A little boy with a bandage on his head smiles at the camera, while an elderly woman with gray hair beside him is packing her things. The picture captures her stiffness in front of the camera and her smiling face that does not conflict with her: we will be discharged from the hospital soon and we can go home.
The camera turned and many people were being honored in the solemn auditorium. They were called the most beautiful retrogrades, racing against death and saving lives one after another. Several familiar faces came into view, wearing red and flowers, full of youth. They were the college students who were stopped by You Shulang that night.
You Shulang smiled, tapped with two fingers, and sent a red heart. Then he paused, stood up from the bus seat, and got off the bus at the platform near the bar street.
"Youzi, you are riding the bus to visit bars, you should save money and spend money accordingly."
Amid the loud and lively music, You Shulang was teased by several college classmates. He held the wine glass with his long fingers, and the liquid in the glass swayed slightly with the sound waves. He said softly: "If any of you can think of driving me for a ride, I won't make a rule not to eat grass near my home."
A male classmate waved his hand and said, "I'll pick you up next time. I've had enough of the pain of women's love over the years. Why not try socialist brotherhood instead?"
You Shulang glanced at him lightly and shook his head: "Not just any grass will do."
Everyone laughed, and the boy looked frustrated: "Everyone says it's okay not to attend the class reunion, but I'm just stubborn."
Walking around the crowd, a charming woman approached You Shulang. The long wavy hair she had on her shoulders when she was dining at a Southeast Asian restaurant half a year ago had now been replaced with long straight black hair.
"I didn't realize until I returned to China that mature and flirtatious styles are no longer popular." She shook her head and said, "Does it look good?"
You Shulang nodded: "It looks good."
"I knew you would give a straight answer like that." The woman pouted, "You don't look gay at all, and neither does your ex-boyfriend."
The ice cubes in the glass clinked gently, and You Shulang raised his hand and took a sip of wine.
"Do you know what my New Year's wish is?" the woman asked.
You Shulang gave him a look to show that he was listening.
"I hope to meet a scumbag who I can abuse."
You Shulang sighed softly: "Zhang Shicheng is a good person. He has been waiting for you for many years."
The woman twirled her hair and answered after a long while: "It's because he's so good that I can't bear to do it." She took a sip of wine, "People like me will eventually let everyone down, so I'm most suitable for a scumbag."
"Then make it clear to Zhang Shicheng and cut off all ties. Don't let him have any hope anymore."
The woman smiled helplessly, "I have made up my mind to break up many times, but I still can't bear to do so. The more people like us lack something, the more we hate it. Sometimes we can't even tell whether we hate it or yearn for it. As for Zhang Shicheng, I can't bear to let him go. I'm afraid of hurting him and shattering my dream."
The music interrupted for a long time before You Shulang's voice was heard again: "So you're just keeping Zhang Shicheng hanging like this?"
The woman played with her hair again. "I can only hang on to him if he loves me. If he doesn't love me, what does it have to do with him whether I am a lady or a scumbag?"
The spicy liquid flowed down his throat, and only when the cup was empty did You Shulang whisper softly, "Do you still love me?"
After leaving the bar, the evening breeze blew and I felt drunk.
"I really don't need to give it to you?" The classmate joked, "Do you think the grass next door is not good enough?"
You Shulang tilted his head and blew out the smoke, then said with a smile, "Get lost now."
The crowd dispersed and he walked along the street. There were bars on both sides of the road. Even in the early morning, there were many young men and women.
After sending away a few people who were trying to chat him up, You Shulang walked to a T-junction. To the left was the direction of home. He stood there for a while, then turned and walked right.
Passing by a small supermarket with lights on, You Shulang went in and bought a bottle of wine. It was a cheap strong liquor, spicy and pungent, and he drank three or five mouthfuls in a row. After the burning sensation in his stomach subsided, he picked up the bottle and went to pay.
Do you need anything else? The old man who was guarding the shop muttered as usual.
After waiting for a long time without any reply, he pushed his reading glasses and looked up at the young man who came to get drunk in the early morning. He saw that his face was calm, but his movements were a little slow. He picked up something from the shelf and pushed it over to him.
"And this." said the young man.
Fan Xiao put another layer of tape on the window.
He injured one of his hands, so it was a little inconvenient for him to do it with one hand. After he finally finished, the little warmth trapped in his cotton coat had dissipated.
Throwing the tape away and holding his child in one hand, Fan Xiao walked through the medicine boxes piled up in the warehouse and came to a simple wooden bed propped up in the corner.
Because the sun was on, there was a ball of orange-yellow heat there. Fan Xiao sat on the bed with his hands close to the sun, and the bandages on his hands were also reflected in the bright color.
Suddenly, the sound of driving came from far away outside the warehouse door. The wheels rolled on the sandy ground, which was particularly clear at night.
This place is remote, and outsiders usually don't come except for unloading and loading. Fan Xiao thought for a moment, grabbed a stick from the corner, stood up and walked towards the door. The warehouse is long and narrow, and before he reached the door, he heard the car outside seem to stop, followed by the sound of the car door closing.
The taillights of the car and the unique roof lights of the taxi were reflected on the frosted windows. As the car started again, the two red lights slid across the glass and gradually disappeared.
Gravel ground easily leaves footsteps.
The footsteps of a person approached slowly and stopped outside the door, but no one knocked on the door. After waiting for a while, Fan Xiao lost his patience, and he pulled the bolt with his injured hand and pushed the door open a little.
The warm light from inside the house spread across the gravel floor without any obstruction, and there was no one in front of the door.
Just as Fan Xiao was about to take further action, he heard a very faint voice: "It's me."
You Shulang leaned against the wall, holding a cigarette between his fingers. He tilted his head to glance at the stick in Fan Xiao's hand and raised his eyebrows: "You are quite alert."
Fan Xiao was stunned in the cold wind for a full minute, until You Shulang threw away his cigarette, extinguished it with his foot, and asked him, "Would you like me to come in and sit down?"
He stepped aside to make way for the passage, and when You Shulang entered, his shoulder brushed against Fan Xiao's chest, leaving a slight numbness.
The warehouse was messy as You Shulang walked through it, occasionally stopping to look at the information on the medicine boxes and asking some questions about sales.
Fan Xiao followed from a distance, and his replies were slow and simple, usually just one or two words. You Shulang didn't mind, as if the question was irrelevant.
"Sleep here?"
When they reached the end, You Shulang turned around in front of the wooden bed and looked at Fan Xiao.
Fan Xiao was slow to react and took a while to realize what You Shulang was asking. He placed the stick in the corner and replied calmly, "I don't usually sleep here. It's too cold. I can't stand it. The people on duty at the warehouse have gone home for the New Year, and I can't find any temporary workers. So I came here to stay for a few days."
He pulled a chair and brought it to You Shulang, only to see him lift up the hem of his coat and sit on the wooden bed.
Then he asked as if he realized something belatedly: "Can I sit on the bed?"
Fan Xiao said nothing and sat down on the chair, resting his elbows on his knees and leaning forward to bask in the sun.
You Shulang glanced at his injured hand wrapped in gauze and asked, "Was it injured when you rescued that child?"
Fan Xiao said "hmm", then quickly looked up and explained: "I'm really hurt this time, I'm not lying to you."
You Shulang curled his lips, looked at the dazzling orange and asked, "Why don't you ask me what I'm here for?"
Turning his palm over, Fan Xiao whispered, "I don't dare to ask."
"What do you think?"
His Adam's apple slid, and Fan Xiao smiled bitterly: "Let's go and bring the culprit to justice."
You Shulang nodded: "I do want to ask about Changling's matter. Do you think that is atonement?"
"At that time... you were not in the right state. I went to your mother's grave with you, and I heard everything you said."
"Following me?"
"I'm worried about you." Fan Xiao said in a deep voice, suppressing You Shulang's words, but quickly avoided his gaze, "I'm afraid you'll commit suicide." His voice trembled, "I'm scared to death."
He wiped his face with his good hand and said, "You know what happened later. You may not believe this, but I didn't think about atonement at the time. I just wanted you to do what you like and live a shining life."
A proud expression slowly gathered on Fan Xiao's face. He looked at You Shulang through the bright orange heat. "Later, I found out that you are awesome and can live a shining life without any wealth, shares or status, as long as... I disappear from your life."
You Shulang's throat was dry; the gazes of Xiao Taiyang and Fan Xiao were too scorching.
"I can't take those shares."
Fan Xiao sighed softly, "I knew you were here to tell me this." He pulled the stool towards Xiao Yang again before continuing, "I'm alone, and now I earn enough to cover my expenses. If you don't want the shares, leave them to Tian Tian. I won't have children in this life. I saved Tian Tian, so whether he likes it or not, I will treat him as my own child."
After hearing this, You Shulang lowered his eyes and was silent for a while, then unexpectedly agreed: "Then I will help Tiantian collect it first."
Fan Xiao was a little surprised, but more happy. Seeing You Shulang move, he thought he was leaving after finishing his work, so he grabbed the truck key in his pocket and planned to take him home.
Unexpectedly, You Shulang just took out a cigarette, took out one and asked, "Can I smoke here?"
Turning his eyes, he saw the warehouse management regulations posted on the wall: "Oh, no smoking."
After returning the cigarette to the cigarette box, he looked up and saw Fan Xiao's surprised look. You Shulang hooked his hand and said with a bit of force in his indifference, "It must be cold there. Come and sit over here."
He made some space, giving the area where the sun was shining directly to Fan Xiao, but it seemed that he didn't make much space. Fan Xiao's big body was squeezed there, and there was only a palm-sized distance left between the two of them.
The little sun was indeed very powerful, and it made Fan Xiao's heart boil. He grabbed the bed sheet, feeling a little helpless.
"Why didn't you take revenge on Lu Bowen?" You Shulang suddenly asked.
This sentence pulled Fan Xiao out of his dizzy state. He was speechless for a long time, and finally reluctantly told the truth: "I checked him out, he's a good guy... better than me."
"What if the person is bad?"
Fan Xiao's knuckles turned white, and he said in a deep and slow voice: "If a person is bad, even if you blame me, I will still deal with him."
"Um."
Hmm? You Shulang only uttered a single syllable that could not be considered an accusation? Fan Xiao stared at You Shulang fiercely and actually saw a faint smile on his face.
The little sun cast a bright and gentle light in his pupils, and now Fan Xiao was reflected in this light: "Lü Bowen is so good, so why don't you bless us?"
Fan Xiao's heart was stabbed and stabbed, and he couldn't tell what it felt like. He straightened his back and said slowly, "You Shulang, you've gone too far."
"Is it too much to ask you to bless me? Didn't you see us kissing?"
Fan Xiao's face suddenly darkened, and he said in a cold voice: "You Shulang, what on earth are you doing here tonight? If you want to make me suffer, there is really no need to do so. I am guilty, so no one cares about my suffering. I also think that I deserve it, but can you please give me a way to live? There is really no need to come all the way here to remind me of what happened that night!"
"So you were actually there on New Year's Eve?"
"Here! That little idiot set off fireworks and illuminated you clearly!" Fan Xiao pulled You Shulang into his arms and threatened in a low voice, "You Shulang, it's not easy for me to get to where I am today. I want to help you and make you happy. I have endured for so long and don't want to fail. But if you light a little more fire, I will rape you today!"
You Shulang looked at Fan Xiao from a very close distance. His hair had grown a lot longer, looking messy and unrestrained; the color of his skin had become darker, making him look healthier and sexier; because he did everything by himself, his physique was getting stronger, his muscles were full and firm, and he felt very powerful. He had lost some of his nobleness, but gained a more fascinating wildness and unrestrainedness.
There was half a pack of rouge under the pillow on the bed. You Shulang reached over and shook out a stick of rouge and put it in his mouth. He pushed Fan Xiao away with one hand and leaned over to light the sun. He raised his eyes and glanced at the rules and regulations hanging on the wall, and blurted out lightly: "I broke your rules, sorry."
He took a puff of the cigarette, letting the nicotine travel through his body, then looked at Fan Xiao, who was still angry, and asked expressionlessly, "Will you be a good boy in the future?"
Fan Xiao was shocked: "What?"
"I asked you if you would be good in the future? I asked you before, and you lied to me. Now I ask you again, and this is the last time. Fan Xiao, will you be good when you are with me in the future?"
"I..."
Fan Xiao felt like he was hit on the head by a stick standing in the corner, and completely lost the ability to think and speak.
"Don't want to answer or can't do it?"
A trembling hand suddenly grabbed You Shulang, and Fan Xiao spoke very quickly and solemnly: "I will! I will be obedient and good, and I will never lie to you again, not a single lie! I won't use any tricks! Shulang, I promise!"
You Shulang looked at Fan Xiao for a long time, then put out his cigarette. When there was no more spark left, he took out a box of condoms containing shopping receipts from his pocket and threw it casually on the bed.
He patted his shaking hand and raised his eyelids: "Aren't you going to have sex with me? Can you do it with one hand?"
Fan Xiao: "!!!"
"You and that Lu..."
"He's hiding from his love debt, and so am I." You Shulang put his hand on Fan Xiao's collar and pulled hard, then leaned over to the man's ear and said in a faint voice, "Mr. Fan, you can't unbutton your clothes with one hand? Then let me help you?"
"The End", there are also many sweet extras, updated daily, my friends, just read them as the main text.