Chapter 1
◎Song Jinyu, put your clothes on.◎
"The 28th Film Festival has come to a close. 'Dark Tide' emerged as a dark horse, breaking through the ranks of many popular films. Director Xiao Ji won the Best New Director Award, becoming the youngest new director in nearly seven years..."
Suddenly, a head popped up in front of the phone screen. "What a coincidence! You're watching this movie too? I just saw it with my girlfriend a couple of days ago. This grown man was crying his eyes out in the theater..."
Song Jinyu shoved Wang Kai's head away, her tone indifferent, "I'm not watching. Trash movie, trash director, what's so good about it?"
“Uh…” Wang Kai’s words caught in his throat. “It’s alright… I saw that the online reviews are pretty good. It’s full of suspense, and the murderer is completely unexpected.”
Song Jinyu placed his phone face down on the table and cracked open a bottle of beer with one hand. He then filled an empty glass with the beer, and as the bubbles rose, his dark eyebrows and eyes were reflected on the glass.
Song Jinyu's eyes are round and large, and the corners of his eyes are upturned. No matter what expression he has on his face, his eyes always look like they are smiling. But at this moment, he is holding a glass, his eyebrows slightly lowered, and not a trace of a smile can be seen.
He took a sip of his drink, pointed at himself, and said lazily, "Me, a Xiao Ji hater, understand?"
Wang Kai didn't quite understand, so he asked, "Who is Xiao Ji?"
Song Jinyu immediately reacted like a rabbit whose tail had been stepped on, her feigned maturity vanishing completely. She puffed out her cheeks and kicked Wang Kai's chair, "No way... you don't even know Xiao Ji, what are you watching a movie for?"
Wang Kai felt wronged. "I don't follow celebrities. Do I need to know who the actors are to watch a movie? Besides, is Xiao Ji famous? I've never heard of him before."
"I don't recall any lead actor named Xiao Ji..."
Song Jinyu remained silent, pouring wine into Wang Kai's glass in an attempt to numb his incessant chatter with alcohol.
After eating most of the barbecue, seeing the drinking king Kai made his stomach feel bloated. He hooked his foot on the chair and moved closer to Song Jinyu, stretching out his arm to put his arm around Song Jinyu's shoulder, getting close to him like a buddy, "Come on, tell me, what did this guy named Xiao Ji do to you?"
Song Jinyu felt hot and nudged him with her hand. When she talked about this person again, she acted indifferent, as if her previous indifference was just an illusion.
"It's nothing, I just don't like him."
Wang Kai gave a speechless look.
Song Jinyu picked up a skewer of beef. The laughter from the next table drifted away on the wind, and as the stars twinkled, his voice finally rose with the second gust of wind.
"If you don't like someone, you just don't like them. Do you need a reason to dislike someone? Besides, look at his name. Xiao Ji. Ji. What does Ji mean? It means sunny weather. And look at my name. Jin Yu. Jin Yu... One is sunny, the other is rainy. How can they be together?"
"Is that your reason for being a hater of him?"
"Isn't that enough?"
"..."
Wang Kai said, "According to your logic, superstar Wang Tianyang would probably never speak to you again."
Song Jinyu: "..."
His phone kept ringing, so he picked it up and glanced at it. The source was "A Loving Family".
Ever since they learned that Xiao Ji won the award, people in the group have been sending messages one after another. In addition, his sister recently had her school sports meet, and the teacher gave out cell phones. She's like a monkey that's been locked up in the mountains for five hundred years and has finally been freed, constantly harassing outsiders.
They talked about Xiao Ji's movies, the awards he won, and that he was coming back for dinner this weekend, inviting his whole family...
Song Jinyu read through the messages one by one, and the group chat was filled with messages, but he didn't say a word. It was probably because he didn't respond that his mother, Ms. Zhou Qingwen, messaged him privately.
Peace is a blessing: Did you see the group message? Xiao Ji is coming back to see his maternal grandparents this weekend. His maternal grandmother came to our house yesterday to invite us to have a meal together. Remember to come!
When Song Jinyu saw this, she changed the position of her leg that was propped under the table, lowered her head, raised her hand, and slowly typed.
Eating eight meals in one night: No, I have to work overtime this weekend.
Peace is a blessing: Do you think I don't know whether you work overtime or not? What kind of overtime is a PE teacher? I'm not trying to criticize you, but you didn't even congratulate Xiao Ji when he won the award, and now you don't even want to go to dinner. You've been neighbors for so many years, and you two were so close when you were kids that you could share a pair of pants. How come you've become so distant now?
Song Jinyu took a big gulp of beer. The chilled beer slid down his throat and into his stomach, slowly burning into a warm sensation. The smell of alcohol spread, and he burped.
Eating eight meals a night: I don't want to go. Who's on good terms with him? Our relationship is terrible. I don't want to go and fawn over his cold face.
Peace is a blessing: You overthink things. Brothers don't hold grudges overnight. I don't think Xiao Ji is the kind of person who holds grudges. Any misunderstandings can be resolved by talking them out.
Song Jinyu thought, Xiao Ji doesn't seem like the kind of person who's petty or calculating, so maybe he is?
After thinking for a moment, he still didn't say anything, put his phone face down on the table again, and ignored his mother's message.
...
Wang Kai ate two skewers and asked, "Yu, how's it going at your internship school?"
“It’s alright…” Song Jinyu said, “As everyone knows, our PE teacher Zhou is always getting sick.”
Wang Kai scrutinized him. Compared to before his internship, Song Jinyu had gotten a bit tanned, but his eyes were bright and he looked quite energetic, showing no signs of the weariness that had ravaged him beyond recognition.
"Yeah, even if it's bad, it's still better than me getting my butt touched by an old lady at the pool."
The two exchanged a glance and clinked their glasses together.
"Sports are really not for humans to learn!"
After sighing, Wang Kai asked, "So, what are your plans after graduation, now that your internship is over?"
The phone rang again, but Song Jinyu lowered her eyes and ignored it.
"It's not clear yet. My parents want me to stay and continue working as a physical education teacher."
"So what do you think?"
Thinking of those chattering little rascals, Song Jinyu said, "Although the kids are noisy, they're not exactly annoying."
As he spoke, he couldn't help but look up his phone again; the latest message was from Xiao Ji.
His portrait remains unchanged for ages: a dark, indistinct patch of tree shadows scattered across the road, surrounded by a hazy moonlight. The shadow of some unknown thing is elongated and distorted within the interlacing tree shadows, with dim streetlights peeking out from the edges—utterly devoid of aesthetic appeal.
Dog (Chinese Zodiac): [Position]
Xiao Gou: The restaurant's location is Saturday night.
Song Jinyu scoffed softly, thinking about the man's extremely indifferent face, and mimicking his usual flat tone, she recited his words in her mind.
Restaurant positioning~
It's 6 PM.
Issuing notices like an emperor, who do you think you are?
Song Jinyu put the phone back in its place.
His phone kept ringing, and Wang Kai couldn't help but say, "Yu, you're really busy with work."
Song Jinyu shoveled a skewer of meat into her mouth and said, "It's not important, he's just an idiot."
Wang Kai: "??"
The next second, Song Jinyu's phone rang.
He lifted the lid and saw the two large characters "Xiao Ji" flashing on the screen.
He didn't answer.
The other party seemed to know he didn't want to answer, so they just waited, automatically hung up and called back, as if they could keep calling even if he didn't answer.
Song Jinyu swallowed the meat in her mouth and finally picked up her phone.
"Is something wrong, esteemed director?"
There was a pause on the other end before the person spoke.
"Where are you?"
Xiao Ji's voice was cold, as if he were speaking with ice in his mouth. Even the sweltering food stall couldn't warm up the indifference in his tone.
Song Jinyu was used to his lifeless tone and retorted, "Where I am is none of your business. Do you live by the sea or something? Why are you so nosy?"
Despite his sarcastic remarks, Xiao Ji on the other end of the phone didn't even change his breathing. Only after Song Jinyu had finished berating him did he speak, "You've been drinking."
"I'm an adult, it's none of your business whether I drink or not..." With that, Song Jinyu poured herself another full glass, tilted her head back, and gulped it down in front of her phone. "I'll drink it, go ahead and kill me if you dare!"
Song Jinyu rarely drinks alcohol and has a low alcohol tolerance. Even though he got a lot tanned during his internship, you could still clearly see a layer of powder behind his ears, and he unconsciously slurred his words.
Alcohol emboldens the timid.
"I'll drink! I'll drink! Not only will I drink alcohol, but I'll also eat street food, gutter oil, and additives. I'll even strip naked and run naked in the street! I'll make you furious!"
"..."
Wang Kai stared at him with wide eyes.
Song Jinyu put one foot on the chair and said, "Xiao Ji, let me tell you, I've put up with you for a long time! You still want to treat me to dinner? Believe me or not, I'll smash your dog head in."
"Song Jinyu," Xiao Ji called his name, "put your clothes on properly."
Song Jinyu kicked a cotton ball.
He put his foot down and tugged at his T-shirt. "Why should I listen to you? Who do you think you are?"
Despite Ren Song Jinyu's nagging, the person on the other end didn't even breathe louder, only asking, "Where are you?"
"You think I'll just tell you because you ask? My mom doesn't care where I am..."
"Song Jinyu".
Song Jinyu suddenly fell silent.
Just hearing those words, he could picture a man looking down at him with cold, emotionless eyes.
Too many times, from childhood to adulthood, whenever Song Jinyu misbehaved, Xiao Ji would look at him with that kind of gaze, coupled with his indifferent face, which could stop a child from crying.
So much time had passed that he thought he had forgotten almost everything, but unexpectedly, just three words brought back those fading memories, as if they had never been apart.
Song Jinyu suddenly felt bored. He pulled his leg back and regained his mature and steady demeanor. "It's a food stall next to the school. I had a few drinks with my friend, but not much. I can get home by myself."
After thinking for a moment, he added, "Congratulations on winning the award..." He chuckled and exchanged polite greetings, "You'll be a household name as a director from now on, and I might even have to rely on you."
It wasn't quiet on Xiao Ji's end; the background was noisy, and occasionally, you could hear jeering laughter. Even over the phone, Song Jinyu could imagine the up-and-coming director being surrounded by a crowd, being treated like a star.
Glamorous and aloof.
"I think they're busy over there, so I won't bother you any longer. Let's chat again when you have time."
Xiao Ji didn't know if he heard or not; the other end of the phone went silent, so silent that Song Jinyu couldn't even catch his breathing.
A few seconds later, someone called Xiao Ji's name on the phone. He paused for a moment before responding to Song Jinyu's words.
"good."
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