Back in the rented apartment, after Yu Nian sent Qi Wang into the bedroom, he was originally planning to turn around and leave.

He had already taken Qi Wang to the clinic, fulfilling his duty as a friend, but when he saw Qi Wang sitting on the sofa, his shoulders bandaged, his face pale but with a slight blush on his cheeks, he hesitated again.

He bent down, his hand brushing against Qi Wang’s forehead.

Qi Wang furrowed his brows, the lines of his jaw tensing, subconsciously leaning back, clearly showing a defensive posture.

Yu Nian was displeased.

He glared at Qi Wang irritably. “What are you retreating for? I’m just checking if you have a fever.”

He pursed his lips, still a bit annoyed, muttering, “Who would willingly touch you.”

He could tell that Qi Wang was a prickly character.

But even though he said that, he couldn’t really ignore him. With a sullen face, he rummaged through the medicine bag nearby for a thermometer and medication.

The doctor had just advised him to check if Qi Wang had a fever due to infection in the wound.

He had to take his temperature to know how high the fever was.

Qi Wang looked at Yu Nian’s slightly angry profile and also realized that he had overreacted.

His body slowly relaxed.

“Sorry,” he said softly, “I didn’t mean anything else, just not used to being too close to people.”

He wasn’t rejecting Yu Nian; it was just a reflexive resistance to sudden closeness.

Yu Nian snorted, reluctantly accepting it, not happy to really confront Qi Wang.

He studied the instructions for the medication, then bent down again and took out the late-night snack from the microwave.

It was the takeout he had ordered earlier. After heating it up, he took two small bowls from Qi Wang’s place, one white and one blue, and divided the pork congee with preserved egg into these two bowls.

He placed one of the bowls in front of Qi Wang, along with two plates of shrimp dumplings and rice noodle rolls.

“You make do with this,” he said to Qi Wang, “This was originally my late-night snack. I checked; your medicine isn’t suitable on an empty stomach, so just eat something for now and take the medicine later.”

As he spoke, he sat down at the small table beside Qi Wang, picked up the chopsticks provided with the takeout, broke them in half, and yawned.

After all the trouble, he was really tired and hungry now.

But Qi Wang didn’t move. He looked at the green bowl in front of him, thoughtful.

Misunderstanding Qi Wang’s intention due to his gaze, Yu Nian raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong? Can’t I use your table to eat my late-night snack?”

If it was really like that, he would flip the table.

He had been working hard until midnight.

If Qi Wang couldn’t even tolerate this, then he truly had a heart of stone. Yu Nian gritted his teeth, his expression becoming increasingly unfriendly.

But Qi Wang shook his head.

“I didn’t mean that.”

He looked at Yu Nian calmly. Although they were only a year apart, they didn’t look like it. Yu Nian wasn’t tall, with a fair and soft face, always sunny when he smiled, and likable. His clear and lively eyes looked a bit delicate, giving off a sense of being indulged at home.

Their interactions had never been pleasant, and he could even sense Yu Nian’s hostility towards him.

But paradoxically, Yu Nian had taken the initiative to lend him a helping hand, reluctantly willing to take care of him.

It was strange.

He said softly, “I thought you should hate me.”

Yu Nian was stunned by the question. Qi Wang only said half of what he meant, but Yu Nian understood Qi Wang’s meaning.

The shrimp dumpling on his chopsticks fell off as he brought it to his mouth.

He pulled back the chopsticks, lowered his eyes, and didn’t deny it. He muttered softly, “I do find you a bit annoying.”

But then he looked up at Qi Wang. “But we don’t have any deep-seated grudges. Being neighbors could be considered fate. Since you’re injured, I can’t just stand by and watch you suffer.”

Anyway, he couldn’t do something like that.

Not to mention Qi Wang.

Even those high school scumbags who had targeted him back then wouldn’t be ignored by him—although he would only call for an ambulance at most, not personally intervene.

He retorted to Qi Wang, “What about you? Would you just leave me there?”

Qi Wang hesitated for a moment before saying, “I wouldn’t do that.”

He didn’t really dislike Yu Nian.

He had been harsh to Yu Nian that day just because he happened to touch his sore spot.

After saying this, the tense atmosphere between them relaxed a bit. There wasn’t much lingering resentment, and once they opened up, it passed.

They shared Yu Nian’s late-night snack, and Yu Nian took the medicine as instructed by the doctor, handing it to Qi Wang along with hot water.

Qi Wang was the most impatient when it came to taking medicine, but under Yu Nian’s gaze, he obediently took it.

While he took his medicine, Yu Nian sat opposite him, holding a blanket.

His gaze fell on Qi Wang’s arm.

Qi Wang had changed his clothes after returning, wearing short-sleeved pajamas, exposing his heavily scarred left arm.

He didn’t want to look.

But the presence of that arm was too strong, including the black heart tattoo on it.

Qi Wang noticed and raised his arm, calmly asking Yu Nian, “Does it make you uncomfortable to look? Do you want me to change into long sleeves?”

His tone was very calm, not considering it as an offense against himself.

Yu Nian shook his head quickly.

After hesitating for a moment, he said, “I just want to reiterate that day, I really didn’t mean to grab your sleeve on purpose. I really thought there was a bug crawling on your arm and wanted to help you get rid of it.”

When he went to apologize that time, he also said this to Qi Wang.

But Qi Wang only replied with a “I know,” and he couldn’t tell if it was sincere or not.

And this time, Qi Wang also said, “I know.”

But he finally felt relieved.

Yu Nian stood up from the floor, glanced at the time, it was already past three o’clock, if he didn’t go back now, it would be dawn soon.

“Alright, I should go back too, don’t want to disturb your rest,” he yawned, “I’m just next door, so if you need anything, just call me.”

With that, he was about to leave.

But as he took two steps out, his arm was grabbed.

He turned around.

Qi Wang was sitting on the floor with his legs crossed. Because of the injury, he seemed paler and thinner than usual, but his eyes were still as deep and cold as a pool under a cliff.

Qi Wang said, “I should also apologize to you for that day. I had some things going on at that time, so I was in a bad mood, even more unpleasant than usual.”

He also knew that his usual personality was not very approachable.

That day, he was even more unpleasant.

He slowed down his voice and added, “Thank you tonight.”

Yu Nian’s fingers twitched slightly.

Strange.

Not only did he receive thanks from Qi Wang, but also an apology.

The room was dimly lit, with only a desk lamp on, but the moonlight flowed in like water from the window.

Qi Wang sat in this moonlight, looking up at him, his face flawless, with distinct features and extraordinary beauty, from his forehead to his nose, like a masterpiece sculpted by an artist.

His fingers held Yu Nian’s wrist, the force was light, but the touch on the skin slowly warmed up.

Yu Nian couldn’t explain why, but for a moment, his heartbeat was a bit chaotic.

He withdrew his hand from Qi Wang’s grip, feeling a bit at a loss, “There’s nothing to thank me for, it’s not a big deal.”

“Now that it’s all out in the open, let’s forget about what happened before, and let’s still be good colleagues in the future. As for you, with such a big injury, remember to ask the boss for compensation for missed work.”

As he spoke, he quickly got up, looking a bit flustered now, compared to his confrontational stance with Qi Wang earlier, now he seemed a bit awkward, and he rushed out.

The door slammed shut, and Qi Wang couldn’t help but chuckle lightly.

After a few messy footsteps, there was a sound from the next room, the sound of opening a password lock.

After the heavy closing of the door, the world seemed to return to quietness.

He still sat on the sofa, looking at the scattered pills and the clinic’s payment receipt in front of him.

With Yu Nian gone, although only one person was missing, this room immediately returned to its usual desolation and coldness, as if all the liveliness had disappeared with Yu Nian. This small room suddenly became quiet and empty.

Qi Wang stared at the wallpaper in front of him, not knowing what he was thinking. After a while, he got up and put away the blanket Yu Nian had just covered him with.

---

The next day, although his back was injured, Qi Wang woke up feeling fine and went to work as usual.

When he went to the clinic to have his wound re-stitched, the doctor helped him bandage it, and his shirt collar was wide open, making it easy to see during his movements.

The head chef, Shao Wanli, noticed it first. She was quite familiar with Qi Wang, and she exclaimed and pointed at his collar, “What happened to you? Where did you get hurt? You seemed fine yesterday.”

“I fell down yesterday,” Qi Wang didn’t explain much, “It’s okay, it doesn’t affect my work much.”

“Is this something that doesn’t affect your work?” The head chef smiled bitterly, “You’re injured, you should be resting at home.”

“It’s okay.”

While Qi Wang spoke, he made a latte and placed it on a tray.

Seeing him like this, the head chef knew he wouldn’t listen to advice, so she could only smile helplessly and shake her head.

Half an hour later, Song Yunchun also walked in from outside. The weather had turned cold, but she was holding an ice cream. As she passed by Qi Wang, he stopped her.

“By the way, I have something to talk to you about,” Qi Wang said, “Don’t leave yet.”

Song Yunchun, holding the ice cream, looked puzzled.

It was rare for her to hear that Qi Wang had something to discuss with her.

After Qi Wang finished his busy work, temporarily no new customers came in, he walked over to Song Yunchun.

They stood in a corner of the restaurant, and no one else could hear their conversation.

Qi Wang asked her, “Is what you said last time still valid?”

Song Yunchun was suddenly puzzled, “What do you mean?”

Qi Wang reminded her, “About Yu Nian.”

Song Yunchun instantly understood, and she widened her eyes at Qi Wang, “Of course, of course, what do you mean?”

Qi Wang’s eyelashes drooped slightly, and he fell silent for a moment.

In the half-minute that he was contemplating, the restaurant door was pushed open by someone.

It was ten in the morning, and the sunlight filtered through the trees and sparsely fell into the window. The air was filled with the pleasant scent of coffee and bread.

The last employee of the restaurant, carrying a slice of toast, barged in from behind the door.

Qi Wang subconsciously turned his head.

He saw Yu Nian holding the door with one hand. He was wearing a thin white sweater with a small round collar and a blue collar inside, revealing a slender and fair neck. He was wearing washed blue jeans.

He didn’t notice Qi Wang inside, and first greeted the people at the bar with a smile.

In the bright morning light, he leaned on the bar, his deep chestnut hair tousled and messy, his smile bright and full of vigor, even the customers couldn’t help but look at him a few more times.

Qi Wang retracted his gaze and asked Song Yunchun again, “He won’t stay here too long, right?”

“No, no,” Song Yunchun immediately replied, “Yu Nian is still young, how can he really work here all the time? He will definitely go to college in the future.”

“Okay,” Qi Wang said, “When he stays here, if he has any troubles in life, I will help out without asking for extra pay, but I can only watch him for two months, after that, it won’t count as my responsibility.”

Song Yunchun was initially taken aback, then understood Qi Wang’s meaning, and immediately became overjoyed.

“Why did you change your mind again?” Song Yunchun was delighted. She didn’t care about the raise anyway; she had the final say in this matter. “This is great, I can finally let go of a worry.”

She had actually been considering moving closer to Yu Nian’s place.

Qi Wang seemed a bit absent-minded, unconsciously glancing at Yu Nian again.

“It’s nothing, just consider it returning a favor,” he said vaguely, leaving Song Yunchun completely puzzled.

“What favor?” Song Yunchun asked curiously.

But Qi Wang didn’t respond further.