In the blink of an eyes, May had long last arrived. The once brisk weather was now starting to warm up as blankets of sunlight endlessly hung high in the infinite sky above. Two days ago, a rare occurrence took place in an apartment that belonged to two youthful adolescents. Bai Luo Yin and Gu Hai was diligently working for the first time. They cleaned, gathered their thick clothes and quilts and neatly put it away in the closet. Surprisingly, in a bizarre weather change, the next day, the temperature dropped and became a bit cooler.

For nearly three months, their days were comfortable, ordinary yet peaceful.  

The amount of times Bai Luo Yin returned home lessen with each coming day.

On the weekend, he only went home for a meal, accompanied his family for a while, take A Lang out for a walk here and there for a while……then afterwards, with a rather brazen face, he would steal all the delicious food that he could carry out and stuff it all in the refrigerator back at their apartment.    

Bai Luo Yin's driving skills had improved tremendously so on occasion when Gu Hai became a bit lazy, he would let Bai Luo Yin take his car out for a drive to buy them breakfast.

On another note, Gu Hai's culinary skill had improved immensely with each dish he made. The noodles that he made doesn't become doughy anymore and for the majority of the time, the strands did not break. Now, it slithered in one whole into the cooking pot. Although at times the length varies and were unevenly matched but once eaten it was tasteful.   

The pa.s.sing of their days, with just the two of them together, was peaceful and full of delightfulness.

One afternoon, due to the fact that someone among the two of them ate one more quail eggs than the other, a quarrel broke out. These two 185cm old teen adults, r.e.t.a.r.dedly use their chopsticks to strike each other in the head. While they continued to attack each other with chopsticks in hand, they also urgently tried to stuff their face. After each having eaten about half the bowl of rice and other dishes, they then started to run blindly all over the room, playing around like two crazy maniacs.

Bai Luo Yin was always able to mount a sneak attack on Gu Hai. Not wanting to be beaten, Gu Hai put on a fierce face, looked at Bai Luo Yin with sharp eyes and chased after him.  

Bai Luo Yin dodged and hid until there was no place left for him to hid. Before long he suddenly fled outside the front door and firmly, with unwavering hands, he held onto the doork.n.o.b, stopping Gu Hai from coming out.

For a period of time, Gu Hai was at a deadlock with Bai Luo Yin but thinking his thoughts through, he locked the door from the inside. 'Click.'

Aren't you pretty capable? If you have the ability to, you can directly use your finger to pry the door open.

Feeling satisfied, Gu Hai looked outside through the peephole encase in the door.

Upon seeing Bai Luo Yin's utterly discomfited and fl.u.s.tered expression, Gu Hai stealthily laughed to himself. After sufficiently laughing rather joyfully for a moment, he swaggered back into the dining room, sat down, and calmly continued to eat his meal. All the while he snorted in his head:

You little b.a.s.t.a.r.d[1] You don't want to press the doorbell or give me a kiss, then I  will not open the freaking door for you!

While Bai Luo Yin was still outside mulling over how he could get in, the elevator door that faced him, opened. A familiar silhouette emerged into his line of sight.

"General Gu……Uncle."

Bai Luo Yin couldn't help but to laughed a bit unnaturally.

Gu Wei Ting's formidable figure stood in front of him for a long time. When he took a glimpse at him, even the softness in his eyes were ridden with a somber and desolate air.

"Why aren't you going in?"

Dodging his gaze, Bai Luo Yin could only say, "I'm about to go in, it's just I haven't pressed the doorbell yet."

Not exactly thinking much about it, Gu Wei Ting immediately stretched his hand out toward the doorbell and pressed it. This action in turn helped Bai Luo Yin in completing this simple task.

By this time, Gu Hai's ears were standing rather erected. Once he heard the doorbell rung, a proud smile curved into the edge of his mischievous mouth.

Can't take it anymore, huh?

With a c.o.c.ky expression painted brilliantly on face, he walked over.

Slowly, he unlocked the door. Slowly, he opened the door.

Then, with great speed he pulled the person outside of the door into the room.

Without warning, he suddenly sneaks attacked the person's mouth in one go.

This sudden seizure was very precise and right on the spot.

At that moment, even Gu Wei Ting whose facial nerves were normally paralyzed in one constant position, exposed an expression full of shock and disbelief.

It's been seventeen years. Within this seventeen years, except for the time when Gu Hai was born and sprinkled urine on his neck, this father and son never had any other additional bodily contact.

Naturally, there was no need to mention what Bai Luo Yin's expression was like. His hands had already covered half his face. He laughed so hard that his chin was going to quickly dislocate anytime time now.

Gu Hai was flabbergasted.

When did this old fool get here?

The person I kissed just now can't be……f.u.c.k!! No wonder it felt like kissing a piece of freaking steel plate.

The three stood still at the doorway, none of them willing to crack their mouth in order to say something. The atmosphere was completely dead. If a fly was to zip by, it would have dropped to the ground within seconds of touching the air around them.

After a long while, Gu Hai abandoned his own despair.

In any case, the kiss has already happened. If I were to say I kissed the wrong person now, wouldn't that be the same confessing without being pushed to? Since things has happened like this, might as well let it stays like that. I'll be ready to risk everything and fight it out if anything else.

"Dad, you came."

Wearing a splendid smile, Gu Hai looked at Gu Wei Ting.

Gu Wei Ting laughed a little stiffly, but this time, he was genuinely laughing. Compared to his laughing expression before, this one was even more meaningful.

Bai Luo Yin lightly coughed a few times and followed behind Gu Wei Ting into the apartment.

Once he arrived at Gu Hai's side, he pouted his own lips and blew Gu Hai an air kiss in return.

The distinct sharpness in Gu Hai's eyes was a clear indication that he was angry. He grinded his teeth so hard, it probably shaved of a layer of his enamels already.

"You're eating?" Gu Wei Ting smelled the aroma of cooked food.

Gu Hai continued to parade about this feigned enthusiasm, "Yeah, how about you also take a sit and have a meal?"

The reason for why Gu Hai dared to say something like this was because he was confident that Gu Wei Ting would not cause himself the trouble of staying and having a meal with them.

But who could have guessed that after Gu Wei Ting received a kiss from his son today, his mood became extremely pleasant, so right away he agreed.

The two sons sat across Gu Wei Ting. As they looked at him, trying to not arouse suspicion, they clamped a meatball in between their chopsticks and simultaneously placed it in their own bowl.

Two meatb.a.l.l.s remained.

Gu Wei Ting took one, which meant, there will be an all-out battle for the last one.

No sooner said than done!

At the same time, their chopsticks immediately pressed against the edge of that plate. Then they slightly paused for a moment and readjusted the position of their chopsticks to an optimal position. But before they could even carry out their individual battle strategy, they watched as that meatball rose high into the air. Seconds later, with a graceful fall it dropped into Gu Wei Ting's bowl.

"Taste pretty good." Gu Wei Ting ate it in one bite.

Gu Hai and Bai Luo Yin mutually gave each other a glance before letting their head hang low. Then they pushed the rice in their bowl around lightly, flicking it from one side to the other as if sulking.

Gu Wei Ting looked at Bai Luo Yin and asked: "Did you make this?"

"No," Bai Luo Yin casually pointed at Gu Hai, "He made it."

Gu Wei Ting faced those two rough and older hands, different from the ones he remembered from all those year ago. He honestly, couldn't imagine how those two hands could roll these meatb.a.l.l.s.

Indeed, they were worthy of being called father and son. Gu Hai could immediately make out all of Gu Wei Ting's inner thoughts with just one quick glance.

"The meatb.a.l.l.s were ready-made from the market, I only made the broth."

Hearing those words, Gu Hai mentally complains of his own injustice.

When I was still a kid in the military, you've never praised me before. Even when I performed remarkably. But, now that I made a bowl of meatball soup, you're already eagerly singing me praises. As it turns out, is your son only a man good for cooking in your eyes?

After they finished in, Gu Wei Ting wandered about in the house back and forth, looking at everything around. When he saw that the towel on the sofa was crooked, he helped to set it up straight. And when he saw socks lying around in random places, he picked it up and tossed it into the bathroom……Bai Luo Yin was rather embarra.s.sed. Say, this person is a General. His position in the army is of high importance but when he is here, he tied up his son's place.

"What is this?" Gu Wei Ting picked up a translucent medicine tube.

Gu Hai's complexion changed to various unearthly tones. He suddenly took one large stride forward and simply s.n.a.t.c.hed the lubricant away in one quick go.

To the side, Bai Luo Yin stood with embarra.s.sment and distress painted sickly on his face. it was an alarming dangerous yet thrilling moment.

Fortunately, the brand was written in English.

Fortunately, Gu Hai s.n.a.t.c.hed it without delay.

Yesterday someone went crazy and wild with eagerness. And insisted relentlessly on playing on the sofa. Bai Luo Yin tried to ward him off, but he was unable to resist his evil delights and instead accompanied him. As a result they played until they got rather HIGH[1] into the pleasure, to the point that they had forgotten to put away the 'proof of their guilt,' back in the cabinet.

Gu Wei Ting's questioning eyes swept toward the item in Gu Hai's hand.

"What kind of item is it that you won't even let me see it?"

Gu Hai laughed awkwardly, "Hemorrhoid ointment."

Gu Wei Ting slightly strained his eyes before looking attentively at Gu Hai's face.

"You don't believe me?" After those words left his mouth, Gu Hai immediately unscrewed the cap on the bottle, and smeared a little bit on his mouth. "Look, isn't it a hemorrhoid ointment?"

Gu Wei Ting, "……"

—–

Recently, there has been a scrumptious rumor spreading like wildfire within the school grounds. The leading protagonist in this rumor was the most popular in all the rankings. With his das.h.i.+ng good looks, this person was none other than, comrade You Qi. It is said that he has a new girlfriend. Even more so, this girl is a university student from Beijing Film Academy[3] who had supposedly acted in XX soap operas before. The family is filthy rich and her way of doing things were immoral, almost questionable……the version pertaining to why You Qi pursued her spread around about twenty minutes ago.

Yang Meng would also occasionally pay attention to these kinds of things. And sometimes some senseless girls would come and ask him about it. In a sad turn of event, he became one of the people that disseminated the rumors. Now and then, he would like to defamed You Qi's image. He would make him out to be a cheap and despicable man, a sc.u.mbag. The more he said it, even he himself doesn't know which words were the truth and which were fake anymore……

One day, You Qi blocked Yang Meng in front of the school main gate.

Not surprised at all, Yang Meng immediately rolled up his sleeves, and put on an att.i.tude as if wanted to fight it out with You Qi, even to the point of risking his own life. However, when You Qi extended his hand out, Yang Meng instead thought about rus.h.i.+ng under his arm and escaping.

In the end, You Qi saw through this simpleton's ill-conceived plan. And within seconds, his elbow suddenly clutched his neck. Stuck in You Qi's elbow, Yang Meng admitted defeat without much struggle.

"Help me with something," said You Qi.

Yang Meng stared blankly, dumbstruck, "You're not looking for me to settle some troubles?"

You Qi was also dumbfounded, "What troubles do I have to settle with you?"

"Nothing, nothing……" Yang Meng laughed mischievously.

It's good that you don't know.

His att.i.tude livens up, becoming more like his regular self. Yang Meng's careless and casual appearance has finally appeared again. He patted You Qi's shoulder and started to ridicule him: "Hey bro, I heard that you recently got a new girlfriend?"

"New girlfriend?" You Qi deliberately emphasized and bit down on the word 'new'. "When did I have a girlfriend before?"

"You know, last month, you and that girl……the famous one in our school, Du…that little flirty little s.l.u.t, what's her real name?……whatever, it doesn't matter what her name is. You have the guts to say you weren't together with her?"

You Qi was not in the least concerned as he laughed, "s.e.x scandal that's all."

Yang Meng severely retorted back, "You really f.u.c.king thinks you're a star with a s.e.x scandal huh? You f.u.c.king c.o.c.ky a.s.shole, that's you."

"Stop being stupid and noisy already, let's talk about the more serious matter instead."

You Qi pulled Yang Meng toward a spot beneath the flagpole and said with utmost seriousness to him: "I need you to help me."

"Help you with what?" Yang Meng asked.

As if having something in his conscience and feeling somewhat like a bandit, You Qi's eyes peered around the school ground at all four corner for a few seconds. Only when he was certain that there was no one close by, he was able to conjure enough courage and say: "There's a girl that's older than me by five years who has been chasing after me. I don't like her but she keeps on relentlessly hara.s.sing me."

"You're not talking about that girl from Beijing Film Academy are you?"

Distress traced closely on You Qi's face, "All of it spread to you already?"

Nonsense, I was the one that spread it too…… Yang Meng tried to curb the evil intent that beckoned to crawl atop his face, before his disdain gaze swept toward You Qi's face.

"You're still being f.u.c.king c.o.c.ky about it with me? You're deliberately complaining and grieving about a girl bothering you in front of a single person like me. If you're a man, just go and f.u.c.king dump her!"

You Qi depressingly replied, "I really want to dump her."

Yang Meng secretly observed You Qi for a moment and discovered that he wasn't foolishly saying nonsense, instead, he really does look extremely anxious and somewhat sad.

As fate would have it, things were truly strange.

When a beautiful woman is placed in front of you, you don't have that instant attraction. However, when you are lonely and empty, even an ugly girl would interest you.

"Then what are you looking for me for?" Yang Meng asked again, "What can I actually help you with?"

"You can help me in a very big way."

The moment he mentioned this matter, You Qi could feel his own spirit bustling with energy, returned again.

In that moment, a very ominous premonition crept slowly into Yang Meng's head, "You're not asking me to go in your place and say some harsh words to hurt that beautiful woman are you? Let me tell you, that's something I can't do. In the Yang's family, all our ancestors and even those preceding them were all firm supporter of feminism. Not even one woman can be harm!"

"No, it's not that. You're thinking way too ahead of yourself."

You Qi gloomily smiled to himself before he peered toward the sky for a moment.   

Having heard those words, Yang Meng let out a sigh of relief and loosened up.

If it's not, then that's good.

The one thing that he was extremely unwilling to do was hurting someone.

"In two days, that girl wants to invite me to dinner. I want you to disguise yourself as my girlfriend and go with me. That way, it would make her completely give up any lingering hope or crazy illusions."

The breath that Yang Meng had just let out in relief crept its way back into his throat when he swallowed. In just the blink of an eyes, that pretty and elegant face of his rose into a reddish purple color. It looked like a pig's kidney had been placed in his mouth. And his teeth were grinding harshly onto it. The air that emitted from his nasal reeked of blood and tasted like iron. It was anger that dispersed itself throughout his body.

"You Qi, you!!……"

You Qi patted Yang Meng's shoulder very energetically, "I believe in you!"

Yang Meng shouted, "Why don't you just directly go and find a girl? Why on earth do you want me to disguise myself as a girl?"

The words that ran out of You Qi's mouth was a praise and curse at the same time, "Because I think in our school, there's no girl as pretty as you."

Yang Meng unconsciously nodded his head, "You're cruel."

He turned his entire body away with every intention to leave.

You Qi quickly pulled him back, "Don't be angry, I'm not trying to belittle or insult you. The way I think is like this okay, she herself is studying to be a performer. If I were to find a girl I don't like to play out this charade, she would definitely be able to see through it with just one glance! You and me are different. You're a guy. I can naturally be very intimate and affectionate toward you."

"Do you think she is more likely to see through the two of you acting out a charade or more likely to see through the disguise that I'm actually a guy?" Yang Meng grinded his teeth harshly.

You Qi pulled at Yang Meng's s.h.i.+rt collar again and again before patiently telling him, "If you cover up your Adam's apple, I can guarantee that she won't be able to see that you're a guy."

Yang Meng wanted to cry but no tears fell.

Dad, I'm making you lose face again.

Translator's Note:

[1]小樣 (xiǎoyàng) little guy –  mild insult also used as an affectionate term

[2]High - the author used the word 'HIGH' in English here.

[3]Beijing Film Academy [BFA] – is a coeducational state-run higher education inst.i.tution in Beijing, China. The film school is the largest inst.i.tution specializing in the tertiary education for film and television production in Asia.

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