When the third button was unbuttoned, he slowly loosened his fingers.
Tao Ling’s hands rested by the cabinet. After standing still for a short while, he took out the card.
The outside part of the greeting card was pure ink blue. Only a golden four-pointed star was attached in the corner. When he opened it, he saw the patterns that were drawn by Wen Qingying. The lower right corner showed a group of flowers, which were daisies. Although there was only line art and no coloring, the drawings were incredibly succinct and pretty that they could leave people speechless.
On the blank space in the middle, it was written with a pen:
“Mister, although studying religion cannot help us overcome the loss of a loved one, it too won’t erase it from our memories. Therefore, I find it quite nice.
Have a goodnight’s sleep and dream whatever you desire to dream.”
Because the greeting card was a little small, “Wen Qingying” these three characters could only be left between that cluster of daisies, as if the drawing and characters were one to begin with.
Tao Ling put back the card inside the kraft paper. He opened the cupboard, and then managed to touch a glass flower vase at the very edge.
Tao Jun had always been very busy in the past. He’d hated the fact that twenty-four hours felt too short ever since he started working. Nevertheless, it never held him back from going to the flower shop to buy a lucky bamboo. As such, a spring scenery would always show up inside their apartment throughout the whole year.
Tao Ling often joked that he never planted other flowers because he coveted glory and wealth, teasing him he should also plant a money tree and lucky fruit.
In such a situation, Tao Jun would peel off his well-refined appearance and reveal the wickedness others could never see with their own eyes. He’d lock his arms around Tao Ling’s neck and hit his head, scolding him for being an ungrateful kid.
Tao Jun often scolded him. However, he’d never said anything such as “I’m doing all of this for your own sake” to him, and so even upon receiving a scolding, Tao Ling still felt happy.
After all, the two brothers were still together.
Too long ago. This happened too long ago.
Changing the water regularly increases longevity. He still remembered this piece of advice from Wen Qingying when he first bought the daisies.
The flower vase was placed on the window sill.
He put the flower bouquet inside the vase before taking a shower. As soon as the hot water drenched down, another round of dizziness began to arise in him that brought a faint yet tedious weariness. Fearing that this bit of sleepiness would disappear, Tao Ling quickly tidied himself up and got in bed.
He indeed fell asleep. But that whole night, all he had was weird dreams.
He first dreamed of watching TV with Tao Jun at home, the latter asking him what he wanted to eat later. Then he dreamed of having a conversation with Wen Qingying at the flower shop, the latter drawing a flower on his hand.
He even dreamed of the time he was still an undergraduate student. He was currently writing a PhD thesis in the library; however he couldn’t find a book. Then in a flash, he seemed to be standing on top of a mountain. Tao Ling turned around to blankly examine his surroundings, only to find that no one was behind him.
Lastly, he dreamed of Xia Chaoyang. The latter asked him where Tao Jun’s cemetery was.
“Why would you curse my brother to die? You’re so awful! How about you die instead?!” The Tao Ling in his dream was extremely angry. His voice even cracked from the words he roared out, such that he could hardly breathe. But instead of receiving a reply from Xia Chaoyang, he received a forehead flick from Tao Jun.
“Tao Ling, where are your manners?” Tao Jun knitted his eyebrows.
Tao Ling felt pain. When he opened his eyes, he realized that the corner of the book spine on the headboard was pressing against his forehead. The pressure went on for too long and left a very painful feeling. It was not dawn yet. He took a look at the clock, and saw that it was only five-thirty in the morning.
He won’t be able to fall asleep again if he continues to stay in bed.
Tao Ling opened his phone, and saw that there was a friend request on WeChat. The display name of the user was Xia Chaoyang.
After a moment of hesitation, he pressed “accept.”
He wasn’t sure if it was because Xia Chaoyang didn’t sleep or that he already got out of bed, but the latter soon sent a message to him, saying: “Tao-shidi, feel free to reach out to me in the future when you need help.”
“Thank you, Mr. Xia.”
Tao Ling has been in a bad mood ever since the start of Autumn. Especially today.
The student assistant made a mistake with an important document. Tao Ling had warned numerous times to look out for the location that had the mistake. Yet in the end, not only was it done with great ease, but the assignment was also turned in in a haste.
Upon receiving a “move” spoken out from his cold face, that student was frightened all morning and didn’t have the guts to ask him another word.
A little before noon break, the counselor from the office next door came over and chatted a bit with Mr. Zhang. She began to probe while pretending to be lighthearted, “Mr. Tao, students are pretty worn out with balancing work and study. We’re all aware that administrative work is heavy. But next time when there are tricky places to look out for, it’s better for us teachers to point them out in advance…”
Tao Ling lowered his head to continue his work. He curled his lips lightly and didn’t reply at all.
Mr. Zhang coughed a few times, signaling her to shut her mouth. The counselor then smiled, changed the subject, and argued for a bit before leaving the office.
When she left, Mr. Zhang said softly as if gossiping, “Mr. Tao, sometimes it’s still necessary to give face to the other party when it should be given. Ms. Yao knows the most how things work. So don’t look at what the student does, but her attitude instead.”
Screw the damn face. Sometimes you can’t give face to the other party when it shouldn’t be given.
Tao Ling knew that he wasn’t a good match with this school’s administrative team ever since he entered the office. Mr. Zhang nevertheless took care of him most of the time.
The hands typing on the keyboard stopped moving. He turned his head, replying, “Thank you, Mr. Zhang.”
Still hugging his thermo cup, Mr. Zhang kindly smiled.
Mr. Zhang had yet to arrive for the afternoon shift. That student assistant came over to turn in the new document.
Upon receiving it, he lightly flipped through the document a few times. The mistake from before has been corrected. Tao Ling adjusted his glasses and raised a thin smile. “You’ve worked hard.”
The student kept quiet out of fear.
This guy was currently a third-year postgraduate student, and he had already done two years of part-time work in the administrative office. Although he didn’t know what the reason for the other’s arrogance was, Tao Ling has witnessed a few times his attitude towards other people. He’d look down upon other students while currying favor with the teachers.
He took a glimpse through the corner of his eyes and saw that the other still hasn’t taken his leave yet. Then all of a sudden, he thought of the words the counselor uttered this morning. As such, Tao Ling turned his head to look at him, before bluntly saying, “Without doubt, you have been doing this part-time student job for a pretty long time, even longer than what I’ve worked so far, and therefore I don’t have the right to criticize you. However, I still have words which need to be said out loud——some relationships cannot promise a smooth journey no matter how good they are, let alone making it acceptable to handle affairs poorly. You are still a student; in fact, your studies are what matter the most. Giving people unequal treatment isn’t too nice either, am I right?”
The guy was flushed with embarrassment, his complexion full of humiliation. He wanted to retort back, but in the end he didn’t have the confidence to. As such, he could only be forced to nod his head. “Yes, thank you Mr. Tao.”
“You may leave now. Thanks for working overtime.” Tao Ling averted his eyes.
The irritation from today reached its peak before the end of the workday.
The colleague of the foreign language school sent him a link, and urged him that he mustn’t lose his calm later. When Tao Ling opened it, he saw that students were discussing and putting him on display in the school forum. Basically about him treating students very coldly, not being passionate enough with his job, etc. Furthermore, they even managed to discuss how bad the administrative teachers’ tempers were.
Tao Ling felt like laughing upon reading these comments, thinking, it’s not that I have a bad attitude towards students, but that I’ve always had a bad attitude towards humans.
Anonymously, the fifth commenter asked a question: “Don’t you guys find him very handsome?”
The replyer said: “He literally looks like a refined scum with those pair of gold frame glasses. How can the commenter above have a taste in these types of men? He’s decent in public but maybe a sadisctic in private.”
The next replyer said: “He has a cold look. In short, he’s cold.”
The replies from then on shifted to another subject. They were now discussing the looks of every teacher in the school. People from other schools felt dissatisfied, thus they presented the teachers from their own schools to “show off.”
However, the 129th commenter – using a new account that had only reached level two – said innaproapiately, “Mr. Tao is actually very kind.”
This statement soon attracted the ridicule of the original poster: “Is the replyer above Tao Ling’s paid writer or Tao Ling himself? Use your main account instead.”
Then, someone in the thread said: “Isn’t the replyer above of the replyer just making shit up? We aren’t even talking about Tao Ling yet you decided to stick your nose into this conversation. Do you feel satisfied now that you’ve been ridiculed?”
That new user anxiously explained: “He’s actually very nice! It’s just that everyone has different personality traits. Not choosing to smile does not mean anything, and he also takes students into deep consideration.”
After a few seconds of fast sweeping, Tao Ling replied to his colleague’s message: “Students nowadays have become this bored.”
The other end asked: “Should I help you clarify it?”
“No need, it doesn’t matter.”
He packed his bags and locked the office door. The building was empty. Tao Ling rocked his way through to the entire administrative building of the school, and reached the other side of it.
He’d brushed past the religion studies hall sign many times.
Reclining on the window, he unconciously looked into the distance, and saw that there were now more fresh cut flowers at the flower shop entrance. They were most likely replenished by Wen Qingying today.
However, without knowing why, that flower stand seemed a little dull on the surface.
When he took two closer looks, Tao Ling suddenly realized that something was wrong. Just as he straightened up his body, a vibration came from his phone.
When the third button was unbuttoned, he slowly loosened his fingers.
Tao Ling’s hands rested by the cabinet. After standing still for a short while, he took out the card.
The outside part of the greeting card was pure ink blue. Only a golden four-pointed star was attached in the corner. When he opened it, he saw the patterns that were drawn by Wen Qingying. The lower right corner showed a group of flowers, which were daisies. Although there was only line art and no coloring, the drawings were incredibly succinct and pretty that they could leave people speechless.
On the blank space in the middle, it was written with a pen:
“Mister, although studying religion cannot help us overcome the loss of a loved one, it too won’t erase it from our memories. Therefore, I find it quite nice.
Have a goodnight’s sleep and dream whatever you desire to dream.”
Because the greeting card was a little small, “Wen Qingying” these three characters could only be left between that cluster of daisies, as if the drawing and characters were one to begin with.
Tao Ling put back the card inside the kraft paper. He opened the cupboard, and then managed to touch a glass flower vase at the very edge.
Tao Jun had always been very busy in the past. He’d hated the fact that twenty-four hours felt too short ever since he started working. Nevertheless, it never held him back from going to the flower shop to buy a lucky bamboo. As such, a spring scenery would always show up inside their apartment throughout the whole year.
Tao Ling often joked that he never planted other flowers because he coveted glory and wealth, teasing him he should also plant a money tree and lucky fruit.
In such a situation, Tao Jun would peel off his well-refined appearance and reveal the wickedness others could never see with their own eyes. He’d lock his arms around Tao Ling’s neck and hit his head, scolding him for being an ungrateful kid.
Tao Jun often scolded him. However, he’d never said anything such as “I’m doing all of this for your own sake” to him, and so even upon receiving a scolding, Tao Ling still felt happy.
After all, the two brothers were still together.
Too long ago. This happened too long ago.
Changing the water regularly increases longevity. He still remembered this piece of advice from Wen Qingying when he first bought the daisies.
The flower vase was placed on the window sill.
He put the flower bouquet inside the vase before taking a shower. As soon as the hot water drenched down, another round of dizziness began to arise in him that brought a faint yet tedious weariness. Fearing that this bit of sleepiness would disappear, Tao Ling quickly tidied himself up and got in bed.
He indeed fell asleep. But that whole night, all he had was weird dreams.
He first dreamed of watching TV with Tao Jun at home, the latter asking him what he wanted to eat later. Then he dreamed of having a conversation with Wen Qingying at the flower shop, the latter drawing a flower on his hand.
He even dreamed of the time he was still an undergraduate student. He was currently writing a PhD thesis in the library; however he couldn’t find a book. Then in a flash, he seemed to be standing on top of a mountain. Tao Ling turned around to blankly examine his surroundings, only to find that no one was behind him.
Lastly, he dreamed of Xia Chaoyang. The latter asked him where Tao Jun’s cemetery was.
“Why would you curse my brother to die? You’re so awful! How about you die instead?!” The Tao Ling in his dream was extremely angry. His voice even cracked from the words he roared out, such that he could hardly breathe. But instead of receiving a reply from Xia Chaoyang, he received a forehead flick from Tao Jun.
“Tao Ling, where are your manners?” Tao Jun knitted his eyebrows.
Tao Ling felt pain. When he opened his eyes, he realized that the corner of the book spine on the headboard was pressing against his forehead. The pressure went on for too long and left a very painful feeling. It was not dawn yet. He took a look at the clock, and saw that it was only five-thirty in the morning.
He won’t be able to fall asleep again if he continues to stay in bed.
Tao Ling opened his phone, and saw that there was a friend request on WeChat. The display name of the user was Xia Chaoyang.
After a moment of hesitation, he pressed “accept.”
He wasn’t sure if it was because Xia Chaoyang didn’t sleep or that he already got out of bed, but the latter soon sent a message to him, saying: “Tao-shidi, feel free to reach out to me in the future when you need help.”
“Thank you, Mr. Xia.”
Tao Ling has been in a bad mood ever since the start of Autumn. Especially today.
The student assistant made a mistake with an important document. Tao Ling had warned numerous times to look out for the location that had the mistake. Yet in the end, not only was it done with great ease, but the assignment was also turned in in a haste.
Upon receiving a “move” spoken out from his cold face, that student was frightened all morning and didn’t have the guts to ask him another word.
A little before noon break, the counselor from the office next door came over and chatted a bit with Mr. Zhang. She began to probe while pretending to be lighthearted, “Mr. Tao, students are pretty worn out with balancing work and study. We’re all aware that administrative work is heavy. But next time when there are tricky places to look out for, it’s better for us teachers to point them out in advance…”
Tao Ling lowered his head to continue his work. He curled his lips lightly and didn’t reply at all.
Mr. Zhang coughed a few times, signaling her to shut her mouth. The counselor then smiled, changed the subject, and argued for a bit before leaving the office.
When she left, Mr. Zhang said softly as if gossiping, “Mr. Tao, sometimes it’s still necessary to give face to the other party when it should be given. Ms. Yao knows the most how things work. So don’t look at what the student does, but her attitude instead.”
Screw the damn face. Sometimes you can’t give face to the other party when it shouldn’t be given.
Tao Ling knew that he wasn’t a good match with this school’s administrative team ever since he entered the office. Mr. Zhang nevertheless took care of him most of the time.
The hands typing on the keyboard stopped moving. He turned his head, replying, “Thank you, Mr. Zhang.”
Still hugging his thermo cup, Mr. Zhang kindly smiled.
Mr. Zhang had yet to arrive for the afternoon shift. That student assistant came over to turn in the new document.
Upon receiving it, he lightly flipped through the document a few times. The mistake from before has been corrected. Tao Ling adjusted his glasses and raised a thin smile. “You’ve worked hard.”
The student kept quiet out of fear.
This guy was currently a third-year postgraduate student, and he had already done two years of part-time work in the administrative office. Although he didn’t know what the reason for the other’s arrogance was, Tao Ling has witnessed a few times his attitude towards other people. He’d look down upon other students while currying favor with the teachers.
He took a glimpse through the corner of his eyes and saw that the other still hasn’t taken his leave yet. Then all of a sudden, he thought of the words the counselor uttered this morning. As such, Tao Ling turned his head to look at him, before bluntly saying, “Without doubt, you have been doing this part-time student job for a pretty long time, even longer than what I’ve worked so far, and therefore I don’t have the right to criticize you. However, I still have words which need to be said out loud——some relationships cannot promise a smooth journey no matter how good they are, let alone making it acceptable to handle affairs poorly. You are still a student; in fact, your studies are what matter the most. Giving people unequal treatment isn’t too nice either, am I right?”
The guy was flushed with embarrassment, his complexion full of humiliation. He wanted to retort back, but in the end he didn’t have the confidence to. As such, he could only be forced to nod his head. “Yes, thank you Mr. Tao.”
“You may leave now. Thanks for working overtime.” Tao Ling averted his eyes.
The irritation from today reached its peak before the end of the workday.
The colleague of the foreign language school sent him a link, and urged him that he mustn’t lose his calm later. When Tao Ling opened it, he saw that students were discussing and putting him on display in the school forum. Basically about him treating students very coldly, not being passionate enough with his job, etc. Furthermore, they even managed to discuss how bad the administrative teachers’ tempers were.
Tao Ling felt like laughing upon reading these comments, thinking, it’s not that I have a bad attitude towards students, but that I’ve always had a bad attitude towards humans.
Anonymously, the fifth commenter asked a question: “Don’t you guys find him very handsome?”
The replyer said: “He literally looks like a refined scum with those pair of gold frame glasses. How can the commenter above have a taste in these types of men? He’s decent in public but maybe a sadisctic in private.”
The next replyer said: “He has a cold look. In short, he’s cold.”
The replies from then on shifted to another subject. They were now discussing the looks of every teacher in the school. People from other schools felt dissatisfied, thus they presented the teachers from their own schools to “show off.”
However, the 129th commenter – using a new account that had only reached level two – said innaproapiately, “Mr. Tao is actually very kind.”
This statement soon attracted the ridicule of the original poster: “Is the replyer above Tao Ling’s paid writer or Tao Ling himself? Use your main account instead.”
Then, someone in the thread said: “Isn’t the replyer above of the replyer just making shit up? We aren’t even talking about Tao Ling yet you decided to stick your nose into this conversation. Do you feel satisfied now that you’ve been ridiculed?”
That new user anxiously explained: “He’s actually very nice! It’s just that everyone has different personality traits. Not choosing to smile does not mean anything, and he also takes students into deep consideration.”
After a few seconds of fast sweeping, Tao Ling replied to his colleague’s message: “Students nowadays have become this bored.”
The other end asked: “Should I help you clarify it?”
“No need, it doesn’t matter.”
He packed his bags and locked the office door. The building was empty. Tao Ling rocked his way through to the entire administrative building of the school, and reached the other side of it.
He’d brushed past the religion studies hall sign many times.
Reclining on the window, he unconciously looked into the distance, and saw that there were now more fresh cut flowers at the flower shop entrance. They were most likely replenished by Wen Qingying today.
However, without knowing why, that flower stand seemed a little dull on the surface.
When he took two closer looks, Tao Ling suddenly realized that something was wrong. Just as he straightened up his body, a vibration came from his phone.
