Xie Yu's first reaction was to say, "No," but the words stuck in his throat.
Zhou Dalei had asked too seriously.
Xie Yu had known him for a long time. He usually had a smile on his face and didn't take things to heart. Xie Yu could count on one hand the number of times Zhou Dalei had been serious. Once, when he was little, someone had snatched his precious toy. The most recent incident was when Da Mei left; he had drunk several bottles of wine and sat at the entrance to the alleyway, asking Xie Yu, "Will Da Mei come back?"
Xie Yu didn't know if he would. Everyone has their own path to walk.
Xie Yu had looked at him, silently sighed, and said, "He will come back."
During winter vacation, Zhou Dalei would come find him from time to time, and it always happened to be when he was doing questions. He often sent texts in the middle of the night. Are you asleep, Boss Xie? What are you doing?
No. Video games.
What game?
Xie Yu had not thought too much of it, but now that he thought back, something seemed amiss.
The faint suspicion in Zhou Dalei's heart had kept resurfacing. He took a few steps forward and wiped his face of all expression. "Say something..."
Zhou Dalei did not continue because Xie Yu was silent for a few moments before cutting him off.
"It's me."
Then Xie Yu asked, "How did you know?"
His words made flames of anger rush to Zhou Dalei's head. He was mad at being lied to, and for the moment he forgot to think about why his Boss Xie would do such a thing.
"How do I know—don't you have any brains? I copied your homework for so many years! Whether you write fast or slow or messy or neatly, even if you write with your left hand, I can recognize your handwriting!"
Xie Yu had really never thought this would be his downfall.
"We've been bros for so many years and you lie to me like this?" Zhou Dalei cursed while Xie Yu was dragging him into a corner by the collar. "When I asked you that time why your grades had become like this, what did you say to me? There are always people who are better? Life has its ups and downs? You've been bullshitting me this whole time!"
Zhou Dalei let it all out and was still unbelievably angry.
Xie Yu let him yell and didn't retaliate. This was probably the best-tempered he had been all his life. "Are you done? If you're not, you can keep going."
Zhou Dalei pulled out a pack of cigarettes, went to a corner, and began to smoke one. Xie Yu glanced at the time and was about to leave, when Zhou Dalei pulled him back. He asked quietly, "What were you thinking? Don't go. Squat down and let's chat properly."
"Squat, my ass. If I don't go now I'll miss the bus."
"Then we'll chat while we go." Zhou Dalei immediately obliged. "Walk slower."
Zhou Dalei had thought of many possible scenarios but he had never imagined the real reason.
The last bus left at 9 p.m. While they were waiting, Xie Yu summarized the situation. After hearing everything, Zhou Dalei cursed up a storm and was even unsure what to say aside from cursing. "That Zhong-dogshit-bastard..."
At first, he had been angry at Xie Yu. Now he was done being angry at Xie Yu and couldn't stop himself from being angry on Xie Yu's behalf.
His hands trembled around the cigarette he was holding and his mind was full of the word 'Fuck.'
