“Ah, Xi Wan bought this for me.” A blissful smile appeared on Zhou Xiaofeng’s face. “You’ll have to ask her about the price.”

Ling Lie was very interested. “How much can it hold? Is the insulation time long?”

“It holds quite a bit, and it’s still warm after a whole day.”

“That’s not bad then.”

The two had an in-depth exchange about thermoses for a while until Xi Wan returned and took Zhou Xiaofeng away.

Ji Chenjiao was just about to call Ling Lie when Ling Lie said, “Look at Brother Zhou, he never leaves his thermos.”

Ji Chenjiao said, “Their prosecutors don’t do field work as frequently as we do.”

Ling Lie: “Both are married men. Brother Zhou knows how to take care of himself, but our Little Ji doesn’t.”

Ji Chenjiao: “…”

Ling Lie: “Come to think of it, this is also my fault.”

Ji Chenjiao: “How is it your fault? Isn’t the case enough for you to ponder?”

Ling Lie took Ji Chenjiao’s arm. “Don’t go home yet today. Let’s buy the thermos first.”

Carrying a thermos around like Zhou Xiaofeng was something Ji Chenjiao rejected. He was still young, not even thirty yet; he didn’t want to be an old veteran cadre!

But he had no resistance whatsoever to receiving a gift from Ling Lie.

The two changed clothes—mainly Ji Chenjiao had to change into casual wear, as Ling Lie was already wearing casual clothes—and arrived at Rongguang Mall. Although it was still some days before the end of the year, the commercial district where Rongguang Mall was located had already put on a festive atmosphere early. The lights were bright, promotional activities were underway, and it was decorated like a magnificent palace.

It was rare to steal some leisure from a busy schedule. Ji Chenjiao originally wanted to stroll properly with Ling Lie. Since they were here anyway, they might as well find a romantic restaurant for dinner.

But Ling Lie, you could call him simple because he made a big fuss about coming to a physical store just to buy his boyfriend a thermos. Yet, you could call him romantic? He ignored all the beautiful scenery around him and dragged Ji Chenjiao straight to a specialty store for health pots.

Even so, looking at his profile, Ji Chenjiao still had the urge to date him.

The specialty store was deserted. Health pots indeed seemed out of place in a mall.

Ling Lie waved his hand grandly. “Go ahead, my Ji.”

Ji Chenjiao: “…”

Ling Lie: “Whatever catches your eye, I’ll buy it for you.”

Fortunately, there was no one in the store. Ji Chenjiao pulled Ling Lie aside and teased him, “So generous? People who don’t know would think you’re buying me a car.”

This health pot store had quite a few varieties, but not many for men. After looking around, it was all those dark-colored styles. Ji Chenjiao thought picking any random one would do, but Ling Lie held one in his left hand and another in his right, constantly comparing coefficients. His little ponytail swung back and forth when he turned his head.

He is choosing a thermos for me. At this thought, Ji Chenjiao’s impatience with waiting vanished completely, and he obediently followed behind Ling Lie.

Who knew that while choosing, Ling Lie got distracted and wandered over to the display area for household kettles, picking them up one by one to touch and look at.

Ji Chenjiao thought to himself: Hey, hey, weren’t you going to buy me a thermos?

“How about this one?” Ling Lie held a transparent one up to Ji Chenjiao. “It can also boil pears.”

The salesguide came over with a smile piled on her face, reciting the functions of this model like a dictionary entry.

Ling Lie decided to buy it. With this interruption, he completely forgot the main business was buying a thermos and was about to leave after paying.

Ji Chenjiao was speechless a hundred times over. This person really had no heart. He was so focused on choosing a thermos just now, how could he forget it all as soon as he turned his head? Is amnesia a related symptom of nerve deafness?

Ji Chenjiao coughed. Ling Lie was humming a song and walking in front carrying the newly bought health pot. They were already ten meters away from the store when Ling Lie turned around. “Little Ji, do you have a cold?”

“No.”

“If not, why do you keep coughing? I heard you cough several times when paying.”

“…Then why would I cough several times?”

Ling Lie blinked. “Hmm? Because you… have a cold?”

Ji Chenjiao: “…”

Ling Lie walked back and smiled. “Little Ji, why aren’t you walking? Do you want me to hold your hand?”

Ji Chenjiao didn’t speak, quietly looking at Ling Lie.

Ling Lie grinned cheekily. “You look like a little kid squatting on the ground throwing a tantrum because he didn’t get candy.”

Ji Chenjiao mimicked his tone. “Little kid, oh.”

Ling Lie extended his hand. “Holding our Little Ji.”

His other hand was still carrying the cardboard box with the health pot. Ji Chenjiao sighed, took the cardboard box, and held Ling Lie’s paw.

After walking for a while, Ling Lie suddenly braked.

Ji Chenjiao: “?”

Ling Lie widened his eyes and said, “Oh no! Forgot to buy the thermos!”

Ji Chenjiao said coldly, “Oh, you finally remembered.”

Lie Lie dragged Ji Chenjiao into a mad run, saying as they ran, “Why didn’t you remind me? Such an important matter!”

Ji Chenjiao deliberately kept his voice cold: “Didn’t I cough?”

“Well, I thought you had a cold.”

“You also thought I was a little kid throwing a tantrum because I didn’t get candy.”

Ling Lie stopped at the store entrance and said earnestly, “Little Ji.”

“Huh?”

“In the future, if you have something to say, say it properly. Never hint at me.”

“…”

Ling Lie poked his head. “It’s not very good up here. I might not understand your hints.”

Ji Chenjiao thought, Come on, if it’s not good up there for you, others aren’t fit to call themselves human.

The clerk came out to greet them. “Yo, why are you two back?”

Ling Lie grinned. “Haven’t finished buying yet!”

After listening carefully to the clerk’s introduction, Ling Lie chose a black thermos for Ji Chenjiao. “Look, low-key, retro, domineering CEO!”

Ji Chenjiao: “You can skip the last adjective.”

When paying, Ling Lie saw Ji Chenjiao holding one too. It was gray-blue, with lines rounder and softer than the black one. It looked slightly smaller visually, but the capacity was the same.

Ling Lie: “Ah, this?”

Ji Chenjiao: “Reciprocity. Teacher Ling, you drink hot water too.”

After calculating the bill, the clerk said, “Congratulations to you two. Including the health pot from earlier, you have obtained a special benefit provided by Rongguang Mall. Please go to the atrium to claim it.”

Ling Lie was curious: “What benefit?”

The clerk said, “It’s a surprise. You’ll know when you get there.”

Ji Chenjiao didn’t want to go. What benefit could a mall offer? Wasn’t it always giving away tissue paper and cooking oil, requiring waiting in a loooong line to claim it?

But upon hearing this, Ling Lie thought: Tissue paper and oil!

“Such a good thing!”

“…”

Arriving at the brilliantly lit atrium, there weren’t many people in line. Firstly, today wasn’t the weekend; secondly, claiming the prize had a certain spending threshold.

Ling Lie ran to the front of the line to inquire and came back dejected.

Ji Chenjiao: “What, no tissue or oil?”

Ling Lie: “Only taking photos.”

“Taking photos?” What kind of gift was this?

Ling Lie pointed to a shed not far away and said, “There’s some starry sky thing there. It officially opens at the end of the year. Now they are letting us in early to take photos.”

So it was a means of mall promotion.

Seeing Ling Lie’s lack of interest, Ji Chenjiao was about to say then let’s not queue, but before the words came out, he saw a young couple walking over with photos. “So romantic! I want to go again when it officially opens!”

Ling Lie: “Let’s go, let’s go. Go home and buy oil and tissue online. thought I could save money this time.”

But Ji Chenjiao grabbed his wrist. “I want to take photos.”

Ling Lie: “Hmm?”

Ji Chenjiao cleared his throat. “Life can’t always be so realistic. Oil and tissue all day, like an old man.”

Ling Lie: “Hah!”

After finishing his lecture, Ji Chenjiao led Ling Lie into the line. The two bickered while queuing. How could Ling Lie tolerate Ji Chenjiao calling him an old man? “You don’t know the cost of living because you don’t manage the household. I’m only twenty-eight. Is there such a lively old man like me?”

Ji Chenjiao said, “You said I was an old veteran cadre first. Am I old?”

Ling Lie: “How about this, we both remove the ‘old’. I’ll call you cadre, you call me old man (daye).”

Ji Chenjiao: “…I’ll call you Uncle (daye)!”

Ling Lie smiled, eyes curving. “Eh!”

At this time, people gradually lined up behind them. Ji Chenjiao looked and saw the closest one was an old man.

…Is he clashing with old men today?

The newcomer wasn’t really that old, looking over fifty, dressed very decently with graying hair, like a respectable gentleman.

Ling Lie also saw him. He looked familiar, but he couldn’t recall where he had seen him for a moment.

Since there was a real old man behind them, it was inappropriate to attack each other with “old man” anymore. The two chatted about other things, like what to cook in the health pot.

People queuing were almost all in pairs, some in threes. Only the old man was alone, holding a shopping bag with a Polaroid camera in his hand.

After a short wait, it was Ling Lie and Ji Chenjiao’s turn. It turned out the shed could accommodate three groups at a time. There was a couple in front of them. After verifying the ticket, the staff said to the old man, “You are alone?”

The old man nodded.

Ling Lie looked back, and the staff happened to point at them. “Then you follow them.”

The old man smiled. “Okay.”

Inside the shed was an artificial starry sky. Unlike the painted cloth setups of the past, this used lights and projections. Entering it was like being in a sea of stars, very stunning. That couple had already started exclaiming in surprise.

Ji Chenjiao rejoiced that they came. How to put it, although the traces of artificial romance were too obvious, it really had a feeling.

There were still people queuing behind, so there wasn’t much time for each round. Ling Lie and Ji Chenjiao also started taking photos. Only that old man was solitary, and what he held wasn’t a phone but the Polaroid camera he just bought.

Hearing the noise behind him, Ji Chenjiao turned around and saw the Polaroid spit out a photo. The old man waved his hand calmly and took the photo. “Took it for you.”

Ling Lie ran over and said familiarly, “Let me see.”

In the photo, the two stood in the sea of stars, viewed from the back. Ling Lie was looking at the stars, while Ji Chenjiao turned his face sideways, looking at Ling Lie.

Ling Lie: “Wow—are you an artist?”

The old man smiled and shook his head. “Just bought it, trying it out. I’ll give this one to you.”

Ling Lie said, “Let us take one for you too!”

The old man said, “If it’s convenient, thank you.”

Ling Lie asked, “Use this? Do you have a phone?”

The old man smiled. “My phone is a specialized phone for seniors. Just use this.”

Ling Lie fiddled with it for a while and shouted, “Little Ji, how do you use this thing?”

Ji Chenjiao was summoned and laughed at him. “So there are things Teacher Ling doesn’t know?”

“Quickly take a photo for Unc… for this uncle. Not enough time.”

The Polaroid spat out a photo again. The old man took it. “Thank you.”

Ling Lie said, “Listening to your accent, you don’t sound local?”

“I just returned from abroad.” The old man sighed, “The country changes with each passing day now. It can’t compare to when I went abroad.”

The three chatted while taking photos. The old man took a few more photos for Ling Lie and Ji Chenjiao, some solo shots and some together. Soon the time was up, and the staff shouted outside, “The experience is over! Welcome to come again after we officially open!”

The couple was still unsatisfied. The three said goodbye at the exit.

“Thank you.” The old man put away the Polaroid. “Meet again if fate permits.”

Ling Lie waved his hand with a large arc: “Goodbye, wishing you an early Happy New Year!”

Ji Chenjiao: “…Your New Year greeting is way too early.”

Ling Lie: “It’s rare to meet a real old man.”

“Can’t get over the ‘old man’ thing, can you?”

“Hahahaha—”

The thermoses were bought, and the prize claimed. It was time to go home.

On the way back, Ji Chenjiao drove, and Ling Lie sat in the passenger seat looking at the Polaroids the old man took for them. The old man gave them all the photos with them in it, but Ling Lie looked for a while. “Eh?”

Ji Chenjiao: “What now?”

“One of your solo photos is missing. I remember there were three, but there are only two here.” Ling Lie gestured as he spoke. “The one where you posed like this.”

Ji Chenjiao: “You remember so clearly?”

Ling Lie poked his head: “Of course, it works well up here.”

Ji Chenjiao laughed. “Who said it didn’t work well up there not long ago?”

“You remembered wrong.” Ling Lie organized them again. “Really missing.”

“The old man probably forgot.” Ji Chenjiao said, “What, go back and ask for it?”

Ling Lie: “Not necessary, not necessary. I say, Little Ji.”

“Huh?”

“Why do you keep saying ‘huh’ today? Are you a sheep?”

“…Don’t interrupt. Little Ji what?”

“Oh, I think that old man has quite an air.”

Ji Chenjiao almost spat out. What’s with this? Called you an old man, and you start admiring other old men?

Ling Lie said, “If our Little Ji grows up to look like that when old, that would be pretty good. Go out for plaza dancing, and the aunties will fight to dance with you.”

Getting more and more ridiculous. Ji Chenjiao said, “I won’t dance with them, I’ll dance with you.”

Ling Lie rubbed the goosebumps on his arm. “We trendy guys don’t square dance.”

“You’ve said everything. When you were little…” Ji Chenjiao stopped halfway through his sentence.

He originally wanted to say, When you were little, you were best at using your glib tongue to bully people, right?

But he suddenly remembered that when Ling Lie was little, he was that pitiful, scrawny kid wolfing down food outside McDonald’s. His face was dirty, but his eyes were big and clean. Because of his single sentence that the orphanage wouldn’t let him go hungry, he walked so far alone to Linglan Xiang where he once lived.

Ling Lie said, “How did I finish saying everything? I still have a lot to say. Do you want to hear?”

Ji Chenjiao’s heart felt a bit heavy at this moment. “Don’t affect my driving.”

“Then I won’t say it. Wanted to give, but someone doesn’t want it.”

“…”

What do you want to give!

After driving for a while, the car was very quiet. Ji Chenjiao finally couldn’t help it. “What did you say just now?”

“I don’t want to say it now. Unless you beg me.”

Ji Chenjiao fell silent again.

Seeing they were almost at the family quarters, Ji Chenjiao coughed. “I beg you, Brother Lie.”

Ling Lie: “Ah?”

Ji Chenjiao parked the car, leaned over, and whispered in his ear, “I beg you, Brother Lie.”

In this atmosphere, it would be unreasonable not to nibble a couple of times.

After nibbling, Ling Lie said, “Before buying the cup, didn’t you say you wanted a car?”

Ji Chenjiao was confused listening. Why was Ling Lie thinking about this? When did he want a car? That was a joke!

“I thought about it; it’s not impossible.” Ling Lie picked up his phone, clicked on a bank icon, and entered the password. “If it’s impossible, it’s definitely not because I don’t love you enough, but because I’m poor and can’t afford it.”

Ji Chenjiao: …No, you this!

Ling Lie finished the operation and placed the dazzling balance in front of Ji Chenjiao. “I’ve worked for Xiao Yuan for so many years and saved quite a bit. I don’t whore, don’t gamble, and certainly don’t touch that stuff. Originally, this money was for myself to spend. But since you want a car, take it to buy a car.”

That string of numbers was very long. Ji Chenjiao didn’t react for a long time.

Not because of buying a car or not, nor because of suddenly seeing a large sum of money and the other party saying this money was for him to buy a car.

It was the money Ling Lie spent ten years saving with blood and sweat. He knew the weight of this money.

But Ling Lie said so lightly that he would give this money to him, as calmly as buying a thermos.

Ji Chenjiao felt like he was dragged into the gentle seabed in an instant. Sounds were dull. The seawater wrapped him completely, flowing quietly, as if embracing his heart.

Ling Lie waved the phone. “Little Ji?”

Ji Chenjiao suddenly leaped from the sea to the surface, snatched the phone, closed the app, and then put the phone back in Ling Lie’s hand.

Ling Lie: “Is my phone hot to the touch?”

Ji Chenjiao forced himself to be calm. “Battery’s no good, right? Time to change to a new one.”

Ling Lie laughed mischievously. “Say you’re a prodigal man and you won’t admit it. You just bought me this phone in the first half of the year, and now change to a new one?”

“Then you still want to buy me a car?” Who is the prodigal one here!

Ling Lie muttered: “You said you wanted it.”

“If I say I want it, you buy it?”

“Can’t help it, I spoil you too much.”

“…”

Ji Chenjiao thought, Fortunately, the car is already parked.

The two argued about the car for a while. Ji Chenjiao refused to let Ling Lie spend money recklessly no matter what. Back home, they washed the health pot and the two thermoses. Ling Lie tried to boil a pot of pear soup. The health pot was small and could only fit one pear at a time, but he put in a pile of other random things like longan and red dates.

After it was boiled, Ji Chenjiao tasted it. The pear was boiled very soft, soaked with the sweetness of red dates, very delicious.

But when he wanted another bite, Ling Lie had already run off with the bowl.

“Eating alone, are you?”

Ling Lie ignored him, sitting on a small stool with his back to him.

Ji Chenjiao found it funny. This weird boyfriend was willing to empty his savings to buy him a car, but wanted to eat a pear all by himself.

Ji Chenjiao wasn’t really craving pear soup. When Ling Lie finished the bowl bottom up, he walked over, hugged him, and tasted the juice of pear and red dates.