Green Plum IslandCh53 - A Message From the Wind

My synesthesia is gone. Truly, completely. 24 hours later, it still hasn’t appeared.

It’s a good thing, I suppose. It means I’m just like everyone else. No more mood values, no more seeing other people’s emotions. BgGW8Z

I used to wonder if I was obliged to take on some important mission with this ability and was a special chosen one, but in all these years, I’ve never used it to accomplish anything special. The only time it was even really useful was during the time I spent chasing Yan Kongshan. But even in that, its contribution was so little that I can pretty much ignore it entirely.

Which, I think, is further proof of the fact that this ability really didn’t do much for me. It only made me go from being able to read people to really being able to read people.

Story translated by Chrysanthemum Garden.

After confirming that the mood indexes are gone, I completely let myself go. Like a scoundrel sneaking off in the middle of the night looking for ladies, I knock on said lady’s door beneath the moonlight and take full advantage of her, leaving not a crumb, then stalk off without looking back.

And the lady loves me a lot, not minding my quick visitations. She even decides to give me keys to her house. R 4rug

“You’re giving me your house keys just like that?” I clutch the keys between my fingers, heart completely thrilled. This is more exciting than the red envelopes my parents gave me for my birthday.

“Don’t want it?” Yan Kongshan reaches over and pretends to take it back, “Give it back then.”

How could I let him take it back? I jerk the keys protectively behind my back and line myself against the wall. Yan Kongshan doesn’t stop coming closer, until I’m stuck between him and the wall.

With nowhere else to run, I hold the keys even tighter in my palms. “I want it,” I say.

“If you could only choose one,” he says, bending down until his lips are a breadth’s length away from mine, “would you choose that, or me?”

After a moment, I reply, “Can’t I have both?”

“No. I said, you can only choose one. Don’t be a greedy little child.”

But gluttony is instinctive to children. g5BCHr

“Then I choose…” I talk slowly, trail off, then hook my arms around his neck and kiss him on the lips.

He holds the small of my back and lets out a low hum of laughter, sending tremors through his chest.

Always messing with me.

Before he can gain the upper hand in the kiss and make me dizzy, I stop his attempts at furthering things. He frowns, clearly unsatisfied. He’s about to move my hand away, but I’m faster. I bite him on the lower lip and shove him aside gently, then charge quickly to the door. NPLVAu

“I choose this.” I wave the keys in my hand, then turn around and run off, not giving him the chance to catch me.

***

Happy days never last. In the blink of an eye, five days have passed and there’s only two days of break left. Grandpa makes sweet soup in the evening and asks me to take two bowls over next door.

There’s no way for me to ring the bell with two bowls of soup in my hands, so I just start yelling for someone to open the door from outside. In a short while, the door swings open, but the person at the door isn’t Yan Kongshan. Rather, it’s someone I don’t know — a tall, slender man. jd8hFA

I stand frozen on the spot, unsure what to call him.

“You’re not at the wrong house. I’m a friend of Ah Shan’s, come on in.”

Story translated by Chrysanthemum Garden.

Giving him a nod, I head into the house.

Yan Wanqiu is on the floor playing video games, so focused that she doesn’t notice my arrival. Yan Kongshan walks out of the kitchen with a steaming mug of tea in his hands. When he sees me, he introduces the slender man to me easily. pWIVSa

“Ye Chen, a friend from high school.” He puts his tea down, then points at me. “That’s Yu Mian, I told you about him before.”

I place the bowls of soup onto the coffee table and then turn to stick my hand out to Ye Chen. “Hello,” I greet politely.

Ye Chen is an average-looking man, with a thin figure. The only noticeable thing about his appearance is his height, which is about the same as Yan Kongshan.

“You’re so tall,” I accidentally think out loud as we shake hands. ftuAaT

He laughs. “Ah Shan and I used to be on the basketball team together.”

No wonder.

“Mian Mian, what yummy food have you brought us?” Finally finished with the current round of her game, Yan Wanqiu takes an intermission and leaves over the coffee table to lift a bowl gently and sniff at it. “It smells so good, is this for me?”

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

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Quickly, Ye Chen and I are left alone in the living room. It’s an awkward situation for two people who just met a few minutes ago. BFrlDn

I clear my throat, searching for something to say. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know there was a guest, so I only brought two bowls.”

He waves a hand quickly. “Don’t worry, I’m really full from dinner. I wouldn’t be able to eat it anyway.”

Silence descends again.

Then Ye Chen says, “Ah Shan told me about you and him.” VYcCi4

I start, unsure whether he’s saying what I think he’s saying. I watch him silently.

With a half-smile, he points at the watch on my left wrist. “He told me that he found a really special boy and gave his sister’s watch to him. To be honest, when I heard that, it shocked me. You have to know, the last time we met, he’d sworn that he was going to be single for all his life. Now, not only is he not single, he’s also been bent.”

Chrysanthemum Garden.

I don’t know what the man actually thinks of me without his mood index, but considering his friendly demeanor, I don’t think this is an interrogation.

“So… you’re checking on me, out of concern for him?” I guess. Qa JtY

“I’m just his friend,” Ye Chen protests. “How can I meddle so much? I was just curious what kind of person would make Yan Kongshan bend, that’s all.”

“Now that you’ve seen, what do you think of me?”

Ye Chen darts a look towards the bathroom. As a decades-old friend of Yan Kongshan’s, it’s evident he knows him well. “You’re the complete opposite of the kinds of women he’s into, but after seeing you, I now understand why he’d like you.”

His words make me curious. “Why?” BJRfuL

After a while, Ye Chen responds in a mysterious tone, “You and the island are a lot alike. He likes the island, so it’s natural that he would like you.”

This is the first time anyone has ever compared me to Green Plum Island. What are the characteristics of an island? Steadiness? But before I can inquire further, Yan Wanqiu runs over from the bathroom, putting an end to Ye Chen and my conversation.

“I’m off then, call me if you need anything.” Ye Chen grabs his coat from the couch and starts to head out.

As the host, Yan Kongshan naturally follows him out, so that the only movement left in the living room is Yan Wanqiu slurping up her sweet soup. Through the window curtains, I see that rather than leaving, Ye Chen and Yan Kongshan have started smoking in the garden. bdI9l

They’re probably talking about me.

“Mian Mian, wanna play a game with me later?”

I turn back to her. “What game? Mario?”

She shakes her head. “No, Uncle Ye brought me a new game.” V9u3hw

I’m thinking she means a new video game, so imagine my surprise when she grabs a box from the nearby cupboard and pulls out a box of Chinese chess. It has a board made of solid wood and its pieces are carved three-dimensionally, looking true to life.

“…”

If not for the somewhat unique look of the pieces, I would’ve thought this was Grandpa’s chessboard. Ye Chen sure gave the kid a complex game.

“Do you know how to play?” I help her set up the pieces on each side. EZzYB4

“Yeah,” she says.

“But I don’t.”

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“I know, your brain is broken, so I’ll teach you.”

“…My brain is all better now.” LEm dt

Yan Wanqiu looks up in surprise. “You’re all better? How?”

Obviously I’m not about to tell her the truth. “I just, woke up one morning and it was all better,” I lie, not looking at her.

She nods and continues arranging the chess pieces. “Good. You’re a whole person from now on.”

“…” It’s not as if I wasn’t whole before. alyCfN

After seeing Ye Chen off, Yan Kongshan comes back into the house, the smell of cigarettes wafting off his body. Yan Wanqiu decides to hand off the mighty task of teaching me how to play over to him. He sits next to me, guiding me on how to beat Yan Wanqiu while drinking his soup. I find it boring to follow his instructions all the time, so I tell him to stop and then play the rest of the game on my own.

Naturally, I lose more than I win, but at least I win two rounds. Although that’s because Yan Wanqiu let me win.

***

At ten, Yan Wanqiu goes to bed satisfied. I clean up downstairs, then get ready to go home. 9FuJaQ

“Did Ye Chen scare you? He’s my best friend. A few days ago I told him I had a boyfriend and he was curious, so he was determined to come see for himself.” Yan Kongshan wraps his arms around me from behind, pulling me into his chest.

I move my head to the side and let him rest his head in between my neck and shoulders. I pat him on the head. “No, he’s interesting. He says I’m like Green Plum Island.”

Yan Kongshan snorts. “What kind of comparison is that?”

I shrug. I have even less idea than he. 15kzpe

“He says you like Green Plum Island, so you like me.”

“Oh, I see.”

He seems to get something so I ask, “What do you see?”

But he doesn’t answer me straight away, teasing me. wK0dsG

I ask again, and finally he says, “You’re the same as the island. Meaning, you make people feel comfortable, at ease. Interacting with you is comfortable, talking with you is comfortable, just looking at you is comfortable…” He trails off for a moment, then adds, “No matter how, or where, just comfortable.”

He talks directly into my ear, his breath traveling straight through my ear canal, the hot air making my face burn. I strongly suspect there are other implications to his words. But alas, I’ve used the last reserves of my energy. If we have any more sex, I’ll really collapse.

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I shut my eyes and recite the Eight Honors and Eight Shames to myself, suppressing the rising desire within me. “Oh, I see. I got it, I’m gonna go now.”

I get up to leave, and Yan Kongshan, seeing that his seduction didn’t work, doesn’t continue teasing me, but neither does he let me go. He pulls me back into his embrace, then changes the topic. “Tomorrow, I’ll see you off.” Jq37Ku

Tomorrow is the last day of break, and I’m required to return to school by evening.

“Just send me to the pier. Hong City is too far, it’s four hours round-trip.”

There’s a direct bus from the ferry stop to the university, and the bus stop is only a few steps away. It’s actually very convenient.

Yan Kongshan doesn’t respond. I sense his disappointment. And so I go on to comfort this large, insecure goose with gentle words: “Next weekend I’ll be back, it’ll be quick. And in another two months, it’s winter break.” yZQOhz

He doesn’t move, his head still buried in my neck. When he speaks, his voice comes out muffled. “I really want to hide your clothing so you can’t go anywhere.”

It takes me a while to realise what he’s saying, and even though my heart gives a little twinge, it’s still rather funny.

You never know how a person’s heart beats for you, hidden in its cage beneath their flesh. Who would have guessed that someone usually so cool is so clingy and childish in private?

“Goodness, you should do it. Strip my clothing and lock me in the attic.” 3dZe8J

Yan Kongshan tightens his arms around me. “If I really do that, you’ll cry.”

So it’s not that you don’t want to do it, but because you’re afraid I’ll cry? Doesn’t seem like he’s got his priorities right, but– “I wouldn’t cry.”

He laughs. “So what was it flowing from your eyes yesterday?”

“Water,” I answer straight away. “Water, from my eyes.” lVo1Wz

My answer makes him pause. He looks at me, defeated. We stare at each other like this for a few beats until we both burst out laughing.

When the laughter subsides, I prop myself against his forehead. “I will return to you, for sure.”

He hums in agreement. “No matter how far you fly, I’ll be waiting for your return.”

*** dWDsVP

The next evening, Yan Kongshan drives me to the pier. Grandpa stands out in the yard as usual, waving goodbye to me. Just before I get into the car, a cat’s cry suddenly breaks the air, and when I turn around, I find that Xiao Hua has returned.

She’s lost a lot of weight, and one of her legs seems crippled; who knows what kinds of dangers she’s gone through.

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“Praise be, you finally decided to come back? Where did you go off to, leaving your own kits like that? Don’t you worry, Ah Huang helped you feed your children, so if you have time, go thank her!” Grandpa bends down to talk to the cat in a serious tone.

Even though he always hated Xiao Hua for stealing his salted fish, the sight of her alive and well makes him happy. PDw8aH

“Mian Mian, have a safe journey! I’m going to get Xiao Hua some meat.” He gets up, waves to me in a hurry, and says to the cat, “Xiao Hua, wait for me right here!”

“Grandpa, slow down!” I holler at his retreating back, unsure if he hears me or not.

After I get into the car, I can’t resist looking back. From the rearview mirror, I see Yan Wanqiu rushing out of the house, squatting before Xiao Hua and watching her carefully, as if monitoring the cat for Grandpa.

“Dabai and Erbai’s mother came back?” Yan Kongshan asks. WsKGNd

When both Yan Wanqiu and Xiao Hua disappear in the distance, I have no choice but to turn back. “Yeah, she’s back. Feels like she travelled really far.”

Yan Kongshan doesn’t make assumptions about where she was, nor does he comment on her apparent injury. The only thing he says, is, “It’s good she came back.”

I lean back against the seat and let out a sigh. “Yes, it’s good she came back.”

Coming back is enough. 2Mf039

We reach the pier in less than half an hour. I get down with my bag, and Yan Kongshan follows suit. He pats my head and wishes me a safe journey.

I hug him, then let go quickly. “Remember to write me.”

He laughs, says okay.

For a moment I feel as if I’ve transported back to the era of horse-drawn carriages, when writing letters was the only way to pass on your feelings. QyGUi2

“Go on in.” Yan Kongshan shoots a look at the ferry.

Boarding ends in ten minutes; no matter how much I don’t want to leave, it’s time to say goodbye. I look back with nearly every step I take, making my way to the ticket booth with my bag. When I make it onto the ferry, Yan Kongshan is still there.

Not long after I find my seat and sit down, the ferry sounds its horn and slowly starts departing from shore. From this angle, I can no longer see Yan Kongshan’s silhouette, but I just have the feeling that he’s still looking this way, sending me off.

I know that this relationship has just begun and that there are still countless unknowns in the future waiting for us. This isn’t a relationship that is traditionally accepted by the majority, and thus the two of us may encounter unimaginable obstacles. clPsj

Life cannot be forever smooth sailing; there will always be times of fatigue and disappointment. But it’s okay. I have Green Plum Island. A place to return, a place to rest, always waiting for me. I won’t fear the future, and I won’t fear the tribulations that life sends my way.

I know I won’t be alone. I know that I will always have people with me. The island will always remain there through the passing of time, and my love for him will be like Green Plum Island’s summer — everlasting.

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Salty ocean wind wafts through the cracks in the windows. I mouth at my open palm, then close my hand into a fist and make the motion of tossing something invisible out the window. Fingers splayed open, letting it escape.

Afterwards, I send Yan Kongshan a text. SKD8fO

[I asked the ocean breeze to bring you a message. Did you receive it?]

[Yes.]

[What did it say?]

[It said, I love you.] M9xYPE

fin.

This concludes the main story of Green Plum Island. Thank you everyone for reading and commenting! I’m glad this story was able to bring you some silliness, joy, and entertainment. — xo ʕ⊙ᴥ⊙ʔﾉ♡