Tang Heng had said the bar was tucked into an alley near Qinglü Middle Road. It had a lingering, romantic name: “Lovers.”
When Shao Wu arrived, Tang Heng was already there, standing outside the bar smoking. Chen Yimang had not exaggerated. He looked even better in person than in the photo, at least 180 centimeters tall, wearing a black cotton overcoat. Only when Shao Wu drew closer did he notice the rimless glasses, which added a touch of refinement to Tang Heng’s striking features.
Tang Heng held the cigarette in his right hand and offered Shao Wu his left. “Hello. Shao Wu?”
“That’s me.” Shao Wu gave his hand a light shake and found it surprisingly cold. And why was he shaking with his left hand? Was he left-handed?
Before Shao Wu could think further, Tang Heng said, “Let’s go in.”
His Mandarin was perfectly standard. There was no telling where he was from.
Shao Wu walked into Lovers beside Tang Heng. Quite a few people had already arrived, sitting in twos and threes in the booths. Tang Heng chose a table some distance from the stage with no one around it. After sitting down, he smiled at Shao Wu. “There’s a live performance tonight.”
“Oh…” Meeting for the first time, Shao Wu felt a little awkward. “They’re still performing on New Year’s Eve?”
“It’s only my second time here too. We’ll just listen casually. What do you want to drink?”
“Beer, I guess.”
“German dark beer?”
“Sure.”
Tang Heng got up and went to the bar, returning shortly afterward. The air-conditioning made the bar warm, so he took off his coat and draped it over the back of his chair. Underneath he wore a loose white knit shirt with a V-neck. Sitting beside him, Shao Wu could see the clean, level line of his shoulders and the rise of his collarbones.
He stared a little too long and suddenly met Tang Heng’s eyes. Shao Wu hurriedly looked away, feeling even more awkward.
Fortunately, music burst out the next second, the drumbeat rapid as rain. At the same time, the server brought their drinks, or more precisely, one beer and one Coke.
Shao Wu looked at the Coke, puzzled. “…You don’t drink?”
“No,” Tang Heng said. “I quit years ago.”
“Oh.”
And then? What was he supposed to say now?
Tang Heng took a sip of Coke and asked unhurriedly, “You and Chen Yimang are from the same hometown?”
Shao Wu nodded. “We met when we were in university.”
“Then you speak Chongqing dialect too?”
“Yeah.”
“…” Tang Heng leaned closer, considerably shortening the distance between them. “Could you say a few things in it for me?”
Shao Wu was baffled. Why did he want to hear Chongqing dialect? Was it really that unusual?
But they had only just met, and the request was not offensive, so Shao Wu said, “Sure… What do you want me to say?”
Tang Heng said softly, “Just say my name.”
Shao Wu hesitated for a moment, then called softly in Chongqing dialect, “Tang Heng.” It was only two syllables and probably took about a second. He had no idea whether Tang Heng was satisfied.
Sure enough, Tang Heng said, “Could you do it again, slower?”
Shao Wu forced himself through it. “Tang… Heng…” Is he flirting with me?
Tang Heng gave an “Mm,” then smiled. “Thanks. Actually… I had a friend from Guizhou. You know Guizhou dialect sounds a lot like Sichuan dialect, right? They both belong to Southwestern Mandarin.”
Shao Wu nodded.
“The way you pronounce my name really does sound a little like the way he did,” Tang Heng said.
Shao Wu said, “So…”
“It makes me a little nostalgic.” Tang Heng took another sip of Coke, his voice gentle. “Because he died.”
“…”
The house band took the stage: three middle-aged men, one on drums, one on electric guitar, and one with long hair gripping a microphone, clearly the lead singer. Shao Wu thought they might say something first, maybe offer New Year greetings, since it was New Year’s Eve. Instead, the singer snapped his fingers, scattered applause came from below the stage, and they immediately began.
“Why didn’t you go home?” Tang Heng asked, watching the stage.
“…I came out.”
Tang Heng glanced at him, then looked back at the stage. “Got it.”
The beer had been chilled. Shao Wu drank less than half the glass, found it too cold, and put it down. The opening song had a fast rhythm and a fairly catchy melody, but the lead singer’s voice was extremely hoarse. Shao Wu could not tell whether that was some fashionable vocal style.
Lines of lyrics scrolled across the LED screen behind the band:
I have no fine wine left, no new dreams.
All I have left is this song.
I’m tired of looking back, tired of cold, cruel nights.
I only want to cast off these clothes and rush ashore.
…
Tang Heng suddenly gave a soft, derisive laugh. “What a waste of this song.”
Shao Wu said, “You used to be in a band too?”
“Mm.” Tang Heng’s face was expressionless. “I was young then.”
“Aren’t you still young now?”
“It’s different…” Tang Heng’s gaze returned to Shao Wu’s face. “Chen Yimang said you got yourself into trouble back home.”
“The vice principal asked me to write papers for him. I translated a few from foreign websites and got them published under his name,” Shao Wu said. “Then I reported him.”
Tang Heng laughed, the corner of his mouth curving upward. Shao Wu felt that since they had met, this was the first smile that was completely genuine.
He reached out and hooked an arm around Shao Wu’s shoulders. “Chen Yimang said his friend was cute. Looks like he wasn’t lying.”
“…”
Shao Wu let Tang Heng hold him loosely and did not move. He knew what Tang Heng meant. Since he had accepted the invitation and come here, he had also tacitly accepted that something might happen between them. Whether they slept together tonight or not, at the very least, something ought to happen. Besides, Tang Heng was so handsome. His temperament was a little strange, but overall Shao Wu was hardly getting the short end of the deal.
Tang Heng leaned a little closer, his voice growing much gentler. “How long have you been in Zhuhai?”
“Almost half a year.”
“Have you been to Macau?”
“Not yet…”
“Come to Macau sometime. Come see me.”
“Sure…” Shao Wu did not want to seem too clumsy, so he followed up, “Is Macau fun?”
Tang Heng smiled. This one looked fake again. “You’ll feel better once you’re there.”
“Why?”
“Because you don’t see beggars there,” he said slowly. “Most people look polished and prosperous. Tourists spend money like water, locals have everything they need. Looking at them makes your mood improve too.”
Shao Wu turned his head toward Tang Heng. They were extremely close. If either of them leaned forward even slightly, their lips would touch.
But they only looked at each other. Neither moved.
Shao Wu said, “If you still sang, I think you could put what you just said into a song.”
Tang Heng said, “Too bad I don’t sing anymore.”
Maybe the next second they should have kissed. But Shao Wu’s phone suddenly began vibrating in his pocket.
“Uh…” Shao Wu pulled it out awkwardly. “Sorry.”
Tang Heng raised his brows, meaning it was fine, go ahead and answer.
But Shao Wu stared anxiously at the screen. It was a WeChat video-call request from Longlong. He had no idea how he was supposed to explain things once the video connected.
“Not answering?” Tang Heng asked.
“…I will.”
Shao Wu took a deep breath and tapped the green answer button. Longlong’s face appeared on-screen. At some point she had gotten her hair permed into curls and looked more mature than before, though her voice was still as bright and crisp as ever.
“Brother Xiao Shao,” she called. “Happy Spring Festival!”
“Happy Spring Festival.” Shao Wu smiled at her. “And wish Grandma and your brother a happy Spring Festival for me too.”
“Why is it so noisy over there?”
“…I’m at a bar watching a performance.”
“Where?”
“A. Bar.”
“Huh!” Longlong widened her eyes. “My brother said you were working overtime!”
Shao Wu: “…”
He was still wondering how to explain a lie he had not even told when the image jerked, and Shao Wu froze.
Yang Shuyi appeared in the video. He was sitting on the sofa in a black sweatshirt, the sleeves pushed up to his elbows, looking at his phone.
“Brother.” Longlong reached over and nudged him. “Brother Xiao Shao isn’t working overtime.”
Without looking up, Yang Shuyi said, “Then I remembered wrong.”
“Stop scrolling Weibo!” Longlong complained. “Come say a few words. Brother Xiao Shao is at a bar. Bars are even open on New Year’s Eve…”
“Mm,” Shao Wu said. “They’re open.”
“It’s so dark over there. I can’t see anything!”
“Ah… yeah.” Yang Shuyi was still looking at his phone. Apparently he had made up his mind not to speak to Shao Wu.
“Brother Xiao Shao, have you eaten?” The bar’s signal was poor, and Longlong’s voice came in broken fragments. “This year our… cured pork is really good! Grandma wants… give me your address!”
“Not yet. I’ll eat in a bit… Thank Grandma for me, but there’s no need to send anything. I can buy it here.”
“Send some…” Longlong turned the camera back toward herself, and Yang Shuyi disappeared from view. “So late…”
Shao Wu could not hear clearly and had to ask, “What did you say?”
“Why are you…” The picture began to freeze, then the sound turned fuzzy too. A few seconds later, the video disconnected.
Shao Wu secretly let out a breath of relief and said awkwardly to Tang Heng, “My little sister.”
Tang Heng was drinking his Coke. “Oh.”
“Then we…” Before he could finish, his phone rang again. This time Longlong was calling normally. Shao Wu grabbed it and said to Tang Heng, “One second.” Then he hurried out of the bar. He planned to tell Longlong they could talk tomorrow because his friend was waiting. He liked Tang Heng. He had decided to give this a try.
The instant he pushed open the door, cold air hit him in the face. Even though the nighttime lows had stayed above ten degrees these past few days, it was still cold after dark, and the wind was strong.
Shao Wu shivered and answered. “Hello, Longlong…”
“It’s me.” The call had clearly come from Longlong’s number, but Yang Shuyi’s voice was on the other end.
“…”
“You still haven’t eaten?” On the outer wall of the bar, the word “Lovers,” formed from tiny colored lights, flashed in a riot of colors.
“Not yet.” Why was he willing to contact me now?
“Go eat something.” Yang Shuyi paused, then said quietly, “Shao Wu, happy Spring Festival.”