Chapter 53
The bodyguard carried Yu Chen’s luggage and silently followed behind the two of them.
He had joined the He family’s security team three years ago, and this was still the first time he had ever seen a rich young master who got along this well with a servant’s son.
Originally, He Zhen had not needed him to follow along on this trip to the capital. But this afternoon, Old Master He had suddenly changed his mind and told him to escort Yu Chen to Beijing and be responsible for his safety.
He was curious. Why did the He family treat this child so well? Looking again at the child’s food, clothing, and daily life, he was living more comfortably than quite a few rich second-generation kids.
The moment he stepped into He Zhen’s room, Yu Chen let out a surprised sigh.
The style here was different from an ordinary hotel. It carried a rich old-world cultural charm, especially that entire wall of floor-to-ceiling windows. Looking out from inside, one could take in the magnificent view of Jingshan Park and the Palace Museum in one sweep.
“Boss! Is that the Forbidden City?”
Excited, Yu Chen pressed himself against the window. “It’s so close. You can actually see it this clearly.”
There was a smile in He Zhen’s eyes as he helped take the backpack off Yu Chen’s back. “Mm. We can go look around tomorrow.”
Yu Chen joked, “Does this count as a little country bumpkin entering the capital?”
He Zhen said nothing and simply sat on the sofa, quietly looking him over.
Yu Chen grew uncomfortable under that gaze. Lowering his eyes, he awkwardly picked at his fingers. “Grandpa was afraid you’d be lonely, so he insisted on having me come keep you company. School got out early today, so I went straight to the airport.”
He Zhen knew there was some water in Yu Chen’s words, so he deliberately said, “Grandpa too, honestly. I’ll call him right now. You finally get a weekend off—how could he trouble you to come keep me company?”
As he spoke, he pulled up Old Master He’s contact information.
“Hey—” Yu Chen panicked and hurried over to snatch the phone. He Zhen deliberately raised the phone in his left hand out of Yu Chen’s reach, while his other hand caught Yu Chen’s hand and pulled him over to his side.
“Don’t call Grandpa, he’s already resting.” Yu Chen muttered, “You don’t know how to be considerate to old people at all.”
Seeing that Yu Chen was still being stubborn, He Zhen lightly curved his lips. “Then I’ll send Grandpa a message. He’ll see it first thing tomorrow morning.”
“Why are you so serious now?” Yu Chen puffed up like an angry pufferfish, folded his arms, and turned his back on He Zhen in a huff. “Fine, I came because I wanted to keep you company, okay?”
“If I’d known you’d be like this, I wouldn’t have come.”
Half embarrassed and half annoyed, Yu Chen ran over to the floor-to-ceiling window and left He Zhen only his back. “Wasn’t I just worried you’d be bored all by yourself? If it were anyone else, I wouldn’t have bothered.”
A smile rose at He Zhen’s lips as he walked over. “Yu Chencheng—”
“You’re annoying.” Yu Chen cut him off and dodged to the other side, his thick dark lashes hanging down shyly. “You came here for an exam and didn’t even tell me in advance. You’re seriously no fun at all. And I even treated you like my boss.”
Because he had come in such a hurry, Yu Chen was still wearing his school uniform.
The uniform looked a little loose on him, the hem hanging down to his butt, making him look exactly like a child secretly wearing an adult’s clothes. Together with those slender shoulders trembling slightly with anger, it made him look as if he had suffered some enormous grievance.
“I only found out at the last minute too. It was originally supposed to be next Friday.”
He Zhen picked up the strawberries he had just washed and came to Yu Chen’s side, selecting the biggest, reddest one for him. “Young Master, don’t be mad anymore. Want some fruit?”
Yu Chen had intended to refuse, but the moment he saw the bright red strawberry, his small Adam’s apple bobbed, and he very unpromisingly surrendered to the power of good food. He bit off a small mouthful from the pointed tip of the strawberry.
He Zhen stared at the rest of the strawberry, then leaned against the floor-to-ceiling window and put the rest into his own mouth.
In an instant, the heat spread across Yu Chen’s cheeks, and his bright eyes turned visibly restrained.
The strawberry was very sweet, and very juicy too.
But the pointed tip had to taste better, right?
Yu Chen got thirsty, and his gaze quietly drifted toward the plate in He Zhen’s hand again. He Zhen instantly understood and handed him another strawberry. “Here.”
Yu Chen again did the same as before—only eating the pointed tip and leaving the strawberry butt for He Zhen.
His cheeks puffed out as he chewed slowly like a little squirrel, secretly watching He Zhen’s expression.
He Zhen showed no disgust toward him and calmly put the second strawberry into his mouth as well.
The heat on Yu Chen’s face had already spread to his ears. He had known how to read expressions since childhood, and seeing how easy to bully He Zhen seemed today, he boldly thickened his skin and ate every last strawberry tip off the whole plate.
Looking at the slightly sly smile on Yu Chen’s face, He Zhen’s voice went low. “Why are you being so picky today?”
“I don’t like eating strawberry butts.” Yu Chen pushed the plate right up against He Zhen’s chest, the meaning obvious.
Although He Zhen had already eaten dinner, he still accepted the whole plate without complaint. Not long after, he finished off all the remaining strawberries.
Yu Chen was very satisfied with He Zhen’s reaction, and more than half his anger disappeared. He looked around the entire room’s furnishings and asked, “He Zhenzhen, where do I shower?”
He Zhen set down the plate and leaned against the glass with one leg bent. “What did you call me?”
Yu Chen immediately went a little weak and muttered in a small voice, “I called you Boss.”
He Zhen’s light brown eyes stayed fixed on Yu Chen’s neck as it shrank in fear, and he could not help finding it strange—how did Yu Chen manage to be swaggering and full of attitude one second, then suddenly turn meek just a few seconds later, looking more pitiful the more you looked at him?
“It’s on your left.”
“I’m going to shower then.”
Yu Chen took out his pajamas from the suitcase and turned back to ask He Zhen, “Do we have any plans tonight?”
He Zhen asked, “Did you eat?”
The moment that came up, Yu Chen felt even more aggrieved.
Airplane food was not tasty at all. He had shamelessly asked the flight attendant for two meal trays and had still only managed to get himself half-full.
“No.”
Yu Chen lifted his school uniform and exposed his pale white belly. “Look, it’s flat.”
He Zhen immediately averted his gaze and could not help laughing. “There’s really no need to prove it like that.”
Yu Chen instantly brightened and dropped his pajamas, running over to He Zhen. “Are you taking me to eat something good?”
He Zhen nodded. “Sure.”
Yu Chen started chattering right away. “When we came over from the airport, I looked up some guides. There are tons of hidden treasures in the hutongs around here.”
Looking at those bright crescent eyes, something stirred in He Zhen’s heart. He lifted his hand to Yu Chen’s ear and gently rubbed it.
Yu Chen felt ticklish, and every string in his heart instantly tightened.
Ever since they had started sleeping in separate rooms, it felt like they had never been this intimate again.
Yu Chen lowered his eyes, his slightly damp lashes trembling nervously.
“Alright, let’s go.”
He Zhen withdrew his hand and started helping Yu Chen pick out clothes. “It’s only five or six degrees at night right now, basically like winter back home. The clothes you wore tonight are too thin. Change into something thicker.”
Yu Chen gave a small “oh” and sat on the sofa, guiltily watching He Zhen.
“Didn’t Uncle check the weather forecast?” He Zhen searched for a long time without finding a single thick piece of clothing in Yu Chen’s suitcase. “If you go out dressed like this, you’ll definitely be cold.”
“My dad maybe… forgot.” Yu Chen scratched his ear and turned his head away nervously, afraid He Zhen would notice something was off.
How could his father, someone so meticulous, possibly fail to check the weather forecast? It was just that Yu Chen had assumed it could not possibly be this cold here, and for the sake of looking good, had deliberately removed the thick clothes and replaced them with the spring-and-autumn outfits he liked.
He Zhen frowned. “Forget it. Wear mine for now. Tomorrow I’ll take you to the mall and buy you some thicker clothes.”
“Actually, that’s not necessary…” Yu Chen walked over to He Zhen’s suitcase, crouched down, and started choosing clothes himself. “I can just put on yours.”
“My clothes are too big on you. They won’t keep you warm.” He Zhen’s attitude was fairly serious. After comparing a few options, he helped Yu Chen into a fleece-lined hoodie. It was a little big, but at least it was better than freezing and catching a cold.
“Uncle’s busy. Sometimes he can’t prepare every little thing for you in detail. You need to think of these things yourself.”
Listening to He Zhen lecture like Tang Monk, Yu Chen obediently nodded along, lightly clutching He Zhen’s clothes in both hands, his mood strangely delighted.
Ever since he had grown up, he had never worn He Zhen’s clothes again.
Actually, he had always wondered—why was it that even though both of their clothes were washed in the same place, He Zhen’s clothes always carried a different minty scent?
He sniffed at it, then curved his eyes and smiled in satisfaction.
He had wanted to wear them for a very long time already.
After deciding on the restaurant, Yu Chen quietly asked before they left the room, “Do we need to tell the bodyguard?”
He Zhen said, “No need. Otherwise they’ll follow us. The restaurant is only about five hundred meters away. It’ll just be a few minutes on foot.”
Yu Chen snickered. “Then let’s be quiet.”
To keep the sound of the door closing as low as possible, Yu Chen bent over, tiptoed, and carefully eased the door shut, his expression ridiculously dramatic, making He Zhen unable to stop himself from laughing.
After the door successfully closed, the two of them tiptoed silently across the carpet until they got into the elevator, and only then did they look at each other and smile.
Breathing in the air outside, Yu Chen felt a long-lost sense of relaxation all over his body. They would have the entire weekend to go out and have fun—an all too rare chance for the two of them, whose studies were so heavy.
Walking through the winding hutongs, Yu Chen swung his sleeves and stepped briskly along, finding everything fresh no matter where he looked.
Following beside him, He Zhen finally could not stand it anymore. He caught Yu Chen’s hand and helped roll up his sleeves, and then, naturally, took Yu Chen’s hand and clasped it tightly.
Yu Chen froze for a moment, his hand curled only lightly, his breath held with all his strength.
He Zhen noticed Yu Chen’s flushed earlobes. Parting his thin lips slightly, he asked, “Are you scared?”
“Hm? Not scared.” Yu Chen’s voice came out soft and sticky.
“It’s so dark here, and the road’s hard to walk. I thought you might be scared.”
“With you here, of course I’m not scared.”
In the narrow hutong alley, the two of them chatted back and forth.
The deeper the night grew, the colder it became.
As he walked, Yu Chen leaned over toward He Zhen and rubbed against his arm. “Boss, I’m cold.”
Those words were very soft, tinged with a bit of spoiled dependence. Like a little cat, they lightly scratched at He Zhen’s heart.
After hesitating for a moment, he lifted his long arm and drew Yu Chen into his embrace.
Yu Chen’s cheek pressed against He Zhen’s clothes. It was hot, but comfortable.
The two of them slowed their pace even more.
He Zhen’s hand rested over Yu Chen’s shoulder, quietly gathering him a little closer. “If you’re still cold, I’ll give you my coat.”
“Not cold.” Breathing in the scent that belonged to He Zhen, Yu Chen’s voice turned soft and sticky. “This is just right.”
He Zhen’s fingertips twitched, and he pulled the slender boy in his arms even tighter, as if he wanted to press him right into himself.
A road that should have taken ten minutes was dragged out into a full half hour by the two of them.
When they arrived at the restaurant entrance, Yu Chen’s entire face was red enough to drip blood.
This siheyuan courtyard restaurant was very large, one of the area’s well-known private kitchens. It did not receive many guests each day, and most were regulars.
Seeing that the customers were two rather young boys, the owner smiled cheerfully. “What would you like to eat?”
He Zhen handed the menu to Yu Chen. “Please just bring us all your signature dishes.”
“You won’t be able to finish them.” The owner looked curiously at the two handsome boys. “You’re here traveling, right?”
Yu Chen smiled curiously. “How did you know?”
Logically speaking, their Mandarin should have sounded perfectly standard.
“In general, handsome, delicate-looking boys tend to be from the south.” The owner generously gave them two specialty dishes on the house. “Don’t order too much, or you won’t finish it.”
He Zhen nodded and thanked him, then followed Yu Chen’s guide notes and ordered some famous local snacks, such as roast duck, douzhi, and fried liver.
Yu Chen was hungry. After quickly washing his hands, he picked up one of the owner’s gifted donkey rolls and stuffed it into his mouth, soybean flour sticking all around his lips.
“Boss, it’s so good.”
Yu Chen bent his eyes and polished one off in a few quick bites.
He Zhen was not hungry. He poured himself a cup of barley tea and rested his chin on one hand, quietly watching Yu Chen.
The owner’s words had reminded He Zhen of something.
He had realized that Yu Chen seemed to have grown quite a bit lately. His brows and eyes were opening up, his features becoming brighter and more delicate, and even his temperament had changed.
The Yu Chen of childhood had undoubtedly been adorable.
The Yu Chen of now was like that dazzling, gentle moon—just standing there was enough to draw everyone’s attention.
Yu Chen noticed He Zhen staring blankly and assumed it was because he had not left He Zhen any donkey rolls. Weakly, he set the last two pieces back down. “You eat. I saved them for you.”
He licked the soybean flour off his fingertips, looking pitifully reluctant.
“I’m not hungry.”
He Zhen leaned over and used a tissue to wipe the corner of Yu Chen’s lips. “You got it all around your mouth.”
Yu Chen frowned unhappily and stuffed the remaining two donkey rolls into his mouth. “Boss, have you ever had douzhi?”
“No. We can try it in a bit.”
No sooner had he finished speaking than the owner came in carrying fried dough rings and douzhi. “You two might not be used to it. You can dip the fried dough rings in the douzhi.”
“Thank you, Boss.” Yu Chen still had not finished letting He Zhen wipe the soybean flour off his mouth before he eagerly scooped up a little douzhi with a spoon and brought it to his nose to smell it. “Boss, there’s an order to seniority and status. You drink first.”
Seeing that Yu Chen was unusually polite for once, He Zhen raised a brow. “Kong Rong gave up the pears. You’re younger, so you drink first.”
Yu Chen’s face scrunched into a little bun. Seeing that he could not out-argue He Zhen, he wriggled his butt against him like a little seal. “You drink first.”
This method was, in fact, fairly effective on He Zhen.
He took the spoon and carefully sipped a little. Yu Chen immediately leaned in excitedly. “How is it?”
He Zhen’s expression remained calm. “Pretty good.”
Only then did Yu Chen fully relax. Tossing the spoon aside, he picked up the bowl and started gulping it down.
A look of shock flashed across He Zhen’s face. Before he could get out a word to stop him, Yu Chen instantly choked, the tip of his nose turning red as he dropped the douzhi in disgust and bent over retching.
“What happened?”
He Zhen panicked and leaned over, cradling Yu Chen’s face. “Did you choke on it?”
Yu Chen coughed until his eyes grew wet. “Boss… are you jealous because I’m good-looking, so you deliberately tried to harm me?”
Seeing that Yu Chen still had the energy to joke, He Zhen let out a breath of relief and lightly rubbed his back. “I didn’t think you’d… drink that aggressively.”
“If it tasted good, why wouldn’t I drink more?” Yu Chen glared at the culprit before him, cheeks bright red. “You’ve made me suffer so much.”
He Zhen apologized and handed him a cup of barley tea. “Rinse your mouth a little.”
Yu Chen immediately perked up, crossing one leg as he gulped the tea. “You’d better hurry up and find a chance to redeem yourself.”
He Zhen wiped his runny nose for him again. “Alright. I’ll redeem myself.”
Yu Chen did not step on any other landmines after that. He ate men ding meat pies, took a couple bites of fried liver, and polished off half a roast duck set almost by himself, nearly getting so happy he went dizzy from how good it all tasted.
It was nearly eleven by the time they finished dinner.
Yu Chen let out a belch and asked He Zhen, “Boss, when are we going to watch the flag raising? I heard you have to reserve in advance.”
“Tomorrow or the day after. Your choice.”
Now that he had just eaten his fill, Yu Chen was bursting with energy.
“How about we go right now? I heard people do night rides nearby at this hour, and there are tons of them. If we want to stand in front, we have to start lining up by one in the morning.”
“No problem for me, as long as you’re not tired.”
The two of them hit it off instantly. Before leaving, Yu Chen deliberately packed up the leftover meat pies and meat buns, tucked them into the innermost pocket to keep them warm, and planned to eat them if he got hungry while waiting for the flag raising.
Once the owner heard they were heading to the square, he gave Yu Chen an insulated bag, so that the food would not go cold and hurt his stomach.
Yu Chen really liked this enthusiastic owner. After thanking him repeatedly, he left the hutong with He Zhen and walked over to the shared bikes to scan the codes.
“Boss, how do you use this?”
It was the first time either of them had used one. After downloading the app, they fiddled with it for a few minutes before finally getting it to work.
Seeing how eagerly Yu Chen swung a leg over the bicycle, He Zhen asked doubtfully, “By the way, can you even ride?”
“Of course I can. I learned when I was little.” Yu Chen raised his neck proudly with a smile. “Probably when I was about three.”
Concern still lingered in He Zhen’s brows. “Are you sure?”
“Of course. If you don’t believe me, I’ll show you.” Yu Chen stepped on the pedals and instantly rode over ten meters away. He braked, planted one long leg down, and lifted his chin proudly at He Zhen. “How’s my technique?”
Only then did He Zhen finally relax. “Not bad.”
Facing the early-winter wind, the two of them followed the navigation slowly onward.
Yu Chen was extremely excited. To show off his cycling skills to He Zhen, he alternated between riding one-handed, sitting up straight while riding, and flashing V-signs every now and then for He Zhen to take pictures of him.
The breeze stirred the loose hair over Yu Chen’s forehead. His smile was wild and bright, as though every vanished star in the night sky had fallen into his eyes, clear and brilliant without a trace of dust.
He Zhen watched, utterly absorbed.
Inside his phone, his boy was lively and vivid, more beautiful than anything else in the world.
In He Zhen’s dark eyes shone a starlike light. That light was gentle, full of indulgent fondness.
“Fat Baby, look at the camera.”
As they passed a Wangfujing landmark, He Zhen reminded Yu Chen to strike a pose.
Yu Chen turned slightly to the side, covering his eyes with a V-sign. The little dimples he revealed were sweet enough to make He Zhen’s heart stir.
“Boss, I’ll take one of you too.”
Yu Chen pulled out his phone. “You’re this handsome. It’d be a waste not to take pictures.”
He Zhen was still holding his phone in a daze. Yu Chen called him several times before he finally looked over.
Click. The flash went off.
Yu Chen held up his phone proudly. “Look how handsome I made you?”
He Zhen stared at the version of himself in the photo and quietly zoomed in on the eyes.
Sure enough, Yu Chen’s reflection was inside them.
“Mm, not bad.”
After riding for about half an hour, the two of them reached their destination.
Along the way, He Zhen had stopped in front of a little convenience store and bought a ground mat for them to use while lining up.
Even though it was only midnight, there were already some people standing near the checkpoint.
He Zhen held Yu Chen’s hand, spread the picnic mat at the entrance like everyone else, and sat down with him.
Almost everyone around them was young, from all over the country.
Leaning against He Zhen’s shoulder, Yu Chen turned on the video function. “Hello, my dear Dad. Guess where Boss and I are?”
A smile on his lips, He Zhen lowered his head to rest against Yu Chen’s and appeared in the camera frame.
“We’re waiting for the flag raising. In about five hours, we’ll be able to go through security and get inside.”
“Look, Boss is here too!”
Yu Chen waved at the camera. “Dad, I’ll livestream the flag raising for you in a bit. If we get the chance someday, I’ll bring you here too.”
He Zhen held Yu Chen in his arms and quietly listened to him talk.
He did not know why Yu Chen always had so much to say, but he found it comfortable to listen to, and he was willing to keep listening.
After another two hours, more and more people gathered around the checkpoint. Because they had arrived early, they were closest to the entrance.
“Are you hungry?”
Yu Chen pulled out the leftovers he had been keeping warm against his body and opened the insulated bag to feel them. “Boss! They’re still warm!”
He Zhen’s lips lifted slightly as he nodded. “Mm.”
“Here, I’ll share a meat pie with you.” Holding the warm lunchbox, Yu Chen took a bite of the meat pie using a tissue as a pad. “It’s still so good. The taste hasn’t changed at all.”
He Zhen had not really eaten much earlier, and after all this fussing around, he truly was a little hungry.
Taking a bite of the still-warm meat pie, he found the taste surprisingly good.
“Who’s eating a meat pie? It smells amazing.”
A few young college students nearby were drawn over by the smell and stared at Yu Chen.
Yu Chen’s cheeks were puffed full as he warmly held them out. “Do you want some? There are three left.”
“Wow, thank you, little brother.”
“This meat pie smells so good. Where did you buy it?”
“We got them in a hutong restaurant.” Yu Chen crouched beside them, passing out the meat pies, then pulled a few meat buns out of another pocket. He left two for He Zhen first, then handed the rest to the others. “These buns are good too—beef filling.”
“Your buns are still warm too?”
“Guys, it’s three in the morning and I’m eating hot buns at the security checkpoint. This is way too luxurious!”
“Little brother, you two are high school students, right?”
Yu Chen nodded and introduced them openly. “We’re from Hai City. I came with my brother for his exam. My brother’s a top student—the first-place winner in the Hai City region of the national math olympiad.”
“Damn, that impressive?” The college students politely waved to He Zhen and split half their fruit with Yu Chen. “You and your brother eat these. Thanks for the buns and meat pies.”
Yu Chen grew excited the moment he saw the green grapes. Treating them like treasure, he hurried back with them and immediately stuffed one into He Zhen’s mouth. “We’re seriously lucky today. We even got fruit.”
Looking at Yu Chen’s animated expression, He Zhen fed one back to him as well.
Once they were full, Yu Chen sat beside He Zhen and chatted on and off with the others. Almost all the people around them were college students, and they generously shared tips on the best sprinting route after security and which angles gave the clearest view of the flag raising.
Yu Chen listened very seriously, nodding his little head nonstop as he drew rough maps on his phone.
When the sky gradually started to brighten, Yu Chen grew sleepy.
He Zhen opened his coat and gathered Yu Chen into his arms.
Even with the picnic mat, sitting there was still a little cold.
He sat cross-legged, placed Yu Chen in front of his chest, and wrapped his thick open coat tightly around him.
Yu Chen was warm, and sleepiness hit him harder and harder.
With his head drooping, he said in a soft, sticky voice, “Boss. Do you think we look like brothers wandering the streets?”
Hearing the word brothers, He Zhen was not too pleased. His low voice lifted slightly. “If we really were wandering the streets, then with such a big eater as Fat Baby, how many bottles would I have to collect every day just to support you?”
“If you worked harder, you could do it.” With his back pressed against He Zhen’s chest, hot and comfortable, Yu Chen narrowed his eyes. “Boss, is this your first time sleeping out on the street?”
He Zhen asked back, “Isn’t it yours too?”
“It’s not.” Yu Chen remembered his childhood very clearly. “Back when my dad was taking me around hiding from debt collectors, the two of us often slept in public toilets or under overpasses.”
Something suddenly stabbed viciously into He Zhen’s chest.
He sobered at once, his eyes full of heartache as he stared at Yu Chen’s profile. “Don’t worry. As long as I’m alive, I’ll never let you live like that again.”
Yu Chen curved his lips upward. “Boss, does that count as a promise?”
He Zhen said, “Mm. Of course it does.”
Yu Chen was drowsy, and his voice came slowly. “Do you know? I never once imagined I’d be able to live such a good life. That’s why I treasure every single day I spend with you and Dad. Sometimes I think meeting you and Dad must have used up all the luck I had in this life.”
He Zhen’s throat tightened slightly, and his eyes filled with heartache.
He said slowly, “Meeting you, I also—”
“Security’s starting, little brother.”
At the reminder from the college students beside them, Yu Chen instantly woke up. After quickly folding the picnic mat for He Zhen, the two of them went through security one after the other.
The moment they stepped out of the checkpoint, the young people around them began dashing madly toward the flag-raising area in excitement.
The air around them seemed to become fresher all at once.
Still yawning, Yu Chen flashed He Zhen a mischievous smile. “Boss, are you ready to run with your little burden?”
He Zhen interlocked his fingers tightly with Yu Chen’s, his expression serious. “Mm.”
The two of them exchanged a knowing look, then ran hand in hand toward their shared goal with all their strength.
They laughed freely, their eyes holding only each other.
