Chapter 6: Party
Yan Heng saw Yisheng was getting cold hands and feet. She had been focusing on Yan Heng’s eyes that were poking fun at her, and his pair of eyebrows that indicated his mischief. He clearly knew what he was doing and what would happen, but still went over towards her.
He sat down, chin on one hand, elbows propped up on the table, and eyes focusing on her with a bright smile. “Junior Sister.”
“Senior.” Yisehg nodded, a calm look on her face, but her heart had already began topanic.
“Why didn’t you reply to my message? I’ve been waiting for you at the office for a long time.” He said, smiling and laughing in a villainous manner. Yisheng coughed: “It’s because I was really hungry.”
Yan Heng nodded slightly with narrowed eyes, realizing her embarra.s.sment, then got up and said: “You can eat, I’ll go dine with my colleagues.”
“Good.” Yisheng felt relieved at his words, at which point the chopsticks in her hands pressed the bowl of rice, eyes inadvertently pointed to the people happily talking to Song Anchen, dazed by his alluring smile, like a surge of warmth in the winter, refreshing. [1]
She sighs loudly, exhausted, perhaps as Zhao Jixiang said, her childhood sweetheart’s handsome face would cause many problems. At least she could still see his smile. [2]
She stuffs her mouth with rice and chewed a few times, before suddenly realizing that Yan Heng was still standing in front of her. She looked up slightly, stunned to see him, and saw that he hadn’t stopped smiling, although it seemed helpless, a hint of pity for her.
He knows everything. He must have guessed Song Anchen was the childhood sweetheart that occupied all her memories. Although she avoided telling his name, and simply said that her childhood sweetheart had skin that made women envy, coupled with a peerless and indescribable handsomeness.
“Yisheng, you’re emotions are too obvious.” Yan Heng pulled the corner of his lips into a slight smile, then turned and walked towards to his colleagues and began to eat.
Biting her lips tightly, she merely proceeded to finish her meal. Zhao Jixiang calmly and soundlessly sat back down, in a consoling voice, she asked: “Yisheng, are you okay?”
Yisheng snaps out of her dazed state, nodding with slight confusion: “Ah? What?”
Zhao Jixiang gave a sidelong glance, “I said, just now what did that doctor tell you? Did he say something mean? Your complexion looks bad.” [3]
“Well, maybe it’s because I’m reluctant to part ways since he’s like a brother to me, probably that’s why I had such an expression on.” [4] She casually says, Zhao Jixiang nods, patting Yisheng to comfort her, “There are plenty of girls, why hang yourself in a tree.” [5] Zhao Jixiang replies, then her face suddenly stiffened, “There seems to be an event today.” Yisheng hits her on the head in chagrin. She really couldn’t remember so she asked Yisheng, “What’s today?”
“Children’s Day.”
“Ah! Yes.” Zhao Jixiang abruptly shots up and turned to Song Anchen, “Want to reserve a karaoke room or not.” [6]
Songa Anchen glanced at a pale tall doctor from his table then to Zhao Jixiang. The smile that was originally on Zhao Jixiang’s face increasingly forms into a frown, a look of impatience on her mien.
“Set it at an early time.”
“OK!” Zhao Jixiang completely ignored his unfriendly tone, gave an “OK” gesture before sitting back down, and turned to Yisheng, saying: “Today is a holiday, and the Oncology Department often goes to karaoke on days like these. Yisheng, can you sing?”
“Ah?” Yisheng gaped. She was bad at singing, and she hasn’t gone to a KTV in many years so she didn’t want to go, but she wanted to get to know more of her colleagues since it’s the first day work, and this event was a good opportunity for her to do so.
“Yisheng, I tell you, if you fancy anyone in the Oncology Department, just inform Zhao Jixiang and I’ll help you pair up with him. If you want information, I know a few young doctors that graduated from the same University as me.”
Yisheng was silent. What handsome, nothing. Find someone who can love you, and don’t have high standards. [7]
The afternoon shift was really tiring. She’s new and inexperienced so she had to follow the matron everywhere to understand some issues. The unit had a certain order to things and she couldn’t do things blindly, it’s also important to be have a flexible mind as she can’t always rely on the other senior nurses. Before Yisheng’s internship, she had a reputation of someone who does things seriously.
The Head Nurse often glances at her with watchful eyes, and whenever their eyes meet, she’d try to display a good performance, but the Head Nurse’s face would immediately turn blank, so she feels extremely embarra.s.sed.
She tossed to and fro the entire afternoon between training and touring around. [8] When the last stop came, the nurse took them to visit the doctor‘s office.Head nurse said: “Doctors will send a nurse to a.s.sist them in the treatment room, unless the situation is too busy.“
The Head Nurse attending the consultation room sent a probing glance, then turned to Yisheng again,“You are a.s.signed to the tumor inpatient department, these places willoften move around, be sure to know and be familiar with the Oncology doctors. ”
At this time, out of the consultation room is a man. He clearly just changed his clothes, hands still b.u.t.toning his shirt, and shocked to find that he was in front of so many nurses.
“Doctor Zhuo is off duty?” The Head Nurse smiled.
This is the Xiao Zhuozi, Zhao Jixiang talked about?
Xiao Zhuozi nodded, looked at the nurses in their uniforms, “What are you…”
“I’m training them.” The Head Nurse laughed.
Xiao Zhuozi acknowledges, smiles and gestures with his hand, “You can continue.” Then casts a glance into Yisheng’s eyes, then quickly pointed at her, mouth open, and for a long time did not say a word, finally couldn’t hold himself back and said: “Nurse, you know Zhao Jixiang, remember to tell her to get off her work, tell her not to hang about and don’t be late. ”
Yisheng stunned, nodded. Thanked Xiao Zhuozi, then left. Head nurse looked at hiswatch and saw the time, and said: “I know you young people have some activities to do, time to get off, do not delay and go ahead.”
The nurses bowed politely to the head nurse, walked to the locker room in an orderlymanner. When they could no longer see the Head Nurse, they explosively rushed away. Yisheng was pushing behind a few, dumbfounded. This really is a very important activity, ah.
She paced slowly to the locker room, only to see Zhao Jixiang impatiently pacing back and forth by the doorway.
“Jixiang.” Yisheng called, Zhao Jixiang looked up and saw Yisheng, flew over towards, taking her to the locker room with a “Hurry up and get dressed.”
“Don’t rush, the party is an hour and half from now.”
“Of course I’m anxious, we have to head to the hair salon.” Zhao Jixiang had a look that could turn iron into steel (T/N: I searched it up and it’s supposedly an idiom that means to be anxious). And Yisheng’s plan is to live, not sing at a KTV? [9]
Turns out, it does. She entered the locker room and saw some nurses seriously applying make-up. Yisheng completely black lined (T/N: the emoticon with black vertical lines on the head. (-_-|||)) Male doctors in Oncology must be really attractive.
Zhao Jixiang pulled Yisheng into a more luxurious hair salon, and was forced by Zhao Jixiang to sit in a chair, asking the stylist to make her look good. Yisheng didn’t like changing her hairstyle. Since childhood she always preferred to have her hair long and straight. But this hair stylist gave her hair volume, like a princess.
She looked at herself in the mirror, dumbfounded. She had a look of a princess. Zhao Jixiang also did the back of her hair and made it into a bob cut, making it stand out more. The hairstyle is okay, but if it was permanent, Yisheng would faint she didn’t want to be a virtuous lady. [10]
Zhao Jixiang was shocked upon seeing Yisheng’s “shining” hairstyle, then pulled her around in a circle, whispering, “I say, Yisheng, you’re a natural beauty. How do you not deserve great doctors? Well, let them take a look at this.”
They originally planned to immediately go to the KTV at the appointmented time. But Zhao Jixiang accidentally glanced at Yisheng’s shoes, and black lined. “Yisheng, you’re a woman and you’re wearing flats?”
“I don’t like to wear high heels.”
“It doesn’t matter, you’ll learn to love it. The situation calls for it, understand?” Zhao Jixiang then dragged Yisheng to buy shoes.
Zhao Jixiang quoted a saying, what is a woman’s woman [11], must wear high heels to walk, chest out, head raised and strides held with pride. Of course, asides from women who are flat-footed and can’t wear heels.
Yisheng rarely wears high heels, and putting on the pair of shoes, it is nothing like what Zhao Jixiang said; she tried puffing out her abdomen and chest, and raising her head proudly, but she looked like a crippled person, and seemed as if she would fall at any time. Zhao Jixiang sees Yisheng’s awkward footing, and demonstrated a few steps, heels stomping with a “thump thump” sound, matching her dignified posture, as if giving an impression of someone with style. Zhao Jixiang said: “Yisheng, your posture too ugly.”
“I do not like to wear high heels, I’ve always been wearing flats since university.” Yisheng’s feet wobbled. Zhao Jixiang curiously stared at her as if she is seeing the original cavemen.
“Hey, Yisheng ah, you are 25 years old, might as well learn to wear high heels since your height isn’t very high. Do you not feel like a dwarf?”
Yisheng – only 1.62 meters tall (5.3′ feet), really needed high heels to fill in the height. Acknowledging this, she nodded, “I’ll try.”
Now that she’s started working, she can no longer dress like a student. Her intentions were very clear, and Zhao Jixiang, when she first came to oncology, became famous. She didn’t depend on her family relations to go through the back door, but by relying on a man. The proud and jealous top students extremely despised this. Coupled with their own dirt, it added more to the gossips. [12]
They went to the KTV later than the the appointed time. As soon as they got off the car, they saw Xiao Zhuozi pacing back and forth with his phone in his hand, seemingly looking very anxious. When Zhao Jixiang saw Xiao Zhuozi, she immediately stopped and pulled out a cell phone from her bag, her face pales at the sight. She shot a curious look at Yisheng, before returning gaze to her phone – 18 missed calls. No wonder she didn’t notice, her phone was in silent mode.
Xiao Zhuozi finally sees the two, and when he caught sight of Zhao Jixiang, he became enraged, and shouted. “I told you not be late, you will not die if you’re not late.”
“I’m always late, it’s none of your business?” Zhao Jixiang snaps with a sharp voice and piercing glare. Looking irritable, Xiao Zhuozi angrily walks away.
Zhao Jixiang lost her momentum, staring at his back, was also stubborn and felt awkward. Yisheng asked, “Jixiang, do we go too?”
“Go, why not?” Zhao Jixiang pulled Yisheng’s hand, and rushed in.
“Slow down, my heels.” Yisheng staggered behind Zhao Jixiang, embarra.s.sed.
Zhao Jixiang turned with Yisheng [13], and managed to only knock on the door. Originally it wasn’t a very noisy environment, but a sudden sharp voice went through their eardrums, causing them to be shocked.
Inside the huge room were many men and women moving uniformly, even if their appearance all differed from one another. Some raised their legs and gestured for Yisheng and Zhao Jixiang to come in, some were playing on their own, and others grabbed at the microphone to sing. [14]
The gathering of people who looked as if they were students graduating this year, a period in time where in youthful happiness was its peak, had an air of vigor around them. Zhao Jixiang squinted and glanced at Xiao Zhuozi, looking across the crowd surrounding Xiao Zhuozi and saw Song Anchen sitting next to him, and incidentally when Zhao Jixiang made Yisheng sit, she was sitting left of Song Anchen.
Yisheng sat unnaturally and in a rigid manner. Her eyes did not dare glance sideways. When she first entered the KTV room, she had seen him and noticed that he took off his uniform. Adorned in his gold rimmed gla.s.ses, he put on a simple t-shirt, giving him a ‘boy next door’ feel and his refreshing appearance made him seem as if he was in high school.
Yisheng, feeling ill at ease, couldn’t calm down and she glanced to the left at Zhao Jixiang, who was staring at Xiao Zhuozi, still sulking. Zhao Jixiang suddenly stood up, went on stage to sing karaoke, her gaze never leaving Xiao Zhuozi. Unkowingly, he stood up and followed suit, grabbing Zhao Jixiang, “I have something to tell you.” [15]
“You let go.”
But Xiao Zhuozi was strong and ignored Zhao Jixiang struggles, taking her outside.
Yisehing blinked as she watched the whole process unfold, she thought something was off between the two. A nurse asked who’s song was next, but no one replied. [16]
Yisheng looked at the screen, stunned surprised for a moment, the song was “If you love to go.”
“Who is this?” A little fat Liu Xiao asked.
“It should be Zhao Jixiang’s.”
“And now who is going to sing?”
“After it.”
“What? But this song sounds good.”
This song was extremely popular and Yisheng learned the song since it seemed to resonate with her, so she likes this song. She laughed: “I’ll sing it.” Xiao Liu had not heard Yisheng sing, and immediately handed her the mic with enthusiasm. “Remember the sad song, ha,” she clapped her hands, “Come, listen to Yisheng sing this beautiful song.” [17]
Suddenly the room applauded her, embarra.s.sed, Yisheng could only giggle. She made eye contact with Song Anchen’s extremely deep eyes, his pupils looked like a pair of stars and her heart missed a beat. She took a deep breath and began to follow the melody, singing along.
“And we seem to be on that street
Lights of the city broke up two tragedies
Let’s embrace one another and rush to the party
Looking at them, there are tears in my eyes
Don’t look back in either directions with a broken and tearful face
If we replayed yesterday
A long time ago, what would happened if we continued to love
I once believed in forever
Before, in your warm hands, there’s no need to imagine
After endlessly wandering alone
A long time ago, what would happen if we continued to love a long time ago
There is no doubt love is like a faith
But life looks different
I hope I will never learn strong to be strong… ”
Whenever she sang this song, her emotions would cause her to recall the past. She clasped the mic, eyes intently watching the screen and br.i.m.m.i.n.g with tears. As if remembering about their own stories, all around quietly listened to her sing with dedication.
Songan Chen has been semi-leaning next to her. He could even smell the faint flavor of the ocean on her, it was her favorite perfume, light and fragrant. Open-minded with a brighter future. She once said, she wanted to be a fish and travel across the ocean. Furthermore, grow old as an elderly couple to tell their children and grandchildren that they once roamed in the past; also wanting to talk about their romantic endeavors together. [18]
A long time ago, what would happened if they continued to love?
When she finished he song, the people jeered and clapped repeatedly. Yisheng just smiled innocently, she knew that behind her were a pair of eyes watching her, this song was sung for him. [19]
It was someone else’s turn to sing, Yisheng sat still and pretended to listen. Suddenly, the man beside her stood up and went out, baffling Yisheng.
The nurse stopped singing, seeing Song Anchen leave.
Yisheng looked at the sit he used to sat, her heart suddenly sinking.
After three songs later, Zhao Jixiang and Xiao Zhuozi did not come back, Song Anchen also did not return. Yisheng went to the bathroom. Leaving the KTV room, she turned around the corner and saw Song Anchen smoking against the wall, his head raised as he breathed out a smoke of tobacco, like untied sorrow, his entire back leaned against the wall, and eyes to the ceiling in a daze. The shot from the side of a handsome figure looking sad, seemed profound.
Yisheng wanted to walk back so as not to disturb him, but she hit the decorative pot behind her, the sound was audible enough for Song Anchen to hear.
When she carefully placed the pot back in its place, she looked up to see that Song Anchen’s body was turned towards her, expression complexed, coupled with weary eyes.
“I… I wanted to go to the bathroom,” she looked around, “Can’t seem to find it, huh…” She was a little confused, unable to keep calm.
Song Anchen was still motionless, eyes continuosly peering at Yisheng intently.
“I’ll go back and look.” Yisheng pointed behind her, immediately turning to flee.
“Ye Yisheng.” Songan Chen finally spoke.
Yisheng quickly halted to a stop, wanting to cry but no tears fell. Hate yourself for wanting to go to the bathroom, ah. Her body froze in place, heart tightening as the footsteps behind grew closer.
She took a deep breath, turned around and threw Song Ancen a big smile, “What’s the matter? Brother Song?”
Song Anchen takes her hand and presses her against the wall with her in his arms, blocking all escape routes. Yisheng didn’t get a chance to be surprised as Song Anchen cups her cheeks and fiercely gives her a kiss.
Her eyes widened, and in a state of extreme shock, her mouth was slightly agape, giving him the advantage as his tongue enters her mouth. He gently caressed and probed around, gently sucking her lips, all the while carefully waiting for her reaction.
“Breathe.” Song Anchen coaxed and guided her step by step. Yisheng blinked, and obediently obeyed. His dark eyes had a hint of kindness in them, before covering her lips with his once more. The lingering taste of tobacco, his hands caressing her back across her thin t-shirt, Yisheng felt feverish. She was trembling and could not not stop him, or her longing for him.
Finally, he left her lips, his eyes not leaving her slightly swollen mouth, he said: “You can go to the bathroom now, it’s right up ahead.”
“Well…” Yisheng felt extremely embarra.s.sed.
Song Anchen teased: “This was the toll.” Then he proudly walked towards the way back.
Yisheng was completely still, before promptly turning around, gazing towards Song Anchen’s back, and wildly kicking at thin air. Of course, eating her tofu. [20]
(T/N: to eat one’s tofu is a chinese idiom of ‘to take advantage of’)
Suddenly, Song Anchen looked back. Seeing Yisheng’s rebellious posture and unladylike appearance, Song Anchen chuckled.
“Ye Yisheng, your kissing technique is somewhat shaky.” Song Anchen immediately gave a charming smile, then turned back once again.
“…” Yisheng gnashed her teeth, spun around and headed to the bathroom to rinse her mouth.
When she entered the ladies restroom, she saw Zhao Jixiang putting on lipstick by the sink, bright red and swollen lips.
“Why is your mouth swollen?” Yisheng walked over, holding her face and asked.
“Your mouth is also swollen.” Zhao Jixiang also cupped her face and asked.
They both blushed at this time.