Xu Er had only gone downstairs to throw away some trash, but was attacked by a branch.

The cause was that after throwing the trash, he saw the little stray cat he hadn’t seen in a long time. The cat was walking strangely, seemingly injured, so Xu Er chased after it to check.

Unexpectedly, the ungrateful cat, after such a short time apart, didn’t recognize Xu Er and turned around to run. Its leg didn’t seem injured at all.

Xu Er, in his usual habit, chased a few steps before tripping over a branch left by the roadside.

“This is how it happened.”

Xu Er sent the whole story to Song Ruichi via a voice message.

Song Ruichi asked, [Did you get hurt?]

Xu Er, sitting on a chair, sent pictures of the injury on his knee, the scrape on his calf, and the abrasion on his elbow.

Xu Er: [Just a little.]

Song Ruichi: [Just a little?]

Song Ruichi: [Do you have iodine solution? Treat it.]

Xu Er: [No.]

Xu Er: [It’s fine. I rinsed it with water. It’s not a big deal.]

Xu Er: [In the end, I still managed to catch the cat.]

Xu Er: [It’s fine, the cat’s okay.]

Song Ruichi: [You’re the one with a problem.]

Xu Er: [I’m fine too.]

Song Ruichi was about to type a reply, but after a moment’s pause, he put his phone down instead.

He had just finished a shower, and his body was still thick with steam. Holding a towel, he wiped his hair while looking at himself in the mirror.

After staring at his reflection for a few seconds, he let out a soft sigh, went out, casually dried his hair, and changed into clothes to head out.

There was a pharmacy at the entrance of the community. At first, Song Ruichi just bought cotton swabs and iodine solution. But then, as he browsed, he ended up picking up a bunch of other everyday medications and even asked the sales associate for a first aid kit.

Back at home, he looked at the overflowing first aid kit with a helpless expression before picking up his phone.

Then, he ordered a local delivery.

Fifteen minutes later, the doorbell rang.

Song Ruichi grabbed the first aid kit and opened the door.

“Wuhu~”

“Hello!”

“Good evening, Song Song.”

Song Ruichi: “…”

The group had brought everything—some carried alcohol, others brought food, and some even had board games.

Song Ruichi: “What’s going on?”

Shi Ziyi: “Well, someone here had their heart broken, so we came over to keep them company.”

Song Ruichi: “Who got their heart broken?”

Ying Jing: “Exactly! Who got their heart broken? Don’t say things like that.”

Song Ruichi: “…”

He didn’t move aside and simply closed the door.

“Hey, hey, hey, don’t!” Chen Yu, standing by the door, blocked it.

Ying Jing: “What’s the matter? We came all this way to check on you, buddy.”

Shi Ziyi: “That’s right. I even stopped playing Mahjong. You don’t know, I was about to win so much.”

Song Ruichi: “Go back and play.”

“Uh, is this the local delivery for here?” A strange voice suddenly appeared from the back.

Song Ruichi opened the door just a crack. “Yes.”

The group stepped aside to let the delivery through.

When Song Ruichi announced the recipient’s name, the air filled with a collective “Oh~~”

Song Ruichi: “…”

After the delivery left, Song Ruichi, unwilling to speak, headed into the house.

Of course, his friends, who were very familiar with him, quickly followed, chattering behind him, completely oblivious to the lack of tact.

“What’s going on? Delivering a first aid kit to a little handsome guy?” Shi Ziyi grinned. “Did he get hurt? Where? Is it serious?”

Ying Jing followed up: “Why didn’t you deliver it yourself? Is it because you don’t like him?”

Chen Yu: “Mr. Song is such a nice guy.”

Song Ruichi stopped in his tracks, turned around, and pointed at the door. “Left turn out the door, thank you.”

Naturally, no one turned left out the door. They all stormed past him, quickly tidying up the coffee table and gathering Soso into their arms.

Song Ruichi stood by, arms crossed, watching his friends.

“What are you standing there for? Come over here,” Shi Ziyi said.

Ying Jing popped open a bottle of wine. “Don’t be polite, make yourselves at home.”

Chen Yu: “Come on, come on.”

Song Ruichi: “…”

Everyone: “What are you being polite for?”

If you can’t beat them, join them. Song Ruichi had no choice but to sit in the spot they designated for him.

As soon as he sat down, drinks, crawfish, and grilled skewers were all served up.

Song Ruichi: “You guys are really something.”

Shi Ziyi even peeled the shells off the crawfish for him. “If you think it’s funny, just laugh more.”

Of course, Song Ruichi didn’t refuse. He ate the crawfish with the shells peeled off, munched on the grilled skewers, and even took a sip of the wine.

“So, what happened to Xu Er?” Shi Ziyi raised his cup. “Did he get hurt?”

Song Ruichi: “He tripped and scraped himself.”

As if knowing these guys wouldn’t offer anything helpful, Song Ruichi immediately added, “If you talk too much, get out.”

The three of them froze for a moment, then burst out laughing in unison.

Ying Jing: “No, no, no, we’re not that shameless, are we?”

Chen Yu: “There is.”

Ying Jing: “You have one.”

Chen Yu glanced at the smiling Shi Ziyi beside him. “Don’t laugh, you have one too.”

Ying Jing was very curious: “So he’s really a straight guy?”

Song Ruichi: “Mm.”

Ying Jing gasped: “I really didn’t expect that. Why’s he always so clingy to you if he’s straight?”

Song Ruichi: “Good question.”

Shi Ziyi tossed another peeled crawfish at Song Ruichi: “Could it be a misunderstanding?”

As the words left his mouth, Song Ruichi’s phone rang.

The four of them all turned to look, and on the screen, the name “Xu Xiao’er’er” flashed.

Song Ruichi held his phone out in front of Shi Ziyi. “You ask him if I’m misunderstanding.”

Shi Ziyi, as if he’d just touched a hot potato, quickly stepped back half a meter.

Song Ruichi slid the call away.

The three friends instantly fell silent.

“You sent me the first aid kit?” Xu Er asked from the other end.

Song Ruichi: “It wasn’t me.”

Xu Er sounded confused: “Huh? It wasn’t you?” He mumbled, “That’s impossible, then who was it?”

Song Ruichi finally replied: “It was me.”

“Ah, I knew it!” Xu Er perked up, having guessed correctly. “Why did you buy so many things for me?”

Song Ruichi: “Just some common meds, kept on hand.”

Xu Er: “Thanks, you’re so thoughtful.”

“You’re welcome,” Song Ruichi said. “Did you apply the medicine? Let me see.”

Xu Er laughed: “I can handle it myself.”

Song Ruichi: “I need to check.”

Xu Er: “I know, I know, I’ll send you a picture.”

After hanging up, it felt like the play button had been pressed in the living room, and his friends started moving again.

But the very next second…

“Mr. Song is so thoughtful!”

“I need to check.”

Song Ruichi pointed toward the door.

“Ah, ah,” Shi Ziyi grabbed Song Ruichi’s hand. “Alright, alright, no more talking.”

Soon, Xu Er’s photo was sent over.

Not sure what was so interesting, but as soon as Song Ruichi opened it, the three of them crowded in to look.

Song Ruichi held his phone in his palm, raised it, and passed it to the middle.

Look as much as you want, fine.

“Hahaha.”

The three of them stepped back.

“Really, what kind of flowers would a straight guy send you?” Ying Jing remarked.

Shi Ziyi nodded. “Exactly, and then he asks for your WeChat? What does a straight guy want with another guy’s WeChat?”

Song Ruichi, eating as he spoke, replied, “Maybe he’s asking for it for his younger brother. His younger brother has known about me for a while. He said he likes me a lot.”

The three friends: “Ah…”

Shi Ziyi: “That doesn’t mean anything, though. He’s just helping his brother fan over you. No need for all that unnecessary drama.”

Song Ruichi ate a skewer. “Didn’t do anything messy.”

Shi Ziyi disagreed: “On the first day you met, you were interacting back and forth in each other’s Moments. Isn’t that what it was? That’s enough to make anyone’s heart race.”

Song Ruichi poured himself some wine. “It wasn’t anything.”

Ying Jing added, “Well, I saw it with my own eyes. He was practically hanging around you like a little charm.”

Song Ruichi replied, “He’s just socially anxious.”

The three of them simultaneously froze for a moment.

Alright, alright.

“Why are you still defending him?” Chen Yu laughed.

Song Ruichi laughed too, as if punishing himself, he downed a glass of wine.

Shi Ziyi asked, “Then why did he send you flowers? How do you explain that?”

Song Ruichi picked up his phone. “You can ask him, I want to hear it too.”

Shi Ziyi immediately backed down: “Forget I asked.”

But soon, Shi Ziyi added, “Damn it, straight guys are so annoying.”

Song Ruichi had no words to say in reply.

He really had nothing more to say. He raised his glass, clinked it with everyone else’s, and drank it all in one go.

After that, there wasn’t much more about Xu Er. They hadn’t known each other for long, and there weren’t many stories to tell.

So, the topic naturally shifted. They chatted about whatever came to mind, playing games and talking until the early hours of the morning.

Everyone had a good tolerance for alcohol, and none of them were particularly drunk, still quite clear-headed.

As the night was winding down, Ying Jing came back after washing his hands and walked past the bouquet of flowers on the bar. So, his mouth couldn’t help itself.

“These flowers are actually quite nice,” Ying Jing said. “Don’t you think so, Song Song?”

Song Ruichi, still somewhat cleansed by the alcohol, responded with silence.

Ying Jing laughed. “But seriously, what does it mean when a straight guy gives flowers to another guy?”

Chen Yu joined in, “Yeah, really. You’d have to ask around, but I’ve never heard of such a thing.”

Shi Ziyi added, “Exactly. If it were for an award or some holiday, it would be more understandable. But it’s just a regular weekday, and he’s giving you flowers? Especially after only knowing each other for a few days—at such a sensitive time.”

Ying Jing nodded in agreement. “Right.”

Song Ruichi glanced at the flowers, then echoed, “Right.”

They all laughed together.

Ying Jing teased, “Late at night like this, do you think Xu Er’s ears will turn red from us talking about him?”

Shi Ziyi laughed, “Why not? Really, why don’t you ask him about the flowers?”

Song Ruichi immediately rejected, “No.”

Shi Ziyi protested, “Why not ask?”

Song Ruichi replied, “If you want to ask, you ask.”

Shi Ziyi, with a dramatic gesture, said, “If he were here right now, I would definitely ask him for you. ‘Hey, you! Bullying our Song Song!'”

As soon as he finished speaking, the doorbell rang.

Ding dong.

The sound echoed through the room.