MAPF Chapter 69

Chapter 69: Date – A Little Chat 2

He Qin called a car to take them to a cave-themed (min su, bed and breakfast) in the city.

They drove all the way to the top of the mountain. The view opened up, and nestled among the dense, rocky mountains were uniquely shaped but perfectly integrated houses. This was a distinctive Turkish style that Xie Shiwei had seen on travel shows. Experiencing it in person was still a shock.

The B&B (min su, bed and breakfast) He Qin booked was a private villa on the mountaintop. The interior was especially unique, with contrasting colors and ethnic decorations. Everything was novel and exciting for him.

He Qin outlined the itinerary: “We’ll do a hot air balloon ride tomorrow morning. Today, I’ll take you riding a motorcycle. We’ll have dinner at the campsite tonight, and then come back to rest.”

“Okay,” Xie Shiwei nodded. “Are you tired?”

“Not tired. Being with you doesn’t feel tiring. I’ll only be tired when I get back home and busy with work,” He Qin said meaningfully.

Actually, he was worried that Xie Shiwei would change his mind after returning home. He always felt that Xie Shiwei’s agreement to be truly together had a time limit, although Xie Shiwei never explicitly said so.

Xie Shiwei didn’t notice this, and thoughtfully said that he would also spend more time with him to relax after returning home.

In the evening, the two of them strolled along the mountain road. It wasn’t the peak tourist season, and there were very few people on the mountain, allowing them to overlook the entire stone city.

Xie Shiwei suddenly wanted to tell He Qin about his childhood.

Before, he had only briefly mentioned his past because he didn’t want He Qin to pity him. But now, he wanted He Qin to understand him better, to know more about him.

Xie Shiwei started from his childhood, talking about how his parents were addicted to gambling, lost all their family property, and eventually died in a car accident. Because of this, he was afraid to cross the road for a long time. If there was no zebra crossing, he would rather walk three blocks extra than cross the street.

He told how he struggled alone to avoid debt collectors and even recounted his nightmares when they first lived together.

“That day, I dreamed that the debt collectors came to the door again. I took a kitchen knife and chopped at the door, and they left,” Xie Shiwei recalled. “These things always happened when I was a kid. When I was doing homework or eating, someone would bang on the door. I would either sneak away or fight back. Once, I really threatened them with a knife and scared them away.”

He Qin squeezed Xie Shiwei’s hand tightly. They arrived at the viewing platform and looked at the distant lights through the glass.

“Actually, I had pretty good grades. Not to brag, but being able to get into a good university and a good major in that kind of environment really shows I’m capable. It’s just a pity that after graduation, the labor market was saturated. I had been working to pay off debts while in school, so I didn’t accumulate any connections. After graduation, I could only be a workhorse for the boss at the company, suffering exploitation every day, and eventually dying so miserably.”

He Qin opened his windbreaker and pulled Xie Shiwei into his arms.

Xie Shiwei found a comfortable spot to lean on He Qin’s shoulder and continued, “But I also met good people. My neighbor, Auntie, was very kind to me. The reason I wanted magnolia flowers on my clothes was because there was a magnolia tree in front of her house. She would collect the petals for me so I could sleep well.”

“So, coming here and living such a good life, I really feel very happy. It’s just that my existence represents the disappearance of the original Xie Shiwei. I think his disappearance was very strange. Maybe the person who pushed him into the pool was the one who harmed him.”

“I’ve been continuing to investigate this matter,” He Qin said. He had been investigating this matter ever since he knew that Xie Shiwei had changed people. “I told you, I think the person who was talking to Bai An orchestrated everything.”

“Yeah, after we go back, I’ll investigate with you. We must find the person, both as an explanation to the original Xie Shiwei and to eliminate future risks.”

“Okay.”

Xie Shiwei leaned on He Qin, looking at the scenery and the stars.

The world was quiet, the autumn breeze gentle. He raised his head and kissed He Qin on the cheek.

He Qin smiled, then held his chin and kissed Xie Shiwei again.

After a long time, the two separated. Xie Shiwei’s lips were a little sore, and he playfully blamed He Qin for being too greedy.

He Qin whispered in Xie Shiwei’s ear, “Don’t tell me you didn’t want it?”

Xie Shiwei feigned anger and said he was annoying, but then laughed and said he wanted it too.

Kissing someone he liked was such a wonderful thing, how could he not like it?

.

In the following days, Xie Shiwei truly experienced an in-depth tour of a foreign country.

Watching the sunrise in a hot air balloon, driving a convertible sports car on desert roads, using a telescope to see star clusters at the campsite, paragliding by the Atlantic Ocean, he did many things he had never done before. Every moment, he was smiling, taking many photos, and kissing He Qin many times.

On the last day, they came to a small seaside town. He Qin found a car rental shop, gave his international driver’s license to the owner, and rented a cool motorcycle that Xie Shiwei liked.

Before getting on the bike, He Qin put a full-body, extra-thick protective gear designed for the elderly on Xie Shiwei.

Xie Shiwei looked confused: “I’m not that old yet, am I?”

He Qin smiled: “The last time I said I could ride a motorcycle, I was actually lying to you.”

Xie Shiwei was stunned, understood what He Qin meant, and laughed. He laughed so hard he couldn’t stop, and tears even came out a little. When he thought of He Qin calmly saying he could ride a motorcycle, then secretly going to sign up for a motorcycle class, he found it too funny, and also a little cute.

He Qin helplessly wiped away the tears from the corner of Xie Shiwei’s eyes and sat down in the driver’s seat: “Okay, get on, my skills are very good.”

Xie Shiwei climbed on and sat down, hugged He Qin’s waist, and said in his ear: “Thank you, having to work and take the time to learn, it must have been hard?”

“Thinking that you would like it, it wasn’t hard.”

Xie Shiwei’s ears turned red, and he buried his face in He Qin’s neck.

Seriously, how could he be so good at talking?

The throttle roared, the motorcycle sped off, the mountain wind swept around Xie Shiwei, his hair fluttered in the wind. Xie Shiwei took a deep breath, and the air with a strange fragrance filled his lungs. At that moment, Xie Shiwei felt that if he could just continue to be happy like this, he really, really wouldn’t care about He Qin’s little bug, and continue to live with He Qin, becoming a real family.