Chapter 42
Sheng Xiao and Du Liyue left first since classes had already started at the art academy. The two elders had to go back to teach. The young people lingered a while longer at Xiao Yao’s mother’s grave before slowly walking out of the cemetery.
Throughout the whole time, Ti Xiao was very nervous, frequently glancing at Xiao Yao’s expression and feeling sweat break out on his palms.
Although he knew Xiao Yao wasn’t the type to get upset for no reason, since they were visiting a dearly departed family member, Ti Xiao worried he might be hurt or saddened. Seeing that, he felt anxious too.
After leaving the cemetery, the atmosphere among the young people finally thawed from the icy tension. They started chatting, mostly about the news that Xiao Yao had gotten a boyfriend.
“Hello, I’m Ti Xiao,” he said, nodding politely to Xiao Yao’s friends.
Besides Li Yi, there were two identical twins—Ya Chong Wen Yan and Ze Xing Ren Wen Chuan.
“Chong, so cute,” Wen Yan said. He wasn’t much taller than Ti Xiao and was actually younger, but somehow his face looked mature. He envied Ti Xiao’s fresh, youthful appearance.
“So jealous, so cute, I want to…” Wen Yan trailed off with a playful whine.
Wen Chuan clicked his tongue, pushed up his glasses, and gave his brother a light tap on the back of the head.
Xiao Yao shot a warning look that seemed to say, “Maybe you want to experience what death feels like?” He tightened his grip on Ti Xiao’s hand.
“I think you…” Li Yi stroked his chin, scanning Ti Xiao from head to toe, then rested his gaze on Ti Xiao’s cheeks. “You look a lot healthier than last time, and a little plumper too. That’s the power of love, for sure.”
“Thanks,” Ti Xiao smiled, replying to the not-so-kind sarcastic guy. “You don’t look so bad yourself.”
Xiao Yao proceeded to tell Ti Xiao in detail about how Li Yi had found a boyfriend.
“Xiao Yao, how come your elbow’s so quick to stab?” Li Yi protested. “All these years of brotherhood gone to waste because of you.”
Xiao Yao just smiled faintly and stayed silent. Ti Xiao’s worried gaze landed on Xiao Yao again, catching his lowered eyes.
They exchanged a smile, their hands squeezing tighter, and a few sighs sounded nearby.
“Ugh, I’m outta here. I gotta work this afternoon. Don’t wanna catch your lovey-dovey vibes,” one of them joked.
“So cute,” Wen Yan chimed.
“tsk.”
After the graveside visit, Xiao Yao still had to go to work. As a student, his classes couldn’t be missed. Ti Xiao’s routine wasn’t as strict, but after getting up early with a heavy heart, he was yawning nonstop now.
“Go to sleep,” Xiao Yao said, tucking Ti Xiao into bed like a caring parent, thoughtfully pulling the blanket up and planting a gentle kiss.
“Wait, you’ve got something on your clothes,” Ti Xiao said, stretching out his arm and picking a rose petal off Xiao Yao’s jacket pocket. “It must have stuck this morning and somehow stayed all day.”
The red petal still looked fresh. On Ti Xiao’s fair fingertip, it left a faint pink tint.
So soft and tender, it made you want to take a bite.
Ti Xiao carefully placed the petal on the bedside table. “You better get to work — your third period class will start soon.”
“What do you want for lunch?” Xiao Yao asked without rushing. He squeezed Ti Xiao’s fingers before tucking his arm back under the blanket, going full caregiver mode.
“Anything,” Ti Xiao yawned. “I’ll eat whatever you make. Hurry, you’re gonna be late.”
After the bedroom door closed and the front door clicked shut, Ti Xiao finally buried his face in the soft pillow and waited for sleep to take him.
Before the echo of the door fully faded, it opened again with hurried footsteps.
“What’s up? Forgot something?” Ti Xiao sat up and asked.
Xiao Yao quickly crossed the room and pressed Ti Xiao back down onto the bed, leaning in close. “Let me kiss you one more time.”
Ti Xiao sighed but wrapped his arms around Xiao Yao’s neck and kissed him firmly again and again — lips and tongue explored every inch, chasing away the sleepiness.
“Are you going to work or not… ah, you bit me again,” Ti Xiao said, playfully biting Xiao Yao’s lip back, teeth grazing teasingly.
Maybe from kissing so passionately, when their lips parted, a soft “pop” sound echoed in the air.
“I’m off,” Xiao Yao said, his lips flushed. After a few deep breaths and glancing back at Ti Xiao a few times, he finally left the room.
He went off to work, but Ti Xiao couldn’t fall asleep at all. He tossed and turned several times before finally getting up to bring over little Xiao Lu and clip her nails.
During the morning graveside visit, from the brief mentions by Sheng Xiao and Du Li Yue, Ti Xiao learned that Xiao Yao’s mother had died in a car accident ten years ago. It was a day just like today — with a soft spring drizzle falling silently over everything.
That was all Ti Xiao knew. He had no idea why the relationship between Xiao Yao and his father, Xiao Zhou, was so strained.
“I’ll ask more when he gets back…” Ti Xiao thought while multitasking, but his hand slipped slightly as he clipped.
Maybe it hurt a little—usually well-behaved Xiao Lu scratched him once, and soon there was a bloody scratch on the back of his hand.
Xiao Lu’s family kept their cats’ vaccinations up to date every year — Ti Xiao personally took her for shots — so he wasn’t worried. Besides, she had scratched and even bitten him before.
Still, he ran his hand under the faucet and carefully washed it with soapy water.
He didn’t care much about it, but with Xiao Yao, it would have been a huge deal.
When Xiao Yao heard that Xiao Lu had scratched him, he dropped the vegetables he was holding and walked over. “Does it hurt? Are you sure she’s been vaccinated?”
Ti Xiao said, “Relax, I know my own cat.”
In the end, Ti Xiao pulled out Xiao Lu’s vaccination certificate and pointed to the dates to prove it, which finally eased Xiao Yao’s worries.
“Did you wash it with soap and water?” Xiao Yao held Ti Xiao’s hand, worry written all over his face.
“Yes, I did,” Ti Xiao replied.
“Good.” Xiao Yao let out a sigh of relief and then flicked the top of Xiao Lu’s head, who was watching like a spectator. “Scratch him again.”
Xiao Lu meowed in protest but grabbed Xiao Yao’s hand and pretended to bite it—though she didn’t really bite down—and finally switched to licking his fingertips. Ti Xiao watched beside them, feeling frustrated. When he first started raising Xiao Lu, any time she bit, it was a real bite—no cute “cat face” at all.
It annoyed him so much he couldn’t even eat.
Actually, he was just tired. Breaking from his usual routine, he only ate half a bowl of rice today before feeling full. The rest of the dishes were tossed into the fridge, and Xiao Yao carried him off for a nap.
When he woke up, it was already 4 PM. If Xiao Yao didn’t have evening classes, he’d be about to get off work.
The room was empty and quiet. The curtains hadn’t been fully closed, leaving a slit where sunlight streamed in, casting a warm streak on the opposite wall.
Ti Xiao usually felt groggy when waking up; he didn’t even know what time it was. He sometimes felt like he’d slept an entire day and night. Luckily, his phone vibrated just then.
The screen lit up with a message from an unknown number.
Ti Xiao’s phone number hadn’t changed in years, and all the usual contacts were saved. With some confusion, he opened the message.
It was a long message signed “Xiao Zhou.”
Right after that, Xiao Yao sent a WeChat message.
past: Forgot to tell you, there’s an evening study session tonight. If you’re hungry, just heat up the food.
For the first time, Ti Xiao didn’t instantly reply to Xiao Yao’s message. Instead, he replied to Xiao Zhou’s text.
After sending the WeChat message, Xiao Yao didn’t get a reply. He assumed Ti Xiao was still asleep, but by the time he finished work, no reply came, and he started to get anxious.
Although Ti Xiao was a fully capable adult, a father like Xiao Yao always felt like he was taking care of a disabled son—but he was happy to do it.
“Ti Xiao?” Xiao Yao called after getting home but got no answer.
The sky had completely darkened. Even though the curtains were left slightly open, no sunlight could get through anymore. The loneliness suddenly felt overwhelming. Xiao Lu meowed softly, her eyes glowing faintly in the dark.
Xiao Yao turned on a light, filling the room with a warm yellow glow. Xiao Lu rubbed against his pant leg.
No one was in the bedroom either, and Ti Xiao’s shoes were gone from the doorway. The room across the hall was empty, and his phone was off.
For a moment, Xiao Yao was a bit stunned.
Usually, Ti Xiao would be waiting at home for him. When he came back, Ti Xiao would rush over, grab him, and ask for a kiss—or else be inside either working on drafts or sleeping soundly.
“Why aren’t you coming inside?” Aunt Li from upstairs saw Xiao Yao standing alone at the door and couldn’t help but ask, “Be careful the cat doesn’t run out.”
“Yeah.” Xiao Yao realized he was blocking the way and shifted to the side, holding Xiao Lu in his arms. Then he casually asked, “Have you seen Ti Xiao?”
“Yeah, I just saw him—he’s at the supermarket buying groceries.”
Xiao Yao had just reached the apartment building entrance when he saw Ti Xiao walking toward him carrying a ton of bags—so many that some potatoes were even bouncing out. He hurriedly put the bags down and squatted to pick up the potatoes.
Looking at the scattered potatoes on the ground, Ti Xiao felt like he had bought way too much. Just as he was about to pick up the ones in front of him, a pair of hands covered his, gripping his slightly cold hand.
“Xiao Yao? You’re already back?” Ti Xiao lifted his face and said.
The streetlights in the neighborhood cast a dim yellow glow. Xiao Yao couldn’t clearly see Ti Xiao’s face in the backlight, only the two slightly bright eyes shining like little stars.
“Why’d you go grocery shopping alone with so much stuff?” Xiao Yao crouched down to help pick up the potatoes. “It’s still so dark out.”
“Well, I saw that we were out of groceries at home, and if I waited for you to get off work to buy them, it’d definitely be too late. So I thought I’d come out and get them myself. Didn’t expect to buy so much, though.” Ti Xiao smiled sheepishly. “Actually, I wanted to try making you a meal.”
Ti Xiao seemed to be hiding something as he muttered while picking up potatoes. “You’re already tired after work, and cooking would just make you more tired.”
“I looked up a bunch of recipes this afternoon. I wanted to try cooking for you myself—to let you taste my skills. And I bought all the things you like,” Ti Xiao said, sounding a little guilty.
Xiao Yao took all the bags from him and pinched his cheek with his free hand. “What’d you buy?”
“Tomatoes, potatoes, corn, mushrooms, lettuce, beef, and shrimp.” Ti Xiao counted on his fingers. “And I bought a huge bunch of scallions—enough to last a while.”
“Hmm.” Xiao Yao glanced down at the bags in his hand and smiled.
Pretty cute—he actually bought garlic shoots.
