KK Translates

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Chapter 7

Ji Wei then said, “Yesterday, you….”

Tang Xu’en wanted to ask him what nonsense he had said but he was too embarrassed, for fear of hearing an answer that would make him even more ashamed.

Seeing Ji Wei’s lips curl into a smile, looking like he was going to continue, Tang Xu’en practically jumped up like a puppy whose tail was stepped on and hurriedly stopped him, “Okay, okay, no need to continue.”

“I know I made a fool of myself.”

“Haa, I’m not going to drink that much next time. Drinking really is no good. I’m originally not a good drinker and I didn’t drink much yesterday, just three or four bottles, but how did I get that wasted….”

While Tang Xu’en tried to brainwash himself and the other party into believing that he had forgotten everything, all sorts of memories surfaced to his mind. He himself couldn’t tell the difference between dream and reality.

So nothing actually happened?

Tang Xu’en still felt that something wasn’t right. His chest felt stuffy. After some thought, he asked, “My clothes were changed when I woke up this morning and I no longer smelt of alcohol, did you help wipe me down?”

“What do you think?” Ji Wei asked back. His frank attitude made Tang Xu’en a little ashamed of himself, “You insisted on sleeping with me last night and even took off your clothes and got in. I couldn’t let you sleep with the smell of alcohol on you. Even if you could sleep, I wouldn’t be able to sleep.”

Tang Xu’en’s face instantly turned bright red.

Did he really do that? Why couldn’t he remember?….But if he calmed down and thought about it, it also didn’t seem too strange.

There had also been several occasions before where he got drunk and stayed over at Ji Wei’s place. Because he has passed out, Ji Wei had to change his clothes for him, but he didn’t wipe him down during those times.

Tang Xu’en said awkwardly, “I’m sorry. I must’ve caused trouble for you.”

Ji Wei replied, “It’s okay. We’re friends after all.”

What he said was a little too polite and distant. It made Tang Xu’en feel uneasy.

After Ji Wei said that, he got up, picked up the suit jacket that was hanging on the back of the chair, folded it in half and draped it across his forearm.

Tang Xu’en’s gaze moved from being at eye level to looking at him from below. Only then did he realise, “Ah, are you leaving now?”

There was a hint of exhaustion in Ji Wei’s eyes, “En. It’s getting late. I didn’t get much sleep last night either.”

Tang Xu’en hurriedly got up, “Let me see you off.”

The small riverside street was completely silent at this late hour. The starry sky above them was cut into a long and narrow belt of stars by the building eaves on both sides of the street. The gentle breeze slowly cooled Tang Xu’en’s cheeks down.

He would often walk beside Ji Wei, from when he was a young boy till now. It probably started from third year of junior high. He couldn’t remember exactly when it started but they would basically go home together every night after their evening classes.

When he was in high school, Ji Wei would even take him to get some late night snacks on their way back home. Tang Xu’en had no money so he would sit and watch him eat.

Ji Wei would always order a bowl of sweet soup with longan, red dates and stewed egg, and he would get a small bowl, pick out the stewed egg and push it over to him, saying, “I don’t like eating this but it would be a waste if I don’t eat it. You can help me eat it.”

The first time he did this, Tang Xu’en felt a little bad accepting it but he had always done what Ji Wei told him to do. If he didn’t eat it, Ji Wei would really leave that egg and not eat it himself. He would rather throw it away than force himself to eat it.

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Tang Xu’en was a frugal person. He felt bad seeing him do this so he could only eat it with a guilty conscience.

The egg was boiled until they were filled with the aroma of longan and red dates and the sweetness of it was just right, not too cloying.

Translated by KK Translates. If you’re reading it elsewhere, this translation was stolen. Don’t support epubs. Don’t support thieves

At that time, because they had to cover his father’s medical expenses, Tang Xu’en would even wish he could split one coin in half to use. His two younger brothers were also at the age where they were growing and ate more than usual. As the eldest brother, he naturally shouldn’t be selfish. He would always let his two brothers have a little more to eat than himself.

This egg was his and Ji Wei’s little secret.

Tang Xu’en never told his younger brothers that he would secretly have good food on his way home from school. Especially in winter, as soon as the bowl of sweet soup entered his stomach, his cold hands and feet felt warmer. The sweetness seemed to soak into his heart, reminding him that life really isn’t all that bad.

At least he still had a good friend who truly cared for him.

They reached the parking lot.

Tang Xu’en stopped next to Ji Wei’s car and said, “I’ll walk you up to here.”

Ji Wei, “En.”

Ji Wei turned back and looked at him. He stopped for a moment and, as if he saw something on his face, he suddenly reached out and touched the corner of his lips.

Tang Xu’en, “?!”

It was something that only lasted a second or two. Tang Xu’en’s face turned red. His mind couldn’t keep up.

Ji Wei said, “There was some red bean paste.”

Tang Xu’en hurriedly searched his pocket but was unable to find tissues, “O-oh.”

Ji Wei’s touch still seemed to linger on his lips. Tang Xu’en couldn’t help but remember what it was like when Ji Wei kissed him in that shameful dream.

It wasn’t a very skilful kiss but it was passionate and loving. Like eating a piece of candy you like, you wanted to chew it but you are also reluctant to eat it up too quickly but you still wanted to taste more of that sweetness.

Ji Wei sometimes wondered if he was reading into it too much.

He held the steering wheel with his left hand, raised his right hand and licked off the red bean paste from his thumb. It was the red bean paste from Tang Xu’en’s lips.

Yesterday’s kiss was rose and lychee flavoured. If he kissed Tang Xu’en just now, it probably would’ve been red bean paste flavoured.

Tang Xu’en for some reason felt a little down. After watching Ji Wei leave, he slowly headed back home.

As soon as he got home, he wasn’t given the chance to sit down and worry.

Two heads popped out from behind the door, looking sneakily at him. The sight of it made Tang Xu’en laugh. He asked, “What are you two doing?”

Tang Zheng asked, “Big brother, did something happen between you and Brother Ji Wei?”

He really had a skill for picking out sensitive topics. The ever so dense Tang Zheng would always be number one when it came to this.

Tang Xu’en’s expression turned stern. He said with the tone of an adult, “It’s nothing. Children shouldn’t worry about these things.”

Tang Zheng jumped into the room, “Why are you still calling me a child? I’m an adult now. I’m just here to show you some concern. It felt as if you two got into a fight. You only have Brother Wei who is your good friend, I don’t want to see you two fight.”

Tang Xu’en said very simply, “We are not fighting.”

Translated by KK Translates. If you’re reading it elsewhere, this translation was stolen. Don’t support epubs. Don’t support thieves

Tang Yuan didn’t speak. His expression however was glum as he looked pitifully at him.

Tang Xu’en asked, “And what’s wrong with you?”

Tang Yuan quietly stepped in. He asked guiltily, “Big brother, was it because of me that you went drinking in the middle of the night last night? Did I ruin your mood?”

Tang Xu’en was stunned.

He suddenly realised that ever since he woke up in Ji Wei’s bed today, he had completely forgotten about Tang Yuan’s matter!

He didn’t worry about it at all!

And was just worrying over his own matters related to Ji Wei…

He really was a neglectful elder brother. Tang Xu’en felt ashamed of himself.

It was true that he had originally gone for a drink because of this but this matter no longer bothered him so he said, “No, of course not.”

“I did go and find Ji Wei to talk about this matter. It’s something that would affect the rest of your life after all, so it’s better to be more cautious.”

“Mr. Meng is a businessman and he seems to come from a very good background, while we are just ordinary people. It’s only natural for me to find Ji Wei and get him to look into him for me.”

Tang Yuan relaxed when he heard this. He nodded with each statement that was spoken.

When talking about his worries, Tang Xu’en paused briefly and said, “Firstly, I am not trying to be biassed against Mr. Meng or make any negative speculations but reasonably speaking, he is thirty-three. He may have already been married or at least been in a relationship.”

When Tang Yuan heard this, he reassured with confidence, “No, he has never been in a relationship before. This is his first time with me.”

Tang Xu’en, “Huh? That’s not possible.”

Tang Xu’en didn’t believe him, especially because he felt that his youngest brother Tang Yuan was a little foolish. He had been like this since he was young. This child who was known to be a nerd was someone who knew less about the world than he did.

He really wanted to ask him if he had been deceived but he didn’t know how to ask it tactfully. He mulled over how he could say it while protecting his little brother’s heart as much as possible.

Tang Yuan however seemed to have guessed what he wanted to say. He said, “You don’t believe me, do you? I also didn’t believe him at first. There are some reasons for it. Big brother, he had a few problems and that was why it was delayed until this age. For now, I can’t go into too much detail.”

“In any case, I know he didn’t lie to me.”

He didn’t know what was going on.

They were clearly talking about Tang Yuan’s partner, but Tang Xu’en’s thoughts had actually wandered off to Ji Wei again—–

Wait a minute. Ji Wei is also not young anymore.

Moreover, he had been studying abroad all this time and only returned a few years ago. With how open things are overseas and with how tall and handsome Ji Wei is, how could he not have had any dating experience? Tang Xu’en couldn’t help but think this.

Just trying to imagine it for a second, he felt as if charcoal sparks were poured into his chest, burning his heart. For some reason, he felt uncomfortable.

Tang Xu’en remembered that Ji Wei was very popular when they were students. When he arrived at school in the morning, he would often see love letters stuffed inside his desk.

His male classmates were all envious of Ji Wei but none of them spoke bad of him. Ji Wei in private was referred to by the girls as the ‘Five Good Boy’—– It referred to his good grades, good background, good fashion sense, good personality and good looks.

In his memory, Ji Wei was so outstanding, it was as if he glowed.

Even now, that outstanding nature hasn’t faded at all.

He knew that there hadn’t been any pursuers around him these past two years after returning to the country. Ji Wei said he wanted to put his career first.

They were only twenty five, twenty six at the time and felt that they were still young, but in a blink of an eye, they are now already twenty eight, twenty nine.

But what about before? When he was abroad?

Tang Xu’en didn’t know anything about it. He and Ji Wei didn’t talk about this matter at all. He felt that it was too personal and he also hadn’t developed any interest in this topic so he never even thought about asking this.

Ji Wei however seemed to have asked him about this on a couple of occasions. He felt that it was too embarrassing so he replied and said that he didn’t have anyone and didn’t have time for it. One time, he even said seriously that he wouldn’t consider marriage until after he managed to send both his younger brothers to university.

Especially these last two years, it was almost the peak period of marriage for their generation and they would often receive wedding invitations from classmates.

Look at that. Things come the moment you think about it. Just a few days later, Tang Xu’en received news from his old high school classmate that he was getting married. He had sent him an electronic wedding invitation through WeChat for his wedding next Saturday.

Tang Xu’en went and asked Ji Wei if he would go.

Ji Wei said that he would go.

So they naturally would go together.

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