The Porsche drove off, leaving only a gust of cold wind behind.

Immediately after, the ajar main gate of the Zhuang Family's house was pushed open. Zhuang Xianyang leaned out and called for Zhuang Fanxin to come home, telling him to be careful not to catch a cold. Zhuang Fanxin snapped out of his daze. He had just finished a shower and came out wearing shorts and flip-flops, his legs trembling in the cooling late-night air.

He was afraid it was really Gu Shibo coming to get someone, afraid Gu Zhuoyan would be taken home. Fortunately, Gu Zhuoyan hadn't left, but unfortunately, he seemed to have overheard some secrets.

Zhuang Xianyang urged him again, "Hurry back."

Zhuang Fanxin took two steps back, turned, and ran. After running two meters, he screeched to a halt and abruptly turned back around. He came charging back, looking menacing and murderous, his two skinny legs flashing white in the darkness.

Zhuang Xianyang shouted from behind, "What are you doing!"

With a "thump," Zhuang Fanxin rammed his head into Gu Zhuoyan's chest with great force, like an enraged little calf. Gu Zhuoyan's body swayed slightly, and by the time he steadied himself, Zhuang Fanxin had already turned and run away.

He ran too fast for Gu Zhuoyan to catch him even when reaching out. In the quiet alley, only the slapping sound of flip-flops against the ground remained, followed by Zhuang Xianyang's scolding. With a creak, the Zhuang Family's main gate closed, the lingering sound dissipating in the wind.

Gu Zhuoyan stood in place for a while, his chest aching from the impact, the skin feeling tight. He took out his phone. Lu Wen had sent a text: "Bro, did I get you into trouble?"

Gu Zhuoyan replied, "What do you think?"

Lu Wen sent another: "Why don't you just come clean with your little neighbor."

Gu Zhuoyan replied, "Why don't we just break up as friends?"

Lu Wen repented, "My bad, bro. I'll make it up to you later. My dad's about to confiscate my phone, remember to help me contact Su Wang and Ming-zi!"

Gu Zhuoyan turned and went home without contacting anyone. He felt that Lu Wen was in desperate need of a good beating. Once inside, he called Zhuang Fanxin while walking upstairs, only to be met with a mechanical female voice: The number you have dialed is switched off.

It was over. A huge mess had really been made.

Zhuang Fanxin sat on his bed with a cold expression. There was still a biology worksheet he hadn't finished, but he didn't feel like doing it. The half-basin of sea glass hadn't been cleaned, and he didn't feel like washing it either.

He had heard it. The name Lu Wen mentioned, the few sentences Lu Wen said, including Gu Zhuoyan's "mhm"—he had heard it all.

Gu Zhuoyan hadn't denied any of it, which meant everything Lu Wen had mentioned was true.

In order to protect that Yu-something, Gu Zhuoyan had come out, had a falling out with his family, and was sent to Rong City—it was all for that Yu-something! That person was still thinking about Gu Zhuoyan to this day, even crying, and who knew if Gu Zhuoyan had even broken things off cleanly!

Zhuang Fanxin was so frustrated his chest hurt. He'd stand up one moment, then flop onto the bed the next, working up a sweat on his forehead. Gu Zhuoyan had been in a relationship, so did that mean he'd been lying to him this whole time? If they hadn't been in a relationship, then was it a one-sided crush from Gu Zhuoyan? Damn, that was even worse than being lied to.

The more Zhuang Fanxin thought, the more complicated it became. Gu Zhuoyan couldn't be with that person, so when he met him, was he just treating him as a substitute? Was that person the white moonlight in his heart, while he was just a smear of mosquito blood on the wall?

He suddenly remembered that Gu Zhuoyan had once let it slip that he'd initially hit on him just to piss off his parents. Could it be that Gu Zhuoyan being with him was just a diversion, so that even if they were exposed one day, it would be to protect that other person from being discovered?

"On what grounds!" Zhuang Fanxin roared.

He urgently needed some comfort, but he couldn't tell Pei Zhi; it was too humiliating. Back in the day, when Qin Xianglian was abandoned by Chen Shimei*, she probably didn't feel like telling her best friend either. He wanted to eat a bag of potato chips, but couldn't find any when he rummaged through the cabinet. Then he remembered Zhao Jianqiu had confiscated them.

*T/N: Chen Shimei is a Chinese opera character and a benchmark in China for a heartless and unfaithful man. He was married to Qin Xianglian, and betrayed her by marrying another woman, and tried to kill her to cover up his past.

Zhuang Fanxin shuffled next door in his slippers, his face mournful. "Mom, I want to eat some potato chips."

Zhao Jianqiu rejected his plea. "Eat what? Go to sleep."

Zhuang Fanxin hugged the doorframe. "I want to eat potato chips! Give me a bag!"

His energy was like that of an addict in withdrawal, or a bratty kid throwing a tantrum. Zhuang Xianyang sat up in bed. "You were acting crazy outside just now, bullying young Gu."

At this moment, Zhuang Fanxin was like a small string of firecrackers with a lit fuse, exploding instantly. "What do you know! It's your son who's being bullied by him! He's bullying me!"

"Fine, how did he bully you?" Zhao Jianqiu asked.

This was a question he couldn't answer. Under their gazes, Zhuang Fanxin stuttered, "He—he lied to me, he played with my feelings."

Zhuang Xianyang said, "As long as he didn't cheat you out of money, it's fine."

Zhuang Fanxin was fuming. He slammed the door with a "bang" and went back to his room, curling up on the bed like a cooked shrimp. He anxiously wondered just how far Gu Zhuoyan and that Yu-something had gone. Walking to and from school together, holding hands, kissing?

What did that Yu-something look like? Was he 1.75 meters tall?

Zhuang Fanxin got up again to find a soft measuring tape. He stood in front of the full-length mirror and measured his height. Sticking out his chest and lifting his head as much as possible, he was 174.5 cm. He wrapped the measuring tape around his neck and slowly tightened it, his eyes turning red in the slight suffocation.

He didn't mind that Gu Zhuoyan had liked someone else before. What he minded was that Gu Zhuoyan had lied to him.

If he had nothing to hide, why deliberately conceal it?

He also dreaded Gu Zhuoyan's subsequent explanation. He was afraid Gu Zhuoyan would admit it, in which case he would rather play dumb himself.

On Monday morning, Zhuang Fanxin dragged himself up with dark circles under his eyes. Breakfast was a sandwich made by Zhao Jianqiu, along with a small bag of potato chips. He walked to the kitchen doorway and said sweetly, "Mom, I'll help you pull the weeds when I get back from school."

Zhao Jianqiu glanced at him. "Is your crazy fit over? There's a flag-raising ceremony today, you should get going."

Zhuang Fanxin packed the potato chips, took the sandwich, and left. Zhuang Xianyang came in after collecting the newspaper. "Xiao Gu is waiting for you outside. Talk things out properly if there's a problem. If he really bullies you, Dad will back you up."

"How would you back me up?"

Zhuang Xianyang said, "I'll write on your school uniform—'Timid and shy with strangers, please spare me, brave hero.'"

Zhuang Fanxin let out a cold, haughty snort. Without taking out his bike, he stood at the entrance munching on his sandwich and faced Gu Zhuoyan. "Zhuang'er," Gu Zhuoyan began, "why was your phone off last night? I called you many times."

Zhuang Fanxin asked the question that had been bottled up all night: "What's that person's name?"

Gu Zhuoyan hadn't expected that. He was stunned for a moment. "Yu Yao."

Zhuang Fanxin started walking away. "I'm taking the subway."

Gu Zhuoyan locked his bike at the base of the wall, strode after him, and grabbed the strap of Zhuang Fanxin's backpack. Zhuang Fanxin tried to shrug him off, turning back to glare at him.

"I've been waiting at your gate since six-thirty," Gu Zhuoyan said. "At least give me a chance to explain."

Outside the small intersection, traffic was flowing endlessly. People heading to work and school were all in a hurry, yet the two of them just stood there, facing off. Zhuang Fanxin asked, "Your coming out was related to Yu Yao, wasn't it?"

Gu Zhuoyan admitted, "Yes, but—"

"You came out publicly, but he didn't. Am I right?"

Gu Zhuoyan let go of his hand. "Right, but—"

"So you came out to protect him, and he feels sorry for you, right?" Zhuang Fanxin grabbed Gu Zhuoyan's backpack strap in turn. "You came out for his sake, and he's still thinking about you. So why are you hitting on me?"

"It's not what you think—"

"I'm not thinking! I heard it with my own ears, and you admitted it with your own mouth!" Zhuang Fanxin gave him a hard shove. "I fucking like you, and every time I hear you admit to something, it's torture for me. You've been lying to me from the very beginning, you're heartless!"

These words sounded a bit familiar. Gu Zhuoyan thought back and realized Zhuang Fanxin's aggressive routine was remarkably similar to his own past behavior—it was practically an over-the-top imitation. When he came back to his senses, Zhuang Fanxin had already reached the subway entrance and had even turned back to shoot him a vicious glare.

For some reason, Gu Zhuoyan really wanted to laugh. They had known each other since midsummer, and Christmas was just around the corner, yet this was the first time he'd ever seen Zhuang Fanxin truly angry. The guy was either gentle or lively, and his ability to be considerate was number one in their grade. Seeing him throw a tantrum like this, all prickly and covered in thorns, was truly a rare sight.

Suddenly, he wasn't in a hurry anymore. He wanted to let Zhuang Fanxin be as imposingly fierce as he wanted.

In any case, he had indeed hidden things from the other boy, so it wasn't unfair for him to take a few verbal stabs.

The subway was unbearably crowded. Zhuang Fanxin had his earphones in, one hand gripping a pole tightly. Gu Zhuoyan stood behind him, his chest pressed against Zhuang Fanxin's back, encircling him whenever someone pushed past.

They were pressed so close that Zhuang Fanxin could smell Gu Zhuoyan's scent, and his mind shamelessly began to wander. He tilted his head for a glance, wondering why Gu Zhuoyan wasn't chasing after him with an explanation anymore.

Gu Zhuoyan lowered his eyes, seeing right through that little bit of theatricality, and leaned down to ask, "What song are you listening to?"

Zhuang Fanxin ignored him. Gu Zhuoyan took one of the earbuds and put it in his own ear, hearing the lyrics clearly: "I can give up hope but can't help but hate, I only pray that heaven will hold this man accountable, I still believe a good show is fated to await you, retribution is drawing near to settle the score for your crimes..."

The song was called "You Won't Have a Good Ending." Gu Zhuoyan said, "Feel better after listening to it?" He lifted his leg and nudged the back of Zhuang Fanxin's knee. "Is listening to songs your usual method of revenge?"

Zhuang Fanxin's face flushed red. What could he do? Even his own father would only beg a hero for mercy; he simply didn't have the gene for vindictiveness. When they got off the subway at their stop, he casually latched onto a classmate as a companion, ignoring Gu Zhuoyan. Inside, he felt as sour as if he'd knocked over a vat of vinegar. He wasn't Gu Zhuoyan's first love anymore!

Pfft, who cares. Zhuang Fanxin tried to recall his elementary and middle school days, attempting to invent a past romance for himself, but he couldn't come up with anything even after the flag-raising ceremony was over. Acting like a lunatic, he went to the office to hand in the English homework and told the teacher that Gu Zhuoyan's work wasn't done very well.

The teacher took it out to have a look. Why did the handwriting seem a bit familiar?

Zhuang Fanxin suddenly remembered that he was the one who did it for Gu Zhuoyan at the inn. He quickly slipped away. Returning to the classroom, he saw the biology teacher. Class was about to start, and he still hadn't done his biology worksheet.

The teacher walked down from the podium. "Everyone take out your homework, let me see."

Zhuang Fanxin took out his blank worksheet. Qi Nan glanced over. "Holy crap, why didn't you do it? Quick, quick, BBADC, DCBAD."

Before he could even finish the tenth multiple-choice question, the teacher had reached the third row and stopped by his desk. "Zhuang Fanxin, you didn't finish your homework?"

Zhuang Fanxin stood up. The teacher asked for the reason, and he answered truthfully, "I was in a bad mood, so I didn't want to do it."

"Oh, so if you're in a bad mood you don't have to do your homework? Well, I'm in a bad mood too. Go stand in the hallway for the period," the teacher said. Zhuang Fanxin took his book and went out. It was the first time in his life he'd been punished by having to stand.

Gu Zhuoyan witnessed the whole thing from the back of the class, understanding everything perfectly. He crumpled his worksheet, threw it into his desk compartment, and raised his hand. "Teacher, I didn't do it either, and I can't find my worksheet."

The teacher was furious. "You get out too! One of you stand by the front door, the other by the back!"

Gu Zhuoyan grabbed his book and ran out. Class had started, and the empty hallway held only the two of them. He slid from the back door to the front, standing a fist's distance away to keep Zhuang Fanxin company in his punishment.

"I've never liked anyone else," he said, dropping the statement directly.

Zhuang Fanxin clutched the pages of his book tightly. After going crazy for a whole night and morning, he was finally quiet. Gu Zhuoyan said, "I used to be in Class 1, and Yu Yao was in Class 2. Starting from the second semester of our first year, he would always take the opportunity while cleaning the teachers' office to look through my workbooks and slip little notes inside."

Yu Yao was an extremely introverted person, with neither outstanding grades nor looks. Normally, no one paid much attention to him. "He never revealed his identity, so I never knew who he was," Gu Zhuoyan said. "Then one day, he revealed that he was a boy, and that he was gay. He said he didn't have the courage to talk to me and was even more terrified of people finding out he was gay, and he repeatedly asked if I thought it was disgusting."

It was only at that moment that Gu Zhuoyan wanted to find out who the person was. After he figured it out, he directly intercepted Yu Yao, wanting to tell him that there was nothing abnormal about being gay. However, the moment Yu Yao saw him, it was like a mouse seeing a cat; he was so scared he ran off without saying a word.

"He wrote me another long letter, apologizing and admitting his mistake, begging me to never tell anyone his sexual orientation. Honestly, I'd never seen someone so self-abasing and pitiful. It was only from reading his letter that I remembered he was one of the children from the orphanage sponsored by the school's student aid program. I had given him a gift as the student representative during the ceremony."

Gu Zhuoyan roughly understood the reason for his timidity. After that, he simply treated himself as a "tree hole" for receiving these submissions, and didn't intercept him to reject him again. This gentleness greatly encouraged Yu Yao. In addition to his increasingly long love letters, his grades also got better and better.

This continued until the day before the final exams. The big clean-up was chaotic, and Yu Yao mustered his courage to stuff a letter into Gu Zhuoyan's hand. Gu Zhuoyan didn't even look at it, just putting it in his desk compartment before going to clean. The students setting up the exam room moved desks and chairs, and all the items that hadn't been cleared out were temporarily placed on the teacher's podium. A classmate saw the unsigned letter, and the class instantly erupted, even alarming the teachers and the head teacher.

"The news spread like wildfire. The classroom and hallway were packed with people. Yu Yao was standing at the entrance of his classroom, his face pale with fright. I didn't think about anything else, just that it wasn't easy for him to get into a good school, and if I exposed him, I didn't know if he'd even be able to continue his studies."

Zhuang Fanxin hadn't spoken the whole time. His voice trembled slightly. "So... you took the blame for him?"

Gu Zhuoyan said, "I insisted that I wrote it. I uncrumpled all those scraps of paper and said I'd written every one. It was my fault for being careless, and besides, I'm gay anyway, so admitting it wasn't a big deal."

He stood coolly in the hallway, his voice loud and clear, speaking to the teachers and classmates, to Yu Yao, and to himself—"I'm gay, I like men, there's nothing to be afraid of, nothing to be ashamed of, and nothing I'm afraid to admit!"

In a matter of a few hours, the news of Gu Zhuoyan coming out had spread throughout the entire school, even reaching a few of the heads. After the final exams were over, Gu Shibo processed his school transfer papers.

No one knew about this. Since Gu Zhuoyan didn't say anything, Lian Yiming and the others had to hold back from asking. During National Day, after Lu Wen's concert, they ran into Yu Yao, who had been waiting outside the clubhouse all night, and only then did they vaguely guess a part of it.

Zhuang Fanxin was lost in thought for a long time. The first love, deception, and substitute that he had imagined turned out to be Gu Zhuoyan's compassion and protection for another person. If it had been him, he wasn't sure he would have had that kind of courage.

Gu Zhuoyan suddenly took his hand. "Actually, I should thank Yu Yao. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have come to Rong City and met you."

Zhuang Fanxin was a little ashamed. "And I was wildly guessing he was your white moonlight."

"If I'm ever to have a white moonlight in the future," Gu Zhuoyan said with a smile, "it ought to be you."