That afternoon, I sat alone on a stool, while my uncle and aunt sat side by side on the sofa opposite me, asking me questions "seriously". Wanwan walked back and forth behind me helplessly, and finally pulled me up out of patience and said to his parents, "Aren't you going back?"
"Oh, go back, we'll go back now."
As the aunt spoke, she picked up the uncle in the same way.
Wanwan carried me to the side of the house, and my uncle was carried to the door by my aunt. Before opening the door, my uncle glanced at me, and I still haven't been able to interpret the complex emotions in his eyes.
Wanwan watched her parents enter the elevator before she breathed a sigh of relief and walked back home to start clearing the dishes on the table.
I wanted to help, but she pushed me back and looked up at me and said, "This is my home. I should do the housework. You are my guest. Go sit on the sofa and I will get you something to drink."
I sat back on the sofa and watched Yang Wan cooking in the kitchen.
She really wasn't very good at housework, and by the time she had finished all the dishes, it was already past seven in the evening.
She took out two cans of sparkling water from the refrigerator, handed me one, took off her apron, sat cross-legged on the carpet above the tea table, stretched, tied her hair into a ponytail again, then opened the can, raised her head and gulped down the water.
"I'm sorry."
She turned her head and smiled at me.
I looked down at her and was silent for a long time before asking, "Why?"
Wanwan turned around and said, "I am the kind of person who doesn't care about anything when I am busy. I can't cook and I can burn through the pot. My parents really want to find someone to take care of me, but this is not fair at all. No matter how good a boy is or how well he knows how to live, he also has his own career and emotions. Before I learn to get along with others, I don't want that person to suffer."
"I understand."
After hearing this, Yang Wan said in a low voice, "What do you know, Deng Ying?"
"I understand. I want to wait for Wanwan."
Wanwan seemed stunned and picked up the soda can but didn't drink it.
"Have I ever saved you before?"
"No."
"Then why do you say that?"
I pinched the can and said, "I like you, but I can't offend you."
Yang Wan was silent for a while, "Is this fair? Give me all the power of action."
I bent down slightly, trying to get closer to her, and answered her softly: "Don't worry, it's fair."
**
Yang Wan in the past and I now should understand that the emotional transformation between people takes time.
I have been with Wanwan for more than ten years in the past, but she has only known me for less than half a year now.
As Yang Wan said, this seems a bit unfair to me. Wan Wan six hundred years ago should have been like me now, carefully trying to keep a distance, to know the right measure, and not to self-righteously infringe on my life. Wan Wan, who lived in such a free and equal world and had such a happy family, was so exhausted living by my side. Only now can I feel the corner of her heart.
So, now the relationship is fair.
I'm here to pay off Wanwan's debt, and the only thing I hope Wanwan can do for me is to give me a chance.
Thankfully, she gave.
"You have my phone number, right?"
"Yang Lin gave it to me when I was in the hospital a while ago."
"Yes. My WeChat number is also that number. I'm usually in my advisor's research room instead of the school library. If you want to see me next time, don't go to the cafeteria."
I finally don't have to sit in the cafeteria.
However, Wanwan later went to attend a seminar in another place. Because the cooperating laboratory found that the parameters were missing, part of the project had to be stopped for resampling. I temporarily supported the secondary structure construction of a nearby project. The construction site of this project was near the house I rented, and there was a shuttle bus to the project, which solved the problem that I could not drive temporarily. But because they were rushing to meet the deadline at this stage, I became very busy.
Wanwan sent a message that night saying she would be back the next morning. I made arrangements with the general manager in advance and planned to leave early so that I could have dinner with Wanwan in the evening. However, I never expected that the next afternoon, on May 12, 2018, the construction site was piling materials. I was about to go to the third floor to check the rebars when the ground suddenly started to shake. The engineer below immediately shouted to me, "Engineer Deng, don't go up! Find a stable place to hold on to and stand firm!"
Then the building began to shake and the workers panicked.
"It's an earthquake, hold on tight!"
About twenty seconds later, the shaking of the stairs subsided. I and another project engineer immediately checked the walls and the ladder. During the secondary structure construction, the edge protection had been dismantled in order to plant reinforcement and pour concrete. After this earthquake, the wall ties of the scaffolding were almost loose. I shouted to the people below: "The wall ties are loose. You retreat first. We will bring the workers down immediately."
After going up and down the building and leaving the construction site, we realized how serious the earthquake was. Everyone outside was still in shock, mobile phone signals were cut off, and traffic was almost paralyzed. An engineer specializing in geology in the project team was discussing where the epicenter was. He said that he didn't know where the epicenter was, but judging by the situation here, it was probably above magnitude seven.
I stood on the roadside and tried to call Yang Wan, but the answer was still a busy tone.
The project started to activate the earthquake emergency plan, cut off power and water supply, check personnel, and relocate materials. I could not leave my post for the time being. By the time I received the notice to leave the project, it was already dark.
It started to rain on the road, most of the buses stopped running, and it was even harder to get a rental car.
I borrowed an umbrella from the construction site and walked home in the rain. When I reached the gate of the community, I saw many people standing in the bicycle shed outside the community to avoid the rain. Among them was a person with a white suitcase, squatting in the crowd, soaking wet. I hurried over to help her up.
"Wan Wan..."
Unexpectedly, when she saw me, her eyes suddenly turned red, "She said that there was a collapse at your construction site..."
"I didn't, don't believe the rumors."
Wanwan coughed and said, "I'm sorry, I don't understand, I just said nonsense..."
"No, no, don't panic, Wanwan, why are you here?"
Wanwan rubbed her eyes and said, "The airport express line encountered a road closure when it got here. I have nowhere to go, and I can't contact my brother and parents..."
I looked at her dripping hair and asked, "Is it very cold?"
Yang Wan scratched her hair and shook her head, "Okay, I can't take care of anything."
I picked up her suitcase and said, "Go to my place and change your clothes."
"I heard that you have more than enough..."
"Wanwan, my home is a high floor, it's okay."
**
Except for the crack in the bathtub, all other home appliances and furniture are intact.
The earthquake caused water and power outages, but fortunately the natural gas pipes were connected and the water pressure on the second floor was sufficient, so some water could be temporarily put in the faucet. I fetched some water, boiled it, gave Wanwan a bath, and turned to find a bath towel for her in the room.
Wanwan stood behind me silently, using the light of her cell phone to illuminate the way for me.
"Wanwan, leave your phone charged so I can see it."
"good."
She was still frightened, but became very obedient.
I found a set of my own pajamas and put them on the sofa, then went to the kitchen to fetch some water. I said to her, "These are new ones. I have never used them. Please take a shower here and change your clothes."
"Deng Ying..."
"Why?"
Yang Wan looked towards the bathroom. "It's too dark."
I paused as I carried the water, my heart suddenly softened. She had protected me for ten years and seemed to be afraid of nothing. But now I realized that she also had things she was afraid of.
"Don't worry, we'll light the candles."
I lit the candle and placed it on the water table.
Wanwan was standing at the bathroom door in a daze, holding a bath towel. I tentatively touched her head gently, and then she looked up at me.
"Go in."
“There won’t be another earthquake.”
I shook my head. "In theory, the aftershock won't be bigger than the previous one."
"Yeah." Wanwan nodded.
Then he walked into the bathroom wearing slippers.
I walked to the entrance to pull her luggage in, but suddenly I heard her calling me: "Deng Ying."
I quickly responded to her: "I'm here, what's the matter?"
She seemed to hesitate for a moment, "What are you doing?"
"Moving your boxes."
"oh."
"Can I open it? I'll help you find some clothes."
"So, it's on the first floor."
I squatted down and opened the box in the light of the bathroom, wanting to take her clothes, but I heard her calling my name again.
"Deng Ying."
"ah?"
"Where are you?"
"I'm right outside the bathroom."
"oh… "
She didn't say anything, so I stood up and walked to the bathroom door, "Wanwan, are you scared?"
She didn't respond at first, and after a long while she said "hmm".
I put the clothes on the hanger and said to her, "Then I'll sit at the bathroom door."
"I don't want you to sit by the door, I..."
"No, Wanwan, please talk to me."
Wanwan talked as much as before.
"Your project site is fine."
“I don’t know the details. We have to wait for the post-earthquake assessment.”
"Have you contacted your parents?"
"No."
"They are very anxious."
"I will contact them as soon as possible. You are a girl, and I can't contact you at night. Your uncle and aunt should be more anxious than my parents."
Yang Wan didn't say anything at the moment.
I avoided the shadow on the frosted glass of the bathroom and said to Yang Wan, "You sleep in my room tonight. I'll go change the bed later."
"What about you?"
"I'm not sleeping. I'm sitting on the sofa."
Yang Wan fell silent again.
"Or I'll go sit outside the door."
"Deng Ying."
"You can lock the door from the inside..."
"Deng Ying!"
She interrupted me with a loud voice, "This is your home, are you stupid?"
"I'm not stupid."
Wanwan's shadow fell beside my legs. "I want to make sure you are not afraid at all."
"Go sit in the living room."
"… "
"I'm done washing."