After that accidental night of drunkenness, Qi Ji spent a full three days recuperating before he could even walk normally again.
Although it was Pei Yusheng who had been drunk, this time Qi Ji’s recovery period was even longer than the time he himself had needed after getting drunk. Fortunately, he had already applied to his company for a study leave, so these three days of rest didn’t interfere with work. Still, his originally planned trip had to be postponed.
A few days later, around the day of the Ghost Festival on July 15th, Qi Ji finally returned to his hometown with Pei Yusheng to pay respects to his parents.
Qi Ji’s hometown didn’t have an airport yet, so they had to transfer from the provincial capital. In the end, they decided to take a direct train home.
Even though it was a direct train, once they got off, they still had to take a more than two-hour bus ride—a rather exhausting journey.
Qi Ji was used to this long, bumpy ride, but he worried that Pei Yusheng might not be comfortable. After all, as a CEO, Pei Yusheng was accustomed to traveling by plane with a private driver everywhere. Making him sit in crowded, noisy public transportation seemed a little unfair.
Fortunately, the bus had two-person seats, so they didn’t have to worry about other passengers. Once the bus started moving, Qi Ji quietly reached over the armrest, holding the warmth of Pei Yusheng’s fingers.
Pei Yusheng looked down at him, a questioning glint in his eyes.
“Is the bus a bit crowded? I’m guessing you’re not used to this kind of ride. Just two more hours, and we’ll be home,” Qi Ji said softly.
Pei Yusheng reached over with his other hand to adjust the lumbar cushion he had brought. “It’s fine, I’ve been on many types of vehicles during training.”
Even walking for over ten hours had been nothing unusual.
Despite the pampered life of a retired CEO, Pei Yusheng’s natural decisiveness and resilience had not been dulled.
Qi Ji realized he had been worrying unnecessarily.
As they spoke, the conductor came down the aisle to check tickets. Sitting on the outer seat, Pei Yusheng handled it himself, handing over their tickets, putting them back in his easily accessible bag pocket once checked.
His movements were smooth and natural, showing no signs of discomfort, almost as if he were accustomed to taking buses.
Watching Pei Yusheng, Qi Ji suddenly remembered the time before their relationship, when they went to a supermarket together to buy prepared food.
At the time, Qi Ji was still in debt, calculating every expense carefully. Yet Pei Yusheng never looked down on his thriftiness or his modest lifestyle. He even helped choose more cost-effective options.
The feeling was… peculiar.
Qi Ji had long been used to stretching every penny, meticulously counting even the smallest amounts. While he never took advantage of others, he knew this mindset affected social interactions.
So, despite presenting a compliant demeanor, Qi Ji rarely made friends and had never been in a romantic relationship.
His unique experiences had shaped him differently.
He had always known he didn’t fit in with his peers.
But Pei Yusheng was different.
Silently, he erased the invisible barriers, gradually folding two previously separate worlds together.
Qi Ji had never imagined dating someone with such a vastly different background. Once together, Pei Yusheng never made him feel the difference or discomfort.
Qi Ji quietly sighed.
He knew he would never learn even a fraction of Pei Yusheng’s attentiveness.
Lost in thought, Qi Ji felt a hand gently brush aside the strands of hair on his forehead, tucking them behind his ear.
Looking up, he met Pei Yusheng’s gaze. The man lightly traced Qi Ji’s cheek with his finger, hesitant to speak.
“What is it?” Qi Ji asked.
The low hum of the bus easily drowned out their voices, and the seatbacks made it ideal for a whispered conversation.
Pei Yusheng spoke, repeating the same question he had asked many times over the past few days:
“Does your waist still hurt?”
Qi Ji smiled, shaking his head earnestly. “No, it’s fine now. Really.”
Since that night when Pei Yusheng had turned him over again and again, the man had been noticeably regretful, treating him with extra caution, as if he were made of glass, afraid he might be broken.
During the three days Qi Ji had been resting in fits and starts, Pei Yusheng had barely spoken. At first, Qi Ji thought it was because the man was still waking from alcohol, but soon he realized Pei Yusheng’s movements were gentler than ever. No matter when he woke, Pei Yusheng was always there by his bedside.
During those three days, the man silently fed him porridge, wiped his face, applied ointment. Only when Qi Ji asked if something was wrong did Pei Yusheng resume speaking as usual.
Qi Ji’s pale skin and slow clotting turned every mark across his body into bruises that were painfully obvious. After a few days, the residual pain faded, but the marks remained vivid.
Qi Ji didn’t mind, but every time Pei Yusheng saw them, he would fall silent, even his usual gaze at Qi Ji becoming more restrained.
This time, Pei Yusheng remained attentive to Qi Ji’s condition, bringing three different types of cushions and carefully discussing transportation without mentioning himself—only asking if Qi Ji could handle it.
At first, Qi Ji felt shy about the constant questioning, but over time, he grew used to it, now finding it slightly exasperating.
Although Pei Yusheng had indeed exhausted him that night, he hadn’t truly harmed him. Qi Ji had never bled, only been sore from prolonged strain.
Once awake, he forgot the tears he had cried, not blaming Pei Yusheng. After all, drunkenness sometimes led to losing control. He himself, when drunk, liked clinging to Pei Yusheng, yet Pei Yusheng never complained about his lips being chapped and broken from kisses.
Qi Ji patted Pei Yusheng’s hand, repeating patiently, “Really, it’s fine now.”
Pei Yusheng clasped his hand, enveloping it in his own.
Qi Ji shook his small legs in satisfaction.
As summer gave way to autumn and the weather cooled, Pei Yusheng had become their personal human heater at home.
Two hours later, the bus arrived at the station. Stepping out, it was evening, dusk settling, city lights flickering on. A gentle breeze brushed past them.
Qi Ji turned, reaching his hand out to Pei Yusheng. Behind him, the night lights shimmered, but his eyes shone brighter than any of them.
“Welcome home, sir,” Qi Ji said with a smile.
A trace of a smile appeared in Pei Yusheng’s eyes as he reached out, interlacing their fingers.
After more than three years away, the once-familiar small town now bore signs of change. New buildings lined the streets, surprising Qi Ji.
The Qi family’s previous house had been sold. This time, Qi Ji stayed with Pei Yusheng in a hotel.
He had little attachment to the old home anyway. The family’s huge debts had made relatives avoid Qi Ji and his parents. Long before he moved south to S City, they had severed ties completely.
Not wanting to encounter his aunt’s family, Qi Ji had never returned to sweep the grave, instead placing flowers on the street where his parents had died.
This visit, besides paying respects during the Ghost Festival, involved relocating his parents’ ashes. Originally stored in a modest funeral home called Yonghe, chosen for low fees, it had become popular with families who couldn’t afford a cemetery.
However, Yonghe’s management was irregular, lacking proper permits. In recent years, regulatory reforms began phasing out noncompliant funeral homes, necessitating the relocation of stored ashes.
Qi Ji’s trip back home was to handle this relocation. Truthfully, it troubled him.
Ashes were generally stored in two ways: in a private cemetery, which was costly but allowed a personal tombstone, or in a communal columbarium, occupying a single niche with relatively low management fees.
Qi Ji was no longer short of money—he could easily afford a plot in a proper cemetery if he wished. But with his hometown’s recent economic growth, more and more families could afford burial plots, making space increasingly scarce. With Yonghe Funeral Home closing and many ashes needing relocation, other cemeteries and columbariums were bound to be tight on space as well.
Moreover, Qi Ji hadn’t returned home for years, so he wasn’t familiar with the current state of the local cemeteries, which made the situation feel tricky.
After a few phone calls, he let out a sigh.
Just then, Pei Yusheng returned with breakfast, handing over a paper-wrapped egg sandwich. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
Qi Ji took a bite, the familiar taste easing some of his anxiety. Sharing the breakfast, he explained the situation with the funeral home.
“What should I do? Should I try looking online for a reliable cemetery?”
He could now naturally share his worries with Pei Yusheng instead of bearing them alone.
Pei Yusheng reached over, brushing a crumb from Qi Ji’s mouth. When the boy shyly began looking for a tissue, Pei Yusheng said, “Official cemeteries require government approval and proper registration. Why don’t you call 114?”
Qi Ji thought it over and realized he was right—114 would be more reliable.
After breakfast, he called 114 and got several numbers for registered cemeteries.
Still unsure, he worried that the larger cemeteries would already be fully booked. He dialed each number in turn. As expected, the first few said they were closed and would only have new spaces available after expansion—roughly a six-month wait.
Finally, there was just one high-end cemetery left he hadn’t called.
Originally, he had considered a cemetery called Qianqiu but had skipped it, thinking it would be too popular. Now, with other options full, he called.
Qi Ji hadn’t expected much, assuming there’d be no space. But the response surprised him: “We do have a new double plot available.”
He was stunned—what a coincidence.
The person added, “The price… might be a little high.”
This explanation dispelled Qi Ji’s lingering doubts. After some discussion, he arranged to visit the cemetery in person.
Although the cemetery was a bit far from the city, it was just over a half-hour drive. Upon arrival, Qi Ji couldn’t help but take a deep breath—lush greenery, shaded avenues, and beautiful scenery made it a truly pleasant place.
After seeing the available plot, Qi Ji didn’t hesitate. The new plot was in a prime location, surrounded by verdant grass and trees, almost like a private garden. Considering the space and prestige, the price seemed very reasonable, even affordable.
He immediately secured the plot.
After signing the contract, the cemetery staff explained the relocation process. Qianqiu Cemetery would handle the entire transfer of the ashes, including all necessary procedures, scheduling, and customary observances—everything would be managed from start to finish.
Their thorough arrangements spared Qi Ji considerable worry, and no extra fees were charged, making the original cost feel even more worthwhile.
With the cemetery secured, a weight lifted from Qi Ji’s heart. Soon after, he received a call from Yonghe Funeral Home, asking him to bring the ashes certificate to sign paperwork.
Upon arriving, he ran into a familiar face: his cousin, Xia Jing.
Due to his strained relationship with his aunt’s family, Qi Ji had no particular feelings for her, but out of courtesy, he greeted her with a nod.
“Cousin.”
Xia Jing had slimmed considerably over the years, looking a bit haggard, though she also carried a newfound vitality. Seeing Qi Ji, she brightened and hurried over, intending to greet him. But when she noticed who was behind him, her expression changed, a flicker of fear crossing her face.
Already at his side, she had no choice but to greet him awkwardly.
Xia Jing had also come for the ash relocation. Her aunt’s family’s ashes were stored at Yonghe, and she needed to find a new resting place as well.
Because of the sudden relocations, available niches in other city cemeteries were scarce. Even with government arrangements, securing a spot required waiting in line.
Xia Jing had arrived early, standing in line for hours, but still hadn’t secured a spot—the day’s quota had closed. She would have to return the next day.
Qi Ji frowned. Returning tomorrow would mean another morning spent in line.
Since he didn’t dislike Xia Jing as much as the rest of his aunt’s family, he suggested, “Why don’t you ask Qianqiu Cemetery? They might have spaces in their columbarium as well.”
Since Qianqiu had a plot available, perhaps their columbarium did too.
Hearing this, Xia Jing’s eyes widened. “Th-They were full three years ago… weren’t they closed to sales?”
Qi Ji frowned at the mention of three years.
“Are you sure? Where did you hear that?” he asked.
For some reason, Xia Jing’s face turned pale, lips trembling as if terrified. She barely dared lift her eyes, lowering her head toward her chest. “I-I may have remembered wrong…”
Qi Ji’s doubts were only heightened.
Moreover, her reaction made him even more suspicious.
Xia Jing had always been timid, scolded by her parents and brother from a young age. Yet she had been okay around Qi Ji, since he had never bullied her. Not long ago, she had even borrowed money from him, so she shouldn’t be afraid of him.
Why, then, did she now appear so frightened?
Before Qi Ji could resolve his doubts, a staff member arrived, calling the certificate holders inside to sign paperwork.
Due to the number of people, companions weren’t allowed; only the certificate holder could enter.
“Wait for me at the door. I’ll come out once I’m done signing,” Qi Ji said to Pei Yusheng, who nodded and moved to the entrance.
Qi Ji entered with Xia Jing, noticing her visibly relax once inside the corridor.
“Cousin, were you nervous just now?” he asked.
Xia Jing didn’t answer immediately, glancing outside the corridor as if checking something. Then she turned back, admitting, “A little.”
Qi Ji was even more puzzled. “What’s wrong?”
She glanced behind her again, then asked cautiously, “The person who came with you… are you close?”
The person with him was… Pei Yusheng.
Qi Ji asked, “What about him?”
Trembling, Xia Jing whispered, “I-I’ve met him before… and I was a bit scared…”
Qi Ji frowned.
How could Xia Jing have met Pei Yusheng before?