My Mister Ostrich

75 | A Tale of Two Cities (2)
Then quit! Come and be my school junior!

His counselor went to find Gu Mingxi to talk about it, but in the end, she didn’t get a reason. Then she called Li Han, saying that she thought the drop in his grades was a temporary thing. After all, college studies was a lot more work than high school. Gu Mingxi just wasn’t adapted to college life yet.

Li Han finally realized that her son was acting unusual. She waited for her son to return home so that they could have a talk. All this time, Gu Mingxi had been considering something, weighing his options. When Li Han pressed him about his situation, he finally found the courage to say it.

“Mom, I asked the professors about changing majors, but they all refused. They said that if you want to change majors, you have to take the exam in June. Also, the entrance score for the major you want to transfer to must be lower than the one for the major you started out in. No one’s ever transferred to a more competitive major. But the two majors I’m interested in both have higher entrance scores than the one I’m in now. So even if I score high enough on the exam, the school wouldn’t agree to the transfer.”

Li Han was stupefied. “Change majors? Why do you suddenly want to change majors? Software engineering isn’t good?”

“I kind of dislike it.” Gu Mingxi’s gaze was a bit stubborn. He said, “I never once thought about studying software engineering. I’d even rather study English over studying software engineering.”

Li Han said, “Son, it wasn’t easy for you to get into college. B University is already taking good care of you. Four years later, you might even get recommended for post-graduate studies. That’s not a bad academic history to have. Or maybe you’ll be able to get a good job first.”

Gu Mingxi persisted, “Mom, I’m not going to school for a diploma. I really want to learn things, to study the things I’m interested in. Then I’ll be able to find a job doing something I enjoy.”

“This is the way things are now. You don’t like software engineering, but the school won’t let you change majors. What do you plan to do? Are you planning on failing all your exams?” Li Han was a bit angry. “Mingxi, you didn’t used to cause trouble like this before!”

“I want to quit school.” Gu Mingxi looked at Li Han’s expression. He said, “I want to quit school, Mom. I think that it’s not too late if I do it now. I want to take the college entrance exams again. There’s still half a year. I can get into a good school. What’s important is that, even if it’s a tier-2 school, I just want to be able to choose my major.”

Li Han looked at him dumbfounded. “You’ll be 20 years old at the next entrance exams. Then you won’t graduate until you’re 24!”

“If I continue studying like this, it will waste even more time,” Gu Mingxi said. “I don’t want to work in software engineering at all. Why would I study it?!”

Li Han looked at him for a little, then asked him coldly, “You want to go to school in Shanghai?”

“…” Gu Mingxi nodded his head. “Mm, I want to study in Shanghai.”

Li Han stood still, and said only three words, “I don’t agree.”

At the start of December, there was a big snowfall in Z City. There was no rain mixed in at all, so it quickly piled up on the ground.

Gu Mingxi couldn’t stand wearing covered shoes outside, so Li Han bought him a pair of padded shoes, the kind that old men word. Thick, boorish, but easy to put on and take off. She also made him warm open-toe socks. Gu Mingxi didn’t try to oppose it and just obediently wore it and went to class.

He would enter the classroom, wrapped up in a thick jacket. He sat down in the last row and shrugged off his backpack. Then he lifted his left foot to pull down the zipper and take off the coat.

Gu Mingxi sat near the heater. The school didn’t arrange for a special seat for him because the students often changed classrooms in college. They just left Gu Mingxi to adapt to it on his own, and so he used a regular desk just like all the other students.

This made it difficult for him to write.

Gu Mingxi’s backpack was on the floor. He lowered his head and stuck his feet into his bag to pull out his class’ notebook and writing utensils. After a moment, he decided to just give it up.

During the class lecture, he just sat there zoning out. All the computer engineering jargon became more and more unfamiliar and more and more incomprehensible to him. Gu Mingxi looked at his two feet on the desk. His toes were all red. A few days ago, Li Han had been uncomfortable, so Gu Mingxi had scrubbed and washed his clothes for several days with his feet. The water was bone-chilling. His feet immediately became frostbitten, all ten of them.

That day, with the warm air blowing, his feet felt extremely itchy. It only got a little better when Gu Mingxi rubbed his two feet against each other.

His and Li Han’s new house had already completed all arrangements. Li Han said they would leave it vacant for another month and then move in before (Chinese) New Year’s.

Li Mu also had his eye on a three bedroom house. It was new. He’d already put his old house on the market and soon, people came to ask about it. Li Mu and Li Han discussed and decided that they had to sell the old house first, in order to have the money to buy the second house. And then it would take some time to prepare the house for living. It would take about half a year from the time they bought the house to when they could move in. During that time, he was hoping that he and his wife and son, and his parents, would be able to stay awhile at Li Han’s new house.

Li Han found this difficult, having so many people move into the new house. And for half a year at that. No matter who you asked, they would find it uncomfortable. She discussed it with Gu Mingxi and he said, “It’s fine if Grandma and Grandpa come to live with us, but why can’t Uncle and his family just rent a house in the meantime, like we’re doing now?”

Li Han didn’t know how to respond. From Li Mu’s words, he’d said that Li Han and Gu Mingxi had spent nearly two months staying at their house, so it wasn’t unreasonable for them to all stay at Li Han’s new place for a short while.

Li Han said, “Your uncle doesn’t make much money, and every month of rent is several hundred dollars.”

After being depressed for a bit, Gu Mingxi said, “If you want to allow it, I don’t have any problems. But I’m not going to live there. I’d rather just stay in this rental.”

One afternoon, as Gu Mingxi was returning from class, he slipped on a patch of frozen snow and fell.

It was a pretty impressive fall. His chin hit the ground and ended up with a wound.

With his blood dripping onto the snow, it was a shocking sight. Gu Mingxi struggled to get back on his feet. Since his jacket was thick and his sleeves were padded, the passersby didn’t find anything abnormal about his physical condition. Slipping and falling on ice was a common sight, so no one offered to help him.

Gu Mingxi turned his neck and rubbed his tingling chin onto his shoulder. His nose and ears had turned red from the cold. He sat cross-legged on the ground and struggled to put his backpack back on. Then when he stood up, he realized his ankle had been twisted.

He limped back to the rental house. Li Han wasn’t home. She’d probably gone to the new house. Gu Mingxi sat by the furnace to warm up his feet. Afterwards, he went to the bathroom to wash his face and feet.

When he saw the mirror, he saw the the blood on his chin had already started to clot. The wound was about 1 cm long. Gu Mingxi looked at himself in the mirror and laughed a self-deprecating laugh.

He returned to his room and texted the class head. He said he wanted to take the afternoon off and not go to class.

The class head quickly replied, “No problem.”

Gu Mingxi was the only student in their class who could just take time off at a whim without an official request for leave.

Li Han had some food, but Gu Mingxi didn’t have an appetite. He sat on his bed for awhile and then suddenly wanted to call his father.

A 19 year old boy, in this moment of confusion, would naturally want to ask his father for help. Even if his father had already hurt him, in this moment, Gu Mingxi remembered that it was Gu Guoxiang who had reprimanded and taught him time after time.

After he arrived in Z City, out of consideration for his mother’s feelings, Gu Mingxi had never called Gu Guoxiang. After the phone call connected, his father’s calm and familiar voice rang in his ear. Gu Guoxiang asked, “Hello, who is this?”

Gu Mingxi called out quietly, “Dad.”

“Mingxi?!” Gu Guoxiang was surprised. “Mingxi! Is it you?”

“Mm, it’s me,” Gu Mingxi said. “Dad, are you well?”

“I’m great. What about you, are you and your mother doing well?” Gu Guoxiang said, “I watched the weather report, and Z City already had several snowfalls. Is it very cold over there? Are you used to it?”

“It’s alright.” Gu Mingxi thought for a moment, and then asked, “Dad, has the baby been born?”

When it came to this question, Gu Guoxiang’s feelings were very complicated. A flash of joy crossed his mind and he really wanted to share about it. But when he recalled he was talking to his disabled, elder son, he felt that saying this to Gu Mingxi might pain him.

He responded simply, “Mm, (she’s) already born. It hasn’t been a month yet.”

“Is it a boy or a girl?”

“A girl, 3.4 kg.”

“What’s her name?”

Gu Guoxiang said, “Her name is Gu Ziyue. Zi with mu and xin components, and yue with a wang radical.”

Gu Mingxi smiled. “Dad, congratulations.”

Gu Guoxiang was stupefied, and his eyes immediately watered.

He asked, “Mingxi, how are your studies? Are you adapting well to school?”

Gu Guoxiang didn’t hide it from him. This was the reason he called in the first place. “It’s not going well. It’s nothing else, but I don’t like this major.”

Gu Guoxiang heard that his tone sounded strange, and asked, “What’s the matter?”

Gu Mingxi opened his lips. As he as about to start telling his father about it, a baby’s cried suddenly sounded in the background.

Gu Guoxiang immediately said, “Ah, Xiao Yue, don’t cry. Mingxi, let me calm the baby first. I’ll call you back when I have time. Is this your cellphone number?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll hang up first. Remember to take care of yourself.”

Gu Guoxiang hung up the phone. Gu Mingxi loosened his cheek and the phone fell with a pa! onto the bed.

He sat down again and made another call.

“Hello, Gu Mingxi?” Pang Qian asked, her voice carrying a smile. “I was just about to text you. I’m about to have a nap. Did you eat yet?”

He lied, “Yeah.”

“I had braised pork and cabbage today. Later, they also had sweet and sour pork ribs. Ugh, so hateful! You don’t know how delicious our cafeteria’s sweet and sour pork ribs are!” Her voice cracked a bit there. “Wait a second. Let me get onto my bed.”

Pang Qian slept on the top bunk. After she climbed up, she pulled closed her curtains. After she curled up inside her blankets, she went back to the phone, “Is it cold over there? Did it snow?”

“Mm.”

“Be careful, and make sure you don’t get frostbite on your feet. Make sure you wear proper shoes when you go out!”

He smiled, “I know.”

“Gu Mingxi, recently, you haven’t texted me much. Are you really busy?” Pang Qian asked. “You’re not dating, are you?”

“How could that be. No, I’m not.” Gu Mingxi’s voice was light. “I’m just… a bit busy with school.”

“Gu Mingxi.”

“Mm?”

“Are you in an bad mood?”

“…” Gu Mingxi was silent a bit, then said, “Pang Pang, I fell down while I was walking today.”

“Did you hurt yourself?” Pang Qian cried out, “Aiya, it’s snowing a lot over there, so the roads are slippery. Be careful when you’re walking! Does it hurt?”

“I scraped my chin and twisted my foot a bit.”

“…” Pang Qian asked, “Gu Mingxi, have you been disfigured?!”

He burst out laughing. “I’m fine. It’s just a small scrape.”

“You can still laugh? Rub some Yunan Baiyao (medicine) on your foot. Don’t be lazy.” Pang Qian held her phone and asked, “Gu Mingxi, are you unhappy? This whole time, I keep feeling like you’re unhappy.”

He thought for a moment, then said, “Pang Pang, if I were to quit school right now and take the entrance exam again next year, would it be very strange?”

“Ah?!” This question was a lot crazier than a sprained foot. Pang Qian asked, “What’s wrong? Is someone bullying you? Are you unhappy with your studies? Or… You don’t like your major?”

She really understood him. Gu Mingxi said, “I don’t like this major. Moreover, it’s already been a semester but I haven’t made any friends. Every day is really boring. There’s not even anyone to talk to.”

He hesitated a moment, then said, “I really miss you. And everyone else.”

Pang Qian, “…”

“You still haven’t answered my question. Do you think I could take the entrance exam again next year?”

Pang Qian seriously pondered the question, and then said, “Gu Mingxi, although your idea looks to be kind of strange and seems a bit unrealistic, but if you really don’t like your major at all, then I support you. I listened to your suggestion to study at this financial institute, and I’m really happy to be here. I really like this major. Thank goodness I didn’t listen to my mom to study law, engineering, or English… So if you want to take the entrance exam again, I’ll definitely support you. And I’m sure you’ll be able to get a high score.”

“Pang Pang,” Gu Mingxi smiled. “If you encourage me like this, I’m really going to quit school.”

“Then quit! Come and be my school junior!” She laughed. “This school senior will make sure to take care of you!”

The two of them both laughed. Then Pang Qian said, “If you’re bored, you can call me. You know my schedule. As long as I’m not in class, you can call me whenever.”

“Won’t I bother you?”

“Gu Mingxi, what’s with your words?” Pang Qian pouted. “In this world, aside from my mom and dad, you’re the closest person I have.”

After he hung up the phone, Gu Mingxi felt that he was in a much better mood. He was about to warm up some food when his phone started ringing again.

He looked down and saw an unfamiliar number. Before, he used his right shoulder to hold up his phone, but this time he changed to his left shoulder. He answered the phone and a loud greeting passed to him.

“Gu Mingxi? Is it you? It’s Zhou Nanzhong!”

Gu Mingxi was surprised but also happy. “Zhou Nanzhong?”

“Crab just sent me your number. This kid… Even if you go to Z City, you have to keep in touch. Leaving without a sound, and none of us even got to treat you to a meal and send you off. You’re just going to college, but you made it out like you were going to disappear forever. That’s not right!”

Gu Mingxi felt all warm inside. “Right, I was wrong. When I get a chance, I’ll treat you guys to a meal.”

“How are you getting along at B University?”

“Alright. What about you? You’re at Wuhan, right?”

“Yeah, for civil engineering. I’ll be working on construction sites later!” Zhou Nanzhong laughed. “If you get the chance to come to Wuhan, give me a call. We spent three years as brothers. Don’t just cut off relations!”

Not long after Zhou Nanzhong hung up the phone, Wang Song called. He and Li Xiaoyan were both studying at Nanjing University. They were both enjoying the sweet campus student life.

“Gu Mingxi, you rotten kid! I spent three years working as a cow and horse for you, and then you just disappear to college!” Wang Song gnashed his teeth in anger. “Good thing Xiao Qian sent me your number. You’re really too heartless!”

Gu Mingxi already had no words.

Wang Song said, “Oh yeah, I have to remind you about something. I have a primary schoolmate named Sheng Feng. We keep in touch, and this kid’s in the same class as Xiao Qian. He keeps pestering me about whether Xiao Qian has a boyfriend. I just directly let him give up on the idea. Gu Mingxi, I can only do so much. Whether or not you can hold onto Xiao Qian is up to you!”

After Wang Song hung up, he got a call from Jiang Zhiya.

“Gu Mingxi! Hey! How are you? Crab sent me your number. I didn’t believe it was your number and thought she was tricking me!”

Jiang Zhiya got into Zhejiang University of Media and Arts for broadcasting, a future host and presenter. After she spoke a few words to Gu Mingxi, she couldn’t help from crying.

“Why aren’t you together with Crab?! You’re the worst! I’ll only allow you to be together with her. If you want to get together with another girl, I don’t agree to it!”

Gu Mingxi couldn’t help from laughing until his shoulders shook.

Just then another call came, but Gu Mingxi couldn’t cut off this call. When Jiang Zhiya finished talking, he moved the phone next to his foot and took care of his missed call.

It was Xiao Yujing.

“Wang Song gave me your number,” Xiao Yujing said. “Gu Mingxi, are you well?”

“Alright.” Gu Mingxi asked, “What about you? Is Peking University good?”

“It’s fine. I just had a meal with Wu Min the other day, since he’s at Beihang. You came up in our conversation.”

“What did you say?”

“We just wondered if you were doing well or not.” Xiao Yujing giggled. “No one had any news of you. When Wang Song told me he had your number, I immediately called. You’re not in class right now, right?”

“No.” Gu Mingxi felt very touched. Then he asked, “How are you and Xie Yi now?”

“There’s nothing much. Sometimes we chat online and send emails,” Xiao Yujing said. “We’re just friends. I won’t get together with him.”

“Are you leaving the country in the future?”

“Yeah, definitely,” she answered evenly.

He smiled and said, “Good for you.”

Later, Gu Mingxi also got a call from Jian Zhe. He was at E University, studying environmental science. He told Gu Mingxi that Liu Hanlin was at Ningbo. He was in class now, so he’d call afterwards.

Aside from these classmates, Gu Mingxi also received texts from a lot of people, from all across the country. Some of those people already felt like strangers to him. Some of them were people who he’d probably remember faces for but might not be able to recall their names. But their text messages were all directed happily to him.

>> Gu Mingxi, it’s Sun Mingfang. Do you remember me? Crab gave me your number. I heard you were at B University. That’s great. Jiayou! When you come back, we should all go out together. We’re junior classmates, but we haven’t had a reunion yet.

>> Gu Mingxi, it’s Hu Tianli. I know that you always wanted to beat me up because I stole Crab away for two years! Hahaha… I’m studying for the entrance exam again. I really envy you guys for being in college already. You don’t know how hard I have it now!

>> Gu Mingxi, it’s Wu Min. This is my number. Stay in touch. If you’re free, come visit us in Beijing. We’ll all play games together!

>> Xiao Gu, Xiao Gu, it’s Ge Xiaozhuang! It’s me, Clam! I can finally contact you! When are you coming back to E City? Oyster took Pearl back home and got married. Shark and Crab are both in Shanghai now, and you’ve gone to Z City. I’m the only one left here! It’s so boring!

…

The entire afternoon, Gu Mingxi sat on his bed with his back against the wall. Because he was on his phone for so long, it had heated up a lot. Finally it ran out of battery and shut off.

He was the only one home. He felt that this was the day he’d spoken the most after arriving in Z City. One after another, the voices of his past classmates rang in his ear, and the images of their faces flashed across his mind.

He would have his head bent over to the left and then to the right. Then he’d be pressing the phone buttons with a pen in his mouth. His neck ached, but he felt extremely happy inside.

Gu Mingxi plugged in his phone to charge it. He struggled to turn on the phone, and then he quickly sent Pang Qian a text.

>> Pang Pang, thank you.

She quickly replied, “Just remember to take me out for a meal.”