Chapter 94
Chapter 94 – Side story: Childhood elopement (Translated and edited by Xing)
Tang Xue once ‘eloped’ with Li Yubing when she was young .
It was an event triggered by a scolding from her father after she did something wrong . She was punished to face the wall and reflect on her wrongdoings for half a day while her mother simply stood by the side and watched .
Feeling that her parents did not love her enough, she wanted them to experience the pain of losing their kin .
It just happened that a wuxia drama was being broadcasted on television . After entering the various sects and learning martial arts, the heroes all had to trial themselves by roaming the world . Tang Xue was roused and decided to make her way in the world as well .
The first step was to escape the house .
It was impossible to leave from home . As they stayed on the twelfth floor, the only way she could make her way out without alerting an adult was by jumping out of the window . If she really did jump down, she would probably become as flat as a pancake .
Hence, she could only leave from school .
The next day, Tang Xue went to school with a vengeful heart and the ambition of roaming the world . She told Li Yubing her plan and invited him to join her .
Li Yubing did not agree . Thus, her invitation became a demand that he was unable to refuse .
When lessons were over in the afternoon, she and Li Yubing ran over to the school canteen where a tiny pickup truck was parked at the side . They climbed onto the cargo bed quietly and tucked themselves into a corner tightly . After delivering the goods, the burly delivery man got on and drove off without giving the truck a thorough check .
Tang Xue crouched in the cargo bed, her heart beating rapidly as she felt super nervous and excited .
Li Yubing planted himself against the back of the truck and cautiously stuck out his head to look at the school that was getting further and further away behind them . Oddly enough, he felt an incredible sense of excitement from this act of rebellion .
Though it was fun at first, they began to feel cold after some time . That was right . It was the twelfth lunar month and currently winter, so how could they not feel cold?
After a while, they gave up and hugged each other tightly for warmth, all the way until the truck finally stopped .
After they heard the driver got off the truck, the two children moved their stiff limbs and snuck down the cargo bed furtively .
The sky was already dark . It was a worn neighbourhood that was still and silent . Even the street lights seemed eerie . Tang Xue was about to die of fright but she was too embarrassed to admit it out loud . She clutched Li Yubing’s hand tightly, holding on to him like how a drowning man would clutch at straws .
The adventure to roam the world did not seem to be kicking off to a good start . This chapter is a labour of love that should not be found outside of teafragrance[dot]wordpress[dot]com .
Hand in hand, they circled the area and finally managed to roam out of that tiny neighbourhood . Walking on the main street, Tang Xue felt hungry . She rubbed her stomach and suddenly clapped her head . “Oh no!”
“What’s wrong?” Li Yubing asked .
“I left my bag in the truck!”
In the bag were rations and water that she had prepared painstakingly . There was also a map that she had stolen from her father .
Li Yubing felt a bit of a pity as well . He asked, “Shall we go back?”
“No . ” Tang Xue did not want to re-experience the fear and uneasiness brought by the stifling atmosphere earlier . As she dug through her pockets, she asked, “Li Yubing, do you still have any money?”
“No . ”
After emptying her pockets, Tang Xue had two yuan and fifty cents . Still holding hands, they stopped in front of a jian bing[1] store at the intersection . Tang Xue asked the auntie selling jian bing, “Auntie, how much is a jian bing?”
The auntie glanced over and sighed over how good-looking the two children looked . Then, she replied, “Three yuan each . ”
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“Mm, if I add an extra egg, how much is it?”
“Three-fifty . ”
“What if I don’t want the egg? Can you just charge me two-fifty?”
“Ah?” The auntie looked puzzled . “Not a single egg? Then won’t you simply be ordering a spring onion wrap?”
“Auntie, we don’t have money . ” Tang Xue seemed as if she was about to cry . She opened her hand to reveal the crinkled two yuan and fifty cents lying in her palm .
When the auntie heard her say this, her heart nearly melted . “Oh dear, don’t cry . I’ll give you an egg for free . ”
“Really? Thank you, auntie!”
“You’re welcome . Are both of you from the same family?”
“No . ”
“Oh, where are your parents?”
“They’re busy . We are heading home shortly . ”
“Oh, I see . ” The auntie looked at their linked hands and teased, “Are both of you going to get married next time?”
Before Tang Xue could reply, Li Yubing shook his head . “How can I possibly marry her?”
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Tang Xue felt like she was scorned . Embarrassed, she huffed, “Li Yubing, you’re a little dog if you don’t marry me next time . ”
The auntie laughed at their conversation as she flipped the jian bing . Once it was done, she slotted it into two layers of paper bag and passed it to them . “Careful, it’s hot . Go home after finishing it . ”
“Mm, mm!”
They wandered with the jian bing and found a nice spot . Then, squatting by the road, they took turns to eat it in bites like two tiny beggars .
They were only halfway done with it when, led by the savoury aroma, a large and gaunt dog appeared in front of them .
Tang Xue froze in fright, not daring to move as she stared at the huge dog with widened eyes .
Li Yubing did not move either . Their teacher once said that they should not provoke dogs when they saw them .
After staring at each other for a few moments, the dog lowered its head, and without any reservations, snatched away the jian bing in Tang Xue’s hands and went off .
Tang Xue, “…”
Why was her journey to make her way in the world so arduous?
The final blow was given to her by Li Yubing .
Li Yubing was not yet full . He felt his pockets and fished out two pieces of bubble-gum .
Tang Xue swallowed when she saw the bubble-gum in his hand .
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Though it would not fill their bellies, the bubble-gum was still better than nothing .
A tiny flame of hope had just flickered into existence when Li Yubing unwrapped the two pieces of gum and tossed both into his mouth .
Tang Xue was both angry and aggrieved . She grilled him, “Why did you eat both without saving a piece for me?”
Li Yubing chewed on the bubble-gum and said, “I won’t marry you . ”
Following this, Tang Xue stared blankly into the air as she squatted by the road . Li Yubing squatted next to her and blew bubbles . By chewing two gums together, the white and round bubbles he blew were bigger than his face .
On roaming the world… Tang Xue felt that this world was not suitable for roaming at all .
She wanted to go home .
Their teacher once said that they should look for their parents if they ran into any trouble outside . If they could not find their parents, they should look for policemen .
Thus, holding hands, the two of them walked up to a traffic policeman . “Mr Policeman, we want to turn ourselves in . ”
Translator’s Notes:
[1] 煎饼 (Jiān bǐng): A popular Chinese street food . Imagine a thin crepe-like pancake topped with savoury toppings and sauce before being folded multiple times to become something like a wrap .