Shen Kuangye first took Lu Xiangyang to the restaurant they had visited a few months ago when they went to see Lu Ning. In less than half a year, so much had already changed.
Lu Xiangyang wasn't in the mood today and only ordered a simple bowl of beef noodles for himself.
He tried to lift his spirits slightly and asked, "Brother, what are you having?"
Shen Kuangye replied, "I'll have a bowl of beef noodles too, and I'll see what else I can get later."
When he returned to the table, there was a plate of spicy braised food that Lu Xiangyang liked.
The noodle shop was quiet, and they sat at a corner table by the window, with the bustling crowd outside.
Lu Xiangyang rested his chin on his hands, quietly watching him.
"Brother," he said.
"I've actually always been afraid that one day you'd disappear and I'd never see you again," Lu Xiangyang confessed.
Shen Kuangye paused slightly while unwrapping his chopsticks, then pretended to stay calm and picked up a piece of lotus root for him.
"But today, after seeing Xu Wen and Xia Zhan, I suddenly understood."
Lu Xiangyang looked at him and said, "We don't need to worry all the time about things that haven't happened. Life is so long, and no one knows what tomorrow will bring. Why not make the most of the present?"
Shen Kuangye's eyes flickered, and Lu Xiangyang's thoughts weren't so different from his own.
"Brother, don't be afraid of things that may never happen," Lu Xiangyang said, holding his hand. "Let's just live well for now. And if it really does happen, don't be sad. If you miss me, just look in the mirror and talk to yourself."
Shen Kuangye was quiet for a moment, then the corner of his lips curved into a small smile. "Mm, I'll listen to you."
"Uh…"
At that moment, a voice spoke up—the shop assistant lowered his eyes, hesitant to look at them, and said softly, "Your two orders of beef ramen are ready."
Lu Xiangyang's face turned bright red, and he quickly withdrew his hand.
Shen Kuangye couldn't help but laugh.
This little interruption lightened the serious atmosphere between them considerably.
Pretending not to notice Lu Xiangyang's flushed cheeks, Shen Kuangye picked up a chicken drumstick for him. "Let's eat first."
Lu Xiangyang obediently ate, his little mouth turning red from the food, and drank some iced tea.
Shen Kuangye hadn't been very hungry, but watching Lu Xiangyang's cheerful expression, he slowly finished his own noodles.
After the meal, Lu Xiangyang tried to pay the bill.
The waitress said, "That'll be 98 yuan in total, thank you."
Lu Xiangyang scanned his balance, but it showed insufficient funds, and his face turned red again.
Shen Kuangye asked, "What's wrong?"
Lu Xiangyang tugged lightly at his sleeve. "Brother, can you pay for me first?"
Though Shen Kuangye was slightly puzzled, he paid the bill.
A little later, as they stepped out, Shen Kuangye asked, "Do you want me to transfer you some money?"
Although he didn't know why Lu Xiangyang was out of money, Shen Kuangye didn't press the issue. He just wanted to make sure Lu Xiangyang had enough.
"No, it's fine," Lu Xiangyang said, cheeks crimson. "I set it up myself. Brother, don't transfer me any."
Shen Kuangye frowned slightly. "Set up what?"
Lu Xiangyang's eyes darted around nervously. "My monthly allowance."
Shen Kuangye pressed his lips slightly. He knew exactly how much allowance Lu Xiangyang gave himself. "Lu Xiangyang, don't be so hard on yourself."
Hearing Shen Kuangye sound slightly displeased, Lu Xiangyang hurriedly explained, "I'm not being hard on myself… it's just…"
He looked elsewhere, voice barely audible. "I like being managed by you."
Shen Kuangye: "?"
"The allowance I give myself each month… if I spend more, I can always ask you for money," Lu Xiangyang said.
In his heart, Shen Kuangye realized this fool really handed over almost all his salary to him.
His silence made Lu Xiangyang think he hadn't understood, so he hurriedly clarified: "Brother, think about it—if I run out of money and ask you, won't you ask what I spent it on?"
Of course, Shen Kuangye wouldn't.
But if Lu Xiangyang went out with someone else, he might ask a little.
He deliberately followed Lu Xiangyang's words. "So you want me to manage you?"
Lu Xiangyang's face reddened even more. He looked away, muttered a soft 'mm,' and self-righteously argued: "Brother, don't you want to know what I'm doing all the time, who I meet, where I go?"
Shen Kuangye chuckled but didn't contradict him.
Because he really did want to know—who Lu Xiangyang met, what he said, what he did whenever he wasn't around.
——
Meanwhile, while Lu Ning was still in the hospital, she liked to have lean pork congee and buns from the shop across the street for dinner, so they packed two portions to bring back.
Near the hospital door, Lu Xiangyang, noticing no one was around, quickly kissed Shen Kuangye on the cheek, then carried the congee and hurried into the ward first.
Shen Kuangye lowered his head, touched the cheek that had just been kissed, and couldn't help but smile.
Inside the ward, Lu Ning and Xia Zhan had calmed down. Xia Zhan was diligently working on her exercise book, and Lu Ning watched her silently, her gaze heavy.
Lu Xiangyang placed the congee and buns on the table. "Mom, Xia Zhan, eat a little first."
Lu Ning called Xia Zhan over to eat. Xia Zhan pressed her lips together, looking at them with her still-red eyes. "Thank you. I'll repay you for the surgery money later."
"It's okay, just eat something to fill your stomach first," Lu Xiangyang said.
Xu Wen stayed in the ICU for five days.
During those days, Lu Ning took a few days off from work to stay with Xia Zhan in the hospital, so she could be there when Xu Wen woke up.
Lu Xiangyang and Shen Kuangye were also almost always there with them, taking taxis to the hospital during the day, and playing ranked games shoulder to shoulder with headphones on during their midday and evening breaks.
Finally, on the sixth day, the doctor announced that Xu Wen was out of danger and could be moved to a general ward.
Xu Wen had been mostly dazed for the past few days, rarely conscious. When she realized she was still alive, she drifted back to sleep.
When she was pushed into the ward, she opened her eyes slightly.
Her gaze immediately caught Xia Zhan, then she noticed Lu Ning and seemed slightly stunned.
She couldn't believe Lu Ning had come to see her—didn't she already dislike her?
Lu Ning's expression was complex and conflicted, but she finally stepped forward. "Are you feeling any discomfort anywhere?" she asked softly.
Xu Wen shook her head slightly, eyes red.
At this time, Lu Xiangyang and Shen Kuangye hadn't arrived yet; only the three of them were in the ward.
"I need to apologize to you," Lu Ning said softly. "Back then, I was too rigid in my thinking and couldn't accept it. But now I understand—you like whoever you like. What matters is that you recover and take care of Xia Zhan."
After saying this last sentence, Lu Ning noticed Xu Wen's pale face turn red. Her eyes stayed fixed on Lu Ning, signaling her not to continue.
Lu Ning didn't understand and thought Xu Wen wanted to talk to Xia Zhan, so she brought Xia Zhan over and patted her hand. "You two talk; I'll go buy some food."
After Lu Ning left, Xia Zhan sat down, those dark, bright eyes staring at her.
Xu Wen: "..."
Xu Wen chose to close her eyes and pretend to be asleep.
"Explain yourself," Xia Zhan said, her voice calm but betraying urgency when listened to carefully.
Xu Wen broke into a sweat.
To her, liking Xia Zhan was one thing, but Xia Zhan seemed very straight-laced. Besides, Xia Zhan had excellent grades and would go to a better university, meet better people. Xu Wen felt her presence might lower Xia Zhan's social standards. In short, Xia Zhan deserved someone better.
Xu Wen didn't hear any other movements around her, and she couldn't help peeking, opening one eye, only to meet Xia Zhan's tearful gaze.
She froze for a moment, panicking instantly.
Xia Zhan wasn't the type to cry easily. The last time Xu Wen saw her cry was years ago when Xia Zhan was taken away by her adoptive parents.
But Xu Wen had no strength, so she could only silently mouth the words: "Don't cry."
Xia Zhan wiped her tears and, unexpectedly, gently held her hand.
Xu Wen's eyelashes trembled, and her eyes reddened.
——
Meanwhile, Shen Kuangye and Lu Xiangyang stood outside the club, watching Li Shu leave.
"I'm off! Don't miss me too much! I'll bring you local specialties later!" Li Shu said, waving as he got into a taxi.
With the New Year approaching, most of the EAR club members had left. Once Li Shu was gone, only the two of them remained.
Lu Xiangyang turned to Shen Kuangye. "Brother, let's go home for the New Year together, okay?"
Shen Kuangye didn't agree, simply saying, "I'm fine staying at the club."
Lu Xiangyang shook his hand, frowning slightly. "No, I can't leave you here alone."
He quickly imagined Shen Kuangye alone at the club on New Year's Eve, watching fireworks outside the window, and felt a pang of sympathy.
"It's fine, you know how mom is. She'll be happy to have you home for New Year's," Shen Kuangye said.
Lu Xiangyang insisted.
Shen Kuangye's eyes flickered slightly—Lu Xiangyang noticed. He continued, "Can you bear not seeing me for a whole month?"
Lu Xiangyang spoke while looking at him with those wet, beautiful eyes, as if he knew Shen Kuangye couldn't refuse.
Shen Kuangye opened his mouth.
"Lie, minus ten points."
Shen Kuangye: "."
He admitted helplessly, "I can't bear it."
"Then come home with me for New Year's, brother," Lu Xiangyang said pitifully. "Mom will be happy to have you too."
In fact, Shen Kuangye had long ceased to care much for New Year's. In previous years, he stayed alone at the club, occasionally visiting Lu Ning on New Year's Eve. Most of the time, she was unconscious in the ward, leaving only his own breathing and the fireworks outside.
Shen Kuangye gave a faint smile, tinged with a little loneliness. "She doesn't even remember me."
Lu Xiangyang squeezed his hand tightly. "Brother, next time, we'll tell her everything, okay?"
Shen Kuangye was dumbfounded.
He had thought of this before, but he didn't know how much of an impact it would have on Lu Ning to hear: "Your son was reborn" and "Your reborn son is dating the son you know now."