Silent Confession

ps while feeling wronged. 

           And later in the evening when Xin Shao and they all came back home, Xin Yi was caught and reprimanded again, Xin Yi trembled with fear and gave the same explanation, afraid that his other father on one side, Yu NanShan, would suspect him, fortunately, after that, they only look at him stricter, and did not ask anything else.

           Thus, before his mom’s birthday was over, Xin Yi did not successfully get away from home.

           Xin Yi gripped his handphone and waited until eight o’clock, the curtain of the night had also fallen,  he lowered his head and looked at Zhou MuHui’s number on his phone, only swiping it down after a long time, and turned off the screen.

           He was a bit upset, maybe it was because he came too late, or because he got Zhou MuHui’s phone number for three days, but didn’t have the courage to give the other party a call. 

           He felt disheartened, squatting on the ground low in spirits, Wen Miao has already closed, but the nearby alleys were still bustling with noise, the fireworks noise there keep coming to Xin Yi’s side, Xin Yi eagerly lifted his head to take a look, feeling even more depressed. 

           But in the next second, his sight suddenly stopped.

           Not far away was a thin and tall silhouette, his side profile facing him was hidden behind a blue mask, Xin Yi paused, till the other party was about to leave did he abruptly return to his senses, and took to his heels and chased him.

 

           Xin Yi ran very fast, when he stopped in front of Zhou MuHui even Zhou MuHui was stunned, his eyebrows frowned, and said nothing for a long time, “How come you are here?”

           He must have been buying dinner, Xin Yi saw that he was holding a plastic bag, he was stunned, he was twisting his hands hesitantly, not knowing how to explain for a moment.

           He was only focused on coming to see Zhou MuHui, and had forgotten to find himself an excuse. 

           “I, I came here to find master Bai…”

           Xi Yi stammeringly lied, and finally remembered his excuse.

           “I wanted him to look at something.”

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           “He closes at four o’clock.”

           Zhou MuHui looked at the time, and said, “It’s too late now.”

           Xin Yi hastily nodded, the wound on his forehead hasn’t healed yet, the people in his family considered him as precious as gold, a small injury was like confronting a mortal enemy, Zhou MuHui saw that his forehead was still wrapped in gauze, paused, “Is it better?”

           Xin Yi let out an ‘ah’ and saw that his sight was on himself, the tips of his ears were about to burn up.

           “Almost, almost.”

           He held his forehead and took a step back, and didn’t dare to look Zhou MuHui in the eyes.
Zhou MuHui did not move, but it seemed that he didn’t get what he meant by it, only nodded, and said, “En, you can come to find me if there’s anything.”

           He was about to leave after saying that, and Xin Yi also forgot to stop him, until the other party walked to the opposite alley corner did he remember what he came to do, and hurriedly went to catch him up. 

           “Zhou MuHui.”

           He spat out the name that was on his mind for three days, it made Xin Yi dizzy as if he was in a state of weightlessness, the man turned his head around, even Xin Yi’s train of thought was in a disorder, smashing down on him like a bunch of mess, and made him speak nonsense.

           “Oh, I tomorrow, I will also come tomorrow.”

           Zhou MuHui frowned, not knowing why he was telling himself all this.

           “Then be earlier, I will tell him.”

           Xin Yi put his hands behind his body, carefully held his breath, looked up at him, “I don’t know the way, I am afraid I’ll go the wrong way.”

           Zhou MuHui hummed, “Number B127, ask people once you’re there.”

           “What?”

           “The shop’s number, follow the road.” Zhou MuHui said, “If you don’t know the way just ask people.”

           Xin Yi was even more confused, Zhou MuHui paused, and said, “Call me once you have arrived.”

           Xin Yi widened his eyes, his hands that were twisted together unconsciously pressed tighter, and the nails hooked his palms.

           “En!”

           He couldn’t care less about the pain, and hastily nodded, “I will come early for sure.”

           He almost couldn’t suppress the smile at the corner of his mouth, Zhou MuHui gave him a cold glance, Xin Yi could feel it as if he could see the man’s poker face through the mask, he restrained his feelings in a hurry, and spun around Zhou MuHui. 

             “What are your name’s two characters, I want to make a note.” He lifted his hand and said in a small voice, “Is it ok?”

           Zhou MuHui didn’t say anything, Xin Yi didn’t know if he should continue to ask, the other day he heard people call him this way, but he didn’t know which characters it was.

           “It’s fine, it’s fine, I was just afraid of making a mistake.”

           Xin Yi saw that he was still silent, hurriedly put back the phone that he had just taken out, hiding it behind him, and carefully smiled at him, “I am not very smart, I won’t be able to remember.”

           “…”

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           “The ‘Mu’ (night) as in morning and night, ‘Hui’ (return) as in turn back.”1

           Xin Yi only nodded randomly after a while, maybe the moon was too dazzling, or maybe the cooking smoke not far ago made him dizzy, Xin Yi couldn’t help but smile, exaggeratedly took two steps back, looked up, and told him, “Alright.”

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           Zhou MuHui was very tall, Xin Yi felt that it was almost the same as his father, but Zhou MuHui was a bit different because Xin Yi couldn’t help but look at him.

           Although he has never seen Zhou MuHui’s face without his mask on.

           “Then I’ll get going.”

           Xin Yi waved at him, and bid him goodbye like the last him, Zhou MuHui let out a hum, and nodded at him.

           Xin Yi saw it, and also heard it, it felt like his heart was suddenly hit by something, the numbness went from the crown of his head to his heart, Xin Yi panicked, and turned around in a mad rush, his back facing him.

           “Oh!” He said in a loud voice, and quietly lowered his head.

           It was really strange, it was as if his body got an electric shock for an instant, he looked at his chest dumbly, and tardily said, “Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”

           His voice was very small, maybe Zhou MuHui didn’t hear it, because he heard the person behind him move, and asked, “What?”

           “I’ll see you tomorrow…”

           Xin Yi anxiously said, “Zhou MuHui, see you tomorrow!”

           After saying that he ran forward in a quick trot, not daring to turn around to take a look, the crowd of people beside him was quickly thrown behind him, until he couldn’t run anymore, stopped gasping for air, then leaned next to the dim street light, drawing back the corners of his mouth in a grin. 

           He sneaked into his room at night, taking advantage of the dark night as a camouflage, as a result, just when he pushed open the door, he saw Xin Shao sitting on his bed, flipping a book waiting for him.

           “How come you’re so late?”

           Xin Yi panicked for a moment, not knowing where to put his hands and feet, but Xin Shao didn’t say anything else, only beckoned to him, and told him to get over there.

           “Did you eat, your head is full of sweat.”

           The scattered hair wet by the sweat on his forehead was carefully moved aside by Xin shao, Xin Yi blinked, looking at the gentle mom in front of him, and suddenly stretched his hand to grab the hem of his sleeve.

           “Mom.”

           Xin Yi called him in a whisper.

           Xin Shao hummed, and asked, “What’s wrong?”

           Xin Yi was a bit shy, and also a bit embarrassed, he carefully swallowed down his saliva, as if he was going to tell a secret, looking at Xin Shao with a pair of shining eyes.

           “Mom, I think I am in love.”

Notes:

“朝暮的暮, 回头的回.” The ‘Mu’ as in ‘Zhao Mu’ (morning and night), ‘Hui’ as in ‘Hui Tou’. (turn back/turn around, also means ‘return’ as ‘returning home’)