Qi Wang hung up the phone and stayed in the living room for a long time.

The house was very quiet, with a slight breeze coming in through the window, gently lifting the off-white embroidered curtains.

He remembered when Yu Nian had just let him listen to the sound of the waves and showed him the small seashell he had found, standing barefoot in the seawater. The night light fell on Yu Nian’s face, making his features particularly gentle.

He felt a sense of calm happiness from the bottom of his heart. Even though they were thousands of miles apart, when he looked at Yu Nian through the screen, he almost had the illusion that he could touch Yu Nian’s face with his hand.

But as soon as the call ended, he sat alone in the deserted living room, and that little bit of happiness was like a fleeting spark, disappearing in an instant, leaving only endless loneliness.

This inevitably made him feel melancholy.

Qi Wang glanced down at the clock. It was eight thirty in Paris now. Zeng Nanyue had gone out to drink with friends tonight and probably wouldn’t be back too early.

He stood up from the sofa, preparing to fry some lamb chops for dinner casually. However, as soon as he stepped out of the living room, he bumped into Zeng Nanyue coming down the stairs from the corner.

When their eyes met, Zeng Nanyue chuckled in a strange manner.

“Finished already?” Zeng Nanyue stood on the stairs, teasing, “It’s rare to see you so engaged in chatting about personal matters for so long.”

The word “personal matters” was drawn out, carrying an obvious hint of teasing.

Qi Wang immediately understood that Zeng Nanyue must have come back earlier and overheard fragments of his conversation with Yu Nian.

Facing Zeng Nanyue, he didn’t have any intention to hide. He raised the corners of his mouth slightly, not denying but saying, “Would you like to join for dinner? I’m preparing fried lamb chops.”

Over an hour later, Zeng Nanyue and Qi Wang sat together at the high table in the dining room, each with a small rack of lamb, a salad, and a bottle of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

Zeng Nanyue took a sip of red wine. That night, he had clearly consumed too much alcohol, but his gaze remained clear, with just a slight flush on his face.

He smiled as he looked at Qi Wang, like a gossiping parent peeking into his teenage son’s love affair, and he slapped Qi Wang’s shoulder playfully.

“Come on, tell me, who did you just call on the phone?” His tone even carried a hint of coaxing. “During your return to China this time, did you meet someone special?”

Qi Wang felt a bit sore from the pat on his shoulder and glanced at Zeng Nanyue in silence.

This mentor of his was good in every aspect except for being a bit too nosy. He had none of the aloofness expected of an artist; instead, he was lively, passionate, and flirtatious, truly a libertine who could have numerous lovers.

Qi Wang calmly took a bite of his salad, not intending to hide anything from Zeng Nanyue, but he didn’t know how to broach the topic at the moment.

Zeng Nanyue had shown concern about his romantic life before, even suspecting whether he had been heartbroken and emotionally scarred, which had led him to remain single all this time.

But Qi Wang always avoided the topic.

Yu Nian was like a piece of fluorescent stone hidden in his past, rooted deep in his heart. He didn’t dare to reveal it easily because it could easily touch upon blurry wounds of the past.

But now he had reunited with Yu Nian.

Even though Yu Nian hadn’t fully accepted him yet, the moment Yu Nian turned back and smiled at him, he could clearly hear the slow healing of the wounds in his heart.

That hidden fluorescent stone seemed to have received the nourishment of spring rain, gradually turning into a seed, ready to bloom into flowers in the coming years.

So he didn’t avoid mentioning Yu Nian to Zeng Nanyue now.

However, his entanglement with Yu Nian ran too deep. Seven or eight years of separation, with pain and love intertwined, made it difficult for him to speak at the moment.

He could only say, “I didn’t meet someone in China; instead, I reunited with someone I’ve loved for many years. I came back to China this time with a selfish motive, wanting to see him.”

He paused for a moment, his eyes showing tenderness. “Originally, I just wanted to see him once, but people are always greedy. Later, many things happened, and I ended up being with him again. However, he hasn’t fully accepted me yet, so now I’m pursuing him.”

Surprise flashed across Zeng Nanyue’s face.

This was the first time he had heard Qi Wang admit to him that he had a long-lasting love in his heart.

Qi Wang had been his student for seven years, and he had actually guessed it a long time ago. If Qi Wang didn’t have someone in his heart, how could he remain steadfast like a rock and be as unyielding as perennial snow?

So although he occasionally teased Qi Wang for not being sentimental, he never really asked seriously—after all, everyone had their untellable stories.

But now that Qi Wang had spoken out by himself, his expression became complex and solemn.

He gently shook the wine glass in his hand and suddenly asked, “The person you mentioned, is it the boy you always kept hidden in that book ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’?”

Qi Wang was momentarily stunned but then admitted it.

“Yes.”

Zeng Nanyue remained silent for a long time. He had never seen the photo that Qi Wang carefully hid, but he had seen Qi Wang’s expression when he looked at the photo.

The first and second time, he smiled inwardly, thinking that young people were indeed naive, always thinking that love would last forever, even if they were separated, they would still feel melancholy.

But as time went by, he gradually understood that no matter who was hidden in the book, it was a past deeply etched into Qi Wang’s heart, not fading away with time.

He sighed lightly, giving up the idea of further questioning. His emotions changed several times, but in the end, he only smiled with emotion, looking at Qi Wang.

He was usually not serious, and even in old age, he remained a carefree gentleman, always playing around and being worldly-wise.

But now he seemed like a kind and loving father.

He gently patted Qi Wang’s shoulder. “Well, that’s good. I’m happy for you. Pursuing the one you love is itself a romantic journey.”

Since Qi Wang came to his side, he had hardly seen him so bright and spirited.

For a moment, he even felt a bit sentimental, but he maintained a smile on his face.

He said, “Your parents must also be very pleased.”

At the mention of parents, Qi Wang’s expression softened slightly.

He had only seen his parents’ faces in photos and videos so far, but that didn’t prevent him from feeling close to them. Deep down, he felt a sense of belonging.

He smiled at Zeng Nanyue. “I’ll try to let you meet him one day, but not now. I’m afraid of scaring him away.”

Zeng Nanyue laughed heartily.

“Okay,” he was genuinely happy but also a bit worried. He patted Qi Wang’s shoulder again. “Do you want me to teach you some skills for pursuing someone? You haven’t had many romantic relationships, you know. Do you know how to win someone’s heart?”

Qi Wang leaned back in his chair, resting his arm on the table.

He recalled the shabby little apartment many years ago, the rattling cart passing through the water pine forest in Jiangyang County, Yu Nian’s heart-wrenching confession, and the once penniless and indifferent self.

He shook his head and said to Zeng Nanyue, “I’ve never been a likable person, especially not when I was twenty. But he was strange back then; he liked me as if he were enchanted.”

He looked at the wine glass in his hand. “Now it’s my turn to pursue him, but I still don’t have any skills. I just hope that in the future, whenever he needs me, I’ll be there for him.”

Zeng Nanyue laughed again. He vaguely recalled that someone had said something similar to him before, but in the end, he lost that person.

He raised his wine glass and lightly clinked it with Qi Wang’s.

“Then, I wish you success. As an elder, I’ll start preparing the meeting gift from now on. Don’t disappoint me.”

“Okay.”

---

On a warm island, Yu Xinli and Pei Zhao watched Yu Nian, who was engrossed in chatting at the breakfast table, with a hint of concern in their hearts.

In the past few days, they had also noticed that something was wrong with him.

When Yu Nian received calls or videos from Qi Wang, he didn’t deliberately avoid them.

Although they didn’t intend to eavesdrop, they occasionally caught a word or two of their conversations. It definitely wasn’t the interaction between friends, because Yu Nian hadn’t been clingy like this since his teenage years.

Last night, Yu Xinli asked Pei Zhao whether Yu Nian had suddenly changed his ways and started dating someone.

Pei Zhao couldn’t say for sure. He felt both hopeful and hesitant.

Now, seeing Yu Nian’s fingers flying across his phone, although they wanted to ask, words danced on the tips of their tongues, and they hesitated to speak.

“Forget it,” Pei Zhao whispered to comfort Yu Xinli after breakfast. “If there’s really something going on with him, let him tell us himself. Being too concerned might backfire.”

Yu Xinli sighed lightly, understanding his point. She nodded and refrained from speculating further.

In the end, it was Yu Nian who broke the ice himself.

After he visited Jiyun Temple.

The three of them only stayed on the island until the third day of the lunar new year and then flew back home on the fourth day.

Yu Xinli had to return to work, and Pei Zhao had to visit relatives and friends.

Yu Nian had no social obligations, but he also didn’t attend any gatherings with friends.

On the morning of the fourth day of the lunar new year, he climbed Mount Lishan in City A. Step by step, he walked through layers of gray-green steps covered with fallen leaves and arrived at Jiyun Temple.

Jiyun Temple was a local temple in City A, not particularly popular, frequented mostly by locals, with few tourists.

When Yu Nian was young, he was often sickly. The monk of the temple had once given him a consecrated jade button to wear on his wrist.

After that, Yu Nian’s health improved somewhat. However, as a staunch materialist, he wasn’t interested in matters of the divine. While Yu Xinli and Pei Zhao occasionally visited the temple, he always found excuses to skip it.

However, since he turned nineteen, he had made an unwavering annual pilgrimage on the fourth day of the lunar new year, avoiding the crowds and respectfully greeting the monk before offering incense in front of the Buddha statue.

He never told anyone what wishes he made.

Every time, he would avoid Yu Xinli and Pei Zhao, go alone, and donate generously to clear the temple for fifteen minutes.

He harbored a subtle mix of selfishness and devotion. If there were truly divine beings in this world, he hoped they would allow him this moment of selfishness.

During this brief moment, he wished for the safety and happiness of Qi Wang.

It felt like a long wait.

A wait he once thought would never end.

But fortunately, he finally got his wish.

Yu Nian’s eyes welled up with tears. He regained his composure and bowed respectfully to the monk. “Thank you for your care over the years.”

The monk smiled gently, his eyes on Yu Nian, no different from how he looked at the young monks in the temple, full of kindness and warmth.

Yu Nian looked at the green stone bricks under his feet, nodding slightly. “Yes, my wish has been fulfilled.”

Since he was nineteen, he had made the same wish every year.

He wished for Qi Wang’s safety.

He wished for Qi Wang to come back and see him.

Even during the time when he hated Qi Wang the most, he still wished for Qi Wang’s safety and happiness. Even though he dreamed of Qi Wang causing him heartache, he still appeared faithfully outside Jiyun Temple every fourth day of the lunar new year, harboring resentment but sincerely praying for Qi Wang’s lifelong peace and joy.

At that time, he felt the wait was endless.

But fortunately, he finally made it.

Yu Nian’s eyes warmed up, and he returned his attention to the monk. “Thank you for your care over the years.”

The monk smiled and returned the gesture. “Congratulations on your wish being fulfilled, young friend.”

Then, Yu Nian followed the same path he came, step by step down the mountain.

Every year, he felt that this stretch of road was very steep. But this time, for some reason, he felt that the journey was much lighter.

When he returned home, Yu Xinli and Pei Zhao were both there.

He took off his coat and scarf, accepted the hot tea brought by the servant, and shook off the chill.

Sitting down on the sofa, Yu Xinli and Pei Zhao were still chatting, talking about a classmate gathering Pei Zhao attended.

Taking a sip of his tea, Yu Nian calmly said, “Excuse me for a moment, I have something to say.”

Yu Xinli and Pei Zhao stopped and turned to look at him.

“What is it?” Pei Zhao still smiled, unaware of the explosive news awaiting them.

Yu Nian held the glass tea cup, his fingers slightly reddened from the heat.

He casually dropped a bombshell.

“I’ve been with Qi Wang recently.”