Chapter 31 A-4

However, the story still faces a turning point. In the spring of their senior year, after they had been in love for three years, Ma Yu was admitted to the German government scholarship and got a precious opportunity to study in Germany at public expense.Ai Ningning successfully passed the interview with the English teaching department of a university, and will stay in that city to become a college English teacher.Their trajectories started to draw parting arcs here, but Ai Ningning didn't cry - Ma Yu still remembers how brightly Ai Ningning smiled the day before they parted. She raised her head with a smile on her face: "Ma Yu, I'm waiting for you. I'm waiting for you as a graduate student. I, Ai Ningning, stand here waiting for you. You should study hard and come back to serve the motherland. If you have a chance, remember to be there subvert capitalism."

She solemnly took out the parting gifts for him: a framed photo with Ai Ningning's photo, a bottle of bee flower hair conditioner, and a Chinese flag. She explained: "Every night before going to bed, you have to look at my photos. If you dare to forget what I look like, I will go to Germany to ruin your face; didn't you say that my hair smells good? I use bee flower care Fasu, I’ll give you a bottle, remember that my long hair still smells fragrant; you might be able to use this national flag, remember to promote Chinese culture when you have nothing to do..." Ma Yu has long been used to Ai Ningning's unbelievable behavior, so he didn't express any surprise, but hugged her tightly and told her: I will come back in two years, and I will definitely come back!

However, two years later, he did not come back, and two years later, he still did not come back. He studied for a master's degree, then a Ph.D., and then joined a large company, saying that he wanted to gain experience... His promise was often repeated on overseas phone calls, but he knew how powerless this kind of promise gradually became. Ai Ningning's crisp laughter gradually turned into a forced smile, and then she stopped laughing and said: Ma Yu, I can't wait any longer, let's break up. She also said: I'm sorry, my love is exhausted, now, even if you come back, I can't be with you anymore.

That summer, Ma Yu heard from old classmates that Ai Ningning was getting married, and her husband was an ordinary middle school teacher who treated her very well. On the day when he heard the news, Ma Yu got drunk for the first time, and he was very drunk.When I woke up the next day, I realized that the woman next to my pillow was actually my junior sister from the same school.Her name is Shu Yan, she is also Chinese, and her German name is Shania. She has loved him for a long time, but he always refuses to accept it. Ma Yu considered himself a responsible man, so he started his love affair with Shu Yan. Three months later, when she found out that she was pregnant, he married her.He doesn't love her, but he will be good to her and to their children.

Their marriage lasted four years, and when their daughter YOYO was about to turn four years old, they divorced.Because Shu Yan finally couldn't bear her husband's midnight dream, calling out other people's names.Even, the saddest thing is, even when he couldn't help himself, he called Emma. Emma, ​​Emma - Ai Ningning and Ma Yu.This is the German name Ma Yu gave Ai Ningning. Ai Ningning liked it very much, and stipulated that Ma Yu should call her this every day.Over time, Ma Yu got used to calling over and over on the phone: Emma, ​​Emma, ​​Emma... Gradually, this name became a mantra, and I got used to it like an exclamation on my lips, which would be blurted out after a little emotion.

Therefore, the city with Ai Ningning has since become Ma Yu's taboo.He never went back, because he was afraid, afraid of those old scenes, afraid of those familiar people, afraid of hearing anything related to Ai Ningning.Before that, he didn't know that he was such a weak and useless person.Or maybe, only in front of this love, Ma Yu lost all his calmness, rationality, self-confidence, and reserve... The electric kettle beeped, and Sang Li stood up and walked into the kitchen, pouring hot water into a thermos.For a long time, she still prefers to make tea with boiled hot water instead of bottled mineral water.

She finally remembered where she had heard the name "Ai Ningning" - when she was a freshman in college, this woman with a smile on the corner of her eyes stood on the podium and said to everyone: "Hi everyone, my name is Ai Ning Ning, starting today, I will be your public foreign language class teacher. In my class, everyone can eat and drink, and you don’t need to raise your hand when you go out. You can interrupt at any time, even to refute my point of view. But I There is only one requirement, that in my class, whatever you say, please use English." While remembering, Sang Li poured water into the teapot mechanically, until it was full and overflowed, burning her hands, and then she snapped back to her senses with a "Yeah".Ma Yu hurriedly walked from the living room to the kitchen, saw that she was shaking off the hot water on her hand, pulled her over, put her hand under the faucet to rinse, then asked her if she had any ointment, and found out to help her little by little smear.

He smiled at her while painting: "Sang Li, you lived alone like this? It's a miracle that you can grow up healthily." Sang Li looked at him, he squatted in front of her to apply the ointment, his head was so close to her, his hair was black, and his breath smelled like a mature man.Sang Li suddenly thought that Ma Yu must not know the rest of the story. His classmates and Ai Ningning's classmates may not have told him the second half of the story. Thinking of this, Sang Li suddenly felt that his throat was a little dry and his whole body was a little chilly. However, the eye sockets were wet and hot.

She didn't know how to tell Ma Yu that Ai Ningning, whom he loved, had such a pleasing appearance and heart. The public English class in the university was only set up for two years, and the students in the art college didn't pay much attention to English, but because of Ai Ningning Ning Ning, a large number of music, drama, and fine arts students passed the college English test in that year. Although it was still very poor compared with other schools, under the policy at that time, this was enough to make the graduates of art colleges The student successfully obtained the degree certificate.

She is such a good woman. Although she has been teaching for less than six years, she has won the love of many students.When she left, many students came from other places just to present her with a bouquet of flowers. According to Gu Xiaoying's later description: It was a solemn and affectionate memorial service. The woman lying in the flowers was sick and haggard, but her expression was peaceful. Ai Ningning died of lymphoma shortly before Ma Yu returned to China. About these, it's better not to tell Ma Yu, right? While thinking this way, a tear finally couldn't help but fall.The scorching liquid slid down Ma Yu's arm, he was taken aback, looked up at Sang Li, and asked, "Does it hurt?"

Sang Li shook her head, she stared at Ma Yu blankly, and seemed to see some misfortunes and fortunes that ordinary people couldn't guess through Ma Yu's straight eyebrows.She withdrew her hand from Ma Yu's and found that after applying the ointment, it seemed that the pain really eased. She put her arms around Ma Yu's neck lightly, she approached him, and whispered: "Ma Yu, believe it or not, Ai Ningning will be very happy?" Ma Yu's chest seemed to be hit hard by something. He lowered his head, raised it again, and said slowly, "I believe it." Sang Li smiled.She gently leaned on Ma Yu's shoulder, not hugging her tightly, but she could hear his heartbeat through a little gap, and she said in his ear: "What a coincidence, the person you love is called Ai Ningning, I The person I love is Xiang Ning, although they have different surnames, they have the same first name." A line of tears finally couldn't help but fall down. Sang Li closed his eyes, and seemed to be able to see that the happiness that was within reach in the past had been broken into the bottom of the memory like the bubbles of the little mermaid.She was crying in a low voice, as if she wanted to cry out all the tears she had accumulated in the past few years, but Ma Yu didn't speak, but just hugged him and patted her on the back gently, just like she coaxed YOYO just now. Finally, Sang Li gradually became at ease in Ma Yu's arms. With sobs, she discovered that Ma Yu had a clean aura, just like Xiang Ning. But, Xiang Ning, you don't want to accompany me anymore. Although, I still clearly remember the traces of my college days: the sea of ​​jasmine flowers on the first night of school, the bright moonlight in countless nights when I missed you, and the one you gently printed on my forehead after twelve o'clock at the masquerade party kiss…… I grew up with these memories, you know? Because of having these memories, I actually never felt how hard my girlhood was. Even if I don’t have a mother, even if I am scolded by others, even if I am beaten by my father—for me, these are just experiences that I will remember, but they may not necessarily have an unforgettable pain. Only you, only when I think of you, I realize that the most pitiful thing in this world is not that you have never tasted happiness, but that you were once very happy, but later, happiness disappeared...