Chen Yunqi's dripping hair brushed against San San's ear, and the scent of shower gel wafted over. But the expected hug didn't come; instead, there was a "click," and San San opened her eyes.
Chen Yunqi reached behind him and opened the door. He said gently to San San, "Get into bed quickly, it's cold."
The two of them dashed into the house like little sparrows and jumped onto the bed. San San's heart was still pounding. The scene of Chen Yunqi lying on his back drunk last time, his breath brushing against his ear, was still vivid in his mind. At that time, they had only known each other for a short time, and Chen Yunqi was so drunk that he was completely unconscious. San San's attention was more focused on carrying him safely back home.
This time was different. Facing the naked Chen Yunqi, San San finally realized that his unusual attraction was not because he was shy, but because of a very primal desire.
She longed to be with Chen Yunqi, to hug him, even to kiss him...
He suddenly realized that these desires had been lurking within him for a long time, perhaps even since the first time he met Chen Yunqi. Repeated unintentional touches had finally made these desires uncontrollable, eager to devour him.
Night deepened. The lights were off, plunging the room into darkness once more. San San lay huddled under the covers, his mind reeling from the awakened desire, ashamed of his filthy thoughts. Chen Yunqi treated him like a younger brother, yet he had harbored such inappropriate ideas about Chen Yunqi. He couldn't understand himself at all. In a fit of anger, he pulled the covers over his head, closed his eyes tightly, and forced himself to sleep.
"San San, are you asleep?" Chen Yunqi suddenly asked tentatively, his voice steady and pleasant in the darkness.
"Not yet, I can't sleep..." San San peeked out from under the covers. After his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he could vaguely see Chen Yunqi lying flat on the bed, his arms behind his head, staring at the ceiling as if he had something on his mind.
Hearing San San's response, Chen Yunqi turned over and lay on his side, facing San San's direction, and said softly, "I can't sleep either, I want to talk to you for a while."
San San's emotions, which had just calmed down, began to fluctuate again. He didn't know what Chen Yunqi wanted to say to him; he felt a mix of anticipation and nervousness. He turned over to face Chen Yunqi, as if prepared to listen attentively.
“I used to…maybe I had some psychological issues…” Chen Yunqi didn’t know where to begin. Under the cover of darkness, he slowly opened his tightly closed heart, exposing the little emotions that had been buried deep in his heart for a long time without any defense.
“Actually, it’s all my own doing.” His voice suddenly became hoarse. “My life has always been pretty smooth sailing. Apart from the time my grandfather passed away, I haven’t encountered any major setbacks. But I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I just feel dissatisfied and like I can’t do anything perfectly. I’m always disappointed in myself. I don’t want to do anything and I can’t muster any enthusiasm for anything.”
"I can't even feel the physiological needs that a normal man should have." Chen Yunqi chuckled self-deprecatingly as he said this, "I'm too lazy to even masturbate."
San San didn't understand. His life had been dull and uninteresting for decades. From childhood to adulthood, he had only ever faced the people and land of the village, the mountains and the white clouds. The daily labor and the pressure of survival left him with no leisure time to lie down and be alone with himself, to look into his inner world.
But he seemed to deeply sympathize with the "dissatisfaction" Chen Yunqi expressed. He was actually dissatisfied too, but he never dared to show it or ask for more.
Before meeting Chen Yunqi, he thought his life would continue in this uneventful way, following in his parents' footsteps, perhaps farming for a lifetime, or perhaps working in the county town to support his younger sister's education and his parents.
Chen Yunqi gave him the courage to hope for the first time in his life, and a sliver of confidence. San San thought Chen Yunqi was such a good, such a perfect person; he both admired and liked him. After getting to know Chen Yunqi, he often imagined how wonderful it would be to become someone like Chen Yunqi, and what it would be like to have a different destiny, a different life.
But Chen Yunqi, whom he considered so outstanding, was now sadly telling him that he was an insecure and cowardly person.
“My grandfather had a huge influence on me. When I was very young and didn’t understand what life and death were, I often thought that if my grandfather were gone one day, I would never continue to live alone.” Chen Yunqi’s voice trembled slightly when he mentioned his grandfather. “After he left, I became hopeless and dared not love or hate. I was terrified of the inevitable birth, aging, sickness and death. I thought I would be like this forever, becoming lifeless and living out my life wearing a kind mask.”
Chen Yunqi sat up and took a cigarette from the pocket of his clothes hanging at the foot of the bed. He didn't have the habit of smoking in bed, but at this moment he unconsciously lit it, taking a greedy deep drag, as if using nicotine to suppress his surging and overflowing sadness.
San San also got up, covered herself with the blanket, and sat with her knees drawn up to her chest. In the darkness, she smelled the tobacco scent wafting in the air and listened to Chen Yunqi speak slowly again.
“You know, that time you fell asleep in my arms, and as I looked at you, thinking about your trust and reliance on me, I suddenly wasn’t sad anymore.” Chen Yunqi chuckled softly. “Without you, I probably wouldn’t have made it up the mountain. I would have felt it was meaningless because of exhaustion and given up halfway. Without you, maybe I would have had enough and left by now.”
"Before I came here, I was worried that changing my environment might not make any difference. But now, it seems like I've encountered something meaningful and someone I want to take care of. I want to try my best to achieve it, even if my abilities are limited."
Because of your silly remark about wanting to repay me, I also want to repay you.
Chen Yunqi looked at San San: "Will you always trust me?"
San San paused for a moment, then lifted the covers and got out of bed. She climbed onto Chen Yunqi's bed, sat down facing him, took the cigarette butt from Chen Yunqi's hand, and extinguished it in the water glass on the bedside table.
His fair face was framed by clear, watery eyes that shone with a faint, translucent moonlight, pure yet cunning like a young animal.
After a long while, he took the initiative to reach out and hug Chen Yunqi, answering his question with his actions.
Everything in the town fell asleep. In the stillness, night and fog intertwined, scattered and then gathered again by the howling wind. In the town's hotel room, the flimsy glass window rattled softly in the wind. Two young bodies slept in each other's arms, two lonely hearts nestled together, warding off the biting cold night.
San San had countless chaotic dreams, each fragment broken into pieces.
When San San woke up, Chen Yunqi was still asleep, and San San didn't dare to move for fear of waking him.
The two slept fully clothed last night, filled with unspoken emotion. San San lay on his side, his head resting on Chen Yunqi's arm, while Chen Yunqi gently embraced him from behind, patting him rhythmically. They gradually drifted off to sleep, maintaining this intimate, lover-like posture throughout the entire night.
Chen Yunqi's embrace was warm, and he lay there affectionately, imagining Chen Yunqi's sleeping face behind him. He wished time could stand still, so that he could stay in Chen Yunqi's arms like this forever.
Outside the window, the shouts of early-rising farmers herding their cattle could be heard. The room was poorly soundproofed, and the people in the neighboring rooms, having rested overnight, were full of energy again, walking back and forth in the hallway, chatting and laughing loudly.
Chen Yunqi was fast asleep and wasn't woken up until Yan Dong knocked on the door again. The moment he woke up, Chen Yunqi felt half his body go numb. He instinctively tightened his grip on San San's lower abdomen, gave him a tight hug, and lazily whispered in his ear, "Good morning, little classmate. What time is it?"
San San's ears burned and his whole body went numb from the soft voice he spoke, and he had some inexplicable reactions... He suddenly sat up with his back to Chen Yunqi, took Chen Yunqi's phone from the bedside table and threw it to him, saying "See for yourself," before rushing into the bathroom.
Before he could think about San San's strange behavior, Yan Dong was still waiting at the door. Chen Yunqi got up and stretched his sore shoulders, neck and arms, put on his pants and went to open the door. He saw Yan Dong carrying a bag of pancakes and two cartons of milk, looking very energetic. He didn't stand on ceremony and went straight into the room.
He handed breakfast to Chen Yunqi, then plopped down on the sofa and said, "Eat it while it's hot. Where's your brother?"
"It's inside," Chen Yunqi pointed to the bathroom, then opened the bag, held it up to his face, and smelled it. The still-warm pancakes emitted a fragrant aroma of oil. He unconsciously swallowed, but didn't eat them. When San San finished washing up and came out of the bathroom, he handed the pancakes to her and told her to eat them quickly. He then took the straw from the milk carton, inserted it, and put it aside.
San San sat quietly eating breakfast on the edge of the bed, while Chen Yunqi brushed his teeth and listened to Yan Dong talk.
"I heard the landslide area wasn't very large and there were no casualties. They started emergency road clearing last night, and it should be finished by this morning. We'll go to the bus station to wait for news, and we'll set off once the road is open."
When Yan Xia stammered that she hadn't managed to get Chen Yunqi to go out for fish, Yan Dong complained that Yan Xia was hopeless and incompetent. He was exasperated, and having come early that morning hoping to create another opportunity for Yan Xia, he asked, "What are your plans? Would you like to try hiking back with us?"
Chen Yunqi forced a smile with a mouthful of toothpaste foam in his mouth, quickly waved his hand, went into the bathroom to rinse his mouth, and came out wiping his mouth, saying, "We won't join in the fun, my brother's family will be worried if we go back too late."
Yan Dong couldn't persuade him any further and had to give up regretfully.
After Yan Dong left, Chen Yunqi ate the remaining half of a pancake from San San and drank some milk to fill his stomach before taking another shower. This time, the hot water was more than enough for one person, and he showered from head to toe, as if he wanted to make up for all the showers he had missed recently. After a satisfying shower and getting ready, he and San San went downstairs to check out.
The same blond-haired young man from yesterday was sitting at the front desk, engrossed in a mobile game. He took out the deposit, didn't even count it, and returned it to Chen Yunqi. Chen Yunqi put the key back on the table, ignored San San's objections, picked up all the things by himself, wrapped San San up tightly from head to toe, and pulled him out of the hotel.
They followed Yan Dong and his group back to the bus station. After smoking a few cigarettes and chatting for a while, a bus driver soon informed them that the road ahead was clear. A few people from Yan Dong's group had gone to town for fish and hadn't arrived yet; they would wait until everyone was there before setting off.
The bus hadn't departed yet, and Chen Yunqi didn't want to wait any longer, so he found a motorcycle, negotiated a price, and planned to get back as soon as possible. Just before parting, Yan Dong saw Yan Xia watching intently as Chen Yunqi put a hat on San San's head, but not doing anything for a while. So Yan Dong took the initiative to go up and get Chen Yunqi's phone number.
San San sat between the driver and Chen Yunqi. The motorcycle started, and Yan Dong waved to Chen Yunqi, shouting at the top of his lungs amidst the roar of the engine, "Be careful on the road! See you on the mountain!"
Chen Yunqi also raised his hand: "Until we meet again!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the car suddenly lurched forward. Chen Yunqi wrapped his arms around San San's waist from behind and whispered gently in his ear, "Hold on tight, we're going home."
A note from the author:
--- Chen Yunqi is such a scumbag. He claims he's not gay while he's relentlessly flirting with San San. I'll deal with him later...
Chapter Nineteen: Stitching
This time, Chen Yunqi walked more steadily and faster up the mountain. He began to act like a mountain dweller, no longer afraid of the treacherous mountain path. San San noticed Chen Yunqi's changes and followed behind him without trying to help him again.
It was already afternoon when they returned to the village. San San had to go home first to let them know she was safe, so Chen Yunqi went back to school alone.
Tang Yutao and Li Hui finished painting the wall. The cement wall was already uneven, and the black paint made it look even more pitted and uneven. Chen Yunqi picked up a piece of white chalk and tried writing a few words on it. It was alright; it could be used as a makeshift blackboard.
After the last class, Chen Yunqi took Huang Yelin back to his room and regretfully told him that he hadn't been able to buy sketching paper and other tools, and that he would try to find them again next time he had the chance to go to the county town.
Just as Huang Yelin was feeling somewhat disappointed, Chen Yunqi took out a neatly folded piece of blue and white floral fabric from his bag, handed it to him, and said, "Open it and take a look?"
Huang Yelin took it with some curiosity, unfolded it, and found it was a dress! He immediately realized it was for Huang Xiaoya, but still stared wide-eyed at Chen Yunqi in disbelief, saying, "Bought for Xiaoya?"
Chen Yunqi patted his head: "Otherwise, you wear it?"
Huang Yelin smiled, his face beaming with uncontainable joy, even happier than when he himself had received the gift. He admired the dress from every angle, muttering, "Great! My sister will be overjoyed!"
He folded the skirt again, carefully put it into his schoolbag, and couldn't wait to take it back to Huang Xiaoya. He shouted "Thank you, Teacher Chen!" as he rushed out the door. Chen Yunqi called after him, "Slow down!" Caught up in his excitement, she couldn't help but smile.
After seeing Huang Yelin off, Chen Yunqi put the train ticket and stomach medicine in his pocket and went to Li Laoqi's house with Tang Yutao and Li Hui.
Li Laoqi went out to work again, leaving only his third aunt and grandfather at home. His third aunt brewed beer and made cured pork and potatoes to treat them. Chen Yunqi gave the train ticket to his grandfather, who thanked him repeatedly and exchanged a long, rambling, and somewhat irrelevant conversation with Chen Yunqi.
As Third Sister was adding rice to her bowl, Chen Yunqi handed her a small paper packet and said, "Third Sister, this is for you."
Third Sister was startled. She quickly put down what she was holding, wiped her hands on her clothes, and solemnly took the item. Opening it, she saw a pair of uniquely styled earrings. She was somewhat surprised: "Teacher Chen? This..."
Chen Yunqi picked up the bowl and added rice to her bowl, saying, "I saw you had pierced ears the other day, but I didn't see you wearing earrings. I saw some in town yesterday and thought they suited you, so I bought them for you. They're nothing expensive, so please don't mind, Third Aunt."
Third Sister held the earrings, thanking them repeatedly with great joy. Without even looking in the mirror, she put on the earrings and asked with a hint of shyness, "Do they look good?"
Tang Yutao gave a thumbs up: "Beautiful! Xiaoqi has good taste and knows how to choose!"
Grandpa smiled and praised her earrings in Yi language. Third Sister blushed and took them off, saying, "I'm too old for this. I'll keep them safe and wear them again when I have the chance to visit my sisters in the city."
Li Hui shoveled some rice into his mouth and said with a forced smile, "Teacher Chen, aren't you afraid of getting beaten up for giving gifts to someone else's wife?"
Chen Yunqi didn't speak, but Third Sister quickly said, "No! Old Li is simple-minded, he's not that stingy."
Chen Yunqi also gave several boxes of stomach medicine to Third Aunt. Third Aunt held the medicine boxes and earrings, and her eyes welled up with tears after a long while. She choked up and said, "Seventh Brother's stomach problems flare up and hurt terribly. We can't afford to go to the hospital, and we don't know what medicine to give him. Thank you so much, Teacher Chen."
Chen Yunqi felt a pang of sadness and didn't know what to say, so he comforted her, "It was nothing, Third Sister, don't be so polite. I bought some stomach medicine, all Chinese patent medicines, which only treat the symptoms, not the root cause. Stomach problems are not trivial matters, you still need to find a way to see a doctor."
Third Sister wiped away her tears and nodded, then steeled her heart and said, "I'll sell all the sheep this year, I have to go and see them no matter what."
While they were eating, shouts suddenly came from outside. Someone was calling for Li Laoqi inside. Third Sister stood up and went to the door to answer, "Hey—Laoqi isn't home! Come in and talk!"
The visitor then asked, "Are Teacher Tang and the others in your room?"
Chen Yunqi, Tang Yutao, and Li Hui all stopped eating upon hearing this, a bad feeling creeping into their hearts. Who would come looking for them so late at night?
Third Sister replied, "All three teachers are inside!"
The man didn't speak again. After a series of footsteps, he went into the house. He was an unfamiliar face; Chen Yunqi didn't recognize him.
He rushed in, not even sitting down, and said to Chen Yunqi and the other two, "Huang Youzheng's child has been hit by a stone, you should go and see!"
Chen Yunqi put down his rice bowl and walked out, almost bumping his head again.
The man who came was a villager from Group 4. His cornfield was on the road leading from the school to Group 6. In the evening, after finishing his farm work, he was heading home when he encountered several students playing on the road after school. Rocks often roll down from the mountain, usually injuring livestock, but this time Huang Yelin was unlucky enough to be caught in the crossfire.
He was having a great time playing with his classmates when a fist-sized rock rolled down from a height and hit him instantly on the back of the head.
Huang Yelin collapsed to the ground without saying a word, blood flowing from the back of his head.
The children traveling with him screamed in fright, and the villager, seeing this, quickly called for people from the nearby fields. Everyone knew that Huang Youzheng had disappeared, and that his family only had a simple-minded woman who didn't understand anything. So, the group carried Huang Yelin back to the school.
As Chen Yunqi listened to the villagers recount what had happened, he walked back quickly with a grim face. From a distance, he could see several people waiting at the school gate, one of whom was carrying Huang Yelin on his back, half of his shoulder covered in blood.
Tang Yutao jogged over and unlocked the door. Chen Yunqi had someone carry Huang Yelin into his house.
Huang Yelin was a little more awake by now. Chen Yunqi called his name softly, and he blinked weakly, saying, "Teacher Chen... my schoolbag... my skirt..."
Chen Yunqi turned to look at the person who had been carrying Huang Yelin. The person handed over the schoolbag, which was also covered in blood. Chen Yunqi opened the schoolbag, quickly checked the skirt, and said to Huang Yelin, "Don't worry, the skirt is here, it's not stained with any blood. I'll keep it for you, and we'll go home together later for Xiaoya."
Huang Yelin smiled with relief. Chen Yunqi then asked him, "Can you sit down?" Huang Yelin nodded, so Chen Yunqi pulled over a long bench for him to sit down. Tang Yutao brought the medicine box and the lights from the other rooms, and then turned on the flashlight and handed it to Chen Yunqi.
On the way there, villagers took off their clothes to bandage Huang Yelin's wound. The hair outside the wound was soaked with thick blood, sticking to his scalp in a clump. Chen Yunqi had Huang Yelin lower his head, first rinsing it with hydrogen peroxide, then carefully wiping away the scabs with cotton balls. Then he took a new pair of scissors from his pencil case, disinfected them several times with alcohol, and carefully cut the clump of dry hair.
After his hair was cut, a nearly 3-centimeter-long gash was revealed on the left side of the back of his head. Chen Yunqi examined it carefully with a flashlight. The wound was deep, the cut was open, and small spurts of dark red blood were still seeping out. He immediately frowned and said to Tang Yutao, "This wound is too big; you have to go to the hospital for stitches."
Before Tang Yutao could speak, a villager next to him said, "There's no hospital in town. You have to go to the county seat, but that won't be fast enough."
Another person said, "Yeah, Teacher Chen, if you can't sew it up, could you?"
There are no large hospitals in Qinghe Town, only Chen Yunqi's small clinic where he sells stomach medicine, and there are no qualified doctors in the clinic. Now that it's dark, it will take at least 3 hours to carry Huang Yelin down the mountain. Even if there is a car, it will take at least 3 or 4 hours to get to Haiyuan County.