For the next few days, Lu Lin didn’t return home. He visibly became busy, even working overtime during his days off.

Shi Sheng stayed for a few days and then returned to his own home. When he left, Cui Hong patted his hand, asking him to come over more often and gave him a lot of things, all of which he packed into the trunk of his car.

Even Su Qi didn’t know what he was busy with. After finishing the work at the studio every day, Shi Sheng had nothing to do, so he made appointments to eat skewers with friends, eventually arranging to meet Wu Nan er.

“It’s rare that you still remember me for a day.”

Outside the roadside skewer shop, there were a few tables and chairs. Junzi Yu wiped the tabletop and bench before sitting down carefully, and Wu Nan er came over with two bottles of canned beer and apple juice, plus an order of garlic eggplant.

“Why do I remember that I only made an appointment with Wu Nan er?” Shi Sheng looked around while holding a skewer of lamb.

“Are you angry, Xiao Shi?” Junzi Yu handed him the apple juice. “Having more people to eat skewers with is definitely more lively.”

“Yeah.”

Shi Sheng turned his head and saw Li Ting and Yan Siyu at the next table, along with Feng Guoqiang and two sound engineers sitting by the street. He couldn’t figure it out; how did it turn into a studio team building event?

Junzi Yu chuckled and lowered his head, put on disposable gloves, peeled a small lobster, and handed it to Shi Sheng. Wu Nan er saw it, drank his beer without saying a word, and saw Junzi Yu peel another one and hand it to him.

“Here.”

Wu Nan er lowered his eyes and saw a small crayfish hanging on his index finger, its tender red and white flesh coated with the fragrance of thirteen-spice broth.

Although there was a plate, Junzi Yu insisted on holding it in his hand. As Shi Sheng chewed on the meat, he silently observed the two peculiar individuals in the strange atmosphere.

Wu Nan er finally lowered his head to take a bite. Through the disposable gloves, his lips lightly brushed against it. Jun Ziyu unconsciously withdrew his hand, then focused on peeling the crayfish.

Shi Sheng didn’t dare to watch.

He silently lowered his head and opened the chat box, realizing that Lu Lin hadn’t replied yet. With a movement of his finger, he sent a location, tapping on the table, pondering whether he should order ten kilograms of crayfish for Lu Lin to peel for him until dawn.

“Sheng, why aren’t you eating?” Jun Ziyu looked at him strangely.

“…I am eating, I’m eating right now.”

Shi Sheng grabbed a string of duck intestines.

The leftover skewers were scattered on the table, flattened beer bottles piled on the ground. People from the studio left in groups of three or four. Shi Sheng leaned his head against his hand, bored, staring at the night sky cut open by electric poles, lost in thought.

What had Lu Lin been busy with lately? If only he could suddenly appear in front of him now.

Suddenly, there was a loud honk from the roadside.

Before Shi Sheng could react, Wu Nan er patted his shoulder. He turned around in confusion and saw a familiar figure leaning against a motorcycle, raising his eyebrows as he looked at him.

“Oh my god, you’re alive.” Shi Sheng widened his eyes and stood up, rubbing his eyes. “You’re really alive.”

“As if I could be dead,” Lu Lin approached, holding his helmet, patting his head. “What nonsense are you talking about?”

“No, why are you here?” Shi Sheng clapped his hands and laughed. Not having seen Lu Lin for a few days, he noticed Lu Lin’s stubble had grown out again, but otherwise, he hadn’t changed much. The dark circles under his eyes looked a bit deeper under the streetlights.

“I thought you were still working overtime.”

“Why can’t I come? Isn’t this location in your message?” Lu Lin teased. When he saw Shi Sheng send the location message, he had just finished his busy schedule and returned to the dormitory. After a quick wash, he rode his motorcycle over to pick up his boyfriend. He placed his helmet on the table beside him and glanced up and down. “Is there anything to eat? I’m starving.”

“Yes!”

Shi Sheng excitedly grabbed the last crayfish, peeled it quickly, and handed it to Lu Lin, dripping with broth. “Here!”

Li Ting at the next table couldn’t help but chuckle and was dragged away to pour more beer. Lu Lin sat closer, one hand resting on Shi Sheng’s shoulder, leaning over to take a bite of the crayfish meat.

Wu Nan er shook his head helplessly and exchanged a knowing glance with Jun Ziyu, then both simultaneously looked away.

Shi Sheng looked expectantly, “Are you busy tomorrow?”

“Not busy tomorrow.”

“Then the day after tomorrow?” Shi Sheng handed him a skewer of lamb and blinked.

“Not busy the day after tomorrow either,” Lu Lin said lightly while chewing on the meat. “Including the holiday before the business trip, I can rest for four or five days now.”

“Four or five days!” Shi Sheng was pleasantly surprised.

“I promised you earlier that we’d go on a trip, and now we can. Su Qi has already arranged the itinerary.” Lu Lin smiled, these days of overtime were not in vain, everything had to be arranged properly to ensure that there were no obstacles.

He touched the small box in his pocket and glanced at Shi Sheng.

“Are you interested in experiencing the island vibe with me?”

“When—”

“He’s not interested,” Wu Nan er interrupted Shi Sheng with a furrowed brow. “There’s still a lot of work in the studio. Today, he just took on a new CG voice acting job for a game, and tomorrow he’s going to the recording studio with Junzi Yu”

“Nan er can do it for you, Sheng,” Junzi Yu interjected softly, “Anyway, he’s done it before.”

Wu Nan er: “…”

“Good bro!” Shi Sheng went from surprise to excitement and then to a sudden halt, clasping his hands together. “Besides the sponsor’s payment, I’ll cover half of the labor fee?”

“Deal.”

Freshly grilled skewers arrived, with four people having two cans of beer and two bottles of orange juice, each harboring their own thoughts and satisfaction as they enjoyed their drinks.

---

Moonlight gently descended, blending in with the neon lights.

Shi Sheng climbed onto the motorcycle, embracing Lu Lin’s lean waist tightly. As the motorcycle traversed through main roads and narrow alleys, their hair fluttered in the wind. When they stopped at traffic lights, Shi Sheng quietly opened his helmet, leaning over to kiss Lu Lin’s ear.

“Are we really going on a trip? Are we leaving tomorrow?”

“Of course.”

“Mmm—do you have any surprises planned? It’s so sudden.”

Lu Lin’s words stuck in his throat, he swallowed hard and firmly said, “…None.”

Shi Sheng sat back, feeling a bit disappointed. Since Lu Lin hadn’t initiated anything, should he take the initiative and surprise him?

He scratched his helmet, lost in thought, and coincidentally, his gaze fell upon a jewelry store by the roadside.

Perhaps, he could propose to Lu Lin… Shi Sheng rubbed his hands together, imagining a romantic scene with the sunset casting shimmering reflections on the beach, him kneeling down on one knee, and with extras as bystanders and perfectly chosen background music setting the atmosphere. He thought about it, and a perfect plan gradually formed in his mind.

“Hehehe…”

“What are you laughing at?” Lu Lin looked at him strangely.

“I’m not laughing. You must have misheard it because of the wind.”

Shi Sheng rested his chin on Lu Lin’s shoulder, thinking about keeping it a secret, but a satisfied smile still crept onto his face.

Little did he know, in someone’s shirt pocket at that moment—there was a sparkling engagement ring.