The Fading Away of Our Youth (So Young) Volume 2 Chapter 14 Part2

Hey guys I just got back a few days ago from Spain! It was so amazing, and I had a ton of fun.
 

Chapter 14, 2/2

Zheng Wei thought of his normal overbearing, lazy, sleepy, hungry manner, and couldn’t help but feel some affection. No matter how she looked at it it seemed like he had gotten skinnier. Right after she walked over to the cage, Shu Bao stood up in response to her greeting. Zheng Wei stuck her had in and petted him, and he used his chin to gently rub against her. Before when they were at home, he had never been so close to her. Zheng Wei’s heart ached, and she was afraid her heart would soften, so she didn’t dare stay longer. Right when she was about to leave, she saw a woman walk in to look at the cats, holding the hand of a little boy.

That little boy pointed at Shu Bao and said, “Mom, what is this cat, it looks both fat and ugly.”

That woman looked [at Shu Bao], then looked at the store owner, surprised. Laughingly, she said, “This isn’t a local cat, is it? Your pet shop even sells this kind of local cat?”

Zheng Wei felt extremely angry in her heart; what’s wrong with local cats, would an aristocratic cat be any better? Looking at Shu Bao, who was a mix of so many different breeds of cats yet still tried his best to raise his head up, she felt an inexplicable sadness.

After a negotiation, the owner called the person in charge of foster care. Finally, he agreed to let Zheng Wei take Shu Bao home. She left, and towards the mother and the son, she walked away, as if embracing a treasure, hugging Shu Bao in her arms. At first she felt that she could let out her breath, but after walking for a bit she regretted it. She knew that bring him back home was unwise, but she had been unable to look on unfeelingly and leave him there.

On the road home, Zheng Wei got a call from her dad. Typically, she made a call to her mom and her dad once a week each; they had separated for many years now, and had never remarried.

After they had talked about daily matters, her dad hesitantly (as if holding back; beginning to speak then breaking it off) asked how her mom was doing. To be honest Zheng Wei lived thousands of miles away, and her mom and her dad were actually living in the same city, but now, they had to go through her to understand matters about the other.

“I called mom the day before yesterday, and she said everything was quite well.”

Her dad still had things he wanted to say, but he hesitated. Zheng Wei intuitively understood, so she decided why not just get to the point and said, “Dad, do you want to get remarried with mom?”

Her dad tacitly agreed with her words. “Wei Wei, Dad’s almost about to retire. These past few years, I haven’t had anybody else, and your mom was also alone. My companion from when we were a young couple; when we were young our arguments were all so emotional (letting their emotions affect their decisions). I wish that I could live out the last 10-20 years with her.”

“Does mom know? What does she say?”

“I’ve never talked about it explicitly with her face to face, but she should know the meaning. She hasn’t said anything, so I hope you can say a few words on my behalf in front of her. She doesn’t listen to other people’s words, if it comes from her daughter she’ll definitely seriously consider it.”

Zheng Wei promised her dad. In reality, she had also thought about her mother’s loneliness from living alone these past few years, and besides, deep in her heard, even if there was only a possibility, she still hoped that her parents could reunite.

That night, she hugged Shu Bao as she called her mom, and when she had just [intentionally] brought up her dad, her mom immediately understood. “Wei Wei, did you think you could put in some words for him?”

Zheng Wei struggled to say, “Mom, I’m not with you, so you being alone obviously makes me worry&h.e.l.lip; &h.e.l.lip; Dad also said that he won’t argue with you anymore.”

“You know it too, my separation with your dad wasn’t only because of the fighting.”

“But Uncle Lin’s already not here anymore&h.e.l.lip; &h.e.l.lip; You don’t have to &h.e.l.lip; &h.e.l.lip;” Zheng Wei didn’t know how to continue.

Her mom’s voice was very calm. “Yes, he’s been dead for many years now, but I’m not guarding him. I haven’t promised your dad I’d remarry him, not because I’m afraid he’ll argue with me, but because our dispositions truly don’t match. Fate has already reached it’s limit, I don’t want to try again. Tell him, while he isn’t too old, find another one. If I meet a good one, I will consider it too. Also, don’t just worry about my business, how are you doing? You’re already a big girl now. When mom (I) was your age I already had you.”

“Don’t worry, you’re afraid no one will want your daughter?” She laughed as she said it, and suddenly a thought flashed through her head. “Mom, is Aunt Sun okay now?”

Her mom and Aunt Sun were still working in the same unit. “Same as before, the person (her mom’s second husband and Aunt Sun’s old husband, Uncle Lin) is already dead, what else could we argue about. She’s the group leader, so she can’t nag me for it forever, and the most she’s done is ignore me. That’s right, Wei Wei, I heard that Lin Jing returned to the country, and he’d already found a pretty good unit in Shanghai, but then he went to G City afterwards, are you guys&h.e.l.lip; &h.e.l.lip;”

Zheng Wei hurriedly interrupted, “Mom, what can we be now, the unit at Shanghai is good, but maybe the unit over here is even better. Did you actually think he came to G City for me? He’s not that type of person.”

One week later, Lin Jing came back from his business trip. When Zheng Wei picked up his call, she could still hear the sound of the airport loudspeaker. He said, “Wei Wei, let’s eat dinner together tonight.”

Zheng Wei secretly clutched her skirt and said: “I don’t have time today.”

He laughed and said, “What time are you busy till?” Feeling the silence on the other side of the phone, Lin Jing said: “Any criminal suspect should be allowed the right to appeal the charge, don’t you think we should talk about it?”

“Ruan Ruan’s leaving the hospital today, I really have to go pick her up. If there’s any more matters, can we talk about them later?” She didn’t let him speak again and hung up in a hurry.

Ruan Ruan’s leg injury had recovered pretty nicely, and even though they still couldn’t take the cast off, she could walk a few steps with the support of another person. Wu Jiang repeatedly thanked Zheng Wei for coming to pick up Ruan Ruan from the hospital. He said that once he finished the things he was busy with, he would immediately rush home. Additionally, any movement was inconvenient for Ruan Ruan, so he also hired an experienced nanny (helper) to take care of her daily ch.o.r.es and life.

Zheng Wei scolded him a bit, saying, “What are you doing thanking me, I’m here to pick up my friend, not your wife. Continue spreading your brave doctor spirit (the author uses an actual doctor’s name here, presumably because they were an amazing doctor who saved many lives), I’ll definitely send her home safely.”

Ruan Ruan saw Wu Jiang looking a bit ashamed, so she conveniently turned to Zheng Wei and said with a smile, “Benefactor, let’s go.”

Wu Jiang helped a.s.sist Ruan Ruan as she walked to the front door of the hospital, and right when he was getting a taxi for them, he saw the car parked next to the curb. He said to Ruan Ruan, “This time there’s a free (costing nothing) driver.”

Zheng Wei obviously recognized Lin Jing’s car as well. He saw them, and got off and walked over, waving at Wu Jing. When he looked to Zheng Wei and Ruan Ruan, he said, “Let’s go, I’ll take you guys home.”

Zheng Wei blsuhed, then went pale, but she didn’t look at him, intently watching the cars coming and going.

Ruan Ruan stood up for a bit, suddenly frowned with a “hiss” sound, and she seemed to be in pain from her expression.

“You’re okay, right?” Zheng Wei asked.

“There’s a little bit of pain, but I can still bear it.”

They coincidentally caught the taxi driver when they were changing s.h.i.+fts, getting a car really wasn’t an easy thing. Zheng Wei was worried about Ruan Ruan’s leg, so she sighed, and could only say to Lin Jing, “Then thank you.”

Lin Jing immediately opened the backseat door for them, and Wu Jiang carefully a.s.sisted Ruan Ruan in. Zheng Wei also sat next to Ruan Ruan.

Wu Jiang told Ruan Ruan to rest well after getting home, and after thanking Lin Jing, the car engine started up, and it left the hospital.

Once they were on their way, Zheng Wei only spoke softly with Ruan Ruan, not really paying any attention to Lin Jing, while surprisingly, Ruan Ruan chatted with him for a bit. Zheng Wei looked his profile up and down out of the corner of her eye, and she estimated that he had boarded the plane after just finis.h.i.+ng his work matters, as he was still in formal dress. His appearance and words were equally like those of a modest man of n.o.ble character, and she very naturally thought of a phrase, “XX Attire,” but she also couldn’t couldn’t oppose this way of saying it. Maybe she still wasn’t used to using negative words to describe Lin Jing.

When they reached the front door of Ruan Ruan’s house, the nanny/caretaker had already received the phone call and was waiting at the door. Zheng Wei said, “I’ll bring you in, and then I’ll leave in a bit.”

Ruan Ruan shook her head, and indicated for the nanny/caretaker (hey so which do you guys like better: nanny, caretaker, or if there’s something else, please comment it. Thanks!) to come over and support her for a bit. “You should go back, you’ve already finished a day of work. I’m going to go rest immediately after going in. I’ll give you a call tomorrow.” Then she turned to Lin Jing and said, “Thanks, Deputy Officer Lin, I’ll have to trouble you to bring Wei Wei home.”

Lin Jing naturally nodded. “Just call me Lin Jing. Don’t worry (actual translation is “don’t be so kind,” as in, don’t worry about it it’s nothing), it’s something I should do. Rest well.”

Zheng Wei had no other option, and she couldn’t say anything further. She said goodbye to Ruan Ruan, then sat back down in her original seat.

“Where should we eat?” Lin Jing looked at her through the rearview mirror and asked.

In a m.u.f.fled voice, Zheng Wei said, “No need, I’ll go straight home.”

Lin Jing didn’t force her, and the car went directly towards Zhong Jian’s apartment complex. Zheng Wei kept her head down as she played with her nails, and the two were strangely silent.

Immediately after reaching it, Zheng Wei got off the car. She thought [for a moment], then turned around and asked, “Are you going to bring Shu Bao back today or another time?”

Lin Jing helplessly said, “Anything’s fine, why don’t I come up and go get him with you.”

Zheng Wei rejected without the slightest hesitation. “No need, wait for me downstairs for a moment, I’ll go bring him down.”

Lin Jing obviously knew what she was afraid of, and couldn’t help but laugh. “Don’t think of me as that scary [of a person], I was busy the entire day and just got off of the plane. I’m so tired that I can’t think of anything else.”

Her face reddened, and she turned her head. “Deng deng” sounded as she went up, and Lin Jing followed her up at a leisurely pace. She didn’t close the door, and she lowered her head, hugging Shu Bao. He didn’t know what she was murmuring.

She saw that he had walked in, and then put Shu Bao in his arms. “Don’t spoil him just because you don’t have time to spend time with him. Don’t give him those high-calorie cans, the doctor said he needs to lose weight.”

Lin Jing changed his way of holding the restless Shu Bao, and sudden;y reached out a hand towards her. Before it had even touched her, she had already stepped back a few steps, face red, just like a frightened rabbit.

“What are you doing?” She said in a stern voice.

Seeing her nervous and pale face, and her guardedness, Lin Jing awkwardly withdrew his hand. Hinting at her to relax, he softly said, “I only wanted to help you brush off a strand of Shu Bao’s fur off of your hair.”

He saw her blank expression, and lowered his head, laughing. “Silly child, it looks like I’ve really scared you.”

Zheng Wei wasn’t embarra.s.sed, she admitted that from the start when he walked in, her head was full of the things that he had had done to her that night, without warning. She was both nervous and embarra.s.sed, and her entire body was tensed, as if she was frightened. No matter how he explained it, she felt even more ashamed, and angry. Why did he laugh so happily, when she could only be unfittingly immature and lame in from of him? Her indignation suddenly burst forth, and she exerted all of her strength, taking a step forward. Pus.h.i.+ng him out, she said, “What are you laughing about, don’t laugh!”

Lin Jing hadn’t antic.i.p.ated she would do this, and he was pushed back a few steps by her full strength. Shu Bao leapt down from his arms, and he said, “Okay, okay, I won’t laugh,” but he still couldn’t keep the smile off of his face.

His calmness further irritated her. She rushed up towards him just like an enraged leopard, and used both hands to push him. “You’re still laughing, I made you laugh.”

This time she didn’t push him anywhere, but was brought against his chest in a hug. Now, Lin Jing finally stopped smiling, holding the red-eyed Zheng Wei tightly. He allowed her to kick, bite, curse, and tear him apart in his arms, but he wouldn’t let go.

Zheng Wei couldn’t escape from his hug, whenever she emerged, he would hold her even tighter, and she even couldn’t fight or argue back. After she finally settled, still exhausted, after letting it all out, the hold on her was suddenly relaxed. Confusion, contradictions and resentment all turned into feelings of being wronged. Lin Jing felt like the person in his arms was gradually calming down, and had finally fallen onto his chest weakly. He consequently slowed his breathing, in fear of alarming her. The clothes on his chest where her cheek rested felt slightly wet.

That night Lin Jing didn’t leave. In the middle of the night, the two people who hadn’t eaten dinner felt very hungry. Lin Jing dug out a few packs of instant noodles from under her bed, and after a bit of work, the two people made do and filled their bellies. Thankfully, the luggage from his business trip was still in the car, and in the morning he changed his clothes, then drove directly to the police office from her house.