C2 It Was Bright and Clear Again!

It was another beautiful spring morning, with clear skies and a gentle breeze. Under the lush poplar trees stood a quaint two-story house with red tiles and white walls. The garden was filled with a variety of plants and flowers, and the walls were adorned with colorful graffiti. Walking up the black and white staircase, reminiscent of piano keys, and opening the sky-blue wooden door, one would find not a conventional display of furniture but a vibrant world. The most eye-catching elements were the array of toys and a cozy cat bed nearby.

Suddenly, the alarm clock rang, shattering the family's dreams with its persistent ringing.

In a room fit for a princess, with its pink decor, a large drawing tablet was connected to an Apple desktop on a wooden desk. The desk was covered with sketches of characters and structural designs, while a glass cabinet nearby was filled with countless figurine models. The walls were adorned with various comic posters, and a photo wall displayed pictures of the room's owner at the entrance of a theme park each year. Clearly, the room belonged to a budding comic artist.

The soft gray carpet and the white bed with pale yellow sheets cradled a sleeping beauty in pink pajamas. The noisy alarm finally woke her, and she lazily climbed out of bed to silence it.

With bleary eyes, she rubbed them and glanced at the clock before slowly getting up. She slipped on her white slippers and, still a bit dazed, made her way to the bathroom, closing the door with a thud.

When she reappeared in her bedroom, it was already 7:30. Even though the school was nearby, the 8:00 graduation ceremony meant she might not have time for the breakfast her grandmother had prepared.

She wasn't very tall, just over five foot three, and though a bit plump, she had an angelically cute face.

She quickly slipped into the light blue dress she had laid out the day before, applied a bit of sunscreen, and sat down at the breakfast table. Her grandmother brought over a sandwich and fruit salad, beaming with excitement.

“Miaojie, today’s your graduation day! I can’t wait to take pictures of you!”

“Ms. Yang, showing off your photography skills again, huh? Make sure I look good!”

“Oh, my granddaughter is naturally beautiful!”

Miaojie smiled at her grandmother, her eyes curving into crescents, her lips red and teeth white, making her especially charming.

Just then, a tall, pretty woman with long, slightly wavy hair came down the stairs, enhancing her captivating aura. She walked over to the table and sat across from Miaojie.

“Morning, Xiaofu.”

“Morning!”

Lin Xiaofu, Miaojie’s best friend, had been staying with Miaojie’s family since starting college because her family lived abroad. Her grandmother and Ms. Yang had been close friends since childhood.

“Xiaofu, we’re graduating today! Isn’t it exciting?”

“Yeah, I barely slept last night. After chatting with you, I just lay in bed reminiscing about our school days!”

“Those were such wonderful times.”

Grandma brought over a breakfast identical to Miaojie’s and placed it in front of Xiaofu.

“Good morning, Ms. Yang!”

“Xiaofu, didn’t sleep well last night?”

“No, I was too excited about graduation!”

“I’m excited too. You’re all grown up now.”

“Ms. Yang, don’t get all sentimental on us so early in the morning. We’ve got plenty of tearful moments ahead today!” Miaojie said.

Grandma chuckled and raised her eyebrows.

“Where’s your dad? Isn’t he coming with us today?”

“Here he comes.”

A deep yet playful voice came from upstairs, belonging to a middle-aged man. He sported a small goatee and a classic side-part hairstyle. Despite being close to fifty, his face was remarkably youthful, resembling someone in their thirties. His high forehead and bright eyes gave him a mature and sharp look.

"Dad, why are you dressed so formally today? It's not your graduation! Aren't we going to the amusement park?" Miaojie teased her father with a smirk.

"I'm attending your graduation ceremony, so I should look presentable, right? There are staff watching over the amusement park today," her father replied, shrugging.

"Alright, you do look quite sharp!"

"I'm always dashing," he said with a confidence Miaojie had never heard before.

"Fine, have it your way!" Miaojie sighed, eating her fruit salad.

On the table were two sandwiches, part of her father Tong Zhenhua's hearty breakfast. He sat next to Miaojie, glancing at the chubby white cat across from him. Its two tufts of yellow fur stood out, and it looked at him with disdain.

Turning to Grandma, he asked, "Ms. Yang, why is Ermao on the table again?"

"Oh! How did she get there? I was just looking for her," Grandma replied with a mischievous grin.

This wasn't the first time the haughty Ermao had jumped on the table. Last time, she knocked over his soup, spilling it all over him and nearly scalding him. Since then, they hadn't seen eye to eye.

"Ermao seems happy here, let's just leave her be," Miaojie suggested, trying to smooth things over.

"Yeah, Uncle Tong, you should eat. I think it's almost time," Xiaofu chimed in, defending Ermao.

As the family's beloved mascot, Ermao held a special place in the household, second only to Grandma. To keep the peace and ensure he still got his meals, her father kept quiet.

"What time is it?" he asked.

"Almost half-past," Xiaofu answered.

"Alright, let's hurry," he said, picking up his pace.

After breakfast, Dad drove the family in his black Range Rover to Miaojie and Xiaofu's school. Today was their last day at the university.

Once they got out of the car, Dad noticed a sign at the entrance instructing parents to head directly to the auditorium to wait, while students needed to go to the classroom building to put on their caps and gowns.

"Grandma, why don't you and Dad go to the auditorium first? Do you know where it is?" Miaojie asked, linking arms with her grandmother.

"Is it that way?" Dad pointed towards the sports field.

"Yeah, it's over by the field. There's a big lecture hall there, and there should be signs," Xiaofu confirmed, pointing in the same direction.

"Alright, we'll head over. See you in a bit," Grandma waved to them.

"Okay, see you soon," Miaojie and Xiaofu waved back.

As they walked through the campus towards the classroom building, Xiaofu, who was majoring in theater, and Miaojie, who studied art, headed to different classrooms. Xiaofu arrived at her classroom first.

"I'm here, Miaojie. I'll head in and catch up with you at the auditorium later," she said as she walked towards the classroom door.

"Alright, bye," Miaojie replied with a smile.

After parting ways with Xiaofu, Miaojie walked towards the art classroom with mixed emotions. She saw classmates she hadn't met in months, familiar yet distant faces. This might be the last time she saw some of them. They chatted and laughed together until their advisor quietly entered the room, accompanied by two male students carrying large boxes filled with caps and gowns. "Alright, everyone, let's settle down."

The students turned off their devices as the teacher arrived.

"Today, you're graduating. After four years of learning and growth, you've all come a long way. I hope you face future challenges with determination. There's a long road ahead, and I wish you all the best. Thank you for your support and cooperation over the past four years. I hope you continue to thrive!"

After saying those words, the advisor seemed a bit choked up. One of the more outgoing students said, "Teacher, we'll come back to visit you often. Don't forget us!" That one sentence opened the floodgates, and everyone started expressing their well-wishes and concerns, almost bringing the teacher to tears. But she was strong and not the type to cry in front of us. She quickly changed the subject, "Oh, by the way, the caps and gowns have arrived. Go ahead and put them on. Our graduation ceremony starts at ten, and we'll meet in the auditorium." "Okay!" the students responded in unison.

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