Chapter 42

Lin Ze: “How was the blind date?”

Zheng Jie: “Just so-so. What’s all this about?”

Zheng Jie curiously peeked at Lin Ze’s messages. Lin Ze quickly put them away, making Zheng Jie sulk. “You’ve got secrets now, huh? Hiding things from Laozi.”

This put Lin Ze in a tough spot. They had never kept secrets from each other before. Reluctantly, he handed over the iPad. “It’s not a secret. Go ahead and look if you want.”

As Zheng Jie read, he asked, “A’Ze, do you like him?”

Lin Ze: “I don’t know.”

Zheng Jie glanced up at him, and Lin Ze felt ridiculous. Like or dislike—why couldn’t he just answer clearly?

Lin Ze: “I’m planning to talk to him, at least get to know him.”

This wasn’t entirely true. Lin Ze didn’t have any special feelings for Hong, but he was determined to try dating someone—anyone—as long as it wasn’t Zheng Jie. That way, he wouldn’t dwell on Zheng Jie or hold him back.

He knew Zheng Jie would only say one word whenever Lin Ze mentioned his love life: “Oh.”

But this time, Lin Ze was wrong.

Zheng Jie: “No.”

Lin Ze: “…”

Zheng Jie: “How’s that gonna work? Is he in a wheelchair? That’s not gonna fly.”

Lin Ze: “You said it was fine when Xie Lei had AIDS. If I’m willing to accept someone, shouldn’t you be too?”

Zheng Jie: “Still no.”

Lin Ze: “Why?”

Zheng Jie looked up from the iPad, his expression complicated.

“No reason,” Zheng Jie said.

Lin Ze: “…”

After a pause, Lin Ze was about to speak again when Zheng Jie cut in, “Xie Lei messed you up bad. I can’t watch you go through that again. Absolutely not.”

Lin Ze smiled. “I’m not sad. Xie Lei taught me a lot. I’ve made peace with death. Think about it—years from now, when I’m dying, I won’t regret my life or fear death. Knowing Xie Lei is waiting for me on the other side, I’ll close my eyes happily, ready to see him again.”

Zheng Jie stubbornly repeated, “No.”

“I’m planning to start dating someone.”

“Go ahead.”

Lin Ze idly played with his phone, flipping it up and down. Zheng Jie kept reading the chat logs on the iPad, then suddenly looked up and stared at Lin Ze in silence.

Lin Ze raised an eyebrow questioningly.

Zheng Jie stared at him for a long time until the iPad screen went dark. Lin Ze asked, “What’s up?”

Zheng Jie shook his head and handed the iPad back. Lin Ze stretched, finished his coffee, and studied Zheng Jie, sensing something off about him today.

Zheng Jie reminded him, “We’re going out tomorrow and the day after. Don’t make plans for Sunday afternoon—we won’t be back till then.”

Lin Ze nodded. “I’ll go. What do I need to prepare?”

Zheng Jie: “Nothing. We’re going to Tongjing—bungee jumping and hot springs.”

Lin Ze’s mood instantly lifted. Hot springs! That sounded amazing. He was definitely going.

The boss wasn’t around, so there was no need to pretend. But everyone else was bringing their partners or wives. Would Zheng Jie bringing a guy seem weird? Lin Ze pondered this all evening. That night, a message popped up on his iPad.

Hong: [“Scram, yo.”]

Hong: [“Goodnight, A’Ze.”]

Just as Lin Ze was about to reply, he remembered something. He scrolled up through the chat history and realized why Zheng Jie had been acting strange—

—Yesterday’s conversation with Hong was still there. Zheng Jie had seen it.

Lin Ze: [“Is it ‘scram’ or ‘goodnight’? Not sleepy yet?”]

Hong: [“What’s up today? Feeling clingy? Big bro’s arms are open for you.”]

Lin Ze: [“My childhood friend saw what we talked about last night—my feelings for him. Things are getting complicated…”]

Hong: [“I promise I’m not laughing.”]

Lin Ze: [“You’re definitely laughing.”]

There was a long pause.

Hong: [“Why did he ask about me? Let me guess—you mentioned me to him, didn’t you?”]

Lin Ze: [“He’s my only family. He wants to know about my friends, just like I’d tell my parents if I met someone.”]

Hong: [“I’m honored you’d let him know about me.”]

Lin Ze: [“Anyway, that’s not the point. What do I do?! Tomorrow I’m going to his company’s outing—employee dinner and hot springs. I won’t be back till Sunday.”]

Hong: [“I’ll ask again: Do you love him?”]

Lin Ze: [“Probably not.”]

Hong: [“That’s not what you said yesterday, you fickle maiden.”]

Lin Ze laughed, rolling onto his side on the bed.

Lin Ze: [“Yesterday, you were the one who concluded I don’t love him! What’s your phone number? Let me prove I’m not a maiden.”]

Hong: [“You’ve got the delicate heart of a girl.”]

Lin Ze: [“I’m not a bottom.”]

Hong: [“I know. Your looks and personality match perfectly—exactly my type, inside and out.”]

A knock sounded at the door. Zheng Jie called from outside, “Not asleep yet? Hurry up, we’ve got an early start tomorrow.”

Lin Ze went to sleep. For some reason, he dreamed of Situ Ye in a wheelchair. He woke up the next morning to Zheng Jie shouting, “Get up, get up!” Still groggy, Lin Ze dragged himself to brush his teeth and wash his face.

Weekends were the best—except when you couldn’t sleep in. Zheng Jie was already fully prepped, wearing cargo shorts and a white T-shirt. Lin Ze dug out the half-length dress pants and short-sleeved shirt he’d bought earlier, styled his hair with gel, and slung a sports bag over his shoulder to go shopping.

Hong: [“Good morning, A’Ze. Have fun today.”]

Lin Ze replied to the text. They dropped their dog at a pet shop, then hit the supermarket for snacks and travel-sized toiletries. As Doraemon’s Nobita once said, the most exciting part of any trip is the shopping spree—and Lin Ze was no exception. Zheng Jie, who seemed to have slept poorly, trudged ahead drowsily while Lin Ze, full of energy, tossed a pack of pork jerky into the cart.

Zheng Jie: “Get this kind—it’s better.”

Lin Ze: “This one’s better.”

Zheng Jie: “This one!”

Lin Ze: “This is the kind we ate as kids.”

Zheng Jie: “We’re not kids anymore.”

They bickered over the pork jerky. Lin Ze had picked the kind they used to buy as children—five cents a pack, each containing a single square sheet the size of a palm. He’d loved it back then. Whenever Yang Yu returned from his grandma’s, Lin Ze would ask if his little brother had any money to spare. Yang Yu always had pocket money and would hand it over, letting Lin Ze buy the jerky to share with Zheng Jie, each taking half.

In the end, Lin Ze gave in and bought Zheng Jie’s pick.

Back in elementary school, during spring outings, kids would excitedly buy snacks at the corner store, munching as they hiked with canteens strapped to their backs like little soldiers.

Lin Ze grabbed a pack of fig strips, only to get scolded again.

“All sugar! Can’t believe you!” Zheng Jie said. “Eat this instead!”

Lin Ze laughed so hard he slumped against the cart, pushing it along weakly.

“This one’s good—” Zheng Jie started, then paused. “What’s so funny?”

Lin Ze waved him off, amused.

Zheng Jie: “You’re not buying that. It’s unhealthy. Why do you like such weird stuff? You’re usually all about fancy things.”

Lin Ze burst out laughing.

Zheng Jie gave him a puzzled look. Lin Ze smirked, “You’re turning into my dad.”

Zheng Jie: “??”

Lin Ze had never been close to his father, but what he meant was that Zheng Jie had a “dad” vibe—always nagging and fussing, even though Lin Ze had no real concept of what a father should be like.

“Psycho,” Zheng Jie muttered.

At checkout, Zheng Jie paid. Lin Ze also bought a MashiMaro whistle that dispensed candy, blowing it obnoxiously. Zheng Jie looked pained.

Zheng Jie: “Quit it—why are you so hyper?”

Lin Ze grinned sunnily, making the cashier laugh too. Zheng Jie snatched the whistle, but Lin Ze stole it back. After packing their things, they stood outside Bei Cheng Tian Street as Zheng Jie made a call. The weekend sun grew hotter, but the streets were packed with shoppers.

This year, boat socks, low-top sneakers, and cargo shorts were in. Sporty guys were all the rage, even more so than last summer. Both Zheng Jie and Lin Ze dressed this way, showing off their clean, toned ankles. They smoked together, drawing glances from passersby.

Zheng Jie loudly spoke broken Mandarin into the phone, uncaring of the stares. “We’re—right—here! Just turn the corner! Yeah, what’s wrong with you? Can’t even find Bei Cheng Tian Street…”

Lin Ze snacked expressionlessly until he spotted a shuttle bus in the distance. He stuck the whistle in his mouth and blew—

BEEEP!

The sharp sound nearly ruptured Zheng Jie’s eardrums.

As the bus pulled up, Zheng Jie roared, “A’ZE!”

Lin Ze smirked. Zheng Jie poked his forehead, about to scold him, when the bus doors opened beside them. All the coworkers inside turned to look.

“Quick, get on,” Lin Ze urged, but Zheng Jie motioned for him to go first.

The bus was full of Zheng Jie’s colleagues—none of whom Lin Ze knew, except for one familiar face who wasn’t there today. He smiled and introduced himself, “Hi everyone, I’m Zheng Jie’s friend. You can call me A’Ze.”

He noticed General Manager Wang. Their eyes met, and she immediately said, “Zheng Jie! Watch your head!”

Zheng Jie, too tall for the bus, smacked his skull against the doorway with a loud thunk, sending everyone into fits of laughter.

General Manager Wang chuckled. “Let’s go.”

The only seats left were at the back. Lin Ze and Zheng Jie squeezed in as Zheng Jie greeted his coworkers and passed out snacks. Lin Ze offered General Manager Wang a plum lollipop.

She smiled faintly. “I don’t eat these. They’re for kids.”

“You’re a kid too,” Lin Ze teased. “Girls are always kids, no matter how old.”

She laughed and took it, unwrapping the lollipop as she chatted with her secretary. Lin Ze counted about twenty people—half of them seemed to be family members, some with kids. He whispered to Zheng Jie, “I thought you said your boss wasn’t coming?”

Zheng Jie checked his phone. “Dunno. She decided last minute.”

Zheng Jie’s marketing department had around a dozen people. Seven couples, four single guys, and two single girls—not bad. General Manager Wang must’ve joined specifically for this trip. Lin Ze asked, “What’s your position now?”

Zheng Jie grinned handsomely. “I’m their boss now. Don’t embarrass me.”

Lin Ze nodded, then pressed, “You’re the marketing manager? Why didn’t you tell me?”

Zheng Jie had mentioned being promoted to deputy manager but hadn’t said anything about becoming the actual manager. The pay difference was huge. Zheng Jie had complained before—he did most of the work while the manager took credit for the whole department’s performance, earning over 20,000 a month. And yet, the manager still wanted to jump ship for a better company.

Lin Ze had been shocked. 20,000 was a fortune—and the guy wasn’t even doing the work?

Zheng Jie whispered, “The manager was job-hunting on the side. General Manager Wang fired him. There’s no manager now—she hasn’t officially promoted me, just made me do all the work.”

Lin Ze understood. Zheng Jie wanted the promotion, but the boss was stringing him along—saving money by not filling the position, letting Zheng Jie handle the workload without the pay raise. Clever move.

Zheng Jie’s phone lit up. He glanced at it, then stood and walked to the front of the bus.

Lin Ze peeked at the message from General Manager Wang:

[Zheng Jie, stop chatting with your ‘family’ and liven things up.]

As the bus hit the highway, Zheng Jie grabbed the microphone and grinned. “Good morning, everyone! Beautiful day, huh? Sleep well last night?!”

Lin Ze nearly burst out laughing. Zheng Jie’s overly formal Mandarin was adorable.

The colleagues chorused, “Yes—”

Zheng Jie continued, “Most of these lovely ladies haven’t met me yet. Hey there, what’s your name—” He pinched a child’s cheek playfully. “Oh, Lele? For those with partners, let’s hear how you met, when you got married, any fights lately… Xiao Kang, that scratch on your face—shaving accident?”

Someone shouted, “His girlfriend did it!”

The bus erupted in laughter. Zheng Jie smirked. “Who wants to go first? Let’s hear your love stories! Come on, Brother An—first time meeting your wife.”

Zheng Jie pointed to a man in his thirties at the front, whose seven- or eight-year-old kid was grabbing for the mic. Lin Ze watched, amused, as Zheng Jie interacted with his team. His management style was different from Lin Ze’s—Lin Ze’s office was full of reporters who could talk for hours, while Zheng Jie’s team seemed quieter and cliquish. Still, Zheng Jie was trying hard to bring everyone together.

“Now that we’re all acquainted,” Zheng Jie announced, “let me introduce my ‘family’—ta-da! My childhood friend Lin Ze! Call him A’Ze!”

The employees applauded politely. Lin Ze smiled.

Zheng Jie told the kid, “You can call him Uncle A’Ze!”

Lin Ze’s face darkened instantly.

Zheng Jie: “A’Ze is my family, brother, best friend—and wife!”

The bus exploded with laughter. General Manager Wang smiled, turning to look at Lin Ze from the front. Zheng Jie added, “He’s the most important person in my life. A’Ze’s a journalist—if you’ve got questions, chat with him sometime. Alright, let’s all have a great trip! From now on, we’re all friends!”

Lin Ze facepalmed, shaking his head in despair.