There wasn’t much evening traffic on weekends, and the commute wasn’t blocked. However, with many people out for leisure, it took a while to find a parking spot.
Zhao Jizhe and the agent had already arrived. The shortlisted apartments were all in the neighborhoods near the internet café. The university town had only been developed for about ten years, so the residential areas were relatively new, with decent greenery and amenities. The agent enthusiastically introduced the properties, though his sales pitch was rather generic. Li Xuan listened with little interest, and Zhao Jizhe didn’t seem particularly engaged either. Instead, he took the chance to subtly ask about Li Xuan’s recent situation.
“So, what do you two think?”
After viewing four or five apartments with little reaction, the agent was starting to get anxious. “Honestly, this one is a great option: a two-bedroom, spacious enough for one person or even if friends come over. The seventh floor is just the right height and auspicious too. Plus, it faces the inner courtyard, so it’s completely quiet… The one you saw earlier is good too. Sure, it’s higher up, but with elevators, it doesn’t matter. It’s fully renovated with amazing natural light… Every apartment has its own merits. It’s up to you which one you like.”
Zhao Jizhe glanced around, a hint of anticipation in his expression. “Nineteen, what do you think?”
Li Xuan, feeling drowsy, pinched the bridge of his nose. “You’re the one living here. You make the decision; it’s not up to me.”
“I was thinking… if your work isn’t too busy, maybe you could live here too… Is your office far from here? Wouldn’t it be inconvenient for you to stay at work all the time?”
“Not necessary,” Li Xuan said flatly.
Zhao Jizhe studied his expression, his voice dropping with clear disappointment. “Then let’s look at a few more.”
So they continued, visiting two or three more places. Zhao Jizhe consistently said, “It’s fine, let’s keep looking.” The agent’s tone began to carry a hint of impatience. “It’s only because it’s graduation season that there are more listings now. By September, once school starts, you won’t even be able to find any. You should make a decision soon. If you pick one, I can negotiate the price with the landlord.”
“Well…,” Zhao Jizhe kept glancing at Li Xuan, who remained silent. Finally, he hesitated and said, “Actually, maybe I won’t rent after all. Let’s leave it for another day…”
The words were directed at the agent, but his eyes never left Li Xuan.
“Wait, what’s that supposed to mean?” The agent, visibly annoyed, exclaimed, “You were the one who insisted on viewing apartments today, even though I was about to clock out. After all the trouble to find these listings, you don’t want any? If there’s an issue, at least say so. Otherwise, what is this?”
“I mentioned wanting to look before today…” Zhao Jizhe said nervously.
“Really? Let’s check the call records…” The agent pulled out his phone.
“Enough,” Li Xuan interrupted, tapping the table. “What are you arguing about?”
Both of them fell silent momentarily. Li Xuan stood up. “Let’s leave it at that for now. Don’t get worked up.” He pulled 200 yuan from his pocket, stepped forward, and handed it to the agent. “We’ll stop viewing today. He’ll think it over. You’ve had a long day, running around in this heat after work. Get yourself something to drink.”
“That’s not the point. Do you think I’m just after your money?” The agent muttered indignantly but still pocketed the cash.
“Alright,” Li Xuan said coldly to Zhao Jizhe. “Let’s go.”
…..
As they left, Li Xuan noticed notifications popping up in the company group chat. Zhao Jizhe trailed beside him.
“Nineteen…”
“I’m handling something. Wait a moment.”
Zhao Jizhe fell silent, walking alongside until they exited the complex. Seeing Li Xuan finally put down his phone, he tentatively asked, “Are you upset? Why did you give him money? It’s not like we’re obligated to rent after viewing, right?”
“Fair point,” Li Xuan nodded, a faint smile on his lips. “Want to go back and argue about it?”
Zhao Jizhe hesitated, his lips moving as if to speak, but he stayed quiet. Li Xuan glanced at him before turning abruptly and walking away at a brisk pace. It took a moment for Zhao Jizhe to catch up. “Where are you going?”
“Back to the office.”
“But…” A group of children was playing noisily at the neighborhood entrance, forcing Li Xuan to slow down. Zhao Jizhe quickly grabbed his sleeve. “Let’s grab a meal before you go…”
“Let go.”
Zhao Jizhe’s face turned red with anxiety. Li Xuan lowered his gaze to his sleeve. “Do I really need to say it twice?”
Reluctantly, Zhao Jizhe released his grip. “It’s already this late. Let’s just find somewhere nearby… Also, about managing the internet café, there’s so much I don’t understand yet. I still need to ask you…”
Li Xuan’s expression was cold as he turned to look away. Across the street, the traffic lights changed several times. After a long pause, he finally said, “We’ll eat back at the café.”
….
By the time they returned to the internet café, Zhu Zhou had just set out the takeout dishes.
“Xuan Ge, boss, I’ll head back to watch the shop now?”
“Have you eaten?”
“Already did.”
“Alright, go on.” Li Xuan nodded.
Zhu Zhou had ordered dishes from a nearby restaurant specializing in river fish. Li Xuan drank half a bowl of fish soup but found himself without much appetite.
“You’re done eating?” Zhao Jizhe immediately put down his chopsticks as well.
“I’m not hungry. Go ahead and eat. Don’t mind me.” Li Xuan stood up and walked to the window, lighting a cigarette. The window faced the street, where dust collected heavily, leaving the leaves of a pothos plant coated in a dull gray.
“Whether or not you rent a place, whether you move or not, it’s your decision. I’ve already accompanied you today, but honestly, my presence doesn’t matter.” Ash fell as Li Xuan moved his fingers slightly. His tone was calm. “Not just with renting a house—this applies to everything. You don’t need to consult me about everything. For matters regarding the internet café, you can ask Zhu Zhou. If you really want to learn, he knows more than I do.”
Zhao Jizhe suddenly looked up, his expression tense: “What do you mean by that?”
Li Xuan exhaled a cloud of smoke without saying anything.
“You…” Zhao Jizhe seemed hurt. “Do you believe what the agent said and not me?”
“No need to take it that far,” Li Xuan said with a flat smile. “If I wasn’t a fool, and if you didn’t think I was a fool, you wouldn’t ask that question.”
“I… I’m not…”
Li Xuan stubbed out his cigarette. “I have something to do, I’m leaving first.”
“Nineteen!” Zhao Jizhe abruptly stood up, the dishes clinking together.
“Sit down and eat,” Li Xuan turned his head upon hearing the noise. “Zhao Jizhe,” he paused, then continued, “Up until now, I’ve still considered you a friend. Don’t keep wearing down my patience.”
At the front desk, Zhu Zhou was registering a customer. Hearing Li Xuan’s footsteps, he looked up and called out, “Ge, do you need some water? What would you like to drink, I’ll get it for you.”
“No need, keep doing your thing,” Li Xuan walked down the stairs, reached over the table, and pulled out a ledger from the drawer, leaning against the counter as he casually flipped through it.
“Ge, you’re done eating so soon? Did I not order the right dishes?” Zhu Zhou noticed that Li Xuan seemed to have something to say, quickly finished his task, and glanced behind him, not seeing Zhao Jizhe coming down with him. “Or… is there something you need from me?”
“No, nothing,” Li Xuan raised an eyebrow and smiled. “What’s there to be nervous about?”
“No, nothing,” Zhu Zhou scratched his head.
“I’ve been busy recently, haven’t been around much. How’s the café?”
“It’s good. The nearby schools are mostly on summer break, only the Teacher’s College starts next week. Most students have gone home, so the traffic is definitely less than last month. But it’s always like this during the holidays. It’ll pick up once school starts. I visited a few other internet cafes nearby, and things are pretty much the same. Ours still has the most people.”
“That’s fine, it’s normal,” Li Xuan nodded, then asked, “How are you getting used to it?”
“Huh?” Zhu Zhou was a little confused.
Li Xuan continued flipping through the ledger casually, “I mean, how do you feel about having a new boss?”
“It’s fine, not much different,” Zhu Zhou didn’t seem guarded. “Zhao Ge doesn’t restrict me much, we just chat sometimes. He’s easy to get along with.”
“What do you talk about?” Li Xuan asked casually.
“Just…” Zhu Zhou had said a couple of words when he suddenly stopped, as though waking up from a trance. He awkwardly smiled at Li Xuan, “Not much. A lot of the things Zhao Ge asked, I didn’t know.”
Li Xuan let out a nonchalant “hmph”: “The electricity bill hasn’t gone down, has it?”
“No,” Zhu Zhou was a little thrown off by the sudden change of topic.
“Last month’s electricity bill was wrong,” Li Xuan pushed the ledger toward him. “Even with one machine off, with the AC and lights, it’s still more than this.”
Zhu Zhou quickly looked and pulled out the receipt to double-check. Sure enough, it had been recorded incorrectly. He felt a little embarrassed, “Ge, I thought you were just flipping through for fun.”
“Even flipping through can help me spot errors. Be more careful when you keep the books, don’t wait till the end of the month to check and cause problems for yourself.”
Zhu Zhou nodded repeatedly, “Okay.”
“Has your boss checked the accounts?”
“It’s only the middle of the month.”
“Has he taught you anything about computer repairs?”
Zhu Zhou seemed unaware of this, “Not yet… maybe he saw I was busy. I’ll ask him about it tomorrow?”
“No need,” Li Xuan shook his head, “If he doesn’t bring it up, don’t ask.”
“Oh, okay.”
“Nothing else,” Li Xuan thought for a moment, “Starting this month, your salary will go up by 500. It’s been half a year since your last raise. If he asks, tell him it was my decision.”
“You don’t have to…” Zhu Zhou hesitated a little, but was happy. “My salary is already higher than the other internet admins.”
“And you do more work than others.”
“Thanks, Ge.”
“Don’t thank me. Next time if you make a mistake, your pay will be deducted.”
Zhu Zhou chuckled nervously, “I won’t, definitely won’t make another mistake.”
“Go ahead and keep working. I’ll leave now,” Li Xuan handed him the ledger.
“I’ll walk you out.”
Zhu Zhou walked him to the door, and Li Xuan raised his hand to push aside the air curtain before stopping. “By the way, there’s one more thing.”
“Ge, what is it?”
Li Xuan paused for a moment before speaking, “I remember you’re local? Does your family live near the city center?”
“Yeah, my grandma still lives there, and I went to school nearby. But it wasn’t considered the center before. When I was young, the Binjiang Road wasn’t built yet, and in the summer, there were floods. A lot of people moved out. Later, when the flooding was solved, the government moved in, and that area became valuable.”
“Are you familiar with the area?” Li Xuan asked. “Some of the old shops and such?”
“Shops?” Zhu Zhou furrowed his brow, puzzled. “I’m pretty familiar with the area, but I don’t know about shops. My grandma probably knows. Ge, are you looking for something?”
Li Xuan nodded, “There’s something I need you to ask around about.”
…..
As he was two streets away from the software park, Li Xuan confirmed he was being followed.
The taxi had just exited the overpass and appeared in his rearview mirror. At first, there were a lot of cars, so Li Xuan didn’t think much of it. But when he turned onto a small road, the car became more obvious. He squinted his eyes and saw the familiar last digits on the license plate. It was indeed the same car. With a cold sneer, he stepped on the gas and turned into an alley.
“Where did it go? What’s going on?” The driver slowed down, muttering to himself.
Zhao Jizhe straightened up, peering out the front seat gap. “Wasn’t it just in front?”
“Yeah, I turned a corner, and now it’s gone.” The driver’s voice lowered, a little nervous.
“Are there any companies nearby?”
“This… there shouldn’t be, right?”
“Forget it, just stop the car.”
Zhao Jizhe hurriedly opened the car door and got out. The driver quickly turned his head from the driver’s seat and said, “Hey, we agreed on this, okay? Whether or not we succeeded in following the car, after driving this far, the fare still has to be paid.”
Zhao Jizhe didn’t answer and walked ahead, looking around at the intersections. He was anxious and focused, not noticing someone had joined him until Li Xuan’s indifferent voice sounded: “What are you looking for?”
It seemed like the wind suddenly picked up at the alley’s entrance, and Zhao Jizhe instinctively froze. His first reaction was to go back to the taxi, but Li Xuan pressed his hand on the car door, pulling him down.
“What are you doing?” Li Xuan pushed him hard, and Zhao Jizhe collided with the wall with a muffled thud. Li Xuan looked at him, veins bulging from his neck, his chest rising and falling twice before raising his voice, “What the hell are you doing?!”
Zhao Jizhe stiffened like wood, motionless. The taxi driver was startled and didn’t dare get out of the car. He watched the scene freeze for a long time before rolling down the window and sticking his head out, “What’s going on, guys? Talk it out…”
“None of your business!”
“No, no…” The driver cleared his throat, “This young man still hasn’t paid.”
Li Xuan let out a heavy sigh, his face cold as he pulled out his phone to settle the fare. The driver quickly accepted the money and drove off, kicking up dust and making the fallen leaves spin in the air before they settled again.
“Nineteen…” Zhao Jizhe walked over slowly, his arm aching from where it had hit the wall. He called out weakly.
“Can you tell me what you were thinking?” Li Xuan’s voice made his nerves twitch. “I’m asking you. Huh? Did I waste all those words? Are you not listening, or do you just not want to listen? Why are you following me?”
He remembered seeing Zhao Jizhe getting out of the car earlier and searching for him. Suddenly, he recalled Shu Xin from back then, that obsessive, controlling tendency. It felt like cold worms crawling down his spine, an indescribable disgust.
“I didn’t mean anything else…”
“You don’t need to mean anything else.” Li Xuan’s Adam’s apple moved. “What you’re doing now is beyond my comprehension.”
Zhao Jizhe gasped for breath. “I just feel like we’re growing further apart… When my parents abandoned me at the orphanage after they gave birth to me, every other kid around me was adopted… I, I only have you now, as my family, as my friend. If you abandon me too…”
“Don’t say that. Enough.” Li Xuan interrupted harshly, not wanting to give him the chance to explain, his brows furrowed. “So what if you don’t have parents? Do I? The moment you were born, you didn’t need an umbilical cord for nutrients anymore! Who can’t live without someone else? Did I abandon you? Didn’t I arrange work, money, and accommodation for you? I don’t owe you anything, Zhao Jizhe! How much more do you want me to take care of you?”
“Now you think I’m a burden?” Zhao Jizhe looked at him as though he’d been punched in the face, disoriented. “Right, you said this before, I didn’t hear it back then… but Nineteen.” He gritted his teeth, his emaciated face trembling, “It was you who asked me if I wanted to leave with you back then.”
The air seemed to freeze for a moment, and Li Xuan stared at him like he’d seen a ghost. “What did you say?” He shrugged, letting out a short laugh, “Zhao Jizhe, I rarely regret anything, including letting you leave the orphanage with me. Now, maybe it was a mistake.”
Zhao Jizhe realized he had said something wrong and panicked, “Nineteen, I’m sorry… I just wanted to know how you’re doing now, what you’re up to, nothing more. I treat you like my brother, I care about you, I don’t want us to drift apart…”
It was hot, and the sound of cicadas echoed through the summer night. Zhao Jizhe’s endless justifications mixed in, equally noisy. Tall trees along the road cast varying shadows over the walls, and Li Xuan stood silently, his lips pressed tight, watching from the darkness. Not far off, an old, dilapidated streetlamp swayed, its dim light threatening to go out at any second.
“Alright.” After a long pause, Li Xuan spoke, his tone returning to normal. “Is that all? Fine.”
They were already close to the Software Park, and within fifteen minutes, they arrived at the gate. Li Xuan didn’t speak on the way, but his mood didn’t seem too affected. He parked the car and even ordered a fish congee takeout at the entrance.
“Xuan Ge,” the administrative staff, who had just finished packing up, saw him and immediately put her bag down, preparing to make tea.
“No need,” Li Xuan noticed her intention. “You can leave for the day.”
“Oh, okay, I’ll head out now.” She nodded politely at Zhao Jizhe and left the company.
In the lobby, a few employees were still working overtime. Hearing the noise, they looked up for a moment and then continued with their tasks. Zhao Jizhe cautiously looked around the company’s decor, wanting to ask Li Xuan something but didn’t dare speak up.
“Aren’t you curious about my life now? Feel free to look around,” Li Xuan said before heading straight to his office.
He had an online meeting with the platform staff regarding server issues. After compiling the progress reports from each team, the door to the office creaked.
“Finished?” Li Xuan looked up.
Zhao Jizhe walked lightly, standing half a meter in front of his desk. He mumbled, almost like a mosquito, and hesitated for a moment before asking, “Nineteen, did you start this company?”
“Yes.”
Seeing Zhao Jizhe’s hesitation, it was clear he had many more questions but was deterred by Li Xuan’s deep, inscrutable gaze. In the end, he couldn’t bring himself to ask.
“I… I’ll go now.” Zhao Jizhe licked his lips.
Li Xuan didn’t respond. Zhao Jizhe stood for a while longer, turned to leave, but Li Xuan called him back.
“Do you remember Aunt Xu from the orphanage? The one who loved to scold people?” Li Xuan’s face was expressionless.
Zhao Jizhe didn’t understand at first, but hearing Li Xuan mention the orphanage made him think that Li Xuan probably wasn’t angry anymore. He unconsciously smiled, “Nineteen, why are you mentioning her? Of course, I remember. We used to…”
“She particularly liked to say one thing,” Li Xuan said slowly.
Zhao Jizhe froze for a moment. “…What?”
Li Xuan pushed his chair back a bit, stood up, and walked up to him. He lowered his gaze and looked at him for a long time before smiling faintly. “Every time a new aunt came in, she would loudly say in front of all the kids, ‘Never be too kind to the orphans… a kindness given in rice is a grudge given in rice.”
For just an instant, Zhao Jizhe’s smile froze. After a long time, he looked into Li Xuan’s eyes. But there was no anger in them, if anything, it seemed more like tolerance.
“I don’t believe in that saying,” Li Xuan said calmly.
Zhao Jizhe locked eyes with him for a moment, then looked away at the ground. He didn’t respond, remained silent for a while, and then left.
1Author’s Note:In the next chapter, they meet.
