Watching the Setting Sun Along the Same Path - Chapter 22

The sea breeze was too chilly, and his exposed calves trembled from the cold. The distant horizon was tinged with a hint of red, and the gathered crowd kept snapping photos with their cameras. Lu Ruopei and that man stood half a meter apart, but later two more people squeezed between them.

“There are too many people. Should we leave?”

Lu Ruopei still held the car keys in his hand and said, “Alright, I’ll go get the car. You go buy some breakfast.” He turned to leave but couldn’t help adding with a laugh, “What a waste of time, freezing out here.”

Lu Ketong leaned against the car door, eating a burger as if he were trying to bite someone to death. If a farmer could wait by a tree stump for a rabbit, he could wait by the car for Lu Ruopei. After finishing one burger, he started on a second. Others might lose their appetite when angry, but he only got hungrier.

“Lulu?!”

Lu Ruopei paused, looking surprised. “What are you doing here?” He quickly regained his usual composure and walked over to Lu Ketong. Lu Ketong still had sauce smeared at the corner of his mouth. “I wanted to ask you the same thing. When did the Public Security Department move to the seaside?”

Just as he finished speaking, the man returned with breakfast and looked at him with confusion. “Ruopei, who’s this?”

Ruopei, my foot!

“This is my son, Lulu.” Lu Ruopei was shamelessly composed, not even blushing as he asked, “Lulu, who did you come with? When are you going back?”

Lu Ketong pretended to open the car door. “Who did you come with? I came with the same person.”

Lu Ruopei took a handkerchief from his trench coat pocket and wiped the sauce from Lu Ketong’s mouth, lowering his voice. “Don’t cause trouble. If you want to go back with me, you’ll need to pack your things first.” He then noticed Lu Ketong’s clothes. “Are you wearing someone else’s?”

Lu Ketong shoved him and threw the crumpled burger wrapper at him. “Go away. The sunrise is so beautiful—I still have to watch it while hugging the person I like! Don’t let it kill you!”

Lu Ruopei sighed. “We’ll talk when you get home.”

The seaside had turned red. Fei Yuan returned after washing his face but couldn’t find Lu Ketong. He stood in an empty spot behind the crowd, making it easier for Lu Ketong to spot him if he came looking.

“Fei Yuan!”

He turned at the sound of his name, backlit by the sun. Lu Ketong stood about ten meters away, looking utterly aggrieved, as if he might crouch down and wail at any moment. Fei Yuan crooked a finger and opened his arms.

Lu Ketong dashed over, crashing straight into his chest. Fei Yuan placed a hand on the back of Lu Ketong’s head, feeling even his hair was cold. “Where did you go? How could you get angry even here?”

Lu Ketong buried his face, muttering, “The burger seller was mean—they only gave a tiny bit of salad sauce.”

“You finished it all by yourself before coming back, and you still have the nerve to complain.” Fei Yuan laughed at him, then wrapped an arm around him and led him back to the tent. The sunrise was at its most beautiful, but he no longer had the heart to enjoy it.

Lu Ruopei felt tired, resting with his eyes closed in the passenger seat. Once they entered the city, he called Wen Ning. She answered after a moment, and he said, “Are you up? Yueyan and I are back in the city.”

Wen Ning’s voice sounded weary. “I’m still at the hospital.”

“Alright, I’ll come pick you up.” Lu Ruopei glanced at his watch and paused briefly. “I won’t come up. Wait for me at the hospital entrance in twenty minutes.”

After hanging up, the sky was fully bright. The breakfast bought at the seaside still held a trace of warmth, but he had lost his appetite. Lu Ruopei looked out the window and said slowly, “It seems I might have to trouble you again.”

“You tell me I’m being a bother, aren’t you afraid I’ll get angry?”

His timing was spot on—twenty minutes later, he arrived at the hospital entrance. Wen Ning was a little late, spotting the car and jogging over. “Attorney Yang,” she greeted him after getting in, then apologized, “I spaced out and missed an elevator, making you wait.”

Yang Yueyan replied, “Miss Wen, you’re pushing yourself too hard.”

After the sunrise, the crowd dispersed. Most of the people who had come the day before were packing up to leave, while a new day brought new campers.

Fei Yuan chuckled, “Want to stay and play another day?”

They were still inside the tent. Lu Ketong sat facing him, straddling his lap, arms wrapped around his neck, unwilling to let go, the reason for his melancholy a mystery. Fei Yuan stroked Lu Ketong’s back and said, “Should I go beat up the burger seller?”

“Don’t rush me!” Lu Ketong flared up instantly, then lost his nerve, mumbling weakly, “I feel awful, my chest feels tight.”

“You don’t even have a chest to feel tight.” Fei Yuan wasn’t in a hurry to pack up either. He moved his hand from Lu Ketong’s waist to his front, pressing gently through his jacket. “Here?”

Lu Ketong felt like he was about to get a nosebleed. He pushed Fei Yuan away and rolled over, then lowered his head to search for his backpack. Once he found it, he stuffed things in haphazardly, muttering as he did, “Just you wait. When I get as buff as Schwarzenegger, I’ll… I’ll crush you.”

They packed up their things and went to return the tent and sleeping bags. The class monitor and the others were also in line. “Monitor, how are you guys getting back?” he asked, mouth full of grilled sausage, his words unclear.

“We can take a taxi or the sightseeing shuttle,” the monitor replied, then asked thoughtfully, “Fei Yuan brought you here on his motorcycle, right? Why do you always seem so attached to him?”

Lu Ketong rolled his eyes and leaned even closer to Fei Yuan, saying, “If you were as handsome as him, I’d stick to you too.”

Fei Yuan dropped him off at his doorstep. But after Fei Yuan left, Lu Ketong didn’t go inside. He didn’t want to see Lu Ruopei, yet he was afraid that if he went home, Lu Ruopei wouldn’t be there. After lingering at the door for a while, he took a taxi to Qiu Luomin’s house.

Qiu Luomin opened the door for him, eyeing his backpack. “You just got back from camping—why aren’t you going home?”

Qiu’s mother, wrapped in a thin blanket and reclining on the sofa, said, “Lulu came to play with you. What kind of question is that?” Lu Ketong walked over and asked, “Auntie Qiu, are you sick? Uncle Qiu isn’t home?”

“I had a bout of gastroenteritis a couple of days ago. Your Uncle Qiu took time off to take care of me. Now that I’m much better, he rushed back to work.”

Lu Ketong asked blankly, “Isn’t the department on summer break?”

Auntie Qiu laughed at him. “What wishful thinking is that? You think it’s like your school?”

Qiu Luomin helped him carry his backpack and swim ring upstairs. Lu Ketong made himself at home, lifting the covers and climbing into bed. Qiu Luomin thought he might be unwell and felt his forehead, but there was no fever.

“Qiu, the day we went to the beach, my dad said he had a meeting at the department, but your dad wasn’t there. Was he lying?”

“How would I know? Maybe he was meeting with the secretary. Besides, isn’t that pretty normal? My dad always says he’s going to a meeting when he goes out drinking, or else my mom nags.” Qiu Luomin put on a serious face. “You’re still young. The adult world isn’t that simple.”

Lu Ketong shot him a sidelong glance, then turned his head and noticed a stack of materials on the nightstand, all in English. “You practice listening, speaking, reading, and writing even in bed?” He picked them up and saw they included pictures.

“What is this…”

Qiu Luomin sniffled and said, “Some documents. Lulu, I’m planning to study abroad.”

It was too sudden. Lu Ketong forgot to even blink. “You’re not going to hang out with me anymore? You never mentioned it. How could you do this?” He felt a bit panicked, remembering the few documents he had seen during Qiu Luomin’s birthday. “You’re only telling me now. You’re afraid I’ll follow you, aren’t you?”

“What’s with you?” Qiu Luomin tried to comfort him. “This is a pretty normal thing. Many of my dad’s colleagues’ kids are going abroad to study. By senior year, there’ll probably be quite a few classmates doing the same. Maybe your dad even wants you to go.”

Lu Ketong had almost forgotten about Lu Ruopei. He jolted upright. In the past, he would have definitely thrown a fit and insisted on going with Qiu Luomin, free and easy, with no one to stop them.

But now it was different. How could he bear to leave Fei Yuan?

Feeling utterly dejected, he threw off the covers, got out of bed, grabbed his backpack and swim ring, and prepared to leave. “Are you mad? So, you really can’t bear to part with me? I’m touched, bro.” Qiu Luomin followed behind, teasing him.

Lu Ketong went downstairs. “Auntie Qiu, rest well. I’ll bring you some good food another day.” Then he turned to Qiu Luomin and said, as if severing all ties, “Don’t see me out. My machete will never be drawn for you again.”

Normally, he would chat with the taxi driver, but today he leaned against the car door without saying a word. He was home again. Opening the door, it was quiet inside—cold and desolate.

Wen Ning’s bedroom door was closed. He pushed it open and saw her sleeping. Lu Ruopei came out of the study and said softly, “Don’t disturb her rest. And no shouting.”

He closed the door and silently stared at Lu Ruopei.

Forget it. This time, just like before, forget it.

Wen Ning hadn’t woken up yet. By evening, she was still asleep. Lu Ketong left his door open while doing homework, listening for any movement outside. Around seven o’clock, he heard Lu Ruopei going downstairs and immediately threw down his pen to chase after him.

“Where are you going?”

Lu Ruopei was dressed casually, definitely not for work. “I’m going to the office to pick something up. I’ll be back in an hour. If I’m not, you can go file a complaint, okay?” Lu Ruopei looked up at him. “Are you hungry? Should I bring you something to eat on the way?”

He frowned without speaking. Lu Ruopei had already changed his shoes. “Then I’ll pick something up. Don’t be picky when you eat.”

Lu Ketong deflated, turning away weakly. He stopped outside Wen Ning’s room, then gently turned the doorknob. Only the wall lamp was on, casting a soft glow. He knelt down beside the bed, resting his head on the edge like a little puppy.

Wen Ning was a light sleeper and had slept enough. She slowly opened her eyes. “Lulu?” Seeing him there, she sat up and asked, “Did you have fun camping? What do you want for dinner? I’ll make something in a bit.”

He shook his head. “Why did you sleep so long?”

“Shopping was too tiring.” Wen Ning lowered her gaze. “After summer break, you’ll be sixteen. Time flies so fast.”

Lu Ketong suddenly felt a pang of unease. He shook his head again and noticed a pen lying by the bed. Wen Ning rarely wrote, so she must have used it just before sleeping. “I’m going back to my homework. He said he’d bring food when he gets back. You should rest a little longer.” He got up and left, heading toward Lu Ruopei’s large study.

The documents on the desk were neatly arranged. In the center of the desk pad lay an agreement, already signed by both Lu Ruopei and Wen Ning.

After summer break, he would be sixteen. Couldn’t they even wait two years?

The kids were all on summer break, and the hutong was bustling with noise all day long. With only Fei Yuan left at home, he decided to order takeout for a simple meal. Growing impatient after waiting for what felt like ages, he suspected the delivery person might be wandering around the maze-like alleys and decided to head to the entrance of the hutong to wait.

Just before stepping out the gate, his phone rang. The caller ID showed “Little Sapling.”

“Fei Yuan, can you come pick me up?”

“What’s wrong?” Fei Yuan sensed something off from the tone of the voice. “Who upset you?”

Lu Ketong’s voice trembled. “I’m waiting for you by the roadside.”

He stood leaning against a parasol tree, his body stiff and tense. The evening breeze was stiflingly hot, making him feel nauseous. It was almost eight o’clock when he faintly heard the rumble of a motorcycle. He stepped onto the curb and saw Fei Yuan riding his motorcycle approaching from a distance. He felt saved.

Fei Yuan got off the bike and strode forward, pulling him close. “What happened?”

Just as he was about to speak, a car approached from afar, its headlights illuminating them. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, then wrapped his arms around Fei Yuan’s neck and kissed him.

He had finally used Fei Yuan.

The screech of tires against the pavement was unusually harsh. The car swerved to a stop by the roadside, and the door swung open. Lu Ruopei stepped out, his face flushed with anger. He strode toward Lu Ketong, shouting his name.

Hearing this, Fei Yuan grabbed Lu Ketong’s arm and turned around, shielding him behind his back. Lu Ketong stood frozen, suddenly remembering what Qiu Luo Min had once said: “Only someone who’s your partner would do something like this.”

Fei Yuan protected Shen Duo Yi out of friendship and loyalty, but protecting him—it was all because of love.

Staring at Fei Yuan’s back, he couldn’t help but think, “Lu Ketong, you really are terrible.”

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