Shen Duoyi had thought Zhang Yiming was just joking, but to his surprise, a weekend outing had been fully organized. The location, route, and schedule were meticulously planned, and everything was set up seamlessly.

He felt utterly exhausted. After a full week of work and revising the project proposal six or seven times, he finally made it to the weekend. All he wanted was to sleep in. Instead, he was now roped into a countryside trip with his boss and dragged into Zhang Yiming’s pursuit of romance.

“Grandpa, hand me that portable thermos you use for fishing. I need to take it with me.” Shen Duoyi had finished breakfast and was half-heartedly packing his bag. He tossed in a couple of items and gave up, slumping on his backpack. “Grandpa, I’ll be back by Sunday afternoon. I bought enough vegetables and fruits, and there are dumplings in the freezer. Just boil them when you’re hungry. If anything comes up, call me or ask the neighbor lady. I’ve already talked to her.”

Grandpa Shen said, “I’ve been alive decades longer than you. Stop worrying about me.”

Shen Duoyi, still lying on his backpack, asked, “You’ve seemed a little off lately. Is it the heat? The AC’s on, but make sure to open the window sometimes for fresh air. And don’t go outside.”

“Got it.” Grandpa leaned back on the sofa. “I think it’s just that I’m not used to being back from the hutong. I’m having trouble adjusting.”

“Yeah, right.” Shen Duoyi laughed, just as his phone vibrated beneath him. He fished it out from the couch cushion and answered, “Hello? Did the time change?”

Qi Shi’an’s voice came through, “No. I’m about to go pick up a few things. Need me to get anything for you?”

Shen Duoyi glanced at the time and saw there was still some to spare. “Where are you shopping? I can come meet you.”

Qi Shi’an chuckled, “Just come outside. I’m at your front door.”

“You…” Shen Duoyi was momentarily speechless. Qi Shi’an calmly explained, “If you don’t feel like going, I’ll just go myself. But if you want to, I can pick you up, and we can head out right away. Isn’t that more convenient?”

Shen Duoyi couldn’t argue with such clear logic and was touched by Qi Shi’an’s silent thoughtfulness. He grabbed his wallet and phone, headed out, and the moment he exited Wenhu Apartments, he saw a nearly-new Jeep parked outside.

The window was down, and Qi Shi’an sat in the driver’s seat, sunglasses on, looking like he was ready to go. Shen Duoyi jogged over, got in, and buckled his seatbelt. “Is this Zhang Yiming’s car?” he asked casually.

“No, it’s mine.” Qi Shi’an handed him a bottle of water, turned the wheel, and said, “I hardly ever drive it. It’s been sitting in the garage. I bought it after losing money on a currency trade. I was in a bad mood.”

Shen Duoyi stared at him like he was a rare creature. “You bought a car after losing money?”

Traffic was heavy, and Qi Shi’an pressed the horn with his palm. “What’s the point of keeping money stashed away? If I make it, I spend it. If I lose it, I need to vent somehow. Why can girls shop for clothes but I can’t buy a car?”

“But you can’t even drive that many cars, and they depreciate quickly.” Shen Duoyi’s eyes caught a glimpse of a ring on Qi Shi’an’s middle finger. He couldn’t help but stare at it for a moment.

Qi Shi’an noticed the silence and glanced over, catching Shen Duoyi’s gaze. “It’s a gift from You Si, part of some ‘Brotherly Bond’ series. Zhang Yiming and I each got one.”

Shen Duoyi burst out laughing, slumping back in his seat. “That’s so weird — two guys wearing matching rings from a ‘Brotherly Bond’ series.”

They had already pulled into the department store parking lot. Qi Shi’an turned off the engine, removed the key, and suddenly reached out, his hand gently pinching Shen Duoyi’s chin. Shen Duoyi’s laughter froze. Seeing the cold expression on Qi Shi’an’s face, he worried he’d said something wrong and asked quietly, “What’s wrong? Are you angry?”

Qi Shi’an didn’t apply any pressure, his thumb gently rubbing Shen Duoyi’s skin. He replied, “I’m not angry. But I think your perspective is flawed, so we need to have a serious conversation.”

Shen Duoyi was puzzled. “About what?”

“Something very important.” Qi Shi’an’s tone was firm. “You think it’s weird for Zhang Yiming and me to wear matching rings. But this ring was a gift, so I wear it to show respect to You Si. Normally, I don’t wear it. But let me make it clear — two men wearing matching rings can be perfectly normal. For example, you and me. So when we eventually wear matching rings on our ring fingers, are you going to think it’s weird and refuse?”

Shen Duoyi’s mouth fell open slightly. He hadn’t expected this to be the point of Qi Shi’an’s seriousness.

With his chin still pinched, it was hard to speak. He grabbed Qi Shi’an’s wrist, and once Qi Shi’an let go, he answered immediately, “I never thought about it that way. If it’s us, I wouldn’t find it weird, and I definitely wouldn’t refuse. I’d just hold out my hand.”

Qi Shi’an unbuckled Shen Duoyi’s seatbelt and said, “Duoyi, we’ll have that day.”

Inside the department store, the product categories were neatly organized. They headed straight for the outdoor gear section to pick up some camping supplies. Zhang Yiming had booked a mountain resort villa with a well-known camping area nearby.

“I brought the tent, sleeping bags, and all that. We just need things like insect repellent,” Qi Shi’an said, handing a shopping list to Shen Duoyi. “You read the list; I’ll find the items.”

Shen Duoyi read aloud, “Camping stove, moisture-proof mat, headlamp, portable high-power binoculars, and fiber pillows. That’s it.”

Qi Shi’an gathered everything on the list. “Let’s get some food too, and we’re all set.”

“Wait, why did you buy two mats and two pillows?” Shen Duoyi asked.

“You need them too. Did you think I’d be camping alone?” Qi Shi’an replied.

Shen Duoyi pouted. “I was hoping to enjoy the villa…”

Qi Shi’an pushed the cart forward, “Don’t worry. From now on, instead of buying cars when I make or lose money, I’ll buy villas.”

Looking at the items in the cart, Shen Duoyi teased, “You wear matching rings with Zhang Yiming, and now use matching mats with me… who’s really your boyfriend?”

Qi Shi’an smirked, “Let’s go to the second floor and get matching watches then.”

“The one that costs 170, in tens of thousands?” Shen Duoyi joked quietly. “How about I buy you a 90-yuan waterproof watch instead? Don’t complain.”

By the time they set off, it was nearly noon. The sun was blazing, but the temperature inside the car was steadily dropping. Zhang Yiming led the way in his SUV, with Qi Shi’an’s Jeep following closely behind.

The car was quiet. Shen Duoyi sat in the passenger seat, watching the scenery and occasionally sipping water. You Si and Shutiao sat in the back, equally silent, as if they were asleep. After a long stretch of silence, Qi Shi’an finally spoke up.

“Come on, don’t scare Shutiao.”

You Si complained, “If I’d known he was bringing a young model to get all cozy, I wouldn’t have brought Shutiao along. Tell me, doesn’t he have parasites in his brain? Hugging and cuddling in front of a kid—what does that even look like?”

Shutiao quickly chimed in, “Don’t be mad, Aunt. That model isn’t as pretty as you.”

“I’m not comparing myself to her. And you’re not allowed to look at her,” You Si warned, tearing open a bag of fries. “Listen, you should learn from Uncle Shi’an and Uncle Duoyi. Read more books, study hard.”

Shutiao asked, “What about Uncle Zhe?”

“Forget your uncle. All he does is work; he’s boring,” You Si said, holding the fries close to her nose before handing the bag forward. “Team Leader Shen, want some fries? I’m watching my weight.”

Shen Duoyi accepted the bag, but before he could thank her, Shutiao exclaimed, “Oh no! They’re going to eat me!”

The atmosphere in the car grew lively. The child couldn’t sit still, and in the back seat, he played around noisily. Several snack bags were opened. You Si didn’t want Shutiao to eat too much junk, but the boy squealed, clutching the bags tightly.

Shen Duoyi handed the bag forward. “Mr. Qi, want some?”

It had been a while since he’d heard that formal address. Qi Shi’an reached out, grabbed a handful, and quickly ate them. Then, just as Shen Duoyi was about to eat, he realized the bag was empty.

“You finished it in two bites?”

Qi Shi’an answered matter-of-factly, “Of course. You didn’t leave me much.”

Shutiao leaned over the front seats and asked, “Uncle, my aunt says you used to eat ten sandwiches at a time, and my grandpa could eat twelve meat buns. Is that true?”

“It’s true,” Qi Shi’an replied, accelerating slightly. “Did she say anything good about me?”

Shutiao frowned, “Eating that much is amazing! But mostly, she talks about Uncle Yiming before bedtime—”

You Si swatted his backside. “Are you asking for trouble?”

Shutiao leaned forward, hugging Qi Shi’an’s shoulder. “Right! She also said you won first place in military school hand-to-hand combat and that you’re good with guns. Uncle, can you teach me?”

Shen Duoyi crushed the empty snack bag in his hand, listening to Shutiao recount Qi Shi’an’s past. He imagined Qi Shi’an running on the training field, dressed in combat boots for a fighting competition, or during late nights studying abroad, wolfing down ten sandwiches to keep going.

“Mr. Qi,” Shen Duoyi said softly, “Teach me sometime, too.”

They finally arrived at the Green Mountain Area, where the temperature had dropped significantly. The air was damp and refreshing. The mountain villas were beautifully designed, and one room had floor-to-ceiling windows facing a forest stream.

You Si and Shutiao picked their rooms first, followed by Zhang Yiming and his date. Once settled, Qi Shi’an and Zhang Yiming unloaded the gear from the cars while You Si and Shutiao started taking photos. Shen Duoyi lit the grill, preparing lunch.

The villa kitchen had fresh ingredients ready, but everyone was too tired from the trip to cook properly. They just wanted to grill something quick to fill their stomachs.

Zhang Yiming, also wearing the matching ring, sat down to skewer the meat. He took off the ring, placing it on the stone table’s edge. He wasn’t used to manual work and asked, “Team Leader Shen, how many pieces of meat should go on one skewer?”

Shen Duoyi, warmed by the heat from the grill, replied, “Five or six pieces should be fine. No strict rules.”

The sausages were done first. He blew on one to cool it and called out, “Shutiao, come eat!”

Shutiao ran over, his little hands icy cold and dripping with water. He said excitedly, “Uncle, the spring water over there is freezing! Aunt took two sips and shivered!”

Zhang Yiming wiped his hands and stood up, muttering in annoyance, “She’s going to get a stomachache again. Doesn’t she ever learn?”

Shen Duoyi stayed with Shutiao, grilling the food. A few minutes later, Qi Shi’an returned with an armful of firewood. He sat down across from them, catching Shen Duoyi’s eye through the rising smoke.

The firewood added a rich aroma to the grilled food, and Qi Shi’an gradually took over the barbecuing, serving both Shen Duoyi and Shutiao. Though Shutiao wasn’t very familiar with Shen Duoyi at first, a few sci-fi stories later, he was comfortable enough to sit on Shen Duoyi’s lap, playfully seeking attention.