Chapter 27

A question like that, but he still nodded honestly. "Yes, not many guests come to the billiards area. You and your friends were our first customers."

Yue Feng tugged at the corner of his mouth. He tossed aside his cue, walked over to He Qinghuan, and threw the key card onto the coffee table. "Your Wangwang's key card."

The presidential suites at the Hot Spring Resort weren't something an ordinarily wealthy person could afford. If it was Gu Wang and his friends, though, that made sense.

He Qinghuan glanced at it. Gu Wang had worn a T-shirt today, with no pockets. It must have fallen from his trouser pocket when he bent over to take a shot.

He slipped the key card into his own pocket. "I'll give it to him later."

Yue Feng couldn't help laughing. "Will you really?"

He Qinghuan gave him a cool glance, and Yue Feng immediately fell silent.

Fireworks began going off outside. Quite a crowd had gathered in the courtyard. With so many people still around close to midnight, it was easy to imagine how appealing the resort's fireworks were.

Gu Wang, Shen Zhao, and Song Zhiyan sat around a small coffee table. Gu Wang felt a little cold, so before coming to watch the fireworks, he had gone upstairs and put on one of Song Zhiyan's hoodies. He hadn't brought one himself, thinking he wouldn't need it.

But nights in the mountains were much colder than in the city. A gust of wind could raise goose bumps.

Gu Wang curled up in a wicker chair, hugging a cushion, the hood resting against the back of his head. Even Song Zhiyan thought he looked rather well-behaved like this.

Of the three of them, Gu Wang had the most deceptive face. As children, they had always caused trouble together. Usually, Gu Wang led the way, Shen Zhao blindly obeyed, and Song Zhiyan questioned him before choosing to obey.

Yet whenever their parents caught them, only he and Shen Zhao ended up getting scolded. Gu Wang only needed to shed a couple of tears and say he would never do it again. Gu Dazhi would be beside himself with heartache; scolding him was out of the question.

In sixth grade, Gu Wang had stabbed someone in the thigh with a fountain pen. To comfort Gu Wang, Gu Dazhi had even taken him to an amusement park and brought home a whole carload of building blocks.

From childhood onward, there was no telling how many advantages Gu Wang had gained thanks to that face.

Song Zhiyan couldn't help sighing.

Gu Wang looked at him, puzzled. "What's wrong?"

Song Zhiyan touched his own face. "If I were just a little better-looking, maybe Meng Ou would like me."

Shen Zhao looked incredulous. "Why would you say that? It's not like Meng Ou dislikes you because you're ugly!"

Warmth filled Song Zhiyan's heart. Shen Zhao had grown up; he even knew to stand up for his dad now. But before he could finish feeling gratified, Shen Zhao continued, "It's because you're not just ugly, you're also a hopelessly clueless straight guy."

Song Zhiyan: "..."

Gu Wang: "..."

Song Zhiyan nearly kicked Shen Zhao's chair over. He turned to Gu Wang as though pleading for rescue. "Wangwang, you've dated so many times. Give me some pointers."

"..." What experience did Gu Wang have? That all belonged to the original owner of this body. He was even worse than someone who had been single since birth: he had never even liked anyone.

But faced with Song Zhiyan's pitiful, big-dog eyes, Gu Wang hesitated for a moment before saying, "Maybe it's fate."

Song Zhiyan's face fell at once.

Shen Zhao nearly doubled over laughing. Song Zhiyan asking Wangwang for advice was no different from a failing student asking a top student how he scored a hundred. He was simply asking to be humiliated.

When they finished joking around, a streak of fire split the darkness in the distance and shot into the ink-black sky overhead. After a brief silence, it burst with a bang.

Multicolored fireworks spilled across the night sky, pearly lights and jade-like threads spreading over the horizon in layer upon layer. Just as they began to fade, another burst followed. Half the sky shone, and the courtyard was as bright as day.

Beneath the sky full of fireworks, Gu Wang's face flickered in and out of shadow.

While taking photos of the fireworks, Shen Zhao couldn't resist snapping a couple of Gu Wang as well.

When the fireworks display ended, the crowd slowly dispersed. Gu Wang drew his gaze back from the gradually darkening sky and yawned.

Song Zhiyan looked at him. "Wangwang, are you sleepy?"

Shen Zhao said too, "Wangwang, go back to your room and sleep. You've been studying until two or three every night since school started. You must be exhausted. Song Zhiyan and I will play a couple of rounds at the internet café before bed."

Gu Wang, who had actually only been scheduling posts on Moments: "..."

But Gu Wang really did feel a little sleepy. He said good night to Shen Zhao and Song Zhiyan and prepared to return to his room to sleep.

It was already midnight, yet plenty of people were still running around. The brilliant lights made it all feel a little unreal to Gu Wang. This resort really was rather extravagant.

At his door, Gu Wang felt around his trouser pockets but couldn't find his key card. He froze. Had he lost it? The trousers he had put on after his shower had very shallow pockets, but he had thought it wouldn't matter.

He went downstairs again to search the places he had visited earlier. The restaurant was already being cleaned. Gu Wang asked the cleaning lady whether she had found a key card, and she said no.

Gu Wang made another trip to the courtyard, but it wasn't there either. Last was the billiards hall, where the staff member had changed again. A young man was polishing the balls with an indifferent expression, but the moment he saw someone approach, he put on a standard welcoming smile.

"Hello, how may I help you?"

When Gu Wang asked whether he had found a key card, his smile remained just as bright. "Sorry, I haven't seen one."

Gu Wang could only go to the front desk.

"Please show me your ID."

Gu Wang paused, then said, "My ID is in my room."

Seeing such a good-looking, polite young man, the receptionist felt bad making things difficult, but she had to follow the rules, even if she also thought this particular rule was very unreasonable. "Sorry, please provide proof that you're the guest in room 601."

Gu Wang: "..."

Seeing how disappointed the boy looked, she couldn't help saying, "Once the manager comes to work tomorrow, we can open the door for you. We have to follow the rules. The manager on duty tonight is covering the shift and doesn't have the authority to open guests' rooms. We hope you understand."

Gu Wang said, "...All right. Sorry for the trouble."

The receptionist said, "It's our job. Have a pleasant evening."

That probably wasn't going to happen.

Gu Wang gave up. No matter how he approached it, the responses never changed. Holding his phone, he prepared to call Shen Zhao. He could squeeze in with Shen Zhao and the others for now.

Even sleeping on the sofa would do.

Just as he brought up his contacts, He Qinghuan called.

What did he want this late?

"Hello." Gu Wang stood by the elevator, watching the numbers change one by one.

He Qinghuan had just finished showering. His gaze settled on the golden key card on the table before shifting toward the window. "I have your key card."

Gu Wang paused, then said in delighted surprise, "How did it end up with you?"

Hearing Gu Wang's voice brighten all at once, He Qinghuan softened his tone a little. "You left it in the billiards hall."

Gu Wang entered the elevator. "Are you in your room? I'll come get it."

He Qinghuan's finger slid lightly over the key card. His eyes were lowered, his lashes veiling his dark pupils. Transmitted through the phone, his voice took on an unfathomable meaning.

"All right. Come get it yourself."

Author's note: He Qinghuan: What is a decent human being? Why should I be one?

Chapter 34

Gu Wang knocked on He Qinghuan's door.

After a few seconds, Gu Wang heard the lock turn. He Qinghuan wore dark blue cotton pajamas that didn't look like the hotel's.

Gu Wang was briefly taken aback. He Qinghuan looked much gentler like this, the coolness surrounding him considerably softened. Yet all Gu Wang could do was marvel inwardly: An unattainable first love really is an unattainable first love. No matter how dark his true nature is, his appearance makes it impossible to dislike him or put up any defenses.

Judging by He Qinghuan's attitude over the past two days, Gu Wang had thought he might come up with some last-minute whim to make things difficult for him. But to his surprise, He Qinghuan really held his key card and offered it directly to him after opening the door.

"Thank you." Gu Wang reached out to take it.

The key card was metal and cool to the touch. Gu Wang tugged at it in He Qinghuan's hand, but it wouldn't budge. He looked up at He Qinghuan in confusion.

Under the pale yellow ceiling lights in the hallway, He Qinghuan's eyes looked gentle and intent. His fingers slipped past the key card and lightly hooked around Gu Wang's. "How will you thank me?"

Watching the person before him seemingly turn to stone, he repeated, "Wangwang, how are you going to thank me?"

It was as though his fingers were locked in place. The gesture looked casual, but in truth, Gu Wang couldn't pull his fingers from He Qinghuan's grasp at all.

He Qinghuan held the tip of Gu Wang's index finger and gently rubbed it, the gesture carrying an indescribable intimacy.

Gu Wang was innocent to begin with. How could he withstand teasing like this from He Qinghuan? Whether he liked him or not, in this atmosphere, facing the person the body's original owner had always liked so much, Gu Wang's face flushed red in an instant.

He was fair-skinned, and even his blush was pretty, spreading like a peach blossom.

He Qinghuan watched him. Not wanting to go too far, he was about to let go when Yue Feng and the others' voices came from the direction of the elevator. The three of them had gone downstairs to buy snacks at the supermarket, and now they had returned just in time to run into He Qinghuan and Gu Wang.

Gu Wang standing outside He Qinghuan's room in the dead of night felt off no matter how one looked at it. They didn't seem to have the sort of relationship that allowed for late-night heart-to-hearts.

Gu Wang also knew this wasn't the right setting. With his other hand, he fished a few candies out of his hoodie pocket and shoved them haphazardly against He Qinghuan's chest.

"Will this do?"

Honestly, this was the first time anyone had thanked He Qinghuan with candy.

But this was Gu Wang, and Gu Wang was He Qinghuan's exception.

"Good night, Wangwang." He Qinghuan released Gu Wang's hand with a soft laugh.

Gu Wang's room was at the end of the hallway. Once he had his key card, he hurried away, swiped it at lightning speed, and shut the door with a thunderous bang.

Yue Feng was opening a fruit beer. The slamming door startled him. "I thought my can exploded!"

They entered the hallway and saw He Qinghuan leaning against the wall with his head lowered, thinking about who knew what.

Yue Feng walked over and saw the candies in his hand. Puzzled, he asked, "He Qinghuan, weren't you asleep? What are you doing outside your door?"

"Returning a key card."

Old Ma didn't understand. "What key card? To whom?"

Old Ma and Dada hadn't been there when they found Gu Wang's key card, so it was only natural they didn't know.

Yue Feng didn't answer him, tipping his head back to drink. Old Ma's attention was drawn to the candies in He Qinghuan's hand. "He Qinghuan, where did you get that candy?"

He Qinghuan raised his eyes and looked at him indifferently. "Wangwang gave it to me."

They were a few mints in green wrappers.

Beside them, Dada craned his neck to look at the candy in He Qinghuan's palm and murmured, "That's what the front desk downstairs gives guests."

He Qinghuan looked at Dada and murmured, "The front desk?"

Seeing that He Qinghuan's expression was off, Old Ma pinched Dada's waist. Dada slapped his hand away and earnestly explained to his big brother He Qinghuan, "Yes, it's in that cardboard box beside the front desk. When guests bring children, or when their requests haven't been met, the front desk gives them candy."

Dada was quiet and observant. His explanation was careful, thorough, and orderly, as though afraid He Qinghuan wouldn't understand what he meant.

Old Ma stared at the ceiling light and felt suffocated.

Yue Feng sighed, thankful that Dada wasn't his family's successor.

Unexpectedly, after hearing Dada out, He Qinghuan's expression remained unchanged. He simply murmured an acknowledgment, glanced at them, said good night, and went straight into his room.

Looking at the closed door, Dada slapped his forehead. "I forgot to tell Brother He Qinghuan that the candy costs one yuan each. It's even cheaper wholesale."

Having said that, he actually made to knock on He Qinghuan's door.

"Will you stop? Worried you're not dying fast enough?" Old Ma wailed, grabbed Dada by the collar, and carried him away like a little chick.

Telling He Qinghuan that the candy Gu Wang gave him was just a handful grabbed from the front desk downstairs-tsk, that cuts deep.

Back in his room, He Qinghuan casually tossed the candies onto the TV stand and opened WeChat. There was a message Gu Wang had just sent.

[Wangwang: Thank you.]

He Qinghuan stared at his phone screen for a long time before putting it down and walking over to the TV stand. Slowly, one by one, he picked up the candies he had carelessly tossed there, held them in his palm, and put them into a compartment of the schoolbag standing nearby.

After all, it was the first thing Gu Wang had given him since saying he didn't like him.

At dawn, when the sky was barely light, Gu Wang was awakened by pounding on his door. He wasn't cranky when he woke up, but