Difficult to Complete chapter 3

The welcome dinner was set for three days later, on the Saturday when Tang Yan returned. But due to a sudden heavy rainstorm in country M, his flight was delayed by two hours, so the dinner had to be canceled, and the welcome party was changed to a karaoke session instead.

However, Gu Yan was late because of some unexpected work at the office, and by the time he arrived, the party was already in full swing, with everyone having had at least one round of drinks.

“Our big boss Gu is a busy man now. I thought for sure I’d be the last one to arrive, but who would’ve thought you’d get here even later than someone whose flight was delayed coming back from abroad! Are you looking down on me?” Tang Yan hooked his arm around Gu Yan’s neck, teasing him.

The group joined in the banter: “Exactly, Gu Yan, this is unacceptable. You’ve got to punish yourself with three drinks!” 

“Three drinks? That’s not enough. Given Gu Yan’s drinking capacity, it should be at least ten!”

Of course, ten drinks was just talk—no one was going to push that hard right at the start; otherwise, how would the night go on? After some haggling, the friends graciously let Gu Yan off with just three drinks, which Tang Yan poured for him.

There was no way to refuse now. Gu Yan obediently drank the three glasses and then quietly sat aside, grabbing some fruit and small bread rolls from the table to eat.

He had rushed over right after work, hadn’t even had dinner yet, and his stomach wasn’t feeling great after downing the three drinks.

Tang Yan had a great personality and a ton of friends—this time, there were old friends as well as new ones that Gu Yan hadn’t met before.

After filling his stomach and easing the discomfort, a man came over, sat beside him, handed him a microphone, and invited him to sing together.

The intention was obvious, and the whole room instantly became excited, whistling and drumming on the sofa.

Many of them knew Gu Yan and were aware of his relationship with Shen Qi. Before today’s gathering, Tang Yan had even pulled them into a group chat, explaining that the two had broken up to avoid any inappropriate jokes that might make things awkward.

But now, with an old love in the room and a new interest seemingly on the horizon, everyone couldn’t hold back, eager to see how things would unfold. All warnings were forgotten.

“Sing, sing, let’s hear you sing!”

“You really picked the right person—our Gu Yan even won the campus singing competition!”

If someone hadn’t mentioned it, Gu Yan would have almost forgotten that he had done something so foolish.

The whole thing had started when he lost a bet with some friends and was forced to sign up for the campus singing competition.

Initially, he just wanted to participate casually to fulfill the bet, but somehow, he ended up breezing through to the finals.

By that time, he had known Shen Qi for two or three months. This playboy suddenly became a clueless fool when it came to pleasing his crush, hiding all his feelings in the song for the finals, and desperately begging Shen Qi to come and listen.

He even foolishly texted him, saying that the song was meant only for him.

“If you insist on marrying me, we’ll both end up as ashes. No one can claim Mount Fuji just with love.”

Shen Qi didn’t reply to that message, but he did come to hear him sing. Gu Yan suddenly thought, rather inappropriately, that if he hadn’t sung that song back then, maybe they wouldn’t have ended up like this.

His love was so full, so intense, yet he still couldn’t have that Mount Fuji.

Gu Yan took the microphone and sang a classic love song with the man. He sang the male part, and the other sang the female part. Surprisingly, their voices harmonized well, and the whole room was electrified by the performance.

After the song ended, the man clinked glasses with Gu Yan and introduced himself, saying, “My name is Tan Xiaolei. Mind adding me on WeChat?”

This was no longer just a hint but a clear indication. Friends around them started a new round of teasing, eager to snatch Gu Yan’s phone and help him add this “friend.”

Gu Yan subconsciously glanced at Shen Qi, who was sitting in the corner. The two first met at a KTV; it was during a friend’s birthday party when Gu Yan and his friends were invited to sing and drink, and that’s where he encountered Shen Qi, who was working part-time there.

At that moment, Gu Yan was immediately captivated by Shen Qi, thinking how attractive this waiter was.

A few days later, Gu Yan unexpectedly saw him again in the cafeteria, only to find out that the KTV waiter was actually a student at the same school as him.

Since then, Shen Qi had been on Gu Yan’s mind constantly—during meals, while sleeping, in class, and even while playing basketball.

Shen Qi was like a seed planted deep in Gu Yan’s heart, slowly taking root and growing into a towering tree that covered his heart entirely, leaving no room for anything else but thoughts of Shen Qi, and even more thoughts of Shen Qi.

Although Gu Yan had dated several people before, he had never truly cared for anyone until Shen Qi came along, almost as if out of nowhere.

But Gu Yan was a man of action. He didn’t hesitate or overthink things. Once he confirmed his feelings for Shen Qi, he immediately took action, pursuing him vigorously.

He went through various channels to get Shen Qi’s WeChat, created “coincidences” based on Shen Qi’s class schedule, and even joined the same club as him. Gradually, they became acquainted and familiar with each other.

Throughout all this, Shen Qi kept his eyes down, holding his wine glass without looking at Gu Yan. Gu Yan smiled, took out his phone, and scanned Tan Xiaolei’s WeChat, saying:

“Sure, it’s nice to meet you. You sing really well.”

Tan Xiaolei smiled happily, and right in front of Gu Yan, changed his contact name to “Gu Ge.”

“Just singing and drinking is boring. How about we play a game?” someone suggested.

And so they did, choosing to play truth or dare.

A group of men in their thirties, sitting together laughing and sharing stories of childhood bedwetting, poking hornet’s nests, sneaking their dad’s secret stash of money and getting spanked, or sneaking kisses from the girl sitting next to them in class, all while shamelessly kissing and hugging each other in the game.

Gu Yan drew the Pocky game.

Tang Yan pretended to be dissatisfied and protested, “I regret inviting you here today. This was supposed to be my welcoming party, but you stole all the limelight. It’s not fair!”

Gu Yan laughed, “Do you want the spotlight? You can have it.” Tang Yan quickly shook his head, “No, no, no, I can’t handle it. But does this game require my participation? For the sake of our friendship, I might have to sacrifice my dignity. Go ahead!”

Of course, he wasn’t going to. Gu Yan saved his friend’s dignity and chose the new friend, Tan Xiaolei, instead.

Tan Xiaolei was cooperative as well, and the chocolate Pocky between them grew shorter and shorter until their lips touched. Tan Xiaolei took the last bit of the chocolate stick, teasingly lifting his chin towards Gu Yan in a mix of challenge and flirtation.

Everyone went wild, hugging each other and running around the private room like crazy. Only Shen Qi sat alone on the sofa, sipping his beer in small sips.

Even though he was the one who initiated the breakup, seeing Gu Yan getting close to someone else and smiling at them still made him feel inexplicably sad.

They partied until two or three in the morning before heading home.

Everyone seemed happy that night, except for Shen Qi.

He didn’t join in any of the fun, just sat on the sofa, drinking one glass of alcohol after another.

By the time he got home, he was dizzy, and he went straight to bed without even taking a shower. But he couldn’t fall asleep because of the stomach pain.

It was a stomach condition he’d had since childhood due to irregular eating habits, flaring up from time to time. He couldn’t eat anything cold, spicy, or irritating, and he definitely couldn’t drink much.

Usually, Gu Yan would take care of him, reminding him what not to eat or drink. Sometimes, when he insisted on doing something he shouldn’t, Gu Yan would get upset, but then he’d apologize and coax him afterwards, always indulging him, but never giving in when it came to food Shen Qi shouldn’t have.

Because of this, his stomach hadn’t troubled him for years, and he’d almost forgotten about it. But after their breakup, the old problem resurfaced.

This time, however, there was no one to care for him, no one to prepare a hot water bottle or cook millet porridge for him. He could only endure it on his own, and when he couldn’t take it anymore, he got up to look for some medicine.

He searched through the drawers in the TV cabinet but found nothing, realizing that this was the place he had hurriedly rented after their breakup, and he hadn’t prepared any common medicines.

Should he go to the pharmacy? It was too far, and he didn’t feel like going. So he just continued to endure it. He had made his choice, and now he had to deal with the consequences. He needed to get used to the fact that no one would treat him as well as Gu Yan had.

Shen Qi leaned against the TV cabinet, sitting on the floor, staring out at the brightening sky through the living room window. A new day was about to begin.

Author’s Note:

“If you insist on marrying me, we’ll both end up as ashes.

Who can claim Mount Fuji for themselves in the name of love?”

—Eason Chan, “Under Mount Fuji”