The Fading Away of Our Youth (So Young) Vol 2 Chapter 7.1

Chapter 7, 1/2

Ruan Ruan getting married and returning to G City was the happiest thing for Zheng Wei. To be honest, her original job in S City payed very well, but to Ruan Ruan, the most important thing right now was still her home life (what her home, as in family and related matters, was like). She took her time looking for new work, and it was very obvious that Doctor Wu (her husband) did not believe that his newly wed wife should have to work hard by going out to do work for money. A lot of the time, right after Zheng Wei got off work, she would go over there to freeload a meal off of them (go to their house to eat for free).

When she went over, she very rarely saw Doctor Wu (Ruan Ruan’s new husband), and even Ruan Ruan said that he was often very busy. Within his department in the hospital, the veteran doctors often didn’t have enough energy, and the young doctors weren’t capable of a.s.suming responsibility, so most of the important surgeries were given to him to do himself. Even before, his on duty schedule was packed, and sometimes, he couldn’t even enjoy a meal at home as a phone call would come and send him running out the door (back to the hospital). Because of this, he direly needed a gentle and soft wife (a stay at home, traditional, taking care of her husband wife), so that when he came home, he would at least experience a moment of tenderness and affection. If Ruan Ruan was also working, and they were both very busy, this could not be considered a real home.

Zheng Wei sat on the roof, underneath the flower shelf. These plants were all plants Ruan Ruan took care of herself after her marriage, and unknowingly, the pa.s.sion fruit’s vine had slowly began to cover the entire shelf. She looked at the hardworking, focused Ruan Ruan and asked her, “Don’t you feel stuffy (caged, suffocated) being in here all day long?”

“I have so many things to do all day long, I even feel as if I do not have enough time, so when would I have the time to feel stuffy,” Ruan Ruan said. Doctor Wu was a clean freak; the bed linens and all the blankets in the house must be snow white, changed and washed daily, and the floors must be spotless. When sunlight s.h.i.+nes on it, there must be no visible dust. In regards to their food and diet, [he] was equally picky (meticulous). Before he had gotton married, he’d employed a part timer who would come every day, for 3 hours, to clean up the house. Now, since Ruan Ruan has moved in, in order to make her life at home easier, that part timer changed to a more permanent housemaid (a companion for her?) who stayed for longer. But before a month had even pa.s.sed, Ruan Ruan discovered a problem. Although they lived in an area in the city with the most beautiful landscape and it was very quiet and elegant, the surrounding environment (amenities) was incomplete. All of the neighbors had a car, and the nearest market or supermarket was at least 15 minutes away, by car. The housemaid did not know how to drive a car, and the bus stop was too far away, so in order for her to smoothly buy groceries without a problem, Ruan Ruan had no choice but to drive in between the house and the supermarket to bring her there and pick her up. Ruan Ruan thought this was simply complicating a very simple and easy matter, for she was not raised as a pampered (spoiled) girl, so she just took these ch.o.r.es to do them herself. Upon Doctor Wu’s consent, they payed the maid 3 extra months salary before firing her, leaving Ruan Ruan to take care of her own daily life herself. She had always been a very thoughtful/attentive person, so everything, no matter how small, in the house was done neatly. Doctor Wu was very pleased with this. Now, he did not have to worry, and so threw himself into his work. His age of 35 years was less than the average age of doctors in this field, and he would always accredit this to his having a perfect wife.

Zheng Wei squinted her eyes, having decided on something. “A few days ago, I phoned Zhu Bei, and that rascal is still reading constantly. I think it was because she was extremely excited as this year she had took the Bo test again (I have absolutely no idea what this means, the original was 今年又考了博 so if any of you guys can contribute to a better translation, comment it below). When we started to talk about you, it was to call you the ‘shame of this new generation of the Chinese’. She said it right, if others were to know that that in G university in XX year of the Civil Engineering Department there was a previously number 1 overall person, who actually turned into a homemaking wife, it’d really be too hilarious.”

Ruan Ruan said disapprovingly, “This isn’t anything big, at least my professional skills allowed me to fix and repair the flower garden very skillfully.”

Zheng Wei still had some things that she was outraged about, saying, “I came over so many times, yet during the week I have yet to see your Doctor at home. He gave you a ring as a day job, and hired you to sleep in the house during the night with him (this part is pretty confusing, its like she got a ring in return for staying home all day and night for him, I think). Ruan Ruan, when was the last time you ate a meal together with him?”

“Not too long ago, only about 3 days ago.”

Zheng Wei gasped in amazement (shock, outrage), “This is unheard of, even going back to the Qing dynasty. He’s only a surgeon, not an astronaut on the moon. Even after getting married, he’s still this busy, it really lets you bear so much. Do you ever forget what he looks like?”

Ruan Ruan thought deeply for a few moments, than laughed and said, “Stupid, men being dedicated to their work isn’t a bad thing.”

“You’re not afraid of him cheating on you?”

“Cheating on me?” Ruan Ruan laughingly shook her head, “If only he was that romantic. I think he’s already developed a habit from work. Seeing a woman’s naked body, the only thing he thinks of it where to cut first (for surgery).”

Zheng Wei chuckled, “Strange.” (like he’s a scary man, in a strange way) She casually brushed a leaf off of her head, and paused for a moment before quietly asking, “Then….does he know about your past?”

Ruan Ruan shook her head. “I don’t know whether or not he knows. He might already know everything in his own heart, but at least he has never asked me. Wei Wei, listen to me. For these kinds of things, if the other party does not ask, you must never mention it. The past is in the past; what’s most important is now. To be honest, he treats me very well, very respectfully and considerately. He remembers my birthday, and he sends me flowers every holiday, not just on Valentine’s day. Even though he keeps all these events marked in his phone’s calendar, in the end, it still shows his sincerity (intent). Other than him being extremely busy at work, I don’t think there’s really anything I can be picky about (complain about).”

“Then do you feel very happy now?” Zheng Wei asked, confused.

Ruan Ruan replied, asking, (not answering with a response) “What is the definition of happiness?”

In the end, Ruan Ruan changed the subject. “Let’s not talk about me, how’s it going with you and Lin Jing? Now that you’ve finally seen each other again, it isn’t going to be as easy as just saying ‘hi’, right?”

Zheng Wei began tearing at the leaves in her hands. “What else could it be like? I understand a lot of his reasons, but in my heart there’s still a part that can’t move on (let go of her bitterness/resentfulness/anger). If he had not left then, our children would already be calling you A Yi (aunt). But then he left without a word, and I met….. Chen Xiao Zheng. This is what most people would call fate. If you said that Lin Jing gave me the most ignorant dream of love, then you could also say that Chen Xiao Zheng was the one who opened my eyes to real love. It was because of him that I learned how to treat a person well (cherish them), and learned how to love a person in hundreds of different ways. When I finally learned all that, he left. Even though its this way, because I once had him (was with him in a relations.h.i.+p), my relations.h.i.+p with Lin Jing can never return to the way it was before. I don’t know why, but every time I face Lin Jing, all sorts of feelings bubble up, however, he is not that person I so single-mindedly wished to marry when I was younger anymore.”

“Then are you guys still contacting each other?”

“Occasionally. After that one text message he sent me, we never contacted each other like that again. Sometimes, we go out for a meal together, as old friends getting together, and it’s not good for me to refuse. I’m really afraid that there’s going to be a day where all my hate and resentment for him will be gone, [and I will find out] how much of those 17 years that I loved him still remains.”

If she was not with Ruan Ruan, Zheng Wei would probably spend the majority  of her time alone. The best friend by her side had always been Ruan Ruan, and in the end, only Ruan Ruan remained. Even Wei Shao Yi, who was living under the same roof [as Zheng Wei] every day, never became intimate (good friends) with her. Even though Wei Shaoyi had nasty temper, a strange personality and was hard to bear with, Zheng Wei though that He Yi’s way of chasing Wei Shaoyi was simply unfathomable. The more others don’t want to see him, the more enthusiastic he became. Tricking her, pursuing her, getting in her way, every single trick possible had already been used, but a cold front was all that his desperate, pa.s.sionate pursuits faced. (the phrase used here is 还是热屁股贴在冷脸上 hais.h.i.+ re pi gu tie zap leng lian shang, which directly translated, means ‘it was still the hot b.u.t.t sticking onto the cold face). Behind her back, everyone said that Wei Shaoyi could not tell good from bad. She relied on connections to get into Er Fen, and the relative who helped her has been in a leaders.h.i.+p position for very long. He Yi was the beloved son of Zhong Jian’s President, and also had a striking appearance. To be able to see her was really a person’s good fortune. But, Zheng Wei had already vaguely known it from the start; that He Yi was not the type that Wei Shaoyi liked. Furthermore, his past playboy (only does things to have fun, including love) record was also something that Wei Shaoyi despised and avoided.

The amount of men who could catch Wei Shaoyi’s eye was very little, and Zheng Wei once had the fortune of seeing one. At that time, she was at the cafeteria of Zhong Jian’s headquarters eating, and coincidentally met Wei Shaoyi who was at the same table as her. Even though she didn’t speak more than 2 sentences, once, there was a man who inadvertently walked past them and after, Zheng Wei saw that Wei Shaoyi was blus.h.i.+ng furiously. Zheng Wei had actually met that man before, it was said that Yuan Cao from the inst.i.tute’s looks made many go starry eyed with adoration. However, apparently his family was very rich and he only went to work for fun. In regards to these types of people, Zheng Wei maintained her philosophy of “only watch from afar, do not interact” (original: “止可远观，不可亵玩 zhi ke yuan guan, bu ke xie wan”, it kind of rhymes :D) During last time’s department Go compet.i.tion, she had personally defeated him. Then again, he was a man who looked handsome but showed that he was bad at Go; if she also looked that good, she would not so readily expose her shortcomings. (this whole part didn’t really make sense to me, if you want you can take a look: 上次建筑系统围棋大赛她还曾挥泪斩帅哥，亲手将他淘汰出局――话又说回来，帅哥人长得好，棋艺确实不咋的，要是她也长得那么帅，绝对不干这种自爆其短的事。)

Coincidentally that day, not long after that handsome guy (shuai ge, I don’t know how else to explain it because it literally translates to handsome brother, aka guy) had walked past, Zheng Wei was studying Wei Shaoyi and under her gaze, Wei Shaoyi reacted very awkwardly, turning her head and coughing twice. When her head turned, she unexpectedly saw a silver necklace which had fallen, and then picked it up, discovering that the pendant hanging down looked like aquamarine, shaped similarly to a teardrop earring. Before the handsome man had walked by, there had been nothing on the floor. Without thinking, Wei Shaoyi ran outside, and returned a few minutes later and began to eat silently (implies that she’s unhappy). Zheng Wei, unable to contain her curiosity, ignored her cold demeanor and leaned in excitedly, asking, “What a G.o.dsent opportunity! Has there been any development? You picked up his belonging (the necklace, what he dropped), why didn’t he just pa.s.s it on to you and ask you to date him at the same time.”