Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Pei Ran's heart pounded rapidly, but he couldn't discern if it was due to Luo Qingshan kissing someone else or the lingering heat on his eyelids.

"Want to do something about it?" Yan Zhun pulled him to the side of the wall, out of Luo Qingshan and his companion's sight, and asked.

Under the dim lighting, Pei Ran's face flushed a deep red; his fair skin was prone to noticeable changes when he blushed or felt anxious.

Stunned, Pei Ran replied, "What?"

"Confront them," Yan Zhun said, "or leave?"

Pei Ran had never imagined that he would one day be associated with the word "confrontation" in such a context.

He finally regained his composure and stiffly opened his mouth, taking a long while before he spoke, "Forget it... Let's go."

It was Luo Qingshan's birthday today, and there were so many friends present; Pei Ran didn't wish for things to escalate into an ugly scene.

Yan Zhun paused, then said, "Okay."

Back at the entrance to the private room, Pei Ran was about to bow his head and go in when Yan Zhun suddenly turned around. "Wait here for me. I'll tell Lin Kang."

Pei Ran looked at him blankly.

Yan Zhun asked quite naturally, "Aren't you leaving?"

So Pei Ran waited quietly outside the door for a while, even considering what he would say if he were to run into Luo Qingshan and Su Nian.

But Luo Qingshan never returned until Yan Zhun emerged from the room.

Yan Zhun walked out with Pei Ran's coat in hand. "Let's go."

As they stepped out of the KTV and were hit by the chilly night breeze, Pei Ran finally fully regained his composure.

He lowered his head, fumbling with his hair, then let out a long sigh.

Yan Zhun caught a glimpse of his expression and pursed his lips several times before asking, "Do you want to cry?"

Pei Ran replied, "No."

"You look like you're about to cry."

Pei Ran didn't intend to cry, but his emotions were indeed in turmoil.

"I'm fine," he said. "Thank you for accompanying me out. Let me treat you to a milk tea."

There happened to be a milk tea shop nearby, and Pei Ran's plan was to buy their drinks before they could part ways. The events of tonight had left a significant impact on him, and he needed time to process it all.

Yan Zhun replied, "Too sweet, I don't drink it."

Pei Ran nodded. "Then I'll just..."

"Let's have coffee instead," Yan Zhun suggested. "That café across the street, they grind it fresh."

...

Yan Zhun seemed to be friends with the café owner, as they had been chatting at the bar for quite some time.

Pei Ran sat alone at the table, his gaze drifting aimlessly out the window.

The gentle clink of the cup against the table pulled his attention back.

"Didn't make it too sweet." Yan Zhun sat down.

"Thanks." Pei Ran said, realizing that he seemed to have been thanking Yan Zhun a lot lately, "Do you know the boss?"

"Mm-hmm, a friend, a few years older than us," Yan Zhun replied, "Met through gaming."

Pei Ran didn't know if he was really listening, but he simply nodded.

He took a sip of the coffee – bitter yet slightly sweet, much better than those overly sugary milk teas.

After a moment, he set the cup down, "You've known about this for a while?"

Yan Zhun stirred his coffee, "No, I'm not that close with them."

Not close, yet attending the birthday party?

Pei Ran assumed it was just an act of camaraderie among friends; he tugged at the corner of his mouth, "Mm."

Pei Ran glimpsed the tissue on the side, which Yan Zhun had just placed there alongside his coffee.

Unable to resist, Pei Ran said, "I really wasn't going to cry."

"Mm," Yan Zhun replied. "Is the coffee too bitter?"

The change in topic caught Pei Ran off guard, but he answered after a brief pause, "A little, but it's still very good."

Yan Zhun took a candy out of his pocket and put it in front of Pei Ran.

It was a White Rabbit milk candy, Pei Ran's favorite. He always kept a few within reach at his computer.

"How do you manage to pull things like this out of your pockets?" Pei Ran unwrapped the candy and popped it into his mouth without another word of thanks. The instant the milk candy touched his taste buds, his mood eased significantly.

Unfortunately, he didn't get much time to relax before his phone rang. It was Luo Qingshan calling.

Pei Ran glanced at the screen for a few seconds before hanging up. But Luo Qingshan didn't give up; he called again twice, but Pei Ran still didn't answer. Finally, after the fifth call was cut off, Luo Qingshan stopped trying.

Just as Pei Ran was about to breathe a sigh of relief, his phone lit up again. This time, it was Lin Kang calling.

Pei Ran hesitated for a moment before finally answering the call.

"Pei Ran, where are you?" Lin Kang's voice was muffled by noise, indicating he was still in a private room. "Hey! Turn off the music first, I'm on the phone with Pei Ran!"

Pei Ran didn't respond immediately but instead asked, "Is there something important?"

Lin Kang was taken aback. "Uh, yeah... Luo Qingshan is drunk and has been looking for you."

On the other end, Luo Qingshan, leaning against the sofa, was dozing off. Suddenly, he jolted upright and pounced on Lin Kang. "Pei Ran? My darling? Where's Pei Ran? Pei Ran... Why aren't you answering my calls?"

Lin Kang chuckled and cursed playfully. "Right here, right here. Here's the phone, talk to him yourself."

Pei Ran was caught off guard as he found himself talking to Luo Qingshan.

"Darling? Darling?" Luo Qingshan called out twice, then lifted his phone to squint at it, confirming that they were indeed on a call. "Pei Ran, pay attention to me."

Luo Qingshan had never been a heavy drinker. Judging from his tone, he seemed quite inebriated.

There was no point in conversing with someone who was drunk, so Pei Ran sighed softly. "You're drunk."

"I understand…" Luo Qingshan mumbled. "I know, I got drunk and you're upset. I won't drink again next time… Baby, come get me."

In the background, Pei Ran could hear the hubbub of people around Luo Qingshan. Lin Kang was even shouting about recording Luo Qingshan's drunken state.

With great patience, Pei Ran said, "I'm not coming back. Put Lin Kang on the phone."

"Why?" Luo Qingshan slurred. "No, if you don't come back, I'll die."

The noise in the background grew louder, giving Pei Ran a headache.

Not wanting anyone else to witness this spectacle, he softened his tone. "Will you listen to me?"

Yan Zhun stood with his hands in his pockets, leaning against a chair as he looked at him.

Luo Qingshan pondered for a moment. "Yes."

"Then give the phone to Lin Kang," Pei Ran instructed. "Be a good boy."

Finally, Lin Kang took the phone back. Pei Ran explained that he wouldn't be returning that night and asked Lin Kang to help him return to their dormitory.

As he hung up the call, he could still hear Luo Qingshan calling his name.

"Good boy?" Yan Zhun's lips curled in a mocking smile. "Are you babysitting?"

Pei Ran replied, "Drunkards and children aren't that different."

"There's a huge difference," Yan Zhun said coolly. "Children don't cheat on their partners."

Pei Ran faintly furrowed his brows. It might have been his imagination, but he felt that Yan Zhun's tone had changed after the phone call.

While Yan Zhun was right, his words were like tearing open old wounds for Pei Ran.

He tugged at the corners of his mouth. "I suppose so."

His phone, which was placed on the table, suddenly vibrated. It was a voice message from Luo Qingshan.

Pei Ran tapped on the message but didn't manage to put it to his ear in time. Most of the message played out loud, filled with meaningless rambling.

What mattered more was that behind Luo Qingshan's voice, there was a faint hint of Su Nian's, addressing him affectionately and clingily with "brother." They sounded incredibly close to each other.

"What now?" Yan Zhun asked. "A child who lost his plaything?"

Many people who had been cheated on enjoyed confiding in their friends, seeking comfort and justice through their complaints.

But Pei Ran was not one of them. He didn't like exposing his wounds to others; he was accustomed to dealing with his emotions alone.

Moreover, in Yan Zhun's analogy, he was a toy. While it might have been an unintended slip of the tongue that wouldn't normally matter, given the circumstances, Pei Ran couldn't help but feel resistant.

Only now did he realize how unfamiliar he was with Yan Zhun, not even qualifying as a casual friend.

"Perhaps," Pei Ran put away his phone and stood up. "It's late, so I'll head back first. We can chat more another time. Thank you for your help tonight."

Pei Ran paid the bill at the counter, and the owner handed him the receipt, which he casually stuffed into his pocket.

Pushing open the door to the café, he took two steps before the café's wind chime rang again. Immediately after, someone grabbed his arm.

Yan Zhun's palm was warm, and Pei Ran froze under his grip.

"I'm sorry," Yan Zhun's face remained stoic, but his words were apologetic. "I spoke out of turn."

Pei Ran blinked, slightly bewildered by the gesture. "It's okay, no need to apologize..."

Yan Zhun fished out all the White Rabbit candies from his pocket and placed them in Pei Ran's palm.

"I'm giving these to you," he said. "Don't be mad."

-

Back in his dorm, Pei Ran emptied the candies onto his computer desk.

His roommate heard the noise and turned around, grinning. "White Rabbit has stooped so low as to sell loose candies now?"

"Not really, they were a gift from someone else."

The roommate let out a long "oh." "How stingy of Luo Qingshan, only giving you a few pieces."

Pei Ran wasn't one to flaunt his affection publicly. Usually, when his roommate mentioned Luo Qingshan, he would hum and haw to avoid prolonging the topic.

He headed for the bathroom with his pajamas, explaining, "It wasn't him, it was another friend who gave them to me."

"Got it. Oh, right, I'm going out tonight and won't be back," his roommate's grin stretched almost to his ears. "Today's Luo Qingshan's birthday, I thought you wouldn't return either."

Pei Ran smiled but didn't say a word.

After taking a shower, he found that his roommate had already left. Lying on the bed, Pei Ran discovered his phone was flooded with messages.

Luo Qingshan had sent him countless voice messages, some long, some short, along with several emojis.

When Luo Qingshan was drunk, he was different from others who would simply pass out. Instead, he became more energetic.

Pei Ran casually swiped through the screen, not wanting to open a single voice message.

He didn't want to hear Luo Qingshan's voice or Su Nian's. Tonight, he still hoped for a peaceful night's sleep.

Exiting the chat window, Pei Ran was about to close WeChat when he noticed a large "1" next to the Friends icon.

"A request from Yan Zhun to add you as a friend, with a message: Yan Zhun"

Surrounded by acquaintances, Pei Ran didn't bother to inquire how Yan Zhun got his WeChat ID. He immediately approved the request and, in passing, changed Yan Zhun's nickname.

"Yan Zhun: [Voice Message]"

Beneath the glow of his phone screen, Pei Ran pursed his lips and played the two-second voice message.

"Don't be angry. Get some rest early."

Yan Zhun's voice was deep and low, with faint sounds of water in the background, suggesting he was taking a shower.

Pei Ran suddenly found the situation amusing. Luo Qingshan was the one who had strayed, yet Yan Zhun was the one constantly apologizing.

Moreover... Yan Zhun hadn't really done anything wrong.

"Pei Ran: I'm not angry. You should also get some rest early."

On the other side, Yan Zhun stood beneath the showerhead, reading the message over and over again.