《A Thousand Thoughts》


 CH 1

    Tang Xu went abroad for two years, and on the seventh day after he returned, he was already standing on that three-foot podium, dedicated to watering the flowers of the motherland1


    There are whispers below from restive, post-adolescent2 girls who can be aroused by handsome guys.


    The major of automation has ten boys and one girl. There were sixty students in two classes sitting below, however only the faces of seven girls could be seen. Even so, the girl¡¯s comment came one after another, scrambling into Tang Xu¡¯s ears.


    He coughed lightly, ¡± Alright students, be quiet. We¡¯re in class.¡±


    The voice was magnetic, and it¡¯s the kind of magnetic voice that is suitable for listening to in the middle of the night and with his abstinence black shirt and the shape of faintly outlined pectoral muscles, it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to describe it as a dressed up beast3.


    Although Tang Xu is a teacher, he does not have a gentle and bookish image. He grew up in an army compound, and his solid body and bronzed skin tone make him look manly, which is unique in this engineering college where most teachers are slovenly.


    Naturally, this sound caused the following girls to pinch each other¡¯s thighs for a moment. Even if they can¡¯t speak, they have to shout with their eyes¡ª it¡¯s too handsome!


    Tang Xu said unhurriedly, ¡°First of all, let me introduce myself. I am Tang Xu.¡± After that, he turned around and wrote his name on the blackboard, and the two big characters were powerful just like the person himself.


    He casually threw chalk on the desk and said, ¡°I will study the course on automatic control principles with you all this semester. Automatic control principle is a very important professional course for automation majors, so for us to get along more happily before class, Let me talk about a few things that need attention in my class. Firstly, when I am teaching, you can ask questions at any time without raising your hand; just sit on your seat and say. I like vivid classes. But no whispering; if you sleep, you don¡¯t have to come. You all are already juniors, and everyone should know what to do and what not to do in class. Furthermore, if you have any questions before the final exam, you can always come to me. Don¡¯t contact me after the final exam, and don¡¯t ask me for grades. Does anyone have any questions?¡±


    A short-haired girl immediately accepted his class habits, she sat on her seat and said with a smile, ¡°Teacher, you have to give us the contact information.¡±


    Tang Xu smiled, picked up a piece of chalk, and wrote an email address and a phone number on the blackboard. ¡°You are welcome to ask any academic questions.¡±


    Then, he picked up two lists: ¡°I won¡¯t conduct any roll call activities in the future, but the Academic Affairs Office requires regular grades, so I need to get to know everyone today and observe everyone¡¯s class performance by myself. I also need to select a class representative.¡±


    Hearing this, the girls below secretly tidied up their appearance, looking forward to this handsome teacher¡¯s roll call.


    Tang Xu read names one by one, and whoever was called would shout ¡°here¡± and raise their hand to indicate their position. Tang Xu would look over at them and sometimes make a comment, such as praising the name.


    When Tang Xu finished reading a page of the list and turned the page, he suddenly stopped. Afterward he frowned under the puzzled eyes of the class and then said, ¡°Tang Cuo.¡±


    In the small classroom, a boy in the penultimate row who had kept his head down raised his hand. He has fair skin and a baby face; the bones on his face are not as distinct as others, his eyes are big and his whole appearance is harmless. He looked younger than boys of the same age¡ªnot like a junior, but like a young high school student.


    ¡°Here.¡±


    He doesn¡¯t know if it¡¯s because of nervousness or what, but the word trembled at the end. After the voice fell, the young man pursed his lips tightly, only glanced at the man on the podium, before lowering his head again.


    Tang Xu looked at the name on the list, and his fingers tightened. He took a deep breath before looking up, and when he saw the person who was lowering his hand, he still felt a little unreal.


    He doesn¡¯t seem to have changed much, but he has grown up a little.


    He withdrew his gaze and regained his composure. When he lowered his head again and was about to continue the roll call, the past of seven or eight years ago came without greeting, colliding and prevaricating with each other in his mind and In the end, there was only one scene left: thirteen-year-old Tang Cuo pulled his arm, silently crying, and looked at him with swollen eyes and begged him.


    In china, the young people are often referred to as ¡± flower of the motherland. So he is dedicated to educated the children


    the age between 18 to 21 years


    Dressed-up beast (idiom) is an immoral and despicable person

 CH 2

    In the past, when the class representative was chosen, there was nothing but silence in the classroom. However, this time it was different. Tang Xu looked at the raised hands, shook his head, and smiled helplessly. That gesture was a bit like the yuppie style of the male protagonist in the Hong Kong movies of the 1980s: ¡°There will be no bonus points for being a class representative. So in the end, collecting homework is not going to be a good effort.¡±


    A boy sitting in his seat shouted, ¡°Teacher, it¡¯s because you¡¯re handsome that they want to get close to you.¡±


    Upon hearing this, they burst into laughter, and a few of them rolled their eyes.


    Most of the students who raise their hands are girls. This kind of engineering major with more wolves and less meat has cultivated boy¡¯s unique feelings of protecting the flowers. For example, if there is any activity, the girls are first to ask for opinions, and if there is something good to do, they would squeeze the girls in their class first. After all, girls who can choose this kind of major could be said to be little angels sent by heaven to save their monk careers.


    As a result, several boys who had raised their hands also put their hands down, except for Tang Cuo.


    Tang Xu raised the corner of his eyes and looked around for a long time. ¡°There are five students. You all say, How do you want to choose?¡±


    Someone said loudly, ¡°Compete for the position!¡±


    Although it is a joke, it makes sense. Tang Xu nodded, ¡°I think it¡¯s okay, then you guys can discuss about it.¡±


    The students who raised their hands spontaneously started to speak from the person sitting in the front. The girls were honest and interesting. Even if they said a few grandiose words at the beginning that I love learning, and I love automation control. At the end, they added with a smile, ¡°But the main reason is that the teacher is handsome!¡±


    When it was Tang¡¯s Cuo turn to speak, he stood up; his whole back was stiff. He was silent for a long time before he said, ¡°I just want to be a class representative.¡±


    Tang Xu stood in front, looking at Tang Cuo calmly, who finally looked at him.


    Tang Xu tapped his fingers on the table and thought for a while before saying, ¡°Our school is quite big, and my office is also quite far. Since there is a boy, let¡¯s choose him.¡±


    Strangely, Tang Cuo¡¯s back didn¡¯t relax because of Tang Xu¡¯s words; instead, it tensed even more.


    ¡°Teacher, you are Yan Kong1. You have chosen the beautiful one!¡±


    Tang Xu was dumbfounded for a moment. Is Tang Cuo beautiful? He glanced at the person who was still standing, and he was indeed beautiful. Eight years ago, when he saw Tang Cuo for the first time in that shabby hut that was leaking from everywhere, there was a sense of astonishment in his eyes. Although his face was covered with mud stains, and he was as thin as a dry twig, his eyes couldn¡¯t be covered by the dirt. Not only can it not cover it, but in the dirty skin and run-down environment, it seems even more ignorant and painful.


    However, he chose him as the class representative at this time just because Tang Cuo said that he wanted to be. He had to admit that he had cared about him for many years, and he also wanted to know how the child had been doing all these years.


    Tang Cuo¡¯s head was buzzing throughout the whole class. He was quite uneasy as his shoulders and arms were numb. Tang Xu¡¯s voice was right next to his ears, but he didn¡¯t dare to listen. At the end of the class, Tang Xu said, ¡°Tang Cuo, stay.¡±


    Tang Cuo packed his schoolbag on his seat, his classmates had all already left. He noticed Tang Xu turned off the multimedia, packed up the textbooks and lesson plans, and then walked to his side.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go out to dinner.¡± Tang Xu¡¯s words were casual and familiar, as if the two of them had been friends for many years.


    Tang Cuo stood up, nodded obediently, and followed him out of the classroom.


    After Tang Xu asked Tang Cuo¡¯s opinion, they went to the teacher¡¯s cafeteria. He pulled a chair for Tang Cuo to sit on, and he went to the counter to get dinner. After placing the bowl in front of Tang Cuo, he stuffed the chopsticks into his hands and poured some vinegar into his noodles. Tang Xu was able to take a closer look at the young man in front of him while doing so.


    Tang Cuo was a little cautious, but he wasn¡¯t flustered. He politely thanked him.


    Tang Xu smiled, looked at Tang Cuo, who was burying his head to eat noodles, and said, ¡°You¡¯ve grown up and learned how to be polite.¡±


    Tang Cuo raised his head and smiled at him, but said nothing.


    In fact, Tang Cuo has changed a lot. He didn¡¯t behave so politely in the past. From this point of view, he is doing well. Tang Xu was somewhat relieved; after all, he was the child he brought up, and he always wished him well.


    Tang Cuo started to eat noodles, and he didn¡¯t say a word throughout the entire time; he didn¡¯t even make the sound of eating noodles. Tang Xu didn¡¯t realize this detail until he took a few bites of noodles. After realizing it, he began to be a little stunned.


    Suddenly, Tang Cuo looked up at him and said, ¡°It¡¯s too much. I can¡¯t finish it; It will be wasted.¡±


    There was still half a bowl of noodles left, and Tang Xu wondered, ¡°You don¡¯t want to eat it?¡±


    Tang Cuo nodded.


    Tang Xu felt quite unbelievable. In the past, Tang Cuo was like a little pig, protecting the food every time he ate. No matter how many things were placed in front of him, he could gobble them up until there was nothing left, as if his appetite was so big that he didn¡¯t even know what it meant to be overstuffed. At first, Tang Xu thought that he just had a big appetite, but after Tang Cuo had a stomach ache from eating too much twice, he realized that the child was not a big eater but hungry. From then on, he had to personally control Tang Cuo¡¯s appetite.


    Tang Xu brought Tang Cuo¡¯s noodles over, pulled most of them into his bowl, and handed the remaining two bites back to him, saying, ¡°No wonder you aren¡¯t growing. A half-grown child will eat so much that his father will starve2. That little you ate for lunch isn¡¯t enough, have two more bites.¡±


    Tang Cuo hesitated while holding the chopsticks, and then reached them into the bowl.


    Tang Xu picked out a big mouthful of noodles, and when he was about to stuff them into his mouth, he remembered something, stopped there, and asked, ¡°Why did you change your name back?¡±


    The chopsticks that were holding the noodles paused, but Tang Cuo used the chopsticks to stir the bowl again, as if playing with them.


    After a while, he sullenly said, ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want me anymore?¡±


    Hearing this, Tang Xu was stunned.


    The two people at the table were silent. After Tang Cuo finished the noodles in the bowl again, Tang Xu¡¯s voice rang after the sound of chopsticks colliding with the rim of the bowl.


    ¡°Are you blaming me?¡±


    Tang Cuo¡¯s fingertips tightened suddenly, and his eye sockets suddenly became sore, but he had good self-control and immediately suppressed the soreness, and when he raised his head again, his face was calm.


    Tang Cuo said, ¡°No. I know that you did it for my own good.¡±


    Tang Xu looked at him motionlessly, as if he intended to look into Tang Cuo¡¯s eyes to discern the truth of his words. This time, Tang Cuo didn¡¯t avoid him and smiled slightly at him.


    Tang Cuo isn¡¯t afraid of him seeing it because these are his sincere words, and he has been convincing himself for so many years. It¡¯s just that he doesn¡¯t deserve that name.


    He was a ridiculous mistake, both before meeting Tang Xu and even more after meeting Tang Xu.


    Someone who attaches great importance to good looks (especially in other)


    a child would eat more than you might expect due to being in growing phase

 CH 3

    Tang Cuo1was given this name when he was born. This strange name describes his birth.


    After he turned twelve, Tang Xu gave him a new name.


    At that time, Tang Xu brought The 300 Tang dynasty Poetry, Song dynasty poetry as well as one ¡°Book of Songs¡±. He sat cross-legged on the bed and said, ¡°Your name is not good; let¡¯s change it to a new one.¡±


    Tang Cuo, who was reading an extracurricular book for primary school, lying in his pyjamas next to Tang Xu¡¯s pile of books and said, ¡°Then I will be called Tang Si2.¡±


    Tang Xu rejected it, ¡°No, it sounds like a girl¡¯s name.¡±


    But Tang Cuo insisted on being called Tang Si, pointing to a word in his book, and said, ¡°Your name is Tang Xu, and I will be called Tang Si.¡±


    Tang Xu leaned over to have a look, he smiled and patted Tang Cuo¡¯s head, and said, ¡°Why did you name after me ?¡±


    The word in the book that Tang Cuo couldn¡¯t take his eyes off was called a thousand thoughts.


    Tang Cuo was just a child at that time, and he didn¡¯t know what love was at all. He said stubbornly, ¡°You are my benefactor, so I want to be named after you.¡±


    Tang Xu was stunned by his solemn attitude and finally had to promise him to think about it. He thought about it for a while, he still felt that Tang Cuo was already pretty, so taking a girl¡¯s name would be less manly. So in the end, he decided to give the word ¡°Hang¡± and named him ¡°Tang Si Hang¡±


    However, Tang Cuo only used the name for a year. After Tang Xu left him, he changed his name back to Tang Cuo.


    After the meal, neither of them said anything. Tang Cuo bid goodbye to Tang Xu at the entrance of the cafeteria and appropriately called him ¡°Teacher Tang.¡± When he turned and walked away, he was so elegant that he didn¡¯t even look back.


    After returning to the office, Tang Xu was unable to stop thinking about it. He¡¯d never raised a child before, and he¡¯d only had Tang Cuo for a year, but it was enough for him to feel that something was off. Tang Cuo seems to be living well, but his temperament has changed too much. On top of that, why did he change his name?


    He couldn¡¯t calm down his thoughts, he irritably lit a cigarette. He pressed the cigarette butt into the ashtray when the cigarette burned out. He got up and went to the next office.


    ¡°Colleague, who is the head teacher of the second automation class?¡±


    Teacher Wang in the room said, ¡± It¡¯s me, what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Although some university class teachers met with their students twice¡ªonce at the start of school and again after graduation¡ªTeacher Wang, in Tang Xu¡¯s opinion, was a very responsible one. So he went inside, sat carelessly on the chair, and asked, ¡°How is Tang Cuo¡¯s usual performance in your class? How is his academic performance?


    Teacher Wang, who was typing the simulation programme on MATLAB, peeked his head out from behind the computer screen and said, ¡°It¡¯s pretty good; why did you ask about him?¡±


    Tang Xu coughed twice and lied with a straight face, ¡°He is the child of one of my relatives, and I just learned today that he attends this school, Don¡¯t you know about this?¡±


    Teacher Wang came to his senses after hearing this. ¡°Yes, you two are from the same family,¡± he said with a smile, shifting the chair to the side and exposing his entire body. ¡°This child is very good, with good grades, and also won the national award last year. He is gentle and not very talkative.¡±


    Tang Xu paused for a moment after listening and asked, ¡°How is his relationship with other classmates?¡±


    ¡°He gets along well with his classmates. He would also summarise the key points for the students in the class who needed them at the end of the week. He is quite popular.¡±


    It sounds like there is no problem. Only then did Tang Xu¡¯s heart settle, he stood up and said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Tang Cuo did not return to the dormitory after separating from Tang Xu. He walked into the groove and sat motionless for a long time on the stone bench. When he felt comfortable, he took out his phone and dialled a number.


    ¡°Doctor Wen, do you have time this afternoon?¡­ Well, I need to speak with you.¡±


    Tang Cuo skipped the afternoon class to visit the psychological clinic.


    Doctor Wen, whose full name is Wen Ying, is a gentlewoman. Tang Cuo has been receiving treatment from her since he was seventeen. He could be said to have given all of his pocket money to this clinic.


    When Wen Ying saw him walk in with his schoolbag on his back, she smiled and asked, ¡°Are there no classes this afternoon?¡±


    With a smile, Tang Cuo sat down, took a glass of warm water from Wen Ying, held it in his palm, and said, ¡°Skipped it.¡±


    Wenying was surprised and said, ¡°Good students also skip classes; why? unhappy?¡±


    Tang Cuo blinked after a long period of silence, and even this blinking seemed cautious to Wen Ying.


    ¡°I saw him again¡­¡±


    Wen Ying was not surprised when she heard this; she simply smiled lightly and asked softly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you make plans to see him again when you chose this school?¡±


    The water glass in his hand shook, and a small circle of water rippled out.


    Tang Cuo remained silent and Wen Ying didn¡¯t rush, she just sat there waiting for him to speak.


    ¡°I¡¯m scared,¡± Tang Cuo raised his head. ¡°I had a meal with him just now, I was extremely uncomfortable and couldn¡¯t breathe, as if I were drowning. I think I made a mistake; I shouldn¡¯t approach him anymore, and I should stay as far away as possible¡­¡±


    Hearing this, Wen Ying stood up, took a bottle of honey from the table, walked over to Tang Cuo, and handed him a glass of water. She poured some honey into it, stirred it, and handed it back to Tang Cuo.


    Tang Cuo¡¯s eyes kept following the transparent cup. He watched the honey dissolve in the water in a circle and heard Wen Ying ask, ¡°Can you tell me what you are afraid of now?¡±


    Tang Cuo¡¯s gaze remained fixed on the glass of water, and he murmured, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I couldn¡¯t control myself and do something stupid¡­ I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll hurt others, including him.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that about yourself. you won¡¯t.¡±


    Tang Cuo shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I would, but I just met him, so I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    He looked at Wen Ying like a child, confused and empty, just as he had the first time he came to her. Wen Ying has been treating him for nearly three years. Tang Cuo was the most special patient she had ever seen. Most teenagers would refuse psychological treatment. Tang Cuo, on the other hand, came to her on his own initiative and was extremely cooperative throughout the treatment process. And he seems to be able to figure out everything and control himself so well that Wen Ying sometimes thinks Tang Cuo doesn¡¯t need to say anything; he just comes here hoping someone will listen to him.


    ¡°Sometimes I think if he hadn¡¯t brought me out, I might have died already, and it wouldn¡¯t have been so painful.¡±


    Wen Ying was taken aback. Tang Cuo had never said anything depressing. Even when he was in the worst state of mind, he would tell her, ¡°Doctor Wen, help me; I want to get better.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    rue : A bit late but happy new year~


    ¡°Cuo ¡± means mistake or wrong


    ¡°Si¡± means to think or to conside

 CH 4

    Tang Xu met Tang Cuo when he went to the mountains to support education at the university, and Tang Cuo was brought out from there.


    Tang Xu¡¯s grandfather was a veteran cadre with a lot of military merit, but his patriotism was greater than his military merit, and he was compassionate throughout his life. Tang Xu has had a good life since he was a child. Even though he was influenced by his grandfather, he was far from inheriting his grandfather¡¯s Feeling of compassion. When his grandfather ordered him to go to school, he complained to his friends for a while. But there is no way out; his grandfather is the oldest in the family, and Tang Xu, who was 20 at the time, had to pack his bags and travel to that remote mountain village where even ordinary missionary volunteers were hesitant to go.


    A girl named Han Zhimei was also travelling with him. Unlike Tang Xu, Han Zhimei has done a lot of teaching work and has travelled all the way here with Tang Xu out of goodwill and responsibility.


    The village was located deep in the mountains; there was no road access. The two of them had to travel on a tricycle to get there. The whole ride was like shaking briquettes. Tang Xu was so twisted that he nearly cursed his mother. When they arrived, their internal organs had been turned upside down by eight hundred somersaults.


    Tang Xu thought this incredible road trip was shocking enough, but after getting off, not only Tang Xu but even Han Zhiwei, who has travelled to many poor mountainous areas to teach, was stunned. They really couldn¡¯t believe such a place would exist in this era of common prosperity.


    The best building in the village is a brick house, and the rest are earthen houses, and some places can hardly be called houses because of the materials used to make them. That could be described as barren if not for a few weeds stubbornly growing along the roadside.


    A village party secretary named Wei An, a village official who is also a college student, is assigned to settle them down.


    Tang Xu¡¯s dormitory is in that brick building. The brick house only has one room. The middle is separated by a thick curtain and divided into two rooms. On one side, Han Zhiwei lives; on the other, Wei An and Tang Xu.


    After entering the room, the three of them exchanged glances before Han Zhiwei said, ¡°This is more difficult than I imagined.¡±


    Wei An sighed as he closed the door. ¡°It¡¯s better. When I first arrived, there wasn¡¯t even a road where I could ride on a tricycle.¡± He picked up the kettle from the ground and asked them, ¡°Do you have your own cups? You won¡¯t need the ones here if you do.¡±


    They both nodded and poured water into their cups. Tang Xu took a sip of water, didn¡¯t swallow it, put it in his mouth, rinsed it, and spit it into a dirty hole on the ground, which was considered to flush dirt from his mouth.


    Wei An talked with them for a while and mostly talked about the situation in the village. They were about the same age, and when they talked, they became casual. Wei An told Han Zhiwei, ¡°Tang Xu should be fine. We¡¯re both men, but you might have a lot of inconveniences; I have never had a girlfriend, and I don¡¯t know girls well. If you need anything or have any difficulties, just let me know. Don¡¯t be embarrassed.¡±


    Han Zhiwei is a girl with a bold personality. After all, not everyone has the courage to come to this kind of place to teach. She said with a smile, ¡°Okay.¡±


    After the two of them settled down, Wei An led them to the classroom and said as they walked, ¡°I usually teach them something, but this place is too backward, and I¡¯m the only village official here. I have a lot of work to do, and I couldn¡¯t do it all by myself. Now that you¡¯re both here, I can give these children an explanation.¡±


    It¡¯s said to be a classroom, but it¡¯s actually a broken thatched cottage. Wei An, standing at the door, said with some embarrassment, ¡°I originally used our brick house as a classroom, but the old cadres in the village refused to let me use that room as a classroom. The kids were scared to go in after just one lesson. They said that people in the big city were too delicate to stand the leaky room, and they couldn¡¯t treat the university students badly, otherwise no one would want to come here in the future.¡±


    Wei An pushed the broken door open after speaking.


    Tang Xu was shocked that day, and even though he was a tough guy, under the cautious eyes of the children in the back room, he couldn¡¯t help but get upset.


    More than a dozen small and large children were seated inside. Everyone is sitting on a bench that they made themselves. No one is the same as another, but they are all the same. The children¡¯s bodies were not neat, and they all looked equally dirty. Tang Xu, on the other hand, noticed Tang Cuo curled up in the corner at a glance. Even if it was a very simple bench, all of the children sat on it, except Tang Cuo, who sat on a large rock.


    He was a little thinner than the other children, and his face was a little dirtier, but his barely clean skin was three shades whiter than the other children¡¯s. On top of that, those big eyes stared at Tang Xu with curiosity.


    It is human nature to judge people based on their appearance. It¡¯s just that well-cultivated people can abandon this nature after learning knowledge and culture, accepting high-level thinking, and understanding that the soul under the skin is more valuable. But Tang Xu hadn¡¯t reached this level yet, and he couldn¡¯t help but pay more attention to this child in the days that followed. Not only him, but Han Zhiwei as well.


    He discussed this with Han Zhiwei and decided to teach the children basic Chinese and arithmetic first, followed by some geography and history. Except for a few naughty ones, most of the children were serious about their studies. Every time Tang Xu asked a question, they would raise their hands and shout, ¡°Teacher, I know.¡± However, Tang Cuo always shrank in that corner, looked at him without blinking, but never raised his hand to answer questions.


    One day, when they returned to the dormitory after teaching, Han Zhiwei told him, ¡°That kid named Tang Cuo seems to be very quiet and out of touch with others. I usually play games with the children, but he shrinks in the corner and doesn¡¯t participate. When I talk to him, he doesn¡¯t respond.¡±


    Tang Xu thought about it, and it was true.


    Han Zhiwei said again, ¡°You can talk with him tomorrow; the boy may be more willing to talk to you.¡±


    Tang Xu nodded. When Han Zhiwei took a group of children out the next day, he walked up to Tang Cuo. Tang Cuo was squatting on the ground, writing the Chinese characters he had just learned on the ground with branches. The characters were ugly.


    Tang Xu squatted down next to him, but Tang Cuo only paused for a moment before continuing to scratch on the ground without looking up.


    Tang Xu didn¡¯t speak; he only watched him write. Tang Xu has never been a patient or a good-tempered person. He can even be classified as a hooligan who ¡°fights if someone disagrees with him.¡± But after coming here, getting along with the children every day has dispelled the hostility of those young people in Tang Xu¡¯s heart, so he wasn¡¯t in a rush to confront Tang Cuo.


    When Tang Cuo wrote ¡°future,¡± Tang Xu suddenly held Tang Cuo¡¯s hand, led him to draw a line under the word Wei and said, ¡°The horizontal line below is ¡®Wei¡¯, and if it is written short, it means ¡®end¡¯. ¡®Wei¡¯ means that it isn¡¯t over, and ¡®end¡¯ means it is over.¡±


    Only then did Tang Cuo raise his head and glance at him.


    In order to get closer to the child, Tang Xu raised his hand to touch his head, but Tang Cuo shrank his neck to avoid him.


    Tang Xu didn¡¯t care and kept his hand on his head. Tang Xu sighed inwardly after putting it on; his hair hadn¡¯t been washed in several days.


    Tang Xu asked him, ¡°Have you mastered the words taught just now?¡±


    Tang Cuo buried his head in his knees once more, and after a long time, he whispered, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Tang Xu, who hadn¡¯t expected a response, was taken aback by his sudden response, and something called a sense of accomplishment rose in his heart.


    Taking advantage of his victory, he asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go out and play when you know everything?¡±


    Tang Cuo fell silent again as soon as the question was raised.


    The silence was longer this time. After a long time, Tang Cuo said in a voice that Tang Xu could barely hear, ¡°I hurt.¡±


    Tang Xu was stunned for a moment, and after realising it, he thought that Tang Cuo was sick and was not feeling well, so he hurriedly asked, ¡°Where does it hurt?¡±


    Tang Cuo completely silenced his voice this time and kept his little head there again, writing ¡®Wei¡¯ over and over.


    Tang Xu lowered his body and tilted his head, trying to speak softly. ¡°Be obedient. If you tell the teacher if you are uncomfortable, the teacher will take you to see a doctor, and the pain will go away after the treatment.¡±


    Hearing this, Tang Cuo stopped and looked up at him. He said hesitantly, ¡°Really?¡±


    Tang Xu nodded. At that time, he didn¡¯t realise that there wasn¡¯t even a decent doctor in this poor village.


    With a rustling sound, Tang Cuo put the small wooden stick beside him. He rolled up his oversized trousers, looked at Tang Xu, and said, ¡°My body hurts. It hurts the most here.¡±


    Tang Xu was so frightened by the exposed ankle that he cursed. Tang Cuo¡¯s ankle was already swollen and protruding a lot, and there was a wound on it that looked like it was festering. This wound was on Tang Cuo¡¯s thin leg due to malnutrition. Tang Xu gasped as he examined the wound, and his first reaction was to pick up Tang Cuo, who was squatting, and place him on his lap.


    His tone was a little anxious, almost scolding: ¡°Why are you still squatting when your ankle hurts like this?!¡±


    Tang Cuo didn¡¯t seem to understand what he was saying; he just sat in his arms and stared at him blankly.


    Tang Xu didn¡¯t care about anything else. He picked him up and walked out, saying to Han Zhiwei, ¡°This child is injured. I¡¯ll take him back to our place to deal with it.¡±


    Along the way, Tang Xu thought that the child he was holding had fallen and hurt his foot. He didn¡¯t realise how naive he was until he took Tang Cuo to the dormitory and undressed him to see if the child was injured¡ªthere was almost no normal-colored flesh on Tang Cuo¡¯s body, which was bleeding bloodlessly, with blue and purple bruises and large and small scars all over the body.


    With just one glance, Tang Xu¡¯s anger was about to burst through his head.


    Perhaps his eyes had become too terrifying. Tang Cuo, who was sitting by the bed, suddenly crawled into the bed, whimpering loudly. He crept into a corner, his eyes wide with horror at Tang Xu.


    Tang Xu took several deep breaths before


    before restraining his anger. He said softly, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid; I¡¯m not angry with you.¡±


    Tang Cuo didn¡¯t move; he remained shrunken in place but blinked.


    Tang Xu leaned forward slightly and extended his hand to Tang Cuo and said, ¡°Come here. let me see your injury.¡±

 CH 5

    Tang Cuo stayed with Wen Ying for two hours, and when he returned to the dormitory, he was no different than usual, and he could laugh and joke with his roommates.


    After two rounds of blackout, He Zhong strolled through the school¡¯s forum and discovered a post at the top of the top ten¡ªno need to envy other teachers anymore!


    He told Tang Cuo after clicking on it, ¡°This world of looking at faces is truly hopeless. Teacher Tang has just finished a class, and he is firmly at the top of the top ten list.¡±


    Tang Cuo was wiping his flute when He Zhong said this. when he suddenly panicked and slammed the flute down hard on the table. When He Zhong heard the sound, his heart sank, and he dropped the mouse and ran over, saying, ¡°Hey, what are you doing?¡± There was a small hole on the silver flute. Despite its small size, anyone who knows how much the flute costs would have to shed blood.


    Tang Cuo, on the other hand, didn¡¯t even look at it, dropped the flute, and turned around to sit in front of He Zhong¡¯s computer.


    Tang Xu was photographed in class from every angle in the post. Except for the photos, the post contains no other content. There are floor1after floor of compliments, and what¡¯s more, there are boys praising Tang Xu¡¯s figure and appearance.


    He Zhong wiped Tang Cuo¡¯s flute, set it aside, and walked over to lean beside him and said, ¡°Class representative, do you know how many people envy you?¡±


    Tang Cuo showed no expression. He dropped the mouse and said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to envy.¡±


    After finishing speaking, he climbed onto the bed amid He Zhong¡¯s ¡°Hey¡±, laid down, and stared blankly at the ceiling.


    Tang Xu took Tang Cuo¡¯s phone number on the day of dinner, but he never contacted Tang Cuo. Tang Cuo would look at his phone with anticipation and fear every night before going to bed. He would slowly fall asleep clutching his phone, after confirming that there had been no news or calls from Tang Xu today. But he couldn¡¯t sleep most of the time, and when he couldn¡¯t sleep, he wondered if the reunion between him and Tang Xu only turned his world upside down in his heart but didn¡¯t startle the slightest wave in the other¡¯s heart.


    Tang Xu¡¯s assignment has been assigned from the second class of the automatic control class, which is held twice a week. Each lesson has limited content in order to familiarise students with the formula theorem. Tang Cuo hoped that no students would turn in their homework late, so that he could handle all of the assignments at the end of the class without having to go to Tang Xu¡¯s office alone.


    Unfortunately, some of his classmates are always too lazy to copy their homework in class and have to put it off until they have to hand it in.


    Tang Cuo had to make an extra trip to see Tang Xu every time. But there seems to be an advantage¡ªhe discovered that slowly, he no longer has such a strong feeling when he sees Tang Xu, as if they were just teacher and student.


    The other teacher in the office was not present that day, and there were only two of them in the room. Tang Cuo placed the assignments on Tang Xu¡¯s desk. Tang Xu took out a piece of candy from the drawer and handed it to him as if he had coaxed a child, and said,¡± Your reward, the wedding candy of other teachers. I saw there was one you liked to eat, so I took a piece.¡±


    Looking at the candy lying flat on the palm of Tang Xu¡¯s hand, Tang Cuo was stunned for a moment and did not move.


    This piece of candy is too familiar to Tang Cuo. He didn¡¯t like candy because he always had a toothache, but this brand of orange-flavoured gummies had a very low sweetness. Tang Cuo didn¡¯t get a toothache from eating it, and he thought it was very delicious. At that time, Tang Xu really loved him. There was always a large box of candy in the house, all of which was the same and not a single piece of another.


    Tang Xu raised his eyebrows when he didn¡¯t respond and asked, ¡°Why, don¡¯t you like this now?¡±


    The hand hanging by his side clenched into a fist, and Tang Cuo lowered his eyes and said, ¡°I like it.¡±


    He raised his hand after speaking and held the orange-flavored gummy candy in his hand.


    ¡°Oh, by the way, I forgot to ask you, is the tooth still hurts?¡±


    ¡°¡­It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Tang Xu smiled, set down his water glass, and picked up the top one of the pile of homework books, and after giving Tang Cuo the piece of candy, he said, ¡°Since you said before that you don¡¯t blame me, then do you want to change your name back? I really don¡¯t like it.¡±


    He was well aware of Tang Cuo¡¯s life experience and past, and he didn¡¯t want Tang Cuo to have anything to do with them.


    However, Tang Cuo shook his head firmly. ¡°No, it¡¯s too much trouble, and this name¡­ is quite special. It can make people remember me.¡±


    Tang Xu said nothing more after seeing him like this: ¡°Okay, as long as you like it. The name is just a symbol anyway.¡± Tang Xu flipped through Tang Cuo¡¯s homework and said with a smile, ¡°For half the class of sixty students to be just like you2. Your camaraderie must be really good, huh.¡±


    Tang Cuo has nothing to say, since he didn¡¯t copy it anyway.


    Tang Xu said, ¡°If you do your homework so well, why are you so inactive in class? Next time you sit in front of me, every time a question is asked, no one takes the initiative to answer. You will be my trustee from now on, and you¡¯ll answer when I ask a question, got it?¡±


    Looking at the way he joked, Tang Cuo pursed his lips and bent the corners of his mouth, and he nodded, ¡°Got it.¡±


    After leaving the office, Tang Cuo wasn¡¯t willing to eat that candy. He put it in his pocket as if he were carrying some treasure.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    rue: double updates! Happy reading~


    The floor is refer to comments or replies under the post.


    It basically means half of the sixty students copied Tang Cuo assignment.

 CH 6

    Tang Cuo¡¯s seat in Tang Xu¡¯s class has moved from the penultimate row to the first row.


    Engineering courses are extremely boring; the lectures are nothing more than formulas. However, Tang Xu¡¯s class was extremely lively. There were always sightseeing groups coming to his class to check in. Of course, all of them were girls.


    At first, Tang Xu laughed off this situation; at best, he said jokingly, ¡°I will ask questions in class later, and if anyone can¡¯t answer it. I will punish you to copy the formula.¡±


    Despite this, the students¡¯ eagerness to see the handsome guy is not diminished in the slightest.


    Until one day, when Tang Xu arrived in the classroom, he found that the small room was already full of people. Tang Cuo stood in the aisle with his schoolbag on his back, looking at him blankly while holding a stack of homework books in his hand.


    He sighed heavily and walked to the podium. He said, ¡°Students, I have no objection to your attending the class out of any interest, but it must be under the condition that the students in my class are not affected.¡± Then he raised his chin at Tang Cuo and said, ¡°Now, can someone give my class representative a seat?¡±


    The phrase ¡°my class representative¡± made Tang Cuo¡¯s entire lesson feel like a dream.


    ¡°Tang Cuo?¡±


    The student sitting next to Tang Cuo poked him with his elbow. The pen in Tang Cuo¡¯s hand drew a stroke in the book. He always cherishes books very much, and he is very reluctant to get the books dirty. So when he stood up slowly, his eyes were fixed on the book.


    Looking up again, he noticed that Tang Xu wasn¡¯t standing behind the computer-studded podium in front of him, but instead stood directly in front of him and looked at him with a smile and glanced at the book.


    The chalk that Tang Xu pinched in his hand turned around. He didn¡¯t look back; he raised his hand and pointed back at the big screen with the chalk and asked, ¡°What is the steady-state error for the unit step response?¡±


    In fact, when Tang Cuo was called out, the students in the class were not surprised. After all, Tang Cuo has always been the stoutest1 thigh in the class, with the kind of ability to turn the tide2and save the scum at the end of the term. However, Tang Cuo¡¯s words left the students below dumbfounded.


    ¡°¡­What is the steady-state error?¡± Tang Cuo said this very calmly, without fear of being caught for not paying attention in class.


    The highly valued student was caught in class and didn¡¯t listen to the lecture. The group of students were shocked and suspicious. They put down their phones and waited for the show to begin.


    Tang Xu, who was standing on the podium, tilted his head and asked, ¡°Why, my lecture today is boring?¡±


    Upon hearing this, except for Tang Cuo, almost everyone immediately became aware of the atmosphere and did not dare to come out.


    The atmosphere in the classroom became strange and tense all of a sudden. Tang Xu, on the other hand, smiled as he looked around the classroom and said, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s wrong. It¡¯s not today. This course is inherently boring. so in my opinion, you students who dawdle in the class are quite careless.¡±


    After saying that, it attracted laughter from a group of students.


    Tang Xu signalled Tang Cuo to sit down, and when the laughter died down, he said the answer was equal to zero and continued to give lectures. Tang Cuo didn¡¯t pay attention to the second half of the lecture because he saw Tang Xu dangling in front of his eyes.


    After class, Tang Cuo didn¡¯t run away quickly, but dallied in the seat to pack his schoolbag. On the podium, Tang Xu was being asked a question by a boy. He explained it to him by writing and drawing on the blackboard. During the movements, the lines of his forearms were very beautiful.


    ¡°CuoCuo, remember to go to rehearsal at night.¡±


    A hand was placed on his shoulder; the person was Lu Hong, the literary and art committee member of their class. He is obviously a big and strong guy. However, because he didn¡¯t attend the class meeting on the day of the class committee election, he was unknowingly tricked by a group of friends and classmates into becoming a literary and arts committee member, and he has been re-elected until now.


    The University of Science and Technology has a lot of orientation activities every year. Except for a grand welcome party at the beginning of the school year, each college would have a welcome party jointly organised by the student union and the Youth League Committee. The time is uncertain and depends entirely on the individual style and efficiency of the college. Tang Cuo¡¯s college is the School of Telecommunications, which is one of the best colleges in the University of Science and Technology. Naturally, he strives for excellence in everything; even the activities of the welcome party must be meticulously planned. It has already been a month since school started, and the party has yet to be held, but that¡¯s fine. There was also a small college that held a welcome party at the end of the semester and became famous ever since.


    Tang Cuo nodded and said, ¡°Got it.¡±


    This time, their class had a programme, a youth-themed poem recitation, and he and He Zhong were in charge of the soundtrack¡¯s flute part. The programme is easy to prepare with a small number of people, and it does not require daily practise like dances and dramas. There are only four of them in charge of poetry recitation: one for piano music, and he and two others for flute music. They all practised in private first, then together two or three times, and it was finished.


    When Lu Hong left, there was no one around Tang Xu. He picked up the mobile phone on the table and pressed the button, as if he were replying to someone. When he noticed Tang Cuo hadn¡¯t left, he asked casually, ¡°Are you still not leaving?¡±


    Tang Cuo stood up, thought for a moment, and then asked, ¡°Do I have to copy the formula?¡±


    Tang Xu¡¯s fluttering fingers paused, and then he looked at Tang Cuo, puzzled and slightly amused.


    Tang Cuo bit his lower lip regretfully after seeing his expression. It¡¯s a pity that the words spoken were like slipped water. Tang Xu¡¯s laughter has already taken over Tang Cuo¡¯s ears.


    ¡°What are you thinking? I¡¯m just teasing them, ah.¡± Tang Xu seemed to have finished dealing with the matter. He smiled subtly while slipping the phone into his trouser pocket. He walked off from the podium with the book, raised his hand, rubbed Tang Cuo¡¯s head, and asked, ¡°Are you stupid?¡±


    It¡¯s really stupid. Anyone can see that Tang Xu¡¯s constant talk about punishing students who can¡¯t answer questions to copy the formulas is just a joke, but Tang Cuo still wonders if it¡¯s true.


    Tang Cuo lowered his head and let out a faint ¡°oh.¡±


    Tang Xu finally stopped laughing. ¡°What made you miss the class today?¡±


    Tang Cuo said, ¡°Sleepy.¡±


    Tang Xu shook his head, looking at his two large bags under his eyes, and asked, ¡°Why, the bad habit of staying up late in the boys¡¯ dormitory still flourishing?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Tang Cuo squeezed this answer out of his nose. After the squeeze, he noticed Tang Xu¡¯s jaw tense, so he lifted it slightly, causing his lower lip to lift slightly.


    Tang Cuo lowered his eyes and thought, ¡°It¡¯s still the same action; it hasn¡¯t changed.¡± He used to be like this whenever he disagreed with something or someone in his heart. There would be this small change on his face; probably even Tang Xu didn¡¯t know it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stay up too late in the future. Didn¡¯t you read the news two days ago? A college student who always stayed up late died suddenly. If your roommate goes to bed late, you can urge them not to open their mouths.¡± Tang Xu picked up the book after he finished speaking ¡°Automatic Control Principles,¡± and handed it to him, and said, ¡°You didn¡¯t listen to the lecture in class and even drew on the book. Let me exchange this one for you. I have two copies, and the one I got today happens to be the new one.¡±


    Tang Cuo raised his head surprisely. He hurriedly shook his head and said, ¡°No need.¡±


    ¡°Tsk, why are you being polite to me?¡±


    Tang Cuo remained silent because he didn¡¯t know what to say. He couldn¡¯t clearly set a position for the familiarity between himself and Tang Xu until now, and he¡¯s not sure if it was to the point where he didn¡¯t have to be polite.


    ¡°I just heard your classmate Lu Hong say that you are going to rehearse. what are you rehearsing for?¡±


    ¡°The programme of the university welcome party,¡± Tang Cuo replied meticulously.


    ¡°Oh? What are you performing?¡±


    ¡°Flute. Our class poetry recitation. I composed the music. ¡±


    A glint of appreciation flashed in Tang Xu¡¯s eyes. ¡°You learned the flute? Not bad.¡±


    Tang Cuo said with a smile ¡°The level is not good. I just blow it randomly.¡±


    Tang Xu seemed to be about to say something when he was interrupted by a student who entered the classroom unexpectedly to self-study.


    Tang Cuo paused to look at the student standing at the door before taking the book off the table and said, ¡°Teacher Tang, I¡¯ll go back first.¡±


    Tang Xu walked back to the office by himself. He was about to enter when he heard lively laughter in the opposite office. A teacher was discussing a recent instance of his child¡¯s sharp tongue when arguing with him at home. All the teachers lament that now The kids really can¡¯t say enough. Tang Xu entered to join in the fun, and after a while of listening, he asked the older teacher, ¡°If a child is talkative when they are young, will they become less talkative as they grow up?¡±


    The teacher was surprised. ¡°There is no such thing as a rule for this. It is determined by the child¡¯s personality development.Some children don¡¯t change much from childhood to adulthood, while others have changed quite a lot. It has something to do with family, experience, and the influence of those around them, among other things.¡±


    Tang Xu frowned when he heard this.


    Tang Cuo rehearsed for two hours in the hall on the first floor of the Telecommunications College¡¯s teaching building at night. Before the show was finally completed, several people double-checked every detail. When it was over, Lu Hong invited everyone to eat barbecue. Tang Cuo was a little hungry after playing the flute, so he responded very positively. A girl who was drinking water on the side suddenly called out to him, ¡°Tang Cuo, your phone is vibrating!¡±


    The name displayed on the phone screen is a bit inexplicable¡ªa word ¡°ah.¡±


    The girl was very perceptive. After she accidentally glanced at it, she said with a smile, ¡°Ah, Brother Cuo is so romantic. The girlfriend is the first person on the contact list.¡±


    That was from Tang Xu. Tang Cuo couldn¡¯t care less about the girl, so he simply smiled and walked away with his phone. It¡¯s been a long time since the phone call. Despite his panic, Tang Cuo picked it up right away.


    ¡°Are you done with the rehearsal?¡± The lazy voice came from the other side; even in the cluttered surroundings, it was very clear.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s over.¡± Tang Cuo said


    ¡°Are you hungry? I haven¡¯t eaten yet because I¡¯ve been so busy. Why don¡¯t you join me for a midnight snack?¡±


    Tang Cuo raised his other hand and buckled the pillar next to him, ¡°I¡¯m not hungry¡­¡±


    Either how to say there is a god three feet above the head, just after the calm lie was told. Tang Cuo heard an exclamation over there.


    ¡°Teacher Tang!¡±


    Tang Cuo was startled and immediately poked one eye out from behind the pillar to look over there, only to see Tang Xu was walking down the middle staircase with his mobile phone in hand. His heart trembled, and he hung up the phone without thinking.


    When he looked over quietly again, he saw Tang Xu take the phone from his ear and look at it strangely.


    Lu Hong walked up the stairs quickly, leaned close to Tang Xu, and smiled as he said, ¡°Teacher Tang is leaving so late.¡±


    Looking at their formation, Tang Xu asked in surprise, ¡°Are you rehearsing here?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Only then did Tang Xu realise that the teacher¡¯s building could indeed hear faint music at night. He subconsciously searched for Tang Xu but did not see him.


    We¡¯re planning to have a barbecue together, Teacher Tang. You are welcome to accompany us.¡±


    Tang Xu was about to refuse when he noticed a corner of his clothes protruding from behind a square pillar in the lobby. With interest, he examined the careless corner of clothing. He raised his eyebrows slightly and asked, ¡°How many of you are there?¡±


    Even though he couldn¡¯t figure out what the question meant, Lu Hong said, ¡°We were a group of seven, and two of us had just left. So there are five left.¡±


    Tang Xu nodded with a smile and said, ¡°Yes, then I can afford it. let¡¯s go.¡±


    Several people cheered for a while, and He Zhong¡¯s voice was the loudest.


    Tang Cuo, who was hiding behind the pillar, wanted to cry but had no tears, thinking in his heart that it would be better to make a time difference. He moved slowly against the pillar to avoid Tang Xu as he walked around.


    However, as soon as the plan began to take shape, He Zhong¡¯s high-pitched voice could be heard.


    ¡°Cuo Cuo!Let¡¯s go!Why are you hiding there?!¡±


    Tang Cuo¡¯s scalp began to tingle, and he had no choice but to walk out into He Zhong¡¯s puzzled gaze and meet another pair of playful eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going. I¡¯m not hungry.¡± He spoke stiffly.


    How can there be only one pig teammate? Birds of a feather flock together, and so do pigs.


    Lu Hong, who was standing by Tang Xu¡¯s side, exclaimed, ¡°Are you kidding me?, Didn¡¯t you just say you were going to eat?¡±


    Tang Cuo: ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Tang Xu, who was standing under the light of the lobby at the time, smiled incomprehensibly. He waved at him and said, ¡°Class representative, give face, and let¡¯s go together.¡±

 CH 7

    The barbecue restaurant is located directly across from the school¡¯s west gate. It is conveniently located, has good quality, and is reasonably priced. It is a popular location for class gatherings and community dinners.


    Lu Hong ordered four bottles of beer with Tang Xu¡¯s permission, one for each of the three boys plus Tang Xu. Tang Xu was young and handsome, and he didn¡¯t have any of the pretensions of a teacher, so the snack time afterward was very relaxed. Several classmates spoke to him without restraint and dared to ask him anything.


    ¡°Teacher Tang, how old are you?¡± A girl asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m twenty-nine, soon to be thirty, and there will be three generation gaps with you.¡±


    The two girls exaggeratedly said, ¡°I can¡¯t tell at all! You look like our senior.¡±


    Tang Xu was impressed, and he took a sip of wine from his cup and laughed heartily.


    ¡°Does Teacher Tang have a girlfriend?¡±


    Tang Xu shook his head, ¡°I have been single for many years.¡±


    ¡°Huh? This is illogical. People like you should be the ones being chased by a bunch of girls. It must be because your standards are too high.¡±


    Tang Xu smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m not very popular with women, and girls don¡¯t like me.¡±


    Tang Xu was lying about this, and Tang Cuo knew it.


    ¡­


    The barbecue shop was lively, and the waiters came over with greetings from all sides and served them a plate of chicken wings at the table.


    Tang Xu noticed this while talking with Lu Hong and the others and immediately stopped the waiter who was about to leave, ¡°Why are they all spicy? We also ordered two skewers of honey sauce.¡±


    The waiter turned around to check and said apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, there are too many people at the moment; I guess there was some confusion. I will change two skewers for you.¡±


    Tang Xu waved his hand and said, ¡°No, just add two more skewers.¡± He glanced at Tang Cuo, who had been eating grilled corn, ¡°Hurry up.¡±


    After the interlude, several people began to pull Tang Xu back into the conversation. Tang Xu noticed that these people were only talking and not eating. So he reluctantly handed them the chicken wings one by one. When it was Tang Cuo¡¯s turn, after a little hesitation, he picked up a skewer of chicken wings and scraped off the peppers on them with chopsticks.


    ¡°The two skewers are expected to have to wait a while. So try them; they shouldn¡¯t be too spicy.¡±


    Tang Cuo was surprised for a moment and took it slowly.


    Tang Cuo couldn¡¯t eat spicy food since he was a child.


    At first, it was because there was no such thing as spicy or not spicy in his house. It would be good to have something that could be stuffed into his stomach. Tang Xu and Han Zhiwei wanted to eat meat and thought about it. They also wanted to improve the food for the children. So they travelled across mountains and rivers to get two large pieces of meat and some condiments. Han Zhiwei cooked a large pot of boiled pork slices. However, in the end, Tang Xu and Han Zhiwei only had one bite each.


    Han Zhiwei¡¯s cooking skills cannot be described as superb. But on that particular day, the children all stared wide-eyed, gobbling up the meat and rice in their bowls while staring at what was left in the pot. Tang Xu realised for the first time that ¡°eating what is in the bowl while looking at what is in the pot¡±1was not a derogatory remark but rather a description of a situation that makes people feel helpless and distressed.


    Tang Cuo was an exception among the children who buried their heads and ate ferociously. He only took a bite before covering his mouth with his hands and crying.


    Tang Xu had already paid special attention to him at that time. When he noticed this, he squatted beside him and asked him what was wrong.


    Tang Cuo said it hurts.


    Tang Xu examined his mouth, which was filled with festering wounds that appeared to be man-made as well as ulcers caused by a lack of vitamins.


    How can this not hurt?


    Tang Xu reached for his bowl at the time and said, ¡°Don¡¯t eat it; you can¡¯t eat spicy food now.¡±


    But when Tang Cuo saw him grab his bowl, he clung to it and refused to let go. He didn¡¯t even care about using his chopsticks. He grabbed the largest piece of meat and stuffed it into his mouth, stubbornly chewing with tears in his eyes.


    Tang Xu was terrified by this and quickly held his hand and said, ¡°Tang Cuo, be obedient; we will make you non-spicy meat another day, okay?¡±


    Han Zhiwei also came over upon hearing the sound. After understanding the situation, the two persuaded him for a long time before breaking the bowl from his grip.


    Later, after Tang Cuo had lived with Tang Xu, he still couldn¡¯t get used to spicy food, perhaps because he wasn¡¯t used to it or because eating boiled pork slices hurt so much at the time. Tang Cuo still had lingering fears.


    Tang Cuo only took one bite of the skewer of chicken wings before covering his mouth and coughing to the side. Tang Xu hurriedly got up, handed him a glass of warm water, and took back the skewer of chicken wings, saying, ¡°Hurry up and drink some water.¡±


    After he calmed down, Tang Xu frowned and asked, ¡°You still can¡¯t eat any spicy food?¡±


    Other people¡¯s ears naturally tasted a little bit of other information after hearing this.


    He Zhong uttered a puzzled voice: ¡°Teacher Tang, did you know Cuo Cuo before?¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Tang Xu said as he bit into the chicken wing that Tang Cuo had bitten.


    ¡°Wow, I just found out that they are both very attractive and that their surname is Tang. Teacher Tang, you¡¯re not related to our professional flower, are you?¡± A girl exclaimed.


    Tang Xu couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Professional flower? That¡¯s an interesting name.¡± After that, he glanced at Tang Cuo, who was sitting farthest away from him, and said, ¡°It can be said to be a relative.¡±


    Tang Cuo¡¯s fingers tightened around the water cup, and his gaze was reflected on the plate, which still had a large area of smoothness. The wave in his eyes was plain, with only a slight hint of confusion. However, it appeared that thousands of emotions were surging in the depths of his eyes.


    The group returned around ten o¡¯clock. The calm evening breeze was very pleasant at the time. The wind blew against the body, and it felt like being gently caressed by someone. Tang Cuo liked it very much.


    A bottle of beer wasn¡¯t much, but it was enough to relax Tang Cuo¡¯s spirit.


    After sending the girls to the dormitory building and watching them enter the gate, Tang Xu said to He Zhong and the two of them, ¡°You go back first, I have something to say to Tang Cuo.¡±


    Tang Cuo was surprised and looked at him slowly. However, the other two guys reacted quickly. After saying goodbye to Teacher Tang, They hooked their shoulders and returned to the dormitory, howling two out-of-tune songs.


    When they were gone, Tang Xu turned to Tang Cuo, whose hair was messed up by the wind, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go and talk somewhere else.¡±


    There are many young couples chatting with each other, just like the night scene downstairs in the girls¡¯ dormitory in the past.


    Tang Cuo lowered his head and silently followed him. After a while, he found that Tang Xu had led him back to the gate. He looked at his watch and couldn¡¯t help but take a step forward and ask, ¡°Do you still want to go out? Our dormitory closes at eleven o¡¯clock¡±


    Tang Xu paused and asked, ¡°Are you willing to talk to me?¡±


    Tang Cuo was at a loss for words. He didn¡¯t deliberately avoid him.


    He was still thinking about it, and Tang Xu said again, ¡°Can I smoke a cigarette?¡±


    Tang Cuo nodded.


    The two walked aside. A cigarette was lit, and the flickering spark made Tang Cuo lose himself in his thoughts for a while.


    The two smoke rings dissipated in the night wind. Tang Xu squinted his eyes, seemingly casually, but his gaze was fixed on Tang Cuo¡¯s face.


    ¡°You said you don¡¯t blame me, but you do.¡±


    Without any hesitation, Tang Cuo shook his head and said, ¡°I really don¡¯t.¡±


    Tang Xu pursed his lips, nodded casually, and took another puff of his cigarette. ¡°OK, let¡¯s go.¡±


    He then lifted his foot and walked away.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Tang Cuo didn¡¯t move, and asked as he stood where he was.


    ¡°Go to my house, I want to chat with you for a while.¡±


    Tang Cuo¡¯s pupils dilated slightly, and he reacted for two seconds before saying, ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡±


    Tang Xu smiled, one hand holding a cigarette and the other in his trouser pocket. He was especially attractive with this lazy smile.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t blame me? After all, you lived with me for more than a year, and now I can¡¯t even talk to you for a while? Besides, don¡¯t you want to see the place where you used to live again?¡±


    Where I used to live¡­


    Tang Cuo was taken aback by the amount of information in these words.


    Tang Xu added, ¡°I didn¡¯t move.¡±


    Eating what is in the bowl while looking at what is in the pot (idiom) means being greedy.

 CH 8

    Tang Xu did not move out, so the appearance of the house has not changed.


    Tang Cuo, who was standing by the doorway, was taken aback. He looked around at the familiar layout of the house, which was neither neat nor messy. He paused for a moment.


    It looked the same eight years ago. Of course, he was more crowded back then than he is now. He turned his eyes to look inside, and his fingers tugged at the edges of his clothes. He wouldn¡¯t dare to put his feet on the floor. He¡¯d never seen a house like this or a wooden floor before.


    The little Tang Cuo had been standing at the door and didn¡¯t dare to move. At that time, Tang Xu picked him up and smiled, ¡°What are you afraid of? This will be your home from now on.¡±


    Tang Cuo¡¯s thoughts were interrupted by a soft noise. On the floor was a pair of slippers. They were open-toed cotton slippers. They seemed to be from a minimalist brand.


    ¡°They are new; no one has worn them.¡± Tang Xu said, raising his chin slightly.


    Tang Cuo lowered his head and silently changed his shoes into slippers. They were extremely comfortable.


    He walked into the room and glanced around briefly. The few notable changes were easily noticed by him.


    The fish tank is now empty because there are no more fish in it. The curtains had been replaced with new ones. They used to be aqua blue, but they¡¯ve been replaced with dull blue and black.


    He was stunned for a moment. He just stared at the curtain. It looks much better than the previous one; it¡¯s much more upscale and suitable for Tang Xu.


    He chose the fish tank and fish, as well as the aqua-blue curtains.


    Tang Xu noticed his gaze. He pondered for two seconds before speaking, ¡°I didn¡¯t buy any more after the fish in the fish tank died, and the previous curtains were covered in a lot of paint by my nephew and couldn¡¯t be washed off, so I replaced them with new ones¡­ ¡­It¡¯s kind of ugly, not as good-looking as the one you chose.¡±


    Tang Cuo turned his head and looked at the person not far away after hearing what he said. He replied flatly, ¡°Oh.¡±


    Even to this day, Tang Xu would still do his best to maintain his pitiful self-esteem.


    Tang Cuo sat on the sofa, still thinking about it. Tang Xu didn¡¯t have to explain anything to him. If it¡¯s gone, it¡¯s gone; if it¡¯s changed, it¡¯s changed. This is Tany Xu¡¯s house.


    ¡°What would you like to drink?¡± Tang Xu asked as he turned on the TV.


    ¡°Milk tea.¡±


    Tang Xu raised his eyebrows and tossed the remote control to him. He nodded and walked to the kitchen.


    After a while, Tang Cuo heard two beeps and assumed it was the sound of the induction cooker turning on.


    Tang Xu came out five minutes later with a glass of milk and placed it in front of him, saying, ¡°Milk tea, drink it.¡±


    The TV was tuned to a variety show, and the people on it were laughing exaggeratedly because of a joke.


    Tang Cuo looked down at the white glass of milk, then up at Tang Xu and said, ¡°There is no tea.¡±


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s no tea.¡± Tang Xu patted his head and pulled at the corner of his mouth. ¡°Are you still going to sleep after drinking milk tea at night?¡±


    Tang Cuo didn¡¯t say anything. After a few more TV shows, he slowly picked up his cup and took a sip.


    The warm milk probably had just flowed into his stomach when Tang Cuo heard Tang Xu, who was squatting in front of the TV cabinet, say, ¡°I still have some tea; I¡¯ll make you milk tea tomorrow.¡±


    Tang Cuo loved milk tea as a child, especially caramel milk tea, when he lived with Tang Xu. Tang Cuo fell in love with its sweet and fragrant flavour the first time he drank it. However, Tang Xu didn¡¯t like the milk tea sold outside. At first he would buy it for him to drink, but later on he felt that it was unreliable if he didn¡¯t know the things outside, and Tang Cuo always wanted to drink it. So he asked his friends how to make caramel milk tea. He found a solution after burning out two small pots. He often makes a cup to satisfy Tang Cuo¡¯s cravings.


    Whenever Tang Xu brought a cup of freshly made milk tea to Tang Cuo, he would squint his eyes and hold the cup to his lips. He¡¯d grin after a sip. ¡°Tang Xu, you make the best drink!¡±


    Tang Xu would pat him on the forehead lightly and say.¡±Call me brother.¡±


    Tang Cuo called him brother, and he continued to drink milk tea like a kitten. He looked very adorable.


    Tang Cuo thought of the past, so did Tang Xu.


    He asked Tang Cuo, ¡°You¡¯ve grown up; do you still like drinking milk tea so much?¡±


    The milk glass shook, almost spilling two drops. Tang Cuo was dressed in light-coloured pants today. At such a tense moment, he thought casually, but luckily it didn¡¯t spill. Then, against his will, he gave a ¡°um¡± and said, ¡°I like it.¡±


    It was obviously Tang Xu who said he wanted to chat with him, but now he hasn¡¯t said anything. The two of them were sitting on the sofa and watching TV, only one person away from each other.


    Until Tang Cuo finished his glass of milk and the TV series ended with an episode, Tang Xu still had no intention of opening his mouth. Tang Cuo couldn¡¯t help but clear his throat slightly and ask, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to chat?¡±


    Only then did Tang Xu lazily turn his head and ask, ¡°Did you finish drinking?¡±


    Tang Cuo nodded.


    Tang Xu put his hands on his knees, got up, and walked to the bathroom, saying, ¡°Clean up and go to bed after drinking; it¡¯s late. It¡¯s late, so clean up and go to bed after drinking. I¡¯ll find you something to wash up with.¡±


    Tang Cuo was baffled; he had spent his whole way here mentally preparing for the ¡°chat¡± tonight. However, Tang Xu didn¡¯t seem to want to chat.


    He got up and followed after him. He stood at the door of the bathroom, held the door frame, and asked, ¡°Are you not chatting anymore?¡±


    Tang Xu looked back into his eyes and said, ¡°What, do you want to chat? I just want you to get here so you can go to bed early. Although it is too late.¡± He said as he raised his hand, stretched out a finger, and pointed under Tang Cuo¡¯s eyes, ¡°Look at you. What do you look like at such a young age.¡±


    Tang Cuo froze as Tang Xu¡¯s fingers touched his face, staring blankly at the person¡¯s close hand.


    The yellowish light in the bathroom made Tang Xu appear less angular and more soft.


    Tang Xu turned around, raised his hand, and took out a yellow towel from the shelf of the cupboard. ¡°I really want to talk to you, but let¡¯s try another day; it¡¯s already half past eleven.¡±


    Tang Cuo didn¡¯t move. Even after Tang Xu had prepared everything for him, he was still blocking the door.


    ¡°What do you want to say?¡±


    What do you want to say?


    Tang Cuo only felt in his heart that these four words drew out ten thousand sentences and ten thousand questions in an instant.


    I want to say if you have ever gone back to see me.


    I want to say why don¡¯t you go back and see me.


    I want to say I¡¯ve always wanted to see you again.


    I want to say I dare not see you again.


    I want to say that I really knew that I was wrong at the beginning.


    ¡­


    But he couldn¡¯t and shouldn¡¯t ask any of them. Because he was afraid that if he asked any question or said any word, he would lose his ability to hold his heart. He had worked so hard for so long to get back to his side. He didn¡¯t want to take risks or ask these meaningless questions.


    Tang Cuo noticed his palms were covered in fine sweat when his hand moved on the door frame.


    He just shook his head in the end and said, ¡°I just feel that you haven¡¯t changed much in all these years.¡±


    Tang Xu laughed after hearing this, asking, ¡°How else can I change? I won¡¯t grow any longer. You have changed a lot.¡±


    Tang Cuo later quietly brushed his teeth in the bathroom by himself. The children¡¯s toothbrush has been replaced by an adult¡¯s. It is also green, but there is no small frog. It is estimated that Tang Xu bought a box of two or three toothbrushes because the one in his hand matches the blue toothbrush in the cup next to him.


    Thinking of this, his mood suddenly improved a lot.


    Tang Cuo went for another shower after brushing his teeth. He slowly changed into the pyjamas that Tang Xu had found for him after taking a shower. He stood in the bathroom for a moment, staring at himself in the mirror.


    ¡°Guest room¡­¡± Tang Xu only said two words before changing his mind. ¡°There hasn¡¯t been anyone sleeping in the room next to mine, and I don¡¯t go in often, so there must be dust. You sleep in my room at night; just change the bed sheets.


    ¡°Ah¡­ oh.¡±


    Tang Cuo glanced at the room.


    guest room¡­


    It was just a title, but it made him feel lost.


    But he hadn¡¯t been in that room for a few nights; he and Tang Xu had always slept together.


    Tang Cuo sat on the bed after drying his hair. Tang Xu entered and switched off the light for him. He seemed to have only a pair of eyes left in the dark night after the lights went out, greedily looking at Tang Xu, who was still standing at the door and hadn¡¯t walked away.


    ¡°Sleep well; I will call you tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    This ¡°hmm¡± has a nasal sound; it was cute.


    For some reason, Tang Xu had the illusion that they were still in the past. Perhaps he walked in by mistake because of the illusion.


    Tang Cuo opened his eyes slightly, and his palms began to sweat again.


    Tang Xu squatted at the foot of the bed, and the dim light streaming in through the door allowed him to make out Tang Cuo¡¯s face.


    He sighed quietly. Even if Tang Cuo didn¡¯t say anything, how could he not see what he was thinking?


    Tang Xu organised his words and spoke slowly, ¡°Si Hang, I didn¡¯t send you away because I was angry with you. I actually kept contacting you with suitable families after I took you. You know, I don¡¯t have the conditions to adopt a child. Your current parents have contacted me several times, but I have yet to make a decision¡­ I made the decision because I didn¡¯t believe I could provide you with the care and guidance you required. You need a normal family to grow up. Do you get what I¡¯m saying?¡±


    Tang Cuo didn¡¯t expect Tang Xu to tell him this all of a sudden, but he still reacted quickly and nodded in a panic.


    He is aware. This sentence, however, did not make a sound; it simply flowed in his heart thousands of times.


    The two of them didn¡¯t say anything else. After a while, Tang Xu asked, ¡°Is there anything you want to ask me?¡±


    Tang Cuo shook his head.


    Tang Xu smiled and touched his ear, saying, ¡°Also, I went to see you, but I didn¡¯t let you know.¡±


    Tang Cuo clenched the thin quilt around his body as soon as he heard this. He was taken aback, but he didn¡¯t dare look at Tang Xu.


    ¡°I was relieved to see that you were well cared for and that your adoptive parents treat you well.¡±


    Tang Xu visited him.


    He guessed it was only the first few days, but he still went to see him.


    Tang Cuo had obviously never felt wronged before, but after learning that he had visited him, he felt wronged.


    But Tang Xu had already walked out, as if he had said good night to him before closing the door, but his head had been buzzing and he couldn¡¯t hear it clearly. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was a good night.


    After Tang Cuo was left alone on Tang Xu¡¯s bed, he couldn¡¯t control what was in his eyes, and accidentally, a few drops escaped and slid down his face. He felt so silly that he hugged Tang Xu¡¯s pillow and cried. He closed his eyes and reached out to wipe the cold tears away. He buried his face in Tang Xu¡¯s soft pillow.


    Tang Cuo originally thought that he would not sleep all night, but in a daze, he fell asleep and slept soundly.


    His last thought before going to bed was whether he would be able to see Tang Xu when he opened his eyes the next morning.

 CH 9

    When Tang Xu woke Tang Cuo up in the morning, he opened his eyes and reacted for a while before connecting last night with this morning. He had missed the days when he saw Tang Xu for the first time. At this moment, it all seems unreal.


    Tang Xu smiled as he looked at his dazed look. He waved his hand in front of his eyes and asked, ¡°Are you still sleepy, silly?¡±


    Tang Cuo hummed out of habit, which made Tang Xu smile even more. Tang Xu was refreshing in the morning. He was dressed in a white cotton sports T-shirt. He didn¡¯t look like someone in their late twenties.


    ¡°Get up; you have class in the second period if I remember correctly. Get up, have a meal, and go to school.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Tang Cuo said as he lifted the quilt from his bed and walked out of the room. He smelled coffee in the living room and assumed Tang Xu had been awake for a while.


    When he was in the bathroom, he noticed a strand of hair sticking out of his head. It took him a while to press it down as he stood in front of the mirror.


    When he finally finished cleaning up and entered the kitchen, Tang Xu was sitting at the dining table, playing with his phone, and nothing on the table had yet been touched. Tang Xu put his phone down and greeted him when he saw him walk in.


    Tang Xu chatted with him idly at the dinner table.


    ¡°Did you sleep well last night?¡±


    Tang Cuo nodded and said, ¡°Pretty good.¡±


    Tang Xu handed him a bowl of century egg and pork porridge, which Tang Xu should have cooked himself.


    Tang Cuo took a spoonful and put it in his mouth. The soft rice grains were touched by the tip of his tongue. It was a little hot, but it was pleasant.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you usually sleep at home?¡±


    Tang Cuo shook his head. ¡°My home is a little far away, and my parents were recently out of town with a project, so there is no one at home.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Tang Xu understood, ¡°I¡¯m close to the school, and I¡¯ll clean up that room tomorrow so you can sleep here.¡±


    Tang Cuo choked and turned around to cough. His face became flushed.


    ¡°How can porridge cause you to choke?¡±


    After taking the tissue from Tang Xu, he wiped his mouth before looking at Tang Xu.


    ¡°I sleep well in the dormitory, so I don¡¯t need to come here to sleep.¡±


    Tang Xu cast a glance at him. ¡°Every day, you stay up late playing games, watching movies or football, and keeping the lights on until one or two o¡¯clock? You can sleep well this way, simply by lying down and falling asleep.¡±


    ¡­These are all facts; Tang Cuo is speechless.


    ¡°I live alone. Don¡¯t be so polite. Come and sleep whenever you want. Even at the age of 23, you can still grow taller. If you go to bed early every day, you might gain another two centimetres.¡±


    Tang Cuo remained silent. He stirred the porridge in the bowl.


    ¡°Drink well,¡± Tang Xu taught.


    Only then did Tang Cuo raise his head as if he had made up his mind and say, ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t have to worry about me like that.¡±


    Tang Xu misheard and raised his eyebrows: ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been so many years; I¡¯m not a child anymore. I¡¯m 20 this year, and I¡¯m about the same age as you were when you went there to teach. I can take care of myself, and I don¡¯t want to cause you any trouble.¡±


    When he noticed Tang Xu frowning, he gritted his teeth and said, ¡°What I mean is that you don¡¯t have to look after me like you would a child. I¡¯ve grown up.¡±


    The air in the dining room froze. Tang Cuo didn¡¯t dare to move, so he looked straight back into Tang Xu¡¯s eyes.


    After a while, Tang Xu laughed. ¡°I know, I know you¡¯ve grown up, but no matter how I look at it, I still think you¡¯re a child.¡±


    Tang Cuo was about to argue when he was interrupted by Tang Xu. ¡°Also, don¡¯t say it¡¯s bothersome. If you say that again, I¡¯ll think you¡¯re still blaming me.¡±


    Tang Cuo¡¯s death spot has been hit in a single sentence. although Tang Xu didn¡¯t know that.


    Tang Cuo opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He didn¡¯t know what to say.


    After they finished their meal, Tang Xu drove Tang Cuo to school. Tang Cuo hesitated in front of the car for a long time before slowly opening the passenger seat door. Fortunately, Tang Xu changed his car; otherwise, he really didn¡¯t want to ride.


    When the car arrived at the west gate of the school, Tang Xu wanted to pull over and let him go because it was closer to their dormitory. But Tang Cuo looked out the car window at the students coming and going. He turned his head and said, ¡°Let me go to the parking lot with you.¡±


    Tang Xu checked his watch; it wasn¡¯t too late, so he nodded and turned around.


    When the two got out of the car, they were caught in a gust of wind. The wind in Beijing is always unpredictable. It was so bad that Tang Cuo¡¯s breath was stagnant. The breath he didn¡¯t exhale was held in his nasal cavity.


    Tang Xu closed the car door and lowered his head to avoid the wind, then walked around from the front of the car to Tang Cuo¡¯s side.


    Although there are no swirling petals at the University of Science and Technology during the summer, there are swaying willow leaves.


    when the strong wind died down and left. Tang Xu raised his hand and picked up a willow leaf that had fallen on Tang Cuo¡¯s hair. Tang Cuo looked up at him; his one eye was red.


    ¡°Did you get any sand in?¡± Tang Xu lowered his head slightly, a shallow furrow between his brows.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Tang Cuo rubbed his eyes and blinked again, as if it hadn¡¯t come out yet.


    Tang Xu went right to it. He grabbed Tang Cuo¡¯s eyelids, checked them carefully, and then blew it.


    Tang Cuo was still unaccustomed to Tang Xu¡¯s touch. He stood motionless, staring at Tang Xu.


    ¡°Is it alright?¡±


    When he came back to his senses, Tang Cuo hurriedly staggered slightly and blinked.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Tang Xu smiled as he looked into his red eyes and asked, ¡°Is it easier for people with big eyes to get sand into their eyes?¡±


    Tang Cuo couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the past and forgot to respond to the joke.


    Tang Xu didn¡¯t mind his distraction; he reached out to touch his arm and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    After speaking, he pulled Tang Cuo aside and let him walk on the left side.


    The wind is blowing from the right side, and a person¡¯s body should not be able to block anything at all.


    All the way there, Tang Cuo still felt his eyes burning from the sand that had gotten into them. Tang Xu¡¯s actions right now could not be more natural, as if he were caring for a child.


    The flow of people increased significantly as they approached the fork in the road. A lot of party promotion has been posted on the bulletin board in front of the auditorium. Tang Cuo shifted his gaze to the posters and paused for a moment. Tang Cuo then leaned in unobtrusively towards Tang Xu.


    He looked up and said, ¡°The college¡¯s welcome party is coming up.¡±


    Tang Xu turned his head and asked, ¡°When?¡±


    ¡°Next Friday night.¡±


    Tang Cuo rubbed the side seam of his trousers with his index finger, and before Tang Xu could say anything, Tang Cuo quickly added, ¡°The next day is Saturday.¡±


    He bit his lower lip as soon as the last word left his mouth.


    Nonsense. The day after Friday, of course, is Saturday.


    Sure enough, he heard Tang Xu¡¯s low laughter come from the side, and it was so clear that he could feel the vibration in his chest.


    Tang Cuo felt embarrassed, so he lowered his head.


    Tang Xu didn¡¯t say anything right away. Before he knew it, he was at the side of the groove, and through this groove was Tang Cuo¡¯s dormitory.


    Tang Cuo was a little depressed.


    There are not many people in the groove. After all, young couples don¡¯t date in the early morning, so there are only a few grandmas or mothers playing in the shade with their children. The sound of children¡¯s laughter reached Tang Xu¡¯s ears. He followed the sound and saw a mother stroking her little boy¡¯s head and praising him.


    Tang Xu glanced at Tang Cuo, who was walking with his head down and the corners of his mouth curled.


    When he was about to step out of the grove in a few steps, Tang Cuo felt a hand suddenly cover his head. He stopped abruptly.


    Tang Xu looked at him with a smile. He moved his hands slightly and rubbed his hair.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go to your show, even if it¡¯s not Saturday the next day.¡±


    There is a rustling sound as the leaves hug each other.


    Standing in front of the dormitory, Tang Cuo realised that Tang Xu should have separated from him at an intersection in front of him. The teacher¡¯s building and his dormitory are not in the same direction.


    Since Tang Cuo had already explained it to He Zhong last night, the people in the dormitory didn¡¯t make malicious guesses about his overnight return.


    He Zhong threw Tang Cuo¡¯s schoolbag at him and dragged him out. He said as he walked, ¡°Let¡¯s go; I have to buy some bread.¡±


    Tang Cuo abruptly stopped, and He Zhong turned around to look at him strangely. ¡°What? Did you forget to bring something?¡±


    Tang Cuo clutched his bag and asked, ¡°Am I short?¡±


    ¡°Why did you ask this question now? Cough,¡± He Zhong puffed out his chest, ¡°you¡¯re not short, but you¡¯re not as tall as I am.¡±


    Tang Cou glared at him and followed him downstairs.


    He Zhong rested his arms on his shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t be discouraged, little brother; you¡¯re still in your youth. You can still grow if you do high jumping every day.¡±


    He gave him a blank stare.


    He Zhong snickered.


    Tang Cuo felt strange all of a sudden. He extended his hand to touch He Zhong¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Damn you, you molested me!¡±


    Tang Cuo wrinkled his brow and thought to himself. It¡¯s strange; it¡¯s clearly shaking. Why can¡¯t he hear it?


    As he walked out of the dormitory building, he was still thinking about this question that was worth thinking about, but he never thought about why. Until he saw the heart-shaped balloon held by a girl in the distance, he raised his hand and touched his heart. Only then did he realise the answer¡ªhow could he hear the vibration of Tang Xu¡¯s chest when it was his own accelerated heartbeat?


    He figured it out, but it didn¡¯t seem to work. This response is followed by a sudden sense of loss and longing.


    The lost are familiar, as are the missing.


    ¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C¨C


    The author has something to say:


    Yes, they are in Beijing, but the school and the building are made up by me and do not exist in real life.

 CH 10

    Beginner martial skill Demon Ox Slash?


    25000 Slash Points?


    All good stuff.


    Yang Qi knew that martial skills were divided into beginner-level martial skills, intermediate-level and high-level martial skills. These were normal martial skills, Earth Level Martial Skills and Heavenly Level Martial Skills, which were considered super martial skills.


    Yang Qi found out that the beginner-level martial skill, Demon Ox Slash, had appeared in his mind. It seemed like he had directly comprehended this skill.


    In an instant, Yang Qi had the Earth Blade Talent. The function of the Earth Blade Talent was to be familiar with any ordinary Martial Skill.


    Yang Qi checked the Slash Points again. 34,602.


    He was not far from obtaining 50,000 Slash Points.


    Yang Qi knew that the war in Jiang City had not ended yet. This was merely an emergency shelter. The Martial Artists and the main force of the army were fighting the Demonic Devils.


    However, Yang Qi knew that it was impossible for the Martial Artists and the army in Jiang City to defend against the Demonic Devils.


    Yang Qi had to go!


    For official matters, the Dragon Country and even the entire World Alliance had forgotten their past grudges and stood together to fight the Demonic Devils.


    For private matters, killing the Demonic Devils would allow one to obtain Slash Points.


    ¡°All of you, stay here and guard the emergency shelter.¡±


    Yang Qi said to Lee Hu and Wei Qiang.


    Lee Hu and Wei Qiang nodded their heads. They knew that Yang Qi must be going to kill the other Demonic Devils.


    With Yang Qi, the chaos of the Demonic Devil wouldn¡¯t be far from ending.


    Yang Qi began to search for the Demonic Devils in Jiang City.


    The sound of bullets, explosions and miserable cries was still lingering in his ears.


    Yang Qi arrived near a residential building.


    ¡°Retreat! Retreat!¡±


    Suddenly, a panicked voice rang in Yang Qi¡¯s ears.


    Yang Qi focused his eyes and saw two body-forging Martial Artists and dozens of soldiers running towards him.


    And behind them was a terrifying Demonic Devil.


    This Demonic Devil also had light blue eyes.


    Primary Demon General!


    Another Primary Demon General!


    Two body refining Martial Artists and dozens of soldiers were busy with their own affairs. When they saw Yang Qi, they no longer had the time to care about him.


    These people ran toward the left of Yang Qi¡¯s direction.


    The Primary Demon General also came to Yang Qi¡¯s side.


    This Primary Demon General was 2.5 meters tall, and it was as strong as a metal tower. Its muscles were bulging, and it looked very oppressive.


    The Primary Demon General casually slapped over, and its large hand carried a fierce wind!


    Just as the large hand that carried the fierce wind was about to slap Yang Qi¡¯s body, Yang Qi pulled out the rusted Iron Sword from his back.


    A cold light flashed.


    The Primary Demon General let out a stern roar.


    The Martial Artist and the army, who had not run far away, stopped in their tracks when they heard the stern roar of the Primary Demon General. They turned around and looked at the scene in front of them.


    When the Martial Masters and soldiers saw this, they sucked in a cold breath of air. They were extremely shocked.


    Because, the Primary Demon General¡¯s large hand had already separated from its body and fallen to the ground.


    Yang Qi did not give the Primary Demon General any chance to react. He once again slashed out with his saber.


    ¡°Slaying Primary Demon General, Slash Points + 3000.¡±


    The dozens of Martial Artists and soldiers looked at the Primary Demon General as it heavily fell to the ground. They froze on the spot, dumbstruck.


    A Primary Demon General was killed just like that?


    This person was so strong!


    The Martial Master and the soldiers did not dare to think about it anymore.


    They knew that there was no such powerful Martial Artist in Jiang City. Could it be that Yang Qi came from Linhai Base?


    Yang Qi thought that the Primary Demon General was really too weak.


    Yang Qi had already become a Primary Martial Disciple. With the Elemental Body, he had gained 8,000Jin of strength. Coupled with the Essence energy he had gathered, a Primary Demon General was nothing in front of him.


    The hand that held the saber trembled slightly. The Essence Energy attached itself to the rusty Iron Sword, and the rusty saber began to glow.


    After the two Body Refining Martial Artists and dozens of soldiers recovered from their shock, they hurriedly ran towards Yang Qi.


    ¡°Senior, are you the Martial Artist from Linhai Base City that came to help our Jiang City?¡±

 CH 11

When Tang Cuo rushed to the back door of the auditorium, there were still drops of water on the side of his face that he hadn¡¯t had time to dry. Tang Xu stood next to a trash can, smoking and occasionally being greeted by the students who knew him.

 CH 12

    For Shi Xi¡¯s performance, Tang Cuo and Tang Xu¡¯s seats were in the VIP area, which can also be said to be the relatives and friends area. Shi Xi¡¯s friends were all over the place, and many of them knew each other. Tang Xu whispered a few words to a few people. After a while, another person entered and sat next to Tang Cuo. Tang Cuo raised his head and found that it was Lu Chengwei.


    Lu Chengwei had a shocked expression on his face as well. Regardless of Tang Xu, who was still talking to others, he stared at Tang Cuo. Tang Cuo looked at him, then turned his head to see that Tang Xu hadn¡¯t noticed this side, so he had to say hello. ¡°Brother Cheng Wei.¡±


    ¡°Damn!¡± Lu Chengwei stood in the high-end hall and let out an extremely abrupt exclamation, ¡°SiHang! It¡¯s really you!¡±


    Such a big commotion finally made Tang Xu turn his head. When he saw someone approaching, he simply said, ¡°Here we go.¡±


    A man on the side noticed Lu Chengwei and teased him, ¡°Yo, why did Brother Wei come by himself? I wouldn¡¯t dare to recognise you if you weren¡¯t accompanied by a beautiful woman!¡±


    Lu Chengwei laughed and cursed, ¡°Fuck off.¡±


    A girl also laughed and chimed in, ¡°Really, why are you here alone?¡±


    Lu Chengwei pulled the chair back and sat down, his long legs strengthening on the ground. ¡°I wanted to bring the beautiful lady with me, but Tang Xu ruined a ticket, so I could only let her down.¡±


    The man who started to tease him laughed even more. ¡°You should thank Brother Xu. if Shi Xi knew that you wanted to use her VIP tickets to bring your one-night stand on a date. You would no longer have any artist friends to brag about.¡±


    ¡°Get lost! I don¡¯t want to talk to you. Even if you wanted to bring a date, no one would want to be your date!¡±


    ¡°Oh, how can I be as suave as Brother Wei? I think the last word of your name should be changed. The fourth tone doesn¡¯t suit you. The third tone is more appropriate1In Chinese, there are 4 tones. So the phonetic transcription of ¡®Îµ¡¯ (Wei) in the Chinese is the fourth sound, the third tone is the sound of ¡®Î°¡¯, and ¡®Î°¸ç¡¯ (Wei Ge) is the same as viagra..


    Tang Cuo had been sitting there obediently, listening to their ridicule, but he hadn¡¯t expected their conversation to drift away¡­


    ¡°Come on, I brought a child with me.¡± Tang Xu interpreted.


    The man smiled and closed his mouth, and Lu Chengwei pointed at him and cursed him quietly before sitting obediently on the back of the chair. He turned his face to Tang Cuo and Tang Xu and asked, ¡°So you brought Xiao SiHang here. When did you guys get in touch?¡±


    Tang Xu said, ¡°We met in school.¡±


    Lu ChengWei let out an ¡®Ah¡¯, imitating the accent from the skit, ¡°Fate.¡±


    Tang Xu glanced at him and said, ¡°Shut up and be quiet.¡±


    However, if Lu Chengwei could stop talking, he would no longer be Lu Chengwei. He spent the rest of the time asking Tang Cuo various questions. Although it was in the name of caring about the little brother he hadn¡¯t seen for many years, the question he asked the most was¡­


    ¡°Are you dating?¡±


    ¡°Have you ever had a partner before? How many people have you dated?


    ¡°You haven¡¯t dated any? Oh, damn, that¡¯s no good¡­ Come on, come on! Your brother will introduce you! Take a look at my friend circle; which one do you prefer? Eh, this one is good; this one is beautiful¡­ Oh no, this one is much older than you. Well, it¡¯s okay for my brother to contact me later¡­ Oh, I don¡¯t have any young people here. After all, I cherish children more and don¡¯t touch them. Well, tell your brother what type you like, and he¡¯ll help you find one.¡±


    He was as noisy as a crow. Tang Xu couldn¡¯t take it any longer, so he stood up and pulled Tang Cuo aside, saying, ¡°Change seats.¡±


    Before he could react, Lu Chengwei stopped Tang Cuo with his arm and said, ¡°Don¡¯t; I don¡¯t want to be next to you!¡±


    Tang Xu was speechless and looked at him with contempt, saying, ¡°Then shut up?¡±


    ¡°Tsk,¡± Lu Chengwei waved his hand, ¡°really, I can¡¯t even get in touch with my brother SiHang!¡±


    Tang Xu then looked down on him with the king¡¯s contempt.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll shut up. Please take a seat quickly; I¡¯m feeling psychological pressure from your presence here.¡±


    Tang Cuo: ¡°¡­¡±


    Shi Xi is indeed an artist and an excellent ballet dancer. Tang Cuo doesn¡¯t know much about ballet, but he has been watching Shi Xi¡¯s performances for years. He had watched some online or purchased record discs, and he went to watch the performance by himself. He would sometimes watch her performance in Beijing or take a long train ride to Shanghai or Suzhou.


    People¡¯s evaluation of Shixi seems to be one-sided praise. Whether it is professional or non-professional, after watching her performance, they are not stingy with their praise. This is also why Shixi¡¯s performances are so well-liked and she has so many fans. These people have been longtime fans of Ballerina Princess. They have witnessed her growth, transformation from perfection, and loss. Shi Xi¡¯s comeback performance that year still holds the record for the fastest ticket sales for a dance performance.


    Even if it was Tang Cuo, he had to admit her excellence. Simultaneously, he envied such excellence.


    Everyone was watching the entire performance intently, including Lu Chengwei, who admired it without saying a word.


    When Shixi was about to call the curtain after the performance, a girl in the front row suddenly threw a large bouquet of flowers into Tang Xu¡¯s arms. She squinted her eyes and smiled, ¡°Brother Xu, go quickly.¡±


    Tang Xu caught the flower and let out a hey.


    ¡± What Hey, I know you didn¡¯t prepare, so I prepared for you. Go quickly, and to tell you the truth, my sister is looking forward to receiving flowers from you today!¡± The girl seemed to want to say something, but with so many people around her, she didn¡¯t and pushed Tang Xu, ¡°Go!¡±


    Tang Xu smiled wryly, knowing he had no choice but to tell Tang Cuo to wait for him here. Tang Cuo nodded and watched him walk away with flowers.


    The stage curtain reopened, and the entire audience stood up and applauded. Tang Cuo heard people¡¯s respect for art, respect, and praise for this dance and the dancers who performed it during the applause.


    Many people came up to give Shi Xi flowers, and Tang Xu was the last one to go up. Shi Xi handed all the flowers to the people behind her as Tang Xu approached the stage and took Tang Xu¡¯s bouquet with her hands free.


    Tang Xu slightly bent down and hugged her, softly saying with a smile, ¡°You are the best dancer.¡±


    Shi Xi¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Tang Cuo, on the other hand, was still standing in the auditorium, staring intently at the two hugging people on stage. He felt a slight ache in his chest. But only a little, he consoled himself.


    At this kind of moment, many memories would flood into his head uncontrollably. He remembers Shi Xi¡¯s interview that he saw a long time ago, shortly after her comeback.


    The host asked if she was disappointed when she lost the opportunity to enter the Paris Opera Ballet.


    At that time, Shixi was sitting quietly in the chair and smiling gently. She said, ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll definitely be very disappointed. That is the best dance company in my heart, as well as the place I have wished for for many years. I¡¯ve worked so hard for so many years to get this opportunity, and it only comes around once in a lifetime. Right, my entire mood was completely off at the time. Plus, I didn¡¯t know what would happen in the future, so it can be said that I became quite extreme.¡±


    The host went on to talk along with her, It was a really tough time, right?


    Shi Xi said, ¡°Yeah, it was really difficult. I was hit both psychologically and physically. There was also a lot of talk from the outside world, which added to my stress.¡±


    The host went on to say, I am also your fan myself. Many people supported and encouraged you at the time. Is there anyone who has helped you the most and whom you want to thank the most?


    Tang Cuo remembered Shixi remaining silent for nearly ten seconds after this question was asked. when the host was about to take over and discuss something else. Only then did Shi Xi show a beautiful smile and say gracefully, ¡°Yes, I want to thank a friend of mine the most. After my accident, he left his affairs behind to accompany me abroad for treatment. He has always encouraged me and comforted me. It can be said that he accompanied me through the most difficult days. I really, really thank him.¡±


    Perhaps it was because Shi Xi¡¯s expression was too obvious and touching.


    It was rare for a big-name host who was obviously very professional to say something careless. Wow, that must be someone you like.


    Shi Xi didn¡¯t answer but lowered her head with a smile.


    Tang Cuo only found out Tang Xu had gone abroad with Shi Xi at that point. That¡¯s why he went to Tang Xu¡¯s house so many times to look for him, but no one opened the door.


    Rue : Sorry for not updating! Happy reading ~

 CH 13

No content

 CH 14

    Tang Xu¡¯s car slowed down and came to a complete stop. Tang Cuo rehearsed what he was going to say in his mind before opening his eyes, pretending he had just woken up from a deep slumber. Tang Xu noticed he had moved in his seat, so he turned to him and said, ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡±


    Got to keep up the act, Tang Cuo thought, as he pretended to look around with a dazed expression and asked, ¡°We¡¯ve arrived at your house?¡±


    ¡°Well, seeing that you fell asleep, I didn¡¯t send you back to school, so I directly brought you over.¡±


    Tang Cuo¡¯s nose twitched, and he squeezed out a low sound, ¡°Oh.¡±


    Tang Xu¡¯s neighbourhood is now considered quite old compared to the towering high-rises around it that seem to reach for the sky, making the neighbourhood appear a bit dilapidated.


    The two of them stood at the entrance of the hallway, facing the dimly lit hallway in silence. Eventually, Tang Xu broke the awkward silence with two dry coughs while pulling out his phone and saying, ¡°This light really needs to be fixed.¡±


    Tang Cuo nodded and remembered that Tang Xu couldn¡¯t see, so he quickly added, ¡°Yeah, it definitely needs to be fixed.¡±


    Tang Xu turned on his flashlight and nodded his head forward, ¡°Let¡¯s go; I¡¯ll light the way for you.¡±


    The flashlight¡¯s light shone on the ground, and although it wasn¡¯t very bright, when Tang Cuo moved, so did the light. Tang Cuo had the impression that he would never be able to walk away from the light beneath his feet. This thought corresponded to a somewhat juvenile and very humble phrase in his mind: ¡°drawing a prison on the ground.¡±1The phrase ¡°drawing a prison on the ground¡± can be interpreted as feeling trapped or confined in a situation or mindset, unable to escape. It may also suggest a sense of powerlessness or lack of control. The use of the phrase in this context may also be considered somewhat slangy or informal


    Suddenly, he remembered what Xi said earlier: ¡°I can¡¯t wait.¡± Tang Cuo was really strange. How could he not wait? At the very least, as long as Tang Xu was willing to leave him a ray of light, he would be content to sit in that light for a lifetime. even if Tang Xu was only acting out of sympathy and kindness.


    He was thinking about this when Tang Xu behind him suddenly asked, ¡°When did you make that little thing?¡±


    Huh?¡± Tang Cuo didn¡¯t understand the question right away.


    ¡°The little glass ball.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­I made that a long time ago.¡±


    After hearing this, Tang Xu¡¯s gaze at Tang Cuo¡¯s back became somewhat complicated.


    At the door, when Tang Xu took out his keys to open the door, Tang Cuo said, ¡°Teacher Tang, you should replace this apartment.¡±


    He heard Tang Xu chuckle lightly, ¡°Are you teasing me? My salary is too low to afford it, so I¡¯ll wait for you to repay your teacher¡¯s kindness.¡±


    Tang Cuo blinked and hesitated before giving a response, ¡°Oh.¡±


    Tang Xu laughed even more heartily and opened the door, ¡°The lights inside are fine; please come in, Xiao Tang.¡±


    After the reunion, Tang Cuo stood in Tang Xu¡¯s bathroom for the second time, ready to take a shower. He was holding the pyjamas that Tang Xu had just picked out for him, the same ones as last time. Tang Cuo looked at the clothes and furrowed his brow slightly. Then he held the clothes carefully and smelled them, and when he put them down, his eyes showed a slyness that had come quietly. Ha, they¡¯ve been washed, and they smell like lemons.


    Tang Cuo¡¯s mood skyrocketed, and he began to take off his own shirt to get ready for the shower. For him, this evening had been very valuable, and he had relaxed quite a bit. He even couldn¡¯t help humming a tune.


    Just as he had thrown his short-sleeved shirt into the washing machine, there were two knocks on the door. ¡°SiHang, I¡¯m coming in.¡±


    It seems that because they are both men and have similar personalities, Tang Xu pushed open the door after greeting Tang Cuo. He always acted efficiently, leaving Tang Cuo no time to put his shirt back on.


    ¡°I suddenly remembered that I just repaired the water heater in the morning and haven¡¯t set it up yet. This thing is quite old; you probably can¡¯t handle it. You¡­ you have a tattoo?¡±


    Tang Cuo felt like he was hit with a bucket of ice-cold water with a constant zero-degree temperature, making his nerves numb.


    Without realising it, Tang Xu had already walked up to him and lightly touched his shoulder with his fingertips. Tang Cuo panicked and almost jumped back. Because of the touch just now, a raging fire started from the tattoo, like a fierce wildfire in the scorching summer, swallowing him inch by inch until it burned his heart to ashes.


    All of his emotions seemed to have turned into fear in an instant, as if he was about to be discovered.


    Tang Xu was stunned by his exaggerated reaction for a moment.


    ¡°What are you hiding from? I won¡¯t judge you for it,¡± Tang Xu raised his chin and smiled. ¡°What¡¯s your tattoo of?¡±


    Tang Cuo widened his eyes; he¡­ couldn¡¯t remember.


    Unconsciously, he placed his right hand on his left shoulder to cover his still-burning tattoo.


    ¡°A flower¡­¡±


    Tang Xu laughed out leisurely, ¡°Why are you tattooing a little red flower on your shoulder?¡±


    Why is he tattooing a little red flower on his shoulder?


    ¡°It looks good.¡± Tang Cuo muttered.


    ¡°Is it? Show me how good it looks,¡± Tang Xu walked over, while Tang Cuo was still hiding. In the end, Tang Xu grabbed the hand that Tang Cuo had placed on his shoulder with a strange expression on his face and pulled it away. Tang Cuo felt as if he was standing there naked, exposed to Tang Xu¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°Your little red flower¡­ looks a bit strange.¡± Tang Xu was actually taking a serious look at it, as he had seen many tattoos before. He just didn¡¯t understand the aesthetics of children these days. The little red flower was crooked, with each of its five petals doing their own thing. Could it be¡­ art?


    Tang Xu shook his head and said, ¡°You kids are becoming harder and harder to understand.¡± He stopped dwelling on Tang Cuo¡¯s strange tattoo and turned around to fix the water heater.


    Tang Cuo stood against the wall and exhaled deeply. But as he watched Tang Xu¡¯s nonchalant back, he moved his mouth silently, and his eyes dimmed.


    ¡°Alright, go ahead and wash up.¡± Tang Xu released the hot water and tested the temperature. After confirming it was okay, he turned around and playfully tapped the small red flower on Tang Cuo¡¯s shoulder with his fingers before walking out.


    Tang Xu came and went like a ghost, leaving Tang Cuo alone, standing there feeling hot and bothered.


    He put his hand under the showerhead and splashed water on his face, then slowly began to take off his pants.


    Why did you tattoo a little red flower on your shoulder?


    Great, I don¡¯t want to hum a tune now.


    Today, Tang Cuo took an especially long time to take a shower and only emerged after a while. He didn¡¯t see Tang Xu in the living room or either of the bedrooms, so he went to the kitchen while drying his hair. As expected, he saw Tang Xu standing in the kitchen, smoking.


    Tang Xu turned around and saw the person standing behind him, immediately pressing the cigarette on the windowsill, and casually saying, ¡°Finished washing?¡±


    ¡°En,¡± Tang Cuo replied. He could still smell the smoke standing here, and he couldn¡¯t help but ask the question he had been wanting to ask: ¡°You love smoking so much now?¡±


    With a swish, Tangxu closed the window and joked, ¡°I¡¯m getting older; I need something to rely on for my spirit.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Tang Cuo had already put down his towel and laid down with his hair in disarray. ¡°You go wash up.¡±


    Tang Xu bent over and took out a box of milk from the nearby refrigerator, opened it, and poured it into a cup. As the microwave started working, Tang Xu walked over and rubbed his soft hair. ¡°Take it out and drink it yourself.¡±


    Tang Cuo reopened the window and stood by it with the cup of milk, enjoying the breeze. The twisted cigarette butt still lay on the windowsill. He looked at it for a while with drooping eyelids, then turned his head to check that Tang Xu had not appeared behind him unnoticed. Finally, he reached out his hand and pinched the cigarette between his thumb and index finger.


    He leaned over and sniffed at it, the strong tobacco scent making his nose tingle. The cigarette spun around his fingertips, and he rubbed the butt, thinking how this little thing could stay on Tang Xu¡¯s lips. He was a little jealous.


    That day, Tang Cuo voluntarily slept in the guest room. It was clear that the room had been reorganised by Tang Xu and was clean, without a speck of dust. Tang Xu set the air conditioner on a timer and placed the remote control on his bedside table. ¡°Good night. Don¡¯t play with your phone. Go to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Tang Cuo hummed, ¡°Good night.¡±


    This semester is already halfway through, and the students in the class never imagined that Tang Xu¡¯s class would still have a midterm exam. When Tang Xu announced this news, the class was in shock.


    Lu Hong, who was quite familiar with Tang Xu, shouted out, ¡°Teacher Tang! How can we young people still have the bad habit of midterm exams?¡±


    Tang Xu hooked the corner of his mouth, smiling ambiguously, ¡°We were born in the 80s like midterm exams. Oh, by the way, the midterm exam accounts for 10 points of the final grade, and there will be an in-class test in the next class. You can review for the exam in the next few days.¡±


    So there was another wave of lamentations from below. Generally speaking, during the first half of the semester before the start of school, studying is basically useless.


    Tang Xu looked at the group of students below and really felt disappointed. ¡°Look at you, you never listen or read during class. The purpose of the mid-term exam is to remind you how ignorant you are. How come a mid-term exam is like a knife hanging over your neck?¡±


    When the knife was truly at their necks and Tang Xu was patrolling the execution site, he was left speechless. Has he really taught this group of students nothing?¡±


    Disappointed, Teacher Tang also stopped pacing and stood beside Tang Cuo, watching his proud student answer the question. As he was enjoying the scene, his furrowed eyebrows relaxed. However, Tang Cuo looked up at him with a pitiful look in his eyes.


    Tang Xu was startled and asked him with his eyes, What¡¯s wrong?


    Tang Cuo pursed his lips and said, ¡°Teacher, don¡¯t look at my paper¡­ I¡¯m nervous.¡±


    There were snickers all around, and Lu Hong was the loudest.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Tang Xu was helpless. ¡°Alright, alright, I won¡¯t look.¡±


    After speaking, he turned around and walked over to Lu Hong¡¯s seat. Lu Hong was holding a paper with a few formulas written on it, staring at Tang Xu with big eyes.


    ¡°Go ahead and write,¡± Tang Xu said.


    ¡°The difficulty is too high¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Lu Hong said foolishly.


    After returning to the office, Tang Xu finished grading the papers and leaned back on his boss¡¯s chair, sighing to his colleague, ¡°These students nowadays¡­¡±


    The colleague also flipped through the papers that the teaching assistant had graded and exclaimed, ¡°Each generation is worse than the last.¡±


    The older teacher in the same room was even more frustrated with the students¡¯ lack of progress.


    ¡°The education system is flawed. It¡¯s too easy to get into college and too easy to graduate. There are too many undergraduate students who are just coasting along. I think we should introduce a system for eliminating the bottom performers. Without any pressure, these kids won¡¯t learn anything.¡±


    Tang Xu laughed, ¡°With so many students, if we really wanted to put pressure on every single one of them, how many people would we have to eliminate?¡± He straightened out the papers, pulled out Tang Cuo¡¯s perfect score test paper, and flicked his index finger down onto his middle finger, saying, ¡°It still depends on self-awareness. We¡¯re all in college now. Do we still need to be forced to learn?¡±


    He slid Tang Cuo¡¯s test paper over to the teacher across from him, with a bit of a show-off attitude.


    ¡°Wow, full marks! Not bad.¡±


    Tang Xu smiled, but didn¡¯t say anything else.


    After logging the grades, he stood up, greeted the teacher across from him, and left the office. While passing by a relatively large office, he heard lively conversation inside.


    ¡°My daughter and her classmates have been receiving small red flowers at kindergarten recently. Yesterday, because she didn¡¯t get a small red flower, she cried when she got home,¡± a female teacher laughed. ¡°You know, after so many years, kindergarten still uses this system of little red flowers. It¡¯s enduring.¡±


    ¡°For kids, this kind of reward is enough. My son is already in elementary school and still competes for little red flowers every day. That¡¯s called childlike innocence.¡±


    Inside, people were discussing with each other, occasionally mixed with laughter.


    After listening, Tang Xu was also thinking while walking. It was really true; he also had the little red flower system when he was a child.


    Tang Xu pressed the first-floor button in the elevator and still found it quite interesting. For kids, having a little red flower is enough to satisfy them, but if it were his class, even 100 little red flowers wouldn¡¯t excite their desire to learn.


    He laughed lightly to himself and then suddenly froze.


    Tang Cuo, who had just finished attending a remedial class, was wearing a tank top and sitting on a mat, complaining as he ate watermelon.


    ¡°Today, when teacher Liu asked a question, I raised my hand, but she didn¡¯t call on me. Instead, she called on Ge Xiaohui, who only got the answer right after Teacher Liu reminded him. I could have done better than him, but the teacher gave him the little red flower.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s younger than you, so just let him have it.¡±


    ¡°But everyone in that class is younger than me. Today, I raised my hand the whole time, but Teacher Liu never called on me.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll call on you tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°But if Teacher Liu doesn¡¯t call on me, I won¡¯t be able to answer the questions, and then I won¡¯t get a little red flower. Today, I didn¡¯t get even one little red flower, and yesterday I only got one.¡±


    As Tang Xu was writing his paper, Tang Cuo¡¯s nonstop chatter distracted him, causing him to make several mistakes. Finally, he stood up from his computer and picked up a red pen from the pencil holder. He removed the pen cap and walked over to Tang Cuo, who was still struggling to swallow the watermelon, looking pitiful. Tang Xu put his arm around the little boy¡¯s shoulder and drew a small red flower on it with the pen, the lines crooked and uneven.


    ¡°You¡¯re the best. Can I give you a small red flower?¡±


    Tang Cuo twisted his neck and looked at his shoulder with the watermelon in his hand. After seeing the small red flower, he smiled, revealing his large white teeth. ¡°Sure!¡± Then, he excitedly asked Tang Xu, who was squatting in front of him, ¡°If the teacher doesn¡¯t give me a little red flower, will you give me one?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, if they don¡¯t give you one, I¡¯ll give you one.¡±


    ¡°Little red flower¡± refers to a reward or sticker given to students for good behaviour or academic achievement in Chinese schools.

 CH 15

    ¡°Teacher Tang?¡± Someone had entered the elevator at some point.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Tang Xu snapped out of his reverie and realised that the elevator had probably already reached the first floor. He quickly apologised and walked out.


    The rain came down suddenly outside, and Tang Xu had not brought an umbrella. He stood in front of the teaching building, unable to calm his thoughts, and stared at the ground, which was dotted with small puddles formed by the rain.


    The campus radio station was playing music that complemented the rain. The rain on campus is a romantic thing, perhaps because it blends the youthful atmosphere from all sides, reminding people of love and, in many cases, their first love. People tend to associate what they see with memories, perhaps personal experiences or stories told by others. There must be something related that connects various fragments of thought and eventually weaves them into a story. On one end of the thread, there was ordinary rain, and on the other, there was an extraordinary person who appeared even in dreams.


    Tang Xu leaned against the wall next to the entrance of Building 7 and overheard a girl next to him complaining to her boyfriend about not bringing an umbrella. The boyfriend chuckled and took the girl, who was frowning, into his arms, singing along with the music playing from the loudspeaker, ¡°The most beautiful thing is not a rainy day, but the memories of hiding under the eaves with you from the rain¡­¡±


    Tang Xu considered himself a person devoid of romantic feelings, but the rain had an effect on him. The couple next to him had already started talking and laughing. The girl said she wanted to go eat braised chicken, and the boy said fine; they¡¯d go get two bowls of rice for her later. The girl pretended to be angry and slapped him, saying, ¡°I have a small appetite, you know?¡±


    Tang Xu listened and put his hand in his pocket. The soft pack of cigarettes in his pocket had already flattened, and there were probably only one or two left.


    The grass flowers are in full bloom. Tang Xu noticed the small red flower on Tang Cuo¡¯s shoulder when he first touched the flower.


    Tang Xu sighed and didn¡¯t take out the slightly empty cigarette box; instead, he took out his phone from the pocket on the other side and called Tang Cuo.


    On rainy days, lying in bed is the best thing to do. This is a famous quote by He Zhong. The dormitory window was open in the afternoon, and He Zhong¡¯s bed was next to it. The rain that had drifted in had gotten it wet, so he climbed onto Tang Cuo¡¯s bed and lay side by side with him, playing with their phones. Tang Cuo was uncomfortable lying down, so he turned over and lay on his side.


    By chance, the phone rang just as he was adjusting his position.


    He Zhong was fully engrossed in his mobile game when Tang Cuo¡¯s hasty foot accidentally kicked him as he hung up the phone.


    ¡°Ouch! My leg.¡±


    Tang Cuo quickly apologised, but he didn¡¯t stay idle. He deftly flipped off the bed and put on his slippers while looking up at He Zhong and saying, ¡°I took your umbrella.¡±


    He Zhong grunted, ¡°Take, take, take.¡±


    Another person in the dormitory teased, ¡°Are you going to give an umbrella to a girl?¡±


    Tang Cuo ignored him and took two umbrellas out the door.


    Tang Cuo came over after about five minutes and stepped into a water pit with a big step, splashing water all over his pants.


    Tang Cuo panted heavily and checked his pants with a red face. He found that his pants were almost wet up to his thighs. He rubbed his nose and handed the other umbrella to Tang Xu.


    But Tang Xu quickly gave the umbrella to two girls he knew beside him and joined Tang Cuo under his umbrella.


    ¡°You two can make do and go back.¡± It looks okay now, but it¡¯s probably going to rain heavily later.¡±


    The two girls were flattered and thanked Tang Xu before thanking Tang Cuo.


    So, Tang Cuo inexplicably found himself being led away by Tang Xu. Tang Xu¡¯s hand, whether intentional or unintentional, was pressing right on the little red flower on Tang Cuo¡¯s shoulder.


    Tang Xu took Tang Cuo to his car and threw a new towel at him, saying, ¡°Just wipe yourself off a bit.¡±


    He started the car while Tang Cuo was still diligently wiping off the water stains on his clothes. The sounds of fabric rubbing against each other, raindrops hitting the car windows, and windscreen wipers scratching the glass mixed together in the relatively quiet city, making Tang Xu¡¯s heart feel chaotic.


    ¡°Sihang,¡± Tang Xu called out to Tang Cuo.


    Tang Cuo didn¡¯t stop wiping, ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Do you remember that I used to draw a little red flower for you every day?¡±


    The words that Tang Xu spoke seemed casual, as if it were just a passing comment about the weather. But abruptly, the sound of fabrics rubbing against each other disappeared.


    No matter what kind of turmoil was happening inside Tang Cuo, Tang Xu didn¡¯t notice any abnormalities. Tang Cuo had made so many years of psychological adjustments for himself that he would never allow himself to slip up at critical moments.


    Tang Xu couldn¡¯t detect any unusual reaction from Tang Cuo, and he felt somewhat relieved. But in reality, he wasn¡¯t as relaxed as he seemed on the surface. With regards to the small red flower, while waiting for Tang Cuo just now, he had prepared for the worst.


    ¡°The one on your shoulder, was it because I used to draw it for you?¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Tang Cuo neatly folds the towel.


    ¡°Why did you get it tattooed on your shoulder?¡±


    Tang Cuo places the towel aside and responds confidently, ¡°To encourage myself. When I first left you, I felt very uneasy and was afraid to talk to my new parents. I didn¡¯t even know about tattoos back then, so I just started drawing on myself like you did. Later on, a senior saw me and asked if I had a tattoo. That¡¯s when I learned about tattoos, so I went to a shop to get it done, so I wouldn¡¯t have to keep drawing it myself.¡± After saying these things, he turned his head to look at Tang Xu¡¯s expression, which was somewhat serious but not angry. Tang Cuo silently clenched his fist, knowing that he could probably get through this hurdle. ¡°I was foolish back then, and acted impulsively.¡±


    This conversation sounds somewhat familiar to Tang Xu. He remembers that when he apologised to Shi Xi, he also said that he was not sensible before. Thinking of this, he unconsciously frowns his eyebrows into a majestic shape.


    Just as the traffic light turned red, Tang Xu stopped the car and turned his head to look at Tang Cuo, only to find that he was looking at himself.


    ¡°If¡­ if you feel uncomfortable, I can wash it off.¡±


    As the wipers swept away the rain curtain on the windscreen and the view became clear, Tang Xu felt regret for the first time. Even if he didn¡¯t want to admit it, even if he knew that Tang Cuo is now very successful, and even if he knew that he had only chosen the most feasible way at the time, he still regrets it.


    Tang Cuo¡¯s family background made him live a cautious life from the moment he was born. It took a lot of effort to make him become like any other child: crying, laughing, being spoiled, throwing tantrums, and saying things like ¡°I want that¡± or ¡°I want to eat that.¡± At that time, Tang Cuo was a lively Tang Sihang.


    However, after so many years, he only realised when they met again that Tang Cuo had not only become sensible but had also reverted back to the cautious Tang Cuo who was used to looking at others¡¯ opinions and was even more thoughtful than before.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t feel uncomfortable; I was just a little curious, so I asked you.¡± He reached out and rubbed Tang Cuo¡¯s head.


    Tang Xu suppressed his emotions and asked, after the traffic light turned green, ¡°What do you want to eat?¡±


    As expected, Tang Cuo replied, ¡°Anything is fine.¡±


    There are no hidden contexts or slangs in this passage. It is a straightforward narrative from a Chinese novel about the character Tang Cuo and his cautious personality.


    Tang Cuo¡¯s behaviour has always been normal, and Tang Xu couldn¡¯t see anything else, so the matter of the little red flower passed. However, Tang Xu never completely let go of his guard, as Tang Cuo¡¯s behaviour when he left was too abnormal, and the childish words he said at that time began to haunt his mind again. How could a child who was so extreme and possessive become someone who seemed to have no temper and was very peaceful at the age of almost twenty?


    After a long time, Tang Xu dug out Tang Cuo¡¯s mother¡¯s phone number again. He looked at the number, hesitated, and wondered what he should say if he called. Should he say he wants to know about Tang Cuo¡¯s life in the past few years? Should he say he thinks Tang Cuo is too sensible now?


    Tang Xu sighed heavily and threw his phone on the table. This question seemed too strange. Who would complain that their child was too well-behaved?


    But after thinking for a few minutes, he decided to meet with Tang Cuo¡¯s mother and have a chat.


    Even though no one else noticed, he did.


    The moment you suppress your feelings, you¡¯re bound to have trouble sooner or later. But before he could make that call, he was interrupted by a call from Lu Chengwei.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re so cold to me?¡±


    Tang Xu had things on his mind and didn¡¯t want to chat with him. He urged, ¡°Speak quickly; hang up if there¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Lu Chengwei seemed to sense his bad mood and finally stopped pestering him with trivial matters. ¡°I¡¯m pursuing a young star right now.¡±


    ¡°Tsk.¡± Tang Xu wanted to hang up.


    ¡°Hey! Listen to me,¡± Lu Chengwei quickened his pace of speaking. ¡°He has this quirk; he goes to the psychological clinic for no reason and knows almost all the major psychological clinics in Beijing. And guess what happened!¡±


    Tang Xu remained silent, not participating or cooperating.


    Lu Chengwei doesn¡¯t care about the audience¡¯s indifference and reveals the answer himself: ¡°Just now, I accompanied him to a well-known female doctor¡¯s psychological clinic, but he got the appointment time wrong. Today is not his scheduled time.¡±


    Lu Chengwei¡¯s nonsense will probably always be this much.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. What matters is that as I was about to leave, I saw someone going in. It was Si Xing!¡±


    Tang Xu was pouring himself a glass of water, and his heart skipped a beat when he heard the last two words.


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Tang, Si, Hang,¡± said Lu Chengwei, emphasising each character. ¡°What¡¯s this kid seeing a psychologist for? Are all kids nowadays so trendy?¡±


    ¡°Send me your location.¡±


    Without giving Lu Chengwei any time to respond, Tang Xu quickly threw out this sentence and left with his keys.


    Tang Xu couldn¡¯t describe his current feelings. He really hoped that Lu Chengwei, who often talks nonsense, would be reliable this time and that he was just blindly following a trend.

 CH 16

    To keep an eye on Tang Xu, Lu Chengwei had to give up his date and convince a young celebrity to wait with him at the entrance. The young star was obediently playing with the sound system and listening to music. Lu Chengwei had spent a lot of money on his new car, and the surround sound effect was indeed impressive. It felt like every note could strike you from all directions like an axe.


    After a while, Tang Xu appeared in Lu Chengwei¡¯s sight. Lu Chengwei was puzzled and asked, leaning out of the car window, ¡°Where¡¯s your car?¡±


    Tang Xu didn¡¯t look very good, looking like he was about to fight with someone.


    ¡°He knows my car; I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll see it, so I left it aside.¡±


    Tang Xu opened the car door and got in. After he got in, his face looked even worse. A man was screaming at the top of his lungs to the heavy metal drumbeat, as if he wanted to lift the car hood with his roar. Tang Xu was covered in goosebumps from the screaming.


    ¡°Can we change the song?¡±


    Knowing that he didn¡¯t like that kind of music, Lu Chengwei quickly gave up his axe music and played a few songs. After Xiao Mingxing got in the car with Tang Xu, he became very nervous and didn¡¯t dare to speak up. Unlike Lu Chengwei¡¯s tall and slender figure, always with a slight smile on his face, his is a typical image of a wealthy young man, or, more accurately, a playboy image. Tang Xu was stronger than Lu Chengwei, and when he kept a straight face without speaking, he gave off a sense of intimidation that created some distance between him and others. This may have something to do with his family¡¯s inheritance of prestige, but the two were different in that Tang Xu¡¯s father was a righteous and imposing figure, while Tang Xu had a bit of a gangster vibe.


    The young star watched as Lu Chengwei failed to pick a good song for half the time and voluntarily extended his hand, saying, ¡°Let me choose.¡±


    Tang Xu only noticed the person in the passenger seat after matching him with the ¡°little star¡± mentioned by Lu Chengwei. His eyebrows twitched, and he cursed in his heart, damn it, Lu Chengwei, this jerk didn¡¯t even let go of men.


    All the songs in Lu Chengwei¡¯s car are rock music. After trying for a while, the little star finally found a sentimental pop song. The prelude played, and the little star turned around and asked, ¡°Is this okay?¡±


    Tang Xu has actually heard this song before, ¡°One Naked Person¡± by Eason Chan.


    He nodded and said, ¡°Thank you for the trouble.¡±


    Lu Chengwei looked at the song title and laughed in a strange tone, ¡°So you¡¯re into this kind of music.¡±


    Tang Xu couldn¡¯t be bothered with him and focused on looking at the opposite side. The little star moved his finger and set the song to repeat, and the slender fingers made the pervert next to him itch.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stare. We just got here, and we can¡¯t leave yet. This kind of psychological counselling and therapy is a hassle.¡± Lu Chengwei took out a cigarette and lit it, then threw the cigarette box and lighter to Tang Xu. It was only then that Tang Xu realised he had only taken a bunch of keys when he came out and hadn¡¯t even grabbed his coat, let alone cigarettes.


    He was indeed addicted to smoking. Cigarettes were something that, once you started smoking, you couldn¡¯t stop. They were almost the most merciless whip against a person¡¯s self-control.


    They waited for an hour before Tang Cuo came out. There were several steps in front of the clinic¡¯s entrance, and Tang Cuo directly leaped from the top step. After landing, he adjusted his backpack and slowly walked forward while kicking stones along the way.¡±


    Lu Chengwei looked at the road and asked, ¡°Not going down?¡±


    After a pause, Tang Xu replied in a low voice, ¡°He doesn¡¯t want me to know.¡±


    Lu Chengwei was surprised and said, ¡°No, then why did you come? We¡¯ve been waiting here for so long just to see the kid off?¡±


    Tang Xu leaned back in his chair and made a vague response, ¡°Mhm.¡±


    ¡°¡­Damn.¡±


    Watching Tang enter the subway station next to him, Tang Xu then opened the car door and said, ¡°You guys go ahead. I¡¯ll go talk to that doctor.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Lu Chengwei wanted to stop him, but Tang Xu had already bumped into the car door and strode across the road. Lu Chengwei was amazed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him¡­¡±


    As a song playing on repeat reached its final line, the young star looked at Tang Xu, who was crossing the road, and said, ¡°Your friend is kind of handsome.¡±


    Lucheng Wei stopped in his tracks and turned his head. ¡°You deserve someone even more handsome, right next to you. Also, my friend is straight, so you don¡¯t stand a chance.


    The little star found it funny and asked, ¡°But aren¡¯t you straight?¡±


    Lucheng Wei had already turned onto the road and smirked, using lines straight out of a romance novel. ¡°Whether I¡¯m straight or not depends on who it is. For you, I can¡¯t be straight.¡±


    Tang Xu entered the clinic and was surprised to be stopped by a little girl on the first floor.


    ¡°Excuse me, sir, do you have an appointment?¡±


    Tang Xu shook his head, ¡°My family members are here for psychological counseling. If possible, I need to know about their situation.¡±


    The young girl nodded and took out a notebook, saying, ¡°Please register your personal information, and I will contact Dr. Wen to see if he is available now.¡±


    Tang Xu wrote his name and phone number on the guest registration book, and the girl took a look and said, ¡°Please wait a moment,¡± then picked up the phone and made a call.


    ¡°Dr. Wen, there is a Mr. Tang who wants to talk to you about a client¡¯s situation. Are you available now?¡±


    In order to make the atmosphere of the psychological clinic more relaxing, the girl didn¡¯t use words like ¡°patient.¡± After talking on the phone, the girl looked at the notebook and added, ¡°Mr. Tang Xu.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, the girl looked apologetically at Tang Xu and said, ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, Mr. Tang. Dr. Wen is preparing to receive the next patient and won¡¯t be able to see you today. Here¡¯s Dr. Wen¡¯s contact information on this card, and she said you can contact her in advance to arrange another meeting.¡±


    Tang Xu took the small business card and examined it closely.


    Wen Ying.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Tang Xu politely nodded in thanks, ¡°thank you.¡±


    After Tang Xu left, the young girl took her notebook and went upstairs.


    ¡°Is he gone?¡±


    The young girl nodded and handed the visitor registration book to Wen Ying, saying, ¡°As you instructed, I gave him your business card.¡±


    Wen Ying flipped to the latest page in her notebook, and this was the first time she had come across this name anywhere other than from Tang Xu¡¯s mouth. Tang Xu had arrived earlier than she had expected. Wen Ying let out a gentle sigh, jotted down the phone number, and handed the notebook back to the young girl.


    The young girl did not leave immediately, holding the notebook and asking, ¡°Is Tang Cu¨° not doing well recently? He¡¯s been coming here a lot more often.¡±


    Wen Ying rubbed her temples. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. So I also need to meet with his family.¡±


    The young girl nodded in agreement, saying, ¡°If family and friends cooperate with the psychological treatment, the effect is indeed much better.¡±


    Tang Xu returned to his car and called Tang Cuo.


    ¡°Where are you?¡±


    In the earpiece, Tang Cuo hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°I¡¯m on the subway.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Tang Xu flicked away the accumulated cigarette ash, ¡°What are you doing there?¡±


    ¡°I went to the supermarket to buy some things.¡± Tang Cuo, who was still unaware that he had been caught, lied calmly, making Tang Xu even more helpless.


    ¡°Well, okay, just come back slowly.¡±


    Tang Cuo felt that this phone call was somewhat inexplicable. It had been such a long time, and Tang Xu had never called him for no reason like this before.


    The subway stopped at a station, and several people got on, including a mother with a little girl. Tang Cuo immediately stood up and said to the mother, ¡°Please take this seat.¡±


    The mother immediately thanked him repeatedly and even pulled the little girl¡¯s hand and said, ¡°The big brother gave you the seat; quickly thank the big brother.¡±


    The little girl took a lollipop from her mouth and looked at Tang Cuo with big eyes. When she smiled, two small dimples appeared, and her mouth was as sweet as the candy. ¡°Big brother, you¡¯re so kind! Thank you, big brother!¡±


    Tang Cuo hurriedly waved his hand, feeling somewhat awkward, and said, ¡°No need to thank me.¡±


    After being held by her mother on her lap, the little girl continued to eat the lollipop, her eyes always fixed on Tang Cuo.


    More and more people got on the subway, and Tang Cuo looked at the little girl who was still eating the candy. He pursed his lips and said to the mother, ¡°Uh¡­ sister, it¡¯s better not to let her eat lollipops. There are a lot of people on the subway, and it¡¯s inevitable that they will bump into each other when squeezing. And sometimes the brakes are not very stable, so if someone bumps into her or something, the little girl might poke herself in the mouth.¡± As he spoke, Tang Cuo even poked his own mouth, as shown in the picture.


    The mother, who was called ¡°Sister,¡± quickly smiled and said, ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t think about that. Thank you.¡± After speaking, she touched the little girl¡¯s hand and spoke to her in a tone of consultation, ¡°Did you understand? Brother said it¡¯s dangerous to eat lollipops on the subway. How about eating it outside?¡±


    The little girl seemed to hesitate for a moment before opening her mouth and holding the lollipop in her hand like a little adult, saying, ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any more lollipops? Give one to Brother.¡±


    Tang Cuo, who was standing aside, was flattered and said, ¡°No need, no need. You can eat it!¡±


    But the little girl immediately rummaged through her pocket, took out a new lollipop, and held it up to him, saying, ¡°Brother, take it!¡±


    ¡°Keep it; she likes you so much that she is so proactive in giving it to you. Thank you so much today.¡±


    The little girl smiled with her eyes curved, emphasising her inner thoughts: ¡°Yes, I like my big brother.¡±


    Tang Cuo was at a loss for a moment, blushed, and took it, saying, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The little girl didn¡¯t say anything else, nor did she say you¡¯re welcome. She sat there, staring at him.


    ¡°Big brother, you¡¯re blushing.¡±


    Tang Cuo was made even hotter by the child¡¯s innocent words. The little girl, however, was relentless and continued sweet-talking him, ¡°Big brother, you¡¯re so handsome.¡±


    Two girls beside them burst out laughing, which startled Tang Cuo. He blinked and looked at them. The two girls saw they were caught and turned their heads awkwardly, their mouths contorted from holding back their laughter.


    As a result, Tang Cuo got off the train in a panic at the next stop. He stood on the unfamiliar platform and watched the subway leave, holding a lollipop in his hand.


    The most noble hymn of praise one can hear in this world is the murmuring of the human soul spoken by a child¡¯s mouth. As the subway rushed away, Tang Cuo suddenly remembered this sentence, which seemed to be spoken by Hugo.


    However, such unintentional praise left him at a loss.


    Tang Cuo lowered his head, and in the lively crowd around him, his figure appeared weak and lonely. He moved the lollipop into the smallest compartment of his backpack, carefully zipped it up, and silently waited for the next train to arrive.

 CH 17

    On the same evening, Tang Xu contacted Wen Ying. Wen Ying apologised to him in a gentle tone and then said that the appointments were really full. If he didn¡¯t mind, they could meet on the weekend. She could squeeze in some time on Saturday and meet him in the evening.


    Tang Xu looked at the calendar in the bottom right corner of his computer screen. Saturday seemed a bit late, but there was no way around it. Wen Ying¡¯s schedule sounded really tight, and she probably had already tried her best to fit him in within a week.


    ¡°Okay, at your clinic?¡±


    Wen Ying said that she was no longer at the clinic and suggested that they meet at a coffee shop instead.


    After agreeing on a meeting time and place, Tang Xu breathed a sigh of relief when he hung up the phone.


    This semester, Tang Cuo took an elective psychology class once a week on Thursdays. In terms of the number of students enrolled, this was an unquestionably large class. He Zhong saved a spot for him in the lecture hall that could accommodate more than two hundred people, and Tang Cuo had to look up and scan the room for a while before finding him.


    For most students, this elective class was essentially an entertainment class. In today¡¯s world, where smartphones have taken over people¡¯s lives, entertainment is equivalent to playing on one¡¯s phone. As a result, this psychology elective was roughly equivalent to a class on playing on one¡¯s phone.


    A while ago, there was a PhD student who committed suicide by jumping off a building at a nearby university. Although the university tried to keep it quiet, the news still spread around the academic community. In fact, for third-year college students, this is not a rare occurrence, as there are always one or two cases each semester that make people sigh. However, the psychology teacher was deeply saddened and sighed with a frown when he started class. He said that the psychological quality of today¡¯s college students is far from standard. He urged the students to learn how to regulate their emotions and recognise their own problems. If they really have problems, they should not be afraid to seek help and talk to the psychology department in our school, as the service is free of charge.


    This conversation received responses from some of the classmates, and the teacher sighed before starting today¡¯s lesson. Perhaps because the suicide of the doctoral student had such a great impact on the teacher, he used some examples of suicide without mentioning any names to analyse why humans choose to commit suicide under certain psychological pressures.


    Although the topic was somewhat sensitive, it was just an ordinary psychology class, and few students were paying attention in the classroom. Some were still addicted to mobile games, and others were doing homework from other subjects. However, Tang Cuo, who didn¡¯t expect to hear a familiar example,


    ¡°The next example is a bit complicated. The woman¡¯s body was found on the riverbank downstream, a month after she jumped into the river. Local villagers found her while fetching water from the river. However, because her body had been carried downstream for too long, it was difficult to determine her exact location of entry into the river. It took the police almost two months to confirm her identity. Surprisingly, she was a college student who had been abducted.¡±


    Perhaps because of the last sentence, many students below lifted their heads.


    After the teacher finished speaking, the classroom fell into a commotion. Surprisingly, several students raised their hands.


    A female student stood up and said, ¡°Teacher, I think her choice is right. Many times, living is not necessarily the right thing to do. You said she had tried to run away many times, so she must have been desperate for life after so many failures. She was originally a female college student with a good future, and she couldn¡¯t accept living with that kind of life in that kind of place. People commit suicide because of pain, and we all think that suicide is wrong. But if that pain cannot be changed or improved, why can¡¯t we choose to end our own lives?¡±


    The girl¡¯s words were very bold and clearly went against the original intention of this class. However, the teacher on the stage nodded silently and did not make any comments.


    After she sat down, a male student immediately stood up to refute her. ¡°I think she committed suicide because she was abducted and the living conditions there were too harsh. Moreover, the man who beat her was also a reason. But I think she may also have some personal problems. Based on the teacher¡¯s case introduction, her abduction was probably more than 20 years ago, and at that time, the value of a college education was much higher than it is now. Why would a college student be abducted? I think that¡¯s the first problem. Additionally, I think she should have found a better way to save herself. At least if it is today, I don¡¯t think there are any places absolutely isolated from society. If she wanted to contact others, there would always be opportunities and ways. Besides, she still has a son. What will happen to him if she dies? So, although her experience is very sympathetic and regrettable, suicide is still a wrong choice.¡±


    ¡°After she was abducted, the child was not born out of her own will, so it should not be used as moral blackmail¡­¡±


    Although it was just a classroom speech, it gradually evolved into a situation of opposing opinions.


    Despite the voices in the classroom rising and falling, He Zhong remained engrossed in playing mobile games until Tang Cuo, who was sitting next to him, stood up.


    ¡°Firstly, I would like to correct a mistake made by the teacher.¡± Tang Cuo stood there quietly, speaking in a measured tone.


    He Zhong was momentarily stunned and forgot to use his special move as he looked up at Tang Cuo.


    The teacher on stage was also stunned. ¡°Ah, please speak, student.¡±


    Since Tang Cuo stood up, some girls had secretly taken photos. His shocking remark attracted many classmates¡¯ astonished glances. Tang Cuo was not used to such inquisitive and voyeuristic eyes. He squeezed his palms nervously, and his heartbeat gradually became uncontrollable. For a moment, he wanted to sit back down, but the black words on the screen were like bright red blood pouring into his eyes, and in that sea of red, he saw her again.


    ¡°She didn¡¯t commit suicide. She was washed away by the river while trying to save her child.¡±


    This sentence is like a bomb, exploding into countless scattered words that filled the classroom after a moment of silence.


    The teacher was obviously confused. He pushed up his slipping glasses and stuttered, ¡°Save, save the child?¡±


    Tang nodded seriously at her, ¡°Yes, at the time his child fell into the river, she went down to save him, and finally she lifted the child onto the shore, but she was washed away. She was not weak, and she was not bad.¡±


    The teacher took two steps forward and still hadn¡¯t come back to his senses from this conversation. ¡°How do you know it was like this?¡±


    He Zhong had been staring blankly at the people around him, so he saw Tang Cuo¡¯s jaw suddenly tighten and then slump.


    ¡°Because I am that child, and she is my mother.¡±


    At that moment, in the full classroom of over two hundred people, no one was looking at their phones. Even the classmates who were holding up their phones to record or take pictures were shocked and turned to look at Tang Cuo, who was standing in the third to last row.


    Sitting in the back of the classroom, with just a slight downward glance, Tang Cuo could easily see the faces and eyes of those who were looking at him. After finishing his last sentence, he ignored those clear eyes and sat down by himself.


    He Zhong swallowed his saliva, came back to his senses, and called out to him, ¡°Cuo Cuo ..¡±


    Tang Cuo continued to look down at the desk, and the formulaic characters in the book made him dizzy. His palms were even more sweaty, and he didn¡¯t notice He Zhong holding his hand and calling his name repeatedly.


    He stood up and spoke for her, but twisted the truth.


    She saved his child, but at first she lied to him and told him that it was safe to swim there, and she even encouraged him to swim in the middle of the river. Perhaps out of guilt, when she saw him struggling in the water, she eventually jumped in herself.


    Also, Tang Cuo continued to silently narrate in his mind that after she rescued her child, someone had already seen her fall into the water and come to rescue her, and she had already grabbed the rope that was thrown to her. However, after being pulled a little bit, she saw the people on the shore, including the person she had saved.


    Tang Cuo could never forget the look in her eyes. Because after that look, she let go of the rope and drifted away with the current, with Tang Cuo¡¯s shouts and gaze following her.


    So, in fact, she had committed suicide¡ªafter seeing him, she gave up her own life.


    In recent days, whenever Tang Xu had free time, he would go to the library to look up some materials on psychology, but as an amateur, he didn¡¯t catch any main points in the past two days. This day, Tang Xu had been in the library for an afternoon, and around 5:30, he put back the books he had read and returned to the office.


    Aromatic control class was on Tuesdays and Fridays, and Tang Xu hadn¡¯t seen Tang Cuo on those two days. As he approached the office, Tang Xu found that his cigarette case was empty again, so he turned around and went to the office where Tang Cuo¡¯s homeroom teacher was located.


    After going in, Tang Xu found that Teacher Wang was on the phone, seemingly discussing some student¡¯s problem with a serious expression on his face. Tang Xu took out a half-box of cigarettes from the table, picked up a cigarette and threw it back, picked up the lighter, and sat on a nearby stool, waiting. He was about to light the cigarette when he heard Teacher Wang say, ¡°But Tang Cuo is really good; he has no problems.¡±


    The action of lighting the cigarette suddenly stopped, and his mind couldn¡¯t keep up as he looked at Teacher Wang, who had hung up the phone and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Tang Cuo?¡±


    Teacher Wang¡¯s forehead was already sweating. ¡°Oh, by the way, you are relatives. Come here quickly. Tang Cuo spoke up in the elective psychology class this afternoon, and it¡¯s one of the top ten topics on the school forum. The school leaders saw it and were afraid of any emotional fluctuations he might have, so they asked me to talk to him.¡±


    When Tang Xu heard the words ¡°psychology class,¡± he was already not very relaxed. He didn¡¯t know that Tang Cuo had taken psychology as an elective course.


    He leaned in front of the computer, watching the post with increasing replies; the content was very detailed, and there was even a complete video, enough to let everyone know the beginning and end of the storm that afternoon.


    After reading the last sentence of the post, the cigarette in his hand had already shattered into a lump.


    He closed his eyes tightly. Even he had always thought that Tang Cuo¡¯s mother had only committed suicide because she couldn¡¯t bear that kind of life.


    Teacher Wang was already calling Tang Cuo, but he couldn¡¯t get through. Tang Xu turned around, took the contact sheet, and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go find him.¡±


    After speaking, he tightly pursed his lips and wanted to leave.


    ¡°Hey, wait a minute.¡± Teacher Wang stopped him and frowned, ¡°Isn¡¯t Tang Cuo your relative? Why would you¡­¡±


    Tang Xu paused, but didn¡¯t turn back. ¡°I went to teach in a rural area at that time, and I was the one who brought him out.¡±


    Teacher Wang had not expected this and was at a loss for words. ¡°You¡­¡±


    A child cannot be taken away just like that; there are so many responsibilities to be borne. In his opinion, Tang Xu was not a kind-hearted gentleman, so what kind of situation could have made him take a child away?

 CH 18

    At the beginning, Tang Xu had no intention of taking Tang Cuo away.


    After seeing him covered in wounds, he was angry and felt sorry for him, wanting to help him. He had various emotions, but not to the extent of ¡°I want to take this child away.¡±


    Tang Xu took Tang Cuo on a donkey cart and carried him a long way to find the ¡°small clinic in the neighbouring village¡± that Wei An mentioned. Tang Cuo didn¡¯t say a word all the way and obediently laid on his shoulder, staring absentmindedly at the road behind them.


    Later, Tang Xu went to Wei An to understand the situation. Since Wei An was not very clear, he took him to an old man in a village who was relatively sensible.


    The old man had just rolled a cigarette, which was actually a thin, two-layered piece of broken rice paper with some cheap tobacco that was sold in hemp sacks. At that time, Tang Xu already had a pack of cigarettes in his pocket. He took a step forward and handed the old man a Red Pagoda Mountain cigarette.


    It was not a precious cigarette. The old man took it and smelled it, then sighed and put it aside. He picked up the broken cigarette again.


    ¡°After smoking good cigarettes, if you smoke this one, it will change the taste.¡± The old man shook his head and took a puff. ¡°So, you can¡¯t taste it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about Tang Cuo¡­ this child is unlucky even if he is left in this village.¡± The old man¡¯s speech was particularly slow, and at his age, regardless of how vividly he narrated an emotionally charged event, his tone would always be calm and steady. ¡°His mother was abducted here. There was a lot of trouble. At that time, the old man in that family had not yet died. Basically, they would fight if they quarrelled. If it didn¡¯t work, they would tie her up or lock her up. They were a poor family and finally managed to scrape together some money to buy a wife. How could they tolerate her making such a fuss? She kept causing trouble, so they beat her up badly¡­ There was no news for a while, and I didn¡¯t see that woman again. Later, she gave birth to a child, and the name was said to have been given by that woman. Of course, in that family, she was the only one who knew how to read. But she didn¡¯t like this child. I have seen her several times. She would leave the child on the ground when she went to wash clothes by the river, even on very cold days, and wouldn¡¯t care if the child cried. There was no expression on her face, as if she hadn¡¯t heard anything.¡±


    Tang Xu was holding a pack of Hongtashan cigarettes and standing still. He hears Wei An ask, ¡°Does nobody care about human trafficking and crying?¡±


    The old man sighs, ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do.¡±


    Tang Xu furrows his brow and asks, ¡°What happened after that?¡±


    ¡°Afterwards, the old person from that family died. Tang Cuo, his father, was a drunkard who couldn¡¯t even chop firewood. When the old person was still alive, even in the middle of winter, they still had to go to the mountains nearby to pick up firewood. Their son couldn¡¯t do anything. Later on, the woman jumped into the river and died. Her body was never found and was swept away by the river. The old man lowers his wrinkled eyelids and flicks off some ashes from his cigarette, saying, ¡°It¡¯s better to be dead. Being alive is nothing but suffering, with no hope for the future.¡±


    On the way back from the old man¡¯s house, after a long silence, Wei An asked, ¡°How is Tang¡¯s health?¡±


    ¡°All injuries need to be slowly taken care of,¡± Tang Xu said.


    As they passed by Tang Cuo¡¯s dilapidated house, Tang Xu stopped and looked inside. It was quiet, with no signs of activity. Wei An let out a silent sigh and continued walking.


    ¡°The next time he hits a child, we¡¯ll use our village official status to directly lock him up,¡± Wei An said with some stubbornness.


    Tang Xu calmly responded to his suggestion, ¡°You don¡¯t have the authority to do that. You can choose to report him to the police or try to educate him, but the nearest police station is miles away, and they probably won¡¯t want to deal with this remote and poor area. As for education, it won¡¯t work.¡±


    ¡°What should I do? As a village official, should I just watch him commit domestic violence?¡±


    The term ¡°domestic violence¡± becomes especially elusive and difficult to solve once the word ¡°domestic¡± is added in front of it. Regardless of their level of education, people who commit domestic violence will always say the same thing when questioned: ¡°I discipline my own son and manage my own wife. What does it have to do with you?¡± These people¡¯s defiant looks are like those of a mad dog who claims a mountain and becomes a king.


    At first sight of Tang Cuo¡¯s father, Tang Xu impolitely equated him with the term ¡°mad dog¡± in his mind.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s the teacher! I¡¯ve never seen a teacher in my whole life.¡±


    With the stench of alcohol mixed in, only an arm¡¯s length away, Tang Xu felt a nauseous impulse. He held his breath and walked past him into the house. Tang Cuo was standing next to him, looking up at him. When he saw Tang Xu walking towards him, he reached out and grabbed his clothes.


    Tang Xu covered his waist with his small hand and gently pinched it. Tang Cuo was stunned, then showed him a small smile.


    The room was dimly lit, with only one candle burning in a distorted posture, barely alive.


    Tang Xu crouched down and asked Tang Cuo, ¡°Have you eaten?¡±


    Tang Cuo seemed about to answer but was silenced upon seeing a man staring at him ominously from two steps away.


    Tang Xu noticed the man¡¯s gaze behind him and lowered his eyes, focusing on Tang Cuo¡¯s ankle hidden under his baggy pants. He touched Tang Cuo¡¯s head and didn¡¯t mention the injury, turning to ask the man, ¡°I made some egg-fried rice and called the students to come over and eat, but I didn¡¯t see Tang Cuo, so I came to look for him. Can I take him to try it out and bring him back later?¡±


    The man laughed coarsely, his tongue curling as he spoke, ¡°Sure.¡±


    As soon as they left the house, Tang Xu hugged Tang Cuo again, not letting him touch the ground, and asked if his ankle was feeling better. Tang Cuo nodded and asked, ¡°Is there really egg-fried rice?¡±


    Tang Xu shook his head, ¡°I lied to him.¡±


    In an instant, the light in Tanguo¡¯s eyes dimmed slightly, and he leaned his head on Tang Xu¡¯s shoulder, sniffing.


    Tang Xu smiled and lifted him up. Holding Tang Cuo in his arms, he could almost feel the shape of his bones. This child was so thin that he was almost deformed.


    ¡°There¡¯s no egg fried rice, but sister ZhiWei made you non-spicy boiled meat.¡±


    When Tang Cuo was in college, some students and waiters laughed when they heard someone ask if they could make boiled pork slices without spicy seasoning. Tang Cuo didn¡¯t find it funny because he had actually eaten it and found it delicious.


    In the later days, it was almost like a time of blessings for Tang Cuo. Tang Xu would often secretly bring him to the dormitory to eat, where he would try egg fried rice, red bean buns, and many other dishes he had never seen before. Tang Xu would also check his wounds and ask how his old injuries were healing. If there were no new wounds, everything was fine, but if there were, Tang Xu would become angry again.


    Han Zhiwei had once helped him put on medicine, but halfway through, tears streamed down her face. Tang Cuo liked both Tang Xu and Han Zhiwei, so he wiped away the tears on Han Zhiwei¡¯s face and said, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, sister.¡±


    Han Zhiwei asked Tang Xu, ¡°Can¡¯t we talk to him? Scold him or even beat him up if we have to. No one in the village is doing anything about it, but we can. I don¡¯t believe there will be anyone on our side.¡±


    Tang Xu took a puff of his cigarette and sat on the brick edge by the door. ¡°We can go and teach him a lesson. There should be people who will stand by our side and join us in criticising him. If it works well, he might temporarily restrain himself. But there is a saying, though it may sound harsh, that is true: A dog cannot change its nature.1The phrase ¡°A dog cannot change its nature¡± is a common idiom that suggests someone¡¯s inherent character or personality cannot be easily altered. We will leave soon, and Tang Cuo will be left alone. I¡¯m afraid that person will take the anger he suffered from us and vent it on Tang Cuo even more.¡±


    As soon as Tang Xu finished speaking, the two of them heard the sound of a water cup falling to the ground. Tang Xu turned his head and lifted the curtain, seeing Tang Cuo standing next to the table with a water bowl lying by his feet.


    Han Zhiwei hurriedly went in to pick him up and lay him on the bed, then turned around to find a towel.


    Tang Cuo sat on the edge of the bed, looking at Tang Xu and whispered, ¡°Are you leaving?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Tang Xu was surprised.


    Tang Cuo lowered his head and tugged at his pants. He was still wearing the pyjamas that Han Zhiwei had made for him, which were altered versions of Tang Xu¡¯s clothes.


    On the day Tang Xu sent Tang Cuo back, Tang Cuo hugged his neck and asked, ¡°When are you leaving?¡±


    Tang Xu did not answer immediately. Even for him, he felt that this question was too cruel for Tang Cuo.


    ¡°In about half a month.¡±


    ¡°Half a month¡­ is that fifteen days?¡± This was something he learned recently.


    ¡°En.¡±


    Tang Cuo lay back down, but as they approached his home, he raised his head again and asked, ¡°Will you come back in the future?¡±


    Tang Xu didn¡¯t answer the question in the end. Tang Cuo didn¡¯t press him further and stood at the door, waving goodbye to Tang Xu as usual.


    On the way back, Tang Xu smoked another cigarette. He wasn¡¯t a smoker and would only smoke on special occasions. He had brought five packs of cigarettes with him this time just in case, but he didn¡¯t expect to have almost finished them all.


    On that day, only three days before they would leave, Han Zhiwei said after finishing dinner that she wanted to take a walk and look at the stars. Tang Xu put on a light jacket and went out with her.


    ¡°Although it¡¯s poor and rundown here, the stars are still bright,¡± Han Zhiwei said, looking at the sky and sighing. After finishing this sentence, she withdrew her gaze and said another one, ¡°But only the stars are bright.¡±


    They were chatting leisurely about the interesting things that had happened in the nearly two months they spent together. However, when they passed by Tang Cuo¡¯s house, they heard a desperate, mournful sound. The sound didn¡¯t even seem to come from the throat and was short and abrupt, like a dying bird¡¯s plea for help.


    The two of them were startled, and after exchanging a glance, they both rushed towards the door.


    The scene when they pushed the door open made Tang Xu completely lose the self-control he had developed for so long. He could only curse ¡°f*ck your grandpa¡±2The phrase ¡°²ÙÄã´óÒ¯¡± (c¨¤o n¨« d¨¤ y¨¦) is a vulgar expression that can be translated as ¡°f*ck your grandpa.¡± It¡¯s considered very offensive and is not appropriate for polite company. and swing his fist at the man¡¯s face. Han Zhiwei was so scared by the scene inside the room that she screamed and ran over to tightly hug Tang Cuo, not even covering her eyes.


    Because of Tang Xu¡¯s punch, the man¡¯s filthy thing was left out of Tang Cuo¡¯s mouth.


    Tang Cuo was shaking all over, with no focus in his eyes. Tang Xu was still punching the man repeatedly, while Han Zhiwei called out to Tang Cuo. Suddenly, Tang Cuo pushed her away and vomited on the ground. He hadn¡¯t eaten in a long time, so nothing came out, but he continued to retch, crying and vomiting at the same time. His lips were also covered in something, and Tang Cuo kept wiping his mouth fiercely, as if he wanted to rub it raw.


    No matter how much Han Zhiwei called out to Tang Cuo, it was of no use. She turned to look and saw that the man had been punched so hard that his eyes had rolled back and his face was covered in blood. However, Tang Xu showed no signs of stopping and continued to punch him in the face, his eyes red with fury.


    Han Zhiwei quickly stopped him, ¡°Tang Xu! Don¡¯t kill him! Stop now! Come and see Tang Cuo, I can¡¯t handle him!¡±


    Tang Xu gradually stopped, and when he squatted down next to Han Zhiwei, his teeth were grinding loudly.


    Tang Cuo was still retching with all his strength, and there were dense bloodshot veins around his eye sockets due to ruptured capillaries. If it weren¡¯t for Han ZhiWei holding him, he would have collapsed on the ground.


    Tang Xu pulled him over and hugged him as usual, supporting his head on his shoulder, and said softly, ¡°Just keep throwing up; it¡¯s okay if you vomit on me.¡± After speaking, he stood up and pulled Han Zhiwei up, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Tang Cuo was carried out by Tang Xu, still retching for a while but unwilling to face Tang Xu, only supporting his shoulder and leaning towards the ground. After about three to five minutes of walking, Tang Cuo slowly calmed down and then collapsed on Tang Xu¡¯s shoulder, seemingly exhausted. Tang Xu touched his face and discovered that his chin was dislocated; he was not sure whether it was caused by the man or the vomiting earlier.


    That night, the two of them had been taking care of Tang Cuo until midnight. Later, Tang Cuo developed a high fever and remained unconscious, holding onto Tang Xu¡¯s clothes tightly during the whole time.


    After finally putting Tang Cuo to sleep, Han Zhiwei and Tang Xu sat opposite each other on the bed, both looking at Tang Cuo without saying a word. It wasn¡¯t until long after the birds outside had started singing softly that Tang Xu said, ¡°I want to take him with me.¡±


    That damned father of Tang Cuo has come to cause trouble again. He covered his face and stood outside the dormitory of Tang Xu and others, shouting like a shrew and accusing Dashing of assaulting someone. He¡¯s demanding justice from the villagers.


    Han Zhiwei didn¡¯t feel well upon hearing this, and she banged her head on the window before climbing onto the bed and lying down next to Tang Cuo. She lifted both hands and covered Tang Cuo¡¯s ears. Despite his dazed expression, he looked at her quietly. She freed up a hand and covered his eyes, saying, ¡°Sleep; there¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡±


    Tang Xu was on the phone in the other room, and Tang Cuo couldn¡¯t make out what he was saying. But he fell into a deep sleep, listening to the intermittent voice that put his mind at ease while leaning in Han Zhiwei¡¯s arms.


    In the room, Tang Xu¡¯s phone call was nearing its end. He smiled and said, ¡°Grandpa, can you believe that there are still families like this in society? What will happen to this child if I don¡¯t take him away?¡±


    On the day Tang Xu and Han Zhiwei left, the whole village came to see them off. One reason was to bid farewell to the two college teachers, and the other was to see if that poor child, who no one wanted, was really going to be taken away.


    Tang Cuo was led by Tang Xu and kept looking up at him. In the end, Tang Xu felt like the child¡¯s neck was getting stiff from all the looking up, so he picked him up in front of everyone.


    Tang Cuo still didn¡¯t take his eyes off him, so Tang Xu patted him and lifted his chin towards the crowd, saying, ¡°Wave goodbye to them.¡±


    He said this for Tang Cuo to hear, but also for himself. He knew Tang Cuo couldn¡¯t understand the words ¡°wave goodbye to them,¡± but he wanted to tell him that he was saying goodbye to the pain and going to see the real world.


    As Tang Xu looked around, he saw the man who had just received a large sum of money also come over, perhaps just passing by, standing on the side of the road with a bottle of alcohol in his hand, watching this side. Tang Xu¡¯s eyes were a bit cold; unnoticed by anyone, he slightly pulled the corner of his mouth. Then he moved to the side to make sure Tang Cuo wouldn¡¯t see the man. This man had gone through two transactions in his lifetime: destroying one woman and ¡°selling¡± his own son. Some people deserve to reek of alcohol.


    At this moment, Tang Cuo raised one hand and waved it twice towards the crowd looking at them.


    He really didn¡¯t understand the deeper meaning behind Tang Xu¡¯s words, but he knew he was going to live with Tang Xu. For the first time, he faced the village that had only brought him endless pain and showed a joyful expression. The expression made the old man startled with tired eyes, and by the time he came back to his senses, a few people had already left. Watching their backs, the old man took out a cigarette, a Red Pagoda Mountain, and lit it. He hunched his body and walked slowly home, muttering to himself, ¡°This child is lucky.¡±

 CH 19

    Tang Xu didn¡¯t even return to the office but instead dialled He Zhong¡¯s phone number as he walked out.


    ¡°Where is Tang Cuo?¡±


    He Zhong¡¯s voice on the other end of the phone sounded anxious. ¡°I¡¯m also looking for him, Teacher Tang.¡± I¡¯m afraid he¡¯s in a bad mood, and I was planning on accompanying him today, but he ran away while we were in the bathroom. He even left his backpack with me. I just got back to the dorm, but he hasn¡¯t returned.¡±


    Tang Xu entered the elevator. ¡°Got it.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, he dialled Tang Cuo¡¯s number again, but no one answered. He called several times, but all he got was the same message. As he walked, he sent a few text messages to Tang Cuo, hoping that he would at least respond after seeing them.


    ¡ª¡±Sihang, if you see this message, please call me back.¡± If you don¡¯t want to call, you can text me. Just let me know you¡¯re fine.¡±


    ¡ª¡±I know you¡¯re upset, but don¡¯t do anything stupid.¡±


    ¡ª¡±Listen to me and contact me.¡±


    He sent several messages, but his anxiety did not dissipate. Tang Cuo, he assumed, would not do anything stupid because of this, but the video showed that he was already emotionally breaking down.


    Tang Xu got in the car and called Wen Ying, briefly explaining what had happened in the afternoon. Wen Ying pondered for a moment and then said, ¡°If Tang Cuo were behaving normally, he wouldn¡¯t have stood up in class and said those things. He couldn¡¯t control himself today and is probably feeling very remorseful and doesn¡¯t know what to do. However, I don¡¯t think he would do anything dangerous. Based on what I know about him, he is probably finding a place to be alone because he doesn¡¯t like people¡¯s attention.¡±


    Tang Xu frowned, not knowing where Wen Ying¡¯s judgement came from. These judgements seemed unfamiliar to him in comparison to his understanding of Tang Cuo.


    Wen Ying continued, ¡°Mr. Tang, don¡¯t worry too much. It¡¯s better to handle the situation with the school first. After a while, Tang Cuo should calm down and contact the outside world.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already contacted the forum administrators to have the post removed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± said Wen Ying. ¡°If you¡¯re really worried, try looking for Tang Cuo in possible places. He¡¯s probably not at school anymore because what happened is related to his own mother. He might not go back home either. I guess he might go to some quiet places with fewer people, like small cafes or parks¡­¡±


    Following Wen Ying¡¯s suggestion, Tang Xu searched for Tang Cuo while driving and, at the same time, kept an eye on his phone for any responses. He called Tang Cuo twice more, but by around 8 o¡¯clock, Tang Cuo¡¯s phone was already turned off.


    Tang Xu was concerned, so he pulled over to the side of the road and called Wen Ying. ¡°He hasn¡¯t responded to my messages yet, and his phone is also off.¡±


    After a moment of contemplation, Wen Ying suddenly realised something and exclaimed, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it just came to me now. Mr. Tang, why don¡¯t you go home and check there?¡±


    Tang Xu hesitated: ¡°He went to my place?¡±


    No matter how accurate Wen Ying¡¯s guess was, Tang Xu chose to believe it. And as it turned out, Wen Ying had indeed been wholeheartedly helping Tang Cuo with his psychological counselling over the years. Tang Xu returned home and saw Tang Cuo leaning against his somewhat old anti-theft door, with the hallway light now repaired. Tang Cuo saw him from halfway up the stairs, and his calm eyes lit up, causing Tang Xu¡¯s heart to tremble for a moment before finally calming down.


    ¡°When did you come over?¡± Tang Xu stepped up a few more steps and walked up to Tang Cuo.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while,¡± Tang Cuo said. His voice was dry, and he coughed twice after speaking.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call me? I was so worried about you, you know?¡± Tang Xu couldn¡¯t bear to blame him but still couldn¡¯t help saying a few words.


    ¡°My phone died,¡± Tang Cuo replied, as if afraid he wouldn¡¯t believe it. He held up his black-screen phone to show him and pressed the power button hard. ¡°I had too many missed calls and messages. I was going to call you back later, but then I realised my phone was dead.¡±


    Tang Xu looked at him, didn¡¯t say anything, raised his hand, and pressed it on his head, rubbing it. Then he took out his keys and opened the door, leading him inside.


    ¡± How did you come here? He Zhong said, you didn¡¯t bring your backpack; did you bring money; have you eaten?¡±


    Tang Cuo was changing his shoes. ¡°I walked here, and as I was walking, I ended up at your place. I haven¡¯t had dinner yet.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get you something to eat.¡±


    Tang Cuo nodded and thanked him. Throughout their conversation, Tang Cuo didn¡¯t show too much emotion, as if nothing had happened. After a while, he said he wanted to take a shower. Tang Xu walked to the kitchen after Tang Cuo went into the bathroom, searched the refrigerator, and found he could only make tomato egg spinach noodles for him. He put the noodles on the stove and then put a cup of milk in the microwave.


    The microwave beeped twice, and the door was finally opened by a white and slender hand. Tang Cuo took out the milk from the microwave and looked back at Tang Xu, who was staring at the pot in front of him. His fingers moved back and forth on the warm milk cup, and he walked over to Tang Xu¡¯s side.


    Tang Xu came to his senses and stirred the spoon in the pot a couple of times, mixing the red and green colours together. He stirred it in a direction that caused it to turn around, and then exclaimed, ¡°Ah, I forgot to take it.¡±


    Tang Cuo¡¯s lips moved, and he looked at Tang Xu¡¯s profile, asking, ¡°You already know?¡±


    Tang Xu didn¡¯t expect him to bring up this question, so he glanced at him, turned off the stove, and replied, ¡°Mm-hmm.¡±


    He picked up the big bowl of noodles and gestured to Tang Cuo to get his own pair of chopsticks. Tang Cuo reached into the chopstick container, paused for a moment, and took two pairs. Then he took a bowl from the nearby cabinet.


    Tang Xu had already placed the noodles on the table for him to see all the things he had taken, and he raised an eyebrow at him.


    ¡°This is too much; I can¡¯t eat all of it, and¡­ didn¡¯t you eat yet?¡±


    After saying these words, Tang Cuo didn¡¯t dare look at Tang Xu anymore.


    The two of them divided the pot of noodles, and Tang Cuo still didn¡¯t make a sound while eating, while Tang Xu was unconcerned about his image.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about what you said today before?¡± Tang Xu asked when they were almost done eating.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a good memory. I didn¡¯t want to talk about it, and you never asked. Today¡­¡± Tang Cuo picked up a piece of spinach from the soup with his chopsticks and put it down.


    ¡°Why did you say it today?¡± Tang Xu pressed on.


    Tang Cuo didn¡¯t move his chopsticks, just blinked lightly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like how they talked about her like that.¡± His voice rang out in the quiet room, not with a sharp rebuttal but just a firm statement.


    At this moment, Tang Xu actually wanted to smoke, but he restrained himself. He unconsciously tapped his fingertips together, then leaned forward with his arms on the table, staring into Tang Cuo¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°She wasn¡¯t good to you, was she?¡±


    Tang Cuo shook his head and looked at him. ¡°Although she was not a good mother in other people¡¯s eyes, I¡¯ve never blamed her and don¡¯t think she was bad.¡±


    After saying this, Tang Cuo picked up the bowls, including Tang Xu¡¯s, and took them to the sink to wash. Tang Xu got up and followed him, pressing his hand down. ¡°I¡¯ll wash; you go brush your teeth and sleep.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it; it¡¯s not good for your body to go to sleep right after eating,¡± Tang Cuo replied.


    This statement makes sense. Tang Xu was originally afraid that Tang Cuo was too tired today and wanted him to rest early. In his opinion, after a good sleep, one¡¯s mood will improve a lot. But Tang Cuo¡¯s behaviour did not match his expectations. He was not panicking or showing signs of distress. On the contrary, in comparison, he seemed a bit nervous tonight.


    So Tang Xu leaned against the wall and watched Tang Cuo wash the dishes carefully.


    After washing the dishes with detergent and rinsing them off, Tang Cuo suddenly said, ¡°I often wash dishes at home too. I like to see them become clean like this.¡±


    The water flowed out of the faucet without needing any external force, and under the rushing water, the dirt on the dishes in Tang Cuo¡¯s hands was washed away. As a dish, no matter what it contained, it would have a chance to start anew after a meal.


    Tang Xugang was about to speak, but Tang Cuo interrupted him.


    ¡°I said I don¡¯t blame her, and I mean it. She wanted to run away many times, but she didn¡¯t succeed. Actually, there was one time when she had a chance. But I was very hungry at the time, so I cried and hugged her legs. She had already taken the little bag, but then she put it down. She made a bowl of rice porridge for me by starting a fire on the big stove in the house. It was very troublesome to start a fire, and I remember she struggled for a long time. By the time she finished, the sun was setting.¡± Tang Cuo recounted the story calmly, as if it were someone else¡¯s. ¡°After the rice porridge was ready, she let me sit on the bed and eat, and then I saw her leave with her small bag. She came back that night, but was caught by them. I couldn¡¯t see the injuries on her body, but her face was covered in bruises.¡±


    Tang Cuo finished washing the dishes, dried them, and put them away before saying one last thing before closing the cabinet door, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for making me that bowl of rice porridge, she could have left before they came back.¡±


    Tang Xu had been looking at Tang Cuo all this time, so when Tang Cuo finished placing the bowl and turned around, their gazes met directly. Tang Cuo¡¯s eyes made Tang Xu¡¯s heart ache, and his body reacted faster than his brain. He took a step forward and hugged Tang Cuo, stroking the back of his head. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past. The dead are the greatest, and I don¡¯t want to judge anything anymore. But her death has nothing to do with you. You haven¡¯t done anything wrong. Don¡¯t use the past to make things difficult for yourself, okay? If possible, I hope you can completely forget about those days.¡±


    This hug came without any warning. Tang Cuo stood there, his hands slightly raised, his eyes wide open and fixed on a point beyond Tang Xu¡¯s gaze, as if he couldn¡¯t believe what was happening.


    ¡°Okay.¡± After a long time, he answered Tang Xu like this. But he didn¡¯t hug back.


    That night, Tang Xu helped Tang Cuo to bed and said goodnight to him as usual. But then Tang Cuo said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to school tomorrow.¡±


    Tang Xu nodded. ¡°Then don¡¯t go; do you have class tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Yes, your class.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Tang Xu chuckled speechlessly, ¡°Are you asking for a leave?¡±


    After hearing this, Tang Cuo showed his first smile of the night, saying, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m asking for a leave.¡±


    Tang Xu reached out and flicked his forehead. ¡°Okay, can you stay at home by yourself tomorrow?¡±


    Tang Cuo¡¯s expression became more lively: ¡°I¡¯m not a child.¡±


    Tang Xu laughed out loud. ¡°Okay, big boy, go to sleep.¡±


    Tang Xu¡¯s class was in the third and fourth periods, and he usually had the habit of waking up early. After preparing breakfast for Tang Cuo, he left a note and went out. While driving, he suddenly saw a vendor selling tofu pudding by the road and remembered that Tang Cuo loved to eat it. He checked his watch and saw that there was still some time before class, so he stopped the car and bought a bowl.


    When he returned home, he walked extra quietly to avoid waking up Tang Cuo. However, as he was about to leave the tofu pudding in the kitchen, he heard rustling sounds and what sounded like Tang Cuo¡¯s voice coming from his bedroom.


    Curious, he walked over quietly and found that the guest room next to his bedroom was already open, but Tang Cuo was not on the bed.


    The bedroom door was ajar, and for some reason¡ªperhaps a premonition¡ªTang Xu lightly touched the door and pushed it open with just a crack.


    At first glance, Tang Xu seemed frozen in place.


    Tang Cuo¡¯s voice became even clearer in his ear, accompanied by Tang Cuo¡¯s tightly closed eyes and flushed face.


    ¡°Ah¡­ Tang Xu¡­¡±


    At the climax, Tang Cuo curled up entirely, one hand still in a lower position, the other tightly gripping the pillow, the knuckles even more prominent, and the blue veins vaguely visible. He tilted his head slightly, with even two tears overflowing from the corners of his eyes.


    ¡°Tang Xu¡­¡±


    Tang Cuo was masturbating, lying in his bed, calling out Tang Xu¡¯s name.

 CH 20

    Slightly waking up from the dazzling surroundings, Tang Cuo slowly opened his moist eyes, like a long slow-motion scene in a movie playing at the end of a dream.


    And in that instant, when he opened his eyes, he saw Tang Xu standing at the door.


    At almost the same moment, he sprang up in shock, his dilated eyes staring at the door in terror, bewildered and scrambling backwards. He retreated until he hit the hard bed board, and when he had nowhere else to go, tears suddenly rushed out and covered his face. His mouth kept opening and closing, desperately trying to explain something, but he found he couldn¡¯t make a sound and could only despairingly look at Tang Xu, like a trapped animal in the deep night forest, with his throat clenched.


    Tang Xu pushed the door open and walked in, never taking his eyes off Tang Cuo, with an obscure and unclear look.


    ¡°Tang Xu¡­¡± Tang Cuo finally broke his speechless state. He tried to move forward, but his body was too weak, and he ended up kneeling at the bedside, incoherently apologising to the person across from him, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­I was planning to help you wash the sheets later¡­Tang Xu¡­¡±


    The more Tang Cuo spoke, the more he cried, until his face was almost convulsing and he was shaking all over. Tang Xu was alarmed to see him like that.


    ¡°Si hang, calm down,¡± he said, relaxing his originally tense face as much as possible and speaking in a gentle tone.


    Tang Cuo continued to look at him, but this sentence had no effect. He continued to sob and mumble explanations, but Tang Xu could no longer hear what he was saying.


    Tang Xu moved slightly and tried to approach Tang Cuo, but he immediately trembled and moved away as if he had been triggered like a switch, crying even louder and even making sounds like an over-crying child.


    He was helpless and extended a hand towards Tang Cuo. ¡°Can you come over here first?¡±


    Tang Cuo didn¡¯t move but continued to look at him, one hand tightly gripping the wooden board at the head of the bed, his veins bulging.


    But he was still too scared. He was afraid that if he didn¡¯t go over and say something to the person in front of him, they would turn and leave. So he abandoned his last shred of dignity, knelt down, and crawled forward, quickly closing the short distance of the bed. However, he stumbled and fell twice on the way, looking extremely embarrassed.


    At this moment, Tang Cuo was only wearing Tang Xu¡¯s short-sleeved T-shirt, was completely naked below the waist without even wearing underwear, and there was semi-dry white fluid hanging between his legs. When his eyes touched his white thigh, his tears suddenly flowed more fiercely and uncontrollably. He helplessly pulled down the hem of his shirt, as if this could cover up his embarrassment and his filthy body.


    ¡°I plan to wash the sheets for you¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    He finally stumbled and crawled to Tang Xu¡¯s side, reaching out with one hand but hesitating to touch Tang Xu¡¯s body.


    Tang Cuo was crying so hard that he was gasping for breath, with snot hanging under his nose. He didn¡¯t know, and he couldn¡¯t imagine how embarrassing he looked right now. He was only left with fear, afraid that Tang Xu would scold him, hate him, or¡­ leave him again. Just thinking about this possibility made him feel like he didn¡¯t exist at all, no matter how shameful that existence might be.


    The air around him suddenly seemed to turn cold, and the temperature transmitted to his exposed skin, making him shiver with cold all the way to his heart.


    Suddenly, his body was wrapped in a warm embrace. Tang Cuo raised his head and saw Tang Xu holding the quilt over him. Finally, he didn¡¯t have to feel ashamed of touching the air or the sun because Tang Xu was covering him up and shielding him from the embarrassment.


    ¡°Tang Xu¡­¡±


    The person in front of him reached out and brushed his face, sighing, ¡°Why are you crying like this?¡±


    Tang Cuo was now only left with sobbing, unable to stop.


    Tang Xu stood there, holding him with the quilt and letting his head rest on his body. He didn¡¯t say anything but stroked his back to help him calm down.


    When he finally calmed down a bit under Tang Xu¡¯s body warmth, his big sobs turned into small ones. Suddenly, Tang Xu stretched out a hand and pulled up his chin to make him look into his eyes. Tang Cuo panicked and tried to turn his head away, but Tang Xu used a rare firmness to keep him in place.


    ¡°Are you calm now?¡± Tang Xu asked


    Tang Cuo was wrapped up in the blanket, with only his head exposed, and his eyes and nose were still red from crying. He opened his mouth, but because his nose was blocked, he only made a humming sound.


    ¡°Then tell me, why are you like this?¡± Tang Xu said


    Tang Cuo didn¡¯t speak; he just stared at him blankly and sniffled, as if he didn¡¯t understand what he was saying.


    Tang Xu let out a sigh and released the hand that was holding onto the blanket, then turned around.


    Tang Cuo was startled by Tang Xu¡¯s sudden movement and lunged forward, reaching out with one hand to grab him. Tang Xu, startled by the commotion behind him, turned around to see Tang Cuo already diving towards the ground. He quickly stepped forward and caught him, holding him in his arms.


    This time, Tang Cuo grabbed onto Tang Xu¡¯s shirt tightly with the hand that had been extended from under the blanket and began to cry again.


    Tang Xu understood and comforted him like a child, patting his back and saying, ¡°I just wanted to get you some tissues to wipe your nose.¡±


    With that, he gave up on going to the bedside to get tissue and instead pulled up his shirt to wipe Tang Cuo¡¯s nose.


    He wiped him carefully, and only then did Tang Xu wrap him up more in the blanket, lifting his head and asking more directly, ¡°Now tell me, why do you call my name when you masturbate?¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, Tang Cuo became agitated again, shaking his head desperately. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I won¡¯t¡­ I won¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Sixing,¡± Tang Xu interrupted him without hesitation. ¡°Listen, I didn¡¯t say anything, and I¡¯m not angry. You don¡¯t have to keep apologising. Tell me why; I want to hear the real reason. If you tell the truth, I won¡¯t be angry at all.¡±


    To pinpoint someone¡¯s weakness is actually a bit cruel. But today, Tang Xu just wanted to force Tang Cuo to tell the truth, to see the real him, to see what was hidden beneath the facade of excellence and politeness.


    Tang Cuo gradually lost his voice as he looked at him.


    Seeing that he had finally calmed down, Tang Xu encouraged him by patting his face and wiping away the tears that had just fallen from his cheek with his thumb.


    ¡°Tell me the truth.¡±


    Tang Xu¡¯s palm was warm, and even in the cold winter days, he could warm Tang Cuo¡¯s existence, let alone at a time like this.


    Tang Cuo looked at him in a daze. They were so close that their features were clear and their breaths were in sync. However, Tang Cuo felt that he still couldn¡¯t see him clearly. The more he tried to blink and focus, the more blurry his vision became. This face had appeared too many times in his dreams, during the days when they were miles apart and unrelated, and even when he had crossed mountains and rivers to be by his side, carefully playing the role of a good boy. This face was the only dream he had, and it was also the birthplace of all his emotions. Humans have seven emotions and six desires, and before he had even understood what love and desire were, he had already engraved Tang Xu¡¯s name in his heart. He couldn¡¯t erase it, so he could only cover it up, holding onto his happiness carefully and guardedly, not allowing others to peek. But this morning, that veil was torn away, and all the secrets were exposed in the sunlight. There was only one answer left for him.


    Tang Xu was still waiting for his answer, still looking at him with an attentive expression, as if there were only him in his eyes.


    The hand holding onto Tang Xu¡¯s clothes tightened even more, with tears constantly streaming down the face. Tang Xu wiped them away, but they kept flowing, and Tang Xu kept wiping them away. The two of them were stuck in this cycle, and it seemed that Tang Xu had mustered all his patience today and had no intention of letting Tang Cuo go.


    After Tang Cuo¡¯s slightly dry hands had been moistened by his tears, he finally looked into Tang Xu¡¯s pupils and spoke softly.


    ¡°Because I like you¡­¡±


    As if he wanted to cry all the tears of his life, Tang Cuo lowered his head in embarrassment, tears streaming down in circles and forming a gentle and lingering shape on the bed sheet.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry¡­I just like you¡­¡±


    The expected response had already been anticipated, yet it still stirred up a huge wave in Tang Xu¡¯s heart. Tang Cuo tightly held his hand, his slightly trembling shoulders and furry hair roots exposed as he lowered his head. It was as if he were climbing up, touching the most sensitive nerve in Tang Xu with just a light touch. Despite the slight touch, his head was already ringing with pain.


    When did Tang Cuo start liking him? When he sent him away, he was just a child, and they only reunited for half a semester. When did Tang Cuo¡¯s liking begin?


    On that night many years ago, the stubborn child who refused to admit his mistakes appeared in front of him again, red-eyed and shouting at him. He closed his eyes and placed his hand on Tang Cuo¡¯s neck, gently stroking his soft and delicate hair. There were signs, but he didn¡¯t want to believe it and was too afraid to believe it.


    ¡°Okay, I got it.¡± Tang Xu gently picked him up and changed his sitting position on the bed. He had been kneeling for so long that his legs were probably numb by now. After placing him down, Tang Xu wiped away the tears on his face and said, ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡±


    After revealing the final secret, Tang Cuo seemed completely drained of energy, allowing Tang Xu to manipulate him as she pleased. The two of them stayed quietly together for a while.


    Tang Xu didn¡¯t continue to probe for details about ¡°liking you.¡± He felt it was enough for today. He squatted down and said to Tang Cuo, ¡°Class is starting soon, and both of your classes are taught by me. It¡¯s too late to find a substitute teacher now. Although I haven¡¯t been a teacher for long, I haven¡¯t had any teaching accidents. If we don¡¯t leave now, it will be a teaching accident.¡±


    When Tang Cuo heard the word ¡°leave,¡± his eyelashes flickered twice, and he lifted his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried about you being alone at home. How about you tidy up and come with me to school?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Tang Cuo visibly stiffened his body and shook his head slowly after a long pause. When he spoke again, his voice was hoarse: ¡°I don¡¯t want to go.¡±


    Tang Xu sighed. ¡°I know. What should we do? Will you be staying home alone?¡±


    Tang Cuo muffled his voice and nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯m not at ease.¡±


    After speaking, Tang Xu took out his phone and called a teacher from the same group. Tang Cuo was anxious when he saw this and began to cry again, ¡°I¡¯m really okay, you can go to class.¡±


    In the end, Tang Xu couldn¡¯t persuade Tang Cuo, and after giving him a few instructions, he turned around and left the bedroom. When he reached the living room, he thought of the way Tang Cuo looked at him when he left, and it really pained him.


    So he looked at the sun outside the window, and under its rays, he turned back.


    He has always been a decisive person, making decisions for himself since he was young and rarely needing his parents or others to intervene. This is the second time he doesn¡¯t know what to do. The first time was seven years ago, when he sent Tang Cuo away after not knowing what to do.


    He has made so many decisions, and almost every time, he has proven to make the most correct and advantageous decision. And now, he vaguely realises, or rather, he has realised for certain, that he made the wrong decision seven years ago. He doesn¡¯t know what Tang Cuo has been through, but from Tang Cuo¡¯s behaviour today, he hasn¡¯t been doing as well as he thought, far from it.


    Perhaps it¡¯s not Tang Cuo who should be apologised to.


    Inside the room, Tang Cuo had already closed his eyes, not even opening them when he heard Tang Xu¡¯s footsteps returning.


    Tang Xu stood in front of the bed and bent down.


    As the warm touch just came, Tang Cuo suddenly opened his eyes. He blinks very lightly, as if afraid of waking up from this overly happy dream.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to make you feel more at ease; don¡¯t think too much or run around; the sheets don¡¯t need to be washed; just sleep if you¡¯re tired; watch TV or play for a while if you¡¯re not; and wait for me to come back for dinner, okay?¡±


    Tang Cuo¡¯s eyes, still wide open, hadn¡¯t recovered from the shock of Tang Xu¡¯s voice. He absent-mindedly reached out a hand and touched his own forehead.


    Without a response, Tang Xu didn¡¯t know if the person on the bed had heard him or not. He grabbed Tang Cuo¡¯s hand from his forehead, pulled it down, and kissed the same spot again.


    ¡°I really have to go to class now. Stay at home and be good. Don¡¯t worry me too much, okay?¡±

 CH 21

    This is probably the most difficult class Tang Xu has ever taught, to the point where he feels that it goes against his professional ethics as a teacher. Although the content displayed on the computer screen is something he knows like the back of his hand, today it seems to be bouncing and jumping around in unpredictable ways, leaving him feeling confused, annoyed, and agitated.


    The bell for the end of the first class rang, and he took a long breath and threw the chalk on the desk. Although there is now PowerPoint, and the teacher can complete the entire lecture without moving the chalk, he still writes some notes on the blackboard in each class. The chalk that was thrown did not hit the desk but rolled a few circles on the podium, and with a crisp sound, it fell to the ground, broke into two pieces, and scattered some white powder debris around.


    To save himself trouble later, Tang Xu bends down to pick up the pieces. As he stands up, he realises that something is different in the classroom today.


    During usual class breaks, students would go to get water or use the restroom, or even just wander around even if they had nothing to do¡ªthe main point was to take a break. But today, the students below seem to be less active. Some are gathered around He Zhong, while others are looking over and listening to their conversation.


    Tang Xu overheard a few comments; they were asking about Tang Cuo¡¯s situation and wondering why he hadn¡¯t come to class, wondering if he was feeling down.


    It seemed that Tang Cuo was indeed well liked by his classmates.


    This care and concern from the students stir up some emotions in Tang Xu. He put down the chalk in his hand and leaned on one side, took out his phone, and sent a message to his family, asking what they wanted for lunch.


    He Zhong walked up to the podium with a stack of homework books and placed them on the desk. He then leaned over to Tang and whispered in a low voice, ¡°Teacher Tang, is Cuo Cuo okay?¡±


    Tang looked up at He Zhong, shook his head, and glanced at his phone, which had not received a reply yet. ¡°He¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± murmured He Zhong to himself. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    Just before class began, Tang Cuo received a text message.


    ¡ª¡±I¡¯m going home¡­ My parents are coming back tonight, and I was planning to leave today anyway, really.¡±


    Less than two seconds later, another text came in.


    ¡ª¡±It¡¯s really my parents who are coming back.¡±


    After reading the message, Tang Xu had already imagined Tang Cuo¡¯s sincere and serious face in his mind. He sighed inwardly; he had still run away in the end.


    The five-minute break quickly passed, and he only had time to reply with a short sentence before clutching the chalk in his fingertips and continuing the unfinished content.


    Meanwhile, Tang Cuo was standing at the subway station waiting for the train; his phone lit up, and he looked at it nervously, more afraid than hopeful. He couldn¡¯t figure out Tang Xu¡¯s attitude, but he touched his forehead and felt that things didn¡¯t seem as bad as he had expected.


    ¡ª¡±I¡¯ll call you after class, and you have to pick it up,¡± he texted back.


    With two ¡°didi¡± sounds, the subway door opened, and Tang Cuo walked up and found a small corner by the intersection of two carriages.1The phrase ¡°ÕÒÁ˸öС½ÇÂä¿¿×Å¡± (found a small corner by the intersection of two carriages) is an idiom that means to find a comfortable or secure spotThe subway started, taking people away from the platform. Tang Cuo opened the message interface again and read the message word by word, so slowly that he could mentally trace each stroke of every character in regular script.2The use of ¡°¹æÕûµÄС¿¬¡± (regular script) to describe the way Tang Cuo mentally traces each character in the message emphasises his careful attention to detail.


    He opened the phone settings, confirmed that the ringtone was set to both sound and vibration, and then checked the battery level, which was at 74 percent. Only then did Tang Cuo feel relieved and put the phone in his pocket, looking up to catch a glimpse of the billboard flashing by outside the window.


    After the most secretive secret is exposed, one will generally go through a phase of panic as if the sky is falling and the ground is caving in, and then a phase of fear as if it¡¯s the end of the world. And after that, there will be calmness, a calmness that can last forever.


    Tang Xu¡¯s phone call was very timely; almost exactly 51 minutes later, his phone rang. At that time, Tang Cuo was still going through a long transfer on the subway. Beijing is too big, and the journey is too far.


    ¡°Have you arrived home yet?¡±


    The surroundings were a bit noisy, and Tang Cuo held the phone closer to his ear to hear Tang Xu¡¯s voice better. ¡°Not yet, but I¡¯m almost there.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Tang Cuo paused and said, ¡°Be safe, and send me a message when you get home, okay?¡±


    Amid the crowded flow of people, Tang Cuo answered the phone and squeezed onto the subway train. ¡°Teacher Tang¡­it¡¯s too crowded on the subway, I¡­I¡¯ll hang up first.¡±


    After Tang Xu hung up, Tang Cuo felt his face flush from being pressed against his phone.


    There were still some difficult things to face, and he lowered his head in discouragement.


    Tang Xu quickly ate in the canteen and returned home to find that his set of bedsheets and quilt cover had already been washed and neatly hung on the balcony to dry.


    There is a note left by Tang Cuo on the bedside table saying that he didn¡¯t know where the new bedsheets and covers were, so he didn¡¯t help make the bed. Also, his parents are coming back today, so he went home first.


    Tang Xu sat on the bare bed, holding the note and staring blankly for a long time before sighing heavily and putting it in the drawer.


    Well, forget it. He¡¯ll look for him after seeing Wen Ying tomorrow.


    On Saturday evening, Tang Xu arrived twenty minutes early at the agreed meeting place with Wen Ying. Originally, Wen Ying said they would meet at a caf¨¦, but for some reason, she called yesterday and changed the location to a McDonald¡¯s.


    Tang Xu was standing outside McDonald¡¯s. Through the transparent floor-to-ceiling glass window, he could see a crowd of three or four people dining, chatting, and even playing some card games together. He once again concluded that this was not really a suitable place to have a serious conversation.


    He found a relatively secluded spot by the window to wait for Wen Ying. He had never met her before, but he recognised her by her demeanour when she pushed open the door. He waved at the woman in the white windbreaker, and she looked over and smiled before walking over.


    ¡°Mr. Tang, you¡¯re here early,¡± Wen Ying said as she sat down, without overly formal pleasantries.


    Tang Xu smiled back. ¡°I¡¯m used to arriving early.¡± Then he looked around: ¡°Why did you want to meet at McDonald¡¯s, Dr. Wen?¡±


    It seems like Wen Ying isn¡¯t here to talk about anything serious at all. After she sits down, she starts casually examining the children¡¯s meal promotional pamphlet that¡¯s stuck on the table. When Tang Xu asks her a question, she smiles and asks, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mr. Tang? Do you think this place isn¡¯t good?¡±


    ¡°I just feel like it¡¯s not very suitable for conversation,¡± Tang Xu shakes his head. ¡°I haven¡¯t been to McDonald¡¯s in a long time. I¡¯ll go order; what does Dr. Wen want?¡±


    Without being overly polite, Wen Ying says, ¡°A small order of chicken McNuggets, a cup of Coke, no ice.¡±


    ¡°Just these for dinner?¡± Tang Xu asks


    Wen Ying smiles, ¡°Maintaining my figure.¡±


    Wen Ying made a good first impression on Tang Xu. Perhaps because she is a psychologist and knows a lot about people¡¯s psychology, every action and every word she says seem to be just right for Tang Xu. To some extent, he doesn¡¯t like the polite and hesitant attitude, firstly because he is straightforward himself, and secondly, because he thinks it¡¯s a waste of time to deal with trivial matters back and forth.


    He quickly came back with the tray, and besides the two items that Wen Ying ordered, there was only one cup of Coke with ice in the tray.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to eat something?¡± Wen Ying asked.


    Tang Xu politely shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t really like fast food.¡±


    As Wen Ying was opening a packet of sweet and sour sauce, she only smiled lightly upon hearing his words.


    ¡°Mr. Tang asked me earlier why I chose this place.¡± Wen Ying picked up a chicken nugget, dipped it into the sauce, ¡°Doesn¡¯t this place remind you of something?¡±


    Tang Xu was taken aback and watched as Wen Ying put that little piece of food in her mouth and bit off a corner.


    It was this action that suddenly triggered his memory, and a familiar scene was polished and brightened, leaping into his mind.


    Wen Ying had been paying attention to his expression all along, and at this moment she saw that the corners of his eyebrows tightened slightly and knew that he had remembered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like to eat these things either, and I don¡¯t let my daughter eat them either. The first time I came here was with Si Hang. According to professional ethics, I shouldn¡¯t casually reveal a patient¡¯s condition to others, but Si Hang¡¯s situation is special. Perhaps because I am also a mother, he feels more like my child in my heart. I treated him for three years and naturally hope he can recover soon. After much thought, I realised that only you can help him. Without beating around the bush, Mr. Tang, I have heard a lot about you from Si Hang, and I have also heard many times about why you sent him away and what happened. But those are all Si hang¡¯s own interpretations. If you don¡¯t mind, I would like to hear you personally explain the reasons for that time.¡±


    The ice cubes in the cup collided twice with a slight shake and then trembled and returned to calm. Compared to their appearance when they were just put into the cup, their edges and corners were now slightly smoother.


    Tang Xu subconsciously reached into his pocket for a cigarette, but then remembered that he was in a public place and withdrew his hand. He pushed the can of cola aside and folded his hands together on the table. Wen Ying lowered her gaze slightly and noticed his small movement, but didn¡¯t say anything.


    Tang Xu rarely looked back on that memory.


    He had been with Tang Cuo for over a year and always felt that, even if he hadn¡¯t taught Tang Cuo to be outstanding, he had at least taught him basic manners and right from wrong. He really didn¡¯t expect that when they went on a picnic, Tang Cuo would push Shi Xi down the hill. Even more unexpectedly, when he questioned Tang Cuo, he would shout back at him with his neck sticking out.


    ¡°I just hate her! She said she wants to live with you in the future! I¡¯m the one living with you! She¡¯s trying to steal you from me!¡±


    ¡°I did it on purpose! It¡¯s not my fault! She stole you from me without any consideration!¡±


    Every word that Tang Cuo said at that time felt like it could easily ignite the hundred tonnes of explosives in his body, making him so angry that he raised his hand, wanting to slap him hard. However, even though his hand was already in position, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to hit him¡ªhe had told Tang Cuo at the beginning of their time together that he would never hit him, no matter what mistakes he made.


    He remembers that his hand was shaking when he lit his cigarette. He was extremely disappointed in Tang Cuo and in himself. He couldn¡¯t understand why Tang Cuo had become like this. He didn¡¯t know whether Tang Cuo understood the significance of legs and feet to someone who regarded dance as their life, but he understood it. Even then, he was afraid and wondered what the consequences would have been if the slope was steeper and higher.


    Tang Xu¡¯s hands tightened together as he said, ¡°I saw him push Shi Xi; I saw Shi Xi roll down. Later, when Shi Xi was having surgery, I asked him why, and he told me¡­¡±


    At this point, Tang Xu paused, sifting through his memories, trying to come up with a sentence that could fully express Tang Cuo¡¯s attitude.


    ¡°Because Miss Shi Xi said that she wants to live with you, Si Hang thinks that you belong to him, and Miss Shi Xi wants to take you away from him.¡± Wen Ying continued on from Tang Xu¡¯s words, her tone gentle and slow but every word precise, summarising the unbelievable content that had left him speechless.


    Tang Xu nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. He didn¡¯t know he was wrong, and he wouldn¡¯t admit he was wrong. At that time, he was too extreme, probably because of his childhood experiences and lack of security, so he relied on me too much.¡±


    Only then did Wen Ying wipe the smile off her face, looking somewhat grave as she shook her head and said, ¡°Although Si Hang did become very extreme later on, he wasn¡¯t like that at that time.¡±


    Tang Xu looked at her with a questioning gaze.


    ¡°Some children have a sense of possession towards toys they really like; perhaps this analogy is not very appropriate, but I just want to correct Mr. Tang¡¯s viewpoint,¡± said Wenying.


    ¡°He¡¯s not being extreme; he just understood possession before understanding what liking is. This is also why he later despised himself and attributed his feelings towards you as a shameful mistake.¡±

 CH 22

    As if reaching the peak of a high-altitude mountain, breathing suddenly became heavy and difficult, and Wenying¡¯s words echoed in Tang Xu¡¯s head. Tang Xu could receive them, but he couldn¡¯t understand them completely.


    ¡°Despised¡­ oneself?¡±  Even though the first half of Wenying¡¯s sentence surprised Tang Xu, the second half made him feel frightened.


    ¡°Mr. Tang and Sihang have been together for a long time; haven¡¯t you noticed any problems?¡±


    After asking this question, Wenying did not give Tang Xu any time to think but revealed the answer herself.


    ¡°Three years ago, Si Hang came to my clinic for the first time, alone. Before deciding whether to accept him, I chatted with him and didn¡¯t think he had any problems. He had excellent grades, was talented in many areas, and was popular with classmates at school. Although he was adopted, he had a good relationship with his parents, and there were no conflicts. Anyone who looked at him would think he was a praiseworthy student and child. I even thought he was just bored, so he came for psychological counselling. But as we continued to chat, after I gave him a psychological assessment, I discovered a very serious problem¡­¡±


    At this point, like the brief calm before every storm, Wen Ying made a short pause. Tang Xu took this moment to do some mental preparation for himself. He didn¡¯t even realise how nervous he was, but he had already held his breath and was waiting for what might be even more difficult for him to accept from Wen Ying.


    ¡°Everyone has a sense of self-identity, regardless of the degree. Self-identity can be simply understood as a person rationally viewing and accepting oneself, accepting the outside world, and realising oneself. But Tang Cuo completely lacks any sense of self-identity, and even all his knowledge of himself is very negative. As a result, he has closed himself off and become disconnected from the world.¡±


    After Wen Ying¡¯s words fell silent for a long time, Tang Xu finally came back to his senses from the shock. He eagerly wanted to argue, ¡°But he is very excellent¡­¡±


    ¡°I used to think that too, but how can I explain it to you? Later on, his growth was more like¡­¡± Wenying hesitated for a moment, as if searching for the right words: ¡°more like following an ¡®excellence manual¡¯, which states that he should have good academic performance, get along well with people around him, and be obedient. So he did everything to meet those requirements, but he didn¡¯t think it was his own excellence. He did it to avoid making mistakes and to become a good kid in your and others¡¯ eyes. That¡¯s why he demanded so much of himself.¡±


    Tang Xu sat motionless, listening to every word Wenying said. Although he still found it hard to believe, he gradually calmed down. Because he knew that what Wenying said was the truth, even if it was cruel, it was still the truth.


    Sensing Wenying¡¯s gaze on him, he said in a deep voice, ¡°I¡­ probably understand what you mean.¡±


    WenYing continued, ¡°The reason why he is like this, in my analysis, is mainly related to two people. The first is his mother. His mother conveyed too many thoughts to him during his childhood, such as ¡°he shouldn¡¯t have been born, he is a shame to himself,¡¯ to the extent that he already classified himself as an existence that should not exist in his subconscious mind when he was a child. As for his mother¡¯s death, he regards himself as a representative of the suffering his mother endured. He believes that his mother chose death because she saw him and thought about the hopeless life that lay ahead for him.¡±


    ¡°But the influence of his mother, in his early years, may not have been manifest and could only be considered a latent danger to his psychological well-being. I hope Mr. Tang won¡¯t mind what I¡¯m about to say¡­ What really made him lose his sense of identity completely was when you sent him away. I don¡¯t know if you understand, but at that time, you were almost his sole source of knowledge about the world, and his feelings for you were not just simple dependence. He later blamed himself and felt guilty towards Miss Shi Xi and towards you, Mr. Tang. No matter what you thought, he always believed it was his own fault that made you give up on him.¡±


    ¡°Abandonment¡± is perhaps the cruellest word in the world of emotions. Especially for Tang Cuo.


    The table next to them had already been replaced by a new group of people, this time a mother with a child who was clamouring for a children¡¯s meal. Tang Xu felt too panicked in his heart, blinked his sour eyes trying to find some support, and picked up the coke on the table. Holding it in his hand, it felt heavy, as if it could press down on his heart.


    ¡°I¡­¡±  Tang Xu wanted to say something, but for the first time, he found himself clumsy and at a loss for words.


    Understanding his feelings, Wen Ying said, ¡°Don¡¯t rush, you can take some time to digest what I said.¡±


    The two of them sat in silence for a while. By the end, the ice in Tang Xu¡¯s cup had already disappeared without a trace.


    The child next to them had probably been yearning for that toy set for a long time. After receiving it, he didn¡¯t even want to eat the burger and was busy showing it off to his mother with excitement.


    After silently observing for a while, Wen Ying turned her gaze back to Tang Xu and suddenly asked, ¡°Mr. Tang, do you know that Tang Cuo likes you now?¡±


    Tang Xu nodded, ¡°Yes¡­I had some suspicions at first, but I only found out for sure yesterday.¡±


    Wen Ying smiled and nodded, but then shook her head. ¡°But you definitely don¡¯t know how much he likes you.¡±


    ¡°You said he was extreme just now, and I also mentioned it. But at that time, he wasn¡¯t extreme. He just had a strong possessiveness towards you. Later on, he became extreme. When I first started treating him, I told him that if he wanted to accept the past and move on, he needed to learn to face it first. Later, he brought me here. You probably remember this place. It was the last time you took him out to eat before sending him to his parents.¡±


    When the story about McDonald¡¯s came out of Wenying¡¯s mouth, it still sounded distant, and he didn¡¯t want to reminisce.


    ¡°I remember,¡± Tang Xu smiled bitterly, ¡°I didn¡¯t let him eat those things back then, but he seemed to really want to. Even though I had already decided to send him to a new family, I still felt a little reluctant in my heart. No matter what he did, he had followed me for so long.¡±


    This was the first time Tang Xu actively recalled what happened that night.


    ¡°I just thought, it¡¯s the last time, let¡¯s bring him to eat something he loves¡­ and he said he wanted McDonald¡¯s.¡±


    Tang Xu¡¯s lowered eyes flashed with a different light, only wandering for a moment before quickly hiding away, seemingly taking the original light in his eyes with it, causing his gaze to become like a deep pool of tranquilly.


    He could even vividly recall Tang Cuo¡¯s eyes at the time: they turned twice, then stared at him tightly, cautiously, and full of joy.


    Wen Ying lowered her head and continued her unfinished words, ¡°So this McDonald¡¯s, in his eyes, also has some symbolic significance.¡±


    ¡°Initially, he brought me here. After we ordered, he took a few bites and then ran to the bathroom to throw up. After he finished, he rinsed his mouth and washed his face, then came back to finish his meal. At the time, he was really extreme and pushed himself to face his most feared past. We came here many times until he was able to calmly order his food and slowly eat it. He told me he had accepted his past and was able to face it. When I asked him why he pushed himself like that, he said it was because he wanted to see me again soon but was afraid of causing any trouble.¡±


    Tang Xu squeezed the coke cup, which had not even been touched, and some of the coke overflowed from the opening of the lid.


    The conversation that day was longer and more cruel than he had anticipated.


    Wen Ying told him many things that he didn¡¯t know. By the end, he felt a dense pain all over his body. Tang Cuo¡¯s face appeared before him, both the younger version and the present one.


    ¡°Actually, if I were to talk to you about Sihang¡¯s situation, there is a lot I could say. After all, it seems that I understand his innermost thoughts the most. But there are still many things that I don¡¯t plan on telling you today. I can see that you don¡¯t dislike Sihang¡¯s feelings, and regardless of the reason for those feelings, you still care for him. If I may be so bold, I¡¯d like to ask, how do you plan on dealing with his affection for you?¡±


    After a long silence, Tang Xu said, ¡°The decision I made at that time was the most wrong decision I have ever made; it was off the charts wrong1¡°´íµÃÀëÆס±: This idiom means that something was extremely wrong or off the charts wrong, as Tang Xu describes his past decision..¡± He forced a smile, ¡°There won¡¯t be a second time.¡±


    Wen Ying seemed to feel relieved and nodded gently, ¡°Then I can rest assured.¡±


    Before leaving, Wenying looked at the toy the little boy had finally put on the table and asked Tang Xu as they walked out, ¡°Does the set of toys that came with the children¡¯s meal that night still exist? Si hang mentioned it many times.¡±


    Seven years ago, McDonald¡¯s gave out real children¡¯s toys as gifts, not just hand puppets or keychains: a small train and a set of buildable tracks.


    Tang Xu helped Wenying push open the heavy glass door and nodded, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s still there.¡±


    The toy set has been sitting on the top shelf of his bookcase, unopened and untouched. He has cleaned the room many times, and each time he picks up the toy set, he silently puts it back.


    Standing at the door of McDonald¡¯s, there were more people coming and going than before, and the lights had turned on, making the street more lively. She looked at Tang Xu and said, ¡°If there¡¯s a chance, let him play with it,¡±


    As time went by, his longing turned into a knot in his heart.


    Actually, Tang Xu had a lot of things to do that weekend, but he was feeling quite listless and didn¡¯t do anything. He did smoke quite a bit, though, and when he took out the trash on Sunday, he found the garbage bag was filled with cigarette butts.


    He threw the garbage bag into the downstairs trash can. Looking up, he noticed that the sky had darkened and the sun was no longer visible. Only a few rays of light remained, like the flicker of a candle, hanging on the horizon as if unwilling to surrender the world to the darkness.


    He lit another cigarette and got into his car.


    He hadn¡¯t moved in seven years, but he knew that Tang Cuo had moved. What embarrassed him was that he didn¡¯t know Tang Cuo¡¯s current address.


    Tang Cuo spent the weekend at home. His family went out to eat, and his mother took him to the mall to pick out some seasonal clothes. The project was not over yet, and on Sunday afternoon, his parents hurriedly rushed to the capital airport.


    Tang Cuo waited for a long time in the airport hall, and when it was almost time for takeoff, he stood at the glass window watching the huge steel monster fly off the ground and pierce into the deep sky. Until he couldn¡¯t see the plane anymore, even by standing on his toes and tilting his chin, he turned around like an old man with drooping shoulders.


    Just when he came back from the airport far away, Tang Xu¡¯s phone rang suddenly without any warning.


    ¡°Have you had dinner?¡±


    Tang Cuo looked at the empty table and touched his nose, saying, ¡°Yes, I have.¡±


    For some reason, Tang Xu didn¡¯t speak again. This silence made him nervous, and his first reaction was that Tang Xu knew he was lying.


    He quickly said, ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten¡­I was just about to eat¡­¡±


    His voice became unnatural towards the end because he was guilty and also worried that Tang Xu would blame him for lying.


    However, Tang Xu heard a different emotion in his tone. He suddenly felt powerless and didn¡¯t know how to make Tang Cuo not blame himself so easily.


    Tang Xu sat in the driver¡¯s seat and rubbed his eyes. He asked, ¡°Have your parents left already?¡±


    Tang Cuo honestly replied, ¡°Yeah, they left in the afternoon.¡±


    ¡°Then let me take you out for dinner. Send me your location on WeChat.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Tang Cuo stood in the living room, bewildered. He wanted to say ¡°no need,¡± but he closed his mouth tightly and finally just said, ¡°Oh, okay.¡±

 CH 23

    When Tang Xu parked the car in front of Tang Cuo¡¯s residential area, the dark sky had already completely descended. The bustling city of Beijing had disappeared in the daytime. Under the illumination of street lamps and car lights, it added a bit of an indulgent and free-spirited atmosphere.


    Unlike his old residential area, this residential area does not allow external vehicles to enter.


    He turned off the engine, sent a message to Tang Cuo that he had arrived, and then thought for a moment. He was afraid that the smoke in the car was too heavy, so he restarted the car and lowered all the windows.


    After a while, he saw Tang Cuo running over from afar. Tang Cuo was wearing a hat and a sports jacket today. The jacket was light grey, and the soft fabric perfectly complemented his youthful vigour.


    He opened the car door and got in, still panting heavily. Although it was already cool outside, his ears were hot and red.


    ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± Tang Xu asked


    Tang Cuo was about to speak, but Tang Xu cut in and said, ¡°You can¡¯t say anything; you have to choose one today.¡±


    Tang Cuo¡¯s half-opened mouth suddenly stopped, and he looked at him incomprehensibly. Tang Xu smiled, reached out his hand, lifted his chin slightly with a finger, and closed his mouth for him.


    ¡°¡­¡± Tang Cuo leaned back and turned his head away; his eyes lingered on the small air conditioner in front of him, looking insolent. ¡°But I really can eat anything.¡±


    Tang Xu also didn¡¯t move, calmly leaning on the steering wheel, seemingly determined to make Tang Cuo choose the restaurant today. ¡°You still have to choose.¡±


    After thinking for a while, Tang Cuo took out his phone from his pocket and said, ¡°Let me check Dianping¡­¡±


    After searching for a while, Tang Cuo finally chose a fish hot pot restaurant and showed it to Tang Xu. ¡°How about this one?¡±


    Tang Xu leaned over and didn¡¯t take the phone. Instead, he held Tang Cuo¡¯s hand, which was holding the phone, and studied the comments carefully, as if he didn¡¯t notice he was holding his hand.


    Tang Cuo was slow to react, and when he realised that Tang Xu was holding his hand, Tang Xu had finished reading and let go of him. ¡°This place serves spicy hot pot only. Can you handle it?¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±  Tang Cuo looked back at the picture and saw that all the hot pots were bright red. ¡°Ah¡­spicy.¡±


    Tang Xu started the car. ¡°Let¡¯s go there. They should also have clear soup or other non-spicy options.¡±


    When they arrived at the fish hot pot restaurant, Tang Xu ordered a ¡°Mandarin duck pot¡± with two pounds of fish and some vegetables. Tang Xu ate the spicy hot pot, while Tang Cuo ate the non-spicy one.


    However, it seemed that the spicy one tasted better. Tang Cuo nibbled on the tip of his chopsticks and sneaked a bite into the boiling, spicy pot while Tang Xu was dipping the sesame sauce. As soon as he put it in his mouth, his eyes started to tear up. When Tang Xu looked up, he saw Tang Cuo crying while eating fish, which frightened him so much that he even leaned forward.


    ¡°Quick, drink some water, drink some water,¡± said Tang Xu as he handed over a tissue with a smile. ¡°Wipe your face.¡±


    Tang Cuo took the tissue and wiped his face, struggling to swallow the food in his mouth. He then gulped down half a glass of orange juice.


    ¡°You can¡¯t handle spice, so why did you eat it?¡± Tang Xu asked.


    ¡°I¡­ cough¡­ it looked really good, so I wanted to try it, but¡­ cough cough¡­ it¡¯s too spicy,¡± Tang Cuo said, struggling to speak as the spice hit him hard. He then chugged the remaining half glass of orange juice, feeling regretful and full.


    Tang Xu watched him with a pitying expression, trying not to laugh. ¡°Next time, we¡¯ll order a clear broth instead of a spicy hot pot.¡±


    Tang Cuo thought Tang Xu would take him home or back to school, but to his surprise, Tang Xu didn¡¯t even ask and just pulled him back to his own house.


    ¡°I¡¯ll just go back to school; tomorrow I have classes.¡±


    ¡°Come to my place, and then go back tomorrow.¡±


    Tang Cuo didn¡¯t argue anymore and followed Tang Xu home. They watched TV, drank milk, washed up, and then Tang Cuo lied in bed and said goodnight to Tang Xu, who was standing at the door. Everything was back to normal, as if the events of two days ago were just a bad dream.


    Closing his eyes, Tang Cuo thought, what did Tang Xu mean by that? Was he pretending that nothing had happened?


    He turned over and lay on his side, looking at the dark curtains.


    It¡¯s not bad to whitewash the truth.


    The next day, Tang Xu said he had to go to a nearby cooperative company first and left Tang Cuo at the school gate. Before getting off the car, he called out to Tang Cuo, ¡°You haven¡¯t turned in your assignment from last time; remember to submit it to my office today.¡±


    Tang Cuo was stunned there. ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± said Tang Xu.


    Tang Cuo responded again, ¡°Oh,¡± then opened the car door and got out.


    Looking at Tang Xu¡¯s car leaving, he still felt incredulous, unable to understand why Tang Xu, who had never urged him to do his homework before, suddenly urged him to do it. As he walked towards school, he felt a little dissatisfied. Did Tang Xu think he wouldn¡¯t hand in his homework?


    Half of the semester had already passed, which meant it was once again time for widespread misery1¡°°§ºè±éÒ°¡± (widespread misery) is an idiomatic expression that describes a situation where people are struggling or in distress.¡ªnot only were the exams coming, but also some course experiments, such as those on digital circuits. Using two large experimental boxes and following the circuit diagram passed down from generation to generation, it would take at least more than 160 wires to complete this experiment,2¡°Á¬Ò»°ÙÁùÊ®¶à¸úµ¼Ïß¡± (at least more than 160 wires) is a possible exaggeration for comedic effect or to emphasize the difficulty of the experiment. and the degree of torture was already comparable to that of Rongmu Rongmu tormenting Ziwei.3¡°ÈÝæÖæÖÕÛÄ¥×ÏÞ±¡± (Rongmu tormenting Ziwei) is a reference to a character from the Chinese classic novel ¡°Dream of the Red Chamber¡±, where Rongmu is a maid who tortures the protagonist, Ziwei.


    Tang Cuo¡¯s studies have been squeezing out his time, leaving him with little opportunity to specifically contemplate Tang Xu. More often than not, he thinks of Tang Xu during his fragmented moments. For example, when he sees a guy wearing a black jacket on the street, or when he hears someone say ¡°hello, teacher,¡± in the distance, or when he sees a little bird flapping its wings and landing on a wire hanging in mid-air, which reminds him of the lyrics about chatty sparrows outside the window. Despite these trivial and scattered things, he always manages to connect them to Tang Xu in some way, with twists and turns in his thoughts.


    If you calculate carefully, Tang Cuo and Tang Xu meet quite frequently every week: two classes, several trips to the office, and even a few meals and evenings spent alone together. Tang Xu really didn¡¯t avoid him because of what happened before and seemed even more enthusiastic about taking him to various restaurants and then back to his home to sleep when he didn¡¯t have class. Even He Zhong, who had been amazed and surprised, noticed that Tang Cuo was spending more and more days not sleeping in school. If Tang Cuo didn¡¯t seem so upright, he would have suspected that he was secretly living with his girlfriend.


    This statement made Tang Cuo feel guilty, but he didn¡¯t know what he was guilty of.


    The digital experiment was done in groups of three, with Tang Cuo and He Zhong in one group and a female student from their class. Although it was a group of three, the female student seemed to not know much, so it was basically Tang Cuo and He Zhong doing the work. The teacher gave them a week to complete the experiment, but during that time, their band had to rehearse, so Tang Cuo and He Zhong¡¯s schedule was basically eating, attending classes, band rehearsals, and working in the lab.


    Perhaps because they were busy during this period of time and winter in Beijing was too cold, Tang Cuo unfortunately caught a cold, which was the wind-chill type.


    ¡°You¡¯re sick; take a rest. I can handle it myself,¡± he said.


    Tang Cuo waved his hand and said, ¡°It¡¯s just a cold, not a big deal.¡±


    The laboratory was on the fourth floor of Building 7. As they were waiting for the elevator, they happened to run into Tang Xu and a familiar-looking teacher who also stopped at the elevator.


    ¡°Teacher Tang!¡± He Zhong called out first.


    Tang Cuo looked up and happened to meet Tang Xu¡¯s gaze. He also followed ¡°Teacher Tang.¡±


    Tang Xu nodded at them and asked, ¡°What brings you here?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re doing an experiment, a digital electronics experiment.¡±


    Tang Xu understood immediately: ¡°It¡¯s not easy to do.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, there are over a hundred wires. If you connect them incorrectly, it takes forever to check.¡±


    Tang Xu laughed, and the teacher next to him laughed too.


    The elevator arrived at the fourth floor, and Tang Cuo and his companion got off first. They respectfully bid farewell to the teacher and walked out of the elevator. As soon as they stepped into the lab, Tang Cuo¡¯s phone in his pocket vibrated. It was a text message from Tang Xu.


    ¡ª¡±Have you caught a cold?¡±


    Tang Cuo held his phone and was surprised. He had only said seven words just now: ¡°Tang teacher, goodbye.¡± How did Tang Xu hear that he caught a cold?


    ¡ª¡±Yeah¡­¡±


    ¡ª¡±Have you seen a doctor?¡±


    Tang Cuo quickly typed a response because he needed to focus on the experiment. He put his phone back in his pocket and went to the lab bench.


    ¡ª¡±No, it¡¯s not serious. I¡¯ll be fine in a few days. Plus, I¡¯m too busy these days and don¡¯t have time. I¡¯m going to start the experiment now¡­ Tang teacher.¡±


    Checking and adjusting circuits is a very troublesome thing. He didn¡¯t trust the clumsy hands and feet of He Zhong and only let him read the circuit connections on the circuit diagram next to him. He checked one wire after another on the experiment box. After an afternoon, he became more and more dizzy and especially missed his bed.


    After the two of them finally adjusted the circuit and felt that they could pass the teacher¡¯s inspection, they looked at the clock on the wall and found that it was already 6:30.


    He Zhong was shocked by his performance of ¡°forgetting time because of studying.¡± ¡°My goodness, it¡¯s already 6:30. The band has to rehearse tonight. Let¡¯s go eat.¡±


    He Zhong cleaned up the experimental table and pulled him out. Tang Cuo habitually took out his phone and saw the text message that Tang Xu had replied to a long time ago.


    ¨DAfter you finish the experiment, come find me. I¡¯ll be waiting for you in my office.


    ¡°Ah,¡± he exclaimed briefly.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He Zhong asked as he pressed the elevator button.


    Tang Cuo lifted his head, lightly biting his lower lip, and started to move his feet. ¡°You go eat first, Tang¡­ Teacher Tang asked me to find him.¡±


    After saying that, he ran towards the stairs.


    ¡°Hey,¡± except for the first floor, Building 7 was so quiet that He Zhong had to hold back from yelling. He could only stare as Tang Cuo disappeared from his sight, acting like a playful little calf.


    Tang Cuo calmed his breath outside the office before he raised his hand to knock on the door. Tang Xu, who was still in the office typing on his computer, stood up when he saw him enter.


    ¡°Just finished the experiment?¡± Tang Xu asked.


    Tang Cuo nodded, hands clasped together, as he stood there watching Tang Xu walk around the desk to stand in front of him. Tang Xu then raised his hand and touched his own neck.


    Tang Cuo got goosebumps and squeezed his left hand with his right.


    ¡°Is your throat sore?¡± Tang Xu¡¯s voice interrupted his empty thoughts.


    He shook his head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Have you taken your temperature? Do you have a fever?¡±


    He shook his head again. ¡°No fever, just a common cold.¡±


    Tang Xu listened, then turned around to rummage through a bag on the desk, taking out a box of medicine.


    ¡°Just take these, and you¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    There was a water dispenser in the office, with the hot water light glowing orange, indicating that it was in heating mode.


    A cup of hot water was placed in front of Tang Cuo. He lowered his eyes and looked at the very familiar cup, then raised his head and said, ¡°I have a cold; it¡¯s contagious.¡±


    Tang Xu grabbed his hand, placed the cup in it, and squeezed out two pills from the box, handing them to him. ¡°I couldn¡¯t find a paper cup; they must have run out; just use mine.¡±


    After taking the medicine, Tang Xu originally planned to take Tang Cuo home to eat and sleep, but Tang Cuo said he had to rehearse that evening. Tang Xu frowned. ¡°Do you still want to go when you have a cold?¡±


    ¡°We have a performance at school on New Year¡¯s Day, and the teacher in charge has requested that we try not to be absent from rehearsals recently.¡±


    There was no other way, so Tang Xu had to take him to the teacher¡¯s canteen for dinner.


    After they finished eating and parted ways, Tang Xu handed the box of medicine to Tang Cuo, reminding him to take it on time and as directed. Tang Cuo lowered his head and found that there were a few words written in black marker on the box, obviously in Tang Xu¡¯s handwriting: twice a day, two pills each time, after breakfast and dinner.


    just like before. It was as if time had not separated them over the past seven years.


    For a moment, Tang Cuo felt like his heart was wrapped in freshly collected soft cotton¡ªsoft, warm, and comfortable¡ªand once he was immersed in it, he could never get out again.

 CH 24

    Having been busy for two days without touching the ground, Tang Cuo had finally brought the experiment to his satisfaction. In the morning, he and He Zhong checked the circuit one last time. Tang Cuo breathed a sigh of relief, rubbed his belly, and said to He Zhong that he wanted to have some porridge.


    He Zhong immediately agreed, tidied up quickly, and waved his big hand, ¡°Let¡¯s go, brother, take you to have some porridge.¡±


    The two of them went to a porridge shop near the school gate and ordered a pot of fresh shrimp porridge. After the porridge was served, He Zhong took a photo and posted it on his social media account. The picture showed Tang Cuo looking puzzled at the camera and the pot of porridge, with the caption, ¡°Thanks to our misfortune, we¡¯ll wait for tomorrow¡¯s inspection~¡±


    Tang Cuo didn¡¯t know that He Zhong had posted the photo, and while he was enjoying his porridge, he suddenly received a text message from Tang Xu.


    ¨D¨D¡±Isn¡¯t it better not to eat seafood when you have a cold?¡±


    This sentence popped up on Tang Cuo¡¯s phone¡¯s desktop, and he was so scared that he immediately dropped his spoon and looked around suspiciously.


    ¡°What are you doing? Looking around like that?¡± He Zhong asked in confusion.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡­¡± Tang Cuo sniffed and picked up his phone to open WeChat.


    ¨D¨D¡±My throat isn¡¯t inflamed, so it¡¯s okay¡­ I suddenly want to eat porridge¡­¡±


    After replying to the message, he checked his social media account and realised that it was He Zhong who had exposed him. Although he knew that He Zhong was innocent, he couldn¡¯t help but give him a small sideways glance.


    Why can¡¯t people show off? After Tang Cuo and his group finished setting up the experiment box, they didn¡¯t go back to the laboratory. Unexpectedly, when he and He Zhong were about to leave for rehearsal in the evening, a female member of their group suddenly called and said that many of their wires seemed to have been unplugged.


    He Zhong held the phone and couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing: ¡°What do you mean by unplugged? Who did it?¡±


    ¡°It was the second-year students! There were two classes doing experiments in Room 405 this afternoon, and they probably didn¡¯t have enough wires, so they came to the outer room to unplug them! My roommate found their box unplugged when she came in the afternoon. Although I don¡¯t really understand this circuit, I saw that some wires were only connected on one end. Please come and take a look with Tang Cuo!¡±


    He Zhong often says ¡°Oh my god¡± but rarely says ¡°fuck.¡± He thinks it¡¯s too crude, so if he can avoid saying it, he will.


    However, after hearing what the girl said, He Zhong directly cursed, ¡°Fuck his grandpa!¡±


    He hung up the phone and jumped up and down in anger in the dormitory. ¡°Can¡¯t they see that we¡¯re doing an experiment? Can¡¯t they see that there are so many wires that are difficult to connect?¡±


    Tang Cuo was also very angry, but years of habit made him still look calm. He stopped He Zhong, who was about to leave, and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go; you go to the orchestra. We didn¡¯t ask for leave before, and if both of us don¡¯t go, the teacher will notice.¡±


    ¡°How are you going to deal with it yourself? I¡¯ll make a phone call to ask for leave.¡±


    ¡°Never mind, didn¡¯t the teacher say last time that you shouldn¡¯t ask for leave until it¡¯s rehearsal time? Besides, we¡¯re going to rehearse a new song today that we haven¡¯t practised before. You should go and see how the teacher arranges it. I¡¯ll go to the lab to check what¡¯s going on; maybe it¡¯s not as bad as we think.¡±


    He Zhong took a deep breath and said, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go to the band; you go check it out. If it¡¯s really bad, make sure to message me so I can talk to the teacher and then come over, got it?¡±


    Tang Cuo nodded and went to the lab with his backpack.


    When he arrived at the lab, Tang Cuo realised that he had been too optimistic about the situation. After turning on the power, the oscilloscope1an electronic instrument used to measure voltage signalsshowed nothing at all. Looking at the pile of wires, he had no idea which one was unplugged.


    ¡­ He was getting a little bit angry.


    As he sighed, the girl next to him asked him with a mournful face what to do.


    Tang Cuo looked up and saw several girls waiting there, apparently this girl¡¯s roommates.


    ¡°I¡¯ll just check it out; you guys haven¡¯t had dinner yet, so go eat first.¡±


    The girl hesitated for a moment before nodding, saying, ¡°Then I¡¯ll come back after I finish eating.¡±


    But Tang Cuo said, ¡°It¡¯s okay; I can handle it myself; you don¡¯t have to come.¡±


    This girl usually gets average grades and doesn¡¯t seem to like this major, so she probably doesn¡¯t really understand these circuit things. Tang Cuo felt that there was no need to let her waste her time accompanying him tonight. Maybe he could do it faster alone.


    Before heading home, Tang Xu checked his phone and was surprised to see He Zhong¡¯s angry rant on his social media, denouncing the second-year students for pulling out a few wires from the digital circuit experiment that was due to be checked the next day. Other students were also posting similar content. Tang Xu furrowed his brows and understood the general idea of what was going on. The comments below were from students he knew, with some asking what to do and He Zhong replying that Cuo Cuo was handling it alone and that their band had a rehearsal that day, so he was not going to help.


    After reading the post, Tang Xu was so angry that he could crush a bug with his eyebrows. He turned off the lights in his office and went down to Room 405.


    Since the experiment was due to be checked the next day, the lab was in chaos, with many students struggling desperately and shouting for help, wondering what to do and why they couldn¡¯t make it work.


    Tang Xu received many perfunctory greetings after he entered the lab, and he casually asked a male student how the experiment went.


    ¡°Not too bad, but I couldn¡¯t get close to the ¡®thighs¡¯, so I just hope Professor Jiang will give me a passing grade.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you one of the ¡®thighs¡¯?¡± Tang Xu joked and glanced at Tang Cuo¡¯s back in front of him.


    ¡°Oh, Teacher Tang, I¡¯m not even an arm. But the biggest ¡®thigh¡¯2(¡°thighs¡± a slang term for someone with power or influence)is a bit unfortunate. The weird sophomore disconnected three sets of wires from Tang Cuo¡¯s group, while the other two groups were okay. Tang Cuo¡¯s group was damaged the most, and they haven¡¯t finished checking yet.¡±


    Tang Xu immediately looked at Tang Cuo and said, ¡°Really?¡±


    Tang Cuo was actually very worried in his heart because if he couldn¡¯t figure it out today, it would affect the grades of the three people in their group tomorrow. He didn¡¯t care about himself, but he didn¡¯t want to affect He Zhong and the girl. These second-year students didn¡¯t know what they were thinking. If they had just unplugged it, it would have been fine, but they even randomly plugged it back in. As a result, he could only check every wire one by one. He searched for errors wire by wire and eventually felt that his eyes were blurred and his head was dizzy. He didn¡¯t even notice Tang Xu walking up to him.


    ¡°Is it very troublesome?¡±


    Tang Xu suddenly spoke, startling him and making his hands tremble. Although surprised, he didn¡¯t have time to ask Tang Xu how he came over, and his heart was only filled with anxiety.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know where it¡¯s stuck, so I can only check it bit by bit.¡±


    Tang Cuo¡¯s voice still had a thick nasal tone, and he hadn¡¯t recovered from his cold. He glanced at the clock and realised it was almost 8:30.


    ¡°But today is Thursday, and the laboratory is undergoing routine maintenance. It will close at 9 o¡¯clock¡­I don¡¯t think we can finish it in time.¡±


    Tang Xu, who usually did not use this laboratory for teaching, did not know about this situation. While he was pondering, Tang Cuo lowered his head to look at the circuit again, revealing the small pieces of hair on his neck.


    Tang Cuo¡¯s hair had always been very soft, and the broken hair on his neck was not prickly. Tang Xu actually wanted to reach out and touch him to reassure him, but there were too many people around, and they were all his students.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll go find the lab teacher in charge to get the key. After the lab is closed, I¡¯ll bring you in to continue working.¡±


    Tang Cuo suddenly raised his head, glanced around, and asked in a low voice, ¡°Is it okay?¡±


    Tang Xu nodded and said, ¡°Yes, take your time. After the lab is closed, go to my office and find me.¡±


    So, at 9:20 in the evening, in the empty and locked laboratory, Tang Cuo experienced the feeling of using the backdoor for the first time. It was quite amazing.


    Tang Xu picked up the circuit diagram and said, ¡°Shall I help you?¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t cheat.¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡± Tang Xu felt helpless, but as a teacher, he couldn¡¯t openly encourage cheating, so he had to withdraw his hand and stand aside, saying, ¡°Then let me read out the connections for you to check.¡±


    This time, Tang Cuo had no objections; he bent over and buried his head, saying, ¡°You can read now.¡±


    Seeing his serious expression, Tang Xu couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    The red, blue, yellow, and green wires were tangled together. To find one end of a wire, you had to peel back the others, then gently pull on the wire to see where the other end moved. It was quite troublesome.


    ¡°Ah, this one is wrong,¡± Tang Cuo said as he switched one end of a wire from a large capacitor to a small one. ¡°Let¡¯s continue.¡±


    However, after saying ¡°let¡¯s continue,¡± he didn¡¯t hear Tang Xu¡¯s voice for a long time. He was a little confused and looked up to see what was going on.


    Tang Xu was walking from one experimental station to another, holding two pieces of tissue paper in one hand. When he reached Tang Cuo, he didn¡¯t say anything but put down the circuit diagram in his hand, folded the tissue paper neatly, and placed it over Tang Cuo¡¯s nose.


    ¡°Blow hard¡±


    With the soft tissue paper blocking his nose, Tang Cuo looked at Tang Xu¡¯s face and blinked. Then he stared at Tang Xu and honestly blew his nose.


    There were only the two of them in the room, and it was nighttime. Not to mention the laboratory, the entire fourth floor of Building 7 was silent. So this sound of him blowing his nose sounded huge, and combined with him looking at Tang Xu the whole time, it made Tang Xu laugh.


    Tang Xu pinched his nose and pulled the tissue off. His finger moved slightly, he folded the tissue again, and he covered it again. ¡°Blow harder.¡±


    ¡°Your nose is almost running, but you persist in conducting the experiment despite being sick. I¡¯ll tell Professor Jiang about this and ask him to give you some extra points,¡± said Tang Xu as he wiped his nose and smiled.


    Tang Cuo still hadn¡¯t put down the two wires in his hands and buzzed with a blocked nose, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t bother; I don¡¯t want it.¡±


    Tang Xu laughed so hard that his eyes squinted together, and he said, ¡°I¡¯m just kidding; why are you taking everything seriously?¡±


    After speaking, he turned around and threw the used tissue into the trash can.


    After they finished checking for errors, Tang Cuo adjusted the performance again. Although he didn¡¯t want to cheat, Tang Xu gave him some guidance. At first, he hesitated about whether to make the change or not. But after hearing Tang Xu describe what kind of results the improvement might lead to, Tang Cuo glanced at him with raised eyelids and silently started making the changes.


    After finishing everything completely, Tang Cuo touched the two boxes and felt scared. He was a bit hesitant to leave, thinking, ¡°Will someone come and unplug them again?¡­¡±


    He leaned over and looked at the experimental tables around him, noticing that everyone had already posted notes with exclamation marks on them: ¡°Experimental use box! Do not touch! Pull out a wire and fail the final exam!!¡±


    Tang Cuo: ¡°¡­¡±


    It seems that he was not the only one feeling scared.


    Tang Xu also saw it and thought that the students are now quite interesting. He laughed and suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t you write one too?¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay, I¡¯ll write one.¡±


    However, Tang Cuo still did not write a note like ¡°Pull out a wire and fail a course,¡± and he didn¡¯t even use two exclamation marks. Tang Xu looked at his note and shook her head. ¡°Yours have no deterrent power.¡±


    Tang Cuo looked at his note, which simply says, ¡°Experimental equipment, do not touch.¡±


    ¡°it¡¯s okay¡­¡±


    He neatly placed the note and wanted to go get his backpack, but he found out that Tang Xu had already taken his backpack and gone to the front to turn off the power and lights.


    The laboratory became pitch black after the lights were turned off, and his nose still didn¡¯t feel very comfortable. Tang Cuo waited for Tang Xu in the aisle and rubbed his nose. Although it was very dark, he could still see Tang Xu walking over.


    ¡°Not feeling well?¡±


    It¡¯s true that darkness can make people¡¯s senses more sensitive. At the moment, Tang Xu¡¯s voice sounded sexy to him, enough to make him nosebleed, but his stuffy nose blocked it.


    ¡°Um¡­ why is this cold lasting so long this time?¡±


    Tang Xu didn¡¯t speak, listening to his inadvertent complaint in the quiet laboratory and then crossing the short layer of darkness to look at Tang Cuo¡¯s face.


    Tang Cuo casually complained without expecting a response from Tang Xu, so when silence descended, he felt a bit lonely but not too desolate.


    He lifted his head and said to Tang Xu, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    But before he could turn around, he was suddenly grabbed. Immediately, a hand pressed on his waist, and a slight force easily bent his waistline. He leaned forward with a skipped heartbeat and first touched Tang Xu¡¯s chest. Then their feet moved slightly, and their toes touched.


    The hand on his waist didn¡¯t let go, and with a light touch at the critical moment, the two of them were glued together as if they were completely inseparable. The distance was so close that Tang Cuo thought his heart had jumped into Tang Xu¡¯s chest.


    Tang Xu placed his hand holding the backpack on Tang Cuo¡¯s waist, and his other hand, which was originally pressing against Tang Cuo¡¯s waist, moved up and lightly touched his cheek, tracing two strokes with his fingertips.


    ¡°After you¡¯re done with your final exams, I¡¯ll take you to relax a bit.¡±


    Tang Cuo widened his eyes and snuggled in Tang Xu¡¯s arms. The proximity was so close that when he blinked, his eyelashes could brush up and down on Tang Xu¡¯s clothes, which was ambiguous and intimate and made his head spin.


    This hug seemed to have gone through a long winter, spring, summer, and autumn. With the changing of the seasons, it had overturned the hundred flavours of life in Tang Cuo¡¯s heart, and all kinds of flavours were raging. The emotions seemed to be overflowing from his chest, dazzlingly wanting to fill up the dark night, yet it seemed like there was only the most basic sense of existence left, and even that was only a few small details.


    Until Tang Xu released him, he was unable to return to his original state, unable to regain even a moment of clarity.


    Tang Xu looked at his dazed appearance and couldn¡¯t help but lightly touch his warm face. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    In the next second, Tang Cuo found himself walking uncontrollably outside. In order to figure out what was going on, he forcefully pulled his consciousness back from a daze. However, after seeing what was in front of him, he was once again plunged into a world of fog, with no sense of stepping down with each foot. Tang Xu walked in front of him, holding his backpack in one hand and his hand in the other.


    ¡­.Eh?

 CH 25

    After leaving the laboratory, Tang Xu released his grip. After pressing the down button of the elevator, he chuckled to himself and turned to Tang Cuo, saying, ¡°This is one thing that the school isn¡¯t too good at¡­¡±


    With a dry and swollen throat, Tang Cuo instinctively responded, ¡°Hmm?¡±


    The elevator door ¡°dinged¡± open, and Tang Xu lightly grabbed his shoulder, giving him a boost. The narrow space made their breathing more intense.


    ¡°There are too many cameras; it¡¯s troublesome.¡±


    Even when looking straight ahead, Tang Cuo could see Tang Xu¡¯s clear shadow on the elevator door.


    The propagation of light in a straight line is a romantic thing because it means that when I see your eyes, there must be an image of me in them.


    Tang Xu walked Tang Cuo to his dormitory but didn¡¯t get too close. In a relatively secluded corner, he handed him his backpack. As the backpack was passed between their hands, Tang Xu¡¯s fingers lightly brushed against Tang Cuo¡¯s palm, giving it a slight squeeze.


    ¡°Go back and rest quickly, and do your best tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Impressive!  You¡¯re awesome!¡± He Zhong, following his own established tradition, slapped his friend on the shoulder and boasted to the other two roommates, ¡°See, with us around, we¡¯ll never get into trouble. I bet you guys had to help so many old ladies cross the road in your past lives just to end up rooming with us. I¡¯m really honored for you guys!¡±


    The two roommates have different personalities. Zhong Ming doesn¡¯t like to talk and just ignored He Zhong when he started his usual nonsense. But the other roommate, Zhao Feifei, who is even more stingy than He Zhong,  sneered ¡°Oh my, I didn¡¯t do anything else in my past life except helping old ladies cross the street one by one. Truth be told, you, who couldn¡¯t move on your own in your past life, were also someone I helped.¡±


    They were joking and fooling around, but Tang Cuo was not listening at all. At this moment, his mind was racing to analyze what had just happened. The more he analyzed, the faster his heart beat, to the point where he felt his heart was skipping beats and his limbs were numb. Then, as if seeking comfort, he hugged He Zhong beside him.


    ¡­


    Zhao Feifei stared, he was just about to retort ¡°If someone doesn¡¯t know, they would think that you and Cuocuo are a couple,¡± then Tang Cuo acted out this affectionate scene.


    ¡°¡­ You two aren¡¯t really together, are you?¡±


    He Zong gave him three ¡°get lost¡±s.


    He Zhong is not as tall as Tang Xu, but he is still slightly taller than Tang Cuo. Tang Cuo lowered his head and pressed his forehead against He Zhong¡¯s shoulder, not speaking or moving, but reliving the embrace in his mind.


    He Zhong patted him on the back and said, ¡°Hey, if you love me, just say it.¡±


    Tang Cuo hummed twice.


    The teaching week at the university lasts for 16 weeks, with the 17th week being a review week and the 18th and 19th weeks being the dreaded exam weeks that are hated by millions of students.


    Tang Cuo and his roommates had been diligently studying at the library for over a week, spending long hours there every day and immersing themselves in the ocean of knowledge. Their lives had become so routine that their biological clocks were now set for exam week.


    The automatic control exam was scheduled for the earliest time during exam week by Professor Tang Xu, who advised them to finish the exam early and avoid unnecessary stress. In the gradually quieting exam room, Tang Xu and another invigilator were at the front desk opening exam papers, while Tang Cuo sat in his seat, craning his neck forward to see. He hadn¡¯t seen Tang Xu in many days, partly because he had been busy preparing for the exams and hadn¡¯t gone to visit Tang Xu¡¯s house, but also because, ever since the incident at the laboratory, he had been trying to avoid Tang Xu.


    Tang Xu needs to count the number of people in each row to divide the exam papers. He lifted his head, and his eyes met Tang Cuo¡¯s. Tang Cuo immediately shrank his neck and timidly half-laid on the desk. Lu Hong poked him from behind, ¡°Cuo Shen, don¡¯t lie on the table later.¡±


    ¡°¡­ You didn¡¯t review?¡±


    ¡°I previewed once.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Oh.¡±


    After the exam, Tang Cuo didn¡¯t think it was difficult, but he saw a bunch of people in front of Tang Xu complaining that the questions were too difficult and asking him to lower the passing grade. Because everyone put their backpacks in front before the exam, he had to go up to the podium and get his backpack next to that group of people.


    ¡°Except for the second-to-last question, which was a bit difficult, the rest were all basic types of questions,¡± Tang Xu was being surrounded and questioned in different ways when he saw Tang Cuo walking over and called out to him, ¡°Tang Cuo, what do you think, were the questions difficult today?¡±


    Tang Cuo had just picked up his backpack and, because of Tang Xu¡¯s words, immediately received everyone¡¯s attentive gaze.


    In that 0.01 second, he quickly made a choice between betraying the people or betraying Tang Xu.


    ¡°Not difficult.¡±


    The two words with a resounding thud provoked Tang Xu¡¯s laughter and the people¡¯s lament. He Zhong, who was standing nearby, exclaimed and quickly pulled Tang Cuo away. He was afraid that after Tang Xu left, the silly kid would be surrounded by people.


    He Zhong pulled him to the steamed bun stall at the cafeteria and said, ¡°Hurry up, let¡¯s go eat, and then focus on the next review.¡±


    The next exam is on Thursday, which is not scary, but what¡¯s scary is that tomorrow is New Year¡¯s Day and their orchestra has a special performance at the Beijing Concert Hall. According to past experience, the golden time before the exam tomorrow is wasted.


    In order to help He Zhong with his revision, Tang Cuo found an empty classroom at night and went through the knowledge points for the next exam from beginning to end. After finishing the whole book, it was already 10 o¡¯clock. Tang Cuo looked at his phone and found a missed call from Tang Xu.


    ¡°You can go over the material yourself. I¡¯m going to make a phone call,¡± he said, and then walked to the hallway with his phone.


    ¡°Finished studying?¡± Tang Xu asked on the other end.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s time to go back.¡±


    ¡°How was the revision?¡±


    Tang Cuo lowered his head and stepped on the cracks in the floor with his feet. ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­¡±


    Tang Xu¡¯s laughter came from the phone, low and captivating.


    ¡°I just graded the paper. Do you want to know your score in advance?¡±


    ¡°Already graded?¡± Tang Cuo was surprised and then thought about the score, feeling a rare sense of unease. ¡°How many points did I get?¡±


    In fact, during the exam, he checked it several times; even the simple calculations were carefully calculated twice on the draught paper. It can be said that this was the most serious exam he had taken since he was a child.


    He was feeling extremely anxious, but Tang Xu kept him in suspense, ¡°You guess?¡±


    ¡°Did I get a perfect score?¡± He hesitantly asked after a long pause.


    Tang Xu didn¡¯t answer him; instead, he asked, ¡°Where are you studying right now?¡±


    ¡°In Building Seven¡­¡±


    ¡°Where in Building Seven?¡±


    ¡°Room 301 on the east side of the third floor.¡±


    Tang Xu said, ¡°Wait for me at the east staircase of the third floor.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Tang Cuo stood at the east staircase and was momentarily stunned when he realised that Tang Xu was coming over. He anxiously fiddled with his phone and, while looking down at it, noticed a black ink mark on his right hand that he didn¡¯t remember getting. He tried rubbing it off, but it wouldn¡¯t come off, so he quickly ran to the nearby restroom to wash his hands.


    When Tang Xu appeared on the staircase with his hands in his pockets, Tang Cuo was still standing on the staircase, shaking his wet hand. Seeing him come down, he stopped shaking and quickly turned around to rub his hand dry on his back.


    The grey and white intertwined sweater had a few water stains on it, which were barely noticeable on the white parts, but on the grey parts they were deep and shallow, like an abstract painting drawn casually to express one¡¯s mood.


    ¡°Are you tired from studying?¡± Tang Xu asked as he stepped down the last few steps.


    Tang Cuo shook his head, ¡°Not tired.¡±


    After he said this, the air around them suddenly quieted down. Tang Xu was standing in front of him, and the silence made Tang Cuo¡¯s heart feel somewhat uneasy, so he took the initiative to break the silence and asked, ¡°What¡¯s my score?¡±


    ¡°Full marks.¡±


    The gaze of Tang Xu had been stuck to Tang Cuo¡¯s face like strong adhesive since a moment ago. After saying those two words, he lifted one of Tang Cuo¡¯s hands and stretched out his fingers, placing his palm in front of him.


    Tang Cuo was puzzled, looking at his own hand and then back at Tang Xu.


    Tang Xu smiled and lowered his head. In the dimly lit hallway, his eyebrows and eyes were shining with a dazzling golden border, making Tang Cuo mesmerised.


    His hand felt itchy and tingly. Curiously, he looked down, and the next second, he froze in place with his shoulders burning.


    In that out-of-body moment, Tang Xu stopped drawing on his hand, but his fingers still felt warm. He was still holding Tang Cuo¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Here¡¯s a little red flower for you,¡± Tang Xu said.


    Tang Cuo pulled his hand away from Tang Xu¡¯s fingertips and looked at him hesitantly.


    Tang Xu still smiled, tilted his head forward, and leaned towards him. Their noses were almost touching. ¡°Do you want a hug as well?¡± he said.


    Although it was a question, it was a question that didn¡¯t wait for him to answer.  When Tang Xu hugged him, he didn¡¯t even have time to loosen his half-clenched fist.


    ¡°Good luck with tomorrow¡¯s performance and the exams.¡±


    His shoulder was still hot, and so was his palm.


    Tang Cuo held onto the empty little red flower in his palm, carrying the residual warmth of Tang Xu as he walked back to the classroom with a fluctuating and inexplicable sense of urgency in his back.


    Tang Xu watched him turn the corner and disappear completely from his sight before turning his gaze to the empty corridor and raising an eyebrow lazily. ¡°Come out,¡± he said in a nonchalant tone.


    Almost ten seconds later, He Zhong timidly peeked out half of his body from the restroom and greeted him with a sheepish smile and raised hand, ¡°Hello, Teacher Tang¡­ Brother Xu.¡±


    Since there was no one else outside the classroom, He Zhong automatically changed his way of addressing him.


    After walking out of the restroom, he touched his nose and coughed twice, then looked at Tang Xu, who moved his lips and made some meaningless sounds in a fawning manner.


    He scratched his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to peek. Oh, I don¡¯t know how to say it, but I¡¯m a bit¡­shocked. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t go around blabbering about it!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a glance; it¡¯s fine.¡± Tang Xu didn¡¯t mind and laughed lightly, looking at him with a raised eyebrow. ¡°We¡¯re together now, but don¡¯t tell Tang Cuo, okay?¡±


    Zhong was a little confused. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Tang Xu said, ¡°He probably doesn¡¯t know yet. I¡¯ll tell him later. You just keep it to yourself.¡±


    After saying that, Tang Xu patted his shoulder twice as if nothing had happened, told him to study hard, and left.


    He Zhong was still in a daze, watching Tang Xu¡¯s back as he leisurely walked up the stairs. He took a deep breath.


    So he knew about their relationship before one of the parties involved did?

 CH 26

    Because the winter vacation was already short and there was a happy family spring festival, the classmates were quite enthusiastic about going home. After all the exams were over, everyone didn¡¯t linger at school anymore.


    Tang Cuo was the only local in the dormitory, and his parents could only come back before the new year, so he wasn¡¯t in a hurry to go home. He planned to send everyone in the dormitory away one by one before returning.


    On this day, he had just sent Zhao Feifei to the station with He Zhong when Tang Xu called him to have dinner.


    He glanced at He Zhong beside him and said, ¡°I¡¯ll eat with He Zhong tonight¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you two together?¡±


    ¡°Uh, we just sent our roommate away, and it¡¯s just the two of us left. We¡¯ll go eat.¡±


    Unexpectedly, Tang Xu said, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll come pick you guys up, and we¡¯ll eat together. Where are you? I¡¯ll come get you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Tang Cuo didn¡¯t expect him to make such a decision. ¡°Oh, we¡¯re at the West Station.¡±


    Although He Zhong had been sneaking peeks at Tang Cuo¡¯s phone since it lit up, the chaotic environment of the West Station made his eavesdropping efforts very unsuccessful. When Tang Cuo hung up the phone and told him that Tang Xu wanted to pick them up for dinner, he stood still, didn¡¯t move his head, and looked up at the high ceiling, clapping his thighs twice.


    Tang Cuo put away his phone and looked at him strangely. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    He Zhong turned his head and looked at him, drooping the corners of his mouth. ¡°I feel like I should have gone with Zhao Fei Fei just now.¡±


    Tang Cuo couldn¡¯t understand the hidden meaning and furrowed his brows. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    As they waited by the roadside for Tang Xu, He Zhong kept fidgeting and humming, like he had ADHD. Tang Cuo slapped him and said, ¡°Be quiet.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t be quiet. I¡¯m nervous about eating with the teacher!¡±


    Said as if it were true.1¡°ËµµÃºÃÏñÕæµÄÒ»Ñù¡± (Said as if it were true) could imply that the speaker thinks that someone is exaggerating or being insincere in what they are saying.


    Tang Cuo felt that He Zhong had been acting strangely since earlier, but when he asked him what was going on, He Zhong didn¡¯t say anything. So he could only attribute He Zhong¡¯s behaviour to being ¡°exam-stressed¡± in his mind.


    Tang Xu was lucky today and didn¡¯t get stuck in traffic during rush hour, so they arrived in a short time.


    After getting in the car, He Zhong greeted Tang Xu respectfully, ¡°Hello, Teacher Tang.¡±


    Although this was expected, it made Tang Cuo feel a little embarrassed. He usually doesn¡¯t call Tang Xu by his formal title outside of school and instead uses ¡°you¡± as a pronoun. But with He Zhong here, he wondered if it would be inappropriate to continue to use such casual language.


    ¡°Hello, Teacher Tang.¡±


    Tang Xu was about to start the car when he heard him call out. He immediately turned his head and burst out laughing. ¡°What are you following along for?¡±


    Tang Cuo raised his nose, puzzled. Why is showing respect for one¡¯s teacher considered following along for fun?


    ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± Tang Xu asked the two of them.


    ¡°Anything is fine¡­¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Tang Xu shot him a look that stopped him in his tracks.


    Tang Cuo extended his hand and pointed backward while looking at Tang Xu. ¡°¡­Let He Zhong decide.¡±


    He Zhong clung to the passenger seat and protested, ¡°Why do I have to decide? You decide!¡±


    Tang Cuo turned to face him with a serious expression, ¡°I¡­am a Libra and have trouble making decisions.¡±


    Tang Xu, who was driving, was distracted by their conversation and burst out laughing when he heard this.


    ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense¡­ What do you mean you¡¯re a Libra? Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know you¡¯re a Cancer!¡±


    In the end, it was He Zhong who made the choice. Tang Xu was his teacher, and they didn¡¯t have any personal relationships, so he put a lot of effort into choosing a restaurant. He couldn¡¯t choose one that was too expensive or too cheap, and it had to have good food. After looking around, he picked a well-known restaurant in a shopping mall.


    The three of them found a table and sat down. Tang Xu asked Tang Cuo, ¡°Do you want to drink milk tea? They have Gong Cha here.¡±


    Tang Cuo thought for a moment and said yes.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go buy you a cup. How about He Zhong, do you want to drink?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t drink milk tea; it keeps me awake.¡±


    At this point, Tang Xu was about to get up, but Tang Cuo stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go by myself. I haven¡¯t decided what to drink yet, so I¡¯ll pick it myself.¡±


    After Tang Cuo left, He Zhong felt even more awkward. He took the water that Tang Xu poured for him and looked around for something to talk about. Suddenly, he saw the TV in the restaurant playing various news programmes on mute, so he said, ¡°Hey? Did Tang Cuo¡¯s goddess win an award?¡±


    Tang Xu¡¯s hand holding the water pot stopped for a moment, and he looked up with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Goddess? Is he a fan?¡±


    As they spoke, Tang Xu was looking at the small television behind them. While watching the TV, He Zhong¡¯s voice rang out again: ¡°You don¡¯t know, Tang Lao Shi, but Cuo Cuo is crazy about Shi Xi. He goes to almost every one of her performances. What¡¯s even scarier is that one time he went to Shanghai to see her show the day before he had a calculus exam in the afternoon.¡±


    ¡°Shanghai?¡± Tang Xu was shocked.


    ¡°Yes, he doesn¡¯t just watch shows in Beijing; he¡¯ll go wherever there¡¯s a performance in China. And a lot of times, Shi Xi¡¯s shows are sold out, so he¡¯ll even get our dorm to help him get tickets, saying that we¡¯re better at playing games and have faster fingers.¡±


    Tang Xu had never thought it would be like this. Last time Tang Cuo said he failed to get a ticket, he thought it was just a polite excuse. But now that he had put down the teapot, he suddenly remembered when Tang Cuo said that.


    Why did he have to lie?


    How many times has he watched Shi Xi¡¯s performances over the years? What does he think about during the journey to the theatre, during the show, and after leaving the theatre?


    Tang Cuo came back with a cup of milk tea and two cups of freshly squeezed orange juice in his other hand.


    Tang Xu was surprised to find that the meal was more lively than usual in the presence of He Zhong. He Zhong was joking and making fun, while Tang Cuo mostly listened attentively and responded when He Zhong asked him a question or waited for his response, just like how he usually interacted with Tang Xu. He wouldn¡¯t interrupt or bring up topics unnecessarily, and he would minimize his presence when his response wasn¡¯t needed. It was a far cry from the chatty kid he used to be.


    Tang Xu sighed inwardly and scooped a bowl of soup for each of them.


    On the way back to school, Tang Xu asked He Zhong, ¡°Will you be okay sleeping alone tonight?¡±


    He Zhong didn¡¯t respond immediately, and only after an interrogative word did he say, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay¡­¡±


    However, Tang Cuo couldn¡¯t bear to leave He Zhong alone in the dormitory. ¡°I¡¯ll go back to the dormitory.¡±


    He Zhong was moved but still politely declined, ¡°No need, I¡¯m a grown man and not afraid.¡±


    Tang Cuo turned back and said, ¡°No, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be suffocated if there¡¯s no one to talk to at night.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll go to the next dormitory to talk!¡±


    After saying goodbye to He Zhong, Tang Xu reached out and touched his head, asking, ¡°Have you eaten enough just now?¡±


    ¡°I ate enough.¡±


    But Tang Xu said, ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten enough; let¡¯s go eat some more.¡±


    Tang Cuo was puzzled and asked, ¡°Is the food not good?¡±


    Tang Xu shook his head and started driving, ¡°I just didn¡¯t have an appetite earlier.¡±


    The vehicle was travelling on the streets of Beijing, and Tang Cuo looked at the night scenery outside the window in a good mood. He has always liked Beijing in the winter, with a biting cold and a chill in the air. Most people on the streets are dressed in bulky clothes with red noses and exhaling white breaths, walking around with their heads down, and the streets are always hovering with a few birds. Unlike summer, which is so exposed due to the cold and desolation, he can even wrap himself up, leaving only a pair of eyes exposed, in order to obtain some thin self-protection and a sense of security, and he won¡¯t attract attention from passersby because of his strange appearance.


    The streets were now adorned with red lanterns. He began staring at row after row of these lanterns, fixing his eyes on one until it had passed him completely. Only then did he turn his head to focus on the next one. He used to do this all the time when he was in his father¡¯s car, both to pass the time and to test his own standard of measuring car speed.


    Seeing Tang Cuo¡¯s head bobbing back and forth, Tang Xu couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, ¡°Are you not feeling dizzy?¡±


    Tang Cuo turned his head back and replied, ¡°No, it¡¯s quite fun.¡±


    After counting the lanterns, he turned on the stereo and started listening to music, not paying attention to where Tang Xu was driving, so he didn¡¯t notice the big sign for McDonald¡¯s until they reached the entrance. Getting out of the car and closing the door, he suddenly realized where he was, and his hand became icy cold.


    Tang Xu had somehow come around the car and asked him, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    He stared at the big ¡°M¡± and struggled to react, and when he looked back at Tang Xu, his nose and eyes were red.


    ¡°Do you want to eat this?¡±


    Tang Xu noticed the subtle changes on his face but pretended not to notice and asked, ¡°Don¡¯t want to eat? If you¡¯re not hungry, you can have a drink.¡±


    Tang Cuo opened his mouth, exhaled a white breath for a while, and then said, ¡°Can¡¯t we go somewhere else?¡±


    Tang Xu tilted his head, but before he could speak, Tang Cuo took the lead, lowered his head, and walked forward quickly. ¡°It¡¯s okay; let¡¯s go in.¡±


    Tang Xu felt anxious as he watched Tang Cuo¡¯s hurried and chaotic back, and he quickly caught up, pressing his shoulder to make him stop. Tang Cuo turned around, tightly pursed his lips, and looked at him with red eyes.


    Tang Xu didn¡¯t say anything; he just bent slightly and took his hand.


    ¡°On a cold winter night with not many people around, holding hands is okay.¡±

 CH 27

    Tang Cuo stiffened as he was pulled inside. They went to the counter to order, and their hands were hidden between the counter and their tightly pressed bodies. No one else could see, but Tang started sweating. He struggled a bit but couldn¡¯t break free.


    ¡°One small serving of McChicken and a cup of Coke. What would you like?¡±


    Tang Xu clenched his hand and looked at him with a smile.


    ¡°Coke¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, one more cup of Coke.¡±


    After ordering their food, Tang Xu carried the tray and tried to pull him along. He was afraid of being seen by others, so he could only stick close to him to avoid exposing their hands too openly. However, two men being so close together seemed even more suspicious.


    Tang Xu led him on a tour around the restaurant before he finally sat down in a corner after being urged to do so. The seating arrangement was a sofa on one side and a bench on the other, and Tang was assigned to sit on the sofa. However, he was surprised when Tang Xu also sat down on the sofa next to him.


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Tang Xu asked.


    Tang shifted slightly towards the wall. ¡°Why did you sit here too?¡±


    Tang Xu gave him a reason that he couldn¡¯t refute: ¡°The sofa is more comfortable.¡±


    Because of Tang Xu¡¯s actions, he had been avoiding him since they entered the restaurant and had forgotten where he was. It was only now that he began to reflect on what had happened.


    Things buried deep in one¡¯s memory, especially fears, are difficult to dispel. They are rooted deep in one¡¯s heart, tangled, and complex. If left unchecked, they will become like an insatiable monster, constantly stealing your nutrients, water, and air, ultimately growing stronger while you wither away. But if you want to truly uproot it, you have to be prepared for the bloody and violent battle that ensues.


    Tang Cuo felt the coke in his hand getting colder and colder. Tang Xu finished the box of McChicken and wiped his fingers with a napkin, shaking his head and saying, ¡°It¡¯s really not that good. Why do you all like it so much?¡±


    Tang Cuo¡¯s mind was in a mess; he didn¡¯t want to think about his past, but he couldn¡¯t control himself. At this moment, memories of that night kept replaying in his head, and he couldn¡¯t stop his self-talk. Was he going to leave again?


    Even though he could already come here to eat normally, his stomach started to feel uncomfortable. He secretly reached down to hold his stomach and silently read the promotional ads on the table, trying to relax himself.


    His forehead was touched by a hand with thin calluses, but not rough.


    ¡°Are you feeling uncomfortable?¡± Tang Xu asked.


    Upon hearing his voice, Tang Cuo suddenly struggled to get up in excitement, disregarding the fact that Tang Xu was sitting next to him and he couldn¡¯t leave. He lifted his leg to rush out, like a panicked little lion running around without direction.


    He couldn¡¯t control himself any longer.


    Tang Xu was startled and quickly stood up, half-hugging him, saying, ¡°Sihang, don¡¯t overthink; calm down and look at me.¡±


    But Tang Cuo seemed to be completely deaf to what he was saying, clutching his clothes tightly to his stomach and muttering, ¡°I need to go to the bathroom¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Before Tang Xu could finish speaking, Tang Cuo had already struggled out of his grasp and rushed out. He didn¡¯t even look up, but accurately ran in the direction of the toilet. People in the dining hall heard the commotion and turned their heads to look at him strangely.


    Tang Xu chased after him into the restroom with a serious expression. He watched Tang Cuo start to vomit frantically, and almost simultaneously, tears began to stream down his face. Because of his bent posture, the two lines of burning tears hadn¡¯t even passed his cheeks, falling directly and wetly onto the ground.


    Tang Xu had considered that Tang Cuo might feel uncomfortable coming here, but he didn¡¯t expect his reaction to be so intense. He quickly stepped forward and forcefully hugged his upper body, not letting him bend too low. Tang Cuo didn¡¯t know if he understood who was supporting him now, but like grasping at a straw to save his life, he held onto Tang Xu¡¯s arm tightly with one hand.


    Tang Cuo had almost thrown up everything he had eaten that night, and even Tang Xu had already judged that his stomach was empty, but he still couldn¡¯t stop retching.


    ¡°Sihang,¡± Tang Xu called his name, and regardless of his struggling and his non-stop retching, he forcefully turned his body around, held his face, and made him look at him, not letting go no matter how much he moved. ¡°Look at me, Sixing; I¡¯m right here; I won¡¯t leave.¡±


    Slowly, Tang Cuo finally stopped and looked at him, but his face was already red, and he couldn¡¯t catch his breath.


    ¡°Are you feeling better?¡±


    It was as if Tang Cuo had just woken up from a dream, and his eyes regained some spirit.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Tang Cuo apologised in a low voice; his voice was hoarse.


    This sentence left Tang Xu at a loss. If Tang Cuo had accused him, questioned him, or even yelled at him as he had done years ago, he felt he could have handled it. But Tang Cuo¡¯s apology left him speechless.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you out first.¡±


    There were still a few people eating in the dining hall. Tang Xu half-supported and half-carried Tang Cuo out, passed through the dining hall, and took him out the door.


    The ground was cold, and Tang Xu thought about going to the car to get a cushion for Tang Cuo, but he just slumped down on the steps beside him like a lifeless body, with his head lowered and silent.


    Tang Xu crouched down and touched his face. ¡°Are you still feeling uncomfortable?¡±


    Tang Cuo still covered his stomach but shook his head. His willpower was more depressed than his physical state right now.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go get you a cup of water to rinse your mouth. Otherwise, you won¡¯t feel comfortable. Can you wait for me here?¡±


    Tang Cuo¡¯s gaze seemed fixed on the ground, and he ignored Tang Xu. He pulled up his turtleneck sweater to cover the bottom half of his face and curled up into a ball.


    Tang Xu went back to McDonald¡¯s, ordered a cup of hot milk at the counter, and asked the girl for a cup of hot water. When he came out, Tang Cuo was still curled up.


    Tang Xu helped him to the tree pit to rinse his mouth. Tang Cuo was bent over and couldn¡¯t stand up straight. After rinsing his mouth, he sat down again. Tang Xu handed him the milk to keep warm and then squatted in front of him, remaining silent for a long time.


    The weather was very cold, and later, Tang Xu accidentally touched the milk in Tang Cuo¡¯s hand, which had already become cold.


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t know your reaction would be so intense,¡± Tang Xu sighed. ¡°It¡¯s my fault.¡±


    It was unclear which word or phrase triggered Tang Cuo¡¯s nerves, but he suddenly looked up at Tang Xu.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have brought you here rashly. I know you have shadows here. I just wanted to try, even though I know it¡¯s unlikely.¡± Tang Xu smiled bitterly, holding one hand and holding his face with the other. ¡°Can we reconnect from here?¡±


    Tang Cuo didn¡¯t understand what Tang Xu was saying and sat there motionless, watching his mouth move.


    Tang Xu didn¡¯t mind his lack of response and slowed down his speech, speaking each word clearly: ¡°Even if it¡¯s been too long and we can¡¯t reconnect, I don¡¯t want this place to be your demon anymore. Si Hang, can you hear me talking?¡±


    Tang Cuo nodded, his eyes confused.


    ¡°I won¡¯t leave again. Seven years ago, I sent you away in such an intense way. I brought you out, but I didn¡¯t take the responsibility I should have. I just felt that I couldn¡¯t teach you well and was afraid of corrupting you, so I left you to others. I¡¯m sorry. I can probably guess how difficult these years have been for you. I feel heartbroken and regretful.¡± Tang Xu leaned forward, looking into his eyes with great concentration. Perhaps because of the lighting in the McDonald¡¯s room, Tang Xu¡¯s head was slightly tilted back, and there was a warm yellow light in his eyes, like the rising sun.


    Whether it was from Tang Cuo¡¯s change in character, his intentional or unintentional use of self-deprecating language, the situations that Wen Ying explained to him, or his performance in travelling far to see Shi Xi¡¯s performance, he could roughly guess Tang Cuo¡¯s regret, self-blame, and even his liking for him, like an obstruction in his heart. He truly regretted it, regretted that he should not have sent Tang Cuo away, and even if he did, he should not have done so in that manner. Despite his best intentions, he made Tang Cuo taste the feeling of being ¡°abandoned¡± once more. He even regretted not seeing the seed of affection in Tang Cuo¡¯s behaviour back then as well as judging his abnormal behaviour as immaturity.


    However, what he regrets the most is his ignorance and neglect, which left Tang Cuo isolated and helpless for seven years.


    If only he had discovered Tang Cuo¡¯s situation earlier, things wouldn¡¯t be as bad as they are now.


    He approached Tang Cuo and leaned in, pressing his forehead against his.


    ¡°Si hang, you don¡¯t have to forgive me for being irresponsible, but I hope you can forgive yourself, okay? You have apologized to Shi Xi, and she has forgiven you. As for me, I¡¯m really happy that you like me.¡±


    Tang Cuo finally blinked his eyes after the final word was said. On this cold winter night, the wind was too strong. Tears streamed down his cheeks and could easily wet his face.

 CH 28

    In the dark night, it seemed like Tang Xu had been talking to himself all along. Tang Cuo listened, but it seemed like he wasn¡¯t really listening. He didn¡¯t talk about whether or not he had forgiven himself or how much he disliked McDonald¡¯s, nor did he mention anything related to the past. Despite Tang Xu¡¯s impassioned speech, Tang Cuo did not respond at all. In the end, he buried his head in his arms and said, ¡°I want to go home.¡±


    No matter how many words he had, Tang Xu felt that the entrance to McDonald¡¯s was not a suitable place for a long conversation. So after Tang Cuo escaped by saying he wanted to go home, Tang Xu patted his head, wrapped him up, and gave him some water.


    On the way home, Tang Xu didn¡¯t say anything to Tang Cuo anymore. He changed the playlist on his player from pop songs to soothing piano music. The more one has on their mind, the more they need time to adjust themselves. Music is a powerful thing that can easily evoke empathy in people, especially if it is a sad song with poignant lyrics.


    After they arrived home, Tang Cuo didn¡¯t bring up the earlier incident and simply said that he was tired and wanted to go to bed. When he finished taking a shower and came out, the living room was dark, but Tang Xu¡¯s room was lit up. He hesitated for a while before finally approaching Tang Xu¡¯s door and saying, ¡°I¡¯m done showering.¡±


    Tang Xu was standing in front of the bookshelf when he heard a sound and turned his head. Tang Cuo then saw that he was still holding a cigarette. However, there was no smoke in the room. Upon closer inspection, the cigarette was no longer lit, the end of the cigarette was burned into a black circle, and the length did not seem to have become shorter. It should have been lit and then extinguished shortly after.


    Tang Xu waved at him from inside the room, ¡°Come in.¡±


    He walked slowly into the room because he didn¡¯t want to be alone with Tang Xu in such a quiet atmosphere. He added, ¡°You go wash up.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that; come over here first.¡±


    In Tang Xu¡¯s room, there was a carpet on the floor, and usually there would be two or three books scattered on it. But today, there was a transparent book bag with a yellow border on the carpet, and the contents inside were visible at a glance¡ªit was a set of toys.


    When Tang Cuo saw the bag, he stopped in his tracks. Tang Xu sat on the carpet and pulled his hand, gesturing for him to sit next to him.


    ¡°I forgot to give it to you that night when we left in a hurry,¡± Tang Xu said.


    The plastic toys were kept in good condition, without fading or cracks that represented time. Tang Cuo¡¯s towel was taken away by Tang Xu, and his hair was gently wiped, which felt very comfortable.


    It seems that Tang Xu had planned everything early on, and everything tonight was directed towards that night.


    People say that children¡¯s memories are very fleeting, and many experiences from childhood will be forgotten, misplaced, or selectively remembered in later memories. But Tang Cuo remembers that night very clearly¡ªclear enough to remember how many intersections they passed along the way and the sequence of traffic lights at each intersection.


    That day, Tang Xu promised to take him to McDonald¡¯s, and he was overjoyed. After they went in, he pointed to a poster on the wall and said he wanted that, so Tang Xu ordered him a children¡¯s meal.


    Next to them, a child had already opened the small train set, assembled the tracks, and was playing with it on the table. The small train slid down the winding track from the high point with a ¡°swoosh¡± sound, which was already exciting enough for Tang Cuo just listening to it. He pulled Tang Xu¡¯s hand and asked if he could play with the toy first, but Tang Xu shook his head seriously, pointed to the burger and chicken nuggets on the table, and said, ¡°Eat first.¡±


    He practically wolfed down a plate of food, and when there was only one piece of chicken nugget left, he picked it up with his greasy fingers and held it up to Tang Xu¡¯s mouth, saying, ¡°Try it; it¡¯s really delicious.¡±


    Tang Xu shook his head and said, ¡°You eat it.¡±


    He pouted and stuffed the small piece of food into his mouth, swallowing it without even chewing twice.


    After finishing, he wanted to play with the small train again. He remembered that Tang Xu looked at his watch and picked up the toy package, saying, ¡°We¡¯ll play with it at home.¡±


    He had been looking forward to this McDonald¡¯s meal for a long time, so he was very excited after finishing it. He didn¡¯t stop talking in the car, but Tang Xu sometimes responded and sometimes said helplessly, ¡°Sihang, take a break.¡±


    When did he begin to realize that something was wrong?


    It may be related to growing up in a small village, since he couldn¡¯t remember the roads in this big city at all. Despite this, after passing several traffic lights, he leaned against the window and looked for a while, still frowning and muttering, ¡°Tang Xu, aren¡¯t we going home?¡±


    At that time, he would always address Tang Xu by name.


    Tang Xu¡¯s eyes were still focused on the road ahead, as if he were driving intently. It wasn¡¯t until they stopped at a red light that he turned his head and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere else first.¡±


    Tang Cuo became excited upon hearing this, and with his eyes shining brightly, he leaned over and asked in a hushed voice, ¡°Are we going to play?¡±


    Tang Xu fixedly looked at him and finally reached out to rub his head without saying a word.


    At that time, Tang Cuo was a child who had just started to experience a normal life and didn¡¯t understand anything, let alone observe others¡¯ expressions and emotions. He thought Tang Xu¡¯s silence meant approval and even cheered twice while still sitting in the car seat. He was incredibly foolish and wrong. Only later, when he travelled thousands of miles alone on the road called ¡°growing up¡± and searched for many answers, did he learn about the term ¡°unspoken pain.¡±


    Because it¡¯s hard to express, silence is relative.


    Tang Xu¡¯s car stopped in front of a strange building, but Tang Cuo didn¡¯t think much of it. He unbuckled his seat belt and followed Tang Xu out of the car. After getting out of the car, he even ran over to grab Tang Xu¡¯s hand.


    A couple was already standing there, and Tang Xu led him over and waved his hand, saying, ¡°Call them Uncle and Aunt.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Uncle and Aunt.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Si hang¡­ Si hang is good.¡± Looking back now, he only felt that the aunt seemed very excited when she saw him.


    After greeting each other, the scene was strange, and the three adults just stood there without speaking, as if competing to see who could stand longer. Tang Cuo looked up at Tang Xu in confusion and said frankly, ¡°Are we just going to stand here?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Tang Xu hesitated briefly before letting go of Tang Cuo¡¯s hand and bending down to support his arms. At that time, Tang Xu¡¯s eyes were also bright, not because of the light but because of some sparkling liquid. Tang Cuo looked at him curiously and reached out to touch it.


    ¡°Sihang, these are your future parents. They really like you and will take good care of you. So, you will live with them from now on. Do you understand?¡±


    Tang Cuo widened his eyes and stopped his hand about a fist¡¯s distance away from Tang Xu¡¯s eyes, stunned. ¡°Wh¡­what does that mean?¡±


    This information was too difficult for him to accept. He forgot to let go of his hand and stood there stupidly, watching Tang Xu deeply bow to the two people and say, ¡°Please take care of him.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he will be our child from now on, and we will do our best to take care of him.¡±


    Tang Cuo¡¯s head was buzzing like a train. It wasn¡¯t until he saw Tang Xu turn around to leave that he suddenly came back to his senses and vaguely understood one thing: Tang Xu didn¡¯t want him anymore.


    He hurriedly chased after him, and even though it was flat ground, he stumbled and almost fell in the short distance of a few steps.


    ¡°Tang Xu¡­¡± Without saying a word, tears started pouring out in large drops. He held onto Tang Xu¡¯s arm tightly and cried out, ¡°I don¡¯t want Mom and Dad; I want to be with you!¡±


    Tang Xu stopped, and his eyes were red as well.


    ¡°SiHang, listen to me, okay? You need a family.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want¡­¡± In less than a minute, Tang Cuo was already sobbing uncontrollably. Fear turned into the cold and surging river of his childhood, pouring out and overflowing his throat. It felt like, in just a blink of an eye, he would be completely swallowed up by it.


    He cried out, ¡°Are you still angry with me? Can¡¯t I apologise? I know I was wrong; I know it now. I¡¯ll apologize. Please don¡¯t leave me; I beg you, please, please¡­¡±


    But no matter how he cried and pleaded, Tang Xu just looked at him silently, with sadness, helplessness, and determination in his eyes.


    After that, everything became too chaotic for Tang Cuo to remember clearly. He only remembered struggling in the arms of his new parents, holding on tightly to Tang Xu¡¯s arm and begging him not to leave.


    But Tang Xu still left. He drove away, leaving behind a trail of dust and completely bidding farewell to the next seven years of Tang Cuo¡¯s life.


    As Tang Cuo was lost in thought, Tang Xu had already put the railway track together. Then he pulled Tang Xue towards him and held him in his arms.


    ¡°Let¡¯s play now, okay?¡±


    Something was put in his hand. Tang Cuo looked down and saw that it was the little red train. Although it only had two carriages, it was well made, even with a chimney. Tang Xu held his hand and placed the train at the top of the track, whispering, ¡°Sihang, let go.¡±


    As if it were a conditioned reflex, he let go.


    The little red train turned and raced down the yellow track like a brave and invincible warrior, shouting as it rushed out of the track and landed at Tang Cuo¡¯s feet. The sound of ¡°swoosh, swoosh¡± perfectly matched the sound he had heard in McDonald¡¯s years ago.


    It had only run down the track from top to bottom, yet it seemed to be whistling and running over Tang Cuo¡¯s memories of so many years.


    Because of it, Tang Cuo¡¯s emotions suddenly broke through the dam that night.


    He bit the sleeve of his pyjamas and buried his head, not letting himself cry out loud.


    Tang Xu held him tightly from behind, pulling his arm and whispering in his ear, ¡°Don¡¯t bite your sleeve. If you want to cry, just cry, okay?¡±


    Tang Cuo didn¡¯t know what he was denying, shaking his head incessantly. Tang Xu finally coaxed and pulled his sleeve out of his mouth, and without anything left to vent his anger, Tang Cuo couldn¡¯t help but cry out loud.


    Tang Cuo didn¡¯t know what he was denying, shaking his head incessantly. Tang Xu finally coaxed and pulled his sleeve out of his mouth, and without anything left to vent his anger, Tang Cuo couldn¡¯t help but cry out loud.


    Tang Xu heard his throat ache; he had no strength to argue and could only hold him and say, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Tang Cuo kept talking; everything was illogical, but Tang Xu could still understand.


    ¡°Later, I didn¡¯t dare to go find you. I thought you were still angry with me¡­ I won many awards and wanted to show you¡­ I knew you were at the University of Science and Technology, so I also applied to the University of Science and Technology, but actually I don¡¯t like physics or math¡­ but I still want to see you again¡­¡±


    Tang Xu held him close, letting him lean on his shoulder, and kept saying, ¡°I know, I know.¡±


    As if he wanted to cry out years of helplessness and grievances, Tang Cuo cried for a long time, until he had cried out all his strength and stopped. With swollen eyes, he leaned on Tang Xu, trying to calm himself down with sobs. Tang Xu held his face and wiped away his tears, saying, ¡°Do you have any more complaints about me? Just say it; I¡¯m listening.¡±


    Tang Cuo neither nodded nor shook his head. He straightened up, avoided his gaze, lowered his head, and kept pulling at the fur of the carpet.


    Tang Xu touched his neck from behind and kissed his ear. ¡°Sihang, from now on, will we be together, okay?¡±


    At the moment the words fell, Tang Xu closed the distance between them completely. He pressed his lips to Tang Cuo¡¯s and kissed him, with one hand pressing on his neck, forcing him to tilt his head slightly upwards. As Tang Xu¡¯s movements continued, Tang Cuo¡¯s eyelashes were even trembling.


    This was their first kiss. Tang Xu didn¡¯t just lightly touch his lips and stop, nor did he go too intense and deep. Instead, he gently and slowly savored the unique warmth of Tang Cuo¡¯s lips, which were not hot but even slightly cool.


    Only when he could no longer smell the lemon toothpaste in Tang Cuo¡¯s mouth did Tang Xu release him.

 CH 29

    Tang Cuo still had his eyes open, and Tang Xu smiled as he kissed his lips again. ¡°Have you been keeping your eyes open all this time?¡±


    Tang Cuo¡¯s limited consciousness was insufficient to answer this question, and he opened his mouth emptily, asking, ¡°Why¡­ why like this?¡±


    At that moment, Tang Xu began to doubt his own ability to express himself, ¡°Didn¡¯t I say we¡¯re together?¡±


    Unexpectedly, after hearing this sentence, Tang Cuo was shocked and backed away, muttering incomprehensibly, ¡°No, this isn¡¯t right; it can¡¯t be like this¡­¡±


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Tang Xu grabbed his ankle and forcefully pulled him back, causing the carpet to wrinkle.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Tang Xu asked, looking at him intently.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Tang Cuo began to say something, but suddenly stopped and tightly pursed his lips.


    Seeing him still unable to express himself, Tang Xu held his face and kissed him again. This time, Tang Cuo was sober and began to twist his body to avoid him.


    Tang Xu asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you miss me? Don¡¯t you want to see me? Then why can¡¯t we be together?¡±


    But Tang Cuo continued to lower his head and remain silent, his ostrich-like habit resurfacing. He didn¡¯t answer any of her questions.


    Observing him with his hair standing on end, Tang Xu thought for a moment before rubbing his head and asking, ¡°Is it because you don¡¯t believe me after what happened last time?¡±


    This time, Tang Cuo immediately shook his head and raised his head to argue anxiously, ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Then tell me why, or I might not be able to guess until tomorrow morning.¡±


    Tang Cuo couldn¡¯t explain the reason behind something, and he didn¡¯t want to, nor was he able to give Tang Xu a detailed list of his thoughts. He just shook his head and repeated that he couldn¡¯t.


    He couldn¡¯t stand the persistent questioning and wanted to stand up and leave. However, Tang Xu pulled him down and held him in his arms, preventing him from moving.


    ¡°I want to go to sleep.¡±


    ¡°No, explain it clearly first.¡±


    Tang Xu had made up his mind to speak up about everything that could be said and to untie any knot that could be untied tonight. Time waits for no one, and he knew very well that the longer certain problems persisted, the more terrible the consequences could be.


    Tang Cuo couldn¡¯t run away and didn¡¯t say a word. He just gave up and stayed in Tang Xu¡¯s arms. Tang Xu scratched his itch and said, ¡°Do you plan to spend the night here with me?¡±


    Tang Cuo shook his head.


    ¡°Then tell me, why can¡¯t you say it?¡±


    Tang Cuo had been throwing up and crying all night and was now exhausted and demoralised. Seeing that Tang Xu was determined to stick with him until the end, Tang Cuo could only shrink back and look up at him, saying, ¡°I came to find you, not because I wanted¡­to be with you or anything¡­I just wanted to be somewhere close to you.¡±


    Tang Xu pondered over these words and understood what Tang Cuo meant, but still asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to be together?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m scared; I¡¯m scared I¡¯ll be like before.¡±


    Although Tang Cuo¡¯s statement seemed to be without context, Tang Xu understood what he meant.


    ¡°Will you love me?¡±


    Tang Cuo shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Tang Xu laughed, saying, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether you know or not, we are going to be together; your objections are also invalid.¡± He then kissed Tang Cuo¡¯s forehead and said, ¡°But I believe you won¡¯t; love is a beautiful thing; you didn¡¯t understand it before, but now that you do, you can¡¯t hurt anyone in its name.¡±


    Tang Cuo squinted his eyes. ¡°Love is a beautiful thing?¡± It sounded like repetition and a question.


    ¡°It is.¡± Tang Xu¡¯s tone was firm.


    In this resolute tone, Tang Cuo tasted a trace of something called trust, which was truly precious to him. However, he evaluated himself thoroughly, from head to toe and inside out, but felt that he couldn¡¯t afford it. He didn¡¯t tell Tang Xu. Even now, if he were to describe his true feelings, he would want Tang Xu to belong to him alone, with madness and jealousy. He knew it was not right.


    Tang Xu didn¡¯t push him anymore and saw that his eyelids were drooping, so she patted him and told him to go to bed. Tang Cuo got up and was about to leave the room, but Tang Xu stopped him and asked, ¡°Where are you going? Sleep here.¡±


    ¡°Tang Cuo stumbled and fell to the ground, and the two of them stared at each other with wide eyes. As their gazes met, Tang Cuo felt as if a bell had been loudly struck in his head, reminding him that this was too intimate.


    However, all of Tang Cuo¡¯s efforts were in vain in front of Tang Xu, and he was defeated like an army facing a mountain.


    After taking a shower, Tang Xu came out and saw Tang Cuo curled up in bed, feeling like he was burning up. Tang Xu turned off the lights, touched Tang Cuo¡¯s face with his fingers, and said goodnight. He was surprised to find that Tang Cuo¡¯s face was burning hot, and he instinctively touched his forehead and asked, ¡°Do you have a fever?¡±


    Tang Cuo muttered that he didn¡¯t have a fever and stared at Tang Xu, unwilling to let go of his gaze. Tang Xu understood that he was just feeling shy.


    ¡°What? You used to crawl into my bed all the time,¡± Tang Xu said.


    Tang Cuo protested softly, ¡°It¡¯s different.¡±


    He felt that Tang Xu had the potential to be a tyrant in certain ways, being stubborn and not willing to compromise. He said that if they wanted to be together, they would be together no matter what, and now they even had to sleep together.


    Tang Cuo wanted to say something, but Tang Xu kissed him to prevent him from speaking.


    ¡°Look at the time; it¡¯s getting late. We can talk about it tomorrow,¡± Tang Xu lay down and hugged him. ¡°Alright, go to sleep now.¡±


    Despite feeling dizzy and disoriented, this was the first time Tang Cuo enjoyed the feeling of being held while sleeping, ever since he realised he had a strong liking for Tang Xu. Tang Xu¡¯s breath brushed against his forehead, giving him an indescribable feeling. He shifted slightly, allowing Tang Xu¡¯s breath to fall on his eyebrows, a sensitive area.


    Tang Xu held him tighter and, after he closed his eyes, softly spoke with his chin resting on his forehead, ¡°Love is indeed beautiful. Trust me, you will slowly experience it in the future. Don¡¯t be anxious, and don¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    Tang Xu¡¯s voice was as deep as ever, as if reciting an ancient story. Tang Cuo reopened his eyes that he had just closed, shining like two stars in the dark night.


    Although there were still a few days until Tang Cuo¡¯s parents returned, Tang Xu suggested one morning that they bring some things over to stay. His tone was as calm as if he were suggesting they go to the park on a nice day.


    Tang Cuo quickly shook his head and said, ¡°No need, no need.¡±


    Tang Xu put down his chopsticks, sat up straight, and raised his fork to look at him. ¡°You don¡¯t have to come, but give me one or more reasons. Tang Sihang, please answer.¡±


    After speaking, he even raised his hand in a standard ¡°please¡± gesture.


    After that, Tang Sihang (Tang Cuo) could not come up with any reasons. Sitting in Tang Xu¡¯s car, he completely gave up struggling and forced himself to accept the fact that he and Tang Xu were together.


    During the vacation, the university campus was desolate. Walking on the road, not only were there few people, but even the trees overhead were bare and insignificant in sight. In fact, upon further reflection, every place and every building has its own sunrise and sunset, seasonal changes, times of hustle and bustle, as well as times of neglect and abandonment. If we go deeper, people are also like this.


    ¡°Is it okay to park here?¡±


    This time, Tang Xu drove directly to the dormitory building where Tang Cuo lived. Tang Cuo was too scared to get out of the car, and he could really relate to the phrase ¡°being nervous like a thief¡±.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Tang Xu intentionally blurred his point, ¡°my car is registered, so it has the qualifications to be driven on campus.¡±


    ¡­There was a generation gap. Tang Cuo got out of the car in frustration.


    Tang Xu leaned against the seat of the car, watching people swipe their cards to enter the building outside, and chuckled to himself. This kid was really easy to manipulate. Back then, he forced him to confess his feelings for him and didn¡¯t even ask if he really liked him. And now he had told him they were together, and Tang Cuo didn¡¯t even ask any questions.


    When Tang Cuo got upstairs, he remembered that there was still He Zhong in the room. It was like realising the answer after finishing the exam and turning in a blank sheet of paper. He stood at the door of the dormitory and slapped his forehead. How could he forget about He Zhong? Wasn¡¯t that the reason?


    Pushing open the door, He Zhong was sitting inside, looking at his computer with a mournful expression on his face. Tang Cuo leaned over to take a look and was surprised to see that He Zhong was watching a historical drama that had aired some time ago.


    He blinked in disbelief and asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you playing games?¡±


    He Zhong¡¯s face became even more mournful. ¡°That grandson, Zhao Fei Fei, took my account to download dramas before he left, saying he would watch them on the train. He used up all of my data!¡±


    ¡°¡­You can use mine,¡± Tang Cuo whispered, sneaking over to his wardrobe to grab his bag, thinking about how to broach the subject with He Zhong.


    ¡°Do you think if mine has no data, yours will still have any?¡± He Zhong replied, then started complaining about the campus network at their university.


    Tang Cuo rummaged through his clothes and decided to take down a coat that was hanging on a hanger. When he tried to remove the hanger, he fumbled, and the hanger, along with the coat, fell to the ground with a loud clatter. He Zhong looked away from the computer screen and asked, ¡°Why are you getting your bag?¡±


    Tang Cuo coughed twice and picked up the clothes. ¡°I¡¯m going home¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡± He Zhong¡¯s exclamation blended perfectly with a shout from his computer.


    Tang Cuo looked at him while holding his clothes and shrugged, ¡°Uh¡­ my family wants me to go back. You¡¯re leaving the day after tomorrow, right? I¡¯ll come to see you off¡­¡±


    As Tang Cuo spoke, his voice became smaller and smaller. Finally, looking at the increasingly defeated expression on He Zhong¡¯s face, he couldn¡¯t bear it and put the bag with two pieces of clothing back on the stool. ¡°Ah, forget it; I¡¯ll leave in two days.¡±


    Tang Cuo ran down the stairs, and when he saw that Tang Cuo was empty-handed, Tang Xu asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    After catching his breath, Tang Cuo gathered his courage and said, ¡°I¡¯ll leave in two days; otherwise, He Zhong will be the only one left without the internet, which is too pitiful.¡±


    Tang Xu looked at his appearance, pondered for a while, and tilted his head to say, ¡°Why do I feel like you¡¯re writing a report?¡±


    Although Tang Cuo is a bit serious now, he doesn¡¯t think it¡¯s that serious¡­


    Tang Xu reached out and pinched his chin. ¡°You won¡¯t be reporting to me like this every day in the future, will you?¡± After speaking, Tang Xu laughed at himself.


    ¡°Let¡¯s leave it for the day after tomorrow, then you guys can have fun for two days.¡±


    Just as things seemed to have settled down, Tang Xu seemed determined to keep him by his side during the winter break, not leaving any space for him to think for even these two days.


    ¡°Huh? Go play?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I mention it in the lab before? After the final exams, when it¡¯s so tiring, I¡¯ll take you to relax.¡±


    It seems like¡­ there was such a thing.


    Tang Cuo grumbled and tried to make excuses, but to no avail. The travel itinerary was mysteriously set, but the specific destination hadn¡¯t been decided yet. When they got off the car, Tang Xu stopped him and reminded him to inform his parents.


    Tang Xu was always efficient, and that night he sent him a few beautiful scenic pictures on WeChat. He opened them and asked, ¡°Where is this?¡±


    ¡°Harbin. Let¡¯s go there to see the snow and ice sculptures.¡±


    Tang Xu originally planned to take Tang Cuo to the south, where it¡¯s warm, but Tang Cuo said he didn¡¯t like it and preferred to stay in the icy and snowy land. So Tang Xu thought along the lines of the icy and snowy land, and the first place he thought of was that ice city.


    Tang Cuo held his phone and lay on his bed in the dorm, flipping through those few photos back and forth. To say he wasn¡¯t tempted would be a lie. He had grown up without going on trips with anyone other than his parents a few times, let alone with Tang Xu. But in his heart, his relationship with Tang Xu had already gone off the rails. For a long time, he had restrained any improper thoughts he had towards Tang Xu, but now Tang Xu had suddenly legitimised those thoughts, and he felt scared and didn¡¯t know what to do.


    Seemingly aware of his hesitation, Tang Xu directly sent a link over. He opened it and found a guide that vividly described the winter scenery and delicacies of Harbin, clearly an attempt to tempt him, like giving a child a big collection of lollipops.


    Almost as soon as he finished reading the last line, Tang Xu¡¯s message arrived on his phone punctually.


    ¡°Do you want to go?¡±


    The phone was heating up due to prolonged use. Tang Cuo held it in his hand and felt his heart beating along with the rising temperature. He turned over and secretly exhaled a hot breath. This is why Tang Cuo doesn¡¯t like warmth or heat¡ªit¡¯s too easy to let one¡¯s guard down and act impulsively.


    ¡°Thinking,¡± Tang Cuo replied.

 CH 30

    After seeing off He Zhong, Tang Cuo moved into Tang Xu¡¯s house, although he was still hesitant and had to be coaxed by Tang Xu to stay in the guest room.


    ¡°Are you sure you want to stay here?¡±


    Tang Cuo nodded while sitting on the bed.


    After Tang Xu left, Tang Cuo pinched his own thigh and thought to himself, ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re pretending to be reserved.¡±


    Because there were various things to do during the days leading up to the New Year, Tang Xu had scheduled an early departure, so in reality, Tang Cuo would not be staying at Tang Xu¡¯s house for very long.


    Two days before departure, Tang Cuo searched for the weather in Harbin and was surprised when he saw the number displayed on his phone screen. Holding an apple, he exclaimed and showed it to Tang Xu, ¡°Minus twenty-eight degrees?¡±


    He had no concept of what it would feel like to be at minus twenty-eight degrees Celsius.


    Tang Xu nodded and glanced at the clothes that Tang Cuo brought over, flipping through them with one hand. ¡°So these clothes won¡¯t do.¡±


    When it comes to clothing, Tang Cuo is a conservative dresser. His only requirement for himself is that he should not feel cold, no matter how many layers he wears. He would never sacrifice warmth for fashion during the winter. Nevertheless, his thickest outfit is just a double-layered pair of warm autumn pants.


    Tang Xu closed the cabinet door and turned around, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go out and buy something.¡±


    ¡°Buy clothes?¡±


    Tang Xu nodded, ¡°Buy two pieces. It¡¯s not enough to wear a coat when we get there, and I don¡¯t think your down jacket can withstand the cold. If you wear this outfit, you¡¯ll definitely freeze.¡±


    Although Tang Xu wanted to take Tang Cuo to buy clothes, he carefully thought about it after getting in the car. If it were for Tang Cuo to wear clothes, the target store should be different from the one he would go to for himself, considering their age difference.


    He took a glance at Tang Cuo, who was wearing a ¡°child-like¡± short coat with a light grey base and a few horn buttons. There was also a small bear on the left chest. Tang Cuo already looked younger than his age because of his baby face, and wearing this coat made him even more so.


    Tang Xu looked at himself in the rearview mirror and suddenly felt a strange feeling. Although time couldn¡¯t be turned back, why did he feel like he was luring a precious flower of the country like this?


    He chuckled and shook his head lightly, asking, ¡°Where do you usually buy clothes? The places I shop at are quite monotonous and may not be suitable for you.¡±


    After hearing what Tang Xue said, Tang Cuo didn¡¯t understand what ¡°not quite suitable for him¡± meant. ¡°Um¡­ when I¡¯m with He Zhong and the others at school, we usually go to Zhongguancun, Xidan, and Wangfujing. With my parents, we go to more places.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Tang Xu nodded and started the car. He asked casually, ¡°Did you buy this coat yourself?¡±


    ¡°Ah? No, my mom bought it for me,¡± Tang Cuo replied. Then he asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Tang Xu laughed while turning the steering wheel. ¡°Nothing; it¡¯s quite¡­ childlike.¡±


    As a third-year university student, Tang Cuo was called ¡°childish¡± by Tang Xu, which he interpreted as being childish. He lowered his head and tugged on the hem of his coat, whispering, ¡°My mom likes to buy me these kinds of clothes¡­¡±


    Everyone wants approval from their loved ones, and Tang Cuo was no exception. Moreover, he was sensitive to anything that might create distance between him and Tang Xu, though not to an extreme degree.


    Tang Xu glanced at him distractedly and said, ¡°But you look good in them.¡±


    When they arrived at the mall, Tang Xu only cared about the thickness of the clothes, not the style. They visited several stores before finally finding some down jackets that they both agreed had the appropriate thickness, with the help of a salesperson¡¯s recommendation.


    The salesgirl recommended a simple and elegant style for the customer and explained that it was the longest style and very warm. She then pointed to another style and said that it was their best-selling item in the store, and even though their clothes were usually more mature, this particular style was a collaboration with another brand and had added many fresh elements, specially designed for students. She suggested that the younger brother (referring to Tang Cuo) should try it on and see how it feels.


    Tang Xu looked at the recommended style and was satisfied with it. She turned to Tang Cuo and said, ¡°I think it looks good; why don¡¯t you try it on?¡±


    Tang Cuo¡¯s lips moved slightly, but after taking another glance at the two pieces of clothing, he silently nodded and took his own.


    Tang Xu has always been very casual when it comes to buying clothes for himself. He only sticks to a few colors and prefers simple and clean styles. In other words, he relies on his appearance and doesn¡¯t bother much about dressing up. After putting on the down jacket, the salesgirl complimented him on how good he looked in it. Tang Xu turned around and thought it matched his taste as well.


    ¡°How about it?¡± Tang Xu asked Tang Cuo beside him.


    After putting on their respective clothes, Tang Cuo and Tang Xu stood side by side in front of the mirror. Tang Cuo looked at Tang Xu¡¯s slender figure in the mirror and felt that the designer¡¯s intention was not in vain.


    ¡°It looks good,¡± he said.


    Tang Xu gave himself a nod of approval, then asked Tang Cuo how his own clothes looked. Unlike Tang Xu¡¯s casual approach, Tang Cuo hesitated for a long time, dragging his feet. Finally, he grabbed the clothes and turned around several times before telling the salesgirl, ¡°I want to try that one.¡±


    Before Tang Xu could answer, the salesgirl smiled and said, ¡°That style probably doesn¡¯t come in your size. Because of the design, the sizes for that one are all a bit bigger; they are not really suitable for you.¡±


    This statement was straightforward, meaning that he was too short to wear it.


    Tang Cuo suddenly became a bit embarrassed, not only because of his height but also because he had finally mustered up the courage to voice his hope, only to be disappointed.


    Tang Xu said to him, who was beside him, ¡°Why don¡¯t you take off this first?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t really like it, try something else.¡±


    It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like it, Tang Cuo thought.


    Just as he was about to say something, he saw Tang Xu looking at him with a smile. The smile seemed to have a deeper meaning, and the way he looked over with a raised eye made Tang Cuo feel like his little thoughts had been seen clearly, just like the spotless glass window next to him.


    He lowered his head and silently took off his clothes. He heard Tang Xu saying to the salesgirl, ¡°Could you please bring the one on the other side for him to try on? The one with the red pocket.¡±


    Tang Cuo didn¡¯t pay attention to which one Tang Xu picked for him. The more he thought about it, the more annoyed he felt about what happened earlier. He thought to himself that he shouldn¡¯t have said anything. As he was burning with embarrassment and fixing the clothes in front of his body, he suddenly felt a heavy down jacket covering him.


    He was still standing in front of the mirror, so when he looked up, he saw himself wrapped up in the mirror and Tang Xu behind him, supporting his shoulder.


    The down jacket he was wearing was the one Tang Xu had just tried on.


    ¡°You know, if you wear your own jacket, we can be wearing a couple outfits too.¡±


    Tang Xu¡¯s hand was always on his shoulder. When he said this, his eyes and eyebrows were filled with a smile. It wasn¡¯t teasing, but the kind of smile that could turn into honey.


    Tang Cuo¡¯s face turned red, and he heard the salesgirl calling him, ¡± Little brother, please try on this one¡­¡±


    Sometimes, when you like someone who is too smart and attentive, it¡¯s not good because they can¡¯t hide anything from you. Wrapped in the coat, Tang Cuo couldn¡¯t say anything else, so he changed the subject and said, ¡°I can wear this¡­¡±


    If it can be worn, then it can be worn. Tang Xu wore it and could still reveal a bit of his calf, while when Tang Cuo wore it, it almost reached his ankles.


    Tang Xu¡¯s low laughter came from his ear, ¡°It can be worn, and it looks especially good. But it seems that matching couple outfits from the same series in different styles are more popular now. Shall we follow the trend?¡±


    Tang Xu¡¯s voice was very small when he said the latter sentence, even the salesgirl didn¡¯t hear it.


    rue : We¡¯ve reached 30th Chapter!! Yay~ I was excited that¡¯s why  i posted 4 chapters in one go~ tomorrow there will be more updates! Hope y¡¯all enjoy reading and Please support the author!

 CH 31

    The day before departure, Tang Cuo received the final results for his last exam of the semester. He was packing his suitcase when he noticed his phone constantly flashing, so he picked it up to check. He saw many classmates in his class complaining about the teacher¡¯s grading being too harsh.


    ¡°How¡¯s the packing going?¡±


    Tang Xu had appeared by his side at some point, holding a plate of freshly washed red grapes that were still glistening with water. He plucked one and, without hesitation, stuffed it into Tang Cuo¡¯s mouth. The juicy and sweet taste of the red grape filled his mouth, and Tang Cuo felt the sweetness down to the roots of his teeth. He raised his phone and showed Tang Xu the chat records of the class group, mumbling with a mouthful, ¡°They are praising you.¡±


    Tang Xu glanced and smiled. ¡°There were a few who did really poorly. I almost tore their papers apart just to help them pass. I was even trying to find ways to give them an extra two points.¡±


    Tang Cuo was then fed another grape, and he bit into it with a smile in his eyes. ¡°They¡¯re just like teachers who don¡¯t fail students.¡±


    ¡°Imagine a student studying control who fails in automatic-control. Facing such a big setback right at the beginning, I¡¯m afraid they won¡¯t have the courage to continue in the future.¡± Tang Xu sighed as he spoke, shaking his head with a sense of lament, and looked at Tang Cuo, who was happily eating grapes. ¡°I hope one day all my students can be like you.¡±


    Tang Cuo¡¯s heart skipped a beat at the unabashed praise, and he pretended to be calm as he continued to pack.


    ¡°I¡¯ve packed everything we need; you just need to pick a few clothes you want to wear and bring them with you.¡±


    Tang Cuo nodded and bent down to tidy up the clothes in the suitcase. Tang Xu seemed to be in a good mood, standing by and looking at the screen of Tang Cuo¡¯s phone, seeing how their group of students were creatively evaluating their teachers, occasionally feeding Tang Cuo a grape. After watching their lively discussion for a while, Tang Xu picked up some useful information from their small complaints. He patted Tang Cuo¡¯s head and asked, ¡°Have all the grades come out?¡±


    Tang Cuo was squatting on the ground, looking up at him, and replied, ¡°The results are out.¡±


    ¡°How did you do on the exam?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not bad, but I haven¡¯t checked the results of the last subject yet.¡±


    Tang Xu knew that Tang Cuo was being modest as usual. He smiled slightly, pulled him up, and handed him a grape, much to Tang Cuo¡¯s curious gaze. ¡°Here¡¯s a reward for you.¡±


    Tang Cuo had a piece of clothing in his hand, and though it caught him off guard, he instinctively bit into the grape. However, he didn¡¯t expect it to be unusually sour. He hastily chewed and swallowed it, his face crumpling up in a grimace.


    Tang Cuo nodded with pursed lips, ¡°This one is really sour.¡±


    Hearing his words, Tang Xu shook his head gently and pretended to be in deep thought, saying, ¡°It seems like this reward wasn¡¯t very successful.¡±


    He then held Tang Cuo¡¯s chin with one hand and slowly caressed it with his thumb, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s try another one.¡±


    Their lips met, and Tang Cuo¡¯s body swayed slightly before he regained his balance.


    After a brief pause, Tang Xu lifted his head slightly and gazed into Tang Cuo¡¯s eyes, saying, ¡°Sihang, close your eyes.¡±


    The kiss was so lingering and intense that Tang Cuo felt short of breath, and his legs turned weak. When the kiss finally ended, he came back to his senses and realized that the clothes he had been holding in his hand had fallen to the ground, and he was now clutching Tang Xu¡¯s shirt. He released his grip on Tang Xu¡¯s waist with a slight panic, but the two wrinkles he had caused with his grip remained, making his face even hotter.


    ¡°The grape was really sour.¡± Tang Xu pulled him into his embrace, his voice no longer as crisp as before but tinged with hoarseness. ¡°We¡¯re going out to play tomorrow; are you looking forward to it?¡±


    Tang Cuo¡¯s heart was still pounding wildly, and he simply nodded in response to Tang Xu¡¯s question, unable to speak. In his hazy consciousness, he heard Tang Xu say, ¡°I¡¯m also very happy.¡±


    Tang Cuo was genuinely happy, and this happiness turned into extreme excitement on the day of departure.


    ¡°Is it okay for us to dress so casually?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we can change at the airport over there; they have changing rooms.¡±


    ¡°They have changing rooms; how thoughtful¡­¡±


    In the midst of countless questions and answers, Tang Xu felt like he saw the talkative little Tang Cuo from before again.


    Just before boarding the plane, Tang Cuo called his parents to let them know they were about to depart. His parents reminded him to stay safe, and Tang Cuo responded obediently, so much so that Tang Xu couldn¡¯t help but pat his face. However, this small action caused Tang Cuo to react by taking a big step back, his phone still held to his ear, while he spoke and looked around cautiously.


    After hanging up the phone, Tang Cuo cautiously approached again, his voice lowering as he said, ¡°There are so many people here¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you scared?¡± Tang Xu raised an eyebrow.


    Someone looked over, and Tang Cuo pretended to pat nonexistent dust off his sleeve but didn¡¯t say anything.


    Tang Xu placed his hand on Tang Cuo¡¯s shoulder and pulled him closer to himself, asking in his ear with some force, ¡°I also want to know, how did you tell your parents?¡±


    Tang Cuo blinked at him, ¡°Tell them what?¡±


    ¡°You said you were going out to play with whom?¡± Tang Xu tilted his head and continued to inquire.


    Tang Cuo touched his nose and cleared his throat softly. ¡°Classmates¡­¡± Seeing Tang Xu¡¯s subtle expression, he pursed his lips and added, ¡°I couldn¡¯t say it was a teacher, right¡­¡±


    Although the words seemed simple, Tang Xu could read a lot of information from them, and he kept thinking about them until they boarded the plane.


    Although Tang Cuo had thought about the cold weather in Harbin, the temperature outside the airport still made him shiver, and he was grateful that he wore a mask. When Tang Xu gave it to him earlier, he didn¡¯t take it seriously, but now, just two minutes after coming out, he felt like his face was freezing without any coverage.


    Tang Xu pulled his mask up slightly. ¡°Feeling cold?¡±


    Tang Cuo nodded. ¡°The level of cold here is much colder than Beijing.¡± Then he tilted his body to the right, looking beyond Tang Xu at a snow-covered open space ahead and saying, ¡°Wow, the snow here is so thick, and it¡¯s not melting at all.¡±


    Although it also snows in Beijing, the snow doesn¡¯t stay for long. Sometimes, the snow that falls during the day starts melting by noon, and by then, the ground becomes a mixture of water, ice, unmelted snow, and dirty mud, completely losing the picturesque scenery.


    ¡°With low temperatures, of course, the snow can stay for a long time,¡± Tang Cuo added.


    While waiting for the car, Tang Cuo kept looking around, feeling so delighted that he unconsciously tapped his feet. His first impression was that he really liked this place because it was very cold, allowing him to wear thick clothes; there was snow that could last for days; and, of course, because Tang Xu was standing beside him.


    It would take about forty minutes by car from the airport to the city centre. They hailed a taxi, and the driver, upon learning that they were tourists, was very enthusiastic and spoke in a pure northeastern accent as he chatted with them. The taxi driver was probably the most knowledgeable person about local life, and the conversation covered a wide range of topics, including how to get to the Ice and Snow World, how thick the frozen Songhua River could be in winter, where to find the best northeastern cuisine, how traffic in Harbin could be congested but better than in Beijing, and so on. The conversation was incredibly rich and diverse.


    Tang Cuo wasn¡¯t good at talking to strangers, so most of the time it was Tang Xu who responded to the driver while Tang Cuo listened in silence. Perhaps noticing that Tang Cuo was not very talkative, the driver jokingly said, ¡°This young man hasn¡¯t spoken yet. Come on, say a few words?¡±


    Caught off guard by the sudden attention, Tang Cuo took a moment to react. He raised a questioning eyebrow and then looked at Tang Xu with a puzzled expression.


    The driver laughed loudly, ¡°You¡¯re so¡­shy, still in school, right?¡±


    The driver seemed to have assumed that the two passengers in the car were cultured individuals, and he deliberately searched for a refined word.


    ¡°Yeah, still in school,¡± Tang Cuo quickly replied.


    Tang Xu remained silent and secretly held his hand, playing with it by squeezing it gently, as if passing on the responsibility of answering the questions to him.


    ¡°Where do you go to school?¡± the driver asked.


    ¡°In Beijing,¡± Tang Cuo replied, but then he felt like his answer might be equivalent to a clich¨¦ in the driver¡¯s mind, so he added the abbreviated name of his school.


    The driver quickly found the next topic: ¡°Hey, that¡¯s a good school with talented students. Your school is also a university of technology, right? In Harbin, the best one is Harbin Institute of Technology, pronounced with the ¡®ha¡¯ sound repeated three times.¡±


    When people from Harbin talk about ¡°Harbin Institute of Technology¡± or ¡°Harbin Railway Station,¡± they often repeat the ¡°ha¡± sound three times, which adds a strong and interesting Northeastern accent to these words.


    Tang Cuo savoured the moment for a while, curved his mouth, and gestured towards Tang Xu with a smile, ¡°Harbin Institute of Technology.¡±


    Tang Xu¡¯s hotel was not far from Central Street. By the time they arrived at the hotel, it was already getting dark. After completing the check-in procedures at the lobby, Tang Xu walked and talked with him, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go to Central Street later and have a meal.¡±


    Tang Cuo had no objections and responded with a vague agreement. His overall feeling now was that he didn¡¯t need to use his brain at all for this trip. Tang Xu always managed to arrange everything satisfactorily, keeping him content. However, extreme laziness often leads to negative consequences. The consequence of letting go of everything was that after entering the room, he realized that Tang Xu had booked a room with a king-size bed, and it was even a luxury one.


    After Tang Xu had finished placing her luggage, she turned around and noticed that Tang Cuo was still standing near the entrance, staring at the large bed.


    Unlike the freezing weather outside, the heating in the hotel was so warm that it could make someone break into a sweat in an instant. Tang Xu pulled Tang Cuo inside and reached out to help him take off his down jacket. ¡°Aren¡¯t you feeling hot?¡± Tang Xu asked.


    Tang Cuo explained, ¡°But we still have to go out, right?¡±


    Tang Xu¡¯s hands didn¡¯t stop as he efficiently took off Tang Cuo¡¯s scarf and coat, placing them on the bed. Then he opened his arms and embraced Tang Cuo, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s hug first.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­Oh,¡± Tang Cuo kept his eyes open and leaned against Tang Xu¡¯s chest, kissing the scent on Tang Xu¡¯s body. He realized that he had become increasingly accustomed to this kind of embrace.


    Despite the cold weather in Harbin at night, Central Street was still bustling with many people on the streets. Tang Xu reached out to hold Tang Cuo¡¯s hand, but Tang Cuo subtly dodged it with a not-so-obvious sidestep.


    With half of his face covered by a mask, Tang Cuo only revealed a pair of dark, shining eyes, which were now looking at him with a complex gaze.


    Tang Xu smiled, pulling the corners of his mouth, and then slowly took off one of his gloves while seemingly casually saying, ¡°Do you know why I like travelling?¡±


    Tang Cuo shook his head, his eyes fixed on him without blinking.


    Tang Xu met his gaze, and with a hint of determination, he grabbed one of Tang Cuo¡¯s hands, also removing his glove.


    ¡°Because travelling takes you to a foreign place where you have no identity, no name.¡± He smiled at the corner of his eyes, and in the colorful lights of the bustling street, he shook hands with Tang Cuo and put his hand in his pocket. ¡°So you can do whatever you want.¡±


    Tang Cuo tried to pull away instinctively as Tang Xu led him forward, but then realised he was being overly cautious, not for himself but for Tang Xu.


    Tang Xu tightened his grip on his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze, then leaned closer to Tang Cuo and whispered softly, ¡°Relax, it¡¯s okay.¡± He then nodded towards the front and said, ¡°Look ahead.¡±


    Following Tang Xu¡¯s indication, Tang Cuo looked ahead and was instantly surprised. There was a pair of boys walking in front of them, with one of their hands tucked into the other¡¯s arm. To others, it might have seemed like a romantic gesture, but it was also provocative and controversial.


    The warmth from Tang Xu¡¯s hand was particularly distracting amidst the bone-chilling cold around them. Because of this temperature that seemed out of place in the cold, as well as the figure ahead that seemed out of place amidst the surrounding crowds, Tang Cuo finally experienced the feeling of being in love in the flowing crowds for the first time.


    In this world, unconventional relationships are still not fully accepted. When reality becomes too narrow, travelling becomes a way to fulfil their desires. At the very least, they can find a place where they can hold hands and embrace each other on the street without worrying.


    With this thought in mind, Tang Cuo¡¯s gaze suddenly relaxed, and he leaned towards Tang Xu, silently responding to his hand-holding with a gentle touch.


    Author¡¯s note:


    Regarding the questions of angst and sweetness,


    Angst: There won¡¯t be anything more angsty than what happened earlier.


    Sweetness: They just got rid of the first half of their repressed feelings, so it should be sweet between them now. (In my opinion¡­)


    This story won¡¯t have big ups and downs, and there won¡¯t be any dramatic scenes where they have to protect each other from being discovered. It¡¯s basically the story of two people who want to get close but are hesitant to get too close, and their love and growth are intertwined. It may be somewhat plain and uneventful. Since someone has pointed it out, consider this a warning.

 CH 32

    Perhaps it was because of the unfamiliar thoughts conveyed to him by Tang Xu¡¯s few words that Tang Cuo had been truly enjoying himself without any inhibitions these past few days. Despite the freezing weather, they had expressed a desire to eat popsicles from Mader¡¯s, so the two of them put on gloves, pulled down their masks, and walked while each holding a popsicle and taking bites. They walked along Central Street to the end, passing by the Anti-Flood Memorial Monument, until they reached the bank of the Songhua River, where Tang Cuo was pleasantly surprised to find that the frozen surface of the Songhua River had turned into a huge playground. Tang Cuo tried out all sorts of entertainment facilities, including ice slides, sleds, and motorbikes with air cushions.


    It was only on the third evening after they arrived in Harbin that they finally went to the Ice and Snow World because Tang Cuo said that the most exciting part should be saved for later. There were many people at the entrance of the Ice and Snow World, and Tang Cuo stretched his neck to look at the ticket purchasing rules displayed at the window. After reading them one by one, he took out something from his backpack and handed it to Tang Xu.


    Tang Xu lowered his gaze, and his expression became somewhat difficult to describe. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a student ID for a discount,¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Tang Xu reached out and pushed it back to him. ¡°No need.¡±


    Tang Cuo didn¡¯t quite understand and asked curiously, ¡°Why not?¡± He looked at the sign again to confirm, ¡°It does offer a discount.¡±


    There were two tourists trying to squeeze past Tang Cuo from behind, and Tang Xu noticed and used his arm to shield him, preventing him from being jostled by the crowd. Seeing that Tang Cuo was still stubbornly considering buying a ticket, Tang Xu directly took his student ID and stuffed it into his backpack.


    ¡°Hey¡­¡±


    Tang Xu leaned against his shoulder, preventing him from moving, and then lowered his body, whispering in his ear, ¡°Let¡¯s come and play; you buy a student ticket, and I buy an adult ticket. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bit strange?¡±


    Tang Cuo furrowed his brow and thought for a moment. ¡°What¡¯s so strange about it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here with my boyfriend, but if you buy a student ticket, I feel like I¡¯m kidnapping a student for a trip,¡± Tang Xu said with a hint of humour.


    Capturing the word ¡°boyfriend,¡± Tang Cuo¡¯s gaze froze for two seconds. He turned his head away embarrassedly, pretending to feel around the people in front of him in the queue. ¡°Then let¡¯s buy adult tickets¡­¡±


    In fact, there weren¡¯t many things to do in Harbin. They had already explored everything in the four days they had spent there. Standing in the bathroom, Tang Cuo realized after taking off his clothes that this was their last night. Tomorrow, they will be heading back to Beijing.


    The water from the faucet trickled down with low pressure, forming a string of droplets that fell onto the ground and shattered into countless individual drops again. Tang Cuo stared at the ripples spreading on the ground, lost in thought as he finally grasped the meaning of parting, just like the first time he experienced it during his previous travels.


    Adding the word ¡°last¡± as a prefix to any noun would inevitably bring a sense of loss and sadness¡ªthe last movie, the last embrace, the last feast, the last night. Tang Cuo was reluctant to leave this place. These days, he had been living in such comfort and leisure that he unintentionally let go of many burdens that had weighed on his heart for too long. This feeling of lightness was something he had been missing for a long time, so he was unwilling to let it slip away from his grasp.


    After feeling a bit down, Tang Cuo finished his shower only to awkwardly realize that he had forgotten to bring his underwear. He stared at his boxers for a long moment, hesitating, before finally slumping his shoulders and reluctantly picking them up. He had planned to go commando for now and secretly put on his underwear when Tang Xu was taking a shower later.


    But just as he was about to get dressed, the bathroom door was pushed open, and Tang Xu stood at the doorway, holding a pair of underwear in his hand.


    ¡°I was looking for my clothes and noticed that you seem to have forgotten your underwear,¡± Tang Xu said casually.


    Tang Cuo was completely naked, and he was naturally alarmed by Tang Xu¡¯s sudden intrusion. On the other hand, Tang Xu seemed surprisingly calm as he walked in slowly, placing the underwear on the vanity, and then closing the door.


    He closed the door?


    Tang Cuo stood there, looking at him in bewilderment. Shouldn¡¯t he have left?


    The bathroom was still filled with mist from the hot shower, clinging to the soft yellow light and creating a hazy and ambiguous atmosphere.


    Tang Cuo twisted his body, trying to avoid Tang Xu¡¯s gaze, but being completely naked, no matter how he twisted, he could only change the angle to showcase his naked body. He felt extremely embarrassed, holding his sleepwear to cover himself as much as possible, and hesitantly asked the person in front of him, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going out¡­?¡±


    Tang Xu smiled and approached him.


    ¡°Have you been having fun these days?¡±


    This question was clearly untimely in the current situation, and all untimely questions usually have two sources: either it¡¯s because it¡¯s been bottled up for a long time and has to be asked, or it¡¯s impromptu and has a hidden agenda.


    Tang Xu was clearly the latter.


    Tang Cuo had just hastily responded with a sentence and was fumbling to put on his clothes when a hand suddenly pulled the clothes from his hand. Immediately after, Tang Xu came up from behind and wrapped his arms around him with fluid motions. His lips pressed against Tang Cuo¡¯s shoulder. The thin petals of their lips pressed against the delicate flower of his skin, causing Tang Cuo to shudder.


    Tang Xu kissed his unique tattoos with rising and falling motions until Tang Cuo¡¯s heart was in complete chaos. Finally, trembling, Tang Cuo murmured, ¡°Tang Xu¡­¡±


    He could feel something hard pressing against his back, even through the layers of fabric, and the scorching heat of it made him restless. What made him feel even more embarrassed was that, despite feeling ashamed, he still craved it. He dared not affirm what he desired, because in his eyes, such a desire would be blasphemy against Tang Xu, as if he were imposing his own unworthiness on Tang Xu.


    Tang Xu reached out and touched the thing that had just trembled and risen in front of Tang Cuo. As soon as he made contact, Tang Cuo seemed to be triggered like a switch, and his rationality overcame the restless desire. He sobbed and tried to break free from Tang Xu¡¯s embrace.


    ¡°Sihang,¡± Tang Xu tightened his arm around him and pecked his face while soothing him softly, ¡°Let¡¯s give it a try; I¡¯ll help you; it will feel good.¡±


    With his eyes closed, Tang Cuo avoided looking at his own reflection in the mirror. The increasing pressure from Tang Xu behind him became more and more distinct, making every inch of his skin burn intensely. Seeing his flustered state, Tang Xu raised one hand to cover his eyes while his other hand¡¯s movements did not stop.


    ¡°We won¡¯t look then; just feel it properly,¡± Tang Xu said softly.


    Tang Cuo let out two faint hums from his throat, still suppressing his desires but with a hint of affection in his demeanour.


    As the stimulation from below grew more intense, Tang Cuo¡¯s body gradually softened, and he leaned against Tang Xu, tilting his head back to rest on Tang Xu¡¯s shoulder. His neck formed a resilient arc, and though his eyes were tightly closed, it seemed as if he could see the myriad colors of the world. He had never tried any form of release other than masturbation, and being held by Tang Xu at this moment felt like falling into a sea of desires, floating and sinking, completely unaware of his surroundings. As he approached the climax, Tang Cuo became even more helpless. He reached out and grabbed Tang Xu¡¯s arm, gripping it tightly as if holding on to a life-saving log. His voice, trembling with emotion and filled with grievances, called out, ¡°Tang Xu¡­¡±


    His voice quivered, tinged with tears. Many times, it seemed like these were the only two words he could utter.


    Tang Xu couldn¡¯t resist kissing Tang Cuo¡¯s ear, which caused Tang Cuo to tremble even more uncontrollably. Tang Xu released the hand that was covering Tang Cuo¡¯s eyes and wrapped his arms around his waist, pulling his tense body even closer. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    As the release finally came, Tang Cuo felt all the strength leave his body. His legs went weak, and his mind went blank as he leaned against Tang Xu. When he opened his eyes, everything was still blurry. Before he could fully regain his senses, Tang Xu turned him around and kissed him again.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    Tang Xu¡¯s kiss was different from usual, filled with impatient desire.


    ¡°Feels good?¡± he asked between breaths. Tang Cuo looked at the face in front of him, still dazed, and nodded.


    The bright light illuminated Tang Cuo¡¯s lips, making them glisten.


    Tang Xu¡¯s heart raced as he bit down again, kneading Tang Cuo¡¯s waist with his hand, leaving Tang Cuo weak and unable to recover from the aftermath of the climax for a long time.


    Listening to the sound of water running in the bathroom, Tang Cuo stared at the ceiling with annoyance.


    Tang Xu walked over in his sleepwear, lifting the blanket and bringing in a cool breeze. Tang Cuo watched him silently as he turned off the lights. Before Tang Xu could reach out to embrace him, Tang Cuo leaned in on his own.


    ¡°Why¡­ are you taking a cold shower?¡± Tang Cuo asked in a low voice.


    Tang Xu paused, then chuckled softly, ¡°Of course, to cool down.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Tang Cuo¡¯s tone was somewhat urgent: ¡°I mean¡­ don¡¯t you have me¡­?¡±


    Towards the end of his sentence, Tang Cuo¡¯s voice almost turned into a soft whimper. The sounds of the night seemed to be amplified several times, and Tang Cuo could even hear the faint creaking of the mattress due to deformation.


    Tang Xu lifted the hem of his sleepwear, and his hand touched Tang Cuo¡¯s waist. The words he spoke sounded deliberately provocative, as if he already knew the answer: ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I can help you¡­ with my hand,¡± Tang Cuo hesitated for a moment, then stammered, ¡°or I can do¡­ if you want¡­¡±


    Tang Cuo¡¯s face turned bright red in the darkness, and although Tang Xu couldn¡¯t see it clearly, he could still sense it.


    Before Tang Xu could speak, he felt something soft press against his lips, accompanied by a slight trembling that Tang Cuo was trying to suppress. It was the first time Tang Cuo had taken the initiative to kiss him. Tang Xu held onto Tang Cuo¡¯s waist and buttocks, lifting him up slightly so that he wouldn¡¯t strain himself too much.


    Tang Xu¡¯s response was different from his impatience in the bathroom earlier. It was gentle, slow, and lingering. Even so, this kiss still completely disrupted Tang Cuo¡¯s breathing. After they separated, Tang Cuo rubbed against Tang Xu¡¯s shoulder and remained silent. Every time they had any intimate contact, he couldn¡¯t control his desire. In such a short time, he was already feeling aroused.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Tang Xu raised his hand and scratched his chin, teasing him like a little puppy.


    Tang Cuo rubbed against him a few more times, then after a while, he muttered, ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything¡­


    Tang Xu chuckled softly, kissed Tang Cuo¡¯s forehead, and hugged him, saying, ¡°Not now.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Tang Cuo asked.


    Tang Xu found a comfortable position, played with a strand of Tang Cuo¡¯s hair, and said, ¡°Maybe when you stop buying student tickets, I won¡¯t have reservations about our teacher-student relationship.¡±


    When it came to issues related to Tang Xu, Tang Cuo had his own way of thinking. He was used to putting himself in the ¡°wrong¡± position, blaming himself for mistakes, and being paranoid and unreasonable. So after a moment of silence, he asked in a somewhat subdued tone, ¡°Are you finding me too young?¡±


    Tang Xu couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry as he held the other¡¯s face and made him look at himself. ¡°I despise myself for being too old, and my heart is filled with a sense of guilt for feeling tempted by a young boy. And moreover¡­ if it¡¯s you helping me, it won¡¯t be so simple to just end it. So, I want to wait until you¡¯re fully prepared.¡±


    The husky voice sounded even more sensual in the adornment of the night. Desire is the most honest emotion.

 CH 33

    After returning from Harbin for less than two days, Tang Xue¡¯s parents came back. Tang Xu sent him home but did not meet his parents face-to-face.


    ¡°My grandfather is going to the south to visit his old comrades during the Lunar New Year, and we¡¯re all going with him. So we¡¯ll be celebrating the New Year there,¡± Tang Xue said, pinching Tang Cuo¡¯s earlobe with his hand. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to spend the New Year with you.¡±


    The two sat quietly in the car, with only the faint sound of a warm wind blowing. Tang Cuo understood the concept of ¡°there¡¯s a long way to go in the future1The phrase ¡°À´ÈÕ·½³¤¡± (there¡¯s a long way to go in the future) indicates a sense of optimism or hope for the future despite the current separation.,¡± so he didn¡¯t feel too sad about parting at the moment. However, there was still a lingering feeling in his heart, probably because of the reluctance he couldn¡¯t let go of.


    ¡°When are you coming back then?¡± Tang Cuo cleared his throat and asked.


    Tang Xu glanced sideways and said, ¡°My grandfather rarely goes on a trip, so it will probably take more than half a month, after the tenth day of the lunar new year.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Tang Cuo responded, ¡°then I¡¯ll come pick you up.¡±


    As soon as the words came out, he inwardly scolded himself for speaking without thinking. Of course, Tang Xu would come back with his family; there was no need for him to go pick him up.


    But unexpectedly, Tang Xu wrapped one hand around his neck and gave it a gentle rub, quickly agreeing, ¡°Alright, come pick me up then. But how are you going to go?¡± Tang Xu suddenly thought of a question: ¡°Can you drive?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Tang Cuo said, though he looked a bit frustrated as he pursed his lips. ¡°I have a driver¡¯s licence, but my parents won¡¯t let me drive. They¡­ always treat me like a kid.¡±


    Tang Xu chuckled softly. ¡°That¡¯s because they love you and worry about you. When I come back, I¡¯ll accompany you to practise driving.¡±


    Tang Xu got out of the car and took his luggage from the back. Tang Cuo also followed suit and handed him the suitcase, and then Tang Xu took out a bag from the backseat.


    ¡°New Year¡¯s gift.¡±


    Tang Cuo was taken aback for a moment. After Tang Xu wished him ¡°Happy New Year¡± again, he extended both hands and received the bag, saying, ¡°Thank you; I also prepared a gift.¡±


    Tang Cuo sat with his right leg bent, supporting himself on the ground. He took off his backpack and placed it on his thigh, unzipping it to reveal a small box.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know what you needed, so I prepared this.¡±


    The packaging box is black with gold embossed patterns on the diagonal corners, simple yet elegant, and adorned with a golden velvet bow. But what caught Tang Xu¡¯s eye the most were the four golden characters on the box, written in a graceful and clear brushstroke, exuding a dignified and resolute aura.


    ¡°Did you write these characters?¡± Tang Cuo held the box in his hand and examined it closely.


    Tang Cuo nodded.


    ¡°Although your handwriting in your exercise book is also very nice, these four characters are even more beautiful,¡± Tang Xu praised generously, gently rubbing the golden characters with a smile. ¡°I always find you surprising; you are so talented and versatile.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. I just practise casually when I have free time.¡± Tang Cuo looked away and lifted the box with one hand. ¡°Well, then¡­ I¡¯ll go first.¡±


    Tang Xu didn¡¯t say anything, but tilted her head and looked at him with a smiling gaze. Tang Cuo was momentarily stunned and didn¡¯t move. In the distance, there were children laughing and playing, and Tang Xu took a step forward in the gradually transitioning atmosphere from quiet to noisy and embraced Tang Cuo.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that we can¡¯t meet on our first New Year together.¡±


    Tang Cuo¡¯s parents were both engineers with busy jobs, often travelling for work. Even during the Lunar New Year, although they didn¡¯t work, they were still busy meeting old friends and relatives whom they didn¡¯t have time to see on regular days.


    ¡°You see, I told you we should have bought the khaki-colored one. We¡¯re both fair-skinned, and light colors suit us better,¡± Xiang Wan scolded Tang Yishan, who was sitting on the sofa, while she smoothed out the hem of Tang Cuo¡¯s clothes.


    ¡°It¡¯s all because of you. You insisted that dark blue looked better,¡± she continued.


    Tang Yishan changed the TV channel to the news and clicked his tongue, saying, ¡°Hey, what¡¯s wrong with any color our son wears? Seriously, what¡¯s wrong with dark blue? I think it looks good and mature.¡±


    ¡°Why does he need to look mature? Cuo Cuo is still young; he doesn¡¯t need all that,¡± Xiang Wan retorted.


    ¡°You, today you¡­¡± Tang Yishan was about to say something, but then he stopped himself.


    Tang Cuo looked at them curiously and asked, ¡°Dad, what¡¯s going on today?¡±


    Xiang Wan glared at Tang Yishan behind Tang Cuo but then turned around and resumed her smiling face, saying, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Tang Cuo was familiar with his parents¡¯ friends, as they only had a few close families. However, when they entered the private room of the restaurant today, Tang Cuo saw some unfamiliar faces, including a young girl with a cheerful smile. It wasn¡¯t until they sat down and exchanged a few words that Tang Cuo figured out the purpose of this gathering. He found it somewhat ridiculous and amusing. His parents were highly educated intellectuals; did they really need to arrange a blind date for him before he even graduated from university?


    Tang Cuo sneakily took out his phone and sent a crying face emoji to Tang Xu, followed by a message saying that he felt like he was dragged into a blind date.


    ¡°Are the courses in engineering difficult?¡±


    The girl was in the same year as him and was studying law. According to Tang Cuo¡¯s aesthetics, she was very good-looking, petite, and delicate, with a delicate heart. Her name was Xiao Yijing.


    ¡°Not too difficult, just manageable.¡±


    Tang Cuo¡¯s response was straightforward. Normally, he should have thrown back a conversational topic to keep the conversation flowing, but Tang Cuo was never good at that.


    Xiao Yijing smiled lightly, with a playful expression on her face. ¡°I think studying engineering or science is impressive. My math is not good, so I couldn¡¯t have studied science in the first place.¡±


    ¡°Everyone has their own expertise. If I were to look at your books, I would find them difficult too.¡±


    Xiao Yijing listened to his words and looked at Tang Cuo for a moment with bright eyes.


    At the dining table, there was a lively exchange of conversations among the adults, with occasional compliments and praise. Tang Cuo would occasionally stand up to toast, and when the waiters were busy, he would also pour wine for the elders. However, when Xiang Wan went to the restroom and came back, she secretly held him back from getting up.


    Tang Cuo looked over in confusion as Xiang Wan picked up a piece of food with her chopsticks and said, ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten much. Eat more.¡±


    By this point, although Tang Cuo didn¡¯t know why, he had already sensed that something was off, and he understood that Xiang Wan didn¡¯t want him to attend this gathering anymore.


    When it was time to disperse, Xiao Yijing suggested exchanging WeChat contacts. Tang Cuo took out his phone and saw a message from Tang Xu that had just arrived.


    ¡ªWhat a coincidence. I think I am too.


    As a result of those few words, Tang Cuo called everyone by the wrong names during the subsequent farewells, which caused laughter from the others.


    On the way back, Tang Cuo leaned forward and tilted his head, placing his hand on Xiang Wan¡¯s arm as he asked, ¡°Mom, are you unhappy?¡±


    Tang Yishan, who was driving, glanced at the person beside him upon hearing this, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Xiang Wan snorted but didn¡¯t say anything.


    Tang Yishan asked again, ¡°Why are you snorting? Who made you unhappy? I thought that girl today was quite nice.¡±


    Little did Xiang Wan know that upon hearing these words, she immediately turned her head and said, ¡°No, this girl is absolutely not acceptable. The young girl is fine, but her mother is not.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her mother? You don¡¯t even know her; how do you know she¡¯s not acceptable?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to know her. When they went out to the restroom, I went too. And guess what I overheard,¡± Xiang Wan gritted her teeth and tried to suppress her anger. ¡°Her mother told that girl that Tang Cuo is adopted, with an unknown background, and that there might be troubles in the future.¡±


    Xiang Wan took a deep breath and said, ¡°Ha, I really¡­ If it weren¡¯t for my good upbringing, I would have confronted them right then and there, you know?¡±


    Tang Cuo listened, but he didn¡¯t feel much. His parents had adopted him when he was young, so it was inevitable that people would gossip when a sudden child appeared.


    Xiang Wan continued to be indignant, saying, ¡°I think you should avoid the Yu family in the future. They have loose tongues, always saying things without restraint. It was they who insisted on introducing a friend to Cuo Cuo, and I only agreed to bring Cuo Cuo to meet them because they were so enthusiastic. But now they are gossiping behind my back. Can you believe it? I¡¯m not hiding anything; Cuo Cuo is my own son in my heart, and I don¡¯t appreciate others gossiping about my son like this!¡±


    With each statement of defence, Tang Cuo¡¯s heart trembled. He paused for two seconds, then rubbed Xiang Wan¡¯s arm again and said, ¡°It¡¯s alright, Mom, don¡¯t be angry. We won¡¯t dine with them anymore in the future.¡±


    Tang Cuo was grateful and guilty towards Tang Yishan and Xiang Wan. Over the years, he had felt their unconditional love as parents, both materially and emotionally, never holding back in their care for him. It was precisely because of their generosity that he felt guilty. He always felt that he had never truly become a good son, knowing that he had received much more than what he had given in this family and being overwhelmed with guilt yet unable to find a way to change himself. He accepted their love, but his mind was always filled with thoughts of Tang Xu.


    Xiang Wan was not a petty or grudge-holding person. By the time she arrived home, she had already put the events of the evening behind her. After comforting her a few more times, Tang Cuo rushed back to his room, closing the door with an impatient motion. He leaned against the door, quickly sending a message to Tang Xu.


    ¡ªI¡¯m home.


    After about fifteen minutes, his phone rang, but it wasn¡¯t a text message but a phone call.


    ¡°I was just driving; I just got back.¡± Unlike Tang Cuo¡¯s side, Tang Xu¡¯s was not quiet, and he could hear noisy voices even through the phone.


    ¡°These kids are probably planning to overturn the roof.¡±


    Tang Xu¡¯s voice sounded like he had reached his limit of patience. Tang Cuo unconsciously smiled, took a few steps, and lay down on the bed. ¡°Don¡¯t you like kids being noisy?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t like kids. I have very little patience with them,¡± Tang Xu chuckled lightly. ¡°My nephew used to be naughty, but my sister and brother-in-law couldn¡¯t bear to scold him. One time, he annoyed me so much that I grabbed him and gave him two slaps on his buttocks in a place where no one was around. Since then, whenever I tell him to stop, he doesn¡¯t dare to continue.¡±


    Tang Cuo vividly imagined the scene in his mind and chuckled, biting his blanket. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t your sister and brother-in-law come after you for that?¡±


    ¡°That kid is a coward. He didn¡¯t even dare to let my sister know.¡± Tang Xu chuckled again. ¡°Now he¡¯s acting up again with a group of friends. I might have to find an opportunity to remind him again.¡±


    Tang Cuo knew about Tang Xu¡¯s strength, and just the thought of it made him cringe. So he pleaded on behalf of the unfamiliar child, ¡°Let him have fun during the New Year¡­¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by a high-pitched, childish voice. Tang Cuo heard Tang Xu scold, ¡°Go play elsewhere; don¡¯t come bother me or I¡¯ll beat you.¡±


    Tang Cuo couldn¡¯t help but laugh. When the phone on the other end became less chaotic, he turned over and lay on the bed, saying, ¡°But I think you¡¯re quite patient, though.¡±


    He recalled his childhood memories and couldn¡¯t reconcile the image of Tang Xu from back then with the one on the other end of the phone now.


    ¡°You mean when I was teaching in a rural area? I couldn¡¯t get annoyed back then, and those kids weren¡¯t as mischievous.¡± Tang Xu¡¯s speech slowed down, as if reminiscing about something. ¡°As for when I took care of you later¡­ I swear, I¡¯ve never had one-tenth of the patience I had with you for any other child.¡±


    The white ceiling seemed to suddenly display many scenes from his memories. Tang Cuo held his phone tightly and hugged the blanket closer.


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡±


    ¡°Absolutely true,¡±


    That¡¯s how it is when you¡¯re in love. You can feel ecstatic just from your partner¡¯s few words, confirming that you hold a special place in their heart. It¡¯s like drinking two bottles of strong liquor and getting intoxicated, dizzy with happiness, in the embrace of the happiness that surrounds you.


    The two of them listened to each other¡¯s breathing over the phone for a while, then Tang Xu asked again, ¡°So, how did the blind date go?¡±


    Tang Cuo touched his own face and said, ¡°Of course, it didn¡¯t work out.¡±


    After restraining himself for a while, Tang Cuo couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. He anxiously asked after Tang Xu¡¯s laughter subsided, ¡°What about you?¡±


    Tang Xu¡¯s laughter, which had just died down, suddenly reignited. He coughed lightly to suppress his laughter and said, ¡°The person I went on a blind date with asked me if I smoke, and I told them, ¡®My partner doesn¡¯t allow me to smoke.''¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Although he felt some sympathy for the girl¡¯s situation at that time, he couldn¡¯t help but feel quite happy about it.


    After thinking this through, Tang Cuo suddenly realized, ¡°When did I ever forbid you from smoking?¡±


    With a loud crash, it seemed like there was another accident on the other side of the line. Tang Xu sighed helplessly. ¡°They knocked over the potted flowers. I need to go and clean up to prevent them from hurting themselves.¡±


    ¡°Oh, then you should go quickly.¡± Tang Cuo was already eager to end the conversation after the awkwardness of their previous conversation.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll contact you later.¡± Amidst the increasing noise in the background, Tang Xu finally said, ¡°Goodbye, my partner.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye¡­¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Tang Cuo threw his phone on the bed and rolled around with his blanket, kicking his legs and tossing the sheets into wrinkles.

 CH 34

    After returning from Harbin for less than two days, Tang Xue¡¯s parents came back. Tang Xu sent him home but did not meet his parents face-to-face.


    ¡°My grandfather is going to the south to visit his old comrades during the Lunar New Year, and we¡¯re all going with him. So we¡¯ll be celebrating the New Year there,¡± Tang Xue said, pinching Tang Cuo¡¯s earlobe with his hand. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to spend the New Year with you.¡±


    The two sat quietly in the car, with only the faint sound of a warm wind blowing. Tang Cuo understood the concept of ¡°there¡¯s a long way to go in the future1The phrase ¡°À´ÈÕ·½³¤¡± (there¡¯s a long way to go in the future) indicates a sense of optimism or hope for the future despite the current separation.,¡± so he didn¡¯t feel too sad about parting at the moment. However, there was still a lingering feeling in his heart, probably because of the reluctance he couldn¡¯t let go of.


    ¡°When are you coming back then?¡± Tang Cuo cleared his throat and asked.


    Tang Xu glanced sideways and said, ¡°My grandfather rarely goes on a trip, so it will probably take more than half a month, after the tenth day of the lunar new year.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Tang Cuo responded, ¡°then I¡¯ll come pick you up.¡±


    As soon as the words came out, he inwardly scolded himself for speaking without thinking. Of course, Tang Xu would come back with his family; there was no need for him to go pick him up.


    But unexpectedly, Tang Xu wrapped one hand around his neck and gave it a gentle rub, quickly agreeing, ¡°Alright, come pick me up then. But how are you going to go?¡± Tang Xu suddenly thought of a question: ¡°Can you drive?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Tang Cuo said, though he looked a bit frustrated as he pursed his lips. ¡°I have a driver¡¯s licence, but my parents won¡¯t let me drive. They¡­ always treat me like a kid.¡±


    Tang Xu chuckled softly. ¡°That¡¯s because they love you and worry about you. When I come back, I¡¯ll accompany you to practise driving.¡±


    Tang Xu got out of the car and took his luggage from the back. Tang Cuo also followed suit and handed him the suitcase, and then Tang Xu took out a bag from the backseat.


    ¡°New Year¡¯s gift.¡±


    Tang Cuo was taken aback for a moment. After Tang Xu wished him ¡°Happy New Year¡± again, he extended both hands and received the bag, saying, ¡°Thank you; I also prepared a gift.¡±


    Tang Cuo sat with his right leg bent, supporting himself on the ground. He took off his backpack and placed it on his thigh, unzipping it to reveal a small box.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know what you needed, so I prepared this.¡±


    The packaging box is black with gold embossed patterns on the diagonal corners, simple yet elegant, and adorned with a golden velvet bow. But what caught Tang Xu¡¯s eye the most were the four golden characters on the box, written in a graceful and clear brushstroke, exuding a dignified and resolute aura.


    ¡°Did you write these characters?¡± Tang Cuo held the box in his hand and examined it closely.


    Tang Cuo nodded.


    ¡°Although your handwriting in your exercise book is also very nice, these four characters are even more beautiful,¡± Tang Xu praised generously, gently rubbing the golden characters with a smile. ¡°I always find you surprising; you are so talented and versatile.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. I just practise casually when I have free time.¡± Tang Cuo looked away and lifted the box with one hand. ¡°Well, then¡­ I¡¯ll go first.¡±


    Tang Xu didn¡¯t say anything, but tilted her head and looked at him with a smiling gaze. Tang Cuo was momentarily stunned and didn¡¯t move. In the distance, there were children laughing and playing, and Tang Xu took a step forward in the gradually transitioning atmosphere from quiet to noisy and embraced Tang Cuo.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that we can¡¯t meet on our first New Year together.¡±


    Tang Cuo¡¯s parents were both engineers with busy jobs, often travelling for work. Even during the Lunar New Year, although they didn¡¯t work, they were still busy meeting old friends and relatives whom they didn¡¯t have time to see on regular days.


    ¡°You see, I told you we should have bought the khaki-colored one. We¡¯re both fair-skinned, and light colors suit us better,¡± Xiang Wan scolded Tang Yishan, who was sitting on the sofa, while she smoothed out the hem of Tang Cuo¡¯s clothes.


    ¡°It¡¯s all because of you. You insisted that dark blue looked better,¡± she continued.


    Tang Yishan changed the TV channel to the news and clicked his tongue, saying, ¡°Hey, what¡¯s wrong with any color our son wears? Seriously, what¡¯s wrong with dark blue? I think it looks good and mature.¡±


    ¡°Why does he need to look mature? Cuo Cuo is still young; he doesn¡¯t need all that,¡± Xiang Wan retorted.


    ¡°You, today you¡­¡± Tang Yishan was about to say something, but then he stopped himself.


    Tang Cuo looked at them curiously and asked, ¡°Dad, what¡¯s going on today?¡±


    Xiang Wan glared at Tang Yishan behind Tang Cuo but then turned around and resumed her smiling face, saying, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Tang Cuo was familiar with his parents¡¯ friends, as they only had a few close families. However, when they entered the private room of the restaurant today, Tang Cuo saw some unfamiliar faces, including a young girl with a cheerful smile. It wasn¡¯t until they sat down and exchanged a few words that Tang Cuo figured out the purpose of this gathering. He found it somewhat ridiculous and amusing. His parents were highly educated intellectuals; did they really need to arrange a blind date for him before he even graduated from university?


    Tang Cuo sneakily took out his phone and sent a crying face emoji to Tang Xu, followed by a message saying that he felt like he was dragged into a blind date.


    ¡°Are the courses in engineering difficult?¡±


    The girl was in the same year as him and was studying law. According to Tang Cuo¡¯s aesthetics, she was very good-looking, petite, and delicate, with a delicate heart. Her name was Xiao Yijing.


    ¡°Not too difficult, just manageable.¡±


    Tang Cuo¡¯s response was straightforward. Normally, he should have thrown back a conversational topic to keep the conversation flowing, but Tang Cuo was never good at that.


    Xiao Yijing smiled lightly, with a playful expression on her face. ¡°I think studying engineering or science is impressive. My math is not good, so I couldn¡¯t have studied science in the first place.¡±


    ¡°Everyone has their own expertise. If I were to look at your books, I would find them difficult too.¡±


    Xiao Yijing listened to his words and looked at Tang Cuo for a moment with bright eyes.


    At the dining table, there was a lively exchange of conversations among the adults, with occasional compliments and praise. Tang Cuo would occasionally stand up to toast, and when the waiters were busy, he would also pour wine for the elders. However, when Xiang Wan went to the restroom and came back, she secretly held him back from getting up.


    Tang Cuo looked over in confusion as Xiang Wan picked up a piece of food with her chopsticks and said, ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten much. Eat more.¡±


    By this point, although Tang Cuo didn¡¯t know why, he had already sensed that something was off, and he understood that Xiang Wan didn¡¯t want him to attend this gathering anymore.


    When it was time to disperse, Xiao Yijing suggested exchanging WeChat contacts. Tang Cuo took out his phone and saw a message from Tang Xu that had just arrived.


    ¡ªWhat a coincidence. I think I am too.


    As a result of those few words, Tang Cuo called everyone by the wrong names during the subsequent farewells, which caused laughter from the others.


    On the way back, Tang Cuo leaned forward and tilted his head, placing his hand on Xiang Wan¡¯s arm as he asked, ¡°Mom, are you unhappy?¡±


    Tang Yishan, who was driving, glanced at the person beside him upon hearing this, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Xiang Wan snorted but didn¡¯t say anything.


    Tang Yishan asked again, ¡°Why are you snorting? Who made you unhappy? I thought that girl today was quite nice.¡±


    Little did Xiang Wan know that upon hearing these words, she immediately turned her head and said, ¡°No, this girl is absolutely not acceptable. The young girl is fine, but her mother is not.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her mother? You don¡¯t even know her; how do you know she¡¯s not acceptable?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to know her. When they went out to the restroom, I went too. And guess what I overheard,¡± Xiang Wan gritted her teeth and tried to suppress her anger. ¡°Her mother told that girl that Tang Cuo is adopted, with an unknown background, and that there might be troubles in the future.¡±


    Xiang Wan took a deep breath and said, ¡°Ha, I really¡­ If it weren¡¯t for my good upbringing, I would have confronted them right then and there, you know?¡±


    Tang Cuo listened, but he didn¡¯t feel much. His parents had adopted him when he was young, so it was inevitable that people would gossip when a sudden child appeared.


    Xiang Wan continued to be indignant, saying, ¡°I think you should avoid the Yu family in the future. They have loose tongues, always saying things without restraint. It was they who insisted on introducing a friend to Cuo Cuo, and I only agreed to bring Cuo Cuo to meet them because they were so enthusiastic. But now they are gossiping behind my back. Can you believe it? I¡¯m not hiding anything; Cuo Cuo is my own son in my heart, and I don¡¯t appreciate others gossiping about my son like this!¡±


    With each statement of defence, Tang Cuo¡¯s heart trembled. He paused for two seconds, then rubbed Xiang Wan¡¯s arm again and said, ¡°It¡¯s alright, Mom, don¡¯t be angry. We won¡¯t dine with them anymore in the future.¡±


    Tang Cuo was grateful and guilty towards Tang Yishan and Xiang Wan. Over the years, he had felt their unconditional love as parents, both materially and emotionally, never holding back in their care for him. It was precisely because of their generosity that he felt guilty. He always felt that he had never truly become a good son, knowing that he had received much more than what he had given in this family and being overwhelmed with guilt yet unable to find a way to change himself. He accepted their love, but his mind was always filled with thoughts of Tang Xu.


    Xiang Wan was not a petty or grudge-holding person. By the time she arrived home, she had already put the events of the evening behind her. After comforting her a few more times, Tang Cuo rushed back to his room, closing the door with an impatient motion. He leaned against the door, quickly sending a message to Tang Xu.


    ¡ªI¡¯m home.


    After about fifteen minutes, his phone rang, but it wasn¡¯t a text message but a phone call.


    ¡°I was just driving; I just got back.¡± Unlike Tang Cuo¡¯s side, Tang Xu¡¯s was not quiet, and he could hear noisy voices even through the phone.


    ¡°These kids are probably planning to overturn the roof.¡±


    Tang Xu¡¯s voice sounded like he had reached his limit of patience. Tang Cuo unconsciously smiled, took a few steps, and lay down on the bed. ¡°Don¡¯t you like kids being noisy?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t like kids. I have very little patience with them,¡± Tang Xu chuckled lightly. ¡°My nephew used to be naughty, but my sister and brother-in-law couldn¡¯t bear to scold him. One time, he annoyed me so much that I grabbed him and gave him two slaps on his buttocks in a place where no one was around. Since then, whenever I tell him to stop, he doesn¡¯t dare to continue.¡±


    Tang Cuo vividly imagined the scene in his mind and chuckled, biting his blanket. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t your sister and brother-in-law come after you for that?¡±


    ¡°That kid is a coward. He didn¡¯t even dare to let my sister know.¡± Tang Xu chuckled again. ¡°Now he¡¯s acting up again with a group of friends. I might have to find an opportunity to remind him again.¡±


    Tang Cuo knew about Tang Xu¡¯s strength, and just the thought of it made him cringe. So he pleaded on behalf of the unfamiliar child, ¡°Let him have fun during the New Year¡­¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by a high-pitched, childish voice. Tang Cuo heard Tang Xu scold, ¡°Go play elsewhere; don¡¯t come bother me or I¡¯ll beat you.¡±


    Tang Cuo couldn¡¯t help but laugh. When the phone on the other end became less chaotic, he turned over and lay on the bed, saying, ¡°But I think you¡¯re quite patient, though.¡±


    He recalled his childhood memories and couldn¡¯t reconcile the image of Tang Xu from back then with the one on the other end of the phone now.


    ¡°You mean when I was teaching in a rural area? I couldn¡¯t get annoyed back then, and those kids weren¡¯t as mischievous.¡± Tang Xu¡¯s speech slowed down, as if reminiscing about something. ¡°As for when I took care of you later¡­ I swear, I¡¯ve never had one-tenth of the patience I had with you for any other child.¡±


    The white ceiling seemed to suddenly display many scenes from his memories. Tang Cuo held his phone tightly and hugged the blanket closer.


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡±


    ¡°Absolutely true,¡±


    That¡¯s how it is when you¡¯re in love. You can feel ecstatic just from your partner¡¯s few words, confirming that you hold a special place in their heart. It¡¯s like drinking two bottles of strong liquor and getting intoxicated, dizzy with happiness, in the embrace of the happiness that surrounds you.


    The two of them listened to each other¡¯s breathing over the phone for a while, then Tang Xu asked again, ¡°So, how did the blind date go?¡±


    Tang Cuo touched his own face and said, ¡°Of course, it didn¡¯t work out.¡±


    After restraining himself for a while, Tang Cuo couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. He anxiously asked after Tang Xu¡¯s laughter subsided, ¡°What about you?¡±


    Tang Xu¡¯s laughter, which had just died down, suddenly reignited. He coughed lightly to suppress his laughter and said, ¡°The person I went on a blind date with asked me if I smoke, and I told them, ¡®My partner doesn¡¯t allow me to smoke.''¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Although he felt some sympathy for the girl¡¯s situation at that time, he couldn¡¯t help but feel quite happy about it.


    After thinking this through, Tang Cuo suddenly realized, ¡°When did I ever forbid you from smoking?¡±


    With a loud crash, it seemed like there was another accident on the other side of the line. Tang Xu sighed helplessly. ¡°They knocked over the potted flowers. I need to go and clean up to prevent them from hurting themselves.¡±


    ¡°Oh, then you should go quickly.¡± Tang Cuo was already eager to end the conversation after the awkwardness of their previous conversation.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll contact you later.¡± Amidst the increasing noise in the background, Tang Xu finally said, ¡°Goodbye, my partner.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye¡­¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Tang Cuo threw his phone on the bed and rolled around with his blanket, kicking his legs and tossing the sheets into wrinkles.

 CH 35

    In the second half of the third year, Tang Xu was no longer Tang Cuo¡¯s teacher. Without the role of class representative, Tang Cuo felt lost. Furthermore, in May, Tang Cuo¡¯s parents finished their project work outside, and he had to change the location for spending weekends from Tang Xu¡¯s house to his own. The opportunities for the two to meet decreased significantly, which was a fatal torment for Tang Cuo.


    ¡°Cuo Cuo, are you really not going abroad? Your grades are so good. Although studying for a master¡¯s degree in China is not a bad idea, to be honest, both your mother and I work in technical fields. Considering the current situation, your father still suggests that you go abroad to study.¡±


    Xiang Wan nudged Tang Yishan¡¯s arm and said, ¡°Cuo Cuo already said he doesn¡¯t want to go; why do you keep meddling!¡±


    Tang Yishan sighed and said, ¡°He¡¯s still young. I¡¯m afraid he might not make good choices. Since he has the ability and opportunities, I just want to give him more options.¡±


    ¡°I think studying for a master¡¯s degree in China is good too. Why go to Tsinghua University? You¡¯ll suffer if you go abroad¡­¡±


    The third year of college was almost over, and at this critical juncture, almost everyone was planning for their future, and the options were generally limited to three: studying abroad, pursuing a master¡¯s degree domestically, or working.


    But for Tang Cuo, there was never a second option.


    Tang Cuo took out two cups and filled them with water. He took out a vitamin C effervescent tablet from the drawer of the coffee table and threw it into one of the cups. The organic acid and carbonate reacted, and a large amount of carbon dioxide gas rushed into the water, making it boil and giving him a sense of satisfaction.


    ¡°Dad, Mom, have some water.¡± He handed the cup with the effervescent tablet to Xiang Wan. ¡°I bought a new flavour of effervescent tablet. Mom, try it and see if you like it.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Xiang Wan immediately softened her expression and took the cup from his hand. As she lowered her head to drink, Tang Cuo noticed a few strands of silver hair at the temples of Xiang Wan. These few strands of silver hair clashed with his memory of the always calm and smiling Xiang Wan, making it seem sudden and out of place. He couldn¡¯t help but lift his hand and touch the marks of time.


    Xiang Wan had just taken a sip of water, and Tang Cuo¡¯s movement made her momentarily stunned before she jokingly said, ¡°I¡¯m only in my forties and already like this.¡±


    Tang Cuo came back to his senses and smiled as he hugged Xiang Wan, ¡°It looks good on you too.¡±


    Xiang Wan was amused by his words and raised her hand to pat his back, saying, ¡°My son knows how to speak. Oh, and this flavour of fizzy tablets is very tasty.¡±


    When Tang Cuo returned to school after this weekend, he learned that Sunday was the last GRE exam in May. Many students in the school planned to go abroad, and several of his classmates, including He Zhong, took the exam.


    ¡°Hey, I have to meet the standard in this test¡­¡±


    He Zhong¡¯s university grades were actually pretty good, but English has always been his weakness. The TV in the cafeteria was broadcasting the German Cup final, and groups of enthusiastic young people were waving their arms and cheering. Several male students were sitting next to their girlfriends, chatting and laughing. This was a unique scene in the university cafeteria.


    Tang Cuo withdrew his gaze from the TV and looked at He Zhong for a while before asking, ¡°Are you going to the United States?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been preparing for it all along.¡± He Zhong drank his cola bottoms up. ¡°How about you? Are you still in China?¡±


    Tang Cuo nodded.


    ¡°Are you going to Tsinghua University?¡±


    To his surprise, Tang Cuo hesitated for a moment before shaking his head lightly.


    In an instant, several top-ranked universities flashed through He Zhong¡¯s mind, but before he could ask, he heard Tang Cuo say, ¡°I want to stay at our school.¡±


    A goal was scored, followed by an uncontrollable burst of cheers. He Zhong almost thought his ears were ringing from the noise in the cafeteria.


    ¡°What?¡­ What did you say?¡±


    Tang Cuo shifted his gaze from his plate to He Zhong¡¯s face and pulled the corners of his mouth. ¡°I think our school is good enough.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say our school is not good, but Cuo Cuo,¡± He Zhong said excitedly. ¡°Although this semester is not over yet, do you know how much your three-year GPA can rank you second? Now everyone is trying to climb higher and higher. Look at my terrible English; I am still struggling to pass the English test. How come you don¡¯t have any ambition or aspirations?¡±


    Tang Cuo didn¡¯t seem to be in a hurry and finished the last bite of rice in his bowl. He called out to He Zhong and casually said, ¡°Everyone has their own aspirations.¡±


    With just one sentence, Tang Cuo blocked all of He Zhong¡¯s persuasions.


    Despite being in the final period of his junior year, the atmosphere of parting had already permeated the campus due to the planning for the future. The question that Tang Cuo encountered most often during this time was: ¡°Where are you going for graduate school? He didn¡¯t want his answer to draw too much surprise or amazement, so he simply said he hadn¡¯t decided yet.


    Tang Xu didn¡¯t ask about these things either and continued to act as usual, occasionally taking him out to eat and staying overnight at his place on days without classes.


    ¡°There¡¯s a technology exhibition this weekend; do you want to go?¡±


    Without even thinking about it, Tang Cuo nodded while brushing his teeth in front of the mirror and mumbled unclearly, ¡°I want to go.¡±


    Tang Xu leaned against the door and watched him. After he finished brushing, he approached him and reached out to pull his face towards him for a kiss.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go home this weekend, then.¡±


    Early on Saturday morning, Tang Xu drove Tang Cuo to the Science and Technology Exhibition Centre. Tang Xu and Tang Cuo walked side by side into the exhibition hall, and there were more people inside than Tang Xu expected.


    Tang Cuo exclaimed and turned to look at Tang Xu: ¡°There are so many people; it seems like there will be fewer people in the afternoon.¡±


    Generally speaking, there are more people in the morning for this kind of technology exhibition, but even so, it wouldn¡¯t be as crowded as a car exhibition.


    ¡°A few friends happen to be here in the morning, so I brought you here.¡± Tang Xu said as he avoided people and led Tang Cuo inside. The hall wasn¡¯t too noisy, so Tang Cuo easily caught a voice calling out for Tang Xu. He looked over and saw a blond man with blue eyes wearing an official work badge on his chest.


    Tang Xu waved to him and showed a cheerful smile.


    As they walked to the booth, several people came over and chatted with Tang Xu. The blond man was obviously the most outgoing, grabbing onto Tang Xu¡¯s shoulder and continuously talking to him in broken Chinese instead of English. Watching his actions, Tang Cuo didn¡¯t feel too comfortable in his heart. He secretly leaned towards Tang Xu but accidentally met the gaze of a man wearing gold-rimmed glasses on the opposite side.


    The man looked cultured and refined, wearing a white shirt without a tie. The collar was open, revealing two buttons, giving off an easy-going yet not frivolous vibe. His entire being, coupled with the golden-rimmed glasses, was so attractive that, at first glance, Tang Cuo felt that his entire demeanour was the epitome of a young talent.


    ¡°Tang Xu, who is this?¡± he asked with a barely visible smile.


    Tang Xu removed the big, golden-haired man from his body, turned slightly, and extended an arm to pull Tang Cuo to his side. ¡°He¡¯s my little friend.¡±


    As soon as he spoke, everyone except the golden-framed glasses man and the big golden retriever were stunned, looking as if they had just seen a ghost.


    The golden retriever wasn¡¯t sure if he had heard and understood correctly, while the man with gold-rimmed glasses remained calm and composed, as if nothing could shake him.


    A friend seemed about to ask something, but Tang Xu didn¡¯t give him the chance and started introducing them one by one.


    ¡°This is Shen Xihui, a PhD from MIT and an expert in artificial intelligence.¡±


    For some reason, Shen Xihui raised an eyebrow at this introduction.


    He reached out a hand to Tang Cuo and said, ¡°Hello.¡±


    After greeting everyone, Tang Xu put his arm around Shen Xihui and asked, ¡°Can you tell him about your products?¡±


    Then he turned back to Tang Cuo and said, ¡°He knows much more than me in the field of artificial intelligence, which is very promising and interesting. Would you like to listen?¡±


    Tang Cuo nodded and bowed to Shen Xihui, saying, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    People nearby laughed, and a man shook his head and said, ¡°The kid knows his manners.¡±


    Their booth was of medium size, with not many products but all top-notch. Shen Xihui was indeed worthy of the title of ¡°young genius¡±, as he could extract the main points of very advanced technologies and provide precise explanations of key technologies. After his explanation, Tang Cuo was able to understand most of it. Moreover, Shen Xihui also introduced him to technological levels both domestically and abroad. Despite his flat tone, Tang Cuo felt his blood boiling after listening to the explanation.


    Before leaving, while Tang Cuo went to the restroom, Shen Xihui couldn¡¯t help but ask Tang Xu with a smile, ¡°Am I mistaken? Did you invite me to give a lecture to a little kid?¡±


    As Tang Xu watched the figure walking towards the restroom, he chuckled, ¡°Clearly a young eagle, yet afraid to spread its wings and soar. Letting him meet you is like showing him how high the mountains are beyond the mountains.¡±


    Shen Xihui smiled and leaned against the counter, but said nothing.


    When Tang Cuo returned, Tang Xu and Shen Xihui were still chatting. Tang Xu handed Tang Cuo a freshly poured glass of water and casually asked Shen Xihui, ¡°By the way, I heard you¡¯re planning to switch jobs?¡±


    Shen Xihui lifted a finger and rhythmically tapped the glass showcase.


    ¡°It¡¯s not exactly switching jobs, just moving to a different place for research.¡±


    Tang Xu asked, ¡°Are you finally going to start working for the country?¡±


    Shen Xihui lifted his head with his chin slightly raised, but there was no hint of arrogance, only a lazy and laid-back aura.


    ¡°There¡¯s so much lacking in this field domestically, and since it¡¯s within my ability, of course, I have to do something.¡±


    Tang Xu and he looked at each other in silence for a moment before Tang Xu stood up straight, lifted his arm, and patted his shoulder without saying anything.


    Although Tang Xu didn¡¯t say anything, Tang Cuo could read endless admiration in his eyes.


    Shen Xihui smiled and tilted his head. ¡°Alright, you¡¯re making me feel like I¡¯m so noble.¡±


    Tang Xu also smiled and asked him, ¡°Will I still be able to see you in the future?¡±


    Shen Xihui nodded. ¡°It involves confidential information; the duration and level are just a matter of course.¡±


    ¡°Then you must be at the highest level.¡±


    Tang Xu joked with him for a while, then left with Tang Cuo to visit other booths. After walking a few steps, Tang Xu asked Tang Cuo, ¡°What do you think of what he said?¡±


    ¡°Although I don¡¯t quite understand it, it¡¯s very interesting, and I feel that he¡¯s really capable.¡±


    Tang Xu smiled and glanced at him. ¡°Of course he¡¯s capable; with his current level, he can definitely create a miraculous company.¡±


    For such a long time, Tang Cuo had never heard Tang Xu praise someone so directly and intensely. He already had a good impression of Shen Xihui, but now, because of Tang Xu¡¯s admiration, Shen Xihui had reached an unattainable height in his heart.


    ¡°In fact, his previous research direction and content were more suitable for civilian use. What I admire most about him is that even though he had a choice that would benefit himself more, he chose another path that might require him to go into hiding, all because his motherland needs him. Both in terms of professional level and character, he can be described as ¡®outstanding¡¯.¡±


    As he spoke, Tang Xu kept looking at him. Somehow, he remembered what Shen Xihui had said earlier: ¡°Since it¡¯s within my capabilities, of course I have to do something.¡±


    When you face an outstanding person, it is easy to feel inferior. Suddenly, Tang Cuo¡¯s sense of shame was extinguished for his lack of ambition and his small-mindedness.

 CH 36

    On the way back, Tang Xu parked the car at the entrance of a supermarket, turned off the engine, and explained, ¡°Let¡¯s eat at home today instead of going out.¡±


    As summer approached, the air conditioning in the supermarket was very strong. Tang Cuo shivered when he entered, and Tang Xu noticed and said, ¡°Let¡¯s start morning runs tomorrow, and I¡¯ll supervise you.¡±


    Tang Cuo rubbed his nose and argued with his eyelids raised, ¡°I¡¯m pretty healthy. It¡¯s just suddenly so cold. I need time to adapt.¡±


    Tang Xu laughed and patted his head without responding.


    ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± He looked around and asked, ¡°Do you want to eat fish?¡±


    Tang Cuo thought for a moment and nodded. When they arrived at the fish counter, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s buy a fish with fewer thorns.¡±


    Instead of choosing live fish, Tang Xu went to the freezer and picked up a box of white fish.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make a special dish for you. I¡¯ll stir-fry this type of sea fish with cucumber and add some vinegar, cooking wine, and other seasonings. I think it tastes really good.¡±


    Living inland, they usually ate freshwater fish. Tang Cuo remembered one year when someone gave them two sea fish, and Xiang Wan was at a loss for how to cook them. In the end, he recalled Xiang Wan searching for recipes online and steaming the fish. It was too salty and not delicious.


    After hearing Tang Xu¡¯s recipe for stir-fried fish, Tang Cuo found it quite novel and asked, ¡°How did you come up with this method?¡±


    Tang Xu smiled and said, ¡°When I was abroad before, I got tired of all the Western food and started cooking for myself. At first, I didn¡¯t know anything and just bought a piece of fish. When I got back to the dorm, my roommate said it was a salty sea fish. I didn¡¯t know how to cook it, so I just stir-fried it like vegetables. Since it was already salty, I figured I didn¡¯t need to add any salt, and it turned out to be pretty good.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your innate talent,¡± Tang Cuo replied without hesitation.


    If it came to blind personal worship, Tang Cuo would undoubtedly be ranked first. He only realized how much of a fool he was after speaking. He secretly stuck out his tongue and walked forward.


    The cold air from the freezer was still blowing, and Tang Xu stopped to push the cart. Tang Cuo didn¡¯t notice and continued to walk forward in frustration. Tang Xu smiled and looked at his back for two seconds. Then he looked down and saw a pile of colorful things beside the freezer. He raised his eyebrows and reached out to take one.


    As Tang Cuo walked, he suddenly realized that there seemed to be no one beside him. He stood still and looked back to find Tang Xu walking towards him with a smile on his face, pushing a shopping cart.


    When Tang Xu reached him, he pulled out the hand that was originally behind his back. Immediately afterwards, Tang Cuo¡¯s nose was touched by something cool, causing him to instinctively raise his head to avoid the cold sensation.


    He shrank his neck and looked down; it was a Ke ai duo1 The original name of the ice cream is ¡°K¨§ ¨¤i du¨­¡± (¿É°®¶à) which literally means ¡°adorable many¡± or ¡°lovely a lot¡±. It is a Chinese ice cream brand, and the brand is known for its small size and variety of flavours, and is popular among children and adults alike in China.milk-flavoured ice cream cone.


    Tang Xu pinched the tip of the ice cream cone with three fingers and rolled it around a couple of times.


    ¡°You did well today, so here¡¯s a reward.¡±


    On the way back, Tang Xu talked to him about what dish to cook today, and the car radio broadcasted real-time traffic conditions outside under the bright sun. Everything was like a scene from everyday life. Tang Cuo looked for Tang Xu¡¯s shadow on the transparent window pane, watching his mouth move. It was an ordinary scene, but for Tang Cuo, it transcended the happiness of a peaceful life.


    The phone rang at an inappropriate time, and Tang Cuo took it out to check. It was He Zhong calling. Tang Cuo only had time to say ¡°hello¡± before the call turned into He Zhong¡¯s personal show.


    After hanging up the phone, Tang Xu asked, ¡°Did he pass the English exam?¡±


    Tang Cuo rubbed his ear and nodded. ¡°Did you hear that? He has taken the exam three times and finally passed.¡±


    Tang Xu laughed and suddenly asked, ¡°What about you? How many times would you need to pass?¡±


    This question made Tang Cuo silent for a while, not because he was thinking about the answer but because he was thinking about how to express the answer. In the end, he raised a finger and shook it at Tang Xu, saying, ¡°One time.¡±


    Tang Xu turned his head and looked at him. He realised that Tang Cuo really didn¡¯t understand what pride was. Even when saying such things, he only looked like he was stating an objective fact, without any sense of satisfaction or even a trace of cunning in his eyes.


    Not being self-satisfied with his own excellence is a great quality. But for Tang Cuo, it made Tang Xu feel particularly heartbroken. He hoped that at least when facing him, Tang Cuo could be proud and confident.


    ¡°You¡¯re really good,¡± Tang Xu said with a smile, ruffling his furry head. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard you mention anything about taking the English exam. What? Don¡¯t you plan on going abroad?¡±


    Tang Cuo hadn¡¯t had a chance to retract his gaze from Tang Xu¡¯s, and when Tang Xu glanced over, he caught him off guard. For a moment, he couldn¡¯t find the right words, and he became both embarrassed and anxious, fidgeting with his shorts. Tang Xu didn¡¯t urge him on, nor did he turn to look at him again, but continued to drive steadily.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go¡­I feel like it¡¯s pretty good here in China,¡± Tang Cuo said after a while.


    Perhaps it was because of the technology exhibition they just visited, or perhaps it was because Tang Xu was the one asking the question, but Tang Cuo was very unsure of himself at the moment. After he spoke, he stared at Tang Xu, afraid of missing any expression on his face.


    Tang Xu, on the other hand, remained calm, showing no surprise or opposition. He just said, ¡°Oh, I see.¡±


    It was only with comparison that the difference in their reactions became apparent. Tang Cuo thought of Shen Xihuai¡¯s calm demeanour and Tang Xu¡¯s expression when he praised Shen Xihuai.


    ¡°I see. Well, to be honest, I¡¯m a bit surprised,¡± Tang Xu said. ¡°Although it¡¯s true that China has made great progress in our field over the years, there is still a gap between us and foreign countries in terms of professional level. Also, the teaching methods are very different in China and abroad, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. You have adapted well to the education system in China, but I¡¯m thinking that if you go abroad and learn some new things, it may be even more helpful for you. Of course, I¡¯m just giving you advice, not trying to force you to change your decision. I respect all your decisions because I believe that you make the right ones, unconditionally.¡±


    Tang Cuo was stunned by his words and didn¡¯t know what to say. He bit his lip and turned his head forward.


    ¡°Okay, I understand.¡±


    He didn¡¯t have sufficient reasons to defend himself on this issue, so his first reaction was to evade the question. He was afraid to discuss this matter with Tang Xu, or rather, he was afraid that Tang Xu would discover his narrow-mindedness and expose him as someone who regards love as his sole purpose in life.


    But avoidance doesn¡¯t mean he wouldn¡¯t think about it secretly.


    The car ride wasn¡¯t very long, and before he could sort out his thoughts, Tang Xu had already parked the car in a parking space. Tang Cuo¡¯s head was still spinning with confusion, and his body moved slowly and clumsily. Tang Xu grabbed him and pulled him towards the unit door next to them, holding back his laughter as he looked at the troubled expression on Tang Cuo¡¯s face and asked, ¡°What, you don¡¯t even recognise your own home anymore?¡±


    When they arrived home, Tang Xu took out the vegetables from the bag, divided them into two piles, and handed them to Tang Cuo. ¡°Go wash and clean the vegetables.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Tang Cuo replied, and he took the vegetables to the trash can, then grabbed a small stool and sat down to start picking vegetables.


    As he picked the vegetable leaves, Tang Cuo unconsciously began to play a game that rarely worked but had been passed down for many years. Pick the first one, go abroad; pick the second one, don¡¯t go abroad¡­


    After he finished picking all the vegetables, Tang Cuo stared at the pile of vegetable leaves for a moment, then tossed the one labelled ¡°go abroad¡± to the side.


    Meanwhile, Tang Xu was thawing the frozen fish and watching Tang Cuo, who was still stubbornly fighting with himself. At first, Tang Xu was watching him sneakily, but then he realised that Tang Cuo was not paying attention to him at all. So, he boldly stood there and even took out his phone to secretly take a few pictures of Tang Cuo¡¯s back.


    For a long time after that, Tang Cuo was very unhappy with the pictures of himself looking dishevelled and depressed, but Tang Xu insisted on using them as his desktop background, and his protests were ineffective.


    Tang Cuo put a basin of washed vegetables on the cutting board with a sullen face and pretended not to see Tang Xu¡¯s antics. He said, ¡°Okay, it¡¯s none of your business now. Go watch TV.¡±


    However, Tang Cuo didn¡¯t leave; he stood silently next to Tang Xu and watched him.


    Tang Xu picked up a handful of vegetables and began to chop them. He asked, ¡°What¡¯s up? Do you want to learn how to cook?¡±


    Without knowing whether he was serious or not, Tang Cuo replied with a grunt. Tang Xu was about to laugh and chase him away when he suddenly asked, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m not ambitious enough¡­?¡±


    The sound of chopping vegetables abruptly stopped. Tang Xu glanced at him and then lowered his head to continue chopping, but this time he wasn¡¯t as hurried.


    ¡°Why do you say that?¡± he asked.


    Tang Cuo was silent for two seconds, then asked back instead of answering, ¡°Do you want me to go abroad or stay in the country?¡±


    The two of them seemed to be playing a game of questioning, with all their answers turning into questions.


    ¡°If it¡¯s in China, which school do you want to go to?¡±


    Without waiting for Tang Cuo to answer, Tang Xu already understood everything from the hesitation in his eyes. He didn¡¯t think it was necessary to push him again since he had guessed it earlier. He sighed and put down the knife in his hand, turning to face Tang Cuo.


    ¡°I want to ask you a question, and you just need to nod or shake your head.¡± Tang Xu put both arms on Tang Cuo¡¯s shoulders, bent down slightly, and looked him in the eye. ¡°Do you want to continue staying at the university because of me?¡±


    The question was clear and straightforward.


    Unexpectedly, after Tang Xue so openly stripped away the thoughts that he had tried to hide, Tang Cuo did not feel as embarrassed or panicked as he had imagined. Tang Xue¡¯s eyes were too gentle, which made him even avoid eye contact.


    When he nodded, he seemed to feel much more relaxed.


    Tang Xu looked at him again for a moment, smiled, and tilted his head to ask him, ¡°Am I that important?¡±


    This time, Tang Cuo didn¡¯t hesitate or feel embarrassed; he immediately nodded firmly.


    Tang Xu sighed and left Tang Cuo, turning around to lean against the kitchen counter.


    ¡°SiHang, if you weren¡¯t twenty years old today but thirty years old, I wouldn¡¯t be thinking about encouraging you to go out.¡±


    He grabbed one of Tang Cuo¡¯s hands and placed it on his own palm, pinching his fingers one by one. ¡°But you¡¯re only twenty years old. You¡¯re about to have the best ten years of your life, and these ten years hold infinite possibilities for you. What these possibilities are, I think you¡¯ll know in the future. I can create a warm nest for you, and of course, you can stay in this nest for a lifetime, but I don¡¯t want you to miss out on the opportunity to see other scenery.¡±


    Tang Cuo blinked and looked at him, digesting the content of his words alone.


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t want to leave me, and actually, I don¡¯t want you to either. When you nodded and told me that I was important just now, I even had the selfish impulse to not say anything and just keep you by my side. But I can¡¯t do that. You still have one more year until you graduate from college. In fact, everything you have learned and accumulated up until now is just a foundation.¡± Tang Xu raised his hand and rubbed Tang Cuo¡¯s back at the position of his shoulder blades, saying, ¡°Your wings have just started to grow here, which is not easy. You should spread your wings and fly rather than just hastily folding them up now. I finally chose to become a teacher at the University of Science and Technology. This was a choice I made independently after gaining some experience. I hope you can do the same. Whatever your final choice may be, I will support you and help you. Do you understand?¡±


    Tang Cuo understood all of this, but he just couldn¡¯t bear it. He couldn¡¯t even tolerate going to a different school from Tang Xu, let alone being separated by an entire ocean, an entire day, or an entire night.


    Seeing him silent, Tang Xu pulled him towards herself and embraced him, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t necessarily want you to go abroad. If you really go, I will also find it hard to let go. But no matter where you want to go, I will wait for you. Your future is your choice, and the choice of our relationship is always yours. Do you understand what I mean?¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Tang Cuo stood frozen in place. The final promise lacked principles and fairness, and he couldn¡¯t believe it was Tang Xu¡¯s promise.


    Tang Xu seemed to know the turmoil in his heart and smiled slightly. ¡°Do you really think I can¡¯t uphold even a bit of principle for you? You underestimate me too much.¡±


    While he was in a daze, Tang Xu had already let go of him, picked up the knife again, and chatted as she tidied up the things on the cutting board: ¡°Actually, when I first brought you out, I was holding my breath. At that time, I thought I must make you very successful and achieve great success. Later, after living with you for a while, my thoughts changed. At that time, I thought that as long as you can grow up safely and healthily, it will be enough, and I didn¡¯t expect you to become a great talent.¡±


    Although Tang Cuo was still caught up in that promise, he still sniffed and asked softly, ¡°Was it because I was too stupid at that time?¡±


    Tang Xu burst out laughing, saying, ¡°Of course not. At that time, my mentality was similar to that of all parents in the world, thinking that as long as you grow up healthy, it¡¯s already great.¡±


    Tang Xu cut the vegetables and sliced a cucumber before finally starting to prepare the fish. Although he was still cutting it into slices, his movements were gentler, and there was not much noise.


    ¡°Even now, I still hope that you can grow up healthy, not only physically but also mentally and emotionally. I know that many things in the past have not been easy for you, and I hope to do everything in my power to help you achieve complete ease and truly enjoy life.¡±


    Tang Cuo didn¡¯t quite understand these words and looked at Tang Xu with a lot of confusion in his eyes.


    Tang Xu still had that smiling expression on his face and held Tang Cuo¡¯s hand, but he leaned over and kissed Tang Cuo¡¯s mouth once and said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t understand; I¡¯ll teach you slowly. For now, all you need to know is that no matter how far you can go or how high you can fly based on your own abilities in the future, I will be watching you and loving you. I will be your support, not your constraint.¡±

 CH 37

    In the evening, Tang Xu walked into the room after taking a shower and had just replied to two messages from colleagues on his phone when he heard footsteps at the door. He turned around and saw Tang Cuo standing there, holding a soft, big pillow, with semi-dry hair and clothes on his shoulders wet with water droplets.


    ¡°I want to sleep with you tonight,¡± Tang Cuo said.


    Tang Xu leaned over and pulled his own pillow to the left side, glanced at the person still standing at the door, and said, ¡°Come in.¡±


    After lying down on the bed, Tang Cuo said again, ¡°I don¡¯t want to blow my hair today,¡± as his eyes followed Tang Xu, who was coming over with a hairdryer.


    ¡°Not going to blow it?¡± Tang Xu stood by the bed and placed his hand on Tang Cuo¡¯s head. ¡°Sleeping like this might give you a headache.¡±


    Tang Xu shook his head. ¡°No, my mom said as long as the roots are dry, it¡¯s fine.¡±


    Tang Xu smiled and agreed not to blow it.


    The more they spent time together, the more Tang Cuo could feel Tang Xu¡¯s tolerance for him. Often, he felt like Tang Xu was still treating him like a child, indulging him almost to the point of spoiling him.


    It wasn¡¯t until Tang Xu turned off the lights and got into bed that he touched Tang Cuo¡¯s ear and asked, ¡°What happened today?¡±


    Tang Cuo, unlike his usual reserved and proper self, turned over and hugged Tang Xu, rubbing his face against his shoulder. Tang Xu was momentarily speechless, realizing that this little guy was now acting spoiled.


    He inwardly smiled and hugged him back, patting his back gently. ¡°I¡¯ve noticed that you being a little spoiled sometimes is quite nice,¡±


    Tang Cuo buried his head, blushing, but didn¡¯t let go.


    It wasn¡¯t until Tang Cuo¡¯s neck felt sore that he whispered, ¡°I told He Zhong not to throw away the English materials¡­¡±


    With the conversation started, Tang Xu understood Tang Cuo¡¯s decision. He made a sound of agreement and rubbed the back of Tang Cuo¡¯s neck with his hand, encouraging him to continue.


    ¡°I¡¯ll start by preparing for English first.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll keep an eye on schools for you. If you have a school you like, you can also tell me, and I¡¯ll help you contact them.¡±


    Tang Cuo nodded. He believed that, as long as he wanted to, Tang Xu would arrange everything very well.


    After a moment of silence, Tang Cuo lifted his head and looked up at Tang Xu.


    As if finally gathering enough courage in each other¡¯s gaze, Tang Cuo said word by word, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not very ambitious. I don¡¯t have lofty goals. But I¡¯m afraid that in the future, you¡¯ll stand higher and higher, and I won¡¯t be able to keep up with you. I¡¯m afraid that if I always cling to you like a child, worrying and bothering you, you¡¯ll get tired and annoyed. I don¡¯t want that. I also want to be someone you admire, like Shen Xihui.¡±


    His words were not generous, but they were firm.


    Tang Xu had seen many people describe what their ideals looked like: his students, his classmates, and his teachers. But among so many people, no one¡¯s gaze was as bright as Tang Cuo¡¯s; even in the dark, it made him feel moved, and he wanted to give his all, pave the way for him, and help him reach where he wanted to go.


    Strictly speaking, this is the first time Tang Cuo has opened up to Tang Xu. Tang Xu seemed to see the little kid he had always known, carefully peeling off the silk cocoon that had been wrapped around his body, revealing a soft yet determined gaze under his gaze.


    For him, there is no more satisfying scene than this.


    This is his proud little kid.


    ¡°First of all, I want to correct two mistakes in your words.¡± Tang Xu¡¯s voice was full of joyful laughter. ¡°First, I don¡¯t think that sticking to me will make me tired of you, and second, I already appreciate you now. You don¡¯t need to compare yourself to Shen Xihui, but I look forward to appreciating you even more.¡±


    As Tang Cuo looked into his eyes, he couldn¡¯t help but be immersed in them, and he leaned in to kiss him.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you can open up to me about your thoughts. Since you¡¯ve made a decision, work hard at it, but don¡¯t feel pressured,¡± Tang Xu said, nodding.


    Tang Cuo nodded in agreement, finally tearing his gaze away. He lowered his head and nuzzled into Tang Xu¡¯s shoulder, hesitating for a moment before asking, ¡°Are you going to sleep?¡±


    Tang Xu didn¡¯t answer. Instead, Tang Cuo tightened his arms around him, holding him closer. After a moment, he asked, ¡°If I leave, will you wait for me? Will you fall in love with someone else?¡±


    Making a decision is one thing, but the unrelenting anxiety that comes with it is another.


    Upon hearing this, Tang Xu immediately flipped over and pressed him down, exchanging a long and lingering kiss that made Tang Cuo completely forget what he had just asked.


    ¡°I told you, if anyone should worry, it¡¯s me.¡±


    He was serious when he said this, and it was during the time when he was seriously considering sending Tang Cuo abroad to study that he first experienced the feeling of knowing he should let go rationally but being emotionally unable to let go.


    Tang Cuo will go to a great school, where he will meet many outstanding people who are his peers and have the energy and youthfulness that he lacks. Perhaps there will even be something called a common language between them. If Tang Cuo had been trapped in his suffocating past during those previous years, is it possible that he could fall in love with someone new now that he has started to move on and prepare for a new life?


    It¡¯s not that he lacks confidence; he is afraid that Tang Cuo¡¯s affection for him over the years may be mixed with some unrequited obsession. Although he knows he shouldn¡¯t speculate on Tang Cuo¡¯s feelings like this, he can¡¯t help but feel a sense of uncontrollable crisis.


    Tang Cuo seems to not understand his words and asks in confusion, ¡°Why are you worried?¡±


    This simple question wakes up Tang Xu. He laughs self-deprecatingly, shakes his head, and feels like a silly young man, worrying about such things. He gives Tang Cuo a quick peck and says, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that you will lose interest in me after encountering something new and exciting.¡±


    ¡°How is that possible!¡± Tang Cuo immediately became annoyed, wanting to argue loudly but quickly realizing that it was Tang Xu who was questioning him. He could only stare with his eyes wide open and finally blurt out, ¡°I only like you.¡±


    Although he was someone who would get shy even with a kiss, he never held back when confessing his feelings to Tang Xu.


    Tang Xu felt guilty and comforted him, saying, ¡°Hmm, I know.¡±


    Regarding Tang Cuo¡¯s decision to study abroad, no one was happier than He Zhong. He had made the decision to study abroad a long time ago and had already chosen his school. Before Tang Cuo even took the GRE1GRE stands for Graduate Record Examination., He Zhong had been pushing him to join him and continue their school friendship. When others found out about it, they mostly just wished him good luck and expressed their confidence in him. Only Tang Cuo¡¯s parents remained silent for a long time after he told them about his decision.


    ¡°Cuo Cuo, haven¡¯t you always been against going abroad?¡± Xiang Wan asked, furrowing her brow. ¡°Although studying abroad is also great, why do you suddenly want to go now?¡±


    Tang Cuo was not good at lying, so he dodged the question and said, ¡°I just feel that it¡¯s worth going if I can apply to a good university. Didn¡¯t dad say that studying abroad would be very helpful?¡±


    Compared with Xiang Wan, Tang Yishan seemed much more relaxed. He smiled and said, ¡°Yes, going abroad is good, learn more knowledge; come back and make contributions; it¡¯s good.¡±


    Xiang Wan glared at him, noticing Tang Cuo¡¯s uneasy expression; her brows didn¡¯t relax at all.


    After Tang Cuo left for school, Tang Yishan asked Xiang Wan what was bothering her.


    ¡°You¡¯re so relaxed. Why don¡¯t you think about it? We¡¯ve discussed this matter several times before, and Tang Cuo¡¯s attitude was so firm. How come he suddenly changed his mind?¡±


    After hearing what Xiang Wan said, Tang Yishan realized that something was indeed not right.


    After thinking for a while, Xiang Wan thought there might be a problem and slapped Tang Yishan¡¯s arm excitedly, asking, ¡°Could it be that he¡¯s got a girlfriend? Do you remember that kid from the Yan family? His girlfriend was going to study in Japan, and he insisted on going to Japan too.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Xiang Wan thought she was simply too clever. She picked up her handbag and was about to leave. ¡°No, I have to go to the school to see him.¡±


    Tang Yishan quickly held her back, ¡°Hey, you can¡¯t just leave like this. You have to go to Guangzhou for a business trip tomorrow, right?¡±


    Impatiently, Xiang Wan waved him off and quickly changed her shoes. ¡°Business trip, business trip. I think you¡¯re just too absorbed in your work. What¡¯s more important, your son or your job? You go ahead; I¡¯m going to see my daughter-in-law.¡±


    Tang Yishan smiled wryly, ¡°Why do you keep talking about things that don¡¯t even exist? What daughter-in-law are you talking about? It¡¯s all nonsense.¡±


    At first, as soon as she was about to leave, upon hearing this, Xiang Wan immediately retracted her body, raised a finger towards Tang Yishan, and had a look of having everything under control. ¡°Do you want to bet? When it comes to reading literature, I may not be as good as you, but when it comes to understanding our son, do you think you can compare to me?¡±


    Of course, Tang Yishan couldn¡¯t compare with Xiang Wan, nor did he dare to. So the two of them drove to the university. As they entered the gate, Tang Yishan asked Xiang Wan to call Tang Cuo, ¡°Are you really planning a surprise attack? Quickly give him a call to inform him. He might be busy right now.¡±


    After dialling several times, there was no answer on the other end of the line. Puzzled, Xiang Wan dialled again, but there was still no answer. When she arrived at the dormitory building where Tang Cuo lived, Xiang Wan murmured to herself and got out of the car to continue calling. Unexpectedly, she ran into He Zhong and his friends, who had just finished their dinner.


    When Tang Cuo first entered university, Xiang Wan and her husband frequently invited all the boys in the dormitory to dinner, so several of them knew them.


    ¡°Auntie!¡± He Zhong called out first from a distance, followed by Zhao Feifei and the others, calling out in a particularly friendly manner.


    When Xiang Wan saw them smiling, she pulled out two large bags of food from the back seat of the car and said, ¡°Here, take these upstairs. Oh, by the way, didn¡¯t Cuo Cuo eat with you guys?¡±


    As the only person in the dorm who knew what was going on, He Zhong began to quickly make up a lie in his mind. But unexpectedly, Zhao Feifei was someone who lost his mind when he saw food and blurted out, ¡°Isn¡¯t he living at home? He hasn¡¯t been staying in the dorm much lately.¡±


    Upon hearing this, both Xiang Wan and Tang Yishan were confused. Even He Zhong was stunned, and he gritted his teeth and nudged Zhao Feifei¡¯s arm. Zhao Feifei kept saying ¡°Ouch!¡±.


    ¡°No, Auntie, he meant that Tang Cuo hasn¡¯t been staying in the dorm much lately, as he¡¯s been invited to accompany performances for the Student Union¡¯s Literary and Artistic Department on weekends.¡±


    Although He Zhong had experience deceiving his parents and teachers since he was a child and was quite experienced in such matters, he could easily tell who Tang Yishan and Xiang Wan were and what was going on. Tang Yishan was about to speak but was secretly pulled back by Xiang Wan, who smiled kindly and said, ¡°Oh, I see. He¡¯ll be back this afternoon; he might be busy with something else. It¡¯s okay; you can go back now. We¡¯re going on a business trip tomorrow; we¡¯ll bring you some food.¡±


    He Zhong was sweating profusely and had to force himself to say, ¡°Thank you, Uncle and Auntie. Please be safe on your business trip. We¡¯ll take care of Cuocuo, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    After He Zhong and the others went upstairs, Tang Yishan was stunned for a few seconds before asking Xiang Wan, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Xiang Wan looked at him impatiently and said, ¡°What¡¯s going on? The child just told you to be safe on your business trip.¡±


    Sitting in the car and buckling his seatbelt, Xiang Wan hesitantly spoke, ¡°Could it be that our son¡­ is living together with his girlfriend?¡±


    Tang Yishan, who had seen the world, coughed twice in alarm.


    ¡°That couldn¡¯t be true.¡±


    ¡°But haven¡¯t you heard what Zhao Feifei said? He hasn¡¯t been staying in the dormitory much lately. He did go home on weekends. So, if you think about it, with a 70% probability of not living in the dormitory, can that correspond to ¡®not much¡¯?¡±


    This question was too easy, and without thinking, Tang Yishan immediately replied, ¡°Of course not.¡±


    After the words were spoken, the car fell into a strange silence.


    With a start, Xiang Wan snapped out of her thoughts and picked up her phone to make a call. ¡°No, we have to find him today. Dating is one thing, but cohabitation is not a small matter.¡±

 CH 38

    The vinegar at home had just run out, so Tang Cuo took some change and went to the supermarket, which was just a few steps away from downstairs. He didn¡¯t bring his phone when he went out. The phone he left on the sofa kept ringing, one after another. At first, Tang Xu ignored it, but seeing the persistence, he thought there might be an emergency, so he walked out of the kitchen.


    He picked up the phone and saw that it was a number without a name displayed. After a brief thought, he answered.


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    Tang Xu greeted, but there was no sound on the other end. Tang Xu was puzzled, so he asked again.


    ¡°Hello, Tang Cuo¡¯s phone is not with him now. Do you have something urgent to tell him?¡±


    In the car, Tang Yishan looked at Xiang Wan with one eye and didn¡¯t speak, using his eyes to ask her what was wrong. Xiang Wan blinked, lowered her eyes, and suppressed the waves of shock and fear in her heart. ¡°Hello, I am Tang Cuo¡¯s mother. I came to the school to look for him but he is not here. Can I ask where he is now?¡±


    Even Tang Xu was taken aback by this sudden situation.


    Tang Xu thought for a moment and said, ¡°Ms. Xiang, I am Tang Xu. I don¡¯t know if you still remember me. Tang Cuo is with me now, but he has gone out. Do you want to see him?¡±


    Xiang Wan was stunned. Of course, she remembered this name.


    After hanging up the phone, Tang Yishan pulled Xiang Wan, who was lost in thought, and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Xiang Wan bit her lip and took a deep breath.


    ¡°Cuo Cuo, and¡­¡±


    She couldn¡¯t decide on the right word because she couldn¡¯t tell whether it was more shocking that Tang Cuo was living with a man or that he was living with Tang Xu.


    ¡°He¡¯s living with a man, and that man is Tang Xu. Yes, the same Tang Xu you were thinking of.¡±


    Tang Yishan was also stunned after hearing this. ¡°Wait a minute, are you sure they¡¯re living together? It¡¯s dinner time now; maybe they¡¯re just having a meal together, right?¡±


    With a click of her tongue, Xiang Wan said, ¡°Your son doesn¡¯t stay at school much. He came back home with me during the weekend and brought a bunch of new clothes that he hasn¡¯t taken back to school yet. Now,¡± Xiang Wan raised her wrist to check her watch, ¡°it¡¯s 7:02. I called your son¡¯s phone, and a man named Tang Xu answered. This man lived with your son seven or eight years ago. Comrade Tang Yishan, can you now deduce the current relationship between your son and this man named Tang Xu?¡±


    Tang Yishan stared blankly, then took a deep breath and said heavily, ¡°No solution. Tell me the address.¡±


    On the other side, Tang Cuo had just come back with a bottle of vinegar, humming a tune as he walked in the door. However, he saw Tang Xu sitting on the sofa with his arms crossed.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Tang Cuo asked strangely as he changed his shoes.


    Tang Xu looked at him and slowly reached out a hand towards him.


    Tang Cuo walked over, confused, and was pulled to sit next to him.


    ¡°Your phone was ringing just now, and I was afraid it was something urgent, so I answered it for you.¡± Tang Xu pursed his lips. ¡°There was no caller ID, but when I answered it, I found out it was your mother looking for you.¡±


    Tang Cuo¡¯s eyes widened suddenly, and he couldn¡¯t speak properly. ¡°My, my mother?¡±


    He swallowed and asked in a soft voice, ¡°And then?¡±


    ¡°They are at the school and want to see you. I don¡¯t think my house is a good place, and you haven¡¯t eaten yet, so we arranged to meet at a restaurant near the school. We need to prepare and go now.¡±


    Tang Xu stood up first. ¡°That¡¯s good. I was also thinking about finding a chance to explain the situation to your parents. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Tang Cuo, on the other hand, didn¡¯t move and looked at him with a pitiful expression.


    Tang Xu patted his head and reassured him, ¡°It¡¯s okay; leave it to me. Let¡¯s go; we shouldn¡¯t keep them waiting too long.¡±


    Unable to help it, Tang Cuo hesitated and said, ¡°My legs are weak¡­¡±


    The two looked at each other for two seconds, and Tang Xu suddenly burst out laughing. ¡°You¡¯re such a coward.¡±


    He half-helped and half-carried Tang Cuo up, and before they left, Tang Xu remembered the phone call earlier and asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you save your mom¡¯s phone number?¡±


    Tang Cuo put on a mournful face while changing shoes. ¡°If I saved it as ¡®Mom,¡¯ what if my phone gets stolen and someone uses it to scam my mom?¡±


    Tang Xu had always been fearless since he was young, so he naturally didn¡¯t think about this.


    ¡°¡­Your sense of precaution is quite strong.¡±


    ¡°What He Zhong told me¡­¡± Tang Cuo felt a bit wronged. If he hadn¡¯t listened to He Zhong, things wouldn¡¯t have escalated so quickly.


    In no time, the two arrived at the restaurant they had agreed on. Before getting off the car, Tang Cuo grabbed Tang Xu¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s say it together later.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Tang Xu squeezed his hand back. ¡°They¡¯re your parents, so don¡¯t be nervous.¡±


    They walked into a small private room, where Tang Cuo¡¯s parents were already seated. Two cups of tea had been placed in front of them, empty at the bottom.


    Speaking of which, Tang Xu had considered for a long time how to address Xiang Wan and Tang Yishan earlier. In the end, he still followed the previous form of address, ¡°Mr. Tang¡± and ¡°Mrs. Xiang¡±.


    As soon as the four of them sat down, the waiter began serving dishes. Xiang Wan said to Tang Cuo, ¡°I heard that you haven¡¯t eaten yet. I was afraid you¡¯d be hungry, so I ordered dishes that you like.¡±


    It was an innocuous statement, but Tang Xu could sense the attitude behind it.


    The private room had a small round table, with Tang Cuo sitting next to Xiang Wan and Tang Xu on the other side. Tang Cuo reached out and held Xiang Wan¡¯s hand, rubbing it twice, his eyes full of remorse.


    Xiang Wan patted his hand and said, ¡°Let¡¯s eat first.¡±


    Contrary to what Tanguo had expected, this meal was surprisingly similar to their usual gatherings. Apart from him, the other three people exchanged greetings and talked about their respective jobs. Tang Yishan and Xiang Wan were both in engineering and could talk quite a bit about their work, making them colleagues with Tang Xu.


    In the end, it was Tang Yishan who brought up the topic they were all curious about. When everyone had finished eating, he picked up a cold dish and asked, ¡°We didn¡¯t know that you two had reconnected. How did that happen?¡±


    Actually, Tang Cuo is a person with a soft heart. Tang Yishan¡¯s words made him feel guilty, as if he had become a deceiver. He quickly explained, ¡°I didn¡¯t really mean to hide it from you; I just haven¡¯t figured out how to tell you yet.¡±


    Xiang Wan patted him and didn¡¯t say anything. Tang Yishan sat there with a polite smile, looking at Tang Xu.


    Tang Xu put down his chopsticks and spoke up.


    ¡°I teach at the University of Science and Technology. After Tang Cuo¡¯s third year, I met him again. We are together now, and when he doesn¡¯t have to rush to class the next day, we live together.¡±


    Smart people usually have two ways of talking with each other: either indirectly and circuitously or straightforwardly and bluntly. Faced with parents who care about their child and are such logical thinkers, it is obviously necessary to take the direct approach to increase their favorability¡ªbriefly explain the situation and firmly express your attitude.


    ¡°I understand that because of my gender and identity, it will be difficult for you to accept. I have no right to describe Tang Cuo¡¯s feelings for me, but I would like to declare my feelings for him first. I love him very much; he is my first love and will be my last. Mr. Tang and Mrs. Xiang, we have known each other for a long time, and I have evaluated you before. Now I hope you can evaluate me as well. I hope to get your approval and permission, because I want to be with him in the future, to accompany him and take care of him.¡±


    Throughout the entire conversation, Xiang Wan remained silent. After Tang Xu finished speaking, she slowly raised her head, looking at Tang Xu with an almost scrutinising gaze. After a moment, she spoke up: ¡°I do find it difficult to accept. Mr. Tang, I am extremely grateful to you for entrusting Cuo Cuo to us. Thank you for giving us such a good child. I don¡¯t know if I have been a competent mother all these years, but today, I¡¯m afraid I have to intervene appropriately.¡±


    She also put down her chopsticks with a light clatter, but the sound made Tang Cuo think of the shocking wood in ancient courtrooms.


    ¡°I want to ask you a few questions,¡± Xiang Wan continued.


    Tang Cuo was about to speak, but Tang Xu interrupted him.


    ¡°Please go ahead and ask.¡±


    ¡°When you handed Cuo Cuo over to us, he was still a child, as you said, and you had just reunited for a year. So when did you start liking him or loving him?¡±


    Whether intentionally or unintentionally, in the following conversation, Xiang Wan dropped the honorific titles. Tang Cuo didn¡¯t notice, but Tang Xu did.


    In fact, Xiang Wan had thought about this question many times herself. She believed that in the future, whenever she told any friend about her relationship with Tang Cuo, this would be one of their points of concern. However, Tang Cuo, as one of the parties involved and the person most qualified to care about this question, had never asked her about it.


    Following his thoughts, he unconsciously looked at Tang Cuo, who happened to be looking at him too.


    ¡°Although I am almost ten years older than him, to be honest, I have no experience in love. I cannot accurately define the boundary between love and not-love in terms of time. What I can say is that my feelings for him now are genuine love, not anything else.¡±


    Tang Cuo had never thought about this question before. He listened to Tang Xu¡¯s solemn words, his blood boiling and not quite calm.


    ¡°Mom¡­¡±


    He also wanted to explain his thoughts, but was stopped by Xiang Wan.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s talk about your thoughts when we get back, okay?¡±


    ¡°But I,¡± he glanced at Tang Xu and then turned to Xiang Wan, ¡°just wanted to say that I love him too.¡±


    Tang Yishan sighed at this point, looking at Xiang Wan¡¯s unfriendly expression, and raised a hand to signal Tang Cuo to stop talking.


    Until they packed up and left, Xiang Wan didn¡¯t say anything. When they walked out of the restaurant, Tang Yishan asked Tang Cuo where he was going.


    At this point, Tang Cuo didn¡¯t dare say that he was going to Tang Xu¡¯s house. He obediently replied, ¡°Back to school.¡±


    Xiang Wan nodded and then spoke again: ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go then. Get in the car, and we¡¯ll give you a ride.¡±


    Tang Cuo leaned over Xiang Wan¡¯s shoulder to look for Tang Xu, who nodded and mouthed something to him.


    The atmosphere in the car remained overly quiet, with both Xiang Wan and Tang Cuo sitting in the back seat. Tang Cuo leaned on his arm and moved closer to Xiang Wan, whispering, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Xiang Wan shifted her gaze from the window to Tang Cuo¡¯s face and forced a smile, which seemed a bit forced.


    ¡°Cuo Cuo, you should have told us earlier.¡±


    Tang Cuo knew he had no grounds to argue, so after a brief silence, he continued to mutter, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Before getting off the car, Xiang Wan stopped him.


    ¡°I said you should have told me earlier, not because I wanted to stop you. It¡¯s just that I feel like you were probably the weaker one in this relationship. As parents, we always hope our children can get the best, and love is no exception. If you had told us earlier, we could have helped you and protected you.¡±


    Tang Cuo didn¡¯t expect that¡¯s what Xiang Wan would say. He couldn¡¯t find the right words to respond for a moment and looked at Xiang Wan with tears in his eyes, as if he were foolish.


    He always thought Xiang Wan was very gentle¡ªnot the gentleness of a Jiangnan woman, but the kind of gentleness that made him feel warmth in his heart. Perhaps a mother¡¯s eyes were always a special word, describing a feeling that belonged only to each child, different from each other but with a similar power.


    ¡°If you find someone who can accompany you for a lifetime, then your dad and I will definitely be happy. But Mom is afraid because this person is too special to you. I¡¯m afraid¡ªwhat if he¡¯s not the one, What if you¡¯re wrong?¡±


    Having said that, Xiang Wan didn¡¯t continue. She rubbed Tang Cuo¡¯s palm and said, ¡°So, we want to help you and make sure everything is okay. Don¡¯t think we¡¯re nagging.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Tang Cuo hurriedly said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s my fault. I should have told you earlier, but I was afraid you couldn¡¯t accept it, and I was afraid you would be angry, so I kept putting it off¡­¡±


    Whenever facing Xiang Wan, Tang Cuo would become very emotional. Xiang Wan touched his cheek and said, ¡°Alright, why cry over this matter, young man. Go back and rest.¡±


    Tang Cuo rubbed his eyes hard and then leaned over, extending his arms tightly around Xiang Wan.


    When he got off the car, Xiang Wan wiped the corner of her eyes and calmly said to Tang Yishan, ¡°Let¡¯s go. let¡¯s go back and find Tang Xu.¡±


    Tang Yishan held the steering wheel and sighed, ¡°You are all old foxes, but my son is a little white rabbit. You even said those things that made him cry.¡±

 CH 39

    Tang Xu was still in the private room, but the leftovers had been cleared away and new tea cups were brought out.


    Tang Xu did not show any unusual surprise when Xiang Wan and Tang Yishan came back and forth. He just stood up and politely gave up his seat.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting late, and I won¡¯t beat around the bush,¡± Xiang Wan said. ¡°There are some things that I can¡¯t say in front of Cuo Cuo, but I feel like I have to say them.¡±


    Tang Xu nodded and spoke respectfully, ¡°Please go ahead; I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°To be honest, if it wasn¡¯t you standing with Cuo Cuo today but another man with the same qualifications as you, I would have objected.¡±


    Tang Xu smiled to indicate his understanding.


    ¡°But because it¡¯s you, I feel like I can¡¯t object.¡± Xiang Wan looked deeply at Tang Xu, her face serious and without any trace of a smile. ¡°I¡¯ve always felt that his feelings for you are different. When he first came to us, he insisted on changing his name back to Tang Cuo. At that time, I didn¡¯t think much of it and only thought he was trying to get back at you. But later, when he was already in high school, one night when I came back very late, I saw him sleeping with a computer in his arms. I went to help him move the computer and accidentally saw an email he was editing, which was for you.¡±


    At this point, Xiang Wan stopped, and her gaze turned a bit cold.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for invading his personal privacy at the time. That night, I looked through his sent and received emails. All of the sent emails were to you, and there were many pages¡­ But in the received emails, there were only a few replies from you from a few years ago. It was also on that night that I realized that his feelings for you may not be as simple as I had imagined¡­ But there¡¯s one thing I still can¡¯t understand. Did Mr. Tang not receive those emails that Cuo Cuo sent to you, or did he not want to reply?¡±


    Tang Cuo was completely stunned. ¡°Emails?¡±


    He did have two work email accounts, which he had been using for years, but he had never received any emails from Tang Xu.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t receive them¡­¡±


    Just as he finished saying ¡°no,¡± something that had been forgotten suddenly popped into his mind.


    Seven or eight years ago, before the emergence of the various social media platforms we have today, email was even more commonly used. Tang Xu had a frequently used email account. The first time Tang Cuo saw him reading someone else¡¯s email in his inbox, he pestered him to teach him how to use it.


    He remembered that after teaching Tang Cuo how to send emails on the old desktop computer at home, his email inbox was bombarded with dozens of emails every day. The contents were of no substance, just the ramblings of a child, but they aggressively took up the limited capacity of his email inbox.


    He was helpless and applied for a new email account one week later, telling Tang Cuo that it was a special email account just for him, like pleasing a child. But he remembered Tang Cuo¡¯s eyes curving with laughter, and he cheered for a while.


    That email account¡­ How many years has it been since he last logged in?


    Tang Cuo sent a text message to Tang Xu when it was almost one o¡¯clock, and Tang Xu was sitting in the car and about to finish reading the emails in that account, more than seven hundred in total.


    The emails started eight years ago and stopped three years ago.


    He never thought he would learn about those years of Tang Cuo in this way.


    The emails at first were all apologies and pleas. Later, they gradually turned into descriptions of daily life, such as getting first place in an exam, learning to play the flute, winning third prize in a national essay competition, and entering a top high school in the city. These report-like contents were sometimes lengthy and sometimes just a few words. And at the end of each email, there was almost the same sentence:


    ¡°If you¡¯re not too busy, I hope you can reply to me once. Tang Sihang.¡±


    Tang Xu¡¯s throat tightened with pain, and he covered his face with his hand, rubbing it fiercely.


    The text message from Tang Cuo was very simple, with only five words: ¡°Are you asleep yet?¡±


    The not-so-large phone screen was particularly bright in the silent night, and so was the notebook computer that had been buzzing and emitting heat for a while.


    Tang Xu picked up his phone, glanced at it, and put it down. He moved his finger slightly and opened the last three emails.


    There were two emails from June 5th, 2012, and the first one was as usual.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking the college entrance exams the day after tomorrow. If you¡¯re not too busy, I hope you can reply to me once. Tang SiHang.¡±


    The second email was thinner and quieter, without the usual sentence from before.


    ¡°You¡¯re not coming back, are you?¡±


    On June 6th, 2012, there was one last email.


    ¡°Can I come find you?¡±


    This was Tang Cuo¡¯s last email.


    He Zhong got hold of what he claimed to be the scariest horror movie in history from somewhere and insisted on watching it at night. He was too scared to watch it alone and dragged Tang Cuo and the others along. Zhao Feifei, wrapped in a thin summer blanket, shuddered and watched for a while before dragging Zhong Ming to leave and spend the night at an internet cafe, leaving only He Zhong and Tang Cuo to rely on each other.


    As the movie played to a spine-chilling moment, Tang Cuo¡¯s phone suddenly rang. He Zhong was so scared that he jumped up from his chair, wailing and clinging to Tang Cuo with his arms and legs. Tang Cuo was also scared and began to scream, and the two of them howled together, making a mess.


    After realizing who was calling, Tang Cuo quickly pulled He Zhong off him and ran to the hallway, covering his phone and answering the call.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Why does your voice sound hoarse?¡± Tang Xu asked.


    Tang Cuo cleared his throat gently and ran his hand through his damp hair, which was damp with sweat. ¡°Nothing; I can¡¯t sleep anyway, so I¡¯m watching horror movies with He Zhong and the others.¡±


    Tang Xu laughed a couple of times on the other end, and after a pause, he said, ¡°Since you can¡¯t sleep, why don¡¯t you come with me? I¡¯m right downstairs in your building.¡±


    Tang Cuo ran down the stairs, almost losing his slippers on his feet.


    When he rushed out of the building and saw Tang Xu not far away, his chest was still heaving violently, colliding with the evening breeze, and bursting with intense and burning emotions. He stopped on the steps, looked at the figure shrouded in darkness ahead, and tried to calm his breathing a little.


    Tang Cuo didn¡¯t even go back to the dormitory. He was wearing a pair of baggy black shorts and a white cotton t-shirt that had lost its shape. Today the wind was strong, and the t-shirt was blown to one side, tightly clinging to his body and outlining the beautiful waistline of the young man.


    As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but even Tang Xu felt that Tang Cuo was too outstanding in this outfit.


    ¡°Why are you in such a hurry?¡± He pressed the cigarette between his fingertips and extinguished it in a nearby trash can. Throughout the whole process, his eyes were locked tightly on Tang Cuo¡¯s face without moving for even a second.


    He saw Tang Cuo¡¯s shoulders rhythmically moving up and down with his breath, his cheeks slightly flushed. With the illumination of the light at the entrance of the building, he could even see the glimmering sweat beads and the intense gaze he cast.


    Standing still, he slowly opened his arms with a smile towards Tang Cuo.


    Tang Cuo was stunned for two seconds, and in the next moment, he had taken big strides down the steps, running into this embrace.


    I like to embrace you in the darkness because the darkness is gentle, and you are even more so.


    The person rushed into his arms, and Tang Xu wrapped his arms tightly around him. His chin rested on Tang Cuo¡¯s soft hair, feeling the warmth that belonged to him. The scene of Tang Cuo running towards him just now kept flashing in his mind, which made him uncontrollably think about what kind of emotions Tang Cuo had when he came to him after more than 700 unanswered emails and what kind of emotions he had when he worked hard on a lonely road before that.


    As soon as this thought came up, his heart immediately became full of holes.


    ¡°Why did you come so late?¡± Tang Cuo buried his head and asked.


    Tang Xu said, ¡°I missed you.¡±


    I missed you too much, so I couldn¡¯t wait for the whole night.


    At one o¡¯clock in the morning, there was no one else to be seen at the University of Science and Technology. After hugging for a while, Tang Xu suddenly pulled Tang Cuo to the back of the dormitory building. The dormitory building and the school¡¯s wall formed a hidden corner, which was usually not visited by anyone except stray cats.


    Because they had just watched a horror movie, Tang Cuo felt a little scared looking at the dark area in front of them.


    Tang Xu walked quickly, pulling Tang Cuo along, making him unsteady on his feet. When Tang Cuo tripped on a stone, he lost his balance and fell towards Tang Xu. Tang Xu caught him and used his strength to press him against the wall.


    The passionate kiss came suddenly, catching Tang Cuo off guard and causing him to make the mistake of a beginner again. He kept his eyes open and watched Tang X¨´¡¯s eyelashes tremble slightly with emotion.


    Their foreheads touched, and Tang Xu¡¯s breath blew onto his nose, making him feel ticklish.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Tang Cuo asked.


    Even if he was slow-witted, Tang Cuo could easily sense Tang Xu¡¯s excitement tonight. He had been overthinking a lot tonight, and Tang Xu¡¯s abnormal behaviour made him uneasy. He had a feeling that something had happened that he didn¡¯t know about. Thinking of this, he asked urgently, ¡°Is it my parents¡­?¡±


    The words were cut off as Tang Xu suddenly spoke a fast sentence, crystal clear in the silent environment, gripping the heart and soul.


    ¡°I like you.¡±


    Tang Cuo was stunned.


    Tang Xu held his face glued to his eyes and continued, ¡°I love you.¡±


    Caught off guard by his sudden confession, Tang Cuo¡¯s face flushed, and he shrank his neck. ¡°Why did you suddenly say this?¡±


    Tang Xu didn¡¯t reply. This time he connected the two sentences and said, ¡°I like you; I love you. I like you more than I imagined, and I love you more than I imagined.¡±


    The night wind blew Tang Cuo¡¯s hair, a strand of it falling onto his forehead and blocking his eyes.


    Tang Cuo was confused by the situation and felt embarrassed by the confession, so he repeated his earlier question without thinking.


    Tang Xu raised a gentle hand and brushed away the stray hair, whispering, ¡°I just feel like a failure.¡±


    Failure?


    In Tang Cuo¡¯s mind, this was a word that could never be associated with Tang Xu. But Tang Xu did indeed look a bit dejected, and it didn¡¯t seem like he was just imagining things. Tang Cuo blinked and cautiously asked him, ¡°Why?¡±


    The gaze that Tang Cuo cast over her was too tender, and in that moment, Tang Xu wanted to treasure that gaze for a lifetime.


    He smiled through the bitterness and kissed Tang Cuo again.


    ¡°As a teacher and role model, I actually let you confess first.¡±

 CH 40

    In the past, Tang Xu never thought he would be so impatient.


    Tang Cuo opened the car door and got in. Because of the enclosed space, he could hear the sound of his heartbeat more clearly. He didn¡¯t pay much attention when he got into the car earlier, but now that he was sitting down, he felt like he was sitting on something. He looked down and found a small supermarket bag behind his waist. He glanced inside and saw a small bottle and a small box.


    Feeling embarrassed, he needed a topic that could change the subject.


    ¡°What is this¡­¡±


    Muttering a few words, Tang Cuo suddenly stopped, as if a fire had suddenly burned in his head, and he let go in a daze.


    Tang Xu couldn¡¯t help but laugh, holding the steering wheel.


    ¡°When I came, I bought it¡­¡±


    Tang Cuo didn¡¯t speak, leaned back on the seat, turned his head to the window, and lowered the window to let the wind blow. After a while, he made a light sound, and then he glanced at the person next to him with the corner of his eye. When he was sure that he was driving seriously, he bent down and stretched out his arm to pick up the thing that had fallen to the ground.


    Listening to the rustling sound of the plastic bag, Tang Xu tried hard not to laugh again. But although they could have gone straight, Tang Xu chose the road to the right. Using the opportunity of looking in the mirror, he caught sight of Tang Cuo¡¯s blinking eyes and reddening ears.


    Just as he had imagined and even more charming than he had imagined, like the orange soda with bubbles he used to have during his school days.


    When the car finally stopped in front of the building, Tang Xu¡¯s voice had already become husky with a low tone as he said, ¡°Let¡¯s get off.¡±


    With hesitant steps, Tang Cuo stumbled out of the passenger seat and hesitated for a moment before lowering his head and reaching out to grab the small bag on the seat. His fingers were so hurried and uncoordinated that his middle finger was pressed against his ring finger, a shy and persistent posture.


    When the two met at the front of the car and saw him looking embarrassed but tightly gripping the bag while avoiding eye contact, Tang Xu knew he couldn¡¯t wait any longer.


    He took Tang Cuo¡¯s hand and ran towards the entrance of the building.


    The old residential building without an elevator should be thanked, as all of Tang Xu¡¯s enthusiasm could continue to rise while running. He had lived for thirty years, and this was the first time he had burned with such intensity.


    When he opened the door, Tang Xu¡¯s hand trembled, and he struggled with the key in the lock for a long time without success. Finally, as if it had grown impatient, the key clattered to the ground, and the sound activated the hallway light.


    Tang Cuo was startled and instinctively bent down to help pick up the key, but before he could move, Tang Xu pressed his shoulders against the door with both hands.


    His back hurt a little¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t open it yet.¡±


    Tang Xu¡¯s kiss came down in this brightly lit hallway.


    Although shy, Tang Cuo felt nervous and excited. He couldn¡¯t help but reach out and hold Tang Xu¡¯s waist, responding to his kiss, and the bag joined in with a constant rustling sound. He didn¡¯t know what kind of stimulation Tang Xu had received tonight, but when he truly felt Tang Xu¡¯s sincere desire, he knew that he had been looking forward to this for a long time.


    He wanted to fully possess and belong to Tang Xu. This was not something that could be decided by a single encounter, but Tang Cuo was willing to see this initial encounter as a ceremony, and he wanted to attend it with honesty and sincerity, hand in hand with Tang Xu.


    The two were like dry firewood, igniting each other in the hallway. But just as their hands reached each other¡¯s waists, Tang Xu used his remaining rationality to force himself to stop.


    The hallway lights had already turned off, and the sounds of their heavy breathing and entanglement echoed back and forth, causing Tang Cuo¡¯s ears to redden and his heart to race.


    Tang Xu tightened his chin and took Tang Cuo¡¯s hand, giving it a light squeeze before bending down to pick up the keys. As soon as the door opened, Tang Cuo was pushed inside by Tang Xu.


    The shopping bag was taken away, and Tang Xu embraced him from behind and asked, ¡°Do you want to shower first, shower together, or not shower at all?¡±


    Tang Cuo lowered his head, ¡°I¡­I¡¯ll go first.¡±


    Hearing this answer, Tang Xu let out a muffled laugh, then buried his face in Tang Cuo¡¯s neck and took a deep breath.


    ¡°Go ahead, but wash quickly.¡±


    Without even turning around, Tang Cuo rushed into the bathroom without taking a new pair of underwear. Watching the door ¡°bang¡± shut, Tang Xu could only take a deep breath and find himself a glass of cold water to drink.


    But before he could take a step, the bathroom door opened again.


    ¡°Or¡­we can wash together.¡±


    Tang Cuo was almost blocked by Tang Xu in the bathroom. Before he could recover, he was kissed until he lost his strength. He didn¡¯t know when his clothes were taken off. When he regained consciousness and wanted to kiss Tang Xu well, he found himself standing naked under the tap, with Tang Xu also naked.


    The water poured down from top to bottom. Tang Xu held his face and wiped the water flowing on his face like a child¡¯s face. Tang Cuo didn¡¯t know which point of this action touched him. Suddenly, he took a step forward, hugged Tang Xu, tilted his head, and kissed his lips without any order.


    After he was done kissing, Tang Xu held onto Tang Cuo and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Tang Cuo shook his head, his chest rising and falling.


    ¡°Tang Xu, let¡¯s¡­ let¡¯s start now.¡±


    The final shower was hurriedly taken, and Tang Xu wrapped Tang Cuo in a towel and carried him to the bed.


    ¡°I was going to wait until you graduated, but I guess I overestimated myself.¡± Tang Xu opened his bathrobe, and his hand followed the protruding bones along Tang Cuo¡¯s waist, causing a wildfire to ignite wherever he touched.


    ¡°I regret so much that I missed the seven years of your life. I had hoped to make up for it with all the days of my remaining life, but only today did I realise that those seven years cannot be made up for even if I spent my entire life. So I want to make up for the time we have as soon as possible. Even if it violates professional ethics, I will accept it.¡±


    As Tang Xu said these words while pressing on him, Tang Cuo felt an unusual hunger instead of nervousness or fear.


    There were small, dense kisses falling on his neck, making him itch and feel hot. He stared at the ceiling with wide eyes, clearly seeing desire for what it was¡ªTang Xu¡¯s voice, Tang Xu¡¯s body, and the hunger raging inside him. He had experienced desire before, but never this strong, to the point where he wanted to immediately open up his body and let Tang Xu penetrate him deeply, giving him an indescribable pleasure.


    It may sound promiscuous, but it is his most genuine and only thought at the moment.


    For so many years, he kept telling himself that he didn¡¯t want to have him or possess him; he just wanted to stay close to him. He also begged Wenying to guide him in this seemingly ¡°normal¡± direction. This was his warning and also his loyalty to himself. But now he realizes that all these years, his resistance to his innermost thoughts was just self-deception and meaningless. He has always longed for Tang Xu, both spiritually and physically. He wants to like him and also wants to be liked by him. He wants to give him all the beautiful feelings he has guarded so hard, and he also longs for even a small response from him. He wants to embrace him, kiss him, and call his name as he pleases. He even wants to make love with him, feel every inch of his skin, and lose himself in him.


    He didn¡¯t want to give him to anyone else.


    Tang Xu¡¯s kisses had reached his lower abdomen, and he couldn¡¯t help but tremble and moan. He heard Tang Xu say ¡°good boy,¡± and then his desire below was enveloped in warmth.


    Tang Cuo had never felt anything like this before. Just thinking about the current scene made him want to explode with emotion. He bent his arm and tightly gripped the pillow, his waist arching into a seductive curve.


    ¡°Tang Xu¡­ don¡¯t do this¡­¡±


    Hearing his tearful plea, Tang Xu stopped and returned to his body. He kissed the corner of Tang Cuo¡¯s eyes with more force than usual.


    ¡°Why are you crying before we even started?¡±


    With him kissing him, Tang Cuo closed his eyes.


    The breath of his lover brushed his eyebrows; there was nothing more romantic than this.


    He reached out and hugged Tang Xu tightly, opening his eyes in the darkness to search for his brightness, and sniffed before saying, ¡°Start quickly¡­¡±


    Tang Xu laughed and lowered his head to kiss between his eyebrows. ¡°It¡¯s your first time, and I don¡¯t have this kind of experience either; don¡¯t be anxious.¡±


    He was afraid that Tang Cuo would feel pain, so he put in a lot of effort into foreplay. But Tang Cuo was getting more and more impatient, calling out Tang Xu¡¯s name and urging him to hurry up when he was trying to relax him. Tang Xu couldn¡¯t hold him back.


    Tang Cuo felt like he had been spoiled. He was the one who kept shouting for Tang Xu to start, but when Tang Xu finally entered him, he was trembling so much that Tang Xu didn¡¯t know whether to move in or out.


    They really had no experience, and Tang Cuo was even more inexperienced. No matter how Tang Xu coaxed him to relax, there was no effect. Tang Xu had been enduring the pain for a long time, but seeing Tang Cuo¡¯s lips bitten with deep marks from the pain, his heartache was greater than his desire to indulge.


    He kissed Tang Cuo¡¯s lips and said, ¡°Be good; let¡¯s not do it today.¡±


    Tang Cuo felt him wanting to withdraw from his body and suddenly began to cry, ¡°No, don¡¯t go out; we have to do it today; you just come in.¡±


    Tang Cuo¡¯s reaction was too intense; Tang Xu dared not move and said in a suppressed voice, ¡°No, you will get hurt like this.¡±


    ¡°No, it won¡¯t hurt later. Come in¡­¡±


    Even though he had endured so much pain just now without crying, Tang Cuo started crying again.


    Tang Xu couldn¡¯t force himself to act when faced with Tang Cuo like this, no matter what he had in mind. He left Tang Cuo¡¯s body and supported himself to kiss the person below him.


    ¡°I suddenly thought of a way to help you relax.¡± Tang Xu hugged him and placed his hand on his slightly trembling back, stroking it gently like petting a frightened cat. ¡°In 2007, I accompanied Shi Xi to receive treatment. Apart from Shi Xi¡¯s unstable emotions at the beginning, the treatment went smoothly. I spent the Spring Festival in the US that year. We had our New Year¡¯s Eve dinner at the hospital, and Shi Xi said she wanted to see fireworks. I bought her the handheld ones that you like, but I felt the ones I bought back then were not as nice as the ones I bought for you. When I lit the fireworks, I thought to myself, would anyone buy fireworks for that little child this year? Would he be too scared to ask his parents for fireworks in their new home?¡±


    ¡°In 2008, Shi Xi was still undergoing treatment, and I was still overseas. However, my graduate advisor in China recommended that I participate in a project in a US laboratory, which was very successful, and I got the opportunity to pursue a Ph.D. degree there. I was very busy and tired during that period, but I still made sure to read the news every day. Many things happened in China in 2008, such as the Wenchuan earthquake and the Olympics. During the Wenchuan earthquake, I wanted to go back to China, but I couldn¡¯t free myself up, so I could only donate money. Now, looking back, I regret it because my brother went to Sichuan and participated in the rescue efforts. During the Olympics, my grandfather and others went to see the opening ceremony, but I still couldn¡¯t go back to China. At that time, I remembered the things I told you about the Olympics, saying that I would take you to see the opening ceremony and watch the games live. That was the first time I realized that I might have broken many of my promises to you. In 2009¡­¡±


    Tang Xu¡¯s hands moved up and down, touching every inch of his burning skin. And the story Tang Xu told also slowly passed seven years.


    ¡°In the summer of 2014, after returning to China from my exchange programme, I met you in my first class.¡±


    Tang Xu¡¯s hands had already begun to open up that soft spot again, entangling Tang Cuo¡¯s tongue. Both of their heads made small movements, occasionally touching their noses. The warm air they exhaled couldn¡¯t escape the narrow gap between them and spread into the gentle air. It added more charm when the two faces were gently separated.


    ¡°Later on, I liked you, fell in love with you, and wanted to spend my life with you.¡±


    Tang Cuo didn¡¯t know if there was anyone else like Tang Xu who could say so much in bed, but he only knew that he was willing to listen to every word he said, especially the last sentence.


    ¡°You¡­say it again.¡±


    ¡°The last sentence?¡­I love you; let¡¯s spend our lives together.¡±


    Tang Cuo felt a warm sensation rising up from his chest, rushing to his throat, unable to come out or swallow down.


    Finally, they were completely intertwined with each other. When Tang Xu was thrusting vigorously, Tang Cuo was gasping and crying, ¡°Tang Xu, call me, call me¡­¡±


    Tang Xu said, ¡°Sihang, be a good boy.¡±


    But Tang Cuo shook his head and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s not that, it¡¯s not that¡­¡±


    Tang Xu stopped his movements and kissed his collarbone.


    ¡°Tang Sihang.¡±


    He was really slow to catch on, until now. When Tang Xu mentioned spending a lifetime together, Tang Cuo finally understood what had been tormenting him for seven years. It was the feeling of waiting. It was like there was no end in sight and no time limit that held any hope.


    But even so, he was willing to wait, as long as the person beyond millions of light years away was Tang Xu.


    But one day, he thought the hopeless waiting suddenly bore fruit, with sweet juice and a fragrant aroma, making him feel that even the toughest seven years were worth it, and the despair that seemed endless was not worth mentioning.


    The fruit was not special; even the most humble and ordinary person could have it, and its name was not special either; those two words had been written into songs and poems by countless people. But it was also special because, for most people, it was a once-in-a-lifetime encounter. At least it was for Tang Cuo and Tang Xu.


    Rue : we¡¯ve reached 40th chapter!!! Yay! enjoy reading!