Yandai Xie Jie No. 10 Chapter 23

Act 23: Cannot escape, cannot hide

Love 123: So five pounds of dog food, 1 bag of dog bites, and ten cans of food?

Flying Piglet Girl: Correct

Love 123: The address is No. 17 street in Xicheng District in Beijing, right?

Flying Piglet Girl: Right

Love 123: Deliver by the afternoon?

Flying Piglet Girl: Yes, I'll be home in the afternoon, he he

Love 123: Ok, no problem!

Flying Piglet Girl: Great, I'll pay now, you've worked hard.

Love 123: You're welcome, and your address?

Flying Piglet Girl: Love 123: The address is No. 17 street in Xicheng District in Beijing, right?… =.= Are you ok?

Love 123: Silly me…

Flying Piglet Girl: …it appears so…

So shameful.

Hang Hang covered his face with his hand, really wanted to give himself two slaps in the face. What's with me?

The outdated phone vibrated twice, Hang Hang picked it up and looked at it. He had replaced that weird "Ha Ha' ringtone with a regular one.

【Are you busy? From: Sis Yue】

Hang Hang stared at the phone screen as his heart felt depressed. Zhong Yue Wen had nothing to do so she is looking for him to chat. To be fair, he and Zhong Yue Wen got along very well, just that…Hang Hang did not know why he could not tell Zhong Yue Wen what happened between him and Liang Ze…it could not be said a break up, it was more like a separation. It was not like Zhong Yue Wen did not give him the opportunity to say it, or not like someone stop him from saying it, just that…he himself did not want to say it. He did not want to say it, and did not want to tell.

【I'm not ^_^】

More than ten seconds a reply arrived, 【That's great, come with me to my regular check up!】

Hang Hang was choking on his silence.

Another message arrived, 【It's quite embarra.s.sing, I woke up late, if I go at this hour, there'll be lot of people, can you accompany me ^ ^】

"Can I really say no?" Hang Hang mumbled to the phone.

【Ok. Wait half an hour for me, I come over right now.】

"Ying Ying," Hang Hang replied to that and then stood up, "help me look after the store, I'm going out for a bit."

"Ah, Ok, is it replenishment? We're out of cat litter~"

"Uh, not really. Wait until tomorrow, I'll have them ready."

"Oh, okay."

Hang Hang went upstairs, washed his face, changed his clothes, and disinfected himself before headed down to his car.

Today, the radio stations must be trying to mess with him since they caused him to feel uncomfortable throughout his whole trip, the radio stations were playing songs such as 《How Could You Make Me Sad》, and then 《I'm Sorry, Thank You》, then followed by 《Ordinary Friends》 and so on…When leaving, Hang Hang was trying his best to put on his smiling face but now that face had disappeared =.= In order to ease the mood, he switched to a literary station, but it was not the usual commentary section but instead it was the narrating of a long novel series, and when he changed the station again, suddenly he heard a man asking in a pitiful voice: Why don't you love me? We can only be friends?

In the end, Hang Hang choose to be in a silent world. Turned off the radio for good.

By the time he got to Zhong Yue Wen's house, Hang Hang saw she was already there waiting for him with her big belly under the sun, with an ice cream in one hand.

"Aren't you cold?" Hang Hang parked his car next to her, and helped her open the door.

"I was having a craving," Zhong Yue Wen answered smiling as getting on.

On the way, they had been chatting about a lot of thing, from one topic to another, and naturally it got into the topic about Hang Hang's parents.

"I heard from Liang Bin that your parents are diplomats?"

"Ah yes, in the Foreign Ministry."

"They're not in the country?"

"Yes, they're in Belgium now."

"Ah, that's not bad."

"Ha ha"

"You're an only child?"

"Yes, I live alone here."

"Your parents aren't worried about you?"

"Uh, they wish to be able to alone with each other."

"Ha Ha Ha Ha…"

Zhong Yue Wen smiled, then suddenly changed the topic, "That…you're an only child, you…"

"Hm?" Hang Hang turned his head around.

"If you…don't get married and have children, they…"

"Oh, it doesn't matter, they don't ask me to get married and to have children."

"I see…" Zhong Yue Wen felt at ease. She had always want to ask about this, if not asking she would feel bother by it. But she seemed to not be able to find the right timing. So now, they had got close with each other, it was only natural for her to ask that question. No interference from the family is good. Really good. She did not know why but Zhong Yue Wen had a hunch that this time Liang Ze is not going to mess it up, that day she even told Liang Bin that it does not matter it is a woman or a man, as long as their little brother can settle down and live a peaceful life until the end, that is good enough for all of them. Aiii. If Zhong Yue Wen knows about the situation between Liang Ze and Hang Hang now… what she would feel?

Hang Hang accompanied Zhong Yue Wen to Beijing University Hospital for Women and Children,, as expected the clinic was crowded with people. The two of them quickly sat down on a seat, Zhong Yue Wen began to dig into her bag for chocolates. Each Hershey chocolate was being shoved into her mouth one after the other. From time to time, she would offer Hang Hang a piece or two but he just shook his head. He is not a fan of sweets.

They were chatting happily with a very harmonious atmosphere surrounding them. Hang Hang was being surrounded by countless pregnant women with their husbands, he looked at them and then realized that they are carrying a little cute soul in them.

Being separated from Liang Ze for two weeks, Hang Hang had done a lot of thinking. From thinking about how some people do not know their neighbor's surname but know a lot about the love life of a certain x.x.x star with another celebrity; to everyone on this earth always feels lonely, but some people say it out loud while some are keeping it to themselves. He also thought about how being in love and taking a stool share quite a lot in common, for example: it starts out very warm but ends up very cold. In short, his thinking was like a heavenly steed soaring across the sky, totally unrestrained. And then he went to watch Garfield the movie, and suddenly found that Garfield said something brilliant — Life is like a Ferrari, you can never catch up to it no matter how much you try. But it does not matter, you cannot afford it anyway.
{Translator Input: Hang Hang is losing it. Comparing being in love with taking a stool? Ok, you are losing it, that is for sure. I'm giving up on this one as well =.=}

"Hang Hang, Hang Hang."

Zhong Yue Wen pushed Hang Hang twice, only now he got back his consciousness, "Ah?"

"They're talking to us."

"Ah? Who?"

"I say you two look good together, talking to each other so happily, and even smiling with each other." The man sitting next to Zhong Yue Wen sighed, "You see, my wife is not like that, she has changed into a completely different person after getting pregnant, getting gloomy all day, even suspected me of having an affair."

Zhong Yue Wen listened to the man's story, but the more she listened the more wrong it felt, and Hang Hang also felt that they were being misunderstood. He had wanted to explain, but Zhong Yue Wen was quicker than him in explaining, this moment that man was asking how come Zhong Yue Wen does not seem to gain weight unlike his pregnant wife, who looks like a walking meatball, "this is my brother-in-law."

Hang Hang heard such explanation, also followed suit, "ah, this is my sister-in-law."

"Ah?" The man stared at them in bewilderment.

Zhong Yue Wen and Hang Hang was puzzled for a short moment, but they were quick to realize this explanation is worst than not explaining at all, it caused such confusion…
{Translator Input: I hope by now everyone is getting what it means. So Hang Hang is the brother-in-law, and Yue Sis is sister-in-law; and they are both at the gynecology clinic. So, in "normal" situation, people would have guessed that the child Yue Sis carrying is belonging to Hang Hang. That's why, they both think it was best to not explain at all XDDD; being mistaken for a couple, than to have being mistaken for committing adultery with each other.}

That man gave Hang Hang and Zhong Yue Wen a judging look, helplessly Zhong Yue Wen stood up and said, "I want to eat ice cream."

"I'll go buy it." Hang Hang also got up.

Hang Hang accompanied Zhong Yue Wen to take a walk around the hospital yard, also to absorb the natural calcium from the sun, and then headed back to the clinic, it was just at the right time when they called Zhong Yue Wen.

By the time they were all done, it already pa.s.sed lunch time. Zhong Yue Wen persistently asked Hang Hang to have lunch at her house, Hang Hang could not say no, so he agreed to it.

The maid finished making lunch for them, Zhong Yue Wen said with a smile, "I won't call Liang Ze over; the prenatal stage is very important, the more I see him the more it is designated…"

Zhong Yue Wen thought that Hang Hang would laugh, but he did not even smile. This made her questioning that whether she was overdoing it with the joke, even though it was just a joke, it was insulting Hang Hang's other half.

"Don't mind what I said, I was just joking, I also really like Liang Ze."

"No, it's nothing." Hang Hang tried to rea.s.sure her.

"How is the injury on his face? That day Liang Bin came back saying that he had quite a lot of injuries."

"Hm?" Hang Hang was taken by surprise.

Seeing Hang Hang was quite surprised, Zhong Yue Wen also felt shocked.

"Injured? He was in a fight with someone? Who?" Hang Hang could not imagine a gentle Liang Ze would raise a fist against someone. Even got injured?

"You…didn't  know?"

"…"

"You didn't know that Liang Ze beat up the personal trainer at the gym? He almost gave the other a concussion…you…didn't know?"

"Ah, ahem, I was wondering why he didn't come by these days, even when I told him to but he still didn't come over." Hang Hang gave a dry laugh. Made up a lie.

"That little rascal, he dares to hold onto his pride, he didn't tell you, right? He! Aiy, you see how old he is now, yet he acted in such inadvertent manner, that man only just touched his a.s.s, and he already beat that person up like that." Zhong Yue Wen was rambling on about the incident as she continued to eat.

Hang Hang listened on, the hand holding the chopsticks felt like turning into stone. Suddenly he remembered Liang Ze had once said: d.a.m.n it, who do you think I am! This is only because it was you, if it was another person touching me like that…I'd have beaten him up already!

Another person.

Liang Ze had once defined him as not just another person.

"Why you're not eating, here have more." Zhong Yue Wen saw Hang Hang did not touch his chopsticks on anything, so she pushed the plates closer to him, "Since Liang Ze didn't tell you, just don't ask him; or he will feel ashamed, ha ha."

When he exited Zhong Yue Wen's house, it was already three o'clock, Zhong Yue Wen was still very happy, she even said in the next check up, she wants him to come with her. Hang Hang smiled wryly, could not bring himself to say no.

Driving back home, his head was still spinning in a mess.

Liang Ze got into a fight with other people was from a week ago. It was not too long after their separation.

Isn't he…just like me, very miserable? Feeling…really bad?

That day he hugged him for a very long time, wanting to say something but Hang Hang did not want to listen, just like that Hang Hang chased him out of the house. Liang Ze, did he want to break up then? Or…

Anyway, after that day he had never come by to look for him.

Today, his phone was particularly busy, and right now it was vibrating again. Hang Hang pulled out, hoping it was from Liang Ze. Regretfully, it was not. It was an unknown number.

"h.e.l.lo?"

"Hang Hang?"

A very attractive voice sounding from the other line, Hang Hang was sure that he has heard it from somewhere, but he could not remember who.

"Um, it's me."

"Yi Ke Feng."

"Ah! It's you! How are you"

"I've already developed the pictures, even put the film in place too, I've been waiting yet none of you come by to pick them up."

Hang Hang listened on, eh, something was not right, that day they took digital photo, right? They had taken those photos with them.

"Remember? Your boyfriend thought I want to send these pictures to the tabloid." A tint of teasing was in Yi Ke Feng's voice.

Hang Hang had now realized, he was talking about those pictures.

Boyfriend…

The irony.

"Do you have time to pick them up today? I have to leave Beijing tomorrow for a photo shoot, this trip might take up to a few months…"

"This…"

"If not, is it ok that I send them in a package to Qi Ji?"

"No need, I'm free now, be there in a few."

"Ok, I'm at the studio. This is my number, call me when you get here, and tell your boyfriend I don't keep any copy of those pictures, and I won't send them to the tabloid either."

"…"

Hang Hang hung up the phone, fiercely pinched his forehead.

He really did not want those photos to land into Qi Ji's hand.

There was no traffic on the way, Hang Hang got to the studio in a short time. Yi Ke Feng was waiting at the studio entrance after received the call.

"Sorry for troubling you."

"Not a problem."

"Did you wait long?"

"Not too long, just in time for some sunshine."

"Ha Ha…"

"Alright, I'll go back now, you must be busy."

"Don't you take a look?" Yi Ke Feng looked at Hang Hang's eyes.

"Eh…no need, I'll have a look when I get back."

"Oh, okay. I'm quite satisfied with these."

Hang Hang put the photo package on the pa.s.senger seat and then drove back to the pet store. When he returned to the pet store, he saw it was quite busy, super busy. The more busy it was the better his mood became. Only when you make most of your time will you forget about the emptiness of the time.

He closed the shop at 10:30 at night, Hang Hang carried Long Long and Ikkyu upstairs with him. Long Long was still the same, occasionally his alopecia areata would return. Ikkyu was a bit feeling down, it seemed it became uneasy for not seeing its owner for a long time.

Playing with the chinchillas for a bit, Hang Hang went to take a shower. When he got out, he saw Ikkyu stepped on the wood platform in the cage and looked out of the window from the cage, wearing a melancholy expression.

He also looked into the direction Ikkyu looking at, he only saw that same familiar street. It was the street that Liang Ze always took whenever he came here. Hang Hang did not know Ikkyu looking in this direction was by accident or by coincidence. He did not know.

Stood there staring into s.p.a.ce for a moment, Hang Hang opened the door and walked down stairs.

Those photos he did not bring them up, had not seen them yet.

Turned on the car lights, Hang Hang unpacked the photos, there were more than a dozen, all in black and white, they had this artistic feel to them at first glance. If using the animation technique and flipping through them, this was the recurrence of their kiss that day.

From kissing deeply to eye wide opened inexplicably.

Looking at the person in those photos, Hang Hang could not guess in that moment, when Liang Ze and him were kissing, what kind of feeling he was having towards him.

Only seeing him as a friend, he will have such loving moments?

Hang Hang leaned back on his seat, heaved out a heavy sigh.

What should I do?

Just let everything go like that?

If I can really throw away my feeling like that, there is no way I'm feeling this suffocating, right?

Lot of memories with Liang Ze started to emerge into his vision, he always smiled and called out "Shuaige", he always gave a silly smile and said "h.e.l.lo", he said "Shuaige, I'm a love messenger", he said "Aiya, Shuaige, what should I do, hurry and help me", he said "Shuaige, I miss you", he said "Shuaige, you say how I am this handsome", he said "Shuaige, I love you", he said… "I'm sorry".

Liang Ze had always been trying, from the beginning he said "let's give it a try"; to "Oh, I'll sacrifice for this"; to the neon flashing light: I love the Shop Owner; and then he also brought him to meet his family. Those were undeniable facts.

Liang Bin once said "An invisible love. He is really good at writing. But he doesn't have a slightest idea about love itself, he only knows love as one person staying together with another person, living together throughout this lifetime."

Liang Bin said, "my brother always unknowingly hurts other people."

No disappointment when there is no hope. He had put too much hope into Liang Ze, that now he had got this disappointed. Even being disappointed, he was not able to let it go, or more like he did not want to let go.

Hang Hang gripped on the photos in his hands, looking at the photos of the two of them.

Suddenly, he wanted to try again.

If he could not let it go, why not chasing after it?

Right, he wanted to ask him, "Is it possible for you to accept a man?" If Liang Ze would answer him it is, Hang Hang wanted to hold onto him, trying their best to make it works, step by step.

Since he had the courage to fall in love with a straight man, he should not give up that easily. Frustration is to be expected, but when it has gone by…maybe it would have a satisfied result.

He did not want to force Liang Ze into anything, he just hoped…he would not be regretting it at later time.

People always say regret is the most beautiful thing, but it only works on the bystanders.

If you are in the situation, you know that no one wants to regret anything.

Hang Hang suddenly remembered over the New Year, he and Liang Ze were staying at home with five chinchillas and a dog. Diu Diu really liked to bite its own tail, Liang Ze asked why all the dogs are like that, the dog that his sister-in-law used to have also liked to bite its tail, but it could never bite it; the more it tried the anxious it became.

Hang Hang thought about it, he now realized a dog's tail is like a person's happiness, no matter how much you try to chase it, you can never get to it; only when you stop chasing and start to move forward, it will always follow you.

Translator Note: One thing I will say: Hang Hang is losing it. He is seriously losing it. Comparing happiness to a dog's tail, seriously I can only see that in Liang Ze's definition. The same goes with "being in love" and "taking a stool" … I hope you all know what a stool is…"ah heck, taking a stool = taking a dump" there. Explicit is so much better and easier to understand LOL. But yeah, Hang Hang is losing it and he is going to try everything for this. We will see how that goes.

Proofread: Mari