After that phone call, Li Tang didn’t see Hong Minhang for a long time. Qiao Mudong’s business grew bigger and bigger, and Li Tang suddenly felt a little bit like he had started from scratch with Hong Xiangfeng. However, Qiao Mudong was not like Hong Xiangfeng after all. Qiao Mudong had to do everything by himself and did not leave everything to Li Tang. He believed that the reward he should pay for Li Tang would not be less.
Qiao Mudong later bought a car and threw it directly at Li Tang, saying, “I bought it for you.”
Li Tang didn’t refuse. The car was registered in He Yu’s name, but he had the key, so he kept driving it.
One night, Li Tang did something outside and passed Dihong on his way back. There was a traffic jam on the road at that time. Li Tang opened the car window and took a look at Dihong’s building. In fact, he didn’t remember which room was Hong Minhang’s office, but he just felt that it was probably one of the rooms with lights on. At this time, Hong Minhang should not have left yet.
After hesitating, Li Tang turned the car into Dihong’s underground parking lot and called Hong Minhang, “Are you still working overtime?”
Hong Minhang was a little surprised, “Li-ge?”
Li Tang said, “I’m in Dihong’s parking lot. I’ll treat you to dinner.”
Hong Minhang was both surprised and happy, “I’ll be down right away.”
Li Tang waited for less than two minutes as Hong Minhang’s footsteps already appeared in the underground parking lot. He didn’t know which car was Li Tang’s, so he stood there and looked around for a long time.
Li Tang’s car was parked in the parking space, and he was still sitting in the car. From here, he could see Hong Minhang. He pressed down the car window and shouted, “Minhang, here.”
“So fast?” Li Tang asked him.
Hong Minhang opened the car door and got in. “I’m afraid you’ll leave.”
Li Tang did not rush to start the car, but asked, “Why don’t you drive your car? What would you do if I went to work tomorrow morning?”
Hong Minhang smiled and said, “It doesn’t matter. I’ll just take a taxi tomorrow morning.”
Li Tang didn’t say anything else and slowly drove the car out.
Hong Minhang asked him, “When did you buy a car?”
Li Tang said, “Master Qiao bought it for me.”
Hong Minhang was silent for a moment. “Qiao Mudong is very nice to you.”
Li Tang smiled and said, “He’s my boss.”
The car drove out of Dihong. The traffic jam started again just as they hit the road.
Li Tang and Hong Minhang weren’t anxious. They sat quietly in the car, waiting for the traffic to pass slowly.
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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Later, when the traffic gradually became less crowded, Li Tang said to Hong Minhang, “Do you still remember the restaurant specializing in cooking on Xiangzhu Street?”
Hong Minhang thought for a moment, “Which one?”
Li Tang said, “Don’t you remember that restaurant at the corner of the street? In the past, when I was too lazy to cook, Uncle Wang would go to that restaurant and bring back two dishes.”
Hong Minhang said hesitantly, “I seem to have some impression, but after so many years, it must have been closed.”
Li Tang said, “Let’s go and have a look.”
Li Tang did not hesitate and drove in the direction of Xiangzhu Street. Hong Minhang had no objection. While Li Tang was driving, his eyes kept falling on the side of Li Tang’s face.
As expected, the old cooking restaurant on Xiangzhu Street had closed down, and even the signboard had been changed.
Li Tang got out of the car and looked at the closed door with some regret.
Hong Minhang didn’t care and said, “Let’s find another one.”
So Li Tang drove away. The two of them found a small restaurant for dinner.
While eating, Hong Minhang suddenly asked, “You won’t have nightmares when you see me, right? Can I see you more often in the future?”
His words stunned Li Tang. After a while, he said, “Of course, as long as you want to see me at any time.”
Hong Minhang asked again, “Are you still angry with me because of my dad?”
“No.” Li Tang gently put down his chopsticks. “I have never been angry with you, for that matter.”
Hong Minhang also looked at him. “But I have made you feel wronged.”
Li Tang lit a cigarette. “There’s nothing to feel wronged about. Sometimes I feel like I owe Gandie a little.”
Hong Minhang said nothing, waiting for Li Tang to continue.
Li Tang said, “If it weren’t for me, he wouldn’t have died.”
Hong Minhang said, “He’s not mentally stable.”
Li Tang said, “It was me who provoked Bai Xiaoqi all along.”
Hong Minhang heard him mention Bai Xiaoqi and suddenly asked, “Have you ever loved Bai Xiaoqi?”
Li Tang didn’t answer. He picked up the chopsticks and put a piece of meat in the bowl for Hong Minhang. “Eat more.”
After finishing the meal, they came out. Suddenly, light rain started to fall from the sky. The rain was so light that it made no sound when it fell on the ground. The two people eating were not aware of it.
Li Tang drove Hong Minhang home. Thinking of Hong Minhang’s current house, Li Tang couldn’t help but smile and ask, “Did you decorate the house that you live in right now?”
Hong Minhang shook his head. “No.”
Li Tang asked strangely, “Then why was it decorated with that color?”
Hong Minhang turned to look at him. “Don’t you like it?”
Li Tang smiled. “It’s not that I don’t like it. I just don’t think it’s the style of a single man like you.”
“When my dad recently died,” Hong Minhang said suddenly, “Sister Hua and I were the only ones left in the old house. Every night when I went back from work, I would see the house brightly lit. Sister Hua was sitting alone in the living room, turning on the TV. The phone was turned on, the volume was turned up loud, and it sounded very lively. She told me that she was scared, saying that even during the day, she did not dare to go up to the second floor to clean the study. She was always afraid of opening the study door and seeing my dad sitting inside.”
Li Tang slowed down the car.
Hong Minhang continued, “Soon after, Sister Hua said she couldn’t do it anymore. Every night, when I came back, the house was dark and I was the only one left. I thought about what Sister Hua said about being afraid, and also thought about what you said to me. When you have nightmares, I thought that if I would stay in that house, you might not dare to come, and I will be left alone in the end. So when I looked for a house to move out, I tried to let people help me decorate it. I decorated it to be warm. I was not sure whether you will have the opportunity to step into that house one day, but if you would come, I don’t want you to think of any bad memories about my dad.”
Li Tang said softly, “Minhang…”
Hong Minhang seemed to have a lot to say to Li Tang, “I don’t know how to describe that feeling. Do you remember the first time we met? That day in my room on the second floor of the incense shop. It was my birthday. I was waiting for my father to come up, to even say happy birthday to me, but he didn’t come. It was you who came up. In the countless days that followed, whether it was good or bad, happy or sad, he never thought about it. When you come up to see me, the last person I wait for every time is you. So I think dad’s existence is not that important, as long as you are there. It turns out that it is just my wishful thinking. It turns out that you will not always be with me—by my side. In the end, nothing will be left but me.”
Li Tang parked the car on the side of the road. He turned around, looked at Hong Minhang, and said to him, “I’m your brother. No matter whether Gandie is here or not, our relationship as brothers will never change.”
Hong Minhang said, “Are we really just brothers? Then will you one day find the second Bai Xiaoqi, get married, have children, and finally leave me alone? If it’s that kind of relationship, then I would rather not have it. After getting it, if you lose it, it will only be more painful.”
Li Tang failed to answer.
After sending Hong Minhang home that day, Li Tang went back at night and really had a nightmare. He dreamed of Hong Minhang sitting alone in the study room where Hong Xiangfeng died. No matter how he called Hong Minhang, Hong Minhang didn’t seem to hear it, and Li Tang himself couldn’t walk into the room.
When he woke up, Li Tang was sweating coldly.
He went to the kitchen to get some water and woke up the kitten sleeping beside the bed. The kitten kicked up its legs and glanced at him, then turned over and continued sleeping.
Li Tang felt that Hong Minhang had locked himself in such a room. Unless he could accommodate him in his own room, no one could call him out.
Li Tang himself fell into confusion. He didn’t know what to do, of which was the best choice for Hong Minhang.
He Yu soon noticed Li Tang’s absent-mindedness.
He Yu didn’t know anything about Li Tang and Hong Minhang. All he knew was what Qiao Mudong mentioned about Li Tang’s past. He just felt that Li Tang was a little absent-minded.
Later, there was an opportunity. Ou Yunjia gave He Yu two tickets to the concert. Because Qiao Mudong was not interested, He Yu asked Li Tang to come out and relax.
Li Tang was actually not interested either, but He Yu called him two or three times to make an appointment. It was hard for him to refuse, so he finally agreed.
The protagonist of the concert was said to be some kind of violinist from the United States. He Yu didn’t recognize him, and neither did Li Tang. After listening to it for most of the performance, He Yu held on, while Li Tang kept dozing off and would bump his head several times on He Yu’s shoulders.
He Yu felt a little embarrassed after dragging Li Tang here. As a result, feeling uncomfortable, he whispered, “It’s better to leave.”
Before the two of them could stand up, the host on the stage suddenly announced that a guest was coming to perform. The guest’s name was Shu Ling.
Li Tang couldn’t help but repeat, “Shu Ling?”
He Yu asked, “Do you know him?”
Li Tang thought for a while and said, “The name is very familiar.”
When he saw the person, he remembered who this person was. He had met him twice before, each time with Hong Minhang. The later time was to send Shu Ling to a neighboring county, and the two of them even almost got into trouble.
He Yu saw Li Tang looking at Shu Ling on the stage, so he didn’t mention leaving.
Shu Ling went up, sang a song, and then came down. His singing voice was very nice, and the audience responded enthusiastically.
Later, after the concert, He Yu and Li Tang came out together. Because there were many people leaving, the steps at the entrance of the concert hall were crowded with people. He Yu and Li Tang were among the crowd. Suddenly, He Yu stopped and said, “Mr. Hong?”
Li Tang also stopped, followed his gaze, and saw Hong Minhang holding a bouquet of flowers and walking towards Shu Ling, who just came out. He presented the flowers to Shu Ling and then stood before him to give him a gentle kiss on the cheek.
He Yu and Li Tang watched the two of them get into the car and leave together. He Yu was stunned and said, “Is that Mr. Hong’s lover?”
Li Tang did not respond.
He Yu turned to look at Li Tang but saw that he was hesitant, so he raised his arm and bumped him. Li Tang then came to his senses. He Yu asked him, “What’s wrong?”
Li Tang then said, “Oh, it’s nothing. Let’s go back.”
Ehhhh…Li Tang….you definitely need a big shove to get awake and realize what you want and need…thank you for the update🌺