Chapter 31: Keeping Fish - Pinky Promise.

Lou Dongcang, with his hand pressed into the starch, obediently grabbed the eggplant.

He Guan released his grip, feeling the residual stickiness and instinctively licked it off again.

Cleaning his hands, he proceeded to retrieve the cooked chicken legs.

The kitchen fell silent once more.

As Uncle Yue entered the house with his straw hat, the meal was already prepared. Two people emerged from the kitchen, one after the other.

Having just watered the peach and plum trees, and washing his hands, he sat down and offered, "I'll buy some soil this afternoon. Do you gentlemen need anything else?"

He Guan quickly responded, "Uncle, I'll write a list for you in a moment."

Lou Dongcang: "I... would like a white cane."

He quickly added, "Just buy any kind."

Uncle Yue: "Alright."

He Guan observed Lou Dongcang for a moment, and ultimately remained silent, heading off to eat.

A positive sign.

If possible, He Guan would love for him to venture outside more.

Staying home all the time could be stifling.

After the meal, He Guan settled on the couch to draft a shopping list.

Buy some vegetables... and replace the door lock with a video doorbell.

Lou Dongcang sat beside him; neither of them had the habit of napping after lunch.

He Guan: "In a moment, after I finish this list and send a message, we can go for a stroll."

Lou Dongcang: "Sure, there's no rush."

As He Guan typed, he mentioned, "We're near the sea, just at the foot of the mountain. It's convenient for us to visit the beach."

Lou Dongcang: "Hmm."

He Guan: "Want to check it out after the banquet? Think it over. Even if you decide in a day or two, that's okay."

Lou Dongcang: "Will you be with me?"

He Guan: "Of course."

Without hesitation, Lou Dongcang responded, "Okay."

He Guan: "I checked, and while you can feed the seagulls there, it's not recommended."

Lou Dongcang: "?"

He Guan explained, "The reason is the same as why you shouldn't bring sparrows home. Summer is coming, and I don't want my coat covered in bird droppings after a visit to the beach."

Lou Dongcang: "...Understood."

He Guan said earnestly, "I can compromise on many things, but not this."

Lou Dongcang: "Alright."

He Guan: "Done writing and replying. Ready to head out?"

Lou Dongcang: "So soon?"

He Guan: "Yes, I don't have much on my plate right now. Music is the priority, and now that the score is done, I've left the rest to the studio."

Lou Dongzang: "Got an idea?"

He Guan: "The carpenter who visited my home mentioned a band to me. I've looked into it recently. The members of the band have stopped singing and are now composing and mixing music. They're doing quite well and even have their own recording studio. I've listened to many of their tracks these past few days and I really like their style."

He paused for a moment and continued, "The company is waiting for Lord Lou to reclaim and hand over. For now, only the 'Nolimit' project is ongoing. I've commissioned an app and a prototype is ready. They've asked me to choose a name. I'll decide during a meeting tomorrow. There's nothing else."

He had mentioned before to Lou Dongzang that he would inform him of any developments. Given the help he received from him for this seat, He Guan wasn't thinking of hiding anything and shared all that could be told.

Lou Dongzang: "Hmm."

He Guan took a few steps forward but noticing Lou Dongzang wasn't following, he quickly returned, grabbing his hand and pulling him off the sofa, saying, "Come on, it would be evening by the time we walk around this big house..."

He had forgotten.

Since he made a promise, he wouldn't let Lou Dongzang linger in a state of waiting for help.

He took the initiative.

Lou Dongzang gripped his hand tightly, gently standing up.

Seeing Lou Dongzang stepping out and instinctively raising his foot over the threshold, He Guan reminded, "Didn't uncle tell you? I had him remove the threshold. No need to step over anymore."

Lou Dongzang took a small step back, realizing he no longer tripped over the threshold.

He Guan: "Were you tripped by it several times before?"

Lou Dongzang: "Hmm."

He Guan: "It's gone now."

He didn't seek praise nor was he showing off; he simply stated the fact, saying...

"I've cleared the obstacles that hindered you before."

Holding onto the man, He Guan began to walk out, shielding his eyes from the sun with his free hand, remarking, "It's so sunny this afternoon... Why is it suddenly so hot? We're still in the mountains... Let's head under the trees."

He held Lou Dongzang's hand even tighter, instinctively searching for the coolest spot.

He was the one concerned about Lou Dongzang's health before, and now knowing that it's just a physical trait, he still instinctively wanted to stay close.

Lou Dongzang suddenly let go of his hand.

He Guan turned slightly, about to ask what was wrong and why they weren't moving, why he wasn't allowing him to hold on...

He felt a sudden coolness on his back.

Lou Dongzang whispered, "How about now? Still feeling hot?"

The man had a lower body temperature, especially noticeable in hot weather.

He Guan was still slightly feverish, but upon being embraced by him, any trace of warmth seemed to swiftly escape through his pores.

He didn't resist.

Sensing his acquiescence, the man became even bolder.

Lou Dongzang wrapped his arms around his waist, saying, "We can walk this way too."

He Guan cautiously took a step forward.

Matching his pace, Lou Dongzang stepped forward, inevitably stepping on He Guan's heel.

He Guan chuckled, "How do you expect to walk like this? By the time we finish a round, I might not know where my shoes have gone."

Lou Dongzang took another step, then paused, pondering a solution.

He Guan leaned against him, patiently waiting for him to think.

As expected, just as he thought, it felt like a cooling patch...

When Lou Dongzang spoke, he lowered his voice, making it barely audible.

It wasn't really a big deal.

He was still unsure about the distance between himself and He Guan.

He Guan felt a weight on the side of his face as the man's lips brushed past his ear. Reflexively, his toes clenched, wanting to escape from the embrace.

Over the past few days, Lou Dongzang had grown accustomed to holding him like this. He tightened his grip and pressed closer, preventing any escape.

With reddened ears and a bent waist, He Guan was compelled to listen to his whispered demand, "Tell me."

Dizzy, He Guan gripped Lou Dongzang's wrist, torn between pulling away and staying. His face flushed, he responded with an inaudible "Hmm?"

He didn't understand.

The man holding him repeated, this time with much clarity, his voice resonating deep and calm, almost as if transmitted through bone conduction, "Tell me which foot you'll move, and I'll follow."

He Guan stammered, "O-okay... Just let me go first. Seriously, why are you so strong? My shoelace is undone; let me tie it..."

Only then was he released.

He Guan bent down to tie his shoelace, which had not really come undone, then unconsciously touched his own face.

*

They spent the entire afternoon wandering through different parts of the Zang Dong Garden.

This combined mansion and garden, reflecting Lou Yi's minimalist aesthetic, was grand and spacious. One could only wonder how many times the original designs were sent back for revisions due to his uncompromising nature.

From the backyard to the front, they explored the entire Gui Hall, eventually reaching the lake behind it.

A wooden bridge was constructed over the lake, wide enough for single-lane traffic, seemingly designed to allow vehicles to travel to the back mountain.

Standing on the bridge, He Guan gazed down at the waters of the Jingyuan Pond.

The water housed simple aquatic life, devoid of many fish, yet it remained clear.

Feeling somewhat fatigued, He Guan remembered the ending of a book and asked reflexively, "Old Lou, I have a serious question for you."

Lou Dongzang: "Go on."

He Guan: "If you were to pick up a new hobby, could you refrain from fish-keeping or fishing, or anything of the sort?"

Lou Dongzang: "?"

Lou Dongzang wanted to express his complete disinterest in fish-keeping, yet he felt the palm of the hand holding his own breaking into a sweat.

It would be understandable if He Guan had been sweating because of their earlier activities, but they had been stationary for quite a while, and yet the perspiration continued.

He was afraid.

Lou Dongzang: "Are you afraid of fish?"

He Guan: "Yes, yes, yes. Can you promise me?"

Knowing that nodding wouldn't be perceived by Lou Dongzang, he reiterated with three affirmations.

Lou Dongzang chuckled, "Of course, I don't like fish."

They're too slippery, and cooking them can be a hassle. Unless necessary, he wouldn't proactively choose to eat fish.

He Guan: "Really? Pinky promise me."

Amused, Lou Dongzang extended his hand, forming a gesture resembling a phone call and angling his pinky finger towards him.

He Guan linked his pinky with Lou Dongzang's, making a sincere promise. He showed discontent with Lou Dongzang's casual attitude, "That won't do. Why aren't you pressing firmly? Press harder, or I won't believe you."

Smiling, Lou Dongzang replied, "It's not that I'm weak, I just don't know where your hand is. How am I to apply force?"

He Guan: "You should've said so earlier. Stay still, I'll find you."

His hand was warm, radiating the familiar warmth of kin. He pressed firmly against Lou Dongzang's thumb.

Lou Dongzang felt him retract his hand, saying, "Let's go," but soon after, the hand swiftly returned, guiding him by the palm and indicating a turn with the four fingers.

He Guan: "Let's head back. It's getting dark, and who knows if parts of this bridge are damaged. I'll have someone inspect it in a few days. We won't venture further today; there's always another time."

Lou Dongzang enveloped his fingers in his palm and responded, "Alright."

He really didn't care whether or not they completed their exploration today.

All he desired was to be with He Guan.

When with him, the resentment and agitation in Lou Dongzang's mind, stemming from his blindness, seemed to vanish. It had been a long time since his last episode.

Before this, any mere mention of his inability to see would make Lou Dongzang impulsively shatter whatever was in his grasp.

He was the first...

With He Guan, Lou Dongzang often communicated merely with affirmations like "Alright" and "Hmm."

And it was this simplicity that comforted him the most.

*

By evening, a doorbell, which hadn't rung in Zang Dong Garden for a long while, chimed.

It was time for Lou Dongzang to feed the sparrows, and he was still upstairs.

The new video doorbell, installed by Uncle Yue in the afternoon, was much more convenient. Through its intercom, He Guan instructed the delivery person to leave the package outside.

He Guan: "Just leave it outside. I'll pick it up shortly."

The delivery person, wearing a mask, hesitated before saying, "Mr. He, Mr. Lou senior insisted this be handed directly to you. Please come and collect it. It's nothing but two invitations for Saturday. I'd feel uneasy not handing them over directly."

He Guan: "Alright then... give me a moment."

Strangely, the voice seemed familiar to him.

Where had he heard it before?

Not at the company, or he would have remembered instantly.

Approaching the door, He Guan turned on the lights and made eye contact with the man in the doorway's illumination.

The man, almost of the same height as him, appeared a bit uncomfortable, quickly lowering his head to leave.

Their eyes had met only briefly.

Still, in that fleeting moment, He Guan discerned a hint of scrutiny and inquiry in the man's gaze, a look he instantly disliked.

Sensing He Guan's observation, the stranger quickly withdrew his gaze.

Accepting the two invitations, He Guan closed the door. He stood pensively for a while, sifting through his memories, before recognizing the man.

He remembered who he was.

Those eyes, that voice, and the peculiar gleam beneath them...

He was wearing contact lenses.

He was the assistant to Lou Jun Duo.

It was clear that the other party didn’t realize that He Guan had recognized him.

But when he came today... he hadn’t anticipated stirring the grass and startling the snake.

But even if he did startle the snake, it doesn’t matter.

It doesn’t matter whether He Guan recognizes him or not.

It’s okay if he doesn't recognize, even better if he does.

If he doesn’t recognize, it's an opportunity to meet He Guan in advance.

If he does recognize, then...

His arrival would explain one thing.

Lou Jun got it back.