My Mister Ostrich

Part 4. My Heart, Like the Sea

93 | Tranquil Sea

At dinner, the other teachers each took chatting with Pang Qian. After she finished eating and had a bit of beer, she started talking more. And then, she started sharing the embarrassing moments from when Gu Mingxi was in school.
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“How old was he then? Let me think for a minute. Should have been about 8 years old, at most 9. We went to a park that had a pond, and the pond had carp in it. We bought some bread nearby and crumbled it to feed to the fish. Gu Mingxi played with us too. He took off his shoes and sat down on the edge of the pond. In the end, because there were so many of us, one of his shoes was accidentally tossed into the pond. No matter how much we tried, we couldn’t fish it back up. Hahahaha…”

Pang Qian’s face was flushed as she sat there laughing. She was leaning on Gu Mingxi’s shoulder, and he had an unpleasant expression on his face. Teacher Chen asked, “And then what?”

“And then he just kept playing with one bare foot. I remember that he even cut his foot on some rocks, right?” Pang Qian pouted and then kept on laughing. In front of all these people, she suddenly said, “Gu Mingxi, I apologize to you. To tell you the truth, I was the one who accidentally dropped your shoe into the pond. I was too scared to tell you back then. I’m really sorry.”

All the teachers burst out in laughter. Gu Mingxi nearly cried from all the laughing. He remembered that incident as well. After his shoe went into the water, Pang Qian had been extremely anxious. She’d sprawled down on ground by the pond with a stick in her hand, trying to fish back the shoe. At the time, he’d been especially touched.

Gu Mingxi clenched his teeth and looked at Pang Qian. “Pang Pang, come on then. Now you can tell me about all the unlucky things you did in the past that I don’t know about.”

And Pang Qian actually had a bit to say. “I drank your milk during the class breaks. Did you know? It’s because you didn’t look like you were going to drink it, and I was afraid it would go to waste. And then there was one time when we were fighting. I covered your shoes in chalk dust, but you said that it was probably one of the boys who did it. I wanted to tell the teacher about it, but you said forget it. I felt really embarrassed then. Then another time, you said that I lost several volumes of your comics and I said I didn’t remember it. Actually, I knew that I had them, but I didn’t know where I’d put them. My mom might have put it away somewhere, or maybe I just left it somewhere when I was carrying it around. In any case, I knew you wouldn’t get angry with me so I just pretended I didn’t know. Oh, there’s something else you should know. When we were deskmates, I would copy your homework when you weren’t paying attention. And when we were taking a test… I’d cheated off you before. It was mostly in primary school, and then a bit in junior high, and a bit more in high school… Hahaha…”

She leaned against Gu Mingxi’s shoulder, rambling on. The teachers had all quieted down and Gu Mingxi’s expression was calm, as if he’d returned to that carefree time of the past.

The troubles in his past didn’t seem worth mentioning now: It was hard to use scissors, so he was bad at crafts. When it was gym class, he could only run laps by himself, looking on with envy at the other boys playing basketball. No matter how well he could draw, he couldn’t go up to blackboard. He’d never been the class head or class representative. And because he was exempt from sports activities, he was unable to receive an Excellent Student Award. (Note: The term is literally “good student in three things,” referring to studies, athletics, and attitude.)

Gu Mingxi laughed, and then turned and kissed Pang Qian’s head. He said, “Miss Pang, leave me some face, won’t you?”

Pang Qian was joyous. She told everyone, “Then let me say something about how awesome you were. Hey, did you guys know that when Gu Mingxi was in high school, he was always ranked in the top five of the year after every exam? We were at a top high school too, with more than 400 students! Do you know how many points he got on his college entrance exam? 641 points! That’s 130 points more than I got!”

All the teachers were stunned. Gu Mingxi had been teaching for three years and he had the lowest pay of everyone else, because he only had a high school diploma. Everyone knew that he’d dropped out of college, but they didn’t know what his academic history was like before then.

Gu Mingxi said, “Pang Pang, you drank too much. What’s the point of talking about this stuff.”

Pang Qian sobered up a bit as she laughed. She said, “I just remembered some things from the past.”

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After they ate, everyone chatted for a bit before dispersing. Gu Mingxi had Pang Qian get her luggage, saying that he’d take her out to arrange for a place to stay.

“What for?” Pang Qian asked. “I can just stay here at your place.”

Gu Mingxi said calmly, “There’s not much space here, and Dou Dou stays here too. I’ll find somewhere else for you to stay at.”

Pang Qian stomped her feet. “I don’t want to! Dou Dou’s just a little kid. I can sleep on the floor, in the living room is fine. Why do you want me to stay somewhere else?!”

Gu Mingxi remained firm. “Let’s go, don’t dawdle there.”

Pang Qian originally thought she would definitely be staying at Gu Mingxi’s dorm. She was rather upset now. As she lifted up her luggage, she said, “You don’t have to come out. I can find a guesthouse on my own.”

Gu Mingxi crooked his head and looked at her. “What’s wrong, are you angry?”

Pang Qian ignored him.

Gu Mingxi said, “I just wanted you to be more comfortable.”

Pang Qian glared at him. “Is a guesthouse comfortable? I want to stay at your dorm!”

Gu Mingxi sighed. “I didn’t say I was taking you to a guesthouse.”

Pang Qian’s eyes widened. “Ah?”

They took a taxi and passed through the streets of Sanya until they reached the Sanya Bay area. It stopped in front of a the gates to a residential area.

Pang Qian took her luggage from the car and looked around curiously. This was a high class area. The houses glowed with a warm light in the nighttime. The scenery in the area was beautiful. There was even an outdoor swimming pool and some foreigners out for a swim.

The security was very strict there, but when the security officer at the gate saw Gu Mingxi, he smiled and opened the door. Pang Qian pulled her luggage in and followed Gu Mingxi into a high rise. They took the elevator to the 16th floor and got off. Gu Mingxi walked to one door and said, “The keys are in my pocket. Pang Pang, open the door.”

Pang Qian hesitatingly took out the keys from his pocket and then opened the door. She turned on the living room light and could immediately see the small house. It was decorated very warmly, with warm colors and simple furniture. The sliding door to the balcony wasn’t shut, so the night breeze blew in, causing the curtains to flutter.

Pang Qian left her luggage and curiously walked barefoot over to the sliding door. She looked out and saw the sea.

Against the night, the sea was tranquil and beautiful. The bright moon hung in the sky and the stars shimmered against the sky. The breeze blew in, causing Pang Qian’s hair to fly about chaotically and her skirt to dance around. She covered her mouth in awe as Gu Mingxi walked up behind her. With his chest to her back, he lowered his head, closed his eyes, and kissed her smooth shoulder.

“Do you like it?” he asked.

“…” Pang Qian turned around and grabbed his neck with both hands. She put her forehead against his and asked, “What’s going on here? Did you lie to me?”

He laughed lightly. “It’s true that I don’t have a car, that I don’t have a great job, that I don’t have a diploma, and that I don’t have arms. But… I have a small house and… A little, just a little, money.”

“Gu Mingxi!”

He didn’t give her the opportunity to pinch him or hit him, because he’d already started kissing her.

The scent of the sea filled the air, a bit salty and a bit tart.

But their kiss was sweet, a sentimental kiss. No more tears and no more hurt.

Gu Mingxi’s house was small. One bedroom, living room, kitchen, and a bathroom. Just 60 sqm. The house was like his dorm, very clean and tidy. But it felt much more like a house.

He brought Pang Qian to the bedroom. She saw two beds, one large and one small. The small one was only one meter wide, pushed against the wall. The sheets and pillows were covered in cartoons, and this was obviously Dou Dou’s bed. The large bed had blue sheets and blankets. At the head of the bed, there were a few books and a ‘help yourself’ back scratcher. It just shouted Gu Mingxi.

“When do you live here?” Pang Qian asked as she looked and poked around. Gu Mingxi said, “During winter and summer break, and also when there are long holidays. Sometimes I come back on the weekends too.”

“When did you buy the house?”

“At the end of 2007. I bought it when I got here.” Gu Mingxi glanced at her. “Shark came down to Sanya to invest in some property. He asked if I wanted to come, and when I came to take a look, I immediately liked it. Shark lent me some money and I had my own savings. The house is small so the price wasn’t that big. I payed half and mortgaged the other half. At the time, real estate was a lot cheaper than it is now.”

Pang Qian asked, “Is it still mortgaged now?”

Gu Mingxi nodded. “Mm, I haven’t repaid the bank yet, but I should be able to in about a year. I’ve already returned the money from Shark.”

Pang Qian was surprised. “You know how to earn money, huh!”

He didn’t say anything and just smiled.

Gu Mingxi pushed open the sliding closet door and sat down on the bed. He pulled out clean sheets and called Pang Qian, “I haven’t been here for two weeks. We should change the sheets, because there’s a lot of dust.”

Pang Qian picked up the blanket and giggled as she asked, “Are you staying here with me tonight?”

She spoke very directly and Gu Mingxi’s expression became a bit unnatural. “No, I have to go back. Dou Dou’s only 7 years old. How can I let him spend the night on his own?” He sat on the bed, pulling open the sheets with his legs. “Every time I come, Dou Dou helps me change it. Without him, it would waste a lot of time.”

Pang Qian pouted and then helped him change the bed sheets. Then Gu Mingxi went to the kitchen to boil a pot of water for her. The kettle was small so he could move it from the sink to the stove on one foot. He turned on the stove.

There was a tall chair in the kitchen, just a bit shorter than the counter. Pang Qian knew that it was easier for him to do things if he had a chair to sit in.

Actually, she hadn’t seen his unconventional way of working in a long time, but it didn’t feel at all unfamiliar. His particular image had already been deeply ingrained in her mind.

Pang Qian watched Gu Mingxi busying himself in the kitchen and was rather shocked. Present day Gu Mingxi was living so well on his own. Pang Qian suspected that even without Dou Dou, he’d been getting on just fine.

After the water started boiling, Gu Mingxi wanted to pour some out, but Pang Qian stopped him. “Let it cool down a bit. I want to drink cooled water.”

Gu Mingxi knew her intent and smiled as he said, “I won’t burn myself.”

“I said I don’t want to drink hot water.” She spoke playfully as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

“Okay.” Gu Mingxi looked around and then said, “The floor hasn’t been mopped and the furniture hasn’t been cleaned. Do you need me to tidy up a bit?”

“It’s okay, everything seems pretty clean.” Pang Qian pulled him over to the bed. The two of them sat next to each other. “Stop doing all this stuff. Come talk with me.”

“Talk about what?” His voice was gentle, still carrying E City’s accent. “Pang Pang, I have to head back soon. The other teachers have to rest too, so I can’t let them take care of Dou Dou for too long. Sometimes he’s a bit of a troublemaker.”

“Dou Dou, Dou Dou. Do you know how many times you’ve said Dou Dou?”

Pang Qian picked up a pillow and smashed it onto Gu Mingxi. He didn’t try to dodge it, but just watched her with a smile. “What’s wrong? Are you jealous of Dou Dou?”

“Hmph, I’m not just jealous of Dou Dou. There’s someone else I’m jealous over! I saw that Teacher Ji treats you pretty well.” Pang Pang’s voice dripped with sourness. “Gu Mingxi, you’re really involved in too many romances, you know!”

“Teacher Ji does help me a lot. She’s a female, so sometimes when I can’t deal with Dou Dou, I’ll ask for her help,” Gu Mingxi said evenly. “Teacher Ji came to teach in underdeveloped areas, and she’s only been here for a year. She was originally a white collar worker. We don’t have many teachers, but there are a lot of classes, so everyone is extremely tired after classes. A girl like her from faraway was able to persevere for an entire year. I don’t think it was an easy thing.”

Pang Qian was originally a bit jealous of Ji Xiu’er, but hearing what Gu Mingxi had to say, she knew that she’d been rather petty. After all, leaving life behind in a bustling city to come to such a remote place to teach, with an almost non-existent salary… That kind of courage alone was enough to be admired.

Gu Mingxi thought about what else Pang Qian might need. He went to the bathroom cabinet and took out a new toothbrush and towel. He said to her, “There are snacks in the cabinet if you want to eat them. There’s nothing hidden here (Note: Or maybe ‘locked here?’), so you can use whatever. If you need anything else, just call me. I won’t turn off my phone.” He stood in front of her, lowered his head and kissed her forehead. “Pang Pang, I have to go.”

“Tomorrow’s Sunday. I’ll head to the school to meet you, or do you want to come back here?” Pang Qian looked at him with a hurt expression. She said, “I want to talk to you, to listen to you tell me what’s been going on with you. I have a lot that I want to say to you too. One night won’t be enough.”

Gu Mingxi smiled as he looked at her. “I’ll arrange for one of the teachers to watch Dou Dou tomorrow, and then I’ll come over to hang out with you. Sanya has a lot of fun places to go to. But I have to work on a test paper and get ready for class at night.”

Pang Qian asked, “Will you have to pull an all-nighter?”

Gu Mingxi thought about it and said, “Probably. It’s almost time for the semester finals, and I haven’t done any of the work I needed to do this weekend.”

“Then you don’t have to come over. I’ll go find you. We’ll just spend a bit of time together. It doesn’t really matter what we do. And I really want to see what you look like when you’re preparing for class.” Pang Qian stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “Hurry back, but be careful. When you get back, give me a call.”

Gu Mingxi left the keys for Pang Qian. As he put on his shoes in front of the door, he took a look back at her. His gaze was gentle and pure, and there was a smile on his face. Pang Qian’s heart thumped. She took two steps forward and then leapt at him. She wrapped her arms around him and looked up at him. Gu Mingxi looked down, and then the two of them suddenly kissed.

Love really wasn’t something you needed lessons for. All that was needed was two hearts that would beat as one. Even Gu Mingxi and Pang Qian, these slowpokes in love, could enjoy the sweet taste of love on their own.

They stood next to the wall. Gu Mingxi pushed Pang Qian against the wall, his broad shoulders and tall body enveloping her, two young bodies tightly bound together. Their burning cheeks rubbed against each other, soft lips entangled, a familiar breath between their lips and teeth. Pang Qian’s heart was pounding. She missed the scent of Gu Mingxi’s body. Completely absorbed in the moment, her hands grabbed onto his back. And then she felt something strange under her abdomen.

Pang Qian was gutsy and also very curious. Her right hand moved lower and lower, until she touched that particular area.

Oh… The little bird had become a big bird, lightly and happily rubbing against her.

Pang Qian went in for a surprise attack and Gu Mingxi’s body stiffened. He closed his eyes and furrowed his brows, breathless as he released her lips. He bit at her ear, voice hoarse and in protest. “Pang Qian, where are you touching?”

“You’re the one who… touched me first!” Pang Qian wasn’t afraid of him and even made a small pinch through the fabric. It felt very strange, different to when she’d helped him pee. She boldly said, “What, it’s all mine anyway! I can’t touch it?”

“Pang Pang…”

Gu Mingxi’s face was completely red. He was a healthy man, but on this regard, he was both reserved and restrained. He opened his eyes to look at Pang Qian. She really couldn’t go against his warm and innocent eyes, so she guiltily moved her hand away.

Gu Mingxi straightened up awkwardly, secretly glancing down at that place on his body. His pants were loose and his shirt was long, so it wasn’t very obvious.

His body felt distressed, but at this moment, he could only keep enduring. He and Pang Qian were both adults and knew this was a very normal thing, but they’d just finally met after so long and neither of them were so unconstrained (by convention). They tacitly agreed not to mention this again.

Gu Mingxi’s voice was still low and hoarse. “Pang Pang, it’s late. I really have to go back.”

Pang Qian’s cheeks were flushed and rosy. “I’ll send you out to get a taxi.”

“Mm.”