Chapter 134:
Eva recognized his voice, and the fear gradually faded. “Brother, is that you?”
“Mm.” The man took her back to the shore.
Meng Shuyou lent a hand and pulled the little girl onto the shore.
The kitten had stayed in the water too long, its fur completely soaked, letting out a weak meow: “Meow…”
The cat mother immediately went over to rub against it, as if to comfort it.
Meng Shuyou supported the little girl and looked her up and down. “You’re not hurt, right?”
“No.” Eva shook her head guiltily. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to cause you trouble.”
The kitten fell into the water, the cat mother sought help from her, biting her trouser leg and leading her to the pond edge. It had rained just yesterday, the shore was slippery, and she couldn’t see, so she accidentally fell in.
Meng Shuyou held her hand to comfort her. “It’s okay, go back quickly and change clothes. It’s cold; don’t catch a cold.”
“What about Brother? Is Brother okay?” Eva’s tone was anxious.
Meng Shuyou turned back and saw the man pushing off the shore with both hands to leap out of the water, his wet shirt and trousers clinging to his body, water dripping all over the ground.
“I’m fine,” he said.
Meng Shuyou politely averted her gaze.
–
Half an hour later, Eva had finished bathing and changed into a clean set of clothes.
The teacher thanked Meng Shuyou. “Elara, thanks to you saving Eva, or the consequences would have been unimaginable.”
Meng Shuyou explained, “You misunderstood. It was another mister who went into the water and rescued Eva.”
The teacher smiled. “I know. This time, we really have to thank you and Mister Dylan.”
Eva sneezed and looked up to ask, “Where did Brother go?”
“He went to change clothes; he should come over in a bit.” The teacher instructed, “I’m boiling water. Later, take the cold medicine. It’s easy to get sick in this weather.”
Eva agreed obediently. “Okay.”
The teacher looked at Meng Shuyou and asked her, “Elara, please watch Eva take the cold medicine. I still need to go help in the activity room; there are a few kids only I can handle.”
Meng Shuyou nodded. “Okay, go ahead without worry.”
The teacher put the cup and cold medicine on the table and left.
Eva took the initiative to say, “Older sister, actually you can go do other things. I can manage by myself.”
“It’s fine. I’ll stay here with you.” Meng Shuyou pulled out a chair and sat beside her, curiously asking, “Who is that mister from earlier to you?”
Mentioning him, Eva’s mouth curved up. “He’s a very, very good person. He donates a lot of things to our welfare home and makes time every month to visit us. He’s especially caring toward me.”
Meng Shuyou understood. “I see.”
“Older sister, I heard the teacher say you and your classmate both study painting?”
“Mm.”
Eva’s face was full of envy. “When my eyes could see, I loved painting too. So many pretty colors combined together, painted on paper—it’s so meaningful.”
Meng Shuyou tilted her head to look at her. “Your eyes became like this later in life?”
Eva was silent for a few seconds, her emotion inevitably sinking. “Mm, there was a car accident when I was five, and that’s how it happened. My dad and mother are gone too.”
“Sorry, I shouldn’t have brought it up.” Afraid she’d be sad, Meng Shuyou quickly changed the topic. “Do you want to paint? I’ll teach you to paint?”
Eva was a bit expectant. “Can I?”
She hadn’t painted in a long time, couldn’t distinguish colors, couldn’t see anything, and gradually had to give up.
Meng Shuyou patted her head. “Of course. I’ll go find paper and paintbrush.”
At the doorway, the man’s tall, straight figure stood there, not making a sound to disturb, quietly watching the scene.
Meng Shuyou bent over behind Eva, holding her hand as she drew stroke by stroke on the white paper. “The color on your hand is blue. We’ll use it to depict the sky. It can represent vastness and freedom, the place little birds yearn for most.”
She tried her best to convey it with words. “Now switch to green. Draw grass below. The moist, fresh smell in the air after rain is probably what green is like.”
Eva had been blind for over two years, had long forgotten the various colors. With this description, it was as if her mind regained the imagery, her eyes and brows curving up. “Elara older sister, I want to draw a kitten too.”
“Sure, how about drawing the kitten you saved earlier?”
“Mm-hmm!”
The man was slightly lost in thought. He always felt that the girl before him looked familiar, an indescribable feeling.
