Chen Mengchuan walked into Balagetu Primary School, where Zhao Wanyu was surrounded by a cluster of children. Each child held a drawing in their hands, looking at Zhao Wanyu with eager anticipation. Inside the classroom, Ayase Sonoko smiled as she squatted at the doorway.
Seeing Chen Mengchuan walk in, Ayase Sonoko stood up and walked over.
"The children haven't been this happy in a long time. Thank you for the paper, paints, and brushes you brought." Ayase Sonoko smiled brightly.
"What are they drawing?" Chen Mengchuan asked.
"The sky!"
"The sky?"
Ayase Sonoko nodded, saying with a very earnest tone, "Every child has a sky in their heart, and each of them is unique."
After a brief silence, Chen Mengchuan asked in Japanese, a.na.da.nuo.soleiwa.so.lei.si.ga? Where is your sky?
"Watashi, hei? Mengchuan-kun, wa, nihongo.o, hanshimasu, ka?" My... Huh? Mengchuan-kun speaks Japanese?
Ayase Sonoko was evidently extremely happy and surprised.
You taught me. Chen Mengchuan forced a smile.
"And Mengchuan-kun speaks Japanese so fluently. Have you lived in Yokohama?" Ayase Sonoko asked with excitement.
"I just learned Japanese casually, but what I love most is still the Huaxia language," Chen Mengchuan said.
"Of course, I also think Huaxia language is the most beautiful language in the world. With just a few simple block characters, you can write the most exquisite poetry. Japanese absorbed many advantages of the Huaxia language to achieve what it has today," Ayase Sonoko said earnestly and happily to Chen Mengchuan.
"But Huaxia is too vast, and educational resources are scarce. Many children cannot get quality, excellent education." Ayase Sonoko's gaze dimmed slightly.
Chen Mengchuan nodded. "Huaxia's education is constantly and rapidly growing. More and more educational resources are starting to be poured into remote areas as well, and everything will only get better."
"I believe it will be like that too! That's why I came to Huaxia," Ayase Sonoko said with a smile.
Looking at her resolute gaze and expression, Chen Mengchuan's heart plunged into many memories involving her—many of them painful, yet some he was reluctant to let go of...
Must he truly sever this past?
"Do you have a guitar? I want to sing a song."
"Is Mengchuan-kun an immortal? How did you know I have a guitar?" Ayase Sonoko scrunched up her face, putting on a shocked expression as she asked.
Chen Mengchuan smiled, his smile somewhat bitter.
"Wait a moment, I'll go get it." Ayase Sonoko ran into another room and brought out a guitar.
"Everyone, Uncle Mengchuan is going to sing a song for you all. Shall we welcome him?" Ayase Sonoko said to the children with a smile.
As soon as she finished speaking, the children tumbled over, tugging at Zhao Wanyu as they swarmed around Chen Mengchuan.
Touching the guitar, a wave of familiarity flooded into his body. He looked at the children and asked with a smile, "What do you want to hear?"
"I want to hear..." The children instantly grew noisy, shouting out random requests left and right.
Ayase Sonoko smiled at the children. "Everyone! Shall we let Uncle Mengchuan sing whatever he wants? Whatever Uncle Mengchuan sings, we'll listen to, okay?"
"Okay!" a group of children chorused in unison.
Chen Mengchuan smiled, looked at Ayase Sonoko, took a deep breath, strummed the guitar in his hands, and slowly began to sing...
"Don't speak of parting; I won't cry because of this. It was only a dream from last night.
Don't say whether you're willing or not; I won't care because of this. It was only a game from last night.
It was only a game, a dream. Though your shadow still appears in my eyes, you are long gone from my singing voice.
It was only a game, a dream. Do not leave fragmented love here; in a world belonging to two people, there should be no room for you.
Ooh~
Why say goodbye and yet speak of being together? Now, even without you, I am still myself.
What use is speaking of this love lasting forever, what use is saying I love you? Now, still without you, I am still myself..."
Chen Mengchuan's voice lacked Wang Jie's unique magnetism, but having immersed himself in the pain and struggle of a fractured marriage, he poured all of his complex and sorrowful feelings toward Ayase Sonoko into this song, "A Game, A Dream".
His voice, brimming with emotion, caused even the children who couldn't understand the lyrics to listen quietly.
After he quickly stopped playing the guitar, Ayase Sonoko led the children in a round of enthusiastic applause.
Meanwhile, Zhao Wanyu stared blankly at Chen Mengchuan. From this man's eyes and singing, she heard the complex and intense feelings Chen Mengchuan held for Ayase Sonoko. That kind of complicated look and gaze could not possibly be faked, and the song he chose...
What on earth was going on here?
Seeing Zhao Wanyu staring blankly at him from the side, Chen Mengchuan smiled at the children and said, "Auntie Zhao Wanyu sings very well too, you know. Would you like to hear her sing?"
"Yes!!" the children answered in unison.
"I... I don't play the guitar." Zhao Wanyu's expression immediately collapsed.
"It doesn't matter, just acapella. You sang very well yesterday," Chen Mengchuan smiled.
Zhao Wanyu was startled, reacting immediately as her face flushed a brilliant shade of red.
"Shall we give Auntie Wanyu some courage?" Ayase Sonoko encouraged the children.
A wave of applause rang out.
Facing a dozen pairs of expectant gazes, Zhao Wanyu couldn't bear to refuse. She took a deep, deep breath, and with a serious and solemn expression, began to sing...
"Pleasant Goat... Pretty Goat... Lazy Goat... Big Big Wolf... Slow Goat... Soft Sheep... Red Wolf... Gray Wolf..."
"Don't look at me just as a sheep. The green grass grows sweeter because of me, the sky turns bluer because of me, the white clouds turn softer because of me.
Don't look at me just as a sheep. A sheep's cleverness is hard to imagine. No matter how high the sky, my mood remains wild and free, chasing the sun every day.
No matter what difficult problems might shackle me, they will never hurt my heart.
No matter what danger lies before me, I will never panic.
Even if packs of wolves pursue me, I'll treat it just as a game.
At any time, I love to be happy, and smiles will take flight.
Even if I fall down, I'll stand right back up and never be depressed.
In all kinds of weather, I possess the power to make people laugh out loud.
Though I'm just a sheep..."
After that song, Zhao Wanyu completely solidified her status at Balagetu Primary School.
In a hotel in Xi'an City that evening.
"Three million?" Guo Zhidong's skeptical voice came from the other end of the phone.
"That's the price the guy surnamed Sun quoted."
"Is he out of his mind? Did you find Chen Mengchuan?" Guo Zhidong held the phone with a gloomy face.
"We didn't find him. He said he was in the Kunlun Mountains..."
Guo Zhidong's anger flared up instantly. "Are you an idiot? If he told you he was at the Nantian Gate, would you believe that too?"
Guo Siming didn't dare to utter another sound.
After a long silence, Guo Zhidong said in a low voice, "Cut it down to two million for him!" With that, he hung up the phone.
Letting out a breath of relief, Guo Siming immediately dialed Sun Zhongyong's number.
"Manager Sun, hello, I'm Guo Siming from Xia Science Academy."
"Hello, Mr. Guo. Oh, by the way, there's a matter: Mengchuan has just taken on a big data operations project from Canada and probably won't have time this past week. I'm sorry, Mr. Guo, your project at Xia Science Academy might have to seek out someone more brilliant." Sun Zhongyong seized the initiative.
Guo Siming was stunned and immediately said, "Didn't we just agree on this this afternoon? You even gave us a price."
Sun Zhongyong smiled. "Mr. Guo, didn't you fail to nod in agreement this afternoon either? My phone call was recorded, you know, and I didn't agree to anything with you. I'm very sorry, but Mengchuan is flying to Canada tomorrow. If you are willing to wait, then we can talk again next week when Mengchuan returns."
"No, Manager Sun, this Chen Mengchuan cannot go to Canada."
"Uh, Mr. Guo, how can you say that? We just signed the agreement with the Canadian side. If we breach the contract, we have to pay a huge penalty. Sorry, Mr. Guo had better seek out someone more brilliant as soon as possible," Sun Zhongyong said with a tone of regret.
Guo Siming snapped back to his senses, his complexion darkening to the extreme. Gritting his teeth, he asked, "How much more money do you want?"
"Mr. Guo, let me tell you, this isn't a matter of money. This is our first time cooperating with a multinational corporation, and their agreement clearly states that if we go back on our word and breach the contract, we have to pay 400,000 US Dollars in damages. Look, if Xia Science Academy is willing to help us cover this penalty, I personally would still be very willing to cooperate with Xia Science Academy..."
"Snap!" Gritting his teeth, Guo Siming violently hurled the Nokia in his hand onto the ground. The moment the phone hit the floor, it shattered into four or five pieces, sending the battery flying out.
4 daily chapters for now. Newcomer's journey isn't easy, seeking recommendation votes and collections!
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