“We will not be finished. If the sky falls, I will hold it up.” The man curled his lip in disdain, paused, and turned to Xiang Xu: “Are you going to the hospital to get checked out?”
Compared to Mu Lianyi, Xiang Xu had been beaten much worse. He was covered in bruises, had red marks on his neck, his face was swollen, and the back of his head felt soft and throbbed with every movement. Afraid of spending money, Xiang Xu gritted his teeth: “No need, I am fine.”
Li Li only then noticed the person next to his boss, and seeing his face, he gasped: “Wait, are you not—”
Before he could finish, his boss roughly covered his mouth, his eyes filled with murderous intent: “Stop with the nonsense!”
“Oh, oh…” Li Li nodded submissively, but could not help but glance at Xiang Xu several times.
Mu Lianyi found him an eyesore. “You and Old Zhang go wait for me in front of the bookstore.”
“Boss…”
Mu Lianyi pulled out his phone and sent Li Li a massive red packet. “Get lost.”
Li Li’s eyes lit up, but he tried not to look too happy. “Okay, Boss, take care of yourself. Hurry back!” After a few more instructions, he left, looking back every few steps.
“Are you not going to the hospital?” Xiang Xu asked.
“If someone like you is not going, why would I go when I am perfectly fine?”
Xiang Xu rubbed his aching head. Although he was making sense, he was not going only because he was poor; otherwise, given how much he valued his life, he would have seen a doctor.
“I do not know what you are doing…” Mu Lianyi grumbled unhappily. “Since you are not going to the hospital, I will reluctantly take you back, to avoid you dying on the road.”
Mu Lianyi walked slightly behind and to the right of Xiang Xu, glancing over from time to time, then looking at the mottled road surface under the streetlights as if nothing had happened.
He asked in a flat tone: “By the way, what is your name?”
“Xiang Xu.” Walking the distance was exhausting, as Xiang Xu was sore all over.
Mu Lianyi stopped abruptly, then followed back by his side, his voice sounding somewhat urgent: “Which ‘Xiang’? Which ‘Xu’?”
“‘Xiang’ as in ‘look at the back of someone’s neck’, ‘Xu’ as in ‘the gentle spring breeze’. What is your name?”
The other party was silent for half a minute before speaking again. His voice sounded somewhat dazed. “Ripple.”
He gave his stage name.
Xiang Xu opened his eyes wide. “Have you been to our shop? Sister Qian said you were looking for me, and that you seemed to be from some sort of idol group.”
“That day, I just happened to be passing by.” Mu Lianyi’s eyes began to drift.
“I see.” Xiang Xu touched his nose, feeling a bit awkward. Sister Qian and Sister Siyi had spoken with such certainty that he had taken them seriously. Indeed, given Ripple’s self-centered personality, how could he possibly have been standing at the front desk stammering inquiries about him as they claimed?
He simply thought that if the other party had specifically sought him out, there might have been some urgent matter. Now, it seemed there was not.
Ripple offered a suspicious justification: “Anyway, I really was just passing by today! I only went there to buy books!”
“Regardless, you have helped me twice,” Xiang Xu said, deciding not to dig deeper. “After I get paid next month, let me treat you to a meal. Anything is fine.”
Mu Lianyi’s previously cloudy expression cleared up significantly, though he remained stubborn. “I am very busy. People beg to take me out, and I still do not go.”
It was clear the other party was rejecting him, but Xiang Xu was not discouraged this time. “It is fine. If next month does not work, we can do the month after. If that does not work, there will be a day that does. I will wait for you.”
Xiang Xu was a person who repaid kindness. The other party had helped him, so accommodating his schedule was the right thing to do. For some reason, Ripple began to blush.
“What is wrong?” Xiang Xu thought he had a stomachache.
“The weather is really hot.”
Fortunately, the night was dark enough, the summer heat was intense enough, and Xiang Xu was a “straight man” oblivious enough not to notice anything amiss.
The two chatted along the way. Mu Lianyi’s tongue grew sharper, but Xiang Xu did not argue with him. If one were to talk about a good temper, Xiang Xu’s was excessively so. He did not get angry even after being beaten like that, nor did he get angry after being scolded a few times. Mu Lianyi knew he did not have a bad heart, but his mouth often led to misunderstandings and offense. Xiang Xu, however, did not seem to mind; even if he would be silent for a moment, he would soon respond with a smile.
Based on this, and the fact that Xiang Xu’s promise to wait for him had completely dazed him, Mu Lianyi decided to try one more time, despite the setback regarding the noodle shop.
“Why do you work at that bookstore? Did they not extort you?”
Given Mu Lianyi’s personality, he would never step into a store that had wronged him a second time. After asking, he could not help but look at Xiang Xu, filled with anticipation.
Xiang Xu smiled candidly, his eyes bright. “They gave me coupons for free books. It would be a waste not to use them, so I went back.”
Mu Lianyi was stunned.
“Later, I discovered that this bookstore happened to be opened by a childhood friend. He took me in; the guy is a good person. Do not worry, I will not be bullied again.”
Mu Lianyi could no longer smile. The wind made the sweat on his body feel chilly, as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head. He realized this might have been a tragic story of his own wishful thinking from start to finish. Moreover, any plans he had to turn this tragedy into a comedy were blocked by the childhood friend who had suddenly appeared in Xiang Xu’s life.
“What is wrong?”
“It is a bit cold.”
Wasn’t he just saying it was hot? Xiang Xu looked confused. Although he looked quite cute, Mu Lianyi, whose heart was like ash, had no time to appreciate it.
They arrived at the Guihua Residential Complex where Xiang Xu lived. The surroundings were dark and cramped, the lighting somber. Sensing the atmosphere turning heavy, Mu Lianyi spoke less.
“Wait a moment.” Xiang Xu spoke up. Before Mu Lianyi could recover from his disappointment, Xiang Xu had already ducked into a convenience store at the base of the building. Mu Lianyi stood there, observing his surroundings.
The road was mottled, the buildings were old and crowded, half the streetlights were broken, and the working ones were dim, their covers filled with the carcasses of dead insects. Behind the light was a propaganda wall plastered with flyers. Mu Lianyi randomly looked at one: “60 square meters, two bedrooms, top floor with bathroom, 2,000 per month, one month deposit, three months rent.”
2,000 for a two-bedroom apartment was very cheap in S City. Accordingly, looking at the photos of the oil-stained floors and mottled walls on the advertisement, Mu Lianyi felt he could almost smell how unpleasant the room must be. He had grown accustomed to the prosperity of S City and, seeing the shadows behind the glamour for the first time, felt a momentary sense of bewilderment.
“Here.”
Xiang Xu’s clear voice broke the melancholy atmosphere. Mu Lianyi was handed a metal tin.
Moving his gaze from the battered photos, he saw the person in front of him smiling warmly, his eyes as clear as a summer sky. Mu Lianyi was stunned.
“It is good for your health; it suits you,” Xiang Xu explained.
Mu Lianyi looked down. The white tin was printed with large, vibrant rose flowers and the words “Ink-Red Rose Crown Tea.”
Mu Lianyi paused. “You know about this?”
“I just mess around with things.”
Glancing at the dark, oppressive buildings again, feeling a heavy weight in his heart, Mu Lianyi pushed the tin back toward him. “I do not accept gifts. Take it back.”
Xiang Xu pushed it back. “I know you are not lacking in such things. I just want to express my gratitude in my own way. Accepting it may not be important to you, but it is very important to me.”
His expression was unexpectedly earnest, and his hand pressing on the tin was slightly tense, as if he were handing over his bottom line.
Mu Lianyi froze for a moment. Xiang Xu had already let go and smiled again. “If you do not want it, you can throw it away somewhere I cannot see it.”
Not knowing what psychology had prompted him to say that, Mu Lianyi felt a surge of sadness, followed by a flare of anger. “I will not throw it away! Do not think of me as that evil!”
Xiang Xu felt relieved, as if he had completed some sort of mission.
“I will head up myself.” Near the staircase of Building 2, under the dim streetlamp filled with insect carcasses, Xiang Xu said goodbye.
Mu Lianyi looked up at the pitch-black stairwell. “Which floor do you live on?”
“The top floor.”
Mu Lianyi counted upward. “Seventh floor? No elevator? Can you walk up with your legs like that?”
Mu Lianyi was not oblivious; Xiang Xu had been walking sluggishly, and he assumed the injuries were severe. Out of respect for the other’s pride, he did not mention it, only slowed his pace and followed at a distance. Walking on flat ground was already difficult, let alone climbing seven flights of stairs.
“I can. I walk it several times a day.”
Mu Lianyi did not mince words: “You get beaten into this pathetic state every day?”
Xiang Xu shook his head firmly. “It is fine, I can get up there myself.”
Mu Lianyi did not insist. He pursed his lips, weighing the tea tin in his hand, waiting for Xiang Xu to bring something up. Seeing the other turn to leave, he shouted urgently: “Hey! Did you not want to treat me to a meal? Give me your contact information! Do you have any sincerity at all?”
He had already given up on the idea, but for some reason, he brought it up himself.
Xiang Xu walked back.
Mu Lianyi saw him take out his phone. Feeling slightly satisfied, he leaned his head toward the phone, only to hear the faint sound of the home button being pressed. Xiang Xu’s phone did not light up.
“Out of battery?” Mu Lianyi wondered. He turned on his own phone’s flashlight. The moment he did, Xiang Xu’s screen flickered white for a split second before going completely black.
Under the flashlight, the screen was cracked down the middle, splitting it like a mountain; one side reflected light, the other was dark.
Mu Lianyi: “…”
Xiang Xu: “…”
It is truly cold today.
Mu Lianyi looked up, the flashlight beam tilting upward. He saw Xiang Xu biting his lips tightly, his face devoid of any smile. Remembering his impoverished situation, Mu Lianyi felt a surge of empathy. “It must have been when he was beaten just now.”
Xiang Xu opened his mouth, reported a number, and explained: “This is our store’s front desk number. I am sorry, I have not had a chance to memorize my own number yet.”
Although he said “I am sorry,” Mu Lianyi felt uncomfortable. He hurriedly saved the number he had reported, not even realizing how strange it was for Xiang Xu to memorize the store’s number but not his own.
After saving the phone number, he cautiously looked up to check the other’s expression. Xiang Xu gave a faint smile and said “Goodbye,” then turned toward the stairs.
His silhouette was hazy—stubborn, lonely, swaying as he retreated into the darkness. As his footsteps echoed further up the stairs, Mu Lianyi turned his gaze to the complex.
This was a village-in-the-city, with broken, dirty roads, broken streetlights, and densely packed buildings that suffocated one. As night fell and the stars twinkled above like a dream, one realized that beneath the unreachable firmament lay this reality.
Xiang Xu’s expression flashed through his mind. It was no hallucination; it really was a bit cold tonight.
People passed him by, none pausing. The tea tin in his hand rattled, blending with his footsteps. The road was too narrow, and a passerby accidentally bumped into him.
“Sorry, sorry.” The person apologized immediately.
Mu Lianyi regained consciousness. He thought he had seen Xiang Xu, but looked closer and realized it was a girl. Her eyebrows and eyes were somewhat similar to Xiang Xu’s, and her overall temperament was the same: thin, tired but filled with joy.
She held a small cake in her hand. After apologizing, she immediately checked to see if the cake was damaged.
“Sorry.” Mu Lianyi apologized back. The person nodded; the cake was fine, and she walked away lightly with her treasure.
Realizing something, Mu Lianyi stood there, watching the girl go. From time to time, she carefully checked the cake in her hand. She finally turned a corner and climbed the stairs of Building 2, her phone light moving upward until it reached the top floor.
Mu Lianyi felt a warmth in his heart, but a bitter smile appeared on his face.
So there is a girl at home. No wonder he did not let me walk him to the door.
Why is such a good person living so poorly?
Mu Lianyi felt uneasy, his mind unable to stop thinking about it. He was bullied so badly, yet he always kept a stubborn look on his face. What would have happened if he had just acted a bit more hurt? If he had acted a bit more pitiful, who would have the heart to bully him?
Mu Lianyi was indignant, suddenly feeling that this world was truly rotten. But when Xiang Xu’s image and the words he had spoken rotated in his mind, Mu Lianyi suddenly felt that this world was incredibly beautiful.
Hot one moment, cold the next. Angry one moment, embarrassed the next. The weather in S City was truly unpredictable.
Turning a corner, his gaze fell upon the black commercial vehicle parked in front of the bookstore, and he stopped in his tracks.
The girl was holding a cake—could it be his birthday today?
Xiang Xu returned home and collapsed onto his bed.
He was so tired that he only wanted to sleep. He did not want to bathe or play games. If the daily sign-in streak is broken, so be it. My head is killing me; if I do not sleep, I will be meeting the King of Hell.
But while his body wanted to sleep, his head did not. Thinking of his broken phone, his heart ached—ached so much he felt like vomiting, ached so much he could not sleep.
He had only gotten it this morning! And it was buried by evening! If he had known, he would not have been in such a rush to show it off! If he had known, he would have walked by the side door on the way back! If he had known, he would have taken a detour when he saw those thugs, you idiot!
Who could he reason with? He could only blame himself!
Whenever he thought about how this thing was worth thousands or tens of thousands, Xiang Xu felt a stab of pain that felt like it would explode!
His heart ached, and his body ached even more. Xiang Xu struggled up from the bed to rummage through the cabinets in the living room for liniment.
The sound of a key unlocking the door came from behind him.
Why so early today?
Xiang Xu did not want his sister to see him in such a pathetic state, so he hurried to stand up. With a bang, his injured knee knocked against an unclosed cabinet. His legs turned to jelly, and he knelt down again.
His sneak-thief-like appearance and pathetic struggle left Xiang Ji, who had just pushed the door open, frozen in place.
He stood up, wincing and grimacing, only to see tears sliding down Xiang Ji’s face. Xiang Xu panicked: “I am fine, do not cry!”
But she wiped the tears from her face haphazardly. The sadness faded, and anger gradually brewed. Lightning gathered its strength. Finally, Xiang Ji threw her cake and bag onto the table and tearfully reprimanded:
“You got into another fight! I thought you had turned over a new leaf!”
Xiang Xu was stunned. After two seconds, his shock turned to horror!
It was not hard to deduce from his sister’s words that he had not only been a lazy “kept man” in the past, but also a street thug who fought and caused trouble every day!
Thinking about it, it was possible those thugs had been looking for him! Perhaps he had provoked them before or even owed them money!
No wonder when those gangsters beat him, they said things like “debts must be repaid”!
Xiang Xu’s eyes went wide. He did not hear a single word of his sister’s overbearing discipline and scolding.
No wonder the siblings did not earn that little, yet lived from hand to mouth. It was likely! It was highly probable! That he had wasted all their family’s money on his profligate ways!
Even someone as steady as Xiang Xu was a bit rattled now.
Xiang Ji was tired of scolding, or perhaps she was in despair. She sat down slowly and buried her head in her hands, looking exceptionally weary. The light poured down from above her, but it could not reach the face in the shadows.
Xiang Xu called out “Sister” softly and sat before her, attempting to evoke some familial affection, but Xiang Ji did not lift her head.
Even if he really was a profligate, he was not the one who had done it. Xiang Xu felt wronged! He opened his mouth several times, but truly had no words to say!
After a long time, he considered his wording: “I did not fight. They saw me and beat me up. I was wrong to go over there, but I really have changed. I promise…”
He tried to evoke familial affection by swearing an oath. This seemed to work, because his sister suddenly lifted her head.
Xiang Ji was pale: “They were looking for you?”
Seeing his sister was no longer angry, Xiang Xu thought his promise had worked, so he reiterated: “Yes! I really did not fight again! I was just coming home from work, and they were crouching in the parking shed. I only looked at them, and they pounced and beat me.”
Xiang Xu began to talk excitedly. The nature of fighting versus being beaten was different; fighting was his problem, while being beaten was the problem of the thugs. He had to make the responsibility clear; he absolutely could not let his sister misunderstand that he had gone bad. If his sister got angry and kicked him out, he would be in a strange place with only a few hundred yuan, likely destined to sleep under a bridge.
“What did they look like?” his sister suddenly stood up urgently.
Xiang Xu was puzzled: “Hulking and brawny, nothing special.”
“What did they say?”
Speaking of this, Xiang Xu’s face flushed with embarrassment, but he spoke the truth: “They called me a ‘turtle brat’ and said things like ‘debts must be repaid’.”
Xiang Ji sat down abruptly, leaving an ominous silence in the air.
Xiang Xu, who suspected he owed money outside, felt a sense of guilt and kneeled down very promptly: “I am sorry! Sister! I am sorry! I will definitely earn money properly! I will pay back all the money I owe!”
As soon as these words came out, she saw Xiang Ji’s eyes widen: “Little Xu you, you knew everything?!”
What did that mean? Had he not been discovered for owing money outside?
He saw his sister’s expression turn to one of guilt.
Xiang Xu opened his mouth wide, looking completely like an idiot.