"Holy crap, I thought you were a foreigner... scared the hell out of me..." Pei Cangyu recovered his wits, pressing a hand to his chest.
He had just woken up. Standing barefoot on the floor, he rubbed his eyes and muttered to himself as he turned to look at Bai Shi. Bai Shi was leaning against the window frame, holding a saucer and sipping tea.
Bai Shi’s blonde hair seemed to have had some extensions added; it looked longer now, a bit fluffy, and was tied back in a short ponytail. To be fair, the color was quite nice—it was impressive that a shop in such a dingy alley had that kind of craftsmanship.
Pei Cangyu sat up to change his clothes, stealing another glance at Bai Shi.
To be honest, he looked even more like a foreigner now. Pei Cangyu guessed that because someone had recognized him yesterday, Bai Shi had decided to change his appearance.
"Are you ready?" Bai Shi set down his teacup and looked at him. "Let me tend to your wounds."
Pei Cangyu patted his own chest. "Don't worry. Compared to you kicking me and giving me shots, the few hits he landed were practically gentle."
Bai Shi smiled, ignoring the sarcasm. He headed toward the door. "Come outside."
Even if Bai Shi hadn't said anything, Pei Cangyu would have gone out anyway—he had to eat.
And so, Pei Cangyu ate his breakfast while watching Bai Shi carry a box down.
He chewed on his toast and took a sip of milk to wash it down, his eyes tracking Bai Shi as the box was placed in front of him. "What's this?"
"Something useful," Bai Shi said, opening the box and pulling out a rasp.
Pei Cangyu’s eyes widened and he recoiled so hard he tumbled onto the floor. He scrambled back up on all fours as Bai Shi quickly set the tool aside. "No, no, this is for you."
Pei Cangyu pressed himself against the wall, ready to bolt at any second, eyeing him suspiciously. "For me?"
"Yes. For fixing things. Aren't you good at that kind of work?"
Pei Cangyu stuffed the rest of the bread into his mouth and approached tentatively, slowly taking the box from Bai Shi’s hands. "Really for me?"
"Yes." Bai Shi looked at him. "A 'men’s toolbox,' so to speak."
Pei Cangyu pulled it close to his side. "Fair enough. After all, I’m the one who handles the 'manly' chores in this house." He rubbed his nose and started to laugh, but then realized he’d said something potentially awkward and cleared his throat with a cold expression.
Bai Shi didn't comment. He leaned over and took a pair of short scissors from the toolbox. "Sit down. I’m going to trim the hair around your wound."
"Oh." Pei Cangyu sat down obediently, clutching his "men’s toolbox."
Bai Shi moved around him and tapped his chin with a finger. Pei Cangyu tilted his face up.
From that angle, he saw Bai Shi’s shirt. Today it was a blue-green, tucked into his trousers. The pearlescent buttons on the front were fastened securely, and the fabric shifted into layered folds with Bai Shi’s movements. Pei Cangyu tilted his head back a bit further and noticed the collar didn't have a button, perfectly revealing his collarbones. A necklace hung there, swaying, leaving a faint patch of allergic redness on the skin.
Bai Shi flicked Pei Cangyu’s forehead with his index finger. "Lower."
Pei Cangyu lowered his head and muttered, "Show-off..."
"What?" Bai Shi shifted, and Pei Cangyu caught the scent of his cologne.
"Are you wearing perfume?"
"Mhm."
"...Peacock."
Bai Shi chuckled. "Am I?"
Pei Cangyu’s face flushed. "Aren't you!"
Bai Shi stepped back, tossing the trimmed eyebrow hairs into the trash. "Would you prefer the 'all-natural' scent of a man?"
Pei Cangyu nodded. "Yeah."
Then he shook his head violently. "No, no, no... damn you..."
Bai Shi ignored him with a smile. He swiped his thumb into a small tin, picking up a smear of silver. As he leaned back in, Pei Cangyu asked, "What are you doing?"
Bai Shi applied a touch of silver to the gap in Pei Cangyu’s left eyebrow where it had been shaved.
"What is this?" Pei Cangyu tried to touch his eyebrow.
Bai Shi caught his hand, preventing him from touching it. "Paint."
"Huh?" He looked worried. "Does it wash off?"
"Hard to say. It’ll probably wear off over time."
Pei Cangyu frowned. "Move, I’m going to wash it."
Bai Shi shook his head and laughed. "Why so worked up? If I give you a tattoo later, will you be able to wash that off too?"
Pei Cangyu froze. "I’m getting a tattoo?"
"Not today." Bai Shi packed the things away. His tone was casual, but there was an underlying sense of compulsion, as if he didn't take Pei Cangyu’s potential resistance seriously at all.
There was still some silver paint left on Bai Shi’s thumb. He put his thumb in his mouth and licked it clean.
Watching the movement, Pei Cangyu felt a sudden, inexplicable surge of restlessness. But what he said was: "Careful you don't poison yourself."
Bai Shi’s thumb lingered by his lips. His dark pupils were fixed on Pei Cangyu. Hearing those words, he smiled, ran his tongue in a circle around the edge of his thumb, and withdrew his hand. His voice was airy. "Is that so?"
Pei Cangyu felt as though he were being watched by a dangerous predator. Whether it was Bai Shi’s gaze or the flash of his red tongue, a wave of heat washed over him.
"If you drop dead from poison, I’m running away immediately."
Bai Shi laughed. "I expect you would."
Pei Cangyu pursed his lips and stood up to wash his cup. He noticed several baskets sitting in the kitchen. "What are these for?"
"A picnic," Bai Shi said, following him. "The neighbors lent them to us."
Pei Cangyu hurriedly finished washing the cup to inspect the well-crafted woven baskets. A small blue flower was tucked into the rim of one. The bottom was lined with a floral cloth, and a thin wooden divider separated the basket into two layers.
"Nice. Looks expensive." Pei Cangyu lifted it to look, and then the realization hit him. "We’re going on a picnic today?"
Bai Shi nodded.
Pei Cangyu set the basket down, his social anxiety regarding strangers flaring up instantly. He made a face and asked, "Who’s going?"
"You, me, and the sisters," Bai Shi told him. "Maybe their dog too. Did you want to invite someone else?"
Pei Cangyu breathed a sigh of relief. "No one else? Good." He sat back down with a glass of water. "Fine. The rest is your job then—preparing the food and drinks, playing housewife."
Bai Shi walked over to the refrigerator and began preparations. As he sliced lettuce, he remarked, "You didn't used to be this afraid of people."
Pei Cangyu nearly choked on his water. "That’s because I don't speak the language! If I could understand them, would I be afraid? Besides, it’s not 'fear,' it’s 'social anxiety.' It’s very trendy among young people, okay?"
There were two knocks on the front door, and Saitino’s face popped in. "Your gate was open. I hope you don't mind me coming in."
Bai Shi nodded and explained to Pei Cangyu, "The gate was open."
Saitino had brought a bunch of grapes, purple and translucent like crystals. Pei Cangyu looked puzzled. "Are grapes even in season?"
Bai Shi took them and looked them over. "A technological revolution, perhaps."
Pei Cangyu looked impressed.
Saitino walked around the room with her hands behind her back, looking curious. Bai Shi suggested, "I did some decorating a few days ago. Why don't you show her around? She comes over often, after all."
Saitino’s eyes lit up. "May I?"
Bai Shi nodded and turned to Pei Cangyu. "Take her for a tour."
"Huh? Why don't you do it? I don't even know what she's saying."
Bai Shi raised the grapes in his hand. "I’m busy."
Pei Cangyu laughed. "Fine."
He led Saitino upstairs. Along the way, she began asking questions, but to Pei Cangyu’s ears, it was all just gibberish. He just smiled the whole time.
Saitino possessed all the lovely traits of a girl her age. She was bold and happy, perhaps even a bit impolite. Her amber eyes sparkled, always full of questions. Even with Pei Cangyu, who couldn't understand her, she would tell a joke and then laugh at it herself. As they walked through the gallery, she linked her arm with his like a date, humming the Wedding March and playing house. This was a joke Pei Cangyu actually understood; they shared a smile, and Saitino stuck out her tongue. In one room, Bai Shi had collected many paintings; they weren't hung up, just leaned against the walls. Pei Cangyu didn't recognize any of them, but Saitino was full of praise. She got excited, mimicking the figures in the paintings and posing next to them, asking Pei Cangyu with her eyes if she looked like them. She even took the camera from around her neck and asked him to take a photo.
Pei Cangyu snapped a few pictures for her, then weighed the camera in his hand thoughtfully.
He quite liked spending time with them. For some reason, he didn't view them as the opposite sex; instead, he felt like he was looking at younger sisters.
In the late afternoon, the two sisters stood at the door whistling. Their dog was barking, calling for Bai Shi and Pei Cangyu to set out.
"What’s the dog’s name?" Pei Cangyu asked Bai Shi.
After asking, Bai Shi told him, "Cher."
Cher was particularly joyful today, dashing ahead to perform the trick of chasing his own tail, spinning in circles until he tumbled over. Only Pei Cangyu and Lasis found it hilarious, laughing non-stop, while Saitino thought it was too childish.
Lasis, Pei Cangyu, and the dog lined up on the nearly empty street, waiting for Saitino’s whistle to see who was fastest. As soon as the whistle blew, the first one to bolt wasn't the dog, but Pei Cangyu. Lasis pointed into the distance and shouted Cher’s name; the silly dog ran off in that direction, and Lasis took the opportunity to sprint forward.
Just as it looked like the fierce competition for first place would be between Lasis and Pei Cangyu, Cher realized his mistake and veered back onto the track, leaving them in the dust. Pei Cangyu, thinking he was safe as he neared the lamppost, was cut off by Cher, who streaked past like a black arrow. The dog bit down on the post, celebrating his victory.
Pei Cangyu was dumbfounded. "That’s incredible..."
Lasis jumped up, forcing her dog to give her a high-five—a tall order for a dog.
Pei Cangyu protested. "Again, again! Fair competition! Don't make the dog run off to the side to shorten the distance. Long-distance running isn't for humans."
Bai Shi reminded him, "A hundred meters doesn't count as long-distance."
Pei Cangyu elbowed him in the ribs. "Shut up. Just translate."
So once again, the two humans and the dog stood on the track. Pei Cangyu’s eyes were sharp as he rolled his ankles, ready to burst forth at any moment. Lasis shared a look with Bai Shi and Saitino, and the two nodded.
Bai Shi blew a whistle, and Pei Cangyu shot out like a rocket. Only then did Saitino blow her whistle. Hearing the second whistle, Pei Cangyu stopped in his tracks. Lasis and the dog jogged past him leisurely, Lasis even patting him on the shoulder as she went by.
Pei Cangyu stood stunned for a moment before finally spotting Bai Shi. He ran over and jumped onto him. "You bastard..."
Bai Shi caught him, wrapping his arms around his waist to keep him from falling.
Pei Cangyu pinched his cheeks, rubbing them hard until Bai Shi’s face turned red. Then he used his left hand to squeeze Bai Shi’s neck, applying pressure twice before letting go, all for the sake of a whistle. His revenge wasn't truly malicious, but Pei Cangyu still gripped Bai Shi’s collar. "I hate you. I really want to bite you."
Pei Cangyu slowly slid down from his arms. Bai Shi supported him and whispered, "Alright."
Saitino and Lasis waved to them; the riverbank was just ahead.
They went down the embankment and sat on the grass. Saitino pulled a ukulele from her bag, and Lasis clapped supportively. "Ooo~"
Saitino tossed her hair like an artist and gestured for everyone to be quiet, drawing laughs from the group.
A few people were scattered across the lawn, their light blue or pink-and-white picnic blankets dotting the vast green grass like young flowers, clusters of crisp laughter ringing out here and there.
The sun was just setting, leaving a smear of orange-red across half the sky, bleeding into the distant dark blue. Night was crawling across the sky inch by inch, ready to bite off the last of the light. The seven o'clock breeze, carrying the scent of grass, blew from behind them and drifted lazily away at a speed that barely ruffled their hair. An orange glow fell across Saitino’s forehead as she bent over her strings, producing short, light notes.
She sat cross-legged with Cher circling her. "I'll sing your namesake's song then," she said with a wink, and began to sing "My Baby Shot Me Down."
Lasis happily spread jam on toast like a domestic housewife, setting plates before everyone and dictating how much each person could eat.
Pei Cangyu watched Saitino’s face gradually fade into the darkness as the sun sank. He turned to Bai Shi. "Are there no lights here?"
"There are. You have to turn them on yourself." As he spoke, he stood up. A few men in their thirties were walking over, seemingly to say something. They shook hands with Bai Shi. The girl in their group saw Saitino playing and joined them excitedly; the group of four quickly expanded to nearly ten.
Bai Shi looked down and told Pei Cangyu, "We’re going to turn on the lights. Do you want to come?"
Pei Cangyu nodded and stood up. Among a crowd of strangers, he preferred to stay by Bai Shi’s side.
The caretaker lent them a ladder, explaining that the wiring was broken and wouldn't be fixed until next week; they had to climb up to the treehouse to flip the switch.
The men carried the ladder to the base of the treehouse and looked up.
Pei Cangyu waited for a while, but no one moved. One of the men glanced at him and then looked away. Pei Cangyu tugged on Bai Shi’s clothes. "What’s going on? Aren't they going up?"
Bai Shi told him, "That house in the tree—half the door is broken. It’s too narrow. They can't get in."
A man drinking beer frowned, sounding resentful. "Those bastards across the levee who don't pay taxes... I think we should add an electric fence."
A few of the others echoed him, while some remained silent. Bai Shi didn't speak either.
Pei Cangyu said, "I can go."
Bai Shi turned to look at him.
Pei Cangyu shrugged. "I should be able to squeeze in."
The man nearby couldn't understand Pei Cangyu’s words, but he caught the gist of it. He asked Bai Shi, "Perhaps we could let your friend try?"
Bai Shi glanced at him, smiled, and nodded without answering. Then he turned back to Pei Cangyu. "No."
Pei Cangyu was surprised. "Why?" He gestured. "You know I can fix things."
Bai Shi shook his head. He was about to say more when the man with the beer—the one who wanted the electric fence—stepped past Bai Shi and came right up to Pei Cangyu. Although he wasn't much taller than Pei Cangyu, he leaned over with his hands on his knees, speaking as if to a child. It was a gesture that screamed 'I am trying to maintain equality.' He spoke in heavily accented English: "You,"—he almost hissed the 'th' sound—then turned to point at the treehouse, "Up? Up?"
Pei Cangyu’s first instinct was to look at Bai Shi. He thought, *Oh no, he’s angry.*
Bai Shi slowly turned his head to look at the man. His expression was one of "How dare you speak to him directly in front of me without my permission"—Pei Cangyu had become a master at reading Bai Shi’s face.
"He’s not going." Bai Shi shifted his body slightly. "Don't get too close to him. You’ll get hurt."
The man looked at him, straightened up, and then offered a smile. "He looks like he could handle the job. My apologies." He then turned to his companions and switched languages, curling his lip and making a dismissive gesture with his hand, a squinting laugh escaping him. "I thought he was one of those people from across the levee."
Bai Shi let out an impatient click of his tongue. "Keep your tail tucked."
The man froze. Bai Shi had clearly understood him and had even replied with one of their local proverbs. He looked back at his friends in surprise, but the others hadn't seemed to hear the remark and were chatting about something else.
Bai Shi’s face instantly smoothed back into a calm smile. He raised his voice to address the others. "It seems it can't be fixed. Let’s head back."
The group began the walk back. Only the man from before remained wary, eyeing Bai Shi, deeply unsettled by the flash of malice he had seen for that brief second.
As he walked, he suddenly felt Bai Shi approach him, an arm draping over his shoulder. Bai Shi was slightly taller than him. He turned his face to look at the man while their companions continued walking ahead.
"Here’s the thing. I just discussed it with my friend, and he insisted I shouldn't do anything. But let me be blunt: an outsider like you, playing the aristocrat in a manicured garden district, acting like a superior race in front of locals, ordering people around like dogs... you should be drowned in piss and thrown in the river. But that’s not important; that’s none of my business. Do you know why you actually annoyed me? Because you bent over when you spoke to him. You spoke to him like he was a retard. Just because he doesn't understand your language, you think he’s a lower class of human?"
The man tried to turn his head, but Bai Shi’s hand gripped his jaw, forcing him to look forward. Simultaneously, Bai Shi practically hoisted him up by the shoulder, forcing him to walk. He realized Bai Shi’s strength was immense, completely at odds with his frame. He felt pinned, coerced into moving forward.
"By the end of tonight, I will know your name, where you live, and who is in your family. When I leave this place—when I *have* to leave—I will go to your house, take your money, kill you, and drown you in piss." Bai Shi’s tone didn't change. "Because you bent over to speak to him today."
The man’s hands began to shake. He couldn't tell how much of the threat was real, but he had seen desperate men before. Their tone was exactly like this—flat, yet with an unmistakable undercurrent of excitement and a flippant smile at the end of every sentence.
"And also because I haven't done any 'work' in a long time."
It was too realistic. The man’s legs went weak, and he nearly collapsed, unable to process what he was hearing.
But Bai Shi hauled him upright, propped him against a tree, and then left him to walk ahead. He stepped up beside the worried-looking boy, and they both looked back at the same time.
The man’s companions finally noticed something was wrong and asked him what happened.
He used the tree to pull himself up and looked at the group. Everyone, including the man who had just threatened him, looked perfectly refined—creatures of civilization with smooth hair and the scent of expensive cologne. They were fundamentally different from the filthy people across the levee. Bai Shi especially. There was no way he could believe the threat he’d just heard.
*It must be fake...*
*Just talk...*
He hurried to catch up with the group, stealing a glance at Bai Shi.
***
Enjoying the story? Rate this novel:
Stolen Jade | Chapter 116 | A Silver Mark | Novela.app | Novela.app
