The winter in the south is capricious and playful, always arriving without warning.

Just over the weekend, Ke Di had joked, “Another year with a failed transition to winter,” only to be shivering from the sudden drop in temperature overnight. He returned to school, sniffling.

Seeing the single-digit temperatures on the weather forecast never quite felt real—until the cold air mercilessly hit, leaving people no choice but to bow down to winter.

Ke Di walked into the classroom with his hands stuffed in his pockets, humming, “I’m a wolf from the north, but in the south, I’m freezing like a dog~”

Coughing, Ke Di sat in the empty seat next to Lu Che, closing the back door behind him and rubbing his hands together. “Che-ge, people keep going in and out through this back door, and every time, the wind keeps blowing in. You’re sitting here in the cold. Why not move over next to me?”

Yawning, Lu Che stretched, gave Ke Di a sideways look, and sneered, “You just want me to sit there to block the wind for you, don’t you?”

With his plan exposed, Ke Di could only laugh it off awkwardly.

On such a cold day, the only suitable place to be was huddled in the dorm, sleeping until it was dark outside. Of course, Lu Che was also feeling the chill, so after attending the first class of the morning, he tore down the A3 draft paper Fu Dai had put up to block the sun on the back door and replaced it with a new sign that read, “Chilly breeze—please close the door.”

The only reason Lu Che still showed up to class was because he felt he could sit in the back and block some of the cold wind for Xu Xing.

Xu Xing, sitting in the front with a pen in hand, paused, his gaze on his book, though his attention was on Ke Di and Lu Che’s conversation.

Just then, a knock sounded, followed by a click as the back door opened again, letting in another blast of cold air.

Xu Xing heard Tang Mian calling him—

“Xing Xing~”

Xu Xing looked over, and Tang Mian, just back from the school shop, handed him a bag with a knowing look. Inside were four black pepper sausages.

Understanding her gesture, Xu Xing took the bag, nudged Wang Zicong with his elbow, and when he turned, Xu Xing said, “Tang Mian bought these—want one?”

Wang Zicong had only returned to school that morning. He was eating and smiling, but Xu Xing and Tang Mian both agreed he was just pretending to act normal.

Wang Zicong looked at the sausage, his usual smile lighting up his eyes and showing his dimples. “Sure~”

Wang Zicong took a sausage, and Xu Xing turned back, giving one each to Lu Che and Ke Di.

Biting into the warm sausage, Xu Xing’s eyes unconsciously drifted to the red thread over Wang Zicong’s heart. The red thread was still bright and vivid. Xu Xing had checked it several times since that morning but still couldn’t put his mind at ease.

At Xu Xing’s special invitation, Tang Mian made plans with Wang Zicong to go to the cafeteria together at noon. Xu Xing had already handed Lu Che his meal card in advance, asking him to go eat with someone else for the time being.

Lu Che was somewhat reluctant and refused to take his own meal card at first. It was only after Xu Xing left Lu Che’s meal card behind and handed over his own that Lu Che grudgingly accepted.

Lu Che sighed dramatically, kissed the ID photo on the meal card, and said, “I guess today, I’ll just have to enjoy my meal looking at this meal card.”

Xu Xing: “…”

Just then, Ke Di happened to walk by. Seeing Lu Che’s affectionate expression and gestures, he was startled and came over for a closer look. Once he saw that Lu Che was holding Xu Xing’s meal card, he chuckled and teased, “Oh, Che-ge, you’re…”

“…”

Xu Xing hadn’t expected Ke Di to witness this, and a flash of panic crossed his face. Before Lu Che could say anything, Xu Xing quickly said, “His meal card has been held hostage by me, so he just snatched mine, threatening me to make a trade.” That’s why Lu Che happily kissed the meal card…

Xu Xing’s explanation was hasty and unconvincing, while Lu Che remained silent beside him.

Ke Di winked at Lu Che and laughed, “So~ Che-ge, you’re financially independent now, right? Let’s go grab food together this afternoon. Do you remember Jiang Yi Ze? Just the other day, he was asking if you dropped out of school—said he never sees you around.”

Lu Che stuffed Xu Xing’s meal card into his pocket and snorted.

After Ke Di left, Lu Che suddenly asked Xu Xing, “Class rep, are you scared?”

This question came out of nowhere, but Xu Xing understood what Lu Che meant.

Xu Xing didn’t look at Lu Che. He pressed his lips together and turned away.

Xu Xing was indeed worried, but more for Lu Che than himself.

He heard the chair scraping behind him, and Lu Che’s nonchalant voice saying, “I’m going to the restroom~”

At Noon

Xu Xing had no experience comforting a heartbroken friend, so he sought help from Tang Mian, the “relationship expert” despite her single status. As part of their trio, Tang Mian was the second person to learn about Wang Zicong’s breakup over the weekend. She wanted to talk to Wang Zicong about it, even if Xu Xing hadn’t brought it up.

Fortunately, Wang Zicong hadn’t lost his appetite after the breakup. He piled his plate high and ate, bite after bite, without hesitation.

Tang Mian tried to exchange a look with Xu Xing, but he was distracted, quietly eating his meal.

With no help from Xu Xing, Tang Mian took matters into her own hands, smiling, “Ah, it’s been a while since we ate together! Our dear Zong Zong still has such a great appetite. Just watching you eat makes me hungry too~”

With a warm smile, Tang Mian watched as Wang Zicong took another big bite of rice drenched in sauce. She was about to praise his hearty appetite again when Wang Zicong mumbled,

“It doesn’t taste good at all…”

He didn’t look up, his voice rough and low, as though it was caught in his throat, which tugged at their hearts.

“…”

Lunch ended quickly.

Tang Mian led Xu Xing and Wang Zicong to the tech building, which was quiet and sheltered from the wind—ideal for a private chat. The three sat in the fifth-floor stairwell, and as Tang Mian carefully chose her words, Wang Zicong suddenly broke the silence. “Is there any way to make her forget about me quickly?”

Xu Xing frowned slightly upon hearing this, his gaze drifting toward the red thread over Wang Zicong’s heart.

Tang Mian sat beside him, speaking softly, “Why do you want her to forget you?”

Wang Zicong slouched, curling up into himself, and said, “She told me she’s sad about the breakup… I don’t know if she was lying, but it made me feel sad too. I don’t want her to be sad.”

Wang Zicong’s voice was usually soft, but now it sounded tinged with bitterness, pitiful, making Xu Xing and Tang Mian feel even more sympathetic.

Tang Mian simply said, “If you don’t want her to be sad… then why not get back together with her?”

Wang Zicong shook his head lightly, paused, and then shook his head again more firmly, saying, “I don’t want to hold her back. She’s really great, truly amazing, and she has so many people pursuing her. She deserves someone better.”

A girlfriend of her caliber deserved a partner equally extraordinary, someone who could stand by her side.

Tang Mian sensed he was overthinking things. Confused, she pressed on, “I don’t get it… she wants to get back together, and you’re thinking of her best interest, but you’re still refusing to reconcile?”

Wang Zicong nodded slowly, resting his chin on his knees. “Because… being with me would mean facing people’s judgment, and I can’t ignore that… Plus, there are other reasons. We probably couldn’t make it to the end, or it’d be really hard.”

“I don’t know why she likes me. I have nothing worth liking. And don’t say she likes me for my money—that would be too hurtful. I just think she wasn’t thinking straight…”

He let out a weak laugh.

“Because I like her, I kept pretending not to notice, hoping that by treating her better and better, I’d be justified in keeping her by my side. But… I think I’m too selfish. She still hasn’t ‘woken up,’ but I’m the one who’s fully aware, wasting her time.”

“I’m awful.”

Hearing those last four words, Xu Xing pursed his lips even tighter.

Wang Zicong’s speech was slow but unrestrained; he poured his heart out to his closest friends, Xu Xing and Tang Mian.

“…”

Tang Mian was confused, blinking as she tried to make sense of it, then said uncertainly, “I still… don’t quite get…”

Before she could finish her sentence, Xu Xing, who had remained silent, interrupted her.

“I understand.”

Tang Mian turned her puzzled gaze toward Xu Xing, noticing that he wasn’t joking. Dropping any pretense as the “relationship expert,” she asked sincerely, “What did you understand?”

Xu Xing looked down, his eyelashes trembling slightly, and whispered, “Knowing there’s no future, knowing it’s better to end things now… letting her go. Thinking She deserves better.”

Tang Mian: “??”

Wang Zicong tilted his head, looking past Tang Mian to smile softly at Xu Xing. “You really do understand. That’s exactly what I mean…”

Being understood felt incredibly comforting to Wang Zicong.

Tang Mian felt left out, as if she was the only one who didn’t get it. It was too much.

Xu Xing’s heart was heavy. He had come with the intention of comforting Wang Zicong, but after hearing his words, Xu Xing felt as though his own unspoken “selfish thoughts” were being exposed.

Compared to Wang Zicong, Xu Xing’s relationship with Lu Che faced even more obstacles, rumors, and pressure. Unlike Wang Zicong, Xu Xing had the ability to send Lu Che back to a “brighter path.” Yet he selfishly kept him tied to this precarious journey together.

He was awful.

The “heartbreak support meeting” ended inconclusively. Frustrated, Tang Mian told Xu Xing and Wang Zicong to wait there for her as she went to the restroom.

Xu Xing and Wang Zicong sat on the stair steps, with a brief silence between them that Xu Xing finally broke.

“Deskmate.”

“Hmm?”

“Do you really want her to forget you?”

“I do. Very much.”

Xu Xing lowered his head and said softly, “I can help you.”

His voice was so faint that it seemed to be blown away by the wind, and Wang Zicong thought he might have imagined it. Tilting his head, he looked at Xu Xing. “Huh?”

Xu Xing just shook his head.

---

Author’s Notes:

1. The next chapter will unravel Wang Zicong’s red thread, and Xu Xing’s will follow soon—if not in the next chapter, then the one after.
2. Will untying the bow be heartbreaking? I think… it might be just a little bit. (ง •̀_•́)ง
3. Will Lu Che ever see the red thread? Of course he will 😀