Falling Without Meaning To

With mobile payments so widespread, Ding Ding had not seen any banknotes other than hundred-yuan bills in a long time.

The fool pulled the stopper out of the piggy bank's belly, poked two fingers inside, and took out the banknotes a little at a time.

One yuan, five yuan, ten yuan... there were even jiao notes and coins.

The money in the piggy bank covered almost every denomination, creased from being treasured for so long, and was laid out neatly in front of Ding Ding.

"All for you," the fool said. "My money."

Ding Ding's throat tightened, and for a long while he could not speak.

The piggy bank was completely empty, yet Ding Ding felt that the weight in his hands was greater than before.

Too heavy, so heavy he could barely hold it, so he gently set it down.

"What are you giving it to me for? Keep it yourself."

Bai Congming refused, pushing the money toward Ding Ding.

"Mom said, marrying a wife costs money... for you!"

Ding Ding said nothing. His cold expression looked a little fierce as he picked up the banknotes on the bed and began counting.

Four thousand five hundred and seventy-two yuan and eight jiao. Ding Ding counted it over and over.

A fool actually had more assets than he did. Ding Ding smiled at the thought.

Bai Congming poked his face, his brows furrowed as though he found it a little displeasing.

"Don't smile. Ugly!"

"..."

Ding Ding took a deep breath. "Take it back. I don't want it."

"Want it!" The fool slapped the bed hard twice. "You want it! Bad guys go away!"

"They aren't bad guys," Ding Ding tried to reason with him. "I owe them."

That was not entirely right either. After all, the contract had not yet expired, so they really had no grounds to come demanding repayment.

But even when the contract expired, Ding Ding knew he would not be able to come up with the money.

Sooner or later, the outcome would be the same.

"Your mom left you money, not for you to throw around. You understand?"

Bai Congming tilted his head. "My money!"

"I know." Ding Ding nodded, stuffing the banknotes back into the piggy bank. "Even if it's your money, you can't throw it around."

Bai Congming wanted to say more, but Ding Ding suddenly took hold of his cheeks and sealed his mouth. As their breaths mingled, both of them froze.

"..."

Perhaps the night was intoxicating, and Ding Ding had lost his senses. By the time he came to himself, the fool's eyelashes were already brushing his face.

A kiss... wouldn't be such a big deal, would it...

With that thought, Ding Ding tightened his grip on his cheeks a little and gradually deepened the kiss.

A kiss while sober was very different. Bai Congming was dazed, feeling that his wife tasted sour at this moment.

Like a fruit picked from a branch before it had time to ripen, unable to return to the tree even if it wanted to.

At times like this, Bai Congming was very good, quiet and compliant. As though afraid the fruit would spoil, he held Ding Ding's hand with great care.

The sour fruit suddenly turned astringent, with a hint of salt.

Ding Ding let him go, turned his back, and wiped his face.

The room was very quiet, yet it also seemed very noisy. A pounding thumped away, and there was no telling whose heartbeat had gone out of rhythm.

"All right..."

Ding Ding drew a very old one-yuan note from the money he had not yet managed to put back. "This is enough."

Bai Congming bit his lower lip and stared at the one-yuan note in Ding Ding's hand for a long time.

"For you." The fool found another one-yuan note and held it out. "One more time."

Ding Ding finally smiled. "What do you take me for?"

Bai Congming draped his arms over Ding Ding's shoulders. "My wife!"

"...I'm telling you one last time." Ding Ding's tone was stiff, but his expression had relaxed. "Don't call me your wife!"

"Oh." The fool pouted, looking rather unhappy. "Ding-ge."

The newly replaced light bulb was bright, illuminating two figures leaning against each other. The gauze on Bai Congming's forehead looked even more jarring, and Ding Ding belatedly realized he should have given the injured man a better dinner.

"Does it hurt?"

Bai Congming yawned. "Doesn't hurt."

Ding Ding murmured an acknowledgment. "Go to sleep if you're tired."

"Not tired!" The fool straightened his back and answered very loudly. "Not sleeping!"

If I sleep... my wife will leave...

How could Ding Ding not know what he was thinking? He pressed his lips together and led Bai Congming to the wardrobe.

"Find me a set of pajamas."

"Pajamas..."

"Yeah." Ding Ding lifted his chin. "I'll stay with you tonight."

He said it without the slightest unease, though in truth, who knew who was keeping whom company? To put it plainly, Ding Ding actually had nowhere to go.

While the fool was taking a shower, Ding Ding went out wearing an old man's undershirt.

Naturally, he could not return to a house he had sold. Before leaving that day, Ding Ding had already packed his valuables and put them in the car.

Although he had lived there for three years, Ding Ding had spent most of his nights in the company's break room, working diligently, his home barely a home. There had not been much to pack, either; it did not even fill half the trunk.

After getting his charger, Ding Ding walked back at an unhurried pace.

The grocery store's lights were still on. The old man minding it was dozing in a recliner by the door. Ding Ding went in, looked around, and picked up a bottle of milk.

He lowered his head for a closer look. Three months past its expiration date.

"..."

"Are you buying it or not?"

The old man had woken at some point, and he startled Ding Ding by speaking with his brows raised.

"This is expired." Ding Ding was a little impatient.

"Oh!" The old man blinked hard twice. "You're from that fool's house?"

-He was also the one who had come to buy a light bulb with the fool earlier.

Although he knew Bai Congming was a fool, hearing the word from someone else made Ding Ding inexplicably uncomfortable.

He had only been impatient before. Now he did not even want to speak, and turned to leave.

"Don't get too close to him. Watch out, or that fool will latch onto you!"

Ding Ding stopped. "Does he owe you money?"

The question caught the old man off guard. "N-no..."

"Oh." Ding Ding turned around and looked at the old man calmly. "Then what has he latched onto you for?"

"Hey, young man, is that any way to talk..."

Ding Ding had no time for his nonsense. He strode ahead and disappeared into the night on Hongfang Street.

When he returned to the little courtyard, the fool had finished his shower and was sitting on the bed, holding Ding Ding's jacket in a daze.

Hearing footsteps, the fool turned his head as though he could not believe it. When he saw Ding Ding, he could not hide the delighted surprise on his face.

"Ding-ge!"

"Mm," Ding Ding answered, stepping forward to check whether the gauze on his head had gotten wet. "I told you I wasn't leaving."

The fool was overjoyed, the fool waved his arms and stamped his feet, as though Ding Ding alone could cancel out all his negative emotions.

A reaction like that really was very gratifying.

Ding Ding plugged in his phone, and the missed calls and unread messages that had built up over a long time all burst forth, chiming nonstop.

The fool leaned over curiously to look. Ding Ding did not hide anything, replying to messages right in front of him.

"Do you have a phone?"

Ding Ding asked casually, but to his surprise, the fool nodded and rummaged through the wardrobe for an old Nokia.

It really was old, the version you could crack walnuts with. Even charging it required a universal battery charger, the kind you could no longer buy.

"..."

"Phone died, too."

That phone might not die even after Ding Ding did.

"It's okay. Tomorrow..."

Ding Ding paused, then changed his words as he realized how strapped for cash he was now. "Later. I'll buy you one later."