Waving to you all from the airplane. 🙂
Travel involves making memories. What sort of memories are Xixi and Jì Chengyang making together?
Chapter 15.2 — The Memories are Still Awake (2)This story was translated with the express permission of the author for hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. All forms of reproduction, redistribution, or reposting are not authorized. If you are not reading this from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com, the copy is unauthorized and has been taken without consent of the translator.
For the convenience of taking Jǐ Yi around to have fun, Jì Chengyang had reserved a hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui's Harbour City.
The next day, he wanted to take a taxi over to Ocean Park, but Jǐ Yi turned down this plan. "I want to take the metro and bus." In regards to this request from Jǐ Yi, Jì Chengyang had no real objections. Transportation was so convenient in the location where they were staying anyway, so it would not be too troublesome if they really did take the metro and bus. Every time he came here alone for work, he would always, out of habit, choose to take the metro as his primary mode of transportation as well.
"We need to go to Admiralty Station." The first thing Jǐ Yi did after she stepped into the metro car was tilt her head up to look at the metro system map. "And then we get out at exit B."
Old map of Hong Kong’s MTR system (image credit) from the early 2000s. They likely would have gotten on at Tsim Sha Tsui station and then exited at Admiralty. (Note: There is now an Ocean Park Station on the South Island line that opened yearend 2016. In the early 2000s, this station did not exist, and hence the two had to transfer from metro to bus in order to get to Ocean Park.)
She had already researched the transportation routes last night.
The last time she was here, because she had not been adequately prepared, she had not arrived at Ocean Park until three, four in the afternoon. Most of her time had been spent trying to figure out the route to take, and hence she had missed the time of the dolphin performance. This time, she definitely was not going to miss it.
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With her hands holding the metal pole and her head leaning lightly against it, she conversed quietly with Jì Chengyang.
Since entering university, there was no longer the restriction of not being allowed to have long hair that hung loose, so her hair naturally had grown out a lot. At this very moment, her soft locks were splayed over her shoulders, highlighting a delicate, pretty face.
She had always been very slender, but her face had some baby fat.
This type of countenance made a person seem younger.
But it was this young and delicate face that was now matched with a rather mature, intellectual-looking dark-blue dress beneath it, and tied at the waist was a little dark-blue linen belt. When worn on Jǐ Yi, this outfit caused people to think of a girl who was still not truly grown up yet but had snuck one of her mother's mature-looking outfits to wear, simply for the purpose of going out on a date with the person she liked.
However, though the clothing was a little inharmonious with her age, it also gave a wonderful feeling to Jì Chengyang.
As Jì Chengyang held the grab rail with one hand and chatted with her with lowered head, he would every now and then carefully observe her movements and gestures.
He was not certain how long he would be able to stay with her this time that he was back. He even worried that on his next return, his little lady would have suddenly grown up, and he would have missed out on being with her during that wonderful period where she truly matured and developed.
"Are you thinking about some matters?" Jǐ Yi asked him softly.
Shaking his head, Jì Chengyang answered in a quiet voice, "No, I was just thinking about dolphins."
His dark, clear eyes were gazing at her.
A laugh slipped from her with a "pfft." "We'll definitely be able to make the noon performance."
Jì Chengyang said nothing to that. It was currently only nine o'clock. The park was not even officially open for the day yet.
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They transferred from metro to bus. She purposely pulled Jì Chengyang back, not letting him get on the bus that was about to pull away, and stood instead at the very front of the queue. She wanted to sit in the first row of the top level of the double-decker bus and have the same view as the driver.
"That spot is the least safe," Jì Chengyang reminded her.
"It's no problem. I have you," Jǐ Yi beamed.
This answer was one that absolutely could not be thought upon too deeply. If something truly did happen, it did not matter who was with her; it would be no use. But to her, since childhood, as long as a place had Jì Chengyang in it, there was nothing really to be scared about.
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That day, Jǐ Yi's wish was fulfilled, and she got to sit in the first row of the double-decker bus. And what made her feel even happier and more blessed was that sitting there beside her was Jì Chengyang. Gripping the handlebar in front of the glass window, she snuck a peek at him from the corner of her eye. In her gaze, there were towering buildings, and there was Jì Chengyang. As he sat beside her in this space, it was evident that, due to his height, he was somewhat unable to stretch out his legs and could only extend one of them out into the aisle. This posture was especially manly. If she really were to think about it, he was only twenty-five years old.
In reality… the age difference between her and him was not that big, only eight years. And the age of twenty-five was merely the age of a university graduate student.
While she continued looking him over, she discovered that, since his brain surgery, he was very fond of wearing a black baseball cap when he was outside of the home.
He also no longer liked to wear button-up shirts as much as he had in her childhood memories. Most of the time, he wore a black t-shirt plus a black jacket, or sometimes it would be dark gray. In any case, it was that type of colour that would least stand out within a crowd.
Jǐ Yi suddenly was curious. "Why is it that more and more, you like to wear black?"
Turning to look at her, Jì Chengyang gave a light chuckle. "How should I answer you?"
"Is it that difficult?" Jǐ Yi also laughed.
"It's a habit that developed gradually." Jì Chengyang rested his left arm behind her seat. Sunlight shone in through the full-length glass in front of them. Seeing her eyes squinting against the brightness, he could not contain his smile, and removing his baseball cap, he put it on her head. "This is the bad part about sitting in the first row."
The cap was a little bit too big. All at once, Jǐ Yi felt as if the view in front of her was completely dark, and she had to reach her hand up to lift the brim of the cap.
In that instant, Jǐ Yi smelled Jì Chengyang's unique scent on the cap.
Why it was unique, she could not explain clearly, but in any case, only this type of faint cigarette scent belonged uniquely to him. The ones on other people were just other people's; there was nothing special about those.
Pushing up the cap's brim, Jǐ Yi urged him, "You hadn't finished telling me just now."
"It's not really any special reason. It's just a common rule that everyone knows: on battlefields, the less you stand out, the better. But you can't be too similar to the military uniforms of the various countries, either. That's why I generally like to wear black or gray when I'm in the war zones." The manner in which Jì Chengyang stated these things was very matter of course, similar to how a doctor would mention how he or she saved a life on the operating table, most depictions being along the lines of "Today we revived another person." So casual and downplayed were the descriptions, but if this were to happen to any other ordinary person, just how frighteningly perilous and terror-inducing would each minute, each second be?
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There was a young mother behind them, and she asked Jì Chengyang if he could allow her child to stand in front of him to get a taste of the view from the first row through the full-length glass. Jì Chengyang gladly agreed and picked the little boy up onto one of his thighs. As Jǐ Yi glanced over this picture, her mind suddenly sketched out the image of him holding her when she was a child. Back then, she had been almost eleven or twelve years old, but because she had a small frame, her height and build had actually been similar to this eight, nine-year-old boy…
How old had Jì Chengyang been at the time? She silently worked it out in her mind. He had only been twenty.
Merely a two-year age difference with the present Jì Nuannnuan…
Musing on this, her gaze drifted off somewhere.
As Jì Chengyang looked down at the little boy in his embrace whose eyes were sparkling, his mind, too, was pulled to that same thought. In a mere blink of the eye, so many years had passed. He absolutely had never thought that on that day, six, seven years ago, when he brought a little girl to her onstage dance performance, it would become this long, unbroken development of feelings, love, and a relationship.
How old had Jǐ Yi been at the time? Eleven or twelve?
Her hands had been small; her whole physique had been small. Clothed in the Tibetan outfit custom-tailored to fit her and wearing a head ornament, she had stood behind the red stage curtain with her hands clenched into little fists. At the time, he had not known how to comfort her to help her feel less nervous, and he had even felt, how had this whole matter ended up falling on him, that out of the blue, during his vacation time back in China, he needed to help take care of someone else's kid?
Jì Chengyang looked over at the girl whose head was bowed to evade the baking sun but whose eyes, underneath the baseball cap's brim, were still casting all about, taking in the billboards that were on the buildings on either side. She was grown up now. Beneath the tip of her delicate little nose were her lips that had a slight upward turn to them. Her long, deep-black tresses were draped on her shoulders, the hairs very soft. He remembered, during an idle conversation he had had at the television station with those people in order to fight off weariness, someone had analyzed personality based on hair type and said that if a woman's hair was fine and soft, it was generally because she was very perceptive and detailed and her nature was relatively gentler and more sensitive.
Indeed, Jǐ Yi's disposition tended to be more soft and gentle, and at times she would even be shy or get cold feet at things.
"Over there, over there! The cemetery!" Raising that black cap brim, Jǐ Yi interrupted these thoughts of his. She grabbed his wrist. "The first time I came to Hong Kong, I stayed around here." She pointed at the cemetery to the right, then turned to look at the old building on the left.
Jì Chengyang laughed. "You really do remember that first time very clearly."
"I remember my first time of everything very clearly," Jǐ Yi told him. "Don't you?"
Jì Chengyang paused for a moment in surprise, but then he turned the corner of his lips up into a curve that was neither too big nor too small. Surprisingly, Jǐ Yi immediately understood. Her eyes widened as she stared at him, and her cheeks burned slightly. With great interest, Jì Chengyang watched her. Switching the boy on his lap over to his left leg, with his right hand that was now freed up, he stretched out his finger and flicked her lightly on her forehead.
This was a wordless admission that he and she were thinking of the exact same thing.
Jǐ Yi shoved the cap brim until it was completely down. This time, a blush truly did cover her entire face, a slight tinge of red that began at that little stretch of skin behind her ears and spread outwards.
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When the bus arrived at the end of the line and the little boy gave his goodbyes to them, what he said was "Bye, Uncle, bye Big Sister."
As a man, Jì Chengyang had not caught these small details and had even answered the child while giving a casual wave to him. Jǐ Yi, however, felt a very subtle feeling, where she actually minded this. As she gazed at the backside of that person who was standing in front of the ticket window, pulling out his wallet to pay for their admissions, she practically could not wait already and wanted to hear someone call her "Auntie." That way, she and he would have equivalent forms of address.
<>Copyright of Fanatical, hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. Translated with the express permission of the author for hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com only.
That day, she and Jì Chengyang really did make it to the dolphin show.
The only thing was, they were more than ten minutes too late, and all the shady, cool seats to escape the sun were already filled up. The remaining two-thirds of the seats up at the front that had the sun broiling down on them, however, were completely empty. Jǐ Yi dithered somewhat, but Jì Chengyang had already taken her hand and, following the stairs, made their way down the stands. Since there were no more seats left in those several back rows, they might as well sit in the very front row and let the sun beat down on them.
Jì Chengyang was this type of person, one who, in any situation, could make a decision within one second. Hence, a little matter like this one did not even need any consideration. But when she sat down, the feeling really was kind of weird. In the entire two-thirds of the stands that were bathed in sunlight, there sat only the two of them… Just how many eyes were staring at them during this time before any of the animals came out? …
Music began to play.
Sitting down on the scorching hot plastic seat, she took a bite from her ice cream, which was already beginning to melt from being out under the sweltering sun. She blinked, her eyelashes fluttering slightly, and suddenly asked Jì Chengyang in a quiet voice, "Have you ever been here before?"
"I have," he smiled. "Just one time, and it was when I was a kid, too. Before I went to Beijing, I made a trip here to Hong Kong."
1982?
That sure was a long time ago…
She used the fastest speed possible to finish eating the ice cream in her hand.
"Were there any dolphins back then?"
He gave a faintly audible "mm" and thought for a moment. "I seem to remember watching a woman, who had permed hair that looked like it had exploded, kiss some animal that was in the water." Such a hazy memory…
Jǐ Yi wanted to ask more, but she had already caught sight of several clear outlines swimming out in the water. And then, two dolphins all of a sudden leaped out simultaneously from the water. The sight of the glimmering water caused cries of delighted surprise to slip from everyone, including herself.
Excitement had been incited in the audience members behind them, and they all rushed forward together.
With these adorable animals, closer, of course, was better.
"So cute, so cute—"
There was seldom-heard delight and exhilaration in Jǐ Yi's voice, and both her hands were clutching his right wrist. With this, Jì Chengyang's deep black eyes turned towards her. Because the sun was too bright, his brows instinctively creased together, and his eyes squinted slightly to look at her. She was smiling. The soft curve at the corner of her lips and also her expressions and countenance that bordered between being a girl and a woman all made her look very pretty.
Jǐ Yi continued fixing her gaze on the pool's turquoise waters and the performing dolphins, every so often swinging his arm and expressing her excitement.
The audience stands here were very small, and as he sat there, he was forced to set both his arms on his legs. This sitting posture made him appear as if he was sitting on one of those military-use folding camp stools. He was not too comfortable, and moreover, from time to time, he would be rocked by her and then would obligingly listen to what she was saying. After watching the dolphins for a short while, he suddenly began to ponder over a question: She was such a sweet, cute girl. Would there be any male classmates the same age as her who expressed an interest, or maybe enthusiasm, in dating her? And then, when she went to class, the boy would save a seat for her; when class was over, he would pretend to nonchalantly go with her to the dining centre to eat… or maybe to the library to study.
"Xixi."
Jǐ Yi made a sound in answer.
"In university…"
How could he ask? Are there any male classmates who like you?
Shifting her gaze away from the dolphins and onto him, Jǐ Yi waited for his words that were to follow.
Jì Chengyang, though, suddenly turned back to watch the dolphins, his eyes hidden behind the lenses of his glasses. From her angle, she could only see his thick, gorgeous eyelashes. "In university… are you adjusting well?" He was a professional journalist, so this technique of changing his question at the last minute was something he was very adept in, and he flawlessly covered up for himself.
Her university life?
Jǐ Yi had not detected anything in the slightest and actually mulled over this question seriously for a moment before beginning, amid the joyful laughter and applause, to give an account of her mental and emotional journey since starting university.
"When school first started, it was like a war. It seemed as if you were in a rush for everything—in a rush to get your textbooks, to find your dorm, to find your classroom, and also to find the dining centre. I was always worried I couldn't keep up with everyone else because everyone is so outstanding… I heard what their marks were… They’re all quite high…" There are always more heavens beyond the skies, and regardless of how outstanding a person may be, there will always be someone better. She truly had worried that everyone else would already be adjusted, while she was still in a state of mayhem.
A smile touched the corner of Jì Chengyang's lips.
He reckoned that if he kept asking about this, she would lose her mood for watching the show.
"Watch the dolphins now." He quickly rectified this conversation topic that had strayed.
Somewhat bewildered, Jǐ Yi gave an "oh, okay" in response.
Fortunately, some interaction between the trainers and the dolphins had begun, and that quickly attracted her gaze. However, she still felt that that Jì Chengyang from a moment ago had been a little… strange.
This story was translated with the express permission of the author for hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. All forms of reproduction, redistribution, or reposting are not authorized. If you are not reading this from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com, the copy is unauthorized and has been taken without consent of the translator.
Completed:
36 of 69 Chapter segments
0 of 1 Epilogue