Can anyone shed any light?

So any advice here would be good!

I'm really confused by this cancer man! We meet through a mutual friend a few years back at a party, ended up adding each other on facebook. We got chatting for a while and end up dating each other for a few months! It was a bit of a train crash to be honest, at that point in my life I didn't know what I wanted, and where my life was heading, I was in a job that I hated and just unhappy in general. He never said what he wanted from me either. We didn't communicate with each other very well and we've caused each other lots of hurt feelings. It fizzled out as we live a 100 miles away from each other, this was almost 2 years ago. If truth be known I really liked this guy and I do care for him.
What I'm finding weird is that he checks in with me by email every single month, never misses!!
Its only small talk asking if I'm well and if university is going well. He was very supportive of me when I decided I was gonna go back to school. He??ll joke around a bit and sometimes he is a little flirty In his emails but he's never been one for being direct.
So im left wondering why it is he keeps checking in with me? Is it because he is just being friendly? Is interested or what? I want to ask him but I'm to scared too lol??_ Help please

I'm aries btw

What can you do? Cancers cling to things, especially the past. If he still thinks well of you, he'll always care. That does NOT mean he wants to get back together necessarily. I do that too even though i'm a leo. As long as there's no bad blood then it's all good and i'll check up on you now and then to make sure you're still doing well. If not, i'm there to offer an olive branch.

OR... he may just be digging around to see if you're available for a fun time.

OR... Both 😉