They set off on the last day of the month, meaning the next month would begin in Inner Mongolia.

The train departed at eight in the morning. Ding Hanbai and the other two were in a sleeper car, which became quiet once the small door was pulled shut. Ji Shenyu was already wearing a cotton-padded jacket, looking two sizes rounder than usual. With the zipper pulled all the way up, half his face was covered.

Ding Erhe said with a laugh, "Aren't you hot? Take it off for now."

He'd been feeling hot since they left the house and had been enduring it for a long time. Ji Shenyu raised his hands to take it off but accidentally glanced at Ding Hanbai beside him. The man was having one of his fits again, staring at him with pursed lips, as if taking off the jacket would mean severing all ties between them. He had no choice but to give up. Being a little hot was no big deal; he'd just consider it humoring this crazy senior brother of his.

Ji Shenyu watched the scenery with his hands in his pockets. The lands further north were all farmland, with few rivers. After a while, he was sweating from the heat and decided to try a different approach. He said to Ding Hanbai, "Senior brother, I want to drink a cold soda."

Ding Hanbai couldn't help but laugh. "Just take it off. Where am I supposed to find a soda for you?"

Ji Shenyu was finally liberated, stripping down to just a cotton shirt. Bored with nothing to do, he took out a copy of The Youyang Miscellany to pass the time. Just as he turned to the bookmarked page, Ding Hanbai sidled up, posturing as if he wanted to read along with him.

Shamelessly, Ding Hanbai put on an air of indifference. Suddenly, his hand felt a weight as Ji Shenyu thrust the book at him. 'That's fine, too,' he thought. 'If I hold it, Ji Shenyu will lean against me, making us even closer.'

Unexpectedly, Ji Shenyu pulled out another book. "You can read that one. I have a copy of The Book of Deities and Oddities here."

His little scheme suddenly backfired. Ding Hanbai felt it was all rather dull, and it took him a long time to find any enjoyment in reading. Time passed quietly. When the train made brief stops along the way, Ding Erhe would go out for a smoke. Ding Hanbai, who hadn't touched a cigarette since that first one, followed him, and the two brothers stood facing each other, puffing away.

The three of them grew bored after a while. Once the train started moving again, they just stared at each other. Ji Shenyu closed his book and pulled a deck of poker cards from his bag. Jiang Ting'en had given him the cards to play a few hands when he was bored.

"Want to play?" He had only ever played with Jiang Ting'en before, losing a bag of crystals and several raw stones.

Ding Erhe rolled up his cuffs slightly. "For money, or for things?"

Ding Hanbai said, "Let's bet things." He knew Ji Shenyu didn't have much money. His large hands shuffled the cards and split them into two stacks. "For this round, I'll bet a piece of Nanhong."

Ji Shenyu and Ding Erhe followed suit, betting their Nanhong as well, arranging their cards more seriously than if they were at a real gambling table. One hand ended, and Ding Hanbai won two pieces of Nanhong. For the next hand, he raised the stakes. "I'll bet a half-meter piece of Huanghuali Wood."

Ding Erhe gave a bitter smile. "Do we have to play for such high stakes?"

Unexpectedly, Ji Shenyu was quite bold. "I'll bet a carved Zitan Wood Box."

Ding Hanbai still remembered the sight of Ji Shenyu losing his crystals; he would surely be heartbroken if he lost the Zitan box. He secretly went easy on him, but Ji Shenyu's card skills were so terrible that even blatantly throwing the game couldn't save him. In fact, it dragged Ding Hanbai down to defeat as well.

Ding Erhe's bets were small, so he was like a wolf snatching prey with empty hands. The round ended just as meal service began, making it a deal with no chance for a comeback. Ding Hanbai seized the opportunity and said, "I can't just win for free. Go buy something to eat here and watch the luggage. We'll go to the dining car to eat."

He and Ji Shenyu killed time in the dining car. The food wasn't to their liking, and they stopped after a few bites. Seeing that Ji Shenyu wasn't really eating either, he asked, "Are you heartbroken about losing the Zitan Wood Box?"

Ji Shenyu admitted, "A little." He was also a bit bored. Propping his chin on his hand, he looked at the other man. "Senior brother, you know so much. Can you just tell me a random story?"

'Is he treating me as entertainment?' Ding Hanbai thought. 'Fine, I'll accept that.' He began to speak off the cuff, "When I was little, I heard my grandpa say that there used to be a man in the trade with the surname Nie. His carving skills were incredible, and he was extremely talented, but sadly, his career was even more fleeting than a night-blooming cereus."

Ji Shenyu listened intently. Ding Hanbai continued, "His name was Nie Songqiao. His family was large and wealthy, but he didn't do any proper work, just like the Bannermen of the old days. After becoming obsessed with carving, he studied it for a few years and made a name for himself in the trade. Later, he became obsessed with gambling, spending all day at the card table, only touching chips and gradually no longer touching his carving knife."

Ji Shenyu asked, "So he never carved again?"

Ding Hanbai replied, "Carving was just a hobby for him. When a bigger hobby came along, he naturally abandoned the former. According to my grandpa, he later gambled away his entire fortune. In terms of class, he went from being an exploiting-class landlord to a proletarian poor-and-lower-middle peasant."

Ji Shenyu was filled with regret. "Doesn't that mean his craft was lost forever?"

'It wasn't completely lost. He probably taught his son,' Ding Hanbai recalled. 'Apparently, his son's skill was very average, not even good enough to be noticed by my dad. My grandpa said his grandson was pretty good, though, having learned from a young age. But who knows.'

He told some strange tales to relieve the boredom. They stretched the meal until the dining car emptied, and then they had no choice but to return to their sleeper car to rest. As they headed north, the temperature gradually dropped, and the sky began to darken around four or five o'clock. When Ji Shenyu woke up, they were passing through a tunnel. It was pitch-black, so dark he couldn't see his hand in front of his face, leaving him disoriented about whether it was day or night.

Once they were out of the tunnel, only Ding Erhe was in the small compartment. Ji Shenyu closed his eyes and feigned sleep, planning to 'wake up' again when Ding Hanbai returned. Gradually, the view outside the window grew darker as the sun sank in the west. Finally, he couldn't resist going out to look for him.

Ding Hanbai was in the vestibule between two cars, standing before the door with a cigarette between his lips, exhaling smoke. It was drafty there, and the smoke slowly drifted out. By the time he finished, he too was chilled.

He heard a sound and turned, seeing a sleepy-eyed Ji Shenyu. "You came looking for me the moment you woke up?" he asked.

In truth, Ji Shenyu had been awake for a while, but he didn't explain. "Senior brother, you learned how to smoke?"

Ding Hanbai didn't explain either. 'What is there to learn?' he thought. 'Anyone with a mouth can do it.' When Ji Shenyu came to his side, his peripheral vision caught the crimson evening glow, and his heart turned wicked. "I've only smoked three in total. Smell me. Do I reek of smoke?"

Ji Shenyu craned his neck and sniffed. "No, it's all aired out."

Ding Hanbai said, "Come closer. Is there any on my collar?" He remained impassive, like a cheetah luring a lamb, his muscles tensed and ready to strike. Ji Shenyu was none the wiser. He moved closer and tilted his head, his nose brushing against Ding Hanbai's collar. As he inhaled to catch the scent, his exhale warmed the other man's neck.

Ding Hanbai raised a hand and gently pressed it to the center of the other's back, gradually applying pressure through the soft cotton jacket. Ji Shenyu said, "Nothing on the collar either. Is my nose not working?" After sniffing, he tried to step back, bumping against Ding Hanbai's palm. Then his arm was grabbed, and with one step, the man trapped him in the corner by the door.

Just like that night he was lifted up, the sudden physical contact left him bewildered and helpless.

Ji Shenyu asked, "Are you still angry?"

Ding Hanbai said, "What would I be angry about?"

Ji Shenyu mumbled, "...Why do I feel like you're holding back and want to beat me up?"

The wheels rumbled, the scenery outside constantly changing. The setting sun colored Ding Hanbai's eyes red. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry, not expecting his moment of uncontrollable passion to be so comical. The romantic atmosphere was shattered. He turned Ji Shenyu around and said, "I'm not going to beat you up. Let's watch the sunset."

Ji Shenyu leaned against the car door with Ding Hanbai enclosing him from behind. He grabbed the handrail, and Ding Hanbai's hand grabbed it right next to his. The twilight sky was a swathe of fiery red, just like his face at that moment. His heart was in a panic, thumping wildly.

"Senior brother," he said, "It's so red. Doesn't it look like Balin Chicken-Blood Stone?"

But Ding Hanbai saw right through him. "Every time you try to change the subject, it's so obvious. You're like a little fool."

In that swaying vestibule, through the small glass window, they stood until the last of the afterglow faded. The rocking of the train made one forget what day it was; the light made one forget where they were headed. With his chest pressed against the other's back, separated by thick layers of clothing, he could hear his own powerful heartbeat and couldn't help but wonder—'Does he feel this way too?'

At eight in the evening, the train's long whistle announced its arrival at the station. Ji Shenyu pulled on his hat and stepped onto the soil of Chifeng, his burning cheeks finally cooling down. Passengers disembarked one after another. He tightly gripped Ding Hanbai's arm, and after squeezing through the crowd for a moment, he looked up to find he was holding onto Ding Erhe instead.

He let go abruptly and called out, "Senior brother!" Ding Hanbai turned back, reached out, and pulled him to his side.

Ding Hanbai didn't let go again. He held his hand, the thick calluses on his large palm fitting against his and feeling more warm than coarse. As they neared the station exit, crowded person to person, he looked up and saw a sign outside the station. He exclaimed in surprise, "Wuyun? Senior brother, is that you?"

The first time Ding Hanbai came with Ding Yanshou, he was still young. When he returned later after changing his name, Boss Wu had already gotten used to calling him by his real name. Squeezing out of the station exit, he gave the person holding the sign a warm hug and said thankfully, "Uncle Wu, thank you for the trouble of hosting us."

Wu Naqin's laughter was hearty as he took them to his home to rest. The sky was completely dark, and weary from the journey, they didn't get a chance to see what Chifeng looked like. Soon, they arrived at a residential area. The buildings weren't tall, but they were much warmer than the old single-story houses.

A table of food and drinks was waiting; filling their stomachs was the priority. As the three brothers lined up to wash their hands, a figure flashed past, and a clear, bright laugh rang out at the same time. It turned out to be Boss Wu's daughter.

Wu Nuomin snuck up and patted Ding Hanbai's shoulder, greeting him in slightly unclear Mandarin.

Ding Hanbai turned around. "You've grown so tall, and your slap is still quite strong."

Wu Nuomin looked at them. "I made the stewed mutton. Please eat a lot."

It wasn't just the stewed mutton; it turned out Wu Nuomin had made the entire table of local delicacies. As they took their seats, Boss Wu said, "She's been pestering me to teach her for a long time, saying she wanted to cook for you all."

Two of the dishes were Ding Yanshou's favorites. Every time Ding Yanshou visited, he would bring gifts for Wu Nuomin, for which the young girl was grateful. As a guest, Ding Hanbai couldn't refuse his host's kindness, so he ate as if on behalf of his father, stuffing himself until he was fit to burst.

At night, Wu Naqin cleared out two small bedrooms for them. They were small, but big enough to sleep in. Ji Shenyu hesitated at the doorway. Ding Erhe went into one of the rooms and said, "What are you standing there for? We're going to Balin Right Banner tomorrow. Get to bed early."

Ji Shenyu was relatively unfamiliar with Ding Erhe. He was well aware that the other didn't like him, and on top of that, there was the matter of the shattered Jade Incense Burner; he truly suspected the two brothers the most. But Ding Hanbai was the eldest and difficult to deal with, so he would surely sleep alone. Silently entering the room, Ji Shenyu thought, 'Anyway, it's just two boys sleeping. It's not like a wedding night. It's the same no matter who it is.'

After he finished washing up, the other bedroom was still empty. Ji Shenyu hadn't seen Ding Hanbai, so he let it be. Once the door was closed, the atmosphere became extremely oppressive. Ding Erhe read a local newspaper while he leaned against the window and stared into space.

In a daze, he heard something. Opening the window, he saw Ding Hanbai and Wu Nuomin taking a walk downstairs.

'It's snowing. It's so cold, what's there to walk about?'

'Running around, too, indulging a teenage girl. Isn't he afraid of tiring out his own twenty-year-old bones?' Ji Shenyu entertained some absurd, laughable thoughts, then suddenly recalled something Jiang Ting'en had said—that Ding Hanbai thought Shang Minru was too old.

'Shang Minru was old, but Wu Nuomin is young.'

'And he's not done with the name 'Min' yet.'

The snow fell heavier and heavier. Ding Hanbai had eaten so much he was taking a walk to aid his digestion, and Wu Nuomin had run out to accompany him. He thought that Ji Shenyu should see these snowflakes, but then again, the whole place would be cloaked in silver by morning, so he would naturally see it then.

When he turned back, Ding Hanbai was surprised to realize the other two had already gone to rest, and were even bunking together in one room. He wanted to drag Ji Shenyu out, but just as he saw Wu Nuomin off, Wu Naqin came over, and so he started discussing their purchasing intentions with him.

By late night, Ding Hanbai figured Ji Shenyu was already fast asleep and decided not to disturb him.

On their first night in Inner Mongolia, Ji Shenyu awoke with a start from his drowsiness, nearly rolling off the bed. He nudged Ding Erhe, who had encroached on his space, but the other man didn't move. A churning sensation rose from his stomach to his heart, and he scurried to the bathroom, stifling his retching as he threw up for a good while.

Fruit jerky, Hand-held Mutton, Milk Tofu... His vision swam between blackness and clarity, and his throat was raw and tight. He returned, fumbling in the dark to pull the quilt over himself, perching on the very edge of the bed.

Some time passed, but his insides were still churning violently, and he couldn't stop himself from throwing up again. His stomach felt like it was on fire. After vomiting, he rinsed his mouth and brushed his teeth over and over. His stomach was empty now; he should be able to get a good night's sleep.

Ji Shenyu trudged back to the bedroom. The desk lamp switched on, and Ding Erhe asked, "What are you making such a racket for in the middle of the night?"

He explained, "I don't feel well. I threw up twice."

Ding Erhe said, "You threw up? Why are you so much trouble..." He looked weary, as if half-asleep, and rolled over, wrapping himself in the quilt. His words were hurtful. "Sleep with your back to me. And don't breathe through your mouth, it's disgusting."

Ji Shenyu got back into bed in silence. After turning off the light, he pressed his lips together and held his breath. One second, two seconds, three... He counted to a hundred or so, then scrambled up, hugged his quilt, and left. The rooms were all dark. He stopped outside the other door and knocked.

Ding Hanbai was a heavy sleeper, and it took him a while to wake up. He listened closely; the knocking was still there, soft and gentle. When he opened the door, he saw only a bundle of quilt. He reached out and pushed it down, revealing Ji Shenyu's pale face.

Before he could ask, Ji Shenyu said, "Senior brother, I want to sleep with you."

Ding Hanbai was instantly awake, yet he felt as if he were still dreaming. "What's wrong?" he asked.

Ji Shenyu replied, "I don't feel well. I threw up twice." He didn't mention that Ding Erhe was annoyed with him, not wanting to gossip. "I brushed my teeth several times, I'm not dirty at all. I'll sleep with my mouth closed."

Ding Hanbai reached out, wrapped an arm around the quilted bundle, and pulled Ji Shenyu into the room. He closed the door, locked it, and gave Ji Shenyu the water from his bedside to drink. "Second brother got tired of you, huh?" He knew exactly what had happened. "It's fine. Ignore him. Quick, get into bed."

Ji Shenyu lay down and watched silently as Ding Hanbai rummaged through his suitcase.

There was the crinkling of a plastic wrapper. Ding Hanbai came over and popped an Eight Treasures Candy into his mouth.

"Eat something sweet, and the bitter taste in your mouth will go away." Ding Hanbai got into bed. In the darkness, he turned to face Ji Shenyu. Ji Shenyu reacted slowly. "I should sleep with my back to you."

An arm tightened around his waist, pulling him close, still separated by the quilt.

"Just sleep like this," Ding Hanbai said. He never would have thought Ji Shenyu wouldn't be able to acclimatize, nor that that bastard Ding Erhe would be so cold, nor that they would end up sleeping in the same bed.

He was lost in so many thoughts. By the time he came to his senses, Ji Shenyu was already asleep, the barely-dissolved candy puffing out his cheek. Ding Hanbai extended his index finger, touched those soft lips, traced the seam to probe inside, then nudged past the white teeth to delve deeper. He was afraid Ji Shenyu might unconsciously swallow in his sleep and choke on the candy, so he wanted to hook it out.

The inside of the mouth was hot, wet, and soft. Ding Hanbai's finger touched Ji Shenyu's tongue, and then the candy. He froze, entranced, mesmerized by the warmth within... 'How could I be like this, taking advantage of his situation, taking advantage of his weakness? How am I any different from a hooligan?'

Suddenly, as if sensing something, Ji Shenyu hummed dazedly. His teeth scraped against the finger, and he even gave it a light suck.

A roar went off in Ding Hanbai's head. He pulled his hand out, a sudden clarity washing over him. So what if he was a hooligan? So what if he was a bandit? Those thin lips, that tongue, those clenched white teeth that had argued and fought with him—he coveted them!

Not only did he covet them, sooner or later, he was going to have a thorough taste.