The college entrance exam is always a big deal, no matter when.
Ye Xi and Li Rui were assigned to the same exam site. Since it was far away, they stayed in a hotel together—at least they had company.
The school arranged over a dozen buses to shuttle students, caring for them meticulously. They even provided chocolate, snacks, and milk to replenish energy—parents hardly had a chance to step in.
Only for the last exam, the homeroom teacher allowed flexibility: if a student didn’t want to return to school, parents could pick them up directly at the site.
Ye Xi and Li Rui were among that group.
Neither of them was very nervous. Mostly because their parents doted on them too much—one side saying, “The Zhengs and Bais won’t mind raising one more. Even if you fail, you’ll just go to a less prestigious school. Better think about what gift you want after the exam.”
The other side saying, “Baby, it’s fine. Your brother already absorbed all the family’s brains. No matter what you score, it’s amazing. When it’s over, let’s go on a trip to Europe.”
The two exam-takers frowned constantly.
Honestly, what kind of talk was this—admitting defeat before the battle even began. Totally dragging them down.
Fortunately, they didn’t take it to heart. Shut in the hotel, they still crammed a bit, reviewing notes.
Now that the exams were finally over, both felt dazed.
All around, students cheered. Moments ago, the school had been silent; now it buzzed like a night market. Friends shouted for each other in the crowd; some howled like Tarzan, celebrating their freedom.
Li Rui’s head was still on the test paper. Walking out with Ye Xi, he muttered, “That last multiple-choice, I picked B… but maybe it should’ve been A…”
“I don’t know.” Ye Xi was brisk. “No point worrying after it’s done. Wait for the results. Even if it’s wrong, you can’t change it.”
Li Rui thought about it and agreed.
They walked out of the school together and immediately spotted a small group standing under the trees among the crowd of parents.
Among all the waiting adults, these young men stood out clearly.
Bai Yue wore a blue shirt, his skin pale as jade even under the blazing sun, not a trace of sweat on him, occasionally glancing at the school gate.
Zheng Yang, though also a senior, didn’t need to take the exam. He treated his brother’s exam as just participation. Relaxed, he lounged in the passenger seat with the car door open, gaming.
Only Sheng Yuhe looked completely out of place. He wasn’t close to Bai Yue or Zheng Yang, but he still stood nearby, keeping a measured distance, face cold and expressionless. He looked less like someone picking up a student than someone collecting a debt.
“Why’s Sheng Yuhe here?” Ye Xi whispered to Li Rui. “Where are your parents and your brother?”
“I told them I was going to hang out with classmates, so they weren’t allowed to come. I’ll go home after eight tonight.” Li Rui whispered back. “Don’t let it slip—I said I’d be with you.”
Ye Xi silently made an “OK” hand gesture to Li Rui.
While the two were speaking, Bai Yue had already noticed them. When his eyes fell on Ye Xi, he instinctively smiled.
He gave Zheng Yang, who was playing games next to him, a light smack on the head.
“Ye Xi’s out,” he said.
As he spoke, Ye Xi and Li Rui drew a little closer.
Bai Yue came forward, took the pencil case and books from Ye Xi’s hands, and handed over the iced milk tea he’d just bought.
“How was it, was the exam hard?” he asked.
Ye Xi accepted it, poked in the straw, and took a long sip. He hesitated before answering, “It was okay.”
In truth, he felt he had done quite well, but he wasn’t someone who liked to boast. After thinking it over, he gave a cautious answer.
Bai Yue smiled again. He was really just asking out of courtesy—otherwise, amid the chorus of concerned parents, they would seem out of place.
He studied Ye Xi’s face.
It was odd. The classroom had air conditioning, but perhaps because of how focused he’d been during the exam, Ye Xi was drenched in sweat. Beads of perspiration clung to the tip of his nose, and a flush bloomed across his pale cheeks, making the pink especially vivid.
Bai Yue lifted his hand and wiped away Ye Xi’s sweat. When his fingers passed over the bridge of Ye Xi’s nose, he casually gave it a light scrape.
Ye Xi raised his eyes in confusion, meeting Bai Yue’s gaze.
“Congratulations, the exam’s over.”
Bai Yue smiled. “From today, you can be considered an adult.”
…..
That evening, to celebrate the two examinees’ newfound freedom, everyone went to the Western restaurant Li Rui had reserved in advance.
Li Rui made a point of ordering a bottle of champagne and insisted on opening it himself. With a soft pop, white foam rushed out, spraying all over Ye Xi’s face.
“Heh heh.”
Li Rui grabbed a wet wipe to clean Ye Xi’s face. Ye Xi wasn’t upset—instead, he smeared cake onto Li Rui’s face in return.
Across the table, Zheng Yang could hardly stand to watch. He muttered to Bai Yue, “They’re just like little kids.”
Bai Yue, smiling as he looked at the two fooling around, replied, “And you’re not much better yourself.”
After dinner, the group split up. Sheng Yuhe escorted Li Rui home.
Bai Yue took Zheng Yang and Ye Xi.
Li Rui was already a bit drunk, clinging to Ye Xi and refusing to let go. He rubbed against him affectionately, pestering him to come home together, like some clingy little animal.
Ye Xi couldn’t stop laughing.
He had never been able to resist Li Rui. Gently patting his back to soothe him, he said, “Okay, how about we go then?”
In the end, it was Zheng Yang who pried Li Rui off Ye Xi and handed him over to Sheng Yuhe.
He didn’t know Sheng Yuhe well, but he had heard Li Rui say this was a very, very, very important friend.
Even though the description sounded odd, Zheng Yang didn’t think much of it. He only reminded, “I’ll trouble you to take him home.”
Sheng Yuhe nodded without saying much. He just gave Zheng Yang a long, searching look before putting his arm around Li Rui and leading him away.
Meanwhile, Bai Yue drove Ye Xi and Zheng Yang home.
After the two got out of the car, Bai Yue looked at Ye Xi through the window. “Rest well these next few days. I’ll come get you out to hang out in a bit.”
Zheng Yang had long grown numb to this. Hearing Bai Yue say such things, he couldn’t even be bothered to retort. He simply crossed his arms and stood to the side like part of the scenery.
He had figured it out—Ye Xi was hopeless.
No matter how he tried to stop him, Ye Xi would always trot after Bai Yue.
Ye Xi, however, stared at Bai Yue with bright, dark eyes. In his heart, he thought, of course I want to see you again—after all, I still plan to win you over.
But on the surface, he looked obedient, nodding earnestly. “Okay.”
A few minutes later, Bai Yue’s car drove out of the Zheng residence.
Ye Xi and Zheng Yang went upstairs one after the other.
Their rooms were both on the second floor, but in different directions.
Just as they were about to part, Zheng Yang had only just turned when he heard Ye Xi softly call his name.
Zheng Yang paused mid-step and turned back.
In the softly lit corridor, the wooden floor shone with a warm, antique luster under the chandelier. Ye Xi, in a white T-shirt, with short black hair and a pale face, looked exactly the same as years ago—quiet and well-behaved.
Meeting Zheng Yang’s gaze, Ye Xi inexplicably felt nervous. Still, he lowered his eyes and said in a soft voice:
“Thank you for picking me up after the exam today.”
Truthfully, Zheng Yang hadn’t needed to.
He could’ve ignored him, treated him like air.
But Zheng Yang had come anyway.
For the last half year of high school, Zheng Yang had shown him an unusual kindness.
Ye Xi didn’t know why his attitude had suddenly changed.
But after the initial discomfort, he had to admit—when he stepped out of the exam hall and saw not only Bai Yue waiting but also Zheng Yang, his heart had leapt with happiness.
“Thank you… ge.”
The last word slipped out so quietly it was barely audible.
And the moment he said it, Ye Xi wished he could bite off his own tongue. He bolted into his room in a panic, slamming the door with a thunderous bang.
The noise startled Zheng Yang.
If he hadn’t heard Ye Xi clearly just now, he might’ve thought the door slam was an act of protest.
But looking at the firmly shut door, he guessed Ye Xi was probably hiding inside, flustered enough to want to crawl into a hole.
Zheng Yang chuckled softly, shook his head, and returned to his own room.
……
In the days that followed, Ye Xi slept at home like the dead.
His class group chat was endlessly noisy—everyone was planning dinners, trips, parties, letting loose completely.
On the third day, he went out with Li Rui. Their class had booked a private movie showing of Alien vs. Zombies, the theater filled with constant screams.
Fortunately, it was a private screening, so there were no other guests to shush them.
When they came out of the theater, some wanted to go gaming, some to sing karaoke, others to shop.
Only Li Rui and Ye Xi waved everyone off, saying they had private plans.
“What are you two up to?” the PE rep called. “Not coming to play?”
“Nope!” Li Rui shouted back. “We’ll go with you guys in a couple of days. We’ve got something important today!”
The PE rep let them go, just reminding, “Don’t forget to come out with us later!”
Ye Xi and Li Rui took a cab straight to the outskirts, making it to Yuanxi Temple just before closing at five.
At the start of their final school year, he had come here with Li Rui and made a wish.
Back then, he had prayed only that Bai Yue wouldn’t hate him—that when Bai Yue thought of him, he wouldn’t feel annoyed, and would at least treat him like an ordinary underclassman.
Now, almost a year later, he stood before the Buddha again, grateful that his wish had been granted.
The Buddha gazed down with serene compassion, lotus in hand, watching over all beings.
This small temple had carried countless prayers and wishes.
Ye Xi placed fresh flowers on the altar, then lit three sticks of incense.
In his heart, he made his second wish.
“I hope… Bai Yue won’t reject my confession.”
“And I also hope… that I can stay by his side a little longer. The longer the better.”
Perhaps love in this world was always fleeting, like clouds blown by the wind, never steadfast.
But he had come to terms with it.
In this life, meeting was a gift—one more day together was one more day to treasure.
As long as he could hold Bai Yue’s hand for another day, it was a blessing.
When his wish was done, Ye Xi planted the incense before the Buddha. Turning back, he saw Li Rui still muttering his own wish at length.
He couldn’t help but laugh.
When Li Rui finally finished, Ye Xi teased, “You prayed so long, won’t the Buddha get annoyed?”
“No way.”
Li Rui waved a big hand. “I’m so devout, with a heart as clear as water, pure and good. The Buddha won’t have enough time to like me!”
Ye Xi laughed again.
The two slowly walked down the mountain, just as they had the last time they came. The roadside was lined with blooming wildflowers, and the air carried the damp fragrance of grass and trees.
They each bought an ice cream. The pink peach blossom charm from last year still hung on his bag, swaying gently in the summer breeze.
…..
Three days later.
Ye Xi shut himself in his room, diligently studying the last bit of seduction “lesson” sent by his love instructor.
Then he dialed Bai Yue’s number.
Biting his lip, his heart hammering like it would leap out, he said:
“Bai-ge, can I come to your place the day after tomorrow?”
Bai Yue was sitting at his desk. The bright summer sunlight lit up the calendar spread before him.
The date 6/18 was circled—it was the summer solstice.
He was a little surprised Ye Xi had taken the initiative to call him.
Lowering his eyes slightly, he gave a small smile, his gaze darkening.
“…Alright.”
