Chapter 20

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Soso showed absolutely no interest in the little bear they won that night. Xu Er persistently teased Soso with it several times, but Soso either dodged or swatted it away, eventually becoming annoyed. When Song Ruichi returned, Xu Er naturally asked, “Why did you say Soso likes the little bear? There’s no other little bear here.” Song Ruichi replied offhandedly, “The one he liked got ruined by him.” Xu Er asked, “What did it look like? I’ll buy him another one.” Song Ruichi said, “It was white, but he played with it until it turned black.” Xu Er picked up the bear and said, “So he doesn’t like the brown one?” Song Ruichi shrugged, “Maybe.” After playing with Xu Er for a while, Soso curled up on his own. Xu Er sat on the bar stool, watching Song Ruichi take out an unopened jar from the cabinet. The jar was a deep green color with foreign text on it, seemingly Spanish. Xu Er looked at it and said, “Can I have the jar after the drink’s finished?” Song Ruichi looked puzzled, “You want this?” Xu Er smiled sheepishly, “For a pen holder. At work, I use milk tea cans as pen holders, but this looks nicer.” Song Ruichi nodded. Xu Er propped his head with his hand, “Then maybe my pens will smell like coffee.” Song Ruichi teased back, “And maybe when you use them, you’ll think of me.” Xu Er laughed, “You’re better at this than me.” Song Ruichi packed away the beans, putting the rest back in the cabinet. “Come on,” Song Ruichi said. Xu Er straightened up, “Do I have to get in there?” Song Ruichi nodded, “You can.” So they switched places. Only then did Xu Er realize the drink Song Ruichi took from the fridge was alcohol. Xu Er asked, “You’re going to drink?” Song Ruichi thought for a moment before saying, “You drink.” Xu Er blinked, “Me?” Song Ruichi, “Are you drinking or not?” Xu Er thought it over, “I guess it’s fine. I’m kind of curious to see how much I can handle.” Song Ruichi assured him, “It’s low-proof.” Xu Er said, “I see that, shouldn’t be a problem.” Right? Xu Er added, “If I get drunk, I’ll just sleep over at your place. It’s not the first time.” “But this time,” Xu Er said, “Don’t agree to whatever I want to buy, just tell me to wash up and sleep.” Song Ruichi asked, “What about other things?” Xu Er, “Other things?” Song Ruichi, “Never mind.” No more small talk, time to grind! You can’t know the taste without trying. Of course, it’s not to say Song Ruichi is a pig. Xu Er recalled how Song Ruichi ground the coffee beans and imitated him step by step. Naturally, for each step, he glanced at Song Ruichi and only proceeded after getting a nod. And of course, accompanied by Xu Er’s “What next?” questions. It was a bit clumsy but somewhat successful. Xu Er finished making the coffee and poured two cups. After letting it cool briefly, he bravely took the first sip. Song Ruichi asked, “How is it?” Xu Er puckered his lips, took another uncertain sip, then said to Song Ruichi, “You try it.” Song Ruichi picked up his cup. Xu Er watched eagerly. Song Ruichi played with the cup, sniffed, looked, and swirled it. Xu Er knew he was teasing him, “Come on, hurry up.” Song Ruichi smiled and finally took a sip. Xu Er watched expectantly as Song Ruichi said, “Not bad.” Xu Er pursed his lips and drank a big gulp himself. “No wonder some people can’t tell what’s wrong with their own cooking,” Xu Er refilled his cup, “There’s definitely some bias—I can’t tell the good from the bad at all.”

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Song Ruichi asked, “Do you cook?” “Good question,” Xu Er answered, “I’m exactly the kind of person who can’t tell if their own cooking is good or bad.” Song Ruichi asked, “When did you start?” “In high school. My parents were away for a few days, so I tried cooking for myself,” he smiled, “I thought it was okay, but Xu Chen said it was awful and couldn’t eat a bite.” Xu Er added, “I’m actually quite strict about food, but I could still stomach my own cooking.” Song Ruichi handed over his empty cup, “I almost said I’m not bad at cooking.” Xu Er refilled Song Ruichi’s cup, “Go ahead.” Song Ruichi shook his head, “No way.” Xu Er teased, “You said that, so when will you cook for me?” Song Ruichi replied, “Why not now?” Xu Er, “Alright!” Both laughed. Song Ruichi said, “Maybe tomorrow, I’ll clear my schedule.” Xu Er caught the hint, “So you weren’t free tomorrow originally?” Song Ruichi nodded. Xu Er said, “I feel so bad then.” Song Ruichi, “That’s exactly the point.” Xu Er laughed, “What are you up to?” Song Ruichi took another sip, “Should I decide the menu?” Xu Er, “You decide.” Song Ruichi, “Okay.” Since it was Xu Er’s first time making coffee, he didn’t make much. The two cups were finished quickly, one sip at a time. Next came the drinking session they were called out for earlier. Unlike last time at the bar, which was just for the little bear, drinking alone this time would be a bit dry. So at Xu Er’s suggestion, Song Ruichi ordered crayfish and skewers—just like when his friend visited a few days ago. “You have no idea,” Xu Er started recounting with some complaints, “Your friend already peeled the crayfish into my bowl. I was about to grab one, just a little bit away—” He made a tiny gesture with his finger, “I was almost there,” then suddenly grabbed Song Ruichi’s wrist, “And you pulled me away.” Song Ruichi found it amusing, “Why didn’t you say anything?” Xu Er, “I was too shy.” Xu Er continued, “Since that day, I’ve been craving crayfish. I had just finished ice cream that day—my mouth still tasted like it—and seeing the crayfish made me crave even more.” Song Ruichi put the drinks on the coffee table, “I ordered a lot.” Xu Er said, “Then I have to eat the crayfish first. If I get drunk later and forget everything, it’ll be a wasted meal.” Song Ruichi turned off the main light, turned on the ambient lighting, and let Xu Er pick a movie. The two sat on the floor, leaning against the sofa. Xu Er chose an art film, so they wouldn’t have to watch closely while eating crayfish. The movie started with a handsome foreign guy. Xu Er glanced at Song Ruichi. Song Ruichi asked, “What’s up?” Xu Er said, “I noticed you look a tiny bit foreign. Is there some foreign blood?” Song Ruichi, “No.” Xu Er suddenly asked, “Do a lot of people chase after you?” Song Ruichi didn’t answer but countered, “A lot of people chase after you?” Xu Er, “Not now, but in school, yes.” Song Ruichi smiled, “Quite straightforward.” Xu Er chuckled, imitating Song Ruichi. Song Ruichi, “No one chases me.” Xu Er snorted, clearly not believing it. That made Xu Er think of the guy who pursued Song Ruichi on Weibo. Maybe he should just ask? Xu Er nervously sniffed.

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Then he opened the pulse monitor on his watch. Damn, it’s acting up. His heart rate was already over a hundred before he even started. Xu Er stared at the beating heart icon, thinking if it dropped to the eighties, he’d ask. One second, two seconds—103. Four seconds later, 98. Five seconds later, 93. “Ding ding…” The phone on the coffee table suddenly rang. Xu Er was startled, watching his heart rate jump back to over a hundred. Their delivery had arrived. Forget it. What’s the point in asking? Xu Er turned off the watch, looked up, and the movie was already unfolding. Meanwhile, Song Ruichi brought in the takeout. It smelled amazing. As Song Ruichi arranged the food, Xu Er eagerly put on his gloves. But the first crayfish he reached for was snatched away by Song Ruichi. “I’ll peel it for you,” Song Ruichi said. Xu Er asked, “Why?” Song Ruichi, “As compensation.” Xu Er nodded, “Alright, that’s fair.” But the first was just compensation; when Xu Er tried to grab a second, Song Ruichi took it first. Same with the third and fourth. Xu Er had to start with the skewers. After peeling several crayfish, Song Ruichi opened the drinks. They had no worries about food or drink. It was a very pleasant time; if only Song Ruichi would feed him... Before Xu Er could finish the thought, Song Ruichi brought a freshly peeled crayfish to his mouth. If the watch could measure dopamine, Xu Er would surely get a vibrating alert: “Master, you are extremely happy.” With no break in his mouth, he ate skewers, crayfish, and drank. The movie suddenly seemed more interesting. Xu Er could even talk about the plot: the handsome guy wrote a love letter to the girl he adored, but through a twist of fate, it never reached her. Now, what was he doing? Knocking on whose door? Xu Er struggled to remember, then raised his bottle. “Hmm,” he shook the bottle in his hand, “No more alcohol.” Song Ruichi was still peeling crayfish, “Want some more?” Xu Er, “Yes.” Even he could hear how contrived his “yes” sounded. Song Ruichi paused, looked at Xu Er. Xu Er closed his eyes briefly, “Song Ruichi, can I still drink?” Song Ruichi, “Looks like you can’t.” Xu Er mechanically opened his mouth and bit into the crayfish Song Ruichi offered. Xu Er turned to Song Ruichi, “I licked your hand.” Song Ruichi didn’t look at him, “Mm.” Xu Er apologized, “Sorry.” Song Ruichi, “It’s okay.” Xu Er asked, “How much alcohol do you have left?” Song Ruichi, “I haven’t drunk much.” Xu Er was silent for a moment, then suddenly leaned forward, threw out “I still want more,” as if afraid Song Ruichi would refuse, and gulped down more than half the bottle. He put the bottle down and caught Song Ruichi’s gaze, which had been fixed on him for who knows how long. Xu Er asked, “Why did you make me drink?” Song Ruichi repeated his words, “Why did I make you drink?” Xu Er smiled, “I’m asking you.”