Chapter Ninety-Six: Who Am I to You?

Song Mingcheng watched her cry with unruffled calm, patting her shoulder to comfort her. “Why didn’t you say so sooner? I always thought you were doing well. Don’t cry. Since it has already happened, we have to look on the bright side. As for time travel, I lean more toward the parallel-universe theory: in every different span of time, there is a different version of ourselves. According to the law of conservation of matter, if our souls from fifteen years in the future came back, then perhaps our souls from fifteen years ago have already gone into our bodies fifteen years ahead. Think about it: the moment you go back, you already have a house, a child, and a husband. You will never again have to suffer the hardships of the past. Your mother-in-law has already been taught a lesson and would never dare bully you anymore. You won’t know what happened before, so you won’t grow cold toward them. You’ll still be as cheerful and innocent as you are now, and your mother-in-law, seeing you smiling every day, will surely be flattered and treat you even better. Xu Cheng won’t have to face your temper every single day, and your daughter will have a mother who loves to play and make a fuss just as much as she does; she’ll surely be delighted too. And as for the present you, you’ve been given a chance to start over. Isn’t that the best of both worlds?”

Hearing him say that, Dong Yanyan immediately felt her heart ease. “Really? Then that’s wonderful! These days, whenever I think of Lulu, I feel awful. I keep feeling like I’ve wronged her. But now that I think about it, what you said makes sense too. Still, what about you? Fifteen years ago, you won’t have any social experience at all. Won’t you have trouble handling your work? Won’t you lose your job?”

Song Mingcheng laughed. “It’s rare for you to worry about me. Don’t worry, I learn fast; those things are nothing to me. Let’s think about the present instead. What are your plans?”

“I’ve been thinking about this: if parallel worlds really exist, then doesn’t that mean even if we change certain things, it won’t affect the history of another world?” Dong Yanyan asked very seriously.

“Theoretically, yes. Besides, even if we could change history, we’d probably only be able to change the things around us. Think about it: even if we knew the future, we still couldn’t stop America from invading Iraq,” Song Mingcheng said with a smile. “But I think it’s better if only the two of us know about this. If other people find out that we’re not like ordinary folks, trouble will only multiply.”

“True enough.” Dong Yanyan smiled as well. “Then let’s just take things as they come. What are your plans now?”

“I’m helping Teacher Guo with local networks and hotel surveillance systems. He gives me a commission for every job I finish. I’m planning to go independent once I’ve built up enough contacts and capital. My goal is to turn myself into a promising young man with a successful career within ten years! With our experience and our knowledge of the next fifteen years, there are so many things we can do. Making money really isn’t the problem; the problem is to spread out in every direction with a plan. When the time comes, we’ll send Lulu to the best school, let her live in the best house, ride in the best car, eat at the best restaurants, and hire the best teachers. We’ll make sure she starts life at a point no one else can even reach. What do you think?”

It was the first time Dong Yanyan had seen Song Mingcheng so animated. It seemed he was still very optimistic about the future. Then again, if one had such outrageous advantages and still failed to make a life for oneself, that would truly be a betrayal of heaven’s arrangement.

...

After Dong Yanyan and Song Mingcheng ran off, the class buzzed with discussion for a while, then the others went back to singing. Tiantian was fiddling with the new portable cassette player He Jingxuan had bought her in the back row. Having a boyfriend really was nice: she had only mentioned it casually in the afternoon, and he had gone and bought her an identical one. He Jingxuan sat beside her as if no one else were there, one arm draped over the back of her chair. The two of them shared a pair of earphones, leaning head to head as they listened to music.

The back door of the classroom opened quietly, and Ren Jiaxuan came in. He knocked her lightly on the head and asked, “Tiantian, where did Yanyan go?”

“Huh? Her?” Tiantian stood up, pulled him into the hallway, and closed the door behind her. Frowning, she said, “Brother Ren, you’re asking about Yanyan? She left with Song Mingcheng just now. The two of them were singing in the classroom, and halfway through they both started crying, then they both ran out. They still haven’t come back.”

“Huh? Then where are they now?” Ren Jiaxuan asked.

Tiantian shook her head. “I don’t know. Brother Ren, I’m only telling you because I don’t treat you like an outsider, so don’t tell on me.”

“What’s the big deal? Go on back,” Ren Jiaxuan said with a careless smile.

Tiantian agreed and returned to the classroom. Lin Feng saw her go in, hesitated for a moment, then came over and asked, “Tiantian, did I just see Ren Jiaxuan?”

Tiantian nodded. “He came looking for Sister Wu. I told him she left with Song Mingcheng.”

Lin Feng’s expression changed at once. He pushed open the door and ran outside.

In the laboratory, Dong Yanyan leaned by the window, smiling as she listened to Song Mingcheng boast. It was truly astonishing that even someone so naturally easygoing could brag with such skill. When he finally exhausted himself, she realized that other people could take on a job and make at least several hundred or even a thousand yuan each time, whereas she was still earning only a few hundred yuan a month. Compared with him, she felt rather ashamed.

“Each of your jobs is at least worth a thousand yuan, so why do you still go through all that trouble delivering newspapers with me every day? Compared with you, I’m practically useless,” she said a little gloomily.

“If you like it, it counts as exercise. Besides, men and women are naturally different. Men think about careers; women think about love. Look at you these past few months—you’ve done nothing but fall in love. Fortunately you even caught Ren Jiaxuan. Hey, are you serious about him? Are you so sure his parents can give your child a better environment? And I’m not just talking about education—you know what I mean. In families like his, the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law is even harder to deal with,” Song Mingcheng said.

Dong Yanyan laughed it off. “I’m only seventeen. Why should I be thinking about mother-in-law and daughter-in-law issues? What I need now is to enjoy the pure, untainted love that comes with my age! I like him because he fits every fantasy I’ve ever had about a man—young, handsome, distinctive, and good at making people happy. I’d long since decided that while I’m still young, I’m going to enjoy a few beautiful men and try every type. Besides, he delivered himself right to my door. If I don’t take the chance to have some fun with him, that would be a criminal waste of nature’s bounty. As they say, if you don’t take advantage of a bargain, you’re a fool. Anyway, he’s so handsome that no matter what, I’m not the one losing out.”

As she spoke, she grew more and more excited.

The more Song Mingcheng listened, the colder he felt. Drawing in a breath as if from a toothache, he said mournfully, “Women who have already given birth are ruthless indeed. If he falls into the hands of an old woman like you in her thirties, I’ll be worried for him.”

Dong Yanyan glared at him in annoyance. “Old woman? You’re a year older than me, all right? Old man!”

Song Mingcheng lifted his chin with regal arrogance. “For a man, age is not a problem.”

Dong Yanyan smiled mischievously. “For me, the age problem is already solved! The next step is to realize my dreams. I’ve thought it all through: I’m going to save money and get into college, then study while making money. I don’t need to earn a fortune; it’s enough if I can live steadily, quietly, and elegantly. My biggest dream is to have my own little shop by the sea, where I can face the ocean every day as spring blossoms all around me. In my free time, I’ll brew a cup of clear tea and type quietly in front of the computer, occasionally lifting my head to watch the tides rise and fall outside the window. Then I’ll grow old gracefully like that. Just thinking about it makes me long for it.”

Song Mingcheng looked at the bright gleam in her eyes and could not help but feel a yearning of his own. “I think both of our dreams will come true.”

Dong Yanyan nodded. “Mm. I’ve thought it through already. The food and beverage industry makes money the fastest. In winter business is slow, so when spring comes and everything starts blooming again, I’ll rent a storefront and open a porridge shop. The investment is small and the profit is big. First I’ll save enough for college tuition, and then we’ll see. Bread will be there, dreams will be there, everything will be there. By then, I’ll even find you a wife, and then everything will be perfect. A man still ought to have a home.”

The moment she said that, Song Mingcheng’s face immediately lengthened. In great impatience he said, “Save your breath. Would you even want the wife I found for you if I gave her to you?”

“Hey, watch how you talk! You haven’t even gotten rich yet and your face has already changed. I’m telling you, my cherished Xingran wouldn’t even look at you. I’ve already found her someone better.” Dong Yanyan gave him a sly grin.

Song Mingcheng could not help laughing. “Thanks. As long as it isn’t me, that’s fine.” He looked greatly relieved.

Dong Yanyan was just about to snap back at him when a loud crash sounded and the door was kicked open. Ren Jiaxuan appeared in the doorway in a fit of rage, pointing at Song Mingcheng and shouting, “Song Mingcheng, get out here! You dare lay a hand on my girl, do you?”

Dong Yanyan was so frightened her heart began pounding wildly. She turned to look at Song Mingcheng, her face screwed up in alarm. “Your ten-year-old little kid can be handled... but him... can he be handled?”

“How am I supposed to handle—” Song Mingcheng had barely begun when Ren Jiaxuan lunged at him and seized him by the collar. If Song Mingcheng had not reacted quickly enough to grab his wrist, he would already have taken a punch to the face.

“You’d better understand this clearly! What exactly were you two doing, sneaking out here in the middle of the night?!” Ren Jiaxuan shouted, glaring.

Song Mingcheng smiled faintly. “I said we were here to catch up. Do you believe me?”

Ren Jiaxuan kicked at him. Song Mingcheng dodged sideways, and as his hand loosened, Ren Jiaxuan took the chance to shove him down onto the nearby table and raised his fist to strike.

“If he’s going to hit me, then I’m allowed to hit back! Look after my seventh uncle!” Song Mingcheng sprang to his feet like a leaping carp, facing Ren Jiaxuan head-on. At the same time he caught Ren Jiaxuan’s wrist and twisted hard. In one swift, clean motion, he brought Ren Jiaxuan’s right arm behind his back, and their positions were instantly reversed.

Seeing that Ren Jiaxuan was about to be at a disadvantage, Dong Yanyan jumped up and shouted, “Let him go! How dare you lay a hand on my man!”

“You have to promise he won’t hit me,” Song Mingcheng said with a laugh.

“I’ll beat you to death!” Ren Jiaxuan yelled in fury. Dong Yanyan hurried over, pried Song Mingcheng’s hand open, and pulled him up. Ren Jiaxuan glared at them, his face dark with anger.

“If you wanted to fight, why didn’t you bring a few more people? This guy has trained in sanda; the two of us together still couldn’t beat him,” Dong Yanyan chided him. “The two of us just suddenly realized we used to know each other, so we came up here to catch up. That’s really all there is to it.”

Song Mingcheng nodded eagerly. “Right, right. We’re just... childhood sweethearts.”