My Mister Ostrich

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MY MISTER OSTRICH
Chapter 81 Two Trains
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Chapter 81 Two Trains
Translated by Twelve_Months_of_May

Pang Pang, can you hug me for a moment?

Despite his years, Jackie Chan was jumping over obstacles and fighting for his life on the screen. Crashes and explosions sounded down to Pang Qian and Gu Mingxi’s ears, but it was as if they couldn’t hear it. Throughout the second half of the movie, Pang Qian kept holding onto Gu Mingxi’s waist, her head cradled in his arms, as she stared into the distance. The two of them didn’t speak until the movie ended.

When they left the movie theater, the sun was setting in the west. Gu Mingxi and Pang Qian stood on the sidewalk, not too far from the metro station. Gu Mingxi said, “Pang Pang, it’s pretty late. I have to go.”

Pang Qian grabbed onto his shirt, but couldn’t find a reason to make him stay. She said, “Let’s have dinner together.”

Gu Mingxi said, ” No need. The holiday starts tomorrow, aren’t you going home?”

Pang Qian immediately shook her head. She looked at him and said, “It’s okay if I don’t go back. Gu Mingxi, are you going to stay in Shanghai tomorrow? If you stay, we can go to Zhouzhuang or Xitang (water towns). They’re both pretty close.”

He didn’t say anything for a long time. Then he said, “Okay, let’s have dinner. Can we go back to your school to eat? I want to eat at your school’s cafeteria.”

Pang Qian nodded. “Mm, our cafeteria has really good food.”

On their way back to her school, the sky darkened. It was the day before the long holiday, so a lot of students from Shanghai and nearby towns were heading back home. There were a lot of students with some luggage walking around the campus. Pang Qian and Gu Mingxi walked very slowly, and she gave him a tour of the things they saw along the way.

SHUFE’s campus was small, with narrow roads and old buildings. But it was very clean, elegant, and tranquil. The trees were flourishing, the grass was green, the lake was clear. It was all very tasteful.

When they reached the “aim for the sky” statue, Gu Mingxi stopped in his steps. The statue wasn’t very large. On top of a stone, there was an eagle with its wings spread wide. He turned his head up to look at that eagle until Pang Qian said, “Hurry, the cafeteria will be out of food if we’re too late.” Gu Mingxi pulled back his gaze.

Most of the buildings at SHUFE had gray walls with red tiles. The cafeteria was no different. The cafeteria was very large. When Pang Qian and Gu Mingxi headed inside, they caught a number of eyes.

Pang Qian ordered two meals. Sweet and sour ribs, stir-fried cabbage, spicy chicken, and eggplant with black bean sauce. Then she also ordered two fried eggs for Gu Mingxi.

After ordering a big meal, she said, “You’re too thin, you should eat more. The next time I see you, you have to gain some weight.”

At the table, Pang Qian brought chopsticks and pulled out wet napkins from her bag. She sat down next to Gu Mingxi and helped him clean his feet.

Someone walked past them, and when they saw Pang Qian, they gave a greeting. “Crab, you didn’t go home?”

Pang Qian looked up and smiled. “Mm, my friend came to see me, so we’re going to hang out for a few days.”

The person glanced over to Gu Mingxi and asked with a strange tone, “Boyfriend?”

Pang Qian blinked her eyes and said, “Is there a reason he can’t be?”

Gu Mingxi listened to their conversation, and waited until the person left before lifting his foot up to the table. He picked up his chopsticks and started eating.

Pang Qian kept adding food to his meal box from her own. She said, “Try this, it’s really good.”

“I have enough. You should eat some.”

“I’m losing weight.”

“You’re already thin, why do you need to lose weight?” Gu Mingxi frowned and looked at her. “Girls shouldn’t just casually lose weight. It’s not healthy.”

“I know, you’re so annoying.” Pang Qian said that, but a smile was plastered to her face. She asked Gu Mingxi, “Is our cafeteria’s food tasty?”

“Yeah.”

“Does the food at B University taste good?”

“…” Gu Mingxi had eaten from the cafeteria a few times. He shook his head. “Not really.”

“No wonder you’ve gotten so thin. Don’t be picky.” Pang Qian became antsy. “Even if you don’t like to eat it, you should still eat it.”

Gu Mingxi lifted his head to look at her and smiled. “I know. I’ll make sure to eat well.”

Pang Qian smiled. She pouted and asked, “So about what I said earlier. Let’s go to Zhouzhuang. I’ve never been there.”

Gu Mingxi thought for a moment, and then nodded, “Mm.”

Pang Qian bit her chopsticks and smiled happily. “Then it’s set.”

After they ate dinner, the sky was entirely dark. Pang Qian and Gu Mingxi were walking leisurely around the campus. For the first time, Gu Mingxi brought up Pang Qian’s studies. He said, “I thought about what you said, wanting to work for two years after graduation before going back to study some more. It makes a lot of sense, but wouldn’t that be harder to get into the school program later? Your school has more students who go straight into postgraduate studies. Why don’t you try to get a research position?”

“I’m considering it for my major,” Pang Qian said. “You should know, the kind of work you do depends on your major, and the salary is really different. At the time, I just picked whatever undergraduate major to study, I didn’t really understand it much then. If I’m going to study more later, I should understand the field of study a bit more. I’m not just studying it to get the degree. Gu Mingxi, do you know. The girl I mentioned, the one who came back to study, she used to work for one of the big four (Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG) and her salary was more than 200 thousand. But after she finishes her postgrad, she said it could jump up to 500 thousand. And if she goes to study in the US, ah, I don’t even dare to imagine!”

“Mm, you really did consider a lot.” Gu Mingxi nodded, and then he smiled. “Pang Pang, you’re very good now.”

“?” Pang Qian didn’t understand. “What’s very good?”

He said, “Everything. Serious, hardworking, forging forward. You don’t just think about eating and drinking anymore. You can think about your future now.”

Pang Qian beat him. “What do you mean eat and drink! You think I’m a pig?!”

Oddly enough, Gu Mingxi didn’t try to dodge her attacks like he would have in the past. Pang Qian’s fist really hit his body. “Ah!” she cried, before quickly massaging him. “You idiot, why didn’t you move.”

He smiled and his two canine teeth slipped out. “It’s been more than a year since you’ve hit me. I’m happy to take it.”

She unhappily cried out, “Who was hitting you?!”

They headed out to the school gate, the place they’d met up at in the morning. Under the streetlights, Gu Mingxi looked at Pang Qian’s face. There were a lot of things he wanted to say to her, but he didn’t know how he could start.

He wanted to tell her not to stay up late. Sleeping and waking up earlier was good for your health.

He wanted to tell her not to eat too much from the street food stalls. Those foods weren’t healthy. Of course, having a bite every now and then was okay. Also, don’t eat too many sweets, because you’re more likely to get cavities and it affects your body too.

He wanted to tell her that over the holidays, don’t eat very cold or spicy foods, or your stomach will hurt a lot. Drink a bit of warm brown sugar water and don’t cause any trouble.

He wanted to tell her that her parents were getting older, so she should learn some things. Don’t talk back to your parents when you go home, and help them with the house chores. You never know if they’ll suddenly just fall down one day.

He wanted to tell her that if there was a decent guy pursuing her that she could try going on a date with him. You’re almost 20 years old, your parents won’t say anything about it. Of course, as a girl, you have to be smart with these things and protect yourself.

He wanted to tell her, Pang Qian, you’re a really good girl. You love life so much, of course things will work out for you later. You will have a happy and fulfilling life, a wonderful family, a desirable job, a healthy body, and lastly, a simple and joyous heart.

You’ll have a busy job, but you’ll have two weeks off to go on vacation with your husband and child. You’ll have a table full of makeup and a closet full of beautiful clothes and shoes. You’ll have your own circle of friends, your own best friends, and you’ll go for walks on the weekends, go out to eat, play a few games of ping pong.

You’ll have a large house, a duplex or even a townhouse. You’ll raise a dog, plant lots of flowers, and when the sun shines into your room, you’ll wrap your arms around your pillow and sit on the floor to happily play with your child.

…

He wanted to tell her a lot of things, but in the end, he only said one thing, “Pang Pang, can you hug me for a moment?”

How could Pang Qian leave him disappointed? She opened her arms and wrapped them around him, her heart happy and complete. She could smell his familiar scent, and with her face against his chest, she felt the warmth of his body. She said, “Tomorrow morning at 8:30, right here. Let’s meet for sure.”

Gu Mingxi closed his eyes and rested his chin on her head as he said, “But you can’t promise your life on it again (last time, she said she’d get run over by a car if he didn’t show up).”

“Mm!” She was very at ease, a big grin on her face.

Finally, Pang Qian released her hold and sent him to a taxi. Gu Mingxi sat in the backseat and watched Pang Qian smile and wave at him, “Gu Mingxi, see you tomorrow.”

“Pang Pang, goodbye.” He looked at her and curved his lips up into an especially good looking smile.

– – –

Shark sent Gu Mingxi to the train station and gave him his sleeper ticket.

Before he left, he said, “Are you sure you’re going to cut off contact from Little Crab?”

Gu Mingxi nodded. “She and I… We’re not really anything. To be honest, I was really worried about her at first. I was worried that without me by her side, she’d get bullied by others. But I realize now that in this past year, she’s been doing really well, much better than I’d imagined. I didn’t give her enough credit. She’s a smart girl. She knows how to take care of herself and how to fight for the things she wants. So I think that I can leave without any worries.”

Shark didn’t understand, “That doesn’t mean you have to stop contacting her. You can always still be friends.”

“Shark, let me give you an analogy.” Gu Mingxi turned to look at him and said calmly, “Pang Qian and I, we’re two trains on different tracks. In the past, I was a bit faster than her. Since we were both moving forward, she could never catch up to me. So sometimes I would stop to wait for her. Then one day, we came to a fork in the road. There was nothing we could do but continue on our own paths. I kept telling myself that as we headed forward, I might still be able to meet with her somewhere along the way. And then we could both move forward on our tracks together. Maybe she thought the same way too. But as time passed and we kept moving forward, we realized that the tracks we were moving on didn’t turn back. They only went straight, moving forward in two different directions. The further we move forward, the further apart we would get. And her speed kept growing faster, while mine got slower and slower. I realized that even if I could break the train track and make it turn to go in the same direction as her, I probably… wouldn’t be able to catch up.”

Shark, “…”

“Ahead of her, there will be many other trains that she can travel the same journey with. If I stay behind her, dragging her down, she’ll always feel a bit reluctant. It will affect the progress of her own journey. So I felt that it would be best to just cut off contact with her.”

Shark asked, “Then what if one day, you were able to catch up?”

“If such a day really comes…” Gu Mingxi smiled and shook his head. “I don’t even dare to dream of it. I still have to figure out how to get my mom better and more reliable treatment.”

Shark sent Gu Mingxi to the station’s entrance and he gave the young man a hug. “I promise you that I won’t disclose your whereabouts to Crab, but you have to promise that you won’t cut off contact with me. If you run into troubles, make sure to call me.”

Gu Mingxi nodded, “I promise.”

Shark gave Gu Mingxi a pat on the back. “That’s good. Kid, have a safe journey. Take care of yourself.”

– – –

Pang Qian we excited all night and couldn’t sleep. She grabbed Yang Lu and talked to her for half the night. “I’m in love.”

When morning cam, Pang Qian got dressed nicely. It was the 55th anniversary of the founding of the nation (PRC was formed in 1949), a time to celebrate. Pang Qian wore a pretty dress and headed to the school gate. She was smugly wearing a straw hat, the crab keychains she’d bought the previous day hanging on her bag. She originally wanted to give one to Gu Mingxi and keep one for herself, but he was in a rush to leave so she’d forgotten.

But Gu Mingxi didn’t show up. She only saw Shark leaning on his car, smoking a cigarette.

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Home  My Mister Ostrich  Chapter 82 Crazy Christmas
MY MISTER OSTRICH
Chapter 82 Crazy Christmas
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Chapter 82 Crazy Christmas
Translated by Twelve_Months_of_May

Guess who it is. There’s a prize if you’re right!

“You home? Any problems on the way back? Mm, nothing happened, that’s good.”

Shark sat at the entrance to his barbecue shop, smoking as he spoke on the phone. “Yeah, I told her, but nothing too specific. I just said that you were dealing with some things lately that were very troublesome, so you probably won’t contact her for awhile. I told her to study and get better, and don’t worry too much about you.”

Gu Mingxi sounded a bit hoarse. “What did she say?”

“What would she say? She cried, she cried like a maniac. She cried for an hour, just standing on the street. No matter what I said, she wouldn’t stop. In the end, she finally stopped, but I couldn’t bring you up again. If I mentioned anything, she would start wailing again. It even made me want to cry.”

Gu Mingxi, “…”

“Kid, as for you, what is there that you can’t get through.” Shark was about to console him, but Gu Mingxi cut him off. “Yeah, Shark, there’s nothing that we can’t get over. So Pang Qian will get better. Don’t worry.”

Gu Mingxi returned to Li Han’s side, back to the small rental house in the provincial capital of S City. His life immediately returned to those mundane passing days that smelled of hospital disinfectant.

When they stayed in the hospital, sometimes there were no relatives available to visit and take care of Li Han. Gu Mingxi spent money to hire a caretaker. After all, he was male and he didn’t have arms. He really couldn’t stick around and take care of Li Han. When they weren’t in the hospital, if Li Chun or Huang Lingli didn’t come, Gu Mingxi would take care of the things around the house.

He bought groceries, he washed the clothes, and even prepared food to suit Li Han’s current diet. He was naturally slower at all these tasks than most people would be, but what could he do. He just had to get up early in the morning and start doing these things slowly, one by one and overcome them, one by one. If there were truly things he couldn’t handle, Gu Mingxi would ask the neighbor to help out. Their neighbor was a very kind-hearted older woman, and seeing Gu Mingxi in this state really made her heart hurt. Usually, she would be lend a helping hand. And so, day by day, things passed like this.

Li Han’s insurance reimbursement had already been refunded to her account. After the first reimbursement, Gu Mingxi figured out a new method. He told Shark that after each quarter, he would mail all the relevant information to Shark. Then Shark would help him to go E City to submit the papers for a reimbursement.

He’d brought back 100 thousand dollars from E City, 70 thousand from Gu Guoxiang, 20 thousand from Pang Shuisheng, and 10 thousand from Shark. Gu Mingxi recorded all these numbers very carefully in his account book, along with the money that Li Han’s relatives and friends had given them.

These were all favors, and they had to be repaid.

The fees for medical treatment were like a bottomless pit. One container of IV medicine cost 500 dollars. One IV a day, and the patient had to pay for all of it. Family members of other patients all told Gu Mingxi that this medicine was really good, so he could only bite the bullet and buy it for Li Han.

One of the patients also introduced Li Han to a traditional medicine doctor in Kunming. They said that this doctor was very skilled. There were many patients whose doctors said that they couldn’t be saved, but after seeing this traditional doctor and taking medicine for two months, they were living well.

Gu Mingxi didn’t really believe these words too much, but Li Chun and Li Mu were both convinced by this brilliant sounding propaganda and both invested in this doctor. Li Chun immediately said she would accompany Li Han to Kunming, as if going there to take some traditional medicine would cure her then and there. Gu Mingxi couldn’t talk them out of it, and ended up buying three tickets to accompany them.

This trip to Kunming took three days and two nights. They spent 80 thousand dollars out of their own pockets. Li Han ordered three months of traditional medicine, and the doctor would send it over every half month.

Inside the rental house, there was always the scent of incense in the air. Gu Mingxi was responsible for brewing the medicine for Li Han. He’d already become very familiar with his feet in the kitchen. He could even clean a fish with his two feet. As an effect of learning those skills though, his feet were covered in scars, big and small. Some were from holding a knife, some from cutting vegetables, some were burns from pots, and there were even scraped from picking up broken dishware.

He was already accustomed to such things, so he had bandages prepared, along with burn medication and gauze. When he hurt his foot, he would rinse it off with water and then apply medicine. He rarely asked anyone to help him.

Li Han looked a lot better after the surgery. When they went to the hospital for IV drips afterwards, all the other patients would say that her surgery was a success, that Heaven really helps those who are worthy. Li Han chuckled as she leaned against Gu Mingxi. She said to them, “Of course I haven’t lived enough, my son still hasn’t graduated from college yet. Even if I must die, I should at least wait until after my Mingxi gets married and has children. I have to make sure there’s a good woman to take care of Mingxi before I can leave with an easy heart.”

By her side, Gu Mingxi spoke up unhappily, “Mom, what are you saying.”

“What was I saying?” Li Han reached out to tug on Gu Mingxi’s empty shirt sleeve. She smiled and said, “My son doesn’t have arms, but look at how handsome he is. Tall and smart. If he had arms, there would be countless girls chasing him.”

After her sickness, the often said silly things. Gu Mingxi saw the other patients with an expression like a smile, but not quite a smile, and he silently turned away.

Everything seemed to be changing for the better. But at the end of November, at Li Han’s checkup four months after her surgery, the CT scan showed that there was another 3 cm tumor in her liver. That meant the cancer had relapsed.

Christmas Eve 2004 just happened to be a Friday, so her roommates wanted to go out. Yang Lu wanted to drag Pang Qian out, but she didn’t agree.

“Give me some face. I told Sheng Feng that I’d definitely bring out you.” Yang Lu pulled at Pang Qian’s elbow, swaying back and forth. “Come on, let’s go.”

“I said I’m not going!” Pang Qian was very annoyed. It was the first time she’d gotten angry at Yang Lu. “Why do you keep helping Sheng Feng?! What do you get from it? I already said that I don’t like him! I said that there’s a boy that I like! I already told Sheng Feng so clearly. Does he not understand? Even if he doesn’t understand, do you not understand either?!”

Yang Lu was dumbfounded, and their two other roommates were also very startled. And then Yang Lu cried. She wiped her tears away and walked out of the room.

Xue Wenwen chased after her. Wu Feiyan sat down next to Pang Qian and said, “Alright, Crab. I know that you’re in a bad mood, bit don’t spray your fire at us. If you want to get angry, get angry at Sheng Feng. Or why don’t you go find your missing boyfriend.”

Pang Qian felt regret and gloom, her face scrunched in a scowl. Wu Feiyan continued, “To be honest, Sheng Feng really has perseverance. If it were someone else, the boy would have let go a long time ago or they girl would have already agreed. But you two still haven’t found a resolution even after half a year. But I understand you. You don’t like him. No matter how good he is, it doesn’t matter.”

Pang Qian looked over at her gratefully. Wu Feiyan said, “But still, you shouldn’t say that to Yang Lu. You really haven’t realized? Yang Lu… She’s kind of interested in Sheng Feng.”

“Ah?!” Pang Qian was shocked.

Wu Feiyan said, “Sheng Feng said before that he wanted to find a girlfriend from E City. After graduation, they could stay in Shanghai together if they wanted, or they could go back home if they wanted. They could even go off and get married. Lu Lu is from Shanghai and she’s an only child, so she definitely won’t be able to follow Sheng Feng back to E City. So she didn’t say anything. But everyone in the dorm is a girl, we can feel it, right?”

Pang Qian was struck. She didn’t feel anything at all. She just knew that Yang Lu had pushed Sheng Feng into her sights. At her first sign of trouble, Yang Lu would notify Sheng Feng.

Pang Qian decided to go find Yang Lu to apologize. She didn’t dare to mention about her liking him, but she agreed to go out with them. Yang Lu’s tears turned into smiles, and she immediately sent a text to Sheng Feng.

Three boys from the same class were waiting for them at the bottom of the dorm. When Pang Qian arrived there, she could feel her head exploding. There was Sheng Feng, holding a teddy bear that was half the size of a person. The other two boys shuffled over to her.

Pang Qian felt irritated, especially with Yang Lu beside her. She glanced over at Yang Lu, but her face didn’t relay anything out of the ordinary. Pang Qian didn’t want this bear at all, but they were all standing at the dorm and it was Christmas. If she didn’t accept it, that would be too petty.

Just as she was feeling strangled to death, Pang Qian’s phone rang. It was as if her reinforcements had arrived. She picked up and called excitedly, “Hey!”

Note: If the author wants to write random words in English, that’s fine. I’ll carry them over (in italics). But oh, it sounds weird.

“Merry!” A young man’s voice rang in her ears. It sounded very good. “Guess who it is. There’s a prize if you’re right!”

“Ah!” Pang Qian called out loudly, startling the classmates beside her. The person on the phone asked, “What is it? You scared me to death! Crab, are you at school? I’m at the school gate. I’m spending Christmas in Shanghai. Let’s meet up!”

Reinforcement had really come! Pang Qian had never been so brazen before. Face filled with emotion, she said, “Dearest! You’re finally here! I missed you so much! I’ll wait for you at the bottom of the dorm. Hurry, hurry!”

The person on the other end of the phone, “…”

Pang Qian gave him the address and then hung up. The others looked at each other with dismay. Sheng Feng’s face fell. Pang Qian said, “I’m sorry, my boyfriend’s here. I can’t go out with you guys.”

No one motioned to leave, and Yang Lu just watched Pang Qian quietly. A moment later, a tall boy walked over leisurely.

He was wearing a black jacket. He looked just like a model, with a cool hairstyle and handsome face. He walked over to Pang Qian and grabbed onto her shoulders. Laughing, he said, “Ey, you’re really pretty now.”

Pang Qian followed along and looked at him shyly. She turned to the rest of the group and said, “Let me introduce you guys. This is my boyfriend, Xie Yi.”

Xie Yi smiled. “You can call me In.”

Xie Yi drove Pang Qian to a bar. He’d come with some friends to play in Shanghai. There were boys and girls, but Pang Qian didn’t know any of them. She couldn’t join in their conversations, so she just sat quietly on the side. She didn’t drink alcohol. She just sat there on her own, drinking juice.

Xie Yi saw she wasn’t happy, just sitting there the whole time. He asked, “What’s wrong? You don’t seem like the Crab that I know.”

Pang Qian smiled. “It’s nothing. I’m happy to see you.”

“The one who was wearing the glasses, is he pursuing you? Little Crab’s doing well on the market.” Xie Yi was wearing a a v-neck, knitted cardigan that showed off his chest. Pang Qian felt that he looked very good. She said, “Even if my market’s good, it’s not better than yours.”

“Don’t change the topic. Tell me, why are you unhappy?”

“…”

“How are you and Gu Mingxi now?”

It would have been fine if he didn’t mention Gu Mingxi. Once he did, Pang Qian’s tears just started to fall. Xie Yi was caught off guard by her crying, and quickly found some napkins for her.

After sobbing and sniffling for a long time, Pang Qian stammered out her story to Xie Yi. When he heard everything, he asked, “You haven’t contacted him in the past three months then?”

“He canceled his phone number,” Pang Qian said. “How am I supposed to contact him?”

“Isn’t he studying at B University?”

“Yeah. I called B University but they wouldn’t say anything. I want to find him, but I don’t know how to. I know his grandma’s address since I sent him something before.”

Xie Yi thought for a moment, and then suddenly asked, “Did you bring your ID card with you?”

Pang Qian was startled, “Yeah.”

He grabbed her hand and pulled her up, and then he tossed her coat to her. “Let’s go! It’s easy to find someone. I don’t believe that we won’t be able to find him.”

Pang Qian asked with surprised, “Where are we going?”

Xie Yi smiled, “Didn’t I say you’d get a prize if you guessed right? I’ll take you to go find him!”

Xie Yi drove Pang Qian to the airport and then bought two tickets to S City. Pang Qian’s mind was blank as she followed him onto the plane. At 2 AM, the two of them arrived at the S City Airport.

When they walked out of the airport, brightness shined into Pang Qian’s eyes. It was clearly the middle of the night, but why did she feel that it was so bright? The world was covered in a layer of white. There’d been a big snow storm in S City.

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Home  My Mister Ostrich  Chapter 83 Another Person
MY MISTER OSTRICH
Chapter 83 Another Person
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Chapter 83 Another?Person
Translated by Twelve_Months_of_May

I’m never believing you again! Give me back my Gu Mingxi!

Xie Yi booked two rooms at a four star hotel in heart of S City. It was Christmas Eve, so the hotel rates were extremely expensive. Pang Qian felt very sorry and had wanted to pay for her own room, but the cost for one night was nearly an entire month’s living expenses for her. She could only suggest going to the Jinjiang Inn (cheaper hotel chain) next door, but with just one glance from Xie Yi, she quieted.

He said, “I said this was a prize. I’m giving you a prize for still being able to recognize my voice after so long. Just take it as you’re accompanying me to play over Christmas.”

Pang Qian said quietly, “I’ve been listening to your voice for more than ten years, how could I not recognize it?”

Xie Yi stretched out his arm and gave her a pat on the head. He picked up their room cards and said, “It’s late. Go and sleep. Tomorrow morning, we’ll head to Z City to find him.”

When she got to her room, Pang Qian felt that she was living out a dream. A few hours ago, she was back in her dorm in Shanghai arguing with Yang Lu, and then meeting Sheng Feng awkwardly. A few hours had passed, and she was actually in the faraway S City.

She took a shower, the warm water wearing away her fatigue. She couldn’t sleep, so she stood by the window and looked out at all the snow outside.

So this was what the northern winters were like. Such dry air, such biting coldness, so much white. Just looking at if left your face a little painful. In this kind of weather, Gu Mingxi would definitely be having a hard time. She wondered if he would get frostbite. He shouldn’t ever foolishly walk out on the streets without proper shoes on. The temperature outside was much lower than it ever got in E City. Just standing outside briefly earlier, she couldn’t handle the cold wind. She couldn’t imagine the kind of life Gu Mingxi had there. He must not be very accustomed to it, and that’s why he’d gotten so thin.

Pang Qian knew that Gu Mingxi had run into some troubles. He didn’t like his major at school. Li Han’s sickness had relapsed. But how could he cut off contact with her just because of that?

Pang Shuisheng told Pang Qian that Gu Mingxi had looked for him when he was in E City. He was there to get reimbursed for Li Han’s medical fees. When Pang Qian found out that Li Han had cancer, she was very shocked and even more anxious to find Gu Mingxi.

She knew that he must be feeling a lot of pressure. Although she wasn’t at his side, and she couldn’t help much, but at least she could talk to him and carry a little bit of that burden with him.

She could go over to visit him. Gu Mingxi didn’t know that in order to visit him, Pan Qian had continually been saving money. Such a far trip was considered a luxury for a child from a working class family, but Pang Qian was still able to save some money with hard work. And yet, every time she brought up visiting Z City, Gu Mingxi always blocked her from going.

With conflicted feelings, Pang Qian got into bed. She thought to herself that, in the end, she still made it here. If there were no accidents, she would very quickly be able to find Gu Mingxi.

The next day, Pang Qian and Xie Yi left early in the morning. In order to save time, Xie Yi decided to just take a taxi all the way to Z City, regardless of the price. Pang Qian had already completely dropped the idea of paying for her half of things. How could she keep up with the spending of a son from a wealthy family? It was best not to argue at this time.

“When we get back, you have to treat me to a meal. I heard the food at your cafeteria is really good,” Xie Yi said.

Pang Qian laughed, “Definitely.”

“And you have to invite me out to play ping pong,” Xie Yi said. “You don’t even know. When I played with my friends from America, they even asked if I was an Olympic champion.”

Pang Qian, “…”

The taxi ride to Z City took more than two hours. When they got there, the driver didn’t know his way around, so Xie Yi and Pang Qian had to get of and find a local taxi driver. Pang Qian gave him Gu Mingxi’s grandmother’s address, and they quickly arrived in the neighborhood.

When they took the stairs up, Pang Qian felt very excited. She hadn’t ever thought she’d show up there. With just a knock on the door, she’d have found Gu Mingxi.

But in the end, she was only left disappointed. It was a 60 year old woman who opened the door. She carried a child in her arms and told Pang Qian that she’d bought the house at the start of the year. The people who lived there previously had long ago moved away.

Pang Qian asked, “Do you know where they moved to?”

The woman shook her head. “How could I know that? I went through an agent to buy the house. Oh, right…” She went inside the house and came back out with a pile of envelopes. “They’re all from B University for a kid named Gu Mingxi. If you two find the people who owned this place previously, please tell them to change their address and stop sending these letters here.”

Pang Qian took the letters and exchanged a glance with Xie Yi. Xie Yi decided, “Let’s go to B University.”

Pang Qian really admired Xie Yi. When they arrived at B University, he didn’t bother looking for any teachers. He just asked around and headed straight to the male dorm where the sophomores in software engineering lived. Pang Qian waited at the bottom of the building and Xie Yi went to ask around. Half an hour later, he came down and told Pang Qian some news that hit like a bolt of lightening on a clear day. After freshman year, Gu Mingxi had already submitted the papers for withdrawal from the school.

Pang Qian was stupefied and her eyes immediately reddened. Xie Yi said, “Crab, first don’t worry. I asked them for their class instructor’s phone number. Let’s go ask about it. Withdrawing from school doesn’t necessarily mean he’s cut off contact.”

The instructor was a Mr. Zhang, a young and enthusiastic teacher. When he received Xie Yi’s call, he quickly headed over from his residence. When he saw Pang Qian and Xie Yi, he succinctly asked about their relation with Gu Mingxi. Teacher Zhang said, “I’ve been looking for Gu Mingxi as well. The phone number we have on file from when he started has been disconnected, and his mother’s phone number is always off. I mailed some letters to the address we have, but he never responded to those either.”

Xie Yi asked, “Teacher Zhang, you must have some ideas. We’ve come from so far away, we’re really worried about Gu Mingxi.”

Teacher Zhang scratched his head, and then suddenly said, “When Gu Mingxi was studying at B University, he was staying in a rental house nearby. I’ve been there a few times. After he withdrew from classes, I went to ask and the place is still under their names. They paid rent on the place until the end of the (lunar) year, but these past few months, he and his mother haven’t been living there.”

Xie Yi and Pang Qian’s hopes were immediately revived. Xie Yi said, “Teacher Zhang, can I trouble you to take us to that house to see?”

Teacher Zhang brought them to that old neighborhood and found the rental house that Gu Mingxi and Li Han had been staying at. The doors were locked, but Teacher Zhang found the landlord. After hearing the intent of these three people, the landlord finally agreed to open the door to the house.

When the door opened, Pang Qian and Xie Yi were both shocked. The place was very simple and crude. The fabric on the furniture were nearly completely faded. Everything inside was covered in a layer of dust. They walked inside and looked around, their hearts heavier and heavier.

Xie Yi saw some cobwebs in the corners of the room and couldn’t help saying, “This condition of this place isn’t that great. What’s Gu Mingxi up to. How could he live in a place like this?”

Pang Qian saw the bed in the living room and then walked over to the only bedroom in the place. Then she saw a special looking desk.

Gu Mingxi hadn’t ordered a new custom desk. He’d bought a children’s table with adjustable legs. He’d set the desk as low as he could, about 30 cm shorter than a normal desk.

Pang Qian walked over to the desk and brushed her hand across the top, leaving her fingerprints in he dust. Her Gu Mingxi had once sat there, two feet raised up onto the desk, skillfully working on his homework, reading, sending text messages, using the computer… But now, where was he?

Some clothes and daily necessities were also left in the room, but it wasn’t much. Pang Qian found a piece of paper and wrote a note for Gu Mingxi. She told him that she’d come by and hoped that when he saw the note, he could contact her.

When the were leaving the rental house, Pang Qian turned back for another look. She asked Xie Yi, “Do you think he’ll be able to read my note?”

Xie Yi nodded, “Yeah.”

“Then will he call me?”

Xie Yi thought for a moment and then shook his head, “I don’t know.”

He was a man, and men understood other men. He couldn’t bear to tell Pang Qian that by looking at this house, he knew that Gu Mingxi wasn’t doing well. Xie Yi felt that Gu MIngxi might disappear really disappear.

He could only comfort Pang Qian, “He’s taking a break from school, it’s just a break. Next September, he might go back. We have Teacher Zhang’s phone number, and I asked for a few numbers from Gu Mingxi’s classmates. When the time comes, we can call and ask about it.”

In the end, there was nothing he could do. He opened his arms and gave Pang Qian a hug. He said, “Crab, don’t cry. If he’s hiding from you on purpose, there’s nothing we can do. Gu Mingxi must be facing some problems, otherwise he definitely wouldn’t be able to leave you.”

Pang Qian was unable to say anything. She admitted that she was very useless. Faced with this kind of problem, all she knew to do was cry. She didn’t know how many tears she’d shed these past few months. How hateful she was! But that’s how worried she was. She just wanted to find her Gu Mingxi, that youth who had grown up alongside her. She didn’t care what kind of troubles he was facing. He didn’t have arms, was there something bigger than that? She didn’t care about that, so what else would bother her?

So, when someone wanted to disappear from another person’s world, it was actually this easy. Pang Qian cried in Xie Yi’s arms and then choked out, “Didn’t you say it was easy to find a person? Why is it that you never keep your words! Last time you said we’d be able to reach him in time! But then we didn’t! It’s the same this time! I’m never believing you again! Give me back my Gu Mingxi! Xie Yi, give me back my Gu Mingxi!”

Xie Yi felt more injustice than Dou E (story/play about a girl named Dou E). When he saw the surprised eyes of Teacher Zhang and the old landlord, he could only gently comfort Pang Qian, “Okay, okay, don’t cry. I’m always the bad one. Aiya, I promise, next time I’ll definitely help you find Gu Mingxi.”

“Next time?!” Pang Qian stood under the sky filled with snow, crying out loud. The large snowflakes fell onto hers and Xie Yi’s heads and clothes. She suddenly looked around her and kept calling out, “Gu Mingxi’s missing, (sounds of crying)… My Gu Mingxi, (sounds of crying)… Gu Mingxi…”

On the plane ride back to Shanghai, Xie Yi told jokes to Pang Qian and he did some magic tricks, but he was unable to make the girl beside him smile. Finally, Xie Yi said, “Little Crab, you’re not the only lovelorn one. I’ve been that way for several years, but I’ve never acted as desperately as you.”

“Who’s acting desperately!” Pang Qian glared at him with a pair of swollen eyes. She said, “Lovelorn! When have you even been lovelorn?! Zheng Qiaoqiao told me that you had a girlfriend in America!”

Xie Yi’s eyes widened. “What are you saying! When did I have a girlfriend!”

“I saw the pictures where you were acting very close to a girl.”

“…It’s just a photo. Don’t go around spreading rumors.” Xie Yi curled his lips. “I’m a very faithful guy.”

Pang Qian looked at him for awhile and then asked, “Do you still keep in touch with Xiao Yujing?”

“…” His originally lively eyes dimmed. In a low voice, he said, “We don’t contact each other much. Just the general mass messages over the holidays. I just send a message to say Happy New Year, Merry Christmas, Happy Lantern Festival, Happy Dragon Boat Festival, Happy National Day…”

Pang Qian was speechless. Xie Yi suddenly turned to her and said, “Little Crab, why don’t the two of us get together then? We’re in the same boat, and both situations are as bad as the other. And we’ve been friends for more than ten years. Who knows, maybe some sparks will fly in time.”

And which such silly talk, Pang Qian, who hadn’t smiled all day, suddenly smiled. She laughed heartily, her eyes still red. The travelers next to her looked at her as if she were crazy.

Xie Yi suddenly said, “What are you laughing about? Is being together with me something laughable?”

Pang Qian vigorously shook her head, but she didn’t say anything. She wouldn’t tell Xie Yi that there was a time when he existed in her diary as a prince, as a star, as an idol. A time when she looked on at him from afar. She’d never before thought that there would be a day that they would be sitting side by side like this, brazenly making jokes.

Time slipped away through the crevices. Outside the plane window, the night sky was like a giant black hole. It sucked away the time, sucked away the space, sucked away their carefree childhood and youth. Pang Qian missed Gu Mingxi so much that for the first time in her life, she felt depressed, felt distressed, felt a deep fear. She was afraid that she’d never find Gu Mingxi again. If she couldn’t see him again in this lifetime, what would she do?

In this world, where would she be able to find another person who would look at her with such gentle eyes, who would unconditionally and easily accept her capriciousness and unreasonableness, who would make her smile when she was feeling down, who would sit beside her quietly when she was hurt, softly whispering comforting word to her and listening to her anger and complaints.

In this world, how could there be another person who would sacrifice their time to help her study, not just one or two days, or even one or two months, or even one or two years. He’d spent all these years with her and finally sent her to a great university.

This person would, without hesitation, skip class with her when she wanted to. When he knew she wanted to go to Shanghai, he would, against all odds, take her there. He always gave her the best toys and food. He bought the comics she loved to read, collected the CDs of the celebrities she most liked. He always said he didn’t like to eat pork and would give her the braised pork chops or sweet and sour pork. But actually, he didn’t dislike pork that much. He only did that because he wanted to.

So, she was also willing, because then he would be happy. There weren’t many things that made Gu Mingxi happy, but Pang Qian knew that if she at his pork chop, he would be happy.

Even if she felt she couldn’t finish eating it, she would still work hard to eat it.

Yes, there wouldn’t be another person in this world for whom she would so willingly eat a second porkchop or tenderloin. It was because she liked to see that smile emerge in his eyes and hear him stiffly say, “Pang Pang, you sure can eat.” Just like him, her heart feel be as sweet as honey.

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Home  My Mister Ostrich  Chapter 84 Farewell, Compound
MY MISTER OSTRICH
Chapter 84 Farewell, Compound
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Chapter 84 Farewell, Compound
Translated by Twelve_Months_of_May

I’m worried that if Gu Mingxi returns, he won’t be able to find me.

Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) 2005, while everyone was immersed in the New Year’s celebrations, a thing (lit. something neither big nor small) happened at the Golden Compound.

Although Old Zeng was nearly 80 years old, head full of white hair, teeth all fallen out, he was still very healthy. Over the past twenty years, the residents of the compound had changed time and time again, but he happily and leisurely remained in his guard house on his own. But just a few days before the Spring Festival, he collapsed.

The ambulance arrived quickly, but he’d already stopped breathing. Old Zeng had been a solitary old man, relying on the metals company to live all his life. There weren’t many old employees of the metals company still around though. The warmhearted Pang Shuisheng acted as the person in charge and made the funeral arrangements for Old Zeng.

The funeral diluted the festiveness of the New Year celebrations. Every time Pang Shuisheng left the compound and looked at the locked up guard’s room, his heard felt a kind of sadness.

Everyone said that now that Old Zeng, who’d been guarding the Golden Compound for the past twenty something years, was gone, it signified that the compound had finally reached the end of its line. Sometimes, there were things that were just so incredible. After the Spring Festival, news came about transferring deeds for the residents. Pang Shuisheng told Pang Qian that a developer had reached an agreement with the metals company, and they were going to build a shopping center there. They were going to demolish the place soon.

Originally, Pang Qian wasn’t concerned about the compensation. But Pang Shuisheng said she’d grown up and was studying finance, so she should participate in the family discussion.

Most of the original tenants decided to leave and then return after construction. The developers said they would also build a residential place for them to return to, or they could take a sum of money. Pang Qian carefully went over the documents from the development company, and realized that, although the new residences would be a bit larger, since they were more than twenty stories high, the value of a new house would be less(?). She boldly told her father her concerns and suggested not taking the house, but just taking the money.

Jin Ai’hua was against this proposal, but Pang Shuisheng agreed with his daughter. Their current home couldn’t be considered small, but neither was it large. If the chance came, of course they should get a bigger house.

And so, Pang Shuisheng accepted the 550 thousand compensation. A lot of people called him a fool, and Pang Shuisheng didn’t explain to them. He just clenched his teeth and bought a new house in the center of the city, in the Prosperous North neighborhood. It was 109 sqm and cost 760 thousand, and he put down a 100 thousand mortgage.

Since the new place couldn’t be given to them yet, Pang Shuisheng and his family rented out a place for the meantime. All the residents of the Golden Compound trickled out and moved away, and all the old enmity between old neighbors gradually eased up.

Zhong Xiaolian sought out Jin Ai’hua. Zhong Xiaolian had already retired, while Jin Ai’hua was still three years short of retirment. They stood at the entrance to the building as they talked about their more than twenty years at this place. In the end, they landed on the topic of Li Han.

“Ah Han was a good person,” Zhong Xiaolian said. “And Gu Mingxi, he was a really good kid. I can’t do anything about having a son. But if I had a daughter, I would have definitely made him my son-in-law.”

Jin Ai’hua, “…”

When they moved, Pang Qian packed up all her things. She was born in the compound and she’d grown up there. That small room was filled with her twenty years of memories.

If she didn’t need to pack, she wouldn’t have known. But after she packed, she realized how many things Gu Mingxi had given her. Expensive things, things not worth money, big and small… In nearly every drawer, she found something that brought back memories of him.

She found a large paper box and put all of the comics Gu Mingxi had given to her on the bottom. Then she put in the rest of the things, one by one. She threw away a lot of her own things, but all the gifts Gu Mingxi sent her, even the rough greeting card he’d made in primary school, were carefully packed into that box.

Pang Qian said to Pang Shuisheng, “Dad, can we keep our phone number even if we move houses? I’m worried that if Gu Mingxi returns, he won’t be able to find me.”

Pang Shuisheng pat his daughter’s head and said, “I know. I won’t change the number.”

In April 2005, Pang Shuisheng took his wife and daughter and moved out of the Golden Compound. It was different for them, because unlike the other residents who would return here, they wouldn’t be coming back.

When they were leaving, Pang Shuisheng stood outside his front door and looked over at Apt. 502. Li Han and Gu Mingxi likely left because of Gu Guoxiang. Their apartment was empty. Pang Shuisheng had the spare keys to Apt. 502, but Pang Qian had never gone into it.

There once was a boy who leaned against that door frame, watching and smiling at her. It was a scene, a moment that would never come again.

While Pang Shuisheng was buying a new house, Gu Mingxi was worried about another problem.

After Li Han’s relapse, she started a new round of chemotherapy in preparation for a second surgery after the start of the new year.

The painful chemotherapy and cancer relapse dealt a blow to Li Han’s enthusiasm for treatment. Her spirit suffered heavily, and her physical condition was worsening. She lost a large amount of hair, her face was jaundiced, her eyes muddy, her stomach bloated, and she couldn’t sleep at night. Because of the pain, she sometimes couldn’t stop from yelling out. Gu Mingxi kneeled down beside her and comforted her in soft whispers. He spoke to her and they would finally get through each nigh.

The treatment fees were like water, all flowing out and away. Each month, they had to pay 30 or 40 thousand out of their own pocket. Gu Mingxi was faced with a tremendous amount of pressure. He stopped listening to Li Chun and Li Mu’s ideas. Their ears were soft and easily susceptible. Whenever they heard about some new medicine being good, they immediately wanted to get it for Li Han. Whenever they heard about a doctor being good or successful, they wanted to take Li Han to see them. Gu Mingxi realized that the amount of money they had remaining wasn’t enough to sustain such blind treatments, so he took over managing their finances.

That Spring Festival, Gu Mingxi and Li Han returned to Z City and had dinner at Li Mu’s new house. In front of the elders, Li Mu and Li Chun threw some veiled criticisms over at Gu Mingxi. Their tone insinuated that Gu Mingxi didn’t do his best to get treatment for Li Han. He was holding onto the money too tightly, probably because he was afraid that they’d use all the money for treatment.

Li Chun said, “Mingxi, this is your mom, your only mother. Even if you have to sacrifice everything else, you have to keep treating her. What are you afraid of? Your mom still has a house. It’s worth 300 thousand.”

Li Mu said, “Moreover, if there’s not enough money, you can ask your dad. Asking him for 200 thousand isn’t hard. He’s a big boss. If they ask him to do something, they have to send thousands his way each time.”

Before Gu Mingxi could say anything, Li Han already spoke. “I’m not selling my house. I’m leaving it for Mingxi. If the day comes that I don’t have the money to keep getting treated and have to sell my house, I’ll just go jump off a building first.”

Gu Mingxi’s expression immediately changed. “Mom!”

Li Han let out a sigh and looked at him sorrowfully. “I’m useless. I don’t have anything left to give you except for this house. If one day when I’m gone, you don’t even have this house, what are you going to do?”

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Home  My Mister Ostrich  Chapter 85 End of the Road
MY MISTER OSTRICH
Chapter 85 End of the Road
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Chapter 85 End of the Road
Translated by Twelve_Months_of_May

I won’t go back to find her.

Actually, Gu Mingxi had actually considered selling the house before. The expenses to keep it were too much. In the past year, they’d used up most of the money they had. If they didn’t sell the house, where would he be able to get money to continue his mother’s treatment? But it was Li Han’s name on the house, so he couldn’t do anything about it.

When they returned to Z City, Gu Mingxi and Li Han were finally able to live in their new house. But neither of them felt that warming feeling of moving into a new house. Li Han laid in bed every day, and in order to take care of her, Gu Mingxi slept on the floor beside her.

One evening, Li Han kept turning in bed, unable to sleep. Gu Mingxi sat up and asked her, “Mom, what’s wrong? Do you need some water?”

“No,” Li Han replied weakly. She felt that she was having trouble breathing. After taking a breath, she asked, “Mingxi, how much money do we have left?”

Gu Mingxi was silent for a moment, and then he answered truthfully, “Not much.”

“We’re probably not going to get the money back from your uncle. It’s not that he doesn’t want to return it, but he genuinely doesn’t have the money. Let’s not force him.” Li Han forced a laugh. “Don’t ask your dad for any more money either. We’ve already separated. He’s not obligated to help me.”

Gu Mingxi said, “Mom, don’t worry about this. I’ll figure something out. I have some friends, I can ask them to borrow some money.”

Li Han shook her head. “When you borrow money, it must always be returned. Your Sha friend (Shark, his last name is Sha) has already lent you 50 thousand dollars. It wasn’t given for free. How are you going to return the money later?”

She spoke the truth. Gu Mingxi was silent. Then he clenched his teeth and said, “Mom, there’s no other way. Let’s sell the house.”

“No,” Li Han said firmly, even as her voice was so fragile. “Mingxi, I know about my sickness. No matter how we treat it, I won’t live long. I haven’t given up yet because of you. You don’t have arms, so how could I leave you in the world all by yourself? If I can stay with you a few more years, it’s worth it to spend a bit of money. But if we have to touch this house, then I’m not going to continue treatment.”

“Mom…” Gu Mingxi kneeled and sat beside the bed, head lowered, forehead on Li Han’s hand. His mother’s hand was tender and warm as she stroked his cheek. He said, “What’s the point of having a house if you’re not here anymore? Mom, as long as you’re here, it’s okay even if we have to sleep on the street.”

“Silly kid.” Li Han smiled as she knocked Gu Mingxi’s head. Her words were full of love.

After the room was silent for awhile, Li Han started up again, “Mingxi.”

Gu Mingxi lifted his head, “I’m here, Mom.”

Li Han leisurely opened her mouth and said, “Tell me, in your heart, do you blame me?”

“…” Gu Mingxi knew what his mother was asking about. He answered, “No.”

“I know that you must blame me a little bit. You’re my son, so how could I not know.” Li Han reached out stroked his cheek again. “Mingxi, promise me that in September, you’ll go back to school.”

Gu Mingxi shook his head. “Mom, I really don’t want to go. It’s a waste of time.”

“Then you don’t even have a diploma.” Li Han sighed. “What kind of work can you do in the future? How can you… go back to find Pang Qian.”

“I won’t go back to find her,” Gu Mingxi said evenly. “The two of us have already parted. She’s living very well now. She’ll probably go to graduate school, or just find a job, and her salary will be really high.”

“What about you?” Li Han asked. “What are you going to do in the future? Mingxi, have you thought about it?”

Gu Mingxi thought for a moment, and then nodded. “I’ve thought about it. Mom, when you’re feeling better, I’m going to go make some money.”

After the New Year, Gu Mingxi returned to S City with Li Han, and they lived in that small rental near the hospital.

He started to carefully plan how he would spend his days. He knew how to bargain when he went shopping. He’d ask the landlord auntie to make a trip with him to the market and then buy some daily necessities and picked out the things on sale. Then he’d head home with his backpack on. As for heavier things like rice and gasoline, Gu Mingxi had those delivered.

He hadn’t bought any clothes in a long time. There were some dark-colored clothes where the color was already fading, but he didn’t care. He just washed them clean and wore them. He even learned from Li Han how to sew on buttons. And he could even mend his clothes if the thread broke.

Sometimes even he felt if was unfathomable. In the past, although he wasn’t incompetent, he really wasn’t very good at household chores. Ever since he was young, he just studied and painted. His family was considered well off and he never had too many worries. Gu Mingxi never would have thought that one day, he’d be the one in charge of all the household duties.

But what else could be done. His mother was getting old and he’d grown up too. No matter his disability, he was still a son and a man. A man originally should take on more responsibility than a woman. He’d already relied on his mother for more than twenty years. Now it was time for his mother to rely on him. Gu Mingxi thought that he really should plan out his life well and consider his future. Not just for his mother, but also for himself.

Oyster and Clam already started working when they were 17 or 18 years old. And since then, they’d been earning money to support themselves and even sending some back home. Gu Mingxi was nearly 21 years old now and he’d never made earned any money. Currently, their family was relying solely on their savings and his mother’s retirement fund. If they continued like that, they’d surely be struggling to make ends meet in the future. So Gu Mingxi felt that he needed to carefully consider how he would support his life.

After Li Han’s second surgery, she recovered well. Huang Lingli quickly came over to take care of her and said that twenty days later, Li Chun would come to take her place. Gu Mingxi felt a bit empty inside. Every day he walked down the street and bought an S City newspaper, looking to see if there were any suitable jobs for him to take.

Gu Mingxi thought about the things he could do. He could draw and he could use the computer. His English used to be pretty good, but now whenever he saw something in English, there would be a lot of things he found unfamiliar.

Gu Mingxi called several places, but after they found out he only had a high school diploma, they rejected him. A few places wanted to setup interviews, but after he mentioned his physical condition, they would immediately retract them.

Even a calling center didn’t need an interview with him. Gu Mingxi said, “Although I don’t have arms, I can still answer phones without a problem. I’m very familiar with using my feet for things. I can be self-dependent, and I won’t bring any trouble to the company.”

In the end, the person on the other end of the call just hung up like that.

When he was still in school, Gu Mingxi had been rejected many times. Private middle schools, top high schools, colleges. At the time, even Thirst for Knowledge Elementary didn’t want to accept him.

At the time, 7 year old Gu Mingxi sat in the principal’s office with six or seven teachers around him. Li Han took out his pencil case and a notebook and placed them in front of his feet. With young, tender feet, Gu Mingxi clumsily opened the pencil box and pulled out a pencil with his toes, placing it to the side. He used his left foot to hold down the notebook and used his right foot to flip through the pages. He raised his head and said, “Teacher, I can use my feet to turn the pages.”

And then, he picked up his pencil with his right toes. Using his left foot to adjust the position, he lowered his head and started writing on the notebook.

“Teacher, I can use my feet to write. I can write a lot of words. This is my name.” He wrote down the three characters for “Gu Mingxi.” It was neat, although a bit large. He proudly lifted his head and said to the principal, “I can also erase and draw lines with a ruler. Teacher, let me go to school. I’ll make sure to study well.”

The principal asked, “What about meals then?”

Gu Mingxi nodded, “I can eat by myself.”

“What about using the restroom?”

Gu Mingxi’s face reddened. “I can’t take off my pants.” But he quickly came up with a solution and proclaimed loudly, “Teacher, I can just not drink water. If I don’t drink water, I won’t have to go pee!”

When they left the principal’s office, Pang Qian and Pang Shuisheng were waiting in the corridor. They’d come together for the interview. 6 year old Pang Qian happily bounced around by Gu Mingxi’s side and pulled on his shirt sleeve. She asked, “Gu Mingxi, did the teacher agree to let you come study?”

Gu Mingxi answered, pleased with himself, “Of course they agreed!”

…

When Gu Mingxi went to the recruitment center, he realized that every time he stopped in front of a recruitment table and started reading about the company, the recruiter’s eyes would sweep over him. But then when he was done reading and wanted to ask the recruiter some questions, they would all immediately pull their eyes away, as if they didn’t know there was someone right in front of them.

Gu Mingxi approached a recruiter and asked for a form to fill in. The person hesitated before eventually handing him a blank form. Gu Mingxi took off his flip flops and raised his left foot. That person immediately pulled his hands back. With some impatience in his voice, “Forget it. It’s a waste for you to fill out the form. We don’t take disabled people.”

When he left the area, there was an I-shaped pedestrian bridge. This was the center of S City, and the bridge was very wide with many people walking across it. Gu Mingxi carried his backpack and quietly walked over to the bridge. He realized that there were many street peddlers on the bridge and some performers (lit. people who sell talent). There was an elder playing the erhu, and he was blind. And someone playing guitar and singing seemed to suffer from paralysis. There was also a peddler who was selling small straw figures. Although you couldn’t see anything wrong with him, there was a pair of crutches at his side.

Gu Mingxi stood around there for two hours. When he returned home, an idea popped into his mind.

An outrageous idea, but he wanted to try it out.

Over the next three days, he went to the bridge every day and carefully observed the street peddlers and their business situations. There were also some passersby who dropped money into the performers tip jars. The idea in his mind grew more and more concrete. After another five days, he told Li Han and Huang Lingli that he’d found a job that he wanted to try out.

The next day, the bridge gained another young man. His hair was cut short, his body thin, his skin tanned, wearing a clean shirt and shorts, flip flops on his feet, he sat on the floor. Under his shoulders were two empty half-sleeves. Next to his feet, there was a large backpack, completely filled with things.

Gu Mingxi sat next to a man selling straw animal figures. He lowered his eyes and casually took out the things in his bag, placing them on the floor. A3 water color paper, pigments, a palette, a soda bottle filled with water, a brush, and a few sample pieces.

The man beside him was making a rabbit out of straw. He asked him, “High voltage transformer?”

Gu MIngxi nodded.

“How many years?”

“Fifteen years.”

“Can you draw?”

“Mm.”

“Where did you used to setup?”

“…” Gu Mingxi casually said, “Used to be in Z City.”

“This place is definitely better. S City’s the provincial capital. More people, kinder, generous, easier with giving out money.”

Gu Mingxi was silent for awhile, then he turned his head, “I’m here to draw, not feed myself.”

“Drop it. Everyone here is disabled, forget keeping face. Is your pride going to feed you?” The man laughed heartily. “You’re already like this. Just sit here a bit. You can draw shit and people will still give you money. Making 200 dollars a day isn’t a problem. If you meet someone wealthy, you might even get a red sheet (100 yuan note is red).”

Gu Mingxi’s jaw tensed, his eyes cold, as he solemnly reiterated, “I’m here to draw, not feed myself.”

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Home  My Mister Ostrich  Chapter 86 Endless Mountains and Rivers
MY MISTER OSTRICH
Chapter 86 Endless Mountains and Rivers
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Chapter 86 ?Endless Mountains and Rivers
Translated by Twelve_Months_of_May

Gu Mingxi, is it you?

Li Han asked Gu Mingxi, “What kind of work did you find?”

Gu Mingxi said, “Internet bar administrator.”

“Can you do it?”

“Yeah, Mom.” Gu Mingxi smiled and said, “The boss is really nice. When I’m working the day shift, I can even come back for lunch. And they pay at the end of each shift.”

Li Han said, “Oh… Then they really are a good person.”

Gu Mingxi thusly began his “working career.” He would leave early in the morning and come back late at night. In the middle of the day, he went over to the hospital to have lunch with his mother.

When he first started sitting at the bridge, he definitely wasn’t used to it and he was very nervous. But most of all, he felt embarrassed. He couldn’t even raise his head to look at people, and he only stared at his feet holding onto a brush, drawing one page at a time. In front of him, the feet of passersby crossed, and occasionally someone would stop. He uneasily glanced up before immediately lowering his head back down.

The first afternoon, he didn’t sell a single painting. The man who sold the straw animal figures was Cheng, and everyone called him Cannon Cheng. Cannon Cheng couldn’t help but say to Gu Mingxi, “Xiao Gu, you’re too shy. You won’t make any money that way. We’re not stealing anything, we’re just earning money off our talents. What are you so embarrassed about? If someone comes looking, you have to make a greeting.”

Gu Mingxi asked, “How do you greet them?”

“You just say, ‘Sir, Miss, buy a painting. Pay however much you’d like and take if home for your kids to see.'”

Gu Mingxi frowned, “Pay as much as you’d like?”

“Bullshit, what else? You think they came here to buy paintings and that they really like your work?” Cannon Cheng held up the straw frog he just made for Gu Mingxi to see. “Alright, when someone comes by, I’ll help you call them in.”

Later on, a young mother was taking her daughter across the bridge. The little miss was completely entranced by the straw figures that Cannon Cheng made. She crouched down in front of him and looked at them happily. The young mother wasn’t in a rush, so she let Cannon Cheng make her daughter a little rabbit. After she payed, Cannon Cheng pointed over to Gu Mingxi and said, “It’ll take me five minutes to finish making this. Go on and take a look at that guy’s paintings. It’s not easy for the kid, but his paintings are pretty good.”

Gu Mingxi had already painted several watercolors. Most of the time, they were animals and plants. Exaggerated and colorful. The young mother looked at his empty shirt sleeves and asked, “How much for these?”

Gu Mingxi really couldn’t say something like “Pay as much as you’d like.” He lifted his head to look at her and said quietly, “Small one’s five dollars, big one’s ten dollars.”

“Then I’ll take one.” The young mother pulled out five dollars and handed it to Gu Mingxi. His right foot was holding onto his brush, so he could only lift his left foot to accept the money. He was very careful to make sure he didn’t touch her hand. The young mother called over to her daughter, “Sweetie, come and pick a painting.”

The little miss happily ran over in front of Gu Mingxi and picked a small painting of a squirrel. She opened her mouth and smiled to Gu Mingxi, and then said, “This squirrel’s really cute!”

Gu Mingxi also smiled, “Glad that you like it.”

That was his first customer. Since he opened for business, Gu Mingxi gradually picked up the confidence to make a greeting when someone passed by.

Actually, he started to consider. Cannon Cheng was right. People didn’t stop because he painted something spectacular. It’s because they felt bad for a disabled person.

In the past, Gu Mingxi was more or less indifferent towards the strangers who looked at him pitifully. He knew that there was no way for him to change their thoughts. It was obvious and normal for others to feel sympathy for him.

He had his dignity though, and he hoped to gain the respect of others. But in the eyes of Chinese society, being disabled definitely put you in a position that was below that of a healthy person. Gu Mingxi was just one person and he couldn’t change anything. What he could do was to stick to his own principles and ideas and live a good life.

Cannon Cheng’s predictions were pretty good. Gu Mingxi really did make up to 200 dollars in a day, since he often met very generous people. They’d spend 50 dollars or even 100 dollars just for a single painting. When Gu Mingxi wanted to give them their change, they wouldn’t take it. They said, “Keep it to buy more materials.”

There were times that Gu Mingxi would stop painting and take a break. The bridge didn’t have a roof, so he would lean back against the railing and look up at the sky.

The sky in the city wasn’t very blue, but dull and grey. Even the clouds weren’t very white. A flock of birds would fly past, and then Gu Mingxi would think of Pang Qian. What was she doing now?

When he thought of her, he would study how to make those straw figures from Cannon Cheng. He could make a crab, a green straw crab with two big claws. Gu Mingxi really liked it.

He used his feet to make it, but no matter what, it didn’t turn out very good. It wasn’t like he lacked patience though. He used his toes to slowly and carefully join together the straw pieces. Cannon Cheng spent a few minutes to make a little figure of a crab, but Gu Mingxi still couldn’t make one after an entire day. Still, he found pleasure in making it, and he would always smile looking at that half-finished crab.

After Li Han’s surgery, she needed to go through three weeks of chemotherapy, so they’d have to stay in S City until May. Gu Mingxi spent the next three months on that bridge.

In those three months, he came across many annoying things. For example, the city tried to get rid of the peddlers, there were thieves and passersby causing troubles, and the difficulties that came along with a sudden rainstorm.

In those three months, he came across even more warm people and things. The world always had more good people. Gu Mingxi stopped caring about the reason that they bought his paintings. After all, a few thousand dollars of extra money each month meant that he and his mother would be able to live a bit more comfortably.

Most people would still pick out a painting they liked after paying money, or they’d wait and watch as Gu Mingxi finished painting something and take that before leaving. But there were still a small group of people who said they’d buy a painting, but would just leave without one after paying. Gu Mingxi couldn’t call them back no matter what he did.

Once, he called over to a young man. “Sir, you forgot your painting!”

He just turned back and said, “Forget it, I don’t want it anymore.”

Gu Mingxi stood up and said, “If you don’t want the painting, I’ll give you your money back. I’m running a business here, not trying to feed myself.”

That man’s face was completely unhappy. “How can there be someone like you!” Seeing Gu Mingxi about to respond, he impatiently waved his hand. “Alright, don’t say anymore. I’m in a hurry, give me the painting.”

He randomly grabbed a painting and then turned and left. Gu Mingxi kept watching his receding figure, until he got to the stairs of the bridge, and he just threw the painting away.

The paper flew off and drifted down from the bridge, slowly, until it landed in the path of the passing people below. Someone walking turned and looked upwards. He bent over to pick up the painting and carefully looked at it awhile. Then he raised his head up to the bridge.

Xu Shuanghua carried the painting in his hands and walked over to Gu Mingxi. He looked down at this young man without arms, who was using his feet to paint. Gu Mingxi lifted his head and a shy smile appeared on his face. He said, “Mister, take a look at my paintings. Pick one out if you’d like. They’re very cheap.”

Xu Shuanghua was nearly 50 years old. He had a medium build, somewhat elegant features, though he was dressed very ordinary. He didn’t say anything and just watched as Gu Mingxi painted.

Gu Mingxi had already grown accustomed to the passersby watching him. He put all his attention onto the painting, and soon, two snuggling kittens were born onto the page.

When he lifted his foot to rinse off his brush, Xu Shuanghua asked, “Have you studied it before?”

Gu Mingxi lifted his head and then nodded. “Several years.”

“How many?”

“Almost ten years. I started when I was 9 years old.”

“How old are you now?”

“21.”

Xu Shuanghua looked at the painting in his hands and asked, “These brush strokes are used in examinations. Are you an art student?”

“Ah, no.” Although this man looked rather apathetic, Gu Mingxi didn’t feel the need to put up his guard. He answered, “I studied at the Children’s Palace (kind of like a big community center) when I was younger, and then I studied under a teacher from junior high onward. Most of the students there were art students, so the things we draw inevitable utilized techniques that get tested.”

“Why didn’t you go to college?” Xu Shuanghua asked as he followed suit and sat down on the ground. He crossed his legs and continued asking, “Is it because your family had difficulties?”

Gu Mingxi said quietly, “I withdrew from school. My mom’s sick and I need to take care of her.”

“What about your dad?”

“He lives far away. They’re divorced.”

“What’s your name?”

“Gu Mingxi.”

And then, Xu Shuanghua didn’t say anything more. Gu Mingxi also didn’t initiate any conversation. He continued to set up his paper and paint. Xu Shuanghua silently watched him from the side, watching as he painted.

After he sat for two hours, Xu Shuanghua didn’t say anything and just got up and left.

In the next few days, Gu Mingxi often saw this middle aged man. They didn’t talk to each other. That man just stood beside him or sat down next to him and watched as he painted one thing after another.

Then one day, Xu Shuanghua said, “Xiao Gu, pack up your things. I want to take you somewhere.”

After just a few days, he said this to Gu Mingxi. If it were someone else, they definitely would have refused. but Gu Mingxi just hesitated briefly before he packed up his things.

He put his backpack onto his shoulders, but he was having a hard time, so Xu Shuanghua helped him. Gu Mingxi said, “Thank you.”

Xu Shuanghua said lightly, “You’re welcome. Let’s go, my car is down below.”

Gu Mingxi hadn’t expected at all that Xu Shuanghua actually brought him to the celebrated Art Institute in S City. And even more than that, he hadn’t expected that this normal-looking middle aged man was Xu Shuanghua.

“You’re Teacher Xu Shuanghua?” Gu Mingxi was extremely surprised. Xu Shuanghua was one of the nation’s very famous oil painting masters. Usually, he was a visiting professor at the Art Institute. Being able to meet such a master really made him excited.

Xi Shuanghua smiled a rare smile. He said, “You know who I am?”

“My teacher used to mention you often.” Gu Mingxi’s eyes sparkled. “Teacher Xu, you’ve brought me here because…”

“I want to see your foundation,” Xu Shuanghua said. “There’s a class of freshman who will be sketching bones next class. Draw with them.”

Gu Mingxi was suddenly put on the spot to sketch bones. It had already been many years since he’d sketched that. Being together with a group of freshman students, he felt very nervous. In the end, he didn’t do very well.

Gu Mingxi could see how disappointed Xu Shuanghua was. He knew that he’d drawn terribly. Xu Shuanghua didn’t give any remarks and just drove Gu Mingxi back to the bridge.

When the car was parked, Xu Shuanghua said to Gu Mingxi, “Although I teach at the Art Institute, those students are all just students. They’re not ‘my students.’ Up to now, I’ve only had three students. One opened a studio in Shanghai, another went to Germany to study, and the last went to develop in America. I’m not especially careful about who I take on as a student. I don’t care about all the elaborate, convoluted things. What I’m talking about is fate and talent.”

He looked at Gu Mingxi, “Xiao Gu, you and I had some fate, but I’m sorry, you’re lacking in talent.”

Gu Mingxi got out of the car and carried his backpack on the road as he watched Xu Shuanghua’s car drive off.

He was no longer that fluffy-haired teenaged youth. Gu Mingxi knew that he’d encountered what might have been a life-changing opportunity, but he’d ruined it by not living up to expectations. Then Gu Mingxi thought, that sketch didn’t show his true level. So he shouldn’t give up so easily. He needed to fight for it a bit.

Gu Mingxi liked to draw/paint. That year, the reason he hadn’t tried to test into an art major was because his science scores were very good. To get into a top-tier art school, Gu Mingxi would have needed to spend a year making detailed preparations. And in the end, it wasn’t certain that he’d be able to get into a school. If he didn’t, it would have wasted his good scores, and all would have been for naught.

Because of this chance coincidence, Gu Mingxi was able to meet Xu Shuanghua. He suddenly felt that his life had a new direction. After thinking about it for a night at home, he decided that he go to convince Xu Shuanghua.

Note: Was trying to figure out where to put this explanation, and here seems a decent place. The title of this chapter is 山重水复, which literally means something like “mountains and rivers again,” so I wrote it as “Endless Mountains and Rivers.” I believe it’s part of the longer phrase (山重水复疑无路，柳暗花明又一村) which translates to something like, “With the endless mountains and rivers, you may suspect that there is no path out. Then you’ll come across the shade of a tree, bright flowers, and a little village.” It’s like seeing a glimpse of hope after wandering (seemingly) aimlessly, something like that.

Gu Mingxi stopped going to set up his stall on the bridge. Every day, he went to S City’s Art Institute and stood outside Xu Shuanghua’s office and waited all day.

Xu Shuanghua was a visiting professor so he didn’t go to the school on regular basis. One day he came and was startled to see Gu Mingxi, and then a feeling of dislike appeared.

When he saw Xu Shuanghua, Gu Mingxi immediately followed him. Carrying his sketchbook on his back, he sad, “Teacher Xu, I’ve brought some sketches I’ve been practicing. Can you take a look?”

“I’ve already seen your sketch.” Xu Shuanghua didn’t even turn back as he spoke. Gu Mingxi continued to follow him, “Teacher Xu, last time I didn’t draw well because–”

Xu Shuanghua cut him off. “Those who are truly talented will still be able to create a magnificent piece of work even if they haven’t touched a pencil (or brush) in more than ten years.”

“Teacher Xu…”

Xu Shuanghua suddenly stopped. He turned around to face Gu Mingxi. Several months under the sun on the bridge had caused him to become very dark, but his eyes still shined brightly. His lips were dry and chapped. Xu Shuanghua frowned and asked, “How long have you been here?”

Gu Mingxi answered, “The whole day.”

“Have you eaten?”

Gu Mingxi shook his head, but then he nodded. “I brought some bread and ate it at lunch time.”

“Have you gone to the restroom? Can you go on your own?”

Gu Mingxi said quietly, “I can just drink less water.”

“Nonsense!” Xu Shuanghua grew angry. “Gu Mingxi, don’t let me see you again!”

He left in a huff of anger. Gu Mingxi stood there watching his back go.

A few days later, Xu Shuanghua saw Gu Mingxi waiting at his office again. He smiled and said, “Teacher Xu, I’ve brought my tools. I can use the restroom on my own, though it’s a bit slow and tedious. I brought water as well and I drank lots of water today.”

“…” Xu Shuanghua, “What tools?”

“Don’t ask for help (or ‘help yourself’).” Gu Mingxi smiled. “A backscratcher.”

Their confrontation outside his office laster a moment, and then Xu Shuanghua said, “Xiao Gu, don’t act like this. I’m not a girl (that you’re after). Pestering me like this is pointless.”

Gu Mingxi put away his smile and said, “Teacher Xu, I really want to be your student.”

“Why?”

“I…” Gu Mingxi spoke evenly, “I don’t have arms, and I can’t find work. I have to consider what I can do in the future. I can’t spend the rest of my life on that bridge. I like to draw, and I hope I can become your student. To learn many things, so that I can earn a living off of this.”

He spoke very honestly, but Xu Shuanghua said, “I’m not a charity.”

Gu Mingxi’s face immediately turned unsightly. His chest moved up and down, and then he spoke in a low voice. “Teacher Xu, please give me one more chance.”

Just then, another teacher hurried over. Upon seeing Xu Shuanghua, they said, “Teacher Xu, there’s something I need to discuss with you. The model for today’s drawing class has suddenly gotten sick and can’t come. We can’t find another model in just an hour and a half. Do you think we should adjust the class?”

Xu Shuanghua glanced at him and then turned to look at Gu Mingxi. Suddenly, he said, “I think that a disabled person will have a great visual impact for everyone. Those young kids are probably tired of drawing a wrinkly old man. Maybe if we change to a young model, it will allow their creativity and passion burst out.”

He smiled faintly at Gu Mingxi. “I can give you another chance. Are you willing to be a model?”

When Gu Mingxi stood at the door to the studio, his heart was beating violently.

Then he pushed open the door with his crippled shoulders and slowly entered the room.

Inside the room was more than twenty students, all prepping behind their easels. Someone looked up and saw Gu Mingxi, their eyes filled with surprise.

A young man? This is very strange.

But more surprising was what they saw after Gu Mingxi took off his robe. A muffled exclamation sounded around the room.

Head to toe, Gu Mingxi was only wearing a single pair of grey briefs. More than twenty easels surrounded him, the afternoon sun passing through the windows to shine onto his body.

There were tiny dust particles floating through the air. Gu Mingxi quietly stood in the center of the studio room, his head lowered and his chest moving up and down. After a moment, he closed his eyes a bit and then opened them again, his eyes shining with a firm glow. Slowly, he raised his head, straightened his back, and stretched out his shoulders.

He’d never shown his bare, crippled body to strangers before. The scars in the flesh where his arms had been amputated could be a bit hard for normal people to look at. When he moved his shoulders, those two round bits would move as well, the bones wriggling under his skin. The stitched up skin in his underarm area also twitched a bit.

During this time, Gu Mingxi was very thin. The skin on his face, neck, and from his knees and down was pretty tanned, but the rest of his body was very pale. A body so dark and light looked rather comical.

He had a pair of slender and powerful legs, a narrow waist, and his bottom stuck out quite a bit. His shoulders were broad but his chest wasn’t covered in muscles. At the time, you could even see part of his rib cage.

Gu Mingxi had a distinct facial contour with deep facial features. His eyes looked very stable and calm, as if the room of more than twenty pairs of eyes staring and examining him didn’t bother him at all.

Xu Shuanghua didn’t position Gu Mingxi in any special pose. Since he didn’t have arms, it would’ve been a bit difficult to create a decent position. Xu Shuanghua let Gu Mingxi stand there casually, head held high and chest out. He stood straight and tall like a tree. His eyes stared blankly, unsure where he should direct his gaze. Under Xu Shuanghua’s guidance and the in the midst of the sounds of pencil strokes, Gu Mingxi bared his body for the class.

After class, Xu Shuanghua personally helped Gu Mingxi put his robe back on. He gave the young man a pat on his shoulders and said, “Kid, not bad.”

When he left the Art Institute, Gu Mingxi didn’t want to take the train back, so he walked on the street zoning out. Then he saw a public phone near the entrance to the school.

Gu Mingxi curiously headed over to it. He found a spot to sit and used his face and shoulders pull off the receiver, and then he pressed in that familiar number.

He didn’t pick up the receiver, but instead bent his head over onto it and listened with his ear.

The phone was picked up quickly. Pang Qian’s voice sounded on the other end, “Hello, who is this?”

Gu Mingxi didn’t respond, but just breathed evenly. Pang Qian asked again, “Hello?”

After a few seconds, she said, “Gu Mingxi, is it you?”

“…”

“Gu Mingxi! Gu Mingxi, I knew it was you! Gu Mingxi!” Her voice shook, carrying a sob. “Gu Mingxi, Gu Mingxi, don’t hang up! Where are you?! Where is this phone number from? You’re not in Z City anymore? Why are you hiding from me?! What happened? Are you doing back to school in September?”

“…”

She finally calmed down and spoke gently, “Gu Mingxi, listen to me. I know that things might not be going well for you recently. And I can’t help you with it either. But if there’s something on your mind, you can call me. Even if you don’t say anything, that’s okay. I’ll talk to you. Don’t hang up, because I definitely won’t. Gu Mingxi, you have to let me know that you’re living well, okay?”

He answered in his heart, Okay.

And then he hung up.

Pang Qian quickly redialed the number. Someone picked up. “This is a public phone… S City… The person on the phone before? Ah, he already left… No arms? What nonsense are you spouting? How many people without arms have you seen before?”

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Home  My Mister Ostrich  Chapter 87 Before the Dawn
MY MISTER OSTRICH
Chapter 87 Before the Dawn
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Chapter 87 Before the Dawn
Translated by Twelve_Months_of_May

Mom, don’t leave me here all alone.

Gu Mingxi became Xu Shuanghua’s fourth student. Xu Shuanghua was very busy so Gu Mingxi couldn’t visit him every day. The two of them decided to meet twice over the weekend in the afternoons, and Xu Shuanghua would tutor Gu Mingxi one on one.

Gu Mingxi had listened in on Xu Shuanghua’s lectures at the Art Institute. He wasn’t very enthusiastic and spoke in a very straight-laced manner. In his drawing lessons in the studio though, he was very patient and attentive. But when only Gu Mingxi and Xu Shuanghua were left in the studio, this master turned very strict.

Xu Shuanghua didn’t worry that Gu Mingxi had to draw with his feet. In his eyes, whether you drew with you feet, your hands, or your mouth, it was all the same.

He gave Gu Mingxi ruthless critiques, turning his drawings into worthless things. Gu Mingxi just lowered his head in silence. When Xu Shuanghua was done scolding him, he would put on his cold face and continue pointing out Gu Mingxi’s deficiencies.

Xu Shuanghua’s temper was a bit strange. When he was angry, he was very angry. After he calmed down, he would treat Gu Mingxi very amiably. In front of others, Xu Shuanghua was always a cold person with elegant features. But Gu Mingxi realized that this teacher treated him with the concern and care of a father.

When he wasn’t practicing drawing and when he didn’t need to go to the Art Institute, Gu Mingxi still went to that peddler stall on the bridge. His emotions had brightened up, as if things were finally moving forward. Li Han’s illness was very stable, and at her three month checkup, there were no signs of tumor growth. Her spirit had also gotten a lot better. After the final round of chemotherapy, she planned to return to Z City to recuperate.

Gu Mingxi was a bit nervous about how to tell Xu Shuanghua this. He had to return to Z City with his mother. After her condition became more stable, he could return to S City and find Xu Shuanghua to learn more.

Gu Mingxi worried that Xu Shaunghua would feel he was being troublesome. He hadn’t expected Xu Shuanghua to laugh and say, “No worries. Your mother’s health is more important.”

He left Gu Mingxi at his house to eat. Xu Shuanghua lived by himself in a large duplex home. His living quarters were upstairs and his studio was downstairs. Instead of asking the housekeeper to make a meal, he personally made a three dish (plus one soup) meal, and he and Gu Mingxi ate together.

It was the first time Gu Mingxi was eating with Xu Shuanghua. He lowered his head and dug into his rice. Xu Shuanghua already got him a bowl of soup.

“Try my mushroom soup,” he said.

Gu Mingxi picked up his spoon with his foot and drank a bit. He said, “Tastes good.”

Xu Shuanghua gave a modest expression. He said, “My son likes this soup too, but I haven’t seen him in many years.”

Gu Mingxi was very startled as he lifted his head to look at him. Xu Shuanghua knew that he’d misunderstood him. He quickly explained, “My son’s the same age as you. Right now, he’s living in England. He was born in May 1984. What about you?”

“August 1984, on Qixi.”

Xu Shuanghua smiled. “The reason I said we had fate was because the first day that I saw you was on my son’s 21st birthday.” He let out a sigh and said, “His mother and I divorced ten years ago. His mother took him to England, and I’ve only seen him three times since then.”

He raised his hand to measure a height in the air. He said, “He was 11 when he left, about this tall. When I saw him again, he was already 14, and he’d grown a lot. The next time I saw him, he was 16. I don’t know how he was eating in England, but he’d gotten a lot fatter. I told him he should lose some weight, and he told me that he would if I stopped smoking. So then I quit smoking. The last time I saw him was on his 18th birthday. I flew over to visit him. He really lost weight, and he’d gotten taller and bigger. Handsome and bright. When I was with him, I even had to look up at him.”

Xu Shuanghua laughed, and then said, “He’s coming to visit this summer. It’s been three years. I wonder how he’ll have changed. Mingxi–” He let out a sigh and pat Gu Mingxi’s shoulder. “I don’t know the situation between your parents. All I know is that when I see you, I think of my own son. Your father lives far away and doesn’t know what kind of life his son is living. But I’m sure that deep down, he’s concerned about you. Some things will be left to god. If I take good care of you, perhaps there will be more people who will treat my son well in England. I hope that you can live healthily, without problems, happily, just like my son, smiling and laughing all day.”

Gu Mingxi stared at him. Xu Shuanghua continued, “Mingxi, when you get back to Z City, don’t draw out on the streets anymore. I know that you want to earn money, but your paintings are worth more than that money. How about this. Later, I will introduce you to a job. I know an editor at a publishing company. We’re good friends. He’d contacted me before about wanting me to introduce him to a student who would help him illustrate a book. The only thing is, you can’t leave your signature on it. You’ll be like a ghostwriter (ghost-artist?) for a well-known illustrator. It’s for a set of six books. The workload is heavy, but the pay isn’t great, maybe 30 thousand when you’re done. You draw animals with a very vivid style. I’m sure that you can do the job.”

Summer 2005, Gu Mingxi and Li Han finally concluded treatment in S City and returned home to Z City. Xu Shuanghua kept his promise and really introduced him to a job for children’s books’ illustrating.

After Gu Mingxi and the editor had some discussions, he acquired some better paper and painting materials. He went to the Xinhua bookstore and read a lot of children’s illustrated books. Then he started drawing according to his understanding of things.

Li Han didn’t have to return to the hospital, and just had to set aside some money for medicine each month. Although they didn’t have a lot of money, Gu Mingxi felt that they were living comfortably.

Carrying his backpack, he went to the market for groceries. Sometimes he would buy a fish for his mother or some shrimp. He left all those foods for his mother and only ate plain rice with vegetables.

In the scorching summer, in order to lower electricity costs from running the air conditioning, Li Han slept in Gu Mingxi’s room. Gu Mingxi sat at his desk, painting all day and night. He didn’t have any experience, so the first pieces he sent to the editor were rejected. After some back and forth and many changes, the art style was finally set, and he kept painting.

In the autumn, Xu Shuanghua drove to Z City to visit Gu Mingxi and Li Han. When he got there, he gave Gu Mingxi 20 thousand dollars and said it was from royalties.

Gu Mingxi and Li Han insisted on having him for meal. Xu Shuanghua was surprised to see Gu Mingxi busy in the kitchen, washing, chopping, and stir frying the vegetables. He wore an apron and carried out his tasks orderly and calmly, as if not having arms didn’t affect his life at all.

When they were eating, Xu Shuanghua opened his phone and showed Gu Mingxi the picture he’d taken with his son over the summer. Gu Mingxi looked at the same-aged stranger in the photo. A head of hair bleached blonde, smiling in high spirits, bright and shining.

He suddenly thought of Xie Yi, Zhou Nanzhong, Wang Song. He thought of Jian Zhe, Liu Hanlin, and even Sheng Feng, whom’d he’d met just once. Gu Mingxi felt frightened. That life had already gone so far away from him. The trajectory of his life was already completely different from theirs.

His train was slowly chugging along forward. Going different directions at his side were his old classmates and friends, and even his Pang Pang.

His life slowly settled and calmed down. In those several months, Gu Mingxi did a stupid thing. On his 21st birthday, he walked very far away and found a public phone. Then he called Pang Qian.

The number was assigned to Z City. Pang Qian didn’t need to guess to know who it was. When she picked up the phone, she said, “Gu Mingxi, happy birthday.”

Gu Mingxi already felt he was very foolish. He bend his head to the receiver, unable to say anything. Pang Qian knew that he wouldn’t say anything, so she quickly started speaking on her own.

“Gu Mingxi, we moved. The compound is going to be demolished. They’ve already posted the notices and there’s no one inside anymore. My dad bought a house in the middle of the city, and we’ll probably be able to move in next spring. Our phone number is still the same. If you come back one day, you can call me.”

“Last Christmas, Xie Yi and I went to Z City to find you. I left you a note in the rental house. Did you see it?”

“Xiao Yujing left the country. Xie Yi told me that after sophomore year ends, she’s going to America. But she’ll be in the northeast and Xi Yie’s on the west. They still won’t be able to meet up. Xie Yi actually didn’t get a girlfriend in the past two years. It’s really too curious. I wasn’t close with Xiao Yujing, but I wanted to ask you. When we were in high school, did she ever tell you what her feelings for Xie Yi were?”

“Gu Mingxi, I haven’t been dating either. Sheng Feng from before got together with one of my roommates, Yang Lu. Sheng Feng said that the two of them decided to do postgraduate studies together. I kept thinking about it, but I decided to work for two years after graduation first.”

“Gu Mingxi, are you well? Has your mom’s illness gotten better? I know that you’re listening, so why don’t you say anything?” Tears dropped from Pang Qian’s eyes. “Two days ago was my birthday. I’m 20 years old, not a child. My wish this year was to be able to find you. Until you come back, my wish every year will be to find you.”

“Gu Mingxi, what’s your wish this year? What do you wish for on your birthday?”

Gu Mingxi answered in his head– My birthday wish is for you to forget me.

Gu Mingxi worked on that illustrated book set from summer until winter. The day he turned in everything, he let out a sigh.

When he accompanied his mom to the hospital for a checkup, as they were waiting, he excitedly said, “Mom, I received 36 thousand for the project! And the editor said my drawings were good, so in the future, I might be able to work on other books!”

He hadn’t been so happy in a long time. Li Han was also happy for him. “You really have to thank Teacher Xu. The next time you return to S City, send him a gift.”

Gu Mingxi nodded. Sitting beside his mother, he prattled on about his plans to her.

“Right now, I can’t put my name on my artwork. In the future, I’ll have to fight to put my name onto my books. Next year, my goal is to make 100 thousand dollars. If I do that, Mom, then I’ll be able to take care of you.”

“Then you’ll have to work really hard, painting day and night. Your feet will all cramp up.” Li Han affectionately pat Gu Mingxi on the back. “Son, you’re too thin now, and so tanned. What girl will like you?”

Gu Mingxi smiled, “Why do girls have to like me?”

“You’re older now, you should date,” Li Han said. “When the time comes, I’ll ask your aunt to set you up with a girl.”

“Mom, I…”

Just then, Li Han’s doctor came. His complexion looked very poor. Gu Mingxi looked at him, and a bad premonition came to him.

Indeed. The doctor said that another tumor had started growing on Li Han’s liver.

After two surgeries, Li Han’s body wasn’t able to undergo a third one. The doctor explained to her about continued treatment. Then he turned to Gu Mingxi and spoke quietly to him. The tumor was growing very quickly this time and it had spread to other organs. The worst case, Li Han wouldn’t live past another three months.

Gu Mingxi’s world collapsed. He didn’t believe the doctor’s words and wanted to continue giving Li Han the best medicine. The doctor said that it wasn’t necessary to continue taking the expensive medicine anymore. In the last few months, they should let Li Han eat and drink whatever she wanted, to do whatever she wanted, to be as happy as she could.

But Gu Mingxi didn’t listen. There wasn’t enough money at home, so he started borrowing some, a bit from relatives, and he called Shark and Xu Shuanghua. Shark sent over 30 thousand, but after listening to his explanation, Xu Shuanghua said, “Mingxi, calm down. There are some things you can’t force. Even if you spend all this money, it will be meaningless.”

Gu Mingxi shouted into the phone, “How can it be meaningless?! She’s my mother!”

Xu Shuanghua didn’t try to convince him anymore, and he send over 50 thousand dollars.

Li Han lived in the S City hospital for two months. She really pulled through the three months that the doctor estimated. Gu Mingxi was extremely happy, but then the doctor told them to go home.

He said to Gu Mingxi, “There’s no point in further treatment, really.”

When Gu Mingxi returned to Z City with Li Han, she already didn’t seem like a person.

She was so thin that she was basically just skin and bones. He hair had all fallen out from the chemotherapy. Her eyes were sunken into her head. Even her lips couldn’t join together for her to close her mouth, and a row of teeth was always revealed.

Her skin was jaundiced, and her stomach had swollen a lot. She was in great pain. She couldn’t eat anything or sleep at night, and she could only take one painkiller after another.

Huang Lingli wasn’t willing to come take care of her. After Li Shiyu came to visit his aunt once, he didn’t dare come again. Because Li Han had grown too frightening. When Li Chun came back to Z City to visit her little sister, she couldn’t stop her tears from flowing out when she saw her.

But Gu Mingxi wasn’t scared at all. In his eyes, Li Han was still his beautiful and tender mother. Every day, he stayed right next to Li Han and took care of her. He helped her when she needed to urinate or defecate. He helped rub the medicinal oil on her. He fed her and spoke with her. In the evening, he slept on the floor beside her.

Doing things with his feet took a lot of work, but he still worked on it all slowly. Li Han’s temperament became strange and irritable. She would throw things at Gu Mingxi and scold at him, but Gu Mingxi never got angry.

The spring of 2006 would be over soon, and the temperature warmed up. Li Han became more and more fragile. She couldn’t eat anything at all, and she was constantly tormented by pain. One evening, Gu Mingxi asked her, “Mom, should I give Dad a call, to have him come visit you?”

This wasn’t the first time he’d asked this question, but Li Han refused every time. This time was no different. She shook her head, “No need. There’s already no relation between the two of us.”

A while later, she said, “Mingxi ah.”

Gu Mingxi responded, “Mm?”

“Come here and sleep with me.”

Gu Mingxi immediately got onto the bed and lied down beside Li Han. His mother wriggled a bit and reached out her thin arms to embrace him.

“My son…” She reached her hand to touch his face and gently traced his eyes, his nose, his cheeks, his lips. Li Han coughed and said slowly, “When you were young, I went to the temple to worship Buddha. I told Buddha, ‘He’s so young, but he’s lost his arms. What’s he to do?’ At the time, I thought, if I could take on the burden of a painful life in exchange for you to be healthy and safe, I would agree to it. When I was in so much pain that I couldn’t bear it, I though, Buddha definitely heard my words. He took your suffering and gave it to me. Your future will be very good. Mingxi…”

She held tightly onto Gu Mingxi. “I’m not afraid of dying. I’m afraid of what will happen to you when I’m gone. What will you do on your own in the world! Mingxi, promise me that if you ever have any problems, you’ll go and find your father. Trust me, I understand your father. If you go back to find him, he won’t ignore you.”

Gu Mingxi didn’t say anything. Li Han suddenly said, “When you went to E City last time, did you see your little sister?”

“I saw her.” Gu Mingxi lowered his head and nestled his head into Li Han’s shoulder. He said, “She looks a lot like Dad. She should be almost two and a half years old now.”

“Did you see Pang Qian too?”

“…” Gu Mingxi closed his eyes. “Mm, I saw her.”

“Mingxi.”

“What is it, Mom?”

“I had a dream yesterday. I dreamed that you and Pang Qian got married and had a baby boy who was very beautiful.”

“Mom…”

Li Han’s voice carried a smile. “You were both busy with work, so I took care of the child. And then Ai’hua also wanted to take care of him, so the two of us fought about it. Then Shuisheng said there was nothing to fight about. Just have Mingxi and Qian Qian have another child. Then each of us could take care of one, and there wouldn’t be any fighting.”

This made Gu Mingxi laugh. “Mom, if you really want to take care of a kid, then I’ll get married right away and have one for you.”

“Talking back to me…” Li Han reached out to pat his head. And then she reached to his back and pat him there, just like she did when he was younger. “Son, this is my life. But you’re still young, you have a long path ahead of you. I hope that in the future, when you date and get married, that you will be serious and prudent, and treat your wife well with all your heart and soul. In times of sickness, pain, or suffering, you won’t leave her. These words that you say when you get married aren’t just for show, they’re a kind of responsibility. Not only to your other half, but also to your children.”

She looked at Gu Mingxi. “Your dad fell short as a father. I don’t want you to become that way. I hope that you will love your wife and your children. No matter what unfortunate things may happen to them, you can’t leave them. Do you hear me?”

Gu Mingxi nodded.

“I also want you to promise me. In the future, when I’m no longer here, you’ll meet a lot of different types of people. Some will be good people, others will be bad people. No matter what kind of people you meet, I hope that you can continue on with a smile. Never abandon yourself to despair. Can you promise me this?”

He said, “I promise.”

“In the future, when your situation gets better, I want you to promise me that you’ll go to see Qian Qian.”

“…”

Li Han smiled. “If she’s still single, you can try to pursue her once.”

Gu Mingxi bit his lip and shook his head. “It’s not possible between the two of us.”

“My foolish son.” Li Han let out a sigh. Gu Mingxi felt that his mother was very excited this evening, in high spirits. He said, “Mom, you had a lot to say. Are you tired? Let’s go to sleep early.”

“Okay. It’s been a long time since you’ve slept with me. It seems like I just blinked my eyes and you grew up.” Li Han smiled happily as she spoke. She didn’t know that right now, she looked very scary when she smiled.

But Gu Mingxi didn’t mind at all. A smile on his lips, he snuggled in beside Li Han. He said, “Mom, it’s been a long time since I’ve hugged you. I’m sorry.”

Li Han said, “In our next lives, be my son again, okay?”

“Okay, we agreed to it,” Gu Mingxi said. “In our next lives, I’ll be your son again. I will hug you every day, and I won’t ever make you angry.”

“Mm…”

That night, Li Han slept exceptionally well. Gu Mingxi woke up twice that night. He looked at his mother, and seeing that her breathing was very even and smooth, he laid back down next to her and slept.

When the sky started to light up and shine into their room, Gu Mingxi opened his eyes. He sat up from the blankets and looked at his mother beside him.

Li Han was lying on her back with her eyes closed. The lips that she often couldn’t close were actually closed. This way, her face didn’t look so scary. Her lips were even curled up in a smile.

But her face was very pale, without a hint of life at all.

Gu Mingxi bent over to her and used his face to feel hers. He called out, “Mom.”

Li Han didn’t respond. Gu Mingxi felt Li Han’s forehead with his own. Her body was still warm, not at all cold. He continued calling, “Mom, Mom…”

He bit at the collar on Li Han’s clothes. He used his feet to nudge her hands. He gently tapped her body with his foot, as he kept calling, “Mom, Mom. Mom, wake up…”

The weather looked nice outside the window. Spring was ending and summer was starting. Everything was green and the birds were chirping. Gu Mingxi kneeled next to Li Han, tears dropping without a sound.

“Mom, Mom, wake up. What do you want to eat for breakfast? I’ll go buy it.” He kept nudging Li Han with his head. “Mom, Mom…”

And then he finally cried out a painful cry. He lied down on the bed next to his mother, his face nestled in her shoulder as his tears gushed out. He closed his eyes and felt the warmth of his mother’s body one more time.

He said, “Mom, don’t leave me here all alone.”

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Home  My Mister Ostrich  Chapter 88 Entering the Workplace
MY MISTER OSTRICH
Chapter 88 Entering the Workplace
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Chapter 88 Entering the Workplace
Translated by Twelve_Months_of_May

Team leader, you’d better not start liking me. I have someone I like.

In the summer of 2006, Pang Shuisheng went to the bank to take care of some business. When he checked his bank card, he was a bit taken aback.

He went to the counter to ask about it. The bank teller told him that a sum of 21 thousand was remitted into his account from a bank in Z City. It was a cash remittance, submitted anonymously.

Pang Shuisheng knew that something was wrong. He immediately called Gu Guoxiang, though they hadn’t contacted each other in two years. Without even a simple greeting, he asked, “Guoxiang, has Mingxi contacted you recently?”

“Mingxi?” Gu Guoxiang asked. “I called him but he canceled his number. Then he called me twice using a public phone, both times to ask for money. What’s wrong?”

Pang Shuisheng grew more anxious. “Hurry and check your bank. Does your bank card have extra money?”

Without delay, Gu Guoxiang went to the bank to check his card and found an extra 100 thousand in his account. Extremely startled, he called Pang Shuisheng and asked, “Shuisheng, what’s going on?”

Pang Shuisheng hesitated a moment before saying, “I think… that… Ah Han’s gone.”

That August, Wang Song gave Pang Qian a call. “Xiao Qian, we’re having a high school class reunion. Although you were only there for a year, you’re still part of Class 2. And since we can’t contact Gu Mingxi, you should come for the both of you.”

At the reunion, the once 16 or 17 year old youths were now early 20s young adults. Each person had been studying at different schools all across the country. This summer vacation, they all found the chance to get together.

The class head did a good job organizing the event. Most of the students arrived, except for a few particular people. Xiao Yujing and Xie Yi had both gone to America to study. And Gu Mingxi, well, no one knew where he was.

The young Teacher Dai had gotten married and even became a mother. She was extremely happy being able to see this group of kids all grown up. When she sat together with Pang Qian, she asked, “You haven’t heard anything about Gu Mingxi at all?”

Pang Qian was silent for a bit, and then she shook her head slowly.

She wouldn’t tell them about the circumstances of the last call that Gu Mingxi made to her.

It was an evening several months earlier. Was it spring… or summer? Pang Qian remembered that the day was very hot and stuffy. The bedroom light was off, and then suddenly, her phone rang.

The area code was for Z City. Pang Qian picked up her phone and climbed out of bed. She ran over to the balcony and answered the call. Carefully, she said, “Gu Mingxi.”

She was afraid he would hang up, so she didn’t dare to shout at him. With a coquettish tone, she said, “Gu Mingxi, why haven’t you called me in such a long time?”

As usual, he didn’t say anything. Pang Qian said, “I know that you didn’t go back to B University for classes. I called the teacher there. Gu Mingxi, don’t worry, I won’t say anything about it. I’m sure that you had your own reasons.”

“After this semester ends, we won’t have classes anymore. Next semester, I have to start working. To be honest, I kind of can’t believe that I’ll be working soon.”

She laughed lightly, and then said, “Gu Mingxi, are you well? I really miss you. When you stood me up last time, I was so infuriated, and I thought I would start ignoring you. But… I still miss you.”

“It’s so late, what are you up to? Our dorm already turned the lights out. Gu Mingxi, how is your mom? My parents are both really worried about her. They keep asking if I’ve heard anything from you. Gu Mingxi–”

Kacha! He hung up.

One day, several months later, Pang Shuisheng told her that Li Han might have already passed away.

Sitting together with all these old classmates, Pang Qian didn’t say much. She listened to their own plans for the future. Zhou Nanzhong would try to get a research position (?) at Wuhan, but if he couldn’t, he would try to get into graduate school.

Wang Song and Li Xiaoyan didn’t plan on going to graduate school, but were planning to head back to E City for work. Li Xiaoyam’s family would arrange for her to work in some institution. Wang Song was planning to take the civil service exam.

Jiang Zhiya was interning at the broadcast station in E City over the summer. In order to appear on broadcast, she reluctantly cut off the hair she’d been growing for years. Now she had short hair that looked cool and relaxed. She presented the weather forecast and Zhou Nanzhong teased her and called her “Overcast and Cloudy Little Angel.” Jiang Zhiya was so angry that chased after him to hit him.

Wu Min’s studies were still outstanding. He said he’d applied for several schools abroad and would consider them carefully. After graduation, he would go abroad to continue his postgraduate studies.

…

Later, somehow, they started talking about Gu Mingxi. Jiang Zhiya cried softly and Teacher Dai’s eyes were wet. Gu Mingxi was the most particular/special student she ever had. She still remembered his words from the military training back in Year 1.

Standing in the shade, he lifted his head up high and said, “The ostrich is the world’s largest bird. I believe that I can become a great person.”

Gu Mingxi had steadily gone through those three years. He had a pair of quiet and gentle eyes and a pair of flexible, powerful legs. He didn’t speak much, but when he looked at others, he always had a shy smile on his face.

He was also very stubborn and obstinate, he had his persistence. And like most boys his age, there was a girl hidden in his heart.

When others weren’t paying attention, Teacher Dai said to Pang Qian, “If one day you find Gu Mingxi, you don’t have to say anything to him. Don’t ask him where he’s been, don’t ask him what happened to him all these years, don’t ask him if things have been tough or if he’s been tired. You just have to give him a hug, and that’s all.”

School started in September, and Pang Qian was a senior. She didn’t have any classes anymore, and everyone was preparing to start work, get into graduate school, or preparing to go abroad. SHUFE’s students didn’t have to worry for work, and Pang Qian studied finance. She just went to a few recruitment events and three companies gave offers to her.

After consulting with her teacher, Pang Qian chose an international investment banking company located in Lujiazui as the first stop in her career path.

After National Day, she started working.

Pang Qian had bought several sets of formal attire. When she looked at herself wearing them in the mirror, she wanted to laugh a bit.

She took the bus every day and then transferred to the metro. Her hair was chaotically tied up behind her head, her face had a slight trace of makeup, and she wore heels on her feet.

When Pang Qian used to ride the metro when she was studying, she always saw the young people who’d just gotten off of work. They carried their bags and sat or stood on the train car, their faces tired and numb. At the time, she’d giggled with Yang Lu and Wu Feiyan. She thought, these people really knew how to pretend. How could working be that tiring.

When she started working, she realized that when people said being a student was easy, they were right.

Pang Qian’s direct supervisor was named Zou Liwen. He was 30 years old, pretty young. He was talented but strict.

His strict wasn’t the kind where a person slammed the table and scolded people, but rather he looked at you with a cold, chilling expression, eyes full of contempt for the results of your work. He left you with two words, “Redo it.” And without giving a reason, he would just leave.

Pang Qian pulled back her tears and worked overtime until 12 in the morning. The dorms would already be locked and the metro stopped running. She just sprawled out across her desk for the night.

Newbie Pang Qian’s work was very, very complicated. Organize the data. Act and learn how to explain the market plans to clients. Make estimation models. Report the structure to her supervisor… One after another, she gave calls to clients, lawyers, and accountants to go over questions. She had to endure the other party’s criticisms and also come up with ideas to coordinate and solve the problems. Then she also had to help her supervisor with printing, faxing, ordering food, buying drinks, getting plane tickets…

Zou Liwen treated Pang Qian without much care. Originally, he’d asked for a male, but HR sent him a female. And this girl didn’t seem very smart, but a bit outspoken. The only good feelings Zou Liwen had for her was that they were from the same place, both from E City. Zou Liwen decided to just use her for now and if she was no good, he could just send her away after her internship.

Zou Liwen’s opinion of Pang Qian changed that Christmas. Christmas Eve happened to fall on a Sunday. He was working in the office when he suddenly needed a report from Pang Qian. Zou Liwen gave Pang Qian a call and had her send the documents over. Pang Qian was silent a bit and then said, “Team leader, give me half an hour.”

Half an hour later, Pang Qian arrived at his office. She was dressed prettily and wore a lot of makeup. There was a slight scent of alcohol on her, and it was obvious she’d been out with her friends.

She anxiously turned on her computer and Zou Liwen said, “It’s on your work computer too? You could have just told me which folder it was in, and I could have gotten it myself.”

“It’s fine, Team leader. I was looking for a reason to leave anyway, I don’t really like drinking.” She sent the files on her computer to Zou Liwen, and then she looked around the office and said, “Team leader, why are you working on Sunday? And it’s Christmas.”

“…” Zou Liwen glanced at her. “The deadline for one of the proposals is tomorrow.”

Pang Qian asked, “The one for Hengfang?”

“Mm.”

She said, “Should I help?”

Zou Liwen thought and then said, “Sure. Help me proofread this for any misspellings or wrong words.”

Pang Qian, “…”

The worked until 4 in the morning, and then Zou Liwen invited Pang Qian out for dinner.

Pang Qian giggled loudly, “Team leader, this is breakfast!”

Sitting in a 24 hour fast food restaurant, Zou Liwen and Pang Qian were both hungry and quickly devoured their food. Zou Liwen asked Pang Qian if she was planning on staying in Shanghai for work.

Pang Qian was really a fool as she said truthfully, “I plan to work here for two years first to get some experience. And then I’m going to do postgraduate studies or maybe go back to E City to work.”

Zou Liwen was speechless. “You’re telling your team leader that you’re taking this job as a stepping stone. Is that what you mean?”

Pang Qian, “…”

She stared at him with a pair of dark eyes, looking at him pitifully. She said, “Team leader, I’ve already stayed and helped you work overtime until morning. Don’t fire me, okay?”

Zou Liwen gave a rare smile. He said, “In two years, or maybe just one year, I’m probably returning to E City and then expand (?) in Hong Kong. If you study well from me for the next two years, I can bring you along if you’d like.”

“What’s the salary?” Pang Qian’s eyes were shining.

Zou Liwen squinted at her and asked, “Do you have any demands?”

“I want the salary you’re making right now!”

“You’re dreaming.”

“Then half of what you make!”

“Should be more than that.”

“Deal!”

Pang Qian was extremely excited. She fluttered her eyes and took a sip of cola. Then she turned her head and asked, “Team leader, why do you treat me so well? I just started working three months ago.”

Zou Liwen was silent as he rolled his eyes.

It was past 4 in the morning, a strange time. And after a night without sleep, Pang Qian was a bit muddle-headed and her courage was greater than normal. She said, “Team leader, you’d better not start liking me. I have someone I like.”

Zou Liwen, “…”

Pang Qian rustled around and pulled out her wallet. She pulled out her ID card and let Zou Liwen see the photo behind it. “Look, I’m serious. It’s this person. Isn’t he handsome?”

She laughed as Zou Liwen glanced at the photo. Then he turned to Pang Qian, “He…”

“Mm, he doesn’t have arms.” Pang Qian giggled, a bit shy. “So, Team leader, if you’re helping me because you started liking me, I have to apologize to you.”

Zou Liwen knocked Pang Qian on the head. “You’ve drunk too much!”

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Home  My Mister Ostrich  Chapter 89 Change of Luck
MY MISTER OSTRICH
Chapter 89 Change of Luck
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Chapter 89 Change of Luck
Translated by Twelve_Months_of_May

Ms. Jiang, this is Pang Qian, Mister Ostrich’s Miss Crab.

Before the Spring Festival, Pang Qian’s family moved to a new house. It was the house that they’d renovated last year. Pang Shuisheng used his hard-earned money to hire a building and design company to take care of the renovations, so their house looked especially nice.

Pang Qian had a bright and stylish room, and her father considerately had a large wardrobe built for her to house all her clothes and shoes.

After the end of the year, Pang Qian returned to Shanghai and continued her internship. Zou Liwen had become a lot more patient while teaching her. He even started taking her along on business trips and let her see the operational flow of the project. Before she had to present her thesis for graduation back at school, Pang Qian was already able to complete some smaller tasks on her own.

In May, the class went to the Shengsi Islands for their graduation trip. They went to the sea, watched the sunrise, ate seafood… Yang Lu and Sheng Feng held hands and took a romantic walk along the seashore, and their joyous laughter could be heard from afar. Pang Qian stood in the distance and watched their figures walking away. Wu Feiyan walked over to her side and started chatting with her.

She wrapped her arm around Pang Qian’s waist and said, “Hey, Crab, tell me the truth. Does seeing the two of them make you feel a bit uncomfortable?”

“Why would I feel uncomfortable?” Pang Qian laughed and shook her head. “No, really.”

Wu Feiyan said, “I wonder if Sheng Feng’s going to stay in Shanghai after he finishes his postgrad degree though.”

“Probably.” Pang Qian lifted her head and looked up at the blue sky. She stretched her arms out and put on a bright smile. “If two people want to be together, they’ll figure something out in the end. Let’s just wait for our invitations to their wedding banquet!”

Pang Qian smoothly graduated in June. She wore her graduation cap and gown and took lots of pretty graduation pictures. Pang Shuisheng and Jin Ai’hua were both extremely excited at her graduation ceremony. Pang Shuisheng’s face was glowing. Watching their little naughty daughter become the beautiful and good person before them now, their hearts were bubbling with happiness.

Pang Qian became the positive example in her family, the one you show as an example when teaching your kids. Although Pang Qian wasn’t the most studious among the kids in their (extended) family, she’s the one who improved herself the most.

Everyone knew that Pang Qian’s track record in school wasn’t that great ever since primary school. She was a glutton and loved to play, and she’d been beaten and scolded many times by Jin Ai’hua and Pang Shuisheng. She’d once been at the bottom of her class in junior high, and she’d even been ranked last in her class in high school before. For all of her first year in high school, she was always ranked among the bottom of her class. Pang Shuisheng would always come home angry after the parent-teacher meetings.

Everyone thought that Pang Qian getting into a top high school was luck, that she’d only get into a tier-3 university at best. But then later, she got into a top university and graduated with a job at an international investment company. Jin Ai’hua’s older sister asked her, “Will Pang Qian make 5,000 each month after she becomes a full-time worker?”

Jin Ai’hua harrumphed. “5,000? Are you kidding?!”

“Not even 5,000? Qian Qian’s in Shanghai, so she should make at least 5,000 to survive. If she doesn’t make that much, shouldn’t she just return to E City and find work for 3-4,000? She could save on rent and live with you guys.”

Jian Ai’hua laughed, her chin raised up in the air. “Our Qian Qian will have an annual salary of 250 thousand. That’s 20 thousand a month, 20 thousand!”

“Aiyoyoyo!” Jin Ai’hua’s sister was taken aback. “What bank does she work for? Her salary is so high!”

Jin Ai’hua stuck her nose in the air, “She’s at an international investment bank, an investment bank! An international one, do you understand!”

Pang Qian rented an apartment in Pudong and took the metro to work every day. Her office building was nearby the Oriental Pearl Tower, so she saw that tall, magnificent tower every day through her window.

A few years ago, she’d stood at that tower and pointed to the tall buildings around it, saying, “I’m going to work there in the future!”

And several years later, here she really was.

Only, there’d been someone standing beside her back then. And now, she didn’t even know where he was anymore.

Pang Qian began her career, and work was more busy than she’d ever imagined. Sometimes, even while working in the office, she had to run around. Her apartment really became a place that was just for sleeping. Pang Qian had to work overtime nearly every day, or else go to social work gatherings, and sometimes she’d have to go on business trips. She got a passport and an entrance permit to Hong Kong and Macau. The first time she went to Hong Kong, she played at Disneyland, Ocean Park, and went shopping for lots of things. The next time she went, she also bought a pile of things. She finally calmed down the fifth time she went.

The company arranged a trip abroad every year. At the end of 2007, Pang Qian left the country for the first time and went to Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. She returned to E City for the Spring Festival and brought a whole bunch of gifts – perfume, skin care products, Disney toys, watches….

The entire family went to Pang Shuisheng’s bright and spacious new house for the New Year’s dinner. Everyone complimented Pang Qian for being pretty, having nice skin, having a good temperament, and doing do well at work.

Her younger uncle said, “Raising a daughter like Pang Qian is what it means to successfully accomplish something. Pang Qian, now your parents only need to worry about your marriage.”

Pang Qian said, “Uncle, I’m not even 23 years old yet.”

“You can start looking though. Date for two years and get married at 25. Just perfect.”

Pang Qian laughed out loud, “I’m very busy with work now. There’s no time to date at all.”

Her younger aunt gently nudge Jin Ai’hua and whispered to her ear, “Sister-in-law, Pang Qian isn’t still caught up in the past, is she? That boy without arms who used to live next door to you?”

Jin Ai’hua’s complexion changed as she coldly said, “Nonsense! There’s no such thing!”

Pang Qian was truly very busy, such that she wasn’t even able to get together with her old school friends. On the weekend, she went shopping with Wu Feiya, who asked her if she was really still waiting for that “missing boyfriend.” Pang Qian thought for a moment and then said, “Let me tell you something. In the beginning, there was a guy at the company who seemed to be interested in me. He always tried to invite me out. One afternoon, he called me to eat lunch together at the noodle shop downstairs, so I went.”

“And then what?”

“It was just the two of us eating noodles. He ordered kimchi and beef noodles, and I ordered braised beef noodles. After our orders came out, we ate. After we ate a little, I did a naughty thing.”

“What?”

Pang Qian smiled and said, “I told him that my braised beef noodles were really delicious and asked if he wanted to try some. He said no, but I didn’t listen to him, and put some of my noodles into his bowl. I told him to try it, that it was really delicious.”

Wu Feiyan frowned, “You’re so gross. They’re noodles that you ate. How could you give them to someone else to eat after that?”

“I did it on purpose. Didn’t he say he liked me?” Pang Qian looked strangely at Wu Feiyan. “When you’re eating with your boyfriend, you wouldn’t eat anything in his bowl?”

“I’m kind of a germaphobe, so I wouldn’t.” Wu Feiyan, “What happened after that?”

“Then that guy went crazy. He just stopped eating and said he was full.” Pang Qian laughed out loud for a bit. When she stopped, she said, “Feiyan, was I really bad? Actually, I wouldn’t eat the food in his bowl either, whether he’d eaten from it or not. I don’t even eat the things from my parents’ bowls. But in this world, there is one person who’s bowl I would eat from. And I’m sure that he would similarly agree to eat from my bowl.”

The global financial crisis hit in 2008, which heavily affected the industry. Many companies were laying off employees, and a few in Pang Qian’s department were even let go. She went to work in constant fear of being laid off, but Zou Liwen always protected her.

In 2009, the economic situation grew a bit better. Zou Liwen asked Pang Qian privately as he was planning on quitting and returning to E City. He would jump from department manager to vice president of a company. Pang Qian didn’t have any hesitations and readily agree with his decision. Although she would get a raise and promotion if she stayed on, Pang Qian felt very grateful to Zou Liwen. She was thankful that in the bleakest year, he still stood in front of her and protected her. His salary was even affected by it a bit. Pang Qian had always been a passionate person. She knew that if Zou Liwen were to quit his job here, he’d have to build his own personal circle of trust. And she was going to be one of those loyal soldiers.

At the end of the year, Pang Qian followed Zou Liwen as they resigned from work. Before she left Shanghai, she ran over to the Bund and found a digital photo place and spent 20 dollars for a photo of herself against the Huangpu River and Oriental Pearl Tower.

The picture taken date was printed in the bottom right-hand corner: 2009/12/5.

Pang Qian opened her phone and looked at a photo in her album. The same scenery on a small Polaroid, the color faded quite a bit. In the photo, there were two kids standing next to each other, smiling happily. The date: 1999/7/17.

Her fate with this city started the summer of that year. It was ten years later now, and she was leaving this place. She felt a bit regretful. She once made a promise with someone that she would traverse all the corners of the city, eating all the delicious foods and seeing all the beautiful views. She even hinted that she’d give him an answer when they got to college.

But in the end, she was here by herself, spending six years alone in this city.

Pang Qian returned to E City with her luggage in tow, just as she’d once told Gu Mingxi. After three years of experience at an investment banking firm, she was armed with many skills as she entered Jialai Investments. She was even able to manage her own project. She went on a business trip on her own, calmly going about, dragging her luggage behind her in an unfamiliar city. She shed that young ang inexperienced student air. A smile brightly shining on her face, she would no longer be able to bring back that pureness and simpleness she once had.

Pang Qian got her driver’s license and bought a car. She had numerous high heels and lots of beautiful clothes and jewelry. When she had a little bit of free time, she would go shopping or have a meal with Zheng Qiaoqiao. Zheng Qiaoqiao graduated with a degree in English, so she was working at a foreign enterprise. Her salary was quite good. There was also Sun Mingfang, who’d become an accountant. She was also single and she often had coffee or played ping pong with Pang Qian.

Pang Qian quietly passed her 25th birthday. Since that night that Gu Mingxi called her, she hadn’t received another call from Z City for four years.

Even after returning to E City for half a year, she still kept the phone number she’d registered in Shanghai. You could temporarily stop service for your phone in E City, but if you stopping your service in Shanghai was permanent.

After dinner, she went out alone and walked until she reached the Golden Compound. Of course, the compound was already gone.

The shopping / business center had been completed and was now the newest hub of E City. Pang Qian walked around the square. On the light summer day, a group of elderly ladies had put on some loud music and were twisting and dancing around. Across the way, a few young teachers were teaching a group of kids to skate.

There were lots of small shops and peddlers at the square along with residents out for a walk. Pang Qian saw a man selling sausages and quickly walked over. She spend 1.50 for a skewer.

After just a single bite, Pang Qian immediately spit it out. This wasn’t a sausage, it was clearly flour. (Note: I’m guessing this is like a corn dog then.)

She suddenly started laughing and laughing until tears came out. She decided to finish the sausage. Many years ago, this was something extremely delicious in her eyes. She couldn’t eat it and could only look at it. Then the person beside her would always say, “Alright, stop looking. Your saliva’s dripping. There’s some money in my pocket. Take it out yourself and buy a stick.”

The fountain in the square suddenly started, clear water spraying out, as if dancing along with the festivities. A lot of children gathered around the fountain, playing around. Pang Qian stood off to the side with her arms folded. She smiled as she watched a bit, and then she looked up to the sky.

The Milky Way wasn’t very clear, but in such an open space, she could actually see it.

Pang Qian knew she was very silly. A lot of people called her a fool. Yan Lu, Wu Feiyan, and Sheng Feng didn’t know that person. If they wanted to call her a fool, then so be it. But why did Zheng Qiaoqiao, Sun Mingfang, Zhou Nanzhong, and Wang Song also call her a fool?

China was so large, with some billions of people. And that person was hiding somewhere among them. Pang Qian knew that he was on his own right now. She could even guarantee that he’d always been single. She imagined how difficult his life must be, but she believed he wouldn’t let go, that his face still carried that smile and warmth.

She didn’t know how she’d be able to find him. She tried Kaixin001, Renren (social networking sites), and her school’s networking site, but it was obvious that he’d never logged in to these places.

She didn’t even know what city he was in now, or what kind of work he was doing. He didn’t have a college degree, and that made Pang Qian disheartened.

She looked back up at the Milky Way, silently making a wish.

I want to find Gu Mingxi. I want to find Gu Mingxi. I want to find Gu Mingxi.

In December 2010, Zou Liwen sent Pang Qian up north on a business trip. She dragged along her luggage and went there alone, staying for two weeks. As she was about to return home, a large snow storm hit.

– – – –

Pang Qian and Yu Jialei came out from the dining room, both heading to their car. It was nearly Christmas so all the shops on the street were filled with decorations. (Note: This is roughly where end of ch.71 / start of ch.72 left off, before we started the trip into the past.)

Pang Qian looked around absently when her phone rang. She picked it up and was immediately happy. “Hey, it’s you? Xie Yi.”

“Are you in E City?” Xie Yi’s voice carried a joyous tone. “I’m stopping in to E City tomorrow for some work. Let’s grab a meal together.”

“Tomorrow? Okay,” Pang Qian said. “Call me when you get here. We’ll pick a place, my treat.”

“Okay, I’m driving. See you tomorrow.”

Xie Yi hung up the phone, feeling quite refreshed.

That morning, there was a meeting at work where one department was reporting about their recent project. They started talking about TV and film rights to a story. Xie Yi wasn’t interested at first, until an employee said the name of the story– My Miss Crab.

Xie Yi felt a sudden emotion and quickly told the employee to bring him the illustrated book.

The employee told him about how hot the book was recently. The author was very popular but also very mysterious. A lot of companies were trying to get the rights for TV and film production and the price was skyrocketing.

Xie Yi was currently the boss at a media company. They produced promotional and serial content. Eight of their productions weren’t very successful, but two were really popular, making their company some money.

Xie Yi quickly flicked through “My Miss Crab,” and was so excited that he couldn’t help calling Pang Qian. He grabbed at his hair, and tried to figure something out.

The next day, Pang Qian slacked off again. She sat at her desk, flipping through the illustrated book for the nth time. She read through the final part over and over again.

Mister Ostrich’s mother left him. She became an angel and flew to the heavens.

Before Mister Ostrich’s mother left, she promised him that in their next lives, they would be reunited as mother and son.

Now, Mister Ostrich was left on his own. He wondered, what should he do?

Brother Shark told him that he could go find Miss Crab.

Mister Ostrich shook his head. He had/was nothing now. Even if he found Miss Crab, what would be the point?

Mister Ostrich thought, the first thing he had to do was to become self-reliant.

…

Mister Ostrich liked the warmth of the southern regions, so he went to the southernmost island in the animal kingdom.

In that place, there was a beautiful and large sea, a fine and sandy beach, simple and honest islanders. All year long, he could wear light clothes. Mister Ostrich finally left that cold north. He felt that he would never need to feel the cold again.

Mister Ostrich found simple but happy work. In his spare time, he could use his skills to earn extra money. And so, his days passed just like that. Mister Ostrich’s life got back on track. He didn’t need to be cold or starve. He even had his own ostrich nest.

Everything that had passed felt like a dream. If he told this story to other people, they’d probably just feel that Mister Ostrich was very pitiful.

But Mister Ostrich wasn’t pitiful. Right now, he was very happy. You ask, does he remember Miss Crab?

Of course, he remembered he very deeply.

This story has yet to end. Mister Ostrich has created two conclusions.

The first. After time passed, Mister Ostrich completely lost his Miss Crab. And Miss Crab could never find her Mister Ostrich. The two of them walked their own, different paths. One went left as the other went right. Many years later, neither recalled that lost age of youth.

The second. Mister Ostrich remembered his mother’s words. Mama Ostrich said that one day, he could go to find Miss Crab. If she were still single, he could try to pursue her again.

Every time Mister Ostrich imagined the scene, he couldn’t help smile, because it was really just too perfect.

But no one understood the cruelty of the world better than Mister Ostrich. A lot of beautiful things in life had false appearances, and a lot of the once beautiful things had now shattered to pieces.

Was Miss Crab single right now? Mister Ostrich didn’t know. He just felt that he’d already disappeared from her life for so many years now. How could he just suddenly appear and disturb her life now?

So, this is a story left to be continued.

Or maybe there would never be an answer.

– Mister Ostrich, Qixi 2010

After she got off work, Pang Qian grabbed her bag and charged to the first floor. Xie Yi was already there waiting.

Pang Qian felt something was amiss when she saw him, because his smile was especially sly. He dragged Pang Qian to his car and just kept smiling strangely without a word.

Pang Qian didn’t know what to say. “Did you take the wrong medicine? What are you smiling about?”

“I found out a big secret!”

“What is it?”

“Hey Crab, did you know that there’s this very popular illustrator-author?”

Pang Qian was extremely disappointed. “I knew awhile ago. Gu Mingxi! Don’t you have anything better to do?”

“Wow, you already knew?!” Xie Yi was even more disappointed. “Ah, whatever. I have another bombshell for you!”

He pulled Pang Qian to a particularly foreign feeling teahouse. They walked inside, turned a corner, and made their way to an elegant looking private room.

There was already a woman sitting inside, about 30 years old, her face extremely graceful. When she saw Xie Yi, she stood up. “CEO Xie, hello. I’m Jiang Qi.”

Xie Yi shook hands with her calmly and exchanged business cards. Then he introduced Pang Qian and Jiang Qi.

“Pang Qian, this is Jiang Qi, Wenlan Publishing’s editor and the sole editor in charge of Mister Ostrich’s works.”

Pang Qian was shocked.

And then he said to Jiang Qi, “Ms. Jiang, this is Pang Qian, Mister Ostrich’s Miss Crab.”

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Home  My Mister Ostrich  Chapter 90 Perfect Ending
MY MISTER OSTRICH
Chapter 90 Perfect Ending
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Chapter 90 Perfect Ending
Translated by Twelve_Months_of_May

Are you satisfied with the ending I drew?

Enthusiastic fans of “My Miss Crab” started a Tieba (like a forum site) thread for the story. The most popular question posted there was whether or not Mister Ostrich should try to find Miss Crab.

Pang Qian spent every day hanging around the thread, checking to see the new responses to the question. Most of the community members encouraged Mister Ostrich to once more pursue Miss Crab. Some users were extremely pressing. The lengthy expositions, and even some of the more frightening coercive posts, made Pang Qian want to both laugh and cry. She felt extremely touched.

She’d gotten lots of calls from old friends as well. They all excitedly told her, “Crab! Have you seen this really hot book? The author is Gu Mingxi!”

There were a lot of interesting messages on the Tieba thread.

Old Farmer: Don’t know if the author will see what I have to say. I’m probably a bit older than you. I once had a green plum in my youth too (Note: green plum is part of the phrase used for the female counterpart of childhood friends/sweethearts), but I didn’t know whether or not she liked me. I wasn’t even able to write her a love letter like you did. I didn’t say anything at all to her. After the college entrance exams, we both went our separate ways and didn’t contact each other much. The reason I ended up reading your book was because last month, she’d sent me a copy in the mail. After I read it, I finally realized what she wanted to tell me. Author, if Miss Crab is still in your heart, I support you in going to find her again. There are some things you’ll regret in the future if you don’t do them now. Right now I’m still single, but my green plum already has a family. I suspect that if I’d read this book several years earlier, I’d have mustered up my courage to find her.

Grilled Oyster: I know who Mister Ostrich is!!! But I’m not telling you guys!! Haha!! Will Mister Ostrich see this? Let’s send a signal! Machine factory, barbecue shop, hahaha! I’m already a dad, and she can nearly run now. Hurry up and get together with Crab!

So Handsome the Wind’s in Chaos: Gugugu… Ostrich Gu???? I sat in front of you in high school! The more handsome one! I’m working in Columbia now. What are you fucking doing? Do you know how many years everyone’s been looking for you? That ugly deskmate of mine, Wang Wang Wang and Little Swallow are getting married soon. You’d better hurry back for their wedding banquet!

Stupid Cunt Upstairs: Ostrich, you better not come to my wedding! Watch me beat you up! From(?) the Stupid Cunt Upstairs!

Sweet Coffee: Haha, seems like a lot of people already guessed who Mister Ostrich is! Actually, I know who he is too. Ostrich, hurry up and go find Crab. If you don’t come back, someone else is going to snatch up the crab!

Passerby A: Why do so many people want Mister Ostrich to go back and find Miss Crab? I keep thinking that it’s not bad that the story has ended here. The two of them both have their own lives. Why keep tying them down to the memories they had as kids? Life is cruel and realistic. Who’s to say that, even if they get back together, that there won’t be some barrier between them after being separated for so long? In the end, their good memories might all be erased. Wouldn’t that be more terrible?

I Have Ears: You say that because you don’t know them.

Fat and Strong Clam: Whoever dares tell Ostrich not to come back to find Crab, let me have a talking to them!!!

…

Pang Qian went to Zou Liwen’s office and said, “Team leader, I want to take some time off.”

“Time off?” Zou Liwen asked. “How long?”

He knew Pang Qian. If she wanted to take one or two days off, she wouldn’t approach him so earnestly.

Indeed. Pang Qian said, “Two weeks.”

“…” Zou Liwen sat behind his desk, glaring at her. “You know the end of the year is really busy, don’t you?”

Pang Qian nodded. “I know. I’ll take care of everything.”

Zou Liwen thought about it for awhile and flipped through the calendar on his desk. He said, “Starting tomorrow, two weeks. No more.”

Pang Qian smiled, “Thank you Team leader!”

During Christmastime, most of China was gloomy and cold. But in Sanya, Hainan, it was as warm as spring.

On Saturday, Gu Mingxi got up early. After washing up, he went to the kitchen to make breakfast.

An hour later, the scent of congee floated in the air. He turned off the fire and went to wake up Dou Dou.

Dou Dou was a 7 year old boy and he liked sleeping in late. Gu Mingxi called him several times and he curled himself up into a ball in his blankets.

“Let me sleep a little longer.” With his eyes closed, Dou Dou writhed around on his bed. Gu Mingxi lifted a leg and kicked his bottom. “Who’s the one that said yesterday that he wanted to eat century egg and meat congee?!”

Dou Dou rolled around on his bed, and then he finally opened his hazy eyes. Gu Mingxi grabbed the clothes at the head of the bed with his foot. “Hurry and put your clothes on. Brush your teeth and go pee. Then help me serve the congee.”

Dou Dou was very obedient. He slipped on his clothes and went to wash up. When he was done, he headed to the kitchen. Gu Mingxi watched him and said, “Be careful, it’s hot.”

He’s already prepared a bowl for Dou Dou. Dou Dou scooped the congee from the pot to the bowl and carried it to the table. Then he went back and prepared another bowl for Gu Mingxi.

He was a young child, but he already understood many things and could do a lot.

One big and one small person sat at the table to eat their congee. Gu Mingxi said to Dou Dou, “Today, I have to go out a bit, so I won’t be back for lunch. Go over to Teacher Ji’s place to eat.”

Dou Dou lifted his eyes to look at him. “Where are you going?”

“To see someone. The Auntie Jiang that you met last time.”

Dou nodded, “Teacher Gu…”

He bit the spoon in his mouth, his expression a bit hesitant. Gu Mingxi asked, “What is it?”

“Everyone said that you’re leaving.” Dou Dou looked at Gu Mingxi, his eyes a bit red. “Is it true? Are you really leaving?”

Gu Mingxi smiled. He bent over and took a sip of his congee. “Who told you that?”

“Teacher Ji, Teacher Chen, Teacher Wang… They all said it.” Dou Dou’s voice was very quiet, his spirits low. “Teacher Gu, if you leave, what will I do?”

“Dou Dou, don’t worry about that now. To be honest, I haven’t decided anything yet.” Gu Mingxi didn’t treat Dou Dou as a child. He didn’t try to beat around the bush or lie to him. He said, “If I leave, it’s because I have a new goal and plan. It’s not to leave you behind. If I leave, I’ll definitely make sure to put you into good hands.”

Dou Dou’s tears started falling. “But I don’t want to go home…”

Gu Mingxi handed (footed?) a napkin over to him. “Don’t cry. You’re a boy, you can’t love crying so much.”

Dou Dou sniffled as he wiped away his tears. Someone knocked on the door. Gu Mingxi turned, “Come in.”

The door opened and Ji Xiu’er poked her head in. “Teacher Gu.”

Gu Mingxi smiled at her. “Teacher Ji, have you eaten breakfast yet? I made some congee. Let’s eat together.”

Ji Xiu’er walked inside. She was a young female teacher, her face rosy red. “That’s okay, I’ve already eaten. i wanted to ask you if you had time this morning? Something’s wrong with my computer again, so I wanted to ask if you could help me reload it.”

Gu Mingxi apologized, “I’m sorry, I have a meeting at 10. I probably won’t be back until after lunch.”

“Oh, it’s like that.” Ji Xiu’er seemed very disappointed. Gu Mingxi said, “I can help you out in the afternoon. If it’s urgent, you can ask Teacher Chen about it. He also knows how to reconfigure it.”

Ji Xiu’er quickly said, “There’s no rush, no rush. I’ll wait for you to come back in the afternoon.”

After eating breakfast, Dou Dou went to wash the bowls. Gu Mingxi prepared to head out, changing his clothes in his room. After Dou Dou wiped off the table, he put the leftover congee into a large bowl, covered it, and put it into the refrigerator. When Gu Mingxi came out dressed, he was already sweeping the floor.

Gu Mingxi felt warm inside and gently said, “Dou Dou, you can stop after you’re done sweeping. I’ll take my shoes off when I get back. Put on your backpack and head over to Teacher Ji’s dorm. Have her go over your writing.”

Dou Dou pouted. “I want to stay at home.” He always called Gu Mingxi’s and his small place “home,” though he’d only lived there for about two years.

“You can’t. You’ll just watch TV and play games on the computer.” Gu Mingxi wasn’t going to be fooled. “Hurry up, I’m going to be late.”

They walked outside. This was Sanya’s Hope Primary School. It wasn’t very large. The school building was two stories high, and there was also a concrete playground are, both funded by corporate donations. There weren’t many teachers at the school. There were a few older, unionized teachers who headed home every day. The young, single teachers weren’t in a union, but were free agents with meager wages. The school prepared a dorm for them. It was a small house, one person to a room, with a shared bathroom and kitchen.

Because Gu Mingxi’s situation was particular and he also took care of Dou Dou, the school took special care of him and gave him a small place that had it’s own kitchen and bathroom. Although it was a simple place, it was enough for him and Dou Dou to live happily.

Gu Mingxi asked Ji Xiu’er to prepare Dou Dou’s lunch and help revise his language skills. After relaying this, he left the school grounds.

Dou Dou glanced over at Ji Xiu’er. “Teacher Ji, your computer already broke three times this month. If it can’t be fixed, you should just buy a new one.”

Ji Xiu’er, “Be quiet! (lit. You’re saying too much / speaking out of turn) Let me see your essay!”

Gu Mingxi rode the bus to his destination. With a messenger bag on his shoulder, he found his meeting place with Jiang Qi.

It was a cafe on the second store of the building, decorated very chicly. There was a large outdoor terrace, and the owner had set up several wooden tables there. The shining winter sun was extremely comfortable, so the owner didn’t set up the umbrellas for shade. The warm sun streamed onto the terrace. Gu Mingxi squinted and walked toward Jiang Qi.

Business in the coffee shop was light before noon. Jiang Qi was the only person sitting on the terrace. She quickly greeted him, “Hi, Xiao Gu.”

Gu Mingxi sat down across from her and pulled off his bag. He ordered a cup of iced coffee and asked, “Jiang Qi, are you taking advantage of Christmas to come here for a vacation?”

“Hahaha! That’s right, traveling with the people’s money.” Jiang Qi laughed happily. “Xiao Gu, I haven’t seen you in awhile. How have you been lately?”

“Same as always.” Gu Mingxi shrugged. “Final exams are around the corner. You know, I teach a lot of classes. It’s a bit tiring. And Dou Dou is very unruly. Kids his age have so much energy to burn off. He’s like a pond loach (Note: From Wiki, “…their ability to detect changes in barometric pressure and react with frantic swimming…”) Although he doesn’t ask for many things, since I took him home, I should raise him well. I usually take him out to play, go roller skating, go eat KFC, ah… Being a dad is a hard job (Note: I think the term used is usually for stay-at-home or maybe single dads.)”

As he spoke, he started smiling. Jiang Qi said, “So now you know it’s not easy raising a child. My daughter’s 3 years old, and she makes me run around in circles. I really admire you. A big kid taking in a little kid to raise him.”

Gu Mingxi laughed out loud. “Dou Dou really understands a lot of things. And there are bound to be inconveniences in my daily life, so having him beside me is very helpful. Don’t just look at him like a kid.” He recalled two years ago and said, “Qi, you didn’t see what Dou Dou was like before. If I didn’t bring him out, I would have had an uneasy conscience.”

Jiang Qi nodded. “I know. You’ve told me before.”

After they were silent for a bit, Gu Mingxi asked, “Qi, has work been busy recently?”

“Yeah, of course it’s busy! I’ve been super busy with all your things!” Speaking of this, Jiang Qi’s eyebrows jumped up. She asked, “By the way, Xiao Gu, have you considered what I talked to you about before on the phone?”

“TV rights?” Gu Mingxi thought for a moment and shook his head. “I think, it’s better to… forget about it.”

“Why? Jimmy (Liao) and Zhu Deyong both sold rights to their illustrations, and the adaptations were pretty good,” Jiang Qi said. “Because you’ve never appeared in public, all the production companies are coming to me. It’s like I’ve become your manager. Recently, several companies have discusses with me, and the numbers they’re giving are tempting. For a newcomer like yourself, it’s definitely a large amount of money.”

“It’s not about money,” Gu Mingxi said. “Rather, this story doesn’t have an ending. When I first drew it, I put forth a lot of courage as well. I didn’t want to publish it in the beginning. After illustrating several books, I just wanted a break and decided to tell my own story. I didn’t expect it to garner such attention, really.”

“The office is filled with stuff that your fans mailed in. I’ll send all of it over to the school later. Don’t be surprised, there’s really several boxes of stuff,” Jiang Qi said. “Xiao Gu, what are you thinking now? Are you planning on leaving this story unfinished?”

Gu Mingxi lowered his head in though. His coffee arrived and he drank a bit with a straw. The cold, sweet taste stimulated his taste buds. He said, “This is the ending that I had planned from the beginning. Regardless of what conclusion I came up with, it always felt like once the words were written and set, her and my story would be over.”

He let out a light sigh as he stirred his straw in his cup of coffee, the ice clinking against the glass. He continued, “I don’t want to sell the rights because I don’t know what kind of ending they’ll make. For the sake of ratings, I suspect it will be a reunion, but the reality is that the ending isn’t so beautiful and satisfying.”

Jiang Qi asked, “So what are you planning to do now? I always thought that after you finished drawing this story, you’d go to find Miss Crab.”

“That’s what I thought before too.” Gu Mingxi smiled so that his eyes curved. “At the time, I felt that I wasn’t in such a poor state. But after I thought about it carefully, I felt that I wasn’t quite ready yet.”

“What do you mean not ready?”

Gu Mingxi didn’t answer her directly, but instead asked another question. “Jiang Qi, do you have a group of friends right now who grew up with you since you were a kid? Males or females. The point is that you were really good friends before, almost inseparable, and you’re still very close friends today. I don’t mean just ordinary friends or classmates.”

Jiang Qi thought it over and said, “There’s a primary schoolmate, a woman. When we were younger, we were so close, we were nearly a single person. In junior high, we were separated, but then we were in the same class again in high school. We became even closer then, and we agreed to go to the same college. But her school results weren’t as good as mine. I went to study abroad for my undergraduate degree and she went to a three year college. By the time I graduated and returned home, she was already working. We still occasionally contact each other, and we meet maybe two or three times a year. We have a meal together and go shopping. She’s probably my longest friend.”

Gu Mingxi asked, “Then are you still close with her?”

“Close?” Jiang Qi didn’t understand. “What do you mean by close?”

“You can tell each other any and everything, regardless of the consequences.”

“Oh! How could that be!” Jiang Qi took a sip of her coffee. “You’d have to be so very lucky to find a friend like that.”

“Exactly, that’s what I think too.” Gu Mingxi smiled. “Qi, it’s not that I don’t have the courage to find her. Rather, going back to find her is a very easy thing. We’ll say ‘Hi, how are you? Long time no see.’ And then we’ll go out for a meal and drink some coffee. That’s all very easy. But what comes after that isn’t easy. I can’t really be considered a lucky person, but I’ve always been glad for the wonderful years of my youth, for the considerate girl who was always by my side. I don’t want to mess up the memories we have together, so whether she’s single or already taken, I still think that I shouldn’t go intrude in her life. We’ve already (crossed paths and) missed out on each other, and we can’t go back.

Jiang Qi smiled. “Have you ever considered that with how well your book is selling now, that maybe she’s already seen it. And maybe you’ve already disturbed her life?”

Gu Mingxi lifted his eyes to her, his lips curling up slightly, a bit of resentment crawling into his eyes. “I said I didn’t want to publish it, but you’re the one who insisted on it.”

“Ha! You’re the one who came to me.” Jiang Qi glared at him. Then she said, “Oh right. I brought along a gift from a fan this time, and it’s a bit particular.”

She lifted a large book from the chair beside her and pushed it towards Gu Mingxi. Then she got up and said, “Take your time. I’m going to the restroom.”

Gu Mingxi didn’t respond because he’s already been startled by the picture on the cover of the book before him.

It was an A4 sized sketchbook, with a craft paper cover. On the cover, there was a watercolor image. That’s right, watercolor.

A red crab baring its claws, sitting on the back of an earthy-colored ostrich. The clumsy brush strokes weren’t exactly appealing, but just because it wasn’t well painted, it didn’t mean the artists hadn’t put in effort. She probably copied the image. The ostrich had slight traces of feathers. But Gu Mingxi thought, Dou Dou probably painted better than this.

The crab and ostrich both looked up at the sky, the Milky Way– If Gu Mingxi was understanding this correctly, those wavy lines in a circle should be the Milky Way. There were also stars in the sky, the five pointed kind that teachers always drew on corrected assignments. On either side of the Milky Way, there was a star. Under the two stars were the words “cowherd” and “weaver girl.” (Note: Two lovers separated by the Milky Way.)

On the cover were three words, large and handwritten with a black pen.

by Miss Crab

Gu Mingxi lowered his head and flipped the page with his mouth.

Hi Mister Ostrich, how are you.

For the several years that Mister Ostrich wasn’t by Miss Crab’s side, Miss Crab appeared to have lived a beautiful and happy life. But in fact, she’d missed him so much she nearly went crazy.

When she went on a business trip up north, she went to that small northern city once more. She found the school Mister Ostrich once studied at and the teacher there told her that Mister Ostrich had officially withdrawn from the school. He and the school no longer had any relations.

Miss Crab once again went to the rental house that Mister Ostrich once lived in. Of course, she didn’t find anything. New residents had already moved into the house, children’s clothing hanging out to dry in front of the window. Miss Crab felt that Mister Ostrich was likely no longer in this city anymore, but she didn’t have a clue about where he could be.

She spent the night in this city. The winter there was very cold. Miss Crab didn’t know how Mister Ostrich lived through those few years. Did his feet get frostbitten? Was putting on and taking off his clothes very inconvenient?

Mama Ostrich had already passed away, but the stubborn Mister Ostrich never went to find Papa Ostrich, not even once. Miss Crab thought about him being on his own. When it was raining, there would be no one to hold an umbrella for him. When he was eating, there was no one to help serve him… Miss Crab refused to think about whether Mister Ostrich had a new lady by his side. She was still here waiting, so how could he fall in love with someone else?

Dearest Mister Ostrich, Miss Crab finally saw the letter you stuffed into that picture frame. It’s been seven years, so the paper’s already gone yellow.

Mister Ostrich, did you know, seven years ago, when you were waiting in the park, Mister Peacock invited Miss Crab out to play ping pong. Miss Crab and Mister Peacock were at the side of the ping pong stage, enthusiastically discussing how to fill out their college selections.

Miss Crab wasn’t at all interested in where Mister Peacock was planning on going to school. She just happily said that she wanted to give Mister Ostrich a surprise, to go to the same college as him!

Mister Peacock asked, “Crab, do you like Mister Ostrich?”

Miss Crab nodded, “Mm.”

Yes, she liked Mister Ostrich. Not that kind of like, it was a different kind of liking.

Miss Crab remembered something that Mister Ostrich told her once. He said that there are some things that pass when they’ve passed. And there are some people who would only accompany you for a certain period in your life.

Mister Ostrich must have thought that he was just another one of those passing people in her life, no different from the coming and going of her classmates.

But that’s not right.

He was the most shining figure in her life, the most tender touch and companion she’d ever had.

Miss Crab could talk on for three days and nights, and she still wouldn’t be able to list all the good things there were about Mister Ostrich. Perhaps in others’ eyes, Mister Ostrich wasn’t a perfect person, but in Miss Crab’s eyes, he was the best person.

Miss Crab never had the chance to tell Mister Ostrich that she knew things must have been difficult for him all these years. But their lives were both still very, very long… Miss Crab really hoped that Mister Ostrich could be the person who was beside her for the rest of her life.

In these years, they’d lost each other in the sea of people. Thank God for giving them the chance to meet again.

This isn’t a story without an ending, it’s one with a sweet ending. A cheesy, cliche, happy ending. There’s never been another ending. From the moment that Miss Crab and Mister Ostrich met, it was decided that they would be together.

– Miss Crab, Christmas 2010

The last image was still not the prettiest to look at, but you could also still tell the author had made an effort. The ostrich had closed his gentle eyes, and the red crab was on his back, two claws gently hugging his neck.

A pair of footsteps sounded behind him. Someone was walking slowly towards him.

Gu Mingxi’s whole body stiffened. He didn’t turn around or stand up. That person had already walked up to him. He could feel her breath, just like in a dream. He slowly closed his eyes. The sun was shining strongly, so even when he closed his eyes, it was still bright. The whole time, he was holding his breath. But when her fingers touched his back, he suddenly relaxed.

He let out a deep breath and opened his eyes. He lowered his head and saw a pair of tender hands move slowly from his shoulders to his chest, until finally, her arms wrapped around him.

“Gu Mingxi,” her voice rang in his ears. “Are you satisfied with the ending I drew?”

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