Pei He spun around in place and said, “I can’t waste it—I need to think this through carefully. Little Yuan, how long is the shelf life on my request?”
This question stumped Zhou Zhuoyuan. He didn’t even know how much longer he had to live; the System might wipe him out at any moment.
He rested his right hand on the blanket, then shifted it to the bedsheet. “Uh… two months…”
Pei He: “?”
Under Pei He’s incredulous stare—one that seemed to question how anyone could possibly be so stingy—Zhou Zhuoyuan gritted his teeth and revised his offer. “Three months…”
“One year…”
“Three years…”
Finally unable to bear it any longer, he yanked his hand back under the covers. “Five years! Five years has to be enough, right? Cough cough—no more than that!”
Satisfied with his victory, Pei He crouched down to meet Zhou Zhuoyuan’s eyes. “Deal, then. Within five years, you have to grant me one request.”
Zhou Zhuoyuan had never made a pact like this with anyone before. A faint regret stirred in him, and his eyelashes fluttered.
Pei He took hold of the hand hidden beneath the blanket, warmth seeping through from their joined fingers. “I won’t go overboard with it.”
Over the past few days, Zhou Zhuoyuan had grown used to these gestures from him and felt no discomfort. “I know.”
Pei He continued, “But it won’t be easy to fulfill, either.”
Zhou Zhuoyuan’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “No matter how tough it is, I’ll do it.”
Pei He spoke softly. “Then, since you’ve given me something so precious, don’t try to chase me away anymore. I want to stay by your side. Once you’re better, we’ll head back to school together. You know I couldn’t focus on studying if I left you behind.”
Zhou Zhuoyuan started to protest, but before he could open his mouth, an unfamiliar doctor walked into the room.
The doctor looked to be in his thirties or forties, with a refined and easygoing air. He removed his mask and greeted Zhou Zhuoyuan from behind Pei He. “Little Yuan, how are you feeling today?”
Assuming this was his new attending physician, Zhou Zhuoyuan answered honestly. “Better than yesterday, but this morning… cough cough… my chest hurt for a bit. Doctor, will I have any permanent damage?”
The doctor’s tone was gentle. “You’re already recovering quickly. With plenty of rest, you can make a full recovery.”
It really was excellent news—Zhou Zhuoyuan seemed to have truly turned peril into fortune. He gave the doctor a grateful smile. “I’ll rest up. What’s the earliest I can get discharged?”
The doctor thought for a moment. “It’s hard to say for sure—it depends on how your recovery goes. Eager to get back to class?”
Zhou Zhuoyuan nodded. “Yeah, cough cough… my friends and I are all seniors now. The Gaokao’s just a few dozen days away.”
Following his gaze to Pei He on the floor, the doctor chuckled softly. “No rush—take your time. I hear you all want to get into X University?”
Zhou Zhuoyuan’s pride swelled at the mention of academics. “That’s right. It’s the best school, and it’s our dream.”
“Planning to become a doctor someday?”
Zhou Zhuoyuan wondered if he’d been that obvious. He looked at the doctor in surprise. “Yes. How did you know?”
The doctor didn’t reply. Instead, he leaned forward slightly, pulled out his phone, and held it up. Above the WeChat QR code was a tourist photo of him at the beach; his username read Vast Sea and Sky. “If you don’t mind, add me on WeChat. Ask me anything, anytime—I’ll get back to you when I see it.”
Zhou Zhuoyuan’s eyes skipped right past the QR code, landing instead on the name badge pinned to the doctor’s chest: Pei Chengkang.
Suddenly, his smile vanished. He stammered, “Y-You’re…”
The doctor’s smile held steady. “I’m Pei He’s father.”
~~~
Worried about being overheard, Zhou Zhuoyuan waited until Pei He was wiping his face before whispering, “Why didn’t you warn me ahead of time? I wasn’t prepared at all.”
Pei He shrugged it off. “What’s the big deal? I didn’t get any warning before meeting your parents. It’s nothing—just elope with me if it comes to that.”
Zhou Zhuoyuan grabbed his hand and pulled it down. “Who said anything about eloping with you?”
Pei He froze mid-motion. “You won’t elope with me?”
Zhou Zhuoyuan itched to snap at him for his terrible sense of timing—he was dead serious here, and Pei He was still on about eloping. But then the scene from that dream flashed through his mind: Pei He, shielded so fiercely by Zhou Zhuoyuan, weeping like a wilted pear blossom drenched in rain, declaring he’d marry no one else in this lifetime…
A faint blush crept across his cheeks. “Can you grow up a little? Now I’m sure your dad sees me as, cough cough, some pathetic weakling.”
Pei He wiped his hands clean and squatted down once more by Zhou Zhuoyuan’s bedside. He liked this position—it kept him close without being too imposing. “Don’t worry. I already told him all about you beforehand. My dad really likes you, and he’s got a great personality. If you have any questions, just ask him. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself. Treat my parents like the parents of any ordinary friend.”
The words cleverly drew Pei He and Zhou Zhuoyuan closer together, implying that Pei He had already moved beyond mere friendship, with the status of boyfriend within reach.
Stubborn as a mule, Zhou Zhuoyuan still felt deeply remorseful. “How could I not feel pressure? I’ve never even visited a friend’s house—cough cough—let alone met their parents.”
Pei He thought back to his former reclusive nature, and a sharp pang twisted in his chest, though he kept it from showing on his face. “It’s all my dad’s fault. He decided to come see you on his own initiative. I had no idea.”
Zhou Zhuoyuan shook his head vigorously. “No, no, no. It’s not Uncle’s fault.”
Pei He rested his chin on his arms, which were folded along the edge of the bed. “Fine then, blame me. As punishment, let me help you downstairs for some sun.”
~~~
Today’s sun was especially harsh and blinding. Zhou Zhuoyuan donned his sunglasses and mask, only to be mistaken for a celebrity by a little girl. She tugged at the hem of his clothes. “Big brother, could you sign my hat?”
The girl’s parents hurried over to apologize, scooping her up into their arms. She buried her face in her father’s shoulder and wailed, “It’s the first time I’ve seen the celebrity from TV. I want his autograph!”
Her parents clearly adored her. They begged Zhou Zhuoyuan to sign anything at all on the hat for their daughter, even offering to pay him for it.
Zhou Zhuoyuan refused any payment. He took the little girl’s hat and racked his brains, but nothing came to mind. In the end, he simply wrote “Far God.”
The girl broke into a beaming smile through her tears, clutching the hat and waving it gleefully at him. Her mother watched her with gentle affection the whole time.
She was a lucky little girl, cherished by her parents.
Zhou Zhuoyuan stared after them, lost in a daze as they walked away.
Pei He took his hand. Zhou Zhuoyuan came back to himself, about to say something to excuse his distraction, when an excited voice rang out from behind him—Zhou Zhuoyi’s. “Bro, you’re already out of bed?”
His face drained of color in an instant, and he froze on the spot.
Zhou Zhuoyi circled around in front of them. This time, he made no attempt to touch Zhou Zhuoyuan. “You scared me half to death, bro. Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been these past few days?”
Zhou Zhuoyuan glanced at the identical patient gown hanging on his body, and his hands and feet turned ice-cold. On instinct, he wanted to shove Pei He behind him for protection.
Truth be told, Zhou Zhuoyi had never fought him for anything. If anything, it was Zhou Zhuoyuan who often monopolized the gifts their parents and older brothers gave to Zhou Zhuoyi. But people weren’t mere objects; they had emotions that Zhou Zhuoyuan couldn’t simply dictate.
Zhou Zhuoyi edged in a little closer, standing shoulder to shoulder with Zhou Zhuoyuan like true twins. With utter sincerity, he turned to Pei He. “Thanks for looking after my brother. Sorry for the trouble, Pei He.”
Zhou Zhuoyuan’s eyes grew painfully dry beneath his sunglasses. So they already knew each other. So the Buddhist prayer beads that Pei He had spoken of retrieving were the ones from Zhou Zhuoyi.
Once bitten, twice shy. He couldn’t help wondering if Pei He—like Guan Qi—was only caring for Zhou Zhuoyuan at Zhou Zhuoyi’s behest.
He heard Pei He respond politely. “No trouble at all. This is what I should be doing.”
The smile on Zhou Zhuoyi’s face dimmed slightly. “How could it not be? No need to stand on ceremony. I owe you a proper thank-you on my brother’s behalf.”
Pei He’s voice remained gentle. “Little Yuan has already thanked me.”
Zhou Zhuoyi clenched his fists tighter and tighter. He stared at their joined hands—hands that Zhou Zhuoyuan had never held with him in such intimacy.
Even in their mother’s womb, he had treated Zhou Zhuoyuan well, yielding his healthy body to his brother. Yet just because he hadn’t stopped Zhu Wan from taking Zhou Zhuoyuan’s Buddhist prayer beads, Zhou Zhuoyuan had turned so cruel—not even allowing him a touch, and now flaunting this hand-holding right in front of him to twist the knife.
Had Pei He used the prayer beads—ones he had offered willingly—to trick Zhou Zhuoyuan into warming to him?
Zhou Zhuoyi’s gaze darkened. “Then I should thank you for putting the prayer beads on my brother for me.”
Pei He returned a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Actually, I’m the one who should thank you for giving the prayer beads back to Little Yuan.”
Zhou Zhuoyuan listened to their endless exchange of thanks, his expression growing ever more frigid. They clearly wanted to keep talking to each other, but he had no desire to hear another word. He wrenched his hand free from Pei He’s grasp and turned on his heel to leave.
Pei He froze for a second before hurrying after him. “What’s wrong? Not feeling well? Let me carry you back…”
Zhou Zhuoyuan snapped, in a sulk, “I can make it back on my own. Don’t let me keep you.”
Pei He couldn’t fathom why he couldn’t bear to see himself trading barbs with his brother. Hadn’t Zhou Zhuoli mentioned that he hated Little Yi—and hadn’t he failed to deny it? Even if he did hate him, wasn’t that more important than Pei He?
He felt a pang of hurt and anger, scooping Zhou Zhuoyuan up into his arms by force. “Don’t move!”
Zhou Zhuoyuan remembered that he was his lifesaver and gritted his teeth, holding back from struggling.
Zhou Zhuoyi didn’t give chase. Pei He’s parting words had left him feeling wretched inside. After he returned the Buddhist prayer beads, Zhou Zhuoyuan’s condition had gradually improved. No matter how you sliced it, he was the one who had nearly gotten his brother killed.
~~~
The two of them returned to the hospital room with grim expressions on their faces. Pei He locked the door and turned on Zhou Zhuoyuan, who was propped up against the headboard. “He was the one who got on my nerves first. Why won’t you let me fire back? Does everyone matter more to you than me? Zhou Zhuoyi, Qinglan, Liu Kuo—are they all more important than me?”
Zhou Zhuoyuan: “?”
The expression on his face nearly cracked. “What the hell?”
In that moment, Zhou Zhuoyuan couldn’t make heads or tails of Pei He’s thought process. His eyes widened slightly.
Pei He bristled with indignation. “What’s that look for? You think I’m just flying off the handle with jealousy for no reason?”
Every trace of emotion in Zhou Zhuoyuan’s eyes was supplanted by question marks. “What are you even talking about? Jealousy? Who got on your nerves? Zhou Zhuoyi?”
Pei He let out a cold laugh. “Who else? Calling me trouble for you—what does he think he is to you? Thanking me on your behalf, that pervert who has the hots for his own brother. You’re mad at me over him—don’t tell me you’ve got feelings for him too? I won’t stand for it. Even if we’re not together, you can’t dive into some twisted taboo romance like that!”
Zhou Zhuoyuan’s face twisted in a look that defied description. “…”
Pei He’s words kept tumbling out, as if he were determined to unload every bit of pent-up grievance from these past days onto Zhou Zhuoyuan. “Qinglan came first—I put up with that. Who asked me not to treat you right from the start? But Liu Kuo? He lied to you before. The second you could get out of bed, you were itching to see him. Is it because he took a bullet for you that you’re so touched you’ve fallen for him? If you hadn’t insisted on going alone that day without me, I could’ve taken that bullet for you. I never would’ve let you get this sick, never would’ve let you suffer like this!”
Zhou Zhuoyuan: “…”
Pei He, seeing him fall silent, pressed his advantage with even greater conviction. “You’re feeling guilty, aren’t you?”
It was true what they said—lovers always saw beauty in the beloved. Pei He was smitten with Zhou Zhuoyuan, so he imagined everyone under the sun was after him too. He suffered from a touch of cuckold paranoia, warding off rivals before he’d even locked down their relationship.
Yet this Pei He—this flustered, frantic Pei He—had somehow siphoned the gloom right out of Zhou Zhuoyuan and shouldered it himself, venting it with raw courage.
In Pei He’s eyes, Zhou Zhuoyuan was a priceless treasure worth fighting over.
He fell quiet for a moment, starting to sit up from the bed, only to be shoved back down by the furious Pei He, whose sharp gaze missed nothing. “What do you think you’re doing? Grabbing something? Now you’re going to hold your health over my head to threaten me?”
Pinned in place, Zhou Zhuoyuan went still. He locked eyes with those dark depths and spoke with deliberate slowness. “Pei He, truth is, you’re the only one who’s ever liked me.”
Pei He’s brows knitted together; he opened his mouth to argue, but before a word could escape, Zhou Zhuoyuan went on. “That said, if it bothers you, once Liu Kuo’s recovered, I won’t have any more contact with him. And Zhou Zhuoyi—I do hate him. I’ve already been steering clear of him, which is why I left. It wasn’t anger at you.”
He figured Pei He was spouting nonsense, but he was willing to indulge this vinegar-sour jealousy.
Pei He dropped the subject of everyone else’s intentions. He couldn’t afford to repeat that mistake, shoving Zhou Zhuoyuan into someone else’s arms. The harsh sunlight was blocked by the curtains, allowing only a sliver of warmth to filter through. He bent down and pulled Zhou Zhuoyuan into an embrace. “I’m sorry. I misunderstood you. I didn’t mean to push you to cut them off, but you’re mine, Little Yuan. You’re mine.”
