OSL – Chapter Eight
Lam Cheng catches up on old times with Gu Tian Tian. They’re not worried about performing live concerts.
‘Let’s go shopping for instruments tomorrow and eat a meal together,’ Lam Cheng suggests.
‘Sure,’ Gu Tian Tian says.
Lam Cheng takes Gu Tian Tian back to the female dorms, and Hao Ting pa.s.ses on An Yin Zhu’s message.
‘Tian Tian, what happened to your phone?’ Hao Ting asks. ‘Mr. An called your phone, but there’s no connection. He called the dorm, and asked me to tell you to give him a call when you get back.’
Gu Tian Tian charges her flat phone battery, and receives An Yin Zhu’s phone call.
‘Why are you looking for me?’ Gu Tian Tian asks.
An Yin Zhu’s dissatisfied with Gu Tian Tian’s indifference tone.
‘I wanted to have dinner with you,’ An Yin Zhu says.
‘Oh, I ate dinner already,’ Gu Tian Tian says.
‘I haven’t eaten dinner,’ An Yin Zhu says. ‘Come outside in five minutes.’
‘Why do I need to come outside?’ Gu Tian Tian asks.
‘To eat dinner,’ An Yin Zhu says.
‘I ate dinner already,’ Gu Tian Tian repeats.
‘I’m hanging up first,’ An Yin Zhu says.
‘h.e.l.lo…’ Gu Tian Tian says to An Yin Zhu’s disconnected phone.
Six minutes later, Gu Tian Tian lazily chills in front of a laptop, and picks up An Yin Zhu’s phone call.
‘Where are you?’ An Yin Zhu asks. ‘Hurry up and come outside.’
‘I’m busy,’ Gu Tian Tian says. ‘I’m not free to eat dinner with you.’
‘If you don’t come outside in three minutes, I’m going to call out your name,’ An Yin Zhu threatens.
Gu Tian Tian runs to the window, and sees An Yin Zhu waving his phone in her direction.
Gu Tian Tian remembers An Yin Zhu used to call out her name in front of her cla.s.smates whenever he visited her high school. For the sake of her college love life she quickly changes clothes.
‘I’m going to call out your name now,’ An Yin Zhu warns.
‘I’ll be right outside!’ Gu Tian Tian says.
‘Hurry up,’ An Yin Zhu says.
Gu Tian Tian rushes outside, and glares at the smiling An Yin Zhu.
‘Tell me what you want,’ Gu Tian Tian says. ‘Don’t forget, we’re not close.’
‘Um, we’re not close,’ An Yin Zhu says. ‘We just live together, and sleep on the same bed together.’
Gu Tian Tian is speechless at An Yin Zhu’s audacity.
‘In the future, I’ll pick you up for lunch and dinner,’ An Yin Zhu announces.
‘Who wants to eat with you?’ Gu Tian Tian asks.
‘Your mum asked me to take care of you, of course I need to see you eat lunch and dinner,’ An Yin Zhu says.
Gu Tian Tian impatiently waits for An Yin Zhu to eat dinner. After dinner, he makes her take a stroll around campus for him to digest dinner. She ignores the looks of admiration the other students sends An Yin Zhu’s way, and wishes to bury herself whenever she receives envious looks because she’s keeping An Yin Zhu company.
Later that night, An Yin Zhu takes Gu Tian Tian back to the female dorms.
‘Oh, you’re back,’ Hao Ting says, and smiles slyly.
Gu Tian Tian sits on a chair, and sighs resentfully.
In the past, Gu Tian Tian used the cry card like a heartless a.s.sa.s.sin. But now she’s defenceless against An Yin Zhu. She’s tired of An Yin Zhu stopping her love life from blossoming, and having an unclear relationship with An Yin Zhu.
‘What’s wrong?’ Hao Ting asks. ‘Do you have love blues? Maybe I can help.’
Hao Ting sits on a bed, holding a novel.
Gu Tian Tian sighs helplessly, and explains her unclear relationship with An Yin Zhu.
‘I can let the past slide, but now I’m in college and he’s still up to his old tricks,’ Gu Tian Tian complains. ‘He makes me so angry. Why am I such an unlucky person to meet someone crazy like An Yin Zhu?’
Hao Ting looks at Gu Tian Tian with conviction like she’s a love doctor.
‘Based on my years of experience, it looks like Mr. An has the hots for you,’ Hao Ting diagnoses, and looks enviously at Gu Tian Tian. ‘I envy you. You have a childhood sweetheart. Whereas I don’t have one.’
Hao Ting fantasises about having a childhood sweetheart romance.
Gu Tian Tian looks at Hao Ting like Hao Ting is a lunatic.
Hao Ting laughs. ‘Where were we?’
‘We were up to the part about An Yin Zhu being a crazy person,’ Gu Tian Tian says.
‘I think you should get to the root of Mr. An’s craziness,’ Hao Tian advises. ‘To do that, you need to ask Mr. An’s intentions toward you.’
Gu Tian Tian looks at the floor. She remembers the little bride incident, and her heart automatically pounds.
The next afternoon, An Yin Zhu texts Gu Tian Tian that he’s busy at work, and can’t take her out to lunch.
Gu Tian Tian bites her lips, and feels frustrated she can’t ask An Yin Zhu about his intentions toward her since he’s standing her up. What sort of a person drags her to dinner and stands her up the next day?
Gu Tian Tian forgets about An Yin Zhu, and goes shopping for musical instruments with Lam Cheng.
At five in the evening, An Yin Zhu calls Gu Tian Tian’s phone.
‘I’m waiting for you outside,’ An Yin Zhu says. ‘Hurry up and come outside.’
‘I’m sorry,’ Gu Tian Tian says sarcastically. ‘I’m not at the dorm. I’m out at the moment.’
‘Where?’ An Yin Zhu asks. ‘I’ll come pick you up-’
‘Bye,’ Gu Tian Tian says and hangs up.
An Yin Zhu rings Gu Tian Tian’s phone again.
‘Where are you?’ An Yin Zhu asks again. ‘I’ll come pick you up.’
‘I’ll find my own way back,’ Gu Tian Tian says.
‘Come back soon,’ An Yin Zhu says.
‘Um,’ Gu Tian Tian says.
Gu Tian Tian hangs up her phone. Although she and An Yin Zhu aren’t close. When she looks at Lam Cheng holding the new cello, she feels like she’s two timing.
‘Do you want to eat dinner before we head back?’ Lam Cheng asks.
‘I…’ Gu Tian Tian says.
Gu Tian Tian decides to eat dinner with Lam Cheng, but she keeps thinking about An Yin Zhu throughout dinner.
By the time Lam Cheng takes Gu Tian Tian back to the female dorms, it’s eight at night.
‘Do you want me to help you carry the cello upstairs?’ Lam Cheng asks.
‘I’m not that weak,’ Gu Tian Tian says and smiles.
Lam Cheng smiles back at Gu Tian Tian. In the distance, she can see a familiar BMW, and her heart beats chaotically.
The driver of the BWM slams the car door shut, and a familiar tall figure quickly appears in front of Gu Tian Tian.
An Yin Zhu pulls Gu Tian Tian to his side, and his smile can’t hide his anger.
‘Thank you for escorting my Xiao Tian back here,’ An Yin Zhu says to Lam Cheng.
Lam Cheng recognises An Yin Zhu, and thinks about the meaning behind An Yin Zhu saying ‘his Xiao Tian.’
Lam Cheng looks at Gu Tian Tian instead of replying to An Yin Zhu. ‘Tian Tian, I’ll come here tomorrow afternoon so we can practice.’
‘Mmm…’ Gu Tian Tian hesitates because An Yin Zhu is gripping her wrist. ‘OK.’
An Yin Zhu hears OK from Gu Tian Tian’s lips, and he immediately pinches her arm.
‘I’m… going upstairs now,’ Gu Tian Tian says, and wants to escape quickly.
Lam Cheng waves bye to Gu Tian Tian, but An Yin Zhu doesn’t release her wrist.
‘Let’s go somewhere to talk privately,’ An Yin Zhu says, and pulls Gu Tian Tian to the car.
End of Chapter Eight