Chapter 186
Chapter 186
"it is good."
A few seconds of silence followed. A cacophony of background noise came from the other end of the phone line—someone was shouting "How much is this?", someone was reciting a number, and there was the muffled sound of fabric being shaken open.
"mom."
"Um?"
"Are you occupied?"
"The stall is shipping out goods. It's okay, go ahead."
Lin Feng thought for a moment. "After my training camp ends, if I have some free time, I'll come visit you."
There was another pause on the other end of the phone.
Then her voice rang out, still that crisp, clear tone, but with a hint of something else: "Okay. Now that you're here, I'll take you to eat something good. Guangzhou has everything, much better than Beichuan."
After hanging up the phone, Lin Feng stood in front of the telephone and put the receiver back on the landline.
The lights in the corridor went out. He stood in the darkness for a while, and heard the sound of dishes being washed coming from the cafeteria kitchen in the distance. The dishes clattered together, like an out-of-tune melody.
He recalled the pause during the phone call earlier.
A second or two. Very short. But there was something in that pause that he couldn't quite describe—not anticipation, not surprise, but an indescribable feeling, like something was blocking his way.
He turned around and walked back to his dormitory.
At nine o'clock in the evening, Lin Feng made another phone call.
This call was to Cheng Yuxin.
The phone rang twice and was answered.
"Feed?"
"Sister Yuxin, it's me."
Cheng Yuxin's voice sounded a little sleepy, as if she had just stood up from the sofa. "Finished training?"
"Okay. I'm free tonight, I'll call you."
There was a rustling sound of pages turning on Cheng Yuxin's page. "I went to the post office today and mailed your reply. I also mailed the floppy disk to Liu Jian. And the sample copy of 'Computer Weekly' arrived; I put it on your desk."
"it is good."
There was a moment of silence.
"Lin Feng, you're talking differently today."
Lin Feng was taken aback. "How is it different?"
"I can't quite put my finger on it," Cheng Yuxin said, her voice lowering slightly. "It's just... a little softer than before. Before, you spoke like you were reciting a text, but today it sounds like you're having a chat."
Lin Feng held the microphone but didn't speak.
"Did you call your mom?" Cheng Yuxin suddenly asked.
How did you know?
"I'm just guessing. You always sound like this after you call your mom."
Lin Feng was silent for a few seconds. He didn't know what the original owner was like after each phone call. But Cheng Yuxin knew. She had seen it. She had lived with him—the original owner—for over a year, and she had seen him on the phone.
"Yes. I did."
"What did she say?"
"Let me go to Guangzhou during the summer vacation."
There was a moment of silence on Cheng Yuxin's side. Lin Feng could hear her breathing; it was very light, like a feather falling on cotton.
"Are you going?" she asked.
"It's not decided yet."
Cheng Yuxin didn't press the matter.
"Sister Yuxin."
"Um?"
"You said last time that you'd wait for me to get a haircut when I got back."
A very soft laugh came from the other end of the phone. "I meant you cut my hair."
"Oh. Right."
"You don't remember again."
"I remember. Next time I go back, I'll take you to the hair salon."
Cheng Yuxin paused for a moment. "Okay."
After hanging up the phone, Lin Feng stood in the corridor, looking at the moon outside the window.
The moon is almost full. July 15th—the 16th of the sixth lunar month—the moon is full. The moonlight shines on the old locust trees in the yard, making the leaves shine brightly, as if plated with silver. Summer insects chirp in the grass, one chirp after another, their voices not loud, but clearly audible in the quiet night.
There's training again tomorrow.
He turned around and walked back to his dormitory.
July 12th, morning.