Ch14 - Date

Hai Ri placed the tangerines on his legs, as if doing so would ward off evil spirits. The bus launched into motion. Worn out from laughing, Sheng Canyang lay on his back and shut his eyes in silence, the corners of his eyes still crinkled in laughter.

Hai Ri glanced at him. No matter how he looked at Sheng Canyang, every aspect of him was pleasing to the eye. There was no such thing as liking any part of him too much. This child’s every movement was the type Hai Ri liked the most, and his looks and personality were also pleasing. He was pretty much the best of the best in the gay circle. 

All along, his ideal type had been someone like Sheng Canyang, but only someone like Sheng Canyang. Whether or not they were older or younger didn’t matter. However, if it was Sheng Canyang himself, then there was a feeling of being too close to home. Pursuing celebrities was a difficult topic. No person could bear the shade after seeing the sun, but in Hai Ri’s opinion, anyone would do except for the sun itself.

Hai Ri bore feelings of worship towards Sheng Canyang; he felt that he could not play around with this nineteen year old child who was younger than him.

Hai Ri had the urge to listen to music again. Putting on his earphones, he thought for a very long time over the choice of song before eventually playing <Hope Betrayed>. His hand tapped along to the beat as he listened to the high tones of the woman’s voice. And then, the earbud in his right ear was abruptly pulled out. Sheng Canyang casually took out one of his earbuds and put on the one he had taken before lying back down. Upon hearing the song, he shot Hai Ri a look, raising a brow in surprise.

Ignoring him, Hai Ri remained silent as he stared at his phone, scrolling through Weibo. 

Sheng Canyang gave Hai Ri’s screen a glance. “Got through?”

“No,” was Hai Ri’s reply. “It’s too difficult.”

Hai Ri: “After 2000 levels, passing levels is entirely dependent on luck.”

Sheng Canyang: “Seems like you haven’t had much luck recently.”

“You misunderstand, I’ve never had luck,” Hai Ri responded elegantly. “It was all because I spent money.”

Hai Ri’s head was lowered as he played the game, the lyrics that he knew by heart echoing in his ears. He said casually, “For Jewel of Atlantis, I’ve spent at least eight thousand, if not ten thousand.”

Sheng Canyang: …

Hai Ri pulled on his collar, saying in a manner that invited spanking, “I have money.” 

Sheng Canyang: “How many more days can you stay with your points?”

Hai Ri instantly deflated like a leaky balloon. His eyes peered at Sheng Canyang before resting back on his phone as he typed swiftly.

Sheng Canyang had a niggling feeling that he was cursing others on the internet, so he angled his body towards the screen. Hai Ri subconsciously hid his screen, saying, “Give me some privacy.”

Sheng Canyang: “You still want privacy?” 

A confused Hai Ri: ?

Sheng Canyang: “Let me use your phone for a while.”

“For what?” Hai Ri asked but still exited the interface and handed his phone to him. “What happened to yours?”

Sheng Canyang opened his bank account, glanced through it, and then took out his own phone and gave it two taps before tossing Hai Ri’s phone back to him. The phone just landed in Hai Ri’s hands when he received a message informing him about a transfer. There was now two thousand more points in his account. 

Sheng Canyang: “Remember to pay me back.”

Hai Ri: “I still have to return it?”

Sheng Canyang: “Let me see what you posted just now and you won’t need to return it.”

“I’ll return it,” Hai Ri said. “With interest. Don’t worry.” 

Sheng Canyang paid him no need. A while later, he ordered, “Change songs.”

As you say, ancestor.

Hai Ri was always led by the nose whenever he was with Sheng Canyang. There was nothing he could do about it, so he could only ask, “What do you want to listen to?”

Sheng Canyang: “Anything.” 

Hai Ri played <Love for Sale>.

Sheng Canyang: …

“You’re the one who said anything is fine. There is no such thing as ‘better or worse’ in music,” Hai Ri instantly said. “Don’t say you’ve never heard this song during your childhood.”

Sheng Canyang: “How about giving me back the money?” 

Hai Ri had no choice but to change songs. After thinking about it, he dug out a song at the bottom of his annual song list – <Illusion of Love>.

Wang Ya crooned the familiar lyrics, “Looking at the world outside the window, the bustling, noisy streets, a lonely silhouette swaying in the air with the wind.”

Sheng Canyang had on a complex expression.

Hai Ri: “How’s it, old pal?” 

“You like me?” Sheng Canyang pointed at himself. His thought processes were on the brink of falling apart. “You. Like me?”

Hai Ri: “You think there’s an issue with my taste?”

Sheng Canyang was very courteous. “Sorry, does that even need any discussion?”

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

Hai Ri: “Child, you still don’t understand all that is good and bad.” 

Vtfcu Jjcsjcu ijs yjmx vbkc, ilrafclcu ab atf ilnfis wfibvs jcv rlwqif isglmr bo atf mtbger. “Zs ibnf vbfrc’a ecvfgrajcv. Qtlmt kbgiv jgf sbe lc? Po la kjrc’a j gfpfmalbc, atfc kts ifjnf klatbea j ubbvysf? Po P kfgf wbgf olgw, cfnfg cfuifmafv sbe jcv kfgf j yla wbgf mbcrlvfgjaf, kbeiv beg ibnf ralii tjnf mbwf ab jc fcv?”

Sheng Canyang had never proactively listened to this sort of street song before, but he actually had the bizarre impulse to clap in time to the beat as well. Perhaps it was because of the atmosphere, or perhaps he had been infected with Hai Ri’s sand sculpture unsophistication.

Sheng Canyang: …

Hai Ri: “Not bad, eh? It’s quite nice to listen to.” 

Sheng Canyang was rendered speechless.

Hai Ri sang two lines as well. Sheng Canyang was taken by surprise by those two lines he hummed. “You didn’t go off-tune.”

Hai Ri: “Please, for better or worse, gege is a Mongolian.”

“That always slips my mind,” Sheng Canyang said. “Looking at your taste, I really can’t tell that you can sing.” 

Hai Ri: “It’s not that I have bad taste, it’s that I can handle anything along the spectrum. I have strong tolerance.”

Sheng Canyang: “Then where am I on the spectrum?”

…

Hai Ri: “Do we have to go down this path?” 

Sheng Canyang let out a laugh and let him off the hook.

What could Hai Ri say? He himself didn’t know why he liked Sheng Canyang that much. He’d never chased celebrities before and could never understand how anyone could so brainlessly like a stranger. But look at what happened; feelings came and it really was something that couldn’t be held back no matter what. Whether it was the skies that wanted to rain or Hai Ri that wanted to be a mom, nothing could hold them back.

Hai Ri thought inwardly that this had nothing to do with his taste. Didi, this is instinct, pure and simple.

Hai Ri actually had numerous songs on his phone, just that he’d intentionally played more interesting songs for Sheng Canyang to amuse him. A while later when Sheng Canyang was about to fall asleep, he changed the music to something light before shutting his eyes in preparation to sleep as well. 

The air in the bus was musty and clammy. Sunlight penetrated the windows, scorching skin. For a moment, only the sound of the air-conditioning and the people at the back tearing into packets of puffed rice could be heard. Hai Ri sunk into sleep.

There was a hum in his mind. He seemed to have dreamt. He dreamed that the night Sheng Canyang finished the variety show, he walked out of the glass doors of a tall building, his hair a shade of red, his assistant trailing behind him. His fans launched into shrieks after his appearance, and so did the fans of many other artists. He smiled, waving his hand at the fans.

Hai Ri had just left the site after watching his variety show. He felt that Sheng Canyang’s state of mind didn’t seem very bright. He watched him from afar and lit a cig, pinching it between his fingertips as he flicked the ash on a tree. He held up his phone and snapped a photo, just like all the young girls.

Sheng Canyang waved a hand in goodbye at the artists he had filmed the program with. With An 88 key electronic keyboard on his back, he made his way forward without turning back, waving a hand at them. Beneath the streetlights, his red hair resembled burning filaments. 

Hai Ri hadn’t deliberately come over. He was just in the mood for a trip and Sheng Canyang had also come to Beijing for a program, so he came over for fun as well. Moreover, he constantly had a feeling that he couldn’t not come.

There were still fans following him at the back. Sheng Canyang turned around and came to a halt, glancing down at his watch. “It’s very late, go back.”

A few girls declared, “We support you, Yangyang.”

Yangyang was what the fans who liked taking care of Sheng Canyang called him. A big handsome guy like him had attracted a group of mom fans. The more miserable he was, the more like a mom they became. And the more like a mom they became, the more miserable they felt their son was, thereby forming a vicious cycle. 

Sheng Canyang’s reply was uttered casually. “Got it, go back.”

But the fans still refused to leave. Hai Ri sucked in a breath of smoke, drawing the smoke into his lungs before spitting it back out. Leaning against a car parked at the roadside, he scrolled through his phone. Coincidentally, he noticed that someone had replied to his comment online, probably along the lines of cursing Sheng Canyang and his fans.

Hai Ri had really blown his top back then. More and more, he couldn’t understand how he could get so incensed over a stinky brat and put in so much time and energy, yet fail to change anything. His family had money, his life was affluent, and he’d inherited his mother’s Mongolian blood, looking very much like a mixed-race human. In his life as a mixed-race, he could be said to have never tasted defeat. However, when he really set his heart on chasing after his idol, his mentality was completely shaken.

Hai Ri really wanted to bump into these sunspots in real life and let them experience what a Mongolian man was like. 

Sheng Canyang’s fans refused to leave, so his assistant urged him to stop walking and take the car back to the hotel. Sheng Canyang came to a stop once more, telling his fans seriously, “Go home, it’s late. It’s not safe for girls to be outside this late.”

The fans were moved to tears and became even more determined to stay.

Sheng Canyang seemed a little helpless. Standing underneath the streetlights, he ruffled his hair. The fans held their phones up, imploring him to return and sleep earlier.

Hai Ri watched for a while before throwing away his cig and leaving. 

The day Hai Ri attended the show, Sheng Canyang had played <Iridescent Clouds Chasing the Moon> with his erhu. Hai Ri had searched up this erhu tune after going back. After listening to it, he felt that Sheng Canyang had played it very well; he hadn’t treated it lightly.

At that point in time, he’d felt that Sheng Canyang would have a glorious future ahead of him and that this polite, sincere boy would definitely rise from his lowest point.

Afterwards, before the variety show Sheng Canyang filmed was even broadcasted, he committed suicide by jumping from a tall building. <Iridescent Clouds Chasing the Moon> was gone for good.

Hai Ri had been in his office, a pen in his mouth, one hand in his pocket and the other on the printer as he waited for the machine to spit out his blueprint. Two female colleagues were slacking off at the common work area when one suddenly exclaimed, “Sheng Canyang died?” 

Hai Ri’s mind fogged up. He turned to look at the two of them and put together the recent pieces of news. All the clues pointed to this one statement. For a moment, he lost all ability to react.

Another female colleague who happened to be looking at the computer asked carelessly, “Are you sure?”

“It’s first on the hot search,” The woman responded. “Give it a look.”

The female colleague: “I will later, I’m busy doing up a form now.” 

The printer spat out Hai Ri’s blueprint. Hai Ri felt his heartbeat stalling. His hand fell, and the A4 papers slipped out of his palm, the sharp edges slicing a thin line of blood before falling to the floor.

The people beside Hai Ri stared at him, but he instead took out his phone with sweaty palms. His attempt to unlock his phone with his fingerprint failed. His limbs trembled. The person beside him helped to pick up his files, asking in concern, “What’s wrong?”

What’s wrong, what’s wrong, what’s wrong, what’s wrong—

Hai Ri woke up with a start on the bus. His body was covered in sweat as he gasped for air. Sheng Canyang was seated to his right, eating tangerines. 

Hai Ri: …

Sheng Canyang: “You’re awake? Do you want to eat?”

“How long did I sleep?” Hai Ri was slightly muddled, his mind not clear-headed. He gave his head a shake. “Are we going to reach soon?”

Sheng Canyang glanced at his watch. “In slightly more than an hour’s time.” 

“Give me one,” Hai Ri stretched out a hand. “Are they all that sour? I’m dying from thirst.”

Sheng Canyang tossed one into his mouth in total disregard of the sourness. “Sourness can relieve thirst and promote the secretion of saliva. I also woke up thirsty.”

Hai Ri took yet another glance at Sheng Canyang. His heart was actually in a very complex state, he couldn’t put into words what he was feeling.

Was this also considered a form of regaining what had been lost? 

“We’re about to return,” Hai Ri stated. “What are you going to do after going back?”

Sheng Canyang: “Our theater has a stage play to put on. Did you forget that? Male lead.”

Hai Ri: “What do you want me to do?”

“Just be a pretty face,” Sheng Canyang ate another tangerine slice. “Everyone’s from the strength sect nowadays, pretty faces are hard to find.” 

“Sure,” Hai Ri thought about it. “When’s the next time you’re going to participate in a task?”

Sheng Canyang: “Don’t know, I might not participate anymore.”

Hai Ri stared blankly. “Why?”

Sheng Canyang: “I can’t die.” 

Sheng Canyang had said from the beginning that he participated in tasks because he was anxious to die. Since he couldn’t die, then he would just give up.

Hai Ri: “What are you going to do then?”

“See how it goes,” Sheng Canyang said. “Do you know how to handle it when fate makes fun of you?”

Hai Ri: ? 

Sheng Canyang’s teeth ached from the sourness. He wrinkled his brows, sucking in a breath. “If you can’t beat them, join them.”

Hai Ri didn’t understand. “How so, how so?”

“Figure it out yourself,” Sheng Canyang turned around, passing the tangerines to the girl behind. “For you guys.”

The girl behind was immediately overwhelmed by the favor. “Ah, thank you?” 

Sheng turned back and took a deep breath from the sourness.

Hai Ri: …

 They returned to their place of residence in the afternoon before dinner. Yellow Hair was already waiting at the bus stop with a motorbike helmet in hand. The motorbike on his head, coupled with his thin legs and slender body gave him a striking resemblance to an enoki mushroom strand.

Hai Ri caught sight of him immediately after getting off the bus and burst into laughter from the description that surfaced in his mind. Sheng Canyang shot a glance at him. 

Yellow Hair: “Bro, you win the moment you step out.”

Sheng Canyang: “Piece of cake.”

The two of them bumped fists. Yellow Hair said, “Treat us then.”

Sheng Canyang took the helmet from him and got onto the motorbike, telling Hai Ri, “Let’s go and eat grilled meat together.” 

Hai Ri understood social cues very well. He smiled. “Nah, I wanna go back and take a nap. You guys go ahead.”

Sheng Canyang glanced at him. “You’re not eating?”

“I’ll order takeout later,” Hai Ri shoved his hands into his pockets, shrugging his shoulders. “I’m tired.”

Yellow Hai spoke to Hai Ri: “There’s a freaking good curry takeout store nearby.” 

“Okay,” Hai Ri nodded politely. He took the initiative to retreat two steps, waving a hand at them. “Bye! Look for me if there’s anything.”

Sheng Canyang hesitated, his brows lifting a little. Yet, Hai Ri didn’t budge. Miming the traffic police officers, he gestured for them to quickly leave. 

Sheng Canyang suddenly thought of something. He took off his helmet and said, “Let’s add each other on Wechat.”

Hai Ri: … 

Sheng Canyang raised his brows again in a very impatient manner.

Hai Ri hastily fished his phone out. “Okay okay okay, give me a sec, yeah? Where’s my phone?”

With a foot resting on the ground and one hand supporting the motorbike, Sheng Canyang thrust out his other hand, grabbing a hold of Hai Ri’s earphones and directly hauling his phone out of his pocket. He picked up Hai Ri’s thumb, unlocked the phone, clicked on Wechat, gave it a few taps, and then tossed it back to Hai Ri.

Hai Ri caught it in a fluster. Sheng Canyang put on the motorbike helmet and raised his chin in goodbye. In one stride, Yellow Hair straddled the motorbike, sitting behind Sheng Canyang. “Go!” 

Sheng Canyang let out a muffled sound from beneath the helmet. “Scram.”

The motorbike moved off. Sheng Canyang gave it two pedals as he maneuvered the motorbike. Behind, Yellow Hair waved his arms, arrogantly leaving behind a violent flurry of exhaust.

Looking at his rear view, Hai Ri found it ridiculous yet amusing.

When he went back, the sky was still bright. The first thing he saw upon stepping into the hotel hall was a newbie in the midst of reporting. Seemed like it was someone who had just arrived, as they were filling in a form with the employee at the front desk. There was a dense aura of death around them that was completely devoid of life. Hai Ri glanced over before turning around and pressing the button for the lift. 

The employee at the front desk glanced at him. “You’re back?”

Hai Ri was listening to <Illusion of Love> with his earphones on. All of a sudden, one of his earphones was pulled out and the employee stood before him, asking, “Why didn’t you answer me?”

Hai Ri: ?

He pointed at himself, asking if he was talking to him. 

The employee: “Where did you go?”

“To an instance,” Hai Ri was bewildered. “What do you want?”

The employee was still in his red uniform with yellow edges and bowler hat, looking very much like someone that belonged at the front desk of a hotel. Oh wait, he did. It was Hai Ri’s first time seeing this employee dressed in this manner. He had quite a robust figure though, like those guys who gymed, just that he was a bit on the short side. When talking to him, it was always Hai Ri having to angle his eyes down. The employee asked, “Oh, I didn’t see you the past few days, did you win?”

“I lost,” Hai Ri replied politely. “But I found a rich person to be my sugar daddy, anything else?” 

The employee laughed out loud. “You’re hilarious. What are you eating tonight?”

Hai Ri: ?

“I got off work,” The employee said. “Let’s have a meal together?”

Hai Ri pulled out the other earphone, feeling like he had heard wrongly. “Sorry, who are you?” 

The lift doors just so happened to open at this moment. Liu Jie walked out. Upon seeing them, she stared blankly for a while before recalling Hai Ri’s name. “Hi love, you two—?”

“Why did you come down so late?” Hai Ri interjected promptly. Struck by sudden inspiration, he made his way forward, tapping on his phone. “I’ve whittled half the day away waiting for you.”

Liu Jie stared blankly for a while and then glanced at the employee, returning to her senses. “Ah, putting on makeup delayed me.”

“Let’s go then…” Pretending to have remembered something, Hai Ri then regretfully told the employee, “Sorry, I have an engagement, another time then.” 

Liu Jie also chimed in apologetically, “Next time, next time.”

The employee stayed there, not understanding the situation. He could only look on as the two of them left.

Two steps later, Liu Jie asked, “What situation was that?”

“No idea,” was Hai Ri’s answer. “Where are you going?” 

Liu Jie: “Downstairs, to eat.”

Feeling somewhat weary, Hai Ri said, “I’ll treat you, I haven’t eaten either.”

Liu Jie: “Does that person want to invite you out?”

“Not sure,” Hai Ri said. “Inviting me out – isn’t he thinking too much?” 

Hai Ri had encountered quite a few straight guys wanting to invite him out, and it really wasn’t a small number. Seeing that Hai Ri came from a good background, had good looks and a good figure, some straight guys who thought highly of themselves would think of wronging themselves to be provided for for a while. These people had very grandiose views of themselves and would think that successfully inviting him out meant that they would become a couple.

Liu Jie: “Ah? I didn’t mean it that way, I thought he… eh? He wants to invite you out? Damn? You’re?”

Hai Ri: “Gay. A 0 through and through. We can recognize each other as sisters, that way it’s fine if I treat you to a meal?”

“Sure sure,” Liu Jie said resolutely. “That’s more than fine, meimei. Where are we going?” 

“Jiejie, you decide,” Hai Ri tapped on his phone, sending Sheng Canyang a message. “Have you reached the place?”

Liu Jie looked back at the employee, telling Hai Ri in a low voice, “Isn’t this difference a bit too big?”

“Yup, jiejie,” Hai Ri replied. “In all cases, everyone should consider whether they’re worthy of it.”