Until Next Time - Yizhan

Chapter Nine

He placed all his clothes in the old wardrobe and tucked his large suitcase under the bed. The caretaker does a great job keeping the house in shape. The cabinet doesn't even smell old. And the quilt has the delightful fragrance of freshly laundered fabric. He was convinced that laundry starch had been used.

He stretched his body and glanced at his wristwatch he placed next to the lamp on the table. It was nine in the evening. He stood up to close the two large windows that the caretaker had probably left open. Through the light from the top of the building from the other side, he could see the backyard and two old mango trees.

As he closed the windows, a chilly breeze swept through the room. He even thought of buying an electric fan to use temporarily while he figured out his renovation plans for the house. It was chilly at night, though he hardly noticed it during the day. Perhaps tomorrow, she might prefer to stay at a hotel instead.

He went out of the room to close the large windows in the living room. When he looked outside the window, he saw that there were still people on the street. He noticed earlier that there were a few houses like his grandpa's house on both sides of the road. Most have been renovated and the houses are beautiful and modern.

Surrounding the old man's house are buildings on either side. Yet, some houses, including his, have stayed just as they are. This might be due to the budget being too costly, preserving their house in its original form. Others have converted their downstairs areas into shops, much like the house directly across the street. There's a small grocery store located just below that.

He made sure all the windows and doors were closed. He was about to turn off the light when he suddenly realized he needed to stop by the bathroom which was located in the hallway to the kitchen.

He walked back into the room, grabbed his towel, and headed to the bathroom. The worn-out bathroom came into view, with faucets sticking out from the concrete walls. Several tiles were missing. His consolation is that the toilet and the bowl are clean.

Zhan shook his head. He missed his bathtub and the warm bath. He felt refreshed when he returned to the room. He slipped into a comfy oversized T-shirt that served as his nightwear. Afterward, he opened a drawer in the chest to grab his facial products.

"Wrong drawer," he thought as he opened the one on the right. It was empty except for a book the size of a pocketbook and two old photo albums. Just as he was about to close it, his curiosity got the best of him about the little book. He pulled it out for a closer look. "A diary!"

Zhan looked intently at the diary, its black hardbound cover showing signs of wear and tear. His curiosity deepened. He sat on the edge of the bed, yoga style, and cautiously flipped it open. The name Tang San was inscribed on the aged page.

"Grandpa kept a diary!" he said excitedly as he flipped another page. "May 13, 1948..." He did a fast mental computation, "Grandpa must be around twenty years old on the date written in the diary. About my age."

"Dear diary..." He began reading the almost faded handwriting brought on by the years. "I am set to marry Jiang Wangyin. A childhood friend. Tonight is the official announcement of our engagement at the same time as my dad's despedida, as he heads to the US. Everyone is busy with preparations. My Nana Shuyi is focused on perfecting the outfit I'll be wearing.

Wangyin is such a kind and wonderful person. Being my first boyfriend, I truly believed I was in love with him. I felt so lucky because I knew he cared for me deeply. But my world changed when Lan Xie Yun came into my life. Twenty-five years old and he's pursuing a business course at Peking University. He lives in the basement of our home, and my dad, who happens to be one of his professors, welcomed him here..."

Zhan paused his reading as a dizzy sensation washed over him. He quickly sat up when he heard what sounded like a frantic knock on his room's door. Zhan furrowed his brows while gazing at the room's door. "Has the caretaker forgotten something?" he thought.

"San, what on earth!" the voice from outside the room. "Why are you taking so long to get ready?" Zhan's eyes widened. That's not the caretaker's voice. He nervously dropped the diary on the bed and hesitantly approached the door. But before he could reach it, the door burst open.

He almost screamed in fear when he saw a woman about his age standing outside his door. Her long hair was tied back in a ponytail, and she wore a vintage dress that made her look like she had stepped right out of a 1940s theatrical performance.

"Oh, why are you looking at me like that, San?" the woman also asked in surprise. "And why are you still not dressed? What on earth—" She suddenly fell silent, her hand flying to her mouth as her gaze landed on his outfit. "What are you wearing?" She gazed and her eyes widen in a most horrifying way manner.

"Wh-what-"

But before any word could come out of his mouth, the woman spoke again as the fan rose in the air. "Oh my goodness, San! I never expected you would expose your body in such clothes. Hurry up and change your clothes Uncle Wei has been looking for you for a while now.

"Wangyin's parents are here, and your boyfriend is searching for you as well!" After the girl's outburst, she quickly turned away.

Zhan stayed frozen in place, astonished until she was out of his view. He couldn't help but wonder where that girl had come from. And where did the conversation and laughter of the people he heard come from?

Suddenly, his gaze shifted to the windows outside. Since the door to his room was open, he noticed the window he had just closed. To his surprise, they were all open, with a curtain fluttering above.

"Oh, God!"