So the two of them walked towards the parking lot together. Zhu Zhixi took out his phone, unlocked it, and was surprised to find that the phone was still on a chat screen. Below the dialogue box was a line of text typed at some unknown time, looking like garbled characters.

[Dad, angry. Want, visit booths. Stamp.]

Huh?

Did Xiao Yu accidentally type this?

Zhu Zhixi was about to close the screen but suddenly realized something.

‘Dad’ must be Fu Rangyi.

As they were walking, Fu Rangyi noticed that Zhu Zhixi hadn’t kept up. He stopped and turned back, only to see him standing there, holding his phone, motionless.

“What’s wrong?”

Zhu Zhixi suddenly looked up, his eyes sparkling in the light of the phone screen. He ran over, his face slightly flushed, and said breathlessly, “I found out my postcard is missing.”

“Missing?”

“Yeah, maybe it was too chaotic today, I don’t know where I dropped it. What a pity about the stamps I collected, I was just one away.”

Fu Rangyi was silent for another short while. When he spoke again, his voice was lower than before, and it got quieter as he spoke.

“I heard when I was a student that you can get postcards in the afternoon too, and, actually, the booths are livelier in the afternoon…”

“Really?” Zhu Zhixi grabbed his wrist and shook it. “Professor, take me there. I won’t be able to sleep tonight if I don’t collect all seven stamps. And there are so many places I haven’t seen yet. Can I hire you as my tour guide?”

“You’re not paying me,” Fu Rangyi said, turning his face away from him.

“Aren’t you not short on money?” Zhu Zhixi said with a grin. “I’ll make you coffee when we get back! It’s a deal.”

Half-pushed, half-pulled, Fu Rangyi was dragged back to the cultural festival. Booths of all sizes were connected, colorful and with various themes, filling the lawn. The entire stadium had transformed into a “temple fair” for the students’ revelry. People walked around in groups, chattering, weaving through the crowd, eating and drinking at the food stalls, picking through items at the second-hand booths, gathering at the temporarily built small stage to watch street dance performances, and then dispersing after applause to go to different, new venues.

It was like a vibrant, colorful amusement park. Fu Rangyi had been at this school for so many years, but this was the first time he had set foot in it himself. It turned out to be even livelier than he had imagined.

It turned out he didn’t hate liveliness.

A lost postcard had brought his all-nighter “itinerary plan” back to life. Fu Rangyi tried hard to immerse himself, fulfilling his duties as a tour guide, leading Zhu Zhixi through this park that was so unfamiliar to him. Every time he completed a task, he would check it off on the mental list in his mind.

Zhu Zhixi was also visibly satisfied.

“Fu Rangyi, help me win this! I want this doll!”
“This cream puff is so delicious, take a bite.”
“This is it, right? The place to get the fifth stamp?”
“You stamp it. You do it better.”

In the past, he believed that all festivals and anniversaries were just artificial gimmicks created by humans for consumption. Every day was mundane, no day was worth special celebration, and no revelry would bring true happiness.

Looking at the vivid smile on Zhu Zhixi’s face, his sparkling eyes, Fu Rangyi suddenly perceived happiness, and even an emotion beyond happiness. The feeling kept expanding, rising, reaching a heart-burning intensity that even made him a little uneasy.

It was as if a pink balloon had appeared above his head, being blown bigger and bigger, so big that it blotted out the sky and covered everything.

Standing in line at the last commemorative stamp booth, Fu Rangyi quietly watched Zhu Zhixi’s face. He was as excited as a little bird.

“Hello, I’m here to get a stamp!”

“Okay.” The Omega girl at the booth handed him the item and said with a smile, “Congratulations on finding the last stamp point. The seven stamps together form the mascot of our S University. It will bless you and make your wishes come true.”

“Thank you!”

Just as Zhu Zhixi was about to stamp it, he remembered something and pulled Fu Rangyi’s hand over. “The tour guide and I will stamp the last one together.”

Their palms overlapped, pressing down on the stamp together.

“Done.” Zhu Zhixi picked up the postcard, examined it carefully, and said softly, “It’s finished.”

The huge red setting sun descended onto the lawn. The warm, soft twilight pierced through the gaps in every tent, illuminating the place like another paradise.

“Let’s go.”

They left the huge market filled with colorful ribbons, lights, candies, and laughter. The moment they stepped out, everything became incredibly quiet, as if a colorful bubble had burst, and that was all.

The two walked side by side on an almost deserted tree-lined path. The sunset faded faster than sand in an hourglass, and the sky quickly darkened.

But Zhu Zhixi’s face was still full of light. The events of the day must have given him a great deal of motivation, even allowing him to escape the terrible shadow of death. That’s why he appeared exceptionally happy.

For a moment, Fu Rangyi even felt a little resentful of his smile at that moment.

Do people always think of loss at their happiest moments?

Pop. The giant pink balloon exploded.

Those boiling emotions suddenly collapsed, sliding down, lower and lower. He stared at Zhu Zhixi’s hand, which swung lightly as he walked. A thought suddenly emerged, invading his overly joyous mind.

[If it weren’t for the countdown, you two wouldn’t be together.
So when it disappears, this relationship will have to end.]

The countdown.

From initial disbelief, to gradually loosening up, to trying to research and rationalize it… Now, Fu Rangyi was completely convinced, and he also knew that this fantastical opportunity would definitely be resolved.

Isn’t that a very good thing?

Zhu Zhixi had finally had his fill of looking at the postcard in his hand. He walked with him to a bench by the side of the road and sat down.

“Thank you for accompanying me today,” he said to Fu Rangyi.

Fu Rangyi stood quietly for a moment, then also sat down next to him, but maintained some distance.

Because he had suddenly had a very strong urge to mark him just now. Extremely strong.

“You’re welcome,” Fu Rangyi said in a low voice. “It’s my duty as the host.”

Zhu Zhixi looked at him, seemed to sense something, moved closer, and spoke again in that energetic, vibrant tone.

“I’ve always felt that I’m particularly lucky, and I feel it even more today.” He held out his left hand. “You have no idea. When I first discovered this countdown, I thought I had been chosen by heaven, like a superhero. Later, when I found out it was a death countdown, I couldn’t do anything. I hid in my room under the covers, wanting to cry but unable to, completely empty.”

Fu Rangyi listened quietly, the image of a drunk Zhu Zhixi suddenly appearing in his mind, and he thought of his tears.

He turned his head, silently gazing at Zhu Zhixi’s face, staring at his long, curly eyelashes and the fine hairs illuminated by the streetlight.

Those dark thoughts were quickly suppressed. Fu Rangyi sobered up, chiding himself for his immorality.

He lowered his head, took a deep breath secretly, took out his phone, opened his notes, and saw the line of text: [Little Rabbit Domestication Manual].

“Later, I accepted the existence of the countdown, and then I met you, and discovered that this dead end actually had a solution, although it’s really bizarre.” He laughed, his teeth clean and white. “I was originally thinking, living one day at a time would be good enough, but now there’s another turn of events. Thinking about it, there’s no one luckier than me.”

Yes.

A false alarm, indeed very lucky. Fu Rangyi’s emotions rose and fell, and finally found clarity.

If he had to choose, he hoped the countdown would disappear, hoped Zhu Zhixi wouldn’t have to live in constant fear, and could run around the world like before, shouting “Mom, look!” at the camera, living a vibrant and free life.

He lowered his head and renamed the note again.

[Little Rabbit Domestication Manual] became [Little Rabbit Fostering Manual].

And after [5. Take Zhu Zhixi to tour the cultural festival], he added a new line.

[6. Find a way to help Zhu Zhixi eliminate the countdown.]

He locked the screen and put the phone back in his pocket. Fu Rangyi continued to look at Zhu Zhixi, watching him silently as before. He didn’t know what his own eyes looked like at this moment. If there were a mirror in front of him, he might have been startled.

But there wasn’t. Just like during his rut, he had no way, and was even completely unaware, of letting his pheromones leak and flow, enveloping Zhu Zhixi’s entire body. It was all unstoppable.

But Zhu Zhixi saw it as soon as he turned his head. He had been chattering on, “And you even accompanied me to so many booths today, I’m really…”

He suddenly fell silent.

The milky white streetlights enveloped them like a light veil, illuminating Fu Rangyi’s eyes as he gazed at him. It was the first time he had seen such a look on Fu Rangyi’s face. It couldn’t help but give Zhu Zhixi a sweet illusion, and he was dazed.

Until something spun in the deep blue sky, and finally landed gently, quietly, like a feather on stage.

It was snow. It landed on Fu Rangyi’s eyelashes.

Zhu Zhixi’s fingers twitched, wanting to brush it away. However, the next second, as if possessed, he leaned over, and his cool, soft lips touched Fu Rangyi’s cheek.

In just a second, his stolen soul returned. He was so flustered he could barely breathe, not knowing what he was doing, his mind a complete mess, clutching only a clumsy but tried-and-true excuse.

“The countdown suddenly… sped up,” he emphasized, lacking confidence. “Really fast.”

---

Author’s Note:

—High-rise Forum Thread Small Theater—

[OMG I actually ran into Professor from the archaeology department at the entrance of that drama club’s small theater! He’s so handsome in person, a pity it’s not his rut, he wasn’t wearing a bite guard]

 [He was alone? Going to see the drama club’s play? Who doesn’t know that S University’s drama club is just an amateur troupe now…]

 [He wasn’t alone. Professor taught our class today. He came out around the same time as us, and a handsome guy was waiting for him downstairs!]

 [Ah, the handsome guy in the bluish-purple jacket? I saw him too, his beauty is on par with Professor’s. He was actually waiting for Professor?]

 [Yes, I saw with my own eyes Professor walk up to him, and even nudged his headphones and talked to him]

 [Ahhh I saw it too! He even jumped into Professor’s arms, so cute]

 [Share Picture]

 [Whoa! They look so good together, so easy on the eyes]

 [Why does it look like he’s pulling up a radish when he lifted him down hhh]

 [This must be Professor’s spouse, oh my god, so beautiful (though not quite the quiet Omega I imagined)]

 [Definitely. He was wearing a ring too, also a ruby!]
[A match made in heaven]

 [Ah he’s a Beta. He came to my stall and bought a skateboard this morning, super duper cute, great personality]

 [I used to be envious of Professor’s partner, now I’m starting to be envious of Professor]

 [They did go to see the play together. Someone in the back two rows took a picture of the back of their heads]

 [What a well-matched pair of heads]

 [I saw them too! I was helping my friend sell cotton candy and saw Professor and his wife. I thought I was seeing a ghost when I saw Professor. How could he appear at the market? Turns out he was accompanying his wife]

 [Actually, the handsome guy in purple had already collected his stamps during the day. Why did he go again later? He must have specifically dragged Professor along]

 [My friend was there too. He said the handsome guy was scared by a party popper, and Professor held him half-embraced. So sweet]

 [Professor was really staring at his wife the whole time. That look in his eyes was something else, like if he looked away for a second his wife would fly away.]

 [How would he fly? Like that angel from the drama club? (ps the angel was so handsome, have you guys figured out who he is yet?)]

 [OMG how did you cross threads? The drama thread made me laugh so hard. It’s even funnier thinking that Professor and his partner were also there]

 [OMG OMG, a sister took a photo of Professor and his wife kissing (although it’s super duper blurry, it was originally a selfie and they accidentally got in it). This should be a kiss, right? At least on the cheek?]

 [What cheek kiss? It’s a mouth kiss!]

 [It must be a French kiss, it’s just not a good photo]

 [I don’t care, I’m smashing that ‘like’ button for eternal love]

 [Eternal love! The professor has such a beautiful wife, he’ll definitely be willing to pass us at the end of the semester, right?]

 [Professor, can you show us your wife more often in the future!]

 [Pass the students, see the wife…]