TSTFTR Chapter 10

In the end, Yu Qiu gave in.

He took a cashier job at a café downstairs in the residential complex, and the café was not very busy.

On his first day of work, after finishing his shift, he was scolded.

“Do you know how to be a cashier? Why are you standing there with a blank expression!” The boss’s voice was loud, and several colleagues who hadn’t left yet glanced over. Yu Qiu couldn’t raise his head; his face turned bright red.

“Didn’t I tell you? Smile when you handle the transactions, say ‘welcome, come again!’ Why are you just standing there, making manual transactions? Are you trying to be a model?” the boss yelled.

Yu Qiu’s ears were burning.

“If you can do it, then do it. If not, get lost.”

Then I’ll leave.

I won’t stay.

Yu Qiu remained silent for a moment, “Alright, I’ll do better.”

Suddenly, Yu Qiu realized that he had always put himself in the perspective of a public figure for a long time, to the point that when he was asked to bend down, it hurt.

But if he endured it, it wouldn’t hurt as much.

At the end of the shift, a male colleague approached him, “Want to walk together?”

“Sure,” Yu Qiu looked up. The guy’s name was Zhong Yu, and he was also working here, but unlike Yu Qiu, he was part-timing while attending college nearby. He seemed like a naive and innocent young man.

Zhong Yu bought a can of cola from a nearby convenience store and also gave him one. Yu Qiu didn’t refuse, thanked him, and opened the can.

He rarely drank carbonated beverages and hardly ate junk food, except for smoking. He had almost no bad habit.

Zhong Yu said, “Don’t take what happened today to heart. The boss just saw that it was your first time, and you lacked experience. He has a hot temper, but he’s actually a good person.”

“I know,” Yu Qiu whispered.

“Tomorrow, let’s switch roles. If you feel tired standing, you can take over my role of delivering coffee or something,” Zhong Yu whispered, “Let me tell you a secret. The boss takes care of me quite well because I’ve worked part-time here several times before.”

“Thank you,” Yu Qiu smiled.

“But, he wasn’t wrong about one thing,” Zhong Yu took a big sip of cola, couldn’t help it, and burped softly, not too loud.

Yu Qiu suddenly remembered when he was a child, there was a neighbor’s kid who would easily choke while eating and couldn’t stop burping, his face turning red with urgency, looking especially cute.

He squinted his eyes and softened his voice, “Which thing did he get right?”

“You really look like a model standing there,” Zhong Yu gave him a thumbs-up, “I think you’re really handsome, just like those models in romance magazines.”

“Ah,” Yu Qiu didn’t know how to respond for a moment, “You’re cute too.”

Zhong Yu giggled, showing his small tiger teeth.

Zhong Yu and he were not going the same way. When they reached a fork in the road, Zhong Yu asked if he wanted to go have a meal together. Yu Qiu thought about his balance and shook his head, bidding him goodnight.

It was mid-October, and the weather had turned a bit cooler. The nights were getting darker earlier.

The hallway was pitch-black. Yu Qiu coughed, and the light suddenly turned on. He stood in the elevator, hesitating for a moment.

Ninth floor or… eighth floor?

He had agreed to have dinner at Xuan Yan’s place tonight, but at that time, it seemed like just a polite remark. If he went and Xuan Yan was only joking, he would be embarrassed.

But…

The eighth-floor button lit up.

“Let’s go then…”

The elevator door opened, and Yu Qiu knocked on the door. The empty corridor only echoed with his breath. Suddenly, the door opened, and Yu Qiu looked at Xuan Yan’s outfit and was momentarily stunned.

Xuan Yan was wearing black shorts and a white short-sleeved shirt, showing off his long legs. His hair was damp, as if he had just taken a shower. He grinned, “Gege, you’re here?”

Yu Qiu didn’t know where to look, feeling a bit awkward, he averted his eyes, “You just took a shower, huh?”

Xuan Yan ruffled his hair, “Yeah,” he said, “Come in, my place is messy.”

Yu Qiu entered the apartment and realized that Xuan Yan wasn’t being modest. It was indeed quite messy.

Xuan Yan suddenly rushed into the living room and quickly picked up something from the sofa. Yu Qiu couldn’t see clearly what it was. Xuan Yan then tidied up the coats on the sofa. He looked a bit annoyed, “I forgot to tidy up. Don’t mind.”

“It’s okay,” Yu Qiu chuckled, “It has a lively atmosphere like this.”

“Yu Ge, you weren’t home today during the day,” Xuan Yan tidied up and sat down on the sofa, wearing flip-flops, “I came to see you today, but you weren’t there.”

“Yeah… I found a job,” Yu Qiu lowered his eyes, his long eyelashes trembling slightly, “Otherwise, I wouldn’t have money… What did you come to see me for today?”

“That book, I’ve finished reading it, so I came to return it to you,” Xuan Yan’s voice was cheerful. Upon hearing “that book,” Yu Qiu remembered “The Boundless City.”

“I think,” Xuan Yan paused, and Yu Qiu’s heart was suddenly lifted. He widened his eyes and looked at Xuan Yan. Xuan Yan said, “It’s the best, best, best novel I’ve ever read!”

Yu Qiu smiled.

“Don’t laugh, I’m serious,” Xuan Yan said, “It’s really amazing. You haven’t published it?”

Yu Qiu’s smile gradually faded, and he whispered, “If there’s a chance, I will.”

“Actually, besides returning the book,” Xuan Yan said, “I have another purpose.”

Yu Qiu asked, “What is it?”

Xuan Yan said, “I want to hear Yu Ge play the piano for me!”

“…”

“Since you can’t play at night, then play during the day,” Xuan Yan stared at his eyes, “Anyway, I want to listen!”

His tone was like a child pouting.

Yu Qiu treated him like he would a child, “Alright, how about Saturday? I’m free on Saturday.”

“Great!” Xuan Yan propped his chin with his hand, “Actually… I lied to you.”

“I came to see you not for the book or to listen to you play the piano.”

Yu Qiu looked into his eyes and at his damp hair.

He asked softly, “Then why did you come?”

“I wanted to see you,” Xuan Yan said.

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