Those naive and tender years of promise by the bonfire

  "He... " Yeah, what can he guarantee? He doesn't have that kind of ability. He can't make people like him as much as Tian Cheng does, nor can he help her out of trouble like Zong Zhong Liang does. When she's in trouble, he's more likely to be a disaster waiting to happen, all the disasters around her are caused by him, what qualifications does he have to say "I'll take responsibility myself"?

  Sometimes he feels superfluous, just like now. He admits that he likes Tian Tian very much, especially the kind of liking that goes to the bone marrow. It seems that from the moment the bean sprouts in his body, it has been destined to take root and grow for her.

  Even after a long time, only a sour fruit grew, when he dug it out, he felt chilled to the bone. The substance was almost twisted, with a cyan and grayish color, small and pitiful. His rationality reminded him to give up before causing any impact, but his emotions went against the current. He knew that in the end, he would sink and disappear in this endless emotional journey...

  "You don't need to say anything more, let's just pretend we don't know you." Tian Tian stared intently at the bonfire, turning the roasted meat in her hand so that it could fully absorb the heat. "We didn't have any relationship to begin with, did we?"

  "Hmm..." Peng Sze nodded, "However, this bag of mutton is for you." After finishing speaking, he put the bag in front of Tian Tian and turned to leave.

  Tian Tian gazed at the faint silhouette of the young man under the flickering firelight and let out a soft sigh.

  The night fell, and only the crackling of the bonfire was left. Most students had fallen asleep.

  "Sister, tell me a story." Tian Cheng burrowed into his sleeping bag, only revealing a round little head, and blinked at Tian Tian.

  Tian Tian sat at the open window, propping up her cheek and gazing up at the starry sky, "What story do you want to hear?"

  "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs."

  "Sister had already told you when you were six years old."

  "Hmm... Pea Princess..." said Tan Cheng.

  "This was your birthday last year, I told you, did you forget? We also lit a house full of candles, you almost burned down the house..."

  "Can't we just not mention this?" Tian Cheng rubbed his eyes, trying to avoid the topic, "You go ahead and talk..."

  "What's the point of talking about it... Let's talk about what Mom and Dad were like when they were young..."

  "Hmm... how did you know?" asked Tien Cheng.

  "Old Zhang told me, you idiot."

  "Oh."

  "My parents met at a famous university in N city. My mom was very beautiful when she was young, and still has a lot of charm now. She had many pursuers, but her standards were too high and she didn't think any of them were good enough. One day, she went to watch a debate competition and saw my dad, who was one of the debaters. At that time, he was eloquent and impressive... Hmm, I feel like I've used all the idioms already... Anyway, in short, he was very handsome..."

  "Is this a word?" Tian Cheng interrupted and said.

  "Are you still not listening?" Tian Tian angrily asked.

  Tian Cheng immediately shut his mouth.

  "Then," Tian Tian continued, "Mom noticed Dad at a glance and stared at him for half a day. Finally, when Dad went on stage to receive the award, Mom decisively went on stage to ask for Dad's contact information. At that time, the host, judges, audience, including the parties involved, Dad comrade, were all stunned. Then, Dad was stunned and wrote down his address on that piece of paper. The next day, Mom asked Dad out to watch a movie, so fast?"

  “……”

  "Xiao Cheng?" Tian Tian turned around to find that Tian Cheng had already fallen asleep, she lovingly stroked Tian Cheng's head and walked out of the tent.

  The dense stars twinkled unknowingly in the night sky, and the whole sky was like a lid covering the empty space above. Occasionally, a meteor flashed by and disappeared immediately, leaving no trace behind, making it easy for people to forget that it had once been brilliant.

  The bonfire at night still flickered with sparse flames, wisps of smoke drifted slowly into the air, and the smell of burnt wood filled the air. Tian Tian sat on a clean patch of grass, gazing up at the luxurious starry sky that was never seen in the city.

  "What are you thinking about?" Yao Letong threw the paper bag containing food to one side and sat down beside Tian Tian.

  Tian Cheng said to his parents.

  "What did he say?"

  "He said he would build a castle in the air, take me up there, and we'd sit on the edge together, watching the clouds drift by beneath our feet. If possible, we could even pick one and see if it tastes like cotton candy."

  "It's very beautiful, but has he been reading too many comics?"

  Tian Tian smiled sweetly and said, "I used to say the same thing about him, but I believe in him."

  "I always feel like you two don't have a normal sibling relationship, he's too dependent on you and you're overly doting on him."

  "Is that so......" Tian Tian's thoughts seemed to have flown far away, "Maybe it's because my parents aren't around me, the only one with a blood relationship is him, he's everything to me, almost, all the motivation in life."

  "Have you ever thought," Yao Le Tong's expression was extremely serious, he said slowly, "maybe the way you love him is wrong, maybe he needs to solve problems independently. Or, when he's really not by your side one day and gets hurt by the outside world, even a small scratch might make him cry in pain. What if, after many years, he will hate you?"

  "Maybe, since I was young, I only wanted to give him the best. He has never experienced the taste of fatherly and motherly love, so I always feel like I owe it to him. Therefore, I want to do my best to protect him."

  "You have to remember, it's not that you owe him, but your parents," Yao Le Tong said. "Besides, if you protect him, who will protect you? You're really stupid."

  "Maybe," Tian Tian smiled indifferently, "I also did it voluntarily, thinking of being good to him, without needing any return."

  "Alas," Yao Le Tong lay on the grass, propping up his head with his arm, gazing up at the sky and sighed, "Why isn't there such an idiot who treats me well?"

  "Just wait, there will be bread."

  Tonight, some people are sleeping soundly, while others are wide awake. Tian Tian and Yao Le Tong, who were overcome with sleepiness after sharing their secrets, returned to their respective tents. The mountain night was chilly, forcing them to wrap themselves tightly in their sleeping bags. As the night wind blew, it brought a piercing chill, a prelude to the arrival of winter. Teacher Wu tightened her outerwear and helped the students tidy up before returning to her own tent.

  Not far from the two, in a tent, after listening to their conversation, the man quietly zipped up the zipper of the tent and finally found a breakthrough for the problem. The evil idea was thus determined, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. In the end, hidden in the dark night, that evil smile would eventually be diluted by the morning dew.