Chapter 105: Parallel World (4)
Han Min’s waist seemed very sensitive. Fu Xun only pressed it twice, and he was already humming, about to wake up.
Before he opened his eyes, Fu Xun loosened his hand, closed his eyes, and pretended to still be asleep.
They had slept a little late yesterday. Han Min was still groggy and took a while to struggle up from the bed.
Before getting down, he nudged Fu Xun and called him to get up. Fu Xun then mockingly opened his eyes again: “Mm, I’m up.”
Fu Lin and Han Shi had started a small company together; it was still in its early stages, and they went out early and returned late every day. The elders, having fewer responsibilities, went out for morning walks early.
After washing up, the two went out for breakfast, with only Fu Rang sitting at the table.
Hearing the door open, Fu Rang looked up at them with an extremely resentful expression—blaming them for not letting him play with them last night.
Neither of them looked at him—Han Min genuinely didn’t notice, and Fu Xun pretended not to see.
Han Min tugged at his collar and seriously told Fu Xun: “Before you clean my room, you’re responsible for my food, clothing, and everything else.”
Fu Xun nodded and walked over in long strides, pulling out a chair at the table for him to sit.
He was surprisingly cooperative today. Han Min felt a small sense of pride as he strolled over to sit down.
The porridge on the table was still warm. Fu Xun scooped a bowl and placed it in front of him, then naturally picked up the side dishes in front of Fu Rang and placed them in front of Han Min.
“Brother, why don’t you just feed him?” Fu Rang asked in a daze.
Fu Xun thought for a moment and was about to pick up Han Min’s bowl.
Han Min avoided the spoon being offered: “No need, no need. You don’t have to take responsibility like that.”
—
After breakfast, the two were going out for a bit.
Some elders were playing chess at the alley entrance. Seeing them together, Old Lady Liang teased: “Are you two going out to fight?”
Grandpa Fu frowned: “Don’t talk nonsense. The kids are getting along fine now.” He raised a big flag: “Thanks to Min Min for tutoring my foolish grandson, otherwise he’d have had to drop out.”
Han Min was about to speak when Grandpa Fu looked at him with a smile: “Min Min, go buy some books. Get two for Fu Xun as well, and get extra. Eat outside first, then come back.”
This time he directly handed over a stack of cards—membership cards from several large bookstores in the city, VIP cards from some restaurants, even the point card from Han Min’s favorite milk tea shop.
Grandpa Fu was impressive.
Han Min smiled and thanked him; Grandpa Fu waved him off: “Go on now.”
After the two left, Grandpa Han mentioned: “Don’t always give Min Min things; you’ll spoil him. He’s going with Fu Xun, just give it to Fu Xun.”
Grandpa Fu smiled and pressed a chess piece onto the board with a snap: “You don’t understand, Fu Xun enjoys letting him take charge.”
—
By this time, the morning rush had passed. The bus wasn’t crowded. Han Min and Fu Xun sat side by side in the back row.
A few elementary school students carrying backpacks stood holding onto poles, off to tutoring. Elderly men returning from morning exercises rested with eyes closed. Fu Xun thought for a moment and hung one earphone over Han Min’s ear.
Han Min didn’t move, sitting quietly. Fu Xun couldn’t help turning to look at him. They didn’t speak.
At the next stop, a young boy boarded from the front.
Han Min looked up and waved at him.
Wen Yan was still wearing his middle school uniform pants and carrying an ordinary cloth bag. He nodded at Han Min, then found a seat up front.
When they got off the bus, Han Min glanced back at Wen Yan: “You going to the bookstore? Want to—”
Before he finished, Wen Yan seemed to notice someone, turned, and walked off: “Not going, I’ll leave first.”
Han Min looked back, saw no one special, and said to Fu Xun: “Let’s go then.”
A few days before school started, bookstores were always crowded. Because Han Min came along, Fu Xun consciously carried the largest shopping basket.
When they met former classmates and greeted them, everyone invariably looked at Fu Xun but asked Han Min: “Who’s this? Haven’t seen him before.”
Fu Xun followed behind with the basket. Han Min pulled him closer and pinched the muscle on his arm: “Fu Xun.”
“Wow, so handsome.”
The classmates exclaimed. Han Min smiled proudly and draped his arm around Fu Xun: “I think so too.”
Fu Xun turned to look at him and saw his smiling profile. He felt it too—the strange feeling creeping up like vines.
Then Fu Xun went to the checkout, and Han Min found the bookstore membership card from the stack and handed it to him. Fu Xun glanced at the crowd and cleared his throat: “You wait outside.”
Han Min squeezed out of the crowd and stood at the entrance. Fu Xun, being tall, could see him by just turning his head.
After a while, it was Fu Xun’s turn. He placed the full basket of books on the counter and began checking them out. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Han Min was no longer there.
Probably went to buy milk tea—the shop was right across.
He sped up his actions.
The store was noisy, but he suddenly heard Han Min shouting: “Fu Dog!”
Something felt wrong. Fu Xun handed the card to the cashier: “I’ll come back for it.”
He rushed out, scanning the area. Not seeing anyone, he heard Han Min again: “Someone! Fire!”
This time he clearly heard it. A dim alley next to the bookstore—the voice came from inside.
He ran two or three steps to the alley entrance, where a staggering drunk blocked the way with a bottle. Han Min held a wooden stick and was protecting someone behind him.
The two sides faced off. Han Min, knowing he couldn’t beat the man, shouted “Fire!” while shielding the person behind him and retreating.
Fu Xun didn’t think much, picked up a handy object from the ground, and swung it at the drunk’s legs, knocking him to the ground.
Han Min breathed a sigh of relief, dropped the stick, his legs weak, barely able to stand.
Fu Xun stepped forward, grabbed his collar, and made him stand properly: “What happened?”
Han Min pointed at the man on the ground: “He was robbing money.”
“Then let him rob, when we go home I will you more money. You’re thin and weak—why chase after him?”
“He stole Wen Yan’s money and hit him.”
Fu Xun then noticed the person behind Han Min was Wen Yan, clutching Han Min’s shirt with half his face in shadow.
Han Min put an arm around him, rubbing his arm: “You okay? Want to call the police?”
“No need. They won’t lock him up for long anyway.”
“Ah?”
Hiding in the shadow, Wen Yan pursed his lips: “He’s my dad.”
Han Min didn’t ask further: “Then let’s go. Let’s get something to eat.”
Fu Xun, walking behind, picked up the stick and struck the other leg of the man on the ground.
Hearing the noise, Han Min turned to see. Fu Xun dropped the stick and said lightly: “It’s fine.”
After getting the books, Han Min secretly picked a law code to check out.
—
The three sat in a milk tea shop. Han Min requested ice cubes to put on Wen Yan’s face.
By the time Han Min rushed over, Wen Yan had already been slapped, which was why Han Min charged forward without fear.
Wen Yan said thanks. Han Min worriedly asked: “Can you still go to school?”
“I’ve saved enough tuition.”
“Won’t it get stolen again?”
“Shouldn’t.”
“Don’t know if after going back… maybe for a few days, go somewhere else to avoid trouble? Once school starts, you can stay at school. Do you have somewhere to go?”
“No trouble, I’ll manage myself.”
“That won’t do. At our house—mainly Fu Xun’s place is huge. I’ll go back with Fu Xun, clean my room, you can stay a couple days.”
Before he could refuse, Han Min picked up the menu: “I’ll make a call. First, let’s drink milk tea. What do you want?”
—
After calling home, some elders came and took them to the police station to file a report, then they returned home.
The two spent the day playing games with Wen Yan and had dinner together at night.
When Fu Xun returned from washing up, he saw Wen Yan leaning against Han Min, crying. He understood it was excusable, but still felt a little displeased.
Han Min shushed him when he came in.
Fu Xun sat beside him.
After a while, Wen Yan stopped crying, sat up from Han Min’s lap, took a tissue, and wiped his red eyes.
“Go wash up and sleep; you’ll be fine.”
“Mm.”
After leaving the police station, Grandpa Fu had somehow called for a motorcade, which came to pick them up.
On the way, Fu Xun mentioned Wen Yan would stay a few days, so they needed to buy supplies. The motorcade stopped at a mall.
Wen Yan came out carrying brand new clothes. Fu Xun picked two old pajamas from his own wardrobe and tossed them to Han Min. He didn’t control his strength, and the clothes landed over Han Min’s head.
“You wear mine.”
“I won’t.” Han Min took them off his head. “Wen Yan bought two sets. I told him, he’d definitely share with me…”
Fu Xun insisted: “You have to wear mine.”
The door slowly opened. Wen Yan said: “I forgot to grab something.”
I saw nothing, I heard nothing.
—
A few days later was registration day. Han Min stood on tiptoe outside the crowd, trying to see the bulletin board.
Fu Xun pressed his shoulder down: “Class 2.”
“Oh, Wen Yan?”
“Class 2.”
“And you?”
“Same as you.”
Good. Still the same as middle school.
Seeing a building being topped off nearby, Han Min asked: “Which building is that?”
The boy next to him mumbled: “Chu Yu Building.”
“Ah? ‘Chu Yu’?”
“‘Chu Yu’ isn’t anything. It’s the name of the investor’s son for that building.”
Han Min tried not to laugh.
Once in the classroom, like before, Han Min found a seat, Fu Xun sat beside him, and Wen Yan behind.
Then the boy who spoke to him at the bulletin board came over, saw Han Min, and his eyes lit up: “Why did you run off while talking? Luckily we’re in the same class.” He pointed to the seat beside Wen Yan: “No one’s sitting here, right?”
Getting confirmation, he happily sat down.
His seat was by the window, with a view of the still-topping-off “Chu Yu Building.”
He became quiet again. Han Min turned and quietly asked: “You’re Chu Yu?”
The boy gritted his teeth: “I hate my dad.” He looked up at the teacher on the podium: “Teacher’s here.”
Han Min turned back, bored, and poked Wen Yan beside him: “Desk mates, desk mates.”
After class meeting, Han Min went to speak to the teacher, leaving the three waiting at their seats.
What they said, Fu Xun didn’t know, but he vaguely heard his own name.
Leaning back in the chair, he suddenly remembered the last time he argued with Han Min over the phone, Han Min’s words—
“You better greet everyone at school soon. In high school, I won’t sit with you, and I don’t want to be seen as your friend by others.”
Fu Xun shivered and couldn’t sit still.
If he were to change desk mates, that would mean—
He looked back at Wen Yan. Wen Yan’s spine went cold, his hands paused mid-page.
Sure enough, he heard Han Min mention Wen Yan’s name—he was the one.
Over there, Han Min had already said goodbye to the teacher. Before he returned, Fu Xun quickly said to Wen Yan: “Don’t think about being desk mates with Han Min.”
Wen Yan looked up: “What?”
Fu Xun asserted: “Han Min likes me the most.”
Wen Yan frowned: “Oh, but it doesn’t look like it.”
He had always sat behind these two. Their bickering was everyday stuff. Now, living with them for a few days, something felt off.
Fu Xun always bullied Han Min—such bullying could only come from him, with physical contact.
It seemed Fu Xun liked Han Min the most.
Although Wen Yan appreciated being taken in and helped, seeing this daily was a bit vexing.
Author’s note:
Min Min: What’s the big deal? Come live in our yard, meals included.
Wen Yan: Eating so much “dog food” every day it makes me nauseous.
