“Domestic violence?” Chen Jian looked at Sun Nana, not quite sure if he could believe her.
Sun Nana’s sorrow seemed a bit exaggerated. Coupled with her attire, makeup, and runway-like demeanor, Chen Jian even began to suspect that if domestic violence did exist, Sun Nana might be the perpetrator.
But the next second, he was stunned.
Sun Nana turned her head, and next to her left ear, revealed by her parted hair, was a bruised and purplish bloodstain. Further down, there was also a bruise on her left jaw.
To be honest, even when Shan Yu had knocked out Chen Dahu with a crutch, he hadn’t left such severe marks on him.
“Is your ear okay?” Chen Jian subconsciously asked.
Sun Nana didn’t speak, just looked at Chen Jian.
Oh no, did she damage her ear?
Chen Jian also looked at her, then slowed down his speech and asked again, “Did it hit your ear? Is it okay?”
“It’s fine,” Sun Nana said, turning her head away forcefully. She pressed the corner of her eye with her finger, took a breath, and then sighed dramatically, still as if she were a clumsy third-rate actress.
But now, when Chen Jian watched her “act,” his feelings were different.
“All these days,” Sun Nana sniffled, then turned back to look at him, “you’re the first person to ask if I’m okay.”
“It could also be… that others didn’t see your injuries,” Chen Jian carefully comforted her.
“I haven’t met that many people,” Sun Nana said, waving her hand lightly in front of her.
“…Oh.” Chen Jian wanted to claw back the words he had just said.
“My name is Sun Nana, you can all call me by my English name, Nana. I’m twenty-eight years old, planning to get a divorce but haven’t yet,” Sun Nana said. “Is there any other personal information I need to provide?”
“No need, I just wanted to get a general idea,” Chen Jian said. “Also, I’ll need a copy of your ID card for our records.”
Sun Nana stood up, opened the side lid of her suitcase, and took out a shiny little bag made entirely of gold sequins. She took out her ID card and handed it to Chen Jian.
“I’ll return it to you after I make a copy,” Chen Jian stood up and pointed to the door of the women’s dormitory. “You can get settled in first. Hu Pan is living here now, and Sister Zhao sometimes stays here too. Sister Zhao is Zhao…”
“Zhao Fangfang, the sister who’s busy in the kitchen,” Sun Nana said, dragging her suitcase into the inner room. She turned back and said, “You can go down first. I’ll get the ID card from you later, you don’t need to bring it over specially.”
“…Okay,” Chen Jian nodded. To be on the safe side, he stopped and asked before leaving, “I’ll keep your personal matters confidential.”
“It’s okay,” Sun Nana said, leaning against the door. “It’s not something that can’t be seen in public.”
“Okay,” Chen Jian nodded and turned to leave the dormitory.
He stood in the hallway for two seconds before getting into the elevator, feeling that it wouldn’t be a big problem to just say she was the boss’s distant cousin instead of the boss’s distant older sister.
Boss Shan had to explain himself just to eat a cookie, while Boss Sun had already arranged her own accommodation.
“Domestic violence?” Hu Pan was very shocked as she copied the ID card, her voice lowered. “Who hit her? Her parents? Or her husband… oh, it should be her husband. She’s twenty-eight, so she should be married…”
“Although she said she doesn’t mind if everyone knows, it’s still a private matter,” Chen Jian said in a low voice. “It’s enough for the two of us to know about this situation. If she doesn’t say anything herself, we shouldn’t spread it around.”
“Don’t worry, who am I?” Hu Pan raised her hand and made an OK sign. “Is it really just the two of us who know?”
“Yeah,” Chen Jian replied. “What’s wrong?”
“Does Boss Shan have no presence at all?” Hu Pan said. “He’s the owner of this B&B, after all.”
Chen Jian laughed. “Right, and him too.”
Everyone had already eaten their meals in their spare time. There were two more boxed meals left for the boss and the manager. One of the bags even contained a bottle of sugar-free Coke. Everyone was very considerate of the boss.
Chen Jian took the boxed meals and was about to go upstairs when Sun Nana came down the stairs. She was no longer wearing her little fluffy coat, but a shiny baseball jacket instead, looking much more capable, though she was still in her little high heels.
“ID card,” Chen Jian handed her the ID card. “Do you want to change your shoes? Aren’t those shoes tiring?”
“I can’t walk in flats,” Sun Nana said, walking quickly towards the restaurant. Then she tossed her hair and turned back. “I always lean backwards.”
“Aiyo,” Hu Pan laughed at the front desk. “What a runway style.”
When the food was brought to the office, Shan Yu had already changed into sportswear and was sitting behind his desk, his legs propped up on it, looking up at the computer on the desk. He was probably still looking at those photos.
“Are you looking at the photos?” Chen Jian put the food on the coffee table and walked over.
“Yeah,” Shan Yu nodded and removed his left arm from the armrest of the chair. “Want to see?”
“Yes,” Chen Jian hesitated for half a second before sitting on the armrest, one leg on the ground, leaning against the back of the chair.
Shan Yu’s hand wrapped around his back and rested on his waist.
Chen Jian looked down.
“Hmm?” Shan Yu’s fingertips slipped under the hem of his sweatshirt and tapped lightly on his stomach.
“Nothing,” Chen Jian looked up at the computer screen again.
On the screen was a picture of the old village surrounded by silvery mountain forests under the moonlight. The scattered lights made it look like a village from a fairy tale.
“Come and see the demons of the Great Hermit,” Shan Yu said, flipping back a few photos.
The flames leaping from the iron bucket, the crowd dancing around the flames, everyone was bathed in the color of the fire, looking warm and passionate.
Everyone was smiling so brightly that Chen Jian only recognized Zhao Fangfang, and Hu Pan and Sanbing by their hair…
“How can you smile with such an expression?” he couldn’t help but laugh.
“Who knows,” Shan Yu’s fingertips traced lightly on his stomach, then flipped to the next picture. “This one is okay, it can be used.”
This picture was taken before everyone burst into laughter, in a state of poised laughter. In the background, Chen Jian and Shan Yu could be seen sitting together on a bench.
“Yeah,” Chen Jian replied.
He wanted to look at the photos, but his attention was no longer on the screen.
It was all on his damn stomach.
On Shan Yu’s hand.
“This one is also okay,” Shan Yu flipped to the next one. “Some of the expressions and actions are particularly exaggerated. We can print them out and make a photo wall to replace those pretentious paintings Qian Yu put up on the restaurant wall.”
“Yeah,” Chen Jian nodded.
“There’s another batch of photos from the bonfire festival,” Shan Yu’s fingertips traced from his stomach to his side, then slowly from his left waist to his right. “We’ll see how many we can put together then.”
“Yeah,” Chen Jian felt like he wasn’t listening to what Shan Yu was saying at all.
This was the first time he had been so absent-minded when the boss was arranging work.
“What’s wrong?” Shan Yu’s hand stopped.
“What do you think?” Chen Jian turned his head to look at him.
Shan Yu didn’t speak, just leaned back in his chair and looked at him. After a few seconds, an indistinct smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
Chen Jian paused, grabbed his hand, and at the same time as he turned around, he knelt on the chair with one leg, leaning on the back of the chair and kissing him.
This kiss carried a hint of annoyance from being deliberately provoked, like an attack, falling heavily.
Shan Yu seemed to have been waiting for it, and met him almost at the same time. As he turned, his hand slid from his side to his back, the warm palm seeming to carry an electric current.
The chair tilted back, and without the lever being pulled, it was pressed to its maximum recline angle.
A series of creaks and clicks came from under the back of the chair, in time with their heartbeats, creating a strange sense of rhythm, like the prelude to some surging background music.
The scar on Shan Yu’s side slid past his palm, the clear touch like it was gently brushing against some nerve.
Then their breathing was like a gale sweeping past their ears, instantly drowning out the background music in their minds.
All the sensations came like a storm. What they heard, saw, and touched were all a tempest, so dense that they couldn’t breathe…
…
When the storm gradually calmed down, Chen Jian’s breathing slowly found its normal rhythm. He took a deep breath, and the oxygen-deprived chaos in his body was finally slowly exhaled with that breath.
His leg, which had been kneeling on the chair, was completely numb, and half of his body was pressed against Shan Yu, but he didn’t want to move.
“Your hand,” he turned his head slightly, his voice a little hoarse. He had to clear his throat, then moved his hand down Shan Yu’s right arm to his hand. “Is it being pressed?”
“No,” Shan Yu’s voice was right by his ear, still with a slight pant.
Chen Jian propped himself up on the back of the chair, wanting to get up first.
“Don’t move,” Shan Yu said.
“Hmm?” Chen Jian froze.
“The chair is about to fall over,” Shan Yu said, looking up.
Chen Jian followed his gaze and saw that the back of the chair had not only been forcibly pressed to its maximum recline angle, but had also tilted backwards. A corner of the back of the chair was stuck on the cabinet door behind it, which was what had prevented it from tipping over.
“Damn, the cabinet door is broken,” Chen Jian said in a low voice. He quickly reached out and grabbed the handle of the drawer above the cabinet door to prevent the cabinet door from giving way when he got up, which would cause both of them to fall to the floor.
“The money to replace the cabinet door will be deducted from your salary,” Shan Yu said.
Chen Jian glanced at him, but didn’t have time to speak. He first put down his numb leg, grimaced as he eased it for a few seconds, then finally straightened up, pulling the back of the chair to right the chair along with Shan Yu.
“This chair is probably broken too,” Shan Yu stood up, pulling at his waistband.
Chen Jian lowered his eyes and glanced at it.
“Still looking?” Shan Yu asked.
“I really…” Chen Jian sighed helplessly.
Shan Yu smiled, kissed him on the corner of his lips, and turned to go into the bathroom. “I’ll go first.”
“Then I’ll go back to the dorm…” Chen Jian looked back at the office door, not knowing if there was anyone in the dorm at this time.
Probably not, they’re all busy.
They’re all busy, and only the manager and the boss aren’t doing any real work…
“What for?” Shan Yu came back out and looked at him. “Suddenly so generous?”
“I’m changing my pants,” Chen Jian said.
“Wear mine,” Shan Yu said.
“Isn’t that even more generous?” Chen Jian said.
Shan Yu laughed. “Change into a new pair. They’re on the sofa.”
“Okay,” Chen Jian’s head was still buzzing a bit, and he couldn’t think of anything else, so he nodded.
Shan Yu came out of the bathroom, having changed his clothes.
Chen Jian was still leaning against the desk, stunned.
“Are you okay?” Shan Yu came over and touched his face.
“I’m fine,” Chen Jian grabbed his hand and pressed it to his lips. “It’s just that I’m a little… maybe overexcited, I can’t come back to my senses.”
Shan Yu hugged him.
He also quickly hugged Shan Yu back, burying his face in the side of his neck and closing his eyes.
It was still that faint scent of the sea, fresh and tranquil.
He didn’t know how long they hugged, but Chen Jian felt that he had finally truly recovered. He opened his eyes and asked softly, “Are you using some kind of perfume?”
“The shower gel and perfume both have this scent,” Shan Yu said.
“It smells good,” Chen Jian said. “The night I climbed over the wall and ran into you, you smelled like this.”
“I’ll give you a set,” Shan Yu said.
“It might not smell like this if I use it,” Chen Jian said, pressing his nose against his neck and taking a deep breath. “There’s still your scent in it.”
“I’ll cut you a piece of meat to go with it,” Shan Yu said.
“Are you a psycho?” Chen Jian laughed.
Shan Yu’s bathroom was filled with this scent, very comfortable and relaxing.
After Chen Jian finished tidying up, he changed into the new pants Shan Yu had bought. They were a pair of cargo pants and fit him quite well. Their sizes should be the same.
He walked out of the bathroom. Shan Yu was sitting at the coffee table, having opened all the takeout boxes.
When he smelled the food, he heard his stomach growl.
“I’m hungry,” Chen Jian walked over and sat down.
“Let’s go to the barbecue place after we finish eating,” Shan Yu pushed his portion in front of him and picked up his own children’s chopsticks. “Let’s see how things are going.”
“There’s a meeting, a fire safety meeting,” Chen Jian said. “I’ve given instructions for the barbecue place. They’ll call you if anything comes up.”
“Oh, a fire safety meeting, Teacher Chen Erhu’s class,” Shan Yu nodded. After two seconds, he turned to look at him. “They’ll call me if anything comes up?”
“I gave the instructions at noon. Wasn’t I afraid I wouldn’t be able to answer the phone while I was practicing driving?” Chen Jian said.
“Hurry up and give new instructions. They should call you,” Shan Yu said.
“Nana is more like a boss than you,” Chen Jian smiled.
“You’re already calling her so intimately?” Shan Yu clicked his tongue.
“Sun Nana, English name Nana,” Chen Jian said.
“So… fashionable,” Shan Yu said.
“Yeah,” Chen Jian nodded. “I asked a little. She said she ran away because of domestic violence. Let’s have her work for now and see how things go.”
“This shop…” Shan Yu took a bite of food and chewed slowly.
“Let’s make an exception,” Chen Jian said, a little impatiently. “What’s wrong with this shop?”
Shan Yu swallowed his food. “It’s cursed.”
Chen Jian laughed, stared at Shan Yu for a while, then leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
“You got oil all over my face,” Shan Yu said, a corner of his mouth twitching.
Chen Jian smiled without speaking and lowered his head to eat.
Teacher Chen Erhu was very dissatisfied that the manager and the boss had taken too long to eat, which had delayed the start of his class. He shouted directly into the walkie-talkie, “Chen Jian! Didn’t I say there was a fire safety training tonight!”
“Coming right now,” Chen Jian picked up the walkie-talkie and replied.
“Did you notify Shan Yu?” Chen Erhu asked. Before Chen Jian could reply, he probably remembered this was a walkie-talkie, not a phone, so he repeated, “Did you notify Boss Shan!”
Shan Yu took the walkie-talkie. “Notified. Coming right now.”
There was no sound from the other end.
Chen Jian cleared the takeout boxes on the table. “I’ll go down first.”
“Okay,” Shan Yu said, leaning back on the sofa and stretching.
“Your face,” Chen Jian said as he went out, giving him another instruction. “Wipe it.”
“Okay,” Shan Yu smiled and nodded.
The guests eating in the restaurant had already left, and there were basically no new guests checking in at this time. The first floor had temporarily returned to its usual tranquility.
Everyone followed Teacher Chen Erhu into the conference room where they had previously held a mixer with the Happy Beans.
“Is everyone here?” Chen Erhu asked, holding a notebook. “Everyone, just sit wherever you like.”
“We’re all here,” Sanbing, as usual, was his boss’s biggest supporter.
Mushroom saw that there was no one outside and followed them into the conference room, lying down at Chen Jian’s feet.
Shan Yu, who was sitting next to him, stretched out his leg and teased Mushroom with the tip of his foot.
“Be serious,” Chen Erhu looked at Shan Yu.
“Hmph,” Shan Yu expressed his surprise in a low voice and retracted his leg.
Chen Jian turned his head away, trying to hold back his laughter.
“Before this, this training, this fire safety training begins,” Chen Erhu sat up straight. “I’ll first say a few words off-topic.”
This made Chen Jian a little curious. Chen Erhu might not even be able to speak clearly on-topic, and he was going to speak off-topic?
“Thank you to everyone at the Great Hermit, and to the manager and the boss for your trust in me,” Chen Erhu’s speech suddenly became smooth when he talked about the off-topic matter. “For letting me do such a thing…”
Shan Yu clapped twice.
“Boss Shan, I’m not finished,” Chen Erhu said.
Chen Jian pressed Shan Yu’s hand down.
“Although I don’t have much education, and… I haven’t done any proper work,” Chen Erhu said. “But everyone still gave me a chance. Thank you very much.”
“We’re all the same,” Hu Pan said.
“Yeah,” Chen Erhu nodded. “So the Great Hermit, to me, is my second home! In this home, fire safety is very important. In order to improve the prevention of my family members, fire awareness, fire prevention awareness, and, emergency response capabilities…”
For some reason, Chen Erhu’s stiff words of thanks and even stiffer transition to the main topic moved Chen Jian in a strange way. He glanced at Shan Yu.
Shan Yu was looking at Chen Erhu very seriously.
Chen Jian thought of what he had said before.
I’ll give these people a hand, and these people had better be able to give me a hand too.
