The next day was the Mid-Autumn Festival and the last day of the Golden Week. Wang Chao’s parents had traveled to Europe with a tourist group and have not returned yet.
Originally, Wang Chao had wanted to go home and spend the holiday with his two brothers. Upon calling them, however, he found out that Wang Qi and his wife had invited her younger brother for dinner, and Wang Jin was too preoccupied as the doctor on duty. Neither would be home.
Then, he called Xie Zhuxing. No one answered. He kept on calling him, but alas, no one answered. He pressed on – until a cold, robotic voice eventually informed him “the person you have called is unavailable right now.” Xiao Xie had turned his phone off.
Stubborn, he visited Xie Zhuxing’s residence, but the latter was not there either. What was he up to?
He is depressed. It is a holiday, for god’s sake, how come no one wanted to spend it with him?
Amid his frustration, he received a call from a friend.
“Today’s my birthday,” his friend said, “If Mr. Superstar’s free, care to come to my party tonight?”
Surnamed Zheng, this friend is a few years above Wang Chao and runs a family-owned jewelry business. He is funny, generous, and loves parties; needless to say, he clicked with Wang Chao quite naturally. Last winter, he was sent to Italy by his family to further his training in design. While he returned a while ago, Wang Chao had been exceedingly busy after his debut and had not had a chance to hang out with him.
Realizing it was him, Wang Chao’s face lit up immediately. Grinning, he replied: “Quit with your nonsense. Your birthday just happened to be today?”
His friend laughed: “Why in the world would I lie to you? It really is today. My parents named me Qiuyang because I was born at noon of the Mid-Autumn Festival. Anyway, are you coming?”
Wang Chao had nothing better to do. “Why would I not go to your birthday party? Where is it?” he replied.
Since most employees were on break, the company was fairly empty.
The desk clerk on duty was surprised when he spotted Xie Zhuxing: “Tomas, the office upstairs is vacant. You will have to wait until tomorrow if you need anything from the staff.”
Xie Zhuxing replied: “I’m good. I’ll only be here for a brief dance practice.”
He proceeded toward the elevator. While waiting for his ride, he heard two girls whispering: “Handsome and diligent, no wonder he’s the most unpopular within id, unlike a certain captain, tsk, tsk.”
He watched himself frown in the elevator mirror.
Since when did he become so sensitive to every criticism against Wang Chao?
Once he arrived at the studio, he turned on the music. After warming up, he practiced his basic skills followed by the choreography of “Summer Ice”.
Since the music was loud, he did not hear his phone ring until there had been more than a dozen missed calls from Wang Chao, nearly all of which occurred one after another.
He could imagine the scowl on Wang Chao’s face on the other end of the call.
His phone rang. Wang Chao again.
Instead of answering, he unmuted his phone and stuffed it back into his backpack. Blasting the music on full volume, he practiced his favorite jazz sequence in front of the mirror.
Their training camp, he recalled, took place in this exact same room with this exact same mirror.
Wang Chao bawled his eyes out during every flexibility training. Whenever the teacher scolded him for sloppy form, he would hold his tongue at the moment but mimic them behind their back, like a mischievous child.
Back then, he was genuinely tired of him. This lazy douchebag groaned, whined, and complained whenever the slightest effort is required. Yet, he had the audacity to dish out cruel insults against anyone and everyone, and worse, be entirely shameless about outside criticism himself. Nobody in the world was more annoying than him.
But this nuisance could not detect his impatience and stuck to him like glue, saying he’s different from everyone else, he’s so nice to him, and that he’s his closest, and most beloved, friend. Afterward, he bossed him around, ordering him to wash his underwear and socks, buy him breakfasts and accompany him for late-night meals. Whenever he was cheerful, he’d seek him with a toothy grin. Whenever he was dejected, he’d still seek him with teary eyes. He longed to sleep alongside and even kiss his lips. Whenever he encountered a problem, this nuisance would be even more anxious, worrying over his interpersonal relationships even though his own brain was no bigger than a walnut.
Eventually, he ceased to be annoyed. Instead, he thought Wang Chao was quite cute and affectionate towards him too. Affectionate enough to seem…seductive.
Xie Zhuxing was attracted to him. Hesitantly, he confirmed his feelings and decided that he wanted to share the blue toilet seat with him, preferably for the rest of their lives.
He could disregard the latter’s gender and overcome the homophobic reality that threatened their relationship. He could even fulfill his dreams in another way. Life is incredibly short, he thought, only a few decades. Not everyone would be fortunate enough to encounter their Mr. Right. He shouldn’t squander his fortune. He should embrace it, savor it, and cherish it.
Only if his fortune exists, though. Had Wang Chao felt the same.
Before last night, he had always assumed that Wang Chao simply grappled with the concept of love; afterward, however, he realized: his so-called fortune had been nothing but an illusion, one that he invented to flatter himself.
This habitual skirt-chaser accidentally slept with a man and found it pleasurable.
He never fell in love with Xie Zhuxing. He kissed and touched and seduced only for a casual hook-up.
This person could be Xie Zhuxing or Zhou Niansen or even anybody off the street.
Only Xie Zhuxing believed it was “love.”
He practiced until seven o’clock at night. Upon checking, his phone had run out of battery hours ago.
He left and headed towards home. Forgoing any transportation, he chose to run.
The bright, full moon glistened above the horizon, decorating the sky alongside a few scattered stars, as brisk, autumn breezes gently brushed the pedestrians’ faces. The most pleasant season of the year.
Shrouded by the night, Beijing seemed ancient and youthful: the blue-bricked hutongs preserved its hundred-year history as the latest metro line channeled the city’s newfound vitality.
He ran, surpassing the surrounding lights, moving forward.
It felt satisfying to be drenched in sweat as if every relaxed pore of his skin had relieved him of his frustration until he could wake up the next morning with a fresh start.
The satisfaction of exercise lasted until he arrived downstairs.
From afar, he spotted a blue car parked in front of the building entrance.
It’s Wang Chao’s sedan, with the driver’s door open.
The vehicle owner had settled there in a comfortable twist with his legs outstretched, munching down on a palm-sized shortcake.
Xie Zhuxing: “……What are you doing?”
As soon as he spotted Xie Zhuxing, Wang Chao hopped off with a massive grin and stuffed the remaining shortcake into his cheeks, chewing as he exclaimed: “You are finally back! I’ve been waiting for you for hours. I even got hungry during the wait. Luckily, I brought a slice of cake with me as a snack. What have you been up to? You are sweating so much!”
Xie Zhuxing replied: “Dance practice. I ran for a bit while coming back.”
Wang Chao swallowed the remaining cake inside his mouth. “Did you forget to bring your phone, then? You didn’t pick up when I called.” He asked, licking the whipped cream off the corner of his mouth.
Xie Zhuxing only replied: “My phone ran out of battery.”
Since he had plenty of fun tonight, Wang Chao did not scrutinize further. Once he noticed the bits of whipped cream on his fingertips, he sucked them dry and heedlessly wrapped his sticky fingers around the other man’s shoulders into a playful shove, urging him: “Go, go, go! Let’s go upstairs, I need to pee soon.”
He did not care about Wang Chao’s unhygienic fingers, but he recognized the perfume that lingered on the latter’s skin: Coco Mademoiselle. Not because he was a connoisseur, though, but because he once gifted a similar bottle to Yan Jiajia.
He asked: “Where did you come from?” Soaked from the scent of women’s perfume?
Wang Chao grinned: “A friend’s birthday party. I went there for a bit.”
Xie Zhuxing muttered through clenched teeth: “Which friend has their birthday on the Mid-Autumn Festival? Never heard you mention them.”
Wang Chao explained: “Zheng Qiuyang. You’ve never met. That slice of cake I was eating was from the birthday party.”
Xie Zhuxing followed up: “Is it a dude?”
Wang Chao nodded: “Yep. I’ll bring you next time we hang out, he’s pretty nice.”
Pretty nice. Him praising someone else grated Xie Zhuxing’s ears for no reason.
Once they entered the apartment, Wang Chao sprinted straight toward the bathroom. Without closing the door, he unzipped his pants, asking while peeing: “Where did you even go for dance practice?”
Xie Zhuxing only replied: “You could practice anywhere.”
Wang Chao continued: “Still, you shouldn’t have ignored your phone. If I can’t locate you with a call next time, I’d have to install a GPS tracker on your body.”
To that, Xie Zhuxing only replied: “What did you want from me?”
Wang Chao could not pinpoint the exact reason, yet he felt slightly irked by the other man’s words. He gave his member a few shakes after he finished, frowning as he retorted: “To hang out with you, obviously. What, would I have needed money from you?”
Xie Zhuxing: “……” Yet another poke at his financial status.
He was in no mood to respond. Sullenly, he stripped off his jacket, plugged in his phone, and turned the device on.
Seconds later, Wang Chao emerged from the bathroom, his gaze instinctively fixated upon the other man’s sweat-drenched silhouette and the loose beads of sweat that clung to his outstretched neck, glittering under the ceiling light.
Wang Chao gulped, his throat had gone dry from the eagerness to feel the velvety skin underneath that silvery sweat. He approached the other man and pretended to act lighthearted as he gently caressed the latter’s neck. “How much did you run? You sweated so much,” he cooed, his voice unconsciously flirtatious.
Xie Zhuxing’s grip tightened around his phone.
Having met no resistance, Wang Chao’s audacious fingers ventured even further, sliding beneath the other man’s t-shirt to caress his waist – the cool slippery skin and the tight, lean muscles.
Xie Zhuxing: “……Take your hand off.”
Unsatisfied, Wang Chao reluctantly peeled off his hands and pouted: “What’s wrong with one touch? You’re so stingy.”
Xie Zhuxing retorted frostily: “Yeah, not as generous as you.”
Something was off with Xiao Xie. Baffled, he countered: “You’re angry at me for touching you once? Touch me then. Here you go. Touch me anywhere.” To prove his generosity, he even lifted his shirt up.
Xie Zhuxing glanced over: there were bloody scratch marks scattered throughout Wang Chao’s back. He was not an idiot. He knew precisely what the other man had done to incur those scratches.
Wang Chao instantly realized and released his fingers, eyeing furtively at Xie Zhuxing’s face.
The other man only diverted his eyes: “If you don’t need anything, please leave. I’m heading straight to bed after a shower.”
Stunned, Wang Chao said: “I came here to eat spicy crawfish with you.”
Xie Zhuxing refused: “I don’t like crawfish. Go find someone else to accompany you.”
Anxious, Wang Chao pressed on: “Why? You didn’t like crawfish before, what makes today different?”
‘Cuz I was a dumbass before, Xie Zhuxing thought, and rebuffed: “I don’t want to force myself anymore, okay?”
Wang Chao: “……What’s wrong with you?”
He reached to touch the other man, but the latter dodged.
Speechless, he continued after a short pause: “Are you in trouble? Don’t just get mad, tell me what happened! Do you need money, or is something else troubling you? I will help you figure it out.”
Xie Zhuxing only replied: “Nothing happened. I’m not in any trouble. Please leave soon, I’m really tired.”
Wang Chao couldn’t see through the other man’s calm expression to understand what was going on. Confused, he opened the door and walked away.
For a while, Xie Zhuxing stood in a daze. He raised his hand to feel the spot on his waist that had been caressed just a few minutes ago.
This slob, he’s got saliva all over his fingertips and didn’t seem to even have washed his hands after he used the bathroom.
If he dared to touch him again, he is going to have his ass kicked for real.
Abruptly, he heard three sharp rappings on his apartment door. “Thud, thud, thud.” He could identify the visitor by the volume alone.
“What now?” He answered the door with an impassive look.
In response, Wang Chao stuffed a rectangular box into his chest: “I brought you mooncakes from home. The box’s been sitting in the car – I had forgotten about it until now.”
Wang Chao muttered awkwardly: “Right, um, Happy Mid-Autumn Festival.”
Xie Zhuxing: “……Happy Mid-Autumn Festival.”
Wang Chao said: “I’ll head out, then.”
Xie Zhuxing nodded: “Alright.”
Wang Chao headed toward the elevator, glancing over his shoulders every few steps.
Xie Zhuang watched him enter the elevator. Right before the doors closed, Wang Chao stuck his head out and called to him again: “Xiao Xie!”
Wang Chao grasped onto the elevator door and asked: “If you don’t want spicy crawfish today, would you want it tomorrow?”
Xie Zhuxing closed the apartment door. Holding the box of mooncakes, he stood behind the door for a long time. Suddenly, he chuckled.
“If you don’t want spicy crawfish today, would you want it tomorrow?”
Only this idiot would ask him that.
Yet, he would not ask anyone else besides him.
If he were treated coldly by others, he would never eagerly return to give them moon cakes.
How did he waste the whole day, stubbornly believing that Wang Chao didn’t have feelings for him?
If this isn’t love, then what is?
He recalled Zhou Niansen’s bruised and swollen face, spitting “you’re jealous of me” at him last night.
Jealous of Zhou Niansen. Jealous of the girl who smelled like Coco Mademoiselle.
He had been angry at himself for a whole day, exhausting his body by dancing and running for almost twenty miles. What he could not exhaust, however, was not anger. It was a chest full of intense and near twisted jealousy.
Wang Chao was not the only one affected by lust.
He was, too, by the desire to touch Wang Chao, to kiss Wang Chao, and for Wang Chao to scratch a few bloody marks on his back.
Screw Zhou Niansen. Screw Coco Mademoiselle. They won’t stand a chance anymore.