Chapter 88

Chapter 88

The matter of the stowaway was confirmed during his call with Guan Heng.

Ning Qiuyan sat on the bus to Su Jianzhou’s dorm, looking out at the streets of Wutong. The snow had yet to melt, and the festive red decorations along both sides of the road had not been taken down either.

“What’s wrong?” Guan Heng asked over the phone. “Are you scared?”

His tone was perfectly ordinary, as if he had not been the one to tear that person apart.

Ning Qiuyan shook his head, then realized Guan Heng couldn’t see him and added, “No. I’m not scared.”

Guan Heng gave a faint hum in response.

In truth, Ning Qiuyan had been a little frightened at first. To be precise, that method of handling things had been too bloody and brutal. He couldn’t connect it with Guan Heng.

Guan Heng ought to be elegant, noble, like the snow on Du Island-holy, untouched by even a speck of dust.

But after the initial shock, Ning Qiuyan had to admit that it made sense. In certain respects, Guan Heng would never be merciful, nor was he some saint living apart from the world. He often made the people beneath him feel that his moods were unpredictable and impossible to read, because he had always been clear with rewards and punishments, tempering kindness with authority.

Guan Heng said, “I didn’t expect you to see that.”

Ning Qiuyan immediately explained, “There was a small problem with the boat at the last minute, so we were delayed for a while. Otherwise, I shouldn’t have seen it. Uncle Ping is always very punctual.”

Guan Heng seemed to laugh. “Worried I’ll punish them?”

Ning Qiuyan tightened his grip on the phone and slowly admitted, “…Yeah.”

Guan Heng only said, “I won’t.”

Only then did Ning Qiuyan relax.

When he arrived at his destination, Su Jianzhou was already waiting by the roadside, wrapped in a white down jacket. Ning Qiuyan was carrying a bag filled with cured pork Granny Bai had pickled herself. He had specifically asked Granny Bai to pack some for him, saying he wanted to let his close friend have a taste.

Hearing that it was a “specialty of Du Island,” Su Jianzhou became interested and happily slung an arm around Ning Qiuyan as they headed toward the dorm.

The doctors’ dormitory building was very clean, and the interior decor was simple too, similar to the style of Su Jianzhou’s home. He had only returned from spending the holidays at home two days ago, and there were still some New Year’s goods on the table. As soon as they stepped inside, he asked Ning Qiuyan if he was hungry and whether he wanted something to eat.

The room was very warm. Ning Qiuyan took off his coat and rushed to the soft sofa, collapsing onto it as if he had no bones.

“What’s wrong?” Su Jianzhou asked. “Didn’t sleep well?”

“No.” A suspicious flush rose on Ning Qiuyan’s face, and he stammered, “I caught a bit of a cold.”

By the end of the day before he left, his whole body had been sore and weak, thoroughly opened up. It was as if he had been marked as someone else’s possession, from the inside out, deep into his bones, down to the tips of his fingers and every strand of hair.

Prey together with Predators-taboo, yet indulgent. Just thinking about it was enough to make him burn.

It belonged to him and Guan Heng.

How could he possibly tell Su Jianzhou that?

Su Jianzhou reached over to feel his forehead, and Ning Qiuyan immediately brushed his hand away. “I’m almost better. It’s fine.”

Su Jianzhou looked him over and found that he did seem to have lost a little weight, but his spirits were good and his complexion was rosy. He really didn’t look as if anything was wrong. So Su Jianzhou said meaningfully, “Du Island really nourishes a person.”

Ning Qiuyan: “…”

He knew Su Jianzhou would be able to guess. After all, Su Jianzhou was a doctor, and the two of them were far too close for him not to notice.

They did not discuss the matter much. Su Jianzhou was straight, so he wasn’t exactly going to exchange experiences with Ning Qiuyan. Ning Qiuyan told him some amusing things that had happened on the island, said he wanted to film a documentary about Du Island, and also played Su Jianzhou a bit of a piece he had only just begun to shape.

Even Guan Heng hadn’t heard this piece yet. Ning Qiuyan wanted someone who had never been to Du Island to evaluate it, so he asked Su Jianzhou what he felt after listening. A few intuitive words would be enough.

Su Jianzhou said, “Very warm. Like spring.”

That was not the direction Ning Qiuyan had been composing in at all. The more he listened, the wider his eyes grew. “How?”

Su Jianzhou smiled and added, “It’s all the sour stink of being in love.”

“Stop listening.” Ning Qiuyan simply snatched the earphones back. “You’re only teasing me. You’re not objective at all.”

Su Jianzhou said, “I’m serious. It sounds like Du Island is a very warm place. If I can visit someday, maybe I’ll be a little more objective.”

Basically, everyone in Wutong was unfamiliar with Du Island. Most had not even seen it from afar, because even if they went out to sea, the majority of routes would not overlap with Wutong unless that previous tourism plan was implemented. Otherwise, Du Island would remain outside the regular routes.

“Do you want to go?” Ning Qiuyan asked.

If Su Jianzhou wanted to go, he would try asking Guan Heng.

It was only a small request. If he behaved well enough, Guan Heng would probably agree, right?

“I do.” Su Jianzhou looked at him helplessly. “But even more, I want to see that Mr. Guan who’s bewitched you so completely. I want to thank him for letting you have a perfect Spring Festival.”

Ning Qiuyan thought for a moment, then took out his phone. “I can show you his picture.”

The two of them leaned together the way they used to, and Ning Qiuyan felt something strange and wonderful. When Su Jianzhou had introduced him to the private blood donation project, he probably never imagined such a day would come.

Because of Su Jianzhou, he had Guan Heng.

On the screen was that photo of the two of them from Spring Festival.

After the photographer handed it to Guan Heng, Guan Heng had sent it to Ning Qiuyan together with the other photos. In the single short day since leaving Du Island, Ning Qiuyan had already taken it out and looked at it many times.
The two people in the photo stood side by side, both dressed in formalwear.

It was the first time Su Jianzhou had seen Ning Qiuyan in a suit. He looked bright and spirited. Though he still carried that unmistakable youthful air, Su Jianzhou could feel that he had grown up quite a bit. The man beside Ning Qiuyan, however, surprised him a little. So this was Guan Heng.

Su Jianzhou looked at the photo. “He’s more than I imagined…”

“More handsome?” Ning Qiuyan asked. “I think I told you that before.”

Their heads were close together as they looked at the photo. Su Jianzhou rolled his eyes at Ning Qiuyan. “You and your obsession with good looks. Yes, he’s definitely very good-looking. Stunning, even. But what I meant was, he’s much younger than I imagined. No, not young-he looks much more energetic.”

Su Jianzhou studied the person in the photo and continued, “It’s rare for seriously ill patients to have this kind of vitality. Look, he’s pale, sure, but his face doesn’t look worn down. He isn’t withered at all, and there are no dark circles or anything… His eyes are bright, too. He doesn’t look like a sick person at all. He’s tall and broad as well. He looks strong.”

Ning Qiuyan opened his mouth, suddenly not knowing how to respond. “…”

Su Jianzhou concluded, “Maybe he looks young because he’s in such good condition.”

Ning Qiuyan had no way to discuss the topic of “why a seriously ill patient was so energetic” with Su Jianzhou, so he gave a vague murmur and swiped to the next photo. “There are more. This is Granny Bai, the one who asked me to bring you the cured pork. And next to her is Uncle Kang…”

It was another group photo.

Neither Guan Heng nor the guests were in this one. It was only the people from the manor. Ning Qiuyan stood among them, everyone facing the camera with smiles.

Sure enough, Su Jianzhou’s attention was diverted. “It looks lively.”

Ning Qiuyan said, “It was. Really lively. I’ve never had such a lively Spring Festival before. You know, they even gave me big red envelopes. They all put them under my pillow.”

New Year’s money was meant to be slept on, with the red envelopes tucked beneath one’s pillow until the first morning of the new year, symbolizing peace and good fortune.

But Ning Qiuyan had slept in another bed that night. Early on New Year’s Day, he had gone around the island with Guan Heng, and only discovered them after he returned.

Su Jianzhou smiled, happy for Ning Qiuyan.

On Du Island, Ning Qiuyan had clearly become much more cheerful. So it turned out he had received a long-lost warmth of family. Su Jianzhou could no longer remember how long it had been since he had seen Ning Qiuyan this relaxed.

Speaking of going around the island, Ning Qiuyan continued swiping and came to some photos of Du Island’s scenery that they had taken along the way.

Every single one was good enough to be used as wallpaper.

As he swiped, he told Su Jianzhou about the scenes there-the albatrosses he had seen, and the wolf howls he had heard at night.

Then he came to a selfie of him and Guan Heng.

It was dusk, and the image was hazy. He was sitting in Guan Heng’s arms in an intimate pose, looking very small, the two of them gazing at the camera together.

Su Jianzhou didn’t say anything. Ning Qiuyan, a little shy, turned off his phone. “That’s all.”

“It’s a great photo,” Su Jianzhou said naturally, getting to his feet. “I’ll pour you some water.”

After Su Jianzhou walked away, however, Ning Qiuyan turned his phone back on. His gaze lingered on the screen for a long time, though it was impossible to tell which photo he was looking at. He missed Guan Heng. He didn’t even notice when Su Jianzhou set the glass of water on the table.

It was rare for Ning Qiuyan to fall for anyone.

Su Jianzhou knew him very well, and he wasn’t surprised that Ning Qiuyan would fall for Guan Heng. After seeing Guan Heng and the photos of Du Island, Su Jianzhou even felt a strange sense of fate.

“Ningning…” Su Jianzhou called him by his nickname.

“Hm?” Ning Qiuyan looked up, the longing in his eyes not yet hidden.

Su Jianzhou had originally wanted to ask Ning Qiuyan what his plans were for the future, and to ask how far Guan Heng’s physical condition had progressed. Seriously ill patients like Guan Heng rarely lived long lives. It was very possible they would not make it to the end together. Ning Qiuyan was so invested now-what would he do in the future?

Status, age… lifespan. The gaps between them were too great.

But the moment he saw the look in Ning Qiuyan’s eyes, the words stuck in Su Jianzhou’s throat. In the end, he asked nothing.

Ning Qiuyan seemed never to have considered that there might come a day when he and Guan Heng would be separated.
Ning Qiuyan stayed with Su Jianzhou in Wutong for three days, then boarded a flight back to Sujing.

Spring had begun, and the weather grew warmer by the day. Looking at the thin clouds in the clear sky, he couldn’t help hoping that time would pass a little faster, faster still, so April would arrive sooner.

The school had been efficient. The dormitory that caught fire last year had been completely renovated, and they could all move back into their original rooms. They no longer had to squeeze into four-person rooms with other students.

Before leaving, Ning Qiuyan had sent Rong Qi a message to arrange a time to return to school. Rong Qi didn’t reply. After landing, he called Rong Qi again to ask when he was going to move his things, but Rong Qi didn’t pick up either.

That was a little unusual.

Ning Qiuyan thought back. It seemed they hadn’t seen much of each other even before winter break, because Rong Qi had always been with Peng Kaile.

The temporary dorm was a little chaotic. Everyone was moving their things back. Ning Qiuyan only ran into one roommate there.

When the other boy saw him, he told him a piece of news so shocking it was almost impossible to believe.

Peng Kaile was dead.