Next Morning
Sunlight streamed through the window, warm and golden. Zhiyuan stirred slowly, stretching in the comfortable bed. He blinked his eyes open, still half asleep.
Then he saw it.
The small balcony outside their room usually empty and plain—was now filled with beautiful plants. Colorful flowers in pots. Green leaves hanging down. A small tree in the corner.
Zhiyuan's eyes widened. He sat up quickly, rubbing his eyes to make sure he wasn't dreaming.
The plants were real. They were beautiful.
He got up and walked to the balcony door, stepping outside. The morning air was fresh and cool. The plants swayed gently in the breeze.
He leaned over the railing and looked down at the backyard.
His heart melted.
Yichen was there, working hard in the yard that used to be just overgrown grass and weeds. Now the grass was cut. The weeds were gone. And all around him were pots and trays filled with young plants waiting to be buried in the ground.
Yichen knelt in the dirt, digging small hole. His shirt was off. Sweat glistened on his back. His hands were covered in mud.
He looked tired but happy. Focused.
Zhiyuan watched him for a long moment, a soft smile growing on his face.
"Yichen!" he called down.
Yichen looked up, surprised. His face broke into a bright smile when he saw Zhiyuan on the balcony.
"Morning, bao bei! You're awake!"
Zhiyuan pointed at the plants around him. "What is all this?"
Yichen stood up, wiping sweat from his forehead with his arm. "Surprise! I wanted to make our home beautiful. For you."
Zhiyuan's eyes glistened. "You did all this? When?"
"Early morning. I Couldn't sleep" Yichen shrugged like it was nothing. "The market had a plant sale. So I got carried away."
Zhiyuan laughed softly. "Carried away? There are like fifty plants down there!"
Yichen grinned. "Sixty-three actually."
"Sixty-three?!"
"The lady gave me a discount."
Zhiyuan shook his head, still smiling. "You're insane."
"Your insane." Yichen picked up a small pot and held it up. "This one's for you. A rose bush. It'll grow red flowers. Like your cheeks when you blush."
Zhiyuan's cheeks immediately turned pink. "Shut up."
Yichen laughed loudly. "See? Perfect match."
Zhiyuan leaned on the railing, watching Yichen work. "Do you need help?"
"No no! You rest. Enjoy the view." Yichen winked. "I mean the plants. Definitely the plants."
Zhiyuan rolled his eyes but stayed where he was.
Yichen went back to work, digging and planting. Every few minutes, he would look up at Zhiyuan on the balcony and smile. Zhiyuan would smile back.
"Where did you learn to garden?" Zhiyuan asked after a while.
Yichen looked up. "Didn't learn. Just... putting things in holes. How hard can it be?"
Zhiyuan laughed. "Plants can die, you know."
"These won't. I'll talk to them every day. Tell them they're beautiful. It Works on you, and I'm sure it'll work on plants too."
Zhiyuan threw a small leaf at him. It floated down uselessly. Yichen caught it and put it in his pocket.
"Keeping this forever," he announced.
"You're so weird."
They stayed like that for an hour. Yichen planting. Zhiyuan watching. Talking about nothing and everything.
When Yichen finally finished, he stood back and admired his work. The backyard was transformed. Rows of young plants. Flowers starting to bloom. A small vegetable patch in the corner.
He looked up at Zhiyuan, beaming with pride.
"So? What do you think?"
Zhiyuan's eyes were soft. Full of love. "It's ....perfect just like you.
Yichen's face turned red for once. He scratched the back of his neck shyly.
"Come down here," he called. "Let's look together."
Zhiyuan nodded and disappeared inside. A minute later, he came out the back door, walking toward Yichen in his sleep clothes.
Yichen wrapped a muddy arm around him anyway. Zhiyuan didn't care.
They stood together, looking at the garden. Their garden. Built with love and hard work.
"Thank you," Zhiyuan whispered.
Yichen kissed his hair. "Anything for you. Always."
The sun rose higher. The birds sang. And in their little piece of paradise, two people who had survived everything stood together, building a future one plant at a time.
Few Minutes Later
The back door opened. Dr. Shen and Guo Lian stepped out. They had finished making breakfast and came to call the others.
Dr. Shen stopped mid-step. His mouth fell open.
"What in the world..."
Guo Lian blinked, staring at the transformed backyard. The rows of plants. The flowers. The vegetable patch. Yichen standing proudly in the middle, covered in dirt.
Dr. Shen looked at Zhiyuan, who was still leaning against Yichen, both of them admiring the garden.
"Did... did this happen overnight?" Dr. Shen asked.
Yichen grinned. "My Morning project."
Guo Lian walked closer, examining the plants. He touched a leaf gently. "There must be sixty plants here."
"Sixty-three," Yichen corrected proudly.
Guo Lian's eyebrows shot up. "Sixty-three?"
Dr. Shen burst out laughing. He walked over to Zhiyuan, a teasing smile on his face.
"So this is what happens when your boyfriend can't sleep? He buys a whole forest?"
Zhiyuan's cheeks turned pink. "I didn't know he was doing this! I woke up and saw the balcony full of plants!"
Dr. Shen patted his shoulder sympathetically. "Sure, sure. You had no idea your boyfriend was out here building a botanical garden."
"I didn't!"
Guo Lian joined in, his rare smile appearing. "He probably wanted to impress you. Look, my love, I made you a jungle."
Yichen laughed loudly. "Exactly! I want him to feel like he's living in a fairy tale!"
Zhiyuan buried his face in Yichen's shoulder, embarrassed. "Stop teasing me."
Dr. Shen and Guo Lian exchanged amused glances.
Dr. Shen cleared his throat dramatically. "You know, Guo Lian, we should take notes. This is what real romance looks like. Sixty-three plants."
Guo Lian nodded seriously. "Noted. Tomorrow I'll buy sixty-four."
Yichen pointed at him. "Copycat!"
Zhiyuan lifted his head, laughing now. "You're all terrible."
Dr. Shen wrapped an arm around Guo Lian. "Come on, let's go eat. Leave the lovebirds to admire their garden."
They walked toward the house, but Dr. Shen couldn't resist one last comment.
"Breakfast is ready! Don't stay too long or the plants might start asking for wedding invitations!"
Zhiyuan threw a small pebble at him. It missed completely.
Dr. Shen laughed and disappeared inside with Guo Lian.
Yichen turned to Zhiyuan, still smiling. "They're just jealous."
Zhiyuan looked up at him. "Jealous of what?"
"Of us. Of this." Yichen gestured at the garden. "Of our perfect life."
Zhiyuan smiled softly. "It is pretty perfect."
Yichen kissed his forehead. "Come on, let's eat. Then I'll show you all the plants and tell you their names."
"You gave them names?"
"Of course. This one is Little Zhiyuan. This one is Baby Yichen. This one is—"
Zhiyuan laughed, pulling him toward the house. "Okay, plant dad. Let's go."
They walked inside, hand in hand, leaving the garden to soak in the morning sun.
At the Clinic – Late Morning
Zhiyuan rushed through the clinic door, slightly out of breath. He was late today. The garden tour with Yichen had taken longer than expected.
"Sorry I'm late!" he called out. "Yichen wouldn't stop explaining which plants need more sun and which need more water."
He stopped when he saw Dr. Shen standing near the reception desk, talking to someone. A young man. New face.
Dr. Shen looked up and smiled. "Ah, Zhiyuan. Perfect timing." He gestured to the young man beside him. "Come meet our new nurse."
The young man turned around. He looked to be in his mid-twenties. Short black hair. Friendly eyes. A warm smile.
Zhiyuan walked closer, curious.
Dr. Shen made the introduction. "This is Lin Wei. He just moved to Xiapu last week. He's a trained nurse with experience in the city."
Lin Wei smiled warmly and extended his hand. "Nice to meet you. Dr. Shen has told me a lot about the clinic. And about you."
Zhiyuan shook his hand. "Nice to meet you too. Dr. Shen did mention he was looking for help. We really needed an extra pair of hands."
Lin Wei nodded. "The clinic looks well-organized. I'm excited to start."
Dr. Shen clapped his hands together. "Good, good. Lin Wei will handle the morning intake and help with basic treatments. That frees up more time for me with the serious cases."
Zhiyuan smiled. "That's great. Welcome to the team."
"Thank you." Lin Wei glanced around. "Should I start now? Get familiar with everything?"
Dr. Shen nodded. "Yes, go ahead. I'll show you where we keep supplies. Zhiyuan, you can handle the front desk for now?"
Zhiyuan nodded and walked to his usual spot. He sat down, pulled out the patient files, and got to work.
But his eyes kept drifting to Lin Wei. The new nurse moved confidently, asking Dr. Shen questions, taking notes, already fitting in.
He seems nice, Zhiyuan thought. Glad Dr. Shen finally got help.
He turned back to his papers and kept working.
Zhiyuan got busy organizing patient files. Lin Wei was supposed to be learning the supply cabinets, but somehow he kept ending up near Zhiyuan.
"Can I help you with those files?" Lin Wei asked, leaning on the counter.
Zhiyuan glanced up. "No, it's fine. I've got it."
Lin Wei smiled brightly. "You're so organized. Dr. Shen is lucky to have you."
"Thanks." Zhiyuan returned to his work.
Lin Wei didn't leave. He stayed there, watching Zhiyuan work. Asking small questions. Making small comments.
"That pen is nice. Where did you get it?"
"Just the village store."
"Oh, I should get one. Maybe you can show me where later?"
Zhiyuan blinked. "Uh, sure. It's just down the road."
Lin Wei smiled brightly... really brightly...
Zhiyuan recognized that smile. That look. He'd seen it before. On Yichen's face...
Oh no.
Later
The clinic door slammed open.
Yichen walked in, holding his hand. Blood dripped through his fingers. His face was tight with pain.
Zhiyuan jumped up immediately, worry flooding his face. "Yichen! What happened?"
Yichen held up his hand. A deep cut across his palm. Still bleeding badly.
"Fishing net wire slipped." He tried to smile. "It's nothing."
"Nothing?!" Zhiyuan rushed to him, grabbing his hand gently to look. "This is deep! It won't stop bleeding!"
Dr. Shen appeared from the back. "What's going on?"
Zhiyuan looked at him, panicked. "Yichen cut his hand. Badly."
Dr. Shen hurried over, examining the wound. "Okay, okay. Not life-threatening but needs stitches. Come to the treatment room."
Yichen followed, but his eyes stayed on Zhiyuan. And on the guy standing too close to Zhiyuan's desk.
Lin Wei watched everything with interest. Then he walked over to Zhiyuan.
"Don't worry," Lin Wei said softly, touching Zhiyuan's arm. "Dr. Shen is excellent. Your friend will be fine."
Zhiyuan nodded, distracted. "I know. I just... I need to be with him."
He started to walk toward the treatment room.
Lin Wei followed. "I'll come too. I can assist."
They entered the treatment room together. Yichen was sitting on the bed, Dr. Shen preparing supplies.
Yichen's eye immediately locked onto Lin Wei. Standing too close to Zhiyuan. Again.
Lin Wei smiled at Yichen. "You must be Yichen. I'm Lin Wei, the new nurse."
Yichen's jaw tightened.
Zhiyuan sat beside Yichen, taking his good hand. "Are you okay? Does it hurt?"
Yichen's face softened immediately. "It's fine, bao bei. Don't worry."
Lin Wei chuckled. "Bao bei? That's cute. You two are close."
Yichen's eye narrowed. "Very close."
Dr. Shen returned with supplies. "Okay, let's get this cleaned and stitched. Lin Wei, can you get me more gauze?"
Lin Wei hesitated, glancing at Zhiyuan one more time. "Of course."
He left, but Yichen's glare followed him out.
Zhiyuan noticed. He squeezed Yichen's hand.
"Focus on your hand," Zhiyuan whispered.
Yichen looked at him. "Who is that guy?"
"New nurse. Dr. Shen hired him."
"How new? Like... today new?"
"Yes. Why?"
Yichen muttered something under his breath.
"What?" Zhiyuan asked.
"Nothing." Yichen's eye stayed on the door where Lin Wei disappeared. "Just... be careful."
Zhiyuan almost smiled. "Jealous?"
"No." Pause.
Zhiyuan leaned in and kissed his cheek. "You're ridiculous."
Dr. Shen cleared his throat loudly. "Can I stitch this hand or do you two need a room?"
Yichen grinned. "We have a room. Don't worry"
"YICHEN!" Zhiyuan's face turned bright red.
Dr. Shen sighed deeply. "Just... hold still."
Lin Wei returned with gauze. He saw Zhiyuan's red face and Yichen's smug smile. His own smile flickered.
He stayed close to Zhiyuan the whole time. "Hand me that." "Can you pass this?" "Zhiyuan, hold this please."
Yichen's anger simmered quietly. He couldn't say anything. Couldn't do anything. Just sat there, bleeding, watching this new guy get too comfortable with his man.
When the last stitch was done, Yichen stood up quickly.
"Thanks, Dr. Shen." He grabbed Zhiyuan's hand. "Let's go home."
Zhiyuan blinked. "Now? I still have work—"
"Now." Yichen's eye was intense. "Please."
Zhiyuan looked at Dr. Shen, who just waved them off with a knowing smile.
"Go. Lin Wei and I can manage."
Lin Wei stepped forward. "I can walk you both out—"
"No need." Yichen's voice was ice. "We know the way."
He pulled Zhiyuan out of the clinic, hand wrapped, heart burning.
Behind them, Lin Wei watched them leave. His smile didn't reach his eyes.
Later That Evening – At the House
Zhiyuan stood at the kitchen sink, staring at the water level rising higher and higher. He had tried everything. Plunger. Hot water. Even stuck his hand down the drain.
Nothing worked.
Now his hands were covered in soap foam, water was creeping toward the edge of the sink, and he had no idea what to do.
The doorbell rang.
Zhiyuan wiped his hands on a towel quickly and went to answer. He opened the door and blinked.
Lin Wei stood there, holding a takeout box. He smiled warmly.
"Hi! Guo Lian ordered dinner for you and Yichen. Said they'd be busy tonight and might not have time to cook."
Zhiyuan reached out to take the box. "Oh, thank you. That's really nice of—"
Lin Wei's eyes landed on Zhiyuan's hands. Still wet. Still a little soapy.
"What happened?" Lin Wei asked, concerned.
Zhiyuan looked down at his hands, then back at Lin Wei. His cheeks turned pink with embarrassment.
"I... uh... the sink is broken. Water won't go down. It's overflowing and I don't know how to fix it."
Lin Wei's expression softened. "That sounds stressful. Can I help? I'm pretty good with basic plumbing."
Zhiyuan hesitated. Yichen was hurt. He can't ask yichen. But the sink really was a mess.
"Are you sure? You already brought food..."
Lin Wei smiled. "Of course. That's what neighbors do, right? Help each other?"
Zhiyuan nodded slowly and stepped aside. "Okay. Thank you."
Lin Wei walked in, setting the takeout box on the table. He rolled up his sleeves and approached the sink.
"Let me see." He peered under the sink, opened the cabinet, and examined the pipes. "Ah. I think the trap is clogged. Easy fix if you have a bucket."
Zhiyuan grabbed a bucket from the closet. "Like this?"
"Perfect." Lin Wei took it and placed it under the pipe. "Okay, I'm going to open this. Might be messy."
Zhiyuan watched as Lin Wei worked. His movements were confident. Skilled. He didn't seem to mind getting his hands dirty.
After a few minutes of twisting and cleaning, Lin Wei smiled. "Got it. It was just some food and grease."
He reassembled the pipe and stood up. "Try the water now."
Zhiyuan turned on the tap. Water flowed down smoothly. No backup. No overflow.
"It works!" Zhiyuan's face lit up. "Thank you so much!"
Lin Wei wiped his hands on a towel, smiling. "Happy to help. Told you it was easy."
Zhiyuan grabbed a clean towel and handed it to him. "Really, thank you. I was so stressed."
Lin Wei's eyes lingered on Zhiyuan's face. "Anytime. Seriously. If you ever need anything, just call me."
Zhiyuan nodded, oblivious. "I will. Let me at least give you some tea or something—"
They heard footsteps from stairs.
Yichen walked towards the kitchen. He stopped dead when he saw Lin Wei standing in his kitchen. Wet hands. Close to Zhiyuan.
His eye narrowed.
"What's going on here?" His voice was calm. Too calm.
Zhiyuan turned, smiling. "Yichen! Lin Wei fixed the sink! It was clogged and he helped."
Yichen looked at the sink. Then at Lin Wei. Then at the way Lin Wei was standing just a little too close to Zhiyuan.
"How nice of him," Yichen said flatly.
Lin Wei smiled brightly. "Just being neighborly. Guo Lian sent me with dinner too."
"How thoughtful."
Zhiyuan finally noticed the tension. He walked to Yichen and took his hand.
"The sink was really bad. Water everywhere. Lin Wei happened to come and offered to help."
Yichen's expression softened slightly at Zhiyuan's touch. "Okay. Thanks for fixing it." The words were directed at Lin Wei, but they were ice.
Lin Wei nodded. "No problem. I should go anyway. Dinner's on the table. Enjoy."
He walked to the door, pausing to look back at Zhiyuan.
"Remember, if you need anything else, just call."
He left. The door clicked shut.
Silence.
Yichen turned to Zhiyuan. "He just happened to come fix our sink?"
Zhiyuan blinked. "He was delivering dinner. The sink was broken. He offered to help ...I really needed his help."
"And you said yes?"
"Why wouldn't I? He was helping."
Yichen sighed, pulling Zhiyuan into a hug. "Bao bei... that guy likes you."
Zhiyuan pulled back, confused. "Huh? No.... that's I thought the same but He's just friendly."
Yichen raised an eyebrow. "He's friendly the same way I was friendly when we met."
Zhiyuan's face went red. "That's... different!"
"Is it?"
Zhiyuan opened his mouth, then closed it. He thought about Lin Wei's smiles. The way he stayed close. The way he offered to help so quickly.
"Oh," Zhiyuan whispered.
Yichen nodded grimly.
They stood there, holding each other, the fixed sink forgotten, the takeout box getting cold on the table.
Outside, Lin Wei walked away smiling.