The Wind Blows Fallen Leaves Chapter 26

Confession

It’s late autumn, but the weather is still hot. The sun burns the leaves to yellow and hardens the branches. There are many more sweepers on campus. When it’s the turn of one group, they all complain.

Zhang Jiasheng wanted to see Jiang Wangshu these days but couldn’t. Instead, he often saw Tao Meng. Zhang Jiasheng also asked her in a subtle way when she would have dinner with Jiang Wangshu. Tao Meng looked through the chat history and finally summed it up and said: “This Sunday, she said she was free.”

“Where are you going to eat,” Zhang Jiasheng asked her, then felt that the purpose was too strong, and added, “I know a barbecue restaurant that is particularly delicious.”

“Barbecue!” Tao Meng’s eyes immediately lit up, he nodded repeatedly, and said, “How did you know that I like to eat barbecue?”

Zhang Jiacheng smiled bitterly and said, “I don’t know.”

“Then can you go with us?” Tao Meng fell into Zhang Jiacheng’s trap.

“Is it appropriate?” Zhang Jiasheng pretended to be reserved and declined.

Tao Meng said without any scheming: “Why is it inappropriate? Sister Wangshu won’t mind.”

Zhang Jiasheng had no choice but to agree. After Tao Meng left, Zhang Jiasheng opened the calendar and started counting down.

“Three days.”

As soon as he returned to class, Liang Qian approached him curiously and asked him, “Who is that girl? She has been coming to see you a lot lately.”

Zhang Jiasheng’s mind was now filled with the scene of them having dinner three days later. It wasn’t until Liang Qian repeated it a second time that he got the answer, “It’s just the friends I met at the sports meeting.”

“You know a lot of people at a sports meeting.” Liang Qian joked.

“It’s just so so.” Zhang Jiasheng took his hand away from his shoulder and made plans for the appointment in three days.

On the penultimate day, Zhang Jiasheng always stared out the window in a daze, with the flesh on his cheeks held up high, as if he was nailed to a chair. He would only pull himself out of the chair after school.

On the penultimate day, even if I see something reflective, I have to stop and play with my hair.

Finally, the day he had been looking forward to day and night came. Zhang Jiasheng booked a room in advance and waited for the two of them to arrive. As soon as he entered the box door, he saw exquisite food on the table, which made people reluctant to destroy it.

Zhang Jiasheng diligently pulled out the stool for her, Jiang Wangshu smiled and nodded, and Tao Meng kept praising him, making Zhang Jiasheng’s cheeks slightly red. During the whole process, he did not let the two girls interfere with the barbecue, and always put the beautiful meat in front of Jiang Wangshu. Tao Meng could not stop eating, so naturally he did not observe his little thoughts.

After drinking and eating, Tao Meng pestered Zhang Jiasheng to send her home. He did not agree immediately, but turned his head and glanced at Jiang Wangshu, as if nothing could shake the expression on her face, and agreed to send them home together.

Jiang Wangshu asked him to stop at the entrance of an alley, said goodbye to them nonchalantly, and turned into the alley. It was daytime, and there was no sunlight inside, so it looked very eerie.

Tao Meng made an excuse and pulled Zhang Jiasheng into the back seat. His eyes were tied to Zhang Jiasheng all the way until the car stopped steadily at the gate of his community. After Zhang Jiasheng got out, he turned around and Tao Meng followed. Zhang Jiasheng thought he had forgotten to say something and waited for her to speak.

Tao Meng walked up to him shyly, took out the crumpled letter in her pocket, and told him loudly, “Brother Jiasheng, I like you.”

These words directly made Zhang Jiasheng freeze in place. He did not answer or accept her letter. Tao Meng did not want to put pressure on him, but this also gave her a vague answer in her heart.

“It doesn’t matter. I can wait until you think about it before I know the answer. Just tell me what you really think. I won’t force you.” Tao Meng handed the letter to him and turned around to get in the car.

Looking at the car driving away, Zhang Jiasheng realized what he had just experienced. The letter in his hand still had her residual warmth, and the moist touch told him how nervous Tao Meng was just now.

At night, Zhang Jiasheng sat alone by the bed with the letter beside him. He didn’t open it because he didn’t like Tao Meng, not beyond friendship.

The next day, Zhang Jiasheng did not wait for Tao Meng to come, but sent her a message on his mobile phone, making sure that Tao Meng could know the content without opening the chat box. Tao Meng said yes after seeing the message, and then calmly closed the phone.

After school at noon, Zhang Jiasheng was waiting for him at the school gate. The two of them went to the reserved restaurant together. It was a seat by the window. The decoration was very simple. From above, you could see the bustling streets stretching all the way. Tao Meng asked him what he wanted to tell her. Zhang Jiasheng did not answer directly. He just asked her to eat slowly. It would not be too late to talk after eating.

The meal that was supposed to be finished in twenty minutes took an hour to finish. Zhang Jiasheng took out the letter. There was no trace of opening and it was even smoother than when he got it yesterday. He put it in her hand and said, “I’m sorry, I can’t accept this letter. We haven’t been together for long. I think you are wrong.”Appreciation is regarded as love, and you can’t tell what is good and what is suitable for you. An excellent girl like you should not fall in love with an unlearned person like me. I will not tell you anything in the future. For now, you are good enough, and the time of an excellent person is priceless.”

“I understand.” Tao Meng heard that he rejected her, without the pain of heartbreak or the desire to shout hysterically, “Thank you, Brother Jiasheng, can I still call you like this?”

“If you are willing.” Zhang Jiasheng finally felt relieved.

She picked up the letter and looked at it carefully in her hand. Zhang Jiasheng’s eyes also moved over and said calmly: “I did not open this letter.”

Tao Meng smiled generously, then tore it into pieces and threw it into the trash can, saying, “I have forgotten the first sentence of this letter.”

“Brother Jiasheng, I want to know why you can’t accept this letter?” Tao Meng suddenly asked this question, and even Zhang Jiasheng stuttered for a moment.

“I don’t… want to lead you astray.” Zhang Jiasheng’s secretive look made her feel that something was very wrong, so she continued to ask questions without giving up until the goal was achieved.

“Definitely not, your eyes have betrayed you, tell me quickly.” Tao Meng held his wrist, trying to get her to look directly at him, so that he could tell the truth faster.

“Not really.”

Tao Meng threatened: “If you don’t tell me, I will go to your classroom door to deliver breakfast to you tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow. I will go every day.”

Although Zhang Jiasheng hates being threatened, what she said has no deterrent effect. It’s like a kitten scratching your palm, and it will soon be defeated.

“Okay, okay, actually I have someone I like.”

Zhang Jia Sheng was still a little shy when he said this. The smile on Tao Meng’s face immediately disappeared, and she asked seriously: “It’s Sister Wangshu, right? If you say this in front of me, you are not afraid of me…”

“Of course I’m not afraid,” Zhang Jiasheng looked into her eyes and said seriously, “because I know you listened to what I just said.”

After hearing these words, Tao Meng instantly transformed into a sunflower smiling towards the sun. Not only was it full of vitality, but it also made people feel refreshed and nourished by the sun. She was dissatisfied and said: “You can see that, it’s so boring. Now that you’ve finished eating, go back. My time is priceless. If I stay any longer, I’m afraid you won’t be able to afford it.”

“Keep it a secret for me.”

“It depends on my mood.”

In the afternoon, Tao Meng received a message from Jiang Wangshu. The physics notes that had been pestering her a few days ago were sorted out. She did not reply. This was the last message between the two of them until they went to bed at night.

The next day Tao Meng found Jiang Wangshu in person, held her arm and acted coquettishly, saying that she had forgotten yesterday, and made Jiang Wangshu laugh in a few words.