The next morning, Xie Zhuxing went on a run.
Wang Chao struggled to open his eyes as he heard the clattering noises. He realized that the bed next to him had no one on it, and the blankets had been folded neatly. He thought that Xie Zhuxing had left without telling him. He got off of his bed, then went back to bed reassured when he saw that the big suitcase was still next to the closet.
After more than half an hour, Xie Zhuxing came home and called Wang Chao. He didn’t want to get up, mumbling and grunting, “I haven’t slept this well in a month, let me sleep a bit more.”
Since they had no class anyway, Xie Zhuxing didn’t force him either. “Alright, you sleep, I’m leaving first after I eat.”
Wang Chao was unhappy. “I’ll go with you, wait for me…I’ll…get up..at 10.”
“It’ll be noon by the time I get home, a whole afternoon wasted for nothing.”
Wang Chao said again, “Then take my car. I’ll go find you after I wake up.”
Xie Zhuxing didn’t want to hang out with him, so he said deliberately, “You’re gonna help me clean?”
“No way, I’ve only swiped the floor a couple times back during cleaning duty in my elementary school days. I’ve never done it since.”
Xie Zhuxing then said, “Then what are you coming along for? I don’t have time to play with you. I won’t drive your car either, I can go back by myself.”
But Wang Chao said, “Look at how big your suitcase is. It’s too much trouble to squeeze into a train cart with that, plus, it’s so hot today. And I know you’re not willing to call a taxi, just take my car.”
Xie Zhuxing couldn’t refute his words. “…”
Wang Chao still hadn’t fully woken up yet, his face was drowsy, and he didn’t have his usual arrogant and domineering expression that looked beatable plastered on his face. His weary eyes looked a bit pure.
He wasn’t someone who would be polite to random people, if he really cared about someone, he would be very sincere to them.
“I’m not taking the subway, I’ll call a taxi,” Xie Zhuxing said, “make sure to go back early once you’re awake, Ji Jie and Cheng Yao are going to be living here. Don’t be rude if you bump into them. I’m not going to be here, so if you get into a fight no one’s going to be here to help you.”
Wang Chao was about to fall asleep again, he answered as if he was dreaming, “Alright, big bro.”
Xie Zhuxing thought that it was funny and said, “If your big brother was here, he would’ve beaten your butt already.” He lightly smacked Wang Chao’s butt as he spoke.
He didn’t use much force, Wang Chao only grunted, giving no other response.
Wang Chao slept until the afternoon. When he sat up and ruffled his hair, he realized that he and his little suitcase were alone in the room.
He didn’t know how to describe this feeling, but his heart felt a little empty.
He’s never lived in dorms before, except for when he was little. After that, he’s never shared a room with anyone else. He’s also never met anyone like Xie Zhuxing, someone who could endure his temper tantrums, his laziness, his unreasonableness. Even his parents and his brothers often couldn’t bear it.
He knew that he had many bad habits, it’s just that he didn’t want to change; he’s the most comfortable like this. He knew that aside from those in his family, no one really liked him. They all only got close to him and flattered him because of his dad’s money and his brother’s status.
He felt that Xie Zhuxing was different. He was upright and upstanding, he had a good heart, a good attitude, and he had patience. He was especially nice to him, and could take care of him. He could even tolerate him. It would be great if they could live together forever.
“You want to move out?” Wang Qi looked at him, then rejected him with one breath, “No.”
“I’m already grown, so why not?” Wang Chao asked.
Wang Qi suspected that he wanted to fool around again. “Why do you suddenly want to move out?”
Wang Chao’s eyes sparkled, saying, “It’s more convenient for work.”
“I’m gonna be an idol! From now on there’s going to be paparazzi outside the house 24/7. When you and Wang Jin go out, you’re definitely going to be secretly photographed. Not only is it inconvenient for me, it’s also inconvenient for you two!”
Wang Qi obviously didn’t think of this, he was silent for a bit.
Wang Chao took advantage of this and continued to attack, “They’re going to put everything on the internet, including your age, where you work, your marital status, if you have kids or not, everything! Then the whole world is going to know that Director Wang of the Intermediate Court has been married for eight years but still has no kids, there’s definitely something wrong with his…ah I’m just saying! Don’t hit me!”
Wang Qi was 192cm, grabbing him was the same as grabbing a little chick. He kicked his ass, one kick earned one howl. Wang Qi finally let him go when he yelled eight times.
He held his butt as he grieved tearfully, “Big bro, you can kick me but you can’t kick those internet trolls. When your information really gets dug out by those people, what they say will definitely be worse then what I just did. Look at you, how embarrassing would it be?”
Wang Qi scolded, “The most embarrassing thing is having others know I have a brother like you.”
He wasn’t satisfied and wanted to continue BB-ing for a bit. Then, Wang Qi threw him a pair of keys he had gotten from the drawer.
He hurriedly catched it and said overjoyed, “Ge, which house is this?”
“The one in Wangjing. I’ll say this right now, you can move out, but if I catch you fooling around outside, watch how I deal with you,” Wang Qi said coldly.
All the words went in Wang Chao’s left ear and out his right. When Wang Qi finally finished lecturing him, he sashayed away with the key.
He went to look at the house first. There was an attic, and a hardcover two floor duplex with a balcony, as well as furniture and appliances. The whole place was vacant and the whole house was covered with bust cloth.
He asked the housekeeper to come and clean it up. He walked around the house, evidently very satisfied. There was a big and small bedroom downstairs facing each other, he wanted Xie Zhuxing to come visit him so that he could go see him anytime. If they were to watch a horror movie together at night and he was too scared to sleep, he could even call Xiao Xie to come sleep with him.
It’s just that the little bedroom didn’t have a bed, Wang Qi had wanted to make it a study room or a tea room. It only had a large bookshelf and two small sofas.
Xie Zhuxing had been cleaning for about a whole day, but the place was still wasn’t cleaned up yet.
He knew that girls had a lot of things, so he prepared four big corrugated boxes. In the end, when Yan Jiajia’s clothes, shoes, and bags and a bunch of other small things were piled up in the boxes, there was still more that he didn’t put in.
After packing up, he cleaned every corner of the house again.
When Wang Chao called him, he was wearing a hat made out of newspaper as he stepped onto a ladder to wipe the top of the utility cabinet on the balcony.
“Wang Chao?” Just as he opened his mouth, he inhaled a mouthful of ash. He coughed twice before he said, “What happened?”
“What are you doing? Why are you coughing?” Wang Chao asked.
“Nothing, I’m just cleaning the house.”
“Xiao Xie ah, what kind of bed do you like?”
“I’ve decided to buy a bed, I don’t know which kind to buy. Give me some ideas.”
Xie Zhuxing wanted to hurry up and finish cleaning, he didn’t want to talk about these useless things with him. “Why are you asking me for ideas? Not like I’m going to be the one sleeping on it.”
“Hahahahaha yes you are!”
He didn’t understand, he thought that Wang Chao had too much money to spend and he didn’t want to accept his gift either. “I don’t want it, I have a bed to sleep on, don’t buy me anything.”
“I’m not gonna gift you a bed, I’m gonna buy it so you can sleep on it.”
Xie Zhuxing was confused, “What do you mean ‘let me sleep on it’?”
“Well, I’ll tell you when I see you. I’m coming to find you right now, I know how to get to your neighborhood. What unit and floor do you live on?”
Wang Chao came to find Xie Zhuxing happily. In the end, when he entered the neighborhood, he realized he went into the wrong unit when he knocked on the door. He finally went to the right place the second time.
He cursed as he walked in, “What kinda shitty place is this? It’s got so many turns, it’s like a maze. Even the door plate is broken.”
“I didn’t want you to come, but you insisted on coming.”
Wang Chao looked around the room and said, “You’re still not done packing? Don’t do it anymore. Let’s go, come with me.”
He pulled Xie Zhuxing along, planning to leave. “Hey, what are you doing? Where are we going?” Xie Zhuxing asked.
Wang Chao said mysteriously, “You’ll know if you come with me.”
Xie Zhuxing was completely beat, he didn’t want to fool around with him. “If you don’t tell me then I’m not going.”
Wang Chao saw that he couldn’t play out his mysterious surprise anymore, so he could only say, “Look at you, so boring. Alright, alright, I’ll tell you. My brother’s letting me live in one of his houses, the place is super big. I’m kinda scared to live by myself so I want you to come live with me.”
He was too embarrassed to say that he wanted to live with him, so he could only use his house as an excuse.
Xie Zhuxing had finally finished serving him a week, why would he want to continue to do so? He quickly rejected, “I’m not going, my place still has a few months till the lease is up.”
Wang Chao was very happy when coming over, but now that he’s been splashed with a bucket of cold water, he wasn’t smiling anymore. “Why can’t you just back out? If the landlord doesn’t let then I’ll pay you that money. And I won’t let you pay rent, I know you’re poor and stingy, and it’s not like I’m lacking money.”
“….” Why does he talk like he’s asking for a beating all the time? Xie Zhuxing thought.
Wang Chao thought that he was being self-righteous as he said, “If you don’t come live with me, then I’m gonna go find someone else.”
Xie Zhuxing said coldly, “Go find whoever you like, I’m not going.”
“….I’m really gonna go find someone else!”
Xie Zhuxing thought, what kind of threat is this? “Go ahead,” he said again.