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| Falls at Cangshan Mountain near Dali, Yunnan Province, China. Pinterest |
Zhen Zhen had a good night’s sleep, so she woke up just after turn. She turned to look to her lazy pig friend, but Xiao Tu was not in bed?
She quickly got up and put on a robe to go out and look for her, but as soon as she opened the door, she kicked a warm body. She looked down and found Xiao Tu sitting at the door with her head on her knees and shoulders twitching.
She looked miserable.
This fool must have been afraid of disturbing her sleep with her crying so she didn’t dare enter. Zhen Zhen came around and squatted in front of Xiao Tu, pushing up her head to find a face streaked with wet and dried tears and phlegm.
‘Look at you, so ugly, stop crying.’
But Xiao Tu cried even harder. Since she had been crying all night, it was a dry howl. Zhen Zhen went to get a face cloth to clean Xiao Tu’s face, and waited for her to finish crying. After a while, Xiao Tu eventually lost energy and began to hiccup.
‘Now, answer my questions; did you go to see Lang Lang?’
Xiao Tu stared at her, her expression asking “How do you know?”
Zhen Zhen gave her a disdainful glare in return, it is wasn’t a man making her cry like this, what else could it be?
‘Then, he ignored you?’
Xiao Tu shook her head first, then nodded, and recalled the resolute look he had on his face, and her lower lip trembled as tears threatened to well up again, ‘He said he doesn’t want to see me anymore.’ She wailed, but Zhen Zhen blocked her mouth,
‘Tell me what happened.’
Xiao Tu told her everything, and took Zhen Zhen’s hand, ‘Zhen Zhen, should I give up on him?’
Although, she wasn’t sure what Lang Lang was up to, she decided to send Buddha to the West and help him. She knocked Xiao Tu’s head, ‘Why are you giving up? Haven’t both of you been to third base no less than twenty times? He has eaten you clean and counted how many hairs you have on your body. If you give up, won’t you feel bad? Can you swallow it?’
Xiao Tu’s face turned red as she counted on her fingers, ‘Actually, it wasn’t that many…maybe about seventeen times?’
Confound it! That was not the point!
Zhen Zhen once again realised Xiao Tu could not be regarded as a normal human being.
‘Alright, stop talking nonsense. Right now, you look like a pig that had been rolling in mud, which man will like you? Go wash up and go to sleep.’
Xiao Tu sniffed and cuddled up to Zhen Zhen, ‘Do you really think I should be with him? What kind of love…?’
‘There’s nothing to be or not to be; only that you’re willing or not willing. If you’re willing, then chase after him. You’re foolish about everything else – why do you have to complicate you love? Tutu, tell me, what do you think of Lang Lang?’
‘I like him. I am willing to be with him. I’m not sure why I like him, I just know I do. But his thoughts are never clear to me; he has never told me he liked me either, just being with me. Right now, he is so angry, so he must be fond of me, after all, my charm is so great, but last night…he was so angry. I don’t quite understand. I don’t know what to do.’
‘Do you think he’s been good to you?’
Xiao Tu thought about the sweetness when they were together, and nodded.
‘Then let me make it clear, if a man does everything in his power to spoil a woman, there is only one reason; he loves her. He does love you. So do you understand why he is angry this time?’
He loved her! He loved her! The realisation made her grin from ear to ear, she hugged Zhen Zhen the great love expert even tighter, but then she then Zhen Zhen added, ‘But it seems he wants to let go of this love.’
‘What?’ Xiao Tu cried, ‘Zhen Zhen, you must help me!’
Zhen Zhen patted her head comfortingly, ‘Who said I wasn’t going to help you? I must have owed you in my previous life. Why are you so stupid? But that being said, you are better than many people in some aspects. Because you know that I will protect you, you are always lawless with me. Because you know that Lang Lang dotes on you, that’s why you’re messing about. Knowing that Shao Yu…’
Zhen Zhen trailed off. Xiao Tu waited expectantly for the rest of the sentence, when she didn’t hear anything, she gently shook Zhen Zhen, ‘Shao Yu – what?’
Zhen Zhen quickly regained her composure, and a frown grew on her face, ‘What are you still doing here, go and wash your face and go to sleep.’
Xiao Tu replied with a diminutive, ‘Oh,’ and got up to enter the room.
Once the door shut, Zhen Zhen turned and went to Lang Lang’s room. She knocked at the door, but he didn’t respond. She knew he wouldn’t be sleeping after all that transpired, so she continued knocking until he answered. When he did, he looked pale with dark circles around his eyes, and he had been drinking; the scent of alcohol reeled off him.
She sneered, ‘Who sent you to talk harshly like that?’
Lang Lang leaned against the door and glared at her impatiently.
‘Don’t look at me with those affectionate eyes. I’m not Tutu I won’t be moved.’
Lang Lang looked sad but said coldly, ‘Speak up, what do you want?’
‘Tut tut, is this how you treat your sister-in-law?’
Lang Lang was about to close the door, but Zhen Zhen stopped him, ‘Xiao Tu,’ and sure enough the door opened.
‘What?’
‘Nothing, she’s gone to bed. But I just wanted to remind you; be careful, don’t go too far.’
‘Thank you for your reminder.’ He said quietly, and was about to shut the door.
Zhen Zhen, annoyed at his lifelessness, held the door opened, ‘Don’t you think you’re being over confident?’
‘I don’t think so.’
She sneered, ‘Then why are you drowning your sorrows in wine?’
Lang Lang sneered back, ‘Zhen Zhen, isn’t your back aching from standing here so long. But I think it would be better if you take care of yourself. Since that night after the karaoke club, I haven’t seen Shao Yu around. But someone with his personality, he wouldn’t have given up on Xiao Tu easily, unless something happened…’
Zhen Zhen glared at him; this man was too smart. He knew how to deduce other’s weaknesses and shoot them dead.
‘Lang Lang, you don’t have to be on guard against me; you and I have no intersection whatsoever. Keeping everything in your heart, aren’t you tired?’
His expression changed; emotions shimmered in his eyes. Zhen Zhen gave him wry smile, they were similar people, she also hid her heart in a protective shell, not letting others see her true self, so she understood him.
‘Tutu cried in the hotel corridor all night; she just told me she wanted to give up on you. Are you still confident?’
He clenched his fist. He had heard her.
‘Telling me this, would it make it better?’
‘Perhaps not for others, but for Xiao Tu, yes.’ With that, she turned and returned to her room.
How ridiculous, she could persuade Lang Lang but not herself.
It was not necessary to mention that Xiao Tu was quite dumb; she had slept a whole day away, and when she woke up the day after, she didn’t remember that she had been sad and depressed. The person who had been crying with snot and tears running down her face was now hugging Zhen Zhen’s waist shouting, ‘I’m hungry, I’m so hungry! Let’s go eat!’
Alas, food was truly her first love.
But Zhen Zhen calmly pried her arms off her waist and turned to pick up a plastic bag from her bed and threw it to Xiao Tu.
Xiao Tu opened the bag and immediately brightened, she took out the bowl and chopsticks and began to wolf it down.
Zhen Zhen began to get dressed.
Zhen Zhen was dressing? Was she going out?
‘Where are you going so early-hic!?’
Zhen Zhen brushed her hair in front of the mirror, ‘Children should not worry about adult’s business. Hurry up and fill your stomach, then go after your man. By the way,’ she said as she placed the brush down, ‘We went to Erhai Lake and Cangshan Mountain yesterday. Today is a free day, so make your own decisions and don’t look for me.’
Zhen Zhen picked up her bag and walked out the door.
‘Hey! Wait! What?!’ Xiao Tu shouted but all the got in response was a loud slam of the door.
Strange, what was wrong with Zhen Zhen? Why was she being cold again?
But then the more Xiao Tu thought, the more distressed she became; she had been sleeping while everyone had been admiring the beautiful scenery at the place she had yearned to see for so long?! No, she couldn’t leave without seeing anything! But the emotional issues needed to be resolved…
After thinking for nearly an hour, Xiao Tu finally clapped making her decision: As Lang Lang to go sight-seeing with her.
(Author: This little result from an hour’s thinking, it was terrible to have no IQ)
She quickly texted him: Hey, it’s me. Are you better today? If you’re not busy, would you like to accompany me to Erhai Lake for a while. I couldn’t go yesterday…
Xiao Tu waited twenty minutes, but there was no reply. She became a little discouraged. Could it be he really didn’t want to be with her anymore?
She sent another text: Are you really not even willing to go out with me? But I really want to see you? Could you accompany me this once?
There was no response for twenty minutes, Xiao Tu felt sour but did not give up.
She sent another text: I’ll go there and wait for you. I will wait until you come. See you there…or not.
She got up, showered and dressed in the cute yellow dress he had bought for her. She tied her hair up prettily and cheered herself up in the mirror before heading out.
Dog-blood theatre – mobile edition:
‘Xiao Lang, why does your room stink of alcohol? Did you drink last night?’ Zhao Tian asked in a teasing tone as she reclined on the sofa in Lang Lang’s room eating an apple.
‘I told you not to call me “Xiao Lang”,’ Lang Lang growled.
Zhao Tian was very happy, the angrier he got the more excited she became. She had never been able to get one over him when they were children, so it felt like an accomplishment to successfully piss him off.
‘Tsk tsk, look at you, so angry. It seems you are suffering from endocrine disorders…bad relationships.’
‘Zhao Tian, did you just come her to talk nonsense or do you have some business?’ Lang Lang was very annoyed, this friend of his had barged into his room early in the morning, drinking his coffee, eating his breakfast and talking incessantly.
Zhao Tian raised her grubby boots to cross them on the coffee table, but when she saw his glare, she quickly put her legs down – curse his mysophobia. But she still grinned at him, ‘Of course, I came to see your well-being. Isn’t it because I miss you that I came to see you so early in the morning. Please be touched.’
Lang Lang glare became frighteningly cold, ‘If you have something to say hurry up and say it,
His look and tone made her feel weak and cold, but she brushed it off. So boring, reading people’s thoughts quickly. She put down the apple, and put her hands on her knees and bowed her head, ‘Xiao Lang, considering the long friendship, please help me! My mother came to try to kill me last night, threatening to force me to go back. I think she’s watched too many horror films. She actually found two people to see me. I have exhausted all my strength. I only had the wisdom to escape to find you. If you don’t save me, no one can! Xiao Lang, can you bear to see my beautiful archaeological dreams cut off like this?’ She looked up at him imploringly with her hands held together.
‘Xiao Lang, don’t forget, when we were in kindergarten; who borrowed pants for you to wear when you wet your pants? It was me’
‘Who stopped Sister Hu from taking pictures of you in a dress? It was me. If it weren’t for me getting in the shot, you might have been trapped in a gravure photo industry now.’
‘You, shut up!’ Lang Lang’s face turned red. Those were the most embarrassing times of his like, only this mean woman would bring it up like it was nothing.
Zhao Tian knew his face was hard, but his heart was soft, she pressed on, falling to her knees and looking imploringly at him, ‘Xiao Lang, our friendship is higher than the sky and deeper than the sea. Only you can stop my mom’s endless speeches. Please help me!’
Lang Lang looked down at her, and sighed inwardly. This Zhao Tian had been like since they were little. She was a wealthy lady who preferred to be knee deep in the mud and dust of an archaeological dig than be prancing about fancy hotel dinners. She was really strange, but he did like strange people.
‘This is the last time?’
Zhao Tian nodded quickly, ‘This is the last time. Let’s go quickly! If we deal with mom quickly enough, I can head back to the dig site. Our leader has just found a new burial site and they are waiting for me!’ She leapt up and grabbed his arm pulling him to the door. Lang Lang tried to get his phone.
‘Don’t bother. You have hurt her so much, would she dare come crawling back for more? Let’s go.’
So his phone was forgotten in his room.
Xiao Tu endured the pain of renting a bicycle for 100yuan, but as she got it, she realised she had a problem. How could she ride with such a short chiffon dress? She really wanted to go back and ask the man if he would refund her the money, but then she realised a taxi there might be more expensive.
So she sat on the bicycle with a solemn expression and tucked her dress to protect her dignity, before setting off. Luckily, there weren’t many others on the trail, and the beautiful scenery made her forget her woes. On both sides of the road, there were fields of crops as far as the eyes could see. The lush verdancy made her feel happy. She decided to get off the bicycle and walk to feel the gentle breeze. As she walked along, she saw a person sitting on the grass staring out into the distance over the farms. She realised it was Zhen Zhen. She looked so lonely sitting there wearing a white dress with her long black hair blowing in the breeze.
She didn’t make an attempt to call her because she remembered that Zhen Zhen had wanted to be alone.
Everyone had a their own worries in their hearts which couldn’t be resolved by others. She knew Zhen Zhen must have be depressed about something, but if she didn’t tell Xiao Tu, Xiao Tu couldn’t ask. But she hoped she would come out of it soon.
Xiao Tu got back on her bike and carried on. Soon, she could see the Cangshan mountains from under the clouds and mist in the distance. The white clouds were so dense she couldn’t tell what was snow and what was cloud. She took her camera to take a few pictures and decided to wait for him at the spot near the lake.
She rested the bicycle against a tree and sat on a boulder nearby.
Dog-blood theatre: Rain:
Xiao Tu had been waiting a few hours and was beginning to get hungry. She looked at her phone, the battery was low. It seemed like he definitely wasn’t coming.
Since she was hungry, she decided not to wait any longer. She rose from her seat and got on the bike to ride back to town. But after a short distance, it began to rain. She got off the bicycle and began to run. As she ran, she slipped and fell into the grass. Her phone also fell. But when she tried to get up, she couldn’t – she had sprained her ankle.
‘Sure enough, who can compete with Xiao Lang when he comes forward. Only you can deal with my mother. Oh I’m so happy today – I’ll buy you whatever you want to eat!’
‘Oh my! It’s raining so hard, I’d better get you back to the hotel to change. It rains almost every other hour here, but it clears up very quickly…’
Lang Lang did not respond to her blathering, he stared at the rain outside the car, thinking of a certain Tutu. He hadn’t seen her the last day and half, and wondered how she was doing. Was she still sad? He had been too harsh. When Zhen Zhen told him she had been crying all night, he had wanted to beat himself to death.
Perhaps he could try to tell Tutu how he felt.
As they entered the hotel lobby, Li was pacing anxiously. When he saw Lang Lang, he hurriedly came up to him, ‘Director, you’re back! Why didn’t you take your phone with you when you left? I was so worried, I thought something had happened to you.’
Lang Lang took his phone from Li, ‘I’m fine.’
He opened the phone to see there were a few messages waiting to be read. But when he saw the last one, he caught hold of Li, ‘Where is Xiao Tu? As she come back?’
Li looked confused, ‘Sir, today is a free day – I don’t know.’
He went upstairs to the floor of their rooms and saw Zhen Zhen, drenched from the rain looking frazzled,
‘Aren’t you with Xiao Tu?’ they both asked each other.
Zhen Zhen shook her head, ‘I asked her to go and see you today, and left by myself. When I came back, I saw she wasn’t back either. Her phone is also off.’
Without further ado, Lang Lang pulled Li and Zhao Tian, ‘I’ll go get her. Don’t leave, wait for her and if she returns let me know immediately.
Zhen Zhen nodded.
Zhao Tian got into the driver’s seat with Li beside her while Lang Lang sat in the back, ‘Head to Cangshan,’ he commanded.
Li and Zhao Tian tacitly did not say anything, but she drove speedily. A silent Lang Lang was the most terrifying…
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