No matter how wary they were of Cheng Ran before, when they saw the picture of Comet Bopp-Hale right in front of them, even though Shu Jiexi and Luo Wei wanted to find some flaws and shortcomings in the painting, they still inevitably felt frustrated.
At the same time, they also felt contempt for their own mentality. To be fair, they at least knew the impact of this painting.
Thinking that Jiang Hongshao had witnessed the creation of the star map, they felt a passing sense of crisis. Cheng Ran and Jiang Hongshao had experienced something beyond their imagination...
"Do you think that Hong Shao's visit to Shanhai this time... is actually to say goodbye to her former companions?"
Shu Jiexi touched the surface of the ice water glass with his hand, as if talking about a topic like fate.
Luo Wei was stunned for a moment, then looked towards the gate and nodded.
He knew the general background of Jiang Hongshao's family, although not all of it, but he could already see the tip of the iceberg. On this scale, it was inevitable that Jiang Hongshao's stay in Shanhai was destined to be just a short stay.
"Shanhai is just a small city. I don't mean to look down on it by saying this, but we know Hongshao's situation. She won the provincial youth model in her first year of high school. This is the only one among students of the same age in Rongcheng. Others who have won this title are at least in their second year of high school. She participated in the social practice organized by No. 10 Middle School and joined various clubs, but she was still able to keep up with her studies. This is simply... very abnormal... Anyway, I can't do it to this extent."
Luo Wei nodded, "Yes, far beyond reach."
"She belongs to a stage like Chengdu No. 10 Middle School, and also to Chengdu and even the world beyond. She grew up in Shanhai and made friends here, Cheng Ran, Yao Beibei, Liu Ying... Maybe they were still young at that time, and the difference between them was not obvious, but Hong Shao had already shown to be better than her peers. Some people may have seen her excellence, but they did not understand what it meant for a while..."
"Until one day, Jiang Hongshao left for a bigger stage."
Shu Jiexi said, "This is actually growth. If Hong Shao grew up here because her father works here, then when she grows up to a certain extent, she will naturally jump out of the circle she was in before."
"It's just that Hongshao is very nostalgic. She can't let go of her old friends, so she will come back to see them like this, but this situation will not always be like this. Some people will slowly get lost in each other's lives. I remember that there was a neighbor sister in my family who raised me since I was a child. Later, she moved away when I was in junior high school. I often wrote letters and called her, but since the year before last, our correspondence has become less frequent. She was already a senior high school student at that time. Last year, she was admitted to the Central Minzu University. We only exchanged one letter. As of this year, we actually have no contact with each other."
"Even I know this, let alone Jiang Hongshao... At first glance, Shanhai and Rongcheng are hundreds of kilometers apart, but in fact, there is more than just a few hundred kilometers between them. The environment, level, people and things they come into contact with are all different. Shanhai No. 1 Middle School is a provincial key school. When the students here are studying hard, what are the students of Rongcheng No. 10 Middle School doing? They are getting the best grades while doing all kinds of social practices. They have made use of Rongcheng's unique convenient conditions to get in touch with all aspects. How can we communicate at different levels if we are not on the same level?"
"As for future studies and life choices, Jiang Hongshao may be excellent, but she may not be able to handle everything with ease. She still has to work hard on some things. How can she come back so often? So it is destined that these former friends of hers will gradually become estranged and lose contact with each other."
Luo Wei was silent for a moment, then said, "It's the same with Cheng Ran, right?"
"I believe that even a fool can see that the relationship between him and Hongshao is actually better, but I can't guess to what extent... These are meaningless. Even if Hongshao has a certain liking for him, or even likes him... But these are useless."
Shu Jiexi shook his head. "Hong Shao is destined to keep moving up. Her ability allows her to keep climbing higher. Although I may be a little biased in saying this, her family may have been paving the way for her. Many people have had interactions with her, but they are just interactions. They can only watch her climb up step by step until she disappears into the clouds."
Shu Jiexi looked at Luo Wei. "It's true for Hongshao's former friends in Shanhai. Actually... it's also true for us and her friends in Rongcheng. Maybe one day, you and I, or some of us, will be like Cheng Ran and Liu Ying today. We can only watch Jiang Hongshao go to a higher place, while we are left behind."
Luo Wei nodded, "That's right."
He sighed again, "Our family has received favors from Hong Shao's family, and I have always understood this truth. In fact, I dare not marry her and her family. I don't expect to stay by her side forever. Even if I don't do anything, it's a good thing for some people to just become friends with them. This is enough..."
"If one day Jiang Hongshao said goodbye to me like she did with her friends in Shanhai, I would probably be very touched. Because at least I know that a mark has been left in her heart."
"Me too," Shu Jiexi nodded, "When the time comes, I hope I can face it calmly."
For both of them, Jiang Hongshao's sadness was actually seen. She returned to Shanhai, contacted her old friends, walked along the school tree-lined road where she had walked before and the place where she had gone to and from school countless times. It was because of nostalgia, but also because of the thought that every time she saw it, it would be one less time.
For some things, there may not be a time to say goodbye, and the separation happens quietly.
Shu Jiexi and Luo Wei looked at the group of people in Shanhai and felt a sense of empathy, as if they and Jiang Hongshao would face the same situation a few years later.
After a brief silence, Luo Wei spoke, "The one called Cheng Ran..."
"In fact, up to now, I don't hate him. On the contrary, I admire him because of that comet picture... The drawing he and Jiang Hongshao completed together won first place, beating Zhu Xu."
"It's just... what a pity."
Report, I have been applying for a cultural project in "Rekindling" and I have to submit it tomorrow. I wrote this chapter only after finishing the materials in the evening, so it's a bit late. The immortal cultivation party wins!