Chapter 31 – Jian Mei’s Confession

Tuesday

Today is the mid-semester parent-teacher meeting at school. Jian Mei’s school is considered one of the more famous schools in the city, both in terms of the number of students and other aspects. Even though the parent-teacher meeting is scheduled for the afternoon, many cars were already parked outside in the morning, with parents waiting. This created some restlessness in the classroom, and many children would occasionally look outside and discuss among themselves.

“My dad has already arrived.”

“Wow, look at that car. I wonder whose it is. It looks expensive.”

“My mom took a day off today to come.”

Since Jian Mei’s classroom was located closest to the street, students could see the nearby street from their windows. Although the view was not very clear from a distance, it was still possible to make out cars and such.

Jian Mei was sitting in the third row, and his desk mate, Liu Can, had been writing a letter all morning. It was an assignment given by the teacher, asking them to write a letter to their parents expressing their thoughts and feelings. Liu Can, while writing, looked at Jian Mei and asked, “Jian Mei, why are you drawing instead of writing a letter?”

Jian Mei held a pen and continued sketching on the paper. He turned his face hesitantly and replied, “There might not be anyone coming from my family.”

Liu Can looked at him in shock.

Jian Mei forced a smile, but Liu Can tried to console him, saying, “That’s actually great. I don’t want my parents to come. They will definitely ask the teacher about my grades and scold me when we get home.”

In reality, Liu Can’s grades were below average, mainly because he tended to be mischievous.

Jian Mei said, “It’s okay. You did well on this test.”

Liu Can sighed and gave up on writing the letter. Instead, he looked around the classroom at the other students and whispered, “This parent-teacher meeting is going to be interesting. We all have to stay and have a meeting together. The teacher will also invite the outstanding class representatives to speak on stage, and they will even ask the parents of the outstanding class representatives to give speeches.”

Jian Mei said, “Well, my grades won’t be discussed anyway.”

While the two were talking, the final bell for the last class before noon finally rang. The parent-teacher meeting would take place in the afternoon, so some parents could already enter the school gates during lunchtime. Liu Can chatted with Jian Mei for a while before leaving the classroom to meet his own parents. Despite his previous complaints, his tone now revealed his excitement, “My mom is here, I’m going to go and meet her.”

Jian Mei nodded, “Sure, go ahead.”

The classroom gradually became lively as many children returned with their parents. They introduced their classmates enthusiastically to their parents while following behind them. Jian Mei, sitting alone in the third row, looked very conspicuous. Many people came over to talk to him.”

“Mom, this is my classmate Jian Mei.”

“Dad, this is Jian Mei, the transfer student I told you about.”

“Jian Mei, this is my aunt.”

Jian Mei felt a bit lost. He didn’t know how to interact with his classmates’ parents. When the parents looked over, he had no choice but to put on one smile after another to greet them. He received warm greetings from the parents like, “Why is this child alone here? Your parents haven’t arrived yet.”

Jian Mei replied, “Not yet.”

Shen Meina was on a business trip out of town, and Jian Shencheng had several very important surgeries today, so he wouldn’t be able to come. Jian Mei had invited his older brother, but Jian Changjia had clearly refused. This was the first time he had asked his parents to attend an event, so he had arranged for the family’s nanny to represent him. According to the plan, she should have arrived by now.

Time passed slowly, and the classroom became increasingly lively.

Jian Mei hadn’t felt anything at first, but as the surrounding voices became more enthusiastic, he unexpectedly started to feel uncomfortable. It was as if all the excitement belonged to others, and he was isolated on the outside. Especially when Liu Can’s mother also arrived, Liu Can leaned over and whispered to him, “Jian Mei, your parents haven’t come yet.”

Jian Mei’s heart clenched. The amplified feeling of helplessness and loneliness made him force an awkward smile and said, “Um… I’ll make a phone call to check.”

Liu Can nodded, “Okay, you have to do it quickly. It’s about to start.”

Jian Mei was well aware of that.

He took out his phone from his pocket and dialed the nanny’s number. However, for some unknown reason, the nanny, who usually answered his calls quickly, didn’t pick up this time. He had no choice but to send her a message on WeChat, but there was no response. Jian Mei trusted the nanny and believed she wouldn’t break her promise, so there must be some delay on the way.

Although he thought so, as time passed and the classroom began to fill up, and there was still no reply or sign of the nanny, Jian Mei started to panic. Gripping the pen cap in his hand, his growing uneasiness intensified. In the lively atmosphere of the classroom, he stood out conspicuously. There were even whispers from behind:

“Why hasn’t that child’s parents come?”

“Is he the one you mentioned, the child with leukemia?”

“This child is so pitiful. How can his parents be so irresponsible?”

Throughout his life, what Jian Mei feared the most was the sympathetic gaze cast upon him. He longed to be a normal, ordinary child and no longer be subjected to strange looks. But gradually, he had to get used to it and try to accept everything.

Although he knew that his parents and everyone else were busy, he knew he shouldn’t blame anyone. However, in this moment of isolation and helplessness, the sadness he couldn’t suppress welled up. Despite his good grades this time, who could he share it with? Who could he rely on to come…

Lost in his thoughts, suddenly the classroom door was pushed open, and a familiar voice sounded, “Is this Class 3?”

The classroom fell silent for a moment.

The boy standing at the door was tall. He was wearing a light khaki-colored coat with a white button-up shirt and black suit pants. His overall style was a mix of British retro, exuding an elegant and stylish aura. However, the boy had a rebellious and untamed look on his face, with a sharp and assertive presence that made him exceptionally eye-catching, resembling someone who came to collect protection money.

In the midst of silence, a surprised voice sounded, “Brother?”

Jian Changjia raised an eyebrow and found Jian Mei among the crowd. He strode over, sat down next to him, and started complaining, “What kind of layout is this in your school? The class numbers are so confusing. I had a hard time finding it.”

Jian Mei simply smiled at him and asked, “Why did you come?”

“Can’t I come?” Jian Changjia retorted confidently, “The nanny just called me and said she couldn’t make it. She insisted that I come in her place. It’s so annoying.”

Jian Mei expressed concern, “What happened to Auntie? Is it serious? The traffic on this route is congested. I hope nothing happened to her.”

Jian Changjia felt guilty, “How should I know? It’s nothing life-threatening. She sounded normal when she called me. Probably something came up at home. Why do you care so much?”

Jian Mei looked at him thoughtfully.

Jian Changjia asked defensively, “Why are you looking at me?”

“No,” Jian Mei replied with round, sparkling eyes, and whispered, “I’ve never seen you dressed like this before, but if I look at it this way, you look very handsome.”

…

Jian Changjia, who was just shouting moments ago, choked on his words. His earlobes slowly turned red, and he snorted coldly, “I don’t need you to tell me that.”

Feeling like his younger brother had seen through him, Jian Changjia wanted to regain some face and said, “I’m here, but I’ll only sit here and listen. Don’t expect me to give a speech or help you with anything, got it?”

Jian Mei replied, “Okay.”

As the two of them conversed, people around them were also observing. Although it was supposed to be a parents’ meeting, there was an element of comparison involved. People looked at what brand of clothing the mothers wore, what cars the fathers drove, and what professions they had. Not only the adults, even the children would gossip in private. So when Jian Changjia appeared, many people began scrutinizing.

Then they noticed—the brand of his clothes was completely unfamiliar.

Some parents wanted to look closer but unexpectedly met Jian Changjia’s hostile gaze. In return, they noticed the scar that was partially hidden under his collar, glaring and ugly, which was quite frightening. Their hearts skipped a beat, and they quickly averted their eyes.

“Creak.”

The classroom door was pushed open, and the homeroom teacher walked in.

Ms. Li’s entrance plunged the entire class into silence once again. She spoke, “Hello, parents. First of all, thank you very much for taking the time to attend the parent-teacher meeting amidst your busy schedules…”

The normal procedure would be to start with a speech and then discuss the students’ grades. However, this year focused on interactive education, so the homeroom teacher suggested a small game to enhance communication between parents and children and liven up the atmosphere.

The game was paddleball with ping-pong balls. Parents and children formed teams, and for every ten successful ball passes within a minute, they earned one point. Points could be exchanged for small red flowers, which held great significance in the class. They were not just a symbol of honor but could also be used to offset a duty shift and redeem various small prizes.

The teacher asked from the front, “Who wants to participate?”

Many enthusiastic children raised their hands, pulling their parents to the front to play with ping-pong balls. Laughter filled the air, creating a joyful atmosphere.

Jian Changjia, who had agreed to sit in his seat and not participate, sneered, “Boring.”

Jian Mei leaned on his chin, watching others play, feeling somewhat envious.

Liu Can, who came back with a full score, saw him and said, “Meimei, why don’t you join? I’ve passed ten balls with my mom!”

Jian Mei hesitated, “I…”

“I got a sticker for ten passes!” Liu Can raised the counting sticker in his hand, boasting, “Look, I got a small red flower. It can offset one duty shift!”

Jian Mei was genuinely happy for him. “That’s great.”

Since he was sitting outside, many children who returned from the game would tell him, “Meimei, look, I got a small red flower. My dad is amazing!”

As the activity heated up, more and more people joined in.

Jian Changjia, seeing the envious gaze from Jian Mei, felt a bit annoyed and said, “Isn’t it just a small red flower? Haven’t you graduated from kindergarten? Do you still want those things?”

Jian Mei turned around upon hearing this and softly replied, “No, I just think it’s fun.”

Jian Changjia, who had played every imaginable game with a group of friends since childhood, sneered, “What’s so fun about it? Playing house is just a tired trick that children get bored of.”

“Is that so?” A hint of gloom passed over Jian Mei’s fair face. He turned his head to look ahead again, speaking softly but sounding like a heavy stone weighing on Jian Changjia’s heart. “I’ve never played before.”

…

For some reason, it was Jian Changjia who was mocking Jian Mei earlier. But now, Jian Changjia felt even more annoyed with himself.

Just at that moment, another child came over and said, “Meimei, I got a small red flower. Why don’t you go with your family?”

Jian Mei smiled and replied, “We’re not going. My brother said he doesn’t like it…”

Before the classmate could nod, they saw Jian Changjia standing up. Not only did he stand up himself, but he also pulled his younger brother up and walked towards the front with a strong demeanor. “Let’s go.”

Jian Mei was taken aback. “Where are we going?”

“To play ball passing, what do you think?”

“But didn’t you say we’re not participating?”

“Sitting in your seat is too noisy. It’s better to come and play ball passing.”

“But…”

“But what?” Jian Changjia looked back, giving him a fierce look.

However, there were even more people playing ball passing, making it even noisier.

Jian Mei raised his face and looked at his brother, blinking his round eyes. Finally, a somewhat gentle smile appeared. “It’s okay, let’s go and grab a better paddle!”

Jian Changjia was pulled along by him.

The boy who had originally decided not to participate in anything was surprisingly serious during the game. He was young, quick in his reactions, and always loved playing. He was even faster than many unfamiliar parents, passing a total of 30 balls within a minute, leaving Ms. Li astonished. It was the highest score in the whole class.

A middle-aged man approached and said, “Young man, why are you so competitive? Let the elders have a turn too. You’re grabbing the balls so quickly.”

“This sir,” Jian Changjia didn’t tolerate him, “I’ve always heard of the adults giving to the youngsters, but I’ve never heard of the youngsters giving to the adults. I’m grabbing the balls based on my own abilities. Don’t you agree?”

The middle-aged man’s expression changed, unwilling to back down. “You don’t understand respecting the elderly and caring for the young, do you?”

Jian Changjia hated this kind of argument. He was about to retort when his usually good-tempered brother unexpectedly spoke up, saying, “But you’re not old either, sir.”

The middle-aged man was infuriated, almost unable to catch his breath, but he couldn’t argue with a child.

He grumbled and muttered as he walked back, saying that it’s no wonder parents don’t come, with two ill-mannered children like them. No wonder they get sick. Maybe their family is up to something shady. He couldn’t let his child play with someone like Jian Mei.

…

During the second phase of the parent meeting, there was a break, and Jian Mei went to the restroom. Jian Changjia had been waiting, but he noticed that Jian Mei hadn’t returned. After hesitating for a while, he got up and followed. As he approached the corner near the restroom, he heard the voices of a group of children.

“Meimei, your brother looks really fierce.”

“You’ve never mentioned having a brother before.”

“Yeah, I just saw him. The scars on his neck are terrifying.”

“So scary.”

“What’s your relationship like? You’ve never mentioned it before, huh?”

Jian Changjia’s footsteps halted, and his gaze slowly darkened. Standing by the wall, in the shadow of the light, the young man who always seemed so dominant appeared somewhat desolate at that moment.

However…

A clear and familiar voice sounded, “What’s so scary about that?”

“That scar is nothing. Haven’t you ever seen an injury before?” Jian Mei asked them, “Getting hurt wasn’t his choice. If we define a person’s character based on that, wouldn’t that be even scarier?”

The other children fell silent.

Jian Mei was an honest person as well. “As for my relationship with my brother, it’s not very good, but…”

Everyone listened to him, even Jian Changjia by the wall couldn’t help but raise his head. Jian Mei’s voice was gentle, yet filled with determination and sincerity. He seemed to smile and said to the others, “He’s good to me, and I really like him.”

…

Jian Changjia no longer paid much attention to what the others were saying.

He slowly walked back to the classroom alone, the words Jian Mei had just said repeating in his mind. In fact, he had disliked his younger brother for a long time. It seemed like he was angry at Jian Mei for being injured, but that wasn’t entirely true. Only he knew that he was angry at himself. He was angry that even though he was injured, he still wanted to secretly visit Jian Mei after learning that he was discharged from the hospital. He was angry that despite the hurtful words Jian Mei had said, he still didn’t truly hold a grudge against him.

From the past to the present, he had been angry at himself.

He was angry at himself for being so useless, for caring about his younger brother more than anyone could imagine.

As he returned to his desk and sat down, Jian Changjia noticed a letter tucked under Jian Mei’s book. It should be a letter written to the parents, and this child had written one too, sealing it neatly in an envelope. A corner of the envelope was exposed, and he reached out and pulled it out. The envelope read, “To My Brother Only.”

…

How could this guy be so sure that he would come?

Jian Changjia was puzzled, but out of curiosity, he wanted to see what the letter contained. He opened the envelope, and his fingers unconsciously tightened as he held the paper. When he read its contents, his pupils contracted, and for a moment, it felt as if his psychological defenses were collapsing. He even thought that even if Jian Mei wrote a lengthy letter for him, it wouldn’t compare to this moment, which left his emotions complicated.

It was an abstract painting1.

But he understood what the painting depicted. It was a warrior holding a sword, fending off small monsters. The warrior was dressed in the clothes he often wore, with a crew cut similar to his own, looking somewhat foolish.

Jian Changjia remembered that Jian Mei had always been afraid of these small monsters and demons since childhood. And in his drawing, he was the brave warrior driving away the evil creatures. He was the one who would always protect him, standing in front of him. Even though he had never shown him any kindness, his foolish little brother didn’t view him with the same narrow-mindedness.

“Brother…”

A faint, slightly puzzled voice sounded beside him.

Jian Changjia looked up and saw Jian Mei standing in front of him, looking at him with a perplexed expression, a hesitant and worried look on his face. “What’s wrong with you…”

Why do your eyes seem a bit red?

Jian Changjia lowered his head and put away the drawing. In just a moment, he regained his composure. He looked up and said, “Why did you make me look so ugly in the drawing?”

Jian Mei leaned closer, examining it earnestly, and a somewhat silly smile appeared on his face. “Where’s the ugliness? Isn’t it much better-looking than the small monsters?”

“…You drew it so ugly, I confiscated it.”

“Huh? Give it back to me so I can make some changes!”

Jian Changjia took advantage of the situation, “I can give you a chance to make changes, but why don’t you draw me a new one instead? I’ll keep this one as a way to encourage your progress in drawing.”

“…You’re so unreasonable.”

Jian Changjia glared at him, “What did you say?”

“Nothing.” Jian Mei quickly changed his tune, “I said Brother is truly wise.”

Jian Changjia nodded with satisfaction, showing a smile that didn’t contain any disgust for the first time towards his younger brother. “That’s more like it. Work hard, I’ll be checking on you these days.”

Jian Mei was stunned, taking quite a while to react. “These days? Brother, aren’t you living outside anymore? Are you moving back home?”

Jian Changjia casually replied, “I got tired of living outside. Can’t I come back and have a change of taste?”

Jian Mei smiled, “Of course you can!”

The parent-teacher meeting ended a bit faster than he expected, but it was the happiest day he had experienced since starting school. His brother attended the meeting, accepted his drawing, and was willing to move back home. It all felt like a dream, and the joyful Jian Mei even had an extra bowl of rice when he returned home.

Once he was back in his bedroom, he messaged Lu Xingwang, “I’m back. The school had a parent-teacher meeting today, so I came back a bit earlier than usual.”

After a while, Lu Xingwang replied, “Parent-teacher meeting?”

“Yeah,” Jian Mei casually chatted with him, “It’s a good thing my parents didn’t go. I didn’t do well in my exams. Well, my brother won’t scold me anyway, but my mother definitely would.”

Jian Mei thought for a moment and added, “But you probably don’t understand the mentality of someone like me, a mediocre student. You’re so clever, everything comes easily to you. Even if you’re not going to school anymore, I believe with your abilities, you’ll still be a source of pride for your mother.”

After sending the message, there was no reply for a long time.

After a while, when Jian Mei returned from having dinner outside, he saw the reply on his phone. It was just one short line, written casually, but it froze him in place. Lu Xingwang: “She has already passed away.”

…

In the palace of the Stan Star, a young man sat at a desk, reading through scrolls with a cold expression. He corrected the documents sent by the young General swiftly. He rarely mentioned his mother’s matter to outsiders, but for some reason, he had revealed more when facing Jian Mei. In truth, he wasn’t very envious of others. The Crown Prince was always under the control of the Empress, and the Second Prince was burdened by his mother’s actions. As for him, he carried the hopes and hatred his mother entrusted to him and continued to live. Jian Mei’s family was complete and happy, something he could only long for.

“Ding dong.”

Another message came in; the other person replied.

Jian Mei was always sensible and polite. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”

Lu Xingwang had no particular expression: 【It’s none of your business.】

Just when Jian Mei thought he could let the matter pass, after all, even though Jian Mei could often surprise him, there wouldn’t be much reaction in a situation like this. However, he received another message.

Jian Mei was sincere, his tone filled with tenderness. “It’s okay, don’t be sad. We’re good friends, and my mother is your mother too. When we meet in the future, just treat my home as your own!”

…

Lu Xingwang stared at that line of text, lost in thought.

According to the tradition of their Stan Star, only married couples would consider each other’s parents as relatives. Even friends wouldn’t say such things. Jian Mei might not understand that, for a conservative Stan Star person, this statement was akin to a confession of love.

So, should he accept or not?

Translator’s Note-Guys don’t forget to support and comment your views(^-^)

Abstract art is art that does not attempt to represent an accurate depiction of a visual reality but instead use shapes, colours, forms and gestural marks to achieve its effect.