Singlehood Syndrome

If everyone could self-reflect, most of the conflicts in the world would not exist.

Once, Xiang Mo went to the cinema alone, and there was a woman in her fifties sitting beside him.

Near the end of the movie, the woman took out her phone and started making a call. The call went unanswered, and she dialed several times. The light from her phone screen was quite glaring, and Xiang Mo couldn’t stand it any longer. He gently patted her and softly reminded her, “The light from your phone is quite dazzling.”

Normally, when someone is reminded of something, they would feel apologetic. But as soon as Xiang Mo spoke, the movie suddenly reached its ending without any warning, and the lights in the theater turned on.

As if suddenly gaining confidence, the woman looked at Xiang Mo askew, sarcastically asking, “Can’t you endure for even a second?”

Her implication was that since the movie was about to end within a second, what was the harm in her making a call?

Hearing such a response, Xiang Mo didn’t feel angry. He replied without changing a word, “Can’t you endure for even a second?”

Since there was still one second left before the movie ended, why didn’t she wait until it finished before making the call?

The knife thrown out returned to stab herself. The woman felt embarrassed and her face turned unpleasant.

Xiang Mo, on the other hand, felt quite pleased. After all, dealing with someone who “only blames others and never reflects on themselves” gave him more satisfaction than watching an exciting movie.

However, he never thought that one day, he would become such a person himself.

The poor soundproofing in the old house made Xiang Mo only consider the upstairs affecting the downstairs. He didn’t consider that the impact was mutual.

This was the consequence of not being able to self-reflect.

“Is that so?” The coffee cup in his hand shook slightly, and Xiang Mo struggled to maintain his composure, casually saying, “I’m sorry, I’ll pay attention in the future.”

It was a dignified way to leave, the only way for the defeated to maintain their dignity. Xiang Mo turned his head to go back inside, but at this moment, he heard Du Chi’s nonchalant voice from behind, “Oh, I don’t mind.”

To complete the sentence, Du Chi probably meant, “I don’t mind you disturbing me,” or perhaps, “I don’t mind you making noise.”

The coffee in the cup almost spilled. Pretending not to hear, Xiang Mo went straight back to the second floor.

Recalling last night’s events, Xiang Mo swore that he only moaned a few times when he climaxed.

When Du Chi said, “You make quite a bit of noise,” it was probably just an exaggerated statement, much like his “making noise all night.”

What differed was that Xiang Mo’s exaggeration was to express his displeasure, while Du Chi’s intentions were clearly different.

His motives were more malicious, as if he was deliberately teasing Xiang Mo.

To tease so openly and boldly, perhaps Xiang Mo should thank Du Chi. At least Du Chi didn’t exaggerate and say that his moans could lift the roof.

Standing by the kitchen window, looking outside, the French plane trees on both sides of the street had sprouted tender green leaves. Unidentified birds were hopping between the branches, emitting pleasant and crisp chirps.

Usually, when he was in a good mood, Xiang Mo would sit in the courtyard, holding a cup of coffee, and enjoy the unique atmosphere of this neighborhood.

But today, he couldn’t muster the enthusiasm. He poured the coffee down the kitchen sink and felt increasingly annoyed.

In fact, when Du Chi first moved in, the atmosphere between them was quite friendly.

A small truck for moving was parked at the entrance of the Pen Ink Studio, and Xiang Mo took the initiative to receive Du Chi in the courtyard, even though there was a large dog he didn’t particularly like squatting beside him.

“This is Sanmao, and he doesn’t bite,” Du Chi bent down slightly, patting the Golden Retriever’s head while looking at Xiang Mo.

Due to the nature of his work, Xiang Mo encountered many strangers, some came to learn painting, and others came to buy paintings. It was because of his profession that he would unconsciously observe the facial features of strangers.

Du Chi had beautiful eyes, deep and expressive, with no evasion. When he looked at you directly, you could feel his openness and sincerity.

Of course, that was just a first impression.

“Sanmao?” Xiang Mo’s gaze shifted from Du Chi’s eyes to the Golden Retriever’s eyes. He inexplicably felt that Sanmao and Du Chi were somewhat alike—both had a lively and sincere appearance. They were friendly and wagged their tails happily. When they heard someone call their names, their drooping ears would move slightly.

Yes, these are my works,” Xiang Mo replied.

The incident with his art exhibition led him to leave his previous job as a teacher and pursue a full-time career as an artist. He opened his own art studio, “Bimo Studio,” and has been content with the peaceful and relaxed life it offers. His students are all adults, so he no longer has to worry about dealing with mischievous children.

“This is your art, huh?” remarked Du Chi with a hint of curiosity, as if he had stumbled upon an unexpected connection.

Xiang Mo nodded, but he couldn’t help but feel a bit uneasy about Du Chi’s reaction. As an artist, he valued recognition and appreciation of his work, but he couldn’t tell if Du Chi’s comments were sincere or merely polite.

However, before Xiang Mo could delve further into his thoughts, Du Chi changed the subject, “I must admit, I didn’t expect to meet a familiar artist in this place.”

Xiang Mo raised an eyebrow, curious about what Du Chi meant by “familiar artist.” Nevertheless, he casually replied, “I’ve been active in the art community for a while, but I didn’t expect you to know about me.”

Du Chi chuckled lightly, “Oh, I must clarify. I didn’t recognize you from your work; it’s just that when I first came here, I thought this was an exhibition of photographs, and I found it interesting. Only later did I realize it was an art exhibition.”

Hearing this, Xiang Mo couldn’t help but laugh, “Well, I guess that’s a compliment in a way. My style can be quite realistic, so I understand the confusion.”

As they chatted about Xiang Mo’s art and the misconceptions people sometimes had, the awkwardness between them seemed to dissipate. The two artists found common ground in their passion for creativity and expression.

As the conversation flowed, Xiang Mo began to see another side of Du Chi. He was witty, observant, and genuinely interested in art, which sparked a sense of connection between them. Perhaps Du Chi wasn’t just another nosy neighbor; he might become a friend who shared similar interests.

The day went on, and the two artists spent the afternoon discussing their artistic journeys, exchanging ideas, and sharing stories of their successes and struggles. Surprisingly, the initial anxiety and tension between them had turned into a genuine bond that could potentially grow stronger over time.

As the sun set, they decided to take a break and enjoy the tranquil evening in the courtyard. Sanmao and Sanmei had their amusing interactions as usual, but this time, Xiang Mo found himself laughing along with Du Chi at their playful antics.

The transition from awkward neighbors to newfound friends had been unexpected, but Xiang Mo was grateful for this chance encounter. Perhaps, in this quaint neighborhood with its mishmash of characters and stories, he had found someone who truly understood the language of art.

And so, the two artists continued their journey together, navigating the complexities of life, love, and creativity, with the support and camaraderie they had both been missing in their lives.

Behind him, Du Chi didn’t follow Xiang Mo upstairs but stayed in a corner of the studio, holding Sanmao. The only human figure sketch in the studio hung in that corner, depicting the back of a person, a much smaller and less explicit piece compared to Xiang Mo’s previous exhibition works.

“Yeah,” Xiang Mo replied with a somewhat aloof tone. He wasn’t sure if Du Chi understood much about art, so he simply stated, “I specialize in sketching.”

“I found out that I’ve seen your art exhibition,” Du Chi said, bringing up an unexpected topic. Although Xiang Mo had some fame in the art community, he was surprised that Du Chi recognized him.

Curious about why Du Chi went to his exhibition, Xiang Mo was about to ask when Du Chi continued, “At first, I thought it was a photography exhibition, but to my surprise, it turned out to be an art exhibition.”

Xiang Mo immediately understood that Du Chi had stumbled upon his exhibition accidentally and had no knowledge of the content.

Unfazed by the praise of a layperson, Xiang Mo casually responded, “My art style is like that.”

“How coincidental to meet a familiar artist here,” Du Chi said with a tone of novelty, as if he had stumbled upon a serendipitous connection.

However, this sense of curiosity quickly dissipated, perhaps due to a superficial impression of Xiang Mo and the present reality blending together. Du Chi once again looked at Xiang Mo with an examining gaze.

Being scrutinized inevitably led to overthinking.

Xiang Mo believed that his appearance suited that of an artist – casual, yet carefully coordinated in color schemes, with neatly trimmed nails that matched his refined artistic style.

He wasn’t sure why he allowed Du Chi to scrutinize him, maybe his artistic vanity yearned for a compliment like “a reflection of the artwork.”

However, Du Chi remained silent, leaving Xiang Mo wondering about his intentions. Then, with a teasing tone, Du Chi remarked, “So, you are the ‘erotic artist.'”

The mention of those words caused Xiang Mo’s expression to stiffen momentarily. Although he maintained a friendly demeanor, his face showed a slight darkening.

It seemed that Xiang Mo’s instinct about his feelings toward large dogs was correct; he couldn’t quite warm up to them.

Despite the somewhat awkward moment, the interaction between the two continued, and they spent more time together, discussing art and sharing their experiences. Though their encounter began with uncertainties, it opened up possibilities for a unique friendship between two artists, each with their own stories and creative endeavors.