DBTHDCAR Chapter 95

“You two, take good care of yourselves.”

Seeing these two former beloved students off onto the train, Gu Kaige watched Ning Xiaobei and Fan Xia with lingering affection.

Fan Xia shoved the suitcase stuffed with dried bamboo shoots, sweet potatoes, tea oil, and tea leaves under the seat, then eagerly turned to Ning Xiaobei.

“What do you mean that he can only do extracurricular education for sixteen years? Only sixteen years? Not a single year more?”

Fan Xia did some quick mental math. It was the end of 2003. Even if you started counting from 2004, sixteen years would end in late 2020.

“Does that mean after 2020 the college entrance exam will be canceled? Or that once China reaches a fully well-off society, everyone gets into college automatically?”

Fan Xia’s imagination ran wild; he wished he could be born a decade later.

“Stop dreaming. I just said it. Whether he listens or not is up to him.”

Ning Xiaobei thought: not only would the college entrance exam still exist sixteen years later, it would still be just like theirs… and, coincidentally, there’d be a pandemic.

Whether Gu Kaige listened or not, Fan Xia definitely paid attention.

After all, Ning Xiaobei was a master at predicting exam questions; his very own little Kongming.

This time, Ning Xiaobei had predicted the classical literature and essay topics for the Chinese exam, and even the last two big math problems. Without his targeted review sessions for himself, Lele, and Yangyang, repeatedly drilling questions before the exam, they would never have achieved the results they got.

Ning Xiaobei shook his head. He couldn’t exactly tell them that, a year later, all the educational training institutions that were still sponsoring major New Year’s gala shows would go bankrupt, even established English schools like New Oriental would have to pivot to other businesses.

Brother Kai still loved education, but returning to Affiliated High School was out of the question.

He said he would look for opportunities in Hangzhou, Ningbo, and Shaoxing after the new year. Parents now had money in their pockets and wanted better education for their children. In the crowd trying to cross the narrow bridge of opportunity, even if they couldn’t stay far ahead, they at least had to step onto the university threshold. Brother Kai had a skill; finding work wasn’t a worry.

As for love…

“Depends on fate. This life, I’ve loved two people… and each one turned out worse than the last. I’m exhausted.”

Brother Kai had been hurt too deeply; when or if he’d recover, only heaven knew.

After calling Ning Jianguo, Ning Xiaobei returned to his seat and nudged the drowsy Fan Xia awake.

“My dad said that once we get to Shanghai, we should go visit Grandma first. Tomorrow, some of her relatives from Suzhou are coming to Shanghai, and for the next few days, we’ll accompany her grandnieces around the city.”

Lady Jian still had a few relatives in Suzhou, though all were distant cousins. Of her generation, most had either passed away or already had great-grandchildren. The visitors tomorrow were her cousin’s grandson and two great-granddaughters; one just in middle school, the other in fifth grade. They will be in Shanghai for winter break.

“Oh, two little ladies, huh? Well, I’m happy to tag along. Should we invite Ding Zheyang and Lele too?”

More people, more fun.

By the way, Chang Leyun and Ding Zheyan had returned from Chengdu quite a while ago, one by plane, the other by train, completely separated. Once they got to Shanghai, they hardly contacted each other and were basically in a cold war.

Aunt Wang felt guilty knowing her daughter had abruptly broken things off without a clear reason, leaving Ding Zheyang confused. His parents, however, were easygoing, thinking that young people behaving like this was normal and wouldn’t affect the families’ relationship.

“Don’t call Lele; she’s really busy. Over in Suzhou and Hebei, there’s a new artist workshop she has to perform at after the New Year. In the middle of winter, playing the violin by the riverside in an off-shoulder outfit, she’d freeze to death.”

After returning, Chang Leyun reconnected with Ning Xiaobei. After splitting from Ding Zheyang, she hadn’t felt great either. Staying home was stressful since Aunt Wang kept pestering her with questions. Just as luck would have it, two of her old violin friends asked if she wanted to earn a bit of extra money, and she gladly agreed. Lately, she had been busy with rehearsals and meet-ups with her classmates, going out early and coming back late every day.

“Then let’s just have Ding Zheyang come along. I’m worried he’ll get stir-crazy at home. He’s always been a little… off.”

Fan Xia tapped his temple with a finger, a mischievous glint in his eye.

He still remembered how, back in middle school, Ding Zheyang had removed the valve cores from classmate Geng Enhua’s bike tires, causing him to fall and break some teeth.

Although Yangyang wasn’t as extreme as he had been as a kid, you still had to look out for someone who had just gone through a breakup. You never knew when they might do something reckless.

“But Xiaobei, how did you know it was Teacher Peng who reported him? How did you figure it out?”

Fan Xia had wanted to ask for a long time but didn’t dare in front of Brother Kai, worried it would hurt him.

“It started when Boss Wen said they had tried to died together.”

Ning Xiaobei saw the hot water in his thermos gone and was about to get up to refill it. Fan Xia offered to go, but Ning Xiaobei refused; his leg was a little stiff anyway, so it was a good chance to move around.

“That little demon’s expression was off, there was a hint of disdain behind his words.”

Ning Xiaobei said, “Later I thought about it. At first, he was probably just defending Brother Kai, feeling like things were unfair. But then… maybe he started to like him a bit. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have given us Brother Kai’s home address; he just wanted us to go and counsel him.”

“Damn, what kind of fate does Brother Kai have…”

Fan Xia started feeling sorry for Teacher Gu. How did he end up attracting so many abnormal people?

In the train carriage’s tea room, quite a few people were waiting to fill their cups. Ning Xiaobei stood at the back of the line, holding his cup.

Ahead of him, a young couple was talking. The girl wore a bright red wool coat, her sweater cuffs peeking out in pink, her face all smiles and warmth. Ning Xiaobei guessed they might be newlyweds out for a trip.

“Darling, didn’t you say you have a childhood friend who’s a teacher in Shanghai? Since we’re honeymooning there, why don’t we invite him out for a meal?”

Ning Xiaobei froze at this. He instinctively looked up and studied the pair more closely.

The woman looked about twenty-three or twenty-four, fresh-faced and fair, her whole expression radiant with springtime vitality. Looking closer, the curve of her belly was noticeable under her coat, she seemed to be pregnant.

“Ah, he’s gone back to his hometown recently, not in Shanghai,” her husband replied casually.

Ning Xiaobei’s heart skipped a beat.

Could these two be Brother Kai’s first love and his newlywed wife? That girl who was already carrying his child?

When Ning Xiaobei saw the husband’s profile clearly, he couldn’t help but gape.

This man looked strikingly like Teacher Peng, especially his upturned eyes and eyebrows, practically a carbon copy. The differences were minor: his skin was a little darker, he lacked the mesmerizing tear mole under the eye, and his style of dress wasn’t as refined. A lower-tier version of Peng Yue, one might say.

Or perhaps Teacher Peng was the evolved version, the high-tier model. After all, Gu Kaige had fallen for this man first, and then encountered Peng Yue.

“Oh, he’s gone back home, but why didn’t he come to our wedding banquet? Did you two have a fight?”

The woman in red was preparing instant noodles. She had poured the hot water and stuck her fork upright into the lid, glancing sideways at her husband with a teasing, scolding expression.

“Oh, he went home, but he’s heading to Ningbo soon for work. He probably won’t be back until after the New Year. We’ll make up for it then, it’s not urgent,” the man hurriedly explained, realizing he’d misspoken.

The woman nodded.

He breathed a sigh of relief, and then caught Ning Xiaobei staring intently. He furrowed his brow, alert: “What are you staring at?”

“Oh, just thinking that instant noodles aren’t great for pregnant women; they have preservatives…”

Ning Xiaobei lowered his head, brushing stray strands of hair from his forehead, feeling awkward.

“Oh, don’t worry, little brother. I just suddenly wanted some, and my husband bought it for me. I usually don’t eat this,” the woman said cheerfully, giving Ning Xiaobei a warm smile, one hand resting on her belly as she walked toward another carriage.

Ning Xiaobei stepped forward, placing his thermos under the water dispenser.

What a coincidence… to actually run into this couple.

He thought to himself, quietly.

Suddenly, he felt a sharp pinch on his buttocks. Startled, he whipped his head around and realized it was that man!

One hand held his cup of instant noodles, while the other, hidden under his coat, had pinched Ning Xiaobei’s rear in a flash.

The man turned to Ning Xiaobei with a teasing, suggestive smile, then sauntered off with a deliberately flirtatious step.

Goosebumps erupted all over Ning Xiaobei’s body, spreading from his butt to his waist.

On top of that, a surge of suppressed frustration rose in his chest, making him tremble all over. If he was a woman, he could have cried out sexual harassment—but as a man, he could do nothing but swallow his indignation.

Two lifetimes of experience, totaling over fifty years old, and this was the first time he’d been groped by a man in public. Ning Xiaobei felt like his butt was completely ruined.

And that look just now, what did it mean? Had the man recognized the same kind energy on him and was deliberately teasing him?

His wife, pregnant and standing less than two meters away, was right there in front of him. Could anyone actually do something like this in public? Was this even humanly possible?

Clenching his fists, teeth grinding, Ning Xiaobei silently cursed.

“Hey, little brother, the water in your cup is spilling. Take it away quickly,” an older man waiting in line behind him reminded.

Ning Xiaobei grabbed his thermos and walked back to his seat in a daze, nearly plopping onto Fan Xia’s thigh.

Fan Xia’s face lit up like he’d hit the jackpot. He stood and steadied Ning Xiaobei in his seat.

Ning Xiaobei thought it over and decided to keep quiet about what just happened, silently suffering the indignity.

If this guy found out, we’d probably end up having to go file a complaint with the railway police before even leaving Shanghai.

Gu Kaige had been right: that guy was pure scum, a complete, utter beast.

Fan Xia rested his head on Ning Xiaobei’s shoulder and pulled out his phone to play a mini-game.

At this time, it was trendy to hang small printed photos on phone cases. Girls liked photos of popular celebrities, especially Japanese stars like Tomohisa Yamashita, Kazuya Kamenashi, and Korean group H.O.T. Boys hung pictures of athletes: NBA players, European leagues, or the Shanghai Shenhua team.

Fan Xia’s phone had a jangling chain with a few small photos attached. Some showed top Italian Serie A stars like Inzaghi and Del Piero. The bottom two were of Ning Xiaobei; one a solo headshot, the other a selfie of him and Fan Xia posing with V signs and puckered lips, against a giant red heart background.

Clumsy, silly, but undeniably youthful.

It was a pity that headshot stickers could only be made tiny, the size of a fingernail. Otherwise, knowing Fan Xia, he would’ve insisted on enlarging the photo to A3 size and plastering it on the wall above his bed like a poster.

Ning Xiaobei squinted at Fan Xia’s phone, watching the little snake in the Snake game grow longer and longer, twisting and turning as it chased the tiny black dot, busily coiling in circles, until it finally ran into its own impossibly long tail. He couldn’t help but admire whoever invented this game—it was practically a philosophical exercise in human self-torment.

“Fan Xia…”

Ning Xiaobei licked his lips, finally summoning the courage to tell him the truth.

If his father really came back to life, then this world, this version of it, he would never return to.

What would happen to the people here?

If Ning Jianguo and Uncle Zhao could accompany him, then what about Fan Xia? Could this world somehow ever conjure another Ning Xiaobei?

Just thinking about Fan Xia possibly being left alone in this world made Ning Xiaobei’s heart ache as if it were being tugged by a blunt knife.

He couldn’t bear it, he simply couldn’t.

“Hm?”

Fan Xia lowered his phone, his bright, sparkling eyes curious as he looked at him. Even without glancing at the corners of his mouth, he could tell he was smiling.

“Once we get back to Shanghai… once we’ve sent my two cousin-nieces off, there’s something I need to tell you. It’s about our future…”

He knew he couldn’t hide it forever.

Fan Xia’s eyes lit up. This was the first time Ning Xiaobei had ever brought up the topic of the future with him, ever since they had gotten together!

He nodded without hesitation, his gaze full of trust.

………………

By the time they returned to Grandma Ning’s house, it was already afternoon. Hearing that the two of them hadn’t eaten lunch on the train, Grandma hurriedly handed them some money and told them to grab a quick meal at the little restaurant by the gate.

After Xiao Mei got married, she couldn’t always come to take care of Grandma. Ning Jianguo had tried hiring another live-in helper for her, but Grandma never felt comfortable with the new ones, so none stayed. Apparently, one of the previous helpers even had sticky fingers; after a week, the small shop’s sales plummeted, even though the number of customers remained the same.

Where the money went was anyone’s guess.

Now, Grandma only hired a part-time helper, who came daily to cook two meals and tidy up, then left in the afternoon. The small shop had a part-time college student in charge of the evening shift. During the day, Grandma managed the shop while playing mahjong. Most customers were neighbors she knew well, so she wasn’t worried.

“What? You arrived today? I thought you were coming tomorrow?”

After finishing lunch, Ning Xiaobei and Fan Xia returned to Grandma’s house. They saw a large group already waiting at the gate. Feeling slightly awkward, Ning Xiaobei sent Fan Xia to the back to mind the shop and went to greet the relatives at the front.

“Hello, big brother! Hello, sister-in-law!”

Because of Grandma Ning, he addressed the man in front of him, who was well over forty, not as an uncle but as a big brother in the family hierarchy.

This was also why Ning Xiaobei had never enjoyed going back to his old home in Suzhou as a child. His generation rank was so high that even walking through the alleys, old men would sometimes come up and jokingly call him brother.

“Hello, cousin-uncle.”

The two little girls were very well-behaved, politely calling out to him.

The elders explained that this young uncle was the first in the family to go to college, had been top of his class from elementary through high school, and was incredibly accomplished. The girls looked up to him in admiration.

“Good kids, I’ll take you out tomorrow.”

Ning Xiaobei, suddenly feeling his generation leap upward, bent down and patted their little heads.

It turned out Grandma Ning had misheard the arrival date. Luckily, they were back today; otherwise, it would have been quite embarrassing.

Since Xiao Mei wasn’t around anymore, Grandma Ning’s health had clearly declined. Her reactions were slower, and her hearing had gotten worse. She had been thoroughly checked at the hospital before; the doctor said it was natural organ decline with age, which is irreversible. If it got really bad, she would need a hearing aid.

In fact, this might have been going on for a long time. But because Xiao Mei had cared for Grandma for years, she knew Grandma’s routines so well that she would prepare everything in advance, medicine, food, whatever Grandma needed, without being asked.

Now that Xiao Mei wasn’t there, and someone else was taking care of her, the issue became fully apparent.

Even though he knew it was unavoidable, and that, compared to the real world, this dream world Grandma had already lived four extra years, Ning Xiaobei still felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness.

He had come to this world to change the past, yet he didn’t have a golden finger like a typical novel protagonist. He couldn’t break the rules of reality; for example, Grandma aging, or the outbreak of SARS.

Now, he just hoped no massive, earth-shattering events would suddenly occur, so that when he left, he could go with some peace of mind.

Ugh… even thinking that was ominous…

Just as Ning Xiaobei was preparing to take the relatives to a nearby budget hotel, Fan Xia came rushing through the small gate from the convenience store to Grandma’s room, grabbing Ning Xiaobei by the arm.

“Xiaobei… oh no… there’s a woman outside… a woman…”

In the freezing cold, he was sweating profusely, gesturing wildly, but couldn’t form a complete sentence.

Ning Xiaobei tilted his head, confused.

“Hey, who are you?”

From outside the shop came Xiao Mei’s voice. She must have come over after finishing work at the salon to check on Grandma.

“I’ll kill you, you fox spirit!”

Then came the sound of a scuffle from outside.

………………

Author’s Note:

Don’t worry, this scumbag won’t get off easy.

But whether Brother Kai’s boyfriend ends up being Old Wen or a new character hasn’t been decided yet. Want to place your bets? The final two chapters will reveal it; whoever has more votes, that’s who I’ll write.

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