Shen Shi and Yu Ting had stayed in the capital for over a week.
On the fifth day of the new year, Shen Shi woke up in his hotel room to find a missed call from his mother.
He called her back via video as he got up and walked toward the kitchen area of the suite.
“Little Shi,” his mother answered quickly, her smiling face filling the screen. She was wearing a knitted long dress and a new white pearl necklace. “When are you coming home?”
Shen Shi entered the kitchen and poured himself a glass of ice water. A layer of condensation fogged the glass, which he wiped away with his pale, slender fingers. “What’s wrong? Something at home?”
His mother’s smile deepened. “Your grandmother’s been urging you.”
Shen Shi’s maternal grandparents, because of their health, usually spent winters in the southern hemisphere. In previous years, the Shen family would go to New Zealand about half a month in advance, his grandparents had bought an estate there. This year was no different. With only a month left before the Lunar New Year, the elderly couple, eager to see their grandson, began urging the family to come.
Father Shen still had matters to handle at the company, but Mother Shen and the Jiang family could already start preparing to depart.
Shen Shi paused midway through drinking his water. “Go now?”
A mother knows her son best. Mother Shen raised an eyebrow, looking at him with meaning. “You haven’t finished your business yet?”
“Mm.” Shen Shi nodded.
“What business? Your dad’s heading to the capital in a couple of days, I’ll have him help you with it, okay?”
Shen Shi gave her a look, neither agreeing nor denying, then finished his glass of ice water. “No need. I’ll discuss it with Jiang Yun.”
“Well, isn’t that something,” Mother Shen said, almost laughing in exasperation. “Your aunt already called Little Yun yesterday. He said he’ll listen to you, and you say you’ll listen to him. The two of you little devils, you haven’t caused trouble in the capital again, have you?”
As she said that, Mother Shen unconsciously straightened her posture. No one else knew better than she how rebellious and volatile her son had been in high school. “Little Shi, tell me the truth, did you—”
Shen Shi’s expression didn’t change; his lowered eyelids hid the darkness of his gaze.
His mother asked anxiously, “Did you secretly buy a house in the capital?”
Shen Shi: “?”
For a moment, his expression went blank. “…What?”
“Your uncle told me yesterday that you’ve been asking him lately about buying property,” Mother Shen said. Jiang Yun’s father worked in investment and finance and knew quite a bit about real estate. “Did your dad upset you again? I’ll talk to him for you, don’t act rashly.”
Over the years, between his allowance and the money he’d made investing alongside his uncle, Shen Shi indeed had enough to buy an apartment in the capital.
Back in his second year of high school, his relationship with his father had hit rock bottom. Mother Shen had worried he might simply refuse to come home, though he hadn’t gone that far. Still, she hadn’t expected that even now, in university, his rebellion against his father would remain unresolved.
Shen Shi looked a bit helpless, glancing at his overthinking mother on the screen. “I was just asking.”
If anyone knew him, it was her and she knew that once Shen Shi had an idea, he would eventually act on it.
She hesitated, then said softly, “All right then… How about tomorrow? You and Little Yun come home tomorrow, okay?”
Shen Shi lifted his gaze. On the screen, his mother’s face was full of worry, even the luster of the pearl necklace at her throat seemed to have dimmed. She looked at him anxiously, waiting for his answer.
After a quiet pause, Shen Shi tapped his finger against the rim of the glass and nodded, emotionless. “Okay.”
His mother finally smiled. “Call me when you arrive, I’ll have Old Li pick you two up.”
When the call ended, the other two suite doors soon opened.
Jiang Yun, still half-asleep, scratched his head and slumped on the sofa. “Pour me some water too.”
Yu Ting went into the kitchen, picked out two glasses, and glanced at Shen Shi, who looked lost in thought. “What’s wrong? Talking to Ye Ran?”
“My mom,” Shen Shi said.
“Oh,” Yu Ting said knowingly. “Urging you to go home, huh?”
From the living room came Jiang Yun’s voice: “I was just gonna tell you, my parents both called yesterday too. Roundabout way of asking what’s up with you. What could be up? You’re the one in love and living your best life. Why aren’t they worried about me? I’m the one suffering heartbreak here!”
Shen Shi’s mood soured a little; he sipped his ice water, looking cool and impatient.
Yu Ting’s eyes lit up as if something clicked. After a few seconds, he suddenly laughed. “Oh… I get it now.”
Jiang Yun, sensing gossip, sat up. “What do you mean?”
Yu Ting shot Shen Shi a teasing look, carried the two glasses of water to the coffee table, plopped down, and said with a grin, “You probably don’t know about Shen Shi’s legendary feats back in his second year of high school…”
Too lazy to listen to them gossip, Shen Shi’s expression remained cold as he went back to his room to change.
When he came out again, Jiang Yun’s laughter was practically shaking the walls. “No way— seriously? He actually did that? So edgy? D*mn, that’s hilarious, he dyed his hair silver, hahaha!”
Expression blank, Shen Shi walked straight past them.
By the entrance, a row of car keys hung neatly. He picked up all of them as naturally as if they were his own, while behind him Yu Ting and Jiang Yun were still laughing, too distracted to notice.
***
Winter in the capital was dry and bitterly cold.
Today, Ye Ran didn’t go out with Shen Shi. Instead, he grabbed lunch with An Yu at a little noodle shop just outside the villa community, a place they’d loved since they were kids.
The shop boss lady had practically watched them grow up. Seeing the heavy snow outside and the two of them only wearing windbreakers, she couldn’t help but fuss: “Why are you dressed so thinly? Didn’t you freeze? Little Yu, remember to have Ranran drink some ginger tea when you get back, or he’ll catch a cold again!”
Ye Ran often caught minor illnesses in winter: colds, fevers, stomach aches, bouts of gastroenteritis. Nothing serious, but sometimes bad enough to need an IV.
In those years when Ye Ran’s father was rarely home, the little Ye Ran would often go alone to the small neighborhood clinic next door for IV drips. The shop boss lady had taken pity on him, often bringing him snacks or drinks.
Later, when Ye Ran got close with An Yu, the two of them became regulars at the noodle shop.
“Got it,” An Yu said cheerfully, reaching to feel Ye Ran’s hand. “Still okay, not that cold.”
Ye Ran glanced at him, then peeled off two heat patches from under his jacket and pressed them onto An Yu’s hands. “Your hands are colder than mine. Keep them in your pockets.”
An Yu grinned. “Love you, baby.”
Soon, two steaming bowls of beef noodles were set before them. The shop was fairly busy, so the boss lady didn’t chat further. After a short while, she came back with a small plate of sliced marinated meat.
The meal lasted for over an hour. The two chatted as they watched a video commentary, it was about the movie Ye Ran and Shen Shi had seen together a few days ago. An Yu occasionally asked a few questions, and Ye Ran patiently explained.
After dinner, the snow still hadn’t let up.
Large, fluffy snowflakes danced down, filling the world in white.
Ye Ran pulled his hat over his head and ran home alongside An Yu.
“Let’s race and see who leaves the fewest footprints!” An Yu said.
Ye Ran immediately took off running. “That’ll be me!”
An Yu caught up. “You have to stay in a straight line, whoever drifts the most loses!”
Ye Ran asked, “And what happens if we lose?”
“If you lose… hmm, you wash the dishes tonight. If I lose, I’ll wash them.”
Ye Ran laughed. “Deal!”
The two sprinted through the snow with all their might. Their footprints zigzagged, barely forming straight lines. Amidst the swirling flakes, only their laughter and the sound of their chase could be heard.
An Yu had better stamina. From afar, he could already see the Ye house. He was just about to sprint the last stretch when he caught sight of a black G-Class parked at the gate.
A tall, slender figure leaned against it, dressed in a black coat.
Shen Shi seemed to have just stepped out of the car. Fine snowflakes dusted his dark hair. He looked over, his eyes dark and calm like a cold, still pool.
“Great,” An Yu muttered, rolling his eyes. “Guess neither of us is washing dishes tonight.”
Ye Ran, still chasing after him with all his might, lifted his head in confusion. “Why—”
“Eh?” He caught sight of Shen Shi and froze for two seconds before suddenly speeding up, joy flashing across his face. He ran straight toward him. “Shen Shi! What are you doing here?”
An Yu saw the dark blur rush past him. “What the h*ll…!”
He couldn’t help laughing and yelling after him, “Slow down, baby!”
After shouting, he glanced again at Shen Shi and had a faint feeling that Shen Shi wasn’t here for a date today.
After a moment’s thought, he stopped running and turned back toward the house.
***
Ye Ran had indeed sped up from excitement. When he reached Shen Shi, he met those smiling eyes and forgot to slow down, ending up throwing himself straight into Shen Shi’s arms.
“Hey—”
Shen Shi’s long, steady arms caught him easily.
“Shen Shi,” Ye Ran looked up, his cheeks warm and red. “Why did you come?”
They had agreed yesterday not to meet today. But agreements were one thing, now that he was seeing Shen Shi in person, Ye Ran couldn’t stop grinning.
He thought falling in love was such a magical thing.
It made him love being close to Shen Shi.
Shen Shi didn’t let go. He lightly brushed their noses together. His features: high nose, thin lips, dark eyes were strikingly handsome, his usual air of cool detachment now softened by warmth. His gaze reflected only Ye Ran.
“Where did you go?”
Ye Ran didn’t bother questioning his tone. “I had dinner with Ah Yu.”
“Cold?” Shen Shi asked, holding Ye Ran’s hands. Feeling the chill in them, he didn’t let go.
Ye Ran answered honestly, “I’m okay.”
Then, as if remembering something, he said brightly, “Ah Yu and I were having a competition just now.”
Shen Shi raised an eyebrow. “What kind of competition?”
“To see who could leave fewer footprints. The winner doesn’t have to wash dishes tonight.”
“Did you win, babe?” Shen Shi’s voice was gentle, with a hint of amusement.
Ye Ran blinked, looked back at where An Yu had disappeared, then at his own crooked trail of prints. “Ah… I guess not.”
Shen Shi chuckled and kissed his cheek. “So what now?”
Ye Ran squinted his eyes in a smile. “It’s fine, we have a dishwasher at home.”
So the bet hadn’t really meant anything from the start.
Shen Shi figured An Yu had just said it casually, though even “casual” might be giving it too much credit.
Still, with him here, Ye Ran looked happy enough.
But thinking of what he had to say next, Shen Shi’s smile gradually faded. “Let’s get in the car first, it’s cold out.”
They sat together in the back seat.
The car lights were off; it was dim inside, the same heavy gray as the clouded sky.
The engine wasn’t on, so there was no heat either. Shen Shi kept Ye Ran’s hands in his, warming them. Ye Ran sensed something. “What’s wrong?”
Shen Shi lowered his gaze to Ye Ran’s slender fingers. “I’m going back to Haicheng tomorrow.”
Ye Ran hadn’t expected that. He paused for a few seconds, then softly asked, “So… we’ll see each other when school starts again?”
Shen Shi looked up. Ye Ran, who had been so happy moments ago, now had his eyelids lowered, expression dim. His soft black hair covered his eyes; half his face was tucked into his collar, pale cheeks framed by long lashes.
Shen Shi gently lifted his chin, meeting those reluctant eyes, and said quietly, “After I go home, I’ll probably head to New Zealand. Once I’m back, I’ll come find you.”
“It’s okay,” Ye Ran perked up a little, then asked curiously, “Why New Zealand? For New Year?”
“Mm. My grandparents live there.”
Ye Ran wilted for a moment, but curiosity soon took over. “Is it fun there?”
New Zealand, with its temperate oceanic climate and beautiful scenery, was famous for its world-renowned attractions.
“It’s nice,” Shen Shi said. “I’ll take you there sometime.”
Ye Ran’s eyes went wide. “Ah? No, no way.”
He instinctively lowered his voice. “If Ah Yu found out my first trip abroad wasn’t to visit him, he’d be mad.”
Shen Shi mimicked his tone, lowering his voice too. “Then we’ll go without telling him.”
Ye Ran: “…That’s probably not a good idea.”
The amusement in Shen Shi’s eyes deepened. Ye Ran was still racking his brains to convince him to give up the thought when suddenly—crack—came the sound of a candy wrapper being torn open. Ye Ran looked down and saw a grape-flavored hard candy.
His ears instantly burned. He remembered, it was their “once every three days” day.
Shen Shi placed the candy in his mouth; the shape of it shifted visibly as it rolled across his tongue.
He lowered his gaze, dark eyes deep as ink, his breath warm against Ye Ran’s lips. His low, even voice came softly: “Open your mouth.”
Ye Ran obediently parted his lips, his eyelashes trembling.
Leaning back against the seat, his head tilted upward. The purple candy was fed to him, carrying with it a faint cool breath that tangled with his tongue, gentle and wet.
Shen Shi kissed him hard, greedy and deep.
That face, always so cold and restrained, showed none of this intensity.
Ye Ran’s throat bobbed uncontrollably. A fine layer of sweat formed along his cheeks and neck. Eyes half closed, he leaned back, his lashes damp, his shoulders curling up as his body trembled under the heat of the kiss: licked, sucked, and made utterly soft.
Wet, clear sounds filled the car.
Before long, a small startled cry broke the air.
“…Wait,” Ye Ran’s voice shook. “I think I swallowed the candy.”
“It’s fine,” Shen Shi said calmly, their noses brushing, breaths mingling. “Open your mouth. There’s still some left inside.”
Ye Ran gave a faint whimper.
…
By the time he was finally released, Ye Ran was limp in Shen Shi’s arms, his body still trembling slightly.
The sweetness in his mouth had almost faded. His lips were parted unconsciously as he took soft breaths. His swollen, tender lips and the flushed tip of his tongue looked like a ripe fruit heavy with nectar, one light touch away from spilling juice.
Shen Shi looked down at him for a moment, the darkness in his eyes deepening. Naturally, he tilted Ye Ran’s chin up, leaned closer, and kissed him again.
“Seems like there’s still a little left.”
Ye Ran tried weakly to dodge, but Shen Shi pressed a hand to his back, holding him still. The kiss left Ye Ran dazed, his whimpers turning into small, breathless pleas as Shen Shi murmured beside his ear, low and steady:
“…None left?”
“Baby, let me taste again.”
(All of the above—neck up only. A man stirred by parting affection is not to be trifled with.)
