Under Clear Skies Chapter 65: Insignificant Lovers

Chapter 65: Insignificant Lovers

Translated by Fefe of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

November in Wuhan had unpredictable weather. There was a blazing sun yesterday, so Tang Heng went to sleep with the window open, and he woke up freezing cold.

He had no classes on Friday. Tang Heng curled up under his covers, feeling sluggish from sleeping. He didn’t want to move.

At seven, Li Yuechi had texted that he went out but didn’t say to do what. The next text was a weather forecast warning. It would be 18 degrees at the highest and 10 degrees at the lowest.

It was finally looking like autumn.

Tang Heng replied to Li Yuechi’s text: Can you call right now?

The call came a few seconds later. Tang Heng held the phone with one hand; his other hand went into his covers and lifted the waistband of his pajama pants.

“I thought you didn’t have classes this morning.” Tang Heng’s throat felt dry.

“I have work.” It was noisy on Li Yuechi’s end, like he was on the street.

“What work?”

“Passing out flyers for a tutoring center.”

“For that Youth Grad School Tutoring?” Tang Heng curled his legs in.

“No, another one.”

“Is it tiring?” As Tang Heng’s actions sped up, his breathing quickened as well.

“No—” Li Yuechi paused for two seconds and murmured, “What are you doing?”

Tang Heng shuddered in surprise. “Lying in bed,” he mumbled.

“That’s it?”   

“Yeah…”

Li Yuechi figured it out. “Three more days. Just hold on a bit more.”

Tang Heng pulled his hand out and let out a long exhale. “You’re really good at holding it in.”

“How do you know?”

“How… how can you wait?”

“I can’t.”

“Can’t tell.”

“Tang Heng.” Li Yuechi sighed, sounding like he had no choice. “I’m in the middle of the street.”

“Oh.” That made Tang Heng feel better. “Just hold on a bit more,” he returned those words to Li Yuechi.

 

After he hung up, Tang Heng grabbed some tissues to wipe his hand. Then he took of his underwear and walked into the bathroom with bare legs. Li Yuechi’s birthday was in three days. November ninth. Three days. He still hadn’t figured out what gift to give.  

Even though Li Yuechi was treating Tang Heng himself as a gift… but how come it felt so old-fashioned? It was both of their business—both were taking, both were giving. They were equals.

So, what could he give Li Yuechi?

Tang Heng took a shower and changed into fresh pajamas. Then he called Jiang Ya.

“Bro,” Jiang Ya mumbled. “D’you know what time it is?”

“I have something important.”

“Spit it out.”

“What would you give me for my birthday?”

“Don’t you fucking remember?” Jiang Ya cursed. “This year, I had someone buy Yohji Yamamoto’s clothes from Japan. The year before was a guitar, and the year before that was… wine? Eh, can’t remember.”

“Think about what you’ll give next year.”

“That’s in forever!”

“Just think, give something useful.”

“Why?” Jiang Ya grew cautious. “You want me to buy you… a house? We’re not married!”

“Fuck off.”

“You’re annoying.” Jiang Ya laughed. “Fine.”

“It’s almost Li Yuechi’s birthday.”

“I knew it.”

“I can’t gift something too expensive, but I don’t know what cheap things I should give.”   

“Let me think… cheap… Hey, why don’t you buy him a wallet? There’s a new Burberry line.”

“C.H.E.A.P.”

“Isn’t that cheap enough?” Jiang Ya asked innocently.

“Whatever,” Tang Heng said. “Go back to sleep.”

“So annoying…” Jiang Ya hung up.

 

Tang Heng curled up on the sofa and thought hard. What qualified as cheap for Li Yuechi? He was willing to take on 70,000-kuai in high-interest loans for that Zhao-laoshi without a bat of his eye—thank god Zhao-laoshi’s family paid the debt in the end. But he only bought five-kuai­ noodles. He worked every day, but he easily rejected the TA job that could earn him 600 per month.

Tang Heng suddenly realized that Li Yuechi didn’t actually care about many of the things he could give. Money, expensive clothes and shoes, even credit for a project… He didn’t seem to care. He never expressed his interest in anything material, such as an object, brand, or even a color. Nothing. He lived too casually. As long as he could eat, the food didn’t matter. As long as he had clothes, the brand or color didn’t matter. As long as he could study, being credited or not didn’t matter.

But this guy was harder to please than anyone, right?

 

His phone rang again. Did Jiang Ya get an idea?

Tang Heng answered the phone lazily without looking. “Hello?”

“Hello.” It was a woman’s voice that sounded a bit rough. “Excuse me, is this Mr. Tang Heng from Hushituo?”

“Yes.” Tang Heng sat up. “And you are?”

“Let me introduce myself.” The woman chuckled. “I am Lin Lang, manager of Beijing Linglai Ethereal. You can call me Lindsey.”

“Lin… Miss Lin.” Tang Heng didn’t hear her English name clearly through the phone. “Are you A-Bu’s friend?”

“Yes! He mentioned me to you, right?” Lin Lang laughed. “That guy is finally reliable for once!”

“Can I help you with anything?”

“Of course. How about this? Are you free this morning? We can chat in person. It’s best if we can meet this morning, because I’m flying back to Beijing later.”

 

Twenty minutes later, Tang Heng saw Lin Lang at Starbucks. She seemed to be in her 30s. She wore a thin black leather jacket, had short hair, and looked very chic. However, she had a baby face and her features made her seem softer.

“Hello, little hottie.” Tang Heng could tell she was a smoker from her voice. “Don’t have class today?”

Tang Heng sat down across from her. “I don’t have classes on Friday.”

“What do you want to drink? My treat.”

“I’ll do a latte.”

“Okay.”

A moment later, Lin Lang handed Tang Heng a business card. It said:

Beijing Linglai Ethereal Limited Co. Artist Manager

“Let’s just get with it. I heard you sing at Long Love and watched the competition video of your band. I think you’re pretty good. Seriously.”

“Thanks.” Tang Heng sipped his latte. “Do managers act as talent scouts at your company too?”

Lin Lang laughed loudly. “You work more, you get more. I heard Lao Bu say that you’re about to graduate?”

Tang Heng nodded. “Next June.”

“Will you continue studying?”

“Overseas.”       

“You won’t go to the UK, right?”

“Why the UK?”

“Well… you have the feeling from British dramas.” Lin Lang gesticulated. “Tall, thin, put on a long trench coat, hold an umbrella… Very British.”

Tang Heng laughed at her description. “I’m going to the US.”

“The US? Even better.” Lin Lang laughed as well. “Long live freedom.”

Tang Heng thought she’d continue the small talk or ask more about his situation. Instead, she said, “But you can push back going abroad for a few years, right?”

Tang Heng opened his mouth, but she continued, “I know your family is well off—I can tell—and you’re graduating from Wuhan Uni, so you’re a good student. I know… you’re probably not looking to make a living from singing. A smart kid like you can do well in everything you do.”

“Not really,” Tang Heng said.

“I’m serious.” Lin Lang stirred her coffee. “Which is why I’m more convinced that you should try it. Really, you don’t have anything holding you back. You don’t have to worry about money or your career. You can live well even if you stop singing, so why don’t you try and make some money off your passion?”

Tang Heng paused for a moment and said, “I never thought of this before.”

Lin Lang sighed. “Do you know how many people I’ve met who say their only dream is to be a singer? People never want what they have, have what they want.”

“Then why don’t you sign them on?”

“They’re not as good as you.” Lin Lang stared into Tang Heng’s eyes. “Those who sing well don’t look good. Those that look good can scare you with their voice. Those that look and sing good all have some weird situations—having a sugar daddy, not having a supportive family, having mental issues… Xiao Tang, you’re rare.”   

“I have bad temper.”

“Artists need a personality, you know. You said you never thought about being a singer, but let me ask you. Have you thought about why you formed a rock band? You must have a reason, right? Don’t worry about asking me now. You can think about it. Is it because it’s fun? Because you get attention? Or do you want to spread a message through music? Call me when you think of the answer, okay?”

All the windows in the store were closed, probably due to the temperature drop. Tang Heng suddenly felt suffocated.

“Okay, I’ll call you.” He just wanted to end this conversation. “Let’s end here.”

“You have to call me.”

“Mn.”

“Okay.” Lin Lang stood up. “Let’s go.”

They separated at Jiedaokou Station. Lin Lang was heading to her hotel, while Tang Heng would go home. As they parted, Lin Lang gazed at the bustling Luoyu Road and commented, “Wuhan is really suitable for music videos. I was strolling around Wuhan Uni just now and discovered a bunch of one-story houses by the school… At that moment, I thought that if you signed with us, we definitely need to shoot an MV there. What do you think?”

This caught Tang Heng by surprise. “What do you mean?”

“Ah? I think that the old houses have a great feeling.”

“Oh…” Tang Heng murmured. “You’re right.”

 

Lin Lang left. The latte she’d bought Tang Heng had turned cold, so he tossed the paper cup into the trash can and turned toward the South Gate of Wuhan Uni. Lin Lang’s casual comment had reminded him—old houses, Li Yuechi’s old house.

He turned into an alley from the school and passed by Long Love. A short while later, Tang Heng saw worn-down two-story house. He climbed up the rusted stairs and saw that the lock on the door was still the one that Li Yuechi had changed. The wooden door on the first floor was locked too. He touched it and came away with a layer of dust.

Tang Heng ran over to the beef noodle shop at the alley entrance and asked the owner, “Do you know how we can rent the apartments here?” His band came here often and had become regulars.

“Why do you wanna rent here?” the owner asked curiously.

“To live in,” Tang Heng said.   

“Aiyo—” The owner waved his hand. “Those houses are so broken down and dirty. Why’d you want to live there?! Are you planning on opening up a store and stealing Long Love’s business?”

“I seriously want to rent it. I have a friend… he needs it.”

“It’s very cheap. Three hundred at most. If they charge more, it’s a scam!”

“How do I contact them?”

“Which one do you want?” The owner pulled out his phone and said generously, “I’ll help you!”

Ten minutes later, Tang Heng met the landlord in the beef noodle shop. It was an auntie in her fifties who lived in a nearby house. She had an extremely thick Wuhan accent. Fortunately, the noodle shop owner was there to help translate.

The negotiations were easy: 200-kuai per month, three month’s rent for deposit, pay monthly. Tang Heng paid for a full year in one go—he even wanted to just buy the house, but the landlord refused him firmly.

They planned to sign the contract and pay in the afternoon. After the landlord left, the owner said with a laugh, “She’s waiting for gentrification. How can she sell it to you!”

“Gentrification? Is there news?”

“In her dreams.” The owner went back to the cash register and drawled, “Tearing down that giant mass of buildings will be big work. I don’t think it’ll happen any time soon.”         

This took up the entire morning. Tang Heng ate a bowl of beef noodles, hurriedly signed the contract in the afternoon, and got the key. The landlord’s son was there too and reminded him, “The lock got changed a while back. It’ll be safer for you to get a new one.”

Tang Heng studied the familiar key. “No need.”

The landlord’s son found him strange. “We’re not liable if you lose anything.”

“We won’t lose anything,” Tang Heng said. Then he turned and left.

 

He had less than three days, so it was impossible to decorate it. He could only contact a cleaning company and do a deep clean of the place. The aged mold stains on the walls were scraped off, the gout on the floor was cleaned, and even the narrow window shone like they were brand new. The entire room became brighter.

Then he got someone to replace the pipes and faucets, and bought a water heater and installed it in the bathroom. By nighttime, he got a shower too—even though this made the bathroom even more cramped.

After the workers left, Tang Heng stood in the empty room, studying everything while pondering. He still had to replace the ceiling light to make it brighter, get a sturdier bed, install lights above the bed… It had to be a warm, dark yellow color—because winter was coming.

What else? A water dispenser? Nah, they could just buy large bottles of water. Would they cook? Maybe they needed an electric stovetop, but he didn’t want to squat and cook noodles anymore. He could buy a small table and put the electric stovetop there. Then they’d have a place to eat too. Tang Heng took a few steps forward and measured the various furniture dimensions in his mind. He also needed to buy air conditioning for both the winters and summers. He could buy a desk—it didn’t have to big, just enough for Li Yuechi to use for reading. A storage cabinet—there was no space left though. Worst case scenario, he could nail some shelves to the wall and store some things. Oh right, they could put things under the bed too.

The room was still too, too small. Tang Heng suddenly felt a bit helpless. If Li Yuechi was willing to spend his money, they could rent a more spacious apartment with a bedroom, living room, office, a bathroom that could fit a two-person bathtub, a rocking chair that they could sit in to moon-gaze. But then he thought that this room was enough for them to sleep in, shower, and eat simple meals. They could see the moon through the window too and they could read or chat together in bed. They seemed to have become tiny—in this vast, boundless world, they were a pair of insignificant lovers. They only needed a bit of space to fit a lot of love.

He also needed someone to clear away the trash outside the building and ship some dirt and grass seeds over. Then when they looked out the window, they’d be able to see the greenery, high and low buildings, and Long Love’s slutty pink sign at night.

Tang Heng rubbed his face. All of this was so amazing that he didn’t dare to imagine it. He suddenly thought of what Lin Lang had said. If he delayed his study abroad plans by two years, then he could have two years less of a long-distance relationship with Li Yuechi. If he just stayed in China—this thought only flashed past his mind, but since there was nobody around, it seemed okay to secretly think about it. If he just stayed in China, then could he live like this with Li Yuechi forever?

 

His phone suddenly vibrated. Li Yuechi’s voice was a bit muffled. “Where are you?”

“I’m… uh, at home.” Tang Heng almost let it slip. He pinched his nose bridge. “Are you off work?” he asked.

“I finished more than an hour ago. Thought you were busy.”

“A little busy…” Tang Heng grabbed the house keys. “I’ll come to you.”

“No problem. Do your stuff first.”

“I’m done.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Then why didn’t you call me?”

“Ah—” Tang Heng purposely dragged it out and put on a mock impatient tone. “Li Yuechi, are you feeling sad?”

“Yep.”

“Alright, I’ll come over now.” Tang Heng had wanted to tease Li Yuechi, but the boy had admitted it so matter-of-factly, which made Tang Heng feel guilty. He’d messed around all day and didn’t have time to call Li Yuechi. “Where are you?”

“Lingbo Gate.”

“Give me 15 minutes.”

“Ride your bike over.”

“Huh?” But he didn’t have his bike with him!   

“I want to see you sooner,” Li Yuechi said with a low laugh.