When I and Kang Zixian walked out of McDonald's, it was already three o'clock in the middle of the night. It was still raining and the cold night wind was blowing into my face. It felt cool and made me clear headed.
In the light rain and windy night, it was totally different from the day. The night was quiet and tranquil. Kang Zixian proposed to take a walk and I nodded in agreement.
It felt a bit strange.
I wore his sports jacket as I felt cold and was also wearing a cap on my head. My hands were inserted into the big pockets of the jacket and he walked slowly beside me, holding up an umbrella to shield me from the rain.
Shining stars, cool nights and the umbrella overhead, gave me the feeling of warmth.
We walked quietly on the open pedestrian street and started to converse.
"Why did you choose to be a police officer?"
"Why? ......well, that's a long story."
"Tell me."
"Ai.....it's actually quite complicated......when I was in high school, my mother was studying abroad. Old Alan was my mother's tutor and I guessed he took a fancy to my mother. The whole day, he treated my mother enigmatically, except for sleeping, every day she was forced to work in the laboratory, doing this or that. My mother is a hot-tempered woman and wanted face. She is especially afraid of losing face and putting Chinese people to shame, so she endured the hardship when her tutor, Old Alan, gave her pressure. But she still had to find a way to vent her feelings......can you guess who was this helpless guy?"
"You?"
"Correct, it was me. That time I was in a third-rate high school and in a third-rate class. It's painful to look at the past......my results were bad catching my teacher's attention......my results were extremely bad. That.....*he, he*......you know Fei Ge and I since childhood, we both had a sense of righteousness, so.....uh, that is to say, we often skipped class to roam on the streets to maintain fairness and justice......"
"It was clearly fighting only and the so-called fairness and justice was only a cover."
I felt a little embarrassed and could only pretend to be surprised, glanced at him, shyly laughed and said. ".......don't you see? You, a foreign book nerd should know."
Kang Zixian turned around and smiled at me. "What is so strange? I had also stood for fairness and justice before."
It was still raining and because there was a very quiet audience by my side, my thoughts lingered in the times of my youth.
Those few years of confusion, loss of direction and helplessness after the rebellion, I was even ashamed to share with Fu Chen, but many years later, I could narrate to another man.
"My performance was extremely bad. Both Fei Ge and I were in the same boat and we were well-known as 'Black Sheep Duo'. The teacher was so angry that she made a call across the ocean to my mother and complained about me for an hour. It was also a good thing. Old Alan had made my mother so angry that she was like a gunpowder keg and when the teacher fanned the fire, my mother's temper flared up. In front of Old Alan, she slapped the table and said she quit. She told him that she would not be studying anymore and returning home to beat up her daughter. The result was.....she did what she said, packed her bags and returned home. Can you guess what she did? As soon as the plane landed, she gave me a slap right in front of my aunt and uncle, without giving me face. I was so mad."
"Later?"
"At that time, I and Fei Ge were in high school, third year and her mother was also preparing to send her off to the sports college. After I was slapped by my mother, I ran off.......how should I put it? That time I had lived with my uncle's family for two years and my relationship with my aunt was not good. She always compared me to my cousin and every day I felt like I was living on her charity. I felt extremely depressed and every day looked forward to my mother's return. Eventually, when my mother returned, she did not give me a hug of love but instead gave me a slap in the face. I could not stand the psychological distress and ran to find Fei Ge. She was so upset with my crying, slapped her thigh and said: We cannot carry on living like this. Liang Liang, let's run away from home and go to Mount Emei to pursue religious practice! ! !"
At this point, Kang Zixian looked at me with a slight smile and involuntarily my face flushed with embarrassment. I lowered my head and said. "So both of us, each with one hundred dollars, rode on the train and ran off that very night."
"One hundred dollars?" Kang Zixian wrinkled his good-looking eyebrows, pondered and smiled at me in jest, said. "That's a lot of money."
Naturally, I heard his ridicule and felt embarrassed, so proudly said. "Well, I and Fei Ge endured for a whole week before we sought help from the police, okay?"
Kang Zixian's mouth lifted at the corners, laughed slightly at me and said. "At least, the two of you were still smart enough to ask for help from the police."
I put my hands on my waist and looked at him, which made him laughed even more.
"I and Fei Ge, dejectedly were sent back by a police car and became the school's laughing stock. It so happened that Old Alan had flown over to chase after my mother. I was young and naïve, thought that my mother did not care about me anymore and only spend the whole day quarreling with a foreigner. Our relationship had grown even worse and was unable to communicate with each other. In order to make her angry, I began to further intensify my fights outside......the result, there was one time, to save a brother, I was involved in a group fight. Someone called the police and I was taken to the police station......."
After all, this was my disgrace of the past. Perhaps to cover up for my embarrassment, I left the cover of his umbrella. Braving the drizzle, with both arms opened like the wings of a bird, moved towards the fountain, speaking as I walked. "That night, our headmaster came to bail me out. His surname was Yang. That night he invited me to a hotpot meal and told me a lot.....a lot."
I squatted down, holding my cheeks and Kang Zixian stood near me holding the umbrella over me, to shield me from the rain. Under the umbrella, I talked to myself. "Do you know that time was.........that was my most depressing time. I felt my mother would soon leave with someone else and Fei Ge also have a bright future ahead. Frankly speaking, I was about to give up on myself and go into despair........now thinking of this, Headmaster Yang could be considered my savior. That night, all that he said to me, I would always remember and would never forget in this lifetime."
I was engrossed in my past memories, forgetting by my side was a man who was my audience. I just recalled that night which was the turning point of my life.
"He said......Liang Liang, you cannot forever be sitting at the back of a police car for the rest of your life. You have to sit in front......you can do it. The stone had blinded all people's eyes.......Liang Liang, brush off the dust on your body to prove to everyone that you are a piece of gold........"
At this point, suddenly I returned to my senses, lifted my head, looked at Kang Zixian, smiled happily and said. "Originally, my mother was not happy that I wanted to join the police force. In order to anger her, I signed up with the police force. Headmaster Yang was very good to me and helped me to eliminate all the bad records on my file."
I held my face in my hands and asked. "Ai.....do you see my body shining like a piece of gold?"
Kang Zixian gave me a guarded look, eyes sparkling like water. After a while, I thought he was sleepy, suddenly he stretched out his hand, patted my head like a child who was begging for candy and said in a gentle voice. "I see you.......you are not a black sheep but a goldfish."
His voice spread in the wind with a sincere blessing. "I believe that one day you will encounter a man who will keep you happily in the water and let you swim freely."
I lifted up my head and looked at the warm and friendly man in front of me, a burst of wind blew over, suddenly causing the dead knots in my heart to unravel. I heard the sounds of joy from my heart, listening to his words of blessing, I thought of his blooming heart, suddenly felt a bit sour.
Finally, he could see me clearly, the attraction he felt for me would also disappear into the vast night, like a meteor that flashed passed through the sky.
Maybe Fei Gei was right.......I should let the past be covered with dust. Because men would mind about a woman's chest size, the same he would mind about a woman's ignorant past as they were not open-minded.
Suddenly I felt a slight pain in my heart. That had belonged to my past, it was all my treasures that I did not want to abandon nor forget because that was a part of me.
If that time Fang Liang Liang did not exist then today's Fang Liang Liang will not exist. I felt grateful to the Fang Liang Liang of the past.
***#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#***
The next day was the weekend, so I did not go to school and slept till afternoon. I got up and stretched my body when Kang Zixian knocked on my door. "Wake up.....time for lunch."
I listened to the man's voice behind the door, suddenly remembered what he had said last night. He had hinted he would give up on me but unexpectedly my mood was not as excited as I had imagined.
I felt very gloomy.
I sighed. Spring had arrived and the desolate feeling in my heart had long been neglected. It was really time to get a sickle to do some weeding.
While I was brushing my teeth, I adjusted my mood and after washing up, I regained my usual happy mood. Bouncing out of my room, I saw the table laden with delicious homemade dishes which worked up my appetite.
My eyes were filled with the fragrant dishes and with a sweep of my index finger, I said. "Wow......looks delicious, did you cook these?"
Kang Zixian arranged the bowls and chopsticks then handed me a bowl of white rice. "No, I went to grandmother's house for breakfast. Aunt Lian cooked these. The porridge that you ate last time, was cooked by her. If there is anything you do not like to eat, I'll let her know........"
"No, no." I said and vaguely shook my head. I held up my bowl and could not wait to start eating. "Don't talk to me......I don't have time to talk to you now." Then I ravenously wolfed down the food.
Kang Zixian was leisurely watching me eat with smiling eyes and his appetite was also good.
After eating, Kang Zixian calmly puts down his chopsticks and walked away, leaving me to do the washing up. When eating other people's food, one had to speak good of others, so I had to clean up after the meal without objections.
He called Su Jin Wei in the living room which sounded like he was giving instructions for a job to be done.
When I had finished up in the kitchen, Kang Zixian had opened his computer to do his work and I also started to make a call.
I called Fei Ge and her voice sounded very tired.
"Hi, Liang Liang. My uncle is still hanging in there and until now he still did not wake up. We had not closed our eyes for the whole night and he had not shown any improvement. We're so worried."
Fei Ge was upset and I did not know how to comfort her, so I eagerly said. "Fei Ge, why are you talking like you have no more energy? Maybe I can come over and accompany you."
When I said this, Kang Zixian sitting opposite me, who was originally focused on his computer screen, glanced over at me, then looked down and continued to work on his computer.
"No, Liang Liang. Don't come over, useless for you to come. It is chaotic enough over here. Oh yes, where are you staying now?"
"Ah? Oh, en......I broke the door lock. I'm okay, don't worry about me."
"Well, I'm tired and want to hang up. I'll look for a place to sleep for a while and I can even sleep while standing now."
Dejectedly I hung up the phone and as I was lying on the sofa thinking about Fei Ge, my mother's call came over and it was a repeat of one thousand times, the same questions. What did I eat? What time did I sleep last night? Did I keep myself warm with the quilt? Did I go out with Fei Ge? Bla, bla, bla........
By the time I had hung up the call after I had answered and settled all my old lady's nonsensical questions, my mouth was already dry. Sitting opposite me, Kang Zixian was solid like a rock. My eyes turned around, quietly text a message to Dong Zi: Still alive?
Dong Zi immediately replied: Yes, chrysanthemum still healthy. Senior Sister, don't worry.
My mind at peace, I replied: Retreated at home. Where are you? Are you safe? Yes or No?
Dong Zi replied: I have retreated
In the afternoon, I continued to sleep and Kang Zixian continued working in his study. In order not to repeat the mistakes of last night, we both had a tacit understanding and went out to forage for food.
After dinner, I thought it would be boring to go back too early, so I dragged him to browse through audio and video stores, hoping to find a few movies to pass time.
I looked left and right, unable to decide, said. "What do you want to watch? Love? Horror? Science Fiction?"
I saw him staring at a war film and hastily said. "Ai......I don't like war films."
He did not look at me, moving his lips, said. "I don't watch horror movies."
I thought to myself for a moment, rubbing my hands I was secretly delighted. This tall, big man was timid as a mouse and finally, I had the opportunity to tease him.
I bought a famous Japanese horror film 'The Curse'.
I had heard my colleagues talked about this film and the people who told me about the film had displayed horror expressions. I was disdainful, in my heart told myself that all these were false, what was there to be afraid of? It was only a ghost that appeared in the house, right? I was notorious for being brave and had a nickname called 'Brave Fang'.
I would like to experience the horrors of this ghost film, at the same time manifest my unique courage and also to scare Kang Zixian and dampen his sharp spirit.
Kang Zixian looked at the disc in my hand, did not object but only asked lightly. "Are you sure you want to watch this? Not scared?"
I smiled slyly, proudly pointed to myself and said provocatively. "Will I be scared? Ha,ha.....you must be joking. I, Fang Liang Liang, is the famous 'Brave Fang', female hero."
In the end, after more than two hours later, with the sound of thunder in the dark night sky, it was more horrible inside the dark room than the dark night sky outside. A female hideous pale-faced female ghost crawled out of the high-definition home theater screen. Her whole body was soaked in blood, both eyes turned white as if crawling towards me. Her wretched white arms stretched out menacingly towards me, I felt my body stiffen. I opened my eyes wide, feeling suffocated, suddenly like grasping to a life-saving straw, I grasped Kang Zixian, who was sitting beside me, with his usual calm expression. He totally disregarded my expression of fear and pointed to the screen, patted my shoulder and said. "This film is too boring. You can continue to watch. Goodnight."
Just as he finished speaking, a flash of silver lightning streaked across the night sky, followed by a boom of thunder that shook the earth.
I felt my seven souls and six spirits were awakened and scared out of me. As Kang Zixian stood up, I desperately clutched at him, stuck to him and squeezed out a reluctant smile. "Hey, now is too early to sleep. Look, the sky outside is still bright, it's too early or else we can watch a series. Or, or play chess? Ai......we can play poker?"
At this time 'The Curse' was still showing, my eyes drifted to the screen. The female ghost in the movie was shown in a close-up shot slowly being amplified and the sound of thunder sounded at that moment. The closed eyes of the ghost suddenly opened, her eyes soaked in blood carried a frightening death message, bearing deep hatred.
In the living room with the lights switched off, I was so scared that I gave a cry. "Wa." Like a koala bear, I clung tightly to Kang Zixian, buried my head and whimpered. "Ah, so scary. Is there a problem with your house? Why is it so dark?"
He spoke faintly in the darkness. "You were the one who insisted on turning off the lights."
"Oh......then you turn it on."
"I'm going back to sleep, my dear."
"Oh........are you not afraid?"
"Only people who are chicken-hearted will be afraid. Why? Are you afraid?"
"Oh......I......I'm the 'Brave Fang'........"
"Good.....Brave Fang. Goodnight, have a sweet dream."
Another clap of deafening thunder sounded, the sky seemed to tear apart.
"Let's play chess."
"I don't have chess."
"Then we can play cards."
"No cards......"
"......then let's play games....."
"I'm tired."
Tightly, I held on to him and refused to let go, finally surrendering to this man. "I'm wrong, I'm a coward, I'm afraid. Keep me company for a while longer."
Kang Zixian looked at me, did not speak and his eyes were glittered, surprising me. Suddenly I felt that requesting him to keep her company was not a wise decision.