Tattooed Whales

A week had passed but the rumour from the third class in the third year was still making its way around school.

The rumour speaks of Mo Ke Yan, the new popular transfer student. Allegedly, she had lost a bet to Ma Xiao Ye, the extremely outgoing student in the same class. As a result, she got a permanent tattoo of his name on her body.

Some could not see the actual tattoo and thus remained skeptical. A body is after all a temple; Mo Ke Yan was given her body from her parents1. Besides, a tattoo is permanent; once inked, it would remain on her for the rest of her life.

Some admired her courage, and even went as far as to think that she had purposely lost the bet so that she could get the tattoo in an attempt to chase Ma Xiao Ye.

However, others countered back that the duo was simply good friends. With Mo Ke Yan’s stubborn personality, it could be that she herself wanted to honour the bet and hence got the tattoo.

In all, everyone had their opinions on the rumour and each had a different take of what had actually happened.

Ma Xiao Ye only got to know about this during that weekend at school.

He had asked Liang Xu out to play basketball, and the two of them was sitting beside the court to rest.

Mo Ke Yan walked towards them and then told them about what she had done. Liang Xu was shocked out of his wits but kept pressuring for Mo Ke Yan to reveal where the tattoo was.

“My arm.” Mo Ke Yan replied.

“Let me see it!”

“Scram.” She told off Liang Xu jokingly. “It’s too cold to show you.”

“Just a peek? Let us see how it looks like.”

“It was just inked. It’s still bandaged.”

Ma Xiao Ye stood by the side solemnly, uttering not even a single word.

After using a few words to distract Liang Xu to leave, the two of them found a place which blocked the wind and sat down. Mo Ke Yan covered her legs with a jacket and took off her bandages to allow him to see the tattoo.

Ma Xiao Ye. These three words were tattooed flamboyantly on her arm, and alongside with it was some complicated pattern. Seeing that it was just inked, the redness on her arm had yet to disappear.

Thinking back, neither of them spoke much, but it was the first time Ma Xiao Ye acted on impulse and kissed her.

She and Li Jiu Lu were different. Li Jiu Lu resembled water; she was meek and went easier with the flow. Yet, she held a powerful force within her that kept boats afloat2. To Ma Xiao Ye, Li Jiu Lu felt undefinable. She always manages to slip right through his fingers and he never really felt like she had belonged to him. She also gave off an aura of gloom, and lacked the cheerfulness that teenagers her age had.

But Mo Ke Yan was the opposite of what Li Jiu Lu was. She resembled fire; she dared to live youth recklessly and even kissing her felt like she was releasing some sort of energy.

Mo Ke Yan had caused a seed in his heart to sprout and grow quickly. A 17 year old teenager going onto 18 was weak to temptation; he couldn’t control himself and acted accordingly as he felt.

But when Ma Xiao Ye was riding his bicycle home, he calmed down and suddenly thought of Li Jiu Lu. Ma Xiao Ye felt extremely guilty.

With a turn, he rode towards the elderly’s home.

Deep into autumn, it became dark earlier and earlier as the days passed.

Beside the wall parked a motorcycle. Its owner got down from the bike and made use of the mirror to fix his hair.

Wearing a black leather jacket with jeans, the man took out a cigarette as he pressed the bell and leaned on the wall.

Ma Xiao Ye hid further behind. He recognised the man to be the person who gave Li Jiu Lu a ride home that day.

Though far, he could still make out some sounds. The man seemed to have acknowledged something before quickly extinguishing his cigarette and checking his appearance in the mirror again. He then licked his fingertips and re-fixed his hair.

Before long, the gates pushed open from inside and Li Jiu Lu’s head peeked out.

Li Jiu Lu had a inkling that it would be him and was therefore not surprised when she opened the gates.

The smell of smoke rushed into Jiu Lu’s nose as she hung onto the handles and spoke very professionally. “The home is closed for visiting. Visiting hours are in the morning.”

Chi Jian raised his eyebrows as he asked Jiu Lu a question.

“Pretending to not know me?”

Jiu Lu paused for a moment. “But we really don’t know each other.”

“This wasn’t your attitude when you wanted me to keep your secret the other day.”

The other day being that day when a guy on the street kissed her on the cheek.

“How long are you planning to blackmail me with this.”

In a half serious, half joking tone, Chi Jian answered. “Until you end your puppy love.”

“… …”

Li Jiu Lu glared at him for quite a while.

Chi Jian had seen Jiu Lu’s expressions while she was dazed; it was simultaneously different to withstand and yet difficult for him to look away. This sort of feeling was so conflicting that Chi Jian didn’t understand just how it was possible for a pair of eyes to be so clear and yet felt like it was hiding unlimited secrets.

He suddenly remembered that day in the swimming complex when she swam past him; freely, gently, silently and yet somehow mysteriously. Everything she did reminded him of the black whales in the deep sea.

Chi Jian was so amused by his thoughts that he couldn’t help himself as he laughed softly.

Increasingly irritated, Jiu Lu straightened her lips as she muttered, “I’m closing the gates.”

“Wait, wait.” Chi Jian felt like a feather had been brushed across his heart but tried to control his expressions. “Jokes aside, I’m here to see my grandmother.”

Li Jiu Lu remained as she was.

“Don’t look at me like that. It’s bad.” Chi Jian said as he licked his lips.

With his palm on her eyes, Chi Jian gently pushed Jiu Lu behind as he held her wrist and separated her fingers from the handles.

Li Jiu Lu’s sight fell dark and felt as though her world had been spinning round till Chi Jian removed his palm, already walking into the building.

The sudden act of physical contact made Jiu Lu really embarrassed. What made the situation even more awkward was the tone he had spoken with. It felt a little low, a little helpless, and also……. a little bewitching.

“Where’s my grandmother?”

The person however seemed unaffected.

Li Jiu Lu adjusted her feelings and replied. “She’s watching tv.”

She then flicked her wrist and broke free of his other hand. She gave him a glance and took out a small piece of gum. “You smell like smoke. Oh yeah, I am actually 18, so there is no puppy love.”

Chi Jian’s eyebrows raised. “Oh?” He then took the gum and smiled harmlessly.

“I started school late.”

“Oh.”

Chi Jian nodded his head nonchalantly but when he looked up, Li Jiu Lu was already gone.

Some elderly had the habit of sleeping late and would gather in the activity centre to watch television. The activity centre was spacious and in the middle stood a large wooden table. The activity centre had windows for walls on a section. The other section hung a huge television.

The elderly gathered and sat around the table, their sights focused on the same thing.

Chi Jian saw, in a an glance his grandmother, who was sitting at the end and walked briskly over. “Hey, let me take a look, whose grandmother is this?”

The elderly looked up for a while before smiling. “Ah Jian is here?” Sometimes his grandmother recognised him when she wasn’t confused.

“It’s me, grandma.” Chi Jian squatted down and spoke softly.

Li Jiu Lu stood not far away from them. it was the first time she had heard such a gentle tone from him, with no hints of his frivolousness whatsoever.

She carried over a stool and placed it behind him.

The staff were still cutting fruits behind the table and Li Jiu Lu was helping them to place the fruits inside the bowl before the bell disrupted her.

Carrying the bowl of cut fruits on the table, she gave a piece to each of the elderly.

After going one round, she walked beside Chi Jian. “Have some honeydew, grandma.”

With the addition of Chi Jian, she naturally took out two pieces of honeydew, and set it on the grandmother’s plate.

Chi Jian looked up and smiled at her.

Li Jiu Lu’s sight was somehow attracted towards him. When he smiled, the left side of his cheek creased into a small dimple but his right side didn’t.

Jiu Lu suddenly felt the urge to press further into the dimple. Once she realised she had such thoughts, she turned away and secretly tightened her fists.

“For me?”

“You don’t want to eat?”

With his eyes locked on her face, he took a bite of the melon and asked her a question. “Is it sweet?”

“You can’t tell?” Jiu Li replied passively.

Just as she was about to turn and walk away, she was called by the grandmother. After living in the home for some time now, she had managed to talk to Jiu Lu. In front of the elderly, Jiu Lu had no qualms or worries and her smile was a lot more sincere. Though the grandmother was sometimes confused and sometimes not, she still managed to recognise Jiu Lu.

“Do sit and eat with us.” She asked while beckoning her over.

Behind her, Sun Grandma also spoke up. “It’s been a few days since I’ve saw you. Are you busying studying?”

“Yeah. I’m having exams soon and I have been doing practice questions in my room all day. My mom wanted me to relax and so I’m here to accompany you.”

“Good girl.” Sun Grandma praised. “Sit, let’s watch tv.”

Jiu Lu smiled and was about to reject their offer but Chi Jian had hooked over another stool with his legs and pushed it behind her knees. With another gentle push, Jiu Lu’s knees bended and she landed on the stool. In order to keep her balance, she held onto his shoulder for support. The duo ended up sitting tightly in between Sun Grandma and Chen Ying Ju.

Once she sat down, it was weird for her to stand up again and so, she could only nudged towards the other side.

“You really studied for an entire day?” Chi Jian bowed slightly and leaned towards her ear.

“Yeah.”

“Liar.”

Li Jiu Lu didn’t care to reply.

After a few seconds, she felt something cool on her lips and instinctively licked her lips. It was slightly sweet.

Seeing that Jiu Lu didn’t react, Chi Jian passed the melon again. “Have a melon.”

Li Jiu Lu’s head hung back and it was only after a while before she took a bite of the melon.

Sensing that Chi Jian was staring at her from her peripheral vision, Jiu Lu couldn’t take it and turned her head. “What?”

“Is it sweet?”

“… …” Jiu Lu looked at the corners of his mouth and muttered in reply. “Yeah.”

She was extremely uncomfortable with her sight being uncontrollably attracted by others. Hence, whenever Chi Jian spoke to her, she didn’t look at him and only gave him curt replies.

The television was showing a variety show, the host and guests were laughing and it made the atmosphere lively.

The elderly in this home and the elderly outside were a little different. Even if they were watching an exciting show, they would only stare dully and smile passively. The noisy laughter and noises in the show made a huge contrast from the silence in the home.

Jiu Lu was used to it.

This was however, Chi Jian’s first experience and it was inevitable it felt a little disconnected for him. He suddenly thought about his grandmother’s illness and felt relieved that she had gotten this illness; at least when she didn’t remember anything, she had no worries.

Without waiting for the program to end, Jiu Lu found an excuse and returned to her room.

She took the chance to read a few magazines and then slept after taking a shower.

Then, on Monday, she heard whatever Liang Xu was rambling about in class.

Whatever Liang Xu knew, the class knew. Secrets were nothing to him. Li Jiu Lu very quickly heard about Mo Ke Yan’s tattoo.

Ma Xiao Ye was in a very low mood throughout the entire day; refusing to play football, and only cared about doing his practice questions. He didn’t talk much to Mo Ke Yan, much less Li Jiu Lu.

After school, the duo walked quietly for quite a distance.

The sky was pitch black and the cold autumn wind blew all the leaves up. The sparse leaves still hanging on the trees, the lack of people on the streets and the pale white moonlight made the atmosphere seem especially dismal.

Ma Xiao Ye finally opened his mouth to talk. “I thought she was joking, who knew she was serious. “

“Are you shocked?” Jiu Lu asked. “Or a little touched?”

Ma Xiao Ye wanted to talk but paused and didn’t manage to say anything.

Jiu Lu stared at the ground and then laughed lightly. “If you’re touched because of this, I can do so too.”

“What?” Ma Xiao Ye held onto the handles and stopped.

Li Jiu Lu turned to look at him and shook her head. “I’m saying, I can’t control the attitudes of others towards you. What matters is your attitude, do you understand?”

Guilty, Ma Xiao Ye found his palms wet with sweat as he couldn’t dare to look into her eyes. He could only lower his head.

“Since then, I remembered I told you that I hope that we can accompany each other for a very long time.”

The two of them stood in the freezing wind, and stared at each other for a few seconds. After which, Ma Xiao Ye got onto his bicycle. “Get on, I’ll send you home.”

Neither of them talked on the way home.

Ma Xiao Ye sent her to entrance of the elderly’s home. With his hands on the handlebar, ready to turn, yet he was still standing with his feet firmly on the ground.

“… See you tomorrow then.”

“Wait.” A surge of courage washed over him and Ma Xiao Ye decided to explain the situation.

Just then, the gates opened from the inside and Zhou Ke walked out in his casual wear, his hands in his pockets.

The duo instinctively increased their distance.

Zhou Ke froze for a moment but smiled. “Back from school?”

Jiu Lu nodded her head and replied politely. “Uncle Zhou, are you going out now?”

“I’m going out to take care of something.”

Ma Xiao Ye glanced at Li Jiu Lu and then at Zhou Ke before greeting him. “Good evening, Uncle.”

Zhou Ke nodded his head in acknowledgement and faced Jiu Lu to speak. “Go in. It’s getting colder. You should let your classmate return home too.”

After which, Zhou Ke left.

As his figure gradually disappeared into the corner, Jiu Lu turned. “You wanted to say something?”

Ma Xiao Ye, who was facing the same direction as she was earlier, played with his bicycle as he wheeled his forward, then backwards. “Nothing. I just wanted to tell you to sleep earlier.”

Later in the night, Jiu Lu came out of her shower.

Thinking back to the events today, she suddenly had something that she wanted to do.

She gradually stopped drying her hair and sat quietly on her bed for a while. She then made a decision, and took out a phone book.

The moment the call was picked up, Liang Xu’s excited voice could be heard.

“Has the sun rose from the west? I never thought you would call me.”

Li Jiu Lu asked immediately. “You… mentioned that you had a friend who knew how to tattoo, can you bring me there after the exams?”

Liang Xu agreed instantly, but asked multiple questions.

Li Jiu Lu half-heartedly replied him, saying that she was requested by someone and that it was hard to talk over the phone.

By the time the call ended, it had already took 10 minutes.

With her hair half dried, Jiu Lu took out a blowdryer to dry her hair. Amidst the noises from the blowdryer, she seemed to have heard something else.

She switched off the blowdryer and listened again. There were indeed the sounds of rocks hitting against the windows and also the sound of someone calling her name.

Li Jiu Lu instantly identified the voice.

She cleared away the things on her window sill and pushed open the window.

Beneath the dim lights, there Chi Jian stood.

Things I didn’t quite know how to translate:

1 – ‘身体发肤受之父母’ was the phrase used by the author, which means that since our bodies are given by our parents, taking care of it is a must and it is an act of filial piety. Hence, tattooing would be sort of frowned upon and normally wouldn’t be done.

2 – ‘水能载舟，亦能覆舟’ is a proverb that means ‘The water that bears the boat is the same that swallows it up.’ Chi Jian is using this phrase to describe the two sides of Jiu Lu.