The Lingering Sounds of Blooming Flowers

Chapter 9 Part 2

Lu Chenfeng clicked on the picture, a poster of rules to enter the CGL Jewellery Competition revealed to him. It was the award with the highest recognition domestically, and it could admit the competitor’s ability by professionals. It was held once every four years and thousands of people signed up, yet the award was only given to ten people.

Lu Chenfeng looked at the moonlight reflected on the surface of the sea and breathed heavily. Design wise, he hasn’t designed something that reached satisfaction for a long time now.

He had been busy making money over the past few years, the workshop had always put the customer’s preferences and likings first. Every draft, all the way until the last draft, even the parts he had thought through and designed were changed drastically. He did earn money; but many things changed silently: such as what he wanted to do initially.

And now, all the efforts he had put into his career popped like bubbles. Even if Lu Chenfeng wanted to dig out his ‘original aspiration’ out and shake it around, bathe it in the sun, he no longer had the energy to do so. But now, he couldn’t find the motivation to support him and keep heading down the path.

A problem was right in front of his eyes but he wasn’t in the mood to overcome it. He wasn’t brave enough, he lacked inspiration, and the competition won’t change anything. Lu Chenfeng looked down and typed: I’ll think about it.

Fang Yi replied after a few seconds: I want to be the friend you can trust, and I want us to be the rivals in this career that we were before.

This night, though Lu Chenfeng slept deeply, he woke up suddenly before the sky was bright. He sat up and the exhaustion from yesterday was soothed slightly. Since he couldn’t sleep, he thought he could wait for Er’hai’s sunrise.

Lu Chenfeng pushed open the glass door and stood in the midst of coldness. An image suddenly invaded his brain and he couldn’t help but to look to the right. He guessed it right; the light in the front lobby was on.

He didn’t hesitate at all. He quickly washed up and put on a wind coat before heading quickly to the lights.

As soon as he stepped outside the corridor, Lu Chenfeng heard Lin Chaosheng say, “I guessed that it was you.”

Lu Chenfeng clenched his cigarettes in his hands and before Lin Chaosheng invited him to sit, he pulled the chair out and sat opposite to him, lowered his shoulders and relaxed his body.

Lin Chaosheng closed the notebook with the guests’ thoughts and asked, “You have a full schedule ahead today and you’ll need energy, aren’t you going to sleep for a bit longer?”

Lu Chenfeng was still exhausted just now, but the sleepiness seemed to disappear all of a sudden. From his room to the front lobby, Lu Chenfeng thought that he considered everything through in this short period of time, “Can I have a chat with you?”

Lin Chaosheng listened and put the notebook back on the shelf. He pulled the jacket tighter and replied, “Of course.”

Lu Chenfeng didn’t have the time to think through as to why he didn’t want to hide anything from Lin Chaosheng, and he was even willing to let Lin Chaosheng decide the most important decision of his life. His tone was earnest as he went straight to the topic, “There’s something I’ve been doing for ten years of my life and now I can’t do it anymore. But an opportunity suddenly appeared and I’m not sure if that’ll change anything for me. Should I seize the opportunity?”

He was very vague but Lin Chaosheng didn’t ask about the details, “I want to hear your thoughts on it first.”

Lu Chenfeng confessed, “Honestly, I don’t want to give myself any hope. If I don’t have the ability to do it, then disappointment is inevitable.”

This already told him the answer. Lin Chaosheng looked at him deeply, “Then what are you so anxious about?”

Lu Chenfeng frowned and fell silent for a while, “But hope is too tempting.”

The emptiness made the surroundings seem even more quiet. Until the lights dimmed from the morning sun, Lin Chaosheng finally spoke up, “You did it for ten years…… More of less it’s because you love doing it?”

Lu Chenfeng didn’t deny it.

Lin Chaosheng pushed a plate of washed grapes to him and continued, “There are so many people in the world who couldn’t find something they love and are willing to put efforts into doing for their whole life. Even if they found it, time would always exhaust the passion they have for it.”

The grape’s sweetness exploded in his mouth and Lu Chenfeng almost didn’t want to swallow it down.

Lin Chaosheng picked up the tea to warm his hands and looked at Lu Chenfeng. He spoke lightly, “Ask your heart. You said you can’t do it anymore, is it because of forces from outsiders, or is it because you want to give up on yourself? If it’s the first, then Mr Lu, you are a lucky person because passion remains in you.”

Lu Chenfeng slowly clenched his fist under the table, but his eyes looking at Lin Chaosheng became clearer and clearer.

Lin Chaosheng said, “If so, I hope you have enough tolerance and patience to guard it, and believe in the original intention you had for the thing you are passionate about and love.”