Kiss Me, Kill Me, Forget Me

It was already past noon when Jiang Qi and Shen Yi arrived at the lake Jiang Qi had mentioned earlier that morning. The sun was bright, and the air felt a little humid, but there was a light breeze coming from the water, making it easier to breathe. On the shore, a few men were busy with their work, some looked young, while others were clearly middle-aged, probably fishermen. They were either untying nets or arranging fish into crates, and seemed to be just lying around.

Not far from the lake, there were several small wooden houses, simple in design but sturdy enough to stand through wind and rain. Shen Yi observed everything quietly, his eyes scanning the surroundings as if trying to memorize every detail. His posture was alert, and his back was slightly tense, showing that he was clearly on guard.

He hadn't expected to find other people here and wasn't prepared for it either, because having lived alone for most of his life, being around strangers made him feel uncomfortable. Jiang Qi noticed the stiffness in his body, and without saying anything at first, he gently placed his hand against Shen Yi's shoulder, his voice calm.

"Relax," Jiang Qi said softly. "The people here are friendly."

Shen Yi didn't say anything back, but his eyes slowly moved toward the group of men, and though he remained quiet, the tension in his face eased just a little. Jiang Qi noticed the change and smiled faintly.

"Come on, follow me," Jiang Qi said, starting to walk away.

But Shen Yi didn't move. He just stood there like a rock, not saying a word or lifting his foot. Jiang Qi paused when he realized the man wasn't following, then turned around and walked back toward him. Without asking for permission, he reached for Shen Yi's wrist and began to pull him along, his steps firm.

"There's someone I want you to meet," Jiang Qi said, still tugging his wrist.

Shen Yi frowned as he followed reluctantly. "Who?" he asked.

But Jiang Qi didn't answer. He just kept walking without turning his head, dragging Shen Yi behind him with a small smirk on his lips.

As they neared one of the wooden houses, Jiang Qi finally stopped on one of them and called out.

"Uncle Ming!"

Shen Yi looked at him with a confused expression, wondering who this Uncle Ming was, but before he could ask, the door in front of them creaked open slowly. A middle-aged man stepped out. He wore a faded brown shirt and loose black trousers, and his hair was beginning to gray near the sides. He looked around until his eyes landed on Jiang Qi.

"Ah Qi?" the man called out with a surprised smile.

Jiang Qi stepped forward, returning the smile. "Uncle Ming," he greeted warmly, "how have you been?"

"I've been well," Uncle Ming said with a small laugh. "And you?"

"I'm doing okay too," Jiang Qi replied, then shifted to the side and held Uncle Ming by both shoulders. "Look who I brought along."

Uncle Ming followed the direction of Jiang Qi's hands and finally noticed Shen Yi, who was standing a few steps behind, his expression calm but guarded. For a moment, Uncle Ming just stared, as if unsure of what he was seeing. But then, something seemed to click in his mind, and his face lit up with recognition.

He began walking slowly toward Shen Yi, saying nothing, his eyes never leaving the young man's face. When he finally stood in front of him, he tilted his head slightly and said in a low voice, "Ah Yi?"

The name was more of a question than a statement, and he looked at Jiang Qi as he spoke. Jiang Qi nodded, stepping beside them.

"Yes," Jiang Qi said, "I brought Ah Yi with me this time."

Uncle Ming smiled brightly and turned his eyes back to Shen Yi. "How have you been, Ah Yi?"

Shen Yi didn't know what to say. He looked at the man in front of him, confused, like someone who had been pushed into the deep end of the ocean without knowing how to swim. The name sounded unfamiliar, but something about it stirred a strange feeling inside him, but he didn't dare to like it. He had been used to loneliness for long and even the slightest stir on his emotions was a threat. But that was until last night.

Before the silence could stretch any longer, Jiang Qi quickly spoke up.

"Uncle Ming, Ah Yi had a small accident. He doesn't remember anything that happened before."

Uncle Ming's eyes widened a little in understanding, then he looked at Shen Yi again with a softer gaze. "I see… and how are you doing now, Ah Yi?"

Shen Yi didn't intend to reply, but when he glanced at Jiang Qi, the man gave him a quiet look that seemed to say, Just answer. Shen Yi sighed inside and gave a short reply.

"I'm okay now," he said slowly.

Uncle Ming nodded, then looked at Jiang Qi. "Ah Yi must have suffered a lot."

Shen Yi frowned slightly. He didn't understand why this man kept calling him Ah Yi, but then he remembered it was him who had a problem. He couldn't remember. It wasn't their fault, so he decided not to leave, though deep inside, he wasn't sure how long he could hold back. Maybe he had allowed Jiang Qi to come close, but with anyone else, he wasn't so sure.

"Don't worry," Jiang Qi said quickly. "Shen Yi is really fine now."

Uncle Ming gave a relieved smile and clapped his hands together lightly. "Come in, both of you! Come, come."

Jiang Qi nodded happily, watching as the older man turned and headed back inside the house with light steps. Before Shen Yi could hesitate again, Jiang Qi took his hand, gently pulling him forward.

As they walked, he leaned closer and whispered. "Don't make the old man unhappy. He's a good person."

Shen Yi glanced sideways at him with a look that was almost cold. "Don't expect too much. I'm not the kind to treat people nicely."

Jiang Qi sighed quietly and shook his head. "I know," he muttered, mostly to himself. 'Breaking through this icy wall is going to take time… maybe even more than I expected.'