Chapter 40 Song Zhenshu's vision went black.
The long cigarette pressed between the knuckles couldn't withstand the force, and broke after wrinkling.
A few wisps of tobacco escaped from the crack, but Song Zhenshu didn't notice.
"Brother Lin," Song Zhenshu murmured, then looked at the two boys in front of her, "Are you talking about 'Gu Lin'?"
He can even say Brother Lin's name.
The two boys are now completely convinced of their "little uncle's" identity.
"Uncle, you know Brother Lin too?"
Song Zhenshu: "I don't know him."
Song Zhenshu grinds the tobacco in his hand.
He didn't actually know Gu Lin, but he had heard his name from Ji Tong.
Many times.
Song Zhenshu had his doubts. Because of his own sexual orientation, he was very perceptive about certain things. He had subtly probed Ji Tong when they were in high school, but fortunately, it wasn't what he thought.
But now, Song Zhenshu's fingertips are throbbing violently.
"Gu Lin is studying at Anhui University?" Song Zhenshu wondered if he had an extra memory. "I remember he gave up his guaranteed admission to university and went abroad."
Song Zhenshu knew about this, but it wasn't Ji Tong who told him.
It's Song Jiahe.
Ji Tong was raised with a lot of pampering, but she wasn't spoiled.
He has a good temper and rarely does anything that he dislikes. Even when he was a child, getting a shot was an exception. Song Jiahe and Ji Yuanfeng couldn't stand him crying, so they would cry out for help when he got a shot.
Song Zhenshu was deceived every time.
As soon as they entered the hospital, Ji Tong, with tears welling up in her eyes, leaned on Song Zhenshu's shoulder and said she didn't like her uncle.
After the injection and leaving the hospital, Song Zhenshu didn't need to coax Ji Tong much. He just pretended to cry a couple of times like a child and said, "Tongtong doesn't like Uncle, Uncle is sad," and Ji Tong would come back to him with her face close to his.
That's how forgetful I am.
So when Song Jiahe told him that Ji Tong's mood hadn't been very good for the past two months, Song Zhenshu couldn't help but be surprised.
That was the second time Song Zhenshu had doubted their relationship.
So he put aside what he was doing and went back to China.
Ji Tong behaved as usual, only falling silent when he mentioned Gu Lin. Song Zhenshu probed again, and Ji Tong's answer was the same as before.
Song Zhenshu faintly sensed a hint of something.
But he couldn't be sure, and he didn't even dare to ask too many questions, afraid that asking too many questions would backfire, afraid that he was overthinking things, and afraid that he wasn't thinking enough. So he could only maintain a dangerous and subtle peace, and under the self-comfort of "Gu Lin has already gone abroad," or perhaps self-numbing, he ended the conversation.
On the night before Ji Tong was to go to Anhui University ahead of schedule, he told Song Jiahe and Ji Yuanfeng that they should try to mention Gu Lin less in front of Tong Tong in the future, using the excuse that he didn't want Tong Tong to be in a bad mood.
The voice of the boy in the hoodie interrupted Song Zhenshu's reverie.
“We’re not really that close to Lin Ge, but Li Yuan told us that Lin Ge did give up his guaranteed admission to university and went abroad, but somehow he came back later.”
"But they weren't admitted through a guaranteed admission program; they were admitted through the national entrance examination."
Song Zhenshu was silent for a few seconds: "Gu Lin also studied computer science?"
The guy in the hoodie: "Yeah, he double-majored in Computer Science and Finance, in Computer Science Class 9, he..."
As the two were talking, the empty stairwell in the dead of winter suddenly echoed with the sound of boys laughing and talking.
The sounds echoed towards the fourth floor.
"I played terribly? Who was it that kept going out of bounds? I'm going to change my online name to 'Anhui University Tennis Prince' when I get back."
"Alright, you've been arguing all the way here, Anhui University's tennis prince, have some water to soothe your throat."
"You're all sweaty, hurry up and go back to take a shower."
Several voices grew closer and closer.
The two people in room 402 immediately recognized the voice and pointed towards the stairs: "It's Li Yuan and the others who are back."
As Li Yuan pulled at his collar and stepped out from the corner of the stairs, he almost bumped into someone the moment he peeked out.
He looked up and saw it was his roommate from the opposite dorm.
"No, it's almost below zero outside, where are you going wearing just a hoodie?" Li Yuan asked in shock.
"Where are you going? I'm looking for you guys. Hurry up, Tongtong's uncle is here. He's been standing at your dorm entrance for ages. Open the door and let him in for a bit." The boy in the hoodie finished speaking, then stepped aside and pointed to the end of the corridor. Li Yuan and the other two stared blankly in that direction.
-
Twenty minutes later, Li Yuan, Cui Mingying, and Song Zhenshu were already on their way to the peninsula.
In the dead of winter, with the north wind howling, and with New Year's Day just past, the decorations along the roadside were still in place. Lanterns and Chinese knots hung from the trees, and a colorful ribbon with "Happy New Year" written on it hung above the three of them, making it look exceptionally romantic and festive.
None of the three people under Ke Chuan's command showed much of a smile.
As Li Yuan walked, his pace gradually slowed down. He grabbed Cui Mingying's hand, raised it, and pressed it down, making a gesture to "slow down."
Cui Mingying also slowed down.
The two subtly distanced themselves from Song Zhenshu by a few steps.
To make sure he wouldn't be heard, Li Yuan whispered, "I feel like my uncle doesn't look quite like I remember him."
"It's... kind of serious."
Cui Mingying: "?"
Cui Mingying: "You've never even met Tongtong's uncle, so where did you get your 'impression' from?"
Li Yuan: "Haven't you seen the photos yet, even if you haven't met them in person?"
Li Yuan and the others had long heard of Ji Tong's uncle's name and had even seen his photos.
I saw it during the opening ceremony of the high school sports meet. At that time, Ji Tong was sitting in the audience chatting with his uncle when his uncle took a picture and sent it to me. It was a picture of him fishing for piranhas in the Amazon.
In the photo, the uncle is sitting sideways on a dilapidated man-made boat. He is sitting at the bow, facing the camera, wearing a military green outdoor hiking hat. He is holding two piranhas in his right hand and giving a thumbs-up with his left hand, with a very infectious smile.
God knows how attractive this sense of freedom and vitality is at the age of sixteen or seventeen, when people are "locked" in school. A group of people were immediately struck by it and even declared that they would list the "Amazon" as one of the must-visit destinations in their lives.
At that time, Ji Tong's uncle was seen by them as no different from a "knight-errant".
So when the people in room 402 said that their uncle had come, Li Yuan and the other two were only stunned for a moment before they immediately opened the door and invited him in, which shows how excited they were.
But the uncle didn't stay long, only leaning against Ji Tong's seat for a while before asking, "Has Tongtong checked out of the dorm?"
Zhou Tian replied, "No, I just applied for overnight accommodation."
Li Yuan gave his uncle a bottle of mineral water. After getting it, he wanted to send a message to Ji Tong, but Song Zhenshu stopped him, saying that he had returned to China temporarily and wanted to give him a surprise. Then he asked Li Yuan if it would be convenient for him to take him to the Peninsula, as he did not know the exact location of the apartment.
Li Yuan and the others knew that Ji Tong and his uncle had a good relationship, so they had no objection. They quickly wiped themselves down, changed their clothes, and saw their uncle out.
When Cui Mingying heard him say that, she glanced at Song Zhenshu and also felt a little strange, but she didn't think much of it and just said, "Maybe he's not very familiar with us."
Li Yuan: "That's true."
The bent cigarette was thrown into the cigarette case by Song Zhenshu before he entered dormitory 411.
After leaving the school, Song Zhenshu took another cigarette from the pack, but didn't light it; he just held it between his knuckles.
From the fragmented information revealed by Li Yuan and the others, Song Zhenshu knew that the two were not in that kind of relationship... at least not now.
If that were the case, Li Yuan and the others wouldn't have reacted this way.
When he suggested going to the apartment, the three of them didn't show any hesitation.
Even so, Song Zhenshu's heart still felt heavy, and the closer he got to the apartment, the stronger the feeling became.
The security at the peninsula was excellent. If the gatekeeper hadn't recognized Li Yuan and Cui Mingying, Song Zhenshu probably wouldn't have been able to get in.
"Do you come here often?" Song Zhenshu asked.
Li Yuan nodded: "We live close by, so we can come over for a meal together on weekends when we're free."
Song Zhenshu paused for a moment, then asked, "Will you be staying overnight at the apartment?"
Li Yuan shook his head: "The apartment isn't big, it only has two rooms, a master bedroom and a guest bedroom."
"Besides, we're just a short walk from the school, so there's no need for us to stay overnight."
The two entered the apartment building's main door code and walked to the elevator.
"Uncle, it's room 2104 in building 21. Press the elevator button for the 21st floor, turn right when you get there, and it's the last room. It's very obvious, you can see it at a glance."
“We won’t go upstairs with you,” Li Yuan and Cui Mingying said, “we only planned to take you downstairs anyway. You and Tongtong haven’t seen each other for so long, we don’t want to disturb your ‘parent-child time’ haha.”
Song Zhenshu thought it was a good idea; his mind was a bit muddled right now, and it would be quieter with fewer people around.
"Thank you for your hard work."
"I brought you gifts, they're in the car."
"I thought Tongtong was in the dorm and I wanted to go get it with him, but it's probably a bit late today," Song Zhenshu said slowly. "I'll have Tongtong bring it to you later."
"Ah," Li Yuan said, a little embarrassed, scratching his chin, "Thank you, Uncle."
After saying that, Li Yuan pressed the elevator button for him: "Then Uncle, you should go up quickly, it's getting late."
“Okay,” Song Zhenshu stepped into the elevator. “Be careful on your way back.”
Both of them: "Okay."
The elevator doors closed, started moving, ascended to the 21st floor, and then opened with a "ding".
Song Zhenshu put one hand in his coat pocket, stepped out of the elevator, and turned right.
Before even reaching the door of room 2104, Song Zhenshu suddenly stopped in his tracks.
He finally understood what Li Yuan meant by "you can see it at a glance".
The apartment building's hallways are a cool, monotonous color scheme, with only the entrance to room 2104 being lit.
Song Zhenshu walked over and stopped in front of the Mario-themed carpet in front of the entrance door.
The fairly spacious entrance area was filled with a dazzling array of goods.
An olive green shelf, an irregularly shaped little chair printed with a simple smiley face, and an umbrella shaped like an open-mouthed shark.
The doorplate "2104" was clearly installed above the door frame, but the people inside seemed to think that wasn't enough, so they put together another block-shaped one and hung it in the center of the door.
The arrangement was very thoughtful, and the selected items were not common; they were very unique and pleasing to the eye, in line with Song Zhenshu's aesthetic sense. However, Song Zhenshu suddenly felt dizzy.
Because he knows better than anyone whose work it is and whose style it is.
At this moment, Song Zhenshu felt as if he were soaking in a bowl of thick cream soup, his thoughts tangled and his breathing labored.
Song Zhenshu knew Ji Tong too well.
He does get along well with everyone, regardless of gender or age, but he is not the kind of person who has no sense of boundaries.
On the contrary, Ji Tong actually has a very strong sense of "territoriality".
It's like he fenced off a room in Haiyuan specifically to store gifts from his uncle. Only gifts from his uncle can be placed there; nothing else is allowed.
When you receive a gift, you should leave it in your bedroom for a few days until you find a suitable place to store it.
Like a cat that marks its scent.
This kind of "territorial consciousness" is commonplace in Haiyuan, in Ji Tong's own territory, and is a sign of control and order. But in this apartment, it is "aggression" and "destruction".
Every little object that caught Song Zhenshu's eye seemed to proclaim one thing: "I am the master of this place."
It was forceful and decisive, carrying an "overbearing" quality that even Ji Tong himself was unaware of.
The other person acquiesced.
It wasn't until the cigarette in his hand fell to the ground that Song Zhenshu belatedly realized that his hand was trembling.
Song Zhenshu stared at the cigarette for what seemed like an eternity before bending down to pick it up. This man, who was usually particular about his appearance, didn't care about the dirt at this moment and casually stuffed the cigarette into his pocket.
He took out his cigarette case again, pulled out his third cigarette of the day, and finally lit it. He walked to the other side of the corridor, pushed open the window at the end, leaned against the wall to finish smoking, and finally knocked on the door.
-
When the doorbell rang, Ji Tong was standing on the balcony, checking on the degradation of Gu Lin's "wish" in the small earthenware jar.
The doorbell rang, and he looked toward the entrance.
Gu Lin sat on the sofa and typed on his computer.
"You ordered takeout?" Ji Tong asked, puzzled.
Gu Lin put down his laptop: "No."
Ji Tong walked in from the balcony, and Gu Lin grabbed his wrist and glanced at him: "Wash your hands, I'll go open it."
Ji Tong looked at the mud between his fingers, nodded, and ran to the nearest kitchen.
He was washing his hands, but his ears were listening to what was happening over there.
He heard the bell in the entryway ring, followed by the sound of the door being opened.
But I didn't hear any voices.
Ji Tong was still urging under the dragon's head. He listened intently for several more seconds, then couldn't help but crane his neck and shout, "Gu Lin, who is it?"
Still no response.
Ji Tong was very curious, so she casually tore off a piece of soft cotton towel to wipe her hands. After wiping them, she crumpled it up and threw it into the trash can. Ignoring the water stains on her hands, she immediately strode towards the entrance.
As soon as he stepped out of the kitchen, he turned his head and looked over Gu Lin's shoulder and neck—
"…uncle?"
Ji Tong's voice was very soft.
He thought he was hallucinating.
Ji Tong closed her eyes, opened them, closed them again, and opened them again, repeating this twice, until she was sure the figure at the door was still there, and only then did her broken thoughts completely resume.
"uncle!"
Ji Tong practically teleported from the kitchen to the entryway.
Because of the hasty movement, the last step was a leap, and he almost lost his footing. He was only saved from falling by a hand that reached out from behind and caught his waist.
"Stand still," said the man who was supporting his nephew's waist.
Song Zhenshu's vision went black.
It wasn't hit by a collision.
Ji Tong hugged Song Zhenshu tightly: "Uncle, why are you back? When did you get back? Why didn't you tell me? How long are you going to stay at home?"
Ji Tong was unaware that while he was asking four questions, Song Zhenshu was making eye contact with the person behind him through his nephew.
With just one glance, Song Zhenshu understood that some things didn't need to be said.
There's no need to guess.
He knew.
Gu Lin knew this too.
They knew each other perfectly.
Song Zhenshu's bones kept stiffening.
With his eyes closed, the image of Gu Lin supporting Ji Tong's waist kept flashing through his mind.
That wasn't some kind of "baptism of fire," it was just an ingrained conditioned reflex and habitual physical contact.
Song Zhenshu would rather it be a "show of force".
Song Zhenshu's forehead swelled as if it were congested with blood, but there was also a kind of calmness like that of "closing a coffin". After a long time, he raised his hand and patted his nephew's shoulder.
"I brought you a gift. I wanted to give it to you as soon as possible, so I came back."
"Arrived this morning."
"You had classes, so you didn't say anything."
I wanted to give you a surprise.
Song Zhenshu answered each question in turn.
There was only one question left, and he didn't provide an answer.
Song Zhenshu had indeed planned to go out after the New Year, but—
Song Zhenshu raised her eyes and stared at Gu Lin.
Now, he doesn't know how long he'll have to stay here.
Because there's a big problem that urgently needs to be solved.
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