Xiang Xi felt that he was usually a pretty cautious person, but compared to someone like Mantou, he seemed like an old, meticulous... gangster.

Lately, he didn’t even know what was going on. Forgetting to refill his drink was one thing, but he had actually taken someone’s wallet so easily.

And yet, Cheng Boyan had such sharp eyes. By the time he realized it, Xiang Xi didn't even have time to stuff the wallet back.

“Hey... oh...” Xiang Xi crouched down, clutching his stomach. He wasn’t sure whether it was because of stomach pain or because he lamented how his image in Cheng Boyan's eyes had fallen into an abyss. In the end, he sighed dramatically, "Ohhh..."

Cheng Boyan kept staring at him. After Xiang Xi remained silent on the ground for a while, he finally pulled out a card and handed it to the cashier. “Swipe the card, and call me once it’s done.”

Xiang Xi raised his head as if to say he’d give him the extra 300, but Cheng Boyan squatted down in front of him, unzipped his down jacket, and slipped the envelope inside his clothing. “It’s settled. Don’t come looking for me again.”

Before Xiang Xi could speak, Cheng Boyan stood up and walked out the door.

When Xiang Xi ran out to follow, he saw Cheng Boyan get into a taxi. Within two minutes, the taxi disappeared around the corner.

“What’s with the attitude?” Xiang Xi clicked his tongue and turned back to the shop. He glanced at the cashier, then adjusted his clothes, placing the envelope back into his inner pocket, and slowly walked out.

Cheng Boyan looked down on him and was annoyed with him, not wanting to see him again... but of course, he hadn’t planned on seeking Cheng Boyan out either. He could understand that feeling. He felt like he could really understand why others might want to avoid him.

Especially, he could understand it.

Because he felt the same way.

Four thousand yuan!

But Cheng Boyan’s words still left him feeling somewhat depressed, not as easy to brush off as before. Maybe it was because he hadn't had much contact with “normal” people in a long time.

The last “normal” person he had spoken to was a photographer who rented a short-term place at No. 20 in Dawa street. The man was in his thirties and had traveled to many places, taking photos of locations like Zhao Jiayao. Xiang Xi had looked through his notebook, and the photos made it hard to believe it was the place he had lived in for nearly twenty years.

“You’re not shooting it right. It’s not dirty, chaotic, or messy at all,” Xiang Xi had said.

“You only see the dirt and chaos?” the photographer replied. “What I see is just another kind of life.”

Xiang Xi didn’t understand. He stared at the photo for a long time. “Is my life in there?”

“It is. My life is also part of it,” the photographer said. “It’s my month-long life here.”

“So vain, poet,” Xiang Xi had thought for a while and then laughed. “You’re just watching the show. You don’t know what life is really like here. If you did, you wouldn’t want to know. There are successful people who kill and set fires, there are failures who steal chickens and bit dogs, and there are people who can’t even make a sound when they open their mouths.”

"You’re really interesting, different from other people," the photographer said with interest. "We should chat more when we have the chance."

However, they never had a chance to talk more. Three days after this conversation, the photographer's money and cards were stolen, along with the box that contained various lives.

As a result, he was forced to leave. Before he left, he gave Xiang Xi a business card, saying they should keep in touch.

Xiang Xi placed the business card in the rundown house on Tongkui Hutong.

A few days later, he saw Ping Shu holding the photographer’s camera, which was supposedly worth around 100,000 yuan, playing with it. Of course, the lives inside it were already gone.

He couldn’t help but sigh for a moment. It was indeed the kind of life seen by people who are just watching the show—blink a few times, and it's erased.

To be honest, Xiang Xi himself also liked watching shows. Mainly because he was bored. Other than supplying Ping Shu with things, he didn’t have much else to do, so when others watched him, he watched others as well.

For example, Cheng Boyan. But Cheng Boyan wasn’t interested in watching him. He wanted to watch Cheng Boyan, but Cheng Boyan wouldn’t let him.

There was simply no way to reason with it.

After the winter break, Ping Shu’s family left, and Xiang Xi returned to No. 17.

It was pretty dull, living a life that just repeated itself like this.

In the afternoon, he went out for a walk by himself. He didn’t go far, not wanting to bump into the donkey-faced guy.

The donkey-faced guy and Ping Shu had a grudge, but no one knew the specifics. They probably didn’t even know themselves. It was just a matter of one of them taking the other's job or space, and not getting along—always looking for a fight.

But in the past, when the two sides ran into each other, they didn’t just start fighting right away. Xiang Xi felt there was something else going on lately, something new.

Ping Shu hadn’t let him know, though. Ping Shu was starting to keep his distance from him.

Xiang Xi frowned and clicked his tongue. He didn’t want to know.

When he pushed open the door to the house, he saw a few people sitting inside. Besides Ping Shu and Er Pan, there were a few people he recognized but wasn’t familiar with.

Xiang Xi was a little surprised. These people weren’t from the same circle as Ping Shu. Ping Shu was from the gangster circle, while the others were from a more dangerous crowd.

He glanced around, and no one spoke. He turned around and walked out, squatting by the wall to watch a wild cat on the opposite wall basking in the sun and scratching itself.

"Xiaozhan," After a while, the door behind him opened, and someone poked their head out to call him. "Go get something to eat."

"Who are you calling?" Xiang Xi turned back. He had only seen this guy once, brought by Er Pan. "Are you calling me?"

The person, leaning on the door, smiled. "How about who else?"

"Go to hell, anyone who wants to eat can get it themselves," Xiang Xi grumbled, still watching the cat, not caring about who was familiar or unfamiliar with him. "I’m not in the mood."

"Damn it!" The person, embarrassed, kicked the door and stepped out.

"Old Four," someone inside called him, "What’s going on? Having tea?"

"I’ll kill you," the person called Old Four cursed behind Xiang Xi as he turned and went back inside.

Xiang Xi stood up, stretched lazily, and walked out of Dawa street. He stopped by a fast food place at the corner and ordered a few meals to be delivered to No. 17.

"Xiaozhan, you still haven’t paid for the last meal," the boss said, looking at him unwillingly.

"Ask Ping Shu for it," Xiang Xi pinched a piece of meat from his plate and put it in his mouth. "It’s not like I ate it."

The boss didn’t say anything, standing still with a frying spatula in hand. Xiang Xi looked at him, sighed, then walked over and patted his shoulder. "If you go now, you can still get it. There’s a whole room of people, and if you ask, they’ll give it to you."

"Hey!" The boss shouted angrily. After Xiang Xi turned to leave, he added, "Why don’t you all just die!"

Xiang Xi smiled but didn’t say anything.

Die? Just wait and see.

He was hungry, but there were a bunch of strange people at No. 17, so he couldn’t get food. Eating outside wasn’t an option since he didn’t have much money on him... Even if he had money, he wouldn’t spend it on food.

Xiang Xi had been saving money, but for what? He wasn’t even sure himself. Despite the long time, he hadn’t saved up much.

After wandering aimlessly around the streets for a while, he ended up at the edge of Zhao Jiayao, an area that was relatively safe. Ping Shu had been collecting money here for a long time.

He decided to find a place to eat, so he went to the same restaurant where he hadn’t paid last month.

The boss was a fairly honest middle-aged man. Whenever Xiang Xi came to collect money for Ping Shu, he had never scolded him. Once, when the boss couldn’t come up with the money, Xiang Xi didn’t take it and just left. Because of this, Ping Shu slapped him twice.

As soon as Xiang Xi walked in, there were a few people eating. When the boss saw him, he walked over with a bitter smile. "Xiaozhan?"

"Give me two meat pies," Xiang Xi said, sitting down in the corner.

The boss brought the two meat pies and placed them on the table in front of him. After watching Xiang Xi take a couple of bites, he quietly asked, "What’s going on with you guys? The donkey-faced people came yesterday, collected the money, and smashed two tables..."

"What?" Xiang Xi raised an eyebrow. "Why didn’t you tell me yesterday?"

"I didn’t know what was going on with you guys. You hadn’t come this month. When I saw their people, I wondered if…" The boss frowned, looking troubled. "They smashed my tables."

This was a big deal. This wasn’t the donkey-faced guys’ territory, and now their people had suddenly come over to collect money—it was a challenge to Ping Shu.

Xiang Xi understood now why the donkey-faced guys had been after him; they were trying to take over the area.

"If they come again, call me," Xiang Xi said, still chewing his meat pie. He stood up and started heading toward the door. "Don’t tell them I know about it."

"What about the money…" The boss hesitated, asking.

"We’ll talk later, I’m leaving," Xiang Xi said, lifting the curtain and walking out.

Ping Shu wasn’t surprised by this, and Xiang Xi didn’t ask too many questions. The people Ping Shu called over might have been for this reason, but it wasn’t just for this. Thugs fighting for territory didn’t need to gather in groups.

Xiang Xi thought Ping Shu was getting old and was starting to think about trouble.

"You shouldn’t go out wandering around these days," Ping Shu said, holding a teapot. "Just stay at home, don’t go too far."

"Okay." Xiang Xi nodded.

"Xiaozhan," Ping Shu walked over, bent down, and stared at him for a while. "Raising you wasn’t easy."

"Thank you, Uncle," Xiang Xi said, his eyes fixed on the red string showing from Ping Shu’s collar. He knew that underneath the string was a jade ruyi of good quality. (NT: traditional Chinese ornament that is often made from jade, symbolizing power and good fortune)

Ping Shu adjusted his collar, then patted Xiang Xi’s head a couple of times before heading upstairs with the teapot.

Xiang Xi had his own small room at No. 17, located at the end of the corridor leading to the backyard. It was barely big enough to fit a bed, and whenever Ping Shu’s family came over, their luggage was placed there.

Xiang Xi idly lay in the small room for several days. People were coming and going outside, and Ping Shu and Er Pan often went out, but it was unclear what they were planning, or perhaps they had already begun executing their plans.

He couldn’t bother to think about it, his stomach hurt. His stomach was strange; despite eating and resting irregularly, the pain occurred more often than when he was simply lying in bed.

At this rate, he might really have to go to the hospital.

After several days of coming and going, Ping Shu and Er Pan suddenly stopped.

However, Xiang Xi’s stomach pain didn’t stop. After a day of not eating anything, his legs started to hurt as well. He asked Ping Shu for some money and, early the next morning, took Mantou to the hospital.

"Why ask Ping Shu for money? Look at the look in his eyes," Mantou, limping and frowning, said. "I’ve got some, I was planning to get a full-body check-up today..."

"Hey..." Xiang Xi clutched his stomach and laughed, "A full-body check-up? That doesn’t sound like something someone from Zhao Jiayao would say."

"You’d better get a check-up too. Don’t be so reckless," Mantou said seriously. "Aren’t you familiar with that doctor? See if he can arrange something for you..."

"Shut up," Xiang Xi interrupted him. "You really don’t mind your own business."

Xiang Xi wasn’t afraid of death, but he was scared of it. His stomach had been hurting for so long, and with no relief, he did feel fear, which was why he went to the hospital.

But he wasn’t going to get any check-ups. He didn’t understand why Mantou insisted on having one, making it seem like he was a normal person who ate, slept, worked, and lived—then went for a check-up.

At the hospital, Mantou went to the check-up center, while Xiang Xi went to the gastroenterology department.

He found the gastroenterology department on the floor plan, noticing that it was on the same floor as orthopedics.

He clicked his tongue, and suddenly, Cheng Boyan’s face flashed before his eyes.

On the second floor, the elevator opened. Orthopedics was to the left, and gastroenterology was to the right, where Xiang Xi needed to go.

Xiang Xi glanced left, then turned right and walked away.

Cheng Boyan had been busy all morning and didn’t have time to eat. Finally, when he had a chance to go to the bathroom, he found a cleaning lady inside.

"I don’t know who threw up all over the place," the cleaning lady said. "Doctor, go to the other side."

Cheng Boyan felt relieved that he hadn’t eaten yet. He quickly backed out and jogged down the corridor.

The hospital was busy today, especially after the New Year. The number of patients in gastroenterology was more than usual, and the chairs outside the clinic were all filled with people waiting for their number to be called.

As Cheng Boyan walked by, he casually scanned the crowd, and his gaze met someone’s.

Zhan Hongtu... no, Xiang Xi, sitting on a chair, tilted his head and held his forehead with one hand, staring at him.

After their eyes met, Xiang Xi smiled and curved his lips.

Cheng Boyan wasn’t sure whether Xiang Xi was here to cause trouble again or for a real check-up. He didn’t have time to deal with him and quickly went into the bathroom.

When he came out of the bathroom, Xiang Xi was still in the same position, not moving. His face looked bad, pale, and the small band-aid under his eye was very noticeable.

That band-aid is still on? A decoration?

"Dr. Cheng." Xiang Xi called out as Cheng Boyan passed by him.

"Ah," Cheng Boyan responded, "Here for a check-up?"

"Stomach ache," Xiang Xi said, "Waiting for a gastroscopy."

"Have you been fasting?" Cheng Boyan looked at his face, and it seemed that he really had a stomach issue. Lying about it seemed like trying to live up to a higher standard than life...

"I haven’t eaten since yesterday," Xiang Xi smiled.

"Then... you should wait a little longer," Cheng Boyan thought about his wallet, the money, and his ID and bank cards that were probably thrown somewhere, and his mood dropped. "I have other patients."

In the afternoon, the number of patients kept increasing. Cheng Boyan went from feeling very hungry to not feeling hungry at all. By the time it was almost time to finish work, he felt like he was turning into an immortal.

When the last patient left, Cheng Boyan realized that he had already been working for forty minutes past his shift. He changed his clothes, opened a drawer, found a chocolate snack, took two bites, and left the consultation room.

"Dr. Cheng, you're off work!" a nurse ran past him.

"Mm." He smiled.

"It's still early today. I saw Dr. Liu is still busy," the nurse said as she ran into the elevator.

Cheng Boyan stretched, moved his arms a little, took out his phone, and called his mother. His father was going on a business trip tomorrow for a meeting, but he had promised to come home for dinner today.

"You're done?" his mother answered the phone.

"Just got out. Do you want me to bring anything back?" Cheng Boyan walked downstairs. There were few patients left in the internal medicine department. He walked a few steps and stopped at the escalator.

Xiang Xi was sitting there, head down, staring blankly at his phone.

His face still didn’t look good; he seemed pretty down. Although he was tall, his long legs made him look quite thin.

Was the result of the gastroscopy bad?

"No need to bring anything. Just hurry home," his mother said over the phone. "By the way, there's something I keep forgetting to tell you. Your ID card was mailed home, what’s going on with that?"

"Hm?" Cheng Boyan was surprised. "My ID card?"

"Yes, it was sent back before the New Year. I’ve been too busy to tell you," his mother continued, "Did someone find it and toss it in the mailbox?"

"...Probably," Cheng Boyan thought for a moment. "Just leave it. I’m using the new ID card now."

After hanging up with his mother, Cheng Boyan hesitated for a moment, then walked over to Xiang Xi.

Xiang Xi seemed lost in thought. Cheng Boyan stood next to him for a while without Xiang Xi looking up. Finally, Cheng Boyan cleared his throat, "Are you done with your check-up?"

"Huh?" Xiang Xi looked up, surprised to see him. "Dr. Cheng? I was just thinking, who’s the idiot standing next to me watching me space out so boringly..."

Cheng Boyan was at a loss for how to respond to that.

"Finished the check-up, no tumors," Xiang Xi smiled at him and stood up. "You're off work?"

"Yeah, I'm off," Cheng Boyan nodded. "By the way... the ID card you sent?"

"Received it? It took this long to arrive?" Xiang Xi clicked his tongue. "I heard that if you throw the ID card into a mailbox, the postal worker can deliver it back by the address. Looks like it's true."

"I received it before the New Year." Cheng Boyan almost said "thank you," but then remembered the ID card was sent by Xiang Xi, though it was originally stolen by him. He quickly held back his words.

He didn’t know what else to say. Just as he turned to leave, he stopped again. He couldn’t resist, pointing at the band-aid at the corner of Xiang Xi's eye: "Did this grow out of your face?"

Xiang Xi was momentarily stunned, then touched the corner of his eye and laughed. "Yeah, when it heals, I'll take it off, but it’ll grow back. Last time it was 'Hello Kitty,' now it's 'Ding Dang Cat.'"

Cheng Boyan watched him laugh for a while, then turned and walked toward the escalator, genuinely unsure of what else to say.

"Dr. Cheng." Xiang Xi stopped laughing and called out from behind.

Cheng Boyan sighed, stopped, and turned around.

Xiang Xi walked over, tore off the band-aid from his face, and pointed at the corner of his eye. "It’s for covering this."

Cheng Boyan was a bit confused. "A tear mole?"

The skin around the mole was very pale and noticeably different from the surrounding skin, suggesting it had been covered by the band-aid for a long time. Quite an unusual reason.

"Yeah," Xiang Xi nodded, then pulled a small pack of cartoon band-aids from his pocket, picking out a bear design and sticking it on. "It’s unlucky."

Cheng Boyan thought it was ridiculous. What’s unlucky about a mole? But he didn’t say anything.

Just as he was about to speak, Xiang Xi bent his leg, pounded on it, then stretched it a couple of times. His movement made Cheng Boyan change his question: "Your leg hurt?"

"Ah, the stomach pain has spread to my leg..." Xiang Xi hadn't finished his sentence when Cheng Boyan suddenly bent down and pressed on his leg, causing him to jump. "What’s wrong?"

"Where does it hurt? Here? Or here?" Cheng Boyan asked. "Is it muscle pain or bone pain? How long has it been hurting?"

Xiang Xi was stumped by his questions and didn’t respond immediately. After a while, he jumped up in place: "I think it's muscle pain. I’ve probably been lying in bed for too long these past two days... Do you have a professional condition or something? Why are you so tense?"

"No, are you sure it’s muscle pain? If it’s bone pain and doesn’t ease up, you should come to the hospital," Cheng Boyan straightened up, said no more, and turned to go up the escalator.

 

Translator : DarNan