Chapter 245: Scene 32 (Inverted V) Grapefruit Candy...
“…”
“…”
Tang Xiqin now is very different from the one when He Yuezhe first met her. She has become sharper and more steady, and has lost her childishness.
The novel they used to follow together stopped updating not long ago. The story of the protagonist came to an abrupt end, and their precious memories from childhood were also sealed away.
He Yuezhe shook his head and shook the memories out of his mind.
She looked back at the figure who was using [magic] to [generate] primroses.
"Tang Xiqin," she said, "As I recall, using [magic] actually depletes your vitality. Are you planning to drown your younger self with all these flowers?"
"...Yeah, that's right." Tang Xiqin paused, then continued. She looked at He Yuezhe and said calmly, "It wasn't drowning, though. It was just a little surprise. Just thinking about a bunch of petals breaking through the window is quite shocking."
“Hmm—”
"What do you want to say?"
Tang Xiqin's face was already a little pale, but her hands were still waving. Countless primroses appeared on the lawn under her hands, piling up half a person's height.
"Hehe, nothing," He Yuezhe smiled, took out a candy as big as her head from her pocket, and threw it to Tang Xiqin, "Eat candy."
The girl took it steadily, peeled off the candy wrapper, and put it in her mouth: "Thank you."
"You're quite polite." He Yuezhe supported his chin.
The afternoon breeze was of just the right temperature, neither too cold nor too hot, ruffling the doll's clothes. He Yuezhe squinted his eyes lazily.
Tang Xiqin didn't reply.
“…”
“…”
"Hey, Tang Xiqin," He Yuezhe called again.
"……What's wrong?"
"How does the candy taste? Is it delicious?"
"It's delicious. It tastes familiar."
"Oh, really, I thought it didn't work."
“…You did this?”
"Yes." He Yuezhe sighed, "Oh, it's been so long, I thought I had forgotten how to do it, but it seems I still haven't."
Then she took out another candy, peeled it, and put it in her mouth: "Hiss, so sour..."
“…”
"You lied to me!?"
"Isn't that because I want you to taste how sour this candy is?"
"Tang Xiqin!"
"what?"
“…”
“…”
"Here, take it."
"What? Sugar again?"
"Don't like it? Then give it back to me."
"No, no, I don't dislike it," Tang Xiqin smiled and held the candy tightly, "I like it very much."
"Really?" He Yuezhe looked at her suspiciously.
"real."
The light of the setting sun shone in from the window, which was already dilapidated and now had been directly demolished, shining on the soft bed and the girl's hair.
The soft sunlight passed gently through the room, making the hair on the girl's face clearly visible.
"..." He Yue curled the corners of her mouth, "That's good."
“…”
"...Are you leaving?"
"Um."
“…”
"Captain, actually, I didn't expect to see you here at first."
“…”
"Even, I'm a little scared that I'll see you here."
“…”
Tang Xiqin's voice was very soft. She said, "Because I'm afraid that you will see me as a child, the me who wasn't strong enough. I'm afraid that you will hate me because of my weakness."
"But when I came to this world, looking at these places and people that I am so familiar with, and this poor me, I thought, 'If only I could meet you, if only you could come and save this poor me, how wonderful would that be?'"
“…”
"But this isn't realistic. I know it's not realistic. But just when I was ready to meet my past self, you showed up again. You just showed up like that."
“…”
"I……"
“…”
"Captain, I've always been grateful to you for bringing me out of that forest. That's why I've been working hard to help everyone and stand in front of them."
"I know you feel bad for me, but..."
“…”
“…”
“…”
"Because it's you, because it's everyone, for you, for everyone, I can do everything and anything."
"Tang Xiqin..."
"Captain, no matter what," Tang Xiqin twisted her fingers lightly, and a primrose appeared in her hand. She gently pinned the flower into He Yuezhe's hair, "Please don't stay and be sad because of me."
“…”
"At the same time, I hope your spring will never fade away."
“…”
“…”
“…”
It was quiet, and He Yuezhe's hand trembled as he touched the primrose in his hair.
The flower is very bright, just like Tang Xiqin, always full of vitality and always confident and outspoken.
But now, it has withered.
“…”
"Ding Dong! Congratulations on obtaining the key item: Tang Xiqin's Petri Dish x1!"
"Current progress: 4/?"
The girl's figure disappeared, leaving only the primrose powdered and falling into the palm of the doll, and then gently carried away by the wind.
…
Later, He Yuezhe stayed with the children in Ningwang Boarding School for another two days. During these two days, she occasionally helped other children when she found them bullying others, and occasionally accompanied the children to attend classes and guide them with their homework. Her days were quite fulfilling.
The time Jiang Ruoshi had originally agreed to handle the formalities was brought forward. As soon as it was over the next day, while the children were eating in the cafeteria, she drove her oversized car into the school facing the sunset.
No child would not miss home when they first start school, especially these children who are already sensitive about home.
So after finishing their last dinner at Ningwang Boarding School and getting on the bus, the children first excitedly told Jiang Ruoshi about the interesting things that happened at school, and then as they talked, tears began to flow.
Jiang Ruoshi then hurriedly asked them what was wrong.
The children said that they missed her and missed home.
Jiang Ruoshi smiled and joked that the children were like this after only being away from home for two days. What would they do when they grow up?
The children then said that when they grow up, that is a matter for adults. They are still young now and should have the right to miss home while going to school.
Jiang Ruoshi was silent.
He Yuezhe guessed that she was probably remembering herself at that time.
The children sang all the way and soon arrived at the Hongri Orphanage.
After sending the children off, Jiang Ruoshi changed another car and took He Yuezhe back home.
From one foot of a mountain to another, passing through the wasteland, looking at the tall buildings in the distance.
"Jiang Ruoshi," He Yuezhe asked, leaning against the window and looking at the passing scenery outside, "What is your dream?"
Jiang Ruoshi smiled and replied, "I don't have a dream, otherwise I would have died in some dream workplace."
"You lied to me."
"No, I'm telling the truth."
"But didn't you say that people back then went to school for 'dreams'? If you don't have a dream, then why did you go to school?"
"Well, actually, I only went to school with your grandma for one year, and then I dropped out and worked hard out there on my own. I only got in touch with your grandma and the others because we met later, chatted, and felt like we got along really well. Then we discovered we were classmates, so we got in touch again."
"drop out?"
"Yeah, that means I won't go to school anymore."
"Why?"
"Because of some changes in my family, there is no money for me to continue my studies."
"oh--"
"Okay, come back and sit still. Your actions are too dangerous."
"Hey hey!" He Yuezhe glared at Jiang Ruoshi as she was pulled back onto her legs. "It's not dangerous at all, okay!"
"Okay, okay, it's not dangerous," Jiang Ruoshi said with a smile, "I'm just worried that if something happens to you, your grandmother will punish me."
"snort."
"Oh, by the way, speaking of He Fangying, she's been really concerned about you lately. Every day after sending her little treasure to school, she comes to the orphanage to see if you've returned. She also sends me those 60-second voice messages every day, asking if I'm eating well, if I'm sleeping well, asking how you're doing, if you're unhappy, and if the other kids are behaving well in school."
Jiang Ruoshi sighed, "Ah, before, I only knew that the elderly liked to send messages like this, and I used to despise them for not being able to type. But I didn't expect that in the blink of an eye, we are all old, unable to see the keyboard clearly, and unable to type, just like them."
“…”
He Yuezhe looked at Jiang Ruoshi's chin, her wrinkled cheeks, and her graying hair, and then she realized that Jiang Ruoshi was already old and might leave her and her children at any time and fall into a deep sleep.
She couldn't help feeling a little lonely, her heart seemed to be tightly gripped, and her nose felt sore.
"Jiang Ruoshi."
"What's wrong?"
“…”
"Hey, why are you calling out to people but not saying anything?"
The words were on the tip of his tongue, but were blocked again. He Yuezhe shook his head and said, "No, nothing, just calling you."
"oh."
“…”
“…”
"Here, do you want to eat it?"
"What?"
"Grapefruit candy."
"Oh, sure."
"How's it going?"
"Hiss, Pomegranate, you want to make me jealous so that we can drive towards those buildings together, right?"
"No!"
"But, pomegranate, your grandma must like eating this, hiss."
“That’s what she taught me to do.”
"Well, the taste is okay, but it's too sour."
He Yuezhe didn't expect Jiang Ruoshi to swallow such a sour candy and asked in surprise, "You, you finished it?"
"Why? Why not?" Jiang Ruoshi's expression was calm. She picked up the water cup beside her and took a sip. "This is the first gift you gave me."
"But it's sour."
"oh."
"The kind that makes your teeth sore!"
"Look at me, I don't have any teeth—"
“…”
“…”
"Uh, uh."
He Yuezhe moved closer to Jiang Ruoshi's fallen tooth and coughed awkwardly twice: "Ahem, yes, that, actually, this is mine..."
"..." Jiang Ruoshi held his forehead helplessly, then wrapped the tooth in paper and put it aside. "Okay, I don't need you to make up for it. We've arrived at our stop. Get off the bus and go home to see your grandma."
"Oh, okay, goodbye, Dean Jiang!"
"Goodbye, little pomegranate."
After saying goodbye to Jiang Ruoshi, He Yuezhe jumped out of the car.
It was getting late and the moon was climbing over the mountain.
At the door of the house, an old lady was lying in her armchair, covered with a blanket and holding a newspaper in her hand. A lamp was lit next to her drooping hand, and the light was flickering.
"Grandma, I'm back!" He Yuezhe ran over happily.
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