Unfortunately, still no Jing Jing this week. Instead we’ve Xia Qing. Now we know why Yu Tu chose her. I don’t like her but her character was written rather realistically by Gu Man. Fortunately, the novel will have a happy ending. For those who left me comments, don’t worry and wait patiently for how Gu Man will let them end up together 🙂
Chapter 30 (translated by peanuts and edited by hoju)
Yu Tu was busier than he had ever been before. The colleagues at the institute were long accustomed to “white plus black” (day and night shifts) and “six plus one” (6 normal working days plus 1 rest day being Sunday) overtime mode, but it was still a bit shocking to see him like this, completely immersing himself into work.
Coming out from the laboratory, Da Meng could not hold himself back and advised him, “Take it easy, don’t be like Lao (meaning Old - prefix used before the surname of a person to indicate affection or familiarity) Guan and end up in the hospital.”
He still did not know about the real condition of Guan Zai’s illness.
Yu Tu said, “It is okay, I know my limit.”
Of course he would not treat his own body carelessly. After returning to the research institute, his life actually became even more disciplined than before. In the past, he would from time to time skip sleep and meals together with Guan Zai, but now he would eat and rest in a timely manner, and also exercise and work out.
He would arrange his schedule densely, leaving no gaps, and then carry it out rigorously.
“Speaking of which, you probably didn’t rest much during your more than several dozen days of vacation?” Da Meng said.
“What?”
“After coming back, it’s like you divine aid. One, two, three, four, five, solving the points that you were stuck on before. Lao (Old) Yu, you are so motivated. Is it because you want to take advantage of Lao (Old) Guan’s time in the hospital to usurp the throne?”
“Get lost!” Yu Tu answered him with these two words.
After Da Meng really did leave, he stood in the same place for a long time, laughing mockingly at himself.
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On a certain Saturday afternoon in the middle of the month, Yu Tu received a phone call from Zhai Liang.
“Xia Qing has come to Shanghai. She said that she wants to make up for last meal and is inviting everyone to have a meal. She asked me to call you. Today and tomorrow are both okay.”
Yu Tu declined immediately, “I don’t have time.”
“That’s okay, I’m only asking. It is actually good that you don’t go. You can avoid having Qu Ming, that jerk, from being an a**hole.” Zhai Liang readily hung up the phone. However, at a little past ten o’clock at night when Yu Tu was about to get off work, Zhai Liang called again.
Yu Tu picked up the phone, but it was Xia Qing’s voice that actually came through. She seemed to be a little drunk and unexpectedly asked, “Yu Tu, Miss Qiao… Who is Miss Qiao?”
Miss Qiao…
He hadn’t thought about Miss Qiao for a while, but there were so many people who liked to mention her. He always saw the senior high school group and university group having active discussions.
He clearly didn’t want to hear her name, but when they mentioned her, his heart seemed to welcome such discussions. Perhaps it was because only in this moment was he able to release those suppressed emotions.
Yu Tu lifted his hand and turned off the lights in the office. In the darkness, he held the phone and calmly said, “Of course it is Jing Jing.”
<>Copyright of Fanatical, hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. If you are not reading this from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com, this translation was taken without consent of the translator.
Yu Tu did not expect to receive a message from Xia Qing the next day. At that time, he was about to enter the conference room for a meeting.
“Zhai Liang said that you are working overtime. Do you have time to have a cup of tea?”
He glanced at the message and then indifferently locked his phone into the . When the meeting ended, it was already past 8 o’clock at night. He took back his mobile phone. There were two more messages in WeChat.
“I am waiting for you at the cafe next to your work unit.”
The other message was a location. It was sent at 6:50 pm.
<>Copyright of Fanatical, hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. If you are not reading this from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com, this translation was taken without consent of the translator.
Xia Qing was wearing a light cashmere coat and sitting in the cafe. From top to bottom, she was meticulously dressed, and she looked out of place in the relatively simple cafe.
However, finding a cafe in this vicinity was already not easy to do.
She came here probably because she was so obsessed it was like she was possessed by a ghost.
But even if it meant she was possessed by a ghost, she still absolutely had to see Yu Tu at this very moment. Otherwise, her heart that had been burning since she saw that video would never calm.
She had been unable to believe it.
She had previously heard Qu Ming mentioned “Miss Qiao”, that Miss Qiao who had drunk Domaine de la Romanee-Conti (abbreviated to DRC is considered among the world's most expensive French wine) with Yu Tu. She had wondered before if it was Qiao Jing Jing, but how could that be possible?
How could Yu Tu be mixing together with Qiao Jing Jing? He had never liked her.
Regarding Qiao Jing Jing, Xia Qing has always had some subtle feelings about her. In her junior high school era, she had been a true “girl loved by the gods,” being the smartest and most beautiful. However ,in senior high school, there had actually been a girl in the class who was more beautiful than her, and was also popular. It was very difficult for Xia Qing not to harbor some thoughts. But fortunately, her grades left that girl far behind. And fortunately, that girl’s love confession to the boy she also liked had not been successful.
Therefore, in college, after her own love confession to Yu Tu had been accepted, the first thing she did had been to tell her senior-high desk-mate, whom she had not kept in contact with for a long time. She knew that desk-mate was talkative and gossipy and would definitely tell everyone in the senior high school class.
At that time, in addition to the happiness of having a longtime wish realized, her happiness had also doubled when thinking of Qiao Jing Jing’s failed love confession.
But now a few years later, Yu Tu was nevertheless together with Qiao Jing Jing? They drank together, played games together, and appeared in public together in a high-profile manner…
Xia Qing had trouble sleeping all night.
It could be anyone. But how could it be Qiao Jing Jing?
He had said, “Of course it is Jing Jing” —— Why “of course”? Just because she was a celebrity now?
This was too ridiculous.
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As if she could sense something, she turned her head to look out the window. Across the road, Yu Tu was walking towards the cafe. The coat on his body was not high-quality, but having a figure that was a natural clothes hanger, no matter how ordinary the clothes, he would still look tall, straight, and imposing when wearing them.
There were girls in the street turning their heads to look at him, but he behaved as if he did not notice. This probably was a bonus point added on top of her infatuation with him in her youth, that he was a boy liked by so many people…
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In fact, in the early years, Xia Qing never regretted breaking up with Yu Tu.
Why would she regret it? He was a man who obviously was able to command a high salary, but for his so-called dream, he tried to make the other party in the relationship take on more family responsibilities. That was too naive and also too selfish.
The high cost of living in major cities would never be discounted because of his dream. They were both from average families of third or fourth-tier cities. If they didn’t work hard together, how would they establish themselves in a major city like Beijing and Shanghai?
A house, the future education of their children. Which of these was not a huge expenditure? How could the salary from the research institute support those? Don’t tell her it would all depend on her! On what grounds?
After breaking up, she spoke about Yu Tu with her friends on more than one occasion.
The senior high school desk-mate, her university dormitory roommates, her colleagues… She couldn’t help but mention him when she was chatting with them —— her ex-boyfriend, explaining her reason for breaking up.
Of course, they supported her. She was also more and more convinced that she had made the right decision.
She did not regret at all.
The only thing that she was dissatisfied about was that when she suggested to break up, he actually agreed right away and did not at all try to persuade her otherwise.
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Until one day, she realized that she was going to celebrate her 30th birthday. But that person of her dreams who was as smart and outstanding as Yu Tu and also as successful as her did not appear.
There was no shortage of suitors around. She also had had another romantic relationship. However, those people were either not smart enough or not witty enough. In comparison to Yu Tu, every one of them was mediocre.
Suddenly she felt that, actually, Yu Tu would do. Although he had no money, after making comparisons all around, this shortcoming could be completely compensated for by other merits—was highly educated, had a job that, though low-paying, was respectable, and, furthermore, was a lot more handsome than all her female colleagues’ boyfriends or husbands.
Anyway, she was already earning a seven-figure annual salary now. A few years ago, she had not been willing to take on more of the financial burden, but now, it seemed she could accept it. She already has enough financial ability.
During that period, she had been eager to make a move, paying particular attention to the senior high school and college group chats. She even twice deliberately stirred up some topics.
However, when she saw Yu Tu being asked by a fellow classmate to go and repair the purifier, she was a little hesitant.
While hesitating, she heard that Yu Tu was going to go work in investment banking.
It was almost instantly that she decided to change her itinerary and go to Shanghai.
She knew clearly just how popular Yu Tu would be after he stepped out of that closed-up research institute and joined the banking circle.
That meeting had not gone as she had hoped. She had her own reservation and pride, so of course she would not throw herself at him and pester him. But if she let go, was she going to let a stranger, a latecomer, someone who had never sacrificed anything, to reap without having sown anything?
She hesitated and weighed things out.
But all the hesitation and weighing ended completely after she watched the video of Yu Tu and Qiao Jing Jing.
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Yu Tu pushed open the door and came in.
Xia Qing put away her mixed, unorganized trains of thought. She took a deep breath. She had been drunk yesterday and lost control over herself. Now was the time to redeem her image.
She smilingly watched Yu Tu sit down, and then she spoke the opening remark that she had already prepared at an earlier time.
“Zhai Liang said that your phone often has no signal, and that really turned out to be the case. Is that a measure to maintain confidentiality? The phone cannot be brought into the lab?”
Yu Tu nodded, then said directly, “Why are you looking for me?”
“I waited for you for two hours. Don’t tell me you’ll just say a few words to settle the matter, and then you’re leaving?” Xia Qing's attitude was obviously different from last time. “Have you eaten dinner? Do you want to order something?”
“I ate in the canteen.”
The waiter came over. Yu Tu just ordered a cup of tea.
After the waiter left, Xia Qing said, “After the gathering ended yesterday, Zhai Liang and I found a place and drank for quite a long time. I heard that you went back to the research institute again?”
“Yes.”
“He is actually quite worried about you, said that you are not in the right frame of mind, but he doesn’t feel it’s appropriate for him to ask too much.” Xia Qing showed deep concern as a friend. “Is there a problem over there at Zhong (China) X?”
Yu Tu lifted his eyes to look at her.
Zhai Liang would never be worried about anything. Her way of making use of other people to beat around the bush like this naturally caused people to feel annoyed. He looked at his watch, intending on ending this meeting as soon as possible. He said very briefly, “No problems. I am more suited for the research institute.”
Noticing his expression, Xia Qing decided to change the topic immediately —— this topic was not important at all, and she had no interest, either, in finding out about it. She was merely using Zhai Liang as an excuse to make her action of coming to find him reasonable.
She was all smiles and got into the topic that she truly cared about. “By the way, how did you end up playing games with Qiao Jing Jing? During yesterday’s gathering, everyone discussed this for a long time and blamed us for not saying earlier that Qiao Jing Jing is our senior high school classmate. How were we supposed to say it? We had never been well acquainted with her.”
“I heard that the two of you even drank together? I thought about it over and over again but still thought that was impossible. Thus, after they left, I deliberately verified with you.” She had now provided reason for and also glossed over the drunken, gaffe phone call she had made yesterday. She smilingly said, “I hadn’t expected that it really was her.”
"How did you two manage to get together?" She pretended to be curious and asked this once again.
Yu Tu said indifferently, “We were senior high school classmate, so it is not surprising that we are in contact with each other.”
Xia Qing’s words were shut down for a moment with his response.
You and her were high school classmates, but I was not? Is this answer too perfunctory?
“Yes.” Xia Qing showed an expression of agreement. “But she has never been in the class group chat. I thought she doesn’t like to be in contact with her former classmates.”
"Speaking of which, she is currently the most successful person out of our whole class." She stirred the coffee and sighed. "On the contrary, we’re not that successful. Once you’re out in society, what’s the use of good grades? You still have to depend on EQ (emotional IQ)."
Yu Tu lowered his eyes slightly. “She graduated from a key university (recognized as prestigious and which received a high level of support from the central government).”
“Did she?” She had a look, like she just realized this. “I didn’t pay much attention to her back when I was studying. But I admire her very much. The entertainment circle is such a complicated place where the dragons and snakes mingle (Chinese idiom meaning mix of good and bad people). Every sort of person can be found in it But she can mix so well and is so popular. She must definitely have sacrificed a lot.”
Her tone was relaxed, like she was casually chatting.
“Xia Qing.”
Suddenly Yu Tu called her name.
Xia Qing paused.
“I think, maybe I should say sorry to you.”
With Xia Qing's surprised expression on him, Yu Tu looked straight at her and said in an even voice, "I was too impetuous when I said yes at the time. I only considered that you were independent enough, but never thought about what I myself should put in. Facts have proved that I was not a good choice. Fortunately, you have always been smart and cut your losses in a timely manner.”
He was saying sorry, but the eyes that were looking at her were cold, without the slightest bit of regret.
Suddenly Xia Qing understood. He was not apologizing at all. Clearly, it was because she had just hinted that Qiao Jing Jing might not have gotten to the top by proper channels that he could not wait and was fighting back for her.
And this seemingly apologetic speech, from beginning to end, was just telling her that he had never truly loved her.
For a split second, her heart felt like it was being pricked by needles.
She had merely hinted with one sentence, but he had gone so far as to use words in such a way to hurt her.
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Xia Qing practically wanted to sneer. “Yu Tu, is this your gentleman’s behavior?”
Yu Tu looked indifferent: “We haven’t been in contact with each other for a long time. Why must you?”
Xia Qing did not speak anymore. All the probing she had prepared had all lost their meaning now. The discontentment that had been growing in her like weeds in the past few days was extinguished in an instant and cooled down completely.
She knew that she had completely miscalculated her position in Yu Tu’s heart and the remaining affection he had for her. He did not even have the patience to deal with her. Thus, she had lost everything. But luckily, no one else saw this defeat.
She tried her best to finish drinking her coffee gracefully, then summoned the waiter to pay the bill. When she got up, she insinuated, “No wonder you went back to the research institute. After all, you don’t need to worry about material things now. Hope that you can hold on to this firmly.”
Their conversation had come to such a point. There was no need to see each other again in this lifetime.
<>Copyright of Fanatical, hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. If you are not reading this from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com, this translation was taken without consent of the translator.
Yu Tu continued to sit in the cafe for a while.
When he left, it started to drizzle outside. Yu Tu stood under the eaves. Suddenly, he thought, if he were already together with her now, would he need to report what happened today to her?
How would he report it? How would she respond?
However, he probably in the end would choose not to mention this.
After all, today was her birthday…
He was lost in thought for a long time. Soon, he realized his ridiculousness. He turned up the collar, bowed his head, and walked into the rain.
<>Copyright of Fanatical, hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. If you are not reading this from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com, this translation was taken without consent of the translator.
When he got home, he was already soaked from head to toe. Zhai Liang, looking a little embarrassed, greeted him. Seeing his soaked look, he slipped into the bathroom to get him a towel.
“Is it okay that I told Xia Qing your work unit address? She can find it online anyway.”
“It doesn’t matter. She probably won’t come find me again in the future.”
After Zhai Liang was informed of the whole situation, he couldn't help but sigh. “Such a hard-hearted man.”
“Yesterday, you didn’t tell them about Jing Jing”—Yu Tu paused for a while in his action of rubbing the hair—“playing games with us, right?”
“Of course not, since you’ve warned me repeatedly. I just acted as if I don’t know Cotton. I even more so won’t say how bad she used to play.”
Yu Tu glanced at him. Zhai Liang quickly made a zip-lip gesture.
“I say, don’t tell me that in your heart, you, hee hee~~~” He shook his head. “Speaking of which, Cotton is very adorable. She’s lively and acts cute, like a little girl. Even now, I still can’t connect her with that big star.”
“But although she was your senior high school classmate, the distance between both of you is too wide now. She is way out of your league. We played games with her for almost two months, but now she doesn’t even say anything to us and just disappears.” Zhai Liang shrugged his shoulders, “Indeed, big star are really not easy to get close to.”
“In the game…she hasn’t logged in anymore?”
“No. I looked at her history log. It’s remained the same, stopped on the day of your exhibition match. The results of the last two games were quite awesome.”
Yu Tu silently rubbed his hair. After a little while, he said: “She gave me two KPL tickets, to let me go together with you, but I didn’t call you.”
Zhai Liang eyes grew wide. “What?”
He couldn’t believe it. “She gave me a ticket?”
“The ticket is just under the coffee table in the living room.” Covered by the towel, Yu Tu closed his eyes. “Zhai Liang, I made her angry, which is why she hasn’t appeared. Don’t misunderstand her.”
Completed:
30 of 37 Chapters