On Chinese New Year’s Day, Mai Dong and Yan Xuming arranged to meet up to buy a set of clothes together.

Yan Xuming’s cold was just getting better, he still occasionally coughs. The night before, Mai Dong bought fresh pears and Tremella and searched for tutorials on how to make Tremella pear soup. Although the steps were simple, the young master had never been in the kitchen before, so preparing the ingredients took him an hour.

Finally, he put the ingredients into the steaming pot and set the alarm for the next morning. It was already half past nine when he came out of the kitchen.

Madam Du and Old Mai sat on the balcony, creating an ambiance. In their warm home, they sat around a table, heating tea, huddled together in front of a small hot plate, speaking in hushed tones.

Old Mai sighed, “Ai, half of my life has passed, I don’t know how many times I’ve caught a cold, but my son has never made me any pear soup to drink.”

Madam Du took a sip of the hot tea, “Stop being so cryptic, accepting reality earlier will prevent you from being sad later.”

Old Mai covered his heart, “Wife, do you know what the furthest distance in the world is? It’s when my son is right in front of me, but all he can see is another man. This winter is really cold.”

Mai Dong opened his mouth, and then quietly retreated back to the kitchen.

He took out his phone and messaged Yan Xuming.

Mai-zi: “Someone’s jealous!”

Yan Xuming: “?”

Mai-zi: “I was so busy cooking Tremella pear soup for you, I haven’t even cooked for my own parents.”

Yan Xuming: “Such an honor?”

Mai-zi: [Angry.jpg]

Yan Xuming: “Next time I’ll cook with you and make it for Uncle and Aunt.”

Mai-zi: “Can you?”

Yan Xuming: “I can learn.”

Mai-zi: “That means you can’t.”

Yan Xuming: “I’m in the process of learning.”

Xiao Nian shopping mall was already quite festive. Mai Dong glanced at the stall selling candied hawthorns at the entrance of the mall, and his boyfriend treated him to an incredibly long candied haw on a stick.

When he got the candied haw, many children around cast envious glances. The young master felt a bit embarrassed, thinking he looked childish, so he took a bite of two haws, wanting to quickly finish the conspicuous candied haw.

The hawthorns were very sour, so Yan Xuming went to buy milk tea. Mai Dong sat on a chair outside the milk tea shop, waiting for him to come out.

This was the largest mall nearby, and with the Chinese New Year approaching, it was normal to bump into acquaintances.

With his mouth full of haws, Mai Dong saw the head teacher and his wife approaching, carrying big and small bags. Mai Dong quickly stood up, chewing frantically.

Finally managing to swallow what was in his mouth as the head teacher approached, he politely greeted them, “Head Teacher, Teacher’s wife.”

It had been a year and a half since Mai Dong graduated, and this was the head teacher’s first encounter with him. He remembered that Mai Dong was not very talkative and didn’t like making friends. He had never expected Mai Dong to come back to his alma mater after graduation, so he was genuinely happy to see him today.

He smiled broadly, “Mai Dong ah, out shopping for new clothes for the New Year?”

Mai Dong nodded.

The head teacher introduced Mai Dong to his wife, “Do you know Mai Dong? I’ve mentioned him to you before. He was the top student in the senior class two years ago. I remember he went to Nanjing University, right?”

The teacher’s wife smiled kindly, “Hello, Mai Dong. He often talks about you when he’s home.”

The head teacher continued, “Ai, speaking of which, it’s quite a coincidence. You should know Yan Xuming, he was in the year ahead of you, and both of you studied at Nanjing University.”

As he was speaking, Yan Xuming came out carrying two cups of milk tea, coincidentally hearing his name. With a smile in his voice, he interjected into their conversation, “Talking about me?”

The head teacher was truly surprised. In the past few years, his proudest students were Mai Dong and Yan Xuming, and now, here they both were. He glanced at them, “Are you two here together ah? I thought you didn’t know each other.”

Yan Xuming naturally handed the two cups of milk tea to the head teacher and his wife, “Here, no sugar in them.” Then, he slightly turned his head and whispered to Mai Dong in a barely audible voice, “I’ll buy you another one later.”

Mai Dong blushed secretly. It had been two years since he graduated, and three years for Yan Xuming. In front of the head teacher, there was still a nervous feeling akin to being caught in a youthful romance. Mai Dong cleared his throat but remained silent.

The head teacher kept refusing, “I don’t drink, I don’t drink. This is for you kids to drink. Besides, it’s not right for students to treat their teachers.”

Yan Xuming didn’t insist and shoved the milk tea back into Mai Dong’s hand.

The group chatted for a while, and the head teacher expressed surprise at the fact that they knew each other. Perhaps it was because he was getting older, reminiscing about endless past conversations. The four stood at the door of the milk tea shop, listening to the head teacher talk about Yan Xuming’s time in school.

“I heard you became the president of the Student Union at Nanjing University. Well done ah. You’ve always been a determined kid. When you were in high school, a few of us teachers in the office used to talk about you, saying even if your grades weren’t good, your personality alone would make you successful in society. Speaking of which, I have to say something about Mai Dong too. We used to talk about you often back then. Anyway, we talked about both of you. Both are top of your class, but with completely different personalities. Always quiet and not fond of group activities. That won’t do, Mai Dong. Are you still like that now?”

Mai Dong felt embarrassed. He used to feel uncomfortable when others discussed his personality too much, thinking it didn’t affect anyone. Now, he was much more mature and understood that the teachers’ concerns were for his own good. Mai Dong didn’t know how to respond, so he managed to say, “I’m changing.”

These two words made Yan Xuming laugh, and Mai Dong secretly glared at him.

Yan Xuming sensed his boyfriend’s discontent and smoothed things over for him, “He really is changing. He’s already willing to come out and shop with me, isn’t that right?”

The head teacher nodded with satisfaction, “I really didn’t expect you two to know each other ah. If I had known a few days ago that you both knew each other, I would have invited you to a gathering. Oh… right ah, Mai Dong, there’s a class reunion for your classmates tomorrow ah. The class president even invited me to join. Will you go?”

Mai Dong was genuinely embarrassed this time because he had no idea about the gathering at all.

Yan Xuming once again stepped in for him, “These days have been a bit busy. I’ve tried to make plans with him several times before he could come out with me. Let’s see if he can make it tomorrow.”

The head teacher nodded understandingly, “Young people like you are all so busy, busier than us working adults, but I wonder what you’re busy with. Anyway, I won’t keep you two any longer. If you have the chance, see you at the gathering tomorrow ah. Yan Xuming, if you’re free, why don’t you come along too? Everyone knows you; there’s no one who doesn’t.”

Yan Xuming nodded with a smile, “Sure, since you’ve said it, I have thick skin. If I’m free, I’ll definitely go.”

After the head teacher left, Mai Dong took out his phone and looked through it for a long time before finding the group chat. Only then did he realize there was a notice about the gathering.

It turned out he had set his settings not to receive group messages, so he was completely unaware. Mai Dong felt guilty; he had actually forgotten when he had set this, probably because he found the group chats annoying right after graduation.

Yan Xuming asked, “Are you going?”

Mai Dong looked at the phone screen with distress, “… I don’t know. I’m not familiar with everyone.”

Yan Xuming held his hand and walked forward, “If you want to go, I’ll accompany you.”

Mai Dong thought Yan Xuming’s earlier words were just a casual remark and was somewhat surprised, “Really? You don’t have to do that. Won’t you feel awkward, just to accompany me? You don’t know any of my classmates, so it might be uncomfortable for you.”

Yan Xuming half-jokingly replied, “Didn’t I say it? I have thick skin.”

Mai Don whispered to him, “Thank you.”

Yan Xuming asked, “Hmm? What’s wrong?”

Mai Dong’s voice lowered even more, “Nothing ah, just thank you for helping me out with the head teacher earlier and being willing to accompany me to the class reunion. Thank you.”

Yan Xuming chuckled, “How would you thank me?”

Mai Dong earnestly suggested, “Um… how about treating you to lunch?”

Yan Xuming was silent for a moment, “I know you’re a rich second generation, don’t show off.”

Mai Dong pouted, “Then how should I thank you?”

Yan Xuming spoke up, “How about attending the class reunion? If you want to go by yourself, go ahead, and if you’re worried, let me accompany you. I won’t feel awkward.”

If someone else had said this, Mai Dong would have felt like they were trying to dictate his actions and life, but because it was Yan Xuming who said it, Mai Dong could only feel his genuine care and love.

He knew the head teacher was speaking the truth, and Yan Xuming’s intentions were for his own good. He should establish more connections with others… the kind of connections that should exist between people.

He recalled a diary entry Yan Xuming had written before, expressing his hope that Mai Dong could make more friends.

Mai Dong knew this was the right thing to do, but he still lacked the courage to take that step. Making friends was a difficult task for him, even harder than falling in love.

Mai Dong may be a lovestruck fool, but he didn’t need his partner to constantly prove their “love” to him. As long as he liked them enough, he would wholeheartedly devote himself to loving them.

But friends were different. He would become suspicious and feel that he had to have enough value to be worthy of someone’s friendship. Yet friendships built on this premise made Mai Dong feel that they were not genuine.

Occasionally, Mai Dong would wonder if he was fine the way he was now?

He wasn’t very smart. In fact, he was quite dense, except in terms of academic achievements. In other aspects, Mai Dong was always at a loss. But he was incredibly fortunate to be born into a privileged family, with parents and elders who loved and understood him deeply, and to be in love with a mature and strong partner who protected him well.

The friendships needed during adolescence seemed unnecessary for Mai Dong now.

In the evening, Yan Xuming drove Mai Dong home. After Mai Dong got out of the car with bags in hand, he turned back to wave goodbye to his boyfriend in the car. As the car window rolled down, the street lamp illuminated Yan Xuming’s body, half in warm yellow light and half in cold darkness.

Mai Dong said, “See you tomorrow.”

Yan Xuming smiled, “I’ll pick you up tomorrow.”