Chapter 56 (2/2)
”……” Are you crazy?
Zhou Dalei was still sitting on the ground, playing the video ga with his boyfriend in front of his bro ofHe only wanted to hear soht it was probably better that he didn't It was his little friend, after all, so anything was fine ”M up the phone, a lollipop in his lanced back down at the ht about how to answer His phone screen lit up again
It was a text
From the cutest little friend in the entire world: Other man my ass
It was only a few simple words, harshly phrased, as chilly as always But He Zhao stared at the time, and by the time he came back to his senses, he was in no o out and run a few laps around the quad and yell at the top of his lungs
fuck!
Let's read between the lines!
This is a confession!
He'sthe text and slept till noon when Zhou Dalei woke him ”Boss Xie, look what time it is Lunchti”
It was bright outside Sunlight shone in through the balconyNoise filtered in fro, and the whole street could hear every word
Xie Yu sat up and looked outside A wo , and every two seeds sheabout what, exactly? Just fight it out You'll be arguing till the cows come home”
Perhaps Xie Yu had slept too much, or perhaps it was because he had been woken up, but his left eyelid kept twitching He lifted a hand to press on it lightly ”Ask her”
Zhou Dalei called her but no one picked up
It took several more calls before someone picked up Xu Yanet food fro… then the call cut off
”She said she was busy Probably stuff to do over at Guang Mao” Zhou Dalei stuffed his phone back in his pocket and stood up ”How about it? Shall we go out to eat?”
There weren't many restaurants in the area, just a few Shaxian² places, all e honest business, there were only roadside stalls to visit
”Lei-zai, long time no see” The shopkeeper waved warmly at the fa, but now they couldn't not go in and eat ”Have a seat What do you want to order?”
Zhou Dalei found aseat, sat down, and said, ”Two servings of the specialty dish, then”
Xie Yu picked up a pair of chopsticks ”You know him?”
”Not well, but if you say et a 20 discount,” Zhou Dalei said ”…When the boss gets to a level in a phone ga the words 'phone gaames and the like… Zhou Dalei claiame that dared show its face in the app store, but he probably hadn't stepped into this realames before
They chatted on and off, and the sside the sound of a gas stove After about ten aifan¹ ”Two specials Enjoy!”
After delivering the food, the boss walked back to the kitchen where there were torkers wearing aprons
Xie Yu had just touched his bowl and had yet to reach for his chopsticks when he heard the workers talking, their voices leaking out through the door the boss had opened ”Guang Mao? I heard… yes… a fight…”
They were chatting when the kitchen door suddenly opened again, revealing the chilly expression of the boy who had only just now been sitting at theseat ”What fight?”
Both of theht at… Guang Mao Soroup of theht be a brawl”
Zhou Dalei had only taken two bites of his food before a rather angry-looking Xie Yu dragged hi the shop, he looked extre? Was there poop in the food?”
”What did Aunt Mei say to you just now?” Xie Yu didn't let go ”What did she say?”
Down the street fro Mao
Zhou Dalei also could tell soht be late going back' Then nothing”
Now, thinking about it, Coentle Before, if a delivery had been half an hour late, she would curse—without repeating a single word—for half an hour But today, not only was she not angry thather precious time had been wasted, she was even very calo”
”Ah?”
”Let's go take a look”
He Zhao followed the route on hisat a location which looked sie froot off the bus, he almost tripped on the road full of potholes
He Zhao had struck up a good conversation with a grandpa sitting next to hirandpa had even invited hio back to his house for a chat
”Next ti the people here were, but he refused ”I have so ”What's so urgent? Let's just have a drink”
He Zhao s for someone Someone very i i, he had ed to restrain hi over here to look for a certain someone
He wanted to see him
He really wanted to see him
But He Zhao made a few circles round the block and couldn't find his destination Not only did he not knohere his friend from the station lived, he didn't even reot He Zhao's call, he was still in Guang Mao's doorway They were on one side, facing a group of angry-looking, heavily tattooed gangsters on the other Swords were drawn and arrows notched
He Zhao didn't have ti before Xie Yu said, stick in hand, ”No ti”
Translation notes:
[1] Gaifan: a sietables with rice
[2] Shaxian: A county in west-central Fujian