Chapter 29 Me and Yunshang

Chapter 29: Me and Yunshang

Chu Yan retracted his hand as he wished.

Yong Yong probably has a filter that beautifies all bad things; a bad habit, yet it created an illusion of peaceful times.

Chu Yan watched quietly, seeing the other's gaze fixed on some unseen point, puffing on the cigarette, completely absorbed in the moment.

"Yong Yong, what are you here for?"

"An old movie is being re-shown, so I came to watch it."

"Alone?"

"Mm."

"Then can you buy me another ticket, Yong Yong?"

"This movie is over three hours long. In your current state, you should go home and rest. I'll call a car for you."

"I don't want to."

Chi Suiyong stood up. "Then I'll leave you alone. It's about to start; I need to go in for the ticket check."

Chu Yan grabbed the hem of Chi Suiyong's coat, looking up. Having been outside for so long, even the tip of his nose was red. "If you don't take me, Yong Yong, I'll just sit right here."

Chi Suiyong's face was full of helplessness. "How much did you drink? Why are you being so stubborn?"

Chu Yan's expression was stubborn, and he didn't intend to let go.

After a brief standoff, Chi Suiyong finally couldn't just ignore a drunk. "Alright, come in with me."

Since it was an old film, not many people showed up. Chi Suiyong bought an adjacent seat for Chu Yan at the front desk. The cashier asked if they wanted the couple's combo, which was discounted.

Chi Suiyong looked at Chu Yan. "What about you? Do you want it?"

"I want cola."

In the end, Chi Suiyong walked in front, while Chu Yan followed behind carrying a large bucket of popcorn and two cups of cola.

Entering the screening room, the seats were sparsely occupied, less than a quarter full. Everyone was too lazy to check tickets; those who arrived first found a seat they liked. Chi Suiyong saw that the seat next to his was already taken, and since Chu Yan would definitely follow him, he moved back two rows and sat on the love seat in the very middle.

It seemed to be a couple-themed screening room; some people had already pulled up the privacy partitions next to them.

After sitting down, Chi Suiyong asked Chu Yan, "Some parts of this film are quite scary. Are you sure you can watch it?"

"How scary is it?"

"Kinda gory."

"I'm not that timid."

Chu Yan rarely watched movies in the past; it was only during his hospitalization that he accompanied Yong Yong to watch some. Besides, today he had an ulterior motive—this chance encounter came at just the right time. Chu Yan hadn't considered how to deal with this unexpected situation.

In any case, he knew that as a four-year-old, Chu Yan always wanted to be Yong Yong's shadow.

In the screening room, some people whispered, discussing the plot like they knew it already or talking about trivial matters unrelated to the film. None of that mattered compared to Yong Yong sitting beside him at this moment.

Yong Yong was completely absorbed in the movie. Chu Yan kept glancing at the other's profile. The popcorn and cola at hand were completely neglected; only the popcorn smell filled the air, tugging at his need for comfort.

Later on, Yong Yong took off his down jacket and casually threw it onto the back of the sofa.

Chu Yan observed his own hesitant self at that moment. He wanted to lean closer to the heat source of Yong Yong's body, to slowly fill the hollow ache in his chest, but he didn't want to disturb Yong Yong, who was fully engrossed in the movie plot.

In the end, he simply waited until Yong Yong wasn't looking, moved his coat a little toward himself, and then rested his head on top of it.

When he turned his head, he felt completely enveloped.

The film frame jumped to a shot of the Joker: a filthy and ferocious makeup, a cut and bleeding crimson mouth. This scene had no effect on Chu Yan, who was already half-asleep.

Chu Yan fell asleep.

When asleep, people lose all control of their actions. The coat that was originally under his neck was gradually gathered into his arms. Still not enough, his body shifted and sank into a softer and warmer place.

Chi Suiyong watched as Chu Yan gradually leaned into his arms.

He held his own coat in his arms and used Chi Suiyong's thigh as a pillow, his large body curled up like a giant baby on the sofa, cuddled against his waist.

His long, thick hair spilled over his hand, the sofa, nearly brushing the floor. Chi Suiyong's hand had no place to rest.

Chi Suiyong's hand opened and closed in the air several times. He wanted to wake him up, but the sound of his breathing was drowned out by the movie. Chu Yan's sleeping face was just like a big cat curled up for its owner's warmth, with docility and contentment, making Chi Suiyong's hand hesitate.

What kind of illusion was this that led one into depravity?

The most fascinating is also the most dangerous.

Chi Suiyong couldn't deny that he really, really missed this Chu Yan.

During the time the other had left the hospital, in every corner he passed daily, there were shadows forged by habit stirring in his sight. Today, this person in his arms returned with drunkenness, giving the disappointed man the illusion of regaining something lost.

To lose and regain—how novel it was for someone who avoids looking back, that Chi Suiyong couldn't counter or deal with it through experience.

Today was just a chance encounter. Once the movie ended and the person in his arms woke up, this bittersweet feeling of recovery would also disappear.

The sofa was narrow, but it didn't affect someone's good night's sleep.

When Chu Yan opened his eyes, in front of him was the red velvet back of the sofa. The coat that had been in his arms was now covering him, and under his cheek...

Chu Yan touched it and found it was a human body; looking closely, it was a leg.

The small amount of alcohol from yesterday wasn't enough to make him 'black out' again. He still remembered how he had tagged along shamelessly with Dr. Chi to the cinema, but he had no recollection of how the current scene had formed.

He raised his hand to check the time; it was already 6:30 in the morning.

He propped himself up on his arms and saw that Dr. Chi was also curled up in the corner of the sofa, half his face hidden in the dim light, looking very tired.

Chu Yan thought it would be better not to wake him.

But as Dr. Chi frowned, his eyes, still hazy with sleep, showed pain, and he bit his lip and let out a hiss.

"What's wrong, Dr. Chi?"

"My leg is numb."

Chu Yan scratched behind his ear, looking a bit awkward. "Then... should I massage it for you?"

"Give it a minute. Just let it pass."

Chi Suiyong felt like his lower half was completely dead, yet it was filled with a heavy, pins-and-needles numbness, leaving him couldn't move or stay still. His face was pained and full of torment.

For the trouble he had caused, Chu Yan could only just watch and wait. Only when Dr. Chi’s expression no longer looked so pained did he seriously think about what he'd done. "Sorry, Dr. Chi. I don’t know how I fell asleep."

Chi Suiyong moved his leg slightly; the numbness had subsided quite a bit. "You're a really sound sleeper. I couldn’t even wake you up."

"You tried to wake me, Dr. Chi?"

"Yes, several times. And I couldn’t budge you."

"Did you get any rest, Dr. Chi?"

"I'm on night shift tonight, so I can sleep during the day."

That answer meant he hadn’t slept well.

After the first movie ended, the audience was replaced by a new group. Chi Suiyong and Chu Yan had taken someone else’s seats, but the young couple who came to watch were quite considerate. Seeing the situation, they said nothing and found another empty spot. As for Chi Suiyong, he ended up watching the movie all over again, and somehow later, he fell asleep too.

Once Chi Suiyong had recovered, the two left the screening room one after the other.

Dr. Chi, who was always so dignified, was now limping. The culprit, feeling guilty, took his arm and offered to buy Dr. Chi breakfast to make up for it.

"What do you want to eat?"

"I'm easy. Whatever you feel like, Dr. Chi."

"There’s a tea restaurant nearby. Let’s go there."

"Okay."

When they arrived at the tea restaurant, it was just past seven, and there weren’t many people inside. Chu Yan helped Chi Suiyong to a window seat. Opening the menu, Chi Suiyong ordered French toast, shrimp dumplings, and boat congee. Chu Yan, to keep it simple, simply asked the server to bring three of the same.

Dr. Chi called the server back and turned to Chu Yan. "Since you’re fine with anything, let me order for you then."

"Then I’ll trouble you, Dr. Chi."

"This, this, and this—one of each, thank you..."

Chu Yan smiled as he watched Dr. Chi. After last night together, he sensed a subtle change in Dr. Chi’s attitude toward him.

At least he wasn’t so distant and formal anymore.

"Do you come here often, Dr. Chi?"

"Mm, Suisui likes the dim sum here."

"Speaking of Suisui, he left a watch with me. I’ll bring it to you when I have time."

Chi Suiyong took the hot towel handed by the server and wiped his hands. "No worries. It was just a spare lying around anyway."

"By the way, how much did you drink yesterday?"

Chu Yan picked up the water glass beside him and gestured exactly the size of a single mouthful. "Just this much."

Chi Suiyong looked surprised. "That little? It’s barely enough to get an ant tipsy."

"Exactly. I never drink. Yesterday was an exception."

"How did that happen?"

"Well... the new person Yunshang recruited into the company came to toast me, and I took a sip without thinking."

"Then why didn’t she stay with you?"

Chu Yan replied honestly, "Yesterday was their ready-to-wear department’s celebration banquet. I was just there to put in an appearance, so she couldn’t very well slip away midway."

"She's pretty considerate."

"Considerate?"

"Isn’t she?"

Chu Yan looked a bit confused. The word "considerate" had never come up between him and Yunshang. "Oh, you mean as her boyfriend, I'm being considerate to her."

"That’s what I meant."

Chu Yan felt he had to explain. "Yunshang and I aren't like that, Dr. Chi."

Chi Suiyong: "...?"

Chu Yan propped his chin on his hand and spoke slowly. "I met her while studying abroad. She’s also from Zhao City. She even took a year off to save up for tuition. To cover living expenses while studying, she worked at a campus restaurant. The white people there seemed to have different tastes—quite a few harassed her. Me too."

Chi Suiyong became interested. "What about you?"

"I got harassed too, by both guys and girls."

Chi Suiyong responded casually, "White people's peak doesn't last long, but those around twenty shouldn’t be bad-looking."

"Not bad, but as you know, Dr. Chi, I'm picky about smells. White people have a strong body odor; I can’t get too close."

Chi Suiyong let out a soft laugh. "So you turned them all away?"

"Mm. But they were all quite enthusiastic. Without an outright rejection, they’d only think the Chinese are too reserved. So Yunshang and I reached a consensus: she would be my girlfriend, and we’d help each other fend off the suitors."

The waiter served the dishes one by one, placing them lavishly on the table. Chi Suiyong picked up his fork, brought a piece of French toast to his lips, and suppressed the tremor in his eyes. "According to human behavior, love can develop over time, especially with a girl like Yunshang—tenacious, upward-striving, and beautiful..."

"No argument there. That’s why I’ve kept her by my side all along. As for what you said about love growing over time, I haven’t experienced it yet. Yunshang is beautiful, but not enough to make my heart flutter."

"Then your standards are too high."

Chu Yan blinked, then met Dr. Chi’s slightly evasive gaze. "Dr. Chi, look at me."