The Fading Away of Our Youth (So Young) Chapter 12.1

CHAPTER 12.1

He Yi watched Zheng Wei laughing while wiping away tears, and helplessly said, “Girls are just like this, Shao Yi too (in case you’ve forgotten, Shao Yi is Zheng Wei’s old roommate and He Yi’s girlfriend). Normally compet.i.tive, once they see a little bit of sadness on a TV show they start crying heavily, I really don’t understand.

Zheng Wei said, “No way to solve it, girls are just p.r.o.ne to shedding tears for other people’s stories, it’s quite funny.” Her eyes were still red, but her mood was suddenly improved, and she stood up and called, “Don’t only talk about the irrelevant matters of those employees who have nothing to do, drink up!”

Everybody nodded one by one. If you said that she had been drinking with some reserve, now she was all out, the more she drank the more sober she seemed. Under this imposing manner, even those experienced drinkers were afraid of her.

After paying for the bill, the group of people talked and laughed as they walked to the entrance of the restaurant. He Yi half-jokingly proposed, “It’s still early, why don’t we find another place to start the next round?” (of drinking, celebrating)

Zheng Wei straightforwardly nodded her head. “No one’s busy, (right?/I don’t think anyone’s busy so&h.e.l.lip;) everyone who hasn’t collapsed come along, should we go soak in a PUB (public bath?) or should we sing K (karaoke)?”

He Yi had some doubts, he had seen her original ill at ease demeanor, and predicted that she had a date after dinner. He was planning on saying it just to tease her, but he didn’t imagine she was actually telling the truth. The people on the scene were all young, and the backbone of the middle-ranking Er Fen workers. Normally their relations.h.i.+p was pretty good, and they all loved to play, and so hearing Zheng Wei preposition, they responded one by one, with some majestic cars even driving directly to the designated place.

In the karaoke private room, everyone ordered some more bottles of beer, and in a half-drunk state, played cards, and then some more cards, then sang, and then sang some more, all the while leaning unsteadily side to side. He Yi was the one who hogged the microphone, signing a Jacky Cheung song quite realistically, and the few after were all well know songs. After singing for a bit, he realized when he reached the part, the host suddenly became very clam, back leaning against the sofa, quietly sitting there without saying a word. He Yi’s relations.h.i.+p with her was the closest/strongest, and sat his b.u.t.t down next to her. “What’s up/wrong, you were okay just now, who just angered you, I, your brother, will give you a release (an outlet for her anger).”

Zheng Wei pushed him, “Go, go sing your song, I like this song, you sang it quite well today. It pa.s.sed expectations, I’m listening.”

He Yi just continued to sit next to her, holding the microphone as he sang.

“&h.e.l.lip; .. I sang to enchant her, I sang until she was heartbroken, after adults break up they all act indifferent, buying karaoke with friends, singing my song and accompanying people as they cry, hey &h.e.l.lip; &h.e.l.lip; Accompanying people as they cry &h.e.l.lip; &h.e.l.lip; ” He turned his head, “Let’s change the song, singing this today isn’t suitable, why don’t I sing you a birthday song?” (Extremely sorry if I utterly butchered those lyrics&h.e.l.lip; original if you want it: “&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip;我唱得她心醉，我唱得她心碎，成年人分手后都像无所谓，和朋友一起买卡拉OK，唱我的歌陪着人们流泪，嘿&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip;陪着人们流泪&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip;”)

Zheng Wei applauded, “You sang
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that song very well.” And then she raised her beer gla.s.s and clinked it to his, “I drink to you, whether you drink or not is up to you.”

How could He Yi take it lying down, shaking his head he drank it all, and muttered, “After going home I’ll have another person to look (answer?) to (Shao Yi?), &h.e.l.lip; &h.e.l.lip;  look, the phone call came&h.e.l.lip; &h.e.l.lip;”

He fished out his cell phone, and with one look at the number, his eyebrows furrowed in astonishment, and he indicated to turn down the sound a bit before picking up as he walked out of the private room into the hall.

Shortly, he pushed the door open and entered, his entire face calm.

Some people laughed. “He Yi, your wife was checking up on you, right?”

He resentfully fidgeted with his hands. “It’s not. You guys continue, I have to leave first.” He was a major part in everybody’s excitement, so one by one, they all said, “Once you leave, there isn’t really anything for us to do anymore. If you’re afraid of neglecting your wife, tell your Wei Shao Yi to come too.”

Zheng Wei also said, “Yeah, tell Shao Yi to come over too, what’s she doing while she just relaxes in the house.”

He Yi said, “She’s okay. The phone call was from a.s.sistant Manager Chen, he said there’s a problem with our project warranty doc.u.ments. He wants me to correct it personally tonight for him, Lao w.a.n.g (old/experienced person who’s last name is w.a.n.g), you should probably come back with me, there is some data that came from your marketing department.”

Everyone all said, “Why does he have to go so far as to do this, what’s there that can’t be put off till tomorrow at work.”

“Whatever, the first cla.s.s official (leader, referring to Chen Xiao Zheng) is really killing us, you also aren’t not aware of his temper/personality, if the doc.u.ments aren’t placed on his desk in the office first thing tomorrow morning, he will only have an uglier expression.” He Yi picked up his jacket. “Lao w.a.n.g, let’s go.”

Thus, everyone felt their spirits dampening, and they said, “Zhou Qu hasn’t pulled him yet.” (I believe they’re talking about pulling CXZ back, limiting his power)

Seeing this kind of situation, Zheng Wei also lifted her things and stood up. “In my opinion, since they have things to do, let’s all separate as well, next time when we’re all free let’s play and enjoy ourselves a bit.”

Since she already said it like this, everyone nodded.

When they reached the door, the people who had cars all said, “Zheng Wei, do you want me to give you a ride home?”

He Yi also said, “Don’t you live in the apartment complex, I can give you a ride, lets go.”

Zheng Wei shook her head. “You guys leave first, this place is located really near to my alma mater college, and it’s still pretty earlier. I’m going to go over and walk around a bit, and clear my head at the same time.”

“You as a young woman alone, and you even drank alcohol, it’s not safe to be outside. Come back with me.” He Yi said.

Zheng Wei pushed him into his car, “You go, leave, I’m telling you not to think about me, what are you talking about.”

He Yi, with a knowing expression said, “Oh, I know, you have something to do after this. Say it, we also aren’t very tactful people. Then I’m going to leave now, be careful.”

After sending them off, Zheng Wei walked towards G University along the sidewalk alone. She knew she had drank a lot, and her steps were a bit unsteady, but her mind had never been so clear, her mind was a completely white s.p.a.ce.

G University was just at the next intersection, it’s almost been 4 years since graduation, even the school entrance wasn’t like it used to be. But Zheng Wei still easily found the basketball court she had gone to so often in the past. She sat on the audience bleachers on the side, and faintly saw the shadow of a couple in the gloom, but who knows, in a few years, how far these two inseparable people will be apart.

After sitting for a bit, the cellphone in her backpack vibrated once again. This time, she finally picked up, but before she could say anything the deeply worried voice from the other side said, “Where are you, why aren’t you answering your phone&h.e.l.lip; &h.e.l.lip; say something, what’s wrong, do you know how many times I’ve called you?”

He obviously couldn’t see her expression at the moment, and only heard her said, “Sorry, I didn’t hear it, I’m at G University’s basketball court right now, do you want to come over?”

He said, doubtfully, “Why would you go there&h.e.l.lip; &h.e.l.lip; We Wei, is it that something happened?”

She indiferrently said, “Nothing much, I haven’t been back in a long time. We can talk more if you come over.”

He came over quickly, maybe it was because when he was pondering his train of thought, he didn’t even pay attention to the time. She only realized when he sat down next to her, this kind of place, this kind of scenario is too familiar, but there wasn’t any overlap in her recollections.

“You drank a lot, your face is really red.” His voice had a concerned reprimanding quality to it.

She turned her head, and smiled sweetly at him, and the smile made him feel dizzy for a short period of time. Everyday, their hinting slight smiles and nods, he hasn’t seen this smile in such a long time. It really let him dream of those happy, unrestrained smiles.

He lifted his hand, trying to gently touch her cheek, there were the dimples that had made him drunk (with happiness) so many times. But right after he touched the delicate skin, he retracted his hand, almost as if he was afraid the her in front of him was a dream, and would disappear with a single touch.

Her hand promptly stopped his, stacking it on the back of his hand, slowly placing it back on her face.

“A Zheng.” She had called his name like that countless times in her dreams.