YV | Chapter 19

Zhang Xu did not tangle with Sheng Xiaoyang, and before he could react, he neatly paid twenty thousand. Sheng Xiaoyang stared at the number on the display screen, stunned, unable to count it correctly even after several tries.

“Keep these receipts. You’ll need to provide them for any compensation negotiations later,” Zhang Xu said only after Sheng Xiaoyang’s eyes looked over, speaking very slowly. “Has the traffic police there come to a result?”

Sheng Xiaoyang nodded, opened his notebook and wrote, Tomorrow go sign the accident determination form.

Zhang Xu asked, “You haven’t received a single cent, right?”

Sheng Xiaoyang said no.

“Then there’s no rush to sign. Let the traffic police organize one round of mediation first.” Zhang Xu paused, then spoke again gently, “You put forward your demands.”

Sheng Xiaoyang had been out of sync for too long. He had only just entered society, had only just learned to walk, and was somewhat resistant to dealing with people and social exchanges, with some fear as well. He was dejected, and said, No one pays attention to me.

Zhang Xu considered it and tentatively asked, “I’ll help you?”

From the beginning, Sheng Xiaoyang had been in a state of flattered astonishment. He could not figure out why Zhang Xu was helping him. If it was only because of that scraping collision accident, in fact it had not caused any serious consequences. The “can’t quite let it go” that Zhang Xu spoke of had also already been perfectly resolved. So now it was Sheng Xiaoyang who was anxious.

However, Sheng Xiaoyang had his own closed logic regarding Zhang Xu. After thinking it over, he put everything down to Zhang Xu’s personality, this person was really too good, and I am only one of the links that show how good he is.

Even so, at any time, in any space, Sheng Xiaoyang felt honored.

Zhang Xu tapped Sheng Xiaoyang’s shoulder and called out, Xiaoyang.

Sheng Xiaoyang raised his eyes and looked at Zhang Xu in confusion.

-?

“What is it?” Zhang Xu asked. “Still worried about something?”

Sheng Xiaoyang pointed at the unpaid amount still showing on the display screen, truly anxious, It’s too much.

“You write an IOU,” Zhang Xu offered a solution, “pay me back when you have money.”

Sheng Xiaoyang froze. He had not expected Zhang Xu to be so straightforward, then he became delighted and nodded hard.

-Okay!

Sheng Xiaoyang held the pen with twenty points more seriousness than before, and even his handwriting became much neater. The contents of the IOU were simple, just clearly stating who owed whom how much money, when it would be repaid, and what would happen if it was overdue.

But things started badly, and he got stuck at the very beginning.

When Sheng Xiaoyang wrote the creditor’s name, he stopped in time, still shaken. He helplessly and guiltily peered toward Zhang Xu, forlorn and at a loss.

Zhang Xu was calm and composed, and introduced himself with a warm smile.

“My name is Zhang Xu.”

Sheng Xiaoyang thought hard.

Zhang Xu simply leaned over with the pen, casting aside his usual small regular script, writing with straight horizontal and vertical strokes, very neatly. Then he handed the pen back to Sheng Xiaoyang.

Sheng Xiaoyang always acted calm, speaking with Zhang Xu as a restrained stranger. But Zhang Xu suddenly came too close, and Sheng Xiaoyang quietly went red at the ears.

At the end, for the signature, Sheng Xiaoyang wrote his name stroke by stroke, gripping the pen so hard his fingertips went white.

Their names were on the same sheet of paper, like a faintly trembling wind coming from the void and entering the valley, making every scene look beautiful before it was enough.

The IOU was kept by Zhang Xu. He only looked once, then finally read it out openly.

“Sheng Xiaoyang.”

Sheng Xiaoyang regretted again that he could not hear with his ears, but the weight of his heartbeat did not lessen in the slightest.

Tao Ye lowered his own presence as much as possible, avoiding Zhang Xu whenever he could, and found a chance to leave first. He did not expect Zhang Xu to call him back.

“Haven’t seen you in a long time.”

Tao Ye nodded in acknowledgment and said, Haven’t seen you in a long time.

Zhang Xu spoke politely, “Should I tell Jiang Jiashu that I saw you?”

After hearing that name, the bean-paste-colored scar at the outer corner of Tao Ye’s right eye trembled slightly with the pulsing of his muscles. He was silent and cold, refusing to back down, confronting Zhang Xu. In the end, the tall, upright giant tree standing on the mountaintop was pierced by a muffled thunderclap, and Tao Ye turned and left.

Zhang Xu watched Tao Ye from afar until that back was swallowed by the hurried world.

The crease between Zhang Xu’s brows did not loosen. He glanced at the latest message on his phone and felt deeply tired.

Sheng Xiaoyang stood far away, not knowing whom he was waiting for. He had not seen a single word of what Zhang Xu and Tao Ye said. He always kept a good distance from Zhang Xu.

The elevator went back and forth several times, the car doors opened, one group of people poured out, then another group crowded in, and Sheng Xiaoyang was not among them. He saw Tao Ye leave, without looking back, and his gaze then searched for Zhang Xu.

They stood across the sea of people, looking at each other. Zhang Xu gave Sheng Xiaoyang a slight nod.

That was it, he was leaving.

Sheng Xiaoyang understood. He was disappointed, but not sad, he had to let go. So Sheng Xiaoyang also smiled in acknowledgment, his eyes very bright.

The elevator came again. This time Sheng Xiaoyang entered with the surging crowd. He was not tall, and soon could no longer be seen.

Zhang Xu also walked away at the same time.

Sheng Xiaoyang slept on the floor in the hospital, and the caregiver pitied that the two of them had no dad and no mom, were not eating enough, and seemed not to be dressed warmly either. They were out here alone, easy to be bullied, and her maternal love swelled up, so she paid out of her own pocket and ordered a lavish dinner.

Lavish for Sheng Xiaoyang only.

Da Yan sipped white porridge, glaring bitterly at the braised pork blood in Sheng Xiaoyang’s bowl.

The caregiver auntie comforted Da Yan, When you get better, you can eat it too!

Da Yan’s face lit up with joy, gulped down the porridge in one breath, reached out, and snapped her fingers right under Sheng Xiaoyang’s eyes.

Sheng Xiaoyang looked up.

-??

Da Yan asked, “Where did you go during the day?”

Sheng Xiaoyang avoided Da Yan’s questioning gaze and said nothing.

Da Yan immediately sensed something was off, “You’re hiding something from me! Are we still best friends or not?!”

Sheng Xiaoyang: “……”

Da Yan coaxed and cajoled him, but could not pry out Sheng Xiaoyang’s hidden secret.

Late at night, Sheng Xiaoyang did not sleep. By the dim moonlight outside the window, he opened his notebook. Zhang Xu’s elegant handwriting flowed into his eyes like clear water.

Sheng Xiaoyang treasured touching it.

He had once heard a certain fairy tale. At midnight, Cinderella takes off her dress, but she always looks forward to the prince’s arrival.

But Sheng Xiaoyang was not Cinderella, and he did not have fine clothes either.

*

The next day, Da Yan opened her eyes and started crying right away, it hurt too much. After swallowing the painkillers, they only worked for two hours. Sheng Xiaoyang coaxed her, Don’t cry, I’ll buy you candy.

Da Yan said, I want lychee flavor.

Sheng Xiaoyang said okay.

Da Yan was moved beyond belief, crying and laughing at the same time. “Wuwu, we really are the best friends!”

Sheng Xiaoyang nodded.

-Yes, my good friend.

“So where did you go during the day yesterday?”

Sheng Xiaoyang: ……

Cunning!

The hospital was even more crowded during the day. Sheng Xiaoyang did not take the long way around. He passed through the outpatient lobby, and there was a convenience store outside. The candy in the convenience store was expensive, eight yuan a bag, and there was no lychee flavor. Sheng Xiaoyang gritted his teeth and bought it. Then he went back the same way.

There was a long line at the medicine pickup window. Sheng Xiaoyang walked with his head down, went around behind the queue, and accidentally bumped into someone, and seven or eight boxes of medicine fell all over the floor.

Sheng Xiaoyang immediately crouched down to pick them up, and that person reached out to help too.

Long fingers, distinct knuckles, calluses on the palm. Sheng Xiaoyang’s heartbeat became familiar with these hands before his senses did, and he abruptly looked up.

Zhang Xu’s smile was gentle, very restrained, and he said, “What a coincidence.”

Sheng Xiaoyang opened and closed his mouth, and his throat made a muffled, short sound.

Zhang Xu did not hear clearly.

Then Sheng Xiaoyang saw Zhang Xu’s right hand, held aloft and unable to move. From the palm to the wrist, it was wrapped in gauze, faintly carrying the smell of medicine.

Sheng Xiaoyang could not even breathe smoothly, and frowned.

It was fine yesterday.

Zhang Xu probably noticed Sheng Xiaoyang’s mood and said lightly, “It’s an old problem. It flared up once last time and didn’t fully recover. I’m not busy these days, so I came to the hospital to have a look.”

Sheng Xiaoyang focused on Zhang Xu’s speaking. After he finished looking, he lowered his eyes. These eyes were shrouded in mist, reserved and winding, lingering on Zhang Xu, wet no matter where they went.

Very beautiful, Zhang Xu thought, like the pair he had seen many years ago.

Sheng Xiaoyang wrote it down and asked, Pain?

Zhang Xu took the pen and wrote with his left hand, also beautifully.

-Not anymore.

【📢Author’s note】
Zhang Xu: I used the suffering tactic