Chapter 40

The group chat continued. Shi Ziyi asked Song Ruichi, "Did you get him home safely?"

Song Ruichi: "Safely delivered to my place."

Shi Ziyi: "Nice, nice, nice."

Shi Ziyi: "It’s always you."

Shi Ziyi: "So, is he staying the night?"

Song Ruichi: "Mmhmm."

Shi Ziyi: "Nice, nice, nice."

Shi Ziyi: "Sometimes I don’t even know if I should feel sorry for you."

Ying Jing: "Don’t pity him, he’s absolutely riding high."

Ying Jing: "Pity the rest of the single people in this group instead."

Ying Jing: "Why don’t you two just move in together already?"

Song Ruichi: "Good idea."

Shi Ziyi: "Will there be a kid to go buy soy sauce by this time next year?"

Song Ruichi: "Yes."

Ying Jing: "I’m dying. Does Xu Er know you’re being this brazen in front of us?"

Ying Jing: "You should say that to his face."

Song Ruichi sent a "Shut up" sticker.

Song Ruichi: "Just coaxed him back."

Shi Ziyi: "Oh, right. By the way, why was he giving you the cold shoulder this week?"

Song Ruichi: "He’s busy with work."

Shi Ziyi: "I believe you, like hell I do."

Ying Jing: "I believe you, like hell I do."

Xiao Xia: "I believe you, like hell I do."

Song Ruichi: "He found out about my sexual orientation."

Shi Ziyi: "!!! Oh, wow. When did he find out?"

Song Ruichi: "Last weekend. Probably heard about it in C City."

Ying Jing: "And then, did he get scared off?"

Song Ruichi: "Don’t know yet."

Ying Jing: "Your orientation isn't exactly a secret anymore, is it?"

Ying Jing: "You brought him to watch the match; you had to have guarded against this happening."

Song Ruichi: "I didn’t guard against it. I did it on purpose."

Shi Ziyi: "Oh?"

Shi Ziyi: "It really was time he knew, though."

Shi Ziyi: "But why didn't you just tell him yourself?"

Song Ruichi: "'Hello Xu Er, I’m gay.'"

Shi Ziyi: "Hahahaha, nice, nice, nice."

Ying Jing: "Hahahaha, Shi Ziyi, you’re too funny."

Xiao Xia: "What do you know, Shi Ziyi? Our Song has a strategy."

Xiao Xia: "Besides, can you rush love?"

Xiao Xia: "Everything happens in its own time."

Xiao Xia: "Especially when the other person is a straight guy who might just be a straight guy."

Xiao Xia: "Our Song knows what he’s doing."

Xiao Xia: "Right, Song?"

Song Ruichi: "Since you’ve said so."

Song Ruichi: "Even if I didn’t know what I was doing, I’d have to now."

Shi Ziyi: "Fine, fine. We straight people don't understand you gay people's business."

Xiao Xia: "Just wait for good news from Song."

Song Ruichi: "Just wait for good news from Song."

*Just wait for good news from Song.*

Seeing the sentence he had copied, Song Ruichi chuckled.

Across the room, Xu Er was already comfortably settled on the sofa, having chosen a channel that interested him. He was petting Soso while watching the television intently.

Song Ruichi brought over two mugs of freshly brewed coffee and sat down beside him.

"I started watching from where you left off in your history," Xu Er said, picking up the remote. "Should I rewind it?"

Song Ruichi shook his head. "No need, just watch."

What was playing on the TV was *Animal World*. When Xu Er opened the TV earlier, he had found it in the corner of the history records while he was feeling aimless.

On screen, a leopard was locking onto its prey. With the unique narration of *Animal World* and no background music, the scene felt even more tense and thrilling, heightening the anticipation.

The camera followed the leopard as it crept closer. Just as it was about to strike, the antelope spotted it. The leopard burst into a sprint, and the antelope bolted instantly. But how could the antelope’s speed compare to a leopard’s? Before long, the antelope was caught.

"Whoa."

At the moment of the capture, Xu Er let out a sound.

Song Ruichi was watching quite closely too. As the scene ended, they both took a sip of coffee in perfect synchronization.

After swallowing, Song Ruichi asked Xu Er, "When you were watching, were you hoping the leopard would catch the antelope, or were you hoping the antelope would get away?"

Xu Er replied, "I hoped the leopard would catch it."

Song Ruichi: "Why?"

Xu Er thought for a moment. "I think most people would hope it gets caught. The camera gave the leopard so much buildup that we unconsciously poured our feelings into it, making it easy to root for its success. If they had started by showing the antelope living harmoniously with its family, eating grass, we probably would have hoped for the antelope to escape."

Song Ruichi smiled. "Thinking so deeply?"

Xu Er nodded. "I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately."

Song Ruichi: "What else have you thought about?"

Xu Er: "I also thought about..."

He turned his head to look at Song Ruichi.

Song Ruichi: "Hmm?"

Xu Er smiled. "I thought about how I even ended up knowing you."

Song Ruichi: "What’s wrong with knowing me?"

Xu Er: "It’s a good thing to know you."

Song Ruichi naturally didn't believe him completely. "Were the thoughts good, or bad?"

Xu Er didn't say good or bad; he just said, "I’m very happy to know you, really."

With that, he stood up. "I’m going to take a shower."

He wasn't exactly avoiding Song Ruichi; he had planned to shower after finishing the episode anyway. He had been running around all day and felt a bit sticky.

But he was also avoiding Song Ruichi. Any more questions would be impolite, Mr. Song.

The evening was long. Once Xu Er finished his shower, Song Ruichi took his turn in the master bathroom, as if they were queuing up.

Xu Er returned to the living room and started a new episode of *Animal World*. He didn't usually think to watch this show, but seeing it now, it was actually quite interesting. The world was so vast, and his understanding of it so small.

Xu Er was wearing the pajamas Song Ruichi had given him. Halfway through the show, Song Ruichi emerged from the master bedroom, and Xu Er noticed he was wearing the same style in a different color.

Xu Er tugged at his own clothes. "Don't tell me you bought this for me."

"I bought it for someone who likes to wear the same style as me," Song Ruichi said, then asked, "Is that you?"

Xu Er curled his lip, forced to admit, "It’s me, it’s me. So what?"

Song Ruichi smiled.

The two of them just sat there, watching another episode of *Animal World* with Soso.

Time slipped away, and soon it was bedtime. As they had done many times before, they washed up and climbed into bed.

Song Ruichi turned off the lights, and the bedroom plunged into darkness.

Xu Er lay still—flat on his back, hands at his sides, then hands on his stomach. After ten minutes of keeping his eyes closed, he opened them again. Perhaps he had slept too much during the day, because he couldn't fall asleep now.

As if he had a sixth sense, just as Xu Er was about to close his eyes and try again, Song Ruichi spoke up. "Can't sleep?"

Xu Er opened his eyes. "A little."

Song Ruichi reached over and rested his hand on Xu Er’s head. He didn't stroke it; he just let it rest there.

"Take your pick: talk, or I’ll tell you a story."

Xu Er turned to his side out of curiosity. As he shifted, Song Ruichi’s hand slid, drawing a half-circle on Xu Er’s head before coming to rest with his thumb on Xu Er’s bangs. It felt like a natural motion; Song Ruichi finally gave a few light rubs, causing Xu Er’s bangs to sway over his eyebrows.

"So, talking is an option?" Xu Er asked.

Song Ruichi: "Because I don't know how to tell stories."

Xu Er let out an 'ah' sound. "But I really want you to tell me one."

Song Ruichi sighed quite deliberately. "Then I guess I have no choice."

It looked like he was about to reach for his phone, so Xu Er immediately grabbed the hand Song Ruichi was retracting.

"I’m kidding," Xu Er said, placing Song Ruichi’s hand back on his head. "Let’s talk. I actually have something I want to talk about."

Song Ruichi was curious. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Let's talk about your thoughts after watching the lion pride documentary," Xu Er said. Fearing Song Ruichi might take it too seriously, he added, "And that person you like."

Song Ruichi paused for half a second, then laughed. "Huh?"

Xu Er laughed too. "Huh."

Song Ruichi: "Which one should we talk about first?"

Xu Er: "You pick."

"I think those lions..." Song Ruichi paused for a moment, as if thinking, then said, "What person do I like?"

Xu Er’s heart began to feel heavy. "Your secret crush. You told me you had a secret crush."

Song Ruichi: "My secret crush?"

Xu Er: "Yeah."

Xu Er was confused. It was dark, and he couldn't see Song Ruichi’s expression clearly, but the tone in his voice made it sound as if Xu Er had made the whole thing up.

Xu Er naturally pulled out evidence: "You told me when we went to C City, in the car," he listed them one by one. "Something about love at first sight, something about someone sneaking photos of you, asking for your WeChat—wasn't that it?"

Song Ruichi laughed.

He laughed? What was that supposed to mean?

"What the hell?" Xu Er was getting thrown off.

Song Ruichi didn't explain. He just asked, "What do you want to know?"

Xu Er thought about it. "Just tell me whatever."

Song Ruichi: "That person you're thinking of right now—we aren't in touch anymore."

Xu Er processed this. "Not in touch anymore?"

Song Ruichi: "Yeah."

Xu Er: "Why?" Not long ago, he seemed quite fond of that person.

Song Ruichi said, "No reason."

Xu Er: "Did you stop liking them?"

Song Ruichi: "Yeah."

Xu Er made a sound of disdain. "Wow, how could you stop liking someone so quickly?"

Song Ruichi sounded surprisingly righteous. "Is that not allowed?"

Xu Er suddenly started to laugh. "It’s allowed."

What on earth. What *is* this?

But... it was quite funny. It made Xu Er realize how much mental preparation he had done before asking. He had even been prepared to listen carefully to the story between Song Ruichi and that person. And yet... that was it?

"For real? Don't lie to me." Xu Er made a final confirmation.

Song Ruichi sighed helplessly. "Why would I lie to you?"

"Alright then," Xu Er’s tone lightened. "Then tell me your thoughts on the lion coalition."

Song Ruichi was completely amused by Xu Er’s words. Naturally, he didn't talk about any lions. He turned on his side to look at Xu Er. "Why are you so curious about him?"

Xu Er: "I thought maybe you two had made some progress."

Thinking back, a week had passed. Before asking, Xu Er had even imagined scenarios: did that person know about Song Ruichi’s feelings now? If they knew, what was their situation? If they didn't, what was Song Ruichi planning to do?

"The progress is," Song Ruichi said, "that he disappeared."

Xu Er sighed on his behalf. "Don't be sad."

Song Ruichi laughed. "I’m not sad."

Indeed, judging by his tone, Song Ruichi didn't seem sad at all.

Xu Er: "You’re so heartless."

Song Ruichi chuckled. "You’re saying I’m heartless?"

Xu Er: "Isn't that obvious?"

Song Ruichi: "You’re the one who’s heartless."

Xu Er: "What did I do? I’m not the one who was liking someone so intently and then suddenly stopped."