Xie Yu's first reaction was to say "no", but the words "no" lingered on his lips for a long time.

Zhou Dalei's question was too serious.

He had known him for so many years, and usually he was always joking around, with a big heart and very few serious moments. The closest thing to seriousness was when he got drunk after Da Mei left, and sat at the alleyway, asking him in a drunken stupor, "Will Da Mei come back?"

It's hard to say whether or not he'll come back, everyone had their own path to walk.

Xie Yu looked at him and sighed secretly, still saying, "He'll come back."

During winter break, Zhou Dalei would often bother him for no reason, especially when he was doing practice problems. He would often ask late at night: Have you slept, Boss Xie? What are you doing?

- No, playing games.

- What game?

Xie Yu didn't think much of it at the time, but looking back, he realized that something was off.

Zhou Dalei's suspicions continued to grow, and he took a few steps forward, trying to hide his emotions. "You say something, what...?"

But before Zhou Dalei could finish, Xie Yu interrupted him. "It's me."

Xie Yu asked him: "How did you know?"

This question only made Zhou Dalei angrier. He was too caught up in his own feelings of being deceived to think about why Xie Yu would do such a thing. "How did I know - don't you have any conscience? I've copied your homework for so many years, your handwriting, whether you write fast or slow, whether it's connected or not, even if you write with your left hand, I can still recognize it!"

"..."

Xie Yu never expected to be defeated by this.

"I've been your brother for so many years, and you're lying to me like this?" Zhou Dalei cursed while being dragged by Xie Yu's collar to a corner, "The first time I asked you how your grades dropped like this, what did you tell me? Saying that there are always people better than us, that life has its ups and downs, it turns out you were just talking nonsense to me!"

Zhou Dalei ranted on, still very angry.

Xie Yu let him curse, not saying a word, and could be considered the most patient he has ever been: "Are you done scolding? If not, keep going."

Zhou Dalei pulled out a pack of cigarettes and hid in the corner to smoke one. Xie Yu checked the time and was about to leave when Zhou Dalei reached out and pulled him back, whispering, "What are you really thinking? Don't go, let's sit down and talk."

"Sit down my ass, I can't miss the bus," Xie Yu retorted.

"Then let's walk and talk," Zhou Dalei compromised immediately. "Just walk slower."

Zhou Dalei had imagined many reasons for their conversation, but he never expected it to be this kind of situation.

The latest bus was at nine o'clock, and as they waited for it, Xie Yu explained the situation in a few words. Zhou Dalei couldn't help but curse several times after hearing it, not knowing what else to say besides profanity. "That dogshit bastard surnamed Zhong..."

At first, Zhou Dalei was angry with Xie Yu, but after venting his anger, he couldn't help but feel angry for Xie Yu.

Zhou Dalei was so angry that his hand holding the cigarette was shaking and his mind was filled with curses.

In order to prevent him from publicly displaying his expert-level cursing skills on Blackwater Street, Xie Yu kicked him: "Enough, the bus is here. Don't stand here, go back and rest. Get out of here quickly."

The bus slowly approached from the other end, its lights shining straight ahead.

Xie Yu got on the bus, took two steps inside, and then returned to the door before it closed. He hooked his hand on the railing next to the door and leaned out half of his body: "If you don't want to die, don't say anything outside. I'm serious, you better find a way to shut your mouth--"

Zhou Dalei also wanted to shut his mouth, but he tossed and turned all night and couldn't fall asleep.

When Mother Lei got up to drink water in the living room, she was scared half to death by her son sitting on the sofa in the dark.

Sitting on the sofa for half a day, Zhou Dalei couldn't resist the urge to check his phone contacts. His finger landed on the name "Aunt Lan" and his mind was in chaos. He thought better of it, but his hand shook and accidentally dialed her number: "..."

During winter break, Xie Yu had barely touched the pile of homework given to him by his teacher, simply signing his name and leaving it untouched.

Madam Gu had been bringing up the topic of tutoring these past few days. "Think about what you've even done this winter break."

Xie Yu went downstairs to get some water. "I'm doing pretty well, eating and sleeping well."

Gu Xuelan interrupted him, "Don't change the subject. If I don't push you, do you just plan on doing nothing?"

Xie Yu didn't want to hire a tutor at first. He thought it was already annoying enough to have to worry about his grades at school, and hiring a tutor would only add more pressure and increase the risk of getting caught.

Madam Gu kept insisting, but he just repeated, "Mom, I know what I'm doing."

Surprisingly, Madam Gu didn't get angry like she usually did and mockingly ask, 'What do you know?'

Gu Xuelan sat on the couch with the remote control in hand.

A cliché TV drama played on the screen, but her expression remained unchanged. She looked calm, yet there was a hint of suspicion and curiosity in her eyes.

She couldn't help but think back to the strange phone call she received last night.

After moving away from Blackwater Street, life took on a completely different pace. The relationship between Gu Xuelan and Xu Yanmei and the rest gradually became distant, with almost no communication except for the occasional holiday greeting text message.

During a phone call with Zhou Dalei, he spoke in a confused manner, sometimes saying he dialed the wrong number, and other times calling her "Aunt Lan" before hesitating. She was awakened in the middle of the night, feeling a bit dizzy and not quite understanding what he was saying. She reached for a small lamp, sat up, and asked, "What's wrong, Dalei?"

Zhou Dalei said, "Aunt Lan, have you ever thought about Boss Xie's grades..."

Gu Xuelan clearly heard the words "grades," but this child suddenly changed the topic, speaking nonsense and finally saying, "The moon is so round tonight."

Gu Xuelan: "..."

"Seeing such a bright moonlight, I thought of Aunt Lan."

As Gu Xuelan grew older, even with good maintenance, fine lines had quietly crept up around her eyes, and she had a few worries that kept her from sleeping after receiving this phone call.

She tossed and turned, and the last image that came to mind before falling asleep was the certificate that Xie Yu had casually thrown onto the table.

What award was it?

At that time, she was too busy juggling several jobs.

"What is your plan? Tell me," Gu Xuelan calmly asked him. "...What exactly is your plan?"

After speaking, Gu Xuelan didn't know what she was suspicious of, perhaps it was because she hadn't slept well these past few nights. She rubbed her forehead and waved her hand, saying, "Alright, go upstairs, don't stand here blocking my view."

Xie Yu held onto the glass and sat in front of the computer for half a day after going upstairs. The foreign language professor in the video was talking about grammar and sentence structure, but he didn't absorb any of it.

"What are you up to, little friend?"

He snapped out of his daze when He Chao called. Xie Yu took a sip of water and mumbled a response.

He Chao had just gotten out of a taxi and was paying at the window. He absentmindedly stuffed the change into his pocket and asked, "Drinking milk?"

"Just water," Xie Yu replied.

He Chao was disappointed that the little friend wasn't drinking milk.

"Can't you think of something else? The direction of your thoughts is dangerous," Xie Yu put down his glass and glanced at the date in the bottom right corner of the computer screen. He remembered that He Chao had plans with someone this weekend and asked, "Did you meet yet?"

"No, I just got off the car."

He Chao found the agreed-upon place - actually, there was no need to search. This small noodle shop near their school was a place they frequented during middle school.

In his memory, it was a small and old shop with walls stained black from the oil fumes.

During middle school, they had little pocket money and often couldn't resist their hunger after school. They would pool their money together to buy a bowl of noodles to fill their stomachs.

"The lady boss still remembers me and even gave an extra plate of side dishes," He Chao picked an empty seat and leaned his elbow on the table as he spoke. "I'll bring you here next time."

Although He Chao spoke in a normal tone, Xie Yu couldn't help but feel that this fool's mind must be in chaos now.

Indeed, He Chao was feeling a bit lost.

The noodle shop had undergone a renovation at some point. The menu still had familiar dishes, but there were also some new additions from the past few years. After finishing his order, He Chao stared at the words "spicy sauce noodles" on the menu for a while, let out a sigh, and then looked out the window.

Xie Yu didn't say much, only reminding He Chao to call him if he needed anything.

Barefoot and curled up in his oversized computer chair, Xie Yu added before hanging up, "No smoking allowed."

He Chao replied, "Okay."

Xie Yu half-heartedly watched a teaching video before bed and checked his phone. The class group chat was constantly buzzing with messages. Xu Qingqing wanted to watch a horror movie but was too scared to watch it alone. She searched the group chat for someone to watch it with and soon the chat was filled with screams.

Meanwhile, He Chao remained silent on his end. He thought for a moment and then turned off his phone's silent mode before going to sleep.

It was almost midnight when Xie Yu received a call from He Chao.

In the past, Xie Yu would have simply rejected the call, blocked the number, and thrown his phone across the room.

He guessed that He Chao must have already arrived home, but when he answered, he could hear faint car horns in the background: "Where are you?"

He Chao didn't answer.

After Xie Yu asked for the third time, his patience wearing thin, He Chao finally spoke up and called out his name.

He Chao's voice was tinged with a hint of drunkenness, and he didn't sound very rational. But when he said Xie Yu's name, he spoke with a special sincerity, his words lingering in the air.

"Xie Yu."

He Chao called out several times, his voice low and filled with complex emotions, blending in with the surrounding noise.

"Brother," Xie Yu was wide awake now, he got up from bed, the air conditioning had been turned off long ago, and the chill seeped through his thin clothes. "Have you been drinking?"

He Chao crouched on the side of the street, burying his face in his palms. At first, he just wanted to call and let him know he was safe, but when he heard Xie Yu's voice, the alcohol rushed to his head and he couldn't control himself...he wanted to call out to him.

He Chao thought this matter wouldn't be so easily resolved.

But in the end, he stood up and walked forward. As he approached, he realized it wasn't as difficult as he had imagined.

When they met, Er Lei came up and punched him directly. After the punch, he asked, "Is this enough, are you relieved now."

That punch wasn't just for fun. Er Lei used almost all his strength, and He Chao was stunned for a second. He leaned against the wall, wiped the corner of his mouth, and tasted a bit of blood.

Fang Xiaolei hadn't changed much from before. He had gained some weight and his clothing style was more mature. Compared to his peers, he didn't have that youthful vibe.

- "Forget about what happened before."

- "Brother Chao, when you came to see me last time, I also said it wasn't your fault. Now I want to correct myself and say that I don't blame you. I wanted to tell you face-to-face."

Er Lei's words kept echoing in his ears.

He felt a weight on his chest that he couldn't describe, but with each breath, it seemed like everything became lighter.

This feeling of losing his balance passed in a flash.

He Chao looked at the traffic on the street in front of him. The headlights of the cars pierced through the darkness, making his eyes ache.

"No," He Chao said one word, then choked up. He blinked his eyes, and his eyes turned slightly red. "I only drank a little."

Your damn tongue is nearly tied into a knot, and you only drank a little.

Xie Yu got a little anxious as he put on her clothes. "Where are you now?"

He Chao was still near the school.

A few hours ago, three people met up. They didn't talk much, but they drank bottle after bottle of alcohol.

Lei Jun drank the most heavily.

Lei Jun wasn't directly involved in the incident from years ago. When Er Lei left in a hurry, there were many things that couldn't be asked, so he could only imagine the worst.

Lei Jun grabbed He Chao's collar and punched him, beating him to the ground. The school almost had to call an ambulance. "Did you do it? Don't try to shift the blame!"

He Chao didn't explain or fight back, and secretly hoped that Lei Jun would hit him even harder.

Even harder.

After that, Lei Jun didn't go back to school and went straight to vocational school. It didn't matter whether he prepared for the exams or not. He didn't want to know anything about this "former friend".

The next time they met was at a small restaurant near the Tech school.

Lei Jun was so angry that he forgot to think about why this person was at No. 2. After returning home, he asked someone to investigate and found out that not only the school, but even the grade level didn't match up.

He had been demoted by one level and was attending the most ordinary high school in City A.

Er Lei wasn't good at drinking before, but he had practiced at various banquets over the years. He quickly finished a bottle and said, "I've been busy and forgot. I've been running around out of town...You haven't met with Brother Chao in these past few years?"

"We have," He Chao drank fiercely and leaned back, placing the empty bottle on the table. "We exchanged a few words a few months ago."

"Exchanged words my ass," Lei Jun cursed. "Is throwing punches at each other considered exchanging words?"

"..."

As they drank to the end, the three of them seemed to be transported back to their old days.

Xie Yu made a note of the location, not feeling at ease with He Chao drinking and wandering around outside until late at night. He grabbed a jacket and only realized he had forgotten his phone when he was already out of the door and in the car.

He had been in a rush and had left his phone on the bed when he put on the jacket, and had left without it.

He Chao sat on the street for a while, his drunkenness subsiding.

There weren't many people on the street, but a group of young people came out of a restaurant across the street, whistling and walking arm in arm. They didn't look very old, and there were a few girls among them.

Even though it was already pitch black outside, the streetlights illuminated the area well enough to see what was happening across the street. The girls pushed and shoved each other for a while, saying, "Hey, hey, look at that person across the street."

The boy squatting down seemed to be quite tall. His jacket was unzipped and he kept his head down, making it hard to see his face. However, his figure and temperament were extremely outstanding.

He Chao never expected to encounter a salesperson in the middle of the night. It was already so late.

He looked up at the group of people in front of him and before he could even say the words "no thanks," someone grabbed him by the back of his collar and pulled him up roughly.

"He's taken."

Xie Yu's face looked a bit unpleasant. He was clearly annoyed and repeated himself, "He's taken."