September 9th is a good time to move into a new home.
The car was parked in the parking space of the high-end community. Fan Xiao turned from the driver's seat and rubbed Tiantian's hair, smiling and saying, "We have arrived at our new home."
He got out of the car, opened the back door, picked up Tiantian from the child safety seat, locked the car and went downstairs. He looked up along the building, his eyes full of tenderness: "Uncle You is waiting for us at the new home."
Tiantian patted his shoulder and said in a childish voice: "Then let's go up quickly."
The man's tone was also a little urgent: "Okay, let's go up quickly."
Without choosing to enter the password to open the door, Fan Xiao knocked on the door.
"Wait a minute." You Shulang's voice came through the door, making the big and small outside the door raise the corners of their lips.
The door was opened, and the warm current and the smell of food pouring out from the room were the fireworks that Fan Xiao had longed for. The man in home clothes and an apron stood in front of him with a comfortable smile. Behind him was an isolated island in the turbulent sea, safe and fertile, it was Fan Xiao's home.
Tiantian saw the huge toy castle and exclaimed "Wow" excitedly. He hugged You Shulang's neck and ran towards the toy.
Without Tiantian, the two men stared at each other inside and outside the door. You Shulang gently leaned against the edge of the door. In his dark eyes, there was a faint smile and a clear and true love, which was like a vortex that made people sink.
"Would you like to visit your new home, Mr. Fan?"
As a pharmaceutical distributor in charge of three provinces, Fan Xiao was very busy during the period before the New Year. He frequently traveled to various cities for business trips. It has been half a month since he last left home. He was eager to go home. After getting off the plane, he learned that You Shulang had decided to move to a new house today and asked him to pick up Tiantian from the kindergarten and come together.
Still tired from the journey, Fan Xiao seemed a little clingy. He inserted his fingers into You Shulang's fingers and gently pulled him into his arms.
"Tiantian is still here." You Shulang reminded.
Fan Xiao casually pushed open a door in the house, and the sound of the door closing and a satisfied sigh sounded at the same time. You Shulang was hugged tightly. The slight coolness of the man and the warm breath on his neck made his heart sour and soft between the cold and the hot. It felt good to be attached and missed, especially when the other person was his lover.
He took the initiative to kiss her, but before the kiss, he warned: "Don't push too far. I made your favorite food. It tastes better now."
The deep kiss was passionate. Fan Xiao was reluctant to look forward to the breath of the man in his arms, looking forward to his response, as if he was burned by a raging fire, and a layer of fine sweat appeared on his back.
You Shulang let him invade, and tried to control the situation when he was about to go too far. The deep kiss turned into a light peck. He kissed the corners of the man's lips one by one, and said nervously: "I was thinking of taking you to visit this room after dinner, but you couldn't wait to rush in."
Fan Xiao, whose blood was still boiling, reacted half a beat slower. He turned slowly and saw the furnishings of this new house.
This is a studio, not large in size, with floor-to-ceiling windows connected to the terrace, and the corners of the curtains of the window screens rose and fell to depict the wind.
The studio is simple and exquisite, with white as the main color and gray mixed in occasionally. In the abundant light, it shows a gentle coldness. Paintings, oil paintings or sketches are hung on the wall in an orderly manner. Some of them are delicate
and graceful, while many of them are not skillful, with the unfamiliarity and stiffness of beginners. In the middle of the studio, there is an easel with a draft that has not yet been colored. The green lines outline the image of a woman, very beautiful, with the most gentle smile.
Fan Xiao took a step back and suddenly looked at his feet. The long gray wooden strips were staggered and spliced, and there was no cold sea water surging.
"Fan Xiao." A warm embrace came from behind, and You Shulang's voice rang in his ears, "Don't be afraid, I'm here."
The cold fingertips were wrapped in warmth, and You Shulang held Fan Xiao's hand and asked, "Shall we leave here first?"
"No need." Fan Xiao raised his head and looked at the painting again, his voice low and hoarse, "Where did you get these?"
You Shulang looked at Fan Xiao's angular profile, and said carefully, "Your eldest brother Fan Bo wants to give you a studio."
Fan Xiao turned his head and stared at You Shulang, with a bloodthirsty red mark at the end of his eyes: "Who wants to give me my studio back?"
In addition to the paintings, the sculptures displayed everywhere in the studio made this place full of artistic atmosphere at dawn and dusk. You Shulang and Fan Xiao leaned side by side on the terrace, sucking on a rouge together.
"Fan Bo actually called me a few days ago. We exchanged pleasantries for a long time before getting down to business." You Shulang took the cigarette from Fan Xiao's mouth and put it in his own mouth. He sipped it lightly and held it loosely between his fingers. "He said he regretted treating you with indifference and violence when you were little."
The setting sun cast a long shadow in front of the two of them. When Fan Xiao's shadow moved, even that shadow was unbelievable: "He said he regretted it?"
You Shulang nodded: "Yes, I thought he was going to play some tricks again, but... he choked up a little. His ex-wife, your ex-sister-in-law, took the phone and conveyed Fan Bo's feelings to me."
The cigarette was hastily snatched back by Fan Xiao and deformed between his teeth: "What did she say?"
"She said Fan Bo has always had a heart disease, that is, he was indifferent to you when you were a child, and even used violence."
Fan Xiao sneered: "I haven't seen him treat me well even after growing up."
"Fan Bo thinks that it was your mother's intervention that led to your father and his mother's divorce, so he has hated you all along, opposed you everywhere, and smashed your and your mother's studios time and time again. During the tsunami, although he was unable to save you, he did not fight for you and your mother with your father with all his strength, which is also something he feels guilty and regretful about."
You Shulang hugged the slightly trembling Fan Xiao, and said softly, "Five years ago, when your sister-in-law divorced Fan Bo and sorted out the household items, she actually found your mother's diary hidden in the dressing table." He looked at Fan Xiao who suddenly raised his eyes, walked to the bookshelf in the studio and pulled out a cowhide notebook, "I can't interfere in your parents' affairs, but... You read it yourself."
Fan Xiao took the yellowed book with trembling hands, and said in a hoarse voice after a long while: "It's okay, just tell me, I can bear it."
You Shulang lit another cigarette for Fan Xiao: "Let me make a long story short. Fan Bo learned from this diary that your mother was abducted by your father, and threatened your mother not to call the police with the photo and his connections in the police station. After Fan Bo's mother found out about their relationship, she divorced your father. Your mother was pregnant with you at that time, and your father reluctantly married her. He pretended to be considerate in front of others, but was very cold to your mother behind others' backs."
Fan Xiao's eyes turned from cold snow to blood red, as if quenched by evil fire, revealing bloody hatred and pain.
You Shulang held him in his arms again, and his warm fingers rubbed the man's hair: "I was very hesitant about whether to tell you this. Although your father has been punished, I still think you should know about this and know your mother's past situation."
Fan Xiao was like a broken doll, held in You Shulang's arms without missing a single piece. He did not fall into madness, nor did he fall into a nightmare. His strong and gentle lover was by his side, facing the evil and ugliness of this world with him.
"Anything else?" he asked.
You Shulang placed a kiss on the man's temples, and continued as he looked at the afterglow of the setting sun: "This incident has a great impact on Fan Bo. His hatred has slowly dissipated, but he still cannot be close to you. In his own words, he no longer knows how to face you. He said that he has always known that you were investigating him, Fan Yu and your father, and he also knew your plan. You want to overthrow the entire family and avenge your mother."
Fan Xiao slowly stood up from You Shulang's arms and frowned at him.
"Fan Bo said that the evidence you found about counterfeiting and selling fake products four years ago was leaked to you by him on purpose. He is the eldest son and is in charge of the company's main business. It is naturally easier for him to investigate these dirty things than you."
Fan Xiao showed an even more shocked expression. He pondered for a long time before slowly saying, "I have investigated the counterfeiting and selling of fake products for a long time, but all I found were some minor and unimportant evidence. One day four years ago, Fan Bo suddenly complained to me that the security system of the old house was broken. He and his father went out for a meeting, and the study door that had been closed all year round was not locked. I used some means to copy all the files from the encrypted computer. When I got away safely, my father, who has always been meticulous, came back from outside."
He fell silent, and after hatred and pain, he fell into confusion again.
You Shulang pulled Fan Xiao from the terrace into the room: "Fan Bo said that he smashed your studio many times, and now he wants to return one to you. He had people move these paintings into the storage room after your mother passed away. At that time, he thought you all died in the tsunami, and his heart softened, so he didn't want to burn them."
You Shulang pointed to the paintings on the wall: "These paintings are average, are they your works?"
Fan Xiao finally smiled briefly: "I painted them when I was seven years old." He was sad again, "The other paintings were painted by my mother."
"What about this one?" You Shulang looked at the woman on the drawing board, "Although the brushstrokes are not smooth enough, they are very vivid and lifelike. I like it very much."
"The person in the painting is my mother. This was a work I was very proud of at the time. I planned to color it after my vacation, but..."
You Shulang's not-so-delicate fingertips pinched Fan Xiao's hand lightly: "You can also complete it now. This will be your greatest work."
The glow finally disappeared, and the last ray of light was hidden in the darkness. The nightmare that had imprisoned Fan Xiao for more than 20 years ended in the most familiar darkness. There was no sea water and waves, no cold and lonely nights, and no pale face in the water. Now the studio is still warm and quiet. His mother is the gentle and charming figure on the drawing paper, and there is also his lover, who was deceived, hurt, and plundered, but still told himself that the world is not bad.
"Draw me another picture." He heard him say, "You drew the last one too badly."
"Okay." Fan Xiao quickly wiped his eyes and promised, "This time I will definitely draw well, using what I have learned throughout my life."
You Shulang raised his eyelids: "Sign your Thai name at the end?"
Fan Xiao's gloomy mood was illuminated, and he slowly smiled: "Your most devout believer, Fan Xiao."
...
A month later, You Shulang stepped out of the coffee shop and heard Fan Xiao beside him saying goodbye to the owner in Thai.
The streets of Bangkok are full of tall buildings and busy with pedestrians. Cars are moving slowly, but tuk-tuks and songthaews are driving very fast, bringing a hint of coolness in the stagnant and hot air.
You Shulang imitated Fan Xiao and put his hands together to say goodbye to Fan Bo and his wife. The two brothers still stood away from each other and didn't talk much, just like they did in the coffee shop just now.
The beautiful and bright woman touched Fan Bo secretly, and the man spoke awkwardly: "Third brother, bring Director You and Tiantian back to play often in the future."
For more than 20 years, the two have been accustomed to verbal battles. Fan Xiao also had goose bumps at this time. He looked at the woman and asked with a smile: "Sister-in-law, don't you plan to remarry my eldest brother? You might as well think about it. There are many talented people in the country, and I can introduce you to better ones."
"Fan Xiao!" The man opposite showed a familiar expression.
Fan Xiao smiled happily: "You and your sister-in-law can come together and just watch it anytime."
He put his hand on You Shulang's shoulder and raised his hand: "Let's go, see you later."
You Shulang nodded gently to the two of them, and followed Fan Xiao slowly into the endless stream of people.
Lighting candles and incense sticks, You Shulang placed the jumping flames in a gorgeous candlestick. Turning around, he walked to the four-faced Buddha, put his hands together, bowed deeply, and piled the flower strings on his wrist in front of the Buddha. He walked clockwise to the next side and repeated this action once.
The smoke of incense and candles lingered, and You Shulang was led by the young monk to the side hall of the temple after bowing on all four sides. He crossed the threshold that had gone through years, and heard the long and lingering Sanskrit sound.
The elderly monk put on a robe and sat cross-legged in front of a copper bowl. When You Shulang presented a Buddha amulet, the old monk closed his eyes and chanted scriptures, and his Zen words were profound and lingering.
The holy water in the copper bowl was soaked up by the soft branches and poured on You Shulang's forehead, refreshing him. The old monk returned the Buddha amulet with a charitable smile.
When he stepped out of the side hall, he saw Fan Xiao leaning against a shieldwood tree. He was tall and straight. Under the green shade, he looked at You Shulang with a dazzling smile, and his expression was both casual and flamboyant.
It was almost noon, and the sun was getting hotter. You Shulang walked into the shade and smelled the faint floral fragrance on the man in the rare coolness.
"What did you go to do?"
"Helping an old man sell flowers, I'm handsome and sell the fastest." He raised a string of golden chain flowers in his hand, "You offer it to the Buddha, and I offer it to my Bodhisattva."
The garland was put on You Shulang's neck. Fan Xiao looked at him for a while and frowned slightly: "Now I'm not the most handsome Laomama (old lady) around this temple."
You Shulang thought he was boring, and reached out to pick a few petals from his hair. When he got close, he heard Fan Xiao whispered softly: "Where did Director You go?"
A simple holy wood powder Buddha amulet slipped from his fingers and dangled in front of Fan Xiao: "I threw away your amulet, and now I'm buying you a new one."
You Shulang untied the chain, put his hands around Fan Xiao's neck, and slowly spread his faint voice under the thick shadows of the trees: "The Four-Faced Buddha has four kinds of Brahma hearts: compassion, mercy, joy, and giving. I only wish that you have no hatred, no anger, no resentment, no regrets, not being hindered by the past, not being confused by the future, living freely, and... loving me."
The solemn and compassionate amulet was closely attached to the brilliant and holy golden chain flower. In the mottled light and shadow, the soul that once faced death was gently held in the palm of the hand, and from then on it looked forward to the morning and evening, and coveted the world.
"Bodhisattva, I wish I could be your companion on the Bodhi path for all eternity."
The wind blew, the leaves rustled, and under the gaze of the hundred-foot golden body, the contract was concluded, immortal and unregrettable...