The Last Warmth

Time passed quickly, and before long it was Friday afternoon. The last class was a self-study period, and sunlight streamed through the windows, falling warmly across the desks.

Liu Xu lay on his desk, twirling a pen as he gazed at the plane trees outside. Suddenly, a note was passed to him from beside him. It read, "Are you free this weekend? Want to go out together?"

Liu Xu looked up and saw Wen Shiming watching him expectantly. He thought it over. His father had to work this weekend and probably wouldn't pay him any mind. So he nodded and wrote on the note, "Okay."

When Wen Shiming saw that he had agreed, his eyes lit up and the corners of his mouth lifted high. As soon as the dismissal bell rang, he packed his schoolbag and said with a smile, "Where do you live? I'll pick you up on Sunday."

Liu Xu replied, "I live in the Purple Garden Residential Complex, not far from school." His cheeks flushed slightly as he spoke.

Wen Shiming nodded vigorously. "Okay, I've got it. I'll wait downstairs at your place at nine on Sunday morning."

With that, he shouldered his schoolbag and ran toward the car at the school gate, not forgetting to look back and wave at Liu Xu.

Liu Xu stood at the school gate, watching Wen Shiming's retreating figure, warmth filling his heart. Maybe this weekend would be different.

When they got home, the four little ones jumped out of the car and raced one another through the door. The wind chime in the entryway was still tinkling.

The aroma of sweet-and-sour spare ribs drifted from the kitchen. Fu Yanzhi came out wearing an apron, a spatula still in his hand. "You're back? Go wash your hands. Dinner's almost ready."

At their eldest brother's words, Huanhuan, Yueyue, and Xiaoxiao obediently went to the bathroom to wash their hands. Xingxing, however, sneakily reached toward the dining table.

"No sneaking food, Xingxing. Wash your hands first." Fu Yanzhi tapped Xingxing on the head and nudged him toward the bathroom. Once all six were seated at the table, Fu Yanzhi brought out the last dish of tomato and scrambled eggs. He saw Wen Shiming grinning foolishly, a piece of spare rib suspended in his chopsticks. He hadn't put it in his mouth for quite a while.

"Third brother, is there something you're happy about?" Fu Yanzhi raised an eyebrow and put a piece of spare rib in Xingxing's bowl. "You're even daydreaming while you eat. Careful you don't choke."

Before Wen Shiming could speak, Xingxing, his mouth stuffed with meat, cried out indistinctly, "Big brother! I know! Third brother must be thinking about his good deskmate Liu Xu! Why else would he have been smiling ever since school ended? He even almost fell over in the entryway just now!"

The moment he said that, the table erupted with chatter. Bo Qing put down his chopsticks and said, suppressing a smile, "When he came back with me this afternoon, he just sat in the car smiling out the window. He wouldn't answer anything I asked him. So that's what he was thinking about."

Huanhuan chimed in, "Yesterday, third brother even secretly packed half a box of the cookies big brother made for me. He said they were for his deskmate!"

Wen Shiming's face turned red in an instant. He jabbed his chopsticks into his bowl and glared at Xingxing. "Don't talk nonsense! I'm just... just happy it's the weekend and we have a break."

Fu Yanzhi looked at his embarrassed expression, amusement shining in his eyes, and put a piece of red-braised pork in Yueyue's bowl. "As it happens, I have time on Sunday. How about I take you all out?"

Xingxing and Huanhuan immediately cheered, and even the usually quiet Yueyue's eyes lit up.

But Wen Shiming frowned, his chopsticks pausing in midair. He had already made plans to go out with Liu Xu. What was he supposed to say now?

Xiaoxiao noticed his hesitation. He put down his spoon and asked softly, "Third brother, aren't you happy about going out with us on Sunday? Or do you not want to come with us?"

"No! It's not that I don't want to..." Wen Shiming hurriedly waved his hands, but he didn't know how to explain. His face went bright red.

Bo Qing, sitting beside him, couldn't help laughing and came to his rescue. "All right, third brother, don't get worked up. You've made plans to go out with Liu Xu tomorrow, haven't you? If you want to go, just tell big brother. We can all go out together another time."

Wen Shiming froze for a moment, then looked at Fu Yanzhi, his eyes a little hopeful and a little apprehensive.

Fu Yanzhi shook his head helplessly and reached out to ruffle his hair. "All right, stop teasing your third brother. Since you've made plans with your classmate, remember to get up early tomorrow. Don't keep him waiting. Oh, do you want to take some fruit? I bought fresh strawberries this morning."

Wen Shiming's eyes lit up, and he nodded at once. "Yes! I think Liu Xu likes strawberries!" Then he realized he had answered too quickly. The tips of his ears turned even redder, and he hurriedly lowered his head and shovelled in his food, burying his face in his bowl.

Laughter rose and fell around the dinner table. Outside, the setting sun shone through the glass, stretching the family's shadows long and warm across the floor.

On Sunday morning, Wen Shiming got up especially early. He searched through his entire wardrobe before finally choosing a light blue sweatshirt and a pair of jeans. He even made a point of asking Fu Yanzhi to comb his hair.

Seeing how nervous he was, Fu Yanzhi couldn't resist teasing him. "Aren't you just seeing a friend? Is there any need to make such a grand occasion of it?"

Wen Shiming smiled to hide his embarrassment, picked up the backpack he had prepared in advance, and headed out.

He had only waited a few minutes at the agreed-upon intersection when he saw Liu Xu approaching. Today, Liu Xu was wearing the light gray sweatshirt Wen Shiwu had bought for her last time. Her long hair was tied in a low ponytail, revealing her smooth forehead. She looked neat and fresh.

"You're here." Wen Shiming went up to him and handed him a bottle of warm milk. "It was a little chilly this morning, so I brought you some hot milk."

Liu Xu took the milk, his fingertips brushing Wen Shiming's hand. His face reddened instantly, and he murmured, "Thank you."

They walked side by side, the atmosphere between them shy and sweet. At the entrance to the aquarium, Wen Shiming took out the tickets and led Liu Xu inside. As soon as they entered, they saw all kinds of brightly colored fish swimming back and forth in enormous glass tanks. Liu Xu excitedly leaned close to the glass, his eyes sparkling.

Wen Shiming watched her, the corners of his mouth lifting without him realizing it.

They went to see the penguin show first. The adorably clumsy penguins made Liu Xu laugh out loud, her eyes narrowing to slits. Wen Shiming watched, a little entranced.

Next came the dolphin show. Under the trainer's direction, the clever dolphins performed all kinds of difficult tricks, leaping out of the water from time to time and sending up great sheets of spray.

Liu Xu clapped excitedly and accidentally brushed Wen Shiming's hand. Their hands touched briefly before quickly separating, but both their hearts were pounding like startled deer.

After the show, Wen Shiming took the strawberries from his backpack and handed them to Liu Xu. Liu Xu accepted them with a blush and took a small bite. The fresh sweetness of the strawberry spread through his mouth, just like the sweet atmosphere between them at that moment.

After leaving the aquarium, Wen Shiming held a folded flyer in his hand. It was a voucher for a historical costume photography session that he had picked up at the mall a few days earlier. The moment he saw the young man in hanfu on the flyer, he had thought of Liu Xu. He felt the flowing clothes would suit Liu Xu's long hair.

Wen Shiming handed him the flyer, his fingertips a little hot. "I thought this historical costume studio looked good, and I wanted to bring you here to take a few pictures. If you don't like it..."

Before he could finish, Liu Xu nodded gently. Looking at the hanfu embroidered with cloud patterns on the flyer, he suddenly felt a surge of anticipation. In all his life, he had never worn such beautiful clothes, let alone had his picture taken in them.

When they entered the photography studio, a shop assistant greeted them warmly and recommended some outfits. Wen Shiming immediately took a liking to a moon-white, cross-collar hanfu embroidered with pale green bamboo. He also chose a rosy-hued ruqun for Liu Xu, its hem adorned with tiny pearls that would sway gently when he walked.

"This one will definitely suit you." Wen Shiming handed the ruqun to Liu Xu, his eyes sparkling.

Liu Xu carried the clothes into the fitting room, his fingers gently brushing the soft fabric. He felt a little nervous, but also a little excited.

When he came out after changing, Wen Shiming was instantly struck dumb. The rosy ruqun set off Liu Xu's snow-white skin. His long hair was loosely swept up behind his head and secured with a jade hairpin, revealing his slender neck. He looked like someone who had stepped out of an ancient painting.

"Does it look good?" Liu Xu asked quietly, a little shy under his gaze.

"It does. It looks especially good." Wen Shiming nodded quickly and changed into the moon-white hanfu himself.

The two stood before the mirror, one refined and graceful as bamboo, the other gentle and lovely as rosy clouds. Even the shop assistant couldn't help exclaiming, "You two look so well matched standing together."

During the shoot, the photographer asked them to move closer. Wen Shiming was a little nervous and didn't even know where to put his hands. Liu Xu noticed his awkwardness and gently touched his arm. "Don't be nervous," he whispered. "Just be yourself, like usual."

The photographer took the opportunity to press the shutter, capturing the moment they smiled at each other. Wen Shiming's eyes were full of tenderness, and Liu Xu's cheeks were faintly flushed, his long hair falling over his shoulders. Sunlight streamed through the window onto them, as though gilding them in gold.

"Perfect!" the photographer exclaimed. "You two are truly a match made in heaven. You look wonderful on camera!"

Liu Xu's face went scarlet. He quickly lowered his head, clutching the hem of his skirt.

Wen Shiming was a little embarrassed too, but he still edged closer to Liu Xu and whispered, "The photographer was joking. Don't take it to heart."

But inwardly, he thought, If I could keep standing beside Liu Xu like this, that wouldn't be so bad.

After nearly two hours, they finally finished the shoot. The shop assistant said they would have to wait two hours to collect the photos. Wen Shiming made sure to leave his contact information, then took Liu Xu elsewhere to have fun in the meantime.

As they left the studio, Liu Xu was still looking at the hem of his skirt, a faint smile on his lips. "Do you like the photos we took today?" Wen Shiming asked.

"Mm, I do." Liu Xu nodded, a lightness in his voice that had never been there before. "Thank you, Wen Shiming."

"You're welcome," Wen Shiming said with a smile. "I'll take you to have more beautiful photos taken in the future, okay?"

Liu Xu looked up into Wen Shiming's sincere eyes and softly murmured, "Mm."

Wen Shiming checked the time, then took hold of Liu Xu and said, "Let's get hot pot. There's a really delicious place nearby."

Liu Xu nodded and said, "Whatever you say."

The hot pot restaurant was a little crowded, but they found a table by the window.

Wen Shiming picked up the menu with practiced ease and ordered shrimp paste, enoki mushrooms, sliced beef rolls, and more. When the broth arrived, he mixed a dipping sauce for Liu Xu, then put some cooked shrimp paste in his bowl. "Careful, it's hot."

Liu Xu ate the shrimp paste in small bites, warmth filling his heart. He stole a glance at Wen Shiming and saw him concentrating on cooking enoki mushrooms for him. Sunlight fell through the window onto his face, making even his eyelashes glow.

In a corner of the restaurant, a man dressed in black held up his phone and took several photos of them. Then he silently put his phone away, turned, and left. Wen Shiming and Liu Xu knew nothing about it and continued chatting happily.

After they finished eating, Wen Shiming checked the time and said to Liu Xu, "Wait for me here. I'm going to the restroom."

Actually, he had remembered an accessories shop beside the photography studio. When they passed it that morning, he had seen a silver bracelet with a tiny green bird charm, much like Liu Xu's little bird doll. He wanted to buy it for Liu Xu.

He ran back to the accessories shop, quickly bought the bracelet, tucked it into his pocket, and ran back to the hot pot restaurant. Liu Xu was sitting at the table with a small box in his hands. When he saw Wen Shiming return, he hurriedly hid the box behind his back.

"Sorry for the wait." Wen Shiming sat down with a smile, then suddenly stood up, walked behind Liu Xu, and covered his eyes with his hands. "Close your eyes. I have a surprise for you."

Liu Xu obediently closed his eyes. He felt Wen Shiming gently take his wrist, and then something cool slipped around it.

He opened his eyes and saw a silver bracelet on his wrist, its little bird charm glinting in the sunlight.

"Do you like it?" Wen Shiming asked, a hint of nervousness in his voice.

Liu Xu nodded, tears suddenly welling up in his eyes. He took the small box from behind his back and handed it to Wen Shiming. "I have something for you too."

Wen Shiming opened the box. Inside was a small jade pendant engraved with the character for "peace." "I saw that you got hurt in a fight last time," Liu Xu said quietly. "This jade pendant can keep you safe. I hope you won't get hurt again."

Wen Shiming picked up the pendant, his heart feeling as though something had filled it. He put it around his neck, then took Liu Xu's hand. Looking at the bracelet on his wrist, he said with a smile, "From now on, your bracelet and my jade pendant will be our little secret."

Liu Xu's face reddened again, and he nodded.

Afterward, they went back to the photography studio together to collect the photos. The pictures had turned out beautifully. In one, they stood side by side, Wen Shiming smiling at Liu Xu while Liu Xu shyly lowered his head. Sunlight fell on them, making the scene especially warm. Looking at himself in the photo, Liu Xu had never imagined he could look so good.

"I'm going to take good care of this photo," Wen Shiming said happily, holding it in his hands. "Me too," Liu Xu said softly.

Wen Shiming took Liu Xu's hand and said, "Come on, I'll take you to the last place for today."

The setting sun dyed the lake orange-red as Wen Shiming slowly rowed their little boat toward its center. Liu Xu sat at the stern, his feet gently touching the water and sending ripples spreading in circles.

The breeze carried the evening chill. He instinctively edged closer to Wen Shiming, the little bird bracelet on his wrist glimmering faintly in the last rays of sunlight.

"Isn't it beautiful here?" Wen Shiming rested the oars and turned to look at Liu Xu. "When I came here before, I thought the sunset was especially beautiful. I wanted to bring you to see it."

Liu Xu nodded, the shimmering lake reflected in his eyes. Then he suddenly leaned gently against Wen Shiming's shoulder.

Wen Shiming stiffened for a moment, then slowly relaxed and gently patted his back. "Thank you, Shiming." Liu Xu's voice was quiet and a little choked. "You're like the sun, always bringing me warmth. Do you... want to hear a story?"

Wen Shiming said nothing, only murmuring a soft "Mm" to let him know he should continue.

Liu Xu gazed at the setting sun in the distance, his voice slowly growing low. "When I was little, Dad didn't like me. He always said that if it weren't for me, Mom wouldn't have died."

He paused, his fingers clutching the hem of his clothes. "Mom died giving birth to me. After that, Dad treated me as her replacement. He forced me to grow my hair long and wear skirts, and said I had to live like Mom..."

"At my old school, my classmates all made fun of me. They called me a shemale and hit me too. I was scared every day and didn't know what to do." Liu Xu's tears slowly fell onto Wen Shiming's clothes, spreading into a small damp patch.

"I really hate having long hair. I hate people calling me a freak. I just want to be myself and live a decent life, that's all..."

Wen Shiming's heart felt as though something had squeezed it, the pain intense. He took a handkerchief from his pocket and gently wiped away Liu Xu's tears.

Wen Shiming said firmly, "No one will bully you anymore. I'm here. I'll protect you and face everything with you."

Liu Xu looked into Wen Shiming's sincere eyes, and his tears flowed even harder. He had never told anyone these things before. Now that he had told Wen Shiming, he felt much lighter.

He leaned on Wen Shiming's shoulder, feeling his body heat, and slowly stopped crying.

The sun sank lower, and the lake grew darker and darker. Wen Shiming picked up the oars again and slowly rowed toward shore. Neither of them spoke along the way, but both felt warm inside. Liu Xu knew he finally had someone he could lean on;

Wen Shiming also knew he had to protect Liu Xu well and never let him suffer the slightest grievance again.

Behind a large tree by the lake, the man who had secretly photographed them at the hot pot restaurant was still holding up his camera.

He watched the two snuggled together in the boat, a cold smile curling his lips. Then he put away his camera, turned, and left. He needed to send the photos to his employer as soon as possible and collect the rest of his payment.

By the time Liu Xu and Wen Shiming returned to shore, it was already dark. Wen Shiming escorted Liu Xu home himself, and only took a car home after he saw him enter the residential complex.