A Dog Out of Nowhere Chapter 78

Fang Chi hadn’t asked Sun Wenqu where the exhibition was being held. He was afraid Sun Wenqu would guess he was coming back, that would ruin the surprise.

Anyway, it was a large exhibition. A quick search showed it was at the convention center. Fang Chi read the introduction, mostly modern and innovative works, with all kinds of high-end descriptions that somehow felt overly pretentious.

After getting off at the train station, Fang Chi took a taxi straight there. Passing the convention center would also go by his school, after everything, he could swing by to buy the roasted chestnuts that would determine Cheng Mo’s future.

There were quite a lot of people at the convention center. The exhibition occupied several halls, with a very modern setup. Just glancing inside from outside, you could already see several very cool booths, completely different from the traditional pottery one might imagine.

Fang Chi didn’t go in. There were security checks at the entrance, if they scanned him and found he was carrying a potted plant, it’d be a bit embarrassing. Probably no one else came to an exhibition carrying a flower, and his was even in a glass bottle.

He took out his phone and called Ma Liang, but Hu Yuanyuan picked up.

“Big nephew,” her voice came through as soon as the call connected.

“…Auntie,” Fang Chi greeted. “Uh, are you guys at the convention center?”

“Yeah, we’ve been here for two hours. Your Uncle Liangzi walked off without his phone,” Hu Yuanyuan said. “What’s up?”

“Then… is Sun Wenqu there?” Fang Chi asked.

“That guy who can’t wake up whenever there’s something going on is still on the way,” she said, then paused. “Wait, you didn’t come back, did you?”

“Mm, I’m right outside the exhibition hall,” Fang Chi scratched his head, a bit embarrassed.

“Oh d*mn, you’re impressive,” she laughed, then quickly instructed him, “Listen, if your Uncle Liangzi comes out of the hall, check Hall One. He probably went out from there. Go find him first, got it?”

“Okay.” Fang Chi turned toward the entrance of Hall One and immediately spotted Ma Liang striding out.

“Ma Liang!” Fang Chi called. It felt awkward to openly call a man in his thirties “uncle” here.

Ma Liang turned and saw him, his eyes widening as much as possible. “Why are you here?”

“Am I causing trouble?” Fang Chi scratched his head. People were moving around constantly, staff, exhibitors, visitors, and Ma Liang looked very busy too.

“No,” Ma Liang glanced toward the main entrance. “Your dad… will be here soon. But your dad’s dad… is already here.”

“What?” Fang Chi froze.

“I came out to p–pick him up,” Ma Liang said.

“Then I should avoid him. If he sees me, he’ll probably be unhappy,” Fang Chi hurriedly lifted the box, about to leave.

“Too late,” Ma Liang looked past him and smiled warmly. “Ma–master!”

Fang Chi hesitated, then turned with Ma Liang’s gaze, and saw Sun Wenqu’s father.

Honestly, his first instinct was to run. Sun Wenqu wasn’t here, and his father had an even stronger aura than Sun Wenqu when working, something that constantly spread around, leaving nowhere to hide.

On top of that, there had been their previous clash, and the unspoken understanding about Li Bowen falling into the pit… Fang Chi really didn’t want to face this refined yet formidable tall, thin old man again.

But running away in front of him would be too embarrassing. Fang Chi forced himself to turn back, met his sharp gaze, smiled, and greeted, “Hello, Uncle Sun.”

“So you really are here.” Sun Wenqu’s father glanced at him, expressionless.

“I just came back this morning,” Fang Chi said.

“Is that so,” Sun Wenqu’s father didn’t look at him again and walked toward Hall One. “Then was it just a hallucination when someone saw you at a gay bar?”

The moment the words “gay bar” came out, Fang Chi froze completely.

What the h*ll?

He had never even been to a gay bar. Ever since he realized his orientation, he had never even thought about it. Hearing it come out of Sun Wenqu’s father’s mouth, it took him several seconds to process.

And at the same time he realized, someone had said something. And without even thinking, he knew it had to be Li Bowen.

The rage that flared up from the soles of his feet nearly twisted his neck as he turned to look for Li Bowen.

Li Bowen wasn’t there. Only a man in his forties stood beside Sun Wenqu’s father.

Fang Chi frowned, staring at the older man’s back. “Not a hallucination, someone’s heart is rotten.”

Sun Wenqu’s father had already walked several steps but stopped and turned to look at him.

“Some people really do see things wrong,” Fang Chi glared at him. “No, some are just blind.”

“What did you say?” the man beside him frowned.

Ma Liang gave Fang Chi a look and smiled at Sun Wenqu’s father. “Ma—master, let’s go in.”

Sun Wenqu’s father gestured to Ma Liang, then walked back toward Fang Chi. “Go on.”

“Huh?” Fang Chi froze, he hadn’t expected him to come face-to-face, and suddenly forgot what he’d been saying. “Say… what?”

“That I’m blind.” Sun Wenqu’s father curved his lips slightly.

The expression was clearly Sun Wenqu’s father’s, but Fang Chi felt no warmth from it at all. In his nervousness, he noticed Ma Liang’s helpless “you’re done for” look.

They stared at each other for a few seconds. Then, with a sort of reckless resolve, no, a resolve to marry Wenqu, Fang Chi said, “I don’t know if you’re really blind or pretending… but knowing the truth and still shutting your eyes and pretending not to see is worse.”

Fang Chi didn’t think he was truly blind. With this old man’s level, there was no way he couldn’t see through someone like Li Bowen.

To Fang Chi, this was just a never-ending struggle between father and son, the old man used to control and save face, while Sun Wenqu simply refused to give in.

Sun Wenqu’s father didn’t speak, raising his brows slightly in what seemed like surprise.

Only now did Fang Chi realize that Sun Wenqu’s habitual gestures were exactly the same as his father’s.

He had half expected the confrontation to escalate, maybe even get beaten by the man beside him, but Sun Wenqu’s father said nothing more. After giving him a long look up and down, he turned and walked away.

“Stay… here,” Ma Liang patted his shoulder. “Your dad will be h–here soon.”

“Mm,” Fang Chi sighed. “Were you just winking at me?”

“My whole face wanted to wink,” Ma Liang pointed at him. “You’re awesome… more awesome than your dad.”

“I’m screwed, right?” Fang Chi asked.

“Hard to say,” Ma Liang glanced at Sun Wenqu’s father’s back. “Except for Wen…Wen… no one’s talked to him like that before.”

Ma Liang hurried into Hall One. Fang Chi stood at the entrance for a moment, then walked outside and sat on the steps, placing the box with the flower at his feet.

Too young. Still can’t hold it in.

Usually he couldn’t say much to people he wasn’t familiar with, so how did he become so talkative in front of Sun Wenqu’s father, and every word headed straight toward getting himself into trouble?

Anyone who didn’t know better would think he and Li Bowen were on the same side.

Fang Chi sat there gloomily, watching people come and go. There were many visitors, and with pottery for sale inside, besides merchants, there were also many young people who simply loved ceramics.

Fang Chi really wanted to go in and see the ceramics set Sun Wenqu had spent nearly a year making, but the moment he thought about Grandpa Sun, whom he’d just had a verbal clash with, also being inside, he lost the desire to move.

He sat on the steps for nearly twenty minutes before he saw Sun Wenqu walking over with the studio’s technical supervisor.

Sun Wenqu only noticed him after stepping onto the stairs. After climbing one step, he froze.

Fang Chi stayed seated, only raising a hand to rub his nose, feeling both excited and a little embarrassed.

“You go in first,” Sun Wenqu patted the supervisor’s shoulder, then walked over. He stood in front of Fang Chi, and only after the supervisor had gone inside did he crouch down and curl his lips into a smile. “Fang Little Chi, not bad.”

Fang Chi chuckled twice. “Surprised?”

“Very,” Sun Wenqu smiled at him for a long while before speaking again. “I’m so happy. You really didn’t let even the slightest hint slip. When did you get here?”

Only at this moment did Fang Chi’s mood suddenly clear into brilliant sunshine. He didn’t even have time to hold back his grin. “Just got here. Took the bus back this morning.”

“Weren’t you supposed to go to the club today?” Sun Wenqu sat beside him and turned to look at him.

“I took the day off,” Fang Chi smiled. “I was afraid you wouldn’t have time to come see me, so I came myself.”

“Really want to kiss you right now.” Sun Wenqu narrowed his eyes slightly.

Fang Chi instinctively glanced toward the exhibition hall. “Did you know your dad came?”

Sun Wenqu nodded. “You ran into him?”

“Yeah, and I…” Fang Chi lowered his head. “Argued with him again. Feels like I’m doomed.”

“It’s fine,” Sun Wenqu laughed. “Why were you arguing?”

“I only got back this morning, and he said someone saw me at a gay bar. F*ck,” Fang Chi frowned. “It had to be that idiot Li Bowen, the dumb*ss who wraps his dick around his brain.”

Sun Wenqu stared at him without speaking. Nearly a full minute passed before he suddenly burst out laughing, laughing so hard he couldn’t stop for ages.

“What are you laughing at?” Fang Chi frowned. “Stop laughing already, you’re gonna choke.”

“Man,” Sun Wenqu reached out and touched his face, “Fang Little Chi, you and Uncle Liangzi should form a duo and go perform somewhere.”

“I’m serious. I was so pissed off I choked your dad with my words again. I told him he was blind,” Fang Chi said.

“He’s not blind,” Sun Wenqu laughed and clicked his tongue. “He just waved a big flag and pointed me toward a path, then stood there glaring at me waiting for me to walk down it. If I don’t, he loses face.”

“Tell me,” Fang Chi said gloomily, “after I pulled this stunt, he probably hates me even more now, right?”

“Who cares,” Sun Wenqu draped an arm over his shoulder. “As long as I like you. I like you so d*mn much… what’s in this box? Cake?”

“No,” Fang Chi suddenly remembered his gift. He reached out to open it, then stopped and turned to grin at Sun Wenqu. “Guess what it is.”

Sun Wenqu flicked the box with a finger, then lifted it and weighed it in his hand a few times. “Tea eggs.”

“…Can you think like a normal person for once?” Fang Chi said.

“Hot chocolate,” Sun Wenqu guessed.

“…Are you hungry or something?” Fang Chi stared at him.

“No clue,” Sun Wenqu laughed. “You’re the type who can give someone a bone as a gift. How am I supposed to guess?”

Fang Chi glanced at the little bone hanging around his neck and smiled. “Then open it. Be careful.”

Sun Wenqu pulled the box in front of himself and lifted the lid. After one glance inside, he froze. “Hyacinths?”

“Mm.” Fang Chi scratched his head. “I wanted to buy lily of the valley, but they’re not blooming this season… do you like this?”

“I do,” Sun Wenqu took out the pot and held it in his hands, looking it over. “And it’s pink too?”

“That was the only color left,” Fang Chi said. “I thought it looked pretty nice.”

“Mm, I’ll put it on the windowsill when I take it back,” Sun Wenqu rotated the pot. “Chief Huang probably doesn’t eat flowers, right?”

“…No,” Fang Chi said. “Maybe you should buy it some cat grass.”

“No need. It doesn’t even stay in my room anymore,” Sun Wenqu stood up holding the pot. “That spineless eunuch has already thrown itself into Hu Yuanyuan’s embrace.”

“Put it back first.” Seeing him turn toward the exhibition hall, Fang Chi quickly picked up the box and handed it over.

“What for?” Sun Wenqu said. “Just throw the box away.”

“You’re seriously carrying a flowerpot in there?” Fang Chi stared.

“We’re carrying a flowerpot in there,” Sun Wenqu corrected him. “Come on. I’ll show you the set I made.”

“But your dad’s… still inside.” Fang Chi hesitated.

“Scared?” Sun Wenqu turned back to look at him.

“Not scared,” Fang Chi flattened the box and tossed it into the nearby trash bin. “I’m just afraid there’ll be another conflict later. You and Uncle Liangzi are here for the exhibition after all.”

“It’s fine, don’t worry,” Sun Wenqu said. “My dad won’t stay long. The organizers probably had to beg him to come. There’s probably nothing in these exhibition halls that catches his eye. Since he came as a private visitor, he’ll just take a look around and leave.”

Fang Chi didn’t understand this industry at all, but after entering the exhibition hall and seeing Ma Liang Studio’s booth, he realized the studio was probably pretty famous. Their booth’s size and location were the best there.

Following behind Sun Wenqu the whole way, Fang Chi saw many eye-catching works. Lots of people were snapping photos with long cameras and lenses. Ma Liang Studio’s section was busy too, Hu Yuanyuan was sitting in the inner reception area talking with several people, while many others were gathered around the display platform.

Sun Wenqu’s father indeed wasn’t at the booth, and neither was Ma Liang. They were probably wandering around somewhere.

“That set,” Fang Chi leaned toward Sun Wenqu’s ear and pointed at the groups of vases placed in the center of the display, “those are yours.”

“You can tell?” Sun Wenqu smiled.

“Of course. I spent the whole summer with you, after all,” Fang Chi said.

With Sun Wenqu’s father absent, Fang Chi relaxed a lot. He walked over and stood before the display, looking at Sun Wenqu’s vases.

In front of them was a small artistic sign with the title written in both Chinese and English: “Growth.”

Fang Chi glanced at the nearby exhibits. They all had artists’ names attached, but Sun Wenqu’s set didn’t include his name.

Fang Chi understood absolutely nothing about this stuff. He couldn’t tell why these three groups of differently sized white vases, with no color besides white, were called Growth, nor what they were meant to express.

He only thought they looked beautiful, full of a modern feeling, yet also carrying a certain atmosphere, the same feeling Sun Wenqu had while making pottery. He didn’t know what allowed that aura to appear in a pile of somewhat strange-looking but not unpleasant vases. It just felt unexpectedly fitting.

Art really wanted nothing to do with him. Even after staring for several minutes, he still couldn’t make heads or tails of it.

Hu Yuanyuan spotted the two of them and waved. Sun Wenqu nodded and quietly said to Fang Chi, “Look around yourself for a bit. I need to go chat with them, that’s a major client.”

“Okay.” Fang Chi nodded.

Sun Wenqu glanced at the display platform and placed the hyacinths beside the set of vases before walking over and sitting down.

Fang Chi stared at the hyacinths in surprise. He didn’t know whether Sun Wenqu had done it intentionally or not, but once the flowers were placed there, the cluster of white vases instantly became even more striking.

Fang Chi knew several of the studio staff arranging the exhibition, so after watching for a while, he wandered over and sat with them.

The people Hu Yuanyuan had been talking to seemed very interested in Sun Wenqu’s vases. They kept moving between the display and the reception area, taking another look and then going back to talk some more.

Fang Chi’s eyes never left Sun Wenqu.

Sun Wenqu was dressed more formally than usual today. The gray casual trousers made his legs look especially long. The bracelet on his wrist looked like it was made of ceramic, setting off his hands beautifully… though Sun Wenqu’s hands didn’t need anything to make them look beautiful.

Fang Chi really liked watching Sun Wenqu discuss serious business. It was rare, but whether he was talking with Ma Liang or with these people now, he looked focused and composed, giving off a comfortable feeling.

Fang Chi watched so intently that he was probably the only person at the exhibition staring at someone with such fascination. He didn’t even notice when Ma Liang came to stand in front of him. It wasn’t until Ma Liang shoved a drink right up against his nose that he jumped and looked up.

“Need to tie a leash on you later,” Ma Liang said with a look of disgust. “At this rate your eyes are practically about to go over there and lick him.”

“Did his dad leave?” Fang Chi took the drink and looked behind Ma Liang, not seeing Sun Wenqu’s father.

“No,” Ma Liang stared at him for a moment. “He’s in the parking lot… waiting for you.”

“What?” Fang Chi had just tilted his head back to drink. Ma Liang’s words startled him so much he nearly sent the drink up his nose. “Waiting for me? Why’s he waiting for me?”

“Don’t know.” Ma Liang gestured toward Sun Wenqu.

Sun Wenqu said something to the others with a smile, then stood and walked over. “What’s wrong?”

“They said your dad’s waiting for me in the parking lot,” Fang Chi lowered his voice anxiously. “What’s going on? Is this a fight invitation?”

Even the usually calm Sun Wenqu looked surprised, raising his brows slightly. After a moment he smiled. “Would you actually be scared of a fight invitation?”

“Of course I would!” Fang Chi frowned. “It’s not like I can beat up your dad!”

Ma Liang burst out laughing beside them.

“It’s fine,” Sun Wenqu said. “My dad’s just a little old pottery man. What could he possibly do to you? If he wants you to go, then go. At worst he’ll just insult you because he’s upset and wants to get even. Just keep your mouth shut and let him talk.”

“…Okay.” Fang Chi responded.

“Don’t be nervous,” Sun Wenqu said. Then he glanced at Ma Liang. “Don’t look.”

Ma Liang froze for a moment, then turned and walked away.

Sun Wenqu licked his fingertip and pressed it lightly against Fang Chi’s lips. “Go, Pikachu.”