Chapter 11
He felt even more intoxicated.
In the end, Josh didn't touch the groceries he bought, and the two decided on the spur of the moment to go out for barbecue that night.
Summer nights are always more lively than other seasons, and since it was a holiday, Josh and his friends set off late. By six o'clock in the afternoon, all the barbecue stalls were packed.
The only three barbecue stalls nearby were all packed with people.
As night fell, bright lights illuminated the surrounding area, and the streets were filled with noise and laughter. Fragrant skewers of meat, seasoned with cumin, wafted in the air, whetting Josh's appetite.
The place where we were stationed for half a year was not good anywhere, and it was in a remote location.
Josh finally found an outlet for his frustrations and began to pour out his troubles to Chen Zhiyu.
It's hard to go from extravagance to frugality, even though my previous life was completely unrelated to luxury.
There, even express delivery has to go through several transfers before it reaches her, not to mention takeout. For something like grilled skewers, she has to go to a very far place to eat it.
Working every day is tiring enough. After a quick bite to eat, I have to rush back to my place and sleep soundly. There's simply no extra time to enjoy the pleasure of delicious food.
But seeing one barbecue stall after another packed with customers, her enthusiasm was instantly dampened by more than half.
Seeing her increasingly dejected expression, Chen Zhiyu suggested, "How about we walk a little further away?"
The area around the old town is naturally not as bustling as the city center. Just as Josh, looking dejected, was about to nod, someone suddenly called out to her, "Josh! Over here!"
Among the crowd enveloped in the aroma of cooking, her loud call stood out like a crane among chickens. Instantly, dozens of inquisitive eyes searched for her before sweeping towards her.
They were the only two people standing at the entire stall.
Josh didn't like standing there like an idiot being watched by everyone. For a moment, she couldn't tell who was calling her. Without thinking, she grabbed Chen Zhiyu's hand and ran towards the source of the sound.
In a slightly dark corner, there was a low square table, and a boy sat alone on one side of it, the table empty.
Upon recognizing who it was, Josh was secretly delighted. Without much hesitation, she pulled Chen Zhiyu down to sit and asked the person opposite her, "Did you come alone?"
"How could that be? I had two friends with me, but that young couple started arguing as soon as they sat down, making me feel like a grandson, not daring to say a word." The man complained to her, "The skewers got cold, and I was too embarrassed to even reach for them."
He pointed inside, "I had them reheat it. Those two left, you can sit here." He was still muttering, "I'll be a grandson if I ever eat with a couple again."
Being too quick to speak isn't always a good thing. He then glanced at the man and woman opposite him, his previously hunched upper body suddenly leaning back, looking suspicious. "Who are you two...?"
Josh had already started arranging for people to order again. When he heard the question, he pointed to Chen Zhiyu next to him and casually explained, "This is my brother."
This person was quite easygoing. Upon hearing the answer, he carefully looked Chen Zhiyu up and down and said, "Oh, my brother is really tall."
This friendly fellow is named Feng Zhao, and he was a colleague of Josh's when they worked together in another city.
The two shared a revolutionary friendship, having gone through hardships and struggles together. Today, they were even on the same bus back. They had just parted ways at the station exit when they unexpectedly met again here.
Feng Zhao had originally ordered enough food for three people, but hadn't touched it much. Qiao Xi then ordered some more food that she had been craving for a long time.
Seeing a few bottles of beer under the table, Josh, whose alcohol tolerance was average, and remembering that there was a student here who had just come of age but was still in high school, looked down and marked a few times on the menu, ordering a few bottles of chilled Beibingyang beer.
This place was really busy; both the hot and fresh beer couldn't be served right away, so Josh and Feng Zhao opened two bottles of beer and started reminiscing about the past.
Working in another city is tough. Thinking back on all those times I was told to quit, I'm somewhat glad that I gave up because of laziness and not wanting to cause trouble.
Thankfully, we made it through.
In contrast, Chen Zhiyu didn't say a word after sitting down. He felt a strange tightness in his chest after hearing Qiao Xi's flawless introduction.
But it was precisely because there was nothing wrong with it that he felt even more frustrated.
They talked about life without him, about areas he didn't understand, making him feel like a kid being taken to a classmate reunion by his parents.
A cool sensation touched the back of his hand, and Chen Zhiyu suddenly looked up to find an open bottle of orange Arctic Ocean soda shoved into his hand.
Josh, sitting next to her, tilted his head and raised his chin, indicating that he should drink first.
After trying to guess her thoughts, Chen Zhiyu felt even more frustrated. This was more like something a parent would do if they felt their child was being neglected.
'Be a good boy/girl, the food will be served in a bit.'
Although Josh didn't say those words out loud, that's definitely what she was thinking.
Thinking about this made me feel even more depressed.
The barbecue skewers were finally served, and the two stopped their discussion, which slightly distracted him, but Chen Zhiyu remained in low spirits.
The reheated meat skewers didn't taste as good as the fresh ones. Josh noticed Chen Zhiyu wasn't eating much. Amidst Feng Zhao's boisterous chatter, she moved her small stool, nudged Chen Zhiyu with her elbow, and asked in a low voice, "Is it not to your liking?"
The aroma of malt sprayed unexpectedly onto his neck, catching Chen Zhiyu off guard and causing him to pause in surprise.
A slightly cool breeze picked up, making him feel a little tipsy. He turned his head and looked directly into Josh's eyes, which were tinged with wine and veiled with a thin layer of moisture, making him look both dazed and adorable.
He felt even more intoxicated.
Josh wasn't neglecting him; it's just that he hadn't seen Chen Zhiyu for a long time and felt that the boy had changed a lot compared to six months ago.
Although he wasn't as talkative before, it's easy to guess a child's temperament; you can tell when he's happy or unhappy, and you can guess his likes and dislikes.
But now, she can't figure it out.
He's eighteen, not eight. It's not right to use the same old child-rearing tactics.
In addition, due to her personality, she couldn't let people finish their sentences. While Josh was guessing at various reasons, she also had to deal with any questions Feng Zhao might throw at her.
This night is going to be busy.
Josh was worried that with outsiders present, Chen Zhiyu might be too embarrassed to voice his opinions, thinking that children of this age are the most sensitive and under a lot of academic pressure.
Josh thought for a moment with her alcohol-soaked brain, then suggested, "I'll go get you a grilled corn, do you want some?"
As a result, the other person pressed her down as she was about to get up, and stood up first, saying, "I'll go order."
Josh stared at the figure slowly standing up through her blurry, drunken eyes. She felt that she might have been out of practice for too long and was a little rusty. Her neck was slowly tilting back, and it was so sore. She was also a little unaccustomed to seeing him from this angle.
It's not just personality that's hard to figure out, but also height.
This child, how come he grows up so fast?
I didn't even know to wait for her.
Josh's alcohol tolerance was average, so he only drank a little. After he had eaten and drunk his fill and had his fill, he decisively declined Feng Zhao's invitation to drink again and went straight home with Chen Zhiyu.
They were covered in the smell of cooking oil, and the smoky aroma they had boasted about was cruelly discarded once they got home. It wasn't until they both took showers that they felt much more comfortable.
When Chen Zhiyu got home, he was like a gourd with its mouth sawed off, not saying a word. After finishing his work, he went back to his room.
Josh really felt that this child was under too much academic pressure. He had never been a talkative child since he was little, and now he was even less so. What if he got too stressed out?
She wanted to help the child relax, but after thinking about it, she decided against it.
Finally back in her beloved home, Josh lay on the comfortable sofa, finally able to completely relax. She turned to her side and squeezed the sofa cover; it smelled of the ocean—yes, it was newly changed.
I rolled over again, turned on the TV, turned the volume down, and found a variety show to watch.
It was so boring to watch that the added laughter in post-production sounded like it was mocking her, who was sitting in front of the TV with a blank expression.
After a while, Josh turned off the TV and washed some fruit.
After thinking it over, I put all the washed fruit on a plate and prepared to take it to Chen Zhiyu's bedroom.
Chen Zhiyu sat at his desk in his bedroom, his strong forearms supporting him on either side. His upper body seemed to have lost all strength, and his shoulders and neck slumped down, causing poor blood circulation. His mind was blank, and he didn't even recognize the chemical formulas in front of him.
Then, each person consulted the formula for a long time.
Until I heard a barely audible sound from the door.
The subtle sound was like the string controlling a puppet, rousing Chen Zhiyu's body. When he turned around, the heavy coldness on his face vanished instantly, and the corners of his mouth slightly turned up, restoring his former youthful charm. "Go in."
The bedroom door opened a crack, and Josh's head popped in. When she saw Chen Zhiyu sitting at the table, her eyes lit up instantly. Then, she opened the door halfway and reached in with a hand holding a fruit platter, gesturing towards him and asking, "Would you like some dessert?"
They don't know when it started, but a tacit understanding developed between them, perhaps due to their past experiences, and they were both more afraid of being alone.
Gradually, we got used to the feeling of each other's company.
Neither of them was used to eating in the bedroom, nor were they used to being alone in the bedroom.
Aside from sleeping, Josh and Chen Zhiyu prefer to gather in the living room, even if they are doing their own thing and don't speak to each other.
Two breaths mingled quietly beside each other, calming both of their panicked hearts.
Chen Zhiyu was dragged out of the bedroom by Qiao Xi, who seriously told him to balance work and rest and not to push himself too hard.
After taking a shower, her head, still reeking of alcohol, finally cleared up. She slapped her forehead in regret, "Look at my memory! I brought you a gift."
Chen Zhiyu's birthday is in the first half of the year, when Qiao Xi was out of town.
Josh returned to his bedroom and opened his still-unopened suitcase.
When Chen Zhiyu accepted the so-called gift, his smile froze on his face. His fingers caressed the coarse linen fabric. Even though it was carefully folded, he didn't know how to speak after seeing the pattern printed on it.
This is a bed sheet, and the pattern is all too familiar—the same old cartoon monkey.
"dislike?"
Josh's round eyes seemed to be equipped with an eight-times magnifying glass, a detector, and a camera, as if she wanted to etch his discomfitured expression deep into her mind. She said in a half-teasing tone, "What? You don't like it? I remember your blankets and sheets when you were little all had this pattern. I thought you liked it a lot."
Chen Zhiyu propped one leg up, leaning lazily against the sofa, sitting opposite Qiao Xi.
Upon hearing this, Chen Zhiyu raised his eyelids slightly, placed the coarse sheet between the two of them, and suddenly leaned forward, slowly approaching her. "Qiao Xi, where's my birthday present?"
The two stared at each other in silence for a moment.
"Tsk, not cute at all, not as cute as when he was a kid." Josh was bored after his scheme was exposed, so he took out the real birthday present from behind his back and handed it to him.
It's a men's mechanical watch from a niche brand.
"Are you satisfied now?" But seeing his still indifferent expression, Josh simply said, "If it's really not good, we'll wait until your next birthday, and you can choose the gift yourself then."
Chen Zhiyu stroked the watch face, quietly watching her. Hearing her last words, the pent-up anger finally dissipated. His gaze deepened, and the corners of his mouth slowly curved upwards. "Anything is fine?"
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