Under Clear Skies Chapter 74: Of Course

Chapter 74: Of Course

Translated by Fefe of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

On the first day of 2012, it started snowing in Wuhan again.

Fu Liling got home at noon. They were eating dinner at Tang Guomu’s home, so they just ate a simple lunch. Tang Heng ordered the seafood pizza that Fu Liling liked, along with hot ginger cola.

“Wow, you’ve improved.” Fu Liling held up the cup and asked with a chuckle, “Who did you learn this from?”

“…The internet.”

“Be careful not to burn yourself when boiling it.”

“Mn.”

Tang Heng had indeed learned it from the internet. This was a lie. However, he’d lost count of how many times he’d made it in the apartment. After winter had come, Tang Heng had bought a simple boiler. It was very easy to make ginger cola. Wuhan winters were honestly too fucking cold. Even with the heat on, the warmth only hovered on the surface of their skin, while the cold seeped into their bones. Tang Heng would always boil a pot of ginger cola before they had sex. The two would drink it slowly, one mouthful after another, and wait until their bodies warmed up and had the courage to take their clothes off.

“I heard you got the offer,” Fu Liling stated.

Tang Heng broke out of his thoughts. “From University of Chicago.”

“Is it a good school?”

“I applied to four schools and this one is the best.”

Tang Heng’s heart sped up a little. He was worried Fu Liling would flip the table in anger.

But all Fu Liling did was nod. “What will happen to that band of yours?”

Tang Heng was surprised. “Nothing?”

“Disband?”

“No… We can hang out again if we have time.”

“That’s true.” Fu Liling looked thoughtful. “You’ll all go separate ways after graduating anyway.”

She had never really supported Tang Heng’s band endeavors. Of course, she didn’t object to it either. She just rarely asked about it, so it was strange that she brought it up today. Tang Heng changed the topic, asking, “Where are we spending the Spring Festival this year?”

“How about Sanya?” Fu Liling finished the cola. “The house I bought last year has been remodeled.”

“I don’t want to… It’s too far.”

“Far? Isn’t the US farther?” Fu Liling laughed. “There’s a direct flight from Wuhan, a short flight. Sanya is warm and the air is clean too. Anyway, I don’t want to spend the holiday in Wuhan.”

“We have to record songs for the competition over the holiday.”

“Won’t the staff have a holiday?”

“It’s us three. We’re recording by ourselves.”

“Tang Heng.”

“Hm?”

“Is there another reason why you want to stay in Wuhan?”

Tang Heng laughed awkwardly. “What other reason would I have?”

“How would I know?” Fu Liling shrugged. “Whatever, up to you. I’m going to Sanya—I already made plans with my friends.”

After Tang Heng left his uncle’s home at night, he met up with Jiang Ya and An Yun, and went to Long Love. The owner, A-Bu, had gone on vacation in Xinjiang, so there were no live performances here, even though it was a holiday. Only the bartender and some servers were here to take care of the business.

Perhaps because it was too cold or perhaps because the students were all studying for their finals, Long Love was empty for once. Looking around, there were only two or three booths with customers. A jazz song floated vaguely through the space.

“Where’s Li Yuechi?” Jiang Ya teased. “What, he’s not gonna spend the first day of the new year with you?”

“He’s working at the tutoring center.”

“Ah. In the end, you still need me, your daddy.”

“Fuck off.”

An Yun wrinkled her nose. “You already had drinks?” she asked Jiang Ya.

“Just a little. Lin-jie’s going back to Beijing today, so I had a farewell dinner with her.”

Tang Heng sat up straight. “She asked you out?”

“I asked her. She paid for our dinner last night.”

“I know.”

“Lin-jie asked about you.”

“Jiang Ya.” Tang Heng paused and decided to tell the truth. “She doesn’t plan on signing our band.”

Jiang Ya was noticeably taken aback. “What do you mean?” he asked.

“She contacted me long ago. She wants to sign me.”

“Just you?”

“That’s what she said at that time, at least.”

“Oh…” Jiang Ya uttered. “Then, she’s changed her mind now.”

“I haven’t told you yet, right? I got my offer.”

“O-what? Speak Chinese.”

An Yun glanced at Tang Heng and said to Jiang Ya, “He got accepted by University of Chicago.”

“That’s great! My son is fucking awesome!” Jiang Ya clapped Tang Heng’s back. “I already thought it out. You don’t have classes next semester and I don’t either. The three of us can try it out in Beijing for a few months, just to experience things. If we don’t like it, you and An Yun can go back to studying.”

An Yun frowned. “But I have classes next semester.”

“Take leave. Your dad can do it.”

“It’s not that easy.”

“Tang Heng’s going too. All you have to do is sweet-talk your dad—”

“Jiang Ya,” Tang Heng interrupted him quietly, staring at the black marble bar. “I never thought about becoming an artist.”

Jiang Ya fell silent. The excited expression in his features faded too. An Yun patted Jiang Ya’s arm and explained in a low voice, “I really can’t take leave right now… It would’ve been okay before, but my dad is trying to get the title of Yangzte River Scholar this year and everyone has their eyes on him.”

Jiang Ya looked at her blankly. “What if you… quit school for half a year?”

“What about after that half year?” An Yun sighed. “We’ll at most sign with a company as artists. Half a year? Do you think we can get popular in half a year? If we’re still nobodies after half a year, how will I explain to my dad? Say I don’t want to do grad school anymore?”

An Yun continued, “Plus, they didn’t even want to sign us. Only Tang Heng. Okay, even if we’re included now—Tang Heng wants to do grad school too. He worked so hard on persuading his mom and got a good offer. Is he supposed to just give it up now?”

It was silent. Jiang Ya hung his head, thinking about something. He let out a laugh moments later.

“I know,” he said. “You all have great futures and don’t care about this stupid band.”

“Jiang Ya—”

“I’m not good enough. I needed bonus points just to get into a shitty school.”

Tang Heng’s brows knitted. “What’s the point of saying this?”

“There’s no point. There’s no point in having this stupid band too. You two are doing grad school and studying abroad. And me? What am I gonna do, go back to Inner Mongolia? Am I supposed to go back and inherit my dad’s company?”

“This is your own choice—”

“I don’t fucking want to!” Jiang Ya growled. He shot to his feet and walked off.

The bartender walked over and asked with fake concern, “Is Xiao Jiang okay?” He must’ve heard their argument.

“He’s okay,” An Yun said softly.

“Ah, why make a band?” The bartender returned to the bar and made two glasses of orange fruit wine for them. “Won’t make any money…” 

Tang Heng and An Yun sipped on their fruit wine in silence. No one spoke for a while. When the jazz music turned into piano and the other customers left, An Yun finally asked, “You sure about going abroad?”

Tang Heng nodded.

“Then you and Li Yuechi…”

“What about us?” Tang Heng asked, irritated.

“You’re going to do a long-distance relationship?”

“Yeah.”

“…Okay then.”

“What about you and Tian Xiaoqin?”

“Us?” An Yun scoffed at herself. “We’re nothing. She’s straight.”

The two finished their fruit wine and paid. They walked out of Long Love together. It was past 10 p.m. now and Tang Heng had received a text from Li Yuechi a few minutes ago. He said he was back to his dorm.

“You can go,” Tang Heng said. “I’m going over there.”

By now, they all knew that over there meant Tang Heng and Li Yuechi’s apartment.

“Isn’t your mom home?” An Yun was surprised. “You’re not going home tonight?”

“I am. I need to get something.”

“Oh.”

After saying goodbye to An Yun, Tang Heng went alone to Li Yuechi and his house—he didn’t like calling it a rented apartment, because it felt so temporary. Calling it a home felt too much of a stretch too, so he settled on house. A worn-down house. Tang Heng hoped that Donghu Village would never be torn down.

He didn’t have anything to get, nor did he open the door. He just squatted on the stairs outside the door. The snow had stopped by now and the piles of snow in the alley melted slowly. It was wet and grimy everywhere.

In his memory, the city of Wuhan was also like this—wet and grimy.

His phone screen lit up. It was Li Yuechi’s text again. Can you talk right now?

Tang Heng dialed his number directly. “You’re at home?” Li Yuechi asked in a whisper.

“I’m… outside the building.”

Li Yuechi’s voice went back to normal. “Oh, why didn’t you go up?”

“I was waiting for your call.” Tang Heng laughed. “Li Yuechi, I have a question.”

“Yeah?”

“What… are your plans? Are you going to get a PhD?”

“Probably not. I want to start working earlier.”

“Work where? Back in Guizhou?”

“Where do you want to go?”

“I haven’t decided yet.”

“Take your time.”

Tang Heng felt his heart quiver. “Would you follow me?”

“Of course.”

His tone was so natural, so firm. Tang Heng got up and moved his stiff legs. “I’m going upstairs, then.”

“Goodnight,” Li Yuechi said gently.

The New Year’s holiday ended. Jiang Ya went back to Tang Heng’s group after a few days. After all, he still needed Li Yuechi’s help for his homework.

He didn’t bring up going to Beijing anymore. Of course, he didn’t mention Lin Lang either. It was as if nothing had happened and they bickered like usual. Fu Liling went back to Shanghai, so Tang Heng holed up in the apartment to finish his semester thesis for his finals. When he typed in the last word of a footnote, he realized belatedly that the last class of his undergrad years had ended just like this.

Back then, he’d always wanted to quickly get enough credits and graduate—especially when doing the 1000-meter run for his physical. But at this moment, he gazed out the window at the high and low rooftops, and he didn’t feel any excitement. He only felt dazed. Tang Heng double-checked his thesis. As if not willing to accept it, he added an unnecessary footnote, like this could make his four undergrad years more perfect.

He emailed the thesis to his teacher and stood up to stretch. It was a sunny noon after the snow—there’d been constant flurries these days and it was rare for the sun to come out. His thermos was filled with rice wine that Li Yuechi had bought this morning and it was still steaming now. Tang Heng drank it slowly.

The Spring Festival was early this year. There were only two days left before winter break and this morning was Li Yuechi’s last exam.

The exam started at nine. Tang Heng glanced at his phone—it was 10:40. He got the mop from the bathroom and mopped the entire room carefully. Then he wiped the table, the window, and washed the thermos. After he finished all this, it was 11 sharp. Li Yuechi should be done with the exam, right? He started thinking about what to eat in celebration. Hot pot, roasted fish, or that new Thai restaurant?

He changed into a new sweater that Fu Liling had bought for him. At 11:03, he dialed Li Yuechi’s number.

The call went through, but no one answered. Could it be that Li Yuechi hadn’t finished yet? He was a genius and yet still so careful with his exams.

Tang Heng was about to call again when his uncle’s caller ID popped up on the screen.

“Hello, Xiao Heng?” Professor Tang said casually. “I’m having a meal with my students later. You should come too.”     

“You guys finished with the exams?”

“They finished in just one hour. My exam is the easiest this year. Take a taxi to Fuchunxuan Restaurant at the West Gate, room 302. We’re walking over there now.”

“Oh…” No wonder Li Yuechi didn’t answer the phone. He was with his teacher and classmates.

Tang Heng accepted the invitation and didn’t call Li Yuechi again. He hailed a taxi at the alleyway. There was some traffic and it took more than 30 minutes to get to the restaurant. When Tang Heng got out of the car, he felt dizzy and a bit carsick. He bought a bottle of cold soda from the convenience store nearby and gulped it down. He finally felt better.

If not for Li Yuechi, he’d never go through this torture to eat with some shixiong and shijie that he didn’t know.

Tang Heng walked into the restaurant and took the elevator up. A server led him past a corner and to the door of Room 302. He could hear his uncle’s bold laugh through the closed door.

Tang Heng walked in and Professor Tang waved at him. “You’re finally here. Come, sit on this side.”

Tang Heng had no choice but to sit down next to his uncle. Li Yuechi sat diagonal to him. Their eyes met quickly in the air before looking to the side at the same time.

“Shidi, what tea do you want?” a girl that Tang Heng didn’t know said warmly. “This is pu’er and this is chrysanthemum.”

“Pu’er is fine.” Tang Heng got up. “I’ll pour it myself.”

“No need, no need. Sit down, I’ll do it.” The girl smiled at him. “It’s hot, so drink it slowly.”

“Where’s An Yun?” Tang Heng asked his uncle.

“That girl ran off as soon as she finished the exam,” Professor Tang said. “Lao An is treating the Board of Education to a dinner and called her over.”

“Oh…” Tang Heng answered while peeking at Li Yuechi again. Li Yuechi had his head lowered to drink soup. White radish and rib soup—doesn’t he dislike radish?

Tang Heng’s eyes moved a little and saw Tian Xiaoqin next to Li Yuechi. Her eyes were lowered and her cheeks flushed red. Maybe the heat was too high in here.

“Xu Rong.” Professor Tang drank some juice and asked, “Have you and your boyfriend decided when to settle down?”

“Soon, probably after graduation next year.” Xu Rong laughed and furrowed her brows. “He doesn’t have a house yet.”

“Don’t worry about the house. Young people have more than enough chances to make money…” Professor Tang surveyed his students like a well-meaning father. “You’re all grad students now. You need to think about getting a significant other.”

“Teacher Tang, don’t worry,” the guy with a bowl cut next to Xu Rong said. “I’ll take care of my shidi and shimei’s love lives! I’ll introduce for them!”

Xu Rong snorted. “No need, Bao Lei. Our group has all taken care of it internally. You don’t have to do anything!”

“Huh?” Bao Lei was surprised. “Really?”

“Really.” Xu Rong looked at Li Yuechi and Tian Xiaoqin and said excitedly, “Xiaoqin just told us that she’s dating Yuechi!”