Times of Our Lives - Chapter 26

Zhang Ganggang finished his military training around mid-September. On the day he returned, he shouted in the WeChat group, “I’m back, everyone! Let’s party!”

 

Han Dong: “…Why are you making such a racket? Shut up!”

 

Zhang Ganggang: “Master Han! Let’s go out and eat!”

 

Han Dong: “What do you want to eat?”

 

Zhang Ganggang: “It doesn’t matter! Let me meet Rou Rou!”

 

Han Dong: “…”

 

Zhang Ganggang: “Aren’t you two at the same school? Let’s hang out together, and I’ll buy stuff for her!”

 

“She’s busy,” Han Dong replied. “We can go out, and I’ll buy stuff for you.”

 

Zhang Ganggang didn’t send any more messages after that. An hour later, Ji Qinyang was scrolling through the chat history when Zhang Ganggang’s call came in.

 

“Ji the Beautiful!!!” Zhang Ganggang screamed into the speakerphone. “I don’t want to hang out with Master Han anymore! He’s like the Queen Mother of the West who splits lovers apart!”

 

Sitting next to Ji Qinyang, Guo Lin’an spat out his water.

 

Ji Qinyang glanced at him disdainfully. “How disgusting.”

 

Guo Lin’an: “…”

 

Ji Qinyang turned off the speakerphone and said calmly, “Brothers aren’t more important than girls. If he offers to take you out, let him spend his money. It’s his loss if he doesn’t.”

 

“…I don’t want Master Han… I want Goddess Rou Rou,” Zhang Ganggang whined.

 

Ji Qinyang raised an eyebrow. “What? Without Rou Rou, you won’t eat roast duck or go to Wudaokou or Sanlitun?”

 

Zhang Ganggang: “…”

 

Ji Qinyang changed the subject and asked, “We’re going to Nanluoguxiang next week. Do you want to come?”

 

“Yes!” Zhang Ganggang replied without hesitation.

 

After his afternoon composition class, Ji Qinyang texted Xie Meng while walking out. Zhai Lin, wearing a baseball cap, a white tank top, and white shorts, walked next to him, looking like a crane with his long limbs.

 

“Beautiful Brother,” Guo Lin’an called him, using the nickname he learned Ji Qinyang had in high school, a name that had spread throughout the school. “Are you going to Mao this week?”

 

“Yeah,” Ji Qinyang replied, locking his phone screen and looking at Zhai Lin. “Do you want to come with us?”

 

Zhai Lin nodded. “Sure, sure, I’ll go with you guys.”

 

“Okay,” Ji Qinyang said, patting his shoulder. “I’ll be back late tonight. Remember to leave a window open for me.”

 

“Got it, I know,” Zhai Lin laughed, wrinkling his nose. “Beautiful Brother, you two are always glued together.”

 

In the campus coffee shop, Xie Meng ordered pure milk. He received a call from a tutoring agency and was setting up a schedule with a parent.

 

“Monday, Wednesday, and Friday are fine. From 4 PM to 8 PM?” Xie Meng held his phone with his shoulder and borrowed a pen and paper from the clerk. “Middle school math, a boy, 150 an hour… Sorry,” the phone slipped from his face, and he instinctively reached out to catch it, but someone else held it for him.

 

“I’ll help you,” Li Ruixin said, holding the phone with a smile. “You go ahead and write.”

 

“…Thanks,” Xie Meng nodded to her and quickly noted the address.

 

“Thank you, senior,” he said after hanging up.

 

“No need to be so polite,” Li Ruixin said cheerfully.

 

Both in the finance department, Li Ruixin, a sophomore, had many tutoring connections. Xie Meng’s part-time job was through her, and they had grown close over time. Aside from Yu Run, Li Ruixin was the second person who had gotten close to Xie Meng.

 

Today, she wore a chiffon long dress, with a beautifully cinched waist. Many people in the café were glancing their way.

 

“Are you going out this afternoon?” Li Ruixin tilted her head. “The student council has a welcoming event tonight. Want to join?”

 

Xie Meng shook his head. “I’m not in the student council, so I won’t go.”

 

Li Ruixin pouted. “You don’t have to be in the student council to attend. Just go to socialize.”

 

Xie Meng glanced at her. “I really can’t. I have plans with someone tonight.”

 

Li Ruixin shrugged, not insisting. “Alright… Are you heading out now?”

 

“Yeah,” Xie Meng checked the time on his phone. “I’m leaving now.”

 

Li Ruixin quickly said, “Let’s go together then. I’m heading to the clothing market.”

 

Ji Qinyang was leaning against the gate of Renmin University with his headphones on, waiting for Xie Meng to come out. It still felt like summer in September, with the dry Beijing air. Ji Qinyang was wearing a black T-shirt with a shirt tied around his waist, his hands in his pockets.

 

He raised an eyebrow when he saw Li Ruixin next to Xie Meng.

 

“Are you Xie Meng’s friend?” the girl greeted him confidently, not a bit shy. “My name is Li Ruixin. As expected, handsome guys have handsome friends.”

 

“Ji Qinyang,” he said, extending his hand. “I’m from the Central Conservatory of Music, and I graduated from the same high school as Xie Meng.”

 

“The same high school?” Li Ruixin laughed. “Then you must know Xie Meng’s girlfriend, right?”

 

Ji Qinyang looked at Xie Meng, who coughed awkwardly.

 

Li Ruixin continued to tease her junior, “The whole department almost knows he has a very close girlfriend now. Xie Meng even started tutoring because of her…”

 

“Senior,” Xie Meng interrupted her helplessly, “he doesn’t know about that yet.”

 

“That’s why I want your friend to tell her,” Li Ruixin said matter-of-factly. “You’re our department’s male idol; your girlfriend should feel a little threatened.”

 

Xie Meng: “…”

 

Ji Qinyang smiled mysteriously, “I think so too. Our Xie Meng needs to be well taken care of.”

 

“Yes, exactly,” Li Ruixin agreed. She felt there was something odd about his words but quickly brushed it off.

 

“Besides tutoring, what else does Xie Meng do?” Ji Qinyang asked.

 

Before Li Ruixin could answer, Xie Meng quickly said, “Nothing else.”

 

“Did I ask you?” Ji Qinyang warned lazily. “Senior, please continue.”

 

Li Ruixin, sensing the odd atmosphere, awkwardly said, “It seems that’s all.”

 

Ji Qinyang made a sound of acknowledgment. “You said Xie Meng is the male idol of your department?”

 

Li Ruixin proudly replied, “That’s not an exaggeration.”

 

Ji Qinyang: “Does he have many admirers?”

 

“Not really…” Li Ruixin sighed. “He’s like a high mountain flower, admirable but unreachable. But there are certainly many who’d like to be his backup.”

 

Xie Meng: “…”

 

Ji Qinyang didn’t say anything. He put his hand on the back of Xie Meng’s neck and gently squeezed.

 

Xie Meng felt his back hair stand on end. Ji Qinyang’s palm was so hot it seemed to melt his spine through his skin.

 

“I’d like to ask you a favor,” Ji Qinyang said to Li Ruixin with a smile. “Keep an eye on Xie Meng for me. Let me know first if he does anything or if anything happens around him.”

 

Xie Meng: “…”

 

Ji Qinyang looked down at him, adding meaningfully, “So his girlfriend doesn’t get jealous for no reason.”

 

Xie Meng was still in a daze when they arrived at Zhongguancun, while Ji Qinyang effortlessly found a restaurant.

 

“We’re here,” Ji Qinyang announced, standing in front of a small wooden door. Xie Meng looked up and saw the sign for “Xiao Diao Li Tang.”

 

“How did you know about this place?” Xie Meng asked as he followed Ji Qinyang inside, noticing each table had a brass kettle that didn’t seem to hold plain water.

 

“Dazhong Dianping,” Ji Qinyang said, calling over a waiter to order. He poured from the brass kettle into a cup for Xie Meng. “Try it.”

 

Suspicious, Xie Meng took a sip and was surprised. “Pear soup?”

 

Ji Qinyang laughed. “I knew you’d like it.”

 

He ordered cheese fish, crispy prawn balls, small fried chicken, and bone broth rice. While waiting for the food, he poured Xie Meng another cup of pear soup.

 

“Drink more,” Ji Qinyang urged. “Beijing is dry, and pear water is good for your throat.”

 

Xie Meng pointed to Ji Qinyang’s cup. “As if you don’t need your voice.”

 

Ji Qinyang didn’t reply, just smiled at him with his head propped on his hand.

 

They sipped their pear soup until the food arrived. Unlike the sweet and glutinous food of Suzhou, the Beijing cuisine suited Xie Meng’s taste. He finished two bowls of rice, too busy eating to talk to Ji Qinyang, unaware that he had rice on his lips until Ji Qinyang couldn’t resist wiping it off and eating it himself.

 

“You eat quite a bit,” Ji Qinyang said, pinching Xie Meng’s cheek. “Why don’t you gain weight?”

 

Xie Meng: “I gained 5 pounds. But you’ve lost weight, though you haven’t tanned.”

 

“Really?” Ji Qinyang lifted his arm to take a look. “I think I did get a bit tanned.”

 

Xie Meng just smiled and ruffled his hair.

 

They quickly finished a pot of pear soup, and Ji Qinyang ordered another one. After the meal, they slowly sipped the soup, and the conversation inevitably turned to tutoring.

 

“You don’t need to rush to work so early,” Ji Qinyang said calmly, arms crossed. “Your living expenses are covered. We pool our money together, so what are you worried about?”

 

Xie Meng took a sip of the pear soup and explained, “I’m preparing for any unforeseen circumstances. I’ve researched your school and studied a bit about music. If you need to buy equipment or sound systems in the future, it’s not going to be cheap. It’s always good to save up a bit now.”

 

Ji Qinyang frowned but didn’t say anything.

 

Xie Meng glanced at him and continued, “Besides, don’t you want to rent a place and live together?”

 

For a moment, Ji Qinyang’s expression turned complex and surprised. He looked at Xie Meng, touched his forehead, and let out a somewhat bewildered laugh.

 

“You…” Ji Qinyang didn’t know what to say. He hugged Xie Meng tightly, pressing him close.

 

Xie Meng didn’t struggle. He loosely wrapped his arms around Ji Qinyang’s waist, nuzzling into his neck.

 

“We’ll have the money,” Ji Qinyang whispered, kissing Xie Meng’s earlobe. “Next semester, we’ll move out and live together.”

 

Their Saturday night trip to Nanluoguxiang expanded to six people with Zhang Ganggang and Han Dong joining. Guo Lin’an decided to come along as well, quickly becoming acquainted with Xie Meng and the others.

 

The entrance to Mao was designed with a rusty iron style, decadent yet unique. They got stamped at the door and realized the place could hold a few hundred people inside.

 

“It looks like tonight is Qian Mo’s special performance,” Guo Lin’an checked the song list. “Their ticket prices are the highest, at 300 yuan. Impressive, they can earn quite a bit from one show.”

 

Zhai Lin rolled his eyes and muttered, “What’s there to envy?”

 

Zhang Ganggang was busy taking photos everywhere with his DSLR. Ji Qinyang greeted Han Dong, “Hey.”

 

Han Dong nodded expressionlessly, “Hello.”

 

“How have you been?” Ji Qinyang handed him a can of beer and suddenly asked, “Are you still not planning to let Rou Rou meet him?”

 

Han Dong glanced at him without replying.

 

Ji Qinyang said calmly, “Zhang Ganggang isn’t an idiot. No matter how convincing a lie is, there comes a time when it can’t hold up. You’re smart; you should know what to do. Maybe there’s still hope.”

 

Han Dong took a sip of beer and replied calmly, “Not everyone can be as lucky as you.”

 

Ji Qinyang squinted slightly.

 

“But,” Han Dong’s face showed a hint of a smile, “thanks for your good wishes.”

 

Qian Mo’s band had only four members, with Qian Mo as the lead singer. Their original songs had a diverse style, ranging from jazz to rock to folk. Guo Lin’an was impressed halfway through the performance, “No wonder this guy can be popular, he’s quite talented.”

 

Xie Meng looked at Ji Qinyang, who happened to look down at him at the same moment. “What’s up?”

 

Xie Meng asked, “Is he very good?”

 

“Not bad,” Ji Qinyang whispered in his ear, “but he’s still a bit behind your husband.”

 

Xie Meng shook his head with a mix of laughter and helplessness. Ji Qinyang had one arm draped over Xie Meng’s shoulder, and to outsiders, they looked like a pair of close brothers.

 

As usual, the last song was the encore. Qian Mo signaled for everyone to quiet down and sat on a high stool with a guitar, adjusting the microphone.

 

“I recently wrote a song,” he said into the microphone, his voice not loud. “I want to dedicate it to myself and the friends I’ve just met.”

 

Qian Mo’s gaze swept over the audience. Ji Qinyang was looking down, talking to Xie Meng, and didn’t notice.

 

As the intro began, Qian Mo closed his eyes.

 

“What did I do wrong, for you to say I made a mistake? You’re not me, you’re not me,” Qian Mo’s slightly raspy voice was full of emotion as he sang the slow song. “Love is just love, it doesn’t matter who it is. What’s the difference?”

 

The guitar played slowly and melodically. Qian Mo’s lips were almost touching the microphone. “The person I love is just like me, with the same body, the same soul. We just love each other, is that not allowed?”

 

Guo Lin’an whispered in a low voice, “The lyrics are a bit ambiguous… Could it be?”

 

“Shh!” Zhai Lin gestured for Guo Lin’an to be quiet. Zhang Ganggang was listening intently, while Han Dong turned his face to watch him.

 

“The world uses so-called ‘wrong paths’ to summarize it. Salvation is a scarred excuse. What is right and wrong in the end? Love clearly has no right or wrong.” Qian Mo sang the chorus without the usual high notes, still gently and slowly singing, “I just want to, on a rainy day, share an umbrella with you. I just want to, on a sunny day, take a walk with you.”

 

People in the audience began to whistle, and some girls even cried out Qian Mo’s name with tears in their eyes.

 

On stage, Qian Mo played the final chords and almost whispered, “I just want to, hold hands, walk a long, long way with you.”