Tears in Heaven

A few days later, Du Xiaosu was conducting a monograph on healthy habits and weight loss regimens of celebrities when she suddenly thought of Shao Zhenrong. She immediately contacted the hospital, tactfully requesting for a specialist to provide a detailed explanation on the topic of losing weight and staying healthy in order to criticize popular misconceptions about weight loss as well as thoroughly detail the effects of dieting on the nervous system in order to caution the ignorant people of the world against its impacts.1

The hospital was very supportive and receptive. “All right. We’ll have Deputy Director Lu of the neurology department write a short piece for you.”

Du Xiaosu felt quite dismal after hearing this. Who knew that neurology and neurosurgery were separate spheres of neuroscience? Her attempt had failed.2

Zou Siqi helped Du Xiaosu come up with ideas. “Why don’t you just register for a check-up? Ask for that handsome3 Shao Zhenrong to check you out.”

Du Xiaosu rolled her eyes in response. “Use your common sense. He’s a neurosurgeon. Unless I had a brain tumor or needed craniotomy, I wouldn’t ask for him. Regular patients don’t go to neurosurgeons. Stop cursing me.”

Zou Siqi let out an admiring gasp. “Just thinking about those white coats that doctors wear . . . it even sounds handsome . . . like the The White Tower!4 Oh, Du Xiaosu, you must get him! That way, he can introduce me to one of his handsome colleagues!”

“Wipe the drool off your chin,” retorted Du Xiaosu with disgust.

What really caught Du Xiaosu off guard was the phone call she received from Shao Zhenrong within the next few days. “Are you free tonight? May I ask you out to dinner?”

A sudden elation washed over her, causing the next words to tumble from her hurriedly, “I have time. I have time.”

Du Xiaosu thought she heard him chuckle at the other end of the line and found that she could picture his smile exactly, from his elegantly arched brows to his lightly upturned lips. It was just like the image that was currently displayed on her desktop. Switching the projection, she found that the following photos were also of him: following the professor while making rounds, clustered among a group of white-robed doctors, and more. He was still as eye-catching as ever in the crowd, perhaps because of his tall, straight-backed figure. In the moment he turned and caught sudden sight of her, his expression was at first one of surprise. As he lowered his eyes, they seemed to contain a flicker of a smile, rather like the initial melting of ice in springtime that reveals the blooming of the greenery.

The reservation was at a restaurant located near the hospital. He was waiting for her by the side of the road when she arrived. There was a note of apology in his voice as he said, “I hope it wasn’t too much of a bother for you come so far. I actually returned to the country at the beginning of the year. I’m more familiar with the areas surrounding the hospital. The dishes served here are great, so I wanted to invite you here to taste them.”

The restaurant served authentic local Shanghainese5 private house dishes6 in an old-fashioned bungalow.

The narrow stairs were dimly lit, but the waiter smiled gently and spoke softly. The music was lovely as well.

They were seated in a tiny box, perhaps one that had served as the house’s pavilion for a long time. Nevertheless, it had been remodeled quite well. Despite its small size, the space did not feel cramped. In fact, with two people dining, the atmosphere felt far more intimate.

Du Xiaosu devoured Aisha’s Signature Crab & Shrimp Cakes with relish. Meanwhile, Shao Zhenrong didn’t eat as much. Whenever Du Xiaosu was engrossed in eating, she would completely disregard7 everything else. It wasn’t until the last dessert—a complimentary jasmine tea pudding—was served that Du Xiaosu remembered that she had a question to ask him. As usual, she finished her food in a couple of bites before asking, “Right, why did you invite me out for dinner?”

The dainty jasmine flower tea pudding, nestled tremulously in the exquisite plating, resembled translucent amber under the glow of the lights. Gently pushing his plate of pudding toward her, he said, “Happy birthday!”

She sucked in her breath, then let out an “ah!” of pleasant surprise. After a moment’s pause, she smiled. “Even I forgot my birthday! How did you remember?”

“When you donated blood last time, you filled out your ID number on the form.”

He had even gotten her a present, one that came in a very large box. He had hidden the box beforehand. Now, he revealed the box and handed it to her. As it turned out, he had planned everything that had happened tonight.

She tore open the present to find that it was a soft and small piggy pillow, a tender shade of pink. The raised nose was absolutely adorable.

“It reminds me of you, so I got it for you,” he said with a grin.

Say what?

Nevertheless, she felt very happy. The present hadn’t been extravagant, but she really liked it.

After they finished their meal, he insisted on sending her home. He hadn’t driven his own car out, but they practically had to traverse half the district, so the two of them took the light rail. As it wasn’t rush hour, the car was virtually empty. They sat side by side. She cuddled the soft little pig and felt a warmth spreading within her. As someone who loved to talk, she was unusually quiet tonight, sitting placidly beside him. He didn’t speak much either.

When the light rail came to a halt and they exited to descend the escalator, he smoothly took her hand in his warm palm. She could hear the pounding of her own heart. He didn’t release her hand.

Her neighborhood wasn’t far from the metro station. The two of them strolled at a leisurely place. Still, just like all things, the walk eventually came to an end.

“We’re here,” she said as they entered the apartment complex.

Only then did he release her hand. With a soft smile, he said, “Go on. I’ll give you a call tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

“No matter how busy you are with work, you must remember to eat. If you’re too hungry or you go hungry too often, you’ll get a digestive disorder.”

“Hey, hey, Doctor Shao. How come you can’t speak three sentences without directing back to your profession?”

He began to laugh. “Wait for my call tomorrow,” he said to her.

Du Xiaosu couldn’t help but laugh along.  

“Xiaosu?” Someone called her name in the dimness. Du Xiaosu turned around. Once again, she was pleasantly surprised—this time by her parents. “Dad! Mom! Why’d you come?”

Mrs. Du contained her smile as she first appraised her daughter, then turned to appraise Shao Zhenrong. “Your dad was in the area for a meeting. I remembered that today is your birthday, so I came along.”

Du Xiaosu, who was still a child at heart, ran into her father’s arms and exclaimed, “Dad! You didn’t even give me a call first!”

Du Maokai laughed heartily as he hugged his daughter back and said, “If I had called, then it wouldn’t’ve been a surprise! Who would’ve thought that you weren’t even home? We’ve been waiting for you this whole time.” Her father’s eyes twinkled as he, too, appraised Shao Zhenrong.

Du Xiaosu appeared to be feeling somewhat awkward in front of her parents, acting very unlike her usual8 demeanor. “This is Shao Zhenrong. He sent me home.”

Du Xiaosu then introduced her parents to Shao Zhenrong. “This is my dad. This is my mom.”

Mrs. Du was all smiles as she said, “Let’s all head up. It’s awfully cold here. Shao9 Zhenrong, why don’t you have a cup of warm tea with us?”

Du Xiaosu felt embarrassed. What were the odds of bumping into her parents right after their very first date? They had hardly even exchanged more than eight words between themselves. Who knew what he would think of this situation?

“Thank you, Auntie,” Shao Zhenrong courteously agreed.

The four of them walked up the stairs.

Since Du Xiaosu rented her apartment, it was not particularly large. Even though it was slightly messy, it had a very cozy and comfortable feel to it.

As she headed to the kitchen to make tea, she heard her parents ask, “Shao Zhenrong, where do you work?”

Shao Zhenrong’s response was met with a “wow!” from Du Maokai.

“Your hospital’s neurosurgery department is considered the best in the nation. My former boss underwent surgery there. Young man, you are doing very well for yourself, you have a great future ahead of you.”

“I actually just started working at the hospital. Right now, I’m still shadowing a professor and continuing my studies. I still have a lot to learn,” said Shao Zhenrong.

Du Xiaosu was cheerfully serving the tea when her mother posed another question. “Shao Zhenrong, judging by your accent, you’re not from here?”

“Mom! Why do you sound like you’re checking his household10 registration?” Du Xiaosu rebuked.

Shao Zhenrong smiled earnestly. “It’s all right. Uncle and Auntie, I am indeed not from here. My parents live in Beijing. I studied at Fudan’s Medical School for my undergraduate degree, then studied in the UK at Edinburgh’s Medical School. After completing my master’s degree, I returned to the country at the beginning of the calendar year. I haven’t known Xiaosu for very long. In fact, today was the first time I officially asked her out on a formal date. I think she’s very cute. I’d like to respectfully request your permission to pursue her. I sincerely hope that you will approve of my relationship with Xiaosu.”

These remarks rendered Du Xiaosu stunned and speechless.

At last, Du Maokai released a jolly laugh and patted Shao Zhenrong on the shoulder. “Not bad, not bad, young man. Du Xiaosu is lucky to have encountered someone as amazing as you.”

Du Xiaosu’s mother smiled broadly as she said, “You know, our Du Xiaosu is not so hard to get. She’s very soft-hearted. With a little bit of effort as well as diligence and vigilance, she won’t be able to escape from you.”

Du Xiaosu wanted to sigh12 to the heavens. What kinds of parents did this? Only a few minutes had passed, yet they had already roped him in. Was Shao Zhenrong really such a handsome young talent?

“My parents are just trying to look out for me, which is why they acted that way,” Du Xiaosu said as she escorted Shao Zhenrong down the stairs.

Shao Zhenrong smiled. “I know. My mother is like that too. I think all parents in the world act that way.” He reached out to take her hand in his, paused for a moment, then said, “Xiaosu, I felt very happy tonight.”

Du Xiaosu’s cheeks flushed. She had always thought that she was thick-skinned and therefore unsusceptible to blushing, but perhaps because of the heat emanating from the palm of his hand like a small iron, she felt as his grip had the power to smooth out every delicate matter of the heart. At that moment, there were a lot of things she wished to say, but she didn’t know where to start. In the end, she simply said, “I did too.”

Upon returning to her apartment, she was met with matching grins from her parents. Feeling rather embarrassed, she began to act flighty. “Dad, mom, it seems as if the two of you are concerned that I won’t be able to make a match on my own at all. You even spoke on my behalf.”

Du Maokai’s attitude was one of utmost seriousness. “Xiaosu, this Shao Zhenrong is truly amazing. His profession and his education and all that are actually secondary concerns. What’s most important is that he is of solid and stable character.”

Du Xiaosu felt her heart soar but continued to express discomfort. “You were able to evaluate his character from such a brief encounter?” she purposely retorted.

“Well, of course,” said Du Maokai. “It is entirely possible to assess someone’s character just by examining the minutiae of the person’s many actions. Have I ever been mistaken? This young man was raised well. He is polite as well as sincere in his interactions. If you are really able to be in a relationship with him, consider yourself lucky.”

“You don’t think that badly of me, do you?” Du Xiaosu whispered.

Du Maokai squeezed her cheek and burst into laughter. “Of course, my daughter is not bad at all. Otherwise, why would Shao Zhenrong be so anxious to express his intentions to us on the spot?”

Du Maokai continued to have meetings in the area for the next two days. Du Xiaosu switched shifts with one of her colleagues in order to accompany her mother shopping. Shao Zhenrong rushed over after work as well to dine with Du Xiaosu’s parents.

He had always been a thoughtful person. He was very attentive to both Du Xiaosu and her mother. When he departed, even Du Xiaosu’s mother was very satisfied, saying to Du Xiaosu, “Now, your father and I can rest assured.”

“Mom!”

“You have such a stubborn temperament as well as fickle disposition. You were doing just fine before, yet you resigned and came all the way over here. In addition to that, being a reporter is not an easy occupation. Working alone and running all over the place—your father and I are always worrying about you.”

Du Xiaosu felt a shred of guilt as she recalled her own capricious resolve at the time. Softly, she murmured, “Mama.”

“The saying13 does go once bitten, twice shy. However, that Lin Xiangyuan was definitely not worth you giving up your job and coming here all alone. Nevertheless, you are still young, so it’s good that you experienced independence. Regardless, Dad and I will always support you,” Du Xiaosu’s mother said.

Du Xiaosu felt the backs of her eyelids burn with tears as she reached out to embrace her mother. Neither of them spoke for a long moment.

It was the first time in two years that her mother had brought up the topic of Lin Xiangyuan in front of her. She hadn’t expected herself to react in this almost indifferent way. She had thought that she still cared.

Back then, she had been young and thoughtless and arrogant, which was why she had decided to move so far away. Perhaps she had been in love with Lin Xiangyuan. After all, theirs had been a schoolyard romance beneath the shade of the sycamores along Shanghai’s French Concession. She sorrowfully remembered that boulevard and their youth. Yet, she may not have been in love with Lin Xiangyuan at all. Perhaps, instead, she had merely loved those pure and bright years.

After their split, she had arrived in this distant city all alone, choosing to work a job that was completely different from her major. Her initial intention was to avoid any further interaction with things past, hoping to have a chance to start over and wanting to see if she could break ground. Moving forward, she had gradually realized that being an entertainment reporter was very challenging. The occupation required resilience and hard work. As a result, she found that she had grown a lot as a person.

“You must be one of the most dedicated entertainment reporters out there,” Zou Siqi said. “You hardly ever get a chance to see Doctor Shao. If I had such a great boyfriend, I would’ve packed my bags and tied the knot as soon as possible.”

“He’s even busier than I am. That’s why we hardly ever get to see each other,” Du Xiaosu responded casually. “Not to mention the fact that I aspire14 to represent the nation’s entertainment reporting industry in showing the world that we are worth more than people think!”

It was one of those rare occasions when she was able to knock off early. However, that day, Shao Zhenrong still had to perform a surgery, so Du Xiaosu had plans to eat out with Zou Siqi.

Du Xiaosu was on her way to the restaurant when she received a call from Mo.

“Where are you?”

“I’ve already clocked out. I’m getting ready to eat.”

“What do you mean, you’ve already clocked out? Xianyang got tipped off that Xu You’s flight will arrive very soon at around six o’clock. Hurry over to the airport right now. We must get this exclusive.”

“What? Isn’t she with crew in Xi’an shooting outdoor scenes? How come she’s flying over here all of a sudden?”

“That’s why I’m telling you to head over and keep an eye out. There’s definitely something to be had from this.”

Hanging up, Du Xiaosu had no choice but to first give Zou Siqi a call. “Something came up. I have to go to the airport.”

Zou Siqi, who never let this kind of gossip slide, demanded, “Who is it?”

“Xu You, coming with neither word nor warning. Something is definitely up.” As Du Xiaosu spoke on the phone, she raised her wrist and glanced at her watch. “There’s no point in waiting for me. Why don’t we find another time?”

“It’s okay! No problem. I’ll wait for you. I want to hear fresh gossip. Hurry up, okay? Make haste for the sake of the nation’s entertainment reporting industry!” said Zou Siqi.

Du Xiaosu began to chuckle, then realized that she was about to run out of time. As it was the weekend, she was afraid that there would be heavy traffic. She took the subway first, then switched to the maglev. After all the rushing about, she finally made it to the airport just as the sky was beginning to darken.

Du Xiaosu promptly jogged all the way to the VIP terminal and made it just in time to see a graceful woman with a willowy figure exit. Walking alone and pulling a small suitcase, the woman wore large sunglasses and a silk scarf covered most of her face.

Du Xiaosu wasn’t entirely sure if this was indeed the celebrity she was looking for. These kinds of female stars were often very pompous, yet Xu You was not accompanied by a manager or an assistant. Her traveling solo was a rare sight to behold.

Du Xiaosu remained silent as she fished her phone out of her pocket, pretended to send a text message, lowered her head, and subtly swayed over.

The woman walked out of the airport without looking around at her surroundings. It was only then that Du Xiaosu noticed a silver-gray Jaguar parked in the driveway. The woman continued walking until she reached the car. As she stood by the side of the car, the driver disembarked to open the door for her. The woman finally removed her sunglasses and bent over at the waist, revealing a hint of a smile. Sighting this signature smile, Du Xiaosu was certain that it really was Xu You.

Upon seeing Xu You lean over to intimately kiss the man sitting in the backseat, Du Xiaosu frenziedly pressed the button. Although the image quality was probably not the best, Du Xiaosu couldn’t care about that at the moment.

As Xu You quickly got into the car, the chauffeur closed the door for her. The silver-gray Jaguar drove away ostentatiously.

Du Xiaosu considered hailing a taxi to tail the car. After thinking about it, she knew that she wouldn’t be able to catch up. Besides, she had already taken the photos, so with peace of mind, she packed up and went to meet Zou Siqi for dinner.

When Du Xiaosu arrived at the restaurant and saw Zou Siqi, she immediately felt pangs of hunger overtaking her. Zou Siqi had already ordered Du Xiaosu’s favorite iron plate fried sea melon seeds. Without another word, Du Xiaosu buried her head in the food and began to eat with relish.

“Hey, don’t exhibit self-destructive behaviors like this. Even if you didn’t manage to photograph Xu You, gossip is an everyday thing. You can never run out of opportunities for exclusive content,” said Zou Siqi.

“Who said I didn’t manage to take pictures?” Du Xiaosu spat out sea melon seed shells as mumbled around a mouthful of food, drawing her phone from her pocket and handing it to Zou Siqi.

“If you captured photos, why are you depressed?” said Zou Siqi.

The dish was so spicy that Du Xiaosu had to inhale rapidly before she could respond. “I’m not depressed. I’m hungry.”

Zou Siqi found it all very amusing. “I thought you were trying to channel your grief into appetite again.” After taking the phone from Du Xiaosu and adjusting the photo on the screen, Zou Siqi released a whistle. “Hot15 damn! Who is this man?”

Upon hearing Zou Siqi say this, Du Xiaosu craned her neck and glanced at the image projected on the phone screen. One of shots was captured very clearly: the better half of the person’s face had been photographed, as he had tilted his head slightly to talk to Xu You. His expression was not particularly intimate, nor did he bear a smiling countenance. His dark gray overcoat set off his striking brows, almost eye-catching16 in their coldness. Hot damn, indeed. She examined the image closely. “Why does this person look somewhat familiar?”

“Is he a celebrity as well?” Zou Siqi was full of spirited vigor when it came to these kinds of things. “A celebrity plus a movie star? This news is going to explode!”

Du Xiaosu looked at the photo for a long while before finally releasing a breath or relief. “Ah, no wonder I thought this person looked familiar! He resembles Shao Zhenrong.”

Zou Siqi chuckled merrily. “Other people look at their lover and see Xi Shi. Meanwhile, you see your lover everywhere. When you catch sight of a man with fine facial features, you think that person looks like your Doctor Shao.”

Du Xiaosu rolled her eyes at Zou Siqi. “I know you’re jealous.”

Zou Siqi exaggeratedly mimed clutching her heart. “Yes, I’m dying of jealousy.” Then, in all seriousness, Zou Siqi said, “You have to help me find out who this man is immediately. When the time is right, I must do everything in my power17 to have him, no matter the outcome, lest I spend every single day envying you.”

“Mo has an acquaintance who will help investigate the owner of the car. We’ll know who it is at that point,” said Du Xiaosu to Zou Siqi. “Well, this time I captured the exclusive content. After a few days, when I get my bonus, I’ll invite you out for dinner.”

Zou Siqi was studying the photo very carefully when she suddenly spoke. “It’s not that I want to put you down or anything, but I think your bonus might not be as imminent as you think. Who knows? This photo might end up getting ‘drowned out’ as well in the end.”

“Why do you say that?” Du Xiaosu was utterly at a loss.

Zou Siqi pointed at the overcoat in the photo. “Anne Valérie Hash is releasing the newest styles this season. Their clothing only comes custom-made. Men who wear this kind of garment are not only rich, but also must have the time and the refinement18 for fittings in Paris. This man is definitely either extremely wealthy or of a noble background.”

[1] 振聋发聩 — zhèn lóng fā kuì — a sound so loud that even the deaf are able to hear it — wake up call for the world

[2] 假公济私 — jiǎ gōng jì sī — an act of jobbery

[3] 帅哥 — handsome older brother — an attractive young man (or simply a friendly or familiar way of addressing someone as sir)

[4] 白色巨塔 — shiroi kyotô — the white tower — 白い巨塔

[5] 本帮菜 — běn bāng cài — shanghainese cuisine (benbang colloquially means the og gang here)

[6] 私房菜 — sī fáng cài — private home cuisine — shanghai daily

[7] 九霄云外 — jiǔ xiāo yún wài — a place that is very high up and very far away

[8] 张牙舞爪 — zhāng yá wǔ zhǎo — tooth & claw — wild conduct

[9] 小邵 — xiǎo shào — young shao — young man (little is often used before surnames to address younger acquaintances or subordinates)

[10] 户口 — hùkǒu — the system of household registration in mainland china

[11] 加油 — jiā yóu — add oil — ubiquitous expression of encouragement and support

[12] 仰天长叹 — yǎng tiān cháng tàn — to release a lengthy exhale of breath — to express despondency

[13] 一朝被蛇咬，十年怕井绳 — yī zhāo bèi shé yǎo, shí nián pà jǐng shéng — after getting bitten once by a snake, one spends ten years being afraid of ropes

[14] 奋斗终身 — fèn dòu zhōng shēn — a lifelong struggle — to dedicate a lifetime to a cause

[15] 好皮相 — hǎo pí xiàng — photogenic skin — attractive

[16] 冷峻夺目 — lěng jùn duó mù — cold & severe — seize gaze

[17] 奋不顾身 — fèn bù gù shēn — to move forward courageously (regardless of safety)

[18] 雅兴 — gāo yǎ de xìng zhì — elegant taste