Liang Zhen noticed that Shao Mingyin had an injury on his palm.

He reached out, intending to open Shao Mingyin’s palm to take a good look, but Shao Mingyin quickly pulled his hand back. Using his elbow to support himself on the bed, he stood up and walked to the balcony, apparently to collect the laundry.

After collecting the clothes, Shao Mingyin didn’t come back immediately. Instead, he leaned against the balcony door for a while, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. He ran his hand through his hair, and when he lowered his hand, he also noticed his palm. Most of the time, that part of his hand was facing inward, so even though he and Liang Zhen had shared many meals face-to-face, Liang Zhen had never noticed it.

But what was there to notice anyway? Whose right palm would have such deep scars? If Liang Zhen could see it, he would find that there were multiple scars there, with the longest and deepest one extending from the base of the thumb. Even though it had healed, the depth of the scar suggested that it had once caused considerable pain, even if it didn’t damage the tendons or bones.

Now, Shao Mingyin deeply regretted letting Liang Zhen touch that area, especially since he had done so voluntarily. If Liang Zhen asked about it later, he hadn’t even thought of an excuse.

He reached into his pocket, only to remember that he had quit smoking a long time ago. Unless someone offered, he would always say he didn’t smoke. But now, his suppressed craving for a cigarette suddenly surged. He remembered a time when he smoked heavily, filling his room with smoke. He didn’t feel stifled by the thick air; it actually made him feel more at ease. This feeling was quite similar to listening to Liang Zhen play the guitar and sing. The soothing effect of the music was comparable to nicotine.

Shao Mingyin knew Liang Zhen smoked. The first time they met, Liang Zhen had an aluminum beer can in his left hand, his right hand resting on the back of a chair with a cigarette between his fingers. When he heard a sound, he glanced towards the door where Shao Mingyin stood, his nonchalant expression unguarded. Shao Mingyin never had sympathy for anyone associated with drugs. However, back at the station, he learned that the young man was only nineteen. While waiting for the drug test results, Shao Mingyin was anxious, thinking it would be a shame if this unique young man had gotten involved with drugs.

Fortunately, it was a false alarm. After that, Liang Zhen frequently visited him. Initially, he carried a faint smell of smoke, but it gradually disappeared. His body now smelled clean, like soap and sunshine, fitting his student-like appearance.

So Shao Mingyin certainly wouldn’t ask Liang Zhen for a cigarette. Even if Liang Zhen had one, it might be a brand he couldn’t stand. Besides, smoking is bad for the throat. If Liang Zhen was considering quitting, Shao Mingyin wouldn’t bring it up.

He shook his head, wondering why he was thinking about this. Whether Liang Zhen smoked or not had nothing to do with him. He straightened up, but didn’t feel like going back inside immediately. Instead, Liang Zhen knocked on the glass, opened the door, and exaggeratedly shivered in the wind.

“It’s so cold,” Liang Zhen said, looking at Shao Mingyin, who was dressed lightly. “Why don’t you come inside?”

Shao Mingyin almost said “okay,” but the word got stuck in his throat. Liang Zhen probably wasn’t aware of it, but his tone made Shao Mingyin feel like Liang Zhen was the master of the house, or at least a part of it. Shao Mingyin felt that Liang Zhen was being presumptuous, but in reality, he couldn’t find fault in what Liang Zhen said; it sounded quite natural.

How could it not? November was almost over, and Liang Zhen had been coming over for one or two months. Shao Mingyin had never felt time pass so quickly. It seemed like he had only just met Liang Zhen yesterday, but today, Liang Zhen had his own slippers, cup, dishes, towel, and even a quilt. These weren’t things Shao Mingyin had given him; Liang Zhen had brought them each time he visited, never causing any trouble. Whenever he came, the TV’s HomeEasy shopping channel was never on again.

Initially, Liang Zhen stayed because of his thick skin, forcing his way into Shao Mingyin’s life. But now, his continued presence was due to Shao Mingyin’s tacit approval and indulgence. Liang Zhen was no longer an intruder; he had left his mark on the small apartment.

Bit by bit, his presence had seeped in unnoticed. If he suddenly stopped coming, Shao Mingyin, upon hearing the home shopping channel again, would surely remember the person who once played guitar and sang songs from his hometown.

Shao Mingyin went inside. He hung his uniform on the coat rack at the entrance, convenient for wearing the next day. Liang Zhen had already set up the camp bed, sitting upright with his back straight, watching Shao Mingyin’s every move like a loyal dog.

With nothing else to do, Shao Mingyin changed into his pajamas after washing up, ready to sleep. But Liang Zhen remained in the same posture, silently watching him. Shao Mingyin didn’t feel offended; instead, he felt special, as if he was being cared for.

As if he was important.

Shao Mingyin didn’t get into bed. Wearing slippers, he walked over to Liang Zhen. Liang Zhen looked up at him, and seeing the permission in his eyes, he took Shao Mingyin’s right hand, then lowered his head to examine the palm with old scars. Most had faded, but the deepest one was still rough and indelible, like a brand.

Just as Shao Mingyin had voluntarily kept Liang Zhen that first night, now he was showing Liang Zhen the place that had been well-hidden but truly hurt.

He waited. He wouldn’t tell the truth, but if Liang Zhen asked about the scars, he had an excuse ready. But Liang Zhen looked at it for a long time, so long that Shao Mingyin wanted to speak first. Then Liang Zhen chuckled softly.

Liang Zhen raised his head. Smiling always seemed a bit inappropriate in the face of trauma. Shao Mingyin felt awkward. He regretted having misjudged the situation today. He was about to withdraw his hand when he heard Liang Zhen speak.

Liang Zhen looked up at him and said, “Your hands are full of contradictions.”

In the next moment, Shao Mingyin fell into that gaze. In that instant, Liang Zhen’s fingers intertwined with his right hand fingers. Their fingers crossed, Liang Zhen’s left palm pressed against his right palm. Liang Zhen said, “Got it.”

Shao Mingyin’s fingers trembled slightly. They didn’t land on the back of Liang Zhen’s hand like Liang Zhen’s did, but they didn’t withdraw either. He felt the meridians in his fingertips pulsating, beat after beat, unsure if it was his or Liang Zhen’s.

Liang Zhen, as if empathizing, understanding, then released their fingers, holding Shao Mingyin’s hand with four fingers while lightly touching with his thumb. He asked, “Did it hurt a lot back then?”

Shao Mingyin wasn’t sure which ‘then’ he meant and mumbled, “Can’t remember.”

“Well…” Liang Zhen looked up again, “by doing this, are you sharing one of your secrets with me?”

“I haven’t told you anything yet.”

Liang Zhen didn’t press further. Both remained silent. Liang Zhen continued to hold Shao Mingyin’s right hand, not looking at the palm. Shao Mingyin’s hand was beautiful, with slender and fair fingers, round nails, and no calluses even on the middle finger from writing. Liang Zhen didn’t turn his palm over but continued holding it.

“If you want to tell me, you’ll tell me someday,” he said. “And you’ve already shown me. I…”

He hesitated. He couldn’t exactly say he was happy; after all, it was an injury. But the fact that Shao Mingyin would show it to him proved trust, and that made him happy.

Shao Mingyin withdrew his hand and resumed his usual expression, tapping Liang Zhen’s forehead with his index finger. Liang Zhen used the momentum to lie back on the army cot.

“How long have we known each other?” Shao Mingyin looked down at Liang Zhen lying there. “And you’re talking about ‘someday’ with me?”

“Hehe…” Liang Zhen chuckled, pretending to be shy as he rolled into the blanket. Shao Mingyin didn’t tease him further, turned off the light, and prepared to sleep. The room was now illuminated only by the moonlight seeping through the slightly open curtains. Shao Mingyin looked at the light and heard Liang Zhen call his name.

Shao Mingyin responded, “What’s up?”

“I feel like you’ve shown me your palm, so I should tell you one of my secrets.”

Shao Mingyin, as usual, retorted, “Who wants to hear your secrets? What secrets could a kid like you have?”

Liang Zhen…

Liang Zhen said, “You’re not listening! It’s super juicy! I’ve never told anyone before.”

Shao Mingyin twisted the corner of the blanket. “Alright, tell me then.”

“Then I’ll tell you.” Liang Zhen turned around to face him. “But you have to promise to keep it a secret.”

“I promise, it’ll be a secret.”

“Okay, so here it is. I wet the bed when I was seven.”

Regardless of its truth, hearing Liang Zhen say it, Shao Mingyin couldn’t hold back his laughter. He turned around in the darkness, facing Liang Zhen’s direction, and asked, “Really?”

“Of course, don’t tell anyone,” Liang Zhen insisted.

“I won’t,” Shao Mingyin said. “The heavens know, the earth knows, and now I know.” He wasn’t that curious, but Liang Zhen had always been honest with him. Whenever he asked, Liang Zhen would tell the truth.

“Why did you wet the bed at seven?”

“Because I watched a horror movie that night,” Liang Zhen lamented. “This habit still persists. Whenever I watch a horror movie, I always need to go to the bathroom at midnight, like a conditioned reflex. Of course, I’m not afraid anymore…”

Shao Mingyin interrupted, “You’re not afraid anymore?”

Liang Zhen muttered, “Well, if it’s really, really scary, I…”

“But that’s not the point,” Liang Zhen continued, “I actually really like your one-bedroom apartment. Unlike before in Lanzhou, where the rooms were big and scary, and I slept alone. Sometimes my parents didn’t come home for a whole week, leaving just me at home. At only seven years old, alone, just finished watching a horror movie, I’d be scared to go to the bathroom at night. Anyway, I was quite scared at that time. Wetting the bed was definitely less painful psychologically. My bed was big anyway, it didn’t affect anything. Twelve years old was the last time, and then it stopped.”

After listening to Liang Zhen’s secret, Shao Mingyin exclaimed, “Liang Zhen, I really need to get to know you again.”

“Oh, why do you need to get to know me again? But you can’t laugh at me!”

“I won’t laugh at you,” Shao Mingyin said. “You’re so cute. Why would I laugh at you?”

“What’s cute about wetting the bed? It’s embarrassing. But it’s all in the past. Although I told you, don’t mention it again.”

“Who’s going to…” Shao Mingyin’s voice trailed off, not saying the word “again”. He turned over, facing away from Liang Zhen. This time, Liang Zhen heard those three words, “go to sleep”.

He obediently said, “Oh,” but couldn’t help adding, “I’ll bring my accordion tomorrow.”

“You don’t even know how to…”

“Then I have no choice. I can learn drums and guitar in a couple of days and come over, but the accordion… maybe half a month?” Liang Zhen wasn’t sure. “Anyway, I’ll bring it over to practice. Otherwise, not seeing you for such a long time, I… I’ll definitely bring it tomorrow!”

“Tomorrow is Friday, don’t you have classes?”

“I don’t have classes on Fridays,” Liang Zhen explained. “I’m majoring in international trade. It’s a 2+2 program, and there are only a few of us from the third year left in Wenzhou. So I have very few classes.”

“Why don’t you go abroad?”

“I just feel… I feel like I can go abroad anytime. Senior year? Grad school? But there aren’t that many opportunities for music. I’m only nineteen. I’m nineteen now. I want to play music, I want to try again.”

“I want to try. I’ll bring my accordion tomorrow.”

Shao Mingyin didn’t say anything. Liang Zhen thought he didn’t want to talk to him anymore, so he closed his eyes. He always felt very sleepy once he touched the pillow, so he couldn’t be sure if the phrase “then bring it” was a hallucination born of expectation or if Shao Mingyin really said it.