The clock on the wall ticked away, the hour and minute hands lined up together. It was twelve o’clock. Wei Dong rubbed his face, preparing to go to bed.

The several-page report was spread still on the table and he picked them up. When Qin Youyou took these pages out of his bag, he was trying to control his excited expression in front of him. At that moment, the kid had clearly been happy and filled with excitement. But at the end, he’d still walked out with red eyes.

Thinking about it, Wei Dong felt incredibly uneasy. The next time, he would buy him more tasty food, and buy more of his favourite cake to eat. Next time he won’t be broken-hearted. At least, that’s what Wei Dong hoped. However, it is difficult to prevent a broken heart.

He’d rarely experienced such emotions, and this time he truly did not know what to do about it.

Outside the street was quieter, but every now and again the sound of drunk people making a noise came through, and in the silence of the night it was loud. Wei Dong walked to the window and looked outside.

His eyes paused and his eyebrows furrowed.

Walking downstairs, Wei Dong’s heart was galloping. He didn’t know if it was because he was frightened or angry, or if it was some other emotion.

Qin Youyou was holding his bag, sitting on the steps under the light of the closed shop. His head was buried in his arms and he wasn’t moving. Wei Dong stood under the tree across the road, lowering his head to light a cigarette.

From Qin Youyou walking out by the door until now, two hours had passed. It turned out he hasn’t left—he was only sitting downstairs, like a pitiful person who’d been kicked out of his home.

Even up until he finished the cigarette, Qin Youyou did not lift his head. He seemed to be asleep. Wei Dong put out the butt of the cigarette and walked over to gently pat him.

“Qin Youyou.” Qin Youyou’s shoulder moved slightly. “Come on, come home with me.” Wei Dong said.

Qin Youyou lifted his head. His eyes that were still red stared blankly for a few seconds. They seemed a bit misty, like he wasn’t sure if he was dreaming.

“Ge,” he rubbed his eyes and stood up.

“Come home with me,” Wei Dong said again. Qin Youyou didn’t move, his eyes downcast. “Don’t be stubborn. Let’s first go home and then we can talk, is that okay?”

Qin Youyou held his bag then after a while, “I was a little tired, so I wanted to rest here for a while. I fell asleep. I didn’t mean to pretend to pitiful for you to see…”

“You don’t need to pretend to be pitiful.” Wei Dong told him.

Qin Youyou’s eyes reddened in a second. He glared at Wei Dong. “I don’t need your pity.” Wei Dong only looked at him, and he stared back for a few seconds before turning his head. He exhaled. “I’m really leaving this time, Ge. You can go. I’m really leaving.”

He turned away but seemed to stop to think. He turned his head back to add, “I’ll come back in a few days.”

Wei Dong reached out and grabbed his shoulder and pulled him to the alley of his apartment block. Qin Youyou jumped.

He pursed his lips tightly while Wei Dong dragged him along. He turned his head to look back—even though the street was empty at this time of night, if some kindly person saw this, him and Ge would have a hard time living here in the future.

Walking in the front door, Wei Dong changed into his slippers and went to the bathroom to wash his hands. Qin Youyou thought he was going to wash up in preparations for sleep, but when Wei Dong walked out, he only sat in front of him, lighting a cigarette and not saying a word.

Qin Youyou knew Wei Dong was not impressed. He sat there obediently, waiting to hear how Wei Dong was going to deal with him.

Can he get angry? Qin Youyou didn’t think so. Wei Dong wasn’t a person who would easily fly into a rage. Perhaps he’ll explain his reasoning, tell him why Qin Youyou doesn’t like him and can’t be together with him. He may even say not to come back in the future, not to involve himself with him, or just pretend he’d never met him.

If Wei Dong really said these things, how would he react? Qin Youyou’s heart pounded at the thought. How would he be able to voice his unwillingness to accept that? He would not leave, nor draw up boundaries, and he never would act as if Wei Dong had never arrived in his life.

Absolutely not.

Qin Youyou could not say why Wei Dong was so important to him. Just because he was a little kind towards him, or because he reached out to help? This reasoning was truly not believable. But that’s truly what Qin Youyou believed it to be.

He met this person named Wei Dong, he treated him well, he felt sorry for him. And without a second word, he branded this person close to his heart. He told himself he would be attached to this person for the rest of his life.

Wei Dong lit another cigarette. He’d still not said anything.

Qin Youyou couldn’t take it anymore. His looked up and his voice rasped out, “Ge. Don’t be angry with me…”

Wei Dong put out his cigarette and stood up to get a glass of water. He put it down in front of him.

Even though his heart was a mess, Qin Youyou’s hoarse voice caught Wei Dong’s attention in an instant. “Do you feel better?” He sat down and watched him.

Qin Youyou held the glass with both hands and nodded. “I feel better, Ge.”

“I’m much older than you.” Wei Dong leaned back on the couch, his eyes no longer looking at Qin Youyou. “My circumstance is just what you see. In future, my help for you will be limited. You’re still very young…”

Qin Youyou put down the glass and stood up. He kneeled in front of Wei Dong with his face on his knees. “You don’t want to answer me?”

Wei Dong let out a sigh. Qin Youyou was leaning over his legs, and his slender shoulders were trembling slightly. Wei Dong reached out and gently stroked his head. “If you really want to, then you can be my companion. If one day you wish to leave, I won’t stop you—”

“I’ll never leave.” Qin Youyou said. Strangely, at this very moment he didn’t cry, nor did he didn’t feel any emotions. He just felt like his heart had fallen to the ground.

Settled.

Wei Dong’s large hand stroked his back soothingly. In a low voice, “I’ve never tried to look for someone to be together with before. I never dared to think about it. I don’t know what’s happened tonight. Originally, I didn’t feel like it should be this way…”

Qin Youyou got up and sat on Wei Dong, straddling his legs. He nestled his head in his shoulder. He’d cuddled in Wei Dong’s arms so many times before—he loved this position and the feeling of security it gave him.

“This is how it should be, Ge,” he gently scratched at the material on Wei Dong’s shoulder. “You just be good to me, and I’ll just be your companion.”

“What I mean is, you’re still young. So long as you work hard, there will be many opportunities for you in the future. Neither of us can make promises. As for emotions, with me, you have no restrictions, is that okay?”

Qin Youyou lifted his head. “The biggest opportunity of my life has already arrived, and it was meeting you. Ge, if you keep me, I won’t go anywhere. I’ll just live with you and I’ll never leave again.”

Wei Dong laughed. “How old are you for you to say such unconditional promises without a second thought? You say you like someone, so you’ll hold onto them with your teeth. If you say forever, it’s like you’re chopping off your head to prove it.”

Qin Youyou looked at him. “Then I’ll show you how I do it, Ge.”