Chapter 26 – No Longer Cold

After entering the house, Li Tang first called his mom to inform her that he wouldn’t be returning home tonight.

“The rain is too heavy, there are barely any cars on the road. The old city district’s roads have cracks, it’s very dangerous. Tell Master Sun not to come pick me up… I’m at a classmate’s place, his family lives near the school… Has Dad already left?”

Upon learning that Li Yuanshan had flown to the capital in the afternoon, Li Tang relaxed: “By the way, Mom, do you know why Dad went to school to look for the teacher this morning? Was there something going on?”

On the other end, Zhang Zhaoyue paused before replying, “I’m not entirely sure either. It should be about your situation at school.”

After hanging up the call, Li Tang looked up and saw Jiang Lou filling a container made of rubber with freshly boiled hot water.

Once filled to the brim, the lid was placed on top, sealed tightly, and Jiang Lou handed the container-like a wineskin-to Li Tang: “Take it.”

Li Tang took it over, feeling the warmth on his hand, realizing that this was a hot water bottle.

It was Li Tang’s first time using such an old-fashioned hot water bottle, and he curiously touched it all over, his nails scraping across the rubber ridges designed to prevent slipping. He asked Jiang Lou, “Do you use this to keep warm during winter?”

Jiang Lou filled another pot with water and placed it on the heating base. “I don’t need to keep warm. This was given to me by the convenience store owner since he couldn’t sell it.”

Glancing at Li Tang’s tightly hugging hands around the hot water bottle, he added, “It hasn’t been used for many years. Don’t hold it too tightly, it might explode.”

Scared, Li Tang immediately loosened his grip, placing the hot water bottle on his knee, gently pressing his hand against it, occasionally flipping it over, carefully absorbing its warmth.

He soon became hungry, after all, Li Tang had only eaten cotton candy, which was practically no dinner.

The terrible weather made it inconvenient to venture out for food, and Jiang Lou’s house only had instant noodles. Li Tang ate a mouthful of noodles followed by cold skewered meat, sweating profusely from the spiciness.

After eating, he engaged in physical activity, putting on boxing gloves to punch the sandbag. Despite Li Tang having adapted to running exercises, his strength didn’t seem to have improved much. His fist struck the sandbag, yet it remained motionless, leaving him quite disheartened.

Jiang Lou approached and taught him how to first assume a fighting stance, that is, standing with feet shoulder-width apart, slightly staggered front and back, fists raised to shoulder height, elbows bent, and the rear arm protecting the ribs.

“Like this?” Li Tang sucked in his stomach and chest, matching the fierce look intended for an attack.

But in Jiang Lou’s eyes, it could only be described as cute aggression. He chuckled and said, “Yes, that’s right. Next, step off your back foot, using your waist to lead your shoulders, and your shoulders to send your fist forward, like a spring, extending your arm straight. Grip your fist tightly at the moment of impact to increase speed.”

Li Tang felt his blood boil with enthusiasm and eagerly threw a punch following Jiang Lou’s instructions—bang, the sandbag swayed slightly and returned to its original position.

Li Tang was delighted: “It moved! It moved!”

Jiang Lou then taught him how to throw hooks and uppercuts, explaining that physical fitness was paramount in a fight. Without endurance, learning numerous techniques would be futile.

Li Tang practiced against the sandbag for a while, gradually finding it boring. His eyes darted around, and after finishing a set of straight punches, he swiftly turned around, intending to land a hook on Jiang Lou from the side.

It was merely playful, not exerting much force, plus his technique wasn’t refined. Jiang Lou noticed someone “sneaking up” with just a glance from the corner of his eye. He shifted his body, leaving Li Tang grasping at air.

This, however, sparked Li Tang’s fighting spirit. He turned back around and threw a straight hook, only for Jiang Lou to catch his fist mid-swing with a raised hand. Twisting and throwing him, Li Tang found himself spun around 360 degrees, held down on the shoulder in a restraining position, unable to move.

Li Tang gasped in pain: “You’re cheating, that’s a wrestling move.”

Jiang Lou released his grip and laughed, saying, “I didn’t finish speaking earlier. In a fight, the most important thing is to maintain a calm mind and adapt flexibly.”

In other words, Li Tang was neither calm nor flexible, simply put, he lacked the mental acuity.

Frustrated, Li Tang removed his boxing gloves, returned to the table, spread out his workbook, and started doing homework.

He worked on his English homework, seemingly demonstrating with action—I also have things I’m good at, I’m super smart.

His focus lasted only briefly before drifting elsewhere.

Jiang Lou was changing clothes.

Having been caught in the rain outside, Li Tang wore thick clothing, only his down jacket had gotten wet. Jiang Lou wore a thin jacket, and now that he had taken it off, Li Tang saw that his white T-shirt underneath was soaked, dark patches spreading across it.

Just as Li Tang was worried about whether he would catch a cold, Jiang Lou grabbed the bottom of his T-shirt with both hands, lifting his arms. The scene before Li Tang’s eyes was suddenly filled with a large expanse of flesh.

Li Tang reflexively averted his gaze, thinking that doing so would only draw more attention to it, so he turned back, looking boldly.

He had actually seen it before at the gym, but at that time, Li Tang’s focus was on Jiang Lou’s injuries, leaving no room to pay attention to anything else.

Now, with ample lighting, it was more suitable for appreciation—Jiang Lou stood shirtless, his broad shoulders covered with evenly distributed muscle, undulating with each movement. His arm lines were slightly taut, his waist and abdomen narrow yet powerful, his abs clearly defined but not exaggerated. Combined with his pale skin, the image was strikingly impactful and pleasing to the eye.

Just by looking, one could imagine how dazzling he must be on the boxing stage. Young men in the ivory tower are often described as eagles about to spread their wings, but this description doesn’t fit Jiang Lou, or rather, it’s insufficient.

Jiang Lou was faster than everyone else, not confined within the greenhouse-like environment of the campus. He was like a mighty lion, and even when simply standing among people, others could instantly recognize that he was the strongest and most excellent among them.

No wonder he had become the dream of so many.

When one encounters such a person in their youth, they may feel a sense of loss regardless of who they end up with later.

Li Tang felt fortunate, able to walk alongside Jiang Lou on the last stretch of darkness before their transformation.

Observation with intent gradually turned into pure admiration. Li Tang watched as Jiang Lou put on a clean T-shirt, asking him, “Are you cold?”

Jiang Lou turned around, his eyebrows raising slightly, seemingly puzzled as to why Li Tang wasn’t embarrassed today.

Stepping closer, Jiang Lou leaned down, extending his arms to wrap them around Li Tang from behind.

Chest pressed against spine, chin resting on the shoulder hollow, two hearts beating close together.

Li Tang heard Jiang Lou say, “No longer cold.”

Later that evening, the lights were extinguished for rest.

Li Tang usually took a shower every day, but not having taken one today left him feeling uneasy all over. As midnight approached, he found himself utterly lacking in sleepiness.

Of course, it could also be due to the presence of someone lying beside him.

Li Tang wasn’t unfamiliar with posts describing bedroom affairs on forums, and he knew what happened between men and men. So did Jiang Lou lack interest in him? Otherwise, how could he possibly be sleeping soundly, breathing so evenly?

Rolling over to lie on his side facing the wall, Li Tang began to ponder once again, wondering if the wall cracks in Jiang Lou’s home had been repaired. If not, would cockroaches crawl in? Jiang Lou had mentioned that during winter, cockroaches were merely less active.

The more he thought about it, the more anxious he became. Li Tang cautiously reached under his pillow for his phone, lighting up the screen.

Opening the search box on Baidu, he was in the process of typing “how to confront cockroaches head-on,” when the person beside him suddenly stirred. The bedside lamp flickered on, casting a warm glow onto the wall.

Turning his head, Li Tang saw Jiang Lou sitting up, looking at him with a hint of helplessness. “If you can’t sleep, get up. It’s bad for your eyes to play with your phone in the dark.”

Li Tang sat up as well: “Did I wake you?”

Jiang Lou shook his head: “I wasn’t asleep to begin with.”

“Why can’t you sleep?”

“What do you think?”

Li Tang’s heartbeat suddenly skipped a beat.

Could it be…because of me?

Before Li Tang could ask, Jiang Lou rubbed his temples, picking up a book from the bedside table.

It was The Count of Monte Cristo, the book Li Tang had been carrying around recently.

Opening it revealed the hand-drawn character relationship diagram inside, with complex webs of arrows, bubbles, and boxes, indicative of meticulous effort.

However, Jiang Lou laughed.

Li Tang assumed he was laughing at his own foolishness for needing to take notes while reading a novel. Embarrassed, he fished out his earphones and plugged them in, ignoring everything around him for peace and quiet.

Less than five minutes passed before he rustled around and turned back, looking expectantly at Jiang Lou. “…Want to listen to music?”

Li Tang shared his right earphone with Jiang Lou, then opened the playlist he had created.

Taking advantage of the tail end of Christmas, he played “Christmas List,” his favorite Christmas song. Of course, there was another reason; he always felt this song had a sacred ceremonial quality, as if it should be played in a church during a wedding.

Especially when the lyrics reached—

Because all of Santa’s elves could never,

Make a gift for me that’s better

Than this night with you,

I don’t want something new

I just want you.

As the final line was sung, Li Tang lifted his eyes, seemingly moved. He saw Jiang Lou, wearing only one earphone, gazing back at him.

Kissing became telepathic, as if two lips were drawn together by an invisible gravitational force.

Rain continued to fall outside the window, but Xucheng’s winter lacked snow.

Yet Li Tang no longer felt regret, wrapping his arms around Jiang Lou’s neck, removing his earphones, leaning in to make a promise. “Can we still be together next Christmas?”

In response, he received Jiang Lou’s low chuckle and an ambiguous yet hopeful answer: “It’s up to you.”

Following Christmas came the Gregorian New Year.

Xucheng High School’s New Year’s Eve party was held in the school gymnasium on December 31st, open to all students except the senior class taking college entrance exams.

Under the banner of the “last carnival” of high school life, students rushed to secure spots as soon as the gymnasium doors opened past 2 PM.

Even backstage positions needed to be fought for. Li Tang arrived backstage at half-past two under Su Qinhan’s relentless calls, and by the time she finished dressing and applying makeup, he was nearly dozing off leaning against the wall.

Shaken awake by Su Qinhan, Li Tang groggily accepted the clothes she handed him, finding an empty dressing room to change.

Initially, he hadn’t intended to make such a fuss, but Su Qinhan insisted on renting a tuxedo for him as well, reasoning, “My stage, I won’t allow any ugliness to appear on it.”

Li Tang slowly dressed in the white shirt and black tuxedo. The shirt wasn’t quite a perfect fit, the sleeves a bit long. To avoid showing the white cuffs, Li Tang fastened the cufflinks.

As his fingers brushed over his wrist bones, Li Tang suddenly recalled that it seemed to have been a long time since any new wounds appeared there.

It signified that he had been peaceful and stable, even joyful, lately, thus experiencing no anxiety or unbearable pain that couldn’t be relieved.

Even the previous pinch marks had faded significantly. Li Tang caressed the smooth skin on his wrist, unable to help but smile.

What caused such a change was self-evident.

After changing, he adjusted his hair in front of the mirror, his eyes sparkling with confidence, thinking that the “thing” in the mirror should not lower Su Qinhan’s definition of “beauty.”

Exiting the dressing room, Li Tang caught sight of a figure out of the corner of his eye.

It was a boy, somewhat familiar-looking. He was lurking suspiciously in front of a dressing room, the door slightly ajar. He was sliding his phone through the gap.

Li Tang remembered that several girls performing dance routines were inside, changing clothes.

What the boy was doing was clear.

A situation like this didn’t leave room for hesitation, fearing that he might succeed in taking pictures, Li Tang quickened his pace and changed direction, heading toward the dressing room.

Hearing footsteps, the boy hurriedly retrieved his phone and stuffed it into his pocket, turning to cover up with a few coughs, shooting a glare at Li Tang with the expression of someone whose fun had been interrupted.

Li Tang froze for a moment.

He recognized the boy, Chen Zhengyang from the neighboring Class 2, who had previously echoed the class physical education commissioner in ridiculing Jiang Lou as “Deaf Brother” at the KTV.

This pre-performance incident was quickly forgotten by Li Tang.

With only half an hour until they were to take the stage, he was more concerned about whether Jiang Lou was in the audience.

Today was part of the New Year’s holiday, and Li Tang had messaged Jiang Lou at noon, asking if he would come. Jiang Lou replied uncertainly, stating it depended on the boxing gym’s match schedule.

Without news yet, he likely wouldn’t make it.

Pulling out his phone to check the time, Li Tang disappointedly extinguished the screen, just as he was about to put the phone back in his pocket, it suddenly vibrated in his palm.

It was a call from Jiang Lou.

Answering, without any unnecessary words, Jiang Lou only said, “East gate of the gymnasium, come out.”

Li Tang virtually ran out, along the way hearing laughter and applause from the stage, which became beautiful background music.

The east gate was near the backstage area and unguarded after the party began. Li Tang pulled open the heavy double spring door, and as the cold wind rushed in, he immediately spotted Jiang Lou standing beneath the nearest streetlight.

He wasn’t wearing his school uniform today. An ordinary leather jacket was worn exceptionally well by him, the similarly black pants hugging his slender legs. Just standing there, he was captivating to the eye.

Occasionally, teachers and students passed by, and Li Tang restrained himself from rushing over to hug him.

Taking a deep breath to steady his breathing, Li Tang asked, “Did you win?”

Jiang Lou hadn’t expected him to care about this first, laughing, he said, “Guess.”

“I guess you won.”

“Congratulations, you guessed right.”

On this winter’s night, the mountains and sky blended into a single canvas in the distance. The streetlight cast slanted shadows of two closely huddled figures onto the ground, merging into an intimate whole.

Time was short, and Li Tang first confirmed Jiang Lou’s physical condition. At least judging from the exposed organs and skin, he didn’t seem to have suffered any injuries.

He then instructed, “Seat number 9 in row three, I asked the class leader to save it for you.”

It wasn’t a very central seat, but it was close to the piano.

Li Tang lowered his eyelids, feeling a sense of impending inspection: “…You probably haven’t heard me play the piano, right?”

“I have.” Jiang Lou said.

“Huh?” Li Tang looked up, quickly realizing, “Did you also sneak into the comprehensive building to listen?”

Many knew that Su Qinhan had asked Li Tang to accompany her on the piano. Since they began practicing during PE classes last month, curious classmates had frequently sneaked into the music classroom to watch.

For this reasonable assumption, Jiang Lou only smiled without speaking.

Indeed, he had eavesdropped, but not in Xucheng High School’s comprehensive building.

And it wasn’t this year.

So yes, but also no, this question was one he couldn’t answer.