Chapter 60

Twenty minutes later, Zhaocai’s neutering surgery ended without any issues.

The doctor entered the consultation room wrapped in a restraint blanket with the still-sedated little black cat. Two fresh testicles were delivered alongside it.

The pinkish testicles still bore traces of blood. Shen Yuze glanced at them from afar and quickly averted his gaze.

Lu Ping was bolder. He leaned in proactively and had the doctor place the removed testicles next to Zhaocai’s head. Then he raised his phone and snapped several photos.

Zhaocai’s anesthesia hadn’t worn off yet. Its eyes were half-open, its tongue lolled out of its mouth, dangling crookedly outside. The fur between its hind legs had been shaved clean, the incision was small—only three stitches—and it would heal in a few days.

Shen Yuze asked, “When will it wake up?”

The doctor checked the time. “Soon. We used inhalational anesthesia, so it’ll wake up in another minute or two. But even after waking, it’ll still be dizzy and won’t be able to stand until the effects fully wear off.”

“One minute?” Lu Ping hadn’t expected it to be so quick.

He quickly bent down and leaned close to the little black cat’s ear, gloating, “Zhaocai~ Zhaocai~ Congratulations~ You’re a eunuch now!”

Shen Yuze: “……”

The vet: “……”

As if it had really heard his “summons,” the cat groggily stirred from its stupor. Unfortunately, its limbs were too weak to even extend its retracted claws. It could only futilely widen its eyes and flop softly on the table while lying on its side.

Lu Ping didn’t care if it understood or not and kept mocking it. “You won’t be chasing any female cats anymore. Happy or not? Surprised or not?~”

Shen Yuze reminded him, “You’re teasing it right now—aren’t you afraid it’ll scratch you?”

Lu Ping replied, “That’s exactly why I’m teasing it now—because I’m afraid it’ll scratch me!”

“……” Shen Yuze fell silent. What could he say? Lu Ping’s logic was oddly sound; he couldn’t refute it.

Lu Ping asked him, “I remember you haven’t petted it yet, right? That time we caught it doesn’t count. Want to take advantage of it not being able to fight back and give it a good pet?”

With that, Lu Ping stepped aside to make room. Shen Yuze walked forward and looked at the campus cat overlord that had just undergone a major life event. He hesitated and extended his hand, hovering it in the air, unsure whether to pet the head or the tail first.

Lu Ping decided for him—he grabbed Shen Yuze’s hand, and their two hands, one large and one small, pressed down together onto Zhaocai’s belly.

The cat’s fur was thick and soft. Now that autumn had arrived, its coat had grown dramatically, like a fluffy adorable bomb. Their hands sank in, instantly engulfed by the surging fur.

Shen Yuze lowered his gaze to Lu Ping’s hand resting on the back of his own and said nothing for a long time.

“—How is it? Feels nice, right?” Lu Ping interrupted his thoughts, his eyes and eyebrows dancing with delight. “It’s so fat. It’s a stray cat, but it’s got a full belly—not just thick fur, but thick fat too……”

“Yeah, it feels really nice.” Shen Yuze’s attention wasn’t on the fur at all, but he still answered along with Lu Ping’s words.

Zhaocai heard these two humans daring to slander its robust physique and immediately meowed furiously in protest. Unfortunately, it was all heart and no strength right now, forced to sacrifice its poor little body to their continued torment.

After kneading the belly, they petted the head. After the head, they pinched the paws……

Before they knew it, Lu Ping and Shen Yuze stood closer and closer until their heads bumped lightly together.

It wasn’t too hard or too soft. They looked at each other and smiled in unison.

The vet nearby watched their backs, curiosity surging wildly like a cat scratching at their heart: Just moments ago, these two had been at each other’s throats, nearly arguing. How had their relationship turned so harmonious in the blink of an eye?

Boys this age were so hard to understand.

……

After the surgery, Zhaocai couldn’t be discharged yet and needed to stay hospitalized for a few more days until the wound fully healed. Shen Yuze settled the second round of fees, and Lu Ping quickly calculated in his head how much he owed Shen Yuze now.

Debts piled up weren’t worrisome. He’d pay them back slowly.

Shen Yuze offered to drive Lu Ping home, but Lu Ping said it wasn’t necessary—there was a direct bus to North Shore right on this street where the pet hospital was located.

Shen Yuze didn’t insist and walked him to the bus stop. But before they left, Shen Yuze doubled back to the car and retrieved a scarf. It was already November now. Jiao River was in the south, so evenings were around ten degrees—not like the Capital, where the north wind raged and nights had already dropped below freezing.

Lu Ping teased him. “I’ve heard northerners can’t handle the cold, but I didn’t think it was true.”

Shen Yuze ignored the mockery and asked, “Want it? There’s another one in the car.”

Lu Ping bristled at the idea and shook his head repeatedly. That morning, Lu Mom had asked if he wanted to wear long johns, and he’d refused. How could a real man submit to the cold wind so early?

The northern cold and southern cold were different, though. Here, the temperature wasn’t that low, but the humidity was high, and it drizzled fine misty rain for hours every night, numbing hands and feet.

They sheltered behind the bus stop’s advertising board, dodging the autumn night’s chill.

Lu Ping rubbed his palms together and blew into them, muttering about the weather. At the same time, he felt relieved that Zhaocai could stay comfortably in the hospital instead of roughing it outdoors like in previous years.

Seeing Lu Ping shivering and hunching over, Shen Yuze sighed inwardly, removed his scarf, and offered it.

But Lu Ping had boasted earlier, so how could he back down now? He refused to take it.

Shen Yuze didn’t indulge his stubbornness. He pulled Lu Ping in front of him and directly wrapped the scarf around his neck. The cashmere scarf felt exquisite—light gray with no patterns, simple and elegant. Shen Yuze’s movements were gentle as he adjusted it around Lu Ping’s shoulders, tying a light knot that covered half the boy’s face.

The tassels dangled down, tickling Lu Ping’s nose.

“Shen Yuze, you’re such a weirdo.”

“How so?”

“You’re always hot and cold with me.” Lu Ping brushed the tassels on the scarf. The cashmere brought a faint warmth in the autumn night, shielding him from the rampant cool wind. He complained, “See? You’re being so nice to me now, but earlier in the clinic, you were glaring at me.”

Shen Yuze was silent for a few seconds before saying, “Sorry.”

“Just an apology? That’s not enough.” Lu Ping rarely saw Shen Yuze yield and pressed his advantage. “Don’t you remember what our ‘Desk Mate Code’ says? Rule one: No……”

“You still remember the ‘Desk Mate Code’?” Shen Yuze interrupted. “I thought after you got a new desk mate, you’d forgotten all about me.”

Lu Ping felt wronged. “How could I?”

Shen Yuze said, “I saw it with my own eyes. During class, you chatted with Chen Miaomiao. When she fell asleep, you woke her up and gave her tissues.”

“……” Lu Ping asked incredulously, “You’re upset just because I talked to Chen Miaomiao a bit more?”

The teen didn’t answer, but his tightly pursed lips betrayed his feelings.

Lu Ping was increasingly baffled. “Shen Yuze, let me take a wild guess—are you on the wrong meds or something?”

If not for that, Lu Ping couldn’t fathom why Shen Yuze would get mad over Chen Miaomiao.

Shen Yuze shook his head. “That’s not wild enough. Guess bolder.”

“……?”

“Pingping—” Shen Yuze raised his hand and lightly stroked the swaying tassels on the boy’s chest, his palm pressing right against his beating heart. “—I’m jealous.”

In that instant, Lu Ping’s mind went blank. He stared dazedly at Shen Yuze standing before him, unsure how to react.

He knew the organ in his chest was racing desperately. It thumped wildly, louder than the passing cars on the road, faster than meteors streaking across the night sky. Shen Yuze’s hand rested on his chest, transmitting every beat unreservedly.

He wanted to say something but didn’t know what. He wanted to ask if the “jealousy” Shen Yuze meant was what he thought it was, or if it was just a lame joke.

Just then, blinding high beams pierced the night, shining on them.

A bus approached from afar and pulled up to the stop.

Shen Yuze saw the route number and reminded Lu Ping, “The bus is here. Time to go.”

He withdrew his hand and stepped back, maintaining a perfect distance.

“Ah…… Oh, right.” Urged by Shen Yuze, Lu Ping stumbled after the bus in a daze and was pushed aboard by the crowd.

The boy stood in the crowded compartment and looked out the window: The teen stood alone in the empty station, the electronic billboard behind him playing a family reunion ad that lit him up.

The night wind tousled the teen’s hair, and their gazes met in the air.

Shen Yuze didn’t say goodbye. Neither did Lu Ping.

Even after the bus pulled away from the stop, Lu Ping’s heartbeat hadn’t calmed.

Only then did Lu Ping realize—Shen Yuze’s scarf. He hadn’t returned it yet.

……

That night, Lu Ping tossed and turned in his little bed.

Unable to sleep, he grabbed his phone and played under the covers.

He first logged into the Partner backend. His account had a glaring red notice: “Your account deletion request has entered review. You can revoke it within 10 business days. Your account can still post normally during this period.”

Lu Ping thought for a moment and typed a few words.

@fake-diaond: Do friends get jealous of each other?

He hit send.

Soon, the comments flooded in from night owls.

“Couch! The god hasn’t slept yet?”

“Night owl squad wins!”

“Did the god fight with a friend?”

“Jealous? Of course! Last time my bestie walked off with another girl after class, I was furious.”

“My roommate and I always ate together, but ever since she got a boyfriend, she never eats with me anymore.”

“She used to buy me a milk tea every time, but now she has another doggo! (Big cry)”

“Not just jealous—we cold war, break up and make up. When sweet, we do bestie profile pics, bestie spaces… When fighting, it’s world-ending, straight to blocking.”

“LOL, more tiring than dating a boyfriend. Anyway, off to coax my bestie. (Doge)”

“But friendship is way more reliable than romance! Last time we fought, she showed up at my house with flowers! Waaah, the first bouquet of my life was from her……”

The comments varied wildly, with many sharing personal stories of feeling upset when their best friends got close to others.

But most responders were girls.

Lu Ping edited his post, adding keywords.

@fake-diaond: Do male friends get jealous of each other?

“Male friends?”

“Jealous?”

“Uh, sure it’s male friends, not boyfriend?”

“Whispering: I’ve always thought the god’s vibe seems a bit gay……”

“Does it mean all good-looking boys like other boys?”

“Time for some gay topics late at night.”

“My bestie is terminally ill. She wants to hear a story about a male god and his male (friend) before her brief youth ends!”

“No way, I finally followed a good-looking blogger. Can you not be gay?”

“Replying to the one above: You don’t get it—this is the money formula. Many of the male bloggers I follow changed their style after signing with companies. They started shipping CPs and selling BL.”

Bent. Gay vibes. Shipping CPs. Selling BL.

For high schoolers immersed in the internet world nowadays, these terms weren’t unfamiliar.

Lu Ping pulled the blanket over his head. The phone screen’s light fell on his face, casting a small patch of brightness into his eyes. He bit his lip and typed a string of words on the phone.

@fake-diaond: No signing, not bent, normal friends.

But before clicking send, he hesitated. He changed “normal friends” to “proper friends,” then from “proper friends” to “good friends.” Yet he felt that “good friends” still couldn’t describe the complex relationship between him and Shen Yuze…

Would good friends hold hands in a powerless classroom?

Would good friends hug after a speech contest?

Would good friends want to kiss him when their shoulders brushed close?

Would they? Or wouldn’t they?

Lu Ping couldn’t tell for a moment whether this was an illusion born from being lonely too long and finally having someone willing to get close to him, or if there was truly some tangled emotion deep in his heart that he couldn’t sort out.

In the end, Lu Ping deleted those posts. He turned off his phone and shoved it under the pillow, hoping to escape the problem he couldn’t figure out this way.

If he couldn’t figure it out, he’d just sleep.

—Shen Yuze wouldn’t show up in his dreams, right?

…

For some inexplicable reason, Lu Ping was back at that bus stop.

He and Shen Yuze stood face-to-face in front of the flickering electronic billboard. He opened his eyes wide, trying hard to make out the words on the ad, but it was like a layer of fog covered it—no matter what, he couldn’t see clearly.

The night was gentle. There were no cars on the road, no clamor, no noise.

Shen Yuze took off his scarf and gently wrapped it around Lu Ping’s neck.

He said, “Pingping, why don’t you be a bit bolder.”

He said, “Pingping, I’m jealous.”

Lu Ping wanted to say something, but his throat was blocked. He was anxious as hell, but not a single word came out.

Just then, the bus arrived. Seeing Lu Ping not speaking for so long, Shen Yuze couldn’t hide the loneliness in his brows and eyes. Shen Yuze raised his hand to point at the bus and said to him, “You should get on.”

So Lu Ping was pushed by the wind, step by step toward the bus. He didn’t want to get on. He had so many words he wanted to say to Shen Yuze, but his mouth was glued shut—he couldn’t open it.

He could only board.

The bus compartment was empty. He sat in the last row, looking through the window at Shen Yuze, who had been left at the platform.

Shen Yuze looked up at him, his expression calm, his brows and eyes gentle.

Lu Ping wanted to say goodbye, but no matter how many times he tried, that farewell stuck in his chest.

The driver started the bus, and it swayed slightly as it pulled away from the platform. Lu Ping was frantic. He shouted silently, shouting—suddenly, those silent words pried open invisible shackles, and tears burst from his eyes.

The moment his tears fell, his voice returned!

“Driver, stop the bus!!” he finally shouted out loud.

The bus stopped. Lu Ping jumped off two steps at a time.

He turned and ran back to the platform. He ran and ran, faster than the wind, lighter than the clouds. Moonlight chased behind him, lighting the road ahead.

He soon saw Shen Yuze.

Shen Yuze, left at the platform, was full of surprise on his face. He opened his arms to him, welcoming his arrival.

Lu Ping threw himself forward without a care, using all his strength to cling to Shen Yuze’s shoulders, embedding himself firmly in Shen Yuze’s embrace.

Chest pressed to chest, their two heartbeats gradually synced in rhythm.

“Shen Yuze,” Lu Ping looked up at him, his eyes filled with the reflection of the boy, “I, I want to tell you, I…”

“No need to say it. I already know.” Shen Yuze lowered his head and lightly kissed his forehead with his lips. “Pingping, me too.”

…

Lu Ping jolted awake from the dream.

The clock on the wall showed it was five in the morning. The moonlight hadn’t faded yet, and the sunlight hadn’t arrived.

Downstairs came the sounds of his parents getting up early to pound rice cakes. The boy sat dazed on the bed in a panic, his face flushed red.

The heat on his face was scorching enough to rival the sun. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his back was soaked through.

He hadn’t turned on the light. Alone in the dark and quiet bedroom, after who knows how long, he finally mustered the courage to gently lift the blanket covering him.

Then, he pulled down his pajama pants and, enduring the shame, looked down.

His underwear was soaked with semen, sticky and wet.

Lu Ping let out a wail, covered his face, and collapsed onto the bed.

—Why… why on earth did he have a dream like this?!