"Engineer He, team building on Saturday, are you going?"

He Lezhi's office door was open, and Xiao Zhou from his team poked his head in from the doorway.

"Where's it at?" He Lezhi asked, his eyes fixed on the drawing on the screen.

Xiao Zhou named a place, then added, "Manager Xu said if you go, we'll go mountain climbing and camp on the mountain."

He Lezhi asked with a smile, "Why?"

"Manager Xu said you're great at climbing mountains, like a monkey." Xiao Zhou repeated their superior's exact words with a grin, knowing He Lezhi wouldn't get angry.

He Lezhi chuckled and said, "Then what are you guys planning to do if I don't go?"

"Then we'll go for something more conventional." Xiao Zhou chuckled and said, "Dinner, karaoke, and then a prize draw."

"That sounds much more interesting," He Lezhi said with a laugh. "I won't go, you guys have fun."

"Don't say that, Engineer He. It won't be the whole team without you," Xiao Zhou urged.

"I really can't make it. I have plans on Saturday," He Lezhi said.

Xiao Zhou asked tentatively, "Really?"

"Really, I'm meeting a friend on Saturday."

He had arranged to have lunch at Han Fangchi's place on Saturday, so He Lezhi picked out a set of vases online that matched the color of the sofa—one tall and one short—along with a matching ashtray from the same collection.

On Saturday morning, He Lezhi carried his things and first made a detour to a flower shop to pick up a bouquet.

A fresh bouquet in a white and green color scheme, very summery.

When He Lezhi arrived, Han Fangchi was simmering soup and hurriedly came to open the door for him.

"Good afternoon, I'm here to freeload a meal," He Lezhi said with a smile as the door opened.

"Find some slippers yourself, I'm too busy to entertain you." Han Fangchi went back inside after speaking.

He Lezhi, holding the flowers in one hand and the box with the vases in the other, was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. "Can't you at least take something from me?"

Han Fangchi replied from a distance, "Who told you to bring anything?"

He Lezhi put the box on the floor in the entryway, found a pair of slippers for himself, and came in, closing the door.

Han Fangchi clearly wasn't treating him as a guest and had no intention of playing host. He Lezhi wandered around on his own. All the room doors were open, so he could see everything at a glance.

Han Fangchi was a tidy person but lacked a certain flair for living. His home was spotless but also empty. Besides the essential soft furnishings, there was almost no clutter, making it look like a model home.

The living room was spacious with a huge floor-to-ceiling window. Coupled with the high floor, there were no obstructions outside, offering an expansive view of the blue sky. The sofa matched the room's overall color scheme, with two harmonious accent colors that added a touch of liveliness.

This was quite similar to the effect He Lezhi had imagined when looking at the blueprints. He admired it for a long while, very satisfied.

On the entryway cabinet sat a bottle of aromatherapy diffuser, emitting a faint scent of agarwood.

"Huanyang's girlfriend brought it," Han Fangchi explained.

"No wonder, it didn't seem like something you would buy," He Lezhi said with a laugh, then turned back to ask, "Is Huanyang's girlfriend still the same one from last year?"

Han Fangchi thought back for a moment, then said uncertainly, "I don't think so. I don't remember seeing her."

Huanyang was a player, and he looked the part of a bad boy. He'd had many girlfriends over the years. Last year's was a preschool teacher. Huanyang had really liked her, saying he wanted to settle down and get married. It seemed that didn't work out.

He Lezhi unpacked the vases, found a pair of scissors, and squatted in the living room to arrange the flowers in them. Han Fangchi was in the kitchen on the other side. They chatted intermittently from a few meters apart; they never lacked for topics and didn't need to force conversation.

They had simply known each other for too long.

"How's your sister been recently?" He Lezhi asked.

Han Fangchi turned off the stove and bent down to look for a soup bowl. "Which one are you talking about?"

He Lezhi said, "The Little Demon King."

Han Fangchi said calmly, "Puppy love. She's absorbed in her romance and buying all sorts of random things."

He Lezhi asked in surprise, "How old is she to be in a puppy love already?"

"First year of high school," Han Fangchi said. "I went to the school gate to see him once. The boy has good grades and seems pretty decent. It's a waste for him to be with her."

He Lezhi didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Don't say that."

Han Fangchi had two younger sisters. One was in graduate school, and the other was an untamable little terror, a real handful since she was young. She was incredibly mischievous, feared nothing, and would fight anyone who provoked her. And she was a fierce fighter, always with a do-or-die attitude.

He Lezhi had met the Little Demon King a few times. He had played games with her, made a pinwheel for her when she was very young, and had even been bitten by her once.

"Actually, she understands things clearly. She's just still in her rebellious phase. Tell your aunt not to be too strict with her," He Lezhi said.

Han Fangchi shook his head. "I haven't been home in about two months. I can't settle their disputes."

He Lezhi smiled. Over the years, Han Fangchi had been sent to the school countless times to deal with the Little Demon King's issues, getting a harsh lecture from the teachers every time. He himself had rarely been criticized during all his years of schooling, but thanks to his sister, he had made up for it all in adulthood.

"Let's not talk about her. I get a headache just mentioning her." Han Fangchi gave him a look, signaling for him to come and eat.

He Lezhi finished arranging the vase, stood up, and said, "Then we won't talk about her. Don't get a headache."

The meal was pleasant for both host and guest. Because of his tooth, He Lezhi hadn't been able to eat properly for a while. Today, he ate slowly for a long time using the good side of his mouth. Han Fangchi matched his pace, and the two chatted as they ate, finishing almost all the food in the end.

He Lezhi helped clean up the kitchen, and when they were done, he leaned back on the sofa.

Han Fangchi was wearing a T-shirt and sweatpants without socks, looking much more relaxed than usual. His short hair was neat and handsome, his shoulders broad. He was sitting on the single sofa on the other side.

"I'm a little sleepy. I had insomnia last night," He Lezhi said with a yawn.

"Sleep," Han Fangchi said, grabbing a throw pillow from the side and tossing it to him. "Want to go play ball tonight?"

He Lezhi picked up the pillow and placed it casually on his lap. He shook his head with his eyes closed and said slowly, "I have something else to do tonight."

Han Fangchi didn't ask what it was. "Then sleep for half an hour. I'll wake you."

"I won't sleep. I'll just rest my eyes for a few minutes," He Lezhi said.

He closed his eyes and dozed off. Han Fangchi sat there and brewed a pot of tea. The fragrance of the tea slowly spread. He Lezhi could smell its aroma and hear Han Fangchi's subtle movements.

On the quiet summer afternoon, a breeze drifted in intermittently through the window, making the sheer curtains sway. In this environment, He Lezhi felt a rare sense of relaxation that he hadn't experienced in a while.

In the comfortable temperature that didn't require air conditioning, He Lezhi rested with his eyes closed in a daze for five minutes.

When he opened his eyes again, Han Fangchi was still in the same posture, sitting with his head lowered in a relaxed manner, holding his phone to read a document in one hand and a teacup in the other, taking an occasional sip.

He Lezhi didn't speak, just shifted his legs and changed his position.

Han Fangchi looked up at him. Seeing he was awake but didn't seem to want to talk, he simply picked up a teacup and placed it on the table near him.

He Lezhi didn't move, so Han Fangchi went back to reading his document.

Sharing the same space, it wasn't awkward even if neither of them spoke. Among his and Zhou Muyao's mutual friends, perhaps only Han Fangchi could make He Lezhi feel this way.

A phone vibrated. Han Fangchi first glanced up at He Lezhi, saw that his eyes were open, and then answered the call.

"What is it?"

"Senior, our professor wants you to come to the hospital." The voice on the other end came through clearly.

Han Fangchi asked, "Now?"

"Yes, there's a patient from the Second Hospital. The situation is a bit complicated, so the Second Hospital contacted us for a joint consultation. Our professor is going on a business trip tomorrow, so it's been set for four o'clock this afternoon. He wants you to come too."

"Got it," Han Fangchi replied.

He Lezhi sat up straight and took a sip of tea.

Han Fangchi hung up the phone, and He Lezhi could see the helplessness in his eyes.

"Tough day, Doctor Han," He Lezhi said with a smile. "Let's leave together."

"I'll go change," Han Fangchi said, standing up.

Once he put on a dress shirt and trousers, he looked completely different from his earlier casual, at-home self. Han Fangchi wore a gray shirt, tucked into his belt. He was tall with long legs, but he looked a bit serious.

"Do you have to dress so formally even for weekend overtime?" He Lezhi asked.

"Not at my own hospital, but you can't be too casual for a joint consultation. It's my professor's rule," Han Fangchi explained.

The two left together. Han Fangchi offered to give him a ride, but He Lezhi said he had driven his own car.

"Don't bring anything next time you come," Han Fangchi said once they were in the elevator.

He Lezhi nodded obediently. "Okay."

He agreed, but given their current situation, He Lezhi had no idea when he would come again.

After a few seconds, Han Fangchi asked, "Where are you living now?"

He Lezhi was about to answer, but he paused before speaking and turned to look at Han Fangchi.

They were standing side by side. As he looked over, Han Fangchi also turned to look at him, his eyes asking what was wrong.

When He Lezhi spoke again, there was a faint, almost imperceptible smile in his voice. "I'm not going to say. I'm afraid you're asking for someone else."

They hadn't mentioned Zhou Muyao all day, nor had they discussed any related topics. Han Fangchi hadn't asked a single thing about the two of them. Whether Han Fangchi already knew from Zhou Muyao or genuinely didn't want to ask, it had allowed He Lezhi to truly relax. He had been asked for the reason by many people, heard the word "regret" too many times, and been advised to "give him another chance no matter what, Xiao Hei can't function without you" and "he just hasn't grown up."

But Han Fangchi, who was so close to Zhou Muyao, hadn't said a word, which made He Lezhi feel faintly grateful. At least for today, he was just He Lezhi, not Zhou Muyao's ex-boyfriend.

Yet now, he was the one bringing it up.

Han Fangchi raised an eyebrow. "Who would I be asking for? Xiao Hei?"

He Lezhi averted his gaze and said jokingly, "I wouldn't know. You're his big brother, you two are close."

Although he was still smiling, he was clearly no longer as relaxed as he had been before they left.

Surprisingly, Han Fangchi didn't offer any further explanation, and it was unclear if this was a tacit admission.

The elevator reached the first floor. He Lezhi stepped out first, with Han Fangchi a step behind.

"I still owe you a meal," He Lezhi said.

Han Fangchi didn't say it wasn't necessary, only said, "We'll schedule it."

"When should we schedule it for?" He Lezhi asked.

Han Fangchi said impassively, "That would depend on you."