They both knew they had reached a stage of ambiguity in their relationship, and others knew it too.

This stage before dating is very enticing, where every sentence can be interpreted with hidden meanings, and every glance exchanged in a crowd carries a unique warmth. This is the most satisfying and anticipated stage in the process of falling in love.

But it is usually short-lived and difficult to sustain for long, because once feelings have developed to this extent, they must inevitably take a step further. Either a step forward or a step back, there must be a result.

Qin Fang was now in a daze and couldn't figure it out, while Xing Yan was clear in his heart but didn't take the initiative to say it. So the two of them stayed at this stage for quite a while, interacting half as brothers and half as something else every day, each quite satisfied.

"Where's your Yan-ge?" Feng Zhe squatted on a chair and asked Qin Fang, "Why don't you ever bring him out to play with us?"

Qin Fang glanced at him and said, "You only know how to play."

"Well, besides playing, I have nothing else to do. I only have sleeping and playing left to do," Feng Zhe said.

"That can't be," Fan Linyi walked over from behind and pressed down on Feng Zhe's head, scolding him, "You can also cause trouble, be mischievous, and court death, you're good at all that."

Feng Zhe looked up at him with narrowed eyes, too lazy to pay attention, and glared.

Qin Fang chuckled, "What trouble did he cause this time?"

"Listen to him rambling," Feng Zhe swatted away Fan Linyi's hand, "He just has a big mouth to criticize me."

The two were quite a pair of jokers. Every time Qin Fang saw them, he found them very amusing. Their daily routine was nothing but bickering. It was just their personalities clashing.

If it were him and Xing Yan, they probably wouldn't be able to bicker even if they wanted to. Their personalities weren't like that, and they didn't have much to say.

The project Xing Yan had been working on with others was nearing its end, so he had been immersed in the lab building recently, and the two of them didn't have much time to meet. Xing Yan had started working on projects since his sophomore year, and whenever the graduate students in the department published results, they would include his name.

Every time Qin Fang thought about this, he felt it would be a pity if Xing Yan didn't continue his studies. He shouldn't stop.

When Qin Fang returned from outside, it was almost six o'clock in the afternoon and it was already dark. At this time of year, only the pine trees on campus were still green, while everything else was bare and withered. Under the street lamps, students walked briskly. The winter in the north was really too cold.

Xing Yan came out of the lab building and saw Qin Fang waiting for him. Xing Yan walked over and asked, "Why didn't you wait inside?"

"Didn't feel like going in," Qin Fang handed over the bag of things he was carrying, "I brought you dinner, go heat it up at the dorm management."

Xing Yan took it, and their fingers touched. Qin Fang's fingers were very cold. Xing Yan switched hands to hold the things, then directly grabbed Qin Fang's hand to feel the temperature, saying, "Too cold."

Qin Fang looked down at their hands and sighed, asking, "Do brothers directly touch hands now?"

"Put it back in your pocket," Xing Yan withdrew his hand and said to him, "Yes, brothers are like this now."

Qin Fang had simply come over to deliver a meal. The place he went to today had pretty good food, so he ordered a few portions. Because of this, Qin Fang was mocked for a while, but he didn't care whether they mocked him or not.

The two of them strolled back to Xing Yan's dorm first. Before Xing Yan went upstairs, he said to him, "I've been busy these past few days."

"I know," Qin Fang waved at him, "Good night then."

"Go back," Xing Yan lifted his chin and laughed lightly, calling out, "Brother."

They often called each other "brother" now. Qin Fang did it in self-mockery as a joke, while Xing Yan deliberately teased him. After Xing Yan called out "brother", Qin Fang laughed and shook his head, then turned and left.

For Qin Fang, this kind of relationship was actually very comfortable and relatively relaxed. But Xing Yan was indeed busy, and after that, they didn't see each other for many days.

At times like this, the instability of their current relationship became apparent. Because there was no clear relationship tying them together, when one party was busy and they had less contact, it would make the seemingly warm state turn cold.

Of course, this didn't necessarily mean it had really cooled off. The collisions and struggles of tightening and loosening, pulling and dragging in a relationship should be like this.

The postgraduate entrance exam dates had arrived, and Qin Fang's two roommates had to take the exams. The two of them had discussed going out to book a hotel, but they hadn't thought about it in advance. By the time they remembered, all the hotels near the exam site were fully booked.

Qin Fang said, "You two have a driver, what are you afraid of?"

"Right, then let's not book. We have a driver," Shen Dengke nodded.

He had been quite nervous the past few days, but when the day actually came, he didn't seem to be, and looked very relaxed. Chen Ke even looked at his books for a while before going to bed, while Shen Dengke didn't look at all, saying he would get nervous if he did.

Qin Fang served as their driver for two days. His two roommates had really worked hard for more than a year, no matter what they did, they always had to keep their studies in mind, with this matter constantly weighing on their hearts.

Now even Qin Fang felt relieved for them. The stone pressing on them was temporarily lifted. Regardless of the results, at least for the next two months before the scores came out, they wouldn't have to think about it.

On the day they finished the exams, the two of them were already in high spirits, discussing where to go eat in the car, and wanting to sing karaoke all night after eating. Qin Fang listened to their discussion with a smile, having no objections. Later, Shen Dengke called Hua Tong to come out, and he immediately ran out directly from the school.

That night, they indeed had a lot of fun. Qin Fang slept in the room for half the night, while the three of them had a blast together. When he woke up, Shen Dengke was singing with Hua Tong, and Chen Ke was also dozing off on the side.

Qin Fang yawned, planning to go out for some fresh air.

This breath of fresh air lasted for more than half an hour. When he opened the door and came in, Hua Tong said, "We thought you had left."

Qin Fang shook his head and said, "Keep singing."

Hua Tong walked over to him, squinting at his face, and asked, "What happened to your face?"

Qin Fang raised his hand to touch it and asked, "What's wrong?"

"It looks like it's bruised," Hua Tong was also drunk, his eyes not working so well, staring at Qin Fang's face, "What did you go do?"

Qin Fang said, "Just stood outside the door for a bit."

At that time, the light in the room was a bit dim. After Hua Tong asked, he didn't think much of it and left. But the next day, after sobering up, his roommates and Hua Tong were all stunned. Qin Fang's face was indeed bruised, and it looked quite obvious.

His roommate asked, "How did this happen, Fang?"

Qin Fang took out a mask and put it on his face, saying, "Bumped into a wall."

"Bumped into what wall? You didn't even drink," Hua Tong frowned.

Qin Fang laughed and said, "You can bump into things even without drinking, when you're dazed and sleepy."

Because of the bruise on his face, Qin Fang hadn't taken off his mask for a week, always wearing it when going out. They were also approaching exam week, needing to start reviewing subject by subject.

When Xing Yan sent him a text message, Qin Fang was in the study room reading. He glanced at his phone, and in the message Xing Yan asked him: Where are you?

Qin Fang said: Fourth teaching building.

Xing Yan: Reviewing?

Qin Fang: Yeah, exams are coming up.

Their conversations nowadays were generally this simple, finishing after a few sentences. Xing Yan didn't have time during the day, and at night Qin Fang was afraid of disturbing his rest, so they hadn't chatted leisurely for a while. And once the state of frequently chatting casually was interrupted, it wasn't easy to pick back up, not knowing the other person's thoughts, difficult to guess.

Xing Yan's message came again, he asked: Want to have lunch together?

Qin Fang replied: Sure, where are you?

Xing Yan said: Almost there.

It was basically the coldest time now, with the ground covered in white after several snowfalls. Qin Fang wore a thick down jacket, pulling on his hat when he came out, and also wearing a mask on his face. Seeing him, Xing Yan asked: "Is it that cold?"

"I've been a bit fragile recently," Qin Fang smiled behind his mask, and although his face couldn't be seen, you could tell he was smiling from his eyes, "Whenever it's review time I feel like I'm fragile, like a delicate flower."

Xing Yan was amused by his choice of words, asking: "How's the reviewing going?"

"Not bad, it's not difficult." Qin Fang said.

They hadn't eaten together for a while. As they walked together, Qin Fang felt a bit reserved in speaking, wanting to joke around like before, but also feeling that with the lack of contact between them recently, the state wasn't quite right for talking that way, unsure of the appropriate level.

Until Xing Yan spoke first, asking: "Are you just trying to look cool, brother?"

After he said this, Qin Fang burst out laughing, looking at Xing Yan and asking: "Well, do I look cool?"

Xing Yan nodded, saying: "Not bad."

With just two sentences, Xing Yan made the atmosphere between them a bit more natural. Qin Fang thought to himself that the other guy really had skills.

He wore the mask the whole way. When it came time to eat, he had to take it off no matter what. Qin Fang lowered his head as he spoke and removed his mask.

Xing Yan had also been looking down. When he raised his head, his gaze landed on Qin Fang's face for a moment and didn't move away.

Qin Fang was still talking when Xing Yan interrupted him: "Look up."

Qin Fang's half-finished words were cut off. Before raising his head, he sighed with a smile: "Can't you just let me look cool?"

He looked up at Xing Yan, who furrowed his brow.

Qin Fang said: "I hit it on a door."

Xing Yan's eyes didn't move at all, staring at his face. Qin Fang said: "Tone it down? The girls next to us are going to take our picture, don't be so...affectionate."

Xing Yan glanced to the side. The girls were all busy eating, not looking at them.

Actually, Qin Fang's face was mostly fine, just some bruising remaining by his cheekbones. Xing Yan's eyes were sharp. Qin Fang smiled and said: "Dengke and the others stayed up half the night after their exam, making me groggy."

Xing Yan looked at his eyes. Besides furrowing his brow, he hadn't shown any other expression. After a while, he shifted his gaze and let out a "hmm" sound.

Qin Fang took off his coat and chatted with Xing Yan, asking how he planned to spend the winter break.

Xing Yan said: "Going back."

Qin Fang asked: "You're going together?"

"Yes," Xing Yan looked at him and asked, "What about you? Want to come with me?"

This question carried a force that was hard to refuse. Qin Fang thought for a bit but still said: "I'm not sure if I have anything going on right now."

Xing Yan nodded and said: "If you're bored, come with me."

If you're bored, come with me. Xing Yan's words always carried his unique texture, Qin Fang thought to himself. When you say it like that, regardless of whether the other person is bored or not, they'd really want to go with you.

After lunch, Qin Fang had to go back and keep reviewing. With exams coming up, he didn't dare waste time. He stood up to put on his coat and asked Xing Yan: "Where are you going?"

Xing Yan said: "To Si Tu's place. You can come over in the evening too."

As Qin Fang put on his coat and lowered his head to zip it up, he said: "Xiaogong probably won't be there, he likely left."

Xing Yan suddenly raised his hand to stop Qin Fang's hand. Qin Fang looked up at him.

Xing Yan's gaze fell on the side of Qin Fang's neck. He lifted his hand and flipped the collar of Qin Fang's inner t-shirt. His fingertips were a bit cool. Qin Fang felt his fingers tap a spot on the side of his neck near the collarbone, pressing down with some pain.

Looking at Qin Fang, Xing Yan asked: "What about this? Did you hit this on a door too?"