Futile Devices Scans

Ke Bu took out his key and opened the door. At this hour, his father was still at work. He tossed his luggage onto the floor, collapsed onto the sofa, and switched on the television. Before long, he was rolling around on the couch. Pulling out his phone, he found the screen completely empty.

“Not even a single text message. So this is the extent of your concern for me.” Ke Bu idly played with his phone. Nothing. Nothing. Still nothing. How could there be nothing? Was the phone broken? Or had his service been cut off? He dialed Hao Yu’s number. A lazy voice answered from the other end.

“Hello, Ke Bu. What’s up?”

“Goodbye.”

Ke Bu hung up. His phone wasn’t broken, and his service hadn’t been cut off. That meant there was only one possibility—Zhi Li hadn’t texted him. That idiot who doesn’t know how to appreciate what’s in front of him. Ke Bu suddenly jumped to his feet and threw his phone onto the sofa. This is ridiculous. Why am I acting like some lovesick teenage girl? Didn’t I survive past vacations just fine without contacting him?

He had finally escaped from Zhi Li, Su You Yan, and the rest of those animals. He should take this opportunity to enjoy the peace and quiet of living alone. Now, alone, he ate instant noodles. Ke Bu took out a cup of noodles, tore open the packaging, and poured in boiling water. His eyes drifted to the clock on the wall. It was already six o’clock. He wondered whether Zhi Li had eaten dinner yet. Someone as lacking in common sense as him would probably starve to death if nobody reminded him when mealtime came. Ke Bu shook his head. Now isn’t the time to think about that! He picked up his chopsticks and aggressively stuffed noodles into his mouth.

After finishing the noodles, Ke Bu dug through the storage room and found a ferocious-looking Mr. Black Bear piggy bank. “From now on, I challenge you. Every time I think about you, I’ll put one yuan into this thing. Ahahaha! By the time winter break is over, my indifference will leave you heartbroken. Prepare yourself, Zhi Li.” Ke Bu lightly scratched Mr. Black Bear’s nose with his finger.

The door opened. Footsteps drew closer. Ke Bu hurriedly shoved Mr. Black Bear under the table. When Ke Qin Xing saw him, he smiled. “You should’ve sent me a text when you got back. I could’ve picked you up at the station.”

“No need. Weren’t you working? I can get home by myself.”

At some point, the two of them had become so polite that they no longer felt like family. They felt more like strangers sharing the same house. This had become Ke Bu’s way of avoiding arguments. But by living like this, the distance between them only grew wider. Whenever Ke Qin Xing tried to get closer to him emotionally, Ke Bu would retreat even farther.

“Did you have fun visiting your friends?”

“It was okay.”

“Is that so? That’s good. I bought some groceries. You must be hungry. I’ll go make dinner.”

The old Ke Bu would have immediately said he’d already eaten instant noodles and that there was no need. But Zhi Li’s words flashed through his mind. In the end, he simply nodded. Watching Ke Qin Xing busy himself in the kitchen, Ke Bu’s emotions became complicated. He had always looked forward to the New Year, yet he was also deeply afraid of it.

After dinner, Ke Bu carried the piggy bank back to his room. Lying on his bed and staring at the white ceiling, he reached into his bag, pulled out a one-yuan coin, and dropped it into Mr. Black Bear.

On New Year’s Eve, Ke Bu kept glancing toward the door. He carried dishes to the table. The doorbell rang. Ke Bu ran to the entrance and opened the door. A middle-aged woman stood outside. Tilting her head, she gave him a warm, motherly smile and gently patted his cheek. “Sorry. There was traffic on the way, so I’m late.”

“I was wondering why you hadn’t arrived yet, Mom.” His mother, Wu Qian, changed into slippers and walked inside.

“I’ll pour you some tea. Have a seat first. Dinner will be ready soon.”

“Don’t worry about me. Go help your father.”

Only on this one day each year would the three of them gather together.

The three sat around the dining table. After exchanging a few polite remarks, the atmosphere quickly became awkward. Ke Bu tightened his grip on his rice bowl. The seemingly warm scene was nothing more than self-deception. Ke Bu understood that everything they were doing was because of him. He could have stopped this. He could have viewed his parents’ relationship the way Zhi Li did—more openly, more freely. But when it came to actually doing it, it was difficult. He had become the only link connecting his parents. He always naively believed that perhaps one day they would reconcile. And so that impossible wish dragged on, turning into chains binding all of them together. Unable to let go of the hand that should be released, what he gained was disgust toward himself and the pitiful indulgence his parents showed him.

“Work must be tiring, right?”

“It’s alright. It’s just that with the New Year approaching, I’ve been working a lot of overtime lately.”

“Is that so? Take care of yourself.”

“Thanks.”

The conversation between Ke Bu’s parents was always like this. It was only after visiting Zhi Li’s home that Ke Bu suddenly realized just how artificial his own family life was, like a dream woven solely for his sake. Three people, each harboring their own thoughts, carefully choosing every word they spoke. At some point, they had stopped seeing one another in their eyes. What remained was only unfamiliarity. Looking out the window, Ke Bu wondered whether Zhi Li had received the package he sent. That guy really got off easy—he had mailed all of his overflowing longing straight to him.

“Young Master, your package has arrived.” Aunt Qing handed a parcel to Zhi Li. Standing behind him, Lan Yin examined it. “From Ke Bu?”

“Looks like it.”

“It’s probably a New Year’s surprise. Maybe he ground himself into meat paste and stuffed himself into a package to mail to you.”

Zhi Li weighed the package in his hand. “He doesn’t weigh this little.”

“Maybe he only put part of himself in there to save on postage.”

Zhi Li tore open the wrapping. Inside was a box stuffed with soft paper. At first glance, he saw the ferocious-looking Mr. Black Bear. Picking it up, he gave it a shake. It was filled to the brim with coins.

“What kind of weird thing is this?” Zhi Li examined Mr. Black Bear.

“It’s a hint. Either, ‘I’m only with you for your money,’ or, ‘If you don’t give me money, I’ll eat you like a black bear.’” Lan Yin said.

The next day, Ke Bu saw Wu Qian off at the door.

“There’s no need to walk me any farther. It’s not that far away.”

“Mm. Come visit whenever you have time.”

“That’s strange. You always try to make me stay a few more days. What happened this year?” Wu Qian rubbed Ke Bu’s head.

“Mom, don’t force yourself for my sake anymore. You and Dad just aren’t compatible, are you? From now on, live the way you want to. Neither of you owes me anything.” To his surprise, the words he had always thought would be hardest to say came out with such ease. Wu Qian froze for a moment. She said nothing, only smiled, waved to Ke Bu, and got into the car.

Snow began to fall from the sky. Ke Bu shivered from the cold and rubbed his hands together. The phone in his pocket started ringing. Pulling it out, he answered, “You really don’t know how to pick a time. It’s freezing out here. Now you remember to call me? Where the hell have you been all this time?”

“I forgot my phone charger.”

“That excuse doesn’t even sound sincere.” Ke Bu walked up the slope one step at a time. He wanted to be comforted, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it. After spending so many years trying to get his parents back together, he had finally given up. Struggling his way up the steep hill, his movements were made even more awkward by the thick winter clothes wrapped around him. It was difficult even to bring his legs together. White breaths escaped his mouth and were quickly scattered by the wind.

A figure was leaning against a utility pole. One hand was tucked into a pocket, while the other held a phone. That clear, handsome face turned toward Ke Bu. Raising the phone, the person gave it a little wave.

“How’s this for sincerity?”

The hand holding Ke Bu’s phone dropped limply to his side. He stood there blankly, his entire field of vision filled with Zhi Li. Zhi Li walked over and lightly flicked Ke Bu’s forehead with his middle finger and thumb.

“You’re still as unfashionable as ever.”

“That didn’t hurt, so this must be a dream? Goodbye, my hallucination.” Just as Ke Bu turned to leave, Zhi Li pinched his cheek hard.

“Are you an idiot?”

“Ow, ow! What are you doing here? Nobody asked you to come. Don’t tell me you just happened to run into me? Or were you meeting someone here for a secret affair?” He fired off a string of questions without waiting for an answer. Instead, he lowered his head and slammed it into Zhi Li’s chest. “One day, you’ll have to take responsibility for turning me into such a greedy person.”

“The responsibilities I have to take on are getting a little excessive.”

“It’s too late to regret it now. Shouldn’t you be a little more enthusiastic and hug me back?”

“At your current width, I can’t wrap my arms around you anymore.”

Ke Bu burst out laughing in Zhi Li’s arms. “You’ll die if you don’t wear thicker clothes in weather this cold. What the hell do you know?” His hands tightened around Zhi Li’s clothes. After all, the warmest place was still right here.

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