“Go on, what do you want to eat?” Zhao Qin looked up to ask, realizing the silence. He found Bo Jin staring straight ahead, eyes fixed and unblinking.
“What’s got you staring? A beautiful girl? No, wait, you like guys, so a handsome guy—hey, where are you going?”
Zhao Qin instinctively reached out to stop him, but Bo Jin was already out of reach.
“Hey, Bo Jin? Little Bo? Chief Bo!”
Bo Jin ignored him completely, striding forward, his steps quickening until he broke into a jog.
In the vast world, his eyes held only one person.
His Xie Ruan—who would rather stretch a minute into two to study—had crossed two cities late at night, mere days before the college entrance exams, just to be here for him.
He couldn’t even imagine how Xie Ruan had snuck out under the dorm manager’s watch.
The softest place in his heart was hit hard, a mix of sweet and bitter.
Taking a deep breath, Bo Jin opened his arms and pulled Xie Ruan into a firm embrace. His previously hollow chest was filled, and as he stroked the back of Xie Ruan’s head, the heart that had been floating aimlessly finally found ground.
Only now did Bo Jin realize that he was scared, terrified, in fact.
Afraid of a fate that might separate them, afraid he would never see the person in his arms again.
Xie Ruan held him just as tightly, as if he feared Bo Jin would vanish, fingers gripping his shirt.
The story’s events had nearly turned into reality.
Thankfully, fate had been kind to both of them.
All the pent-up emotions surged, and Xie Ruan trembled, frantically touching Bo Jin’s back. “Are you okay? Bo Jin, are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” Bo Jin’s eyes were red, his usual composure shaken.
He guided Xie Ruan’s hands over him to check. “I’m completely fine, not a scratch. Don’t be scared.”
“Really?”
“Really.” Bo Jin gently wiped a tear from Xie Ruan’s eye. “When have I ever lied to you? Don’t cry.”
“I’m not crying! Who’s crying?” Xie Ruan sniffed stubbornly. “It’s just the cold.”
“Mhm.” Bo Jin took off his jacket and draped it over Xie Ruan, wrapping him up and holding him close. Feeling Xie Ruan’s warmth, he finally felt the weight lift from his chest.
Just one night, yet it felt like a lifetime.
He wanted to hold this person forever, never letting go.
Bo Jin’s chest, once thin, was now strong and broad. His warmth radiated through his thin shirt, and Xie Ruan could even hear his steady, powerful heartbeat—a reminder of life itself.
It soothed the fear gnawing at him.
This was perfect, absolutely perfect.
Xie Ruan, who never believed in fate, now wanted to thank every deity he could think of.
“I told you not to go up high, but you just wouldn’t listen. Are you going to stop now?” His voice was muffled, still trembling.
His worry was real, and so was his frustration at Bo Jin’s recklessness.
Xie Ruan shuddered to think what might have happened if he hadn’t made that call.
“I won’t do it again.” Bo Jin gently stroked the back of his neck, regretful and apologetic.
He had always dismissed Xie Ruan’s warnings as unnecessary, agreeing but taking them lightly. Who would have guessed there was more to it?
But…
Looking down at Xie Ruan’s hair, Bo Jin’s gaze deepened.
How did Xie Ruan know he would fall?
Could he predict the future?
No, they had spent enough time together, and Bo Jin had never noticed anything unusual.
Then… recalling the sudden changes in Xie Ruan at the start of their second year, Bo Jin felt he was starting to understand.
He kissed the top of Xie Ruan’s head, realizing that he didn’t need answers. All he needed to know was that this person was Xie Ruan—the one he loved and wanted to spend a lifetime with.
“And that bad habit of yours,” Xie Ruan started listing his grievances, “why smoke on the balcony? Change that.”
“I will.” Bo Jin’s tone was soft.
“I’m serious,” Xie Ruan replied, glancing up suspiciously. “Don’t just brush me off.”
The warm, golden light bathed Xie Ruan’s face like a sheer veil. His long eyelashes, straight nose, and earnest, endearing expression captivated Bo Jin.
Unable to resist, he tightened his hold on the back of Xie Ruan’s head, bending down for a kiss.
“Are you insane?!” In the nick of time, Xie Ruan turned his head to avoid it.
He pressed a hand to Bo Jin’s head, whispering urgently, “We’re in public! What if someone sees?”
“Let them see,” Bo Jin muttered, sulking over the missed kiss, seeking his boyfriend’s lips again. “Are they my mom? Are they going to tell me I can’t kiss my own boyfriend?”
Xie Ruan couldn’t handle him; his heart ached too much to refuse. Blushing, he held Bo Jin’s hand and comforted him, “We’ll… talk when we get back.”
For Xie Ruan to say something like that was rare. Bo Jin’s eyes lit up. “We can… when we’re back?”
Xie Ruan avoided his fiery gaze, muttering a vague, “Yeah.”
But Bo Jin wasn’t about to let him off that easily. Instead, he pushed further, “Anything can do?”
Xie Ruan shot him a glare.
Bo Jin’s smile grew, determined to get an answer. “Say it.”
Already easily embarrassed, Xie Ruan could handle saying these things under the covers, but not out here. Even though Bo Jin spoke quietly, only for them to hear, it made his cheeks burn.
Just then, Bo Jin, that shameless jerk, stared him down, clearly waiting for his answer.
The light on the road turned red, and cars driving by gradually came to a stop beside them. Occasionally, he could hear laughter from people inside the cars.
Xie Ruan suddenly tensed up.
Their posture was incredibly intimate; no excuse of just being close friends could explain it. Worried that people might notice, he swallowed and, after a brief hesitation, shut his eyes and muttered, “O… okay.”
“You said it.” Bo Jin’s eyes darkened immediately. He gave Xie Ruan a fierce hug before releasing him. “Just you wait.”
Xie Ruan was slightly uneasy under that intense gaze, feeling like he might have agreed to something significant. But thinking of all the close moments they’d had before, and how Bo Jin had always held back, he reassured himself.
This time should be no different, right?
Feeling relieved, he let it go and shifted his focus back to Bo Jin. “Are you really not hurt?”
It wasn’t that he was being repetitive, but the sound of the railing breaking had been intense. He’d heard the collapse over the phone, and knowing that Bo Jin had been on the balcony then, he couldn’t help but worry.
“You’ll see when we get back.”
What does he mean by “you’ll see when we get back”?
Not understanding, Xie Ruan was about to ask further when he suddenly felt a piercing gaze.
He turned to see a man with messy hair and thick glasses watching them with an… unusually complex expression.
Who… is this guy? Had he been here the whole time, or had he just arrived?
Xie Ruan’s mind buzzed as his face paled.
Noticing something was off, Bo Jin turned and locked eyes with Zhao Qin’s unreadable stare.
“Why are you still here?”
Zhao Qin: “…”
So, apparently, a 150-pound, live person like himself has zero presence!
He’d already endured watching them glued to each other from a distance. Now, just as he’d come to say goodbye, he got hit with yet another massive dose of PDA! What, was it just dating? If he hadn’t been so busy at work lately, he could have a partner too!
Seeing him remain silent and just staring, Bo Jin’s patience wore thin. “Cat got your tongue?”
Zhao Qin opened his mouth.
Bo Jin introduced him to Xie Ruan: “This is my friend, Zhao Qin. Just call him by his name.”
Zhao Qin was clearly older than them, so Xie Ruan didn’t follow Bo Jin’s lead. Instead, he nodded and greeted, “Brother Zhao, I’m Xie Ruan.”
Bo Jin wrapped an arm around his shoulder and added, “My boyfriend.”
Zhao Qin… Zhao Qin let out a long sigh.
Bo Jin: “?”
Wiping his face expressionlessly, Zhao Qin muttered, “I’m stuffed from all this love in the air.”
Bo Jin raised an eyebrow, utterly unbothered. “Then maybe you should thank us for saving you the cost of a midnight snack.”
As if anyone could expect pearls of wisdom from this guy! Zhao Qin couldn’t even be bothered to respond and turned to Xie Ruan, his expression shifting in an instant. “So you’re Little Xie? Heard all about you, finally nice to meet you.”
He gave a thumbs-up. “You really are handsome.”
Xie Ruan: “Thank you, Brother Zhao. You’re very handsome too.”
“Now that, I like to hear.” Zhao Qin chuckled, thinking that Bo Jin’s boyfriend was way more polite than him. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the right time for a chat; otherwise, he’d love to get to know him better.
“Old Wen went home already; his place is temporarily off-limits due to safety concerns. It’s late, so you two shouldn’t just stand around here. Find a hotel, get some rest.” He unlocked his phone screen, pulled up his WeChat QR code, and held it out to Xie Ruan. “Here, add me. We missed our chance this time; next time, I’ll treat you to a meal.”
“Sure.” Xie Ruan readily scanned his code.
“Alright, I’m off. Won’t intrude on you two anymore.” With a wink at Bo Jin, Zhao Qin waved, then caught a taxi and was gone.
The area they were in was an upscale neighborhood, with a five-star hotel just across the street, one of the best in the city. They walked over, booked a room, and quickly checked in.
Throughout the process, Bo Jin didn’t say much, so Xie Ruan thought he must have been shaken up. He mentally prepared to comfort him as they took the elevator up, and even as they entered the room—
But all the comforting words he’d prepared had no chance of being spoken. Without warning, Bo Jin grabbed his waist, and then his kiss came crashing down.
His phone slipped out of his grasp, landing with a soft thud and rolling who knows where.
Instinctively, Xie Ruan looked down to check, but Bo Jin yanked him back.
“W-wait…”
“Ignore it.”
The soft gasps and sounds of kisses filled the room, tingling warmth spreading all over him. Xie Ruan clung to Bo Jin’s neck, lost in the sensation.
The oversized T-shirt was tossed aside without a second thought, and the metal belt buckle clinked as it was undone. Xie Ruan’s eyes widened, barely able to cling to a thread of rationality. “Didn’t you say… you said nothing before the exams…”
“Oh.” Bo Jin’s slender fingers moved, undoing the last button on his shirt. Lowering his head, he gently wiped away the moisture from Xie Ruan’s lips. Then, with a slight smile, he scooped him up. “I changed my mind.”
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