CTS 53

Shen Mo’s right hand had recovered well.

After several months of rehabilitation, it no longer affected his daily life. Only when he held a pen did it still tremble slightly. The doctor said it was a psychological issue and that with more practice, it would gradually go away. Even his inability to recognize faces had improved. He could now tell the two assistants apart, although the man still insisted on bringing him to the hospital for regular checkups.

Since the New Year, the man had not gone back to sleeping on the sofa. As the weather warmed, Shen Mo’s heart blossomed with it. He felt like this was the happiest time of his life. So happy, in fact, that he had started to forget many things from before.

While he continued practicing with his right hand, Shen Mo also began checking job listings online, focusing on positions related to art. That way, once his hand fully recovered, he could find work. They had already graduated and were out in the world. As they grew older, real-life responsibilities were unavoidable. Zhou Yang’s family probably would not approve of their relationship. If one day the man ended up being kicked out like Shen Mo had been, then at least Shen Mo could earn money to support him.

He mentioned this plan once at the dinner table. The man laughed as he listened.

Shen Mo glared at him, a little annoyed.

Seeing his expression, the man quickly changed his tone. “Yes yes, I’ll let you take care of me.”

Only then did Shen Mo feel satisfied.

He estimated his recovery and figured it was only a matter of time before he could draw again. In his heart, he had already decided that the first portrait he would paint would be of his Zhou Yang. The man was good-looking after all, and handsome from every angle.

There were a few times when the man sat on the sofa reading documents, and Shen Mo secretly stared from the side, studying his features and mentally sketching the composition. The golden light of sunset would spill across his face, casting a soft glow across his brows. Shen Mo realized his side profile was especially striking.

Just as he was lost in admiration, the man seemed to sense his gaze. He looked up and gave Shen Mo a smile.

Shen Mo was momentarily stunned.

The man stood up, walked over to him in a few strides, leaned down and kissed him lightly on the lips. Then he stood straight again and returned to his seat to continue reading as if nothing had happened.

It was Shen Mo who ended up flustered, face turning red as he escaped into the kitchen to make dinner.

A few days later, the weather cleared. The scent of spring was everywhere.

Shen Mo took all the winter clothes and bedding out to wash and dry. Then he remembered his art supplies were still locked in the cabinet, so he quickly pulled them out and started organizing. The man had said he would buy him a new set since Shen Mo was ready to start painting again, but Shen Mo had turned it down politely. He still preferred the feel of his old tools.

After organizing the supplies, Shen Mo went ahead and tidied up the cabinet itself. The rental house was small, and the cabinet was stuffed with all kinds of miscellaneous things such as cold medicine, mosquito repellent, and other odds and ends. Shen Mo threw out anything useless. As he was digging through, he came across a photo album.

Most of his old photos were still at his parents’ house. This album only held a few pictures from high school and college. As soon as he opened it, a graduation photo slipped out.

It was his high school graduation photo. That made it several years old. Shen Mo immediately spotted himself. He was wearing his school uniform, bangs cut short, and because of his height, had been placed in one of the front rows. Then he started looking for Zhou Yang in the photo, scanning one face after another, but no matter how many times he searched, he couldn’t find that familiar face.

Strange. Did Zhou Yang not take a graduation photo?

Shen Mo remembered that they had been classmates in high school. He was the one who had liked him first. He was the one who had chased him. But now, so many details had faded. He couldn’t even remember whether Zhou Yang had taken that photo.

He knew this must be because of his illness. But it didn’t matter. They had taken plenty of casual pictures together over the years. Shen Mo had printed them out and saved them in the same album.

With nothing else to do, Shen Mo sat down and began flipping through the album.

There weren’t many photos, most of them taken at school. A few rare ones were from trips. There were some of just him, and some taken with others. The majority, however, were pictures of him with someone else.

Shen Mo turned the pages one by one, and with each photo, it felt like his heart was sinking into a cold lake, waves of chill rising through him.

In those photos, he was smiling so brightly. Especially in the ones with that person. The affection in his eyes was obvious, impossible to hide.

But that person was not Zhou Yang.

Or rather, not the Zhou Yang he was living with now. Not the one he saw every day and shared a bed with.

Shen Mo’s palms were covered in cold sweat.

Who was this person?