Chapter 44: Asking for Help
The day had just begun to lighten, and the sounds of roosters crowing and dogs barking undulated through the tranquil village.
Qi Xu slowly opened his eyes, momentarily confused by the dim light and unfamiliar surroundings.
The shallow breaths coming from his embrace gradually brought Qi Xu back to awareness.
The warmth under his fingertips, the softness in his arms, intoxicated him, and he couldn’t resist continuing to embrace Xie Yang, drifting back into sleep.
Until a ray of sunlight pierced through the window into the room.
Xie Yang woke from his deep slumber, rubbing his tired eyes.
Steady breathing filled his ears, and Xie Yang quietly tried to remove Qi Xu’s hand to sit up.
As he moved slightly, Qi Xu’s warm breath suddenly approached.
Qi Xu’s lazy and hoarse voice sounded, “Where are you going so early?”
Before Xie Yang could reply, he was pressed down by Qi Xu, unable to move. He blinked dryly and said, “Good morning, brother.”
Qi Xu lay on top of him, unwilling to get up, and lazily said, “It’s still early, sleep a bit more.”
Xie Yang tried to push him away but couldn’t, so he gently patted his back and petted him, softly coaxing, “I’m getting up now, you can sleep a while longer. I’ll call you when I’m ready.”
Qi Xu didn’t respond but bit his neck lightly.
“Mm.”
Xie Yang dared not move and could only let him gently lick.
Qi Xu, unsatisfied from not having his fill, teased Xie Yang a bit before finally letting him go.
Suppressing his heartbeat and embarrassment, Xie Yang lifted the mosquito net and got out of bed.
Morning sunlight, accompanied by a light mist, filled the air with the scent of grass. Xie Yang stood in the yard, stretching lazily, taking a deep breath of fresh air.
The air quality in the countryside was better, refreshing his mind early in the morning.
Xie Yang heated water for washing his face and also dried Qi Xu’s clothes.
After tidying up the yard and gathering everything, he returned to the bedroom to wake Qi Xu.
Due to the mosquitoes in the countryside, he liked to hang mosquito nets. He gently hung up the net, sat along the bedside, and patted Qi Xu’s hand, calling out softly, “Brother, it’s time to get up.”
Qi Xu, still half asleep, glanced at his phone and closed his eyes again, “So early?”
Xie Yang gently shook his hand, his voice soft and coquettish, “I want you to accompany me to the morning market.”
He enjoyed going to the morning market; when he was young, he often went with his grandmother to the town market.
Until his grandmother passed away, he rarely returned to Liuli Village and seldom woke up early to go to the morning market.
Qi Xu propped his head with his hand, raising an eyebrow slightly at him, “What’s in it for me?”
Xie Yang paused and whispered, “Then I’ll treat you to breakfast?”
Qi Xu stared at him, eyes filled with warmth, murmuring, “Not enough.”
Xie Yang pursed his lips, poking his arm, “Then what do you want?”
Qi Xu suddenly grabbed his arm, pulling him into his embrace, humming, “At least kiss me?”
Their eyes met, and Xie Yang couldn’t help blushing.
Qi Xu remained still, prompting Xie Yang to cup his face and kiss the corner of his lips.
The blush on his face quickly spread, pushing Qi Xu’s chest and urging, “Let’s go quickly; if we delay, we’ll miss the morning market.”
Qi Xu pinched his flushed cheeks, affectionately playing with him for a while before finally releasing him.
Xie Yang’s face was almost on fire; he quickly got out of bed and handed him the dried clothes, saying, “The clothes are washed; you can wear them now.”
Qi Xu took the clothes and could still smell a faint scent of laundry detergent.
He suddenly remembered that Xie Yang had spent so long bathing last night—it turns out he was washing clothes for himself.
Qi Xu smiled softly, lowering his gaze, “So obedient.”
Watching Qi Xu undress, Xie Yang hurriedly ran away, making sure to close the door behind him.
…
The marketplace bustled with activity, and smoke from cooking rose gently.
The breakfast shop was packed with people enjoying steaming buns, hot soy milk, and freshly fried dough sticks, all emitting enticing aromas.
Xie Yang walked hand in hand with Qi Xu through the bustling streets, smiling happily, “It’s been many years since I last came to the morning market.”
Qi Xu patted his head and asked, “What do you want to eat?”
After some thought, Xie Yang said somewhat regretfully, “There are many things I want to eat, but my appetite isn’t that big. I can’t eat so much.”
Qi Xu replied, “Then let’s buy a bit of everything. If you can’t finish it, I’ll eat the rest.”
Xie Yang led him into a small shop selling wontons, saying, “This shop has been open for many years. When my grandmother used to take me to the morning market, she would bring me here to eat wontons. Their soy milk and dough sticks are delicious too.”
The wontons cost five yuan per bowl, with thin skin and generous filling, and the price hasn’t increased in all these years.
While eating his small wontons, Xie Yang looked at Qi Xu.
Suddenly, he felt that Qi Xu’s demeanor seemed out of place in this small wonton shop.
Xie Yang remembered that Qi Xu usually took him to eat at restaurants that were more high-end and unfamiliar to him.
He asked quietly, “Will you be comfortable eating here?”
Qi Xu replied, “I will. I’m curious about experiencing your life; I think it’ll be interesting.”
Xie Yang felt sweetly reassured, sensing that Qi Xu would deliberately care for his feelings.
Thinking of a popular online phrase, Xie Yang teased him, “Was the hardest thing you’ve ever had to endure in your life an iced Americano?”
Qi Xu chuckled, “No.”
Xie Yang asked, “Then what was it?”
Qi Xu glanced at him and casually replied, “Being dumped by an online date on Christmas Eve. Deleting them as a friend wasn’t enough; I had to block them too. It was really too much.”
Xie Yang: “…”
This incident seemed like something he’d remember for a lifetime.
Xie Yang took a sip of water to calm himself and changed the subject, “I wonder if we’ll have a chance to come back to the morning market like this again in the future, to eat a bowl of small wontons.”
Once the house was demolished, there would be no more Liuli Village, naturally meaning no more chances to return.
Qi Xu comforted him, saying, “You can come back anytime you want, and I’ll accompany you.”
Feeling warm inside, Xie Yang smiled and said, “Let’s eat quickly. We still have to go to xxx later.”.”
Although Liuli Village was scheduled for demolition, it wouldn’t happen right away. Xie Yang had asked Aunt Wu, and they wouldn’t start construction until the second half of the year.
Since it was the last year he’d spend at home, he felt he should cherish it.
Just as his grandmother used to do when she was alive, he planned to put up couplets, hang red lanterns, buy some New Year flowers, and perform rituals.
He had learned all these things from his grandmother when he was young and still vaguely remembered how to do them.
After buying the couplets, he dragged Qi Xu to the flower market and bought several pots of chrysanthemums and kumquats.
They returned home with their arms full.
With Qi Xu around, there was someone to help him move heavy potted plants, and having a car made things much more convenient, eliminating the need for him to make multiple trips back and forth—it was truly convenient.
Unlike previous years when he was alone and always busy and frantic.
When Qi Xu was moving the flowers into the yard, he suddenly remarked, “Baby, do you intentionally feel like you’re keeping me here?”
Xie Yang smiled guiltily, not entirely denying it.
He hadn’t expected Qi Xu to be so capable.
Xie Yang pulled him to sit down and then massaged his shoulders, trying to please him, “Brother, you’re the best. If it weren’t for you, I might have been busy until evening.”
That was true. In previous years, he had always been alone, spending two or three days just cleaning up and dusting when he returned.
After being busy, he had to buy New Year goods in town. The small electric car couldn’t carry much, so he sometimes had to make several trips back and forth.
Xie Yang looked at the couplets on the table, his eyes lighting up, “Right, could you come on the twenty-ninth day of the lunar month?”
Qi Xu raised an eyebrow slightly, “Asking for my help comes with a price.”
Xie Yang shyly glanced at Qi Xu, looking conflicted and hesitant.
A hint of a smile appeared at the corner of Qi Xu’s lips.
In the end, Xie Yang agreed, “Then come earlier on the twenty-ninth day. If possible, could you buy me some fireworks?”
Qi Xu asked, “Fireworks?”
Xie Yang nodded, “I want to set them off with you. I’ve never set off fireworks before, and I don’t dare to do it alone. But if you’re here, I won’t worry.”
Qi Xu’s eyes and smile were meaningful as he said, “Setting off fireworks is usually done at night. Are you trying to keep me overnight?”
Xie Yang looked down, his earlobes slightly hot, “Then, are you free that day?”