One Useless Rebirth

“It belonged to my mum. After she and dad passed away, I continued to use it. Many daily messages of her and dad were kept in this phone, so I’d like to browse them from time to time.” He Bai explained in a few words and eased Di Qiuhe’s arm to comfort him again, “I conversed the screenshots of their messages into text files, so don’t worry, and it’s really my fault. Oh, by the way, why are you here?”

How could text files be the same as the original messages?

Di Qiuhe pulled back his hand obediently. He was glum deep inside to see He Bai trying to comfort him, bursting with various feelings and ideas that he himself could even not understand.

“I moved here and heard your voice when I passed by, so I came to you.” He took the opportunity to change the topic and turned to the barbecue in the yard, “What are you doing here? Visiting your friend? And...who are you guys?”

The security who had enjoyed the “show” for a long time: “...We are nobody, just go on, please.”

“Well...” Niu Junjie and the cook who supported each other in water reminded others of their presence, “Are you guys finished? Can we...get on the ground and speak?” Just now the atmosphere between He Bai and Di Qiuhe was weird, so he was not willing to interrupt them. Since their conversation was now at an end, he felt it safe to chip in.

After all, the cook was really heavy and supporting him in water almost killed his arms...

He Bai was speechless and found that he had been so absorbed with the conversation with Di Qiuhe that he forgot there were other people in the yard. He hastened to jump into the pool and help them out.

It was a false alarm. Having checked the alarming apparatus in the yard, the security left with strange expressions. Niu Junjie called the servants to lead Di Qiuhe and the cook into the house to get changed, while he and He Bai just wiped their body casually with towels. Draped in bath towels, they resumed their barbecue.

“Was that Di Qiuhe?” Niu Junjie asked abruptly.

He Bai gave him a strange glance, “Yes? You just called his name back then.”

Niu Junjie shook hands, “Not the same thing. I used to see his videos and photos, now I see him in front of me. But I still want to confirm, as he seems a little bit different in the flesh after all...”

His voice faded. Suddenly, he turned his head towards the house and stealthily moved closer to He Bai, lowering his voice: “Bai, level with me, is that Di Qiuhe...into you?” Given the atmosphere between He Bai and Di Qiuhe, gee, it was impossible for others to interrupt them.

He Bai looked at him with suspicion, “You are simply not in your right mind.”

Niu Junjie pressed down He Bai’s shoulders and said seriously: “Don’t diver the topic. Tell the truth and I’ll let it go.”

Glaring at him, He Bai threw Niu Junjie’s hands and said in an earnest manner: “My dear friend, you should be weaned off indecent dramas, or you may be someone like Locke.”

Locke? That bold guy who had courted He Bai? He drew back his head a little with a cold shiver running down his spine. But he refused to give up: “That’s...that’s different. I am asking you whether Di Qiuhe is...”

“No, he isn’t.” He Bai turned around and pushed a grilled shrimp into Niu Junjie’s open mouth. He patted Niu on his shoulder and asked sincerely, “Will you be into other two roommates?”

Niu Junjie trembled abruptly. Hand clamped over his mouth, he wanted to spit out that boiling shrimp.

He Bai continued with a benevolent face: “So, never doubt our sexual orientation. Di Qiuhe likes girls, especially D-cup, leggy girls. He acted strangely just now because he blamed himself too much for the phone. Don’t be silly, OK?”

“D-cup leggy girls?” Niu Junjie forgot his doubt instantly with bright eyes, “Wow, that guy has the same interest as me! No wonder he is the future poster man of our family, same taste, same taste!”

“...”

“I have many videos about leggy D-cup girls, but you guys always refuse to enjoy them with me. However, Di Qiuhe is a mild person, if I invite him to share our experience in videos, will he...” Niu Junjie’s filthy laughter interrupted his own words.

“...Whatever.”

After changing clothes, Di Qiuhe saw that young man who had stood beside He Bai before bending his arm around He Bai’s shoulder. He was speaking in high spirit. However, He Bai didn’t resist at all, allowing his arms to “intrude” his body. He just roasted food on barbecue carefully, nodding occasionally, like a kind of echo.

A sense of suppression attacked Di Qiuhe again, but seemingly different from the feelings before.

He relaxed himself and loosened the ill-fitting clothes. Then he came to them with an increasing voice: “Bai, what are you roasting? They smell good.”

He Bai and Niu Junjie glanced back as they heard his voice. Niu Junjie was gazing at Di Qiuhe’s long legs, full of jealousy, “Did you notice he’s got a six-pack when his clothes got wet just now? Damn! I thought this gentle, mild guy must be weak and fragile.

He Bai elbowed him and responded to Di Qiuhe. Then he told Niu Junjie in a low voice: “This is how you get along with your family’s future poster man?”

“Course not!” Niu Junjie immediately put on a serious face and freed his hands from He Bai’s shoulder, grinning to Di Qiuhe. He also said in a low voice to He Bai: “Just watch, man. My social ability is the best.” Then he came to Di Qiuhe and rested his hands on Di Qiuhe’s shoulder, saying loudly with a bright smile: “Hi, Qiuhe, are you hungry? Come on, have a taste of Bai’s food. His cooking skill is not equal to uncle Hu, but not bad at least.”

He Bai felt it too awkward to see him and turned back to continue his barbecue. The intertwinement of Di Qiuhe’s annoying personality and Niu Junjie’s weird behaviors, emmm, that’s not too easy on the eye.

“Oh yeah? Then I must have a taste.” Di Qiuhe, who stopped avoiding Niu Junjie’s arms, allowed Niu Junjie to put his arms around his shoulder. Di Qiuhe asked with a smile, “So, are you his classmate? I haven’t known him for long, not mentioning his friends.”

Seeing him an easy-going person, Niu Junjie got more excited, “More than that, we are roommates! Good brothers! At first, I was not accustomed to the dormitory life, so he helped me make my bed for a long time and washed the sheet and quilt for me. He was a good mate.” He thumbed up as he was talking.

Di Qiuhe’s smile turned stiff, but he covered it up soon. He followed Niu Junjie and sat down beside the barbecue. Watching He Bai’s figure, he tried hard to clam down and asked: “Well, he helped you wash quilt? That’s so sweet, isn’t it?”

“Not only quilt! Once I got sick and Bai asked time off to take care of me. He even washed my...Oh, after that I counted him as my brother!” Niu Junjie sat in front of He Bai, saying generously: “So, Bai’s friend is also my friend. Just consider here as your own home. Feel free!”

He Bai rolled his eyes, and swallowed a grilled meat.

Di Qiuhe noticed He Bai sneak a taste, wearing a dangerous smile. He turned to Niu Junjie and moved closer, said moderately: “Bai is a great man, so we all like him. It’s a pity that I only lived in dormitory for a short time due to my career...”

After the cook came back, He Bai handed the barbecue job to him. He sat beside those two with a plate of meat in hand, only to find that they talked like good brothers.

He Bai: “...” I just left for a second to take some meat and add some coal, what happened to them?

“Yeah! I thought he would be like other refined men, full of jealousy and hard to deal with, but I was wrong! I like his temperament, cheers!” Niu Junjie raised a beer out of nowhere, excitedly.

Di Qiuhe laughed and toasted with him, acting like an outgoing and generous person, “You flattered me, I’m not as straightforward and free as you. I am still too constrained.”

“Oh man, that’s so sweet.”

“All the words from my heart.”

Then, they kept toasting and drinking.

He Bai gave Di Qiuhe a warning glance, indicating him to stop jerking his innocent roommate around.