After saying that, Lu Xingmian realized something: he had classes all afternoon. Was he going to make Lu Shiran wait for him several hours until school ended?
Lu Xingmian hadn’t thought that far ahead; he just wanted to thank Lu Shiran, forgetting he had already taken up half of his day.
Lu Xingmian explained, “I want to thank you for helping me so much, not just today.”
He also recalled the VIP tickets Lu Shiran had given him, how Lu Shiran gently helped him fall asleep each night, taught him cooking skills, and kept him company with conversations during his worst moments of illness. For all of these things, Lu Xingmian felt he should thank him properly. If not for Lu Shiran, he might still be suffering from severe insomnia.
Ever since he found out Lu Shiran wasn’t far away, he had wanted to treat him to a meal, and now he finally had the chance.
Lu Shiran didn’t speak, and Lu Xingmian also fell silent.
Then, Lu Shiran scooped all the beef from his own bowl into Lu Xingmian’s bowl.
Lu Shiran said, “Okay.”
“Or I could skip afternoon classes.”
They both spoke at the same time.
“Lu Xingmian,” Lu Shiran said, “I just promised your teacher you wouldn’t skip class again, and now you’re telling me you’re skipping afternoon classes?”
Meanwhile, Lu Xingmian looked at Lu Shiran in disbelief. Lu Shiran had just said “okay.”
“Ge, what did you just say?”
Lu Shiran replied, “I took the day off. I’m free all day today.”
Lu Xingmian nodded repeatedly. “Ge, then let me just treat you to a simple beef noodle lunch for now. Tonight, I’ll treat you to something else delicious.”
Lu Shiran sounded just like an older brother: “Alright, whatever you say. But no skipping afternoon classes.”
Lu Xingmian promised, “En, definitely no skipping class.”
Lu Shiran noticed that when Lu Xingmian was happy, he unconsciously swayed his head slightly.
Lu Xingmian was happy for a moment, but then another thought occurred to him: he couldn’t just leave Lu Shiran alone outside in such cold weather.
Lu Xingmian offered, “Ge, if you don’t mind, you can wait for me at my place this afternoon. Don’t worry, I live alone, so no one will disturb you, and you can rest at my house as well.”
“Lu Xingmian.” Lu Shiran suddenly called out Lu Xingmian’s name. Lu Xingmian looked up, thinking Lu Shiran’s voice sounded particularly pleasant when he spoke his name.
Lu Shiran looked at him seriously. “Count me out. Don’t let strangers into your home so casually in the future, okay?” Lu Shiran suddenly wondered if, had it been someone else today, Lu Xingmian would have invited them for a meal and let them into his house too.
Seemingly understanding why Lu Shiran had suddenly said that, Lu Xingmian explained, “I’ve never let anyone into my house. You’re the first.” This was because they had known each other for so long, because Lu Xingmian felt Lu Shiran was a good person, and because Lu Xingmian already considered him a friend.
Lu Shiran hummed in acknowledgment, indicating that that was good then. He continued to put beef into Lu Xingmian’s bowl.
Then Lu Xingmian saw that Lu Shiran had moved all the beef from his own bowl into his, filling his bowl to the very top. “Ge, this is way too much! I can’t possibly eat that much meat.”
Lu Shiran understood his appetite. “Just eat for now; we’ll see if you can’t finish it later.”
Lu Xingmian replied, “Oh.”
As it turned out, Lu Xingmian’s appetite was quite good. After all, he was a growing high school student with a heavy daily study load and significant physical exertion. He ended up finishing the entire bowl of beef noodles.
After eating, Lu Xingmian took Lu Shiran to the bus stop outside the school gate, told him his home address, and handed over his keys. He told Lu Shiran that this bus route would take him directly to his residential complex, which was very convenient.
However, as he handed Lu Shiran the keys, Lu Xingmian suddenly remembered that he might not have made his bed that morning, and his apartment might be a bit messy.
I wish I had tidied up yesterday, he thought.
Lu Shiran, thinking he regretted it, offered, “Then I’ll wait for you at the KFC near your school.”
“That’s not what I meant,” Lu Xingmian said, pushing the keys into Lu Shiran’s hand. “My place is a bit messy, just don’t mind it.” This was the first time he’d let anyone, especially Lu Shiran, into his home.
Lu Shiran noticed Lu Xingmian’s ears had turned red, indicating genuine embarrassment. As Lu Xingmian pressed the keys into Lu Shiran’s hand, he realized how large and warm Lu Shiran’s hand was; the warmth lingered on his fingertips long after the brief touch.
Lu Shiran, however, felt Lu Xingmian’s fingers were quite cold and urged him to quickly return to class.
When Lu Xingmian returned to the classroom, he met Chen Che. Although Chen Che’s parents had been called, they had never been stern with him or said a harsh word, so he wasn’t worried at all about the parent meeting.
However, he was a little concerned about Lu Xingmian, especially after seeing the man beside him. Chen Che asked, “Was that guy at lunch your brother?”
Lu Xingmian nodded. “Yes.”
Chen Che commented, “Your family has good genes; your brother is really handsome.”
Lu Xingmian silently agreed; Lu Shiran was indeed very handsome.
Chen Che continued, “But your brother looks really formidable. He didn’t scold you, did he? Your brother wouldn’t make you transfer schools, would he?”
Lu Xingmian replied, “No, he didn’t; he won’t. My brother is very nice; he wasn’t angry.” How could Lu Shiran be formidable? He’s a very gentle person!
Hearing this, Chen Che was relieved. As they were talking, Xia Zhicheng and her deskmate came over, heading straight for Lu Xingmian, their eyes sparkling.
Xia Zhicheng excitedly asked him, “Lu Xingmian, was that your brother? Your brother is so handsome!”
Xia Zhicheng and her deskmate had seen Lu Xingmian and Lu Shiran at the school gate. They thought Lu Xingmian was handsome enough, but they hadn’t expected Lu Xingmian’s brother to be even more attractive, with the charm of a mature man.
“Lu Xingmian,” Xia Zhicheng asked, her eyes full of stars, “Does your brother have a girlfriend? Would you mind having a future sister-in-law?”
Lu Xingmian: “…….”
After class started, Lu Xingmian received a message from Lu Shiran.
Lu Shiran: [I’m home.]
Lu Xingmian: [Is my place really messy?]
Lu Shiran: [No, it’s very clean and cozy.]
Lu Xingmian suddenly smiled.
Lu Shiran: [Focus on class, don’t play with your phone.]
Lu Xingmian put away his phone and listened attentively to the lesson. The thought of Lu Shiran being in his apartment did make him a little distracted. He wondered why Lu Shiran was so handsome; in just a short while since he’d arrived at school, many people already knew he had a very handsome older brother. Xia Zhicheng even wanted to be his “sister-in-law.”
But Lu Shiran had said he didn’t have a partner. So, Lu Shiran probably didn’t have one, right?
Lu Shiran took a general tour of Lu Xingmian’s apartment. He wasn’t just comforting Lu Xingmian; his home genuinely felt very cozy. Although the apartment was small, it was clean and tidy.
Last time, Uncle Hou had mentioned that Lu Xingmian lived in a somewhat older complex. The Lu family lived in a luxurious villa in Yancheng, arriving and departing in fancy cars, yet they let Lu Xingmian live here alone?
Fortunately, despite the complex being older, the heating was ample, and the temperature inside the apartment was quite comfortable. Before long, Lu Shiran felt warm and took off his coat.
Lu Xingmian’s apartment was a one-bedroom, one-living-room unit.
His desk was piled with many workbooks and test papers, a bit cluttered, but this was typical for a senior high school student. One workbook was open to the page Lu Xingmian was working on, densely filled with writing, with three pens lying beside it. It was clear Lu Xingmian worked very hard. Lu Shiran remembered Lu Xingmian saying Yancheng University was his goal, and it wasn’t just talk; Lu Xingmian was putting in the effort.
On the desk, Lu Shiran also noticed a bottle of melatonin. A thin layer of dust had settled on the cap, indicating it hadn’t been opened in a long time. Lu Shiran felt relieved.
Lu Xingmian was right; his blanket wasn’t folded, but his bed was perfectly neat.
Lu Shiran’s friends were having a blast outside, despite missing him. They flooded their WeChat group with photos, boasting about how much fun they were having and how Lu Shiran was missing out. Lu Shiran, however, scoffed at their showboating.
Even though Lu Xingmian said he wanted to treat him to dinner tonight, Lu Shiran decided he’d cook for Lu Xingmian instead. He checked the fridge, which was almost empty except for a few eggs and two cans of soda.
There was a supermarket nearby. When Lu Shiran returned with several heavy bags of groceries, the elderly grandma downstairs opened her door. She paused when she saw Lu Shiran, having heard footsteps and thinking it was Lu Xingmian. The grandma had even wondered why Lu Xingmian was home so early, as he should have been in class at that time. That’s why she’d come out to check.
Then she saw an unfamiliar, handsome young man carrying several bags. Besides Lu Xingmian, there were no other residents upstairs. The grandma asked him, “Are you Xiao Lu’s brother?” It seemed likely; both were good-looking, and their ages didn’t seem too far apart either.
Lu Shiran affirmed with an “En.” Lu Xingmian had mentioned the kind old lady downstairs. “Hello, Grandma.”
The grandma smiled. “I thought Xiao Lu had come home.” She had thought Lu Xingmian lived alone and didn’t expect him to have an older brother.
“Xiao Lu’s brother, it’s good I saw you. The complex will have a power outage again at midnight tonight. Don’t forget to tell Xiao Lu so he can prepare early. Do you have any candles at home? If not, I can give you a few extras.”
Lu Shiran remembered there had just been a power outage two days ago. How could there be another one after just a few days? Lu Shiran asked, “Grandma, do power outages happen often here?”
The grandma had lived there for a long time and knew the area well. “It’s only recently that the power outages have become more frequent. It wasn’t this often before.”
As Lu Shiran went upstairs, the grandma called out to him again, “Xiao Lu’s brother, tell Xiao Lu to eat fewer instant noodles. They’re not nutritious. Look how thin Xiao Lu is!”
Lu Shiran replied, “Okay, Grandma, I’ll make sure he eats less instant noodles.”
As the old grandma returned to her house, she thought, Both of these brothers are so good-looking!
Lu Shiran bought fish, ribs, large shrimp, and other items from the supermarket. Lu Xingmian’s school ended at 6:30 PM, so he would get home around 7:10 PM. Lu Shiran started cooking before Lu Xingmian got home.
Lu Xingmian’s kitchen was a bit small. Lu Shiran quickly scanned the pots and pans; most seasonings were readily available. He opened a cabinet and sighed helplessly at what he saw inside, there were two full boxes of instant noodles, one spicy beef flavor and one braised beef flavor. Both boxes were half-eaten. Did Lu Xingmian even eat proper meals? Even the grandma downstairs knew he often ate instant noodles.
–
Finally, school ended. As soon as the bell rang, Lu Xingmian grabbed his backpack and ran. Chen Che turned around for a moment, and his deskmate was already gone. Lu Xingmian was a bit unusual today.
The bus arrived at the school gate five minutes later. Lu Xingmian boarded, and the ride from school to his complex took about half an hour. Lu Xingmian had decided he would take Lu Shiran to eat hotpot later. In such cold weather, a hotpot was the best choice, and there was a Haidilao nearby.
It was getting late. He wondered if Lu Shiran was hungry, and there seemed to be no food at home. He regretted not buying some fruit or something yesterday. He had asked Lu Shiran to go to his place, only for there to be nothing to eat at home.
As Lu Xingmian approached his building, he suddenly looked up, thinking of something. The window that was always dark now glowed with warm light. Lu Xingmian ascended the stairs two steps at a time.
Standing at the door, he knocked. Soon, Lu Shiran opened it. The moment the door opened, Lu Xingmian was greeted by the aroma of cooked food.
Lu Shiran smiled. “You’re back. Go wash your hands and eat.” Lu Xingmian stepped inside. On the small dining table, four dishes were already laid out: three meat, one vegetable.
Lu Xingmian stammered, “Ge, you… you cooked?” He had said he would treat Lu Shiran, but instead, Lu Shiran had cooked for him.
“What are you waiting for?” Lu Shiran took the backpack from his shoulder. “Go wash your hands and eat quickly.”
