Chapter 20 Under the dim shadows of the trees…
***
The hospital was quiet at night.
Li Jiacong was in a car accident, and Li Sheng's coworker helped him fix the car. Li Sheng stayed with Li Jiacong at the hospital until evening. Li Jiacong originally wanted Li Sheng to stay, so he gave him most of his bed. But Li Sheng didn't lie down and just sat up. Li Jiacong fell asleep in a daze, and when he woke up, Li Sheng was already gone.
Li Jiacong stared at the unfamiliar ceiling; the ward was empty, and he felt a deep emptiness inside. He opened his phone; it was 1 a.m., and he checked Li Sheng's WeChat Moments.
Finding nothing, Li Jiacong suspected that Li Sheng had blocked him, and sent a message without thinking.
-Where are you?
He hadn't blocked her, and he sent the message. But after waiting a few minutes, there was no reply. Li Jiacong closed his eyes, his injured areas throbbing slightly—if there was no reply, there was no reply.
The next morning, when Li Jiacong woke up, Li Sheng was already beside him. He seemed to have slept poorly, with dark circles under his eyes, and was carrying breakfast he had just bought: a bowl of porridge and a few steamed buns.
Li Jiacong's mood improved: "Aren't you going to work today?"
Li Sheng handed him the food and shook his head.
Li Jiacong: "Did you take leave?"
"Um."
"Thank you for your trouble. I'll pay you for lost wages."
Li Sheng didn't say anything, just sat blankly next to him, holding his lunchbox and eating with him.
Li Jiacong: "Where do you live?"
Li Sheng looked up: "Lingbei."
Lingbei is a suburb, or in other words, a slum. It takes at least an hour and a half to get from Lingbei to the city center.
"I'll reimburse you for your travel expenses." Li Jiacong reached for his phone.
Li Sheng pressed him down: "You should rest."
Li Jiacong: "It's too far, it's inconvenient for you to come and take care of me. How about this, you stay at my house for a while."
Li Sheng: "I asked the doctor, and he said you'll be fine after a few more days of observation."
Li Jiacong clicked his tongue, closed his eyes, and then suddenly remembered something, saying, "I need to go to the toilet."
Li Sheng put down what he was holding, helped him up, and took him to the bathroom.
Li Jiacong put his arm around Li Sheng's shoulder and took over, standing in front of the toilet and looking at him sideways: "What are you standing there for? Help me out."
Li Sheng: "You..."
Li Jiacong waved his other hand, which was wrapped in bandages: "This hand of mine doesn't work well."
Li Sheng's eyes twitched: "Then do I have to help you support yourself?"
Li Jiacong: "It's fine if you want to."
Li Sheng glared at him, as if he was about to push him over at any moment. Li Jiacong coughed lightly, pulled him back, and said, "Help me take off my pants, I'll hold myself up."
Li Sheng could only slowly pull down his pants, and inevitably, he touched Li Jiacong's skin. It was a very awkward scene. Originally, Li Jiacong thought he was thick-skinned enough not to feel anything, but after taking them off, he felt no urge to urinate and his ears turned bright red.
After a while, with the wind blowing, he still didn't move. Li Sheng urged, "Hurry up."
Li Jiacong sighed: "It's over, you scared me to death."
Li Sheng glared at him again, unconsciously tightening his grip on his hand, but ultimately couldn't bring himself to push him away. He helped him pull up his pants, and the moment he did, he said, "Can't you have some self-respect?"
"Self-respect?" Li Jiacong narrowed his eyes.
"Have some self-respect," Li Jiacong repeated.
Li Sheng glanced at him but didn't say anything. Li Jiacong smiled and said, "Okay, sure, good."
Back in bed, a moment later he suddenly looked at Li Sheng with a smile and said, "I want to change my clothes. Help me take them off."
This time, Li Sheng didn't move. But after a short while, Li Jiacong started complaining that he was covered in sweat and felt uncomfortable. He tried to take off his clothes with one hand, but it was difficult and looked messy. Li Sheng couldn't bear to see it and finally helped him.
After changing his clothes, Li Jiacong said again, "I have a headache."
Less than a minute later, Youyou said, "I want to drink water."
After resting for a while, Li Jiacong had a hundred things to do. Li Sheng let out a long breath, unscrewed the cap of the mineral water bottle, and fed it to Li Jiacong's mouth. Li Jiacong said "That's enough," but Li Sheng didn't stop. The water dripped down his lips and into his clothes. Li Jiacong actually burst out laughing, and the water spilled all over him.
Li Sheng took the bottle back and glared at him.
Li Jiacong: "Finally angry?"
Li Sheng: "Is it fun?"
Li Jiacong: "It's fun."
Li Sheng looked at him and said, "You did the car crash on purpose, didn't you? What happened to you?"
Li Jiacong: "What kind?"
"madman."
Li Jiacong laughed heartily, as if he had heard something particularly hilarious, laughing so hard he could barely breathe, and said, "Yes, I'm fucking crazy..."
Li Sheng's expression shifted, and the previously impassive face finally cracked open thanks to Li Jiacong. He wasn't a heartless person after all; the bottle he was holding made a creaking sound. After a few seconds of calm, he said, "Jiacong, we're not children anymore."
Li Jiacong looked up at him, and Li Sheng gently dried him with a towel, his movements so tender, just like how he used to treat him. Li Sheng was, after all, a gentle person.
He suddenly wrapped his arms around Li Sheng's neck and pulled him towards him. Sensing that Li Sheng would push him away, he whispered in his ear, "Don't struggle... it will hurt me."
Li Sheng didn't move. Li Jiacong turned his face and rubbed his lips against Li Sheng's cheek. Li Sheng stiffened and said with difficulty, "Li Jiacong, perhaps what you can't let go of is that period of time, or perhaps my departure was too sudden. In any case, what you can't let go of is not me. Let me go."
Li Jiacong said, "I can't let go of you. I know what I want."
"Does wanting me mean I have to come back to you?"
Oh no, he'd fallen into Li Sheng's trap again. He shouldn't have answered this question; any answer would be wrong. Li Jiacong decided to give up on proving his sincerity. He admitted that he couldn't eradicate the selfishness in his bones. He didn't care if Li Sheng rejected him or loathed him; he just wanted to keep him.
Li Jiacong: "I've always felt that there's something between us... there's still something between us..."
"So you think I still have feelings for you?"
Li Jiacong had nowhere to hide from him: "You don't have any?"
"No."
Li Jiacong stared into his eyes. Compared to when he was a child, those eyes were thinner, and though the light in them was visible, he could no longer read Li Sheng's thoughts.
"Buzz—" Li Sheng's phone rang.
He answered the phone, his tone seemingly even gentler: "Yeah, it's okay, I won't eat dinner tonight."
After hanging up the phone, Li Jiacong asked, "Who was that?"
Li Sheng said, "My girlfriend."
***2002
"Hello?" Li Jiacong asked in a low voice, hiding under the covers. "You went back?"
Li Sheng's voice came from the other end: "Hmm. The phone booth isn't far from me. Were you secretly taking a call?"
“Yes,” Li Jiacong said, “I’m afraid my parents will ask me questions. They’re too busy.”
Li Sheng: "What time is it usually convenient for you to answer the phone?"
Li Jiacong: "Neither is very convenient... Sigh, tonight then. We definitely can't use our phones during the day at school. What time do you get off work?"
Li Sheng: "Nine o'clock."
Li Jiacong: "Damn! This is exhausting!"
"Well enough."
Li Jiacong: "I should be free after nine o'clock. You're starting work tomorrow?"
"Um."
"Does your leg still hurt?" Li Jiacong asked. Li Sheng had fallen many times while rollerblading, but he was determined to learn.
"Much better. Are you taking Sunday off?"
Li Jiacong: "Not necessarily, maybe you'll go to school to study? You want to find me?"
"Um, do you have time?"
"I'm not sure, we'll see when the time comes."
Li Sheng pressed his ear to the microphone and softly hummed in agreement.
The wind blew into the phone booth, and he shivered. Li Jiazong had nothing more to say and was about to hang up. He said goodbye and only hung up after hearing a "beep" from the other end.
Feeling the chill of the night, Li Sheng rubbed his hands together and ran into the dilapidated old buildings—
The dormitory building was a low, three-story structure, with a corridor on each floor. He lived on the second floor; there were eight people in his room, in bunk beds. Li Sheng was assigned to the upper bunk behind the door, which was poorly ventilated and would probably suffocate from the heat in the summer.
Li Sheng went back to get a basin to wash his face. As soon as he entered the room, he smelled a foul odor. Most of the people in the dormitory were from Yunji's kitchen. Wang Dapeng was the head chef, in his thirties, and the boss of the group. He was barefoot and swaying on the dining table.
Li Sheng frowned, but quickly regained his composure. He picked up his things and was about to leave when Wang Dapeng said, "Hey! What's your name again?"
Someone nearby chimed in, "Li Sheng! The one Zhao Cheng introduced!"
"Oh! I remember now," Wang Dapeng said, "which manager mentored you?"
Li Sheng: "Tomorrow is the first day, I don't know yet."
"Oh..." Wang Dapeng picked up the cigarette pack on the table, wanting to smoke, but found it empty: "Go buy me a pack of cigarettes."
Li Sheng paused for a second, looking at Wang Dapeng. Wang Dapeng looked back at him. Li Sheng finally gave in, put down the basin he was carrying, and went out. When he returned with the cigarettes, Wang Dapeng didn't say thank you or mention paying. After washing up, Li Sheng went back to bed and listened to several people he knew chatting downstairs until very late.
Li Sheng sighed softly, turned over, faced the wall, and slowly closed his eyes.
The next day, Li Sheng's work at Yunji Hotel began. After completing the onboarding process, a junior manager took Li Sheng under his wing, teaching him the work procedures, how to serve dishes, and how to attend to guests. Unlike before, when Li Sheng only had to deal with things that couldn't speak, now every day he had to wear a smile and bow to people.
He was very tired at noon, so the kitchen would cook a large batch of food. He took a jar of pickled vegetables from home, which was eaten by his colleagues after two days. After about a week, he had gotten to know everyone and done all the work he could. It wasn't until Saturday night that he finally had some free time. He went to a phone booth, inserted a card, and called Li Jiacong.
Li Sheng: "Sunday self-study?"
Li Jiacong still kept his voice down: "My classmate asked me to play basketball this Sunday. Do you want to play?"
Li Sheng: "I'm not very good at it..."
Li Jiacong hissed, perhaps feeling it wouldn't be good to avoid seeing Li Sheng, especially since Li Sheng had just arrived. He asked, "Are you busy later?"
Li Sheng: "Huh? No."
Li Jiacong: "Where is your dorm? I'll come find you."
"Now?"
"Yeah, my dad's not coming home tonight. I told my mom I'm going downstairs for a little exercise, it's fine."
Li Sheng hurriedly agreed, "Okay!"
He told Li Jiacong his address, immediately ran upstairs, changed his clothes, brushed his teeth and washed his face.
My colleague Liu Quan came over and joked, "Going on a date so late at night? With which waiter? Or the hostess at the door?"
Li Sheng smiled and shook his head without saying anything.
Liu Quan chuckled and said, "Don't blame me for not reminding you, the relationships between those guys in our class are all messed up."
Li Sheng: "No, they are my other friends."
After he finished washing up, he ran downstairs to wait. Not long after, Li Jiacong arrived by taxi. Li Sheng couldn't suppress his smile: "So fast."
"Not far." Li Jiacong got out of the car, glanced at the dormitory building, and thought to himself that it was quite dilapidated, but refrained from saying anything.
They walked along the street, and at the stone bridge, they had taken a similar evening stroll. The scenery had completely changed; neon lights flickered, and the light shining on Li Jiacong's face shifted between soft and harsh, as if reflecting different expressions. Li Sheng particularly enjoyed watching him, keeping his eyes fixed on him.
Li Jiacong casually asked Li Sheng how work was, with his hands in his pockets. Li Sheng simply replied, "Not bad." Finding that he couldn't get any other answers from him, Li Jiacong stopped asking.
As they walked, he spotted an internet cafe and dragged Li Sheng inside, turning on a computer. Li Sheng sat down before speaking: "Want to play? Here, have a seat."
“I’m not playing, it’s too late today,” Li Jiacong said. “I’ll register a QQ account for you, so you can find me online if you come to the internet cafe.”
Li Sheng nodded. He was also curious about computers. He watched as Li Jiacong started clicking on the computer screen. After a series of complicated operations, he remembered the password, filled in the information, and finally applied for a number.
Li Jiacong told him to familiarize himself with the world on his own, and Li Sheng explored this new world with a blank expression, his face almost touching the screen.
Li Jiacong, sitting on the chair next to him, burst out laughing: "Keep your distance, don't you want to hurt your eyes?"
Li Sheng leaned back: "I wasn't paying attention."
Li Jiacong placed his hand on Li Sheng's hand holding the mouse, helping him move and click, teaching him how to use it step by step. He learned quickly, and before leaving the internet cafe an hour later, he had almost mastered all the functions. After leaving the internet cafe, Li Jiacong glanced at his phone, just as his mother called. Li Jiacong hung up immediately: "My mom is urging me to go home."
Seeing him walk towards the roadside, Li Sheng suddenly grabbed him and said, "Can we walk a little further?"
Li Jiacong hesitated for a moment, but still agreed. He turned around and walked back with Li Sheng.
The lights were dimmer than when they arrived. In the dim shadows of the trees, Li Sheng suddenly grabbed Li Jiacong's hand. This unexpected hand-holding took a lot of courage for Li Sheng, who was unsure how Li Jiacong would react. He knew that they hadn't seen each other for a while, and Li Jiacong's attitude towards this could change at any moment.
Li Jiacong was taken aback for a moment, then looked around and said, "There are people here."
Li Sheng then let go and put his hand in his pocket.
As they slowly walked to the phone booth downstairs in his dormitory building, Li Sheng pointed and said, "I usually call you from here."
Li Jiacong leaned over for a look. He hadn't used this kind of public phone much before. He pressed the metal buttons on it; it was quite heavy. After his curiosity was satisfied, when he turned around again, Li Sheng was facing him directly, less than five centimeters away.
Before he could speak, Li Sheng kissed him lightly, a fleeting kiss that Li Jiacong didn't even have time to dodge.
"Are you really that thirsty...?" Li Jiacong said, "You've got some nerve out there."
"Isn't this blocking the way?"
Li Jiacong looked uncomfortable: "It's best not to."
The outside world in the city is different from the countryside. In the countryside, there are few people, and he could do wild things with Li Sheng. But here, back in the place where he lived, he suddenly felt a sense of reality and authenticity. He couldn't be so reckless, and he began to worry that things would become complicated.
Seeing Li Jiacong's resistance, Li Sheng tactfully stepped back, making room for him and pushing him outside the phone booth, his dark gaze remaining fixed on Li Jiacong's lips: "Then see you next week."
"Huh?" Li Jiacong didn't quite understand what Li Sheng suddenly said, and replied in a daze, "Um, um... call me."
Li Sheng, who wasn't clingy, said, "Let's take a taxi."
Li Jiacong nodded thoughtfully and hailed a car.
A note from the author:
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