Cheng Boyan rarely ate out unless he was dining with friends. It wasn’t healthy, and more importantly, it was tiring. He usually just made something simple at home, so he basically didn’t know what food options were nearby.

Xiang Xi, on the other hand, knew very well. He took Cheng Boyan to a pork bone broth hot pot restaurant by the east gate. The neighbourhood had gates in all four directions—east, south, west, and north—and Xiang Xi knew everything that was on the streets outside each gate. Cheng Boyan couldn’t quite understand how he’d managed to figure it all out when he had only stayed there a few days and was sick on top of that.

Wait, only a few days?

Cheng Boyan had always lived alone. He was used to going home and exercising, eating, and reading by himself. With Xiang Xi suddenly inserting himself into his life—carefree and sloppy—Cheng Boyan found it hard to adjust. It felt like a long time had passed.

Now, watching Xiang Xi sitting across from him with his chin resting in his hand, listening to the waiter list menu items, Cheng Boyan suddenly realized time had actually flown by. In the blink of an eye, Xiang Xi was about to move out. They hadn’t even finished laying down their three rules.

“This dish here, you might want to take a look…” The waiter opened the menu and placed it in front of Xiang Xi.

“No need,” Xiang Xi said, still resting his chin in his hand, tapping his lips lightly with a finger. “I don’t understand it anyway.”

“I’ll take a look,” Cheng Boyan smiled and picked up the menu. “I’ll just order directly, alright?”

“Okay,” Xiang Xi nodded.

The waiter immediately moved to Cheng Boyan’s side to introduce the dishes. Cheng Boyan picked a hot pot and a few small side dishes.

“Would you like any drinks?” the waiter asked.

“Yes,” Xiang Xi raised an eyebrow and lifted his chin from his hand.

“Red Star Erguotou (NT: a strong Chinese liquor),” Cheng Boyan said. “And…”

“You’re drinking Erguotou?” Xiang Xi looked at him, surprised. He thought for a second and added, “Alright, I haven’t had Erguotou in ages.”

“One bottle of Erguotou, is that right?” the waiter confirmed.

“Two—” Xiang Xi tried to correct the waiter, but was cut off by Cheng Boyan.

“One bottle. And one bottle of Nutritional Express (NT: a sweet dairy drink),” Cheng Boyan added, glancing at Xiang Xi again.

“Got it,” the waiter walked away.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Xiang Xi propped an elbow on the table and glared at Cheng Boyan. “One bottle of Erguotou, one bottle of Nutritional Express?”

“Yeah. The liquor’s for me,” Cheng Boyan said, sipping his tea. “The drink’s for you.”

Xiang Xi didn’t reply. He stared at Cheng Boyan for a long while before finally asking, “You drink Erguotou?”

“I’m not driving today,” Cheng Boyan replied.

“No, I mean… you were drinking red wine just yesterday, trying to act all classy,” Xiang Xi clicked his tongue. “And now you’ve suddenly switched to Erguotou?”

“What’s it to you?” Cheng Boyan chuckled and leaned back in his chair. “You’re just drinking a kid’s drink.”

“Hey, yeah! Why do I have to drink Nutritional Express?! I’m not driving either—I don’t even have a car!” Xiang Xi finally remembered his original point.

“Didn’t your doctor tell you no smoking or drinking for now?” Cheng Boyan asked.

“…He did,” Xiang Xi sighed and slumped over the table. “I haven’t smoked at all—so I should be fine now, right? Can’t I have just a few sips?”

“Don’t lean on the table, it’s dirty,” Cheng Boyan frowned. “You sure have a craving for alcohol.”

“It’s not that dirty. I’m not even touching it with my face…” Xiang Xi sat upright, exasperated. “I used to have a few drinks with Uncle Ping when I was a kid. It’s not an addiction, I just like to drink a little sometimes. Looks like you have the real drinking habit. Erguotou? You must have a high tolerance?”

“Never been drunk,” Cheng Boyan smirked.

“Oho?” Xiang Xi narrowed his eyes. “Big talk. When I’m better, let’s drink a few rounds together.”

“Sure,” Cheng Boyan replied.

Having found a job, it was clear Xiang Xi was in a good mood. During the meal, Cheng Boyan didn’t say much, just ate while listening to Xiang Xi non-stop talk.

It was a mix of truth and exaggeration, and Cheng found it hard to even find a chance to chime in.

The toy sales job was definitely some illegal black-market operation—they had shovels ready to fight, chased him down several blocks, and he ran so much his shoes nearly wore through.

The restaurant was decent though. Business was good, the owners were a chubby couple who looked more like siblings than spouses. They were nice people, gave him time to find a place to stay, paid decently, and even included two meals a day.

Finding a place to live went smoothly too—a single room with shared kitchen, mostly student neighbours. Pretty good overall…

“Since you’ve decided to stick with this job for now, then do it properly,” Cheng Boyan finally found a chance to speak when Xiang Xi leaned back to drink his beverage. “You can gain something from any kind of work—even if it’s just moving bricks, there’s something to learn.”

“Like what?” Xiang Xi looked at him, a little puzzled.

“Like the most efficient way to move them. Or what posture won’t hurt your back,” Cheng Boyan took a sip of his liquor. “All that’s valuable experience.”

“Hmm, I guess I could learn how to make claypot rice,” Xiang Xi said with a smile.

"You can also observe what the bosses do every day," Cheng Boyan said, taking another sip. "See what makes a restaurant successful—what if you end up opening your own claypot rice place one day?"

"That's true," Xiang Xi laughed, then glanced at the bottle in Cheng Boyan’s hand and froze. "Wait a second, I only leaned back and you've already drunk half the bottle?"

"You should go get your eyes checked at our hospital’s ophthalmology department. It's one of the top three in the province," Cheng Boyan replied.

"You're savage," Xiang Xi clicked his tongue. "Drinking that fast and never getting drunk... Hey, isn’t drinking like that bad for your health?"

"Just once in a while," Cheng Boyan said, looking at the bottle. "Same as me eating that burnt egg yesterday."

Xiang Xi laughed for a long time, then rubbed his nose. "Don’t even mention it. I still can't believe it. Once I learn how to make claypot rice at the restaurant, I’ll cook it for you again."

After dinner, Xiang Xi dragged Cheng Boyan around the neighbourhood for two full laps, saying he ate too much and needed to walk it off. Cheng Boyan didn’t object, and followed him for nearly an hour before they finally returned home.

"Are you drunk?" Xiang Xi asked after changing clothes at the door.

"Don’t feel like it," Cheng Boyan checked the time. "Go take a shower and pack up your things."

"Okay." Xiang Xi responded but didn’t move, still sitting on the sofa.

"I'll help bring your stuff over after I get off work tonight, so you don’t have to run back and forth," Cheng Boyan added.

"Alright," Xiang Xi said again, still not moving, eyes fixed on the TV.

Cheng Boyan walked over and turned the TV on, tossing the remote next to him. "I’m gonna shower first."

"Okay." Xiang Xi nodded.

Cheng Boyan glanced at him once before turning and heading into the bathroom.

When he came back out, Xiang Xi was still sitting on the sofa, legs crossed, hugging a cushion, staring blankly at the TV.

Cheng Boyan noticed the channel hadn’t even been changed.

"What’s wrong?" He walked over and stood in front of him. "Feeling uneasy about starting work tomorrow?"

"…I don’t know," Xiang Xi said, resting his chin on the cushion and nodding slowly. "I’ve never felt uneasy about stuff like this before. Even the first time I worked a job with Uncle Ping, I wasn’t nervous."

"This is different," Cheng Boyan smiled.

"Yeah," Xiang Xi frowned. "It kinda feels like when I first left Zhaojiayao. I knew there was a road ahead, but my feet were still in the dark. You told me to just go for it, and I kept that in mind—but when it comes time to actually take that step, I’m afraid I’ll trip and fall into a hole."

Cheng Boyan looked at him and smiled gently after a pause. "That’s why you need to take each step steadily. It’s okay to go slow, but don’t rush."

"You’re like a light," Xiang Xi said.

"What?" Cheng Boyan didn’t catch it.

"A light," Xiang Xi looked up and smiled. "When I’m standing next to you, it’s bright. But when I walk away, it’s dark again."

Cheng Boyan opened his mouth but didn’t say anything. Xiang Xi stretched and stood up. "I’ve been thinking about life way too much lately—it's messing with the way I talk."

"You could write things down when you’ve got time," Cheng Boyan said. Then, thinking about it, added, "Oh, right—you can’t write..."

Xiang Xi just smiled without replying.

Cheng Boyan turned and went into the bedroom. A moment later, he came back with a small black box and handed it to Xiang Xi. "Here, have fun with this. I used to record medical notes on it."

"A voice recorder?" Xiang Xi looked it over—it was similar to Fang Yin’s. "What would I even record? A confession?"

"Just for fun," Cheng smiled. "People need to let things out. Speaking it, writing it—it makes a difference."

"Do you let things out too?" Xiang Xi asked.

Cheng Boyan crossed his arms and looked at him for a long time, then smiled faintly without answering.

"Then I’ll take it. Thanks," Xiang Xi looked at the recorder for a long moment before finally lifting his head to look at Cheng Boyan. "Really—thank you."

"Alright, that’s enough," Cheng Boyan clicked his tongue. "If you stay in this emotional state any longer, are you gonna start sobbing into my shoulder?"

Xiang Xi put the voice recorder in his pocket, took a deep breath, and opened his arms to hug Cheng Boyan.

Cheng Boyan froze in place.

"You’re not like me—you don’t know what it feels like to have someone reach out and pull you up," Xiang Xi said quietly as he hugged him. "When I see you, I feel like bowing three times and kneeling nine—just to say thank you."

"…Is that so?" Cheng Boyan hesitated, then hugged him back. "Well, next time just go ahead and kneel. It’s fine."

Xiang Xi laughed while still holding onto him, not letting go.

Cheng Boyan didn’t move either, gently patting him twice on the back.

The hug was a long-forgotten feeling.

Xiang Xi was thin, and hugging him felt a little like hugging Cheng Boyu. Of course, he had probably only hugged Cheng Boyu once in his life, so maybe it wasn’t the same. Xiang Xi was quite tall, while Cheng Boyu hadn’t grown that much yet…

After telling Xiang Xi about Cheng Boyu that day, Xiang Xi hadn’t called him “big brother” again. Some feelings had already started to become uncertain.

“I haven’t showered yet,” Xiang Xi said. “Now that you’ve hugged me, are you going to go back and take another shower?”

Cheng Boyan smiled without saying anything. Xiang Xi’s voice brushing past his ear brought on a sudden, unfamiliar…

Urge—or something else.

Cheng Boyan pushed Xiang Xi away. The short hair brushing against his cheek only intensified the feeling. He glanced at him—clear eyes, well-defined and attractive features…

“I’m gonna… take a shower,” Cheng Boyan said, turning toward the bathroom. “No—just wash my face… actually, I’ll just wash my hands.”

“Can you make up your mind?” Xiang Xi laughed from the living room.

“Nope,” Cheng Boyan said, standing in front of the sink and turning on the tap. “If I feel like washing, I wash. Looking good doing it too. That’s just how handsome I am.”

“Psycho,” Xiang Xi leaned against the doorframe. “Dr. Cheng, that claypot rice place is pretty close to your hospital. You should come tomorrow and get familiar with the route. When you don’t have time to eat, you can swing by. I’ll make something just for you… though it’ll take some time. I need to learn first.”

“Alright,” Cheng Boyan turned off the water.

“You didn’t wash your hands,” Xiang Xi pointed at his hands.

“Oh, right,” Cheng Boyan turned around and turned the tap back on to wash.

*

When Cheng Boyan got off work, he walked out of the hospital carrying Xiang Xi’s bag. It was light—he’d seen what was inside when Xiang Xi packed it: just the two sets of clothes Cheng Boyan had bought him, some toiletries, and a small tin box. Whatever treasures Xiang Xi kept in there, that was all he had.

Holding that bag, Cheng Boyan could understand Xiang Xi’s anxiety. What he was trying to leave behind wasn’t just a messy past, but everything.

That life was his everything. Once he let go of it, all he had left was this bag. And if not for Cheng Boyan being like a guiding light in his life, he wouldn’t even have the bag—just a single tin box.

In truth, what Xiang Xi had wasn’t just a stubborn will to fight—it was courage.

The claypot rice place was in the middle of a row of small eateries, with an unremarkable store front. But Xiang Xi had told him: don’t look at the sign, look at the people. The busiest place—that's the one.

It was dinnertime now, and Cheng immediately spotted the busiest shop. Tables had even been set up on the sidewalk, all full. He saw Xiang Xi running out with two claypots for customers. Though it was still cool enough to need a jacket, he was only wearing a T-shirt, and his face was already sweaty.

Cheng drove over, rolled down the window, and gave a short honk.

Xiang Xi looked up, saw him, waved with a grin, and shouted, “I’m swamped! Go find somewhere to park and wait for me a bit!”

Cheng Boyan nodded and drove off to look for a spot.

The street was adjacent to several busy shopping areas, but space was tight, and it had never been redeveloped. The road was narrow and filled with decades-old eateries. Business was good, and parking was a nightmare.

Cheng Boyan drove around all four blocks in a full loop—and couldn’t find a single space.

When he passed the claypot rice place again, Xiang Xi spotted him, waved again, and yelled, “Why are you still circling? Go find a spot!”

“I…” Cheng Boyan wanted to explain that he had been looking and already circled once, but Xiang Xi had already dashed back into the shop. Cheng s Boyan ighed and kept driving.

On the second lap, Xiang Xi had his back turned and didn’t see him. On the third, he happened to be tossing a bag of trash into a bin. As soon as he saw Cheng Boyan’s car, his eyes went wide: “What are you doing?!”

“You think I want to be doing this?!” Cheng Boyan lowered the window and shouted. “This stupid place—I’ve already burned through a quarter tank just circling!”

Just as he was about to start a fourth lap, a nearby car turned on its headlights—someone was leaving. Xiang Xi leapt into action, running over and yelling, “Here! Here! This way!”

There were lots of other drivers looking for parking too—some of them had probably been circling more than three times. As soon as the car pulled out, three others tried to squeeze in.

“Aw, hell no!” Xiang Xi jumped into the street, blocking the way for the others, leaving space only for Cheng Boyan. “This spot’s taken!”

Cheng Boyan eased the car into the spot right behind Xiang Xi, close enough to hear a woman in one of the other cars mutter, “Wow… claypot rice shops offer valet service now?”

“Give me five minutes!” Xiang Xi leaned on the window and spoke quickly. “Just four more customers, then I’ll be free! Are you gonna wait in the car or come into the shop… wait, there might not be any seats…”

“Don’t worry about me,” Cheng Boyan said. “Just get back to work.”

“Wait for me!” Xiang Xi patted the car door, then dashed back inside.

Cheng Boyan watched him go—still pretty thin, but he’d clearly gained some weight since they first met. Running around like that, he looked energetic.

He was hungry. Cheng Boyan turned off the engine, grabbed a box of milk from the back seat, and drank.

These little street-side shops didn’t exactly meet hygiene standards or nutritional goals, but the aroma of the food was mouthwatering. Cheng Boyan had been on his feet all day—barely had a few bites of lunch before an emergency came in. He tossed his bowl and stayed busy until shift’s end. Now, the smell of claypot rice was torture.

All the customers had been served, and with no new ones coming in for the moment, Xiang Xi ran over carrying two lunchboxes. He pulled open the car door and got into the passenger seat.

“Ai! I’m exhausted—it’s been so busy, I probably smell like it too,” Xiang Xi said while handing over one of the lunchboxes. “I told my boss my friend was waiting for me, and he made a portion for you. Want to try it? I asked him to go easy on the oil and keep the toppings light.”

“How much was it?” Cheng Boyan didn’t say whether he’d eat it or not, but he took the lunchbox.

“Free! As soon as he heard you were my friend—and that you’re a doctor from the big hospital nearby—he practically wanted to bring it to you himself,” Xiang Xi chuckled. “I figured you probably can’t eat it, but I brought it anyway. My boss is a good guy.”

“Thank him for me,” Cheng Boyan smiled. “I’ll eat it in a bit… Your bag’s in the back—should I bring it over now, or…”

“Bring it where?” Xiang Xi asked.

“To your rental,” Cheng said, looking at him.

“…Oh! No need, no need!” Xiang Xi quickly waved his hands. “Just leave it at the shop—it’s fine. I shower at the shop anyway; saves a bit on utilities at the rental.”

“Oh,” Cheng handed him a box of milk. “You haven’t eaten yet, right?”

“Not yet. Boss said I can eat after this batch of customers leave—probably around nine.” Xiang Xi lowered his head and eagerly drank the milk.

“Drink milk in small sips—it absorbs better,” Cheng said, watching the little beads of sweat on the tip of Xiang Xi’s nose and his forehead.

“I can’t sip, I’m dying of thirst,” Xiang Xi said, wiping his sweat with the back of his hand. After wiping, he noticed Cheng Boyan looking at his hand, so he held it up. “What should I do?”

“Wipe it on your clothes,” Cheng Boyan sighed.

“My clothes are already soaked with sweat and grease,” Xiang Xi said, rubbing his hand on his pants. “I’ve probably already smeared it all over your car.”

“Shut up,” Cheng Boyan said.

After finishing the milk, Xiang Xi tossed the empty carton out the window. Cheng frowned and was just about to say something when he saw it land perfectly in a trash can two meters away.

“Tired?” he asked Xiang Xi.

“Not too bad. It’s just this rush—when it’s not mealtime, it’s pretty quiet,” Xiang Xi smiled. “After nine it’ll calm down. Boss’s niece has the college entrance exam coming up, so they don’t serve late-night snacks anymore—he goes home to take care of her.”

“Mm. Then get to bed early tonight—your body’s still not fully recovered,” Cheng Boyan reminded him. “Don’t forget your meds.”

Xiang Xi nodded repeatedly, and after a brief silence, scratched his head. “I should… get back to work.”

“Go ahead,” Cheng Boyan said.

“You coming again tomorrow?” Xiang Xi asked as he was getting out of the car.

Cheng Boyan was momentarily caught off guard. Before he could respond, Xiang Xi laughed, “Just slipped out—I wasn’t really asking.”

“Come by the hospital in a few days when you’re free,” Cheng Boyan said. “We’ll take an X-ray and check how your leg’s doing.”

“Okay!” Xiang Xi nodded eagerly, closed the door, then leaned back down at the window. “Can I call you tonight? I mean, there’s no TV, and it’s kind of boring.”

“Not too late—after ten I need to study,” Cheng Boyan said.

“Got it!” Xiang Xi backed away a couple of steps, looking cheerful. “I’ll remember.”

 

Translator : DarNan