RCJM Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Jing Ming was silent for a while, thinking he had misheard: "What?"

Ming Yi: "Aren't you going to hang out with your friends? Xiao Ruo doesn't have many friends here, so take her with you."

Jing Ming frowned and wanted to say something, but Du Ruo waved her hand immediately: "Auntie, no need, I'll be back to school soon—"

"There’s still one more day off tomorrow. Why go back so early?" Ming Yi said, looking at her son with a tone that left no room for refusal. "It’s been a long vacation; both you and your dad have been outside all this time. Xiao Ruo has been with me for so long; you should take her out to have some fun too."

Jing Ming raised his brow, glanced at Du Ruo, and unexpectedly didn't say anything, as if he was too lazy to argue. He collapsed on the sofa and started playing with his phone again.

Satisfied, Ming Yi smiled and said to Du Ruo: "Go and change your clothes."

Du Ruo didn't want to go!

But now it’s like this, it would be hypocritical to evade, so she could only bite the bullet, and go to the guest room, randomly choose an outfit from the clothes she bought a few days ago and change.

She walked back to the living room and said to the person nestled on the sofa: "Done."

Jing Ming was playing a mobile game, he raised his eyes to look at her and his gaze paused on her for a second.

Du Ruo wore a white short-sleeved shirt with a dark denim suspender skirt.

He could tell at a glance that this outfit should have been bought by his mother. Clothes make the man, and he had to admit, there was indeed some change.

He put away his phone, grabbed the car keys from the coffee table, and walked out.

Du Ruo: "Uncle, Auntie, I'm going out."

"Go ahead, have fun."

She ran out quickly.

With Jing Ming’s temper, he had no patience to wait for her.

He got into a blue convertible sports car, and Du Ruo followed, fastened her seat belt, and wondered how many cars his family had.

Although the Jing couple often teased and scolded their son, they actually spoiled him.

Halfway through the journey, his phone rang, and Jing Ming put on Bluetooth earphones: "I'm on the way, wait a bit."

Don’t know what the other party said but his expression changed slightly, and he seemed a little annoyed: "Who are you mocking? ... My mother didn't say anything. Is there any point in saying such sour words?"

The other end immediately showed weakness, his facial expression softened, and after a while, the conversation continued normally again.

"After a few days of diving, I finally got a little tan." A voice complained, "But only a little, damn."

"I flew for 14 hours, and within two hours of arriving home, I came out to meet you. Still don’t think I pay attention to you? ... During winter vacation, I will take you to Palau for a trip. This time, I promised my niece and nephew."

Only then did Du Ruo realise the person on the other end was Min En Zhu.

He turned the steering wheel to make a turn, then smiled with a hint of mischief: “Really? Then I’ll have to take a good look. Alright, I’ll hang up now.”

On both sides of the road, the CBD buildings were brightly lit. Driving through the traffic was like weaving. The red tail lights looked like floating water lanterns in the river.

Jing Ming spoke: "After returning home, when my mother asks, don't mention seeing Min En Zhu, got it?"

Du Ruo was looking at the night view of the city, and it took a few seconds to realise he was talking to her. She turned around: "Huh?"

Jing Ming thought she didn’t know who Min En Zhu was, and said: "Min En Zhu, my girlfriend."

"Oh. Got it." Du Ruo nodded.

"If my mother asks you, don't say you met her at school either."

"... " Du Ruo nodded again, feeling a little guilty.

Jing Ming took Du Ruo to a KTV house that was high-end and resplendent. [1]

A handsome waiter bowed, led the way for the two of them, and entered a private box. Du Ruo didn't see Jing Ming's friends filling the room, nor did she see Min En Zhu.

There was no one in the box.

Jing Ming called over the waiter, ordered a few things on the tablet, handed over his credit card, and looked back at Du Ruo: "Sit down."

Du Ruo sat down, the denim dress rubbing against her knees, making her feel a little uncomfortable.

She was flustered in her heart, trying to figure out why Jing Ming brought her here alone.

Were they going to sing here together?

She thought about it and found it impossible.

Would Min En Zhu join them later... will she be a third wheel?

Thinking about this, she felt it was even more impossible.

The waiter left, the light in the private room was dim, and singing from the next room could be heard faintly.

Jing Ming stood, and Du Ruo sat.

He looked at her, she looked at him. They did not speak for a while, and quickly looked away in embarrassment.

Jing Ming glanced at the screen, walked to the song selection screen, swiped a few times, and asked: "Have you ever been to KTV?"

Du Ruo: "After the college entrance examination, I went with some classmates”.

Jing Ming moved his hand away from the screen and turned around. There was no need to teach her anymore.

Du Ruo was very sensitive, she noticed this detail in an instant, and was a little moved by his thoughtfulness. But the next second, she heard him say: "You can have fun here, I’m going to leave."

She fell from the clouds to the dirt and stared at him without blinking.

He didn't look into her eyes: "I have something to do. Ask your classmates to come over and play. When it’s time, go to the parking lot and wait for me. 12 o'clock, don't forget." After he finished explaining, the waiter came back with his credit card. He took the card and left. 

She was left alone in the huge box.

On the screen, girls in short skirts were laughing, singing, and dancing.

The air conditioner was too strong, and a chill crept up her legs.

Du Ruo was stunned on the sofa for a long time. After a long while, she slowly understood the prickling feeling in her heart, which may be called sadness.

He clearly didn’t show his usual contemptuous expression today, on the contrary he was quite polite.

She couldn't blame him either.

It was her own fault for coming out when he had a date.

She was no one, why would he care about her?

Anyway, he had always looked down on her.

But even though she didn't do anything wrong, she felt ashamed?

She remained in a daze until the door was pushed open again, and the waiter came in with a huge plate of fruit and a huge plate of snacks, which almost filled the table.

She recovered and said to the waiter: "Thank you."

"You're welcome, please take your time." The waiter smiled as he left.

There was a colourful fruit platter, golden fried chicken nuggets, French fries, and onion rings. The food was slightly comforting.

Du Ruo thought, if He Huan Huan were here, she would be very happy. Feeling so gloomy on her own, it was too depressing. Since she was here, she might as well make the most of it.

Didn't she say she wanted to enjoy life?

She stretched out her arm and stuffed a piece of kiwi into her mouth, it was delicious; she ate another piece of dragon fruit, delicious; she ate French fries and chicken wings, it was so delicious that she cried.

Forget it, she forgave him. At least he ordered so much food; he had a conscience.

But it’s still sad.

Was she used by him? He was too lazy to argue with his mother and be nagged, so he abducted her to KTV?

What was she, a shield? Could he buy her off by ordering a bunch of food before leaving?

Ah!

While Du Ruo was eating, she angrily took out the small ticket under the plate, took a look, and almost lost her eyes.

Private room (large, luxurious), 1008 yuan;

Fruit platter (large, premium), 588 yuan;

Snack platter (large, premium), 388 yuan.

She hurriedly ate a strawberry to suppress her shock, and of her own initiative, saw a trace of apology in the prices.

She was good at self-comfort, making herself feel a little better.

She ate blueberries, chewed cherries, and called her roommates to have the whole place to themselves!

Taking her phone, she sent a message in the dorm group chat: "What are you guys up to?"

He Huan Huan returned a picture of a bunch of sesame twist pastry shops on the street. She was still in Tianjin.

Qiu Yu Chen: "I'm with my parents playing in the suburbs, it’s packed with people, so crowded!"

Xia Nan didn’t reply, so she probably hadn’t seen it.

Du Ruo knew that nobody would be able to come. Feeling a little disappointed for a moment, she perked up again: "Come on, I'll sing for you!"

Qiu Yu Chen: "Deadly. Not listening."

She laughed, selected a bunch of songs, and sent voice messages while she sang.

Voice messages bombarded the dormitory group chat one after another.

She didn't care if they were listening or not; just assumed there was an audience on the other end. After all, she rarely let herself go like this.

After singing a few songs, Qiu Yu Chen sent a message: "Oh my god, you sing so well?! You should join a talent show, my friend! I'll be your cheerleader."

He Huan Huan: "I'll be your agent! Counting the money."

Qiu Yu Chen: "Go away!"

Du Ruo rolled on the sofa laughing.

Occasionally, there were people passing by outside the private room, peeking through the narrow glass, maybe curious about the ambiguous lights and shadows inside, but the person inside was simply entertaining themselves.

Du Ruo sang for a while, chatted for a while, and ate for a while. Time passed quickly.

But after ten o'clock, everyone in the group chat dispersed, busy with their own affairs.

She was also tired. Playing was exhausting.

She couldn't enjoy herself anymore, turned on the original soundtrack, laid down on the table and listened to the music.

After a lively night, at this moment, it quieted down. She was enveloped in an atmosphere of peace following the partying. 

She felt tired, and didn't want to sing or eat anymore, and just lay there on her back with her eyes wide open.

A sad song began to play from the speakers:

"You say you're very lonely, and life is very hard.

You've long forgotten how to find happiness,

Too many burdens, feeling more helpless,

When there's no music, all you want to do is dance alone..."

Without warning, a tear fell from the corner of her eye.

Du Ruo quickly wiped it away, but more tears came, like a broken string of beads.

The exhaustion, tension, and hardship that had been suppressed in her heart for a whole month burst out in an instant. She couldn't control it anymore. She simply laid down on the table, and let it all go.

...

Du Ruo was pushed awake.

The waiter asked: "Do you want to extend your time?"

Her mind was in a mess, her cheeks stung from the dried tears. She looked at her phone, it was 12 o'clock.

"No need." Her neck was sore, her feet were numb and she got up to leave. Looking at the unfinished fruits and snacks on the table, she felt distressed, and said: "Can you pack these for me?"

The waiter gave her a strange look, but went to get a takeout box without saying a word.

...

Du Ruo carried the paper bag down to the underground parking lot of the mall and walked around for a while.

Jing Ming's blue sports car was very eye-catching, and she didn't have to search for long before she saw it.

Jing Ming was sitting in the driver’s seat, with his arm resting on the car door, lightly tapping his fingers.

Du Ruo trotted over immediately.

When she got closer, she found Min En Zhu sitting in the passenger seat. She leaned on Jing Ming, put her arms around his neck, and pouted.

Jing Ming smiled, lowered his head and kissed her. Min En Zhu didn’t let him go and stuck to him even tighter.

Du Ruo was in a daze as she saw Jing Ming gradually become more interested. Min En Zhu breathed slightly, her voice delicate and soft.

Du Ruo's face was on fire, and she immediately hid behind a pillar. Recalling the scene she had just seen, her heart was beating wildly, as if her chest had been squeezed.

Before she could calm down, the sports car started on the other side.

Du Ruo panicked and instinctively wanted to run out, but she didn't dare.

It wasn't until the car drove away that she quietly poked her head out to look. The red tail lights flashed at the end of the aisle and disappeared after turning a corner.

He forgot she was still here.

He even said that when it’s time, he wants her to come down and wait for him in the parking lot.

Liar.

...

After leaving the mall, the cool night breeze flowed in, causing her clothes and skirt to flutter, along with the paper bag in her hand.

The wind in the north was too strong, she was not used to it. After walking a few steps, she felt disheartened by the cold wind.

She walked to the subway station in a daze, but it had already stopped running.

Take a taxi? Too expensive.

She searched for the route with her phone, and walked back along the quiet street in the middle of the night.

The lights in the office buildings of the CBD and the residential buildings were all turned off.

There was no one on the street, only street lamps.

The streets were wide, the overpasses were quiet, and cars whizzed by from time to time.

The city was so grand that no corner was familiar to her.

As she walked, she burst into tears.

Her phone in the pocket of her suspender skirt vibrated, and through tear-filled eyes, she saw the name "Jing Ming" on the screen.

Furious, she pressed the red button hard, and hung up!

"Go away!"

But who would hear this roar?

Clutching her phone, tears were already streaming down. She squatted on the side of the road all of a sudden, crying loudly.

_______________________ 

[1] ‘KTV’ stands for Karaoke TV 

Previous Chapter // Next Chapter