Reverse Approach

There was a string of light blue wind chimes hanging in the window, and when there was a slight breeze it would chime, making people feel good.

 

Looking down.

 

Green vines meandered through the corners of the dirt, climbing the edges of the abandoned wooden boards. A few store windows were covered with cartoon stickers of various colors, and due to the steps of time, the color faded into a light old trace.

 

The snails in the corner of the wall slowly crawled, the crystal dew drops in the early morning flowers hadn’t dropped after a long time. The morning light dawned temporarily, pouring down a wisp of spring. The sound of the bicycle’s spinning axle was smooth, grinding over the gravel road, sounding as clear as the breaking of water droplets.

 

The morning air spread in every corner of this old town.

 

Jingle Jingle——

 

The wind chimes rang and Su Beimo closed the window a little, before pouring a cup of hot water on the table. As something was being cooked in the kitchen pot, he went over to control the fire, glancing now and then at the open door of the inner bedroom.

 

At the same time, Liao Nanqing came out of the inner bedroom barefoot while rubbing his eyes. He squinted his eyes and called out Su Beimo as a matter of habit.

 

“Why don’t you wear slippers.” Su Beimo rushed over and brought him a pair of slippers.

 

Su Beimo took his hand, “I’ll take you to get a haircut later, go brush your teeth and wash your face, then drink the glass of water on the table.”

 

“Okay…”

 

A glass of warm water on an empty stomach in the morning was good for the body.

 

Su Beimo consulted a lot of information and as well as Chinese medicine student for the sake of Liao Nanqing’s health. He developed a set of health maintenance rules in every aspect in order to let Liao Nanqing grow a little fatter and rounder. He was too thin and ate too little, which was a pity because Su Beimo was such a good cook.

 

There were two bottles of medicine on the table, both of which were prescribed by Dr. Wang to Liao Nanqing.

 

He slept better at night with one capsule every day before bed.

 

The stew in the pot was millet porridge, accompanied by the unique pickles in the ancient town, Liao Nanqing ate with relish. But even if he liked to eat it, he would be full after one bowl. He never ate much in the morning, his eyes always moved to the wind chimes hanging in the window.

 

In a trance, they had been in this ancient town for a week.

 

Su Beimo rented this famous homestay for a short time and planned to spend a slow month here with Liao Nanqing. Unlike the noise of small towns and the fast pace of City B, the old town was filled with a gentle atmosphere from beginning to end.

 

At first glance, it was like looking at a house with a small bridge and flowing water; if you went out and bowed your head, you could find flowers and plants; when it rained, there were several thick mosses on the greenstone road.

 

After breakfast, Liao Nanqing was lying at the window, yawning lazily.

 

At the last stop, they went to the beach. Liao Nanqing seemed to have not yet calmed down from the diverse beach life when he was caught in a gentle misty Jiangnan rain.

 

He reached out and the rain fell on his palm, soft and silent.

 

“It’s raining.”

 

“The oil-paper umbrella I bought yesterday just happened to be usable.” Su Beimo dismissed the idea of taking Liao Nanqing to get a haircut today. He thought that a day with dense rain was a good time to go out for a walk.

 

Liao Nanqing also wanted to go out for a walk, so he changed out of his pajamas and took a beige sweater to wear with a simple pair of jeans and the sneakers Su Beimo had just bought for him. These shoes were exactly the same as Su Beimo’s, so they were considered to be their couple’s shoes. Liao Nanqing was dressed like a high school student today, with a faint childish look on his face.

 

Su Beimo also changed into those shoes.

 

The stone road in the ancient town was not easy to walk as it got slippery on rainy days. Liao Nanqing was being held by Su Beimo. The umbrella was just that big so the two of them were walking very close to each other.

 

The lady selling cheongsam next door saw them: “Handsome, you are out with your brother again.”

 

Su Beimo lifted his hand: “Not my brother.”

 

Liao Nanqing was nervous for a moment.

 

Su Beimo ignored the sister’s slightly surprised gaze and said to Liao Nanqing, “What does it matter, she doesn’t even know our name, she doesn’t know us.”

 

During their whole journey, Su Beimo never hid his relationship with Liao Nanqing. In the past, he always hid his relationship, but now when he was walking on unfamiliar roads and facing unfamiliar people, he just wanted to be open and honest. When he saw a roadside tanghulu, he immediately bought two of them. Su Beimo didn’t eat them, so he held another one in his other hand.

 

Su Beimo said, “You don’t want to hold hands with me, so you force yourself to eat two bunches of tanghulu, huh?”

 

Liao Nanqing said hesitantly, “I didn’t.”

 

“You’re wasting money, you won’t be able to finish it.” Su Beimo shrugged his shoulders and took a long stride before turning around and waiting for Liao Nanqing, he nudged his mouth in a mischievous manner, “If you don’t hold hands, it’s easy for me to walk fast. Can you keep up?”

 

“You are obviously walking so fast on purpose.” Liao Nanqing’s eyebrows dropped, he trotted over and handed one to Su Beimo, “Then you eat one…”

 

The sky opened up, Su Beimo put away the umbrella and slightly bent over to bite the tanghulu in his hand: “Next time don’t do useless work.” The tanghulu chewed in his mouth was sour and sweet, Su Beimo didn’t like it, but he thought it tasted okay.

 

Liao Nanqing pursed up the corner of his mouth and took a bite.

 

“It’s sour.”

 

“This seems to be sweet to me.”

 

“…Mine is sour.”

 

Su Beimo generously said, “Then I will share my sweet with you a little.

 

After saying that, he kissed Liao Nanqing.

 

The two of them bought a lot of things in the old town; most of what they ate and played were cheap stuff. Liao Nanqing did not like the bustling streets, the coldness of the early morning suited him just fine. At noon, they couldn’t even get a table to eat at an ordinary small restaurant. The sun was hanging at the top of the head and it was a lazy spring afternoon.

 

Liao Nanqing sat sleepily on a bench, with the trickling water and small bridges behind him.

 

Su Beimo was waiting in line to buy the famous meat buns in the old town, while Liao Nanqing was holding a cup of tea in his hand, drinking it in small sips, with his jacket on his lap. A two or three-year-old child happily ran around with a kite beside him. He was not very good at flying the kite, yelling: “Mom, here! This way!”

 

The gentle mother, who was in her early thirties, followed behind, “Baby, slow down, mom can’t catch up.”

 

The child turned around and bumped into Liao Nanqing’s knee, smiling with bent eyes, “I have a kite!”

 

“Oh, sorry, the child is too naughty.” The young mother came to hold her child and apologized to Liao Nanqing.

 

“It’s okay.”

 

Liao Nanqing shook his head. The child was still holding the kite and showing it off to him, he was not afraid of life at all.

 

Liao Nanqing suddenly remembered that when he was a child, he also had a kite. It was a handmade kite made for him by Liao Dong, and Li Qin had drawn many small butterflies on it. When he thought about it, he turned his head and found that the child’s kite looked like a small butterfly. His mother was holding the kite and telling him a story.

 

The picture was so beautiful that one could not help but think back to the past.

 

Liao Nanqing looked dumbfounded and then lowered his head.

 

Su Beimo’s voice was in his ear: “Want to fly a kite?”

 

When Liao Nanqing looked up, Su Beimo was standing in front of him. Behind him was the whole sunlight pouring in. It lit up Liao Nanqing’s face. Liao Nanqing smiled, “No.”

 

“There is one for sale in front, it is much better than the one the kid is holding.” Su Beimo said childishly, “Let’s buy it and show it off in front of his eyes.”

 

Liao Nanqing turned around to look at the happy child, but shook his head: “No, the kite is in the memory. I don’t like it anymore, only children like it.”

 

But Su Beimo still stubbornly went to buy a kite and took Liao Nanqing to find a wide area.

 

It had just rained a little this morning and the ground was half dry, so there was no wind even when it cleared. The kite could not fly at all, but Su Beimo tried very hard, he ran and tugged, and with his efforts, even though the kite could not fly high, it could fly for a little while. Although it was a butterfly, and not at all the same as the one Liao Nanqing had when he was a child, they gradually overlapped.

 

Liao Nanqing didn’t know whether to laugh or to run with it, or perhaps, neither.

 

Su Beimo was sweating profusely, holding a kite and exhaling, striding towards him, smiling and showing two rows of white teeth. Liao Nanqing said regretfully, “Can’t fly it today.”

 

“Yes, ah.”

 

“It’s a waste of money to buy this.”

 

Su Beimo said, “Yes, ah.”

 

Liao Nanqing didn’t know what to say. Su Beimo wiped his sweat with the back of his hand and calmed his breath: “It’s not interesting to fly a kite. I’m the only one running blindly there, you didn’t even run a few steps.”

 

“I don’t like flying kites.”

 

“I know, you just said it.”

 

Liao Nanqing didn’t understand: “Then why did you…”

 

Su Beimo quickly answered: “I just hope that there will be a me in your memories, too, to accompany you to fly a kite.”

 

Liao Nanqing opened his mouth and his eyes were red. He knew Su Beimo’s intention, but didn’t know what to say in reply.

 

This man, in order to cure him, quitted his rare job, put aside worldly prejudice, and held his hand all the way. Su Beimo was a bully, domineering, but also excellent and gentle. Su Beimo gave all these to Liao Nanqing alone.

 

Liao Nanqing knew everything.

 

The children behind him were also playing with their kites, and Su Beimo deliberately waved the kite in his hand. The child took the bait, pointing at the kite in Su Beimo’s hand while saying to his mother, “Brother’s kite looks better than mine! I’m so angry!” The child’s mother was in tears and had no choice but to take the aggrieved child to buy a new kite.

 

But no matter how much she picked, she couldn’t find one that looked like the one Su Beimo had in his hand.

 

It was filled with love and was unique.

 

Su Beimo tossed his hair in a showy manner, “Our kite looks the best.”

 

Liao Nanqing nodded and agreed, “En, it looks good, it looks the best.”

 

“So are you going to take it with you?”

 

“No, the memories are in my head.” They had enough in the luggage, so they couldn’t let this big kite take up the space. Liao Nanqing took Su Beimo’s hand, “The kite is in the memory, you are in the heart.”

 

“…”

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

“I found that your words are getting better and better, so my heart moved a little.”

 

Liao Nanqing laughed, spilling sweetness. Su Beimo added: “Now my heart is moving twice, hey no, it’s three times, if you laugh again, I’m going to explode with emotion.”

 

“I’ll blush, Su Beimo,” Liao Nanqing was also familiar with the routine, and hitting the thief with a straight ball1直球打- very direct/straightforward/honest expression, like means liking, dislike means dislike with a straight ball: “But my heart seems to be going to explode, so I must have been moved a hundred times.”

 

Su Beimo smiled happily.

 

…

 

They gave the kite to the child, who thanked them politely and gave one strawberry candy to Liao Nanqing and Su Beimo as a gift in return. Su Beimo knew that Liao Nanqing liked strawberry flavored things, so he put one of his own into his coat pocket and whispered in his ear, “Nanqing, can you eat the strawberry candy and kiss me later?”

 

Liao Nanqing’s ears were red and hot. Su Beimo said, “I’ll buy you a strawberry milkshake.”

 

“Okay.” Liao Nanqing pretended to compromise for the strawberry milkshake because the strawberry milkshake over there was so good.

 

It was just that the queue for strawberry milkshakes was too long. After all, the ancient town could be considered as a tourist attraction. They didn’t want to waste their time queueing and planned to come back later when the crowd was less.

 

As the day drew to a close, Liao Nanqing looked around the ancient town and saw that there were art students sketching along the road. Most of them were in their second year of high school, each with a youthful face. When Liao Nanqing walked beside them, he did not look out of place. He remembered his high school days; it was not good at first, and he had never participated in an activity with his classmates so happily.

 

Later, he met Su Beimo, and then he met Xu Yanyan and Ge Yun.

 

Life was not all gloomy, at least it was starting to go uphill. During the journey, Liao Nanqing could always reap Su Beimo’s love every day. Until one day, he would find that he had been overflowed with this love and could no longer hold it. When that day came, their journey would be over.

 

They would face everything that they used to run away from with love. Love made people brave

 

And Su Beimo gave him courage, gave him love.

 

“Nanqing, next stop, let’s go to the grassland.”

 

“Okay, ah.”

 

“We can buy a little more strawberry candy and take it with you. There is no strawberry milkshake there.”

 

“It’s okay, it’s great to have you.”

 

Liao Nanqing found a small bridge with few people and stood on it to watch the art students pack up their boards. As the evening sun set, the sky seemed to be connected to the earth and the purple and orange colors matched unexpectedly. He wanted to eat something sweet, so he opened the strawberry candy given by the kid and put one in his mouth and another in his pocket.

 

Su Beimo stood beside him and took out his cell phone to take a picture of an art student sketching against the evening sun.

 

He said, “Nanqing, let’s take a picture together.”

 

The voice just fell, snap.

 

Su Beimo kissed Liao Nanqing, strawberry flavor, very sweet.

 

As a result, that night, Liao Nanqing took his medication and was about to go under the quilt when Ge Yun’s message came with triple greeting.

 

[Liao Nanqing!]

 

[You actually went to XX’s ancient town!]

 

[Dog Su this beast!]

 

Liao Nanqing was dumbfounded and had no idea what was happening, he replied with a short question. Ge Yun immediately shared an address and Liao Nanqing clicked on it.

 

The content was a blogger who shared a scene of sunset clouds that he accidentally captured in the ancient town of xx today.

 

In the picture, there were not only sunset clouds, but also Liao Nanqing and Su Beimo who were kissing. Although the face couldn’t be seen, it was indeed them. Many comments were asking who it was, and the post was even forwarded for tens of thousands.

 

Ge Yun continued to send: [It’s you, right? I know your clothes!]

 

Liao Nanqing replied: [Good night.]

 

Ge Jun was so angry; ah, he was really spoiled when he fell in love with Dog Su: [Tell me about the fun of XX’s ancient town, how are you feeling recently, are you happy?]

 

The answer was, of course, [I am very happy, Su Beimo has brought me many memories.]

 

His condition was getting better every day.

 

Ge Yun breathed a sigh of relief and said to Liao Nanqing: [Actually, Dog Su really loves you. ]

 

Liao Nanqing paused, glanced at the medicine bottle on the table and made up his mind before lowering his head to type: [Well, so I have to work hard to get better soon and face all the pressure with him.]

 

[Jiayou.] Ge Yun said seriously.

 

At the same time, Liao Nanqing clicked on the link again while Su Beimo was still in the shower.

 

He found that the blogger’s caption for the photo was very simple.

 

It only had three words.

 

——Found the love.

 

 

The author has something to say
The timeline of this chapter is the time when Su Beimo quit his job and took Liao Nanqing on a trip after Nanqing saw a psychiatrist.

It just so happens that I’ve been to an ancient town before to write about life, so I used this setting.

 

1直球打- very direct/straightforward/honest expression, like means liking, dislike means dislike