Life

Time flows like the thawing river in the northern city after spring, seemingly slow, yet quietly passing by unnoticed. Qi Shuo has been back at Sister Jin's house for some time now.

Eight years behind bars had honed his biological clock to the point of being like a precision instrument. He would automatically wake up before dawn, followed by long, aimless days. Sister Jin and Qin Zhou each had their own lives, so he was usually alone at home during the day.

At first, there was a suffocating silence. Fortunately, Sister Jin gave him a task—to save the few potted plants on the balcony that she and Qin Zhou had been tending to until they were half-dead.

"Xiao Shuo, these treasures are in your hands now! Xiao Zhou and I are both plant killers; if this continues, they're doomed." That's what Sister Jin said at the time, her tone exaggerated, yet carrying a subtle sense of care.

So, tending to these flowers and plants became Qi Shuo's daily routine. He studied the amount of light and water, and clumsily loosened the soil and fertilized. Watching those drooping green plants gradually sprout new buds and come back to life, his stagnant heart seemed to be quietly infused with a touch of vitality by these hints of green.

It was the monthly break for Beicheng No. 1 Middle School. In the afternoon, Sister Jin had an urgent matter at school and called to say she would be home late. Qi Shuo saw that it was almost time, so he took his keys and some change and prepared to go to the nearby vegetable market to buy some groceries.

The afternoon sun was shining brightly, its warmth dispelling the slight chill of autumn. Qi Shuo carried a cloth bag, mingling with the crowd returning from grocery shopping. His pace was slow, his gaze habitually lowered, carrying a sense of detachment that seemed out of place with the bustling atmosphere around him.

Just as he turned into the alleyway leading home, two familiar figures came into his view.

It's Qin Zhou.

And then there's that boy who's always by his side, with hair and skin so white it's unbelievable—Song Yungui.

The two walked side by side. Qin Zhou still had an arrogant and unruly look. His school uniform jacket was casually tied around his waist, and he carried his own schoolbag on one shoulder. He held an umbrella for Song Yungui with one hand, and with the other hand... he was also carrying Song Yungui's schoolbag, which looked heavier.

Song Yungui walked easily beside him, her head slightly tilted back, her light blue eyes sparkling, chattering away at Qin Zhou with lively expressions.

Qi Shuo subconsciously stopped in his tracks, not going forward, but quietly following behind at a distance that was neither too close nor too far.

He noticed that although Qin Zhou's face showed impatience, there was an uncontrollable smile at the corner of his mouth. He didn't know what Song Yungui said, but Qin Zhou's ears turned slightly red, and he suddenly reached out, with a hint of embarrassment and anger, quickly and awkwardly pinched Song Yungui's fair cheek.

"It's so noisy, can you be quiet?" Qin Zhou's voice was deliberately lowered, with a hoarseness and feigned fierceness unique to young people.

Song Yungui was startled by his pinch, but instead of dodging, she smiled with her eyes crinkling and obediently said "Oh." Sure enough, she quieted down, but her body involuntarily moved closer to Qin Zhou, like a satisfied kitten that had finally been petted by its owner.

Sunlight filtered through the sparse leaves, casting dappled shadows on the two. The intimate and innocent atmosphere between the teenagers was dazzlingly pure, carrying an untainted beauty.

Qi Shuo stood there, carrying a cloth bag full of vegetables. His face was expressionless, but a faint hint of mockery and...envy flashed deep in his eyes, a hint that even he himself did not notice.

The little boat has grown up.

He was no longer the frail, sensitive child who needed to be sheltered under his and Sister Jin's wings. He had his own world now, and people he wanted to get close to and protect.

This change brought a complex sense of comfort to Qi Shuo after a slight moment of disorientation. He was like an old tree that had been dormant for too long in the harsh winter, finally sensing the new green shoots quietly sprouting around him. Although he was still old and weathered, he felt a faint warmth from this vigorous vitality.

He didn't make a sound to disturb them, but watched the two boys' backs disappear at the end of the alley before taking his own steps and following them at a leisurely pace.

It was unclear where the two had gone, but Qi Shuo entered the house first.

Back home, Qi Shuo tied on an apron and began silently washing vegetables by the sink. The kitchen window was open, and he could faintly hear the laughter of teenagers downstairs; Qin Zhou and Song Yungui must have arrived home as well.

As the oil in the pan began to sizzle and the aroma of scallions filled the air, Qi Shuo thought that this was probably what Sister Jin often referred to as the "taste of life."

Ordinary and mundane, yet it has a reassuring warmth.

But beneath this peaceful daily life, certain undercurrents, deliberately suppressed, may be quietly surging. For example, Xiao Jue, who only observes from the shadows, and the young man surnamed Tan, who may reappear at any time.

But at least for this moment, the aroma of cooking in the kitchen and the faint, vibrant energy coming from outside the window, belonging to Qin Zhou, made Qi Shuo feel that living might not be all hardship.

He skillfully poured the chopped vegetables into the pot, the rising steam blurring his angular profile.

Qi Shuo came out of the kitchen, and Qin Zhou's loud voice could already be heard in the hallway.

"Water? Song Yungui, are you a water buffalo? You just finished a bottle and you're thirsty again?"

"You said... to drink more water after exercising..." Song Yungui explained softly, her voice carrying a hint of grievance at being scolded, but more so a familiar intimacy.

"The thing is, you didn't exercise at all, you little devil. Did you get really thirsty walking all that way?" Qin Zhou complained as he took out his keys to open the door and casually put his backpack on the sofa. "Wait here, I'll go get it for you."

Qin Zhou didn't notice Qi Shuo, who silently walked to the kitchen doorway, leaned against the doorframe, and looked at him indifferently. Instead, Song Yungui saw him first.

Song Yungui awkwardly tugged at the hem of his shirt, forced a smile, and obediently grinned. Qi Shuo also nodded slightly, remaining silent.

Qin Zhou went back to his room, took out a bottle of milk, and roughly unscrewed it before handing it to Song Yungui, who was still standing at the door.

Song Yungui took it and sipped it slowly, her pale blue eyes like water-filled glass, secretly glancing at Qin Zhou's profile.

Qin Zhou turned his head and saw Qi Shuo. The impatience on his face hadn't been completely wiped away yet, mixed with a hint of embarrassment at being caught out: "Brother Shuo, you're back?"

"Hmm." Qi Shuo spoke seemingly casually, his tone carrying a very faint, almost imperceptible teasing tone: "This white-haired child, who's always by your side, aren't you going to introduce him?"

Qin Zhou immediately reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, raising his voice eight octaves: "Who's inseparable from him? He's the one who insists on following me! What a troublemaker!" As he spoke, he deliberately glared at Song Yungui.

Song Yungui wasn't angry. He just held the water bottle, pursed his lips, and smiled secretly, as if to say, "Whatever you say is right."

Qi Shuo went back to the kitchen, washed some fruit, and put it on the coffee table. He didn't look at Qin Zhou, but continued casually, "Really? I see you're quite good at being a backpack rack for people."

Qin Zhou's ears turned bright red, and she retorted, "That's because he's so thin and weak, he can't carry me. I... I'm just trying to help! Doesn't Sister Jin always teach us to be united and friendly?"

He spoke with a lack of confidence, not even believing it himself. A subtle, sweet awkwardness filled the air. Song Yungui's face flushed red, and he lowered his head, staring at the tips of his shoes, but he radiated happiness.

Qi Shuo turned off the tap, shook the water droplets off his hands, turned around, leaned against the sink, and finally looked up at Qin Zhou. His gaze was calm, without scrutiny or judgment, but with a kind of knowing, detached understanding that comes with the wisdom of an elder.

"Alright, aren't you going to introduce it yet?"

Before Qin Zhou could speak, Song Yungui began to introduce himself: "Hello, brother, my name is Song Yungui, and I am... Qin Zhou's deskmate."

"Oh, so we're deskmates. Come on, little deskmate, don't stand, sit down and have some fruit."

Qin Zhou also plopped down on the sofa and casually stretched.

"Brother Shuo, isn't Sister Jin coming back? I'm so hungry."

"Not yet. If you're hungry, I'll go cook now and ask your deskmate if they want to stay for dinner."

Qin Zhou naturally kicked Song Yungui's shin without saying a word, but the question was already in his mind.

"No need, brother, I'll eat at home."

Song Yungui obediently answered, and Qi Shuo nodded without forcing her. He got up and went back to the kitchen to cook, leaving the two of them alone.

After Song Yungui left, Qin Zhou leaned against the kitchen door frame, biting into an apple as Qi Shuo put the lid on the pot and simmered the fish soup over low heat.

Qi Shuo washed his hands, leaned against the wall, and looked at Qin Zhou with a mocking expression, as if to say, "You little rascal, something's up, you might as well tell the truth."

Under his gaze, Qin Zhou's feigned composure quickly crumbled. He scratched his head, the feigned disgust on his face gradually fading, replaced by an undisguised smile mixed with confusion and shyness. He kicked the grout between the tiles, his voice suddenly lowering, tinged with hesitation:

"Brother Shuo..."

"Um?"

Qin Zhou took a deep breath, as if gathering immense courage, and raised her head, her eyes flickering but earnest as she looked at Qi Shuo: "It's just... if, I mean if... someone falls in love with... someone of the same gender as themselves... wouldn't you find it... strange?"

After asking that question, he immediately held his breath nervously, anxiously awaiting the trial.

For a moment, only the low hum of the refrigerator could be heard in the kitchen.

Qi Shuo silently watched Qin Zhou. The thoughts of a young person are like tender leaves just sprouting, fragile yet sincere. He saw the unease deep in Qin Zhou's eyes, and also the nascent form of that unwavering determination.

Is that strange? He didn't know either.

He had never been in love with anyone, and he didn't know or understand what kind of feeling it was, but if you asked him if it was strange.

It might seem strange to outsiders, but that's someone Xiao Zhou likes, and he's willing to support him.

If Sister Jin were to answer this question, she would definitely give the same answer.

A few seconds later, Qi Shuo turned around again, picked up the cleaver, and began to chop the meat on the cutting board with a steady, rhythmic sound. His movements were unhurried, the sound as calm as the rhythm of his chopping, revealing no emotion whatsoever.

"I like it, that's all." He paused, the blade striking the cutting board with a crisp sound. "What does gender matter?"

There are no lengthy discourses, no moralizing, just a single, extremely simple sentence.

Qin Zhou was stunned. Then, a huge, indescribable sense of ease and joy washed over him like a warm current. He grinned, wanting to laugh, but felt a little embarrassed, so he could only rub his nose hard and let out a loud "Mmm!"

"So, you like that little deskmate?"

Qin Zhou didn't answer. He flopped onto the sofa as if trying to escape, took out his phone to play games, and his slightly red ear tips betrayed his unease and silent love.

Qi Shuo continued chopping vegetables, smiled helplessly, and said nothing more. Only the rhythmic sound of chopping vegetables filled the kitchen.

Outside the window, the afterglow of the setting sun bathed the old residential buildings in a warm golden light. Qi Shuo thought, Sister Jin is right, life does indeed move forward slowly in these little things, sometimes awkward, sometimes heartwarming.

And this frozen land, which had been dormant for so long, seemed to finally sense the subtle stirrings emerging from the depths of the earth, breaking through the ice.