Don't be So Proud

Chapter 13.4 — I’ve Always Been Here (4)

Who made the rule that you can’t play music while riding a scooter? Just a while ago, she even saw a teenager playing “Little Apple” while riding his scooter, looking so relaxed and chill. But here, He Zhi Zhou wouldn’t even agree to let her play music and even berated her about it.

Sob, sob. He Zhi Zhou would actually berate someone, and what’s more, he had berated her for being a nutcase. Purposely pretending not to have caught what he said, she, in blatant opposition to him, tossed back the question, “Did you just say that I can do whatever I want?”

“What a nutcase” could be misheard as “Whatever you want”…

He Zhi Zhou did not feel well all over. He gave a lurch forward, which ended up causing the little electric scooter to follow suit and wobble a little. However, the woman behind him still held on to his waist in a well-behaved manner and with utter trust in him.

Okay, fine. It really would be whatever she wanted.

Yay, got her way! Tapping open the music on her mobile phone, she found Jacky Cheung’s “I Want to Go Catch Some Wind with You.” At last, her heart was content.

I want to catch some wind with you again.

Even though you’re from a different time and space,

We can still face into the wind,

And talk with each other about the dreams in our hearts…

Against the summer breeze, the low, soulful singing gently and lightly floated by her ear. Her heart seemed to float and sink along with it. She burrowed her cheek against He Zhi Zhou’s strong backside, her mind filled completely with happy random, little things and details.

The time when she rushed back here in the stormy weather from H City and he had hurried to the train station, how, in the pouring rain, he, with his pants legs rolled up, had carried her on his back and waded through the alley where the rainwater was higher than his knees. That time when she had mistrusted Chen Han and had waited in a miserably wretched state at the bus station for him, how he had ridden his bicycle and suavely taken her back to the apartment. How, when she had been so poor you could practically hear the sound of her knocking against her beggar’s bowl, he had scrawled the PIN for his bank card on a piece of paper, and furthermore, had even drawn a cheesy, little heart above that PIN number. The time he went with her to the flower and bird market and they had bought two little turtles, how, when she named them Little Xi and Little Zhou, he had put on an icy expression and would not agree to the names, but then the next day before going to work, he had reminded her to remember to feed Little Xi and Little Zhou. That time when she had wanted to eat zhajiang noodles and, after searching on his mobile phone for the best-tasting recipe, when the final product came out of the pan, he had taken a taste first, then dumped all of it into the trash can before she had even gotten to have a bite; how, in the end as the two of them sat on the sofa eating takeout, he had said to her, “It’s best if we hire a housekeeper in the future.”

“Okay. Then you’re going to have to work hard and earn more money. Housekeepers nowadays are really expensive.”

“Mm.”

“I’ll work hard, too.”

“It’s not up to you to work hard.”

“Love has ups and downs, the things of the world seem to turn right way up and upside down

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A heart grows terribly cold

And the things that can stir it become less and less

……

I really want to catch some wind with you again

To go and catch some wind…”

As Shen Xi hugged He Zhi Zhou’s waist, tears unconsciously formed and left a faint mark on the top part of He Zhi Zhou’s white, button-up shirt. She thought, no matter what the future would be, right now, she had this most beautiful moment of love. This summer break was also the happiest summer she had ever had, because in this most splendid time of her youth, she had met this most wonderful person.

Youth would certainly fade. She did not know whether this love would change and look different with the fleeting passage of time. However, these were not important.

Right now was the perfect time in her youth, and time had not yet grown old. The love she held in her hands now should not be one that coweringly cringed away from fears. Even if it was merely a warm, peaceful feeling in her, it was still fresh and vivid, bright, reassuring, and comforting.

It, too, was bold and brave, but it was not out of blind impulsiveness that it was so, and rather, it was because it was filled with an unshakable trust and strength. And therefore, regardless of what the future might look like, she still boldly trusted that she and he would continue walking it together.

Love can transform people to become better.

And so, even if they were separated, it would not be that heart-wrenching type of pain. Even if, in the future, he would have absolutely no more to do with her, she still hoped that he would draw more eyes onto him and shine even brighter. Even if everything of tomorrow was still an unknown, she would not be worried and fearful of losing him.

She loved him, and he loved her—that was already enough. Everything was simply this: enjoy loving.

……

Summer vacation came to an end. Shen Jian Guo brought Shen Xi back from H City. On the first day of school, cars were stopped everywhere in front of the main gates of the school. Shen Jian Guo managed with great difficulty to grab a parking spot, and then he shook the school security officer’s hand in thanks.

Shen Xi was unloaded from the car, followed by various bags, large and small. Holding her little parasol above her head, she complained to Shen Jian Guo, “Daddy, why do I have to go to school?”

Since she was a child, she would always have to ask this at the start of every school year. Originally, Shen Jian Guo had thought there would be no need for him to bring her to school this time, but things still ended up being a joke on him! Mimicking Shen Xi’s tone just a moment ago, Shen Jian Guo asked, “Why do I have to bring you to school?”

“Because my boyfriend can’t bring me for the time being.” Shen Xi had such a sad and pitiful look.

“Fine.” Shen Jian Guo gave in. Tossing a light bag to Shen Xi, he, looking strong and powerful, picked up her large suitcase and swiftly strode ahead of her. Dressed in a simple white blouse and jean overalls, Shen Xi followed behind him. But she had only taken a few steps when her mobile phone in her pocket rang. It was He Zhi Zhou calling.

He asked her how her unpacking and organizing was going.

Shen Xi did not have time to chat with him, but she really did want to do some complaining—to complain about that Brawny. She and Brawny had already discussed and agreed that when school started, he would come over and help her carry some things back.The end result, though, was that she did not see so much as his shadow.

He Zhi Zhou stated impassively, “I was the one who told him not to go.”

“What?!”

He Zhi Zhou tossed out an even more aggressive sentence. “I won’t allow one of my bros to take care of my wife.”

Hmph! Shen Xi hung up the phone.

Meanwhile, it was not that Brawny was not coming, it was that he was late. He had only a few classes in his final year of undergraduate studies, but that did not mean he had no classes. He Zhi Zhou had successfully requested the special treatment of not being required to attend classes regularly; Brawny, though, had even been dragged by the teaching advisor over to help move some books.

Their department’s teaching advisor had always had no sense of shame. He had said, “Have your class send the most handsome person over.”

The most handsome… Everyone’s eyes completely skipped over Zhao Whoever, Lin Whatever, etc. in their class, and they all cast their votes for Brawny. Anyway, it would be ungracious to deny such kindness, so Brawny valiantly went to the library to help that bunch of little vixens move books.

So eventually, he was late.

In regards to He Zhi Zhou’s “philosophy” that he could not “allow one of his bros to take care of his wife,” after Brawny found out about it, he instantly grew excited. “That’s no problem! I’ll just find a day where I’ll sever my relationship with Leader and not be bros with him anymore! It can be in minutes!”

Monkey: “ Sure enough, he’s got no sense of moral integrity.”

He Zhi Zhou had completed all the required procedures and was flying to the United States on August 28. As for the Bolin Project in S&N, the entire project was subdivided into five teams, and He Zhi Zhou’s Sub-Team B had produced the best final product and also had the smoothest progression.

He Zhi Zhou did not pay any penalty for breaching the contract. Shen Xi even met the boss of Bolin. The boss had beenpained as he said resignedly, “I’m still hoping that when He Zhi Zhou comes back to China, he’ll rejoin S&N. Even though I’m a businessman, I’m not so short-sighted that I only consider the benefits that are in front of me right now. I am doing him a favour, and when he comes back to China, he can return that to me.”

And then, it was time for the separation. Shen Xi had originally thought that separation would be a horrendous thing. Even if it weren’t horrendous, she would still be unable to bear having to part from him, just like what was sung in the song, “l.” The song had lyrics like, “when you held my hand tightly and told me over and over to take care, take care”, but the reality turned out to be that her hand was holding a cup of Frappuccino that He Zhi Zhou had bought for her; or “when you gazed deeply into my eyes” but actually He Zhi Zhou just patted her on the head. And lastly, she did not “over and over call and call” his name and, rather, stood in a big group of people and did not say a thing.

Was her version “The Airport of Bidding Farewell”?

Because here, in the end, there was still a trace of sadness and a feeling of not wanting to part from him.

She told herself, this wasn’t a big deal. A temporary separation was not an ending; it was the beginning of something brand new.

Zhong Jing Yue was present; Grandpa He was also there; Brawny and Monkey had both come, too. With so many people there, she could not display too much brokenheartedness just because they had to be apart… until He Zhi Zhou was about to step into the security checkpoint—she wanted to hug him.

But she was unable to even stretch out her arms. And then, it was He Zhi Zhou who turned around and pulled her into his arms. He whispered by her ear, “Take good care of yourself. I’ll be back.”

In his embrace, she nodded, not daring to speak, for fear that if she opened her mouth, a sob would slip out from her. Finally, she quietly slipped out one hand and, on his back, drew a little heart.

She gave him a little heart to tell him that he, too, needed to take good care of himself.

Shen Xi had thought those days of being apart would be very difficult to get through. However, the days still passed like gurgling, flowing water, and only in the little details would there flow in tiny, warm, trickling springs of longing, of missing him.

When she was doing a video call with He Zhi Zhou, Dou Dou stuck her head over into view and asked, “God He, do you have any international friends on your end that you can introduce to me?”

He Zhi Zhou was video-calling her in the lounge room of his research institute. Out of nowhere, a head with a black face popped into view and, in Chinese that was not at all fluent, said, “Hello there!”

He Zhi Zhou asked Dou Dou, “How about the one just now?”

The one just now… You don’t bully people like that! Dou Dou covered her face and fled. “Waaah! I don’t want one so dark…”

Little Black had a high IQ of 178, and he, too, wanted to find a Chinese girlfriend. Every time He Zhi Zhou video-called Shen Xi, he would very enthusiastically take part in it for a bit, too. He liked Dou Dou and had even deliberately memorized a love letter and recited it to her.

Dou Dou could not handle this. One day, she told Shen Xi in great seriousness, “A’Xi, did you know, only when there is something to compare to will you finally develop certain feelings. When I look at Brawny now, he even seems so elegant and to have delicate features.”

All right, then, it would seem that Brawny managed to grab an undeserved benefit out of this. Shen Xi purposely teased, “Hey, who knows? Maybe you and Little Black can give birth to a Bao Zheng. Isn’t your idol the honourable Justice Bao?”

[Bao Zheng was a government official of the Song dynasty. He was known for his uprightness and commitment to justice, and is often referred to as Justice Bao. In legends, he is said to have been very dark-skinned and ugly.]

Aaaah! A’Xi was becoming more and more bad! Dou Dou stretched out her evil talons. She was going to scratch A’Xi to death!

A’Xi passed her CET-6. This was a completely unfathomable thing. Dorm room 921 treated her to dinner in celebration. Lin Yu Tang, Monkey, and Brawny all went. Xia Wei Ye and Dou Dou also wanted to go to join in on the fun.

Chen Han did not go. She was now the busiest person in dorm room 636. Her Toyota had now been switched out for a BMW, so she could be considered to be rising steadily and climbing the ladder.

Brawny applied to get into Public Security and fought his way through the great armies of applicants to get himself into the ministry. When he passed all the physical examinations, he officially became the station sergeant of a certain street in a certain district in S City.

Monkey, as before, was the most wretched of second-generation rich kids and was even sent by his rich dad to some industrial district in the booneys to play poker with a bunch of men who scratched their own feet.

Lin Yu Tang was doing the best. He was becoming more and more like one of the new and successful in the workplace, but… he still did not have a girlfriend.

As for her and He Zhi Zhou…

One day, she passed the IELTS [International English Language Testing System].

One day, she told He Zhi Zhou, “If I go over to find you and play there for a few days, will my food and accommodations be taken care of?”

One day, she accidentally mixed up her flight time. Early the next morning, dragging her large suitcase behind her, she found her way to an apartment. Over here in Boston, it was seven o’clock on a Saturday morning. The day before yesterday, He Zhi Zhou had told her that he had no plans for Saturday.

She pressed the doorbell. Before long, the sound of footsteps was heard from inside.

The door was opened. The handsome man who had strode out from inside was now gazing fixedly at her with a slight glimmer in his eyes. She spoke. “Hi, excuse me, does my boyfriend live here?”

He Zhi Zhou replied, “He does.”

She wanted to show off her English, so after a couple seconds of ho-humming, she asked the question once more, this time in English. “Excuse me, does my boyfriend live here?”

He Zhi Zhou extended his hand to her. “I’m here.”

Additional Comments:

So, I’d like to tell Dou Dou, I know a few mixed-race couples where one of the people is black. Their babies are soooooo adorable!

We’ve reached the end of the story. At times, I did find the pacing of this story a little draggy and I was questioning where the story was headed, especially after they swapped back. Also, the sudden switch in tone and pulling in of “dreams” and “aspirations” at the very end felt somewhat abrupt and out of place with the feeling of the rest of the story. Nevertheless, I still very much like the story and am really fond of He Zhi Zhou and Shen Xi, who managed to pull many smiles, and even guffaws, out of me. So when I’m done translating, my signed copy of the book will go back on the shelf and be carefully babied again. (It shows how much I love you all, that I actually pulled out my signed copy to reference while I was translating, all the while terrified I might bend a corner or something. *gasp*) I hope you have enjoyed this couple as well!

As for the epilogues, one will describe Shen Xi and He Zhi Zhou’s respective growing up processes, and the other is a little glimpse into Shen Xi’s visit to Boston. See you guys next update. ??