twenty four
"Who's your buddy?! Wake up! You're giving me this ridiculous talk with that dark face. Haven't you had enough?" Li Muqing now hated the word "buddy." He didn't want their relationship to be defined by that word, because once it was defined, no matter how close they became in the future, it would only be that kind of relationship.
"I'm not done yet!!" Xiao Jian stood up. "Li Muqing, can't you just say what's on your mind? I admit, I'm stupid, I'm clumsy, I... I always do ridiculous things, but... but I really consider you my best friend, and I don't believe you don't consider me a friend!"
"Um..." Just as Li Muqing and Xiao Jian were glaring at each other, Wang Youai spoke up, "Everyone's tired today, let's go home and rest early, we can drink another day, okay?"
“That’s right,” Zhao Xiaolong chimed in, trying to smooth things over. “I’ve noticed Brother Li hasn’t been in a good mood lately, Xiao Jian, you should be more accommodating. Don’t you know Brother Li’s temper?”
"Go back, everyone. I have a date tomorrow!" Wang Youai smiled and pulled Xiao Jian aside. "We'll be going now!" After saying that, he and Xiao Jian left the bar.
Watching Xiao Jian's departing figure, Li Muqing felt a mix of emotions swirling within her. She picked up her wallet, didn't even say goodbye, went out, hailed a taxi, and went home.
Shortly after getting on the bus, thunder began to rumble, and soon large raindrops started falling. Looking at the heavy rain outside the window, Li Muqing felt even more depressed. He thought, "The heavens have been holding back for so long. The sweltering heat of the past two days, combined with the scorching sun, almost baked me alive while I was setting up my stall. Now the heavens are finally not constipated, but why do I still feel so suffocated?"
After returning home, Li Muqing collapsed onto the sofa, listening to the raindrops hitting the window, staring blankly at the PS2 he and Xiao Jian used to play together on the coffee table.
Some time later, Li Muqing was almost asleep when she was startled awake by a knock on the door.
"Who is it in the middle of the night? Are you crazy?!" Li Muqing stood up lazily, scratched her hair, and walked to the door.
"It's me, Xiao Jian." The breathing outside the door was somewhat rapid.
"Is there something you need?" Li Muqing didn't intend to open the door.
"Could you open the door first? I have something to ask you." Xiao Jian's breathing became more even.
Li Muqing thought for a few seconds and then opened the door.
"I..." Xiao Jian saw Li Muqing and was about to say something, but was interrupted by Li Muqing.
"What do you mean, 'what do you mean, 'what do you mean'? It's always like this. You're always all wet before you see me. You've fallen in love with my bathroom, huh? Come on in!" Li Muqing made way for Xiao Jian. Xiao Jian was stunned for a moment, then he quickly said, "No, Li Muqing, you have to let me get to the bottom of things, otherwise I won't feel at ease."
"Come in and talk. Standing at the door will disturb the neighbors." After Li Muqing finished speaking, Xiao Jian obediently went inside and closed the door.
"Ask away." Li Muqing walked into the house, sat cross-legged on the sofa, looked at Xiao Jian, and asked.
Standing in front of Li Muqing, Xiao Jian looked into her crystal-clear eyes and suddenly felt a little awkward. He avoided her gaze and said, "Li Muqing, you still care about me as a friend, don't you?"
"When did you become so shameless? I've already said, we're not friends!" Li Muqing said angrily.
"If we're not friends, why do you care that I got wet? Why... why did you reserve a stall for me? Why did you stand up for me at the farewell party?" Xiao Jian blurted out the questions he had thought about countless times. He thought these questions would be enough to shut Li Muqing up.
"Xiao Jian, are you trying to settle scores with me? Fine, then I'll settle everything with you, one by one!" Li Muqing stood up, walked up to Xiao Jian, stared intently into his eyes, and slowly moved forward. He said, "Why would I lend my clothes to someone I've only known for a short time? Am I stupid? Why would I help you transform from an insignificant poor boy into a rich, celebrity-like young master? Am I bored? Why would I break ties with my parents to sell fruit at a stall? Am I rich and reckless? Why would I watch over someone's stall to prevent others from taking it from me, when I offer them no benefit whatsoever? Am I mentally challenged? Huh? Tell me! Why? Why!?"
With each sentence Li Muqing spoke, she took a step forward, and Xiao Jian took a step back. In the end, Xiao Jian's back was pressed tightly against the door.
Xiao Jian was actually scared. He had never seen Li Muqing so agitated. Seeing the tears welling up in Li Muqing's eyes, Xiao Jian even thought he was seeing things. Why would such a strong person cry?
"Why...why?" Xiao Jian stammered.
Li Muqing sighed deeply. He stopped looking into Xiao Jian's eyes and instead looked at the floor. After a long while, he said in an almost inaudible voice, "Because I like you..."
"What?" The voice was too soft for Xiao Jian to hear.
Li Muqing took another breath and shouted, "I must have been blind to fall for a piece of black wood!!"
Outside the window, another deafening clap of thunder roared.
Xiao Jian was completely dumbfounded this time.
He didn't know how he got out of Li Muqing's house, or even whether he was kicked out or ran away on his own. He walked on the rain-soaked road, letting the rain soak his clothes. He didn't care anymore, because Xiao Jian's world had been turned upside down.
That night, under Wang Youai's surprised gaze, Xiao Jian went into the bathroom, took a quick hot shower, and then lay down on the bed. Looking at the dark sky outside the window, which was occasionally filled with lightning and thunder, he couldn't sleep again.
From the moment Li Muqing kicked Xiao Jian out of the room, she sat on the floor by the door, her mind blank, unable to think of anything. She didn't know what she was doing now, what she had been doing lately, or what she had been doing before. She didn't want to know what she wanted to do, what she would do, or what she was capable of doing in the future. Her world had been completely turned upside down because of one person.
What exactly does Xiao Jian mean to him?
He knew he liked Xiao Jian, but he wasn't sure if that was the one he was looking for. He had never liked anyone before, and he had never experienced this feeling. He thought that liking someone meant being sweet and happy together, spending every day blissfully together. But now, he couldn't feel that at all. The only thing he could taste was a little bit of bitterness, a little bit of sourness, and a little bit of pain in his heart.
Perhaps, it's more than just a little bit.
Instead, much more.
Xiao Jian wasn't the only one who couldn't sleep that night; Li Muqing also sat at the door all night.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
