Watching the Setting Sun Along the Same Path - Chapter 2

Lin Yuzhu was right. It was going to rain these couple of days.

The building was still the same building, the eaves were still the same eaves, but the umbrella had become someone else’s umbrella. Fei Yuan stood there with his hands in his pockets, watching groups of classmates walk out.

Lu Ketong came down unhurriedly, then leisurely stood beside him and said, “How come you’re such an opportunist? Were you still fantasizing that I hadn’t arrived, planning to steal my umbrella again, so you didn’t bring one?”

Fei Yuan suddenly leaned in close, with a half-smile, and said, “I thought you were a girl. It would’ve been so nice to share an umbrella together. Who knew you were a guy?”

Lu Ketong got angry: “Forget it. Even if you were a girl, I wouldn’t share an umbrella with you.”

With that, he opened his umbrella and walked into the rain. A passing classmate said, “Lulu, using your little floral umbrella again?” Lu Ketong, still not over his anger, lashed out at the innocent: “What’s wrong with it? My mom bought it for me, and I like it!”

Fei Yuan watched him gradually walk away and couldn’t help but want to laugh. That guy holding a little floral umbrella actually looked pretty damn harmonious.

The driver was waiting at the school gate. As soon as Lu Ketong got in the car, he started eating. The driver told him to eat less, or he wouldn’t have an appetite when he got home. Lu Ketong shook his head: “Not going home yet. Take me to Qiu Luomin’s place.”

Qiu Luomin’s house was also the typical kind—lots of money, few people, and a big house. When Lu Ketong arrived, he headed straight for the game room. Pushing the door open, he saw Qiu Luomin playing video games with a bandage wrapped around his head.

“You really are brain-damaged but determined. Hurry up and add me in.”

Qiu Luomin paused the game: “You finally remembered to come see me? Where the hell were you while I was in the hospital? I’ve been staying home even after school started, just waiting for you to come keep me company.”

Lu Ketong sat down: “I was afraid your enemies would come to the hospital looking for revenge. What if I got hurt?”

“Damn, if you hadn’t brought that up, we could’ve played together.” Qiu Luomin wasn’t exactly a model student either, but he’d run into someone even tougher. “I was just flirting with this little bunny in our class, but it turns out the big bad wolf from the next class is his childhood friend. What a coincidence.”

Lu Ketong was shocked: “You got your head busted just for flirting? Was it really not assault?”

Qiu Luomin’s head started hurting again: “What’s the point of you coming here? To make me feel worse? Besides, I’m not really into assaulting guys.”

“What the hell?” Lu Ketong was stunned today. He stared at Qiu Luomin: “A guy? The little bunny is a guy? Then the big bad wolf is also a guy? This is childhood friends turning into a gay couple!”

Qiu Luomin said: “I was just curious because everyone in class was saying the little bunny was the type who fooled around.”

Lu Ketong was shaken and mumbled: “We’re in a top high school, we only study. I’m not keeping you company anymore. I’m going home to study too.”

“What’s wrong with you? Scared?” Qiu Luomin walked Lu Ketong downstairs and explained: “I was just curious. It’s not like I actually like guys. If I did, I’d definitely like you, right?”

Lu Ketong turned around, his eyes surprisingly sorrowful: “Qiu, if you like guys, don’t get a girlfriend. Otherwise, you’ll bring disaster on people and get your comeuppance.”

Watching him walk away, Qiu Luomin felt like jumping into a river wouldn’t wash him clean.

Wen Ning was at home learning baking, coming up with all sorts of ways to take care of her child. Lu Ketong glanced upstairs, guessing that Lu Ruopei still hadn’t come home. He changed his clothes and went into the kitchen, leaning on the countertop to curse his father.

“Your dad is busy with work. Besides, wasn’t he home these past couple of days when you were sick?”

“Aren’t you angry?” Lu Ketong walked behind Wen Ning and shook her shoulders, his tone filled with concern. “Why did you marry him back then? Someone like him deserves to die alone.”

Wen Ning scolded him softly, “Lulu!”

Lu Ketong deflated and went upstairs to do his homework. He opened his textbook and stared blankly, unable to focus. So, he sent a message to the boys’ group chat, asking if they wanted to play soccer over the weekend.

“Let’s play! No one’s allowed to be late.”

“You’re the one who’s always late.”

“I just bought new cleats. I’m gonna crush you all this weekend.”

“Hey, should we invite Fei Yuan?”

…

They had only been classmates for two days and weren’t very familiar yet. Lu Ketong had spoken the most with Fei Yuan, but none of it had been particularly polite or friendly. The class monitor said, “Lulu, ask him if he wants to come.”

Lu Ketong replied directly, “He said he’s not going.”

Then someone in the group said, “Maybe we shouldn’t invite him. I heard he’s pretty gloomy.”

The others, driven by curiosity or youthful arrogance, kept pressing for details. The classmate had no choice but to continue, “My middle school classmate went to the same school as him—both were at No. 2 Middle School. I heard he got expelled for fighting.”

Lu Ketong sighed and immediately dialed Qiu Luomin.

“What’s up? I really don’t like guys.”

“Who cares about that?” Lu Ketong was on the verge of snapping his ballpoint pen. “Why do people from your school love fighting so much? Our school just took in someone who got expelled from yours. I’m really worried about you.”

Qiu Luomin casually asked, “Who is it?”

Lu Ketong frowned and replied, “Fei Yuan.”

“Holy shit!” Qiu Luomin roared, sounding like he could uproot a willow tree with his bare hands. “It’s him! Little White Rabbit’s childhood friend! Lulu, go get him!”

Lu Ketong felt his vision darken. “Just pretend I died in the service area.”

The group chat was still buzzing, with rumors growing wilder by the minute. But it seemed like no one was convinced. The class monitor posted Fei Yuan’s number and asked, “Has anyone contacted him?”

“Nope.”

“I’m too shy anyway.”

“Didn’t save his number.”

The yard was chilly after the rain. Fei Yuan sat on a small stool with his long legs bent, wiping down his motorcycle. Around midnight, Shen Duoyi returned, and the two of them cleaned it together.

Shen Duoyi said, “Did you change the lightbulb? I saw the light in the yard as soon as I entered the alley.”

Fei Yuan didn’t answer. Instead, he asked, “Why are you back so late?”

“I went to work after school, at a 24-hour supermarket.” Shen Duoyi wiped carefully and spoke softly. “How are things at your new school?”

Fei Yuan said, “Pretty good.”

His phone, placed on the small table, vibrated intermittently, accumulating over a dozen messages. After finishing the cleaning, Fei Yuan washed his hands and checked his phone. Most of the messages were along the lines of: “Hi, I’m so-and-so, sitting in row X, seat Y. Nice to meet you.”

Just as he was about to turn off his phone, another message came in: “Hey, back-row guy, wanna play soccer this weekend? If you suck, just pretend I never asked.”

Fei Yuan stared at the screen for a few seconds before realizing who it was. He replied with a simple “Sure.” Shen Duoyi looked at him and joked, “What are you smiling about? Did you meet a pretty girl?”

Fei Yuan returned to his usual expressionless face, but his eyes still held a hint of amusement. What pretty girl? It was just a pretty weirdo—Lu Ketong.

Was he lacking wood in his five elements? Fei Yuan added the contact and saved three characters: Little Sapling.