Arc 1, Chapter 4
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After cursing heavily, Hong Sheng's father stormed back into the apartment. Hong Sheng still stood outside, not moving. He was like a doll that had been thrown away, left scattered on the ground. Dolls couldn't move unless someone helped them. But Hong Sheng's father was gone, and his mother was gone, too. There was only Lu Hao left to pick him up.

For a while, Lu Hao didn't move. He didn't know what to do or what to say. If Hong Sheng were crying, Lu Hao could have told him, "Don't cry." If Hong Sheng had gotten angry, he could have said, "I'll help you fight."

But Hong Sheng did not do a single thing. He was just standing there, half-hidden in the darkness, like he was waiting for something.

A flicker of thought passed through Lu Hao's head, and before he knew it, he was walking over to where Hong Sheng stood. Hong Sheng didn't react to Lu Hao at all until Lu Hao grasped the other boy's thin arm in his hand and said, "Found you."

Hong Sheng's head tilted up slightly, then, and he looked at Lu Hao blankly.

For some reason Lu Hao's eyes were wet, and it was almost hard to speak. But he fought against the feeling and told Hong Sheng with as much bravery as he could muster, "Hong Sheng, I found you, so you'll come home with me, okay?"

Hong Sheng's large and dull eyes blinked once, heavily, and that was the only confirmation Lu Hao needed to drag the other boy away from the shadow of the apartment.

Ma had been angry when Lu Hao brought Hong Sheng home. "Lu Hao, you know better than to bring someone without permission!" she scolded, all the while bustling the boys in and pouring tea for them to drink. "His parents must be worried sick over where he's gone. We should call and let them know where he is. It's late, so either I'll take him home or someone will need to come pick him up."

Under Ma's stern stare, Lu Hao asked Hong Sheng to write down the phone number for his apartment, and Hong Sheng did so mechanically. Ma took the paper and went over to the landline phone in the other room. Lu Hao and Hong Sheng sat in silence, the tea steaming in front of them, until minutes later Ma returned with an absolutely furious expression on her face.

The moment she realized Lu Hao was looking, Ma immediately changed expressions into a familiar gentle one. Folding her hands in front of her, she smiled at Hong Sheng, who didn't seem to be paying attention, and said, "Little Sheng, your father said it's fine if you stay with us tonight! You can share Little Hao's room. I'll make a special, tasty dinner to celebrate your first time visiting us, so look forward to it! Little Hao, how about you take him to play in the meantime?" Only Lu Hao noticed that Ma's hands were shaking with suppressed emotion, and her eyes shone a little with dampness.

Dinner that night was a sumptuous feast. A whole steamed fish with soy sauce, green onion, and ginger; heaping plates of vegetables; shredded pork with mushrooms; soft, glistening tofu in flavorful sauce... such delicious and fragrant dishes covered the entire table. Pa looked shocked when he came home from work that night.

Hong Sheng did not seem to have tasted a single thing, even as he robotically ate everything that Lu Hao and Ma scooped into his bowl.

Though she didn't look it, Ma actually had a lot of pride. She felt she was a great cook, and loved when people enjoyed her meals. So, seeing Hong Sheng's blank face, she made a fiery decision in her heart and ordered Lu Hao to bring Hong Sheng over to their house as many times as he could. She absolutely wouldn't let him leave until he finally said the words, 'Tasty!'

And that was how, many days and many months and several years later, when Hong Sheng shyly smiled and earnestly thanked her for the delicious food as usual, she had realized that somehow she had gotten a second son.

Ma was always kind to Lu Hao's friends, but Hong Sheng was special. That was why, when Pa got a promotion and started earning much more money than before, Ma made sure that Hong Sheng always had everything he needed for school and always had decent clothes. Lu Hao was happy to bring Hong Sheng with him everywhere, and with the allowance his father gave him, took Hong Sheng out to eat at restaurants and cafes. Their favorite was one which sold lots of small sweet snacks that Hong Sheng quietly adored.

After a while, Hong Sheng grew more comfortable with talking to them. He had never spoken much at all in his life, but because of Ma's constant friendliness and Pa's gentle conversation-making, he learned the ways of social interactions. At first he couldn't say anything without stuttering, but the quiet encouragement from Lu Hao's parents gave him the confidence to pick up his words and eventually speak seamlessly, if still quietly.

Hong Sheng didn't like talking about himself, but Lu Hao learned the basics of his life from the few times he did. For example, that a few months back his father remarried. For example, that they had moved out of the apartment and into a new house. For example, that now his step-mother was pregnant; that he had gotten a younger brother and sister; that he was, somewhat, a little worried over something.

"What are you worried about?" Lu Hao asked.

Hong Sheng looked over at Lu Hao from where they were sitting outside of their junior middle school. They were fourteen now, about to turn fifteen. This was the last year of their mandatory schooling, and the future ahead of them was vague and unknown.

Lu Hao knew that he would continue on to high school. He assumed that Hong Sheng would, too. That was how it was supposed to be. Lu Hao, Hong Sheng, and Lu Hao's girlfriend and other friends, all staying together and living happily.

The thought of it made Lu Hao smile, and just then Lu Hao's girlfriend left the school and waved at them from the gates.

Hong Sheng looked at her, then shifted his gaze away.

"It isn't that important," he said, but Lu Hao wasn't paying attention, too busy receiving a hug from the girl in front of him.

A few months later, when school had finally ended and the villa that Lu Hao's parents had bought had finally been finished, Lu Hao went over to Hong Sheng's house to invite him over for the summer.

"He's not here," Hong Sheng's step-mother said, and slammed the door in Lu Hao's face.

Lu Hao stared blankly. But no matter how many times he banged on the door, no one would tell him where Hong Sheng had gone.

Hong Sheng had simply disappeared.

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