Cen Wei hung up the phone.

Chu Lai stared at his phone for a long time, the screen lighting up and then going dark again. He felt that Cen Wei was acting a bit strange.

Ding Xiulin, who was standing nearby, had a peculiar expression after hearing how Chu Lai addressed Cen Wei, but he didn’t ask anything further. His invitation to eat soup dumplings didn’t have any deeper meaning. Since Chu Lai was married and called him “husband,” there wasn’t much Ding Xiulin could do about it. He had arrived too late, and at the very least, they were still classmates.

Chu Lai shook his head. In the next moment, a message from Cen Wei popped up: Can I come pick you up?

It was quickly retracted and replaced with: Am I bothering you?

The message on the other end still showed as “typing,” but after a while, nothing else came. Chu Lai wondered what Cen Wei had typed and deleted.

It was cold outside, and the streets were bustling with students at this time. The street vendors were doing good business, and Chu Lai sent a quick reply on WeChat: No.

Turning to Ding Xiulin, he said, “I need to make a call.”

Ding Xiulin nodded.

Chu Lai walked a little farther away and called Cen Wei back.

Cen Wei was still sitting in his car, gripping the steering wheel tightly as his heart hadn’t fully calmed down. The cold white lights of the underground parking lot flickered as more cars began to leave.

When his phone rang, the caller ID showed Chu Lai’s name.

Their relationship had always been formal, more distant than even roommates. Yet, legally, they were more intimate than anyone else, a contradiction that left Cen Wei waking up in the middle of the night, wondering if he was dreaming.

The man sleeping beside him would breathe softly, and under the dim nightlight, even with his eyes closed, Chu Lai was captivating enough that Cen Wei couldn’t look away.

It was ridiculous.

They hadn’t even known each other for 100 days, yet Cen Wei felt like they had lived this life for thousands of years. What was even scarier was that he didn’t dislike this life at all.

Someone to share three meals a day with, someone to come home to. After dinner, they could take a walk, and if there was still time, they could watch a movie with the projector.

His shopping cart was filled with pet supplies, and during team meetings, he would subconsciously listen to colleagues talk about the fun things their dogs did…

Even Shen Yangxu had remarked several times how much more “human” he seemed after getting married.

Cen Wei answered the phone with a soft “hello.”

Chu Lai’s voice, mixed with the noise of the wind, was loud, but when it reached Cen Wei’s ears, it was like the background noise had been muted. His voice was especially clear: “Mr. Cen, what’s wrong? Did something happen?”

“Nothing.”

He had reverted to calling him “Mr. Cen.” He must have someone with him.

Chu Lai responded with an “Oh”: “Are you off work now? Didn’t you say you were really busy?”

“I…”

He didn’t know how to explain his impulsive actions. It was too embarrassing to admit.

Chu Lai stood by the roadside, watching as students in school uniforms walked by in groups. Just half a street away was the bar where they had first met, and across from it, the barbecue stall was still open.

He asked Cen Wei, “Did something happen at work?”

Cen Wei did have a lot going on at work, but nothing serious enough to make his heart race like this. He closed his eyes briefly and responded with a soft “Mm.”

Chu Lai was surprised that something had bothered him to this extent. He laughed and said, “How about we go home and have a drink?”

He asked, “Do you want grilled green peppers?”

Cen Wei knew Chu Lai wasn’t at the office, but still asked, “Where are you right now?”

Chu Lai: “Take a guess.”

Cen: “Out with coworkers? I remember you mentioned a team event yesterday.”

Chu Lai shook his head, the sound of his breath caught by the wind slipping into Cen Wei’s ears. Cen Wei loosened his tie, his grip on the steering wheel tightening again.

Then a crisp male voice came through the phone: “I’m on the street where we first met.”

Cen Wei, trying to act nonchalant, responded with an “Oh, with Mr. Ding?”

Chu Lai, surprised, said, “How did you guess so accurately?”

Ding Xiulin was still standing under the streetlight, and students passing by would glance at him. He was tall, wearing a casual coat that made him look like a university student. The wind tousled his hair, giving off quite the atmosphere.

Noticing Chu Lai’s gaze, Ding Xiulin smiled at him.

“And you’re still planning on drinking with me? You young people should enjoy your break tomorrow. It’s fine if you don’t come home tonight; I’ll walk the dog for you.”

Though it was meant to be a joke, it came across with a hint of sadness. Chu Lai chuckled, “Mr. Cen, have you forgotten our relationship?”

“You’re making it sound like we belong to a special kind of group.”

Cen Wei, a little helpless, replied, “We both know the truth, don’t we?”

Chu Lai looked down, lightly stepping on the raised patterns of the sidewalk bricks. “It seems like you really want me to break the contract?”

He said it lightly, but Ding Xiulin’s glance caught the subtlety in Chu Lai’s expression.

After a week of frequent contact, this was the first time Ding Xiulin had seen Chu Lai so relaxed.

“Is that really breaking the contract?”

Chu Lai laughed, “That wouldn’t be good. If I got caught, Mr. Cen, it would be the second time you’ve been cheated on. The rumors would be awful.”

Before Cen Wei could argue, Chu Lai continued, “Then I’d be the one having an affair, wouldn’t I?”

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

He thought of the photo Chu Lai had posted earlier and decided to head home himself. “You enjoy your time with Mr. Ding. I’ll wait for you at home.”

“We’ve already finished eating. If you want grilled green peppers, I can pack some for you.”

He complained, “The supermarket in our complex doesn’t have peppers that big.”

“We can go to a bigger supermarket next time.”

“When’s next time?”

“The day after tomorrow? We can stop by the arcade too, like we planned.”

Chu Lai nodded, and after hanging up the phone, he said to Ding, “I’m going over there to grab some things.”

Ding Xiulin put away his phone and asked, “To buy green peppers?”

“How did you know?”

Suddenly, Chu Lai realized what a jerk Shen Quanzhang had been. His high school classmate, whom he hadn’t seen in years, remembered his favorite food, and even the first time they met, Cen Wei had enthusiastically eaten green peppers with him.

Only Shen Quanzhang had always complained, saying, “That stuff’s weird. Can’t you eat something better?”

As they walked, Ding Xiulin said, “Back then, after evening classes, you used to stand there waiting for your grilled green peppers.”

That was years ago. Chu Lai had always been a loner, standing out in the sea of high school students who moved in packs.

Ding Xiulin had always been popular. Whether going to or leaving school, there were always people around him.

Most students had already decided what they wanted to eat before evening classes ended. Whether it was stir-fried rice or soup dumplings, they had a destination in mind.

For Chu Lai, it was always that barbecue stall.

He would stand earnestly in front of the small stall, illuminated by a wobbling pear-shaped light bulb, as if waiting for a treasure rather than just grilled green peppers.

It was because of how serious Chu Lai looked that Ding Xiulin always took an extra glance at him when passing by. Later, he confirmed that Chu Lai was buying grilled green peppers and tried it himself.

He found it too spicy, thinking, Is Chu Lai into heavy flavors?

And that made him seem even more unique.

Chu Lai was a bit surprised. “Were you secretly watching me?”

After starting at the company, Ding Xiulin had even asked around about Chu Lai. In such a big company, even if you saw someone every day, it didn’t mean you’d know their name.

When Ding Xiulin’s coworkers learned that he was classmates with Chu Lai, they specifically mentioned their impressions of him.

“He really looks like he walked out of a manga. He’s like a 2.5D character.”

If you didn’t know better, you’d think it was an insult, but on closer thought, it matched the image Chu Lai gave off.

Chu Lai had this unique aura, difficult to break into and even harder to bring over to your side.

Just like back in high school, when Ding Xiulin tried to invite him to group meals. Though Chu Lai would sneak glances at him, his rejections were always firm.

“At last year’s annual company event, I sat at the same table as him. He’s so quiet. At first glance, he’s not that special, but the more you look, the better he looks.”

“People say he rarely joins team-building events.”

“He even showed me how he refuses invites—so harsh, it killed me. The only time he’d go was when the venue was impossible to book.”

The more Ding Xiulin heard, the more he felt that this was just how Chu Lai was.

Just like the time back in high school when he refused to join a New Year’s celebration. Students were allowed to use class funds to eat out, and the teacher had given permission.

Chu Lai stood in the corridor, the sun setting, and many students had already left for downstairs.

Even though they’d hugged each other earlier, he shook his head and said, “Class President, I don’t want to go.”

Ding Xiulin could almost still smell the scent from their hug.

He asked, “Why not?”

The boy, drinking an iced Coke in the middle of winter, pressed his lips together, lowering his gaze as if too lazy to look directly at him. “I just don’t want to.”

That was his answer to Ding Xiulin’s question.

Afterward, Chu Lai didn’t care how Ding Xiulin reacted and just walked away.

For a long time, Ding Xiulin had thought Chu Lai hated him, which was why he chose to observe him.

He observed him all the way until they graduated, burying his feelings and thinking he should let go.

At this moment, Ding Xiulin made a noise, then jokingly said, “So, I’ve been observing you. Should I call the cops?”

Chu Lai smiled and shook his head.

The subway roared past, the evening rush already over. As they walked from the station to the neighborhood, Ding Xiulin asked, “Does Mr. Cen treat you well?”

Chu Lai didn’t seem surprised by the question and nodded, “He treats me very well. He’s a good person.”

Ding Xiulin made a sound of acknowledgment. “But he’s not your type, is he?”

He immediately felt that the question was too sharp. Chu Lai’s wedding certificate had been verified, and he had even clarified on Weibo that the person he had dinner with wasn’t his husband.

The husband in question was someone else, and Ding Xiulin had heard that one “husband” call earlier. He said, “Sorry, it’s just…I remembered something you wrote before…”

As they walked into the complex, Cen Wei’s car was just pulling into the garage. Chu Lai didn’t notice.

The car and the two of them passed by each other—one heading into the garage, the other walking toward the building.

Cen Wei couldn’t help but glance at the rearview mirror. Chu Lai happened to be looking up at his first love.

He thought: They look pretty close, don’t they?

I’m probably holding Chu Lai back.

The agreement between us, I’ve benefited from it far more.

If I were Chu Lai’s ideal type, maybe things wouldn’t be so…

So what?

Cen Wei didn’t dare think further.

After parking, Cen Wei didn’t head straight upstairs. Instead, he chose to walk along the path that looped around to the front of the building.

Chu Lai and Ding Xiulin were standing under the dim lighting by some greenery near the entrance. Occasionally, a resident would walk by, but they paid no attention to the two of them.

Nor did they notice Cen Wei approaching.

“Class President,” Chu Lai said.

Ding Xiulin made a sound in acknowledgment. He had matured a lot since Chu Lai’s memories of him.

Though Ding Xiulin had been his first love, his appearance had far surpassed Chu Lai’s previous standards. Even so, he and Cen Wei weren’t the same type. Either way, Chu Lai could classify both of them as not the best match.

Chu Lai Lai said, “I used to like you.”

Cen Wei had just stepped forward, but hearing that made him pull back.

Ding Xiulin looked at Chu Lai in surprise. The young man was dressed in a dark blue hoodie, the soft fleece keeping him warm in the winter. He even had a childish-looking scarf around his neck.

Chu Lai looked up with calm eyes, completely devoid of the passion such words should have conveyed. It was as if this was a cup of boiling water that had long since cooled, proof of a missed opportunity.

Ding Xiulin opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Chu Lai didn’t seem to care about his reaction. “But that was before. Thanks for taking care of me in high school, and for the banana milk in the mornings.”

He smiled, “Crushes are beautiful. Thanks for being a part of it.”

After saying that, Chu Lai felt the words were too formal and a bit cheesy. He rubbed his nose and looked down at his shoes. “But I’m married now.”

This sentence hit like a hammer. Ding Xiulin stayed silent as Chu Lai said, “We’re about to have our wedding soon. You’re back just in time to attend.”

“And when I said I hoped you wouldn’t come, I really meant it.”

“After all, we’re not that close. I don’t even like attending weddings myself—feels like too much trouble for everyone.”

Cen Wei found himself in a difficult position.

Ding Xiulin’s mind was stuck on the phrase “I used to like you.”

Used to. Missed opportunity.

He wanted to say, “I still like you,” but the following words completely blocked that.

At that moment, a dog owner passed by with their dog. The dog was quicker to notice the men standing in the shadows and barked.

The bark startled the two talking under the greenery. Chu Lai looked up in surprise at the man standing there, coat open, suit and tie all messy: “Why are you standing here?”

Cen Wei quickly made up an excuse: “I was going to buy some wine. Didn’t you say you wanted a drink?”

Chu Lai nodded. “Then let’s go buy it together.”

He had said everything he needed to say. Turning around, he walked briskly toward Cen Wei.

As they walked, Chu Lai suddenly threw himself into Cen Wei’s arms. The other man, used to this by now, gave him a tight hug.

Ding Xiulin glanced over, remembering that one time after choir practice when he hugged the boy from the class next door just to get to Chu Lai. Chu Lai had looked at him with disdain.

One by one, he hugged everyone. By the time it was Chu Lai’s turn, the boy looked up.

Back in their first year of high school, Chu Lai only wore glasses during class. His eyes were bright and full of expectation.

That hug had lasted 23 seconds, and Chu Lai had hugged him back.

Now, these hugs lasted far longer, and from the way Chu Lai practically bounced as he walked, it was clear he was very happy with Mr. Cen Wei.

This embrace was proof that Chu Lai’s anticipation for Cen Wei’s hugs had multiplied tenfold over the years, hitting Ding Xiulin like a punch, telling him, You missed your chance.

Cen Wei watched as the man behind them turned and left. In a low voice, he asked Chu Lai, “Don’t you regret it?”

“Your first love still likes you.”

Chu Lai laughed, “But I don’t like him anymore.”

Cen Wei, without thinking, asked, “Then who do you like?”

Chu Lai smoothly countered, “Shouldn’t it be you?”