As dusk deepened, the world merged into one hue, neither fully dark nor light, and the city’s outline blurred under the chaotic neon lights.

After getting Mrs. Lian Hui to leave, Chen Luzhou was called back to the high school for a quick basketball game. However, within two minutes, he was kicked off the court with someone giving him the middle finger. “Were you out stealing last night or something? If you’re not in the mood to play, go mess around somewhere. Even dolphins show more enthusiasm than you.”

He thought, wasn’t it you who begged me to come? But he didn’t bother to argue or seek trouble. He lazily bumped shoulders with the guy giving him the finger, picked up his own ball, and said, “I’m leaving.”

“Damn, you’re really leaving?” Chen Luzhou didn’t look back, just waved his hand. The guy then looked at the others and asked, “What’s up with him?”

“Today, Gu Yan went to his rented place to find him and ran into his mom.”

“Seriously? They didn’t get caught in bed, did they?”

“I just asked him, and he wouldn’t say anything except asking where Zhu Yangqi is right now.”

“Well, Gu Yan’s a big star now, and she’s going into the entertainment industry.”

At that moment, Zhu Yangqi was at the art studio, leaning by the window, chatting with the younger girls, bragging, “I got six certificates last year. I’ve been taking exams since the provincial joint exam. By the time I got the last certificate, it was almost March or April. My cultural courses were not ideal, having only studied for about two months, but my sketching was 81st in the province—”

Just then, his phone, which he was holding, suddenly buzzed. “Ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong,” a series of WeChat notifications went off. Zhu Yangqi glanced down and saw messages from “cy.” His WeChat name was simply “Cr.”

Cr: 【Downstairs.】

Cr: 【BBQ stall.】

Cr: 【Waiting for you for two minutes, I’m really hungry.】

When Zhu Yangqi went downstairs, Chen Luzhou was predictably lounging on a chair at the BBQ stall, watching a movie with headphones in. Given his extensive movie-watching experience, he could probably be a movie critic. He watched all sorts of films, no matter how bizarre or extreme.

His dad—more accurately, his adoptive father—had opened a video rental store in his early years. When the government cracked down on porn, the business was forced to close, and his adoptive father had to turn to other ventures, including rickshaw-pulling and running a cigarette factory. Eventually, he made his fortune in Guangdong, and after returning home in triumph, he rose steadily, now owning several cinemas in the area. However, that’s just one of his many businesses. Unlike other domineering CEO fathers who collect fine cigars and wines, Chen Luzhou’s father collected rare videotapes. Many of those films had quite explicit content.

So, Chen Luzhou’s first movie experience was actually an adult film.

The BBQ stall was crowded. Chen Luzhou had a half-drunk iced latte in front of him. His long legs had nowhere to go under the table, so they sprawled out awkwardly. One of his headphones hung around his neck. Next to him, a guy asked if the ball under his feet was last year’s championship limited edition, and whether the signature was real.

Chen Luzhou looked up from his phone and glanced at the guy, then asked, “Who does it look like the signature belongs to?”

“Curry? Green?”

Chen Luzhou rewound the movie a few minutes, leaned back in his chair, and smiled. “What are you thinking, buddy? Curry and Green can’t sign in Chinese. At least you can tell it’s three characters, right?”

Zhu Yangqi remembered that Chen Luzhou had used that very ball to trick his arrogant, non-biological younger brother into following him around all day, calling him “brother” sweetly. After discovering the truth, the little brat had ignored him for an entire month. Chen Luzhou, who felt quite innocent in the matter, stood by the door, knocking a few times with no hint of apology.

“I never said the signatures were from Curry, Green, Yao Ming, or Yi Jianlian.”

The little brat had been so furious he cried out loud, “Who writes their name on a basketball a dozen times! What a narcissist!”

….

Clearly, the young man was regretting his decision to strike up a conversation. Who does that? Signing their own name on a limited-edition championship basketball.

When Zhu Yangqi arrived, Chen Luzhou didn’t even look up, his ears sharp as a dog’s.

“Done with your artwork?”

Ignoring his teasing, Zhu Yangqi glanced around the packed barbecue stand with a hint of melancholy. Even the seat across from Chen Luzhou was taken. Zhu Yangqi looked at the girl occupying that spot, whose appearance was as unremarkable as a piece of Guangdong lettuce, and didn’t recognize her at all.

“Where should I sit?”

This barbecue stand on Yifeng Alley was known for its individual seating, where people could always share tables. Seeing Zhu Yangqi’s imperious expression, the girl considered offering to give up her seat.

Chen Luzhou, in his usual casual manner, leaned back and stayed engrossed in his movie, his eyelids not even flickering.

“I never said I was treating you.”

Zhu Yangqi shot back, “Then why the hell did you send me urgent messages? I thought you were starving!”

Chen Luzhou had a small appetite, but he couldn’t stand being hungry. When he was, he would get unreasonable and do anything. Zhu Yangqi, already feeling guilty, wouldn’t dare let him wait hungry until he finished his shift.

….

Palm Lane is a classic old neighborhood in Jiangnan. The alley winds and twists, lined with rows of intricately carved low buildings.

Cai Yingying set up a tripod and camera, changing into an oversized black blazer she must have borrowed from somewhere. She solemnly drew the curtains, plunging the room into an eerie silence. Outside, the air conditioner dripped rhythmically, the sound of water hitting the awning below.

Xu Zhi sat cross-legged on the carpet, idly scrolling through her phone. Glancing up at Cai Yingying, she asked, “It’s just a hair-dyeing tutorial. Why does it feel like you’re recording a last will?”

“Gotta be cautious,” Cai Yingying fiddled with the camera, nervously saying, “When my dad comes back tonight, this might end up being the last video of Cai Yingying before she’s gone.”

Xu Zhi looked at her with a bemused expression, “Can’t you choose a color that will let you live?”

Once the camera was set, Cai Yingying returned to the sofa and, with a sense of fatalism, put on gloves. She cradled a small bowl in her arms and poured in the dye and developer, “Zhai Xiao said this is the trendiest color at their school this year.”

“Did Zhai Xiao also mention fixing the air conditioner?” Xu Zhi, knowing her friend was a bit obsessed with Zhai Xiao, flipped through her color swatch book and added, “Otherwise, you might be the first one to get hit before your dad even gets the chance.”

“Xu Zhi!” Cai Yingying shot her a dramatic glare, “Zhai Xiao’s never been to my house, okay?”

Xu Zhi raised an eyebrow in a similarly dramatic fashion, “Wow, you’re really something.”

Ignoring her, Cai Yingying continued, “Zhai Xiao told me that this year at the No. 1 Middle School, several top students did poorly on the exam. They went straight from the exam room to packing up to repeat the year, and even—” She leaned in and whispered conspiratorially, “’So-and-so’ missed an exam.”

‘So-and-so’ is Cai Yingying and Zhai Xiao’s nickname for a certain person at No. 1 Middle School. Xu Zhi actually has no idea who they’re talking about—perhaps even Cai Yingying doesn’t know the person’s real name. Zhai Xiao never mentions it and refuses to show Cai Yingying any photos. He just says that the person is a troublemaker with a knack for causing trouble but consistently ranks first or second in the experimental class at No. 1 Middle School.

If nothing unexpected happens, this year’s top scorer in the city’s college entrance exam will either be him or another top student. However, Zhai Xiao has mixed feelings about him—admiring him as an idol yet feeling resentful. After all, No. 1 Middle School is filled with exceptional students, and this guy hardly does anything notable. His way with words is incredible, to the extent that even zombies might be persuaded to take a few steps.

At the moment, Xu Zhi is lounging on the sofa, scrolling through the historical score lines of Qingda University, responding with a disinterested “oh.”

“You know how handsome ‘So-and-so’ is?” Cai Yingying asked while putting on a disposable cape. “And he’s super romantic. During his school’s centennial celebration, he used a drone to shoot a short video in the name of his class. It’s really well done, with impressive camera work. It’s now become the school’s promotional video and even made it to the hot search.”

“Impressive,” Xu Zhi replied dismissively, “but have you ever seen him?”

“Well, no,” Cai Yingying admitted. “I still don’t know who this ‘So-and-so’ is. Zhai Xiao only sent one photo—a blurry silhouette, really full of charm.”

Xu Zhi remained skeptical, knowing that Cai Yingying is really no better at cooking than the cafeteria lady. “Alright, stop embellishing. The juniors and seniors are almost out of food.”

“Forget it if you don’t believe me,” Cai Yingying said, partitioning her hair into sections. “By the way, you mentioned earlier that you met a woman this afternoon whose voice is identical to your mother’s?”

Xu Zhi finally put down her phone. “Yeah, do you think it’s possible for someone’s voice to be so similar?”

The way she spoke and her catchphrases were exactly like Lin Qiudie’s.

“Where did you meet her?”

It’s odd. Xu Zhi’s mind replayed that cold, piercing voice again.

—“Standing and listening to someone get scolded is so exhausting.”

—“Didn’t you see how she was staring at me…”

….

Xu Zhi absentmindedly scrolled through her phone and said, “Downstairs from Tan Xu’s rented place.”

“You went to see him?” Cai Yingying, exasperated, said, “You keep saying you don’t like him, but I think you’re just being manipulated by him.”

“I went to get my mom’s necklace,” Xu Zhi clarified. “Last time, when you invited us to watch the meteor shower, he didn’t care about the meteors; he was interested in my necklace instead. He thought the four-leaf clover was lucky and took it to the exam.”

The more Xu Zhi thought about it, the more she felt that she and Tan Xu could only be friends. Even though they had never defined their relationship, Tan Xu seemed to believe that she had to be with him.

Cai Yingying had heard a bit about Lin Qiudie from a young age. In various exaggerated and distorted versions of the story, Lin Qiudie seemed to be a symbol of misfortune. It was best not to touch anything related to her, and to avoid interacting with Xu Zhi’s family as much as possible, or else, as the years went by, Mr. Xu might end up suffering from severe social anxiety.

….

At the end of Yifeng Alley, there’s a small convenience store called “8090.” Inside, there’s a dusty pool table that hardly gets used. During high school exam preparations, no one had the time to play pool, let alone hang out at the convenience store.

After a few lackluster games, Chen Luzhou was silent and nonchalant. He didn’t take it seriously, mostly leaning against the pool table, going back and forth with a “lose one, win one” attitude, and continually torturing Zhu Yangqi with his indifferent “Don’t you have anything to say to me?” look.

He knew just how to torture people.

Damn it.

“Bang—”

Nervous, Zhu Yangqi once again pocketed the cue ball. Chen Luzhou, disinterested, leaned against the table and tilted his chin, signaling Zhu Yangqi to retrieve the ball, refusing to speak.

Zhu Yangqi retrieved the ball and, with a forced smile, placed it in the best position for Chen Luzhou. He decided to come clean: “Gu Yan has been pestering me. She said people online are digging up dirt on her, and she needs your help, or she won’t be able to continue her acting career. But you’ve been refusing to add her on WeChat, so I ended up giving her your address.”

Chen Luzhou, unamused, bent down to align his shot and said with little emotion, “So you never considered that I might have trouble finding a girlfriend because of her?”

“Is it really that serious?” Zhu Yangqi was taken aback, slowly realizing the gravity of the situation. “So that online account that got exposed really was hers? The dating diary was fake? Or did you really say that you only like women with big breasts and no brains?”

Chen Luzhou glanced at Zhu Yangqi with a cold smile and picked up the chalk from the table. “Have you ever seen me talk to her when I come to your class?”

Zhu Yangqi had lost interest in playing pool. He pulled out his phone and scrolled through it, finding that the blog posts about the dating diary had been completely deleted. Gu Yan’s secondary account was also deactivated, and there was nothing about Chen Luzhou on social media. Just recently, Zhu Yangqi had seen a post that made his head boil, saying something about how Chen Luzhou, Gu Yan’s boyfriend, thought Gu Yan was promiscuous.

“So she was lying about dating you?”

Could it be that Gu Yan was fantasizing about Chen Luzhou? Zhu Yangqi felt his idol filter shatter. Gu Yan usually seemed like a cold beauty.

Zhu Yangqi stammered, “So, what did she… what did she want to talk to you about?”

What could she say? If Gu Yan hadn’t acted so rashly and gone directly to Chen Luzhou, Chen Luzhou wouldn’t have even known what was happening. Chen Luzhou was in the middle of a shower when he suddenly heard a knock on the door. Thinking it was his coffee delivery, he hadn’t had time to put on underwear, just threw on some pants, and went to open the door—only to find Gu Yan standing there. Gu Yan had made several appearances on trending searches, being the most famous among the art exam students from the first high school, with a level of popularity higher than some minor celebrities. It would have been too fake for Chen Luzhou to claim he didn’t recognize her, especially since she was in the same class as Zhu Yangqi.

However, having just showered, his brain was a bit slow. Before he could speak, Gu Yan started crying on her own, looking like a weeping pear blossom. This forced Chen Luzhou to check his phone for any related news. After checking, he tossed his phone onto the coffee table and asked Gu Yan what she wanted. Gu Yan, still crying, asked him if he wanted to be her boyfriend. Chen Luzhou bluntly said no. Gu Yan seemed surprised by the rejection and asked why, if he had someone he liked.

Chen Luzhou was even more exasperated. With his hair still wet and a black towel around his neck, he slumped onto the sofa, casually turning on the TV to a sports channel. Without even looking at her, he lazily stated, “I’m just not interested in you.”

He was always terrifyingly direct.

Gu Yan was momentarily stunned by the rejection, and she babbled on incoherently, recounting how she woke up at five in the morning to practice, how every part of her body was injured and nothing was in good shape, and how she was a person with dreams. Teachers had high expectations for her, believing she could win awards for the country. Chen Luzhou, being a perceptive individual, could discern from the rambling and disjointed monologue that what she was essentially asking was for him to stay silent and not to go online and make things worse for her.

The basketball game on the TV was intensely competitive, and Chen Luzhou’s attention was mostly diverted to it. He barely paid any attention to what Gu Yan continued to say. With a nonchalant attitude, he responded with four words, “Depends on my mood.”

He mostly didn’t want to deal with the situation. But it was clear that being unceremoniously labeled with such a reputation did not sit well with him.

….

“None of your business. Since you’ve sold me out, stop pretending to be all high and mighty.”

Zhu Yangqi gritted his teeth, knowing that Chen Luzhou had been at the police station last night and was harassed by Gu Yan today, so he probably hadn’t slept much and was likely in a foul mood. He bent down and said, “Are we still playing? If not, I’m finishing this game.”

“Let’s see if you can make it first,” Chen Luzhou replied.

With a “thud,” the cue ball shot out straight, and Zhu Yangqi barely put any force into the shot.

It was a tricky angle shot, avoiding a straightforward middle pocket ball in favor of a challenging corner pocket.

Chen Luzhou generously applauded him.

Zhu Yangqi wasn’t buying it and was likely feeling shy. “Get lost. Stop mocking me. You’re so good at pretending to be a fool to catch the tiger! Do you know that people are saying outside that you gave up the exam for Gu Yan, and that you’re just love-struck?”

Chen Luzhou glanced at him indifferently as he went to pay the bill. “So you’re still selling me out?”

Zhu Yangqi followed him with a fawning attitude, “I’m innocent too. When I found out about this, I thought you two were actually dating and having a quarrel. I even said you kept it so secret that even I didn’t know.”

Chen Luzhou opened the freezer door and took out two bottles of cola, tossing one to Zhu Yangqi with a mix of exasperation and amusement. “I wrote love letters in elementary school. Do you really think if I were dating, I’d hide it?”

As Zhu Yangqi was still stunned, Chen Luzhou had already walked to the cashier, looking like he was pouring out his heart as he scanned the QR code and input the password, clicking his tongue in frustration. “Zhu Yangqi, Zhu Yangqi, I’m really disappointed in you.”

Zhu Yangqi took the cola absently and pressed it to his chest, slowly processing what he’d heard. “So, it’s true that the night before, your precious little brother accidentally mixed two sleeping pills into your milk, causing you to oversleep?”

“Yep.”

….

This situation is really hard to explain. After all, his little brother is the biological child of his parents, while Chen Luzhou was picked up from a trash can. His mother definitely wouldn’t allow him to talk about this publicly.

Zhu Yangqi thought Chen Luzhou was really having a rough time lately. It seemed like not only had misfortune attached itself to him, but it had also set up a mansion on his back. Missing the elective module exam might just be the result of him bullying his little brother too much, but the issue with Gu Yan was truly an unwarranted disaster.

“But considering your relationship with your precious little brother, are you sure it was an accident?”

Zhu Yangqi was skeptical.

“That’s a bold perspective,” Chen Luzhou said lazily, leaning against the freezer in the small store and sipping on his cola, “But I can’t blame him for this. He knows I’ve always had sleep problems. He saw that I was really worn out from studying for the college entrance exam and, out of goodwill, he gave me two damn sleeping pills, hoping I’d get a good night’s sleep. He had no idea we had another exam on the morning of the third day. He thought it was all over after the first two days.”

“Still a naive kid, huh? He still sees you as his real brother,” Zhu Yangqi remarked with a hint of sympathy.

Chen Luzhou smiled, showing some self-awareness. “Well, he might see you as a real brother, but he definitely doesn’t see me that way.”

This small shop has a strong sense of nostalgia, with a yellowed poster of Maggie Cheung on the door. It features not only a pool hall and claw machines but also sells snacks and drinks like Wei Long spicy strips and Wang Weixian. Even the cola is still in the classic glass bottle packaging.

Zhu Yangqi opened his cola with his teeth and said, “My mom’s pregnant again. I’m hoping for a sister this time. Maybe then you could call me ‘brother.'”

At this moment, Chen Luzhou was leaning against the claw machine at the shop’s entrance, chatting with the old man who sold turtles next door. The old man was trying to persuade him to buy a particularly resilient turtle. Chen Luzhou responded with a playful, “What’s so special about this turtle? Is it the one from the tortoise and hare race?”

The old man, amused, swatted him with a fan. Chen Luzhou laughed and dodged. In the midst of this, he overheard Zhu Yangqi’s comment and glanced over, puzzled.

Chen Luzhou: ?

Zhu Yangqi: “See, you’re romantic and wealthy, and—” His gaze drifted downward, “Let’s not even mention other things. Following you, my sister would at least be happy in some respects.”

Chen Luzhou: “Are you even human?”

Yifeng Lane was quiet and dimly lit, with layers of tree leaves overhead. The entire lane had a nostalgic feel, with posters from the 80s and 90s plastered everywhere. The street was lined with various small shops, said to be one of Qingyi City’s characteristic historical buildings. Many influencers come here to take photos. The two of them carried a turtle, making their way through the dimly lit residential area of the lane, with Zhu Yangqi making a fuss and shouting as they walked deeper into the neighborhood.

“This place attracts so many mosquitoes. How can you, a pampered young master since childhood, stand living here? Damn, I just saw something dart past—was that, was that the legendary Jerry?”

Zhu Yangqi had never seen a live mouse in his life.

Chen Luzhou laughed, pulling Zhu Yangqi closer into his arms, and pointed at the half-open roll-up door nearby. “If you shout a bit louder, that hard-of-hearing old lady will think you’re calling her ‘honey.’”

“Why would she think that?”

“Because she’s old and deaf.”

“……”

Zhu Yangqi muttered complaints all the way.

The two arrived at the entrance of the senior year review building. Under the dim streetlight, the scene looked like a white sheet with three figures standing as if they were part of a watercolor painting—one man and two women, one of whom had an eye-catching green hairdo.

Zhu Yangqi squinted, unable to believe his eyes. “What on earth is that! Is that a parrot come to life?”

Chen Luzhou also heard a voice that had been quite frequent today. He stopped, sipping his cola, and cast a casual glance in that direction.

“No need to worry. Before the results come out, why do you always think the worst? Just because I managed to solve the last two big questions in math and physics? Okay, I admit, that’s my issue.”

You could tell that the girl speaking genuinely wanted to offer comfort, but unfortunately, she seemed to have low empathy, unable even to convince herself.

“……”

“……”

Zhu Yangqi nudged Chen Luzhou with a tone of late realization, “Uh, this girl’s level of consolation is on par with yours.”

Under the dim streetlight, fireflies flitted around, circling tirelessly. The three of them had been chatting there for an unknown amount of time. The boy’s expression remained unmoved, like a wooden post, standing there with an unchanging demeanor.

Then, the clean, spring-like voice came again, “Many people in the experimental class at No. 1 High School didn’t do well in the exams this time. Even the expected top scorer for the college entrance exam missed a subject. Of course, I’m not wishing ill on him. With your attitude, if he doesn’t jump off a building, wouldn’t it be a waste of your self-destructive behavior here?”

The “parrot” whispered, “Yeah, it was clearly you who went after Xu Zhi first.”

Zhu Yangqi never expected that gossip would involve his own friend. He turned with a smirk and said, “Are you talking about the expected top scorer? Oh, why haven’t you jumped off a building yet?”

Chen Luzhou glanced at him.

Zhu Yangqi, looking amused, added, “But don’t they know that you missed the elective module? And they’re still trying to comfort your boyfriend?”

Although Zhu Yangqi didn’t understand it fully himself, he had heard from their homeroom teacher that even without the elective module, Chen Luzhou should still be fine for all but two domestic universities. Plus, he seemed to have some advantages from competitions, but his clueless mother insisted on sending him abroad.

Chen Luzhou, with one hand in his pocket and the other holding a half-finished bottle of cola, had slim, pale arms with visible veins in the dim light. He said, with a touch of mischievousness, “Why don’t you go tell her yourself?”

“What?”

“We’re the top scorers in the mock college entrance exam, even though we missed one subject, we have strong mental fortitude,” he said, casually draping his hand holding the Coke bottle over Zhu Yangqi’s shoulder, “Not only do we not jump off buildings after failing exams, we also don’t need our girlfriends to comfort us. Your boyfriend is too weak.”

Zhu Yangqi clicked his tongue twice, “Wow, it’s rare to see you not playing the victim. Aren’t you the master of playing the victim?”

“When have I ever played the victim?”

“Your WeChat name, it’s a dead giveaway, cr,” Zhu Yangqi said, “Even though I only studied for two months, I know what it means.”

Cr, it comes from, that’s how it’s used in literature. He was abandoned by his biological parents when he was young and doesn’t know where he comes from, so there’s no suffix. That’s how Zhu Yangqi understood it.

“Your imagination is so rich, you should change your name to Stephen Copper,” Chen Luzhou looked down at him, with an expression that said, “I’m really done with you,” “Cr, is the name of a racing team in Kart Racing, it means ‘Crazy Unbeatable Myth.’ You idiot, read more.”

Zhu Yangqi: “…”