Lu Guifan felt that Jiang Ruotang was truly a remarkable person. Despite coming from an opulent background, he was unfazed by humble living.

In fact, Lu Guifan could sense that Jiang Ruotang comfortably embraced, and even liked, every aspect of his own life, including the creaky old sofa, the narrow bedroom that made them sit close to study, and the small folding dining table where their knees occasionally bumped while eating.

All the imperfections in Lu Guifan’s life were tolerated, even cherished, by Jiang Ruotang. In Jiang Ruotang’s world, people were never categorized by their material wealth, only by their sincerity or deceit.

If someone showed him a little kindness, he would return it tenfold. Such a person, even as just a friend, was already invaluable. If he were to be more greedy, to get even closer… could it really happen?

At this moment, in Jiang Ruotang’s bedroom, Lin Lu sat in the corner on a beanbag chair, holding an exhibition catalog from a European art gallery.

It wasn’t in English, and Lin Lu couldn’t understand it, but holding onto it seemed to alleviate his awkwardness. Because this bedroom was both familiar and extremely unfamiliar to him.

It was familiar because the desk, bookshelf, and wardrobe furniture were exactly the same as the last time he visited, and even the bedsheets were Jiang Ruotang’s usual preference—warm-toned plaid.

But all the posters, desk stands, nightlights, etc., related to Bai Yingchuan had completely disappeared. On the desk nearby, mock exam papers were neatly stacked, and the photo frame held Jiang Ruotang’s own photos, along with a watercolor painting the size of half a book, clipped in a crystal frame.

The bookshelf was also filled with biographies of artists, art movements, famous art collections, and so on. All of this told anyone entering this bedroom—Jiang Ruotang possessed a clear and definite self; his life and passions belonged only to him.

Just then, Bai Yingchuan entered after showering. His hair was damp and slightly curled, clinging to his forehead. Perhaps finding it a bit bothersome, he raised a hand to comb it back. In that moment, his indifferent expression exuded a pressure that made Lin Lu feel almost panicked.

“You go wash up,” Bai Yingchuan said faintly. Lin Lu put down the art book and quickly grabbed his things and entered the bathroom. When no one else was present, Bai Yingchuan was terribly cold towards Lin Lu. Lin Lu had initially thought this coldness would be reserved for Jiang Ruotang, but he couldn’t for the life of him figure out how the boomerang had circled back to himself. Only when the warm water soaked his hair did Lin Lu’s body gradually feel the warmth. Bai Yingchuan was so close to him, yet so far away.

Bai Yingchuan sat at the desk, blowing his hair dry, his gaze fixed on the watercolor painting Jiang Ruotang had clipped in the crystal frame. Up close, it was a weeping begonia, bowing its head luxuriantly, blooming wildly, its colors, like a misty haze, exuding elegance. Bai Yingchuan, as if drawn by an unseen force, put down the hairdryer and brought the crystal frame closer to his eyes. Only then did he realize that the empty space in the painting, when examined closely, revealed the profile of Jiang Ruotang’s face.

“Is this a self-portrait?” Bai Yingchuan smiled. Looking at Jiang Ruotang’s paintings seemed to allow him to understand him more deeply.

Bai Yingchuan’s arm brushed against the stack of practice papers and he discovered a booklet underneath. He pulled out the booklet, realizing it was a commemorative catalog for the Fu Chunshi Calligraphy and Painting Art Exhibition, meaning it should contain Jiang Ruotang’s award-winning work. Bai Yingchuan quickly flipped it open. The table of contents showed Jiang Ruotang’s work on the third page. He had never felt so nervous, like he was awaiting the results of the most important audition. The third page, occupying an entire spread, was the only sketch portrait among all the award-winning pieces. And that gaze, expression, temperament… Bai Yingchuan recognized it at a glance.

Bai Yingchuan’s throat moved. His heart felt like it plummeted from ten thousand meters high, slamming into an icy crevice in a deep abyss. He had a strong perception of theatrical roles, and it was the same for paintings. The emotions conveyed in this painting were full of dependence and incredible passion.

Bai Yingchuan sat dazed at the desk for a long time, until he heard Lin Lu’s footsteps outside the door. Only then did Bai Yingchuan close the art book and place it back under the mock papers.

“Are you done washing? Dry your hair and go to sleep.” Bai Yingchuan handed the hairdryer to Lin Lu, then lay down on the bed first, turning his face to the wall. This entire night, Bai Yingchuan and Lin Lu were destined for sleeplessness. Jiang Ruotang’s award-winning work made Bai Yingchuan realize that he would probably never be the male protagonist in the other’s life. And Lin Lu, on the other hand, was trying to decipher Bai Yingchuan’s thoughts, feeling lost and uneasy.

In Xiao Gao’s bedroom, Lu Guifan silently and quietly watched Jiang Ruotang sleeping, even his breathing was subdued, as if he worried about disturbing him. He didn’t know how much time had passed when Jiang Ruotang, lying on his side, suddenly opened his eyes.

As he lifted his eyelids and looked at him, Lu Guifan didn’t even have time to pretend to be asleep. Their eyes met, and Jiang Ruotang seemed to see through Lu Guifan’s thoughts. He raised a finger and touched Lu Guifan’s lips.

“Are you thinking about that kiss?” Jiang Ruotang smiled, three parts teasing, more parts a mischievous provocation.

“…No, I just couldn’t sleep.”

Jiang Ruotang’s head shifted on the pillow. His hair and skin clung closely to the pillow. Lu Guifan felt his breath extend infinitely, as if Jiang Ruotang was resting on his heart. “I can’t sleep either. You know… what does it feel like to kiss?” His voice was soft, clearly filled with pure curiosity, yet to Lu Guifan, it was like a temptation from the abyss.

“I don’t know, never kissed.” Lu Guifan’s mind suddenly went blank. He couldn’t answer the other party’s question with logic, only instinct.

Jiang Ruotang propped his chin, softly saying, “Class monitor, your lips are so soft. How about… I try it?”

Though he knew what the other person was saying, Lu Guifan still asked, “Try what?”

The other person flipped over and hovered above Lu Guifan, hands braced on either side of his ears, looking down at him. His sparse bangs also fell, like a cage of desire in the dark, tugging and falling into Lu Guifan’s heart.

“Of course… try to see what a real kiss feels like,” Jiang Ruotang’s voice sounded.

Lu Guifan felt like he was going crazy. Even if this was just Jiang Ruotang’s prank, his idle amusement, or his malicious seduction, it didn’t matter. All Lu Guifan wanted was for the other person to give him a reason to put his surging emotions into action.

Before Jiang Ruotang’s lips could press down, Lu Guifan propped himself up with one hand, his other hand gripping the back of Jiang Ruotang’s head, touching those soft lips without hesitation, even with what could be called impatience.

The feeling wasn’t as earth-shattering as he imagined, but it was like a bullet leaving a barrel, instantly piercing through a fragile barrier. An unprecedented possessiveness surged like magma. He forcefully ground against Jiang Ruotang’s lips. T

he other responded with a slight lick and bite, and Lu Guifan suddenly felt the world turn upside down. He wanted to give all his sincere passion to him. His palate was gently and playfully teased, and a certain desire was ignited. Just a tiny crack had formed, and uncontainable emotions burst forth.

A sudden surge of nervousness made Lu Guifan’s scalp tingle.

He abruptly opened his eyes, and a rush of air filled his chest. Before him was an empty ceiling. Thump—thump—thump— His heart pounded violently, reminding Lu Guifan that this was reality. He had actually dreamt.

He thought he had always had strong self-control, rarely indulging in pleasures, and tried to dedicate his time and energy to things that could create value, such as studying… at least getting into a good university and finding a good job, so he and his parents could live a better life than now.

He had never been fascinated or addicted to anything—games, novels, card playing… he would allow himself to experience them, but could also easily detach himself. But Jiang Ruotang… seemed to have an endless attraction for him. Because Jiang Ruotang knew how Lu Guifan wanted to be treated, he protected Lu Guifan’s world in his own unique way. Thus, Lu Guifan’s belated puberty, the dopamine that made his heart race, those hormones that supposedly made his sensory cells wildly active, all burst forth for this person, unable to be reined in.

Jiang Ruotang still slept beside him in that position, innocent of the world, absolutely trusting. But Lu Guifan had to get up. For the first time in his life, his small boat rocked wildly with the surging waves, tethered to the shore by a rope, constantly colliding with the waves and on the verge of breaking apart. He went to the restroom, tilting his head back, holding his breath in his chest. Jiang Ruotang in the dream… was so real he didn’t want to wake up.

When cold water splashed on his face, he put on his glasses and looked at himself in the mirror. Why did Jiang Ruotang love drawing his eyes so much? At this moment, it was as if a torrent of monstrous beasts was rushing out… wanting to swallow Jiang Ruotang whole. He was a stranger even to himself.

Suddenly, the light behind him turned on. Jiang Ruotang, rubbing his eyes while shuffling in his slippers, came up behind him, his sleepy voice sounding.

“Class monitor… what are you doing?”

“Nothing, are you going to use…” Before he could finish his sentence, Jiang Ruotang stood beside him, flipped up the toilet seat, and, tilting his head unguardedly, relieved himself. “You…” Lu Guifan swallowed the words he wanted to say when he saw Jiang Ruotang, half-asleep, tilting his head.

He restrained his urge to look at him, turning his face away, but the heat spread from his throat to his ears and cheeks. Just hearing Jiang Ruotang pull up his pajama bottoms made Lu Guifan feel that the cold water he had just splashed on himself wasn’t enough.

They returned to the room. Lu Guifan lay down, feeling guilty because he had developed inappropriate feelings for a friend who had helped him many times, even though the spark had been ignited by the other party. The next second, Jiang Ruotang beside him suddenly leaned closer. He was like a groundhog, and Lu Guifan’s chest was his safest haven. He instinctively burrowed in, and his other arm wrapped around.

Lu Guifan originally wanted to move away from him, but at this moment, he found he couldn’t. If no one had ever treated him like Jiang Ruotang did, Lu Guifan could have enjoyed loneliness. But now he couldn’t break the habit. This feeling of Jiang Ruotang unconditionally relying on him made Lu Guifan feel satisfied. He raised a hand and gently stroked the top of Jiang Ruotang’s head.

Lu Guifan’s guiding principle was simple: never hesitate, and avoid self-doubt that leads to internal friction. Since he knew what he wanted, the next step was like solving a problem, dissecting it step by step, and Jiang Ruotang was his ultimate answer. He had patience, and he had determination.

---

The next morning was New Year’s Day. Sister Juan didn’t wake everyone up for breakfast, knowing the kids must have stayed up late last night. Even Jiang Huaiyuan and Zhao Yunshu returned quietly, afraid of disturbing them. Cai Ji and Zhao Changfeng had been binging anime until three in the morning and were still fast asleep in their room. Jian Sha, though she woke up at ten, couldn’t resist lying in the princess bed and playing on her phone.

As for Bai Yingchuan and Lin Lu… Bai Yingchuan had slept flat on his back in the same position all night. Lin Lu had tried several times to talk to him, even planning to share some stories about Jiang Ruotang’s childhood, but Bai Yingchuan seemed uninterested.

By noon, everyone gradually woke up, and Sister Juan had prepared a feast. Jiang Ruotang didn’t know when Lu Guifan woke up, only that when he sat up, Lu Guifan’s pajamas were already neatly folded at the head of the bed, ready to be put in his backpack and taken away. At that moment, he was sitting by the window, looking at Cinematography and Framing, a book Xiao Gao had borrowed from Jiang Huaiyuan. The best time for light in this room was probably now. Lu Guifan looked like the male lead in a campus drama, someone you’d repeatedly fall in love with in memories.

“Class monitor, are you taking these pajamas home?” Jiang Ruotang asked tentatively.

“Otherwise?”

“How about… you leave them here,” Jiang Ruotang said.

“Hmm, why?” Lu Guifan moved the book aside and looked at him.

“Next week, I’m taking the art school entrance exam for the Capital Academy of Fine Arts. After the exam, I’ll have to go all out on my academic subjects… I think… maybe occasionally… I’ll need you to stay here to supervise my studies and help out a slacker like me.” Jiang Ruotang’s toes, tucked under the blanket, curled nervously, afraid Lu Guifan wouldn’t give him face and say he wouldn’t be his “tutor.”

“Oh, alright then.” Lu Guifan’s gaze returned to the book. “However, you ranked 250th in the school on your monthly exam. You’re already out of the slacker category.”

Jiang Ruotang secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He didn’t see the corner of Lu Guifan’s lips, hidden by the book page.

---

After lunch, Bai Yingchuan’s mother had the driver pick him up to go home. Bai Yingchuan hummed indifferently, a subtle expression on his face. This was Bai Yue reminding him not to stay at the Jiang family’s place for too long, lest Lin Lu report it to Lin Chengdong, which would look bad. To put it bluntly, Bai Yue was still fantasizing about regaining her fame by relying on roles given by Lin Chengdong.

Bai Yingchuan bid farewell to Jiang Ruotang, “My mom’s rushing me back, probably worried I don’t have enough time to properly read the script.”

“Oh, the script is important too. After all, you’re not the type of celebrity who just recites ‘one, two, three, four, five’ into the camera and waits for a voice actor to dub later.” Jiang Ruotang’s expression showed no hint of reluctance. Bai Yingchuan thought of the award-winning painting, and only endless regret resurfaced.

Seeing this, Lin Lu felt there was no point in him staying either, so he found an excuse to go back with Bai Yingchuan. As soon as they left, Lu Guifan watched Jiang Ruotang put his pajamas back into his bedroom wardrobe, feeling a sense of having been “enlightened” by the academic god.

Zhao Yunshu knocked on the bedroom door, smiled at Lu Guifan first, then said to Jiang Ruotang, “Ruotang, I have something I want to discuss with you.”

“Mhm, okay. Class monitor, please sit for a bit; I’ll chat with my mom for a couple of minutes.”

“Okay,” Lu Guifan nodded.

They went to Zhao Yunshu’s study. Zhao Yunshu asked with some confusion, “Ruotang, what’s your relationship with Geng Yu like? How did I hear he reported you for cheating on the joint exam?”

“We’ve cleared the air, I guess. Geng Yu is a bit impulsive, simple-minded, and easily swayed, but now he should have learned his lesson.”

“His mother, Liang Hong, actually sent me a New Year’s greeting. I thought it was a mass message, so out of politeness, I sent one back. I didn’t expect her to invite me for tea and a beauty session when I’m free?”

“Did she find you through our class’s parent group?”

“Probably. But you know, over thirty percent of the students’ families at our Beicheng Guangyao are wealthy or influential. I’ve been in that group for two and a half years, and I’ve never been invited to their activities. For her to suddenly be so… friendly, makes me wonder if she’s still holding a grudge against you over her son’s incident?”

Listening to Zhao Yunshu, Jiang Ruotang lowered his eyes, thinking that Geng Yu must have relayed what he said to his father after returning home. Geng Zhaotan’s official career was damaged due to his son’s cheating on the joint exam; he had already been transferred from a key position in the provincial government.

If he remembered correctly, after the New Year, he would be transferred to the cultural sector, a demotion equivalent to going back to square one, then starting anew on a new path. Geng Zhaotan was a capable man and would gradually return to his peak, achieving significant accomplishments in the cultural sector. In the future, no matter how big a film and television company, they would have to give him some face, after all, he was in charge of approvals.

“Mom, it’s fine. If she invites you for tea and beauty, just go. It’s ‘diplomacy among wives,’ you know. If you find this circle meaningful, find some like-minded friends and expand your network. If it makes you uncomfortable, then don’t go; it’s no big deal. Liang Hong offering you an olive branch, I guess it’s because their family wants to have another path open, and they’re no longer aligned with Lin Chengdong.”

Zhao Yunshu showed an understanding expression. “No wonder. Their family’s news is always fast and accurate; it’s good to make connections.”

Yes, in his previous life, after Lin Chengdong monopolized the film and television company, he made a lot of trashy quick-money projects, and Geng Zhaotan guided him on how to modify them to pass censorship. In this life, they probably couldn’t even be fair-weather friends. The resentment of his son being implicated and himself suffering would be a thorn in Geng Zhaotan’s side. Being able to cut off another very important resource for Lin Chengdong again, Jiang Ruotang was so happy he wanted to blow a suona and wished he could “bury” Lin Chengdong immediately.

“Ruotang, why do you act like an adult?” Zhao Yunshu asked.

“I am an adult, Mom.”

---

Jiang Ruotang quietly returned to his bedroom door, pushing it open a crack. He found Lu Guifan sitting at his desk, looking at the practice papers he had written before New Year’s Day, perfectly enacting the role of a tutor, showing no other interest in his wardrobe or bookshelf.

“Ah… Class monitor, aren’t you even a little curious about me?”

Lu Guifan calmly flipped his paper to the next side. “Yes, I’m trying to figure out how to get you to balance this chemical equation.”

“…”

Under Lu Guifan’s one-on-one tutoring, Jiang Ruotang actually finished all the practice papers due the next day, including the Chinese essay, before dinner. Jiang Ruotang could imagine how touched Teacher Wang would be tomorrow when he saw his papers.

Lu Guifan was supposed to go home that evening, but Jiang Ruotang immediately pleaded, “Master—your disciple has performed so well this time, please reward me!”

Lu Guifan looked at him with a slight smile, watching him act like a child. He asked, “What reward do you want? Should I draw you a little red flower?”

“No way.” Jiang Ruotang muttered to himself, If you’re so capable, then kiss one into existence like in novels. What’s the big deal about drawing it? Can you even draw better than me?

Lu Guifan asked again, “Then what do you want?”

“Stay and sleep with me one more night. Tomorrow, Xiao Gao will take us to class together,” Jiang Ruotang said.

Lu Guifan took out a piece of scratch paper and drew nine dots on it. “If you can connect these nine dots with three straight lines, I’ll stay.”

Jiang Ruotang’s eyes lit up. This was definitely a giveaway! He quickly drew three lines, connecting the nine dots, and looked up at Lu Guifan with his chin raised. Lu Guifan said faintly, “Oh, it seems I have to stay then.”

Jiang Ruotang immediately ran to pull his bedsheets. “What are you doing?” Lu Guifan turned his head to watch Jiang Ruotang busy himself.

“Changing the sheets and duvet cover! We’re sleeping here tonight!” Lin Lu and Bai Yingchuan had slept there before. Even though they were probably very clean, only Lu Guifan’s scent could remain on Jiang Ruotang’s bed! Although he didn’t know what Jiang Ruotang was thinking, Lu Guifan walked over and helped Jiang Ruotang change the duvet cover. He had long arms and great strength, and in just a few minutes, he had changed the duvet cover and smoothed out the duvet insert.

Compared to Lu Guifan, Cai Ji and Jian Sha’s progress seemed rather dismal. They were on either side of Zhao Changfeng, one tutoring math and science, the other Chinese and English. Sister Juan, carrying snacks, just barely pushed open a crack in Zhao Changfeng’s bedroom door, and a heavy atmosphere wafted out. Cai Ji propped his forehead with one hand, helplessly saying, “Let me think… let me think again how to explain it to you…” Jian Sha also gritted her teeth and said, “This word is ‘whether,’ meaning ‘if’! Not ‘weather’!”

“Oh, I was wondering what this sentence had to do with the weather… Don’t the two words sound the same?” Jian Sha was on the verge of a brain aneurysm. Sister Juan put down the snacks and quickly left, worried about being dragged in to help Zhao Changfeng with his problems if she stayed another second. As soon as she turned around, she ran into Jiang Ruotang and Lu Guifan. She immediately put a finger to her lips, signaling them not to go into Zhao Changfeng’s room.

“What’s wrong?” Jiang Ruotang leaned in and whispered.