for a long time.
Wan Qiu seemed to be full of anticipation for his birthday, and this anticipation quietly infected the entire Chu family atmosphere.
Everyone was anxiously anticipating Wanqiu's birthday.
Butler Bai gave Wanqiu a calendar and drew several beautiful stars on November 4th with colored pens, teaching Wanqiu to cross out one square each day, as if counting down to her birthday.
Drawing grids one by one with a pen seemed to give Wanqiu a more tangible sense of anticipation than counting the days.
Those white, uncrossed borders, like adorable cotton candies, are being pushed little by little until Wan Qiu swallows them whole on her birthday.
Compressed marshmallows must be extra sweet.
Wanqiu tried hard to understand what was needed for celebrating a birthday.
Wan Qiu asked about the birthdays of the other family members, and Butler Bai gave him a calendar for next year, which Wan Qiu marked one by one.
But after flipping through the pages several times, Wanqiu only knew that the other people's birthdays were still a long way off.
But Wanqiu also wanted to express his love when others expressed their love to him.
It is said that on his birthday, everyone who comes to celebrate with him will give him a gift.
So giving gifts is probably a way to express affection.
Therefore, Wanqiu thought that if he wanted to express his love, it would be appropriate to give him a gift.
Wan Qiu was somewhat anxious.
Finally, at noon one day, Wanqiu found the family's housekeeper, Bai.
"You want to prepare a gift?" Butler Bai was quite surprised by Wan Qiu's idea. "Why?"
“The teacher said that giving gifts is a way to express love,” Wan Qiu said.
Butler Bai pondered for a moment: "Hmm...it might not be love, it could be affection." Or it could just be out of social etiquette.
However, after thinking about it, Butler Bai decided not to explain it so clearly.
Wanqiu could simply enjoy his first birthday in his memory without any worries.
“Yes, the process of passing on a gift is a process of conveying goodwill,” Butler Bai said to Wan Qiu with a smile.
“I also want to…” Wan Qiu said under the puzzled gaze of Butler Bai, “I also want to do good for everyone.”
Butler Bai opened his mouth, but his surprise eventually turned into a smile.
"Wanqiu, it's your birthday, and you invited them over to play and eat and drink. That's a gift. In the future, when it's their birthday, you can bring a gift and enjoy their birthday party. That's the same thing."
Wan Qiu looked up at Butler Bai and asked, "But I didn't prepare a birthday banquet for them?"
Butler Bai was taken aback.
Wan Qiu stood quietly in front of him, looking up at him.
Butler Bai thought for a moment and said to Wan Qiu, "I understand, Wan Qiu. I will discuss it with your father and mother tonight and give you an answer tomorrow, okay?"
Wan Qiu nodded.
When Yang Xiaoyu learned about this, she was also surprised: "We've already made all the preparations. Baby, all you need to do is enjoy your birthday party, right?"
Yang Xiaoyu naturally assumed that they should be the ones to do the troublesome things.
Yang, who was passing by the living room, heard the conversation and consciously stopped to listen.
"It seems that the Third Young Master feels that he also needs to do something," Butler Bai said earnestly.
"Do something?" Yang Xiaoyu frowned, clearly not thinking Wan Qiu could do anything.
Chu Jianshu, who was standing nearby, asked, "Who told him what happened?"
"It seems that the Third Young Master feels that receiving gifts requires reciprocation." Butler Bai pondered for a moment and corrected himself, "He wants to repay the person who gave him the gift."
Upon hearing this, Yang Xiaoyu suddenly laughed.
Their baby is absolutely adorable no matter what she thinks.
But Yang Xiaoyu glanced at Chu Jianshu and said, "Does this child not quite understand what birthdays are all about?"
Chu Jianshu said, "If he wants to do it, then let him prepare. After all, it's his own request."
As the group was talking, Yang suddenly appeared in the living room.
When Yang Xiaoyu saw Yang Ze, her expression was calm, though slightly less so than her previous amused expression.
"What's wrong?" Chu Jianshu asked.
"Could it be that my third brother wants to participate in the process of organizing the birthday banquet?" Yang Ze was not good at guessing Wan Qiu's thoughts, but he thought this when he heard the expectation in Wan Qiu's eyes when he heard about the first birthday banquet.
Upon hearing this, Butler Bai seemed to realize something and said, "I did say something similar to the Third Young Master. Perhaps the Third Young Master wanted to participate and provide the guests with a good mood for the banquet."
This time, Yang Xiaoyu did not refute it.
Chu Jianshu lightly tapped his knee with his fingers, seemingly also considering this possibility.
"I understand." Yang Xiaoyu accepted the suggestion. She glanced at Yang Ze seemingly casually, and continued, "Then shall I take Wanqiu out to prepare?"
Yang Xiaoyu thought about her work schedule for the next period of time.
Butler Bai thought for a moment and said, "Why don't Teacher Jiang and I take the Third Young Master there?"
Upon hearing this request, Yang Xiaoyu replied without hesitation, "No."
There was a brief pause in the air, and Chu Jianshu looked at Butler Bai, somewhat surprised by the suggestion: "Why?"
Butler Bai immediately responded, "I should be the one to organize the banquet. The master and mistress are quite busy with their work. Besides, if Teacher Jiang were to go along, it might be a good opportunity for the third young master to gain some social experience."
"Social practice?" Chu Jianshu pondered. Indeed, Wan Qiu was almost always accompanied by family members whenever she went out.
Their affection for Wanqiu stemmed entirely from instinct. It wouldn't be a bad idea to let Butler Bai and Teacher Jiang guide Wanqiu to adapt to certain things through social practice.
Should I host my own birthday party?
Although it would be troublesome, it was already a routine matter for Butler Bai. With Butler Bai's guidance, Wan Qiu shouldn't be too busy.
"No means no." How could Yang Xiaoyu not notice Chu Jianshu's wavering?
Chu Jianshu said seriously, "Xiaoyu, you can't stay by Wanqiu's side forever."
"I said no." Yang Xiaoyu's voice rose; she refused to go to an unfamiliar place without Wan Qiu by her side.
“Even though Wanqiu’s situation is different now, he’s almost fifteen years old and needs his own private space.” Chu Jianshu and Yang Xiaoyu disagreed.
Yang Xiaoyu still refused: "No way!"
However, this time Chu Jianshu did not back down: "Xiaoyu, Wanqiu is a child who will never be lost again, even if you are not by his side."
Yang Xiaoyu gritted her teeth tightly.
“Dr. Yan also said that he can socialize appropriately, and Chu Zhang has already decided to send him to extracurricular classes. There will always be times when you're not by Wanqiu's side.” Chu Jianshu's words gradually became sharp. “Do you think Wanqiu will have no friends if he leaves?”
Yang Xiaoyu looked terrible. Even though she was emotionally rejecting him, her remaining rationality told her that Chu Jianshu was right.
"You're clearly not a good father either..." Yang Xiaoyu's face stiffened after saying this, knowing that her angry words would hurt others, and she gritted her teeth and looked away.
“I am well aware of my shortcomings, so I really hope to correct them. Xiaoyu, so are you.” After Chu Jianshu finished speaking, he said directly to Butler Bai, “Let’s do it this way. You take Wanqiu with you, and just in case, bring two bodyguards.”
Ultimately, Chu Jianshu still had to consider Yang Xiaoyu's concerns.
“Yes, sir,” Butler Bai replied, and promised Yang Xiaoyu, “Madam, please rest assured, I will not let the Third Young Master out of my sight.”
Yang Xiaoyu was in a bad mood, as if she had been doused with ice water, which chilled her from the top of her head, gradually robbing her of her warmth.
It made her sad, but it also calmed her down.
"Okay, Dad, Mom, I'm going back to my room," Yang said.
Chu Jianshu nodded, but Yang Xiaoyu did not answer immediately.
She took a deep breath, rubbed her temples, and said to Yang Ze, "You've come up with a good idea, even if the result isn't what I want."
Yang Ze had always been used to Yang Xiaoyu's moods, so he naturally knew that Yang Xiaoyu was not in a good mood right now.
But this time is different from the past.
It's not the feeling of being disliked.
“I’ve had a few more conversations with my third brother recently.” Yang Ze also tentatively mentioned some of his personal matters, “Many of my third brother’s ideas are influencing me.”
Perhaps because of the subtle praise she had given Wan Qiu, Yang Xiaoyu's expression softened somewhat.
“I also think my baby is very cute from time to time. The world he sees is different from the world we see.” Yang Xiaoyu thought of the colorful world in Wanqiu’s eyes, and she also hoped that Wanqiu could see more things.
"Mm," Yang replied.
Butler Bai watched silently from the side, feeling melancholy.
Although the relationship between Yang Ze and Yang Xiaoyu is unlikely to improve in the short term, it has eased a little bit now because of Wan Qiu.
Butler Bai and Yang Ze left in the same direction. Just as they were about to part, Butler Bai said with a faint smile, "It's really great that you can take the initiative to do something."
Yang Ze seemed to have been figured out, and his expression turned serious again due to nervousness. However, Butler Bai, who was already familiar with Yang Ze, still smiled.
"It's a pity I can't participate in my third brother's social practice," Yang said, trying to distract himself from his embarrassment.
"Don't worry, I will take good care of the Third Young Master."
Butler Bai watched Yang Ze enter the bedroom, then, after thinking for a moment, knocked on Chu Yigui's door.
Chu Yigui was somewhat surprised when she saw it was Butler Bai: "Uncle Bai, what's wrong?"
"Tomorrow I will take the third young master and Teacher Jiang out for a social practice activity. The activity will involve the young master participating in the birthday party."
"Why..." Chu Yigui wanted to ask why he had to tell him this on his own initiative.
However, Butler Bai smiled and looked at him with kind eyes.
Chu Yigui didn't ask any more unnecessary questions, and changed the subject, "Are you going to book a hotel or have the event held at home?"
Butler Bai thought for a moment and said, "I haven't considered this matter yet. Does the young master have any suggestions?"
"Let my brother decide this matter." Chu Yigui's smile was gentle, revealing a touch of tenderness in front of Butler Bai. "My brother is looking forward to his first birthday party. Actually, all we need is a simple, warm party."
Butler Bai understood that Chu Yigui was hinting at something, and nodded with a smile: "I understand."
"Thank you for your hard work, Uncle Bai," Chu Yigui said.
As Butler Bai walked away, the image of Chu Yigui's expression from that time still flashed before his eyes.
Rarely, he managed to glean a glimpse into the young master's concerns and thoughts from his seemingly effortless mastery of everything.
Chu Yigui had been quietly keeping an eye on Wan Qiu's situation.
And because of this attention, changes are happening silently.
Sometimes even Butler Bai himself finds it amazing.
With just one child, the family has truly and quietly changed.
Regardless of Yang Ze, who has never been able to express himself.
She's still the same outstanding and heartbreaking Chu Yigui.
——
Wan Qiu sat in the living room, with a notebook and a pen on the coffee table in front of him.
"Think about who you'd like to invite to your birthday party," Jiang Chengfeng said, opening his notebook. "Write down the people that come to mind."
Wan Qiu looked at the paper.
"Anyone can attend the banquet," Butler Bai said to Wan Qiu. "First, write down everyone you can think of."
Jiang Chengfeng looked at Butler Bai, the real butler who always wore a crisp uniform. Today, however, he was wearing a white shirt and a gray vest, which made him look less serious and more approachable.
Jiang Chengfeng was also a little nervous. Ordinary people have respect and curiosity for people who work as housekeepers, and he was no exception.
Wan Qiu picked up his pen.
Butler Bai said that he and Teacher Jiang came together today to lead him in social practice.
Wanqiu participated in social practice, the purpose of which was to follow her class and pick up trash on the streets of the city.
Wan Qiu still remembers that during the social practice, everyone was playing around in twos and threes, waving garbage bags in the air and having fun.
He followed at the very back of the class, watching the other students form teams and play around.
This time, however, it was his own social practice.
The social practice activity involved preparing a birthday party.
Wanqiu's first name was "Mom".
Mom, Dad, eldest brother, second brother, younger brother, Uncle Bai, Teacher Jiang, Sister Zhao...
Wan Qiu wrote down all the people in this house who were closest to him.
Wanqiu remembered everyone's names, but he wrote down his own title.
It's not just these people.
In Wanqiu's mind, the person who helped him clean the house, the person who always cooked delicious meals for the family, the gardener, and the driver still lingered...
And there's Uncle Huang Hu, the auntie at the supermarket, and the owner of the barbecue restaurant...
However, Wanqiu's mind was once again filled with the image of his classmates' backs that he saw at the very back of everyone during his social practice.
Wan Qiu remembers all his classmates' names.
He wrote down everyone's names, stroke by stroke.
Memories may be jumbled fragments, but they will not disappear; they quietly settle in the memories of time.
And finally...
Wanqiu's pen paused on the paper.
The name he wanted to write down.
But he hesitated to put pen to paper.
Jiang Chengfeng noticed Wan Qiu's hesitation and said, "You can write down anyone's name, and then we can select the best one."
Butler Bai glanced at Jiang Chengfeng.
Wan Qiu received Jiang Chengfeng's approval and finally wrote a few words on the snow-white paper.
Ning Qiaozhen, Ning Hai, Wan Xiaohua...
And... Mom and Dad.
Jiang Chengfeng didn't know whose names they were, but Butler Bai did.
Even though she knew in her heart that Wanqiu no longer had any relationship with Ning Qiaozhen and Ning Hai, her feelings for those two people had not disappeared.
I'm afraid Wan Qiu didn't dare write it down because he was afraid Yang Xiaoyu and Chu Jianshu would find out.
This also proves that for Wanqiu now, these two people who were once the most important to him no longer have any priority.
"Wanqiu, does 'father' and 'mother' here refer to 'sir' and 'madam'? Isn't this already repeated?" Butler Bai asked.
Wanqiu looked at his parents' writings, at the people whose faces he couldn't even see clearly in his chaotic memories.
The voices that are heard occasionally, but even now, Wanqiu can't remember the person.
Wan Qiu looked at the two titles and, unusually, remained silent.
It was probably a repetition, and Butler Bai didn't pay much attention to the two repeated titles.
“Then let’s eliminate some people.” Jiang Chengfeng thought that Wan Qiu’s social circle wouldn’t have many people, but he was surprised to see the full list of names and nicknames on the paper.
"Let me handle this," Butler Bai said to Jiang Chengfeng. "I'm more familiar with the Third Young Master's affairs."
Jiang Chengfeng nodded immediately. He knew that this steward, who held a high position in the Chu family, must have his own ideas.
Butler Bai said, "Then Wanqiu, cross out the people you think won't come."
Wan Qiu nodded. The first ones to be crossed out were Ning Qiaozhen, Ning Hai, Wan Xiaohua, and her parents following behind.
Upon seeing the crossed-out name, Butler Bai confirmed that Wan Qiu must have written it twice.
Butler Bai turned his head to look at Wan Qiu, who was quiet and obedient like a cat, with soft hair falling down, as gentle as his personality.
"Next, let's cross out the people who don't usually talk to you." Butler Bai didn't recognize the names Wan Qiu had written down, but judging from the style, he guessed they were probably Wan Qiu's classmates.
Wan Qiu crossed out some of his classmates' names.
Butler Bai continued, "Then use circles to draw the people who once caused you pain."
Jiang Chengfeng, who was listening nearby, suddenly raised his head with a surprised look in his eyes, but Butler Bai's gaze remained fixed on Wan Qiu.
Wanqiu is reminiscing.
Who was there who made him feel pain in the past?
It seems like it's a very messy memory.
In his memory, Wan Qiu placed several circles around the names of some of his classmates.
Butler Bai narrowed his eyes. Were these the names of people who had spoken to Wan Qiu but brought her malice?
"So, who are the people who asked you to do these things, and can you tell me what they are?"
Wan Qiu had no idea who to invite to his birthday party; he simply did whatever Butler Bai told him to do.
“He…” Wan Qiu pointed to a name, “made me tell a girl I like you, made me chase after her.”
This person was asked to take out the trash, not during his designated cleaning duty hours.
This person made him eat what was on the ground.
The more Wanqiu recalled, the more a subtle feeling surfaced in his heart.
It's like...
Black bubbles emerged from these names, each bubble representing something that had happened in Wanqiu's memories.
When Wanqiu held these bubbles in her hands, they suddenly burst open, and black mist, like thick oil stains, clung to Wanqiu's palms, sticky and emitting an unpleasant smell.
This is a very strange feeling.
It was a place that I never found strange at all.
The chef said not to eat anything that has fallen on the ground.
My older sister said I shouldn't tell girls I like them so easily.
Butler Bai said, "Don't do what others need to do; that's their responsibility."
One by one, the things Wanqiu occasionally came into contact with at the Chu family now conflicted with everything that happened in his memory.
Things that he had never recalled were laid bare before Wanqiu.
These things...
Is it a bad thing?
"Then these people probably don't need to be invited, right?" Butler Bai's voice suddenly rang in Wan Qiu's ears.
Wan Qiu looked at the paper and saw that no matter how carefully he drew, it had turned into a mess, with many names crossed out.
His classmate.
Why can't any of them come?
Those who attend the gathering are people with whom they share love; all of these people...
"Then, Wan Qiu, do you have their contact information?" Wan Qiu's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by Butler Bai.
Wanqiu stared blankly at the remaining, clean, unmarked people, and shook his head.
“We don’t have their contact information,” Butler Bai had anticipated this. “Then do you know where they are? We can drive over and invite them.”
Wanqiu knows.
They are people he frequently comes into contact with.
In the places he always passed by, the places he always went, and the places where people always gave him something.
“There aren’t many people. Perhaps we can invite everyone today.” Butler Bai smiled at Wan Qiu. “Let’s go out now. Wan Qiu, wait here for a moment. I’ll go get your coat.”
Butler Bai nodded to the dazed Jiang Chengfeng, then stood up and headed towards Wanqiu's bedroom.
Jiang Chengfeng looked at the messy notebook. The crossed-out names were all names that Wan Qiu had carefully written.
Jiang Chengfeng still remembers that when Wan Qiu was thinking about writing down these names, he was serious and focused, without showing any disgust or hatred.
But clearly, these marked names had all done things to Wanqiu that were excessive and despicable.
As a special education teacher, Jiang Chengfeng also knows how difficult life is for these children who are different from normal people in many ways.
Wan Qiu is one of the special needs children, but Jiang Chengfeng still thinks Wan Qiu is very smart.
He can easily remember the texts, and he will try his best to remember what he has been taught. He is serious about everything he does and is good-natured towards everyone.
Now, after careful instruction, their language expression skills have improved.
This presented Jiang Chengfeng with a dark social circle among children that he could never have imagined.
Can a normal child harbor so much malice?
Don't they realize they are spreading malice?
If they had just said a few words to Wanqiu, he would have remembered their kindness.
Wanqiu closed the notebook.
These mixed symbols gave Wan Qiu a very bad feeling, and he didn't want to see them.
While Wanqiu hesitated, a hand suddenly grabbed his head.
The warmth seemed to have carried away the slight chill of the late autumn indoors.
Wan Qiu secretly peeked out from under that hand and stared at Jiang Chengfeng in front of him.
Jiang Chengfeng was also taken aback and subconsciously withdrew his hand.
The two people, one big and one small, stared at each other with wide eyes, neither knowing what the other was going to do.
Butler Bai brought a coat for Wanqiu to wear and also wrapped a scarf around her neck. Wanqiu looked very cute, all wrapped up tightly.
Although Wanqiu's clothes were thick, they were not heavy, and she could easily stretch out her arms.
In the past, during winter, Wanqiu would wear more socks and layer her summer clothes, piling them up thickly, which wasn't very comfortable, but it kept her warm.
Wanqiu quietly buried herself in the soft scarf, its gentle touch captivating her.
Even though the cold autumn wind can blow away the emerald green of the leaves, it will no longer bring the bone-chilling cold of autumn.
Looking at the branches that had silently become bare, with a few stubborn yellow leaves still clinging to them, the air was filled with the dry scent of autumn.
"What are you looking at?" Jiang Chengfeng noticed Wan Qiu's gaze as she looked at the swaying fallen leaves.
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