In the pitch-black night, all was silent.

A beam of light pierced through Li Wenshui’s blurry vision, as though it had dispelled the surrounding darkness. Footsteps approached, and the light fell on Li Wenshui’s head. He looked up, his delicate face speckled with bits of mud. The tip of his petite nose was red, his long, thick lashes clung with tiny droplets of water, and as his gaze lowered, the water trailed down his flushed cheeks, sliding along the corners of his reddened eyes. Like a lost, pretty little kitten, he evoked a sense of pity.

The sudden brightness was hard for Li Wenshui to adjust to, and he raised a hand to shield his eyes.

“What are you doing here?” Liang Jin, holding a cigarette in his mouth, stood under an umbrella with a flashlight in hand, looking at Li Wenshui quietly, like a gentle breeze.

Li Wenshui sniffled, trying to appear stronger. “I got lost.”

Liang Jin didn’t believe him. Seeing Li Wenshui’s disheveled state, he already had his suspicions. He put the flashlight away and extended a hand toward Li Wenshui. “Can you stand?”

Li Wenshui’s hands were icy cold from being exposed to the rain for so long. He reached out hesitantly, his fingers shrinking back at the warmth of Liang Jin’s hand, as though touching fire. But Liang Jin didn’t let him retreat, grabbing his hand firmly and pulling him up.

After squatting on the ground for so long, Li Wenshui’s legs were numb. He gritted his teeth and used all his strength just to barely stand upright. Liang Jin handed him the umbrella and turned to walk in the rain.

After taking a few steps, Liang Jin noticed the silence behind him. Turning his flashlight back, he saw that Li Wenshui had sat down on the ground again.

“Why aren’t you walking?” Liang Jin asked, confused.

Li Wenshui’s watery eyes glimmered as he lightly bit his lip and said softly, “My legs hurt. I can’t walk.”

Liang Jin stared at him for a long moment. The beauty of Li Wenshui’s face had lost its usual sharpness, replaced by a pale frailty. His wet clothes clung to his body, revealing faint contours beneath. Sensing Liang Jin’s disbelief, Li Wenshui looked embarrassed. “It’s true. My legs were sore from running yesterday, and I fell earlier. Now I can’t move. I don’t know why—it’s like I have no strength…”

Liang Jin suddenly crouched down, brushing aside Li Wenshui’s dirty coat.

Li Wenshui’s expression shifted, and he clutched his collar tightly. “Don’t…”

“I don’t want to get my clothes dirty,” Liang Jin replied, pulling off Li Wenshui’s filthy coat and tossing it to the ground.

While Li Wenshui was at a loss, Liang Jin draped a suit jacket over him. Then, with a pair of strong hands at his waist, Li Wenshui was lifted off the ground before he could react.

He stared in shock at Liang Jin’s face, now so close. Liang Jin had actually picked him up.

Li Wenshui’s heart raced uncontrollably, beating so hard it felt like it would burst. Even the umbrella in his hand nearly slipped from his grip.

Since both were already drenched, Liang Jin didn’t expect Li Wenshui to hold the umbrella properly. Supporting Li Wenshui’s slender waist, he had only taken a few steps before feeling a tug on his clothing.

Li Wenshui’s eyes were fixed on the dirty coat on the ground. “My coat.”

“It’s filthy. Why do you want it?” Liang Jin asked.

Li Wenshui tightened his fingers and murmured, barely audible, “I can’t. It’s borrowed… the coat.”

Liang Jin sighed lightly, walked back, picked up the wet coat, and slung it over his arm. “Were all your clothes borrowed?”

Li Wenshui’s face burned with embarrassment, unwilling to answer the question. “Thank you.”

The answer was obvious, and Liang Jin couldn’t understand why Li Wenshui would cling to such vanity. But he didn’t press further. Steady in his steps, he walked deeper into the darkness. The glow of his cigarette flickered with his breaths, briefly illuminating his face.

Li Wenshui’s misty eyes stared at Liang Jin. When Liang Jin wasn’t smiling, he seemed calm and distant. In a daze, Li Wenshui was reminded of the day he first met Liang Jin—when the gentle and handsome youth had rescued him from his utter panic, momentarily lighting up his life.

At that tender age of awakening emotions, Li Wenshui’s heart had fluttered.

The smoke dissipated, and Li Wenshui couldn’t help but cough softly. Liang Jin slowed his pace, dropping the cigarette to the ground.

In the silence of the night, Li Wenshui’s hands, which had been hanging awkwardly at his sides, unconsciously clung to Liang Jin’s neck. Resting his head against Liang Jin’s chest, he felt the warmth of Liang Jin’s body slowly chase away the cold in his own.

Noticing that the person in his arms had relaxed, quietly leaning into him, Liang Jin’s gaze flickered with an unreadable smile. He lightly pinched Li Wenshui’s slender waist. “How much do you weigh?”

Flustered, Li Wenshui asked, “Wh-why? Am I too heavy?”

Liang Jin shook his head. “You’re lighter than I expected.”

Li Wenshui let out a small sigh of relief, but Liang Jin smirked. “No wonder you feel bony to the touch.”

That remark tensed Li Wenshui’s nerves again. He wanted to say something but didn’t know what. Should he explain why he was so thin? Promise to gain weight? Or ask why Liang Jin was even touching him? None of it seemed right.

Gradually, the sound of waves became more distinct, and the beach ahead glowed with light.

Liang Jin looked forward. “I’ll call a car to take you back in a bit.”

Li Wenshui lowered his gaze. “Thank you.”

Liang Jin nodded, then asked curiously, “Who did you offend?”

Li Wenshui lifted his eyes to meet Liang Jin’s. “If I told you, would you help me?”

Liang Jin hesitated, staring into Li Wenshui’s sparkling eyes, then smiled faintly and shook his head. “Why would I help you?”

A reason…

Li Wenshui stopped talking.

Liang Jin didn’t like him and even found him annoying to the touch, yet he couldn’t explain why. Truthfully, he couldn’t understand why he always held expectations for Liang Jin, even though Liang Jin was the last person he should expect anything from.

“Can’t think of a reason?” Liang Jin walked into the tent, carried Li Wenshui over, and sat him on the sleeping bag. “Then figure it out. Once you do, I’ll consider whether or not to help you.”

In the spacious tent, a kettle of tea was bubbling over the campfire. Liang Jin found some clean clothes, and Li Wenshui, feeling a bit embarrassed, accepted them and spoke hesitantly, “Could I borrow your phone? I lost mine and want to call my sister.”

“It’s on the shelf.”

Li Wenshui picked up the phone, which was a brand-new model, one of the hardest to find on the market. Its price could buy him four phones.

“The password…?”
“There isn’t one.”

Li Wenshui dialed a number. “Qingqing, are you home?”

“I’m at home. Where did you go? I’ve called you so many times, but you didn’t answer.”

“As long as you’re home. I’m out handling some things. Lock the door when you’re alone, and don’t open it for strangers.”

Liang Jin poured tea, placing a cup in front of Li Wenshui before reclining in his chair, crossing his legs, and gazing at the sea. The waves gently washed the shore, carrying away all traces of the day into the ocean. At this moment, Liang Jin appeared calm, serious, and very charming.

After ending the call, Li Wenshui carefully returned the phone, took a small sip of the hot tea, and asked, “Do you like camping a lot?”

Without turning his head, Liang Jin replied, “Maybe.”

Li Wenshui interpreted this response as Liang Jin not wanting to talk to him. They both fell silent, leaving only the sound of the waves.

Exhausted, Li Wenshui found the sound of the waves as soothing as a lullaby. His eyelids grew heavy until they finally closed.

—

When Li Wenshui woke up again, he was lying in a car driven by someone he didn’t recognize. Rubbing his sore legs, he sat up. The unfamiliar coat draped over him slipped off.

The driver glanced at him through the rearview mirror and said, “Young Master instructed me to take you home.”

The car stopped at the entrance of an alley. “Apologies, I can’t drive in here. You’ll need to walk from this point.”

“It’s fine, no need to apologize. What time is it now?” Li Wenshui scanned the car’s interior and spotted his trench coat, quickly grabbing it.

The driver replied, “Two in the morning.”

“This late already? Sorry to trouble you.”

Dragging his heavy legs, Li Wenshui made his way home. By the time he arrived, Li Wenshui’s younger sister, Li Wenqing, was already asleep.

The small home had only one bed, and since Qingqing was now a grown woman, he couldn’t share it with her anymore. Li Wenshui curled up on the tiny sofa and slept until morning.

—

A light rain had just stopped, and water was flowing across the streets.

Li Wenshui stepped off the bus, carrying a bag of expensive imperial mangoes worth several hundred yuan and a freshly cleaned suit jacket. Limping slightly, he walked along a shaded path until he arrived at the entrance of a bar. This bar had an extremely high threshold for entry—its patrons were either wealthy or influential.

The security guard stopped him at the door, but after Li Wenshui presented a membership card, he was allowed in.

It had been three days since Liang Jin had helped him. Li Wenshui had been wanting to thank Liang Jin and return his jacket but hadn’t been able to find an opportunity. He had even asked Luo Jianan for Liang Jin’s address, but when he went there twice, Liang Jin wasn’t home.

Today, by chance, while heading to school, Li Wenshui overheard a friend of Liang Jin’s from the banquet mention that Liang Jin would be at this bar. The membership card had been borrowed from Luo Jianan.

Li Wenshui arrived at a private room door and peeked through the crack, but he couldn’t see anything.

Someone came up behind him. “Who are you looking for?”

Startled, Li Wenshui straightened up and quickly waved his hands. “No one, I was just passing by.”

“Hey?” Zhou Qi moved closer to examine him. “I remember you. You’re here looking for Liang Jin, aren’t you?”

After a brief hesitation, Li Wenshui nodded. “I remember you too. Is he here?”

Zhou Qi, in a good mood, found it flattering that a pretty face like Li Wenshui remembered him. “He’ll be here soon. Come in and wait with me.”

Li Wenshui immediately declined. “No need. I’ll just wait here.”

“Don’t be so polite. Come on, staying outside makes it look like we’re bullying you.” Zhou Qi put his arm around Li Wenshui’s waist and, despite his protests, pushed open the door and brought him into the private room.

The room was dimly lit, and Li Wenshui could vaguely make out three or four young men sitting on the sofas.

Someone teased, “Zhou Qi, switching companions again? Did your usual one finally let you off the hook?”

Zhou Qi released Li Wenshui and laughed. “Don’t talk nonsense. If he hears about this, I’ll be in trouble. This one’s looking for Liang Jin.”

“Wow, coming all the way here just to find someone?” Several scrutinizing gazes landed on Li Wenshui.

One of them recognized him—he was from the same department and had attended public courses with Li Wenshui. He’d also heard some unsavory rumors about him.

Su Yangqiu, who didn’t like men, gave Li Wenshui a disdainful look and said coldly, “You’re not welcome here.”