[At Night – Yu Han's Bedroom]
Yu Han tossed and turned, the soft mattress doing little to comfort his restless mind.
He punched his pillow, then pulled it over his head, but the numbers still swam before his eyes.
Tuition fees. End of the month.
"Ugh, this is impossible," he mumbled into the pillow, throwing it off again.
He sat up, rubbing his temples, then lay back down, staring at the ceiling.
"How am I going to get that much money? I've tried everything... "
He rolled onto his side, then his back, then his other side. Hours crept by.
His mind cycled through possibilities, each one crashing and burning. Borrow from friends? No, they had their own struggles. Loan sharks? Absolutely not.
Just as the first sliver of grey light began to paint the sky outside his window, a thought, cold and sharp, pierced through his exhaustion.
THE HOUSE.
His parents had left it to him, a small house in the village, full of memories. It was all he had left of them, a tangible connection to their legacy. The idea was like a punch to the gut.
"No," he whispered, a tremor in his voice.
"I can't. That's... that's sacred." He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to push the thought away. But the deadline loomed, a monstrous shadow.
Tuition. His future. His only way out.
He opened his eyes, staring blankly at the ceiling now bathed in the gentle pre-dawn light. A heavy sigh escaped him.
"But... I have no other option, do I?" The words tasted like ash. "It's the only way." He closed his eyes again, not in sleep, but in pained resignation.
[At Morning ]
A firm rap on the door jolted Yu Han. He blinked, disoriented, the decision of the night still a fresh wound.
"Yu Han? Breakfast is ready." It was Yang Zi's cheerful voice.
Yu Han groaned, dragging himself out of bed. His limbs felt heavy, his head thick.
He splashed cold water on his face in the bathroom, trying to erase the evidence of his sleepless night, but the dark circles under his eyes were stubborn.
He walked into the small dining area where Yang Zi was already pouring tea.
"Morning!" Yang Zi greeted him, then his eyes scanned his face.
His cheerful expression faltered slightly. "Whoa, what happened to you? You look like you wrestled a bear all night. Didn't sleep well?"
Yu Han forced a weak smile, picking up a piece of toast.
"Just... a lot on my mind, I guess. Nothing a good breakfast can't fix, right?" He swallowed, trying to sound normal.
Yang Zi frowned, not quite convinced. "Are you sure? Your eyes are practically sunken in."
Yu Han put down his toast, avoiding his gaze. "Actually... I can't come to class today."
Yang Zi's eyebrows shot up. "What? Why not??"
Yu Han cleared his throat, pushing his plate away slightly. "Yeah, I have some other work to do." He rubbed the back of his neck, searching for the right words.
"Just... some job searching, you know? Trying to find something more substantial." It wasn't a complete lie, but it certainly wasn't the full truth.
Yang Zi looked at him, his concern deepening. "A job search?"
He finally met his gaze, a forced smile playing on his lips. "It's fine, really. Don't worry about me. You go ahead. I'll catch up later. Just need to... handle a few things." He stood up abruptly, signaling the end of the conversation. "You don't want to be late."
Yang Zi watched him,"Alright," he said slowly, picking up his bag. "But if you need anything, anything at all, you know where to find me, right?"
"I know," Yu Han said, giving him a reassuring nod he didn't quite feel. "Thanks, Yang Zi. See you later."
Yang Zi lingered for a moment, his eyes scanning his tired face once more before sighing softly and heading out the door, leaving Yu Han alone with the heavy silence and the weight of his decision.
________________
[Outside their apartment]
Yang Zi exits his apartment building and turns into the narrow alley that leads to the main street and the bus stop.
Suddenly, his eyes lock onto something – or someone – in the alley ahead.
Standing beside a gleaming, luxurious Rolls Royce, looking completely out of place in this modest neighborhood, is SHI WANG.
He leans against the expensive vehicle, as if waiting.
Yang Zi's stride falters. He frowns, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face.
"What is he doing here?" He tries to rationalize it – maybe Shi Wang has business nearby, a meeting with some obscure artist in a converted warehouse.
Yang Zi clenches his jaw, determined to simply walk past him as if he were invisible.
He picks up his pace, eyes fixed straight ahead.
"Good morning, Yang Zi. Going to class already?" Shi Wang blocked him and said with a big smile.
Yang Zi flinches, stopping dead. He slowly turns his head, a forced politeness warring with irritation in his eyes.
"Shi Wang. I… thought you might be a hallucination."
Shi Wang chuckles, a low, pleasant sound that does nothing to ease Yang Zi's nerves.
"Tsk, tsk, Yang Zi. I've told you before, haven't I? About the importance of dressing for the weather. Look at you – only one jacket. It's practically arctic out here." Shi Wang said in worried voice.
Shi Wang straightens up, pushes off the car with an almost theatrical grace, and walks to the back passenger door. He opens it, revealing a glimpse of plush interior, and retrieves a surprisingly bulky, padded jacket and a thick woollen scarf.
"Here. Take these. You'll thank me when you're not shivering through your lectures." Shi Wang said while handing a jacket and scarf to Yang Zi.
Yang Zi stares at the offered items as if they might spontaneously combust. His face flushes with a mix of anger and mortification.
"I don't need these, Shi Wang. I'm perfectly fine."
"Come on, don't be stubborn."
He takes a step closer, still holding out the jacket and scarf.
Yang Zi takes a step back and said,"I said no! And if you don't mind, I'm going to be late for my class. Please, step aside."
He tries to maneuver around Shi Wang, his patience worn thin.
" Late, you say? Well, that's an easy fix. I can give you a ride to your college. My car's warm, far more comfortable than a crowded bus, and certainly faster. Get in."
Shi Wang gestures to the Rolls Royce, as if offering candy to a child. Yang Zi stares at the car, then back at Shi Wang, his expression stone cold.
"I'd rather walk. Now, if you truly have any consideration for my schedule, you will move." Yang Zi denied his invitation.
Shi Wang's smile wavers for a split second, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes, before it settles back into place. He shrugs slightly, steps aside.
" As you wish. Have a… bracing walk then."
Yang Zi gives him one last glare, then practically strides out of the alley, leaving Shi Wang and his ridiculously expensive car behind. He marches towards the bus stop, fuming.
[A FEW MINUTES LATER]
Yang Zi reaches the bus stop just as the distinctive rumble of his usual bus fades into the distance. He sees its red tail lights disappearing around the corner. A small group of people are already shaking their heads.
"FUCKKK! Are you kidding me?!"
He slams his fist lightly against the bus stop pole. He knows that bus schedule by heart. That was his bus.
"Only because of that… that bastard Shi Wang! If I wait here for the next one, I'll definitely reach college in the afternoon! I'll miss my first two classes!" Yang Zi hissed through gritted teeth.
His shoulders slump in defeat. He looks up and down the empty street, despair creeping in. He's stuck.
Just then, a low, familiar HONK sounds directly in front of him. Yang Zi startles, looking up angrily. The window of a sleek, black Rolls Royce glides down, revealing Shi Wang, looking entirely too serene.
" Well, isn't this a stroke of luck? Looks like you missed your ride."
Yang Zi glares at him, his face a mask of simmering rage and abject helplessness.
"Come on, Yang Zi. Don't waste your energy here catching pneumonia. Hop in. I'll drop you at the college. Even I have a few errands to run on the same way. Perfect synergy, wouldn't you say?"
Yang Zi stares at the plush leather seats, then back at Shi Wang's insufferably calm face. He has no choice. The thought of missing his classes, the thought of standing here freezing for another half hour, is unbearable.
He sighs, a deep, defeated sound that seems to carry all the frustrations of his morning.
He walks around to the passenger side, opens the door, and with a final, resentful glance at Shi Wang, climbs in. The door clicks shut with a soft, expensive thud.
The plush leather seat of the Rolls Royce was indeed a revelation. Yang Zi's fingers, resting lightly on his lap, twitched with the urge to explore the impossibly soft material, but he resisted.
He kept his gaze fixed on the passing scenery, a deliberate blankness on his face. This was his first time in a car that cost more than his entire family's net worth, a fact he was desperately trying to keep hidden.
He felt like he was floating, but he refused to let his expressions betray a hint of awe.
He stayed firm, unyielding!!
Shi Wang, navigating the morning traffic with an effortless grace, cut through the quiet. His eyes, dark glints in the rearview mirror, met Yang Zi's for a fleeting second before returning to the road.
"Why didn't you reply to my messages?" Shi Wang's voice was low, even, yet it carried an edge.
Yang Zi didn't even turn his head. His voice was level, almost dismissive.
"I don't want to."
A beat of silence stretched, thick and heavy. Shi Wang merely tightened his grip on the wheel, his jaw a clean, sharp line. He didn't press. He just drove straight, the powerful engine gliding them forward.
A minute later, the question came again, softer this time, but still direct. "Did you have breakfast?"
Yang Zi turned his head slightly, a brief, almost imperceptible nod. That was it. No words.
After sometime,
As the gleaming behemoth of luxury pulled up to the main entrance, a hush fell over the usual morning chaos. Heads swiveled. Whispers erupted, quickly followed by the click of camera phones.
He didn't need to look to know that every single eye was on the Rolls Royce. And by extension, on him.
Yang Zi took a breath, pushed the door open, and stepped out onto the paved path. The sheer weight of attention was suffocating. He could feel his ears burning, a hot flush rising to his cheeks. He wished the ground would swallow him whole.
Just as he was about to make a hasty escape, a sudden warmth enveloped his shoulders. A dark, expensive-looking jacket, still carrying the faint scent of cologne, was draped expertly over him. Yang Zi froze, his eyes wide. He spun around, startled.
Shi Wang stood there, hands now in his pockets, a strange, unreadable expression on his face. Yang Zi was utterly speechless. He didn't know how to react, his mind blank.
"Study well." Shi Wang's gaze was steady, piercing. Then, with a final, almost imperceptible nod, he turned, slipped back into the driver's seat, and the Rolls Royce purred away from the curb, leaving a trail of stunned silence and awestruck students in its wake.