Vol 2 Chapter 22 (1/2)
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The two have been out for the entire day, and now they are walking home. Mai Ding's phone started ringing, when he looked at the phone, it was his old friend, Huang Hai. Mai Ding had earlier texted some of his old friends, asking for a get together. He was a little surprised that Huang Hai replied to his text message so soon.
”This b.u.g.g.e.r. Calling me when it's already so late into the evening.” Mai Ding pretended to complain.
”You texted something about a get together? I tell you, if it has anything to do with Zhu, I am not going.” Huang Hai was usually a merry and easy going guy. Today, however, he was not the same person.
Zhu was another of Mai Ding's friends. The three of them used to get along very well
and were often together but during high school, the two of them decided to get a job and the group slowly broke up. ”Why? What happened?” Mai Ding tried to find out.
”That person.” Huang Hai began. ”To think that I treated him like a brother of my own.
He actually stole a customer of mine. Does he think he can use me just like that for his own good? My dear Ding, if he is going to be around at this get together, I'm definitely
not going. If he's there, I‘m not.” And with that,he cut the line, leaving Mai Ding a little heavy-hearted.
Why did this have to happen? Mai Ding thought to himself. The two of them used to be so close. Can people really change so fast?
”An Ziyan.” Mai Ding called out. ”Do you think being in school shelters us from the complications of society? The three of us used to be close friends. We would even die for each other, yet today we have become enemies.” Mai Ding couldn't accept the fact that his friends were no longer together.
Even without knowing what had transpired on the phone, An Ziyan could roughly guess what had happened. He knew Mai Ding treasured his friends deeply. Friends to Mai Ding were very important and he knew that this incident had a huge impact on his guy. ”This is a cruel dog-eat-dog world. Don't think too much about it. Just stay by my side and let's quietly live our own lives. Can't we just escape to some beach paradise? And both of us go topless, wearing only gra.s.s skirts?” An Ziyan chirped in sarcastically.
Mai Ding suddenly thought of something worth sharing. He took his new driver's license out, and showed it to An Ziyan. ”Look here. What is this? It's my driver's license! So next time, I'll be the one driving.”
An Ziyan looked at the license. Mai Ding thought that he was definitely going to praise him. After all, Mai Ding actually got his driver's license even before An Ziyan. Mai Ding was wondering how An Ziyan was going to praise him.
”Mai Ding.” An Ziyan began.
”Yes?”
”I remembered very clearly that you said you were only eighteen years old.” The license said something different all together. Mai Ding was actually the same age as An Ziyan!
An Ziyan drove Mai Ding back home, but because it was still early, Mai Ding was afraid that his neighbours would see the both of them. He hurriedly got off without even a proper goodbye.
Once he was at home, Mai Ding's father caught hold of him and began his
interrogation. ”When are you ever going to get a girlfriend?”
Ever since Mai Ding turned twenty, Mai Ding‘s dad would hound him with this question. Mai Ding did not understand why his father was rus.h.i.+ng him to get himself hooked. He suddenly thought of An Ziyan and started to laugh to himself.
”What are you laughing to yourself about? I'm talking to you.”
”Why are you in such a hurry? Give me time to choose a proper girlfriend.” Mai Ding said to placate his father.
”With your caliber, what kind of choice do you have? Our neighbour's daughter, Zhao, is around your age and she is already engaged! She is going to have her wedding next year.”
”But I am still in college. I really don't understand why you are in such a rush for me to get married.”
”No matter what, you have a duty to carry on the family line.”
”Please don't force me, else l'll just get attached to a guy.” Mai Ding was testing water. Mai Ding's father was shocked by his words, but after a while, he treated it as if it were a joke. ”Because no girl would ever want you, you have to resort to men.” It was jokes like these that fuelled Mai Ding's insecurity.
”What's wrong with the current me? Don't regret it if I ever find a boyfriend one day.” Mai Ding's mother who was in the kitchen came out to see what was going on.
”What's wrong here? Have you lost your self confidence or what? Why are you talking
about finding a boyfriend? Don't you know that your dad is waiting to carry his first
grandchild? If you can produce a grandchild for us, I don't care if you're attached to a
guy or even to a transvest.i.te.”
Mai Ding went up to his mother, took out his mobile phone and showed her a picture
of An Ziyan. ”Mom, what if I got attached to a guy like that?” Mai Ding's mother couldn't understand why her son was constantly bringing up men. She looked at the photo and said, ”What's the name of this celebrity? I don't remember seeing him on TV.” Mai Ding was rather pleased by the comment becaus he knew his boyfriend was super good looking.
”He's my dorm neighbour. He and I get along really well.” Mai Ding said proudly. Mai Ding's mother looked at him suspiciously. ”Yes, and Aniki Jin was my first love. What are you insinuating?”
”Stop trying to change the subject. Since it's the holidays, I might as well arrange a date for you.” Mai Ding's father interjected.
”Go on an arranged date? That's so... old fas.h.i.+oned! Who goes for such things nowadays?”