Constant Gaze

Wu Shujiu, who acted as a lawless boy, didn’t have to endure that beating, and the conspiracy theory he imagined didn’t come true either — Over the weekend, when his mom called to say hi, Xu Xing answered the phone and spoke politely, saying all the things elders liked to hear.

“Don’t worry, auntie,” He said, “I’ll look after him.”

At that time, Wu Shijiu was draped over the back of the sofa, craftily eavesdropping. When the call ended, Xu Xing put down the phone in his hand, stood up, and changed into clothes for going out.

“I have an engagement.”

He went to the bathroom to look at the mirror, closely examining his own face, then checked the time on his wristwatch, “I’ll be back a little late.”

“Oh.” Wu Shujiu stood up and watched him put his shoes on by the side of the vestibule, “Aren’t you going to spend the night outside?”

Xu Xing put his hand on the doorknob, but stopped when he heard that, “Huh?”

It was a while before he reacted, stretching out his arm to wrap around Wu Shijiu’s head, “What are you thinking about, you little bastard?”

The little bastard remained unconvinced, “You can’t be like this, uncle Xu, I mean… you’re almost thirty, you can’t even have joint healthcare if you don’t have a partner.”

“So you can actually worry about things.”

Xu Xing’s long legs walked out the door, but he turned half of his body back, the corners of his lips bent in a smile that was different from those past subtleties, “Worry about your homework.”

“I won’t send you out.”

Wu Shijiu returned to the second floor, and he worked on his unending test papers with some instant noodles and milk. After finishing a subject, he looked at his watch and repeated the process a few times until it was 12 o’clock. This was usually the time he went to sleep, but he wasn’t feeling that tired today.

He came out of the bathroom after washing up and heard the movement of someone coming back downstairs. He ran to the stairs and squatted down to look. Xu Xing had just come into the house, and the two met face-to-face when he raised his head.

“Yo.”

“You’re back.” He was wearing a sleeveless shirt and shorts, exposing his slender and strong arms and calves as he sloppily wandered downstairs, “Are you happy?”

“Why do you care about my engagements?”

Xu Xing took off his clothes and threw them on the laundry basket, going straight to the sofa and sitting down in the middle. Wu Shijiu went around to the kitchen, heading to the fridge for some cold soda, and found that the man was actually lost in thought, a rare sight to see.

He thought about it and grabbed another can to give to Xu Xing, single-handedly prying open the pull-top as he walked so he could just drink it when he handed it over. The only light in the living room came from a floor lamp in a corner, and the light was very dim, so he could barely see shadows and outlines, let alone the other’s face.

He could vaguely see as Xu Xing patted down the empty space beside him, saying, “Sit with me for a bit.”

“What’s up?”

He had no objections, he was just a little curious. After asking his question, he sat down next to him, minding his own business, the soda swaying as it was shook, quietly bubbling though the aluminium can.

“Nothing.” The question was hard to answer, at least for Xu Xing. “I just want someone to sit next to me for a bit right now, and tell me about something happy.”

“Me?” Wu Shijiu forced a laugh, “Every day I go to school like I’m going to a funeral, what’s happy about that? Mr Xu, you’re making things hard for me.”

Xu Xing coughed, “Sorry.”

“Every day I solve problems, solve more problems, memorise stuff, memorise more stuff, take exams, and take more exams, does that make you happy?”

“That too.” Xu Xing’s expression approved, but he still didn’t give up, “There’s not a single thing?”

“Hmm…”

Wu Shijiu tilted his head and muttered, his gaze falling on the two soda cans of the same flavour being held by the two people. Xu Xing didn’t look at him, but he felt his breath and warmth clearly and steadily. He drank the very last gulp and blinked, stepping on Xu Xing’s slippers with his damp toes.

“I suppose this is one.”