Chapter 20 If she wants to fly, he will become the wind…
The "spaceship's" final destination was a river dock.
Jiang Meng stood in the dim blue sky, looking at the distant, faintly visible green mountains and the vast, mirror-like expanse of water. Rivers flowed eastward, merging into the ocean, while the inland areas remained unusually calm. The mountains and waters were serene, devoid of the roaring sounds of the rushing currents. The river and sky stretched endlessly, the sunset's glow fading into the distance, a faint shadow hanging on the distant horizon. In the interplay of reality and illusion, the last ray of light sadly disappeared into her eyes.
The colors of the water and clouds are very similar to the azure blue and green snail described by wandering poets.
When nature's power over our eyes is overwhelming, we easily forget many things. Our insignificance contrasts with the vastness of the world, and we ultimately become mayflies in the universe, a drop of water in the long river of history.
Standing here, Jiang Meng felt that her morning math class was a very distant memory.
It feels like a lifetime ago, but that's all there is to it.
Chen Jizhou, who was walking ahead, also stopped and looked into the distance, seemingly taking the time to admire the beautiful scenery of the approaching twilight.
Jiang Meng said, "Aren't you taking me to the Milky Way?"
He said, "This is the entrance to the galaxy."
The covered boats on the dock are moored.
The boatman was a little old man, asking if anyone wanted to board.
This area is already far from the city center of Yunzhou. The hills that Jiang Meng saw were actually on the islets on the opposite bank.
Chen Jizhou went over and negotiated with the boatman for a while.
Jiang Meng followed a few steps and heard him haggling over the price.
Chen Jizhou, hands in his pockets, leaned against the mast. Although he was haggling, he didn't adopt a subservient attitude, but rather a lazy, carefree demeanor: "I only have 50 here. If we go and don't come back, there's no ferry at night, and we might starve or freeze to death on that islet. A young woman and a young man, both underage, if you have the heart to do that, then keep earning this extra ten yuan."
The tactic of moral blackmail was still very effective. Coupled with his nonchalant tone of "take it or leave it," the boatman took a deep breath and waved his hand: "Fine, fine, 50 it is."
Chen Jizhou smiled with satisfaction, looked at Jiang Meng, and waved his hand: "Let's go."
Jiang Meng stepped onto the deck and walked into the ship. She then looked back at Chen Jizhou, who had followed her, and asked in a low voice, "Don't you still have more than two hundred?"
Chen Jizhou leaned in, holding onto the eaves of the boat, and whispered in her ear, "Whether someone is a shrewd businessman or not, I can tell at a glance."
He said slyly and disdainfully, "I already found out; they're extorting children."
Jiang Meng laughed: "You're so clever."
Chen Jizhou sat down next to her, his long legs casually stretched out, taking up most of the small awning boat's cabin. He tapped the slightly wooden head next to him, "This is an essential skill for surviving out in the world. Learn it."
Jiang Mengchao nodded in agreement: "So what other skills do you have?"
Chen Jizhou glanced at her, his eyes smiling, especially captivating in the blue night: "There's too much, I'll teach you slowly."
As the boatman rowed, he explained to them that the small island ahead was called Yunzhu, a small town under the jurisdiction of Yunzhou. The town was inhabited and had many villages. Because of its unique topography, it had now developed into a tourist attraction.
He then explained that Yunzhu meant the Milky Way in ancient times, and Jiang Meng suddenly realized that this Milky Way was not the same as the Milky Way.
Chen Jizhou smiled faintly, "Am I not lying to you?"
Jiang Meng wanted to hit him.
The water level appeared very low in her field of vision, and as the boat sank, Jiang Meng felt as if she were sitting on the water, swaying gently. The surrounding mountains were shrouded in mist, and the stars and moon reflected in the water. She reached out, and the cool river water slipped from her fingertips.
There was a bit of fog on the river, making it seem like they were the only boat moving forward.
The synonym for loneliness is tranquility. Beside Chen Jizhou, she didn't feel lonely, but only tranquil and beautiful.
In this place, only they were wearing Pingjiang's school uniforms.
They are the youngest.
They were the only ones drifting on the river, surrounded by desolation, as if they had been born here and exiled from here.
All the commotion and chaos were no longer relevant to her.
All that's left in the world is the boy beside her, who shares the same roots as her.
Chen Jizhou sat casually, maintaining his relaxed and at ease even in unfamiliar surroundings, and asked her, "Is it fun?"
"Mmm." Jiang Meng smiled faintly. "This place is so beautiful, like the entrance to the Peach Blossom Spring in the textbook."
That gentle yet content smile is the truest expression of her feelings.
Chen Jizhou suddenly thought of something, walked to the bow of the boat and whispered a few words to the boatman.
The two then started chatting.
On the covered boat sailing down the stream, he squatted at the bow and chatted with the boatman for a long time. Chen Jizhou was still as charming and sociable as ever, able to talk to anyone.
Jiang Meng, uninterested, rested her chin on her hand and said, "I still don't feel like a wanderer."
He sat at the bow of the boat in the evening breeze, his face gentle, laughing nonchalantly and shamelessly: "It just means you're having too much of a time. With me around, you won't suffer at all. You're like those leading ladies on TV who travel the world alongside martial arts heroes. You've made the right choice by following me. I am Chen Xiaoyao."
She was amused by him: "Yeah, I feel very safe with you here."
But is she at ease because she's too comfortable? Perhaps the truth is that she has a lot of security.
Jiang Meng sat quietly for a while, waiting for Chen Jizhou to return to the cabin. She rested her chin on her hand and softly brought up a topic that was difficult to talk about. It was a secret she had decided to keep to herself, but she had also decided to open up to her best friend: "If your parents have another child, will you be sad?"
Chen Jizhou looked at her silently, observing the lingering, ashen look of frustration on her face.
"Do you want to hear the truth?" he said.
"Of course."
He gave a very Chen Jizhou-esque answer: "I'm overjoyed. With more people taking the blame for me, my mother no longer needs to subtly persuade me to pursue a career in politics. My life has entered the ultimate freedom."
The way he spoke was incredibly serious. His face practically screamed: "I can finally roam the world happily!"
Jiang Meng laughed: "Aren't you really sad? Don't you feel... like you've become superfluous?"
She lowered her head after she finished speaking, and didn't look at his expression again.
She thought again that Chen Jizhou never seemed to tell her about his parents' expectations of him.
But how could it not be?
He must have been under a lot of pressure.
He just doesn't say it.
Jiang Meng changed the subject: "To be honest, I find it hard to imagine you as a leader."
Chen Jizhou chuckled lightly: "You know me best. Next time, let's try to persuade my mom together. What's the difference between this and putting me on the hot seat?"
"Then are you willing to listen to your mother?"
He raised an eyebrow and said, "Based on your understanding of me, do you think I'm some kind of rule-abiding person?"
He's absolutely not like that.
Judging from his current casual sitting posture, he doesn't look like one at all.
Chen Jizhou said, "I don't know what others are after, but I live for happiness, not for following a set routine. I am content, and I can live a good life even if I eat pickled vegetables and steamed buns every day."
Don't you think about your future children?
He couldn't help but laugh, and when the conversation turned to children: "If you have the means, raise children; if you don't, don't. I can just eat steamed buns by myself."
"Then why do you always tell me to study hard?"
He said, "Everyone carries their own expectations, and living within the rules is your right."
If we keep going in circles, this topic will get very deep.
Chen Jizhou knew that although he enjoyed his carefree and undisciplined lifestyle, this personality was certainly not good; it would be judged by conventional values as a serious negative example. Therefore, he disliked correcting others' views—how could he allow others to become like him?
“Learn something good, don’t be like Chen Jizhou, who’s good for nothing.” He stopped abruptly, saying lazily, “Next time, go and discuss this issue with Xie Zhuo. He’s more farsighted than me. If I lead you astray, your dad will skin me alive.”
Jiang Meng muttered, "But you seem quite proud of it."
Chen Jizhou laughed: "But I'm confident that I still have the ability to make money, so I won't actually have to eat steamed buns. For me, getting a perfect score isn't important, but for an idiot, it might not be."
He tapped her blockhead again.
Jiang Meng waved his hand away, then pouted and said casually, "My dad wouldn't skin you alive. He doesn't care about me anyway; I'm dispensable to him now."
The boat hit the shore.
It gave her a jolt.
Chen Jizhou put his deep thoughts back down, stood up, and said calmly, "We've arrived."
The covered boat reached the sandbar in the middle of the river and stopped at the entrance of the valley.
After getting off the ship, Chen Jizhou took a step or two forward, then suddenly turned around and stood in front of Jiang Meng, repeating what he had said in the subway: "Close your eyes, I'll pull you along."
Jiang Meng did whatever he said.
Chen Jizhou was afraid she wouldn't feel at ease, so he said, "You should hold my hand; that way you'll feel safer."
“It’s the same,” she said, closing her eyes. “I know you won’t let go.”
He fell silent.
Two seconds later, the boy's warm and strong hand gripped her wrist tightly, but not so tightly that it made her feel uncomfortable. It gave Jiang Meng the strength to move forward without being abandoned.
They walked through some weeds, rustling softly, and onto a pebbly path; she could even feel the night dew clinging to her skin.
It looks like we're taking a back path?
Are there weeds all around?
Is it in the village?
There shouldn't be any lights here.
Her eyelids couldn't feel the light.
After walking for about five minutes, Chen Jizhou stopped.
Jiang Meng also stopped.
"Open your eyes."
He let go of her hand.
Jiang Meng slowly opened her eyes.
She was in a lush wetland park, with streams, trees, and a clean, expansive night sky.
In the dark valley, swarms of fireflies danced all around, some illuminating the shallow water, others resting among the leaves of the bushes.
She stood there, stunned, for ten seconds in the dappled light.
A refreshing scent of grass and trees wafted over her on the summer night breeze, instantly waking her up. Jiang Meng's nose and eyes became slightly moist, almost an uncontrollable physiological reaction. She was so emotional that once she was deeply moved, her whole body would become damp.
Jiang Meng looked up at the sky. The stars were especially beautiful today. She couldn't help but exclaim, "Chen Jizhou, how can there be such a beautiful place! How did you find it?"
I don't know if it's just my imagination, but the fireflies here seem to really like her. They fly around her, hover above her head, and even lead her forward.
Up close, it appears as specks of green, sometimes bright, sometimes dim; from afar, it resembles countless stars scattered across the earth, covering the mountains and fields.
Jiang Meng looked at Chen Jizhou: "And how did you know..."
How do you know there are fireflies here?
How do you know this is a scene that has appeared in my dreams countless times?
How do you know that I've been trapped in this obsession for so many years, unable to break free or turn back?
Chen Jizhou remained nonchalant, his arms loosely clasped together. He slightly raised his face, not looking at the scenery, but at Jiang Meng. "I went to great lengths to find out about this place and wanted to come and see it."
Jiang Meng choked up a little, but forced a smile and joked with him, "Oh, so I'm your partner?"
“Yes,” he generously bestowed all the credit upon her, winked lightly, and smiled casually, “Besides you, who else would be in the mood to travel around with me?”
Chen Jizhou knew about this place because he had seen a geography magazine before and remembered a photograph of fireflies. The week before, he read Jiang Meng's essay, found the editor-in-chief of that geography magazine, and contacted the photographer of that issue. He went to great lengths to find out about this place and then thought that he must bring her to see it.
One last look, and she sees her childhood, a time she can never return to.
Jiang Meng's heart was filled with surprise, astonishment, excitement, and emotion. She was prone to tears and wanted to cry.
Swallowing a lump in her throat, Jiang Meng ran deeper into the road.
The sparks of inspiration danced with her.
Chen Jizhou stood off-screen, quietly watching her back as she caught small insects.
She made a catching motion, swung her hand, and missed. She then tried to grab another one, making a longer motion, but missed again. Finally, Jiang Meng looked at him with a pained expression, as if asking for help.
He couldn't help but laugh so hard he almost fell over.
Finally, Chen Jizhou advised, "Let them fly. Holding them in your hand will only make them look worse; they'll just become ordinary insects."
"..."
He could always comfort her with a simple, profound statement.
Jiang Meng relaxed her brow, no longer fixated on trapping the light in her hands.
Chen Jizhou stretched out his arms, like a magician displaying his work on stage. From her perspective, he also stood in the clustered, shimmering light, a carefree smile on his face: "So, you see, the seven-year-old firefly will return."
Of course, love will too.
He told her in his heart that love would surely flow back in another way and fill the void in her life.
Chen Jizhou himself isn't that nostalgic. He believes that childhood has its advantages, and adulthood has its own. Life moves forward, so why dwell on regrets?
He never interpreted love in a complicated way, nor did he pour too much heavy, melancholic stuff into it. He was not a good writer, and he could not speak in eloquent language or write the words of love poems.
His philosophy on loving someone can be summed up in a few simple and light words—
If she wants to fly, he will become the wind.
In the shadows where Chen Jizhou couldn't see, Jiang Meng rubbed her eyes a few times. She turned around, smiled nonchalantly, and swept away the gloom on the boat, revealing a playful expression: "What were you whispering about with the boatman just now?"
Chen Jizhou: "I asked him if there were still fireflies this season, and he said it depended on luck."
She exclaimed, "We're really lucky!"
How could it not be good?
Chen Jizhou thought to himself, "I've been praying all the way here, please, God."
Please, please, please, please make her wish come true.
He smiled and nodded: "Yes, it was worth the trip."
Jiang Meng jogged forward, discovered something mysterious, and pulled him over to look: "There's a tree hole here."
Jiang Meng, with her sharp eyes, spotted a tall, ancient banyan tree next to a road sign on a side path. There really was a hole in the tree, and a sign for the scenic area hung nearby: "Tell your secrets to the tree hole!"
Chen Jizhou went over to take a look, glanced at it briefly, and showed little interest.
Jiang Meng placed her hand on the rough bark and then feigned modesty, saying, "Come on, you go first."
What could he possibly say to a tree? Chen Jizhou was about to refuse, but when he saw Jiang Meng, he changed his mind and said after a moment of silence, "I have no secrets, I'll tell you."
He grabbed her wrist and pressed her hand back down just as it was about to fall.
She said okay.
Chen Jizhou called out to her, "Jiang Meng."
"Um."
Chen Jizhou paused briefly to catch his breath.
Many lines welled up from the bottom of my heart: I set off the fireworks, I bought the tickets, and I said the words of confession.
He really wanted to tell her everything.
But now is not the time.
Looking into Jiang Meng's bright, expectant eyes, he suddenly relaxed and smiled, saying, "Look at the sky, don't keep staring at me."
Jiang Meng looked up at the sky curiously and asked, "Why?"
Chen Jizhou said, "People tend to remember special experiences more vividly, so you will also remember what I'm about to say more vividly from this experience."
That makes some sense.
Jiang Meng then looked up and gazed into the depths of the valley.
A vast starry sky, boundless fireflies, a paradise in the middle of the river, and an ancient tree hollow.
And the boy who grew up in her destiny.
Free-spirited and open-minded, radiant and unrestrained.
Romantic, passionate, beautiful, like a breeze, like a dream.
He pressed down on the back of her hand, covering her with his body heat, as if binding her to a certain point in time, in this arduous yet beautiful seventeen-year-old.
Chen Jizhou's gaze towards her was always firm and passionate, with a touch of tender affection.
She always interpreted this tender affection as an inherent part of his philandering nature.
He looked at her intently with those same eyes and said, "Jiang Meng, you are not superfluous at all. You have never been dispensable, not before, and not in the future."
"I hope you can find what you're looking for. If you really can't, it's okay. I hope you know, I hope you always remember—"
Chen Jizhou paused, and when she looked away from the sky and fixed her gaze on him, he continued, "There will definitely be people in this world who are grateful for your birth."
It is a heartfelt thank you.
And we are moved and honored to have met each other.
He said, "I'm the first one."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com