MDPWU Chapter 11

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Tong Tong endured the pain and stood up, but as soon as he took a step, his foot landed on a glass bottle.

A slip, a wobble—

Shit!

For a brief moment, Tong Tong felt like he had just performed a folk dance before crashing back to the ground. Utter humiliation.

"Hey!" Zhou You shouted from afar.

Tong Tong was too embarrassed to even look his way. He pressed his hands to the ground, trying to get up again and salvage his dignity.

"Stop moving." Zhou You suddenly leaped up from the ground—showing no signs of a twisted ankle at all.

In just a few strides, he was beside Tong Tong, squatting down. "Can you move your leg?"

"It's barely a meter high. You think I'd be paralyzed from that?" Tong Tong huffed, his face dark.

Zhou You sighed, pressing a hand down on Tong Tong’s head before standing up. He glanced around, then pulled out his phone and turned on the flashlight.

"Here, take this." He bent down, shoved the phone into Tong Tong’s hand, then reached under his armpits with one arm and hooked the other under his knees—lifting him effortlessly.

"I know I'm ridiculously handsome, but can we use the light to actually see where we’re going?" Zhou You squinted as the flashlight beam hit his eyes.

Tong Tong's face flushed red, and he quickly adjusted the direction of the light.

Zhou You chuckled lowly, then carried him along a relatively smoother path.

When they reached the sidewalk, Tong Tong suddenly remembered Zhou You’s supposed twisted ankle. "Wait, your foot—are you okay?"

"I never twisted it. Just slipped a bit," Zhou You admitted casually, turning his head slightly to the side. "I said that because it was too embarrassing to get up right away."

Tong Tong was stunned for a moment before bursting into laughter.

It was the first time Zhou You had ever seen him laugh, and he stared for a long time.

Their gazes met, and in each other’s pupils, they saw their mud-streaked faces reflected.

"You have a little dimple, but only on one side," Zhou You suddenly said.

"…Huh?" Tong Tong responded in a daze.

"It's kinda cute," Zhou You added.

"…………"

Tong Tong’s face turned completely red, and he buried his head against Zhou You’s chest.

"What are you doing?" Zhou You stopped walking and looked down at him suspiciously. "You're not wiping your snot on me, are you?"

"………………"

Tong Tong’s brain short-circuited. He buried his head even deeper.

He stayed that way, completely unresponsive, until he started having trouble breathing.

"Tong Tong?" Zhou You noticed his suddenly heavy breathing and sensed something was wrong. "What’s happening?"

Tong Tong was taking shallow gasps of air, but eventually, he couldn't hold out any longer. He tilted his head up, clutching at Zhou You’s collar, his mouth open as he struggled for breath, making sharp inhaling noises.

"What's wrong!?" Zhou You panicked and immediately laid him flat on the ground. "What's happening!?"

Tong Tong fumbled at his pocket for his inhaler—only to realize he had left his school uniform jacket at home.

"Do you need CPR!?" Zhou You, in a frenzy, leaned over. "I-I'll breathe into you!"

"I don’t—" Tong Tong weakly pushed at him while trying to steady his own breathing.

It wasn’t too severe. Sometimes, he could manage to get through it himself.

"What do you mean you don’t?! You’re wheezing like a pig being slaughtered! Like you’re having an asthma attack!" Zhou You suddenly froze.

"Wait—this is asthma, isn't it!?"

"I—"

"You still lied to me that you have small lungs?" Zhou You widened his eyes in distress.

Tong Tong: "………"

Is this really the time to talk about that?!

"What should I do for an asthma attack? Does artificial respiration work?!" Zhou You quickly lowered his head, looking at him anxiously.

Tong Tong rolled his eyes and reached out to push down Zhou You’s chin forcefully.

Now is not the time to think about artificial respiration! You pervert!

"I'll call an ambulance first, don't panic!" Zhou You hurried to pick up the phone from the ground.

"I'm... I'm fine now…" Tong Tong finally managed to speak and firmly said, "I'm fine!"

"Fine?" Zhou You frowned at him.

"I was just… scared and couldn’t catch my breath…" Tong Tong panted as he explained, "It wasn't an actual attack."

"Then your guts are as tiny as a sesame seed." Zhou You sat beside him and sighed.

"Oh, and you’re so brave?" Tong Tong mocked.

"Of course!" Zhou You was quite proud. "Aside from my brain, my whole body is full of courage!"

"No." Tong Tong said. "You have no brain. You’re just full of courage."

"Hey! That’s flattering!" Zhou You laughed as he picked Tong Tong up again.

Tong Tong looked at him for a moment and murmured softly, "You actually have a pretty good temper."

Zhou You looked down at him and chuckled in a low voice. "My temper isn’t actually that good."

On the pedestrian path, some streetlights were lit while others weren’t. Their shadows stretched long and short as they walked.

As they entered the alley, Tong Tong finally remembered to ask, "What were you doing out so late?"

"I heard you leaving the house, and your footsteps sounded pretty rushed. I wanted to see where you were going so late at night, in case something happened." Zhou You smiled as he spoke. "I called out to you twice, but you didn’t hear me. This alley has too many turns, and I lost track of you halfway through."

"Then how did you know I fell into the lake?" Tong Tong asked, puzzled.

"I didn’t know." Zhou You said. "I was looking for you and passed by the lake. I saw a blurry figure sitting down there and thought someone was about to jump in and commit suicide. I was going to stop them, but then I recognized your voice."

"That lake doesn’t even reach my waist." Tong Tong said.

"If someone really wants to die, even a basin of water can drown them." Zhou You laughed as he stepped into the stairwell.

"Put me down. I can walk up myself." Tong Tong looked at the narrow staircase.

"Nope, stop nagging." Zhou You climbed the stairs effortlessly. "Seriously, can’t you eat more? You’re so light it doesn’t even feel right."

"Can you promise me one thing?" Tong Tong asked.

"Hmm?" Zhou You looked down at him.

"Speak proper Mandarin, I’m begging you." Tong Tong glared at him.

"What’s wrong, little sister?" Zhou You teased, deliberately exaggerating his accent. "Can't understand?"

Tong Tong: "………………"

Zhou You carried him up five flights of stairs in one go. The person in his arms was panting harder than he was.

When Tong Tong opened the door, Zhou You placed him on the sofa first, then squatted down to take off his shoes.

"Wait!" Tong Tong retracted his foot. "What are you doing?"

"Taking off your shoes to check your foot." Zhou You said.

"I can do it myself." Tong Tong insisted.

"Fine, do it yourself then." Zhou You grinned. "Such a little princess."

"…………"

Tong Tong couldn’t take it anymore and kicked him right away.

"I have Yunnan Baiyao spray from the doctor. Want me to apply some?" Zhou You asked, looking at his foot.

Tong Tong stared at his swollen ankle, took a deep breath, and nodded.

Zhou You went back to his own room and returned with two bottles of Yunnan Baiyao.

"I haven’t asked you yet." Zhou You shook the metal can, making the little ball inside rattle loudly. "Why were you in such a hurry in the middle of the night?"

"My mom’s phone—"

"Hiss—" A cold spray of medicine hit Tong Tong’s foot.

He shivered from the coolness and tried to pull his foot back, but Zhou You grabbed his calf and held it steady, spraying a few more times. "What about your mom’s phone?"

"My mom’s phone was off." Tong Tong said.

"It probably just ran out of battery. You really ran out in the middle of the night for that?" Zhou You switched bottles and shook it again. "She’s an adult. It’s not like she could go missing."

Tong Tong fell silent.

Normally, he wouldn’t be this anxious. His mom often disappeared for days, playing mahjong or visiting beauty salons, and never bothered returning his calls.

But this time was different.

He was afraid she had been threatened. Afraid she had been beaten.

"What’s wrong?" Zhou You noticed something was off.

Tong Tong pulled his foot back and poked at the swollen area with his finger. "That day in the bathroom… you heard what Xiao Kai said, right?"

"That skinny guy is called Xiao Kai?" Zhou You raised an eyebrow.

"You—" Tong Tong sighed. "Do you want to hear the story or not?"

"Go on." Zhou You grabbed his foot again and focused on it.

"My family—" Tong Tong started but found it meaningless. He hated the way he had to describe his own tragic life. It made him feel like he was asking for sympathy.

"Anyway, my family owes money. Some people sent debt collectors after us." Tong Tong explained simply. "You know how those guys are, right? They’re all big and covered in tattoos. They smash things. They beat people."

Zhou You didn’t say anything, just kept his head down.

"I’m just worried my mom ran into them." Tong Tong ran a hand over his face.

"Next time your mom doesn’t pick up, call me." Zhou You suddenly said. "What’s the point of you going alone?"

Tong Tong was stunned for a moment. He felt touched but refused to show it. "What can you do?"

Zhou You responded instantly, "I can record them hitting you and call the police."

"………………"

"Just kidding." Zhou You laughed for a long time.

"……"

Tong Tong was speechless.

The two of them were silent for a while. Tong Tong looked at him and suddenly asked, “Why did you really come here alone? I didn’t believe a single word you told my mom.”

“Me?” Zhou You thought for a moment. “Pursuing my dreams, searching for myself.”

“What’s your dream?” Tong Tong asked, puzzled.

“Still looking for it.” Zhou You smiled. “That’s why I said ‘pursuing’.”

Tong Tong frowned at him.

“You really want to know?” Zhou You raised an eyebrow and shrugged. “Alright then.”

Tong Tong immediately sat up straight, ready to listen.

“I had a falling-out with my dad.” Zhou You paused for a moment before continuing, “My dad never cared about me when I was a kid. I was like a tree in our yard—he’d water me whenever he remembered.”

There was no emotion on Zhou You’s face, and his voice was indifferent. “When I grew up, my dad suddenly realized—wow—he had a son. Then he took a look and found out that his son didn’t grow up the way he had imagined. So he started trying to forcefully shape me into his ideal son. But he never even said what kind of son he wanted me to be while I was growing up.”

Tong Tong frowned, unable to understand Zhou You’s father.

“I am his son, yes, but I am not his possession,” Zhou You said. “He wasn’t involved in my growth, so he has no right to change me. I am independent. Honestly, I could say that I’m more like his father.”

“Then… what will you do in the future?” Tong Tong thought for a moment. “Your mom—”

“Do you often think about that question?” Zhou You interrupted him.

“What?” Tong Tong was stunned.

“The future. What will happen next… those kinds of questions.” Zhou You smiled as he asked.

Tong Tong thought carefully and answered, “I didn’t think about it much before… but ever since something happened to my family, I think about it every day.”

The two of them fell into silence over this topic.

“Don’t be afraid,” Zhou You suddenly said.

Tong Tong looked at him.

“Even though I don’t like my dad, there’s one thing he said that I think is actually right.” Zhou You looked at him seriously.

Tong Tong looked back at him expectantly.

Then Zhou You confidently declared, “Less talk, more action!”

Tong Tong: “………………”

He had really had enough.

He let out a long sigh, flopped onto the couch, and closed his eyes.

Zhou You also exhaled softly, sitting on the carpet with his head tilted back against the edge of the couch.

And just like that, the two of them fell asleep in their bizarre positions.

Because the couch was too short, Tong Tong couldn’t sleep comfortably and kept stretching his legs. Eventually, one of them ended up on Zhou You’s forehead.

Zhou You, still in that position, hugged Tong Tong’s other leg, shifted a bit, and nestled his face against the inside of Tong Tong’s thigh as he drifted off into deep sleep.

When the warm air brushed against the corner of his eye, Tong Tong was shocked to realize he was dreaming this dream again.

Then, he immediately started pinching himself.

He absolutely did not want to hear Zhou You calling him “baby” again.

The next second—

“Baby, does your little foot still hurt?” Zhou You’s face suddenly appeared in front of him, holding his foot. “Let me kiss it, and the pain will go away.”

Tong Tong felt nauseous and wanted to chop off the leg Zhou You was holding.

“Baby, why aren’t you saying anything?” Zhou You asked.

“…Bro, can you speak in a Northeastern accent instead?” Tong Tong shivered in disgust.

He suddenly realized that he wouldn’t actually mind hearing Zhou You speak in a northern dialect.

“Baby, let me kiss your foot.” Zhou You said as he leaned in.

“Hell no!” Tong Tong struggled violently—and suddenly, his eyes snapped open.

What he saw was Zhou You, hugging his leg with his eyes closed.

For a split second, Tong Tong thought his dream had come true.

Terrified, he smacked Zhou You hard.

Zhou You was startled awake, jumping up in shock and staring at him in confusion, still half-asleep.

Tong Tong was so disgusted he could hardly breathe. Trembling, he pointed at him. “Sc—”

But this time, Zhou You was quick to react. He pointed back and blurted out, “Scumbag!”

Tong Tong froze. “I—”

“You slept with me and then hit me!” Zhou You started fake-crying.

Tong Tong: “………………”

What the hell???

Author’s note:

Tong Tong: Scumbag! You stole my line!

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