Qin Fang returned home and first went to check on Jian Muyang's bedroom. The little boy was already asleep, and due to the hot weather, the blanket was only was draped over his belly.

Qin Fang gently closed the door. Just as he was about to return to his own room, the door on the other side of the hallway opened.

Dong Yin looked up and seemed startled to see him. She rubbed her belly with one hand while steadying herself against the wall with the other. Qin Fang pressed his lips together and said, "It's me, Auntie Yin."

"Ah, Xiao Fang," Dong Yin let out a breath. "Just got back?"

"Yeah, was playing ball with friends," Qin Fang replied.

"Get some rest then," Dong Yin smiled at him. "I'm going to get a glass of water. Always thirsty at night."

Qin Fang told her, "I'll get it for you."

He went downstairs and returned with the water, handing it to her.

Dong Yin said softly, "Come back earlier next time. Yangyang kept waiting for you before going to sleep."

Qin Fang grunted in acknowledgment and returned to his own room.

Still in his sports clothes, Qin Fang went straight to the bathroom. After showering, he didn't blow dry his hair, just rubbing it haphazardly with a towel. He found some shorts to put on and lay back on the bed staring at the ceiling.

His mind was quite blank. After exercising, this brain-empty state would last a few hours, guaranteeing excellent sleep quality tonight. But even with his head empty now, Qin Fang still had to use some brainpower to consider where to go this summer vacation.

Just now, Dong Yin had deliberately startled upon seeing him when she opened the door. Along with her subsequent comment about Yangyang waiting for him, it made Qin Fang feel he couldn't stay at the house any longer.

A message came on his phone. Xing Yan had sent a photo of clothes: Washed them.

Qin Fang smiled: Hahaha, no need to be so careful.

Xing Yan asked: You're home?

Qin Fang replied: Yeah.

Normally the conversation would end here, with Xing Yan not responding further. But Qin Fang still wanted to chat more, so he continued: What do you do during your break?

After a while, Xing Yan answered: Wander around.

Qin Fang: Where to?

Xing Yan: Not set.

Qin Fang: For example?

Xing Yan: Anywhere, stepping on the wind.

Qin Fang: Stepping?

Xing Yan: Yeah, stepping.

Qin Fang wasn't sure what Xing Yan meant by "stepping", but a sudden thought flashed through his mind. He flipped over on his stomach and slowly typed: Yan-ge, can I come stepping with you?

...

"I'm dead tired," the speaker yawned, sitting on a suitcase. "Who is it that's got you waiting here like this?"

A message came on Xing Yan's phone, a voice message: "I'm almost there, which gate?"

Xing Yan replied: South gate.

Another message arrived: "Okay, coming."

When Qin Fang arrived by taxi, two others had also emerged from the community. Qin Fang hadn't expected so many people and was a bit surprised to see four of them.

Qin Fang first smiled at Xing Yan, then walked over with his backpack.

Getting out of the car, Qin Fang hadn't looked closely, but as he approached, he felt awkward. Other than Xing Yan, he had met the other three before.

Zhou Siming had a solemn expression, his gaze not very friendly. Xing Yan pointed at him, "No need for introductions here."

Xing Yan pointed to the one beside him, "Han Xiaogong."

The person raised his chin and chuckled, "Hey, we've met."

Indeed they had. Last time at the library entrance, Qin Fang had thought he was Xing Yan's girlfriend. Even though mentally prepared this time, upon hearing his voice, it still felt unexpected. Always felt it should be a girl's voice. But after hearing it, it also didn't seem unnatural, quite intriguing.

Qin Fang smiled and extended his hand, "Qin Fang."

The other party raised his hand to shake Qin Fang's. His fingers were long and soft, a bit cool. Qin Fang felt like he was holding a girl's hand, but the sensation was slightly different, not quite that soft.

Xing Yan then pointed to the last person, "Si Tu."

Qin Fang had seen him in photos before, Gong Qi's boyfriend in the pictures. Meeting him, Qin Fang truly wasn't prepared and couldn't avoid the awkwardness. But having come this far, awkwardness was unavoidable. Qin Fang walked over to shake hands, "Qin Fang."

"Hello," Si Tu smiled gently, without hostility. "Welcome."

Qin Fang also smiled faintly, "Thank you."

If Qin Fang had known in advance there would be four people here, he wouldn't have come. He thought it was just Xing Yan alone. Qin Fang had snagged the ticket the night before last, likely from someone's cancellation. Qin Fang refreshed right as one seat opened up and grabbed it.

When Xing Yan said he was taking the high-speed rail back, Qin Fang had wanted to accompany him. If he had known there would be so many people, Qin Fang would have just quietly flown over himself. Others probably wouldn't understand - not taking a 3-hour flight but enduring a 13-hour train ride instead, are you sick or what?

Qin Fang had eaten breakfast before coming out. When Xing Yan and the others went to eat, Qin Fang just got a cup of soy milk to slowly sip. Xing Yan asked him, "Already ate?"

Qin Fang grunted in acknowledgment. The two of them sat at one table while the others were at the next one. Qin Fang lowered his voice and called out, "Yan-ge."

Xing Yan looked at him, "Hm?"

"Si Tu..." Qin Fang lowered his voice even more. "Does he know who I am?"

Xing Yan looked at him and slowly smiled, not giving Qin Fang the answer he expected, "He knows."

"...Oh." Qin Fang pressed his lips together. "So awkward."

Xing Yan laughed again and told him, "It's fine."

Originally, Qin Fang could have changed his seat to sit with Xing Yan, but the ticket he grabbed was for second class while Xing Yan and the others were in first class. Qin Fang couldn't switch over, and he also didn't really want to now. Rarely did he feel awkward due to interpersonal relationships like this.

Qin Fang sat in the innermost seat of a three-person row. With his long legs, he couldn't stretch out, and a rather plump uncle sat beside him, making Qin Fang feel a bit cramped. He put on his headphones and eye mask, having woken up early and planning to nap. He dozed on and off, never falling fully asleep.

Not too clear how much time passed, maybe over an hour, maybe less, Qin Fang took off his eye mask, wanting to go to the restroom.

He put down his things and stood up to say to the person beside him, "Excuse..."

Before finishing, Qin Fang laughed. He sat back down and asked softly, "Why is it you? When did you come over?"

"Just now," Xing Yan asked him. "Going to the bathroom?"

"Yeah," Qin Fang took out his phone and other items, placing them on the seat. "Since you're here, I don't need to bring them."

Xing Yan stood up, signaling the person sitting closest to the aisle to let them pass, and said to Qin Fang, "Go ahead."

When Qin Fang returned, he felt quite refreshed. Sitting in his own spot, it no longer felt as cramped as before. Seemed to make a big difference whether the person beside you was fat or thin. Xing Yan took the initiative to chat with him, saying, "Why don't you fly there instead of taking the train? It's uncomfortable."

"It's not too bad," Qin Fang didn't mind, stretching his arms. "But why aren't you guys flying?"

When booking the tickets, Qin Fang had wanted to ask. The first-class high-speed rail tickets were even slightly more expensive than plane tickets. Why did these people insist on taking a train for more than ten hours?

Xing Yan said, "Si Tu gets severe motion sickness on planes."

"So you guys take the train for over ten hours every time?" Qin Fang asked.

"Yeah." Xing Yan nodded. "We're used to it."

The train ride was boring. Besides chatting, there seemed to be nothing else to do. But it wasn't easy to chat with Xing Yan. He was a man of few words, and a topic would quickly end.

When not chatting, Qin Fang would gaze out the window, lost in thought. When he felt like talking, he'd chat a bit.

Nestled in this little corner, Qin Fang actually felt comfortable at this moment. He must be out of his mind.

But it really felt very comfortable, a very relaxed state where all his nerves were lazy and loose. The monotonous green fields and crops outside the window made him feel grounded. The fleeting glimpses of rural life with small houses and courtyards were also beautiful.

Qin Fang turned to Xing Yan and said, "Too bad the train can't stop midway for us to look around. When we're back at school, we can drive around freely if we have time."

Xing Yan asked him, "Where to?"

Qin Fang pointed at the window and randomly drew a circle. "Just... wander around, wherever."

Xing Yan understood what he meant and nodded.

Qin Fang said, "I find it quite interesting, carefree."

Xing Yan curled the corner of his lips. "I'll take you."

Qin Fang turned to look at him and smiled, "Where will you take me, Yan-ge?"

Xing Yan also imitated his earlier gesture, pointing at the window, and said slowly, "To let you experience being carefree."

Qin Fang didn't say anything and didn't turn back. He just kept looking at him sideways like this. Xing Yan's gaze shifted from the window to Qin Fang, meeting his eyes. The corners of Xing Yan's eyes curved up slightly as he told him, "You'll like it."

After a few seconds, Qin Fang cleared his throat and turned back.

People who don't usually smile are always very charming when they do.

After a while, Qin Fang turned back to talk to Xing Yan, calling out to him.

Xing Yan responded, "What is it?"

Qin Fang said, "Zhou Siming seems quite annoyed with me."

Xing Yan showed no expression. "Aren't you annoyed with him?"

Qin Fang laughed and said frankly, "Yeah, whenever I see him, I feel like I can't contain my anger."

"So you two can just be annoyed with each other," Xing Yan said. "No need to accommodate each other. If you can't stand it, just fight it out."

Qin Fang chuckled, "If he provokes me, I really won't hold back my temper."

"No need to hold back." Xing Yan said.

The train kept moving forward like this, as if there was no end and no sense of time. Qin Fang looked out the window for a long time until it stopped at the platform. Qin Fang turned back and found that Xing Yan had fallen asleep.

Eyes closed, very quiet. His head was slightly tilted, and due to this, a faint vein protruded on his neck.

It was the first time Qin Fang had looked at Xing Yan so closely, also because they were sitting near each other. Guys rarely stare at each other's faces for long. It's too weird.

Xing Yan's eyelashes were very long, and very black like his eyebrows. His nose bridge was tall and his lip shape was also beautiful. When his eyes were open, he had slight inner double eyelids and wide-set outer corners, but always glaring at people, making him look fierce.

Now that he had his eyes closed in sleep, his cold aura and pretentious manner were gone. Suddenly, he turned into a fair-skinned, clean-cut young man, even giving an illusion of being gentle and well-behaved.

Ridiculous. Qin Fang laughed silently. He actually found Xing Yan gentle and well-behaved.

Qin Fang smiled and adjusted the air vent above his head, changing the direction of the airflow. The air conditioning was a bit cool. He didn't let it blow directly at Xing Yan.