Gone With the Wind

Fu Cuo didn’t know where Sui Qingchi lived, but it was strange that he didn’t think it was a problem until got to the roadside. He realized that he didn’t actually know how or where to find him. Unlike in the past, it wasn’t easy to find Sui Qingchi. Back then, even if he turned off his phone, there were only a few places Sui Qingchi would go to. Even if he left, he would never go somewhere that he really couldn’t find. But now things are different, Sui Qingchi is a star attracting the attention of millions of people. If you wanted to find him, there was no sure way to start.

It was a cold and windy night in December. Fu Cuo walked along the road and searched aimlessly on his phone. Various car lights flashed by him. The chilling wind blew, and his fingers felt so cold, they mistyped several times. He didn’t know if he was just lucky, but he found a gossip post about some stars’ residences which also included Sui Qingchi’s.

Chucking his phone in his pocket, he turned around and called a taxi over. Fu Cuo got into the back seat, wrapped his coat around himself, and greeted the driver. “Lantian County, thank you.”

There was only a general location online. It was said that besides Sui Qingchi, there were other stars living in Lantian County. It was a well-known place in the circle to meet stars. Fu Cuo was sure he was at the right place. The taxi stopped at the opposite side of the community. After Fu Cuo got off, he sent a message to Sui Qingchi, “I’m at the entrance, the guard won’t let me in.”

After a while, he received a phone call. With a slightly confused tone, the other party asked, “So soon?”

“I went right after you hung up.” Fu Cuo said. 

“Mn, take your phone to the guard, I’ll talk to him,” instructed Sui Qingchi.

Fu Cuo handed his phone to the young security guard. After having a conversation with Sui Qingchi, the guard immediately turned around and returned his phone to him. He asked excitedly, “Are you really Sui Qingchi’s friend?”

Fu Cuo didn’t know what he was excited about. Sui Qingchi lived here. As a security guard, it should be easy to see him. He asked back, “Can I go in?”

The excited security guard didn’t know whether he should laugh or cry for him, “He doesn’t live here! It got leaked online that he bought a house here, but it’s for the band members, not him!”

Fu Cuo was dumbstruck. He embarrassingly took back his phone. As soon as he put it to his ear, he heard Sui Qingchi’s stiff voice, “Hey, Fu Cuo, are you stupid?”

He glanced back at the curious little security guard, walked quickly to the side of the road and said, “Didn’t you let me find it myself? I found it according to the paparazzi’s revelations.”

Sui Qingchi vaguely let out an “Mn,” and added, “I can’t tell if you’re messing with me right now.”

Fu Cuo directed a frown at his phone. Does it look like you’re the one getting messed with here?

After a while, Sui Qingchi hung up and sent him a location. Fu Cuo looked at the place name and sighed. It was Fushan Villa, which was at least 40 kilometers away from Lantian County. He looked around the deserted county where it was basically impossible to find a cab and sighed.

It was past 11:00 PM when he arrived at Fushan Villa. The villa was built on the mountains and hidden in the woods. It was definitely more desolate than Lantian County. The villas are far away from each other, and it couldn’t be photographed unless the paparazzi had helicopters flying over it. It was perfect for a huge star like Sui Qingchi.

Sui Qingchi’s residence couldn’t be seen from the roadside. It was easy to miss it. Standing in front of the gate, Fu Cuo hesitated. Perhaps it was because it was too quiet around, but he felt a lurking sense of danger. Like a fool trying to go hunt in the heat of the night.

He rang the doorbell and watched as the back door opened after a moment. The villa has unique terrain. It was built against the ridge, hidden and low-key, resulting in nothing to see from the roadside. He walked down the row of steps illuminated by the wall lamps and gradually saw the whole view of the villa. From the dove gray roof to the super large terrace facing the foot of the mountain, the lines were clean and simple, but the owner’s personality and tastes were revealed everywhere – fine but a bit domineering.

The door wasn’t closed. The off-white mixed Samoyed greeted him. When he saw him, the big dog barked twice and laid down on the porch, as if he knew it was a guest and went to say hello.

Inside there were heated floors which eased the freezing cold Fu Cuo had been feeling as he ran around to get there. Across the hallway, he heard the sound of glasses colliding along with Sui Qingchi’s voice, “Come here?”

Fu Cuo immediately found that the sound insulation effect of the villa was quite good. It seemed to have been specially designed.

Sui Qingchi was wearing a loose black V-Neck sweater and sports gray trousers. He had a bottle of red wine and glasses in his hands. He glanced at him when he passed the hallway, looked away, and headed straight to the sofa.

After so many years, Fu Cuo can’t help but admit that time hasn’t taken away Sui Qingchi’s charms. He’s decently fit. Coupled with his handsome face, it’s no wonder that even if his personality wasn’t the best, he could still win the hearts of countless women.

Sui Qingchi turned his back to him, bent over and put the wine glass on the coffee table. He said, “Sit down.”

Fu Cuo didn’t want to stay long. He hesitated when he saw the wine glass on the table.

Sui Qingchi put down his glass and looked back at him, frowning slightly, “Aren’t you tired standing there?”

It should be fine. Fu Cuo quietly took off his shoes and didn’t bother changing into slippers. The floor was clean and warm anyways.

He went to the opposite side of Sui Qingchi and sat down. Sui Qingchi poured him a glass of red wine. Without saying anything, he just pushed the glass in front of him, poured some for himself, and then sat down on the sofa.

Fu Cuo wasn’t in the mood to drink, “No, let’s get straight to the point.”

“And how should we do that?” Sui Qingchi lowered his head and casually stuffed the cork as he asked.

“Could you please not target him in the future?”

Sui Qingchi pressed the cork’s hand and asked expressionlessly, “Who?”

“Zhong Dao.”

“You’re very interested in this lookalike. Have you known each other for a long time?”

Fu Cuo didn’t know what Sui Qingchi had misunderstood, but he didn’t bother to explain. It would only make things worse either way.  “I’m being serious here.”

Sui Qingchi leaned forward, his elbows pressed on his knees. He clasped his hands and looked directly at the person opposite him, “And I’m also asking you seriously here.”

“He’s someone with a talent for singing. He’s nobody to you,” Fu Cuo said. “You’re the Heavenly King, living at the height of the sun. He’s just a newcomer who hasn’t even reached the 18th tier. You really don’t have to target him…”

“Really now?” Sui Qingchi raised his body with a satirical look on his face, he patted his left hand firmly on his knee. “Which newcomer dares to ride on my news every single day? Which newcomer could get a song that I couldn’t even ask for!”

I see. Fu Cuo thought, He’s mad because he couldn’t get what he wanted, right?

“If you want a song, fine, I’ll write it for you. Zhong Dao is Tang Du’s student. I don’t expect you to guide him as an instructor. As long as you treat him like every other contestant in the competition, just judge him fairly and objectively.”

Who knows if Sui Qingchi actually listened to his words, but he just stared at him with a face full of disbelief.

Fu Cuo didn’t understand his response, “What is it?”

Sui Qingchi didn’t want to say anything. He stood up with his anger suppressed. When he got up, he suddenly blocked the light above and Fu Cuo immediately felt the pressure. However, Sui Qingchi just turned around and walked to the porch. The mixed Samoyed looked up and shook its tail at him. 

Fu Cuo was very familiar with Sui Qingchi. If he hadn’t been in his own house, he would have immediately slammed the door and left. Sui Qingchi was ostensibly outspoken on the surface, but he’s very sensitive at heart. Fu Cuo was often confused by his anger. He didn’t know what he had said to annoy him this time.

There was no need to give Sui Qingchi the chance to say “Go away”. Before Sui Qingchi could speak, he had already gotten up. He thought that although it might’ve been vain trip, at least he tried his best.

Sui Qingchi’s back paused for a moment. He turned to him, frowned and asked, “Where are you going?”

“That’s all,” Fu said as he folded up his jacket. “I’m going back.”

Passing by Sui Qingchi, he suddenly heard Sui Qingchi say behind his back, “Fu Cuo, are you deliberately trying to disgust me?”

Fu Cuo was puzzled, but he tilted his head back with patience, “Why are you disgusted?”

“Last time I went to see you, didn’t you say that you wouldn’t write songs for anyone? You compromised for a newcomer who is not even in the 18th tier. Does he sing well? Why do I think that even if he couldn’t rank in the top three amongst all of the contestants, you’d still praise him endlessly? What are you trying to do?!”

“You hate me if I won’t write songs for you, and you’re not happy if I do. What do you want?” 

“You know, it’s almost like I’d have to kneel down and beg you to write songs for me, it’s not that you’re into that, are you?”

Sui Qingchi looked at him. After a long time, his throat moved, “I don’t want you to do anything. I just don’t think he’s worthy. I want you to wake up and see that,” He added.

“I am awake. You’re the one who’s not.” Fu Cuo couldn’t bear it. “Sui Qingchi, it’s been so many years. Be more mature. What’s the use of giving up on life like this? You’re smoking, drinking, playing NP and cards all day. After a while, you formed a band, and after a while you forgot about it. You don’t even have the energy to deal with one newcomer. Can’t you take your life more seriously?”

Sui Qingchi’s face became more and more ashen, “Shut it!”

His fist hit the cabinet on the porch with a loud “bang”, scaring the mixed Samoyed into jumping around its master’s legs in shock. Sui Qingchi’s hand twitched in pain as the iron handle of the cabinet slammed hard on it. The dog jumped up at him. Sui Qingchi resisted the pain, bent down to pick up the Frisbee on the ground and threw it out in the direction of the terrace. The Frisbee fell into the pool, and the dog rushed out to grab it.

Fu Cuo saw the dog struggling to swim to the red Frisbee in the middle of the pool. Sui Qingchi walked over to lock the landing glass door. The big dog swam back with the Frisbee in its mouth, squatted wet in front of the door, and scratched the glass with its paws.

Fu Cuo couldn’t keep looking, “It’s not easy to be your dog.”

“It’ll be unlucky if you come. It’s not like I could take it out on you.”

“Then come at me. Don’t lose your temper at irrelevant things.” Fu Cuo walked over without thinking. He wanted to open the door to let the dog in, but Sui Qingchi took his hand.

“That’s what you said.” Sui Qingchi looked at him coldly.

For the first time after so long, the hands of the two were held together. Fu Cuo suddenly regretted it. He took his hand back with force., while Sui Qingchi also loosened his at that moment. You look at me and I look at you. As if nothing had just happened, all there was left was hatred and disgust between them. 

Fu Cuo’s mood towards Sui Qingchi was extremely complicated. Sui Qingchi was no more than two centimeters higher than him, but he seemed much more oppressive than before. He didn’t know what he’d experienced in recent years. After a few meetings, he felt more and more anger from him. There was a lot of pressure transmitted through his fingers just now, so much so that the little softness and warmth of his palm could be ignored.

Sui Qingchi opened the door, and the mixed Samoyed rushed in, soaking wet. It shook its big body to dry itself, splashing cold water all over them. Sui Qingchi took the Frisbee from the dog’s mouth, malevolently raised his hand to Fu Cuo, and threw it into the pool outside.

The big dog wanted to follow it, but Sui Qingchi grabbed its collar and almost lifted both its front feet. It felt the strength of its master, and so it squatted down and dared not to move. Sui Qingchi leaned over and held it close to him, looking up provocatively at Fu Cuo.

Fu Cuo looked at Sui Qingchi. Without a word, he raised his hand and took off his jacket.

The black jacket was thrown on the ground, and the metal zipper knocked on the floor with a crisp sound. The big dog shook its ears, looked curiously at the person walking towards the pool, and felt that the hand holding his collar behind him gradually loosened its strength.

As it was early winter, when he stepped into the water, he immediately felt the bitter cold. The Frisbee didn’t fall very far. However, Fu Cuo was already freezing with this short distance.

The red Frisbee was floating in the middle of the pool. When the big dog saw the man swimming towards it, he jumped forward and broke free from the shackles of his master that had already weakened.

The mixed Samoyed splashed into the pool, getting more water on its master. It got to the Frisbee first, and Fu Cuo looked at Sui Qingchi on the shore from the undulating water.

Sui Qingchi stood by the pool, looked down at him and said, “Why?”

The mixed Samoyed jumped ashore, and Fu Cuo immediately did the same. “I wanted you to know how excessive your demands are.”

It was really too cold. When he spoke, he felt his teeth chattering together. Sui Qingchi didn’t say any more.

Fu Cuo walked aside, turned his back to Sui Qingchi and took off his wet T-shirt. He wanted to put on his sweater, but his body was full of water. He twisted his T-shirt and wanted to wipe the water off his body. At this time, a towel was handed from behind. Seeing that he didn’t take it, Sui Qingchi draped it on his shoulder – separated by a certain distance, he put it on lightly.

Fu Cuo didn’t look back. He grabbed the towel and wiped himself silently.

Sui Qingchi asked behind him, “What’s so special about that Zhong Dao?”

This time it was a calm and restrained tone. Fu Cuo put on his sweater and warmed his chest a little so that he could calm his shortness of breath due to the cold. “…He has a dream. It’s not easy for him to realize it.” He turned his head sideways and said in a low voice, “Promise me, can you just not destroy other people’s dreams like you did to mine?”

Sui Qingchi stared at Fu Cuo’s slightly shivering back and hesitated several times. He couldn’t act cheaply in this cold war of theirs. It was he who hurt him. To say that he ruined Fu Cuo’s dream, he couldn’t stand it. If he wanted to refute, he’d be lying, and if he wanted to explain, he had nothing he could say.

“I… didn’t destroy it. I never thought of destroying it. But I can also give it back to you… Your dream.”

This wasn’t the first time Sui Qingchi had said such a thing. He may also be ashamed. Fu Cuo shook his head with a wry smile, “No, It’s already over.”

“… Do you hate me?”

Fu Cuo closed his eyes. He didn’t know. He may have genuinely hated him before, but now…

“I can’t anymore.” He bent down and twisted his wet trousers.

“It’s not that I can’t promise you.” Sui Qingchi said suddenly.

Fu Cuo looked back at him. The water in the pool was still rippling. The bright water light was drawn on Sui Qingchi’s eyes. Those eyes that would make people crazy seemed to return. He knew what Sui Qingchi’s fire and devil were like, “What are your conditions?”

“Are you willing to agree?”

“I can write songs for you.” Fu Cuo said.

“What else?”

Fu Cuo looked at Sui Qingchi and asked, “Is that not enough?”

Those four words weren’t negative, but they still felt low and heavy. Sui Qingchi couldn’t say a word.

Whether it was enough or not, Fu Cuo didn’t want to ask him again. His pants had dried out in the cold wind, but they were still stuck to his legs. As he bent his head to wipe them, he felt his nose become hot, and a drop of red fell, staining the white towel in his hands.

Sui Qingchi seemed notice it immediately. He asked, “What’s wrong?”

Fu Cuo raised his hand and touched his nose. His blood immediately dyed the back of his hand red. He shook his head and said, “Nothing. It’s an old problem.”

Sui Qingchi stared at the startling red on the other party’s hands, “How did I not know that you had such an ‘old problem’?”

“People change.”

“… Is it because I made you jump in the pool?”

“No,” Fu Cuo said, “Do you have any tissues?”

Sui Qingchi looked through his pockets. Naturally, they were empty. He turned to look at the inner room. His adam’s apple rolled as he said, “I have none on me. Come in with me and change clothes.”

Fu Cuo didn’t want to stay there with Sui Qingchi, but he had to do so now and nodded.

As soon as he entered the door, he saw his blood drip on the floor. Fu Cuo shook his head and said, “Forget it, I won’t go in.”

“It’s fine,” Sui Qingchi said as he looked down at the drop of blood, “Come in.”

Fu Cuo had to go into the house. The ground that he stepped on was covered with watermarks. Sui Qingchi asked him to sit down on the sofa. Now as he was covered with water, sitting on the sofa was uncomfortable. Sui Qingchi looked back and saw that he was still standing, and so he told him to just go to the bar.

Fu Cuo sat down on a high stool. Sui Qingchi took out a box of tissues but didn’t give it to him. Instead, he went around to the opposite side of the bar. Fu Cuo raised his hand to pick up the tissues and wanted to say “I’ll do it myself,” but Sui Qingchi already took them with him. Holding a tissue in his hand, he wanted to smoothly lift the other party’s chin, saying, “I’ll see if it’s still flowing.”

Before Sui Qingchi’s hand reached him, Fu Cuo leaned back, showing that you could already see it like this. There was no need to do such superfluous actions, and Sui Qingchi’s hand really didn’t come any closer.

The eyes of the two staggered. Awkward but kind of nice, Fu Cuo thought.

Fu Cuo was relieved as Sui Qingchi gave him the box of tissues. He took it from his hand and wiped his nose. His nosebleeds always came and went quickly. By this time, it had already stopped.

He heard Sui Qingchi relaxed his breathing and subconsciously looked up. Sui Qingchi had turned around and walked out of the bar, “I’ll go up and get a set of clothes for you.”

He went upstairs two steps at a time, his back quickly disappearing into the set of stairs. 

‘Is it because he thought I was leaving immediately?’ Fu Cuo thought.

When Sui Qingchi went upstairs, he got up and went to the sink to rinse his face. As he wiped his face with a towel, he looked down and saw the music score and lyrics in the trash can below. He was a bit dazed. At this time, he heard Sui Qingchi coming down from upstairs.

He pretended not to notice anything, and turned to take the clothes. “Thank you,” he said.

Sui Qingchi asked, “Do you want to change here, or…”

Fu Cuo said he’d go to the bathroom to change. Sui Qingchi nodded and told him where it was.

After entering the bathroom and closing the door, he didn’t have to face Sui Qingchi. Fu Cuo felt that he was relieved from the heavy pressure. Sui Qingchi’s clothes always fit him well, but he actually had a little impression of the dark blue fur collar jacket in the mirror. It seemed that he saw Sui Qingchi passing through the airport in it before. He didn’t know how he recognized it. It seemed that the more he deliberately avoided news about Sui Qingchi, the more he remembered everything he had inadvertently glimpsed.

When he came out, Sui Qingchi was squatting on the ground to brush the dog’s fur. Fu Cuo felt a little sad when he saw such a scene. The owner didn’t rub it gently at all. In fact, it was the dog that was gentle. Sui Qingchi had such a temper. Although it was a mixed-blood, it must’ve had a good temper. 

But that’s also very good. It’s a perfect match.

His nosebleed had already stopped, and his clothes were changed. As he was leaving, Sui Qingchi suddenly called out to him, “Fu Cuo.”

He turned around, a little tired.

Sui Qingchi put down the dog towel, stood up and said, “I’ll promise.”

Fu Cuo was stunned for a moment. His eyes widened, he thought he had heard wrong.

“I promise that I won’t target him,” Sui Qingchi came over, “There are no conditions. You can write me songs if you want to. I’ll pay you double if you do. But If you don’t want to, that’s fine too.”

Fu Cuo frowned at the man in front of him, “… Why?”

“In order to…” Sui Qingchi paused. He forced himself to swallow back the rest of his words,”You won’t care even if I say it,” he said. His eyes no longer straying from Fu Cuo’s,”You can go back and think about it.”

Think about it, Fu Cuo.