Four-Faced Buddha [To My Shore] - Chap 99
Chapter 99 Little Bodhisattva
2024-10-13 07:37 Category: Four-Faced BuddhaTurn off the lights
“I’m planning to buy a truck.”
Inside the upscale club, half of Fan Xiao’s body was hidden in the shadows. He was dressed in work clothes and military boots, without any adornments to enhance his status. He seemed out of place in this magnificent palace, yet his innate sense of freedom and magnanimity made him perfectly suited to the place.
Rubbing the bruises on his cheek, with a hint of a smile in his eyes, Fan Xiao reiterated once again: “I plan to buy a truck.”
“I heard you.” Shi Lihua replied lazily, “You Shulang doesn’t let you ride your bike in winter not because he’s afraid you’ll bump into someone, but because he’s afraid you’ll fall and get hurt.”
Shi Lihua picked up his wine glass and rolled his eyes: “You’ve said it eight times already.”
Fan Xiao leaned over the table to reach for a cigarette. His face was shadowed by the overhead light, highlighting his superior features, which were deep and three-dimensional. There was a very shallow scar on his right cheek, which he had accidentally left when he beat up Bai Yupeng in the dark alley.
With a cigarette dangling from his lips and a match twirling between his fingers, Fan Xiao lightly kicked Shi Lihua, a wicked grin on his face: “How did our Director You beat you up? Tell me again.”
Shi Lihua, with a bandage on his forehead, flew into a rage: “Damn it, Fan Xiao, that’s enough!”
“Isn’t he super handsome? Super cool?”
“So what if he’s handsome and cool? You Shulang already has a boyfriend, he’s not yours anymore, Fan Xiao, wake up.”
There was a moment of stillness in the air, and Shi Lihua knew he had stepped on a landmine.
He opened his mouth, then said dryly, “What I mean is that You Shulang has already moved on, so if you stay stuck in the past, you’ll only cause yourself more trouble.”
After a while, Fan Xiao finally lost his cold expression and patted Shi Lihua on the shoulder: “Don’t worry about my affairs. Go and confront You Shulang. I haven’t settled accounts with you yet.”
“What, are you going to make a hole in my head too?”
Fan Xiao smiled, pulled a bunch of keys from his pocket, and tossed them in front of Shi Lihua: “My villa in Thailand is yours now.”
Shi Lihua dangled the key between his fingers: “Not planning to go back? You’re not even going to fight for the business your older brother owns?”
Fan Xiao looked somewhat bewildered, and after a moment of absentmindedness, he chuckled softly: “Those things seem so distant from me now, so distant that I can hardly remember them.”
He stood up, waving his unlit cigarette between his fingers: “I’m leaving. I need to get to bed early tonight; I have to get up early tomorrow to look for a shop.”
Shi Lihua glanced at his watch and groaned helplessly, “Are you coming out for New Year’s Eve? We had a full-day party.”
The hand shook again: “I don’t have time to go to the welfare home to bring warmth during the New Year’s Eve.”
Shi Lihua yelled, “Where are you going?”
It snowed on the first day of the new year.
Tian Tian wore bunny earmuffs and a red scarf. Her little leather shoes left a trail of bouncy footprints on the snow.
Today is the welfare home’s open day, featuring a performance carefully prepared by the children and accepting donations from all sectors of society.
You Shulang bought a lot of stationery and clothes, and delivered them today with Tiantian. Lü Bowen took on the role of the laborer, carrying a box of stationery during the handover.
Suddenly, a clear laugh rang out, carried by the cold air, warming one’s heart.
Tian Tian looked up longingly, seeking You Shulang’s opinion. You Shulang patted his little head and said with a smile, “Let’s go take a look.”
After greeting Lü Bowen, You Shulang took Tiantian’s hand and followed the sound of laughter.
The snow on the steps inside the park has been cleared, and above the steps is a children’s activity area.
As he climbed the steps, the closer he got, the louder the laughter became, and a familiar male voice was faintly mixed in, causing You Shulang to slow his pace slightly.
Upon reaching the last step, with an unobstructed view, You Shulang felt a sudden tremor in his heart; it really was Fan Xiao.
Not far away, Fan Xiao leaned against the courtyard wall, standing lazily with his hands hanging down. A scarf was loosely tied around his eyes. He counted, “One, two, three,” he threatened in a drawn-out tone, “Hurry up and hide. Whoever gets caught will have to recite Tang poems.”
The children clapped their hands, laughed loudly, and scattered, looking for places to hide.
The orphanage was once lush with vegetation, which has now withered, but the children’s bright smiles prevent it from feeling desolate.
You Shulang stood under a thick elm tree, the withered leaves that hadn’t yet fallen casting dappled shadows in his face. Through the swaying shadows, You Shulang looked at Fan Xiao, at the upturned corners of his lips, his pure smile, his hair shimmering in the sunlight, and the innocence that was sealed in his bones yet now inadvertently revealed.
“…Eight, nine, ten.” Fan Xiao’s smile widened. “Have you all hidden them? It’s time to start looking for you.”
He pulled down the scarf over his eyes, testing his eyes against the sudden sunlight. He shifted his back away from the wall. Slowly and deliberately, he threatened, “Hide your little bottoms and feet, don’t let me…”
Suddenly speechless, Fan Xiao stared blankly in the direction of the century-old elm tree.
The sunlight after the snow was exceptionally clear, and You Shulang could even see Fan Xiao’s trembling eyelashes. He had already uttered “long time no see” between his teeth, but then he saw Fan Xiao’s gaze fall downwards, landing on Tian Tian.
He asked with a smile, “Does Tian Tian want to participate?”
Tian Tian glanced at You Shulang and nodded her little head heavily.
Fan Xiao announced loudly, “Another child has joined. I’ll count to ten again, everyone hide well!”
He gestured to You Shulang to wait a moment, then tied the scarf back over his eyes…
After he had found all the children, Fan Xiao carried Tian Tian and walked toward You Shulang.
Unexpectedly, a girl grabbed his leg halfway through and looked up at Fan Xiao with great effort, saying, “Uncle Fan, you are so handsome! I want to marry you when I grow up.”
Fan Xiao, holding Tian Tian, squatted down and gently refused, “No, you can’t.” He glanced at the figure under the old tree, “Uncle has someone he likes.”
The winter sun was intense, and You Shulang felt as if his heart had been scalded. He looked away, picked a withered leaf from in front of him, twirled it between his fingers, and the yellow leaf crumbled on the ground.
After coaxing the “heartbroken” little girl away, Fan Xiao walked up to You Shulang and spoke first: “Shulang, I didn’t follow you, I came here first.”
His tone was slightly coquettish and affectionate, and he even shifted his toes slightly forward to close the distance with You Shulang: “Happy New Year, Director You.”
You Shulang scratched his fingertips as he reached out to take Tiantian from Fan Xiao’s arms, mumbling a “Happy New Year” in his gesture.
Fan Xiao seemed very happy, and dodged to the side, continuing to monopolize Tian Tian: “Let me hold you for a while.” He lifted Tian Tian high, “Happy New Year, Tian Tian! May you be healthy in the new year!”
“What are you doing here?” You Shulang asked.
“I’m here to deliver some commonly used medicines to the children.” Fan Xiao secretly added points to his reputation, “I deliver medicines to welfare homes and rescue stations at the city, county, and township levels.”
Seemingly a little embarrassed, Fan Xiao finished speaking and then went to play with Tian Tian again, tossing him into the air and catching him in his arms time and time again, the two of them laughing together.
Looking at Fan Xiao in front of him, You Shulang realized that he was very good at smiling. It wasn’t a deliberately feigned gentle smile, nor was it the fake smile he used to have. Instead, it was a relaxed and open smile with relaxed eyebrows and eyes, a healthy and warm smile.
If it weren’t for that shipwreck, would Fan Xiao be in this state now?
A withered leaf drifted down, interrupting You Shulang’s reverie. He told himself not to get entangled with Fan Xiao any longer and was about to take his leave when he heard Tian Tian’s voice.
The little girl pointed her short arms at the man coming towards her: “Uncle Lü.”
Fan Xiao’s smile vanished instantly.
“The items have already been handed over to the principal.” Lü Bowen stood next to You Shulang and asked with a smile, “What are you doing?”
“Hide and seek,” Tian Tian answered eagerly, “with this uncle.”
Tian Tian hugged Fan Xiao’s neck tightly, which made Fan Xiao straighten his back a little.
“Hello, Lü Bowen, you’re a friend of Shulang.” The man opposite Fan Xiao extended his hand. “Nice to meet you, please take care of me.”
Fan Xiao could tell that he emphasized the word “friends.” After examining the hand for a moment, Fan Xiao shook it: “Fan Xiao. This isn’t our first meeting. Last time I fell off my motorcycle, Mr. Lü even came to help me.”
“Really? I don’t remember.”
“Mr. Lü has done so many good deeds that he naturally doesn’t remember them.”
“Mr. Fan is no less impressive; is he also here at the welfare home today for charity?”
“I can’t compare to Mr. Lü’s magnanimity. He came to deliver some medicine and incidentally got some exposure in the news and some publicity. After all, he’s a businessman, and business is business.”
Lu Bowen raised his eyebrows, neither refuting nor agreeing. As if afraid of an awkward silence, he tried to make conversation: “Mr. Fan and Shulang are…?”
Fan Xiao paused for a moment, not looking at You Shulang, and replied indifferently: “Colleague, Director You and I worked together when you were working at the pharmaceutical factory.”
The cultural performance was about to begin. The principal invited the guests to take their seats. Fan Xiao, still holding Tian Tian, walked behind the others and whispered to the boy, “Uncle Lü wanted to hold you just now, why didn’t you go?”
Tian Tian fluttered her eyelashes: “It’ll be a bit higher if you hold me.”
Fan Xiao’s lips curled up slightly, and he lifted Tian Tian a little higher.
He quietly slipped away to the side, picked a few thorny cockleburs from a weed, and held them loosely in his hand.
Tian Tian opened her eyes wide, indicating a question.
“Shall we put it in Uncle Lü’s clothes in a little while?”
“Oh no, it’ll prick your skin.”
Looking at the adorable little boy, Fan Xiao suddenly smiled, leaned in and kissed his soft cheek: “He really is a little boy brought out by a Bodhisattva.”
He casually tossed the burdock aside: “Okay, we’ll do as Tian Tian says.”
