Shi Yuan never could have imagined that Lin Wangye would show up here.
No one in the whole school knew where he lived. Without arranging someone to follow him, Lin Wangye had almost no way of finding out his home address.
It was clear that Shi Yuan didn’t want Lin Wangye here.
In his mind, someone like Lin Wangye should only exist in clean, shining places, not walking on muddy paths or passing through dark alleys.
And definitely not standing in front of him amidst the swirling snow and frost.
The sound of the door closing and locking, as Grandpa entered a moment later, broke the silence. Lin Wangye heard soft footsteps approaching him.
Looking down, he saw Shi Yuan’s little sister had run up beside him.
Xu Suihe, holding the candy Lin Wangye had bought, was only a little taller than his waist. She had to tilt her chin way up just to meet his gaze.
Lin Wangye glanced back at Shi Yuan, who was still quietly staring out the window without moving.
He turned his attention back to the girl, bent slightly at the waist, and gently asked, “How old are you this year, Suihe?”
Xu Suihe held up her right hand, extending her index and thumb, and softly said, “Eight.”
Lin Wangye held out his hand, palm up.
“Can I take you inside?”
“Okay!” Xu Suihe obediently placed her small hand in his, and he gently led her toward the next room. As they passed the windowsill, she called out, “Brother, I’m back!”
Lin Wangye glanced over, but didn’t turn back after they passed.
The small courtyard had only three simple rooms. When Lin Wangye arrived, he could already tell one of them was the kitchen. If nothing else, the other two were likely the bedrooms for Shi Yuan and the elderly or children.
When Xu Suihe pushed open the wooden door and tiptoed to turn on the light, Lin Wangye saw that it was exactly as he thought. The room before him was about 20 square meters, with a slightly larger bed and a smaller one. The floor was covered in off-white tiles, and the walls were lined with plain white wallpaper.
Though the space was small, it was spotless and orderly to an extreme.
Every corner, as far as the eye could see, was dust-free.
The air conditioner on the wall was running, and the room was warm, likely turned on ahead of time by Shi Yuan, who had calculated when the elderly and children would return.
The two elderly people were about to greet him when Lin Wangye took the initiative to step outside the door.
“Grandpa, Grandma, it’s late. You should get Suihe to rest.”
Grandma, still worried, muttered, “The weather’s too cold, let me get you some hot water…”
Lin Wangye immediately waved his hand, flashing a smile to reassure them, “It’s fine, Grandma. I’m a grown man, I can manage. You two go ahead and rest. I’ll go find Xu Suiyan.”
Realizing their grandson was still around, the elderly couple decided there was no need to worry, especially since the one who needed attention was their granddaughter. So, after giving Lin Wangye a few more words of advice, they led Suihe back to their room.
After they turned away, Lin Wangye saw Shi Yuan standing at the door.
He hadn’t noticed when, but Shi Yuan had already put on his jacket, holding a black umbrella. Their eyes met, and without missing a beat, Shi Yuan opened the umbrella and softly said, “Let’s go. I’ll walk you home.”
Lin Wangye stared at him steadily. “I don’t have a home.”
Shi Yuan’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he tried to speak. His lips moved several times before he managed to say, “Where does Lu Chengxuan live? I’ll take you…”
“Don’t you want to see me?” Lin Wangye suddenly interrupted him, his voice trembling slightly.
The cold wind blew his scarf up, half-covering the boy’s face.
The snowstorm in the background created an unforgettable, frozen moment.
Shi Yuan gazed at him, his breath starting to shake, and he couldn’t get another word out.
Lin Wangye stepped closer, his voice quiet but clear as he softly said, “I want to see you.”
The umbrella snapped shut quickly and was carelessly tossed aside.
Shi Yuan grabbed Lin Wangye’s wrist, turning and pulling him inside, shutting the door behind them.
When he turned back, the boy’s mischievous smile was plastered on his face, clearly no longer bothering to hold back now that he had gotten what he wanted.
Shi Yuan had no way of dealing with him.
He sighed silently, then asked softly, “How did you find this place?”
Lin Wangye took the candy out of his pocket and shrugged.
“Your sister gave it to me when I was having spicy hot pot. I heard your grandma call her Suihe.”
“You figured out she’s my sister just like that?” Shi Yuan looked at him with suspicion.
Lin Wangye put the candy back in his pocket and said nonchalantly, “Can’t I be this smart?”
Shi Yuan quietly stared at him for a few seconds, then laughed softly.
“Alright…”
Lin Wangye glanced around, noticing that this room was the same size as the one next door, but everything else was completely different.
There was no wallpaper, and the floor was made of concrete.
Aside from a single bed and a desk, there was almost nothing in the room. A few plastic boxes were stacked in the corner, probably filled with clothes.
The only thing this room had in common with the other one was its neatness.
Most importantly, there was no air conditioner.
Even though the door and window cracks were sealed tight, the room was still not exactly warm—at most, it was just enough to keep from shivering if you wore enough layers.
“You saw it for yourself. My place is small. Two people can’t sleep here,” Shi Yuan said as he adjusted Lin Wangye’s messy hair and scarf, then added, “Maybe I should still…”
Before he could finish his sentence, Shi Yuan watched helplessly as Lin Wangye, completely unfazed, walked over to his desk and plopped down in the chair.
“I can see it. There’s enough space,” Lin Wangye replied.
Shi Yuan sighed in resignation, “You’ll be cold. You’ll be uncomfortable.”
“I don’t feel cold, and I’m not uncomfortable,” Lin Wangye said, glancing down at the papers on the desk and casually adding, “Don’t think I’m that fussy.”
“I don’t have any toiletries here…”
Before Shi Yuan could finish, Lin Wangye pulled a brand-new toothbrush from his pocket and placed it on the desk.
“…”
Shi Yuan finally realized that Lin Wangye had come prepared.
“Please, just listen to me,” Shi Yuan said as he walked over to his side, adopting a more pleading tone. “My place really isn’t that comfortable.”
Lin Wangye looked up and stared at him seriously. “I didn’t come here for comfort.”
The two of them locked eyes, both trying to read something from the other’s gaze.
After a few seconds, Lin Wangye added:
“If you insist on making me leave, I’ll go.”
Shi Yuan immediately clarified, “I didn’t mean to make you leave. It’s just…”
“Then don’t just say it,” Lin Wangye didn’t give him any room to back out, turning his head to continue looking at his papers. “I like being with you. I want to.”
It was then that Shi Yuan realized, though Lin Wangye seemed gentle and obedient, when he set his mind to something, he could be more stubborn than anyone else.
He wasn’t truly obedient.
He simply chose to be obedient.
Shi Yuan stood there, staring at Lin Wangye for a moment, before finally giving in. He switched to his usual calm, soft tone and asked, “Are you cold?”
Lin Wangye didn’t answer. He extended his hand toward him.
At first, Shi Yuan didn’t understand what he meant. After a brief pause, he looked down at the boy’s long, slender fingers, then hesitated before raising his arm.
Lin Wangye took the opportunity to grasp his hand, his fingers slipping through Shi Yuan’s, intertwining.
The boy’s hands were warm, not cold at all, even though he was wrapped up so tightly.
Their fingers were tightly intertwined, sharing the warmth of their skin.
The heat in his palm spread quickly, as though he had touched a flame.
Lin Wangye didn’t let go right away, and neither did Shi Yuan. He gently squeezed his fingers and said, “It’s getting late. Should I get some water for you to wash up?”
At this, Lin Wangye behaved more obediently, nodding with a soft “Mm.”
Shi Yuan released his hand and turned to open the door. Moments later, he returned with a plastic basin and a cup, filled with cold water. He poured hot water from the thermos into it and said, “I wasn’t lying when I said it’s not so convenient. My place doesn’t have hot water, so we’ll have to make do.”
“It’s fine.” Lin Wangye put down his papers and picked up the cup with warm water. “Is this your toothbrush cup?”
Shi Yuan adjusted the water temperature and nodded.
“Mm, there’s no extra. I just washed it, so you can use it.”
Even in his past life, Lin Wangye had never had the chance to do something so intimate as sharing a toothbrush cup with Uncle Shi Yuan.
He felt a flutter in his heart but pretended to be indifferent as he unwrapped his toothbrush.
“I told you, I’m not that fussy.”
What Shi Yuan had been most worried about was that the differences between this place and Lu Chengxuan’s home would make Lin Wangye uncomfortable. Hearing him say this, Shi Yuan genuinely relaxed, lowering his head with a soft smile.
Lin Wangye squeezed the toothpaste onto his brush, standing there, staring blankly at the room. “How do I brush? Where do I spit?”
“I always brush outside and spit in the yard. You…”
Just as Shi Yuan was about to suggest that Lin Wangye spit into the trash can outside because it was cold, Lin Wangye had already picked up the cup and left without looking back.
After brushing his teeth, Lin Wangye returned with a ring of foam around his mouth, closed the door, bent down to wash his face, then added some hot water to the basin and washed his feet as well. After drying off, he raised his legs halfway in the air, scanning the floor, only to realize there were no slippers to wear.
When Shi Yuan came back with the foot-washing water and saw Lin Wangye in this strange position, he couldn’t help but chuckle. He walked over, about to offer his own slippers, but before he could, Lin Wangye, balancing on the table with his bare feet, stood on the chair and then lunged toward him.
Caught off guard, Shi Yuan instinctively opened his arms to catch him. However, Lin Wangye suddenly stopped, slapping his chest.
“Scared me, I almost forgot your leg’s not fully healed.”
Although Shi Yuan could walk normally now, his leg wasn’t completely recovered. Hearing this, he belatedly understood and lowered his arms.
Lin Wangye turned to face the single bed and said eagerly, “Do you think it’ll collapse if I jump onto it?”
Shi Yuan couldn’t help but laugh. “If you can collapse a metal bed, I’ll give you credit.”
In the next second, Lin Wangye took a leap and landed squarely in the center of the single bed.
He quickly stripped down to just his thermal shirt and pants, wriggled into the blanket like an eel, and peacefully closed his eyes.
“It’s more comfortable than Lu Chengxuan’s.”
Anyone over the age of three would have a hard time believing such a statement.
Shi Yuan didn’t correct him but teased, “Lu Chengxuan would probably want to plant C4 under your bed if he heard that.”
“Seriously.” Lin Wangye turned on his side, propped up his elbow on the pillow, and rested his head on his hand. “Big beds make me feel insecure. I often get sleep paralysis and dream about falling off cliffs.”
Lin Wangye never lied to Shi Yuan, and this was no exception.
He really didn’t like sleeping in big beds, not even in his past life. If the space was too wide, it often led to nightmares. So, even on a single bed, he preferred to sleep against the wall, placing a pillow on the other side to keep himself centered.
Shi Yuan, sitting at the desk, explained, “That’s a common physiological phenomenon called sleep myoclonus.”
“Oh.”
Lin Wangye stared at him for a while, looking as though he suddenly understood. “So that’s what it is. I thought I just needed someone to hold me while I sleep.”
“…”
Shi Yuan, rarely unable to respond in a conversation, swallowed hard and didn’t give an answer. He lowered his gaze to the test paper, only to realize he couldn’t understand the problem he had partially solved earlier.
Lin Wangye, sensing the end of the conversation, shifted his attention to the world map on the side wall.
“Auntie said that on my first day at kindergarten, all the other kids were crying and wanting to find their moms during nap time, but I didn’t cry. The teacher even praised me for being good. I never had my mom with me when I went to sleep, so there was nothing to cry about.”
The bedroom was very quiet, with almost no sound.
Only the occasional howling of the cold wind and a few barks from dogs outside the window could be heard.
Shi Yuan closed the college entrance exam review paper, capped his pen, stood up, and walked to the bed, sitting down by Lin Wangye’s side. He spoke softly: “And then?”
“I don’t remember much from when I was very young, but I do remember envying the other kids who had someone to coax them to sleep. I had an uncle I really liked. Whenever I couldn’t sleep, I would call him. Sometimes he might be busy and didn’t have time to respond, but just hearing the sound of him talking to someone or walking around on the other end of the phone would make me feel at ease, and I would fall asleep without realizing it.”
Knowing that Lin Wangye eventually ended up in an orphanage, Shi Yuan didn’t ask ‘And then?’
He slowly reached out and gently stroked his hair.
“If you can’t sleep next time, you can call me.”
Lin Wangye looked up at him, his gaze trembling slightly: “Will you pick up no matter how busy you are?”
“Yes,” Shi Yuan replied affirmatively.
Lin Wangye extended his pinky finger from under the blanket: “You can’t lie to the little puppy.”
Shi Yuan extended his own finger and hooked it with Lin Wangye’s, speaking softly, as if coaxing a child: “It’s late now, little puppy, go to sleep.”
The room was not very warm, and his arm felt cold after being exposed to the air for a while.
He obediently lay back under the blanket, covering half his face with it, leaving only his eyes and nose exposed. He looked at Shi Yuan eagerly: “You should sleep too…”
“Mm, I’ll go turn off the light.”
As he walked to the door to turn off the light, the room was immediately engulfed in deep darkness.
Suddenly, Lin Wangye couldn’t see anything, unable to make out any shapes. Worried that Shi Yuan might bump into something, he quickly sat up and reached for his phone in his jacket pocket to try to help illuminate the room. He soon realized that the mattress next to him had slightly sunk in, and a warm hand pressed his forehead back down to lie down.
“What are you doing? Don’t catch a cold.”
As his eyes adjusted to the surrounding darkness, Lin Wangye found the outline of Shi Yuan’s figure. He watched as the other man removed layers of clothing, then pulled back the blanket and lay down beside him.
On a 1.2-meter wide single bed, there was barely any space left for two 1.8-meter tall high school students. Plus, there was only one pillow and one blanket.
The warmth beside him was particularly noticeable, pressing right up against him.
In a sense, this could also be considered…
Lin Wangye felt like his rapid heartbeat might be transmitted through his skin, always on the verge of being detected by the other person. He swallowed and, deciding to go all in, mustered up the courage to turn over and hug Shi Yuan’s arm tightly.
In that instant, he distinctly felt the other person’s muscles tense for a moment.
Shi Yuan slowly turned his head, his voice low and slightly hoarse: “What’s wrong?”
“Warm,” Lin Wangye whispered.
After a few seconds of silence, Shi Yuan chuckled softly, turning over and lifting his arm to press Lin Wangye’s head into his neck, unconsciously adopting a protective posture. He gently patted the boy’s back: “Go to sleep.”
What was happening felt like an almost too-beautiful dream to both of them.
The motion of Shi Yuan’s hand on his back was incredibly soft.
Lin Wangye lay wide-eyed under the blanket, barely daring to breathe loudly.
The words ‘I like you’ were on the tip of his tongue, almost choking him.
But it was only when one was near home that they would feel shy.
He didn’t dare disturb the moment, afraid of breaking the closeness and tenderness that they were sharing.
It was like trying to catch the most beloved butterfly—if it was still flying far, you had to chase it quickly. If it stopped on the flower, you had to slow down, moving as gently as possible to approach.
The last time, Lin Wangye didn’t know when to stop, causing the butterfly to flap its wings and fly away again.
This time, he had to be careful. Extra careful.
The breaths close by were reassuring, and the warmth of the embrace quickly lulled him into drowsiness.
Fatigue, in the darkness, came like an unstoppable wave. Lin Wangye tried to savor the embrace a little longer, but his eyelids grew heavier and heavier, his eyelashes fluttering just three times before he drifted off into a deep sleep.
After a long while, with the steady rise and fall of Lin Wangye’s breath, Shi Yuan confirmed that the person in his arms was asleep.
He didn’t stop patting his back, cautiously lowering his head.
In the darkness, nothing was clearly visible. Besides, Shi Yuan was a bit nearsighted, only faintly seeing the high bridge of the boy’s nose.
He moved his other hand slightly to support Lin Wangye’s chin, gently brushing his fingertips over his lips twice.
“Good night, sweet dreams.”
A gentle kiss landed on the boy’s forehead, as light as a feather.
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
