Watching the Setting Sun Along the Same Path - Chapter 6

After Qiu Luomin removed his bandages, he went back to school, but he was utterly miserable. Finally, the weekend arrived, and he could finally find someone to pour his heart out to. So, early in the morning, he headed to Lu Ketong’s house.

Lu Ruopei and Wen Ning were having breakfast in the first-floor dining room. After greeting them, Qiu Luomin sat down to join them. Lu Ruopei asked, “Has your father been particularly busy lately?”

“Yeah, it seems like there’s been a lot going on at the bureau recently. I haven’t seen him much.”

As they chatted, Lu Ketong came downstairs. Lu Ruopei remarked, “That’s normal. I don’t see Lulu much either.”

“Why would you want to see me?” Lu Ketong pulled out a chair and sat down, grabbing a cup and taking a sip. A ring of milk remained on his lips as he complained, “Is this measly bread worth sitting down for so long? And you didn’t even call me.”

Wen Ning spread the jam for him and said, “If we’d called you, you’d have just complained about us disturbing your sleep.”

After breakfast, the two of them holed up in Lu Ketong’s room. Lu Ketong rummaged through his closet for clothes, making a mess. Qiu Luomin lay on the bed and asked, “Can you just settle down for a bit?”

Lu Ketong changed his shirt, looking pale, thin, and youthful. “Am I supposed to go out in my pajamas?”

“Who said anything about going out? If I wanted to go out, I’d just call you directly.” Qiu Luomin sat up and closed his eyes, feeling it was inappropriate to look. Ever since he’d flirted with Little White Rabbit, his awareness of gender boundaries had become more refined. “I just wanted to have a heart-to-heart with you.”

Lu Ketong was still wearing his pajama pants. He walked over and flopped onto the bed, saying, “What kind of heart-to-heart can two guys have? It’d be way more fun to go out and have some fun.”

Qiu Luomin said gloomily, “I went back to school, you know. When I walked through the hallway, I remembered the day I got my head busted open. And when I entered the classroom, Little White Rabbit’s furious glare just wouldn’t leave my mind.”

Lu Ketong sighed. “Rapists are hated by everyone.”

“You bastard…” Qiu Luomin lay back down, side by side with Lu Ketong. “I want to transfer schools too. I think I need it more than that guy surnamed Fei.”

Who knew what that guy surnamed Fei was up to? Lu Ketong buried his face in the bed for a moment before asking, “Are you sure that guy surnamed Fei and Little White Rabbit are a couple?”

Qiu Luomin pursed his lips. “Definitely. The moment he saw me, he pulled Little White Rabbit behind him to shield her. Who else would do that if she wasn’t his girl?”

Lu Ketong was visibly displeased. “Maybe he was just being a good friend, willing to take a hit for a buddy.”

“If someone harassed me, would you take a hit for me?” Qiu Luomin kicked Lu Ketong in the butt.

Lu Ketong rolled over, thought for a moment, and reluctantly admitted, “Harassment is one thing, but if you got raped, I’d definitely call the police for you.”

When they went downstairs again, Wen Ning and Lu Ruopei were gone. Qiu Luomin remarked, “Your parents have such a good relationship. My mom and dad rarely spend weekends together as a couple.” Lu Ketong just smiled without saying anything. Wen Ning went shopping and to the spa on weekends, and as for Lu Ruopei, he didn’t even want to think about it.

They wandered around the streets for a while, but it was genuinely boring.

“How about we go play pool? I’ve been watching a lot of matches lately and want to give it a try.”

“No way. Holding a cue, bending over, and still missing most shots? No thanks.”

“Then what do you want to do?”

Lu Ketong looked around and said, “Do you know where I can get a bus card?”

Qiu Luomin hadn’t expected this. On a perfectly good weekend, he was accompanying someone to get a bus card, and the line was ridiculously long. He was beyond frustrated. With a car available to pick them up, why insist on squeezing onto a bus?

“Lulu, you’re not really in a relationship, are you? Your behavior’s been off lately.”

“Why not?”

“You’re only fifteen! Even the freshmen in high school are older than you. Are you dating a younger guy?”

Lu Ketong thought to himself, I was even planning to avenge you back then. It was almost his turn, so he turned around and said, “As long as I don’t get my head bashed in, it’s fine.”

While they were signing up for the membership card, someone handed out flyers—mostly for middle school tutoring classes and the like. Lu Ketong took one and fanned himself with it. After finishing the registration, he and Qiu Luomin aimlessly wandered around again.

“Maybe we should just stick to the usual routine?”

They found an internet cafe and booked a private room. Qiu Luomin logged into the game and urged Lu Ketong to hurry up and join the team. Lu Ketong was still staring at the monitor, checking the map to figure out which bus to take from school to home.

Qiu Luomin’s fingers clattered across the keyboard as he asked, “Lu, are you getting tired of me?”

“Like I ever cared about you that much before,” Lu Ketong retorted. After logging in, he realized Qiu Luomin had already gathered enough people and started playing. Furious, he yelled, “How could you do this! I’m going to hunt you down!”

Qiu Luomin was too busy to reply, shouting commands into the microphone for the battle. Lu Ketong found it boring and logged off again.

At the entrance of the alley, a group of old men were playing chess, while kids ran around playing inside. On weekends, when families had nothing else to do, they chatted idly while preparing lunch. Lin Yuzhu and the neighbor’s older sister had gone to the fabric market in the morning and were now examining the two meters of fabric they’d bought.

“This fabric drapes nicely. It’d make a good summer dress.”

“Or straight-leg pants—clean and simple.”

Fei Yuan sat next to Lin Yuzhu, doing nothing but pestering her. Lin Yuzhu finally lost her patience and said, “You’re a grown man over six feet tall! What’s with always bothering your mom?”

“Give me the car keys,” Fei Yuan demanded. He’d ridden the motorcycle once after playing soccer, but it had been taken away from him again.

Fei Dean returned from watching the chess game at the alley entrance, annoyed by their constant bickering. He said to Lin Yuzhu, “Just give them to him already. A guy over six feet tall riding a motorcycle is no different from you riding a bicycle. What’s the big deal?”

Fei Yuan got the keys and stood up to leave. Lin Yuzhu kept repeating behind him not to drive too fast, though it was unclear if he was listening. After a week without riding, he couldn’t wait to get back on. He swung his leg over the seat and was about to start the engine when he saw Shen Duoyi coming out of the courtyard.

“Going to work?”

“Yeah,” Shen Duoyi walked over and said, “I’m running a bit late. Can you give me a ride?”

Fei Yuan started the engine and said, “Hop on.”

After shouting commands until his voice was hoarse, Qiu Luomin wanted to buy drinks and asked Lu Ketong what he wanted. Lu Ketong, wearing headphones, didn’t answer, staring intently at the screen.

“Lulu, what are you doing?”

Without looking away, Lu Ketong replied, “Watching a video.”

“Damn, can’t you hold off for a couple more years?” Qiu Luomin walked over and saw only a middle-aged man on the screen, fully dressed. He glanced at the title—something about an online high school math tutorial.

The flyer was still lying nearby. Lu Ketong said, “He explains things pretty clearly, but he has a bit of an accent.”

Qiu Luomin was utterly defeated. “You came to an internet cafe to watch a math tutorial? Come on, don’t be mad. Let’s team up and play a dungeon, okay? We’ll do whatever you say.”

Lu Ketong brushed him off. “I paid two thousand yuan for this. I have to finish it.”

So, the two of them listened to the rest of the lesson together. When they left the internet cafe, it felt like stepping out of a classroom after class. Qiu Luomin asked how many lessons he’d bought. Lu Ketong said four.

“Give me your account, I’ll listen to it later too.”

“Then you have to treat me to something good.”

Qiu Luomin pointed across the street and said, “How about the State Guest Hotel? You can choose between Chinese or Western food.”

The Western restaurant on the eighteenth floor was quite nice. After washing his hands, Lu Ketong looked at the menu and said, “My dad has a card for this hotel. I’ll ask him for one another day.”

After hearing this, Qiu Luomin said, “I have one too. My dad got it from his office. This is my first time using it today.”

After ordering, Lu Ketong was too hungry to talk and fiddled with his bus card. Qiu Luomin played on his phone, also quiet. A moment later, Lu Ketong stretched and looked back, asking if their food was coming.

Qiu Luomin looked up and instinctively exclaimed, “Damn!”

“What’s wrong?”

“Little White Rabbit!”

Shen Duoyi came over carrying a tray, dressed in a server’s uniform. He pretended not to know them, or perhaps he didn’t want to engage, but he glanced at Lu Ketong a couple of times.

Qiu Luomin asked, “What are you looking at? Is my baby here for you to stare at?”

Lu Ketong almost cursed but held back, pretending to be elegant. He looked up and smiled politely at Shen Duoyi, saying, “You’re Qiu’s classmate, right? Then we don’t need to leave a tip.”

Shen Duoyi smiled back, then walked away even more gracefully.

Qiu Luomin slumped like a salted fish and said, “Lulu, I just remembered the day I got my head cracked open. I don’t think I can eat anymore.”

“It’s fine, you think about it. I’ll eat for you.” Lu Ketong was starving and took a few big bites before stopping to ask, “Is he better-looking, or am I?”

Qiu Luomin said dazedly, “You. If you both fell into the river, I’d save you.”

Lu Ketong paused and muttered to himself, “He really is with Fei Yuan, huh.”

After dropping Shen Duoyi off, Fei Yuan drove around for a bit, played basketball until dark, and then went home. The first thing he did when he got home was hide the car keys. He didn’t want to have to take the bus again.

Lin Yuzhu was cutting fabric in the room and called out to him, “Bring the sewing machine out for me and clean it.”

After finishing, he was covered in sweat. Fei Yuan took a shower, and Lin Yuzhu handed him the leftover fabric scraps to throw out. Carrying the trash, he walked along the alley. Just as he was about to reach the entrance, his phone vibrated in his pocket.

It was Little Sapling’s first time calling him.

Lu Ketong was the type who couldn’t hold back and also the type whose brain often didn’t work properly. Honestly, he didn’t even know what he was struggling with—he just felt tangled up.

“Hello?”

“Boss, it’s me.” After saying that, Lu Ketong forgot what he was going to say and started rambling, “What are you doing?”

“Throwing out trash.”

“Oh, I’m watching TV. The commercials are so long.”

“Do you need something?”

“Not really.” Lu Ketong decided to betray his classmate and said, “The class monitor and the study committee member from Class One are dating. Are you jealous?”

Fei Yuan tossed the trash into the recycling bin and said, “Why would I be jealous?”

“If you’re not jealous, does that mean you’re dating someone too?”

Fei Yuan frowned. “Are you sick?”

Lu Ketong had already tangled himself up. He didn’t even know what he was trying to say. Afraid Fei Yuan would hang up if he stayed silent too long, he said pitifully, “If you are, you are. If you’re not, you’re not. If you’re not, I’ll chase you. I don’t want to be your little brother forever.”

I heard you like guys. Do you like me?

Do you really like me? Then I like you too.

Fei Yuan’s voice was still cold, but it carried a hint of laughter in the darkness. “No, I’m not. Go ahead and chase me.”

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