Chapter 6 (1/2)
Act 06: Good Friends
I'm Handsome: Shuaige!
Love 123: …Whenever I see this word, I…
I'm Handsome: Ha ha ha, don't be modest!
Love 123: =.=
I'm Handsome: Oh…that, that early morning…
Love 123: Don't worry, I can understand.
I'm Handsome: Eh Eh, great that you can understand!
Love 123: Has your fever gone down?
I'm Handsome: Yes!
Love 123: You have to pay attention, be more careful when sick
I'm Handsome: Understood, eh…this…well…
Love 123: Say it
I'm Handsome: I noticed that morning when I woke up that it seems I always give you trouble.
Love 123: I'm quite patient.
I'm Handsome: I didn’t crush you to death, did I?
Love 123: Ha ha ha ha! how is that?
I'm Handsome: Um, I'm a bit worried.
Love 123: Nope, you're quite interesting!
I'm Handsome: Thank you! Ah right, did you take a look at my collection?
Love 123: …
I'm Handsome: Is there anything you like? I'll give it to you.
Love 123: No need. You can keep your collection; I can't accept such presents ^_^
I'm Handsome: Hm…what did you think of my house?
Love 123: …really nice.
I'm Handsome: There was not even one thing negative about it? Any comment is fine.
Love 123: Really?
I'm Handsome: Of course! We have nothing to hide, we're so familiar with each other.
Love 123: Everything is good, except for the leopard pajamas, I was seriously terrified when I came to your place.
I'm Handsome: Ah? You don't think I look handsome in them?
Love 123: =.= they look ridiculous, like they could be torn into loincloths for primitive tribes
I'm Handsome: …
At around 2 o'clock in the afternoon, the whole store was pretty quiet. The whole store had closed for lunch break, and even Cui Ying Ying had stopped working. Hang Hang did not feel sleepy. Instead, he was still in surprisingly high spirits. He opened Spider Solitaire to play, but halfway into the game he became distracted. He suddenly remembered the event of this morning.
Yesterday, he was patiently staying with Liang Ze's and even slept next to him. This morning he was woken up by his biological clock. It was really hot in the bed; however, behind him was an even more unbearable body heat. There was something pressing against his back. Hang Hang had been in such a deep sleep that he was still a bit hazy from it. However, the other person was still deeply asleep, and that person's little friend had woken up and was rubbing against Hang Hang's clothes from behind. Hang Hang instinctively moved his hand to grab on it.
Hang Hang had quite a bit of experience in this field, that is, of waking up in a strange bed, so it was not totally unreasonable for him, as a full grown man, to a.s.sume that he was waking up after a 419. [T/N: Slang for a one night stand because, in English, the numbers sound like ”for one night”]
As he held onto that very burning hot thing, the owner of that big thing companionably followed along with his movement and, still half asleep, let out a moan. It was really arousing.
It was thanks to the leopard print bedding that the situation was saved. Just as Hang Hang turned around wanting to kiss those tempting lips, he slightly opened his eyes. First, the leopard print bedding came into view, and next… the leopard print pajama set that belonged to that Idiot…
At that moment it was as if he was struck by lightning. Hang Hang did not just freeze on the spot; his fumbling hands instantly recoiled as if touching hazardous material. Honestly speaking, it was not the face that doused the flame in him; it was simply that he saw that leopard print pajama set…
Shocking.
His mind was still unable to comprehend who the man was. The only thing that registered was that the leopard pajamas were ridiculous. Once he calmed down, he half loathed and half felt grat.i.tude toward those leopard print pajamas—and he really wanted to feed this Idiot to an actual leopard.
Perhaps because he was so startled, the bed trembled violently causing this Idiot's eyes to crack open.
Two pair of eyes stared at each other for nearly a minute, after which the Idiot scratched his head, lifted up the quilt and looked down. Then he let loose with a loud ”ugh.”
Hang Hang, shocked and afraid that the Idiot knew what had almost happened earlier, had had no time to think of a countermeasure. However, the Idiot rubbed his eyes and said, ”I just had a wet dream…”
Hang Hang nodded his head like a machine as he stared at Liang Ze, and Liang Ze smiled with embarra.s.sment and nodded his head. Unfortunately, this physiological response was not showing signs of gradually fading, he realized.
”I'll go to the bathroom,” Liang Ze said and got out of bed.
Hang Hang stared at the ceiling for over a minute, then stared at the disgusting armchair for another minute, and then stared over at the Doraemon water dispenser for yet another minute. Finally…his eyes glanced out of the bedroom.
What would he look like masturbating?
As that thought came to mind, Hang Hang immediately jumped out of bed, wrote a note and then left.
Something had triggered a change. He seemed to want to have his eyes on that Idiot =.=
This matter…was it possible? It looked like…he was overdoing it as a shop owner caring for his customer. It seemed as though it had become his habit to wait for this Idiot to push open the door to his pet shop everyday, and just like that his life somehow became more colorful, it seemed…
A mild sound of small footsteps rus.h.i.+ng around woke Hang Hang out of his thought, and he looked over at the shelves. Small Leaf had woken up and currently was happily playing around. Watching her, it seemed like a strange omen: these two (Small Leaf and X chinchilla) had known each other for roughly three months, and they had been together in the ”bridal chamber” for nearly two months, yet they still…had not mated!
Was this a hint?
Did Divine provenance deliberately want Liang Ze to come here every day?
Hang Hang had never believed in something called ”Fate.” Every year he went to the Lama Temple to burn incense,but it was really just to accompany Qi Ji. He (Qi Ji) was a very religious person – – – burning his incense very devoutly as if the Buddha were going to bestow on him a Lin Sister?*
[T/N: bestow a Lin Sister – Lin Mei Mei – meaning to receive an unexpected thing, a Chinese old joke]
Alright, it looked as though something like this is not a question of whether or not one was devout. Rather, it was an opportunity like a lottery as people have their chance one by one. Qi Ji's Lin Sister did not appear, but an idiot fell into Hang Hang's life =.=
From the time Hang Hang became an adult until now, he basically had never been in a relations.h.i.+p with anyone. After much a.n.a.lysis, Qi Ji had concluded that Hang Hang was more comfortable with a 419* than a real relations.h.i.+p. Qi Ji did not know why it was that his good friend didn't have a serious att.i.tude towards love. Qi Ji might not know the reason, but Hang Hang knew it very well. A wound from one's youthful days can become a lifetime scar.
[T/N: 419 – Chinese slang for ”One Night Stand”]
During his soph.o.m.ore year of college, Hang Hang met someone in a chatroom. The two hit it off very well, and their conversation was always smooth and interesting. The other person was a senior student from the Central Hospital, graduation time undetermined, and the two always talked with each other. Hang Hang liked the way he looked when he played the piano, liked his long slender fingers, and liked his exquisite Southerner's appearance*. Thinking about it now, first love is always the most precious memory, if…yes, if it doesn't end badly. After graduation, that b.a.s.t.a.r.d went to Germany for grad school, plying Hang Hang with sweet promises before he left. But after less than three months abroad, nothing turned out the way he had promised as he did not answer phone calls and did not reply to letters. In the end, Hang Hang finally received mail—to breakup. Actually, if it had just been a breakup message, then Hang Hang would not feel so wounded. What made it so painful was the content of the mail: Can you stop being so persistent? Making other people feel so pressured, it's not that necessary. We were just friends. Hang Hang was very angry. He left his apartment right after reading the letter to make a phone call. Just as expected, the other person picked up. Hang Hang immediately questioned him, but he only replied, why are you so serious? Hang Hang replied, I am really serious. The other said then you are very naive. Don't embarra.s.s yourself any longer. I gave you what you wanted, but it was only a moment of pleasure.
{Proofreader Note: According to some Chinese stereotypes, southern men are known for their beautiful, almost feminine features.}
This event only lasted about a year and a half, less than two years from the beginning to end, but it left Hang Hang under a lingering shadow — it could be said he had become emotionless in this love thing. After that experience, he decided to rely on himself rather than other people because his bad judgment in love would only hurt him. Everything about love was just pretentious, and ever since then he would simply choose partners casually, and at dawn each would go his own way.
Hang Hang had loved animals since he was a kid, and when majoring in veterinary science at University this love only escalated. After having suffered such an event, he grew to love them even more. Animals are very kind, and when they like you it means they like you for a lifetime. The pets will use their lifetime to accompany you to the end.
Perhaps…you do not have to expect anything? More like, no expectation leads to no disappointment? That…one can think it is such a happy thing, right?
Why does it feel like I've come to like that idiot?
Hang Hang truthfully thought so.
Honestly speaking, he and Liang Ze had only known each other for a short time, and they were not good friends either, but Liang Ze could naturally read animal behavior — he was particularly kind, especially simple, so simple that there was no evil aura within him. He was always straightforward, not picky, not concerned about gains and loses, not an opportunist, and did not beat around the bush. He always laughed carelessly, was a bit sloppy, and said what he wanted…cannot blame the whole world for such a wayward personality. Even the rodent species, especially the chinchillas, really love him =.=
This could partially explain why Hang Hang had a soft spot towards him, but it could not thoroughly explain everything — Liang Ze was not his type. He was a typical straight man, and Hang Hang believed that in this world one should never take liberties with this type of person.
Pure evil.
”h.e.l.lo!”
Following the wind chime ringing at the door, Liang Ze happily entered the pet shop.
Hang Hang's eyes almost fell out of their sockets — what this Idiot doing here when he is sick?