Ex-boyfriend

Chu Yi burst into peals of laughter. Soon after, those uncontrolled chortles reduced to a hollow laugh. He said, “Such a rare opportunity and you just wasted it just like that?”

　　Xu Yue said seriously, “I think it’s worth it.”

　　Outside the window, cars flashed past. The shine of their lights glimmered in Chu Yi’s eyes, as though upon water. He said softly, “Then, I’m really honoured.”

The night was fairly peaceful.

　　The next day was the weekend. Xu Yue had originally planned to rest well. Unexpectedly, from early in the morning, there was clink and clatter[1] from next door.

　   When he went out to throw trash, he saw that the door next door was open. There were workers moving in furniture and such, and it was Su Yanwen who was directing them.

　“A’Yue, good morning!” Su Yanwen raised his hand when he saw Xu Yue.

　　Xu Yue was stunned. He walked over and asked, “What’s going on?”

　“Wasn’t the flat next to yours vacant? I rented it out yesterday. I’m moving in today.”

　“If I remember right where you used to live was closer to the company. Why move?”

　　Su Yanwen gave a profound smile and, “Applying proximity principle[2].”

　　Su Yanwen was neat and efficient in everything he did. By noon, almost all the furniture had been moved and he came over to invite Xu Yue to lunch.

　　By then Chu Yi knew that Su Yanwen had moved in next door. He said with a severe face, “Don’t go.”

　It was the joyous occasion of housewarming and Xu Yue had to give Su Yanwen face[3]. So, he shook his head and said, “There are instant noodles in the kitchen cabinet. Help yourself.”

　　After speaking, he ignored Chu Yi’s wrath and followed Su Yanwen.

　　However, at the dinner table, Xu Yue reiterated his stance, “Yanwen, I have always regarded you as my best friend.”

　“I know.” Su Yanwen looked calm. While loading Xu Yue’s bowl with a dish he said, “Just as you have the right to reject me, I have the freedom to pursue you, right?”

　　Xu Yue’s headache got worse.

As if Chu Yi alone wasn’t enough to exhaust[4] him that Su Yanwen had to add to the mess.

　　This lunch took a long while to finish and it was already afternoon when they returned. Xu Yue opened the door and saw that the coffee table in the living room was full of take-out boxes. In order to vent his anger Chu Yi ate enough to fill three people’s stomachs.

　　Xu Yue sighed and cleaned the house silently before going to the bedroom to find Chu Yi. When his hand reached the doorknob, he heard an erotic moan from the room.

　　Xu Yue was in a daze and time seemed to have leapt back by many years.

　　Back then, their relationship was at its finest. He and Chu Yi stuck together like glue whole day, every day. He had gone across the country to participate in a competition. It was midnight when he returned. He stood at the door of their room and heard an unbearable noise from the inside. His heart thumped. His hand, that was holding the doorknob, was sweat soaked and slippery. He felt that he was sinking into the deep sea, unable to swim. That feeling of suffocation and drowning lingered even in recollection.

　　Later, he opened the door and walked in. When he saw the two people rolling on the bed, he felt numb. The real suffering was those dozens of seconds spend standing outside the door.

　　Xu Yue took a deep breath and finally opened the door.

　　Chu Yi was sitting on the bed watching TV. His phone was tossed aside. It was playing an X-rated[5] movie with the volume was turned on to the maximum, far exceeding the sound of the TV.

Xu Yue walked over with a wooden expression, turned off the movie on the phone, and asked, “What are you doing?”

Chu Yi knocked on the wall and said, “Trying out the sound insulation here. I wonder if the sound can be heard next door.”

　　Xu Yue didn’t know whether to be angry or laugh. He said, “Are you too bored?”

　“Yes, I’m bored.” Chu Yi’s eyes twinkled as his gaze caged Xu Yue, “Should we try the live action?”

　“It’s still daytime.”

　　Chu Yi was overjoyed. “So, it’s alright at night?”

　　He was so thick-skinned that it was truly admirable. Xu Yue had no choice but to say, “Don’t even think about night.”

　　Chu Yi was visibly disappointed. He picked up his phone and started broadcasting another movie. In the end, before it was night, Su Yanwen came knocking on the door.

　“A’Yue, my sewer seems to be blocked. Can you take a look?”

　　This time Chu Yi rushed in front of Xu Yue and said, “If the sewer is blocked, please find a professional to repair it. Would you like me to call someone for you?”

　“Mr. Chu, aren’t you a guest here? You don’t really have the right to call the shots for A’Yue.”

　“At least I’m living with him. Better than living next door.”

　　Xu Yue was afraid that they would outright exchange blows. After dinner, he made up an excuse and asked Fu Mingjie out to the bar for a drink.

　　When Fu Mingjie heard Xu Yue’s complaint, instead of expressing sympathy, he laughed. “Serves you right. You have known Yanwen’s intention for a long while now but deliberately pretended to be stupid.”

　“It’s impossible for us to be together. I’m afraid of losing our friendship over this.”

　“Actually, Yanwen is quite good. Of course, Chu Yi is not bad either. In my opinion …” Fu Mingjie smiled and hooked Xu Yue’s shoulders while saying, “You might as well hug left and right and enjoy both their company[6], alright?”

Xu Yue’s brow furrowed. “Do you think everyone is like you?”

　　Fu Mingjie quickly aired his grievance. “I am super devoted. I am deeply found of a beautiful woman. She’s the reason why I asked you out to this bar today.”

　　While speaking, he glanced at the stage and asked the bartender next to him, “Where is Nana? Why haven’t I seen her on stage today?”

　　The bartender smiled bitterly, “She got poached by the shop opposite. But today, we have a newcomer who sings well.”

　　Xu Yue also looked on the stage and saw a singer with very heavy eye makeup. He didn’t know how good his singing was but his face looked a bit familiar.

　　The bartender went on to introduce him, “He used to be an actor. I heard that his was getting famous. Don’t know which God[7] he had offended that he had to resort to singing in a bar.”

　　Xu Yue was astonished. When he looked at that person’s face carefully, he realised. Wasn’t it the starlet Chen Rui who had been in the magazine with Chu Yi? Xu Yue remembered that although he was not popular, he had a promising future ahead. Did that mean the one he offended, to the extent of having to stoop to being a bar singer, was… Chu Yi?

　　Xu Yue had a vague idea in his heart, but before he could think further, his cell phone rang.

　　It was a call from his high school classmate Zhou Xu.

　　Xu Yue had a good relationship with Zhou Xu and they kept in contact even after graduation. Therefore, Zhou Xu didn’t bother being polite with him. He directly asked, “A’Yue, won’t you come to the class reunion?”

　　Xu Yue was startled when he heard that. “Class reunion?”

　“Yes, high school class reunion. It’s been almost ten years since we graduated. Everyone is going to be there. I sent you an invite over email but you declined. Don’t you remember?”

　　Xu Yue never received the email. But he didn’t dare move, just asked, “When is the class reunion?”

　“25 December, on Christmas day.”

[1] Kun Yi Wei Lou wrote ‘乒乒乓乓’ ‘Pīng pīng pāng pang’. 

[2] Kun Yi Wei Lou wrote ‘‘近水楼台’ ‘Jìn shuǐ lóu tái’ which is actually from a longer phrase ‘近水楼台先得月’ ‘Jìn shuǐ lóu tái xiān dé yuè’ which means ‘the pavilion closest to the water enjoys moonlight first (idiom); to benefit from intimacy with an influential person’.

Proximity principle is a term, in social psychology, used to account for the tendency for individuals to form interpersonal relations with those who are close by (Proximity Principle | Wikipedia, Accessed on 28 January 2022).

[3] To accept his invitation as to honor/show respect to Su Yanwen

[4] Kun Yi Wei Lou wrote ‘心力交瘁’ ‘Xīn lì jiāo cuì’ which means ‘to be both mentally and physically exhausted’. 

[5] Rating used to classify movies that are meant for adults only; different from R (Restricted) rated which require non-adult viewers to be accompanied by parent or adult guardian.

[6] Kun Yi Wei Lou wrote ‘齐人之福’ ‘Qí rén zhī fú’ which means ‘the happy fate of the man from Qi (who had a wife and a concubine)’. 

[7] Doesn’t necessarily mean a God as in a supreme being; could very well refer to a powerful entity such as a sponsor or a business tycoon.