When Chris opened the box and took out the contents, his shoulders trembled slightly. It was a log cabin, the one they had built together when they were in elementary school in New York, and even the stained glass on the roof was still very bright in the faint light.
"A few days ago, KK came to visit me from New York. I specially asked her to go to Miss An to ask her to return it to us." "Slowly rippling in the air.
Chris just stared at the cabin.
"Do you still remember that my fingers were glued to my fingers at that time?" Lin Yifei shook his hand, but Chris held it lightly.
Chris closed his eyes lightly, turned his face sideways, and a soft kiss fell on Lin Yifei's palm. His lips were soft and warm, and Lin Yifei's nerves were tied down.
"Everything will be fine, Chris."
"Well. Wait for me to come back."
A week later, the Ozburns left Washington.
Lin Yifei started his solo journey. He tried his best this year, and he won the Washington Division Finals 15-12 over Andrew to advance to the National Finals as a regional champion. Not only that, but the men's saber team of Washington No. 3 Middle School also won the second place in the region. Lin Yifei's third year of junior high school has become busy and full of challenges.
On the eve of his fifteenth birthday, he finally got a call from Chris from Switzerland.
There was a drizzle of rain outside the window, and the whole Chinatown was immersed in a cloud of water vapor.
"Happy birthday, Yifei." Chris's voice was faint, but it was obviously cold but slightly warm.
"I thought you forgot about me." Lin Yifei pursed his lips, "I forgot to tell you, I entered the national finals of the league competition."
"Well. Win the championship for me."
There is an inexplicable weight in that sentence.
In the national finals, Lin Yifei made it all the way to the finals. The opponent was a third-year student from a prestigious private school in New York, with mature skills and good experience. But even when he was cornered by the opponent, Lin Yifei's calmness and instant judgment allowed him to save himself from danger time and time again. From falling behind 2-5 in the first round to tying 9-9 in the second round, the audience couldn't help but sigh after those thrilling stabs and counterattacks. Even the principals of some famous schools in the auditorium nodded frequently after seeing his performance.
Andrew was sitting next to Catherine, "After this final, Lin will become the darling of many prestigious schools in Washington."
"Of course, Lin is very capable!" Catherine mentioned her friend with a proud face.
The crucial final round has arrived. Lin Yifei took a breath, swung the saber in his hand, and showed the momentum to cut everything.
With the first strike, Lin Yifei took the initiative to attack, the coordination of footwork and body movements was impeccable, and the movements became faster and faster. His opponent felt a sense of frustration, as if Lin Yifei had predicted every move he made in advance, and at that moment of lightning, Lin Yifei could always use the most delicate angle to stab the opponent to score.
It was just an attack that lasted fifteen seconds, but it made everyone present forget to breathe. Catherine in the auditorium grabbed Andrew on the side and asked blankly, "Did you score?"
"That sword was too fast. But it should have scored, I saw the light was on." Andrew also frowned.
The referee judged that Lin Yifei scored an effective attack, and the audience was slightly relieved. His opponent panted and adjusted his breathing. When the two returned to the preparation line again, the opponent finally couldn't hold back and launched a violent attack on Lin Yifei. Even in the gap of a few tenths of a second, Lin Yifei was still judging the opponent's purpose and sword movement. His brain had never been so tense as it is now, maybe it was because of Chris's sentence "Win the championship for me." .”
Lin Yifei regained the rhythm of the game in the gap between the defenses. He counterattacked with a sword and regained the right to attack, followed by a series of firm and smooth thrusts and slashes. When he struck the opponent's arm with his sword again, The opponent's momentum has been completely disintegrated by him.
The final stabbing sword caused many spectators to stand up from their seats in order to see clearly. It was a lunge, and the moment he blocked the opponent's sword, he slid out and thrust out. His body was stretched out in a very tense line, as if he had given up everything in his life.
The lights on both sides came on, showing simultaneous hits.
There was silence in the entire fencing gym.
"Who scored?" Catherine's nervous heart was about to jump out.
"It should be Lin." Andrew replied.
As Andrew said, the referee judged Lin Yifei to score. Because although the two lights were on at the same time just now, only the one that attacks first can score. Lin Yifei's thrust was a priority attack, but his opponent did not block the sword but directly slashed at Lin Yifei, which did not constitute a defensive counterattack, so he did not score.
In this way, Lin Yifei won the first championship in his life with 15 to 11.
The moment the referee announced the result, the audience finally applauded like a tide.
Lin Yifei took off his mask and closed his eyes to breathe. All this seems to have returned to his preliminaries in the World Championships before his rebirth. That was his first international match. His opponent was a famous Italian player. He won the opponent very hard, and the applause was just like what he experienced at this moment. .
It seems that no matter how many times it has been done, fate will still follow a similar trajectory.
Andrew stood there with a smile on his face, "I think that last sword is like seeing Chris Osborne."
"Huh? The fencing styles of Lin and Chris don't seem to be very similar." Catherine frowned and thought about it.
"Lin's fencing looks calm and cautious on the surface, but when he takes risks, he is as decisive as Chris, leaving no way out for himself."
When the awards ceremony was over and Lin Yifei walked off the stage holding flowers, he saw George standing beside the auditorium not far away.
The other side nodded slightly to him.
George... Shouldn't he follow Chris and the others to Switzerland
Lin Yifei walked forward quickly, "George...you are here, so where is Chris?"
"Sir and the young master have already returned to Washington, and I came here specifically to pick you up."
Lin Yifei frowned at George's words.
"Only Mr. Osborne and Chris are back?"
George lowered his eyes slightly, and the sadness in his eyes made Lin Yifei's heart, which was originally enthusiastic because of winning the championship, instantly freeze.
"My wife... passed away in Switzerland due to a weak heart. Yesterday, sir and master transported my wife's coffin back to Washington."
"Mrs. Ozborne passed away..." Lin Yifei was stunned.
That woman who has endured poverty for more than ten years for Chris, that woman with a gentle smile... that woman who always likes to say "Lin, come and let me take a look" just left
Although Lin Yifei expected this ending earlier than anyone else, when it really came, the tears would still fall unstoppable.
"What about Chris...?"
"The young master locked himself in the room and couldn't come out. It's been two days and he hasn't eaten anything. Mr. is very worried, so he asked me to pick you up."
Perhaps no one can understand Chris's deep affection for his mother. That woman gave everything for Chris, so he always tried his best to protect this woman. Mother is the most peaceful and peaceful place in the world where Chris belongs. But now, he finally lost her.
"Okay, let's go right now!"
Lin Yifei gave all the flowers and gifts to Catherine, told her that he had something very important, and left with George.
Catherine wanted to say that something was more important than the championship party, but when she saw George, she knew it must have something to do with Chris.
"The protagonist of the party is gone." Andrew looked at Catherine with a questioning look.
"There is no way. Chris is more important to Lin than a champion." Catherine folded her arms and looked at Andrew. "There will be me, Ivy, Mark, and Philip at the party. Because we are all third in Washington. Middle school."
"Oh, you don't intend to invite me? Don't you discriminate against Griffith?" Andrew asked half-jokingly.
"Come on, it's good that Griffith doesn't discriminate against us."
Lin Yifei, who was sitting in the car, looked out the window. He never understood why Chris liked the retro scenery outside the window so much.
"... Mrs. Osborne, when he left, was it painful?"
"No, the wife passed away very peacefully. She leaned on the husband's shoulder and accompanied him to read the newspaper, then fell asleep and never woke up again."
"When is the funeral?"
"This Friday."
Lin Yifei didn't ask any more questions until the car drove into Oz's house.
As soon as he walked into the living room, Mr. Osborne was sitting on the sofa. The English black tea in front of him had been cold for a long time, but he hadn't taken a sip of it. His always strong eyes showed pity.
"... Lin, you are finally here. I told George that I must wait until after your game is over before I tell you. Chris will never forgive me if it affects your chances of winning the championship."
Lin Yifei stepped forward and hugged Mr. Osborne, and said softly, "I'm sorry."
"I know you're sorry too, she's a good woman." Mr. Osborne took a breath and pressed Lin Yifei's shoulder, "Chris... no matter what I said to him, he didn't respond, he didn't say anything Eat. I can't make him like that... If anyone in this world can make him talk, I believe it's you."
Lin Yifei went upstairs and gently pushed Chris' room away. He hasn't been to Chris's room for a long time, the space is dim, except for the night light by the bedside which is still on, reflecting Chris curled up on the bed.