Sun Kan and Qian Wang splitting up so quickly honestly left Zhao Ziqiang a bit shocked. He had thought they could at least last two months. Still, he wasn’t entirely surprised—they were bound to part ways sooner or later.

The reason was simple: Sun Kan was too young, and an only child. He hadn’t yet learned how to accommodate others, didn’t know how to handle household chores, didn’t understand how to care for someone, and might not even be able to cook a decent meal. Did he really think romance alone is enough? Can love fill your stomach?

And as for Qian Wang? In a word: Zhao Ziqiang had spoiled him.

Sun Kan certainly doesn’t know that Qian Wang no longer washes his clothes or socks, though he used to long ago. In recent years, he has barely touched the washing machine. Sun Kan also doesn’t know that Qian Wang gets nauseous whenever he sees green peppers and garlic being put together, though it wasn’t obvious, the man was very good at hiding it. Sun Kan definitely doesn’t know that Qian Wang suffers from bouts of intermittent anxiety before business trips, and during those times, no amount of whining or nagging will get a good response.

As Zhao Ziqiang kept thinking, he realized he was being a little petty, his amusement was so obvious that even Sun Wanjue, who was standing nearby washing vegetables, noticed.

Sun Wanjue would occasionally glance at the older man, whose eyes had turned into crescent moons as he laughed with such delight it could be described as shaking with joy. Annoyed, Sun Wanjue put down the vegetables and wiped his hands dry.

“Are you very happy?”

Zhao Ziqiang didn’t notice.

“Mm-hmm.”

“Extremely happy?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Taking pleasure in others’ misfortune?”

“Mm-hmm…”

Zhao Ziqiang turned his head, raising an eyebrow at the sullen-looking kid.

“Are you that bored?”

Sun Wanjue didn’t respond, only giving him a cold glance before turning to go upstairs to pack his bag. Over time, the two had become a strange sort of friends, bonded by their habit of accompanying each other to the bathroom.

Of course, Zhao Ziqiang didn’t think he needed any company for that. But for some reason, possibly due to Sun Wanjue’s sense of fairness, every time Zhao Ziqiang got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, Sun Wanjue would groggily wake up and follow him, even though he didn’t have the slightest urge to go himself.

It made Zhao Ziqiang suspect that the kid had somehow installed a listening device in his room. How else could Sun Wanjue always sense when he got up in the middle of the night, no matter how careful he was?

10:30 PM.

Right on time, Zhao Ziqiang’s door was pushed open. Sun Wanjue, with a cold, stern expression resembling an evil stepmother, walked in with his bag slung over his shoulder, acting as if it was the most natural thing. Zhao Ziqiang, already used to this, sat up and tidied up the books and papers on his desk, pulling out a chair for the young master.

Sun Wanjue had just returned from evening self-study. A few days ago, he had taken the initiative to ask Zhao Ziqiang to help him with math tutoring every night. In theory, Zhao Ziqiang, being a college student, should have no problem offering guidance. However, the issue was that Zhao Ziqiang had been a liberal arts student in high school, and his math score in the college entrance exam had been his worst subject—yet Sun Wanjue was asking him to help with science-based mathematics.

When Sun Wanjue realized that his tutor was essentially just a decoration, he continued to come here every day to put on a show for Zhao Ziqiang’s sake, trying to be self-reliant.

However, what Zhao Ziqiang was really struggling with lately wasn’t the tutoring itself but rather the endless stream of bizarre questions from Sun Wanjue, each one more peculiar than the last, all accompanied by an incessant barrage of “why”—like a million of them.

First day:

“Why do you like men?”

Second day:

“What do you do when you’re together?”

Third day:

“Is your behind the same as an ordinary person’s?”

Fourth day:

“If a big man makes sounds like ‘uh-huh’ and ‘ah,’ wouldn’t that be strange?”

………

………

…

Today,

“Is it really possible to stick your tongue into the other person’s throat when kissing?”

Since Zhao Ziqiang had been trained to be nearly impervious to shock by the previous days’ questions, he answered today’s relatively less intense question with calmness.

“Being gay is the same as being straight.”

Sun Wanjue stared intently at the man holding the newspaper up to his face.

“I’ve never been into girls before.”

“Well, you should try it sometime. Find a girl and see how it goes.”

When men are together, they often talk about these kinds of things, intentionally or unintentionally. The difference is that Sun Wanjue seems to regard Zhao Ziqiang as a seasoned expert with rich experiences.

Sun Wanjue frowned, his expression serious.

“This kind of thing has to be taken seriously. Once you get involved, you have to be responsible.”

Zhao Ziqiang lowered the newspaper in front of him. He didn’t know why he felt a bit moved hearing the little brat seriously talk about responsibility.

“Then try again in the future. Find a girl you like, and take responsibility for her.”

His words had a comforting tone, reminiscent of an elder reassuring a younger person, his voice warm and kind.

But Sun Wanjue remained motionless, staring at him. His eye sockets were somewhat sunken, giving him an appearance that hinted at mixed heritage or perhaps a minority background. When he looked at someone, his eyes were deep and intense, conveying a serious demeanor.

“But I want to know right now.”

Zhao Ziqiang was taken aback. He could easily interpret this statement as a curious child seeking knowledge from an elder. However, for some reason, he instinctively felt that there was more to Sun Wanjue’s words than met the eye.

As it turned out, his intuition was correct. Sun Wanjue awkwardly slid his chair over to the side of Zhao Ziqiang’s bed, tilting his head and trying to bring his face closer to Zhao Ziqiang’s, but he failed. Zhao Ziqiang pushed the eager young man’s shoulder firmly, his smile awkward to the extreme.

“It’s not good for kids to joke with adults… hehe.”

Sun Wanjue furrowed his brows tightly, his bangs covering his forehead as he looked down and peered into Zhao Ziqiang’s eyes, and there was even a hint of vulnerability in his gaze.

“I want to try.”

Zhao Ziqiang looked at the youth’s strange gaze with slight surprise. In a moment of distraction, his lips found their way to the other’s mouth. He was unwilling to admit that he did have a hint of indulgence in his actions.

Sun Wanjue seemed to have a natural talent, effortlessly sliding his tongue into Zhao Ziqiang’s mouth. Although it did not reach the depth of the throat, the skilfull played between their tongues was enough to stir an emotion of even a sage. Zhao Ziqiang chose to passively respond, suppressing his instinct while mingling their breaths. Sun Wanjue was just a teenager after all. If Zhao Ziqiang really wanted to resist, he wouldn’t be able to do anything.

Panting and pulling away, Sun Wanjue raised his hand to wipe away the stickiness at the corners of his mouth. Although he tried hard to appear calm, his handsome red face could not deceive others.

Quickly packing his bag and leaving, Zhao Ziqiang stared at the straight back, dazed for a moment. After a long while, he suddenly slapped his forehead hard.

“‘What the hell am I doing?”