Xu Cheng saw that Lu Quan had already started chugging and hurried forward to snatch the bottle away. “Are you really trying to drink yourself into the hospital?” he demanded sternly.
Lu Quan shot him a casual glance and let him take all the booze without resistance. His slender, pale fingers tapped rhythmically on the steering wheel.
Tap, tap, tap—
“Don’t drink all my booze.”
Xu Cheng was speechless. “Are you sure you haven’t been scammed?”
His bro had zero dating experience, so there was a good chance he’d fallen for a con.
“Did she ask you for money?”
Lu Quan: “No.”
“Did she ask for your photos?”
Lu Quan replied flatly, “That’s just foreplay.”
Xu Cheng: “…”
Another thought suddenly hit him.
“She’s not two-timing you, is she? Does she have a boyfriend?”
Most online romances were unreliable, and he was genuinely worried his bro had run into a scammer.
Lu Quan: “…”
Xu Cheng stared at him in disbelief, sucking in a sharp breath. He smacked his own cheek with his palm and gripped the bottle tightly. “She actually has a boyfriend?!”
He’d lost control of his volume for a moment, and his shout echoed down the empty late-night road. Luckily, there were no other cars around at this late hour.
Lu Quan gave him a cold look. These past few days, he’d almost forgotten about it, but Xu Cheng’s words brought the photo of Zhizhi’s injured arm back to mind.
In that photo, there was a hand that was unmistakably male.
He’d asked who it was at the time, and Zhizhi had said outright it was her boyfriend.
He’d been insanely jealous but couldn’t let it show.
Xu Cheng nearly choked. “You… you’re going to be the other man?!”
Lu Quan’s tone stayed even. “In the end, the one standing by her side will be me.”
Xu Cheng had never seen such a lovesick fool. He racked his brain. “Can’t you just fall for someone else?”
Lu Quan: “It has to be her.”
After a pause, he added, “And she’ll only ever like me.”
The phone screen lit up with their chat history.
Those loving words softened his heart, gentling his eyes and curving his lips into a faint smile.
Zhizhi did like him; he’d just accidentally pissed Zhizhi off.
All he had to do was make it up to him.
As for that so-called “boyfriend,” he trusted Zhizhi would handle it.
If Zhizhi couldn’t bear to, he wouldn’t mind stepping in.
Xu Cheng’s eyes turned red with frustration, but he was helpless.
He bent down and set the booze by the roadside, muttering, “Give me her account. I’ll look her up for you. Half a day, tops.”
Lu Quan shot him a sidelong glance, his gaze icy. “No need.”
He’d considered it before, but… Zhizhi would definitely get mad.
Xu Cheng was out of moves.
“…Then at least keep it under wraps. Don’t let anyone find out.”
Not ready to give up, he asked again. “You really can’t live without her?”
Lu Quan: “Yeah.”
Xu Cheng muttered under his breath, “No idea what kind of spell she’s cast on you.”
Lu Quan tuned out the world, lowering his head to resend the friend request.
—Zhizhi, good night.
Zhizhi had said he wanted good morning and good night messages every day.
Good thing you could still send them even after deleting friends.
Liang Zhixia slept until noon, faint dark circles visible under his thin eyelids. He’d been drawing all night and could barely keep his eyes open.
After washing up, he hesitated before opening his main account.
When he spotted that little red notification dot, his breath hitched. He unconsciously lightened his breathing and tapped into the friend requests.
There was only one line.
【Zhizhi, good morning^-^】
The cold, hard walls he’d built in his heart seemed to crumble a bit. He pressed his lips together, silently reminding himself it was a gentle trap, not to be trusted.
He quickly backed out. Out of sight, out of mind.
L was definitely trying to hook him back in!
He wasn’t falling for it.
It was almost noon, so he rushed to the cafeteria for food.
The afternoon was the military training performance review, and everyone’s enthusiasm was at an all-time high. No more drilling under the blazing sun.
The wound on Liang Zhixia’s arm was mostly healed. Since he hadn’t trained before, he just had to sit and watch the show.
He went to the field with his two companions, wearing the standard military training uniform and taking his assigned seat. Jiang Ling and Fan Li had already rejoined their squads.
The performance hadn’t started yet, so he pulled out his phone and saw a message from Zhuzi.
【Zhuzi】: Xia Xia, you’re famous! (link)
【Zhizhi】: ?
Puzzled, he tapped the link. It was a video with tons of likes.
It opened with him saving the day at Comic-Con. The poster had used all sorts of pro editing tricks, but he was too embarrassed to watch himself. Blushing, he scrolled to the comments.
[Who’s this cosplayer? How has no one doxxed him yet?!]
[Hehe, I got a pic with him! He’s super pretty!!!]
[No way there are still people who don’t know he’s a pretty boy???]
[What?!!! Aaaah, I should’ve gone to that Comic-Con!!!]
[When’s the organizer inviting him back?!]
[I think he’s a newbie. Wasn’t the original invitee someone else, and he gets so shy hehe]
Of course, mixed in with the fans were haters.
He closed the link and switched back to his chat with Zhuzi.
【Zhizhi】: Aaaah! How did this even get posted?!
【Zhuzi】: Laughing my ass off.jpg
【Zhuzi】: Xia Xia, you’re so popular. Ever thought about going pro?
【Zhizhi】: Kitty shaking head.jpg
【Zhuzi】: Oh right, I’ve got other news. Your influence was huge, so my bro had me send you another two grand.
No way, free money?
【Zhizhi】: Zhuzi, you didn’t set this up, did you?
Zhuzi knew his situation and had pulled this before to get him to accept cash.
Zhuzi quickly sent a screenshot of his chat.
It checked out—the organizers really wanted to pay him extra.
Zhuzi transferred the two thousand right away.
He accepted it, thanked Zhuzi, and knew it was Zhuzi who’d spoken up for him.
Now he had five grand.
Just enough to pay Lu Quan back for that black shirt.
He switched to his alt account and once again realized too late he wasn’t friends with Lu Quan anymore.
His gaze flicked over Xu Cheng’s name. Better to hand the money to Lu Quan in person.
Music suddenly blared nearby—the performance was starting.
Propping his chin on his hand, he watched with great interest, though the sun beating down on his head was a bit much.
Summer afternoons made him drowsy, so he pinched his thigh and perked right up.
The review dragged on all afternoon and wrapped up perfectly after the school leaders’ speeches.
He messaged his buddies and slipped out first.
Switching to Xu Cheng’s chat.
【lzx】: Senior, is Senior Lu heading back to the dorm tonight?
A good while passed before the reply.
【Xu Cheng】: He won’t be back for the next few days.
Out of respect for his sugar daddy, he asked why.
Several more minutes ticked by as he withdrew five grand from the ATM.
【Xu Cheng】: Minor issue. He’s in the hospital.
Minor issue???
Under further questioning, Xu Cheng explained.
Lu Quan had been in a car last night when a drunk driver sideswiped him. Minor abrasions.
Liang Zhixia finally relaxed, clutching the envelope with five thousand. He got the hospital name.
Tucking the envelope in his bag, he hopped on a bus and headed there, swaying with the ride.
Meanwhile, at the hospital.
Xu Cheng hung up and knocked before entering the room. The thick smell of disinfectant made his head spin.
“Your roommate might drop by to visit.”
The man on the bed looked up, gaze indifferent, eyes flat. Several bandages dotted his expressionless face.
Xu Cheng crossed his arms at the foot of the bed and tsked. “Even heaven’s on your side.”
After a night, he’d come to terms with his bro playing the other man—an unchangeable fact.
Curious, he asked, “Did you message her?”
Fingers on the white sheets twitched. Lu Quan lounged against the headboard and lifted his eyelids lazily. “Yeah.”
No reply, then.
Xu Cheng opened his mouth, then shut it.
He couldn’t meddle here.
A knock came at the door.
He went to answer.
“You two came together? Qu Yizhou, this is Liu’er’s roommate.”
It was Liang Zhixia’s first time meeting Qu Yizhou. He hadn’t expected anyone besides Xu Cheng.
Clutching his bag, he pressed his lips. Should’ve waited till Lu Quan was discharged to pay him back.
Xu Cheng blocked him just as he tried to enter, then grabbed a spray bottle and doused him and Qu Yizhou.
The overpowering disinfectant scent engulfed him.
“…”
Only after they reeked of it were they allowed in.
He snuck a glance at Qu Yizhou, who looked unfazed. He must know about Lu Quan’s germaphobia.
Clutching his bag, he stood silently to the side.
Xu Cheng grabbed Qu Yizhou with a grin. “Yizhou and I are heading down to grab some stuff. You two chat.”
He ushered them out, shutting the door.
Silence fell over the room again, broken only by the zip of a bag.
Lu Quan indifferently lifted his eyelids and saw a pair of hands appear before him, holding an envelope.
The other man’s hand was slender and pale, his nails a soft pink. Faint blue veins traced across the back, and his fingers were pressed tightly together, as if he were nervous.
“What’s this?”
Liang Zhixia wanted to just set the envelope down on the bed, but he worried Lu Quan would find it distasteful, so he kept holding onto it.
“It’s money to compensate you for the clothes.”
Lu Quan furrowed his brow. “What clothes?”
“…”
Up close, Lu Quan’s eyes were pitch-black. Liang Zhixia didn’t dare linger on them. His gaze darted around before finally settling on the other man’s face.
Bandages were stuck to his temple and along the side of his face. A faint scrape marred his cheekbone.
Those injuries lent Lu Quan a rugged, untamed handsomeness.
Liang Zhixia found himself wanting to ask him to model again.
“Seen enough?”
The cold voice exploded right by his ear. Liang Zhixia jolted back to awareness and realized he’d leaned in far too close to Lu Quan.
He retreated in a hurry. Ignoring the man’s germaphobia, he tossed the envelope straight onto the bed.
“It’s for that black shirt from the other day. I’ve paid you back.”
Lu Quan, brow still furrowed, opened his mouth to press further—but the guy in front of him bolted out of the room like a startled rabbit.
The phone on the pillow buzzed once.
Lu Quan glanced down at it.
It was a reply from Zhizhi.
【Zhizhi, I’m hospitalized.】
【Oh.】
