Zhuang Fanxin was stunned: "Your sister? Gu Baoyan?"

Gu Zhuoyan said: "Yeah, I'm the one who caught all the ones on her bed."

This was truly unexpected. Zhuang Fanxin had always mistaken the "young lady" Gu Zhuoyan mentioned for his ex-girlfriend. Learning that it was his little sister was both funny and exasperating, and vaguely, he felt a little happy inside.

That expression of his looked silly, and Gu Zhuoyan wanted to laugh seeing it. He asked: "What are you spacing out for?"

Zhuang Fanxin snapped back to his senses: "Nothing... I'm looking at the Monchhichi!"

After having some fun at the arcade and spending all the change in their pockets, they headed out. They happened upon a movie letting out, and a large crowd of people suddenly surged out around them. Qi Nan and the Class Monitor were up ahead with their arms around each other's shoulders. Zhuang Fanxin fell behind, holding an ice cream, clutching a doll, and accepting every flyer that was handed to him.

He couldn't hold on to everything at once and dropped them. Zhuang Fanxin squatted down amidst the flowing crowd to pick them up. Gu Zhuoyan, standing behind, helped him up and casually gathered the scattered flyers—for learning Japanese, for selling houses, for discounts at a Western restaurant. He asked: "None of these are useful, why'd you take them?"

Zhuang Fanxin said: "If they finish handing them out sooner, they can get off work sooner. I take them if I can."

This answer was within his expectations. Gu Zhuoyan wasn't a student working part-time handing out flyers, but he appreciated Zhuang Fanxin's thoughtfulness in his heart. He had experienced this thoughtfulness long ago, back when they weren't familiar with each other, when he wore a cold expression all day as if someone owed him two million.

With an arm around his shoulder, they entered the elevator. It was very crowded, with no space left between people of all shapes and sizes. Gu Zhuoyan held Zhuang Fanxin's arm. His grip was light, but the muscles in his own arm were tense as he secretly carved out a little space for him. The ice cream scoops had already melted. He said: "Three scoops, and it took you an hour to eat."

"I ate too much hot pot, I'm stuffed." Zhuang Fanxin was never a glutton; there was only food he didn't want to eat, rarely did he not have enough. Gu Zhuoyan swallowed a mouthful of air and brazenly said: "Then give it to me, it's pretty expensive."

He had dozens of pairs of sneakers worth thousands, and the money he spent on food, drink, studies, and electronics was countless, yet at this moment, he was pretending to be pained over this bit of ice cream. Gu Zhuoyan inclined his head, waiting expectantly. The auntie on his left was looking at him, the big brother on his right was stealing glances, and there was even a child by his leg, head tilted up and drooling, probably wanting some too.

Zhuang Fanxin scooped up the half-melted ball of ice cream and fed it to Gu Zhuoyan's lips. He ate it, and Zhuang Fanxin scooped up another spoonful. By the time the elevator descended and stopped at the first floor, he had just finished feeding him. The palm of the hand holding the empty container was slightly sweaty, and his face was hot too. He quickly rushed out of the elevator.

The sky was gradually darkening, and it was the time when taxi drivers were changing shifts, so they couldn't hail a cab for the longest time. The Class Monitor and Qi Nan had come by bicycle and left first. Zhuang Fanxin led Gu Zhuoyan to take the bus. They smelled of hot pot, so they consciously hid in a corner of the last row.

The driver drove quite aggressively. Looking at the neon lights outside the window and thinking about the various events of the past month, it really felt like watching a revolving lantern. Zhuang Fanxin placed the Monchhichi on his lap. Boys are different from girls; he fiddled with the doll, pulling and kneading it, not understanding what a caress was. After messing with it enough, he smacked his lips and yawned.

During the month-plus of the competition, every day had been high-intensity. He hadn't had a single night of peaceful sleep, and each time he slept, it was never for more than six hours. These past two days, he had traveled back to the country, and the long flight had been exhausting. Now, full and relaxed in body and mind, a wave of weariness suddenly washed over him.

Zhuang Fanxin fell asleep with his head drooping, his soft hair hanging down as well, swaying with the jolts of the bus. At an intersection, the bus turned right. Gu Zhuoyan raised his arm and wrapped it around the body leaning toward him. It all seemed natural, but in reality, he had been waiting for a long time. Having found a support, Zhuang Fanxin moved a little, shifting into a comfortable position to sleep soundly. The warmth of his breath warmed the nape of Gu Zhuoyan's neck.

Their reflection was cast on the glass window. Gu Zhuoyan stared at it the entire way.

When they reached the stop, he was woken up. Zhuang Fanxin's eyelids were flushed red from sleep, and his eyes were narrowed, a silly, dazed air filling the bus cabin. He was still disoriented after getting off the bus and didn't watch where he was going. In any case, it was right to just follow Gu Zhuoyan. After winding through a few small intersections, the home he hadn't returned to in a long time was right ahead. He finally became a bit more clear-headed.

Outside his door, Gu Zhuoyan remembered something: "I brought you some local specialty products when I came back."

Zhuang Fanxin had also brought gifts. Besides the one for Gu Zhuoyan, there were gifts for Xue Maochen and Gu Baoyan, Sister Hu and the driver, and even one for Bond. He went home and brought out a large bag. No longer sleepy, he followed Gu Zhuoyan next door to distribute the gifts.

The Xue Family home was brightly lit. Gu Baoyan and Xue Maochen were watching TV in the living room. Zhuang Fanxin entered the house and called out: "Grandpa, little sis." The moment the words left his mouth, Gu Baoyan leaped off the sofa.

The little girl rushed over like an arrow: "Brother, I missed you to death!"

Gu Zhuoyan was lowering his head to change his shoes. He caught a glimpse of the girl's antics from the corner of his eye and silently grumbled about how she was so dramatic. But as it happened, Zhuang Fanxin was an audience that never tired of it, and he bent down to lift Gu Baoyan into his arms.

Gu Baoyan wrapped her arms around Zhuang Fanxin's neck, as if happiness itself had come knocking: "Brother, I thought of you every day and cheered for you during the competition."

"Really." Zhuang Fanxin smiled, "No wonder the competition went so smoothly. It was all thanks to your good luck."

They gathered in the living room to look at the gifts. A handmade hat for Xue Maochen; the old man had been everywhere, so a practical gift was better than a rare object. Zhuang Fanxin had asked his grandfather to help pick it out from an old handmade goods shop in Los Angeles. For Sister Hu, it was a set of skincare products, to thank her for all the meals he'd mooched. For the driver, it was a pillow to support his waist and neck, to thank him for driving them to and from the airport.

Gu Baoyan's eyes were fixed on the gifts as she waited: "Mine isn't the Monchhichi, is it?"

Zhuang Fanxin said: "I'm not giving you this monkey, it's mine."

His words carried a gentle assertiveness. When it reached Gu Zhuoyan's ears, it was embellished further: Zhuang Fanxin treasured the thing he gave him, which meant Zhuang Fanxin treasured him. Just then, Zhuang Fanxin took out a velvet box and gave it to Gu Baoyan. It was a necklace, something a girl would like, given by a big brother a girl would like. Gu Baoyan hugged Zhuang Fanxin and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

That kiss was completely unexpected. Gu Zhuoyan's expression changed in a flash. He pushed Gu Baoyan away with one arm: "Are you crazy? Don't you know any modesty?" He sounded quite wronged, feeling like his person had been poached. "Grandpa, what are you laughing at? Aren't you going to do something about her!"

Gu Baoyan fell to the floor: "Brother Xiao Zhuang, I've liked you for a while!"

Xue Maochen laughed so hard he was bent over: "I can testify to that."

"My brother said it doesn't count if you don't admit it!" Gu Baoyan scrambled up. "No time like the present. Brother Xiao Zhuang, do you like me?"

Gu Zhuoyan clamped a hand over Zhuang Fanxin's mouth. What was there to say?! He grabbed Zhuang Fanxin and pulled him away from the sofa, lying, "You just behave yourself! You were engaged to Lian Yiming the day you were born, you'll be married off to him in the future!"

Zhuang Fanxin was laughing himself half to death as he was dragged upstairs. After being pulled into the bedroom, he fell onto the bed, clutching his stomach. His lips brushed wetly against Gu Zhuoyan's palm. Opening the floor-to-ceiling window, Gu Zhuoyan sat on the end of the bed and wiped his hand. He was still holding back his own thoughts, yet a little brat had beaten him to the punch.

The night wind poured in. Zhuang Fanxin, lying on his stomach, scooted over to Gu Zhuoyan's side: "Why are you still angry?"

Gu Zhuoyan said: "It's hard to guard against a thief from within. Shouldn't I be angry?" His eyes glared at him. "Where's my gift?"

Zhuang Fanxin took out another velvet box. It was a thin bracelet with a narrow platinum plate in the middle. He held it with both hands: "My grandparents sell jewelry, you know, hehe. The one little sis bought from the accessory shop isn't very durable. From now on, wear this one I'm giving you."

Back then, Gu Baoyan had given one to each of them. Gu Zhuoyan looked at Zhuang Fanxin's wrist and saw that he had already switched to the new one. As Zhuang Fanxin went to put it on him, he held out his right hand: "So we each have one?"

"Mhm."

"A matching set for a couple?" The Gu's were both a little impatient tonight.

Zhuang Fanxin paused, his fingers on the clasp. He didn't think much of it, just assuming Gu Zhuoyan was making a playful remark. Lifting his eyes with a hint of a smile brewing, he said: "Today, when I heard you say you were catching dolls for your little sister, I was actually really shocked."

"Why?"

"I always thought it was for your first love."

After a full ten seconds of silence, Gu Zhuoyan said: "...I've never been in a relationship."

This time, it was silent for several tens of seconds. Zhuang Fanxin said: "...How could you have never been in a relationship?"

Gu Zhuoyan was a little baffled. He repeated again that he had never been in a relationship, and quite solemnly at that. Zhuang Fanxin stared at him, his expression filled with deep suspicion: "When I asked you before, didn't you admit it?"

"When did you ask me?" Gu Zhuoyan turned to face him. "How could I admit to something I've never done?"

Now it was Zhuang Fanxin's turn to be dazed and at a loss. Something he'd never done? But wasn't Gu Zhuoyan sent to Rong City because of a young romance? Hadn't they confirmed it back then at McDonald's?!

Gu Zhuoyan looked at Zhuang Fanxin's expression. He believed the other boy had a crush on him, so he interpreted the shock as a pleasant surprise and the helplessness as shyness. He had originally planned to wait a few more days to confess, find a movie to watch to make it more romantic, instead of saying "I like you" tonight while tired, exhausted, and reeking of hot pot.

But at this very moment, with the topic stuck here, he was about to lose control.

Before Gu Zhuoyan could make up his mind, Zhuang Fanxin voiced his confusion first: "At McDonald's on the first day of school, I mentioned the reason you came to Rong City, and you didn't deny it. So I always thought you transferred schools because of a young romance. Wasn't that it?"

Gu Zhuoyan was slightly stunned: "Although I've publicly come out, I've never been in a relationship."

To put it in a rather corny way—Zhuang Fanxin was petrified on the spot. His mouth hung open, his teeth and tongue clashing in a panic: "You said you publicly came... came out as what?"

"Came out."

"You're gay?!"

"Didn't you know?"

"How was I supposed to know?!"

Zhuang Fanxin started shivering on the bed and sat up bolt upright: "Heavens! I-I-I thought you were sent here because of a young romance, a young romance! A young romance with a girl!"

Gu Zhuoyan said in shock: "You didn't know I was gay?!"

"I didn't know!" Zhuang Fanxin slumped down. "I firmly believed you were straight! I thought anyone could be gay, but definitely not you!"

Gu Zhuoyan shot to his feet, his gaze looking like it could burn a hole through Zhuang Fanxin. How was this possible? Zhuang Fanxin had no idea he'd come out? And didn't know his sexual orientation either?!

Zhuang Fanxin was so scared he became incoherent: "I always thought you were forced to break up with your first love and that's why you came here. Holy crap, you don't have a first love, and you've come out—that's even more... more incredible than kissing in the break room..."

Gu Zhuoyan was in disbelief and confirmed: "You really didn't know I was gay?"

"I really didn't!"

"Then you..." Gu Zhuoyan suddenly felt a flicker of fear. "That time in the supermarket, you imitated that couple, hugged me, fed me, and told me that I still had you. What did that mean?"

"I was afraid you'd be sad thinking about your ex-girlfriend, so I was comforting you!"

In that instant, Gu Zhuoyan was left with nothing but immense bewilderment. It had been a misunderstanding from the very beginning. Zhuang Fanxin didn't know his orientation at all and had never been dropping all sorts of hints at him. Could it be that all the heart-fluttering ambiguity was just his own delusion?

He couldn't say another word. The "I like you" he had prepared for so long was now stuck in his throat like a fishbone.

Zhuang Fanxin was dumbstruck, staring at Gu Zhuoyan, unable to recover from the shock. The person he had always believed had an ex-girlfriend turned out to be gay, a publicly out-of-the-closet gay person at that!

Then, who was the person Gu Zhuoyan said he liked?!

Zhuang Fanxin's eyes widened: "You said you have someone you like and you're preparing to confess. Who is it..."

Gu Zhuoyan's throat ached: "I hinted at you, and you misunderstood that too, right?"

"You said it was a class representative!" Zhuang Fanxin was inexplicably anxious. "I deduced and eliminated the possibilities and thought it was Qin Wei or Wang Churan. So now, it's not them, it's a boy?"

That was a pointless question. Zhuang Fanxin's brain was in complete chaos. The male class representatives, for Math and Physics, Du Xiaodong and Zhang Ruizhe?

There was also one more, the English class representative. That was him.

Zhuang Fanxin suddenly lifted his head and met Gu Zhuoyan's gaze, shuddering in shock.

He rubbed his ears hard, not wanting to hear the sound of his own heartbeat coming from all his limbs. A tide of panic washed over him, and his mouth ran away from him, asking stupidly: "Is it Du Xiaodong or Zhang Ruizhe..."

Gu Zhuoyan's heart shattered into pieces: "You're still playing dumb!"

Zhuang Fanxin scrambled off the bed, yelling that he didn't know. He ran a few steps, wanting to escape, but then turned back to grab the Monchhichi from the bed. Gu Zhuoyan pulled him into his arms, holding him so tight it hurt. In their struggle, they bumped into the nearby desk together.

A notebook on the corner of the desk fell to the floor. The cover was blown open by the wind, revealing the ragged edge where a page had been torn out and a narrow line of confession—I have someone I like, his name is Zhuang Fanxin.

Gu Zhuoyan said: "My sister likes you."

Zhuang Fanxin's mind was blank, but that hoarse voice cut a fissure through it.

Gu Zhuoyan added: "Her brother likes you too."