Chapter 81 Part 1

Lu Ping didn’t expect that Shen Yuze would actually give his wish to him.

But upon careful thought, this was indeed something Shen Yuze would do.

Every time Shen Yuze folded a gold ingot, he softly repeated his wish aloud. Lu Ping sat beside him, his ears burning and face flushing as he listened.

He quietly shifted under the table.

Shen Yuze lifted his eyelids slightly and glanced at An An, who sat across the long table. The little girl pouted as she folded gold ingots while distractedly watching the cartoon on the TV nearby, paying no attention to the two brothers at the table.

“Why can’t I say it when your sister is around?” Shen Yuze said righteously. “This is the first time I’ve realized how unreasonable you can be. You’re the one who said we have to make a wish while folding the ingots. Do you have to control what wish I make?”

If he hadn’t gently bumped Lu Ping’s knee back with his own while speaking, his words might have held a bit of credibility.

When he bumped over, Lu Ping bumped back. Through the rough fabric of their school uniform pants, their knees knocked together—not too light, not too heavy.

The two boys kept their heads down folding ingots while secretly colliding out of their sister’s sight. Occasionally, their gazes met, only to quickly dart away.

Calm and serene above the table, surging waves below.

Until the basket of gold ingots was finished. An An suddenly raised both her little hands and shrieked loudly, “Bro—look at my hands!”

The little girl’s hands were covered in gold powder. Wherever she touched—the table turned gold, her skirt turned gold.

Seeing her little golden hands about to smear her face, Lu Ping hurriedly stood up. His knee, which had been pressed close to Shen Yuze’s thigh, naturally pulled away. He quickly said, “Don’t touch anything. Bro will take you to wash your hands.”

At that moment, Lu Ping turned back into the caring big brother for his sister, as if all the collisions under the table had been Shen Yuze’s imagination.

Shen Yuze withdrew his gaze and quietly cleaned up the battlefield. He swept the leftover scraps from cutting the gold paper into the trash bin and safely stowed the folding knife.

When Lu Ping returned from the bathroom with his sister, the living room was back to normal. The folded gold ingots sat in the basket, which Shen Yuze had moved by the door so they could burn them in the courtyard at dawn the next day.

It was getting late, and Lu Mom urged them to wash up and go to bed quickly. The first ritual would start around five in the morning, before dawn. If they didn’t rest early, they’d be listless the next day.

Lu Mom asked Shen Yuze with concern if he had brought pajamas.

“I did.” Shen Yuze pointed to the small bag by his backpack. “I brought my own pajamas and toiletries.”

The bag wasn’t big and seemed only able to hold a very thin set of pajamas. Lu Mom exclaimed, “Oh dear! Wearing something that thin after a shower will make you catch a cold!”

Shen Yuze paused. He truly hadn’t considered that. His apartment was constantly heated, so a set of silk pajamas after a shower was plenty. Staying over at the Lu family, he’d completely forgotten how cold the indoors could get in the south.

But Lu Mom was prepared. “No worries. I remember Pingping has a set of thick pajamas that was bought too big. Don’t worry, they’re clean and unused. Don’t refuse them.”

How could Shen Yuze refuse pajamas that Lu Ping had worn?

Lu Ping led Shen Yuze back to his room to get the pajamas for him.

This wasn’t Shen Yuze’s first time entering Lu Ping’s room, but last time they’d visited, their relationship had still been a bit formal. Not like now—beyond friendship, rife with ambiguity.

The same actions felt entirely different with their changed relationship.

Lu Ping pushed open his bedroom door, a bit shy and at a loss. “…Same as last time. Nothing’s changed.”

Shen Yuze’s gaze swept around the room. They said a bedroom best reflected a person’s character. For example, Shen Yuze’s was industrial minimalist—sharp-lined abstract paintings on the walls, a recliner by the floor-to-ceiling window in black and silver, prioritizing utility over coziness. Lu Ping’s room felt more real, more full—everything neatly organized, clearly the space of a tidy, orderly boy.

Last time Shen Yuze visited, it had been summer; now it was winter. The bedding had been swapped for thick pads and a wooden foot warmer box. Lu Ping explained it was for warming feet while doing homework on cold days, along with things like “little sun” heaters and electric radiators—items Shen Yuze had never heard of. On one shelf of the bookcase sat their photo from the horse ranch, along with the glass trophy Shen Yuze had given Lu Ping after the English speech contest.

“It’s most fitting here after all.” Shen Yuze walked to the bookcase and reached for the trophy.

Lu Ping immediately stopped him from touching it. “Hey, who said you could mess with my stuff?”

“This is clearly something I gave you,” Shen Yuze said helplessly. “Can’t I touch my own gift?”

“No way. Once you give it to me, it’s mine!” Lu Ping huffed, readjusting the trophy’s angle so the beautiful glass award stood in the brightest light. “My parents don’t usually come into my room. Since you’re staying over tonight, you have to follow my rules—no touching things willy-nilly.”

“You have to ask my permission first if you really want to touch something.” Lu Ping laid down the three rules.

Shen Yuze pointed to the domestic building block set on the bookshelf. “This okay?”

Shen Yuze then pointed to the workbook on the desk. “This okay?”

Shen Yuze chuckled lightly, suddenly raising his hand to point at Lu Ping. “Then… this okay?”

Lu Ping couldn’t respond, quickly turning away without saying yes or no.

The boy hurriedly yanked open the wardrobe doors, pretending to look for clothes to cover his unease. “Uh, let me see where the thick pajamas are…”

His wardrobe was neatly organized too—spring, summer, autumn, winter clothes folded properly, clean socks balled up and rolling in the drawer.

Lu Ping quickly found the extra thick pajamas and shoved them into Shen Yuze’s arms, shooing him like a guest. “Go take a shower already.”

“Wait until you’re done, then I’ll go,” Lu Ping said, trying to cover up. “We’re not so poor we need to shower together to save water.”

Shen Yuze raised a brow. “I haven’t even said anything yet.”

Lu Ping’s face flushed to his neck. He pushed Shen Yuze toward the bathroom. “…Just go shower!!!”

The guest bathroom was right across from Lu Ping’s room, used only by him and his sister. It was cramped, nothing like the luxurious bathroom at Shen Yuze’s home.

Shen Yuze made it quick, taking a simple shower before emerging with damp hair.

He’d underestimated how harsh southern winter nights could be. Stepping out of the steamy bathroom into the chill air, if not for the thick pajamas Lu Ping had given him, he definitely would have started sneezing.

When he returned to Lu Ping’s room, Lu Ping was sprawled on the bed doing an English worksheet. He’d changed out of his school uniform into pajamas, with the electric radiator next to the bed cranked to max. The boy’s feet dangled in the air, swinging back and forth as he nibbled the pen cap, eyes wavering between two options.

“What problem? Let me take a look.” Shen Yuze naturally sat on the bed’s edge. His hair wasn’t fully dry, carrying the familiar minty scent. Lu Ping knew it was the smell of their household shampoo.

Lu Ping had thought he’d grown used to that scent, but when it came from Shen Yuze, his heart skipped a beat.

“No need.” Lu Ping clutched the worksheet and rolled toward the inner side of the bed, dodging Shen Yuze’s hand. “My English has improved a lot. I don’t need your tutoring anymore.”

Shen Yuze arched a brow slightly. “Really don’t need it?”

“Really.” Lu Ping sat up, slipped into his slippers, and skirted around Shen Yuze. “I’ll go shower first. You… you go to sleep.” He pointed at the bed. “Pick whichever—you can sleep inside or outside.”

His bed was against the wall corner. He usually slept on the outer side, with the inner for odds and ends like headphones, vocab books, or half-read mystery novels. Tonight, he’d cleared it, sheets smoothed flat.

Without waiting for Shen Yuze’s reply, Lu Ping grabbed his towel and dashed to the guest bathroom.

Winter showers were a ordeal. Lu Ping always had to muster courage to strip in the cold air. Fortunately, Shen Yuze had gone first—the bathroom still lingered with warm steam. Lu Ping was grateful for the cozy warmth. But his mind involuntarily pictured Shen Yuze showering.

He stripped in front of the mirror, his honey-toned skin exposed to the warm air, no goosebumps this time.

Standing in the shower, hot water cascaded over his shoulders, chasing away the winter chill. He sighed comfortably, then froze—one thought of the water that had poured over Shen Yuze’s head, sliding down his body to the floor, and Lu Ping’s face burned.

…Stop, stop, stop!

Lu Ping shook his head, baffled by the weird images filling his mind.

He turned the water colder to clear his head.

…

Lu Ping’s showers were usually quick, but tonight he dawdled in the bathroom for over half an hour.

He wished he could kill more time—ideally, return to find Shen Yuze asleep, sparing them awkward bed chat.

Sadly, his hopes dashed. Pushing open the bedroom door, he saw Shen Yuze leaning against the headboard, flipping through the mystery novel Lu Ping hadn’t finished. The bedside reading lamp cast a soft beige glow on Shen Yuze’s profile, his thick lashes casting shadows.

Lu Ping’s throat bobbed. He awkwardly set down the towel for drying his hair and muttered, “You… haven’t slept yet?”

“The master hasn’t returned, so of course I can’t sleep first.” Shen Yuze set the book down and looked up at him. “I’ve read this one before. Want to know who the killer is?”

“No spoilers!” Lu Ping forgot his awkwardness from a second ago. “I haven’t finished it!”

“Speaking of which, the author uses a really clever narrative trick…”

“Aaah! You jerk, I said no spoilers!” Lu Ping fell into the trap, lunging to snatch the book with flailing arms.

Shen Yuze switched the book from left to right hand, then back, teasing Lu Ping so he couldn’t grab it. In his excitement, Lu Ping lunged too far, tripped on the bed edge, and tumbled straight onto Shen Yuze.

Shen Yuze: “!”

Lu Ping: “!”

Shen Yuze: “…”

Lu Ping: “…”

They had both just showered, carrying the same shampoo scent on their bodies. Because of their earlier playfulness, the top button of Lu Ping’s pajamas had come undone, revealing his slender, straight collarbone. As long as Shen Yuze lowered his head, he could peer down the open neckline and see the view inside.

Neither of them moved. The boy’s semi-damp hair fell over his forehead, slightly curling after getting wet, blocking his view. He peeked at Shen Yuze’s expression through the gaps in his hair, while Shen Yuze looked at him at the exact same moment.

The room was utterly quiet. Outside the window, frozen rain pattered against the glass, and apart from that, only their breathing sounds remained.

—Until the book by the bed slipped off the edge, landing with a clear “thud”!