Chapter 50 (1/2)

Qiao Fei is ready to step into another universe- the world of work…

Also sorry for all the grammar stuff and other errors.

Translator: Tranzgeek

Chapter 50

Cheng Jia Yang

When the professional test finished, they began to interrogate Qiao Fei on politics. The Personnel Department had brought out some satisfactory questions. I didn’t want to interrupt her answering her questions so I continued to stay in the testing area doorway.

The person who had went with me to the interview anxiously walked over. He saw me: “Jia Yang, I was looking for you.”

“What is it?”

“This Qiao Fei. We just got news that she used to have a somewhat bad record in school.”

“What?” I looked at her.

“The Ministry received a fax before, saying that this child had previously……”

I heard this and only felt my mood was difficult to set. After he finished I nodded: “Did the Department do a investigation? Was there a conclusion?”

“They didn’t investigate, so of course there was no conclusion.”

“Then isn’t it just like that? Of hearsay matters, we should also consider. Your level is too little, Xiao Li.”

“Wasn’t I just investigating it in the Department. I didn’t record it either, and came here especially to see what to do.”

“What should we do?” I opened the door a tiny bit and saw Qiao Fei answering questions in side. Her face was red and glowing, “The people I want to recall, I’ll take responsibility.”

“Yes, Jia Yang, aren’t I discussing it with you now.”

“I know now. Thank you.” I waved my hand.

I hadn’t waited for Qiao Fei to finish answering her questions, when the phone rang. The director had a few things to clear up with me. I went to go see him. I asked me about this year’s recruitment circ.u.mstances. I gave him a brief report and he was pretty satisfied. He told me, next I would have to train my recruits. I said, don’t worry.

When it was almost lunchtime Xiao Hua called me: “Where are you going to eat for lunch? Jia Yang.”

“Cafeteria. You?”

“Cafeteria? You don’t want to eat 鲜奶洋芋[1] and 茶香青虾 [2]?”

[1] Haha too lazy to translate the food names. The first one is made up of taro and fresh milk.

[2] The second one is made up of shrimps and tea leaves.

“It sounds really good, but are you saying now?”

“Why don’t you want it now? I bought it for you and am waiting for you outside your unit.”

I said: “Xiao Hua……”

Some people are so good to you. How can you not be touched?

That day after we finished the movie, and after I ate with her, I only said those two dishes were good at the time casually. She had remembered it in her heart.

“All right, wait, I’ll come down now.”

The senior brother from the same office said: “Your girlfriend came to send your meal over?”

I laughed: “How did you know?”

“Hey, it isn’t the first time.”

Outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I found Xiao Hua’s car. She smiling said: “Quickly grab it. I still have to return to the TV show in the afternoon. This one is yours. This one is for my colleagues. This is iced black tea.”

“You’re leaving like this?” I took the item and looked at her.

“I’m anxious. Oh eat slower. All right I’m leaving.” She said this and was about to start the car when she stopped, looking at me, “Jia Yang.”

“Ah?” I stood outside the car window looking at her.

She reached out her hand to touch my face: “You’re so hot, sweating so much.” As she said this she kissed my mouth.

I had not responded yet when she had already driven away.

I held the light sweet food she had given me in her hand. On my face I still had her hand’s light fragrance, but my heart felt heavy.

After I got off work I picked up Xiao Hua to eat together. At night we went to her place.

When I lay on the bed reading, Xiao Hua grabbed two big books and took them over. She sat next to me: “Today I returned to grab something and found my childhood pictures. Do you want to take a look?”

“All right.” I took it, and flipped it over. On the first page, Xiao Hua’s 100 day picture [3]. A round little girl’s face. Color had been added to the black and white picture. She had a face like an apple.” Right, when I was little, my 100 day picture was also like this.” As I turned the pages, the girl grew up. Her looks grew clearer, and she grew into a maiden, “You’ve been such a good student for so many years? I really admire you.”

[3] Chinese do something called the 100 day celebration where you celebrate the 100th day of an infant. Yup. More goes into that (of course)

Xiao Hua laughed: “Cool, right?”

“But.”

“What?”

“When you were little, your nose didn’t seem to be as good looking.”

“Really?” She grabbed the alb.u.m and looked at it herself, “Who said this, I always had this authentic hanging lamp nose.”

I laughed and said: “What authentic nose? Isn’t it a fake silkworm nose?”

Her hand stretched out into my armpit: “You aren’t making jokes about me now aren’t you?”

I laughed and flipped on the bed. Xiao Hua was pressed on my shoulders, her mouth into my ear, the air that it spit out itchy: “My mom said, she would treat us to a meal.”

I froze, and slowly sat up, I said: “I’ve been busy for these past few days. After these days, after these days. Plus, if you want to eat, I should treat us.”

Xiao Hua said: “Right, I also said this to my mom. Alright, you look at the pictures. I’m going to bath.”

I saw her go to the bathroom. My heart absent-mindedly drank water, smoked.

Qiao Fei

Next, was a busy time.

I was hired by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the last few days before graduation, I held a letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to get various stamps from different school bodies, transferring my relations.h.i.+p over (TL: The relations.h.i.+p with the school is transferred to the Ministry), checking my body.

Then, I busily found a house. Because there were more new graduates, the Ministry didn’t care about housing. In the future, with monthly subsidies, everyone would solve it themselves. In the hot weather, I ran to many places. I finally found a house by the subway. The person who was with me and had been in this city for a long time was a girl, white-collared worker, Xiao Deng, who would be using the same public kitchen and bathroom as me.

The second day I moved out from the school, was the graduation ceremony.

Later when I recalled it, that day was pretty sensational. Everyone took pictures, listening to the head teacher’s lecture, people even cried.

It must have been that people couldn’t bear to leave the best four years of their life. When I thought of it again, through these four years, busyness, enriched, thrilling, excitement and a little eclectic. Wow, just like stepping on a cliff, foot by foot. Looking back on it, my whole body filled with cold sweat.

In this big and bustling city, I was very fortunate my two best friends still stayed here for work. Ever since Bo Bo had stabilized her work at the French airlines, she began to train in business. The third day after she graduated, she went to Paris for the first time. She called to tell the world asking: “What do you want to bring for you guys from from Paris?”

Xiao Dan said: “Why don’t you hit us?”

Xiao Dan’s work in the travel agency immediately began. She was in her office, making travel arrangements; airplane tickets, hotel room prices, etc. It sounded like a very complicated job.

She called me in the night: “I’m really regretful that when I was in high school I didn’t learn my math well.”

The weather was very hot.