I was born and listened to my neighbor's older sister talk about her family of origin.

In summer, Erhai Lake is a pure blue, and the wildflowers on the shore sway wildly in the wind, carrying the earthy smell and floral fragrance—a scent you can't find in the concrete jungle of Haicheng.

The climate is also comfortable. The midday sun feels warm and cozy on the skin, rather than hot, making you want to take a nap.

It is indeed beautiful.

Jiang Ye accompanied his parents all the way to the most scenic spot on Erhai Lake. Looking at the scenery in front of him, he stretched out his arms and legs.

I think this trip was quite worthwhile.

No wonder Mom always wants to come here.

"Ono, quick, quick, take a picture of me! Make sure the water and clouds in the background are in the shot!"

Hao Mei's excited voice exploded in my ears.

She came to the shore facing the morning breeze of Erhai Lake, still making the peace sign.

Her pink hair shimmered in the sunlight.

Jiang Ye said OK and stepped forward to take the SLR camera from Jiang Chengcai's hand.

He had promised Hao Mei he would take her photos, so he would never show any dissatisfaction.

"Mom, move a little to the left, stand under that tree, yes, right there."

"Okay, look at the camera."

Jiang Ye squatted down, finding an angle that could slightly lengthen his leg-to-body ratio.

"Click."

"It's done, take a look."

He handed over the camera.

Hao Mei leaned over for a look and nodded in satisfaction: "Not bad, not bad, much better than your dad's photos."

"Jiang Cheng, you should take note! What was that thing you took of me yesterday at the train station entrance? It made me look like a short, stocky old man."

Jiang Chengcai walked over with two bottles of mineral water he had just bought. Hearing this, he shrank back, chuckled dryly, and handed the water to Jiang Ye, but still wanted to say something stubborn.

"I think my photos turned out pretty well. You just look like that, don't you?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ye shook his head.

Sure enough, the next second Jiang Chengcai received a sharp slap on the shoulder from Hao Mei.

"Jiang Cheng Cai!! Say that again?!"

Taking photos of his wife is a lifelong lesson for any man, just like speaking.

Jiang Ye glanced around.

"Mom, the dawn redwood forest up ahead has a really nice view. Why don't you go for a stroll? And maybe Dad can practice his photography skills while you're at it?"

"Son, aren't you going?"

"I'd like to rest for a bit. I'll sit on that chair over there and wait for you."

Jiang Ye unscrewed the bottle cap, took a sip of water, and pointed to the bench not far away.

Actually, he has always preferred a quieter time. He has spent enough time with his parents, and he wants to relax a bit.

"Okay, then don't wander off."

Hao Mei always respected Jiang Ye's request, so she quickly agreed, showing no awareness of leaving a teenage boy alone in this unfamiliar city.

Without turning his head, he gave a brief instruction and then headed off enthusiastically towards the metasequoia forest.

Jiang Ye walked to the wooden bench, sat down, put down his backpack, and let out a breath.

In early summer, the wind on Erhai Lake carries a slightly damp coolness, making your pores feel open and relaxed. The water glistens, and a few water birds fly low along the waves, leaving behind delicate ripples.

He leaned back in his chair, took out his phone, and casually snapped a photo of the vast sea in front of him.

No photo editing, no filters, just open QQ.

JY: [Image]

JY: [The scenery is nice, let me show you. I'll buy you some freshly baked flower cakes from the shop when we get back.]

There was no response.

At this time, Xu Zhiyu should be practicing dance or attending tutoring classes.

Jiang Ye put away his phone, stretched, and stood up, ready to take a stroll along the wooden boardwalk.

The boardwalk extends all the way to the water's edge, with various unknown green plants and flowers planted on both sides.

He strolled around slowly, rounded a bend, and found a large crowd gathered in an open space not far ahead, seemingly watching something.

In July, Erhai Lake still has quite a few tourists. Many people walk back and forth on the boardwalk, and many people will stop there for a while, crane their necks to look into the crowd, take a picture with their mobile phones, and then leave satisfied.

Jiang Ye was a little curious, so he quickened his pace and walked over.

His gaze pierced through the gaps in the crowd, and he saw what was inside.

It was a huge datura tree.

The tree's canopy is so thick that it blocks out the sunlight from above.

The drooping, trumpet-shaped flowers are in full bloom, yellow and white, hanging from the branches, swaying gently in the lake breeze, and emitting an indescribable fragrance.

In the shade under the tree, there was a light-colored wooden easel.

A girl sat in front of the easel; judging from her back, she was quite young.

Because her back was to the crowd, Jiang Ye couldn't see her face.

All that could be seen was that she was wearing a slightly loose, pure white short-sleeved shirt and a simple light-colored skirt.

Such an ordinary outfit might not attract much attention if seen on the street.

But in this context, it appears exceptionally harmonious and gentle.

The girl's back view was very slender, even delicate.

Her waist-length black hair wasn't tied up and was slightly disheveled by the wind.

She sat on a low stool, her skirt just covering her knees, revealing a section of her fair and shapely calves.

In this sun-drenched southern city, her skin was so white it was almost dazzling, like some kind of fine porcelain, exuding a fragile texture.

Passersby took photos with their phones, but everyone tacitly turned off their flash and shutter sounds, and even lowered their voices when talking, for fear of breaking the tranquility.

Jiang Ye didn't push forward; he simply found a section of wooden railing, leaned against it, and watched quietly.

The girl held a palette and paintbrush in her hands, her movements unhurried and deliberate.

The scene on the canvas is Erhai Lake right in front of us.

But it's completely different from the actual scene that Jiang Ye just took with his phone.

She did not use a realistic approach; the colors on the canvas are extremely striking.

Deep blue and bright cyan intertwined in the shadows, while streaks of bright red and orange swept across the sky, as if igniting a fervent fire in the clouds.

The edges of the waves are adorned with brilliant gold, and even some striking yet surprisingly harmonious purple.

These colors are intense and vibrant, brimming with a primal vitality, as if they were bursting forth from the flat canvas, firmly capturing the viewer's gaze.

Jiang Ye raised an eyebrow.

Even those who don't understand art can see how intense the emotions in this painting are.

This contrasted sharply with the quiet, even somewhat frail and reserved figure from behind.

To outsiders, she was just an ordinary girl quietly painting in a corner.

But within this small canvas, her inner world surged like magma, dazzlingly vibrant.

As Jiang Ye looked at it, he inexplicably felt that the art style looked somewhat familiar.

The girl's back view looked somewhat familiar.

Jiang Ye held his breath, as if a ray of light had suddenly shone into a long-forgotten corner of his mind.

In that instant, he felt a strong desire to see the girl's face.

Could it be... her?

Is there really such a coincidence?