31. Boyfriend
After dinner on Sunday evening, Zeng Xiasheng went out with Tang Sizhuo. He walked downstairs and saw Tang Sizhuo contacting his ride-hailing driver when he suddenly realized he hadn't taken his phone. However, there was no need to go back for it. After all, he had been with Tang Sizhuo since waking up the previous night and had completely forgotten to charge his phone, let alone text Chen Tianhao. It was still turned off and left in the study.
Even though Tang Sizhuo had taken sleeping pills last night, she still hadn't slept well. Her spirits relaxed slightly, but her mind, fearing this was just another "beautiful dream" that would ultimately fail, was unusually active, refusing to settle into a deep slumber. Every twenty or thirty minutes, Tang Sizhuo would suddenly wake from the brink of sleep, frantically opening her eyes to look for Zeng Xiasheng. So Zeng Xiasheng didn't retreat to his study to rest, but sat by the bedside all night, watching over her until the early hours of the morning, when Tang Sizhuo's breathing finally calmed down enough for him to lean back and take a nap.
Fortunately, even if it was intermittent, he was finally sleeping. Overall, Tang Sizhuo felt better after waking up than he had the day before. He ate three meals a day and sat on the balcony to bask in the sun. When Zeng Xiasheng was packing up her unopened New Year's gift box from the law firm and found two tickets for the New Year's Eve fireworks show, she even offered to go with him.
Fireworks and firecrackers have been banned in Jiangming City for many years. In recent years, in order to support the development of tourism and save the economy, the policy has been slightly relaxed. A specific area has been set aside on the outskirts of the city, and several concentrated performances are held during festivals to attract tourists.
Zeng Xiasheng hadn't witnessed it in person, but he had a deep impression of it. Jiangming City Prison was located in the same direction as the activity site, but even further away. The area between them was over ten kilometers of unobstructed fields, offering no shelter. So, as early as three years ago, during the government-led first trial during the Spring Festival, they had heard explosions from within the walls and could faintly see the glow of flames.
However, the cell was even more lively that day because Zeng Xiasheng's cellmate went crazy, howling and crying, and banging his head against the wall.
Although intentional homicide is a violent crime, Zeng Xiasheng rarely even argued with anyone, aside from a single physical altercation sparked by verbal provocation. He was unwaveringly quiet, hardworking, and a relatively worry-free person. So, after his first sentence reduction, he was moved out of that crowd of menacing criminals and relocated to live with inmates serving property crimes or lighter sentences, where he met Chen Tianhao.
The troublemaker, Wang Sui, was dining at a restaurant at the entrance of the village. After drinking, he got into a fight with a neighboring table over a minor matter, resulting in negligent assault. Generally speaking, if someone actively compensates and obtains the other party's forgiveness, the court will often grant a suspended sentence, sparing him time in prison. However, his family was already poor, and his wife was newly pregnant, unable to work. The little money he scraped together was a drop in the bucket, resulting in a sentence of nearly three years and the loss of his job. Initially, he was depressed and uncooperative. Chen Tianhao and two other older men were assigned tasks by the prison guards: to chat with Wang Sui and work on his thinking. After two or three months, Wang Sui finally came around, turning his remorse into motivation. He resolved to reform himself, stop drinking, find a new job, and take care of his family.
However, that Spring Festival, on the third day of the first lunar month when fireworks and firecrackers finally exploded in Jiangming City again after more than a decade, Wang Teng received a letter from his wife saying that the child had been aborted, she was going to work in a factory in the south, and she wanted to divorce him.
After the mutual monitoring team members reported the incident, prison guards quickly arrived and escorted Wang Sui away. As his cries faded into the hallway, the room fell into a deathly silence. They all saw how Wang Sui joyfully accepted the letter, then with trembling hands opened what he thought was a letter from home. But no one, including Wang Sui, had the right to blame his wife. It was Wang Sui who had wronged her in the first place; it was his drunken brawl that had broken up the family.
Several older men in the cell who had divorced for the same reason sighed heavily, and Chen Tianhao's face was even paler - he had not yet married before he was imprisoned, so if his girlfriend wanted to break up, she didn't even need to tell anyone inside.
That was the only time Zeng Xiasheng had dug out all of Tang Sizhuo's letters, spread them out on the bed, and traced the delicate handwriting across the envelopes with his fingertips, unable to resist the urge to tear them open. Wang Sui's desperate curses, pleas, and incoherent moans echoed in his mind, as if piercing his bones and tearing his heart apart.
Tang Sizhuo was no less capable than any of the relatives or lovers here; there was no point in comparing him to them. They could all fly, all escape, and she should be like them, seeking hope in a new future. But Zeng Xiasheng's chest ached so hard he couldn't breathe, his heart clamoring with his most selfish, basest, and most secret desire: a longing for the thick envelope of paper inside to be Tang Sizhuo's hope for his release, for his return home.
Now his wish has come true, but Tang Sizhuo is ill.
Zeng Xiasheng slowly exhaled and turned his head to look out the car window, so as not to let Tang Sizhuo notice his strange expression.
The event venue was far from the city center, a nearly 40-minute drive. After two or three years of promotion, the fireworks show had become a popular tourist attraction in Jiangming City. The dark night sky was illuminated by a dazzling array of lights, and a stage was set up in the center, where performers sang and danced to liven up the crowd.
Tang Sizhuo shouldn't have come to such an occasion with overly stimulating sounds and lights, but this was Zeng Xiasheng's first New Year's Eve after being released from prison, and she wanted to do something different.
As the show neared its opening, tourists flocked to the viewing area. After checking their tickets, they didn't head toward the center. Instead, they went against the flow to the rest area at the edge, finding a quiet corner to stand in. Zeng Xiasheng, who didn't have his phone with him, worried that Tang Sizhu would be separated from him by the crowd and out of sight, followed closely beside her, no longer lagging behind her by four or five meters as usual.
His entire outfit today was bought by Tang Sizhuo. Clothes make the man, and the saddle makes the horse. His rugged appearance was instantly transformed into a robust figure. The slightly smaller top was even tighter on his muscles, making his shoulders broad and his waist narrow. However, his ticket required identity information to be linked before entering the park. The police officer on duty, who had received the online notification, accurately identified him as a released prisoner and walked straight towards them.
Zeng Xiasheng unconsciously moved a few steps to the side to distance himself from Tang Sizhuo.
Near the end of his sentence, the prison guards reminded him that he would remain a target of public security attention for at least ten years after his release, subject to individual questioning at any time and requiring him to keep his ID card with him. Chen Tianhao's crime was far less serious, and he was only occasionally stopped by the police, yet he still felt inferior. He avoided being judged, so he rarely left his urban village unless returning to his hometown in the countryside. Zeng Xiasheng, however, didn't mind. After all, he had grown up poor and dirty, facing scorn wherever he went. Having enough food, clothing, and the chance to avoid beatings was a struggle, and he didn't have the dignity to care about any discriminatory treatment.
The officer, a young, friendly-looking police officer, stopped before Zeng Xiasheng and presented his ID. Seeing that there were others present, he made up an excuse about an error in the information recognition during entry and asked if he could confirm his ID. His tone was relaxed and gentle. He took the ID and, while checking the information, chatted casually with Zeng Xiasheng about where he lived, what he did for a living, and whether he was facing any financial difficulties given the economic downturn in Jiangming this year.
Tang Sizhuo stood aside, watching them quietly. She knew this was a routine check of key personnel, but the male police officer's tone and behavior were very polite. When he returned the ID card, he even wished Zeng Xiasheng a happy new year. There was no need to interfere or stop him.
The male police officer asked Zeng Xiasheng, then turned to face her, and chuckled, reminding her that this wasn't a viewing area, so she couldn't see the whole thing. It would be best to go near the stage. Tang Sizhuo was used to reading people's expressions, so she naturally heard his hidden meaning. In fact, he was saying that her location was sparsely populated and dark, making it unsafe. She quietly thanked him for his kindness, glanced at Zeng Xiasheng, and calmly said, "It's too loud over there, and my heart is a little bit upset. I just wanted to go out with my boyfriend to find something to do for New Year's Eve, so we'll just stay here and take a look."
A look of surprise flashed across the male police officer's face. He looked at her carefully for a few seconds, said nothing much, and finally turned around and pointed to a tent with lights on not far away.
"Our mobile duty station is right over there, very close. If it gets cold at night, you can come in anytime and sit down. We'll get you a cup of hot water."
Tang Sizhu nodded and thanked him, then watched him leave. He thought that this policeman was smart and had high emotional intelligence, and he should be able to make a name for himself quickly in the prefecture-level city.
Zeng Xiasheng was stunned, stunned by the word "boyfriend." Even though he knew Tang Sizhuo thought they were a couple, and he remembered her questioning him on the day she picked him up from prison, she still openly characterized their relationship in front of others, answering the police.
After hesitating for a long time, Zeng Xiasheng took a few steps closer, untied his scarf and put it on Tang Sizhuo's shoulders, and whispered, "It's better not to tell outsiders this."
Tang Sizhuo looked up at him, a hint of uneasiness instantly showing. He asked in a trembling voice, "Didn't you say you weren't leaving?"
"I'm not leaving, but—"
Her eyes were helpless and pitiful, as if tears were about to well up. Zeng Xiasheng felt a lump in his throat, deeply regretting that he hadn't studied hard as a child, unable to organize his words and express his thoughts clearly.
After hesitating for a long time, he spoke with difficulty, speaking haltingly in the cold wind: "We grew up together. Your parents were not good, and you didn't make any other friends, so you think I'm very important... I know that I think you're very important too, so I won't leave you, even if you recover... But, but we don't have to be boyfriend and girlfriend. I can be your friend, your most special friend, or even a family member, like a non-blood-related brother..."
His words were confusing and his meaning was unclear, but Tang Sizhuo understood.
Or rather, she had heard too many words with the same meaning in the past ten years.
The doctor said so, Qiao Shu said so, and everyone who had even a passing knowledge of her situation said so. They said she lacked the emotional support of her family, nor the social networks necessary to sustain her spiritual needs. That's why she clings to relationships like a lifeline, essentially hoping to gain understanding and care through complete openness and devotion to men of lower status. They also told her that, statistically and psychologically, she wouldn't get the love she wanted through this path, and that it would only bring her hurt.
Tang Sizhuo, having read many books herself, knew they were right. However, she had spent half her life clinging to this lifeline, and now she preferred to deceive herself rather than let go. But Zeng Xiasheng's words had awakened her: he was a human being, with independent thoughts and the right to say no. She had defined their relationship in terms of love, and all she did was to heal herself, relying on a slight difference in financial ability and social status to use him as medicine to alleviate her pain. It wasn't fair.
She stared at him, becoming increasingly bewildered, her gaze slowly shifting downwards, and then even her head sank. Seeing her like this, Zeng Xiasheng felt a pang of pain in his heart, and subconsciously pulled her into his arms.
How could he forget?
How could he forget that the only reason he pushed her away, rejected her, and hoped she would leave was because he wanted her to be free and happy, to live without illness or disaster, and to love openly.
In the distance, fireworks exploded crisply, and the brilliant flames bloomed in the night sky.
When he was a child, Tang Sizhuo found him a comic book containing the story of the ugly duckling. He thought it was a strange story, even more scorned than the ugly duckling, yet he still managed to make a good friend like Tang Sizhuo. Later, as he grew older, Zeng Xiasheng gradually understood that Tang Sizhuo was the swan, destined to soar high and find her swan companions. Meeting him was merely a chance encounter.
But this is also good. He will be content to be a wild duck, accompany her through mountains and rivers, walk back to the right track, and then stay on the ground, looking up at her and blessing her. When she or the tired bird returns home, they can still snuggle together and be close friends like family for a few days.
Zeng Xiasheng tightened his arms and gently covered Tang Sizhuo's ears, creating a space of comforting warmth. He stroked her back as if comforting a child, and suddenly his mind became clear, and even his words flowed more fluently.
"I won't leave. Don't worry, I definitely won't leave. You're just too tired. You will be fine."
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