Bangkok in August has an unadorned heat.
The lights are just coming on, Maha Chai Road is crowded with people, and the fire is burning. The chef flipped the rice noodles in the iron pot and wiped away a drop of sweat that was about to seep into his eyes.
You Shulang was standing in the corner facing the street, flipping through the menu and pointing to the picture of "Thai Fried Rice Noodles" to the waiter with a pen on his ear. He hasn't memorized the pronunciation of this dish yet, and even if he did, he would be embarrassed to say it because of his unfamiliarity.
You Shulang and Fan Xiao have been to this restaurant many times. The ingredients are fresh and the taste is authentic. When you look up, you will see Bangkok, which is undecorated, a little crowded but full of flavor.
Fan Xiao is not here today.
Because of the business in Thailand, Fan Xiao travels back and forth between China and Thailand many times a year. He occasionally takes You Shulang with him, but he usually chooses the cool season when it is more comfortable. Now it is the rainy season, humid and hot, but Fan Xiao is so well-behaved in bed and out of bed. After a few days of acting like a spoiled child, he took You Shulang out with him because he still had work to do.
The restaurant business is booming, and You Shulang's dinner seems to have to wait for a while. He uses his mobile phone to open the OA system and plans to deal with his work.
Before he clicks on the work software, a message reminder slides down from the top of the screen. It is from Fan Xiao. He has not shown up all day today. It is said that there are important projects that need to be promoted.
Clicking on the message, it is a location. When You Shulang zoomed in on the map, the waiter happened to put the fried rice noodles that had just come out of the pot on the table.
The steaming hot air hit the screen, covering a piece of blue. You Shulang frowned slightly, pushed the plate away, and saw the sea on the map clearly.
He immediately called back and was connected the next moment.
"Fan Xiao, are you at the beach?"
"In Pattaya." Fan Xiao said with a smile, "Shulang, I miss you and want to see you."
The deliberate relaxation in his tone was hidden in the sound of the waves. You Shulang stood up with the phone, took out the Thai baht and paid the money. As he quickly passed by the lively crowd, he said in a deep voice: "Wait for me."
It only takes an hour and a half to drive from Bangkok to Pattaya. When the taxi driver dragged the long tune "Zai Yan Yan", You Shulang put a few more tips on the console.
Halfway through the journey, I saw the sea.
Because of Fan Xiao, You Shulang hasn't seen the sea for two years. It was late at night, the sea water was like ink, and it kept rolling up the fine sand on the shore.
You Shulang subconsciously touched his neck and remembered that when he and Fan Xiao went to a coastal city for a meeting a few years ago, Fan Xiao's tears fell on his neck. What did he say at that time?
"Shulang, do you know why I added your name to the business trip list? Because... when I'm scared, I hope you can be there."
You Shulang retracted his gaze from the sea and urged the driver again in broken Thai: "กรุณารีบหน่อย (Please hurry up)."
The place where they got off was a private beach of the hotel.
Unlike the public area, except for the sound of the waves, it was almost dead quiet here.
There was a dim street lamp every few coconut trees on the coastal corridor. The spreading residual light barely dug out the tall figure standing on the beach from the darkness.
"Fan Xiao." You Shulang whispered.
It was too far away for the voice to reach, but Fan Xiao turned his head as if he had sensed it.
His posture was a little stiff, and You Shulang couldn't see the expression on his face. The thick night stirred into the sea. There was no lighthouse, and there was not even a piece of broken light on the waves.
The lightless warehouse and the room with heavy curtains twisted together with the sinister and silent sea water, which kept surging behind Fan Xiao, like an insatiable monster, hoping to devour every heavy soul.
The handsome man stepped onto the beach and walked towards the edge of the abyss, where his lover stood.
As he got closer, You Shulang saw the eagerness in Fan Xiao's eyes, like a child eager to return home, finally waiting for the call.
As soon as You Shulang stretched out his hand, cold fingers wrapped around it. Fan Xiao breathed a sigh of relief and hugged the person.
The wet and salty sea breeze messed up Fan Xiao's hair, and then swept through You Shulang's hair, mixed with the scent of wild roses. A gentle kiss was imprinted on the taut tendons behind Fan Xiao's ears. You Shulang asked, "Why are you at the beach?"
The waves wet the beach not far away. Fan Xiao avoided the dark water mark and stepped back slightly, pulling away from You Shulang: "I have something to show you."
Before You Shulang asked, the beach along the coastline behind Fan Xiao lit up with light strips one after another, leading to the huge cliff.
You Shulang raised his eyebrows slightly and rubbed the cold fingertips in his hands: "What the hell?"
Fan Xiao said nothing and pulled You Shulang along the light strip. The waves were still there, and occasionally the waves would roll to Fan Xiao's feet. The instantly stiff limbs and heavy breathing finally turned into the coldness in You Shulang's palm.
You Shulang pulled Fan Xiao to his other side. Just like the meeting in the coastal city a few years ago, there was only one body distance between them for protection, which still looked stupid and useless.
But he saw a slightly relaxed expression on Fan Xiao's face. You Shulang's palm was gently scratched twice, which was considered a man thanking him.
At the end of the light strip, there is a huge cliff standing on the seashore. It is eroded by wind and hit by waves, but it is still as heavy as a rock.
The sea breeze can only take a detour here, and You Shulang followed it around, paused, and stopped where he was.
Behind the cliff stood a small arch, wrapped with wild roses that were not bright. The sky was dark and the sea was dark. In the endless night, it seemed that only this flower door with a faint flash of light could end the hopelessness in the chaos.
You Shulang walked to the door and asked with a smile: "Is this the project you want to promote today, what you want to show me?"
The upturned branches and the sea breeze gently moved You Shulang's hair. He looked back in the flickering light, and his eyes were filled with all the worldly connections that Fan Xiao coveted.
Following You Shulang's footprints on the beach to the flower door, facing the sea, Fan Xiao slowly lowered his body and knelt on one knee.
An ordinary platinum ring was placed in a velvet box and held in front of You Shulang. For the first time, Fan Xiao's voice overwhelmed the sound of the waves, and he asked clearly and slowly: "You Shulang, same-sex marriage is allowed in Thailand. Are you willing to... spend the rest of your life with me?"
Are you willing to spend the rest of your life with me? Overcoming Fan Xiao's tail tone, melodious music came from somewhere far away, and it became wet and soft when it was blown by the moist sea breeze...
You Shulang looked at Fan Xiao who was kneeling in front of him, and he didn't say a word for a long time. He was surprised, and he never thought that two men needed to entrust their lives to each other so solemnly and piously.
When his eyes passed over the ring, You Shulang's thumb touched his empty ring finger, then he lowered his hand and took out a cigarette from his pocket.
"You booked this beach?" Hearing the affirmative answer, he put the cigarette in his mouth, lit it with his palm half closed, and the white mist from the corner of his lips was quickly taken away by the sea breeze and dispersed into the night.
The night was very dark, and the sparks from the cigarette butt were particularly bright: "Why propose here?" You Shulang asked.
"Because I am the most real when I face fear." Fan Xiao avoided the sea and only looked at the fine sand in front of him, "Weakness is hateful, and I can't do anything to cover it up."
He pulled the cigarette between You Shulang's fingers close to his face, and illuminated himself with the faint light: "I hope you can face the most real me and make the most correct judgment for you."
The sea breeze was not gentle, but it was warm like the rainy season in tropical countries. You Shulang was silent for a moment, took back the hand that was being pulled, and suddenly said in a cold tone: "I can't see the ring clearly, raise it higher."
Fan Xiao's heart was moved, his eyes were burning, he raised his arm and pushed the velvet box up again.
You Shulang bit his cigarette and looked at the ring, and asked: "Who is the husband after getting married?"
Fan Xiao smiled: "Of course Director You is."
He took off the cigarette, lowered his eyes and exhaled the smoke, and You Shulang's voice was a bit nonchalant: "Call me and let me hear it."
Fan Xiao held You Shulang's wrist hanging by his side with his other hand, met his gaze, and spoke clearly and shamelessly: "Husband, marry me, please."
Fan Xiao is good at acting like a spoiled child, and he can always get what he wants. But today You Shulang was unmoved, and bent slightly to look at him: "Will you be obedient?"
"Yes, for a lifetime..."
"Think about it first." You Shulang looked away and looked at the dark sea, "A lifetime... is very long."
"Long, but not long." Fan Xiao pushed the velvet box upwards again, "It's nothing more than a day and a night, and morning and night."
The waves surged gently, and the love song reached its most lingering melody. Their eyes met. You Shulang raised the hand that did not hold the cigarette and slowly moved forward, but passed the velvet gift box and lifted Fan Xiao's chin: "I remember when I first met President Fan, you didn't speak Chinese very well and often couldn't express yourself clearly. Now you can speak?"
Fan Xiao rubbed his hand lightly: "A red bird becomes redder when it is close to it. It's all thanks to Director You's good teaching."
The shackles on the jaw were replaced by a light caress on the cheek. You Shulang leaned over and kissed Fan Xiao's lips. The weather was hot and humid, but he seemed to tremble slightly: "Fan Xiao," his voice was slightly stagnant in the love song, "I will take it seriously, so don't..."
"No kidding." Fan Xiao's expression turned serious as he smelled the bitter and light tobacco scent on You Shulang's lips. "All living beings are content with the ten evils, and my sins are even more serious. I want to drag the Bodhisattva who teaches and saves people into the five turbidities, and lock them with me in this world of three evils and five interests, day and night."
You Shulang lowered his eyes and stared at Fan Xiao for a long time before he uttered a sentence: "I know you are very bad." He said, "Mr. Fan, you missed a word."
"What?"
"Say you love me."
Fan Xiao suddenly stood up and kissed You Shulang. Before he could say the passionate words, his shoulder was pressed hard.
"Kneel down and say it."
One knee still landed on the ground. Fan Xiao raised the velvet box in his hand, and his eyes were full of his Bodhisattva: "You Shulang, I love you, are you willing to spend the rest of my life with me?"
"I do."
From then on, the Bodhisattva fell into sin and only saved one person for the rest of his life.
The author has something to say:
The 12 episodes of the radio drama are too bitter, so I will give you and myself some sweets overnight. To get married in Thailand, at least one party must be a Thai citizen, but Fan Xiao has made great contributions, so I specially approved it.