Suo Yang found that he was not very good at rejecting Shen Huiming. When facing this person, he couldn’t say ‘I’m undeserving of your affection’ as politely and distantly as he did to other people.
However, in the end, it was just a matter of him not wanting to refuse.
He knew all too well what was happening because Shen Huiming was not the only one who was looking forward to that date.
“Then you’d better arrange something exciting.” Suo Yang looked at him and smiled, “If it’s boring, there really won’t be a next time.”
Shen Huiming laughed when he heard it, “So if I behave well, I can have a next time.”
Suo Yang smiled without saying anything and walked forward quickly.
After the two came out, they first went to buy a pair of trousers for Shen Huiming. Suo Yang said jokingly, “Mr. Shen, you know my family’s conditions, and I can’t really afford to buy the same type of trousers to compensate you.”
Shen Huiming followed him into the shop and said with a smile behind him, “I don’t know much about your family’s condition, but on another matter, you are indeed a bit of a bully.”
“Huh?” Suo Yang looked back at him suspiciously, “What?”
“Why do you call me Mr. Shen again?” Shen Huiming said, “It’s really out of place.”
Suo Yang smiled apologetically, “I’m used to it.”
During the conversation, the clerk greeted them and said hello to them. Suo Yang meant to ask the clerk to help choose a pair of suitable trousers for Shen Huiming, but Shen Huiming said, “No, since you are the one who is paying, of course you have to choose it.”
It was pointless for the clerk to choose.
This was a matter in which Suo Yang was not in a position of saying anything, so he could only let the other party do as he pleased.
Shen Huiming followed behind Suo Yang who had his eyes on the trousers on the shelf peacefully, while he stared at Suo Yang.
It was a subtle feeling, like a couple shopping, but it felt really sweet.
Both Shen Huiming and Suo Yang were people who went to shopping malls for nothing. Even if they needed to buy something, they would go straight to a certain store with a clear goal, and leave quickly after choosing. “Window shopping” was never a term that existed in their world.
But both made an exception for the other.
Suo Yang had no experience in buying trousers for others, and he was afraid that the one he chose would not suit the other party’s wishes. He took a good look at one pair and looked back at Shen Huiming.
“Relax and choose anything,” Shen Huiming could see his thoughts, “Even if it’s a skirt you chose for me, I would happily wear it.”
Suo Yang smiled, “How do you know that I plan to buy you a skirt?”
Shen Huiming liked to see the way he joked around, with a touch of cute slyness.
He felt that not everyone could see this side of Suo Yang, which made him very proud.
“I can give it a try.”
Suo Yang laughed out loud, then turned back, raised his hand and picked up the pair of trousers hanging on the shelf.
It was actually just a very common pair, and Suo Yang tried to be as conservative as possible in order not to make any mistakes.
Shen Huiming took it over, “I’ll try them on.”
He followed the clerk to the fitting room. Suo Yang followed behind and watched his back.
When Shen Huiming went to try on his trousers, Suo Yang stood in front of the huge mirror and waited. He looked at himself and suddenly felt a little strange because he couldn’t imagine that he was gradually getting into an intimate relationship with someone.
His solid world has been shattered, as Shen Huiming waited for the opportunity to stand by his side.
This feeling was not as terrible as he had imagined; on the contrary, he liked it a bit.
And so, it was really impossible for a person to live on an island that was really isolated. There would always be a light boat with a fisherman on board.
When the two came out of the store, Shen Huiming was wearing the trousers Suo Yang bought for him, and when he walked his steps felt lighter.
Shen Huiming said, “Now I am almost a light year ahead of all my love rivals.”
Suo Yang smiled helplessly, “There really were love rivals.”
===
Shen Huiming had done his homework before and wanted to take Suo Yang for a stroll around Berlin.
But the time was short, only six hours, in fact, excluding the time on the road, it was less than six hours, and it was still in the morning. The most exciting part of the world would not wake up until night, so they couldn’t make it this time.
After the two left the airport, they went to have a simple meal first, and then planned to just take a short walk.
Night parties and performances, unique food and beer, at least today, were out of the question.
However, Shen Huiming didn’t feel regretful, he always had the feeling that time and mood slowed down when he was around Suo Yang’s side, and everything became relaxed and long-lasting, even if the two of them enjoyed the shade under a tree for a whole day, they wouldn’t feel bored but very comfortable.
All the plans were put on hold but they unexpectedly had a novel experience.
They wandered aimlessly after the meal, passed by a park in the middle of the street, and went in for a walk, unexpectedly caught a wedding.
At that time, they saw a church as soon as they passed through the garden in the middle of the street. Shen Huiming and Suo Yang were not religious people, and they were not interested in churches, but when they passed by, they saw two people in suits walking inside while holding hands, surrounded by a dozen relatives and friends, cheering and surrounding them.
Shen Huiming and Suo Yang slowed down, looked at them, and were suddenly called by one of the couple’s family and friends, inviting them to come along to the wedding.
Suo Yang subconsciously wanted to refuse, but Shen Huiming agreed with a smile.
Shen Huiming turned to look at him, “Let’s go, and get some happiness1.”
Suo Yang smiled helplessly and followed him inside as if accepting his fate.
Attending the wedding of two strangers was a bit unbelievable to say the least, but when Suo Yang stood at the end of the procession with Shen Huiming as the couple walked into the church, Suo Yang was able to blend in a little bit with the atmosphere.
In Berlin, you could see gay people walking by holding hands everywhere, and even kissing on the corner of the street.
Same-sex marriage was legalized here a few years ago, and such weddings were nothing new.
It was certainly not new to the locals, but it was an unusual experience for Shen Huiming and Suo Yang.
They sat in the chairs at the back of the church and witnessed the moment when the two men became legal lovers with their relatives and friends. Neither of them could understand German, but they seemed to understand it all, and every word really stuck in their hearts.
When the two exchanged rings and kissed together, Shen Huiming turned to look at Suo Yang.
He didn’t know what Suo Yang was thinking, but at this moment he suddenly felt that he was taking advantage of the situation because, in this church, it wasn’t just the lovers, when God heard and blessed the couple, perhaps God could also be distracted to come to see them both and hear their heartbeats.
Shen Huiming greedily stole a little God’s blessing from the couple and made a wish that if possible, they would return to this church together one day in the future.
It was a kind of vow fulfilment wish.
When Shen Huiming and Suo Yang walked out of the church, they were dazzled by the sun and they raised their hands to cover their foreheads almost at the same time.
They looked at each other and smiled at the gesture, and Suo Yang said, “The weather is really nice.”
The two people standing in front of the church looked up at the blue sky together. At an altitude of 30,000 feet, there should be planes flying by at this moment. They couldn’t hear the rumbling sound, but they must exist.
Shen Huiming said, “Can I ask you a more personal question?”
“Go ahead.”
“Have you ever thought about the kind of person you would spend your life with?”
Suo Yang put down his hands and walked down the steps.
Shen Huiming followed him, and the two sat on the pew in front of the church.
“I thought about it when I was a kid; when I was a teenager.” Suo Yang replied, “But later I found out that what I think about this matter is actually not important.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because imagination belongs to imagination, and reality can never make you feel so happy.” Suo Yang said, “But when you were a teenager, you didn’t understand this truth, and you always fantasized about some very beautiful things. When you grew up and saw everything clearly, you would know how childish you were at the beginning.”
Shen Huiming smiled, “Alas, in that case, I am still very childish now.”
Suo Yang looked at him.
“Because I still fantasise about such things now,” Shen Huiming said, “When I attended the wedding just now, do you know what I was thinking?”
Suo Yang looked at him and didn’t speak, but he had his own guess in his heart.
He said to himself: Don’t be too sentimental.
Shen Huiming said to him, “I’m not telling you.”
“Huh?” Suo Yang couldn’t hold back and smiled inexplicably.
“It’s a secret,” Shen Huiming deliberately messed with him, “Wouldn’t it be embarrassing to tell you everything? What if you feel that you have understood me thoroughly, and there’s nothing new left?”
Suo Yang shook his head and smiled, “Why are you like this?”
“This is just how I am,” Shen Huiming rested his hand on the bench next to Suo Yang’s, and when the wind brushed by, it was as if the wind could blow each other’s body heat over, “especially childish.”
Suo Yang leaned against the back of the bench and smiled, looking at the kites in the distance, feeling that the sky of Berlin was so beautiful that he was intoxicated.
Was it just the Berlin sky?
Of course not.
But Shen Huiming could have secrets, and so could he.
Suo Yang put the secret in his pocket and didn’t want to reveal a word to the other party, because he knew that Shen Huiming was not in a hurry to dig out his secret. Even though the other party had a telescope in his hand and didn’t intend to use it, he did not want to spy on each other ‘from a distance’. One needed to approach slowly, and then slowly walk in.
“I imagined that the person I would spend the rest of my life with would be a flight attendant,” Shen Huiming said suddenly, “working a lot, with the days and nights upside down, but enjoying the work.”
Suo Yang looked at him in surprise.
“That person would always be very polite and distant to people, but he was going to give me a nickname,” Shen Huiming said thoughtfully, “I think his surname should be Suo.”
Suo Yang sighed and laughed at him, “I thought you weren’t going to tell me?”
“I take it back, it’s hard to guess a man’s mind,” Shen Huiming looked at him, “It’s something I fantasised about as a teenager anyway, so it’s not out of the question to tell you about it.”
“Teenager?” Suo Yang glanced at him with a stern smile, “Nonsense.”
“That’s right, I’m talking nonsense.” Shen Huiming was very calm, “It’s something I was imagining when I was thirty years old, and I don’t know if it will come true in the future.”