“Do you have any water?” Zou Yang asked.

“Yeah,” Fan Jun took a bottle from the cabinet and handed it to him. “How did you… know about my surgery tomorrow?”

“Long story…” Zou Yang twisted the cap off, leaned against the window, and took a couple of gulps, looking down at the ground below. “You saw me just now, didn’t you?”

“Mm.” Fan Jun walked over and stood beside him, looking down with him.

“I was waiting for the elevator and coming up for so long,” Zou Yang gave him a look. “And you still couldn’t even come up with a decent lie?”

Fan Jun smiled. “I was panicking too much, and… I didn’t want to lie to you.”

“You and Lu Ze are somewhat alike in that regard,” Zou Yang said. “If you don’t want to tell someone, you hide it. If you get caught, you tell the truth.”

“Did you ask him?” Fan Jun asked.

“I didn’t even think of asking him at first. My mom asked me if you were having surgery,” Zou Yang clicked his tongue. “I said I didn’t know. She told me Lu Ze ran all the way to Nanzhouping to stew some soup, and when she asked what it was for, he wouldn’t say…”

“…If he absolutely had to bring soup, couldn’t he just order delivery?” Fan Jun was a bit speechless.

“Because he can fight,” Zou Yang said.

Fan Jun paused before he caught the joke. Smiling, he leaned against Zou Yang a bit. “And then you asked him?”

“Yeah,” Zou Yang leaned back into him, pressing their shoulders together. “I texted him and he wouldn’t say. So I told him I was coming down to the gym to find him, and then he talked.”

Fan Jun didn’t say anything. After a while, he reached up and ruffled Zou Yang’s hair, lowering his head to press his forehead against the still-cold tip of Zou Yang’s ear. “Your hair smells really nice,” he murmured. “Did you change shampoo?”

“I ran out,” Zou Yang said. “I used Li Zhiyue’s this morning. That guy is a secret diva—even his shampoo smells like perfume.”

Fan Jun just smiled.

“When do you have to start fasting?” Zou Yang turned his head slightly.

“After eight tonight,” Fan Jun said.

“Let’s go out and get something to eat in a bit, then,” Zou Yang said. “With Liu Wenrui.”

“Okay,” Fan Jun nodded. He turned, wanting to check on Liu Wenrui at the door, but just as he glanced over, Zou Yang gently pulled his face back.

“Taking this shrapnel out,” Zou Yang asked. “Is it complicated?”

“There’s just one piece that’s a bit deeper and slightly troublesome. The rest are fine,” Fan Jun said. “Don’t worry.”

“Good,” Zou Yang nodded.

If Zou Yang hadn’t come, Fan Jun definitely would have been bored today. All the checkups were done, and he was just waiting for the surgery, stuck in the room with nothing to do.

But with Zou Yang here, they could eat together, and then head back to the room to hang out for a while…

“I won’t go up to the room. Unlike Zou Yang, I don’t have an excuse to ask for time off…” Liu Wenrui said.

“I only asked for one class off,” Zou Yang said.

“What was the excuse?” Fan Jun asked.

“Follow-up checkup,” Zou Yang said.

“What injury do you still need a follow-up for?” Fan Jun grabbed his arm and turned him around, looking him up and down.

“An excuse. Do you know what an excuse is?” Zou Yang said.

“…Oh.” Fan Jun exhaled in relief.

Liu Wenrui caught a cab back to school, leaving the two of them to slowly stroll along the road back to the hospital.

The wind was weaker today than in the past few days. Although it was still very cold, the sun was bright, giving off a hint of early spring.

Even though he had skipped a class, after eating and walking back, there wasn’t much time left, especially accounting for the commute.

Perhaps because they had just come back from their “trip,” this current parting gave Zou Yang an intense feeling of reluctance.

When they got back to the room, Zou Yang sighed. “Does this count as a long-distance relationship?”

“Cross-district relationship, maybe,” Fan Jun said. “And the two districts border each other.”

“Yeah, but the districts are massive! One end to the other… If this were the town from a few days ago, this distance would cross several towns!” Zou Yang said.

“Then let’s call it a cross-multiple-town relationship,” Fan Jun sat down on the sofa next to the bed.

Zou Yang laughed. He walked over, stood in front of him, and pinched his ear.

“Want to sit?” Fan Jun tilted his head up to look at him.

“No,” Zou Yang said. “If I sit down, I definitely won’t want to leave. I’ll just stand and chat for a bit.”

“What should we chat about?” Fan Jun wrapped his arms around Zou Yang’s waist.

“Don’t know.” Zou Yang traced a finger over his eyebrow, then lightly down the bridge of his nose. “Having a designated topic is too hard. Let’s just space out for a second.”

“Mm,” Fan Jun murmured.

Neither of them spoke again. The room was very quiet.

Outside, the hallway was noisy—the constant repetition of call bells, the medication cart rolling past the door every now and then, patients and families chatting as they walked by…

It was actually pretty loud.

But it felt strangely magical.

It was as if they had pressed pause amid the chaos, freezing everything just in this single second.

Until the sudden sound of approaching footsteps startled Zou Yang awake.

Someone was coming in.

He whipped his head up, shoved Fan Jun’s shoulder, and used the momentum to stumble backward and sit heavily on the hospital bed.

As soon as he sat down, he worried the nurse would tell him not to sit on the bed, so he quickly popped back up.

A nurse walked in, glanced at the two of them, and smiled. “You have a friend visiting.”

“Mm,” Fan Jun replied.

“Fan Jun, your surgery is tomorrow,” the nurse said. “Between nine and ten. We’ll notify you exactly which operating room tomorrow morning… Did you read the pre-op instructions?”

“I did,” Fan Jun said.

“Okay, don’t leave the ward for now,” the nurse said as she turned to leave. “The doctor will come by to see you later.”

“Understood.” Fan Jun nodded.

“I have to head back to school,” Zou Yang checked his phone. “If I catch a cab now, I’ll just make it.”

“I’ll walk you out.” Fan Jun started to stand.

Zou Yang pushed him back down. “Stay put. She literally just told you not to leave.”

“Okay,” Fan Jun smiled.

“I’m heading out then.” Zou Yang grabbed his jacket and put it on, tapping on his phone to call a car while giving instructions. “Message me tomorrow morning when you get the update. I’ll come over right after class.”

“Mm.” Fan Jun stood up and couldn’t resist slipping a hand under Zou Yang’s shirt, gently touching his waist.

“Jun-er,” Zou Yang stopped typing and looked at him. “Don’t play with fire.”

Fan Jun couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

“Behave,” Zou Yang clicked his tongue. “I’m going.”

“I’ll walk you to the elevator,” Fan Jun said. “You can see the doctor’s office door from there.”

“Fine.” Zou Yang took two steps toward the door, then suddenly turned back and kissed him hard on the mouth.

Fan Jun chased after him immediately, tilting his head to plant a firm kiss on Zou Yang’s neck.

The moment the elevator doors closed, the missing him started.

Actually, the missing him had started the moment he saw Zou Yang appear downstairs.

Fan Jun walked back into his room and stood by the window, looking down.

A short while later, Zou Yang walked out of the building. He looked down to zip his jacket, then abruptly spun around, kissed his own palm, and threw a flying kiss up toward the window.

Smiling, Fan Jun quickly threw one back, but the hospital window wouldn’t open, and he didn’t know if Zou Yang could even see it.

Zou Yang turned back around. After a few steps, Fan Jun’s phone buzzed.

【Zou Yang】: Saw it.

Fan Jun smiled in surprise.

【Fan】: How did you know I’d be doing that?

Zou Yang sent a voice message back: “Because I was thinking about it the moment I stood by the window earlier. I knew I’d definitely look up at the window when I left, but I didn’t know if I’d be able to see you.”

Fan Jun watched Zou Yang’s figure until it completely disappeared past the main gate, then finally went back and lay down on the bed.

Back at school, being surrounded by the guys in the dorm helped distract Zou Yang a bit. Otherwise, his brain would have been entirely consumed by Fan Jun.

“So after this surgery tomorrow,” Li Zhiyue asked, “he won’t need any more surgeries, right?”

“Yeah,” Zou Yang nodded. “But the rehab will probably still take a long time.”

“Will his ear get better?” Zhang Chuanlong asked.

“I don’t know,” Zou Yang twirled his phone. “It doesn’t seem to have recovered at all.”

“Damn,” Zhang Chuanlong frowned. “We never really asked you for details… how did he…”

“If you haven’t asked until now, then keep not asking,” Liu Wenrui interjected immediately.

“It’s fine,” Zou Yang said. “It’s all in the past.”

“You were punching your bed frame last night,” Liu Wenrui pointed out. “Are you still seeing that therapist?”

“Twice a month, still going. It’s way better than before,” Zou Yang stretched. “Am I not allowed to have a nightmare?”

“Just don’t ask about it,” Liu Wenrui told Zhang Chuanlong, pointing a finger at him.

“Got it,” Zhang Chuanlong nodded.

Zou Yang actually hadn’t known he was punching the bed frame. His sleep was pretty decent now, mostly back to his old habit of passing out the second his head hit the pillow. He definitely dreamed at night, but he rarely remembered what about.

But with Fan Jun having surgery tomorrow—even though Fan Jun had said it wasn’t complicated—Zou Yang didn’t sleep well that night. He remembered these dreams, mainly because he woke up in a panic twice.

Both times, he dreamed of Fan Jun covered in blood.

He had always thought he’d forgotten the sight of Fan Jun lying on that fifth-floor terrace, the one he had seen when he peered over the windowsill. Or at least, he thought he could face it calmly now.

But when he saw it again in the dream, he realized he could still perfectly remember the exact shape of the massive bloodstain on Fan Jun’s t-shirt.

“Zou Yang?” Li Zhiyue called out softly from the opposite bed.

“Did I wake you?” Zou Yang lay back down properly.

“I wasn’t in a deep sleep.” Li Zhiyue propped himself up to look at him.

“I’m fine,” Zou Yang closed his eyes and said quietly.

“Mm.” Li Zhiyue waited a moment before lying back down.

Zou Yang pulled the covers up. He wondered if he had nightmares the night they stayed in that town… if he had dreamed of anything, if he had scared Fan Jun…

【Fan】: Waiting for the surgery notice. So hungry.
【Fan】: Still no news.
【Fan】: Surgery is at 9:30. Heading over soon. Lu Ze is already here.

The very first thing Zou Yang did when he woke up was grab his phone. He saw the messages sent ten minutes ago.

He fired back replies with one hand while rapidly getting dressed and washing up with the other.

【Zou Yang】: I’m up. Getting ready for class.
【Zou Yang】: By the time I get there, you’ll probably just be out and still unconscious.
【Fan】: I’m giving my phone to Lu Ze soon. Contact him at noon.
【Zou Yang】: K.
【Zou Yang】: Kiss. I’m going to eat breakfast.
【Fan】: Kiss, right on the tip of the ear.

“You want us to go with you at noon?” Liu Wenrui asked quietly.

It was the last class of the morning, and the professor spoke so slowly it felt like time was dragging.

The relationship between motivation intensity and task efficiency follows an inverted U-shaped curve… Task difficulty…

“No need, probably,” Zou Yang stared at his phone. Just before ten, Fan Jun had messaged saying he was going into the operating room. It was past eleven now, and still no news. “I don’t know how long it’ll take. If I go and he’s not out yet, I’ll just be standing around waiting.”

Efficiency is highest at a moderate level of motivation…

“So you and Lu Guanjun will just be standing around together…” Li Zhiyue whispered. “Is that awkward?”

It was at least a little awkward. They couldn’t find a single topic to talk about.

Especially since Lu Ze knew about his relationship with Fan Jun, and had been forced to be involved in it multiple times.

It was even worse when they were alone.

In over half an hour, they had exchanged fewer than ten sentences.

“You’re here.”
“Yeah. Any news?”
“Not yet.”
“Oh.”
“He’s done.”

Zou Yang glanced at Lu Ze. He was standing in front of the screen outside the operating room, staring at the surgery information. He had been looking at it for five minutes, and the information had already cycled through three times.

Fan Jun’s surgery was marked as finished, but he was still in recovery.

Who knew how long recovery would take.

Zou Yang flipped his phone over and over. Every time the operating room door opened, he wanted to jump up, but it was never Fan Jun who came out.

…He wondered how his mom felt when she was waiting outside alone for his surgery.

The door opened again, and someone inside called out: “Fan Jun’s family.”

“Here.” Lu Ze waved at Zou Yang and went over.

“The surgery went smoothly. The deepest fragment was heavily embedded, so it took a bit longer,” the doctor said. “But they’re all out now.”

“Got it,” Lu Ze nodded.

On the way back to the room, Zou Yang kept his eyes glued to Fan Jun’s face. His color wasn’t terrible, but he still looked groggy.

“Are you awake?” Zou Yang leaned close to his right ear and asked.

“Mm,” Fan Jun replied. His voice was very low and raspy.

“Who am I?” Zou Yang asked.

“My boyfriend,” Fan Jun said.

Zou Yang felt like his eyes were going to pop out of his head. If Fan Jun hadn’t just come out of surgery, he would have clamped a hand over his mouth.

He quickly stood up straight and glanced at Lu Ze and the nurse next to them.

Lu Ze was staring with intense determination at a poster on the elevator wall. The nurse quickly averted her eyes the moment he looked at her, staring hard at the elevator doors.

“Zou Yang,” Fan Jun called him.

“Ah, here,” Zou Yang leaned back down by his ear. “Don’t talk right now, your voice is totally hoarse. Be good. The surgery went great.”

“Mm,” Fan Jun murmured.

The moment the elevator doors opened, Lu Ze and Zou Yang both shoved the bed forward at the same time. If the hallway hadn’t been crowded, Zou Yang felt like the two of them might have actually sprinted with the bed.

Thankfully, Fan Jun’s level of anesthesia wasn’t like Zou Yang’s had been, and he didn’t spout any more scandalous lines the rest of the way.

Once they had him settled in the room, and the doctor gave them the post-op instructions and left, Zou Yang finally breathed a sigh of relief. He walked to the edge of the bed and looked down at Fan Jun, whose eyes were closed.

“Is he awake?” Lu Ze asked.

“I’m awake,” Fan Jun answered.

“You’re not feeling too awful, right?” Lu Ze looked at him. “Your color isn’t bad.”

“Just a bit tired.” Fan Jun opened his eyes and looked at Lu Ze. “Brother.”

“Ah.” Lu Ze froze.

Zou Yang froze too. He had never heard Fan Jun call Lu Ze ‘brother.’

“Even though you aren’t my blood brother,” Fan Jun said, his voice struggling a bit but sounding very calm, “it’s basically the same thing.”

Zou Yang realized then—Fan Jun might not be completely delirious and spouting nonsense, but he was definitely in a somewhat drunk state.

“You…” Lu Ze was suddenly at a total loss. He waved his hands in the air for a moment, then finally just patted the IV pole. “I know. Get some rest.”

“Mm,” Fan Jun murmured.

“Then I’ll…” Lu Ze looked at Zou Yang. “I’ll head back for a bit, the caretaker will be here soon…”

“Okay,” Zou Yang nodded.

Lu Ze patted Fan Jun’s arm, turned, and practically bolted out of the room.

Zou Yang went over, closed the door, and came back to the bed. He leaned down to look at Fan Jun’s face, then touched his forehead. “Fan Jun.”

“Mm?” Fan Jun looked at him.

“Are you lucid?” Zou Yang asked.

“Lucid… I think,” Fan Jun said. “A bit sleepy, a bit dizzy, throat hurts… I’m thirsty.”

“You can’t drink water yet,” Zou Yang grabbed a cotton swab, dipped it in water, and dabbed it on his lips. “The nurse said you can drink in two hours.”

Fan Jun bit down on the swab, sucking the water off it.

He looked strangely pitiful.

Zou Yang gently pinched his chin. “Jun-er.”

“Mm,” Fan Jun murmured.

“Who am I?” Zou Yang asked.

“My boyfriend,” Fan Jun said in a raspy voice.

Zou Yang smiled. He wanted to let Fan Jun rest, but he couldn’t resist. “Who do you like the most?”

“You,” Fan Jun said.

“Good boy.” Zou Yang gently patted his left chest. “Does it hurt?”

“Don’t feel anything right now,” Fan Jun said. “I want… to drink water.”

Zou Yang wet the swab again, and Fan Jun bit it again.

Zou Yang stared at him for a moment. He got up, went to wash his hands, came back to sit by the bed, and pulled the cup closer. He dipped his finger in the water and traced it over Fan Jun’s lips.

Fan Jun looked at him, the corner of his mouth lifting very slightly. “Kid.”

“Mm,” Zou Yang responded.

“What are you thinking about?” Fan Jun asked.

“Giving you water.” Zou Yang dipped his finger in the water again.

When his fingertip touched Fan Jun’s lips, Fan Jun moved, gently biting down on his finger and sucking the water off the tip.

“…Fuck.” Zou Yang’s hand trembled. He lowered his head, trying to compose himself, then shot a glance at the door. “Is there something wrong with the brand of anesthesia they used on you?”

Fan Jun smiled, closed his eyes, and let out a soft breath.

“Rest for a bit,” Zou Yang said. “I’ll stay right here with you.”

“Mm,” Fan Jun murmured.

Zou Yang rested his head on his arms beside the bed, staring at his face.

Fan Jun’s breathing was steady. It was almost hypnotic to listen to—very peaceful, very reassuring.

Just as Zou Yang was about to fall asleep, Fan Jun spoke up in a very low voice. “Zou Yang.”

“Mm?” Zou Yang responded, holding his hand.

“I went to see my mom,” Fan Jun said. “It was… the first time.”

“When?” Zou Yang asked softly.

“The day you said you were going to take me… to eat mashed potatoes.”

“Mm.” Zou Yang rested his hand on Fan Jun’s forehead, gently stroking it. “Is mom… doing well?”

“She’s good. Uncle Lu and the others have been going…” Fan Jun’s eyes were closed, but the corners were starting to grow damp.

“Rest first. Don’t think about too much. Mom knows your surgery went well.” Zou Yang rubbed his hand.

“Zou Yang.” Fan Jun called him again.

“Here.” Zou Yang leaned closer to his right ear.

“I miss my mom so much,” Fan Jun said. “If you… weren’t here, I really would be so lonely.”

“I’m right here. Always.” Zou Yang leaned in closer and pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth.