A Dog Out of Nowhere Chapter 52

All-you-can-eat buffets were supposed to be Fang Chi’s strong suit. He could usually eat for three, but today he didn’t eat much. He was worried greasy food might upset his stomach. Meanwhile, Sun Wenqu ate a bit more than usual.

When they left the restaurant, Sun Wenqu felt a bit too full. Ma Liang and his wife drove off first. Sun Wenqu handed Fang Chi the car keys. “You drive. I ate too much.”

“Okay.” Fang Chi nodded and got into the driver’s seat.

“Don’t study when you get back tonight,” Sun Wenqu said after getting in. “Listen to some music, play with Chief Huang for a bit, and go to sleep at ten.”

“Mm,” Fang Chi replied. “Chief Huang doesn’t play with me anymore. Won’t even look at me. Used to glance at me, now treats me like air.”

Sun Wenqu laughed. “Holding a grudge.”

“After the exams I’ll bring it out for you to see,” Fang Chi said. “It’s gotten as fat as a pig. I’ve already started cutting its food.”

“You’re next, your grandparents are waiting to fatten you up too,” Sun Wenqu said.

“Why do I feel like…” Fang Chi glanced at him while driving. “You’ve lost weight too?”

“It’s summer, shedding fur makes you look thinner,” Sun Wenqu said with a smile. “I’ve been busy too. Your Uncle Liang wants to take that project to an exhibition. Tight schedule, heavy workload, high standards.”

“That ‘one big paycheck’ you mentioned, that’s this, right?” Fang Chi asked.

“Yeah,” Sun Wenqu thought for a moment, then smiled again. “Thanks for the red envelope, by the way.”

Fang Chi chuckled. After a while, he asked, “Where are you staying tonight?”

“At Liangzi’s place,” Sun Wenqu said, glancing at the back seat. “I brought all my materials. We need to discuss things tonight.”

“Pulling an all-nighter?” Fang Chi frowned.

“Maybe. It’s fine. Tomorrow I’ll take you to the exam, then go to a hotel to catch up on sleep,” Sun Wenqu said. “You’ll rest at noon, and I can sleep some more in the afternoon.”

“Oh, right,” Fang Chi glanced at him. “Um… can we pick someone up tomorrow on the way? My classmate.”

“Your good friend?” Sun Wenqu asked.

“Yeah,” Fang Chi nodded. “He’s been having issues with his family for a while, staying at his aunt’s place. He was going to take the bus to the exam. I thought we could give him a ride.”

“Sure, no problem,” Sun Wenqu stretched. “Arguing with family at a time like this… not worried about messing up the exam?”

Fang Chi didn’t answer. After a long silence, he sighed. “It was… unexpected.”

—

When they reached downstairs, Fang Chi got out and watched as Sun Wenqu walked around the car.

“Go upstairs,” Sun Wenqu patted his back. “Get some rest.”

“Okay.” Fang Chi didn’t move.

“What’s wrong?” Sun Wenqu opened the car door.

“Nothing.” Fang Chi looked at him.

“Do I have beef jerky on my face?” Sun Wenqu touched his cheek.

“No,” Fang Chi laughed, a little embarrassed, scratching his hair. “I just feel like… I haven’t seen you in a long time.”

“Want to look a bit longer?” Sun Wenqu leaned against the car door, turned on his phone flashlight, and pointed it at his face. “High-definition, no filter.”

“…That’s enough,” Fang Chi said. “You scared me.”

“Then I’m off,” Sun Wenqu got into the car, rolled down the window. “I’ll pick you up tomorrow, bring you over early.”

“Okay,” Fang Chi slowly backed toward the entrance. “Good night. Text me when you get to Ma Liang’s.”

“Mm, good night.” Sun Wenqu waved and drove off.

—

Back home, Fang Chi packed everything he’d need for tomorrow into his pencil case and backpack, set it by the door, took a shower, called Xiao Yiming to meet at the intersection in the morning, and then grabbed the chubby Chief Huang from the couch to play with for a bit.

Strangely, he didn’t feel that nervous, maybe because Sun Wenqu had come. It was like he had something steady to rely on.

After Sun Wenqu texted that he’d arrived at Ma Liang’s place, sleepiness finally hit.

He lay down and fell asleep right away, sleeping straight through until the alarm rang.

The moment he got out of bed, the nervousness came rushing back.

Today. In two hours, he’d walk into the exam hall, carrying his own expectations, and… Sun Wenqu’s too. Yes, Sun Wenqu had expectations of him.

After washing up and checking his things again, Sun Wenqu called.

“I’ll be right down,” Fang Chi said, spotting the car parked downstairs.

The breakfast Sun Wenqu brought was great, doufunao and soup dumplings, still steaming hot.

“Which way to your classmate’s place?” Sun Wenqu asked.

“Just go straight at the intersection by our school instead of turning. Two more intersections and we’re there. I told him to wait at the corner,” Fang Chi said, opening the breakfast box. “Two portions? You didn’t eat?”

“I already ate,” Sun Wenqu said. “The extra is in case your classmate hasn’t.”

“Oh,” Fang Chi looked at him. “You’re pretty thoughtful.”

“My son’s classmate and best friend,” Sun Wenqu smiled. “Gotta be.”

When they reached the intersection, Xiao Yiming was already waiting. Fang Chi got out, let him climb into the back seat, then got back in. “This is Xiao Yiming, my best friend. This is my friend, Sun Wenqu.”

“Thank you, Brother Sun,” Xiao Yiming said from the back.

“Call him ‘uncle,’” Fang Chi said, handing him breakfast. “Have you eaten?”

“No,” Xiao Yiming took it, hesitated, then tried, “Uncle?”

“Mm,” Fang Chi nodded.

“Thanks, Uncle,” Xiao Yiming corrected himself readily.

“You’re welcome,” Sun Wenqu replied with a smile, glancing at him in the rearview mirror.

Xiao Yiming is a fairly good-looking kid, quite upright, but you can tell he’s not as emotionally invested as Fang Chi; he seems to have something on his mind. 

It seems that this “conflict” with his family is no small matter. 

Parking was not allowed near the exam site, so Sun Wenqu dropped them off at the entrance and then went to the parking lot next to it.

“There’s still time,” Fang Chi leaned on the car window. “Come back after parking.”

“Hm?” Sun Wenqu paused. “You’re not going in?”

“I’ll go in after you come back,” Fang Chi bounced slightly, gripping the window. “I… feel a bit nervous. Not sure why.”

“Then wait for me.” Sun Wenqu smiled. 

“Mm,” Fang Chi replied. 

There were quite a few cars dropping off students, and once they arrived, they stayed and waited to pick them up at noon. There weren’t many empty spaces in the parking lot, but luckily Sun Wenqu’s car was small, so he could squeeze into a parking space that was only half full. 

After parking the car, he checked the time and jogged back to the entrance of the examination hall. 

Fang Chi was still standing there when he saw him and jumped over: “What should I do? I’m nervous.” 

“It’s normal to be nervous,” Sun Wenqu grabbed his arm and rubbed it. “Everyone gets nervous about the college entrance exam. Even those who are determined to hand in a blank paper get nervous, let alone you who is aiming for a good score.”

“You think… can I do well on the exam?” Fang Chi pinched the four-leaf clover on his collar, “Heavenly spirits, earthly spirits…”

“Just write normally, follow your usual rhythm,” Sun Wenqu patted his face. “It’ll definitely be fine.”

“Mm, okay.” Fang Chi nodded, then bounced twice. “Alright, I’m not nervous anymore. Are you going back to the hotel to catch up on sleep?”

“Not anymore,” Sun Wenqu said. “I’m nervous too, can’t sleep. Liangzi will come find me in a bit, we’ll find somewhere to talk about something. You go in.”

Fang Chi took a breath, turned and walked two steps, then stopped. After pausing he walked back to Sun Wenqu, grabbed his hand and squeezed it hard twice before turning again and running into the exam hall gate.

Sun Wenqu waited until he could no longer see him, then bared his teeth and shook his hand. The overly nervous Fang Chi had almost crushed his hand with that grab.

After the bell for the start of the exam rang, Sun Wenqu received Ma Liang’s call. The two met in the parking lot and found a café nearby to sit down, continuing the design they hadn’t finished discussing yesterday.

This time, “Waiting,” Ma Liang planned to take it to a cross-year design exhibition at the end of the year. The works exhibited were all relatively modern and innovative.

Exactly the kind his dad despised the most. He thought those things had no foundation and were only superficial.

Sun Wenqu felt that such things undeniably existed, but he wouldn’t be like that. From the same roots, he wanted to grow different shoots.

Ma Liang agreed with his idea and the first set of designs. The two were now discussing whether these things should focus more on practicality or visual effect.

“Growth, this thing, is from awkward to smooth, from impractical to practical,” Sun Wenqu took a sip of coffee. “I’m using three sets to express this process.”

“Don’t make it too— too awkward,” Ma Liang said.

“I know what you mean.” Sun Wenqu smiled. “I won’t make it too alternative. This bottle, if you look at it alone, it’s awkward, but it’s not the ugly kind of awkward.”

Ma Liang nodded.

“When the other two are added together, you’ll be able to see the meaning,” Sun Wenqu said. “I should be able to finish it this month.”

“You have— have time this month?” Ma Liang looked at him and smiled.

“If I want to have time, I can have it.” Sun Wenqu smiled as well.

The two chatted in the café for quite a while. When they checked the time it was already eleven, and Sun Wenqu planned to go wait outside the exam hall.

“Key for you,” Ma Liang said. “I’ll head back first.”

“You’re not picking up your big nephew?” Sun Wenqu asked.

“Not picking him up. If he sees me, the surging feelings he has toward you might not come out.” Ma Liang said.

Outside the exam hall quite a few parents were already waiting under the blazing sun. Sun Wenqu didn’t want to stand in the sun, but after walking around twice all the shade under the trees was already full of people, so he had no choice but to go into the supermarket across the street, buy two bottles of drinks, and watch while drinking.

A while after the ending bell rang, the examinees started coming out.

As soon as Sun Wenqu came out of the supermarket, he saw Fang Chi looking around in the crowd. He waved, and Fang Chi looked over, immediately smiling so hard his eyes disappeared.

“I feel pretty good!” Fang Chi shouted before even running up to him. “Not bad!”

“Really?” Sun Wenqu smiled. “Checked the answers?”

“Nope, once the exam’s over I don’t bother with it.” Fang Chi chuckled. “Anyway I feel pretty good. We wrote something similar to that essay before. I just modified it and forced it in.”

“That works.” Sun Wenqu flicked his face. “Go eat something?”

“Wait,” Fang Chi said while pulling his phone out of his backpack. “I…”

“Is that classmate of yours coming along?” Sun Wenqu asked.

“I don’t know, I’ll ask him.” Fang Chi dialed the number with his head lowered. “Where are you? Huh? Your mom… really? She came together?”

After saying a few words Fang Chi hung up. He looked relaxed and glanced toward the exam gate.

“His parents came to pick him up. Guess they still felt sorry for their son.”

Xiao Yiming’s parents had indeed come to pick him up. The small knot Fang Chi had been carrying in his heart loosened a little, and he suddenly felt his breathing become much smoother.

At noon he wanted meat, so Sun Wenqu took him to eat steak. It was pretty good.

The hotel Ma Liang booked wasn’t too far from the exam hall, about ten minutes by car. And it turned out to be quite a high-end suite.

“Uncle Liangzi is being way too extravagant,” Fang Chi looked around inside and out. “Such a nice room just for two naps. What a waste.”

“You think too much.” Sun Wenqu laughed. “It’s not like you’re paying.”

“I’m afraid I won’t be able to fall asleep.” Fang Chi scratched his head.

“Try sleeping for a bit.” Sun Wenqu turned on the air conditioner and sat at the table in the living room. “You sleep. I’ll stay here.”

“Working?” Fang Chi asked.

“Mm. We talked about it a bit this morning, some parts need changing.” Sun Wenqu looked at the time. “I’ll wake you when it’s time. Sleep without worry.”

Sun Wenqu had brought a folder full of papers with drawings on them, like the ones Fang Chi had seen during the New Year. They were all numbered by date, and some had notes written beside them.

Fang Chi stood behind him watching.

Now that the weather was hot, Sun Wenqu was wearing a white T-shirt and black athletic pants. He looked casual and relaxed, very comfortable to look at, looking at him even made the heat feel less noticeable.

Of course, it might also be because the room had air conditioning…

Fang Chi went into the bathroom to take a shower. Actually he wasn’t that hot, the exam hall had air conditioning, and the restaurant had air conditioning too. He just felt that with such an expensive room, not taking a shower and peeing a bit would be a waste.

When he came out after showering, he was a little surprised to see Sun Wenqu lying on the table.

“You…” Fang Chi walked over to take a look. He had intended to push him, but stopped. Sun Wenqu seemed to have fallen asleep. After hesitating, he whispered, “Go sleep on the bed?”

“Sleep your own,” Sun Wenqu opened one eye. “I’m not sleeping.”

“Then what are you doing?” Fang Chi was stunned.

“Thinking up ideas.” Sun Wenqu closed his eyes again. “Hurry up and go rest. You still have an exam this afternoon.”

“Oh.” Fang Chi responded and went into the inner room.

The bed was quite comfortable. He fell asleep not long after lying down.

In the afternoon Sun Wenqu woke him a little early and then sent him to the exam hall.

After the fierce battle of the morning, Fang Chi’s nervousness had disappeared. During the two hours that afternoon he was extremely focused, scribbling calculations on the desk, filling the scratch paper. After finishing the paper there was still time left, so he quickly checked it twice back and forth.

When he walked out of the exam hall, he inexplicably felt his steps were light.

Sun Wenqu stood under a tree by the sidewalk, sucking on a popsicle. As soon as he saw him come out, he handed one over. “Quick, eat it. Just bought it.”

“I feel like I’m having some kind of illusion,” Fang Chi said while tearing open the popsicle wrapper. “Like I’m going to get the top score in the whole exam.”

“Having such lofty ideals is good.” Sun Wenqu nodded.

“Can’t you cooperate a little?” Fang Chi laughed. “Encourage me.”

Sun Wenqu raised the popsicle in his hand and waved it. “Oppa you’re so amazing, you will definitely be the top scorer, fighting fighting!”

“Hey!” Fang Chi quickly looked around and lowered his head as he walked forward.

Although getting the top score was a lofty ideal, this year’s college entrance exam probably wouldn’t achieve it, and nobody planned to take several more exams in the future to realize it. Fang Chi’s state this time really was quite good.

During the two days of exams, aside from being nervous on the first morning and almost crushing Sun Wenqu’s hand, he relaxed afterward. After the science exam his mouth was already grinning wide. When the final English exam finished, he walked out feeling like there were springs under his feet. If there hadn’t been so many people around holding him back, he might have shot straight into the sky.

“Liberated!” Fang Chi leaned back in the car seat and shouted loudly. “Liberated!”

“Still need to go back to school?” Sun Wenqu asked with a smile.

“No need. Only go back after the scores come out. There’ll be things like farewell dinners.” Fang Chi turned his head to look at him and laughed nonstop. “Why am I so happy? I can’t stop.”

“Some people are crying.” Sun Wenqu glanced out the car window. A girl was walking while crying, her parents following beside her comforting her. “You probably did well this time, that’s why you’re not crying.”

“Even if I did badly I wouldn’t cry.” Fang Chi clicked his tongue. “No one’s blaming me.”

Sun Wenqu smiled without speaking.

Fang Chi thought about it and clicked his tongue twice again. “This isn’t an illusion, right? If it really is an illusion, I probably won’t cry, just faint straight away.”

“It won’t be,” Sun Wenqu patted his shoulder. “Those questions you sent me before to show off, since you could solve those, this isn’t an illusion.”

“Not comforting me?” Fang Chi looked at him.

“No.” Sun Wenqu answered very firmly, then added, “You should trust a top student.”

“Mm!” Fang Chi slapped his thigh.

Originally Ma Liang wanted to treat Fang Chi to a meal to celebrate, but Fang Chi insisted nonstop that he wanted to go home, to the countryside to see his grandparents.

Sun Wenqu had no choice but to go back with him to pack up, take Chief Huang, eat a bowl of ramen downstairs, then drive straight back.

“If you’re tired, I can drive,” Fang Chi said. “I’m super excited right now. I could speed all the way until dawn without dozing.”

“I slept pretty well yesterday. It’s fine.” Sun Wenqu glanced at him. “Relax a bit. Take a nap.”

“No need! I’m excited.” Fang Chi leaned back in the seat looking out the window. His voice lowered as he quietly said, “Thanks to… you. If you hadn’t said those things to me and helped me review, I definitely wouldn’t be this happy today.”

When Fang Chi said this, he kept looking outside and never glanced at Sun Wenqu. Sun Wenqu smiled a little, he was probably embarrassed.

“Grandma said I’ve gotten thinner. How about you make some late-night snacks these days, consider it kneeling to thank me.” Sun Wenqu turned on the music. He hadn’t changed these songs; they were all gentle tunes.

“Okay, you can order, but the only things I can make are chocolate and sesame soup. I can’t do anything else.” Fang Chi said.

“That’s enough.” Sun Wenqu said.

The road back to Fang Chi’s grandparents’ house was fairly easy to drive. One section had even been repaired after the New Year, so the drive felt quite smooth.

They had only driven about one-third of the way when Fang Chi, who had been watching the scenery from the passenger seat and humming occasionally, fell silent.

Sun Wenqu glanced at him.

He had fallen asleep.

Frowning slightly, but sleeping quite deeply. When the car passed over a pothole that Sun Wenqu failed to avoid, the car jolted, yet he didn’t move at all.

Sun Wenqu lowered the air conditioning in the car a bit.

He was probably truly tired. Fang Chi had never exactly been the type to study diligently every day. Judging from his previous state, he had just been half playing and half studying to maintain a middling score.

Grinding his teeth and pushing through these past six months hadn’t been easy. When Sun Wenqu first helped him review, he honestly hadn’t expected Fang Chi to stick with it to the end.

Turns out he had quite a bit of determination.

Fang Chi’s phone rang, from his backpack on the back seat.

But Fang Chi was sleeping deeply and didn’t hear it at all. Sun Wenqu hesitated about whether to wake him, then thought it might be Fang Chi’s parents calling to ask about the situation, so he pushed him.

“Hey.”

Fang Chi didn’t move. Sun Wenqu eased off the accelerator, pulled the car to the roadside, grabbed his backpack and dropped it onto him.

“Son! Phone!”

“Hm?” Fang Chi rubbed his eyes and responded.

“Your phone’s ringing,” Sun Wenqu said. “Is it your parents?”

“Oh, probably not.” Fang Chi drowsily pulled out his phone and glanced at it. “It’s Xiao Yiming.”

Sun Wenqu continued driving forward, and Fang Chi picked up the call.

“Hello?”

“Is the key to your place still on the doorframe?” Xiao Yiming’s voice came through.

“It is,” Fang Chi sat up straight. “What’s wrong?”

“Can I stay over at your place for a night?” Xiao Yiming’s voice wasn’t loud. “I… can’t stay at my aunt’s place anymore.”

“No, wait,” Fang Chi was stunned. “Didn’t your parents go pick you up and drop you off for the exams? Didn’t things ease up? Why is it still like this?”

“They didn’t come pick me up,” Xiao Yiming said in a low voice. “I lied to you. I was afraid it would affect your mood.”

After Fang Chi hung up the phone, he didn’t speak for quite a long time.

Sun Wenqu didn’t know what Xiao Yiming had talked about with him. It probably wasn’t anything pleasant, and he didn’t ask much either. He just turned the music up a little.

The car turned onto the small road. When there were about thirty minutes left before reaching the village, Fang Chi turned his head and looked at him.

“Tonight… can we talk?”