Chapter 36 Part 1

The words were prickly, a little harsh on the ears.

He Lezhi lowered his gaze and didn't respond, silently accepting the taunt about his 'love-addled brain'.

Xiao Yao was usually carefree and reckless, but he wasn't actually that unperceptive.

He had only been here for a few minutes, but he could already feel an unusual atmosphere in the house. He intuitively knew he shouldn't ask, nor did he ask his usual questions like "What's wrong with you?" or "What's up with you two?".

He also behaved more quietly than usual. After a few words, he obediently sat on the sofa, eating the nuts he had brought. He even held the trash can close to peel his pistachios, not letting a single shell fall onto the floor. From time to time, his head would turn toward the kitchen, observing them stealthily.

It wasn't that the two of them weren't talking, it just felt different from usual.

When they had the pot and ingredients ready, Xiao Yao took the initiative to wash his hands and came to sit at the dining table.

This time, he didn't insist on sitting next to anyone in particular, but He Lezhi still came over and sat by him.

Xiao Yao couldn't help but recall the few minor squabbles the two had back in high school. Being caught in the middle back then felt just like this. How could he describe his mood at that time?

On one hand, he couldn't help but feel a bit of alert tension. On the other, he couldn't stop a sliver of secret glee from rising, the kind that came from watching the drama, thinking, 'so you two have your moments too'.

He wasn't as petty as he was back then. The secret glee was gone, leaving only tension. So, he began to make conversation, feigning nonchalance.

"Fangchi, I see Xiao Quan'er is back?" Xiao Yao said.

Han Fangchi grunted in acknowledgment.

"Did you two get in touch?" Xiao Yao asked.

Han Fangchi said, "We had dinner twice."

Han Fangchi didn't like to talk about these things, so Xiao Yao dropped the joking tone and asked with genuine concern, "Is there still a chance for you two?"

"No," Han Fangchi said.

Xiao Yao said, "Oh," then added, "I thought having dinner twice might mean there's a chance."

"What's so special about me that after being broken up for so long, she'd come back from traveling the world and still have to be with me," Han Fangchi said.

"That's true." Xiao Yao nodded. "You're not that special."

"..." He Lezhi hadn't planned to get involved, but now he couldn't help but whisper from the side, "You can't say that."

"He said it himself!" Xiao Yao whispered back.

"Just because he said it, you have to agree?" He Lezhi also whispered to him.

"You're coming at me again!" Xiao Yao protested.

"Who told you to talk like that," He Lezhi criticized.

Han Fangchi silently watched the two of them whispering to each other across the table. After a moment, He Lezhi looked up, and for the first time in a while, their eyes finally met.

He Lezhi looked at him. "Xiao Quan'er has her good qualities, and you have yours."

Han Fangchi didn't speak, but he didn't look away either.

"You're exceptionally good," He Lezhi said earnestly, then added, "At least to me... to us."

"Oh, oh, oh, yes, yes, yes, the best in the world." Xiao Yao picked up a shrimp ball with his chopsticks, dropped it into his bowl, and said speechlessly, "So you were just putting on a show for me this whole time? You really made me nervous."

The two who had been looking at each other averted their gazes.

"You're exceptionally good too!" He Lezhi said, a hint of irritability in his tone.

"Who cares," Xiao Yao said. "Just now, I was thinking of going downstairs to buy some alcohol for you two. You were acting like it was the end of the world! And in a flash, you're back to 'you have your good qualities' and 'you're exceptionally good'!"

"Can you just shut up," He Lezhi said, nudging his knee.

"How can I eat if I shut up!" Xiao Yao dropped another shrimp ball into his bowl.

He Lezhi also took the ladle and scooped two shrimp balls into his bowl. "Hurry up and eat."

Xiao Yao wasn't truly clueless. He was deliberately clowning around to lighten the mood, because it had been really strange just now.

Thanks to his chattering, the atmosphere did indeed improve a little afterward.

After the meal, Han Fangchi brought over some fruit. Xiao Yao was playing a game, and He Lezhi, who was sitting there, received it with both hands, saying "Thank you" at the same time.

Han Fangchi's hands were wet. After He Lezhi took the fruit, Han Fangchi, standing beside him, lightly flicked some water at his face.

"Mm." He Lezhi closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, he saw no obvious change in Han Fangchi's expression. He still didn't look very happy, so He Lezhi, angry but not daring to show it, kept quiet.

He Lezhi didn't seem to hold a grudge after being stung by Han Fangchi's remark. Afterward, he acted as usual, showing no signs of anger. Besides, it wasn't the first time he'd been called out for his love-addled brain.

He hadn't answered at the time, and his behavior afterward was no different from how it had been recently.

He continued to reduce his presence in Han Fangchi's life, and his traces became fainter and fainter.

Han Fangchi accompanied He Lezhi to inspect the new house and get the keys. The smell inside wasn't too strong. He Qi came by once to take some photos, planning to start buying things when she got back.

When it was time for He Lezhi's next business trip, he went to Han Fangchi's place and dropped off some unfinished milk, bread, corn, and fruit, asking Han Fangchi to help him finish them. While packing his enormous suitcase, he mentioned that he might be gone for nearly a month this time.

"Do you have enough of everything?" Han Fangchi asked him. "Did you pack two boxes of protein bars? Eat one when you're not full."

"Packed them," He Lezhi said with a smile.

"Did you bring mosquito repellent?" Han Fangchi added. "There are a lot of mosquitoes in the mountains."

"Packed it," He Lezhi said.

Han Fangchi: "Did you pack tea bags?"

"Ah, I forgot about that, and I forgot the coffee too!" He Lezhi said. "I'll go back and pack them in a bit."

"What time is your flight tomorrow?" Han Fangchi asked.

"Why? Are you going to see me off?" He Lezhi shook his head with a smile. "I can't let you. That's a doctor's working hours."

He Lezhi didn't even change his shoes. He just stood at the door and talked for a bit before turning to open the door to leave.

"Aren't you staying a while?" Han Fangchi asked, standing beside him.

"I haven't finished packing my things yet." He Lezhi waved. "See you next month. I'll let you know when I've booked my return ticket."

Before Han Fangchi could say anything else, he had already opened the door.

"Oh right, Fangchi," He Lezhi said, turning back. "There might be some furniture deliveries during this time. Could you help me receive them?"

"Okay," Han Fangchi said. "Just give them my number directly."

"I'll have them come on the weekend or during your time off." He Lezhi's smile was bright. "Thank you, Doctor Han."

He Lezhi once again took his luggage to the mountains of Northwest China. Only this time, he no longer sent messages to Han Fangchi every day. They only chatted briefly during occasional necessary communications.

He no longer treated Han Fangchi as the sole recipient of his rare desire to share. Of course, besides He Qi, there were no new recipients either. He simply shared less and became more silent.

Once, after telling him the water heater had been installed, Han Fangchi said to him: Send me a message every day.

Lezhi: Send what?

Fangchi: Anything. You're too far away. Just send something so I know you haven't disappeared.

A few minutes later, He Lezhi replied: Okay.

The next day, He Lezhi created a group chat with the two of them and Xiao Yao.

He Lezhi started sending one or two photos to the group every day. Sometimes it was his work site, sometimes it was an ugly meal, and sometimes it was calves and lambs.

Their private conversations became less and less frequent; anything that wasn't official business was said in the group chat.

Sometimes when he hadn't posted anything late at night, Han Fangchi would @ him in the group.

He would just @ him and say nothing. Xiao Yao would ask: Why are you calling him? Say something!

Han Fangchi wouldn't reply.

After a while, He Lezhi would say: Coming, coming, I was working. I'm here, I'm here!

Later, even if He Lezhi had sent a message during the day, Han Fangchi would still @ him once at night.

So, He Lezhi began to send a "Good night" to the group every night before bed.

It was unclear who it was for, but whoever saw it would also reply with a "Good night".

During this time, Han Fangchi took care of buying all the things for He Lezhi's house that He Lezhi and He Qi had forgotten or hadn't thought of.

Things like the fingerprint lock, the water purifier, the chair for the study, and some other miscellaneous small items were all installed before He Lezhi returned.

He Qi said during a video call with He Lezhi, "Fangchi has fixed up your house so nicely. I saw he even had the fingerprint lock changed, and he's been going over intermittently to air it out."

He Lezhi smiled.

"You really need friends you've known since childhood. Fangchi is so great," He Qi praised.

"Of course," He Lezhi, currently wearing a windbreaker and sitting on a small hill near his lodgings, said. He held his phone in one hand and propped his chin with the other. "He's the very best."

"Hahaha, listen to you bragging." He Qi asked him, "When are you coming back?"

"I haven't booked a ticket yet. I'll see how things are progressing next week and decide then," He Lezhi said.