Watching the Setting Sun Along the Same Path - Chapter 19

“What are you doing all of a sudden?” Lu Ketong was practically twisting Fei Yuan’s T-shirt to shreds. His face was hidden under his cap as he pressed against Fei Yuan’s shoulder and said, “You’re killing me…”

The night breeze was a bit chilly, so Fei Yuan didn’t dare ride too fast. When they reached the street outside Lu Ketong’s house, he didn’t even stop, just passed by the front gate and circled around. Lu Ketong grabbed Fei Yuan’s abs tightly, shouting for him to stop.

“I’m afraid you’ll catch a cold from the wind. Right now, my mind is full of you.” Lu Ketong leaned against Fei Yuan’s back, still a bit dazed, murmuring, “Qiu’er really is the lucky star in my life.”

Fei Yuan gripped the wrist wrapped around his waist and said, “If your mind is full of me, why are you still talking about someone else?”

“This is called a grateful heart.” Lu Ketong jumped off the bike, stood to the side, and hugged Fei Yuan’s shoulders, analyzing, “If Qiu’er hadn’t stirred things up back then, you wouldn’t have transferred schools.”

“And if you hadn’t wanted to avenge him back then, you wouldn’t have tried to hook up with me. And you’re saying someone else stirred things up?”

Lu Ketong’s heart trembled, and he silently held on tighter. Fei Yuan reached out and wrapped an arm around his waist, asking, “What were you thinking back then? How is hooking up with me considered revenge? What normal person would do that?”

Because his main goal was to piss off Lu Ruopei… He swallowed nervously and made up an excuse, “You’re just too handsome. I thought while getting revenge, I’d try out a same-sex relationship, and it turned out pretty good.”

“You little rascal.” Fei Yuan patted his butt and said, “Go back now. Don’t lie to me from now on.”

Lu Ketong asked anxiously, “If you find out I lied, will you break up with me?”

“Don’t get your hopes up. With your rotten attitude, you’d be out partying the day after we break up. You better stay put and take your punishment.” Fei Yuan tightened the two strings hanging from his cap, framing his small face perfectly.

As if granted a pardon, he grabbed the strings himself and said, “Thank you for being so rough. I’ll take off my pants for you to punish.”

He sprinted all the way home, bouncing and skipping. The night had been so thrilling, it felt like his own birthday. He knocked on the door, and Wen Ning opened it. He said foolishly, “Mom! You look so beautiful tonight! And I look so handsome!”

“Are you crazy again?” Wen Ning followed him inside, thinking she could worry less since he wasn’t supposed to come home today. “Why are you back? Weren’t you celebrating Qiu Luomin’s birthday?”

“It’s over. He was so moved he couldn’t even speak.”

The door to the large study wasn’t locked. As Lu Ketong ran past, he bumped it open a crack. Lu Ruopei had been resting inside with his eyes closed, leaning back in his chair, but the noise made him frown and look toward the door.

“Can you keep the house quiet? What time is it?”

“Other families want liveliness, but you’re just special.” He pushed the door open and sprawled on the sofa. In a good mood, he had even more energy to annoy Lu Ruopei. “Qiu’s parents don’t mind my noise, and besides, I think the music you play is awful.”

Lu Ruopei liked to listen to classical music while resting, but now the elegant melody was mixed with Lu Ketong’s chatter, making him quite annoyed. When Wen Ning came in, he waved his hand and said, “Get him out of here. His taste is terrible.”

“My taste is terrible?” Lu Ketong thought to himself, do you know how handsome my boyfriend is? Don’t let me really piss you off someday! He refused to leave and even opened his mouth to sing. Actually, he rarely sang because he was slightly off-key.

“Heh-heh-heh-heh, no worries, no troubles, no sorrows, seeing through the fickleness of the world, walking along, happy and free, wherever there’s injustice, there I’ll be.” Lu Ruopei had already turned off the music, probably feeling it was a desecration of classical tunes. Lu Ketong still had his hood up, his head round like a sausage, “Heh-heh-heh-heh, wandering north and south, Buddha sits in my heart, walking along, happy and free, wherever there’s injustice, there I’ll be.”

Wen Ning couldn’t take it anymore and said, “Ruopei, I have a headache. You handle it, I’m going to rest.”

“My head hurts even more,” Lu Ruopei closed the file, got up to rest as well. Lu Ketong followed him, and he yanked off Lu Ketong’s hood, saying, “You didn’t have class tonight, you’ll make it up on Sunday. Also, since you love singing so much, I’ll hire you a vocal teacher someday.”

Lu Ketong was unhappy again, saying, “Kids in the mountains can’t even afford to go to school, and you’re spending money on this and that. When will our city’s education improve? Can’t you look beyond your own family?”

Lu Ruopei replied, “So you should be grateful you have school to go to, and teachers to tutor you. Most importantly, you have a father who’s endlessly tolerant and hasn’t beaten you to death yet.”

“Tsk!” Lu Ketong went back to his room to sleep, shouting at Lu Ruopei before closing the door, “The fact that I haven’t driven you to death yet just means my skills aren’t up to par! Heh-heh-heh-heh!”

Being confined at home on Sunday meant he had to notify the boys’ group chat in advance, after all, he considered himself a core member of the team. The next day at school, the class sports committee member said, “Lulu, don’t outscore me on the final exams. I’m two years older than you—if you beat me, I’ll be heartbroken.”

Lu Ketong said, “The reason I started school early is because I’m smart. Staying in the middle of the pack for two years has been tough for me, all for the sake of you older siblings’ self-esteem.”

Fei Yuan arrived, walking into the classroom just in time to hear him bragging. As he passed by, he lightly flicked Lu Ketong’s forehead and said, “Don’t show off.”

Lu Ketong stopped bickering with the sports committee member and turned to ask, “Why are you so late?”

“Overslept.”

“Did you have breakfast?” He took out a lunchbox from his desk drawer—it was handmade cookies Wen Ning had packed for him. He remembered the first time he gave Fei Yuan cookies, the other had said he didn’t like sweets.

He picked up a piece and brought it to Fei Yuan’s mouth, asking, “Want some?”

Fei Yuan lowered his head slightly and ate the cookie. Lu Ketong took another piece for himself, feeling so moved he almost cried. He thought Fei Yuan had eaten it just for him, feeling as if Fei Yuan would even quit drugs for his sake.

Just then, Fei Yuan finished eating and said, “Way too sweet. You eat them yourself.”

“…” Lu Ketong pouted and swallowed back his tears of joy. The class monitor passed by, saw the cookies, took one to eat, and commented, “Rich and creamy milk flavor, nice. And the lunchbox has little flowers on it—fitting, very Lulu.”

Lu Ketong closed the lid, still the same old style: “What’s wrong with it? My mom bought it for me, and I like it!”

On Sunday morning, there was a wedding in the alley, and the noise early in the morning was unbearable. Old Man Shen couldn’t sleep well and felt listless, so he stayed in bed a little longer. Shen Duoyi had to go to work, but he couldn’t leave on time. He had to reheat the cold food for his grandfather.

“Grandpa, I’ll heat up the porridge for you. You can eat it yourself. I’m going to be late.”

Fei Dean came in from outside and placed a few packs of wedding candies on the small table in the courtyard, saying they were from the family holding the wedding—two packs for each household. Shen Duoyi wouldn’t be able to eat until the afternoon, so he took two pieces of chocolate.

“You’re running late, right? Fei Yuan happens to be heading out—he can give you a ride.” Fei Dean had barely finished speaking when Fei Yuan emerged from the room, looking ready for a soccer game. Car keys in hand, he asked, “Ready to go?”

Shen Duoyi sighed inwardly but replied with a smile, “No need, really. I’m not that late—I can just take the bus.”

After the tutoring session ended around noon, Lu Ketong yawned as he walked his teacher to the door. Lu Ruopei was in the living room sipping tea, idly fiddling with a newly purchased string of walnuts. Rubbing his stomach, Lu Ketong asked, “Where’s Mom?”

“Out with friends.”

“Then why aren’t you cooking?” Starving, he slumped onto the carpet and sprawled across the coffee table. “You make me study but can’t even handle the logistics. You keep all the good genes to yourself and let me go hungry.”

Lu Ruopei waved a hand dismissively. “Change your clothes—we’re eating out. And keep quiet.”

With the driver off duty, Lu Ruopei drove himself. Lu Ketong sat quietly in the passenger seat, buckled up and unusually subdued. “You really must be hungry,” Lu Ruopei remarked gently, ruffling his hair. But when Lu Ketong reached for the music switch, Lu Ruopei promptly slapped his hand away.

“What was that for?”

“Just sit still.” Lu Ruopei scolded him, unable to help it—he was genuinely wary. His car was stocked with classical music, and he dreaded the thought of Lu Ketong humming along endlessly.

They didn’t notice anything unusual as the car entered the parking lot, but once inside the lobby, Lu Ketong felt a sense of familiarity. When the elevator doors opened, sure enough—it was that same Western restaurant again. “Why here? I’m not happy about this.”

Lu Ruopei nudged him inside to find a table. “The State Guest Restaurant isn’t up to your standards? Kids in impoverished mountain regions don’t even have enough to eat.”

Slouching in his seat, Lu Ketong scanned the room for Shen Duoyi, his face sour. “If you know kids are going hungry, why not focus on development and boosting the economy? Will scolding me help us achieve a moderately prosperous society?”

“Sir, are you ready to order?”

“Not yet.” At the next table, a handsome guy sat alone, sipping plain water and occasionally glancing around. Before long, he smiled and waved. “I’d like to order now.”

Following his gaze, Lu Ketong nearly jumped—holy crap, it was Shen Duoyi.

Lu Ruopei coughed, signaling him to stop staring. Lu Ketong reluctantly turned back to the menu but kept his ears perked. “Do you have time after your shift later?” the guy at the next table asked.

Shen Duoyi replied flatly, “No.”

“Really? Just a little time would be fine. Let’s talk.” The guy’s tone was gentle.

Shen Duoyi said, “Not even a little.”

Under the table, Lu Ruopei kicked him and closed the menu. “Your head is practically on their table.” Lu Ketong snapped back to attention. After Shen Duoyi left, he whispered, “Does that guy like that boy?”

“How would I know?”

Lu Ketong frowned. “Aren’t you the expert? Don’t play dumb.”

After the meal, he refused to go home, insisting on hanging out alone. Lu Ruopei laid down conditions: “Set a time to come home and finish your homework. I’ve been observing you lately—you never stay home on Sundays.”

“You can stay out all night during the week, but I can’t even go out on my legally mandated weekend?” He was thoroughly annoyed by this middle-aged man. “Why are you always watching me? Go back to your municipal party building—maybe there’s someone waiting at the gate to file a complaint!”

Lu Ruopei drove off, but he lingered in the same spot. The sun outside was scorching, so staying in the hotel lobby was just right. He picked up a magazine to read, and before long, the handsome guy from next door walked over and sat down on the sofa beside him.

He waited a little longer. Just before three o’clock, Shen Duoyi emerged from the elevator.

The handsome guy stood up with a smile and approached him, saying, “I was waiting for you.” Shen Duoyi frowned at him, but before he could speak, he noticed Lu Ketong. He walked over, took a breath, and said, “We can go now.”

Lu Ketong’s reaction was decent enough. He nodded and said, “Oh.”

The two walked side by side toward the exit, but the handsome guy caught up and blocked their way, asking, “Is this your friend?”

“What do you think?” Shen Duoyi replied, then took Lu Ketong’s hand and smiled at him. “Let’s go.”

Sweat beaded beneath Lu Ketong’s bangs—he was nervous. What kind of luck was this? Pretending to be Qiu Luomin’s partner was one thing, but now he was even pretending to be Shen Duoyi’s. He did a quick mental calculation—next time, it should be Jian Xin’s turn.

They walked over a hundred meters to the bus stop and stopped. Shen Duoyi let go of his hand, looking at the ground without saying a word. Lu Ketong opened his mouth but closed it again, not daring to ask too much.

The two remained silent for ten minutes. When the display screen showed the bus was just one stop away, Shen Duoyi said softly, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Lu Ketong felt an inexplicable tenderness toward this good-looking boy. “Even though I can’t crack skulls, I can still act.”

Shen Duoyi turned to look at him and smiled. The bus arrived, and Shen Duoyi pulled out his bus card from his pocket, along with two pieces of chocolate. “For you.” Lu Ketong found a piece of chocolate in his hand, and then Shen Duoyi boarded the bus, waving at him through the window.

Lu Ketong tore open the chocolate and ate it, sighing to himself. First, it was the big pear, and now chocolate. No sooner had one worry faded than another took its place—what a sentimental adolescence.

Support