translated_Chapter 100

100: Mr. Maple Leaf Said: I Miss You Too

Loneliness enveloped this sixteen-year-old high school student. He bought a notebook from the stationery store, wrote the date, the weather, whether he was writing the letter in the morning, noon, or evening, what he had for breakfast, whether it was delicious or not, the strange umbrellas of passersby on rainy days…

He didn’t know who he was writing to, but he wanted to express these things, to share boring trivialities with a non-existent person.

The holiday time remained empty.

His art teacher was a young and individualistic man who cared about him a lot. It seemed that the person he met at the mall in elementary school was right—he did have some talent in this area.

The art teacher wanted to participate in a fashion competition and recommended Jing Yueming to go as well. He told him about the relevant procedures, becoming the person who spent the most time with him here.

He also learned a lot about the teacher’s personal life, such as the fact that his lover was also a man.

At first, Jing Yueming didn’t quite understand this, especially considering the teacher’s profession, which meant that his boyfriend could never be known to everyone.

The teacher was afraid that Jing Yueming would let it slip, so he secretly gave him some information. In short, Jing Yueming learned that homosexuality was normal.

The seventeen-year-old’s world was shaken, but he quickly accepted it, and even wanted the teacher to help him test his sexuality.

After learning about the knowledge related to fashion design, Jing Yueming also became interested, but he didn’t have much inspiration. One rainy day, he thought, why does it rain?

In the Book of Songs, “When the moon leaves Bi, there will be a great downpour.” When the moon travels near the Bi constellation, there will be heavy rain.

The process of the moon approaching the Bi constellation is arduous and full of wind and rain.

The Bi constellation is a three-legged bird, the embodiment of the sun, light, and warmth.

Jing Yueming wanted warmth, but approaching it would make him soaked. The Bi constellation he designed was not that powerful star, but a lonely and distant existence.

His talent was confirmed, and this sketch he drew in his spare time was awarded an excellence prize. The art teacher was extremely surprised and wanted to guarantee his admission to the Academy of Fine Arts. “Unfortunately, if I had the ability, I would pay for you to study, but I’m just an ordinary worker, and art is expensive. Little Jing, talk to your family again.”

Jing Yueming opened his mouth, but couldn’t say anything.

He could ask Uncle Li, maybe. The second call was answered.

His mother complained, “Your Uncle Li, I really don’t understand him. Xiao Yuhang is only two years old, but he insists on enrolling him in an early education class that costs more than ten thousand. Now, the money I was going to use to replace the range hood and water heater is gone. Really, it’s upsetting. What’s different about such a big child being anywhere?” Although it was a complaint, the words were filled with happiness.

She now had the ability to send her son to an early education class that cost more than ten thousand, she was no longer the daughter-in-law who couldn’t even leave the house in Beijing.

“Oh right, Yueming, is there anything you need our help with recently?”

“Ah? No, I just miss you.”

“Mom misses you too.”

“Okay, I’m hanging up, I have to do my homework.” After Jing Yueming hung up with his mother, he sent a text message to his biological father, focusing on “The teacher recommended him to take the art exam.”

The man on the other end mocked, “If you’re bad at studying, you’re bad at studying. If you can’t study art, study liberal arts instead of taking the art exam.”

Jing Yueming was helpless and could only join a school club and take things one step at a time.

Finally, God threw a lucky star at him. A woman named Ai La approached him.

She was willing to fund Jing Yueming’s studies, giving him money he couldn’t spend at his age.

This money also brought a lot of trouble. He was falsely accused by his classmates of having illegitimate sources of income, and the teacher called him to the office.

“Make a phone call, ask your parents to come over. I want to personally ask where this money came from. Jing Yueming, ah, Jing Yueming, the teacher knows your difficulties, but you must also face the sun and not do dirty things.”

It was impossible for Jing Yueming to call his biological father, but he didn’t know anyone else here.

Without knowing why, Jing Yueming called Ai La.

This woman drove his Porsche to the school. The female CEO with a strong aura startled the class teacher. He thought she was an investor and quickly notified the principal’s office.

Ai La smiled, “Little Jing asked me to come, saying the teacher wanted to talk to him.”

The class teacher frowned, “Are you Jing Yueming’s parent?”

“Well… you can also consider me his investor. This child has a bad family situation, and I have a soft heart.”

“Okay, okay, of course, no problem. Can you leave a phone number?”

Ai La pondered for a moment and handwrote a string of phone numbers for him.

Jing Yueming rarely felt the taste of having someone to rely on. Ai La’s unconditional support made Jing Yueming think about why, what was her purpose.

When school was over, she came to pick up Jing Yueming.

Ai La teased him in the car for being a good student.

“Ai La.” The good student seriously called her name, “Why do you want to give me money, why do you want to support me?”

The woman also paused for a long time, “I have a good feeling about you, and I like you very much.”

“What kind of like?” Jing Yueming wasn’t sure. He had seen something else in Ai La’s eyes, nostalgia and longing.

Ai La smiled, “Jing Yueming, are you confessing to me?”

Perhaps seventeen years old represented something in Ai La’s heart, in short, she liked the current Jing Yueming very much.

Ai La didn’t lack someone to accompany her, Jing Yueming lacked it very much, and eagerly wanted to know if he was Ai La’s top priority.

After spending some time together, Jing Yueming began to try to understand Ai La, her friends, her work, he wanted to understand everything.

Ai La had a very important old phone, he mentioned this as a conversation starter when chatting with Ai La.

This behavior caused Ai La to become furious. She got angry with Jing Yueming, questioning him why he wanted to interfere with her.

Jing Yueming just quietly waited for her to finish her anger and said, “I’ll take you home, you’ve been drinking…”

He thought he had appeased Ai La, but she left anyway, only saying that she was going to study at the Paris Business School and never contacted Jing Yueming again, and he couldn’t receive any replies to his phone calls or text messages.

Life returned to boredom, and the dusty notebook was opened again.

Seeing the post office on the way home from school, he had an idea, he could send it to Ai La, even if he didn’t receive a reply, but he had said it.

In the first letter, he apologized to Ai La and talked about his recent situation, a running diary, and received a reply a month later.

Also sent was a dried maple leaf.

That person thought he was just replying to a letter, and also answered all of Jing Yueming’s lonely youth.

The invisible and untouchable him in the notebook turned into “Mr. Maple Leaf.”

All the content was seen and replied to.

All the words had a vent.

He said today’s porridge was delicious, Mr. Maple Leaf replied: It’s good that you ate breakfast obediently.

The umbrellas of the classmates on the road are very cute, Mr. Maple Leaf: The temperature drops on rainy days, pay attention to keep warm.

I miss you, Mr. Maple Leaf, I want to see you.

I miss you too.

Happy New Year, I calculated the time to send you this letter, you will receive it during the Spring Festival.

Happy New Year, I received the letter, I specially wrote a reply on New Year’s Eve.