The food, authentic Cantonese cuisine, was just served when Ye Zhengchen’s phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID, noting it was from an Osaka area code. Unfamiliar with the number, he answered in Japanese, “Hello!” A woman’s voice wished him a happy birthday, but his reaction made me uncomfortable. He quickly covered the phone and stood up to walk outside.
Stirring my iced cola, I felt my heart sink like a stone into the dark vortex. From the first day I met him, I knew what kind of person he was, and after falling in love with him, I understood even more.
I’d told myself a thousand times not to care, but how could I not care? After all, love isn’t just said with words.
He couldn’t remember how many times he ran red lights or drove against traffic, but he miraculously sped to the restaurant Ye Zhengchen mentioned during rush hour.
In the private dining room, besides Ye Zhengchen, there were several friends who had grown up together. Everyone was already seated, with only the spot next to Ye Zhengchen left empty. The food was prepared, and no one had touched their chopsticks, waiting for him.
As soon as Zheng Wei saw Ye Zhengchen, his anger surged. He walked up and threw a punch with nine-tenths of his strength. Ye Zhengchen didn’t dodge, and his shoulder took the full blow. After hitting him, he added, “You still have the face to come back? You should have died out there!”
Ye Zhengchen laughed silently, accustomed to such treatment. Zheng Wei and Ye Zhengchen were childhood friends, sharing many experiences together. A year after graduating from college, Ye Zhengchen said his father agreed to let him continue his studies, wanting to pursue a medical doctorate for fun. From then on, he disappeared without a trace, and his phone was never turned on.
Since then, Zheng Wei had a habit of keeping his phone on 24 hours a day, just so Ye Zhengchen could contact him anytime.
Ye Zhengchen was truly shameless, calling without asking what Zheng Wei was doing or if he had time. He would say, “I’m back, arrange a good place, and we won’t stop drinking until we’re drunk!”
