YV | Chapter 4

Another year passed, and spring in Jiangnan arrived late, Sheng Xiaoyang endured the cold for a long time.

Because he could not afford cold-weather cotton clothes, Sheng Xiaoyang did not like winter. There was another reason too, here it always rained in winter, Zhang Xu liked to curl up in the pile of wood and not go out, like a new branch in late spring, slow to come, so shut-in.

Sheng Xiaoyang secretly, could only look at him a few times.

“After a while, when the plum rain season comes, it’ll be useless even if you worship those pieces of wood like treasures, they’ll definitely mold!”

Sheng Xiaoyang brought back a few more pieces of wood, and his scavenging partner complained.

The partner had double eyelids and especially big eyes. When they first met, Sheng Xiaoyang asked her what her name was, and she said people called her Big Eyes.

Big Eyes spoke in bursts. You went again, why do you always go, he doesn’t even know who you are, be careful he catches you as a thief!

The last sentence was Big Eyes pinching Sheng Xiaoyang’s face and saying it into his eyes.

Sheng Xiaoyang thought, I’ve been a thief in front of him before, I’m very skilled at it.

I didn’t steal it, he threw it away, I picked it up!

He pushed Big Eyes away and gestured with his hands.

Men and women should not touch hands inappropriately.

This was a sentence Sheng Xiaoyang learned after meeting Big Eyes, and came to use proficiently.

Big Eyes did not look like a girl, at least not in appearance. Flat haircut, wrapped chest, like a stunted boy, she ate with oil all over her mouth and wiped it on her ragged sleeves, done. Apart from Sheng Xiaoyang, she disliked everyone she saw.

Sheng Xiaoyang treated her like a boy for two months, and everywhere near Jiangping Road that had lots of trash, Big Eyes told Sheng Xiaoyang about it.

Later, one time, Big Eyes snatched a pile of empty bottles from another group of scavengers, those people were furious, surrounded Big Eyes and beat her, tore at her clothes, and Sheng Xiaoyang only then learned her gender.

Sheng Xiaoyang helped her.

He was good at fighting, especially ruthless, ten fights, nine wins. Big Eyes insisted on joining in, her clothes leaking wind and showing flesh too.

Big Eyes did not think of herself as a woman, but she was a girl.

He should not look at what is not proper.

Sheng Xiaoyang could only close his eyes.

Don’t look, can’t look!

Deaf and mute, and blind too, almost got beaten to death.

In the end Sheng Xiaoyang told Big Eyes, I’ll fight, you stand beside me and shout encouragement, okay?

This was still translated by Big Eyes herself, after she flipped through a sign language textbook.

“Okay!” she said.

Most of the time Big Eyes was a bit of a fool, but girls have delicate minds, she was the first one, and so far the only one, to know that Sheng Xiaoyang liked Zhang Xu.

So, this was actually a secret.

After the rain, the sky cleared, and the green of spring in Jiangnan was a luxury where tender life showed through in thick ink, all things flourishing.

Sheng Xiaoyang lived in the basement of a nail household complex, the half-demolished outer wall of the building had the huge character “demolish” painted on it, revealing desolation. There were no people here, only little cats and little dogs. Sheng Xiaoyang liked it very much, because when he looked up he could see birds in the sky. He hoped he could live here longer, so he went in and out carefully. If he was not discovered, he would not be driven away.

Big Eyes pointed at the apple on the table and asked Sheng Xiaoyang, do you want some, it’s been sitting there five days, it’s going to have bug babies!

Sheng Xiaoyang said:
-Don’t eat it, it can still stay there,

“Good heavens,” Big Eyes said in disbelief, “you’re hopeless.”

Sheng Xiaoyang observed Zhang Xu, and Big Eyes said this was peeping.

Fine, Sheng Xiaoyang secretly peeped at Zhang Xu, and memorized his habits. Zhang Xu went to the fruit shop once a week and weighed a jin and a half of apples home. He ate one every afternoon, very healthy.

The fruit shop owner was kind, Sheng Xiaoyang went there and was not chased away.

Apples were not expensive, but Sheng Xiaoyang could not afford them, he picked two, took out wrinkled paper bills, one yuan denominations, five in total.

The owner could not bear to take them, and said no need, the apples were on the house.

Sheng Xiaoyang did not hear, and did not see, thinking the owner had accepted his price.

He thanked her and bowed, very polite.

The owner: “……”

Two apples, one for Big Eyes, the other Sheng Xiaoyang kept for himself. He could not bear to eat it, so he put it by the bed, and every night he smelled the sweet apple fragrance, and had good dreams.

In the dream there was Zhang Xu, Sheng Xiaoyang still only looked, did not approach, he had no extra thoughts.

Two more days passed, and the apple really went bad, Sheng Xiaoyang could only eat it.

Just as he imagined, sweet-tasting.

He thought, the fruit shop Zhang Xu personally selected was indeed very good, the owner was good, the owner’s fruit was good too, next time after saving up enough money, he would go again.

Big Eyes was afraid Sheng Xiaoyang would have diarrhea, and said they wouldn’t go pick up bottles today, rest instead. In truth, Big Eyes wanted to slack off.

Sheng Xiaoyang was full of energy, it was fine, he could start work again tomorrow.

“Xijiao on Jiangping Road added a new trash can, there are lots of empty bottles to pick up,” Big Eyes said, “Let’s go early, occupy a spot, don’t let others take it away.”

Sheng Xiaoyang asked, are there security guards?

“There should be, there are security guards in every corner of the scenic area, but it’s fine. We respawn randomly, they can’t catch us.”

Sheng Xiaoyang nodded and rolled up the sack.

-Let’s go.

They still went late, the scenic area only had one main street, scavengers had to compete internally, the early bird chirped and ate the worm, and in their spare time still had to provoke the failed latecomers.

“These bastards, the time before last they beat me, last time they deliberately called the patrol over to chase me off, what the hell are they so smug about! Sooner or later I’ll make them look good!” Big Eyes cursed.

The lower end also had a food chain, and the bastards knew Big Eyes was a girl, only bullying her. Whenever Sheng Xiaoyang was there, they did not dare fart.

Sheng Xiaoyang worried about dinner, if today’s harvest was poor, he would not even be able to buy a bun, he would go hungry.

Sheng Xiaoyang did not join Big Eyes in righteous indignation, he gestured, go pick up somewhere else.

So diligent.

The trash from other places had all been taken away by the scenic area’s regular sanitation workers.

The security here was cats, Sheng Xiaoyang and Big Eyes were mice, chasing all over, running everywhere.

“So tired.” Big Eyes leaned against the stone railing by the river and panted.

Sheng Xiaoyang was thirsty, he wet his lips, trying to secrete saliva.

A black-canopied boat passed by, splitting open the rippling river surface, Sheng Xiaoyang leaned over the stone railing and saw his own face on the water.

Too dirty, too messy, not good-looking.

Sheng Xiaoyang scooped up a little water, wanting to wipe off the dirt on his cheek.

At this moment Big Eyes yanked at his sleeve and shouted, Xiaoyang Xiaoyang!

The water gathered in Sheng Xiaoyang’s palm spilled.

He frowned.

-What?

Big Eyes said, here, your Apollo.

She used a tone she had learned from somewhere, Sheng Xiaoyang found it hard to understand, and followed the direction of her finger to look.

Zhang Xu was walking over from the other end of the narrow stone alley.

He wore a white shirt, the cuffs rolled to his elbows, cotton-linen long pants and old shoes, the line of his jaw crisp and clean. His gaze always held a smile, like a gentle old poetry collection.

So good-looking. Sheng Xiaoyang thought, so Apollo must be a beautiful name with romantic meaning.

Big Eyes leaned close to Sheng Xiaoyang’s ear and said in a faint voice: “Let Apollo listen to your heartbeat.”

Unfortunately, Sheng Xiaoyang could not hear.

When he was dazed, Big Eyes forcefully pushed him into the middle of the road.

Big Eyes hid behind the blue stone wall and cheered him on, Xiaoyang, you can do it!

Sheng Xiaoyang could not do it, this was too ridiculous. Looking like this, with a faint smell from the trash can on his body

How could I appear like this in front of Zhang Xu?

In a world of light for all things, under everyone’s eyes, nowhere to hide.

Does he still remember me?

Sheng Xiaoyang was dazed for a long time, and Zhang Xu was already very close to him.

“……”

Sheng Xiaoyang wanted to run, but the bricks under his feet seemed to grow vines, wrapping around his ankles, merging into his blood vessels, making him unable to move.

Sheng Xiaoyang’s mouth pressed into a straight line, not knowing whether he wanted to cry or smile, he subconsciously tidied his appearance, but both hands kept rubbing against the tattered T-shirt, wrinkling the hem.

It was truly futile, the spring breeze came head-on, to blow dandelions apart.

Dandelions were willing to wander, that was their fate.

There were so many tourists around, bustling and noisy, avoiding Sheng Xiaoyang.

Zhang Xu was talking to the person beside him, did not notice him, and also, with the crowd, stepped a half-step to the side.

Sheng Xiaoyang was calm, and suddenly no longer nervous. He lowered his head and bent over, naturally picked up the empty bottle by his foot, and when he stood up again, both hands tightly held together, he naturally walked forward, brushing past Zhang Xu.

So fragrant, it was flowers.

Sheng Xiaoyang knew he should leave, but his soul said no. What a rare chance, he was so close to you, look once more.

So Sheng Xiaoyang turned his head.

Beside Zhang Xu was a girl, and the girl had a bouquet of flowers in her hand.

Big Eyes said those were roses.

Sheng Xiaoyang said, very pretty.

Big Eyes was exasperated.

“Do you really like him?”

Sheng Xiaoyang nodded.

Big Eyes was somewhat puzzled, “Then since you like him, why can you tolerate other people being beside him?”

Tolerate? That word was used wrong.

Sheng Xiaoyang said, he is not mine.

Big Eyes stared with her glass-bead-like eyes, tilted her head, and asked, “Have you never thought of having him? Of making him belong only to you.”

The wind swept into the valley, many dead leaves withered. The sacred mountain used grass and trees as its hair, rooted in the earth, only caring about endless life, it did not need to mind which winds had passed, there would always be new life blooming.

Whether happy or not happy was a secret, only oneself knew. Sheng Xiaoyang had no tongue, so he could not say. But as long as he took one look at Zhang Xu, he was happy, so he knew.

Sheng Xiaoyang pointed at the sky and said to Big Eyes:
-You see, clouds in the sky gather and scatter, not only in my eyes alone.

So profound, Big Eyes did not understand the mystery in it.

She thought about it, then said a little badly, “Your Apollo goes very well with that girl. What’s that phrase again?”

-Made for each other.

“Yes yes! Made for each other!”

Sheng Xiaoyang’s heart was struck once by a blunt instrument, the light in his eyes muddied a little, and he lowered his gaze.

-Oh.

Sheng Xiaoyang said:
-He is already very good, worth the best person in the world.

Girls were easy to empathize with, and by the end of the joke, Big Eyes felt sorry for Sheng Xiaoyang and asked, “Can’t that person be you?”

Sheng Xiaoyang said, it won’t be me.

At night, Sheng Xiaoyang took out the hair tie from under the pillow, looped it around his wrist, and told Big Eyes he was going out for a walk.

The black hair tie was clean, Sheng Xiaoyang did not wear it often, most of the time he had to pick up trash to sell, afraid of getting it dirty. But right now this was his time of freedom, and his emotions also had to be free.

Sheng Xiaoyang savored the tiny connection from the day.

One-sided.

The green belt beside the sidewalk was planted full of flowers, Sheng Xiaoyang could not tell what kind they were, and thought all red ones were roses. Sheng Xiaoyang did not pick any, he picked up one from the ground, the petals and leaves were both intact, very pretty.

He hesitated for a moment, slowly raised it, brought it to his lips, and brushed it.

-I’ll give you flowers too.

【📢Author’s Note】
Hello everyone, is there anyone here QAQ