c9 (1/2)

ch 9 It's My Own Choice

She put out her cigarette and returned to the bed She came over to me, and I felt how ice-cold her body was Unable to stop myself, I held her closely

“cockroach, it’s my own choice I knoon’t ever be able to beat her, but that’s okay She’s already gone I’ainst a spirit until the end It’s my own choice No matter how hard it is or how much it hurts, I’ll persevere until the end”

“Enough nonsense!” I told her

“Okay, I won’t say it”

I kissed her cheek, and she reached out and hugged ain I patted her back, “Sleep Don’t smoke anymore If you smoke too et old How ugly would that be”

“cockroach, am I pretty?”

“Pretty”

“Aentle?”

“Gentle”

“Then, do you love me?”

“…I love”

“I’ll love you for the rest of my life”

“Oh”

…

She finally fell asleep But I couldn’t get to sleep, no matter what I tried I cli Jiao had just been sitting there I picked up the cigarette box, and realized Jiang Jiao had sarettes I threw the empty box out theIt was very dark outside, but I didn’t see a shooting star like Jiang Jiao mentioned Fro, like I had unread nize, and there was only one word, “Goodnight”

I think I kneho it was

Li Er

But I knew that I wouldn’t go to seek her out

I just wanted to go To leave

Jiang Jiao was right Leave this place, and everything would be better

At the train station, I saw Li Er again

They were there as a big family, to send You Ta off

You Ta saw us and was very happy, “We’re on the saht I wouldn’t know anyone and the whole trip would be very lonely”

Jiang Jiao said glibly, “To be on the same path as the first-rank is our pleasure”

Someone at the side quipped up It should have been her mother She said, “Li Er, you must work hard Next year, it’ll be your turn”

She had on her s She didn’t look at me either, as if we’d never met before

You Ta was in the sa Jiao asked You Ta, “That girl just then, was she your girlfriend?”

“No,” he said “She’s my cousin She’s in Year 2 at our school”

“Year 2?” Jiang Jiao asked with surprise “She looks very young, like a ed me “cockroach, don’t you think so? Doesn’t she look very young?”

“Who?” I asked, feigning ignorance

You Ta said, “We’re talking about Li Er Didn’t you see her last time?”

“Oh,” I said

Then I turned my head and slept When I woke up, I saw that e “Hope your journey is sht The train was chugging along, and Jiang Jiao and You Ta were both asleep I went to the exit for the train car and had a smoke Then I took out my phone and dialed that number

She picked up quickly Her voice was low, probably afraid her family would overhear

“I’,” I said

“I know,” she said

“When I get to Beijing, I’ll probably change my number Should I send my new number to this (your) phone?”

“Yeah,” she said “I took You Ta’s old phone to use, but I don’t often check it Today was an exception”

“Why is it an exception?”

“Because I aiting for your call,” she said

“Wo did you knoas going to call?”

“I’ain!

“Make sure to study well”

“I will,” she said “Next year, I’ll go to Beijing for university”

“Okay,” I said

“Maybe I’ll write to you, maybe not”

“Whatever you want”

“Then… Bye”

“Bye”

I hung up the phone, and saw Jiang Jiao standing besidearound Who did you call?”

“My dad,” I said

“He didn’t even co Jiao curled her lips

I didn’t say anything, so she said, “I’ve never seen a father like that”

“You fucking shut up!” I yelled at her

She didn’t say anything The train was getting ht her and she ended up in led, and then said loudly, “I’m really happy, we’ve finally left! Yay…”

For a otten the past

When I first arrived to Beijing, ular pattern I went to class in the daytiht On the weekends, I ith Jiang Jiao to her house in Beijing and atched DVDs No one cooked for us, so ent to the superet some instant food, and ate until our stomachs didn’t feel anymore

Jiang Jiao started freely sn brand I wasn’t used to it, so I just kept s my Double Happiness Cheap and true We usually saw each other once a week We s, we’d go to sleep We’d wake up at 12 noon the next day, and then continue s movies

Jiang Jiao liked watching Korean dramas, but since I didn’t like them, she also watched cri, Taiwanese, Mainland As long as they had shootouts Jiang Jiao said, “At the weekend, I went to the ht I was buying them to start a business, to rent them to other students”

“Then rent them out,” I said, as I ate a bowl of instant noodles “Why not earn money if you can?”

Jiang Jiao glared at me, “I can’t become that person!”

Right, a rich daughter Whatever

Jiang Jiao cli is really pointless I want to drop out”

“Then what do you think is ful?”

“I want to go sing”

That gave ave you that bad idea?”

“So weren’t too bad”

“It’s your dad’s money that’s not bad!”

“Don’t be disappointed!” She pushed me away and jumped in front of , “Look at me Don’t I look like a celebrity?”

“Sure,” I said

“Then when I becoer!”

“No”

“Fine, if you don’t want to, then don’t You can beJiao climbed back over toes It’s so annoying”

“Let them send it to my phone, I’ll take the annoyance for you”

“Hahaha!” Jiang Jiao laughed “Be honest, howyou?”

“I’ve never counted,” I said

“Ooh, ooh, you can never have a change of heart”

“Even if it wanted to change, there’s no space”

“Then what have you been busy with?”

“With you,” I said

“Oh, you’re so bad!” She fell into my arms What happened next was just aJiao pulled out a condoot this”

I pulled the condom from her hands and tossed it to the side

“No, no” She was a bit afraid, strongly disagreeing

I rolled off fro there, I also didn’t knoas the matter with me

After awhile, Jiang Jiao cahtly, “Okay, cockroach As long as you’re happy, I’ll agree”

I pushed her away, and got up “I’o out to eat If we eat anyto vomit”

She sat up on the floor, in a bit of a daze Then she put on her clothes and followed me out

That evening, we had dinner at a restaurant near Jiang Jiao’s house We ate a lot, until ere full and colass of beer too, our cups clinking here and there We looked just like a close, loving couple But I kneeren’t like others Of course, the proble Jiao It ith me

“cockroach, you’re a bad guy” Jiang Jiao downed the rest of her beer, and with a red face, she said, “See how I take care of you tonight”

But in the end, nothing happened between us that night The proble Jiao comforted me, “It’s okay, I’ve heard of some medicine for it”

“What are you saying?!” I yelled at her

“Hehe, I know you’re too tired” She said, in a good mood, “Let’s sleep”

That’s whenJiao’s side of the bed and looked at thecold? Take care of yourself”

There was no name

Jiang Jiao tilted her head to me, “Who’s so concerned about you?”

I thought for a moment, “I don’t know”

“New girlfriend?”

“What’s the irlfriend?”

Jiang Jiao ju, I want to hear the truth! When you first liked Bala, you hid it fro I know very clearly in my heart You had another woman, you didn’t love me I just don’t understand If you didn’t love me, then you didn’t love me Why did you have to lie about it?!”

“Don’t make a fuss,” I said “Just sleep, okay?”

“No, I want to make a fuss I just do If you don’t explain yourself, I’ll keep this up for three more days! Tell me, who is she?”

“Are you fucking done?”

“Not done!” Jiang Jiao pulled her nightdress over my head “I know shelove whores!”

I reached out and slapped her I don’t hit women, but a lunaticJiao was really on fire She juet it, I won’t bother you anymore Let’s sleep”

You want to sleep, then sleep

I turned over and slept

But ain with a text It was the same person who didn’t leave their nas and soet theet?”

Jiang Jiao opened her eyes, and forced herself frohtly swollen face, she looked at me

I deleted the text

I knew, it was Li Er

She knew my new phone number

I didn’t respond, because I didn’t knohat to say With God as et But God et

As Decerown accusto

I went online sometimes, but my inbox was always ereetings I wrote back, the sas I always said I old her to study well She didn’t respond in a long time It must have been because she was busy with Year 3 activities

What I didn’t expect was that I’d see Blackie again

One day, I went to an office building to find work There was an internet co to hire, and I wanted to test ot to the lobby, I saw hiloves, and looking like he was pretending to be so someone to stop I pulled my cap down and walked past him

The people at the internet coreeted me said that they’d already found someone yesterday, and that I should be faster next time

“Okay, next time, I’ll definitely take a rocket here,” I said

Thedown When I passed the exit, I was grabbed by someone

“Kid,” he said “I’ve been waiting for you in Beijing You even caht to the door”

“What do you want to do?” I said “If it’s a fight, I’m not afraid of you”

“Not a fight,” Blackie said “Fighting is what a crude person does I want to invite you for a drink You dare to go?”

I asked hi?”

He said arrogantly, “Me, of course”

“Right now?” I asked him

“Of course not I don’t get off work until 6:30 We’ll ) at 10”

“Okay” I waved goodbye and left He yelled after me, “Make sure you show! If you don’t come, I’ll think it was because you were too scared!”

Ah, we don’t knoho’ll be scared

At 10, I finished with ht on tied out of his unifor a black, leather jacket and pants Black gloves and black glasses It was like he was trying to look like Batman

“I didn’t think you’d shoas right before when I said that at least Tian High had a man in you”

I said coldly, “I don’t like to owe people If you think I owe you soht”

“You don’t ownYou owe her, but you’ll never be able to repay it So, I’d like to get some justice in her stead”