Unbridled 9

His home wasn’t too far away, but Lin Wuyu still rented a bike.

 

 

“Your father came to the school to look for me today, and he asked about… about you shouting on the rooftop.”

The wind blew past Lin Wuyu’s ears, carrying the smell of dry dust.

 “Why didn’t he come to me directly?”

 

“Maybe… he was afraid that it would affect your studying. I’m also worried, but with your personality, I felt that I should tell you…”

 

When the car arrived downstairs, Lin Wuyu looked up and saw that the lights in the house were on.

 

“If it was from fear of affecting my review, he should’ve waited until the college entrance examinations were over. If you didn’t tell me, he would look for Chen Mang and my other classmates… I know them too well, and I’m aware that they would definitely feel the need to let me know once they found out. They said so themselves.”

 

“I can try to talk to them first, and ask them to talk to you after your college entrance exams are over?”

 

Lin Wuyu walked into the hallway and pressed the elevator button.

 

“No, I don’t have the habit of avoiding my problems. If I can solve something, I’ll solve it immediately.”

 

This also isn’t something that needs to be dealt with as a matter of course.

 

“Why did you come back today?” his mother stood up from the sofa when she saw him enter the door. “Aren’t you going to review? You didn’t even bring any materials back…”

 

“Let’s talk.” Lin Wuyu entered the room and sat on the sofa.

 

“It seems that your teacher, Mr Lin, told you anyway?” his dad immediately stopped acting dumb.

 

“It’s a good thing he told me.” Lin Wuyu propped his elbows on his knees and looked at him. “If you would have looked for people from our dormitory again, everyone would have been embarrassed.”

 

“Is it true, then?” his mother looked at him.

 

“What’s true?” Lin Wuyu also looked at her.

 

“You know what I’m talking about!” his mother frowned.

 

In fact, Lin Wuyu never thought about what it’d be like if his parents found out one day. But his mother’s attitude still took him by surprise. She wasn’t even willing to explicitly mention the subject 

 

He always thought that apart from the attitude of “You can’t do anything, you’re not as good as your brother”, they would be more open than other parents. After all, in his memory, “your brother” had a pretty flamboyant personality himself.

 

“Is it the matter about me being gay?” Lin Wuyu asked. Seeing the stiff expression on their faces, he smirked. “It’s true, got a problem?”

 

“Why are you so…” His father didn’t finish his sentence; he had probably swallowed the word ‘perverted’.

 

Some of his peers had used this word towards him, and it wasn’t surprising that his parents used it in their generation.

 

His mother lived up to her husband’s expectations and said, “Don’t you know that this is abnormal? This is abnormal!”

 

Lin Wuyu turned his head and sighed softly.

 

“We don’t want to say too much, you still have to take the college entrance examination, so we don’t want to affect your studying,” his father said. “You’ve never been that good at studying anyways…”

 

“It’s not going to affect it,” Lin Wuyu said. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s important or not, just say whatever you want.”

 

“Why on earth are you this way?” his mother asked. “Why? Because of your brother? Do you think that we are biased, so now you’re using this to take revenge on us?”

 

“If I remember correctly,” Lin Wuyu looked at her, “I’ve lived for over ten years, and I’ve never called you biased. Where’d you get that idea from?”

 

His mother didn’t speak.

 

“Why?” Lin Wuyu imitated her.

 

“What do you mean, why!” His mother suddenly threw the cup in her hand to the ground. “That’s my line! Why did you retaliate against us like this?! Retaliate against us in such a disgusting and perverted way?!”

 

The room froze for a few seconds.

 

This was the first time Lin Wuyu saw such a side of his mother, one in which she lost her composure without warning, and for a moment, he couldn’t recover.

 

It’s been ten years since she lost her beloved son, her son who hadn’t left her a word, nor a single letter, and hasn’t sent any news back either.

 

She couldn’t hear him, she couldn’t see him, her memory of him was getting fuzzier day by day, and she couldn’t even remember some things, such as him crying, laughing, or getting angry; whether it even happened or not.

 

Frightening.

 

And the leftover, this extra child that she needed to face every day, this child she doesn’t need and who doesn’t even look like her… No, she didn’t even want to take a second glance at this child. Pretending to be calm, maintaining a superficial appearance through this anxious entanglement. A face of calm.

 

Finally, the day had arrived.

 

BOOM!

 

Lin Wuyu didn’t speak. He didn’t even know what to say.

 

His mother pointed at him. “What do you mean by why! If you’re not saying anything, then doesn’t that mean that that’s how you feel?!”

 

“Calm down.” His father grabbed her arm.

 

“Don’t touch me!” his mother shook him off and continued to point at Lin Wuyu, almost screaming. “Yes, I’m biased! I’m biased! You’re not as good as your brother! You’re not as good as him! It’s impossible for you to ever be as good as him, yet you’re still so self-righteous! Who gave you the confidence? Why do you think you’re even worthy of the title of being a learning god?! Why do you?!”

Lin Wuyu looked at her.

 

He didn’t know how she managed to suddenly go off-topic.

 

This kind of essay isn’t going to get you any points in the college entrance examination.

 

However, he suddenly felt a very comfortable feeling. Every cell in his body seemed to have opened its arms, floating in the cool, fresh air.

 

He took a deep breath, stood up, and took a step towards his mother.

 

“Wuyu.” His father stretched out his arm to stop him.

 

“You deserved it,” Lin Wuyu said.

 

The self-evaluation of his performance was that his voice was calm, and his breath was as steady as a python about to pounce on its prey.

 

His mother and father were both stunned.

 

“You two,” Lin Wuyu suddenly raised his voice and screamed, “deserved it!”

“What did you say?” his mother looked at him in shock.

 

“Nobody was born with their permission,” Lin Wuyu looked at her. “You know why you gave birth to me! And why did you let me bear the burden of another person’s life the moment I was born?! Why was I born because of Lin Zhan? Why did you decide that my life was meaningless except for Lin Zhan?! Why did you?!”

“Lin Wuyu!” his father roared.

 

“That’s right! I’m Lin Wuyu! I’m not Lin Zhan’s younger brother!” Lin Wuyu screamed. “I didn’t live my life preparing to take care of you in the future. You should’ve understood the day Lin Zhan disappeared! You have no right to dictate anybody’s life! You have no right to discredit me! You have no right to deny me anything!”

 

“Shut up!” his mother pointed at him, her hands violently trembling.

 

“Whether I’m smart, whether I’m outstanding, whether I’m a learning god, whether I should be confident or not, who I date, who I am, how I live,” Lin Wuyu said, emphasizing word by word, phrase by phrase, “it’s all up to me.”

“Get out!” his dad stared at him. “You get out-”

 

The playground was very quiet. It was already two in the morning. Even the students studying in the playground had already returned to their own dorms, and the flashlights from the school police patrol were being swept around somewhat perfunctorily.

 

Lin Wuyu looked forward to the flashlight shining past him.

 

Not once did it happen.

 

When he was beginning to clearly be able to see the outline of the grass on the ground beside the stands, the light from the flashlights disappeared.

 

In the distance, high school seniors who got up early began to appear, and they went to the playground to study before the cafeteria opened. 

 

“You didn’t go back to the dormitory?” Xu Tianbo stood in front of him and asked in surprise.

 

It wasn’t hard to guess. He never got up before the cafeteria opened in the morning, so the only possibility was that he’d been sitting in the playground since last night.

 

“Mmn,” Lin Wuyu smiled.

 

“What’s the matter?” Xu Tianbo bent down and looked at him. “Your complexion seems fine, but your mood doesn’t seem to be very good.”

“I’ll tell you after I’ve sorted out my emotions.” Lin Wuyu stood up, kicking his sore legs back and forth. “Go study, I’m going to run a few laps.”

“Don’t run,” Xu Tianbo said. “If you’ve been sitting here all night, you’ll feel uncomfortable if you suddenly start running right now. You should walk two laps instead.”

 

“Okay.” Lin Wuyu jumped down the steps, walked slowly along the track, and looked up at the sky.

 

The sky was very clear. Today should be a good day.

 

“It’s going to rain,” Shi Xiangyang said. “I bet you it’s going to rain within two hours.”

 

“What are you betting on?” Ding Ji raised his head from a pile of books.

 

“I bet you won’t be able to finish this set of questions before it rains,” Shi Xiangyang said firmly.

 

Ding Ji opened his mouth, looked at him, and asked after a while, “What exactly are you betting on?”

 

“It will rain within two hours,” Shi Xiangyang repeated.

 

“And then, what are you betting on?” Ding Wu came to his senses after speaking and asked before Shi Xiangyang could speak. “What’s the bet?”

 

“Bet?” Shi Xiangyang looked at the paper in front of him.

 

“Bet on my set of questions?” Ding Ji asked. “Do the losers do the questions or the winners?”

 

Shi Xiangyang didn’t speak. He leaned back on his chair and looked out of the window, his gaze wandering a little.

 

Before his eyes wandered back, Ding Ji quickly pushed the exacto-knife in his pencil cup to the innermost part. This guy must’ve been under a lot of pressure studying recently and seemed to have fallen into a trance.

 

“Sometimes I suddenly have a feeling,” Shi Xiangyang said, “of just giving up and forgetting about everything.”

 

“It’s all over now,” Ding Ji said. “Isn’t it too late to give up?”

 

“Huh?” Shi Xiangyang turned to look at him.

 

“Give up early,” Ding Ji said. “It’s more cost-effective to give up at the beginning. Now you’re right about taking the exam. If you spend the amount of time left playing a game, you can’t even clear the level with full stars. It’s not worth it.”

 

Shi Xiangyang continued to look at him thoughtfully.

 

“Look at me,” Ding Ji pointed to himself. “I don’t know how to learn, I just dawdle every day, and my results on the exams all depend on copying. I’m far behind you. I haven’t given up yet. Won’t you feel panicked if you give up?”

 

“Did you copy everything?” Shi Xiangyang asked.

 

“Mhm,” Ding Ji nodded sincerely. “But I don’t dare to copy during the college entrance examination, so I have to review. I am reviewing, and you are giving up?”

 

“I can’t give up.” Shi Xiangyang said resolutely.

 

“That’s the spirit!” Ding Ji patted him. “Come on, learning god, explain this question to me.”

 

When Shi Xiangyang started to talk about the subject, Ding Ji heaved a sigh of relief.

 

To be honest, Shi Xiangyang was quite stupid, but he worked hard, and the most stressful thing was calling on people. There were learning gods like Lin Wuyu in his class, and there were people who squatted in the back row and used alcohol lamps to cook instant noodles with spicy strips. With all this pressure, their stress was quite high, but the pressure mainly came from the challenge of how your parents dealt with your survival after the exam.

 

As for himself…

 

The pressure was also quite high, the young one doesn’t work hard, and the boss is sad.

 

Ding Ji listened carefully to Shi Xiangyang explaining a problem to him that he could do with his eyes closed, using a method that was several times more complicated than his.

 

He felt that his stress was relieved a lot.

 

Today was the day when Lin Wuyu had made an appointment to return the book to him. It happened to be the weekend and Ding Ji left school early so that he could pick up the book and get home at the usual time, which was conducive to family unity.

 

When he ran downstairs, he ran into Shi Xiangyang who came back from the toilet with this exercise set in his arms.

 

“Where are you going?” Shi Xiangyang looked righteous.

 

“…Going home.” Ding Ji said.

 

“Didn’t you bring some study materials to review?” Shi Xiangyang was very distressed.

 

“I’ve got some at home.” Ding Ji wanted to run downstairs.

 

“Here,” Shi Xiangyang stuffed the exercise book into his hand, “I won’t read this book for these two days, you should take it. I’ve done all the questions in it, you can…”

 

“Thank you.” Ding Ji took the exercise set and ran downstairs.

 

Ding Ji was just about to call  Lin Wuyu with his mobile phone when he hurried out from the school gate. When Ding Ji saw him coming out, he quickly blocked him: “Hey, student.”

 

“Why are you here?” Lin Wuyu was a little surprised to see him.

 

“How fresh is your memory!” Ding Ji said. “’In three days, I’ll come to get my precious book.’”

 

Lin Wuyu still looked at him, and after a while, he said with embarrassment. “I forgot about this, so…”

 

“Huh?” Ding Ji looked at him.

 

Lin Wuyu glanced back at the school gate, turned around and walked back as if making up his mind. “Wait for me, I’ll go back to the dormitory and bring it to you.”

 

“No, wait,” Ding Ji grabbed his clothes. “Are you in a hurry?”

 

“…Mhm,” Lin Wuyu responded.

 

“Then you should go ahead first, give me the book when you have time,” Ding Ji said. “It’s okay.”

 

Lin Wuyu looked like a person who kept his word, so he was obviously very conflicted at the moment.

 

“I don’t need my book urgently. I said three days to tease you,” Ding Ji said.

 

“Okay,” Lin Wuyu walked over to the sidewalk. “I’ll bring it to you at night…Damn.”

 

Ding Ji took a look. The last shared bicycle on the side of the road was pushed away.

 

Lin Wuyu was indeed a little anxious. He didn’t know the time limit for his mother’s ultimatum, nor did he know what would happen to the things in his room after this time limit.

 

Not caring that Ding Ji was still by his side, he ran home immediately.

 

“Hey!” Ding Ji followed behind him. “Hey!”

 

“Stop talking, can I bring it to you tonight?” Lin Wuyu looked back at him in shock. “Do I look like I’m gonna eat your book?”

 

“I have a vehicle!” Ding Ji shouted.

 

Lin Wuyu stopped. “What vehicle?”

 

“A moped, what other kind of vehicle can it be?” Ding Ji said while running to the parking spot nearby. “Are you still looking forward to a Lamborghini at this time…”

 

Lin Wuyu laughed. Ding Ji’s casual words made him relax a lot.

 

Ding Ji’s moped was quite big. It looked like the kind that violated the rules and regulations and looked somewhat like a Transformer.

 

“Hasn’t this car been caught by the police?” Lin Wuyu stepped into the back seat, “The traffic police have been going around recently.”

 

“Are you in a hurry?” Ding Ji glanced at him, “Where are you going?”

 

“Turn right ahead.” Lin Wuyu said.

 

Ding Ji turned the handlebar, and the battery car rushed down the sidewalk and merged into the traffic, “And then?”

 

“To the end.” Lin Wuyu said.

 

“And then?” Ding Ji asked again.

 

“It’s there,” Lin Wuyu cleared his throat.

 

“…Is it too late if I tell you to get off and start running now?”

 

Ding Ji was speechless.

 

“Thank you,” Lin Wuyu said.

 

“You’re welcome, but we haven’t even reached the starting fee.” Ding Ji said.

 

The car quickly arrived at the area. It was a nice neighbourhood with a quiet environment.

 

“Did something happen with your family?” Ding Ji got out of the car. “Want me to help?”

 

‘No thanks.’

 

In theory, this should’ve been the answer.

 

“If you have the time,” Lin Wuyu didn’t know why he said that, “can you help me carry my luggage?”

 

It seems that there was a kind of pleasure in tearing open a wound that never heals well.

 

He wanted to show off the pleasure of “his family’s ugliness”.

 

His mother asked if he was taking revenge.

 

‘No clue. I’ve always had this kind of thought, I guess. I was once a child too.’

 

“Are there a lot of things?” Ding Ji stood in the elevator and looked at him. “You look like a very organized person, so why don’t you have any preparations for your luggage?”

 

“You can try and guess,” Lin Wuyu smiled.

 

“Do I still need to guess?” Ding Ji said. “This is either because you fought with your family, and are now planning to take your luggage and run away from home, or… It’s also possible that you were kicked out of the house.”

Lin Wuyu looked at him.

 

“Although it’s a bit childish, it’s understandable.” Ding Ji said.

 

“Let’s stop fighting wits and courage for now.” Lin Wuyu turned his head away.

 

Ding Ji felt that he was a very polite person. When Lin Wuyu opened the door, he put a smile on his face first. Lin Wuyu had quarrelled with his parents, but he still wanted to say hello.

 

Greet uncle, aunt, etc.

 

But after the door was opened, there was no one at home.

 

At this time, he discovered that Lin Wuyu was also a very polite person. When the house was empty and he was in a hurry to move things, he hadn’t forgotten to say a series of words. “You don’t need to change your shoes, come in. This is my living room, over there is the kitchen, the bedroom, this is another bedroom, this is my bedroom…I won’t show you around here, come here quickly…”

 

Ding Ji quickly followed him into the bedroom.

 

“This box contains books.” Lin Wuyu pulled out a huge suitcase from under the bed and threw it to him. “Thank you.”

 

“…You running away from home shouldn’t mean bringing all this stuff along, right?” Ding Ji looked at his bookshelves full of books, and the books piled up on the bedside desk. It was still shocking that Lin Wuyu was just starting with packing his luggage. “This box can’t even fit.”

Lin Wuyu looked at him, as if thinking about it.

 

“You still have a photographic memory, don’t you?” Ding Ji added persuasion.

 

“Then put those, just put the ones that can go in.” Lin Wuyu pointed to another cabinet. “I have a list of books, I can buy them again.”

 

“A drone?” Ding Ji opened the cabinet and was stunned.

 

“Yeah.” Lin Wuyu began to heave clothes from his closet.

 

“A drone of this size can’t be played with casually, right?” Ding Ji said.

 

“I have a license,” Lin Wuyu said.

 

“…Oh.” Ding Ji nodded, and carefully took out a remote control. “I think you just need to bring some clothes. These things… you can only bring some of them when you are fleeing.”

 

“I’m afraid my mother will burn the things I don’t take away,” Lin Wuyu said.

 

Ding Ji was stunned for a moment: “To this extent? What kind of hatred does she have?”

 

“There’s no hatred,” Lin Wuyu stuffed the clothes into the box indiscriminately. “It’s just that there’s an extra person.”