21: Another Attempt to Leave

It was a misunderstanding that the people at the restaurant thought that Ling Yunfan liked red braised pork ribs.

It happened when Ling Yunfan had just started working at the restaurant. He was clearing the table of a group of customers and found a plate of almost untouched red braised pork ribs. 

At that time, Ling Yunfan was trying to save money by eating plain steamed buns with water every day, so seeing a plate of meat made him unable to resist. 

Seeing no one was paying attention, he decided to take the plate of pork ribs to the kitchen and heat it up to take home.

Just as he was packing the pork ribs in a plastic bag, the owner of the restaurant, Brother Xiong, walked into the kitchen. 

Ling Yunfan was afraid that Brother Xiong would think he was stealing food, so he quickly said, “These pork ribs are leftovers from the customers.”

With a cigarette in his mouth, Brother Xiong looked Ling Yunfan up and down and asked, “Why are you bringing leftovers back to the kitchen?”

Ling Yunfan didn’t want to lose face, so he didn’t say that he had no food to eat and was very hungry. Instead, he said with a straight face, “I love red braised pork ribs so much. When I saw so much left over, I thought it was a waste. It’s still hot and can be eaten. I can’t help it. I’ve loved it since I was a kid.”

Brother Xiong didn’t say anything and just patted Ling Yunfan’s shoulder before walking away.

The next day, after Ling Yunfan finished work and was about to leave the restaurant, Brother Xiong’s daughter, Zheng Siqing, stopped him and said, “Hey, brother, don’t rush off. Did you know that our restaurant has staff meals?”

“Staff meals?” Ling Yunfan stopped in his tracks.

Zheng Siqing said, “Yes, it’s in the back kitchen. Everyone is there. Hurry up before the meat is gone.”

Ling Yunfan arrived at the kitchen, he indeed saw everyone from the restaurant there.

The boss Zheng Xiong was also present, and upon seeing him, he smiled and said, “Isn’t this the young man who loves to eat braised pork ribs? Come here, today’s staff meal is braised pork ribs, just for you to enjoy.”

Since that day, everyone in the restaurant assumed that Ling Yunfan loved to eat braised pork ribs.

Ling Yunfan had also never revealed the truth.

But why would Ji Canghai, whom he hadn’t seen in almost three years, think that he liked braised pork ribs?

Unless…

Ji Canghai was listening in on his phone.

This spine-chilling thought appeared in Ling Yunfan’s mind, and he instinctively glanced at the new phone lying beside him.

But if Ji Canghai had really heard his conversation with Zheng Siqing, then Ji Canghai must also know that Ling Yunfan’s amnesia was fake.

Why didn’t he expose him?

And even went along with his act?

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?” Ji Canghai reached out to touch his forehead with concern when he saw Ling Yunfan’s pale face.

Ling Yunfan suddenly turned his head, avoiding Ji Canghai’s hand.

Ji Canghai’s outstretched hand froze in place, but he quickly recovered his composure and withdrew his hand, smiling calmly, “Did I scare you? I’m sorry. If you feel uncomfortable anywhere, be sure to let me know. Let’s eat first.”

As he spoke, he took the dishes out of the insulated box and placed them on the table, scooping two bowls of rice.

Ling Yunfan didn’t want to ruin the atmosphere, so he pulled out a chair and sat down, taking the rice bowl handed to him by Ji Canghai and saying, “Thank you.”

“Eat more,” Ji Canghai smiled, “Do your injuries still hurt?”

“A little, but it’s not a big deal,” Ling Yunfan replied.

Ji Canghai sat down opposite Ling Yunfan and picked up his own rice bowl, saying, “Wait until we finish eating, and I’ll help you change your bandages.”

“Okay, thank you,” Ling Yunfan took two bites of rice, pondered for a moment, and suddenly asked, “How do I open the door?”

Ji Canghai paused with his chopsticks, lifted his head with a shallow smile and asked knowingly, “What door?”

“The front door, the one at the entrance,” Ling Yunfan replied.

Ji Canghai answered with a different question, “Are you going somewhere? I can accompany you. You have amnesia now, and I’m worried you might get lost.”

“Just… just…” Ling Yunfan hesitated, “Someone knocked on the door today, probably the property management. I wanted to open the door, but I couldn’t.”

“I see,” Ji Canghai lowered his head, picked up two grains of rice with his chopsticks and put them in his mouth, and said indifferently, “Then wait, I’ll teach you how to open the door.”

“Okay.” Ling Yunfan breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Ji Canghai agreeing so readily.

After they finished their meal, one of them washed the dishes while the other rinsed them, and they cooperated smoothly to clean up the kitchen.

Ling Yunfan dried his hands and couldn’t wait to ask, “Can you teach me how to open the door now?”

“Mhmm,” nodded Ji Canghai, walking towards the entrance.

Ling Yunfan followed behind him and arrived at the front door.

The dark brown password door stood there, silent and unyielding, cutting off everything from the outside world.

Ji Canghai said, “Look, this is how you open the door.” He slid open the cover of the password panel, lightly pressed the middle button, and pushed down the door handle. With a click, the door was opened.

Ling Yunfan, “?”

I did the same thing too! Why can’t I open it?

Is this door playing favorites?

“I’ll try it.” Ling Yunfan stepped forward and did the same steps, but the door did not respond.

Ling Yunfan turned to Ji Canghai and said in surprise, “We did the same steps, so why can’t I open it?”

“Huh? What’s going on?” Ji Canghai looked confused.

“Even you don’t know?” Ling Yunfan was astonished.

Ji Canghai looked apologetic as he said, “Because I went abroad for half a year, there are actually many things at home that I don’t know how to operate. I have to find the manual.”

“This…” Ling Yunfan was speechless.

“I’ll find the manual tonight and study it carefully,” Ji Canghai said, holding the doorknob and closing the door. He discreetly pushed the door to make sure it was securely closed before he withdrew his hand, smiling gently. “Let’s not worry about the door for now. Since you’re not in a hurry to go out, come over to the sofa. Let me take a look at your injuries and change the dressing for you.”

Ling Yunfan roared internally: Brother, I am in a hurry! I want to go back to work and pay off my debts as soon as possible!

Ling Yunfan acted accordingly; he obediently sat on the sofa and waited for Ji Canghai to bring the first aid kit.

Ji Canghai sat next to Ling Yunfan and carefully examined and changed the dressing on his wound using iodine and cotton swabs.

“If it hurts, let me know,” Ji Canghai said.

“It doesn’t hurt” Ling Yunfan replied.

“You always say that,” Ji Canghai said helplessly, teasing him. “When will I see you act cute with me?”

Ling Yunfan chuckled and sighed, “Look at my height and build. Are you sure you want to see me act cute?”

Ji Canghai smiled and nodded.

“Your interests are really weird,” Ling Yunfan said.

Ji Canghai neither confirmed nor denied it.

After some joking around, Ling Yunfan, who was previously tense, relaxed a bit.

Ji Canghai finished applying the medicine to Ling Yunfan’s wound, closed the medicine bottle, and threw the used cotton swab into the trash can. “You can take a nap now, I need to go back to work,” 

Ling Yunfan, “Huh?”

“Are you surprised?” Ji Canghai laughed. “I can’t just work half a day.”

“Yes, of course,” Ling Yunfan said.

“Alright, go take a nap now,” Ji Canghai’s tone was gentle but with a hint of firmness and no room for argument.

Ling Yunfan was in a hurry to leave, but he couldn’t force open the door in front of Ji Canghai. He had to walk to the bedroom instead.

Ji Canghai confirmed that Ling Yunfan was lying down, closed the bedroom door, and left the house.

Ling Yunfan lay on the bed and heard the sound of the front door opening and closing in the living room.

He didn’t move and stared at the ceiling for a while, making sure Ji Canghai wouldn’t come back unexpectedly. Then, he walked to the entrance, rolled up his sleeves, and gritted his teeth as he said to the door, “Brother Door, today you win, but I’ll be back.”