CHAPTER 33

After a brief search on the internet, I found out that my laptop was worth over ten thousand RMB.  It was this year’s latest model; its second-hand price was also not low.  There went my pay cheque for all the translations I did for the past two weeks.  But it was not what I was most worried about.  All of my documents were saved inside the laptop; ninety percent of it was office documents, pictures, tender letters, and my translation drafts.  However, there were also my saved searches, dictionaries, e-books that I liked, downloaded translation softwares, etcetera, etcetera. Read more

CHAPTER 32

“Did you know that:
1) To manufacture 1 calorie of beef protein, 78 calories of oil are used; Yet, to grow 1 calorie of soybean, only 1 calorie of oil is required to be used. If you persevere in being a vegetarian and not a carnivore, you will be contributing to the conservation of the world’s decreasing natural resources that cannot be regenerated.

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CHAPTER 31

I was from the South, so I had trouble getting used to the dry and cold weather of the North.  I grew to like Beijing because of Li Chuan.  I was given the opportunity to go to Shanghai after I graduated — Shanghai was actually my real ancestral home — but I didn’t.

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CHAPTER 30

My eyes were swollen like huge walnuts for an entire week. Whether others believed it or not, my official explanation was that my eyes had been stung by a poisonous insect. I never went to the dining room to eat in order not to become a laughing stock. If I had to go out, I would put on sunglasses and wrap myself with a scarf, bundling myself up tightly. If I had to speak, I would use my greatest efforts to appear cheerful, “Hi Xiao Ding. I just went and had a bowl of fish soup in the restaurant next door. Do you want to go together next time?”…Of course he would not go. Read more

CHAPTER 29

It was December 28, 29, and 30th, which was exactly the end of the year.  Other than CGP, the whole city had begun its holiday celebration.  All the streets were announcing “clearances” and “super sales.”  The store windows were brightly lit with colorful decorations.  The people walked leisurely on the streets while wearing pretty clothes.

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CHAPTER 28

After saying this, I turned around and left.

I took off all my clothes in the room. I brought each item up to my nose to sniff, to see if it had a nicotine smell. Then, I took another thorough bath, washing with soap over and over again. After I finished washing up, I changed into a white embroidered shirt. It was new, I had never worn it before. I placed the clothes that I had just taken off into a plastic bag and brought it to the laundromat to get dry cleaned.

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CHAPTER 27

I huddled in the closet, listening indifferently to Roxette. After three times, I became sleepy. Through the crack, I saw Li Chuan sitting up on the bed with the computer and the two large monitors on. He concentrated on drawing while listening to the music.

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CHAPTER 26

I sat there for a whole two and a half hours in Li Chuan’s room explaining each poem of Xie Ling Yun’s to him. In the beginning, I thought it was needed for work. Then, gradually, I started suspecting that he was just using me as amusement. In the end, I was both tired and hungry, and yawned in front of him.

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CHAPTER 25

The lower part of my body has never bled like this nor ever hurt like this. When I woke up, it was past noon again. I got up to see the bed damp with redness. I quickly got up to take a shower, washing away the smell from my body.

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It’s been 6 years since they’ve seen each other. Xiao Qiu has clearly been hiding her hurt inside. Now that she meets Li Chuan again, the memories are going to rush right back. But Xiao Qiu is no longer that bright and happy 17 year old girl that Li Chuan left behind. Their reconciliation with each other doesn’t go off too smoothly.

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