With you for thirteen years CH8

Chapter 8: The Eighth Year

"Xiao Hai*, this year's climate is a bit abnormal." Hai Ruo and DongDong's neighbor Professor Wang is an old man who teaches philosophy, after getting older, he became naggier. "Let me tell you, this past winter, there wasn't much snow, how many times did it fall?"

"Oh, there were only three tiny snowfalls." Carrying a shopping bag in her hand, Hai Ruo briefly thought about it, before giving out a verdict.

"Yes right, you see, only three tiny snowfalls, the land during spring is so dry it's dying, summer just arrived, and torrential downpours are falling one after another, typhoons are also blowing one after another, a few days ago at noon, the sky was so dark, scaring the crap out of people." Professor Wang is a typical southerner, moving to the north and living here for decades now but the accent still remains, Hai Ruo's mother is a girl from the water towns*, when she was young during summer break she would often go and stay at her grandmother's, listening to the primitive simplicity of Suzhou* soft dialect words, Hai Ruo would lay at the back window of her grandmother's small building, watching the boats pass each wave.

"Yes." Recalling her childhood memories, even her reply was mixed with some sweetness, "There have never been such big downpours during the past few years, really strange."

"That's right," Professor Wang's pronunciation of yes was getting warped sounding like shop*, "Looking at this from a philosophical angle, this is a universal relation problem, Xiao Hai you see......"

DongDong who was walking behind them was carefully avoiding the puddles on the ground, slightly looking whilst speechless at Professor Wang's ramble on materialism, and glanced at Hai Ruo who was listening attentively and echoing back from time to time......my owner really is kindhearted.

Getting off the elevator and bidding good-bye with Professor Wang, seeing his facial expression that clearly said he wasn't finished talking DongDong immediately meowed out loud, showing eagerness to go back home, Hai Ruo could only apologetically nod giving regards to Professor Wang, leaving the elevator.

Looking at the elevator door close, she opened her house door, let out a sigh——even though she thinks it is quite interesting speaking with him, Professor Wang is still a bit too "talkative". Turning to look at DongDong's cute expression squatting by the door, "You smart little thing." She intimately rubbed his nose, "Quickly go in, the outside's very hot."

"Meow." It's almost bath day, and today was so hot it was irritable, so much so that even DongDong only resisted symbolically, and obediently went into the water for a bath.

"Is it that you feel Professor Wang really knows to talk." While applying shampoo, Hai Ruo spoke, seeming to be talking to herself, but in fact she has always communicated with DongDong this way, she knows DongDong is listening to her, although she isn't sure if he can understand, she has always talked with no reserve towards DongDong.

"I feel that way too, but thinking about how he saw me from far away and came over to greet me, even grabbing one of my bags to carry just to have someone to talk to, I can't be hardhearted." Hai Ruo held the shower nozzle flushing DongDong, DongDong stretched out comfortably.

"You see, last year his son left the country and went abroad for senior middle school*, his wife went along abroad with him, the house leaving him all by himself......once you think of that you can't be hardhearted." Speaking some more, Hai Ruo started thinking about something else. "Speaking of this, it's been quite a few months since I have last seen aunt, how about inviting her over to stay a few days."

"Meow." That woman handles things neatly, and isn't clingy, no objections.

"Ok, adding you, it can be said to be a small family reunion, how about we go take a family portrait." Hai Ruo thought a bit, "The last time a family portrait was taken was when mom and dad were still here."

DongDong became aware of her slight trembling, crawling out of the bathtub, meowing a few times asking to get blow-dried.

Coming to Hai Ruo's house at approximately around a little past three years, Chu Chengyu pretty much "understood" the Hai family's situation. Hai Ruo was a daughter that her parent's had during their later years, when her mother gave birth to her she felt a bit guilty, showering her especially with lots of love. Her father was a soldier, after retiring from that he taught at a police academy, this being just across the street from the university that her mother taught at, meeting each other by chance, after being madly in love they married.

Hai Ruo's mother is a renowned historian in the country, Hai Ruo choosing ancient literature as her major can be said to be something handed down from her family history, father is tough but won't discourage, mother is gentle but won't spoil, in terms of Hai Ruo's growth other than her innately not having feelings for love, it's being a smooth ride.

Until Hai Ruo was twenty-four years old, at that time she had just graduated, the admission for a doctorate degree was almost finish too, it was certainly a time to be in high spirits, however grievous news fell down, her parent's plane had a malfunction and the both of them passed away.

Fortunately her aunt accompanied her through that low point in her life, then DongDong appeared, Hai Ruo completely recovered her previous vitality and happiness.

If Hai Ruo's past could be compared to great waves in a lake, then in comparison, Chu Chengyu's memories could only be obscure stagnant water.

If there's no accident his parents were still alive, but after he was seven-eight years old, he basically never saw them again.

Their marriage from the beginning was a thorough mistake, and he, was the core of that mistake.

Who knew that after a normal night of confusion, the two people who had never been intertwined before got stuck in a knot that could not be untied, especially, having a center at the knot, that being him Chu Chengyu.

His mother is a big family's little lady, her crush married, and she drank away her sorrows, after getting drunk she met with a stranger and had a one night stand——this might sound like the beginning of a romance, but it was actually an apocalyptic ending.

She got pregnant, due to her body being fragile she couldn't abort the baby, being helpless she had no choice but to find the father to become one family. When Chu Chengyu was five years old, his mother finally found love, and Chu Chengyu's father except for using his mother's money to eat, drink, and have fun pays absolutely no attention to him.

His mother once asked if he wanted to go abroad with her, Chu Chengyu shook his head, not only mentioning how embarrassing it would be to insert himself into her future happy family, he also didn't have much familiarity with his mother that he saw less than a few times in a year.

Not only that, but he soon left his biological father too, from seven-eight years old he took just enough money to live from his mother, and started to learn to live by himself.

Within so many years, he spent it all alone. He once thought he was living really well.

And, and it wasn't that he never felt warmth in his life. When he was neglected, a big brother neighbor once patted him on the shoulders encouraging him, when his stomach was empty the whole day, the auntie upstairs would pull him to eat dinner at her house, and his junior high teacher, after understanding his family situation would have heartfelt sit-down talks with him at times, exchanging thoughts.

But he still became someone like this, starting university, his height jumped to one-hundred and eigty-five centimeters, his facial features also naturally becoming sharper, there were girls that confessed to him, without exceptions he ignored them, he was completely indifferent being more cold and detached.

But in reality, his inner heart longs for feelings of love, but one part of him having the feelings of uncertainty and fear overthrows his longing for love.

Chu Chengyu knows, that this is his own problem.

Longing for warmth, but also being afraid that the warmth won't stay, so he would never reach out his hands towards it.

Until the ending of life as a person came, got coddled, got taken care of, received concern and love.

Until being passively put into the middle of the warm sun, unguarded, already sinking deeper in, unable to leave.

This to him, is a unique solution towards the equation.

On the second day Hai Ruo's aunt arrived, as usual driving her extremely aggressive and arrogant red-colored Maserati, after packing a few sets of clothing she came over, coming over this time, her wine-red curly hair was cut to the earlobes, being very fashionable, even adding more to her queen-like aura.

"Aunt how come you got so skinny," Hai Ruo rarely wanted to go out for dinner, calling and booking a spot at a Western restaurant, "On a diet?"

"Something like that." Aunt flipped through the manuscript that Hai Ruo has recently been correcting, inattentively answering, "Oh right, in your romantic life has there been any progress."

"Puuu*."

This wasn't Hai Ruo, but DongDong who was drinking water. But if Hai Ruo also had liquid in her mouth, she would probably be even more exaggerated than DongDong.

"Aunt don't you know......"

"Know that you're asexual." Hai Xiang rolled her eyes, "But people constantly change, you love me and I love him, in the end I love you again, developing from nothing, isn't this what's most interesting about life."

"But......I really don't have any feelings for anyone." Never did she ever think her aunt would say these things, Hai Ruo's head hurt she rubbed her temples.

"Then that black cat?" Hai Xiang gave a DongDong a glance, he felt as if a knife had just cut him apart.

"If we are talking about DongDong, then yes." Hai Ruo said straightforwardly, "DongDong is the same as aunt, both very important family members."

"You little skinny kid." Hai Xiang gnashed her teeth in anger, "I at least had a few romantic encounters, but are you planning to depend on this cat all the way until you grow old."

"How many more years can this cat accompany you, yes, what if he dies, would you raise another?" Don't know what's going on with Hai Xiang, but she's especially emotional today.

"I won't." Hai Ruo firmly shook her head, "There can't be any substitutes for DongDong, cats are the same, humans are the same, except for DongDong, no one else will do."

Listening up to this, DongDong is speechless.

He always knew that in Hai Ruo's heart he was important, but, saying it in this aboveboard way, no matter how many more times listening to it, he would have the same feeling, that feeling of unspeakable happiness and excitement, making him want to travel up somewhere high just to let out a roar, feeling refreshed even if hos throat tears.

"And," Hai Ruo walked over slowly and acted coquettishly, "Isn't there still aunt."

 "You learned to do this from that little thing." Hai Xiang took a deep look at Hai Ruo's flower-like smile, letting out a sigh.

SMALL THEATER:

Taking a family portrait:

The photographer has taken many family portraits, but never have he ever seen a family like this.

The whole family consists of only two people. No, the family consists of three members, one member looking youthful, very good skined female, a niece with such outstanding temperament that you can't guess her age, and a black cat.

They both wore formal attire, as if they were attending a noble banquet, even the black cat had on a small white bowtie at his neck.

The photographer thought, this is the most unique family portrait he has ever taken, but there is a feeling of happiness. Especially one photograph he snapped:

     When the slightly older lady was putting on makeup, the gentle-looking woman wearing a white skirt was sitting on a low stool, white lace was spread all over the floor, the black cat's fur looking quite similar to a tailcoat, the white bow tied neatly at his collar area. That black cat raised its front paw, seemingly inviting the beautiful lady in front of him to a dance, and the other party also stretched out their hand, accepting the invitation. 

The frame froze at the moment where the fingertips touched. 

Later on the photographer won a gold medal for this very photograph at an exhibition, kick-starting his glorious career.

Afterward what went on with that human and cat?

Every time he sees a pair dancing together, he would think about this.

*I have previously used Xiao in the previous chapters but I forgot to add a note, but Xiao (小) is usually added to someone's name making it like a nickname. People older usually add Xiao to the names of those younger than them, for example - Professor Wang to Hai Ruo, and previous chapters Hai Ruo to Xu Jing.

*Water towns (江南水乡) - Also called Canal towns, are certain ancient and historic towns in China known for their bridges, rivers, and canals. There are many images on Google.

*Suzhou - This is one of the water towns in China.

*The pronunciation of yes (是 ) in Chinese is shi while shop (肆 ) is si, both having the same tone mark. Professor Wang is over saying it so it got warped/ his accent might play a role in making it sound like si. There are also other meanings for si, shop being just one of them.

*Senior middle school - Some provinces may have five years of primary schooling but four years for junior middle school. Junior middle schooling is followed by three years of senior middle school, by the end of which secondary education is completed. (This is taken from the page "Education in China" from Wikipedia.)

*Puuu - spiting sound effect.

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