Suddenly, This Summer 5 // A Different Kind of Summer

He Luo did rather nicely for her finals, her higher-than-average maths results coupled with her strength in literature and language subjects pushed her to the top five in class. Dad couldn’t help nagging anyway: had she been in humanities, she would probably be the first in class. But he still open-mindedly exempted her from attending any supplementary classes over the holidays.

During the long summer, a group of boys and girls went visiting each other’s houses. Growing boys were like locusts, wherever they went they would swipe clean that family’s rice pot and leave their refrigerator empty. They would also meet in school to play basketball and then ride their bicycles to the riverbank to go boating together.

The homeroom teacher Lin Shu Zhen booked a resort in the suburbs and brought along a group of twenty-something kids who signed up for the activity to hike there.

While waiting for the train, Zhao Cheng Jie surveyed He Luo’s backpack and said, “Did you bring a tent and a sleeping bag with you? Did you think we’re going for a camping trip!”

“Ha, treasure!” Zhang Yuan appeared behind her without any noise and unzipped her backpack. He looked inside with a haughty expression. “Robust [a type of drink], shrimp snacks, chocolate balls, red bean jelly, jelly… Did you loot several convenience stores for this?”

“Don’t go through my stuff!” He Luo stamped her feet. “This is for a few of us girls.”

“You only brought the stuff for them, do I have a share?” Zhang Yuan asked.

“We all bought this together.” He Luo passed him a lemon-flavoured lollipop. “Take this. I don’t want you to be drooling over my backpack later.”

“You’re so narrow-minded!” He laughed and shoved the lollipop into his mouth.

He appeared to be a little taller than last year. While He Luo was joking around with a few of the girls, her eyes kept on darting back and forth to Zhang Yuan’s back. He was standing next to the edge of the train platform, hand on his waist. The wind swept him, sending his checkers shirt gently swaying. His inner white t-shirt seemed especially bright. Because he spent nearly every day on the basketball court, Zhang Yuan had tanned quite a bit and looked even more healthy and strong. Under the sunlight, his facial features were highlighted in a beautiful arc.  

Zhang Yuan’s voice transition has basically ended, washing away the sharper childish tone and carrying with it a clear, smooth voice. What He Luo liked the most was the way he smiled while calling her name.

He Luo, He Luo.

A melodious beginning, only to mellow at the end, that voice felt as if sunshine was scattered all over her.

The train slowly pulled up the platform, the carriages seemed to be endless as the wind swept the boy standing close. The scene felt like something out of a long shot in a MTV video. The boy in the picture suddenly turned his head, lollipop still in his mouth, his bright features seemed to pinch together. “He Luo, was the lollipop you gave soaked in vinegar? It’s so sour it makes my teeth hurts.”

The current train they took was a train provided for the railway employees; it would basically stop at every stop for ten minutes.

Li Yun Wei stared longingly at the train on the opposing platform that sped past them. “Is the transport we’re taking a train or an ox cart? Look, that tractor doesn’t seem to be any slower than us.”

“This is pretty good!” He Luo grinned. “Let’s play Chinese checkers.” Zhang Yuan sat in the aisle seat, competing with Gao Fang on who can solve a Rubik’s cube faster. His head was lowered, looking incredibly focused.

He Luo liked his expression when he was serious. She then asked herself, were there any expressions of Zhang Yuan’s that she did not like? There was no answer.

“Don’t play games that will tire your brain, let’s take a break.” Tian Xian slumped over the table. “Waking up this early makes me feel really sleepy.”

“Ah, let’s do fortune-telling!” Li Yun Wei took out a deck of poker cards and smiled rather mysteriously. “Let’s try and predict our love fortune.”

Those who were sleepy were no longer sleepy, those who were daydreaming were wide awake, everyone’s eyes were shining and their eyes were perked up.

*

“Overall, the one who loves you the most is A. He is also the most handsome, but you will marry B. B will be the richest,” Li Yun Wei said. “Bai Lian, oh Bai Lian, I didn’t expect you to also be a woman who worships money.”

“What a joke. I don’t even know who B, C, D is. You’re just making it up,” Bai Lian giggled.

“Then… who’s the A who loves you the most?” Tian Xin leaned forward. “Ha, is he someone we know?”

“Right, who is he?” Zhang Yuan turned around and asked, his long legs sprawled over the walkway.

“Either way it’s not you.” He Luo stuck her tongue at him. “Don’t eavesdrop on our conversation.”

“How do you know it’s not me?”

“Er…” He Luo snorted, then scoffed. Her heart was all shrivelled up.

“Do you believe?” Zhang Yuan suddenly asked.

“What?”

“Fortune-telling.”

“No. It’s only fun, that’s all.” He Luo asked, “Do you want to try?”

“Okay.”

“Think of four girls.” Li Yun Wei took out four cards.

“Then, just the four of you.” He leisurely pointed at them.

“Hey, it’s not accurate once you say it out loud.” He Luo’s face felt warm, even though she was only one fourth of the girls he had chosen.

The one who was found to be the smartest and most educated among them was He Luo. “This is not accurate, isn’t it!” He Luo and Zhang Yuan both immediately doubted the results.

“Let’s see which family Zhang Yuan will join.” He Luo shuffled the cards.

“It’s to see who I’ll have marry,” Zhang Yuan corrected her.

They opened a card for every three card to see which suit the first K card would be. The first two rounds yielded empty results.

“It’s the last round.” He Luo’s palm was a little sweaty.

“Are you nervous? Seatmate.” Li Yun Wei lowered her voice and asked. “Maybe you’ll end up a bachelor for the rest of your life!”

“What a joke. If Zhang Yuan ends up a bachelor, then what about the rest of us? Dead?” Zhao Cheng Jie also leaned over. “I bet it’s Bai Lian. Wasn’t she found to be the richest earlier? She would have brains and money then!”

“Who do you think it will be?” Tian Xin asked. “Don’t say it’s me, I’ll jump off the train!”

“So happy, so excited! [he said this sarcastically]” Zhang Yuan’s eyes swept past everyone, the corner of his mouth carried a hint of a smile. “Who said it’s you?” He paused for a moment and said, “He Luo…”

Ah, did he say my name? He Luo’s heart faltered a little and nearly dropped all the cards in her hands. She didn’t dare to look up, didn’t dare to look him in the eye.

“Hurry up and count!” He followed this with, “The audience are all waiting.” His bright smile seemed a little mischievous.

As predicted, the K card never appeared.

“Ay, there are so many fish in the sea, the rabbit doesn’t eat the grass next to its nest,” Li Yun Wei said. “Don’t be sad, the world is so big and there are so many girls. It’s not like there are only the four of us.”

“You wouldn’t be disillusioned with the mortal world and then become Buddha on the spot, would you?” He Luo said. She thought she was a little cruel. She rather he became a monk than choose someone but her.

“This lifetime is not up for a deck of cards to decide.” Zhang Yuan smiled, putting the cards away. “If it’s someone I’ve decided on, it doesn’t matter if I have to go to the end of the world, I will win over her.”

“The flowers on the roadside… don’t pick.”

“It’s a waste not to pick it.”

Everyone laughed.

*

The resort was built in between two peaks of the mountain, on a ridge overseeing the largest reservoir in the city. Lin Shu Zhen had repeatedly urged the students to stay away from the reservoir – and would rather they all sign life-and-death promise contracts – before sending them off to play.

The mountain was located in the Zhang Guang Chai ridge and the slopes were gentle, almost flat. The blossoming summer flowers dotted the hills. The students became little children again, playing the childhood game of throwing the handkerchief [a traditional Chinese folk children’s game].

“We really shouldn’t have suggested that the loser sing a song.” Zhao Cheng Jie frowned. “Tian Xin is just like the school’s radio station. If she opens her mouth, she can’t stop and must sing a revolutionary song. Who knows where’s the off switch? Quickly turn it off.”

Gao Fang followed up with, “Right, right. Perhaps someone lost on purpose to start her own concert.”

It was Zhang Yuan’s turn to take the handkerchief. He Luo clapped her hands and sang with the rest of them, “Gently place it on the child’s back, don’t tell him.” She had a nagging feeling that Zhang Yuan smiled at her, so she turned around in alarm. She quickly nudged Li Yun Wei who was beside her. “Hurry, it’s your turn!”

Li Yun Wei got up but it was already too late. Zhang Yuan unfurled his long legs and, with a few steps, settled down in the empty seat she created. He stared at He Luo sideways, his expression serious. “Girl, you betrayed me.”

“When did I?”

“Liar.” His right palm was placed on the soft green grass, his fingers were so close they nearly touched hers. From the scattered weed, the fresh smell of grass floating lightly in the air until it reached in front of her – it all felt so wonderful enough to take one’s breath away.

“I didn’t.”

“It’s you.”

While the two were still bickering, they heard Li Yun Wei’s “ha!” and her rushing to them, “You two are talking, I caught you!” The handkerchief was planted squarely on Zhang Yuan’s back.

After an entire day of laughter, they ate their dinner and played mah-jong. Yet He Luo didn’t appear in the recreational hall.

Zhang Yuan said, “I, this expert, better not play this time, or else none of you should entertain thoughts of winning anything.” He then asked Li Yun Wei, “Where’s He Luo? You all bought so much snacks, did you hide it in your rooms to eat alone? Bring them down here so we can exterminate them together.”

“The snacks are here.” Li Yun Wei fished a bag from under the table. “We took this down a long time ago.”

“Oh.” Zhang Yuan wanted to say something else but hesitated.

“Anything else? Don’t delay us from playing.” Li Yun Wei began stacking the mah-jong tiles. When she realised Zhang Yuan circled the room blankly for a few times, she hooked her finger and motioned him over. “In the future when we’re on class duty, you alone clean the blackboard.”

“On what ground?”

“I can’t simply say where He Luo went.”

“Who cares where she went.”

“Oh right, it’s none of your business.”

“… …”

Zhang Yuan circled the room a few more times before returning to her. “Done deal. I’ll clean.”

*

He Luo had just finished her shower. She really hoped to see the stars out in the mountains but dared not go alone. So she stood alone in the corner away from the porch lights.

“Are you standing here to feed the mosquitos?” Zhang Yuan walked over.

“I have cologne.” He Luo took out the little bottle. “I’m star-gazing.”

Zhang Yuan looked her over. “Star-gazing? You didn’t even bring a mirror.”

He Luo rolled her eyes at him.

“Do you know any stars?” he asked.

“The Big Dipper, the North Star,” He Luo said. “The Orion is easiest to recognise.”

“It’s not clear from here. There are still lights.”

The two of them walked away another few hundreds of metre, settling down on the pathways between paddy fields.

“The handle of the Big Dipper is south, so that side’s south.” Zhang Yuan pointed. “There’s Scorpio over there, which means that’s Antares.”

“A star expert!” He Luo remembered the blond-haired boy from the comics. “Do you know the names of the 28 constellations?”

“I only know a few.”

“I know in the south sky there’s the Vermilion Bird, there’s Jing Gui Liu Xing [ancient Chinese constellations]; in the east there’s Azure Dragon…” He Luo proudly recited her knowledge.

“Don’t tell me you read Journey to the West.”

“It’s a girl’s comic. Illusion Game [Fushigi Yuugi]. After reading it, I memorised the names of all 28 constellations.” He Luo complained, “And my dad said reading comics is a waste of time.”

“Never seen. My favourite is City Hunter, girls would probably prefer Sunshine Girl though.”

As the night deepened, the green hills became mere silhouettes, the sound of water gently swooshing in the reservoir. Occasionally, a faint flicker of green light floated past.

“It’s a will o’ wisp.” He Luo grabbed the flashlight and pointed it from under her face. “Help… me… comb… my… hair…”

“Look at your messy hair, you really do look like a ghost.” Zhang Yuan took the flashlight from her, “It’s fireflies.” He extended a close fist, somehow managing to caught one. He opened it and a tiny little firefly emerged, the light flickering from its bottom. “The firefly can’t fly because its wings are stained with palm sweat. Take a closer look.”

“The weather’s so cool, why are you sweating?” He Luo went over. Her hair was still wet, the moonlight weaved between the strands, her clean features appeared to shine.

“He Luo.” Zhang Yuan couldn’t help himself from calling her name. “Actually…”

“En?” She looked up and met a pair of bright eyes, as deep as the starry night skies. Ah, this was Zhang Yuan – earlier when they brought up the topic of liking He Luo, she became high spirited and was not even a little awkward. She even took out a packet of licorice apricot and the two even talked as they ate.

But now, the world became quiet in an instant. So quiet that they could hear each other breathing. She became somewhat helpless in that moment.

“Being with you…” Zhang Yuan looked away, setting his gaze on the rows of paddy fields instead, and leisurely said, “just makes me very happy.”

He Luo’s heart nearly jumped out from her throat. She bit on her lower lip, her head lowered. Her chest felt empty, a feeling of weightlessness, as if she was floating into the dark night skies. The summer was clear and bright, the frogs croaking, the trees swirling in the wind. Yet He Luo’s entire heart was filled with only one person’s figure, his words ringing in her ears over and over.

Can’t be that I misheard it. He Luo pulled a three clover leaf from next to her, unsure what to answer.

“Because you’ll always bring plenty of good food!” Zhang Yuan brightly laughed.

Ah, so it was like this. He Luo who was floating fell flat on her face. But it was okay too, her heart was finally back in its place. But blood kept on rushing to her face, not even the wind was able to sweep it away.

“Let’s go back.” She was a little disappointed. She got up and walked, following the moonlit pathway.

Zhang Yuan placed the firefly onto the grass and caught up with He Luo.

The poor little firefly finally had the opportunity to the dry its wet wings.

The fragrance of the yellow evening primrose quietly drifted, slowly making its way into the crevices of time. One day, though not sure when, a small bud will blossom, pulling with heartstrings.

Thoughts

I was freaking out when I translated the latter half of this chapter, thinking Zhang Yuan was making a confession. Like He Luo, I’m disappointed but I think he just chickened out of doing it because she didn’t immediately give a reaction. He himself was definitely nervous, I think it gave him a nice, new dimension. He was this charismatic, playful character but his hesitation showed a vulnerable side of him. A note about the translation: sorry if it seems off in some parts, this author likes poetic descriptions and I have difficulty conveying them properly in English.

Oh and Happy Chinese New Year, everyone! I hope the year of the rooster will be a good one for you.