Chapter 7: It Seems Like an Old Friend Has Arrived

In recent days, the two gradually became familiar with each other's bodies, and some small flirtations proved effective, quickly leading them into a more intimate state. By the stove, they did not feel cold; rather, their bodies warmed up faster than usual. It was hard to tell whether it was the fire or their bodies reacting excessively to the unfamiliar environment. Xie Minglang opened his eyes and saw that one side of Yan Cai's body was tinted a faint golden-red by the firelight, glistening with sweat and subtly sparkling with golden flecks. He was momentarily captivated and reached out to touch Yan Cai's face. To his surprise, Yan Cai also reached out, brushing his hand against the shoulder closest to the stove, realizing that they were both entranced by the light. He then saw the smile in Yan Cai's eyes gradually fade away, the firelight reflecting in his gaze, stirring up more intense emotions. The slight furrow in his brow always made Xie Minglang unable to resist the urge to reach out and smooth it out.

No. Back then, I acted in a film, and in order to shoot a few scenes of chopping vegetables in the kitchen, I practiced in front of a basket of potatoes for three days, and finally managed to barely pass.

Hearing him speak more and more nonsensically, Xie Minglang said irritably: "Helping you move a corpse and clean the murder weapon is not a problem."

This answer was unexpectedly beyond expectations; he originally intended to joke, but after listening, his smile vanished. He turned Xie Minglang's face towards him and said: "So, it has been a little over half a month since I last saw you."

Ji Zhanming firmly shook hands and went through another round of handshakes, finally meeting Xie Minglang. Xie Minglang had been standing there in a daze for quite some time. Ji Zhanming's hand lingered in the air for a while before he finally returned the handshake and smiled, saying, "I didn't expect to see you."

Due to the nature of his work, Xie Minglang only attended the venue a few times during the initial planning phase, primarily for the purpose of taking photographs, which served as the basis for the venue design. On the day of the opening, Xie Minglang was not present and only arrived the day before the New Year. The moment he stepped into the exhibition hall, he could not help but be astonished by what he saw: recalling the monotonous and dull scene he first encountered a few months ago, he truly did not dare to imagine that his design could be largely realized in such a short period of time

Yan Cai retorted to him, "Then what do you want to do?"

How is it? We have not disgraced your design, have we

"Deeply etched in memory." Yan Cai was reminded of the past by this phrase from Xie Minglang, smiled gently, and paused his hands, saying, "Everything is cut; the rest is up to you."

Xie Minglang pushed the door open and took a glance, only to realize he had entered the study. However, compared to the books, the collection of discs and videotapes was much more abundant. Yan Cai watched him approach, put down the book and wine in his hands, and said: "Have you woken up? Has the fever subsided at all?"

Their brief conversation was interrupted by the arrival of others, and they became excited, deciding to end the day's exhibition early and agreeing to go out for drinks together to celebrate their reunion after graduation

Xie Minglang casually said: "There is no such thing. How could I have the time to be distracted?"

Xie Minglang, unwilling to come out, indeed collapsed onto the bed afterward, complaining: "My whole body hurts, as if countless rhinoceroses are trampling on me"

When he woke up, he felt the heat dissipate slightly. The curtains were closed, though he did not know when, leaving a narrow gap through which blinding white light seeped into the room, like a sharp knife. He knew this was the reflection of the snow. After looking for a while, he felt dizzy, sat up, put on a sweater, and went to find Yan Cai.

Xie Minglang was momentarily taken aback in embarrassment, then firmly shook his head: "It is dark and snowing heavily, I do not want to go out. I just have a slight deficiency in my knife skills"

Then let's go

I am here to do menial work, so of course my name is not included

Upon reaching the third or fourth room, I finally heard Yan Cai's voice: "Come in"

Xie Minglang learned about the recent circumstances of some classmates he had not been in touch with for a long time from this conversation, which was somewhat unexpected: graduation, employment, marriage, and childbirth are all part of this journey. However, some people are striding forward in the sunlight, while others are temporarily left far behind.

Xie Minglang sat down beside him, the fire was burning brightly, yet he still threw another piece of wood into the stove. The flames suddenly leaped high, sparks flying, and it seemed they were about to land on him, but surprisingly, it did not hurt much.

The person who said this was his college roommate, and Xie Minglang laughed upon hearing it: "After sleeping with so many people for four years, you only think of me?"

"Then it seems even more like..." Xie Minglang intended to say the two words "affair," but as the words were on the tip of his tongue, he felt it inappropriate and smiled, holding back. However, he did not expect Yan Cai to lean closer, seemingly having guessed what he was about to say, her eyes sparkling with laughter: "Like what?"

Yan Cai turned her body to the side to let Xie Minglang enter, casually taking the bag from his hand: "On such a cold day, it's impressive that you thought of this. Would you like to take a shower first?"

Xie Minglang did not move, raised an eyebrow and said: "Aren't you going to take me to tour the room first?"

Yan Cai, seemingly lost in thought, glanced at the dreadful weather outside. He was in a good mood today, so he said: "What do you need to cut? I can do it."

"Infidelity." After saying this, Xie Minglang found it amusing, and with a hint of embarrassment, he quietly turned his head away

At this moment, Xie Minglang had already fallen asleep due to fatigue and could hear nothing.

Much better. The house is too big, it really isn't easy to find you

There is no such thing

Xie Minglang smiled and turned to glance at the puzzle on the floor, saying: "A new puzzle?"

As they approached their destination, it indeed began to snow again. Xie Minglang hailed a taxi outside a nearby supermarket, bought some vegetables and snacks, and walked the remaining distance.

"It must have passed," Yan Cai replied slowly to him

The room was quite warm, and Xie Minglang was running a fever, feeling even hotter. Yan Cai noticed that the two red marks on his cheeks had faded significantly, realizing that the medicine was taking effect, so she continued to joke: "Don't worry, this is a new house, there are no vengeful spirits wandering inside."

Yan Cai walked over to Xie Minglang and said, "Where do you think we should hide it, hmm?"

Although Xie Minglang's knife skills are lacking, the dishes he prepared taste quite good. After finishing the meal, the two poured themselves some wine and truly began to work on the puzzle. It is inevitable that disagreements arise when two people are assembling a puzzle, but such minor disputes are hardly significant in the current atmosphere. Halfway through their argument, Xie Minglang often cannot help but burst into laughter, which leaves Yan Cai feeling somewhat helpless. Thus, they pass the time in a leisurely and tranquil manner, engaging in a back-and-forth that is quite rare.

The house was eerily quiet, with thick carpets that provided excellent sound absorption. Xie Minglang went downstairs to search; the fireplace in the living room was still burning, yet there was no one around. Xie Minglang could not recall how he had moved from the living room to the bedroom yesterday. After taking a turn, he softly called out Yan Cai's name several times, but no one responded to him

He returned to the second floor, starting to knock on the doors one by one from the first room on the left side of the bedroom. The knocking echoed in the empty corridor, a sensation that Xie Minglang found extremely unpleasant. However, he had to find Yan Cai, so he suppressed his discomfort and continued to knock.

Where can I go tomorrow for the New Year

Words and expressions: "What do I know? It seems that the one who knows everything is you."

Yan Cai was momentarily taken aback by the sight of Xie Minglang covered in snow: "How long have you been out? The snow is about to freeze."

At the moment of climax, Xie Minglang felt that slightly suffocating pleasure return. His vision blurred, and amidst the dizziness, a name he could not recall surfaced in his mind, choking him to the point of wanting to cough. However, he trembled too violently and had to cling tightly to the person beside him to quell the shivering sensation. That voice was muffled deep in his throat, ultimately transforming into a sigh.

Seasonal exhibition name, you always speak up for Minglang. Forget it, for your sake, we will let him off today. So, Minglang, we are letting you off today, but you must not slip away next time. A girlfriend is certainly important, but we have been sleeping together for four years.

A group of people was talking animatedly, and for a moment, they did not notice the newcomer. He was unafraid of dampening the mood, walking straight over with a smile, saying: "You all are quite loud; is this really an art exhibition? I thought it was a tea party."

Murder and arson

The theme of the exhibition is mostly paintings and photographs. Among the students involved in the setup, some have gained a small reputation and their paintings sell very well, while a few collectors have specifically traveled from other cities. After half a day, it seems that only Xie Minglang is completely free, and he enjoys it as such, sitting aside drinking tea and looking at the related promotional brochures, or engaging his classmates in discussions about the artworks.

Yan Cai said: "Are you troubled by this?"

Yan Cai stood at the kitchen door watching Xie Minglang's actions for a while, smiling happily: "Let's go out to eat instead"

They were unwilling to let Xie Minglang leave, and Xie Minglang was also unwilling to stay. This back-and-forth continued for quite some time until Ji Zhanming, who had been silent on the side, suddenly said: "You should not make it difficult for him. Since the matter has come to this point, he still wants to leave, which must mean he has important business. We can drink another day; we will have our own drinks."

Xie Minglang was puzzled and was about to ask for clarification when a flurry of kisses pressed against him, the lingering meaning of the kiss momentarily causing him to forget all his questions. It was unclear how long they had been apart when they finally separated; Xie Minglang's face was already flushed, his eyes sparkling as if veiled in mist. Yan Cai stared at him, suddenly stood up, and said: "You are not going anywhere tomorrow?"

This one costs 3,000 yuan. Let's come together to piece it after dinner

Amidst laughter and chatter, everyone took their clothes and headed out. Among the seven or eight people, there were three or four cars, all of which offered to give Xie Minglang a ride. However, Xie Minglang still refused and hailed a taxi, preparing to leave.

Yan Cai laughed heartily, hooking his arm and saying: "No more talking, let's go downstairs. Whether it's chess, cards, or puzzles, it's all up to you."

Before getting into the car, Ji Zhanming stopped him for a moment and silently handed him an umbrella. The snow had actually stopped, but the sky remained a leaden gray, and it could snow again at any moment. Xie Minglang did not move his hand and continued to smile: "Thank you. I will be there as soon as I get out of the car, no need to walk. You can keep the umbrella; in case someone gets drunk and falls on the snow, it can still be used as a walking stick."

You have been distracted all night; what are you thinking about

He originally had a slight headache, likely due to a mild cold. Upon hearing Yan Cai's words, he couldn't help but be taken aback and rushed barefoot to the balcony to investigate. As he looked out, all he could see was a vast expanse of white, with even the path he had taken becoming invisible.

Go to a house with a real fireplace

"Good idea," Yan Cai agreed nonchalantly.

At this moment, Yan Cai was not in the bedroom, and Xie Minglang did not have the strength to look for him, so he rolled up in the quilt and fell asleep again

After finishing speaking, without allowing Xie Minglang to say more, he took the brand new kitchen knife from his hand and began to chop vegetables with swift and practiced movements. As various vegetables gradually transformed into ideal shapes under Yan Cai's hands, Xie Minglang was left dumbfounded: "So you can cook"

As the number of visitors dwindled, the hosts became increasingly unrestrained in their laughter and conversation, as if they wished to seize the current atmosphere to recall all the amusing anecdotes. At that moment, another person entered through the doorway, with snowflakes still clinging to the collar of their coat, indicating that it had begun to snow.

You too. Make a wish

This weather is most convenient for committing murder and disposing of bodies, leaving no trace whatsoever

They played several games of chess, and Xie Minglang kept losing. Later, he simply used his fever as an excuse, claiming that his mind was not functioning well, and refused to play any further. Yan Cai noticed that he looked quite well and secretly laughed, yet he still did not persist.

I saw it was snowing, and I did not want to go out anymore, so I went to the supermarket to buy a few things on a whim

Yan Cai sat up and looked at the fireplace, saying, "Of course, there was a lot of smoke, fortunately, it did not attract a fire alarm, but the neighbors have all complained. Then the smoke discolored the entire living room, requiring a complete renovation. It is already quite fortunate not to have been sued for arson in an old building."

This sentence was surprisingly heard clearly by Yancai. He turned to the side, adopting a position that was more comfortable for both of them, and replied: "Even if the road is not closed, we can still go nowhere, let's allow it once more."

He had stored his coat and had not yet seen the exhibits when he first heard the sound of laughter from the innermost part of the exhibition hall. When he entered, his expression was somewhat gloomy, but upon hearing such laughter, a smile appeared on his lips, and he quickened his pace towards the source of the laughter

Xie Minglang felt a bit more comfortable after drinking water. He glanced at Yan Cai and went to take a shower. Seeing him stagger as if he were drunk, Yan Cai supported him, saying, "You should wait until the effects of the medicine wear off before doing anything. I'm afraid you might faint in the bathroom."

Is the exhibition during the day attractive

The snow came down suddenly and swiftly, and before long, a thin layer had accumulated on the ground, grayish-white in color. The streets were rarely populated, and occasionally one or two people brushed past Xie Minglang, moving as if they were flying. Although the snow relentlessly blew into his eyes and collar, Xie Minglang did not feel particularly cold. As he walked, he contemplated what else he needed to buy, and before he knew it, he had arrived at the base of the Yan Cai apartment building

Yan Cai smiled and said: "Nowadays, movies are too embarrassed to use this plot. I was planning to first warm you up by having you take off a piece of clothing, then trick you into drinking a glass of wine, and only after you feel a bit dizzy would I bring it up."

As they reminisced about the amusing stories of the past, they could not help but burst into laughter, their boisterous laughter drawing the attention of visitors in the exhibition hall, yet no one seemed to care

After an unknown period, when the sweat had subsided, Xie Minglang felt cold and leaned towards Yan Cai. The latter's hand paused on his hair, slowly grooming it as if soothing a small animal. He opened his mouth to speak, his voice slightly hoarse and extremely thirsty: "The New Year has arrived, hasn't it?"

The snow grew heavier, and as he looked around, there was no one else in sight. Xie Minglang couldn't help but think that under such harsh weather conditions, even the most dedicated entertainment reporters would know when to retreat.

The last time I came to stay was more than two months ago. I like big houses, but I don't live in them often. Yan Cai walked to the fireplace, where firewood had already been stacked. He rummaged for a while and lit the fire, watching the flames slowly rise. First, he turned off all the lights and waved to Xie Minglang, saying, "Come over and sit."

Xie Minglang spotted the fireplace and casually asked, "Is this fireplace functional? I am always curious about these old things"

In fact, I went to meet friends, and we all engaged in conversation. It seems that everyone has made progress and is very clear about what they want. In contrast, I am the only one who is stagnating.

After returning to the room, the headache became even more severe. Xie Minglang touched his forehead and did not feel anything unusual. Coincidentally, this action was seen by Yan Cai, who immediately placed her hand on his forehead and said, "You were fine last night; how come you have a fever today"

Yan Cai did not speak again, leaving Xie Minglang to daze by himself. The increasingly large snowflakes flew onto the windshield, only to be ruthlessly swept away by the wipers.

A consensus was reached, except for Xie Minglang. He showed a troubled expression and said, "I have made other arrangements"

While others obediently have no objections, you insist on running away. Whom should I be concerned about if not you?

Hearing this, Xie Minglang also smiled and nodded: "Alright, if we do nothing else during dinner, we can completely celebrate the arrival of the New Year with a puzzle."

Hearing this response, Yan Cai was momentarily taken aback, but finally revealed a smile again: "Truly, they are young people"

Is there really no fourth option? This is the favorite of men in their fifties and sixties

Upon hearing this, Ji Zhanming raised his eyes to look at him. Xie Minglang had already waved goodbye to his friends who were still unwilling to give up on persuading him to stay, and he did not glance at Ji Zhanming again before leaving

Everyone turned to look at him, and in the next moment, they revealed smiles of varying degrees. The one closest to him rushed over and grasped his hand, saying: "You are indeed a busy person, Ji Zhanming. We sent out the invitation early, and today we finally get to see your esteemed presence!"

What are you doing now? Enjoying the snow?

I have seen this movie. Xie Minglang interjected, "At that time, I was thinking, how long must one practice to appear to an outsider as a skilled tailor? What, do you mean to say that you only spent three days cutting potatoes, and that counts as saving effort? Speaking of which, what does it feel like to cut a basket of potatoes?"

This time, Yan Cai was taken aback: "What are you looking at?"

Xie Minglang's unrestrained attitude finally provoked Yan Cai's dissatisfaction. He leaned over, pressed down on Xie Minglang's shoulder, and slowly asked: "Is there really something so worthy of schadenfreude?"

Xie Minglangqi asked: "Where to go"

Xie Minglang considered himself to be a person of rather ordinary luck, and he had never had any success with wishes. Who would have thought that after a casual remark the night before, he would be informed with a bitter smile by Yan Cai the next morning: your wish has come true

They have been together for less than two months, and their time together is quite limited; they do not live together, and their interaction pattern is completely unlike that of a typical couple in a passionate romance. On one hand, this is certainly due to considering Yan Cai's status as a public figure, while on the other hand, after several attempts to sneak into Yan Cai's apartment like a spy, Xie Minglang found it to be quite torturous and became somewhat impatient himself. Additionally, it is also a result of their personalities; it seems they are unable to ignite any warmth, and even when together, they can spend a whole day without much conversation.

Hearing the sound, Xie Minglang turned around, and a group of people were smiling at him. These were friends he had recognized since his early days in university, and among them, several were classmates from his graduate studies, which naturally made their bond different. He shook hands vigorously with each person, chatting and laughing as this group of old classmates led him to take a tour of the entire exhibition hall before the official event began

It is quite warm here, I just need to sit for a moment. " Xie Minglang took off his coat, the snow on his hair melted, and when he shook his head, droplets splashed onto Yan Cai's face. Yan Cai frowned and said, "You are just asking for a cold."

Due to the fever, Xie Minglang felt weak and limp in his limbs. Hearing Yan Cai say this with a laugh, he helplessly took the medicine and said: "Thank you"

This is actually his first time using the Yan Cai family's kitchen, which is, as usual, impeccably clean. The refrigerator, too, typically contains only a few types of fruits and beverages that Yan Cai likes. Furthermore, by observing the arrangement and condition of the kitchenware, it is evident that this kitchen has been used very infrequently.

Xie Minglang, every time you are distracted, the same words will be repeated twice. Yan Cai smiled at him, her gaze filled with clarity.

The gaze filled with laughter floated over: "What else can you do, or where can you do it?"

While he was on the phone asking for directions, he was also looking for medicine for Xie Minglang. Xie Minglang, recalling the events of last night, knew that it was likely related to this, and felt his face burning even more. As he pondered over it, Yan Cai walked in with the medicine and said with a smile: "During these three days of the New Year holiday, the earliest anyone will come to clear the snow will be the day after tomorrow. Let's stay here together for the next few days."

In the week leading up to the New Year, the art exhibition co-organized by student Xie Minglang was inaugurated. They rented a large exhibition hall at a community cultural center, which was spacious and bright, with a warm ambiance and a faint scent left from recent painting that was not overpowering. Upon entering, one would find various exhibits hanging on the walls of the temporary partitions, resembling a maze of colors.

Isn't this also a surprise for the name of the seasonal exhibition? It's just that he has dealt with various characters so much that his ability to navigate these interactions has long been perfected. He smiled along: "I didn't expect it either; I didn't see your name on the invitation."

At the moment of emotional intensity, he felt droplets of sweat on his face. Upon closer inspection, it was Yan Cai's fingers. Xie Minglang opened his mouth, wanting to bite the fingers that lingered at the edge of his lips, but Yan Cai's hand moved faster, sliding first to Xie Minglang's chin, followed by a kiss. Their ears brushed against each other, their bodies entwined, and the heat between them was even more intense than the flames of the furnace a few steps away.

Hmm? Xie Minglang realized his moment of distraction. He did not react too intensely, merely saying, "The ancients were already melancholic about the spring and autumn; can’t you allow me to feel a bit nostalgic about the snow?"

He pondered for a moment and said, "Why not watch 'Kiss of the Spider Woman'"

When together with old classmates, the conversation never seems to end, and soon it was afternoon. After all, it was the last day of the year, and the number of people coming in the afternoon was fewer than in the previous days and the morning, but no one cared. They simply gathered in a corner to brew coffee and tea, with the heating nearby, and amidst their laughter, everyone’s face was glowing with warmth.

After going downstairs, Yan Cai first found something for Xie Minglang to eat. He does not come here often, so there are no fresh foods, but there are quite a few canned goods and alcohol. Xie Minglang looked at the table full of various flavors of canned food and laughed, saying, "You really should give a bonus to the person in charge of managing this house; there are not many considerate people like this these days." He casually cooked some porridge to eat. He wanted to drink alcohol, but Yan Cai did not allow it, so he gave up.

When they arrived at their destination, it was nearly midnight. Xie Minglang had fallen asleep during the journey. Seeing that he was sleeping so soundly, Yan Cai did not wake him until the car was parked, saying: "We have arrived"

Xie Minglang, feeling exhausted, thought for a moment and murmured, "The heavy snow has blocked the roads; we should not go anywhere."

What is meant by "it is easy to imagine"? Your storytelling is too poor. Get to the point.

No," Xie Minglang slowly retracted his smile, "Only by hearing these stories can one slightly imagine what you were like when you were young. I find it very pleasant

Xie Minglang warmly approached and, upon hearing this, Bai glanced at him and rose from the sofa: "I will go cook."

Noticing that glances occasionally drifted over, Xie Minglang did not look back. He smiled apologetically and said, "I really have a prior engagement, and besides, my absence won't be missed."

It was not until the vehicle left the city that Xie Minglang confirmed the destination of this trip. The snow continued to fall, and diligent workers had already cleared the roads, yet the vehicle still could not move quickly. Fortunately, at this time, no one was in a hurry. Xie Minglang curled up in his seat, staring blankly at the vast snowy landscape.

His breath was close to his ear, and the faint teasing scent made Xie Minglang's heart race. He secretly cursed himself for being so weak against temptation, yet in the next moment, he rationalized this weakness as a result of his post-illness frailty. Xie Minglang cleared his throat and said: "I am awake, and I am almost better. Let’s do something; we can’t just stay cooped up here."

Xie Minglang thought for a moment and indeed acknowledged the situation. He shrugged and said, "However, to put it another way, I find it harder to imagine being together every day than meeting occasionally like this. This is quite good; we just need to adapt to each other a bit more."

After speaking, he felt that what he said was completely off the mark, but he was too lazy to elaborate. Xie Minglang simply hooked his arm around Yan Cai's neck and leaned close to his ear, saying: "We can take our time visiting the bedroom, but I am quite interested in trying out the rug in the living room. You know, this old-fashioned style is not really used much in adult films anymore"

Immediately someone objected: "Could it be your girlfriend? Even if it is, how can you have the nerve to accept someone else's invitation after not seeing an old classmate for several years?"

You are welcome. Had I known that your wishes were so effective, I would have woken you up at that time to make another wish.

Xie Minglang just connected Yan Cai with cutting potatoes, and immediately laughed so hard that he sat down on the nearest chair, unable to stop. While Yan Cai was chopping vegetables, she could still turn her head to chat with Xie Minglang, her hands not slowing down at all: "Don't laugh. Haven't you heard that one of the reasons Han Zhen won the Best Actor award back in the day was because he could cut out a pair of pants in just a few minutes? Do you know how long he practiced for this?"

Jigsaw puzzles are well-known to be Yan Cai's greatest hobby among his friends and fans. Xie Minglang had heard that Yan Cai loved to stay at home and play jigsaw puzzles whenever he had no other engagements or social events, but he was somewhat skeptical until they got together. It turned out that Yan Cai's obsession with puzzles was even stronger than rumored. Fortunately, Xie Minglang also enjoyed them and often accompanied him in assembling puzzles, or they would each take a set of the same puzzle to compete on who could finish first. More often than not, it was Yan Cai who emerged victorious.

The house is indeed very large, especially the living room, which is exquisitely decorated. Upon entering the cold room from the warmth of the car, Xie Minglang suddenly became alert. Being in a completely unfamiliar place made him feel awkward; he stood for a while before sitting down on the sofa, watching Yan Cai busying herself alone.

Before he could finish his sentence, Yan Cai gave him a hard knock on the back of his head and said, "You've watched too many horror movies; I have nothing of the sort here"

Soon, Xie Minglang put forward a new proposal: "Let's watch a movie together"

Xie Minglang groggily opened his eyes; the house on this snowy night resembled a beast curled up in the darkness, so quiet that it was almost unsettling. Xie Minglang disliked this thought and shook his head, as if that would dispel the notion. Yan Cai had already opened the door first, the hallway light turned on, and he inadvertently pressed something, causing all the lights on the first floor to illuminate at the same moment

How long has this house been uninhabited, it has no trace of human presence at all

In the minutiae of details, Xie Minglang felt that he was getting to know Yan Cai anew. Those details, seemingly trivial and unrelated, such as the brand of cigarettes he smoked, his leisure activities, how many days a week he went to the gym, and the route he took for morning runs on weekends, were precisely these things that inexplicably brought him a sense of peace. Of course, not all details were entirely pleasant; he noticed that Yan Cai never dined alone. Reflecting on the past when he insisted on inviting himself to restaurants, he couldn't help but wonder, though he couldn't voice it, whether he also never spent the night alone. Such thoughts, though they only occasionally surfaced, were quickly suppressed, yet once recalled, they cast a shadow. Xie Minglang had indeed considered the current state of their relationship, but after much contemplation, he always found himself at a loss. After all, he had never interacted with someone like Yan Cai before, and whether adapting to the current mode or establishing a new way of relating would require more time or, perhaps, more resolute confidence.

It has been a long time since I have seen such heavy snow. Xie Minglang still did not turn his head.

Happy New Year

Fire prevention in the urban area has led to the blocking of all the chimneys. When I first moved in, I was unaware of this and even bought firewood..." This time, it was Yan Cai who couldn't help but laugh, "The outcome is easy to imagine.