SAYE

Can you…… carry me down, I can’t move.

         By the time Mr. Lu came back with a new set of tools, Gu Fei was leaning against the wall playing with his phone, and Jiang Cheng was sitting on the recliner, spacing out.

         Mr. Lu probably didn’t imagine that, of the two of them at this moment, one was tapping away at nothing on his phone, and one was trying hard to work up the energy to suppress his Spring awakening.

         “Are you done with the bite mark?” Mr. Lu asked.

         “Mhm.” Jiang Cheng was a little worried about his state of mind at first, but as soon as Mr. Lu opened his mouth, his Spring awakening was startled into retreat before it even got a chance to advance. He breathed out a sigh of relief, but still felt a little awkward when he looked down. “This…… spot, will it be tough to do?”

         “What, the inner thigh?” Mr. Lu gave him a look. “No problem, I’ve done all sorts of locations for my clients, this is one of the easier ones in comparison.”

         “Is it round enough?” Gu Fei asked beside him. “If it’s not round enough I can bite him again on the other side.”

         “It’s good enough,” Mr. Lu looked at Jiang Cheng’s thigh. “You…… have prominent fangs huh? Matches pretty well too. How about I made these two fang indents into heart shapes?”

         “…… That’s not a bad idea.” Jiang Cheng actually hadn’t checked out the teeth-mark himself. After Gu Fei bit him, they’ve been in such a state that if there wasn’t anyone else around, they would’ve jerked each other off right then and there. It wasn’t until this moment that Jiang Cheng peered down to take a look. “Actually that just might work.”

         Gu Fei’s teeth-mark was also very neat, but the two indents from his fangs were very prominent, they stuck out just a little bit. If he were to make them into little hearts it would look…… pretty good.

         “I can use red to fill in the hearts.” Mr. Lu said. “It’ll look very nice. Why don’t you lie down on your side, this way the design can lay flat, and it’ll be easier for me to work on it.”

         Gu Fei watched Jiang Cheng lay down on his side, with his left leg pulled up and right leg stretched out…… It was indeed a position that seemed uninhibited with a touch of wantonness. When Mr. Lu hunched over Jiang Cheng’s legs to start doing the outline, he almost went to fling the guy off out of sheer instinct.

         This location was unlike the shoulder…… He pulled up a stool and sat down by the recliner facing Jiang Cheng’s back, and leaned in, gazing between the thighs at Mr. Lu.

         “It doesn’t seem to hurt.” Jiang Cheng said.

         “The outline doesn’t hurt very much,” Mr. Lu lifted his eyes and gave Gu Fei a look. “It’ll hurt more later when I’m filling in the colour, but it’s much better than the collarbone, the collarbone hurts more.”

         “My shoulder is hurting now.” Gu Fei nodded.

         “It’ll be fine by tomorrow.” Mr. Lu continued to carve out the outline.

         At the sound of Gu Fei’s voice, Jiang Cheng cranked his neck around and glanced at him, “Oh fuck, how come you’re sitting there?”

         “Where?” Gu Fei also glanced at him, then looked at where he was sitting. It was only about 20 centimeters away from Jiang Cheng’s butt. “I can see more clearly from here.”

         “Whatever you want,” Jiang Cheng used his arm as a pillow. “I beat that level for you just now, don’t you want to play for a bit?”

         “No.” Gu Fei said.

         Jiang Cheng didn’t say anything after that.

         Gu Fei continued to hover over the edge of the recliner, watching Mr. Lu carve out the outline.

         Frankly, the visual of Jiang Cheng lying on the cot right now in his underwear was quite torturous to him. Jiang Cheng had very nice skin, it was taut and satiny; his shirt had shifted up in such a way that it was possible to see a strip of his waist and lower back from this angle…… If it wasn’t for the fear that Jiang Cheng’s reflexes would suddenly awaken, he’d love to covertly reach out and caress his back.

         Jiang Cheng started out with his eyes open, but after a while he closed them. It was way too awkward, looking down and seeing Mr. Lu hovering over his crotch area with a solemn expression on half of his face. 

         However, not only two seconds later, he opened them again. With a position like this, if he closed his eyes, it might give the impression that he was enjoying it or something, which would be even more awkward.

         With his eyes open, since he couldn’t look at Mr. Lu…… he wanted to look at Gu Fei instead. But when he turned around to look at Gu Fei, he saw Gu Fei hovering behind his butt, staring face to face between the gap of his thighs at Mr. Lu. It was somehow an even freakier visual. 

         He sighed softly, “Gu Fei.”

         “Hm?” Gu Fei answered.

         “You have movies on your phone, right?” Jiang Cheng asked. “Why don’t you pick one out for me to watch.”

         “Sure,” Gu Fei took out his phone. “I’ll find one for you.”

         The skin on the leg is relatively smooth and flat, Mr. Lu was faster at carving out the outline than before. After he let the two of them check the line work, he started to fill it in.

         While watching the movie, Jiang Cheng was reflecting on how intricate-looking the little hearts of the fang indents were, but soon after, he started to feel the pain.

         Normally, one or two instances of this kind of surface level pain from the skin could hardly be felt, there was usually no feeling, let alone pain. However, to have that feeling repeatedly drilled against the same spot, that sensation was not so good.

         Mr. Lu was very meticulous. Jiang Cheng felt that time did not fly by at all, it had practically frozen in place. He felt like the poking had gone on for ages, but glancing at the time, it hadn’t been very long. The muscle he instinctively clenched from the pain, plus the left leg he had to consciously hold up lest it fall it and smack Mr. Lu on the head, both made him feel exhausted after only an hour. He couldn’t even concentrate on the movie.

         “Gu Fei.” He called out.

         “Mhm.” Gu Fei stood up and looked at him.

         “Can you…… hold my leg up for me,” Jiang Cheng sighed. “My leg is sore.”

         Gu Fei laughed, and braced a hand against his left knee, “Is this OK?”

         “Ah shit,” Jiang Cheng relaxed instantly. “I was dying.”

         “Not much longer now,” Mr. Lu said. “We’re past the halfway point.”

         “You’ve worked hard sir.” Jiang Cheng exclaimed.

         After Gu Fei started holding his knee, he felt like the two inches of skin on his leg didn’t even hurt that much anymore. Though after a while, it seemed like it was also tiring for Gu Fei to stand there holding back his knee. Jiang Cheng watched him reach back and grab a length of rope from a table nearby.

         “What are you doing?” Jiang Cheng looked at him.

         “I want to sit down,” Gu Fei wound the rope around his leg once, then held on to the ends as it pulled Jiang Cheng’s leg back, and sat back down on the stool. “This way I don’t have to keep standing.”

         “Very innovative.” Jiang Cheng said.

         After this exchange, neither of them said anything more. When the movie was over, Jiang Cheng glanced down at his leg. The rope Gu Fei had wrapped around his leg was black. Good thing he only circled it once around the knee, if it was wrapped around his ankle or…… tied around Gu Fei’s leg……

         Jiang Cheng killed his thoughts deep in his belly before they were able to fly free, then took in a deep breath, “I want water.”

         “There’s a water dispenser outside.” Mr. Lu paused his hands.

         Gu Fei went out and poured him a cup of water, then when Mr. Lu stood up to stretch his arms and also get a drink, he quickly reached out and hooked a finger on Jiang Cheng’s chin.

         Itching for a smack? Jiang Cheng stared at him and said soundlessly.

         Gu Fei chuckled without a word, then walked around behind Jiang Cheng, and pulled gently on the rope.

         Jiang Cheng’s legs opened a little wider.

         “You’re dead.” He pointed at Gu Fei. Fortunately, at this moment the scorching pain on his inner thigh suddenly surged up all at once. It felt hot and painful, he had no attention to spare to the feelings of Spring amidst the pain.

         “Hurts, huh?” Gu Fei asked.

         “Mhm.” Jiang Cheng peered at him.

         Gu Fei laughed and looked at his unfinished leg, “Won’t be able to do anything for the next few days, it can’t come in contact with water.”

         “What did you want to do?” Jiang Cheng narrowed his eyes. “Is your mind……”

         Mr. Lu walked back in before he could finish, so he forcefully changed the second half of the sentence, “Capable of thinking…… of the final exams?”

         “Uh huh.” Gu Fei held back a laugh as he nodded.

         Despite having two extra little hearts on it, Jiang Cheng’s teeth-mark took a little less time than the one on Gu Fei’s shoulder. When the instrument in Mr. Lu’s hand finally stopped whirring, Jiang Cheng let out a long breath of relief. Not only because the feeling of a staccato of pain amidst a sea of pain had finally stopped, but also because Mr. Lu had finally left the general vicinity of his crotch.

         “Done,” Mr. Lu looked over it with satisfaction. “It’s just perfect. The skin on the thigh tends to be paler, makes for a very cool contrast.”

         “Let me see.” Gu Fei leaned over to check out the teeth-mark, and took the chance to stroke Jiang Cheng’s buttcheek.

         Jiang Cheng couldn’t even bother to retaliate. He sat up and looked down at the tattoo as well. Compared to the one on Gu Fei’s collarbone, this one was sexy with a tinge of cute, courtesy of the two little red hearts.

         Mmn, not bad.

         Jiang Cheng quickly imagined a scenario of Gu Fei participating in an unchaste activity in that area.

         When they walked out of the building, Jiang Cheng figured he had made a wise decision to wear loose track pants that day. But even so, he couldn’t help the urge to walk like a crab.

         “I’m not taking the bus,” He tugged at the hem of his pants. “Let’s take a taxi back, I don’t want to walk.”

         Gu Fei laughed as he flagged down a taxi, “What about class tomorrow?”

         “I’ll just wear a large boxer,” Jiang Cheng got in the car. “Didn’t Mr. Lu say I won’t feel it much after one night, just can’t let it touch water.”

         “Mhm, boxer sounds good.” Gu Fei said quietly beside him. “And I can look at it whenever I want.”

         Jiang Cheng’s phone rang in his pocket. He said as he pulled it out, “Wait till my leg is better, I’ll take care of you……”

         But when he saw the name on the call display, he suddenly didn’t feel like talking anymore. If it wasn’t for his good mood today, he probably would’ve lost his appetite as well.

         “Hello.” He answered reluctantly.

         “Xiao-Cheng?” It wasn’t Li Baoguo’s voice on the other end, it was a woman. She continued anxiously before he could reply. “I’m Li Qian.”

         “Li Qian?” Jiang Cheng froze.

         Li Qian had called him on Li Baoguo’s cell phone. His first instinct was that Li Baoguo’s condition…… had worsened? Was he almost gone? Or?

         “Do you have time right now?” Li Qian said. “Do you have time to come over? It’s dad, he’s…… kicking up a fuss, we can’t talk him down, the police station already sent some guys over, but…… Do you think you can come over and talk to him?”

         “What’s he up to?” Jiang Cheng felt uneasy.

         “He’s on the roof,” When Li Qian spoke he could hear noise and yelling in the background. “Said he wants to kill himself.”

         “The fuck?” Jiang Cheng was so shocked his voice went off key, Li Baoguo is threatening suicide?

         After he ended the call, Jiang Cheng turned and looked at Gu Fei, speechless, and had no idea where to even start.

         Gu Fei knew about his family, and knew about what kind of person Li Baoguo was—perhaps even better than himself—but he still didn’t want to time and again let Gu Fei watch as this man who was related to him keep stirring up all sorts of commotion. He didn’t want Gu Fei to have to every once a while see the various troubles related to this man.

         Despite the fact that every time he ran into a problem, he’d feel much more grounded after seeing Gu Fei, but he wondered how Gu Fei felt having a boyfriend who was constantly surrounded by these annoyances.

         “Is it Li Baoguo?” Gu Fei asked.

         “Mhm,” Jiang Cheng answered, then patted the driver’s seat. “Shifu please drive a little faster.”

         “Was that Li Qian calling?” Gu Fei asked again.

         “Mhm,” Jiang Cheng was quiet for a while, then said quietly. “Said that Li Baoguo is…… threatening suicide, on the roof.”

         Gu Fei blanked, “Right now?”

         “Yes,” Jiang Cheng knitted his brows. “The cops even showed up.”

         Gu Fei squeezed his hand, “It’s alright, they’ll be able to talk him down soon…… Li Hui didn’t show up, did he?”

         “Dunno,” Jiang Cheng pressed on the space between his brows and rubbed it. “I didn’t ask.”

         “He’s just putting it on for Li Hui to see, if Li Hui went, he’d come down in no time.” Gu Fei said. “It happened once before, said he’s gonna slit his own throat, then ran onto the street with a knife and wanted to slash anyone he could get a hold of.”

         “What does that have to do with Li Hui?” Jiang Cheng was incredulous, and more than a little stunned. Li Baoguo had tried to slit his own throat and slash people up before?

         “Probably just acting out, you’ve seen how they fight whenever they see each other. Li Hui probably doesn’t want anything to do with this father of his,” Gu Fei grabbed Jiang Cheng’s hand, set it atop his own leg, and gently massaged it. “But Li Baoguo still cares a lot about him. He’s the eldest son after all, different from his other children, that’s why he acts out. It’s just that the way people act out is different from person to person.”

         “Is that so.” Jiang Cheng frowned and sighed softly, his mind was a mess. He knew that Li Baoguo wouldn’t actually jump, but as soon as he thought about the chaotic scene he was about to face, the neighbours gathered to watch, and the idlers who loved to chime in with their snide remarks, he felt an intense headache. Even more painful than his inner thigh.

         The outside of Li Baoguo’s building was more bustling than Jiang Cheng had imagined. It was just about the time after people got off work and bought groceries, even people from the next street over where Gu Fei’s store was had come over, never mind the residents of this street. There were about one or two hundred people gathered downstairs, and even some on the roof. The police officers were in the process of herding them down.

         Jiang Cheng looked up toward the roof. Li Baoguo was squatting at the edge of the furthest corner of the rooftop, smoking. From time to time he would turn around and yell at the cops behind him.

         “Ayy he’s here, he’s here,” An auntie started shouting. “This is Li Baoguo’s youngest son, his youngest son is here.”

         “Youngest son? When did he get a youngest son?” Someone immediately followed up.

         “You didn’t know, huh, gave him away when he was little……”

         “Gave away? Why don’t I believe that, sold away is more like it.”

         Jiang Cheng just felt annoyed. He was about to ask Gu Fei how to get to the roof in these old-school apartment buildings, when a guy yelled beside him, “Go ahead and jump! Hurry up! What are you dithering for! Jump!”

         Immediately after, more people joined in the racket. Amidst a sea of whistles, several more people started shouting: “Jump!” “Jump!” “Jump!”

         Gu Fei was a few steps away from Jiang Cheng. When Jiang Cheng turned to look at those people, he quickly stepped up and followed him close. Under these circumstances, he could guess what kind of emotional reaction Jiang Cheng would have. If anyone said any more cruel and banal things like this, with Jiang Cheng’s temper, he might not be able to keep it in.

         Just as Gu Fei walked up behind him, Jiang Cheng already landed a punch on the man’s nose.

         He had to admit, Jiang Cheng’s fist was still pretty impressive, it was about as powerful as his sling. The guy was knocked right off his feet, before falling to the ground.

         The man pushed himself up, then struggled to stand after kicking his feet a few times. He glowered at Jiang Cheng, and was about to lunge, when Gu Fei gave Jiang Cheng a push, “Don’t worry about this.”

         “Mhm.” Jiang Cheng answered, then turned and walked into the stairwell.

         Gu Fei scanned each of the faces in front of him, “What?”

         “Fuck! I fucking only said a few words and he just started in!” The man who just had his face smashed cursed loudly. “Motherfucker where did this dumb little fucking shit come from! I’m gonna fucking wait for him to come down!”

         “Then you can wait.” Gu Fei looked at him. The guy looked a little familiar, but he didn’t know him. After all, all three generations of the hooligans around the Steel Works look a little familiar to him.

         “The fuck?” The guy looked at him, and reached a hand into his pocket.

         If it was before, normally no one would dare go up against him face on. These people pretty much all recognized him, but in front of a whole crowd of people, and with the rumours that “Monkey had already taken Gu Fei down a peg”, the guy was probably planning on making a move.

         Gu Fei’s rule of thumb was always: if he had to fight, it better be quick, and not give his opponent the chance to react.

         Just as the guy took a step toward him, before he had a chance to pull his hand out of his pocket, along with the weapon, Gu Fei reached out his left hand and cupped the back of the guy’s head, while smacking his forehead hard with the heel of his right hand.

         It wasn’t a particularly powerful strike, but it was enough to make him dizzy for a few seconds.

         When Gu Fei drew his hands back, only then did the guy sway a little, and held onto someone nearby for balance.

         “Whenever you manage to get on speaking terms with Monkey,” Gu Fei looked at him. “Then you can come pick a fight with me.”

         The rest of his group fell silent, and Gu Fei didn’t bother to continue with them. He looked up in the direction of the rooftop.

         Li Baoguo was still squatting at the edge. At the moment he was looking back at something, but soon turned to face forward again, and screamed down, “DON’T YOU BOTHER WITH ME! I’M GOING TO JUMP RIGHT NOW! I’M NOT GONNA BE ALIVE FOR MUCH FUCKING LONGER ANYWAYS, IT’S JUST A MATTER OF TIME! IF YOU WANT TO JOIN ME, COME RIGHT ON!”

         Gu Fei frowned, then shoved the crowd aside and ran into the stairwell, charging upstairs.

         He thought Jiang Cheng would try to call up to Li Baoguo from downstairs first, but judging by Li Baoguo’s words, Jiang Cheng was already on the roof. Even though this old apartment building wasn’t built very tall, to the acrophobic contestant Jiang Cheng, who would puke after standing on a five-story high rooftop, this height might just cause him to puke on the spot.

         “What are you doing up here, Gu Fei!” An old cop stopped him on the third floor.

         “Uncle,” Gu Fei recognized this officer. He was the first on the scene back then, when his dad’s accident happened. “My friend just went up there, let me go to him. He’s afraid of heights. I’m worried that nothing will happen to Li Baoguo but he might keel over first.”

         The old cop fixed his eyes on him for a beat, “Go on, don’t get close to Li Baoguo.”

         “I know.” Gu Fei sprinted up the stairs.

         When he got to the roof, he could see there were a lot of people up there already. There were constables, and a few grandmas and aunties from the neighbourhood committee. Li Qian was standing in the middle, with her head down wiping away tears. Li Baoguo was coughing and cursing at the same time, at Li Qian, but also at Jiang Cheng, in the foulest language. Gu Fei grew up here, and had heard all sorts of boundary-pushing vocabulary, but Li Baoguo’s hysterical insults to Li Qian and Jiang Cheng, which involved the reproductive systems and rutting periods of all living beings in the known universe, still made one want to rush over and push him off the building.

         Jiang Cheng was crouching behind her, closer to the stairwell. With his back to him, Gu Fei couldn’t tell how he was faring.

         “Jiang Cheng.” Gu Fei couldn’t approach, so he called out from his spot.

         Jiang Cheng turned around, hesitated for a few seconds, then crawled over to him on all fours. He furrowed his brows as he got closer, “I want to go down. I don’t give a crap anymore. I want to go down……”

         Gu Fei took two steps forward and reached out his hand. Jiang Cheng grabbed it, after which his whole body slackened and dropped. Gu Fei had no choice but to half carry and half drag him back to the stairs. 

         “I don’t give a crap anymore, I don’t ever want to hear anything about him ever again.” Jiang Cheng said quietly. “Let’s go down.”

         “Mmn.” Gu Fei answered.

         “It’s just,” There was a slight tremor in Jiang Cheng’s voice. “Can you…… carry me down, I can’t move.”