Watching the Setting Sun Along the Same Path - Chapter 13

Lu Ketong’s entire day was pretty much wasted. When he got home, he ran straight into Lu Ruopei and Wen Ning waiting for him in the living room. But he had never been afraid of anyone and remained perfectly calm.

“What did you do today?”

“It’s the weekend, of course I went out to relax and have fun.” He sat cross-legged by the coffee table, pouring himself a glass of lemon tea.

Lu Ruopei didn’t say anything. Although he was so busy he rarely came home, he had noticed that this troublesome kid had been acting strange lately. That morning, Wen Ning mentioned that several pots of flowers were missing from the greenhouse. A quick check of the security footage at the front gate revealed everything.

Wen Ning asked, “Lulu, did you take flowers from the greenhouse today?”

Lu Ketong was utterly shocked. “You noticed? I took them one by one, and you still noticed? Guess you really can’t steal socialist horse grass.”

“Don’t change the subject,” Wen Ning said, amused and exasperated, giving him a light smack. “Why did you take so many flowers?”

“I gave them to a classmate,” he lied without batting an eye. “I bullied a classmate a few days ago, and after thinking about it, I realized I was wrong. So, I took a few pots of flowers to his house. In ancient times, there was Lian Po carrying thorns to apologize; today, there’s Lu Ketong bringing potted plants to say sorry. Truly a beautiful thing.”

Lu Ruopei scolded, “Beautiful my foot.”

Lu Ketong could tolerate being hit by Wen Ning, but he absolutely refused to be scolded by Lu Ruopei. He immediately retorted, “Even my mom didn’t blame me. Don’t think you can take this chance to lecture me. You’re never home, and when you are, you just look for trouble. If we don’t get rated as a model family in the neighborhood, it’s all your fault!”

“You’re completely out of control!” Lu Ruopei thought to himself that this little ancestor really couldn’t be criticized at all. “If you don’t want to be disciplined, I’ll discipline you even more. The driver said you didn’t let him pick you up after school this afternoon. Where have you been running off to after school? You didn’t even come home the other day. Just because I didn’t say anything doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want.”

Lu Ketong was furious. He poured himself another glass and drank it down, saying, “I ride my bike, I exercise, I defend my country!” Still angry, he added, “I didn’t come home because I didn’t want to see you. I’m never coming back. I’m moving out, so don’t even think about missing me.”

“Moving out?” Lu Ruopei thought that no matter how exhausting work was, it was still easier than raising a child. He said mockingly, “Go ahead and move wherever you want. It’ll be quieter at home without you.”

He wasn’t even going to try to coax him? Lu Ketong tried to save face, lowering his voice as he said, “Then give me money.”

Wen Ning finally couldn’t take it anymore. She sighed and pulled Lu Ketong toward the dining room, saying, “You two are so noisy. Lulu, after dinner, go work in the greenhouse for me. I’ll pay you.”

The angrier Lu Ketong got, the more he ate. After finishing his meal, he took a glass of milk upstairs to drink. Once he was done, he thought to himself, I have a boyfriend now. How can I be unhappy alone? I should make my boyfriend unhappy with me.

But his boyfriend was playing basketball and didn’t even hear the phone ring.

The next day, he endured endless sarcasm and ridicule at home. It seemed Lu Ruopei was planning to teach him a proper lesson. Fuming, he hid in the greenhouse watering plants, thinking, When the time is right, I’ll make Lu Ruopei so angry he drops dead.

But he was also a little scared. Fei Yuan knew he had avenged Qiu Luomin and had stubbornly made him sit in the alley all day. If Fei Yuan found out about his plan, would he beat him half to death?

Before he could figure it out, his phone suddenly rang. When he answered, Fei Yuan’s lazy voice came through.

“Did you call me last night?”

“You waited until after a nap to call back,” Lu Ketong said, putting down the watering can and pulling up a small stool to sit on. “If something happened to me, by the time you woke up, I’d already be reincarnated.”

Fei Yuan said, “If you become my son, Daddy will lift you high.”

Lu Ketong actually had the shameful thought flash through his mind, then blushed and started destroying Wen Ning’s flowers, plucking several leaves as he said, “I want to move out and live on my own because school is too far from home. Do you think it’s feasible?”

He didn’t mention the argument with Lu Ruopei, afraid Fei Yuan would think he was being dramatic. But Fei Yuan already thought he was being quite dramatic and said, “No.”

“Why? You’re being too direct, aren’t you?”

“I think I’ve been spoiling you too much.” Fei Yuan genuinely believed this—they’d just had one peaceful day, and now he was stirring things up again, always coming up with new ideas. Just as he finished speaking, he heard Shen Duoyi calling from the yard, “Fei Yuan, I need to borrow the dictionary.”

Lu Ketong was displeased: “How can you lend someone else such a private thing as a dictionary!”

Fei Yuan thought to himself that this long-distance jealousy was flaring up again. He got up and handed the dictionary that was weighing down some books to Shen Duoyi, while saying into the phone, “It was originally his, just stored at my place.”

“You guys are so annoying.” He had brought so many flowers just so Fei Yuan would think of him when he saw them. Well, it seemed Shen Duoyi knew the same trick—wouldn’t Fei Yuan think of him every time he saw the dictionary now?

He really wanted to talk badly about Shen Duoyi, but Shen Duoyi had given him a big pear to eat, so he couldn’t. It was truly suffocating.

When Monday arrived at school, Fei Yuan had long forgotten about this matter—or more accurately, he hadn’t taken it seriously in the first place. It wasn’t until Lu Ketong hadn’t turned around to speak to him all morning that he realized the little sapling was in need of pruning again.

Other people’s trees get pruned once every three months; his needed pruning three times a day.

Lu Ketong, however, was remarkably composed. Since he had failed biology, he just kept doing practice questions. By noon, when almost everyone had left after class, Fei Yuan grabbed him by the back of his neck from behind, gave a tug, and then twisted him around with a bit more force.

“Hungry?”

“Not hungry.” He broke free, turned back around, and continued writing, saying, “I still have to get into Tsinghua University with Qiu Luomin. We listen to online lectures together every night, using the same account.”

Fei Yuan almost laughed out loud, deliberately provoking him: “Actually, on the day you and Qiu Luomin went to eat at Guobin, I was the one who gave Shen Duoyi a ride.”

Lu Ketong put down his pen, zipped his jacket all the way up with a swift motion, and said, “I’m going to eat now, and you’re not allowed to come.” With that, he stood up and walked away. Even as he reached the classroom door, he still wasn’t satisfied, turning back to shout, “I’m never riding your motorcycle again! I’d rather cry on my bicycle than laugh on your motorcycle!”

Fei Yuan was laughing inside and asked, “Are you coming to play soccer after school?”

Soccer… he really wanted to go, but since he’d gone this far with his drama, he had to stick with it. He stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets and said, “I’m not going. I need to prepare for the college entrance exams.”

That night, he studied at his desk until 11:30. Wen Ning made him a midnight snack, and he said, “I might improve my grades. You should be prepared.”

Wen Ning propped her chin on her hand and asked, “Are you going to be first in your grade? Your dad would be over the moon.”

“First in the grade might be a stretch…” Why did she get so excited over a little encouragement? Lu Ketong rubbed his eyes. “I’ll definitely improve in the midterms. You should be prepared to be praised at the parent-teacher meeting. As for my dad, who cares if he’s happy or not?”

He turned off the light and got into bed, feeling like the day had been quite fulfilling, but there was a slight emptiness in his heart. Just as he was lying there in the dark, feeling hollow, his phone lit up with a notification.

“Hello? Did you die in a service dead zone?”

Fei Yuan chuckled softly and called him, “Baby.”

“What?” Lu Ketong was stunned, dazed—the return of love was too sudden. “I… I’m alive again.”

Fei Yuan had him completely in the palm of his hand, saying, “Nothing else. I just suddenly remembered that day you said you’d agree if I called you. Thought I’d give it a try.”

Lu Ketong buried his face in the pillow and softly suggested, “Can we try every day?”

Fei Yuan played along, asking, “Baby, wanna play soccer tomorrow?”

How could he refuse? Not playing would make him a bad baby!

The intense, all-night studying lasted only a day before Lu Ketong returned to his carefree, happy life. Five minutes before class ended, he was already restless, and as soon as the bell rang, he grabbed his backpack and dashed out.

While everyone was warming up, he crouched by the goalpost, tying his shoelaces. Fei Yuan didn’t help him, just stood nearby, patting his head like he was petting a dog. Later, two freshmen from the first year came over, and Fei Yuan finally pulled him up.

“This is Wang Haoyan and Jian Xin. You weren’t here yesterday, so let’s get acquainted.”

He handed his shoes to Fei Yuan, then looked up. Wang Haoyan was really handsome—just annoyingly taller than him. Jian Xin was really good-looking, about the same height as him, and seemed like a genuinely nice person. He said, “I’m Lu Ketong. Call me Lulu.”

During the game, he noticed that Wang Haoyan kept his eyes on Jian Xin’s ball and even intentionally went easy on him. He couldn’t help but envy such a considerate bond. After the game, while Fei Yuan was chatting with them, he went over, complaining about being tired and asking Fei Yuan to go get his bike.

“Aren’t you guys leaving together?”

Jian Xin glanced at Wang Haoyan and smiled. “We’ll leave together in a bit.”

Fei Yuan rode his bike over, and Lu Ketong stood up, saying they should hang out again next time before leaving with Fei Yuan. They stopped in front of a convenience store where Fei Yuan retrieved his motorcycle. Lu Ketong leaned over the handlebars and said, “How about I lock my bike here and you give me a ride back? I’m too tired to pedal.”

Fei Yuan deliberately called him out: “Who was it that said they’d rather cry on their own bike than laugh on my motorcycle?”

Lu Ketong quickly locked his bike, hugged his backpack, and sat on the back, saying respectfully, “I’m seated. Now, let me give you a smile.”

The only downside to motorcycles was their speed—they got home too quickly, leaving no time to linger. Fei Yuan parked the bike in a sheltered corner, hidden behind a newspaper stand.

“Mom, I’ll be home in ten minutes.”

He usually called her “Mom,” but when he was feeling a bit guilty, he’d switch to “Mommy.” As soon as he hung up, Fei Yuan pushed him against the bike and kissed him. Lu Ketong wrapped his arms around Fei Yuan’s neck, humming softly, and sneezed once they pulled apart.

“If I catch a cold from kissing, that’d be something,” he said, checking the time before standing on his toes to hug Fei Yuan again. “Only three minutes have passed. We still have seven left.”

Fei Yuan didn’t say anything, just kissed his ear. Lu Ketong thought of the way Wang Haoyan looked at Jian Xin and how obedient Jian Xin seemed when he looked back. Curious, he asked, “Are Wang Haoyan and Jian Xin like us? Right? Right?”

Fei Yuan pinched his waist and said, “Who could be like you? All you know how to do is throw tantrums.”

“Bull. I also know how to complain.”

Lu Ketong was lifted by his butt, and he buried his face in Fei Yuan’s shoulder, bringing up old grievances: “I really want to move out.” At first, it was just to annoy Lu Ruopei, but now he was genuinely considering it.

For once, he didn’t get angry after being lectured by Fei Yuan—maybe the embrace was too comforting. He even said, “Fine, I’ll listen to you. Am I being obedient? I’ll follow my dog’s lead.”

Fei Yuan gave him a gentle shake and said, “Two minutes left.”

Lu Ketong let out a muffled sob, trying not to respond for fear of making his lips swell. But when Fei Yuan’s tongue slipped into his mouth, he surrendered, obediently accepting it.

With one hand, he unzipped his pants a little and whispered, “I want strawberries.”

When the time was up, he tried to act casual in the darkness, his face flushed, and said, “Big bro, it’s so uncivilized of you to pinch my butt.” But Fei Yuan wasn’t joking, his voice slightly hoarse as he asked, “Is it civilized for me to fantasize about you?”

Lu Ketong felt as if he’d been set on fire, his cheeks burning. He thought of Wang Haoyan and Jian Xin, feeling a pang of envy. It must be so nice for boys their age to be in love—he was still a little too young.

He pressed his face against Fei Yuan’s, wanting him to know that he was actually so shy he felt like he was smoking, then said sensibly, “Wait for me. I’m really good, worth waiting for.”

Fei Yuan chuckled softly and replied, “I know. I’m waiting.”

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