Li Ran followed Shen Shu downstairs, the soles of his canvas shoes pressing silently against the ground.
He lagged half a step behind Shen Shu, but Shen Shu wouldn’t have it. Every time he did this, Shen Shu stopped in his tracks, waiting for Li Ran to catch up and walk side by side.
Even once they were shoulder to shoulder, Shen Shu didn’t speak. He just tilted his body, openly scrutinizing Li Ran without a shred of manners.
He was a few centimeters taller than Li Ran, around 1.8 meters.
But his slightly lowered gaze held no arrogance.
Li Ran could sense it—the stare was pure curiosity, like a kid who had just gotten a shiny new toy he’d never seen before.
Yet Shen Shu’s curiosity toward Li Ran wasn’t about possession.
The scrutiny made Li Ran’s whole body go rigid.
He had no idea what Shen Shu was thinking while staring at him. Before coming to invite Li Ran for dinner, Shen Shu had spoken with Chi Mo.
Six o’clock every evening was Shen Shu’s off time. He didn’t have a fixed home, bouncing between this hotel and that one.
To others, this nomadic life seemed rootless, like drifting duckweed.
But to Shen Shu, it was the epitome of freedom.
Provided Chi Mo didn’t stir up trouble.
But Chi Mo… was a real jerk.
When Chi Mo told him to go call Li Ran over for dinner at the house, Shen Shu said in exasperation, “Why don’t you go yourself? What are you planning to do to the kid? You pervert!”
“He’s avoiding me,” Chi Mo replied, brushing off the insult.
“Why’s he avoiding you?” Shen Shu asked suspiciously. “What did you do, you pervert?”
“Don’t pry,” Chi Mo said with a cold laugh.
Shen Shu: “That’s your only reason?”
Chi Mo pondered. “There’s another.”
“What?”
“He’s scared of me.”
“Scared of you, and you still provoke him?!” Shen Shu shot back. “You pervert!”
Chi Mo lost patience. “Are you going or not?”
Shen Shu, with slightly better temper, said, “From his perspective, he barely knows you. Of course he’ll refuse.”
“He won’t,” Chi Mo said confidently.
“Why not?”
Chi Mo glanced at the auntie cooking in the kitchen, helpless but with a faint smile. “The kid hasn’t learned how to say no yet.”
In the end, Shen Shu tried one last time to fight for his rights. “Send your grandma.”
“She’s not home.”
“Your grandpa, then.”
“Not home.”
Shen Shu grumbled, “Where’d they go?”
Chi Mo: “Traveling.”
—
Facts proved Chi Mo right—Li Ran really hadn’t learned to refuse.
When he heard the knock, he tiptoed to the door and peered through the peephole. Shen Shu could practically reconstruct Li Ran’s every move without guessing. After opening the door and hearing that Chi Mo had invited him for dinner, Li Ran’s face went blank with confusion, his lips moving in hesitant bewilderment.
He clearly didn’t want to go.
He would definitely refuse.
But first, he repeated Shen Shu’s words for confirmation. “I… have to go?”
“Mm.” Shen Shu put on a serious face.
Li Ran said, “…Alright.”
He didn’t even ask why.
Shen Shu couldn’t fathom how someone like this thought. Wary? Sort of. Not wary? Definitely not.
It was like his left brain and right brain were brawling.
Shen Shu didn’t know that if a total stranger—or someone he disliked—were at the door, Li Ran wouldn’t just refuse to open up; he’d hole up inside, silent as a ghost.
Making it seem like no one was home.
…
On the five flights of stairs, Shen Shu’s gaze never wavered for a second. Li Ran hugged the wall, starting to sweat.
He was terribly nervous.
He wished Shen Shu would stop staring.
“Hey! Isn’t this Little Ran? Where are you off to so late?” They had just reached the bottom when an auntie with a trendy perm rushed over from the stairwell exit.
She’d only meant it casually at first, but then she spotted Shen Shu beside Li Ran. Her woman’s intuition kicked in with alarm. She smoothly blocked their path and said, “Little Ran, when did you make such a tall, handsome friend? You didn’t even tell Auntie—I love gossip, you know. You two seem close. Where’s he taking you? Are you going willingly? You have my number, right? When will you be back? Call me when you are, and I’ll have your uncle and I come pick you up.”
“Landlady Auntie,” Li Ran called out.
His landlady was surnamed Wang. Auntie Wang was a warm-hearted woman who lived upstairs from him. She’d watched the kid grow up, knew he didn’t like making friends and preferred his own company, so she rarely bothered him.
Warm-hearted didn’t mean boundary-blind.
Seeing Li Ran head out with a strange man so suddenly, of course she got suspicious.
Luckily, Li Ran hurriedly explained it was a friend, and they were just going across the street—ten minutes round trip. He was afraid Auntie Wang would overthink and call the cops if he wasn’t back in two hours, so he explained and soothed with all his might.
But he didn’t have a silver tongue. When flustered, he stumbled even more, awkward and tongue-tied. Auntie Wang burst out laughing, throwing her head back.
“Alright, alright, go on then.” Auntie Wang smoothed her stylish hair, reminding herself that even at her age, a lady must stay graceful. “Call if anything comes up. My son’s coming back soon, bringing his wife-to-be! We’ll have you over for dinner. You have to come. I brag about you to him all the time.”
Her steps light and spry, she headed upstairs, cheerfully calling out, “Heh, that Li family kid… getting more and more handsome…”
Her voice faded into the distance. Under the streetlamp’s glow, Li Ran’s heart warmed. Pretending it was accidental, he stepped on Shen Shu’s shadow—who kept staring, after all.
If Auntie Wang hadn’t appeared and shattered the weirdness, Li Ran felt like he’d be drenched in sweat by the time he reached the Chi house.
He’d forgotten what Chi Mo once told him: Shen Shu didn’t talk to strangers.
Once acquainted… he never shut up.
Li Ran had slipped up—and now he was scared.
“Whoa, this won’t do. We haven’t even talked, and you just follow me like that?” After half a silent stretch, Shen Shu finally opened his mouth. “Do you know me? Do I know you? Do you trust Chi Mo that much? What were you doing when I came? Cooking?”
“Chinese food is so good. Are you great at cooking? If you are, could you invite me over sometime? We’re buddies now—you won’t mind, right?”
“What grade are you in? Good at school? Does your school teach Chinese, math, English? How’s your English? I grew up abroad; mine’s solid. If you need help, I can teach you. We’re friends, after all.”
“Is your hair naturally curly? Not super curly, but it looks good. Your eyelashes are so long—let me see if they’re upturned. Oh, curly and upturned. Guys don’t need ’em upturned anyway. You’ve got a little mole by your nose bridge; makes you look younger than high school age. Hey, your eyes are such a pretty color—what is it, blue, purple, pink?”
“I’m great at fighting. If anyone bullies you, tell me. I’ll beat ’em till they can’t find their teeth—guaranteed no second offense. We’re best friends; I’ll have your back. I even saved Chi Mo once. No lies—I’m legit tough.”
“Hey, we’re here! Come on in, in, in—we’re at Chi Mo’s. Don’t be shy tonight; eat up. It’s not like you’re paying.”
“Chi Mo, look—I brought him! He didn’t refuse me at all. He’s my best-best-best-best-best-best-best friend!”
“Li Ran, I know your name, you know mine, right? Why aren’t you talking? Why the scared face? What’s wrong? Why are you running?”
“Fuck.”
“No—” Shen Shu switched to a aggrieved tone, arms crossed. “Why hide behind Chi Mo?”
Stepping into the ritzy neighborhood for the first time, Li Ran paid zero attention to the lavish buildings. He just quickened his pace, hurrying ahead with laser focus.
He’d never been to Chi Mo’s house and had no clue where it was—only that he needed to move fast, or from Shen Shu’s chatter, it sounded like they went from “acquaintances” to “bestest-bestest friends” in mere sentences. Too quick—Li Ran’s heart raced.
Luckily, Shen Shu’s strides were longer, guiding them precisely.
A standalone villa with a spacious yard, but not overgrown.
They entered—to home.
The living room blazed with light. Spotting Chi Mo, the man rose from the sofa, probably to greet him politely.
Before words could be exchanged, Li Ran darted toward Chi Mo, intentionally slipping behind him, peeking anxiously at Shen Shu.
He hoped that nonstop motormouth would cool it for two minutes—no scaring him.
“Mr. Chi. Mr. Chi…” Li Ran kept a couple of adult-sized steps from Chi Mo’s body, but standing behind him screamed “seeking shelter.” Especially from the front—Shen Shu could only see Li Ran pressed to Chi Mo’s back, whispering softly. “Mr. Chi… please help me.”
“Shen Shu, you scared him,” Chi Mo said, frowning instantly. “Can you shut up and sit down for dinner?”
“What did I do?” Shen Shu protested.
Chi Mo coolly: “You’re too enthusiastic.”
“Is enthusiasm a crime?!”
“Yes.”
“…”
The auntie brought out all the evening’s dishes to the dining room, beaming. “All done! Eat up, quick. I’ll head out now, Young Master Chi.”
Chi Mo tried to keep her: finish eating first. She waved it off—no way, her grandson missed her, she missed him; no wasting family time.
Her tone dripped with happy bragging.
Three people around a table felt sparse. Shen Shu had it worst, sitting solo on one side, while Li Ran and Chi Mo shared the other—like deliberate isolation.
Li Ran had started far from Chi Mo. But after several glares from the resentful Shen Shu—eyes demanding “Why ignore me?”—Li Ran clutched his bowl and scooted over bit by bit. After three or four shuffles, he was right next to Chi Mo.
Li Ran, focused on his meal on Chi Mo’s side, couldn’t see his face. But opposite them, Shen Shu saw it crystal clear. Chi Mo’s expression seemed unchanged, but he was definitely smug inside.
Damn it, Shen Shu thought. This guy’s exploiting my occasional “over-enthusiasm” flaw to make Li Ran fear him instead, dissolving Li Ran’s old wariness of Chi Mo—and now he’s cozying up.
Chi Mo… was such a jerk!
Too many nerves frayed that night; Li Ran figured he’d be a puppet all evening, mind jammed. But he loved good food—it loosened him right up. The auntie’s dishes were perfect in color, aroma, and taste. After the first bite, Li Ran’s eyes lit up faintly.
By the end, he’d forgotten he was at Chi Mo’s, forgotten not to overeat at night. He wolfed down two bowls of rice with gusto.
Throughout, Chi Mo watched him, pushing over dishes Li Ran had picked at most. Casually passing water, napkins.
After the meal, before Li Ran could feel awkward staring at the four empty plates and one bowl, Chi Mo said, “It’s dark. We’ll drive you home later.”
He was a big lad; home was a ten-minute walk. No need for a ride.
How weird.
Chi Mo: “Not safe at night.”
Same as what Bai Qingqing and Li Ang always said.
“…Oh.” Li Ran nodded obediently.
Chi Mo gestured for Li Ran to look at him. Once he did, Chi Mo glanced meaningfully at Shen Shu.
“You want this pervert to drive you home, or me?”
Li Ran blinked in shock. “…Huh?”
He pleaded with his eyes at Mr. Chi. Getting no words, he signaled desperately for Chi Mo to take him.
Chi Mo played dumb. “Li Ran, say it out loud.”
Voice like a mosquito, Li Ran murmured.
“…You.”
