Chapter 21 (2/2)

Next to the frame was a Swiss army knife box atop a stack of textbooks. When she opened the box, there was a neat stack of calling cards inside. The compartment where a knife was supposed to sit was empty. She guessed he was keeping it on his person. As she returned the box back to its original position, she noticed an oil-stained sheet of paper underneath the textbooks, its sides curling. She shook her head. Looks like even guys who are handsome and neat on the outside are all dirty on the inside. She removed the textbooks and wiped each one clean, until she got to the oil-stained papers. She found the writing on it very familiar, and when she observed more closely, what she realised shock her.

Zhang Yuan smiled, waving his hand. “It’s fine, I’ll just tell her the truth.”

“Stop being angry. When you become angry, you’ll get wrinkles. If you become a grandma, I won’t want you anymore.” Zhang Yuan rubbed her nose and then patted her lower back. “My master, you’ve a hard time riding the train. This humble one will ma.s.sage you. It’s my fault for not guarding the treasure you bestowed to me properly, but it’s not a death-worthy sin is it?”

“Who said I didn’t read them? I’ve read everything.”

“The greatest mystery of Taichi is that there are strokes even where there isn’t any. Have you read Zhang San Feng? It tells you to forget all methods.” Zhang Yuan tried to pull He Luo up on her feet. “Come, come, I’ll teach you beginner Taichi. See, make a hand motion as wide as a watermelon, and then pull it down like you’re wielding a knife.” He held onto He Luo’s arm, easily making Taichi motions.

“I did read it carefully.”

“I know you did well in your last exam, and that every university has similar syllabus.” He Luo frowned. “But most times, exams test your attention to detail.”

“Who told you so? You have never taken the exam before.” He Luo pursed her lips.

“I heard from someone else.”

“Forget it. I don’t want to talk about this anymore.” He Luo smiled, a little bitterly. The two of them also heard rumours from others, there was no point arguing the accuracy of each other’s standpoint.

“I’m not very hungry.” He Luo was telling the truth. She has been very travel-worn, she was so tired she hadn’t had any appet.i.te at all. Zhang Yuan can’t help but hold onto her hand, all he felt was coldness.

*

“Luo Luo is still so young, she has no such thoughts.”

“She’s still a kid, what does she know about being suitable or not.” Mom turned to look at He Luo. “You can’t even see what future has in store for you.”

“Why, did your family buy a big sack of rice and need a labour to carry it upstairs? Then I must stuff myself before going over,” Zhang Yuan laughed.

Zhang Yuan replied, “You haven’t officially meet my parents yet either.”

“If you feel there’s such a need, then I’ll go,” he said. “Let me go and buy some souvenir.”

“You know what I’m worried about.” Zhang Yuan stopped smiling. His pager started ringing. After a quick glance at the screen, he shut it off.

“It’s still okay. Aren’t you also tutoring someone?” Zhang Yuan said. “We’re contributing all our income to the national telephone line.”

“That’s why the pay also that much higher.” Zhang Yuan took out a robotic cat toy from inside his backpack. “Look, it’s Doraemon.” When he pressed at the toy’s arm, an innocent mechanical voice rang out: I love you, I love you.

“You’re still thinking about the exam?” Zhang Yuan asked. “I really don’t have time lately. Besides, reading those material right now may not be helpful for me three years from now.”

Zhang Yuan understood the underlying meaning in her words. “Not just fixing laptops. I still have something more important going on.”

He Luo placed the cat on the bench. “Really, how should I put it. Do you really know how to differentiate which is important and which isn’t!?”

It was actually this kind of childish request. He Luo felt helpless. “What are you worrying about? Then you keep it.”

“Then I’ll really not take it.” He Luo was half-joking, not understanding why Zhang Yuan was being so narrow-minded on the matter.

“I really won’t take it,” He Luo said, grabbing her backpack as she got up.

“You!” He Luo bit her lip and watched as Zhang Yuan turned to leave. She wanted to pick up the robotic cat but with a few pair of eyes who were watching the show observing her, she couldn’t let go of her ego to do so. She sighed deeply and left in the opposite direction.

It was just a year.

She felt a cool sensation, rain was dripping from her nose down her cheek. It was actually raining. She quickly got up and ran towards the teachers’ building. As the light and spa.r.s.e spring rain fell on her, she couldn’t help but remember the robotic cat on the park bench. Would there be people to adopt it or is it still there by its lonesome? No one saw it, no one bothered. After the rain cleared, perhaps it will be treated as a dirty, worn toy and thrown in the bin by the cleaners.

One step followed by another, she walked away. All the sweet-and-sour taste of their reunion had changed flavour. Instead of depending on each other, they had become simply accommodating of each other. From antic.i.p.ating each other, they avoided each other. Once upon a time on a street in the summer, no matter how much they talked to each other, they never ran out of words. Even when there was silence, there was a sense of tacit understanding. She really wanted time to stop, so they would never change. There were so many between them that they could not face directly, there were more and more topics that were forbidden to touch upon, silence became awkward. As soon as they stopped talking, it was as if their hearts were gradually growing further and further apart.

“That female student! Ay, don’t go, I’m calling you.” A middle-aged lady called from under an umbrella, shouting.

Hugging the robotic cat in her arms, she rushed home. The thing was completely drenched from the rain. He Luo wiped her face dry and then washed the cat with was.h.i.+ng powder. Suddenly remembering that the cat was the kind that can emit voices, remembering that it was likely an electronic device, she quickly took it out from the water. She tried to press on the arm. There was indeed something in the cat’s soft belly, but it wasn’t the box-shaped battery container. When she probed further, she found that it was a velvet-covered jewelry box.

*

Her parents’ car was parked outside the provincial university. He Luo ran all the way across the street. The wind outside Zhang Yuan’s dorm was fiercer than ever and she saw he was only dressed in a thin khaki-coloured sweater.

“You hurriedly made a call and rushed me to come down,” Zhang Yuan replied quietly. “I don’t dare to go against your imperial edict.”

“What’s there to see?”

“You’re being proud of your claws again…” Before he finished, his eyes brightened.

“Is it left hand?” Zhang Yuan desperately tried to suppress a smile. “Why do I remember it as being the right hand?”

“Isn’t it the same whoever puts it on? Silly.” Zhang Yuan faintly made a ‘heng’ sound, but still removed the ring from her finger and placed it on the fourth finger on her right hand.

“I’m not wrong.” Zhang Yuan laughed out loud. “You’re the one who made me wear it for you. You’re already going back on your word now?”

The two of them laughed, hugged, and kissed. None of them wanted to be the first to let go, because they both know, they must not let go.

[ill.u.s.tration by No-eul]

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