Chapter 11

Her heart was racing, and Lou Jia unconsciously clenched her hands. There was a layer of moisture on the palms of her hands, but it had nothing to do with the dull summer temperature.

She saw the same nervousness and anticipation in Jiang Siwei’s eyes, and her fingertips twitched slightly: “I…”

“Teacher Jiang…”

A low voice suddenly came out, and the sudden gust of wind in the mountains and forests instantly dispersed all the ambiguous atmosphere.

Lou Jia and Jiang Siwei both pursed their lips at the same time, smiling and sighing in unison, both wanting to say something but unable to.

Finally, Jiang Siwei looked away first, turning to look at the little boy standing a few steps away: “Xiao Jing? Why haven’t you gone home yet?”

The little boy was wearing a loose summer outfit, with frayed cuffs and hems, and an old pair of sandals on his feet. Perhaps because they didn’t fit, half of his foot was sticking out, covered in dirt and dust.

“Teacher Jiang…” Xiao Jing stood there, awkwardly tugging at the hem of his shirt, and even his toes were digging into the ground. He looked at Jiang Siwei, then lowered his head and said in a clumsy accent, ‘I’m sorry for hurting you…’

Jiang Siwei walked over and knelt in front of him: ‘It’s okay, your teacher’s arm will be fine in a few days, you don’t need to worry about it.’

Xiao Jing looked at his arm hanging from his chest and was still very upset.

Seeing this, Lou Jia also came over. “Xiao Jing, your teacher’s arm is really fine. If you don’t believe me, you can ask him to show you a set of boxing moves.”

Jiang Siwei was helpless, and cooperatively clapped his hands in the air.

Xiao Jing bit his lip, wanting to laugh but too embarrassed to.

“You see, your teacher is really fine.” Jiang Siwei touched his head: “But you can’t climb trees and dig bird nests anymore. It’s very dangerous, understand?”

“I didn’t dig up any nests…” Xiao Jing whispered. ‘I saw some bird eggs on the ground and I was afraid the mother bird would be worried, so I wanted to take them back. I didn’t dig up any nests.’

Jiang Siwei paused and said, ‘I’m sorry, Xiao Jing. I misunderstood you. But if this happens again, remember to ask an adult for help. Don’t climb so high by yourself, okay?’

Xiao Jing nodded. Suddenly his stomach growled twice, and he immediately reached out to cover his stomach. His face also turned red.

“Are you hungry?” Lou Jia looked at Xiao Jing and saw him nod. She smiled and said, ‘Let’s go. Teacher will take you to eat.’

Xiao Jing turned his worries into joy and skipped along in front.

Jiang Siwei and Lou Jia walked side by side, neither of them mentioning the unfinished dance. As they walked, their bodies unconsciously moved closer to each other, touching and then quickly moving away.

Over and over again.

Everything was said without words.

When they reached a crowded place, Xiao Jing looked at a family of four holding hands not far away, and suddenly ran back, squeezing between Lou Jia and Jiang Siwei, holding one person in each hand.

He held on and tried to explain: “There are too many people. I’m afraid you can’t keep up with me.”

Lou Jia and Jiang Siwei glanced at each other and knew what Xiao Jing was thinking. Naturally, they didn’t refuse, but instead held his hand tightly.

Xiao Jing was an abandoned baby that his grandfather found by a well in the town when he was selling vegetables.

Xiao Jing’s grandfather was also a poor man. He lost his wife early in life and his son in his middle age. He had a hard life and raised Xiao Jing as his own grandson.

“The relationship between the two of them was very good, but it was a pity,” said Auntie Sun, who was cooking. She handed the hot food to Lou Jia. “His grandfather has been in poor health for the past two years, and maybe… well,” she said, her voice breaking.

When it comes to birth, aging, illness and death, it is inevitable that there will be a little more sorrow.

Lou Jia put the food on the table and sat down with Jiang Siwei, watching Xiaojing shovel the food into his mouth.

Jiang Siwei saw her worries and also fell silent.

After Xiaojing finished eating, the three of them went to the square to participate in the bonfire party. Xiaojing’s grandfather was an elder in the village and was invited to sit on the high platform early.

Xiao Jing waved happily when she saw her grandfather, and then skillfully joined in the singing and dancing, twisting her body happily, jumping and cheering.

Lou Jia was always preoccupied, watching Xiao Jing’s happiness, but she had an indescribable sadness.

Suddenly, her hand was suddenly held. A dry warmth wrapped her.

Lou Jia looked up at Jiang Siwei, who was holding her hand. The firelight reflected in his eyes: “Everyone’s life is limited.”

“I know.“ Loulou understood the truth.

”Perhaps Xiao Jing understands this truth better than we do,“ said Jiang Siwei. ‘But he is still trying to remember more happy moments.’

”It is better to share his happiness than to sympathize with his suffering,” said Jiang Siwei, catching Xiao Jing who was rushing over. ‘You are amazing, Xiao Jing.’

Loulou looked at him, sweating profusely, his eyes shining, and took his hot hand. ”Xiao Jing, how come you are such a good dancer?”

“My grandfather taught me!“ Xiao Jing pointed to the high platform. ‘Look, that’s my grandfather. He used to be a great dancer.’

Lou Jia looked at him from afar and said with a smile, ‘Can you dance any kind of dance?’

”Of course! I can sing too!” Xiao Jing shouted, and although he was young, it was clear that he had some talent.

Lou Jia followed Xiao Jing’s movements from time to time. “Then you have a chance to teach Mr. Jiang. He can’t sing very well.”

Jiang Siwei: “…”

Xiao Jing was surprised: “Really?”

Lou Jia: “Of course.”

Jiang Siwei countered: “Then please also ask Teacher Xiao Jing to teach you how to dance, Mr. Lou.”

He looked at Lou Jia: “Someone seems to still owe me a dance.”

Lou Jia followed up with a smile: “I haven’t agreed to dance with you yet.”

Jiang Siwei pretended to be sad: “Then I’ll try harder. Can you help me, Teacher Xiaojing?”

Xiaojing was very excited: “Yes, yes!”

Lou Jia looked at Jiang Siwei. The fire in their eyes flickered. Their faces were very red, and their eyes were intertwined in a way that made people’s hearts beat faster.

She looked away first, and her hands and feet became less coordinated with her heartbeat.

At this moment, it didn’t matter whether the dance was good or bad, happiness was the most important thing.

The singing and drumming became more and more cheerful.

The bonfire burned, and everyone joined hands, leaving all their worries, pain and sadness behind, singing and dancing to their hearts’ content.

The moon rose higher and the bonfire burned even more fiercely.

The night of celebration passed, and the sun rose as usual.

Goodbye and goodbye.

One day in August, Principal Luo’s office received a call. Zheng Tong, who had gone home to recover, was doing well and was expected to return to work at the end of the month.

Ying Xi mentioned this to everyone at lunch, and everyone was happy for a few seconds, but then their eyes fell on Jiang Siwei, and they were no longer happy.

“What’s wrong? I’m not going away forever,” Jiang Siwei laughed. “I’ll come back to see you when I have time.”

Parting is inevitable, and the meal was not enjoyable for anyone. After finishing, they sat for a while, chatting, and it was not until the end of the lunch break that they finally left.

Jiang Siwei and Lou Jia had no classes in the afternoon, so they went to Xiao Jing’s house to help him repair the roof as planned.

“Have you bought your ticket back?” Lou Jia asked as they walked.

“Not yet,” Jiang Siwei said. “I can wait until Mr. Zheng arrives to buy it.”

“Mm.“ Then there was a rare silence, and Lou Jia spoke again: ‘You said earlier that you were doing a PhD at this university?’

”Yes.“

”So after you finish your PhD, do you have any plans?“ Lou Jia asked.

”I might continue doing research,“ Jiang Siwei said with a smile. ‘Actually, I’m not very good at dealing with people. I even thought about living in the lab for the rest of my life.’

”That’s a bit exaggerated,” Lou Jia thought of that image and wanted to laugh.

“That’s true,” Jiang Siwei said. ‘But I don’t want to anymore.’

Lou Jia looked at him, and he continued, ‘It’s also good to get some fresh air occasionally.’

Jiang Siwei also tilted his head to meet Lou Jia’s gaze. ‘What are you going to do in a year?’

Lou Jia didn’t give an ambiguous answer this time: ”I’ll stay here.”

Jiang Siwei’s expression didn’t change much, very calm, as if she had already guessed her answer, “Then Xiaojing should not be so sad.”

“Maybe.” Lou Jia said with a hint of jealousy, “He likes you more.”

“Really? I think so too.”

“…” Lou Jia glanced at him.

Jiang Siwei smiled, and from a distance he saw Xiaojing waving at them. He waved his hand and said, “Lou Jia, don’t think so much.”

“What?“ Lou Jia didn’t react at first.

”Think about me, don’t think so much.“ Jiang Siwei said, ‘Don’t attach the distance, the uncertainty of the future, and everything else to the answer I give you.’

”Just look at the present, just look at Jiang Siwei here.”

Lou Jia looked at Jiang Siwei standing in front of her. She prided herself on not weighing the pros and cons in relationships, but when faced with him, she couldn’t help but weigh them.

It wasn’t weighing the pros and cons for herself, but she didn’t want to give a hasty answer, and because of the future, she was falling apart.

If it really came to this, wouldn’t it be another kind of hurt for Jiang Siwei?

She didn’t want to, and she couldn’t bear to.

Lou Jia was silent, and her chest felt like a drum, and it took a long time before she said, “Okay.”

Time passed in a flash.

Zheng Tong arrived in Wutong Village on the last weekend of August, and Jiang Siwei had scheduled to return on Monday.

It was a welcome and a farewell.

The sadness of parting and the joy of reunion were intertwined, and everyone’s emotions were high and low.

When the party ended, several young people were drunk.

Jiang Siwei was the only sober one, and he was able to stand up and walk on his own. He staggered to the door of the canteen and saw the boy crouching in the shade: “Xiao Jing.”

Xiao Jing looked up, walked slowly to Jiang Siwei, and said goodbye to him with a smile.

Parting was the first life lesson he had learned.

“Teacher Jiang, if you were my father, that would be great,“ Xiao Jing hugged him, and before Jiang Siwei could say anything, he ran away quickly.

Jiang Siwei was saddened by his words, and Lou Jia walked over to him and handed him a tissue. He stubbornly said, ‘It’s okay, I’m not crying.’

”No, you’re not crying,” Lou Jia said quietly, and covered his eyelids with the tissue. ‘It’s just sand that accidentally got into your eyes.’

Jiang Siwei smiled, but his nose was still a little bit sour.

After a while, Lou Jia took off the tissue and saw his red eyes.

“Okay,” Jiang Siwei said.

After the fall, the temperature in the mountains at night dropped sharply. Jiang Siwei put his jacket on Lou Jia’s shoulders. Lou Jia looked at him and didn’t refuse.

The night wind didn’t disturb the silence at this moment.

Jiang Siwei drank wine, and his reaction was not as sober as usual. He didn’t notice anything unusual about the road Lou Jia took him.

It wasn’t until the green lights appeared in front of him that he stopped abruptly.

There weren’t many fireflies this season, but there was something even more dazzling than fireflies, starlight, and moonlight in front of Jiang Siwei.

Lou Jia licked his lips: “Siwei, I’m sorry…”

Hearing this, Jiang Siwei’s back went numb, and his not-so-clear head instantly became clear. He moved his lips, but didn’t make a sound.

“Sorry for giving you an answer so late.“ Lou Jia had a smile in her eyes. ‘You were right. I did think too much before, because I never thought you would like me.’

”I don’t want to be hasty with you, and I don’t want to give you a promise lightly. I’m afraid that this relationship won’t have a good outcome, and I’m afraid that I won’t be able to give you what you want.”

Jiang Siwei didn’t know what to say, and he just felt his chest swell, and his fingertips trembled, like the final sprint of a long-distance race, and his whole body was uncontrollably tense.

Lou Jia was getting closer and closer to him, so close that he could almost hear his heartbeat. The night wind blew her long hair and swept it across his face.

Jiang Siwei closed his eyes, as if it were a beautiful dream.

Under the silvery moonlight, the two hearts drew closer and closer, their breaths intertwined. Lou Jia’s tone was full of temptation: “That dance, are you still willing to dance with me?”

Jiang Siwei opened his eyes, and the dream was still there.

“Of course.”