Unfortunately, An Zi Yan’s last sentence had been overheard by the coworkers outside. Curious, they immediately asked, “What did Yan tell you to think about? Is he making you transfer departments so he doesn’t have to see you anymore?”
“Why aren’t you saying anything? Did Yan use you as a punching bag?”
Faced with question after question, Mai Ding had no idea how to answer. What was he supposed to say? No, I’m not his punching bag. An Zi Yan wants to use me as a blow-up doll!!!
Dragging his exhausted body home, Mai Ding first put away his shoes and bag, then walked into the disaster zone that was their living room: jackets tossed everywhere, the remote control and books scattered around, while An Zi Yan lounged half-reclined on the sofa with the television on but ignored it in favor of his tablet. The loose, lazy man in front of him looked nothing like the one at the company. Mai Ding desperately wanted his coworkers to come see this. This was An Zi Yan’s true form.
“What a waste of electricity. Learn from me and save a little. Don’t you make any plans for the future?”
“No matter what I plan, I’ll still live better than you.”
“You’re not a fortune-teller. How would you know?” Mai Ding refused to accept that. “I’ll work hard and surpass you someday. Just wait. When I become President Mai and move my office up to the nineteenth floor, we’ll see who gets to laugh at whom.”
“You’ll reach the nineteenth level of hell faster.”
“Hell doesn’t have nineteen levels!”
“They’ll add one especially for you.”
“I don’t want that kind of special treatment. I really don’t want to talk to you!” Unable to win the argument, Mai Ding stood, took the work materials from his bag, then sat back down beside An Zi Yan. When he reached something he did not quite understand, he turned his head. “Explain this to me.”
“I can’t read.”
“Couldn’t you at least use a better excuse when you brush me off? Seriously, what’s more important? I used to feel sorry for the school because it had a student like you. Now I feel sorry for the company because it has an employee like you.” I feel pretty sorry for you too. After trying the same useless provocation so many times, can’t you switch tactics?
An Zi Yan took the documents from Mai Ding’s hands and threw them onto the coffee table. “I already told you when you were interning. After work, you belong to me.”
“W-who belongs to you?”
“Go cook.”
“I’m your servant, more like.” Mai Ding sniffed. Sometimes he truly envied An Zi Yan’s attitude toward life. He never seemed to plan for the future, as if his life contained only the present.
After dinner, Mai Ding left the dishes unwashed and forcibly dragged An Zi Yan out to drive them to the supermarket. To be safe, he even spent quite a while persuading An Zi Yan to drive to one farther away, forever vigilant about protecting their “affair.” Inside the supermarket, An Zi Yan pushed the cart behind him in boredom while Mai Ding carefully chose groceries in front, occasionally turning back to talk about serious matters. “Things went badly with Marketing today. There won’t be a problem, right?”
“Who knows.”
“You should think about it more too. I can’t give you advice or help with anything. This isn’t school anymore. Back then, as Academic Representative, I could still cover for you.” That was probably one of Mai Ding’s delusions. He picked up a carton of milk and placed it in the cart, deliberately saying as casually as possible, “It would be nice if I were a little more capable.” He continued walking, then suddenly felt the shopping cart bump into his waist. The moment he turned around, An Zi Yan said, “Stop thinking about pointless things.”
“It isn’t pointless. Today I watched you argue with someone, then watched you get called up to the nineteenth floor, and I could only stand there. I couldn’t do anything, couldn’t say anything, couldn’t help at all.”
An Zi Yan pushed the cart onward, leaving Mai Ding behind. A few steps away, he stopped. “I don’t need you to do anything or say anything.”
“Then what do you need?”
“Just stand to the side and watch how I protect you without getting so much as a scratch on me.”
Mai Ding folded his arms, his expression strange, half trying to look disdainful and half trying not to smile. “I don’t believe you’re that capable. Hmph. Don’t come begging me for help when the time comes.”
“Then behave and watch carefully. Also, I’m not very satisfied with the way you’ve been speaking to me.” An Zi Yan turned his head. Mai Ding looked away. “What are you going to do about it?”
“I have plenty of ways to deal with you now.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“Mm.”
Mai Ding immediately put on a smile and hurried over. “A superior should treat his subordinates well. I was joking with you, haha. What do you want to eat? My treat today.”
“I regret to inform you that you’re too late.”
“Come on. Anything can be negotiated.” Now Mai Ding was the one pushing the cart behind An Zi Yan.
By the time the weekend finally arrived, Mai Ding had planned to do a rare deep cleaning, only for someone to ring the doorbell first thing in the morning. He opened the door and saw two alien creatures glued together. Turning toward the bedroom, he called, “An Zi Yan, your pervert friends are here.” Mai Ding drew a very clear line between himself and the two of them.
“He’s jealous of our relationship. Don’t listen to him.”
“Oh, my handsome man.” Ellen cupped Zhou Ge’s face, and the two of them began kissing deeply against Mai Ding’s doorway. Mai Ding clenched his fists, returned to the living room, and left the two outside. When An Zi Yan came out of the bedroom, they still had not stopped. Without saying a word, he walked over, pushed them away from the doorway, slammed the door, and behaved as though he had never seen them. “Why was the door open?” Zhou Ge pounded on it from outside. “Wait, I have something to discuss with you.” Seeing An Zi Yan completely ignore him, softhearted Mai Ding came back and opened the door, hands on his hips. “Let’s see if you dare do something this indecent outside again. Maybe you two think it’s nothing, but as an innocent bystander, I can tell you very clearly…”
“Compared with your nagging, what we did is nothing. I genuinely feel sorry for Yan, living every day in such dire suffering.”
“He’s the one who kicked you out! I came to open the door for you out of kindness, and you still say that. Do you people have consciences? Do you?” Mai Ding protested angrily, but nobody cared. Zhou Ge casually picked up the breakfast Mai Ding had prepared and put it in his mouth. “Yan, Xiao Si and I are thinking about opening a shop together. Interested in investing?”
Finally hearing something serious come out of Zhou Ge’s mouth, Mai Ding nodded in approval. Starting a side business was not a bad idea. Young people willing to take risks and pursue dreams deserved encouragement. If the shop became wildly successful, then… Apparently the bad habits left by the lottery ran too deep. He was already fantasizing about getting rich again. Back in the day, he had even dreamed of replacing all his teeth with gold ones. An Zi Yan gave a cold snort that came almost entirely from his nose, brutally crushing the young entrepreneurs’ dreams.
“Bai Xiao Si and you? One of you only wants to play, and the other only wants sex. And you want to open a business? I’d rather spend the investment money on condoms.”
“Y-you’re hardly any better than them!” Mai Ding nearly coughed up blood.
“Don’t say that. We’re adults in society now. It’s not like before when we didn’t know any better. Even if you don’t invest, at least give us some advice. Xiao Si and I disagree on what kind of business to open.” Mai Ding also spoke up for them. Whatever shop they opened, he could probably at least get himself a VIP membership. “Exactly. People deserve a chance to reform. Tell us what you and Xiao Si each want to do. I’ll listen.”
Zhou Ge looked disgusted. “What use is telling you? Waste of saliva.”
“What does it matter? You kiss every day. You have plenty of saliva.” Mai Ding did not realize what he had just said. Why was everyone looking at him like he was the pervert now? Zhou Ge changed seats, turned his back to Mai Ding, and spoke to An Zi Yan. “Here’s the thing. Ellen and I want to open one of those themed love hotels. There aren’t many in the city right now. Then we could get rooms for free every day. But Xiao Si keeps saying she wants to open a travel agency so she can go everywhere and have fun. Yan, help me talk some sense into Xiao Si.”
In what universe were they adults who had entered society? Wasn’t it exactly as An Zi Yan said? One only wanted to play, while the other only wanted sex. Mai Ding wanted to throw the water in the cup on the table straight into Zhou Ge’s face.