Forty

Sha Zhouyin was entwined by her like taffy, her head nuzzling against his chest as she clung to him. He smiled, gently stroking her hair, and asked, “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

Huang Qi sighed, “It’s a long story. Let’s find somewhere to sit, and I’ll tell you everything. But how did you end up here without telling me?”

“I’m just learning from you—giving you a surprise! Every time I take the train, you always calculate the time and come early to pick me up, just to see me a little sooner. Now you’re busy and I’m free, so of course I want to cut down our waiting time. I came here to wait for you so we could see each other the moment you came out.”

Her heart grew tender and sweet. She asked softly, “Have you been waiting long?”

“Not really, just five minutes—really, only five minutes! My train arrived at seven, then getting out of the station, waiting for the bus, and the ride over—it all took about an hour. Now it’s eight twenty. I’m not like you, arriving ages early and insisting you just got there.”

“Oh, come on!” The “City Lord” began to argue, “It makes no difference if I wait in the dorm or at the station—I have nothing else to do. What if there’s traffic? There’s no harm in getting there early.”

As she spoke, her stomach let out a loud grumble. Sha Zhouyin asked, “It’s this late and you still haven’t had dinner?”

“I was on the way when I called you. We’ve been talking ever since, and now I’m starving! Did you eat?”

“I had a pack of biscuits on the train. I was waiting to have dinner with you.”

She scolded, “Biscuits aren’t a meal! Why didn’t you eat first? What if I’d already eaten with my classmates?”

He replied sheepishly, “I didn’t have time either, I just got off the train. Besides, I’m not that hungry after the biscuits. If you didn’t want to eat with me, I’d just go back and have something later…”

His pitiful look made her laugh. Why do couples always end up arguing over who cares more for the other? “Alright, I’m eating with you now, aren’t I?”

By now, the school cafeteria had already closed. The two walked from P University’s east gate toward T University’s south gate. On their way, they spotted a Hunan rice noodle shop still open and went in for two bowls.

Huang Qi had always loved strong flavors; after eighteen years of bland hometown dishes, her taste buds had all but withered. Since starting university in the north, she’d been thrilled by the spicy cuisines of Sichuan, Hunan, and Guizhou. Xiao Ying, on the other hand, had been raised with a much lighter palate by his mother. Huang Qi had tasted Mrs. Zhou’s cooking—it was all plain stir-fries and clear soups, with barely a pinch of salt, let alone chilies or peppercorns. At home, Sha always had to keep a dish of soy sauce mixed with chili on the side.

Glancing at the price list on the wall, Huang Qi ordered a spicy bowl without hesitation. Sha Zhouyin looked around and said, “I’ll have the sour and spicy one.”

She asked, “Can you handle spicy food? The chilies here are really hot.”

She remembered that when Xiao Ying was little, he couldn’t handle any spice. Once, his father tricked him into trying chili sauce, and his throat was raw for days. Mrs. Zhou had scolded Mr. Sha thoroughly for that.

He replied, “I’ve traveled all over for years; I’ve had all kinds of food. I can handle a bit of spice. Besides, you like spicy food, don’t you? I’ve got to keep up, or how will we eat together in the future?”

“We can still order different things, you know. This place has non-spicy options, like mushroom chicken…” Huang Qi blurted out, then realized what he meant by “eating together in the future”—he meant eating at home together…

She glanced at him shyly, while he wore a look that said, “I offer you my heart, but you’re as dense as an elm log.”

A few minutes later, their noodles arrived—fresh, spicy, and full of flavor, though a bit salty. Even Huang Qi, a lover of bold tastes, found it intense and asked the waiter for two glasses of water. Seeing Xiao Ying eating happily, she asked, “Isn’t yours salty?”

He finished chewing and said, “It’s alright.”

She took a spoonful of his broth and found it just as salty. “It is pretty salty.”

He said, “This is nothing compared to the food on the construction site. When you work hard and sweat a lot, you need more salt.”

Huang Qi had once tasted site food—eggplant with ‘meat slices’ that had no meat at all—unforgettable. The workers needed more salt and rice, but there were few ingredients, so the dishes were heavily seasoned. She also remembered Mrs. Zhou’s soups, barely salted, with the meat and bones discarded after boiling—only the broth was consumed. The local townsfolk often gossiped that Mrs. Zhou was wasteful and extravagant. Xiao Ying grew up on such plain food, and now had to rely on heavy seasoning to enjoy his meals. The thought made Huang Qi’s heart ache.

Sha Zhouyin noticed her troubled look and changed the subject. “So, what was that complicated matter you mentioned? Tell me, maybe I can help.”

Huang Qi sighed and recounted Bai Luyao’s story, ending with, “What else can I do to help her?”

He frowned and set down his chopsticks. “The girl you saved in the showers during military training, was that her?”

“Yes, that’s her. Now the rumors have blown up—people are saying she was assaulted by a dozen men! Isn’t it awful? I can’t just jump in and say, ‘She wasn’t assaulted, she was just groped a few times.’ Who’d believe me? People believe what they want, and explanations only make it worse.”

“Matters like this can’t be resolved by explanations,” he said after a moment of thought. “Did her attitude toward you change after that?”

“Of course! We became good friends after that—hard times reveal true friends. Not just her, even the other classmates saw me differently!” Huang Qi was proud of her chivalrous deed, feeling quite heroic.

“Did she become especially dependent on you?”

“Dependent?” Huang Qi pondered. “What counts as especially dependent? She’s cold to everyone else but really close to me. Even after switching to the liberal arts class, she’d come to me with math problems—she ignored the boys who offered to help. Does that count? I think she trusts me a lot; she even told me everything about her relationship troubles.”

Sha Zhouyin said, “I only met her once at dinner. She seemed calm and composed, not the fragile, immature girl you thought she was. I think there’s more to this than you realize. Maybe you shouldn’t get too involved.”

“But she’s all alone here. I’m her closest friend—how can I just ignore her now that she’s in trouble?”

“Her mental issues are hers to resolve. You’re not a psychologist; do you know what interventions help and what might hurt? You might unintentionally make her more dependent and less resilient. Don’t let good intentions backfire.”

Huang Qi hesitated. She really didn’t understand the nuances of psychology, but she knew that Bai Luyao’s problems could only be solved by her own inner strength. Comfort from others might help in the short term, but not fundamentally. She also trusted Xiao Ying’s judgment—he had always been more perceptive and experienced than she was.

Having Xiao Ying there made all the difference. A few words from him calmed her restless heart. Maybe this was what Bai Luyao meant when she talked about the influence of her mentor. Huang Qi realized she couldn’t match the wisdom of a sociology professor; perhaps she should just stick to being a supportive friend.

“Alright, let’s not talk about it anymore.” She finished her noodles. “You’re free tomorrow, right? You have to spend the whole day with me! Come early in the morning!”

Sha Zhouyin replied, “I’m always up at dawn, but the earliest bus is at six thirty.”

“Then take the first bus and come have breakfast with me. I’ve never had breakfast with you before.” Even if waking up with Xiao Ying every day was still a distant dream, sharing breakfast was a good start.

“So early? Don’t you want to sleep in on the weekend?”

Who needs to sleep in when Xiao Ying is around? That’s what she thought, but she said coolly, “Early to bed and early to rise is good for your health. One should cultivate good habits.”

The next morning, both rose early and had breakfast together at the school cafeteria. At noon, they went to a restaurant Huang Qi had picked for her birthday feast. The frugal “City Lord” chose a buffet again, one with a free meal for the birthday guest.

“Buffet again?” Sha Zhouyin teased. “This time, don’t eat so much that you can’t walk.”

She grinned, “Last time I was the host, and you barely ate, so I had to eat enough to make it worth it. This time, you’re paying! I picked a pricier place—eighty-eight yuan per person, but it’s a hundred and eight in the evening! With two people, it’s like forty-four each—such a bargain! I’ve been wanting to try it for ages but couldn’t justify it. Today I finally get to treat myself!”

He laughed, ruffling her hair. “Look at you! You’re so easy to please—eighty-eight yuan makes you this happy.”

She replied shamelessly, “Exactly! I’m so thrifty and good at managing life. Anyone who marries me is blessed for three lifetimes.”

To her surprise, he nodded. “That’s right—blessed for three lifetimes.”

Now it was her turn to blush. What did he mean, “That’s right”? She hadn’t married him yet—who said he was the lucky one?

There weren’t many people at the buffet at noon, and the food was fresh and plentiful. Huang Qi returned with four crabs and plopped them down boldly. “I want crab, but I don’t know how to shell them.”

Sha Zhouyin chuckled, picking one up. “I’ll teach you…”

“That’s too hard—I’ll never learn!” She didn’t believe for a second he’d missed her real meaning. If he played dumb, she’d spell it out: “I want you to shell them for me.”

“Give a man a fish, and he’ll eat for a day; teach a man to fish…” He joked, pushing back, “What, are you going to want me to shell your crabs for life? What if I’m not around?”

“I just won’t eat crabs, simple as that.”

Defeated, he resigned himself to shelling her crabs. “Alright, I’ll do it. At least we don’t eat crab every day. Even if I shell them for a lifetime, it’s not a big deal.”

In her delight, Huang Qi couldn’t restrain herself and ended up overeating again. Afterwards, they took a walk back to campus to digest their meal.

As they strolled down the bustling street, Sha Zhouyin said, “Xiao Qi, it’s your birthday today, and I haven’t given you a gift yet. Last time you mentioned something you really wanted…”

Clearly, phone calls didn’t convey hints well. With all these people around, how could she bring up the gift she truly wanted?

As they walked, she glanced at the shops along the street and spotted one selling girls’ accessories. A necklace in the window caught her eye. “Xiao Ying, Yunlei’s boyfriend gave her a necklace for her birthday. You should give me one too.”

He followed her gaze to the shop window. “I can’t afford Tiffany, but this is too plain, isn’t it?”

It was a store selling girls’ hair accessories, with a sign reading “Three for ten yuan, choose as you like.” The display case had slightly more refined pieces—925 silver with crystal inlay, but nothing expensive.

“It’s the thought that counts! I’m still a student—this kind of necklace is pretty and fun. I’d be afraid to wear real jewelry anyway.” She tugged on his arm, swinging it playfully. “Look, see that one? The pendant is so unique. I like it—will you give it to me?”

She was pointing at a simple silver necklace, the pendant shaped like a castle—a playful design for young women.

“Xiao Ying, do you remember what you promised me when we were little? You said you’d build a castle for me… That’s probably not happening, so just give me a castle-shaped necklace.”

But he said, “Who says the castle’s out of the question? I know how to build houses. If it comes to that, I’ll tear down my family’s old house and put up a castle. There’s plenty of space on the property.”

Husband! Can you please focus? I’m a practical, modern woman; who dreams of living in a castle? The point is what comes after the castle promise! Your skill at dodging the essence of things just gets better and better!

He asked the shopkeeper—the necklace was only thirty-five yuan, with room for bargaining. He felt it was a bit shabby as a present. “A necklace is a meaningful thing; it should at least be real. There are gold shops in the mall—let’s go look…”

“What’s so special about a necklace? It’s not a ring. Silver is a precious metal too—why isn’t it real? The gold shop jewelry is all old-fashioned. I like this design. Are you giving it to me or not?”

In the end, Sha Zhouyin couldn’t win and bought the necklace for her, even haggling the price down to twenty-eight yuan. Huang Qi delightedly had him fasten it around her neck. Xiao Ying stood behind her, his hands reaching around her neck, his voice low and steady by her ear: “Xiao Qi, even though I was just a kid then, if I promised you something and it’s within my power, I’ll do it.”

She retorted, “You’re not really going to tear down your house and build a castle, are you? That’s silly—I wouldn’t live there.”

“Ask when you already know the answer.” His voice was warm and close, unwavering. “You know what I mean.”

On her twenty-second birthday, Huang Qi more or less forced a silver necklace out of her boyfriend. Only much later did she learn that a necklace means, “to keep you close.” That day, as she walked arm in arm with her boyfriend, wearing the twenty-eight yuan necklace he’d given her, his words echoed in her mind—and she felt that there was nothing happier in the world.

From his birthday to hers, they had been together for four months and eight days—one hundred and twenty-eight days and nights. From their reunion the previous summer, it had been over half a year. These months with Xiao Ying were the happiest in Huang Qi’s adult life. Even long afterward, she would look back on this time with endless longing.