translated_Chapter 102

102: Little Jing, Little Jing… Grow Up Quickly

“You’re still not happy, Qiu Ci. I can’t smile. Promise me you won’t leave this year, you won’t leave next year, and you’ll tell me ‘Happy New Year’ every year, okay?”

Qiu Ci remained silent.

“Then… say it once every five years.”

Jing Yueming still didn’t hear a response.

“Ten… I’ll wait even if it’s once every twenty years. At least I feel like I’m talking to you, not muttering to a tombstone ghost.”

Qiu Ci should have told a lie. How much could he remember after ten or twenty years?

But his nose felt so sore, and his throat was bitter.

Icy tears dripped onto Jing Yueming’s head.

“Then I won’t let you leave, I won’t let you leave, okay? We’ll just stay here. I’ll go to the town and be an art teacher, that’s enough for a lifetime… I won’t let you leave, I won’t let you go no matter what you say, Qiu Ci, I’m not kidding.”

“Alright, stop it, let’s go to sleep.”

The heavy cotton quilt made it hard for them to breathe, and they both had nightmares all night.

Zhang’s mother was busy preparing for the New Year.

The Spring Festival in China is truly a time for family reunion.

Qiu Ci didn’t regret coming back.

On the morning of New Year’s Eve, Qiu Ci and the others hung up the couplets and lanterns.

Looking back, all the families on the street had already finished, and the whole street had the feel of the New Year.

In the afternoon, Uncle Li came back and greeted Jing Yueming with some surprise and unfamiliarity.

“I knew you were coming back a long time ago. It must have been hard studying outside these past few years. Take a good rest at home for a few days. And this is?” Uncle Li obviously didn’t recognize Qiu Ci.

Jing Yueming introduced him: “This is my friend, his name is Qiu Ci.”

Qiu Ci politely extended his hand to greet Uncle Li: “Hello.”

Uncle Li rubbed his hands before shaking his: “Hello, hello. Little Jing must have caused you a lot of trouble these past few years, right?”

“Of course not, he’s so sensible.” The two exchanged a few polite words.

Uncle Li tidied himself up and ran off to help Zhang’s mother prepare the New Year’s Eve dinner.

Qiu Ci also wanted to help, it didn’t feel right to be eating for free every day for several days.

But how could Zhang’s mother let him work? She urged Jing Yueming to take him outside for a walk.

The air still smelled of gunpowder, just like many years ago.

Qiu Ci thought of a particularly fitting word: “Auspicious.”

So good.

“Qiu Ci, I still think the lotus flower one looks better than the koi carp.” This was a disagreement the two had a few hours earlier when choosing the couplets.

The couplets were bought, and besides the calligraphy, there were all kinds of patterns.

Qiu Ci liked a koi carp design, while Jing Yueming liked another one with lotus flowers.

After some hesitation, Jing Yueming gave in to Qiu Ci.

Afterwards, he felt more and more that he should defend the lotus flower.

Qiu Ci said: “Koi carp have a good meaning, it’s suitable for the New Year, good luck for the New Year.”

“Lotus flowers are also good, ‘harmony in the family brings success in everything,’ have you heard that? It’s this one on the door.” Jing Yueming casually pointed to a character printed on a large door.

“I still like koi carp, can’t we have one on each side, make them the same?”

“My mom won’t allow it. Let’s use lotus flowers next year,” Jing Yueming said.

“Haha.” Qiu Ci laughed awkwardly along with him.

A lot of food was made for the New Year’s Eve dinner. This year it wasn’t just the old couple and Li Yuhang, but with Jing Yueming and Qiu Ci, it was lively and bustling.

In front of everyone, Uncle Li wanted to encourage his son: “Li Yuhang, look at your two older brothers, they’re both top students, making big money. You have to study hard too, so you won’t have to work as hard as me in the future, only being able to come back on New Year’s Day.”

Li Yuhang shook his head impatiently while gnawing on a chicken wing: “They studied abroad, you can go if you have money.”

“That’s their ability too. If you want to go abroad in the future, your brother Jing Yueming will definitely take care of you. Right, Little Jing?”

After Jing Yueming looked up, he hesitated for a moment, but still said, “That’s right, if you get into college, our whole family will support your studies.”

“Brother, show some sincerity and buy me a new phone.” Li Yuhang pleaded with Jing Yueming.

Jing Yueming shook his head: “At your age, you can’t control yourself well, you can’t buy a phone.”

Zhang’s mother mentioned: “How long can you stay at home this year? We all miss you very much, stay a little longer.”

“I haven’t…”

“My plane ticket is for this day next week.” Qiu Ci interrupted the words Jing Yueming hadn’t said.

“When did you buy it?” Jing Yueming didn’t know at all.

“Last month, not quite, maybe half a month ago,” Qiu Ci recalled.

Jing Yueming turned his head to look at him: “You’re going… where?”

“The Netherlands…”

“Henan?” Uncle Li repeated the name, wondering where it was.

“It’s a foreign country, the Netherlands. Their cheese is very good, I’ll send you some when I get there.”

Jing Yueming wanted to say something but stopped. He didn’t want to eat cheese.

Even more, he didn’t want Qiu Ci to go to the Netherlands.

After finishing the New Year’s Eve dinner, Zhang’s mother and Uncle Li didn’t ask them to stay up all night. Jing Yueming dragged Qiu Ci back to their room to rest.

“You bought a ticket without telling me?”

“Are you going to stop me?”

“I don’t want you to leave.”

“You can’t stop me.” Qiu Ci spoke the truth.

“Qiu Ci, I can’t stop you, but I have to go with you. I don’t dare to gamble that you’re lying to me, I need to watch you.” Jing Yueming reached into Qiu Ci’s pocket, took out his phone, skillfully entered the password, and checked his flight.

“I know how you feel, but I have to consider myself. No one can’t live without anyone, Little Jing, be good.”

“No, consider it my rebellious period. I’ll listen to you on everything else, as long as you’re by my side.” After checking, Jing Yueming booked himself a ticket on the same flight.

Qiu Ci looked out the window at the lights: “Do you know what day is next month?”

“What?” Besides Qiu Ci leaving, there’s also…

“It’s my sister’s death anniversary.”

After many years, the name Ai La still surprised Jing Yueming.

She barged in like this, bringing Qiu Ci with her.

Jing Yueming’s first love.

“Do you miss her?” Qiu Ci asked.

Did Jing Yueming miss Ai La? “I do. I really liked her back then. At the time, I thought she understood me the most. But actually, it was you behind her back, right?” That dashing woman became Jing Yueming’s first support.

“I miss my sister too…” The topic inexplicably shifted to Qiu Shi.

“But, Qiu Ci, missing her doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go be with her. What happened back then wasn’t your fault.” After so long, Jing Yueming also understood those things better: “You didn’t want to be in that position either. Without you, I might still be kept in the dark. Tsukimi Rin wouldn’t have been able to move on either. You’re not wrong, don’t torture yourself, okay?”

Jing Yueming had said similar words countless times these days, the core being “Qiu Ci, don’t die.”

Qiu Ci leaned close to Jing Yueming’s ear: “Little Jing, Little Jing…”

“What?” Jing Yueming listened carefully and only then heard the following sentence: “Grow up quickly.”

“I don’t want to grow up, you have to be with me. Aren’t you going to be my father?” Jing Yueming coaxed him.

“Huh? What a scoundrel, you’re already over twenty. Still so childish.”

“Yeah.” The time on the phone was ten o’clock, there was still a long, long time until twelve o’clock.