E ⋆ Chapter 28

It felt like it had taken half a century, but the basement door finally opened.

All of Yu Zhinian’s belongings were inside.

There wasn’t actually that much, just some household items he’d brought from his old place and couldn’t bear to throw away.

The butler turned on the light, and Yu Zhinian went in to take inventory. There were bowls, dishes, and cups that had never been unpacked since moving, bundles of old books he didn’t use, a cabinet he’d bought at a home goods market, and a small carry-on suitcase.

Before the basement door broke, the maids must have wiped things down regularly when cleaning, so the furniture and items hadn’t accumulated much dust.

After finishing the inventory, Yu Zhinian called a moving company and planned to have the things transported to the cleared-out house once he returned from M University. He also carried the carry-on suitcase upstairs and packed a change of clothes and overnight supplies, since he had to be Yang Ke’s temporary travel companion for two days.

Early the next morning, when they were about to set off, Yu Zhinian saw Yang Ke settle into the driver’s seat and only then realized that Yang Ke was driving himself this time, without a driver.

He stood by the car, hesitating for a few seconds. Yang Ke rolled down the window and asked him, “What’s wrong?”

Yu Zhinian shook his head and got in.

From He City to Meng City, where M University was located, the drive took over three hours. They had to pass along the coastal highway and go around a national forest park, a stretch famous for its beautiful scenery along the way.

During the drive, Yang Ke said very little, though he didn’t look particularly serious. Music played in the car.

Yu Zhinian looked at the sea beyond the highway. The sun wasn’t very bright that day, the sky was white, and the translucent blue sea surface didn’t reflect much sunlight, rising and falling gently in an unassuming way, giving off a quiet, gentle feeling. The color was like the cover of an old photo collection that had been stored in a basement for a very long time.

Yu Zhinian felt a sense of familiarity, and at the same time, a sense of loss.

He tried hard not to look at the way Yang Ke drove, because it was too similar to what he had fantasized about during those days in high school when he was looking after Yang Zhongyin, his imagined future with Yang Ke.

Back then, Yu Zhinian, still idealistic and underage, had thought that if he and Yang Ke became the closest of friends, then perhaps on holidays they would take short road trips together.

Either he or Yang Ke could drive, traveling to their destination under the sun, on cloudy days, in the rain. The scenery would be as beautiful as in the photo collection he’d bought at a bookstore.

Every place in that photo collection, he had wanted to visit with Yang Ke.

In these six years, Yu Zhinian had had good moments, on the day Yang Ke asked him if he wanted to live together.

When he’d first started living with Yang Ke, Yu Zhinian had briefly fantasized like this again, that they would later take a honeymoon trip to wherever they felt like going. At that time he’d thought they were finally going to be together, that Yang Ke had accepted his feelings.

Even though these moments had been shorter than dreams. Even in Yu Zhinian’s not-very-long twenty-some years of life, they had been so brief as to be nearly imperceptible.

Even the joy he’d felt back then now only made Yu Zhinian feel embarrassed, and he was unwilling to think of it again.

“What are you thinking about?” Yang Ke suddenly spoke.

Yu Zhinian’s wandering mind was interrupted by Yang Ke. He lied: “I’m thinking about the questions I want to discuss with my senior.”

“Why are you driving yourself today?” Afraid that Yang Ke would press further, Yu Zhinian quickly changed the subject.

“Felt like it, so I did,” Yang Ke said, which was basically saying nothing.

Yu Zhinian fell quiet. Then Yang Ke spoke again: “This highway is very famous. If you think it’s beautiful, we can drive slower on the way back tomorrow, stop for a meal, take some photos.”

Yang Ke had been very kind to Yu Zhinian these past few days, but Yu Zhinian knew where this kindness came from, and so he didn’t want Yang Ke to do this.

He thought for a moment, then said to Yang Ke: “You don’t have to be so good to me.”

Yang Ke fell silent and didn’t say anything else until they arrived in Meng City.

They found a restaurant and had a simple meal, then each went to visit the people they’d arranged to meet.

Yu Zhinian hadn’t seen his senior in a long time. Before his senior came to teach, he had just finished a fieldwork project with an African tribe, and seemed less put-together than before.

He had a cheerful personality and chatted with Yu Zhinian about many interesting things, sharing plenty of useful techniques as well. Time flew by, and before they knew it, the two had been talking for over four hours. His senior had other plans that evening, so Yu Zhinian arranged to treat him to dinner when the senior came to He City.

Walking out of the building, Yu Zhinian sent Yang Ke a message telling him that his meeting had ended, then strolled along the lawn at M University for a bit.

M University’s vegetation wasn’t as dense as at Yu Zhinian’s own school. The sky was pale and slightly dim, not like May at all, more like January in Ning City, except the air wasn’t as cold. All around, the fragrance of spring flowers was inescapable.

Yu Zhinian stood on the pathway by the lawn for a few minutes, watching students in printed t-shirts passing by. Suddenly, a burst of heavy rain swept down from the sky.

Meng City’s rain was famous for appearing out of nowhere. Yu Zhinian had never experienced it firsthand, and was caught off guard by the downpour. For some reason he couldn’t explain, he just stood there without moving, until he heard Yang Ke calling his name.

He turned to look, and Yang Ke was walking quickly toward him.

Yang Ke was wearing a well-fitting suit, and his face suddenly seemed to no longer carry those cold, distant expressions. He looked exactly like he had in high school, just older.

It was as if all those bad things had never happened, as if they had truly escaped from Yang Zhongyin, escaped from that gloomy mansion in Ning City, and had grown into their twenties smoothly and closely together. And today was just an ordinary day for them.

Yang Ke reached Yu Zhinian’s side and said, “How does a bit of rain make you stop moving,” then took off his suit jacket and held it over Yu Zhinian to shield him from the rain. “Let’s go.”

Yang Ke held Yu Zhinian close and walked him to the car. Yang Ke’s jacket brushed against his cheek, and the lining of the jacket was warm.

Yang Ke opened the car door for him first, and only after Yu Zhinian got in did he go around the front of the car and get in himself.

Yu Zhinian turned to look at Yang Ke and noticed that Yang Ke was wetter than he was. The shoulders and back of his dress shirt had become semi-transparent, clinging to his muscles, and his hair was wet too.

“Let’s go to the hotel first,” Yang Ke pulled out two tissues and pressed them gently but firmly against Yu Zhinian’s face. “Change clothes.”

Yu Zhinian hummed in agreement, looking at Yang Ke’s very dark, soaked hair.

The car started, and a kind of happiness that caused him pain rose up in Yu Zhinian’s heart.

He felt that perhaps he was happy at this moment, but at the same time he was suffering.

Yang Ke gave him rewards like the sample portions at a supermarket. Yu Zhinian had long been standing in line, waiting hopelessly for a taste for many years. Today he had finally gotten to taste it, and it was delicious beyond measure, but he had long since learned that the full-size version was never for sale, and would always be out of stock for him.

He looked at Yang Ke. As they drove out of M University’s gate, Yang Ke turned to look at him and said, “Why do you keep staring at me?”

Yu Zhinian said, “You’re soaked.”

Yang Ke said, “It’s fine.” He asked, “Are you cold?” Looking ahead, he turned up the air conditioning by two degrees, then with one hand pulled the suit jacket on Yu Zhinian’s lap upward, covering his shoulders. “Your face looks a bit pale.”

Yu Zhinian was indeed a bit cold, so he didn’t answer.

When they got to the hotel, they checked in. Yang Ke had booked a suite.

Yu Zhinian went back to his room and took a shower, then put on a bathrobe and sat on the bed, feeling chilled all over, his head aching badly.

He wasn’t sure how long he’d been sitting there when Yang Ke knocked on his door from outside.

Yu Zhinian walked over and opened the door. When Yang Ke saw him, he seemed to pause slightly for a moment, and said, “Are you not feeling well?” Yu Zhinian hummed in response. Yang Ke asked, “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know,” Yu Zhinian looked at Yang Ke and said. “I’m very cold.”

Yang Ke paused for a few seconds, then raised his hand and pressed the back of it against Yu Zhinian’s forehead. His hand was pleasantly warm, which made Yu Zhinian feel comfortable, but he withdrew it quickly.

“You have a fever,” Yang Ke said. “I’ll go buy you some medicine.”