That Night – The Bedroom
Zhiyuan sat on the edge of the bed, hands folded in his lap. The clock on the wall ticked loudly. 10:00 PM. 10:30. 11:00.
He had been sitting like this for hours. Waiting. Worrying. His mind kept going back to the pier. The men in dark clothes. The smoke curling up from Yichen's lips.
The door opened.
Yichen walked in, looking tired. His eyes found Zhiyuan immediately. A guilty smile crossed his face.
"Bao bei, you're still awake?"
Zhiyuan didn't smile. "Where were you?"
Yichen walked over, reaching for his hand. Zhiyuan pulled away.
"Bao bei—"
"Don't 'bao bei' me." Zhiyuan's voice was quiet but sharp. "Where were you all day? You left breakfast without a word. You didn't come to the clinic. You didn't call."
Yichen sat beside him. "I had things to do. Business stuff."
"What business? You don't have a job anymore."
Yichen scratched the back of his neck. "Just... some things I'm handling. Old things."
Zhiyuan turned to face him. "Old things? What old things?"
Yichen looked away. "Nothing important. Don't worry about it."
Zhiyuan's jaw tightened. "I'm already worried. You left without saying goodbye. You didn't eat. You ignored me all day. And now you come home late and you won't even tell me why."
Yichen reached for his hand again. "I'm sorry. I really am. I was busy. I lost track of time."
Zhiyuan let him take his hand but didn't squeeze back. "Busy doing what?"
Yichen hesitated. "Just... meeting some people. Talking about work."
"What work? Yichen, please. Just tell me."
Yichen kissed his knuckles. "Nothing bad. I promise. Just something I need to handle. For us."
Zhiyuan pulled his hand away slowly. He looked at Yichen's face. Looked for the truth in his eyes.
Yichen smiled, trying to lighten the mood. "You know I love you, right? I'd never do anything to hurt you."
Zhiyuan stared at him. "Did you smoke today?"
Yichen's smile froze. "What?"
"Smoke. Did you smoke today?"
Yichen looked away. "No. I didn't smoke."
Zhiyuan's heart sank. A lie. A small lie. But a lie.
"I saw you," Zhiyuan said quietly.
Yichen's face went pale. "What?"
"I went looking for you today. At the beach. I saw you with those men. I saw you smoking."
Yichen opened his mouth. Closed it. No words came.
Zhiyuan stood up. He walked to the window, his back to Yichen.
"You lied to me," Zhiyuan said. "You said you didn't smoke. You said you weren't going back to that life. But you were there, with them, making plans. And you won't even tell me what's going on."
Yichen stood, reaching for him. "Zhiyuan, let me explain—"
"Explain what? That you're lying to me? That you're keeping secrets? That you're going back to the world you promised you left behind?"
"I'm not going back—"
"Then what were you doing with them? Why did they call you boss? Why did you need their help?"
Yichen grabbed her shoulders. "I .. can't tell you that... I'm sorry just give me some time I'm doing this for us....for our future"
Zhiyuan shook his head, pulling away. "I don't want a future built on secrets and lies. I don't want you going back to that world. I don't want you coming home late with smoke on your breath and excuses on your lips."
Yichen's hands dropped. "Zhiyuan..."
Zhiyuan walked to the bed and lay down, facing the wall. His voice was tired. "I'm going to sleep."
Yichen stood there, helpless. "Please don't shut me out."
Zhiyuan didn't answer.
Yichen moved to the bed slowly. He lay behind Zhiyuan, wrapping his arms around him carefully. He pressed his face into Zhiyuan's neck.
"I'm sorry," Yichen whispered. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to lie. I didn't mean to make you worry."
Zhiyuan stayed still. His body was stiff. He didn't push Yichen away, but he didn't lean into him either.
Yichen held him tighter. "I love you. You know I love you, right?"
No response.
"I'm doing this for you. For us. So we can have a good life. A stable life."
Still nothing.
Yichen kissed his shoulder. "Please talk to me. Yell at me. Hit me. Just don't ignore me."
Zhiyuan's voice came, quiet and hurt. "I don't want to talk. I don't have energy to fight. I just want to sleep."
Yichen's heart broke. He held Zhiyuan closer, face buried in his hair.
"I'm sorry," he whispered again. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
Minutes passed. Zhiyuan's breathing slowed. His body relaxed against Yichen's chest, even though his heart was still heavy. Sleep was taking him.
Yichen lay awake, holding the man he loved, knowing he had hurt him. Knowing he had lied. Knowing there was more he still couldn't say.
He kissed Zhiyuan's hair one more time. "I'll make it right," he whispered to the sleeping man. "I promise. I'll make it all right."
The clock ticked on. 1:00 AM. 2:00 AM.
Yichen didn't sleep. He just held Zhiyuan, watching the moonlight move across the wall, his secrets heavy on his chest, his love even heavier.
Next Morning
Zhiyuan woke up slowly. The morning light was soft through the curtains. He reached across the bed, expecting to feel Yichen's warmth.
Cold sheets. Empty space.
His heart sank. Yichen was already gone.
He sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes. His body felt heavy. His stomach felt strange. He pushed the feeling away and reached for his phone on the bedside table.
His hand touched something else.
He looked down.
The bracelet. The one Lin Wei gave him. The one Yichen broke and threw in the dirt.
It was fixed. Perfectly. Like new. The chain was repaired. The charm was cleaned. It sat there on the table, waiting for him.
Zhiyuan picked it up, holding it gently in his palm. His eyes stung.
When did Yichen get this? Did he go back to find it? Did he fix it himself?
He turned the bracelet over in his fingers. The silver caught the light.
He kept it. He fixed it. But he didn't tell me.
He thought about Yichen leaving early. Again. No goodbye. No explanation.
He placed the bracelet back on the table. He couldn't wear it. Not right now. Not when everything felt so broken.
He got up and went to the bathroom. Splashed cold water on his face. Looked at himself in the mirror. Pale. Tired.
I need to eat something, he thought. Maybe Yichen is downstairs.
Downstairs – Kitchen
Dr. Shen and Guo Lian sat at the table, drinking tea. The morning was quiet.
Zhiyuan walked in, looking around. No Yichen.
"Morning," Dr. Shen said warmly.
"Morning," Zhiyuan replied. He tried to smile. It didn't reach his eyes.
Guo Lian poured him a cup of tea. "Sit. Eat something."
Zhiyuan didn't sit. "Where's Yichen?"
Dr. Shen and Guo Lian exchanged a look.
"We don't know," Dr. Shen said slowly. "He's not in the bedroom?"
Zhiyuan shook his head. "No. He's gone."
Guo Lian frowned. "We didn't see him leave. He must have left very early."
Zhiyuan nodded, his face tight. "I see."
Dr. Shen studied him. "Are you okay? You look pale."
Zhiyuan forced another smile. "I'm fine. Just tired. I think I'll go back to sleep."
"Zhiyuan—"
"I'm fine," Zhiyuan repeated. He turned and walked back upstairs.
Dr. Shen watched him go, worry on his face.
Guo Lian reached over and squeezed his hand. "Give him time. I tthink hey had an argument. He needs space."
Dr. Shen sighed. "He needs to eat. He looks sick."
"He'll come to us when he's ready."
Dr. Shen nodded slowly, but his eyes stayed on the stairs.
Upstairs – The Bedroom
Zhiyuan lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling. His hand rested on his stomach. It still felt strange. Weak. Cramping a little.
He pushed the feeling away. It was probably just stress.... That was all.
He closed his eyes, waiting for sleep to come.
Later – The Clinic
The afternoon passed slowly. Lin Wei organized files. Dr. Shen saw patients. Guo Lian helped where he could.
But Zhiyuan's desk was empty.
Lin Wei kept glancing at the door. "Has Zhiyuan been here today?"
Dr. Shen shook his head. "He stayed home. Said he wasn't feeling well."
Lin Wei frowned. "Is he okay?"
"I'm not sure." Dr. Shen looked worried. "He and Yichen had some kind of argument. He didn't even eat breakfast."
Lin Wei's frown deepened. He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it.
Dr. Shen handed him a small bag. "Take this to him. Make sure he eats."
Lin Wei took the bag, surprised. "You want me to go?"
"You're his friend. He needs someone to check on him." Dr. Shen smiled softly. "Go."
Lin Wei nodded and left quickly.
Zhiyuan's Room
Lin Wei knocked softly. No answer. He pushed the door open.
Zhiyuan lay on the bed, curled on his side. His eyes were closed, but his breathing was light. Not asleep. Just resting.
"Zhiyuan?" Lin Wei said softly.
Zhiyuan opened his eyes slowly. "Lin Wei?"
"I brought you lunch." Lin Wei walked in and sat on the edge of the bed. He set the bag on the bedside table. "Dr. Shen was worried about you."
Zhiyuan sat up slowly, wincing slightly. "Thanks."
Lin Wei studied his face. Pale. Dark circles under his eyes. Something was wrong.
"Are you okay?" Lin Wei asked. "You look really pale."
Zhiyuan nodded, but it was weak. "Yeah. Just feel weird. KimfaWeak. Mild cramps. Probably just stress."
Lin Wei's eyebrows went up. "Did you eat breakfast?"
Zhiyuan shook his head.
Lin Wei sighed. "Zhiyuan..."
"I wasn't hungry."
"Not hungry? Or too upset to eat?" Lin Wei's voice was gentle but firm. "Why are you hurting yourself like this? Because of him?"
Zhiyuan looked away.
Lin Wei's jaw tightened. "I knew it. I knew he wasn't good for you. The way he dragged you away from lunch. The way he threw my bracelet. The way he just leaves you here alone—"
"Lin Wei." Zhiyuan's voice stopped him. "It's not like that."
"Then what is it like?"
Zhiyuan didn't answer. He just stared at his hands.
Lin Wei watched him for a moment. Then his anger faded. He sighed.
"Okay. Okay. I'm sorry." He opened the bag and pulled out the food. "But you need to eat. Now. No arguing."
Zhiyuan almost smiled. "Bossy."
"Someone has to be." Lin Wei helped him sit up properly and put the food in front of him. "Now hurry up and have lunch. Before I tell Dr. Shen you're starving yourself."
Zhiyuan chuckled softly, taking the chopsticks. "You're worse than Yichen."
Lin Wei froze for a second. Then he smiled. "Good. Someone has to keep you alive while your boyfriend runs around being mysterious."
Zhiyuan's smile faded a little, but he started eating.
Lin Wei sat beside him, watching, making sure he ate every bite. And for a moment, Zhiyuan felt a little less alone.
Lin Wei watched Zhiyuan eat, pleased to see him taking bites. The food was going down slowly, but at least he was eating.
"So," Lin Wei said, leaning back against the headboard. "Since we're stuck here while you recover, I should tell you about the time I almost burned down my grandmother's kitchen."
Zhiyuan paused mid-bite. "You what?"
Lin Wei laughed. "I was maybe seven. My grandmother asked me to watch the soup while she went to the market. Easy, right? Just stir it every few minutes."
Zhiyuan smiled, lowering his chopsticks. "What happened?"
"I got distracted. There was a lizard on the wall. A tiny little lizard. And I thought, 'I should catch it and keep it as a pet.'"
Zhiyuan's smile grew. "You chased a lizard instead of watching the soup?"
"I chased the lizard," Lin Wei confirmed, gesturing wildly. "The lizard ran behind the stove. I moved the pot to get it. The pot tipped over. Soup everywhere. Fire from the gas start spreading everywhere. Smoke filling the whole kitchen."
Zhiyuan laughed, a real laugh. "Lin Wei!"
"I panicked! I threw water on it, but that made it worse. So then I threw a towel on it. The towel caught fire. I ran outside screaming. The neighbors came running. My grandmother came back to find three neighbors putting out a fire in her kitchen."
Zhiyuan covered his mouth, laughing harder. "What did your grandmother say?"
Lin Wei's face went dramatic. "She looked at the kitchen. Looked at me. Looked at the black smoke still coming out the window. Then she picked up her broom and chased me around the yard."
"No!"
"Yes! Around and around! She was eighty years old and she chased me for ten minutes!" Lin Wei was laughing now too. "My mother had to beg her to stop. I hid behind a tree for an hour."
Zhiyuan's stomach hurt from laughing. "That's the best story I've ever heard."
Lin Wei grinned. "I have more. My childhood was full of disasters."
"Tell me another." Zhiyuan settled back against the pillows, his face brighter now.
Lin Wei thought for a moment. "Okay. When I was ten, I decided I wanted to be a chef. A famous chef. So I tried to make my mother breakfast in bed."
"Let me guess. You burned something?"
"I burned everything," Lin Wei said proudly. "The eggs were black. The toast was charcoal. The tea had salt instead of sugar. My mother took one bite, smiled, and said, 'Lin Wei, maybe become a doctor instead.'"
Zhiyuan laughed again. "She said that?"
"She said, 'You're very good at telling people what to do. Be a doctor. Order people to take their medicine.'" Lin Wei shrugged. "So I became a nurse. Close enough."
Zhiyuan shook his head, still smiling. "I'm glad you did. The clinic needed someone like you."
Lin Wei's expression softened. "Yeah?"
"Yeah. You make people laugh. You make them feel comfortable. That's important."
Lin Wei was quiet for a moment. Then he smiled. "You know, you're easy to talk to, Zhiyuan. I was so nervous when I first came here. New place. New people. But you made it easy."
Zhiyuan tilted his head. "I did?"
"You smiled at me on my first day. Asked me if I wanted tea. Showed me where the good food was." Lin Wei shrugged. "Small things. But they mattered."
Zhiyuan looked down at his hands. "I know how it feels to be new. To not know anyone. To feel like you don't belong."
Lin Wei watched him. "You belong here now. We all do."
Zhiyuan looked up, surprised by the warmth in Lin Wei's voice.
Lin Wei smiled, lightening the mood again. "Anyway, enough serious talk. Let me tell you about the time I tried to learn to ride a bike."
"You fell, didn't you?"
"I fell into a pond," Lin Wei said. "A whole pond. With ducks. The ducks were very angry."
Zhiyuan burst out laughing. "Ducks?"
"They chased me too! I was ten and ducks were chasing me out of a pond. My father had to rescue me. He never let me forget it."
Zhiyuan was wiping tears from his eyes. "Your life is a comedy."
"My life is a disaster," Lin Wei corrected. "But a fun disaster."
They sat there, laughing together, the heavy mood from earlier fading away. Lin Wei told more stories. Zhiyuan laughed and asked questions. The food got finished. The afternoon sun moved across the room.
For the first time in days, Zhiyuan felt light. Happy. Like maybe things would be okay after all.
The laughter finally settled. Zhiyuan leaned back against the pillows, feeling lighter than he had in days. His stomach still felt a little strange, but the warmth in his chest was stronger.
"Lin Wei," Zhiyuan said softly.
Lin Wei looked at him. "Yeah?"
"Thank you. For today. For coming to check on me. For the stories. For..." He paused, searching for words. "For being here. I really needed someone today."
Lin Wei's cheeks turned pink. He looked away quickly, pretending to straighten the blanket. "It's nothing. Anyone would do the same."
"No," Zhiyuan said gently. "Not everyone. You're a good friend, Lin Wei. I'm lucky to have you."
Lin Wei's blush deepened. His hands stopped moving. He stared at the blanket, his heart beating faster.
Friend. He said friend.
He wanted to say something. The words sat on his tongue, heavy and warm.
He opened his mouth. Closed it. His heart pounded.
Say something. Say anything.
Zhiyuan noticed his silence. "Lin Wei? You okay?"
Lin Wei looked up. His face was red. His eyes were soft.
"Zhiyuan, I—" He stopped. Swallowed. "I've never had a crush like this before."
Zhiyuan blinked. "What?"
Lin Wei rushed on, words tumbling out. "I've dated people. Lots of people. But none of them were like you. You're..." He gestured helplessly. "You're different. You're innocent. Pure. Sweet. You don't play games. You don't try to be someone you're not."
Zhiyuan stared at him, stunned.
"I know I can't have you," Lin Wei continued, quieter now. "I know Yichen is there. I know you love him. I accepted that. But when I'm around you..." He looked down at his hands. "I feel like I want to protect you forever. Like I want to be the one who makes sure you're never sad. Never hurt. Never alone."
The room was quiet. Zhiyuan didn't move. His heart was racing.
Lin Wei noticed the silence. His face went from pink to bright red. He saw the stunned look on Zhiyuan's face and panicked.
I said too much. I ruined it. He's going to pull away now. He's going to—
He forced a laugh. A big, fake, cheerful laugh.
"You know, Zhiyuan," he said, his voice too loud, "it's totally normal to cheat, right? Everyone does it. Just a little cheating never hurt anyone."
Zhiyuan's stunned expression froze. Then his eyebrows went up. Then his mouth twitched.
"You're joking," Zhiyuan said slowly.
Lin Wei grinned, still laughing too loud. "Of course I'm joking! What kind of friend would I be if I didn't tease you?"
Zhiyuan stared at him for a second. Two seconds.
Then he burst out laughing.
"You're ridiculous!" Zhiyuan grabbed a pillow and threw it at Lin Wei's face.
Lin Wei caught it, laughing now for real. "I'm serious! Cheating builds character!"
"You're the worst!" Zhiyuan threw another pillow.
Lin Wei dodged, still laughing. "I'm just saying! If you ever get bored of that jealous boyfriend of yours—"
"Lin Wei!" Zhiyuan grabbed another pillow, face red from laughing.
"I'll stop! I'll stop!" Lin Wei held up his hands, still grinning. "But you know I'm joking, right? I would never. Never. I'm just... I'm just an idiot who talks too much."
Zhiyuan lowered the pillow, his laughter settling into a warm smile. "You are an idiot. But you're my friend. So I forgive you."
Lin Wei's heart ached a little. Friend. That's enough. That has to be enough.
He smiled back, pushing the ache down. "Good. Because I'm not going anywhere. You're stuck with me."
Zhiyuan smiled, really smiled. "I can live with that."
They sat there for a moment, the weight of the confession settling between them, lighter than expected.
Zhiyuan reached out and touched Lin Wei's arm. "Thank you. For being honest. For being you."
Lin Wei's eyes got a little wet, but he blinked it away. "Yeah. Well. Someone has to keep you alive while your boyfriend runs around being dramatic."
Zhiyuan laughed again. "He's not that dramatic."
"He threw a bracelet into the dirt because I touched your arm. He's very dramatic."
Zhiyuan shook his head, still smiling. "He's just... protective."
"He's insane. But he loves you. I can see that." Lin Wei stood up, brushing off his pants. "And you know I love you too...ofc as a friend"
Zhiyuan looked up at him. "Thank you."
Lin Wei smiled softly. "Now rest. I'll tell Dr. Shen you're alive and eating."
He walked to the door, then paused. Looked back.
"Zhiyuan?"
"Yeah?"
"You deserve to be happy. With whoever you choose." He smiled. "Even if it's the dramatic yichen."
Zhiyuan laughed, throwing the last pillow at him as he ducked out the door.