Chapter 39
August, 1934.
The pale yellow velvet curtains were neatly hung on both sides of the window, revealing a layer of light white gauze underneath. They fluttered slightly in the wind, softening the summer sunlight outside the window.
It was a beautiful afternoon. By lifting the gauze curtain, one could see the courtyard below through the half-open window.
The trees in the courtyard were extremely lush, their deep green leaves forming a dense, natural canopy that filtered out the harsh sunlight, leaving only dappled light on the brick floor.
Alexei, wearing a tattered straw hat and carrying a small wooden stool, walked to the tree and sat down. The puppy, who had been dozing in its kennel, was startled awake. Upon seeing an old acquaintance, it immediately wagged its tail and pounced on him, pawing at his knees with its little front paws and making whiny, affectionate noises.
Alexei took off his straw hat and placed it on the ground beside him, revealing a head of golden stubble. He raised his hand to touch his head, then took a small piece of bread from his pocket, held it to the puppy's nose, and suddenly threw it. The puppy immediately jumped over and pressed the bread down with its paw.
He shouted loudly in Russian, and the puppy obediently ran back to him with the bread in its mouth. He stroked its fur from head to tail a few times, then took a cigarette out of his pocket and put it in his mouth.
He seemed to exude an air of leisurely ease.
Therefore, Rongxiang once thought that he was a rather interesting person.
A car slowly pulled up in front of the door, and Xiao Meng got out and walked in carrying a large paper bag.
He was wearing a white short-sleeved shirt, and his entire appearance was neat and clean. After entering the courtyard, he first nodded to Alexei, then looked up and squinted slightly at a window on the second floor.
The white gauze curtains moved slightly.
He felt relieved. He first took the milk powder and juice from the paper bag to Xiao Zhen's place, and then checked on the baby. The baby had started to talk, babbling away, but no one except Xiao Zhen could understand him. He was very lively; when he saw Xiao Meng, he would open his little hands and start babbling away at length.
After leaving Xiao Zhen's place, he went straight upstairs to the second floor.
I pushed open the bedroom door, went inside, and closed the door behind me.
Push open the bathroom door, turn left, and pull open a Western-style alloy sliding door to enter the shower room.
The bathroom floor was covered in uniform pale yellow etched tiles, and the walls were inlaid with colorful mosaics arranged in neat and striking geometric patterns. Above the bathtub, a row of steel brackets, polished to a gleaming shine, hung with a row of thick, colorful towels.
Rongxiang had probably just finished showering. Although he was dressed neatly, his hair was still dripping wet, and he was bent over, vigorously rubbing his head and face with a large towel. The cast on his arm had been removed a few days ago, and the broken bone was healing very well. However, he had a nagging feeling that the injury was still vaguely painful—or perhaps it wasn't just a nagging feeling.
Just then, he heard footsteps and looked up from under the towel, staring blankly at Xiao Meng standing at the door.
Xiao Meng hesitated slightly: "Third Master, I'm back."
Rongxiang seemed a little at a loss. He held the half-wet towel and hesitantly straightened up.
Xiao Meng then noticed that his trousers were not zipped up, and his belt was undone, wide open, revealing a patch of white underwear underneath. Almost instinctively, without thinking, he went over and zipped up his trousers for him.
"Third Master, I'm sorry. I've been going out a lot lately and have neglected to take care of you."
He's been quite busy lately, because he recently invested in stocks and foreign exchange. Someone like him—sharp-witted, decisive, with a large initial investment, and luckily, the timing was good—made a quick and profitable profit. He plans to take out this extra money, add some of his own, and then invest it. Rongxiang isn't easy to please; he's been spoiled since childhood. Even when his family's money wasn't enough, Yi Zhongming supported him. Later, when he fell on hard times, Fu Jingyuan, a wealthy young master with cars and mansions, still took care of him. Now that it's his turn, he can't let Rongxiang suffer financially—although he's already cutting back on expenses by not going out, in the long run, Xiao Meng has to constantly think about how to make money work for him.
Besides, there's a child too! That child is over a year old, and Xiao Zhen has been saying he'll be able to speak soon, but even now, he can only babble. Xiao Meng privately suspects the child is a little slow, because Rong Xiang was on morphine when he was born. However, he didn't say this, because he didn't want Xiao Zhen to know, and besides, Xiao Zhen believes that children talk and walk at different times, and this isn't anything unusual.
After fastening Rongxiang's pants, he took a dry towel from the side and dried his hair.
"Third Master, if you feel better, you can go downstairs and sit outside in the evening. Alexei knows how to play with the dogs, it's a lot of fun."
Rongxiang quickly shook his head.
Xiao Meng smiled and said, "Didn't you say he was interesting before? You can chat with him to relieve your boredom—oh, you can't speak, but you can still listen to him."
When Rongxiang saw him smile, his legs went weak.
Xiao Meng turned around and neatly draped the towel over his shoulders: "Third Master, don't you even want to listen anymore?"
Rongxiang groped his way back and sat down on the edge of the bathtub, feeling utterly empty inside.
Now, whenever he sees Xiao Meng, his mind is filled with confusion. Fear is like a small island in the fog, occasionally revealing a glimpse of itself, tormenting his nerves.
He always remembered this fact: he had been slept with by Xiao Meng.
It sounded absurd, something he himself found hard to believe—more than unbelievable, it shouldn't have been fabricated! Yet it had truly happened; he had almost choked to death under the gushing cold water from the tap. For the next few days, he couldn't even get out of bed. But Xiao Meng remained expressionless beside him, as if nothing had happened.
That same thing happened again that month. He was dragged into that terrifying dark room again, and this time Xiao Meng almost broke and twisted his leg. And then there was that kiss—first, he covered his eyes and nose with a pillow, and when he was gasping for breath from suffocation, he leaned down and kissed him, the timing was perfect, so that the person under the pillow would forever live on the verge of suffocation.
He discovered a pattern: Xiao Meng seemed unable to bear seeing him do well. Whenever he showed even the slightest bit of joy, Xiao Meng would inevitably beat him up, leaving him in a terrible state.
"Third Master?"
He was startled, only then realizing that Xiao Meng was already standing in front of him.
"Are you ignoring me again?" Xiao Meng bent down slightly and looked directly into his eyes as she asked.
Rongxiang blinked, opened his mouth, and let out a very faint "heh".
As if filled with love, Xiao Meng pressed Rongxiang's head into her chest, pressing and pressing it for a long time.
Rong Xiang struggled weakly at first, but then reached out and hugged Xiao Meng's waist tightly and intimately, like a couple in love. This was one of his ways of showing weakness.
"Third Master, please don't ignore me. I'm only doing this for your own good."
Xiao Meng relaxed her pressure and instead stroked Rong Xiang's damp back of the head.
Rong Xiang was panting heavily, his cheek pressed against Xiao Meng's chest. Through the thin shirt, Xiao Meng's body was cold, like a patient with a hidden illness.
Xiao Meng patted him on the back and then helped him up: "Let's go, Third Master."
Rongxiang stood up dejectedly and was forcibly taken downstairs by Xiao Meng.
In the small guest room on the first floor, Xiao Meng opened the window and pulled Rongxiang onto his lap. Looking out the window, he saw a vibrant display of flowers and greenery, with the occasional bark of a dog. Rongxiang sat heavily on his lap, and he held him close, gently stroking his soft, fleshy belly, which he found adorable. Everything around him was beautiful and perfectly idyllic.
Xiao Meng stroked Rongxiang's belly for two hours, feeling completely relaxed and happy. Xiao Meng firmly believed that his feelings for Rongxiang were unparalleled. Even now, he had never felt any strong lust for Rongxiang's body. Under the sunlight, his emotions were open and honest to an extreme degree.
Therefore, the act of taking off one's clothes must be done in a secluded, dark place. The purpose is not to release so-called desires; it's more like a ritual, announcing the existence of a new relationship between the two.
Zhao Hangsen finally saw Rong Xiang again.
Ever since his son had a stomachache and he had been forced to leave Rongxiang with Su Banyao, he knew Rongxiang was angry with him and had tried desperately to reconcile. However, he hadn't even been able to get through the gate. This time, as he happened to pass by the Rong family home, he saw a car parked in front. The door opened, and Rongxiang was about to step out. It was a golden evening, and Rongxiang was wearing a gray suit with a white shirt and a light-colored tie. Fortunately, he was a good clothes hanger; even the simplest clothes looked subtly elegant and sophisticated on him.
He was extremely surprised and quickly got out of the car and ran over, shouting, "Xiao Xiang... I've finally found you!"
Rong Xiang looked up and stared blankly at Zhao Hangsen.
Zhao Hangsen wasn't exactly strong; he was panting heavily after just a few steps. Standing in front of Rong Xiang, he took a deep breath and said, "You really are... still angry with me? You're so petty! I've come so many times, and you wouldn't even open the door for me!"
At this moment, Xiao Meng appeared out of nowhere and saw Zhao Hangsen. He quickly frowned and said, "Mr. Zhao."
Zhao Hangsen ignored him and continued to complain to Rong Xiang, "I had no choice that time... Why do you hold such a grudge against me? Sigh, why are you looking at me like that?"
“Mr. Zhao,” Xiao Meng continued at the opportune moment, “Third Master had some trouble a few days ago and can’t speak now.”
"ah?!"
The reason Xiao Meng gave to Zhao Hangsen was one he had already told Su Banyao before, so it flowed particularly smoothly. He arranged a minor car accident for Rong Xiang on a drizzly night. People in car accidents are naturally prone to all sorts of injuries; surviving is already considered lucky.
As always, he spoke concisely, as if he had no choice but to speak, his voice so soft that he seemed reluctant to be heard. After finishing his narration, he found a secluded corner in the living room and stood quietly like an invisible man.
Zhao Hangsen was stunned. He grabbed Rong Xiang's hand and said, "Xiao Xiang, you..."
Rong Xiang turned his gaze to him somewhat blankly, then raised his other hand to pat his shoulder, indicating that he was alright. He had indeed disliked Zhao Hangsen, but the appearance of this man at this moment gave him a feeling of returning to the human world.
Zhao Hangsen moved closer to Rong Xiang: "Xiao Xiang, I really didn't expect this to happen... If you need any help from me, please let me know."
Rong Xiang leaned back against the soft back of the sofa. Whether Zhao Hangsen's concern was genuine or not, it did make him feel a little warm. He didn't expect Zhao Hangsen to save him from Xiao Meng—in fact, although his body, hidden under his suit, was covered in wounds from Xiao Meng, he was simply terrified and had no desire to escape whatsoever.
Leaving Xiao Meng? How could that be possible? He thought.
But why couldn't it be? This was a question he had never considered. Zhao Hangsen looked at Rong Xiang with concern. They were old friends, though only drinking buddies, but in this foreign land, there was a rare sense of intimacy. He always remembered the happy days back in Fengtian when the two of them—of course, they often brought other women—went out to indulge in debauchery. They competed with each other to chase after beautiful women, because they were both young, handsome playboys with some money, allowing them to act arrogantly and without restraint. That was the golden age of his life, and he knew it was gone forever.
Rongxiang, standing before me, looked somewhat like a sleepwalker. His gaze was hazy and unfocused as he stared at me, lost in thought.
He suddenly reached out and grabbed his arm impatiently: "Xiao Xiang, at least respond to me—just nod."
Rong Xiang gasped and quickly pulled his arm back. Just then, Xiao Meng suddenly appeared from behind the sofa: "Mr. Zhao, Third Master's arm injury has just healed, and you've hurt him again."
When Zhao Hangsen left the Rong family, he felt very cold.
It was still late summer evening outside, the wind damp and warm. In this season, there shouldn't be any dry, cold feeling. Yet, sitting next to the speechless, unfocused Rong Xiang, with the expressionless Xiao Meng standing behind him, he couldn't help but feel a chill run down his neck.
He also saw Rongxiang's son, a fair-skinned, delicate child, like a little porcelain doll. His face was practically a carbon copy of Rongxiang's—perhaps even more handsome; he was gesticulating wildly and making incoherent noises, carrying a kind of innocent, undeveloped joy. Then Xiao Meng suddenly noticed the child's pants were wet and began to sarcastically criticize the wet nurse. Rongxiang sat lazily on the sofa, indifferently covering his mouth with the back of his left hand, his lips slowly rubbing back and forth on the ring on his middle finger. Occasionally, he would elegantly yawn, looking weary and indifferent.
Zhao Hangsen couldn't stand it any longer and hurriedly said goodbye and left.
He had barely left when another guest arrived.
The guest was a young lady of about sixteen, with a face as beautiful as a lotus and eyebrows as delicate as willow branches. Although her clothes were in the latest fashions, the fabric was clearly of poor quality, suggesting they were made by a tailor to imitate the latest designs from the Yunshang Clothing Company. However, because of her youth and beauty, she looked captivating in anything she wore. This young lady was not unfamiliar; Xiao Meng often encountered her when he went out. She was a young lady from the Tao family next door, though he didn't know her name.
Xiao Meng was quite puzzled and hesitantly invited her in. Rong Xiang was still sitting on the sofa in the living room when he saw someone come in, and a pretty young girl at that. He unconsciously sat up straight, and then noticed that Xiao Meng was staring intently at him. Startled, he jumped up as if he had been pricked by a needle, turned around and quickly went upstairs.
Xiao Meng secretly made a mental note of this, then mustered his energy to deal with the girl. It turned out the girl was the thirteenth young lady of the Tao family, named Tao Fengzhen, a student at Datong University. Asking about her purpose was even more astonishing; she had come to invite Xiao Meng to perform in some kind of anti-Japanese war drama with the Datong student drama club. Upon hearing this, Xiao Meng was so surprised he thought he had misheard. After confirming it again, he stammered and immediately refused Miss Tao's invitation.
Miss Tao was also surprised: "Why? The drama club is full of young people. We can chat and laugh together. Isn't that good? And it's not a difficult role. We need a tall guy like you. You just need to play a foreign banker with no lines. It's easy to play."
Xiao Meng quickly regained his composure: "Miss Tao, you may have misunderstood. Actually, I am just a servant in this household. I am not a young master, nor a student."
Tao Fengzhen was taken aback: "A servant?"
This modern, Western-style woman was naturally unpretentious. She openly sized up Xiao Meng, finding it hard to believe that this clean-cut, well-dressed young man was a servant. Although she didn't approve of class distinctions, but…
Xiao Meng is utterly helpless when it comes to women. Tao Fengzhen said she was inviting him to act in a play, and he believed her without a second thought, firmly rejecting her offer. Then, after a few words, he tried to see her off. Seeing his lack of romantic understanding, Tao Fengzhen had no choice but to leave dejectedly.
After seeing Tao Fengzhen off, Xiao Meng immediately put the strange female customer out of his mind. He went upstairs in a few steps and found Rong Xiang in the restaurant.
Rongxiang sat alone at the dining table, preparing to eat dinner. He held a bowl of rice in his left hand and reached for chopsticks with his right, when suddenly his wrist was grabbed by a cold hand and pressed onto the table.
He was so startled that his left hand trembled, and he accidentally spilled a bowl of rice on the table.
"Third Master..." Xiao Meng pressed his wrist with one hand and pulled a chair from behind him with the other, sitting down: "Miss Tao, is she very beautiful?"
He looked directly at Rong Xiang, his eyes sparkling. A slight smile played on his lips: "What a pity. If she could have chatted with you for even a short while, she might have fallen in love with you."
Rong Xiang slightly turned his face away and closed his eyes. His brows were slightly furrowed, as if he was enduring great pain. Despite living with Xiao Meng like a frightened bird every day, he did not show any signs of haggardness. His face was still fair with a touch of pink, like a peach blossom in full bloom.
Xiao Meng grasped his wrist, slowly stood up, and said, "Third Master, come with me. I suddenly miss you a lot."
The word "want" that he uttered sounded like a thunderclap to Rongxiang's ears.
Without a second thought, his first instinct was to feign pitifulness. He frantically pointed to his right arm and mouthed "it hurts."
Xiao Meng shook his head and smiled, "Third Master, didn't we just come back from the hospital? The doctor said your injury has healed completely."
Rongxiang stared at him with wide eyes, and took a trembling deep breath.
Without a word, Xiao Meng pulled him out of the restaurant and pushed him into the bedroom, which was separated by two rooms.
He used his strength skillfully, just enough to push Rongxiang down and make him fall to the ground, but without actually hurting him. Rongxiang scrambled to his feet and retreated to the corner of the wall. Seeing Xiao Meng approaching him, he simply squatted down, covered his head, and curled up into a ball.
"Third Master, don't do this." Xiao Meng stroked his back and said, "You should change into your pajamas first, it will be easier to put them on and take them off later."
Rongxiang was naturally unwilling to sit idly by and wait for his death, but he also didn't have the guts to openly resist. He simply tilted to the side and lay down on the carpet.
Xiao Meng was taken aback, not knowing what he was doing: "Third Master, what are you doing...?"
Rongxiang looked as if his bones had been removed, lying limply on the ground. At first glance, he resembled an animal's fur.
Xiao Meng reached out to pull his shoulder, trying to help him up. But Rong Xiang turned into a stubborn child, no matter how Xiao Meng pulled or dragged him, he stuck to one principle: he wouldn't budge.
A tall man like him, if he really insisted on lying on the ground and refusing to get up, would be quite a troublesome situation. But when his opponent was Xiao Meng, none of that mattered.
When Xiao Meng saw that he couldn't be pulled, she got up, grabbed one of his arms, and tried to drag him to a spacious area in the middle of the ground. This time, Rong Xiang struggled and forcibly pulled his hand back and pressed it under himself.
Xiao Meng squatted down beside him and suddenly chuckled, "Third Master, how come you're just like Bao Bao?"
Rongxiang pressed his cheek to the ground, seemingly unconcerned about Xiao Meng's teasing. Deep down, however, he harbored resentment. But he didn't consider himself a fool; Xiao Meng knew him inside and out, and could go mad at any moment. A single misstep, and he didn't know what kind of mess this madwoman would make of him.
As he was pondering this, Xiao Meng suddenly brushed his cheek lightly with the back of her hand and said in an indignant tone, "Why does Su Banyao always come here? You're always provoking others, regardless of gender. This is really not good!"
Rongxiang closed his eyes, thinking that this madman was starting to boss him around. Su Banyao had come several times, and that was probably going to be blamed on me too. I guess I really had done too many bad things, so I was getting my comeuppance, being bitten half to death by the dog I raised.
Thinking of this, he suddenly thought of Fu Jingyuan again. Fu Jingyuan was a good man; he shouldn't have met such a violent end. It was probably because Heaven wanted to punish him, so it deliberately let him go before him.
This thought seemed to resonate with him, and he couldn't help but sigh softly.
However, he only managed to exhale halfway, because Xiao Meng had already stood up, walked to the table, poured a large cup of boiling water from the thermos, and splashed it directly onto his back.
This was indeed more effective than any pulling or tugging; Rongxiang jumped up on the spot from the burn. Because of the pain, he instinctively slammed his back against the wardrobe against the wall, but the scalding, soaked fabric clung firmly to his skin, only intensifying the pain. He frantically pulled off his suit jacket and threw it on the floor, then frantically unbuttoned his shirt, afraid to let it touch his skin. Just then, Xiao Meng poured another cup of boiling water and deftly, without spilling a drop, splashed it onto his chest.
This time, there wasn't even a layer of clothing between them; the heat was directly applied to his skin. Rong Xiang, who was usually pampered and had delicate skin, couldn't withstand such a scalding sensation. Tears immediately streamed down his face, and he couldn't rub or cover the painful area. After a while, he suddenly realized what was happening and turned to run to the bathroom to find some cold water to wash it off. But Xiao Meng went in first, found a large towel, soaked it in cold water, and turned back to say, "Third Master, let me wipe you."
Rongxiang could no longer trust him, but knowing he had no way to escape from him, he steeled himself and let him have his way. He sobbed as he took off his shirt, standing shirtless at the door.
Xiao Meng led him back to the bedroom and gestured for him to sit on the bed.
He sat down in a daze, and then Xiao Meng vigorously rubbed the scalded area on his chest with a cold towel.
He immediately tried to get up in pain, but with Xiao Meng holding him down, he couldn't stand up at all. Xiao Meng didn't seem to be treating his wounds or relieving his pain; rather, he seemed to be seeking revenge. The skin on the burn was originally pink, but after Xiao Meng rubbed it so forcefully, it became even redder, as if a layer of skin had been peeled off.
Rongxiang was in unbearable pain, and with nowhere to escape, in desperation, he suddenly struggled upwards, opened his arms, and tightly embraced Xiaomeng, then brought his lips to hers, pressing them against her cheek.
Xiao Meng was taken aback.
Rongxiang knew he was inexperienced, so he gently kissed him all the way to his lips. Their lips touched, and Rongxiang, with a sudden resolve, lightly licked his lips with the tip of his tongue. Unexpectedly, Xiao Meng immediately tilted his head back.
"Third Master, please don't do this. You can be afraid of me and hate me all you want."
Xiao Meng paused for a moment, then continued, "But you never need to please me. I am just a servant."
After saying this, he turned and walked out of the bedroom.
In the living room on the first floor, he called out to Alexei, who was cleaning a hoe, through the window.
Alexei walked over with a smile: "Mr. Meng, is there anything I can do for you?"
Xiao Meng pulled a banknote out of his pocket and handed it to him: "Go to the nearest pharmacy and buy two tubes of burn ointment. The rest of the money is yours. Hurry up!"
Alexei seemed very pleased, took the money and ran away.
After buying burn ointment, Alexei used the remaining money to buy two packs of cigarettes and a small knife. Then he happily returned home.
Xiao Meng was no longer in the living room. He had no choice but to go into the front hall on the first floor, which made him hesitate, because he had been working in the garden and his feet were covered in mud.
He rubbed the soles of his shoes vigorously at the doorway before going inside.
There was no one on the first floor. So he went up to the second floor.
On the second floor, he started from the first room and tried to open the doors one by one.
Finally, one of the doors was open. He peeked inside and saw Rongxiang.
Rongxiang sat on the bed, wearing gray trousers but shirtless. His skin, dazzlingly white under the bright light, made the large patch of red on his chest stand out even more. Seeing someone at the door, he got up, went over, and opened the door.
Alexei smiled and said, "Mr. Rong, hello, it's been a long time."
Rongxiang glanced at him up and down, then reached out and took the burn ointment from his hand, before pointing to his own mouth and waving his hand.
Alexei still didn't understand: "Huh? You mean..."
Rongxiang repeated the action, then opened his mouth and let out a loud "ah"—almost inaudible, like a whisper.
Alexei nodded: "I heard that you can't speak right now, and I'm truly sorry for you."
Rongxiang sighed and made a gesture to leave.
Alexei then turned and walked away.
Rongxiang had a small blister on his back. Other than that, he was fine.
Xiao Meng chilled him with ice and applied ointment. Then she made the bed, turned off the light, and quietly lay down next to Rongxiang.
He felt a little confused, as if he had a lot to say to Rongxiang, but when the words reached his lips, he didn't know where to begin. In the end, he just let out a silent sigh and gave up.
He knew that if he didn't speak out, Rongxiang would never understand his thoughts. He knew that Rongxiang must be suffering right now—being treated like this by a servant.
He fondly remembered his days in Xi'an. Back then, Rongxiang was so engrossed in morphine that he was completely out of it, oblivious to everything and unable to perceive anything, like a child, while he himself felt like the father.
Of course, the best time was in Tongguan, the time he tried to commit suicide. His head rested on my shoulder, his soft, short hair brushing against my face, warm and carrying my scent. I was relieved, satisfied, it was so good, but it was only for a moment.
He suddenly sat up and gently patted Rongxiang's shoulder: "Third Master... do you still want... morphine?"
Rongxiang hadn't been asleep either. Upon hearing this, he opened his eyes, looked at the moon outside the window, and then shook his head slightly.
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