Under Clear Skies Chapter 73: 2012

Chapter 73: 2012

Translated by Fefe of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

It was the last month of 2011. Teacher Tang’s project finally came to an end for now. The team of seven arrived at Dawu County of Hubei Province to perform the year-end check of the poverty alleviation results. Dawu County was under Xiaogan City, a place known for their rice wine.

It was snowing and the highway back to Wuhan had been closed for three days already. They had no choice but to rent two vans and take the national route back. The drivers were extremely cautious, but the students didn’t care. They all fell sound asleep.

Li Yuechi had never seen snow in his hometown. When his high school geography teacher mentioned the north, he’d felt that it was a very warm place, because his teacher had said that it would snow in the north, but they had central heating, so you could wear short sleeves indoors. In his mind, he connected snow with north. The south didn’t have central heating, so it naturally wouldn’t snow either. Later, he came to Wuhan and he discovered with this surprise that even though this riverside city didn’t have heating, it often snowed in the winter.   

There was a thin layer of white outside the window. Fresh snow weighed against the dark leaves. Li Yuechi rolled down the car window just a crack and frigid air surged in immediately. The girl sleeping next to him wrinkled her nose and Li Yuechi hurriedly rolled the window back up.

But she still woke up. “Where are we?” she asked blearily.

“We’re almost to Huangpi District.”

“Oh… almost there.” Then she asked, “What time is it?”

“Past four,” the driver answered. “Look at the weather. It’s only four and the sky’s about to get dark.”

“Is it snowing in Wuhan too?”

“Yeah, a bit lighter than Xiaogan.”

“Oh…” The girl looked outside the window. “Sir, when will we get to school?”

“You’ll definitely get back before eight! Won’t let you miss out on dinner!”

“I’m not worried about that,” the girl mumbled. “I have New Year celebration plans with friends…”

As if in reply to her, something vibrated against Li Yuechi’s chest as soon as she finished speaking. He put his phone in the pocket on his left chest. Whenever his phone vibrated, his heart seemed to vibrate as well.

It was a text from Tang Heng: When are you back?

Li Yuechi typed 8 p.m. first, but after thinking a bit, he deleted it and changed it to 7:30.

The fireworks on the riverbank started at eight.

Tang Heng: No time to eat dinner, right? I’ll buy you some. What do you want to eat?

Li Yuechi wanted to say that anything was fine, but he suddenly remembered that last time he said that, Tang Heng had bought a giant bag and said matter-of-factly, I was worried you wouldn’t like it, so I got a bit of everything. And then he’d watched with a smile as Li Yuechi ate it all. Fried chicken from KFC, pizza from Pizza Hut, soup buns from the South Gate, fried guogai from Guangba Road…

Li Yuechi replied: Bread is fine.

Tang Heng: OK.

While he sent these two texts, the girl beside him had started chatting with the driver. The girl said, Sir, just drive faster, I need to see the fireworks. The driver said, Don’t go, there’s a ton of people. The girl said, It’s more fun with more people, to which the driver replied with disdain, Fun? You won’t even be able to get a taxi! How will you get back to your dorm?

Aiya, I made plans with my friends. Drive faster, please?

Okay, okay, okay, you kids have too much time on your hands—New Years? Tomorrow will come just like normal. What’s the difference?

Tomorrow is 2012!

What’s wrong with 2012?

I bet you haven’t heard of the prediction?

What?

The Mayans said that 2012 is the world’s doomsday!

Slow down, May-what?

The Mayans, like… ancient people from the Americas! They said that December 21, 2012 is the end of the world.

The driver started laughing. Only kids would believe that.

It’s true! Right, Li Yuechi? The girl turned to look at him.

…Right.

Even though I don’t believe it. The girl shrugged. But sometimes I think, what if? What if the world really ended that day? Would everyone just die in a whoosh? Or would there be natural disasters for days and humanity would go extinct bit by bit?

Li Yuechi didn’t reply, but the second-year grad kid sitting in the front said, It’d obviously be bit by bit. It’s not like a meteorite will hit Earth.

Ah, then the process must be really painful.

Xu Rong, focus on your thesis proposal!

Hey—shut up!

Everyone woke up and the car grew livelier. A third-year guy said, If 2012 really is the end of the world, I’m not gonna write my thesis anymore.

Xu Rong commented, I dare you to say that in front of Teacher Tang.

Aiyo, Teacher Tang doesn’t have time to worry about me now.

Everyone burst into laughter at that—except Li Yuechi. It was the kind of knowing laughter at an inside joke. Li Yuechi rolled down the car window just a crack again.

Ah, it’s so cold. Xu Rong shrunk into herself. Shidi, are you cold?

I’m a bit carsick, Li Yuechi said.

 

Close to 7:30, the two vans stopped outside Wuhan Uni’s South Gate. The students alighted one by one. When Tian Xiaoqin got off the car, she was holding Professor Tang’s camera.

“Xiaoqin, remember to export the pictures and save it in the USB I gave you,” Professor Tang instructed while stretching.

“Okay, Laoshi…”

“No need to rush though. Everyone’s worked hard, so you should rest up.”

“Laoshi, you should rest well too!” Xu Rong said, walking over.

“Me? I’m a lot more fit than you all. I wasn’t even tired when we climbed that mountain, but you all were out of breath!”

The third-year student grinned. “Of course, you’re full of energy and strength.”

When they had enough of the polite small talk, everyone bid farewell and went their own ways. It was 7:46 now and Tang Heng had sent two texts. One was: waiting for you outside your dorm building. The other was: how come you guys still aren’t back?

Li Yuechi replied, Be right there, and said to Tian Xiaoqin, “Let’s go?”

Tian Xiaoqin didn’t reply. She had a blank expression.

Li Yuechi studied her face. “Are you okay?”   

“I…” Tian Xiaoqin hung her head and whispered, “I think Teacher Tang is kind of strange.”

“Why?” Li Yuechi knew that the older students all felt that Teacher Tang was biased towards Tian Xiaoqin.   

“Maybe I’m overthinking it?” Tian Xiaoqin tugged the straps of her backpack. “We sat next to each other on the way back, right? And he… he insisted on showing me the pictures he took and then he… hugged my waist.”

Li Yuechi was silent for a few seconds. “On purpose?” he asked.

“I don’t know. Maybe it was an accident… yeah? I don’t think Teacher Tang is that kind of person.” Tian Xiaoqin paused. “You saw how he kicked Bao Lei out after he harassed me.”

Tian Xiaoqin shook her head without waiting for Li Yuechi’s reply. “I’m probably just overthinking it. Don’t tell anyone.”

“Mn.”

“Let’s go,” Tian Xiaoqin said. “An Yun and the others are waiting.”

 

Four minutes to eight p.m., Tang Heng got a call from Jiang Ya. The subway was completely packed, but Tang Heng had snatched up a corner. Li Yuechi stood beside him and held onto the railing, using his arm to block the other passengers from him.

“Bro!” It was extremely quiet on Jiang Ya’s end. “Where the fuck are you?!”

“On the way.”

“How come you’re so slow! All the food’s served!”

“You can eat if you’re hungry.”

“Okay, sucks for you then, hehe.”

“Bye.”

“Hey—hurry up!”

They’d planned on going to watch fireworks after eating dinner, but Li Yuechi and Tian Xiaoqin had gotten back late, so there was no time for dinner. Thus, Jiang Ya suggested eating at the riverbank. He said he knew a waterfront restaurant where they could eat and watch fireworks at the same time.

“Yeah right,” An Yun had said. “There won’t be any tables.”

“The restaurant owner is my dad’s bro’s bro,” Jiang Ya had said proudly.

In the end, he actually did get a spot. It was a private room with a view of the river and even a tiny balcony.

Tang Heng pocketed his phone again and secretly studied Li Yuechi’s side profile. In the few days apart, he felt like Li Yuechi had grown even thinner. Perhaps he’d worked too hard in the rural village. They were surrounded by people, so he couldn’t do anything except look at Li Yuechi.

They hadn’t even had a chance to hug since they met.

Li Yuechi turned slightly and met Tang Heng’s eyes. He didn’t say anything—just arched an eyebrow and smiled as if saying, Peeking at me again?

Tang Heng smiled too. Since he already got caught, he decided to stare unabashedly at Li Yuechi.

When the subway got to Jianghan Road Station, practically everyone got off. It was actually Tang Heng’s first time celebrating the New Year at the riverside. In the past, he would either perform at a bar with Jiang Ya and An Yun, or he’d hole up at home. He didn’t like places with too many people.

“Fuck,” Tang Heng heard An Yun curse under her breath. “This is too crazy.”

They’d never seen so many people in the subway station before… There were young people in winter jackets of all colors for as far as they could see, all surging toward the exit. An Yun put her arm across Tian Xiaoqin’s shoulder. “Xiaoqin, hold on tight.”

Lao An really knows how to take advantage of people, Tang Heng thought inside. Unfortunately, he couldn’t do that with Li Yuechi. The crowd pressed onto each other in a dark mass, but it was still too weird for two guys to hug each other.

“Tang Heng,” Li Yuechi suddenly said. His voice was low.

“Huh?” Tang Heng’s first reaction was, He’s not going to hug me, right? His entire body tensed up.

Li Yuechi grabbed Tang Heng’s right hand and stuck it into his own pocket.

There was a string of keys in his pocket—cool to the touch. The subway station was so packed that they stood one against each other like dumplings in a pot, so people probably wouldn’t notice their lowered arms. Tang Heng felt around in Li Yuechi’s pocket. The first key that his fingertip grazed was the one for Li Yuechi’s dorm—brass in color and very old; the second was the key of their apartment, gotten in the summer; the third was the key for Tang Heng’s bike, long and narrow.

“How were these days?” Tang Heng asked softly. “Smooth?”

“Pretty smooth.”

“Did you miss me?”

Li Yuechi nodded. He squeezed Tang Heng’s hand through the thin pocket as if telling him to be good.

 

When they got to the restaurant, the fireworks had obviously started already. What surprised Tang Heng was that Lin Lang was there too.

“Xiao Tang!” Lin Lang patted Tang Heng’s shoulder warmly.

“Long time no see,” Tang Heng said.

“Yeah, it’s the end of the year and I’m so busy!”

Tang Heng wanted to ask why she was here if she’s so busy, but he knew that it was rude, so he forced it back down. Jiang Ya waved his arm and called out, “Let’s hurry up and eat. I’m freaking hungry.”

“Ah, yes.” Lin Lang sat down beside him. “I dieted with my artist and ate chicken breast for a month.”

“That bad?”

“No helping it,” Lin Lang said. “It’s not like I could eat red oil fish while they ate chicken breast.”

“Lin-jie, eat up then! Here, their steamed Wuchang bream is the best.”

“Sure,” Lin Lang said with a laugh. “You all should eat more. You’re still growing, while I’m old already.”

Everyone was hungry and they wolfed down the food. After a while, Tang Heng got up. “I need to make a call.”

He exited the room and asked the server outside the door, “Where do I pay the bill?”

The server smiled. “Your table’s bill has already been paid.”

“Who?” They never had the habit of fighting to pay the bill.

“That lady, the one in the gray coat.”

“I see,” Tang Heng said.

The group walked out of the restaurant. Lin Lang put on her coat and smiled at them. “I’m going back to the hotel. Have fun!”

“Ah,” Jiang Ya uttered. “Lin-jie, you’re not gonna celebrate with us?”

“I still have some work.” Lin Lang walked toward An Yun. “Xiao An, why don’t you give me your number?”

And so, An Yun rattled out her number. Lin Lang waved at the group with her phone in hand. “See you!”

After Lin Lang left, Jiang Ya lit a cigarette. “Could barely keep it in.”

An Yun glared at him. “You… She’s in her thirties!”

“Fuck, what’re you thinking?!” Jiang Ya hurriedly explained, “I just wanted to seem mannered in front of an outsider. I’m telling you, Lin-jie saw our performance at LIL and she’s pretty interested—you know what I mean?”

“Wow,” Tian Xiaoqin exclaimed. “She wants to sign you guys?”

“Tone it down, tone it down.” Jiang Ya’s wide smile took up his entire face. “She said she wants to see our competition results.”

“Really?” An Yun looked confused. “She only heard one song and wants to sign us already?”

“That means we’re good!” Jiang Ya grinned. “It’s mainly because Tang Heng sang well. South was amazing.”

Tang Heng had already been feeling down. Jiang Ya mentioning South reminded him of his fight with Li Yuechi too. What an insensitive dumbass, Tang Heng thought.      

“Okay, we’ll talk about it later.” An Yun tugged on Jiang Ya. “Let’s keep walking.”

 

The restaurant was in a more remote location. They could see the river, but it wasn’t where the crowds were. They walked along the riverside, the dazzling Second Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge before them. This kind of grand scene was rare. The LED screens on both sides of the river were lit up—gold, red, and white light intermixing—and countless shining boats cruised down the river. Fireworks of all colors bloomed in the night sky. The Yangtze River was like a black mirror, reflecting the lights of the skyscrapers, lights of the boats, lights of the bridge, and the blossoming fireworks.

They walked into the bustling crowd. Singing, music, and cheers were everywhere. It was freezing, but everyone seemed to have unlimited energy and they didn’t feel the cold anymore.

Tang Heng suddenly remembered the last time he was here. It was him and Li Yuechi too, but the riverside on the late summer night had been practically empty. That night, Li Yuechi had said, I’m not gay. So, he had fled from the riverside, gotten carsick, thrown up, and walked from Yuejiazui back to his university. He had been pathetic.

At that time, he’d thought that it would be impossible to date Li Yuechi. He didn’t have the chance.

“Tang Heng.” Li Yuechi suddenly touched his arm.

“Hm?” Tang Heng looked at him.

“What are you thinking about?”

“N-nothing…”   

“You’re unhappy?” Li Yuechi asked softly.

“No.”

“Because of that night?”

“Which night?”

“The night you sang South.” Li Yuechi laughed helplessly. “Are there any other nights where I pissed you off?”

“Oh… I’m not unhappy, seriously.”

Li Yuechi nodded and didn’t press further. There were young people all around them—probably only young people would brace the freezing wind to celebrate the New Year by the river. Since there were a lot of young people, there were naturally many couples too. Looking around, there were countless pairs, some hugging, some kissing, some just looking at each other without speaking.

Tang Heng didn’t want to admit that he was envious.

“Let’s go over there.” An Yun and Tian Xiaoqin walked over. “Someone’s singing.”

Two young men were surrounded by a crowd. One sang into a microphone while the other played guitar. They were singing Pu Shu’s New Boy. Tang Heng remembered that this was part of the 1999 album I’m Going to 2000. Clearly, it had been to welcome the new millennium and it suited the scene now.

After they finished, applause sounded here and there. Tang Heng suddenly pushed past the crowd and walked up.

“Hey,” he said to the guys. “Can I sing something?”

The guitarist asked, “Are you the singer of Hushituo?”

“Yeah.” Tang Heng laughed. “That’s me.”

“I’ve listened to you guys live!” The boy stuffed his guitar into Tang Heng’s hands. “My guitar is cheap…” He looked excited, but also a bit embarrassed.

Tang Heng strummed it and said, “All good.”

Tang Heng had to play guitar, so he couldn’t hold the mic. The singer volunteered to hold it for him, but Tang Heng shook his head. It wasn’t needed.

“They can’t hear you in the back,” the boy said.

“They don’t have to,” Tang Heng said.

Li Yuechi squeezed his way in and stood in front of Tang Heng. A young couple with a kid stood between them.

Tang Heng looked into his eyes. “This song is called South.”

“Wow!” Jiang Ya exclaimed knowingly. “Who’s it for?”

Tang Heng smiled and didn’t answer. He pressed his left hand on the guitar strings and strummed with his right. A crisp sound flowed from the guitar. He knew this song too well—he’d lost count how many times he’d practiced this song before. At least one hundred? Definitely.   

It was the same tone as that night, the same timbre as that night. It’s always humid there, it’s always soft there. It always has many trivial things, it’s always blue and red there. After the last chord, Tang Heng stared into Li Yuechi’s eyes. And returned the guitar to the two guys.

“Why did you suddenly sing this?” Li Yuechi asked in a low voice after they walked away from the crowd.

“You didn’t hear it that night.”

“I thought you won’t sing it again.”

“I’m not that dramatic.”

“…”

“If you want to hear it, I can sing it countless times,” Tang Heng said slowly. “Li Yuechi, do you understand what I mean? With you, there’s nothing that I can’t give again if you miss it the fist time.” Inside, Tang Heng thought, What is ‘free’? Maybe this is what free meant. He could give it however many times Li Yuechi wanted.

Li Yuechi studied Tang Heng quietly. A boat on the river with red light steered into his black pupils and slowly moved away from the darkness.

His eyes were dark yet bright. “You’re not crying, right?” Tang Heng joked.

“About to,” Li Yuechi said.

So, he couldn’t continue with this joke. They kept walking, moving past the crowd, and stood next to a square stone pier.

“I have something to tell you,” Tang Heng said.

“What?”

“I got the offer from UChicago.”

“Oh… UChicago.” Li Yuechi was quiet for a few seconds. “University of Chicago?”

“Yeah.”

“The Chicago school of sociology?”

“Two years.”

“That’s great.”

Yeah, it was great, great—which sociology student wouldn’t have heard of the Chicago school of sociology? Dewey, Cooley, Burgess—but Li Yuechi, aren’t you focusing on the wrong thing?

“I’m going to the US for two years.”

“You’re coming back after graduating? You’re not getting a PhD?”

“…”

“See, there’s still a lot of time.” Li Yuechi gazed at the river and murmured, “Anyway, I can wait.”

 

Midnight was coming; more and more people came to the riverside. Vendors with canvas bags mixed into the crowd too and quietly hawked their Kongming lanterns. These lanterns hadn’t been banned from New Year celebrations yet. As the vibrant fireworks exploded in the night sky, countless white Kongming lanterns rose up like a dazzling dreamscape.

The time on his phone said 23:59. One minute later, it would be a new year. Tang Heng saw a couple was already kissing. The light on the bridge turned bright yellow; the LED screens on the skyscrapers across all turned white. It was eye-catching and a commotion spread through the crowd.

 

“Tang Heng!” Li Yuechi suddenly got close to his ear. “You know the prediction for the end of the world?”

“Yeah!” It was too noisy and Tang Heng had no choice but to yell back, “2012 is the end of the world!”

“Do you believe in it?”

“No!”

“What if it’s real?” It was rare for Li Yuechi to ask such a childish question.

“That’s not bad either!”

“Why not?”

“Then I won’t go abroad!”

Li Yuechi smiled. His lips quivered as if wanting to say something, but the next second, the crowd started screaming. Fiery red numbers appeared on the LED screen across the river.

“Ten—” The countdown started.

“Nine—” The crowd was deafening.

“Eight—” His heart pounded.

“Seven—” Year 2012.

“Six—” If only they could kiss too.

“Five—” Could they celebrate together next year too?

“Four—” He’d probably be in the US at this time next year.

“Three—” While Li Yuechi would still be in Wuhan.

“Two—” Li Yuechi suddenly turned around.

“One—” He kissed Tang Heng’s lips.

Tang Heng’s eyes widened. Cheers and yells filled the sky, but he couldn’t make a single sound.

This was their first time kissing in a crowd.

2012 had arrived.