Over an hour later, Qi Wang’s car stopped at an open-air square.

Yu Nian had already drunk half of his pearl milk tea. He looked at the screen in front of him, chuckled softly, and asked Qi Wang, “Are we here to watch a drive-in movie?”

Qi Wang nodded and handed Yu Nian the popcorn he had just bought.

Yu Nian picked up a couple of pieces and popped them into his mouth. They were very sweet, with a caramel flavor.

He asked Qi Wang, “What movie are they showing today?”

“An old classic, ‘Titanic,’ is being re-released,” Qi Wang replied.

Yu Nian blinked.

He had watched this movie countless times, practically memorizing it, yet he still loved it.

Back then, he had watched it with Qi Wang. They sat together on the sofa, sharing the same blanket. Yu Nian was fidgety, not paying much attention, always playing with Qi Wang’s fingers and hair, only to be playfully bitten on the cheek by Qi Wang as a warning.

Yu Nian reclined his seat a bit, half-lying in the chair.

Since they were in the car, he munched on the popcorn without worrying about disturbing others.

Although it had been many years since Yu Nian and Qi Wang last watched Titanic together, Yu Nian could vividly recall every detail from back then.

He even remembered Qi Wang rejecting his confession, telling him that the first-class cabins and the bottom of the Titanic were entirely different worlds, and not everyone could be like Jack and Rose.

Thinking of this, his gaze shifted to Qi Wang’s face.

He chuckled softly. He thought, back then Qi Wang sounded so resolute, as if he had a heart of stone. But the next day, on the train to Jiangyang County, Qi Wang had fallen into his hands anyway.

The movie was three hours and fourteen minutes long.

Halfway through, people began to trickle down to the square for some stretching.

Yu Nian also opened the window for some fresh air for a while but soon closed it again.

In the movie, when Jack was drawing Rose, her beautiful, voluptuous body, with every strand of hair flawlessly perfect, and a large blue gemstone on her chest.

Yu Nian couldn’t help but smirk. Back in their rented room, he had forced Qi Wang to draw a quick sketch of him too.

At that time, they weren’t together yet, and he was already not very restrained, but he also didn’t want to scare Qi Wang, so he only took off half of his pajamas.

A deep red embroidered silk fabric piled at his waist, with deep blue bed sheets underneath.

His entire back was bare, glaringly white, staring straight at Qi Wang, like a fox spirit in human form, trying to seduce but appearing awkward and naive.

Yet, Qi Wang still fell for it.

Thinking of this, he glanced at Qi Wang, who was also looking at him.

Qi Wang’s eyelashes drooped slightly as he softly asked, “Do you still have the drawing I made for you back then?”

He didn’t specify, but both knew which drawing he meant.

Yu Nian chuckled, lazily saying, “Yes.”

“Where is it?”

Yu Nian’s smile widened, with a hint of teasing in his eyes.

“In the safe.”

Seeing Qi Wang’s subtle expression, Yu Nian spread his hands, “Really, you disappeared back then, and it hurt to look at it, so I locked it in the safe. If you don’t believe me, I can go back and show it to you.”

“…I believe you.”

Qi Wang leaned back to continue watching the movie, but the thought of Yu Nian’s response made him chuckle.

He turned to Yu Nian, who was still drinking his cold black sugar pearl milk tea and saying how delicious it was.

He suddenly asked, “If I want to paint you now, would you still be willing to be my model?”

Yu Nian sucked on a pearl, his cheeks slightly puffed.

He paused for two seconds, then glanced lightly at Qi Wang.

“It depends on how you pay.”

Qi Wang perked up, listening attentively.

“Just a normal pose, I won’t charge you. But if it’s like Rose…”

Yu Nian’s lips curved up, his eyes mischievous. He beckoned Qi Wang over.

Qi Wang leaned in curiously.

Yu Nian’s lips brushed against Qi Wang’s ear, and he whispered a few words with his breath, the warm air tickling Qi Wang’s ear, sending shivers down his spine.

Qi Wang was taken aback for a moment, meeting Yu Nian’s eyes. Yu Nian’s fair face even seemed to blush slightly.

But he quickly chuckled softly, “Okay.”

His eagerness surprised Yu Nian, who raised an eyebrow, scrutinizing him for a moment before poking his waist and murmuring, “I didn’t know you were so eager. You’re quite… sultry.”

Qi Wang continued to smile.

“As long as it’s your request, I’m willing.”

Yu Nian hmphed lightly, as if indifferent, but there was a hint of a smile in his eyes.

Back from the drive-in theater, a month flew by in the blink of an eye.

During this month, Qi Wang directly moved into Yu Nian’s apartment, and Yu Nian even allocated a study room for him to use as a painting studio.

On the day of the move, Yu Nian was shocked to discover that Qi Wang also lived in the same community, just in Building 12, while Yu Nian lived in Building 11.

When Yu Nian found out, his expression was quite subtle. He asked Qi Wang, “Did you deliberately buy here?”

Qi Wang was unpacking a packaged painting, not hiding anything. He simply replied with an affirmative sound, “Hmm.”

“When did you buy it?”

“Over half a year ago. Because I knew you lived here, so I deliberately bought it,” Qi Wang said, “But after buying it, I didn’t live here often.”

Yu Nian scoffed.

Well, he didn’t often live there because he was staying with Yu Nian now.

He rested his head on his arm.

He thought of that scene: him jogging in the morning or taking a stroll at night, stopping by Qi Wang’s window, meeting the gaze of an old lover through a windowpane.

It would make for a cliché beginning to a love story.

He asked Qi Wang, “If I pass by your window, would you invite me in for coffee?”

Qi Wang closed the box containing his brushes and looked up, “Yes, if you accept my invitation, I’ll be waiting by the window every day.”

Yu Nian chuckled lightly.

After finishing the move, Qi Wang contacted Song Yunchun, Chu Hejun, and Xiao Gu, asking if they had time to meet up.

Xiao Gu and Chu Hejun had been married for several years now. They took over the breakfast restaurant left by Song Yunchun and still ran it as a family business.

But at this time, Xiao Gu and Chu Hejun were studying abroad for a month.

When Xiao Gu heard Yu Nian’s voice, she almost burst into tears.

“Where have you been?” Even though she was an independent and capable boss, she cried like she did when she was in her twenties, still casually tying her hair into a bun and wearing black-framed glasses. She couldn’t stop crying.

Yu Nian could only apologize repeatedly, soothing her kindly.

Qi Wang wasn’t very familiar with Xiao Gu and Chu Hejun, but seeing his former colleagues still felt familiar.

Finally, they settled on meeting in April, coinciding with Song Yunchun’s return from France with her daughter, and Xiao Gu and Chu Hejun’s completion of their studies.

In a video call, Xiao Gu flexed her muscles to Yu Nian, “I’m a chef now, show me some respect. I’m a skilled chef in both Chinese and Western cuisine. When you come, I’ll impress you.”

Yu Nian chuckled helplessly, nodding repeatedly.

Although the breakfast reunion was postponed, another gathering was scheduled.

On the way to the restaurant with Qi Wang, Yu Nian hesitated.

“Maybe we shouldn’t go,” he said, covering his face with one hand, feeling his long-suppressed stomach ailment acting up. “I can imagine the looks I’ll get from Ying Quanshen and Zhang Yunyao. What is this, the Feast at Hongmen?”

His family knew about his relationship with Qi Wang, but out of some inexplicable guilt, he hadn’t informed his two best friends, Ying Quanshen and Zhang Yunyao, who were closer than brothers.

Especially Ying Quanshen, who was abroad now and probably wouldn’t care about Yu Nian’s domestic affairs.

But being so publicly involved with Qi Wang, with his “flirtatious” reputation and Qi Wang being openly gay in their circle, gossip naturally spread. And with Yu Nian’s siblings seemingly tacit approval, the word got to Ying Quanshen’s ears somehow.

Then one morning, Yu Nian was still lying in bed, chatting with Qi Wang about work and exchanging sweet nothings, when suddenly Ying Quanshen’s call rang like the ominous toll of midnight.

More terrifying than a death knell.

To this day, Yu Nian didn’t want to recall being scolded by Ying Quanshen for half an hour, being told off for his reckless behavior, and being interrogated about why he hadn’t informed them about such a major event. Did he want to end their friendship?!

Yu Nian felt like he hadn’t been so submissive since he became an adult, unable to lift his head under the barrage of scolding.

By the time he came to his senses, he had already agreed to a series of unfair treaties, promising to have dinner with Qi Wang and them.

Thinking of this, Yu Nian pressed his stomach and felt he should take two stomach pills before leaving.