Published at 12th of September 2019 12:31 pm

Chapter 127 - Return to Beijing

This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml

Translator(s): Zryuu

Editor(s): Amalea, FistFullOfDollars, Juurensha

An hour and a half later, Yu Hao returned to the county town and called Jin Weicheng outside the motorcycle rental car shop. Zhou Sheng’s handsome nose had turned red from being blown by the cold wind. He took his woolen cap off and put it on Yu Hao. Yu Hao told Jin Weicheng to regroup in the county town, and they should try their best to leave that day.

Jin Weicheng found a place to charge his phone. Yu Hao checked the train’s schedule; there were no more trains to Beijing, and they had to wait until 7 o’clock tomorrow for the next time. They needed to get out of here as soon as possible.

Zhou Sheng took back the ID card he had left at the rental car shop and looked at Yu Hao in a daze. It has been 36 hours since he got on the plane, it was freezing cold, and Zhou Sheng hadn’t been getting much sleep for several days in a row, so his brain was like a mush of paste now. He rode a motorcycle and suffered the onslaught of the cold wind for nearly five hours as he drove around everywhere searching frantically, and he was a little delirious now. When he saw Yu Hao, the two of them looked at each other, yet they had nothing to say to each other for a moment.

“Are you hungry?” Yu Hao said, “Wait in Beijing ah, why did you come all the way here?”

Zhou Sheng shouted hysterically, “If I was fucking waiting for you in Beijing, would you have been able to go back?! Didn’t you see how dangerous it was just now?!”

When Zhou Sheng roared, the boss thought he was going to hit someone. Yu Hao quickly pulled him to the corner and said, “I was wrong, I was wrong……don’t shout at me! It wasn’t easy for me to get this interview!”

Zhou Sheng’s frozen hands covered Yu Hao’s face, and he tilted his head slightly to kiss him. Yu Hao couldn’t move at all and just hugged him. After Zhou Sheng finished kissing him, he forcefully embraced Yu Hao.

“Are you hungry?” Yu Hao said, “How long has it been since you ate? Eat something first, we’ll be heading to Beijing soon. It’s too unsafe here.”

Yu Hao took out some bread for Zhou Sheng to eat. He wanted to go to a shop to buy water, but Zhou Sheng yanked at him with an ashen face, “From now on, you cannot leave my sight.”

Yu Hao quickly said, “I’m just buying you a bottle of water.”

They were at the edge of the county. The car rental shop closed. Yu Hao and Zhou Sheng stood somewhere without wind. Zhou Sheng drank mineral water, ate chocolate, then began to wolf down the meat floss bun. He felt slightly better and regained his strength.

“You even carry this around with you.”

“It’s to feed dogs with.” Yu Hao looked outside and thought that they had to hurry to the railway station. When he turned around, he saw that Zhou Sheng had stopped halfway through eating.

Zhou Sheng glared at him, his mouth stuffed with bread. He looked down at the meat floss bun, then looked at Yu Hao, his expression appearing very gloomy.

“Hahahahaha!!”

Yu Hao couldn’t help bursting into laughter. He saw a car and quickly pulled Zhou Sheng onto it, “Big bro, take us a short distance to the railway station. We can’t get a cab in this snow, just quote a price.”

Lin Ze taught Yu Hao how to observe license plates and car models, as well as how to hitch a ride on a private car without caring if it was legal or not. Zhou Sheng finally sobered up after getting into the car, “I rented a bike in the county and went to the town. I didn’t see you guys when I passed by the battery plant, so I drove around in the village. When I saw a group of people shouting about beating and killing people, I followed along.”

Yu Hao nodded. His fingers rubbed against Zhou Sheng’s cold, large hand, their fingers intertwined. He shifted close to his ear and whispered, “We’re going back now.”

Yu Hao was worried that there would be plain clothes outside the railway station too. After the plant received the news, they must have notified the county town. But unexpectedly, it snowed, and the outside of the station was deserted. Yu Hao said, “Let’s find a place to stay at first.”

Zhou Sheng finished the bread used to feed dogs in one bite and drank a mouthful of water. He finally managed to recover a little, “I’ll look at the schedule. Your Laoshi is such an asshole, he actually left you behind and ran off by himself?”

“I asked him to run away first.” Yu Hao said, “We discussed it before coming out. I’m a student, he’s a reporter; the degree of severity after getting caught is different ……stay at a bathhouse?”

Zhou Sheng said, “There’s a train to Hohhot at 9 o’clock, buy that one. Do as I say.”

Yu Hao thought he was right, if they could run then, they should just run and discuss things again after escaping. Zhou Sheng took Yu Hao’s phone and bought tickets for three people. When they entered the station, they saw Jin Weicheng sitting at the snack bar eating instant noodles.

“Hello Laoshi.” Zhou Sheng held Yu Hao’s hand and didn’t let go, shaking hands with Jin Weicheng, “Laoshi stop eating, let’s go!" As he spoke, he grabbed Jin Weicheng’s instant noodles and threw it straight into a garbage bin, then turned around and took Yu Hao away.

Yu Hao, “……”

“Are there plain clothes?” Yu Hao asked in a soft voice after entering the station.

Zhou Sheng said, “Definitely. Don’t look around when we’re in the waiting area, don’t be nervous.”

Zhou Sheng’s gaze make a quick sweep. Yu Hao couldn’t tell. There weren’t many people in the waiting hall. Zhou Sheng pointed at one who had his back facing them, pointed at the toilet, then pointed at his watch.

Yu Hao looked at the time, there was still 20 minutes. The three of them entered the toilet. Zhou Sheng and Yu Hao hid in one cubicle, while Jin Weicheng hid in another. This was the stopover from Lanzhou to Hohhot, they’d get on after the train arrived at the station. Yu Hao breathed a sigh of relief for now and leaned on Zhou Sheng. The two of them didn’t dare talk.

Fortunately, the toilet was cleaned pretty well.

Zhou Sheng frowned deeply. He pulled Yu Hao’s hand and looked at his fingers. After winter arrived, Yu Hao lacked vitamins, and many hangnails had splintered off of his nails. Zhou Sheng’s gaze looked reproachful. As Zhou Sheng stared and stared, he leaned down to kiss Yu Hao again. Yu Hao ran his fingers through Zhou Sheng’s hair, which had grown out quite a bit.

“Cold?” Yu Hao saw that Zhou Sheng was only wearing one shirt with a suit over it. Suits and suit pants, and the pair of AJ shoes he wore was dirty with mud all over it.

Zhou Sheng shook his head, opened up his jacket and let Yu Hao hug his waist. The two of them hugged each other tightly. Yu Hao could feel that they were both hard, but at this moment he had no other emotions and only one thought in his mind: this is really great.

With three minutes left, Zhou Sheng pulled the door of the toilet cubicle open and knocked on Jin Weicheng’s cubicle. The three of them walked out quickly, but slowed down when they reached the waiting hall. Zhou Sheng said, “Laoshi, please walk through that side, I’ll go draw their attention.”

Jin Weicheng uttered an “un” before walking in another direction. Zhou Sheng slung Yu Hao’s bag over his shoulder and had one arm around Yu Hao’s waist. Yu Hao turned his down jacket inside out, revealing the brightly coloured side and wore a woolen cap, looking just like a girl.

They walked straight past the plain clothes. Zhou Sheng showed his tickets, held Yu Hao’s hand, and passed through.

The plain clothes was a little doubtful. His gaze followed Zhou Sheng, looked down to compare with the photos, but he didn’t look like the target.

By taking advantage of those few seconds, Jin Weicheng passed the ticket gate as well. The train stopped. They got on the train separately, the bell rang, and the door closed. Yu Hao almost collapsed. Zhou Sheng stood at the door of the carriage and looked out through the glass. He saw that plain clothes had followed them onto the platform, but it was too cold so he went back again.

The conductor closed the door, unlocked the bathroom, and left.

Zhou Sheng said, “The one they’re focused on must be the one at 7am tomorrow morning, the train going back to Beijing. Right now, only one person was assigned to take turns being on duty at the waiting area.”

Yu Hao tugged on Zhou Sheng’s fingers. Zhou Sheng raised an eyebrow to mean that he should just say what he wanted to, but Yu Hao smiled.

“Lil’ Director Zhou’s always this amazing.” Yu Hao said with a smile.

“Lil’ Director Zhou almost suffered a stroke after getting angered by you!” Zhou Sheng said coldly.

Jin Weicheng said, “You guys chat, I’ll go to the dining carriage.”

“Don’t go.” Zhou Sheng looked at his watch, then compared with his phone and checked the schedule, “Wait here.”

Yu Hao took out his camera and wanted to try uploading the photos. Jin Weicheng lit a cigarette and called Lin Ze at the junction of the carriage. Zhou Sheng said to Yu Hao, “Use my hotspot, mine’s unlimited.”

Yu Hao thought that Zhou Sheng was practically his life’s hack. It would be so great if they could be together every day.

Yu Hao looked down as he transferred the photos, while Zhou Sheng also looked down at the camera seriously and said, “They’re really well taken.”

Yu Hao answered, “How could it be bad with a 110,000 camera?”

Zhou Sheng laughed. The two of them looked at each other, then Yu Hao continued transferring photos. Zhou Sheng no longer looked at his watch. After three stops and two hours later, Yu Hao had transferred most of his photos, and they arrived at Taiyuan. Zhou Sheng said to Jin Weicheng, “Get off and transfer.” As he spoke, he carried a bag and got off with Yu Hao.

After arriving at Taiyuan, Zhou Sheng bought another ticket for three people. They had to wait until 2am to transfer to the Xining Express that would head to Beijing. Yu Hao said, “I want to eat, I’m so hungry that I can’t move anymore.”

Zhou Sheng, “Let’s go eat dumplings?”

Yu Hao saw a 24-hour KFC and said, “I want to eat KFC.”

“Eat less fried food.” Zhou Sheng said, “There are hangnails growing on your hands, you’re not allowed to eat that!”

“NO!” Yu Hao was both sleepy and hungry, and almost exploded, “I’ve been eating Shaxian Snacks for two weeks! I want to eat meat!”

Zhou Sheng stopped talking. Yu Hao said, “I must eat fried chicken!”

Zhou Sheng said in disbelief, “Didn’t I transfer money to you? Why did you eat Shaxian for two consecutive weeks?!”

Zhou Sheng wore a sullen expression as he entered KFC with Yu Hao. Only then did the two of them really relax. Yu Hao said, “Don’t leave my sight either.”

Zhou Sheng pushed Yu Hao down to get him to sit. He bought two family buckets and gave one to Jin Weicheng, lest he started nagging, then gave Yu Hao the other one. Yu Hao finally revived after he had fried chicken. Isn’t life all about courtship and eating anyway? And it was finally successfully fulfilled now.

“Eat ah.” Yu Hao said, “Eat this one, the chicken thighs are good.”

Zhou Sheng said, “Young Master, you’re really going to kill Laozi. I feel so fucking terrible now, how could I be so inhumane?”

Yu Hao, “What did I do again?”

Zhou Sheng said wearily, “It’s okay, it’s fine now, it’s all fine now. Eat ba.”

Yu Hao stopped talking. When he saw Zhou Sheng, he gradually started becoming less and less like himself, as if he had returned to the days when they were together. Yu Hao gently kicked Zhou Sheng under the table. Zhou Sheng looked like he wanted to say something but held himself back, taking into account Jin Weicheng’s presence, and didn’t say anything in the end.

“Why are you looking at me?” Zhou Sheng said, “Am I fried chicken?”

“You’re my side dish.” Yu Hao answered.

Zhou Sheng ate two pieces, and they finished the entire family bucket. When the time came, they got on the train again. Zhou Sheng handed the bunk ticket to Jin Weicheng and said, “Laoshi, rest well.” Then he took Yu Hao to the hard-seat carriage to sit down and breathed a sigh of relief.

“I realised something.” Yu Hao said, “Your attitude towards Jin Laoshi is exactly the same as that of the leaders in the newspaper.”

Even Zhou Sheng was like that -- he respected Jin Weicheng a lot but subtly revealed a kind of dislike.

“Babe.” Zhou Sheng said solemnly, “We haven’t seen each other in three months. Are you sure you want to discuss such an irrelevant person now?”

Yu Hao laughed. The lights in the hard-seat carriage dimmed slightly. All the passengers were sleeping, so Yu Hao kissed him. He had so much to say, but there was a flurry of thoughts in his mind, and he didn’t know where to start.

“When are you going back?” Yu Hao asked.

Zhou Sheng’s gaze had never left Yu Hao for even a moment. He pondered for a bit, then asked instead, “When do you want me to go back? State a date, and I’ll go back then.”

Yu Hao, “What about work? Is it going well? It’s better if you don’t leave for too long, I’m afraid that……”

Zhou Sheng cursed once. He looked helpless and turned his head sideways to ignore Yu Hao. Yu Hao tugged on his tie and pulled him back. Zhou Sheng stared at Yu Hao as if they were enemies, his eyes filled with anger.

Yu Hao patted off the dust on his suit, “I’ll send it for dry cleaning when we get back, it’s too dirty.”

Zhou Sheng still stared at Yu Hao with a resentful gaze.

Yu Hao, “What, you wanna eat your wife? Be careful, I’ll shout.”

“I love you so much,” Zhou Sheng whispered into Yu Hao’s ears, “But you hate me this much. Okay, I’ll return tomorrow.”

Yu Hao knew that Zhou Sheng would definitely stay until his birthday before returning this time. He said, “You can’t buy a ticket, I have your ID card.”

“I really am leaving tomorrow.” Zhou Sheng said seriously, “I only have three days of leave altogether, but it was all messed up by you like this. When we arrive at Beijing in the morning, I have to fly back. It wasn’t easy for me to free up some time to come over, so look at yourself? Don’t you feel ashamed?”

Yu Hao at once felt incredibly horrible.

“Oh.” Yu Hao said.

Zhou Sheng, “Forget it, let’s stop talking.”

Yu Hao sighed. He thought about it for a bit, leaned over, and rested his head on Zhou Sheng’s shoulder. Zhou Sheng looked at him with a face filled with displeasure, raised an arm and draped it over his shoulder.

When the train arrived at a station, a mother carrying a baby boarded. She had bought a standing ticket. Zhou Sheng looked up, then got up. He helped with putting the luggage aside first, then gave up his seat for the other party. Yu Hao got up as well. Zhou Sheng sat down, then Yu Hao sat on Zhou Sheng’s legs and hugged his neck. He buried his head near his ear and gently stroked his thick, dark hair with his fingers.

This is the person I like. From the past until now, there has never been the slightest change.

“Go and ask the entire Yun Lai Chun,” Zhou Sheng whispered, “Who dares touch the head of lil’ Director Zhou?”

Yu Hao answered, “I dare.”

The lights were dim, the train shook. The uncle opposite was sleeping so soundly he snored. Yu Hao was dozing off, and when his head shifted, he woke up, so he gathered himself together and looked at Zhou Sheng’s ear.

“Take a nap.” Zhou Sheng turned sideways, his lips was very close to Yu Hao.

“I won’t.” Yu Hao gazed into Zhou Sheng’s eyes, “You’re leaving in the morning.”

Zhou Sheng looked into Yu Hao’s eyes and kissed his lips. Yu Hao returned his kiss. The two of them kissed several times, then Zhou Sheng said, “I won’t leave in the morning, sleep ba.” As he spoke, he pressed one hand against Yu Hao’s forehead, “Good night.”

"Come into my dream then.” Yu Hao whispered.

Yu Hao really couldn’t stand it any longer, and fell deep asleep leaning on Zhou Sheng’s shoulder.

But he didn’t dream. The train arrived at Beijing’s West station. When it left the station at 10am, the dazzling sunshine was like a random, sudden arrow that almost shot Yu Hao down to the ground. Heavy snow fell in North China for two days and two nights. The ornate buildings of the world were covered in an expanse of snow white.

“I’ll send you to the airport.” Yu Hao said.

Zhou Sheng couldn’t open his eyes as he was blinded by the sun, “I’ve changed my flight, I’ll leave tomorrow ba.”

Yu Hao’s heart bloomed in an instant, “Really? You can?”

Zhou Sheng looked listless, “Yes, I can, Young Madam! Whatever you say goes! What do you want to eat! Another two family buckets?”

Yu Hao was no longer interested in a family bucket. Zhou Sheng looked at Jin Weicheng, who was beside him. That gaze just wanted to say ‘why are you still here?’ but he had to hold himself back, “Laoshi, we’ll go back first.”

“I’ll go hand in the recording pen.” Yu Hao said, “I live near the company.”

Lin Ze and Situ Ye were in the office, sitting by a 400-watt small stove together for its warmth. Yu Hao passed the memory card to Situ Ye. Situ Ye inserted it into a card reader and exported the last batch of photos.

Zhou Sheng said, “Isn’t your office a little too miserable?"

Lin Ze, “Can’t help it, power usage is too high so we’re afraid of the circuit burning up.”

Zhou Sheng, “What about summer?”

Lin Ze, “We have electric fans.”

Situ Ye, “We’re Chongqing people, so it’s fine.”

“Dage! My wife isn’t from Chongqing!” Zhou Sheng said.

Lin Ze said, “There will always be a way, it’s not even summer yet, right? Jin Laoshi, let me see your manuscript……Yu Hao, I’ll give you three days off, have a good rest.”

Yu Hao said, “Really?”

Situ Ye said, “You haven’t had a day off since you started working here, take a day off ba.”

Yu Hao took the memory card and placed it in his backpack. Zhou Sheng drank coffee outside as he watched the snowfall. Yu Hao said, “Then……are there any other instructions? I can leave just like this?”

Situ Ye said as he browsed through the photos, “There’s one last thing I’d like to request of you.”

Yu Hao, “Okay.”

Situ Ye sincerely said, “When you go out please don’t tell anyone you’re my disciple, I can’t afford the embarrassment……”

Yu Hao, “……”

“I’m kidding.” Situ Ye smiled at Yu Hao, “They’re pretty good shots, leave the rest to me!”

Yu Hao completed his handover for the assignment and had three days off. After he left, he was unexpectedly smashed in the face with a snowball, accompanied by Zhou Sheng’s exaggerated “HAHAHAHA”.

Yu Hao roared angrily, “Just wait!”

Beijing’s sky had never been as blue as it was now. Yu Hao has been here for three months, yet he never took a proper look at the sky. Zhou Sheng smiled at him from the road covered in snow, and his smile made the whole world brighten up as well.

Even the dark and gloomy rental apartment looked like sunlight spilled all over it in an instant.

Yu Hao said, “We have less than twenty hours left!”

They only returned to this rented apartment after Zhou Sheng took Yu Hao out for a meal. Yu Hao was extremely anxious. Zhou Sheng opened the door, took a look at the room and sighed again.

Yu Hao said, “It’s a little humid……”

Zhou Sheng rolled up the bed sheets, wrapped Yu Hao’s dirty clothes in it and took it to the balcony to wash. Yu Hao lay down in bed and suddenly remembered that there was no lube at home. Forget it, who cares, use hand cream instead ba, time was of the essence……

“Are you still that guy who would wash clothes for me? Why are you living like this now?” Zhou Sheng studied the washing machine on the balcony.

Yu Hao said from the room, “What?!”

Zhou Sheng looked everywhere for laundry detergent, and only saw a pack that was almost used up beside the sink. He poured in the remaining detergent, twisted the water button, nothing happened. Twisted the ‘wash’ button, nothing happened.

“Zhou Sheng!” Yu Hao shouted from the room.

Zhou Sheng responded and said impatiently, “What do you want again?”

Yu Hao said, “I want to mate with you!”

Zhou Sheng kicked the washing machine until the button flew out. While he undid his shirt buttons, he cursed as he walked in. Yu Hao had already stripped down to nothing. He was hugging the blanket and sat at the bedhead, looking at him anxiously. He was a bit embarrassed, just like their first time on the ship during their younger days.

Zhou Sheng pulled his shirt open wide, still wearing his tie as he bent over to open up Yu Hao’s suitcase. He took out a bottle of lube from one of the layers inside.

“When did you……” Yu Hao hadn’t finished his sentence when Zhou Sheng already got onto the bed. He lifted the blanket and pressed him down barbarically, grabbed his hand, then bowed his head to seal his lips.

Translator's Note:

Juurensha: Yaaaaay, they’re finally back together! (And maybe after their proper reunion, ZS can take care of that awful roommate for him…)

Share