Effort, reward
"Our theme is me, mine. Joy and sorrow, good times and bad times, whatever life gives me, I accept it all."
Jiang Liu continued:
"By reflecting the withered flowers above my head, I create the feeling of a dragnet, because the suffering in life is always three-dimensional, surrounding us from many sides. And I, however, broke through the siege, took root, and developed an emotional connection. The reverse is also true: it is the warmth of these human touches that helped me out of my predicament."
The relationship between the mirror and the flower can be interpreted in many ways: like a flame from a pile of firewood, illuminating the darkness above; or, the flower in the mirror resembles a flowing skirt, the mirror a knife. This natural crack can also be understood as a rootless, unrepaired, and unconcealed malice, the blade pointing straight at us. Of course, we can just treat the flower as a flower, without excessive imagination. Flowers grow upward, even breaking through soil and rock, so how much more so a mere mirror? The fragility of glass is not a bad thing, because it is I who shatters it, a force of progress. If we focus solely on the treatment of the broken mirror, we imitated the rivets and lacquer used when repairing porcelain to achieve the creative effect. The emphasis is on healing wounds and rejuvenation.
"We mainly chose daffodils and narcissus..."
The host's listening style is comfortable, he expresses his own views at the right time and gradually changes the topic.
"Okay, so what do you want to say as a partner?" he asked Yu Ran with a smile.
"He has expressed what is in my heart." Yu Ran smiled, and his body weight involuntarily leaned to one side.
Both of them have long hair. They lean their shoulders against each other and look at each other. Their side faces are half covered by their bangs. It seems that the intimacy in their private whispers is exposed, and the audience all blush.
The host was in a trance, and it happened that the work of No. 8 was full of beautiful emotions under the moon and flowers, which helped to change the topic.
No. 9.
No. 10.
The camera focused, and Jiang Liu saw it clearly on the big screen.
The beauty of No. 10's work lies in the fact that part of it is constructed directly on the mirror. The mirror's fall was unexpected, but thanks to the cushioning effect of the flowers, the connection between the mirror pieces remains intact, creating an effect that rivals the work's own painstaking effort.
Moreover, the edges of the mirror are filled with flowers, and combined with the clean and smooth surface of the mirror, it looks like a lake in the mountains. Once the mirror is broken, the fallen petals on the mirror surface drift with the water, and the deep ripples of the water are highlighted.
Using stones instead of wood, peach blossoms, hanging bells, and snow willows hanging low, interacting with the water mirror, birds of paradise flying side by side... In short, this kind of landscape flower arrangement is the least likely to go wrong and is the easiest to be accepted by others.
Simply put, it's about pleasing others.
It must be admitted that being pleasing also needs to be supported by technology, otherwise it will become stereotyped and boring.
The combination of colors, the staggered arrangement of heights, the thinness and fullness of flowers—these are the techniques of flower arrangement. Contestant No. 10's skill is so consummate that the overall work becomes harmonious, elegant, and skillful, and it is impossible to find fault with it.
Not being able to find fault is the biggest mistake.
For example, at the beginning of his composition, he wrote "The stars and frost pass by quickly, like the fleeting time of time..." in thick ink and regular script, and the teacher could not find any reason to deduct points. He even gave him more points considering that his handwriting was neat and pleasing to the eye.
Idioms are often the easiest way to fool readers. Teachers' marks for the surface of a paper don't necessarily imply approval of the entire text. Often, they've seen through the tricks and become tired of them.
At first, Jiang Liu was shocked simply because the combination of nature was so natural; but after taking a closer look at it on the big screen, he felt that it was just like that.
But he knew that this work would get a high vote rate among the audience.
The audience had already voted while the florists were introducing their designs.
The top three in the audience's mind are:
No. 10——Flowers fall in the quiet pond, spring is not over yet.
Number 7——Me, mine.
No. 8 - Utopia.
After the audience votes, the next step was for the judges to individually score and deliberate. Men and women, scoring sheets in hand, stared intently at each flower and leaf, ensuring no detail was missed.
The florists left the stage one after another to prepare for the award ceremony.
Everything will be revealed then.
Backstage.
Jiang Liu was punished to stand for three hours, with his arms raised the whole time. After he relaxed, he felt uncomfortable all over. Yu Ran, on the other hand, had to stand as usual, with his back hunched and his hands twisted. If he didn't do it well, he had to dismantle and reassemble it, and he even saw double.
The two of them collapsed on the sofa, and the only desire left was sleepiness.
Jiang Liu took a short nap. The room was quite noisy. With so many young people gathered together, it was only natural for one group of players to use the excuse of learning from each other to develop some other relationships.
Have takeaway delivered to your door.
He was too sleepy and Yu Ran was feeding him while he was half asleep and half awake. When he chewed the food, the taste was surprisingly familiar. By the time he came to his senses, the food was already finished.
"What are you eating?"
“Cinnamon Apple Caramel Crepes.”
“Is there anything for sale here?”
Before Yu Ran could explain, the makeup artist hurried over to touch up her makeup, and the staff asked everyone to move on to the award ceremony.
The stage was set, ten pots of flowers creating a graceful and elegant display. This is the true nature of plants. The wait for the results was a tranquil and carefree experience. The florists and their assistants, about twenty in all, also maintained a serene demeanor, refraining from making large expressions or even small movements. They were like waiters cleaning vases, afraid of breaking them, so they breathed cautiously.
Jiang Liu recalled the conversation he heard backstage and felt that he disliked several people - especially No. 10.
"After an intense and fair deliberation, the twelve judges finally reached a consensus."
"Now, we are honored to have Ms. Zhou Yanhui, the granddaughter of Mr. Zhou Shouchuan, the founder of the Romantic International Flower Arrangement Exhibition and Competition, to announce the top three winners of this year's competition."
"Bronze Award—" Zhou Yanhui said straight to the point, "Number 1, tonight's tribute!"
There was thunderous applause from the audience.
"Silver Award - No. 8, Utopia!"
The two young men in No. 8 hugged each other and cried bitterly, looking back at the skill and creativity scores on the big screen with tears in their eyes. They finally made it!
Yu Ran instinctively felt that the gold prize would be between them and No. 10.
"Gold medal!" She said it so lightly and so briefly that it made people's eardrums tighten. She gasped again, keeping the audience in suspense.
"I'm nervous too." Zhou Yanhui patted her chest. "How about we announce the most creative award first?" She smiled at the host.
The host nodded, bowed and extended his hand, indicating that it was up to him.
"Most Creative Award - No. 7! Mine, mine." Her eyes swept over, praising everyone, but it did not add any weight to the award itself.
Most Creative Award…?
Anyone can tell that the consolation is greater than its actual value.
It's like when your essay is off-topic during an exam and you can't get a high score according to the syllabus, but it's a beautiful piece of writing and you can't bear to let it go to waste, so you post it on the bulletin board with a comment that says "Beautiful writing, worthy of reference."
Jiang Liu was stunned. Was this saying that their hard work wasn't even good enough for a bronze medal?
The applause from the audience was intermittent and full of doubts, but when someone won an award, they should be happy and praiseworthy. Gradually, sharp slaps came from all directions and surrounded them.
Yu Ran opened his eyes wide and did not forget to put his arms around Jiang Liu's waist at the first opportunity.
He couldn't believe this work couldn't be ranked. From conception, innovation, technique, completion, and overall presentation, what held it back? What wasn't outstanding?
I turned to look at the big screen, but it was too close. The dense snowflakes were like a barrage of hidden weapons, piercing my brow. The screen was still stuck on the silver medal results screen. It was so laggy. If I could do it, I'd take my axe and chop it down. Where were their points for skill? Where were their points for creativity?
Zhou Yan replied: "Okay, now is the most exciting moment."
Jiang Liu quickly adjusted his mindset. Three competitions, two runner-up finishes, one uncrowned champion. These were merely the results of competitions, not the final word on life.
He thought of the happiness of the Guan family father and son, the Wen family siblings, Guan Xueqing and Zhao Jinnuo.
I think of Qi Zhen’s filial piety and Wang Mingxia’s perseverance.
The friendship between Yu Qionglin and Zhong Xia, and Yu Lei's tolerance and open-mindedness.
And Jiang Yu's remaining courage is worth buying.
These are what he wanted to express in his work - and he is sure that he has achieved this.
What really makes Jiang Liu feel relieved is the lover around him.
Before they became equals and became inseparable, they first fought side by side.
How can it not be called perfect?
Jiang Liu's thoughts flew into the clouds, filled with love. The next moment, a pair of hands embraced him. Yu Ran hugged him tightly, with the determination and strength to fulfill the vow of a lifetime.
"Did you hear that?!"
Jiang Liu felt a burning sensation at the back of his neck. It was Yu Ran's tears. Hadn't studies shown that the composition of tears varies depending on the situation? Yu Ran's tears were clearly tears of joy.
"What..." Jiang Liu turned around suddenly. The whole place was dark, with only a bright light shining down from above, freezing the hug in this moment. He was a little dazed for a moment, barely aware of Yu Ran's presence.
The gazes of the thousands in the audience were too grand, the immense unreality making the human heart seem small. The two of them were like fondant figurines on a wedding cake, their shadows gathering at their feet, naturally the cake turntable.
"We, won the gold medal?" Jiang Liu asked in Yu Ran's ear, unable to calm down for a long time.
"It's the gold medal!" Zhou Yanhui's eyes were full of eagerness, holding the medal and waiting for the hug to end.
Jiang Liu wiped his face carelessly, pushed Yu Ran out to put on the medal first, and then bent down himself.
"The future is promising!" Zhou Yanhui shook hands and took a photo.
"Congratulations again to Jiang Liu and Yu Ran for winning the gold medal in the 32nd Romantic Flower Arrangement Competition! Share your feelings with everyone at this moment!" said the host.
Jiang Liu gave the right to speak to Yu Ran.
Yu Ran embraced Jiang Liu's hand frankly and said, "Thank you to the tournament organizers for providing such a platform for every dream chaser. Thank you to every opponent who gave their all."
"The people I should thank the most are those who love me and those I love..." Yu Ran looked at Jiang Liu.
"Wow, are there any family or friends coming to watch the game today?"
Jiang Liu said slowly, "Actually, that person has always been by my side."
"Oh? Both partners and family?" The host smiled pleasantly.
"There is another identity. Yu Ran, he is my lover first."
“Wow!!!” There was thunderous cheering from the audience.
The host remained calm, as if he had guessed it. "It's a happy occasion when two people fall in love! Well, I have a surprise for you too. I just met two mysterious guests backstage."
The ones who came on stage were Yu Qionglin and Yu Lei!
The four people embraced each other, and the photographer took many photos in succession. The figures were intertwined, and the pot of flowers in the foreground created a sense of shade.
Yu Qionglin and Yu Lei said they wanted to witness the gold medal work being moved into the exhibition hall. Jiang Liu and Yu Ran were busy sorting out post-competition matters and agreed to meet at the main entrance of the venue at 8:30.
A little after eight o'clock, having finished their work early, the two of them quietly sat in front of the flowerbed at the gate and kissed. Backlit.
I have to say, kissing in public was incredibly exciting. Fortunately, barriers and water barriers divided the empty entrance into smaller squares, and the taxi point for the audience after the show was on the other side.
Jiang Liu soon couldn't bear it anymore, and gently pushed Yu Ran away, snuggling into his arms, still savoring the aftertaste. Yu Ran pulled his coat tighter around the man in his arms, touched the back of his neck, and asked if he was cold.
It would have been fine if he hadn't asked. As soon as he asked, Jiang Liu felt the warmth on his lips cool down really quickly. He dazedly embraced Yu Ran and was about to kiss her again, but he heard a commotion in the venue -
“Bang!”
"Go back and tell that dead man that I will fight to the end! What's the point of using such despicable means?! How come you didn't expect to meet me here?"
"Yes... Ma'am." The two young men who were beaten were contestant No. 10 on the field!
They each covered their faces, terrified and unwilling.
"It's a family matter," Jiang Yueming said to the security guard. The onlookers were dismissed, and soon a staff member invited the two men to "have tea."
Jiang Liu and Yu Ran witnessed everything from outside the crowd.
The crowd dispersed, and the three who didn't follow the crowd each dug a hole in the ground beneath their feet. In this endgame, every step should be taken with caution.
"Congratulations..." Jiang Yueming choked, "son." The intimacy was long-lost, involuntary, and severed.
At this moment, she overcame it.
"Thank you." Jiang Liu answered quickly and nodded calmly. The conversation was over, but he didn't know how to make this moment end completely.
"Please don't mind the rumors. You guys did a great job today." She pulled out half a smile from the collar of her coat, carefully hiding it for a long time. It looked a little strange when it showed up. Jiang Liu hadn't seen it for more than 20 years.
Yu Ran thought about the two contestants who had just shouted "Dark Curtain," and how Jiang Yueming had slapped them awake before things got out of hand. It looked like another trick by Jiang Chun, but he had stopped it in time.
Jiang Liu was silent for a long time. "Can I ask you something?"
"Yes, yes."
"Did you intervene that time? I was the runner-up in the 25th Japan Tournament."
Jiang Yueming opened his mouth and his throat was dry.
"I heard about it, but ultimately didn't stop that person. In your opinion, was that tacit approval or shielding?"
Jiang Liu didn't answer, but nodded absentmindedly. His brain was like a pipe with no openings at either end. Jiang Yueming's words poured in and then flowed out again, leaving no impression at all.
"I understand." He secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He could accept that his parents did not love him, but he could not tolerate his dreams being tarnished.
This debt should be placed on Jiang Chun, the mastermind behind this. I will get it back myself.
"Jiang Yu?"
"He didn't know I was here. He's fine... I'm sorry for you. I'm sorry for you."
"No need to apologize, take care." Jiang Liu, out of politeness, stepped forward and hugged her, his body loose and without any tenderness, and he pulled away in an instant. This hug had nothing to do with forgiveness or not, because he didn't even feel hatred.
"Goodbye." Jiang Liu and Yu Ran watched her get into the car.
The car parked on the snowy ground, the contrast between the colors was too striking. Jiang Liu stared at the black car and the white snow. He loved this kind of dramatic contrast, this extreme and extreme contrast. How comforting it would be to draw a clear line, to be clear from now on.
The car window slowly rolled down, opening a window to another world in the snowy world. Jiang Yueming smiled and said, "Happy wedding!"
In an instant, both of their faces turned red and they didn't dare to look at each other.
Yu Qionglin and Yu Lei were also staying at the same hotel. It was already getting late, and they had a lot of things to talk about during the day.
Jiang Liu and Yu Ran kissed each other as they pushed the door open. Yu Ran quickly put his head against the wall to cushion the pain. There was a slight dull pain, but then there was an overwhelming joy.
Jiang Liu let him go, "I'm going to take a shower first."
Yu Ran pretended to organize the prizes, and saw him go into the bathroom, take out his cell phone and fiddle with it intently.
I don’t know how long it took.
"Brother." This voice came from behind.
Before Yu Ran could put down his phone, he felt a sinking sensation on his back. Jiang Liu hugged his back and clasped his arms around his waist.
He was just about to say that he had washed so quickly this time, when he touched Jiang Liu's hand, his fingertips were wet, and then he touched her arm, which was dry. He turned around and put his arm around her shoulders, only to be shocked to find that Jiang Liu's skin was naked.
"Brother, let's take a shower together. I called you just now, but you didn't hear me?" Jiang Liu lowered his head and didn't look at him. His hair had fallen down, completely covering his white back.
Yu Ran was initially worried that his sweater would prick his skin if he held him like this, so he took it off immediately. Then, worried that Jiang Liu might be cold, he didn't have time to ask any further questions. Suddenly, he saw a wet patch between his buttocks.
Yu Ran suddenly felt dizzy and carried his lover sideways into the bathroom.
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