The fountain in the central square is always punctual. It opens every time the huge clock hanging in the train station next to it goes around a circle.
The water columns were scattered in different heights, creating a rainbow. The splashing water vapor was wrapped in soft music and the laughter of children.
A ball rolled to You Shulang's feet. He lifted one foot and stepped on the ball. He bent slightly and raised one finger, two fingers, three fingers to the boy opposite. He exerted force with his feet and kicked the ball back.
The fine hair on his forehead was slightly blown by the moist breeze, and there was a gentle smile in his deep eyes, which briefly concealed the man's deep fatigue.
"Shu Lang, what have you thought about? Can you come and help me?"
Fan Qinghong sat on the bench, his eyes never leaving You Shulang.
"I don't want him to bother you." You Shulang scattered the bread crumbs in his hand to the pigeons at his feet. "Fan Xiao is very difficult to deal with. He often does some illogical things."
"You don't have to worry about that." The man's voice was very steady. "We are working on a key project with sufficient funds. We don't need third-party funding. He can't get involved in the project. I'm alone, so why should I be afraid of him?"
The man put his elbow on his knee and leaned over to look at the tip of You Shulang's ear. There was a small mole there, which was his memory when he was in school. "You are not the type to admit defeat, so why did you let this person make you so embarrassed this time?"
"You still have feelings for him?"
"How could that be?" You Shulang turned his face to the side and happened to see the faint rainbow interwoven by the water vapor and the sunlight. The colorful colors were just like Fan Xiao's former love, brilliant and tempting, yet illusory and non-existent. He continued, "I'm not that sick."
The tall man next to him looked a little excited, scratching his pants with his fingers, as if he had made up his mind: "Shu Lang, I want to protect you,...can I?"
You Shulang slowly looked back, and seeing Fan Qinghong's slightly red cheeks, he asked, "How to protect?"
Covering You Shulang's hand with his large palm, Fan Qinghong said anxiously, "Let's be together and face that madman together. I will protect you."
At first glance, Fan Qinghong's face looks ordinary, with no outstanding features, but when put together, he is pleasing to the eye. Unlike Fan Xiao's sharp handsomeness, his comfortable appearance does not give people any sense of oppression.
Now, nervousness and anticipation made Fan Qinghong's whole face lively, and he was waiting for You Shulang's reply.
You Shulang was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed: "Are we going to form a persecuted duo?"
Fan Qinghong was stunned, his expression somewhat gloomy.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have mentioned him."
Fan Qinghong shook his head: "There's nothing that can't be mentioned. If I hadn't gone to see that play when I was in school and hadn't met old friend Shen, we might have been together... a long time ago."
You Shulang lowered his eyes and subconsciously reached for a cigarette, but after hearing the laughter of the children in the square, he put the cigarette back into his pocket.
"How is he now? Shen Gujiu."
"We broke up a year ago. Judging from the updates he shared, he should be doing fine."
You Shulang nodded: "Later I heard from classmates that... there were a few times when you guys had serious fights."
Fan Qinghong wiped his face and said, "Yes, our personalities are extremely incompatible. I was very tired of being with him. When I was particularly depressed, I mentioned breaking up. I mentioned it twice, and he committed suicide twice. Later, I didn't dare to mention it anymore. I thought we should just live like this and torture each other."
"Why did you break up again later?" You Shulang asked.
Fan Qinghong smiled bitterly, "I don't know either. Suddenly one day he came to me and said let's break up, he no longer loves me, and he moved out the next day. After that, I could only see him on WeChat Moments, showing off his delicious food, beautiful scenery, and new love. When we were together, he went out with those ambiguous objects and had to go through the trouble of hiding from me. Now he doesn't need to do that anymore. He can have fun however he wants without having to lie."
Pigeons picking up food cooed around my feet. The sun was setting in the west at a new angle. The water column in the fountain was gradually weakening. It would take forty-five minutes for the next round to start.
After a long while, Fan Qinghong put away the heaviness in his eyes and continued the original topic: "Shu Lang, we..."
"Qinghong, it's been so many years. The youthful feelings we once had have long since faded away." You Shulang looked at the minute hand of the huge clock in the distance jumping to a new space. "Time is moving forward, and so are we. We may not necessarily get along with each other now. Besides, I'm tired and don't want to start a new relationship too soon."
"But I still want to thank you." You Shulang said gratefully, "You extended a helping hand to me when I was most helpless."
The light in Fan Qinghong's eyes slowly dimmed, but it rekindled the next moment: "Don't worry, just adjust your mindset slowly. I can wait for you, no matter how long it takes. I'm not putting pressure on you, I just want you to consider me after you move on, and give me a chance?"
Sometimes time is not omnipotent. For example, it may not be able to take away the original and purest throbbing...
In the sunlight, high-end leather shoes reflected a dazzling light, and stepping on the marble tiles of the square, they made a disharmonious melody in the peace.
The calm steps alternated forward, driving away the fat pigeons. With the sun on his back and the shadows pressed down, the man called out, "Director You."
You Shulang suddenly looked up and found Fan Xiao standing in front of him!
He had lost a lot of weight, with obvious dark circles under his eyes, a cold mist lingering in his pupils, and a piece of white gauze wrapped around his forehead.
At this moment, Fan Xiao was not wearing that gentle and polite fake skin, but looked as sinister as a battle-damaged version of the messenger of hell.
"What are you doing here?" Fan Qinghong stood up first and protected You Shulang.
Fan Xiao ignored Fan Qinghong's words and continued to look at You Shulang: "Shulang, you haven't been home for four days. I'm here to take you home."
"No need." Fan Qinghong spoke again, "Shu Lang will live in my house from now on."
Fan Xiao finally looked at Fan Qinghong straight in the eye: "Your home? I'm You Shulang's boyfriend, why should he go home with you?"
"Boyfriend? You've done so many things to let Shulang down, and you still dare to call yourself his boyfriend?! I'm officially informing you that you two are no longer a couple. You Shulang, be with me!"
!!!
You Shulang and Fan Xiao were both shocked, but the latter was more gritting his teeth.
All three of them were silent. In the noisy square, this was the only place so quiet that a needle couldn't pierce it and water couldn't splash in.
Fan Xiao was silent for a while, then suddenly smiled: "Brother Fan, is this all you can do? Do you think I will believe you if you tell me a few made-up lies? Do you think I will back down when I see difficulty?"
He took out Rouge from his pocket and bit it with his teeth: "Have you watched too many eight o'clock TV series, Brother Fan?"
Biting the cigarette, he leaned over to grab You Shulang's wrist and said sternly, "Let's go home."
But he failed. You Shulang dodged and the wrist slipped out of his hand.
You Shulang scattered the few crumbs left on his fingertips to the pigeons that were still gathering around his feet, then he calmly stood up from the bench.
He glanced at Fan Xiao and said coldly, "Put down the cigarette."
Fan Xiao glanced at the children in the square, remembered You Shulang's rules, pulled out the cigarette from his mouth, and held it in his palm.
"I won't go back with you." You Shulang's voice sounded again, with a very clear direction, "Fan Xiao, have you gone crazy enough? When will you let me go?"
"Let go?" Fan Xiao crushed the cigarette in his hand into an ugly ball. "You Shulang, don't you understand? I love you! We are going to be together forever!"
Before You Shulang could say anything, Fan Qinghong grabbed his shoulders and glared, "Your love is a threat? Is it to make him look bad in front of his classmates? Shulang is really unlucky to be loved by you!"
Fan Xiao looked at the hand that was holding You Shulang's shoulder, his eyes becoming darker and darker: "Let him go."
The tone was not harsh, but it made people feel oppressed for no reason. Fan Xiao, with gauze on his forehead, seemed to have no light in his pupils even when standing in the bright sunshine.
You Shulang knew that he was crazy and was afraid of hurting innocent people, so he distanced himself from Fan Qinghong.
Unexpectedly, Fan Qinghong did not back off, but instead hugged You Shulang tightly.
"What if I don't let you go? I heard that Mr. Fan is very capable and anyone who stands in your way will suffer. I'd like to learn a thing or two."
In the joyful central square, amidst the comings and goings of fat pigeons and naughty children, two tall men stood facing each other, ready to fight.
"I don't have that much ability." Fan Xiao raised his eyelids, "But I just want to ask Brother Fan if he knows Shen Gujiu."
Fan Qinghong frowned suddenly: "What do you mean? He and I have broken up!"
"That's right. My ex-boyfriend, who we've already broken up with, is seriously ill. I really shouldn't care about him anymore."
"What did you say? Who is seriously ill?!" Fan Qinghong let go of You Shulang and grabbed Fan Xiao's collar, "Speak clearly!"
"You're still working in a medical school, but you didn't even notice your boyfriend's health problem? Capital Bofa Hospital, Ward 422. If you run slower, you might not see him."
"You...you lied to me!"
Fan Xiao pushed Fan Qinghong away and flicked his collar in a fake manner: "Whether I lied to you or not, you can verify it yourself."
Fan Qinghong staggered and walked out of the square in panic. After taking a few steps, he stopped and turned to look at You Shulang.
"Go ahead." You Shulang forced a smile and waved his hand, "I'm fine."
As Fan Qinghong walked further and further away, the always arrogant Fan Xiao became more and more cowardly. At this moment, he was like a quail who was at a loss and just wanted to find a safe place to bury his head.
He didn't dare to look at You Shulang's cold face, and hugged him tremblingly. When he saw no objection, he lowered his body and buried his face in You Shulang's neck.
"Director You, Fan Qinghong's boyfriend is dying. If you ignore me, your boyfriend will die too. My head hurts, and I feel dizzy and nauseous sometimes. The doctor said I have a mild concussion."
Before he could finish complaining about his grievances, the hair on the back of his head was suddenly pulled up forcefully.
You Shulang looked at the man with his chin raised high and said calmly: "Fan Xiao, I have foreseen our ending. If you don't force me to death, I will definitely kill you."