Shameful
At six in the afternoon, the sunlight, like melted honey, filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Mint Velvet Tail, weaving tiny specks of light across the floor. Li Huaizhou squatted behind the bar, his fingertips unconsciously tapping the order screen on his tablet. He glanced up at the wind chimes hanging by the door. The glass beads swayed gently in the wind, the tinkling sound so faint it seemed an illusion. The sound that would have set his heart racing never arrived.
"Just saying it casually, after all," he muttered, tossing his tablet aside and getting up to add cat food to his puppet. The fat orange cat curled up on the top shelf of the climbing frame, its belly bulging like a small ball. Seeing him approach, it slowly wiggled the tip of its tail and purred in its throat, like a small motor. Li Huaizhou had just torn open the cat food packaging when the wind chime at the door suddenly rang with a crisp, clear ding-dong sound. It made his hand tremble, and he nearly dropped the cat food.
He turned around suddenly and met a pair of smiling eyes. Xie Mo was standing at the door, wearing a light gray casual shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms. The sunlight fell on his shoulders, dyeing the ends of his hair light golden, fading the seriousness of last night's party and adding a bit of fireworks. Xie Mo was holding two brown paper bags in his hands. When he saw him looking at him, the corners of his mouth curved into a gentle arc and raised the bags in his hand: "I bought you egg tarts."
Li Huaizhou's heart skipped a beat, and he didn't even notice that the cat strip in his hand was taken away by the "puppet". He opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything for a long time. Finally, he could only say: "Why did you really come?" He regretted it as soon as he said it - it sounded like an unwelcome word, but he had been looking forward to it since the shop opened in the morning.
Xie Mo walked in, placed the paper bag on the counter, and glanced at the cats in the shop. "We agreed to come and take a look, I can't go back on my word." His eyes fell on the tabby cat in the corner. The kitten was rolling around with a ball of yarn, its tail furry, like a fluffy little ball of wool. "Is this just a 'fluff tail'?"
Li Huaizhou nodded and walked to the back of the bar, pretending to sort the glasses. However, his fingertips rubbed the cold glass walls, trying to calm his burning ears. "Well, I found it in the winter five years ago. It was frozen and curled up in a ball at the time. Now it's become the boss of the store, always stealing the other cats' food." He looked up at the wall clock. The hands were just past 2:30. "There are not many people today. I...I'll close the store early and show you around."
Xie Mo raised his eyebrows, and the smile in his eyes became even stronger: "Okay, I'll listen to Boss Zhou."
The three words "Boss Zhou" were like a small feather, gently scratching Li Huaizhou's heart and making his ears redder. He quickly turned around to hang the wooden sign "Temporarily Closed" at the door. When his fingers touched the cold wood, he found that his fingertips were trembling slightly. The shop closed quickly. When he returned to the bar, Xie Mo was squatting on the ground, scratching the chin of the calico cat with his fingertips.
"Let's go, there's a barbecue stall nearby that tastes really good." Li Huaizhou picked up his coat, not daring to look into Xie Mo's eyes again, fearing that his thoughts would be written on his face. Xie Mo stood up, patted the cat hair on his pants, and followed his footsteps: "Okay, you lead the way."
A barbecue stall sat at the corner of the alley, with a red awning and several folding tables set up on the sidewalk. Meat skewers sizzled on the wire mesh, their aroma mingling with the aroma of smoke and smoke drifting far into the distance. Li Huaizhou found a corner seat, familiar with the place. The owner immediately came over to greet him, "Brother Zhou, why are you here so early today? And you brought friends with you?"
"Well, same as usual, add more chili, and make sure the roasted pork belly is a little burnt." After Li Huaizhou finished naming the dishes, he suddenly remembered that Xie Mo couldn't eat spicy food, so he quickly added, "A few more skewers of non-spicy ones."
Xie Mo looked at him busying around, and couldn't hide the smile on his face: "Do you still remember that I don't eat spicy food?"
Li Huaizhou's face instantly turned red to the root of his neck. He picked up the enamel teacup on the table and took a sip. He covered it up by saying, "That's because I wanted to try something less spicy." Although he said that, his heart felt as soft as if it had been soaked in warm water.
The barbecue was soon served. The sizzling pork belly was coated with chili powder, the grilled chicken wings had a crispy skin and burst with juice when bitten, and there was also grilled eggplant sprinkled with chopped green onions, the aroma was fragrant. Li Huaizhou picked up a skewer of grilled pork belly and stuffed it into his mouth. The familiar taste made him squint his eyes. Xie Mo picked up a skewer of non-spicy chicken and ate it slowly, occasionally passing the grilled corn to Li Huaizhou's mouth: "Eat slowly, no one will snatch it from you, be careful of the heat."
"Do you want to drink?" Li Huaizhou suddenly looked up. He seldom drank in recent years. He would only drink a couple of glasses with Ji Jiancheng when he came. But when he saw Xie Mo today, he suddenly wanted to drink something. It seemed that only alcohol could help him get rid of the restraint in his heart and slowly say out the words he had hidden for eight years.
Xie Mo was stunned for a moment, then nodded, but still reminded: "Drink less, your stomach is not good."
Li Huaizhou didn't respond. Instead, he stood up and went to the boss to get two cans of iced beer. When he pulled the ring, foam popped out and clung to his fingertips. He handed one of the cans to Xie Mo, raised his own can, and clinked it with Xie Mo's. There was a crisp "ding" sound, as if breaking the thin layer of ice between them. He tilted his head back and took a big sip. The cold liquid slid down his throat, carrying a slightly bitter malt aroma, and he relaxed instantly.
Once the chatterbox opens, it can't be stopped. Li Huaizhou started by talking about the funny things in the cat cafe, and then said that Ji Jiancheng had recently broken up again, and he hugged him and cried for half the night, and also complained about his cat cafe "It's full of cat hair, and Li Huaizhou will never find a partner." He was so excited that even the corners of his eyes were smiling.
Xie Mo listened quietly, occasionally interjecting a word or two, his eyes always fixed on him. He watched Li Huaizhou's eyes curved into crescents when he was talking with great enthusiasm; he watched him take a deep breath when he ate something spicy, and the tip of his nose turned red; he watched him raise the beer can, and his cheeks slowly turned red. "Another one!" Li Huaizhou put the empty can on the table, and reached out to take another, but Xie Mo held his hand. He looked up at Xie Mo, his eyes covered with a thin layer of mist, his cheeks as red as a ripe apple, and even his words were a little vague: "I'm not drunk... I'm really not drunk, I can still drink..."
Before he finished speaking, he staggered and fell to the side. Xie Mo quickly reached out to hold his waist, his fingertips touched his warm skin, and he could feel his body trembling. "You said you were not drunk, but you can't even stand steadily." Xie Mo sighed helplessly, reached out to touch his head, and his face was very hot. "I'll take you home."
Li Huaizhou's body was as soft as a boneless bone, leaning against Xie Mo's arms. His nose brushed against the scent of his shirt. It wasn't perfume, but a faint scent of laundry detergent, mixed with a hint of sunshine, exactly the same scent as the one on his school uniform back then. He suddenly became very obedient, no longer struggling, and let Xie Mo support him as he walked to the store. He would occasionally rub his head against Xie Mo's arms, like a clingy kitten, his furry hair brushing against Xie Mo's chin, a little itchy.
"Xie Mo..." He suddenly spoke, his voice soft and a little aggrieved, "Why did you come back just now... I've been waiting for you for a long time..."
Xie Mo paused, his heart felt like it was pricked by a needle, and the pain was tight. He reached out and gently rubbed Li Huaizhou's hair, and his voice became softer: "Sorry." Li Huaizhou hummed, buried his face in Xie Mo's shoulder, and his warm breath sprinkled on Xie Mo's neck, with a hint of beer and wheat aroma: "I thought... I would never find you again." His voice became smaller and smaller, and finally turned into almost a whisper.
Xie Mo said nothing, but held Li Huaizhou tighter and quickened his pace. The sunlight stretched their shadows very long, overlapping them, as if they could no longer be separated.
Back at Mint Velvet Tail, the cats in the shop heard the commotion and gathered around. Several stuffed dolls rubbed against Xie Mo's trouser legs, making soft meowing sounds; the wooden puppets jumped to Li Huaizhou's feet and used their heads to butt his shoes, as if to act like a spoiled child. Xie Mo helped Li Huaizhou to the sofa, carefully placed him on it, and took a soft cushion to support his back. "You rest first, I'll go feed the cats and be back soon."
Li Huaizhou nodded and leaned on the sofa obediently, but his eyes seemed to be glued to Xie Mo, staring at his back. Xie Mo walked to the cat food bucket, picked up the spoon, and skillfully poured cat food into each cat bowl.
Just as Xie Mo lowered his head and poured goat milk into the kitten's bowl, he suddenly felt a hot body pressing against him from behind. Li Huaizhou stood up without knowing when, wrapped his arms tightly around his waist, and buried his face in his back, like a wronged little animal, whimpering: "Xie Mo... stay with me."
Xie Mo paused with the spoon in his hand, turned around, and looked at the person in his arms with helplessness and heartache. Li Huaizhou's eyes were red, like a rabbit that had just cried, with a little moisture on his eyelashes, but his arms were like vines, tightly wrapped around his waist, refusing to let go. Xie Mo reached out and gently wiped the moisture from the corners of his eyes. "I'm feeding the cat. I'll accompany you after I feed the cat, okay?"
"Really?" Li Huaizhou looked up, his eyes full of anticipation.
"Really." Xie Mo nodded, picked up the cat can next to him and shook it, "Look, wait until I give them the cans." He coaxed Li Huaizhou while opening the cans, dividing the fine minced meat into small plates, and gently placing them in each bowl.
The kittens soon gathered around, eating voraciously and purring with satisfaction. Then he helped Li Huaizhou up to the second floor. Li Huaizhou's steps were still unsteady, and he almost hung on Xie Mo. He was still mumbling something incoherently, and it was difficult to make out complete sentences. The room on the second floor was simple, with a light gray bed and a white wardrobe with a guitar on it. Xie Mo helped Li Huaizhou to the bed and asked him to sit down. He then turned and went to the bathroom, wrung out a warm towel, gently held Li Huaizhou's face, and helped him wipe it clean. "Wait a minute, I'll go get you a glass of honey water. It will make you feel better."
Li Huaizhou suddenly grabbed his arm, clenched his fingers tightly, his eyes full of dependence: "I'm afraid..." His voice was soft, with a hint of coquettishness, completely different from the usual fierce Li Huaizhou.
"I'm not leaving. I'll go downstairs and get a glass of water and come back soon." Xie Mo gently opened his hands, touched his head, and said "good boy" like coaxing a child.
Li Huaizhou finally let go of his hand and sat down obediently on the edge of the bed, his eyes fixed on the door. Xie Mo quickly came up with a cup of warm honey water. He supported Li Huaizhou's shoulders, letting him lean against his chest. With his other hand, he held the cup and slowly fed the water into his mouth. The warm honey water slid down his throat, and Li Huaizhou squinted his eyes comfortably, like a cat being stroked, and rubbed his head against Xie Mo's chest.
"I like it..." he whispered, with some honey water on the corner of his mouth, making it sparkle.
Xie Mo smiled and took out a tissue, gently wiping the water stains from the corners of his mouth: "Do you like honey water or me..." Li Huaizhou tilted his head and seemed to think seriously for a while before rushing over and hugging Xie Mo's waist "You~"
After feeding him the water, Xie Mo placed Li Huaizhou on the bed and carefully covered him with the quilt. He sat by the bed, looking at Li Huaizhou's sleeping face. His long eyelashes drooped, casting a faint shadow under his eyelids. The tip of his nose was slightly red. Xie Mo reached out and gently touched his cheek. The warmth from his fingertips made his heart soften.
After a while, Li Huaizhou's breathing became steady and he fell into a deep sleep. Xie Mo stood up and gently tucked the corner of his quilt for him before closing the door and going downstairs to clean up. He carefully mopped the floor of the shop, shoveled away the cat feces bit by bit, and then laid new cat litter and poured in deodorizing granules.
When everything was done, it was almost eleven o'clock. Xie Mo picked up his coat and gently closed the door. The wind chimes at the door shook but made no sound, as if he was afraid of waking up the people inside.
The next morning, Li Huaizhou was awakened by the sound of a cat purring. He opened his eyes, his head aching. Memories of last night poured into his mind like beads from a broken string: the beer at the barbecue stall, the warmth of Xie Mo's arms, the way he'd held onto his waist, refusing to let go, and the way he'd sobbed, "Don't leave me!"
"It's over!" Li Huaizhou sat up suddenly, his face instantly red as if it was about to explode. The kittens sleeping at his feet were awakened and jumped down in a swarm. How could he be so embarrassing? He was acting like a spoiled child and crying, and he even hugged Xie Mo and said a bunch of hypocritical words. He covered his face and fell back on the bed, wishing he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into. How could his alcohol tolerance be so bad? He used to be able to drink three or four cans without any problem, but now he was drunk after two cans and did such a shameful thing!
Just when he was frustrated, his phone suddenly vibrated. He picked up the phone and saw that it was a text message from the unfamiliar number. The content was simple: "Remember to eat breakfast."
Li Huaizhou stared at the text message, his fingers hovering over the screen for a long time without moving. The temperature in his cheeks rose again, and even the tips of his ears were red and hot. He buried his face in the pillow and wailed in a muffled voice. Is this really embarrassing! Will Xie Mo think he is childish? And become clingy?
After an unknown amount of time, the sound of a door opening came from downstairs. It was Lin Shengxia, a staff member of the cat cafe. Li Huaizhou took a deep breath, threw back the quilt, and walked downstairs reluctantly. Lin Shengxia saw him and greeted him with a smile: "Brother Zhou, why are you so listless today? Your face is still red. Didn't you sleep well?"
"No...no." Li Huaizhou avoided her gaze, walked to the bar, picked up the water glass and poured a glass of warm water, trying to hide his embarrassment, "You feed the cat first, I...I'll go buy breakfast."
He picked up his coat and ran out of the cat cafe. The morning sun fell on him, bringing a little warmth, but his cheeks were still burning.
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