Chapter 81 Steamed Fish

Chapter 81: Steamed Fish

The line at the zhajiang noodle shop was even longer than when they first got there. Xie Fengshi’s breath turned into small puffs of mist in the cold air. "Is it good?"

Kaelen glanced at him upon hearing this. Xie Fengshi’s lashes were still damp from the steam earlier, his nose tip slightly red from the cold, and his lips were especially rosy after eating something hot. He said, "It’s good."

Xie Fengshi’s eyes curved, moisture clinging to his lashes. Too lazy to wipe it off, he turned and walked back along the path they had come, at a leisurely pace.

Kaelen followed half a step behind. He didn’t deliberately walk shoulder to shoulder; the small distance allowed him to see Xie Fengshi’s hair tips stirred by the wind, the curve of his ear when he reached up to brush away stray strands, and the relaxed way Xie Fengshi was walking.

The Xie Fengshi walking ahead of Kaelen now was the real Xie Fengshi.

He strolled along the winter street, pausing now and then—taking a longer look at things that caught his interest, moving on when curiosity waned. Occasionally he hummed a few indistinct notes, his steps light and brisk.

"Do you always have everything arranged for you when you come here?" Xie Fengshi stopped and turned, walking backward to face Kaelen.

Kaelen reached out and gently supported his lower back, nodding.

What Xie Fengshi said was true. Every time he came to China, his schedule was planned down to the minute before he even landed.

When to clear customs, who would be waiting at the exit, which route to take to avoid traffic jams, when to arrive at the hotel, when to have meetings, when to dine with partners. Everything was arranged by others; he just had to show up at the designated points, say what needed to be said, sign what needed to be signed, then leave.

He had never, like today, stepped on aged roads, or breathed in the white steam that billowed when a breakfast stall’s steamer was lifted.

Xie Fengshi was still walking backward, his steps steady, a smile lingering at the corner of his mouth.

Kaelen said, "Slow down. There are steps behind you."

Xie Fengshi glanced back, his toes stopping at the edge of the steps. He turned and stood on the step.

This put him half a head taller than Kaelen, looking down at him.

Kaelen stood at the bottom of the steps, tilting his face slightly to see Xie Fengshi’s expression.

Gray daylight spilled down, landing on Xie Fengshi’s shoulders and the top of his head, casting a cool hue over his silhouette. His face was half-hidden by the scarf, leaving only his brows, eyes, and the bridge of his nose. Dark pupils reflected the gray-blue of the sky and Kaelen’s face.

Kaelen’s hand curled slightly in his pocket, an indescribable warmth rising in his palm.

What he felt now wasn’t a flutter of the heart—he had experienced that long ago. Something had taken root in his chest, its roots piercing through his ribs and winding around his heart. With every beat, he could feel its presence, completely filling him.

"No, I’ve never been to these places before."

Xie Fengshi stepped down from the step, walked up to Kaelen, and reached out to flatten the edge of Kaelen’s collar. "I’ll take you around more in the future."

Wind blew in, loosening half of Xie Fengshi’s scarf. Kaelen reached out to hold it in place, pausing for a moment before carefully tucking it back into place. Xie Fengshi tilted his face up, letting Kaelen adjust it. When Kaelen withdrew his hand, Xie Fengshi leaned in, his nose brushing against Kaelen’s chin, and pressed his lips to the corner of Kaelen’s mouth—a fleeting touch.

"Let’s go, time to head back."

Kaelen touched his lips. The feel of Xie Fengshi’s lips still lingered there, cool and soft.

His eyes were fixed on a single receding figure. He quickened his pace to catch up with his lover.

As the car waited at a red light, Xie Fengshi’s phone buzzed. He pulled it out with one hand and saw a string of voice messages from Lu Shiyan.

"Are you back at the hotel yet? Don’t tell me you’re holed up in your room again."

"You’ve been here so long and still haven’t come to my place! Don’t make any other lunch plans—come eat at my house."

"My parents and sister are visiting relatives. It’s just me and my brother at home. He twisted his ankle and can’t go anywhere. Bring your partner over. The four of us will have a meal together."

A few seconds after the last message, another followed: "Don’t tell anyone about my brother’s incident. I mean that frog thing. If he finds out I told you, I might not live to see the sun tomorrow."

Xie Fengshi replied, "Okay, we’ll head over soon."

The other party instantly sent a party emoji sticker, followed by another message: "Great! I’m sending you the location. Just have the driver come straight here!"

When the car turned into the intersection, Xie Fengshi briefly thought the navigation had gone wrong.

Ahead, only a continuous white wall came in and out of view through the trees. The wall wasn’t tall, but it perfectly hid what was inside, revealing only eaves and treetops stretching over the top.

Then a gate, seamlessly integrated into the wall, slid open to both sides. As the car drove in, Xie Fengshi’s field of vision suddenly expanded.

Before him lay a spacious, elegant garden. Buildings were scattered among hills and water, arranged like chess pieces across this tranquil land.

A flagstone path wound forward, flanked by wide lawns and bamboo groves. Several old pines stood tall and strong on slopes. In the distance, a lake was lightly frozen over; a pavilion sat at its center, its eaves slightly upturned like a bird tucking in its wings.

The structures were white-walled with dark tiles, scattered sparingly and elegantly around the garden—some by the water, some nestled against hills, others hidden deep in the woods. None were tall—single-story houses or two-story villas—with no unnecessary decoration, yet every detail invited a closer look.

Sitting in the passenger seat, watching the scenery glide past, Xie Fengshi suddenly understood why Lu Shiyan always said walking around here would be exhausting.

The place was so vast that even driving in took a while. In the parking area stood a dark sedan, next to a small building. Unlike the others they had passed, this one had a wider porch, with a stone lantern on each side of the steps. The door was open, and Lu Shiyan stood at the entrance. Seeing Xie Fengshi step out of the car, his eyes lit up, and he hurried over in three quick strides: "You’re here! You’re here! So, how is it? My home looks good, right?"

"Beautiful."

Lu Shiyan was satisfied. He took Xie Fengshi by the arm and said to Kaelen, "Mr. Zefir, please come in."

His sudden formality made Xie Fengshi steal a few extra glances at him.

The main hall was double-height. A full-length glass wall faced the lake view in the backyard. The floor was dark gray stone, polished to a mirror-like sheen, with ink-black veins winding across the gray base. The furniture was sparse—a set of dark sofas forming a semi-open seating area, a few Ming-style tables placed here and there, with celadon vases holding white plum blossoms on the tables.

Xie Fengshi recalled how Lu Shiyan always acted like a pathetic little sweetheart outside, and now looking at this estate, he felt a strong sense of whiplash.

"My brother is in the tea room." Lu Shiyan guided them to a corridor lined with windows. One side of the corridor was a white wall; the other was floor-to-ceiling glass. Beyond the glass was a dry rock garden—white gravel combed into wavelike patterns, with a few black stones placed as accents.

The tea room was a standalone structure, three walls of full-length glass facing the pavilion in the lake. Lu Shixu sat with his bandaged foot propped on another chair. In front of him was an old elm tea table, a Yixing clay teapot steaming on it.

Hearing footsteps, Lu Shixu turned his head: "You’re here?"

Kaelen sat down across from him, glancing at his bandaged ankle. The gauze was wrapped tightly, but you could still see the swelling through the gauze: "How’s the foot?"

Lu Shixu looked down at his own ankle: "It’s okay."

Lu Shiyan hid behind Xie Fengshi, not daring to look at his brother. His eyes were fixed on the Yixing clay teapot on the table; suddenly, he found it exceptionally beautiful.

Xie Fengshi noticed that Lu Shixu’s propped leg looked a bit awkward. Before he could say anything, Lu Shiyan had already jumped up, grabbed a soft cushion from nearby, and crouched in front of his brother. Carefully, he raised the chair under his brother’s foot a little higher, placing the cushion underneath.

Lu Shixu looked down at his younger brother’s fluffy head, saying nothing.

After Lu Shiyan adjusted the cushion, he stayed crouched, looking up at his brother: "Is this more comfortable?"

"Mm."

Lu Shiyan squatted there for a moment, making sure his brother’s foot was securely placed, before standing up.

Xie Fengshi leaned toward Lu Shiyan and lowered his voice: "Has your brother said anything to you?"

Lu Shiyan also whispered back: "He hasn’t yelled at me or even said a word. But he keeps giving me these looks. You have no idea—that look hurts more than any scolding. I’d rather he yell at me; at least I’d feel better after. When he says nothing, I keep wondering what’s going through his head, whether he’s still angry."

"I’m not angry." Lu Shixu’s voice cut through, loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.

Lu Shiyan was completely wilted, looking utterly listless.

Lu Shixu took a sip of tea. "You talk too much."

Lu Shiyan made a zipping motion across his mouth, but after two seconds of silence, he couldn't help it: "So, does your foot hurt?"

"Why don't you try stepping on one?" Lu Shixu said.

This time, Lu Shiyan truly shrank back. "It was an accident..."

"How did you get hurt?" Kaelen's tone was nothing but concern, with no hint of probing.

But Xie Fengshi could tell Kaelen was curious about how Lu Shixu would answer.

Lu Shixu simply said, "I slipped accidentally."

In truth, Xie Fengshi knew the real story, and so did Kaelen. Lu Shiyan knew they knew, and Lu Shixu knew they knew.

All four of them knew this wasn't something that could be summed up as "just a slip," but everyone tacitly chose to be tactful.

Except for Lu Shiyan. He poked his head out from behind Xie Fengshi's shoulder, wanted to say something but swallowed his words, did that three times, and finally couldn't help himself: "He stepped on a..."

"Yanyan."

Lu Shiyan shut his mouth instantly. He pulled his head back and tucked himself behind Xie Fengshi, this time not even showing his face.

Xie Fengshi couldn't help picturing the tragic remains of the iron frog that Lu Shiyan had sent him—shards scattered everywhere, the wind-up key popped off and rolled to the corner, the frog's eyes still wide open, refusing to die in peace.

The tea room fell silent for a moment. Xie Fengshi held his teacup, but his mind was far from the tea, because Lu Shiyan behind him had popped out from behind his shoulder again.

On the other side, Lu Shixu and Kaelen had already begun their conversation. Xie Fengshi let out a sigh—he knew it. People like Kaelen and Lu Shixu couldn't be together for more than ten minutes without starting to talk about work.

Xie Fengshi watched the two of them and suddenly felt like he and Lu Shiyan were nothing more than two forgotten potted plants in the corner. No, even potted plants got watered occasionally—they didn't even have anyone to water them.

Lu Shiyan felt the same way. He fidgeted in his seat, finally unable to take it anymore. He slid off the chair and came around to Xie Fengshi's side. "How much longer are they going to talk?"

Xie Fengshi glanced at Kaelen. Kaelen was looking at a phone with Lu Shixu, his golden hair falling forward, his profile focused and serious. Xie Fengshi had seen this mode in his lover many times before—once Kaelen entered work mode, everything else would be automatically blocked out.

Of course, that wall often failed in front of Xie Fengshi.

Xie Fengshi answered in a whisper: "Not sure. Could be soon, could be a while."

Lu Shiyan straightened up and glanced at his brother. Lu Shixu didn't even look up, just said, "Yanyan, take Feng Shi for a stroll. We'll have lunch at home."

Lu Shiyan answered right away. He tugged at Xie Fengshi's sleeve. "Come on, come on. Let me show you around my place. You haven't seen it yet."

Xie Fengshi glanced at Kaelen. Kaelen nodded at him, and only then did Xie Fengshi follow Lu Shiyan out.

As they stepped out of the tea room, Xie Fengshi took a deep breath of the cold air. The heating inside was warm enough, but the subtle confrontation between Kaelen and Lu Shixu was suffocating.

Lu Shiyan walked ahead, like a bird let out of its cage. Xie Fengshi followed after him. "Where does this path lead?"

"To the lake pavilion. Don't look at the lake yet—what's there to look at?" Lu Shiyan said, then stopped in front of a tree.

Xie Fengshi looked up. The tree's branches stretched out like arms, its canopy layered and dense, etching a vigorous silhouette against the gray sky.

Lu Shiyan touched the rough bark. "This tree was planted by my grandfather's generation. Over eighty years old. Every year we have to hire someone specifically to prune it. Costs more to maintain than to raise me."

Xie Fengshi felt the comparison didn't quite fit, but he couldn't quite articulate why.

They walked on, rounded a rockery, and the view suddenly opened up. The lake was much larger than what they had seen through the tea room window. The lake pavilion stood quietly in the center, connected to the shore by a nine-bend bridge paved with whole stone slabs.

"Come on, cross the bridge."

Lu Shiyan had already stepped onto it. Xie Fengshi quickly followed, walking carefully on the smooth stones with no railings on either side.

The pavilion was warmer than outside, and the view was excellent. From here, you could see most of the estate—buildings scattered among the trees, their white walls and dark tiles faintly visible through the foliage, like a faint ink-wash painting against the gray sky.

The two stood in the pavilion for a bit. Xie Fengshi looked at the lake. "Can we catch fish in your lake?"

"Sure. The fish in this lake are all raised." Lu Shiyan started typing away on his phone. "I'll have someone catch one. Steamed, how about that?"

"Sounds good. Steamed fish is delicious."