As he headed upstairs, someone caught up from behind and grabbed him. It was the street singer who had sung in the square yesterday. He shoved a sheet of paper into Gu Wang's hand. "You helped me finish revising this song last time, but you never came to collect it. Why didn't you recognize me last night?" Gu Wang's expression had been so unfamiliar that he hadn't dared be certain this was the same boy, until he saw him singing onstage today.
Gu Wang was a little bewildered. He made out the words on the paper. There was a lot written on it, though not many lyrics, really, but the original melody had all been revised.
What surprised Gu Wang was the song-"Seeing Off the Gentleman."
The Original Host had written it for He Qinghuan. He had said he wanted to revise it. Had he already finished?
The young man was still talking. "You said you wrote it for someone you liked. I figured it must mean a lot to you. You forgot to take it when you left. With your talent, maybe it doesn't matter whether you have the notes, but I still couldn't rest easy. You didn't leave me your contact details, so I waited here for months. Now that it's back with its owner, I'll be leaving. I never stay in one city this long."
Although Gu Wang's mind was a complete mess, he still thanked him. As he watched the man leave Qing Bar, Shen Zhao looked astonished. "Wangwang, you still..."
Gu Wang tore up the paper and tossed it into the nearby trash can. "I forgot about it ages ago. Let's go upstairs. I want cake."
They had barely gone upstairs when He Qinghuan, who had come down long before, emerged from the side. He had come downstairs while Gu Wang was singing and sat in a booth nearby. None of the people talking had noticed him.
The trash can had just been replaced. It was shallow and had decorations on top. Without the label, it really wouldn't have looked like a trash can.
He Qinghuan picked up the pieces one by one. At the bottom of the last scrap was a line of writing-Oh my God, I really like He Qinghuan so much. Is he ever going to be with me or not? This is so annoying.
He Qinghuan blinked. His eyes were gloomy yet soft, and in that blink, a tear fell without warning.
Author's note: He Qinghuan: I'll change.
-There are actually lots of little details. He Dog has Wangwang pinned at the top of his WeChat chats. Several times, Wangwang showed strong resistance toward him, and he suppressed his desire for control every time. That includes this time, when he wanted to lock him up but softened in the end. Our He Qinghuan really will change.
Chapter 43
He Qinghuan hadn't shed the tear consciously. It was like water that had somehow splashed onto him. His expression was calm, showing no pain or anything else.
He found it a little strange himself.
What did it mean to like someone?
If wanting to shut someone away and lock him up counted, then he really, really liked Gu Wang. He had liked him long ago, and liked him even more now.
Whether it was the obnoxious boy who used to swagger around or the calm, outstanding Gu Wang of today, he wanted so badly, so very badly, to keep him shut away at home.
Shen Zhao couldn't hold his liquor. He had sneaked two glasses of baijiu, and on his way downstairs, he walked headfirst into the wall. Before Gu Wang and Song Zhiyan could help him, Yue Feng ran up from behind and caught him.
Shen Zhao's eyes were misty with tears. "Tell me, can I stay eighteen forever?"
Yue Feng wore a complicated expression. "But aren't you only seventeen?"
Shen Zhao said, "..."
They made their way outside. Ranran and the others took taxis and left first, leaving only Song Zhiyan, Shen Zhao, and Yue Feng, with Gu Wang and He Qinghuan walking behind them.
Gu Wang was thinking about Grandma Gu in the hospital and the Advanced Mathematics problems he hadn't solved at home. The young man who had suddenly appeared earlier hadn't affected him at all.
That was between the Original Host and He Qinghuan. It had nothing to do with him.
They fell behind. He Qinghuan was in his school uniform, much more understated and inconspicuous than in casual clothes, so Du Zhou didn't recognize him at first. Besides, it was nighttime, with neon lights flickering all around. He hadn't expected to run into He Qinghuan here.
Du Zhou draped a hand over Gu Wang's shoulder. At first, he had noticed only this boy, his slim back and clean air. He had merely intended to get a look at the boy's face, but when he saw it was Gu Wang, his smile became rather suggestive.
"What a coincidence, Gu Wang. I still remember your name," Du Zhou said, his hand still resting on Gu Wang's shoulder.
He didn't need to take it off himself. He Qinghuan reached up, caught Du Zhou's wrist, and flung it aside.
"He Qinghuan? What an even bigger coincidence." Du Zhou's smile cooled.
When the two failed to catch up, the three ahead looked back and saw that Gu Wang and He Qinghuan had already been surrounded. Yue Feng swore and shoved Shen Zhao into Song Zhiyan's arms. "Stay here and don't move. I'll go..."
Song Zhiyan frowned. "Buy some fucking oranges!"
Du Zhou liked roaming downtown at night with his gang, or climbing into other people's schools to look for pretty girls-or boys. Yue Feng really hadn't expected the world to be this small, or his luck this rotten.
This stretch was a little secluded, with another busy area just beyond it. Yue Feng was worried.
Eight times out of ten, He Qinghuan and Du Zhou would fight whenever they met. They had trained under the same Sanda instructor, and nobody else could get involved when they fought. But Yue Feng couldn't handle Du Zhou's seven or eight buddies either, especially with Gu Wang here. Gu Wang looked so refined; he surely couldn't fight.
In the past, Du Zhou had almost always thrown the first punch. This time, He Qinghuan struck first.
Gu Wang took several steps back. Yue Feng grabbed him. "Don't run. Help me."
Du Zhou's buddies were already closing in.
Gu Wang glanced at him. "No."
Yue Feng wailed, "He Qinghuan, look at this ungrateful little thing of yours!"
Yue Feng couldn't fight. He always got other people to do it. While He Qinghuan and the others practiced Sanda, he sat nearby eating and drinking. But he was ruthless. There wasn't much technique to it, but anyone whose throat Yue Feng got his hands around would definitely start questioning their life.
Someone kicked Yue Feng from behind. He staggered forward a few steps, then looked at the footprint on his school uniform, furious.
Gu Wang couldn't stand watching anymore. He had been quite far from the fight. Yue Feng felt only a gust sweep past before Gu Wang sent the person who had kicked him flying with a sweeping kick.
Yue Feng froze. "Fuck, that was kind of cool."
It wasn't that Gu Wang had gone soft. He simply couldn't stand watching.
The Original Host hadn't been much of a fighter and had liked ambushing people. Gu Wang preferred a fair, open fight. The boy landed at He Qinghuan's feet. Worried about Gu Wang, He Qinghuan looked back, and Du Zhou punched him in the face.
Du Zhou laughed. "He Qinghuan, this isn't like you. What's wrong?"
He Qinghuan spun around and kicked Du Zhou in the shoulder. Du Zhou staggered back several steps, clutching his shoulder, then gave a sinister laugh. "Today, I'm taking Gu Wang with me no matter what. Of course, you can always choose to kill me."
It wasn't Gu Wang he was determined to take. He was determined to steal something of He Qinghuan's.
Despite all He Qinghuan's efforts to conceal it, he hadn't managed to.
Gu Wang knew none of this. He and Yue Feng were fighting those seven or eight guys. Gu Wang was skilled. His fighting wasn't particularly professional, but he was clearly experienced. One punch could leave someone dazed.
Watching from behind, Song Zhiyan's blood boiled with excitement. He dumped Shen Zhao on the ground. "Stay here and don't move..."
Shen Zhao opened his eyes. "Where are you going?"
Even with Song Zhiyan joining in, they were at a disadvantage. The other side had too many people, and He Qinghuan couldn't look out for them. By the time he realized, Gu Wang had already taken several blows from clubs.
Yue Feng and Song Zhiyan were even worse off. Song Zhiyan got injured every single time he fought, and Yue Feng wasn't doing much better. Someone had swung a club into his face, and now blood streamed from his nose. There was no trace of the smug, elegant young gentleman he had been earlier.
He Qinghuan freed up a hand to block blows for Gu Wang. There were too many opponents, and they had brought clubs to look cool in their rebellious phase. Watching He Qinghuan struggle, Du Zhou felt triumphant for the first time in his life.
As long as he beat He Qinghuan, that was enough.
Du Zhou signaled to someone nearby. Gu Wang didn't notice, and someone behind him grabbed his arm and pinned his shoulder. The viciousness in He Qinghuan's expression suddenly deepened.
Yue Feng panted. "Du Zhou, I'm telling you, let him go right now. Don't touch Gu Wang."
Du Zhou didn't quite understand. "Is Gu Wang his precious darling? Even you're so... Tsk, tsk, don't be like that. People like us can have any kind of boy we want. You actually take these kids to heart?"
He had barely finished speaking when a length of rebar flew from behind Yue Feng and plunged straight into Du Zhou's shoulder. Beside them was a Jinpin Shop undergoing renovations, with plenty of dismantled materials dumped outside. He Qinghuan had pulled a piece of rebar from underneath and thrown it at Du Zhou without a second thought.
He still didn't think it was enough.
Yue Feng wrapped his arms around his waist and turned to yell at Du Zhou, "You stupid fucking prick, get lost!"
His buddies released Gu Wang. Gu Wang rose from the ground and watched He Qinghuan approach him, crouch, and lower his eyes, carefully brushing the dust from his trousers, then his clothes and back. When he saw the black footprints on Gu Wang's back, He Qinghuan paused and sighed.
"Did Yue Feng tell you to fight?"
Gu Wang couldn't resist He Qinghuan when he was like this. He shook his head. "I chose to."
Gu Wang sounded completely justified, even a little proud. He Qinghuan glanced at him, wanting to laugh a little, yet feeling irritated too.
Why did he have to step in? Wouldn't he have stayed unhurt if he hadn't? If I locked him up, none of this would happen.
Du Zhou and his friends hadn't gotten far before several police officers caught them. Du Zhou didn't care. His family had money. But he had dragged He Qinghuan down with him while he was at it. His father wouldn't let him off.
The officers in this district were different from those near their school. The latter dealt with student fights so often that they generally made a show of severity before letting them off lightly.
Here, it was different. They were hauled into the corridor and lined up, including the drunken Shen Zhao, who had sobered up considerably after being buffeted by cold wind the whole way.
"God, why? It's my birthday! And I'm spending it at a police station!"
Gu Wang and Song Zhiyan, Yue Feng and He Qinghuan all chose silence.
"God, why? I wasn't even involved. Why am I so unlucky?"
The others remained silent, pretending not to hear.
Du Zhou and his group were questioned first. Du Zhou emerged again not long after going in. He was injured, his face drained of color, so the officers inside immediately decided to send him to the hospital first. As he came out, he gave He Qinghuan an inscrutable smile.
Gu Wang and the others saw it. For the first time, Gu Wang initiated a conversation with He Qinghuan. Boys were probably all like this: once they had fought together, their bond became different.
"What's he smiling about?"
He Qinghuan paused, then gave him an offhand answer to placate him. "He had a high fever as a kid. It fried his brain."
Gu Wang said, "..." I probably shouldn't believe that.
Du Zhou clearly looked as though he had gained something and screwed someone over.
The surveillance footage showed He Qinghuan striking first, followed by Yue Feng getting hit, Gu Wang going on the offensive, and Song Zhiyan running over from a short distance away.
As they watched the footage, Shen Zhao said pitifully, "You just dumped me on the ground?"
Gu Wang looked at Yue Feng and Song Zhiyan. "You just dumped him on the ground?"
Yue Feng looked at Song Zhiyan. "You just dumped him on the ground?"
Song Zhiyan remained unmoved, brazenly holding out.
The officer handling them had a dark face. He slapped the desk and said, "This has to go on your record, and it can't be expunged later. But it won't have much of an impact."
He said it lightly, but having a record was like having a mark branded onto your life.
He Qinghuan raised his hand and said mildly, "I'd like to make a call."
The dark-faced officer had intended to bark at him, but the boy remained calm and composed despite the injuries on his face. His bearing didn't suggest an ordinary family, either. The officer nodded and let He Qinghuan make the call right there.
The call lasted only a minute, perhaps less. He Qinghuan said, "Dad, I've run into a little trouble."
He Zhiyan spoke to the dark-faced officer. Once the call ended, the officer's attitude immediately changed. He cleared his throat. "Well, you and that Yue-Yue-something kid can leave. The other three will have to wait for bail."
Gu Wang didn't mind when he got out. Gu Dazhi would definitely come and have the record expunged. He just didn't want to worry them, and he was also worried Du Zhou would cause trouble for the Gu Family.
Shen Zhao and Song Zhiyan looked utterly despondent. They were definitely going to be beaten to death.
He Qinghuan pulled out two tissues and handed them to Gu Wang. Standing beside him, he watched him wipe the dirt from his face before raising his eyes.