AFMWDX Chapter 23

TL: Hua

Yu Qingtang recalled a radio drama he once voiced. An Alpha in a susceptible period, whose emotions and behavior were different from usual, would particularly crave an Omega’s pheromones. And the location of the pheromones was the scent gland on the back of the neck.

The force of the tongue’s movement was strong, as if it was trying to pierce through the skin and drill into his flesh and blood.

A marked Omega would be stimulated into estrus, their body becoming soft, hot, and burning. Yu Qingtang was in a similar state now.

A call could still be heard not far away.

“Xiao Tang, where are you?”

“Bring me the scissors.”

The restraints loosened, and a cool cotton swab brushed against the back of his neck. Xu Baizhang gently lifted his collar. “Go get the scissors for Mom. I’ll take care of this.”

The balcony was always more airy than the kitchen. Yu Qingtang steadied his thoughts and handed the scissors over. His mom looked up at him and asked, “What’s wrong with your face? It’s all flushed.”

Yu Qingtang rubbed his cheek with the back of his hand twice. “The kitchen is a bit hot.”

Mother Yu frowned, noticing his finger. “What happened here again?”

Yu Qingtang curled his fingertip. “I cut my hand while grating potatoes; it’s nothing. Baizhang helped me take care of it.”

“Thank goodness you found Xiao Xu.” Mother Yu continued wiping the flowerpot, smiling. “Look how well he is taking care of you. Your complexion is clearly ruddier than before.”

Yu Qingtang couldn’t find a reason to refute her, though the two things were clearly unrelated.

After lunch, Xu Baizhang drove their parents home and gave Yu Qingtang a lift to the TV station along the way.

As soon as he walked into the building, he heard Liu Siyan’s scream. As a program director who had been employed for many years, her behavior during work hours was inappropriate for her position.

But Yu Qingtang understood and even felt it was deserved.

For four whole years, day after day, year after year, the feeling was unbelievably magical. All those sleepless nights, the doubts endured, and every rejection and setback were all waiting for this moment to arrive.

Yu Qingtang wanted to scream and shout with her, but he just returned Liu Siyan’s hug, listening to her wail in his ear, “Qingtang, we did it! We really did it!”

“It was worth all the nights this old lady pulled and all the effort I wasted talking!”

Yu Qingtang patted her back and accepted the program approval document. “Siyan, you’re truly amazing.”

“No, we are amazing!” Liu Siyan jumped with excitement. “All three of us!”

“Yes, all amazing, the three of us.”

If it hadn’t been for Liu Siyan’s stubborn insistence, according to Yu Qingtang’s original thoughts, he might not have been able to stick with it at all.

The entire plan and proposal, inside and out, reeked of fantasy. But perhaps what one needs most in life is that persistent, foolish commitment to a dream.

Back in the office, the two sat across from each other, reading through the column establishment consent form, their faces tense.

The TV station had tentatively approved the application for the column “Legal Life,” but it would be subject to open competition across the entire station. Furthermore, there would be a one-month trial broadcast period; if the ratings did not meet the predetermined standard, the program would be canceled.

Yu Qingtang flipped to the final announcement in the document.

Broadcast Cycle: Weekly broadcast.

Broadcast Format: Recorded broadcast.

All eligible directors were welcome to sign up. Once approved, they could recruit a team, and the director group would select their own topics. Only qualified programs would have the chance to be test-broadcast.

At the same time, the ratings had to be higher than the average ratings of programs broadcast at the same time slot on the same station, and they had to be the highest among all groups to save the program.

The station’s decision to adopt such a competitive measure seemed cruel but was also reasonable. In the highly valuable environment of the main station, no column was qualified to get by through mediocrity.

Liu Siyan twirled her hair, her hint obvious. “I am Direct Liu now. I have both the program proposal and a team, but I’m just missing a host. Who do you think I should invite, with so many elites at our station?”

Yu Qingtang closed the document. “Director Liu, what do you think of me?”

“Anchor Yu, you should think carefully. Once you get on this boat of mine, there’s no getting off.”

Yu Qingtang extended his hand. “I couldn’t ask for anything more.”

Liu Siyan shook his hand. “It’s a deal!”

After joking around, the two got back to business.

Liu Siyan took out the topic proposal for the first trial broadcast.

In recent years, juvenile delinquency has occurred frequently and is increasingly trending towards younger individuals, becoming a social problem in need of a solution.

The focus on juvenile delinquency should not be limited to the minors themselves but should deeply analyze aspects such as family and school. Liu Siyan wanted to provoke thought and gain attention from various aspects of society to place greater importance on education for minors outside of textbooks.

Liu Siyan had found four typical cases, three of which were already being followed up. She handed over the fourth piece of information. “Only this one is very difficult to handle.”

Yu Qingtang extracted the keywords on it.

Xu Hao, sixteen years old, committed burglary.

Yu Qingtang’s heart tightened. “I remember, the case he’s involved in isn’t just this one.”

There was also illegal gambling.

Liu Siyan shrugged. “I knew you had looked into it.”

Yu Qingtang gave a wry smile. How could he not have looked into it?

“As you know, that case is currently not being tried in open court. Also, I heard that Xu Hao is very uncooperative, and the police investigation is moving very slowly.”

Yu Qingtang took the file. “Leave it to me. I’ll go and try.”

“Oh, and one more thing.” Liu Siyan slid a photo out on her phone and handed it over. “Do you know this person?”

The person in the photo was an adult male, between twenty and thirty years old, with narrow monolid eyes, wearing over-ear headphones. There’s nothing particularly special about him.

“His name is Zhang Jiaming, and he might be related to the illegal gambling den.”

Yu Qingtang shook his head, confirming he had no connection with this person.

“He’s a game streamer involved in the ACG subculture community and also streams on D Station.” Liu Siyan thought for half a second. “His online alias is Sani.”

That night, Yu Qingtang closeted himself in the study at home, the desk covered with files and proposals.

This boy named Xu Hao lived in Yulong Village near Yangcheng. His parents died early, and he only had an elderly grandmother at home.

Yu Qingtang tried calling the village committee, but as soon as the other party heard his identity, they hung up without hesitation.

Yu Qingtang was not surprised by this feedback. He had investigated in advance; the people of Yulong Village were very united and exclusive, with a strong sense of collective honor and shame within the village.

Xu Hao had done something disgraceful, bringing shame to the whole village. They were unwilling to talk about it and refused interviews.

Liu Siyan and her colleagues went there twice, and reporters from other channels also tried to interview them, but they were all turned away at the entrance and couldn’t even get into the village.

A knock interrupted Yu Qingtang’s train of thought. Xu Baizhang stood at the door. “Not sleeping yet?”

“Work’s not done.” Yu Qingtang leaned back in his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Xu Baizhang walked in and placed the warmed milk on the desk. “Encountering troubles?”

“I wanted to consult with Doctor Xu. Is there any way for the villagers to accept me as quickly as possible?”

Xu Baizhang: “What do you mean?”

Yu Qingtang handed him the proposal files. “A new column. Siyan and I want to interview a grandmother, but before we even saw the grandmother, the village chief gave us a cold shoulder.”

“Xu Cuiling?” Xu Baizhang raised an eyebrow.

Yu Qingtang looked at the grandmother’s file. “Mm, yes.”

“You certainly know how to find trouble for yourself.” Xu Baizhang casually flipped through a few pages of the proposal draft. “She’s the most stubborn old lady in Yulong Village.”

“I don’t have a choice. Even if she’s stubborn, I still have to…” Yu Qingtang stopped, pondering the meaning of Xu Baizhang’s words.

He recalled a few keywords again.

Xu Baizhang, Xu Hao, Xu Cuiling.

Before he could ask, Xu Baizhang put away the files. “The kid, Xiao Hao, isn’t bad at heart. His stealing and gambling must have hidden reasons.”

The file didn’t contain such detailed information, and Yu Qingtang’s heart pounded.

Xu Baizhang: “The grandmother lives right behind my house.”

Yu Qingtang felt relieved, his eyes lighting up. “So…”

Xu Baizhang finished his thought for him: “Need help?”

Yu Qingtang: “Very much so.”

On the weekend, after lunch, Yu Qingtang drove to Yulong Village, accompanied by Xu Baizhang.

With Xu Baizhang’s connection, entering the village was easy. However, for the first meeting, Yu Qingtang was introduced as Xu Baizhang’s partner.

Xu Baizhang drove, looking at the large and small bags in the back through the rearview mirror. “You brought too many things.”

“It’s the first time visiting relatives. If I bring too little, people might gossip. If the villagers think I’m inconsiderate, wouldn’t that embarrass my husband?”

Xu Baizhang: “They won’t. They’ll be very happy just to see you.”

“That makes me more nervous. I have a filter and packaging on TV.”

“The real you, without the filter, is even better than on TV.”

Yu Qingtang laughed: “Your rhetoric makes me suspect it’s commercial flattery.”

“I’m stating a fact.”

After about three hours, the car stopped in front of a large field of wheat. Yu Qingtang finally understood what Xu Baizhang meant by bringing too many things.

In this most primitive village, there were no paved roads. Instead there was a dirt road that stretched between the narrow, long wheat fields.

Yu Qingtang remembered the file mentioning that Yulong Village’s economic conditions were quite good, so it shouldn’t be like this.

Xu Baizhang guessed his thoughts. “Young people work in the city. Other than children and the elderly, those who choose to stay here grew up in the village and prefer this natural state.”

But the road was rugged and narrow, and the car couldn’t enter, so they had to walk.

Yu Qingtang: “How long until we reach the village entrance?”

Xu Baizhang: “Half an hour.”

Yu Qingtang was thinking about the full load of gifts.

Xu Baizhang: “If you want to take them, take them. We’ll meet villagers along the way who will help.”

The village was built against the mountains. In late autumn, with winding field paths and ponds on both sides, the wheat grew to waist height. The two walked in, one behind the other.

Yu Qingtang grew up in the city, and this was his first genuine trip to the countryside.

The fresh air, the chirping of birds, and the fragrance of flowers instantly relaxed his mind, passing by wheat fields and eaves, nestled by the mountains and water, with smoke curling from chimneys.

Walking through the man-high corn stalks, by the clear river, three or five children were catching shrimp barefoot. They looked up to see Xu Baizhang carrying large and small bags.

The little boy’s eyes widened. “Wow! Second Uncle is back!”

Hearing the sound, all the children came running over as if school was out. “Second Uncle, you’re finally back!”

The children cheered and shouted excitedly by the river.

“Second Uncle is back!”

“Second Uncle is finally back!”

Xu Baizhang greeted them with a smile, “Come and get your things.”

Seven or eight children swarmed around, like little sparrows learning to fly, shoving and scrambling to get closer.

“Uncle, what are all these things?”

“Why is there so much this time?”

Xu Baizhang gently guided Yu Qingtang, who was behind him, forward. “Someone brought you presents.”

The half-grown children peered out. “Uncle, who is this person?”

“Looks familiar.”

“I’ve seen him on TV!”

Yu Qingtang waved his hand. “Hello everyone, I am…”

The little sparrows, eager and impatient, jumped in to finish his sentence, “Auntie! You’re the auntie!”

“It’s Second Uncle’s wife.”

“Second Aunt is here too!”

“Second Uncle got married!”

“My mom said Second Uncle married a male wife, but he wouldn’t let us see.”

“Don’t talk nonsense; you’re being disrespectful.” Xu Baizhang scolded. “Call him Uncle Yu.”

Unable to withstand the warning, the little sparrows instantly quieted down, stood in a row, bowed their heads, put their hands behind their backs, and obediently chanted, “Uncle Yu.”

Yu Qingtang patted their heads, rummaged through his bag, and handed the children fondant candies to eat.

Xu Baizhang directed them to carry the things to the village committee office, not to run around, and not to open the packages privately in between.

The children, sucking on their candies, nodded obediently, hugged the large and small bags, and ran off quickly.

Yu Qingtang gently complained, “You scared the children, you’re so fierce.”

“I was afraid of upsetting you.”

“I’m not that petty,” Yu Qingtang said. “They can call me whatever they want. I don’t mind.”

Yu Qingtang looked far off at the children carrying the bags and running barefoot towards the village entrance. “Will they get hurt?”

“No, they’ve been like this since they were little.”

Yu Qingtang was surprised. “Barefoot since childhood?”

“Yes, the children in the village aren’t as delicate as those in the city. They all grew up playing like this.”

The two continued towards the village entrance, encountering some villagers along the way. Upon seeing Xu Baizhang, they would stop their farm work and greet him warmly. Their eyes kept turning back and forth to Yu Qingtang, and their smiles wouldn’t fade.

Ahead, they came to a muddy path. Yu Qingtang stopped, looked at his brand-new sneakers, and sighed, thinking it looked like trouble.

Xu Baizhang took off his shoes and socks and rolled his long pants up to his calves.

Yu Qingtang started to follow suit, but just as he bent down, Xu Baizhang stopped him. “It’s cold; you don’t need to take them off.”

But Yu Qingtang didn’t want to dirty his shoes either.

Xu Baizhang moved his backpack to his front, bent his back slightly, and beckoned him on. “I’ll carry you.”

The two were wearing the same style of sportswear, which they had bought last week while shopping. Yu Qingtang’s chest rested on Xu Baizhang’s back. This was the first time anyone had carried him since he could remember. Even when he had a high fever as a child, he insisted on walking to the hospital independently.

Back then, he was very competitive, always striving to be first in everything. In Yu Qingtang’s mind, being carried on someone’s back was also a form of submission.

After getting married, he seemed to have been completely spoiled.

Xu Baizhang had a very resilient physique; his back muscles were firm, and resting his chest against him was not uncomfortable.

Yu Qingtang’s left arm hung down naturally, and his right arm was wrapped around Xu Baizhang’s neck, resting on his left shoulder.

The yellow earth under their feet was muddy. Every time Xu Baizhang lifted and lowered his feet, his body swayed slightly, and Yu Qingtang swayed with him.

He casually wiped the sweat from Xu Baizhang’s temple. “Are you tired?”

“Not tired.” Xu Baizhang’s steps were steady. “The most I ever carried in one day was over a hundred tons of cement.”

Yu Qingtang quickly calculated. That’s over two thousand bags. “Why did you carry that?”

Xu Baizhang: “To earn money, I wanted to earn a bit more.”

Yu Qingtang: “When was this?”

“After the college entrance examination. I wanted to earn money for school.”

Back then, when the villagers found out he was the top scorer in the county, the whole village pooled money for his tuition. But Yulong Village was too poor at that time, and six thousand yuan¹ was an astronomical figure to them.

Xu Baizhang said, “I used to be introverted and didn’t like to talk. The foreman saw I was clueless and took advantage of me.”

Others could earn three hundred yuan for carrying two thousand bags, but he carried over two thousand bags and only received one hundred and fifty.

To raise enough tuition, during that summer with an average temperature exceeding 35 degree celcius, Xu Baizhang did twice as much work as others.

Yu Qingtang tightened his arm. “Which construction site is he at now? Give me his information; I’m going to expose him.”

Xu Baizhang patted his forearm. “Calm down. He was caught a long time ago. It was reported by your provincial TV station.”

Yu Qingtang’s hand relaxed. “We in the news media will expose every person like that if we find one.”

“Yes, thanks to people like you.”

Yu Qingtang’s grip tightened again, and he felt a sharp stab in his heart. “Baizhang, I know so little about you.”

“You have plenty of time to learn.”

“But you weren’t willing to tell me, including your hometown and your childhood. If we hadn’t come here today, I might never have known.”

Xu Baizhang: “I was afraid you wouldn’t like it.”

Yu Qingtang: “You are so good, and your hometown is so good. What is there not to like?”

Xu Baizhang tightened his hold on Yu Qingtang’s legs; his palm was warm. “I know. I’ll bring you here often in the future.”

“Mm-hmm.” Yu Qingtang pressed his face down, his nose and lips lightly brushing the back of Xu Baizhang’s neck.

Xu Baizhang’s body trembled slightly, and his pulse contracted irregularly. “Qingtang, are you taking revenge on me?”

“This level of retaliation is hardly revenge.”

But for Xu Baizhang, it was already enough to make his steps unsteady and his heart race.

Yu Qingtang’s “torment” did not end.

He pulled back the collar, pressed down again, and breathed onto Xu Baizhang’s earlobe. “At least this counts as revenge…”

It was a familiar scene, but the roles were reversed. Yu Qingtang used an equal amount of force, licking the back of Xu Baizhang’s neck.

Revenge was easy, but the outcome backfired.

The two tumbled one on top of the other into the wheat field, like two disheveled children. Fortunately, Xu Baizhang consciously shifted his body; otherwise, they would have become muddy children.

The wheat field provided a cushion, and neither was injured. Yu Qingtang was lying on his back the whole time, and his clothes didn’t get much dirt on them.

Yu Qingtang plucked a wheat spike from the top of Xu Baizhang’s head and couldn’t help but laugh at him. “Your reaction is too big.”

Xu Baizhang’s face was flushed like boiling water, and he sounded wronged. “Have mercy on me.”

Yu Qingtang said, “Temporary mercy.”

Xu Baizhang carried him back onto his back and continued walking. As they neared the village entrance, they heard the children shouting from far away again.

“Carrying his wife! Carrying his wife!”

“Second Uncle is carrying his wife home!”

“Come and see, come and look!”

“Second Uncle has his wife on his back!”

Yu Qingtang looked out from Xu Baizhang’s back. “What loud voices; they startled me.”

Xu Baizhang said, “Don’t mind it. It’s a village custom; they mean well.”

In Yulong Village, there was a custom at weddings: the groom had to carry his beloved, barefoot, from the village entrance to the village committee office, symbolizing “a couple walking the same path for life.”

To express their blessing, the villagers passing by would shout loudly. The louder the sound, the stronger the blessing, and the more harmonious and happy the couple’s relationship would be.

Yu Qingtang hugged his neck tighter, listening to his heartbeat through his back. “I will thank them for their blessings.”

I am very happy.

After crossing the muddy path, Xu Baizhang put him down and went to the riverside to rinse his feet.

After another five minutes of walking, they finally reached the village entrance.

The village is a typical manifestation of human communal living; when someone successful emerges from the village, it brings honor to everyone.

Yu Qingtang was surrounded by uncles and aunties, and children running and jumping like little dynamos. Even the Lunar New Year wasn’t this lively.

Xu Baizhang introduced his relatives one by one.

Third Aunt, Second Uncle, Fourth Mother, Great Uncle, Seventh Aunt, Fifth Brother, Sixth Sister-in-law, and various younger generations followed one after another.

Over ninety percent of the people in the village shared the surname Xu, and everyone was related to some degree.

For the first time, Yu Qingtang felt his memory was serving a more practical use than memorizing news scripts.

Everyone watches the evening news, so the villagers were very familiar with Yu Qingtang. Naturally, they loved him for being Xu Baizhang’s partner, especially since he was gentle and easy to get along with.

Third Aunt had a morning glory tucked into her hair; her eyes were watery. She held Yu Qingtang’s hand, reluctant to let go. “Baizhang came back a while ago and said he was getting married to a person working at the TV station. I told him to bring you back for us to meet, but he kept saying he was busy, and then there was no news.”

“His fourth aunt, fifth aunt, and I were so anxious, we were glued to the TV all day. Of all the ones we watched, you were the only one we liked the most.” Third Aunt patted Yu Qingtang’s hand. “I was thinking back then how wonderful it would be if Baizhang married you. Now look at this, I actually guessed it right.” Same-sex marriage had been legal for over ten years, and the villagers’ acceptance was surprisingly high.

Yu Qingtang smiled and said, “I was a bit busy right after the marriage, but Baizhang and I will come here often from now on.”

“I understand; the folks here all understand. Your jobs are hard. Focus on your work first; we are fine.”

The villagers chimed in, nodding in agreement. Yu Qingtang took a break and leaned close to Xu Baizhang’s ear. “This is your so-called ‘not many relatives at home’?”

Xu Baizhang laughed helplessly. “My mistake.”

He hadn’t brought Yu Qingtang here before because he was afraid he wouldn’t adapt to village life or wouldn’t like the overly enthusiastic villagers.

Yu Qingtang understood his thoughts. “Let me reiterate, I especially like it here, and I like these relatives. But I’m still a little annoyed that you thought of me as being so petty.”

Xu Baizhang: “You already ‘retaliated’ just now. Can you forgive me for this once?”

His tongue was like a slide, circling his lips, and he could still recall the texture of the back of Xu Baizhang’s neck: smooth, firm, and smelling of herbs.

Yu Qingtang said, “Don’t let it happen again.”

After the introductions, Yu Qingtang distributed gifts to everyone. Yulong Village was small, with only about a hundred people.

The items were specially purchased the day before they left. The gifts for the children were stationery and small toys. Gifts for the adults were hard to buy, and Yu Qingtang spent a long time choosing.

Yulong Village was famous for producing a certain medicinal herb that only grew in this region of the country. Relying on planting this herb, the villagers had achieved moderate prosperity, and new houses were built in every household.

Yu Qingtang suspected that this was largely related to Xu Baizhang.

After the gifts were distributed, Yu Qingtang followed Xu Baizhang back to the old house.

Xu Baizhang’s parents had passed away years ago, and his grandparents were also long gone. The old house had been basically vacant since he went to college. Yu Qingtang had been imagining a brick-and-tile house from the 1990s.

When he stood at the doorway and looked up at the brand-new, three-story Western-style building, he was stunned.

Xu Baizhang said, “There’s a tradition in the village that even if no one lives in it, the house must be grand.”

The house was built by Xu Baizhang using the prize money he had saved from his thesis when he graduated with his master’s degree.

“This is really great.” Yu Qingtang took a deep breath of fresh air. They now had a place for retirement.

The brown wooden door was pushed open. The room inside was clean and bright, not looking like a place that had been vacant for a long time.

Xu Baizhang put away the luggage and led him upstairs. “Third Aunt has the key. When I’m not here, she comes over to clean.”

Yu Qingtang grabbed the spotless stair railing. “Third Aunt is quite diligent.”

Xu Baizhang: “Not only diligent, but also warm-hearted.”

Yu Qingtang looked around. Compared to the astonishing housing prices in the city, the spaciousness and openness of the old home were truly comfortable.

Xu Baizhang poured him some water. “Third Aunt is also a wonderful cook. Would you like to go and try her food?”

“That sounds great. You’ve made me hungry.”

At Third Aunt’s house, besides Third Uncle, Fourth Uncle, and Grandma, the two children from Second Uncle’s family next door were also there for dinner.

As the sky gradually darkened, the courtyard was bustling with activity. When the food was served, Third Uncle brought out some aged homemade liquor and poured full cups for the two of them.

While Third Uncle went to look for more liquor, Xu Baizhang quickly asked him, “The homemade liquor is quite strong. Will you be fine?”

Yu Qingtang brought the small wine cup closer. “Don’t underestimate me.”

Xu Baizhang: “Take it easy; don’t force yourself.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.” Yu Qingtang downed the small cup in one go. His tongue burned, and it stung his throat—it was even stronger than he had expected.

Yu Qingtang didn’t dare to drink any more. He turned to see Xu Baizhang down almost half a glass. His Adam’s apple moved, and his earlobes were flushed red from the strong liquor, but his expression was calm.

“You can actually drink?” Yu Qingtang was quite surprised.

Xu Baizhang was usually focused on health and living a detached life, like a monk.

Xu Baizhang poured himself a refill. “Children raised in Yulong Village don’t have low alcohol tolerance.”

Children here could drink two liang² of liquor with the elders by the time they were seven or eight. Strong liquor over 50 proof was like child’s play to them.

“Have you ever been drunk?” Yu Qingtang cautiously took another sip. His throat burned; it was too rich and too spicy.

Xu Baizhang swapped Yu Qingtang’s wine cup for yogurt. “Rarely.”

Yu Qingtang took a sip; the burning sting slowly subsided. “What are you like when you’re drunk?”

“You wouldn’t want to know.”

Yu Qingtang licked the corner of his mouth. “The more you say that, the more I want to know.”

Xu Baizhang held his gaze for three seconds, moved his gaze away from Yu Qingtang’s tongue, and then finished the entire cup of liquor.

“Hey, hey, Old Two, what’s going on? Why didn’t you wait for me? You’ve drunk so much already?” Third Uncle returned with a new bottle of liquor.

Xu Baizhang filled Third Uncle’s cup. “The liquor Third Aunt brewed is too delicious. I couldn’t resist.”

Third Uncle glanced at the other side. “Qingtang, why are you drinking a beverage?”

Xu Baizhang raised his glass. “Third Uncle, I’ll drink with you. He can’t handle too much.”

Everyone took their seats, and the dinner table was full of warmth and laughter.

After a jin (about 500ml) of white liquor was consumed, Third Aunt couldn’t watch any longer. “That’s enough, no more drinking.”

Third Uncle wiped his mouth. “We’re just getting started! We can drink at least three jin between us.”

“When you get drunk, you sleep like a log, and you can’t be woken up even if I kick you. These two just got married; they can’t be like you.” Third Aunt collected the unopened liquor bottle. “If you get the child drunk, aren’t you going to ruin things for them?”

For about two seconds, Yu Qingtang wished he couldn’t understand.

As for Xu Baizhang, he lowered his head to pick up food, acting as if he wasn’t a party involved in the conversation.

Third Uncle nodded and said, “That’s true.” The strong liquor was replaced with tea, paired with peanuts, but their excitement did not diminish.

Dinner lasted until nine o’clock. After cleaning up, the two walked side-by-side toward their house. Third Uncle’s house was right next door, less than twenty meters away.

He hadn’t noticed outside, but with the lights on inside the house, Yu Qingtang could clearly see that the alcohol had really gone to Xu Baizhang’s head; his face and neck were flushed red.

Yu Qingtang poured him a glass of water. “Are you drunk?”

Xu Baizhang drank half a glass, then held the glass in his hand. “What do you think?”

Yu Qingtang snatched the remaining water, drank it all, and then said, “Not in the slightest.”

“I’m going to take a shower first.” Yu Qingtang left, carrying his pajamas.

There was only one bathroom. Xu Baizhang went in after Yu Qingtang finished. After his shower, Yu Qingtang sat on the edge of the bed drying his hair, while the sound of water rushed from next door. It started with a loud gush, then slowed, then rushed again, and finally slowed to a trickle. There was no real pattern, yet he could feel the surge of dampness emanating from behind the wall.

He had carried, hugged, and held hands with Xu Baizhang. Now, simply listening to the sound of the water, he felt he could sense the texture and contours of his skin.

Yu Qingtang rubbed his brow. All told, he had only drunk a tiny cup and one sip of liquor. But, thanks to the sound of the water, he realized how poor his tolerance was and how annoyed he felt right now.

The kind of annoyance that leaves one distracted and agitated.

A knock came from downstairs. It was Third Aunt’s voice. “Baizhang, Qingtang, are you asleep?”

Yu Qingtang opened the door. “Not yet, Third Aunt. Is something wrong?”

Third Aunt stretched her neck and peered inside with sharp, inquisitive eyes. “Where’s Baizhang?”

“He’s taking a shower.”

“Oh, perfect, just in time.” Third Aunt handed him a box wrapped in a black plastic bag. Peeling back three layers of newspaper, Third Aunt pressed the box into his hands. “It’s my fault. I forgot to give it to you when you left.”

Looking at the pile in his arms, Yu Qingtang’s back of the head felt numb and throbbing, as if a woodpecker were pecking at it.

With his mind hammered blank, Yu Qingtang said something outrageous. “You keep them for your own use.”

“What are you talking about? How old are your third uncle and I?” Third Aunt shoved the box harder into his arms. “They’re provided free by the village’s family planning office. They were promoting birth control a few years back. Everyone who’s an adult, married or not, got them. Even Great Grandma has three boxes tucked under her pillow.”

Great Grandma was the oldest person in the village, at one hundred and eight years old.

Yu Qingtang: “…”

The rectification went too far.

“It’s good stuff. It’d be a waste not to use them.” Third Aunt pressed down on his hand holding the box. “Don’t be polite with your auntie. Use them with confidence. I have more, and I’ll get you more if you run out.”

“Young people have boundless energy. It doesn’t hurt to use them often.”

Yu Qingtang sat back down on the bed, accompanied by the large stack of condoms on the bedside table.

He suspected he was quite idle, idle enough to count the quantity.

There were eleven boxes in total, with ten pieces per box.

They were only staying here for one night. Not even the production team’s donkey was this “diligent.”

The sound of water from next door hadn’t stopped.

Besides, they hadn’t even started anything yet.

Yu Qingtang’s head felt dizzy and hot. He pulled one out, tore open the packaging, and stretched it into a long strip.

Being free products, they lacked fancy packaging or special scents—just the most basic latex smell, transparent appearance, and very oily texture.

It was not the oil that fuels a fire, but the oil that has spilled the entire pot, mixing with the strong liquor in his abdomen, and with a match thrown in, the world would explode.

Yu Qingtang wiped his hands and tossed the unwrapped condom and the crumpled tissue into the trash bin.

He flipped onto the bed. Just as he was shaking out a corner of the quilt, Xu Baizhang appeared in the doorway.

His damp hair was slicked back, and his forehead was bright and full, showing a red flush from drinking.

He was only wearing a short-sleeve T-shirt on his upper body. The veins and definition of his forearms were prominent, like a perfect sculpture.

Wiping the water droplets from his hair tips, Xu Baizhang tilted his head and said calmly, “Third Aunt only prepared one quilt.”

Yu Qingtang gripped the corner of the quilt. His gaze slid from the man’s waist and abdomen up to his chest and shoulders and finally to his nose, taking in the view before he leisurely replied, “Then how about we… sleep together?”