By the time I returned to the construction site, it was brightly lit, and everyone was waiting for me in the office.
I wiped my face, trying my best to put on a composed and calm expression.
The supervisor came up to me, elated: “Manager Ren! Experts from the Provincial Architecture Institute are here. They say they’ll discuss the blueprint modifications with us!”
“Aren’t they supposed to come tomorrow morning?”
At that moment, I saw him. He was standing under a patch of warm yellow light, turning his head to speak with Li Gong.
Hearing the sound, he turned around, extended his hand toward me, and smiled: “Hello, Manager Ren. I’m Cheng Xia, an architect from the Provincial Architecture Institute.”
The orange light behind him made him glow all over, even his smile was as warm as a bonfire.
Our blueprint was produced by Yu Gong. He was old and had begged everyone he could just to hold a meeting tomorrow. Cheng Xia was in his group, and under normal circumstances, he would only come tomorrow as well.
But he had come early.
That night, Cheng Xia stayed with us in meetings until the early morning, discussing several versions of modification plans.
He said: “Although we still need tomorrow’s official meeting for discussion, currently it seems there should be ways to modify the blueprint based on what we have now. When the time comes, our side will issue a design change and that will be it. Everyone doesn’t need to panic too much.”
In other words, if things went smoothly, we would only need to extend the construction period, not overturn and start over.
Although he didn’t promise too much, I felt that the taut string in the air had loosened considerably.
I said: “Alright then, that’s it for today. Everyone go back and rest. Prepare for tomorrow’s official meeting with the Provincial Architecture Institute.”
Everyone left one by one. Cheng Xia also said goodbye to me: “Well then, Manager Ren, I’ll head back first.”
“Today was really hard on you. I don’t even know what to say. Take care.”
“It’s part of the job.” He said, then drove off.
After I saw everyone off, I walked outside to wait. I saw that white Volvo circle back around. Cheng Xia rolled down the window, raised his eyebrows at me, and said: “Ren Dongxue, how are you going to thank me this time?”
“I’m really a bit tired today. Another day I’ll treat you to something good.” I said.
“No way. You always say ‘another day.’ Today it is.”
He was rarely forceful. It was like that high-spirited Cheng Xia from university had returned.
I hadn’t eaten or slept for a whole day, yet I had a kind of neurotic excitement. I wasn’t sleepy or tired.
Cheng Xia kept yawning, forcing himself to stay alert while researching late-night food options nearby.
In the end, we really couldn’t find anything suitable. I asked: “How about… we go to your place and order takeout?”
“Huh?”
Cheng Xia hesitated for a moment, then said: “Okay.”
After our reunion, he often came to my home in the distant suburbs. This was my first time going to his place.
He rented a high-rise apartment in the city center. It wasn’t large, but it overlooked the city’s night scenery and the azure sea.
It looked exactly like what a white moonlight’s home should be—clean, simple, with only the most basic furniture, as if just renovated.
“You go take a shower first. I’ll order takeout.” He said.
“Okay.”
In the warm yellow glow of the bathroom heater, hot water gushed down like heavy rain.
I stood in this rain, feeling my nerves still jumping frantically. Countless chaotic data, broken rebar from the construction site, the documents Old Feng threw in my face, those contemptuous cold laughs, filthy insults—all flashed through my mind one by one, finally devolving into disordered light and shadow.
“Do you eat crawfish? Oh! This place has spicy hot pot.” Cheng Xia leaned against the doorway talking to me. The light cast his slender shadow on the door.
I suddenly pushed the door open.
I was dripping wet all over, completely naked. Cheng Xia was still wearing that white shirt, looking at me in bewilderment.
I kissed his lips almost ferociously.
This was Cheng Xia’s taste—very cool, like mint. His tongue was very soft.
Cheng Xia was pressed against the wall by me, powerless to resist: “Ren Dongxue, what are you doing?”
I didn’t know what I was doing either. I only knew I wanted to vent like crazy. “I want to do it.”
I panted, forcefully tearing at his shirt. In the struggle, we both fell to the floor. I immediately turned over and sat on top of him.
He panted, his face taking on a thin layer of red: “Do you know what you’re doing?”
“You don’t need to take responsibility.” I said, then fiercely kissed his lips.
Because I was too forceful, I tasted blood between lips and teeth.
The next second, I felt the world spinning. He picked me up in one motion.
I was thrown onto the bed.
The bedroom was very dark. I could only feel the bed was very soft, with a scent of dried lavender.
He leaned over me, gazing at me. Those clean eyes flickered with something ambiguous.
“I’ve dreamed of this scene.” He said while loosening his tie: “When I was sixteen.”
That white shirt finally fell to the floor.