Re-engraving the Spring - Chapter 47

The first encounter between the two was in a psychological clinic.

This was the first time Chi Qiu saw such an unreasonable person. It was the first time they met, so they should maintain a proper distance, but this boy sat beside him and greeted him familiarly: “Hello, my name is Lu Ming, what’s your name?”

Fifteen-year-old Chi Qiu turned his head away, without any intention of paying attention to Lu Ming.

Lu Ming thought he was introverted and took the initiative to compliment him: “Your eyes are so beautiful, like the color of spring.”

“…”

“You don’t want to talk? Well, I don’t want to either.”

“…”

Lu Ming played with his fingers and added, “Who sent you here? I was sent by my grandfather, but I don’t think it’s really necessary, he didn’t care much about me before.”

“…”

“But… I don’t blame him. He wanted to take me away from my mother before, I was the one who didn’t want to. I have a younger brother who lives with him instead. I don’t like that brother, he wasn’t born to my mother..”

“…”

“By the way, are you thirsty? I see there’s a milk tea store across from the clinic, do you want a drink? It’s on me.”

Chi Qiu was distracted and annoyed, thinking: Is this person a chatterbox?

And in the face of Chi Qiu’s indifference, Lu Ming gradually became unyielding. He was probably suffocated at home so he talked too much here.

Lu Ming sighed and leaned back on the garden bench, reaching his hand out to cover the mottled shade from the trees. The thin long sleeves slid down his raised arm, and Lu Ming’s white arm was covered with large and small bruises.

At this time, Chi Qiu’s eyes had recovered, but he had not told anyone yet.

The family was constantly quarreling over him; Chi Lanyan’s protection, Lin Yuming’s questioning, and Chi Xia’s tears had become difficult knots in Chi Qiu’s heart, intricately intertwined in one piece.

He really didn’t dare to tell them that his eyes were better. But with so many things weighing on his heart, Chi Qiu was feeling depressed and eating less and less day by day.

Chi Lanyan had no choice but to seek out her former college classmate, Luo Yun, a psychiatrist. After she told Luo Yun about the situation at home, under Luo Yun’s advice, Chi Lanyan convinced Chi Qiu to come here for a short while.

This psychological clinic was said to be a clinic, but it was actually a manor with lush flowers and plants.

Luo Yun was a wealthy second-generation doctor. She focused on psychological counseling, suggesting that people get close to nature; seeing green plants, listening to birds and smelling flowers, and slowly leave part of their worries behind. During the treatment, she would try to talk to the patients and guide them, so that people who had always been dull were willing to talk about their troubles, and gradually transfer the troubles in their hearts.

It was a pity that Chi Qiu seemed to be well-behaved, but after the inside was spread out, he was a very stubborn young boy.

In desperation, Luo Yun had to take her time.

Because Chi Qiu was blind and had few friends, Luo Yun tried to get her nephew Luo Xu to talk and chat with Chi Qiu.

However, Chi Qiu remained silent, not wanting to have any communication with Luo Xu at all. He didn’t even remember Luo Xu’s name and appearance.

Just when Luo Yun was distressed, Lu Ming, who had gone the wrong way in the clinic, met Chi Qiu by accident.

The taciturn Chi Qiu saw the scars on Lu Ming’s arm, one after another, as if they were pinched by something. Chi Qiu remembered the time he was kidnapped, there were also these small and large bruises on his body.

Instantly, he inexplicably developed empathy and put down a little bit of guard against Lu Ming.

So when Lu Ming put the milk tea into his hands, Chi Qiu did not refuse. He bowed his head and took a sip, almost spitting it out.

So sweet, is it a whole sugar?!

Chi Qiu was shocked, he mistakenly thought that Lu Ming bought the wrong ones.

Who knew that Lu Ming drank half a glass in one breath: “When in a bad mood, eating sweets is the most comfortable.”

“…” Chi Qiu’s eyes widened, not knowing how to politely refuse this cup of milk tea when he heard Lu Ming say to him again, “No one has ever complimented you on your beautiful eyes?”

Chi Qiu swallowed the milk tea in his mouth with difficulty. Based on the principle of ‘the mouth that eats the food of others is softened; the hand that takes the possessions of others is shortened’,1idiom that basically means something like ‘there is no such thing as free lunch’ he reluctantly replied: “I can’t see. To me, spring has no color.” The tone of voice was more or less a bit angry.

Lu Ming was dumbfounded.

At this moment, the silence was quietly mottled in spring. Between the two, a slightly hot afternoon spread unnoticed.

To avoid embarrassment, Chi Qiu got up and politely said, “Thank you for the milk tea, I should go back.”

Not intending to stay long, he took out his folding guide stick and unfolded it, ready to leave the garden and go back to his room.

Before he could take two steps, Lu Ming behind him followed in a panic, stumbling and apologizing, “Sor, sorry ah, I’m a bit nervous, I didn’t notice you are…” He stopped abruptly and turned to ask Chi Qiu urgently, “Can you tell me what’s your name? Can I see you again tomorrow?”

Chi Qiu shook his head, not planning to have any relationship with Lu Ming.

To Chi Qiu, Lu Ming was at best an intriguing stranger.

And that cup of full sugar milk tea made Chi Qiu sleepless in the quiet night.

That night, Chi Qiu lay on his stomach in front of the bed, looking out the window covered with stars and sighed with little force. He sat up and stood in front of the window. He saw the dimly lit street lights in the clinic full of green plants, and the flowers that were vying to bloom during the day bowed their heads slightly, seemingly sleeping like everyone else, peacefully waiting for the arrival of the next day’s sunlight.

Chi Qiu couldn’t help recalling the day, he touched the corner of his eyes and then lowered his eyes. The bitterness curled up into a small ball in his heart.

It was the first time someone complimented him on his beautiful eyes.

He was a little happy, but he didn’t dare to be happy.

The next day, Lu Ming came again carrying two cups of milk tea.

Chi Qiu raised his head in surprise, and was forcibly stuffed with a cup of full-sugar milk tea in his hand again.

Lu Ming stood bashfully in front of him, scratching the tip of his nose, and said youthfully, “Dr. Luo said I can come and play with you for a while every day. You don’t mind, do you?”

Chi Qiu didn’t answer, he looked at the full-sugar milk tea in his hand, and had the urge to throw it away.

No, he should have thrown it away yesterday in front of Lu Ming.

Lu Ming sensed his complicated little emotions and said to him: “Anyway, I’m quite happy, I still want to know what your name is. Dr. Luo didn’t tell me, she asked me to ask you myself, saying you will naturally tell me when you are willing to say… Sigh, she is an adult, so stingy.”

“…”

“Actually, you can make friends without knowing each other’s name, but I have to have a name for you, right? What should I call you?”

Seventeen-year-old Lu Ming wore a white long-sleeved sweater, covering his bruises. He was very cheerful when he laughed, like the warm sun shining into Chi Qiu’s life, shaking off the fragrance of green grass on the ground.

He saw him clasping his shoulders and thinking. Looking at this posture, he must think of a nice nickname.

Chi Qiu frowned uneasily, very much not wanting messy nicknames.

At the end, Chi Qiu was forced to introduce himself helplessly: “Chi Qiu.” His voice was soft, like a breeze passing by, “Chi of pond, Qiu of autumn. You should not give me random nicknames, I don’t like it.”

“Who said I was going to give you a nickname? I lied to you, I was waiting for you to say it yourself.” Lu Ming got his way and happily sat down a little closer, “Your name is really nice.”

“…Thanks, can you stay away from me a little?”

“Okay.”

“A little further away, don’t touch me, I don’t like it.”

Since the rowdy Ji Yanchen was sent abroad to study by Ji Feining, Chi Qiu had not been pestered for a chat for a long time. Lu Ming was a more troublesome guy than Ji Yanchen. He was obviously two years older than Chi Qiu, but he was very childish.

He would bring candy, milk tea and cakes to Chi Qiu every day.

In order to make Chi Qiu smile, Lu Ming worked hard, and even learned a lot of bad jokes.

Over time, Chi Qiu no longer kept his mouth shut. What Lu Ming asked, he would selectively answer. What Lu Ming brought over, he would selectively eat some.

Whether it was sweet milk tea or greasy cake, Chi Qiu no longer refused. Maybe it was because he ate too many sweets, his heart would be less bitter, and he would not be so resistant to the people around him.

In just a few months, Chi Qiu made his second friend in life in the clinic – the chatterbox Lu Ming.

But Lu Ming wasn’t really talkative, he was just suffocated at home.

Mother Lu You’s mental state was getting worse and worse, and Lu Ming’s abuse marks increased, so much that even if the weather was hot and muggy, Lu Ming would still wear long sleeves to cover them.

But Lu You’s madness that had nowhere to vent was a volcano and the lava was rolling. Anyone could escape, only Lu Ming couldn’t.

As he got older, Lu Ming learned how to hide his emotions, and he always held an optimistic attitude. Whether at school or at the Lu family’s party, Lu Ming was always a good boy with a bright smile.

Because he doesn’t want people to whisper a word when they see him: “Here, the son born to a crazy woman is not normal either, he’s just like his mother.”

He hated to hear such words from others’ mouths.

Naturally, he had no friends to talk to. While wearing a fake mask called ‘smile’, Lu Ming would deliberately pull himself away from others and maintain a safe range.

Only Chi Qiu was an accident. This young man was like a young leaf in the early morning, showing on the branches, as clean as it could be. It was as if someone else could pick up the sunlight with a slight fold of their hand.

As soon as Lu Ming saw him, he knew what love at first sight was.

In fact, Lu Ming was never a brave man, he lived too aggrieved and too depressed. No one knew that Lu Ming met Chi Qiu and fell in love with Chi Qiu. It was a long-overdue rebellion in his numb youth.

First love could always make a person come alive.

Every moment when Chi Qiu raised his head, Lu Ming could always see the green grass of the spring in Chi Qiu’s eyes, and then he would be heartbroken.

“So beautiful.”

These three words rushed out of Lu Ming’s heart. He was shocked by himself, but thankfully he didn’t say it out loud.

Perhaps it was because he had learned that Chi Qiu was blind, but Lu Ming felt more relaxed than ever. In front of Chi Qiu, he did not have to deliberately hide the bruises on his body, nor did he have to worry about his forced smile being seen through, nor did he have to worry about the other party picking apart his unfortunate life.

He was addicted to meeting Chi Qiu, whom he thought looked particularly good when he smiled.

Lu Ming couldn’t help but want to look at him more, because he liked him.