Four-Faced Buddha [To My Shore] - Chap 19
Chapter 19 Fan Xiao, you should get a girlfriend.
2024-10-13 07:13 Category: Four-Faced BuddhaTurn off the lights
The autumn sky was clear and the air was crisp, with a gentle breeze and no clouds – it was a beautiful day.
Wearing a white tracksuit, Lu Zhen looked as beautiful as if she had just stepped off the runway.
“Good morning, Mr. Fan.” He greeted Fan Xiao, who was watching the fish swimming in the water. “Am I late?”
“It’s not late.” Fan Xiao withdrew his gaze. “I arrived too early.” He looked at the lunch bag Lu Zhen was carrying and asked with a smile, “What did you bring?”
Lu Zhen said somewhat shyly, “I made some food myself. The wetland is quite large, so we can eat some to replenish our energy while we rest.”
“Thank you for your kind words.” Fan Xiao smiled perfunctorily and thanked him absentmindedly.
“Shall we go in now?”
Fan Xiao glanced at his watch; it was 9:10. You Shulang would be arriving soon.
The pleasure in his eyes became genuine. He pulled out a cigarette pack and shook it: “I’ll have another cigarette. Smoking is prohibited inside.”
You Shulang is always punctual and arrives 15 minutes early for appointments. Now there are still five minutes left, just enough time for Fan Xiao to smoke a cigarette.
He was wearing a white long-staple wool coat, and if you didn’t consider gender, he and Lu Zhen, who was wearing a white tracksuit, looked like a perfect couple.
The act of lighting a cigarette and extinguishing the match was done with a cheerful rhythm. Fan Xiao held the cigarette between his teeth, letting the smoke rise, and squinted as he asked, “Zhenzhen, what do you think would happen if someone who appears perfect on the outside had their secret exposed in public?”
“Huh?” Lu Zhen was stunned, not understanding the meaning behind Fan Xiao’s words for a moment, and hesitated before saying, “Won’t he be angry and embarrassed?”
Fan Xiao chuckled, clicked his tongue, and shook his head: “Probably not. That person is good at putting on an act. He’ll swallow his pride with a smile even if he’s gritting his teeth.”
“Who is that person?”
The smoke thinned as it dissipated into the gentle breeze. Without an answer, Lu Zhen felt a little embarrassed.
The autumn sun was intense, and it started to wane just after nine o’clock. The entrance to the scenic area was completely exposed, and Lu Zhen felt a bit hot. Looking at Fan Xiao, who was wearing a cashmere coat, he couldn’t help but ask curiously, “Mr. Fan…aren’t you hot?”
Now that Fan Xiao no longer needs to maintain a gentle persona, he is in a good mood and is willing to reply to him: “I don’t feel hot, I just feel dry.”
He slipped his free hand into his coat pocket, and his fingertips reached out and touched a round bottle of face cream.
The cool touch made his heart tighten suddenly, as if a floodgate had been opened, and a torrent of untimely thoughts poured out…
The warmth of a man’s fingers on my face; the focus when comparing face creams in the mall; the smile on my lips when he gently tells me to “shut up”; the lust that drives me crazy in the car, and the “Fan Xiao” I only hear when I’m really pushed—will all of these disappear from my life after today?
You Shulang will draw a line between himself and gradually drift away from it.
The finger holding the cigarette paused, and the smile on Fan Xiao’s face slowly faded.
So what? He was a little resentful. It was just that the other person would revert to his initial politeness and respect, no longer tolerate his nonsense, no longer rummage through his pockets for cigarettes, and no longer allow him to put his arm around him in the name of brotherhood.
That’s all.
Fan Xiao took two deep drags on his cigarette and repeated to himself several times, “That’s all.”
He looked towards the end of the road, where rows of vehicles were slowly moving in front of the scenic area. Fan Xiao, with his teeth clenched, held a cigarette butt in his mouth, unaware that the cigarette had burned out and the remaining smoke was gradually extinguishing.
At 9:15, Fan Xiao saw You Shulang’s car turn onto the scenic road.
He looked away, took a deep drag on his cigarette, and realized that he only had a short cigarette butt left in his hand.
At 100 meters, Fan Xiao threw away his cigarette butt and repeatedly crushed it with his high-end leather shoes; at 80 meters, he took out a match and kept turning it between his fingers; at 50 meters, his long, strong fingers caressed the Buddha amulet on his chest; at 30 meters, Fan Xiao suddenly chuckled self-deprecatingly, and then pushed Lu Zhen quickly toward the side of the road.
A taxi had just dropped off a passenger and the meter hadn’t even started ticking when a new passenger arrived.
Fan Xiao helped Lu Zhen into the car, feeling extremely guilty but also eager to apologize: “I’m sorry, I just remembered something urgent and I need to go back to the company, so today’s park visit has to be canceled. I’ll make it up to you, Zhenzhen.”
He closed the car door, patted the car, and urged, “Let’s drive.”
Lu Zhen was completely bewildered from beginning to end. He leaned out of the car window, holding up a lunch bag: “These…”
Fan Xiao’s eyes lit up. He took the bag of food from his hand and said with a smile, “Thank you, I will enjoy it.”
The taxi turned on its right turn signal, turned into the driving lane, and slowly glided away.
Before the exhaust fumes had even dissipated, the white Audi pulled up in the same spot. The window slowly rolled down, and You Shulang turned his head to look at Fan Xiao standing by the roadside.
“Am I late?” the man joked.
Fan Xiao leaned forward and held onto the car window: “No, I just arrived early.”
He opened the car door and sat in the passenger seat, pointing forward: “The parking lot is just ahead, about thirty meters away.”
You Shulang started the car, turned the steering wheel to the left, and casually asked, “I saw you talking to someone in the taxi just now?”
Fan Xiao pressed his tongue against his teeth and casually replied, “The old man asked for directions, so I helped him get into a taxi.”
You Shulang looked ahead, a faint smile on his face: “A directionally challenged person giving directions?”
That’s why they put him in a taxi.
The atmosphere in the car was pleasant, relaxed and natural. You Shulang raised his chin and asked, “What’s in your hand?”
Fan Xiao raised an eyebrow, then lowered his eyes, concealing the mockery and malice in them, and said softly, “Food. I heard it’s quite big inside. We can have a treat when we have some free time.”
You Shulang glanced at him and asked, “Did you do this?”
“There’s a parking space up ahead,” Fan Xiao said, patting the control panel and cleverly changing the subject.
After parking the car, the two entered the wetland park.
Because we arrived early, there weren’t many people. The reeds swayed in the breeze, and the river rippled. Autumn had arrived, and the plants were already showing signs of withering, but their final splendor still possessed a myriad of charms. A gust of wind blew, and the reeds fluttered in the air, creating a beauty that was both desolate and gentle.
The two strolled along the wooden walkway that stretched across the wetland, stopping and starting as they found a scenic spot and leaned against the railing to relax and steal a moment of leisure.
Fan Xiao attracted attention along the way, firstly because of his tall and handsome appearance, and secondly because of his inappropriate wearing of a wool coat.
Yet, he didn’t even receive a glance from the man beside him. You Shulang didn’t talk much; his ordinary gray pullover unexpectedly made his fair complexion appear even more like jade. He liked to lean against the railing and watch the passing tourists; the smile on his lips wasn’t strong, but one could tell that he was content.
“What are you looking at?” Fan Xiao asked him.
This seemingly simple question stumped You Shulang. He thought for a moment before replying, “They were all quite happy.”
“They’re happy, so you’re happy to see them happy too?” Fan Xiao tilted his head to look at him. “So Director You is so… compassionate.”
You Shulang clicked his tongue and looked back at him with a smile: “Fan Xiao, you’re always so unreasonable.”
He then turned his gaze to the passing tourists: “I’m not that great, but I can still be infected by the simple joy of those around me. Aren’t you the same?”
“The person beside you?” Fan Xiao took a step forward and got closer to You Shulang. “I should be the person beside you. Guess if I’m experiencing pure joy right now?”
You Shulang reached out and pushed away his magnified handsome face, jokingly saying, “I don’t know if you’re happy or not, but I know you’re not innocent.”
Fan Xiao choked up; thieves are often guilty.
You Shulang looked at him and asked, “How come I guessed right?”
Realizing what was happening, Fan Xiao loosely put his arm around You Shulang, feeling his muscles and bones gradually stiffen.
“Yes, Director You is the best.” In the sunlight, the soft downy hairs on You Shulang’s earlobes were clearly visible. His ears were warmed by the moist breath and slowly blushed.
She’s kind of cute.
Fan Xiao acted like a three-year-old who had discovered a new toy, rubbing against him all over the covered bridge. You Shulang couldn’t keep up his straight-man act any longer and forcefully pushed his arms away.
“It’s hot, stay away.”
Fan Xiao, who was pushed away, was not annoyed. Looking at You Shulang, whose gaze was evasive, he finally felt a sense of simple pleasure.
“Since it’s hot, let’s find some shade on the shore.”
The ash tree is very vigorous and remains lush and green even in autumn, with its branches twisting and turning, casting a not-too-thick shadow.
There were no seats, so the two sat on the ground. Before Fan Xiao sat down, You Shulang clicked his tongue, asked a passing tourist for a plastic bag, and laid it flat on the ground before allowing him to sit.
He draped Fan Xiao’s snow-white wool coat over his shoulders and lazily commanded, “You can only sit, no lying down.”
After saying that, You Shulang stretched out his body and lay down on the grass.
Fan Xiao was obedient and sat quietly, supporting himself with one hand on the ground as he looked at the man beside him who was content and closing his eyes.
Where the water plants are abundant, there is no shortage of vines. The winding vines climb up the willow branches to the ceiling, casting the sunlight into faint and mottled shadows.
The shadow now falls on You Shulang’s face, swaying gently, making him look unreal, as if he has already isolated Fan Xiao from the world.
So he made conversation by asking, “Aren’t you going to show me around here?”
“What’s there to introduce? A wetland park?” You Shulang didn’t open his eyes, only a thin slit of his lips. “What’s there to introduce? It used to be just a reed marsh and a stinking puddle.”
“The only advantage is that in summer and autumn we can catch some fish and shrimp to improve our meals.” He frowned, as if thinking of something unpleasant. “But we don’t always have a good catch; sometimes it depends on luck.”
“You did this kind of thing when you were a child?”
“I started fishing and catching shrimp when I was five, and continued until I was fourteen.” You Shulang opened his eyes, raised his hand and pointed, “That place has deep water and big fish; greedy children have drowned there.”
Fan Xiao looked in the direction the finger was pointing and saw a lush, verdant landscape, a beautiful sight in itself.
He casually withdrew his gaze and asked, “Aren’t you greedy?”
“Greed.” You Shulang’s gaze at the ceiling was somewhat vacant. “But I want to live a good life even more.”
“Is living really that important?” Fan Xiao looked again at the spot where the body had once been, an uncontrollable gloom appearing in his eyes. “Living is so tiring.”
“It’s tiring, but there are also things worth cherishing.”
“Indeed,” Fan Xiao chuckled softly, “for example, having a wonderful romance, or enjoying delicious food in a pleasant moment.”
His tone held a hint of laughter, but his eyes held an icy edge.
Filled with malice, Fan Xiao opened the bread bag expressionlessly, glanced at the contents, and selected a box of sushi.
“Come and try it, see if it’s good.”
The sushi rolls were brought to the entrance of Youshulang, but the man turned his head away, saying, “I can do it myself.”
“Why are you being so polite?” Fan Xiao said somewhat defiantly, pressing the food in his hand against You Shulang’s lips again. “You’ve already applied face cream for me, so I should at least serve Director You a little.”
You Shulang frowned, feeling that he couldn’t explain it to Fan Xiao, so he could only part his lips, avoid the man’s fingers, and carefully swallow the sushi.
He rolled the sushi around in his mouth, swallowed it hastily, and said coldly, “Stop being so sticky. Don’t do it again.”
Fan Xiao thought that You Shulang’s cursing had a certain flair, which was quite pleasant to listen to, making people want to bite into his flesh.
Take a bite!?
The moment the thought crossed his mind, Fan Xiao froze! Take a bite? What kind of outrageous idea was that?! Damn, a chill ran down his spine, and he gritted his teeth, asking, “Is it good?”
How could a lover not recognize Lu Zhen’s culinary skills? Fan Xiao waited for You Shulang’s surprise and doubt, ready to blurt out his prepared explanation at any moment.
However, his perverse desires remained unfulfilled. You Shulang replied indifferently, “It’s alright. Did you make it? Or did you buy it?”
Fan Xiao was surprised. He paused for a moment, then asked casually, “How does it compare to your girlfriend’s cooking?”
You Shulang bent his arm and pressed it over his eyes, sighing, “Fan Xiao, you should get a girlfriend. It’s better than always being interested in other people’s partners.”
Helpless, he resignedly replied, “My partner rarely cooks; I’m the one who cooks for him.”
“You’re going to cook for him?” Fan Xiao suddenly raised his voice.
Grass!
For some reason, he suddenly got angry, forcefully threw the sushi in his hand into the bread bag, and slapped it with both hands in disgust. Fan Xiao spat out a curse: “It’s fucking awful!”
