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Blazing Sunlight (Web Novel) - Chapter 2
Chapter 2
It took more than an hour before the gang finally stumbled out of the restaurant satisfied with their full bellies. Zhuang Xu approached the front counter to make payment while I purposely lagged behind and positioned myself last, far from the rest of them. All because … I started burping.
=.=
However, to exit the restaurant, one had to pass the front counter where Zhuang Xu stood. I covered my mouth and intended to take quick steps out of there. Unfortunately, my throat was extremely uncooperative and I let off two consecutive burps of astronomical proportions.
I froze and immediately stared at Zhuang Xu’s tall and straight back.
You didn’t hear that. You didn’t hear that. Please don’t turn around ….
Unfortunately, heaven was a poor sport and Zhuang Xu, who was in the midst of paying, turned his head back. When he saw that it came from me, he turned around again indifferently.
I immediately fled. That was mortifying!
When I joined everyone outside, I was mercilessly teased by Boss and Xiao Feng which caused my dismal feelings to intensify. On the other hand, Si Jing and the others were discussing where to head to next.
When Zhuang Xu was done with payment, he rejoined us. Now all along he had lived by the adage that silence is golden but this time, he suggested “Let’s go sing karaoke.”
“Wow, Zhuang Xu you’re so generous today! Singing in this time period is pretty expensive.”
“Yeah it is. Didn’t we agree to just get some drinks and play cards? Or how about we hit the night market?”
“No reason. Just felt like it suddenly.” Zhuang Xu was speaking when he suddenly cast a quick glance my way. His gaze was deep and the corners of his mouth appeared to turn up.
I was dumbfounded.
Everyone was one in agreement and high in spirits except for Xiao Feng.
“This is not a good idea. Watermelon is so full she keeps burping, how can she manage singing?”
Indeed, in my current state was I supposed to alternate between singing and burping? Even I found it laughable just thinking about it.
Zhuang Xu knew about it so … was it intentional? The thought made me uncomfortable and my face started to heat up.
Or perhaps, it was a simple case of him not thinking this through? I shouldn’t be so sensitive since there was no reason for him to go out of his way to make my life miserable.
However, what did his expression mean?
On hearing what Xiao Feng had to say, everyone looked dispirited. Boss pinched me “You and your multitude of problems. I forbid you to continue burping.”
“Sigh, I’m not going. You guys have fun.” I replied.
“What will you do if you return alone?” Si Jing asked.
“I…” I was still mentally fishing for an excuse when my phone suddenly began to ring. I gave the group a wide berth before answering the call.
It was from uncle.
“Xi Guang, your mother mentioned you’re back in Nanjing. Why didn’t you give uncle a ring?”
“I only just reached. And it so happened that my friends had organized an outing.”
“When it’s ended, come sleepover at uncle’s house tonight. I’ve already asked your aunty to tidy your room for you.”
“Oh … That’s great! It was just what I was planning.”
“Where are you now? I’ll ask chauffeur Zhang to pick you up.”
“No need. I can take a bus back.”
I spoke with uncle for a little while longer before ending the call. Standing where I was, I could see the rest speaking jovially and laughing. Contrasting this with the atmosphere earlier, perhaps it would be better if I didn’t tag along.
Perhaps half a year earlier, I shouldn’t have moved to the school hostel.
“I’m not going.” I informed the gang. “I’m off to my relative’s place.”
I couldn’t help but sneak a peek at Zhuang Xu. I thought he would feel more relaxed at this news. However, he turned away, as though he had no reaction. The smile that was dancing at the corner of his lips earlier had evaporated.
“Can’t you go later?” Si Jing tried to convince me to stay.
“It’s okay. I’m tired from the long taxi ride earlier anyway. I’ve no energy for fun.” I made a shooing motion with my hand. “I’m off now. Bye!”
When I had bidded them adieu, I slowly made my way to the bus-stop. Many buses came and went but none of them were the 12X that I was waiting for. Nanjing’s public buses had much to improve on – One might have to wait a very long time for their bus. Yet when it came, the same bus service tended to cluster and arrive in droves.
As I was waiting, my phone sounded once again. This time, it was from my cousin.
“Jie, you’re not on the bus yet are you?”
*Jie means older sister in Chinese. It’s also used loosely as a term of affection for older females.
“Nope.”
“Don’t forget my psp this time. I’ve lost count of the times you’ve forgotten.”
“Oh…” Right. His psp had indeed been on loan to me for a long time now. I kept forgetting to return it. However, that gadget was in the hostel and I didn’t want to return expressly to get it.
“Can I just return it to you the next time? I tried negotiating with him.
“Absolutely not.” Cousin was adamant. “Because you’ve been afflicted with middle-age dementia. You keep saying next time. I don’t believe you anymore.”
Middle-age dementia …
At my age, shouldn’t it be young adult dementia? =.= This ill mannered child.
I had no choice but to make the trip back. Luckily, my hostel wasn’t too far from the bus stop. It was just that four stories I had to climb that would be the death of me.
My bed was the top bunk nearest the window and it was exactly the same as the other bunks in that it had a tiny curtain. When drawn, a private enclave was formed. Originally, it didn’t have the curtain but everyone installed one so a bed that lacked curtains ended up appearing the oddest instead.
I climbed onto my bed and was rummaging for the psp when the hostel door was pushed open suddenly. I heard Si Jing’s voice “I can’t believe after such a lengthy discussion, we’re ultimately going window shopping.”
“Yeah I can’t believe the KTV has no spare lounge today. It’s not even the weekend. Where did all those patrons come from? No wonder Zhuang Xu was looking so forlorn.”
This voice was Xiao Feng’s. Odd, why did they return?
“Quickly change so we can get going. They’re waiting for us in the lobby.”
“Hold on, let me grab a windbreaker. It’s cold tonight.”
“You’re so troublesome.”
Through the gap in the curtain, I could see Si Jing and Rong Rong sitting on their respective bunks and changing into sneakers. Xiao Feng was climbing up to her bunk.
I was just about to call out to them when Si Jing suddenly asked “Rong Rong, what’s with you and Zhuang Xu today? You guys didn’t speak.”
My heart skipped a beat and I swallowed the words that were at the tip of my tongue.
Rong Rong smiled gently “What relationship do we have? Who ordained that we have to speak to each other?”
“What relationship?! You guys are childhood sweethearts and A Management University’s model couple. Rong Rong, I really don’t understand you two. It’s obvious both of you care for each other but neither is willing to make the first move. Had you guys clarified your relationship earlier, Watermelon wouldn’t have …” Xiao Feng stopped and sighed.
Si Jing’s tone was gentler and calmer “What do you both intend to do? Will you forever remain at this stage? Graduation is almost upon us. Rong Rong, both of you are too proud. Sometimes giving in doesn’t mean you lose.”
After a pause, Rong Rong spoke up seemingly bitterly “Today’s Ye Rong is still the Ye Rong of old. But do you think today’s Zhuang Xu is still that same old Zhuang Xu?”
Xiao Feng was baffled “What are you saying? You do not mean to say just because his salary is eight thousand, he won’t think you worthy of him anymore?”
However, it seemed as though Si Jing understood as she asked “Rong Rong, you regret it already don’t you?”
Rong Rong stood up “Xiao Feng, do you have your outerwear? Let’s go.”
When they left, I spent more time looking for that psp. When I had it, I left the hostel. I didn’t take a bus in the end. Instead, I chose to walk to uncle’s place.
Uncle didn’t live too far away. From A University, it took about fifteen minutes by bus.
From Year One till now, I had lived with them for three years.
Uncle and aunty were businessman and spent most of their time flying overseas. Although they had hired a nanny for cousin, they were still worried that he would get caught up in bad company. Thus, when they first heard I was accepted into A University, uncle immediately offered to let me stay with them.
Therefore, after the compulsory military training and the first month of university orientation, I beelined straight for uncle’s washing machine and nanny.
In the fourth year, I shifted back to the hostel. The reason I gave uncle was it was more convenient for my job-hunting and for my trawling the library to write my thesis paper. But cousin secretly teased me “the drunkard’s obsession is not with the wine but the scenery”.
My cousin who was always middling in language actually used an idiom appropriately.
Back then, in the summer vacation of Year Three, I had just been introduced to my cousin’s hired tutor Zhuang Xu, a fellow student at A Management University.
