Yu Shiqing looked at his screen, then coughed lightly into his fist whether from illness or something else and asked, “Have you had dinner?”
Jiang Yu replied, “Not yet.”
Yu Shiqing said, “I’ll get you some dumplings.”
Jiang Yu’s eyes flickered. “You made them?”
“Frozen dumplings,” Yu Shiqing replied. “We bought them at the supermarket yesterday. Did you forget?”
Jiang Yu: “…”
He didn’t know why he kept expecting more from Yu Shiqing.
Then he realized why Yu Shiqing had said “get” dumplings instead of “cook” them.
In the end, he had no choice but to cook the frozen dumplings himself and even served Yu Shiqing a bowl.
By the time they finished eating, it was past 12:30. Jiang Yu had been busy all day, and Yu Shiqing wasn’t fully recovered yet. They both replied to a few texts and then went to wash up and rest.
The next morning, Yu Shiqing received a New Year’s call from Ren Bai. Seeing Jiang Yu in the background of the video, he cheerfully greeted him. “You two really spent the New Year together? How was it?”
Thinking of last night, Jiang Yu glanced at Yu Shiqing.
Yu Shiqing replied calmly, “It was good.”
“That’s great!” Ren Bai laughed. “I’ll be back in a couple of days.”
Yu Shiqing said, “Why not stay longer?”
Ren Bai shook his head. “Better not.”
Yu Shiqing had just canceled and re-signed contracts, and he was busy. Even during New Year’s, he was trending online. He was working from home anyway, so better to come back early than worry about it from afar.
Knowing Ren Bai had made up his mind, Yu Shiqing didn’t insist.
After the call ended, he saw Jiang Yu coming out of the bathroom, staring at the vanity.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
Jiang Yu turned to him, his tone calm. “If I wanted to make some small changes around here, would you be okay with that?”
“What kind of changes?” Yu Shiqing followed his gaze into the bathroom.
Jiang Yu said, “Adding a few shelves, so things aren’t so messy.”
It was a small matter.
Yu Shiqing said, “Sure.”
Seeing him agree so easily, Jiang Yu felt a little moved. “Also… in the bedroom, I might need to buy a wardrobe for my things.”
“A new wardrobe?” Yu Shiqing said, “No need. There’s a walk-in closet in the bedroom.”
Jiang Yu looked at him. “Wouldn’t that take up your space?”
Yu Shiqing said, “It’s fine. I don’t have many clothes.”
Jiang Yu added, “And—”
“Just handle it as you see fit,” Yu Shiqing cut him off. “Aside from the books and my scripts in the study, you can do what you want with the rest.”
When they lived together at the hotel, Jiang Yu had all sorts of quirks. Yu Shiqing had long since gotten used to going along with him. These things didn’t matter. Since they were temporarily living together, there was no need to fuss over small details.
Two days after the New Year, Jiang Yu insisted on going to the hospital for a check-up. Even though Yu Shiqing thought it unnecessary, he still went.
They spent the morning at the hospital and then found a restaurant for lunch before heading home.
Just as Yu Shiqing stepped out of the elevator and reached for his keys, he saw people carrying boxes out of his apartment. Looking into the living room, he realized that, aside from the paintings on the wall, everything including the sofa was gone. In their place were brand-new, comfortable furniture and piles of boxes.
He froze and looked up at the apartment number.
Behind him, Jiang Yu said, “You’re at the right place.”
Yu Shiqing turned around. “You know what’s going on?”
Jiang Yu said, “You told me to handle it.”
Yu Shiqing said, “I didn’t mean for you to redecorate.”
“It’s not a full renovation,” Jiang Yu looked inside. “I just replaced the old furniture.”
Yu Shiqing pinched the bridge of his nose. “Jiang Yu.”
“Don’t worry, I didn’t touch your study.”
Yu Shiqing glanced toward it.
Then Jiang Yu added, “Just replaced the bed.”
Yu Shiqing turned to him.
Jiang Yu defended himself, “I’m going to be living here too, maybe for a while. I just wanted to be comfortable. Is that not okay?”
Hearing that, Yu Shiqing paused and said, “Just don’t do something like this again.”
“I promise.” Jiang Yu added, “Also, I didn’t throw your stuff away. I rented a storage unit nearby. You can switch it all back whenever you want after I leave.”
Yu Shiqing said no more.
He had indeed said “handle it however,” and Jiang Yu hadn’t crossed any lines. Changing it all back now would be unnecessary.
The workers, seeing the residents had returned, quickly finished moving the boxes.
After they left, Yu Shiqing and Jiang Yu entered the apartment. At the entryway, Yu Shiqing opened the new shoe cabinet it was empty.
He looked at Jiang Yu.
Jiang Yu immediately distanced himself. “That wasn’t my idea.”
The floor was already dirty, so Yu Shiqing just walked in.
The new shelves in the bathroom were empty. The fridge in the kitchen was full, but the dish rack and cup rack were missing dishes and cups. The old washing machine on the balcony had been replaced with an all-in-one model, but the pajamas Yu Shiqing had thrown in before leaving were gone.
Jiang Yu stayed silent, following him around. Back in the living room, he sent out a shopping list just as the cleaning service finished and deliveries arrived.
Everything came in matching pairs, which looked suspicious no matter how you saw it.
Jiang Yu stared at the two pairs of cotton slippers same style, different color for a long time.
Yu Shiqing had already tossed his pajamas in the washer. Seeing Jiang Yu hesitate, he asked, “Still deciding on a color?”
Jiang Yu turned to him and only saw his usual calm expression. He pursed his lips and casually pointed. “I’ll take this pair.”
Yu Shiqing picked the other.
Jiang Yu brushed away the odd feeling and said nothing more.
Until 2 p.m. the next day.
Ren Bai flew back and came straight to Yu Shiqing’s apartment with a small suitcase. Using his spare key, he opened the door and shouted, “Yu Shiqing, I’m back!”
Then he saw the unfamiliar furniture and two people sitting side-by-side on the couch.
They wore the same loungewear, held identical coffee mugs, and turned to look at him at the same time revealing the faces of Yu Shiqing and Jiang Yu.
Ren Bai took two steps back and looked up at the door number. No mistake.
He looked inside again. Still the same place.
Not a hallucination?
How long had he been gone decades?
Looking at the completely transformed apartment and then at Yu Shiqing and Jiang Yu, Ren Bai hesitated, his face full of mixed emotions.
“Is this… a wedding house?”
