BIAS Chapter 8: Gloves

After Fang Jincheng left, Yan Su closed the shop’s door. He rolled up his sweater sleeves and began to clean up. While sweeping, he accidentally bumped the face of his watch on the table. He wiped the smooth and shiny surface with his fingertips, hesitated for a moment, loosened the pin buckle, and carefully put the watch back in the velvet box.

He had to do menial labor everyday and bumping into things was inevitable, so it wasn’t ideal to be wearing such an exquisite and beautiful watch.

“In a couple of days” was a vague estimate, not an actual date—so when two days passed, Yan Xu didn’t actually wait for Fang Jincheng, but he set a time for dinner with Chi Ye.

Around 2pm that day, the last customer paid and left, and Yan Xu closed the shop. He washed the dishes, swept the floor, and prepared for the opening tomorrow. It was almost 5pm when he finished tidying everything up.

He and Chi Ye agreed to meet up at 6pm and go together. Yan Xu rubbed the sweat on his forehead, untied his apron, and hurried upstairs. He washed up, changed his clothes, and went downstairs—just in time for him to hear the low roar of a motorcycle outside the door.

Yan Xu rolled up the shutter door, only for it to jam halfway. Then a hand reached in from the outside and effortlessly pushed it all the way up.

When the door was opened, light spilled in. Yan Xu unsurprisingly saw Chi Ye standing outside, and his eyes couldn’t help but light up.

Chi Ye was tall and handsome, but people in his line of work couldn’t wear nice or new clothes. Moreover, no one wanted to wear clean clothes to the construction site and get them dirty. Therefore, Chi Ye basically wore sturdy and wear-resistant canvas work clothes, which were mostly gray.

But today’s Chi Ye was very different; he had changed out of his work clothes and into a short black down jacket that highlighted his height and dark jeans. He looked neat and handsome.

Chi Ye, who was standing outside, also couldn’t help but widen his pupils. Yan Xu’s skin had always been good, it was a lot paler compared to most men. Today, he wore a mid-length brown wool coat and a high-necked beige sweater inside, which made him look even whiter, and his face smaller.

However, at the same time, he felt a bit embarrassed. After work, he dressed up carefully; wearing a down jacket that he bought last year and had only worn two or three times, and a pair of new jeans that he had bought at the instigation of his coworkers some time ago, and polished his ankle boots until they shone. But one glance at Yan Xu, then back at his own awkwardly mismatched outfit, and he was instantly flushed with embarrassment.

Yan Xu didn’t notice anything unusual about Chi Ye. He and Chi Ye greeted each other, then they both went out.

Chi Ye considerately pulled down the shutter door, and while doing so, he looked up at the door’s slideway, and said to Yan Xu, “The slideway may be rusted, or it could be that the two sides have come off the slide rails. I’ll bring the tools to help you fix it tomorrow.

“Really? Will it be too much trouble for you?” Yan Xu expressed his gratitude in advance. Although he felt a bit embarrassed, he genuinely needed help fixing the door. Maybe it was just bad luck; one of the two door repairmen he contacted today went back to his hometown, and the other went out of town, so they couldn’t come to help fix it. However, the door couldn’t be delayed any longer. Just this morning, he’d struggled terribly just to get it open.

“It won’t.” Chi Ye spread out his hand, indicating for Yan Xu to give him the key. “It’s a quick fix.”

Yan Xu placed the key in Chi Ye’s palm, then smiled. “Thank you.”

Chi Ye rubbed the fingertip that Yan Xu had unintentionally touched, turned around, and squatted down to lock the door, saying, “No need to be so polite.”

After locking the door, the two of them went over to the motorcycle. Chi Ye said, “The parking spaces here are only for temporary parking. Please give me a moment while I find a place to park my motorcycle.”

Yan Xu nodded, but when Chi Ye took out his keys, he called out to him, “We can’t go there on the motorcycle?”

Of course it was possible. Chi Ye looked at Yan Xu hesitantly. “It’s very windy when riding a motorcycle, and you’re wearing too little.”

Yan Xu’s eyes were fixed on the old motorcycle, and he firmly said, “I’ll be fine.” He looked at Chi Ye embarrassedly and said, “I have never ridden a motorcycle before, so I want to try.”

Chi Ye hesitated for a moment while holding the key, then he nodded. “Alright.” He asked Yan Xu, “Did you bring your gloves?”

Yan Xu shook his head. “I don’t need it, it’s not that cold. The hotpot place isn’t far from here.”

Chi Ye rubbed his fingertips, the cold touch just now still lingered on his fingertips.

“It’s cold when sitting on a bike.” He took out his black knit gloves from his pocket, and when he looked down and saw the messy fuzz balls on them, he paused, frowned in hesitation for a moment, but still handed the gloves to Yan Xu. “They’re a bit pilled, but they’re clean. I only wore them for a little while just now.”

Yan Xu was slightly stunned. “You wear it. You’re facing the wind in the front, so you’ll be even colder.”

Chi Ye pulled back his hand, but didn’t take it back. He took out a pair of white nylon gloves from his other pocket, saying, “I’ll wear this one.”

Yan Xu didn’t expect that Chi Ye would carry the nylon gloves with him, and he couldn’t help wanting to laugh, but he pursed his lips to hold it in. He was afraid that if he refused again, it would seem like he really disliked them, so he gladly took the gloves.

Although the gloves were a bit old, they were very thick, and still retained a little warmth, making them warm and snug.

Chi Ye handed the only helmet to Yan Xu. This time, Yan Xu didn’t take it, as the one riding it must need it more.

Chi Ye didn’t insist, putting it on. He got on the motorcycle with his long legs, then tilted his head toward Yan Xu.

Yan Xu was a bit excited inside. He licked his lip, held onto Chi Ye’s arm and sat on the back seat, consciously grabbing a little of Chi Ye’s clothes.

Chi Ye glanced down, then turned to say, “If your hands end up feeling cold, you can put them in my pockets.”

Yan Xu thought it wouldn’t be that cold, but still agreed.

The facts proved that Yan Xu had gravely underestimated the lethality of being on a motorcycle against winter winds. Even though Chi Ye deliberately rode slower, even though Chi Ye blocked most of the cold wind for him, and even though he was wearing thick gloves, the razor-like wind still made his hands and feet cold and his lips trembling.

Yan Xu tightly wrapped himself in his overcoat and shrank into Chi Ye’s back. He suddenly recalled what the other party had said earlier—if your hands end up feeling cold, you can put them in my pockets—but he immediately dispelled this thought. This action was too intimate, it wasn’t appropriate.

Chi Ye glanced back from the rear view mirror, then slowed down a bit. He slightly turned his head and said to him, “We’re almost there.” After a pause, he spoke up again, “Put your hands in my pocket to block the wind.”

“N-n-no, no need.” Yan Xu’s teeth chattered as he responded tremblingly.

Chi Ye moved his lips. He grabbed Yan Xu’s wrist from behind and put his frigid hand into his own pocket. The entire process was done in one swift move that Yan Xu didn’t react to in time.

Using the helmet as a shield, Chi Ye swallowed his tightened Adam’s apple. “Hold tight, I’m about to turn the corner.”

Yan Xu also stopped hesitating; he slipped his other hand in Chi Ye’s pocket, resting it on his firm waist through the fabric.

The hotpot restaurant wasn’t considered far, they arrived not long after.

Being blown by the wind while on the motorcycle, Yan Xu’s legs were numb as he got off, and he staggered and almost fell.

“Sorry.” Yan Xu embarrassingly scratched his messy hair. “I caused you to suffer from the cold, too.”

Chi Ye took off his helmet, turned his head, and said, “I’m not cold.” He saw the tip of Yan Xu’s nose which was red from the cold. “If you want to ride the motorcycle, you can wait until it’s warmer and I’ll take you around the suburbs.”

“Really?” Yan Xu suddenly looked up, excitement flashing in his eyes. Although it was really cold, going against the wind does give one a refreshing and pleasant feeling. If they go fast while riding around the suburb, it should be more exhilarating, right? He restrained his excitement and said, “Can we go during the spring, then?”

Chi Ye took off his gloves. “Sure.”

The two of them entered the hotpot restaurant together. Yan Xu handed the menu to Chi Ye for him to order. Chi Ye told him that he could just order.

So Yan Xu held the menu and asked Chi Ye what soup base he wanted and what food he wanted, but Chi Ye’s response was the same “Whatever you like is fine.”

Yan Xu chuckled. “Then won’t this be considered me treating myself?”

Chi Ye embarrassingly took a look at the menu and whispered, “I’m not picky, I really can eat anything.” He thought about it, then casually pointed at “baby napa cabbage” on the menu. “I would like this one, then.”

Yan Xu smiled. He remembered that whenever Chi Ye ate dumplings at his shop, he would always scoop several spoonfuls of chili oil, so he must like to eat spicy food. Thus, he chose the spicy soup base. As for the dishes, he ordered a lot of meat and only a few vegetables when Chi Ye whispered that they wouldn’t be able to finish it all.

Although they were eating out, as the one treating, he should liven up the atmosphere at the table and also take more care of the person being treated.

However, Yan Xu wasn’t good at conversing. Luckily, Chi Ye was also a quiet person. The two of them would chat from time to time, and the atmosphere wasn’t all that awkward.

Yan Xu considerately took care of the other party, using the long chopsticks to pick up the cooked food, then using the slotted spoon to serve it to him. However, while eating, the chopsticks and the slotted spoon somehow ended up at Chi Ye’s side. When Yan Xu came to realize it, the meat in his own bowl was piled up high.

Yan Xu felt a bit sorry, but on second thought, Chi Ye’s personality was like that. Everytime he came over to eat dumplings, Chi Ye’s co-workers would follow Chi Ye’s lead, so he just accepted it.

After the two of them finished the hotpot, they rode on the motorcycle back.

Perhaps because there was still some warmth from eating the hotpot, Yan Xu didn’t think it was that cold when they were going back, so he enjoyed the pleasure of riding against the wind.

Chi Ye, through the rearview mirror, saw Yan Xu poking his head out from the side. He saw the smile on Yan Xu’s face and slightly sped up.

After entering the street where the dumpling shop was, Chi Ye slowed down and slowly glided to the front entrance of the shop.

Yan Xu got off the motorcycle on tiptoe. Before he could say goodbye to Chi Ye, he caught a glimpse of a familiar-looking car parked in a parking space a few meters away.