glass lover

■

In the winter when I was 11 years old, I left the social welfare institution, took my picture album and luggage, and followed Rabeinat’s father to the place where he worked as a housekeeper, No. 17, Fengyuan Road, Odin Capital District.

It's not very remote, but it's a residential area, so once you enter the streets near Fengyuan Road, you feel much quieter.His master's house, however, was the least conspicuous of them all.

Simple shape, the house is a bit dusty, I guess the owner is not at home often.The scene in the courtyard was not the kind that surprised me, and it was not at all the splendor that I had expected countless times in my imagination.As soon as the car on the ground turned into the gate, there was a Dalmacin dog with black markings chasing the car and barking.

"It doesn't matter, it's the dog that welcomes you." Looking at me who was a little nervous, Papa Rabeinette said with a gentle smile.The dog's face has a pair of very smart black eyes, like gems.As soon as I got out of the car it started smelling right next to my feet.

"I'm just bringing you here today," Rabeinat's father told me when I walked into the living room, "I've arranged for you to transfer to another school, and you can go to school next week... Ah, Mr. Oberstein. "

I looked up and froze.Standing in front of him was a tall young man with jet-black hair and a very vibrant luster, which was disproportionately pale and somewhat bluish skin.Although he looks young, he seems to have experienced a lot of things.His strange eyes aroused my curiosity.They were a pair of hazel eyes, seemingly lifeless. However, I don't know whether it was because of the owner or my own imagination, it seemed that there was an elf who couldn't get rid of the shady trembling slightly, and didn't dare to let it go. People know of his existence.

Before he looked down at me, I lowered my head again and said:

"Hello, Monsieur Oberstein."

The dark-haired young man looked down at me.He said nothing to me, but turned to Papa Rabenette and said:

"This is the girl you were talking about last week? What is it called Margot?  …"

"Yes, her name is Margaret Hermann."

"Margaret Cecilia Herman. You can call me Gretchen."

I actually corrected Papa Rabeinette aloud.Mr. Oberstein looked at me, I didn't know what I had eaten, and continued: "Mr. Oberstein, your hair is so beautiful."

Mr. Oberstein seemed taken aback, I could see that, but he hid it well.Rabeinat pushed me on the shoulder, and the three of us entered the living room together.

The living room was tidied up, the furniture didn't look fancy at all, and it even looked a bit empty.On the table in the middle was a small box wrapped in blue wrapping paper.Mr. Oberstein reached out to pick up the small box, handed it to me, and said plainly:

"I heard that Rabeinat said that you like painting very much, so let this be a meeting gift."

Mr. Oberstein's voice was clear and cold.The blue color is like wrapping paper, pure and flat, without any creases that shouldn't appear.I can't tell what his first impression of me was.For a moment, I felt that I couldn't open this carefully wrapped gift.I carefully peeled off the sticky place next to it, and unexpectedly found that the sticky place was not tight, and the sticky place was very careful not to be exposed.I happily took off the complete wrapping paper, which contained a silver, very elegant matte metal box, a set of twenty, all drawing pencils in different shades of hardness and softness.

"Mr. Oberstein, thank you!" As if I had to use all my strength, I thanked him sincerely.He nodded, and in a trance I thought he was smiling at me.

■

The life of NO.17 Fengyuan Road made me feel at ease unexpectedly.I transferred to a nearby ordinary middle school to study, and after school every day, I would help my father do things, or help the cook, Mrs. Ferrer, buy vegetables.Although Mr. Oberstein never regarded me as a servant, I knew that I was just a housekeeper's daughter, not a lady who should be loved by others.

Everyone was so nice to me, which surprised me a bit.In social welfare institutions, perhaps because there are too many children, the social workers there have exhausted their patience not knowing how long ago.That kind of cursing and urging us to eat, bathe and sleep is already commonplace.

But this is not the case in NO.17 of Fengyuan Road.Mrs. Ferrer was a nice, quick-tempered person, and when she laughed it seemed that the row of copper pots hanging in the kitchen would shake.

Here, my father not only takes care of my daily life, but also cares about my emotions. He is also always worried about whether I will reject this new environment.

Mr. Oberstein was a quiet young man.He doesn't like to talk very much, I guess maybe it's because he can't find a partner with whom he can talk.No matter what he does, he always completes it so carefully, whether it's eating or dressing, and he has never been seen walking out of the gate with a disheveled appearance.Every night, he must prepare the clothes he will wear tomorrow and hang them on the coat rack on the right side of the door to his room.

I was taken aback the first time I saw Mr. Oberstein take off his prosthetic eye.But only that one time.I have seen all kinds of disabled children in social welfare institutions. The missing arms and legs are relatively minor, but they have no money to install artificial limbs. No one has ever thought about how they will survive in the future.Thinking of this, I feel that Mr. Oberstein is a strong person, and I admire him even more in my heart.

I still maintain the habit of drawing.I have been using that box of pencils carefully, and even breaking a little bit of the pen tip will hurt my heart for a long time.As long as I have free time, I squat in the yard and draw plants or small insects.A few times, Mr. Oberstein came up behind me and quietly squatted there to observe my painting. Often when I found out, I was just taken aback by him.

I have been at Mr. Oberstein's house for about three months or so. I mustered up the courage and asked him to be my model and let me draw a picture.

"I'm not good-looking, why did you draw me?"

He answered me with a smile.

"Why don't you look good? It looks good when you smile just now."

"Is it because the school has to hand in assignments?"

"No. I just wanted to draw you."

"You can draw someone else."

"I don't want to draw others." I said the wish in my heart, "Isn't your birthday coming soon? I hope I can give you something, but I don't have anything, I can only draw, so let me draw .”

"Birthday?"

"Yeah, you probably want a birthday present."

Mr. Oberstein smiled and shook his head. "Not everyone likes birthdays."

I'm embarrassed, but I don't want to give up what I've said.

"It doesn't matter if it's not a birthday present. You can give gifts every day, 360 days a year. All in all, just let me draw it once."

Unable to resist my stalking, Mr. Oberstein agreed with a wry smile.

"What if you paint me badly?"

"Then I will draw again. Keep drawing until you are satisfied."

That was Odin's May, and it was also the most beautiful season for Odin.Mr. Oberstein took me to his study on the second floor, with bookcases on both walls reaching the height of the ceiling.The study has a whole wall of floor-to-ceiling windows and a balcony, which is almost the best view and space of the whole house.

As soon as I walked into this study, I was fascinated by the quiet atmosphere of this room.

"When are you going to start?" he asked me, turning around, and I was startled by the way he looked back.

I stared blankly at his face.Half of the short black hair reflects the exciting color due to the light from the floor-to-ceiling windows, half of the cheeks are illuminated, and the other half of the cheeks have soft contrasting shadows...

"I……"

My face turned red.I turned over and ran downstairs to get my picture book and pencils, and hurried upstairs again.As soon as he entered the study, he saw Mr. Oberstein sitting on the sofa in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, with his chin propped on his right hand, looking at the scenery outside the window.

That's it………

My heart beats faster and my palms feel hot. It seems that there is a magic that drives me to draw quickly, draw quickly, draw quickly... I want to race against the sun. After time, there will be no such beautiful light and pictures.

Whether two hours is long or not, whether it is short or not.Mr. Oberstein literally sat there for two hours without moving.I was intoxicated in the joy of being touched by the beauty, and I moved my pen like flying.Without making any changes, I finished the sketch.

In the process of painting, I felt so excited that I seemed to be a different person.Those two hours were like a dream.I guess I must have some kind of fiery eyes, wishing that the world would stand still at this moment.

After finishing the painting, I showed the album to Mr. Oberstein.He shook his head.

"not good."

"Why?"

"It's so beautiful, it probably doesn't look like me."

After he finished speaking, he smiled shyly and walked out of the study, leaving me with a blank face.I don't know if he likes it or not.It was almost dark.I walked to the balcony, breathing the cool evening air, feeling my face was hot, and the feeling of excitement just now remained on my body.