“You didn’t tell me what the wish was, how would I know if it’s still valid?” Yu Zi smirked.

“Saying it out loud makes it not come true.” Xie Dongcheng lowered his head, watching the cigarette burn intermittently.

“Fine, forget it then,” Yu Zi patted his pants and stood up from the chair. “Let’s go.”

“Where to?” Xie Dongcheng, seeing him rise, felt a bit anxious and hurriedly asked from behind.

“It’s late, I’m going to pack my bags.” Yu Zi’s voice was flat.

Xie Dongcheng’s Adam’s apple bobbed, then he extinguished his cigarette and tossed it into the nearby trash can.

In this old corridor, the light bulb had finally been completely fixed. The new bulb was noticeably brighter than the previous one, making the dim staircase suddenly much brighter.

Xie Dongcheng followed behind Yu Zi, stepping on his shadow as they climbed. The playful children had been taken home by their parents, and the old lady next door had already fallen asleep. In the entire corridor, there were only the synchronized footsteps of the two.

The night had grown deep. Yu Zi turned the key and opened the door, then switched on the living room light. After the arrival of spring, this small living room no longer felt cold, but it looked somewhat empty.

The sofa where Xie Dongcheng often slept was neatly folded with a mattress on top.

Yu Zi took a few steps inside, looked around, and noticed the fish tank next to the TV. “Why are there fewer fish in your tank?”

“Some of them lost their tails, probably got sick,” Xie Dongcheng sighed softly. “I changed the water; hopefully, the remaining ones can survive until summer when they should get better.”

Yu Zi bent down and, like Xie Dongcheng once did, quietly watched the fish in the tank. This time, he didn’t tap on the glass but gently touched the outer wall with his fingertips.

The fish inside seemed to see him and swarmed towards his fingertips, blowing bubbles against the glass.

So, do fish have feelings? Even though their minds are dull and they don’t understand twists and turns.

Yu Zi stared at the fish for a few minutes, then stood up again and walked into the bedroom. His suitcase was still open on the floor beside the bed, with clothes neatly stacked on top.

He squatted down and started putting the clothes into the suitcase one by one. After packing for a while, he remembered something and turned back to the table, taking out two prescriptions from his bag and casually tossing them to Xie Dongcheng.

“These are prescriptions from the doctor. One of them needs to be filled at the pharmacy. Remember to go there when you have time.”

“And make sure to go to the clinic for a follow-up in a month, and don’t forget to get an X-ray check. Okay?” Yu Zi reminded him, then turned back to continue packing his suitcase.

Xie Dongcheng leaned against the door frame, silently watching him.

“It seems like it’s going to rain outside…” In the silence, Xie Dongcheng suddenly spoke up.

Yu Zi glanced outside and saw the sky unusually quiet, showing no signs of rain.

“How would it rain? The weather seems fine, doesn’t it?” Yu Zi continued packing.

Xie Dongcheng remained silent for a few minutes, then took a step inside and spoke again, “You have too much stuff to carry. Why don’t you take it slow, and I’ll help you move tomorrow?”

“It’s not much, just this one suitcase will do.” Yu Zi was almost finished packing, with only some miscellaneous items left in the closet.

Xie Dongcheng happened to stand beside the closet, blocking Yu Zi’s path. Yu Zi walked up to him and gently pushed his body aside, making way for himself.

Xie Dongcheng had to take a step back, ending up against the door. He leaned against it, his left arm slightly hanging down, watching Yu Zi’s busy figure.

“How about you stay here tomorrow instead? Tomorrow, you still have to go for a checkup, right? I can drive you…” He rambled on without knowing the point.

Yu Zi burst into laughter, turning around to look at him. “Xie Dongcheng, what exactly are you trying to say?”

As soon as their eyes met, Xie Dongcheng’s body stiffened, unsure of where to put his arms.

The silence between them lasted for a moment, then Xie Dongcheng suddenly spoke in a soft voice, “Can you not leave?”

“Why shouldn’t I leave?” Yu Zi stood still, asking him back. “I’ve rented a new place, and it’s all cleaned up.”

Xie Dongcheng hesitated for a while, seemingly searching for a more reasonable excuse. Finally, he pointed to his right arm in a cast hanging by his side. “I broke my arm, the cast hasn’t been removed yet. Even if I get it removed at the hospital, it will take a hundred days for the bones and muscles to heal. If you leave like this, leaving me behind… won’t you care?”

For the first time, Yu Zi heard such a tone of complaint from him and found it even more amusing. Was he sulking?

“You’ve got me, haven’t you? Do I have to take care of you in your old age?” Yu Zi teased.

“No,” Xie Dongcheng stood there like a wall. “But you can’t just leave me here.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Yu Zi found it amusing and continued to take out the miscellaneous items from the closet.

But Xie Dongcheng seemed to ignore him completely, suddenly reaching out his left hand and grabbing Yu Zi’s wrist.

“Yu Zi,” he suddenly called out his name.

Yu Zi was taken aback. He rarely heard Xie Dongcheng call his name directly. The air instantly fell into a subtle pause.

Tick, tock, tick, tock. In his heart, Yu Zi counted silently for three seconds.

Then he heard Xie Dongcheng say, “Yu Zi, I like you.”

Thud, thud, thud.

Standing less than a meter apart in the narrow corridor, Yu Zi could hear his own heartbeat, which even drowned out the ringing in his right ear. It grew heavier with each beat.

“Xie Dongcheng, what do you mean?” He looked back into Xie Dongcheng’s eyes.

Thinking he had gripped Yu Zi too tightly, Xie Dongcheng quickly released his hand.

Lowering his head, he replied, “Just what I said.”

Yu Zi’s face showed no expression; it seemed as if time had stopped at this moment.

After a moment, he lifted his eyelids and stared at Xie Dongcheng’s lips again. “Speak louder, I can’t hear.”

His right ear had a problem, but his left ear was fine. He had heard every word Xie Dongcheng said, even though he could read lips and had indeed understood those three words. But he just wanted to hear them again.

Xie Dongcheng took a deep breath, clutching his hands tightly, his knuckles turning white.

“I like you. I like you. It’s not the kind of liking between friends; it’s the kind of liking where I want to be with you. Every day after you leave, I think of you. I think of you when I eat, when I sleep. I’m not good with words, I don’t know how to tell you. But can you stay, please don’t leave again…”

Xie Dongcheng’s pupils were dark and clear, reflecting only one person’s shadow.

The living room window remained open, letting in the warm spring breeze. The tree by the bedroom window had burst into dense new leaves, its branches a lush green. Birds that had survived the cold winter took off from low branches, perching on the highest branches, chirping melodiously.

This time, the two stood in front of the same door. Xie Dongcheng took a step forward, reaching out to Yu Zi.

Then he said, “I really like you. Please stay?”