Finally Being Snatched Away at My Wedding by My Ex-Boyfriend - Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Dream Elixir

Su Yuan blinked blankly; he hadn’t expected Pei Xing to ask this.

He had been wavering on whether to continue contacting Pei Xing and had lost a night of sleep. Soon, the family doctor discovered abnormalities during the morning check-up, and Su Yuan began “hospitalization” at home bed rest, no activity allowed, and his electronic devices were confiscated as they might affect his recovery.

Even if he wanted to contact Pei Xing, he couldn’t.

Only after the doctor confirmed multiple times that he was fine did Su Yuan run out of the house again and immediately seek out Pei Xing.

Pei Xing looked at Su Yuan’s hesitant expression. “If it makes you feel awkward, you don’t have to answer now. I’ll wait for you to tell me on your own.”

Su Yuan nodded silently.

“Mm. It’s late; rest quickly.”

Pei Xing originally thought he wouldn’t be able to sleep after all, the person who had been invading his dreams lately was right beside him and he worried that the harp-like body would appear even in his dreams.

Strangely, there was only a vast expanse of lake water in his dream.

Su Yuan was in the water.

He dove into the water with this thought but couldn’t find him anywhere. Finally, he saw a soft white light on the water’s surface, like a wisteria flower, resembling Su Yuan’s legs in the water that day.

Following it, he grasped Su Yuan’s fingers.

Su Yuan was lying on his side at the edge of the bed, his milky-white arm spilling out of a pinkish-purple sleeve, his fingertips dangling before him. Held in Pei Xing’s hand, his expression was innocent, his gaze like that of a small animal.

“Pei Xing,” Su Yuan’s voice was very light, “I’m hungry.”

Pei Xing let go of his hand and checked his phone; it was already past ten.

Spending the night with Su Yuan was like having a “dream elixir” placed in his dreams; after it was stirred, there was no night or day, only the unscrupulous means of prolonging the beautiful dream, making it look as though he had accidentally overslept.

“I’ll go make [food] now.”

He stood up and quickly folded the blanket. Just as he was about to take away the floor mat, Su Yuan called out to stop him.

“Leave it here. I want you to accompany me tonight too.”

Su Yuan’s head hung over the edge of the bed, his smooth long hair dangling, his bright eyes looking at him earnestly.

Pei Xing’s hand paused, but he still put the mat away. At the same time, Su Yuan sat up, crossing his legs on the bed with his lips pouted. His thin face puffed up slightly as he stared at him, nursing a grudge.

He had no doubt that if he delayed his explanation by even a second, Su Yuan would throw a pillow at him or burst into tears.

“It’s inconvenient to clean the room if it’s left here.”

Hearing the answer, Su Yuan’s chin immediately tilted up, and he gave a brisk “Mm,” looking like he would let him off the hook.

Pei Xing smiled, went back to his room to shower, and then went downstairs to cook.

…

As the two ate in the courtyard, Pei Xing learned a new word: “brunch.”

“This ‘brunch,’ as the name suggests, is breakfast-lunch; ‘brunch,’ as the name suggests…”

Pei Xing nodded while placing the checked dishes in front of him.

“You don’t need to check the food you make; I’m not worried at all.”

Before Su Yuan could take his first bite, the chirping of “mountain-disturbing sparrows” came from outside the courtyard.

“Cousin! Su Yuan! You two are eating?” Pei Wen parked his bicycle. “Wait, is this breakfast or lunch for you two?”

Pei Xing picked up a sun-protection shirt from the side and draped it over Su Yuan’s thighs, covering the snow-white legs exposed beneath his sky-blue shorts.

Pei Wen sat directly on a stone stool and said the village banquet was being prepared, reminding him to head over early tomorrow.

To the side, Su Yuan bit his spoon, listening in a daze. “What banquet?”

Pei Wen looked at Su Yuan, then at the head-down, eating Pei Xing. “Cousin, you didn’t tell Su Yuan? That’s really not cool of you. Su Yuan is so close to us now; what’s wrong with letting him have a bite of the banquet?”

Su Yuan still didn’t understand. “What banquet is it exactly?”

“Sigh, my cousin is the Top Scholar of Yuecheng! He’s going off to university, so the village has to throw a proper banquet to celebrate for him! It’s tomorrow, at the Cultural Garden’s square. Su Yuan, you have to come!”

Combining the context, Su Yuan finally understood. “Oh, you mean a ‘Promotion Banquet’ (congratulatory party for school)?”

“Right, right, right! That’s it!” Pei Wen slapped his thigh. “I’m off now; you two eat slowly!”

Pei Wen left, and the courtyard fell silent again.

Su Yuan peeked at the silent Pei Xing and chose not to ask anything. After the dishes were cleared, he slipped into the kitchen to wander around.

“Mm, this cutting board is so clean, the countertop is sparkling too… Pei Xing, you are the most skillful dishwasher-user I’ve ever seen.”

Pei Xing pressed the start button on the dishwasher and looked up at him. “We can’t play in the water this afternoon. Go see the Crested Ibises?”

“Sure.”

Pei Xing watched him walk away and then double back, leaning against the doorframe, his big eyes blinking at him without speaking.

“Go change clothes first. Long pants and long sleeves; there are mosquitoes.”

“Okay.”

…

In the reed marshes, Pei Xing was the most serious observer, even spotting a pair of Crested Ibises leaning tenderly against each other, chirping softly and whispering sweet nothings.

Su Yuan sat on a rock, his hands obediently hugging his knees, staring at him with a frank and inquisitive gaze, like a small bird waiting to be fed.

After watching the lovers return to their nest, Pei Xing turned to meet Su Yuan’s gaze. “From a taxonomical perspective, although I share the Animalia kingdom, Chordata phylum, and Vertebrata subphylum with the Crested Ibis, I shouldn’t be a Crested Ibis.”

Su Yuan didn’t move, still staring at him with those big eyes, as if saying, “If you don’t tell me, I’ll keep looking at you.”

He hated people overstepping boundaries; this dislike even extended to people who were overly enthusiastic or proactive. But regarding Su Yuan’s probing and initiative, he didn’t feel the slightest aversion; he even felt a sense of anticipation, as if he had been waiting for a long time.

On the way home, Su Yuan was still staring at him.

Pei Xing couldn’t help but smile. “You want to go?”

Su Yuan nodded.

Pei Xing added, “It will be very noisy; you won’t like that kind of occasion.”

Su Yuan froze, not knowing how Pei Xing had discovered that, but quickly smiled. “But it’s to celebrate you getting into university, so I really want to go.”

Pei Xing didn’t tell him that he hadn’t intended to attend at all.

“Fine. We’ll go tomorrow then.”

…

That night, the recovered Su Yuan’s sleeping posture was completely lawless, with his feet almost stretching into the next village.

Pei Xing stared at his toes. “Su Yuan, your foot is about to step on my stomach.”

The light from the bedside floor lamp fell on the book in Su Yuan’s hands. His fair fingers turned a page as Su Yuan shook his head and retorted, “It’s your abdominal muscles.”

What?

Pei Xing was stunned.

Su Yuan looked up at him from over the top of the book. “I saw them when you were drying the kitten that fell in the water. I just didn’t know if it was an eight-pack or six-pack.”

Pei Xing’s tongue was snatched away by a kitten named Su Yuan.

After a long while, he grabbed Su Yuan’s ankle, tucked it under the blanket, snatched the book away, turned off the light, and lay back down. “Sleep.”

…

Pei Xing didn’t oversleep again, but when he woke up, the bed was empty. He regained his senses and walked toward the bathroom, only to find the light on in the adjacent walk-in closet.

Su Yuan was holding a garment in each hand, standing barefoot in front of the full-length mirror, comparing them and whispering to himself: “White, or blue?”

He leaned against the doorframe, a feeling suddenly arising in his heart that he could watch this for a very long time.

Su Yuan looked up and met his gaze in the mirror unerringly, smiling sweetly. “You’re awake? Quick, help me choose which one!”

Pei Xing straightened up. “The white one.”

Su Yuan hung both items back. His gaze fell on Pei Xing’s face through the mirror again as he unbuttoned his pajama buttons one by one. “Pei Xing, you seem to wear only black clothes.”

Pei Xing froze for a few seconds, turned his face slightly, and then nodded. “Mm. I’m going downstairs to cook.”

He turned around but still caught a glimpse of Su Yuan’s narrow waist like porcelain that belongs in a museum, the curve from the body to the neck was smooth and beautiful.

Su Yuan could make all colors look good, even a simple white.

…

The banquet didn’t start until noon, so Su Yuan took the time to make little clothes for the dirty “Little Crested Ibis” [plushie]. “Did you take it out to play soccer?”

Pei Xing looked at the Little Crested Ibis disassembled by Su Yuan’s own hands, washed by his own, and now drying on the windowsill and talked about other things to avoid the topic. “Crested Ibises don’t play soccer.”

Su Yuan lowered his head, let out a soft laugh, and continued pressing the tiny sewing machine.

Near noon, the sun was intense.

Su Yuan, who had just eaten lunch at home, had a jaunty step. He hopped out from under the umbrella, walked backward, and asked him, “Pei Xing, doesn’t today’s sun look like orange juice? Golden and bright, turning me” Su Yuan spun around, “into juice too.”

He looked at the flush on Su Yuan’s cheeks and nodded with a smile. “It does. Come back.”

Su Yuan stopped in place, and Pei Xing walked over to shield him under the umbrella again.

Su Yuan was very happy today, even happier than usual. Pei Xing suddenly felt that today wouldn’t be too hard to endure.

Several buildings stood in the square, their walls completely covered by vibrant red banners. The golden characters for “Yuecheng Science Top Scholar” sparkled. Round tables and blue plastic stools filled the entire courtyard square, and the pots and pans in the open-air kitchen clattered incessantly. Many people had arrived; it was very lively.

Su Yuan was prepared, but seeing it with his own eyes, he couldn’t help but squeeze Pei Xing’s arm. “Pei Xing, look, so many people are celebrating for you…!”

Pei Xing nodded. “If you find it noisy, you don’t have to stay here the whole time.”

As he spoke, several middle-aged men nearby spotted them. With hands behind their backs, they walked over slowly.

“Our great Top Scholar has arrived!” The man in the lead patted Pei Xing’s shoulder. “A fine young man! I said back then that Ah-Xing would definitely amount to something when he grew up!”

the man beside him smiled apologetically. “Of course, Mayor Liu’s eye for talent cannot be wrong.” After speaking, he looked at Pei Xing. “Quick, go have a couple of drinks with Mayor Liu.”

Su Yuan froze, looking at Pei Xing, whose expression was normal. After Pei Xing accepted, he led him to the table where Pei Wen was sitting.

Pei Wen nodded repeatedly. “Don’t worry, cousin, I’ll take care of Su Yuan. Go get busy.”

Su Yuan opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but could only watch Pei Xing walk over to those middle-aged men, take the offered glass, and drain it with his head tilted back.

“Su Yuan, this crispy pork was just fried. Try some…”

Pei Wen’s phone vibrated.

Cousin: He’s allergic to many things and already ate at home. Don’t let him eat things recklessly, and definitely don’t let others pressure him to drink.

Pei Wen looked at Pei Xing, who was staring at him, gave an “OK” sign, and then manually pulled back a plate of crispy pork.

Su Yuan’s gaze remained on Pei Xing’s face. Pei Xing raised an eyebrow at him, as if asking, What’s wrong?

He shook his head.

He hoped his feeling that Pei Xing was unhappy and disliked this place was just an illusion.

…

As more people took their seats, Pei Xing’s maternal aunt Pei Wen’s mother, Zhao Hui also arrived. She wore a festive red dress dotted with irregular white polka dots; appearing unaccustomed to wearing a dress, her hands were placed awkwardly in front of her.

“Mom,” Pei Wen helped her sit down, “you look really good today.”

Zhao Hui’s hair was partially held up with a clip and sprayed with styling gel; the curve at the ends of her hair was a bit stiff. Much like the smile that slowly froze on her face when she saw Su Yuan.

“Little… Little Su came too.”

Pei Wen picked up a piece of crispy pork and offered it to her. “Yeah, cousin originally didn’t plan to invite Su Yuan; I did. Mom, try this pork.”

Zhao Hui twitched the corners of her mouth and looked down, avoiding Su Yuan’s gaze.

From this reaction, Su Yuan guessed Pei Xing had already mentioned the rent issue to her. He smiled and said nothing.

What appeared on the tables before the dishes were crates of beer and local white liquor. The villagers drank, and some carried their glasses over to their table to exchange pleasantries with Zhao Hui.

“Ah-Hui, it wasn’t easy raising two children on your own. Now that both children have entered university, you can finally enjoy life.”

Zhao Hui nodded with a smile and was soon pulled to other tables to drink. Pei Wen stuffed a piece of crispy pork into his mouth, told Su Yuan to sit for a while, and followed her.

He looked at Pei Wen’s carefree manner; it seemed neither Pei Xing nor Zhao Hui had told him that his mother had withheld ten thousand yuan in rent from Pei Xing over three years and planned to use the five thousand yuan Pei Xing “saved” with her to pay for his tuition.

Su Yuan couldn’t help but wonder: why did Pei Xing agree to this?

Just then, the acidic and jealous gossip of several middle-aged women at the next table reached his ears.

“Oh, this Zhao Hui has finally made it, raising such an obedient nephew.”

“She was born lucky. Her gambler husband took over five thousand in compensation for Meng Ying back then, along with the money Pei Su saved through frugal living. He died from drinking before he could spend a cent of it, and it all went into her pocket.”

“Isn’t that the truth? Pei Xing is so sensible; he’s been harvesting wheat for others since he was a kid. During middle school breaks, he worked in a piece-rate factory, and in high school, he tutored others. Any money he earned had to be spent on her.”

“It’s just that her own son is disappointing; he can’t compare to her sister-in-law’s kid in anything. But now, she’s the mother of a Top Scholar; don’t even mention how smug she is.”

Su Yuan lowered his eyes, his hands resting on his thighs, fingers tightly interlaced.

He could empathize with Zhao Hui’s hardship in raising two children alone and understood the bias toward one’s own child over someone else’s. Taking that rent money was indeed not a small sum for this county town it was human nature to be tempted.

However, he was only able to understand.

Su Yuan looked up at Pei Xing. Pei Xing held a glass that was never empty, following the middle-aged men from table to table to toast. His expression was indifferent, occasionally smiling. Those childhood hardships, described so casually by the villagers, seemed to have left no trace on him.

The smell of tobacco and alcohol lingered in the square. He sat there motionlessly, watching the unhappy Pei Xing.

Two cars arrived outside the courtyard. The middle-aged man holding onto Pei Xing immediately greeted them with a face full of joy. “Secretary Wang, you’ve come too! Oh, it’s truly a blessing for our Fuxian!”

Secretary Wang from the City Hall shook his hand. “Of course we must come to celebrate the talent produced by our Guanghu City.”

Secretary Wang walked inside, raising his hand to greet the villagers in the square with a standard smile on his face. Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks.

Mayor Liu craned his neck. “Secretary Wang, what is it?”

Secretary Wang looked at Su Yuan, who was out of place in the open-air banquet. He looked somewhat familiar, yet he couldn’t quite place where he had seen him before.

“Nothing.”

“Ah-Xing, quick! Toast our leader. Without the government’s cultivation, where would you be today!” Mayor Liu called over the photographer. “Come, take a photo of Secretary Wang and Ah-Xing together; let’s show how much we value talent.”

Su Yuan froze in his seat.

Wasn’t this Pei Xing’s promotion banquet? Why was he not the protagonist but a signpost summoned and dismissed at will? He was Zhao Hui’s badge of honor, a proof for the village to hold its head high; it was as if the meaning of his existence here was only to accompany people in drinking and listen to insincere praise.

Why was it like this?

Pei Xing silently held his glass and walked forward. Just as Secretary Wang took the wine, a hand swung out with a whoosh, knocking the glass over and drenching his expensive suit.

Amidst everyone’s shock and daze, Su Yuan took Pei Xing’s hand and walked away with giant strides.