It was late spring in Nanjiang City, and the urban areas were blanketed with the blue-purple blossoms of jacaranda trees, immersing the entire city in a romantic, dreamlike atmosphere.
But this ambiance had nothing to do with Xu Yan. He was busy editing videos, trying to catch the wave of the upcoming May Day holiday traffic.
Xu Yan had started his own media channel during university, coinciding with the rise of short videos. He gained a bit of popularity online, and after graduation, he smoothly established his own studio—everything seemed to be going well.
Recently, however, the overall traffic for all the accounts under Xu Yan’s studio had been sluggish.
Xu Yan had pulled several all-nighters analyzing backend data but still couldn’t pinpoint the key issue.
Some videos on similar topics released around the same time had already gained traction. Xu Yan had watched them—his studio’s videos surpassed those popular ones in editing, music, and concept. Yet, they just weren’t getting views.
Traffic really was quite mysterious. Xu Yan picked up his coffee, took a small sip to refresh himself, and continued editing on his computer.
He was preparing for a transformation.
Xu Yan knew that blindly chasing trends might only make his accounts perform worse. It was better to settle down and create videos with a style uniquely his own.
His last field trip to Yunpan Mountain was for this purpose, but it hadn’t gone well at all. Not only did he break his leg, but he also ran into Ji Ran.
Misfortunes never come singly.
“Brother Xu, that handsome guy is here again with food for you,” Xu Yan’s colleague called out loudly to him as he buried himself in work.
The studio was small, with few people, and Xu Yan’s desk was right alongside everyone else’s. So, the moment those words were spoken, Xu Yan keenly felt the eyes of everyone in the studio fixed on him.
“Boss, he’s been pursuing you for so long. Just say yes already.”
“Yeah, exactly.”
“Brother Xu, you’re not scared off by him, are you? Too afraid to go out?”
Colleagues in the studio began teasing him one after another. Xu Yan sighed helplessly, rubbing his forehead.
Ji Ran had been doing this for almost a week now.
Xu Yan had warned Ji Ran multiple times to stop coming, but Ji Ran simply wouldn’t listen.
Gradually, Xu Yan himself seemed to have naturally accepted the fact that Ji Ran brought him food every day. Although he always transferred the money afterward, Ji Ran never accepted it.
Next time we meet, I’ll just give him cash.
As Xu Yan was thinking this, his phone screen lit up.
[Grave Overgrown with Two-Meter Grass]: I know you don’t want to see me. I left it at the front desk.
[Grave Overgrown with Two-Meter Grass]: Don’t skip lunch. It’s bad for your stomach.
[Grave Overgrown with Two-Meter Grass]: There’s sweet and sour pork ribs today. I’m leaving.
As soon as Xu Yan opened his phone, he saw the WeChat pop-up messages from Ji Ran.
Sweet and sour pork ribs today! Seeing this message, Xu Yan, who had been feeling somewhat weary, immediately got up and hurried to the front desk.
Ji Ran bringing food every day wasn’t actually that annoying. At least he didn’t have to eat the cafeteria’s mass-produced meals anymore.
Xu Yan picked up the paper lunch box and eagerly lifted the lid. The meal was well-balanced with meat and vegetables, but why did the pork ribs look a bit burnt?
He picked up a piece and tasted it carefully. The skin was crispy and melted in his mouth, though it was a bit salty. Eating too much even left a slightly bitter aftertaste, but it was still acceptable.
After finishing, Xu Yan, as usual, opened his phone and politely replied to Ji Ran: Thank you, it was delicious. Then, he transferred the money over again.
【Grave Grass Two Meters Tall】: First time making spare ribs, still a bit unfamiliar. As long as you like it.
Xu Yan stared at his phone screen for a long time, savoring the lingering bitterness in his mouth, hesitantly changing Ji Ran’s note from 【Grave Grass Two Meters Tall】 to 【Burnt Spare Ribs】
As the May Day holiday approached, the atmosphere at Xu Yan’s studio was more lively than ever.
The video they had just released was gaining traction, and it was expected to reach new heights during the holiday. After days of anxiously monitoring the data, everyone could finally look forward to a long break.
“Hey, we could actually go on a team-building trip during May Day and film a video about it,” the planning girl suggested excitedly.
“Yeah, we could have fun and get content at the same time!”
With that, the studio staff suddenly burst into chatter, eagerly discussing the idea.
Xu Yan slumped in his seat, glanced up, and decided not to join the discussion. Smiling faintly, he opened WeChat.
【Burnt Spare Ribs】: Any plans for May Day?
【Xu Yan】: Staying home.
After replying, the smile at the corner of Xu Yan’s eyes deepened, completely unaware that several colleagues had gathered around his desk.
“Brother Xu, Brother Xu, are you coming to the team-building trip?” Assistant Wang Li scratched his head and asked with a grin. He thought his boss was in a good mood and might just agree.
Xu Yan was caught off guard, leaning back slightly in surprise. When he regained his composure, he noticed that the person in front of him bore a faint resemblance to Qiu Muyang.
“Yanzi, Yanzi, let’s go out and have fun.” Six years ago, someone had also leaned in with a cheerful grin, always dragging him along to group activities, and Xu Yan would always invite Ji Ran.
The trio that used to go everywhere together had drifted apart over the past six years. In those six years, Xu Yan had never participated in another group activity.
Including now.
“No, you guys go. Put it on the company account,” Xu Yan said, his smile fading as he delivered the words expressionlessly. He then turned and walked toward the coffee machine with his cup.
“Huh? Okay, Brother Xu.”
Wang Li was puzzled. Why did his boss’s mood shift so drastically? One moment he was smiling, and the next, his gaze could kill. Working here was getting harder by the day.
Xu Yan leaned silently against the coffee machine, watching his colleagues huddled together in the distance, planning the team-building trip.
It was fine. He just didn’t like crowds. Perhaps crowds simply weren’t for him.
【Burnt Spare Ribs】: Want to watch a movie together during May Day?
Huh? Ji Ran was asking him to watch a movie?
Wasn’t Ji Ran crossing a line? He was just an ex-boyfriend.
So, Xu Yan replied coldly: No, we’re not close.
On May Day, Nanjiang City, as a popular tourist destination, was bustling with crowds. Even the light drizzle couldn’t dampen the travel enthusiasm.
Xu Yan still held an umbrella, pushing against the tide of people as he went to keep the appointment.
To avoid making Ji Ran wait, he had even woken up early.
Xu Yan didn’t quite understand himself. What exactly was he doing with Ji Ran now?
After rejecting the invitation that day, he had tossed and turned in bed that night, unable to sleep. After much deliberation, he finally decided to open his phone and send Ji Ran a message: I’ll go, but I won’t wait for anyone.
It was almost midnight when he sent the message, and Ji Ran replied instantly: Okay (≧▽≦)
What’s with the emoji?
When Xu Yan arrived at the cinema, Ji Ran was already standing at the entrance. A simple white T-shirt on him stood out brightly even in the crowd.
Xu Yan glanced at Ji Ran, then looked down at himself, feeling he had overdressed for the occasion.
He knew the temperature had dropped today, but he still wore a sleeveless gray top that accentuated the lines of his arms, even pairing it with a necklace he had specifically chosen for the occasion.
Ah, why did he have to dress like this!
“Aren’t you cold?” Ji Ran walked up to Xu Yan, asking in surprise.
“Not cold,” Xu Yan insisted stubbornly, but his body betrayed him with an involuntary shiver.
It must have been because he accidentally got caught in a little rain earlier and the cinema’s air conditioning was on—definitely not his fault.
“You won’t be cold once we’re inside,” Ji Ran said, handing Xu Yan the movie ticket while his right hand naturally grasped Xu Yan’s wrist. He smiled and said, “Let’s go.”
“Huh?” Xu Yan was stunned. He was pulled along by Ji Ran all the way into the theater, only snapping back to reality when Ji Ran sat down beside him.
How strange—Xu Yan felt he wasn’t as resistant to Ji Ran as before.
“What’s wrong?” Ji Ran placed the snacks he bought in the cupholder between their seats. Noticing Xu Yan’s somewhat blank expression, he asked with concern.
“Nothing.”
Just wondering what kind of feelings I really have for you.
The lights in the theater dimmed, and the familiar dragon logo appeared swirling on the screen—the movie had begun.
The film was rather dull. Xu Yan glanced sideways at Ji Ran, who was watching intently, then turned back to the screen.
A youth campus romance drama—what was so great about it? He had spent his high school years studying every day, hardly dealing with so much drama.
Well, if he really thought about it, maybe there had been quite a bit after all.
During the emotional climax in the latter half of the movie, when the male and female leads parted ways, faint sobbing could be heard in the theater.
The emotional buildup was well-executed, but Xu Yan didn’t like it.
He hated it when one side self-righteously gave everything, only to use the excuse of “it’s all for your own good” to emotionally manipulate the other.
He hated it.
And in this movie, the female lead actually waited ten years for the male lead.
Why?
The further Xu Yan watched, the worse his expression became. With a cold face, he silently cursed the director and screenwriter in his heart.
He also took the opportunity to berate himself—what kind of relationship did he even have with Ji Ran now? They weren’t even close enough to be considered ordinary friends.
He, Xu Yan, would absolutely not be like the lovestruck female lead in this movie, moved to tears by a single line from the male lead and immediately reconciling.
Absolutely not!
After the movie ended, Xu Yan was so upset that he didn’t wait for Ji Ran. He stood up and quickly walked out of the theater alone.
Ji Ran hurriedly chased after him.
He thought his relationship with Xu Yan was starting to improve, but now it seemed Xu Yan was angry.
Outside the cinema, the light rain from the morning had stopped. Xu Yan stood at the mall entrance, trying to hail a taxi to leave as quickly as possible.
But with the May Day holiday crowds, he couldn’t get one no matter how hard he tried.
Ji Ran, panting slightly, caught up to Xu Yan and asked anxiously, “Didn’t you like the movie?”
“No, I didn’t,” Xu Yan replied coldly.
Ji Ran answered earnestly, “The plot logic in this one really isn’t great.”
“It’s not about the plot.”
Ji Ran looked at Xu Yan, who now wore a faint smile, and a chill crept up his spine, spreading throughout his body.
He seemed to know what Xu Yan was going to say next. Ji Ran stood silently in place, waiting for Xu Yan to deliver the verdict.
“I don’t like watching movies, especially with you.”
Being with you always brings back memories I thought I had long forgotten.
It’s too painful, so I don’t want to go through it again.
“Beep—” A car horn sounded—Xu Yan’s ride had arrived.
Without acknowledging Ji Ran, Xu Yan got into the car decisively and left.
“Drip.” Ji Ran stood still as a raindrop fell onto the uneven ground, creating ripples in a puddle that hadn’t yet dried.
He thought to himself, the misunderstanding between him and Xu Yan seemed to be growing deeper and deeper.