When Li Shanqing was discharged from the hospital, more than half a month had passed since his suspension from school.
In the afternoon, the sun showed a faint white edge. Waiting for the elevator, he looked around absentmindedly, peering out the side window of the inpatient building. Across the street, a patch of golden phoenix flowers hung in disarray.
He hadn’t done anything wrong, Li Shanqing thought distractedly and irritably. All he did was speak a few truths, so why was his punishment longer than that of Ye Bo’an, who truly deserved it? Once back at school, he’d make Ye Bo’an suffer.
But the next day at school, he learned from Mo Zhongqi that Ye Bo’an had applied to transfer and hadn’t shown up for days. His classmates guarded the reason for their conflict well, never mentioning Ye Bo’an’s vile remarks about that girl.
Li Shanqing felt both vindicated and bored.
After lunch, he walked to the classroom building with Mo Zhongqi and a few other classmates, listening to them talk about recent fun at school. The girl called out to him from behind, thanking him.
Li Shanqing didn’t think he’d done anything worthy of thanks but advised her, “Next time, don’t fall for such a rotten guy.”
She smiled and said, “Got it.” She mentioned she’d started learning boxing to be prepared, so if a situation like Li Shanqing’s happened again, she could protect herself and others. She added, “My coach says I’m a natural at boxing and asked why I didn’t start sooner.”
Li Shanqing made a deal with her: if he struck it rich with his startup and she didn’t want another job, he’d hire her as a bodyguard with a high salary, even promising on the spot to include her in his will.
By now, Li Shanqing’s will had thirty-five beneficiaries.
Li Shanqing loved school because it had a vitality he craved. Everywhere he looked, there were lively peers he could talk to.
Even if he already knew everything at school and understood all the teachers’ lessons, the fun, the loud laughter, and running around with classmates were nothing like the lifeless boredom of home or the hospital, where he could barely find a reason to keep going.
He loved chatting and being around excitement, so school was the perfect place for him.
Li Shanqing’s sixteenth autumn, though it began with a fight, suspension, and hospitalization, ended on a decent note.
Back at school, his mood lifted, and life felt less oppressive. His hope for health—Zhuang Xu—was no longer as impatient with him as before. Perhaps the misunderstanding and anger during their hospital encounter made Zhuang Xu feel guilty, which Li Shanqing saw as a bit of divine help.
After all, Li Shanqing didn’t hold a grudge against Zhuang Xu for the misunderstanding or feel wronged. For someone as overly clever and chronically ill as him, being misunderstood or underestimated was a fact of life.
He was used to it and didn’t waste time on emotions, only leveraging his vulnerabilities to get what he wanted.
Recently, though Zhuang Xu still rarely replied, Li Shanqing could sense that despite finding his personality intolerable, Zhuang Xu appreciated and recognized his intelligence.
He knew there was no one he couldn’t charm.
His mother never discussed work at home, so Li Shanqing could only glean updates on Weiyuan Biotech from news or Zhuang Xu’s sparse words.
Early December was the busiest time for Li Shanqing’s family.
His father, a bank executive, was so busy he was rarely seen. His mother, on a business trip north with an investigator, said she’d be gone at least three days. Li Shanqing was also preparing for two final exams.
On Sunday, with Mary off, Li Shanqing studied nearly all day at home, confident he had no knowledge gaps. Tossing his books aside, with Mary still out, he knew he shouldn’t but couldn’t resist the urge to go out.
He heated and ate the meal Mary had prepared, then dawdled, messaging Zhuang Xu: “Where are you today?”
Thinking Zhuang Xu wouldn’t reply, he added, “My mom’s up north investigating Dr. Zhuang’s case, my dad and Sister Mary are out too, and I’m so bored at home alone.”
By now, Li Shanqing had mastered the art of getting the reluctant Zhuang Xu to respond quickly.
Sure enough, Zhuang Xu replied: “Don’t you have exams?”
“I’ve studied so much I could write the questions,” Li Shanqing said. “Can I come find you?”
Though they’d spoken on the phone a few times and messaged often, Li Shanqing hadn’t seen Zhuang Xu since their October hospital encounter. His parents and Mary watched him too closely, leaving no chance to sneak out.
Of course, Zhuang Xu’s attitude toward meeting was cold: “No.”
Only Li Shanqing was enthusiastic, but he didn’t mind hitting a wall.
Zhuang Xu and his mother were eating at Zhou Kaiqi’s house when Li Shanqing’s message arrived mid-meal.
The adults were discussing Zhou Silan’s mock exam results, noting his good performance, likely enough for Bingang University, though his major might not be his choice.
Zhuang Xu’s phone lit up, and he glanced at it. He meant only to skim, but Li Shanqing attributed his loneliness to Zhuang Xu’s family lawsuit, as if Zhuang Xu caused him to be stuck at home alone. Zhuang Xu replied briefly, not expecting Li Shanqing to seize the chance and ask to meet.
After refusing, Zhuang Xu set his phone down and saw Zhou Silan looking at him.
“Brother Zhuang Xu,” Zhou Silan asked for help, “what major do you think suits me?”
“What subjects do you like?” Zhuang Xu asked patiently.
Zhou Silan thought for a moment, then shook his head, unsure. Zhou Kaiqi said, “Study finance.”
“Management’s good too,” Zhuang Xu’s mother added.
“Or maybe computer science?” Mrs. Zhou suggested.
With everyone offering ideas, Zhou Silan looked lost. Zhuang Xu intervened: “Let Silan choose for himself.”
At that moment, Zhuang Xu’s phone lit up again with two messages from Li Shanqing. He glanced at them: “I’m out! Are you at school? Where’s your house? I’ll take a taxi over.”
“It’s so cold outside. I went back home to grab a jacket and head out again.”
Li Shanqing was usually sharp but sometimes inexplicably clueless. Zhuang Xu gave a faint smile at his foolishness, about to tell him to stay home, when his mother asked, “Who’s Zhuang Xu messaging?”
“You’ve been getting so many messages lately. Are you in love, smiling like that?”
Zhuang Xu looked up, realizing everyone was staring, and quickly denied, “No.”
He pocketed his phone and steered the conversation back to Zhou Silan: “Have you considered any preferred majors?”
The dinner was fairly relaxed. His mother had emerged from much of her grief, slowly accepting care and opening up. After dinner, she and Mrs. Zhou went to a friend’s house to play cards, Zhou Kaiqi went to his study for work, and Zhuang Xu stayed in the living room to chat with Zhou Silan.
Zhou Silan, always a well-behaved younger brother, fetched a practice book from the study, saying he didn’t understand some questions and wanted Zhuang Xu’s help.
Zhuang Xu explained two problems, then remembered he hadn’t replied to Li Shanqing. He checked his phone.
Half an hour ago, Li Shanqing had called, and ten minutes ago, he sent a crying emoji. It wasn’t his usual clinginess, making him seem a bit pitiful.
Zhuang Xu thought for a moment and messaged: “What’s up? I was eating earlier.”
“Where are you? I’m alone by the river now. It’s so cold, so I’m in a coffee shop. But the person behind me is coughing—will I catch a cold?”
“Why’d you go to the river?”
“Didn’t want to stay home,” Li Shanqing said. “It’s too boring. I’ve mastered every question in the world. Are you done? Come find me.”
“I’m busy.”
“When will you be free?”
Zhuang Xu didn’t try to understand Li Shanqing’s obsession with meeting and refused outright: “If you’re fine, go home.”
“No way, I’ll wait here for you until the seas dry up,” Li Shanqing said, sending a location share, which Zhuang Xu rejected, followed by his pinned location.
“Come find me, come find me.”
He seemed bored, openly summoning Zhuang Xu.
The coffee shop wasn’t far from Zhou Kaiqi’s house, but Zhuang Xu had no intention of going and resumed helping Zhou Silan with problems.
Around eight, Zhuang Xu said goodbye to head home. The driver took him along the riverside road.
Spotting the coffee shop’s neon sign and feeling some appreciation for Li Shanqing’s talent, Zhuang Xu had the driver pull over briefly.
He approached the coffee shop’s glass exterior and immediately saw Li Shanqing.
Li Shanqing was huddled in a window seat in the corner, wearing a black sweater, his gray coat draped over the chair. Propping his cheek, he stared blankly, a cup of coffee and a slice of cake untouched in front of him.
He looked fine, alive and healthy.
Zhuang Xu was about to return to the car when Li Shanqing, as if sensing something, looked out the window.
Their eyes met. Li Shanqing tilted his head slightly, his expression unchanged, sat up straighter, waved at Zhuang Xu, and mouthed something like, “You’re here,” before standing and heading to the door.
Since Li Shanqing had seen him, Zhuang Xu stayed put, waiting briefly by the roadside as Li Shanqing pushed the door open.
Among chronically ill people, Li Shanqing wasn’t short, only half a head shorter than Zhuang Xu, but very thin. He walked toward Zhuang Xu slowly, likely wary of triggering an asthma attack with quick steps.
“Zhuang Xu, you finally came,” Li Shanqing said as he approached, his tone matter-of-fact, as if Zhuang Xu had promised to show up.
Zhuang Xu didn’t engage with his assumption: “I’ll take you home.”
“Great,” Li Shanqing said, sidling up and resting his hand on Zhuang Xu’s elbow, acting overly familiar.
Everyone Zhuang Xu knew respected boundaries, and he’d never had such close physical contact. He immediately moved his arm, keeping a clear distance, and led Li Shanqing to the car.
“Hello, Uncle, we meet again. My place is at Qujing Garden,” Li Shanqing said cheerfully to the driver as he got in. “Thank you, Uncle.”
The driver glanced at Zhuang Xu, looking puzzled. Zhuang Xu, numb to Li Shanqing’s overfamiliarity, said, “Take him home.”
What Zhuang Xu least wanted on the way to dropping Li Shanqing off was for him to blow the coffee shop visit out of proportion, but as expected, once the driver started moving, Li Shanqing got excited.
He leaned closer, wearing a mysterious expression: “I knew you’d come find me and not leave me waiting alone in the coffee shop.” His tone suggested they were close.
“I was passing by,” Zhuang Xu said, feeling like the more he explained, the worse it got.
Li Shanqing, predictably, misread him, nodding repeatedly: “Uh-huh.”
Zhuang Xu almost suspected Li Shanqing was deliberately misinterpreting to annoy him. He wanted to clarify he hadn’t come specifically for him, but Li Shanqing suddenly leaned back, gazing out the window, ending the topic.
Silent and looking out, Li Shanqing seemed well-behaved, his pale skin and colorless lips reminding Zhuang Xu of how he used his asthma inhaler, as naturally as others use chopsticks or forks—a vital life skill.
—People’s personalities have reasons. Li Shanqing, frail, overly intelligent, and pampered by his family, naturally had an eccentric character, not hard to understand.
With this in mind, Zhuang Xu let it go.
Then, Li Shanqing turned to him and said, “Zhuang Xu, I think my mom will bring back good news from this trip.”
Zhuang Xu hadn’t expected him to care about anything beyond himself and didn’t comment: “Is that so?”
“Yeah,” Li Shanqing nodded. “My instincts are sharp. Wanna bet?”
Zhuang Xu refused outright: “No betting.”
“You’re so boring,” Li Shanqing said, eyes widening, scolding seriously. “Come on, I won’t make it hard or ask for the impossible—just something easy. How can you not have that much courage?”
Zhuang Xu, amused by his earnestness and perhaps bored, asked, “What’s the bet?”
“If my mom brings back good news, you sneak me out for an afternoon of fun.”
“Where to?”
“Anywhere,” Li Shanqing waved a hand. “I’m not picky.”
Zhuang Xu saw he already assumed victory and asked, “And if she doesn’t bring good news, what do I get?”
“You’re so pessimistic,” Li Shanqing exclaimed, then reined in his expression, eyes darting. “Then I’ll put you in the acknowledgments of every paper I write.”
Zhuang Xu found his logic bizarre: “No thanks, not interested.”
“Bet with me,” Li Shanqing leaned closer, shaking his hand. “It’s lucky to bet with me. You’ll have good fortune, and you won’t lose the lawsuit.”
Li Shanqing’s hand was cold and thin, retracting after a light shake, harmless, his expression utterly innocent, impossible to scold.
At the time, Zhuang Xu didn’t realize Li Shanqing’s prediction would come true, that the ordeal would pass so quickly. To avoid more pestering, he didn’t refuse, which Li Shanqing took as agreement.
Soon, the driver reached Li Shanqing’s gated community. The car door opened, and the wind outside was stronger.
Li Shanqing hunched his shoulders, saying it was cold, pulled up his coat’s hood, and zipped it up in the car. Seeing how lightly he was dressed and recalling his hospital gown, Zhuang Xu took off his own coat and handed it to him.
Li Shanqing, his zipper up to his chin, looked at the coat, then at Zhuang Xu, his eyes showing no gratitude, only confusion: “For me to wear?”
Zhuang Xu nodded, and he took it, refraining from his usual unsettling remarks and putting it on.
Zhuang Xu’s coat was large on him. Li Shanqing reached down to grab the zipper, fumbling twice without success. Zhuang Xu, unable to watch, helped him fasten it and pulled it up slightly.
Li Shanqing obediently zipped the rest, then looked up, smiling at Zhuang Xu: “You’re all tough talk but soft-hearted.”
“I’ll give this back when you take me out next time,” he added.
The wind outside was strong, carrying Li Shanqing’s voice away. He got out, closed the door, and walked slowly into the community.
For some reason, the driver lingered until Zhuang Xu said, “You can go.” Only then did he press the accelerator.
In the rearview mirror, Zhuang Xu caught Li Shanqing’s final silhouette, walking like a wisp of cloud, drifting unsteadily, as if no matter how vivid and memorable he was now, he might dissolve into rain at any moment.
Not long after leaving, Zhuang Xu received another message from Li Shanqing.
Li Shanqing said: “Zhuang Xu, your coat is warm from you wearing it. I’ll warm it up and return it next time.”
Zhuang Xu couldn’t take it anymore and replied: “It’s yours. Throw it out if you don’t want it.”
