A Dog Out of Nowhere Chapter 85

Sun Wenqu didn’t sleep well all night.

Usually he had quite a lot on his mind; lying in bed, he’d mull things over for a while before getting sleepy. But as long as he wasn’t disturbed, sleeping through to morning wasn’t a problem.

Tonight, though, he was half-asleep the entire time, never fully at rest, waking up who knows how many times.

In the morning, looking in the mirror, he felt his face looked a bit pale. He clicked his tongue, dark circles were even visible.

After washing up, he leaned by the window shaving, watching the early risers coming and going downstairs.

“Boss Sun!” Hu Yuanyuan stuck her head out of the second-floor window of the studio across from him and called, “Come over and have noodles with gravy!”

“Okay.” Sun Wenqu nodded in response.

After getting dressed and picking up his phone to head out, Sun Wenqu looked at it again. Even though the notification light wasn’t blinking, he still unlocked it and checked once more, there really were no messages at all.

The phone was quiet. After Fang Chi hung up last night, there had been no messages or calls. Although Fang Chi had said he had a fever, was sick, had taken medicine and needed to sleep, and his voice had indeed sounded like he was ill… Sun Wenqu could still sense that something had happened.

Others might not know how good Fang Chi’s health was, but he… knew it very clearly. This kid didn’t even catch a cold once a year, yet he goes home and suddenly burns up with a fever overnight?

And with his understanding of Fang Chi, even if he took sleeping pills, he’d still wake up on time. There was no way he’d skip both a morning and evening call.

Trying to fool an idiot.

And that sentence, “I love you.”

At the moment he heard it, Sun Wenqu’s heart had melted into something soft and fluffy, warm and at ease. But it was precisely that “I love you” that had exposed Fang Chi.

This kid, although the moment he saw him he’d practically want to strip his pants off in the street, just short of writing “I want to f*ck you” across his forehead, unless something special was going on, he wouldn’t say those three words.

He’d be embarrassed.

For someone who would even laugh foolishly after saying “I miss you,” to suddenly say “I love you” like that, something must have happened.

But if something had happened…

What could it be?

Only after stepping outside did Sun Wenqu realize he hadn’t worn a scarf. The north wind swept in, and he felt like even below was about to freeze stiff. He had no choice but to make a firm decision to turn back upstairs to get his scarf.

The scarf was still the one Fang Chi had given him back then. The style was plain, but it was quite warm.

He wrapped it around his neck and walked toward the studio entrance.

Fang Chi’s voice had been that hoarse, it couldn’t have been fake. He didn’t have that kind of acting skill. Yesterday’s performance was already peak level for him.

What kind of thing could make his voice that hoarse in just one day?

Beat up Li Bowen again?

And then Li Bowen fought back?

And then it escalated into a brawl between villagers and investors?

That still wouldn’t make his voice hoarse.

Usually that kind of thing comes from stress.

Sun Wenqu stopped, closed his eyes, and let out a soft sigh.

Fang Chi came out.

“You’re… sure?” Ma Liang took a bite of noodles, a bit shocked.

“He really never told you anything?” Sun Wenqu picked out the shredded cucumber from his noodles and tossed it into Ma Liang’s bowl.

“Really didn’t. He just said he couldn’t tell me, because if I knew, I’d definitely tell you,” Ma Liang thought for a moment. “Why would he do that?”

“To get ahead of Li Bowen running his mouth to his grandparents,” Sun Wenqu had no appetite. Hu Yuanyuan’s noodles were well made, but he tasted nothing.

“L-Li Bowen might not even say anything…” Ma Liang frowned.

“But what if he does,” Sun Wenqu put down his bowl. “He cares so much about the old couple. If Li Bowen went to his parents, he probably wouldn’t be this worried, but those two elders, he can’t bear it.”

“Th-then what do we do?” Ma Liang asked.

Sun Wenqu didn’t speak.

When Fang Chi woke up in the morning, he sat on the bed in a daze for a long time.

He hadn’t expected that he would actually fall asleep, and sleep quite deeply. The sense of guilt left him sitting there, unmoving, for a long while.

Xiaozi was on the rooftop, lying by the window watching him, its paws tapping against the glass with light clinking sounds.

Fang Chi got out of bed, shuffled over in his slippers, and opened the door to let Xiaozi in.

After closing the door, he didn’t move, just stood there leaning against the wall for quite some time.

It was only four or five steps from the bed to the door, yet he had nearly cried out from the pain all over his body.

His head hurt, his eye sockets hurt, his shoulders hurt, his waist hurt, his thighs, calves, and heels all hurt.

Sore, swollen, numb, aching.

He slowly moved back to the bed and sat down, stroking Xiaozi’s head.

He sighed softly, propped his legs up on a nearby stool, and stared out the window in a daze.

Normally, after getting up, he would run downstairs, washing up while watching his grandma busy in the kitchen, and casually act spoiled to pick what he wanted for breakfast.

But now, he didn’t even have the courage to open the door and walk into the hallway.

He didn’t know how his grandparents had spent the night, whether they had slept, whether they had cried, whether they had sighed… he really wanted to know. But he didn’t dare step out of this door. He didn’t dare face their expressions.

Xiaozi’s forehead was warm. He pressed his palm against it and rubbed its head.

Even if he didn’t dare, he still had to go out.

Out the door, downstairs, find his grandpa.

Whether his grandpa scolded him or hit him, he had to talk to him again.

If he just stayed frozen here, then what he started yesterday would be meaningless.

He picked up his phone and, out of habit, tapped on Sun Wenqu’s number, staring at it for a long time.

After hanging up last night, he had felt his nose sting. If he hadn’t thought he absolutely couldn’t cry at that moment, he probably would’ve cried his eyes swollen.

I love you.

He didn’t know why he had suddenly said those words.

It was like giving himself courage, and also hoping to find support in Sun Wenqu’s response.

Sun Wenqu’s immediate “I love you too” steadied him a lot.

He stood up, changed clothes, gritted his teeth and stretched his arms and legs a bit, took a deep breath, then even hopped twice in the room.

Just as he was about to open the door and go out, the phone he had tossed on the bed rang.

That familiar ringtone, just hearing the first note would make his heart stir with excitement, Sun Wenqu’s exclusive ringtone.

He picked up the phone, but hesitated about whether to answer.

Except for the first time they met, when he had helplessly teamed up with Fang Ying to trick Sun Wenqu, he had never lied to him again, until last night.

His ability only lasted those few minutes; if it went on, he’d definitely slip up.

Now, with this call from Sun Wenqu, he was a little afraid to answer.

He was afraid that if he said too much, Sun Wenqu would notice something off. That man was an old fox, his little tricks were useless in front of him.

But he still had to answer. If he didn’t, Sun Wenqu would become even more suspicious.

“Hello?” Fang Chi answered. As soon as he spoke, he realized his voice was still hoarse, hoarser than yesterday, sounding like it had been scraped by sandpaper.

“Feeling better?” On the other end, Sun Wenqu clicked his tongue as soon as he heard his voice. “That smoker’s voice.”

“No more fever,” Fang Chi answered carefully. “Much better, just my throat’s still hoarse.”

“What medicine are you taking? Is it the wrong one?” Sun Wenqu asked.

“Just… those meds,” Fang Chi said. “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine after sleeping a couple of days.”

“Tell me what the hospital prescribed. I really don’t trust your town or county hospitals,” Sun Wenqu said.

Fang Chi pinched himself, realizing he hadn’t been thorough. If he was going to pretend to have a fever, he should’ve at least checked what medicine people usually take.

But who would’ve thought Sun Wenqu would suddenly fixate on the medicine!

Or… Fang Chi’s heart jolted, had Sun Wenqu already sensed something?

“I’m lying in bed,” Fang Chi quickly lay back down and pulled the blanket over himself. “The medicine’s all downstairs. I don’t want to move…”

“I’ll come take a look at you,” Sun Wenqu said. “I’ve known you this long and you’ve never been sick. Let me see if the chive spirit is still a chive when he’s sick.”

“Don’t!” Fang Chi was startled. “No need, you don’t have to come. I’m really fine. Nothing serious today, just my throat’s a bit hoarse.”

In his panic, his voice went off-key and cracked so much that even he thought he sounded seriously ill.

“Really?” Sun Wenqu laughed. “You actually don’t want me to come see you, what a surprise.”

“Let it be a surprise for once,” Fang Chi lowered his voice. “I’m really fine. Relatives are coming over these days too, it’s all messy.”

“Alright then, I won’t come,” Sun Wenqu said. “Take your medicine on time, sleep more, and talk less.”

“Mm.” Fang Chi responded, letting out a breath of relief.

“I’ll go home for New Year,” Sun Wenqu’s voice was gentle and soothing. “If you can come out, let me know. I’ll come pick you up.”

“…Okay,” Fang Chi answered. For some reason, his nose suddenly stung so much he could barely keep his eyes open, tears instantly filling them. He pressed at his eyes. “Then I’ll sleep a bit more.”

“Mm.” Sun Wenqu leaned close to the phone and kissed it.

Fang Chi also kissed the phone hard.

After hanging up, he turned over, hugged the blanket, and buried his face in it.

It wasn’t until nearly noon that Fang Chi finally steadied his emotions and walked out of the room, heading downstairs.

There was no one in the living room on the first floor. There were sounds coming from the kitchen, his grandma was probably busy.

He wanted to go take a look, but after two steps he stopped. After hesitating, he turned and walked toward the backyard.

Xiaozi following behind him barked lightly and ran ahead with quick steps. From that, he knew, his grandpa was in the backyard.

“Grandpa.” Fang Chi stood by the doorway, looking at his grandpa who was lighting the stove in the backyard.

Every time he saw his grandpa’s back, he felt at ease, that feeling of lying on his grandpa’s back as a child, swinging his legs while listening to him talk, was etched into his memory like homesickness.

Grandpa’s back is still straight now, but it’s clearly no longer as strong as it was in my memory.

Grandpa has gotten old.

Fang Chi often had this kind of feeling, but never had he felt it this deeply as he did now.

“You’re up.” Grandpa didn’t turn around.

“Mm, I’ve been up for a while, it’s just…” Fang Chi walked a couple of steps toward him, “I didn’t dare come down.”

“Does your head hurt?” Grandpa asked.

“No,” Fang Chi touched the back of his head, “nothing hurts anywhere.”

“Oh,” Grandpa turned to look at him, “then it seems I didn’t hit you hard enough.”

“Grandpa,” Fang Chi bit his lip, “I want to… talk to you. Let’s talk for a bit, and after we’re done, you can hit me again, okay?”

“What do you want to talk about?” Grandpa continued looking at the stove.

Fang Chi tugged at his collar, shuffled over and crouched beside him, then pushed a small stool behind Grandpa’s legs. “Grandpa, sit.”

“Go on.” Grandpa sighed and sat down.

“How is Grandma?” Fang Chi asked carefully.

“Not very well,” Grandpa glanced at him. “You know she’s always been waiting to see you find a good girl to marry, hold a grandson or granddaughter, and then she could close her eyes in peace. And now you suddenly say… say you like Sun Wenqu, how could she bear it?”

“Grandpa, I don’t want it to be like this either,” Fang Chi lowered his head, pulling Xiaozi over and pinching its ears. “I… really don’t want this, but this… I really have no way around it.”

“Can’t it be changed?” Grandpa asked. “I really can’t understand it. Can’t this be changed? Why do you have to like men?”

“If it were that easy to change, there wouldn’t be so many people like me,” Fang Chi frowned. “It’s too hard, Grandpa. You know I never try to make you angry. If I could change, I wouldn’t have come to this point.”

Grandpa fell silent, picked up a new pipe from the ground, lit it, and took two deep puffs.

Fang Chi stared blankly at the flickering flames in the stove.

“Then Sun Wenqu, does he also like men?” Grandpa asked. “Do you like him? Does he like you too?”

Fang Chi didn’t speak, just nodded.

Grandpa let out a heavy sigh.

“Is Grandma angry at him,” Fang Chi said softly, “this isn’t his fault. Even before I met him, I… I’ve always been like this. It just so happened I met him.”

“Grandma isn’t really angry at him either. When something like this happens,” Grandpa’s hand holding the pipe trembled slightly, “she needs someone to scold to vent. She can’t bear to blame her precious grandson, so she can only blame someone else.”

Fang Chi wiped his eyes.

The emotions he had barely calmed down surged up again.

“Seeing you like this,” Grandpa turned to look at him, “I’m afraid even if your grandma and I died right in front of you, you still wouldn’t change.”

“Grandpa,” Fang Chi saw the glimmer of tears in Grandpa’s eyes. He quickly lowered his head, reached out and grabbed Grandpa’s arm tightly, gripping hard, “don’t say that, don’t say that.”

“I really don’t understand what’s going on,” Grandpa took a puff of his pipe. “I truly don’t understand. So many people find a girl and live properly, why can’t my grandson? Grandpa really can’t figure it out in such a short time. Such a good child, how did it end up like this…”

Fang Chi didn’t know how to explain it to Grandpa. Even his dad and mom, and some of his classmates, might be the same, unable to understand, unable to make sense of it.

Let alone grandparents who had lived their whole lives in the countryside.

“Grandpa,” Fang Chi was silent for a long time before raising his head, “would you be willing to take a phone call? I know an aunt, she’s my classmate’s mom. This classmate of mine… is the same as me. Would you be willing to hear what his mom has to say?”

“Your classmate is also like you?” Grandpa was a bit surprised.

“Yes,” Fang Chi bit his lip, “and in his dorm, his roommates are too, two of them.”

“So many?” Grandpa asked.

“Mm,” Fang Chi nodded, “you can’t say it’s a lot, but there are quite a few. Grandpa, I’m not abnormal, and I didn’t go bad. I’m just…”

“Grandpa didn’t say you’re abnormal, didn’t say you went bad. It’s just that your grandma and I…” Grandpa paused and sighed. “Then I’ll listen to what this classmate’s mother has to say.”

Fang Chi nervously took out his phone, found Cheng Mo’s mom’s number, and lightly tapped dial.

The phone rang only twice before it was picked up. A very gentle woman’s voice came through: “Hello?”

“May I ask if you’re Cheng Mo’s mother?” Fang Chi asked.

“Yes. You’re Fang Chi, right?” Cheng Mo’s mom immediately asked back.

“Mm, hello Auntie, I’m Fang Chi,” Fang Chi said, a bit nervous. “It’s just…”

“I heard from Cheng Mo, you came out to your grandparents? He said it would be in a few days, didn’t expect it to be so soon,” her voice was soft. “Your grandparents must be very upset, right?”

“Yes,” Fang Chi glanced at Grandpa, “there are some things I don’t know how to explain to him…”

“It’s okay. Is Grandpa beside you?” she said. “Let me talk to him for a bit. Don’t worry, Auntie will be mindful.”

“Okay, thank you Auntie. I’ll pass the phone to my grandpa,” Fang Chi wanted to put it on speaker, but was worried Grandpa might feel uncomfortable, so he just turned the volume up to maximum and handed the phone over. “It’s my classmate Cheng Mo’s mom. Grandpa, talk to her.”

Grandpa took the phone. “Hello?”

Fang Chi pricked up his ears, trying to hear what Cheng Mo’s mom said, but he only vaguely caught the line “Hello Grandpa, I’m Little Chi’s classmate’s mother,” and couldn’t make out the rest.

Grandpa had never quite figured out how to use phones. Every time he answered a call, he would press the receiver tightly against his ear, afraid he wouldn’t hear the other person.

“I always feel like the two people are so far apart. If I don’t press it tight, I’m afraid I won’t hear,” Grandpa had once explained with a laugh.

“Then why don’t you just stuff the phone into your ear!” Grandma had immediately said.

Fang Chi could still remember how Grandpa and Grandma looked back then, he wanted to laugh, but also felt like crying.

Grandpa and Grandma like that were now, because of him, going through shock, confusion, disappointment, and worry they had never imagined…

***

“Should I bring… bring some gifts?” Ma Liang asked. “I’ve got a few bottles of good liquor.”

“What do you take me for, going to propose marriage?” Sun Wenqu said.

“Of course n-not,” Ma Liang clicked his tongue. “Pro-proposing should be my n-nephew coming. Back then I, I went to your sis—sister-in-law’s house to propose.”

“Let’s not bring up the past,” Hu Yuanyuan waved her hand from the side. “You know about it, right? You know how he proposed? I had already told my dad in advance this guy isn’t fluent with words. My dad said it’s fine. And then he shows up at my house with a writing board, writes the whole time! In the end my dad said, is this guy stuttering or mute? Almost didn’t let me marry him!”

“When he’s nervous, talking is slower than writing,” Sun Wenqu laughed. “Alright, I’m heading out. I’ll be back tonight.”

“Back tonight?” Hu Yuanyuan was stunned. “Will you make it in time?”

“If not, I’ll stay in town, or…” Sun Wenqu clicked his tongue, “go to Li Bowen’s farmhouse. He’ll definitely greet me with a big smile and serve good food and drinks.”

“That useless piece of trash will end up impotent sooner or later,” Hu Yuanyuan said with disdain at the mention of Li Bowen.

“Hey! Hey!” Ma Liang looked at her. “M-manners.”

“None. Where would we get manners? We just happen to run a pottery studio. Put us in a junkyard, we’d fit right in,” Hu Yuanyuan curled her lips.

“I w-want a divorce,” Ma Liang said with a straight face.

“Go ahead, the papers are in the drawer. Hurry up,” Hu Yuanyuan slapped him, then took out two boxes of American ginseng from the cabinet. “Wenqu, don’t take liquor, it really does look like a proposal. Take this instead. It’s New Year after all. Whether the elders accept it is one thing, but not bringing anything is another. You still need to observe etiquette.”

“Alright,” Sun Wenqu took them and patted Ma Liang’s shoulder. “See that? Manners.”

Ma Liang went out, came back with that Cayenne from somewhere, saying that driving at night in a small car wasn’t safe, a bigger car was steadier.

“Tell me honestly, did you secretly buy this car?” Sun Wenqu got in.

“N-no,” Ma Liang laughed. “From a boss in the industrial park ahead. We got familiar.”

“Alright, I’m off.” Sun Wenqu closed the door.

“Call me if anything h-happens,” Ma Liang patted the window.

Nothing major should happen.

Sun Wenqu knew how much the two elders doted on Fang Chi. That was also why Fang Chi chose to come out to them first, Grandma might react more intensely, but Grandpa would be calmer.

It was just that how sad they would be, Sun Wenqu didn’t dare think too deeply about it.

And how much Fang Chi would suffer… his voice turning that hoarse overnight already said everything.

This was the fastest Sun Wenqu had driven in years, overtaking almost the entire way. At this speed, he hadn’t driven like this in many years.

The older he got, the slower he usually drove.

But today, he really was anxious. Fang Chi could talk back smoothly when arguing with his dad, but facing his grandparents, what he might end up saying, Sun Wenqu really wasn’t sure.

Before long, he reached that intersection where Xiaozi usually squatted waiting for Fang Chi.

Sun Wenqu didn’t drive all the way to the village entrance. Instead, he stopped a good distance away.

After getting out, he didn’t head toward the village, but walked along the riverbank, stepping over frozen gravel with difficulty, circling toward the back of Fang Chi’s house.

Fang Chi didn’t want him to come. From the beginning, Fang Chi hadn’t wanted him to know, and even during the morning call, he hadn’t relented.

Since that was the case, Sun Wenqu also didn’t want Fang Chi to know he had come.

Up ahead was Fang Chi’s small vegetable garden. Sun Wenqu stopped, hunched his neck against the harsh north wind, standing by the river and staring over there.

He had on a hat, scarf, and even a mask, wearing his thickest down jacket, yet he could still feel the cold.

He stamped his feet in place, occasionally hopping a couple of times.

He wanted to wait here for Grandpa to come out.

But even when his gloved hands started to grow stiff from the cold, he still didn’t see anyone come out.

After standing for nearly half an hour, he finally saw Xiaozi running out from the backyard.

Xiaozi?

Xiaozi works too!

“Xiaozi!” he called out, not too loudly, he didn’t know where Fang Chi was right now.

Xiaozi kept its head down and didn’t look his way.

“Xiaozi! You deaf thing!” Sun Wenqu called again, lowering his voice.

Xiaozi finally raised its head and looked over, but didn’t come.

“Come here! Good Xiaozi! It’s your Grandpa Sun,” Sun Wenqu crouched down, pried a stone out of the ice crust, and knocked it against another stone on the ground. “Look, a rock! Your favorite! Come here!”

The sound of the stones finally got Xiaozi excited. It wagged its tail and trotted over. When it got closer, it recognized him, barked twice, and then dashed forward wildly.

“Hey! Don’t jump!” Sun Wenqu quickly tried to dodge, but Xiaozi had already leapt up, its paws aiming straight for his crotch. He hurriedly blocked it with the ginseng box in his hand. “You crazy thing!”

Xiaozi was very excited to see him, circling around him, nudging his hand with its nose again and again, and finally even biting his pant leg, trying to drag him toward Fang Chi’s house.

“Xiaozi, Xiaozi, listen, I can’t go over,” Sun Wenqu crouched down, scratching its head and neck. “I can’t let your brother know I came. He’ll lose face, and he’ll worry. Help me out.”

After Xiaozi got excited for a while, it gradually calmed down and looked at him.

“This,” Sun Wenqu thought for a moment, then took off the little bone Fang Chi had given him from around his neck, “take this to Grandpa, call Grandpa out. I don’t think he’d come outside in this weather. I’m freezing to death. Go help me call him out.”

Xiaozi looked at him without moving.

“Take this,” Sun Wenqu held the leather cord up to Xiaozi’s mouth. Xiaozi opened its mouth and bit onto it. “There, good boy. This isn’t for eating, take it to Grandpa, Grandpa.”

Xiaozi still just looked at him.

“Grandpa,” Sun Wenqu repeated, “Grandpa.”

Xiaozi tilted its head.

“I’m not calling you,” Sun Wenqu felt like he was going crazy. “Take it to Grandpa, got it? Give it to Grandpa, Grandpa, not your brother!”

After he kept repeating “Grandpa,” Xiaozi finally turned and ran back.

Sun Wenqu watched its small figure and pulled his hat down a little further.

He really hadn’t expected that one day he would go this far for a kid not even twenty yet.

Childish and ridiculous. Sun Wenqu, you’re practically about to ascend to immortality.