Together Forever - Chapter 35
Volume 2, Chapter 35: Missing You (2)
Wang Xiao Ru didn’t return to campus until the third week of the semester.
Even her registration had been handled by Zhou Qing Chen.
When she finally appeared, Tong Yan almost didn’t recognize her. It was clearly the same person, but completely transformed. Xiao Ru gave a cursory greeting, tossed some souvenirs—their origin unknown—to Shen Yao and Tong Yan, then quickly pulled up the semester’s course schedule on her computer and left the dorm.
“Full facial reconstruction?” Shen Yao picked up the souvenir, examining it closely. “Did she just get back from Korea?”
Tong Yan, amused by Shen Yao’s disdain, said, “Aren’t you always talking about getting your jaw shaved and cheekbones reduced? If you weren’t afraid of the pain, you would have done it already. Don't judge.”
“I’m blessed with good fortune; I don’t need surgery.” Shen Yao pulled Tong Yan over to her computer mysteriously. “Help me check the tone of this email. It’s for that old guy from the UN conference. I’m asking him for a recommendation letter.”
Tong Yan pulled up a chair and carefully read the email.
After a moment, she frowned. “Content-wise, it’s pretty good. As for the grammar and sentence structure… you’re on your own. My English is much worse than yours.”
Shen Yao then shared her plans for the future.
It sounded like she had put a lot of thought into it, even calculating the GPA she needed this semester to apply to specific schools. For law students like them, it was difficult to get scholarships from top universities abroad; foreign institutions had different expectations for law schools.
Just like medical school, American law schools required a bachelor’s degree for admission.
But in China, it was often the default choice: Don't know what to study? Go to law school.
“The friend I used to win awards with in elementary school just graduated from a German music conservatory,” Shen Yao said wistfully. “My dream was to be a pianist, but then I got sidetracked by… early romance. She’ll be a violinist, and I’m just an ordinary undergraduate… So, Tong Yan, I’m determined to be a top lawyer.”
Seeing her rare display of seriousness, Tong Yan played along, discussing their future aspirations.
Then, glancing at the time on her computer, she jumped up. “Oh no! I have Physics!”
She grabbed her books and bike keys and dashed out the door.
It was Monday afternoon, and the campus was bustling.
With only five minutes until class, everyone was hurrying, their bikes zipping along like they were in a race… As she rode through the narrow path between the dorm buildings, she collided with a group of girls riding abreast.
A chorus of screams, a tangle of bikes and bodies.
Tong Yan picked herself up, wincing; her Physics textbook had flown across the path.
This was not her day.
Apologizing profusely, she helped the girls right their bikes. Thankfully, they were all students, so apart from exchanging apologies, there was no conflict. After they left, she noticed a tear in her down jacket, the soft white down peeking through the blue fabric… Although it wasn’t a large tear, she was heartbroken.
It was a Christmas gift from Gu Pingsheng.
“Tong Yan,” someone handed her the textbook. “Are you okay?”
She looked up and saw Shen, the class representative from her elective last semester. She hadn’t seen him since.
“Thanks,” she took the book. “I have to go; I’m late for class.”
She was about to ride off when Shen stopped her, grabbing the back of her bike. “Can I ask you something?”
She turned back, puzzled. Shen hesitated, then asked, his voice uncertain, “I heard… you’re with Teacher Gu from your department? And that he… resigned because of it?”
People passed by, staring. Her fall had been rather ungainly; her pants and jacket were torn. They probably thought she had been in a fight with her boyfriend…
She glanced at her watch. “I’m really late.”
The boy, as shy as ever, didn’t have the courage to ask again.
Due to the accident, she was ten minutes late for class.
Having attended Zhao Yin’s classes for three semesters, she knew the teacher always took attendance at the beginning of class. Attendance didn’t count towards the final grade, but those with poor attendance records rarely passed.
She had taken off her down jacket before entering the building, clutching it in her arms. Walking into the 500-seat lecture hall, she immediately became the center of attention.
Zhao Yin was writing on the board, seemingly oblivious to her arrival.
Tong Yan felt awkward, partly because of her tardiness, partly because of Gu Pingsheng.
Three or four hundred students, 90% of them freshmen, curiously stared at her.
“Teacher Zhao.” She spoke only after Zhao Yin put down the chalk.
“Late?” Zhao Yin looked at her, then walked to the podium and picked up the attendance sheet. “You weren’t here last class either. Tong Yan, if you fail this course again and have to retake it in your senior year, it will directly affect your internship. Your department requires full-time attendance for the entire year; no internship provider will give you two half-days off every week to attend classes.”
“I’m sorry, Teacher Zhao. There was a family emergency last week. It won’t happen again.”
Zhao Yin opened her textbook, dismissing her. “Find a seat.”
A minor incident.
Zhao Yin hadn’t been particularly harsh, but Tong Yan still felt uneasy, especially after Shen’s question.
She thought about it all night and finally told Shen Yao the next morning.
Shen Yao, sipping her soymilk, said vaguely, “Tong Yan, what are you afraid of? People talking won’t kill you. You should learn from Wang Xiao Ru’s star quality. No matter how bad the rumors get, she just keeps going, living her best life.”
The dorm was filled with the aroma of fried dumplings and guotie (pan-fried dumplings).
Tong Yan opened the almost-new laptop he had left for her. He had bought it last semester when he arrived in Shanghai and had cleared the hard drive in front of her before giving it to her. The D drive was empty except for two folders: one containing medical files, which he deleted, and the other containing legal documents, which he left for her.
She logged into MSN and glanced at his name; it was grayed out.
Curled up in her chair, wrapped in a blanket, she opened her Physics textbook and notebook, working on problem sets while waiting for him.
Thankfully, he was her only MSN contact. Soon, a brief notification sound alerted her; a chat window popped up:
I’m late.
She placed her textbook on her lap and quickly typed: It’s okay, I was just studying.
How was your day yesterday?
Terrible. I fell off my bike, was late for class, and when I went to get lunch, they ran out of my favorite Kung Pao chicken.
It was a true account, just… abridged. She omitted the torn jacket, the whispers and stares, and the fact that the class she was late for was Zhao Yin’s Physics lecture.
Sounds rough. Is Kung Pao chicken that good?
After eating cafeteria food for so long, everything tastes bland. Only spicy dishes like that can stimulate my appetite.
Their conversation was trivial.
But Tong Yan couldn't stop smiling. Just a few casual words from Gu Pingsheng had dispelled her gloom.
He was late today. They hadn’t been chatting long when it was almost nine. Knowing he usually went to bed around ten, she reluctantly prepared to say goodnight.
After saying goodnight, she impulsively typed:
Have you considered coming back to China for rehabilitation once you’re well enough?
A long silence followed before he replied:
That depends.
Tong Yan knew he wouldn’t agree so easily.
But I miss you. Don’t you… miss me?
More silence.
She stared at the screen, anxious.
“What’s wrong?” Shen Yao, noticing her expression, chuckled. “Is Mei Ren Sha having an affair? Why the serious face?”
Tong Yan glanced at Shen Yao. “I’m discussing a serious matter with him.”
“Are you pregnant?”
Tong Yan rolled her eyes, ignoring Shen Yao’s teasing.
His avatar was still online, but he hadn't replied.
Was he showering? Or… Tong Yan recalled that night, a sudden fear gripping her. He was probably living alone in the US. What if he suddenly collapsed while pouring water or something…? She quickly typed, the slight clicking of the keys amplifying her anxiety. Are you still there?
Yes. Thinking about how to answer your question.
What question?
You asked if I missed you.
So sly.
She was exasperated by his evasiveness, but his answer was clear enough. His mind was made up.
A moment later, he sent a file.
Unfortunately, due to the slow internet connection, the transfer speed was glacial; it might not even finish by morning. Gu Pingsheng seemed to realize this and cancelled the transfer. You should receive it in your email in about ten minutes.
Curious, Tong Yan asked what it was.
The answer to your question.
With that, his avatar went offline.
Confused, Tong Yan opened her email and waited. About ten minutes later, a flurry of messages arrived, not just one, but ten.
That explained his earlier comment. Uploading and sending them one by one would take time.
She opened the first email, arranged by time.
Yan Yan,
After surgeries, I often sketch my thoughts, extending the procedure I just completed. Or, when explaining a procedure to someone, I like to draw as I speak, visually guiding them through the process.
Unlike with digital cameras, sketching requires recollection. While scanning these, I looked through them carefully. It turns out Mr. Gu misses Mrs. Gu very much.
TK
She opened the attachment. It was a simple sketch of a classroom scene. Most of the figures were just rough outlines, except for two figures standing near the front, which were more detailed.
The date in the corner was the day he left.
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