The bonfire festival had a few fireworks prepared, or maybe not to the extent of fireworks, it was more appropriate to call them firecrackers. If the Great Hermit had been in charge of preparing this, it would definitely have been more spectacular.
But these fireworks were also fine. They were placed along the river, and with a burst of music from the band, a patch of colorful light exploded on the riverbank, and the tourists on site burst into rounds of laughter and applause.
Chen Jian returned to the barbecue shop’s stall. The bosses who had come to make peace had already left. Shan Yu was leaning back on a lounge chair, his hair all pulled up to the top of his head and tied into a small braid.
Next to him was Xiao Dou’er, who was clapping and jumping.
“Dou’er is here,” Chen Jian walked over.
“Fireworks! Brother Chen Jian, look at the fireworks!” Xiao Dou’er pointed to the fireworks over there.
“Yeah, I see them,” Chen Jian turned and watched the fireworks for a few seconds, then couldn’t help but turn back to look at the leisurely half-lying Shan Yu. “Did you tie Boss Brother’s braid?”
“Yes!” Xiao Dou’er answered loudly. “He looks like my little sister with a little braid.”
“Really?” Chen Jian turned back to confirm in shock.
Shan Yu smiled at him, his chin resting on his hands.
“Aiyo,” Chen Jian couldn’t help but laugh. “This little sister is so pretty.”
Old Lu came out of the shop with a plate of freshly grilled meat skewers and put it on the table next to them. He was stunned when he saw Shan Yu’s sky-high braid.
He wanted to ask but was too embarrassed to.
After all, Shan Yu’s background was very mysterious, and he didn’t know if this braid had any special meaning.
“Xia Dou’er tied it for him,” Chen Jian said.
“Oh!” Old Lu exclaimed, then smiled and waved his hand. “Hey! I was wondering what it was…”
“Xiao Dou’er, who brought you here? Have you eaten?” Chen Jian asked.
“I came with my third aunt,” Xiao Dou’er said.
This third aunt was Sanbing’s cousin-in-law. She was on good terms with Xiao Dou’er’s mother, usually lived in the old town, and would bring Xiao Dou’er out to play when she returned to the village.
“Dou’er,” the cousin-in-law poked her head out of Old Lu’s shop. “Come in and have a couple of bites before you play.”
Chen Jian brought Xiao Dou’er into the shop.
The cousin-in-law looked at Shan Yu, who was eating barbecue with his sky-high braid, and said in a low voice, “Is that the boss?”
“Yeah,” Chen Jian nodded.
“I didn’t get a good look at him when I came for dinner at the opening. I thought he was quite serious,” the cousin-in-law said. “His temper is quite good, letting Xiao Dou’er do as he pleases.”
This temper, how to say it, it was indeed quite good.
“Xiao Dou’er is so cute,” Chen Jian smiled.
“You guys go eat something. I’ll take care of Dou’er. Don’t let him bother you so much that you can’t even eat,” the cousin-in-law said.
Chen Jian went back to sit next to Shan Yu and glanced at him.
“This chicken wing is delicious,” Shan Yu pointed to the plate.
“Yeah,” Chen Jian nodded and glanced at him again.
“What?” Shan Yu also looked at him.
“It’s just…” Chen Jian looked at his sky-high braid, his gaze returning to his face. “I think this is the first time… I’ve clearly seen your whole face.”
“I generally consider the face to be below the eyebrows,” Shan Yu said.
“Then what about above the eyebrows?” Chen Jian asked.
“The forehead,” Shan Yu said. “The scientific name is forehead. You don’t even know that?”
“Damn,” Chen Jian laughed. “I can’t talk to you.”
“Is it good-looking?” Shan Yu asked.
“What?” Chen Jian was stunned for a moment, not reacting.
“My forehead,” Shan Yu said.
“…Good-looking,” Chen Jian was a little speechless. “But people don’t usually ask like that, breaking it down.”
Shan Yu smiled and didn’t speak.
It was indeed very good-looking. Shan Yu was worthy of being the best-looking boss in the small town. His forehead was also very good-looking, especially when it was combined with his face, and especially when he turned his head to look over.
At this moment, the fireworks on the riverbank were golden. Half of Shan Yu’s face was in the golden light, outlining a clear profile, and there was also a dancing light in his eyes.
When Chen Jian’s fingertip touched Shan Yu’s forehead, his heart jumped.
Will people see?
Manager, pull your hand back. What’s the deal with poking the boss’s forehead in public?
But he didn’t pull it back.
He insisted on gently tracing down the line between light and shadow, from Shan Yu’s forehead to the bridge of his nose.
Only then did he quickly reach for the plate, grab a chicken wing, and stuff it into his mouth, crunching on it.
“Remember to spit out the bones,” Shan Yu said. “Don’t swallow them in a panic.”
“I’m not in a panic,” Chen Jian continued to crunch.
“No one saw,” Shan Yu said. “They’re all watching the fireworks.”
“I actually… if someone saw, then they saw,” Chen Jian smiled. “I just suddenly wanted to touch you. I feel a little crazy.”
“Is there anyone who is completely not crazy?” Shan Yu said.
Chen Jian finished the chicken wing and took a sip of a bottle of Coke.
Shan Yu glanced at him. “Where are the bones?”
“I chewed them all up,” Chen Jian said. “And then swallowed them.”
“Pretty impressive,” Shan Yu said.
“I often chew them up together. I was greedy when I was a kid, and I always felt it was a waste to spit out bones that I could bite through,” Chen Jian said. “So I chewed them all up.”
“Were you not full?” Shan Yu’s question was so direct.
“I was full, it’s just that there probably wasn’t that much meat. I was just greedy for meat,” Chen Jian smiled.
“When you take your subject two test, let’s go to the city for some barbecue,” Shan Yu said. “It’s been a long time…”
“When’s the test?” Sanbing’s voice suddenly came from behind. “Is it a team-building activity?”
Chen Jian was startled. Fortunately, he had already swallowed all the bones in his mouth. Otherwise, he might have really been choked by this shout.
“Aren’t you in charge of setting off the fireworks?” Shan Yu turned his head and asked.
“I’m done,” Sanbing said, holding a plate of barbecue and sitting down next to their table. “Is it a secret?”
“What?” Chen Jian asked.
“Eating barbecue,” Sanbing said. “Is it a surprise for everyone?”
I thought it was a secret about touching the boss’s face.
“What’s there to keep secret about this?” Shan Yu said. “It’s the end of the year. We have to have some activities.”
“The boss is generous,” Sanbing ran off again with his plate of barbecue, beaming with joy.
“I thought that plate was for us?” Shan Yu looked at his back.
“If you want to eat, I’ll get it for you,” Chen Jian said. “Old Lu is treating everyone from our shop.”
“In a bit,” Shan Yu sighed. “Are you so happy about eating barbecue? Smiling like that.”
“It’s not just about the food,” Chen Jian said. “Usually, the most everyone goes is to the town. We rarely go to the city. It was fine when we were in school, but now we have to change into new clothes just to go there.”
“Alright then, let’s change our date to something else. We’ll take them for barbecue first,” Shan Yu said. “And then go for some karaoke after.”
Chen Jian thought of the “eight ways to sing a song” and couldn’t help but smile.
The first day of the bonfire festival went very smoothly. The event officially ended at ten o’clock, but the tourists at the barbecue area hadn’t completely dispersed even at midnight. Many had moved on to the barbecue shops to continue their late-night snacks.
Including Yue Lang and his wife. Yao Yi was no longer sixteen plus eight. When Shan Yu and Chen Jian left, the plates in front of them were already stacked high.
Although the employees of the Great Hermit still had to keep an eye on the scene to prevent any accidents, they all had a good time.
Hu Pan walked at the forefront with Sun Nana on her arm. Sun Nana was singing all the way, and she sang quite well. Hu Pan hummed along with her randomly.
Chen Erhu and the others had all had a few drinks and were now in high spirits, each talking about their own things, all very excited.
Chen Jian turned his head to look behind him. There was no one there.
Just as he was about to reach out and hold Shan Yu’s hand, Shan Yu suddenly raised his arm and stretched, then his arm rested on his shoulder.
Before Chen Jian could react, he pulled his arm back, turned his head, and gave Chen Jian a very forceful kiss on the lips.
Chen Jian paused, stumbling a couple of steps.
After Shan Yu let go of him, he walked a few more steps before cursing under his breath, “You’re crazy.”
Shan Yu smiled without speaking.
The people in front had all turned into the courtyard. Chen Jian quickly approached Shan Yu. Time was tight, and he didn’t have time to find his mouth, so he just bumped his face against his and gave him a kiss.
He kissed his chin.
“Ah!” Sun Nana suddenly shouted. “Who is it!”
“What’s wrong?” Chen Erhu immediately shouted back.
“It’s me,” a woman’s voice came from the courtyard. “I’m here to work.”
“What?” Chen Jian was stunned and walked into the courtyard.
A woman in her fifties was holding a broom and standing by the parking space. In front of her was a pile of freshly swept fallen leaves.
“Xiao Zhao said you’re hiring here, right?” the woman asked.
“Yes,” Chen Jian replied, walking over and looking at the woman. “Did she introduce you? Why are you here now?”
“She only told me this afternoon when she went back to town,” the woman said.
There was an event tonight, so they didn’t need to cook. Zhao Fangfang had gone home to be with her daughter in the afternoon. That was probably when she had told her, but Chen Jian was a little surprised that the woman had come over in the middle of the night.
“You have a place to stay here, right?” the woman asked.
“There’s a dorm,” Chen Jian turned to look for Shan Yu, but didn’t see him.
No point in looking!
After all this time, don’t you know the boss runs away at the sight of trouble!
This woman looked quite normal. She definitely wasn’t a fugitive. No need for the boss to make a decision.
The requirements for a cleaning lady weren’t many. As long as she was quick with her work and could follow the procedures.
Chen Jian chatted with this woman, whose surname was Huang. She was Zhao Fangfang’s neighbor. Her children were not around. She used to be a nanny, taking care of the elderly. After the elderly person passed away, she had been hauling vegetables at the wholesale market.
Chen Jian explained the cleaning work to her and let her stay. They were indeed short-staffed now. When the guests checked out tomorrow morning, there would be a pile of things to clean up.
After finishing all the shop’s work, arranging for Aunt Huang in the dorm, washing up, and then being pulled by Chen Erhu, who had heard they were going for barbecue, for a chat, Chen Jian finally found an opportunity to leave the dorm.
“I’m going to do a patrol,” he said.
He stood in front of the elevator for a few seconds. Hearing no noise from the dorm, he turned and ran to the office.
The door was ajar. He knocked twice, and without waiting for Shan Yu to say anything, he slipped into the office.
He was afraid that someone from the dorm, who was overly excited, would run out and see him again.
Shan Yu came out of the bedroom, having already changed into loose sportswear. The sky-high braid he had worn all night had finally been taken down, and a tuft of hair was now standing up on his head.
“I thought you went to sleep directly,” Shan Yu said, walking to the desk and glancing at the time on his phone.
“I couldn’t sleep. Even if I didn’t come over, Chen Erhu and the others wouldn’t have let me sleep directly…” Chen Jian closed the door behind him and took two steps forward before breaking into a run.
He rushed over and hugged Shan Yu directly.
“You’re crazy,” Shan Yu’s phone was knocked onto the chair.
“You were crazy first,” Chen Jian hugged him tightly, buried his face in the side of his neck, took a deep breath, and then, losing control a little, bit down.
Shan Yu let out a “hiss.”
Chen Jian felt a little panic in his heart, but for some reason, he didn’t let go.
He even lunged forward.
Shan Yu was pushed onto the desk, and a desk calendar next to him was swept to the floor.
Fortunately, this boss was not a hard-working one. Besides the desk calendar, there was basically nothing else on the desk.
Perhaps this bite was a bit too heavy. Chen Jian could even feel the pulse in Shan Yu’s neck against his lips, in the same rhythm as his breathing.
When Shan Yu’s hand touched his back, what pulse, what heartbeat, what breathing, all immediately fell into a chaotic mess, each panting and jumping on its own…
In the midst of the chaos, Chen Jian even saw the fireworks on the riverbank today.
…
This office was getting more and more sinful.
The sofa was not a proper place, and the chair was even less so. The back of the chair was broken, and now even the desk had fallen.
When Chen Jian came out of the bathroom, Shan Yu was lying on the sofa looking at his phone.
The bite mark on the side of his neck was a very obvious red patch.
“Damn,” Chen Jian was stunned for a moment, then walked over quickly to take a look. “Is it that obvious?”
“Nonsense,” Shan Yu said. “I suspect you’ve already sucked my blood.”
Chen Jian reached out and gently touched it. “It’s not broken.”
“So you’re disappointed?” Shan Yu said.
“What do we do?” Chen Jian asked. “If someone sees it and asks, what do we say?”
“It’s possible that someone will see it,” Shan Yu put his phone aside and looked at him. “But it’s not certain that anyone will ask. Who would ask the boss why there’s a bite mark on his neck?”
Chen Jian smiled without speaking.
“The collar can cover it,” Shan Yu said.
“Damn,” Chen Jian bit his lip and sat down on the carpet, leaning against the sofa. “It was me who bit it.”
Shan Yu didn’t speak, just reached out and pinched his chin.
“Are you going to sleep?” Chen Jian turned his head to look at him.
“Yeah,” Shan Yu replied.
“Are you going to… sleep in bed?” Chen Jian suddenly felt a little embarrassed as he asked.
Shan Yu pinched his chin and turned his face to look at him.
“What?” Chen Jian asked.
Shan Yu’s lips curled into a smile. “Just sleep on the sofa. You can chat with me for a while.”
“Okay,” Chen Jian said.
Shan Yu closed his eyes, his fingers gently tracing circles behind his ear. “Did you chat with Brother Lang today?”
“Yeah,” Chen Jian said. “He said you used to have a gecko… is it still around?”
“I gave it to Liu Wu when I went in. It died the second year. Liu Wu cried for several days,” Shan Yu said softly. “Yue Lang is usually quite talkative. Why did he even bring this up to make conversation?”
He thinks you’re in love with your gecko.
“We talked about other things too,” Chen Jian said.
“For example, asking you to persuade me to go home,” Shan Yu said.
Chen Jian turned his head to look at him. “Yeah.”
“Are you going to persuade me?” Shan Yu asked.
“Now?” Chen Jian thought for a moment. “In a while, maybe. I don’t know how to say it right now.”
“Quite honest,” Shan Yu smiled.
“It also depends on the person. I can only be honest with you,” Chen Jian said. “Who can outsmart you? You black-hearted capitalist.”
“Yeah,” Shan Yu replied.
“What did you talk about with He Liang and the others today?” Chen Jian asked.
“Not much, just listened to them praise me for being young and promising,” Shan Yu said. “And invited me for tea when I have time.”
“Didn’t you say you don’t drink tea?” Chen Jian asked.
“As expected of my capable right-hand man,” Shan Yu laughed.
“Did you really say that?” Chen Jian was a little speechless. “So are you going to reconcile or not?”
“I would have definitely said that before,” Shan Yu smiled. “Today, I said I would bring some good tea leaves over.”
“…So well-behaved,” Chen Jian said.
They chatted for longer than usual tonight. Towards the end, Shan Yu basically stopped talking. Chen Jian could only judge whether he was asleep or not by the fingers tracing circles behind his ear.
As long as his fingers were still moving, he would keep talking softly, talking about how he would climb over the wall to work when he was in school, how he encountered a black-hearted boss who owed him two hundred yuan out of his meager salary.
In the end, he and his classmate robbed the boss’s son of two hundred yuan twice on his way to school.
“I was really desperate at that time,” Chen Jian said in a low voice, talking himself to sleep, his eyes also closed. “In that case, I actually have experience in robbery…”
Shan Yu’s fingers slowly stopped.
He should be asleep.
Putting Shan Yu to sleep was a very physically demanding task. When Chen Jian woke up in the morning, his whole body was sore.
He had no memory after Shan Yu fell asleep.
When he woke up, he found that he had slept curled up in front of the sofa all night. When he woke up in the morning, he was on the carpet.
This was really… he had a deep connection with this carpet.
Today, he must apply to have the office carpet replaced. He didn’t know how many more times he would have to sleep on this thing in the future.
Shan Yu was still asleep, his arm hanging off the side of the sofa.
Chen Jian didn’t dare to move him, just gently pulled the blanket covering him and covered his arm.
Yue Lang and his wife had already packed up, finished breakfast, and were ready to leave. They didn’t plan to say goodbye to Shan Yu.
“If he didn’t harass us at six o’clock, it means he’s asleep. He’s definitely not up yet,” Yue Lang said. “We’re leaving.”
“Okay,” Chen Jian nodded. “Be safe on the road.”
“Little brother,” Yao Yi leaned against the car window. “Come and visit us when you have time. Even if Shan Yu doesn’t go, you can still go. Big sister will treat you.”
“Okay,” Chen Jian smiled.
He actually really wanted to go. In his entire life, the farthest place he had ever been to was the city.
When Yue Lang and their car disappeared at the end of the street, Chen Jian suddenly felt a little reluctant to see them go.
They were like a connection between him and Shan Yu’s past world. After a few days of getting along, the feeling of strangeness had disappeared, replaced by a subtle emotion that was hard to describe.
As they left, Chen Jian suddenly realized that he really wanted to get closer to Shan Yu’s world…
But he was also a little scared. He didn’t know what he would have to face one day when Shan Yu finally stopped running away and returned to the world he came from.
His phone buzzed.
[Fa Dan Ke Chen]: Look up.
Chen Jian was stunned for a moment, then looked up. The window of the office on the fourth floor was open. Shan Yu poked his head out, pressed his fingers to his lips, gave a kiss, and then flicked it towards him.
“Psycho,” Chen Jian smiled.
But he still inexplicably cooperated quickly, reaching out and catching it in the air, then bringing his fingertips to his lips for a kiss.
“Here,” Lao Wu, who had come out of the room to smoke, glanced at him and handed him a cigarette case. “Don’t you not smoke?”
Chen Jian looked at him and couldn’t help but laugh.
