Chapter 76 Part 1

Chu Yi hadn't thought much about the nature of their relationship, nor dared to ask, let alone consider issues like how to address each other based on their actual status. He had always been content with the way things were, thinking the current situation was quite good. From his limited experience, he felt it wasn't necessary to make everything crystal clear.

But to say he had no expectations at all wouldn't be quite accurate. In some corner of his mind that he never explored, there must have been some expectations. Otherwise, he wouldn't have lost his soul instantly at Yan Hang's simple three words, leaving only an empty shell, becoming a perfect milk pot stand.

The milk wasn't fully poured yet, because the stand had stopped moving, so the pot's tilt angle wasn't enough.

Yan Hang waited for a while, seeing that he wasn't pouring anymore, so he reached over and took the half cup of milk, taking a sip.

It was only then that Chu Yi suddenly came back to his senses, thinking that the milk hadn't been fully poured, so he tilted the pot, pouring the remaining milk onto the counter.

As he was frantically wiping the milk off the counter, Yan Hang sighed softly behind him: "Are you sure your Sister Xiaoxiang can tolerate you like this?"

"Actually, she doesn't re-really watch the monitors," Chu Yi said, "She's very easygoing, doesn't even keep track of ma-many ingredients."

Yan Hang chuckled.

"Should I make you ano-another cup of milk?" Chu Yi turned back to look at the cup in his hand, the half cup of milk was already gone.

"No need," Yan Hang said, "Half a cup is actually enough."

"Mm." Chu Yi walked to the side to wash the cloth.

He washed it for quite a long time, turning it over and over, scrubbing it back and forth. Anyone who didn't know better might think he had severe OCD.

But after all, it was just a cloth, and a newly changed one at that. It had only been used to wipe tables twice. After scrubbing for a while, he really couldn't continue anymore, so he hung up the cloth and walked back to Yan Hang's side.

After standing for a while, he sat down, next to Yan Hang, both staring blankly at the counter.

There were many things on his mind.

There were always many things on his mind.

Ever since he found Yan Hang, he felt his mind was full of things.

Before, he didn't think about anything, just curling up was enough. Even after his dad got into trouble and Yan Hang disappeared, he didn't think much, just wondering why his dad did what he did, and about Xiao Li's BBQ.

Now it was different.

Maybe it's because he had grown up.

He was 17 now, 18 by traditional age reckoning, add two more years and he'd catch up to Yan Hang.

He was a big dog now, so there were more things to think about.

What about Yan Hang?

Chu Yi glanced at Yan Hang from the corner of his eye. Yan Hang was still sitting there, showing no emotion, impossible to tell what he was thinking.

Probably thinking about Uncle Yan's situation.

Sister Bai had said, according to his dad's account, the relationships between the people involved in this incident were quite clear, so did that mean the case wasn't very complicated...

But if, as Sister Bai said, they could make a case for his dad's innocence, didn't that mean that at least his dad wasn't the one who stabbed the person? If so, then the one who stabbed Old Ding must have been Uncle Yan.

And Old Ding was dead.

What would happen to Uncle Yan then?

Chu Yi couldn't think any further.

He secretly glanced at Yan Hang again.

"I'm fine," Yan Hang said.

"Ah." Chu Yi felt a bit embarrassed.

"You keep sneaking looks at me," Yan Hang said.

"No, I'm not," Chu Yi said.

"Bullshit, you're not. You really have no shame," Yan Hang turned to look at him.

Chu Yi smiled: "How can I ig-ignore such a hand-handsome face?"

Yan Hang looked him up and down, left and right, and clicked his tongue: "Vast territory."

After zoning out for a while longer, Yan Hang's phone rang. It was a call from Cui Yi.

Yan Hang stood up, answered the phone, patted Chu Yi's shoulder, and walked out of the café, talking to Cui Yi at the entrance.

Chu Yi continued to stare blankly at the counter.

His mood had been up and down these past two days. As he zoned out like this, he actually felt a bit sleepy.

Tomorrow he had to go back to school. By rights, he should have gone back to school after finishing work tonight, but he decided to stay at Yan Hang's place instead. Worst case, he'd just wake up earlier tomorrow.

He had gotten used to seeing Yan Hang every weekend, then going back to school on Sunday night. It had been a long time since he felt like this, not wanting to leave Yan Hang for even a second.

Maybe it was because his dad had been arrested, and the two of them were suddenly tightly bound together, or maybe... it was because of what Yan Hang had just said.

He glanced at Yan Hang standing at the entrance, only able to see his back as he was taking cigarettes out of his pocket.

But he could imagine what Yan Hang looked like as he lit his cigarette with his lighter.

He could see many of Yan Hang's expressions even with his eyes closed, just using his nostrils.

"If they can make a case for innocence," Cui Yi said, "then Chu Jianxin probably didn't have direct contact with Old Ding and your dad."

"Sister Bai said he might not even have known anything at all," Yan Hang said.

"Mm, then he shouldn't be locked up for long, he should be able to get out soon," Cui Yi said, "Little Bai has handled similar cases before, she said if it's innocence, there shouldn't be much of an issue."

"So he was just an unwilling bystander," Yan Hang said, "Why did he run away then?"

"He got scared, I guess," Cui Yi said, "You know what the scene was like, all that blood, and Old Ding was the one he drove there. Of course he had to run. Maybe he wanted to go home after running, but then Old Ding died."

"That's about what I thought," Yan Hang took a drag of his cigarette, "He seems like someone who's afraid of trouble."

"Chu Yi didn't take after him, that's good," Cui Yi said, "That cigarette of yours, smoke a bit less, will you? You didn't learn any good habits from your dad."

"I'm smoking less now," Yan Hang said, "I've only had this one cigarette all day today."

"Still, pay attention to managing your emotions. If you can't, go see Dr. Luo," Cui Yi said, "Don't think I'm nagging."

"Mm," Yan Hang responded, then after thinking for a moment, asked another question, "If Chu Yi's dad gets released, can we ask him what happened?"

"The case isn't closed yet, after all, there's still a suspect at large," Cui Yi said, "The police will probably tell him not to discuss the case details with anyone."

"His son shouldn't count as just anyone, right?" Yan Hang frowned, "He can't even tell him?"

"That depends on his own discretion," Cui Yi said, "The police can't stop him if he gets drunk, you know."

"Mm." Yan Hang smiled.

"If there's nothing else, get some rest early. Even if you can't sleep, at least lie in bed and stretch out, give your internal organs a rest," Cui Yi said.

"If there's nothing to do, go to bed early. Even if you can't fall asleep, at least lie in bed and relax your internal organs," Cui Yi said.

"...That sounds kind of scary," Yan Hang said with a smile. "Got it."

After hanging up the phone, Yan Hang stood at the door for a while longer, watching several smiling passersby walk by in the wind.

It wasn't so cold anymore, but there was still a chill in the wind.

Yan Hang didn't know what they were smiling about. Except for when he was with Chu Yi, when he could smile from the bottom of his heart, most of the time, especially after his dad left, he felt like he completely lacked a sense of humor.

Now everything was about to come to light, it just needed time.

No matter where Old Yan was, he hoped that after knowing the whole truth of the matter, he could truly put this incident aside.

"Aren't you cold?" Chu Yi didn't know when he had come up behind him and asked.