Hesun Ming and his group waited until 11 PM for Jiang Ren to return.
When he came back, half of the crystal ball had melted, and light snow was still falling, forming a thin layer of ice crystals on the ground. He returned alone, bringing the night’s chill with him. When he opened the car door, everyone felt that he had almost no warmth left in his body.
There were unmelted snowflakes in Jiang Ren’s hair.
His black eyes were devoid of any emotion.
As soon as he sat down, the car’s air conditioning couldn’t combat the cold he had endured outside for so long.
Soon, the snowflakes melted into water, spreading across his chiseled face. He lowered his eyes, saying nothing, and no one dared to ask.
Until Jiang Ren calmly spoke, “He Junming, give me a cigarette.”
He Junming quickly fumbled in his pocket and handed him one.
Nobody spoke, but they all knew something must have happened. After all, Jiang Ren hadn’t smoked for a long time. When they smoked, he would tell them to get far away and not pollute his clothes. But tonight, he returned and said nothing, just silently smoking an entire pack of cigarettes.
One after another, as if releasing all the things he had restrained and suppressed recently.
Jiang Ren was excessively calm, but no one thought he was truly calm.
Beneath the calmness, there was a hint of madness.
Fang Tan sat in the driver’s seat and after a while, finally asked, “Ren, that…”
Jiang Ren looked where he was pointing. The crystal ball was covered with a layer of snow, and the character “Ting” in the bottom right corner was completely blurred. He stared at that character for a while, then tugged at the corner of his mouth.
Then he said indifferently, “Don’t worry about it. It’ll melt soon. Drive.”
Fang Tan started the car. He Junming couldn’t stand the oppressive atmosphere anymore. “Ren, did you see her?”
Jiang Ren closed his eyes and leaned back in his seat. “No.”
He wished he hadn’t.
When Shu Lan told him that Meng Ting had gone to participate in a piano competition, he was silent for a long time. He almost immediately realized who that person on the stage was when he first saw her. That time, it wasn’t Shu Lan playing the piano, it was her.
The year his mother abandoned him and his father to run away with her lover, he swore he would never like women with too much talent in the future.
Heh, look at them, so beautiful, so wonderful. On one hand, they make men fall for them, and on the other, they remain reserved and proud. When you’re hopelessly infatuated with her, she’ll mercilessly dump you.
Such people are the most heartless.
Five years after his mother left, his father was still personally cleaning that piano room.
At that time, Jiang Ren stood with his arms crossed, watching that pitiful abandoned man with cold, mocking eyes.
He wouldn’t become a second Jiang Jixian.
However, when he thought that it was Meng Ting, besides a ridiculous sense of sadness in his heart, there was more – an intense anticipation. How could someone as introverted and gentle as her have such a dazzling and beautiful side?
He wanted to go see her.
But when he arrived, she had already finished her performance.
Light snow was falling.
She was wearing a blue winter dress with white fur on the sleeves and hem. Her long hair was tied back with a ribbon of the same color. The long ribbon hung down her chest. Not far away, the sound of the piano still echoed. She was looking up at the snow.
Her porcelain-white neck seemed as white as the snow.
For a moment, time seemed to freeze. He felt as if he had returned to his childhood, pushing open the door to his mother’s treasured room, and seeing a Chinese ink painting at first glance.
In the painting, snow was falling heavily, and a young girl was reaching out to catch snowflakes. Her black hair hung down, with transparent white snowflakes dotting her long lashes. She stood in the painting, the corners of her lips slightly curved, with a sweet smile.
How old was he that year?
Seven or eight?
After angrily smashing all of his mother’s remaining breakable possessions, he hesitated before this famous painting.
He stared blankly at the painting, even thinking she might step out of it. But she didn’t. When he came to his senses, he realized it was just a painting. A painting of an extremely beautiful young woman.
He bit his lip in humiliation, tears in his eyes, unwilling to be bewitched by a ridiculous painting. In anger, he smashed and tore it to pieces.
Many years later, he had long forgotten the appearance of the person in the ink painting, but he remembered that feeling of being stunned by its beauty.
Tonight, that feeling was even stronger than it had been back then.
But he was too late. Meng Ting had already finished her performance.
He felt hollow inside as he watched her from afar. At times it felt absurd, at others his heart raced out of control.
Until he saw snowflakes falling on her raven-like long lashes, and saw that boy draping a coat over her shoulders.
She looked up, and the boy leaned down, holding her shoulders.
They kissed on this Christmas Eve night, quiet under the pitch-black sky.
From beginning to end, she never pushed that person away.
He didn’t know how long he stood there, maybe a minute, maybe half an hour.
Jiang Ren remembered how she would frown when he draped clothes over her.
To keep the clothes free of cigarette smell, he had endured his craving for cigarettes, like an idiot.
He also remembered when he lost control and kissed her, she pushed against his chest to push him away, saying he was being a hooligan. Since then, when he sent her home, he would open his arms, then act as if nothing had happened and withdraw them.
Just last night, he had wanted so badly to hug her from behind.
He closed his eyes briefly, then turned and left.
He walked away calmly, not knowing how long he walked. He began to run frantically, aimlessly, running forward without direction.
The cold air rushed into his lungs like knives, bringing sharp pain.
“F*ck!” He clenched his fists tightly and kicked a streetlamp.
The light swayed, creating several afterimages.
He tasted blood in his throat.
Jiang Ren coldly spat a trace of red in his saliva.
Suddenly, he desperately wanted to go back. He couldn’t control the urge to return. He wanted to pull that boy away, wanted to stab him to death, wanted to question her about why she was doing this to him.
He even thought about destroying her, just like he had destroyed that ink painting.
But he couldn’t even take a step.
She wasn’t a painter.
He couldn’t even bring himself to destroy her.
How laughable. He’d always said that loving women like this only led to contempt and disdain. Craving such love only ended in tragedy.
Meng Ting had clearly said she didn’t like him.
He wiped the corner of his mouth with his thumb and laughed mockingly. So what if he once liked a girl who didn’t like him back? What’s the big deal?
When he didn’t like her, hadn’t he lived just fine for all these years?
Before they knew it, winter break had arrived, and No. 7 Middle School was filled with a festive atmosphere inside and out.
After Fan Huiyin announced the start of the holiday, she went over some precautions and asked the class monitor Guan Xiaoye to collect safety commitment forms from the students.
The class was in high spirits, with students chattering as they said their goodbyes.
Zhao Nuancheng stamped her feet from the cold. “Ting Ting, are you spending the New Year in H City?” She was excited. “I’m taking the train to my grandmother’s house in the countryside. I’ll bring you some local specialties.”
Meng Ting nodded and softly agreed.
She said, “Our family always spends the New Year in H City.”
After Meng Ting’s mother left her hometown, her maternal grandparents were heartbroken and no longer acknowledged this daughter. Meng Ting had always spent New Year’s in B City.
Fan Huiyin said, “Don’t slack off on your studies during the break. When you come back in spring, you’ll be second-year high school students in the second semester. If you don’t make good use of your time now, you’ll regret it later.”
A mischievous boy below shouted, “Understood, Teacher! Happy New Year, Teacher Fan!”
Teacher Fan couldn’t help but smile. “Then I wish you all a happy New Year in advance!”
On the afternoon of No. 7 Middle School’s last day before the break, the campus was unprecedentedly lively.
The school gates were crowded with parents picking up their children for the winter holiday.
A silver sports car was particularly eye-catching.
Not only were students looking, but parents were also watching. They couldn’t help but point and discuss.
One parent said, “Wow, that’s a nice car. You can’t buy that around here. It must cost at least this much.” He held up seven fingers.
A student whispered in her father’s ear, “That’s Jiang Ren’s car.”
Then she explained to her father about Jiang Ren from the neighboring vocational high school, her eyes filled with an indescribable light. Jiang Ren was rebellious and unrestrained, but in his youth, such a person had a different kind of brilliance. On one hand, he was feared, but on the other, he was considered cool.
The parent frowned. “Stay away from that kind, you understand?”
What’s the use of having money if you’re the scum of society! A young troublemaker who fights viciously is abandoned by his family.
The student hurriedly agreed.
When Meng Ting came out carrying her books with Zhao Nuancheng, his car window rolled down.
Several boys in the car were chatting and laughing. When they saw Meng Ting, He Junming quickly gave Fang Tan a look.
Fang Tan glanced at Jiang Ren, who lowered his eyes and flicked his cigarette ash.
He didn’t look at Meng Ting again, his expression remaining calm throughout.
However, many people were looking at Meng Ting. After all, she was the school beauty. Even though everyone wore the same bulky school uniforms, wherever she was became the focus of everyone’s gaze.
Jiang Ren’s car was parked conspicuously. Zhao Nuancheng puffed out her cheeks and pulled Meng Ting away from him. “Ting Ting, stay away from him. I always feel like he has ulterior motives towards you.”
That time on the mountain when Jiang Ren forcibly took her away, Zhao Nuancheng had been worried for a long time.
Meng Ting didn’t reject her good intentions.
Shortly after they came out, He Junming waved to someone at the school gate. “Beauty Lu Yue, over here, over here.”
Lu Yue walked over with a smile on her lips. He Junming opened the car door and let her in.
Zhao Nuancheng watched, shocked and angry. “So the rumors are true? Jiang Ren is really with Lu Yue? Then why was he bothering you, Ting Ting? He’s such a player. You should never like someone like that.”
Meng Ting helped her adjust her nearly falling papers. “Don’t say that. It’s not our business what other people do.”
Zhao Nuancheng pouted and agreed.
After Meng Ting had walked away, Jiang Ren also drove off.
He had remained emotionless throughout. When they talked about their teacher’s money-grubbing ways, he even smiled slightly.
He Han texted He Junming: Ren didn’t react at all. Do you think he’s over it? He’s given up on Meng Ting and isn’t pursuing her anymore.
He Junming replied: Looks stable to me.
He Han typed: I told you the No. 7 Middle School beauty wasn’t so easy to chase. Ren had to hit a wall before giving up.
He Junming strongly agreed.
That day when Ren came back, his oppressive and silent mood had everyone on edge, afraid he might go crazy. But he didn’t. Instead, he returned to his old life – playing ball, occasionally going out to eat, and sleeping in class.
Normal, as normal as could be.
When they suggested Ren drive to pick up a friend today, they were worried he might lose control of his emotions upon seeing Meng Ting. But now they realized they had overthought it.
Lu Yue looked at the young man driving in the driver’s seat and asked with a smile, “Jiang Ren, are you going back to B City for the New Year? I’ve never been to B City in all my life. I hear it’s very prosperous and lively. Can you tell me about it?”
Jiang Ren calmly replied, “Not going back.”
Lu Yue felt a bit awkward.
He Junming quickly smoothed things over. “We’ll take you there to play after the college entrance exam!”
The atmosphere in the car livened up again.
He Junming was a chatterbox, talking non-stop. Lu Yue listened the whole time, occasionally smiling and responding, presenting a docile and quiet image.
Fang Tan sat in the passenger seat and glanced at Lu Yue. He didn’t know if it was his imagination, but he felt that Lu Yue was deliberately imitating Meng Ting’s personality.
Jiang Ren’s fingers rested on the steering wheel as he lazily watched the red light outside the window.
Fang Tan’s gaze returned, falling on the second knuckle of Jiang Ren’s middle finger.
It was burned red.
Those sitting in the back hadn’t noticed, but Fang Tan had seen it.
When Meng Ting came out earlier, Jiang Ren did not react. He barely even looked at her.
But the cigarette had burned his finger.
Red, almost scorching the flesh.
As if feeling it belatedly, he put it out.