Rebirth in 2011: Starting as an Advertising Genius

7:30 PM, Tsukinuma.

The rain stopped.

The moon peeked out from behind the clouds, its silvery light spilling onto the water's surface, illuminating the entire Moon Marsh as if it were daytime.

Dozens of river lanterns floated on the water, red, pink, and yellow, like blooming flowers.

The students gathered in twos and threes by the Moon Pond. Some released river lanterns, some took photos, and some surrounded the stall selling candied hawthorns.

Huang Xiaoqian changed into a white dress with a light blue cardigan over it, and her hair was loose and not tied up.

She stood under an old locust tree by the Moon Pond, clutching a river lantern that hadn't been set off yet, her eyes constantly searching through the crowd.

He said he would come.

What if he doesn't come?

Am I too early?

I should tie my hair up; does leaving it down like this look too casual?

She was lost in thought when a familiar voice came from behind her.

"Guide."

Huang Xiaoqian turned around abruptly.

Chen Jianghe stood behind her, wearing a clean white T-shirt. His hair wasn't completely dry, but he looked neat and tidy.

He also held a river lantern in his hand, made of red paper, with a single character written on it in calligraphy.

Huang Xiaoqian couldn't see what was written.

"Why did you take so long to get here?" she asked, her tone carrying a hint of complaint that she herself was unaware of.

"I went to buy some things." Chen Jianghe took something out of his pocket: two candles, a small package, and...

"A lighter?" Huang Xiaoqian was taken aback. "Why would you buy a lighter?"

"You need to light a fire to release a river lantern." Chen Jianghe squatted down, placed the lantern on the ground, took out a lighter, and lit the wick.

The orange-red flames danced between his fingers, reflecting on his face and illuminating his eyes.

"Are you going to release it?" He looked up at her.

Huang Xiaoqian squatted down and handed over her own river lantern.

Chen Jianghe helped her light them. The two lamps were placed side by side on the ground, their flames flickering like two beating hearts.

"Make a wish," Chen Jianghe said.

Huang Xiaoqian closed her eyes and clasped her hands together.

She made a wish.

Her wish that she dared not voice.

When he opened his eyes, Chen Jianghe was already holding two river lanterns in his hands. He walked to the water's edge and gently placed them down.

The river lantern circled once on the water's surface, then slowly drifted towards the center of Moon Pond.

Two lamps floated side by side, very close together.

"What did you wish for?" Huang Xiaoqian asked.

"I'm not telling you." Chen Jianghe stood up, patted the water off his hands, "It won't work if I tell you."

"mean."

"And you? What did you promise?"

Huang Xiaoqian bit her lip: "I won't tell you either."

Chen Jianghe smiled and didn't ask any more questions.

The two stood by the Moon Pond, watching the two river lanterns drift further and further away, gradually merging into the sea of ​​lights, making it impossible to tell which one belonged to whom.

"Chen Jianghe".

"Um?"

"Were you serious about what you said this afternoon?"

"What did you say?"

"It's... what you said about me being worthy of those words."

Chen Jianghe turned around to face her.

The reflection of the moonlit marshland on his face made his eyes appear deep and gentle.

He stared at her for a long time, so long that Huang Xiaoqian thought she was going to suffocate.

"Huang Xiaoqian." He called her by her full name, not "Director" or "Advisor," but her full name.

"Look at me."

Huang Xiaoqian raised her head and met his gaze.

"I'm not good at saying nice things," he said in a low voice, so low that only she could hear him, "but every word I've said is sincere."

Huang Xiaoqian's eyes reddened.

It wasn't sadness, it was... an emotion she couldn't quite explain herself.

It's like something you've been waiting for for a long time suddenly appearing in front of you, making it hard to believe it's real.

"You are my student," she said softly, as if reminding herself.

"I know."

I'm five years older than you.

"I know."

"We...shouldn't have done this."

Chen Jianghe reached out and gently brushed a fallen leaf off her shoulder. His fingers did not touch her skin, but that gesture made her heart race even faster than if she had been touched.

"So what do you want?" he asked.

Huang Xiaoqian opened her mouth, but did not answer.

She didn't know the answer.

But her heartbeat knew.

On the shore of Moon Pond, someone released a large, red river lantern, which drifted far, far away in the night wind.

Huang Xiaoqian looked at the lamp and said in a very soft voice:

"I don't want anything."

"I'm just a little scared."

"What are you afraid of?"

I'm afraid it's just a passing fancy. I'm afraid you'll forget about it in a few days. I'm afraid that if I take it seriously, you'll be gone.

Chen Jianghe remained silent for a moment.

Then he did something that made Huang Xiaoqian's heart stop beating.

He reached out and gently, slowly, took her hand.

It's not about pulling wrists or touching fingertips; it's about interlocking your fingers.

Huang Xiaoqian's hand froze for a moment, then went limp.

Her hands were small and cold, and his palms completely enveloped them, allowing warmth to seep in little by little.

"I won't leave," he said. "If I leave, who will lead you?"

Huang Xiaoqian's eyes finally couldn't hold back anymore, and a tear slid down and landed on the back of his hand.

She did not pull her hand away.

Under the moonlight, the shadows of the two people were cast on the bluestone road, very close together.

So close, it's almost become one.

The two held hands, quietly feeling each other's heartbeats. Huang Xiaoqian didn't dare to look into his eyes, but instead looked into the distance.

This extraordinary event filled her with a sense of excitement.

It wasn't until other people walked over from a short distance away that she hurriedly pulled her hand away from Chen Jianghe's grasp.

"It's getting late, let's head back!"

-------------

Back in her room, Huang Xiaoqian felt her face was still flushed, and her body was even trembling uncontrollably.

During this time, she also went to the restroom to change her clothes.

Only after I calmed down a bit did I take out my phone and open the notes app.

This is my second night in Hongcun.

He said, "You deserve it."

He said, "I won't leave."

We even held hands.

Am I going crazy?

He is my student.

But when I looked at him, I couldn't recall the word "student" at all.

I only saw one man, a man who made my heart flutter.

What should I do?

I shouldn't have done this. How am I supposed to face him after this?

No, I must make it clear to him tomorrow that we are teacher and student, and I cannot allow him to make mistakes at school.

Even if... even if... we'll have to wait until he graduates.

In the end, Huang Xiaoqian deleted and rewrote the message repeatedly, going over and over again, before finally putting down her phone.

Finally, he remembered that he had to organize the students to return to school tomorrow, so he quickly shook his head to get rid of all these strange ideas and hurriedly started planning tomorrow's itinerary. However, Chen Jianghe's image kept popping up from time to time.