Li Wenshui was holding back a wave of frustration. He had gone through great effort to move all his belongings here. Even though he didn’t feel this was his home, he still had some hope and anticipation, happily thinking that he finally had the chance to live in such a big house.

But when he opened the door, all his joy vanished, as if someone had poured a bucket of cold water over him. Seeing the young man who claimed to be Liang Jin’s first love, allowed by Liang Jin to live in the house where he and Liang Jin shared their intimate moments, and acting as if he owned the place, Li Wenshui suddenly felt like the outsider.

When Liang Jin asked why he hadn’t called before coming, Li Wenshui clenched his fists. He had a key to the house and regularly came here for their private time. Did he not even have the right to come whenever he wanted? He had tolerated the ambiguous relationships around Liang Jin, but he couldn’t tolerate someone living here. He felt jealous, unhappy, and that Liang Jin wasn’t taking him seriously at all.

The more Li Wenshui thought about it, the more wronged he felt, his anger bubbling up uncontrollably. “There’s no need to call. I’ll leave!”

Liang Jin held onto the struggling person in his arms, his gaze fixed on Li Wenshui’s face. Li Wenshui’s round eyes glared back at him, slightly red at the corners, brimming with grievance as if he were about to bite someone.

“Jealous again?” Liang Jin said as he led Li Wenshui upstairs. “You’re burning up with a fever. Don’t get so worked up. It’s just a friend staying for a few days; it doesn’t affect your life here.”

Hearing Liang Jin’s casual tone, as if it were no big deal, Li Wenshui abruptly stopped and raised his voice slightly, “What friend? Isn’t he your ex-boyfriend?”

Liang Jin responded openly, “He’s a friend now.”

He didn’t even bother lying, making it clear that Young Master Liang genuinely didn’t think there was anything wrong.

Xie Zhengqing chimed in, “There’s really nothing going on between us. You’re sick, so rest well. Just treat me like I’m invisible.”

Li Wenshui shook his head firmly. “No need. I’ll go home. I’m not staying here.”

He tried to break free from Liang Jin, but with his fever making him cold and weak, he couldn’t muster the strength. Still, he stubbornly kept moving toward the door.

Xie Zhengqing crossed his arms and observed, thinking, This new lover of Liang Jin has quite a temper. Though the face is exactly Liang Jin’s type, the personality really isn’t. Looks like Liang Jin has developed a taste for feisty ones.

“Where can you even go in this condition?” Liang Jin asked, dismissing it as a jealous tantrum. “Be good, don’t make a fuss.”

“I’m not making a fuss!” Li Wenshui couldn’t hold back his anger anymore. Overcome with emotion, he stared directly at Liang Jin and blurted out, “I don’t want to stay here anymore! I feel this place is filthy!”

Xie Zhengqing’s presence reminded him of the countless people who had probably come and gone in this house. Today it was Xie Zhengqing; tomorrow or the day after, who would it be? How many people had keys to this house and could move in with impunity? He couldn’t stay in such a house anymore—whoever wanted it could have it.

Liang Jin stared into Li Wenshui’s eyes, realizing that he wasn’t speaking out of anger but genuine conviction.

The hands holding Li Wenshui’s waist withdrew abruptly. The warmth in Liang Jin’s smiling eyes disappeared, replaced by sarcasm. “If it’s so filthy, why did you come here in the first place?” His tone was dripping with mockery.

“Which is why I’m leaving now. I won’t disturb your good times!” Li Wenshui bit his trembling lips, grabbed his suitcase, and walked out.

There were too many things to take in one trip. Li Wenshui went up and down the stairs several times, his body growing weaker each time. Cold sweat soaked through his clothes.

Liang Jin sat on the sofa, legs crossed, exuding the demeanor of a young master. He believed in coaxing someone once or twice but not a third time. Since Li Wenshui insisted on making a scene, he saw no reason to stop him.

Xie Zhengqing, noticing Li Wenshui’s worsening condition, said helplessly, “Is this really necessary? Anger doesn’t look good on you.”

Li Wenshui ignored him, breathing heavily as he carried the last item out. His head felt heavy, his legs light, and his body swayed unsteadily.

Xie Zhengqing turned to the silent Liang Jin. “Aren’t you going to do something? It’s freezing outside, and if something happens to him in his condition, it’ll be on you. He doesn’t look well at all.”

Liang Jin’s gaze fell on Li Wenshui’s trembling legs.

Before Liang Jin could act, Li Wenshui interjected coldly, “I don’t need anyone’s help.”

Holding back his overwhelming sense of grievance and not knowing how to express it or to whom, Li Wenshui channeled it into stubbornness.

But when it came to sharp words, sarcasm, and jabs, Liang Jin was undoubtedly the master.

With a slow, deliberate tone, Young Master Liang spoke, “Of course a top student wouldn’t need anyone’s help. After all, just a good face can get you plenty of perks, right?”

When Liang Jin mocked, he was a stark contrast to his warm and affectionate demeanor when coaxing. His mocking tone made him seem like a superior observer, looking down on everyone else as if they were ants, chilling them to the core.

Li Wenshui felt a cold bitterness spreading from his heart, but he was also furious. Why was Liang Jin mocking him and treating him coldly when it was Liang Jin who was in the wrong?

He clenched his fists tightly and hurried out the door. It was unbearable—truly unbearable.

With reddened eyes, Li Wenshui rode away on his tricycle. The cold wind was biting, stinging his eyes until he blinked uncomfortably, letting a few tears fall. The streets were bustling with cars and people, but amidst the crowd, Li Wenshui felt lost. The vast world seemed to offer him no home, and he didn’t know where to go.

In the end, he returned to his small, chilly house. Shivering uncontrollably, he dug out some cold medicine, took two pills, and curled up on his bed, closing his eyes in a foggy daze.

It’s so cold, he thought. *If only I had a warm room or even just a decent blanket.*

Half-asleep, he thought he heard the door open. Liang Jin walked in, gently covering him with a blanket. Liang Jin’s eyes were tender as he held him close, speaking softly, “Don’t be mad anymore. I was wrong, baby.”

Still feeling a bit angry, he turned his head away. Liang Jin kissed the corner of his lips and stuffed a bank card into his hand. “This card has no limit. It’s yours. Feeling better now?”

The grievance in his heart eased slightly. Just as he was about to ask Liang Jin if he could stop hurting him in the future—

Li Wenshui suddenly opened his eyes. Above him was a yellowed ceiling, and the door was firmly shut. The room was silent; he was alone.

Staring blankly out the window, he saw the front door was locked, and the snow in the yard was undisturbed.

At that moment, Li Wenshui realized that Liang Jin’s apology and the limitless credit card had all been a dream.

Of course, it couldn’t have been real. How could someone as high and mighty as Young Master Liang lower his head to apologize to him?

Closing his eyes again, his body resumed its aching.

—

The next day, Li Wenshui woke up in a daze. His cold had worsened; he wobbled unsteadily as he walked, and every word he spoke felt like a knife cutting his throat.

The weather had grown too cold to sell snacks outside, so today would be his last day at the night market.

In the winter, the night market mostly relied on nearby university students for business. When Li Wenshui pedaled his tricycle to the market, he was surprised to see Chu Wei there as well.

Unlike him, Chu Wei’s snack cart was equipped with heating. Inside, it was warm and cozy, protecting him from the bitter wind. Compared to that, Li Wenshui’s open-air electric tricycle looked incredibly shabby.

Sitting on his tricycle, he scrolled through his phone, his fingers red from the cold. Liang Jin’s chat window in WeChat remained empty. Li Wenshui typed a few words in the message box, only to delete them again.

When he opened his Moments feed, he saw a recent photo from Li Liyan’s post. Liang Jin was in it. They seemed to be at a hot spring resort.

He went to the hot springs today after our fight yesterday. Liang Jin has no heart.

Chu Wei noticed Li Wenshui sitting on his tricycle, head lowered and looking dejected. Opening the glass window of his cart, Chu Wei poked his head out and called, “Wenshui, come sit in here! It’s warm!”

Beside him, Chu Wei’s younger brother also waved and chimed in, “Wenshui Ge, come hang out with us!”

The cold wind blew past as Li Wenshui looked up at them, shivering as he politely declined their invitation. The child was so young—he couldn’t risk passing on his cold to them.

Seeing that Li Wenshui didn’t come over, Chu Wei made a steaming hot drink and brought it to him. “Have some to warm yourself up.”

Li Wenshui took the drink, nodding to Chu Wei in gratitude.

“Wenshui, is your throat bothering you?” Chu Wei asked, noticing something was off.

“Mm.” Li Wenshui’s reply was hoarse.

“Why are you out here selling if you’re sick?” Chu Wei asked softly.

Li Wenshui forced out a broken response: “It’s… fine…”

As the two were talking, a strange man brushed close to their carts as he walked past. Li Wenshui thought the man looked familiar, but his cold had slowed his reactions. When he finally realized who it was, he abruptly stood up and opened the box where he usually kept his small change—only to find the money gone.

“Check your cash!” he rasped, coughing, before striding after the man.

The box had contained over 1,000 yuan, money he couldn’t afford to lose. Li Wenshui’s sore throat made it impossible for him to shout, which caused the thief to let down his guard. By the time the man realized what was happening, Li Wenshui had already grabbed hold of him.

It turned out to be the same swindler who had caused trouble at Chu Wei’s stall before. Clearly, he hadn’t reformed his ways.

“Give me back the money!” Li Wenshui’s voice came out in grating, jagged notes, like a broken record player.

The sickly Li Wenshui was no match for the man’s strength. The thief shoved him hard, sending him stumbling to the ground.

Chu Wei ran over to help him up, exclaiming, “My cash is gone too—around 2,000 yuan!”

The man pulled out empty pockets as clean as his conscience. “What money? I didn’t take anything. Are you two ganging up to frame me?”

Li Wenshui was convinced the thief had handed the stolen money off to his accomplices nearby.

Emboldened by his apparent success, the man turned to leave, but Li Wenshui locked an arm around his neck and clung to him tightly. “Give… me… back… my money!” he gasped.

Li Wenshui, always protective of his finances, couldn’t bear to lose over 1,000 yuan—it was an entire month’s living expenses for his sister Li Wenqing.

The man didn’t see Li Wenshui as a threat and even mocked him, growing more brazen. “Go ahead and call the cops. Without proof, your little bit of money isn’t even enough to file a case.”

He shoved at Li Wenshui, but no matter what, Li Wenshui wouldn’t let go, his reddened eyes blazing with determination. He wouldn’t release the man unless he got his money back.

As the man began to choke, he cursed loudly and punched Li Wenshui. Fearful yet stubborn, Li Wenshui retaliated with a punch to the man’s face. The scuffle escalated, with the two grappling wildly. Chu Wei tried to intervene but ended up getting kicked by the man several times.

Half an hour later, all three of them ended up at the police station.

The thief’s head had been split open by a wooden stick Li Wenshui had grabbed during the fight. Li Wenshui’s padded coat was torn, with stuffing spilling everywhere, and his face was bruised and swollen. Chu Wei’s hair was a mess, and his wrist was sprained—again.

The man, who had behaved terribly by stealing money and attacking people, was temporarily detained. As for Li Wenshui, who had nearly cracked the man’s skull open, he couldn’t leave the police station without a guarantor.

But Li Wenshui didn’t have anyone to vouch for him. Without a guarantor, he might be stuck there for a while, and that made him anxious. In desperation, he called Liang Jin, but no one answered. He sent a message on WeChat as well, but it went unanswered.

Left with no other options, Li Wenshui took a deep breath, nervously twisting his fingers together, and prepared himself to stay there.

After a while, Zhou Qi arrived and got both of them released.

Chu Wei rarely turned to Zhou Qi for help, but he knew Zhou Qi was the only one who could get Li Wenshui out.

“Chu Wei, are you okay?” Zhou Qi asked with concern, checking if Chu Wei was hurt anywhere. Then, turning to Li Wenshui, whose face had a big bruise, Zhou Qi snapped, “Li Wenshui, you’re really something! Getting into a fight over such a small amount of money—if you hadn’t, Chu Wei wouldn’t have gotten hurt trying to break it up. Was it really worth it?”

The icy wind seeped into his bones, and despite the pain in his body, Li Wenshui silently endured it. Was it worth it?

To Zhou Qi, the small amount of money might have seemed insignificant, but to Li Wenshui, it was truly important.