The Early Spring - Chapter 88

Chapter 88 - Reminiscing

Lumi pulled an all-nighter at the hospital and was so exhausted the next morning that she barely looked human, swaying as she walked. When Auntie Lu arrived to relieve her so she could go home, Lumi reached her residential complex entrance and spotted Zhang Qing, whom she had beaten black and blue, standing there. Zhang Qing blocked her path: "I had too much to drink that day."

"Get lost!" Lumi spat at him. "Try touching me again, you piece of shit. I'll fucking kill you! Take a good look at your own wretched behavior!"

"Cuss all you want, but let's talk properly once you're done. Who hasn't had a moment of lost decency? I won't drink anymore in the future."

"Is that even alcohol you're drinking? It tastes like cat urine!" Lumi shook off his outstretched hand. "Don't touch me! Believe it or not, I'll beat you up every single time I fucking see you from now on!" Lumi turned around to look for a weapon, finding a wooden stick discarded by some kid. She swung it at Zhang Qing, who jumped out of the way to dodge: "Lu Mi, are you sick in the head? You're acting like you swallowed gunpowder every single day—who the fuck besides me would ever like you?"

"Did I ask for your affection? Get the hell out of my face!"

Returning home, Lumi packed up all of Zhang Qing's belongings left at her place, carried them downstairs, and threw them at him, saying, "As for my stuff at your place, just throw it directly into the trash. Don't let me ever see you again—you make me sick!"

Lumi truly possessed a fiery temper and never let herself suffer any grievances. At worst, a simple "fuck off" would do; the heartache would only last a short while, and everything would eventually pass. She went back inside and fell into a deep sleep, yet the clueless Shang Zhitao came looking for her in the late afternoon.

That day was Saturday, and the place where Shang Zhitao studied French was nearby, so she went to visit Lumi once her class ended. Seeing that Lumi's mental state had improved slightly, she felt relieved.

"So what did you do today?"

"Today, this lady beat a drowning dog." Lumi recounted the story of beating up Zhang Qing to Shang Zhitao. When Shang Zhitao heard her say "one stick almost poked his manhood," she doubled over with laughter, unable to stand straight.

"So are you still feeling miserable?"

"I'm not feeling fucking miserable anymore. On Monday, when my dad gets discharged, I plan to go clubbing. Aren't men everywhere?"

"Right, right, right."

Lumi was undeniably a nightlife queen; men would approach her effortlessly. However, every time she went, it was purely out of a love for the lively atmosphere, never to hook up with men. In Lumi's own words: "Why would I fish for men? Am I not rich enough on my own?"

Shang Zhitao chatted with Lumi for a while, walked her to Jishuitan Hospital, went upstairs to see Father Lu for a moment, and only then took her leave.

Shang Zhitao felt that if she had been in Lumi's shoes regarding Zhang Qing's infidelity, she wouldn't have handled it as brilliantly as Lumi did. She thought to herself that if her boyfriend cheated, she would probably cry for days on end and might not even have the resolve to break up cleanly. They would likely drag things out for a while.

Lumi is so amazing; I need to learn from Lumi.

It was only after she boarded the subway that she saw Wan Jun's message: Are you treating me to dinner?

Shang Zhitao pondered for a long time before replying: Sorry, I just saw this. Sure, I'll treat you. What would you like to eat?

Buffet. I won't lose money eating at a buffet.

Okay.

The two picked a place a few subway stops away from Shang Zhitao's apartment, meeting up around eight in the evening. Wan Jun was very busy on weekends; carrying an ice hockey equipment bag, he said to Shang Zhitao, "Just finished teaching a class."

"An ice hockey stick?"

"Want to take a look?"

"Sure."

Wan Jun unzipped the long bag, pulled out the ice hockey stick, and handed it to Shang Zhitao: "Give it a try."

Shang Zhitao held it up to gauge the position: "Like this?"

Wan Jun corrected her posture: "Like this."

Shang Zhitao gave it another try and handed it back to him. Wan Jun wasn't picky about food; the 198-yuan tier buffet was fine with him. Shang Zhitao liked seafood, so she went to get shrimp and crabs, while Wan Jun went to get steak. The two actually had a lot to chat about, with Wan Jun doing most of the talking. He was a very simple person who openly claimed he wasn't bright, pointing to his own head: "I hate using my brain the most."

"What a coincidence, I don't have a brain either," she said, suddenly recalling Luan Nian's scolding:

"You grew a brain but don't know how to use it?"

"What is your brain used for?"

"Didn't bring your brain today?"

Shang Zhitao didn't know why, in the middle of a perfectly good meal, thinking of Luan Nian suddenly ruined her appetite. The steak at this establishment wasn't tasty either—not nearly as good as the ones Luan Nian seared. Consequently, she stopped eating after having a few shrimp.

"What's wrong?" Wan Jun asked her.

"I'm full."

"You ate so little? Are you watching your figure?"

Shang Zhitao hurriedly shook her head: "No, no, I had some snacks at my colleague's place before meeting you."

"That's good." Wan Jun smiled. "Don't be too thin; being a bit healthier is good."

"I think I'm overly healthy." The information she provided to Sun Yu hadn't been a lie—171 cm and 54 kg was relatively healthy. Back in her school days, the trend of "a good girl doesn't weigh over 100 jin" was all the rage, and she had solemnly tried losing weight for a while. Back then, weight loss methods weren't scientific; she simply starved herself. Dizzy with hunger, she almost collapsed while strolling around the sports field with Xin Zhaozhou. Xin Zhaozhou had panicked and scolded her severely.

Wan Jun looked attentively at Shang Zhitao's figure and said, "You are very healthy." He even began analyzing the proportion of muscle and water in Shang Zhitao's body through sports science, looking every bit like an expert.

The two ate until ten o'clock, and Wan Jun walked Shang Zhitao home. As an athlete, Wan Jun was direct in everything he did; while crossing the street, he naturally took hold of Shang Zhitao's wrist, but when he tried to slide his hand down to hold hers, Shang Zhitao withdrew her hand. She felt it was moving too fast. Having experienced an absurd relationship with Luan Nian, she knew that for a romance to have a good outcome, it needed a proper start. She didn't want to tread the same old path she took with Luan Nian with anyone else.

Seeing Shang Zhitao's earnest and reserved posture, Wan Jun smiled: "Did I startle you?"

"No."

"I'm sorry. I've always been pretty direct—when I like a girl, I just go for it."

"Then you must go for it often."

"No," Wan Jun said, "I don't do this often."

At this moment, they were standing outside Shang Zhitao's residential complex, facing each other as Wan Jun spoke. At this moment, Wan Jun resembled the Xin Zhaozhou of back then—a bit shy, looking bright and sunny no matter how one viewed him.

"When we sat in the ancient town of Dali eating the wild mushroom hotpot, I stole glances at you and thought this girl was really cute. You could probably tell that all our 'coincidental encounters' in Dali were actually planned with a lot of effort by me. Up until the day I left, I was still distressed about not having your contact information. Later, I went to the bar owner and got your contact info from him. You didn't know about this part, but it doesn't matter. If you feel it's too fast, then I'll slow down. But you should know, I really like you." Wan Jun scratched his head, looking a little bashful. He had been in relationships before, but those were girls chasing him; this was his first time pursuing a girl, and his methods were unpracticed. Because he was too direct, it even made him seem a bit frivolous.

"I'm honored," Shang Zhitao said, her words far from mere polite chatter. "I don't dislike you, and I feel very relaxed around you, but I genuinely feel it's too fast—so fast that we haven't even gotten to know each other yet."

"I want to slow down."

"Alright then." Wan Jun smiled. "Then let's slow down. I have an ice hockey match tomorrow, want to come watch?"

"Tomorrow won't work. Tomorrow morning I need to prepare work materials and pack my luggage. Tomorrow afternoon I'm flying to Shenzhen. Our company has three major clients in Shenzhen, so I'll be in Shenzhen next week."

"Okay, then next time."

Shang Zhitao waved goodbye to him and went upstairs.

Strangely enough, though she had been working for several years and traveled to many places, she had never been to Shenzhen. This was her first time going to Shenzhen. Shenzhen held a special place in Shang Zhitao's heart, because a person named Xin Zhaozhou lived there.

People were all very peculiar, always retaining deep memories of their first experiences—such as their first love, their first breakup, and their first solo trip.

When they broke up, one headed south while the other headed north, fully prepared never to see each other again for the rest of their lives.

Later, Shang Zhitao heard from former classmates that Xin Zhaozhou had taken advantage of government policies to start a foreign trade company in Shenzhen. Business was tough at first, and his parents spent their savings to support him. Starting last year, business turned around; after completing a few large-scale deals, he suddenly vaulted into becoming President Xin.

Xin Zhaozhou had called her once late at night. He had obtained her number from a classmate, sounding as if he had been drinking a bit. He said slurrenly on the phone, "Shang Zhitao, I have money now. How about you come to Shenzhen to be a wealthy housewife? You won't need to work. I'll support you—support you for the rest of your life."

However, Shang Zhitao was no longer the girl she used to be. She had fallen in love with someone else, and she had also found joy in working. She could never become a wealthy lady who stayed home doing beauty treatments and yoga, because she loved working.

"I'm sorry, Xin Zhaozhou. I can't go to Shenzhen to marry you, but when I visit Shenzhen, I'll contact you."

To meet up and reminisce about old times—after all, they had walked together through the simplest and purest period of their lives.

Yet Shang Zhitao didn't contact him.

While packing her luggage, she saw a message sent from a Shenzhen phone number: Are you coming to Shenzhen on a business trip? Xin Zhaozhou.

Shang Zhitao remembered she had made plans to have dinner with two university classmates working in Shenzhen; Xin Zhaozhou had likely found out through them.

So she replied: Yes.

If I go too, will you turn around and leave?

No.

Then let me treat everyone to dinner.

Thank you for your generosity.

Shang Zhitao recalled their school days when neither of them had much living allowance. On weekends, Xin Zhaozhou would take her out to treat her to better meals—sometimes barbecue, sometimes hotpot, sometimes a buffet—unwilling to let his girlfriend suffer in any way.

She was grateful for that period of time when she was loved by Xin Zhaozhou.

When boarding the plane, she spotted Luan Nian and greeted him: "Hello, Luke." She sat down a few seats away in the same row, pulling a book from her bag to read. As people passed back and forth around her, she didn't even raise her head. Even when Luan Nian went to buy coffee and returned, her posture remained unchanged.

After boarding, everyone walked toward the economy cabin. The Airbus A330 was spacious, with two-seat arrangements by the windows. Shang Zhitao checked in late, so her seat was further back. Thinking it was rather odd that Luan Nian wasn't flying first class, she assumed he would at least sit in the emergency exit row or the first row of economy, yet he kept walking back, stopping at the row of her seat to stow his luggage.

Shang Zhitao looked at her seat number, worried she had misread it—their seats were right next to each other. Luan Nian watched with cold eyes as she stowed her suitcase on her own. Only when her arms lifted, revealing a sliver of her snow-white waistline, did he finally stand up, take the bag from her, and silently put it away.

Luan Nian couldn't quite understand why out of all the beautiful clothes in the world, she had chosen one that exposed her waist. He stepped aside to let her in, while the latter held her breath and leaned her head back slightly to avoid physical contact with him, secretly letting out a sigh of relief as she sat down. Luan Nian sat silently in the aisle seat.

Neither spoke. Luan Nian pulled out his phone to reply to messages, while Shang Zhitao reported her itinerary to her colleagues at the Guangzhou branch, who would arrange a car to pick them up at the airport. She was benefiting from Luan Nian's presence. Plugging in her earphones, she closed her eyes to sleep. Perhaps because Xin Zhaozhou's message had disrupted her thoughts, she hadn't slept well the night before. Feeling a bit tired now, she didn't even notice when the plane took off.

Once the plane ascended into the sky and bright light streamed in, Luan Nian turned sideways to close the window shade. As he retracted his hand, he saw Shang Zhitao open her eyes, her face less than ten centimeters away from his. Shang Zhitao caught a whiff of Luan Nian's familiar aftershave scent.

Feigning composure, she reclined her seat backward to escape the suffocating presence Luan Nian brought. His gaze was deep and somewhat coolly aloof, as though Shang Zhitao had offended him.

Luan Nian sat back in his seat, ignoring the momentary flicker of emotion in his heart.

The fighting cocks in their hearts began to stir up trouble once more, with Shang Zhitao's cock acting up particularly fiercely. She huddled her body, swearing never to make any contact with Luan Nian—refusing even the slight friction of their clothes against each other.

When the plane landed, Shang Zhitao turned on her phone, and a call came through immediately. This was the number that had messaged her the night before—Xin Zhaozhou's. After a moment's thought, she answered: "Hi."

She hadn't heard Xin Zhaozhou's voice for several years, a voice carrying the flavor of old times: "Taotao."

He called her Taotao. Back then, he used to call her name in various ways—Shang Zhitao, Taotao, Zhitao, Taozi—whatever pleased his heart. Shang Zhitao remained silent.

"Have you landed?" Xin Zhaozhou asked her.

"Yes."

"I'm at the airport to pick you up. Shall we sit down together for a bit?"

"Okay."

Shang Zhitao wanted to decline, but she felt her heart was clear and upright, so there was no need to hide from him anymore. The matters between them had passed for several years; each had started their own work and life. Things had changed and people had moved on, so there was no need to dwell on the past.

Hanging up her phone, she called her colleague at the Guangzhou branch: "Lee, you just need to pick up Luke."

"Yes, I have a friend in Shenzhen who happens to be at the airport to pick me up."

"Mm, also in the parking lot. I'll head over together with Luke."

Shang Zhitao hung up the phone and spoke her first words to Luan Nian since boarding: "Lee sent a car to pick you up; it's in the parking lot. They'll send me the location shortly, and I'll take you over."

"Mm."

'Mm' it was, yet he sat motionless. Watching people file out one after another while Luan Nian remained seated without moving, Shang Zhitao couldn't help asking him, "Aren't you getting off the plane?"

"What's the rush?"

Shang Zhitao fell silent. Seeing that most people had disembarked, Luan Nian finally stood up, grabbed his luggage, and walked forward without paying any mind to Shang Zhitao.

Shang Zhitao knew he was doing it on purpose. Tiptoeing to retrieve her luggage, she trotted several steps to catch up with him.

"There are no work arrangements tonight, right? If not, I'll be acting independently. I made plans with a friend."

"A friend?"

"An ex-boyfriend," Shang Zhitao said those three words crystal clearly, flashing a smile at Luan Nian.