Green plums cannot become lovers.

This is enough.

Snowflakes continued to fall, covering the city and the scars of the past. And in a warm activity room, the dreams of young boys and girls, like fireflies, quietly shone in the winter.

Though small, it is steadfast.

Though lonely, they illuminate each other.

And this is the most beautiful aspect of growing up.

December 25th.

The first rays of morning sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, gently illuminating Anhe and the birds' faces.

He opened his eyes and stared at the familiar ceiling.

Today is Christmas.

This day, which was once just an ordinary mark on the calendar for him, has now been given a different meaning.

He got up, dressed, and went downstairs. The living room had already been decorated—a small Christmas tree stood in the corner, adorned with colorful lights and handmade ornaments, topped with a golden star, which they had made together last Christmas.

Merry Christmas, birds!

The three girls came out of the kitchen carrying breakfast, and greeted them with smiles.

An and Asuka raised an eyebrow, surprised that these guys were up earlier than him: "Merry Christmas."

Breakfast was laid out, and the four of them sat around the table. The simple breakfast felt especially warm because of the festive atmosphere.

"What are your plans for today?" Shizuka asked softly, sipping her miso soup.

An and Asuka nodded: "We need to deliver some gifts."

"Are we going to be running around all day like last year?" Marina blinked. "Remember to come back early, we've prepared a special Christmas dinner tonight!"

"It's not too late for the temple's wife and teacher to leave," Anwa Asuka promised.

After breakfast, he returned to his room, took an envelope from the drawer containing some of his hard-earned money.

He carefully put the money away, put on a thick coat, and wore a soft, warm scarf.

Before leaving, he glanced at the three girls in the living room. Shizuka and Marina were chatting away in the kotatsu, while Ai had already gone back to the orphanage.

After a busy day, they finally had some free time today and could relax.

An and Asuka unconsciously smiled; such an ordinary yet warm daily life was something he had never dared to hope for before.

At nine o'clock in the morning, Anhe Feibiao rode his bicycle to the large supermarket in town.

Compared to the straitened circumstances of last year when he could only choose gifts from small convenience stores, he had more options this year. He pushed his shopping cart, weaving between the shelves, his mind racing through everyone's preferences and needs.

First, he bought two large boxes of snacks and treats for the little guy Naquan at the orphanage where Xiao Ai lived.

Then, he specially chose a dark purple wool cardigan for the dean's mother.

My mother-in-law always wears that faded old coat and is reluctant to buy new clothes.

An and Asuka thought of the kind old woman who had recently agreed to let Xiao Ai stay at her house more often.

"I'm relieved that you're taking care of the child."

At that moment, what shone in the old man's eyes was a sincere love for his grandchildren.

And now he's practically Xiao Ai's "husband's family," right? This thought warmed his heart.

When checking out, the cashier looked at the two large bags full of gifts and blinked in surprise: "Are these all Christmas presents?"

“Hmm.” An and Asuka nodded and took out their wallets.

As the cashier scanned the code, she exclaimed, "The person who received the gift must be very happy."

An and Asuka simply smiled. After paying, he put the heavy bag on the back of his bicycle and rode towards the orphanage.

In the courtyard of Sunshine House, children were playing in the snow. Upon seeing An and Asuka, several children who recognized him immediately cheered and ran over.

"Brother Flying Bird!"

"Merry Christmas!"

After parking the car, An and Feiniao squatted down to be at eye level with the children: "Merry Christmas, I brought you presents."

The children's screams attracted the headmistress. The old woman came out of the house, saw An and Asuka and the two large bags of gifts, paused for a moment, and then smiled kindly: "Asuka-kun, you've gone to so much trouble again."

"It's just a small token of my appreciation." Anhe Feiniao carried the bag into the house. "Grandma, this is for you."

He handed the purple cardigan to the old woman. She took it, her fingers gently stroking the soft wool fabric, a hint of emotion flashing in her eyes: "This... is too precious."

“It’s nothing valuable,” An and Asuka said earnestly. “Thank you for taking care of Xiao Ai all this time, and thank you for... trusting us.”

His mother looked at him for a long time, then gently patted his shoulder: "Good children, you are all good children."

An and Asuka helped Grandma distribute the gifts to the children. Watching the children excitedly unwrap the gifts and cheer with joy, his heart was filled with a peaceful satisfaction.

As I left the orphanage, the old woman saw me to the door and whispered, "Asuka-kun, please take care of Ai-chan... I'm counting on you."

"I will take good care of her."

An and Asuka made a solemn promise, then glanced at Ai, who was still playing with her younger siblings, and rode away on their bikes.

After leaving the orphanage, the next stop was the school.

Although it was Christmas, some teachers were still working overtime grading final exams, preparing lesson plans for the next semester, and handling various administrative matters. An and Asuka walked into the school gate carrying another bag. When the security guard saw them, he immediately opened the gate with a smile.

"Merry Christmas, Anhe-kun! You've come to visit your teacher again?"

“Merry Christmas, sir.” Anhe Feiniao took a gray wool scarf out of the bag. “This is for you.”

"You're such a good kid." The security guard didn't refuse and accepted it with a smile.

Anhe Feiniao smiled slightly.

Upon entering the teaching building, he first went to the teachers' office. Sure enough, several teachers were engrossed in their work.

"Excuse me." An and Asuka knocked on the door.

The teachers looked up, saw it was him, and all smiled with surprise.

"Anhe-kun!"

"Hello, teachers."

An and Feiniao greeted each teacher individually, then distributed gifts to them—all warm and practical items: gloves, scarves, and glasses. Each gift wasn't very expensive, but they all contained his heartfelt sentiments.

"Anhe-kun is so thoughtful." The math teacher put on the gloves, which fit perfectly. "No wonder everyone likes you so much."

The English teacher, holding a thermos, said gratefully, "My old thermos broke yesterday, and you've brought me a new one..."

An and Asuka simply smiled as they looked at the teachers.

He knows that he wouldn't be where he is today without the care of these teachers, and he will never forget some of their kindness.

"By the way, is Ms. Matsutsuki here?" Anwa Asuka asked, still clutching the last small gift box in her hand.

“Ms. Matsue should be in the music office,” one teacher said. “I just saw her go in.”

An and Asuka nodded, said goodbye to the teachers, and headed towards the music office. Their footsteps echoed in the empty corridor as they climbed the stairs.

The closer he got to her, the more excited he became. He hadn't seen Ms. Matsue since graduation. He had wanted to see her last Christmas, but she wasn't there.

Looking at the half-open door to the music office, An and Asuka took a deep breath and were about to knock when they suddenly stopped.

A faint, suppressed sob could be heard coming from the slightly ajar door.

An and Asuka were stunned.

That was Ms. Matsutsuki's voice; he couldn't be mistaken. But why would that teacher, always gentle, strong, and full of energy,...

He hesitated. Should he knock and go in, or leave quietly?

Just as he hesitated, the crying from inside the door became clearer, carrying a deep weariness and sorrow that made An and Asuka's hearts clench.

Finally, he knocked gently on the door.

The crying stopped abruptly.

After a moment of silence, Ms. Songyue's slightly hoarse voice came from inside the door: "Please come in."

An and Asuka pushed open the door.

The music office was just as he remembered it—the walls were covered with illustrations of various musical instruments, and the bookshelves were full of sheet music and music theory books.

And that familiar figure was sitting in an office chair, looking somewhat sad.

"Matsuzuki-sensei."

An and Asuka called out.

Volume 1: Chapter 156 I Will Save You [15,000 words]

It really is Ms. Matsuzuki crying.

The suppressed, deeply weary sobs made An and Asuka, standing outside the door, feel a pang in their hearts.

In his memory, Ms. Matsue Sakura will always be that smiling, lively, and energetic person. She would lead her students in singing during music class, patiently guide him in music theory after school, and encourage every child who was sad or upset.

But now, all that could be heard coming from inside the door was broken sobbing.

"Matsuzuki-sensei."

An and Asuka called softly as they pushed open the slightly ajar door.

When she heard the shouts from behind, Matsue Sakura didn't react for a moment.

Her thoughts were still immersed in the despair brought on by the phone call with her family, until the familiar "Matsuzuki-sensei" clearly entered her ears, and she suddenly realized that someone had come in.

So she turned her head in a panic.

When she saw the figure standing at the door, Matsue Sakura was stunned.

"Birds..."

The afternoon sun slanted in through the corridor windows, casting a soft halo behind him. He wore a dark blue winter school uniform with a black down jacket over it, a warm-looking scarf around his neck, and carried a small, exquisitely wrapped gift box in his hand.

Songyue Ying couldn't help but speak, only realizing how hoarse her voice was as soon as it came out, with obvious sobs and a slight tremor.

She quickly turned her head back, lowered her head, and frantically wiped away the tears on her face, using her sleeve to wipe them away, trying to calm her breathing. She didn't want the boy to see her in such a disheveled state.

"Matsuzuki-sensei."

An and Asuka watched the woman's slightly trembling back, her shoulders heaving gently from crying, and a complex mix of emotions welled up inside them. They had never seen Matsutsuki-sensei so heartbroken. In their memory, Matsutsuki Sakura had always been strong, warm, and always smiling.

He took a step forward, wanting to walk to Song/Yueying's side.

"Don't come any closer!"

Matsue Sakura suddenly shouted, her voice tinged with panic and embarrassment.

An and Asuka stopped in their tracks, standing still and watching her quietly.

A brief silence fell over the office, broken only by the suppressed breathing of Matsue Sakura. Sunlight streamed through the window, casting bright dappled patterns on the floor. Dust motes floated slowly in the beams of light, and the wall clock ticked rhythmically, each second feeling exceptionally long.

After a long silence, Matsue Sakura took a deep breath and said in as calm a voice as possible, "Asuka, can you go out first? Give me... give me a few minutes."

An and Asuka paused for a moment, then nodded: "Okay."

He obediently left the office, gently closing the door behind him. Standing in the corridor, he leaned against the wall, gazing out the window at the snow-covered campus, deserted and filled only with a chilling stillness.

The wait was long, but An and Asuka weren't in a hurry. He simply stood there quietly, his mind replaying the moments he'd spent with Ms. Matsutsuki during elementary school—

From the moment I first signed up for the competition and came into their view, to their reluctance to let me go and their encouragement when I graduated.

These memories flowed through his heart like a warm current. An and Asuka clutched the gift box in their hands, which contained a gift he had carefully chosen for their teacher. No matter what had happened, he hoped this gift would bring some comfort to their teacher.

About ten minutes later, the office door opened again.

"Come in, Asuka."

Matsue Sakura's voice had returned to calm, and even carried a hint of a smile.

Anwa Asuka entered the office and saw that Matsue Sakura had already sat back down in her office chair. The tear stains on her face had been wiped away, her hair had been tidied, and a perfectly timed smile was on her lips. If it weren't for the slight redness in her eyes, Anwa Asuka would almost have thought that the sad scene just now was just her imagination.

"You brat, you've finally decided to come see me?"

Songyue Ying took the initiative to speak, her tone relaxed, even a little teasing. She tried her best to restore the atmosphere to normal, to make her earlier lapse in composure seem like just a temporary emotional fluctuation.

An and Asuka glanced at her, but didn't immediately expose her. Instead, they went along with what she said: "I came to see you last Christmas, but you weren't there."

"Oh~" Songyue Ying drawled, her eyes darting around mischievously, "Was that gift bag hanging by the door a Christmas present you gave me?"