Abandoned White Moonlight Chapter 15

The neon lights reflected off the car window, blurring into streaks of red and yellow. Buildings passed by at a steady pace, and Huo Youqing stared out at the scenery, occasionally glancing at his phone.

After he sent that message, he almost immediately wanted to say he had sent it to the wrong person, but Dai Yuan replied so quickly that the excitement was almost palpable in the text.

“Yes!”

“Really?”

“Can I really go to the musical with you, brother?”

“What day is it?”

“I’ll make sure to be there early!”

The messages came in rapid succession, one after another, filling Huo Youqing’s screen. He sighed and sent over the details of the musical.

He remembered the first time he met Dai Yuan—it had been in the lobby of a musical theater. Dai Yuan must have been a fan of musicals too.

Well, he had already invited him. It would be awkward to go back on his word now.

It was just one musical. After all, he had taken care of Dai for a whole week at the hospital.

But next time, he wouldn’t ask Dai.

The taxi stopped outside the venue. Huo Youqing paid and stepped out of the car, immediately spotting Dai Yuan waiting by the entrance.

Today, Dai Yuan wasn’t wearing a suit. He was dressed casually, like a regular college student, in a white T-shirt and jeans. Perhaps because of his striking appearance, many passersby gave him a second glance. It could also have been due to the tattoo on his neck.

Not many people were bold enough to get text tattooed on their neck.

But Dai Yuan paid no attention to the stares. His eyes scanned the cars parked outside the venue, clearly searching for someone.

When he saw Huo Youqing, his amber eyes lit up instantly, like a dark room being illuminated when its owner returns and turns on the light.

He quickly walked over.

“Bro—” Dai Yuan bit back the rest of his sentence at Huo Youqing’s look. He pursed his lips and spoke more cautiously. “Sorry, I’m still trying to break the habit. I’ll keep working on it. Huo Youqing, you’re here.”

The last part sounded a bit awkward.

Huo Youqing nodded in acknowledgment, then glanced at his watch. “It’s getting late. Let’s head inside.”

“Okay.”

They walked side by side into the venue.

In truth, Huo Youqing felt a bit nervous, though he tried to appear calm. He didn’t want Dai Yuan to pick up on his discomfort. After all, it was just watching a musical together—if he acted weird about it, that would make things awkward.

Huo Youqing had gotten VIP seats, with an excellent view. Once seated, he focused his gaze on the stage, clearly signaling that he wasn’t in the mood for small talk.

The musical began.

It was a new production, one Huo Youqing had never seen before. Having spent the last few days mostly walking around the neighborhood, he was completely immersed in the show.

The story revolved around a love that wasn’t accepted by society, and the tragic ending was evident from the very beginning. But Huo Youqing was drawn in by the actors’ superb performances and the emotional intensity. By the finale, he couldn’t help but feel a lump in his throat.

A white tissue appeared in front of him.

Dai Yuan wasn’t looking at him—his gaze remained fixed on the stage. He quietly handed the tissue over and then placed the whole pack gently into Huo Youqing’s hand resting on the armrest.

Huo Youqing paused for a moment, then quietly thanked him and took the tissue.

As the actors took their final bows and the audience began to leave, Huo Youqing stood up to exit. Dai Yuan, walking beside him, started talking about the musical.

At first, Huo Youqing listened indifferently, but the more he heard, the more he realized how much Dai Yuan genuinely enjoyed musicals—perhaps even more than he did.

Talking about shared interests made him forget his earlier reservations, and he found himself chatting back. Their conversation drifted from the current show to others, and Huo Youqing was surprised to discover that their tastes aligned remarkably well.

For instance, Huo Youqing’s favorite musical happened to be Dai Yuan’s second favorite.

As for Dai Yuan’s all-time favorite, Huo Youqing hadn’t seen it yet, but he had heard of it. Tickets were notoriously hard to come by.

“You’ve seen that one?” Huo Youqing asked, his interest piqued. “Where did you watch it? Who was in the cast? That production is notoriously difficult—it’s hardly performed anymore. Every time it’s restaged, I can never get tickets.”

Dai Yuan patiently answered each of Huo Youqing’s questions, one by one, and then said something unexpected, “Actually, that time, you watched it with me.”

Huo Youqing was stunned.

“Four years ago, in California. Back then, our relationship had started to ease. You took me to a musical, and that was the day you kissed me for the first time.”

Huo Youqing’s face flushed red instantly. He suddenly realized that they had stood at the venue entrance for at least ten minutes, and abruptly changed the subject, “It’s getting late, I should head back.” His eyes wandered around, and only after a moment did they return to Dai Yuan’s face.

The young man before him was looking down at him, his eyes filled with an unprecedented seriousness and gentleness, which left Huo Youqing momentarily speechless. However, he quickly regained his composure, and the heat on his face gradually faded. “How are you getting home?” he asked.

“I drove here.”

“Oh, I’ll grab a cab then.” Huo Youqing pointed in the direction where several taxis were parked. He was about to leave when Dai Yuan suddenly called out to him.

“Brother, can I hug you?” The young man’s voice was cautious.

He continued, “I’ve been seeing the doctor like you asked, and I’m really trying to stop calling you ‘Brother.’ But when I see you, it’s hard to control myself. I just want to hug you, to know if my feelings for you have changed.”

Facing away, Huo Youqing was silent for a moment before turning back. He didn’t open his arms, but the young man in front of him understood. The nervous expression on his face transformed into joy, though his steps remained cautious.

This time, unlike in the hospital, Dai Yuan didn’t rush into the hug. Instead, he embraced Huo Youqing gently, as if handling something fragile.

In his mind, Huo Youqing began counting, intending to push Dai Yuan away after counting to five. However, when he reached four, he thought he heard a deep breath near his neck, as if Dai Yuan had taken a long inhale.

Maybe I misheard, he thought.

There was a noticeable height difference between Dai Yuan and Huo Youqing, something Huo Youqing had realized during their previous embrace, but now he felt it even more. Dai Yuan completely enveloped him, making him feel small, almost like a doll.

Maybe it was the summer heat, but Dai Yuan’s skin seemed to burn where it touched his.

Just as Huo Youqing was about to push him away, Dai Yuan let go first, stepping back slightly, as if to maintain a safe distance. He smiled softly, “I think, from now on, I can be friends with Brother. No, not ‘Brother,’ but you, Huo Youqing.”

Huo Youqing, hearing his name, felt a little uncomfortable. He didn’t want to agree but also didn’t want to directly reject the idea. After all, he had recently experienced the sting of failed friendships, so he empathized with Dai Yuan. Finally, he vaguely changed the subject, “I need to get going. If I’m home too late, my cousin will scold me.”

“Okay.”

Dai Yuan didn’t insist on seeing Huo Youqing off. He stood at the entrance, watching until the taxi carrying Huo Youqing disappeared from view. As soon as the car left, the smile on his face vanished. He lowered his gaze to his hands and stared at them for a solid ten minutes before walking back into the venue.

He returned to the empty theater lobby, where only a single overhead light remained on. Sitting in the seat where Huo Youqing had been, Dai Yuan let out a soft laugh.

Still smiling, he ran his hand over the armrest that Huo Youqing had touched.

After a while, someone approached him and stopped in front of Dai Yuan. “Mr. Dai, this chair is the new one we had replaced according to your instructions. No one has sat on it before tonight.”

“Send it to this address later.”

Dai Yuan handed the person a card. The person glanced nervously at Dai Yuan, who continued to smile, trembling slightly as they took the card before quickly retreating.

Dai Yuan paid no attention to them, his hands still clasped in front of him as if in prayer. He muttered to himself, “You’ll love me…”

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