CTS 54

Shen Mo took a deep breath and picked up the high school graduation photo again for comparison. This time, he examined it carefully, studying each face one by one. Eventually, he found a familiar face in the second row behind him. It was indeed a classmate from high school.

If that person wasn’t Zhou Yang, then why were they so deeply intertwined?

And if that person was Zhou Yang…

That would be even more terrifying.

Shen Mo sat frozen in the chair. Outside, spring light poured through the window, but it felt completely devoid of warmth. He tried desperately to recall the past, but everything was covered in a thin veil, hazy and unreachable.

He remembered being classmates with Zhou Yang in high school. He remembered that they had once been in love. But no matter how hard he tried, he could not remember Zhou Yang’s face. Something must have happened. They were separated and his right hand had been injured. He lived alone in the rental unit and had the same nightmare every night, to the point where he was too afraid to fall asleep.

Then one day, just as he was about to eat a bag of moldy bread, he heard the doorbell ring. In a daze, he went to open the door. Standing outside had been that man.

That had to be his Zhou Yang.

Shen Mo placed a hand over his chest. Even now he could still feel that moment’s rush. Who else could have pulled him out of the fire if not Zhou Yang?

Back then, he hadn’t clearly seen the man’s face because he was sick. His condition had improved since then. Now he could see the man’s features clearly, and they were handsome. At the very least, much better looking than a random face in an old photo.

And really, it would be easy to confirm everything. He just had to ask an old classmate. But Shen Mo sat there unmoving. Some part of him was afraid. He hoped it was all just a misunderstanding. Because if it wasn’t…

He didn’t dare think further.

The afternoon passed quickly. As the sun went down, the familiar sound of the door unlocking echoed through the apartment. Shen Mo jumped to his feet. He had once looked forward to that sound with all his heart, but now it sparked a wave of panic. He quickly shoved the photos back into the cabinet.

The man entered, dressed in a dark suit from head to toe, with the same familiar face Shen Mo had seen day after day. He saw Shen Mo standing by the cabinet and smiled slightly.

“Sorting things again?”

Shen Mo let out a soft “ah” and just stared at his face.

“What’s wrong?” The man walked over and tugged his hand. “Why is your hand so cold?”

Even that small touch made Shen Mo tense. His heart was in chaos. He had no idea how to answer.

The man asked again, “Are you feeling tired?”

Shen Mo went along with it. “A little.”

“I know you’re eager to start painting again, but don’t push yourself too hard. Let it happen naturally.”

“Okay.”

Shen Mo’s hand had long since healed, but the man still took it out of habit, cradling it in his palm and rubbing it gently. “What about dinner?”

Only then did Shen Mo realize, “Oh no, I forgot to cook.”

“Did you forget the time again because of painting?” The man chuckled. “Let’s just order takeout.”

That night, the two of them ate takeout together. Shen Mo tried his best to act natural, but his hands and feet still felt stiff. He had no idea if the man noticed anything strange.

After dinner, Shen Mo took a shower. When he came out, he saw the man already lying on the bed as usual. Ever since the New Year, they had stopped sleeping separately. But now things were different. If he wasn’t really Zhou Yang…

Shen Mo’s throat tightened. He lingered outside the bed, hesitating. The man called to him several times before he finally climbed in, moving slowly and reluctantly.

The man turned off the lights, reached out to pull him into an embrace, and called his name in the dark. “Shen Mo.”

“Mm?”

Shen Mo replied cautiously, thinking he might have noticed something, but then he heard him say, “Your birthday’s in a few days. What kind of gift do you want?”

His birthday?

Ah, right. His birthday was this month.

Shen Mo had nearly forgotten. After thinking for a moment, he said, “I’ve always kept it simple. No need to go out of your way.”

The man seemed to have expected that answer. A faint smile colored his voice as he replied, “Then I’ll decide for you.”

He said it so naturally, without the slightest hesitation. All he cared about was making Shen Mo’s birthday a little more special.

Shen Mo felt his chest tighten painfully, as if his heart was roasting over a flame, crackling from the heat.

He lay there wide awake, staring into the darkness. It wasn’t until the man beside him fell into steady sleep that he carefully moved his arm away and turned over, shifting to the edge of the bed.

The man reached out in his sleep, groping for him but missing. In a sleepy murmur, he called out, “Shen Mo.”

Shen Mo clenched his jaw and didn’t respond.

The man even knew his birthday. How could he not be Zhou Yang?

But if he was a complete stranger…

Why pretend to be Zhou Yang?

Why treat him with such tenderness?

Shen Mo couldn’t stop a shiver from running through him. The long night crept in like the cold wind. Shen Mo pulled the blanket tightly around himself, wrapping his arms around his own body in an attempt to keep warm.

But still, he felt cold.