Chapter 15#
The Self-Deceiving Liar#
The days passed one by one, and the bustling atmosphere of the New Year gradually filled the streets and alleys.
Lin Xiamian attended university in this city, and it only took a few subway stops to get home. Therefore, as long as he didn’t have classes, he basically traveled back and forth between school and home several times a week. Once winter break started, he stayed at home every day, clinging to Lin Xiaodong more than ever before.
Today, he unusually went out early in the morning and returned with a pile of New Year’s goods, full of expectation: “Brother, the New Year is almost here. Shall we put up the spring couplets together?”
Lin Xiaodong hadn’t woken up yet. Hearing the sound from the door, he wrapped himself tightly in the quilt with messy hair and replied dizzily:
“You go ahead and put them up. Just save a window flower for me.”
Lin Xiamian gave a disappointed “oh” and closed the bedroom door.
The neighbors were making fried spring rolls, and the fragrant smell soon wafted over to them. Lin Xiaodong couldn’t sleep anymore, sat up with a yawn, and casually flipped through his phone.
Brother Long, Guangtou, and the others had all sent New Year’s greetings. Especially Brother Long, who had Photoshopped his shirtless “dashing” and “awe-inspiring” Green Dragon and White Tiger tattoo photo into an emoji and was spamming it in the group chat, leaving Lin Xiaodong speechless.
In addition, former classmates from his old class were also sending each other red envelopes and New Year greetings in the group chat. Most people Lin Xiaodong’s age were now in university, and they were vibrantly discussing things that happened during their university days. A row of red “99+” notifications looked very lively.
But Lin Xiaodong was no longer from the same world as them, and he couldn’t join in the classmates’ chat. He sighed and simply exited the group chat, staring at the big boss’s profile picture in his contacts, which hadn’t seen any movement for a while, and clicked into his homepage with some curiosity.
Basically no change.
—Except the signature had changed from “No pets” to “Looking for an escaped wild cat, generous reward offered.”
Lin Xiaodong: ?
What’s up? Could it be that the big boss had another change of heart and raised a rebellious little wild cat at home?
But unexpectedly, the butler, who usually didn’t welcome him and had never proactively sent a message since adding him as a friend, actually sent him a sentence at this time: “The Master is inspecting the pier tonight and is expected to return home very late.”
Lin Xiaodong: “Why is he sending me this? Is the big boss lonely and cold lately and wants me to go find him indirectly?”
System: “Probably so.”
“Today is New Year’s Eve…” Lin Xiaodong lamented with an ambiguous tone, hearing the “thump thump thump” of vegetable chopping from outside.
It was time for the classic choice between two options again.
“President Gu, look at the containers on this side, they are all just from our company… President Gu?”
The person accompanying him called out several times before the man came back to his senses.
“Sorry, I was thinking about something just now,” he replied somewhat absent-mindedly. “Tonight is New Year’s Eve, let’s stop today’s inspection here. You all go back early too and spend more time with your families.”
Someone immediately said: “Then President Gu, shall I see you off?”
“No,” Gu Xi said. “You all go first. I’ll take a walk around the area alone.”
The executives looked at each other and sensibly took their leave and left.
But the pier was a crowded place, and they couldn’t all leave. Under the executives’ arrangements, a few bodyguards followed not too far behind Gu Xi, always paying attention to his safety.
Opening his phone, the butler had sent several messages asking if he was coming back for dinner. Gu Xi stared fixedly at the empty message list, thinking with a darkened face that even Uncle Zhong knew to send him a message, yet a certain heartless little liar acted as if he had vanished from the face of the earth after going home, not even knowing to make a sound.
…Even a group greeting would be fine.
The man made up his mind to break up with Lin Xiaodong completely tonight.
As a result, less than ten minutes later, two bodyguards caught a person and came to him for instructions: “President Gu, this person has been acting suspiciously nearby and says he knows you.”
Gu Xi scanned nonchalantly.
A certain little liar was wearing a down jacket on top and just a pair of flip-flops on his feet. His nose was red and his toes were blue from the cold in the freezing sea breeze, yet he dared to wink and smile brightly at him.
Very good.
“I don’t know him,” he said coldly.
“Oh,” the bodyguard responded stupidly. “Then we’ll hand him over to the police.”
“…Wait!”
Gu Xi, with a black face, grabbed the “criminal’s” collar and forcefully pressed him down beside him.
He said stiffly: “You can go back first. I’ll handle this person.”
“Alright, President Gu.”
Seeing the bodyguards walk away, Lin Xiaodong also immediately got up to leave.
“Where else do you want to go?” Gu Xi asked in a low voice, his words carrying a threat.
“Come back, sit down!”
“I won’t sit,” Lin Xiaodong was also very tough, starting to walk away. “What for? Someone said they didn’t know me, so why should I bother sitting next to you?… Hey, hey, put me down!”
An unbearable Gu Xi directly picked him up horizontally. The man walked back to the bench, raised his hand high, and gave Lin Xiaodong a few spanks on the butt with a “pah pah pah,” directly stunning Lin Xiaodong.
“You, you actually spanked my butt?”
His eyes widened. Although it was late at night and dark so no one saw, the sense of shame rushed to his head along with his blood, making him stutter with anger: “F-f-fuck, Gu Xi, you shameless old bastard—ah!”
“Pah!” Another slap.
Gu Xi said coldly: “Finally willing to speak your mind, huh? So in your heart, I’m a shameless old bastard? Very good, Lin Xiaodong, you’re finished today.”
Lin Xiaodong wailed from the beating, his limbs flailing as he struggled desperately in his arms. It didn’t actually hurt that much; the stinging sensation on his butt was largely psychological.
But that was no reason for Gu Xi to unceremoniously press him onto his lap and spank him!
“Stop!” In the end, the youth’s voice carried a hint of a sob. “Bastard, stop hitting…”
Only then did Gu Xi stop.
He stared at Lin Xiaodong, who was lying on his lap sobbing and cursing him, his eyes dark and gloomy like the sky before a storm, but with something deeper hidden behind: “Do you know you were wrong?”
“What did I do wrong?” Lin Xiaodong stared at him with red eyes, like a rabbit that had been provoked. “I just went home for a bit, and I was wondering if a certain someone would be lonely at home alone for the New Year. As a result, as soon as I got to the pier, I was pressed onto a bench and spanked by an old hooligan. I’m so goddamn aggrieved!”
The more he spoke, the sadder he became, and tears suddenly fell.
Damn it, he thought, what a loss; he had never been spanked in his life!
Gu Xi was silent for a moment.
He let go and softened his tone: “I was just worried about you. It’s so cold now, why did you wear these shoes to come out? Aren’t you cold?”
“None of your business!”
Lin Xiaodong immediately jumped off him. Just after acting tough, he let out two consecutive sneezes.
System: “You’re really going all out.”
“Tell me about it,” he complained to the system. “If Lin Xiamian hadn’t locked me in the bedroom, would I have climbed down from the sixth floor in just flip-flops? I almost fell headfirst!”
Who knew that kid would change his face as soon as he heard he was going out, even though he only intended to come over to see Gu Xi and say a few words.
Now it was great; he only had a bit of change on him, and once it was used up, he couldn’t get back.
Gu Xi looked helplessly at his stubborn expression, took off his coat to cover his legs, and then held Lin Xiaodong’s feet in his arms to warm them.
As he expected, they were already as cold as blocks of ice.
Lin Xiaodong glared at him.
Probably really being cold, the youth huffed for a while but didn’t refuse.
The two of them sat quietly for a moment.
Finally, it was Lin Xiaodong who couldn’t hold back and broke the silence.
“What’s that in your pocket?” he asked. “It was poking me just now.”
Gu Xi was slightly startled, then pulled a silver harmonica out of his pocket.
Lin Xiaodong’s eyes widened slightly: “Isn’t this the one I left on the nightstand…”
“No,” Gu Xi denied immediately.
“Alright,” Lin Xiaodong suppressed a smile, “if you say it’s not, it’s not. Then may I ask Mr. Gu, as someone tone-deaf, why on earth are you carrying this in your pocket?”
The man said expressionlessly: “Uncle Zhong put it there by mistake, not me.”
Sigh, such a duplicitous guy.
Lin Xiaodong pried open his hand, took the harmonica, and carefully examined it against the faint light of the distant lighthouse.
After a moment, he lamented: “The guitar I left at home has been gathering dust for a long time. I didn’t expect you to maintain this cheap harmonica I bought online so well.”
“Uncle Zhong…”
“Yes, yes, the butler takes the blame for everything,” Lin Xiaodong said. “But I have a question. We’ve been together for so long. Do you,” after a pause, the youth seemed to be thinking of the phrasing, “like me even a little bit?”
He looked up, his eyes reflecting the starlight over the sea.
It was as if he was expecting some kind of response.
For some reason, Gu Xi’s heart suddenly skipped a beat.
He looked down and asked: “Why are you asking this all of a sudden?”
“Just asking.” Seeing the man avoid the answer, Lin Xiaodong smiled and said nothing, just started playing the harmonica. Gu Xi listened with a frown for a while and found the tune quite familiar, but couldn’t remember it no matter what.
“What’s this you’re playing…?”
“The SpongeBob theme song,” Lin Xiaodong said with a grin. “How about it? A classic, right?”
Gu Xi: “…………”
Seeing the man’s speechless face, Lin Xiaodong pursed his lips in dissatisfaction and changed to another tune.
This time Gu Xi recognized it; it was “The Brightest Star in the Night Sky.”
The sound of the surging waves came from the distant shore, and along with the sound of the harmonica, brilliant fireworks bloomed in the city’s night sky.
The youth closed his eyes, leaning on his shoulder and playing the melodious tune.
After an unknown amount of time, the harmonica stopped. Lin Xiaodong exhaled a breath of hot air and rubbed his hands, which were red from the cold.
“Do you know what I was thinking just now?”
Gu Xi was in a good mood: “What?”
“I was thinking,” Lin Xiaodong looked at the shimmering sea surface under the moonlight and sniffed his nose, “the sea is so beautiful. If I die in the future, remember to give me a sea burial.”
The smile on the man’s face vanished instantly.
“It’s the New Year,” he suppressed his anger, “what nonsense are you talking?”
“It just came to mind unintentionally.” Lin Xiaodong looked at him innocently. “Don’t say you haven’t thought about it. I even saw your organ donation consent form at home.”
“That’s two different things.”
“…One may steal a horse while another may not look over a hedge.” Lin Xiaodong complained in a low voice, only to have his mouth blocked by an unbearable Gu Xi: “The atmosphere is so good, you’d better stop talking.”
After another while.
“I have one more thing to say.” Lin Xiaodong raised his hand to apply.
Gu Xi sighed.
“Speak.”
“President Gu, Happy New Year.” Lin Xiaodong said with a straight face, making a blessing sound like reporting work to a leader. But he soon couldn’t hold it anymore and eagerly stretched out his hand: “Boss, is there a red envelope?”
He knew Gu Xi wasn’t short of money. Since a generous reward was offered for a lost cat, then as a living person taking the initiative to come and offer New Year’s greetings, there should at least be a red envelope as a gesture, right?
“…Happy New Year.”
A hint of a smile appeared in Gu Xi’s eyes. Amidst the youth’s disappointed expression, the man curled his lips very slightly and exchanged a gentle, serious kiss with him.
“Also, office romance gets a pay cut, which just happens to be covered by the red envelope.”
Lin Xiaodong: Your sister!
At dawn, Gu Xi drove him home.
The youth, wrapped in a down jacket, stood downstairs and looked up at the sixth floor.
The living room light was still on.
Suddenly, soft fabric wrapped around his neck. Lin Xiaodong looked back and saw Gu Xi looking down, helping him tie the scarf.
With each breath, a faint white mist spread between the two. The dim yellow light of the street lamp shone diagonally on the man’s profile, making his expression look silent and gentle.
Lin Xiaodong said a bit awkwardly: “No need, I’m almost home.”
“There’s still a distance upstairs,” Gu Xi said. “Remember to wear more next time you go out.”
The youth revealed a smile.
His eyes were bright. He stood on tiptoe and leaned over to kiss the corner of the man’s mouth.
Gu Xi’s eyes darkened, and pressing the back of Lin Xiaodong’s head, he deepened the kiss.
When the two of them pulled apart, panting, and Lin Xiaodong turned to go upstairs, he suddenly found someone standing in the shadows of the stairwell.
—It was Lin Xiamian.