Two days after the winter solstice, it was Christmas.

Song Mianfeng and Lu Yin Zhen had agreed in advance to have a date at a revolving restaurant at night. However, on this day, there was a special photo shoot for a magazine, and there were some minor accidents during the shoot. Song Mianfeng finished work and rushed to the restaurant, but the date was delayed.

To make matters worse, he forgot the Christmas gift at the studio.

Lu Yin Zhen didn’t mind his lover being late due to work and occasional absent-mindedness. He comforted, “You can give it to me tomorrow; it’s like Santa Claus coming late.”

Song Mianfeng received a beautiful bouquet of roses and a delicately wrapped gift. Seeing Lu Yin Zhen empty-handed, he couldn’t help but feel a little frustrated. “I’m so careless. Shall we go back to get it after dinner?”

“But I also bought two movie tickets… for the 9 o’clock show. It’ll be late after the movie.”

“A movie?” Song Mianfeng paused for a moment, then smiled, “What movie?”

“The one starring Fu Qingshan, ‘Phoenix Flying’,” Lu Yin Zhen said. “I didn’t know what type of movies you like, so I picked this one.”

Song Mianfeng couldn’t smile anymore. “…”

The panoramic floor-to-ceiling glass of the revolving restaurant offered a 360-degree view. Outside the window, the night scene was strange and colorful, with lights and shadows interplaying with scattered starlight. The moat was shrouded in cold mist, illuminated by the silver moonlight, shimmering with ripples… Song Mianfeng had no interest in any of this and no appetite either. He felt like this meal was the last meal of his life, as if he would be led to the gallows after finishing it.

In fact, he had thought about whether to tell Lu Yin Zhen about Zhou Yang’s matter. There were traces of this past, and many times if Lu Yin Zhen asked a little more, he would naturally talk about it. But since Lu Yin Zhen didn’t ask, he never found the right opportunity to say it.

Thinking like this, this movie was actually an opportunity.

After dinner, the two went to the cinema by car.

The cinema on Christmas was bustling. Staff dressed as Santa Claus were distributing candies, surrounded mostly by children. While waiting for Lu Yin Zhen to collect the tickets, Song Mianfeng mingled in the queue of children and got two candies, tucking them into his pocket for later use in soothing his boyfriend.

When Lu Yin Zhen came back after collecting the tickets, he asked, “Do you want to buy popcorn?”

Song Mianfeng thought of refusing, but then changed his mind and said, “Let’s get a serving.”

It was better to have more sweet things, in case two candies weren’t enough to appease him later.

The tickets Lu Yin Zhen bought were in the third row, centrally positioned, with a perfect view. “Phoenix Flying” was premiering that day, and it was Christmas, so the cinema was packed. Whispers were carried amidst the sweet scent of popcorn from all directions.

The beginning of the movie was a dream sequence.

The story was presented in a combination of linear and non-linear narrative. It started with a grand dream, where Murong Chong was just ten years old, receiving the title of Prince of Zhongshan and being appointed as Grand Marshal. He was at the age of satisfaction, with a handsome appearance, riding through the streets, while the girls in the flower pavilions threw embroidered handkerchiefs at him eagerly. This scene was beautifully shot, as if one could almost smell the faint fragrance of cosmetics, and the image was as beautiful as a blooming flower, radiant in its prime.

It was such a dream sequence that highlighted the tragic ending of Murong Chong later.

As the scene transitioned, the person waking up in the frame became Murong Chong played by Zhou Yang.

Song Mianfeng rubbed his fingertips and averted his gaze.

He sighed inwardly, thinking that if he had known he would one day sit in the cinema with Lu Yin Zhen watching this movie, he would never have recommended Zhou Yang to He Chengyun for the lead role.

Debts of gratitude were always difficult to repay.

He regretted it deeply.

The cinema was dimly lit, with everyone’s attention on the fluorescent screen. Yet, Song Mianfeng, using this dim light like borrowed from drilling a hole in the wall, glanced at Lu Yin Zhen.

Perhaps his gaze was too intense, Lu Yin Zhen pinched his palm and asked softly, “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Song Mianfeng whispered, “You’re more beautiful than the movie.”

Lu Yin Zhen turned his head slightly to look at him, with a hint of helplessness in his eyes. “Are you trying to undermine Fu Qingshan’s dignity like this?”

“I contributed to his box office, which is the greatest respect I can give him,” Song Mianfeng said, popping a popcorn into his mouth and then offering another to Lu Yin Zhen. “Besides, this movie is a tragedy, and I’m not good with tragedies.”

“A tragedy?”

“I don’t know the ending of the movie, but historically, Fu Jian and Murong Chong had a tragic ending.” To avoid disturbing others’ viewing experience, Song Mianfeng leaned closer and lowered his voice, “A doomed love, doomed to end in tragedy.”

Lu Yin Zhen fell silent for a while, furrowing his brows slightly. “…Maybe we shouldn’t have watched this.”

“Deep affection always ends tragically and can only be resolved through death,” Song Mianfeng said softly, “He Chengyun’s films have always been of this style.”

In the last scene of the movie, amidst the blaze of fire, Murong Chong stood on the tower of the Palace of Perpetual Happiness. Behind him was the Palace of Perpetual Happiness filled with paulownia trees, and in front of him was Chang’an, like a hellish underworld. No one knew what he was looking at—whether it was acceptance or resentment. There were childish songs faintly ringing in his ears again, songs sung by children who knew nothing about the ways of the world.

“A pair of male and female phoenixes, soaring into the purple palace…”

After watching the movie, Song Mianfeng and Lu Yin Zhen went to the underground parking lot to get their car. Even after getting into the car, Song Mianfeng hadn’t figured out how to broach the subject. There was still half a bucket of popcorn left, and his phone screen occasionally lit up, reminding him of new messages in the group chat.

[Letian knows his fate: @Fu Qingshan didn’t expect it, really didn’t expect it, you and Zhou Yang actually had a kissing scene.]

[Wu Director: Did you go watch the movie? Is Princess Qinghe really played by Zhou Yang in disguise?]

[Letian knows his fate: Yeah, it’s written on the cast list.]

[Letian knows his fate: When men go gay, women have nothing to do with it.]

[Fu Qingshan: ……]

[Fu Qingshan: That was just blocking!]

[Fu Qingshan: Did you guys go watch the movie?]

[Letian knows his fate: To contribute to your box office, moved, huh?]

[Wu Director: I didn’t watch it, I saw it on Weibo’s trending topics.]

[Wu Director: Really a kissing scene? Then I’ll go watch it too.]

[Letian knows his fate: Yeah, there’s one, and even bed scenes, shot really well.]

[Fu Qingshan: You’re saying this with no conscience.]

[Fu Qingshan: Bed scenes?]

[Letian knows his fate: Scenes on the bed = bed scenes.]

[Fu Qingshan: Buzz off, buzz off, buzz off. How about you find another place to discuss? You think Song Er has nothing better to do than watch the group chat during the holidays?]

[Letian knows his fate: Song Er isn’t that sensitive, maybe he and Brother Lu also went to watch the movie.]

Song Mianfeng quietly glanced at the screen for a moment, only then did he take a picture of the movie ticket and post it in the group.

[Leisurely listening to the wind sleep: Image]

[Fu Qingshan: ……]

[Fu Qingshan: Good old Song Er, he’s gone crazy.]

[Letian knows his fate: Did I jinx it with my mouth? Every word I say is spot on…]

[Leisurely listening to the wind sleep: Watching the movie your boyfriend bought tickets for, even if you have to kneel, you have to finish watching.]

[Wu Director: What’s wrong with Lu Ge? Why would he go watch a movie about your ex?]

[Fu Qingshan: Brother Lu doesn’t know about your thing with Zhou Yang?]

[Leisurely listening to the wind sleep: He doesn’t know…]

[Leisurely listening to the wind sleep: The problem is, how do I tell him…]

The group fell silent for two minutes before a new reply appeared.

[Letian knows his fate: What do you want to say? That you were pursued by him back then? That after he won you over, he didn’t cherish you? Or that he cheated?]

[Letian knows his fate: These are all things from hundreds of years ago, do you still feel guilty for taking those few photos?]

[Leisurely listening to the wind sleep: ……]

[Wu Director: Tian’er, calm down.]

[Leisurely listening to the wind sleep: I know these things happened a long time ago, bringing up the past won’t make anyone happy, but I don’t want to hide it from him.]

[Letian knows his fate: Calm down my ass!]

[Letian knows his fate: Give me Brother Lu’s WeChat, I’ll talk to him.]

[Letian knows his fate: I have a quick temper.]

[Leisurely listening to the wind sleep: I’ll talk to him myself.]

[Letian knows his fate: You talk to him yourself, and you fucking take all the blame on yourself again!]

[Fu Qingshan: Just say what you want to say, tell the truth.]

[Wu Director: Once you’ve thought it through, just say it. Say what needs to be said, don’t take all the blame on yourself, it’s not all Zhou Yang’s fault either.]

[Leisurely listening to the wind sleep: I know.]