In the end, Chu Lai only sobered up when Cen Wei personally carried him to the sink.

Chu Lai buried his head in the cold water for a long time before finally lifting his dripping face to apologize to Cen Wei, “I’m sorry.”

He explained, “I drank too much today.”

After saying that, Chu Lai felt like his excuse was lame, like one of those things said after the fact. He pursed his lips again, “It feels really bad that I got blood on your face.”

Cen Wei leaned against the doorframe. Chu Lai’s face was covered in water droplets, and his lips looked even redder, making him seem quite pitiful. The man asked, “Does it hurt?”

Chu Lai took a deep breath and shook his head, “Nah, it wasn’t because of you. It’s my fault for being stupid enough to drink straight from the bottle.”

Cen Wei handed him a face towel, showing his understanding, and spoke in a voice that seemed indifferent, “You were just too excited to see your first love.”

They were married in name only, but in reality, there was no emotional connection at all.

Though Cen Wei’s words sounded casual, Chu Lai noticed a subtle undertone of emotion. However, he didn’t ask, “Does it bother you?”

The next second, Chu Lai recalled what Cen Wei had said while they were grocery shopping—“What if we could?”—and couldn’t help but say, “Yeah, I was pretty happy. He’s working at the same company as me.”

Cen Wei was a bit surprised, “What a coincidence?”

Chu Lai nodded, “Didn’t I tell you I went for an interview last Friday? Must have been the same day.”

Renting Cen Wei’s apartment was expensive, and with Chu Lai’s salary, it was quite a stretch to afford a place like this. But if it was Ding Xiulin, he shouldn’t have any problem. Chu Lai remembered that Ding Xiulin came from a well-off family. Back in high school, he was really popular—the type of guy everyone liked, a school heartthrob who was great at basketball, had good grades, and a great personality.

Even someone like Chu Lai, who usually stayed on the sidelines and didn’t talk much, had been noticed and cared for by him.

Cen Wei had no intention of continuing the topic since going further would cross a line.

Instead, he brought up something Xuan Rongqing had mentioned and asked, “What’s your opinion? If you’re not okay with it, I’ll talk to my mother.”

Chu Lai squeezed some toothpaste onto his toothbrush and started brushing his teeth again. The electric toothbrush buzzed, and his wet eyelashes looked shaky, as if he had just cried.

After a few dozen seconds, he said, “I’ll send my mom a message and ask her first.”

It was Sunday, and after clearing the dining table, Cen Wei started preparing for a meeting he needed to emphasize some points in. Since Chu Lai’s arrival, the desk had been rearranged; now, they each occupied opposite corners. One desk was by the window, offering a view of the nighttime city, while the other, partly by the window, had a bookshelf full of professional books on one side.

After taking a shower, Chu Lai lay on the sofa and looked for his mom’s contact on WeChat. Cen Wei, also freshly showered, had already started working. Behind him, through the floor-to-ceiling windows, the city’s tall buildings loomed. Dacai, their dog, was very curious about the new environment and kept running under Cen Wei’s desk, occasionally resting his chin on the man’s leg.

Feeling annoyed, Cen Wei pushed the dog’s face away, but Dacai thought it was a game and even started pawing at him.

Chu Lai called out, “Dacai, come here.”

The Shiba Inu happily trotted over, jumping onto the sofa and lying down with Chu Lai.

The TV was still playing the continuation of an animated show. Chu Lai found his mom, Yu Ruimei’s, contact on WeChat. The last message was from half a year ago, when Chu Lai had sent a red envelope for her birthday.

He couldn’t resist and clicked into her Moments.

It was filled with pictures of her son from her remarriage. The kid seemed to be doing well academically, with a lively personality and a lot of interests—calligraphy, painting, and so on. He was the complete opposite of Chu Lai.

Chu Lai exited her profile and started typing in the chat box for a long time, finally sending the simplest message.

[I’m getting married. Would you like to attend my wedding?]

After sending it, Chu Lai suddenly remembered that wedding invitations were usually sent with electronic cards these days. So he asked Cen Wei, who was sitting nearby, “Do we have invitations? The electronic kind?”

Cen Wei had just opened his emails when a WeChat message from Xuan Rongqing popped up—

When are you guys taking your wedding photos? There’s not much time left. Why aren’t you in a hurry?

Cen Wei’s head started to ache. He replied to Chu Lai, “We haven’t even taken photos yet, so there’s no way we have an electronic invitation.”

Chu Lai hummed in response and flopped back down, “Let’s deal with it later.”

He wasn’t in a rush because no one was really pushing him. Xuan Rongqing treated Chu Lai so well, like he was her own son, always worried that Cen Wei wasn’t taking care of him properly. After sending that message, she followed up with:

[Don’t eat takeout all the time now that you’re living together.]

[If you don’t want to cook, come over for meals, or we can send food to you.]

[Back when you were abroad, I couldn’t stop you from eating quick meals, but now that you’re married, you need to maintain a balanced diet.]

Thinking about the cartons of salted egg yolk instant noodles stacked up in Chu Lai’s apartment, Cen Wei felt that Xuan Rongqing would probably scream if she saw the ingredient list.

He didn’t know how to reply, so he simply sent back a quick “Okay.”

Meanwhile, Chu Lai, holding his phone, switched from WeChat to another social media app. About ten minutes later, Yu Ruimei called via video.

From the phone came the anxious voice of a woman—

“Married? How could you not tell me about something so big in advance?”

“When’s the wedding?”

“Is it with that Xiao Shen from before? Didn’t you say his parents didn’t like you?”

…

Compared to Xuan Rongqing, Yu Ruimei was on the opposite end of the spectrum.

It seemed like Chu Lai was prepared for this. He moved the phone a bit farther away, but the sharp-eyed woman on the other end noticed the man behind him in the frame.

The stranger was clearly not the same type as Shen Quanzhang, whom she had met once.

Her son looked the same as ever, still disconnected from any liveliness. Even if he got caught in the rain without an umbrella, he’d just stand by the side of the road, silent.

Chu Lai had been a late talker as a child, so much so that Yu Ruimei thought he might be mute.

When he did finally speak, he wasn’t very chatty. Even when the neighborhood kids gathered, though he was cute, he wasn’t exactly likable.

Afraid that he might get bullied, Yu Ruimei would push him to make friends, telling him not to stand off to the side while other kids played.

Chu Lai would always respond with an “oh” but every time she went to pick him up after school, he would just stand under a tree, watching old men play chess, looking out of place.

Eventually, she got used to it, though her husband accepted it much faster, saying, “Why do all kids have to be the same? So boring.”

Lai Lai is so well-behaved, isn’t he?

His parents had complementary personalities—one was quick-tempered, the other calm—and their relationship was decent.

But no matter how good the complement, no matter how good the relationship, people still part ways.

After death, they just move on and find someone else. It’s human nature. Even Grandma used to say that.

So, the bond between mother and son wasn’t that deep. Chu Lai knew that Yu Ruimei preferred lively, sweet-talking kids and had even considered having another child.

His father thought one was enough and always said, “Our Lai Lai is one-of-a-kind.”

But Chu Lai knew he wasn’t the special kind of child his mom wanted.

His grades were average, his looks were slightly above average, he was terrible at sports, and he only barely made it into university. His father thought Chu Lai had talent in wood carving, but to his mom, that didn’t matter.

After her remarriage, she finally got the kid she had always wanted.

Chu Lai knew her current husband didn’t like her staying in touch with him, fearing that he would become a burden, so he rarely messaged her.

At this moment, Chu Lai, his face still flushed from drinking, called out, “Mom, it’s not Shen Quanzhang. His name is Cen Wei, and we’ve already registered our marriage.”

This was the first time Cen Wei had experienced something like this, unsure whether he should stay or go over to greet her.

So, he texted Jiang Liyong, the orthopedic doctor who had just shared a snack bundle deal with him, explaining the situation and asking what to do.

Jiang Liyong: How should I know? I don’t even have a partner.

Jiang Liyong: But still, it’s your mother-in-law. Maybe go say hello?

The word “mother-in-law” hit Cen Wei like a bolt of lightning. He glanced over at Chu Lai.

Chu Lai didn’t notice. He continued, “We’re getting married on…”

He forgot the exact date, only remembering it was New Year’s Day, so he said, “New Year’s. I’ll send you the details later.”

There was a moment of silence on the other end. Even though she had a tough personality, being informed of her son’s wedding like this still didn’t sit well with her.

She also knew she felt guilty towards Chu Lai.

He was too well-behaved, to the point where everything was clearly defined. Whenever she returned the New Year’s red envelopes he sent, he would always find a different way to give her gifts.

She was still his family, but she had gone from being his mother to a mother he barely knew.

Chu Lai added, “I’ll send you the travel expenses too. If you’re spending New Year’s with your other kid, you don’t have to come.”

He was still so considerate.

At that moment, the only sound in the room came from the TV. Although Cen Wei didn’t go over, his ears were filled with Chu Lai’s voice.

As he spoke, Chu Lai unconsciously hugged the dog, as if feeling the warmth of a small animal.

Cen Wei still remembered the first time he hugged Chu Lai and heard him say the word “happiness.”

The word happiness felt too formal, more like something that existed in moments rather than something to live. Yet, when he thought about it, he couldn’t say that he was unhappy.

At least his family was pretty good, unlike Chu Lai, who, despite being a local, felt more like an outsider than someone who had moved to S City.

No wonder the top item on Chu Lai’s notes, written in bold, was his savings plan.

The woman on the other end of the video finally said, “I’ll come.”

She looked again at the young man lounging on the sofa. Chu Lai, compared to his younger self, was just a scaled-up version. He still didn’t like to smile, always looking cold and distant.

Yu Ruimei asked, “Is the guy behind you your husband? What’s his name? How old is he? Where does he work?”

As she asked, she realized she wasn’t in a position to ask these questions and waved her hand, seemingly letting out a sigh before asking the one question that mattered most, “Is he good to you?”

“I didn’t like that Xiao Shen.”

Her impression of Shen Quanzhang was formed last year when she took Chu Lai to the hospital for an eye appointment and met him for a meal.

At that time, Shen Quanzhang was still in graduate school, and he was basically living off Chu Lai. To her, he was a freeloader. While he looked fine, his behavior didn’t impress her.

He didn’t even bother to serve Chu Lai food. After two years of dating, it seemed like he still didn’t know what Chu Lai liked to eat.

He called her “Auntie” so frequently that it seemed like he was just trying to be polite, but it didn’t mean much.

Chu Lai responded with a simple, “That’s why we broke up.”

He hugged Dacai tightly, and in Cen Wei’s eyes, it looked like he was trying to find a source of warmth to dispel his inner loneliness.

Yu Ruimei asked again, “When did you break up?”

“Two months ago,” Chu Lai replied. “He found someone else. I met my current partner on the same day.”

He still didn’t look at Cen Wei, nor did he notice that he had moved closer.

When Chu Lai started talking, the man sat down next to him and greeted the woman on the phone, “Hello, Auntie. I’m Cen Wei, 29 years old, and I work in S City too. You could say I’m a small business owner.”

Chu Lai wasn’t surprised that he joined in and naturally scooted over a bit, making room for him to get closer.

Cen Wei added, “As for how well I treat Chu Lai, I guess it depends on how he feels.”

Chu Lai quickly responded, “He’s great. He earns millions a year, has a house and a car, is super handsome, and even comes from a wealthy family.”

But then his mom replied, “Lai Lai, are you sure you’re not being scammed? No, I better come see for myself. Are you two living together already? Have you met his parents?”

She used to think that Chu Lai was the kind of child who wouldn’t cause her any worries, but she never expected her son to be gay.

Still, Chu Lai had always been steady, as if he thought everything through carefully. Even when choosing a partner, he probably approached it the same way he picked toys as a kid—finding the best value, something he could put together himself.

Chu Lai didn’t like things that were too perfect. Perfection meant they were more likely to break.

Now, this new boyfriend in the video looked too perfect. An annual salary of a million, a house, a car, and a wealthy family sounded more like a scam.

The small-town woman, Yu Ruimei, started to worry, “Don’t let anyone trick you. I’ll buy a ticket and come over.”

Cen Wei: …

That wasn’t the response he had expected. He glanced at Chu Lai, and in his mom’s eyes, he probably looked like a scammer with no sense of direction.

Chu Lai laughed, “Mom, when did you start worrying about me?”

His words had a sharp edge, but he laughed genuinely, “I didn’t want to bother you. I wasn’t even planning on holding a wedding, but it was A Wei’s parents who insisted.”

He stopped his mom from coming right away, “Don’t you have work tomorrow? There’s still more than 20 days until the wedding, so there’s no rush. If the parents need to meet, I’ll make arrangements…”

Thinking of what Xuan Rongqing had reminded him, Cen Wei added, “Auntie, how about Chu Lai and I come visit you this weekend?”

His features were handsome and upright, exuding a sense of refinement even through the phone screen. In her eyes, he looked like he could easily be mistaken for a celebrity in an ad.

She hadn’t expected someone like him to be with her son, who was only average in appearance, yet somehow they seemed to match well together. She suspiciously eyed both of them.

Chu Lai, in a place where the camera couldn’t catch, pinched Cen Wei’s hand, seemingly blaming him for making such a suggestion.

With an innocent look, Cen Wei blinked at him, only to get kicked in the leg as well.

Finally, she nodded, “Alright, but I still want to meet your parents.”

Chu Lai twisted his hand, causing enough pain that it was hard for Cen Wei to keep a straight face, though his smile lost a bit of its warmth, and compared to the previous boyfriend, Shen Quanzhang, he lacked some of that friendliness.

“Okay,” he agreed.

After the video call ended, Chu Lai threw the dog into Cen Wei’s arms. The dog, thinking it was playtime, wiggled around happily. With the strong scent of dog in his nose, a dazed Cen Wei looked at Chu Lai, who had just gotten up.

Seeing that he was about to leave, Cen Wei grabbed his hand and asked, “Are you mad?”

Chu Lai took a deep breath, his head still spinning, and rubbed his temples, “I’m just going to get a glass of water.”

He then looked down at Cen Wei with a cool expression and teased, “Mr. Cen, you sure know how to make decisions. Do you even know when the last time I went to my mom’s was?”

Cen Wei shook his head.

“I went after I graduated from high school to ask her for money.”

The man sitting on the sofa took up a lot of space, holding the squirming dog still, his muscles clearly defined. Without the sharpness of his work persona, he looked surprisingly easy to bully.

“I’m sorry,” Cen Wei said, his tone sincere. “I shouldn’t have decided on my own.”

He was the most sincere person Chu Lai had ever seen when it came to apologizing, so much so that it even felt a bit over the top.

Chu Lai shook his head, “It’s fine. We’re having a wedding anyway, so what’s one more step…”

His lips still turned down slightly, and with his thorny words, it was clear to Cen Wei that Chu Lai’s relationship with his mother wasn’t as caring as her questions suggested.

Chu Lai didn’t dwell on his past with his parents, brushing it off like he did with his schooling.

To Cen Wei, Chu Lai remained a mystery, like a scratch-off card that had only been scratched a little, with the rest of the silver layer still covering hidden symbols. Whether or not a big prize lay underneath was anyone’s guess.

After putting the dog down, Cen Wei spread his arms, “So, do you want to come here? Calm down a bit.”

His eyes were full of guilt, and under the light, the way he gazed at Chu Lai was incredibly gentle. How could Chu Lai not feel tempted?

He loved this kind of interaction, so he naturally pounced into his arms. Even the feeling of being close through their clothes was enough to make him squint his eyes.

Cen Wei patted his hair, and Chu Lai sniffed, then complained, “The dog smell is so strong.”

A bit helpless, Cen Wei also sniffed his neck, “You’re not much better.”

His breath brushed against Chu Lai’s pale neck like ink on rice paper, slowly spreading a faint blush in front of Cen Wei’s eyes.

His heartbeat sped up uncontrollably, though fortunately, the person in his arms had the same symptoms.

Chu Lai ignored the rapid beating of his heart, fully enjoying the sensation of closeness, then said, “You’re not as warm as Dacai.”

“I’m not a dog,” Cen Wei replied.

“If you were a dog, I wouldn’t be with you,” Chu Lai shot back.

“So, are we still going to visit your mom? Didn’t you already make plans for dinner with your class monitor this weekend?” Cen Wei asked, recalling how Chu Lai had been asking him earlier about restaurants near the neighborhood after taking a shower and drying his hair. It was obvious he had a date for the weekend.

Chu Lai didn’t pick up on the intentional “your class monitor” remark.

He was almost completely curled up in Cen Wei’s arms, lazily replying, “Did you forget that he works at the same company as me? We can just meet at the cafeteria.”

Cen Wei: …

Was this really just a coincidence?