In the end, Liang Zhen couldn’t attend the Underground Eight Mile Zhejiang Division competition in Hangzhou, due to unavoidable circumstances—because the date clashed with his final exams.

His first reaction was to ask for leave—the prize was 300,000 yuan, after all! But after discussing with his lecturers, he found out that all the teachers for the English teaching courses were transferring back to another joint venture school in Ningbo after finishing their terms here in Wenzhou. This meant he wouldn’t even have a chance to take makeup exams when the next semester started; he’d either have to follow the exam schedule or be marked as absent.

But could he give up on 300,000 yuan? What’s the point of taking exams? Of course, he’d gather up his belongings and head to Hangzhou. He was about to buy a train ticket while lying on the bed with his phone in hand, when Shao Mingyin couldn’t bear it any longer and turned off his screen before payment.

Liang Zhen’s mind was filled with thoughts of 300,000 yuan. After unlocking the phone, he continued to try to book tickets, but Shao Mingyin turned off the screen again and asked him, “What are you going to do with 300,000 yuan?”

Liang Zhen hesitated for a moment before answering decisively, “To pay for my tuition fees.”

Shao Mingyin: “…”

“I’m serious, I’m serious,” Liang Zhen said, his tone turning serious, “I’ll use the 300,000 yuan to pay tuition fees. My major has various expenses totaling over 100,000 yuan per year. Of course, I have to go to Hangzhou.”

After saying that, he was about to pay again with his fingerprint. Just as he was waiting for verification, a message suddenly popped up on the app, saying that his bank account balance was insufficient.

Liang Zhen: ???

Liang Zhen was completely dumbfounded. He never kept track of his expenses; he spent money based on feelings alone. He had thought he could hold out for a while, but now he couldn’t even afford a train ticket to Hangzhou.

But Shao Mingyin was much calmer than him. It seemed like he had expected this day to come. He stood by the bed, looking at Liang Zhen, who was still lying down, with a sigh and a shaking head, resembling a parent worrying about their child.

“I’m not even talking about whether you have enough money to buy a train ticket. Look at you, you keep saying that you use prize money to study, but you’re skipping your final exams. Do you look like a studious person?”

Seeing Liang Zhen frowning, Shao Mingyin continued, “And do you really plan to put all your energy into this competition? It’s not that I don’t trust you, but there’s only one national champion. Even if you make it to the finals, what if the final round is held in autumn or winter? That won’t solve your immediate problem.”

Liang Zhen’s frown deepened. He felt that Shao Mingyin made sense.

“Be a good boy and go take your exams,” Shao Mingyin patted his head. “If you miss it, you miss it. Treat it as a year to accumulate more knowledge. If you have the energy, you can release a few more songs.”

“That’s not impossible, but…” But Liang Zhen always felt that taking on performances was a distant prospect. Besides the battle competitions, he didn’t know any other way to make that much money.

“Don’t worry about money for now,” Shao Mingyin said. “Your studies are still important at your age. There’s still nearly half a year before tuition is due. If it’s not enough by then, I’ll help you out.”

Liang Zhen first smiled foolishly, but then he felt something was wrong. “Then I’ll become a freeloader.”

It was one thing not to say it, but once it was said, Shao Mingyin felt that Liang Zhen lacked self-awareness. “You eat the meals I cook every day, and sleep in the room I rent. Whether you eat more or less of it, is there a difference?”

“It seems like that’s true,” Liang Zhen realized the harsh reality. He was indeed living off Shao Mingyin, but he enjoyed it, and the food was incredibly delicious. And because of his older age, Shao Mingyin subconsciously treated himself as the elder one. Liang Zhen was just joking about financial independence; he hadn’t truly achieved it yet. But Shao Mingyin wouldn’t hesitate to help him if he found himself completely broke.

So Liang Zhen suddenly became optimistic. If he lost the three hundred thousand, so be it. After all, he still had Shao Mingyin. While smiling carefreely, he asked again, “Then why do I get to freeload off you?”

“Don’t push it,” Shao Mingyin didn’t give a direct answer, “Can you have a little dignity, Liang Zhen?”

“I’m twenty! Twenty!” Liang Zhen protested. “Officer, can’t you just say it, admit that I’m your partner?”

Shao Mingyin didn’t say anything, just blushed. As he was about to walk to the kitchen, Liang Zhen immediately pushed him onto the bed without hesitation, playing around and touching him. “Then I’ll repay you with my body.”

“Don’t mess around!” Shao Mingyin pushed his hands away. “I have work tomorrow.”

“Work again,” Liang Zhen pouted, feeling like his ears were calloused from hearing that phrase. “When will those officers from the team-building come back? Does your captain know that you work tirelessly all year round, sacrificing your sex life for the safety of the neighborhood… Ah! Ouch! Ouch!”

Liang Zhen covered his ears. Even though Shao Mingyin just pinched him lightly, he acted like he was being tortured. With slightly squinted eyes, he looked pitiful, but he didn’t stop messing around, teasing Shao Mingyin.

“Who will comfort my fragile heart, shattered for love.”

Shao Mingyin: “…”

“Stop pretending,” Shao Mingyin’s words sounded forceful, but he was too soft-hearted. When Liang Zhen once again lifted him up and tried to lift the hem of his clothes, his kisses landing near his collarbone, Shao Mingyin didn’t really push him away.

Forget it, Shao Mingyin thought helplessly, I’ll wear a high-neck sweater tomorrow.

As Liang Zhen undressed, Shao Mingyin was actually more bashful than Liang Zhen. Since the confession on his birthday night, Liang Zhen had not only come out completely but also become bolder. He had mastered several positions on his own, just short of actually doing it. His favorite was to hug Shao Mingyin from behind, one hand gripping Shao Mingyin’s organ while the other loved to tease his originally soft nipples until they were hard. This habit was quite typical of straight men. Even before going to sleep, Liang Zhen would hold Shao Mingyin, his fingers fondling his nipples.

Shao Mingyin hadn’t known his sensitive spots before, but even if he wasn’t aware of them, being played with by Liang Zhen every day made him sensitive.

The experience was subtle, a comfortable tingling sensation spreading throughout his body. There were times when he lost his temper and strength from being played with too much, letting Liang Zhen, who still had plenty of energy, do as he pleased.

And Liang Zhen, he was like a pig rooting for vegetables. No matter how much Shao Mingyin resisted or kicked him, as long as he wasn’t genuinely angry, he would continue to touch and tease. There were several times when Shao Mingyin was really about to get angry, but when he saw Liang Zhen feigning innocence and purity, the harsh words stayed on his lips and were never spoken.

The consequence of such indulgence was that Liang Zhen became more and more presumptuous. Like today, he climaxed while rubbing against Shao Mingyin’s groin, and after that, he refused to go to the bathroom, lying on Shao Mingyin’s chest like he had acquired a new toy, his eyes both cautious and curious as his hand roamed over Shao Mingyin’s waist.

But Shao Mingyin spoiled him too much. At first, no matter how unwilling he was, in the end, he would use his hands or mouth. Even with his ex-boyfriend from college, Shao Mingyin had never done such things. Sometimes he would panic inexplicably, but when he was cooking, Liang Zhen would hug him from behind, or when washing dishes, he would snatch the cloth away. Seeing Liang Zhen like that, Shao Mingyin unexpectedly felt some courage to move forward.

And moving forward meant February.

By February, Liang Zhen had finished his exams. Through Jewish connections made before the New Year, he had joined a performance planned by Tang Shen Livehouse. Apart from him, all the other rappers were locals. The final explosive song was in Wenzhou dialect, and Liang Zhen only knew the chorus, so he stood at the very edge. That day Shao Mingyin also came, standing at the back as usual, then taking Liang Zhen home after the performance. On the way home, Liang Zhen was unusually calm. After stopping at a red light, he looked ahead and suddenly said he was sure he would release an electronic album and go on tour that year.

Shao Mingyin glanced sideways, their eyes met, and without a word, he knew the weight of Liang Zhen’s promise.

The light turned green, and as Shao Mingyin pressed the accelerator and shifted gears, the inertia caused him to sink slightly to the backrest of the seat. The sensation was very real; he drove this car every day, encountering red and green lights to stop, but that momentary sinking was a clarity he had never experienced before. He realized suddenly that being alone for too long could numb loneliness, but when someone long absent was finally there, everything felt as rejuvenating as spring for a withered tree.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Liang Zhen sitting in the passenger seat, and he knew that spring was coming.