Soon, they heard the roar of a motorcycle. A man in a red helmet sped toward them from down the street at full throttle, only slamming on the brakes when he was a single step away. The tires let out a sharp shriek, dragging a white line across the pavement. Pei Cangyu and Bai Shi both recoiled.
Mahua pulled off his helmet and tossed his elegant braids back. As he shed his jacket, the muscles in his arms rippled. Only then did Pei Cangyu realize that the lizard on the back of the man's hand was merely the tail of a massive dragon that coiled up his arm, previously hidden by his sleeve.
Mahua hung his helmet on the handlebar and looked up at Pei Cangyu. Reaching out, he grabbed Pei’s collar and pulled him forward, inspecting the red swelling on his forehead. Pei Cangyu hissed in pain.
"Alright, you get going," Mahua said coolly, stepping off the bike and heading inside.
Pei Cangyu grabbed his clothes. "Where are you going?"
Mahua waved him off. "Don't worry about it."
"Hey, wait—"
"Was it the people upstairs who hit you?"
Pei Cangyu shook his head. "It’s hard to explain in a few words..."
Mahua was already heading for the stairs. Pei Cangyu followed, not forgetting to turn back and command Bai Shi, "Stay right there. Don't move."
Bai Shi shifted his feet. Seeing that Bai Shi wasn't listening, Pei Cangyu grew anxious as he hurried to keep up with Mahua. "Hey! I told you not to move!"
As Pei Cangyu spoke, blood trickled into his eye again. He wiped it away carelessly, smearing the left side of his forehead a gruesome red. He glared at Bai Shi with a fierce, menacing look. "Do you understand?"
A surge of excitement rushed through Bai Shi. He nodded. "Yeah."
Mahua frowned, wondering why Bai Shi suddenly looked so happy, then turned and continued upstairs. Pei Cangyu followed.
Bai Shi stood obediently at the entrance, looking up at the second floor. Just the thought that Pei Cangyu might get beaten again made his entire body tremble slightly, though he didn't know why.
Another commotion erupted upstairs. Bai Shi stared at the window and stepped aside, just in case someone fell out.
But the noise lasted only a moment before falling silent. To his surprise, Pei Cangyu and Mahua emerged barely ten minutes later. Mahua was cradling his cat in his arms.
Pei Cangyu hadn't been beaten again, but he looked annoyed.
Mahua carefully placed the cat on the motorcycle, then curled his lip as a thought occurred to him. "If you hadn't stopped me, damn it, I would've made sure he knew this place..."
"Enough, enough..." Pei Cangyu smoothed down a tuft of hair sticking up. "Just go..."
Mahua bid them farewell, gave his cat an affectionate pat, and donned his helmet. He roared away just as he had arrived.
Pei Cangyu watched him leave and sighed. Turning, he saw Bai Shi still standing under the streetlamp by the entrance. "Hey, why haven't you left yet?"
"You told me not to move..."
Pei Cangyu blinked, stunned for a moment. "Oh..." Then he laughed. "Idiot, that was a figure of speech. Hyperbole, you know? And here I thought you were a good student..."
Bai Shi walked over to his side. "Where to now?"
"What do you mean 'where to'? I'm going home. You should go home too." With that, Pei Cangyu began walking toward his apartment.
Bai Shi stood still for a few seconds before walking in the opposite direction. After a few steps, he picked up a stone, pressed his hand against the wall, and smashed it with all his might. Once blood began to flow, he tossed the stone away and ran back to Pei Cangyu's side.
Pei Cangyu was whistling while waiting for a green light when he saw Bai Shi catch up to him, panting.
"What's wrong?"
Bai Shi asked, "Do you have a band-aid?"
Pei Cangyu laughed, pointing to the wound on his own forehead. "Do you think I have one?"
Bai Shi lowered his head and fell silent.
"What happened?" Pei Cangyu asked again. He squinted under the streetlights to look at Bai Shi and finally noticed his hidden left hand. Something seemed to be dripping from it.
Pei Cangyu grabbed the hand and was startled to see the mangled palm. "When did this happen? Who did it? Those high schoolers?"
Bai Shi said nothing.
"Damn..." Pei Cangyu scratched his head. "How about this..." He pointed toward the intersection ahead. "I have medicine at home. Why don't you come over and wrap it up first? By the way, where's your driver? Why isn't he around?"
Bai Shi remained silent.
When the light turned green, Pei Cangyu led him away.
"Let me tell you first, my grandma is home. She might be sleeping, so don't wake her up..." As they neared the residential complex, Pei Cangyu began giving Bai Shi detailed instructions.
Bai Shi nodded.
"Then you can call your driver. This complex is hard to find, so I'll walk you back to the intersection later..."
Bai Shi didn't move.
Pei Cangyu smacked him on the back of the head. "Did you hear me?"
Bai Shi nodded.
Pei Cangyu paused, then reached out to rub the back of the boy's head, feeling a bit sheepish. "...Did I hit you too hard?"
Bai Shi nodded.
Pei Cangyu raised an eyebrow. "What? It wasn't that hard. Was it really that hard?"
"...No."
Pei Cangyu saw that the window of his home was lit and grew visibly nervous. Ignoring Bai Shi, he dashed up the stairs. Bai Shi followed close behind, tripping several times on the unfamiliar, narrow staircase.
Pei Cangyu pushed the door open. "What's wrong? Grandma..."
Today, Grandma was in a wonderful mood.
The orange-red pendant light was on, and Grandma had dug out the record player she had almost thrown away. It was currently playing a sweet song by a female vocalist that sounded like the chirping of an oriole. The house had been cleaned thoroughly and sprayed with air freshener. The curtains, which usually remained closed, were neatly rolled up, framing the stars and moon in the night sky perfectly. Dinner was set on the table—four dishes and a soup.
Grandma was humming a tune in the kitchen. After washing the tofu, she moved with light, dance-like steps to the counter to chop it. Turning around, she saw Pei Cangyu and smiled. "You're back."
Pei Cangyu nodded blankly. The familiarity of the person and the scene almost made him feel as if time had wound backward.
Grandma turned the stove to a simmer—she was stewing ribs—and brought out the bowls and chopsticks. "Let's eat then..."
She led the dazed Pei Cangyu out of the kitchen and spotted Bai Shi still standing by the door. She let out a surprised laugh. "Oh my, who is this?"
Pei Cangyu hurried over. "He's here to borrow a bandage. He'll leave right after, immediately..."
"How could you say that?" Grandma gave Pei Cangyu a reproachful look before turning to Bai Shi with a beaming smile. "Young man, are you Yu-yu's classmate? What's your name?"
Pei Cangyu waved his hands frantically. "Don't call me—" But he lacked any real momentum, and a single look from Grandma silenced him.
Bai Shi bowed to Grandma and said in a soft, polite voice, "Hello, Grandma. My name is Bai Shi. I'm Pei Cangyu's seatmate."
Pei Cangyu stared at Bai Shi, his eyes wide. "Damn it... why are you using that voice?"
Grandma took Bai Shi's hand. "Well then, would Bai Shi like to stay for dinner? Shall I let your parents know?"
Bai Shi looked at Grandma. "It's no trouble. I already told them I'd be back a bit late."
Pei Cangyu: "When did you—"
Grandma clapped her hands in delight and pulled Bai Shi toward the dining table. "That's wonderful. It's been so long since Yu-yu had a classmate over..."
Pei Cangyu shouted from behind, "He can't—"
Grandma and Bai Shi stopped and turned to look at him.
Pei Cangyu hesitated. "He... he hasn't changed into slippers yet..."
Grandma headed back to the kitchen to check the pot. "Then get a pair for him." She had Bai Shi sit down and looked him over carefully once more. "What a well-behaved child."
"Thank you, Grandma."
Pei Cangyu rolled his eyes, walked over with the slippers, and dropped them on the floor. He crossed his arms. "Change, quickly."
Bai Shi exaggeratedly rolled up his sleeve, revealing his bloodied hand. He made a move to squat down but tugged at his sleeve instead, making the wound even more prominent.
Pei Cangyu finally let out a frustrated sigh and crouched down. His tone was unfriendly. "Don't let this happen again. You come to borrow a bandage and end up freeloading a meal..."
Bai Shi looked down at the crown of Pei Cangyu's head. The hair whorl spiraled to the left. He reached out a finger and tapped it lightly; Pei Cangyu didn't notice.
Pei Cangyu tossed Bai Shi's shoes toward the door. The rough sound reached Grandma in the kitchen, and she raised her voice: "Pei Cangyu!"
Pei Cangyu quickly straightened the shoes, glared at Bai Shi again, and went to the bedroom to get the bandages.
Bai Shi sat and surveyed the small apartment.
It was a two-bedroom, one-living room unit. It felt cozy, decorated in warm tones. It was clear the owner had high standards for their living environment. Bai Shi walked over to look at the gramophone. His family had one too; Bai Jiang had bought many to appear sophisticated. The most prized ones were handmade—the older, the better. Even if the sound quality was poor, it didn't hinder his desire to show off. To highlight his taste, he had once invited a music professor he was pursuing to his home. He spoke at length about his "research" into jazz, which seemed to move the professor. When he offered to play a classic, the professor was wondering if it would be her favorite, Frankie Laine, or the first record she ever heard, *Outback*. Instead, Bai Jiang smoothly pulled out a disc titled "The World's 100 Jazz Classics—The Only Record You'll Ever Need" and played it with great pride, completely ignoring the origins of jazz and even tossing in a few words of Italian. Later, after the professor politely rejected his advances, Bai Jiang declared, "Damn it, intellectuals are freaking crazy," and gave all his gramophones away.
Bai Shi saw that this gramophone wasn't the expensive kind Bai Jiang favored. The record was a song from the 1930s, which explained the soft, lilting tone. It was nearing the end and started to skip. Bai Shi adjusted the needle, letting it start from the beginning.
"Don't touch that," Pei Cangyu said, nervously grabbing his hand. "Even I don't dare mess with it."
Pei Cangyu glanced toward the kitchen, then shoved the medicine and bandages into Bai Shi's hands. "Here. Go wrap it up quickly. We're about to eat."
Bai Shi took them and once again extended his bloody hand...
Pei Cangyu sighed and grabbed it to clean the wound for him.
Bai Shi tapped the swelling on Pei Cangyu's forehead. "What about yours?"
"I'll do it later. Her eyesight isn't great; if I put a bandage on, she'll definitely notice..." Pei Cangyu skillfully treated Bai Shi's wound.
"Dinner's ready!"
Grandma, wearing thick oven mitts, brought out the stew pot and called them to the table.
Once they were seated, Grandma set out small cups for everyone and poured some of her homemade tea. Bai Shi looked closely; it was packed with good ingredients, the kind of generous blend one only makes for themselves.
Grandma raised her cup with a smile. "Well then, let's have a toast!"
She raised it, and the other two followed suit, clinking their cups against hers.
Looking closely now, Bai Shi realized that Grandma was actually quite young. Judging by her appearance alone, she seemed to be in her early sixties, though a quick calculation of the generations suggested she must be older. She was very thin, possessing a sense of long-practiced efficiency. Her silver hair was combed impeccably, and she wore pearl earrings of obviously high quality—an expensive touch that seemed at odds with the family's financial situation. She wore lipstick, but it wasn't jarring; it simply gave her a healthy glow. Overall, she was someone who took great care of her image, though the effort required to maintain such a positive front was beginning to show.
Pei Cangyu set down his cup and grinned. "What's up with you? In such a good mood today?"
Grandma smiled. "I woke up late today. I slept until ten!"
"Really!" Pei Cangyu's eyes lit up.
Grandma turned to Bai Shi, explaining to the puzzled boy, "For us old folks, being able to sleep long and well is a true blessing!"
Bai Shi smiled. "Grandma, you're so young and beautiful; that's a blessing too."
Grandma laughed and shot a triumphant look at Pei Cangyu, who smiled helplessly.
They chatted as they ate. Bai Shi realized that Grandma was an educated woman. Her speech and mannerisms were highly refined, carrying a certain reserved dignity typical of a prestigious family—a trait Pei Cangyu had clearly failed to inherit.
Toward the end of the meal, Grandma suddenly asked, "Wait, Yu-yu, didn't you come home especially early today?"
Pei Cangyu froze for a second, then shook his head. "No, it was about the same as usual."
Grandma hummed, her eyes narrowing slightly. "You didn't skip class, did you?"
"How is that possible!" To show his indignation, Pei Cangyu stood up and pointed at Bai Shi. "If you don't believe me, ask him. He's the top of our class, a great student. Even if I skipped, would a good student like him skip class?"
Grandma turned to Bai Shi, who shook his head. "We came here right after school ended."
"Mhm." Grandma smiled and pulled Pei Cangyu back down into his seat. "Grandma was just asking."
Pei Cangyu nodded. Grandma placed a slice of beef in his bowl. "By the way, are there any exams coming up?"
"No," Pei Cangyu answered fluently.
Bai Shi noticed that when Pei Cangyu lied, he liked to end his sentences with a casual "ah" or "no."
Grandma smiled and poured Pei Cangyu a cup of tea. "Don't work too hard on your studies. I looked at that university; it's not too difficult to get into these days."
Bai Shi interjected, "What university?"
Grandma's eyes brightened, tinged with a hint of bashfulness. "It's my old university, back in my hometown. I wasn't able to finish my studies before I had to leave..."
At that moment, Bai Shi saw Pei Cangyu looking at his grandmother, his eyes overflowing with a sense of guilt. Bai Shi thought to himself that this was truly asking too much of Pei Cangyu; since he couldn't learn, he could only pray the school would lower its admission threshold.
Pei Cangyu fell silent and ate quietly. Grandma, however, began talking about the past. She clapped her hands and asked if Pei Cangyu wanted to see the family photos. Bai Shi set down his chopsticks and nodded solemnly.
Grandma went to get a heavy photo album and put on her reading glasses. She sat with Bai Shi, pulling Pei Cangyu to sit on her other side.
Bai Shi immediately spotted Pei Cangyu's father—a tall, dark, and handsome man. He didn't look much like Pei Cangyu. It seemed Pei Cangyu took after his mother more, though there were no photos of her here. Bai Shi noted that Pei Cangyu's skin wasn't dark, nor was it quite bronze; it was the color of honey, smooth and taut. When smeared with blood, it possessed a dizzying power.
Grandma was recounting embarrassing stories from Pei Cangyu's childhood, drawing protests from him, but Bai Shi wasn't listening. He watched the trajectory of Pei Cangyu's growth through the photos, then looked past Grandma at Pei Cangyu's profile. For a fleeting moment, he felt an inexplicable difficulty in breathing.
They were laughing and joking, the album nearly finished, their tea cups refilled and steaming. Grandma was witty, poised, and elegant. No matter how much Pei Cangyu acted up, it seemed harmless, occasionally drawing laughter from both Bai Shi and Grandma. Everything was so harmonious; it was a beautiful evening.
Suddenly, in a gap in their conversation, there came a gurgling sound, followed immediately by a foul odor.
Both Bai Shi and Pei Cangyu froze.
The album in Grandma's hands suddenly hit the floor. She covered her face and began to cry.
Bai Shi looked down. Where Grandma's white skirt met the chair, a deep yellow stain had spread, and something was dripping messily onto the floor.
Grandma kept her face covered, sobbing uncontrollably. The gurgling sound continued. The gramophone sang melodiously, and the carefully cultivated scent of orange blossoms still lingered in the air. The clean, tidy room and the previous atmosphere now stood in shocking contrast to this weeping elderly woman. The unstoppable waste continued to fall, right there by the dining table.
Bai Shi calmly picked up the album from the floor and closed it. He righted a tipped teacup on the table and stood up, looking at Pei Cangyu.
Pei Cangyu was also frozen in place. He should have known that such a perfect state was abnormal.
But when he met Bai Shi's calm gaze, it seemed to give him immense strength. Pei Cangyu stood up as well.
He reached out to put an arm around Grandma, speaking softly. "Let's go take a bath first, okay?"
Grandma screamed behind her hands, "Leave me alone! Leave me alone!"
Pei Cangyu patiently supported her. "Okay, okay, I'll leave you alone. Just let me walk you over there, alright?"
Pei Cangyu shot a look at Bai Shi, signaling him to go outside. Bai Shi obediently left.
As he closed the door, he saw Pei Cangyu still patiently coaxing his grandmother. This was a side of Pei Cangyu he had never seen—skillfully comforting a loser in a bout with old age. He wondered how long this had been going on.
Bai Shi stood at the door, unmoving. The motion-sensor light would occasionally go out, but he didn't mind. When his feet grew numb, he would stomp, and the light would flare up again. He had realized long ago that Grandma was a woman of great pride; otherwise, she wouldn't have worked so hard to maintain her dignity. Though he didn't feel much himself, he imagined this must be a devastating blow to her.
He didn't know how long he stood there. He felt as though many lights in the opposite building had gone out before the door behind him slowly opened. The lights inside were off now. Pei Cangyu walked out, his head hanging in exhaustion. He closed the door and leaned against the railing.
"Is it settled?"
Pei Cangyu nodded. "She's asleep."
"You..." Pei Cangyu paused, as if he wanted to say something but had nothing to say.
"Today... why did you say they were 'meaningless'?"
Pei Cangyu was taken aback. "What?"
Bai Shi repeated his question. "During the fight today, you said they were meaningless."
"Ah, that..." Pei Cangyu felt around his person for a cigarette.
"And you stopped the barber shop owner..."
Pei Cangyu held the cigarette between his fingers but didn't light it. "Because it is. What's the point of all that fighting? I've seen those people out on the streets. I think it's meaningless."
Bai Shi stepped toward him. "Then what is meaningful?"
Pei Cangyu finally turned to look at him. "I don't know..."
Pei Cangyu's breath was so close. Bai Shi should have taken a step back, but he didn't move. Pei Cangyu's muddled mind wasn't thinking of anything; his eyes held a kind of innocent confusion. "Just... being normal, I guess..."
Bai Shi wanted to ask what "normal" meant, but in the end, he didn't speak. He didn't think Pei Cangyu knew what he was saying himself.
"Oh, right. How are you getting back?" Pei Cangyu remembered.
"I'll go back on my own." Bai Shi looked down at the street. "My family won't notice I'm gone."
As he said it, he saw Pei Cangyu's face suddenly stiffen. He let out a short laugh. "Just kidding. They're waiting for me at the intersection."
Pei Cangyu breathed a sigh of relief.
Bai Shi said his goodbyes. "I'm leaving then."
"Do you need me to walk you?"
"No need."
Pei Cangyu watched his silhouette disappear at the entrance before turning to go back inside.
Bai Shi walked home alone. He felt his pockets and found no money; otherwise, he could have hailed a taxi.
Forget it. He'd just walk for a while.
***
Glossary:
