Chapter 7: Linghu Chong III

  When we were young, people always paid attention to what was in the world. Seeing only a lollipop made our eyes shine brightly. In college, whoever dared to pat their chest and say "I'll treat you all tonight, come one come all", could guarantee that they would be surrounded by a crowd of people squeezing through the doors of any restaurant. Ten years later, Duan Yu called Yang Kang saying "Yang Kang, I'm treating you to French food". Yang Kang still had to ask with a smirk on his face "Is there lobster? If not, I won't even move".

  So Duan Yu concluded at the dinner table that night, wiping his mouth with a napkin, people tend to become more enlightened as they age and gradually look down on worldly affairs. Look at Yang Kang now, he doesn't even care about lollipops anymore. Yang Kang gnawed on his pork chop and said you can't generalize this, I still appreciate your lobster. Duan Yu sighed and said Yang Kang, you don't have the roots of wisdom, when you're over 70, I guarantee you won't be interested in lobster either. Yang Kang said ah, come on, don't talk nonsense, are we all going to become Buddhas when we get old?

  Duan Yu sighed and said, "It's a pity that most people didn't thoroughly see through it before they kicked the bucket."

  Yang Kang also sighed, I don't want to see through, I think seeing a lollipop is pretty good too.

  Let's go back to ten years ago, on the night of Bian Da's school anniversary, in a gray old dormitory building of Bian Da University, Linghu Chong was bored and leaned against his black-and-white pillow, flipping through a volume of "The Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils".

  When the old monk said "the imperial map and the hegemony are nothing more than this", Linghu Cong nodded slightly, sighed, and muttered: "This is a real bull"

  The last few tickets were divided among Lu Dahu and Gao Genming, Liang Fa didn't get any, and there was no more movement. The corridor could still hear his loud voice, and it seemed that he had already forgotten about democracy. However, Linghu Chong and Liang Fa still had dark faces and red eyes, and everyone looked very proud when they met, coldly brushing shoulders with each other.

  Linghu Cong suddenly had some epiphany about the Zen concept of emptiness, thinking that even great historical figures like Qin Shi Huang, Cao Mengde and Li Shimin would eventually return to dust. What's a class leader position compared to that? Linghu Cong decided to resign. Originally, this matter could have been settled with just a private conversation between him and Zhu Cong, followed by a class meeting to elect a new leader. However, Linghu Cong's innate showmanship made him determined to make a grand exit, wanting to dramatically pull the curtain on his class leader career in front of all his classmates.

  So on the night of the school celebration, everyone in the dormitory went out to have fun, leaving only Linghu Chong who bought two bottles of beer and rented a copy of "The Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils". After reading and drinking, he spread out a piece of letter paper and started drafting a resignation letter. The letter began like this:

  "Teacher Zhu, fellow classmates:"

  I have been the class monitor for over a year, and I have always had a hope to do something for the class with my own strength. During this period, I also received everyone's support and encouragement, and I would like to express my gratitude here. However, due to the busy schoolwork recently, as well as my limited personal ability, I had to resign from this position. I hope that the class can elect a new candidate in time, and I also hope that various activities in the class can be carried out better...

  Linghu Cong took two sips of beer, feeling quite satisfied. The tone of the letter was smooth and elegant, even with a hint of poetic flair reminiscent of Tao Qian's refusal to bow down for five pecks of grain. However, he felt that he couldn't avoid mentioning the matter of splitting votes, otherwise his own departure would seem unclear and unjustified, so he continued writing:

  "This time I resigned mainly due to some personal considerations. Although there was a conflict with some classmates during the school anniversary gala voting event, that was not the direct reason for my resignation. I solemnly declare that I did not make this decision for emotional reasons. Some classmates do not trust me, and I am willing to accept it calmly..."

  Linghu Cong opened another bottle of beer at the table, tilted his head back against the bottle and drank half a bottle in one breath. He suddenly remembered Liang Fa's expression when he looked at him, and it seemed that he could still hear those words: "What are you?"

  Linghu Chong's head spun, and he gritted his teeth, letting out a "hmmph" as he completely abandoned all elegance and continued writing with a flourish:

  However, some of my classmates' sharp criticism made me feel unacceptable. I don't mind taking on various tasks, but I'm not willing to be suspected without reason because of this. In my opinion, the work of a class leader is not a target that can be ridiculed and trampled by everyone, even if it's tedious. Even those who do not respect their work should respect the sweat they put into it. I don't understand why some people who think they are elegant and refined, but actually have no achievements, have the right to doubt and accuse others. Isn't it time for these arrogant and ignorant people in our school to wake up from their foolish dreams? I suspect that some of my classmates may pay a price for their arrogance...

  Just as Linghu Chong was writing about the heroic and vigorous scene of fighting against the bull, he thought of sending someone to beat the drum, but was suddenly interrupted. With the help of his intoxication, he glared with his eyes and shouted: "Who? This place doesn't lend out hot water or sell instant noodles!"

  A stout middle-aged man at the door was stunned by Linghu Cong's look of wanting to find someone to play with his life, and it took a long time to lift up the corner of the thickly stacked advertisements on the door and looked at the exposed dormitory number: "Is this 202?"

  Linghu Cong waved his brush and pointed with a bit of the air of commanding thousands of troops: "Isn't it written there? Go find someone!"

  "Not... let's take a look at the house"

  "A house?" Linghu Cong was taken aback, his intoxication slightly alleviated. "You are..."

  "My name is Feng Qingyang," the short and stout man quickly took out a business card from under his arm, "we are alumni, I used to graduate from Bian University's Politics Department, and I live around here."

  "Oh... you're back for the school anniversary? Come on in. Linghu Cong was a bit surprised, the business card read - "Doctor of Guozijian, Head of Bianliang Affairs Department, Feng Qingyang", turned out to be a dignified person."

  "Are you also from the National Government?" Feng Qingyang asked, sidestepping the trash and walking in, while turning his head to look at a pile of books on the bookshelf, which were Linghu Cong's textbooks.

  "It's quite messy here, I'm the only one who wanted to invite Feng Qingyang for a drink, but thinking of my cup being taken by Yang Kang as a hammer to repair locks, it's already miserable, so I gave up on this idea."

  It's okay, it's okay. Feng Qingyang sat down in a gap among the messy bed sheets of Guo Jing.

  Linghu Cong pulled out the trash from the table, trying to make some space for guests, but unexpectedly a cockroach scurried past.

  "Hey," Linghu Chong saw Feng Qingyang jump in fright, and could only force a laugh, "There are more cockroaches here."

  "Many... " Feng Qingyang dragged out the long tone, "We used to have many too, so many years have passed and still many, the bed boards are all..."

  "Under the bed?"

  "Ah!" Wind Qīng Yáng actually really knocked on the upper bunk's bed board, two or three cockroaches immediately fell down, proving that what he said was not false.

  "Good grief!" Linghu Cong hastily went up to coordinate with Feng Qingyang and stepped on it together, "You really are familiar with this trick!"

  "Living here for four years, can't you get used to it?" Feng Qingyang stepped on two cockroaches and sat down, saying calmly, "Still the same old thing... The dorm doesn't even repair the building, they just change the wallpaper once a semester, those bookshelves are still the same as when we were here..."

  "Which class are you in?"

  "In the fourth year of Qingli"

  "It's been twelve years," said Linghu Chong. To Linghu Chong, twelve years was a very long time unit.

  "Have you guys bought a computer now?" Feng Qingyang said, "But it's still dirtier than our time..."

  Linghu Cong felt a bit embarrassed and didn't speak. Feng Qingyang's words were cut off, and he looked around awkwardly, pressing against the table. Linghu Cong lowered his head to look at the letter in front of him, and the silence in the room made him feel strange. He raised his head and suddenly caught a special expression in Feng Qingyang's eyes, not just nostalgia or emotion, but many subtle emotions intertwined in Feng Qingyang's already worldly eyes.

  Linghu Cong's gaze fell on Feng Qingyang's beer belly, and he began to wonder if this senior brother was also a difficult person in the Imperial Academy, holding the power of recruitment. For years, banquets had been held continuously, and he had also been majestic at the wine table, and had also shouted loudly in the office. To be honest, Feng Qingyang's beer belly and that worldly smile made Linghu Cong dislike him, but Feng Qingyang's expression at this moment made Linghu Cong feel a little affectionate. This expression did not belong to the wine table or the office, as if for an instant, another person opened his eyes in Feng Qingyang's short and stout body, perhaps that person was the real Feng Qingyang, rather than the so-called "Imperial Academy Doctor, Bianliang Affairs Director Shi".

  Linghu Cong thought he should invite Feng Qingyang again, but Feng Qingyang had already stood up and restored his habitual smile, saying: "Are you studying? I won't disturb you, I'll leave first."

  "You can go now, Linghu Cong is also happy to get rid of this awkward situation."

  When Feng Qingyang opened the door, the gentle breeze of early summer night was blowing between the doors and windows, and a rustling sound of leaves came from outside the window. Feng Qingyang stretched her neck to look out, under the dim light that shone through the street lamp, she saw the silhouette of the silver apricot tree outside, with countless dark fan-shaped shadows dancing in the wind.

  "Wow, the tree has really grown tall!" Feng Qingyang said, closing the door behind him.

  The door creaked shut with a "click", and Linghu Cong sat at his desk in a daze.