Hong Minhang had not returned to Li Tang’s home for more than five years.
As he walked into the narrow and dark corridor, Hong Minhang felt a little dazed for a moment. It seemed familiar, yet different.
Li Tang opened the door and gently pressed the switch on the wall. The old fluorescent lamp suddenly emitted a soft light, causing Hong Minhang to squint his eyes.
Li Tang threw the key onto the coffee table in the living room and said to Hong Minhang, “Sit down.”
As Hong Minhang entered the house and glanced around, he noticed that, aside from the laptop on the dining table, the other furniture and furnishings seemed unchanged from five years ago.
Li Tang retrieved gauze and liquid medicine from under the TV cabinet, then returned to the sofa, instructing Hong Minhang, “Take off your clothes.”
Hong Minhang raised his hand, removed his coat, and attempted to roll up his shirt sleeves. Finding it inconvenient, he unbuttoned his shirt and took off one sleeve.
Observing Hong Minhang’s exposed shoulders and arms, Li Tang patted him with some emotion, “Five years have passed in the blink of an eye.” Hong Minhang, who used to wear baggy boxer shorts with thin arms and legs, now appeared in front of Li Tang as a slender young man with a layer of well-proportioned and strong muscles.
The wound on his arm wasn’t deep, and there was no glass shard left. Li Tang applied some liquid medicine, wrapped it in gauze, and finished the process.
Then, Li Tang told him, “Don’t take a shower today, just wipe it with hot water.” After that, Li Tang cleared the things on the table and said, “Rest for a while, I will take you back.”
Hong Minhang thought for a while and said, “Okay.”
He stood up and walked towards the bathroom. While standing in front of the sink, washing his hands, Hong Minhang saw the soapbox placed next to him. He couldn’t help but pick it up and look at it. Then, he opened the small wooden cabinet next to the mirror and saw his old water cup, which he used to have. What had been brought from Xiangzhu Street was not taken away after being placed here in Li Tang.
Li Tang did not throw it away for him but kept it in the cabinet.
Hong Minhang had originally planned to leave, but then he changed his mind. He came out of the bathroom, opened the refrigerator in Li Tang’s dining room, and asked, “Is there anything to eat?”
Li Tang was a person who could cook for himself. Although he hasn’t eaten at home recently, there were always some eggs and vegetables.
“Are you hungry?” Li Tang asked him.
Recalling that the two of them went to meet Hong Xiangfeng, they truly never had time to eat anything. Now that Hong Minhang mentioned it, Li Tang himself felt hungry, so he said, “I’ll cook you a bowl of noodles with tomatoes and eggs, is that okay?”
Hong Minhang said, “Of course.”
Li Tang took a tomato and two eggs and went into the kitchen. Hong Minhang also followed, saying that he wanted to help him.
Li Tang glanced at him, “Can you?”
Hong Minhang rolled up his sleeves, “Abroad, where you have to be alone, you still need to prepare food for yourself, even if it doesn’t taste very good.”
Li Tang gave him the eggs and said, “Then you can beat the eggs,” before turning on the stove to boil water.
While Li Tang was cooking noodles, Hong Minhang leaned against the door and looked at his back. It was amazing that, after so many years, Li Tang’s back didn’t seem to have changed at all. Time inadvertently overlapped with the past. The person from that time was always forgotten. People forget that the hungry Hong Minhang stood at the kitchen door, waiting for Li Tang to cook for him. And he saw that same back again.
Perhaps some memories were deeply rooted in his heart and could not be changed, no matter how much time passed.
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.
Coafg fjalcu, Ol Kjcu rfca Lbcu Zlctjcu tbwf.
Coafg jii, tf kjr cba atf mtliv tf erfv ab yf, rb Lbcu Zlctjcu tjv cb fzmerf ab rajs ja Ol Kjcu’r qijmf obg atf cluta.
Ol Kjcu vgbnf Lbcu Zlctjcu yjmx ab atf Lbcu ojwlis’r tberf. Coafg qjgxlcu atf mjg bc atf ijkc lc ogbca bo atf tberf, atfs cbalmfv atja atf ilutar lc atf ilnlcu gbbw kfgf ralii bc. Po Vlrafg Lej kfgf atf bcis bcf ja tbwf, rtf kbeiv kjamt KN lc tfg gbbw lcrafjv bo rajslcu lc atf ilnlcu gbbw. Ktfgfobgf, atf bcis qbrrlylilas ja atlr alwf kjr atja Lbcu Wljcuofcu kjr yjmx.
Hong Minhang glanced at Li Tang and said, “Go back first.”
Li Tang shook his head, “I’ll go in with you.”
As expected, Hong Xiangfeng was back. At this moment, he was likely not even halfway drunk but must have been affected by Li Tang’s mood.
Hong Minhang and Li Tang entered the door one after another. Hong Xiangfeng sat on the sofa, raised his head to look at them, and then said, “Li Tang, come here.”
Li Tang walked over as Hong Xiangfeng motioned for him to sit down on the sofa next to him.
Hong Minhang naturally would not go upstairs alone; he stood behind the sofa where Li Tang was sitting.
Suddenly, Hong Xiangfeng moved his hand, alarming Hong Minhang, who thought he was going to hit Li Tang. He was about to stop him, but he didn’t expect that he would just hit Li Tang on the shoulder and then curse, “Stupid boy, acting so recklessly.”
Hong Minhang breathed a sigh of relief.
Li Tang responded, “Gandie.”
Hong Xiangfeng pointed at him: “I wonder if your head was damaged today?”
Li Tang bent his back, rested his elbows on his knees, held his hands together, and shook his head, “Gandie, I’m sorry, I ruined your fun.”
Hong Xiangfeng took out a cigarette and motioned to Li Tang to light it for him.
Li Tang reached out for the lighter, then moved forward to help Hong Xiangfeng light the cigarette.
Hong Minhang stood behind him, watching Li Tang approach Hong Xiangfeng coldly. Hong Xiangfeng nodded to Li Tang.
Hong Xiangfeng said, “Okay, tell me what you’re thinking about today. I have never seen you so ignorant of propriety.”
Li Tang was silent for a moment. Then he said, “It’s nothing, I just saw that Yue Min’s mother was quite pitiful.”
“How pitiful is it?” Hong Xiangfeng asked, “You have been with me for so long, don’t tell me that you have never seen anyone more pitiful than her. What’s wrong with you? That woman stabbed your sworn father with a knife. If she had gone up a little bit, your sworn father might be dead right now, but you still felt sorry for her.”
Li Tang said nothing.
Hong Minhang suddenly said, “Dad, I also met that woman. She was very pitiful and sincere. She really wanted to apologize to you.”
“Shut up!” Hong Xiangfeng pointed at Hong Minhang, “I thought you had improved after being outside for so many years, but why are you still the same as before?!”
Li Tang looked up at Hong Minhang, shook his head at him, and then stretched out his hand to pull him to sit next to him.
Hong Xiangfeng took a deep drag on his cigarette and said, “Li Tang, I think your heart is no longer with me, ba?”
Li Tang quickly replied, “Gandie, how could that be?”
Hong Xiangfeng said, “I watched you grow up. How could I not tell what you’re thinking about? Ever since Minhang came back, you have been absent-minded about Dihong and other family affairs. What are you thinking about?”
Li Tang shook his head, “Gandie, it’s really nothing.”
Hong Xiangfeng flicked the cigarette ashes and said, “Li Tang, do you think that since Minhang is back, Dihong will belong to Minhang from now on, and we, the Hong family, won’t give you anything? That we would be unfair to you?”
Li Tang said, “How could that be? Gandie, you misunderstood. I have never thought of it that way.”
Hong Xiangfeng looked at Hong Minhang, “What do you think? Your brother has been with you every day. He takes you to and from work, eats with you, and even sleeps with you. Don’t you think there’s something wrong with him?”
Hong Minhang shook his head, “I don’t think he’s any different from the past.”
Hong Xiangfeng seemed a little irritable. After finishing one cigarette, he took out a second one.
Li Tang stopped him, “Gandie, please stop smoking.”
Hong Xiangfeng suddenly laughed and said, “Look, I smoke and drink, and neither my own son nor my younger brothers ever advise me. Yet, you, an adopted son, always bother me. What do you want me to say?”
Hong Minhang said, “He’s doing it for your own good.”
Hong Xiangfeng quipped back, “Of course, I know he’s doing it for my own good! If you’re kind to your Gandie, then Gandie will definitely remember it. From now on, Dihong will belong to Minhang and you. You are brothers. Although you are not close, you have been together since childhood. As you grew up, you became closer than many biological brothers. Right now, you are only helping him take care of Dihong, but in the future, you will make money together as brothers. Are you still afraid that you will lose money to him?”
Li Tang shook his head, “Gandie, I really don’t mean that.”
Hong Xiangfeng suddenly slapped the coffee table hard, “Then what are you thinking about?”
Li Tang was suddenly stunned by Hong Xiangfeng’s yelling, simply because Hong Xiangfeng wanted to inquire about his thoughts. Despite having followed Hong Xiangfeng for a considerable time, it appeared that he had never been asked what he was thinking. Instead, he was accustomed to being instructed to do whatever Hong Xiangfeng wanted or whatever he himself desired.
Although he denied it repeatedly, Li Tang had to admit in his heart that he had slacked off a bit since Hong Minhang came back. It was not, as Hong Xiangfeng said, that he was worried about Dihong’s money problem. Instead, he felt that his task was free, and it seemed he could finally relax and worry less.
Instead of attributing it to his attachment to Dihong, Li Tang actually only had attachments to Hong Xiangfeng and his son.
He had too few needs and had enough money. Now that he was almost thirty years old, he suddenly wanted to live freely for himself.
Hong Xiangfeng didn’t know what Li Tang was thinking, and even Hong Minhang didn’t know either.
Li Tang was silent for a moment, still not knowing what to say. Then he finally said, “If Gandie thinks it’s inappropriate, I won’t mention Yue Min in the future.”
Hong Xiangfeng said, “It’s not just inappropriate, it’s very inappropriate! You swept out all of your Gandie’s face today!”
Li Tang apologized, “I’m sorry.”
Hong Xiangfeng retorted, “What’s the use of saying sorry now?! Shouldn’t your mindset go forward with your age? How is it that you’re thinking backwards?!”
Li Tang nodded silently.
Hong Xiangfeng waved his hand, “It’s getting late, so instead of going back, just sleep here. Come with me to the company tomorrow morning; I’ll entrust you with something.”
Li Tang could only respond: “Okay.”
Hong Xiangfeng went upstairs first.
Hong Minhang stood up and said to Li Tang, “Li-ge, let’s go up and rest, ba.”
Li Tang nodded and stood up.
Hong Minhang took Li Tang to the guest room. Sister Hua should have fallen asleep by this time. Hong Minhang helped him find the toothbrush and towel he used last time and then said, “If you don’t have pajamas, wear mine.”
“No need,” Li Tang said, “It doesn’t matter; it’s just one night. I’m actually used to sleeping with no clothes on.”
Hong Minhang responded, “Okay, you go take a shower first.”
Li Tang said, “Okay, it’s getting late, you should go and rest too.”
Hong Minhang said, “Wait.”
“Nn?” Li Tang looked at him.
Hong Minhang smiled. He suddenly leaned over and kissed Li Tang on the forehead.
Li Tang was a little stunned at first. Then, he raised his hand, touched his forehead, and said with a puzzled smile, “Are you trying to comfort me? Did you learn this from foreigners?”
Hong Minhang answered, “Kissing between relatives is done in this manner.”
Li Tang said, “I’m really not used to it. Even my mother hasn’t kissed me since I can remember.”
Hong Minhang said, “Different kisses represent different meanings. Sometimes, they can express things that words cannot express.”
Li Tang still couldn’t help but raise his hand to touch his forehead, which felt scalding and burning hot. He said, “I received your comfort, thank you.”
Hong Minhang said, “Good night, have a good rest.”
Li Tang nodded, “Good night.”
After Hong Minhang went out, Li Tang walked into the bathroom. He looked at himself in the mirror and kept recalling the warm and soft touch on his forehead. He could only turn on the faucet and pour a lot of cold water on his face.
After taking a shower and lying on the bed, Li Tang opened his phone and saw a text message from Bai Xiaoqi. She said that she had found a delicious Chinese restaurant and wanted Li Tang to eat with her tomorrow.
Having been with Bai Xiaoqi for such a long time, there has been little progress in their relationship. Li Tang suddenly felt that he should spend more time with her. If she was really the right person for him, then he better not miss it.
So Li Tang responded with a text message and said, “Okay, I’ll pick you up after you get off work.”
Sleeps with him *cough*
Not yet daddy…why don’t you order them? I’m afraid it’s still a while 😭