Chapter 4
As the weather grew hotter, the class planned a weekend trip out to sea.
Qu Tongqiu was thrilled. Growing up in an inland city, he had never seen the ocean. The fantasy of swimming in the blue sea was too tempting, and he eagerly helped with preparations.
Contacting boats, renting tents, and running errands—almost all the miscellaneous labor fell to him.
At noon on departure day, everyone gathered as the class monitor announced solemnly, “Bad news. The number of boat seats has changed. We already paid a very low student price, so there’s no room for negotiation. After rearranging, we’re still short one seat.” The room fell silent.
“So either one person doesn’t go, or nobody goes. We can’t just cancel.” Everyone agreed at once.
“So someone has to sacrifice for the class. Any volunteers?” No one spoke. Everyone had been looking forward to this trip.
“Since no volunteers, any suggestions?” No one wanted to offend anyone face-to-face.
Suddenly the monitor joked, “Qu Tongqiu, aren’t you short on money lately? Why don’t you skip it and save the cash?” Some people laughed. He was the softest target.
“But I really want to go,” Qu Tongqiu said in shock.
“Everyone wants to go. But someone has to drop out. Who do you think should?” The burden shifted onto him, and everyone stared nervously, afraid their names would be said.
Soon everyone subtly turned against him, hoping he’d withdraw.
“You should skip it.”
“You’re already thin from hunger. Save the money.”
In the end, Qu Tongqiu returned to the dorm alone, confused and hurt, unable to understand how he’d become everyone’s enemy.
Opening the dorm door, he saw Zhuang Wei inside.
They hadn’t met in the dorm for a long time, likely avoiding each other. But he was too upset to think about the awkwardness and silently unpacked.
“You weren’t going out to sea?” Zhuang Wei asked.
“Not enough seats.”
Zhuang Wei immediately understood. “They made you the scapegoat? You’re too spineless!”
Qu Tongqiu didn’t argue and prepared to buy food.
“Hey, want to go to H Island?”
“No.”
“It’s expensive? I’ll pay. Consider it my apology.”
Remembering that night made Qu Tongqiu blush and shiver. “I—I won’t go.”
“You don’t want to settle things?”
“Of course we’re settled!”
Just then, Chu Mo entered. He ignored Qu Tongqiu and spoke to Zhuang Wei eagerly. “Have you decided? Are you going to H Island with me?”
Zhuang Wei remained cold. Chu Mo coaxed him about a famous photography exhibition ending soon. Finally Zhuang Wei said, “I’ll go, but he’s coming too,” pointing at Qu Tongqiu.
Chu Mo looked disgusted. “You’re kidding!”
“Then I won’t go.”
After arguing, both grabbed Qu Tongqiu and shouted conflicting orders. Dizzy and helpless, he wished Ren Ningyuan were there.
As if summoned, Chu Mo suddenly said, “Ningyuan, perfect timing. Take your fatty away!”
Hearing the name felt like salvation. “Boss!”
Zhuang Wei sneered, “Why should he take him? He’s not his dog.”
Ren Ningyuan smiled. “Why argue? Ask him if he wants to go.”
Looking at him, Qu Tongqiu felt warmth in his chest. Without thinking, he blurted, “I’ll go.”
“I’m coming too,” Ren Ningyuan told the furious Chu Mo. “That makes four.”
It was Qu Tongqiu’s first time on a plane. Nervous and clueless, he copied the others. Sitting beside Ren Ningyuan calmed him.
When the airplane meal arrived, he instinctively pushed his tray over. “Boss.”
“I can’t finish two. Eat yours.”
The meal tasted great but wasn’t enough. Ren Ningyuan ate only a little, then asked, “Still hungry? I barely touched this.” Qu Tongqiu happily finished the leftovers.
Ren Ningyuan coughed lightly, read a newspaper for a while, then leaned back and fell asleep.
Qu Tongqiu looked at the handsome, steady profile of his face and thought to himself: this is how a man should be—formidable but not arrogant, imposing but not vicious, gentle yet not to be trifled with. If he could be even one-tenth like him, that would already be enough.
He was admiring him with a heart full of reverence when he suddenly saw Chu Mo walking over. “Hey, fatty.”
Qu Tongqiu hurriedly raised a finger and shushed him, then pointed at Ren Ningyuan, who had his eyes closed, resting.
Chu Mo cursed, “You’re the biggest bootlicker.” Still, he lowered his voice. “Come here.”
Qu Tongqiu was afraid of him, but he didn’t want him making a racket and disturbing Ren Ningyuan’s sleep, so he followed him to the restroom with a pounding heart.
“I’m telling you, on this whole trip you stay the hell away from Zhuang Wei, or you’re asking for death, got it?”
“Uh…”
“No being alone with him, no talking to him, understand?!”
“Uh…”
“You dare say one word to him, I’ll punch you once when we get back. Two words, two punches. Remember it.”
Chu Mo slapped him on the head without any mercy, then shoved the stunned Qu Tongqiu back out. “Get lost. I need to pee.”
Back in his seat, Qu Tongqiu felt a little afraid of what it would be like after landing, the four of them traveling together. Sitting right next to Ren Ningyuan, he honestly wished the plane would never land. As long as he could sit beside him, quietly guarding his boss’s sleep like a tiny sentry, that would be enough.
But the plane still landed on time. Once they stepped out of the cabin, they found it was raining. Everyone filed down the stairs, and the rain quickly grew heavier. The airport vehicles were nowhere to be seen, so a big group of people had no choice but to stand there, cursing while trying to dodge the rain.
Chu Mo had come prepared. And whenever Qu Tongqiu traveled far, no matter the weather, he always brought his old folding umbrella. Chu Mo went off to curry favor with Zhuang Wei, while Qu Tongqiu very consciously handed the umbrella to Ren Ningyuan with both hands. “Boss!”
Ren Ningyuan smiled slightly and took it. Just as he opened it, Zhuang Wei snapped at Chu Mo, “Who wants to share an umbrella with you!” But unwilling to keep getting soaked, he still strode over under Ren Ningyuan’s umbrella.
Seeing Zhuang Wei come over, Ren Ningyuan didn’t refuse. He was the same kind of gentle with everyone.
Chu Mo was so angry he nearly jumped, but there was nothing he could do to those two, so he took it out on Qu Tongqiu instead. Qu Tongqiu got smacked on the head again; when he tried to dodge, he got hit once more. He could only trail behind Ren Ningyuan, watching him and Zhuang Wei peacefully share that old umbrella, while he himself was drenched through and through.
By the time they finally got into the car, Qu Tongqiu was soaked all over. His chubby clothes clung to his body, and he could only roughly rake his hair back with his hands. The worst was his glasses—he wiped them on his wet clothes for ages and still couldn’t get them clean. Luckily, his myopia was only about two hundred degrees; not wearing them wasn’t a big deal.
Zhuang Wei’s gaze swept over him absentmindedly, then suddenly came back to him, looking more closely—once, twice—as if a bit surprised. After holding back for a moment, he said, “You seem to have lost quite a bit of weight.”
Remembering Chu Mo’s threat, Qu Tongqiu didn’t dare make a sound.
Seeing no response, Zhuang Wei snorted lightly, stared out at the rain beyond the window for a while, then couldn’t help turning back again. “Your eyes aren’t actually stuck shut, are they?”
When he said that, even Chu Mo—who’d been scowling the whole time—looked over. Only Ren Ningyuan remained noncommittal.
“You’ve slimmed down a lot,” Zhuang Wei said.
Chu Mo chimed in, “Yeah, you’re like a different person. Still ugly though.”
Qu Tongqiu had never been the center of attention before. He was flustered and uneasy, and quickly forced a smile.
Zhuang Wei immediately showed a look of disgust and turned his gaze away.
They arrived at the hotel and temporarily put all their things into one room. Ren Ningyuan smiled and said, “Everyone’s had a hard trip. Let’s go soak in the baths, get a full massage, and rest a bit.”
“Boss, I won’t go,” Qu Tongqiu hurriedly said. Being a punching bag in return got him transportation and lodging covered by Zhuang Wei, but he couldn’t afford any extra expenses.
“Come along. My treat,” Ren Ningyuan smiled. “I’ve eaten quite a few breakfasts you bought.”
Qu Tongqiu suddenly felt uneasy. Ren Ningyuan seemed to be deliberately keeping his distance from him, unusually distant.
He had offended Ren Ningyuan before, but his loyalty to his boss was something heaven and earth could testify to. If Ren Ningyuan stopped acknowledging him in the future, he didn’t even know what he would do.
Following the three of them to the spa, Qu Tongqiu was probably the only one who’d never seen such a scene before. He had never in his life been in so much pain, nor felt so comfortable. His whole body was washed, soaked, steamed, treated, then he lay there letting people massage him. When they kneaded him hard, he cried out in pain, but afterward there was an indescribable sense of ease.
After listening to him moan for a while, Chu Mo couldn’t help cursing, “What the hell are you howling for? What kind of ghost sound is that? Keep it down.”
Qu Tongqiu immediately clamped his mouth shut. Zhuang Wei, unusually, didn’t join in the scolding. Ren Ningyuan, as always, had his eyes closed, looking like he’d fallen asleep.
After the massage, his whole body was relaxed. Qu Tongqiu was extremely sleepy, squinting as he followed them to get their hair tidied up. While he was half-asleep, the hairstylist casually trimmed a few snips for him too, then blew the loose hairs off his face. He fumbled back to the neighboring massage room, found a bed, and fell asleep.
The empty massage room was dimly lit. Qu Tongqiu quickly fell into a deep sleep and had many chaotic, strange yet vividly real dreams—like kissing someone.
In the dream, that person should have been a beautiful woman, but her features were blurred, so afterward he couldn’t recall her face at all.
But the kiss felt completely real. He’d never kissed a girl before, so he didn’t know what a real kiss actually felt like.
Yet the slightly rough touch of those lips in the dream made him think he was awake. He even clearly believed he was getting up, walking outside, discovering the other three were gone, and anxiously searching for them, when the hairstylist with an eerie expression coldly said, “You’re too late. Who told you to sleep till now and not get up?”
“Sleeping till now and still not getting up!”
That thunderous shout jolted him fully awake. Qu Tongqiu snapped his eyes open and immediately saw Chu Mo’s face.
Startled, Qu Tongqiu didn’t have time to dwell on that spring dream. He sat up in a hurry. “Where’s boss?”
Chu Mo cursed at him. “You’re really licking boots to the extreme, huh. Ningyuan went to settle the bill. Why you clinging to him so tight, you think he’s gonna give you milk to drink?”
Qu Tongqiu was about to climb off the massage bed when Chu Mo cursed again. “You pervert. Pull your clothes tight! Who are you trying to show off to? Disgusting.”
Chu Mo was already fully dressed. Qu Tongqiu was still wearing the spa robe from the massage; he didn’t know when the belt had come loose while he slept. Puzzled, he quickly tied it up.
Just as his feet touched the floor, Zhuang Wei came in and tossed a bundle at his head. “Go change.”
It hit his face. Qu Tongqiu hurriedly caught it and opened it—inside were unfamiliar clothes and pants. “Where are my clothes? Didn’t we ask them to dry them?”
“That disgusting stuff? Thrown out long ago.”
Qu Tongqiu was just about to say, how can you do that, when he saw Chu Mo’s expression was very dark. He suddenly remembered that one sentence would earn him a punch, so he shut his mouth, lowered his head, and unfolded the clothes. Seeing the size label, he muttered, “This is too small. I can’t possibly wear this.”
Chu Mo and Zhuang Wei both snapped impatiently at the same time.
“Stop whining!”
“You should be grateful you’ve got something to wear.”
“If you want to go out naked, I’m afraid you’ll dirty my eyes.”
Qu Tongqiu could only force himself to change. To his surprise, everything actually fit. All the buttons fastened, and nothing felt tight anywhere. As long as he could wear it, that was fine. Reassured, he pushed the door open and went out.
Ren Ningyuan had already paid and was sitting in the outer salon flipping through a magazine. Seeing Qu Tongqiu, he simply looked up and smiled. Zhuang Wei said nothing. Chu Mo looked a bit astonished. “Damn, you really got it on? Used a lot of lube, huh? These clothes are sturdy.”
Qu Tongqiu rarely looked in mirrors. First, as a man, he didn’t care much about his appearance. Second, every time he looked, it made him uncomfortable.
This time, prompted by Chu Mo, he glanced at the mirror on the wall. His hair had just been cut short, he wasn’t wearing his glasses, and he was in a pretty decent outfit. He really did look very different from before.
Of course, he couldn’t compare to those three, but compared to the wretched, greasy image that had long been etched into people’s minds, this was vastly better.
Probably because the oil that used to weigh down his eyelids was gone, his brows and eyes looked clearer. His eyes, which had always drooped as if he’d never woken up, could now open quite wide. His face was smaller by a circle, so much so that it was the first time Qu Tongqiu realized he actually had a face shape. It wasn’t square or sharp like theirs, and his cheeks were still a bit pudgy, but it wasn’t ugly.
He’d always been cursed as stupidly fat, looking foolish because of excessive greasiness. These days hadn’t gone very smoothly, and most of that oil had been burned off; along with it, the foolish air had disappeared too. Though the corners of his eyes still drooped slightly, it made him look gentle and good-natured instead.
He knew his body had slimmed down—every day in the shower he had to face the state of his belly, and recently there was no beer gut to speak of at all. Suddenly realizing he’d become much more pleasing to the eye, he felt a surge of quiet joy.
Before he could even finish feeling happy, Chu Mo slapped him on the back of the head. “What are you staring at? Move it!”
Qu Tongqiu hurriedly covered his head and followed the others. Fat or thin, it really made no difference—no one was going to look at him any differently just because he’d lost a few dozen pounds. Deep down, he was still the same useless person.
After dinner, the rain still hadn’t stopped. Night diving was out of the question, so they stayed in the hotel, planning the next day’s itinerary—and one urgent matter that had to be settled: room assignments.
The moment this came up, the atmosphere at the table turned tense, deadlocked. Qu Tongqiu glanced left and right, uneasy, worried that just like with the umbrella, he’d end up being kicked out to sleep on the street.
Zhuang Wei said impatiently, “What’s so hard about this? Just book two more rooms.”
Chu Mo looked awkward. “Four grown men taking four rooms—don’t you think that’s a bit much? Besides, good hotels on the island are fully booked on weekends. Otherwise why would we reserve so far in advance?”
“Fine then,” Zhuang Wei said. “You sleep with Ren Ningyuan. I’ll share a room with Qu Tongqiu.”
Except for Ren Ningyuan, who remained calmly seated, the other two almost jumped up. Qu Tongqiu immediately shouted, “I don’t want to sleep with you!”
“Oh?” Zhuang Wei glanced at him. “Then you think sleeping with Chu Mo would be better?”
That possibility scared Qu Tongqiu pale. He shut up at once.
Chu Mo and Zhuang Wei argued to no result, and Ren Ningyuan still wouldn’t state his position, so Chu Mo turned to Qu Tongqiu. “Hey, fatty. Who do you want to share with?”
“…”
“It’s fine, just say it. Today you decide. That’s giving you plenty of face, isn’t it?”
Qu Tongqiu was torn. Of the three, there wasn’t a single one he wasn’t afraid of—but there was only one he admired. And that one wasn’t glaring at him, but leisurely reading his National Geographic.
“Boss.”
“Hm?”
“I want to sleep with boss.”
Chu Mo immediately looked triumphant. “Sure, sure, off you go.”
Zhuang Wei slammed his chopsticks down and walked out. Ren Ningyuan merely raised an eyebrow.
No matter how noisy things got on Chu Mo’s side, Qu Tongqiu finally had a place where he could sleep in peace.
The hotel room was very comfortable—strong air-conditioning, clean and spacious. The only drawback was that the single bed was meant for two people and felt a bit small.
Qu Tongqiu climbed onto it early, dusted the already neatly made bed again, tugged the four corners of the sheet straight, and said respectfully, “Boss.”
Ren Ningyuan sat in an armchair nearby, not looking at him, still reading the magazine he’d brought in. “You sleep first.”
Qu Tongqiu obeyed. He took up just a small corner of the bed, pulled one corner of the blanket over himself, and left most of the bed for Ren Ningyuan.
He didn’t know when Ren Ningyuan got into bed. The mattress was soft, the smell fresh; the moment he sank into it, he fell asleep. Once he slept deeply, even thunder couldn’t wake him. This sleep felt long and heavy, sweet and dreamless.
When he woke up, his whole body felt wonderful. The air-conditioning was a bit too strong, but under the blanket the temperature was just right. Everywhere his hands touched was warm. Suddenly, Qu Tongqiu realized something was wrong. He opened his eyes and found himself hugging Ren Ningyuan’s waist, nestled against his chest, one leg draped over his stomach.
A jolt went through his head. Cold sweat broke out instantly. What shocked him even more was that Ren Ningyuan was already awake, hands clasped behind his head, eyes half-closed as he stared at the ceiling.
He’d always been careful and respectful toward Ren Ningyuan; to be so presumptuous in his sleep terrified him. Qu Tongqiu hurriedly let go and said in panic, “Boss!”
Ren Ningyuan didn’t seem to mind. “It’s fine. You were probably cold in your sleep.”
Before he could even finish feeling happy, Chu Mo slapped him on the back of the head. “What are you staring at? Move it!”
Qu Tongqiu hurriedly covered his head and followed the others. Fat or thin, it really made no difference—no one was going to look at him any differently just because he’d lost a few dozen pounds. Deep down, he was still the same useless person.
After dinner, the rain still hadn’t stopped. Night diving was out of the question, so they stayed in the hotel, planning the next day’s itinerary—and one urgent matter that had to be settled: room assignments.
The moment this came up, the atmosphere at the table turned tense, deadlocked. Qu Tongqiu glanced left and right, uneasy, worried that just like with the umbrella, he’d end up being kicked out to sleep on the street.
Zhuang Wei said impatiently, “What’s so hard about this? Just book two more rooms.”
Chu Mo looked awkward. “Four grown men taking four rooms—don’t you think that’s a bit much? Besides, good hotels on the island are fully booked on weekends. Otherwise why would we reserve so far in advance?”
“Fine then,” Zhuang Wei said. “You sleep with Ren Ningyuan. I’ll share a room with Qu Tongqiu.”
Except for Ren Ningyuan, who remained calmly seated, the other two almost jumped up. Qu Tongqiu immediately shouted, “I don’t want to sleep with you!”
“Oh?” Zhuang Wei glanced at him. “Then you think sleeping with Chu Mo would be better?”
That possibility scared Qu Tongqiu pale. He shut up at once.
Chu Mo and Zhuang Wei argued to no result, and Ren Ningyuan still wouldn’t state his position, so Chu Mo turned to Qu Tongqiu. “Hey, fatty. Who do you want to share with?”
“…”
“It’s fine, just say it. Today you decide. That’s giving you plenty of face, isn’t it?”
Qu Tongqiu was torn. Of the three, there wasn’t a single one he wasn’t afraid of—but there was only one he admired. And that one wasn’t glaring at him, but leisurely reading his National Geographic.
“Boss.”
“Hm?”
“I want to sleep with boss.”
Chu Mo immediately looked triumphant. “Sure, sure, off you go.”
Zhuang Wei slammed his chopsticks down and walked out. Ren Ningyuan merely raised an eyebrow.
No matter how noisy things got on Chu Mo’s side, Qu Tongqiu finally had a place where he could sleep in peace.
The hotel room was very comfortable—strong air-conditioning, clean and spacious. The only drawback was that the single bed was meant for two people and felt a bit small.
Qu Tongqiu climbed onto it early, dusted the already neatly made bed again, tugged the four corners of the sheet straight, and said respectfully, “Boss.”
Ren Ningyuan sat in an armchair nearby, not looking at him, still reading the magazine he’d brought in. “You sleep first.”
Qu Tongqiu obeyed. He took up just a small corner of the bed, pulled one corner of the blanket over himself, and left most of the bed for Ren Ningyuan.
He didn’t know when Ren Ningyuan got into bed. The mattress was soft, the smell fresh; the moment he sank into it, he fell asleep. Once he slept deeply, even thunder couldn’t wake him. This sleep felt long and heavy, sweet and dreamless.
When he woke up, his whole body felt wonderful. The air-conditioning was a bit too strong, but under the blanket the temperature was just right. Everywhere his hands touched was warm. Suddenly, Qu Tongqiu realized something was wrong. He opened his eyes and found himself hugging Ren Ningyuan’s waist, nestled against his chest, one leg draped over his stomach.
A jolt went through his head. Cold sweat broke out instantly. What shocked him even more was that Ren Ningyuan was already awake, hands clasped behind his head, eyes half-closed as he stared at the ceiling.
He’d always been careful and respectful toward Ren Ningyuan; to be so presumptuous in his sleep terrified him. Qu Tongqiu hurriedly let go and said in panic, “Boss!”
Ren Ningyuan didn’t seem to mind. “It’s fine. You were probably cold in your sleep.”
