sounds of nature

12 years ago.

April 12

A Christian church in the suburbs of Tokyo ushered in a group of special little guests on this day.

On a clear winter afternoon, the golden sunlight shines on the snow-white building, and the long and narrow windows inlaid with stained glass reflect colorful and dazzling light.In this season of depression, only the two tall holly trees planted in front of the church are still green and long-lasting.

It is not difficult for people who come to worship to find that the churches they used to come to have changed a lot on this day.Whether it is the promenade outside the church or the doors and windows inside the church, they are all decorated with vines made of holly branches and colorful ribbons, bringing a festive atmosphere.

In the church at this time, there were bursts of clear and childish voices.

"... silent night! Holy night!

Allis calm, allis bright!

Round young virgin mother and child!

Holy Infant, sotender and mild.

Sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace."

Accompanied by these immature singing voices that make the listeners smile knowingly, there is a series of soothing but beautiful piano accompaniment sounds.The notes seem to have the power to give people peace of mind, and they are subtly integrated into the singing to form the purest and cleanest music in the world.

On this Christmas Eve afternoon, Tiangong Qinglai followed his parents on the path leading to the open main door of the church, and when he heard the singing and the sound of the piano from afar, he was looking up at the sky above the suburbs. Pure and flawless blue.

The blue sky, the beautiful music that can purify the heart in the distance, made him squint his eyes happily.Tightening the dark blue knitted scarf wrapped around his neck, he felt a little smoky. It is difficult for him to have such a pure mood whether he is practicing the piano or listening to his mother's performance on weekdays - just want to be so quietly Listen, don't think about anything.

"... Oh, what a great performance!" Miki Hamai, who was holding her son, showed a slight smile and praised.

The gentle and handsome man on the side also smiled softly: "Yes, regardless of skills, at least the other party is playing with all his heart!"

At this time, the three of them had already walked to the door of the church, looked up and saw that the wooden benches that should have been neatly arranged there were moved to one side, and three rows of tall and low children stood on the empty space in the middle.

The children who sang energetically wore uniform clothes, red and white cotton clothes, which were simple and plain.That is, the uniform issued by the orphanage.

Turning the sight again, there is a brown and black grand piano near the window, and the accompaniment sounds come from behind.Tiangong Qinglai broke free from her mother's hand, took a few steps to the side, and finally reached a position where her view was no longer blocked.

He cast a curious look at it, and then he was so dazed...

Sensing his son's expression that he seemed to have found something extraordinary, Tian Gongxiang also touched his wife's arm, motioning her to look over too.The two of them walked behind the young boy together, and instantly understood why the son's surprised expression was happening.

Miki Hamai sighed and said with a sigh: "Oh, so there is a little angel hidden here..." And it is a little angel who can bring wonderful music.

It's really strange, although I never imagined what kind of person would be playing such a beautiful "Silent Night", but I didn't expect it to be such a small child... That thin figure was completely overwhelmed by the huge piano. Block it, no wonder you can't see the pianist standing at the gate!

The three guests didn't make a sound, until the end of a song, seeing the children's relaxed expressions, and knowing that their performance was over, they raised their hands and applauded politely.

A middle-aged woman who looked like the person in charge of the orphanage came forward immediately, and smiled at the well-dressed family in front of her, "It's Mr. and Mrs. Tiangong! I called you before." Nakamori, sorry to keep you waiting..."

"It's okay, it just happened to let us enjoy a wonderful performance!" Tian Gongxiang also said, turned his head and looked at his wife, and then continued: "Then, the thing mentioned before..."

"No problem, no problem at all! Thank you very much for your kindness, the children are all here, and you see—"

"Mom, do we want her?" Tiangong Qinglai, who had been silent all this time, pulled her mother's hand and said hastily.

"Eh? This is the young master of the two of you! He looks so good..." Nakamori said flatteringly, then followed his direction to look, after a moment of surprise, she quickly recovered, "Ah, this, What do you two mean?"

Hamai Miki obeyed her son's wishes, smiled, and said, "Then, can I invite that lovely lady to come over and talk?"

"Good, good!"

……

An undersized little girl with ear-length flaxen hair, when she was asked to raise her head and introduce herself to the Tiangong family, what she showed in front of everyone was a pair of gray-blue clear eyes, such warm and moist eyes, not at all Like a five-year-old kid.

She said with a soft voice, "Good day, sir, madam." Then she smiled and nodded to the eyes on the side that had been staring at her since just now.

The handsome little boy blushed instantly.

Miki Hamai couldn't help laughing seeing her son who had always been more mature and sensible than children of the same age showing such childish embarrassment.She squatted down with a smile on her face, met the little girl's quiet eyes, and said, "You play the piano really well... Do you like music?"

The flaxen-colored head hung down, and a thin voice came, which seemed shy at first glance—"You are too proud...Actually, you have practiced many times before."

So is it so smooth and error-free?It seems that I am too young to understand that the most important thing when playing a musical instrument is not technical proficiency and exquisiteness... On the one hand, Miki Hamai is attracted by the girl's honest answer, and on the other hand, she feels sorry for not getting what she wants. Responding with emotion.

"Then, would you like to come with us?"

The little girl seemed startled by the sudden question, she took a step back, a strange light flashed in her lowered eyes, but no one noticed. "Follow, follow you... Will you come back in the future?"

This... the Tiangong couple couldn't understand the meaning of the child's words for a while.They didn't think that the orphanage under the church could provide such thoughtful care for every orphan, and it would be great if they could prevent them from starving or freezing.

But the little girl's tone was very light, without excessive joy or loss.So for that question, they didn't understand whether she was worried that she had to come back here or that she couldn't come back here...

Tiangong Qinglai on the side didn't think so much, no matter how precocious he was, he was only a four-year-old child, and when he found that his wish could not be fulfilled smoothly, he was a little anxious.

Standing a few steps in front of the little girl, looking straight into her slightly surprised eyes, he said, "Come with us, our house is very fun—" Well, there are many interesting musical instruments, but after learning Very hard!

He was a little bit cautious because his words didn't have much credibility. The little boy with beautiful dark red hair grabbed the girl's sleeves, his black eyes revealing faint anxiety and plead.

The girl was stunned.

Also stunned were the Tiangong couple who were watching from the side.I have never seen my son express such a strong desire... I never thought that it was only the first time we met, and the other party would make my son so reluctant to part?

"Hehehe, it seems that this child unexpectedly falls in love with my son!" Tian Gongxiang also smiled at his wife.

"Yes!" Miki Hamai replied, smiling at the girl, "What about you? Would you like to go home with us?"

The girl looked at the hand stretched out to her by the gentle and beautiful woman, and then at the little boy who had been holding her tightly and did not let go. A little uncertain light flashed in her gray-blue eyes, and she nodded slowly...

******

The adoption procedures were completed very quickly, and when Tiangong and his wife walked out of the church, they saw their youngest son holding the little girl who had just become a family member, smiling and talking about something.

Miki Hamai looked down at the file bag in her arms that contained the adoption certificate and the child's relevant information, and said, "Judging from the date of birth, it's exactly nine months older than Qing Lai!"

"Yes, now Qinglai has an extra sister." Tian Gongxiang also said, circling his wife's shoulders.

Looking up, the little boy was taking off his scarf and wrapping it around the thinly dressed little girl.It was probably his first time doing such a thing, so his movements were a little clumsy. The long dark blue scarf was wrapped around and around, almost burying the girl's entire face in it.

Tian Gong and his wife immediately smiled with emotion, approaching them, the mother who loves to tease her son also joked teasingly, saying Qing Lai, what do you want to do, do you want to wrap your sister into a mummy?

Tiangong Qinglai immediately showed a distressed expression, so cute that even Tiangong Xiang, the father, couldn't help but bend down and pinch his face.

None of them saw that the girl whose face was covered by the scarf had lost the formal gentleness in her eyes, and there was an extraordinarily real throbbing spreading inside. The gray-blue eyes and neck The matching scarf looks great.

After a long time, she smiled lightly, her beautiful eyes completing the arc of the crescent moon.

This year, maybe we can have a different Christmas worth looking forward to...

------------

Chinese translation of the lyrics in the text:

Christmas Eve, holy night.

So peaceful, so bright.

Holy light encircles the Virgin Mary and Child,

The holy baby is pure and lovely.

Enjoy a godsend sleep, enjoy a godsend sleep...