Chapter 7
This meal was unusually quiet.
Song Ruichi looked quite normal, so by contrast, Ying Jing, who sat beside him, seemed rather unusual.
Xu Er, whose attention was hardly on Ying Jing, noticed that although this person was mostly silent, there was a moment when he suddenly smiled, as if he desperately wanted to speak but was holding back.
Naturally, Xu Er didn’t say anything; he simply pretended not to have noticed and lowered his head to eat his noodles.
Toward the end of breakfast, Song Ruichi and Ying Jing exchanged a few words. The gist was that Song Ruichi had to go to City B, taking a car in an hour, and Ying Jing complained a little about his work.
After leaving Song Ruichi’s home, Xu Er actually felt a bit reluctant to part.
Though Soso followed them to the door because of Song Ruichi, in the end, it was Xu Er who left, and Soso seemed to be following him, as if seeing him off.
Soso was truly adorable; he would nuzzle Xu Er’s hand with his head and roll around in Xu Er’s arms.
Soso was also the most beautiful cat Xu Er had ever encountered in his life; he was truly stunning.
However, Xu Er didn’t say much or show any particular reaction, because of Ying Jing’s presence. He remained even quieter, assigning himself the role of a minor character who had only accidentally appeared here—doing nothing but following Song Ruichi and answering only the questions Song Ruichi asked.
The ride home was in Ying Jing’s car. It was a ten-minute drive, and he and Song Ruichi chatted casually a few words from the back seat.
Upon arrival, Xu Er first thanked Song Ruichi, then Ying Jing.
After closing the car door, Xu Er watched the car for a moment before turning back toward the community.
Inside the car, the usually quiet Ying Jing suddenly reacted.
“Oh yo oh yo oh yo.” He let out this sound with a tone dripping sarcasm.
Song Ruichi didn’t respond because he knew there was no need; Ying Jing would make a fool of himself on his own.
Sure enough, Ying Jing couldn’t hold it for even two seconds.
“So obedient, huh.”
That line was good.
Song Ruichi: “Very obedient.”
Ying Jing glanced at Song Ruichi through the rearview mirror: “Is he the one Shi Ziyi mentioned?”
Song Ruichi: “Mm.”
Ying Jing clicked his tongue forcefully: “What a clingy little thing. Look at this morning, glued to you the whole time. What, is he your little accessory?”
Song Ruichi smiled lightly: “Why, not allowed?”
“Okay, okay, I’ll stay out of the little couple’s business,” Ying Jing laughed so hard his mouth nearly split to his scalp. “Besides, did you see the reluctant look in his eyes when he left your place? Wow, like you two were about to be apart for ages.”
Ying Jing looked at Song Ruichi again through the rearview mirror: “What’s the deal? How long have you known each other to be this inseparable?”
Song Ruichi calmly replied with a sound that might have been a “hm” or a “heh.”
Curious, Ying Jing pressed: “Spill it, what happened yesterday?”
Song Ruichi glanced out the window: “Nothing much, we spent the whole night assembling Lego.”
Ying Jing was a bit confused: “What Lego? The typewriter?”
Song Ruichi: “Mm.”
Ying Jing: “What kind of hobby is that? Part of your pure love story?”
Song Ruichi said: “He has a low alcohol tolerance; he blacked out last night.”
Ying Jing emitted a very puzzled “huh?” then laughed: “Such a kid, and after getting drunk, you two ended up building Lego?”
Song Ruichi: “It was his first time at a bar.”
Ying Jing burst out laughing: “Oh wow, special treatment, huh?”
Song Ruichi gave a half-smile.
Suddenly, Ying Jing shivered: “By the way, you guys didn’t do anything else, right?”
Song Ruichi: “You guess.”
Ying Jing: “There must have been kissing, right?”
Song Ruichi seemed to ponder a moment before tossing out a “No.”
No, huh.
Ying Jing clicked his tongue twice: “Really pure love?”
Song Ruichi: “Fake pure love.”
Ying Jing laughed: “I can’t keep that in.”
Song Ruichi looked out the window: “Suit yourself.”
Ying Jing: “Oh yo yo, don’t tell me you’re waiting for me to promote this?”
Song Ruichi put on a mischievous look: “Did I?”
Ying Jing felt very pleased: “I wasn’t clear on what happened at the bar last night, but seeing you two together today, you actually look quite good together. He’s got that obedient look but somehow pulls off being with you.”
Song Ruichi: “Good match?”
Ying Jing immediately: “Perfect match!”
After driving a few more minutes, Ying Jing suddenly burst out laughing.
“Just now,” Ying Jing wobbled slightly, “you asked him what his plans were for the evening, and he said he didn’t have any plans yet. Then he said he had three days off, and the next two days were free too. Hahaha.”
Song Ruichi’s eyes curved with a smile.
“Really, don’t love him too much,” Ying Jing said, “otherwise you’d have to ask him out, or it wouldn’t be polite.”
A car swiftly left City A, and someone collapsed onto his bed with a thud.
Then Xu Er removed the protective cover from the Lego typewriter on his phone and placed it neatly at the center of his desk.
He was happy, though also a little regretful; he had forgotten the process of assembling the typewriter completely, as if he had just bought the finished product.
After buying the cover, Xu Er checked the price of the typewriter on the official Lego website and then opened Song Ruichi’s WeChat.
At this moment, his feelings toward Song Ruichi were somewhat strange.
It felt like they were very familiar, yet not quite. Familiar because of Song Ruichi’s behavior; their contact this morning felt as if they had been long-time friends, but on the other hand, they truly weren’t that close.
So Xu Er suddenly didn’t know how to communicate—should he be polite or casual?
He had no idea how they had interacted last night.
Maybe he should drink some wine and chat with him later.
Haha, just kidding.
After much deliberation, he decided to be straightforward and sent the money for the Lego first.
Then he wrote: “Thanks for taking care of me last night, sorry for the trouble.”
Followed by an emoji: [Thanks bro].
Song Ruichi immediately replied: “What’s this?”
Xu Er: “The money for the typewriter.”
Song Ruichi: “Return the transfer.”
Xu Er: “Huh?”
He thought for a moment: “Isn’t this the price?”
Song Ruichi: “It’s a gift.”
Xu Er: “No need, I bought it.”
Song Ruichi: “Don’t make me upset.”
Xu Er’s typing hand froze instantly. Looking at Song Ruichi’s message, he deleted the phrase “Sorry to trouble you all night” from the text box, replacing it with: “Don’t be upset.”
What Xu Er didn’t know was that when Song Ruichi saw those four words, he instantly smiled.
Song Ruichi: “Are you sleepy?”
Xu Er hadn’t felt anything before, but Song Ruichi’s question was interesting, and suddenly he felt drowsy.
Xu Er: “How did you know I was sleepy?”
Song Ruichi: “Slept at four, woke at nine, how could you not be?”
Xu Er was surprised: “We sleep so late?”
Song Ruichi: “You just realized?”
Those words seemed to have a voice, as if right beside him. Xu Er even imagined hearing Song Ruichi say, “Mr. Xu.”
He seemed to have grasped Song Ruichi’s way of speaking; he immediately understood the hidden meaning.
No wonder Song Ruichi was so sleepy when he woke in the middle of the night yesterday.
Xu Er smiled sheepishly: “Mr. Song is such a good man.”
Song Ruichi: “I think so too.”
Xu Er’s smile deepened.
Song Ruichi was so interesting.
Xu Er: “Are you in the car?”
Song Ruichi: “Yes.”
Xu Er: “Okay.”
Probably busy over there, Xu Er waited a few seconds on this screen. Since Song Ruichi didn’t say anything more, he exited the chat.
Then he saw a message from Xu Chen.
He asked: “Awake, bro?”
Xu Er: “Awake.”
As soon as he sent the two words, his phone suddenly rang. Xu Chen was calling him with a voice message.
Xu Er’s slight drowsiness was instantly shattered.
He answered the call and heard Xu Chen whisper, “Hello.”
Xu Er: “Why are you talking like that?”
Xu Chen laughed and spoke normally: “Where are you?”
Xu Er: “At the apartment.”
Xu Chen exhaled deeply: “By yourself?”
Xu Er: “Otherwise?”
Xu Chen: “Where’s Song Ruichi?”
Xu Er was puzzled but answered first: “He went to City B.”
On the other end, Xu Chen uttered a long “Oh.”
Xu Er was curious: “How do you know about Song Ruichi and me?”
Xu Chen let out a laugh Xu Er couldn’t understand: “Yesterday you were asking for people in the group chat. Later, after I finished gaming, I tried to contact you but you didn’t reply, so I called you. Guess what!” Xu Chen suddenly shouted loudly: “Who answered the phone?!”
Xu Er guessed with his toe: “Song Ruichi answered.”
Xu Chen: “Exactly!”
Xu Chen was so excited you could tell: “Damn! You have no idea how shocked I was! I almost couldn’t speak, but Song Ruichi answered, so I had to act cool.”
Xu Er asked: “What did you guys talk about?”
“Something like this?” Xu Chen seemed too excited to remember clearly: “Not much. He said you drank a bit and were at his place or something.”
Then Xu Chen suddenly yelled: “Tell me! Where did you sleep last night?!”
“At his place,” Xu Er explained. “We met at a bar near my place yesterday. They had a drinking event, and I got drunk.”
Xu Chen dragged out a long “Ah~”
Xu Er laughed, puzzled: “What’s up?”
Xu Chen: “Nothing~”
Xu Er: “You don’t sound like it’s nothing.”
Xu Chen went back to normal: “Alright, really nothing. Are you okay now?”
Xu Er: “I’m fine now.”
Xu Chen: “Haha, you didn’t know you have a low tolerance, did you?”
Xu Er: “Maybe I really didn’t.” He smiled helplessly. “I know now.”
Xu Chen: “Drink less in the future.”
Xu Er: “Got it.”
Xu Er’s drowsiness wasn’t enough to make him sleep right away, so after hanging up, he leisurely watched a movie and had lunch.
Only then did he gradually fall asleep.
He slept for a long time and woke up with the sky almost dark.
Autumn sunsets come early. Xu Er pulled open the curtains to a beautiful evening glow and took a photo casually.
Then he sent it to Song Ruichi.
No particular reason, just that Song Ruichi had sent him a photo too.
About half an hour earlier, a picture of a conference room projector came with the message: “So sleepy.”
So Xu Er replied with text: “Watching the sunset.”
He added: “Just woke up.”
And asked: “Are you done?”
It wasn’t until Xu Er finished dinner that he received Song Ruichi’s reply.
He said: “Done.”
And added: “Tired.”