Published at 26th of March 2019 12:09 am

Chapter 39

Consequently, at six o’clock early in the morning in the dead of winter, I stood on the railway platform in Wuxi high-speed rail station. I was carrying our most famous Wuxi’s sweet taste mincemeat steamed dumplings which have tortured countless tourists = =

There was still more than ten days before Spring Festival (Chinese New Year), so there were many people in the train station and the platforms were bustling with activities. I stood on tiptoe in the midst of the crowd, looking at the direction where the train will come from, the heart a little anxious.

When Lin Yu Sen saw me waiting for him on the platform, will he find it very strange? Generally, one will wait for a person by standing at the station exit, but I will be waiting at the platform. Will this be too ceremonious?

How about running to the station exit now?

While I was hesitating, the train was already pulling into the station. The white train was roaring past me, then gradually slowed down. Through the window, I can gradually see the passengers in the carriage.

I saw Lin Yu Sen.

I did not know why I can recognize him with only a glance. Actually, I just saw a fleeting silhouette.

I have already automatically followed after that carriage.

The train speed was very slow, so that silhouette was in my line of sight all along. I saw him stood up and took down a black suitcase from the overhead luggage rack. Then a woman wearing a blue overcoat seemed to be saying something to him. He nodded and took down a red suitcase from the luggage rack again.

The train came to a complete stop.

The carriage door opened, the passengers came out one after another. When that familiar tall figure emerged from the carriage, I subconsciously hid behind a pillar = =

When I realized that the direction of the station exit was not on my side, Lin Yu Sen has already walked a bit further away. I quickly gave chase and quietly followed him from behind ……

Speaking of which, what was I going to all this trouble for? = =

Soon I discovered that I was not the only one who was following after him. That woman in blue also caught up with him. I faintly heard her thanking Lin Yu Sen.

“Thank you for helping me to get my suitcase just now. Otherwise so heavy, I would not be able to move it.”

Lin Yu Sen nodded slightly, but did not say anything.

I was listening from far away. I did not know why my heart suddenly felt a little proud —— he came because of me. Otherwise, he simply will not stop over here and also will not help her with her luggage.

Then I started to feel ashamed over this kind of inexplicable pride.

The woman in blue seemed to want to say something, but Lin Yu Sen’s unfriendly attitude stopped her. Feeling a little embarrassed, she walked towards another side.

I followed him closely from behind, watching him got rid of that enthusiastic woman without saying a word. I cannot help but feel very happy. My footstep also suddenly became light and quick.

All of a sudden, I discovered that secretly following him from behind and wantonly sizing up his tall and straight figure can also be considered a very fun thing. Hence I decided not to call him, followed him first then decide later. However, the moment I made my decision, the person in front suddenly stopped walking.

Suddenly he turned around and looked straight at me.

After a while, he only walked with large strides towards me. As if to confirm something, he stared at my face, “Nie Xi Guang?”

……

How did he discover me ……

I looked up at him: “Yes.”

“Why are you here?”

I pretended to look around, just not looking at him, “Hey, don’t you know it is very cold at the station exit? I’ll probably freeze to death even with my overcoat. Therefore I might as well buy a ticket for the waiting room with the central heating. Since I got a ticket, I came to the platform. Otherwise, what if the train can’t leave if there’s one less ticket that checks in?”

I thought he will ridicule me that it was not airplane, train won’t wait for people and so on. I did not expect him to actually put on a very agreeable expression: “You’re right. Miss Nie’s ticket is so important, the train will not dare to leave without it.”

“……Hey!”

He smiled faintly: “Didn’t I tell you eight o’clock?”

I ‘snorted’ twice, he still dared to mention about it.

“You did tell me eight o’clock, but I checked the train schedule. Train coming from your side either arrives at six in the morning or ten o’clock, but definitely no eight o’clock one. Why did you lie to me?”

Actually, before asking him this question, I have already thought of an answer, for instance …… afraid to make you get up too early, too exhausting for you and so on ……

Who would have thought he will sigh and say: “I am afraid you’ll say, Lin Yu Sen, forget about it. I cannot get up so early, so you better go back to Suzhou alone.”

I cannot help feeling happy and also funny: “I won’t be like this!”

“Ah, now I know.” He said while looking seriously at me.

Initially, I thought I will feel very uneasy when seeing him again. However I did not feel like that at all just now, still as relaxed and casual like before. However, when he looked at me like this now, I all of a sudden did not even know what to do with my hands and feet.

I tried to avoid his gaze and pretended to tease him by saying:. “Oh, by the way, very powerful.”

“What?”

“I saw everything just now, the woman in blue.”

He grinned: “Is this a plus or minus point?”

I stared blankly for a moment before comprehending what he meant. Then I immediately felt embarrassed. “What plus point minus point, my math is not good ……”

Without waiting for him to speak again, I casually gave him the box in my hand: “For you, steamed dumplings I bought for you.”

The hot steamed dumplings have actually became cold dumplings now. Actually, very silly of me to buy steamed dumplings as takeaway for someone on a cold winter day, but …… anyway, I have always been foolish.

“There is a pretty good cafe beside the station exit. Let’s go there to eat.”

“Okay.”

Seeing that he replied so fast, I could not help but to warn him: “Oh, very sweet.”

He smiled: “Really? Then very suitable to be eaten now.”

I quickly looked down, afraid that the upward curve at the corners of the mouth will reveal the surging in my heart, “Let’s go!”

I walked in front this time.

It was probably too early because the cafe was very quiet with not many customers.

The waiter enthusiastically helped us to reheat the steamed dumplings. He was so considerate and went so far as to give us some vinegar for the dumplings which surprised me. After having breakfast, we slowly walked to the car park.

“Where do you want to go for sight-seeing? In fact, there is nothing interesting in Wuxi. It is too cold to go to Lake Tai now.” I tried hard to think of some scenic spots, “How about visiting Lingshan Brahma Palace? At least the top is still very beautiful. Or to Three Kingdoms City and Water Margins Town? Otherwise, Turtle Head Isle and so on ….. ”

I continued non-stop with my recommendations, until his voice can be heard.

“I’ve this feelings all along that you’ll bring me to view the plum blossoms.”

Suddenly I paused.

Recalling he wrote in the letter that he received an invitation to view the plum blossoms from me, how ecstatic he was, my heart could not help but burst out in sorrow and grief. After breathing in the cold air, I deliberately spoke briskly: “Okay, we’ll go to the plum garden. The entrance ticket to plum garden is the cheapest, so you’re helping me to save money.”

I drove myself over here. Actually, I’ve sat in Lin Yu Sen’s car many times, but since reading his letter, I suddenly did not want him to drive, as I always felt a little worried. Thus when we arrived at the car park, I decisively scrambled into the driver’s seat.

As expected, Lin Yu Sen did not obediently go to the passenger seat. Instead he stood outside the driver’s seat, leaned over and politely knocked on the window.

I opened the window.

“The road is littered with snow, so I’ll drive.”

“Not that I don’t trust your driving skill ……” Initially, I wanted to randomly find an excuse to make him give up his intention to drive. However, suddenly I thought, maybe we will have a lot of opportunity to go out together in the future, so I cannot always find an excuse. Hence I seriously corrected myself at once, “…… I really don’t trust your driving skill = =”

I probably hurt his self-esteem too much …… he was actually left temporarily speechless, looked at me and appeared wanting to laugh but dare not laugh. Then he heaved a sigh.

I urged him: “Get into the car, get into the car. Otherwise the plum blossoms will wither.”

I confidently drove along the winding road in Wuxi, earnestly and conscientiously passing through every road. But while driving, suddenly I felt something was wrong …… the gleaming, clear and crystalline lake before my eyes was Lake Tai, right? How did I end up driving to Lake Tai?

I slowly parked the car on the roadside and took out the mobile phone. Before I open the mapping software, I heard the person next to me said in a calm and collected voice: “You took the wrong turn at the intersection in front.”

I turned to look at him in silence.

“The road sign indicates that you should have taken the right turn but you drove in the middle lane.”

” …… Why didn’t you say that earlier……?”

“Oh.” He said earnestly, “I thought a person held in contempt is not qualified to give directions.”

I reckoned my facial expression must be very strange because Lin Yu Sen looked at me, cannot control himself and actually burst out laughing.

I was thoroughly angry and gloomily turned the steering wheel, intending to turn back, but was stopped by Lin Yu Sen.

“Don’t turn back, it is very good here.”

“What?”

Lin Yu Sen said: “Look over there.”

I followed his gaze and all of a sudden, saw a wide expanse of red clouds from a distance, like the plum blossoms in full bloom.

I drove the car over a little bit and parked in the alley on the side of the road. The moment I got down from the car, it really was a wide expanse of plum blossom trees.

I did not know when, so many plum flower trees had actually been planted at the side of Lake Tai. It was coincidentally the plum blossom season now. Snow had just fallen, so they gently pressed on the plum blossoms. The plum flower trees were blooming quietly and brightly on this off the beaten track at Lake Tai.

The water from Lake Tai gently slapping against the embankment.

Lin Yu Sen and I quietly walked around the plum flower trees. Momentarily nobody said anything, only the sound of the shoes stepping on the snow on the ground.

“So, you’ve always thought the person who invited you to view and appreciate the plum blossoms two years ago is me? Is that why you treated me like that when we first met in the company?”

After a while, Lin Yu Sen only replied me. “Yes.”

“Then why later you ……” I halted, “obviously in your heart, I deserted and ignored you.”

“Beyond my control.”

I came to a standstill and looked at him.

“I tried to find a lot of justifications to convince myself. Perhaps Jia Qi didn’t say clearly. Perhaps you were still too young at that time and dare not face such a serious matter, so selectively forget it. There have been cases like this in medical science. Or perhaps you did not know my Chinese name because at that time, Jia Qi introduced me as Vincent. Or you happened to forget what I look like, so you can’t associate me with that person you met two years ago …… I came up with a lot of reasons and each of the reason also has a lot of loopholes. However I still convinced myself to believe each of them. Otherwise, how could I abandon the reins I put on myself and let myself court you again?”

“I am not even a little touched!” I really wanted to make a snowball to hit him, “You put the blame on me without even asking me. Am I that kind of people?”

“You’re not.” He dejectedly blew out a sigh, “But Xi Guang, I’ve never thought of anyone else except you. All along, I’ve never thought that it might not be you.”

“I’m sorry.” He said.

“If my dad didn’t inadvertently expose this matter, do you intend to not let me know forever?”

Lin Yu Sen did not answer, obviously acquiesced.

I could not help feeling a wave of stifling frustration, but besides frustration, what I felt even more was a sense of sorrow rising up that softened my heart. To my surprise, there was such a person, who was willing to bear the pain alone for me, willing to continue like nothing has happened 一 even after he believed that I had let him down ……

A gust of wind blowing from the lake, resulting in the snowflakes on the plum blossoms fell to the ground.

“Why did you go so far away without a word in the past few days?”

Causing me …… so worried.

“How should I face you?” His voice was rough, “I’ve always thought that I cannot pick up the scalpel for you. Finally I convinced myself that I am most willing to do it for you. But only to find out, to my surprise, it is for an irrelevant person, a mistake?”

He gave a self-deprecating smile, “I don’t even know how to justify to myself.”

“My life simply became a joke.”

I felt pain in the heart which came in waves.

In spite of everything, I was momentarily unable to say a single comforting word. It seemed like language has suddenly lost its function, totally so powerless.

“Nie Xi Guang, when did you know him?”

I froze for a moment before realizing that he was talking about Zhuang Xu. I did not know why he asked this, but I still answered: “During the summer vacation at the end of the third year in university.”

“A year and a half.” A hint of a bitter smile formed at the corner of his mouth, “I’ve often thought of what you said in the past few days.”

“……What?”

“You said, ‘It will be good if I met you first’. But at this moment, I would rather be the one who got to know you late. Thus I will not be resentful, will not think if not because of a freak combination of factors, we would have already got together earlier but,” He said, “It turned out that I was the one who got to know you first.”

I did not understand what kind of magic power these few words have, so flat and normal but suddenly hurt me. Together with the previous sentence ‘My life simply became a joke’, made me feel extremely sad. I simply blurted out without thinking.

“We’ll be together in the future.”

For a moment, he was stunned and merely stared blankly, but immediately, his eyes seemed to have been set ablaze, filled with a fervency that caused the heart to palpitate. But very quickly, that brilliance disappeared. “Xi Guang, I do hope that we can be together but absolutely not because it was on a moment of impulse by you.”

I stubbornly said: “I am acting on impulse, so do you want to be together?”

He gazed at me silently. Finally as if conceding defeat, all of a sudden, he pulled me into his arms and hugged me tightly.

His overcoat was a bit cold, but his embrace started to warm me up very quickly. I can hear my own flustered heartbeat, but I did not want to break free at all.

After a while, I heard him say firmly in my ear: “Want.”

Then he repeated one more time, his voice a little tired, “I want.”

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