translated_Chapter 88

88: Walking at Night

He waited for so long, and then.

The person he was waiting for got married…

Jing Yueming felt a pang of bitterness, but he couldn’t explain it.

Even though he had long accepted that he and Qiu Ci could be friends in the future over these past five years.

And still be able to drink tea and chat decades later.

But seeing him get married and have children still hurt. Qiu Ci was in his thirties, which was perfectly normal.

What right did a small, insignificant designer like him have to ask Qiu Ci to wait for him?

Zhang Kaizhe was curious as to why he was spacing out: “What are you looking at?” He followed Jing Yueming’s gaze.

The people over there hadn’t noticed them yet.

“Wow, that girl is really young.”

“Shut up.” Jing Yueming seemed to be in a bad mood.

Su Yuyang, with his dyed blue hair, joined the group.

Su Yuyang was teasing the cute little baby in Qiu Ci’s arms.

Jing Yueming wanted to go over and say hello, but there were too many people.

He wrote four hundred letters, writing every day, sending a few pages in an envelope each time. He talked to himself for five years, and in the end, he really mistakenly thought that someone else was listening to him.

Ignoring Zhang Kaizhe’s attempts to stop him, Jing Yueming pushed through the crowd, step by step, and walked towards Qiu Ci.

Since they were all friends, what was wrong with saying hello?

Qiu Ci, Qiu Ci, Qiu Ci.

“Qiu Ci!”

The person clearly didn’t react at first, then Qiu Ci looked over.

Jing Yueming also arrived beside them.

Su Yuyang was extremely shocked to see him: “You little rascal, what a coincidence.”

Qiu Ci was speechless, unsure what to say, since he hadn’t written back.

Su Yuyang, never one to miss a chance for fun, said to Yue Yue: “Quick, call him Uncle, this is your Uncle Jing, a great designer.”

Sen sensed that the atmosphere was strange, but she couldn’t figure out what was going on: “Mr. Jing?” She tried to greet him.

Yue Yue was the first to react: “Are you Jing Yueming?”

Jing Yueming was also surprised that this little girl knew him. Did Qiu Ci tell her?

“I… I am Jing Yueming.” After saying that, he looked at Qiu Ci again.

Qiu Ci adjusted his expression and said as naturally as possible: “Long time no see. What a coincidence to see you here at the performance.”

Su Yuyang interrupted again at this moment: “Yue Yue, why don’t you let this uncle hold you? Look how tall this uncle is, you’ll definitely see better.”

Yue Yue nodded: “Okay!”

Jing Yueming didn’t reach out his hands. He couldn’t help but ask first: “This is? Your child?” He was pretty sure that was the case.

Qiu Ci shook his head: “Tsukimi Rin and my sister’s child.” As he spoke, he handed Yue Yue to Jing Yueming. Only then did Jing Yueming take her.

Seeing Yue Yue steadily in Jing Yueming’s arms, Qiu Ci rubbed his sore wrist: “This is Sen, she studies music, and she’s also a student I sponsor. This is Jing Yueming.” Qiu Ci introduced the two of them to each other.

Jing Yueming breathed a sigh of relief and became more natural: “When did you come? Did you get the letters…?”

At the mention of the letters, Qiu Ci became somewhat embarrassed: “Ahem… I got them.”

A cheer went up from the crowd, and everyone looked over, no longer having time to chat.

A person wearing a long robe and holding props, with a flaming object on each end, shook them, sending sparks flying.

Under the dark night sky, these two balls of fire became the only lights.

Most wild animals in nature are afraid of fire.

Fire is dangerous, but it ignited human civilization.

This civilization is like refined metal, hard and dazzling.

Yue Yue said in surprise: “Wow, this is just like magic.”

The performer twirled the flames, the two balls of fire swirling around him like long dragons, exuding a mysterious aura.

This wonderful performance ended at ten o’clock.

Everyone dispersed, still not satisfied.

Yue Yue exclaimed: “So cool, I want to learn that in the future!”

Su Yuyang, with his great intuition, suggested: “Come on, Yue Yue, I’ll take you home. Qiu Ci, you and Little Jing can chat.”

Sen was still standing beside them, showing no sign of leaving. Su Yuyang called out to her again: “Sen, I’ll give you a ride home, it’s on the way.”

“Huh? I’m waiting for Mr. Qiu…” Before she could finish speaking, Su Yuyang winked at her, and Sen had no choice but to follow.

Su Yuyang took Yue Yue.

“I can walk.” Yue Yue protested.

“Okay, okay, okay, you can walk.” He changed from carrying her to holding her hand.

The group headed towards the parking area not far away.

Only Qiu Ci and Jing Yueming were left.

Jing Yueming had just sent Zhang Kaizhe a message telling him to leave on his own.

“How’s the place you’re staying? Did you come to participate in the fashion competition?” Qiu Ci brought up a topic to avoid things getting too awkward.

“Not bad.” The two strolled under the streetlights, since the show had just ended, there were still many people around.

“If you need anything with your studies or life, you can always ask me…”

Jing Yueming interrupted him: “Are you going to be in France for a long time?”

Qiu Ci thought for a moment: “I… I’ll be going to the Netherlands in a few months.”

“Going to the Netherlands?” Jing Yueming searched his brain for his impressions of the Netherlands.

“Yeah.”

“Dutch cheese, tulips… and landscape paintings are all very famous.” It was indeed a tourist mecca.

“Yeah, it’s really nice.”

Jing Yueming said: “I’ll be going back to my hometown next year, to see my mom. It’s very beautiful there too.”

“The scenery in southern China is unique,” Qiu Ci said with emotion.

“Yeah, where were you before that? Where were you before?”

“I was in Finland for the past few years.” Qiu Ci answered truthfully: “I came back recently because of Yue Yue’s situation.”

Speaking of Yue Yue, Jing Yueming was a little curious: “Yue Yue is Ai La’s… no, Qiu Shi and Tsukimi Rin’s child?”

“My sister had her eggs frozen before she died.”

“Are you guys reconciled now?” Jing Yueming was a little surprised, as Tsukimi Rin’s attitude was quite nasty a few years ago.

“We’re all so old, there’s no need to be so bitter. Genetically, I’m Yue Yue’s only relative…” Qiu Ci really liked Yue Yue, but he wouldn’t stay because of her.

Yue Yue didn’t need Qiu Ci; as she grew up healthy, her memories of this time would become increasingly vague.

Jing Yueming… Jing Yueming needed a Qiu Ci.

“How about I postpone my return home? I want to be with you, Qiu Ci. You said I’d forget you, but I can’t forget you. You got those letters…” All of Jing Yueming’s feelings of loneliness and grievance from the past five years welled up. Qiu Ci, you lied to me, I just like you.

A substitute must be perfectly replicated, every detail must be flawless.

Only Qiu Ci could replace Mr. Maple Leaf.

“Huh? Are you crying again?” Qiu Ci wanted to laugh. He hadn’t even said anything yet, and this guy had made himself cry.

The letters were filled with late-night tears.

Qiu Ci took out a tissue from his coat pocket and handed it to him.

“Qiu Ci, I want everything, actually. I want you to be by my side forever, I want you to only have me.” What a pity, the four hundred letters only moved himself; Qiu Ci didn’t even have an extra ounce of reaction.

“Have you prepared the stuff for the competition? The deadline is coming up,” Qiu Ci asked, changing the subject.

Jing Yueming wiped away his tears: “Not yet… I only have an idea.”

Qiu Ci stopped in his tracks: “No physical object is fine, but you don’t even have a design draft? Just a rough concept?”

“…I don’t even have a rough concept.”