Sam and I had known each other for less than a week. As an international exchange student from South Africa staying with my family, combined with his comical appearance and outgoing, talkative personality, we had quickly become friends over the past few days.
Although I felt an indescribable unease deep down about befriending this dark-skinned classmate from South Africa.
Before dinner, in the kitchen at home.
At Sam's suggestion, we went to the kitchen to help Mom.
"Hey, Sam, you need to use chopsticks to mix the meat, not your hands!" Mom glanced over, her beautiful eyes filled with shock and anger.
Her furious tone startled me as I was washing vegetables by the sink, and I turned to look at Sam.
Mom was always very particular about hygiene, especially when it came to food. I remembered when I was a child, I often had the habit of not washing my hands before grabbing things to eat.
Every time Mom caught me, she would lightly slap my little hand and say, "Wash your hands before eating, Zihan. You need to be a healthy child." Because of that, I've always been very careful about hygiene when eating.
I remember when Mom was younger, she loved wearing all kinds of dresses—sundresses, bodycon skirts, A-line skirts, floral dresses, long gowns, cheongsams…
With her fair, snow-like skin and tall, slender figure, she would often hold my hand and walk along the beach, taking photos of me, as well as pictures of the two of us together. Those are some of my fondest childhood memories.
My thoughts returned to the present as I looked at Mom standing by the induction cooker. Her figure was still curvaceous and graceful. Time may spare no one, but I felt Mom had only grown more beautiful, with an added touch of mature elegance.
"Oh, Mom, I'm sorry. Is this not proper etiquette in China?" Sam looked flustered, his dark hands unsure where to place themselves. He, too, was startled by Mom's sudden reaction. "Sam, whether it's Chinese etiquette or not, you shouldn't mix the minced meat with your bare hands. It's unhygienic. Didn't you see the disposable gloves I placed in front of you?"
Mom still seemed shaken by Sam's behavior, her beautiful eyes wide with disbelief.
"Mom, I'm sorry. In South Africa, we always make meatballs this way. I thought it was the same in China." Sam quickly grabbed the disposable gloves on the cutting board and put them on.
"Sam, it's not that I'm criticizing you, but food is so important—it has to be clean and hygienic!" Mom seemed to realize her earlier reaction might have been too strong and smiled gently at Sam.
At that moment, I felt a wave of relief. If Mom had really lost her temper and started scolding Sam nonstop, I wouldn't have known how to handle the situation.
"Okay, thank you for reminding me, Mom. I'll remember that," Sam nodded with a grin, his dark hands now covered in disposable gloves as he focused intently on mixing the minced meat in the bowl. After washing the vegetables, I handed them to Mom for the soup. Originally, the meatballs Sam had shaped were meant to be boiled in the pot, but Mom decided to fry them instead. I guessed she was still somewhat wary of the meatballs shaped by Sam's dark hands.
Maybe Mom thought frying the meatballs would make them cleaner, I thought to myself.
Sam continued to bounce around the kitchen cheerfully, hopping up and down like a gorilla in a zoo.
Dinnertime, in the living room.
The family was enjoying a cheerful dinner while watching a TV drama playing on the screen across the room.
"Honey, starting next week, I'll be going on a business trip for about two months to set up a new branch for the company. I leave tomorrow."
Dad spoke to Mom beside him, his voice steady, though his eyes avoided her widening gaze. After finishing his announcement, he quietly lowered his head and focused on his meal, knowing full well that Mom was about to give him an earful.
At home, Dad had always been the more submissive one, always listening to whatever Mom said.
"Another business trip! Why don't you just move out there permanently?" Mom shot Dad a cold glare, her face flushed with anger.
"There's no other choice. I'm the only one at the company suitable for the job," Dad replied helplessly. Over the years, he had worked diligently and earned recognition at the company, which also meant more pocket money for me.
"Hmph," Mom snorted, ignoring him.
Her slender hand picked up her chopsticks, plucked a leafy vegetable from the pot, and placed it into her rice bowl. She then opened her rosy lips and ate the vegetable along with a mouthful of white rice.
Mom seemed really upset with Dad, and understandably so. This time, Dad would be away for two whole months—by the time he returned, it would already be 2021.
"Zihan, and Sam, you two need to listen to Mom while I'm away and help out with the chores. Otherwise, don't expect any treats when I get back!"
Dad spoke sternly to Sam and me, who were sitting across from him. "I understand, Dad," I said. Though I felt bad for Mom being alone again, I was even more concerned about Dad being away on business. After all, who wouldn't want to spend happy moments with their family?
"Don't worry, Dad! Zihan and I will help take care of Mom. We're real men!"
With that, Sam stood up. Wearing a black short-sleeved shirt, he looked like a gorilla as he flexed his muscles in front of our parents, veins bulging on his arms—though his muscles were a bit dark.
"If anyone dares to bully Mom, I'll help Dad beat them up. Ah~ da~ I'm Bruce Lee!" Sam kept shifting his stance to show off his strength, kicking forward with such force that his face turned red from holding his breath.
"Giggle, giggle..." Mom laughed happily, her charm blooming like a flower, bringing warmth to the three of us men.
Her slender, fair right hand, still holding the chopsticks, gently covered her mouth as her laughter made her chest tremble slightly.
The atmosphere at home had plummeted to its lowest point after Dad's announcement, leaving Mom deeply unhappy. But after Sam's performance, the mood lightened up again.
"Hahaha, well said, Sam! A real man keeps his word! And you too, Zihan!" Dad was also delighted, glancing at Sam and then at me. "Dad, I'll take good care of Mom," I promised earnestly with a smile. After all, I was the studious type—unlike Sam, I didn't have muscles to show off.
"Mhm, hahaha, with you two around, I can rest easy. Honey, I won't be away the entire time. During these two months, I'll come back for a day or two whenever I can."
Dad slightly parted his lips as he looked at Mom beside him.
"Alright, hehehe... With two strong men at home to protect me, you can go now," Mom laughed happily, looking just like a movie star. Her name is Jiang Shuying, the goddess in my heart, though Mom has an extra layer of maturity and charm that comes with the passage of time.
I thought to myself that my future wife must be on par with Jiang Shuying.
Of course, Mom will always be the goddess in my heart.
Her two captivating big eyes narrowed into crescent moons when she smiled, and beneath her slender neck, her full chest swayed gently.
Even Sam, who had been clowning around like a monkey, was momentarily stunned by Mom's appearance. He paused his antics but soon seemed to realize something was off and resumed flexing his muscles.
"Dad, let me dance for you to wish you a smooth business trip! And may Mom grow more beautiful every day!"
With that, Sam, still not satisfied after showing off his muscles, began dancing a traditional dance from a distant African tribe. He waved his arms, slapped his buttocks, and shook his legs nonstop, his comical movements making me burst into laughter.
Watching Sam dance reminded me of the African dances in the promotional video for the South African World Cup. In my mind, the theme song from The Lion King played—"Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba..."—and the vast African savannah unfolded before my eyes.
The only thing that surprised me was that, as Sam danced in his loose basketball shorts, a rod-like object swayed along with his shaking body on one side of his crotch. It wasn't very obvious, and I wondered if Mom and Dad had noticed it.
"Hahaha, hehehe..." Under the influence of Sam's hilarious dance, our family dinner ended in a joyful and cheerful atmosphere.
I had to admit that sometimes, having an extra skill adds to a person's charm. At the very least, Mom and Dad were happy, and I gradually began to accept this exchange student from Africa who was so good at stirring things up.
After helping Mom clear the dishes, we picked up our schoolbags and returned to our bedrooms to start on our homework. The midterm exams were next week, and I had to work hard to maintain my top position in the class. After all, aside from being good at studying and playing games, I didn't have any other special talents. Sam, on the other hand, could even give massages—he had helped Mom relax her sore body after work the other day.
Sam could also dance African tribal dances and chat endlessly with girls. I wondered what else he would do in the future.
Ever since Sam came to our home this week, I had become more diligent too, helping Mom with household chores and washing vegetables for her.
These were things I had never done before, but now, doing them alongside Mom, I felt it was actually quite nice.
At night, in my bedroom.
At a desk, Sam and I were busy writing the homework assigned by our teacher.
"Zihan, tomorrow is Saturday. Let's go out to watch a movie," Sam said restlessly, looking at me with his big round eyes, flat nose, thick lips, and dark skin. I couldn't help but think he really resembled a gorilla, though he was indeed honest and funny.
"The midterm exams are next week. I need to spend these two days studying," I replied, glancing at Sam. I almost laughed but held it back, focusing again on my homework.
"Alright then, we won't go this week. I'll study with you too," Sam said, then began to focus on his homework alongside me.
But Sam was always restless, as if he couldn't sit still. After writing for a while, he'd scratch here and there. I even caught a glimpse of his dark hand reaching into his pants.
Half an hour later, I finished my homework. Sam stood up and stretched his arms upward. "Ah~ Zihan, I'm going out to get some water. You keep writing," Sam finally couldn't hold back and yawned before heading out for a drink. "Go ahead, Sam. Could you bring me a glass of water later?" Although I had finished my homework, I still had lessons to review and didn't want to leave the desk.
"Sure, Zihan," Sam replied, then walked out of the bedroom barefoot.
Sam and I both wore short sleeves and shorts at home, even though it was already autumn. The coastal weather was still a bit stuffy and hot.
A moment later, my phone on the desk vibrated. I picked it up and saw a message from Li Xiaojun: "Zihan, I don't know how to solve this problem. Can you teach me?" Another message asking for help with homework—was I just a study machine? Why not ask me out to hang out instead? I thought to myself.
I decided to help her anyway. After all, Li Xiaojun was quite pretty, and thinking about her innocent and cute appearance lifted my mood. Especially when the image of her slightly raised chest, hidden beneath her white summer school uniform, flashed through my mind.
It took me a long time to finally solve the problem. After sending the steps to Li Xiaojun, I realized I was terribly thirsty. Stretching my sore and numb back, it suddenly occurred to me—wasn't Sam supposed to be getting water?
Why hadn't he come back for so long?
Frowning, I decided to go get water myself.
My parents had already tidied up and gone upstairs to rest. I noticed that on the unlit first floor, the only light came from under the bathroom door. Sam must be using the toilet—no wonder he hadn't come back to study.
Our home had wooden floors, so my parents and I usually walked around barefoot unless we had guests over for dinner.
As I approached the bathroom door, I was about to call out to Sam when I heard faint, rapid breathing from inside, followed by a muffled groan, "Ah... huff." If the first floor hadn't been so quiet and I hadn't been close to the door, I might not have heard the suppressed sound.
Was Sam having some kind of episode or trouble in the bathroom? That would be a big problem. I felt worried, especially since he was staying at our house.
"Sam," I called out tentatively. "Ah, Zihan, what's up?" Sam's voice came from behind the door, sounding a bit different from usual. "Are you okay?" Hearing his response, I relaxed a little, assuming he was fine.
"Zihan, sorry, I'm using the toilet. My stomach isn't feeling too good," Sam replied, his voice returning to its usual tone.
"Is that so? Are you feeling better now?" Stomach trouble? Did he eat something unclean after handling raw meat?
I wondered if I'd end up with a stomachache too.
"It's fine now. Probably just a bit of jet lag or something. I'm okay," Sam replied to me.
"Alright, as long as you're okay. I've finished my homework. Hurry up and do yours after you're done in the bathroom. We have midterms next week," I said. Sam was following me around. As an exchange student, if he did too poorly on the exams, it wouldn't reflect well on either of us. I had to make sure he kept up with his studies.
"Okay, Zihan. I got it," Sam said, and I heard the sound of him grabbing some tissues.
I went back to the living room to get some water from the dispenser. Working on problems for so long had made me really thirsty.
A moment later, I heard the sound of the toilet flushing from the bathroom. Sam was about to come out.
I returned to my bedroom to keep studying. Aside from consistently ranking first in academics, there wasn't much else I could take pride in. I had to keep pushing myself.
But a few minutes passed, and Sam still hadn't come back to do his homework, which struck me as odd.
Hadn't he just flushed the toilet? Was his stomach still bothering him?
Just as I was about to get up and check on him, Sam walked in, holding a glass of water and looking quite cheerful. It seemed his stomach wasn't hurting anymore.
"Zihan, here's the water you wanted. Sorry, my stomach's been acting up, so I was stuck in the bathroom debating whether to stay on the toilet or not."
Sam grinned, his large dark hands passing the glass to me. The moment I took it, a faint but familiar scent drifted into my nose. What was that smell? For a moment, I couldn't quite place it.
"Thanks, Sam. I've finished my homework. You should hurry up and do yours. I'm going to take a shower first," I said, looking at him.
"Alright, Zihan. Go ahead," Sam replied, sitting down at his desk and actually starting to focus on his homework.
It seemed his stomach really had been bothering him, making him restless and fidgety.
In the shower, the hot water washed away some of my fatigue, and I felt refreshed almost instantly. As I lathered up with body wash, the fragrance filled the air.
"This scent... why does it feel like I just smelled it somewhere?" I thought hard for a moment. Right—it was the same smell that had come from Sam's hands. No wonder it felt so familiar.
"Did Sam use body wash to wash his hands? He wouldn't have... gotten it on his hands, would he?" The thought crossed my mind, and then I remembered the meatballs he'd been scolded for eating with his hands earlier that evening. My stomach churned at the idea.
"No way. Teacher Zhang said Sam has really good manners," I thought. And from what I'd seen over the past few days, Sam was capable in many ways and quite considerate too.
He seemed to come from a wealthy family in South Africa, especially since his family had just sent him $50,000.
Whatever. After finishing my shower, I headed back to the bedroom. As I reached the staircase leading to the second floor, I noticed the floor felt a bit damp under my feet—even though I'd dried myself off thoroughly.
Maybe Sam had walked out with wet feet and hadn't dried them properly. I didn't dwell on it and went back to the bedroom, where I saw Sam diligently working at his desk. This was probably the most focused I'd seen him since we'd started spending time together.
"Sam, are you done yet?" I walked over to the desk to grab my phone, thinking I'd lie in bed and watch some videos of girls dancing for a while.
"Zihan, you're amazing. I just finished writing it right after you said that," Sam exclaimed, his eyes wide with astonishment as he stood up, spreading his hands in disbelief. "Uh-haha, well, you should go take a shower now. It's already ten o'clock, and we need to sleep early," I said, hoping he'd hurry out so I could secretly watch some videos of girls shaking their hips and swaying their chests.
I definitely didn't want Sam to discover my interests.
"Alright, Zihan, I'm off to shower," Sam replied, grabbing his clean clothes from the wardrobe before heading out.
Watching Sam disappear from sight, I opened my phone and saw a WeChat message from Li Xiaojun sent half an hour ago: "Thanks, Zihan."
I smiled faintly. Li Xiaojun must remember my kindness. Thinking of her graceful figure, a lecherous grin spread across my face. Maybe there really was a chance, just as Sam had said, for me to play "adult games" with Li Xiaotong.
The hazy night always seemed to heighten one's hormones. Lost in thought, I settled into the most comfortable position on the bed and opened TikTok.
As I entered the video recommendation page, the first video of the day was from "Mumu Xizi"—the TikTok account I had long followed, which belonged to my mom.
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