Four-Faced Buddha [To My Shore] - Chap 43
Chapter 43 I can’t wait!
2024-10-13 07:20 Category: Four-Faced BuddhaTurn off the lights
A string of Thai characters appeared on the dark phone screen, flashing and vibrating so loudly that the tabletop hummed.
The strong liquor slid down his throat and into his stomach. After the initial burning sensation subsided, Fan Xiao finally swiped the phone and held it to his ear.
“Is it all done?” he asked.
A figure was moving in front of me; yet another person was trying to strike up a conversation.
With a raised eyebrow, the stern look in Fan Xiao’s eyes made the young-looking boy hesitate. Fan Xiao looked at him expressionlessly and said into the microphone, “Now that it’s done, call the police.”
He stood up, casually picked up the half-full bottle of expensive foreign liquor on the table, walked around the bar to the boy who had approached him, and asked softly, “Do you think I’ll get what I want tonight?”
The tall, handsome man was striking. The boy was a little nervous and didn’t know what he was asking, so he just nodded without saying anything.
“Good boy.” Fan Xiao smiled, stuffed the wine into the boy’s arms, and patted his fair face with her free hand. “Much better behaved than him, but I don’t like him.”
He turned and walked into the dark tunnel, the flickering light casting an eerie and lonely shadow on his back.
After walking two blocks, Fan Xiao saw flashing police lights and the young man who had left with You Shulang was being questioned by two police officers.
“I didn’t steal anyone’s wallet!” The young man tensed his neck, trying his best to defend himself. “I went to the bathroom, and this wallet was on the sink. There was no one in the bathroom, so I…I…I found it!”
“Don’t get agitated. We haven’t classified you as a thief yet. Everything needs to be investigated.” The policeman holding a men’s wallet reassured him. “Now, please cooperate with us to go to the bar we just visited. We’ll check the CCTV footage near the restroom. The owner was there too. Then the truth will come out.”
The young man hung his head dejectedly, glanced at You Shulang beside him out of the corner of his eye, and muttered softly, “I’m really not a thief.”
You Shulang patted him on the shoulder and said gently, “Go and find out what’s going on.”
“Could I… leave my phone number? Maybe sometime…”
“No, I’m leaving tomorrow.”
The young man sighed again, turned away dejectedly, and left with the police.
Looking up again, You Shulang saw Fan Xiao leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, a smug smile on his lips.
Have you had enough of the show?
You Shulang reached into his pocket for a cigarette, but Fan Xiao had already stuffed one into his mouth. The man’s voice was as gentle and intoxicating as the night breeze: “How could I dare to watch Director You’s show?”
You Shulang lit a cigarette from his hand, took a deep drag, and exhaled the smoke. He seemed a little tired, and there was even a hint of pleading in his voice: “Stop messing around, Fan Xiao. We’re friends, I don’t want to ruin things with you.”
“A falling out? Why?” Fan Xiao took a step closer. “I’ve been treating you like a Bodhisattva every day, is Director You’s heart made of stone? Can’t you feel it? Ah, or is Director You blaming me for not finding you a good companion for the night?”
He grabbed the wrist of the person in front of him, just as You Shulang had grabbed the young man earlier.
He drew closer and whispered slowly, “Do you think I’m good enough? Am I qualified?”
Without any shock, You Shulang exhaled a “Damn” through the smoke after hearing this. He met those gloomy eyes and calmly said, “Say what you just said again?”
Fan Xiao suddenly pulled the person close, chest to chest, and leaned down slightly: “Director You, do you think I’m suitable? Can I be your intimate guest?”
You Shulang held the cigarette between his teeth, then suddenly slammed his wrist down, breaking Fan Xiao’s grip. He grabbed the man’s collar forcefully, dragged him into a deep alley beside the road, and angrily slammed him against the wall.
He grabbed Fan Xiao’s chin with two fingers, forcing him to meet his gaze: “I asked you to say it again to give you a chance to change your mind, and you fucking said it again.”
Fan Xiao did not resist but retorted, saying with a smile, “I genuinely wanted to ask this question, and I don’t need you to give me the chance.”
“Okay, then I’ll answer you: you’re not good enough, I don’t like you.”
“Why?” Fan Xiao grabbed You Shulang, who was about to leave, and asked through gritted teeth with a smile, “What’s wrong with me?”
“What’s lacking?” You Shulang gripped Fan Xiao’s chin, scrutinizing him from side to side. “His skin isn’t white enough, his eyelashes aren’t long enough, his face isn’t soft enough, and also…” He held a cigarette between his teeth, and his free hands suddenly reached for Fan Xiao’s waist, stroking that strong waist thoroughly before giving a contemptuous smile. “His waist isn’t good either, it’s not flexible enough.”
He continued downwards with both hands, roughly grabbing two firm mounds of flesh: “They’re rock hard here, you can’t feel them at all.”
You Shulang took a step back, took off his cigarette, looked at Fan Xiao, and made his final assessment: “Fair skin, beautiful face, delicate body, do you fit the description?”
The shadows in the dark alley covered Fan Xiao. He was silent for a moment, then suddenly scoffed, “Director You’s taste and aesthetic sense are not very good. I need to correct you.”
He took a few steps closer: “Or are you saying this on purpose to make me back down, just like when you took that person away, you weren’t really going to go to a hotel with him, were you?”
You Shulang frowned slightly: “You’re overthinking it.”
“Fine, I guess I’m overthinking it.” Fan Xiao breathed hot air onto the man’s ear. “Weren’t you quite excited when Director You was groping me just now?”
Fan Xiao quickly cut off You Shulang’s rebuttal, saying firmly, “Men understand men best; you can’t deny it.”
For the first time, You Shulang, who had always been calm, composed, and in control of the situation, showed anger. He took a deep drag of his cigarette, suppressed his emotions, and looked up at Fan Xiao: “I’ve been considering our friendship and haven’t wanted to bring things up. Since you’re not afraid of a falling out, then I’ll ask you this: Fan Xiao, what exactly do you want? Do you want to sleep with me?”
“I really want to.” Fan Xiao himself didn’t expect that his face would feel a little hot when he said those words.
Having received the answer, You Shulang took a deep breath: “Alright, let me ask you again, Fan Xiao, are you gay?”
“I…”
While Fan Xiao was still stunned, You Shulang pressed on aggressively: “Answer me directly, are you?”
“…It is possible.”
You Shulang chuckled: “Fan Xiao, you just want to play around. I don’t know why you’ve developed feelings for the same sex. If it’s my fault, I’m sorry, but I assure you, I’ve never thought of seducing you, nor do I believe I’ve done anything to seduce you.”
Without needing to think about it carefully, the meaning of these words was clearly laid bare before Fan Xiao.
“So, you’ve never been interested in me?” Fan Xiao’s low, hoarse voice carried a hint of morbid obsession. He leaned against the wall with one hand, pulling You Shulang into the narrow corner in front of him. “If I remember correctly, you got hard when I kissed you during my episode that day, right? You seemed pretty excited when you fucking touched my waist just now!”
“That was just a normal reaction from a normal man!” You Shulang’s voice softened from harsh. “It had nothing to do with love.”
It has nothing to do with love!
Fan Xiao felt as if his heart had been struck hard by a whip. He even looked away in a panic, not daring to meet You Shulang’s eyes.
The arm supporting the wall was brushed aside, and You Shulang’s words were filled with deep weariness and helplessness: “Fan Xiao, you just acted on a whim. Curb your temper, get back to normal, go find a girlfriend, and this matter will be over. I won’t be going back tonight. We’ll meet at the airport tomorrow. From now on… let’s contact each other less, only talk about work, and not about personal matters.”
After throwing away his cigarette, You Shulang gave Fan Xiao one last deep look, then turned around, raised his hand, and said, “I’m leaving, Mr. Fan.”
Just a few steps from the alley entrance, the evening breeze, bathed in the afterglow of the streetlights, gently embraced him, but it couldn’t dispel the loneliness in You Shulang’s eyes.
Turning the corner, he found himself on a completely different street. The moment his eyes were illuminated by the streetlights, he heard hurried footsteps behind him, and his wrist was grabbed again!
“You Shulang,” Fan Xiao’s voice was different from his usual deep tone, “Wait a moment.”
The pointless tug-of-war enraged You Shulang. He abruptly turned around and shouted, “Fan Xiao, are you done yet? If you fucking want to have fun, there’s a gay bar just two blocks away. With your status, Mr. Fan, you’ve got plenty of guys willing to play with you! Please, stop bothering me! From now on…”
“I love you.”
The three words “against the wind” clearly reached his ears, abruptly cutting off You Shulang’s words.
From shock to scrutiny to recognizing the truth, You Shulang finally just casually tossed out a remark: “Nonsense.”
Fan Xiao approached, his forehead almost touching You Shulang’s, their breaths and warmth filling the space between their fingers: “Director You said it was nonsense, so I’ll tell you some nonsense. I want to see you every day, and when I see you, I don’t want to be apart, and when I don’t see you, I’m heartbroken; I’ve come up with a lot of lame excuses to see you. Bohai doesn’t have that much work to do, and I don’t like visiting wetland parks; I have a bad sense of direction, but I’m not so bad at using navigation that I often deliberately take the wrong route, just so you’ll come pick me up; my right hand has been healed for a long time, and my left hand is even more dexterous than my right, but all these lame excuses are just to keep you by my side and be with you.”
The distance between them tightened even more: “I don’t know if this is love. Director You, you’re so knowledgeable, can you make a judgment?”
“You…” You Shulang rarely felt flustered, and even began to avoid Fan Xiao’s burning gaze. He wanted to escape but couldn’t. The man’s hand slowly moved down from his wrist, interlocking his fingers with Fan Xiao’s.
The night breeze in S City is too gentle, enveloping people and making them sink deeper into its embrace.
“Fan Xiao, you want to date me? Not just for fun, not just a passing fancy?” You Shulang asked slowly again, enunciating each word clearly. “I don’t need you to promise us a future, but at least you’ve thought about our future, haven’t you?”
Fan Xiaoyu hesitated for a moment, his eyes then retreating into the shadows, and said in a deep voice, “Yes, I’m serious. Promises are useless, but right now, my mind is filled with images of you in the future.”
You Shulang was silent for a while, as if he had made up his mind: “Fan Xiao, the road of homosexuality is not easy. I don’t want to drag others down with me. I gave you a chance, but you didn’t take it. So don’t blame me for… taking action against you.”
With a forceful pull from their clasped hands, You Shulang dragged Fan Xiao back into the dark alley, slamming him against the wall, his gaze fixed intently on the handsome man.
“Kiss me quickly, Director You.” Fan Xiao pressed the man fiercely against his chest and suddenly kissed him deeply. “I can’t wait, my bodhisattva.”
