Chapter 98
Chapter 98 – Sunshine and confession (Translated and edited by Xing)
“What’s this—paroxetine hydrochloride tablets?” Tang Xue read aloud the prescription name on the box . When she turned it over and read the prescription instructions and what it treated, she was stunned .
“Take it that auntie is begging you . Please go take a look at Yu Yan . ” Madam Liang was like grasping at straws . “He likes you so much . ”
Tang Xue was unable to believe that Yu Yan had depression . In her mind, he was still that pure and innocent teenager . Though he did not like to speak, he was someone who loved smiling . When he smiled, an adorable dimple would appear on his face . On the ice, he was like a beautiful butterfly with unfurled wings, brimming with life and grace .
How could someone like this have depression?
Tang Xue was temporarily unable to accept this news . At the same time, she was a little doubtful as well . Thus, she said, “I can visit him but I’m not a psychologist . ”
——
For the competition on Tuesday, Li Yubing and the team were going up against the Snow Eagles, an experienced ice hockey club in Beijing . It was said that there was someone extremely rich backing this club . Though they might not be one of the top clubs in China, they were definitely the richest .
The Snow Eagles had quite the following on their home ground . The night of the competition, the stadium was packed . Whenever the Snow Eagles were falling behind, the local fans would yell Li Yubing’s name .
Don’t be mistaken, they were not Li Yubing’s fans . They merely wished that the “disgrace of the Dauntless Dragons” could go up more and ruin his team’s tempo, allowing them to take back the field .
This was a humiliation .
Tang Xue was beyond upset herself as she sat in the spectators’ stand . She could not imagine how Li Yubing felt .
The competition lasted over two hours and the Dauntless Dragons’ spirit was under constant attack . However, they managed to withstand the pressure and won in the end .
When Li Yubing came back, it was some time past 10 pm . Their hotels were only one street away from each other and he went to Tang Xue’s hotel to find her .
They strolled hand in hand in the streets for a while . Tang Xue originally wanted to tell him about Yu Yan . However, seeing his exhausted expression, she changed her mind and hugged him instead .
Li Yubing still had the energy to joke around . “Are you planning to reward me?”
Thinking back on the humiliation at the ice stadium earlier that night, Tang Xue felt aggrieved on Li Yubing’s behalf . But this was out of her control and she wanted to help him disregard that nonsense . Thus, she leaned into his embrace and rubbed her head against his chest . She said, “Li Yubing, you can do it . ”
Li Yubing thought of something and ruffled her hair . He let out a soundless sigh .
When Tang Xue returned to her hotel room that night, she scrolled through her conversation history to find Yu Yan . When she clicked in, she discovered that they last texted during Chinese New Year . The last messages that they sent each other were New Year greetings .
It had been so long and what she knew of him now was all from the news . She wondered how he was doing .
Tang Xue texted him: Are you there?
The chat showed that he was typing . After a long while, he replied with a simple “Mm . ”
Tang Xue: I’m in Beijing . Are you free tomorrow? Want to meet?
Yu Yan: Sure .
……
Originally, Li Yubing and Tang Xue had arranged for her to take the same flight back as him and the ice hockey team . However, in the morning, Tang Xue sent him a voice message .
Tang Xue, “Li Yubing, I had something on and went back last night . I didn’t tell you beforehand as I was afraid that you’ll be worried . ”
Li Yubing felt that something was amiss . While having breakfast, he was lost in thoughts . When Brother Pang stealthily swiped away the peeled egg he held and swapped it with a ball of napkin, Li Yubing raised the napkin to his mouth without realizing it . Brother Pang was shocked . He quickly stopped him, took away the napkin and returned the egg .
Li Yubing snapped out of his daze and picked up his phone to re-listen to the message .
He realized what was wrong . Tang Xue was upfront in her actions and always told him immediately whenever something happened . The vague excuse of “I had something on” was out of character for her .
Besides, if she returned to Rain City last night, she should already be back when she sent the message to him this morning . Based on how people usually talked, she should have said “came back” instead of “went back” .
Li Yubing narrowed his eyes and thought for a moment . In the end, he still decided to call her directly . “Hey, where are you?”
Tang Xue paused for a moment . Then, she replied, “Where else can I be? In school, of course . ”
When she spoke, there was a howling sound in the background that should be the wind . When Li Yubing heard the wind, he gave a slight frown .
Beijing was experiencing such large gales these few days .
Li Yubing said, “Mm, have a good lesson . I heard Jiang Shijia said that it’s going to rain . Did you bring your umbrella?”
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“Yes, yes, I did . Li Yubing, do you think I’m stupid? I’m heading to class now, gonna hang up . ”
“Okay . ”
After Li Yubing hung up, he checked the weather report in Rain City; it stated clear skies with no wind .
He felt his heart sank slowly . A little unable to accept this fact, he texted Jiang Shijia and asked: Is it going to rain in Rain City today?
Jiang Shijia: Nope, the sun’s out .
Li Yubing: Mm .
——
Tang Xue and Yu Yan arranged to meet at a café near the national team that he was at . His appearance did not seem to have changed much in the past year . Even his hair was the same . His dimple was still there and when he smiled, his eyes remained bright and limpid . The only difference was the steadiness in his gaze that indicated the growth he experienced in the past year .
Tang Xue suddenly felt the melancholy of an aged mother . “Yu Yan has grown up . ”
Yu Yan looked down and smiled . He asked, “What are you doing in Beijing?”
“I’m here to watch a competition . ”
Yu Yan did not probe whose competition it was . He merely said, “Li Yubing and you, are both of you doing well?”
“Pretty good . Do you have a girlfriend?”
Yu Yan shook his head . He lowered his eyes and did not dare to meet her gaze . He was afraid that she would see how upset he was . The person he liked was asking him nonchalantly if he had a girlfriend .
After a while, Yu Yan exhaled slowly and asked her, “Does Li Yubing know that you came to find me?”
“He’s been feeling down lately . I’ll tell him after I go back . ” Tang Xue held her chin and measured Yu Yan . His cheeks were rosy and his complexion was excellent . Overall, he appeared well and looked to be in good spirits . Initially, Tang Xue was already skeptical that Yu Yan was sick . Now that she saw him in person, she was even more unconvinced . She watched him like this for some time before grinning suddenly .
Yu Yan’s face reddened uncontrollably . He mumbled, “What is it?”
“Yu Yan, after a year of not seeing you, you’ve evolved . You’re even able to trick others into thinking that you have depression . ”
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Yu Yan was surprised . “Did my mother go find you?”
“Mm, you’re her flesh and blood after all . No matter how fierce she normally is, she would still be worried when it comes to you . ”
“Say, do you think I’m going overboard by doing this?” Yu Yan started to feel a little guilty .
Tang Xue thought for a while and waved her hand . “If it was someone else, it’s definitely overboard . But based on my interaction with your mother, I can understand your actions . You’re trying to make a breakthrough with unconventional moves and fight fire with fire . Relax, don’t feel pressured by your conscience . If you don’t fix this now, you might really end up having depression . ”
Yu Yan shook his head . “I won’t ever have depression . ”
“Oh? How are you so sure?”
He watched her eyes and suddenly smiled . The smile was clean and gentle, and momentarily reminded Tang Xue of when she first saw him .
“Because there’s a ray of sunshine in my heart,” he said
……
After that, Tang Xue and Yu Yan started to catch up on their lives and each shared their recent developments . Yu Yan wished that time could pass slower—so much slower to the point that it could ideally pause at this period, an autumn morning spent in a quiet café where through the crystal clear glass was azure-blue skies and golden-bright ginkgo trees .
With her here, even autumn became lovelier .
However, she ultimately still must go .
Yu Yan said, “I’ll send you to the train station”
“It’s okay, you should head back for training . ”
Yu Yan insisted on sending her off . Tang Xue was unable to stop him and went along with it . This chapter is a labour of love that should not be found outside of teafragrance[dot]wordpress[dot]com .
They took a taxi back to Tang Xue’s hotel . When they stepped into the lobby, Tang Xue wanted to tell Yu Yan to wait for her in the lobby while she retrieved her luggage . But when she turned her head, she immediately spotted someone sitting on the lobby sofa .
That person wore a baseball cap and a face mask . His head was slightly lowered and she could not see his face .
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However, there was no need . Even without seeing his face, she could identify him as long as he was there .
Tang Xue froze where she stood and mumbled, “Li Yubing?”
Yu Yan wondered, “Hasn’t he already left?”
The person on the sofa stood up . He removed his mask slowly and looked at them with an expressionless face .
Tang Xue’s gaze met Li Yubing’s dark and intense pupils . Her heart leapt and she felt that he might have mistaken something . She was about to speak when Li Yubing opened his mouth .
“You can just tell me if you no longer love me . ”
When he said this, Li Yubing felt the sensation of a knife slicing through his heart . There was nothing wrong with this description—it really felt like there was a knife slicing away his heart, again and again, focusing on the most tender and delicate areas .
His heart ached too badly . He did not wish to see them and did not know where he should go . He only wanted to leave and be far away from this place .
He thought he was determined to leave but this determination did not last more than three steps . After three steps, when she was no longer in sight, he began to panic .
He might lose her .
This realization made him feel an acute ache . He wanted to turn back but was unable to do so . However, to take another step seemed more painful than death .
Please…
There was a voice in the depth of his heart, crying for help desperately .
Please…
Then, he was suddenly hugged from behind . The teenage girl’s arms embraced him tightly as she pressed her cheek against his back .
“Li Yubing, I love you . ”
In one second, just like this, he soared from hell to heaven .