[T/N] I apologize for grammar mistakes and incoherencies
Chapter 2:
What is that lump of mud-like black shadow?
Bai Zongyi, who works at the underground bar, was carrying a box of liquor out of the back door. Just as he finished stacking the boxes and was about to head back inside, he caught sight of a black shadow in the corner of his eye, moving slightly up and down.
Is it a drunkard or a troublemaker left here after a fight? Bai Zongyi wondered. Incidents like this were common in a place like this, full of all sorts of characters. Basically, apart from the shopkeepers and a few kind-hearted individuals who would go over to take a look, others would pretend not to see anything, so as not to invite trouble onto themselves.
In an unsafe era, the wise choice was to protect oneself in order to live a long life.
Bai Zongyi was aware of this, but as an employee of the establishment, he felt obligated to see what was happening and report back to the boss.
After just taking ten steps towards the figure, he caught a strong smell of alcohol, and Bai Zongyi breathed a sigh of relief.
Dealing with a drunkard was easier. However, if it was someone injured and abandoned, helping them or not would be a dilemma.
The boss had taught him that sometimes, inadvertently helping someone from the rival gang could lead to a series of troubles for the pub.
MBai Zongyi walked up to the drunkard and was about to squat down to check on him when his phone rang. It was his favourite band Mayday's "Battle Hymn", and the screen showed his sister's name.
"Sis, what's wrong?... Dad has a cold? Did he see a doctor? It's good if he did. If you need money, just let me know. I'll send some back again. Don't worry, I just received another scholarship recently." Bai Zongyi was no stranger to lying, and he was so skilled at it that he didn't need to think twice.
“...What am I doing?...Of course, I'm studying, what else?...Mid-term exams are coming up, how could I possibly be working? It's a bit noisy because I'm at McDonald's...Take care of yourself and dad, I have to go...bye.” Bai Zongyi ended the call, relieved that he had managed to fool his sister once again.
“...You're lying, I'm going to report you to your teacher.” suddenly came a familiar voice from behind, with a hint of drunkenness and teasing.
Bai Zongyi turned around in surprise, seeing the lump of mud lying comfortably on the garbage heap, with a posture as if lounging on a sofa at home.
“Hey, long time no see.”
A few days ago, this dirty mud left without saying goodbye.
Bai Zongyi recognized the person, and the first thing he did was to look him up and down to make sure there was no blood, and he breathed a sigh of relief, realising that he was actually worried about him, which made him annoyed inwardly.
‘What does it matter to him whether he is injured or not, worrying so much, I should not care!’ the young man thought frustratedly.
“Wake up and leave on your own.” Being left without saying goodbye until today still bothered Bai Zongyi. There was no joy of reunion, only anger from being dismissed with a note and money.
“Don't interfere with our business.”
Bai Zongyi knew his anger seemed unreasonable, after all, Fan Zherui had repaid the money, said thank you—it was written, black and white as evidence. But he still felt a surge of anger that couldn't be calmed. After thinking it over for a few days, he finally understood that it was because he saw Fan Zherui as a friend.
It's because he's a friend that he asks for more.
It's because he's a friend that he can't help but have expectations.
Growing up in poverty, bai Zongyi has experienced the warmth and coldness of human relationships since he was a child. He knows the benefits of having many friends, but also understands the cruelty of being abandoned by the crowd, to the point that he has many acquaintances but few close friends; to the point that even though he lives on his own, not a single classmate has visited his small apartment until his senior year of high school.
My home is my castle. No one has that honour.
Bai Zongyi, who appears friendly on the surface, hides a pride that only he understands underneath.
Fan Zherui was the first, and the only one to enter the so-called castle, even though the way he entered was fundamentally illegal.
But that guy... apart from his craving for sweets, his other requests, which seemed whimsical and capricious at first glance, were actually thoughtful.
Knowing he needed to save money and would rather go hungry and stay up late studying, Fan Zherui would pester him to have supper every day, leaving two-thirds of it for him each time.
His whimsical craving for sweets also happened at times that suited him, the most obvious being the week he was preparing for mock exams, where he never demanded cake.
Not to mention the thin blanket Fan Zherui would offer him when he nodded off accidentally, even though he always claimed it slipped.
It always conveniently landed on his shoulder, covering him.
During that week or so, Fan Zherui provoked his well-hidden true personality, which was nasty, cynical, and resentful of the world.
Because of these details, he thought they were already friends.
The note and money that day slapped him hard, without saying goodbye, using and discarding...
Friendship was just his own wishful thinking and illusion.
Every time he thought of this, Bai Zongyi felt angry, embarrassed, and... aggrieved.
Since the other party didn't take him seriously, why bother, if they don't know each other, who cares.
Bai Zongyi turned and walked away, out of sight, out of mind.
Just then, a threatening voice came from behind, cool in tone but absolutely formidable: “If I'm not mistaken, minors are not allowed to work in these places.”
The young man paused and turned to glare at the man still sitting in the garbage heap, his calm and composed posture as if he were seated on a king's throne carved from gold and gems.
Under the streetlight, the calculating glint in his peach blossom eyes shimmered brightly, issuing the final attack: “Should I report this to your teacher?”
Bai Zongyi couldn't believe this man was using this threat again.
What's even more infuriating is—
It still damn works!
…
Bai Zongyi's small apartment was opened again tonight to the same person, Bai Zongyi carrying Fan Zherui, reluctantly and unwillingly.
What was different this time was the worry hidden beneath the anger.
On the way home, Fan Zherui vomited, although it was a normal reaction, but Bai Zongyi couldn't help but worry. Looking at the flushed face of Fan Zherui, he was swayed by his weight, busy adjusting his posture to distribute the weight.
A drunken person may feel light and floating, but physically, they are solidly heavy, especially with a body as limp as mud, increasing the difficulty of handling them, feeling heavier than usual, maybe a few extra pounds, or even more.
This made Bai Zongyi carrying him feel much more strenuous than the last time.
“Don't put all the weight on me.” Bai Zongyi couldn't help but complain, even suspecting, "Have you gained weight?”
As the words came out, his hand reached towards the other person's belly, only to be swatted away by the belly's owner.
Fan Zherui swatted his hand away, his tone adding a hint of annoyance, as if he was really stung by the mention of gaining weight, “Don't touch me randomly, I'll report you for sexual harassment.”
This man was drunk, very drunk.
“I am not a woman.”
“Nowadays, anyone can be a victim of sexual harassment, regardless of gender, just like in love.” the boy said, tending to the drunk man without realising the hidden meaning in his words, responding without much thought.
“I wish I was.” He was just a brat, not worldly enough, "I want to sleep...” Fan Zherui leaned towards the direction of the bed.
Bai Zongyi hugged his waist to stop him, dragging him towards the bathroom.
“Stop joking around. You smell like alcohol all over, what about my bedsheets.” He only had one set of bedsheets, and it had to be cleaned carefully to be used the same day, no room for mishaps.
As he spoke, Bai Zongyi successfully dragged the man into the bathroom, bringing in the plastic stool he had bought to help him wash his hair when he was injured, helping him sit down.
“You're really nice...” Fan Zherui sighed lightly like he was a good boy.
The next moment, a cold splash of water over his head instantly woke him up, realising he had misunderstood greatly.
The boy held a grudge, a big one indeed.
“Clean up and then come out, you drunkard.”
“I rarely get so drunk...” Fan Zherui explained, "It was an accident today.”
“Every encounter with you is an accident.” Bai Zongyi said without thinking, only then realising that their encounters always led to trouble, and not the good kind.
He didn't want to think about it, the more he thought, the more irritated he felt, "Hurry up and wash.”
As he spoke, without waiting for Fan Zherui's response, Bai Zongyi left the bathroom.
…
When Fan Zherui finished showering, regained half of his sobriety, and walked out of the bathroom, he saw Bai Zongyi standing in the small personal kitchen cooking porridge.
“Come over after you're done washing...” Bai Zongyi was surprised, staring at the man standing in front of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist, his body exposed.
The fair skin, with water droplets and the light accentuating it, looked like freshly whipped cream emitting a soft light like white porcelain, making it hard to look away for a moment.
Bai Zongyi stared at the scene in front of him, stunned for nearly five seconds.
It wasn't the attraction of the porcelain-like skin that caught his attention, but...
“You've definitely gained weight.” He joked, drawing a half-circle on his flat stomach, “Beer belly.”
Round and round, it was finally Bai Zongyi's turn to tease Fan Zherui, “Getting fat in your twenties, you're doomed.”
Fan Zherui grabbed a towel and threw it at the teasing face of the boy.
Although he was targeted, seeing him angrily throw the towel and hide his embarrassment in the blanket, Bai Zongyi felt a sense of satisfaction.
“Your clothes are next to you.” He said, having prepared clothes for Fan Zherui to change into, everything was his except for the underwear he had bought last time Fan Zherui was there.
Can he blame him for getting fat? Fan Zherui sighed at the thought. Chen Yi had successfully picked two of the Dragon Gang branches, but passed on the entire responsibility of the merger of the branches to their gang to him. In order to complete the merger, Fan Zherui was running restaurants and attending banquets almost every day, three meals a day, occasionally eating from two restaurants for supper... how could he not gain weight when he was working so hard.
But he couldn't tell Bai Zongyi about it. In fact, he was very surprised to run into him again. A seventeen-year-old boy shouldn't be in that dangerous place.
“How did you end up working there?”
“Short hours, high pay.” Bai Zongyi said, turning off the stove, carrying the pot of porridge to the low table, and placing a spoon.
“Eat a little, it'll settle your stomach.”
Fan Zherui put on a t-shirt and shorts, got out of bed and crawled to the low table, looking at the pot of porridge and the spoon that came with it, he didn't expect to have such a rough way of eating, thanks to Bai Zongyi, he thought of every way to avoid washing an extra dish.
Having gotten used to eating at Bai Zongyi's place, Fan Zherui picked up the spoon and ate it straight from the pot, and then - spluttered!
“What kind of evil food is this?”
This porridge is even sweeter than Eight Treasures Porridge, what's going on here?
“It was supposed to be salted rice porridge. Cooked with egg drop, green vegetables, and white rice...” The young man choked on his words as he took a sip, looking embarrassed, “I mistook sugar for salt.”
Rolling his eyes, he continued, “You didn't even try to cook after I left.”
Remembering being left behind, the young man asked, with a hint of displeasure, “Why?”
Fan Zherui was taken aback, puzzled by the fleeting disappointment that crossed his mind, and replied with a smile, “Well, why bother practising, what's the point... It's okay, being a person shouldn't be too perfect, having one or two flaws can be more lovable... Get yourself a spoon.”
“Why?”
“We should be sharing joys and sorrows, of course.” Fan Zherui shook the spoon in his hand, "Or do you want to use the same one as me?”
Bai Zongyi stood up to get a spoon and sat back in front of him.
“No cheating, we eat one spoonful each, in turns.”
“It's okay if you don't eat, I'll take care of it.”
“Would you rather cry while eating alone? When I don't know what kind of person you are, wasting food is as bad as wasting your life.”
“It's my own fault... I made my own bento, I'll eat it myself.” Bai Zongyi said seriously.
Fan Zherui smiled and couldn't help but lean over to rub his hair, “You're quite cute, you know.”
“Don't mess with me.” Bai Zongyi pushed away his hand and reached for the pot on his side.
Taking responsibility for his own actions, regardless of right or wrong, had long been a part of him. He didn't know what dependency meant, and he certainly didn't understand dragging others down.
Fan Zherui, sharp-eyed, preemptively pushed his hand away, "Stop messing around, we agreed to share joys and sorrows.”
“Why?” He didn't understand, it wasn't tasty at all, and he was the type of person who would curse if he ate something he didn't like. Why fight over this unpleasant food with him?
“Because you cooked it for me.” The usually playful and nonchalant peach eyes showed a rare serious emotion.
“Of course, I'll share it with you.”
Bai Zongyi was stunned. It would be a lie to say he wasn't touched. This person... Maybe he wasn't that bad after all.
“I just ate a lot, you need to catch up to make it fair.”
“...” Bai Zongyi snapped out of it, this guy shouldn't be thought of too highly.
“Got it.”
Bai Zongyi scooped up a big bite, blew on it, and ate it. The overly sweet taste and texture made the young man tighten his handsome face, turning it into a tangled bun. The furrows on his forehead could catch mosquitoes.
This pot of sweet rice porridge was no different from torture to him, who didn't like sweet food to begin with.
Fan Zherui's smile deepened as he sympathetically watched the punished young man, who stood up to pour water and dilute the sweetness before pouring him a cup as well.
“Why are you staring at me?”
“It's funny.” A random response earned him an eye roll, as he remembered carrying him home earlier, smiling, and casually added, “I just realised you've grown taller, two centimetres taller than me, in just a few days.”
Adolescence is like Jack's magic beans, changing overnight. This child was originally stronger than him, and now taller, he wouldn't... the man's inexplicable competitive nature made him unable to help but lower his gaze to the boy's waist—
Hmm... couldn't tell, but he decided not to dwell on this issue that could hurt his own feelings.
Compared to Fan Zherui's evil thoughts, Bai Zongyi's reaction was much more normal, almost saintly pure, leaving him speechless with a feeling of being touched.
Touched? Yes, there was no mistake, no misunderstanding, he was truly touched!
He noticed he had grown taller, remembered how long it had been since they last met...
Fan Zherui's careful observation made him feel as if he was being valued.
Yes, it was just a feeling, not a reality. Bai Zongyi stared at Fan Zherui stirring the porridge, reminding himself not to see the other person as a friend.
Learning to be obedient after being taken advantage of last time, being dismissed with just a note would be humiliating.
“Next, I take a bite, you take a bite—”
The young man put down his spoon and interrupted Fan Zherui, "You eat half, leave the rest for me.” He didn't want to go along with his whims, lest he accidentally...
No expectations, no harm. Bai Zongyi stood up to get clean clothes for the shower.
“Is this little devil a broken water heater? Hot and cold...”
Fan Zherui, who is not sensitive to the feelings of young people, muttered and complained.
…
In the late night, the person sleeping in the small suite breathed deeply, while the awake person breathed smoothly. Under the reading desk lamp, with occasional faint rustling sounds intermingling, Bai Zongyi's rapid scribbling of his pen could be heard.
Bai Zongyi, who was focused, didn't even notice that the person on the bed was awake and staring at him.
Looking at Bai Zongyi was like he was seeing his former self, Fan Zherui thought. The only difference was that Bai Zongyi's efforts carried the expectations and reliance of his family, while he... only had denial and taboo.
It must be admitted that being petty knows no age, and the older you get, the pettier you become. He envied and resented Bai Zongyi, and it took him some time to digest this negative emotion; what followed was his expectations of Bai Zongyi.
The unnamed pawn strives to rise to the top, finally achieving fame and glory - who doesn't like such an inspirational story?
Unfortunately... such a story is not led by him.
There was a commotion from the low table, and Bai Zongyi got up to pour water, while Fan Zherui quickly pretended to be asleep.
Just then, with a thud, bean-sized raindrops hit the window, heralding the arrival of a heavy rain. In the next moment, the pitter-patter of raindrops was incessant, and God's mischief was particularly clear in the deep night.
Bai Zongyi looked towards the bed and saw that Fan Zherui had not been disturbed by the rain, sighing with relief.
Closing the window only managed to block out sixty or seventy percent of the rain, indicating the intensity of the rain.
The weather report stated that due to abnormal climate conditions, a typhoon had formed along the Philippine coast, which although would not invade Taiwan, could cause tropical disturbances, with the possibility of convective rainfall.
Convective rainfall meant that he would likely encounter his least favourite - the black night torn apart by purple and silver electric rays, followed by thunder rumbling!
Bai Zongyi's cursing was drowned out by the next lightning and thunder.
One after another, the lightning flashed incessantly, the thunder resounded continuously, and in the alternating moments, a child's crying plea flashed through Bai Zongyi's mind.
“Mom, don't go... don't leave us...”
Many years ago, during an afternoon thunderstorm, he, at the age of six, held hands with his three-year-old sister, desperately trying to stop his mother from leaving home with her luggage.
His mother stopped, turned around, and coldly looked at them. Just when young Zongyi thought he had successfully kept his mother from leaving, his mother picked up a shoe horn by the door, raised it over her head, and aimed it at him and his sister.
“Bai Zongyi! Bai Zongyi!”
Anxious cries broke through his blurred consciousness, and Bai Zongyi opened his eyes to see Fan Zherui looking at him with concern.
What happened to me?
“I don't know, as soon as it thundered, you collapsed on the ground, and I called you for a while but you didn't respond.”
Upon hearing Fan Zherui's response, Bai Zongyi realised that he had unconsciously spoken out his thoughts.
“What's wrong?” Fan Zherui stared at the pale-faced young man, covered in cold sweat, “Are you afraid of thunder?”
Bai Zongyi pushed away Fan Zherui's hand, leaned against the wall, and slowly stood up, "It's nothing-” before he could finish speaking, a flash of lightning and thunder immediately shut him up, not allowing him to continue to be brave.
Fan Zherui hugged the young man tightly, feeling the trembling that he was trying to suppress but failing to do so.
It's not just a fear of thunder; he did hear-
“Please, stop, Mom...”
The weak plea of the young man was heard.
…
After much dragging, Fan Zherui finally managed to drag Bai Zongyi onto the bed. However, the defiant Bai Zongyi even when pushed to the wall . Fan Zherui had to hug to prevent him from escaping so Bai Zongyi had no way out and chose to face the wall, refusing to face the shame of being discovered as vulnerable.
“Everyone wants to get into my bed, but you're so resistant, putting shame to my face.” Fan Zherui sighed in frustration. He rarely did a good deed, but this guy didn't appreciate it.
“This is my bed, I am the one who let you sleep here.” The young man remained stubborn.
Purple and silver lightning and thunder struck again, and Bai Zongyi's whole body stiffened. His hands twisted the bedsheet tightly as if it were the most solid shield that could fend off all danger.
Bai Zongyi regretted bringing Fan Zherui back. If he hadn't succumbed to this jerk's threat, no one would have discovered his secret. He could have been alone, trembling and afraid, without having to pretend everything was fine as he did outside.
‘If he hasn't said anything, how can I have my secrets end up leaking out? Sure, I have been afraid, though now I must face up to the house.’
It's all his fault!
A thunderous roar shattered Bai Zongyi's anger, replacing it with a familiar yet unfamiliar fear and—sudden disorientation.
One of the man's arms had somehow slipped between Bai Zongyi's shoulder and the mattress, while the other wrapped around the slender boy's body, slipping between his waist and the mattress on the other side. With a hook and a flip, Bai Zongyi was rolled into a warm embrace.
Bai Zongyi gritted his teeth and shouted, “Fan Zherui!”
“Lower your voice.” Fan Zherui rested his annoyed head on his shoulder, "Go to sleep.”
“Let go of me!” Bai Zongyi struggled, feeling like a child in Fan Zherui's embrace.
At almost eighteen-years-old, the boy refused to be treated like a child!
Fan Zherui tightened his arms, lying on his side with his long legs pressing down, pulling the struggling boy closer into his embrace. He let out a long yawn and whispered, “Be good, sleep now, we have school tomorrow.”
“Let go—”
“If someone hits you, hit back.”
Bai Zongyi froze, his ears pressed against Fan Zherui's chest due to the firm embrace, making it seem like his words were coming from deep within Fan Zherui, filled with genuine sincerity.
“You are growing up, you are strong enough, brave enough, no one can bully you, and no one will dare to bully you again.”
Did he... know something? Bai Zongyi was bewildered, trying to recall his actions and words moments ago. Besides fear and trembling, had he done or said anything else?
Can't remember, and can't think further.
Fan Zherui's warmth was comforting, and Bai Zongyi's life of studying during the day and working at night, burning candles at both ends, left him perpetually exhausted. Unable to bear any more burden, his consciousness began to blur, overwhelmed by drowsiness, dragging him into an unconscious abyss. There, though dark, was unexpectedly warm and comfortable, as if enveloped in black velvet, wanting to sink deeper, never to rise again.
Fan Zherui, feeling slightly ticklish, pursed his lips, finally coaxing the person to sleep, not wanting to burst into laughter due to ticklishness and ruin his efforts.
Fan Zherui freed a hand to pull up the blanket to cover them both, the young man in his arms snuggling closer, as if protesting the disturbance to his sleep, the man gently patting his back to lull him to sleep.
The patting continued until the owner of the hand fell asleep.
Fan Zherui clasped his arms tightly, creating the most solid shield in the world, blocking out the wind and rain outside, creating a world of good sleep for the two of them.
At this moment, the two who were not yet familiar were each other's only support.