An Yi stood outside the sunroom, hesitating to go in.

He watched silently as Yan Chen finished watering the plants and then squatted in the corner, smoking a cigarette into an empty flower pot.

After finishing the cigarette, An Yi pushed open the door. The wind chimes tinkled crisply in the night, and Yan Chen suddenly turned around, his eyes still heavy with melancholy.

An Yi said, “I woke up and didn’t see you. What are you doing here?”

“I forgot that pot of orchids was thrown away, so I came to check.” Yan Chen saw that An Yi was dressed lightly and took his hand. “It’s too cold. Let’s go back to the bedroom.”

“It’s okay,” An Yi looked at the empty flowerpot and said, “We can buy flowers together tomorrow since we have time.”

Yan Chen nodded and then listened to An Yi saying, “After the New Year, I want to prepare for an exhibition. I might be busy, especially when firing ceramics. I’ll need to oversee the kiln personally.”

Yan Chen knew about this, but he didn’t understand why An Yi brought it up now.

“I’ve thought about it. Let’s leave Quiqui here,” An Yi sniffed and walked into Yan Chen’s arms. “I’ll come over to accompany it when I have time. If I’m not here, I’ll rely on you to take care of it, okay?”

Yan Chen hugged him, his voice somewhat unsteady as he agreed, “Of course, I’ll take good care of Quiqui.”

“Taking care of Quiqui properly requires taking care of yourself first,” An Yi looked up at him. “Can you do that?”

Yan Chen wanted to say “not really.”

He needed An Yi. He wanted to be able to hold and kiss him at all times. But he couldn’t say these words.

An Yi didn’t need to be plagued by any more insecurity, especially when it came from him. Starting over, Yan Chen didn’t want to be that selfish person again.

He could endure a little pain and discomfort.

So, he nodded and said, “I can.”

An Yi tiptoed to kiss his lips, with a tender seriousness in his eyes.

“I don’t want to move in immediately because I want to spend the Spring Festival in my house this year. It’s not about anything else; don’t overthink it.”

“I have my ceramics to make, and you have your company to run. We won’t always be stuck together, but I’ll think of you and miss you always. Eat three meals a day on time, and If you miss me when I’m not around, feel free to call, message, or video call me anytime.”

Yan Chen was deeply moved and blinked his eyes.

He knew this question was silly, but he still asked, “What if I want to hug you?”

An Yi said, “I’ll come to you as soon as possible,” he smiled, “You can also come to me, but it’s best not to delay work.”

Yan Chen hugged him tightly, nuzzling An Yi’s cheek with his head, sighing softly, “I don’t want to let go.”

“Then don’t,” An Yi hugged him back, “I like being held by you.”

Yan Chen carried him back to the bedroom. The night was cool as water, and the two cuddled together for warmth. This time, Yan Chen felt more reassured and fell asleep quickly.

An Yi closed his eyes, but the drawer full of pill bottles lingered in his mind.

He turned over and hugged Yan Chen’s waist, listening to his steady and strong heartbeat against his chest, gradually feeling sleepy.

The next morning, when Yan Chen woke up, the person in his arms was gone.

He felt dizzy as if weightless, and when he pulled back the covers and rushed to the bedroom door, he collided with An Yi.

“Awake? It seems I timed it just right,” An Yi was wearing his old home clothes and had tied an apron, he tiptoed to kiss Yan Chen’s chin, “Go wash up, then come downstairs for breakfast.”

Breakfast was sandwiches with fried eggs and milk, which Yan Chen quickly finished, saying, “Delicious.”

An Yi leaned on his hand, looking at him and smiled, “What do you want for lunch? After we buy the flowers later, we can go to the supermarket to buy groceries.”

Yan Chen looked at him brightly, “Will you cook?”

“Yeah, since school’s on break, and I don’t have much to do before the New Year,” An Yi said, “Let the housekeeper rest for a few days. I’ll cook.”

Yan Chen grabbed his hand, smiling, “Alright, I’ll tell her.”

After breakfast, the two changed clothes and drove to the flower and bird market, where they bought a pot of gentians, two pots of orchids, and a pair of yellow-hooded Amazons, suitable for the sunny conservatory that felt like spring all year round.

Back home with time still early, An Yi rolled up his sleeves to repot and change the soil for the flowers, while Yan Chen assisted.

As they walked out for a stroll in the sun, Quiqui stood on its hind legs, peering curiously into the conservatory through the glass, occasionally meowing.

An Yi laughed and said, “Don’t let Quiqui sneak in here, otherwise these flowers will definitely suffer.”

Yan Chen nodded and wiped away the sweat beads from his nose, asking, “Do you want some water?”

“No need, I’m almost done.”

While An Yi leveled the soil, Yan Chen watered it thoroughly, then took An Yi’s hand to the edge of the pool, slowly washing away the dirt from between his fingers.

An Yi had very beautiful hands, long and slender fingers with distinct joints. Under his fair skin, the blue veins were visible.

These hands were very suitable for being tied together with a tie or handcuffs, and then doing something naughty.

“What are you thinking? You’re spacing out,” An Yi turned off the water and scratched Yan Chen’s palm.

“Ah,” Yan Chen cleared his throat and said, “I was thinking of giving you something.”

“Hmm?”

Yan Chen took out a small square box from his pocket, surprising An Yi.

“When did you buy this?”

They had been together all day today, even holding hands to go to the bathroom. Yan Chen shouldn’t have had time to buy a gift.

“It’s been with me all the time.”

Yan Chen opened the box, revealing two rings.

The style of the engagement ring looked somewhat familiar, and An Yi thought for a moment, “This… Have you worn this before?”

He remembered seeing Yan Chen wear something on his finger when they met at the Jin Hai Art Bank in the spring. At the time, he thought Yan Chen had a new relationship.

“Yeah, I wore it.” Yan Chen said, then felt a bit pathetic about his actions, so he took it off later.

Yan Chen took out the slightly smaller ring, a platinum ring with blue diamonds embedded in it, covering the ring with stars.

“This is the main diamond from the necklace I gave you before. It was recut and set in the ring. I’ve been wanting to give it to you.”

An Yi exclaimed, remembering the brooch-style commemorative badge he received at the charity banquet, “Is the diamond on the badge also the same blue diamond?”

Yan Chen nodded, smiling lightly, “Luckily you accepted it. Does that count as cheating?”

An Yi laughed along, not saying whether it counted or not.

“Well…” Yan Chen pinched An Yi’s fingertip, “Let’s try the size.”

An Yi readily agreed, “Help me put it on.”

The other fingers closed, leaving only one finger outside.

Yan Chen’s eyes warmed up slightly because what An Yi left for him was the ring finger.

His heart was pounding fast, he looked solemn as he slipped the ring over that long and fair finger.

The size was just right.

The ring sparkled with a faint blue light in the sunlight.

“It’s so beautiful,” An Yi waved his hand and shook it at Yan Chen, “then I won’t be polite and accept it.”

As he spoke, he slid the other ring onto Yan Chen’s right hand, “It’s so beautiful, don’t take it off in the future.”

Because of this ring that An Yi personally put on him, Yan Chen kept raising his hand to look at it throughout the day, unable to suppress the smile at the corner of his mouth.

In the evening, An Yi made his favorite egg drop soup. Yan Chen was a bit proud and reckless, coaxing An Yi into squeezing against the floor-to-ceiling glass in the conservatory, fooling around several times.

The starlight scattered over their sweaty backs, wind chimes tinkling above their heads. The humid mist condensed on the glass in the greenhouse was eventually disturbed by the hands clasped together, wearing matching rings.

That night, the Phoenix Parrot, which had just moved into the conservatory and was about to sleep, was forced to learn two sentences.

One was “Baby”.

The other was “Yan Chen, slower…”.

An Yi stayed at the Villa for four days. He felt that if he stayed any longer, he would probably spend New Year’s Eve in bed, so he returned to Fengjia garden the day before New Year’s Eve.

Yan Chen originally wanted to send him back, but An Yi firmly refused — a man who had been celibate for five years and then suddenly opened up was too terrifying. He needed to take it slow, otherwise, it would just be changing the location of the bed, with no difference at all.

Coincidentally, Yan Heng called and asked Yan Chen to return to the old house for the New Year.

An Yi also asked Yan Chen to go back. It wasn’t proper to be absent all year round.

“Alright,” Yan Chen now listened to An Yi the most, “I’ll pick you up tomorrow afternoon, and we’ll go see Xiao Ya together.”

An Yi nodded, “Okay.”

Yan Chen dropped An Yi off at the street corner. Before getting out of the car, he kissed him on the back of his head for a long time before they finally said goodbye.

Back at the old house, before Yan Chen even entered, he heard his father pounding his cane and shouting, “Playing chess and making such a move, do you understand?! You’re sixty years old, how can you still do such things!”

Another hearty laughter followed, “Are your eyes getting old? I haven’t even made a move yet, why are you in such a hurry?”

Yan Chen walked in and saw two old men by the fish tank in the living room, basking in the sun and drinking tea while playing chess. He politely called out, “Uncle Qi.”

Qi Fangyuan looked over, took a sip from the teapot’s spout, raised an eyebrow, and said, “Xiao Chen is back! It’s not easy to see you since you’re such a busy man.”

Yan Jingwei snorted from his nose, “Busy.” Then he glanced behind Yan Chen, “Where is he?”

Yan Chen paused for a moment before realizing that his father was asking about An Yi. He said, “It’s just me.”

Yan Jingwei widened his eyes, and Qi Fangyuan also looked surprised, “Why didn’t you bring him back? I just wanted to take a good look at him. I’ve endured sitting with your dad and this stinking chess basket all afternoon.”

“Who’s enduring, you’re so bad at chess, it’s embarrassing.”

“I told you it’s your bad eyesight. Get a pair of reading glasses, my dear friend.”

The two of them bickering was normal. Yan Chen didn’t participate, nor did he want to listen.

He went downstairs to the wine cellar, planning to find a bottle of good wine to bring over for An Yi tomorrow. Passing by the entertainment room, he saw Qi Wenxing playing video games.

Yan Chen walked over, took off Qi Wenxing’s headphones, and got straight to the point, “Have the members of the preparation team been finalized? Bring Zhang Ming over from Jin Hai to Xichuan. His experience at the Art Bank is sufficient.”

“…Buddy, tomorrow is New Year’s, can we talk about work after the eighth day of the first lunar month?” Qi Wenxing rolled his eyes.

Yan Chen sat down beside him, picked up the controller. Qi Wenxing pulled up the game save from their last match, then remembered something and glanced at the door, “Where’s Teacher An? You didn’t bring him back?”

Yan Chen gave him back the eye roll, “Mind your own business. Want to play?”

“Sure, sure, sure,” Qi Wenxing said with a smile, “Did you not win him over yet? Honestly, I haven’t been impressed by anyone these years, but Teacher An really made me admire him. He seems gentle and harmless, easy to bully, but if you make him angry, it’s really hard to coax him.”

Yan Chen suddenly stood up, said nothing, and kicked Qi Wenxing’s chair.

Qi Wenxing looked up at him, “What’s wrong? Getting mad just because of a couple of honest words?”

Yan Chen lifted his chin, “Switch seats.”

Qi Wenxing looked puzzled, but he moved to sit on Yan Chen’s right side. Throughout the game, he was constantly distracted by the ring on Yan Chen’s ring finger.

Yan Chen won.

He gestured a victory sign and was about to poke Qi Wenxing’s eyes, “the dishes are ready.”

Qi Wenxing gritted his teeth, “Don’t make me smack you. You’re boasting again because you’re in love, huh?”

Yan Chen snorted, took out his phone and glanced at WeChat. He hadn’t received a reply from An Yi for the message he just sent. He rotated his ring, then sent An Yi a cute cat emoji with a question mark, typing: “Miss you.”

The housekeeper brought in a plate of pastries, fruits, and two glasses of sparkling wine.

Qi Wenxing chatted with Yan Chen while eating. When he remembered the day Qin Muye told him about their gathering at An Yi’s greenhouse for hotpot, he got excited.

“I’m at least your best buddy. I’ve met Teacher An a few times too. Why didn’t you invite me to join you? I missed the drama. It’s rare to have a meal with a table full of rivals.”

“Get lost,” Yan Chen said, “He only likes me.”

“If he likes you, why didn’t he come back with you?”

“You wouldn’t understand.”

Qi Wenxing snorted, stabbed a piece of cantaloupe into his mouth, and saw Yan Chen playing with his phone. He took out his phone too and glanced at it. Suddenly, he slapped his thigh, “Right, there’s something I should tell you.”

Unable to stand his sudden start, Yan Chen frowned, “Spit it out if you have something to say.”

“Do you remember Xu Jin?”

Qi Wenxing raised his eyebrows, “The guy you sent to prison a few years ago. My uncle mentioned a few days ago that because of his good behavior,  he was released on parole.”

Yan Chen’s brows furrowed tighter.

Xu Jin used to be the vice president of a subsidiary under the Yan Group. Later, he went solo and started his own business. It was said that the scale of his business was quite large, but he ran into difficulties with capital recovery, investing tens of millions. Two project leaders committed suicide by jumping off buildings, one of whom was An Yi’s father. Xu Jin failed to retrieve the money and resorted to daily harassment and threats against An Yi, who was still a high school student at the time.

Yan Chen had met Xu Jin before. He had a fierce look, always holding a cigar and using despicable means as jokes. Yan Chen had a very bad impression of him.

Later, after learning that the An family had sold their assets to fill the gap, and the Fengjia garden house was mortgaged to Xu Jin, who continued to harass An Yi and his sister all year round, Yan Chen investigated his company’s accounts and collected evidence of his repeated illegal dealings. In the end, Xu Jin was sentenced to ten years.

Under normal circumstances, he should be released from prison next summer.

Yan Chen’s face was cold, “Why didn’t you say it earlier.”

“I don’t remember this stuff,” Qi Wenxing shrugged, “It’s just that when we mentioned warming up Teacher An’s greenhouse earlier, I remembered it.”

Yan Chen asked again, “When was he released?”

“Uh,” Qi Wenxing tried to recall, “It should be recent, probably at the end of last month?”

Yan Chen glanced at his phone again. An Yi still hadn’t replied, a vague sense of unease creeping over him.

He stood up abruptly and walked out quickly. Qi Wenxing, startled by the sudden movement, asked anxiously, “Where are you going?”

“Stop talking nonsense, come with me.” Yan Chen called An Yi in the car, but no one answered.

Qi Wenxing jumped into the Grand Cherokee, seeing Yan Chen’s face didn’t look right, he asked worriedly, “What’s going on? Are you afraid Xu Jin will go find Teacher An? It can’t be.”

“I have to make sure he’s okay.”

Yan Chen stepped on the gas, and the Grand Cherokee roared into the sparse winter sunlight.

At first, Qi Wenxing thought Yan Chen was overreacting, but seeing that An Yi’s phone was still unanswered, he began to feel a bit nervous too.

After nearly ten years in prison, Xu Jin had likely become alienated from society and was out of touch with it. Considering his character, it was highly probable that he wouldn’t be the kind to quietly look for a job after getting out, especially approaching the New Year without money in hand, who knows what he might do.

Yan Chen remembered the day he escorted An Yi home and then a wave of panic set in.

He gripped the steering wheel tightly, turned on the hazard lights, and ran the red light. He drove straight to the entrance of Fengjia garden, got out of the car, and ran towards An Yi’s house. Qi Wenxing followed closely behind him, almost out of breath.

Night fell.

The two-story small western-style building of the An family was obscured in the darkness, with no lights on. Both the courtyard gate and the entrance door were closed, quiet as if no one lived there.

Yan Chen ran a short distance, then used the bricks on the exterior wall as leverage, easily leaping over the one-meter-high fence into the yard. The door was locked from the inside, and his attempt to enter using the electronic code failed. While he dialed An Yi’s number on his phone, he turned to Qi Wenxing, who was perched on the wall, and said, “Call the police.”

The faint sound of a ringing phone echoed inside the house.

Yan Chen circled around to the dining room side and looked through the glass window, seeing the phone screen lit up on the living room floor. But the first floor was empty, with no one around.

His face darkened, and he strode back to the porch, lifting the wrought-iron bench and walking back to the French window on the dining room side.

Qi Wenxing ran over, whispering, “What are you doing?”

Before he could finish speaking, Yan Chen had already lifted the chair and smashed it fiercely against the window.

The glass shattered with a crash, and Yan Chen’s arm was almost dislocated by the inertia from the bench. He pressed his slightly painful arm and grabbed two knives from the dining room, handing one to Qi Wenxing.

“You stay here and call An Yi. Don’t wander around. Just call him, and be careful.”

“Okay,” Qi Wenxing gripped the knife tightly, “But what about you?”

Yan Chen walked towards the staircase in the dark, “I’ll go find him.”

^[1]Author’s Note:

Changed into an action movie, so dog-blooded