The Beijing West Railway Station is crowded with people, it's comparable to the spectacle of her grandmother rushing several thousands of ducks back home in the countryside.
She's thin and delicate, like a bean sprout had fallen into a pile of ducks. She was rolled off the platform, afterwards, she rushed to the railway station hall.
The cell phone in his pocket vibrated and called out. When Du Ruo picked up her phone, someone next to her looked back, wondering wondering how a Nokia still exists in this day and age.
"Hello?" Du Ruo answered in a soft voice.
"Where are you?" On the other end of the phone, the boy's voice is a little impatient
"I just got off the train"
"I asked you where you are!"
She looked around for signages: "The hall. North Square Hall. "
"North 3rd District parking lot, Area A 0209."
The other end ended the call as soon as he finished. It was as if he went through a lot of trouble making this call.
Du Ruo has met Jing Ming before.
Four years ago, the Jing couple went to the southwest border to show their compassion to poor students of the area. Their son Jing Ming was with them.
The fourteen year old boy was tall and thin, so clean and white. Du Ruo and other skinny children looked foolish and didn't dare to approach.
Teenagers who look as good as angels only care about playing iPads in the car, When he was finally pulled out of the car by his mother, his eyebrows carry a look of disgust. He looked at people and things around him as garbage.
The original plan was to have a potluck at Du Ruo's house, but Jing Ming refused anyway and did not even touch her drinking cup. The Jing couple gave up and went back home soon after.
When Jing Ming got on the car, a reporter from the TV station gave Du Ruo a bunch of flowers and asked her to pass it to him. The teenager had sat in the car with a warning look in his eyes that she didn't have the courage to come forward. He then slammed the car door shut.
Du Ruo dragged her huge and heavy luggage all the way to ask, and finally found the parking lot in the North 3rd District. There's a white car parked in 0209 in Area A, shaped like a tank.
Jing Ming has a thin figure and was wearing white shirt and jeans. He leaned against the hood of the car, playing games. He was wearing sunglasses, with headphones plugged in as he chew gum from time to time.
"Fuck!"
"Fucking idiot!"
"Can't you fucking play?"
Sweating, Du Ruo clutched the handle of her luggage with a wet hand and walked towards him.
Jing Ming shook his phone quickly with both hands. From the corner of his eyes, he noticed that someone was approaching, his face turned slightly, his sunglasses covered his eyes so they couldn't be seen clearly, hence his expression was almost absent.
He didn't react until she came up and stood in front of him. The steep eyebrow peak on the sunglasses then picked up lightly.
Behind the black lens, the young man's eyes were alert as he scanned her up and down.
Her hair was sweaty, her shirt was wrinkled, her complexion was pale, and she was embarrassed. A pair of black-and-white eyes stared at her, just like the duckling who had been separated and came back.
He finally remembered what he was doing here. The mobile phone game has shown signs of decline. Frustrated, he said, "No more games, let's go."
He pulled off his headphones and stuffed them into his jeans pocket: "Du Ruochun?"
Du Ruo whispered, "I've changed my name."
"Oh?" He raised his eyebrows."Du Ruo."
He raised the corner of his right lip. He thought, huh, Du Ruo?
Doesn't it still look like Du Ruo? It's hard to understand.
He took the car key out of his pocket and pressed it, and the trunk popped open. He pointed with his chin and motioned to her to put the suitcase in.
Without saying a word, Du Ruo walked to the back of the car with her head down to carry the suitcase but she couldn't move it. She was sweating on her forehead and her face was flushed.
Jing Ming glanced at her, his eyebrows wrinkled deeply and twisted into a frown, the words "won't enter" were written all over his body.
He finally couldn't bear watching it any longer. He went over and snatched the luggage from her hand to throw it into the car. Unexpectedly, the luggage was so heavy that he almost dropped it on his foot. What a big joke.
Jing Ming flushed red and threw the suitcase into the trunk. He couldn't help baring his teeth as he scolded, "Fuck! It's so heavy."
Du Ruo explained in a low voice: "I brought some gifts to my uncle and aunt."
Jing Ming got angry for no reason: "What gifts? Stones of your hometown? "
“……”
She stopped talking.
He approached her, grabbed the trunk and closed it. His tall head blocked the light in the parking lot for a moment. He smelled the smell of train carriage on her and wrinkled his nose again in disgust.
Du Ruo didn't know it and blurted out a flattering remark: "You ... You've grown so tall"
Jing Ming mocked her clumsy flattery and said disdainfully, "Have we met?"
"We have. Four years ago, my aunt and uncle took you to our house."
"I don't remember." He said, "Don't get too close."
Du Ruo shut up。
The car made a detour in the underground parking lot and the alarm in the car kept going off. Jingming was tired of hearing it and said, "Fasten your seat belt."
"Hmm?"
"Fasten your seat belt!"
She quickly pulled out the belt next to the seat and buckled it. She found that though this guy has a bad temper. He doesn't necessarily dislike her in general, but she was a little at a loss as to what to do. This cramped sadness and embarrassment is the same as when a reporter from TV stations and newspapers took turns to interview and bombard her home after being admitted to a prestigious school, forcing her to express her gratitude.
Fortunately, she was happy when she first came to the capital. She was quickly drawn to the scenery outside the window
Summer is not over yet, hence the poplar and sycamore trees on both sides of the road are flourishing. Under the blue sky, there are many tall buildings and overpass shuttles. The hot wind blows into the windows from the reinforced concrete buildings.
The wind is also hot and dry.
After reporting at school tomorrow, a brand new life will begin in this modern international metropolis.
The best capital, the best university.
She's so filled with joy that she found it difficult to suppress her excitement.
Before that, she must first go to the Jing family's house to visit her aunt and uncle. Her father had died early and her family was poor. Had it not been for the Jing family's financial support, she would've dropped out of school to make a living in a small business in the village.
Although in the interview last month, she was embarrassed by revealing her gratitude in front of the camera over and over again, the kindness was sincere, and she kept it in mind.
The two persons in the car didn't talk all the way.
After half an hour, the car stopped in a residential area. Old red brick tile houses, a row of small restaurants is noticeable outside the community, such as Guilin rice noodles, braised chicken rice, Chongqing noodles, etc.
When Du Ruo got out of the car and was lamenting that the Jing family's living conditions seems ordinary but they had been supporting her. Jing Ming locked the car door and walked to a building by the side of the road.
She quickly followed and reminded him, "My luggage is still in the car."
He took three steps at a time. Without looking back, he said "No."
Du Ruo followed Jing Ming upstairs. She never thought that it would turn out to be an internet cafe.
Jingming found a desktop computer, put on headphones and started playing games.
His eyes glistened as he stared at the screen, his slender fingers flying rapidly on the keyboard, cracking the keyboard. A few dirty words popped out from his mouth from time to time.
On the screen, the villain was killing here and there, light waves exploded randomly.
Du Ruo couldn't understand it and was not interested. So she had to sit and wait.
After one game, he won and was in a good mood. He laughed with his companions at the other end of the screen, then turned to see Du Ruo sitting right next to him in a daze.
Without saying a word, he reached over and turned on her computer.
It was only then that Du Ruo noticed a long pale gold dragon pattern on the sleeve of his white shirt, winding from shoulder to the cuff. It was complicated and magnificent, but low-key and dark, unnoticeable if one didnt look closely.
She also saw a small square silver-gray embossed pattern on the inner side of his shirt cuff, which was light and brought the painted dragon to life by being placed in the pupils of its eyes. Each button is made of cypress wood and has been carved into small pieces, with different subtleties. It has an exceptional hidden charm.
The fabric of this clothing is very textured and it looks excellent on him. At first glance, it looks like an ordinary white shirt, but if you take a closer look, you will find exquisite and rare elements on it.
She bowed her head and hid the stray thread from the sleeve of her shirt.
Jing Ming continued to play the game.
Du Ruo had nothing to do when she turned on the computer. She was too tired after running around all day. She yawned several times before falling asleep, unconscious on the table.
Jingming glanced at her head halfway through the game. She had fell asleep quietly and looks pale. Her eyelashes are like small brushes, they were drooping, dark and long.
On the computer screen is her school's official website.
He withdrew his eyes without expression.
In the virtual world, there's a fierce battle. Outside, the sky is dark, as the sun is getting shorter.
Du Ruo didnt know how long she slept, when she felt someone pushing her shoulder.
She woke up with a start and opened her eyes. Jing Ming took off his headphones. "You're done?" she asked.
He handed her a hundred yuan, "Go and buy a bowl of instant noodles." He said as he put on his headphones again.
Du Ruo glanced at the computer screen. It's seven o'clock in the evening. She said nothing and got up with the money.
It's already dark outside the window, and the Internet cafe is full of young people wearing headphones, sitting side by side in front of the computers.
There are several girls purchasing at the front desk. Du Ruo's at the back of the line. While waiting, she accidentally glanced at the mirror beside her and was startled.
In the mirror, her hair was greasy and messy, her cheeks were gaunt and yellow, her body was thin and slender, and she's wearing an overly loose white shirt and jeans. No matter how clean she is, she could not hide the outdated style and cheap quality.
Du Ruo understood the lingering emotion she felt after seeing Jing Ming - inferiority.
Both of them were wearing white shirts and jeans, but it's not the same thing. One is delicate and the other is ugly. They are different varieties.
He's so beautiful and handsome that he's basically glowing. While she....
She remembered the way he frowned again and again and immediately felt ashamed of herself.
*****
Du Ruo made two bowls of noodles and returned to Jing Ming with the ninety-five dollars under the bowl.
Jing Ming picked up the noodles and started to eat, unintentionally glancing at the rest of the money. He casually asked, "Only five dollars for two bowls of noodles?"
"It was mine, I paid on my own."
Jing Ming was stunned for a moment. After a while, he picked up the corners of his lips as he smiled strangely and said nothing. He went on playing the game.
Du Ruo's face was burning for an instant, knowing what his smile meant.
Her money is not hers, it belongs to his family.
Jing Ming's cell phone kept ringing. He didn't care and just went on playing games.
Until he finally had enough, he went to the front desk to check out. As he walked out of the internet cafe and went down the stairs, the phone rang again. He picked it up in an impatient tone: "She arrived, I've picked her up....... What time is it? Can I help it if the train is late? ...... All right, I'll be right back."
Looking back at Du Ruo, "When we get home and they'll ask, do you know how to answer?"
Du Ruo nodded repeatedly: "Yes. My train is late."
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Monique: Yay new project. But just a heads up, I'll be slower with this one compared to Dudu, Dudu is cute and will be my main priority. Anyway I tend to go around browsing in various IP platforms and this is just one of my bookmarks. I actually have this idea to translate first chapters of the books that took my fancy. As for now, I present to you "Ruochun and Jingming"
The title is unique. There's this idiom "至若春和景明" Which is pronounced as "Zhì ruò chūn hé jǐngmíng" See what the author did there?
When using a vernacular translation (I'm not entirely sure with this one but basing on how other Chinese have asked about this, this must be it) its apparent meaning is "When the spring breeze is gentle, when the sun is sunny," This is from a famous poem Tribute to Yueyang Tower written by a Northern Song dynasty minister named Fan Zhongyan. I'm easily impressed so I think that the title is cool! That's it for an intro, I hope you guys liked the first chapter.
