White button
After rinsing away the sweat and grime with warm water, Yu Sheng wrapped herself in a bathrobe and, supporting herself against the wall, slowly made her way out of the bathroom. Looking down, she saw the "Four Seasons" box on the floor—a six-pack, now empty.
Yu Sheng angrily kicked the empty box away.
"Hiss—!" The pain in her back was aggravated, and Yu Sheng's face contorted as she gasped for breath.
Normally, those two gasps would have drawn Lu Chenyang's attention. Lu Chenyang would first kiss his forehead, then carry him back to the room like a child, wrapping his legs around his waist and dragging his bottom along.
But Lu Chenyang didn't appear even after he waited for a long time. Instead, he heard continuous pounding and thumping sounds coming from the direction of the bedroom.
Yu Sheng felt a chill in her heart. Ignoring the pain, she strode into the bedroom.
Sure enough, the scene that met his eyes was exactly as he had expected.
Lu Chenyang lay face down on the bed, his bathrobe loose, his long legs taut. His back was arched backward, his neck arched back desperately, his Adam's apple protruding, and his lips wide open as he gasped for breath, like a swan awaiting its execution.
His fists were pounding his spine relentlessly, as if he wanted to break it completely.
"Chenyang!" Yu Sheng rushed over like the wind and grabbed Lu Chenyang's hard fist. "Don't, don't hit me! Let me massage it for you, it'll stop itching. Okay?"
These symptoms appeared long before Lu Chenyang was discharged from the hospital. At first, Yu Sheng was terrified, thinking that the drugs he was abusing contained prohibited ingredients, causing him to become addicted and experience such severe withdrawal symptoms.
Because Lu Chenyang's symptoms were too similar, too similar to those widely circulated withdrawal symptoms of addiction.
His spine itched. Lu Chenyang described the feeling as if countless snakes were crawling back and forth along his spine, occasionally biting his flesh. It was also like new flesh growing wildly in the cracks of his bones, with all the nerves in his body concentrated on that spine, and the itch was unbearable. He could only desperately pound on it with his fists, punching that bone again and again, just to relieve the itch.
So when Lu Chenyang, exhausted after his first attack, leaned against Yu Sheng and said, "I wish I could cut open his flesh and reach in to break his bones," Yu Sheng was utterly terrified.
While Lu Chenyang was taking his medicine and falling asleep, Yu Sheng secretly cut off his hair and sent it for testing. Fortunately, the result was negative.
But before I could catch my breath, another one came right up: Is it some kind of rare disease?
The next day, Yu Sheng arranged for Lu Chenyang to undergo a comprehensive examination at Yaoguang Hospital. Even the diagnosis of tenosynovitis in his right finger joints was not found.
It was only after Bai Hua came for his weekly routine check-up that the answer was found.
Somatization.
Like hand tremors and heart palpitations, there is no one-size-fits-all cure; the only options are medication, combined with a positive mood and psychotherapy.
From then on, Yu Sheng began learning massage techniques from the bone-setting doctors at Yaoguang Traditional Chinese Medicine Department. Whenever Lu Chenyang showed signs of discomfort, she would immediately apply what she had learned. While massaging him, she would chat with him about everything under the sun.
Chatting about how Brother Lan officially accepted Xinghua, how Qin Nan asked the wrong person for his girlfriend's autograph, how He Wei had taken a long leave from work and didn't know what he was doing, how he had to accompany his grandmother to her medical check-up tomorrow, and how Lan Zhong seemed to have a boyfriend and wasn't answering his calls. As long as she could distract Lu Chenyang, Yu Sheng transformed into the village's gossip queen.
Gradually, Lu Chenyang's attacks decreased from two or three times a month to perhaps once every two months.
Even now, Yu Sheng kneels on the bed, skillfully massaging Lu Chenyang's back, which he himself had bruised and swollen from hitting it. Just like how Lu Chenyang had massaged his calves before.
Yu Sheng had complained in his heart more than once that Lu Chenyang took too good care of him, and he always wanted to rely on him, wishing he could become a pendant tied to Lu Chenyang's waistband.
When would she be able to make Lu Chenyang completely rely on her? Yu Sheng had imagined that scene countless times. But Lu Chenyang was calm and reliable, composed in the face of adversity, and impossible to find any weaknesses in. He seemed to be a born strongman who didn't need protection.
But now that her wish has been fulfilled in this way, Yu Sheng is left only with heartache.
"Alright, Asheng, it doesn't itch anymore." Lu Chenyang turned over, grabbed Yu Sheng's wrist, and pulled her into his arms. "Is your arm tired?"
Yu Sheng nuzzled against Lu Chenyang's chest, shaking her head in acknowledgment. Her voice was muffled, "It doesn't hurt. Did you take your medicine today?"
"I've already eaten, before you came back." Lu Chenyang raised his hand and smoothed the curve of Yu Sheng's snow-white hair.
Yu Sheng sniffed hard twice to hold back the tears that were about to spill, then looked up and held Lu Chenyang's hands in her own. Her thumbs lovingly stroked his wrist, where a string of red poppy flower tattoos covered his wrist. Vivid and beautiful.
But beneath the beauty of Yu Meiren lies the scar that Yu Sheng least wants to recall—the scar that almost took his lover's life.
When was this string of poppy flowers tattooed? Yu Sheng remembered it was on New Year's Eve in Changchun, when they danced together in the snow. After returning home that day, Yu Sheng suddenly couldn't hold back her emotions, hugged Lu Chenyang's wrist with the long scar across it, and cried bitterly, sobbing uncontrollably.
Finally, exhausted from crying, she collapsed into Lu Chenyang's arms, kissing his wrist and repeatedly saying, "I'm sorry, I'm late."
The day after that, when Yu Sheng woke up at noon, Lu Chenyang was in the kitchen making lunch. As he raised his hand, Yu Sheng saw that the hideous scar on his wrist was gone, replaced by a cluster of blooming poppies.
When Lu Chenyang saw him, he came over and combed his bird's nest-like hair, then leaned down and kissed his still swollen eyes.
What did Lu Chenyang say to him then? He said, "I'm sorry, I'm late too."
Fortunately, we were able to stay by each other's side in the end.
*
Before and after the film's release, the "Dark Fire" creative team waged a three-week-long intensive "blitzkrieg," which finally came to a temporary end today. Yu Sheng obtained the master tapes from Lan Dajing and planned to watch them with Lu Chenyang.
The house only had a TV but no projector, which made it feel a bit lacking in atmosphere. So the two of them went back to Shuye Yusheng's private suite on the 62nd floor.
Upon entering the room, Yu Sheng immediately plunged into the media room, tinkering with his high-end but always-used projection equipment. Lu Chenyang, on the other hand, strolled around the suite leisurely, taking in the sights and sounds.
He had been to Yu Sheng's suite twice. Once was when Yu Sheng pretended to be drunk and tricked him into the room, and the other time was when Yu Sheng broke her leg and wanted to repay his kindness, so he came to help her move.
He came and went in a hurry both times, and never took a good look at the places where Yu Sheng had lived.
The suite was huge, with a rough estimate of over a dozen rooms, including a kitchen, study, living room, media room, game room, wine cellar, indoor golf course, bar… fully equipped to host a party for a hundred people. Each room was exquisitely decorated. The kitchen, in particular, boasted over a dozen sets of tableware in Chinese, French, and Italian styles, along with some kitchen utensils he couldn't even name.
This floor had been transformed by Yu Sheng into a "cozy home." But apart from the usual living room, the other rooms showed almost no signs of life; they were as tidy as a showroom, lacking any warmth or human touch.
How long has Yu Sheng been pretending to live in this "cozy home"? Is he absurdly deceiving himself, thinking that as long as there is a kitchen full of cooking utensils, a "home" has taken shape?
This house, so large, so empty, so self-deceiving, has been the shell of Yu Sheng's life for ten years. Lu Chenyang could imagine how his young master had painstakingly built what he thought was a warm home, then retreated inside to feel the warmth of his imagination.
Lu Chenyang felt fortunate. He was fortunate to have participated in the casting for "Shattered Light", fortunate to have taken Yu Sheng, who was pretending to be drunk, back to her room that night, fortunate that his grandmother asked him to take care of Yu Sheng, who had a leg injury, fortunate to have that viral anime convention video from back then, and even... he was fortunate to have been qualified to be Yu Sheng's "medicine catalyst".
He was grateful for all the opportunities that allowed him to get closer to Yu Sheng.
He rubbed his slightly sore eyes, intending to go to the audio-visual room to see how Yu Sheng was doing with the setup. As he passed the row of glass display cases in the corridor, he stopped, frowned, and approached one of the partitions.
Inside was a box lined with red velvet, bathed in soft light. If it contained jewelry or luxury watches, Lu Chenyang wouldn't have given it a second glance. But what was so preciously treasured was a small white button, utterly ordinary, the kind you could easily rip off any shirt.
"This button is...?" Lu Chenyang suddenly recalled the first night he came to this suite; back then, several buttons on his shirt had indeed fallen off during his argument with Yu Sheng. Could this one be...?
"Chenyang, come quick, I've finished setting it up." Yu Sheng's voice came from the direction of the audio-visual room. Then, she poked her fluffy head out and looked at Lu Chenyang, who was standing in front of the display case, with a puzzled expression.
"What are you looking at?" Yu Sheng asked curiously as she walked over.
"Is this button...?" Lu Chenyang started to say, but then swallowed the words back. Although he was never insecure, he was afraid he was just imagining things. What if this button had a deeper meaning, belonging to someone more important? Like... Lan Yi.
Seeing Yu Sheng's lips gradually purse into a straight line, her hands fidgeting nervously, looking as if she wanted to say something but couldn't, Lu Chenyang suddenly regretted asking the question. He had a premonition that the answer might be the one he least wanted to hear.
"oops--"
Just as Lu Chenyang began to feel secretly sad and resentful that fate hadn't allowed him to appear earlier than Lan, Yu Sheng suddenly covered her eyes and let out a rare, embarrassed sound.
"You found out." Yu Sheng smiled awkwardly, her ears turning red all the way down to her neck. "This...this is the one from that day...when I lied to you and said I was drunk, and you brought me back, I...I tore off your shirt."
Yu Sheng's voice grew softer and softer as she spoke, utterly ashamed.
He inexplicably felt like a perverted stalker who would pick up toilet paper his idol threw in the trash, or some kind of vulgar and eccentric collector. The main problem was that he should have kept it hidden, not displayed it so ostentatiously. He didn't know what he was thinking; he must have been completely drained of his brain by that enchanting Lu Chenyang to do something so shameful.
“…Ah, ha, haha, hahaha, it’s…it’s mine.” Lu Chenyang stared at Yu Sheng, his laughter sounding miserable, his voice trembling with sobs.
Yu Sheng was annoyed by his laughter and became somewhat embarrassed and angry. Her young master temper immediately flared up, and she yelled at him irritably, "What are you laughing at! Laugh again and I'll break your teeth!"
"Don't laugh, don't laugh." Lu Chenyang quickly covered his mouth, which was turning into a spasm of laughter. "I just didn't expect that my little button would mean so much to you, that you would actually—"
"Whatever's in my room is mine!" Yu Sheng interrupted Lu Chenyang with a shout, slamming her hand on the glass cabinet. She glared at him, exuding an air of dominance. "I can put things here however I want, what do you know!"
"Okay, okay. I don't understand, I'm ignorant." Lu Chenyang immediately admitted defeat, his heart bubbling with joy, and he didn't forget to coax the ancestor in front of him, "I was wrong, please forgive me this time."
"Hmph!" Yu Sheng turned her head arrogantly and left.
Lu Chenyang followed him happily into the audio-visual room.
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