EFB 034 Could he possibly be...?
034 Could he possibly be...?
The summer night breeze carried a hint of coolness, dispelling the daytime heat.
Wang Zhe and Jiang Di walked side by side along the tree-lined path in the residential area. The streetlights cast long shadows of the two of them, which occasionally overlapped.
Jiang Di kept her head down, gripping her new phone tightly in her hand, her thumb rapidly tapping on the screen.
She was sending a text message to her cousin, Huang Xinxin.
[Sis, could you send me your WeChat ID? I've installed WeChat on my new phone!]
Soon, a text message came back; it was a WeChat ID.
Jiang Di quickly added him as a friend and accepted the request.
As soon as the chat interface opened, she typed furiously, as if she had found a lifeline.
Jiang Di: [Sis! Help! How do I take the initiative with a guy?]
The reply came quickly; clearly, like all tattoo artists, he was a night owl.
Huang Xinxin: [? ? ? Who are you going to make a move on? Is it that handsome young man you brought over last time to watch you get your tattoo?]
Jiang Di: [Yes! That's him!]
Huang Xinxin: [Isn't he already your boyfriend? Didn't you admit it at the store last time? What, is this guy trying to renege on his promise? Taking advantage of you and then denying it?]
Looking at the text on the screen, Jiang Di could picture her cousin rolling up her sleeves, ready to fight, so she quickly explained.
Jiang Di: [No, no! He admitted it! We're boyfriend and girlfriend now!]
Huang Xinxin: [Then what's the point of taking the initiative? Since you're boyfriend and girlfriend, haven't you already done everything you're supposed to do?]
Jiang Di bit her lip and secretly glanced at Wang Zhe, who was walking with his hands in his pockets and looking straight ahead, feeling a little wronged.
Jiang Di: [It's because we haven't done anything... our relationship is too distant. Aside from occasionally holding hands, today was the first time he fed me. He's not proactive, and I want to move things forward, but I don't know how.]
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, as if they were shocked by the absurd progress.
A full minute passed before Huang Xinxin's message popped up.
Huang Xinxin: [Girl, are you sure he's a normal 18-year-old boy?]
Jiang Di: [Of course, what's wrong?]
Huang Xinxin: [An eighteen-year-old boy, at that age, would find even a sow attractive. Faced with such a beautiful young girl like you, and your rightful girlfriend, how could he possibly resist making any advances? Not even the slightest intimate gesture?]
Huang Xinxin: [Unless he's gay.]
Upon seeing these three letters, Jiang Di abruptly stopped in his tracks, nearly tripping over his own feet and falling.
"What's wrong?" Wang Zhe, who was standing next to her, noticed her unusual behavior and stopped to ask.
"N-nothing! A mosquito bit me!" Jiang Di hurriedly covered up, then continued frantically tapping on her phone.
Jiang Di: [How is that possible! There are actually gay people in real life? Isn't that something you only see on TV?]
In this day and age, this is indeed a knowledge gap for a high school girl whose social circle is relatively closed.
Huang Xinxin: [You're making a fuss over nothing. I've run a tattoo shop in Chengdu for the past two years, and I've seen quite a few gay men. Some look tougher than real men, but their boyfriends are prettier than me. It's just that you definitely wouldn't see these kinds of people who deviate from the mainstream in schools.]
Jiang Di: [I'm also quite unconventional; I smoke, drink, and get my hair permed...]
Huang Xinxin: [Come on, you're just kidding. What you're doing is at most teenage rebellion, or poor grades. You're a long way from being truly non-mainstream or marginalized. Take my advice, this isn't a simple matter.]
Jiang Di stared at the screen, sinking into deep self-doubt.
Could it be that Wang Zhe really is?
But that doesn't make sense. When he spanked me last time, his eyes were clearly fierce and aggressive. Could it just be a simple tendency towards violence?
Just as she was lost in thought, Wang Zhe's voice suddenly rang in her ears.
"Who are you chatting so enthusiastically with? You're not even watching where you're going."
Jiang Di was startled and instinctively said, "Talk to... talk to my cousin!"
"Cousin?" Wang Zhe raised an eyebrow slightly. "The owner of that tattoo shop from last time?"
"Hmm..." Jiang Di nodded.
Wang Zhe's expression immediately turned serious. He stopped, turned around, and looked at Jiang Di earnestly: "You're not discussing tattoos with her again, are you? I'm warning you, I tolerated it last time, but if you dare to get any random designs tattooed on your body again, don't blame me for being impolite."
Seeing Wang Zhe's nervous expression, Jiang Di felt a slight weight lift from the "gay" label in her heart.
If he doesn't like girls, why is he so concerned about my body?
"Don't worry!" Jiang Di couldn't help but laugh, her eyes crinkling. "I promised you I wouldn't get another tattoo. Why are you so nervous?"
Wang Zhe breathed a sigh of relief and started walking again: "Of course I'm nervous. If I make it too flashy, I'll regret it later. Besides..."
"And what?"
"Anyway, I don't want my name to be tattooed on someone else's body, nor do I want my girlfriend to have any marks that can't be washed off."
Jiang Di looked at his profile and felt a sweet warmth in her heart.
"You really do care about me."
"This is the most basic thing."
Just then, Jiang Di's phone vibrated again.
She secretly picked it up and saw that it was sent by her cousin.
Huang Xinxin: [To verify if it's true, it's actually quite simple. Find an opportunity to subtly seduce him. For example, wear less clothing or make more physical contact. If he doesn't react, or if his reaction is disgust, then break up with him quickly and don't waste your youth.]
Seduction?
Jiang Di's face flushed red instantly.
As she stared at those two words, countless inappropriate images flashed through her mind. But if Wang Zhe really was gay, then wouldn't she be...?
No, I have to try! For my own happiness, and also to verify my cousin's guess!
Jiang Di replied with "OK", then put away her phone and took a deep breath.
Before they knew it, the two had arrived at Jiang Di's building.
The dim light from the apartment building entrance shone on the two of them, and the occasional chirping of insects could be heard around them.
"Alright, let's go upstairs," Wang Zhe said, hands in his pockets. "Go to sleep early and stop playing on your phone."
Jiang Di looked at Wang Zhe's handsome face, her heart pounding like a drum.
Song Zhiyi said to take the initiative.
My cousin said she wanted to verify it.
That being the case...
"Wang Zhe".
"Um?"
Just as Wang Zhe was about to turn around, before he could react, he felt a fragrant breeze waft towards him.
Jiang Di suddenly opened her arms and pounced on him without hesitation, grabbing his neck in a tight embrace.
A soft, warm body crashed into his arms, carrying the sweet fragrance unique to young girls. Her chin rested perfectly on Wang Zhe's shoulder, and she clung to him like a koala.
Wang Zhe was stunned for a moment.
Her body stiffened for a moment, but she didn't push him away.
Jiang Di held him tightly, her eyes closed, and could even feel the warm pulse emanating from Wang Zhe's neck. She silently counted the seconds, waiting for Wang Zhe's reaction.
If he were gay, he would probably push me away, right?
If he were a normal boyfriend, he would probably hug me back, or even... kiss me?
However, two or three seconds passed.
A large hand landed on her head.
There was no passionate embrace, nor any disgusted push-away.
Wang Zhe gently patted her head twice and casually ruffled her hair, his movements gentle and practiced.
The feeling was like comforting a spoiled puppy, or... petting a cat?
"Alright, you're a grown man, stop acting like a child."
Wang Zhe's voice carried a hint of helplessness, but more than that, it was an undeniable doting affection.
Jiang Di released his grip, took a step back, and looked at him with a somewhat bewildered expression.
What kind of reaction is that?
He's neither a pervert nor gay; he seems more like an elder.
No, don't actually think of me as your uncle!
Wang Zhe patted her shoulder again, a faint smile on his lips: "Go on upstairs, this is your front door, don't let your parents see you. Get some rest."
After saying that, he turned and walked into the night.
Jiang Di stood there, touching the top of his head where he had just been rubbed. The tension and trepidation he had felt miraculously transformed into a slightly complicated kind of happiness.
It doesn't seem so bad...?
Although no passionate sparks were generated, the feeling of being pampered is really addictive.
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.