When Luo Qingshan woke up, the sky was just beginning to brighten.

He squinted and zoned out for a long while, then propped himself up on the bed and struggled to sit up. His head felt as if it had been viciously stirred with a wooden stick, the pain making him grimace.

Luo Qingshan looked around and found himself lying in a hotel room. He was bare-chested, wearing only a pair of underwear. He didn't have the sticky feeling of a hangover, so someone must have helped wash him.

A slight sound of something falling came from the bathroom. Luo Qingshan forced a pained smile, "Babe, what are you doing? My head hurts so much... Damn, that crappy KTV must have been selling fake-ass liquor."

Luo Qingshan casually ran a hand through his hair. Just as he lifted the covers, he heard footsteps from the bathroom.

"Brother, you're awake? Are you feeling bad? Should I get you a glass of water?"

Luo Qingshan's movements paused. He stared blankly as he turned his head, "Why is it you?"

Su Nian was holding a freshly washed glass, "Who else would it be?"

"My ba... Where's Pei Ran?"

"He left last night." Su Nian smiled. "I'll go get some water. You should get up, you have class this afternoon."

Luo Qingshan sat with his legs bent, resting his forehead on his knees for a long time before he vaguely recalled what happened last night.

After he came back from the restroom, Pei Ran was no longer in the private room. No matter how he tried to coax him, he wouldn't come back.

The key thing was...

Luo Qingshan couldn't help but glance towards the bathroom again, then raised his hands and vigorously rubbed his face.

Fuck, he seemed to have kissed Su Nian.

Fake liquor is a menace.

In Luo Qingshan's eyes, this whole thing was just an accident. He was annoyed for a while, then forgot about it. His phone, which had been charging for half the day, finally lit up, and he quickly picked it up to check.

As soon as he opened WeChat, he couldn't help but laugh—he had sent Pei Ran more than thirty voice messages last night, some as short as two or three seconds, others as long as forty or fifty seconds.

Pei Ran must have been annoyed to death by him.

Luo Qingshan sat cross-legged and started typing.

[Luo Qingshan: Hahaha, Babe, did my messages keep you from sleeping?]

[Luo Qingshan: Why didn't you take me back to the hotel last night? [Stomach-patting cry]]

[Luo Qingshan: You're so heartless, so many messages and you haven't replied to a single one.]

Su Nian brought a glass of water. Luo Qingshan took it and gulped down a mouthful, "Thanks. How's your leg? You didn't injure it carrying me yesterday, did you?"

"It's fine, it's pretty much healed already." Su Nian smiled, a dimple appearing by his mouth.

After Luo Qingshan finished washing up, he checked his phone again. Still no reply. He couldn't help but frown.

When Luo Qingshan opened the bathroom door, Su Nian was standing right beside it, fixing his bangs in the mirror.

Luo Qingshan asked, "You didn't leave all night? Where did you sleep..."

He forcefully swallowed the rest of his words because Su Nian had suddenly leaned in, tilting his head up to get closer.

Luo Qingshan hurriedly took a few steps back, "What are you doing?"

Su Nian thought for a moment, "A good morning kiss?"

Luo Qingshan's eyes widened slightly, his expression shifting from dazed to shocked. After a long moment, he said, "Su Nian, are you still drunk?"

-

The phone rang in the room for nearly twenty seconds before the person in the bed finally stirred.

Pei Ran opened his eyes, taking a few seconds to pull himself out of the dream he was just having.

He managed to answer the call two seconds before it disconnected. Drowsy, he only managed a single syllable, "Mm."

"Babe, it's me... Are you still sleeping? Oh, right, you don't have class today." Luo Qingshan's voice sounded energetic. "I only have class in the afternoon. What do you want to eat? I'll bring it to you."

Pei Ran said, "No need."

"Yes, you do. I'm bringing you food. What do you want?" Luo Qingshan looked at the surrounding shops. "Did you see my messages? Why didn't you reply? You didn't reply last night either. You're so cruel, you don't dote on your boyfriend at all..."

"Luo Qingshan," Pei Ran interrupted him.

"Hm?"

Pei Ran paused for two seconds before saying, "Bring me an order of wontons, please. Thanks."

"What are you thanking me for?" Luo Qingshan let out a laugh. "Isn't it only natural for me to bring you food..."

Pei Ran hung up the phone directly.

He rubbed his face, unable to stop himself from recalling last night's dream.

It was a very strange dream. In the dream, he and Luo Qingshan were climbing a mountain when they encountered a landslide. He hid in a cave, and when he turned around, Luo Qingshan had turned into Yan Zhun.

The Yan Zhun in the dream was just as cold-faced as in reality. He told him not to be afraid, and then they held out until dawn.

Maybe he said some other things, but he couldn't remember.

Just as Pei Ran finished washing his face, there was a knock on his dorm room door.

He had just pulled the door open when Luo Qingshan held up the plastic bag in his hand, "Shrimp wontons, mild spicy with sesame oil. Satisfied?"

Pei Ran paused in the middle of drying his face and turned back to the washstand, "Come in and sit. I'll be right there after I rinse my towel."

After everything was tidied up, Luo Qingshan pulled another roommate's chair over to sit beside Pei Ran, propping his chin on his hand to watch him eat.

Luo Qingshan loved watching Pei Ran eat. Pei Ran had an excellent upbringing; even after playing ball for an entire afternoon and being so hungry his stomach was touching his back, his table manners were still clean and elegant, making him a pleasure to watch.

So when Pei Ran put down his spoon and suggested they break up, Luo Qingshan was still smiling as he let out a "Mm-hm".

A few seconds later, Luo Qingshan's smile froze on his face. He asked in disbelief, "What?"

"I said," Pei Ran repeated, "let's break up."

"Why?" Luo Qingshan couldn't smile at all anymore. He gradually straightened his back, a little flustered. "Babe, are you kidding?"

Pei Ran said, "I wouldn't joke about this."

Luo Qingshan's Adam's apple bobbed. It took him a long time to find his voice, "Why? What did I do wrong? Did I make you unhappy... Was it because I didn't listen to you last night and drank too much? Or did I annoy you by sending too many messages..."

Luo Qingshan's gaze swept over the table, "Or... are these wontons not good?"

Pei Ran frowned in confusion, "I wouldn't get angry over things like that."

"I know, I know." Luo Qingshan licked his lips. "That's why, I can't find any reason for you to be angry..."

"I saw."

"What?"

"I saw," Pei Ran fell silent for a moment, "you and Su Nian, at the restroom door."

Luo Qingshan was about to ask what happened at the restroom door when he suddenly felt as if he'd been struck in the head by lightning, unable to move.

Pei Ran gathered the wonton packaging and continued, "In the three years we've been together, you gave me a watch, a few backpacks, and seven pairs of sneakers... I remember them all. I'll tally them up when I go home in a few days and transfer you the cash equivalent. Oh, and these wontons, how much were they? I'll transfer you the money now."

It wasn't until Pei Ran opened the transfer screen on WeChat that Luo Qingshan realized the gravity of the situation.