Ch.88 – The Star Around The Sun

They returned to the community on foot. At the gate, Xia Xingcheng went and knocked on the glass window of the security post. 

The security guard on duty pulled open the window and said to Xia Xingcheng, “You’re back?” He then pressed the button of the automatic gates. 

The TV inside the security post was broadcasting the evening gala’s midnight celebration. After Xia Xingcheng and Yang Youming walked passed, a second before the security guard shut the glass window, the start of the countdown resounded from the TV: “Ten!” 

After the window closed, Xia Xingcheng stuck both hands into his jacket pockets and continued to count down as he walked forward. “Nine, eight, seven…”

He counted all the way to ‘one’, and it was twelve o’clock at last. Although fireworks and firecrackers had been banned in the city, there seemed to be a restlessness in the air that proclaimed the transition from the old to the new. 

Xia Xingcheng stopped in his tracks, then looked back at Yang Youming and said, “Happy New Year!”

Yang Youming also came to a stop, softly uttering, “We were together on the very last second of last year and the first second of this year.” 

He still remembered what Xia Xingcheng had said to him. 

Xia Xingcheng originally wanted to hug him, but his hands were in his pockets and he struggled for a long time yet didn’t take them out in the end. He felt depressed and at a loss, like he was unable to find his way. 

When they reached the front of the villa, the lights in the first floor living room had already been switched off. It seemed that everyone had gone to bed as soon as the clock struck twelve. 

Xia Xingcheng fished out his key from his pocket, yet just as he was about to insert the key into the keyhole, the door was opened from inside. 

Holding a cigarette in his mouth, Xia Ye’s expression was cold as he stood in the doorway staring them down. He took the cigarette from his mouth and asked, “Where have you been?”

Xia Xingcheng responded listlessly, “We didn’t want to watch the evening gala so we went out for a walk.”

“This late? There’s no one outside. Where did you go?” Xia Ye’s eyes were full of distrust. 

Xia Xingcheng said, “It’s precisely because no one’s outside that we can walk around, otherwise Ming ge would get recognized.” Xia Xingcheng then added, “Can you let us in first? It’s too cold out here.”

Xia Ye finally stepped away from the door. 

After they came in, Yang Youming said to Xia Ye, “I’ve never been here before and I wanted to go out and take a look around, so I asked Xingcheng to accompany me. We walked a little far and we couldn’t get a taxi, so we could only go back on foot, that’s why it took so long. I’m sorry for making you worry.”

His tone was sincere. Xia Ye was too embarrassed to lose his temper at him so he only said, “Xingcheng should’ve called and asked me to pick you guys up.”

Xia Xingcheng said, “I didn’t want to keep you from watching the evening gala.”

Xia Ye couldn’t help saying, “You didn’t want to watch the Spring Festival gala, but where’s the fun in being out in the cold.”

Yang Youming let out a chuckle. “You can watch the evening gala anywhere, but I’m afraid that I might not have the opportunity to visit this city in the future. I’m leaving tomorrow morning.”

Xia Xingcheng looked towards him at the news, and Xia Ye was also a little surprised. “Is it so urgent?”

Yang Youming said, “I have work arrangements.”

Xia Ye immediately looked to Xia Xingcheng. “You’re not leaving, are you?”

Before Xia Xingcheng could answer, Yang Youming spoke on his behalf, “Xingcheng isn’t leaving. Family reunions are hard to come by all year round, so Xingcheng will definitely stay a few more days.”

“I’m not leaving,” Xia Xingcheng mumbled. 

Xia Ye said, “Then get some rest, what time is your flight tomorrow? I’ll take Ming ge to the airport.” 

Yang Youming said, “That won’t be necessary, I’ll just take a taxi there. You guys have a good New Year at home.”  

Xia Ye spouted a few perfunctory words, saying that it would’t trouble him to drive, but his tone wasn’t all that resolute. 

They went up to the second floor. Xia Ye returned to his own room while Yang Youming and Xia Xingcheng entered theirs one after the other. Xia Xingcheng closed the door behind him. 

Yang Youming took off his coat and sat down on the edge of the bed, looking at Xia Xingcheng and saying, “Xingcheng, I’m going back tomorrow.”

Xia Xingcheng answered, “Okay.”

Yang Youming continued, “I’ll sleep on the small bed tonight. Get some rest.”

Xia Xingcheng didn’t hesitate, still answering, “Okay.” 

There was only a small desk lamp on, and it barely illuminated the room. 

Once Yang Youming went to take a shower, Xia Xingcheng sat down on the edge of the bed and reached out to touch the dried-up stains on the bed. He felt like he was dreaming, only, he didn’t know whether the dream was last night’s sweetness, or today’s cruelty. 

Afterwards, Xia Xingcheng sat cross-legged on the bed and used a wet towel to vigorously wipe at the sheets. He didn’t know if he had rubbed it clean; a large section of the bed sheet had been soaked through yet he was still mechanically rubbing at it over and over again,

The soaked area on the sheets grew larger and larger until Yang Youming sat down and captured his hand, saying, “If you keep going, you won’t have anywhere to sleep tonight.”

Xia Xingcheng shook off his grip and turned around, saying, “I have to rub it clean so my parents won’t find out.”

“They won’t find out,“ Yang Youming told him. 

Neither of them spoke after that, right up until they lay down on their beds. 

Xia Xingcheng pulled up his blanket to cover half his face, then said, “Have you bought a plane ticket yet?”

Yang Youming lay there quietly and answered him, “I asked Li Yun to book a for me after dinner.”

Xia Xingcheng rolled over to face him. “You already planned to leave before you went out with me?”

“Yes,” Yang Youming’s tone was gentle as he said, “We’ve passed the last day of the year–I can’t stay at your house until the fifteenth day of the first month, can I?”

“Whatever you want.” Xia Xingcheng no longer spoke. He just felt deeply exhausted–he couldn’t tell whether it was just life that brought him tiredness or the constant pursuit of Yang Youming that tired him out. 

He didn’t understand why his love had to be so painful. 

In the dark, he quietly kept his eyes open late into the night, almost thinking that insomnia would hound him all night. But later he ended up falling into a deep sleep and slept until the following morning.

When Xia Xingcheng woke up, he found that it was already bright out. He was the only one in the room, and on the small bed that Yang Youming had slept in last night was his blanket, folded up neat and tidy. Yang Youming’s suitcase that had been placed in a corner was also missing.

For a split second, Xia Xingcheng was overcome with a feeling of abandonment, his heart going cold. He got out of bed and went to the bathroom in his pajamas, the collar dropping down to reveal half a collarbone. When he looked in the mirror while brushing his teeth, he saw the teeth marks on his collarbone once again, still distinctly visible even after a day had passed. He sighed and pulled his clothes up a little–out of sight, out of mind. 

After Xia Xingcheng changed his clothes and went down the stairs, he found that Yang Youming hadn’t left at all. His suitcase was propped up by the door of the living room, and the man himself was sitting in the dining room, eating breakfast while chatting with Xia Xingcheng’s parents as well as his aunt and uncle. 

Xia Xingcheng didn’t know what he had said, but the four elders were all amuse–Mama Xia in particular, and she stood up to put another bun in Yang Youming’s bowl.

Yang Youming hurriedly said, “I really can’t eat more, I’ve had more than enough.”

Mama Xia said, “Which young man can’t eat more?”

Yang Youming chuckled at her words. He truly couldn’t resist Mama Xia’s constant enthusiasm and let her put the bun into his bowl.

 At that moment, Second Uncle Xia saw Xia Xingcheng walking over and promptly said, “Xingcheng’s awake, come and have breakfast.”

Xia Xingcheng shot a glance at Yang Youming who happened to be looking at him as well, so he walked over to Yang Youming and sat down beside him.

Yang Youming then gave him the bun in his bowl, “Eat up.”

Xia Xingcheng nodded. 

After they finished breakfast, Xia Ye and Fang Ying took their kids downstairs.

Xia Xingcheng asked Xia Ye for his car keys, wanting to drive Yang Youming to the airport himself.

Xia Ye somewhat hesitated when he passed him the keys. “Will you be fine? It’s better if I go later.”

Xia Xingcheng said, “You haven’t had breakfast yet. Also, mom and dad want to go to the temple to burn incense later, you should take Dingding and Dongdong to accompany them.”

Xia Ye said, “I’m worried that you don’t know the way.”

Xia Xingcheng had already brought the keys over. He picked up Yang Youming’s suitcase and said, “I can turn on the navigation.” With that, he headed outside first.

Yang Youming put on his sunglasses and mask before going outside, he followed behind Xia Xingcheng, and Xia Xingcheng’s family all went to the door to see him off.

Xia Ye’s BMW was parked in the open space in front of the villa’s gates, and as Xia Xingcheng walked over to open the trunk, he saw someone next door peeking out of their second floor window and watching them. 

That person was without a doubt looking at him, but he felt a little uneasy nevertheless, raising his head to say to Yang Youming, “Wait for a bit, I’ll move the car closer.”

The car moved closer so Yang Youming could directly get into the front passenger seat. There was no way that person would be able to see him from this angle and his figure would be too indistinct once he sat in the car, so it wouldn’t be that easy to figure out who he was. 

Yang Youming stood at the doorway. 

Mama Xia said, “Being a superstar is so inconvenient, our Xingcheng has it a little better.” 

Xia Ye couldn’t help saying, “Our Xingcheng is pretty good too.”

Yang Youming turned to Mama Xia and said, “Xingcheng is really good, he’ll be even better than me in the future.”

Mama Xia immediately laughed and said, “How can that be? He’s still not as good compared to you.” 

Xia Xingcheng put the suitcase in the trunk then got into the car and backed it up a bit before he drove it over to the door again.  

Seeing that the distance was about right, Yang Youming lifted the hood of his down-jacket then opened the passenger door and got in. After closing the door, he lowered the car window to say goodbye to Xia Xingcheng’s family one more time.

Xia Xingcheng remained silent, not saying a word as he reversed the car and turned the steering wheel to drive away 

The road to the airport was the same road they had come from, but Xia Xingcheng was unfamiliar with the road conditions and drove slower than Xia Ye had. 

Perhaps due to his silence the whole journey to the airport, when Yang Youming got out of the car, he said, “Have a happy New Year with your family.”

Xia Xingcheng took a deep breath. He sat in the driver’s seat and didn’t get out. He looked at Yang Youming and said, “Both you and my family are very important to me.”

Yang Youming said, “Come back after the New Year, I’ll be waiting for you at home.”

This was the last thing Yang Youming said to him before he left, but when Xia Xingcheng returned to Beijing after the New Year and before he joined the film crew, he went back to his own Beijing apartment instead of choosing to go back to Yang Youming’s.

Xia Xingcheng was a little scared. 

☆ ☆ ☆

t/n – i’m a little scared too

⟵ Chapter 87 | TOC | Chapter 89 ⟶