Zhang Yuwen dried his hair and asked, whr r u going for ur meeting?
Huo Sichen: Nearby. Jiangnan.
Zhang Yuwen: Wanna hv lunch tgt?
They settled on a place to meet. Zhang Yuwen called for a ride to get there. It was the first time in a week that he’d stepped out of the house to hang out with someone. He always felt like he was on familiar terms with Huo Sichen, but now that he thought of it, this would only be their second meeting. From chatting with him, Zhang Yuwen had gotten the sense that Huo Sichen was either the boss or the second-in-command of a company small enough that some matters had to be handled by Huo Sichen himself.
Huo Sichen was standing outside a street food stall with a number tag in hand, waiting for a table. Arriving late, Zhang Yuwen got to enjoy the fruit of Huo Sichen’s labor without lining up himself. It was a work day, and though the weather was cold, the place was noisy and crowded. Huo Sichen wore a suit that made him look like a completely different person from the angler Zhang Yuwen had met in the open country. Zhang Yuwen almost missed him when he was looking around for him.
“Wow.” Zhang Yuwen smiled. “Looking good.”
“Seems like I made a poor first impression on you,” Huo Sichen said as Zhang Yuwen sized him up. “This place might be noisy, but the food more than makes up for it.”
“I know. I’ve been here before. Did you grow up in Jiangdong City?”
“I did my graduate studies here,” said Huo Sichen. “The school is just behind this place.”
“Chonghan University of Finance and Economics.”
“Yup.” Huo Sichen flashed him a handsome smile.
Mature, neat, and gentlemanly, Huo Sichen sure was easier on the eyes when he wore a suit. He had already ordered food by the time Zhang Yuwen arrived—all dishes Zhang Yuwen liked. Their tastes were so similar that for a moment, Zhang Yuwen felt as if he’d been set up on a blind date.
Zhang Yuwen, for his part, looked more laid-back in a casual suit. “Are you done with work?” he asked.
“It’s all settled.” Huo Sichen was clearly in a good mood. “Sales gave the wrong order and made a dumb mistake, so I had to apologize in person. What about you? What have you been busy with lately? I still don’t know what you do.”
“I’m a proofreader,” Zhang Yuwen said, “sort of like a copy editor. I work for a publishing house, but I don’t have to keep office hours.” He felt a little guilty about the lie, but Huo Sichen knew Chen Hong, and Zhang Yuwen didn’t want to expose himself.
Huo Sichen nodded. “There aren’t as many people who enjoy reading as there used to be.”
“Yeah.” Zhang Yuwen found it a shame too. Electronic devices had eaten up so much of people’s reading time. Books still had their uses, though.
“Are you doing novels or other types of books?” Huo Sichen asked.
“Everything. I proofread whatever’s handed to me, but I’m also learning to write. I hope I can publish my own book one day.”
“A novel?”
“Yeah.” Embarrassed, Zhang Yuwen wondered if Huo Sichen would ask him for specifics and force him to share his mediocre work. Luckily, Huo Sichen was tactful enough not to pry, which made Zhang Yuwen feel like he was back on steadier ground.
“I like reading novels,” said Huo Sichen. “When I was in elementary school, I skipped class to read the complete collection of Jin Yong’s novels at the rental bookstore.” Zhang Yuwen laughed, which made Huo Sichen look a little bit sheepish. “Is my taste too basic?”
“No!” Zhang Yuwen said. “I love Jin Yong too.”1
They started chatting about wuxia novels, and Zhang Yuwen was elated to learn that he and Huo Sichen had another shared interest to discuss besides gaming. As they spoke, the topic gradually shifted to Zhang Yuwen’s writing, and by that point, he no longer felt as awkward. This time, he opened up about his frustrations.
“It’s already a feat that you can write a story at all,” Huo Sichen said seriously. “I’d be at my wits’ end if you told me to make one up myself. I couldn’t write an 800-word story for love or money, much less sit in front of the computer and write 3,000 words a day until I finished a novel. That’s impossible for me, no matter how much I read.”
“Um, maybe,” Zhang Yuwen said. “But I think it all boils down to skills. I wouldn’t know where to start if you told me to manage a company. Everyone thinks writing is difficult, but to some people, it’s just a way to make a living.” As a director, Zhang Yuwen occasionally had to write or revise scripts, so he knew this well.
The dishes were served, and Zhang Yuwen talked a little about his novel. The more he spoke, the more embarrassed he became, but Huo Sichen listened attentively the entire time. Zhang Yuwen was starting to think it might not have been a good idea to confide all this in Huo Sichen.
“The way I put it makes it sound dull…”
Huo Sichen considered this. “It’ll be a lot more vivid on paper. I think your story is fascinating.”
Zhang Yuwen perked up. “Really?”
“Show it to me when you’re done.”
“Sure thing.” Zhang Yuwen didn’t know if he could push on to the finishing line, but Huo Sichen’s encouragement and anticipation might just have been the motivation he needed. Huo Sichen didn’t share his opinions on the story beyond asking about what happened. Zhang Yuwen had to think back on the plot, and inspiration struck him as he spoke about it.
But he’d bore Huo Sichen to death if he made him spend a whole afternoon listening to his story, wouldn’t he? Zhang Yuwen made to pay for their meal out of habit, but Huo Sichen had already settled the bill.
“Should I drive you home?” Huo Sichen asked. “You must be busy in the afternoon. I’ve got to get back to work, too.”
“Thanks,” Zhang Yuwen said. “Wanna hang out on the weekend?”
“Sure. Let’s decide on the place later.”
Finding a parking spot in a busy downtown area was difficult, and Huo Sichen had parked his car a distance away. They walked through a park, passing a group of high school students. The winter sunlight shone brightly, making them feel warm and cozy.
“Where do you live?” Huo Sichen asked.
“No. 7 Riverbay Road.”
“Riverbay Road?” Huo Sichen sounded surprised.
“Yeah,” Zhang Yuwen said, equally surprised. They got into the car. “Didn’t Chen Hong tell you?”
“Nope.” His surprise blooming into astonishment, Huo Sichen asked, “You own a house there?”
Zhang Yuwen smiled. Huo Sichen must not have asked Chen Hong about the arrangement. “I’m only looking after it for a friend. Chen Hong is his tenant,” he explained.
Huo Sichen nodded his understanding. “Some houses and cars are completely out of reach if you weren’t born into them. Doesn’t matter how hard you work.”
“Perhaps.” Zhang Yuwen didn’t quite know how to react. “Do you see Chen Hong often?”
“We used to meet up once a week.” Huo Sichen, with his excellent driving skills, steered the wheel with one hand, occasionally glancing at Zhang Yuwen in the passenger seat. “But I’ve been lazy lately. It’s been a month since we last met.”
Huo Sichen drove a Mercedes-Benz, itself a luxury vehicle, but Zhang Yuwen had never been interested in cars. As long as he had a ride, he was happy with anything. Huo Sichen dropped him off and they cheerfully said their goodbyes; then Huo Sichen left. He didn’t seem overly curious about the mansion on Riverbay Road.
“Out on a date?” Chang Jinxing asked. He’d woken up and was waiting for his food. Zheng Weize was cooking a pot of instant noodles with two eggs.
“Nope,” Zhang Yuwen said. “I was with the guy from the outdoor laser tag game, Huo Sichen.”
“I think he might be gay,” Chang Jinxing said. “Maybe he’s interested in you.”
“Nah, just a casual chat. And besides, even if he’s gay, it’s not like we can’t be friends.” Zhang Yuwen cheekily sized Chang Jinxing and Zheng Weize up, ready to fight fire with fire. Sensibly, the two of them kept their mouths shut to avoid being teased.
Zhang Yuwen turned on his computer, ready for another round of trash farming, but his thoughts inevitably drifted to Huo Sichen. Their meeting had indeed felt like a blind date, or even just a regular date. But Huo Sichen was a little taller than Zhang Yuwen, and his interests and hobbies seemed more like those of a straight man. Even if he were gay, he’d probably be a top. Zhang Yuwen didn’t hate the idea of switching roles between top and bottom, but he wasn’t ready to try it just yet.
Meeting Huo Sichen for lunch made him want to fall in love, though.
It took him longer than usual to fall asleep that night. Maybe because it was winter, and humans were social animals who craved closeness and warmth from each other.