Kiss you at Sunset (BL) - Chapter 13

Zhou Shiluo was already past the point of hunger. Frowning, he tidied up the kitchen, tossing the burnt fried eggs from the pan into the trash.

Yang Dachao didn’t linger. After stepping out of the bathroom, he took Yang Jin and left.

Zhou Shiluo was somewhat irritated by Yang Jin’s blatant mockery, regretting that he hadn’t reacted quickly enough to snap back immediately.

“Did I eat your family’s rice? Mind your own business.”

Regret aside, he still had things to do.

For convenience, Zhou Shiluo had ordered both a bed and a sofa from the same store, expecting them to be delivered together. But after the shipment was arranged, the customer service called to inform him that the bed had been sent ahead because another customer had canceled an identical custom order, allowing Zhou Shiluo to take advantage of the earlier availability.

The sofa, however, would take another ten days or so.

Zhou Shiluo didn’t mind waiting, but after learning that Yang Dachao was responsible for deliveries and installations in this area, he hesitated.

The reason was simple: he didn’t like Yang Dachao. The man carried an inexplicable air of arrogance and had a habit of making unsolicited comments about Zhou Shiluo, his family, and his home.

Zhou Shiluo picked up his phone and opened his purchase order. He actually liked the sofa’s design, but with a sigh of resignation, he contacted customer service and canceled the order, stating that he no longer wanted it.

Since it was a custom order, a cancellation fee was inevitable, though fortunately not too steep. Otherwise, Zhou Shiluo might have gritted his teeth and tolerated another encounter with Yang Dachao.

Feeling somewhat relieved, he turned his attention back to his home. With a bed in place, the second bedroom finally felt less empty. He opened the windows to air it out and retrieved the activated charcoal he had bought earlier, strategically placing it in various corners of the bed to absorb any residual odors. Satisfied with his handiwork, he shut the bedroom door.

Just as he finished, his phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, he was momentarily surprised before picking up.

“Hey, Shiluo, it’s me,” came the familiar voice. “Are you busy today?”

Zhou Shiluo stepped into the master bedroom, put the call on speaker, and began searching his wardrobe for clothes. “I know it’s you. Not busy.”

“Are you home?” Li Xu hesitated for a moment before lowering his voice. “I just arrived in the capital and happened to pass by your building. Thought I’d ask if you want to grab a meal together.”

Zhou Shiluo was briefly taken aback but quickly collected himself, teasing, “Being so attentive for no reason—either you’re up to no good, or you have an ulterior motive.”

On the other end, Li Xu chuckled, his tone carrying an almost imperceptible warmth. “Still mad at me?”

Before Zhou Shiluo could respond, Li Xu beat him to it, apologizing, “That was my fault.”

Then he urged, “Hurry up and come down. Just a meal, I have things to do in the afternoon.”

Zhou Shiluo unhurriedly changed out of his oil-stained T-shirt, glanced at the time on his phone screen, and finally said, “Alright, give me a minute.”

Li Xu was his high school friend. They had always been close, and despite attending different universities with different majors, they had stayed in touch.

The conflict between them had started after graduation. Li Xu had studied biopharmaceuticals and was immediately hired by a pharmaceutical company in Guangzhou, something he had always dreamed of. Before leaving, he had tried to convince Zhou Shiluo to move with him, but Zhou Shiluo was comfortable in the capital and had no desire to relocate.

Li Xu was upset, feeling that Zhou Shiluo didn’t value their friendship enough to follow him. Zhou Shiluo, on the other hand, found Li Xu’s persistence unreasonable and annoying.

Their disagreement reached a breaking point when Zhou Shiluo bought an apartment in the capital, a clear indication that he was settling down there.

Zhou Shiluo recalled the day he posted about his new home on social media. That night, a drunken Li Xu had called, rambling incoherently about everything from their high school days to university and work. Zhou Shiluo had barely understood a word.

Finally, in the early hours of the morning, fed up, Zhou Shiluo snapped, “If it bothers you so much, let’s just stop talking.”

After that, they hadn’t spoken for two months.

That was also why Zhou Shiluo didn’t immediately invite Li Xu up when he called.

Grabbing his jacket and keys, Zhou Shiluo headed downstairs. As soon as he stepped out of the building, he spotted Li Xu waiting nearby. He hesitated slightly, assuming Li Xu would be outside the community gates, not right at his building.

Li Xu was slightly taller than him, with mature features. A pair of glasses rested on his nose, and he wore a button-down shirt and trousers. Compared to Li Xu’s formal attire, Zhou Shiluo’s casual outfit made him look a bit childish.

Approaching, Zhou Shiluo asked, “Why didn’t you tell me you were waiting downstairs?”

Li Xu raised an eyebrow and grinned. “Didn’t I?”

Zhou Shiluo opened his mouth to retort but abruptly stopped when his eyes caught the scar at the corner of Li Xu’s left eye.

That scar dated back to their second year of high school during a fight. Someone had swung a chair at Zhou Shiluo, and he had instinctively braced for impact, too slow to dodge. Li Xu had stepped in at the

last moment, taking the hit instead. The injury had left a small scar, barely noticeable now, especially with his glasses covering it.

Still, Zhou Shiluo felt guilty about it. The words of reproach on the tip of his tongue died away. Besides, they had been friends for over a decade—ending things over a fight was unnecessary.

“It’s not a holiday or anything. Are you here on a business trip?” Zhou Shiluo asked.

Li Xu chuckled and admitted, “I quit my job.”

Zhou Shiluo froze, eyes widening in disbelief. “Quit? Why?”

If he remembered correctly, that pharmaceutical company in Guangzhou had been Li Xu’s dream job. Now, after all the effort to get in, he was leaving?

Li Xu licked his lips but didn’t elaborate. “Just didn’t like it anymore.”

Zhou Shiluo didn’t press further, instead asking about Li Xu’s future plans.

With a sigh, Li Xu casually draped an arm over Zhou Shiluo’s shoulder, steering him toward the community entrance. “That’s why I came to the capital—to crash at your place. You wouldn’t turn me away, right?”

Zhou Shiluo rolled his eyes, shrugging off Li Xu’s arm. “Depends on my mood.”

Li Xu laughed and put his arm back around him. Then, as if remembering something, he changed the topic. “What’s up with the stray dogs in your neighborhood? They bark at everyone.”

Zhou Shiluo paused. “Did they bite you?”

Li Xu shook his head. “No, but they kept barking at me.”

Zhou Shiluo eyed him suspiciously. “Did you provoke them? They’re usually pretty calm.”

Li Xu looked innocent. “I did nothing.”

“Then they must just dislike you.” Zhou Shiluo laughed.

Li Xu scoffed and playfully tightened his grip around Zhou Shiluo’s neck.

Not far away, Yang Jin stood frozen, staring at the two figures walking away, chatting and laughing. His expression remained blank until they disappeared from view.

He wasn’t sure how long he stood there until a cold chuckle escaped his lips, pulling him back to reality. Looking down at the steaming soup dumplings in his hand, he let out a self-deprecating laugh.

What a joke.

He turned toward the trash can, ready to toss them away, but a few barks caught his attention.

Two stray dogs stood nearby, watching him warily. Yang Jin frowned and stared back.

After a brief standoff, he sighed, crouched down, and carefully broke the dumplings apart, draining the hot soup before offering them to the dogs.

Watching the dogs happily wag their tails as they ate, Yang Jin scoffed internally.

Better off feeding them to the dogs.

Grumbling, he grabbed a dumpling from the bag and took a furious bite.