Looking Over at the Guy Across the Way

Chapter 22: No Liability Fanwai 1, Next Children’s Day, we’ll also be together, oh! (The Childhood Version)

“Hey, little fatty! Do you want to come over and play together?!” Wearing a tank top and little boxers, the suntanned boy stood in the middle of a bunch of kids, shouting at the plump child, who was sitting with his legs stretched out under a large tree not far away.

The plump boy was startled and first looked around and the pointed at himself with an expression of disbelief: “M….me?”

“Of course it’s you! Do you want to join us?”

The little plump boy nodded with a blushing face, then quickly shook it. He whispered: “F-forget it….”

“Hey, Chen Xiao, stop talking to him. Every time he always sits there like a dummy, taking so long to react and say anything! So boring! We’ll play on our own!”

The little plump boy heard that and he bowed his head in grief. His ears were red to their base and he sadly thought, why am I such a coward? He blamed his mom for not letting him out to ever play with anyone else!

He heard the laughter of the group as they ran off. His heart was even more depressed and he scratched the ground with a stone.

“Hey, let’s both go play!”

The voice ringing out overhead made him suddenly look up. The little brat with mud on his face was grinning and reaching out to him. The sun shone on him from behind, outlining him in gold.

“You….you aren’t playing with them….?”

“Hmm, I’m tired of their bullying. Hey, let’s go! Look at your fat, I’m sure you don’t exercise enough every day! Come on, let’s go!”

In fact, the little plump guy wasn’t really fat. His face just had baby fat still, coupled with him not growing very tall, so he looked like a little fatty. He looked as if he would somersault over when he walked and Chen Xiao, thinking of an animation of a little round monster, couldn’t help but let a laugh out with a “pfft.” In his heart, a little demon with a fork was jumping up and down.

“What, what are you laughing at?” The little fatty was staring at him with big watery eyes. His upper eyelashes were long and bright and his long hair was soft and down to his cheeks. He reached out and pulled the boy’s hand and saw the other side was still staring at him, stunned, so he pinched his baby-fat face.

“What’s your name?”

“Gu, Gu MengYang…..why are you pinching me…..?”

“Gu MengYang, ah, oh…..hahaha, you’re not going to cry, right?! Your face is so soft!” Chen Xiao giggled “heeheehee” as he pinched it a few times. When Gu MengYang’s whole face was pinched red, he reluctantly lowered his hand, thinking, this is a lot more fun than bullying cowards who only know how to complain to their parents!

“My name’s Chen Xiao! I’ll protect you from now on! Those guys are really scared of me and Luo Xin!” He patted his weak little chest and put his arm around Gu MengYang’s shoulder. “Hey, you’re actually pretty skinny.”

“I’m not fat at all! Also, I’m moving away tomorrow……”

“Huh? So fast?!” Chen Xiao felt a sense of pity and loss, I just got addicted to bullying you! Why are you leaving tomorrow…..? “Never mind! When I grow up, I’ll come and play with you!”

“Really?! Okay, okay! You’re a little dog if you don’t come!” Gu MengYang’s eyes were sparkling, thinking, this guy is so nice, just don’t pinch my face……

“Yo, you dare to swear, not following a good example~~ Did you get a present today? I got a remote-control car! It’s so awesome! They were all envious to death!”

Today was Children’s Day and Chen Xiao, early in the morning, had found a remote-control car on his desk. But he wasn’t surprised, he had been bothering his dad for a long time about it. Next to that was a box of chocolate his mom had bought. It would be nice if every day was Children’s Day! The best part was you didn’t have to go to classes for a day!

“My parents are busy……they have no time to spend with me……” Gu MengYang lowered his head in a very wronged manner.

“Oh, so that’s it….. Why don’t we go to the children’s park! I’ve been there once, it’s fun!”’

(children’s parks are city-based parks, to educate children and give them opportunities for learning and exercise; not usually an amusement park, more like an interactive museum)

“The children’s park? But we have no money……and it’s so far away…..”

“Don’t worry, depend on me~~ and don’t hesitate, I won’t sell you out!”

So the two little brats went up to the station in the heat and then got on the last row of the bus. Nervous and fresh-looking, they stared out the window at the unfamiliar scenery. Chen Xiao didn’t actually remember the address of the park, he just had a vague impression, but he had pulled Gu MengYang along on the scheme. He thought that he himself was pretty strong, so this little one couldn’t hit him. The result of this was that the two kids ending up sitting in the station after not only getting lost on the way but also nearly suffering heatstroke. Finally, they managed to reach the park with the help of the traffic police.

Chen Xiao thought, this is so exciting! It’s like an adventure! He was so excited he pulled the about-to-cry Gu MengYang by the face and darted into the amusement park.

Pirate ships, bumper cars, merry-go-rounds, and roller-coasters; they screamed and play together. The ride where you jump from very high up, neither of them dared to go on. By the time they walked out of the park shivering, it was growing dark, and after tossing their last two coins into the bus for the fare, they had no money left.

Standing in the neighborhood downstairs, Gu MengYang looked at Chen Xiao with reddened eyes and spoke, “Chen Xiao, thank you for playing with me, I’m so happy!” His eyes were especially bright against the dark of the night.

“Heehee, why are you so polite?” Chen Xiao scratched his head and giggled, thinking, how can this little fatty be so cute!

“Then…… You have to come see me in the future!”

“Mmhmm! Definitely! Pinky promise, okay!”

The pair hooked their little pinkies and pressed their thumbs together, while chanting and saying the “spell” – ‘pinky promise, not allowed to change for 100 years’.

“Chen Xiao, goodbye.”

“Mmm, goodbye…… You, why did you kiss me?!”

“I don’t know…… It said on TV, if you like someone, you should kiss them……”

“That….. Then I’ll kiss you too…..”

When Chen Xiao ran home, he felt his heart racing. His face was so hot as if it was going to catch on fire.

“Wuu!! Dad, I was wrong!! Don’t spank me–!”

“Good, you stinky boy! Daring to steal this household’s money! Talk! Where did you go crazy playing today?! Coming home so late!”

“Ooh – I went to the park with someone to play – it hurts – Luo Xin! You can’t eat my chocolate!!”

“……stinky boy, what are you paying attention to?! Watch and see if I don’t beat you to death!”

“That’s right, Uncle Chen, I saw Chen Xiao going out with a handsome little boy. Maybe his parents will stop by later!”

“Luo Xin, you traitor! Wuu, Dad, don’t hit–!”

As Chen Xiao’s bottom was slapped and spanked, he thought, Gu MengYang was a lot cuter than all of you! I’m going to go find him to play! And then I’ll never talk to you again!