At 5:20 PM, during the long break, Pei Cangyu stood up the moment the bell rang. "Let’s go, let’s go. I’m going to get my hair dyed."
Piggy followed suit immediately. "Since we’re leaving anyway, let’s just skip evening self-study."
The others began packing their bags at once, then paused to glance at Apple, who sat in the second row. Apple turned around, shrugged, and started packing his own bag. "They’re just going over test papers anyway. Let’s go."
The five of them moved with lightning speed, reaching the classroom door just as the bell finished tolling.
Apple glanced at Bai Shi and deliberately slung an arm around Pei Cangyu’s shoulder to lead the way. "Bro, honestly, do we have to bring him along?"
Pei Cangyu looked at him. "What’s wrong? Does he annoy you?"
"Not exactly." Apple frowned. "I just think the kid is a bit... tsk, weird."
Pei Cangyu didn't say anything.
Apple turned to look back at Bai Shi, then at the silent Pei Cangyu, and patted his shoulder. "Forget it, pretend I didn't say anything. But did he ask to follow you?"
Pei Cangyu thought for a moment. "I guess so."
Apple chuckled. "Do you just say yes to anyone who asks?"
Pei Cangyu gave a non-committal grunt.
"Then Fei Zuohua really missed out. He just didn't have the guts; he should have just told you directly."
"Why are you saying that too?" Pei Cangyu brushed back a few stray hairs. "How come I never noticed?"
Apple turned back to look at Bai Shi again. "Did Bai Shi say that too?"
Before Pei Cangyu could answer, Bai Shi, clutching his backpack straps, came trotting up on his short legs to catch up, walking on Pei Cangyu’s other side.
Apple looked across Pei Cangyu at Bai Shi and curled his lip. Bai Shi didn't offer an explanation; he just kept pace beside them.
Pei Cangyu noticed nothing. The others behind them were still rowdy. Apple let go of Pei Cangyu’s shoulder. "You’re a fast runner, Bai Shi."
Bai Shi ignored him.
The place where Pei Cangyu got his hair dyed was a self-run shop on Heping Road. The owner was a big guy with a head full of braids. When they first met him years ago, Piggy had called them dreadlocks, but the man had spat in disdain, saying, "Bullshit, these are *mahua* braids. When you eat naan, do you call it pizza?" Piggy had immediately admitted defeat.
Mahua was in his early thirties, built like a tank, looking more like a cook than a barber. He had a face full of scars and a mouth full of curses. A large lizard was tattooed on the back of his hand. He had once tried to convince the group of five to stop smoking back in eighth grade, but to no avail. He kept six cats that slept in various corners of the shop, each one fiercer than the last. When he had no customers, he watched heart-wrenching Korean dramas and would cry while watching. He was surprisingly artistic; he designed his own storefront sign and loved writing love poems to submit to magazines. One had even been published in the evening paper, which he had clipped and framed on the wall.
Mahua grinned the moment he saw Pei Cangyu. He pushed through the others to pull Pei Cangyu over. "How’s it going, Blondie?"
"It’s all faded, what do you think?" Pei Cangyu shot him a look and sat down with a flourish. "Give me a sun-gold color."
Mahua tweaked his ear. "Gotta wash it first."
The two went to the back to wash his hair while the others found places to sit. Some teased the cats, some flipped through Mahua’s new poems, and some immediately started playing handheld games.
Bai Shi suddenly realized that they were all here just to accompany Pei Cangyu.
Is this what "aimless friendship" was? Just... coming along?
Pei Cangyu finished his hair wash quickly. He walked back pressing a black towel to his head, his hair tucked inside, with water droplets trickling down his neck.
Piggy looked up from his game and then went back to it. "Damn, looking sharp, Brother Pei."
Pei Cangyu grinned and sat in the chair.
Bai Shi stared at him and agreed. He really was handsome. Pei Cangyu had a very good face, and paired with his vibrant physique, he was brimming with the feeling of being truly alive.
As Bai Shi stared, he suddenly met Apple’s meaningful gaze in the mirror. Apple gave a snorting laugh, and Bai Shi frowned.
"Still going with yellow?" Airplane stood beside him. "Ever considered green?"
Pei Cangyu looked at him through the mirror. "Get lost."
Airplane walked away with a sigh.
Mahua came over, removed the towel, and began blow-drying his hair. Stray strands fluttered wildly as Mahua gripped his hair. "Still want gold?"
Piggy stood up. "How about my red?"
Apple glanced at him. "Oh, please, bro. Your red is just a buzz cut. What’s the difference between that and being bald?"
Monkey touched his own hair. "I don't think my grey is that great either..."
"Speaking of which, Apple is the shadiest," Airplane said, looking at Apple. "He said he wanted to try something completely different and dye his hair pure black..."
Seeing them all staring at him, Apple laughed. "How was I supposed to know you’d all believe me?"
Piggy tossed his game console aside. "Aha! You treacherous official! Today I shall strike you down! Lord Pei, I request permission to battle!"
Ignoring Mahua tugging at his hair, Pei Cangyu turned and threw a comb on the floor like a challenge token. "Screw him up!"
Apple bolted out the door, and Piggy jumped up to chase him. Airplane leaned out the door and shouted, "Buy me some snacks when you come back!!"
Monkey started rummaging through his pockets again. "Wanna bet? I bet they’ll definitely forget."
Bai Shi realized they were truly experts at entertaining themselves.
He stood up and walked to Pei Cangyu’s side. Pei Cangyu couldn't move his head, so he looked up at him. "What? Are you hungry too?"
Bai Shi stared at Pei Cangyu in the mirror, looking at his face. "Is the class monitor your girlfriend?"
Pei Cangyu’s ears suddenly turned red. He stiffened his face. "None of your business. Scram..."
"Oh." Bai Shi nodded and went back to sit down.
Monkey and Airplane huddled together to read a manga, narrating the plot to Pei Cangyu as they went. Bai Shi sat properly in a corner of the sofa, doing nothing but watching Pei Cangyu.
Mahua tugged at Pei Cangyu’s hair. "Hey, who’s this kid?"
Pei Cangyu chuckled. "That’s my little lackey. Doesn't he look like a little dumpling?"
Mahua glanced at him. "He looks quite well-behaved."
For some reason, Pei Cangyu felt a bit proud, as if he were the one being praised.
By the time Piggy and Apple returned arm-in-arm, it was already dark. Pei Cangyu’s hair had gone through another round of washing and was now a pale gold. As it was being blow-dried, he turned to look at them. "Where did you run off to?"
Piggy tossed the snacks he’d bought to Pei Cangyu, then distributed the rest to Monkey and Airplane. Apple was sucking on a popsicle and came over to touch Pei Cangyu’s hair. "It’s a bit coarse. Your hair used to be softer."
Pei Cangyu tossed his snacks to Bai Shi and swatted Apple’s hand away. "What do you know? Men are supposed to be hard."
Mahua patted Pei Cangyu’s shoulder, signaling him to stand up; it was finished.
Pei Cangyu hopped in place to shake off the stray hairs and asked them, "How is it?"
Piggy gave a thumbs-up. "Good. Go confess to the class monitor tomorrow."
Pei Cangyu kicked him.
They noticed Mahua wasn't collecting money but was instead pacing around the shop, looking quite anxious.
Piggy slung an arm around Pei Cangyu’s shoulder and jerked his chin toward Mahua. "Hey, hey, what are you doing? Not taking our money?"
Mahua turned around with a serious expression. "Have you guys seen Maria?"
"Who?" Piggy looked bewildered.
Sweat broke out on Mahua’s massive face as he gestured with his hands. "My cat! My big cat!"
Everyone immediately began counting in the shop. One, two, three, four, five. Exactly one missing.
Apple looked up at him. "Probably went out to flirt with other cats."
Mahua was still rummaging around, now preparing to take his keys and search outside. "Bullshit, her leg is injured. Where could she run?"
Pei Cangyu stopped him. "Hey, want us to help you look?"
Mahua hurried over. "That would be great! More people, more power. I’ll treat you all to hotpot later."
Pei Cangyu told everyone huddled on the sofa to stand up. "Alright, alright, stop playing. Let’s go find the cat." Then he looked at Mahua. "Where should we go?"
Mahua counted heads. "I’ll head to the eastern corridor. You guys check the snack street to the west, the residential area to the south, and the riverbank to the north?"
"Got it." Pei Cangyu pointed at Piggy and Airplane. "You two go west."
He pointed at Apple and Monkey. "You two go south."
Then he pulled Bai Shi over. "We’ll go north."
Piggy was still chewing on potato chips. "I don't even know what that cat looks like."
Airplane hooked an arm around his shoulder. "I know, brother."
Similarly, Monkey looked at Apple. "Do you know what the cat looks like?"
Apple smiled at him. "I don't just know what she looks like; I know her full name. I don't just know her full name; I know the names of all the cats."
As they walked out, Apple continued cheerfully, "Maria’s full name is Ozawa Maria, Xiao Cai’s full name is Sakura Ai, and then there’s Xiao Bo..."
Monkey shot him a look of disgust. "How do you hide such a lecherous form under that human skin?"
Apple slung an arm around him. "Perverts recognize their own kind." As he spoke, he glanced at Bai Shi.
Bai Shi followed Pei Cangyu toward the riverbank. Night had just fallen, and the sky was still a dusky grey. Objects on the ground were faintly visible without the need for lights. Around seven o'clock, people who had finished an early dinner were out for walks along the embankment.
The embankment was built high. On one side, you could look down at the Jinshui River flowing through the city; on the other side were scattered plazas. The willow trees planted along the bank were in their dormant state, leaving only bare branches that looked stiff and cold. Occasionally, the wind would catch them, whipping them against passersby with an audible snap, so few people walked directly under the trees.
Pei Cangyu pulled out a cigarette and lit it. Only after lighting it did he remember to turn to Bai Shi. "I’m smoking."
It wasn't really a question. Bai Shi nodded. He guessed Pei Cangyu could do whatever he wanted; he was likely just informing him out of politeness.
Because they were walking against the crowd, they inevitably ended up under the willow trees. Bai Shi walked below them, and because of his height, the willow branches didn't hit him. Pei Cangyu, however, took a few hits but acted as if nothing happened, his mind focused on searching the river.
"If she’s in the river, she’d be a cat corpse by now, wouldn't she?" Bai Shi looked in the direction Pei was staring.
Pei Cangyu gestured with the hand holding his cigarette. "You really don't know Maria. We found out before that she often hangs out by the river. I suspect there are other cats here."
Bai Shi asked, "Are all the cats there female?"
"No, there are males too. They’re all strays he picked up." Pei Cangyu focused intently on the riverbank, slowing his pace.
"Are you very close to that owner?"
"He’s alright. Why?"
"I saw knives hanging in his shop. There were gang names engraved on them..."
Before Bai Shi could finish, Pei Cangyu turned to look at him. "What’s your point?"
Bai Shi weighed his words, hesitating before speaking. "I think he used to be in the underworld."
Pei Cangyu didn't seem particularly surprised. "Oh." Then he turned his head back.
Bai Shi stared at Pei Cangyu’s profile. "So, do you plan on dropping out of school?"
Pei Cangyu was amused. "What?"
Bai Shi looked at him seriously. "Your performance at school isn't good. You’re just drifting along. You clearly have no interest in studying, and you have no talent for it either—you can't seem to learn. You don't have any plans for the future. Are you planning to drop out this semester? Or next semester?"
Pei Cangyu was stunned by the bluntness. Then, looking at Bai Shi’s serious face, he realized Bai Shi wasn't insulting him but merely stating facts. This made him even angrier. His face flushed instantly. "None of your damn business! Am I eating your family’s rice?!"
With that, he turned and walked away.
Bai Shi froze for a moment, not knowing what he’d said wrong, but he quickly followed. Pei Cangyu strode forward with his hands in his pockets, his back hunched and a cigarette in his mouth, leaving Bai Shi behind in just a few steps.
Bai Shi hurried after him. Because he was running too fast, he actually tripped over a stone and fell to the ground with a heavy thud.
Hearing the sound, Pei Cangyu paused and turned back. He saw the little white bundle sprawled on the ground, unable to even lift his face.
Pei Cangyu: "..."
He walked back irritably and grabbed Bai Shi by the collar to haul him up. To his surprise, the boy slapped his hand away. "I don't need your help."
Having his kindness rebuffed, Pei Cangyu grew even angrier and gave Bai Shi a shove.
Bai Shi fell again but scrambled up quickly and kicked Pei Cangyu in the shin.
Pei Cangyu bit down on his cigarette, freeing both hands. "You’re dead!"
He reached out to grab him, but Bai Shi turned and ran toward the edge of the embankment. Pei Cangyu gave chase. Bai Shi stepped on the edge, lost his footing, and went tumbling down.
Pei Cangyu reflexively reached out to grab him. "Hey!..."
He missed. Bai Shi rolled all the way down.
Bai Shi tumbled over the grass several times before coming to a stop on the flat ground. His head was spinning, and his face was covered in mud. He ended up lying on his back in the grass. When he opened his eyes, he saw the starry sky above.
Pei Cangyu’s face suddenly appeared over him, grinning. "Still running?"
As he spoke, he wiped the mud off Bai Shi’s face.
Bai Shi slowly sat up and reached out to yank Pei Cangyu down, forcing him to sit beside him.
Pei Cangyu didn't get angry. He just sat there on the ground, his cigarette glowing and fading. The wind blew his stray hairs; since the sun had set, the golden strands fluttered and quickly became messy. His face held the lightheartedness of a youth, mixed with a certain stillness that surpassed his years.
Bai Shi reached out and tugged at his hair. He had wanted to do that since he first saw it. Pei Cangyu let him, his head swaying with the movement, but he didn't speak, staring into the distance.
Bai Shi let go. "What are you looking at?"
Pei Cangyu chuckled and pointed toward the trees on the opposite bank. Two dogs were "exercising," one on top of the other, thrusting back and forth. "Look at those two..."
Bai Shi looked over. "...What’s so interesting about that?"
Pei Cangyu took the cigarette out of his mouth, holding it between his fingers. He laughed and turned to him. "Just now... two minutes ago, their positions were completely reversed..."
Bai Shi stared blankly for a moment before the realization hit him.
Pei Cangyu put the cigarette back in his mouth. "All sorts of things happen in this world..."
Bai Shi watched the dogs for a while longer, then looked up at the stars, finally letting his gaze rest on Pei Cangyu’s face. "Do you have another cigarette?"
Pei Cangyu felt his pockets. "...I think I’m out. How about..."
He didn't finish, because the little white bundle reached out, plucked the cigarette from his mouth, and put it in his own. Mimicking Pei Cangyu, he took a drag, removed it, and tilted his head back to blow a smoke ring.
This "angelic" lunatic was surprisingly talented at smoking.
Pei Cangyu glanced at him, then looked away. "Whatever Mahua used to do has nothing to do with us."
Bai Shi smiled with the cigarette in his mouth. "Understood." He took it out. "Do you want it back?"
Pei Cangyu rolled his eyes. "It’s yours."
***
Enjoying the story? Rate this novel:
Stolen Jade | Chapter 61 | Golden Glow and River Breezes | Novela.app | Novela.app
