Under Clear Skies Chapter 39: Baotong Temple (2)

Chapter 39: Baotong Temple (2)

Translated by Fefe of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

The old woman eyed Tang Heng, probably thinking that this guy was just here to cause trouble, and quickly walked away. It was getting close to noon and there wasn’t much sound in the temple. Tang Heng ducked into the Baotong Pagoda.

This pagoda looked quite elegant from the outside, but the inside was evidently old. The narrow passageway could only fit one person to climb in, the steps were extremely steep, and the four walls were dusty white. It was dim inside and there were no lights, save for the tiny buddha statues and candles enshrined within the walls of each level. The pagoda was only illuminated by the natural light and candles. Tang Heng climbed two levels and sat down, his forehead covered in sweat.

Sitting on the chilly steps, he pulled out his phone and remembered that he’d turned it off earlier.

There were seven missed calls—three from An Yun, three from Jiang Ya, and one from Wang-ayi. It was five minutes ago, probably to ask him if she needed to prepare lunch for him. There was no signal inside the pagoda, so Tang Heng pocketed his phone again and continued climbing up. There was an extended balcony on each level. They were tiny too. When Tang Heng sat on them, he couldn’t even straighten his legs out.

There was a soft breeze on the balcony of the third level, brushing against his face. It seemed to carry the scent of the temple’s incense. Tang Heng considered seriously where he should go next. Maybe he could go to the practice room. At least that place had nothing to do with Li Yuechi.

As he thought, his phone vibrated in his pocket. Tang Heng fished his phone out, but before he could look at the screen carefully, the smooth Nokia slipped out of his hand. This was the balcony of the third level!

There was a muffled thud. The Nokia landed on the edge of the balcony. Half a centimeter more, it would definitely have fallen.   

The number on the screen didn’t have a saved name.

Tang Heng froze for two seconds before carefully picking up the phone. He pressed the answer button. “Hello?”

“Tang Heng.” Li Yuechi’s voice was a bit hoarse. “What time is your flight?”

“Huh?” Tang Heng was still confused. “What are you—”

“An Yun told me already.” Li Yuechi was in a noisy place and he spoke rapidly. “You’re going to Tokyo today.”

Tang Heng: “…”

“Aren’t you going at the beginning of October?”

“Th-there’s no difference,” Tang Heng said. “I’m going sooner or later.”

“Mn.”

“Anything else?” Tang Heng realized his hand was trembling while holding the phone. “I’m boarding soon.”

“How much longer?”

“A… a little while.”

“Wait for me.”

“What are you doing?”

“I’m on the subway. I want to see you.”

“Don’t come!” Tang Heng scrambled up and said nervously, “I… I don’t want to see you.”

“Last night—”

“I forgot about it!”

“Impossible.”

“I really don’t remember. I forget everything when I get drunk. Ah, did I harass you? Was I an asshole?”

Li Yuechi was quiet. Just as Tang Heng thought he was going to hang up, he murmured, “You said, ‘free’.”

“What’s free?” Tang Heng laughed forcefully. “Seriously, don’t get worked up. What happened between us is over. You just study well with my uncle. I won’t take revenge on you for something so trivial.”

“…Wait for me.”

“It’s seriously unnecessary.” Tang Heng closed his eyes. “I’m boarding in 15 minutes. You won’t make it.”

“I’ll take a cab. Wait for me.” Li Yuechi’s voice was practically in panic. “I got off the subway. I’ll take a cab.”

“Tell me over the phone. I’ll change my number in Tokyo, so do it now.”

He took two deep breaths and said, “I remember.”

“What?”

“Everything.”   

Tang Heng couldn’t help but chuckle wryly. “Great, are you going to apologize?” I forgive you.

“No.”

“…Right.” Because we’re both perpetuators.

“I won’t apologize because everything I said last night was true.” Li Yuechi paused and amidst the noise, he said, “Tang Heng, I like you. Liked you since our first meeting.”

…He was trying to comfort him, right? Because he was going to Tokyo? Tang Heng sat onto the ground again, his back resting against the wall. His body felt limp and he suddenly didn’t have the strength to expose Li Yuechi. He actually had a thousand ways to refute him, such as, Aren’t you straight? Don’t you have a girlfriend? I saw you two hugging before. If you like me, then what the fuck have you been doing?—but at that moment, Tang Heng thought that making a huge lie together was a happy ending too.

“Okay, I believe you.” It was enough of a lie at this point.

“I’ll wait for you, alright?”

“What about your girlfriend?” What’s the point?

“I lied to you. She’s my teacher.”

“…What?”

“She was a volunteer teacher in my village when I was in the third year of middle school. It was because of her that I continued to high school and got into a university.”

“…”

“I’m indebted to her. That’s all.” Li Yuechi sounded short of breath and his voice had completely gone hoarse, like heavy wind and sand was poured into his lungs. “I told you last night, I don’t have money, I’m boring, I don’t have anything… But I have time.”

Tang Heng’s mind was in a mess. “Time?” he mumbled.

“I have the time to wait for you to come back.”

Was he hallucinating?

Tang Heng pinched his arm hard, wishing he could calm down, but the pain made his breaths shudder even more. “You… Are you telling the truth?”

“It’s all true.”

“Stop waiting.”

“I—”

“Come to Baotong Temple. I’m at Baotong Pagoda—inside Baotong Pagoda.” 

 

When Tang Heng thought back to that line, he’d always find it funny. I’m at Baotong Pagoda—was he a Buddha or a snake spirit? He really didn’t think before he said that. But at that time, he indeed couldn’t think about anything else. He could only stare at his phone screen, staring from 11:44 to 11:59. One minute before noon, he heard rapid footsteps. Li Yuechi called out hoarsely, “Tang Heng!” Like a closing umbrella, going from a net to a point, his eyes focused on a dim corner.

He would forever remember the instant that Li Yuechi appeared before him. The 11:59 on the screen turned into 12:00, sunlight fell precisely perpendicular onto the ground at that moment, the seven-level pagoda transformed into flowing sand, and all the buddhas became the background. It was like Li Yuechi hadn’t climbed up this pagoda—like he wasn’t even inside the pagoda. They were on a brilliantly golden prairie, stepping onto the sunlight and wheat fields. He rushed towards Li Yuechi and pushed him against the wall with a thud.

Their bodies pressed against each other. Tang Heng gazed at Li Yuechi and, after a few seconds, finally said, “How did you get here?”

Li Yuechi’s chest rose up and down. “I ran,” he uttered.

“From where?”

“Zhongnan Road.”

“That—” Tang Heng glanced at the buddha with a flower behind them and suddenly felt shy. It might be too offensive to say these things before the buddha. “Should we kiss first, or let you catch your breath for a bit longer?”

 

Li Yuechi didn’t answer. He just leaned against the wall and gazed at Tang Heng quietly.

Tang Heng couldn’t hold back anymore and pressed forward with a kiss.