No one else

Golden streaks tore through the ink-black sky. Overhead, fireworks blazed.

"Brother Ding! Brother Ding!"

It was hard to say whether heaven had favored or neglected Bai Congming. He had a mouth that could not express itself, but eyes that could speak.

All his joy and excitement spilled from his curved brows and smiling eyes, as though one could look straight through them into his heart.

Yet it was hard to describe just what kind of heart it was.

Perhaps innocent and uncomprehending, perhaps pure and clear. There was no way to be sure by feeling alone.

Ding Ding thought that perhaps Auntie Zhou was right.

He had simply appeared at just the right time, and whoever that person had been, Bai Congming would have treated them well.

But looking into those eyes, Ding Ding could not convince himself that it was not love.

"Brother Ding! Look up! Not at me!"

Bai Congming was very happy. A thin sheen of sweat appeared on his forehead, and Ding Ding reached out to wipe it away before lifting his head.

"Do you like fireworks, Little Bai?"

"Yes!"

Bai Congming shouted his answer, then opened his mouth to imitate the sound of the fireworks exploding. "Boom-"

"Do you know what liking something means, Little Bai?"

Their surroundings were noisy, and Ding Ding spoke softly, so Bai Congming did not hear the question.

For some inexplicable reason, Ding Ding did not particularly want to know the answer, either.

When the fireworks ended, some people were elated, while others felt dispirited.

"Let's go home."

"Okay." Bai Congming reluctantly looked away. "Home!"

It was a lovely night, with neither wind nor moon. Bai Congming was still afraid of the dark and walked very slowly, clinging to Ding Ding's arm. Neither spoke along the way.

Once home, they washed up one after the other and got into bed. Only then did Ding Ding shake off his troubled mood, holding Bai Congming and giving him several quick, pecking kisses.

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

"Brother Ding..." Bai Congming's voice was soft, yet utterly certain. "Are you unhappy?"

Ding Ding froze for a moment. "I don't think so..."

"You are," Bai Congming said. "Brother Ding is unhappy."

Bai Congming had bought the fireworks to make him happy, but when they went off, Brother Ding had not looked up at the sky even once.

Brother Ding did not even like such beautiful fireworks. Bai Congming felt a little sad and did not know what to do.

"Brother Ding, tell me..." Tell me what I should do?

"Little Bai." Ding Ding held him tighter and interrupted him. "It's late. If you don't sleep, you'll be sleepy tomorrow."

But Bai Congming refused. In the past, when his mother was angry with him, she would be so upset that she secretly cried.

He did not want Brother Ding to cry, too.

"You're good to me. I... I want to be good to you, too. I don't know how... Teach me."

His refusal to give up until he got what he wanted made Ding Ding sigh. The bed was so small that he had nowhere even to hide.

"How am I good to you?"

"Good!" Bai Congming answered with absolute certainty. "Good food! A good home! And... you're just good!"

"And what?"

Bai Congming chuckled, leaned close to Ding Ding's ear, and whispered something.

Ding Ding nearly choked to death on the saliva he had not yet swallowed. Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, he reached over to pinch Bai Congming's nose.

"What is all this nonsense?"

"It's good!" Bai Congming smiled without the slightest embarrassment. "I know. That's being loved!"

"..."

This kid really has been led astray! Ding Ding thought, pinning all the blame on that comic book without reflecting in the slightest on his own actions.

Those few words dispersed a little of the dark cloud hanging over Ding Ding's head.

Ding Ding asked him again, "Then what if someone else treated you this well? Would you go and let someone else love you, Little Bai?"

"Someone else..." Bai Congming murmured. "Who?"

Ding Ding choked up. Before he could speak, he heard Bai Congming answer his own question.

"I don't want anyone else!"

Talking to Bai Congming was a very simple matter. There was no need to puzzle over any deeper meaning behind his words.

There was no deeper meaning at all. He simply voiced whatever was on his mind, as straightforward as a Trisolaran.

So Ding Ding had no doubts. At this moment, Bai Congming belonged to him.

"That day... outside the nursery, the day I opened the gate for you, why did you take me home?"

Bai Congming seemed to be getting sleepy, his voice growing softer and softer.

"You can't sleep outside... And... Brother Ding was good-looking. Had to bring you home to be my wife!"

"..."

Ding Ding had heard that sort of thing practically all his life.

Handsome and dashing, dignified and imposing-love letters he received at school had even exaggeratedly praised him as handsome beyond compare.

All those flowery words could not compare to a single "good-looking" from Bai Congming.

Ding Ding thought, Thank goodness I have this face.

"Then if someone else was just as good-looking, would you still want me to be your wife?"

"Mm..."

No answer came for a long time. For once, Ding Ding had accepted being called his wife, but Bai Congming... was breathing evenly, sound asleep.

In truth, there were not so many what-ifs. They had met along an established timeline, and that had destined them for an ending in which they would never part.

Yes, they would never part.

What did a marriage certificate count for? The law could not hold together a marriage that was falling apart. Someone who was going to leave would leave regardless.

Ding Ding let out a breath, beginning to feel that Auntie Zhou's worries were truly unfounded.

So early the next morning, Ding Ding took Bai Congming to work on his electric scooter and made a point of waiting outside the nursery until Auntie Zhou arrived.

He made everything that needed saying clear. Although Auntie Zhou still felt it was inappropriate, she said nothing more.

"You young people can decide your own affairs."

Ding Ding murmured his agreement and offered this elder, who cared about Little Bai, a reassuring truth.

"Now I'm the one who can't do without him."

He had thought the matter was over, but a week later, Bai Congming called him during work to ask whether he could bring a friend home for dinner.

Of course he could. Ding Ding was happy to see it happen and even asked whether this friend had any dietary restrictions.

"No, I can eat anything."

A girl's timid voice came from the other end of the line. She sounded very nervous.

Ding Ding did not give it much thought, assuming she was the girl who had given Little Bai the comic book. He only wondered to himself how someone like this had come to be called Sunflower Sister.

Sensitive plant would have suited her better.

Since Bai Congming would be coming home with someone else, Ding Ding did not go out to pick him up that evening. Instead, he prepared a tableful of food at home.

When he heard voices in the courtyard, Ding Ding went out to greet them and saw Bai Congming helping a girl who had difficulty walking inside.

Ding Ding paused, looking at their linked arms.

Once the girl saw Ding Ding's face clearly, she was the first to release Bai Congming's hand and greeted him in an affectedly sweet voice.

"Hi... My name is Xie Xiao Hua."

Bai Congming ran over to Ding Ding. "Xiao Hua! This is Xiao Hua!"

Ding Ding gave a hum of acknowledgment, not particularly warm, and asked Bai Congming with an air of casualness.

"Is this the friend who gave you the comic book?"

"No!" Bai Congming shook his head and told Ding Ding, "Sunflower Sister gave me the comic book!"

Xie Xiao Hua stared at Ding Ding, her eyes full of admiration for his looks, but it vanished in an instant. When she raised her eyes again, only deference remained on her face.

"If Little Bai likes reading comics, I can buy him some next time."

"..."