Chapter 45: My Bride Ii (2/2)
I sat on the same long bench but my mind wasn't occupied by her.
I was thinking about the mother I'd never seen. The mother whom I only kept a photograph of.
”What is she like exactly?” I wondered dreamily before falling into a deep sleep.
”Hey, why are you here again?”
I jolted awake.
”Did I fall asleep?” I asked, muddle-headed.
I saw her smile.
”I'm here first today,” I exclaimed proudly.
She placed her backpack on the bench before sitting down next to me.
With much strength, she pushed me down to the ground. ”Does it really work that way?”
She was nine and I was five. I was half a head shorter than her and I did not possess as much strength.
I wailed. What else could I have done?
I would cry whenever I wanted a particular toy. Tried and tested.
I bawled my eyes out with no intention of getting up.
She wavered, anxiousness evident in her eyes.
I shot her a glance amidst all that crying. Half the battle was already won and all I needed was time.
After some time, she finally squeezed out in a tiny hesitant voice, ”Are you okay?”
I half sobbed, ”What are you saying? I can't hear anything.”
Yes, I was annoyingly shameless.
Cleary feeling bad, she pulled me up from the ground and onto the bench.
I continued sobbing even after I took a seat.
She retrieved a handkerchief from her bag. ”This is my favorite. I bring it wherever I go. Use it.”
Without any hesitation, I took it and wiped my tears and snot.
I could feel her heart aching as she observed my every action.
”What's your name?”
”Luqiao, five years old.” I returned her handkerchief. ”You?”
After some thought, she replied, ”Why should I tell you? I'm older so just called me Sister. It's only polite.”
”Sister?” I repeated.
”Yes, little brother, you're doing well.” She raised her brows in delight.
We never exchanged a word after that. I took the handkerchief once more to wipe my tears before returning it to her.
Somehow, the tears kept coming and this went on for over ten times.
Her face became all twisted but I never stopped.
Walls came down after that day.
I got all teary-eyed thinking about it. I pulled out that very handkerchief from my suit pocket.
”You still have it?” she asked in surprise.
”Of course. You gave it to me,” I said.
”Do you realize how long you've been gone, Luqiao?”
I lowered my head, ashamed. I answered in a small voice, ”Eight or nine years…”
She pointed at the tower far away. ”Remember that? The clock on that tower stopped moving at 5:20 on the day you left.”
I followed her finger and noticed that the clock was still at 5:20.
I nodded. ”Yes, I remember. You kept lying to me that you lived there. And I really went there to find you. The owner kept a pit bull. I got chased and bitten so how could I forget?”
”I did lie about some things but you did, too,” she shot back, separating my clasped hands.
She examined the calluses on my hands.
”Are you really a tailor?” she asked.
I lifted my right sleeve to reveal the little 'L' sewn onto it.
”It's true. This 'L' stands for Luqiao and also the path of my life.”
She got up and took a few steps forward. ”Remember why we parted?”
”Of course I do.”
I was about to continue when she took a few more steps forward. ”The sky's already dark. Are you going home?”
”I have no apartment here. I was planning to find a hotel. Do you have work tomorrow? Let's meet here at the same time?” I suggested.
She pulled me up. ”Let's go. You'll pay the room charge.”
I was stunned. ”You're coming with me?”
”I have no work tomorrow and I don't feel like going home. I finally get to see you after a long time, so how am I supposed to let you go?”
”You… don't come here every day, do you? For me?”
She dragged me toward the nearest hotel without answering.
When we arrived at the counter, she simply extended her hand. ”Identification card.”
I took it out of my wallet together with three one hundred yuan bills.
She asked for a room with a king-sized bed.
In the room, none of us spoke a word.
She pounced on me and showered me with kisses.
We made love all night.
<script>