After returning from the Lu clan home, Lu Xingmian put away the red envelopes he had received, including the one Lu Shiran had given him.
Lu Shiran looked at the drawer and was a little surprised to see the red envelope he had given Lu Xingmian last year in there. “You still have it?”
Lu Xingmian said, “Yeah.” It was from Lu Shiran, and he could never bring himself to spend it. At that time, Lu Shiran was the light in his life. He didn’t know what the future held, but he knew Lu Shiran was good to him, and he wanted to keep everything Lu Shiran gave him.
Lu Shiran rested his head on Lu Xingmian’s shoulder. “It’s okay. You’ll get a red envelope every year from now on. You should use and spend these.”
Lu Xingmian just hummed in response, but the truth was, he didn’t need to spend that much. Besides the bank card Lu Shiran gave him, Lu Shiran would often send him red envelopes and money transfers out of the blue. If he heard Lu Xingmian was going out with friends, he would transfer money so Lu Xingmian could have a good time.
While Lu Xingmian was tidying the drawer, Lu Shiran noticed a transparent box. Inside were some used sticky notes that looked familiar, and he picked them up curiously.
“Zai Zai, what are these?”
Lu Xingmian hadn’t expected the box of sticky notes to be discovered and tried to hide them, but it was too late. The box was already in Lu Shiran’s hand, and he had already picked one up. When he saw the note, Lu Shiran was surprised and shocked. The handwriting was his own. He had left these sticky notes in Lu Xingmian’s apartment before. The one in his hand was a reminder for Lu Xingmian that there was fresh fruit in the fridge and not to forget to eat it.
There were many more notes like this in the box. He looked at them one by one. They were all simple reminders to Lu Xingmian not to forget to drink his milk, to eat his fruit, and to have his meals on time. There were also simple words of encouragement like “Lu Xingmian, you can do it.”
At that time, he had seen the sticky notes on Lu Xingmian’s desk and used them by sticking them on the door, the fridge, and his desk. He might not have remembered them if he hadn’t seen them now, but as he flipped through each one, the scenes from that time immediately came back to him. He thought Lu Xingmian had thrown them away, however he had kept them all.
Lu Shiran had met all kinds of people and seen many things in various settings. He had encountered a lot of insincere people and situations, but he had never met anyone like Lu Xingmian, who was pure, kind, stubborn, and strong. Every part of him made Lu Shiran love him to his core. This boy was so incredibly lovable.
Lu Xingmian had carefully saved every note he had written, keeping them perfectly intact. Lu Shiran finished looking through them one by one.
After the notes were discovered, Lu Xingmian’s face stayed flushed. Even though Lu Shiran was the one who wrote the notes, Lu Xingmian was the one who was embarrassed, and even more so because Lu Shiran had read every single one.
Sitting on his lap, Lu Xingmian looked at Lu Shiran pleadingly as he asked him to return the notes.
Of course, Lu Shiran planned to give them back. He carefully gathered all the sticky notes and handed them to Lu Xingmian. Lu Xingmian took them, gently touched them, and then carefully placed them in the drawer.
Lu Shiran found Lu Xingmian’s actions endearing. His heart melted. “Zai Zai, I’ll write you notes often from now on.”
Lu Xingmian’s beautiful eyes curved into crescents. He was already incredibly excited. In this era of digital convenience, few people write notes anymore, everything is sent as instant messages. Yet Lu Shiran was promising him a collection of handwritten ones. Lu Shiran’s voice was pleasant, and his handwriting was beautiful.
He was so happy today. He had met Lu Shiran’s parents, his brother, and sister-in-law, played with Xiao Youzi, and Lu Shiran had also promised him a red envelope every year, and now, more notes.
He wondered if Lu Shiran had ever written notes for anyone else in school. Lu Xingmian was curious. “Ge, did you write notes for other people when you were in school?”
Lu Shiran replied, “No.”
Lu Xingmian thought for a moment. “Then I bet a lot of people passed notes to you.”
Lu Shiran said, “No.”
Lu Xingmian didn’t believe him. At the Lu clan home, he had seen a high school photo of Lu Shiran. He looked both cool and handsome, just like now, but with a youthful innocence he no longer had. A guy who looked like that would definitely be the school heartthrob, and surely students would have passed notes to him.
But Lu Shiran wasn’t lying. In high school, he exuded a cool, unapproachable vibe. No one dared to get close to him, let alone pass him a note. Lu Xingmian couldn’t see how “cool” or “unapproachable” could ever describe Lu Shiran, who was so gentle and kind.
Lu Shiran asked, “Zai Zai, do you still remember what was on them?”
“I do.” Lu Xingmian said. How could he forget? During that stressful time with his studies, seeing those notes and knowing someone cared about him had given him the strength to get through it.
Lu Shiran then asked, “So, do you want a live version?”
A live version! Lu Xingmian nodded eagerly. “Yes, yes, yes!”
Lu Shiran gave a knowing smile. “You said so yourself.”
And that’s when Lu Xingmian understood what he meant. While he was making his move, Lu Shiran began to read the notes aloud, that was his “live version.”
But who would have thought that hearing Lu Shiran read them at that moment would feel so different? Lu Shiran’s voice was steady, without a single tremor, even as his breathing grew heavier from the intense activity.
Hearing Lu Shiran’s voice brimming with longing only heightened Lu Xingmian’s excitement. His voice always had a way of effortlessly awakening the deepest corners of his heart.
Lu Xingmian found himself lost in Lu Shiran’s voice again and again.
In the midst of the intense sensations, he still managed to remember and say, “Ge, please be gentle. We’re going horseback riding in a couple of days.”
Despite his plea, Lu Shiran showed no mercy, leaving very visible hickeys on Lu Xingmian’s neck. Lu Xingmian stared at the culprit with a resentful look, wondering how he was supposed to face anyone. Lu Shiran laughed and explained that he simply couldn’t hold back. Luckily, it was winter, and a high-collared shirt would hide everything.
The horse farm was one of Zheng Minyou’s side businesses. Whenever he felt stressed, he would come here for a ride, and it would always lift his spirits. The Zheng family’s horse farm was mostly closed to the public and only hosted family and close friends, which is why Lu Shiran and his friends often came here to ride.
When they arrived, Lu Xingmian saw three other people besides Zheng Minyou, all of whom were Lu Shiran’s friends. While they were there to ride, their main goal was to meet Lu Xingmian.
Lu Xingmian was wearing a white down jacket that went past his knees and a white high-collared sweater. For most people, a white outfit would make their skin look a few shades darker. But for Lu Xingmian, the all-white ensemble made his creamy skin look even fairer, making him look like a little ball of snow.
They already knew Lu Shiran’s boyfriend was quite young, but meeting Lu Xingmian in person made the age difference feel real. Looking at the 19-year-old Lu Xingmian, the men in their thirties couldn’t help but sigh and think, Youth is a wonderful thing. While Lu Shiran is a real beast.
Since they were going to ride, Lu Shiran took Lu Xingmian to change into riding gear first. After putting on the riding jacket, breeches, and boots, Lu Xingmian looked up to find that Lu Shiran had already changed and was standing there, watching him. Lu Xingmian’s eyes lit up. The riding outfit made Lu Shiran look even taller and more handsome, with broad shoulders and narrow hips. He was so incredibly dashing.
It was Lu Xingmian’s first time in a riding outfit, and he asked Lu Shiran with a hint of uncertainty, “Ge, am I wearing this correctly?”
The riding outfit fit Lu Xingmian perfectly, accentuating his finest features: a slim waist and well-shaped hips. The riding boots, especially, made his long, straight legs appear even more graceful. When Lu Shiran just kept staring at him without saying anything, Lu Xingmian became a little anxious. “Ge, is something wrong with how I’m wearing it?”
Lu Shiran put a helmet on him and said, “Zai Zai, you look beautiful in it.”
The two of them went to the track. Lu Xingmian’s heart was set on seeing the Akhal-Teke horse. After making a phone call, Zheng Minyou told Lu Xingmian it would be there soon. Before long, someone led a horse over. The horse, a magnificent white creature, approached slowly, its coat shining brightly with an iridescent sheen in the sunlight.
As he got closer, he could see the horse clearly. It was tall and striking, with a graceful build, a slender head and long neck, and long, lean legs. Its coat was a pure, dazzling white. The horse exuded a noble and graceful presence; it was so cool and magnificent.
The more Lu Xingmian looked, the more he loved it. He excitedly asked Zheng Minyou, “Minyou Ge, can I pet it?”
“Of course, go ahead,” Zheng Minyou replied. “You can even ride it later.”
“Thank you, Minyou Ge!” Lu Xingmian said excitedly as he petted the horse. It was his first time touching an Akhal-Teke, and such a cool one at that. He knew there weren’t many purebreds like this in the country, so when he heard Zheng Minyou say he could ride it, it took him a moment to process. “Huh?” Had he misheard?
Lu Shiran, standing beside him, confirmed, “You heard right. You’ll be riding this horse.”
Lu Xingmian’s eyes widened. “Really? Can I?” This was a real, top-tier horse.
Zheng Minyou smiled. “Yes.”
Lu Xingmian excitedly grabbed Lu Shiran’s hand. “Ge, I’ve never ridden a horse before. What if I don’t know how?”
Lu Shiran had already considered this. “Don’t worry. I’ll teach you. This horse is very gentle, and I’ll be right here. I won’t let you fall.”
When Lu Shiran mentioned he was an expert rider, Lu Xingmian gazed at him with intense admiration. “Ge, you’re incredible!”
Meanwhile, Lu Shiran’s three friends’ eyes widened in shock upon learning that Lu Xingmian could ride the horse. Why could he ride it when they couldn’t? They had all been eager to ride this magnificent horse since they heard it had arrived at Zheng Minyou’s ranch, but Zheng Minyou had always stopped them, even refusing to ride it himself. What had happened that they were unaware of, that made Zheng Minyou allow Lu Xingmian to ride it today?
