Four-Faced Buddha [To My Shore] - Chap 89
Chapter 89 A Deep Kiss
2024-10-13 07:34 Category: Four-Faced BuddhaTurn off the lights
“I know him, he’s my ex.”
With a single sentence, a bombshell was dropped during the meal.
But it was all silent. The classmates, their eyelids twitching, exchanged knowing glances as they experienced a gossip storm.
The unexpected answer left Fan Xiao breathless. He pondered it deeply, but still couldn’t find anything sweet in it.
You Shulang spoke in a very casual tone, as if saying that sugar is sweet and medicine is bitter, like saying that white clouds and black soil are pure white clouds, without any ripples, simply stating the facts.
The “ex” he mentioned didn’t evoke any particular feeling; it was like a piece of clothing he had worn but no longer liked.
At this moment, You Shulang had already moved on from the topic of “ex” and started fiddling with the tablecloth in his hand. The tablecloth with embroidered prints seemed to be more worthy of attention than his ex. He spread it out, placed it on his lap, and adjusted its position.
“My man has such good taste in men.” Big Waves finally broke the silence, propping her chin up with her arm and looking at Fan Xiao. “Ex, bring four delicious dishes, you decide.”
Fan Xiao’s gaze swept across the woman’s face, then he closed the menu and said thoughtfully, “If there are no dietary restrictions, then I’ll go prepare it.”
It’s so cold; Big Waves shivered.
No sooner had Fan Xiao left than You Shulang poured cold water on the enthusiasm of the group.
“Don’t ask, there’s nothing to say. I’m so old, it’s impossible that I don’t even have an ex.”
“Just one question.” Big Waves raised a finger and asked in a low voice, “How’s the job? I heard that the more handsome a guy is, the less skilled he is.”
You Shulang: “…”
When classmates get together, there are always endless topics to talk about. Zhang Shicheng and Da Bolang argue back and forth, while You Shulang takes the opportunity to go out for a smoke.
Smoke billowed from the corner of the bathroom wall. After flicking the ash two or three times, Fan Xiao pushed open the door and entered.
You Shulang was not surprised. He watched him walk towards him without showing any resistance, and even stepped aside to make room for him.
Fan Xiao pulled out a colorful cigarette from his elaborate clothes; it was rouge.
“Director You, would you like one?” He flicked out a cigarette and handed it to You Shulang. “Didn’t you used to like this?”
You Shulang raised the half-smoked cigarette in his hand, flicked his fingers, and the accumulated ash fell down in a flurry.
Fan Xiao fed the rouge to You Shulang, then took the half-smoked cigarette from his hand and put it between his teeth. The whole sequence of movements was fluid and seamless, as if the two had never been apart, still inseparable, without any inhibitions.
He struck a match, and a flame appeared. You Shulang glanced at Fan Xiao, then looked down and lit a cigarette in his hand.
“Waiting for me?” Fan Xiao asked with a smile as he extinguished the match.
Taking a deep breath and exhaling smoke, You Shulang asked, “What do you mean?”
“You’ve been in here for six minutes, enough time to relieve yourself and smoke. If you haven’t left yet, then you’re waiting for me.”
You Shulang didn’t answer, which was taken as tacit agreement: “Weren’t you a pharmaceutical representative? What, did you change jobs?”
The damp cigarette butt in Fan Xiao’s mouth made him lose his composure and only after a moment did he reply to You Shulang’s words.
“I’m still working as a pharmaceutical sales representative. I visit pharmacies during the day and do a part-time job here at night. There are often Southeast Asian customers here, and I can speak Thai, so the pay is higher.”
You Shulang curled his lips into a smile, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. He raised the cigarette in his hand and examined it closely: “A pack of rouge, enough for you to serve dishes here for two nights, right? What exactly is it that President Fan is condescending to do this for?”
When pressed for answers, Fan Xiao smiled and said, “I tried to quit while I was in there, but I couldn’t control myself after I came out. I want to smoke when I miss you, and I want to smoke when I’m upset. I’ve tried other cigarettes, but I just can’t get used to them. Because this cigarette is expensive, I smoke less now. I only smoke one when I miss you really much.”
The heartfelt confession did not soften his sharp and cold demeanor. You Shulang warned, “Fan Xiao, some things are not appropriate to say now. You’d better swallow them back.”
Before Fan Xiao could answer, You Shulang asked in a calm voice, “Inside? As far as I know, you’ve never been inside, have you?”
“Six months.” Fan Xiao was reluctant to smoke the half-smoked cigarette, only taking a light puff each time. “Because I am a tainted witness, and according to the laws there, tainted witnesses with minor offenses are not allowed to disclose their crimes to the outside world.”
You Shulang took off his cigarette and looked at Fan Xiao seriously for the first time: “A tainted witness?”
Fan Xiao nodded: “I’ve always wanted to get revenge on them. During the tsunami, they could have taken me and my mother with them, but those people selfishly closed the car doors and weren’t willing to wait even a little longer.”
His hand holding the cigarette trembled slightly, his eyes lowered, and Fan Xiao sneered: “My mother is his wife, their dutiful mother; I am her son, their obedient and sensible brother. But in the end? Nobody cares about our lives!”
“I had been planning my revenge against them for a long time. In order to find evidence, I also did some things that were in cahoots with them. Later, I cooperated with the local prosecutors and agreed to help them continue to investigate the case of manufacturing and selling counterfeit goods from 20 years ago. I did find some evidence. So during the trial, they turned me into a witness for the prosecution and gave me a lighter sentence of six months in prison.”
After the words were spoken, there was a moment of silence between them. You Shulang’s gaze was deep and unfathomable, fixed on a ladybug struggling to crawl on the sink.
It climbed up the curved inner wall of the pool with all its might, taking several steps, but all its efforts were in vain, and it fell back into the depths of the pool.
He stubbed out the expensive cigarette and threw it into the trash can. You Shulang walked to the sink, turned on the tap to wash his hands, and just before the water gushed out, he scooped up the ladybug and casually tossed it away.
Amidst the rushing water, You Shulang asked, “Fan Xiao, which of the funds in the medical fund account you set up for Tiantian, or the dividends from Pinfeng Venture Capital’s investment in your personal name, requires you to suffer like this?” He turned off the water, pulled out a tissue to wipe his hands, and a flash of hostility crossed his voice. “So, what are you up to now?”
Half a cigarette, smoked until now, could no longer taste anything. The cigarette butt was still between his fingers. Fan Xiao looked into You Shulang’s eyes through the mirror: “The money for Tiantian’s medical treatment, I won’t touch even if I’m down on my luck. As for Pinfeng, let alone dividends, if I wanted, the whole company would be mine.”
Taking a step forward, Fan Xiao almost pressed himself against You Shulang’s back: “Besides these, I also have my own company, which is quite profitable and can ensure that I have no worries about food and clothing.”
“But……”
The conversation was abruptly cut off by a low voice calling from the corridor: “Fan Xiao, Fan Xiao! The manager is looking for you, asking why you’ve been absent from your post for so long.”
“Damn it.” Fan Xiao cursed, grabbed You Shulang, pushed open the door of the toilet stall, and shoved him inside.
“you!”
Just as he let the words slip out, Fan Xiao covered You Shulang’s mouth and jumped onto the toilet, making a shushing gesture.
Someone came in, called Fan Xiao’s name a few more times, and even looked under the doors of each cubicle. When they saw You Shulang’s leather shoes and trousers, they quickly left.
The lines of his palm pressed against his lips, easily stirring up some indescribable memories. You Shulang’s ears turned slightly red, and he slapped Fan Xiao’s hand away.
What are you doing?
Fan Xiao squatted on the toilet, the dampness on his hands making him feel a little distracted. He forcefully suppressed the urge to kiss his palms, stood up, and continued the previous topic: “I have something else to tell you.”
“You just heard it too. I am rich, but all that money was earned with the help of my family’s influence. Capital, connections, and resources—I got them all by using my father’s name as his son.”
“Shulang, I’m not naive enough to be so hostile to money. What’s rightfully mine will eventually be mine. But I also want to be myself for once. It’s not for some stupid reason like realizing my value. I just want to earn some clean money to spend and do something worthwhile. Otherwise… I really can’t keep going.”
In the confined space, even the vibrations of the sound seemed to touch one’s heart. You Shulang’s heels were pointing backward, but he had nowhere left to retreat.
“Starting from scratch is much harder than I imagined.” Fan Xiao took out his phone, found a photo in his album, and showed it to You Shulang. “However, I only took six months to go from a terminal pharmaceutical representative to a regional general manager. Although I only got the position in Xipu, an economically underdeveloped region, it’s still considered incredibly fast in the industry.”
In the photo, Fan Xiao is dressed in a suit and tie, looking exactly the same as before. He stands on the stage with some sales champions, dressed in red and green, holding certificates of honor in his hands.
He seemed somewhat disgusted by the big red flower on his chest, his brows furrowed slightly, but his eyes were exceptionally bright.
The camera froze on that moment, capturing the light in his eyes.
Just like… Fan Xiao now. You Shulang glanced at the photo again before looking away.
Fan Xiao tentatively moved a little closer to the person in front of him, his voice humming, as if he were whining: “Such a trivial position, a bonus equivalent to the price of a few packs of cigarettes, something that used to be completely insignificant, but back then I was so excited that I was trembling slightly.”
As if struck by a sudden thought, his expression quickly fell: “After stepping down from the stage, everyone called home to share the good news. I’ve never had anything worth sharing in my life, but now that I finally have one, I don’t know who to tell.”
“I stared at your phone for more than ten minutes, but in the end I didn’t call. I said I wouldn’t bother your life anymore, and I’m going to keep my word.”
Fan Xiao gently stroked the hem of You Shulang’s clothes, but only dared to stroke the hem: “Now I’ve put all the money I’ve earned in the past six months into the goods. Buying and selling, there will always be times when the cash flow is interrupted. I’ll make as much as I can. Director You, I’ve been working in this restaurant for a long time.”
In the cramped cubicle, with nowhere to look, You Shulang remained silent for a while before slowly raising his eyes, which had been lowered: “What does all this have to do with me? As long as you don’t cause any more trouble and don’t disturb my life, what job you do, whether it’s hard or enjoyable, how much you earn, it’s none of my business.”
You Shulang pushed the man away: “Fan Xiao, please continue to keep your promise. Now get out of the way.”
Back at the restaurant and seated, You Shulang was naturally teased. Big Wave glanced at the time and clicked his tongue twice: “It’s all show and no substance, only a dozen minutes.”
You Shulang downed the glass of red wine and wiped his mouth with a napkin: “That’s why you should cherish Zhang Shicheng even more.”
“Hey, what does this have to do with me?” Zhang Shicheng said speechlessly. “You’re saying I’m not good-looking? Youzi, you’ve got a sharp tongue.”
After a few rounds of laughter and banter, the banquet ended and everyone left. You Shulang and Fan Xiao brushed past each other; one ignored them, while the other glanced back, neither saying goodbye.
Urged on by others, Fan Xiao looked away and continued serving, but somehow offended a male customer at the table. A hundred-yuan bill fluttered to the ground, and the male customer said rudely, “Tip.”
His back slowly stiffened, his eyelids drooped, and Fan Xiao’s smile deepened.
The toe of a shoe kicked at the banknotes. The man at the table raised his eyes, his face full of disdain: “Aren’t you going to pick them up? If you’re so high and mighty, why are you working as a waiter?”
The contemptuous voice was so soft it carried far, even causing You Shulang, who was walking towards the door, to stop in his tracks.
He turned around and saw Fan Xiao with his back to him, his straight back like a sword blade.
The banknote lay quietly at Fan Xiao’s feet, worth less than a box of rouge.
The male guest, with his arm draped over the back of the chair, urged them again, clearly getting annoyed.
The sharp blade in You Shulang’s eyes slowly bent, and the tall man lowered his body…
“My dear traveler, the elevator is here.”
You Shulang stood still for a moment, then withdrew his gaze and turned to walk towards the elevator.
Fan Xiao, who had picked up the tip, became even more attentive, slowly pouring red wine into the glass, handing one glass to the male customer and the other to the alluring woman.
“Sir, would you like me to store your scarf?” Fan Xiao offered attentive service.
The male customer, enjoying the lower class’s submission to power, handed over the men’s scarf around his neck.
Opening the private locker, the scarf was carelessly tossed aside. Fan Xiao’s long fingers reached into the male customer’s suit and, sure enough, found the business card.
Enter your name and company, and a large amount of information will be retrieved on your phone.
After rummaging through the pages, he found a photo of the couple. Fan Xiao clicked his tongue lightly, his smile becoming even more gentle.
Before dinner was even halfway through, the male guest’s wife overturned the table.
Amidst the playful bickering and arguing, Fan Xiao, in a corner, placed a deep kiss on the palm of his hand.
…
