Chapter 24

Chapter 24

This isn’t uncommon after puberty.

Any normal man would encounter similar issues to some extent. Zhou Xu was no stranger to restless phases; during those years spent scrambling to make ends meet, he’d hastily taken care of himself in the shower, the veins in his arms bulging, his mind devoid of any ripples.

He had a bad temper—fierce, ruthless in his actions, an impulsive man.

But when it came to matters like this, Zhou Xu could keep his cool.

Half a month ago, late one night, Zhou Xu already knew something was amiss. He stepped out of the pool hall, his expression grim, slamming the car door before dropping into the driver’s seat, his chest heaving violently.

He thought, *Why am I so worked up?*

Then, when he spotted Fang Bingxue sitting on the steps—wearing a bloodstained pink shirt, his expression indifferent, a snapped cigarette dangling from his lips, his face smudged with dirt—Zhou Xu’s heart hammered.

He thought, *What am I so nervous about?*

After years of navigating the complexities of society, this emotion wasn’t hard to understand. Zhou Xu wasn’t that naive. Four words flashed through his mind—*lust at first sight*.

But soon, Zhou Xu realized—no, that wasn’t it. He wasn’t like that.

Because after the bitterness and nervousness, standing in front of Fang Bingxue, Zhou Xu just felt worse.

He used a tissue to wipe the injured man’s face.

Fang Bingxue’s reaction was totally normal—straightforward, natural, hissing like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

Almost in that instant, Zhou Xu understood.

*Go with the flow.*

Or, to put it another way—*chickening out*.

But no matter what, he truly began treating Fang Bingxue the same way he treated his brothers.

These complicated emotions went unnoticed by Fang Bingxue, because right now, his attention had already been captured by the internet café. He strode inside, slightly surprised, “You just bought this?”

Zhou Xu leaned to the side and grunted in response.

Fang Bingxue laughed.

Now it made sense why Zhou Xu had mentioned grilled lamb chops but then brought him here instead. The upstairs internet café was operating normally, while the first-floor arcade was under renovation, most of the space blocked off by curtains and scaffolding. Fang Bingxue’s sharp eyes caught sight of several crane games lined up against the wall—their display cases brand new, stuffed full of plush toys of all kinds.

Fang Bingxue turned back, his eyes crinkling with amusement, “You… tsk, there was no need.”

He pinched the edge of the hanging curtain, rubbing it between his fingers, “I’m not *that* into these things.”

Zhou Xu was still standing outside, his voice carrying from a distance, “You’re good at it. Give it a try.”

Fang Bingxue chuckled, “How embarrassing.”

“It’s fine,” Zhou Xu continued, “If you can grab every single one, I’ll loosen the claw a bit—just a shake and they’ll drop.”

The smile froze on Fang Bingxue’s face.

He turned away, speechless, done humoring this shady operator. The girl at the front desk waved at him, handing over a small yellow plastic basket filled with tokens.

Since it was free, Fang Bingxue lifted the curtain and stepped into the back. The renovation hadn’t officially started yet, so there was no strong paint smell—just the empty, closed-off main area, cluttered with arcade machines and decorations.

He picked a machine at random, inserted a token, adjusted the claw, and before long, he was holding a small brown teddy bear. Zhou Xu finally walked in from outside, his skin pink from sun exposure—though it wasn’t too noticeable given his naturally darker complexion.

Fang Bingxue stretched out his arm, lifting the bear high, “Looks like you.”

The fluffy brown teddy was chubby and cute, with button eyes and a tiny mouth, wearing a pink apron.

“Then you keep it,” Zhou Xu glanced at it, “Wait—am I really that ugly?”

Fang Bingxue held the plush in one hand, the other braced against the machine, “Not ugly. Handsome.”

He genuinely thought Zhou Xu was good-looking—ruggedly handsome.

The weather was hot, and Fang Bingxue wore a loose white T-shirt, faded blue jeans, and sneakers—cool and fresh, like a bottle of Sprite straight from the fridge. Just looking at him made one imagine the cool condensation on the glass.

His voice was pleasant too—clear, clean, and when laced with laughter, flat-out intoxicating.

Zhou Xu was feeling a little drunk.

Because he heard Fang Bingxue ask, “What are you smiling about?”

“I’m not smiling,” Zhou Xu rubbed his face, “Uh… when are you leaving?”

Fang Bingxue replied casually, “Tomorrow.”

He hadn’t bought his train ticket yet, planning to purchase it right before departure. There was one slower train with fewer passengers, so tickets were plentiful—perfect for a nap in the sleeper car.

Zhou Xu’s hand was still on his face, “Oh, tomorrow. Tomorrow’s good.”

The non-sequitur made no sense, and Fang Bingxue ignored him. The girl at the front desk was snacking on sunflower seeds, glancing between Fang Bingxue and Zhou Xu with quiet giggles.

With some time left before dinner, Fang Bingxue went from machine to machine, trying his luck. These hadn’t been tampered with by the greedy owner yet—the claws were steady, and with the right angle, he could hardly miss.

Soon, Fang Bingxue had racked up a pile of plushies.

He didn’t hold onto them himself—each time he grabbed one, he dumped it on Zhou Xu without caring whether the man could carry them all. Before long, the display cases were looking bare. Fang Bingxue finally turned back, arching an eyebrow, “…*Wow*.”

The plushies in Zhou Xu’s arms had piled up into a mountain.

Fang Bingxue said, “Ever heard the story of the bear picking corn? Grabs one, loses one, ends up with nothing. If only the bear had you instead.”

He gestured with his arms, spreading them wide for emphasis, “You can hold *thiiiiis* much—”

Zhou Xu echoed, “You picked a lot.”

“Not *picked*—I *grabbed* them! Grabbed the toys!”

“Right, you’re not a bear.”

Fang Bingxue glared, “Fuck off.”

The girl at the front desk snickered at their back-and-forth. Looking past Zhou Xu’s shoulder, Fang Bingxue asked, “Want one? I’ll grab one for you.”

The girl had just finished her sunflower seeds and was wiping her hands. She looked up, “Sure! Thanks, bro!”

And so, Zhou Xu watched dumbly as Fang Bingxue snagged another matching bear, ducked past the curtain, and handed it to someone else.

The girl accepted it, “Adorable! I’ll give it a name!”

Fang Bingxue leaned against the counter, working out a kink in his left arm, “What’ll you call it?”

Bringing it up, they chatted for a bit. After a while, Zhou Xu's voice came from behind. Fang Bingxue turned around and saw the other man still standing behind the curtain, his tall silhouette faintly visible. "Come take a look," Zhou Xu said, "this doll's apron is torn."

"Hmm?"

Fang Bingxue walked over and glanced at it. "The quality isn't great. What kind of shop owner are you?"

Zhou Xu replied, "It's the wholesaler's issue... Ah, forget it, I'll go get a needle and sew it."

"Wow," Fang Bingxue raised an eyebrow. "You can sew too? Impressive."

This distraction made them forget about naming the little bear. They didn’t stay at the internet café for long. Zhou Xu returned the plush to the crane game, then drove them to a restaurant for grilled lamb ribs.

As soon as Fang Bingxue settled into the car, Zhou Xu suddenly got out, grabbed a small blanket from the back seat, and draped it over the half-open passenger window. "Put the window up," he said.

"Hey," Fang Bingxue asked, "what’s up?"

Zhou Xu adjusted the blanket. "The sun’s strong on your side. You're getting too much sun."

The blanket was a fresh, light green color, neatly spread over the window, casting a small patch of shade. The window slowly rolled up, and Zhou Xu let go.

Fang Bingxue remarked, "You... are ridiculously considerate."

Zhou Xu sat back and fastened his seatbelt. "You moved?"

Fang Bingxue laughed. "Seriously, Bro Xu, this is like trying to woo someone. You’re really good at this. If you did this for someone, they’d definitely be moved."

"Don’t," Zhou Xu turned the steering wheel with one hand. "Whether it’s courting or not, getting worked up over little gestures isn’t necessary."

"You have to see if they’re sincere. If you like someone, you should put in money and real effort. If you just go through the motions or say empty words, what kind of pursuit is that? You’re just fooling yourself."

Fang Bingxue, sitting in the shade, didn’t respond. The small blanket smelled freshly washed, carrying the scent of laundry detergent—fresh and comforting.

Zhou Xu glanced at the rearview mirror. "By the way, I’ve never pursued anyone."

The car moved steadily at an easy pace. The sunlight was strong today, baking their skin even through the windshield. The northwestern wind carried dust, mixing with the sunlight. Fang Bingxue rested his cheek in his palm. "So you’re saying people always chase after you?"

"No," Zhou Xu said. "Never dated anyone."

Then he added, "I don’t know what others think of me... Anyway, I can be kind of clueless sometimes. Not very likable."

A red light came up ahead. Zhou Xu braked, waiting through the long countdown before starting again. He bumped Fang Bingxue’s shoulder with the back of his hand. "You’re not even going to argue with me?"

Fang Bingxue finally spoke. "Oh, forgot my line."

They both laughed and dropped the subject.

The fresh lamb ribs had been pre-ordered. Zhou Xu hadn’t invited anyone else—just the two of them. The restaurant was busy, with a large courtyard designed like a Mongolian yurt to create a rustic, outdoorsy vibe.

But nothing was bolder than the sight of an entire rack of lamb ribs being served.

Fang Bingxue stared at the massive portion taking up most of the table, along with three side dishes, and sucked in a breath.

Zhou Xu sat across from him. "What, can’t finish it?"

"There’s so much," Fang Bingxue said, exasperated. "Of course we can’t finish it. And why just the two of us?"

Zhou Xu replied, "I thought calling friends you don’t know might make you uncomfortable... Want to invite someone?"

Actually, he’d mentioned it earlier, but Fang Bingxue had said it was fine and left it to him.

"How about calling A Liang?" Fang Bingxue thought for a moment. "Is he nearby?"

Zhou Xu shook his head. "No, A Liang went back to his hometown for grave-sweeping."

Realizing it was too late to invite others now that the food was served, they silently started cutting the meat and eating.

Zhou Xu was right—the lamb in the northwest was different. There was not a hint of gaminess at all. The knife sliced through the amber-crisp outer layer, releasing the rich aroma of cumin and chili. The meat inside was piping hot, tender, and juicy, not greasy at all. Whether eaten plain or with dipping sauce, it was so good that one might consider traveling to the northwest just for this dish.

The only issue was that Fang Bingxue found it a bit too spicy, a light sheen of sweat forming on his forehead.

Zhou Xu returned from outside and placed a cold bottle of *AD Calcium Milk* in front of him. Fang Bingxue popped in a straw and drank half of it before the burn eased. "Delicious."

"Yeah," Zhou Xu watched him. "If you ever drive back, let me know."

"What, are you really going to stuff a couple of lambs in my trunk?"

Zhou Xu nodded. "Yeah, but they’d have to be wrapped tight. Can't have blood leaking and getting the cops' attention."

Fang Bingxue still had the straw in his mouth, not looking up. "...So what if they notice?"

"Too much hassle," Zhou Xu said casually. "Just a hassle."

Fang Bingxue just said "Oh."

A moment later, he looked up at Zhou Xu. "Hey, why do you dislike the police?"

Zhou Xu leaned his elbow on the table, tilting his chin up. "Taking an interest in me now?"

"Why would I be interested in you?" Fang Bingxue lowered his head. "Freak."

Zhou Xu didn’t respond, tracing the rim of his cup. He hadn’t ordered a drink, just hot water from the restaurant with gardenia petals—a slightly bitter taste.

The meal didn’t take long. Most of the lamb ribs remained, and the restaurant boxed up the leftovers. Zhou Xu asked if Fang Bingxue wanted to take them, but he declined, saying he was leaving tomorrow.

On the way back, the sun had moved. Fang Bingxue took the blanket down, folded it, and placed it on his lap. They chatted about agriculture and livestock in the northwest. Smiling, Fang Bingxue worried at the blanket’s frayed edge. "Actually, when I was staring at the lamb earlier, I was thinking of using it to wipe my hands."

Zhou Xu turned to look at him. "You... picking on the lamb now?"

Fang Bingxue said, "What else? Gonna report me to the cops?"

"Forget it," Zhou Xu looked away. "The lamb didn't press charges, so I won’t bother. Dealing with the police is a pain."

When they arrived, Fang Bingxue unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to place the blanket in the back, his elbow grazing Zhou Xu’s shoulder. "Actually, the lamb did say something."

Zhou Xu played dumb. "What did it say?"

He was half-hoping Fang Bingxue to jokingly "baa" at him.

Fang Bingxue paused, then shook his head with a smile. "Never mind, forget it."

It was already May, and the heat made people lazy after meals, just wanting a quick shower and sleep. Zhou Xu watched as Fang Bingxue got into his own car, pulling the seatbelt over himself, looking pleasantly worn out, his grown-out hair giving him a softer look.

They were both smart people, comfortable and at ease around each other. Though Zhou Xu had been feeling guilty lately, conscious of his own bullheadedness, he couldn’t help himself—he couldn’t stop staring at the other man.

Through the half-open window, he saw Fang Bingxue massaged his left forearm, then turn his head. "Bro Xu, I’m off."

Zhou Xu said, "Take it easy on the road."

But this May, Fang Bingxue never made it back.

His aunt had suddenly broken her leg, and Doctor Fang and his wife made the trip to the neighboring city to visit her, planning to stay for a few days. Fang Bingxue was on the fence about going too, as it'd be too much trouble. He called his aunt to check on her condition.

His aunt let out a hearty laugh, "Oh, it's just a minor surgery. You should come visit! I already told your mom. Coincidentally, my neighbor has a daughter who’s still single..."

Fang Bingxue chatted for a bit before quickly hanging up.

Another reason was that his old forearm injury was acting up. He had fractured it before, and occasionally, when the weather changed, it would ache faintly—nothing serious. But this time, he must've knocked it doing something, giving him sudden sharp pains when sleeping or lifting things.

Fang Bingxue took it seriously and got himself an appointment with a specialist at the county hospital.

He valued his life and paid close attention to his health. On the first day of the May Day holiday, he went to the hospital early. The place was crowded, so he wore a cool baseball cap and tugged the brim down over his face while waiting.

The checkup didn't take long. The doctor said it wasn’t a big deal—just needed rest, no lifting anything heavy—and prescribed some herbal medicine for hot compresses.

After picking up the medicine, Fang Bingxue went home and sniffed it; the bitter smell hit him.

Applying the compress, however, just added to his misery. What a pain—first, he had to boil the herbs, then soak a towel in the liquid and press it against his forearm for thirty minutes. He couldn’t move, or the towel would slip off. Once it cooled, he had to soak it again.

Wringing out the towel, Fang Bingxue lay on the sofa, staring at the ceiling. Everyone was out enjoying the holiday, so the house was quiet. Some foreign movie was on TV, a dubbed one with exaggerated voice acting. Late at night, it weirdly kept him awake instead of making him sleepy.

Since he wasn’t tired, he figured he'd bug someone.

Fang Bingxue took a photo of his arm and first sent it to Doctor Fang, who was probably reading the newspaper and ignored him. Then he sent it to Wang Chuan, who replied quickly, asking, "Dude, what is this? Evidence?"

MMS was a bit pricey, so Fang Bingxue decided to spend his money wisely. He scrolled through his contacts, pressing the keys one by one, but none of those jerks would get his current misery.

After all, it wasn’t a workday, and he wasn’t the indomitable Officer Xiao Fang. He just wanted to wallow a bit.

Finally, Fang Bingxue sent the photo to Zhou Xu, jokingly captioning it, "Look how dark this towel is."

Two seconds later, Zhou Xu called.

He seemed to be outside—wind howled through the receiver. "What happened to your arm?"

Fang Bingxue picked at the sofa’s piping. "Just a twist, no big deal... How could you tell? That's impressive."

Zhou Xu said, "If it's nothing, why the compress? Stop lying."

His tone turned sharp, almost scolding.

Before Fang Bingxue could respond, Zhou Xu coughed twice and softened his voice. "Are you alone? Want to go out... for ice cream?"

"It’s late," Fang Bingxue checked the time. "Nah, probably not."

Zhou Xu insisted, "No, come out."

"Oh?" Fang Bingxue narrowed his eyes. "You think I’ll just go because you say so?"

"Then what?"

Zhou Xu seemed to sigh, murmuring quietly, "Pretty please?"