Although Lu Ze didn’t have classes the next morning, he still chose to return to school that night.
After all, Liang Xiao’s place only had one bed. One of them had never been in a relationship before, and the other had just transitioned from being straight to gay. Sharing a bed on their first day together felt a bit too fast.
Plus, it wasn’t too late this time, and Lu Ze wasn’t drunk, so there was no excuse to crash on Liang Xiao’s sofa.
Liang Xiao walked Lu Ze all the way to the subway station. Just as Lu Ze was about to say “bye,” Liang Xiao followed him onto the subway and accompanied him all the way to his dormitory building.
Lu Ze smiled and said, “Is this enough now? You’re treating me like a little girl.”
“No,” Liang Xiao replied. “I’ve never escorted a girl before.”
Lu Ze clicked his tongue. “Oh really? Never escorted a client either?”
“Clients are clients,” Liang Xiao said softly. “I just wanted to spend more time with you.”
Lu Ze stared at Liang Xiao for a moment. The streetlight illuminated half of Liang Xiao’s face, making him look incredibly handsome. Liang Xiao raised an eyebrow and asked, “What’s wrong?”
With one hand in his pocket, Lu Ze said, “Why are you so straightforward now?”
“I’ve always been straightforward,” Liang Xiao replied, looking directly at him. “I just held back before—it was hard.”
Lu Ze froze for a moment before bursting into laughter. He leaned against Liang Xiao’s shoulder and said with a grin, “So all that coldness on WeChat was just an act…”
“Mm,” Liang Xiao hummed softly, his voice right by Lu Ze’s ear, making Lu Ze’s heart itch.
After laughing, Lu Ze stood up straight again and looked at Liang Xiao. “Xiao-ge, you’re not one of those guys who looks cool but is secretly super soft-hearted, are you?”
“No,” Liang Xiao chuckled lightly. “I’m just not as cool as I seem.”
“That’s fine—I like you even more now.” Lu Ze snapped his fingers in front of him and said, “Let’s go.”
Liang Xiao paused for a moment before following him. “Where to?”
“The supermarket.”
Lu Ze didn’t buy much at the supermarket—just two cartons of Wangzai Milk—and then they left.
Liang Xiao looked at him in confusion as Lu Ze inserted straws into both cartons and handed one to him. “Do you like it?”
Liang Xiao took it and examined it. The carton seemed smaller than he remembered—only about half the size of his hand. “I haven’t had this in years. I think I liked it when I was a kid.”
Lu Ze clinked his carton against Liang Xiao’s—not glasses but milk—and said, “Drink it on your way back. Happy graduation.”
Liang Xiao froze for a long moment, feeling both sour and sweet inside—a strange but pleasant sensation. He took a small sip of the milk, smiled softly with mixed emotions, and said, “Thank you.”
Lu Ze glanced at him and started to say something but stopped himself.
“You’re welcome,” Liang Xiao finished for him with a smile.
Lu Ze laughed and said, “Alright, head back now.”
“Mm.”
The two of them stood there, neither moving, each holding a carton of Wangzai Milk, simply facing each other.
After a while, Liang Xiao said softly, “I’ll head off now?”
“Mm, message me when you get home,” Lu Ze replied.
Liang Xiao nodded. “Alright, I’m going.”
“Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.”
Liang Xiao turned and walked away, but a few seconds later, he heard Lu Ze call out, “Xiao-ge.”
Liang Xiao turned back as Lu Ze jogged up to him. “You still have a set of clothes at my place. I’ve washed them for you.”
“You also left a set of clothes at my place,” Liang Xiao said. “I forgot to bring them today…”
“No problem. Just keep them there for now.”
“Then leave mine at your place too.”
After saying that, they both started laughing—just silly laughter without knowing why.
After a moment, Liang Xiao cleared his throat and, holding the Wangzai Milk in his hand, said, “I’m really leaving now.”
“Goodnight,” Lu Ze repeated.
“Goodnight,” Liang Xiao echoed again.
This time, Lu Ze didn’t call him back. Liang Xiao walked until he reached the corner and glanced back once. Lu Ze waved at him.
Liang Xiao pulled out his phone and messaged him: [Go back inside.]
Lu Ze replied: [Mm, I’m heading back.]
—
On the subway, Liang Xiao kept looking down at the Wangzai Milk in his hand but couldn’t bring himself to drink it.
He knew that Lu Ze hadn’t just casually bought it for him—it was a graduation gift.
Even though Liang Xiao hadn’t told Lu Ze about his graduation, Lu Ze still thought to make up for it with a gift. Given Liang Xiao’s situation, Lu Ze couldn’t give anything expensive and instead chose this small gesture to show his care.
Liang Xiao understood and was deeply moved.
Because Jiang Qing wouldn’t let him drop out of school and he didn’t want her to bear all the burden alone, Liang Xiao had spent years juggling work and studies. His grades weren’t great, but he excelled at working. He had almost forgotten that he had only just graduated.
Across from him on the subway sat a woman with a child. The child kept staring at the Wangzai Milk in his hand. Liang Xiao shifted the milk to block it from view and raised his head to look at the child expressionlessly.
The child was startled and quickly lowered their head.
After a moment, Liang Xiao took a small sip of the milk—then another small sip. The child sneaked another glance at him.
Using one hand to type on his phone, Liang Xiao messaged Lu Ze: [The kid across from me is about to cry from craving this milk.]
Lu Ze replied instantly: [Hahahahahahahaha!]
[No kid can resist Wangzai Milk!]
Liang Xiao smiled faintly and immediately regretted being too reserved earlier—he should have kissed Lu Ze before leaving.
Lu Ze: [Are you home yet?]
The subway arrived at the station, and Liang Xiao stood up to leave: [I’ve arrived, just exiting now.]
Lu Ze: [Did you finish the Wangzai Milk?]
Liang Xiao shook the carton and felt it—at least half was still left. He replied: [Not yet.]
Lu Ze: [Damn, I finished mine before even reaching the dorm.]
Liang Xiao smiled faintly: [I couldn’t bear to drink it all.]
After typing and deleting his message a few times, Lu Ze finally sent: [Just keep the carton after you finish it.] Then he sent a picture of his own Wangzai Milk carton placed neatly on the corner of his desk beside a pen holder: [I kept mine too.]
Liang Xiao stared at the picture for a while before saving it. [Alright.]
A few minutes later, Lu Ze asked again: [Are you home yet?]
Liang Xiao glanced up at the bright Fool’s Bar sign glowing in the night. He hesitated outside for a moment before replying: [I’m home.]
Lu Ze: [Wanna play Dou Dizhu?]
Liang Xiao pressed his lips together. [I need to call my mom.]
Lu Ze: [Okay, I’ll probably sleep soon then.]
Liang Xiao: [Mm, goodnight.]
Lu Ze: [Goodnight.]
Liang Xiao put away his phone and walked into Fool’s Bar with the half-finished Wangzai Milk in hand.
—
Lying in bed, Lu Ze tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. He felt like this was his first time being in love.
In past relationships, whether he was pursuing someone or being pursued, he had always been calm and confident—never experiencing that heart-pounding nervousness.
But being with Liang Xiao was completely different. He felt nervous, shy, happy at Liang Xiao’s smile, and reluctant every time they parted.
Suddenly, Lu Ze realized that what he thought were “relationships” in the past didn’t even count as real love—there was no genuine excitement, only superficial affection.
Even with Han Jing, whom he thought he liked the most, breaking up left him feeling more frustrated than heartbroken.
So perhaps it made sense that meeting Liang Xiao made him fall so naturally—because he was truly moved by him.
After all, being moved is an uncontrollable instinct. You can’t force it; it only happens when you meet the right person.
In the darkness, Lu Ze reached for his phone. Squinting against the sudden brightness, he typed: [Liang Xiao, let me say it again—I like you.]
To his surprise, Liang Xiao hadn’t fallen asleep yet and replied two minutes later: [Lu Ze, let me say it again—I like you too.]
Without even looking at himself, Lu Ze knew he must be smiling like an idiot.
Please fix the chapters order
fixed! thank you for the catch!