Watching the Setting Sun Along the Same Path - Chapter 1

The alley entrance was bustling with noise early in the morning. Those heading to work or school were rushing against the clock, and some waiting in line for breakfast were losing their temper over the slow service. Further down the alley, against the wall, a motorcycle was parked with a note stuck to its rearview mirror that read: “Touch it and you’re dead.”

Lin Yuzhu placed three bowls of millet porridge on the table, fuming as she said, “You’re going to be the death of me! Who in this neighborhood would touch your beat-up bike? Aren’t you afraid people will call you reckless behind your back?”

Fei Yuan downed nearly half a bowl in one gulp, completely unfazed. “Your generation always called my dad reckless. Guess it’s my turn now.”

Fei Dean waited for his porridge to cool, sipping tea from a purple clay teapot. He glanced at Fei Yuan’s new school uniform and earnestly advised, “Son, tone it down at the new school. When you have nothing to do, just study, alright?”

“Sure, studying’s way easier than fighting.”

It had been a week since the new semester started, and Fei Yuan had spent that entire week at home. His previous school had “broken up” with him unilaterally because of his fights. The new school Lin Yuzhu had pulled strings to get him into was an expensive, prestigious high school.

After finishing his meal, he grabbed his backpack and headed out. Lin Yuzhu shouted from inside, “Don’t you dare ride that beat-up motorcycle!”

Fei Yuan checked his pockets—sure enough, the keys were gone. He genuinely admired his mom’s skills. If she ever turned to crime, their family would’ve been among the first to get rich.

Fei Dean slowly sipped his porridge and remarked, “You might be late. You really shouldn’t have.”

“Shouldn’t have what? What well-behaved student rides a motorcycle roaring around?” Lin Yuzhu finally started eating her own meal, grumbling unhappily, “You beat that kid so badly he ended up in the hospital, and now you’re out of school. And you, as his father, didn’t even say a word.”

“Wasn’t that Shen kid being bullied? That counts as standing up for what’s right.”

Lin Yuzhu slammed her chopsticks down. “I’ve never seen anyone ‘stand up for what’s right’ at the expense of their own mother. In the end, I still had to ask a favor from an acquaintance.”

Thanks to his height and speed, Fei Yuan practically sprinted from the bus stop to the school gate. By the time he found Class 3 of Grade 11, he was stepping into the classroom just as the morning reading bell rang.

Some students had just started reading, and everyone looked at him curiously as he entered.

When the homeroom teacher hurried in with a book, Fei Yuan forced a smile with sheer willpower. He stepped onto the podium and wrote his name and phone number on the blackboard.

“There’s an empty seat at the back of this row. Go sit there for now.”

He walked over and saw two empty seats, one in front of the other. The desk in front was stuffed with a stack of test papers, a water bottle, an umbrella, and other things—it looked like the student was absent.

The textbooks were the same, so he didn’t need to prepare anything, but he didn’t have the test papers issued by the school’s teaching research group. Since he’d promised Fei Dean he’d study when he had nothing to do, he couldn’t just sit there listening.

“Teacher, can I borrow the test papers from the student in front for now?”

Fei Yuan pulled a few sheets from the front desk’s compartment. Some were blank, others had been graded and returned—the scores were decent. But after half a class, he was utterly bored and couldn’t resist doodling on the papers.

“Shit, I forgot.” These weren’t his papers. He only remembered after he’d already scribbled all over them.

He folded the paper to the name section and read: Lu Ketong. Boy or girl?

The beginning is always the hardest. The first day of transferring schools felt unbearable. He kept glancing at the sky, then at the ground. In the afternoon, just as the whole class was dozing off, a loud clap of thunder rumbled outside.

“This problem is so disgusting even the heavens are crying.”

“Damn, I didn’t bring an umbrella. Guess I’ll cry with the heavens.”

Fei Yuan corrected the mistakes on the test paper, as a way of apologizing for scribbling all over it. The rain grew heavier, and the cool breeze blowing in felt refreshing. Despite the wind and rain outside, his heart was surprisingly calm.

In any case, his high school life at this school had officially begun.

By the time school ended, the rain still hadn’t stopped. Students packed up their bags in small groups and left one after another. He didn’t know anyone yet, and it seemed like he had instantly become the tallest in the class, so there wasn’t much need for anyone to look out for him.

Rolling up his pant legs, he picked up his bag and prepared to head home. When returning the test paper, he spotted the umbrella in the desk drawer again. Glancing at the dense rain outside the window, Fei Yuan reached in and took the umbrella.

They were classmates now, so borrowing it shouldn’t be a big deal, right?

Once downstairs, he opened the umbrella. Damn, it was covered in sunflowers. It seemed this belonged to a girl.

By the time he was almost home, the rain had stopped. As soon as he entered the alley, he caught the savory aroma of stewed pork ribs. He propped the umbrella open on the motorcycle to let it dry, then stuck a note on it that read: Umbrella not for borrowing.

Lin Yuzhu was still busy in the kitchen when she heard the noise and quickly asked, “How was school today?”

Fei Yuan replied with a simple “Fine” before heading inside to change. By the time he finished, the food was already on the table. He went to the kitchen, picked up the plate of ribs she had set aside, and took it directly to the neighbor’s house.

“My mom stewed some ribs. I’ve left them on the table. Are you home alone?”

The old man lying in the rocking chair said, “Thank you. I’ll wait for Xiao Yi to come back so we can eat together.”

Early the next morning, Shen Duoyi came to return the plate. Guiltily, he said, “Auntie, I’m sorry. I caused Fei Yuan to get expelled from school, and you’re still looking out for our family like this.”

“What are you talking about? How could this be your fault? Besides, I consider it an act of bravery on his part.”

Shen Duoyi smiled gratefully and asked, “Has Fei Yuan already left?”

“Yes, the new school is far, and I won’t let him ride the motorcycle.” Lin Yuzhu was also getting ready for work and reminded him, “It’s supposed to rain these next few days, so don’t hang the laundry in the yard.”

The driver had been waiting at the door for a while, but Lu Ketong was still dawdling. His sinusitis had flared up, and he had been resting for several days, acting as delicate as the Princess and the Pea. His father, Lu Ruopei, often stayed away from home, but during his illness, Lu Ketong had been able to feel his father’s love every day.

“If you’re not feeling well, just come back. Don’t push yourself,” Wen Ning said worriedly. Mothers of delicate children were all like this.

The school gate didn’t allow parking, so the driver held back until he reached the boundary line before braking. Lu Ketong, carrying four or five packs of tissues, got out of the car and nearly bumped into someone. This person was tall and sturdy, holding an umbrella that looked rather girly.

Why did that umbrella look so familiar?

Watching the person enter Class 3 of the second year, Lu Ketong stood at the classroom door and glanced inside, making sure all the faces were familiar before daring to enter. Once inside, he happened to witness the person stuffing the umbrella into his desk drawer.

“Lulu, you’re here? How are you feeling?”

“Used some sinusitis medicine. My nose is standing tall and proud.”

“There’s a math test today. Did you know?”

“If I’d known, I wouldn’t have come!”

“New classmate, sitting behind you.”

“Hmm, I’ll have a word with him.”

Fei Yuan was looking down at his book and didn’t notice the person in front of him. It was only when Lu Ketong plopped down with a thud that he looked up, glancing at the back of Lu Ketong’s head and shoulders.

So, it was a guy. That was truly a mystery in taste.

Lu Ketong shuffled through the test papers and noticed someone else’s handwriting on them, along with some scribbles. He was about to slam the table and stand up when he remembered his umbrella. Alright, it must have been this new classmate.

Why bully someone as soon as you arrive?

After waiting for what felt like ages without any sign of an apology or explanation, Lu Ketong slowly turned around and tapped Fei Yuan’s desk. Fei Yuan lifted his head slightly, staring back at him with an expressionless face.

One was adorable, the other cold; one in front, the other behind.

Looking at the face across from him, Lu Ketong decided to give him another chance and began introducing himself: “My surname is Lu, Lu Ketong. It’s because I lack wood in my five elements.”

Fei Yuan stared at him, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “If you lacked earth in your five elements, would you be called Lu Kela?”

Lu Ketong was left speechless, stunned like a wooden chicken, thinking to himself: Damn, this guy’s actually pretty cool.