The Lonely Whale
Kaiwen
Author: Han Yan
Published from Jinjiang Literature City
—
At 5 pm, the written test was over and Zhan Xi left the examination room amidst the crowd.
She had no hope for the national exam in the first place, and after taking it she felt that there was no hope. Her only worry was that she would have to endure her mother's endless nagging again.
Chi Guilan dreams of her daughter passing the civil service exam and getting a job. She believes that girls should have a stable and respectable job. It will be more prestigious if she tells others about it, and it will be more conducive to her finding a good partner, even though she doesn't even know what unit and position the girl is in.
"As long as they are civil servants, they are good!" Chi Guilan always said this.
There were many people and cars at the entrance of the examination room. Zhan Xi planned to take the subway home. When he was standing at the intersection waiting for the green light, a hesitant voice sounded in his ears: "Zhan... Xi?"
Zhan Xi turned around and saw a chubby young man with a girl. They were arm in arm, obviously a couple.
"Zhanxi? Is it really you?" The man seemed very surprised. "I'm Huang Wei. Don't you remember me? We were classmates in high school."
“Ah…” Zhan Xi opened her mouth slightly. To be honest, she really didn’t remember. Her three years in high school were not happy. Not to mention male classmates, she didn’t even have any good female classmates. After graduation, she had no contact with anyone in her class.
"It's been many years since we last met! You're still the same. I thought it was you from a distance just now. Hey, this is my girlfriend." Huang Wei pointed at the girl next to him with a happy look on his face.
Zhan Xi nodded and said, "Hello."
Huang Wei was very familiar with the man. He took out his business card from his pocket and handed it to Zhan Xi. "I'm working in a car dealership now, selling cars. If you need anything, you can contact me."
Zhan Xi took the business card. At this time, the green light came on. The three of them followed the flow of people to cross the road. Huang Wei asked, "Are you taking the exam today as well?"
"Yeah." Zhan Xi smiled, "I just came to join in the fun."
Huang Wei said, "I'm almost there too, I'm just trying my luck. By the way, why didn't you come to the class reunion last year? Many of my classmates missed you." He then explained to his girlfriend, "Zhanxi was the most beautiful girl in our class! I wonder how many male classmates liked her."
"I just happened to have something to do that day." Zhan Xi was embarrassed. She had an exam that day and the weather was cold, so she wore a very thick down jacket and did not put on any makeup. It was really awkward to be introduced like this by an unfamiliar old classmate.
Huang Wei's girlfriend looked at her curiously and asked Huang Wei: "Are you one of them?"
“Ahahahaha… look at what you said.” Huang Wei laughed. Zhan Xi didn’t want to talk anymore. He turned around to look at the subway station and lied, “I have to go. I have a dinner date tonight.”
"Boyfriend?" Huang Wei laughed. "Come on, add me on WeChat. You must come to the next class reunion!"
Zhan Xi had no choice but to add him on WeChat. Huang Wei said nothing more and left hand in hand with his girlfriend. Zhan Xi also walked towards the subway station. After walking a dozen meters, he turned his head back for some reason and found that Huang Wei was talking to his girlfriend, and the girl happened to look back at him.
When their eyes met, they were both stunned, then turned their heads away, pretending nothing had happened.
Zhan Xi knew what Huang Wei would say to his girlfriend.
As she walked, she set her circle of friends to "invisible to the other party", thinking that in a few days, she could delete Huang Wei without anyone noticing. Such an encounter was meaningless to her.
It was the end of November, and Qiantang had just entered winter. In the evening, the temperature dropped significantly compared to the daytime. Zhan Xi quickened his pace, wanting to get into the warm subway station as soon as possible.
Her birthday is also in November, and she just celebrated her 23rd birthday not long ago.
November 11th is a particularly easy to remember date and is celebrated by everyone, whether it is because of Singles’ Day or the online shopping spree.
But Zhanxi doesn't like the number "11".
When she was in high school, the boys gave her a nickname, eleven girl.
Eleven is equal to 11, 11 is equal to 5+6, and 56 is pronounced as boring.
Eleven girl means - a boring girl.
Huang Wei was right. Zhan Xi was indeed very pretty, with a small face, big eyes, fair complexion and a slim figure. However, she was not a heartthrob. Once the boys had a little more contact with her, they would find that she was actually a very dull and boring person.
Zhanxi has no special talents, no arts, no art, no sports, nothing. She has no hobbies either, and is easygoing and introverted, reading all day long.
But she still often received love letters and confessions of love. Because of this, Chi Guilan rushed to the school several times to complain to the class teacher, waving the colorful letter paper she had searched out of Zhan Xi's schoolbag, and clamoring to settle the score with the other party's parents.
Such a reaction is considered exaggerated in high school. As a result, Zhan Xi did not feel comfortable in the class. Everyone knew that she had a very weird mother.
Zhan Xi went down the escalator and entered the subway station. Because the exam had just ended, there were many pedestrians walking in the passage.
She walked hurriedly, constantly brushing shoulders with people. Suddenly, there was a commotion ahead, and two subway station security guards came running over, wearing uniforms and waving batons, shouting as they ran:
"That man! The one in black! Stop!"
"I'm calling you! Stop! Do you hear me?"
Zhan Xi had the same reaction as the people around her. They quickly moved to the side to make way. Looking back, the crowd was all stunned. Only a tall man in black clothes with his back to her was walking very fast.
No one had ever seen such a scene. Someone asked, "What are you doing? Catching a thief?"
Some people also said: "I don't know, that person might be a wanted criminal, he wouldn't even stop."
"Go, go, it's scary."
As he spoke, the security guard had already rushed behind the man and grabbed his arm.
Zhan Xi was not a curious person. Seeing that the person had been caught, she turned around and continued to walk quickly into the station.
On the other side, the security guard held the man's arm tightly and looked at him nervously.
The man was dressed in black, with the hood of his down jacket on his head with the brim pulled down low. He was also wearing a black mask and his hands were in his pockets. After leaving the station, he walked with his head down and big strides.
He looked suspicious, so the security guards wanted him to verify his ID, but he ignored them after they called him several times, which made them both alarmed.
The moment he was caught, the man seemed to be startled and turned around. The eyes revealed through the mask were full of confusion and surprise.
The two security guards asked him repeatedly:
"I'm calling you! Why don't you answer? Why are you running away?"
"Show me your ID card."
"What's your name? Where are you from? What are you doing in Qiantang?"
There were also passers-by who were not afraid of trouble and stopped to look. When the man's hand stretched out from his pocket, the two security guards became even more nervous, but he just took out a wallet, pulled out his ID card and handed it over.
When the security personnel checked the ID card, the man pulled down his hood and took off his mask. The security personnel discovered that he was actually a young and handsome guy with fluffy black hair, fair skin, a straight nose, a pair of gentle and clear eyes, and he looked completely non-aggressive.
The two security guards breathed a sigh of relief, and one of them asked in confusion, "Why didn't you agree when I called you just now?"
The young man stared at his opening and closing lips, then pointed at his ears and shook his hand. It was a simple gesture, but the security guard understood.
No wonder, it turns out he is a deaf-mute.
—
The temperature in the subway car was very high, with so many people crowded together that Zhan Xi, who was wearing a thick down jacket, had a layer of sweat on his back.
After arriving at the station, she squeezed out of the car and breathed a sigh of relief.
After getting out of the station and onto the ground, the northwest wind blew into her face again, making her shiver with cold.
It was so hot and cold that he didn't know if he would catch a cold. Zhan Xi put on a scarf and looked at the sky which was bright when he entered the station but was now completely dark. He shrunk his neck and walked towards home.
When I got home, Qin Fei was still cooking, Zhan Jie was sprawled on the sofa playing with his cell phone, and my six-and-a-half-year-old nephew Zhan Kaiwei was finishing his homework in the children's room.
As Zhan Xi changed his shoes, he shouted, "I'm back!"
What responded to her was the sound of oil popping as ingredients were put into the frying pan in the kitchen.
Zhan Xi carried a bag of strawberries into the kitchen and said to Qin Fei, "Sister-in-law, I bought some strawberries."
Qin Fei was stirring the pot with a spatula, and she didn't have time to look at her. She tapped the table with her chin and said, "Just leave it there."
Zhan Xi returned to the living room, and Zhan Jie took a break from his busy schedule to ask her, "How did you do on the exam?"
"No chance." Zhan Xi sat down next to him and asked, "Aren't you working overtime today?"
Zhan Jie was concentrating on playing the game: "I just finished a job yesterday, so I'll take a day off today."
Zhan Jie is Zhan Xi's biological brother, eleven years older than her. It is normal for him to work overtime, and the number of days he goes home for dinner in a month can be counted on two hands.
After Zhan Xi graduated from university, Zhan Jie insisted that his sister move into his house regardless of whether she was willing or not. Chi Guilan and her husband naturally agreed wholeheartedly, thinking that it was natural for a brother to love his sister, and no one asked Qin Fei for her opinion at all.
The cell phone rang. It was Chi Guilan. Zhan Xi was startled and answered the phone listlessly: "Hello, Mom."
"Huanhuan, have you finished the exam?" Chi Guilan asked, "Did you do well?"
Zhan Xi told the truth: "Not good, there is no hope."
Chi Guilan was silent for a moment, then her voice immediately became louder: "Have you been reviewing regularly? People say that fresh graduates have the greatest hope! I asked you to sign up for a class but you refused! You simply don't take it seriously!"
Qin Fei brought the dishes to the dining table in the living room and glanced towards the sofa.
Zhan Xi whispered, "Mom, I don't want to be a civil servant."
"What nonsense are you talking about? What can you do if you don't take the civil service exam?" Chi Guilan said in a tone of disappointment, "You, you don't have any sense of crisis at all! Forget it, the civil service exam will come again next year. When there is an examination for public institutions, you can also try it."
Zhan Xi was very annoyed and said perfunctorily: "Let's talk about it later. If there is nothing else, I will hang up."
"What do you mean nothing? You're getting impatient before I even say anything?" Chi Guilan angrily asked, "What is your sister-in-law doing?"
"Cook, it's almost done." Zhan Xi lowered his voice and glanced quietly in the direction of the kitchen. Zhan Jie's attention was all on the phone, and he didn't care at all what his mother and younger sister were talking about.
"What are you eating today? Last time I went home, I saw that you had lost weight. Your chin was so sharp that you could pick snails. Your sister-in-law keeps saying that you should lose weight and eat vegetarian food. She doesn't think about Weiwei who is still growing. Ajie works hard too. Now there is you. How can we not eat meat?"
Chi Guilan's voice was really loud. Zhan Xi was afraid that Qin Fei could hear her, so he stood up and walked towards the study room: "Mom, please keep your voice down. My sister-in-law cooks very well, and she always has meat dishes."
When entering the room, Qin Fei just brought out the last bowl of soup and met Zhan Xi. Qin Fei said, "Wash your hands and eat."
Zhan Xi pointed to his phone and said, "It's my mom's call. She'll be there in a minute."
"You're calling when it's time to eat. You can't call at night." Qin Fei watched Zhan Xi go into the house and close the door, and added, "You have to hide when you want to make a phone call. Who are you protecting from?"
Zhan Jie came over from the sofa and said after hearing this: "My mother hasn't seen Huanhuan for a long time. It's normal to chat for a while."
Qin Fei was annoyed: "She just wanted to ask me if I had abused her precious daughter."
"What are you talking about?" Zhan Jie hugged his wife's shoulders, picked up a piece of meat from the table and threw it into his mouth, "Wow, this meat is delicious."
Qin Fei didn't say anything else and walked into the children's room: "Weiwei, wash your hands and eat. Do your homework after you finish eating."
Zhan Xi sat on the sofa bed in the study. This was her bed. She slept on it every day and never folded it up during the day. Since she moved into the study, her brother and sister-in-law had hardly used the desk. Their laptops were moved to the master bedroom. Zhan Xi felt embarrassed.
Chi Guilan's loud voice was still ringing in my ears: "That young man is really good. I heard from your Aunt Zhu that he has good conditions and a career system! My family has prepared a wedding house for us. Huanhuan, Aunt Zhu has asked me for your WeChat ID and said that she will add you. You can talk to him first."
This was already the third high-quality young man Chi Guilan had found. Zhan Xi felt a headache after hearing this: "Mom, I just graduated, why are you so anxious for me to get married?"
Chi Guilan spoke quickly: "I'm not in a hurry, I'm doing this for your own good. You are at your best age now, you know? You are also the most beautiful at this age. If you don't find a partner at this age, how long do you want to wait?"
Zhan Xi said: "I didn't delay. I will pay attention to it myself. I didn't say I won't find a partner."
"You can't find one on your own!" Chi Guilan said firmly, "I'm not satisfied with what your brother found. Your mother must help you to screen your partner. You are such a simple person, it's easy to be deceived! Just like that guy in college, with a family like that, don't even think about it!"
Zhan Xi held his forehead with his hand: "What are you talking about? There is nothing between him and me."
"You know who I'm talking about? It's nothing because I discovered it early. If there was anything, you'd regret it!"
There was a heavy knock on the study door, and Zhan Xi was startled.
"Mom!" She was also tired of hearing, "I should go eat. My sister-in-law is urging me to eat."
Chi Guilan sneered: "What the hell is she doing! I'm talking to my daughter on the phone, what does it have to do with her?"
"..." Zhan Xi softened his tone, "Don't always say bad things about my sister-in-law, she's pretty good. Okay, okay, if she adds me, I'll chat. I really need to go eat. I'm starving."
When she heard her daughter was hungry, Chi Guilan immediately let her go: "Are you hungry? Then go eat quickly, eat more, and don't follow your sister-in-law's diet."
After hanging up the phone, Zhan Xi walked out of the study. Her brother, sister-in-law and their family of three were already sitting at the dining table. Qin Fei helped her serve the food and looked up at her: "Wash your hands and eat."
"Oh, thank you sister-in-law." Zhan Xi walked towards the kitchen.
Chi Guilan and Qin Fei have been at odds for a long time, and Qin Fei has also become unhappy with Zhan Xi.
As a daughter, Zhan Xi knew that Chi Guilan was a good mother, just a little too strong. But as an observer, she felt that Chi Guilan was not a good mother-in-law. In addition, Zhan Jie was a difficult person to describe. He could not reconcile but only escape. It was impossible for the relationship between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law to be good.
Zhan Xi stood up for Qin Fei, saying that his sister-in-law must be living a very miserable life. She was a capable and family-oriented woman who earned no less than Zhan Jie. But just because the house was Zhan Jie's pre-marital home, she couldn't stand up and give Zhan Xi a cold shoulder.
After dinner, Zhanxi washed the dishes and then went to help Weiwei with homework. After a while, he heard his brother and sister-in-law arguing in the living room.
Zhan Jie: "I'm not going! It's so cold outside, I've already changed into my pajamas, won't it be different if I go to work tomorrow morning?"
Qin Fei: "So much garbage will stink if left overnight. The garbage should be taken out every day."
Zhan Jie: "Then you go ahead and pour it. If you want me to go, I'll go tomorrow morning."
Qin Fei: "Zhan Jie, do you have any shame? I do everything from buying groceries to cooking and cleaning, but you are unwilling to take out the trash when I ask you to?"
Zhan Jie: "It's a rare day for me to take a break! I'm so tired from work! It's too cold outside and I don't want to go out! Whoever wants to go can go! Anyway, I'm not going!"
Qin Fei: "I don't go to work? I'm not tired? Do you support this family by yourself?!"
Zhan Xi and Wei Wei looked at each other, and Wei Wei shook his head and sighed: "Alas... here it comes again."
Zhan Xi walked out of the room quickly: "I'll go and dump it. It's just taking out the trash."
She picked up her coat and was about to put it on, but Zhan Jie suddenly grabbed her arm and shouted, "Don't go! Whoever wants to fall down will go!"
Qin Fei was so angry that she was shaking all over, and pointed at Zhan Jie: "What do you mean, Zhan Jie? Now you people with the surname Zhan are considered a family, and I am an outsider, right?"
Zhan Xi grabbed her brother and said, "Brother, the garbage should be taken out every day. I can do it. It's not far away."
Qin Fei pointed at her again: "Shut up! You have no right to speak now!"
Zhan Xi: “…”
Zhan Jie was furious: "Qin Fei, what's wrong with you? If you're angry, come to me! Did Zhan Xi piss you off? She's my sister! I only have this one sister!"
Qin Fei shouted: "How refreshing! You make it sound like you have more than one wife!"
Zhan Kaiwei's scream came from the children's room: "Stop making noise! It's so annoying!"
With a "bang", the door was slammed shut. Zhan Jie and Qin Fei faced each other, gasping for breath. Zhan Xi silently picked up the garbage bags from the kitchen, living room and bathroom, forgot to put on his coat, and ran out of the door.
Late at night, Zhan Xi was lying on the sofa bed in a daze.
For the past five months, Qin Fei had been enduring, and so had she. Now it seemed that Qin Fei could no longer endure it. Zhan Xi thought that she should find a house and move out as soon as possible.
I don't know how Zhan Jie and Qin Fei get along privately. They have been married for eight years. They are in love freely. Are they considered an old married couple? But according to Zhan Xi's observation, they rarely have intimate words and deeds.
If a couple continues to get along like this after a few years of marriage, Zhan Xi feels that marriage is not worth looking forward to at all, and she doesn't understand why her mother is so anxious for her to get married.
She has never been in a relationship, and she had a dull and boring adolescence despite her pretty face. After graduating from college, her mother arranged a crazy blind date for her. According to the current trend, she will most likely marry a bureaucratic man who her mother is satisfied with in every way. It's quite sad when you think about it.
In fact, Zhan Xi’s requirements for a partner have always been simple. The other person doesn’t have to be tall or handsome, but must be in good health and have a stable job. The key is that he must be interesting enough, eloquent, and able to make her laugh. Who makes her a boring person
eleven girl, wants to find her mr funny.
Lonely night, boring life, another day passed in a daze.
Hey Mr. Funny, where are you
The desk lamp went out and Zhan Xi fell asleep wrapped in the quilt.