The Lighter

Being held responsible for the economic development of an entire small world was a huge burden for Tong Zhao to shoulder, but he really was in the wrong. He couldn't get a word in as he was being berated in the office, and when he walked out in a daze, his supervisor's roars were still ringing in his ears.

"Shu Sizhuo's life was supposed to follow a trajectory of success, a marriage alliance, and then even greater success! He was going to have a whole bunch of heirs, and he was going to reach the pinnacle of his life!"

"You broke the rules by pursuing him a second time and turned him gay when he was doing just fine. Now he won't go near women! The system has already issued a serious warning!"

"We've already sent several beautiful task-takers in there. Add up the cost—can you afford it?"

The headquarters understood that missions had unstable factors, so despite the scolding, they didn't punish Tong Zhao.

Tong Zhao spent quite a while in the bathroom and splashed cold water on his face before his jumbled thoughts settled a little.

He walked into the entertainers' classroom, where Shi Ruohe was sitting in his seat reading. Shi Ruohe immediately stood up when he saw him and smiled. "Tong Zhao."

Tong Zhao also composed himself and walked over with a smile. "How did the commercial shoot go yesterday?"

"It was okay, but those lines..." Shi Ruohe frowned, his face full of disgust.

Were there lines even more dramatic than his? Tong Zhao was intrigued. "What were they like? Say them for me."

Shi Ruohe found it hard to get the words out. "...In the freezing cold, you need a fire. In the silent depths of night, you need a fire. The Wind-and-Lightning Electric Oven, a fire just for you, your very own little sun!"

"Pfft, hahahaha!" Tong Zhao collapsed onto the desk laughing. "Yours is even more dramatic than mine, hahaha!"

Shi Ruohe was embarrassed.

"What about the moves?" Tong Zhao asked.

Shi Ruohe fidgeted, but went ahead and demonstrated them. They were even more exaggerated and seductive than Tong Zhao's.

Tong Zhao was so amused that tears came out of his eyes.

Seeing him laugh so happily, Shi Ruohe looked at him and smiled too.

That evening, Tong Zhao asked Shi Ruohe out for grilled skewers. The skewer shop was tucked away in an alley rather than facing the street, but business was good, and tables filled the roadside.

"This place is an old favorite. It's been open for eight years, and the food is especially good." Tong Zhao took two bottles of cola from the fridge, opened one, and handed it to Shi Ruohe.

The proprietress came over with a menu and asked what they wanted to eat. Tong Zhao ordered every one of the house specialties.

The proprietress stole glances at him as she wrote down the order. When Tong Zhao finished, she smiled. "Young man, you look so familiar."

Tong Zhao smiled. "You have so many customers coming and going every day. There must be plenty who look familiar."

"You look a lot like a customer I had years ago. My memory's a little fuzzy, but you really do look like him. He was about your age back then, and he used to come for skewers with a handsome man who was a little taller." The proprietress smiled sheepishly. "They were both so good-looking that they left quite an impression, but neither of them has been here in years."

Tong Zhao lowered his head and smiled, hiding the emotion in his eyes.

After the proprietress left, Shi Ruohe opened the other bottle of cola and handed it to Tong Zhao.

"Thanks." Tong Zhao took it.

"What's wrong?" Shi Ruohe asked softly.

"What do you mean?" Tong Zhao tipped his head back and took a sip of cola.

"I feel like you seemed a little down after the proprietress said all that," Shi Ruohe said carefully, watching Tong Zhao's eyes.

"Nonsense. She was talking about someone else. Why would I be down?" Tong Zhao shook his head with a smile. "Shi Ruohe, you're too sensitive."

Although Shi Ruohe had social anxiety, he was a future Best Actor, and he was particularly sensitive to changes in people's eyes and microexpressions. Still, Tong Zhao figured that as long as he stubbornly refused to admit it, it wouldn't matter what anyone noticed.

Shi Ruohe gave him a few more looks but said nothing.

They ate so much at this late-night meal that they were stuffed, and they also drank three bottles of soda, leaving their stomachs bubbling with gas.

Tong Zhao climbed to the fourth floor and had just taken out his key to unlock the door when the door next door opened. Zhang Yi'an, dressed in Doraemon pajamas, poked his head out. "You're back?"

Tong Zhao said, "You're still up?"

"I'm watching a movie." Zhang Yi'an glanced at Tong Zhao's door. "Your friend didn't come over today?"

Puzzled, Tong Zhao said, "Yeah. Why?"

Zhang Yi'an poked his head out a little farther. "Do you want to come over and watch a movie with me? It's a horror movie, and I'm a little scared."

"You were watching it just fine by yourself before I got back, weren't you? What are you scared of?" Tong Zhao asked, amused.

"At first I thought it wouldn't be that scary, but then..."

A phone suddenly rang, startling Zhang Yi'an, who had been speaking in a low voice. He even tightened his grip on the doorframe.

"Don't be scared, don't be scared. It's my phone." Tong Zhao laughed and took out his phone. Seeing an unfamiliar number, he answered, "Hello?"

There was a moment of silence on the other end, and then, after half a year, a familiar voice came through the line, low and pleasant.

"Tong Zhao."

A tingling sensation ran from Tong Zhao's ear to his heart, and he froze for several seconds before saying in surprise, "President Shu?"

"Mm. Are you asleep?"

"Not yet..."

"I think I left my lighter at your place."

"Your lighter?" Tong Zhao turned the key and signaled to Zhang Yi'an that he was going inside. "I'll look for it right away."

But Zhang Yi'an didn't take the hint and leaned halfway out of his door. "You're not going to watch the movie with me?"

Tong Zhao whispered, "Another day," then closed the door and flicked on the light.

Thinking that Shu Sizhuo had slept on the couch for a night, he went straight there to look.

"Tong Zhao," Shu Sizhuo called from the other end of the phone.

"Mm?" Tong Zhao tossed the cushions onto the armchair and peered into the gaps.

"Who just asked you to watch a movie?"

"Zhang Yi'an," Tong Zhao answered offhandedly. "My neighbor who's bored out of his ass all day long."

The other end of the line fell silent, but Tong Zhao didn't pay it much attention. He continued searching carefully for the lighter and soon found it in a gap near the armrest.

"I found it!" Tong Zhao pulled it out in delight, but when he got a look at it, his hand gave a sudden shake. "President Shu, you can't just leave a six-figure Grand lying around."

The man on the other end gave an indifferent hum.

Tong Zhao hefted the lighter in his hand. "This thing is too expensive. How about I bring it to your company tomorrow?"

"No need."

Tong Zhao said, "?"

"Open the door."

Tong Zhao said, "Huh?"

"I'm almost at your door."

Click. The door opened gently. In the old stairwell, its walls covered with locksmiths' phone numbers, a tall, stern young man stood dressed all in black. A fine drizzle was falling outside, and he was damp all over.

He lowered his eyes to gaze at Tong Zhao, then curved his lips in a faint smile. "I've come for my lighter."

Tong Zhao had only just returned and was still wearing his casual denim jacket. As he looked at Shu Sizhuo, his feelings were a world apart from how they had been when the two parted that morning.

Hua Xiaotang's appearance had reminded Tong Zhao who he was and who Shu Sizhuo was. They were simply not from the same world, and there was no point in dragging things out and remaining entangled.

So Tong Zhao stood in the middle of the doorway, showing no intention of letting Shu Sizhuo inside. He handed him the lighter and managed a strained smile. "Take good care of it. Don't lose it again."