Tattooed Whales

The two decided to meet at 5 and settled for seafood. The shop was just beside Black Dragon’s Restaurant.

After finding a seat near the windows, Chi Jian ordered right away without any sense of hesitation.

After ordering dishes for himself, he gave Jiu Lu the menu. “What do you feel like having?”

Jiu Lu shook her head and touched her jacket’s pocket.

Chi Jian noticed her little action and waited after the server left before asking, “Why? You feel for your wallet?”

Jiu Lu didn’t deny it.

Chi Jian rubbed his stomach, “I ate quite a lot in the afternoon. It’s still quite early, else I would’ve order a few more.”

Jiu Lu lowered her head and silently rolled her eyes as laughter sounded beside her.

Chi Jian took off his puffer jacket and rested it on the back of the chair. He wore a thin black v-neck shirt and Jiu Lu could see his neck and a little bit of his collarbone. Unlike hers, his collarbone was very different; it was wider, appeared tougher and it lacked a sense of delicacy.

His skin was still considered pale and his shirt visually elongate his neck. His Adam’s apple jutted out clearly, unlike some of the boys in her class, and it made him seem a little more mature. Jiu Lu could smell a subtle hint of cologne. He must have prepared earlier and even made sure to style his hair.

Chi Jian watched her eagerly as he cleaned the tableware and placed it in-front of her. “There’s something on my face?”

Jiu Lu took back her stare and shifted herself to face the window.

It was almost peak period for shops in Bai Hua Road, and delivery trucks were just parked neatly along the street, one after another.

Just as the skies were starting to cast, the lights in various food stands lit up from one end of Bai Hua Road to the another end. The owners in the stands starting displaying their food and cooking more in preparation for the crowd. The flames on the stove danced about as it coloured the street with the food’s aroma.

Two bottles of beer, a few plates of side dishes on tables everywhere; this was where life in in this town thrived.

While waiting for their food, Chi Jian lit a cigarette and leaned back on his chair. It was a very simple action, but it gave off a kind of laid-back, youthful beauty.

Only after smoking did he ask, “You don’t mind right?”

Jiu Lu didn’t say anything and pointed to the ‘No Smoking’ sign above them.

Chi Jian followed her line of sight and noticed the sign. He then looked to her, nodded his head and extinguished it.

With her palm supporting her chin, Jiu Lu started to talk. “When did you start smoking?”

“16.”

“Then how old are you now?”

Chi Jian leaned forward slightly and rested his arms on the side of the table. “How old do I look like?”

To be truthful, Chi Jian had a somewhat clean appearance. His hair was refreshingly shirt, and his skin was a healthy shade of white. There wasn’t any excessive accessories, and he didn’t carry the feel majority had when they entered society. Majority had possessed the feel of pretending to be sophisticated but ended up looking greasy but Chi Jian didn’t. Even if he did, he didn’t appear so, or else, Jiang Man wouldn’t have mistaken him for her classmate.

“19?”

Chi Jian raised his brows in surprise.

“I was correct?”

“Yeah.” He hummed.

The food arrived just then, and was still steaming by the time it was placed. It did look very appetising.

Jiu Lu was about to take chopsticks, but the person beside her had already handed her a pair, with its plastic packaging taken off and the rounded end pointed at her.

“Dig in.”

Seeing his actions, Jiu Lu had a thought that he must have been used to taking care of girls, which was why it came to him so naturally.

She hesitated for a while before placing the pair in her hands down, and took his.

“Thanks.”

“No worries.” He smiled.

The two then shifted their focus to the table.

Chi Jian really didn’t seem hungry, barely touching his chopsticks. He sat beside Jiu Lu as he watched her eat.

With a pair of eyes on her, Jiu Lu wasn’t very comfortable and tried to find a topic. “You’re done?”

“Nope. I’m resting for a while.”

He diverted his attention to the window. Across the trucks was a stretch of hotels and a boy stood vaguely between the buildings, looking around incessantly, seemingly waiting for someone.

Chi Jian froze. This town really was small, but he hadn’t expected it to be this small.

He suddenly felt like it was a good timing and looked to Jiu Lu. “Li Jiu Lu.”

She lifted her head.

“You haven’t asked me for my name, have you?”

She held her chopsticks and continued, “I’ve asked, you didn’t tell me.”

“You’re good at guessing, why don’t you guess?” He then took another look outside the window and as expected, another person really appeared. He then casually took back his words. “Never mind, I’ll tell you.”

Li Jiu Lu thought of him as weird after seeing him back-pedal so quickly.

Chi Jian stared resolutely at her, and the air around them instantly grew heavier.

With a sternness she had never seen before, Jiu Lu waited as Chi Jian spoke word by word.

“1My name is Chi Jian. Ma and Ye for the character Chi, and Encounter for the character Jian.”

With a loud thud, her chopsticks fell on the table. In that moment, Jiu Lu felt like her brain had been pulled fiercely by its nerves and she broke out into cold sweat.

She didn’t respond and stared at him quietly.

Chi Jian leaned forward, and lowered his voice. “You’re smart, you should understand what I’m trying to say after knowing my name.”

Jiu Lu’s heart pounced like crazy and as though there was a thin film of plastic glued on her skin where the tattoo sat, she felt an incessant burn that reminded her constantly of its existence.

She ordered herself to stay calm as she lowered her eyes and sat in silence for a moment.

“I have a boyfriend.”

Chi Jian was waiting for her to say that. It was evident that he held the upper hand after flirting and teasing with her for so long.

“You won’t have one soon.”

Li Jiu Lu looked up dimly at him for an explanation, but Chi Jian was staring peacefully outside the window. She followed her line of sight and saw two very familiar figures, covered by the grey shade of the sky.

They weren’t doing anything out of the line but both appeared to be in good moods. After talking for a while, they walked together out of Bai Hua Road.

Chi Jian snapped his fingers, and pulled back her thoughts. “I… actually wanted to show you this that night at the audiovisual store.”

“It must be a coincidence.” She smiled suddenly.

It was unclear what she was smiling about, and Chi Jian didn’t know if she was pretending to be foolish or was really foolish. He lit up another cigarette without any care for the sign and held it in his mouth as he took his chopsticks and used it to tap the table.

“Do you still want to eat?”

“Why not?”

Gradually, the skies grew black throughout and the noises of the street outside completely filled their surroundings.

The two seemed to be intentionally waiting for something, which was why they ate extremely slowly. After the last dish went cold, Chi Jian called for the bill.

Realising that she was supposed to treat him, she tried to get the bill. “Let me pay.”

“No, I’ll pay.” There was no room for negotiation in his tone as he handed the money to the server.

Just then, the duo appeared leisurely outside the window.

The dark night provided courage to those who needed it to do things they otherwise wouldn’t do in the morning and it made the duo unafraid. They held hands as they walked and stopped at the foot of a hotel. Ma Xiao Ye’s hand held a little bag, a bag from a ladies clothing store in their town. From the looks of it, it wasn’t cheap.

Passer-bys walked about and past them, and the duo finally kissed after a series of trishaws rolled by.

There wasn’t much emotions that could be seen from Jiu Lu, but she stared and stared, at Ma Xiao Ye and Mo Ke Yan.

Before long, the duo separated and Li Jiu Lu walked out.

Chi Jian didn’t move and sat in his original position.

Jiu Lu’s petite body appeared weaker in the pitch black night. As she crossed the road trying to avoid the crowds and the cars, her back gave off a sense of loneliness.

Chi Jian smoked for a while. Only after seeing Li Jiu Lu touch Ma Xiao Ye’s fingers, did he extinguish his cigarette and followed behind with his jacket.

He didn’t want to intrude as he felt that certain things were best if she had handled it herself. Plus, he wasn’t any the position to scold or protect anyone there.

He leaned on his bike and listened as the conversation travelled to his ears.

Jiu Lu felt that Ma Xiao Ye’s hand was extremely cold.

The portions the trio stood in changed. Mo Ke Yan was now standing directly opposite them with a solemn face.

Li Jiu Lu spoke up first. “I was eating and saw a figure that resembled you and came to take a look. It really is you.”

“When… did you see us?” Ma Xiao Ye asked nervously.

“Just then.” Jiu Lu turned to Mo Ke Yan. “What a coincidence. You’re having holidays too?”

Mo Ke Yan lifted her chin and stared at her. She refused to speak but stared with a hint of disdain for Jiu Lu.

Ma Xiao Ye explained immediately. “Yeah, she came back to take a look because she left in such a hurry. We were saying that our classmates had wanted to hold a farewell party for her. We were just finished and I was sending her back.”

Mo Ke Yan eyes were now fuming as she tried her best to endure the situation.

Jiu Lu shook his hand. “A farewell party? Can I come?”

Ma Xiao Ye jumped in shock as he cleared his throat. “Y-you?”

Li Jiu Lu nodded, and looked to him innocently, waiting for a reply.

There was nothing but ceaseless background chatter in the air.

Mo Ke Yan spoke up to break their silence. ‘Sure, why not?” She clapped her hands together and smiled cunningly. “Next Tuesday, 6pm, in Black Dragon Restaurant Room 103.”

Jiu Lu smiled and nodded. She then pointed to the bag in Ma Xiao Ye’s hand. “Is that for me?”

“… … huh?”

This next however, Mo Ke Yan couldn’t help but laughed. “That’s right. He bought that for you. He asked for my help to see if you would like it.”

Like a battlefield, the sirens had yet to sound as everyone waited in anticipation for the first gunshot.

Li Jiu Lu pretended like nothing happened and that night passed peacefully.

After the results were released in 3 days, a parents teacher meeting was held.

This meeting was the only form of communication parents had with teachers for the entire semester, and as such, this half hour was highly regarded by parents. The teachers mainly explained their teaching methods and plans and gave suggestions for parents to consider when monitoring their studies.

Jiang Man sat at the last row and fervently noted down every word in her book.

The results where then released by the rankings. Ma Xiao Ye’s name was called earlier on but Li Jiu Lu’s name didn’t appear until the last 10 ranks.

Jiang Man watched as Ma Xiao Ye’s mother smiled with pride and felt her back run cold in embarrassment.

After they returned, she raged.

Jiu Lu endured the first two hits on her shoulder and tried to appease her mother. “Mom, I was wrong, don’t be angry.”

Jiang Man teared up and sat on her bed for a while.

The room was noiseless.

Li Jiu Lu stood beside her, and tugged lightly on Jiang Man’a clothes. “Mom, why don’t you hit me again?”

Jiang Man pushed off Jiu Lu’s hands and sat stewing in her frustration.

Jiu Lu squatted down. “I really tried my best. The teachers teach too quickly and I can’t catch up. Mom, it’s all my fault, don’t be angry, it’s bad for your health.”

Jiang Man’s sight shifted slowly onto her and pulled her beside. She wiped her tears, seemingly having gotten over the situation.

“Your teacher said that you’ll be released everyday at 5, so I’ll help you contact a maths tutor. He’ll help you with your homework from 7 to 9. If you have anything you don’t understand, then use this time to put in a little more effort. We just need to work harder, and try to improve your maths before school starts.”

Jiu Lu lowered her head. “Mom, I… I-“

“No ‘I’.” Strictly, she continued, You need to start bucking up. Don’t go anywhere and study for university.”

Jiu Lu pursed her lips as she listened.

“Also, stop hanging around Ma Xiao Ye. He can afford to goof off but you can’t. You’re at the bottom of your class, bottom, do you know that? Are you foolish?”

Li Jiu Lu was extremely clear that nothing she say will be of use and could only lower her head as she picked at her fingers.

“You are not allowed to talk to him, do you hear me?” Jiang Man ordered.

“… … Yes.”

Jiang Man paused for a while and asked again. “Oh yeah, why don’t I see that Chi whatever fellow’s parents?”

“Chi Jian.”

“Yes, Chi Jian.” Jiang Man tapped on her forehead. “I must be too angry and forgot he only has a grandmother left. So, how did he do?”

“… … Better than me.”

Jiang Man glared. “There’s only 8 people behind you, of course he did better than you.”

Jiang Man then stood up, no longer caring about Chi Jian.

“Whoever it is, stop hanging out with them from now on.”

1 – Chi Jian was explaining to Jiu Lu how his name was written. He used 马 (Ma) and 也 (Ye) to write 驰 (Chi) and 相见 (Xiang Jian, which means encounter) for the character 见 (Jian).

For those wondering why Chi Jian’s name is so important in this story:

Ma Xiao Ye written out is 马小也, and Jiu Lu calls him 马也, which when placed side by side, resembles the 驰 (Chi) in Chi Jian’s name.

Chi Jian tattooed 马也, instead of 马小也 on Jiu Lu’s back, which was why she found the characters a little weird in Chapter 10.

So Chi Jian was indirectly confessing to her when he told her his name.

Not very professional as a tattoo artist, but it makes for an interesting story.