hotmtlnovel Chapter 73 Messages Delivered by Wild Geese
Chapter 73 Messages Delivered by Wild Geese
The next day, sunlight shone through the thin clouds onto the campus paths, bringing a touch of warmth to the chilly campus.
Hong Liguo's free verse and a short reply were carefully passed to Wang Yuxin again through Fa Zi.
When Fa Zi took the letter, he winked at Hong Liguo, as if to say, "Hey, you two are really something. You see each other every day and you still ask me to deliver your messages. I wonder what secrets you wrote down that you sealed so tightly."
Looking back now, that time was truly filled with the beauty of youthful innocence and pure joy.
Hong Liguo and Wang Yuxin walked the same route to and from school every day and studied in the same class; they were practically next to each other. However, this close proximity seemed to be separated by an invisible chasm, preventing Hong Liguo from ever having the courage to hand her letters to Wang Yuxin, and Wang Yuxin had never handed her letters to Hong Liguo in person either.
Hong Liguo thought that Wang Yuxin was probably just like him back then, secretly shy and afraid that her classmates would see her and use it as gossip, making it a topic of conversation during breaks.
Their relationship was both a secret and an open secret. With a little observation, their classmates would surely have noticed something amiss.
Just like Zhang Yulan, the girl who sat at the table in front of Hong Liguo. Whenever Hong Liguo and Wang Yuxin corresponded, she would always secretly watch Hong Liguo and laugh. Her smile was tinged with slyness and curiosity, which made Hong Liguo feel particularly embarrassed. Every time she laughed, he would blush and his heart would pound like a little rabbit.
Hong Liguo went to great lengths to silence Zhang Yulan.
He specially selected a postcard of a male celebrity that Zhang Yulan particularly liked, and wrote a very sincere blessing on it in a neat and tidy manner, hoping that Zhang Yulan could understand his meaning and stop making fun of him in the future, and even more so, stop talking about what she had realized.
That day, during the break between classes, most of the students went out to play. Hong Liguo seized the opportunity and handed the postcard to Zhang Yulan with lightning speed.
Zhang Yulan was taken aback at first, but then didn't refuse and accepted it directly. However, before even reading the contents, she turned back to Hong Liguo and pouted. That look made Hong Liguo's heart skip a beat. He couldn't help but wonder what Zhang Yulan meant. Did she think he wasn't sincere enough, or did she think he was too stingy and wanted to shut her up with a postcard? Hong Liguo felt uneasy, like fifteen buckets of water being drawn up and down.
Just as Hong Liguo was lost in thought, Zhang Yulan had finished reading the message he had written on the back of the postcard. A sweet smile immediately bloomed on her face, and she even turned around and gave Hong Liguo an OK sign with her finger. Seeing this gesture, Hong Liguo finally felt relieved and secretly rejoiced that Zhang Yulan had promised to keep it a secret.
Besides Zhang Yulan, another person also noticed the subtle change in the relationship between Hong Liguo and Wang Yuxin: Lin Menglong, who had previously clashed with Yu Deshui because of his affection for Wang Yuxin. Lin Menglong always looked at Hong Liguo and Wang Yuxin with a complex gaze. Whenever he saw them secretly exchanging glances, a barely perceptible hint of hatred would flash in Lin Menglong's eyes, a gaze as cold as a sword, as if it wanted to tear Hong Liguo to pieces.
Not long after, Hong Liguo received another reply from Wang Yuxin.
When Hong Liguo unfolded the letter and saw the familiar and neat handwriting, he was overjoyed, feeling sweeter than if he had eaten honey. The letter read as follows:
"Hello, Hong Liguo: "
I received your letter. I read every word of your letter carefully several times. Every word is like a bright star shining in my heart.
Reading your letter, I felt as if I were seeing the gentlest moonlight, which shone into my heart, filling me with indescribable joy and anticipation. Truly, it's so good to know you.
And the little poem you attached to the end of your letter, I absolutely loved it. Reading your poems to me, I felt as if I had stepped into a magical and wonderful realm, a world that belonged only to us.
Those lively words are like a group of dancing elves, leaping and singing on the page. They are not just verses, but also a release of the most sincere emotions from the depths of your soul.
The mountains, rivers, lakes, seas, and everyday life you depict with your delicate brushstrokes all possess a unique charm, as if all things in the world have been given new life in your poems.
Such talent is like the brightest star in the night sky, shining so brightly that I can't take my eyes off it. I envy your ability to write poetry so much, I'm even a little jealous of you.
I've thought you were exceptionally talented ever since I met you in elementary school.
I still remember the poem "Fallen Leaves" that you wrote in elementary school at the teacher's request: "Fallen leaves drift gently in the wind, dancing freely under the eaves of the courtyard. They return to the soil and become soil to protect the roots, so that the branches will be green again next year."
Although I didn't know how to write poetry back then, I especially liked your poem "Fallen Leaves," so I secretly copied it into my notebook and have kept it ever since.
Whenever I have free time, I open my notebook and savor the poems. They are like you by my side, accompanying me through countless sleepless nights.
Many times I wonder if I will ever meet you again, or if I will ever read your poems again.
Unexpectedly, by sheer coincidence, we both got into the same middle school in the countryside and were even assigned to the same class. I've wanted to ask you many times if you've been writing poetry these past few years, but I never had the courage to ask you directly. Later, I saw you and your buddies always getting into fights, which really bothered me. I wish you could channel that same fighting spirit into writing poetry.
Reading your poems again now is different from reading about fallen leaves in elementary school. My heart is stirred by your verses. Your talent and your poetry, like flowers blooming under the warm spring sun, grow freely in my heart, taking root and sprouting, bringing fragrance and joy. I love reading your poems, and please remember to reply!
In the quiet of the night, I often savor your poems and reminisce about every moment we shared. Those exchanges, whether long or short, have become the most precious memories in my heart. I cherish this secret affection like I cherish the most fragile yet most beautiful dream in the world, carefully, yet with a heart full of sweetness.
May time treat you gently, may your life always be warm, may your days always be gentle and sparkling, and may poetry forever fill your heart.
I also wrote a poem, could you take a look and see if it's any good?
Winter Snow
Dark clouds hang in the sky, jade-like petals dance on the horizon.
The vast landscape is pristine, its clear waters nourishing all things.
Wang Yuxin's handwritten note
(Please seal your reply in a special postal envelope to prevent it from being read.)
Looking at Wang Yuxin's letter, Hong Liguo was filled with emotion. He really hadn't expected that Wang Yuxin would still have the poem "Fallen Leaves" that he wrote in elementary school. He had completely forgotten about it, and he had even forgotten that it existed until he saw Wang Yuxin mention it in this letter. He couldn't even remember the content of the poem.
It was when they were in the third grade of elementary school. When their Chinese teacher was explaining ancient poems to them, he suddenly had a whim and insisted that each of them go home and write a poem in imitation style.
Think about it, they were only in third grade back then, no more than eleven or twelve years old, the older ones were only twelve or thirteen. How could they possibly write poetry? They couldn't even understand reading poetry!
Hong Liguo returned home, looking completely lost. He asked his older brother and sister, then his parents, but no one knew how to write it. His brother even said helplessly, "This teacher is really making things difficult for us! Who knows how to write this?! Making you write poetry at such a young age, next year they'll be making you write the Four Great Classical Novels!"
Because his older brother loved reading classical poems, Hong Liguo begged his brother countless times to write one for him. His brother reluctantly put together four lines, but Hong Liguo didn't like them. So he decided to imitate his brother's format and create his own poem.
He racked his brains and pondered deeply, finally managing to write this poem, "Fallen Leaves," which at least completed his task.
To Hong Liguo's surprise, the song "Fallen Leaves," which he hadn't paid much attention to, quietly drifted into Wang Yuxin's heart, and Wang Yuxin treasured it like a precious gem for so many years.
It's also possible that out of the forty-odd students in the class, only two or three managed to write something cobbled together, while everyone else handed in blank papers. In Wang Yuxin's eyes, his own poem became the tallest among the short ones.
After reading Wang Yuxin's letter, Hong Liguo felt his heart soar, as if a happy little bird was singing within him. He immediately calmed himself, composed himself, and wrote a reply to Wang Yuxin:
"Beautiful Yu Xin: "
I received your letter, and I was truly surprised and delighted when I saw that you still remembered the poem "Fallen Leaves" that I wrote in elementary school. I had completely forgotten it myself, and thank you for preserving it for me, allowing me to see my naivety from back then.
You asked me to read your poems for you? I really don't dare. When it comes to writing poetry, I'm still a beginner, a novice, and I'm still in the imitation stage. Seeing how good your poems are, I'm embarrassed to write any more.
Yu Xin, whenever I look towards the other end of the classroom and my gaze falls upon you, my heart surges with endless waves of emotion. It feels like a huge rock has been thrown into a calm lake, leaving me unable to find peace. Although we are so close, it's as if we are separated by thousands of mountains and rivers, and it's difficult to easily cross this short distance. I long to be able to talk to you face-to-face, like I am with my best friend, and share everything without reservation.
In class, the chalk scratched across the blackboard, but my mind was completely absorbed in your focused expression. I would steal glances at you, watching you sometimes furrow your brow in thought, sometimes a smile grace your lips; that focused look captivated me. During breaks, I would countless times pretend to pass by your seat, hoping to catch a glimpse of your fleeting smile. However, when I saw you look up, I would hurriedly look away, as if I had done something wrong, quickly escaping your gaze. All the words I had rehearsed countless times in my mind to say to you would vanish without a trace.
I so wish I had enough courage to break through this thin barrier, to walk side by side with you, and share the joys and sorrows of life. I look forward to the day when we can cast aside all our shyness and unease, and let this longing no longer be imprisoned in our hearts.
Finally, I'd like to offer a short poem for your consideration:
Cut a wisp of breeze
Cut a wisp of breeze
Tie around your waist
Dance your clothes
Dancing gracefully
Cut a wisp of breeze
Inserted into the tips of your hair
Let your black hair fly
Thoughts flowed endlessly
Cut a wisp of breeze
Stroking your face
A gentle glance back
A gentle smile
Cut a wisp of breeze
Fill your embroidered shoes
Walking on Clouds
Celestial Immortal
Cut a wisp of breeze
Cut a piece of longing
The breeze never stops
Longing never stops
Cut a wisp of breeze
Cut a piece of edge
Cut a paper blessing
Be by your side
Blow away your worries
Blowing in happiness forever
Hong Liguo's handwritten note
[Date]
After writing his reply, Hong Liguo made a special trip to the township post office, following the confidential request Wang Yuxin had made in his letter.
He was extremely excited along the way, and his steps became lighter. At the post office, he carefully selected a genuine envelope, put the letter inside, and sealed it with glue, waiting to meet Fa Zi the next morning so that Fa Zi could deliver it to him.
The next day, after meeting everyone, Hong Liguo eagerly handed the letter to Fa Zi, asking Fa Zi to give it to Wang Yuxin when he got to school.
Fa Zi took the letter, glanced at it, and then loudly said to Jun Ge and the others, "Look, look! They even put it in an envelope, and they still say they're not dating? Who would believe that! They sealed it so tightly, are they afraid I, the messenger, will see it? If they don't trust me that much, then I'm not doing this thankless and laborious job."
As he spoke, Fa Zi was about to stuff the letter back to Hong Liguo. At this moment, Hong Bo and the others also joined in the commotion, and Jun Ge said, "You've gone to so much trouble to help him send messages, but he treats you like a thief, and you're still happily running errands for him. If it were me, I would have quit long ago."
The group of them started making sarcastic remarks about Hong Liguo.
Hong Liguo explained with an embarrassed look, "It's not that I don't trust you, nor is there any secret inside. It's just that Wang Yuxin requested that a proper envelope be used. It's not that I'm afraid you'll see it."
The day after Hong Liguo returned the postcard to Wang Yuxin, Fa Zi told Jun Ge and Hong Bo about the postcard exchange between Hong Liguo and Wang Yuxin.
They all said this was expected; they had always thought Hong Liguo and Wang Yuxin were a better match, and that Hong Liguo had insisted on pursuing Qiao Shuang, only to be rejected. This caused a burst of laughter, and Hong Liguo's face immediately turned bright red with embarrassment, wishing he could disappear into the ground.
Hong Liguo was left speechless and exasperated by Fa Zi and Hong Bo's sarcasm and ridicule. In desperation, he said, "If you don't believe me, fine, I'll tear it open right now in front of you and let you see for yourselves. That should make you believe me, right?"
After Hong Liguo finished speaking, he reached out to take the letter from Fa Zi's hand, intending to tear it open and show it to them.
Fa Zi quickly withdrew his hand, hurriedly put the letter in his schoolbag, and then said with a flushed face, "Look how anxious you are! I was just joking with you. What does it matter to us whether you two are together or not? I'd rather you two actually become a couple!"
Jun Ge and Hong Bo stopped joking and said, "Look, look, you got so worked up over a joke. We're not going to read your secret letters. You two should get along well, and we're waiting to eat your wedding candy."
Hong Liguo blushed with embarrassment at their words, but felt a sweet warmth in his heart.
He and Wang Yuxin had exchanged letters several times, but neither of them mentioned dating. They talked mostly about studying and writing poetry.
Just as Hong Liguo and Wang Yuxin were exchanging letters back and forth, a crisis was quietly approaching. However, Hong Liguo was already blinded by the sweetness of his relationship with Wang Yuxin and was completely unaware of the impending crisis.