The Silent World And Him - Chapter 10

Qin Yu queued for half an hour. When his number was called, the waiter asked how many were in his party. Qin Yu stood up. « Just me, » he said. The waiter led him to a table for two and handed him the menu. Qin Yu ordered two dishes and a soup for himself, then told the waiter, « Also, pack me a serving of shrimp and a fruit platter. » He had heard from Peng Jingyang that this was the best place in the alley for shrimp, so he came straight after the exam, thinking he arrived early enough, but still ended up waiting for so long.

Qin Yu leaned on his chin and looked out the window. From his angle, he could see the repair shop at Pu Chen’s house. Under the dim streetlights, her father’s tall, thin figure was still busy. As he was lost in thought, the waiter brought the dishes he had ordered.

In such a large restaurant, his table was the only one occupied by a single person. Halfway through the meal, his phone vibrated on the table. Qin Yu picked it up to read the message from his mother:

[When do you have your final exams?]

Qin Yu replied: [I’m done.]

Qin Mingyi responded: [I’ve been busy these days. Okay, I got it.]

This inexplicable conversation ended abruptly.

Qin Yu didn’t bother to ask further questions. He leisurely finished his meal, took the packed food, and walked out of the restaurant. He headed towards the depths of the alley, intending to bring supper to Pu Chen. As he walked, he messaged Pu Chen:

[Are you home?]

Pu Chen replied: [Yes, my aunt came back today, and we’re making egg tarts. Do you need anything?]

Qin had just passed by the repair shop, and Pu Wanli was still there. He hadn’t expected there to be other people at her house. He stopped in his tracks and replied: [Nothing. I didn’t attend the class meeting today. Did Teacher Lu mention anything important?]

Pu Chen replied: [No, it was mostly the same as before the exam.]

Qin responded: [Okay.]

He put his phone in his pocket and turned back towards his own home.

The next day, the first day of the holiday, Qin Yu was awakened by his alarm clock at six o’clock. He had forgotten to turn it off before going to bed last night. He didn’t have the habit of going back to sleep. He grabbed a pillow and played games at the head of the bed. Games were the best way to kill time, and before he knew it, it was already seven o’clock.

Lu Baisheng found him: [If you’re bored today, come to school and help grade papers.]

Qin replied: [I’m not bored.]

Only someone with a bad idea would go to school on the first day of vacation. Interrupted by Lu Baisheng, he lost interest in playing games again and got up to wash up. There was no one at home; his mother had already gone to the law firm.

Qin Yu sat in the empty living room for a while, feeling bored. He put on his coat and went out, heading to the gym on the first floor of the apartment building. To meet the needs of customers, the gym opened at half past six in winter and half an hour earlier in summer. When Qin Yu arrived, many people had already started exercising early, and there was no one in the heated swimming pool. He swam alone.

On the first morning of the holiday, he spent it in the swimming pool. After coming out of the pool and taking a quick shower, he leisurely went to the locker to get his phone. Qin Mingyi had sent him several messages: [Mom’s flight to Boston for a business trip is tonight. Your dad will come to pick you up from Beijing on your day off.]

[If you have nothing to do, go play with Lu Baisheng.]

[Do you have any good classmates to hang out with? Otherwise, invite a classmate out.]

There were also two text messages reminding him of changes in his card balance. Two sums of money had been transferred, one hundred thousand and two hundred thousand. Whether it was from his mother or father, they would usually transfer money to him whenever they remembered, just to show that they hadn’t forgotten they had a child.

Qin Yu didn’t reply to his mother’s messages. He put on his coat from the locker. A staff member noticed his half-dried hair and kindly reminded him, « It’s minus six degrees outside. It’s best to blow dry your hair; otherwise, you might catch a cold. » Qin Yu thanked him. Gestures of kindness and concern from strangers always made it easy for him to accept. He dried his hair before leaving.

He stood in the lobby for a few minutes, contemplating how to spend the rest of his time. This city was extremely unfamiliar to him; he had never been here before transferring schools. He asked Peng Jingyang:

[Do you have any plans for today?]

Peng Jingyang hadn’t gotten up yet. [No plans. I’ll probably sleep for a while longer. Or maybe we could go to the arcade in the afternoon?]

Qin asked: [You don’t have classes all day?]

A holiday for a top student naturally wouldn’t be spent idly. Peng Jingyang replied: [I have online classes. I’ll be back in the evening.]

The two agreed to meet at a certain shopping mall at one o’clock in the afternoon, where the largest arcade was located. The mall was not far from where Qin Yu lived, in the busiest district, just a ten-minute walk away. Qin Yu wondered what Pu Chen would do on his day off, and suddenly this idea popped into his mind.

Having sat next to Pu Chen for over a month, every time she spoke to him, without exception, it was all about Peng Jingyang, almost to the point of asking if Peng Jingyang liked any girls. Qin Yu didn’t consider himself overly nosy, but thinking about how he had been copying Pu Chen’s homework all along, it was a matter of give and take. He decided to do a favor and figure out how to take Pu Chen to the arcade with him.

Qin Yu asked Lu Baisheng for Zhao Shu’s WeChat ID, knowing there was a class group chat he hadn’t joined. Ten minutes later, Zhao Shu agreed to his friend request,

[Are you here to thank me?]

Qin Yu was confused: [Thank me for what?] Zhao Shu briefly explained yesterday’s incident in class where she covered for him about not attending the class meeting:

[I thought you found out I lied for you and came to thank me specifically. What do you need?] Qin Yu, in order to take Pu Chen out to play, resigned himself to telling a lie:

[Teacher Lu said Pu Chen is a bit withdrawn, so he asked me to chat with her more while copying her homework. I don’t have much to talk to her about, but you get along well with her, right? I’ll take you guys out to play, and you’re responsible for chatting with her.]

As soon as Zhao Shu heard it was related to Pu Chen, she readily agreed. In fact, their relationship was just average, but Pu Chen didn’t talk to anyone, and she occasionally could chat with her, so she became special to Pu Chen. She was too lazy to type, so she sent a voice message: [

Just the three of us going out? Where to?]

Qin Yu: [And Peng Jingyang, to the arcade.]

Zhao Shu had no resistance to the arcade, but seeing the name Peng Jingyang, she felt a sense of aversion emanating from every pore of her body, [He’s going too.]

Qin Yu sensed her tone wasn’t great, [Do you have a grudge against him?]

Zhao Shu didn’t hide her dislike for Peng Jingyang at all: [More than that, it’s a deep-seated hatred!] Qin Yu: [Have you two ever talked?]

He added an explanation: [I’m not interested in your private affairs. If it’s really like that, maybe we need to change the plan for going out. I can’t let you feel uncomfortable.]

Zhao Shu snorted, « He’s not my type! »

She recounted an old story to Qin Yu: [We’re neighbors, and we were kindergarten classmates. When we were in kindergarten, he never behaved during naptime. He either talked or scared the girls. One day, he bothered me again, so I kicked him under the bed, and he cried for the whole afternoon, and that’s how the feud started.]

Qin Yu: « … »

As long as it’s not an ex-relationship, anything can be resolved. He asked Zhao Shu:

[So are you going or not?]

Zhao Shu: [For Chen Chen’s sake, I’ll let bygones be bygones.]

Qin Yu and Zhao Shu discussed the time and asked her to send her home address,

[I’ll have my driver pick you up, and we’ll meet at Pu Chen’s house’s repair shop.]

He pulled up the zipper of his down jacket and went into the alley.

Qin Yu walked around the alley, bought a box of milk, the brand Pu Chen loved, which tasted no different from other milk. He messaged Pu Chen:

[Up yet? Taking you out to play.]

He added: [And Peng Jingyang and Zhao Shu.]

She saw Peng Jingyang was going too, and maybe she’d be happy enough to jump out of bed. Pu Chen never slept in, and at this moment, she was reading the books Director Sun lent her. Her aunt went back to Shanghai at 6:30 in the morning, so she got up to have breakfast with her aunt, then curled up on the sofa with her books. She didn’t expect Qin Yu to take the initiative to ask her out,

[Where are you guys going?]

Qin Yu told her today’s plan, [Should I tell your dad?]

Pu Chen: [?]

Qin Yu: [Is such a well-behaved child like you not allowed to go out without parental consent?]

Pu Chen: « … »

[No need, my dad is easygoing. Thank you.]

Qin Yu stood on the roadside, sipping the now cold milk, pondering how to pass this boring morning. Suddenly, he squinted his eyes, and a familiar figure appeared in his line of sight.

Pu Chen was wearing a white down jacket today, hurrying along. He glanced at the time of their chat on his phone. It had only been two minutes, and she was already eager to go downstairs. She wasn’t usually so enthusiastic; even going to the canteen to eat took her a long time to decide. She must really want to see Peng Jingyang.

Pu Chen also saw Qin Yu. She hurried over and typed on her phone before reaching him: [It’s a day off today, why are you up so early?]

Qin Yu casually said, « Too hungry to sleep. »

Pu Chen: « … »

Qin Yu said casually, « I’m too hungry to sleep. »

Pu Chen: « …… »

This actually fits his image of prioritizing eating.

Seeing the milk in his hand, she thought he had already eaten breakfast.

Awkward silence for over ten seconds.

She had to find something to say: « Is Peng Jingyang going too? »

Qin Yu raised his eyelids to look at her and said lightly, « Yes. »

Pu Chen didn’t know if he was in a bad mood because breakfast didn’t suit his taste, so she didn’t ask further and instead pointed to her family’s repair shop: « Are you feeling cold? Come to my shop, there’s air conditioning inside. »

Qin Yu didn’t know what to talk about with the elders, so he sat there awkwardly, refusing her invitation: « I have things to do at home, Zhao Shu will come to pick you up at twelve thirty, don’t forget. »

With that, he turned and left.

Pu Chen watched him for a while, it was too cold outside, so she hurried back into the shop.

It was still early, and no one came to repair the car. Pu Wanli hadn’t come out of the house, he was delighted to hear that his daughter was going out with her classmates.

Without hesitation, he gave his daughter five hundred yuan: « If it’s not enough, I’ll transfer more to you. It’s rare to go out and play, so enjoy yourself. »

Pu Chen had plenty of money in her wallet, her father was very frugal with himself but always generous with her, whether it was food, drink, or clothing, he always gave her the best he could.

« Dad, I have enough money. »

Pu Wanli: « Keep some more on you, you said the arcade is in the mall, if you see something you like, buy it. »

Pu Chen: « Auntie bought me a lot, I don’t lack anything. »

She spent the morning in the shop with her father, who was mostly working, while she sat beside him reading a book.

Zhao Shu was very punctual, she appeared at the shop door just after half past twelve.

Pu Wanli only knew a few of his daughter’s classmates, Zhao Shu was one of them. Zhao Shu’s friend’s electric car had broken down before and had been repaired in the shop. Zhao Shu was cheerful and friendly to Pu Chen.

He wrote on the whiteboard: « Thank you to all of you kids, please take care of Chen Chen. »

Zhao Shu: « Uncle, don’t be polite, we are classmates, it’s what we should do. Actually, it’s Chen Chen who takes care of me, I’m not good at studying, and Chen Chen often helps me. By the way, uncle, Peng Jingyang is also coming, Peng Jingyang is Director Sun’s nephew, he’s the top of the class, and he’s also my former classmate. »

Pu Wanli didn’t know who Peng Jingyang was, but he knew Director Sun, last month Director Sun had specially brought a few books for his daughter to read.

Zhao Shu linked arms with Pu Chen and waved to Pu Wanli.

Qin Yu’s car was parked at the entrance of the alley, when he saw the two coming, he got out to open the door for them.

Zhao Shu waved her hand, « You don’t have to trouble yourself, I want to open and close the door of such an expensive car a few more times myself. »

Qin Yu had no response.

On the way, Zhao Shu kept talking, as long as she was there, there was never an awkward moment.

Pu Chen really liked being with Zhao Shu, she was witty and humorous, even when joking, she could handle it well and not make anyone feel embarrassed.

« Chen Chen, what game do you want to play later? I’ll accompany you. »

Pu Chen shook her head, there was heating in the car, her hands weren’t cold anymore, she typed directly: « This is my first time going to the arcade, I haven’t played anything before. »

Zhao Shu: « It doesn’t matter if you haven’t played before, those games are very simple, you’ll figure them out with just a glance. If you really don’t know how to play, let Qin Yu teach you, he’s an advanced player. »

Pu Chen glanced at Qin Yu sitting in the passenger seat, feeling that Qin Yu might not have the patience today.

It usually only took ten minutes to walk from the entrance of the alley to the mall, but it took twenty minutes to drive there. Zhao Shu complained in the car just now, saying that this was the most congested area, driving here was simply asking for trouble.

However, Qin Yu didn’t mind the trouble, he’d rather sit in the car stuck in traffic than walk for ten minutes.

When they arrived at the mall, Peng Jingyang had been waiting at the entrance of the arcade for almost ten minutes. He knew Zhao Shu and Pu Chen were coming, Qin Yu had informed him in the morning.

He didn’t care about the old grudges with Zhao Shu at all, he had no objections to Zhao Shu, but just the thought of himself being ignorant and shouting all afternoon, he really didn’t want to see Zhao Shu, especially since Zhao Shu always had a proud and smug look on her face whenever she saw him at school.

It gave him heartburn.

Seeing that Pu Chen and Qin Yu were there, Zhao Shu didn’t argue with Peng Jingyang, she smiled ambiguously, « Hey, the kindergarten academic overlord. »

Peng Jingyang didn’t know how to respond for a moment, she always reminded him that they were kindergarten classmates, he didn’t want to be as petty as her.

Approaching, Pu Chen smiled at Peng Jingyang.

Peng Jingyang wasn’t familiar with Pu Chen, the only interaction they had was when his uncle asked him to send those books, so he asked, « Have you been reading during the break? »

Pu Chen nodded, « I’m almost done with one book. »

Qin Yu glanced at Pu Chen, seeing her with Peng Jingyang, she seemed like a different person today, he hadn’t seen her smile and greet him like this when he went to pick her up with Zhao Shu earlier at the alley entrance.