After parking his car in the garage, Fang Hao went upstairs. Perhaps due to the recent switch from night shifts to day shifts, his internal clock was a bit messed up, and he didn’t even have much appetite.
His home was located in a residential area near the airport. While air traffic controllers didn’t earn exceptionally high salaries, it was a stable career with various benefits, including housing and several social insurances. After packing a few things, he planned to go for a night run to clear his mind.
He had been part of the track and field team since high school and continued to pursue this hobby for more than ten years now. Running ten kilometers daily was a routine for him, and if he wanted to participate in a race to improve his personal best, he would follow a more rigorous training plan. However, ever since he was assigned to Daxing Airport, his work schedule had become more intense, making it difficult to get proper rest after night shifts. As a result, he rarely ran more than fifteen kilometers during the day.
After changing into his running shoes, his phone beeped with a message. Fang Hao glanced at it and saw the sender’s name was Gu Chun: “Fang Hao, are you working this weekend? Would you like to come over to my place for a drink?”
Surprisingly, Gu Chun wrote his single character’s name, “Hao,” correctly. Worthy of being a top student. Fang Hao silently gave him a thumbs-up.
Fang Hao had met Gu Chun at an LGBTQ bar just a week ago. Gu Chun, a seemingly successful white-collar financial analyst, appeared well-mannered and attractive. Although Fang Hao didn’t particularly like him, he found him gentle, polite, and easy on the eyes. He recalled that he had gotten a bit drunk and went along with Gu Chun to his spacious apartment on the Financial Street. They continued drinking and eventually spent the night together. His impression of that night was similar to his first impression of Gu Chun, neither good nor bad. However, because Gu Chun was polite and allowed Fang Hao to take the lead, the experience wasn’t unpleasant, and Fang Hao thought that a repeat encounter wouldn’t be out of the question.
Then again, he thought, After their lovemaking, he found himself drenched in sweat, reclining on Gu Chun’s bed, and indulging in a post-coital cigarette. Gu Chun asked, “Are you a student?” Then he suddenly sat up as if frightened: “A college student?”
Fang Hao stated, “I’m 29 this year.” His youthful appearance, coupled with a hairstyle like a buzz cut, often made people doubt his actual age.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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Gu Chun continued, “What do you do for a living?”
Fang Hao unhesitatingly responded, “I work in air traffic control, specifically in air traffic management. That’s why I live near Daxing Airport.”
This profession wasn’t well-known, and Gu Chun obviously hadn’t heard of it. Gu Chun asked, “So, is it similar to being a traffic cop?”
Fang Hao smiled and said, “Something like that.”
Comparing air traffic control to the role of a traffic cop is not entirely accurate.
Air traffic control is a complex task that involves working in three-dimensional spaces, managing not only direction and positioning but also speed and altitude while taking into account each aircraft’s unique characteristics and sizes. Each controller relies on their extensive experience to operate with precision and efficiency while using rapid information retrieval in their minds to constantly ensure safety.
However, Fang Hao didn’t intend to glamorize his profession, as it typically involves high pressure and low salaries. The sense of accomplishment after successfully managing heavy air traffic flow, or the relief and satisfaction after once again turning the situation around in a potential crisis, are things that most people couldn’t comprehend. The happiness, sadness, and difficulties of this job are best understood by those who are in the field.
He didn’t think Gu Chun would cancel their date because of his profession, and indeed, a week later, he received a message from him. He closed his eyes and thought about whether he should go. The drive from his place to Gu Chun’s took nearly an hour, which he considered to be a good way to measure things. Fang Hao had always told himself that those willing to drive an hour for a date were genuinely interested.
Perhaps sensing his hesitation, Gu Chun quickly sent another message: “How about I come to your place this time?” After a while, another message came: “And maybe we could grab a meal together?”
This time, Fang Hao had no reason to decline.
Gu Chun somewhat resembled his ex-boyfriend, Lu Jiawei. Both were white-collar professionals leading stable lives with consistent incomes, and even their backs were a bit similar. It had been two years since Fang Hao and Lu Jiawei broke up, a clean split due to Lu Jiawei’s infidelity. However, even after their breakup, Fang Hao couldn’t shake off the post-breakup conversations.
Instead of being honest and asking for a breakup, Lu Jiawei had been willing to take risks and repeatedly cheated on him, even though he had the keys to Fang Hao’s home. Fang Hao struggled to accept this both emotionally and logically. Although Lu Jiawei had been the one pursuing him in the beginning, and Fang Hao hadn’t felt an instant connection, over time, he had grown to appreciate Lu Jiawei’s company and had invested a lot in the relationship.
That was until one day, he had finished two nightshifts and drove for over an hour to surprise Lu Jiawei at his place, only to find him entangled with a young and attractive man in the living room.
Lu Jiawei was a lawyer at a large international law firm. He was quite eloquent and didn’t seem panicked even when caught red-handed. Afterward, both of them found an opportunity to sit down and talk. Lu Jiawei had clearly come prepared; during the conversation, he had confessed, “Our life has been too dull. I’ve wanted to end it long ago, but I didn’t know how to tell you. Every time I tried, you would become upset, and you would start to fall apart if things were out of your control, so I kept postponing it. However, I’m growing tired of myself and seeing you like this. I don’t even know what’s wrong anymore. That’s why I haven’t wanted to see you as much these past few months…”
Fang Hao coldly thought that Lu Jiawei was trying to manipulate him emotionally. What Lu Jiawei did was clearly wrong, yet he had managed to make Fang Hao feel like the one at fault. Initially, he had intended to meet with Lu Jiawei to end their relationship and move on. However, he did not expect Lu Jiawei to come up with such a flimsy and weak excuse. At that time, he still had feelings for Lu Jiawei, so he felt miserable and deeply wronged.
Throughout the entire ordeal, Fang Hao had no idea what he had done wrong to make Lu Jiawei feel so irritated by his mere presence. But he had always been unable to argue with Lu Jiawei, so he could only leave in haste.
Since then, he unexpectedly remained single for two years. During this time, he hadn’t actively sought out new relationships. Occasionally, when he went to bars or relaxed with friends, if he found someone he clicked with, he would go out with them, like he did with Gu Chun a week ago. More often, he would just stay in his apartment in Daxing, have a drink, read books, plan his long-distance runs, and sometimes have remote movie nights with his younger brother, Fang Shengjie. He had settled into a quiet life revolving around the airport and his home.
Maybe he was just a rather boring person, as Lu Jiawei always said.
Translator comments: Regarding the sentence where Fang Hao mentioned their “back”. In the dictionary, the literal translation is “rear view.” I can’t help but imagine Fang Hao admiring their, ahem, assets from behind. 😄
Lu Jiawei is such a scoundrel. The word scum keep popping up while I was translating. Poor Fan Hao. TT___TT He needs some love.
Also, Merry Christmas everyone! This is a double update. Enjoy! 🙂
What a d*ck! Poor bubu, why did you have to met a scum like that!
Thank You for the new chapter (๑˙❥˙๑) Very Merry Christmas! Wishing You a pleasant time! ( ˘ ³˘)♥
💜 Merry Christmas! 🙂
Seeing two updates is truly delightful! Thank you for the chapter. Merry Christmas to you too!
Merry Christmas. Thanks for reading. 🙂
that ex was pulling some classic gaslighting technics, what a jerk