In the afternoon, it was time to get off work, and the ladies who took their children to work with them walked to the staff room one after another. Zhang Yuze wrapped his scarf around his neck and followed the gang.
A female doctor from the Obstetrics and Gynecology department saw him and asked in surprise: “Dr. Zhang, you don’t have a child. How come you’re walking this way?”
Zhang Yuze smiled politely and said: “To get Xu Li.”
Female doctor: ?
Walking to the door of the children’s room, he saw Xu Li squatting in the innermost part, fooling around and whispering about something with a little girl. The little girl was not very old, but her face was full of disdain.
Xu Li said: “I’ve told you, but you don’t believe me! My partner is so beautiful!”
Little girl: “I won’t believe it unless you show her to me!”
Xu Li was feeling choked. The child was still young and did not understand the concept of same-sex love for the time being. Xu Li wanted to parade Dr. Zhang in front of her, but after thinking about it, he still gave up.
Just as Zhang Yuze entered the room, Xu Li looked up. As soon as the mothers slipped inside to pick up their children, Dr. Zhang put his hands in his pockets, already wearing his knee-length coat. A pair of indifferent eyes swept over everyone in the room, fixating on Xu Li.
“Oh.” Xu Li patted the little girl beside him. “Isn’t that brother good-looking?”
“He looks good.” The little girl nodded. “So where’s your wife?”
Xu Li smiled and answered: “My wife is about the same as him, do you understand?”
Zhang Yuze came in, kicked him, and said: “Let’s go, I’m off work.”
Xu Li stood up, put on his coat with difficulty, and said: “I have something urgent today. Let’s go first.”
Zhang Yuze looked at him. Assistant Xu wanted to explain his plans for the day, but…
…Dr. Zhang was expressionless: “Oh, then I’m going home.”
Xu Li was shocked. “Oh?!” He said. “Won’t you ask me where I’m going, boyfriend?”
Zhang Yuze rolled his eyes: “Which bar is it?”
Xu Li: “…Who said I’m going to a bar?!”
Zhang Yuze: “Which nightclub then?”
Xu Li was feeling helpless. “Boyfriend, I think you lack basic trust in me.”
“Boyfriend, I think you can find the reason for that yourself.”
Xu Li choked for a moment, but still managed to bicker back: “I haven’t been to those places since I began dating you!”
However, Zhang Yuze clapped his hands and praised him: “That’s great! It’s only been a couple of days since we started dating, and you were with me last night. There was really no chance for you to go to a nightclub.”
Xu Li frowned and said: “Can’t I still try my best in the future?!”
It’s worth saying that when he heard Xu Li’s pitiful promise, Zhang Yuze was a little happy in his heart. Even looking at the scum felt a little more pleasing to the eye. But Zhang Yuze still had the same attitude towards him. He… Really didn’t believe it.
If Xu Li could repent so quickly, there was no need to write an original piece of literature whose name was longer than life itself.
“So where are you going? Shall I give you a ride?” He asked.
Xu Li immediately jumped on his back, nodding crazily.
“You wanted to take advantage of my car from the beginning!” Begrudgingly, Zhang Yuze still had to carry Xu Li to the underground parking lot.
…………
Driving according to Xu Li’s instructions, Zhang Yuze knew that Xu Li just wanted to go home and see his mother. Passing by a supermarket, he even asked to stop the car and buy some fruits and snacks.
After parking the car downstairs in the community, Zhang Yuze didn’t want to accompany him any longer, but since it was inconvenient for Xu Li to carry all the bags by himself, Dr. Zhang still went up with him.
Opening the door, Xu Li shouted: “I’m back.” However, his tone was quite cold, lacking the smile he had in the past.
Mother Xu came out of the back room, already complaining: “Why did you come over when you’re injured? Didn’t I say that I could buy it myself…” After finishing her words, she looked up and saw Zhang Yuze at the door.
“Who is this?” Mother Xu was stunned. According to the understanding she had of her one and only son, the man in front of her should also be some random partygoer, or at least not a serious person.
But this man looked different. He was full of indifferent temperament, and his clothes were clean and meticulously attached to his body.
Zhang Yuze took the initiative to answer: “Colleague.”
However, Xu Li answered at the same time: “Boyfriend.”
The two looked at each other.
Zhang Yuze: “Boyfriend?!”
Xu Li: “Colleague?!”
After all, they were in front of the other party’s parents. Zhang Yuze was shocked that Xu Li actually dared to bring up the love relationship they just so casually confirmed.
As for Xu Li, he gritted his teeth and stared at him.
Zhang Yuze didn’t know what he was thinking, but still ended up confirming: “Yes, yes. His colleague and boyfriend.”
“Are you… Dating?!” Now it was Mother Xu’s turn to look shocked. She never paid much attention to her son’s social media, so she naturally had no idea that he started a relationship just a few days before.
“Well, you never asked.” Xu Li was perfunctory, changed his shoes, and put down the things he brought. Seeing that he didn’t plan on staying, Zhang Yuze just stood at the door.
Sure enough, Xu Li carried the fruits to the kitchen and went back to the porch, preparing to leave.
“By the way, has he been pestering you recently?” Xu Li stood still, but his sharp eyes swept over his mother’s face.
Zhang Yuze knew that this “he” should refer to Xu Li’s father.
“No… No.” Mother Xu’s eyes fluctuated.
Xu Li looked at her suspiciously for a long time. After a long time, he finally said: “Mom, let me warn you again, don’t be stupid. It’s because I struggled and fought back that we can be alive today, not because of that old thing. He left us ten years ago, so it has nothing to do with us whether he’s still alive or not. Stop acting like a saint!”
Mother Xu’s lips started trembling and she raised her eyes to say: “But he’s your father after all!”
“Damn!” Xu Li hated having this conversation over and over again. “He’s a stranger! He’s not my father, nor is he your bullshit, first love! Don’t be stupid anymore! Your love won’t be able to cure him at his age!”
He suddenly raised his chin, pointed to Zhang Yuze, and continued: “You see, I wanted to have a relationship, so I just went ahead and casually found a man that I liked! What’s wrong with that? Isn’t thinking about love just absurd?”
After saying that, Xu Li turned around and left without any nostalgia. Zhang Yuze stood in the same place awkwardly, nodded slightly to Mother Xu, and then chased after him downstairs.
However, Xu Li was obviously used to that kind of conversation. He only took a couple of steps downstairs before he managed to recover his mood. Stretching his eyebrows, he waited in front of the car.
Zhang Yuze took out the car keys from his pocket and said coldly: “Oh, hehe! So that’s why you brought me here. You planned to describe me as some lost man that you picked up from the roadside to prove the fragility of love to your mother?!”
“I wasn’t planning on doing so at first.” Xu Li sensed his mood and stretched out his hand to pull his sleeve. However, Dr. Zhang dodged, so he had to rub his hand in the air and say: “My mother… She always wanted me to find someone to settle down with. I wanted to show you to her to reassure her, but then I saw that she was still soft-hearted to my father and got angry, so I said nonsense. I’m sorry.”
Zhang Yuze didn’t want to pay attention to him, so he said sharply: “It’s okay. Don’t apologize. I’m just a man you choose casually.”
“No, no, no, you’re my careful selection!” Xu Li came up again without any shame, this time managing to hold onto Dr. Zhang’s shoulder.
“Get out of here…” Zhang Yuze was not really angry, but Xu Li still looked at him and smiled, saying: “There’s another sentence that’s more sincere.”
“What sentence?” Zhang Yuze opened the car door.
Xu Li sat down on the other side, fastened his seat belt, and then smiled: “I really like you.”
“…”
Zhang Yuze was quite full of words he wanted to say, but after hearing Xu Li’s random confession, he could no longer say anything, leaving him speechless. He sighed, started the car, and said: “You’re really cheap. You scold me every day but then say you like me.”
The car drove out, and Xu Li leaned against the window on his side, facing the driver’s seat. He smiled, just like teasing his crush in high school, and asked cheaply: “Don’t you like me as well, Dr. Zhang?”
Zhang Yuze didn’t feel like giving him any face, so he refused bluntly: “No.”
And yet, Xu Li didn’t give up, asking again: “Just tell the truth.”
Zhang Yuze: “I really don’t like you.”
Xu Li: “…”
Xu Li stopped talking. Zhang Yuze thought he finally let go of the topic, and his ears were a little quieter. But who knew that at the next intersection, the annoying guy would come over again?
Xu Li: “Dr. Zhang, I know you were lying before. So, do you like me now?”
“…”
What a clever little ghost.
…………
Back home, Zhang Yuze opened the bandages on Xu Li’s arm to check his wound. Fortunately, it was winter, so the recovery was not bad, with no need to worry about infection.
“I want to take a shower.” Xu Li touched his sticky body in disgust. “Two days ago, I was afraid that the wound would touch the water after I had a fever. I haven’t washed since then and I feel bad.” After saying that, he smiled flatteringly at Zhang Yuze: “Dr. Zhang, I have to trouble you again.”
Zhang Yuze felt guilty. He took only half a minute to strengthen his heart before saying: “Okay, but if you dare to say something coquettish, I’ll feed you the entire bottle of shower gel, understand?”
Xu Li pinched his mouth.
Ten minutes later, Xu Li sat on a chair in the bathroom, obediently letting Zhang Yuze wash his hair while dressed in only a pair of underwear.
As for Dr. Zhang, he concentrated on the operation, being careful to not splash water on himself. When it was time to apply shampoo, Zhang Yuze rubbed foam on his hand and then slapped it on Xu Li’s head.
His hair was very thick, and it was hard to touch.
Xu Li was rubbed all the way until he couldn’t help but say coldly: “There’s a pet shop near my house.”
“Hmm?” Zhang Yuze wondered why he would suddenly say that.
Xu Li continued: “I’ve seen them bathe the pet dogs, and the way of rubbing them is exactly the same as yours.”
“…”
“You’re quite good with metaphors.” Zhang Yuze rubbed the dog’s head in front of him fiercely a few times.
It was… Revenge.
After having his dog’s head washed, Xu Li shook the water away, earning him a slap from Zhang Yuze. But when it came to washing his body, Zhang Yuze could only blindly rub some shower gel with his hands and apply it down Xu Li’s back.
In fact, the action was very ambiguous. At least, for two people who were not straight, it was pure torture. But soon enough, Zhang Yuze couldn’t think much about it at all. He gently opened his five fingers and touched a rough patch of skin in the center of Xu Li’s back.
It was about ten centimeters long, starting from the upper end of his spine, all the way to the shoulder blade.
Zhang Yuze was stunned and soon realized what it was.
An old scar.
