When Friday came around again, You Wen had already told Fu Mingchuan not to come this time. Yet, he couldn’t shake an unsettled feeling, and even sitting with You Shi to watch TV felt hollow. Telling her he was going out, he grabbed his things and left.
“You know it’s only Friday. Where are you going?” You Shi called after him.
By then, he was already in the courtyard. “I won’t be back tonight!” he called over his shoulder as he walked away. Soon, the sound of his car engine echoed through the yard. Watching from the window, You Shi shook her head with a trace of helplessness, letting him go.
You Wen headed straight for the hotel where Fu Mingchuan was staying. Fu Mingchuan had rented the penthouse suite for six months, and You Wen could come and go as he pleased.
Since he was there regularly, the elevator operator greeted him as “Mr. You.” The suite’s butler, noting that he hadn’t ordered any room service, thoughtfully brought up snacks and desserts for him.
Though he’d asked Fu Mingchuan not to come, he couldn’t help but feel that Fu Mingchuan might show up anyway.
The bed still held Fu Mingchuan’s scent, and You Wen quickly drifted off to sleep.
It was a light sleep filled with jumbled dreams. In one, he saw Fu Mingchuan seeking out a protective amulet for him after his accident, and though Fu Mingchuan had always been cautious since then, how many “accidents” could really happen?
Because he was preoccupied, he woke early, took out a book, and started working through practice questions while he waited. By ten, there was still no sign of Fu Mingchuan, and he began to understand that he probably wouldn’t be coming after all.
He couldn’t quite tell if he felt relieved or disappointed and tried not to dwell on it. Just then, he got a call from Andrei and arranged to meet, leaving the hotel shortly after.
Meanwhile, Fu Mingchuan was still at You’s family home, knocking on the door. With no answer from You Wen, and You Shi and her husband also away, the housekeeper didn’t know where anyone had gone.
Fu Mingchuan grew worried, his expression becoming tense.
He tried calling You Wen again, but still no answer—no reply to his messages either—and to make things worse, it started to rain.
Fu Mingchuan felt anxious, fearing that something might have happened or that You Wen could get caught in the rain.
When You Shi and her husband returned without him, his concern reached its peak.
Standing under the eaves, You Shi looked at Fu Mingchuan with an unusually neutral expression. “Naonao went out with Andrei. Didn’t he tell you?”
Though she wasn’t thrilled with Fu Mingchuan coming over, she didn’t want to offend him outright. You Wen had gone off in a hurry last night and probably hadn’t seen anyone this morning, which meant Fu Mingchuan must have come straight here from the hotel, expecting to pick him up.
Thinking of the classmate he’d once seen with You Wen at school, Fu Mingchuan asked, “Is this his new classmate?”
You Shi nodded and, with a mischievous glint, added, “Andrei’s been pursuing him, you know that, right?”
She watched Fu Mingchuan’s reaction carefully, only to see him relax slightly. He politely bid them goodbye, leaving You Shi a bit puzzled. Still, she said nothing more and ordered someone to see him out.
Now that he had news of You Wen, Fu Mingchuan returned to his hotel. As soon as he entered the suite, he noticed a pair of slippers out of place, unfinished snacks on the counter, and reference books scattered on the couch—it was clear someone had been here.
He called the butler, confirming when You Wen had come and gone, and only then did he relax, sitting at the table to smoke and flipping through You Wen’s notes. Many sections were highlighted with annotations saying “check again”—what a clumsy yet meticulous little pup, he thought.
An hour later, his phone rang. Before he could speak, You Wen was already chirping on the other end, “Did you come? Are you here, huh?”
Smiling, Fu Mingchuan replied, “Yes, don’t worry. Where are you? I’ll come pick you up.”
There was a pause on You Wen’s end, followed by a hesitant reply, “No need. I’ll come back to the hotel a bit later.”
Then, almost in a rush, he added, “Just stay put, wait for me at the hotel.”
Fu Mingchuan put out his cigarette and casually replied, “Alright,” before asking, “What are you busy with?”
“Just… something,” You Wen replied evasively.
He clearly didn’t want to say more.
Fu Mingchuan didn’t press him, lighting another cigarette and reminding him to come back soon.
While waiting for You Wen, Fu Mingchuan couldn’t resist checking his location data and saw that he’d been stationary in a wealthy neighborhood about a half-hour drive away. He stared at it for a while, then shut his phone, lighting another cigarette.
By the time he heard a knock on his hotel room door, it was already 6:30 in the evening. As soon as You Wen entered, he said he was thirsty. Fu Mingchuan poured him a glass of room-temperature water, watching as he downed several gulps before gently reminding him, “Drink more slowly.”
Setting down the glass, You Wen grumbled, “It’s so hot today.” Then he pushed Fu Mingchuan into an armchair, climbing onto his lap and leaning in to kiss him. Teasingly, he licked Fu Mingchuan’s lips and asked, “Why’d you come today? Didn’t you say you wouldn’t?”
“You told me not to, but I never agreed,” Fu Mingchuan replied, steadying him by the waist and urging him to be more assertive, though You Wen stopped and, kneeling on his lap, just stared at him.
Fu Mingchuan brushed his hand over You Wen’s face. “Where did you go today?”
“I rented a place and have been moving in these past few days.” He added candidly, “Andrei helped me move. Remember him?”
Fu Mingchuan wanted to ask more about Andrei, but he held back, feeling it would be unfair to doubt You Wen. Instead, he focused on something else. “Why the sudden move? You never mentioned it before.”
With his legs wrapped around Fu Mingchuan’s waist, You Wen leaned against his chest, and Fu Mingchuan could feel the gentle thrum of his breathing. “Because every time you come over, you insist on staying at the hotel.”
“So, now that I have my own place, you can stay there with me,” You Wen concluded.
Fu Mingchuan wasn’t comfortable being close to even his family, and You Wen would never force him to bond with his aunt and uncle. So, he’d spent a month preparing, and finally finished moving in that day.
Feeling a growing warmth, Fu Mingchuan tightened his hold around You Wen’s waist until he winced and complained, “You’re hurting me.”
Relenting, Fu Mingchuan eased his grip. “Want to go back to your place?”
The drive to You Wen’s new home took only twenty minutes. He had rented a stand-alone house in a nice neighborhood, though with just himself there, it felt a bit empty.
Leading him by the hand, You Wen took Fu Mingchuan on a tour of every room, until they ended up in the walk-in closet. By the time they were finished, clothes littered the closet floor—some from their own doing, others pulled off in the midst of their movements.
Afterward, Fu Mingchuan voiced his concerns. “You shouldn’t stay here alone—it’s not safe.”
But You Wen brushed it off, “But it’s closer to school.”
“No,” Fu Mingchuan insisted, “I wouldn’t feel comfortable with you here alone.”
A moment later, he compromised. “If you’re set on living here, I’ll hire a couple of live-in helpers. Then you can move in.”
With a long, drawn-out “Oh,” You Wen agreed. “Then I’ll stay at my aunt’s place for now.”
Fu Mingchuan ruffled his hair, unable to hold back a little reminder. “If you need help with anything, don’t hesitate to ask me instead of calling someone else.”
With his hair in disarray, You Wen looked at him like a loyal little puppy. “I wanted it to be a surprise for you.”
The next day, You Wen hosted a small party at his place, and Fu Mingchuan finally met Andrei, the person You Wen often mentioned. Taller than Fu remembered and with a gentle, scholarly air, Andrei had blond hair and blue eyes, typical of someone from Germany.
Andrei clearly recognized Fu as well. While You Wen went off to entertain other guests, Andre turned to him and remarked, “Wen is really beautiful.”
Fu Mingchuan’s expression darkened as he fixed a cold stare on Andrei, who quickly added, “You’re lucky—Wen really loves you.”
Fu Mingchuan relaxed a bit, his grip on his wine glass loosening. “I love him too, so please keep your distance from him.”
Surprised, Andrei replied, “Wen said the same thing to me. He told me he loves you and asked me to stay away from him.” He shrugged. “But don’t worry—I’m already with someone else.”
For a moment, Fu Mingchuan looked confused, as if not understanding how someone could so easily move on from liking You Wen. Andrei didn’t mention that he was only saying what You Wen had asked him to, and instead continued jokingly, “Though Wen is beautiful, life has to go on, right?”
From then on, Fu Mingchuan’s guard toward Andrei dropped entirely, and even though Andrei continued to be around You Wen, Fu no longer felt threatened by him.
In the weeks that followed, Fu Mingchuan maintained his routine of visiting You Wen every weekend. You Wen never again mentioned him not coming.
Eventually, Fu Mingchuan even began to push his work forward to arrive a day earlier, though You Wen never skipped his classes to spend extra time with him.
Fu Mingchuan didn’t mind, as he appreciated You Wen’s dedication to his studies.
As graduation neared, You Wen’s animal protection fieldwork increased. He called Fu Mingchuan a few days earlier, mentioning that they’d met a Chinese businessman interested in sponsoring their project. Then today, he called to say he and his classmates were delivering a gift to thank the sponsor.
Fu Mingchuan drove over to pick him up, waiting a long while without seeing him. He got out and headed into the hotel lobby, only to spot You Wen coming out with a group of people.
Standing to the side, Fu Mingchuan waited for You Wen to finish up and come over. Instead, he found himself face-to-face with the Chinese businessman that You Wen had been talking about.
