True or False - Chapter 10

When Chu Xi-ang emerged from the hospital, the sunlight fell perfectly across his arm. The black stitches crawled across the wound at first glance, it looked a bit gruesome.

However, he was in a great mood. That thing that had been clinging to his arm was finally gone.

Climbing the stairs, Chu Xi-ang’s heels felt like they were carried by the wind. But before he reached the top, he smelled something scorched. He looked up, his brow furrowing as he sensed something was wrong. He quickened his pace; by the time he reached the fourth floor, the acrid smell was right at the tip of his nose. No one was at his home today, so the smell had to be coming from the apartment opposite.

He knocked on the door and heard the sound of something crashing to the floor inside. A moment later, the door opened.

A cloud of burnt smoke billowed out. Chu Xi-ang couldn’t help but turn his head and cough a few times. Amidst the smoke and Shen Hengxi’s intermittent coughing, he couldn’t resist asking, “Brother, what on earth are you doing at home all day?”

Shen Hengxi wiped his face. He felt like a layer of soot had settled on his skin. “I was planning to cook a dish for myself.”

Chu Xi-ang entered the house and threw open all the windows. After circling back to the kitchen to turn off the gas, he finally turned his gaze back to Shen Hengxi.

“I’m going to go take a shower,” Shen Hengxi said, coughing twice more. Seeing the corners of Chu Xi-ang’s eyes drooping in judgment, he couldn’t help but laugh. “Leave me a little bit of dignity, will you?”

Chu Xi-ang’s gaze swept over his blackened face. “I know, I know. Just go shower already.”

Ignoring the amusement in the boy’s voice, Shen Hengxi walked into the bathroom. Looking at his face in the mirror, he shook his head and sighed. He had managed to let the kid catch him in two embarrassing situations in a row. It wasn’t exactly awkward, but it was undeniably hilarious.

While he was showering, Chu Xi-ang took the opportunity to clean up the chaotic kitchen. Before he could rest for even a moment, he heard a faint knock on the door. Curious, he opened it.

“I knew you’d be here.”

Chu Xi-ang looked at Gu Xiaoyan standing outside, pursing his lips without a word.

Yesterday, after he returned home, Gu Xiaoyan was busy cleaning up the shards of glass and porcelain from the floor. She hadn’t said much upon seeing him, only asking if he knew the new neighbor across the hall. After putting his bag down and bending over to help her pick up the pieces, he had answered: “I know him.”

“Mhm. He helped your mother out yesterday.”

Perhaps it was because her back was turned, but Chu Xi-ang felt that when Gu Xiaoyan said those words, they sounded trapped in her throat. But her next sentence returned to her usual dominant tone: “You should treat him to a meal later as a way of saying thanks.”

Chu Xi-ang hadn’t looked up, but he had silently agreed.

Gu Xiaoyan looked past him into the apartment. “He’s not here?”

“No, he’s taking a shower.” Chu Xi-ang stepped out, partially closing the door behind him. “What is it?”

“Go to a lunch today.” Gu Xiaoyan checked her phone. “It starts at 11:30. I have something to take care of and can’t go; I already told them you’d be going.”

Chu Xi-ang lowered his eyes, his mouth hidden behind his high collar.

“Bring him along with you,” Gu Xiaoyan added.

“Huh?” Chu Xi-ang looked up, then quickly shook his head. “I’ll just go myself. It wouldn’t be appropriate.”

“There’s nothing inappropriate about it. It’s a birthday celebration for a neighbor; they won’t care how many people you bring. I’ll send a message. Besides, his house is full of smoke; he probably hasn’t eaten.” Having decided, Gu Xiaoyan turned around. “Just go when it’s time. It’s the household at the very end of East Street.”

Chu Xi-ang watched her walk down the stairs until her back disappeared from sight. He looked silently at the bare scar on his arm, let out a very soft laugh, and then pulled his sleeve all the way down to cover it.

“Why are you standing outside?”

The door behind him was pushed open slightly, the lingering mist from the shower drifting onto his neck.

Chu Xi-ang turned around. “My mother came to tell me something.”

Shen Hengxi was drying his hair with a towel. Hearing this, he shot the boy a glance. “You cleaned the kitchen for me?”

“Mhm.” Chu Xi-ang instinctively reached up with his right hand to scratch his neck, but the motion was stopped by Shen Hengxi.

“Stop moving.”

Chu Xi-ang’s eyes fell on the hand Shen Hengxi had placed on his right arm.

“I wanted to ask the moment I came out  you went to the hospital? Even though the stitches are out, don’t move it too much. You’ve had enough activity for today.” Shen Hengxi withdrew his hand and pointed to the sofa. “Go sit. I’ll make you a coffee.”

Chu Xi-ang’s step toward the sofa faltered. He pivoted and walked toward the bar counter instead. “Brother.”

Shen Hengxi was pouring coffee beans. “Mhm?”

“Do… do you want to go to lunch with me?” Chu Xi-ang quickly lowered his head. “My mother just asked me to go to a lunch in her place. Since she saw me here, she told me to ask you to come along.”

“I mean… do you want to go?” Chu Xi-ang looked up at Shen Hengxi again.

He hadn’t intended to. Even though Gu Xiaoyan had said it, he hadn’t planned on asking him.

“Do you want me to go?” Shen Hengxi asked.

The kid was staring at him intently, his eyes filled with a mix of nervousness and anticipation. As Shen Hengxi finished the final stroke of the latte art, he muttered as if to himself, “I don’t think I’ve ever experienced this kind of event before. Why don’t you take me once?”

The coffee was slid in front of Chu Xi-ang.

“Then… then you have to follow me.” Chu Xi-ang’s hands cupped the cup, the warmth slowly transferring from his palms to the bottom of his heart.

“Sure. I’ll just let Xiao Ang cover for me,” Shen Hengxi said with a smile.

Chu Xi-ang took a sip of the coffee. The lingering bitterness, mixed with sugar, vanished completely.

“Brother, this coffee is really good.”

Shen Hengxi laughed. “You haven’t tasted the bitterness of real coffee yet. Next time I’ll make you an Americano so you can see what bitterness actually is.”

“Sure.” Chu Xi-ang sat on the high stool, swinging his legs.

The lunch venue was close, so they walked.

When he had agreed, Shen Hengxi only thought about making the kid happy, but now he was starting to feel something was off. He let out a sigh, looking at the top of Chu Xi-ang’s head beside him. “It’s not quite appropriate, is it?”

Chu Xi-ang looked up with an exaggerated expression. “Isn’t it a bit late to be saying that now?”

Shen Hengxi looked steadily into the boy’s eyes but said nothing.

“Don’t worry. We don’t care about those things here. My mother already let them know. If you really don’t want to go, then don’t go. It’s fine.”

The kid was worrying for him again.

Shen Hengxi reached out and smoothed Chu Xi-ang’s hair, then curved his finger and gave the boy’s forehead a light flick. “Acting like such a little old man. Hurry up; I’m hungry.”

The sensation on his forehead was fleeting, but even after they sat down at the dining table, Chu Xi-ang felt as if a finger were still resting there. His gaze couldn’t help but tilt slightly to the right.

The hand right next to his arm was pale and slender, the veins on the back of it pulsing occasionally with his movements. Chu Xi-ang’s hand shifted slightly. He cleared his throat. “I forgot to ask, will you be able to get used to the food here, Brother?”

“It’s fine. I’m not picky. As long as it’s good,” Shen Hengxi said, sitting up a bit straighter.

He didn’t know anyone at this table. Even though he didn’t usually care about people’s gazes, being stared at so directly by these elderly locals made even the thick-skinned Shen Hengxi lean closer to Chu Xi-ang. His voice was very soft: “Does this count as a form of welcome?”

Chu Xi-ang also leaned in closer, laughing under his breath. “If you think of it that way, I guess it is. You don’t need to mind them. They’re just curious how someone so handsome ended up sitting at the same table as them.”

This was the first time the kid had praised him. Shen Hengxi turned his body slightly to avoid bumping Chu Xi-ang’s arm. Even as he was being careful, he was smiling. “Coming from a face like yours, aren’t you being too modest?”

Chu Xi-ang shook his head earnestly. “Really, Brother. You are the best-looking and most handsome person I have ever seen in my life.”

Meeting his gaze, the usually nonchalant Shen Hengxi froze. For a long moment, he couldn’t think of anything to say.

“Looking at it from another angle, Brother, you don’t need to feel out of place. I’m here with you. Just treat it as an experience watching the various faces of life.”

Shen Hengxi let out a “hiss” sound. “Can’t you act like a kid for once?”

Chu Xi-ang merely arched his eyebrows and said nothing.

During the meal, he kept talking to Shen Hengxi, telling him which dishes were local specialties and which ones were the most delicious. Shen Hengxi looked at him repeatedly and eventually gave up, placing a piece of fish in the boy’s bowl with his chopsticks. “Eat.”

Chu Xi-ang pursed his lips and took a large bite with his spoon. After swallowing, he continued talking about the food on the table. Then, perhaps afraid the man would find him annoying, he abruptly shifted the topic to what the people sitting at the table did for a living.

Shen Hengxi listened silently while pouring some of the drink into the boy’s cup. “Drink some.”

Seeing the boy obediently cupping the glass, he said in a slow, measured tone, “I truly haven’t eaten like this before, but it’s not like I haven’t seen it. Besides, I’ve never cared much for appearances. Since you brought me here, I’ll just follow you. I don’t need to worry about what the rest of them say.”

Chu Xi-ang took a large gulp of the drink, wiped his mouth, and turned his body toward Shen Hengxi. “This entire table is talking about you.”

A light smile tugged at the corners of Shen Hengxi’s mouth. “I know.”

“Someone said your family has assets worth billions, and you just have to lie back and collect money.” “Someone said you have powerful backing and just spend your time traveling and enjoying yourself.” “Someone said you were kicked out of your house and fled here to escape debts.”

Chu Xi-ang slowly looked up, engraving Shen Hengxi’s face deep into his heart. “Is there any truth in what they say?”

The man only smiled, his eyes holding the autumn starlight. “What do you think? There are so many versions, I’m starting to believe them myself.”

Chu Xi-ang withdrew his gaze and used his left hand to pour a drink for him, saying very softly, “I don’t believe them.”

His voice was drowned out by a sudden burst of firecrackers. Both of them looked toward the noise.

“You guys set off fireworks at noon here?” Shen Hengxi raised his voice.

Chu Xi-ang looked at his profile. “Mhm. They’ll do it at night too. You can come out and watch then.”

“Alright.”

Once the firecrackers stopped, Chu Xi-ang lightly tugged at Shen Hengxi’s sleeve. When the man looked over, the boy pointed at a piece of untouched cake. “If you don’t like that cake, give it to me. I’ll take it back for Grandmother.”

Shen Hengxi was surprised by his attentiveness, but he also felt that not eating it might be a waste of someone’s good intentions.

“It’s fine. Just think of it as the cake being transferred. Blessings, however, are something everyone can enjoy,” Chu Xi-ang added.

People say seventeen is the best age. Shen Hengxi, however, found his seventeen-year-old companion to be a bit too transparent.

The cake felt light in his hands. Shen Hengxi placed it in Chu Xi-ang’s hand.

If blessings truly could be enjoyed, he hoped the boy would be a little happier.