Under Clear Skies Chapter 61: Didn’t Answer

Chapter 61: Didn’t Answer

Translated by Fefe of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

At 11:30, Tang Heng took the subway to his uncle’s home.

His uncle had an apartment in Wuhan University. He usually lived at school because he was busy with work and only went home on the weekends. His home was in the villa neighborhood near Han Street. It was an oasis of peace among the bustling streets. The property value had been increasing recently and Tang Heng would occasionally see his uncle sitting before the mahogany desk in his study, lamenting, “I should sell this villa. If people hear that a university professor is living in a villa, it would be unsuitable…”

Of course, he’d said this many times but never actually sold the villa.

Tang Heng swiped his card and entered the neighborhood, walking down the main road lined with verdure. Around ten minutes later, he arrived at the entrance of his uncle’s villa. He heard Meow’s cry before he entered the door—Meow was a collie that his aunt had adopted last year and named like it was a cat.

“Fu-ayi,” Tang Heng called out. “Open the door for me.”

Fu-ayi was their nanny.

“You brat, you forgot the key again!” It was his uncle who opened the door. He was wearing a baggy undershirt and cotton home pants, a teacup in his hand.         

“Is my mom here?”

“Got here a while ago.” Meow excitedly rushed over and circled around Tang Heng until it got chased aside by Tang Heng’s uncle. “She’s venting to us again.”

“Venting about what?”

“What else could it be?” His uncle lowered his voice. “About you going abroad. Be good later and don’t talk back to your mom.”

Tang Heng nodded.

“Oh?” his uncle laughed. “You’re so obedient today.”

“Yeah,” Tang Heng replied distractedly.

After they entered the house, his aunt hurried over to welcome him. “Xiao Heng, what are you busy with these days? You haven’t come over in a while.”

“My graduation thesis proposal,” Tang Heng said. “And I still have classes this semester.”

“Come over for dinner more. I feel like you’re even thinner now.”

Tang Heng didn’t know what he should say, so he just clumsily replied, “I think I did get thinner.”

Fu Liling tapped Tang Heng’s forehead. “Who knows what he’s messing around with.”

“Let’s eat, let’s eat,” his uncle called to everyone. “I’m starving!”

To be honest, Tang Heng didn’t like coming to his uncle’s for meals. It wasn’t any special reason and he felt bad, but he found it smelly.

His aunt’s surname was Zhu and the Wuhan animal protection circle called her Zhu-jie. This circle focused on rescuing cats and dogs. Tang Heng knew that she did this out of kindness, but because she was frequently with animals, she always had a faint, odd smell about her, making the house have that smell too. It was a little smelly, a little fishy—anyway, it didn’t smell that great.

In high school, Tang Heng mentioned this to Fu Liling in a call once. Fu Liling had said nonchalantly, “She doesn’t have kids, so she has to find some kind of companionship.”

But today, Tang Heng didn’t have the energy to worry about the smell—

 

He and Li Yuechi had fought.

It actually didn’t even count as a fight.

Basically, he’d called Li Yuechi after ending the call with Jiang Ya. Li Yuechi hadn’t picked up and just texted that he was in class.

Tang Heng had replied: Why did you go see Wu Si?

For the entire morning after that, he chanted this in his mind—Why did you go see Wu Si? He just couldn’t help wondering if the situation would be less horrible if he’d asked in a more subtle way.

Li Yuechi’s reply had been prompt: She said she talked to you yesterday.

She was looking for me.

Why didn’t you tell me?

Because you never mentioned your ex.

You could’ve asked me, or at least told me you two met.

Not necessary.

Why?

Having a girlfriend is normal.

Li Yuechi hadn’t replied after that.

Tang Heng couldn’t figure out why things ended up like this. When he’d said having a girlfriend is normal, he’d thought that he was just stating a fact. He’d even convinced himself—everyone would love someone like Li Yuechi, of course.

So what if he had an ex-girlfriend? It was Tang Heng’s fault for meeting him so late.

 

“Xiao Heng,” Fu Liling suddenly spoke up. “Are you still in contact with the agent?”

“Yeah,” Tang Heng replied, a bit irritated.

Fu Liling was silent. For a time, the only noise at the table was the sound of chewing. Tang Heng was more than familiar with this scene. He just didn’t want to start arguing at his uncle’s house.

“Which schools are you preparing for?” His uncle was quite composed.

“Berkely, Duke, UChicago—”

“Xiao Heng, be honest,” Fu Liling interrupted. “Are you insisting on going abroad because of your dad?”

Tang Heng set down his chopsticks. “What does it have to do with him?” he said coldly. “He passed away more than a decade ago.”   

“Didn’t your dad research French philosophy? If he wasn’t going abroad for an exchange, he wouldn’t have gone to the airport that day, and then—”

“Mom,” Tang Heng couldn’t help but raise his voice. “Can’t you respect my dad a bit?”

“Respect? I respected him too much and that’s why I couldn’t stop him! You want me to respect you now, hm? You want freedom, hm? Tang Heng, have you ever thought about me?”

“Hey, Liling,” his uncle coaxed. “Let’s communicate calmly. Both of you, don’t get worked up.”   

“Yes, yes,” his aunt said. “Let’s not mention the tragic things from the past. The kid doesn’t feel good about it either.”

“Tang Heng, did I owe you and your dad in a past life?” Fu Liling spoke faster and faster. She emptied her cup of water in one gulp and shot out, “Do you remember what happened that night of your dad’s accident? He got a taxi to the airport by himself, I wanted to ask if he got to the airport yet, I called his phone but it just wouldn’t go through, it always rang for a minute without anyone picking up…” 

Tang Heng felt his heart shudder. He shot to his feet and let out a low cry, “Stop it!”

“Tang Heng, you’re not allowed to leave—”

Tang Heng pushed through the door and ran out of his uncle’s house. 

He raced out of the neighborhood and didn’t come to a stop until he reached the bustling main road. Too tired, he bent over, placing his hands on his knees, and panted for breath. Passersby turned to look at him, studying him with curiosity.

A girl in a school uniform even walked over and asked nervously, “Are you okay? Do you need help?”

“I’m fine, thank you,” Tang Heng said hoarsely.

But that image—that image had curled up in his memory for 11 years, like a shriveled tumor. It had shriveled and become unnoticeable, but it hadn’t died.

 

When he was 11 years old, his dad had gone to France for an academic visit. He remembered clearly that the flight had been at eight p.m., from Beijing to Paris. His dad had said, Listen to your mom. I’ll bring you with next time.

It had been winter and the sky darkened early in Beijing. Fu Liling had come home in the evening after work. A bit tired, she’d patted Tang Heng’s head. “Honey, ask if your dad has gotten to the airport yet.”

Fu Liling didn’t have a cellphone at that time yet. They’d used the landline to call. He’d picked up the phone and dialed his dad’s number with practiced ease.

The first time he’d pressed, no one had answered. Fu Liling had said, Maybe it’s too noisy on the road and he couldn’t hear.

He pressed it a second time, no answer. Fu Liling had said, How come he hasn’t arrived yet? It’s 6:30.

He pressed it a third time, no answer. Fu Liling had frowned and said, Your dad is the most unreliable. Did his phone run out of battery?

The fourth time, fifth time, sixth time. Fu Liling had stood up. “Let me do it. Are you dialing the wrong number?”

How could it be wrong? Plus, she’d watched as Tang Heng had dialed.

Having someone else do the dialing did not create any miracles.

Seventh time, eighth, ninth. That evening, 11-year-old Tang Heng had guarded the landline, feeling helpless for the first time in his life. Dad, he’d thought helplessly, answer the phone. Please.

No one had answered.

One hour later, they’d received another phone call. The traffic police had told them that his dad had gotten into a car accident.