Ch11 - Scarf

Shu Jin guessed that Sheng Xinghe’s words were just for comfort. At that time, Sheng Xinghe was already more than five years old and had already started to remember things.

Perhaps sensing what he was thinking, Sheng Xinghe continued: “Really.” 

Shu Jin grasped the clothes on Sheng Xinghe’s back, and did not dare to ask Sheng Xinghe if it was painful. He would rather that he really didn’t remember the feeling at the time. His clenched teeth did not loosen and he tremblingly asked: “Then do you remember me?”

They talked about this issue for the first time in several years.

Sheng Xinghe actually did not know if Shu Jin was one of the children playing games in the open space next to the factory.

“I don’t remember.” Sheng Xinghe said, “In fact, I have a very vague impression of that day, how I went to the hospital and how I went home…those memories are very shallow, I can’t even remember the pain at that time.” 

He paused and said it to Shu Jin like this, “You know, the brain actually makes up memories, and the more you think about it, the more real it becomes and the more perfect the details become.”

Shu Jin listened quietly, and his heart was gradually calming down.

Could what Sheng Xinghe said be true?

In fact, he was not sure about his so-called “remembering something from his childhood”, at least he couldn’t remember anything before. Otherwise, how could he stand on moral high ground and really think that his family was doing a great charity by supporting Sheng Xinghe. But this memory suddenly rushed into his mind one day, and it was unclear whether it was because of a trigger or just a psychological suggestion.

He felt something soft and moist touching his forehead.

It took a few seconds for Shu Jin to realize that it was Sheng Xinghe’s lips.

Like a frightened bird, he hid in Sheng Xinghe’s arms, being relieved with a gentle kiss. Even though his trembling did not stop for a long time, the warm embrace gave him the security of having his feet on the ground.

Tonight in his sleep, Shu Jin dreamed of the past for a long time. 

In the evening, he and Sheng Xinghe, both wearing short sleeves and shorts, were walking the dog by the river. Walking to a place where there was no one, Puffs broke free of the leash and started running. They went down to the almost dry riverbed and picked up rocks to hit the water, and also compared whose small rocks could hit the water level rock in the middle of the river first.

Shu Jin squinted one eye laboriously. Because he couldn’t control this advanced skill, his eyelids kept trembling. His stones grazed past the water level stone several times and fell into the water with a poof.

Sheng Xinghe searched for a moment in the riverbed, and soon found a suitable small stone, and hit the water level stone with one try.

Shu Jin was defeated, observing Sheng Xinghe’s actions, he said very dissatisfied: “It’s not fair!” 

Sheng Xinghe turned his head: “What?”

Shu Jin complained: “You were only relying on one eye, you didn’t even need to aim!”

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

Sheng Xinghe is amused: “…you are really shameless.” After speaking, he walked around behind Shu Jin to help him cover his right eye, “Come on, you try it too. If you still can’t hit it, you will be Puffs’ poop shoveling official today.”

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…

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Sheng Xinghe didn’t open his eyes, he probably hasn’t woken up yet. So he recklessly swept his gaze over the other party’s forehead, eyebrows, eyes, nose and lips, lingering back and forth.

Then the phone suddenly rang.

Sheng Xinghe frowned, but didn’t open his eyes. Shu Jin quietly turned around his arms, and touched the phone on the bedside table.

Shu Zhaoyuan sent him a message. 

He almost forgot that Shu Zhaoyuan had come out. He trembled when he saw the first half, but he was relieved when he saw the second half.

Shu Zhaoyuan said in a text message that he had an appointment with a friend today to talk about something very important, so he would not come over for a while.

Shu Jin feels like he is in a crack, he just hopes that time can be longer. He doesn’t want to see Shu Zhaoyuan, especially when Sheng Xinghe is here. The longer the better, he hoped. It doesn’t matter if Shu Zhaoyuan never came again.

After getting up to wash, Sheng Xinghe brushed his teeth in the bathroom. 

Shu Jin walked over slowly, gently hugging Sheng Xinghe’s waist from behind, and then put his face on Sheng Xinghe’s back shoulder without speaking.

Sheng Xinghe let him hold him.

The two conjoined twins finished washing in the bathroom, then Sheng Xinghe turned his head and asked him what he wanted to eat.

Shu Jin let go: “There is a soup dumpling nearby. I’ll take you to eat there.” 

Sheng Xinghe said yes.

Before going out, Shu Jin stopped Sheng Xinghe: “Brother, wait a minute.”

He pulled out a scarf from the closet. It looked new, and not his style. He asked Sheng Xinghe to lower his head: “It’s so cold outside, you can wear a scarf.”

Sheng Xinghe came in a hurry, so he let him put it around himself: “What about you?” 

Shu Jin wore a turtleneck sweater, and he averted his eyes: “I don’t like wearing scarves.”

Sheng Xinghe’s expression seemed to ask why he bought it.

Shu Jin: “I bought it before, I saw it and thought it looked good and just bought it.”

Sheng Xinghe wears this scarf very well. He didn’t ask any more questions, if he asks more questions, maybe Shu Jin’s face will burst red again. 

The two came to the breakfast shop, and Shu Jin ordered. The boss then skillfully told his assistant to pack for Shu Jin: “Put two soup dumplings, and take them out.”

Shu Jin said: “Don’t pack it today, I’m eating here.”

The boss changed the order and looked at Sheng Xinghe more. The businessman was really flexible, he looked up at Shu Jin and smiled: “Yo, it’s been a year, and if I remember correctly, this is your first dine-in!” 

Shu Jin replied: “I’m usually alone, so I don’t want to occupy your place.”

The shop was very lively, and they found a place to sit down.

Sheng Xinghe asked: “Do you usually buy breakfast here every day?”

“It’s not every day. I buy it every few days. Sometimes I buy bread downstairs at the company after sleeping.” Shu Jin took the chopsticks, scalded them in boiling water, and carefully wiped the table with paper towels, “but it’s the first time I’ve eaten here since I moved here.” 

Sheng Xinghe said, “It’s different from what I thought.”

“What’s different?”

“Be careful with the heat.” Sheng Xinghe reminded.

The shop assistant quickly brought two hot soup dumplings and seaweed soup. 

Shu Jin didn’t eat outside food before, and didn’t like visiting such small street shops. But this slightly greasy tabletop, disposable chopsticks, and clean and delicious food, coupled with the noisy diners around, Shu Jin is very well integrated, as if he grew up in this city.

Shu Jin didn’t know what he suddenly thought of, and was a little embarrassed: “I’ll take you to eat delicious food at noon.”

Sheng Xinghe didn’t mean that, but he didn’t explain: “Okay.”

The shop assistant was very busy and fidgety, so the vinegar dish was placed on the edge of the table, just to the right of Sheng Xinghe. 

Shu Jin calmly pushed it for him, pretending that nothing happened, and moving his eyelashes down. Then when Sheng Xinghe took the first bite, he raised his head nervously and asked how it tasted.

Sheng Xinghe was slightly surprised and said: “It’s delicious.”

Shu Jin’s eyes lit up: “When I first came here I already knew you would like it.”

As the two of them ate, Shu Jin said regretfully: “But they will definitely not open during the Chinese New Year. You see the notice on the wall, tomorrow will be a vacation.” 

Sheng Xinghe said: “Well, we can do something else.”

Shu Jin agreed.

Having said that, after breakfast, Shu Jin proposed to go to the supermarket to buy some stocks.

The huge shopping mall was crowded with people buying New Year goods. Shu Jin saw everything he wanted to buy. For each one he wondered whether Sheng Xinghe liked it or not, and whether Sheng Xinghe’s appetite had changed in the past few years. 

After passing an area, he suddenly looked over there: “Brother, you wait for me here.”

Sheng Xinghe said yes.

Shu Jin hesitated: “Don’t you go anywhere oh.”

With people coming and going, Sheng Xinghe changed to one hand when pushing the cart, then took out his mobile phone from his pocket and pressed it. 

Shu Jin’s phone vibrated, and he was surprised when he took it out. The screen showed an unfamiliar number…it was from Sheng Xinghe.

Sheng Xinghe was very calm and rubbed his head with his hands: “If you can’t see me, just call.”

Shu Jin squeezed his phone, and his heart felt hot, then he walked away without daring to look back.

After walking for a long time, his palms were still hot, and he saved Sheng Xinghe’s name in his phone again. In this way, it seems that there is a real intersection between them again. 

He is no longer someone who is empty and can only be connected through fantasy.

Instead, he is someone whose voice can be heard immediately with a phone call.