Chapter 24 Friends

Chapter 24: Friends

I never had friends before, but now I have you all.

When Bai Suizhi and Kahn arrived, they found the three of them keeping to themselves, not communicating at all. The atmosphere was even more silent than before.

Thinking they had argued, the two looked at Oliver with concern and asked, "What's wrong with you guys?"

Before Oliver could answer, Gu Ze spoke up, "What do you mean, 'what's wrong'? Do you think we'd bully him?"

Kahn frowned at him, "Watch your tone."

Seeing the situation escalating, Oliver quickly explained, "No, we didn't argue. I was just lost in thought and probably looked a bit upset."

Bai Suizhi asked curiously, "What were you thinking about?"

Oliver hesitated, "Um... can I refuse to answer?"

Bai Suizhi shrugged, indicating it didn't matter.

Gu Ze mercilessly exposed him, "He's jealous that we're better off than him."

Oliver bristled, "Gu Ze, you were playing mute earlier, and now you're suddenly so talkative."

Chen Yi also looked strangely at Gu Ze, wondering why the Young Master was suddenly acting up.

Bai Suizhi glanced at Gu Ze, who immediately turned his face away.

Chen Yi quickly waved it off, "No need, no need. We brought plenty of food up here."

Oliver sighed wearily, "Brother Bai, don't bother with them. They're treating this like a camping trip—living the good life."

Chen Yi was about to retort but then realized that, compared to Oliver, they really were living quite comfortably. So he swallowed his words and changed the subject, "We have four bedsheets here. Originally, two were for lying on and two for covering ourselves. Now we've torn them up, so we have eight pieces. We can share them later and make it work."

Bai Suizhi said, "No need to go through all that trouble. We can just sleep on the ground. It's not even cold out, so we don't need covers."

He then looked at Kahn, "Do you want to sleep in the helicopter?" The helicopter seats were a bit cramped, and fitting five people might be difficult, but one person could sleep there comfortably. It was definitely better than sleeping on the floor.

Kahn shook his head. Bai Suizhi then asked the others, "Does anyone want to sleep in the helicopter?"

Chen Yi looked at Gu Ze, "Gu Ze, aren't you going?"

Gu Ze snapped, "Who do you think you're looking down on?"

Oliver couldn't help but think, *You're the one who risked your life just to bring silk bedsheets, and you have the nerve to say that?*

Chen Yi said, "Not at all. I just meant that if you're not going, I will."

Gu Ze went quiet.

Oliver couldn't hold back, "Got no shame?"

Chen Yi retorted, "Shame doesn't fill your stomach."

Oliver shot back, "You didn't even ask Brother Bai if he wants to sleep there. Where are your manners?"

Chen Yi, ever polite, immediately turned to Bai Suizhi and asked, "Brother Bai, where do you want to sleep?"

Ignoring Oliver's meaningful look, Bai Suizhi smiled and said, "I'll sleep here."

Chen Yi cheered, "Alright, then it's settled!"

Oliver put his hands on his hips, "You haven't asked for my opinion yet."

Chen Yi's lips twitched, "Well then, dear Mr. Oliver, may I kindly ask if you would be willing to let me have the privilege of sleeping in the helicopter?"

Oliver said firmly, "No."

Chen Yi shrugged, "Fine, then you go."

Oliver was taken aback by how easily Chen Yi gave up, "You're giving the spot to me?"

Chen Yi shrugged again, "Yeah, after all, you guys were the ones who brought the helicopter."

Oliver looked at Chen Yi in surprise, not expecting the guy to have a conscience. He had only spoken up because he couldn't stand Chen Yi's smugness, not because he actually wanted to sleep in the helicopter. In fact, he preferred all sleeping together—it felt livelier and warmer. Sleeping alone reminded him of those bad memories.

It dawned on Oliver how childish and immature he had been, not very grown-up of him. To demonstrate maturity, he suggested, "This feels like an unfair win. Let's compete fairly."

Chen Yi became interested, "How do we compete?"

Oliver said seriously, "Rock-paper-scissors."

Chen Yi was speechless, "...Do we have to make rock-paper-scissors so serious?"

Oliver pointed at Bai Suizhi, "Brother Bai, you be the referee."

Bai Suizhi played along, "Alright."

Oliver then pointed at Kahn, "Kahn, you be the scorekeeper. Best two out of three."

Kahn turned away, pretending not to see.

Gu Ze, sitting alone nearby, secretly pricked up his ears. Oliver said, "Chen Yi, let's begin."

Gu Ze was furious and decided to isolate himself from the world.

Under Bai Suizhi's guidance, Oliver and Chen Yi stood back-to-back and simultaneously threw their signs.

Bai Suizhi drew out the suspense, "The winner of the first round is..."

Oliver waited eagerly for the result, while Chen Yi grew nervous from the serious atmosphere.

Bai Suizhi announced, "Player Chen Yi, congratulations on winning the first round!"

He then signaled the scorekeeper to record the result. Kahn said calmly, "1:0, Chen Yi leads."

*What was I even nervous about?* Chen Yi thought to himself.

Oliver looked defeated, clearly shaken by the result. Wanting to win was one thing, but actually winning was another.

In the next round, Oliver, who had been so enthusiastic earlier, had lost his momentum, while Chen Yi, having won once, was much more relaxed.

Unsurprisingly, Chen Yi won the second round, defeating Oliver with a final score of 2:0.

Referee Bai Suizhi wrapped things up, "Player Chen Yi did great. Player Oliver, don't be discouraged. Keep trying—you'll succeed next time!"

Scorekeeper Kahn chimed in, "Mm."

Oliver seemed to have grasped some profound truth of life: "No, the gap between the chosen one and regular people like us is as vast as the Mariana Trench—impossible to bridge." This was the painful lesson he had learned overnight.

Chen Yi: "It's alright, bro. There will be more chances in the future. I'll enjoy this one first."

Oliver: "Get lost."

Chen Yi: "Sure thing." With that, he bounded over to the helicopter like a happy little bird.

Oliver rolled his eyes and asked, "So, how are we sleeping?"

Bai Suizhi: "Kahn and I will take the left side. You sleep in the middle." His arrangement wasn't a dig at Gu Ze; he just worried that Gu Ze might feel uncomfortable sleeping next to him, so he placed Oliver between them.

Compared to their awkward relationship, Bai Suizhi figured Gu Ze might feel more at ease with Oliver, a stranger he had just met.

Gu Ze: "Hmph."

Oliver, with his short temper, snapped, "What's with all the grunting? If you're unhappy about something, just say it."

Gu Ze: "Hmph."

Oliver: "Such a spoiled young master."

Gu Ze hated being called "young master" more than anything. Angrily, he grabbed his bedding and moved to the farthest corner of the rain shelter.

The other three paid him no mind and lay down on the ground to sleep. Gazing at the moon, Oliver said, "The moon is so big tonight—it feels like I could reach out and touch it."

Bai Suizhi, also resting his head on his hands and looking up at the moon, said, "I never used to look up at the moon much before. But now, I find myself gazing at the moon, the stars, and even the sun. Every time I wake up and see the sun, it feels like I've gained an extra day."

This made Oliver a little sad: "People only learn to cherish things after they've lost them."

Kahn countered, "People also cherish things they've never had before."

Ever-impressionable, Oliver replied, "That makes sense too... But I can't think of anything I've never had that I'd cherish."

Bai Suizhi offered some inspiration: "What about something you worked really hard to achieve?"

Oliver: "Getting into college? But after I got in, I completely let loose—eating, drinking, having fun, and neglecting my studies. I feel like I've let down the hardworking version of myself from back then."

Oliver then asked Kahn, "What about you? You must have an example in mind, or you wouldn't have said that."

Kahn: "Mm."

Oliver: "That's it? What's the example?"

Bai Suizhi also looked at Kahn curiously. With both of them looking at him expectantly, Kahn said, "I didn't have friends before. Now I have you." Implying that he cherished their friendship.

Oliver was so moved he nearly teared up. He never expected the usually aloof Kahn to acknowledge him as a friend.

Bai Suizhi, however, focused on the first part of Kahn's statement. Though Kahn was slow to warm up and introverted, once you got to know him, you'd find he's actually a real softie—rarely refusing others, noticing when someone was upset, and quietly staying by their side to comfort them.

How could someone as kind as Kahn have had no friends before?

Oliver looked past Bai Suizhi at Kahn: "Kahn, brothers for life."

Kahn didn't reply, but the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. Though he hadn't known Oliver long, he genuinely considered him a friend. In Kahn's eyes, Oliver was kind and lively—someone who would shield Bai Suizhi from zombies and say weird but funny things.

Bai Suizhi looked seriously at Kahn: "I'll cherish you too, so much."

Kahn, feeling exposed, grew slightly embarrassed and turned his head away to avoid Bai Suizhi's gaze.

But Bai Suizhi cupped his face and turned it back, making eye contact: "You hear me?"

Kahn's face flushed, and after a moment, he replied softly, "I heard you." His voice was almost inaudible.

But Bai Suizhi heard him and nodded in satisfaction.

Off to the side, Oliver muttered, "...I suddenly feel left out. Three's definitely a crowd, boo hoo hoo..."

The three fell silent, quietly gazing at the moon as they tried to fall asleep. But as they grew quiet, they heard rustling sounds from the far side of the rain shelter.

All three looked over. Gu Ze, who had been struggling with his bedsheet, froze. He snapped, "What are you looking at?"

Oliver winced at the sight of the once-smooth silk bedsheet now frayed into tassels under Gu Ze's rough handling. "There's no need to take it out on the bedsheet. If you're angry, just say so. Why resort to violence?"

Gu Ze pushed the tangled mess of a bedsheet aside, out of sight and out of mind.

Bai Suizhi tentatively asked, "Were you trying to share the bedsheet with us?"

Oliver: "No way? Since when is he so kind?"

Gu Ze: "If you can't speak properly, then shut up. No one asked for your opinion."

His words were an indirect admission. Bai Suizhi got up and went over to help untangle the messy pile of fabric. Gu Ze sneaked a few sidelong glances at him as he approached.

After straightening it out, Bai Suizhi realized that what was originally two sets of bedsheets had become four—clearly meant for them. He kept Gu Ze's portion and gathered the rest, saying, "Thanks."

Gu Ze coughed awkwardly and mumbled, "Mm."

Oliver stared in disbelief. Was this the same Gu Ze who had been so aggressive earlier? Around Bai Suizhi, he was as docile as a house cat—unrecognizably well-behaved.

Bai Suizhi was also surprised by Gu Ze's attitude. It seemed this unfamiliar younger brother wasn't as hostile toward him as he'd thought.

After a long night of chaos, the four finally fell asleep. Meanwhile, Chen Yi, who had been sleeping soundly all along, was smacking his lips in his sleep, perhaps dreaming of something delicious.

Tonight, the moon continued to shine like a lamp in the dark for the sleeping children. Though not as blazing as the sun, it guarded this scarred world with its unique gentleness.