After watching the movie, it was already past nine, but nobody wanted to go back; they all wanted to go sing karaoke.

Qi Wang didn’t want to go, but Yu Nian dragged him along.

Yu Nian forcibly pressed him onto the couch, shouting, “It’s rare for everyone to have a day off today. Let’s go out and have some fun. You’re not on the night shift today, so going back would just be sleeping. It’s better to stay.”

Qi Wang looked silently at the chaos in the private room: Xiao Gu and her friends were singing “Last Dance,” Chu Hejun and his friend were clapping along. In a twenty-square-meter room, it was as noisy as a marketplace.

He didn’t mind the noise.

As a part-time worker in a bar, he had heard all kinds of terrible music.

But he really didn’t like the hustle and bustle. Being dragged out to watch a movie by Yu Nian was already out of character for him. Now adding karaoke to the mix felt like being on a stolen boat.

He stared straight at Yu Nian, making Yu Nian feel guilty for a moment. Immediately, he picked up another drink and offered it to Qi Wang as an apology.

“I’m sorry, I won’t drag you here next time. Just for today, okay?” Yu Nian was very adaptable. “I haven’t spent much time with you, you know. I’ve been working for so long, and we’re the closest. I’ve been out with Xiao Gu and them several times, but never with you. I’ll feel sad when I think about it later.”

Yu Nian was a bit too straightforward. Saying “later” made him realize his mistake and he bit his tongue secretly.

Fortunately, it seemed that Qi Wang didn’t notice the flaw in his words.

But Qi Wang raised an eyebrow and asked him, “Are we the closest?”

The lights in the room were dim, but to create an atmosphere, there were colorful lights above their heads, and the screen switched to a love song, with the original singer’s voice husky, flowing slowly in the room.

Qi Wang was naturally handsome, with sharp features that tended to give off a distant, icy aura when not smiling.

But now that he had relaxed, his body wasn’t as tense as usual, his long legs crossed, and there was a hint of a smile in his eyes, casually looking at Yu Nian.

Those eyes were particularly beautiful.

Ink outlined thick black lines, his eyelashes were long. Blinking, they fluttered like butterfly wings, stirring up a small storm in whoever’s heart.

Yu Nian felt a jolt of electricity.

He was really uncontrollable.

He had this twisted sexual orientation, liking handsome guys like Qi Wang. It was a bit hard to resist when he looked at him like that.

“Why not?” He lowered his head, feeling a little lightheaded from the beer he had just drunk. He answered vaguely, “We’re colleagues and roommates. I’ve accompanied you to the clinic, you’ve picked me up after class. How can’t that be considered close?”

It was strange.

Clearly, at the restaurant, he had become closest to Xiao Gu and Chu Hejun.

But it was Qi Wang who made him feel the most at ease.

He also looked up at Qi Wang, his almond-shaped eyes looking particularly innocent when looking at people.

His answer seemed to amuse Qi Wang, who laughed.

Everyone else was clamoring, making a racket in the room.

Qi Wang took the drink from Yu Nian’s hand but didn’t drink it. He placed it on the table and picked up another beer.

“Kids drink soft drinks,” he said casually, rolling up his sleeves slightly. The tattoo that had caused their first conflict was partially revealed—a black heart with a tail, emitting a faint, eerie light. It looked particularly discordant with Qi Wang’s cold and calm face.

Qi Wang took a sip of beer, glanced at his watch, and said to Yu Nian, “You go sing with them. I’ll stay here. When you’re done, I’ll take you home.”

Home.

Yu Nian’s eyelashes trembled at the mention of this word.

He didn’t know why he felt a little happy.

He was about to say something when Xiao Gu waved the microphone at him and called out, “Yu Nian, what are you doing squatting there, growing mushrooms? Come over here.”

She was unusually enthusiastic today, even more active than usual. But she wasn’t very familiar with Qi Wang, so she didn’t dare to call out to him, just Yu Nian.

“It’s your turn to sing. Come on, come on.” She even added applause effects.

The room was filled with cheers, creating a thunderous atmosphere like a concert.

Yu Nian could only smile and stand up.

He took the microphone, and indeed, the screen switched to the song he had chosen: Johnny Stimson’s “Butterflies.”

He lightly hummed the intro.

The lyrics scrolled on the screen.

“Guess I’m going through a phase

Feeling kinda low

I never leave the house but I’m not home

Can’t tell if I’m awake

Or living in a dream”

As he sang, he kept looking at Qi Wang in the audience.

Last New Year’s Eve at school, he had performed a street dance and wasn’t nervous at all. He even boldly blew kisses to the audience, making the teachers in the front row laugh.

But under the gaze of Qi Wang’s eyes, clear as ink yet carrying a tantalizing warmth.

The sip of fruit wine he had, undeniably sweet, yet a bit intoxicating.

He felt as if he were treading on clouds, his voice becoming huskier and softer, as if laced with honey.

After finishing singing, Yu Nian came down, grabbed a glass of iced cola and drank half a bottle, feeling the warmth on his face dissipating slightly.

For the next two to three hours, everyone except Qi Wang took turns singing three or four songs each, until eventually no one had the energy to sing anymore and they simply sat together to play cards.

Only Chu Hejun couldn’t handle it anymore; having stayed up late last night and now being dragged out again, he had already exhausted his energy and lay down on the sofa, looking feeble, and was teased by Xiao Gu for a long time.

Qi Wang was also drawn into the card game, sitting next to Yu Nian.

Because Chu Hejun occupied most of the sofa, the remaining space was a bit cramped.

Xiao Gu and a few other girls naturally felt awkward about pushing and shoving, so the guys had to make room for themselves.

Yu Nian almost ended up sitting on Qi Wang’s lap; the space was too small, so he was swaying a bit and was supported by Qi Wang’s hand.

Qi Wang remained quiet throughout.

Compared to the rowdy crowd, he was as still as a mountain.

But leaning against Yu Nian, his breath sprayed onto Yu Nian’s ear.

Perhaps because of this, Yu Nian frequently lost at the card game.

The loser had to drink half a cup of beer.

In just twenty minutes, he had drunk three cups, and by the fourth cup, his face was flushed and his speech was sluggish.

Xiao Gu provocatively extended her hand, holding up two fingers, and asked him, “How many?”

Yu Nian slapped her hand away, grumbling, “Stop bullying me.”

But he actually couldn’t quite tell what it was; Xiao Gu appeared blurry to him.

He didn’t want to drink anymore and started to act stubborn, not caring who was next to him, and just leaned into them.

A group of people watched him as he hugged Qi Wang, burying his face in his arms, like an ostrich burying its head in the sand.

“I’m not drinking anymore.”

Yu Nian kept dodging while muttering, not knowing who he was talking to.

Xiao Gu and another girl reached out to pull him, teasing him as they did.

“Aren’t you asking for trouble? Still hiding in Qi Wang’s arms,” they didn’t dare pull too hard, afraid of hurting him, “Get up quickly, once you’ve finished drinking, we’ll disperse. A bet’s a bet.”

But a hand was placed horizontally on Yu Nian’s back.

Gently blocking their hands.

Following this hand upward, Qi Wang’s gaze remained clear.

“Don’t tease him,” Qi Wang protected Yu Nian with one hand, and with the other hand, he gestured to Xiao Gu with an open palm, “Give me the alcohol.”

Xiao Gu didn’t know what he was up to and subconsciously handed it over.

Qi Wang took it, drank it all in one go, and placed the glass on the table.

“Finished drinking, let’s disperse.”

He said.

Qi Wang suggested dispersing, and everyone was tired from playing, so they slowly packed up and left the KTV, preparing to go their separate ways.

Chu Hejun and his friend happened to be on the way, responsible for sending Xiao Gu and her friends back.

Naturally, Qi Wang went back with Yu Nian.

Having drunk alcohol, he couldn’t ride the motorcycle, so the two of them waited together for the late-night bus.

Thanks to the newly opened late-night route, their residence was also on this route.

There weren’t many passengers on the late-night bus. Besides Yu Nian and Qi Wang, there was only the driver.

The bus didn’t drive fast, and the whole city was quiet, completely different from the hustle and bustle of daytime, as if the rhythm had suddenly slowed down.

Qi Wang was originally looking out the window, and Yu Nian leaned on his shoulder, which he was used to.

But after a while, he felt his fingers being gently hooked.

Yu Nian was actually a bit half-drunk.

Just now at the KTV, he had drunk a bit too much, but when he came out and the wind blew, his brain seemed to clear up a bit.

He held Qi Wang’s finger, looking at the palm lines on Qi Wang’s hand, the slightly rough fingertips, as if curious, he also touched the scar on Qi Wang’s hand.

That touch felt a bit itchy, and Qi Wang’s fingers twitched slightly.

“What are you doing?” Qi Wang asked.

Yu Nian’s fingers lightly touched Qi Wang’s, the fingertips meeting.

What was he doing?

Yu Nian himself didn’t know; he was just instinctively drawing closer to Qi Wang.

He raised his eyes and glanced at Qi Wang, his gaze like water.

He whispered, “Tonight wasn’t so bad, was it?”

The gathering tonight was something he had dragged Qi Wang into.

Throughout the evening, Qi Wang remained mostly silent, but just now, when everyone sat down to play cards, he turned his head to watch Qi Wang calmly organizing the cards, and felt that perhaps Qi Wang didn’t dislike this night as much as he thought.

Yu Nian’s words were somewhat muddled, but Qi Wang still understood his meaning.

He didn’t immediately answer, blinking his eyelashes.

He remembered the chaotic singing from earlier, Chu Hejun and the boss taking turns shaking a bell, shaking it for whoever was singing, playing along with the atmosphere.

At first, he wasn’t very familiar with the people tonight, except for Yu Nian, no one talked to him, but by the end, everyone took a group photo and deliberately pulled him in.

In the photo, everyone was smiling except for him, although Yu Nian’s hand was stretched out next to him, giving him a thumbs up.

This experience was quite novel for him.

“Not bad,” he said.

“Not bad,” that meant not disliking it, Yu Nian thought, slowly smiling.

Hearing Yu Nian’s laughter, Qi Wang turned his head and met Yu Nian’s bright eyes.

Yu Nian seemed drunk and yet clear-headed, his long, thick eyelashes casting a small shadow on his face.

He heard Yu Nian say, “Actually, the reason I insisted on taking you out today is because I wanted to spend some time with you…”

The last two words were a bit blurry coming from Yu Nian, and Qi Wang didn’t catch them.

He leaned in slightly, his ear close to Yu Nian’s lips. “What did you say?”

“I said…” Yu Nian struggled to straighten his tongue, “I wanted to spend your birthday with you.”

Yu Nian said this sentence just as the bus was passing through a long street.

Both sides of the road were lined with towering trees, forming a canopy that covered the sky, and upon entering this area, the light from the street lamps became sparse, with the moonlight also obscured by the dense tree shadows, only a few scattered silver specks falling down.

The inside of the bus suddenly dimmed.

Yu Nian’s face became blurred, but his soft lips were still visible.

Qi Wang caught a faint peach scent, the fruit wine Yu Nian had been drinking before, carrying a lingering sweetness that almost dissipated, blending subtly into the air.

Along with his softly spoken words, they gradually dissipated into the air, like a drop of water merging into the ocean but causing waves to surge in Qi Wang’s heart.

It wasn’t until the moonlight flooded back into the bus that Qi Wang seemed to regain his voice.

Birthday.

He paused for a moment, then remembered that today was indeed the date on his ID card.

September twenty-third.

A very ordinary day in late autumn.

But there was no joy on his face; the moonlight resembled frost, falling on his eyebrows.

He calmly asked Yu Nian, “How did you know today is my birthday?”

Yu Nian felt a bit embarrassed.

He opened his lips, soft as peaches, the pink tip of his tongue hidden behind his white teeth.

“I secretly looked at your ID card,” he muttered softly, somewhat sober but still a bit intoxicated.

He looked up at Qi Wang, saying again, “Happy birthday.”

Happy birthday.

Qi Wang thought, when was the last time he heard those two words?

In fact, he had never heard them before.

Because this wasn’t his actual birth date.

That ID card.

That name.

Even he himself, were all just layers of disguise he had put on himself after wandering and drifting.

The reason his ID card showed 9.23 was simply because that was the day he got his ID card, nothing more.

But now, someone was saying “happy birthday” to him.

After saying this, Yu Nian fell silent for a while, then started rummaging in his backpack.

A few seconds later, he pulled out a gift box, black, tied with a silver ribbon.

On it was an English brand name often seen in the luxury sections of major fashion magazines.

Yu Nian had no intention of letting the recipient open the gift himself.

He opened the box in front of Qi Wang, revealing a soft, light gray cashmere scarf.

He draped the scarf around Qi Wang’s neck.

“This is your birthday gift,” Yu Nian said. Because he didn’t know how to tie a scarf, he put it on Qi Wang in a messy way, scratching his head and stuttering a bit as he explained to Qi Wang, “It’s almost winter, and you always just wear a coat. I thought you could use a scarf.”

After a moment’s thought, he added, “I took you out today because… I wanted to celebrate your birthday with you. But I didn’t tell them it was your birthday, just treated it as a regular gathering. Only I knew, so I secretly celebrated it for you.”

When Yu Nian mentioned the word “secretly,” a hint of mischief flashed in his eyes, like a child who had found hidden candy.

Since accidentally discovering Qi Wang’s birthday, he had been thinking about giving Qi Wang a surprise, even considering whether to order a cake and celebrate with the staff at the shop.

But because of some past experiences, he knew Qi Wang probably wouldn’t like that kind of scene, so he forcibly suppressed the idea.

He didn’t know if Qi Wang would like the gift he had chosen on his own initiative.

But he still wanted to give it.

“I didn’t know what you liked, so it took me a long time to choose this scarf. I thought it would at least be practical. Please don’t dislike it,” Yu Nian said.

Qi Wang raised his hand and touched the scarf around his neck.

The moment the scarf was put on, he suddenly felt a chill around his neck, as if he could feel a pair of hands tightening around his throat, squeezing tightly until he couldn’t breathe.

But it was just a moment, and soon he felt the warmth and softness of the cashmere.

He looked at Yu Nian with a complex expression, almost unreadable.

“Why did you want to celebrate my birthday?” he asked Yu Nian.

Yu Nian tilted his head, as if finding this question hard to understand.

What’s the reason?

He naturally replied, “Because we’re friends.”

He smiled at Qi Wang, the dimples on his face faintly visible, like the first time they met, instinctively showing kindness.

But there was a voice in his heart that contradicted this; it wasn’t right, how could they just be friends?

If they were just friends, why was his heart beating so fast right now, and his breathing becoming so constrained?

But he forcibly ignored it.

He raised his hand and straightened Qi Wang’s scarf.

Lowering his eyes, he said softly, “I don’t know what you think of me, but I really appreciate you. When I first left home and started working, you lived next door to me. Whenever I had a problem, you would come over to help me. You were afraid I would be bullied at my second part time job, so you followed me, and after, you would ride your motorcycle to take me home. I remember everything.”

He remembered very clearly.

Including every look Qi Wang cast his way, the rare smiles, and the umbrella held over his head on rainy days.

He said to Qi Wang, “Congratulations on turning twenty.”

Qi Wang still looked at Yu Nian with a complex expression.

Yu Nian always liked to say he was good, looking at him with bright eyes, like a well-raised little animal.

His survival skills were extremely weak, and he was naive and ignorant, unable to distinguish between carnivores and herbivores. As long as someone showed him a little kindness, he would stick around that person.

But in reality, he was just entrusted by Song Yunchun. At first, he was only taking care of Yu Nian to repay a favor.

But as he took care of him, something seemed to change imperceptibly.

Like at this moment, when he looked at Yu Nian, he would also have a kind of illusion, feeling that maybe he wasn’t inherently a bad person either.

There was someone in front of him who relied on him from the bottom of their heart.

After a long time, he reached out and rubbed Yu Nian’s head.

“Thank you,” he said softly.

Let’s just treat today as his birthday.

Let’s just do it.

This was originally just an ordinary day in his life, and someone like him had never felt worthy of celebrating a birthday. But now someone wished him a happy birthday, and this day seemed to have a slightly different meaning.