They're together!

“Hey, you’ve grown up, buddy, you have your own little secrets now?” Chen Yuchuan raised an eyebrow.

"Get lost." Shen He glanced at him.

Just as Chen Yuchuan was about to say something more, his phone suddenly vibrated.

He glanced down at the screen, then put on a helpless expression and said, "Fine, if you tell me to get lost, I'll get lost. See how much face I'm giving you?"

After saying that, he got up and went to the balcony to answer the phone.

Shen He heard Chen Yuchuan's low voice coming from the balcony; his tone wasn't pleasant.

He didn't listen carefully and casually started a game.

More than ten minutes later, Chen Yuchuan finally pushed the door open and came in.

He seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, and his steps were lighter than before.

Shen He was sitting on the carpet, leaning against the sofa playing games, the controller clicking loudly.

Chen Yuchuan sat down next to him, picked up another controller that Chen He had thrown aside, and then entered the game.

The two fought in silence for a while, then Chen Yuchuan casually said, "I had someone bury that cat from last time."

Chenhe's fingers paused for a moment, but he quickly continued operating.

“I’m dealing with that guy.” Chen Yuchuan stared at the screen, his tone calm. “Legally, he’s fine, but otherwise, he won’t have an easy time.”

After a moment of silence, Shenhe said softly, "There's no need to waste time."

He glanced at Chen Yuchuan, his eyes calm: "Animals and humans are the same; their fates are predetermined, and you can't interfere with everything."

"Just do your best." Chen Yuchuan casually started a new game, his hands still moving. "It's just something I do; I just want you to be happy."

Shen He smiled and said, "Actually, I'm not unhappy. I've seen this kind of thing many times."

Chen Yuchuan frowned: "You mean those videos online?"

"No." Shen He remained silent for a few seconds.

He didn't actually want to tell anyone about these inexplicable emotions; he could process and resolve them on his own because talking about them wouldn't change anything.

But recently, being with Chen Yuchuan, he has felt a rare sense of relaxation, just like many years ago, when he didn't have to think about anything or be on guard.

Perhaps it was the accumulation of too many complex emotions, or perhaps it was the combination of Chen Yuchuan's past and present that made him somewhat relentless.

Shen He finally spoke up: "It happened back in college."

His tone was calm: "In biology lab class, we dissect animals to observe organ structures, using rabbits raised in the lab."

Shenhe paused for a moment: "I thought at least they would be euthanized."

"But when those rabbits were put on the lab table, they were still alive and kicking."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Shenhe could feel the lingering frustrations of the past swirling in his mind.

The students reacted in different ways. Some pretended to be scared, their voices hesitant, saying they dared not kill. Others sneered, mocking the cowards, and said seriously that they were all contributing to scientific progress and died a worthy death.

Shen He continued, "The person who dared not kill gently stroked the rabbit, and then, taking advantage of the rabbit's momentary lapse in attention, snapped its neck. Blood flowed from the rabbit's seven orifices, and its body was still convulsing."

His voice remained calm throughout: "So I could tell at a glance that the cat's neck had been snapped. I've seen that kind of death before."

Chen Yuchuan's face darkened.

Seeing his expression, Shen He casually asked, "Do you know what it looks like when red eyes bleed?"

“There were also those who mocked others for being cowardly,” Shen He continued. “He wanted to smother the rabbit, probably thinking it would be more humane. The rabbit struggled fiercely, and he found that the previous person’s method was still effective. He strangled its neck with both hands, and then opened the rabbit’s abdominal cavity, which was full of blood, causing a lot of trouble for observation.”

The river remained still for a long time.

His voice was devoid of emotion: "After the experiment, the dismembered limbs were casually thrown into the medical waste bin, especially the rabbit head. Someone joked that they would take it back to cook. Everyone was laughing, as if nothing had just happened."

He looked out the window, his gaze distant: "But that's just how humans are, and I can't change anything."

The air remained quiet for a long time.

Chen Yuchuan finally understood Shen He's words, "I hate it when someone likes me."

He doesn't hate being liked; he hates being liked by humans.

Chen Yuchuan felt as if something was pressing down on his chest.

He stared at Shen He for a few seconds before speaking, "I've always known that you have a particular fondness for those weird and wonderful creatures."

Shenhe looked up at him.

“You went out in the middle of the night to photograph birds and flowers, saying that only during that time period could you capture the images you wanted.” Chen Yuchuan’s voice softened, and there was a warm, reminiscent look in his eyes. “Once, we passed by the aquarium, and you stood at the entrance watching the promotional video for a long time, but in the end, you didn’t go in. I thought you liked it, so I bought you a ticket, but then you showed a hint of annoyance on your face, and that’s when I realized that you actually hated that place.”

Shen He's eyes flickered; Chen Yuchuan wasn't a meticulous person.

"And that time, you insisted on going out to sea to see whales, and luckily, you actually saw some." Chen Yuchuan smiled, a smile with an indescribable feeling. "On the plane back, you kept fiddling with your camera. I asked you what was so interesting, and you were very happy, only saying that they were very smart and cute."

He paused for a moment: "I don't know what's so cute about those things, I'm just thinking that the way you see them is really different from other people's."

Chen Yuchuan gazed at Chen He and slowly said, "Sometimes I also feel that many people like animals, but what they really like is the feeling of giving, the condescending pity of a higher being. Once an animal displays its primal instincts, it will be met with disgust."

"Then they make this aversion sound noble, saying things like 'humans are more important' and 'humans come first.' It's as if this can cover up the fact that they've never cared about animals."

Chen Yuchuan's tone was calm, but a hint of disdain flashed in his eyes: "Of course, animals are the same. Their bestial nature, savagery, and uncontrollable desires can indeed be annoying. I don't really understand these things. In my eyes, humans and animals are pretty much the same."

He paused, looked at Shen He, and his eyes softened: "But I will care about the things you like."

Shenhe's breathing slowed down, and he looked at him intently.

“You look at them as if you were looking at your companions,” Chen Yuchuan said slowly. “It’s not pity, nor is it about saving them. You just feel that they, like you, are living in this world.”

He put down the controller, his eyes focused, and looked at Chen He: "So that cat and that dog always like to follow you."

That's why I can't help but get close to you, and I like you purely out of instinct.

“After you left…” Chen Yuchuan paused, “I wanted to adopt them.”

The sinking into the river was somewhat unexpected.

"Do you remember that cat? It looked fierce and was indeed very stubborn, not liking to be touched." Chen Yuchuan smiled. "It liked to come close to you on its own, but it just wouldn't let you touch it."

Shenhe remembered. The cat always followed them from a distance, occasionally rubbing against them, but would run away as soon as they reached out.

"Later, it could barely walk, and I found it without much effort. I even took it back to the doctor." Chen Yuchuan's voice lowered. "It was a tumor, and its physical condition was too poor to withstand the anesthesia. Even if the surgery was successful, we could only leave it to fate."

Before Shenhe left, he fed that cat. At that time, its white fur was still very smooth, but its bones were a bit rough to the touch. That was the only time Shenhe ever hugged it.

It turns out it was already sick back then.

Chen Yuchuan's fingers tightened around the cigarette box: "In the end, I still couldn't save it. But before it passed away, I took good care of it and it didn't suffer too much."

Chen He's Adam's apple bobbed, but he didn't speak.

“And then there was that dog,” Chen Yuchuan continued. “I asked around and heard that it fell into the river and froze to death. A boy pulled it out and buried it under a tree in the park.”

He looked up at Shen He: "You were the first person I thought of."

Chen He paused for a moment.

"So I went to find that tree." Chen Yuchuan's voice carried a complex emotion. "When I dug it up, it was indeed the bag I gave you."

The air was still for a few seconds.

“I bought them a burial plot,” Chen Yuchuan said calmly, “the kind with two rooms on the left and right, so they can keep each other company.”

"This can be considered as putting an end to our connection with them."

What he didn't say was that he had spent a long time choosing that burial plot, selecting a place where it would get sunlight and where there would be plenty of plants. The two names engraved on the tombstone, the black dog and the white cat, were names he had casually given before he was buried in the river.

The photos were taken haphazardly by Shen He with his phone before, and his photography skills were terrible. He managed to find a few that weren't too bad.

Shen He lowered his head and remained silent for a long time.

After a while, he took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, as if the shadow that had weighed on his heart for so many years had been dispelled.

Shen He raised his head, his eyes much more relaxed than before, and his shoulders also relaxed: "Thanks, brother."

Chen Yuchuan couldn't help but try to lighten the mood with a few jokes: "Hey, no need to thank me. Didn't you say before that you were their father and I was their older brother? We're all family."

Shen He was taken aback.

He recalled many years ago when he went to the water to collect water hyacinth leaves to raise fish at home. When he came ashore, Chen Yuchuan was lying on the grass, pretending to be deep in thought, when a black dog grabbed his arm and pulled at him. Chen Yuchuan pushed the dog's head away, but the dog insisted on coming closer; when the dog tried to run away, he grabbed its mouth and threatened it. Seeing how close the two of them were, Shen He casually said, "From now on, you're its brother."

Chen Yuchuan was unhappy at the time, saying why should he be the brother of a dog, and why he himself should not be the brother of Shenhe.

Shenhe said I'm its father, how can I be its older brother?

Chen Yuchuan gave a "I give up" look, but later he seemed to naturally become the dog's brother. Later, the cat also joined their little group, as did the only fish that died of old age.

Looking back on those days now, I still picture warm sunshine, lush trees, and shimmering lakes and swimming pools.

The hope that the sinking would never end was ultimately sealed away hastily.

He just hadn't expected Chen Yuchuan to do so many things behind his back. He had ended that past he dared not look back on with a conclusion that could make up for his regrets. Chen Yuchuan never mentioned these things; if it weren't for today, Shen He might never have known.

He looked at Chen Yuchuan with a complicated expression.

Chen Yuchuan felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze, gave a nonchalant laugh, and said half-jokingly, "Why are you so touched? I'm just doing a good deed anonymously. If you really want to thank me..."

He drawled out his words, making a gesture as if he were sizing up Chen He: "Someone of your caliber can probably only offer herself in marriage."

The air went still for a second.

Shen He raised his head and looked at Chen Yuchuan's seemingly relaxed face, which said, "I was just joking," but the heartache in his eyes was undeniable.

Then Shen He smiled gently, a very tender smile, with the corners of his eyes slightly curved and his brows relaxed.

Chen Yuchuan was stunned.

Shen He looked at him and replied with a single word: "Okay."

Chen Yuchuan's mind went blank for a moment.

"Huh?" he replied instinctively, wondering if he had misheard.

A few seconds later, the brain finally finished processing the information.

"Holy crap!" Chen Yuchuan jumped up, staring wide-eyed at Shen He. "What did you just say?!"

Before Shen He could say anything more, Chen Yuchuan had already realized what was happening.

The next second, he pounced on her and hugged Shenhe tightly with both hands.

The force was great; Shen He was knocked back slightly by the impact, and Chen Yuchuan caught him around the waist. He held him tightly, and Shen He could feel his slightly trembling arms. He could also feel his own heart pounding rapidly, like a drum.

Chen Yuchuan lowered his head, his forehead touching Shen He's, their noses almost meeting. His breath was rapid, spraying onto Shen He's face, carrying the scent of mint.

Then he kissed Shenhe's forehead, his lips lingering on her skin for a few seconds, the warm touch making Shenhe stiffen.

Although Chen Yuchuan was now his boyfriend, Shen He still felt very awkward being so intimately pressed against by someone, especially a man. He reached out and pushed Chen Yuchuan away, saying, "That's enough."

Chen Yuchuan not only didn't let go, but hugged her even tighter. He stared intently at Shen He's lips, but he saw a fleeting embarrassment in Shen He's eyes. In the end, he simply lowered his head, buried his face in Shen He's neck, and kissed her hard on the sensitive skin before saying in a muffled voice, "Let me hug you a little longer."

Feeling a warm, damp sensation on his neck, Shen He suddenly felt a bit overconfident. He grabbed Chen Yuchuan's hair and warned him, "Don't push your luck."

Chen Yuchuan looked up, their faces so close they could see each other's reflections in their eyes. He stared into Shen He's eyes, his voice low and husky: "Do you stand by what you just said?"

“…Nonsense.” Being stared at like that, Shen He’s voice unconsciously carried a hint of irritation.

Chen Yuchuan suddenly had a strange feeling that the white cat that Shen He used to love was in his arms and was about to break free from his embrace.

So he tightened his grip on Chenhe's waist.

Could you say it again?

"OK."

"...Why don't you say it?"

“I already said it.” Shen He looked at him, a slight smile playing on his lips.

Chen Yuchuan paused for a second, then couldn't help but laugh, hugging the person even tighter. He felt a restlessness rising from the depths of his heart.

The next second, Shen He pushed him away, stood up, ruffled his hair, and casually left a sentence: "I'm still a straight man for now."