Chapter 24 "Li Sheng, you clearly also..."
***
"Grandpa, is this Building 12 in Chunhua Community, Lingbei District?" Li Jiacong leaned out of the car window and asked the passerby. The old man nodded shakily.
"Thanks." Li Jiazong parked the car, stood downstairs, stared at a window on a higher floor, and muttered to himself with a smirk, "Let's see how you hide now."
— Li Sheng disappeared after taking care of him in the hospital for a few days. He wouldn't answer his phone or reply to his text messages. This feeling of being out of contact made Li Jiacong's scalp tingle and he couldn't help but tremble.
Taking advantage of Li Sheng's absence from work, he went to the auto repair shop and found out Li Sheng's current home address. Li Jiacong had only one purpose: to get close to his life, to intrude into his life, to leave traces and evidence in his life. So that if he disappeared again, he would have more clues to find him. Li Jiacong called this being prepared for a rainy day.
Li Jiacong climbed the stairs step by step; the building was quite dilapidated. Li Sheng's door was not closed; the lacquered green iron door was ajar, but Li Jiacong still knocked on it.
"Come in. No need to change your shoes." Li Sheng's voice came from the bedroom, unexpectedly friendly and natural. Li Jiazong glanced at the doorway; there were no women's shoes. He smiled and slowly walked in.
It was a small two-bedroom apartment. Upon entering, the bedroom on the right was filled with boxes of miscellaneous items. Further in, on the left, was a large bedroom. Li Sheng was standing in front of the bedroom window, pulling back the curtains.
"You came very quickly..." Li Sheng turned around, stunned, and exclaimed in shock, "Li Jiacong! What are you doing here?... Why are you here!?"
Li Sheng reacted strongly, and Li Jiacong was afraid that he would be pushed away. Now that he was injured, he knew he couldn't out-shove Li Sheng, so he immediately ran in and squeezed into the gap between the table and the bedside table, awkwardly squeezing there: "What are you doing? You're not letting people in? You said you were coming in."
Li Sheng: "I thought you were..."
Who is it?
Before Li Sheng could answer, there was a knock at the door, and two people walked in. One of them, who looked like a real estate agent, asked, "Which one of you is Mr. Li?"
“Me,” Li Sheng said.
“I just called,” the man said. “You want to rent it out, right? Let me talk to you first…”
Li Jiacong retorted, "You're going to rent it out? Where are you going to live?"
Li Sheng said unhappily, "Let's go somewhere else."
Li Jiacong: "Where?"
Li Sheng remained silent.
Li Jiacong's sensitive nerves were immediately pricked. Despite it being midsummer, he felt a chill, a biting wind and snow, as if he had returned to a heavy snowfall in his memory.
He immediately told the agent, "He's not renting it anymore, thank you for your help."
Real estate agent: "Huh? What's going on?"
Li Sheng: "Sorry, ignore him... I'll rent it..."
Li Jiacong immediately said, "Then I'll rent it!"
Li Sheng shouted, "Li Jiacong!"
Agent: "Hey! What's going on with you guys? I don't have time for your nonsense!"
Li Jiacong emerged from the crack: "Come on, brother, thank you for your trouble."
He slipped money into the agent's pocket. The agent, seeing the money, was overjoyed and quickly said, "It's nothing, it's nothing," and left happily, closing the door behind him as he went.
Li Jiacong naturally sat down in the chair, crossed his legs, and said, "Stop glaring at me, you're not going to kill me."
Li Sheng pulled him up from the chair: "Get out of here!"
Li Jiacong hissed, feeling a dull pain somewhere in his ribs: "I'm not leaving! You think you can run away? You're going to move house just to avoid me?"
Li Sheng: "It's none of your business."
Li Jiacong hugged the table, feeling he should have stayed in the crack; he had been careless!
With a tug, the drawer was pulled out, opening and closing with a clatter. Suddenly, Li Jiacong's gaze fixed on it, and he reached into the drawer, taking out an old-fashioned Walkman. It was well-preserved, with almost no obvious wear or scratches except for yellowing from oxidation.
In an instant, Li Jiacong remembered that this was the gift he had given to Li Sheng. As if he had discovered a treasure lost to the world, like a mole digging through the soil, he disregarded his image and reputation, and opened up everything in the drawer. Li Sheng was powerless to stop him.
An old flip phone with a broken cover.
Walkman and a few old cassette tapes.
A "Happy Mid-Autumn Festival" written in ugly handwriting on brittle paper.
…
Li Jiacong looked at Li Sheng. At this moment, all the pain and torment of the past fourteen years didn't matter. For the past fourteen years, someone else had also cherished these memories, even though they had long since withered into fragments. Li Jiacong touched the cracks on his phone and smiled at Li Sheng, a mixture of embarrassment and triumph.
Li Sheng, you still won't forget me.
Isn't that right?
***2002
The first text message Li Sheng received from Li Jiacong was:
[Sunday afternoon at 3 pm, Room 502, Mober Hotel]
He was changing out of his work clothes, and reached out to reply with a simple "okay." After changing, he came out through the back door, and in a line of people who had dispersed, he saw Huang Yin.
Li Sheng walked over and gently patted her shoulder. Huang Yin turned around, saw it was him, and blushed, feeling a little embarrassed.
Li Sheng asked, "Are you going to make phone calls again tonight?"
"I'm not calling today. I've made an appointment with my grandma to call her after work from Monday to Wednesday."
“I have a cell phone now, I can call you. It’s cold outside, and the phone booth is cold too.”
"You bought a cell phone!" Huang Yin exclaimed in surprise, then smiled at Li Sheng. "Thank you."
Li Sheng opened his mouth, but suddenly found it difficult to say what he wanted to say. He hesitated and asked, "How are things between you and Cao Teng?"
Huang Yin didn't expect him to ask this. Her eyes widened slightly, and her pupils glowed warmly under the streetlights: "It's fine."
Li Sheng: "Is he... good to you?"
Huang Yin said, "It's alright."
“He…” Li Sheng paused, realizing it was inappropriate to comment on Cao Teng’s character in front of Huang Yin, so he managed to say, “You need to protect yourself.”
Huang Yin's face flushed red instantly. Li Sheng noticed her embarrassment and knew that she was thinking about what happened behind the door at the hotel when they caught her doing that. Everyone knew what would happen.
But Li Sheng didn't mean it that way. He quickly said, "You should learn more about his situation. For example, for example... he doesn't have any bad habits. I've seen some people in the village who love to gamble and have a hard time making a living."
Huang Yin chuckled: "Why are you acting like a parent?" She lowered her head, looking a little shy. "I haven't thought that much about it yet. He's different from the boys I've met before. He's very outgoing, and I feel a little lost with him."
Li Sheng: "You like him a lot?"
Huang Yin buried her face in her sleeve and said in a muffled voice, "I don't know either." She bit her lip and said, "It's just... he's already my boyfriend. There are some minor issues, and sometimes I don't quite get used to them, but no two people are perfectly compatible, right?"
Huang Yin was conflicted, harboring some unspeakable grievances, but regarding the question of "suitability," Li Sheng could only answer, "Yes. But, the premise is that you like it..."
Huang Yin sighed, "I don't know." It was as if she was used to being submissive, too young to understand her own feelings, and too blinded by her own emotions to see the other person clearly.
Li Sheng remained silent.
Huang Yin suddenly looked up at Li Sheng and said earnestly, "Thank you, Li Sheng. No one has ever said this to me before."
Li Sheng smiled and shook his head.
"Let's not talk about him anymore. By the way, was that person your family member who came to visit you the other day?"
"Um?"
"That was the day..."
By the way, he was accompanied by another person at the time. When two men appear in that place at the same time, most people wouldn't suspect that they have that kind of relationship. They could be looking for a place to stay or going somewhere to "have fun" together.
Li Sheng replied, "He's my older brother."
Huang Yin looked envious: "That's so nice, I don't have any siblings. If my parents are gone, my siblings will be my support!"
They chatted all the way to the dormitory, where they parted ways. Huang Yin went into the dormitory, took out a washbasin, filled it with her things, and was about to leave when she was suddenly blocked by Lü Xiaoshan.
Lu Xiaoshan pushed her into the house and asked haughtily, "What did you and Li Sheng talk about the way here?"
"It's nothing," Huang Yin said.
Lu Xiaoshan looked at her: "Huang Yin, ever since Li Sheng came, I've told you that I like him, you know that, right?"
"Shanshan, don't misunderstand, Li Sheng and I are really friends."
Lu Xiaoshan snorted and said, "That was for the best! You already have Cao Teng! So don't mess with him!"
Huang Yin pursed her lips: "I didn't..."
Lu Xiaoshan nudged her shoulder, walked to her bed, and lit a cigarette. The other girls in the dorm said, "Lu Xiaoshan! Didn't we say we wouldn't smoke in the dorm?"
Lu Xiaoshan suddenly threw down a thermos flask that belonged to someone on the corner of the bed. The sound of the flask shattering and her voice rang out at the same time: "Shut the hell up!"
The dormitory fell silent instantly.
Huang Yin lowered her head, her hair obscuring her fair cheeks, and picked up the broken thermos...
-
At 6:00 sharp, the bell rang at No. 2 Middle School, and immediately someone opened the classroom door and rushed out.
Li Jiacong was shocked by his classmate's speed, thinking to himself, "Is this what they mean by being eager to get home?" As he packed his schoolbag, Qian He turned around and wailed, "Cong! We have tutoring on Saturday, so let's go to the ice cream shop on Sunday? I'll treat you to an ice cream, and you treat me to one."
"...Can't we just buy our own?"
"How can that be the same? It would make us seem like we have a deep friendship."
“We have no connection,” Li Jiacong said coldly. “Besides, aren’t you cold? Winter is just around the corner.”
"We only eat ice cream in winter, so it's suitable for all four seasons."
"Nonsense, I have things to do on Sunday."
"Huh? What's up?"
Li Jiacong picked up his schoolbag, gave him a "mind your own business" look, and walked out. Qian He called out to him, but couldn't stop him.
Sunday was his and Li Sheng's day. Li Jiacong arrived at the hotel early, and he was restless with excitement for almost the entire morning. He ran out several times with his bag, rummaging through various things. Finally, around three o'clock, he went to Mobo to check in the room he had reserved. It was a pretty good place he could choose; the bedding was clean and soft, and there were no unpleasant creaking sounds when you sat on it. The soundproofing was also quite good.
"Not bad, very satisfied." He glanced at his phone; a little past midnight. Just as he was about to call Li Sheng, there was a knock on the door.
Li Jiacong opened the door, and Li Sheng, who had run there, said breathlessly, "I'm late."
Li Jiacong let him in: "What's the rush?"
Li Sheng: "I was afraid you'd have to wait."
Li Jiacong took a towel from the bathroom and threw it to Li Sheng: "Wipe yourself, you're all sweaty."
He turned on the TV, sat on the sofa and flipped through channels, randomly selecting one. He turned his head and saw Li Sheng had finished cleaning and sat down next to him.
Li Jiacong took out the ice cream he bought at the ice cream shop from his bag—Qian He had reminded him, and he originally didn't want to eat it, but he remembered that Li Sheng probably hadn't tried it before, so he bought one for him.
Li Sheng took it, and seeing that he didn't have it, he put it to his mouth first, but Li Jiacong pushed it back: "I don't like it, you try it, and if you don't like it, just throw it away."
Li Sheng took a bite; the rich milk flavor, mixed with raisins, was something he had never eaten before. It melted in his mouth, cool and refreshing.
Li Jiacong leaned back on the sofa and asked him, "What were you busy with this morning?"
"This morning? I was working in... "
"Huh? Aren't you supposed to be off on Sundays?"
"No...it's a hotel, it gets crowded on weekends."
Li Jiacong finally realized that it was him who was off work on Sundays. The few times they met on Sundays, it was because Li Sheng had accommodated his schedule. He didn't know how Li Sheng had managed to get him to come: "So when do you usually rest?"
Li Sheng: "You can choose one day from Monday to Thursday."
Li Jiacong's lips twitched: "Fine, I'm not free from Monday to Thursday."
He thought for a moment and said, "How about this? I'll apply for evening study sessions next week, and school ends at nine o'clock. We can meet up if I pass by Yunji on my way."
"real?"
“Why would I lie to you?” Li Jiacong said. “If you have a day off, just tell me, and I’ll ask for leave from evening self-study. It’s definitely easier for me to ask for leave than for you.”
Li Sheng was stunned. He was too surprised. Li Jiacong's attitude changed so much and so quickly. It seemed that it was not for any other reason, but because Li Jiacong liked and was used to the relationship with him "this way".
Li Sheng took a few bites of ice cream, swallowed it, then hugged Li Jiacong and kissed his cheek with his cool lips to express his happiness. Li Jiacong shivered; he realized that Li Sheng was incredibly proactive and skilled in this area, and those two kisses made his whole body go numb.
He coughed lightly, then pointed to the bed next to him and said, "Come on, let's cherish our time."
He wanted to pressure Li Sheng, so he took out something. Li Sheng glanced at it, then suddenly grabbed it from his hand, indicating that he wanted to use it. Li Jiacong was stunned, and Li Sheng gave him an utterly innocent look.
His eyes darted around, and he gripped the item tightly in his hand. Li Sheng gently pried open his fingers.
"Are you going to do it?" Li Jiacong asked knowingly.
"Um."
It's not that it's impossible, but it's a bit sudden. He was a little uneasy: "Do you know how... um, yes, you do."
He asked and answered his own question, which made Li Sheng laugh. Li Jiacong said, "By the way, I'm not a professional. I want to ask, do other people do it like us?"
"other people?"
"You know who I'm referring to."
Li Sheng paused for a moment and said, "I don't know much about it, and I haven't had any contact with it."
Li Sheng has always known that he likes men, but he has never had any contact with people like him, let alone Li Jiacong.
Li Sheng: "We don't need to be like anyone else. You... can't accept that?"
Li Jiacong thought for a moment, looked at Li Sheng's expression, and his heart softened again. He closed his eyes and said, "Come on, come on."
Li Sheng smiled and touched Li Jiacong's chin.
A note from the author:
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