Les Interprètes Chapter 33

Cheng Jia Yang

This summer, a few things happened like this: I met with Qiao Fei once, and she finally went to the faraway France to study, for a month. She didn’t give me any news. I was promoted to the bureau, and besides the usual translation work, I also had to replace my colleagues who had quit, and train the newbies; as for my online friend “I just don’t believe I can’t register for it”, I knew I little more about her. From the calm way she handled my womanly issues, it was a woman; a web author, who was busy finishing her second novel.

“What’s your novel about?” I asked.

“A man and a woman live across from each other, and have s.e.xual fantasies about each other.”

“Is there an end result? Do they finally meet?”

“No. They don’t meet. Why would they want to? That would only invite trouble and disappointment.”

“The main topic is about the beauty that comes from distance.”

“This is a true statement.”

“Oh.

I am going to log off now.”

“It’s still early.”

“I have to sleep, and I still need to work.”

“I haven’t seen many guys like you who are addicted to the good things.”

“Thanks, I’ll talk to you later.”

I closed the computer, and opened the lamp, and began to review some doc.u.ments.

My other hand took out some marijuana from the drawer, I lighted it, smoked it, and I felt that I wasn’t that tired.

Not very long afterwards, my mom’s birthday came around, a small dinner party was held at home.

My aunt was the master of ceremonies and the master of elegance; she invited two piano players to come and help from the Music School, and the buffet was from the Swiss hotel chef chief who came to the scene and cooked.

At the banquet that day, friends and family gathered together.

The other family gave a lot of face (really respected their reputations), Wen Xiao Hua’s father and mother came to dinner by themselves. That day, she shook hands with my mother, and softly told ‘auntie’ happy birthday.

I saw my mother’s eyes brighten: “This is Xiao Hua? What a beautiful maiden.”

From that point on, Wen Xiao Hua left a deep yet good impression in my mother, because on the day of the banquet she had also excitedly performed a violin song “Small Green Apple”; she was skilled, but she couldn’t beat the professional players.

Ah this type of girl really made one admire her, she had an impeccable bright aura. But she couldn’t be worthy of someone like me, so not long afterwards, my mom wanted me to send some very good cigarettes and very good wine to the Wen house as a gift but I flatly refused.

“Don’t you feel it’s not enough work making the drivers go? Or go yourself, but why do you want me to go?” I asked.

My mother fiercely glared at me.

Jia Ming didn’t have these boring topics like me.

On one hand, he had made himself look bad enough in front of our parents; at least on this topic, at the last battle, the two sides did not act rashly. Jia Ming didn’t have a permanent girlfriend, and my parents did not dare intrude unwarranted into his private life; on the other hand, no matter who was in his eyes, his romantic life made him seem more like a normal person than me.

I knew this, and simply did the same. Or else, my mother would be blinded with worry.

And whenever I had time, I would go to the nightclubs. I gradually realized the fun.

I liked young girls. Sitting outside the crowd at the bar, alone, the look blurred, I didn’t know where I didn’t have my own problems, and came here to be drunk, to buy forgetfulness for a moment.

I didn’t need to say much, my eyes didn’t need to return her looks to often. I felt she was very pleasing to the eye, and that we could have one romantic night.

Some limbs were soft, some rich experiences had a variety of bizarre gestures, but the more it was this way, I only felt new and strange as if I got more and more off the mark. As if I was watching a performance of Huo Se Sheng Xiang (The Legend of Fragrance. This has been adapted into a drama with leads Tang Yan and Li Yi Feng).

Some people wanted money from me on the second day, some people disappeared on the second morning, and left money for me.

My conscience was peaceful when paying or taking in money. Money was of equivalent value.

I drank wine in front of the bar, and there were also some guys who approached me.

I politely said that I was not a playboy.

Some people said, I wasn’t such. I had a wife, it was a supermodel.

“It would be difficult for me to go down that path. ”

“Why don’t you try it, you only know after you do.”

Doing it like this, really made one tired.

I pushed him aside and left the bar.

Outside, I lit a cigarette and found my car. I was suddenly pushed to the ground, I looked back and it was the same guy, he had another companion by his side.

My face received another hit again, my mouth filled with a smell. I didn’t know where I had began bleeding.

“You think you’re a deity just because you have a beauty face? When you come out to mix with the others you even pretend to be a virgin!”

He was right after all, I didn’t rebut.

After this person vented his anger, he left.

I took out a handkerchief to wipe the fresh blood on my face, with shaking hands, my phone fell on the ground.

A ringing sound suddenly sounded.

I looked at the number, it was a French district number.

It was Qiao Fei, at this moment, my heart beat wildly. After I answered it, I only said a “h.e.l.lo?” and I heard a choked voice.

“Jia Yang.”

“I’m listening.”

“I have stabilised myself on this side. But just now, a cla.s.smate bought a phone cared, so that’s why I only just called you.”

“Oh, no problem. How are you? Did it go well?”

“Very well. I’m doing very well.”

　　……

　　……

“I know, this was your plan. But, before, I was a little rushed going there, so I didn’t have time to call you and say thank you.”

“No problem. This was a little thing.”

Separated by mountains and rivers, the sound is always a little wrong on the phone, the call parties hesitant, tentative.

Do you know, I chased you to your house, wanting to see you again; Do you know, I dreamed on the airplane, that I seem to have went to Dalian with you again; Do you know, a man, resentful and filled with the urge to wait for a call, until deep in the night.

My tears flowed again, I couldn’t say anything, otherwise I would cry loudly.

On the other side of the phone there was no sound, for a long time. She said to me, Thank you.

Qiao Fei said ‘Thank you’ to me.

　　……

I lowered my voice: “Do you have anything else? I still have to look at my doc.u.ments.”

　　“……

All right….bye.”

“Bye.”

I looked at the dim screen, and closed the phone, I closed the line, and got onto my car.

The car rushed about the street at midnight, like the broken strings of an arrow leading to loss of control.

In front of me was a chaotic path, a hopeless life.

The car crashed into a tree on the coastal side of the road. My head hit the steering wheel, and there was only a second for the air balloon to explode, and my head went back to the top of my seat. I couldn’t breathe.

When I woke up, my surroundings were completely white.  Then I saw Jia Ming’s face. I was currently in the hospital. I seem to only be able to move my eyelids.

“You’re awake, sit up and eat by yourself then.” He said, “Our hospital’s food is very good.”

So it turned out that I hadn’t been injured heavily, I sat up, and poured water to drink.

Jia Ming carefully observed me: “Are you kidding me? You committed suicide?”

“I was just joking. This is a small matter, I drank a little more than usual.” I said, “Have you contacted my office to let them know I have to take a day off?”

“Today is Sat.u.r.day.”

“Oh what time?”

“2:00 in the afternoon.”

“You haven’t told father and mother right?”

“No, I also just came here.”

I took off the patient gown and changed into my own clothes. When I was about to leave Jia Ming said: “Oh that’s right,  Ming Fang came to do a checkup, I didn’t see her just now, can you say hi for me?”

“Are you kidding? Look at my panicked appearance.” I said. My hair still had small pieces of gauze and bandages.

My car had already been taken to the repair shop, I found Jia Ming’s car in the parking lot, and drove to the clinic entrance,  and saw Ming Fang,  who had finished her checkup, behind her was her husband, Zhou Nan who I had met before.

Seeing her from here, her belly was already pretty big. Walking was not very convenient,  she was supported by her husband, and got into her car. I walked behind them. But, their car drove crookedly, I glanced over,  it was the left wheel in the back that had no more air.

They also realized this themselves,  I pressed the horn, they stopped.  I also got off the car.

When they saw me, the two people were very happy.

I pointed at Ming Fang’s stomach and said: “How did it grow so quickly?”

“How is that fast? In two more months it’ll come out.” Zhou nan said.

Ming Fang saw my head: “What happened to you?”

“I fell.” I said,  “Brother in law, while you change the tire I can send Ming Fang home.”

“It wouldn’t be too much for you?”

“Well I don’t have anything much going on today anyways.” This was true.

While we were going to Ming Fang,  she showed me the ultrasound picture that had just been taken of the baby, in the grey blurriness;  she told me, this is the heart, this is the lung, this is his bqck.

“So small, and it has all its organs already?”

“It has all of them. When it comes out, it will even have hair, all right?”

I laughed.

“You really do make people admire you.”

“If you admire me, then make your own family, have a child too, Jia Yang.”

I was silent and continued driving.

In the light, I saw Ming Fang looking at me, she warmly said to me: “If you have a family you will have a child, you will gain stability, you will be happy. Jia Yang.”