Chapter 56

Xu Er and Song Ruichi were still dragged into the private dining room by this group of people.

Song Ruichi was right; it was indeed wildly inappropriate. Xu Er was completely too embarrassed to even look in the direction of the banner.

As soon as they sat down, Shi Ziyi blurted out, "Big brother, what would you like to drink? Alcohol or soda?"

Xu Er wanted to hide his face in shame.

"Try calling him big brother one more time," Song Ruichi, sitting beside him, remarked.

Shi Ziyi made a shushing sound and said, "I won't, I won't."

Song Ruichi said, "I'll have alcohol, he'll have soda."

Suspecting that Shi Ziyi was about to act up again, Song Ruichi stared at him.

Shi Ziyi pressed his lips together and hummed in submission.

True to his word, Shi Ziyi ordered every single duck head on the menu, along with a few other dishes.

Xu Er was genuinely starving, and the aroma of the duck heads made him dizzy with hunger.

"Song Song," Shi Ziyi leaned in while eating and asked, "Is City W fun?"

Song Ruichi nodded. "Fun."

Shi Ziyi: "What did you guys do there?"

Song Ruichi: "We did everything we wanted to do, except for one exceptionally interesting activity we missed out on."

Shi Ziyi grew curious. "What's that?"

Xu Er was curious too, leaning his ear a bit closer.

Song Ruichi replied, "We didn't lick a lamppost."

Xu Er almost spat out his meat in laughter.

Song Ruichi's remark made not only Xu Er, but also the group of friends around the table who had been quietly gnawing on duck heads, burst into explosive laughter simultaneously. Some even started applauding.

Thus, a world where only Shi Ziyi got hurt was successfully achieved.

Shi Ziyi gripped his chopsticks, pressing them against the table, a speechless smile at the corner of his mouth. "Wonderful, just wonderful."

Song Ruichi dropped another line: "The cutest person in the entire universe hasn't even seen the video of you licking the lamppost yet."

With that, Song Ruichi turned to look at the cutest person in the entire universe.

As soon as these words dropped, the atmosphere livened up again.

"You should've said so earlier! I have it, I have it."

"Let me look for it."

"Hurry, hurry, I bookmarked it."

Shi Ziyi: "..."

Shi Ziyi: "Fine, fine, is this how you guys want to play?"

Shi Ziyi: "You really hold grudges, don't you, Song Ruichi?"

Ying Jing raised his hand. "Teacher Song! He's the one who bought the banner. It was his idea."

Shi Ziyi balled up a tissue and threw it across the table. "You fucking went with me to pick it up."

Ying Jing raised his hand even higher. "Teacher Song! He held a knife to my throat and forced me to go."

Since that was the case, Xu Er quietly leaned over and raised his hand as well. "Teacher Song, he was the one who started calling me big brother first."

Shi Ziyi stood right up. "Xu Er, you! Ahhhh!"

The group of onlookers, eager for more drama, cheered loudly and gave Xu Er enthusiastic thumbs-ups.

"Oh dear, Teacher Song."

Shi Ziyi fished out a large duck head for Song Ruichi, then scooped an even bigger one for Xu Er.

"Look how festive this is," Shi Ziyi said, pointing at the banner.

Song Ruichi: "Heh."

Xu Er chimed in: "Heh."

A friend sent the video to the group chat, and Xu Er watched with his own eyes as Song Ruichi turned the volume all the way up to watch Shi Ziyi's legendary lamppost-licking moment.

Everyone present relished the replay and took the opportunity to mock Shi Ziyi all over again.

The meal ended amidst another wave of laughter. Afterwards, amid much cheering and cajoling, the group made Song Ruichi and Xu Er take a picture under the banner and used up the remaining confetti poppers.

One had to admit, it felt just a little bit like a wedding.

Over the next few days, Xu Er stayed over at Song Ruichi's place. Although neither of them said anything explicit, gradually, it began to feel somewhat like living together.

Time flew by, and soon it was Thursday evening, the night Xu Er was scheduled to have dinner with Yang Jian.

Xu Er had booked a local specialty restaurant that he always visited whenever friends from out of town came to visit. Since the restaurant was a bit of a distance from Song Ruichi's studio, Xu Er checked in with Song Ruichi once more in the afternoon.

Xu Er: "Are you really coming? Or should I just go by myself?"

Song Ruichi: "Already on my way."

Xu Er sent a sticker: [Okay, big brother.]

That title had lost its innocence after being thrown around by his group of friends, and continuing the joke, Xu Er sent a meme of Zhang Fei.

If there was one thing about Song Ruichi, it was his impeccable timing—he arrived downstairs precisely when Xu Er got off work.

Logically speaking, if Xu Er got off work on time, the evening rush hour shouldn't have started yet. But for some reason, as soon as the car pulled out of the company building, traffic came to a standstill.

The navigation system on Song Ruichi's car turned into a massive crimson stretch.

Xu Er and Yang Jian had agreed on half-past five.

"Do you think we'll be late?" Xu Er propped his chin in his hand, feeling anxious.

Song Ruichi glanced at the navigation. "What happens if we're late?"

"Nothing much happens," Xu Er said, "but I don't like being late."

Song Ruichi: "It doesn't matter."

Xu Er smiled. "Of course it doesn't matter to you."

Song Ruichi: "If worst comes to worst, we won't go. We'll go home and make salt-and-pepper shrimp."

Xu Er's eyes lit up. "Are you making salt-and-pepper shrimp today?"

Song Ruichi: "Yes, Mr. Xu."

Xu Er pouted. "Why are you making it today? Are you going to eat it alone?"

Song Ruichi: "If you come home with me, there will be two of us."

"No way," Xu Er reached out and lightly punched Song Ruichi's arm. "You did this on purpose."

Song Ruichi: "I certainly did."

Xu Er grew slightly annoyed. "You're the one who let me make plans with him on a Thursday."

They had talked about making salt-and-pepper shrimp last time, but due to business trips and a thousand other things, they still hadn't made it.

What was Song Ruichi playing at?

"Are you mad?"

Song Ruichi inched the car forward along with the traffic ahead, reaching out a hand to stroke Xu Er's chin.

Xu Er dodged it.

Undaunted, Song Ruichi changed tactics; he grabbed Xu Er's hand and pulled it closer.

"I didn't make it yet," Song Ruichi operated with one hand, stubbornly prying open the fingers of the resilient Xu Er until he successfully interlaced his fingers with his. "I'll make it when you get back, as a late-night snack."

Xu Er twisted his mouth, finally reciprocating Song Ruichi's grip. "That's more like it."

Song Ruichi: "Don't eat too much over there."

Xu Er nodded. "Fine, I've had that restaurant's food many times anyway."

The stretch of road alternated between red and green, and in the end, they were still ten minutes late.

Xu Er had already explained the situation to Yang Jian on WeChat, asking him to go inside and wait at the restaurant first.

"I'm off."

Xu Er unbuckled his seatbelt and was about to get out when Song Ruichi pulled him back.

Song Ruichi leaned his face close. Xu Er knew what that meant and leaned in as well.

However, this fellow suddenly turned his head at the last second, causing Xu Er to plant a heavy kiss squarely on Song Ruichi's lips.

Xu Er chuckled and repeated, "I'm going."

Song Ruichi still held onto him. "Will you still love me when you get back?"

Xu Er: "What on earth are you talking about?"

Only then did Song Ruichi let go. "Go ahead. Let me know when you're almost done."

Xu Er: "Got it."

The restaurant was quite far. After getting out of the car, Xu Er had to walk quite a distance before spotting the sign.

However, as he passed by a storefront, he slowed his pace slightly.

Inside, he caught sight of a familiar face—the male contestant who had asked for Song Ruichi's WeChat twice.

Xu Er looked up at the store's sign. It turned out to be a children's art training center.

This person noticed him as well. The moment their eyes met, Xu Er hurriedly looked away, thinking to himself: *You can't see me, you can't see me.*

The restaurant was bustling with people even on a weekday. Fortunately, Xu Er had reserved a table in advance, though there were still many customers waiting outside.

Inside, Xu Er spotted someone sitting by the window waving at him. After confirming who it was, he walked over.

"Sorry I'm late," Xu Er said as soon as he sat down.

Yang Jian shook his head. "It's fine." He pushed his phone across the table. "I ordered a few dishes, take a look and see what else you'd like to add."

Xu Er: "Okay."

"What's this?" Xu Er pointed to a cup of milk tea on his table. "Complimentary from the restaurant?"

Yang Jian smiled and shook his head. "I bought it for you. Mango flavor. Don't you like eating mangoes?"

Xu Er gave a couple of dry laughs. "Thanks."

Yang Jian had already ordered quite a bit. Xu Er flipped through the menu and casually added two more dishes.

After placing the order, Xu Er handed the phone back to Yang Jian, but Yang Jian didn't take it immediately. Instead, he reached out a finger and backed out of the WeChat screen first.

With that exit, Xu Er naturally caught a glimpse of Yang Jian's phone wallpaper.

Good grief, it was a group photo from their high school days.

Xu Er almost dropped his phone.

If Xu Er were still his old self, he would have eagerly asked about the photo in surprise, reminiscing with Yang Jian about how it came to be.

But now that Xu Er was an out-and-proud gay man, Yang Jian's move genuinely made him feel awkward.

Xu Er quickly lowered his gaze and placed the phone on the table as if he hadn't seen a thing.

However, Yang Jian was not about to let him off the hook.

Since he had gone through the trouble of revealing it, he undoubtedly intended to make a big deal out of it.

"Do you remember this picture?" Yang Jian tapped his phone screen.

Xu Er let out a "ha," shoved the straw into the mango drink, mumbled an offhand "don't remember," and hastily changed the subject to steer the conversation away: "The food here is pretty spicy."

With that, Xu Er took a massive gulp through the straw.

*Ugh, this is truly awful.*

Actually, he only liked eating real mangoes, but whenever mango-flavored things on the market were made with artificial mango powder, they tasted utterly atrocious. He couldn't stomach a single sip.

Evidently, the beverage in his hand was made with that exact mango powder.

"I can handle spice," Yang Jian said, then tapped the now-darkened phone screen again. "This picture was taken on the very last day of our high school graduation."

Xu Er made a token effort to lean in and look. "Is that so? I guess it was, haha."

Yang Jian continued, "Our only photo together."

Xu Er nodded. "Really?"

Yang Jian: "I love this photo so much. Back then, the two of us were practically inseparable. Look how brightly we were smiling."

Xu Er nodded again. "Yeah, haha."

Yang Jian asked, "Do you want it? I can send it to you."

Xu Er nodded yet again. "Sure."

While Yang Jian was busy transferring the image, Xu Er's thoughts drifted far away.

He thought to himself that there truly is a barrier between ordinary straight guys and everyone else; straight guys were indeed bold enough to casually wax poetic to their friends about details of a relationship that could be easily misinterpreted.

Naturally, Xu Er was reminded of some of his early interactions and communications with Song Ruichi.

*Doubt Song Ruichi, understand Song Ruichi, become Song Ruichi.*

Facing such a straight guy right now, Xu Er's social anxiety was acting up in full force.

Perhaps because the photo was too old, Yang Jian was still searching for it.

Xu Er quietly pushed the milk tea slightly aside, poured himself a glass of lemon water, and checked his phone—Song Ruichi had messaged him.

Feeling as though a lifeline had been thrown to him, Xu Er immediately opened the message.

Song Ruichi had sent a photo of the living room with the lights off.

The accompanying text read: [A home devoid of people.]

As if Xu Er had traveled to the ends of the earth.

Xu Er smiled, lowered his head, and typed: [Be a good boy at home with Soso, I'm coming home right now.]