CH 24.2

Chapter 24.2 : Searching

Translated by: maripaz, minodayz

Edited by: yecats, Miss Bookie

Proofread by: Librismuse

At night, Rong Si had just laid down on the bed when another person snuck under his covers, again. (Note: At the last heart-to-heart talk where RS fell asleep, the writing was a bit unclear, but it seems PZG might have crept into RS’s bed that time too.)

Rong Si had no recourse.

Peng Zige was all laughter as he said, “I have something to talk to you about.”

“Say it.”

Peng Zige once again dithered for awhile and was a bit unsure how to begin. “Ah Si.”

“Yeah.”

“Do you …” The words stuck in his throat.

Rong Si patiently waited for awhile before prompting, “Yeah?”

“Do you like Erqin?”

The question finally came out.

(minodayz : FINALLY – Puppy dog PZG’s lightbulb has lit up!!!)

Utter silence.

Then, Rong Si gave a small laugh.

“Well, do you?”

The nighttime atmosphere was peaceful and quiet. In the dormitory, all the other boys were hidden under their blankets playing with their cell phones, and there were two other boys idly chatting on either side of one of the bed rails.

Rong Si thought for a moment and replied, “I’m looking for a way to logically confirm things.”

Peng Zige did not understand.

Rong Si did not explain and simply closed his eyes.

The road ahead is long and still a far ways off.  (TN: This sentence is an excerpt from an old ‘ancient’ poem – Chinese term gu wen or old script. It’s called Li Sao by Qu Yuan aka 离骚 by 屈原 .  From what I know, you can youtube orators waxing this poetry! – just maybe I may find it in my anthology of chinese poetry textbook! lol)

Ruan Nuonuo did not show up again in the following few days.

The four of them were buying snacks by the school entrance. It was dark on the streets where the snack vendors were located. Su Zi asked, “Peng Zige, did you hurt her that badly?”

Red-faced, Peng Zige denied it. “How could that be? Who could bear to speak harshly to Ruan Nuonuo?”

“Who could bear it?” Su Zi asked again. “If you couldn’t bear it, then why did you reject her?”

“Aiya (TN: common chinese interjection; here, it could translate to “Come on”), it’s not like that!”

By contrast, Li Erqin’s attention was currently occupied with the roasted corn on a cob that Rong Si was having.

“Want it?” Rong Si suddenly asked.

“Is it good?”

Rong Si gave the roasted corn on a cob to her and went to buy himself another one.

Li Erqin thanked him.

Rong Si smiled and asked out of the blue, “Does it count as liking someone if you give up something you like to eat to them? ”

Li Erqin bit her corn, stopped and pondered for a bit. “Yes! If it were Su Zi who asked me for something, I would always give it to her.”

Rong Si was quiet.

Alright, she misunderstood.

However, her response did count as an answer.

The street where all the shops were was very crowded, and people were jostling and crowding around each other everywhere. Su Zi was jesting with Peng Zige, and the two of them had wandered off somewhere. Rong Si could only focus on Li Erqin’s silhouette. In the blink of an eye, she could also disappear into the crowd.

However, what surprised him was that Li Erqin was always only three steps away from him. If she wanted to walk a little farther, she would turn towards him with a questioning glance, as if “asking” him if she could head in that direction.

The corners of Rong Si’s mouth curled into a smile.

After making their purchases, they stood by the school entrance waiting for Peng Zige and Su Zi. Two people were approaching from a distance. The guy walking in front wore his uniform loosely/sloppily, and his stride had a “bad boy” air of lazy indifference. Behind him was a girl with her head down, and from the distance that separated them, one could only notice her big pair of glistening eyes.

They were momentarily stunned when they simultaneously noticed each other.

With a bright smile, Ruan Mingxian rushed forward to greet Li Erqin, “Hey, what a coincidence.”

“Yes, what a coincidence.” She quietly returned the greeting. Then, shifting her gaze onto Ruan Nuonuo, she said, “It’s been a long time since you’ve hung out with us. (TN: it said long time she didn’t look for them to play – can’t visualise them ‘playing’ lol)”

Ruan Mingxian’s expression hardened. It had taken him a lot of effort to get his beloved sister to agree to head out for some snacks, and this chit of a girl opens her mouth and just goes for the jugular, hitting right where it hurts the most. (hahaha – TN; I’ve gone and use translator liberty here rather than say LEQ poked at her wounds.)

Ruan Nuonuo gently lowered her head, biting onto her lower lips and not uttering a word.

Li Erqin added further, “Peng Zige is just over there buying some stuff.”

At this point, even Rong Si couldn’t resist looking at Li Erqin, and he used his eyes to try to deter her.

Li Erqin raised her head and gave Rong Si a quick glance before continuing toquestion Ruan Nuonuo, “Are you angry with Peng Zige?

“Not really …” Ruan Nuonuo denied. “I …”

Li Erqin looked at her, not comprehending.

“There is no way Peng Zige and I can continue to be friends,” said Ruan Nuonuo.

Li Erqin was even more perplexed as she once again raised her head to look at Rong Si.

Ruan Mingxian patted her shoulders (TN: unspecified, but likely Ruan Nuonuo’s). “We will take our leave first.”

Li Erqin watched as Ruan Mingxian led Ruan Nuonuo off and continued to look at Rong Si in utter bewilderment.

Rong Si felt helpless under her gaze. “What did you want to ask?”

“WHY?”

Rong Si spent some time trying to comprehend and decipher what Li Erqin was trying to ask.

A group of passersbys walked past and almost collided into Li Erqin.  Rong Si pulled her over. “Because she likes him.”

“If she likes him, then shouldn’t she want to spend more time with him?”

“But Peng Zige rejected her.”

Li Erqin lowered her head. “If you just give up after one rejection, how can that be counted as liking someone?”

Rong Si was unable to answer.

“Moreover,” Li Erqin continued in a soft voice, “just because the person you like doesn’t like you back, do you then abandon the rest of your friends too?”

(Minodayz: LEQ you’re really thinking deep aren’t you!)

Rong Si sighed. How did that question end up with this conclusion?

(Once again RS quotes from Li Sao)

The road ahead is long and still a far ways off. (TN: The essence is that it’s neither an easy situation nor does it easily resolve/fix matter)

Rong Si and Li Erqin’s rehearsals proceeded in an unhurried manner.  Since Ruan Nuonuo’s harried departure, it was as if she had never come along at all. She completely and thoroughly withdrew from their daily circle.  Their High School compound was not big, but neither can it be considered small. Thus, without intentionally making specific arrangements, the chances of students from different year levels meeting at random were next to zero.

Hardly anyone would make mention of Ruan Nuonuo, with the exception of Su Zi, who would occasionally sigh and miss her. Every time this happened, Peng Zige would jab with his pen and not say a word.

Li Erqin was aware that there wasn’t much she could say in regards to this matter. Even though she was really fond of Ruan Nuonuo as a friend, ultimately she acknowledged that with any coming and going, it was the individual’s decision, and everyone has their own freedom of choice.

On this day, Li Erqin and Rong Si were using the period before afternoon recess to rehearse in the music classroom.  Their mutual harmonising was getting rather proficient/skillful, and it was almost to the degree that their performance was flawless as they ran through the entire song.

A knock that was neither hard nor soft was heard on the (music) classroom door. Ruan Mingxian’s chest leaned in from the side. “Li Erqin, do you have a minute?” (Literal is “are you free, Li Erqin?)

“Is something the matter?” said Li Erqin.

Ruan Mingxian nodded. “Yup.”

“What is it?”

Ruan Mingxian gave Rong Si a glance and then replied with a salacious smile, “Can you spare a moment to step out and talk?”

(Minodayz: oooooo RMX – what are you up to!!! RS beware!!! I do like how LEQ is trying to work out relationship in terms of like/BGR and relationship = friendship, yet with a basic acknowledgement that it’s very much a individual choices/decision and everyone makes those choice – once there was hers, then SZ and RNN – yet each had different outcomes.)