Jiang Wan held a glass, taking small sips while scrolling on his phone when he suddenly remembered something. “Lu Xingxing, I’ve added you to the class group chat.”
Due to years of medication, his spleen and stomach inevitably had minor issues. Over time, Jiang Wan developed the habit of eating slowly, chewing each bite thoroughly.
Lu Xingheng stood watching for a while, inexplicably feeling a bit thirsty.
Not receiving a response, Jiang Wan slightly lifted his head to look at Lu Xingheng. “Hmm?”
This sudden upward glance caught Lu Xingheng off guard, and he found himself unexpectedly meeting Jiang Wan’s eyes.
Lu Xingheng’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly as he swallowed.
Jiang Wan curved his lips into a light smile. “Aren’t you going to greet everyone in the group chat, new classmate?”
“Mm.” Lu Xingheng unscrewed the cap of the bottled ice water on the table and took two gulps.
The class group chat for Class A had a straightforward name—”Five Years of Youth, Three Years of Sudden Death.” It seemed like a variation of the infamous “Five Years of Exams, Three Years of Mock Tests.”
The latest message was from Jiang Wan.
Bunny: Talent show sign-ups for the opening ceremony close at 10 p.m.
Bunny: @WWW.
Jiang Wan quickly followed up with a sticker—two little rabbits holding party poppers and streamers, captioned “Welcome, welcome.”
Lu Xingheng thought for a long while.
WWW: Thank you.
“Lu Xingxing.” Jiang Wan put down his empty glass and walked over with his phone. “Do you have any stickers on your phone?”
Lu Xingheng frowned.
He did, but they were all added by Wen Qian. They were too cringeworthy, so he rarely used them.
Jiang Wan maintained a polite social distance and didn’t look at Lu Xingheng’s phone.
“Forget it if you don’t want to say.”
As he spoke, Jiang Wan went to the sink to wash his glass. When he turned back, Lu Xingheng was still standing in the same spot. Jiang Wan couldn’t stop in time and nearly collided with him.
Lu Xingheng gently steadied Jiang Wan. Perhaps from having just drunk a cup of warm milk, Jiang Wan’s wrist felt slightly warm.
Jiang Wan: “What are you doing standing by my bed in the middle of the night? Trying to scare ghosts?”
“No.” Lu Xingheng stood in the shadows, his light-colored eyes appearing darker yet softened by a hint of gentleness.
Jiang Wan couldn’t resist teasing him. “Then are you trying to scare me?”
“I have a small heart. If you scare me too much, be careful—I might crawl into your bed in the middle of the night.”
If it were anyone else, Lu Xingheng would have snapped back immediately. But for some reason, he wanted to give in to Jiang Wan and didn’t retort at all.
“I thought you wanted to see the stickers.” Lu Xingheng opened his WeChat sticker collection, his voice soft and low. “It’s not that I didn’t want to say.”
Jiang Wan’s lips curved slightly. He stood on tiptoe and gently ruffled Lu Xingheng’s hair. “Whose Lu Xingxing is this? Why do you look so wronged?”
Lu Xingheng lowered his head, waiting until Jiang Wan finished ruffling his hair before looking up at him.
His voice remained calm, but unlike the cold indifference of their first meeting, it carried a hidden trace of indulgence.
“I’m not wronged. I was just waiting for you.”
Jiang Wan felt a momentary daze, his heart softening. He immediately opened his phone and sent Lu Xingheng hundreds of stickers.
“Lu Xingxing, I’ve given you all the stickers I have.”
Lu Xingheng carefully saved each one, adding to his WeChat sticker collection.
…
Perhaps it was because of the milk, Jiang Wan, who usually struggled to fall asleep at night, yawned—a rare occurrence.
He felt a bit sleepy.
Maybe the psychological effect played a bigger role.
In all his years, this was the first time someone had poured him a glass of milk, and it was warm.
Jiang Wan slept deeply, dreamless throughout the night. He didn’t hear the alarm go off three times and only woke up after six in the morning.
Just waking up, Jiang Wan’s voice was weak and hoarse. He first called out to Lu Xingheng, who was closest to him.
“Lu Xingxing?”
No one answered. Worried that Lu Xingheng might still be asleep, Jiang Wan pushed aside the bed curtain, his hair tousled from sleep.
Lu Xingheng wasn’t there. The blanket was neatly folded, and the little bear he had given him earlier lay obediently beside the pillow.
Jiang Wan muttered softly, “Why didn’t you wait for me?”
But he quickly realized that Lu Xingheng really didn’t need to wait for him. He hadn’t told Lu Xingheng in advance.
“What are you looking at?”
Jiang Wan felt a light tap on his shoulder.
Startled, Jiang Wan blurted out, “You didn’t leave?”
Lu Xingheng must have run back up, as a thin layer of sweat glistened on his forehead. “I went downstairs to get something.”
“Have you taken your medicine yet?”
Jiang Wan shook his head. “Not yet, I just woke up.”
“Mm.” Lu Xingheng placed the glutinous rice porridge made by the housekeeper on the table.
Jiang Wan opened his mouth, then after a moment said, “Is this for me?”
“Mm.” Lu Xingheng seemed to remember something and added, “My mom sent it.”
Jiang Wan: “Aunt Wen sent it?”
Lu Xingheng lowered his head and hummed softly. Perhaps afraid Jiang Wan would ask more, he pointed downstairs. “I need to go for morning exercises.”
Jiang Wan’s health was poor, so he had always been exempt from morning exercises. But there were still two heavy sleepers in the dorm, and Jiang Wan had forgotten about them.
Lu Xingheng had left in such a hurry that he hadn’t noticed either, but he had sent Jiang Wan a message.
WWW: Take your medicine half an hour after eating.
The chubby rabbit replied quickly.
Bunny: So fierce.
Lu Xingheng read the message five or six times. It did seem quite fierce.
He thought for a moment and sent another emoji of a little rabbit pounding medicine.
Jiang Wan also replied with an emoji.
Bunny: Does Aunt Wen have anything she particularly likes?
The glutinous rice porridge wasn’t overly sweetened, so it wasn’t cloying.
Bunny: The porridge is delicious.
WWW: Good (▽)
Jiang Wan was slightly taken aback, then laughed after realizing.
Bunny: Not fierce anymore, not fierce anymore. From now on, if anyone says you’re fierce, I’ll argue with them.
Lu Xingheng forwarded a merged chat.
[Chat History Between WWW and QQQ
WWW: Mom, is there anything you particularly like lately?
QQQ: I like Bunny!!
QQQ: Xingheng! Did you buy warm patches for Bunny!!]
After taking his medicine, Jiang Wan locked the door while replying to the message.
Bunny: How about I visit Aunt Wen this weekend?
WWW: Sure (▽)
The door lock clicked softly as Jiang Wan locked the two “sleep gods” inside.
It was still early, and Jiang Wan didn’t want to return to the classroom too soon. He sat alone by He’an Lake for a while. On the stone bench lay the oil painting Lu Xingheng had given him.
He slowly untied the bow, secretly unwrapping the gift for the second time.
As a child, he had always envied children who received gifts with bows on their birthdays, especially those tied with ribbons.
When he grew older and finally had a little money, he couldn’t buy cakes with bows anymore. Everyone said those were for little girls.
It wasn’t that he really wanted it, Jiang Wan always thought.
Later, in college, Jiang Wan realized he didn’t actually like bows, nor did he like cakes, and he didn’t even want birthday gifts.
He just wanted to be cherished.
Even giving a gift required carefully tying a bow… It must be for someone very, very important…
His phone vibrated.
WWW: Where are you? Can’t find you.
WWW:
Jiang Wan was amused by this pitiful-looking emoticon.
Bunny: Looking at oil paintings at He’an Lake.
WWW: Did you bring your own candy?
Bunny: Yes.
WWW: Wait for me five minutes then.
WWW: (ˊˋ*)
Just as Jiang Wan was about to focus on the oil paintings, a small red dot appeared on her WeChat contacts list.
QQQ requests to add you as a friend.