Les Interprètes

Well…everyone does have some problems once in a while. Today is just another one of those days~ Thank you all for your patience!

Translated by Jeslyn and TranzgeekChapter 37.2

I was walking towards the parking lot, when a car sped towards me crazily. In a moment, it stopped 3cm away from my feet.

The driver lifted her head up from the steering wheel. It was the drunk Wen Xiao Hua.

Despite being so drunk, she still managed to drive so well. One day I will have to ask her to teach me.

She was looking at me from inside the car.

Who is going to tell me how to handle this situation?

She started puking inside her car.

I walked over, and opened her car door and then pulled her out. Even such a virtuous woman like her could end up in such an embarra.s.sing state.

I sent her home. On the way, Xiao Hua was mumbling and could hardly say her address.

After reaching her house, I helped her clean up and had her drink water before finally placing her to bed to sleep.

Who made this girl end up in such a state? Who was gonna bear the responsibility?

I went to smoke at her balcony.

Afterwards, I called Fei.

Her voice seemed happy. With her academic ideals, she would love living in France. She never knew how to take care of herself and enjoyed the happiness in living simply. It made me relieved, and, jealous.

I walked back to Wen Xiao Hua’s room. She was already awake, and was quietly looking at me, her face pathetically small.

“I have to go. I need to go to work.” I said.

She lowered her head and slowly said. “Sorry.”

I walked over and held her hands: “Venting your anger on yourself because you feel miserable inside is what a child would do.”

Her tears dropped in a moment.

Afterwards, there was a long period of time where I didn’t see Wen Xiao Hua’s special column program. I called her colleagues and the reason I got was that the program was having some adjustments. It was only after saying I was Wen Xiao Hua’s friend, then the person told me that Xiao Hua who was the editor and anchor was on sick leave.

If it was like this, then the matter was more serious.

I knew that she was like me, that she would delay anything but work. I called her cellphone, and even her house phone but I was still unable to contact her.

After a business trip to Guangzhou, I immediately called her again.

I finally found this person. She was at home at that moment.

“Where did you go? I asked, “I was so scared, thinking that you might have gone missing.”

“What was it that was so serious?” She said, “I went travelling, if I hadn’t, I would not have had a holiday.”

We did not talk for a while.

“Jia Yang, are you free now? Can you come over now?”

I thought for a while. “Okay.”

When I reached, Xiao Hua was wearing a weird long skirt that was gold and blue when she opened the door. To be honest, her face had a rosy color and she looked energetic and pretty.

Her room had many bottles and jars displayed. Long necked, round necked, curved ones and some had gorgeous ancient patterns on it. The wall also had a tapestry, which had a beautiful woman with a face mask riding on a camel on the art piece.

“Where did you go? What’s with the new style?” I said.

“Turkey.”

“Oh, it’s a nice place.”

“Come, drink this.”

I tasted the drink she gave me. It was a fragrant tea.

I smiled: “You must have enjoyed yourself during this trip. You threw aside your audience.”

She sat on the mat next to me, and looked at my face with bright eyes: “It was very happy. Everyday I followed the locals to pray five times a day, because they said, Allah knows everything. In the mosque I asked Allah, Allah how do know everything. Then do you know I like Cheng Jia Yang? Do you know, how he thinks of me?”

I did not know what to say again, yet the brightness remained in her eyes, and couldn’t leave.

Xiao Hua’s lips then imprinted on mine. Cold, soft.

We left quietly, our faces almost touching, I could see her smile in her eyes.

I had difficulties talking, and said: “Xiao Hua, you will regret this. I’m not good enough for you.”

“Nonsense.”

She held my face and continued to kiss me.

Qiao Fei

The small dog Zu Zu slept underneath my bed inside the small wooden cage. Whatever I ate, I gave to him also; whenever I learned, no matter how hot it was, I would put him on my knee; everyday I would give him a bath, and hug him on my bed and play for a while. The second day I found that white dog fur was all over my t-shirt.

Whenever I had time, I brought him to the square to play. I bought a sandwich, and split it in half with Zu Zu. He was full, and then he went to go run around crazily with other dogs. So you must not be tricked by any animal’s outward appearance. This rascal that was usually quiet and serious, barked to the point where he could roar other big dogs down.

Finally someone came to complain: “Your dog calls so loudly, does this influence communication?”

I was initally reading a book on a chair. When I heard this, I lifted my head, and pasted on a smile, but I found out that it was actually the boy, Zu Zu Ferlande. I ate up my smile (took back my smile), and immediately said: “People have human rights. Dogs have dog rights. I cannot agree with every sentence that he barks, but I swear to defend the rights of his roaring.”

Zu Zu sat next to me, and carefully looked at me: “Isn’t this right? After some time, your French is even better than mine. I was never into reading.”

I laughed: “You flatter me, you see, I happen to be doing well during this time.”

Rousseau in my book frowned: “I cannot agree with every word you say, but I swear to defend your right to say it to the death.”

Zu Zu was holding a skateboard. I said: “You know how to skateboard?”

“You want to try?”

“Why not?”

I hadn’t eaten pork before, but I had seen pigs run before. I was also an athlete. I put the book down, and tried it.

But not after two times, I pouted, my two knees kneeling on the ground. The dog excitedly barked beside me, because he was gloating and excited.

Zu Zu said: “Aye, you sure know how to fall. Falling like that won’t hurt the back of your head.”

I was hurting terribly, and stood up to clap my hands, acting casual: “Ai ya, this, ahh, it is a little harder than ice skating, ha.”

The two Zu Zu’s laughed until they were almost out of breath.

Later, he carefully demonstrated and explained again. When the day was almost getting dark, even if I wasn’t quite skilled, I had had the right posture.

“So happy. Thank you. I must leave.” I hugged the dog, he had become crazy after playing so much today, and was tired to the point where half of his tongue hung outside of his face. I said to Zu Zu, “I’m still considered okay right?”

“You should still work a little harder.”

I turned around and left.

Zu Zu that was behind me said: “Fei, let’s go to Avignon this weekend alright? It is an old city, I’m sure you’ll love it.”

I thought about it. Before the mid courses began, I still had a week of break. Avignon was a prestigious city, and I had wanted to go for so long. I looked back and said: “All right. Let’s go together.”

“That’s great. Wait for my call.”

I took the trolleybus home. The blue bus was travelling on the tracks above the pavement, across the city square, pa.s.sing by a coffee awning. The doves by the side of the road all flew up, piece by piece. I looked out the window, Zu Zu Ferlande was on his skateboard, by my side, gliding past.