How To Thank You For Saving Me Chapter 8

Title

How To Thank You For Saving Me

Author

Retrospect

Publisher

CP 长佩文学

Translator

ECirce

Chapter 8

After they'd had breakfast, Shen YanEr was off to school, eyes still puffy although cleaned by a hot towel. Both her parents taught in the local primary school, so they left with her.

Yan Zhuo stood beside the door, his glance drifted away from Shen Ji, who was stooping down to check on the boiling water, to a dragonfly perching on the slate grey tiles. He blinked, and it did not stay there for long. Shen Ji poured some boiled water into a glass and left it in a basin of cold water, until it was no longer scalding.

Yan Zhuo followed Shen Ji into the room. His grandmother sat up as she saw him entering the room, her back leaned against a pillow. The fever was already gone, and she had had some tablets. Now it was just the wait for the illness to sweat out. Shen Ji tucked in the blanket for her and gave her some hot water to drink.

She was already advanced in age, and the whiteness was all over her hair. When she spoke, it was in an irrepressibly shaky voice. 'Is Song back?' Yan Zhuo heard her inquiring.

Shen Ji squeezed her hand gently, fingers touching the crook of her thumb (1). He remembered holding her hand like this when he was a kid. For a long period in his memory, his grandparents took the place of parents.

But now she was sometimes having difficulty recognizing faces. 'He's not, granny,' said Shen Ji, 'It's Shen Ji.'

Her fingers brushed Shen Ji's hand but ignored his response, 'All these years away from home! I've been thinking of you, my son, all these years. Always buried in your work without sparing a thought for your own health, always like this since you were a kid…'

Shen Ji did not try to deny it this time but helped her lie down in bed. 'You need more rest. What would you like to eat?' He bent down so that she was able to whisper something into his ears.

Yan Zhuo was made slightly uneasy, surrounded by all the untold stories of the household. He thought she was calling Shen Ji, but 'Song' seemed to be her son.

'Coming to the market?' Shen Ji asked as he spotted Yan Zhuo standing in the doorway, immersed in his thoughts.

'Of course!' said Yan Zhuo without hesitation, running a hand through his hair.

They walked into a small alley. The morning market was about to close and thus not so crowded. Yan Zhuo followed behind as he saw Shen Ji casually checking out the food put up for sale. He was wearing a hoodie in place of a shirt, effectively tuning down that aloofness of his. Yan Zhuo felt as if Shen Ji had always been living here.

Shen Ji turned around and put the bags of food into his arms. Somewhat startled, he saw that Shen Ji was already having a few bags in his hands. 'Shen Ji,' he said, eager to start a conversation, 'it's just a few hours' drive from the city, how come it's so much colder?'

'When it rained in the summer,' replied Shen Ji, 'the chill went straight into your bones.'

Yan Zhuo had experienced what he said yesterday. There were less and less people to be seen on their way back. 'How did you survive those rainy days before?' asked Yan Zhuo with a tinge of curiosity.

Shen Ji did not reply but casted a look aside at the local middle school. 'Did you graduate from here?' Yan Zhuo continued as he moved towards the gates. It was summer vacation now, and there were puddles left on the playground. Shen Ji took a step in the same direction but was stopped by someone’s voice from behind.

Yan Zhuo looked back and saw a young woman in a denim dress. She had a pair of smiling eyes on that lovely countenance. 'So it really is you, Shen Ji,' she greeted him, 'it's been ages since we met.'

Shen Ji nodded politely at her, and replied, 'Back for a while, since I'm not so busy these days.' They knew each other. For years maybe. That thought gave rise to a bitter taste in his mouth.

They were heading in the same direction. Yan Zhuo paused unconsciously so as not to walk alongside them. It was Shen Ji who reached out and grabbed his wrist. The woman introduced herself somewhat apologetically, just realizing the presence of him, 'Hello! I was in the same primary and middle school with Shen Ji. My name is Xie Jia.'

'Yan Zhuo,' he replied, '…Shen Ji's friend.' Or is he? He was clueless about how to define his awkward position.

Xie Jia grinned at Shen Ji as she spoke, 'I thought you've not been back for a long time, but then they told me you're back every New Year. You'd left every time I came for a visit, though.'

'Couldn't stay for long.' Said Shen Ji.

She observed him carefully for a while. 'Now that I'm looking at you,' she said with a cheerful giggle, 'I can't tell what you're thinking about. You've changed.'

Yan Zhuo brushed his index finger with the thumb. It felt as if something's gone missing deep down inside. He could hear them talking but did not understand any part of it. It was like watching a mime with a band over your eyes.

When she left, Xie Jia said that she was now teaching in the local school. He could find her there these few days, since she was on duty. Yan Zhuo observed Shen Ji's face but could not see anything apart from the usual indifference. Yet the presence of Xie Jia was indeed alarming to him. They've been to the same school together, and she was a remarkably charming young woman.

Yan Zhuo admitted that he was young, too, but Shen Ji seemed to take it as an equivalent of immaturity. All the tenderness, the patience and the care Shen Ji had for him were no different from the condescension a grown-up reserves for a willful kid. He used to take advantage of Shen Ji's concessions, deliberately trying everything he could to establish himself into the comfort zone of Shen Ji, in the belief that it was just a matter of time till the ice could be melt. The presence of Xie Jia, however, had had the illusion overturned.

Shen Ji looked back at Yan Zhuo and saw him stopped. 'Tired?' he asked, 'Almost there.'

The condescension in his tone further proved him right. 'Shen Ji,' he snapped out a retort, 'don't treat me like a kid.'

Clueless as to what had upsetted him, Shen Ji approached him and held his wrist in hand. They took a few step forward when Yan Zhuo spoke again, 'It's not my fault that I'm three years younger than you. What choice do I have?' He said as he was being dragged along by Shen Ji, 'You can't treat me like a kid forever. When you're thirty-three, I'll be thirty as well…'

'How can you do this just because I'm younger?' said Yan Zhuo as he stared into Shen Ji's eyes, which returned the gaze with no less sincerity.

Translator’s note

(1) I don’t know how to translate 虎口, but it refers to the skin between thumb and index finger.