A Young Woman's Heart

"Has summer departed, the messenger of spring?"

"Yes, go and rest."

"I only work three months a year!" This kid is precocious; at least he knows that a quarter is three months. "When I grow up, can I also only work three months a year?"

"Oh...that depends on your life."

"Can I touch it?"

"You can't touch them randomly, but you can let the messenger of spring hug you or shake hands with you. Otherwise, if the messenger of spring gets angry, next time the gentle breeze will go around you and the fragrance of flowers won't reach your little nose."

"That won't work!"

"So everyone should behave and come forward one by one—"

Their chubby little hands always seem to want to touch everything.

Their innocent little faces were filled with excitement and joy.

The cicadas respond with a smile, reaching out their hands or opening their arms again and again.

There was a little guy with a runny nose, a little girl with braids, a little boy who was just shaking hands with her, and a mischievous boy who hugged her and shouted, "So fragrant and soft!"

They come from one abandoned family after another.

Not all of them have healthy bodies.

But they were all well taken care of by the Kongqing Children's Welfare Home.

Even children in wheelchairs who can't stand up have eager smiles on their faces, wanting to get closer.

Other children would also play and roughhouse with them, but it wasn't an insult from able-bodied people to those with disabilities; it was just normal 'communication' between children.

Perhaps this is much better than excessive pity.

Because in the eyes of others, they are no different from normal children.

This is an ideal world, a paradise for children, but its existence requires a large amount of money, which is always opposed to ideals.

The founder is indeed a remarkable person.

Tian Tingchan sighed inwardly.

……

(two)

At noon, it's time for the children to eat lunch on time.

To avoid feeling sleepy or ruining her makeup while eating, Tian Tingchan only drank some honey water.

The children ate their meals together in their classrooms, while several teachers moved some equipment out of the school building and placed it on the playground for the preschool children.

The afternoon session was for singing.

The singing time wasn't very long, just from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

If this goes on for too long, even if she can hold on, the children may find it difficult to concentrate.

This is a spring song festival dedicated to children.

"Cicada, is there a problem with the singing part? If it's really not working, we can use a pre-recorded song." After a morning of singing, the young teacher, who seemed to have gotten to know her quite well, asked with a smile, while the middle-aged teacher next to her poured her a full glass of honey water.

"There shouldn't be any problems," she replied somewhat uncertainly, even though she had been preparing for almost two weeks before coming.

"The children are really looking forward to the songs of the messenger of spring."

"Yes."

"They must be very curious about how the messengers of spring sing."

Tian Tingchan couldn't help but smile, and she asked softly, "Were there similar events before?"

“We didn’t do this before; it was just charity performances by members of the public. This is something we specifically wanted to do this year.”

"So, do we need to schedule it for every season this year?"

"Well, if it goes well, I'll ask you to be the Spring Maiden next year too. We might sign a contract then, inviting you to be the messenger of spring for the next five years." The speaker was the young teacher, who was gently tidying up Tian Tingchan's slightly messy wig.

Another makeup artist was also examining her face to see if there was anything that needed touching up.

"Should we find three more girls?"

"It doesn't necessarily have to be a girl. As for the envoy, you could find a young man in the summer or autumn. In the winter, you could find an old man. It's nice to have a difference in age."

Perhaps this is how the legend of Santa Claus spread throughout the world.

……

(three)

It was a little after 1 p.m.

The children were released from the school building like sheep.

The teachers were busy running around maintaining order, making sure everyone carried their cute little chairs and lined up to sit down, waiting to hear the song of the messenger of spring.

To get the children to listen to the song quietly, the teachers gave each of them a lollipop and promised them a reward if they didn't make noise. Noisy children would have their names written down and wouldn't be allowed to see the messenger of spring again next year.

So almost all the children sat quietly on those little pink chairs.

There was no opening speech, no pre-meeting remarks, and no formal speech ceremony typical of the adult world.

On the small, makeshift stage at the very front, there was a piano, and behind it sat an elderly teacher who looked like he was about to retire. Wrinkles had crept onto his face, and his black hair was streaked with a few strands of white.

He was dressed in a sharp suit and his tie was perfectly tied, looking just like a real musician.

—It's clear that even if Tian Tingchan wanted to improvise, he could provide a suitable melody.

Sitting in the wicker chair, Tian Tingchan gently grasped the microphone that had been specially lowered for her. Her soft and gentle voice, carried by the wind, spread to every corner of the playground through the microphone.

"Hmm... Hmph..."

At first, it was a soft murmur, like the first gentle breeze that dispels the chill of winter.

Then, hundreds and thousands of gusts of wind gathered together, scattering the ice and snow, and bringing a touch of green to this desolate land.

"La la la~ la la la..."

This is a song without lyrics, only simple piano sounds and her soft singing.

My body seemed to become lighter as a result.

She didn't know if the children thought it sounded good, but she was definitely immersed in it herself.

It was as if she truly was a messenger bringing spring at that very moment.

The sunlight, breaking through the clouds, shone on the children's faces.

Even though it's only a little over an hour, it's still quite an achievement to stick with it.

Even though chanting is relatively less physically demanding and doesn't strain the voice as much.

Some children listened with rapt attention, while others fell asleep—all basking in the sunlight.

Tian Tingchan clearly saw a little boy holding his cheeks and looking at her intently, swaying his head along with her singing.

That's the best encouragement you can give her.

No day has the sun shone brighter than today.

……

(four)

"The messenger of spring is leaving; she's going to another place to see other children."

"Hey, can't we stay a little longer?"

"Teacher, can I sleep with the messenger of spring?"

"No, she's leaving. She's going to another place to bring spring with her."

The teachers patiently answered each of the children's questions, one by one.

The children accompanied Tian Tingchan all the way to the edge of the kindergarten area, and many of them were reluctant to leave.

"Beautiful Spring Sister! See you next year!"

"See you next year, messenger of spring, I'll miss you!"

"Can we come again next year?"

"We'll come again next time!"

Tian Tingchan smiled and gently waved goodbye to the children.

She left without lingering, after all, she was the messenger of spring, coming quietly and leaving quietly as well.

……

(Fives)

The makeup removal took place in a small truck outside the children's welfare home.

That version of myself, beautiful like an elf, is gone.

Even Tian Tingchan felt that he was a completely different person from who he was now.

The children probably wouldn't recognize them either.

"call……"

"You've had a tough day."

"It's okay, I'm quite happy."

Aren't the children adorable?

"Actually, I didn't like children much before, but the children here are surprisingly cute."

"That's all thanks to the teachers," the young teacher said, as if boasting.

However, Tian Tingchan wholeheartedly agreed: "Yes."

Has the person who was supposed to pick you up arrived?

"They've arrived; they've been waiting for me."