Chapter 5

It was a quiet and bright morning without an alarm clock. The bread was baked just in time, and the aroma filled the air.

The fried egg, bacon, and mayonnaise complement each other, and Xiang Mingqi could imagine the texture when he bit into it: crisp lettuce, breadcrumbs that clung to his lips, and the rich filling that burst out.

—And, of course, instant coffee, and the kick that jolted him out of his sweet dream and off the sofa.

Xiang Mingqi fell flat on his back, his side hitting the corner of the table, and he cried out in pain. He just opened his eyes a crack and saw a long leg rolling over his chest.

He cried out, not knowing whether it was surprise or joy, but did not hide.

Pei Huai had no choice but to frown and avoid him, bending down to carefully sweep away the hair balls in the cracks of the sofa with a duster.

"Good morning. Although today seems to be Saturday, theoretically I can sleep until noon..." Xiang Mingqi leaned on the edge of the table with one hand and sat up straight. "What time is it now? The sun doesn't seem to have set yet. Have you already started the spring cleaning?"

"Why are you sleeping here?" The tone was very calm, but it revealed warnings and threats everywhere.

Xiang Mingqi got goosebumps all over his back and quickly explained, "Didn't you say yesterday that I could stay at your house temporarily? Did you regret it in your dream?"

“…I said sofa.”

"Oh, about this. Because the kitchen was too cold in the middle of the night, I moved to the living room. And I didn't wake you last night. When I moved in, I made sure your eyes were closed." He straightened his back as if remembering something, his hands clasping his knees. "Brother's breakfast smells so good, is there any for me?"

"No."

"Uh, you're so direct." Xiang Mingqi opened his arms and fell back dejectedly, his body spread out on the carpet, mumbling, "I can make breakfast too. Bacon, fried eggs, ham and the like are just little tricks. Next time I-"

"...When are you leaving?"

"But we haven't even added each other on WeChat, and we haven't exchanged phone numbers. My goal hasn't been achieved at all."

"First, there's no toothbrush for you." Before his patience ran out, Pei Huai took a few deep breaths and listed his crimes one by one. "Second, you didn't change your clothes. Third, I need to go out."

"It's okay, it's okay. My toothbrush, toothpaste and cup are in my bag. I carry them with me." Xiang Mingqi consciously opened the side pocket of his backpack and took out a handful of toiletries that were simply packed in a box. "I'll change my clothes right away. Oh, I just calculated the time. If we hurry, we can go out together. Then I'll go!" The junior who couldn't read the atmosphere stood up quickly and pushed open the bathroom door in one fell swoop.

Pei Huai suddenly felt that he shouldn't have listed the third item. But things were already spiraling out of control, and he couldn't stop them, so he sighed and walked towards the dining table.

Ten minutes and a few seconds later, Xiang Mingqi rushed out the door. Pei Huai had just finished the last corner of his sandwich when he yelled, "No!" and pulled a stool aside to sit down. He smeared two tablespoons of peanut butter on the bread. He didn't even chew, but stuffed his cheeks with a few bites until they were bulging.

Pei Huai raised his eyes and saw his indescribable eating habits. He looked away after just one glance.

When the cup touched his lips, he tasted the coffee, realized that the creamer had not yet fully dissolved, and had to put it down. The coffee spoon stirred along the wall, clinking amidst the occasional knocking sounds.

The skin on his wrist was very thin, with faint bluish veins.

Pei Huai was indeed a very courteous eater, chewing his food slowly and carefully. This was often due to his good sense of timing and careful attention to detail.

Another key point is that he is not very willing to talk to others while eating.

"Hey, you're ignoring me again." Xiang Mingqi put on a regretful look, holding his chin and looking at him. "This is such a good opportunity to get to know each other, why do you have to focus on eating? When I was in school, I loved to gather around a group of people and talk while eating at mealtime."

The piggy-printed mug cracked with a "click." Pei Huai raised his head from the rim of the mug, stopped, and stared at him.

"Talk less while eating."

Feeling the almost frozen weight of the gaze, Xiang Mingqi hunched his shoulders and leaned back in his chair: "Don't be angry, don't be angry, before I seal my mouth. I remember I have a gift for you--" He stood up and dragged the backpack on the corner of the sofa. The sound was heavy when it landed on the ground, and no one knew what was in it.

Xiang Mingqi pulled the zipper all the way down, puffed out his chest, and revealed the bag filled with bundles of US dollars.

It is hard to imagine how he managed to enter the train station with such a heavy backpack, pass through security, and spend the so-called "half day" in the crime-ridden Kensos.

"I'm rich. Here's $700,000!" he said, thrusting his hands into the pile of money and waving it in the air. Beneath the cascading bills, he stretched his arms wide. "Isn't it cool? These were originally gold bars, brought out from the underground vault in Manhattan three days ago. Any handful can be exchanged for this much money. I'll go back next week."

A business card floated and floated until it landed in the coffee cup in front of me. The name on it was quickly smudged by the liquid.

Pei Huai, his face cold, grasped it in his palm and crushed it completely. Before the other party could wink, the chair was tripped and fell to the ground with a loud bang.

The tablecloth tugged a few centimeters away, and the cutlery clattered to the floor. He stood up and slapped Xiang Mingqi in the face.

"Is it funny?"

"Ooooh, that hurts. I'm sorry! I just thought you'd laugh... but I'm rich, I'm a third-generation rich man!"

***

The good news was that Pei Huai arrived at the station on time and boarded the bus to Meigu. The bad news was that Xiang Mingqi had the tactless intention of following him.

——He had no right to stop it. This was not a lie. On the way, he asked Xiang Mingqi, "Why are you following me?"

The other person replied with a big smile, "Because I want to take this path."

About twenty minutes later, Pei Huai couldn't help but remind him, "You've followed me for five intersections." The other person nodded and replied, "Yes, because I want to go this way." But when they arrived at the station, Pei Huai asked again, "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to where you are going, brother." - This was an unexpected answer.

Pei Huai had nothing to say.

After getting on the bus, he ignored Xiang Mingqi and chose a window seat in the back row. Fortunately, this direct bus between the two places was not crowded on a weekend.

Judging by the driver's leg movements and his messy red nose, he just wanted to get the trip over with and be rewarded with a bottle of whiskey. Rumor has it that the coal valley has become increasingly desolate since the construction of the East-West Railway. Few people would choose to visit this northern town unless it was a holiday.

Well, no matter where Xiang Mingqi was going, why did he insist on squeezing in next to him? Looking around, there were empty seats everywhere.

Pei Huai really couldn't understand why he was pestering him like this.

Even if his personality was built with a lot of "shamelessness," it was a bit too much, wasn't it? The bus wobbled up the mountain road. Pei Huai looked out the window, facing the boundless blue sky, and put on his headphones.

The prelude is a bass, with a small drum added in two beats, and something squeezes in before the next beat reaches the climax.

Knees. Legs. Half his body. Then came a sidelong stare, so close it made the hairs on his neck stand on end. Pei Huai pressed the earphones with two fingers, pushing the rubber sleeve deeper into his ear canal.

"elder brother."

"Handsome brother."

"So handsome, so handsome brother Pei Huai——"

He didn't want to respond the first time, nor the second time, not to mention the third and fourth times. But each time, the unanswered cries grew louder. Pei Huai could only take off his headphones and ask him, "What are you doing?"

"Are you listening to music? I can hear a little bit from here."

"Um."

"It sounds like the 80s, DJ, electronic synth music." He said, "You like going to bars, is it because you like the music there?"

"Let's go to the bar and listen to music. I'm free?"

Xiang Mingqi was frustrated and unwilling to accept the result: "Uh, you're being mean to me again. I mean, I know a lot about this. Don't you want to talk to some folk experts?"

"In no mood."

"Why! I could talk to you about a lot of interesting things..."

"That's your hobby. I don't care."

It was an expected answer, but Xiang Mingqi still fell into loss.

After answering, Pei Huai put his headphones back in, closed his eyes, and enjoyed the joyful beats. He no longer wanted that annoying guy to appear in his world. But once the surroundings quieted down, the undercurrent of memories began to surge.

In the past twelve years, he has never set foot in Coal Valley, nor has he ever thought about returning. This place that carries his childhood memories is not a good place, but only some regrettable memories.

Less than five minutes after closing his eyes, Pei Huai suddenly felt someone poking his arm a few times.

"Brother, I'm curious why you want to go to Coal Valley?" A voice came to my ears.

Pei Huai hugged his elbows and leaned back. Not only did he not bother to pay attention to him, he didn't even lift his eyelids.

"Is it about work? No, I heard from the girl in the HR department that you've always kept your work and personal affairs very separate. During your breaks, you turn off your work phone, don't reply to messages, and even print documents the day before your day off. So what are you going to do today?"

"I'm not going there to play." Pei Huai couldn't help but correct him, "Besides, you followed me here on your own."

As soon as Xiang Mingqi heard the first half of the sentence, he didn't care about the harsh tone in his words. His eyes lit up and said, "I knew it. So what are we going to do now?"

"funeral."

Darkness collapsed as the two men locked eyes, and the bus jolted into the tunnel. Pei Huai couldn't see his expression. In the shadows, the young man, seemingly innocent just seconds ago, frowned, bit his nails, and curled his lips in excitement.

"I'm sorry, brother." He suppressed his smile and said softly, "...Can I ask whose funeral it is?"