Ye Ran noticed that Shen Shi had been acting a little strange recently.
Some time had passed since their Three Rules agreement. During these days, Shen Shi strictly followed it: no holding hands casually, no random kissing, no random touching.
In public, they still maintained the “fake boyfriend” identity: attending class together, eating together, joining club activities.
To Little Fatty and Brother Shu in the dorm, everything seemed normal. They chatted about things Ye Ran didn’t understand, the atmosphere natural and harmonious.
Only Ye Ran felt Shen Shi was acting odd.
Recently, Shen Shi would take another shower late at night after staying up busy. Ye Ran had accidentally seen this a few times but was too sleepy to ask.
By the next day, some inexplicable instinct made him swallow the question.
…Even in December’s cold, he took cold showers.
Ye Ran was deeply puzzled.
Was the dorm really that hot?
——
Friday evening, around seven o’clock. Everyone was in the dorm.
Shen Shi was handling emails, while Little Fatty and Brother Shu called their parents.
Little Fatty’s voice was loud and carefree. On video, his mother looked a lot like him: slightly chubby, hair up in a bun, bright and straightforward. She asked, “Little Fatty, when’s your break? Should your dad and I pick you up?”
Little Fatty, from Hebei, near Beijing, shook his head without thinking. “No need. Break’s at the end of the month; I’ll take the high-speed train home myself.”
Brother Shu’s parents asked the same. Brother Shu, a tall southern guy, spoke in soft southern tones, incongruous with his cultured tough-guy appearance.
“Break’s at the end of the month… right, where are you going with my dad? Sanya… what do you mean, I spend New Year alone?”
Ye Ran laughed quietly on his bed, chatting with an old friend, while faintly hearing Shen Shi’s voice from next door.
“Mm, I’ll return on time,” Shen Shi said, his voice low, without excitement for the upcoming break. “No need to trouble Uncle Li. Mm, got it.”
The dorm was filled with the joyful atmosphere of the upcoming holiday. Beijing University, abbreviated as Jing Da, was among the first in the country to start winter break.
Some senior students had already told everyone that the school usually began its break around Christmas. This year, barring surprises, it would be the same.
Today was already December 8. Train, high-speed train, and flight tickets for Christmas had begun pre-sale. Discussion groups were full of questions from new and returning students about break dates.
Little Fatty, with his wide network, had already told Ye Ran and the others about winter break yesterday.
Hearing the constant sound by his ear, Ye Ran paused. His childhood friend, far away in England, seemed to sense something and sent him a message.
[Childhood Friend]: Ranran, it’s confirmed, I can go back to China before Christmas. I’ll take you out to have some fun when I’m back.
[Ye Ran]: Sure. Let me know when you arrive in the capital, I’ll come pick you up.
[Childhood Friend]: Haven’t managed to grab the tickets yet, trying now. How are things with your roommate?
Ye Ran hesitated for a moment. He didn’t go into the complicated situation between himself and Shen Shi, only gave a vague answer: [Pretty good. We go to and from class together often now.]
Afraid his sharp friend would pick up on something, he quickly changed the subject: [What about you? That roommate of yours still bringing people over every day?]
His friend had been renting a student apartment, cheap, convenient location, but unfortunately had a bizarre roommate who constantly brought strangers home. His friend had been fuming for ages, fully realizing the “cultural differences” between East and West.
[Childhood Friend]: Problem solved! I whined to my mom for a few days, she gave me money to find a new place. Moved a few days ago, and now I’m living blissfully alone!
Ye Ran breathed a sigh of relief. It was late night in London now. They chatted for a bit longer, and then his friend stopped replying.
Ye Ran couldn’t help smiling, he knew his friend had fallen asleep mid-chat again.
He closed the chat window, sat quietly for a few seconds, then lowered his gaze and opened another conversation.
–Dad, I can come home before Christmas.
Scrolling up the messages, one could faintly see the gaps between their exchanges.
Usually, after he sent a message, it would take several hours before a reply came.
Ye Ran was long past the age of counting the minutes, waiting for his father’s response. After sending the message, he calmly closed the chat, opened the entertainment video he hadn’t finished watching, and continued.
***
“We’re going to your grandmother’s for New Year’s. Your dad and I will go in advance,” Mother Shen said gently over the phone. She paused, noticing her son staring off into space on the video call. “Little Shi? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
Shen Shi withdrew his gaze. From the corner of his eye, he saw Ye Ran getting out of bed and changing clothes. His tone remained calm, though his pace quickened slightly as he said, “Got it. I’ll book a flight to Haicheng.”
“Your grandmother really misses you. She asked me just a few days ago when your vacation starts,” Mother Shen continued, oblivious to his intent to end the call. Smiling, she added, “Jiang Yun and the others are also waiting for you to come play.”
Jiang Yun was Shen Shi’s cousin, the same age as him. They’d known each other since childhood and got along fairly well.
Shen Shi hummed in acknowledgment, then looked at his mother on screen, leisurely sipping tea. Suddenly, he asked, “The necklace on your neck, is it new?”
“I bought it just last month.” Mother Shen’s smile deepened as she set down her teacup. “I was just betting with your father that you’d notice it in under five minutes.”
A man’s cool voice came from off-screen, Father Shen. “It’s already been five minutes.”
Mother Shen shot him a glare. “No, it hasn’t!”
Shen Shi lowered his eyes, his tone as indifferent as his father’s. “The luster’s a bit dull. Haven’t been taking care of it lately?”
“Hmm? Dull?” His mother’s elegant smile froze instantly. She hastily removed the necklace, muttering, “Maybe it’s the lighting,” and hurried upstairs to find the housekeeper.
Once she left, Father Shen appeared in the frame. In his forties, he carried a composed authority. Shen Shi’s features were almost a mirror image of his, only the eyes held slight differences.
After a glance, Father Shen said, “Hang up.”
Shen Shi had never had much to talk about with him. He nodded and ended the call.
The dorm remained lively.
Little Fatty was already rambling about all the dishes he wanted his mother to make when he got home, while Brother Shu was still lamenting over being abandoned by his parents, who went traveling without him.
Ye Ran had just left the dorm, barely a few minutes before Shen Shi quickly threw on a jacket and went after him.
—
It was past eight in the evening when a fine snow began to fall.
Along the road outside the dorm building, rows of streetlights cast a soft, amber glow that painted the falling snowflakes in warm hues.
Ye Ran checked his phone. The forecast said the light snow would turn heavier later tonight, the first snow of winter had arrived so quietly. Moments later, his social feed was flooded with photos.
Many classmates posted selfies with the first snow, and even his friend in London shared a picture, thick snow blanketing the streets, captioned: [Missing the snow back home.]
He smiled and replied: [Dress warm, stay cozy.]
His friend, ever online, replied instantly: [Mhm! heart.jpg]
Putting away his phone, Ye Ran pulled his black plaid scarf tighter around his face. The scarf was large, covering half of it, leaving only a pair of soft, pure black eyes visible.
He heard familiar footsteps behind him.
Taking two steps forward, a feeling made him turn around.
Behind him, under the dim streetlight —
Snow dusted Shen Shi’s black hair, the damp strands clinging to his forehead.
The sharp lines of his face looked even more striking. Walking up unhurriedly, he tilted his head and asked, “Where are you going?”
Ye Ran came back to himself and walked alongside him.
“To get some rice noodles.”
He had eaten plenty for dinner, fried chicken and cola, though he hadn’t finished it. By logic, he shouldn’t have been hungry.
Shen Shi didn’t question it. “The cafeteria’s crowded now. Want to go for barbecue instead?”
Around eight was peak time at the cafeteria: couples, people watching TV, studying, chatting. The university canteen was fully equipped: bakery, milk tea shop, fast food counters, everything you could want. Go too late, and you’d have trouble finding a good seat.
Ye Ran agreed wholeheartedly. “Sure, let’s go for barbecue.”
Barbecue in winter, half the joy of the season.
There was a famous place on the commercial street called Little Fatty’s BBQ, known for its superb flavor. It was said the beef and mutton were shipped fresh from Inner Mongolia, giving it an unmatched taste. With their signature dipping sauce, the restaurant had become wildly popular among Beijing University students.
Thinking of that, Ye Ran took out his phone. “Let me ask if Little Fatty and the others want to come.”
Shen Shi lowered his gaze calmly. “When I left, they were still on the phone.”
“Still?” Ye Ran hesitated for a moment. Considering Little Fatty and Brother Shu’s love of food, he decided to open QQ anyway and tagged the two of them in the group chat: Let me ask first.
[Pure College Boys Night Chat Group]
[Little Ye]: @I’mNotFat @BeijingU’sNo.1Scholar Want to go for barbecue?
After sending the message, Ye Ran was about to put his phone away and check for replies once they got to the restaurant—but before he could even turn off the screen, his phone vibrated urgently.
[Pure College Boys Night Chat Group]
[I’mNotFat]: Eat eat eat!
[BeijingU’sNo.1Scholar]: Yay yay yay!
[I’mNotFat]: Finally found an excuse to sneak out! My mom keeps asking why I’ve gotten fatter since starting university.
[BeijingU’sNo.1Scholar]: We’re all men scarred by our parents. On such a cold night, only barbecue can soothe my fragile soul.
[Pure College Boys Night Chat Group] has been renamed by [BeijingU’sNo.1Scholar] to [D*mn, Life’s So Annoying I Could Die]
Ye Ran: “…”
He burst out laughing. After telling them it would be at Little Fatty’s BBQ, he put away his phone and strolled off with Shen Shi.
By the time they arrived, only one table was left.
The restaurant was fairly large, with comfortable spacing between tables. The windows near them were fogged up with steam, blurring the view of the snowy street outside.
Snowflakes fluttered down thickly, and inside, the air was full of warmth and the sizzling sound of grilling meat.
They got a window seat, ordered a few plates of beef, lamb, and pork belly, plus some cold noodles and iced plum juice. While waiting for the food and for Little Fatty and Brother Shu, they chatted idly.
Not long after, two yellow rental bikes stopped outside the window.
Little Fatty and Brother Shu came in, shivering, faces pale from the cold.
Ye Ran hadn’t expected them to actually ride in this weather. “You two… rode bikes?”
“Cold, cold, so cold,” Brother Shu muttered as he sat down beside him, trembling. “D*mn, I didn’t think it’d be this cold!”
Shen Shi stood up. He had already taken off his coat, revealing a loose black sweater underneath. The sleeves were rolled up, showing pale, slender forearms. “Switch seats with me,” he said to Brother Shu. “This side’s by the heater vent.”
Brother Shu immediately responded, “Got it!”
They swapped seats, so now Shen Shi sat next to Ye Ran. Little Fatty, still clutching his water cup, asked what they’d ordered.
Ye Ran listed the dishes, then said, “If you and Brother Shu want anything else, add it.”
“Waiter!” Little Fatty waved grandly. “One more veggie platter!”
“The sun must’ve risen from the west. You, ordering vegetables?” Brother Shu looked shocked.
Little Fatty sighed. “No choice. My mom said when I go home for New Year, she’s going to weigh me. If I’m over the limit, she’ll send me to fat camp.”
“Come on, she’s just saying that. If you actually lost weight, your mom would probably cry.”
Brother Shu casually rinsed his cup, then looked up, just in time to see Ye Ran finishing an entire glass of iced plum juice. “Hey, Ye Ran! We haven’t even started eating meat yet, don’t fill up on drinks!”
“Mm?” Ye Ran blinked, embarrassed, and set his cup down with a small smile. “Right.”
He continued to listen quietly as Little Fatty and Brother Shu talked, the corners of his lips soft and gentle as always. But his lashes lowered slightly, like dark feathers casting faint shadows across his face.
It was a restrained, calm, slightly stiff smile, rarely seen.
Very rarely.
Brother Shu was about to say more when a shadow suddenly fell over them.
Shen Shi leaned forward slightly, lifting his eyelids just enough for his deep eyes to catch the light. Interrupting whatever Brother Shu was about to say, he murmured, “Tissue. Hand me one.”
Brother Shu froze, then quickly passed him the tissue box. “Uh… here. You can keep it.”
Why’d he have to sound so intense over tissues?
The conversation ended there. Soon after, their dishes began to arrive one after another.
The grill worker turned on the fire, and Little Fatty and Brother Shu launched into a discussion about a newly released movie. They’d ordered over four hundred yuan’s worth of food, which earned them a complimentary pitcher of draft beer.
The restaurant grew warmer as they ate. Ye Ran enjoyed the delicious barbecue, half-listening to their chatter, smiling softly. His mood had clearly lifted. He didn’t touch the beer though, only kept sipping his plum juice until it was gone.
Little Fatty couldn’t handle alcohol but loved to drink anyway. Soon he and Brother Shu started a drinking game. Shen Shi got roped in too and played a couple rounds. It was a game of pure luck, so he ended up downing two cans of beer.
Ye Ran caught the faint scent of alcohol beside him. Glancing over, he saw Shen Shi lazily toying with his beer can, long fingers tracing the metal rim. His dark hair fell low over his eyes, hiding most of his expression, but there was a hint of languid weariness in his gaze.
“Are you drunk?” Ye Ran leaned closer, asking softly.
“No.” Shen Shi lowered his eyes to meet his, voice low and slow, a faint slur in his tone, and a trace of alcohol in his breath. “…Don’t worry.”
Outside, the fine snow had thickened, flakes falling steadily until a layer began to form on the roadside.
The streetlights diffused through the frosted window, blurring the quiet world beyond.
By ten-thirty, they were finally full.
Even with all the beer, no one was too drunk. Little Fatty and Brother Shu insisted on riding their yellow bikes back to campus, saying it was only right to “return the cute little yellows to where they were borrowed.”
After they left, Ye Ran wrapped his scarf and started walking back to campus to help digest the meal.
After a few steps, he noticed, Shen Shi hadn’t followed.
“Shen Shi?”
He turned around. Shen Shi’s expression was hard to make out in the shadows. Ye Ran walked toward him and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Shen Shi still didn’t move.
They stood in a dark patch by the roadside, beyond the reach of the streetlight. The bricks of the crosswalk were uneven, the shadows stretching downward into the distance.
Ye Ran stepped into that narrow darkness, blinking in confusion. A bad premonition stirred in his chest. “Shen Shi?… You’re not drunk, are you?”
He had no idea how much Shen Shi had drunk.
All he knew was that by the end of dinner, both the bottles they’d ordered and the complimentary ones from the boss had been completely finished.
The street was deserted at ten thirty.
The bustle had faded; most of the shops along the commercial street had turned off their lights, leaving the place quiet and still.
In the darkness, Shen Shi gazed at him in silence. His eyes were deep and dark, his tall frame outlined sharply by the long down jacket he wore. His voice came out low and steady, almost gentle: “…What’s wrong with you today?”
Ye Ran froze, caught off guard by the question.
What was wrong with him?
Nothing—
No, that wasn’t right.
His lashes trembled. A few seconds later, his fingers curled slightly inside his pocket. “Hm? I’m fine.”
Tiny snowflakes landed on his hair and melted into water.
“Liar.”
A warm breath brushed across his face. The faint scent of beer drifted past his cheek.
He instinctively lifted his head and met a pair of dark, deep-set eyes.
Shen Shi leaned slightly forward. He was close, very close, but still held to some invisible line between them. His eyes drooped lazily, voice calm and factual: “Ye Ran, you’re not in a good mood.”
When Shen Shi drank, he became sharper, more forceful than usual.
Even when his tone didn’t change, it carried a pressure that made one want to step back.
Ye Ran suddenly felt that familiar, disorienting sense of oppression radiate from him, quietly swallowing up the space between them.
He took a small step back and averted his gaze. “I’m not.”
“You are,” Shen Shi said.
“Maybe I’m just sleepy from eating too much, I didn’t—”
“No.” Shen Shi shook his head.
“Then it’s just late, my biological clock—”
“Ye Ran.” His explanation was effortlessly cut off. Shen Shi’s deep voice was calm, steady, neither harsh nor soft, as he said, “I can tell when you’re unhappy.”
…
Snow continued to fall quietly.
The snow piled by the roadside was crushed under passing cars with a “crunch, crunch.”
Before Ye Ran could react, a hand ruffled his hair.
He lowered his gaze, motionless, feeling the gentle pressure on the top of his head.
But the next second, those long fingers slid down naturally, brushing against the fine hair behind his ear.
The strands of black hair hid the soft skin there. It wasn’t a direct touch but somehow even more intimate.
Shen Shi’s fingertips were warm, his calluses rough, moving slowly as they kneaded the sensitive skin behind Ye Ran’s ear, in a gesture that felt almost ambiguous.
Heat spread from that spot through his entire body. Ye Ran jolted, his voice trembling as he tried to pull away. “Shen—Shen Shi, we agreed…”
Before confirming their relationship, Shen Shi wasn’t supposed to touch him casually.
“I know, I remember.” Shen Shi’s tone was patient. He bent his head lower, his features blurred by the slanting light of the streetlamp, only those dark phoenix eyes were clear, fixed on Ye Ran, driving him step by step into the deep shadows under a tree, like a predator closing in. “I haven’t broken the rules.”
“You have…”
Ye Ran’s back pressed against the tree. His voice tightened; he was trembling from the touch. “Before we’re official, you can’t just touch me.”
“Then when will we make it official?” Shen Shi suddenly stopped his movement and asked.
Ye Ran froze, struggling to think. “Later… let’s just wait.”
“How long is ‘later’?” Shen Shi’s eyes lowered again as his fingers lightly pinched the soft skin behind Ye Ran’s ear.
In the freezing night, sweat beaded on Ye Ran’s skin. His earlobes flushed red. Even though there was no direct touch, that warm fingertip, moving lazily through the strands of hair, was unbearably teasing. “Ye Ran, give me a clear answer.”
The faint smell of alcohol mixed with the cold wind brushed across his face.
This wasn’t how Shen Shi normally was.
…Was Shen Shi drunk?
Ye Ran’s lashes trembled rapidly. His lips pressed tight under the scarf; he didn’t know what to do.
Lately, things between them had gone back to how they used to be.
Calm, uneventful, without ripples.
They went to class together, ate together, did club activities together. Like a frog in slowly heating water, he had almost forgotten that there was something more between them.
His plan all along had been simple, drag things out.
Drag until the holidays.
Drag until the next semester.
Drag until Shen Shi lost interest…
Just drag it out, as long as possible.
But now, Shen Shi had placed that question squarely before him again.
He stayed silent for a long time. Shen Shi narrowed his eyes, his gaze cutting straight through Ye Ran’s evasiveness. A few seconds later, he curved his lips slightly but his eyes were faint and cold, without the slightest hint of a smile.
“Ye Ran, the holidays are coming.”
Ye Ran stiffened, instinctively straightening up. He heard Shen Shi continue,
“But I’ve got plenty of time—to wait you out.”
***
That night, Ye Ran and Shen Shi didn’t return to the dorm until it was almost lockup.
Little Fatty and Brother Shu, still fired up from drinking, were gaming in the room.
The sound of keyboards and mice clattered loudly through the dorm.
Shen Shi went to take a shower first.
Only after hearing the sound of the door closing did Ye Ran move a little, as if suddenly snapping back to his senses.
The issue he’d been suppressing and deliberately avoiding could no longer be put off.
Absentmindedly, he pulled out his phone. The screen slipped in his hand and nearly fell to the floor—
After being betrayed by both a certain search engine and a certain online forum, there was now only one person he could still trust: his childhood friend.
Opening their chat window, Ye Ran realized that just ten minutes ago, his friend had sent him a “good night” message.
He hesitated for a moment, then typed:
—Ah Yu, you there?
“Ding ding ding.”
The reply came almost instantly, as if his friend lived on the internet.
Childhood Friend: [Here!]
Childhood Friend: [Babe, I’m so annoyed. I was just about to sleep, but then I checked this month’s horoscope, and it’s so bad! We Sagittariuses apparently have terrible luck this month—love life, travel, work, even sleep! Everything’s unlucky, boohoohoohoo.]
Childhood Friend: [But you Geminis are doing great: super lucky in love, and you might even get an unexpected windfall by the end of the month!]
Childhood Friend: [Anyway, what’s up?]
Ye Ran’s gaze lingered on the part about the horoscope. After a few seconds, he moved his eyes away and cautiously typed: [Where did you see it? I want to check mine too.]
Childhood Friend: [Hm?]
Childhood Friend: [You’re into that stuff now? Search “Chen Tinlei’s Zodiac Guide” on RedEye, that uncle’s pretty accurate.]
Ye Ran was about to search it when he suddenly realized that checking his horoscope wasn’t exactly the most pressing matter right now.
Just then, his friend messaged again:
Childhood Friend: [Babe, what’s wrong? Why aren’t you asleep yet?]
Given Ye Ran’s elderly-level sleep schedule, he’d never be awake at this hour unless something was seriously wrong.
Childhood Friend: [Wanna call instead?]
[No need,] Ye Ran typed carefully. [International calling fees are too expensive. It’s just… remember my roommate I told you about before…]
—
Lately, Ye Ran had been deeply troubled.
His roommate, Shen Shi, was a campus celebrity. Handsome, quiet, distant. The kind of cold, untouchable “flower on the high mountain.”
He got so many love letters his hands probably hurt from opening them. Admirers came in all genders.
—But just recently, that very same person had confessed to him.
Ye Ran left out a few details, merely telling his friend that his roommate always seemed to want to stick to him all the time.
On the other end, his friend immediately got the picture.
Childhood Friend: “Got it.”
Childhood Friend: “You want to chase him.”
Ye Ran: “?”
Friend: “I support you.”
Ye Ran: “…”
Friend: “When it comes to pursuing guys, I’m an expert. I’ve chased so many handsome ones. Once you confess, you can always tell right away if they’re into you.”
Ye Ran wanted to cry but had no tears. “That’s not it. Actually, he’s the one who—”
Childhood Friend: “Ohhh, I see! You don’t know how to chase him! Don’t worry, chasing a guy is simple. Let me explain.”
Childhood Friend: “There are only a few strategies: show concern, be thoughtful, act gentle and sweet. Do two of those, and the fish will bite the hook on its own.”
The more Ye Ran listened, the more something felt off. “Wait—fish?”
Childhood Friend: “Yeah! Men are easy to hook. When he’s sick, take care of him, go to the hospital with him, bring him medicine and water—that’s concern. When he needs something, fulfill it right away, stay tuned to his moods—that’s being thoughtful. When he’s sad or bullied, comfort him and stand up for him—that’s being gentle and sweet.”
Childhood Friend: “Do all that, and he’ll fall completely, hopelessly in love with you.”
Ye Ran: “…”
His expression grew increasingly grave. “Then what if he’s the one doing all that to me?”
Childhood Friend: “?”
Ye Ran’s ears burned. He spoke softly: “Mm… He also makes me wear his clothes, joins the same clubs as me… eats with me, goes to and from class with me every day… and also…”
Childhood Friend: “…”
Childhood Friend: “And also what? Hurry and say it!”
Ye Ran: “When he’s drunk, he hugs me to sleep.”
Childhood Friend: “…”
Childhood Friend: “Tch.”
Childhood Friend: “Sneaky straight man.”
Childhood Friend: “No—scheming top.”
Ye Ran fell into silent thought. Somehow, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was already the hooked fish, biting the bait but still thrashing uselessly in the net.
He took a deep breath and stared at the now-quiet screen.
…
Ten minutes later, his phone buzzed.
A message from his friend—this time with a screenshot: “Dear passenger An Yu, your ticket for the flight from London to Beijing on December 23 has been successfully issued. Ticket number 123456, flight…”
Childhood Friend: “Okay, ticket’s confirmed.”
Ye Ran blinked. “Hm? You’re coming back early?”
Childhood Friend: “Yup.”
Then came a cheerful voice message: “Watching other people fall in love is always the most fun.”
