Chapter 299 Surging
In November, birds seemed to have disappeared, and the branches of the camphor trees in the school became increasingly quiet. Many mornings, when Zhang Yunqi was running, Chu Jian would stand in front of the newspaper rack with a cup of milk in his hand, rubbing his hands that had turned slightly red from the cold in the morning mist, and puffing out large clouds of mist from his mouth.

Early winter has quietly arrived.

Many times when I first saw it, I wondered, since when did the weather suddenly become so cold? I had never noticed it.

In the evening at home, Ji Ling held a cup of hot milk and asked Chu Jian, who was doing his homework, about his recent situation at school.

Chu Jian said: "It's good, but I'm a little tired because I'm busy with studies."

Ji Ling's eyes widened. She said, "You have such good grades, always ranking first in the school. Studying should be easy for you."

Chu Jian shook his head: "It's not that simple there. You can rest now, but I still have to read." Since Ji Ling moved into Chu Jian's house, Chu Jian's evening study location was changed from school to home.

"Okay, okay, don't disturb the nerd from studying hard. Drink your milk early." Ji Ling pinched Chu Jian's little face, put the hot milk on the desk, then lay on the bed in pajamas, put on headphones, listened to music and read picture magazines.

Chu Jian glanced at Ji Ling, who was holding her cheeks with both hands. This delicate girl who looked like an elf was already her best friend. She stood up and took a cotton coat to put on her: "It's cold, you will catch a cold lying like this."

Ji Ling tilted her head and smiled with narrowed eyes.

Chu Jian returned to his desk and continued reading.

At ten o'clock in the evening, when we went to bed, just like in the girls' dormitory at school, we couldn't help but talk about some private topics between girls, such as boys.

I didn’t have any boy I liked throughout junior high school.

She used to think that she would never have a boy she liked throughout high school.

Ji Ling said that she was a really good girl when she first met her.

In the darkness, my face turned red when I first saw you.

This was not the first time she had encountered such a thing, because she had lunch with Zhang Yunqi at Zhang's every day. Although her classmates did not say anything, they had been going together many times. Once, a junior high school girl from another class pulled her aside and asked in a low voice: "Chu Jian, are you and that boy in your class, Yun, together?"

At the age of 17, at this age, it was the first time that I applied the vague word "together" to myself, brought these three words from far away to near, and saw them from vague to clear entities.

Chu Jian knew that her cheeks must have blushed at that time. She said hurriedly: "My mother works in the fish meal shop opened by his family. We have been good friends since the first year of high school."

She nodded and walked away doubtfully.

This was the first time I said something against my will.

Is this a sweet trouble? She often wondered what kind of reaction would it cause if the classmates found out that a boy and a girl were together - then she and Yunqi would not be able to study peacefully in school.

She is always thinking about him now.

She found that there was no boy who could replace Yunqi and exchange ideas with her in a broad range. This boy she liked was so strong in spirit, he had a deep understanding of life and could always remain calm in the face of difficulties.

The girls in the class often discuss how outstanding and handsome a certain boy in the school is. Their eyes are always on appearance and talent, and no one cares about inner qualities.

This is certainly not wrong. Everyone should have the right to express their opinions on love. It’s just that before the first meeting, I always felt that those who like someone because of appearance and money are actually loving themselves. They love the vanity of being loved, the sense of existence when they are tortured, and even fall in love with the inferiority complex caused by not being loved. In the end, what you love is the emotions that arise from yourself, which has nothing to do with love itself.

Now, Chu Jian discovered that after being with Yunqi, she fell into a certain emotion of her own, often feeling uneasy and flustered, doing things that seemed stupid in retrospect. The criticism she received from the geography teacher Zhou Hu two days ago bothered her, and it was even a little ridiculous that she was depressed because Zhang Yunqi communicated normally with other girls.

At first sight, she didn't know that liking someone would be like this. She didn't want to be affected by love at such an age when she should be working hard. Her enthusiasm for learning occupied her heart to a large extent. She hoped that she and him would work hard together, make progress together, understand each other, have the same hobbies, and have their own space.

She wanted to tell him about some troubles.

On Wednesday of this week, after school, she waited for Ji Ling and then went home with Yunqi, who was already at Zhangji Qifengdu Fish Powder Shop.

On the way, Yunqi said it was the beginning of winter and we would have mutton hotpot in the evening.

Ji Ling, who was walking in front, was extremely happy. Yunqi was a good cook, but he was very busy and it was rare for him to cook delicious food.

I bought orange juice, cola and a large bag of snacks at the store at the entrance of the community. When I got downstairs, Chujian and Jiling went upstairs first. Yunqi had to go back to her house to put down her schoolbag and get some ingredients. She would call Chunlan and Xiaoxiao and then go to her house to make mutton hot pot. Jiling had already jumped into the stairwell. Chujian walked a little slower, but when she heard Jiling calling her, she hesitated for a moment and followed her into the stairwell.

Zhang Yunqi didn't think much about it and turned around to go home.

He had only taken a few steps when he heard Chu Jian's voice calling him from behind: "Yunqi."

Zhang Yunqi turned his head and saw Chu Jian returning from the stairwell with an envelope in his hand.

He asked: "What's wrong?"

"Here." Chu Jian handed him the envelope.

Zhang Yunqi was stunned.

He just watched Chu Jian walk closer, reach out to hug him, then wave her hand with a red face, turn around and leave. Her slender figure quickly disappeared in the dark corridor entrance.

Zhang Yunqi scratched his head, thinking that this girl had actually learned to write love letters. He walked under the street light, opened the letter, and read it in the light:
“The clouds are rising.

Although we meet from time to time, I rarely have the opportunity to have heartfelt talks with you at school.

This is the original intention of writing this letter.

When I was writing this letter, you were sitting behind me. The sunlight outside the window was strong and my heart was calm. For some reason, I remembered the famous line from Wang Wei's "Zhongnan Bie Ye": "When you reach the end of the water, sit and watch the clouds rise." Then, I thought of you and the free and detached state of life that can calmly face the desperate situation in life.

Mr. Qian Zhongshu once commented on this poem: "Everything you encounter is the truth, everything you touch can be understood, the artistic conception is boundless, and it can be born and die." I yearn for this attitude towards life, but I also feel that I am still young and immature, and I should be more energetic and have a broader vision, rather than being narrowly confined to my inner feelings.

I've been reading the book "Travels in Latin America" ​​you gave me recently, and I'm fascinated by it. I'm shocked by the passion of those dull workers towards life. They may be vulgar, but they also have romance and love. I admire the two young people's grand journey in Latin America, and the changes that the protagonists have undergone after facing the sufferings of the world. Also, their weathered faces and still clear eyes.

The beauty in these ordinary things let me know that in this world, besides the confusion in front of us and the distant dreams, there are also lasting and deep sufferings. No matter how we choose our own path in the future and what kind of luck we have, we should not forget these sufferings and the many people in this world who are living and enduring, but this does not prevent them from still loving this tearful life.

These are some of my thoughts from reading books recently. Among my friends, I can only tell you. Of course, for you, it may not be mature, or even full of the spirit of a naive student. You have rich social experience, mature thinking, and can always see the true meaning of life. You also bear a lot of things that should not belong to you at this age.

During the summer vacation in Yunxi Village, I saw those simple villagers live a better and better life under your leadership. I saw the not-so-rich fellow villagers slaughtering chickens and sheep and taking out the best food to express their gratitude to you. My heart was filled with a different kind of emotion and pride. I said silently in my heart that the person I like is shining.

I have heard such a saying: The greater the ability, the greater the responsibility. I know that, to some extent, you are now carrying the wishes of hundreds of workers in Longjingyuan and tens of thousands of farmers in Longwan Town to get rid of poverty and become rich. You are very busy and have great responsibilities, but in life, you also have to take care of my feelings from time to time.

I was wondering, it must be hard for you to live like this?

Sometimes, I want to share some of the burden with you, but I always do not do well. Compared with other girls in school, I seem to do nothing well except studying, just like I helped you with your homework a few days ago, and was criticized by the teacher in the end.

I'm sorry, Yunqi.

I don't want to indulge in too much sentimentality at this age when we should be working hard, which would make our relationship become vulgar, but I still want to tell you that because I have never liked anyone before, I will be confused and flustered when I like you. I know it's not good, but I still can't do anything better. It's like being confused and flustered, just like liking you, I can't control it.

I never liked it before.

So please forgive me for liking it so badly.

——Your Yu."

After reading the last word, Zhang Yunqi put down the letter.

The nights after the beginning of winter get dark early.

He folded the letter and put it in his pocket, lit a cigarette, and looked up to see that the light in Chu Jian's bedroom window had been turned on. There was light, a human figure, and a surging sea in the light.

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pls. I worked really hard on writing this chapter, and it took me too much energy and time. The update is slow, but my attitude is good. It's already past three in the morning, but I think I've fed enough dog food here, and the plot should turn to the theme of this volume. As for the theme of this volume, you'll understand after reading the preface. In addition, please don't forget to give Chu Jian a heart and add star points every day. I also hope to celebrate her birthday. Although it's far away, I think it will come true before the book is finished.

(End of this chapter)