"I'm going to buy a van."
In the high-end club, Fan Xiao was half hidden in the shadows. He was wearing work clothes and military boots, without any decorations to enhance his status. He seemed out of place in this magnificent palace, but because of his natural willfulness and generosity, he was very suitable for this place.
Rubbing the scar on his cheek, with a slight smile in the corner of his eyes, Fan Xiao reiterated: "I plan to buy a truck."
"I heard that." Shi Lihua replied lazily, "You Shulang doesn't let you ride a bike in winter, not because he's afraid you'll hit someone, but because he's afraid you'll get hurt."
Shi Lihua raised his glass and rolled his eyes: "You've said it eight times."
Fan Xiao leaned over the desk to reach for a cigarette, his face in shadow illuminated by the overhead light, his superior features deep and three-dimensional, there was a very shallow scar on the right side of his cheek, which was accidentally left when he beat Bai Yupeng in the alley.
With a cigarette in his mouth and a match in his fingers, Fan Xiao lightly kicked Shi Lihua and said with a wicked look on his face: "How did our Director You beat you? Tell me more."
Shi Lihua, who had a bandage on his forehead, was furious: "Damn, Fan Xiao, that's enough!"
"Isn't he very handsome? Very cool?"
"He's handsome and cool, so what? You Shulang already has a boyfriend, he's not yours anymore, Fan Xiao, wake up."
There was a sudden silence in the air for a moment, and Shi Lihua knew he had stepped on a landmine.
He opened his mouth and said dryly, "What I mean is that You Shulang has already moved on. If you stay stuck in the past, it will only cause you more trouble."
After a while, Fan Xiao finally put away the sternness in his brows and patted Shi Lihua on the shoulder: "Don't worry about my affairs. Go and confront You Shulang. I haven't settled the score with you yet."
"Why don't you make a hole in my head too?"
Fan Xiao smiled, took out a bunch of keys from his pocket and threw them in front of Shi Lihua: "My villa in Thailand is yours."
Shi Lihua hooked the key on his fingertips and swung it: "Don't you plan to go back? You don't want to fight for your eldest brother's property?"
Fan Xiao looked a little dazed, lost in thought for a while before chuckling: "Those things seem to be very far away from me, so far away that I can hardly remember them."
He stood up, holding an unlit cigarette, and waved his hand: "Let's go. I have to go to bed early today and get up early tomorrow to find a store."
Shi Lihua looked at his watch and wailed feebly, "Are you coming out for New Year's Eve? There's a whole-day party going on."
The hand shook again: "I'm going to the welfare home to offer warmth during the New Year's Eve. I don't have time."
Shi Lihua screamed: "Where are you going?"
It snowed on the first day of the new year.
Tiantian wore a bunny ear bag, a red scarf, and his little leather shoes stepped on the snow, leaving a trail of bouncing footprints.
Today is the welfare home's open day. There will be performances carefully prepared by the children, and donations from all walks of life will also be accepted.
You Shulang bought a lot of stationery and clothes, and he and Tiantian delivered them today. Lu Bowen took on the role of a laborer, holding a box of stationery and handing it over.
Suddenly, a clear laugh was heard, coming along with the cold air flow, which warmed people's hearts.
Tiantian looked up with longing eyes and asked You Shulang for his opinion. You Shulang patted his little head and said with a smile: "Let's go and take a look."
After saying hello to Lu Bowen, You Shulang took Tiantian's hand and went towards the sound of laughter.
The snow on the steps in the park has been cleared, and above the steps is an activity area for children.
As he climbed the stairs, the closer he got, the louder the laughter became, and there was a faint familiar male voice, which made You Shulang hesitate a little.
When he reached the last step, his vision was unobstructed. When he looked out, You Shulang's heart suddenly trembled. It was actually Fan Xiao.
Not far away, Fan Xiao stood lazily against the courtyard wall with his hands hanging down, a scarf tied loosely over his eyes, counting: "One, two, three," he threatened in a long tone, "Hide quickly, whoever is caught will have to recite Tang poetry."
The children clapped their hands, laughed, and scattered, looking for places to hide.
There used to be lush vegetation in the welfare home. Although they are now withered, it does not look bleak because of the children's lively smiling faces.
You Shulang stood under a sturdy elm tree, with the unfallen dead leaves in front of him, which were shone by the sunlight, forming mottled shadows. You Shulang looked at Fan Xiao through the swaying shadows of the tree, at his upturned lips, his pure smile, his hair shining in the sun, and the innocence that was sealed in his bones but inadvertently revealed at this moment.
"...Eight, nine, ten." Fan Xiao's smile widened. "Are you all hidden? I'm going to start looking for you."
He pulled the scarf off his eyes and tried to adjust to the sudden sunlight. He moved his back away from the wall. He threatened slowly, "Hide your little butt and feet. Don't let me..."
Suddenly losing his voice, Fan Xiao stared in a daze at the direction of the century-old elm tree.
The sunlight after the snow was exceptionally clear, and You Shulang could even see Fan Xiao's trembling eyelashes. He had already said "long time no see" between his teeth, but saw Fan Xiao's gaze moving downwards, landing on Tiantian.
He smiled and asked, "Does Tiantian want to join?"
Tiantian glanced at You Shulang and nodded his little head heavily.
Fan Xiao said loudly: "Another child has joined. I will count to tens again. Everyone hide well."
He gestured to You Shulang to wait, then tied the scarf over his eyes again...
Until all the children were found by him, Fan Xiao carried Tiantian and walked towards You Shulang.
Unexpectedly, a girl hugged his thighs and looked up at Fan Xiao with great effort, saying, "Uncle Fan, you are so handsome. I want to marry you when I grow up."
Fan Xiao, holding Tiantian, squatted down and gently refused: "No." He glanced at the figure under the old tree and said, "Uncle has someone he likes."
The winter sun was surprisingly scorching, and You Shulang's heart seemed to be burned. He retracted his gaze, plucked a dead leaf in front of him, and twisted it between his fingers, and the withered yellow leaves shattered to the ground.
After coaxing the "broken-hearted" little girl away, Fan Xiao walked up to You Shulang and spoke first: "Shulang, I didn't follow you, I came here first."
His tone was a little coquettish and sticky, and he even tiptoed forward a little to get closer to You Shulang: "Happy New Year, Director You."
You Shulang scratched his fingertips with his nails, and reached out to take Tiantian from Fan Xiao's arms. A vague "Happy New Year" was hidden in his action.
Fan Xiao seemed very happy. He dodged to the side and continued to occupy Tiantian: "Let me hold him for a while." He lifted Tiantian up high, "Tiantian, Happy New Year! Stay healthy in the new year!"
"Why are you here?" You Shulang asked.
"I'm here to give the child some regular medicine." Fan Xiao quietly gave himself points, "I deliver medicine to welfare homes and relief stations at the city, county and township levels."
As if feeling a little embarrassed, Fan Xiao started playing with Tiantian again after he finished speaking, throwing him into the air and catching him in his arms again and again, the two of them laughing together.
You Shulang looked at Fan Xiao in front of him and found that he was very suitable for smiling. It was not the gentle smile that he deliberately pretended, nor was it the fake smile as before, but a smile with relaxed and open eyebrows, healthy and warm.
If there hadn't been that shipwreck, would Fan Xiao be like this?
A dead leaf slowly fell, interrupting You Shulang's wild thoughts. He ordered himself not to get too entangled with Fan Xiao. Just as he was about to say goodbye, he heard Tiantian's voice.
The short little arm pointed at the oncoming man: "Uncle Lu."
Fan Xiao's smile suddenly disappeared.
"The things have been handed over to the director." Lu Bowen stood next to You Shulang and asked with a smile, "What are you doing?"
"Hide and seek." Tiantian rushed to answer, "With this uncle."
Tiantian hugged Fan Xiao's neck tightly, which made Fan Xiao's back straighten three points.
"Hello, I'm Lu Bowen, Shu Lang's friend." The man opposite Fan Xiao extended his hand. "It's our first meeting. Please take care of me."
Fan Xiao could tell that he emphasized the word "friend". After examining the hand for a moment, Fan Xiao shook it: "Fan Xiao. This is not the first time we meet. Last time I fell off my motorcycle, Mr. Lu came to help me."
"Really? I don't remember."
"Mr. Lu has done a lot of good deeds, so naturally he doesn't remember."
"Mr. Fan is no less impressive. Are you here at the welfare home today to do charity work as well?"
"I can't compare to Mr. Lu's generosity. I came to deliver some medicine and show my face in the news to promote it. As a businessman, I should talk business."
Lu Bowen raised his eyebrows, neither refutating nor agreeing. As if he was afraid of a dull silence, he made small talk: "Mr. Fan and Shu Lang are...?"
Fan Xiao paused for a moment. He did not look at You Shulang, but replied calmly: "Colleague, we worked together when Director You worked at the pharmaceutical factory."
The performance was about to begin. The director asked the guests to take their seats. Fan Xiao was still holding Tiantian, walking behind the crowd and whispering to the boy, "Uncle Lu wanted to hug you just now, why didn't you go?"
Tiantian fluttered her eyelashes and said, "It will be higher if you hold it."
The corners of Fan Xiao's lips curled up a little, and he held Tiantian a little higher.
He quietly slipped over and picked a few prickly cockleburs from a weed, holding them loosely in his hand.
Tiantian opened his eyes wide and expressed doubt.
"Shall we put it inside Uncle Lu's clothes later?"
"No, it will prick your flesh."
Fan Xiao looked at the fussy little boy and suddenly smiled. He leaned in and kissed the soft cheek: "You are truly a little boy brought up by the Bodhisattva."
He threw a cocklebur at random: "Okay, just listen to us."