A string of Thai words popped up on the dark phone screen, and the desktop vibrated as the lights flickered.
The strong liquor slid down his throat into his stomach. After the initial spiciness wore off, Fan Xiao opened the phone and put it to his ear.
"Done?" he asked.
There was a shadow moving in front of me, another person trying to strike up a conversation.
His eyes raised, and the heavy pressure on the stern look made the young boy hesitate. Fan Xiao looked at him expressionlessly and said into the microphone, "Now that it's done, call the police."
He stood up, picked up the half-full bottle of expensive foreign wine on the table, walked around the bar to the boy who was chatting him up, and asked softly, "Do you think I will get what I want tonight?"
The tall man was very handsome. The boy was a little nervous and didn't know what he was asking. He didn't say anything and just nodded.
"Good boy." Fan Xiao smiled, stuffed the wine into the boy's arms, and patted his fair face with his free hand, "You are much better than him, but I don't like you."
Turning around, he walked towards the dark corridor. The swaying light shone on his back, making him look weird and lonely.
After walking two street corners, Fan Xiao saw flashing police lights. The young man who left with You Shulang was being questioned by two policemen.
"I didn't steal anyone's wallet!" The young man tensed his neck and tried to defend himself, "I went to the bathroom and the wallet was on the sink. There was no one in the bathroom, so I... I... I picked it up!"
"Don't get excited yet. We haven't labeled you a thief yet. Everything needs to be verified." The police officer holding a men's wallet soothed him, "Now please cooperate with us to go to the bar just now. We will check the surveillance video near the bathroom. The owner is also there. Then the truth will be revealed."
The young man looked downcast, glanced at You Shulang beside him, and muttered softly, "I'm really not a thief."
You Shulang patted him on the shoulder and said gently, "Go and figure this out."
"Can you... leave me your phone number? Later..."
"No, I'm leaving tomorrow."
The young man sighed again, turned around dejectedly and left with the police.
When he looked up again, You Shulang saw Fan Xiao leaning against the wall with his arms folded, with an annoying smile on his lips.
"Have you had enough of the show?"
You Shulang reached into his pocket for a cigarette, but Fan Xiao stuffed a "Rouge" into his mouth first. The man's voice was as gentle and intoxicating as the night breeze: "How dare I watch Director You's show."
You Shulang lit a cigarette with his hand, took a deep puff, and blew out the smoke. He seemed a little tired, and there was even a hint of pleading in his words: "Don't make trouble, Fan Xiao. We are friends, and I don't want to have a quarrel with you."
"Falling out? Why?" Fan Xiao stepped closer. "I worship you like a bodhisattva every day. Is Director You's heart made of iron and stone? Can't you feel it? Ah, or is Director You blaming me for not finding a good night partner for you?"
He grabbed the wrist of the person in front of him, just like You Shulang had grabbed the young man just now.
He got closer and whispered slowly, "Do you think I can do it? Am I qualified?"
You Shulang was not shocked at all. Hearing this, he exhaled a "fuck" along with the smoke. He looked into the gloomy eyes and said calmly, "Can you say what you just said again?"
Fan Xiao suddenly pulled the man, pressed his chest against his chest, and leaned forward slightly: "Director You, do you think I can be your lover?"
You Shulang bit the cigarette between his teeth, and suddenly lowered his wrist, breaking Fan Xiao's palm. He grabbed the man's collar hard, pulled him into the alley beside the road, and threw him against the wall angrily.
He grabbed Fan Xiao's chin with two fingers and forced him to meet his gaze: "I asked you to say it again to give you a chance to change your words, and you actually said it again."
Fan Xiao did not resist but retorted, smiling and said: "I really want to ask this question, I don't need you to give me a chance."
"Okay, then I'll answer you, you can't, I don't like you."
"Why?" Fan Xiao grabbed You Shulang who was about to leave, gritted his teeth but asked with a smile, "What's wrong with me?"
"What's wrong?" You Shulang held Fan Xiao's chin and looked him over. "The skin isn't white enough, the eyelashes aren't long enough, the face isn't soft enough, and besides..." He bit the cigarette between his teeth, and his two free hands suddenly attacked Fan Xiao's waist. He touched that waist thoroughly before smiling contemptuously. "The waist isn't good either. It's not soft enough."
His hands continued to move downwards, roughly grabbing two lumps of firm flesh: "It's hard here, and there's no feel at all."
You Shulang took a step back, took off his cigarette and looked at Fan Xiao, and made a final assessment: "Fair skin, beautiful face, delicate body, soft flesh, do you fit that profile?"
The shadows in the dark alley covered Fan Xiao. He was silent for a moment, then suddenly sneered, "Director You's vision and aesthetics are not good enough. I need to correct them for you."
He took a few steps closer and said, "Or maybe you said that on purpose to discourage me, just like when you took that person away just now, you didn't really want to get a room with him, right?"
You Shulang frowned slightly: "You think too much."
"Okay, even if I think too much." Fan Xiao sprayed the heat on the man's ear, "When Director You was touching me just now, wasn't he also quite excited?"
Quickly intercepting You Shulang's rebuttal, Fan Xiao said confidently: "Men understand men best. You can't deny it."
You Shulang, who had always been calm and in control of the situation, showed anger for the first time. He took a deep puff of cigarette, suppressed his emotions, and looked up at Fan Xiao: "I have been considering our friendship and have not wanted to talk about the matter openly. Since you are not afraid of a falling out, then I will ask you one question, Fan Xiao, what exactly do you want to do? Do you want to sleep with me?"
"I do, very much." Fan Xiao himself didn't expect that his face would feel a little hot when he said this.
After getting the answer, You Shulang took a deep breath and said, "Okay, let me ask you again, Fan Xiao, are you gay?"
"I…"
You Shulang pressed Fan Xiao aggressively while he was stunned: "Answer me directly, are you?"
"…It could be."
You Shulang sneered: "Fan Xiao, you just want to have fun. I don't know why you have thoughts about the same sex. If it is my fault, I am sorry, but I assure you that I have never thought of seducing you, and I don't think I have done anything to seduce you."
There was no need to think carefully, the meaning of these words was clearly laid out in front of Fan Xiao.
"In other words, you've never been interested in me?" Fan Xiao's low voice was filled with a bit of morbid madness. He supported the wall with one hand and gathered You Shulang in the narrow corner in front of him. "If I remember correctly, when I kissed you that day, you got hard, right? You seemed quite excited when you fucking touched my waist just now!"
"That's just a normal man's normal reaction!" You Shulang's voice turned from fierce to gentle, "It has nothing to do with love."
It has nothing to do with love!
Fan Xiao's heart felt like it was being whipped hard by someone. He even looked away in panic, not daring to look into You Shulang's eyes.
The arm that was supporting the wall was brushed away. You Shulang's words were filled with deep fatigue and helplessness: "Fan Xiao, you were just in a whim. Control your temper, return to normal, find a girlfriend, and let this matter go. I won't go back to live tonight. Let's meet at the airport tomorrow. From now on... from now on, we will have less contact and only talk about work, not personal relationships."
After throwing away the cigarette, You Shulang looked at Fan Xiao deeply again, then turned around and raised his hand: "Let's go, Mr. Fan."
It was only three or five steps to the entrance of the alley. The evening breeze bathed in the afterglow of the street lights slowly blew into his arms, but it failed to blow away the loneliness in You Shulang's eyes.
Turning the corner, there was a strange road. The moment his eyes were lit up by the street lights, he heard hurried footsteps behind him, and his wrist was grabbed again!
"You Shulang." Fan Xiao's voice was different from usual deep voice, "Wait a minute."
The pointless tug of war made You Shulang suddenly angry. He turned around and shouted, "Fan Xiao, are you done yet? If you want to have fun, there is a gay bar just two blocks away. With your qualifications, Mr. Fan, there are many people willing to play with you! Please, don't bother me! From now on..."
"I love you."
The three words "against the wind" came clearly to his ears, interrupting You Shulang's words.
From shock to scrutiny to recognition of the facts, You Shulang finally said lightly, "Nonsense."
Fan Xiao approached, his forehead almost touching You Shulang's, and the breath and temperature of both of them were between his fingers: "Director You said it was nonsense, so I will tell you some nonsense. I want to see you every day. I don't want to be separated when I see you, and I feel anxious when I can't see you. I have found many poor excuses to see you. Bohai doesn't have that much work to do, and I don't like to visit wetland parks. I have a bad sense of direction, but I am not so bad that I can't use navigation. Many times I take the wrong way, but I just want you to pick me up. My right hand has been healed for a long time, and my left hand is even more flexible than my right hand, but these lame excuses are all because I want to keep you by my side and be with you."
The gap between the two of them narrowed even more: "I don't know if this is love, Director You, you are knowledgeable, can you tell for sure?"
"You..." You Shulang rarely felt flustered, and even began to avoid Fan Xiao's burning gaze. He wanted to escape but couldn't. The man's hand moved down from his wrist, inserted between his fingers, and interlocked his fingers with his.
The night wind in S City is too gentle, enveloping people and making them sink deeper and deeper.
"Fan Xiao, you want to date me? Not just for fun, nor just on a whim?" You Shulang asked again slowly, word by word, "I don't need you to promise a future, but have you at least thought about our future?"
Fan Xiaoyu was a little late, his eyes hiding in the shadows again, and said in a deep voice: "Yes, I am serious. Promises are useless, but at this moment, the future in my mind is filled with your figure."
You Shulang was silent for a while, as if he had made up his mind: "Fan Xiao, homosexuality is not a good path to follow. I don't want to drag anyone down with it. I gave you a chance, but you didn't want it. So don't blame me... for taking action against you."
Exerting force on his clasped hands, You Shulang brought Fan Xiao into the dark alley again, and pushed him against the wall, staring intently at the handsome man.
"Kiss me quickly, Director You." Fan Xiao pressed the man fiercely to his chest and kissed him deeply, "I can't wait any longer, my Bodhisattva."