Student Council activity room.
The school’s recruitment festival was approaching, coinciding with the transition of department heads. The council was busy everywhere, noisy with chatter. Papers and pens were scattered on tables; scraps littered the floor.
The external relations director banged on the table, arguing with the president over the large expenses of the Arts Department.
Two girls exchanged sharp words, each with valid points.
“Director An, our Arts Department needs to decorate the venue and rent formal dresses. All of this costs money…”
“So please be mindful before spending! Our External Relations pulls sponsorships for the entire council. If the Living Department’s funds fall short, what do we do?”
“The quality is part of Beijing University’s reputation. I cannot agree to using subpar products!”
…
Around them, committee members awkwardly tried to mediate. Shen Shi, bored, looked down at his phone. A message sent five minutes ago caught his eye.
Ye Ran: [Shen Shi, are you going back to the dorm at noon?]
The boy lounging lazily in the chair paused for a beat, then sat up a little straighter, expression calm: [Yeah.]
The message went out—but even after nearly ten minutes, there was no reply.
Shen Shi pressed down the brim of his cap. He was sitting at the corner of a long table, dressed in a black T-shirt and black pants. His pale, lean forearms showed beneath the short sleeves. Though he said nothing, the occasional glances cast his way proved how noticeable he was.
His long fingers tapped lightly against his phone as he opened Little Fatty’s WeChat.
Shen Shi: [You there?]
Little Fatty: [?]
Little Fatty: [Whoa, that’s sudden, bro—I thought you didn’t even have my WeChat.]
Shen Shi: [Where are you?]
Little Fatty: [In the dorm, duh.]
Shen Shi: [I haven’t been in the dorm much this week. Has anything happened there lately?]
This time, the other side went quiet for a while before sending a long message: [What kind of question is that? Of course nothing happens when you’re gone. But now that you mention it, Ye Ran’s been acting kinda weird lately.]
Shen Shi’s typing speed quickened a little: [Weird how?]
Little Fatty: [Weirdly cute, hehe.]
Little Fatty: [You don’t even know how nice Ye Ran’s been to me. He’s been buying me duck leg rice for a whole week! Duck leg rice, man! All our classes are in the mornings this semester, I haven’t had a proper meat meal in ages, and he felt bad for me! Can you believe that? A whole week!]
Little Fatty: [Seriously, none of you understand how touched I am. No one’s ever cared about what I like before. I’m so happy—Ye Ran’s my sworn brother from now on! He even just went out again to buy me lunch, under this blazing sun. Sigh.]
Little Fatty: [Tell me, how should I repay him—]
【The other party has not added you as a friend. You can only call once they’ve added you.】
Little Fatty: [?]
【The other party has not added you as a friend. You can only call once they’ve added you.】
Little Fatty: [???]
【The other party has not added you as a friend. You can only call once they’ve added you.】
……
Shen Shi turned off his phone altogether. He stood up, pulling his cap low over his eyes. His cold, expressionless gaze was hidden in shadow as he walked straight through the crowded room and out the door.
“Hey, freshman—leaving already?” A petite girl in a beige camisole came up to him with a smile. “How about what I mentioned before? Want to join the publicity department?”
“As long as you’re willing to join, we can give you admin rights for the forum and message board. That way, if anyone ever posts your pictures again, you can delete them yourself—and you won’t need to feel obligated to help us out for free just to return the favor…”
“Not interested.”
He cut her off before she could finish.
His tall figure was outlined by the light as he turned away, messy black hair tucked under his cap, disappearing quickly around the stairwell corner.
“Wow, so cool,” one of the junior members swooned, cupping her face.
Dai Jiao sighed. “What a pity—he actually seemed competent.”
“So… we’re not recruiting Shen Shi anymore?”
“No,” Dai Jiao said. “People like him—once they’ve made up their minds, nothing’s going to change it. Let’s get ready for new recruits. Some of the newcomers this year look promising.”
***
The late-summer heat came in fierce.
By noon, the air shimmered with warmth, and the evergreens outside drooped under the sun.
Carrying a duck leg meal in hand, Ye Ran headed back to the dorm. On the way, he pulled out his phone and saw Shen Shi’s earlier message.
—[Yeah.]
Great.
So Shen Shi was in the dorm today.
Ye Ran exhaled in relief, his steps lightening. But as he neared the dorm door, he heard Little Fatty wailing inside.
“Why, why! Why’d you delete me! What did I do wrong, Your Majesty—say something!”
Ye Ran pushed open the door to find Little Fatty clutching a tissue, crying dramatically while wiping nonexistent tears.
Brother Shu was sitting nearby, watching the show. “Impudent subject, when will you repent?”
“I, Lin Feipeng, have a clear conscience—” Little Fatty started, then caught sight of Ye Ran standing in the doorway holding a duck leg meal, looking lost. He immediately switched tone mid-sentence: “—except to my good brother Ye Ran and the duck leg rice he so kindly bestows upon me!”
Ye Ran was dumbfounded, suddenly dragged into the scene as all eyes in the room turned to him.
Brother Shu shifted a little, revealing the figure he’d been blocking—Shen Shi.
Shen Shi was sitting in the lounge chair, head tilted slightly up to look at him. His gaze settled on the duck leg meal Ye Ran was holding—the very proof of Little Fatty’s “gratitude”—and his expression remained unreadable.
“Ye Ran, you’re back? It’s so hot—aren’t you sweating? Feeling warm? Want me to turn the AC lower?” Little Fatty rushed to greet him like a swallow returning to its nest.
“No need,” Ye Ran said, ushered inside by Little Fatty’s enthusiasm. “It’s fine as is.”
Little Fatty opened his mouth to say more—
But Shen Shi suddenly spoke, voice quiet. “What are you having for lunch?”
Ye Ran blinked at him, momentarily stunned, then lowered his gaze to the food in his hands. “Just porridge.”
His fever was gone, but his stomach hadn’t fully recovered.
It had been aching off and on these past few days, and he hadn’t dared touch anything too greasy or spicy.
“You don’t need to buy me meals anymore,” Shen Shi said.
“…Hm?” Ye Ran blinked again. There was a small mole at the corner of his eye, faint against his skin; when he smiled, the corners of his eyes curved softly, warm and gentle. “So you found out?”
“I did.” Shen Shi’s gaze drifted away from his face. After a few seconds, he added quietly, “Thanks.”
Ye Ran shook his head and set the duck leg rice down on Shen Shi’s desk.
“I should be the one thanking you. It’s still warm—eat it while it’s hot.”
Their exchange was like a riddle—each sentence layered, making it harder and harder to tell what they truly meant.
“You two…” Little Fatty squatted on the ground and said gloomily, “Shouldn’t you explain yourselves?”
For once, Brother Shu was on his side. He echoed in the same tone, “All this thanking back and forth—it sounds like something big happened.”
“The most important thing is…” Little Fatty, lost in his own bitter thoughts, gritted his teeth and said, “Shen Shi bought lunch already, so why—”
A bowl of crossing-the-bridge rice noodles appeared out of thin air before his eyes. Little Fatty’s words came to an abrupt stop. Shen Shi, who had already opened his lunchbox, glanced at him, forcing him to swallow the rest of his pitiful complaint.
“For you.”
With tears in his eyes, Little Fatty accepted the rice noodles, then reluctantly looked at the fragrant and flavorful braised duck rice in Shen Shi’s hand. “…Tell me, are my good days over?”
“Yes,” Shen Shi replied.
Seeing Little Fatty on the verge of tears, Shen Shi lowered his gaze, his tone cool and careless. “They should’ve ended long ago.”
