Cuddled up together on a shabby and simple cot, this was the most reassuring and solid sleep Aaron had had in a year.
Early morning sunlight jumped in through the window pane, Aaron dazedly opened his eyes, a “good morning” still pressed in his throat did not have time to say out, and found that the seat next to him has been empty.
Reaching over in a panic, the bed had long since turned cold, as if yesterday’s reunion and last night’s lovemaking had been a distant dream.
Hurriedly rolling out of bed, the man stumbled around the house looking for the figure he had been longing for, still not there.
It’s been around the block so long, and I’ve only just regained it, and I’m about to lose it.
Holding the table and sitting down lost in thought, disheveled and sticking his fingers into his hair, Aaron raised his neck and let out a long, painful sigh. In the moment of lowering his head, he saw a piece of paper with writing on it laid out on the table.
He hurriedly grabbed the paper into his hand, flexed his fingers and unfolded it tremulously, and on it was the woman’s beautiful script.
“… Aaron, you really need to stop looking for me … with all the things I’ve been going through lately, my mind is in a mess … give us each other another period of Quiet time to think about it, okay …”
Slamming his fist heavily on the tabletop, the man who took a half-hearted gasp to calm down completely lost his usual cloudiness. He folded the letter and stuffed it into his coat pocket. What did this woman think she was, so hard won and wanting to leave?
A glint of determination flashed in his eyes, the lines of the man’s face looking more and more resolute as he nodded the tip of his chin in determination, his fingers clenching into fists to cheer himself up.
Gina, I will definitely not let you get away from me again this time.
In the classroom, Gina is holding a language book and teaching the children to read the text.
Her eyes were fixed on the book, her voice as clear and smooth as pearls on a jade plate, intoning.
The students at the bottom didn’t notice, but Gina knew her actions by heart: only with this method was she able to stabilize her now stirred mind.
The sudden arrival of Aaron made her already silent heart beat again. But how could those things in the past … be easily let go anymore.
Standing outside the window, Aaron’s heart felt a twinge of indefinable pain, and he could not wait to rush into the classroom and sweep her into his arms.
But without lifting his feet, he stood straight out of the window, gazing at Gina with a deep and lingering gaze.
Thinking about the reason she stayed here in the first place and the vow that she would still be here in the future, Aaron knew how much this woman was attached to and loved these children. So after searching all around the courtyard, he decisively arrived at the classroom door.
The woman in the room was plain-faced with her ponytail tied high, her face shifting in exaggerated fashion with the content of the text, and her ease and delight with the children was like nothing she had ever seen before.
The warmth of the morning sunlight spilled in through the window pane, casting a light golden light glow around her, dense with tenderness and light.
Unusual, yet breathtakingly beautiful.
It was hard to get through until the bell rang, Aaron could no longer control this torturous wait, and took a big step forward to push open the classroom door and stand in front of the woman.
Obviously not expecting him to come looking for him so quickly, Gina was clearly startled. Her left foot took a panicked step back, still failing to dodge the man’s shadow that landed on the ground. Displeasure furrowed her brow into a frown as she looked away and whispered a rebuke, “You go away.”
The man’s delicate and bright features are getting closer and closer to her.
A bit annoyed and red, Gina understood that she could not reason with this person. After coughing lightly and settling her mind, she simply turned around with her expressionless face holding her books and walked towards the door.
Where will let her go, Aaron blocked the doorway one step ahead of her, hanging on to put his hand on the door frame, raising one end of his eyebrows and opening his lips, “You’re still here, where can I go.”
Frowning in displeasure, the woman forced herself to pick at his small arm and squeeze out through the narrow gap. Desperately straightening her body to try to reduce physical contact with him, her eyebrows were all cold and detached. Such an attitude was a world away from yesterday, and such a change made people a bit frantic: “Aaron, this place is not suitable for you. Go back to where you should go.”
Unsuitable? He couldn’t find anything more suitable for him than this woman in front of him! Already tortured to the point of madness, why did she push herself away once more.
“What I say now, you must remember.” Putting away that hangdog look from earlier, Aaron stood up straight with seriousness mixed between his eyebrows, his wide, large palm clasped onto the woman’s lean shoulder blades, nodding slightly, meeting her evasive eyes with a deep gaze, “Gina, where you are, I fit in.”