Special Fondness – Chapter 8

　　The village located outside Lin Zhou city is just a few miles away, it takes more than a quarter of an hour to drive back and forth, but if you go by foot, less than half an hour should be enough. Farmers in the village trade with each other, and every day before dawn they would go to the city to either sell fruits and vegetables or sell handicrafts, to earn some money and support their families.

　　This has been the case for Fang Su’s birth mother more than a decade ago. The woman with ten nimble fingers would carry her handmade embroideries, and rush to the city while carrying in her arms a child that was still nibbling his hands, she would then sit in the street for the entire day.

　　At that time, Fang Su was still unfamiliar with the world, and was afraid of everything in the city, he was always obediently sitting on a stool, holding his mother’s clothes and watching people come and go. Later, when he was a bit older, at five years old, he had gained more courage, he liked to run alone to the school that was on the same street and hide outside the windows to listen to the teacher’s lecture.

　　In the old days, he was poor but happy. Although his family was poor, as long as Fang Su thought about something, his mother would do everything she could to fulfill his wish. Fang Su received that much love, but sadly it didn’t last long, and before he could become a sensible child, the housewife had already changed to someone else.

　　For twelve whole years, Fang Su no longer loved to run to LinZhou city, and was afraid of reviving the old memories from the scenery.

　　But the scenery does not wait for the people, the city’s view changes every day. Now that more than ten years have passed, Fang Su visits once again the old place but it felt particularly unfamiliar. Today, Tang QiaoYuan brought him outside the mansion to play, he wanted to take him to places that were once familiar, especially to the school on the eastside, to see if the old Mr.Wang was still here.

　　Although he had thought about it in his mind, Fang Su didn’t honestly speak it out. When he was walking with Tang QiaoYuan on the street, he didn’t even know where the streets would lead them to.

　　Tang QiaoYuan took him by the hand and strolled around leisurely, as if he had no purpose, and asked him several times where he wanted to go, but before he could even answer him, he would say to himself: “ There’s nothing special, let’s freely walk around.”

　　As if he was deliberately teasing him, Fang Su’s face turned red.

　　Coincidently, Fang Su was not the talkative and noisy type of person, he was an introvert, and would not ask for anything in front of Tang QiaoYuan, he could only let him take the lead walking here and there, and kept his words inside his heart.

　　Tang QiaoYuan didn’t know what he was thinking about, his eyes were filled with smiles.

　　After a few blocks, he asked again: “Is there somewhere Su Su wants to go to?”

　　Fang Su’s heart was moved, this time he couldn’t help but to push on, he quickly looked up and said: “I want to go to the east of the city!” he was astonished once his words fell out, it seemed that at this moment, he realized how anxious and funny he was. He lowered his eyes in embarrassment and immediately calmed down.

　　Tang QiaoYuan was trembling from laughter, he held his hand to his lips and smiled endlessly. He finally laughed enough, at last he stopped teasing him, he put his hands on his shoulders and turned him around, then asked happily: “Could this be YingJuan Private School?” ”

　　Fang Su was slightly surprised and stared blankly at the horizontal plaque, the impression of the four characters on the plaque was shallow, after all, at that time he was young and the words he knew were limited, so he couldn’t remember the name of the school well. But this place’s doorstep, courtyard, walls and the grey tiles on the eaves, all appeared in his dreams too many times. 

　　“We already are in the east of the city” Tang QiaoYuan hugged him from behind and said with a smile, “Mr. Wang is still teaching inside, do you want to go in and have a look?”

　　A deep feeling of surprise was floating in his eyes, Fang Su was very excited, but still asked hesitantly: “If I were to enter like this… won’t it be inappropriate? Teacher must have forgotten about me long ago.”

　　“If you don’t go to see then how will you know?” 

　　Tang QiaoYuan said that and took him inside, not letting him time to waver. 

　　The sound of reading came from inside, the grass in the courtyard was green, and at one corner of the wall, there was a leather ball stained with dirt. Fang Su hesitated a little, stepped into the courtyard and suddenly felt his state of mind becoming clear.

　　Not far away was the school’s classroom. The door was open, the children inside all sat behind a table and studied with a smug air surrounding them. There was a small stool placed at a familiar spot outside the window, but now that no one uses it, it seemed a little empty

　　The teacher was pacing slowly in the room with a ruler in his hand, and from time to time, would gently tap on the spine of those who were misbehaving. After a moment, he could see from his peripherals that there was someone, only then did he lift his head to look in their direction.

　　Fang Su looked at him, and because of his nervousness, he unintentionally pinched the fingers of the person beside him. 

　　Teacher Wang was at an old age, his eyes could not be compared to before, he had to take a few more glances before he regained his senses, he couldn’t refrain himself from greeting him with a smile. 

　　 “Mister…” Fang Su joined his hands into a greeting, he was anxiously thinking how he should greet him, he did not foresee that there was no need for him to dwell on this at all. 

　　Teacher Wang returned his greetings, when he looked up, there wasn’t the slightest bit of unfamiliarity in his look, there was unexpectedly even heavy gratitude in his eyes, and said to himself: “Young master Fang, this old man expresses his thanks on behalf of YingJuan Private School.” 

　　Fang Su was completely clueless.

　　“It was only a small stool, yet it was able to make the Young master remember it in its heart, the world’s cause-and-effect, it really makes one overwhelmed with emotions.” 

　　Fang Su was silent, he could faintly guess the cause.

　　He raised his head to look at the person next to him, he saw Tang QiaoYuan nod slightly, reassuring him.

　　“Teacher,” Fang Su knew it very well in his heart, his chest couldn’t feel warmer, he turned his head to look at teacher Wang and replied: “Teacher has a kind heart and to whom this student is greatly indebted to, how could this student forget it.”

　　Teacher Wang had a smile on his face, and stayed very modest. 

　　Fang Su saw that his appearance was quite older, the ten-years span could be seen on his face.   

　　 He looked repeatedly, it was as if he returned to his childhood. At that time the person who was teaching inside the classroom heard some movements outside the window, when he walked toward it to take a look, the young child thought he made a big mistake, he was standing there stupidly and did not dare to run away. 

　　 Teacher Wang walked to his side, rubbed Fang Su’s head and wanted to take him inside to listen to the lecture, but Fang Su was so afraid that his eyes turned wet, not daring to take even half a step. Teacher Wang was helpless and could only put a small stool beside the window, and returned inside the classroom to continue his lecture. He deliberately avoided looking at the window bars so it wouldn’t make Fang Su scared and nervous. 

　　The young Fang Su was reassured, from that moment on the little stool became his exclusive seat, every day he would come to listen, he would even find a piece of sugar bun hand wrapped in a handkerchief on it. 

　　Fang Su came back from his memories, the old man before his eyes looked at him with a kind attitude, this time his tone wasn’t as unfamiliar as before, he spoke as if he was speaking to the ignorant kid back then and sighed: “At that time you suddenly stopped coming over, I would often be worried about you. Now that I can see that you are well, I can finally feel at ease.”

　　Fang Su’s eyes turned moist in an instant, he thought that things remained as ever but people change¹, however it turned out that whether it was the things or the people, both still have stayed the same. Most of the things in the past were sad and gloomy and it was unbearable to look back at them, but fortunately, at this moment, it can still wind up as a comedy. 　　

       He sighed with emotions but also couldn’t contain his excitement, he couldn’t help himself from staying in the courtyard and speaking to teacher Wang for a long time.

　　The children who were reciting the lesson in the classroom quietly turned their head, they all happened to look outside, distracted and full of liveliness.

       After a long time, Fang Su bid him goodbye and left the private school with Tang QiaoYuan.

　　The sunlight on the street was just right, Tang QiaoYuan tilted his head to look at the slightly red corners of his eyes, stretched his finger to touch the wet spot, and asked deliberately: “Is Su Su happy or sad?” 

　　Fang Su stopped his steps, for once he did not avoid the teasing, without avoiding his gaze, he looked at him with joy and called out: “QiaoYuan.”

　　“En?” Tang QiaoYuan had a deep smile.

　　“What did you gift to the school?”

　　Tang QiaoYuan casually replied: “Four treasures of the study, gold and silver goods, things that can be used, aren’t these the only things I can gift them?”

　　Fang Su chuckled, after a while, he lowered his eyes, his voice was so small that it was almost unintelligible, but it was extremely firm when it fell to the ears: “Thank you…”

　　“You should not thank me,” Tang QiaoYuan stretched his hand to hold a strand of soft hair that was hanging behind his back, and corrected him, “You should take it for granted, with complete confidence, and make demands to me in an arrogant and domineering way.” 

　　Fang Su heard the four words “arrogant and domineering way”, he couldn’t help but laugh, he smiled with his eyes crinkled as he also shook his head. 

　　In fact, Tang QiaoYuan naturally knew that these four words were inconsistent with the person in front of him, but he insisted on phrasing it this way, every word and every action of his was to coax Fang Su into being happy. As long as Fang Su was satisfied, don’t mention spending some money, even if he were to build a brand new school for YinJuan Private School, he would have agreed to do it quite happily.  

　　Fang Su wasn’t good at expressing himself, but he was aware of what affection was, he knew who was good to him and who wasn’t. He did not have much before and did not request for anything, thus when there is such a person who appeared in front of him, he always had this idea that he will lose it sooner or later and he had to protect himself, so that one day when he will be thrown away he will not be badly hurt to the point that there will be no patch of skin left whole. 

       But now,  Fang Su suddenly wanted to let go of all of his concerns. 

　　He wanted to be greedy for once, he wanted to take all the good this person has to give and make it all his, he wanted to believe in himself that he would never lose them.

　　Fang Su was silently looking at Tang QiaoYuan, after a while he asked that sentence he was most uncertain about: “QiaoYuan, why are you this good to me?”

　　“Because I like you.” Tang QiaoYuan straightened his eyebrows, his words full of comfort, “You are my wife.”

　“Then why do you like me?”

　 Tang QiaoYuan laughed, as if he didn’t know the reason, he whispered to himself: “Right, why ….” 

　Fang Su still did not understand, but in the end, he was relieved, he was already married to this person anyway, and he was already aware of his feelings. 

　　“Tang QiaoYuan” these three words, no matter what happens in the future, will be the name that will be forever engraved on his heart in this life.

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Translated & Proofread by: Milktea and Gemini

Notes:

1. 　’物是人非’ (wu shi fei ren), a Chinese idiom which is literally ‘things remain but not people’

It’s a chapter I really like. The teacher is really so nice, still remembers him, and is glad that he is doing well although Fang Su was just a random kid eavesdropping at his lectures!

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ToC