But then suddenly one of them spoke up and asked: "Excuse me, are you Xiaogong?"

Han Xiaogong turned his head to look at her. Lin Chuan also stopped what he was doing and looked over. Han Xiaogong raised an eyebrow, and the girl looked at his face, pursed her lips and said: "We used to be your fans."

"Used to be" - her meaning was already very clear.

Han Xiaogong smiled faintly and said thank you.

The girl said: "I followed your Weibo for three years, I really liked you. But for that incident, you should have apologized. You were indeed wrong."

Han Xiaogong had nothing to say, just looked at them, still smiling faintly, and shrugged. He turned back, and the girl continued: "I really didn't want to believe that the person I liked was a bad person. When others cursed you for having bad character, I defended you. I believe many people were like me, we would have believed you if you had just said something, but you didn't say anything and just accepted it. It's quite... disappointing."

Han Xiaogong didn't turn back, and the girl didn't speak anymore. Lin Chuan also withdrew his gaze and continued fixing the lamp.

Han Xiaogong said: "You can search for me on Weibo, there's gossip to read."

After saying this, he stood up with a smile, turned around and went upstairs back to his room.

Those three girls only stayed here for two days before continuing to the next city on their trip.

The day they checked out, Han Xiaogong had just returned from an early morning walk outside when he saw the three of them. The girl who had spoken that night pursed her lips, and Han Xiaogong said goodbye to them.

The girl looked up at him and said softly: "I hope you'll be well in the future."

Han Xiaogong smiled and said to her, "Thank you for liking me. Actually, there's not much to like about me, I just have this face. But don't be disappointed. I'm not some kind, good person, but I'm not that bad either. I don't feel regretful if you're disappointed in me, but it would be a pity if all you're left with from those years of liking me is disappointment. So look forward, young lady. I haven't given you anything, but my departure is open and honest. Don't be disappointed. I hope all my former young ladies grow up happily."

He finished speaking and went in with a smile, not looking back again.

That afternoon, Lin Chuan was sitting on the sofa in the front hall playing with his phone. Han Xiaogong asked him what he was looking at, and Lin Chuan said, "Reading gossip about you."

"Pfft." Han Xiaogong laughed, leaning against the soft armrest of the sofa, playing a simple puzzle game.

After a while, Lin Chuan put down his phone. Han Xiaogong looked up and asked him, "Finished reading?"

"Not entirely, but I've read most of it," Lin Chuan lit a cigarette.

Han Xiaogong asked him, "What do you think?"

Lin Chuan said, "I'm quite surprised."

Han Xiaogong raised an eyebrow: "Surprised? Surprised by the bad things I've done?"

Lin Chuan finished lighting his cigarette, tossed the lighter back onto the coffee table, and said, "Surprised that you're gay."

Han Xiaogong blinked, then chuckled: "...That's what you focused on."

Lin Chuan said nonchalantly, "I never look at this stuff online. It's hard to tell what's true and what's false, so I don't bother. I don't have the free time either."

Dongba came in from outside, rubbing his hands, saying, "It's raining! I almost got... soaked!"

No one paid attention to him. On the sectional sofa, one person sat on each side, looking at each other. Lin Chuan said, "Brother, I won't beat around the bush. Knowing you're gay makes me feel a bit more at ease."

Han Xiaogong smiled, scratching his hair, looking at Lin Chuan and said, "You never asked me. If you had asked earlier, I would have told you earlier."

Lin Chuan said, "I didn't have the courage. I was also afraid that if you weren't, you wouldn't want to continue living here."

"You underestimated me." Han Xiaogong sat cross-legged, his loose pants rolled up, revealing a stretch of pale calf. He casually rested his hand on his leg and asked, "So what now? Now that you know, what do you want to do?"

Lin Chuan bit his cigarette, looking at him. After a while, he said, "Let's put it this way. I'll be honest with you. You've lived here for half a year, and I've been troubled by these feelings. I've been thinking about you for more than just a day or two. I've laid it all out for you, now it's up to you to decide what you want to do."

After he finished speaking, neither of them said anything. Han Xiaogong had a half-smile, while Lin Chuan smoked in silence. Dongba, standing behind them, was almost dumbfounded.

He just went out for a moment, and things had developed to this point.

Lin Chuan let him decide, but what could Han Xiaogong decide? He couldn't decide anything.

—They had a conflict.

It was clear that Lin Chuan couldn't possibly be a bottom, he was obviously a pure top. With this conflict, they shouldn't pursue anything. There was no future.

Han Xiaogong didn't respond to Lin Chuan's words at that time, didn't say anything face to face. Dongba was so shocked behind them that he looked like a pug, how could they continue talking.

So Han Xiaogong, lying on his bed, sent Lin Chuan a message.

—Chuan-ge.

Lin Chuan replied: What's up?

Han Xiaogong said: If you can lie down, you can come over now.

Lin Chuan took a few minutes to reply: What do you mean?

Han Xiaogong: I won't be the bottom, we can't do it.

Lin Chuan took several more minutes before sending: Damn.

Han Xiaogong felt the same way in his heart, damn, damn damn damn damn damn damn. Did he have no feelings for Lin Chuan? That would be bullshit. In Lin Chuan's words, he had been thinking about him for more than just a day or two.

Han Xiaogong could suppress all those previous feelings, but this one he really couldn't. The aura just wasn't right.

But Han Xiaogong never bottomed, he didn't like being dominated. How could they resolve this, how could he and Lin Chuan make it work? Han Xiaogong tossed and turned in bed twice, unable to figure it out.

After this incident, no one mentioned it again. They acted as if nothing had happened, still behaving as usual, not awkward when they met.

It was Dongba who became extremely awkward, his stutter getting worse every time he saw the two of them, unable to even get out a "you you you".

Han Xiaogong wasn't a naive youngster new to relationships anymore, he wouldn't move out just because of this small incident. He was too calm about it.

Lin Chuan called him when the food was ready. Han Xiaogong answered, "Hello, Chuan-ge."

Lin Chuan said, "Come down for dinner."

Han Xiaogong asked, "What are we eating? I'm not very hungry, don't really feel like eating."

Lin Chuan just said, "Come down quickly."

So Han Xiaogong smiled and said, "Coming."

He casually tied up his hair and went downstairs. Lin Chuan told him, "When I call you for dinner, just come down quickly, don't dawdle."

Han Xiaogong nodded very cooperatively, "Okay, boss. Got it, boss."

When no one else was occupying the courtyard, Han Xiaogong would sit there for a while every night. He loved that patch of flowers so much, it made him feel like home. It's laughable to say, he once thought he had no home, that old house was at most a rotten and ugly nest, but now every time he thinks of it, he subconsciously feels it was home.

People are always ungrateful, when Si Tu was there, he never looked at the flowers, never liked them.

But now he loves those beautiful and bright flowers extremely.

Lin Chuan tended to the flowers differently from Si Tu. Si Tu was always clean, wearing gloves and using tools, gentle and careful. With Lin Chuan, he just used his hands, so every time he tended the flowers, his hands were covered in mud. When he squatted there, full of rugged charm yet carefully tending to those delicate plants, Han Xiaogong also quite enjoyed watching that scene.

Occasionally when the weather was too comfortable, Han Xiaogong would fall asleep sitting in the courtyard. When he fell asleep, the cushion in his hands would be under his head, with a blanket covering him. He never mistreated himself, knowing how to make himself comfortable and at ease.

Stars dotted the entire sky, moonlight scattered gently. Dongba had gone to sleep, Lin Chuan closed the shop door, also about to sleep. Entering the courtyard, he saw Han Xiaogong curled up on the long chair, sleeping peacefully.

Lin Chuan walked over, squatted beside him, curled his fingers, and gently tapped the back of Han Xiaogong's hand with his knuckles.

Han Xiaogong didn't wake up, so Lin Chuan tapped again, laughing softly as he called, "Wake up, whose little pig has entered my courtyard?"

Han Xiaogong still didn't open his eyes, but he grabbed Lin Chuan's hand.

Lin Chuan's hand was caught, Han Xiaogong opened his eyes to look at him, yawned and said, "Whoever's pig it is, they can claim it."

Lin Chuan raised his eyebrows, looked at Han Xiaogong, and after a while, asked with a smile, "So can I claim you?"

Han Xiaogong nodded, looking quite obedient in his half-asleep state, though it was hard to tell if he was genuinely obedient or just pretending: "Go ahead, brother. Claim me and see what we can do. Just stare at each other?"

Lin Chuan was left speechless. He squatted there looking at Han Xiaogong for a while, their gazes meeting, both filled with heat.

When Lin Chuan suddenly stood up and hoisted Han Xiaogong over his shoulder, Han Xiaogong was startled.

He was so thin that Lin Chuan carried him as if it were child's play.

"Damn, bro, what are you doing?" Han Xiaogong felt uncomfortable, hanging upside down, his face turning red.

Lin Chuan's room was on the first floor, he directly carried Han Xiaogong back to his own room.

When Han Xiaogong was put back on the sofa, he was still dizzy. He laughed while pinching his brow, asking Lin Chuan, "What's gotten into you?"

Lin Chuan pinned him to the sofa with both arms, his entire body covering Han Xiaogong. He looked down at Han Xiaogong and said, "You told me to claim you, now that I have, don't leave."

Han Xiaogong was never one to be coy. He looked up, meeting Lin Chuan's gaze, "Then I'll stay here tonight."

Lin Chuan's eyes darkened. When he suddenly kissed him, Han Xiaogong took a deep breath, closing his eyes and tilting his head up to kiss back.

Lin Chuan's kiss was fierce. His hands, his breath, were all fierce. Han Xiaogong liked his fierceness.

Actually, this was an accident. Normally, they would have gone back to their own rooms, none of this would have happened.

But Han Xiaogong unexpectedly fell asleep in the courtyard, then they had a somewhat ambiguous conversation, after which Han Xiaogong was forcibly brought back to Lin Chuan's room. They shared a long, passionate kiss, they kissed each other all over, but didn't go all the way.