Socially anxious people
The streetlights shone on the puddles, reflecting the orange buildings and the dark gray crowd. "Whoosh!" A car drove over the puddle, splashing up two wing-like streams of water.
Sewage splashed onto four or five passersby. Just as they were about to argue, the car door opened, and a young man carrying a military backpack got off. The passersby were so startled that they took a step back, dusted themselves off, and left dejectedly.
These days, nobody dares to go head-to-head with someone who has a gun; you'd better just accept your bad luck. There was someone else in the car, whose collar insignia, adorned with a pair of gleaming gold bamboo-shaped badges, were still inside. He rolled down the window and said to the young man, "Staff Officer Jiang, I'll take you this far. You must be tired; get some rest."
Faced with the officer's concern in the car, Staff Officer Jiang bowed deeply without changing his expression: "Thank you for your consideration, Chief of Staff Tang. I will take my leave and come back tomorrow morning to report on the tactical issues of the field training."
As the black sedan drove away, Staff Officer Jiang's eyes turned cold. Dragging his weary body, he turned and disappeared into the alley without looking back. The aroma of food wafted from the chimneys of each house, making his stomach rumble.
As he passed the public water heater, a group of women were carrying kettles and waiting for hot water. Without waiting for the noisy neighbor aunties to greet him, he pulled his hat brim down and walked quickly past. Behind him, he heard the women's murmurs, as if they were commenting on his indifference.
Even as he walked into the stairwell of his building, his heart was still pounding like a drum. Last time, he had stood there a little longer than usual and was immediately surrounded by people who wanted to dig up his entire family history. It was terrifying.
"Xiaoqi, you're back!" Landlady Jing came down the stairs. She was a widow who ran a mahjong parlor and had two young sons.
He wanted to ask if there was dinner today, but he couldn't utter a single word. He could only nod slightly in acknowledgment, thinking, "Never mind, I won't die from missing a meal."
"You haven't eaten yet, have you? I've prepared everything. Just put your bag down and come down." The landlady seemed to notice his embarrassment. "Your cousin is here too. She brought you some mushrooms from her hometown. They're called something like... something, something green."
Boletus luridus? The best way to prepare Boletus luridus is to slice it and stir-fry it immediately after picking, and the cooking time must be carefully controlled to remove most of the toxins… No, no, he's really exhausted and confused; the organization is looking for him.
Swallowing hard, he ran upstairs in a few quick steps.
The card and chess room was as bustling as ever. Qingcheng, hearing the commotion outside, tapped the table, and Xiaopeng, who had been daydreaming, immediately looked up and focused on his homework. Dapeng, on the other hand, was much more sensible. He brought over the rice bucket, set out the bowls and chopsticks, and after finishing his work, he picked up a book and began to read silently.
At this moment, the curtain was lifted, and Sister Jing skillfully carried three plates on her wrist: green vegetables, cowpeas, and, for the first time ever, a large bowl of braised pork.
Upon seeing the meat, the children lost all interest in reading and their eyes were glued to the bowl of meat. Sister Jing glared at them and ordered the two children to wash their hands, saying whoever finished first could eat first.
As soon as the words were spoken, the two men rushed out, and a moment later Jiang Yingqi also lifted the curtain and sat down, his expression revealing neither joy nor sorrow. Sister Jing left the room silently, leaving the two men to talk.
"Cousin, would you like to try some mushrooms from our hometown?" Qingcheng said with a smile.
Across the table, Yingqi nodded, the dark circles under his eyes barely concealed, probably from lack of rest recently.
There are too many people here, so Qingcheng can only use coded language to explain simply that her "aunt" back home has received the wine you sent, and your old wine will be the grand finale at the village banquet soon.
"When are we going to hold the banquet? We can't delay any longer, my sister is almost an old maid." Yingqi jumped up, her face showing anxiety.
Qingcheng tried to comfort her: "My aunt and I agreed on a week, but we can't rush her. Even if it takes a month, three months, or half a year, we have to wait."
"Wait, wait, wait again! I've had enough of their endless excuses!" Yingqi shouted, unable to control his emotions.
Qingcheng glanced cautiously outside, then put on a stern face and scolded, "Sit still! You think you're the only one who's anxious? Your aunt is also worried about your sister. He's going to smash the altar in front of all the elders. Such a big thing needs to be given time to prepare."
Staring at Yingqi, Qingcheng hoped he understood that Wu Hao wasn't dealing with a few corrupt officials, but rather the bureaucratic mindset and privileged cancer that had persisted for five thousand years. After all, people as noble and selfless as him were one in a million.
However, Yingqi turned his face away, his clenched fists bulging with veins, clearly not understanding. Qingcheng sighed, stood up, and forcefully pressed Yingqi down. "The hardest thing for people to get rid of is selfishness! As the saying goes, one thought can make you a Buddha, and one thought can make you a demon!"
There are wicked and evil people in this world, and there are also compassionate and kind people. But most people are ordinary people who struggle to choose between good and evil on the scales of morality.
She lowered her voice and reminded Yingqi not to keep staring at the outhouse, because all you'd see there are flies and bedbugs. She should think more about the people in the countryside and small towns who are working hard to help their sister, and the people in Baicheng who are struggling to survive.
Cleaning up the "outhouses" will be a long-term battle, but Qingcheng believes we can win because most of our people still have principles and principles.
Otherwise, we wouldn't have been able to transform our hometown into a paradise in a chaotic world in just a few years. The welcoming attitude of everyone towards our clan speaks volumes.
“I don’t want to hear grand principles. I just want to live a peaceful life, not be a sacrifice in your power struggles.” Yingqi’s bloodshot eyes glared at Qingcheng. “I thought you were different from those elders. What did you promise me back then? If you can’t keep your promise, I’ll go back to my hometown and appoint the head office manager myself.”
The whistleblower's materials repeatedly went unanswered, no wonder Yingqi was agitated. But things weren't that simple. Qingcheng raised her eyes and asked, "Do you really think the head office manager is the boss behind the scenes?"
"Who else could it be but him?" Yingqi turned his head in a different direction, his curiosity piqued.
“That’s a grand wedding procession, not just a few pieces of gold and silver jewelry. How blind must you be to pretend you can’t see that?” Qingcheng left it unsaid, letting Yingqi figure it out himself. “He’s in the shadows, and so are we. That’s our advantage. Auntie is willing to step forward and be my sister’s support. Why would you give up your advantage and hold him back?”
Yingqi seemed to be persuaded and his expression relaxed a lot. Qingcheng quickly changed the subject and asked him how his work was going lately.
"It's nothing. I was recently pulled into a field military exercise, and I have to give a summary report to my superiors tomorrow. I didn't study this, and my head is about to explode." Yingqi tapped his head.
Oh right, they conduct drills around this time every year. Oh no! Qingcheng suddenly realized she hadn't paid attention to her fiancé for several days. She'd been so busy rebuilding the underground transportation station that she hadn't even had a moment to spare, and she hadn't even known that Gao Junxiao had been gone for so long.
Thinking of this, she lost her appetite, recommended "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" to Yingqi so she could copy her homework, and then grabbed her bag and ran towards the back door.
As they passed the kitchen, Sister Jing stopped Qingcheng: "Go back, go back, I have a soup that will be ready soon."
"Sister, I have to go now." Qingcheng hopped on her bicycle parked by the sink and sped out of the alley at top speed.
The dim starlight in the east flashed briefly before gradually dimming and blending into the azure night sky. The familiar second-floor window was lit without the curtains drawn, indicating that Gao Junxiao had returned.
Kiyosumi gently knocked on the door twice, but no one answered. Hmm? Maybe they were cooking or taking a bath and didn't hear her.
"I'm coming in," Kiyosumi called out before opening the door, making sure he wasn't naked again.
The room was quiet. Following the light, the familiar furniture was almost unchanged, except for a raised section on the sofa. Just as Qingcheng was about to approach, her misaligned boots almost tripped her.
Why weren't his shoes put away properly? Something was definitely amiss. Qingcheng felt uneasy and stepped over the boots towards the sofa, where she saw Gao Junxiao curled up asleep, completely unaware of her arrival.
Exhausted like this, Commander Xiong really knows how to torment people. Qingcheng leaned back on the sofa, looking at Gao Junxiao's face so close to hers, and couldn't help but raise the corners of her mouth.
He buried half his face in the pillow, his messy bangs plastered to his forehead, obscuring his sharp features. Only the tip of his nose was slightly chapped; Qingcheng couldn't resist reaching out and poking it a couple of times. Hehe, whose boy sleeps so peacefully and adorably? Oh, it's mine!
Unable to bear the disturbance, Gao Junxiao frowned and turned over, his military green jacket slipping halfway down and dragging on the floor. Qingcheng, with a mischievous grin, slowly pulled off the jacket. Having grown accustomed to his arrogant, haughty demeanor, his current submissive, sleeping-beauty posture was quite charming.
Just then, he shivered, and Qingcheng's heart trembled as well. Was he awake? She carefully leaned closer. The man's eyes were still closed, and his breathing was even and steady, with a tingling sensation on her face.
Following her breath, her gaze shifted to the man's slightly pursed lips. Qingcheng's cheeks gradually flushed. If she did something bad now, would he notice?
He seemed to possess a magical power that constantly drew people closer; Kiyosumi could even smell the lingering gunpowder odor on his collar…
Suddenly, the sound of conversation came from the corridor. Qingcheng snapped back to reality, touched the back of her neck and felt guilty. Oh dear, it's easy to catch a cold if you don't cover your stomach. She quickly covered the man with the blanket and pretended nothing had happened.
Even though she was the only conscious person in the room at that moment, she still felt incredibly awkward. Just as she was about to leave, her heel was bumped again; this time it was a man's backpack.
What's wrong with me today? Qingcheng felt a wave of dizziness and kept repeating to herself, "Things shouldn't happen more than three times." But then that feeling of being spied on rose up on her back again, real yet with a chill.
Turning around, Qingcheng saw that Gao Junxiao was still asleep. She let out a heavy sigh of relief, trying to appear calm. Perhaps she was under a lot of pressure lately and was hallucinating.
The coat in her hand was covered in dust. Qingcheng glanced at the coat, then at her fiancé, and a feeling of pity welled up in her chest. He trained so hard, she should help him with some of the housework.
She drew the curtains, turned off the overhead light, leaving only a small table lamp for illumination. Several envelopes were scattered on the coffee table. Qingcheng gathered the letters together. She only had contact with a few people: Chen Yao, Shao Yun, Brother Zhu... Except for Chen Yao, she didn't know any of them.
However, it's a good thing that Gao Junxiao has his own circle. Qingcheng doesn't intend to get involved. She opens her backpack, takes out the dirty clothes he's accumulated, throws them all into the basin, and then rummages through each pocket.
Why do men's clothes have so many pockets? Qingcheng irritably pulled out a silver dollar, a handkerchief, sunglasses, ID, a pen, a notebook, a rope, a knife, a roll of metal guitar strings, a few bullets, and a lighter.
A lighter? He doesn't smoke. Qingcheng thought of countless reasons for him. Maybe he used it to light cigarettes for his boss. But as for the string, she couldn't explain why it would be in his pocket.
Was she going to play the zither out of boredom in the trenches? Never mind, she piled her things on the coffee table and tiptoed out of the living room.
After a lot of effort, the tabletop was wiped until it shone. Looking at the clean and tidy room, Qingcheng stretched her body, feeling both tired and satisfied. Labor is the most glorious thing!
Gulp~ Qingcheng touched her empty stomach and looked at Gao Junxiao with resentment, but he was facing away from her, leaving her with only his proud back.
The moonlight outside flickered, and the chirping of night insects sounded like cacophony to Qingcheng's ears.
She squatted down beside the sofa, rubbed her eyes and sighed. With a melancholy look in her eyes, she leaned closer to Gao Junxiao, nuzzled his arm, and muttered in a very low voice, "Ah Xiao, I'm so hungry. When are you going to get up and cook for me?"
A lonely voice echoed in the living room, as if there was a thick pane of glass separating the two. Undeterred, Qingcheng scratched the man's back and whispered in his ear, "If you don't get up soon, your little darling will starve to death."
"Do you dream of fragrant roast chicken, crispy chicken, poached chicken, braised chicken, or saliva-infused chicken?" Qingcheng swallowed and sighed, "Sigh~ I'm getting even hungrier now. Let me enter your dream and have a good meal too."
"What? No, it's inconvenient. How is it inconvenient? Never mind, I shouldn't have asked. If I had woken you up, you would have blamed me. I understand men have to socialize outside." Qingcheng poked the man's expressionless face. "You heartless bastard, I'm already so wronged, and you're still smiling."
Kiyosumi casually picked up a handkerchief from the coffee table and wiped away non-existent tears: "Hmm~ I'm just tired, it's all meaningless. The rapeseed flowers outside smell so good, but my little sister at home doesn't smell so good anymore."
While complaining, Qingcheng lay down behind him: "It's also my fault for being incompetent and not being able to hold your heart. Oh well, you can be free in your dreams for once. Remember to bring me some tofu pudding and fried dough sticks when you get up tomorrow morning, and I'll be satisfied."
"Of course, if you don't mind, buy another shumai. Your sister will definitely remember your kindness and will do anything for you in the future." Qingcheng leaned back, her fingers lightly tracing his Adam's apple.
"Good, don't play too long, your little sister will feel bad. I'll take my leave now." Qingcheng sat up and then leaned softly against him again. "Oh, and a kiss, goodnight."
The dim light concealed her unrestrained smile, her warm breath ruffled the fine hairs on her face, and a soft kiss landed, only to be met with waves of heat that spread across her lips.
Before she knew it, Gao Junxiao turned around, his half-open eyes staring straight at her. Qingcheng was not surprised at all. Like a little snow fox looking for food, she bumped into his arms with a "thump" and sweetly called out, "Ah Xiao, you're awake."
"Mmm." Gao Junxiao's voice was slurred, his eyes were misty, and he looked like he had just woken up, but his hand naturally rested on her lower back.
Her clear, red lips pressed tightly together, suppressing her secret joy: "Go back to your room and continue sleeping. I'm leaving."
"What kind of talk is that? I'm awake!" Gao Junxiao said, pulling her closer to him with a strong warning that she would face the consequences if she dared to leave.
"Oh. So what if you're awake? What do you want?" Kiyosumi replied dismissively, feigning indifference.
His eyes darted around a few times, and Gao Junxiao smiled innocently, "Not so much. I just dreamt about you, and I even dreamt that we were in bed together... cough cough, you have no idea, you were so passionate in the dream, but I can't remember the details very clearly. Let me try to recall!"
"Disgusting! Shameless!" Qingcheng grabbed his collar, her teeth grinding together. "I think you're dreaming about a demon. You'd better find a master to exorcise the evil spirits, lest you get tainted by something unclean and die young."
The curse seemed to have no effect on him; Gao Junxiao still wore a harmless smile: "Doesn't that just prove that even ghosts know I like you the most?"
The lighthearted confession stirred her heart, yet she didn't want anyone to notice anything amiss. Kiyosumi struggled awkwardly, but her strength was no match for the man's: "Hmph, keep your lies to yourself in your dreams!"
Giving her no chance to escape, Gao Junxiao took another peck in his current position, his tone full of grievance: "No, ghosts don't eat shumai, fried dough sticks, or tofu pudding. They certainly won't go through fire and water for me."
Kiyosumi burst out laughing and couldn't help but ask, "So you admit you were pretending to be asleep?"
Gao Junxiao coughed awkwardly but didn't deny it, muttering under his breath, "Who told you to ignore me first? Now I can't even find anyone to argue with."
Seeing his resentful expression, Qingcheng's heart melted. She cupped Gao Junxiao's face and apologized, "I'm sorry. My indifference has caused you so much pain and ruined your mood. I sincerely apologize to all your aging cells, your fallen hair, and your injured heart, liver, spleen, stomach, and lungs. From now on, eat and drink as usual, and don't upset yourself because of me."
"No sincerity." Gao Junxiao turned his face away and acted shamelessly.
"You want to be sincere, right? Come on, I'll give you a seniority today." Qingcheng patted Gao Junxiao's chest, very excited.
Stunned, Gao Junxiao took a long time to come to his senses before pushing Qingcheng away: "Don't tease me, I'm not the kind of person you think I am."
"It's okay, you'll see what kind of person you are in a moment. You take a shower first, I need to get ready." Qingcheng stood up and rubbed her hands, a few props flashing through her mind.
"Don't do anything rash. I... I'm not feeling well today. The weather's not good either, it's too damp. No, it's not suitable." Gao Junxiao rambled on without getting to the point.
"I think tonight is a perfect time for this beautiful scenery. Don't shower too quickly, take your time. I've put your bathrobe by your bedside." Qingcheng didn't give Gao Junxiao any chance to refuse and left gracefully.
Smoke filled the bathroom, the refreshing sound of water suddenly stopped, and a warm towel brushed against the man's chin, leaving a faint lavender scent.
At the sink, Qingcheng was drying a towel and about to rinse her razor when she suddenly felt a gentle pat on her head. Gao Junxiao was standing behind her, his face looking much smoother. He stroked his chin with satisfaction and hummed a song happily.
In the mirror, their heads were close together. Gao Junxiao looked at her with eyes so tender they seemed to drip with affection. Qingcheng ignored him, busy tidying up her knives; she still had a project to complete later.
Just then, her waist tightened, and Gao Junxiao hugged her, rubbing his face against hers, humming softly, "Thank you for your filial piety, my dear daughter." Dad was very pleased.
Annoyed that he was pushing his luck, Qingcheng kicked him in the back: "Get lost, you have no manners. Be careful, or my dad will come looking for you tonight."
"Hehe, if he comes looking for me, I'll definitely kowtow to him and thank him for marrying me his best daughter." Gao Junxiao grinned and didn't avoid him, instead hugging him even tighter. "Your cooking is so good, of course I have to praise you. Can you tell me when the next He's Salon will open? I'll definitely come to support you, and I'll definitely come to see you."
"Tch~ This is never going to end," Qingcheng slapped his large hand away, deciding to give him a little "treat." So Qingcheng imitated the shop assistant's high-pitched voice and said, "Sir, you're really joking. The treatment isn't even finished yet, and you're already thinking about next time?"
"Anything else?" Gao Junxiao grinned, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.
Even though they were the only two people in the room, Qingcheng still whispered in his ear, "You have such a bad memory. You ordered the whole set, and you forgot?"
"Ah, this..." Gao Junxiao scratched his Adam's apple, unable to find the words for a moment.
Soft, warm light shone on her clear, fair hands. Amidst the swirling mist, she gently flicked her fingertips, causing the ribbon to unfurl and hang limply on either side of her blue nightgown. The man's firm chest and abdomen were exposed to the damp air, giving him a touch of nonchalance.
Qingcheng pushed him against the sink, her fingertips rubbing the hem of her bathrobe, and asked in a low voice whether he should do it himself or if she should help him.
The room was so quiet you could hear the dripping of the faucet. Gao Junxiao seemed stunned by her actions, his soul seemingly adrift. Qingcheng tacitly agreed to help, her robe just slipping off her shoulders...
"Don't move!" Gao Junxiao's eyes were filled with tears as he grabbed Qingcheng's nimble wrists with both hands.
"What, trying to kill me?" Kiyosumi smiled provocatively.
Gao Junxiao took a deep breath, his voice trembling slightly: "Stop making a scene, let's stop here."
After saying that, Gao Junxiao released Qingcheng and turned to walk out. Qingcheng took the opportunity to grab the bathrobe and pulled it into her hand. Qingcheng shouted at the angry man, "Someone is injured and doesn't even know it."
"Nonsense, I'm not hurt. Give me your clothes." Gao Junxiao covered his chest with one hand and reached out to Qingcheng with the other, his face flushed red.
Kiyoshi dodged back, abandoning his playful demeanor and becoming quite serious, saying that he would return the clothes to him after the medicine was applied.
After Qingcheng explained, Gao Junxiao was confused. He turned his back to the mirror and checked repeatedly until Qingcheng applied a transparent gel to the back of his neck. He exclaimed in surprise, "What is this? It's so cold!"
"It's sunburn medicine, it'll be fine in a bit." Qingcheng dabbed a dollop of it on his nose again. "Sunburn is still an injury. If you ignore it, it will peel in a few days and take a long time to heal. I won't allow you to neglect yourself in front of me."
Hearing He Qingcheng's words, Gao Junxiao smiled and let her continue. Qingcheng continued in his tone, "We're taking wedding photos next month. If you're handsome, you can proudly tell your grandchildren, 'Look how handsome your grandpa was back then, that's why your grandma loved him.'"
"No, that's not it. I rely on my personality. A good personality is what makes a relationship last." Gao Junxiao lowered his head, his hair covering his eyes, but not his reddened ears.
Through the mirror, Kiyosumi saw the blush behind the man's ear, and the same feelings welled up in her heart. She hurriedly looked away from the mirror to avoid seeing her own worthless appearance.
Bang Bang —
There were no shouts, but Qingcheng knew it was the wonton vendors banging their clappers. Strange, when did they change their route?
Before Qingcheng could react, Gao Junxiao had already leaned out of the window and shouted, "Master, stop! I want to buy two bowls of wontons, with extra cilantro. Huahua, hurry and get the basket and pot."
Already starving, Qingcheng didn't think twice and quickly grabbed a vegetable basket and a soup pot from the kitchen. She watched intently as the basket slowly descended, only to be hoisted back up again, heavy with hunger.
As soon as the lid was lifted, billowing white steam rushed out. The crystal-clear wontons were still tumbling in the pot, topped with dark seaweed, golden egg skin, and bright green cilantro. If it weren't for the fear of burning her tongue, Qingcheng would have loved to eat the pot too.
"Slow down, it's all yours." Gao Junxiao had already changed his clothes and wiped the thin layer of sweat from Qingcheng's forehead with his sleeve. "You've been gone for days, and as a result, you haven't even had any food. What have you been doing?"
Qingcheng raised her index finger and said mysteriously, "Shh, don't tell anyone, I'm actually busy with a once-in-a-century national event that benefits the country and its people."
Cough cough, Gao Junxiao choked a little, covered his mouth, looking like he wanted to laugh but didn't dare to: "Okay, eat yours, and then go and attend to your important national affairs."
Hahaha, Qingcheng laughed triumphantly, thinking to herself, "I told you, but you didn't believe me, so there's nothing I can do. I hope Wu Hao has some good news."
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