CH 30

It was a very small house with one bedroom, one kitchen, one bathroom, and a small balcony for drying clothes. When they were in the most difficult time, two mature men lived here. Later on, Lin Chengyu successfully returned to the university to attend his classes and lived in the school dormitory, which had better facility, but he would come back when he had time.

He couldn’t explain clearly at that time, but he just felt very comfortable getting along with Jiang Xiao. When his life changed and he felt depressed, watching Jiang Xiao worked hard and be happy all day long, would make him always be encouraged and felt that life became more interesting.

He didn’t realize that it was love that took root.

Later, Jiang Xiao met many friends and important people who helped him. He gradually learned a lot and started a business. The two of them moved out of the rented house and lived in a commercial apartment with two bedrooms and one living room. It was a flat with more than 200 square meters in size. After Jiang Xiao and him confessed to each other some time later, he bought a small villa and the two of them had been living there ever since.

He thought that the two of them would live like this for the rest of their lives, but he didn’t expect his life had come to an abrupt end like that.

A house was a place of shelter and memory. When Li Chengyu held the small mousse cake and the key to open the door of the house, he was in a trance for a moment.

“Xiao Xiao,” He said softly, “I’m back.”

No one answered him.

The lights in the room were off, it was pitch black.

“…I brought the small cake you like.

“I’ll bring you a cake tomorrow too.

“It’s all my fault, I made you suffer too much.

“Now I will work hard ad give you all the best things in the world

“…Sorry, I know you hate me and don’t want to see me.

“But I miss you too much.”

He knew that the current Jiang Xiao didn’t want to get close to him anymore, but he just couldn’t help it. He wanted to treat Jiang Xiao well, no matter whether he could get reciprocated or not.

Lin Chengyu didn’t want to turn on the light. He just grope around and curled up on the small bed in the room. There was a reason why he didn’t dare to come back. Seeing things and thinking about the other, the more he thought about it, the more painful he felt. He wished he could go back and strangled his past self to death.

Fortunately, Jiang Xiao could rebirth again. However, he didn’t know whether he will be able to win back that warm yellow light and the person who was waiting for him to go home again.

Jiang Xiao himself didn’t remember many things and he didn’t expect to be dug out1 by Lin Chengyu after a lifetime.

He was jolted around by the truck on the way home, so he carefully protected the small cake in his hand. Fortunately, he stored it well and the weather was cold, so when he returned to Houlin, the small cake was still in the same condition after it was taken out.

Houses during these days usually had a storage room to store sundries, the size was about ten square meters, with split levels. Xia Wanwan had helped him to clean it before, therefore it could be used to store goods now. He moved some of the lighter goods he brought on the second level to be stored.

After cleaning up, he was finally able to sat down with his mother to enjoy the cake.

“I have brought this cake all the way back here with so much effort,” Jiang Xiao smiled at her with a coquettish tone, “It’s really delicious. If Mom likes it, I will bring it back for you next time.”

The mousse cake had a strong cheese and milk flavor. Although it was a bit small, it was enough to split for two people.

“It’s very delicious,” Xia Wanwan rolled her eyes, “but it’s too troublesome. Mom doesn’t want you to work so hard all year just to spend it for this cake.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” Jiang Xiao said, “I don’t think it’s hard work.”

Apart from being full, food always had special meanings. Just like Jiang Xiao’s wish, everything will be sweet in the future. When the cake was stuffed into his mouth, he was satisfied in his heart.

The day Jiang Xiao left Houlin to buy goods was actually the day when the school’s final grades came out. He had asked Lin Heyuan to help him to get his report card. Sure enough, not long after he came back, Lin Heyuan stood at the door of his house and knocked.

Just after Jiang Xiao finished moving his goods and eating something to mend himself, he felt tired and sleepy. It was hard to sleep in the big truck due to the shaking, but he still could squint his eyes for a while.

He was taking a shower when Lin Heyuan knocked, so Xia Wanwan opened the door for him.

“It’s Xiao Lin, quickly come in!” Her son’s friends, Xia Wanwan still knew. “Have you eaten yet? Why not have some at Auntie’s house?”

Lin Heyuan smiled at her politely and said, “Thank you, Auntie, I have eaten. Is Jiang Xiao back? I have his report card.”

“I’m here!”

Jiang Xiao just came out of the bathroom after taking a shower. He was wearing a pajamas. While he wiped his hair, he beckoned Lin Heyuan to sit down, then put on his plush slippers to took some things.

“Sit first, I have a present for you.”

Xia Wanwan bought that pajamas for Jiang Xiao. She carefully selected a set of brown bear pajamas, it looked very cute on him. Lin Heyuan stared at that brown bear who took something from the other room while wearing a pair of plush slippers. There was a bag being stuffed into his hand happily.

“For you.”

Lin Heyuan looked down and was stunned for a moment. There were several physics books in the bag and a small box underneath them. He opened it and saw that it was a little strange ornament. Jiang Xiao then showed it to him how it worked.

“The balls on the sides should move together, like this,” Jiang Xiao tried it and the ball started to move, “It seemes to be called Newton’s Pendulum, isn’t it magical?”

Lin Heyuan couldn’t react for a while, “… that’s amazing.” The principle of the Newton’s Pendulum wasn’t complicated. Lin Heyuan looked at him and asked, “How do you know I like physics?”

“You lent me your class notes, so I can tell.” Jiang Xiao then asked him, “Do you like this gift?”

Lin Heyuan nodded.

“That’s great,” Jiang Xiao said. “I’ve been choosing those books for a long time.”

There was still a faint smell of shower gel on his body. His hair was a bit dried from that little towel, but there were still a few wet strands hanging on his forehead. His face was a little red from the steam of hot water, as if one wanted to pinch it, water could come out of it.

“By the way,” Jiang Xiao remembered something, “Have the grades come out?”

Only then did Lin Heyuan remember his main reason for coming.

“Yes,” he took out the report card, but still stared at Jiang Xiao, “You are in the top 100.”

Number 95th in the school, among the top 100.

Although Jiang Xiao was confident in his heart, he felt relieved like a weight had fell from his shoulder when he heard it. He sincerely thanked Lin Heyuan, “Thank you. If it weren’t for your help, it would be difficult for me to improve so quickly this semester.”

“…it was you who worked hard.”

Looking back, Lin Heyuan couldn’t explain why he liked Jiang Xiao. At first, it was because of his sister’s watch. He found out later that the “degenerate” top student Jiang Xiao, was not what everyone thought. He was very nice and worked very hard. Later Jiang Xiao took the initiative to ask him to borrow class notes and he agreed, so naturally they had some exchange regarding studies.

Teaching Jiang Xiao to study was a very fulfilling thing. He was very proactive and could draw inferences from one point to another. He also had an interesting personality and was very lively.

Up until now, he had not regretted being friends with Jiang Xiao at all. There was light in this person’s eyes and Lin Heyuan had also seen it.

“Thank you for the gift, I really like it.” He was about to go back after delivering the report card. He looked at Jiang Xiao and said, “You are tired too, so go to rest early.”

He said that he liked it for so many times, so he probably really liked it.

“Got it,” The gift was well-matched, so Jiang Xiao happily waved at him, “I’ll bring it to you again next time.”

After he woke up from a nap, he was about to start planning how to sold his goods. He had planned earlier, realizing that their area had a thick forest that would be covered in snow during winter, there would be a special market there at the end of the year. This location would become the main attraction in the county and there would be a lot of people going there. Sellers would set up a stall to sell goods. During that time, many people who work outside their town would come back for family gatherings, and they were generous in buying the new year’s gifts. The business in that market had always been very good.

Ye Yingying’s father was grateful to Jiang Xiao for bringing his son to the right path again, so he found a good spot for him. The busiest time in the market was within this period, so Jiang Xiao had to be busy arranging everything. The stall had to be propped up the next day quickly.

Fortunately, this stall was very close to his home, so Ye Yingying got a tricycle2 from somewhere and his younger brother helped him delivered the goods.

Jiang Xiao gave him the art utensils he bought. Ye Yingying reacted, “Oh, I’m going to draw to death!” As he took them happily.

He really liked to draw, otherwise, according to Ye Yingying’s restless temperament, he wouldn’t have persisted until now. After all, learning art was very tedious.

After helping Jiang Xiao to deliver his goods however, he had to go back to the studio to continue painting. The winter vacation was not so long and Xia Wanwan also had to go to work. It was just a stall, Jiang Xiao thought he could handle it, but he didn’t expect Lin Heyuan to come.

“I’ll help you.” Lin Heyuan explained.

“Aren’t you doing homework at home?” Jiang Xiao was still a little surprised seeing him. “How do you know I’m here?”

Lin Heyuan sat down on the plastic stool beside him. “Ye Yingying told me that as for studying, it was not too late to continue later.”

He didn’t forget to bring something for Jiang Xiao, a thermos of hot cocoa. It would be very comfortable to drink them outside, in the cold weather.

Just as Jiang Xiao was about to continue talking to him, he heard someone calling his name from another direction.

“Xiao Xiao!”

At present, only Lin Chengyu would call himself that.

What is he for? Haven’t you had enough trouble in Liujiang not long ago?

Jiang Xiao’s originally good mood was somewhat destroyed, so he frowned. Before he could answer, he turned around and saw that that person had already walked to his stall.

Lin Heyuan also had an impression of him too. With Lin Chengyu’s face, it was impossible not to have an impression.

Isn’t he the strange person who pestered Jiang Xiao last time?

“Small business is hard to do, I want to help you,” Lin Chengyu walked into the stall. After seeing Jiang Xiao, he felt warm even in the cold weather, “I don’t want to disturb you, I really just come to help.”

Jiang Xiao could only said, “No, go away quickly.”

Lin Heyuan didn’t like him very much either, and he felt that this person was a bit weird. Anyway, he didn’t want him to stay by Jiang Xiao’s side, so he brought himself to say something after seeing this situation, “I can help Jiang Xiao. The stall here is small, so there can’t be too many seats for people.”

It was the first time for him to drove people out with intentions.

From the beginning, Jiang Xiao wanted to did it alone. He only brought two stools, one to sit on, and the other to put something conveniently. Now that Lin Heyuan came, the two stools were occupied. Now there were another person came.

“It’s alright,” Lin Chengyu said to him. He was holding a bag with a bunch of things inside, took a folding chair out of it, and smile, “I bring my own.”

Lin Heyuan couldn’t react for a while, “…”

He was getting more and more upset seeing this person.

Jiang Xiao now had Lin Heyuan sitting on his right and Lin Chengyu on his left. He felt a little strange sitting in the middle.

He just wanted to sell goods for money, how did the situation became like this?

However he didn’t have much time now, the number of people in the market was gradually increasing.

The goods on Jiang Xiao’s stall were very eye-catching and rare in Houlin. At the beginning, many people came up to inquire about the price. Jiang Xiao originally wanted to get Lin Chengyu away, but now the business became his main priority as there were customers. All of a sudden, he turned back his attention to the past and start promoting his goods to others.

Forget it, he had to be busy making money. Lin Chengyu could do whatever he liked.

Jiang Xiao’s smile was really welcoming, he also spoke eloquently, so he could coax customers of all ages very well. Moreover, the items he sold were really good and the price was just right, it was cheaper than the other stall. After a while, he had his first earning, it was from a mother who bought a small toy car for her son.

Both Lin Chengyu and Lin Heyuan, on the other hand, were not lively and eloquent people. Later, more and more people came to the booth and Jiang Xiao gradually became overwhelmed. The two men just glared at each other and sparks fly, until a customer yelled at them, “What are you doing, dazing off! Aren’t you trying to earn some money?”

The two people’s souls were suddenly called back by that auntie’s sharp voice.

<

>

1 dug out: I guess this sentence somehow have double meanings, as in Lin Chengyu keep pestering him, as well as the one who made him to rebirth…? But I don’t know for sure. Tbh, I only read several chapters ahead, not the whole story all at once. I feel that translating is quite tedious, so I found joy in getting the story bits by bits as I translated them. It’s like reading, but with more details.

2 tricycle or 三轮车 something that looks like this, I believe:

T/N: My fingers feels like they’re about to fall off. I know that I said last time that I will start posting Chu Wang Fei, but I have been translating non stop for the past few days and still didn’t manage to met my quota yet. Chu Wangfei’s chapters are around 6,500 – 7,000 each and some of them even have 10,000 words. So I will put it on hold.

For those who are curious, my translate process is that I will MTL the chapter first, then type them manually to edit minor grammar mistakes and honorifics along the way, so I will have a decent structure before editing. If not, just copy-pasting MTL for a whole chapter would be too much for my head. Then I would edit, with the help of google translate with its pinyin and speaker capabilities, yabla chinese dictionary (a god-sent thing it really is!), and thesaurus. I will also google search items, idioms, and other things I don’t know.

So yeah. A lot of work for a historical novel, you can imagine. Modern novels like this tho, it was not as difficult, thankfully.