One morning, Jiang Yi quietly got out of bed before the alarm clock went off.

Lu Li, who had been sleeping, was startled awake as well. In his half-asleep state, he saw Jiang Yi getting up and thought that the moment he had been waiting for had finally arrived.

Lu Li immediately sat up, his eyes shining as he grabbed Jiang Yi’s hand, excitedly asking, “Did you dream about it too?”

“Did you dream about me?”

Jiang Yi shook his head.

Lu Li’s heart sank. He sat there, stunned, wondering who Jiang Yi could have dreamed about if not him. Could it be… the fridge?

He swallowed nervously and asked cautiously, “Did you dream of a person or an object?”

Jiang Yi replied honestly, “I didn’t dream.”

“I just got up to drink water. I’m thirsty.”

For some reason over the past few days, even though it wasn’t autumn, Jiang Yi had been feeling unusually dry, and he was drinking water much more frequently than usual.

Lu Li blinked in confusion, then asked, “You just got up for water?”

Jiang Yi nodded, but then noticed Lu Li staring at his pants. Defeated, Lu Li lifted the blanket and sighed, “Sit back down.”

“I’ll get the water for you.”

Jiang Yi obediently sat back down. When Lu Li handed him the cup, Jiang Yi drank quickly, gulping loudly as if he had been thirsty for a while.

Lu Li sat down beside him, his face tense, feeling that all the so-called remedies he’d read online were completely useless.

But by that evening, the effects of the tonics Lu Li had been giving Jiang Yi for days finally kicked in.

Around eight o’clock, while Jiang Yi was doing his homework, he suddenly had a nosebleed. It frightened Lu Li so much that he nearly thought something serious had happened.

After rushing to call the family doctor, they found out it was nothing major—just a result of overheating from the tonics. Only then did Lu Li relax.

Jiang Yi, with tissues stuffed up his nose, quietly asked, “What kind of soup has Auntie been making for me these days?”

Lu Li’s ears turned a little red as he tried to remain calm and mumbled, “Just some tonics… Maybe a bit too much heat.”

“We won’t drink it for a few days.”

Jiang Yi obediently nodded.

Lu Li watched him sitting on the couch, wide-eyed like a little kid who had just gotten sick. Jiang Yi softly made a request, “Arno.”

Lu Li, his heart softening, responded, “Yes?”

“I have a competition the day after tomorrow.”

Lu Li ruffled his hair, “Yeah, I know. You can study a bit longer tonight.”

Jiang Yi continued in his gentle tone, “The teacher said we’re going to City A for the competition.”

“We might stay there for a week.”

“Is there any local specialty from City A that you want?”

Lu Li paused for a moment, then said with a blank expression, “Do I look like someone who’s interested in local specialties?”

Jiang Yi, ignoring him, added, “So Arno wants a beautiful little seashell from City A? Okay, I’ll pick the prettiest one for you.”

Lu Li turned Jiang Yi’s head to face him and glared, “Who told you I wanted a seashell?”

Jiang Yi, realizing his attempt to change the subject had failed, touched his nose and said quietly, “It’s just a week.”

Lu Li, sulking, asked, “Why are you only telling me this today?”

There was only one day left before Jiang Yi would leave, and he didn’t even have enough time to pack for him.

Jiang Yi, pressing the tissue to his nose, whispered honestly, “Because I had a nosebleed today.”

That way, Lu Li wouldn’t nag him endlessly.

Jiang Yi still remembered when he was younger and had to leave S City to visit his grandmother. For days before leaving, Arno had clung to him, nagging non-stop about all the things that could go wrong—mudslides, car accidents, or Jiang Yi being kidnapped.

Little Jiang Yi had gotten so annoyed that he quietly reassured him he wouldn’t die.

Only after getting a promise that Jiang Yi would come back and haunt him if something happened did Arno finally stop nagging.

Listening to Jiang Yi’s explanation, Lu Li sternly said, “You don’t understand.”

“You have no idea how dangerous the outside world can be.”

“Fine, I’ll pack for you. You’re going to be the death of me.”

Jiang Yi sniffed, realizing Lu Li wasn’t mad anymore, and cheerfully added, “Don’t forget to pack my pillowcase.”

Lu Li, walking away, turned around to glare at him, “I won’t pack it.”

The next day.

Jiang Yi looked at the two suitcases in front of him and fell silent.

He opened his mouth and said, “I’m only going for a week.”

“I’m not moving to City A.”

Lu Li glared at him, “You want to move to City A?”

Jiang Yi, feeling awkward, said, “It’s too much. I won’t need all this.”

Lu Li frowned, “How won’t you need it?”

He tried to coax him, “It’s just enough.”

“The hotel’s stuff won’t be comfortable for you, and it’s not hygienic.”

Jiang Yi rubbed his nose and nodded.

On the third morning, Jiang Yi secretly set the alarm an hour later. He quietly got up, washed up, and left with the smaller of the two suitcases.

When Lu Li woke up, he noticed the bed beside him was empty. Thinking Jiang Yi had just rolled over in his sleep, he sleepily reached out, but only felt the cold sheets.

He suddenly woke up, his eyes snapping open to find the bed empty.

Lu Li hurriedly got up, his footsteps loud as he rushed downstairs. The butler greeted him calmly, “Young master, you’re awake. Little Jiang left a message for you.”

“He said he’ll bring back two little seashells for you and that you should do your homework while he’s gone.”

“And that he’ll check it when he gets back.”

Lu Li: “…”

---

S City and City A weren’t too far apart. The experimental school had rented a bus to take the students to City A.

Jiang Yi sat with his classmate, Cai Fang, who seemed nervous, flipping through his wrinkled practice sheets. After a while, Cai Fang sighed and said, “I don’t think I have much hope of making it to the finals.”

“In our class, I’d say only a few have a shot. If the questions are tricky, even fewer will make it.”

Counting on his fingers, Cai Fang said, “You, and the vice class president—I think you two are the most likely.”

Jiang Yi’s gaze wandered to the front of the bus where a tall, fair-skinned boy sat with his eyes closed, listening to music.

That was their class vice president, Cheng Chao—always polite and well-mannered.

The bus ride took over five hours, and they finally arrived in City A.

The competition organizers had booked a large hotel, and the students were paired off in standard rooms, two to a room.

Jiang Yi was roomed with Cheng Chao.

Cheng Chao, seemingly a neat freak, immediately replaced all the hotel linens and politely asked if Jiang Yi needed to use the bathroom before he showered.

Jiang Yi said no.

With that, Cheng Chao grabbed his change of clothes and headed into the bathroom.

Jiang Yi opened his suitcase to unpack and found that Lu Li had also packed disposable bed linens for him, which he replaced.

Afterward, he sent a message to Lu Li and another to his father to let him know he had arrived safely.

By this time, Lu Li was likely in his horse-riding class and hadn’t replied yet, so Jiang Yi set his phone aside and continued unpacking.

While folding his clothes, his phone rang.

Jiang Yi answered.

Lu Li’s voice came through, “Did you get carsick? How’s the hotel? Send me your teacher’s phone number.”

“And send me that little guy with glasses’ number too.”

Jiang Yi, puzzled, asked, “Little guy with glasses?”

Lu Li clarified, “Your deskmate.”

“Oh,” Jiang Yi said, “I’ll send it later.”

“I’ve got to finish unpacking first.”

Lu Li sounded a bit displeased, “Why are you hanging up so quickly? You didn’t even tell me how the hotel is.”

Jiang Yi responded, “It’s pretty good, just—”

“Jiang Yi, I’m done with my shower. Do you want to use the bathroom?” Cheng Chao’s voice called out, clearly heard through the phone.

Lu Li: “…”

After a long pause, Lu Li spoke slowly, “There’s someone in your room?”

“He’s showering in your room?”

“And he’s asking if you want to shower?”

“So, Jiang Yi, the reason you were rushing to hang up on me… was this?”