【012】
The back of Lu Jue’s neck and lower back were each covered with dense needle marks. Exposed in the dim, uncertain light, they looked like faded ink stains from years past—all old scars.
The last time Lu Jue showered at Yu Ting’s place, the steam and the age of the marks had kept Yu Ting from noticing them.
The two prominent shoulder blades stiffened for a second or two. Lu Jue wiped at his hair, dropped the towel, grabbed a tank top, and pulled it on. Turning back to meet Yu Ting’s gaze, he let out a low chuckle. “Yeah, they’ll fade in a few more months.”
Yu Ting looked at his shoulder. “Because of your sexuality?”
Lu Jue walked to the bathroom doorway, the pale orange light illuminating half his profile. His thin lips curved slightly. “Sort of. At first, when I came out to my dad… told him about my orientation, he found a bunch of psychologists to counsel me, put me under house arrest. It was useless. Then he had someone inject me with this ‘medicine’ every day…”
Click.
Lu Jue turned off the light. The light source dimmed slowly, and within two seconds, the room plunged into darkness. It was almost midnight, but the faint, intermittent sound of a television still drifted in.
The sound of the TV became abnormally clear in the dark.
A passionate male voice fired off words like a string of firecrackers. “No matter how severe your pain! No matter how many years you’ve suffered! Just use it, and the effect is immediate—”
It stopped abruptly. Someone had turned the TV off.
In the tiny room, only the faint rustle of the gauze curtain remained. A soft sound came from very close to Yu Ting, followed by a creaking noise from the adjacent bed.
Yu Ting’s eyes adjusted to the dark. He saw Lu Jue had lain down in his bed, turned on his side facing Yu Ting’s direction. Those pitch-black eyes gazed at him from a distance, brighter than the moon outside the window.
Lu Jue, as if nothing had happened, laughed softly, his voice slightly nasal.
“Good night, Yu Ting.”
Then he turned over to face the inside, causing another small rustle, and the room fell silent again.
…
Yu Ting had participated in many competitions. Every time, he checked his answers until the very last second before turning in his paper.
This time was no exception.
He walked out of the exam hall. The school gate was almost deserted. He glanced left and right, took out his phone, and powered it on. Just as he was about to turn left, two text messages popped up along with the startup.
Both timestamps were after the exam ended.
【Li Chengxi: Brother Ting, victory is yours!】
【Lu: Exit the school, turn left, walk 5 minutes. Enter Yinguluo Alley on the left side, walk 21 steps in. The Zhajiang noodles at the first shop, Fuwang Hall, are pretty good.】
Yu Ting pocketed his phone, turned left, and walked ten minutes into Yinguluo Alley. He actually counted the steps.
“1, 2, 3… 21.”
His spotless white canvas shoes stopped. Yu Ting tilted his head up slightly. On the signboard hanging overhead, three large, bold, gilded characters were carved in a flamboyant, slightly chipped style—Fuwang Hall.
Their signature Zhajiang noodles were 15 yuan a bowl, a bit pricier than what Yu Ting usually ate, but still within his budget.
He ordered a bowl. It was mealtime, and while the shop wasn’t extremely crowded, there were no empty tables, so he shared a table with a few old men.
The Zhajiang noodles arrived quickly. The sauce and toppings were served in small dishes, presented very delicately.
The old men were acquaintances, chatting as they ate, discussing which park to practice calligraphy in or play chess at that afternoon.
Yu Ting ate his noodles in silence. By the time he finished, the old men were still leisurely stirring their noodles.
Leaving Fuwang Hall, Yu Ting pulled out his phone and sent Lu Jue a text.
“The taste is nothing special.”
A few seconds later, a reply came in: “Then how about going for authentic Zhajiang noodles this afternoon?”
Yu Ting paused his typing. “No, I don’t like Zhajiang noodles.”
Just as he was about to send it, his fingertip hesitated for a second. He deleted the message, character by character, and typed a new reply.
“Up to you guys.”
The next second, Lu Jue’s call came in. Yu Ting swiped to answer and started walking back. Lu Jue was somewhere quiet; his voice was clear. “Forget it, the most authentic Zhajiang noodles are made at home. When we’re back in Lingjiang, I’ll make some for you.”
Yu Ting thought back to the oddly shaped dumplings Lu Jue had made and was very skeptical. “You can cook?”
“I will learn.” Lu Jue laughed. “My friend sent the address. Tsk, it’s barbecue. That okay?”
“Fine.” Exiting the alley, Yu Ting turned right and headed back the same way toward the exam hall.
Jing City’s weather was quite different from Lingjiang’s. The midday sun was intense, but not humid or stifling. Tall, lush locust trees lined the sidewalks, blocking most of the scorching heat. Dappled sunlight fell through the leaves onto the clean pavement, so peaceful and serene that Yu Ting’s eyelids grew heavy.
He hadn’t slept well the night before.
He knew Lu Jue didn’t need sympathy. With his own circumstances, pitying someone else felt a bit presumptuous.
Yet he couldn’t help it; he always felt Lu Jue was very pitiable.
Yu Ting proactively found a new topic. “Is there a ticket office nearby? After this is over, I’ll go buy my train ticket first.”
“No. But there’s one near me. I’ll buy it on the way after I finish my errand.”
“Thanks. I’m almost back at the exam hall. Hanging up.”
The return trip seemed faster. When Yu Ting got back to the exam hall, there was still about an hour before the afternoon competition. The few nearby milk tea shops and bookstores were already packed with students.
In the milk tea shop directly across from the school, the first floor was noisy, but the second floor was deathly quiet.
The phone on the table vibrated endlessly, screen lighting up and dimming repeatedly, but Lu Jue paid no attention. He leaned against the wall, eyes downcast, staring at Yu Ting at the school gate.
The midday sun was scorching. Although there were shaded eaves, only Yu Ting stood there alone.
Just as Yu Ting settled into place, a girl with a ponytail and a blue cotton dress fluttered over like a butterfly, holding a cup of milk tea, and ran up to him.
Lu Jue narrowed his eyes.
The girl, cheeks flushed, said a few words to Yu Ting and held up the iced pearl milk tea.
Pink milk tea, probably strawberry-flavored.
Yu Ting seemed very accustomed to, and adept at, handling such situations.
He politely replied. The girl’s shy, red face flickered with disappointment, but she didn’t retract the milk tea and insisted on saying a few more words.
After 26 seconds, the girl lowered her hand, clutching the milk tea, and slowly walked back into the shop.
Different girls came up to chat with Yu Ting one after another, similar milk tea in hand, the same process. Lu Jue silently grabbed his phone.
Downstairs, the school gatekeeper came out to open the gate. Yu Ting was about to enter when his pocket vibrated again. He took out his phone; the screen flashed “Lu.”
Yu Ting answered. “What’s up?”
“The milk tea shop directly across from the school is pretty good.” The old standing air conditioner nearby occasionally creaked, suddenly blasting a gust of cold air. It hit Lu Jue’s bare skin, quickly raising a patch of goosebumps.
He watched the boy downstairs, never once blinking. “Do you have WeChat? I’ll send you money to buy a cup, a little gesture of hospitality.”
Yu Ting spoke into the phone as he entered the school. “No need. I don’t drink milk tea.”
He wore the simplest white shirt and black trousers. His back was straight and strikingly handsome, the back of his neck long and fair, dazzling like a proud swan. Many examinees behind him stole glances at him.
Lu Jue’s fingers curled, his thumb gently rubbing the phone’s back case. The fine texture felt as if he were touching that pale nape. Suddenly, he pressed his thumb hard against the phone, a helpless amusement flickering in his eyes. “Alright, good luck with the competition.”
~
The afternoon experimental competition ended. Yu Ting stayed a while, not leaving until most of the other examinees had gone, before carrying his bag downstairs.
It was silent, with only the sound of his own footsteps.
Nearing the first floor, Yu Ting fished his phone out of his bag and pressed the power button. He suddenly paused and looked up.
The teaching building’s main hall was also silent. Windowless on three sides, it was gloomy and a bit chilly. But at the exit, the sun was still blazing, shining on the uncovered ground so brightly it reflected heat waves.
Lu Jue was waiting right there at the boundary between light and shadow. He was looking down at his phone. At the exact same moment, a string of ringtones echoed through the empty hall.
Lu Jue looked up to see Yu Ting glance at him and silence the phone.
Yu Ting hadn’t expected Lu Jue to already be here and to have come into the school to find him. He put his phone away and quickened his pace toward the exit. “Sorry, I didn’t know you were here.”
“Just got here.” Lu Jue raised an eyebrow. “One piece of good news, one piece of bad news. Which do you want first?”
Yu Ting didn’t hesitate. “Bad.”
Now that he was closer, he saw Lu Jue was still holding a cup of milk tea, a vividly artificial pink, with a thick layer of dark brown pearls at the bottom—visibly sweet enough to make one’s teeth ache.
Lu Jue arched a brow. “The train tickets back to Lingjiang tomorrow are sold out.”
“…” Yu Ting’s eyelid twitched several times.
If he couldn’t go back tomorrow, he’d have to wait until Monday. Asking for another day off from school was easy, but it meant he’d have to stay an extra night in Jing City.
Yu Ting began considering spending the night at an internet cafe.
He occasionally went to internet cafes to look up information. A night in the main hall of an internet cafe cost less than ten yuan.
Jing City prices were higher, but even doubled, it was still cheaper than a hotel.
Before he could speak, Lu Jue added, “If you’re in a hurry to get back, you could take a flight tomorrow to the neighboring city.”
“Not in a hurry.” Yu Ting then asked, “What’s the other news?”
Lu Jue blinked. “The good news is my friend is leaving early tomorrow morning, so we can crash at his place for free tonight.”
“…”
…
Forty minutes later, Yu Ting met Lu Jue’s friend.
Lu Jue was already tall enough, but his friend was a few centimeters taller, with a spiky crew cut that added even more height. At least his hair wasn’t dyed. He had thick eyebrows and big eyes. He glanced at Yu Ting and looked away, offering a simple greeting. “Lu Yan.”
Yu Ting replied simply as well. “Yu Ting.”
This barbecue restaurant had decent decor; it was even charcoal-grilled. Quite a few young people were patronizing it on the weekend.
They had a four-person table. Lu Jue naturally sat down next to Yu Ting. He put down his milk tea, of which only a few sips were gone, and handed the menu to Yu Ting. “He already ordered. You order.”
Yu Ting took the menu; the prices were surprisingly cheap. He just ordered one plate of pork belly, one plate of beef tongue, and a dish of perilla leaves.
The moment he set the menu down, an overjoyed voice suddenly boomed from above.
“Brother! Brother Yan, I’m here!”
Yu Ting glanced sideways and saw an exceptionally pretty boy, his skin very fair, his facial features strikingly defined, his slightly wavy brown hair making him look like a mixed-race foreigner.
The boy didn’t look at Yu Ting. He walked over and sat down next to Lu Yan on the opposite side. He carried a small lambskin tote bag. As he took it off, his bright eyes were fixed solely on Lu Jue, complaining with a sweet smile, “Brother, why do you keep hanging up on me! Don’t you know it’s me?!”
Lu Jue frowned irritably, but when he turned his head to look at Yu Ting, his expression softened. “My dad’s friend’s kid, Guan Ning.”
Only then did Guan Ning notice Yu Ting. His gaze shifted between Lu Jue and Yu Ting for a couple of seconds, and he immediately became unhappy. “Who are you?”
