He Lezhi said he would take this secret to his grave and never tell anyone.

Han Fangchi frowned, not letting him say that word.

That night, Han Fangchi was wrapped in a thick quilt on He Lezhi's bed, using his pillow. He Lezhi's small bed couldn't fit two people. He Lezhi insisted on sleeping on the sofa himself, and Han Fangchi didn't stand on ceremony with him.

The next morning, they left before dawn, before He Qi woke up.

Even though He Qi wouldn't have shown any dissatisfaction with He Lezhi bringing a classmate home if she had woken up, and would only have welcomed him with great enthusiasm, He Lezhi still took him away from home early, considering Han Fangchi's feelings.

They ate steamed buns and congee at a breakfast shop outside the residential complex. He Lezhi asked, "Do you want to go home tonight?"

Han Fangchi said, "I don't."

So He Lezhi said, "Then tonight, I'll introduce my mom to you, okay? My mom is really nice, don't treat her like a classmate's parent."

Han Fangchi said again, "Okay."

Because he had such a mother, He Lezhi was greatly envied by his classmates since childhood. He Qi was extremely affable and very gentle.

During the day, He Lezhi told Han Fangchi that He Qi wasn't like a mom, so he shouldn't be nervous.

That evening, Han Fangchi understood firsthand why He Lezhi said, "He Qi isn't like a mom."

It was already very late when they came back from the evening self-study session. He Qi was wearing a yoga outfit, her hair tied up, and a fluffy headband, looking very young.

She welcomed Han Fangchi enthusiastically and even took a fruitcake out of the fridge, saying she wanted to celebrate.

Han Fangchi looked at He Lezhi in astonishment and asked in a low voice, "Eating cake at this hour?"

"Ah, she's craving it herself. We just need to play along," He Lezhi also said in a low voice, then added, "But I am actually hungry."

Boys at this age get hungry easily, and since He Lezhi had to run, he often needed to eat something after school. He Qi had to control her weight, but occasionally, when the craving was unbearable, she would eat with He Lezhi.

The three of them sat around the coffee table eating cake, each with a spoon. Han Fangchi only took a few bites. For the rest of the time, he sat cross-legged on the floor next to He Lezhi, chatting with He Qi while watching the mother and son finish the entire cake.

"Have you lost your mind, madam?" He Lezhi said gloatingly. "Gym tomorrow?"

"It'll have to be for three days straight." He Qi stretched her arms contentedly and asked them, "Are you two still studying tonight?"

He Lezhi turned to ask Han Fangchi, "Are we still studying?"

Before Han Fangchi could speak, He Qi said, "Let's not. The three of us can have some fun."

"Okay," He Lezhi readily agreed. "What should we do?"

He Qi asked, "Watch a movie?"

"Okay." He Lezhi nodded with a smile.

Han Fangchi also nodded, "...Okay."

After showering that night, Han Fangchi wore a set of He Lezhi's pajamas, and the three of them watched a comedy. The movie was hilarious. He Qi and He Lezhi were rolling with laughter. The gloom that had been swirling in Han Fangchi's heart also dissipated a little. He relaxed, leaning against the back of the sofa, hugging a huge cushion, and later became a little drowsy.

He Lezhi took the blanket beside them, unfolded it, covered himself with half of it, leaving only his head exposed, and covered Han Fangchi with the other half. He Qi pulled a corner to cover herself as well, and He Lezhi rested his head on her shoulder. The large blanket was stretched flat by the three of them, with a fluffy, warm texture underneath.

"This boy looks a bit like Fangchi," He Qi said.

The boy in the movie was a newly popular rising star. He Lezhi looked at him, then turned his head to look at Han Fangchi seriously and commented, "Fangchi is still more handsome."

He Qi casually asked, "Does Fangchi look like his dad or his mom?"

Han Fangchi said, "Neither, really."

No one spoke for the next few minutes. Under the blanket, He Lezhi gently tugged on Han Fangchi's pajama sleeve, silently and secretly.

Han Fangchi understood what he meant and touched the back of his hand against his, signaling that it was okay.

After that, Han Fangchi came to He Lezhi's house a few more times, mostly during the winter and summer vacations. Each time, He Qi would use his visit as an excuse to eat things she normally couldn't. During the holidays, she would even pull the two of them into playing Fight the Landlord or video games.

One time, He Lezhi's Little Aunt was at their house and said He Qi was too playful and not serious enough, affecting a high school student's studies.

He Qi waved her hand dismissively and said, "High school students have it hard enough. Their studies won't be ruined by this little bit of time. Isn't studying for more than ten hours a day at school enough?"

Little Aunt said, "You're just full of fallacies."

He Qi said cockily, "Then ask the two of them if playing games with me has affected their studies. Fangchi, tell Little Aunt your rank."

He Lezhi, shaking his head beside them, chimed in, "First, first."

"See?" He Qi raised her eyebrows. "You have to balance work and rest."

Having been raised by He Qi with this kind of education since he was young, He Lezhi was a little different from other high school students. He had no obsession with grades. He didn't get anxious when he did poorly, though of course, he was happy when he did well.

He Qi's free-range parenting style also naturally made him sometimes act without considering the consequences, as there would never be any serious ones anyway.

After a conflict between Xiao Yao and a boy from another class, the other party brought several boys over to find Xiao Yao for a fight during the evening break. There weren't many people in the classroom at the time. He Lezhi was listening to Han Fangchi explain a problem. Seeing so many people at the door, he followed Xiao Yao out without a second thought.

The school issued a notice of criticism for that group fight, and the ringleaders from both classes were disciplined.

Although Xiao Yao was the passive party, he hit hard, so he also received a demerit. He Lezhi and Han Fangchi, for participating in the fight, had their parents called and each had to write a three-thousand-word self-criticism letter.

High school students don't know how to hold back, and everyone's face was bruised.

He Lezhi's face looked particularly bad, with a large bruise on his left jawbone. Han Fangchi told him, "I told you to get behind me, what were you rushing forward for?"

He Lezhi said nonchalantly, "I was afraid you couldn't beat him."

"If I can't, you think you can?" Han Fangchi shot him a sidelong glance. "Look at the state he beat you into."

"Aren't I stronger than you?" He Lezhi tensed the muscles in his leg and pointed, "I'm on the track and field team."

Han Fangchi said, "Don't try to be a hero next time."

"I will," He Lezhi said, rubbing the bruise on his face and hissing in pain. "Who told him to hit you."

Because of this incident, Xiao Yao was touched for a long time and wanted to do anything for the two of them.

He Lezhi found him clingy and still formed a little clique with Han Fangchi. Although they were all friends, he was always biased towards Han Fangchi. There was nothing to be done about it; he just got along better with Han Fangchi's personality. Friendship was something you couldn't really explain.

Back in high school, Xiao Yao would often feel bad about this. Later, when he grew up, he was no longer petty about it.

But after they grew up, the other two were no longer as inseparable.

To say their relationship wasn't that good, it was still good.

During the years He Lezhi was with Zhou Muyao, Han Fangchi was the one who contacted them the most and had the best relationship with them.

Compared to others, it was naturally different.

But compared to the closeness in high school that made Xiao Yao jealous, it wasn't the same thing anymore.

...

He Lezhi's memory felt like a dust-covered film had been torn away. Everything from the past was cleaned and refurbished, and the details he had ignored were laid out plainly before him.

Why Han Fangchi always contacted him, why Han Fangchi was occasionally odd-toned. Why He Lezhi, while being mindful of Han Fangchi's relationship with Zhou Muyao, always had a tacit understanding and harmony with him, and was naturally close to him.

Because their friendship began over a decade ago, and they were already inseparable.

"I was wrong, I was wrong." He Lezhi faced Han Fangchi and apologized sincerely.

Han Fangchi turned his face to the other side, ignoring him.

"You love-struck fool," Xiao Yao accused him bluntly. "And you said we were closer to Xiao Hei. You're the one with only Xiao Hei in your eyes!"

He Lezhi put his hands together in a prayer-like gesture, admitting his fault to the two of them.

"And you said we were siding with him." Xiao Yao picked up his phone, pretending to make a call. "Ask them. Since you two broke up, haven't I told him a hundred times not to look for you again? Everyone else was trying to get you back together, only the two of us told him to wake up."

He Lezhi couldn't quite describe how he felt, but guilt was definitely the strongest emotion at this moment. He stopped Xiao Yao's hand from dialing and pressed down on his phone. "Don't ask, don't ask, I get it."

"Fangchi is such a nice guy. The day he found out Xiao Hei broke up with you over that crap, his face fell and he slammed the door on his way out!" Xiao Yao, in his anger, picked up another lychee and threw it over. "Have you grown a heart? He Lezhi."

He Lezhi said with sincerity, "I haven't grown a heart, my brain is full of water, I'm a blockhead."

He Lezhi was currently a sinner being condemned. Han Fangchi ignored him, while Xiao Yao eloquently denounced him, listing his neglect and mistakes one by one.

"When the three of us were close, Xiao Hei wasn't even in the picture. Have you forgotten? You haven't hung out with us at all these past few years. Your whole world revolved around Xiao Hei.

"Did you get amnesia? Did Xiao Hei feed you some bewitching potion?"

He Lezhi didn't know how to describe his current mood. It wasn't that he had forgotten everything. Among all his friends, Han Fangchi and Xiao Yao were definitely different from the others. He was habitually closer to them. They were former classmates, and He Lezhi remembered everything that had happened before. When Han Fangchi bought a house, he bypassed Zhou Muyao and directly gifted him a sofa. Before that, when Xiao Yao lost his watch while swimming and was whining about it, He Lezhi just bought him a new sports watch and told him to shut up.

But he had indeed ignored a lot. Over the long years, he had gradually confused what he had on his own with what he shared with Zhou Muyao.

"I was wrong." He Lezhi's eyes turned red. He nudged Xiao Yao with his elbow. Xiao Yao flung his arm up, saying he was worked up and in the heat of the moment.

He Lezhi turned back to Han Fangchi and said with sincere earnestness, "Fangchi, I was wrong."

Han Fangchi looked at him coldly.

He Lezhi leaned over, reached out, and shook Han Fangchi's wrist. "Fangchi..."

Han Fangchi lowered his eyes to meet his. He Lezhi had already been drinking, and now with his red eyes, he looked like he was about to cry. He was someone nobody had ever seen shed a tear, not even during his breakup, yet now he was putting on such a pitiful act.

"Oh, oh, oh, so you only coax him, is that it?" Xiao Yao rapped the table with the back of his hand. "You two are going to spend your whole lives rubbing it in my face."

He completely forgot the nonchalant gesture of shrugging the person off just now, rapping the table as a reminder, "There's still another person here."

He Lezhi sat up straight again and said, "Yaoyao, I was wrong."

Xiao Yao pouted and said reluctantly, "I feel a bit sorry for you too, so let's call it even."

"Thanks," He Lezhi said.

Xiao Yao was actually just feeling guilty himself. It was a case of the villain suing first, arguing stubbornly when he had no leg to stand on, using He Lezhi's current guilt to get him to forgive his concealment. But He Lezhi wasn't mad at him to begin with.

Han Fangchi's anger had been building up from He Lezhi's actions these past few days. It accumulated and finally erupted under the influence of alcohol.

After settling things with Xiao Yao, He Lezhi sat opposite Han Fangchi, giving him a look, seeking his forgiveness.

"Can I still stay at your colleague's apartment?" He Lezhi looked at Han Fangchi with hopeful eyes. "Until next year. I won't worry about the rent, you can sort it out with him separately?"

He Lezhi asked tentatively, "Is that okay, Fangchi?"