The two cooked a bowl of noodles together, finished their meal, and An Yi was about to go to class.

“Can I sit in on your class?” Yan Chen asked.

“No, you can’t,” An Yi packed his notebook into his bag and checked the time. “You should go do whatever you need to do. I have class tonight too, so I’ll study in the library after it’s over.”

Yan Chen was clearly not very satisfied with his schedule.

They had just gotten back together, less than 24 hours ago, and Yan Chen was filled with a sense of unreality, afraid that this was just a dream after getting drunk. Ultimately, he wanted to spend more time with An Yi, drawing a sense of security from being with him.

But he also understood that the cracks between him and An Yi couldn’t be filled overnight.

It would take time.

An Yi said, “After this round of exams, I’ll have time.” Otherwise, if he failed, he wouldn’t feel at ease celebrating the Spring Festival this year.

Yan Chen nodded. “Then I’ll drive you to school.”

The car stopped in front of the Xichuan University Continuing Education College but didn’t enter.

An Yi got out of the car, bent down to wave at him, and habitually said, “I’m leaving.”

Yan Chen stiffened for a moment, his breathing reflexively stalling. He gritted his teeth and calmly said, “Okay, bye.”

Watching An Yi leave, Yan Chen leaned against the steering wheel, taking a deep breath, his back arching high.

For the past two years, the phrase “I’m leaving” had often appeared in his dreams, along with An Yi’s retreating figure, startling him with cold sweats and causing him a night of neuralgia.

He tightened his jaw, rolling up his sleeves to reveal the white bandage wrapped around his arm. An Yi had wrapped it himself, telling him not to do anything foolish in the future, and they had even shared a kiss.

As he fiddled with the edge of the bandage, the pain gradually subsided, but then there were two knocks on the door.

He looked up and met a pair of gentle, smiling eyes.

Yan Chen directly opened the door and got out of the car, walking past the front of the car to fiercely hug the person who had returned.

An Yi was stunned.

People were coming and going around them, many curious eyes sizing them up, and some even raised their phones.

But he didn’t care about any of that. He felt that Yan Chen was acting a bit strange.

“What’s wrong?” An Yi hugged him back, running his hand along the broad muscles of his back.

Yan Chen muttered in his ear, “Why did you come back?”

“It’s nothing,” An Yi said. “I just realized I hadn’t added your contact information yet, so let’s exchange contact details.”

Actually, An Yi could recite Yan Chen’s number by heart, but he still ran back, choosing to add it face to face.

He secretly treated this as a little ritual, a ceremony of their reconnection.

Yan Chen released the embrace and took out his phone, asking, “Can I message you anytime from now on?”

An Yi opened WeChat and pulled up the QR code. “You can call me too.”

After scanning and adding each other, and sending verification requests, An Yi smiled up at Yan Chen. “Okay, remember to accept it. I have to go now, I’m almost late.”

Yan Chen nodded and watched as An Yi hurriedly ran into the school with his bag.

Until An Yi’s figure disappeared, Yan Chen lowered his head to open his phone. An Yi’s WeChat profile picture was a yawning orange cat, his Moments were empty, and the background image was the system default.

Yan Chen changed his nickname to An An.

Two seconds later, he deleted it and changed it to Baby.

Yan Chen returned to the car, carefully composing a message to Baby: Have you reached the classroom?

An Yi quickly replied: Yes, I’m here. About to start class, you can go back first, take it easy on the road.

Yan Chen sent a simple “Okay” but felt it was too plain.

Opening Qi Wenxing’s chat box, he typed: Send me some emojis, don’t be stingy, make them cute.

Qi Wenxing replied: ? Got hacked, didn’t you?

Yan Chen: You should know that I’m in a relationship now.

Qi Wenxing: Huh???

Yan Chen: Yeah, An Yi is willing to start over with me.

Qi Wenxing: What the hell!!! Did you drug him? Or are you sleepwalking, bro?

Yan Chen: Get lost, but leave the emojis.

During the break between classes, An Yi received a picture of a cat offering flowers from Yan Chen, which didn’t seem like Yan Chen’s style at all. He confirmed it several times before replying with just one word: cute.

Yan Chen messaged him to ask when his class would end, saying he wanted to have dinner together.

An Yi told him not to wait.

He had exams the day after tomorrow and needed to study hard. After evening classes, he would go to the library to study until it was close to closing time, and then he would pack up and go home.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he stepped out, he saw Yan Chen standing below the steps, dressed in a black leather jacket with dark pants and boots, his broad shoulders and long legs very eye-catching.

“Didn’t I tell you not to wait?” An Yi hurried down the steps. “How long have you been waiting?”

“Not long,” Yan Chen took his backpack and handed him a paper bag. “My family’s nanny made some authentic ham mooncakes. They taste really good. I brought them for you to try.”

An Yi’s stomach happened to be a little hungry, so he took it and said thank you.

Yan Chen drove him home, and as soon as An Yi unfastened his seatbelt, his chin was suddenly lifted to the left, and at the same time, his vision dimmed, and Yan Chen’s breath approached, kissing his lips.

An Yi put his hands on Yan Chen’s shoulders, gently closing his eyes, allowing Yan Chen to kiss him.

In the gaps between kisses, Yan Chen softly called his name, and An Yi lightly hummed in response, eliciting even fiercer bites.

The car seat reclined, and An Yi lay back, with Yan Chen straddling the center console and pressing down on him.

With one hand, he lifted An Yi’s sweater, his palm tracing up along his slender waistline, lightly caressing his back.

At the same time, his other hand lifted An Yi’s chin, applying a bit of pressure.

An Yi was forced to tilt his neck up, his Adam’s apple trembling uneasily.

“Yan Chen…”

Before he could finish his sentence, his neck was gripped by a scorching hand.

An Yi bit his lip, his neck stretching, his chest rising, like a lamb about to be sacrificed. Yan Chen caressed his neck like a ruler surveying his domain, kissing his collarbone.

“No!”

An Yi murmured softly, his hands frantically grabbing Yan Chen’s black hair, trying to pull him away.

Yan Chen lifted his eyelids, his dark eyes quietly looking at him.

An Yi’s face flushed. “I… I have exams these two days, I can’t…”

Yan Chen remained unmoved. “But you’re teasing me.”

“…That’s still not okay.” An Yi lowered his sweater, his fingers gently rubbing Yan Chen’s hair, his voice even lower, “If you want, I can help you.”

Yan Chen leaned in again, fiercely kissing him.

Their lips and tongues fiercely rubbed against each other, and An Yi was kissed until he was almost out of breath, but his hands were forcefully held.

“I don’t want to either,” Yan Chen said hoarsely, “Let’s talk after you finish your exams.”

They lingered together for a long time before getting out of the car.

An Yi had no intention of asking Yan Chen to stay overnight, especially since they had almost crossed the line just now. He was afraid he wouldn’t be able to control himself, and sitting through a two-hour exam tomorrow would be a disaster.

Yan Chen held his hand and asked, “Can’t you come back to my villa with me?”

There were more bedrooms there, and An Yi didn’t mind sleeping separately from him. He could choose upstairs or downstairs as he pleased; he just wanted to be closer to him.

An Yi lowered his eyes and thought for a moment, but still refused, “This is my home, I can’t leave. Quiqui just came from Ling’an, and I can’t keep moving him around.”

For two people who had been apart for too long and were now back together, there were many aspects that needed adjustment. Sometimes, keeping a certain distance at moments like this was not a bad thing.

Yan Chen restrained himself and withdrew his hand, taking a step back. “Then I’ll come pick you up tomorrow morning.”

An Yi nodded. He took the initiative to peck Yan Chen’s cheek and bid him goodnight.

A light kiss like a dragonfly touching water, with a magical power, allowed Yan Chen to sleep soundly until morning.

Early the next morning, Yan Chen brought hot breakfast and sent An Yi to school.

They had planned to have lunch together at noon. Yan Chen provided the location for the restaurant.

Everything was arranged, but plans couldn’t keep up with changes. Yan Jin’s company had some issues with orders from their Austrian partners. Yan Chen had handled the contracts, translations, and negotiations personally, so he knew the details best. He was taken to the airport by Yan Jin, and the two of them flew directly to Vienna. Yan Chen only had time to leave a message for An Yi on WeChat.

When An Yi saw the message after finishing his exam, Yan Chen had already boarded the plane.

Finally, when the plane landed, the two of them connected via video call across half the globe. Yan Chen looked exhausted and tired.

“For how many days are you staying? Is the situation very tricky?” An Yi asked.

“I’ll know once I meet with the person in charge. I’ll be back as soon as possible,” Yan Chen said.

An Yi told him to focus on his work and assured him that he would concentrate on his exams.

Unexpectedly, when the exam week ended, An Yi couldn’t rest. Xie Nancang called him, saying that the old man had strained his waist while preparing glaze and was now bedridden, insisting on seeing him.

An Yi’s face changed drastically when he heard this, and he rushed back to Ling’an overnight.

Fortunately, the situation was not serious. However, Xie Fei Nian was getting older and still a bit careless. The doctor repeatedly reminded him to rest well during this period and not to exert himself.

While taking care of the old man, An Yi also took over the two porcelain sculptures Xie Fei Nian was working on. It was expected that he would stay for ten days to half a month. Qiuqiu was still in Xichuan with no one to take care of him, so Xie Nancang took a day off specifically to go and pick him up.

“I’ve bought cat food and canned food in Ling’an, and I’ve added a few more toys for it,” Xie Nancang said, carrying a bag downstairs.

“Okay.”

After checking the utilities, An Yi went out with the cat carrier and Xie Nancang. However, as they stepped out of the doorway, a faint smell of smoke wafted over. An Yi turned his head and saw Yan Chen leaning against the wall in a black coat, with a cigarette hanging from his mouth, already halfway burnt.

He looked weary and somewhat tired, with a hint of fatigue on his face. His shoulder-length black hair was disheveled by the cold wind.

It was obvious that he had just gotten off the plane and rushed over.

An Yi was slightly surprised, and a hint of joy flickered in his eyes. “Wasn’t it supposed to be the day after tomorrow that you’d come back?”

Yan Chen didn’t say anything with the cigarette in his mouth. His gaze first glanced past An Yi’s shoulder at Xie Nancang standing at the gate, then landed on the cat carrier by An Yi’s side.

The scene of An Yi leaving with Qiuqiu without a word, leaving behind a note saying “never to return,” and Yan Chen kneeling in the hallway, crying in pain and unbearable sorrow, was still vivid in his memory, as if it had just happened yesterday.

An Yi seemed to realize this too.

He walked over, took the cigarette almost flattened by Yan Chen’s bite from his mouth, and then took off the cat carrier, handing it to Yan Chen. “Take good care of Quiqui. I’ll be back before New Year’s Eve.”

Yan Chen blinked slowly, holding the weighty carrier in his hands, a sense of reassurance given to him by An Yi.

“Yeah, I’ll wait for you.”