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Chapter 48: He just wanted to be with him in this small house, wasting every minute doing nothing.
The city was aglow with a myriad of lights, transforming into a continuous stream of billions of stars in the drizzling rain. The raindrops were illuminated by the lights, creating a misty atmosphere, and from a high vantage point, the city shed the daytime dust, becoming a crystalline world.
“So, can you show me a picture of Qing Meizi now?” Bai Xiaoyuan had no interest in the scenery outside and immediately got straight to the point.
Lei Chi nodded: “Wait for two minutes. I’ll order first. Is there anything you don’t like to eat?”
Bai Xiaoyuan: “I eat everything except cat meat. You can order; I haven’t been here before.”
Lei Chi: “…There’s no cat meat here.”
He ordered seven or eight dishes, and Bai Xiaoyuan widened her eyes: “I can’t eat all of that; it’s too wasteful.”
Lei Chi smiled, “I have a big appetite.”
Bai Xiaoyuan remarked, “True, like a werewolf.”
The waiter’s eyes flickered as he stared at Lei Chi. Lei Chi ignored him, still looking at Bai Xiaoyuan, “Didn’t you say I’m a dog?”
Bai Xiaoyuan replied, “Whatever, it’s all the same. Can you show me Qing Meizi’s picture now?”
Lei Chi took out his phone, pretended to search for a while, raised his eyebrows, and, with a thick-skinned smile, said, “My mistake, it’s not on this phone.”
Bai Xiaoyuan: “…”
“Next time we eat, I’ll bring my old phone,” Lei Chi said. “Let me describe Qing Meizi’s girlfriend’s appearance first.”
Bai Xiaoyuan didn’t mind the delay and quickly added, “And his boyfriend. Does he really have a boyfriend? That’s scary, but impressive.”
Lei Chi thought, Your tone doesn’t sound scared; it sounds more like admiration.
The food arrived quickly, and Lei Chi used all his tricks. After the meal, they not only set the time and place for the next meal but also released Bai Xiaoyuan’s sand cat, who obediently lay on the table, letting Lei Chi touch its tail. The sand cat looked at him, still somewhat shy, but occasionally responded to Lei Chi’s movements, patting his hand with its paw.
Is this a sign of liking? Lei Chi wondered.
“According to what you said, werewolves can now control their shape-shifting perfectly, and there won’t be any incidents of them eating people on a full moon night, right?” Bai Xiaoyuan asked.
Lei Chi was trying to get more information from Bai Xiaoyuan, figuring out her likes and dislikes. On the other hand, Bai Xiaoyuan was also trying to get information from Lei Chi; she was very interested in the affairs of Qing Meizi and the werewolves. Lei Chi was happy to share these things, but he couldn’t reveal everything at once. He needed to save some interesting details for the next meeting to continue piquing Bai Xiaoyuan’s interest.
“The legend of shape-shifting on a full moon night is related to astronomical tides. Tidal fluctuations are connected to our blood, and on a full moon, it’s easy to get excited. Some werewolves can’t control their transformation abilities…,” he said while petting the cat’s ears, “but I can. Apart from using medication to control it, social domestication over the years has significantly changed werewolf behavior. My family situation is similar to most werewolf families. My father is a werewolf, my mother is a regular person, and my sister and brother are also regular people. It’s a matter of probability. As werewolves, we have to learn many skills that ordinary people don’t. The greater the power, the greater the responsibility…”
Bai Xiaoyuan interrupted, “Are you Spider-Man? Besides, I didn’t ask about your family. Why did you even introduce your family members?”
Lei Chi smiled candidly and said, “To let you understand me better.”
Bai Xiaoyuan said, “Not interested.”
Lei Chi continued, “Do you know the legend of the werewolf graveyard?”
Bai Xiaoyuan hesitated for half a minute before admitting, “I don’t know. What is it?”
The meal ended relatively pleasantly. Bai Xiaoyuan learned about Qing Meizi’s complicated social relationships, but instead of being disillusioned, she became more fascinated. As she walked out, she chatted with her friends via voice messages, gossiping about the details.
The rain hadn’t stopped; it was a steady drizzle. Lei Chi and she stood at the door of the restaurant, observing the rain, “I’ll take you home.”
Bai Xiaoyuan said, “No need; I’ll take the subway to my sister’s place.”
The subway station was just around the corner, and Lei Chi’s four-wheeler wouldn’t be of much use. He changed his approach, “The rain is quite heavy. Let me take you to the subway station.”
Bai Xiaoyuan took out an umbrella from her bag, “I have an umbrella.”
Lei Chi: “…”
The two bid each other farewell politely. Bai Xiaoyuan took a few steps and suddenly turned back to look. Lei Chi was walking in the opposite direction, getting soaked in the rain. She was surprised and hurriedly ran over, “Where’s your umbrella?”
Lei Chi said, “I don’t have one.”
Bai Xiaoyuan said, “…Then why did you offer to take me to the subway station?!”
Lei Chi replied, “If you agreed to let me take you, I would have immediately bought an umbrella.”
Bai Xiaoyuan chuckled, “You’re really strange. Forget it, let me take you to where you parked.”
Lei Chi raised the corner of his lips, “Sure.”
Bai Xiaoyuan looked at him and found it amusing. He was such a handsome person, yet his mind seemed to be occupied with peculiar thoughts. They walked for a while on the rain-soaked road, and from the corner of their eyes, they simultaneously saw the umbrella’s edge flickering, as if some colossal creature had flown through the gaps between the buildings. However, when they moved the umbrella away, there was nothing in the sky.
Bai Xiaoyuan remembered the big fish that Tang Cuo liked and silently smiled. Lei Chi watched her smile, and there was a small but continuous flutter in his heart, making him look forward to the next meeting.
“I encountered it on a night like this!” Tang Cuo exclaimed, waving his fork excitedly. “So cool! So beautiful!”
The enormous swordfish, released through advanced techniques, was slowly swimming among the buildings. It seemed to know that Tang Cuo liked it, deliberately showing off. When weaving through the city lights, it would hide in the dark corners created by the lights, its massive body appearing and disappearing in the night and rain.
Tang Cuo was speechless. He even forgot to put down his fork, standing dumbfounded on the rooftop, watching.
For the sake of hosting him, Gao Shu not only earnestly took him to an equipment class but also spent a considerable amount to buy top-grade steak, personally cooking it for Tang Cuo. However, Tang Cuo’s entire attention was almost entirely focused on the swordfish, showing little interest in the meticulously cooked food.
“Steak and eggs are rich in protein. You just finished a weightlifting session; eat quickly,” Gao Shu couldn’t help urging.
Tang Cuo: “Yeah, okay.”
But he didn’t turn around.
Gao Shu: “…”
He didn’t understand the current situation. This seemingly easily conquered guide had initially shown a keen interest in him—so much so that even a physical reaction had occurred. Now, why was he only looking at the fish?
Although the fish also belonged to him, logically speaking, he should be more attractive than the fish.
Gao Shu cleared his throat, “Sit down; I’ll call the fish back.”
…Sit down in front of me, Gao Shu thought.
Tang Cuo said, “No need; let it continue swimming. It’s happy.”
Gao Shu was speechless, with mixed feelings, “Come over and sit down. Talk to me about your training results.”
Tang Cuo had no choice but to sit back. After a while, the swordfish returned to the rooftop. Gao Shu raised his hand, and it kissed Gao Shui’s fingertips before quickly shrinking, finally landing on the dining table, shaking off a bunch of rainwater.
Tang Cuo, cutting the steak, stared at the small fish in front of him, “Look at its teeth, so amazing… Beautiful, really beautiful.”
He was praising the swordfish, but Gao Shu couldn’t help feeling a warmth on his face and said, “Let your panda come out and let them play. You can talk to me… about your training results.”
After landing, the panda was quickly attracted by the small, fist-sized fish. It rarely encountered aquatic spiritual entities; usually, it fought with the sand cat. It didn’t know how to play with this bright, shiny ball and stood still for a long time before lifting its paw and poking the water-protection shield of the swordfish.
The protective shield was instantly pierced, and the panda, frightened, quickly ran to Tang Cuo and hugged his thigh. However, the damaged water protection shield was quickly restored. The swordfish rolled inside the sphere, and its small tail wagged with unusual joy.
“…very few spiritual bodies play with it. It’s fine, it’s just joking with you,” Gao Shu sighed, “My little fish is a bit mischievous.”
Encouraged, the panda slowly approached the swordfish, roaring at it. The swordfish, pretending to be frightened, swam away from the eaves of the building. The panda was shocked again. It was either being petted by people, bullied by lions, or the sand cat. It hadn’t seen anything small enough to be scared away by its roar for a long time. Suddenly, it became very interesting, took a few steps, and also ran into the rain on the rooftop.
Gao Shu finally breathed a sigh of relief. The panda and the swordfish were having fun, and Tang Cuo’s attention was finally pulled back a bit, “Coach, your cooking is not bad.”
“If you like it, come often, and I’ll cook for you.” Gao Shu felt excited in his heart but remained calm on his face. “Judging by your appearance, you probably don’t know how to cook, right?”
“I know a little, but not much,” Tang Cuo said. “Just eat whatever is convenient. My sister is excellent at cooking, though. But precisely because she’s good at it, I rarely have the opportunity to cook at home. She doesn’t let me near her kitchen tools, afraid I’ll mess things up.”
This was the first time Tang Cuo mentioned his family to Gao Shu. Gao Shu couldn’t help but ask, “Do you have other siblings at home?”
He was curious about everything related to Tang Cuo, except for nosebleeds, pandas, and fitness.
“Just my sister.” Tang Cuo cut open the soft-boiled egg, and the yolk flowed out. He dipped the broccoli in the egg yolk and put it in his mouth. “My parents are gone.”
Gao Shu couldn’t help but close his mouth, looking solemn.
“My dad passed away while on a mission at the Western Office.” Tang Cuo didn’t mention the Luquan incident; he just vaguely mentioned it, “My mom got sick when I was in high school. It didn’t last long, and she passed away. Only my sister and I were left at home.”
He spoke very calmly, as if narrating something ordinary.
Gao Shu stared at him silently, realizing that Tang Cuo was exchanging secrets with him. He had told Tang Cuo about the swordfish and himself, so in return, Tang Cuo revealed his family situation. It was a give-and-take, but… at least it represented trust.
“Your sister must be very gentle.” Gao Shu murmured.
Tang Cuo: “…What?”
Gao Shu suddenly realized: He had said what he was thinking. He turned serious and said, “Nothing.”
“My sister is not gentle.” Tang Cuo swallowed the beef in his mouth and laughed. “In high school, when it was just the two of us, she was in college. I said, sis, how about I quit school? We have financial difficulties at home. I can work to support you in your studies, and you can keep going up. She’s really outstanding. But I was scolded and had to give up the idea.”
Gao Shu listened in astonishment.
After that, Tang Cuo’s sister worked part-time while studying to let Tang Cuo focus on his studies.
“It’s a bit tough, but my sister is like her spiritual body; she looks weak but is actually very powerful.”
“What is your sister’s spiritual body?”
“A parrot.” Tang Cuo said, gesturing the size of a Pacific parrot, “Small, not threatening, but when it gets aggressive and pecks, it hurts a lot, drawing blood with each peck.”
Gao Shu fell silent. He didn’t know if he should comfort Tang Cuo or express admiration for Tang Cuo’s sister, or perhaps a combination of both would be the most reasonable? He had few friends, and no one had ever made him feel so helpless. For a while, the only sound was the clinking of utensils on the plates.
After finishing dinner and supper, the panda and the swordfish were still playing tirelessly on the rooftop. Tang Cuo helped wash the dishes, feeling a bit sore in his shoulders. Gao Shu asked him to sit down, and gave him a massage.
There was a soft sound of rain, the air conditioner was blowing, and loquats and sliced melons were placed on the table, emitting a cool breeze. Everything was too comfortable. If Tang Cuo’s shoulders weren’t a bit sore, he suspected he might yawn.
Gao Shu had a good grasp of strength in his hands. Sometimes, Tang Cuo would subconsciously shrink his neck due to the soreness but quickly relax again.
Gao Shu thought, He trusts me.
This thought made his heart warm.
Because of occasional unbearable pain, Tang Cuo would hum a muffled, low tune from his nose, soft and light, easy to miss if not paying attention.
But the room was too quiet, with only the sound of rain from the rooftop. Gao Shu was too close to Tang Cuo, so he heard it exceptionally clearly. This sound entered Gao Shu’s ears like drifting and floating fluff, like the two semi-circular little ears of a panda, making his heart itch.
“Oh, by the way, the Crisis Management Office is planning an event as usual in June, and I heard they will have a team-building dinner in the mountains this year. Since you’re Director Gao’s son, why don’t you come too?” Tang Cuo said, “Family members are allowed.”
Gao Shu: “… Am I a family member?”
Tang Cuo smiled, “You’re a friend. Friends and family members can both come; we’re pretty casual—ah!”
Gao Shu applied a bit more force, causing Tang Cuo to groan in pain. Gao Shu immediately released his hand, and Tang Cuo, fearing that Gao Shu might be upset, quickly added, “It’s okay, it’s okay, you can continue.”
But Gao Shu’s hand didn’t return to his shoulder.
Tang Cuo turned around and saw Gao Shu leaning against the wall, his gaze startled and nervous. Zhu Jingyi’s “Earning money slowly is a sin” on the wall was knocked down by him and fell onto the soft carpet.
Gao Shu didn’t care about that. He covered his nose, and two bright lines of blood were flowing down from between his fingers.
“Xie Zijing, if you can’t read anything related to sea areas, why don’t you at least read some serious books?” Qin Ge flipped through several books on the coffee table in Xie Zijing’s living room. “What’s the point of researching reflexes? …And this isn’t even research material; it’s adult content.”
On top of the stack of books was a brand-new piece of street literature: “As a coach, I unexpectedly got a nosebleed in front of my student; what should I do?”
“Curiosity,” Xie Zijing sneezed and tossed a towel to Qin Ge. “Don’t forget, sexual responses come in all shapes and sizes; nothing is too strange.”
Qin Ge said, “Boring.”
As soon as they left the subway station, they noticed that it was raining outside. Although the rain was not heavy, they were already soaked by the time they ran back from the subway station. Xie Zijing took a shower first, urging Qin Ge to hurry while the water was still hot. He had a feeling that Qin Ge blushed a bit when he entered the bathroom, but he couldn’t be sure.
On the table were the books Qin Ge had given him, some reference books he had borrowed from the crisis management office, and a few popular science books he had just bought from the Amazon bestseller list. Xie Zijing flipped through a few pages but couldn’t concentrate, so he decided to rub his face instead.
He was very nervous and excited. The rain had not stopped; tears-like watermarks flowed down the windows, rolling down from above into the quiet and dark night.
Walking to the window, Xie Zijing stared at the lights in the rainy night. Each light represented a quiet home, and the green trees in the city rustled in the rain. It was a night of rain accompanied by no wind, washing away the dust of the day, carrying the remnants, and permeating the earth.
Some people were born embraced by happiness. Some were born surrounded by long nights.
Xie Zijing thought, Perhaps he could have a good night’s sleep, and Qin Ge would no longer fear the darkness of the night. Happiness seemed to be made up of these simple wishes. They were small, but significant.
“What are you looking at?” Qin Ge, with steam rising from his body, stood next to him. The black glass reflected his hair, which was not completely dry, and his curious expression. “Is there another argument across the street?”
He held Qin Ge in his arms, burying his nose in the nape of his neck, and took a deep breath. The scent of his guide mixed with the aroma of chemical cleaning products, making his heart race with love. Even the drops of water on Qin Ge’s slightly damp hair seemed special. Xie Zijing helped Qin Ge dry his hair, and as the water fell onto Qin Ge’s neck and shoulders, Xie Zijing found it adorable, leaning down to lick it clean.
Qin Ge cringed, pulling his neck away from Xie Zijing’s actions. “That’s dirty.”
“What’s considered dirty… there will be dirtier things later.” Xie Zijing tossed the towel aside and hugged him from behind, almost pressing him against the window. “I’ll eat it all.”
The unclean and shameless sweet talk almost instantly enveloped the ambiguous atmosphere between the two, igniting a fire that shattered the dam of rationality bit by bit.
Xie Zijing stroked Qin Ge’s hair, his fingers rubbing against his scalp at the roots. Qin Ge’s eyes were misty with a bright gleam due to the suffocating feeling between kisses. Xie Zijing grabbed his hands with interlocked fingers, pulling him onto the low and narrow loft. There was only a small lamp at the head of the bed, the small window on the wall was tightly closed, and the outdoor lights were refracted by rain and glass, creating flowing bright light on the ceiling, floor, and bed.
They tumbled into the soft and warm bedding, not even having time to take off their clothes.
The shadow of their entanglement disrupted the water-like bright light. The room suddenly became hot, and the spiritual auras, which were indistinguishable from each other, filled the entire space, driving the vigorous heartbeats of the two.
The rain and thunder sounded all night. When dawn came, the rain clouds had completely dispersed, and the sunlight was unusually intense.
Xie Zijing’s house had no extra furniture, not even proper curtains to block the sun. Qin Ge, awakened by the sunlight, was still lazy and unwilling to move. When Xie Zijing got up, he kissed Qin Ge on the shoulder. Finding that not enough, he pushed aside his hair and left a few more kisses at the corners of his eyes and eyebrows.
Qin Ge still didn’t wake up; he just knew that the person next to him had gotten up, and he lost a source of warmth. But soon, the sunlight warmed the bedding, and he curled up in the blanket, feeling a bit cool on the exposed shoulder but warm inside. This was perhaps one of the most comfortable moments of the summer.
He heard the birds singing; the mornings in this city always came very early, and the world became lively with various sounds. Qin Ge opened his eyes, looking at the ceiling above him and the indistinct marks on it, feeling as if he had stepped into a new world.
Unable to think too much, he felt his face getting hot.
Xie Zijing stood on the small balcony outside, playing the ukulele and singing.
Qin Ge sat up, just in time to see him leaning against the railing, fingers plucking the strings, humming in the brilliant sunlight. He didn’t understand what Xie Zijing was singing, but watching him with squinted eyes, he couldn’t help but smile. Qin Ge didn’t even realize he was smiling. He looked at Xie Zijing’s bare upper body and thought, This person has a great figure.
“What song is this?” Qin Ge asked. His throat was a bit sore, and his voice wasn’t very clear.
“A love song.” Xie Zijing leaned against the small window and smiled. “They taught me this when I was in the Western Office.”
The songs were sung in a foreign language, lingering and long. A young man on horseback met his beloved girl on the grassland, and they made a promise: wherever the flock of sheep went, he would follow her. The snow-capped mountains were witnesses, the grassland was the guarantee, and his sincere heart was like the eternal sun and the forever pure moon.
Having obtained a rare listener, Xie Zijing sang one song after another. All of them were love songs, and the cheerful plucking of the ukulele strings accompanied them. Qin Ge couldn’t understand the language, but he understood the emotions in these songs.
He had always thought the window on this small loft was designed very strangely. It was not too big or too small; it could accommodate one person, and there was even a small balcony outside. It wasn’t safe, but today Qin Ge discovered its new charm.
Xie Zijing leaned against the window, watching him, and asked with a smile, “Can you get up?”
Qin Ge: “Obviously.”
He scratched his head and lifted the blanket, getting out of bed. Xie Zijing was taken aback and quickly stood straight, blocking the window with his tall figure, almost blocking out all the light.
“Without any clothes?” He said, “People across can see.”
Qin Ge yawned as he walked toward the window, placing his hands on the window frame and kissing Xie Zijing outside.
“Only you can see.” His voice was soft, with a hint of a playful smile.
Xie Zijing immediately threw all the plans for the day out of his mind. He didn’t want to go out, didn’t want to buy groceries, and didn’t want to discuss any deep issues with Qin Ge. He just wanted to spend every minute idly with him in this small house.
Birds in the morning flew over the rooftop, casting fleeting shadows on Xie Zijing’s broad back.
They spoke and laughed softly, kissing their lovers across a small window.
The author has something to say:
Zhu Jingyi’s calligraphy can be easily found with a search on Taobao. It’s the type of gift that almost everyone who receives it bursts into laughter and praises like crazy.
“Some are born to sweet delight; some are born to endless night.” —William Blake, “Auguries of Innocence”
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