Best to Have Met You - Chapter 12.1

Chapter 12.1: The Most Pale Memories

Finally the winter vacation had arrived. Before returning home, An Ning went out with her roommates to have a great meal. Qiang Wei made the decision on which hot pot restaurant, but a lot more people tend to eat hot pot during winter. Hence, when they first went in, there was no table for them. Thus they waited, sitting on the sofa by the door. Next to them, were two Koreans who were  discussing about Chinese food, as well as which are the more authentic restaurants in X City.

Mao Mao cannot help but sympathized, “A country which has only pickled cabbage (kimchi) to eat is really pitiful ah, sim-nida (Korean term used by the Chinese to express ‘sarcasm’ and restricted only to informal chats).”

The outcome was the Koreans heard what Mao Mao said and one of them immediately used his not fluent Chinese to say proudly: “Our Korean kimchi is very well-known!”

When Mao Mao heard that, she immediately smiled, “Hehe, is this your first visit to China, sim-nida? (a polite verb ending in a formal setting between strangers, or when the speaker has a deferential status (such as being much younger or less experienced) with the hearer). Do you want me to recommend you a better quality and cheaper hot pot restaurant than this ah sim-nida?”

Zhao Yang and Qiang Wei were simmering with laughter. They reckoned the two Koreans did not understand what was spoken except sim-nida.

Surprisingly, that two people actually understood, “Where?”

Mao Mao stood up and gave directions enthusiastically, “After you go out from the door, turn left. After passing three traffic lights, turn left. Turn left again at the first intersection. Then walk past three more traffic lights and you will reach there. Only a little walking. No need to take a taxi, sim-nida!”

They deliberated for a short period of time. Unexpectedly, they really got up and left.

Qiang Wei and Zhao Yang simply could not believe their eyes.

“But this route seems a little ——”

An Ning heaved a sigh, “Going one round, back to square one here.” The only difference was the front and rear doors.

Only Mao Mao smiled proudly of her success, “When they come back, we ought to have finished eating. On our home turf, they still dare to be arrogant. Haha, I am truly patriotic ah sim-nida!”

On that day, except Mao Mao, the other three people ate a lot faster than usual.

An Ning will be returning home in the afternoon and Mo Ting came to pick her up. The moment he saw her, he asked: “Not feeling well?”

Meow Meow was clutching her stomach, but she cannot say she has overeaten, “The stomach is a little painful.” He has taken the luggage from her, “I have medicine in my car, so eat some when you get into the car.”

An Ning was amazed by leader Xu’s thoroughness, so she cannot help but blurted out: “You can’t be carrying the  entire medicine box with you all the time?”

Xu Mo Ting looked at her, “It is really needed in the future.”

On this side, Mao Mao and Qiang Wei were dragging big and small bags out (Zhao Yang will remain in the university during the vacation to study hard. Apparently, she has to study until Chinese New Year’s Eve before returning home == !). They have no expression but gave a flattering smile to Xu Mo Ting, “Brother-in-law, sorry to trouble you to give us a lift ah.”

An Ning had already asked leader Xu beforehand to give Qiang Wei and Mao Mao a lift to the train station because it has always been very difficult to get a taxi during the holiday season.

Xu Mo Ting helped them to put their luggage into the boot of the car. Mao Mao lowered her voice and mysteriously asked An Ning , “Meow Meow, are both of you living together yet?”

An Ning was shocked, “Don’t talk nonsense!”

On the contrary, Mao Mao was frightened by her reaction. She felt grievance and said: “No is fine, why so fierce?”

Mo Ting came back from putting the luggage, “An Ning, don’t bully people.”

“……”

After An Ning swallowed two si dashu (斯达舒 – Chinese brand medicine for stomach problem) pills in the car, her head also became painful.

“Brother-in-law ah, when I saw Meow Meow for the first time, she also bullied me——” If she did not seize the opportunity to complain now, when will she have to wait until? Mao Mao began to tell her sob story, “Do you think it has been easy for me to be admitted to X University?! I came over envisioning a beautiful future and with a healthy state of mind. The outcome was before I’ve even entered the dormitory door, Meow Meow had already come up and asked me, can get in?”

Can get in ……

“Am I that fat!?”

An Ning was really innocent. At that time, she saw the new roommate was carrying plenty of things so she only wanted to help her. She definitely did not intend it as a personal attack.

Xu Mo Ting who was driving, heaved a sigh softly and said in a matter-of-fact voice: “She is a little too much.”

An Ning was silent, looked at the blue sky and muttered, “Since time immemorial, one who accomplishes great achievements not only possesses outstanding abilities but also must have an indomitable spirit.”

Mo Ting was smiling, glanced at her and started to say: “An Ning, can you please help me to change the disc?”

Although An Ning was struggling, she still very obediently opened the storage component. There were four or five discs inside. She was about to ask him what kind of song would he like to hear. At the same time, she thought why did she always have to listen and obey his command. Thus, she made the decision to put an English disc into the CD drive.

The moment, an English song was being played, Qiang Wei inevitably felt miserable, “Suddenly I remember I still have not passed my English level six exam.”

Mao Mao’s heart also felt distressed, “I don’t understand why science stream student like us still have to pass English level six exam. Hey, I remember the first time I copied An Ning’s answer in CET4 (College Exam Test 4). After I came out from the exam hall, I only found out, it was divided into paper A and paper B.”

“…… I remember I seemed to have hinted to you that you cannot copy everything word-for-word.”

Mao Mao shot a glance at her, “At that time, you were asleep, okay! After finished doing the exam, you leaned forward and felt asleep at the desk. You just waved at me which I was under the impression that it meant ‘can copy ah'”

An Ning felt if they continue to chat like this, all the humiliating things in their dormitory will also be exposed.

Then Mao Mao was smiling when she asked: “Brother-in-law, do you feel a bit bored listening to our chat ah?”

Xu Mo Ting smiled, “No, very interesting.”

Very interesting …… At this moment, An Ning can be very certain that leader Xu liked to see her …… embarrassed.

After arriving at the station, Xu Mo Ting helped the two girls to take down their luggage from the boot of the car. When Qiang Wei and Mao Mao took the luggage from him, they thanked him over and over again.

An Ning asked: “Do you want us to send you inside?”

“Don’t need to send, no need to send. Go back la, brother-in-law.” Mao Mao.

“See you next year ah, brother-in-law.” Qiang Wei.

“……” An Ning.

Indeed movie is like life.

When the car moved forward again, Mo Ting looked at her from the rearview mirror, “Where to go?”

An Ning looked up with resentment: “Go home.”

Xu Mo Ting clearly has a smiling expression in his eyes. He took out a dark blue member card from his pocket and handed it to her, “Take it.”

An Ning took it. The card design is very simple, only has XX Club Platinum Card marked on top of the card, “What for?”

“A date.”

An Ning was puzzled. Xu Mo Ting said slowly: “An Ning, we cannot be separated for the whole winter vacation, right?”

Huh, An Ning momentarily did not realise there was something wrong with the wording of his question. What did he mean by ‘cannot’?

Whereas Xu Mo Ting had already stopped the car at the parking lane. He turned around to look at her. His gaze was more ardent than usual, making An Ning’s heart beating faster, “Why did you stop the car?”

He laughed, “I don’t want to continue driving.”

Was he acting shamelessly again?! An Ning glared at him and lost her composure momentarily (it was actually a confrontation). Then he leaned over and touched her lips. Li An Ning easily succumbed.

“An Ning, I’m sorry but my sense of security is comparatively lacking, so you have to say something to make me feel at ease.”

Throughout the whole journey home, An Ning had been thinking about what was her reply in her muddled state just now? However no matter what she had said, she must go back to G city to celebrate Chinese New Year.

Seem like, a little reluctant to part.

After arriving downstairs of her house, Meow Meow sat in the car for a while, “I am going up now.”

Xu Mo Ting heaved a sigh. An Ning was unclear if there was a hint of helplessness on his handsome face.

“I’ll inform you exactly which day we are going to meet up.”

She obediently nodded.

Whether he was being selfish or something else, Xu Mo Ting did not want to make any mistake this time round. But there was still some things that were really hard to endure.

An Ning was hesitant to ask: “Do you want to go up to meet my mother?”

Mo Ting’s eyes flicked slightly and he smiled: “No, a more formal meeting next time.”

An Ning did not realize she had easily appeased his bad mood just now.

When the car was being driven out of the gate, An Ning took that card out of her pocket and looked at it again. Then she carefully put it away into her wallet.

Mama Li knocked on her daughter’s room door and entered the room.

“Why are you lying on the bed, the moment you arrived home?” Sitting at the edge of the bed, while talking, she swept her daughter’s long hair to the side of the ear, “We’ll have dinner with your first and second aunts tonight, okay?”

An Ning naturally turned over and hugged her mother’s waist, “Mama. Mama.”

“What’s up, my girl?” Mama Li smiled and pinched her cheek, “Aiya, you are still acting coquettishly. Okay, take a rest first. Later, when you meet your cousin sister during dinner, both of you will have plenty to talk about.”

On that night, in a well-known restaurant in X city.

A charming and graceful …… woman ran over in slow motion shots, “Little cousin sister!”

“Elder cousin sister ……”

“Your attitude is too cool!”

“After all, we have not seen each other for half a year so a little unfamiliar.”

“Haven’t the two of us been contacting each other often under cover?” After waiting for a while, “Why did you stop talking?”

“…… Cousin, the weight of your chest is suffocating me.”

“……”

Elder aunt shook her head and smiled: “Stop goofing around, how old are both of you? Quickly go and order the dishes. Later, you can chat at the dining table.”

The two cousins looked at each other and burst out laughing. When they were eating dinner, the elders habitually asked the two  people about study, work and dating status.

Cousin said, “In this day and age, that thing called ‘romantic love,’ there’s not much romance and the love is empty, too. All that’s left is “ri” [slang: “ri” means “H” i.e. yellow] that’s real and reliable.

At first, a few elders did not really understand until second aunt started to laugh out. Then she immediately criticised seriously: “Why a little girl like you does not follow good examples?!”

An Ning thought her life was really not lacking in bright color in all aspects.

“How about Ning Ning? Do you have a boyfriend yet? If not, do you want me to introduce one to you? Look everywhere, ah. If no good, we can withdraw.”

Mama Li was smiling when she started to talk: “Ning Ning already got! (有了 can also be interpreted as got baby)”

“……” Mom, this tone of voice sounded very much like …… already pregnant!

Consequently, An Ning was questioned on the identity of the man, where is his hometown, field of study, occupation status and family background ……

An Ning replied: “They are from the same university, his hometown is in this city, is studying in the Faculty of Foreign Studies, is already working and not very clear about his family ……”

Elder aunt said: “Bring him here and let us have a look next time. If he is no good, we’ll immediately change for you?!”

“Okay.” A little guilty ah.

Cousin: “Oh, mother, why you sound more and more like a female brothel keeper?”

Elder aunt did not to know whether to laugh or cry, “You kids, after all, I am doing all these for you ——”

Cousin: “Stop! I can recite from memory all your selfless dedication theory entirely for the next generation.”

As a result, both mother and daughter habitually bickered noisily for a while.

An Ning thought her older female cousin has a strong sense of justice.

Then shortly after they went out of the restaurant that night, the two cousins said that they wanted to go for a walk to chat about old times. The older female cousin patted the younger female cousin on the shoulder: “Very good, stole a man behind my back! Be honest and tell me the truth.”

==!

An Ning said in a calm and collected manner: “Precisely a clever person may become the victim of her own ingenuity.”

“……” The older female cousin felt that the younger female cousin’s capability seemed to have been honed to a higher level.