Yan Hang clenched his teeth, trying hard not to laugh, and turned back towards the living room.  

Before he even reached the sofa, he heard running footsteps behind him, accompanied by Chu Yi yelling "Don't turn around!"

Yan Hang didn't immediately turn around. After hearing Chu Yi's footsteps reach the bedroom door, he tilted his head slightly to see Chu Yi's bare legs.  

In his hands he held not only laundered underwear, but also a large pile of gray, probably his laundered sweatpants.

Yan Hang collapsed onto the sofa, using his own clothes to cover his face as he started laughing uncontrollably.  

He didn't want Chu Yi to hear him laughing, after all Chu Yi was thin-skinned. Getting caught in this kind of situation would be very embarrassing for him.  

But he really couldn't help laughing.  

After a good long while covering his face with clothes, he finally managed to forcibly suppress his laughter.  

When he threw the clothes aside, he saw Chu Yi standing in front of him with knitted brows.  

He had already changed into pants.  

"Eat," Yan Hang pointed at the large bag on the coffee table.  

"Okay," Chu Yi knitted his brows, carried the bag to the dining table nearby, then brought bowls and chopsticks from the kitchen, dishing out the steak and sides.  

After setting everything up, he glanced over at Yan Hang, brows still knitted: "You can eat now."  

Yan Hang went to wash his hands and then sat down at the table.  

Chu Yi sat down across from him and silently buried his head to start eating.  

After about ten minutes he finally glanced up at Yan Hang's face: "Why, why are you b-back so, so early?"

"I got a ride back with my manager today," Yan Hang said. "He happened to be heading this way to run some errands."  

"Oh," Chu Yi responded.  

After a little while longer he glanced at Yan Hang's face again: "So you s-saw, right?"  

"Yup," Yan Hang nodded.

Chu Yi's hands stilled for a bit, then he sighed loudly.  

"It's no big deal," Yan Hang said. "We're all guys here. This kind of thing is normal. If it bothers you, next time I jerk off I'll call you over to observe."

Chu Yi didn't respond. He was stunned for a bit before lowering his head to continue eating wildly.  

It wasn't until after they finished eating, cleaned up, and went to the supermarket to help Cui Yi buy New Year goods that Chu Yi finally got over it.  

"You should forget about this," Chu Yi said softly.  

"About what?" Yan Hang asked.

"Very good," Chu Yi nodded.

Yan Hang smiled and slung his arm over Chu Yi's shoulder, poking his face twice. "Let's go back home together to visit over New Year."

"Really?" Chu Yi whipped his head around.

"Yeah," Yan Hang nodded. "But we can only leave on the 29th since I only have the 30th and New Year's Day off."  

"New Year's Day," Chu Yi smiled.  

"New Year's Day," Yan Hang poked his face twice again. "Then I'll have my colleague book plane tickets and a hotel. You don't have a place to stay when you go back right?"

"Yeah," Chu Yi sighed softly. "I want to go back and see home, just a glimpse, then spend the 30th at grandpa's."  

"Okay," Yan Hang said. "Then we should book a hotel near your grandpa's place."

"Dream on," Chu Yi looked at him. "Only an inn."  

"Inn it is then," Yan Hang said. "I've slept on the same bunk bed as my dad before."

Chu Yi smiled.  

Going home was still something Chu Yi looked forward to.  

He had prepared red envelopes for New Year for his grandpa and grandma, and gifts for his aunt's family. He also prepared money for Coach He, as well as a string of wooden beads he bought for Coach He. It wasn't worth much but Coach He liked wearing things on his wrist.  

He wanted to see everyone be happy because of his gifts.  

But for his own family, he didn't prepare any gifts, only red envelopes. For grandma, cash might be more meaningful than gifts.

"Is this one small bag all your stuff?" Yan Hang asked.  

"Yeah, just underwear," Chu Yi said. "No need for clothes for just two nights."

"Okay," Yan Hang nodded and stuffed a sealed bag into his backpack. "Then just two pairs of underwear for me too."

"Toothbrush, towel?" Chu Yi asked.  

"We can buy them when we get there. Don't want to bring them," Yan Hang said.

"Aren't you going to be a sous chef soon," Chu Yi said. "Sous chefs don't make much, don't waste money."

"Shut up," Yan Hang said.  

When they went out, Chu Yi was a little excited. Flying wasn't a big deal anymore, but flying with Yan Hang would still make him skip excitedly.  

He handed his small bag to Yan Hang and carried the large bag filled with gifts himself.

"Wait for Cui Yi downstairs," Yan Hang said. "He'll probably get here in twenty minutes."

"Okay," Chu Yi bounced.  

"Cold?" Yan Hang looked at him.  

"Joy," Chu Yi jumped up again, chanting like reciting sutras, "Our little doggie, so happy today..."

"Next time you livestream, you should sing," Yan Hang said. "I reckon you'd become instantly famous after finishing the song."  

Chu Yi didn't speak, just laughed and clicked his tongue.

There were barely any people left on the streets. The two of them stood under a tree next to the entrance of the residential complex. In the past few minutes, only two cars had driven by, and there were less than five pedestrians.  

"Everyone's gone home," Chu Yi leaned towards Yan Hang.

"Yeah," Yan Hang leaned against the tree, "This time last year, I was already discussing with Old Cui what to eat."

"This year he's a...lonely soul," Chu Yi said, "Do you think...he feels lonely?"

"He said he's used to it," Yan Hang said, "I reckon he is used to it. He's usually alone anyway."

"On our way back...let's buy him some..." Chu Yi didn't finish his sentence. A shadow staggering past the corner of the residential complex's enclosing wall made him abruptly turn his head.

This was the third time. That person's unique staggering gait due to his limp was etched deeply in Chu Yi's mind.  

He didn't get to ask Yan Hang if he had seen that shadow before Yan Hang had already thrown down his bag and charged towards that direction.  

Chu Yi reacted instantly and rushed after Yan Hang.