Lu Ran didn’t know what was happening when the music from the movie played again inside the house. Qin He hurriedly said goodbye and left.
Yucheng didn’t react much and got up to nod at Lu Ran with a smile. His smile was determined, and it was the first time he smiled at Lu Ran. Lu Ran felt like Yucheng was up to something again.
Yucheng calmly packed his clothes and bag while humming a song, then left. Lu Ran was left alone, puzzled about what had happened in the short half-hour.
Qin He rushed back home like a fugitive. Qin Wanqing was by the bedside of someone in the hospital, preparing to bring them back in a couple of days. During the New Year, Qin Wanqing also made food and went to the hospital. Qin He quickly walked to the bathroom, turned on the tap, and slapped himself in the face, trying to wake himself up.
The cold water brought Qin He back to his senses. His bangs were dampened, and drops of water flowed down his jaw and into his neck, soaking his clothes. Qin He leaned on the edge of the sink, breathing heavily. He looked up at the young man in the mirror, pondering the question of what was good. His expression was indifferent.
As night fell, the dim light could not penetrate the house. He knew that he had never been so close to anyone before. He also knew that he did not feel repulsed. When did this happen? He did not know. This thing seemed to have a mind of its own, sprouting and growing into a towering tree when he looked back.
But this is not right, is it?
This is completely opposite to his plan; his calmness is disrupted, and his life is messed up. Perhaps from the beginning, he should have avoided this and just taken a few insults.
For several days, the two of them didn’t contact each other, and Yu Cheng knew he needed to give Qin He some time.
“Yu Cheng, find someone else to tutor you.” On the third night, Yu Cheng received a message like this, abrupt and inexplicable, but he knew that Qin He wanted to draw a clear line with him.
He flipped off the bed and grabbed his down jacket to go out. Looking at the tightly closed door, he looked up at the sky, wondering why he hadn’t even gone home. Did he forget that they were still at the same school?
Qin He had long guessed that Yu Cheng would come back to find him, and of course he knew he couldn’t avoid it, but he could delay it for a while. He found a new part-time job and spent the nights accompanying Qin Wanqing. Yu Cheng went to ask Lu Ran for directions, but Lu Ran was also unsure, so he could only wait day after day at the door.
So when Qin He came back, he saw a tall man curled up at his doorstep.
“What are you doing here?” Qin He sighed and led him inside. “Come in and let’s talk.”
Yu Cheng knew that although Qin He looked cold; he was soft-hearted. He might not like him, but there was still some goodwill, so he looked at him pitifully and said, “My leg is numb. Can you help me up?”
Yu Cheng tentatively stretched out his hand, wanting to reach out to the person but then retracting it. He was then pulled up by Qin He, who used his strength to stand up. The moment Qin He turned around, Yu Cheng secretly smiled.
“Qin He, I have been waiting for you for a long time. I won’t force you. Can you stop avoiding me? You didn’t even go home, and I am worried,” Yu Cheng began to show his weakness before Qin He could speak, and his previous threatening demeanour was nowhere to be seen.
“Recently, I have been accompanying someone in the hospital and didn’t have time to come back,” Qin He found that he couldn’t do anything with Yu Cheng, and he didn’t want to come across as a bully, so he replied hesitantly, “I… understand.”
“I know, it’s because I like you; I couldn’t control myself that day, and I won’t do it again.” Yu Cheng first showed his weakness and then pulled closer. In his mind, he was quietly planning, “We can still be friends, right? My grades are bad, and my personality is terrible. Besides you, no one dares to befriend me.”
“School is starting soon; let’s forget about this break. You should rest too. I’m leaving after I grab my things; you should go too,” Qin He was about to refuse, but then changed his mind.
“Okay, I’ll leave. By the way, you mentioned your grandmother earlier; how is she doing?” Yu Cheng quickly asked with his smooth and practised tone, calling her “grandmother” like it was nothing.
“Still the same,” Qin He thought about the state of the hospital and felt like he probably couldn’t go back home. He sighed heavily and said, “Let’s go.”
At the corner of the alley, Yu Cheng parted ways with someone and called his driver, completely different from his previous demeanour in front of Qin He.
“Check on Qin He’s grandmother’s condition, and let me know later.” These past few days, Yu Cheng noticed that Qin He hadn’t been resting well, and as soon as he got into the car, he fell asleep. He didn’t want to go check on her by himself, as he was afraid that Qin He would think he was following him or bothering him.
“Impression is not good.”
“Young master, the elderly person is critically ill and undergoing rescue treatment.” After finishing dinner that night, Yu Cheng received the news and was momentarily stunned. “Drive, let’s go to the hospital.”
In the corridor, there were faint sobs. Qin He was comforting Qin Wanqing beside him while staring at the operating room.
Yu Cheng didn’t go over; he stood quietly on the side. It wasn’t appropriate to go over it now. Time passed second by second, and the sobbing cries made people anxious. In the end, the old lady passed away. The air froze for a moment, then erupted into even more miserable wails. Yu Cheng didn’t know what he could do; he could only stand on the side, feeling helpless.
After who knows how long, Qin He walked out of the hospital. His usually straight back was slightly bent, as if weighed down by something heavy. Qin He walked aimlessly ahead, and Yu Cheng followed behind. The neon lights illuminated the world with colourful brilliance, and the nightlife officially began. Groups of three or five were planning where to go. Qin He seemed to be isolated; the lights couldn’t shine into his eyes, and the bustling crowd was separated from him.
Qin He sat down by the flower bed, staring ahead into nothingness with his hands covering his face. This was his first experience with death and parting, and he felt his head buzzing. The little old lady who loved telling stories, stealing food, and looking after him had left him like this. After settling everything and comforting his grieving mother, he came out alone. He tried to rationalise his feelings, but felt choked up in his throat. He realised that when a person is too sad, they can’t even make a sound.
“Want some candy?” Yu Cheng held a candy in his palm. He felt that Qin He was upset but didn’t know how to comfort him. No one had taught him these things in his upbringing. All he could do was be there for him, so Yu Cheng sat down next to Qin He.
Ever since he found out about Qin He’s childhood experiences, he felt that this person had already suffered enough and needed some candy.
So he fell in love with him, wanting to give him the best, help him achieve his dreams, accompany him, and see him smile…
He gently hugged Qin He’s shoulder, and Qin He didn’t resist while holding candy, saying, “No one is watching, you can do whatever you want.”
Qin He shuddered, his throat choked, and there was only the sound of sobbing. He was crying… but Yu Cheng was powerless. He couldn’t bring back the person he loved the most… all he could do was accompany him…
Yu Cheng gently patted Qin He’s back, caressing him, as if this could soothe all his sadness.
Qin He buried himself in Yu Cheng’s neck and didn’t get up. He was always strong and didn’t like to be seen like this by others. After crying for a while, he began to tell Yu Cheng about the past, his voice tinged with a nasal tone.”
“When I was young, my parents divorced, and we went to live with our grandma for a while. I was a lonely child, and nobody wanted to play with me. They would only point at me and mock me, like an unwanted child. It was then that I saw that old lady wielding a broomstick. She looked fierce, but she drove them all away. But that’s not who she really is.”
“She took care of me because of who I am, not because I was the child of that man. She didn’t think of me as a burden and would give me her precious candy to eat, which was so sweet. I will always remember that.”
“She taught me many things, made me laugh, and shared her past stories with me. Whenever I went to Yaoan City, I always looked forward to seeing her again. She was so good to me…”
As Qin He recounted his memories, and Yu Cheng would occasionally respond with a few words, knowing that Qin He just needed to vent. Qin He was trying to remember these stories from the past, hoping to cherish them forever in his heart.
“Qin He, from now on I will be good to you; I will buy you candy to eat, okay?” Yu Cheng promised softly, but Qin He didn’t respond, as if he had fallen asleep quietly…
Xian Nan Zhi
Give a hug to little baby Qin He, and by the way, the little Yu in this picture looks a bit tired.
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