The sound of the heartbeat is even stronger than fireworks, yet it is scattered by the wind.
It feels as if warm ‘liquid‘ has been poured into the chest, and the heat rises, steaming up to the eyes.
Song Jianchu stared at the person in front of him, and gently touched Mu Ye’s face, saying, “Hmm.”
Mu Ye was lying on his lap. “Chu Chu, I’m your darling, your boyfriend. Can you kiss me?”
Mu Ye softly said, “No one can like me more than you. You must strive to be the first.”
Song Jianchu rubbed Mu Ye’s head, smiled, and said gently, “I will strive.”
Mu Ye enjoyed the caress contentedly. “I believe in you.”
They stayed on the rooftop for a few minutes, and Song Jianchu said, “Let’s go.”
“Not playing anymore?” Mu Ye stood up and pinched his own cheek. “I’m just kidding. There should still be stalls downstairs.”
Song Jianchu said, “Next time. We also need to visit my family for the New Year.”
Mu Ye’s heart softened.
“It’s windy outside.” Mu Ye pushed the wheelchair into the elevator. “I’ll take you out tomorrow.”
In the hospital room, Mu Ye hugged Song Jianchu on the bed and made a New Year’s call to his family. Mu Ye put it on speaker, while Song Chu closed his mouth tightly, feeling nervous.
Mu Ye said, “Mom, Happy New Year.”
“Thank you so much. Even though you’re busy, you still take the time to call me for New Year’s.” Mother Mu’s voice came from the other side of the phone, with the TV volume turned up. “I thought I had a daughter, I didn’t dare to tell anyone that I still have a son. The year is about to end, and there’s still no one. Even the word ‘year’ sounds like a joke. I’m afraid people will say I’m daydreaming.”
Mu Ye held onto Song Jianchu, with the phone on the blanket, sounding helpless. “I told you, I’m not going.”
“You’re not going to the Spring Festival Gala either. What could you possibly be busy with?” Mother Mu’s laughed. “Son, don’t tell me you have a significant other?”
Song Jianchu’s expression stiffened for a moment.
Mu Ye sighed. “Can you please stop asking?”
“What’s wrong with me asking?” Mother Mu, in her menopausal years, suddenly got angry. “It’s the Lunar New Year, even the neighbor’s daughter-in-law is there to chat. Can’t I even ask a simple question?”
Mu Ye leaned on Song Jianchu’s shoulder, casually dragging his tone. “Fine.”
Mu Mu’s gentle voice sounded, “Mom, I’m talking to my brother.”
Mu Ye smiled and said, “Mu Mu, Happy New Year. Brother has given you a red envelope.”
“I received it. Thank you, brother.”
Father Mu said, “Son, Happy New Year. Come and have a drink with your old man after you’re done with your busy schedule.”
Mu Ye said, “I’ll have the family send you a few bottles of wine. After I’m done, I’ll come and accompany you.”
“No, you’re not allowed to come! If you don’t bring a lovely daughter-in-law, I won’t open the door for you!” Mother Mu said, “Mu Mu, we don’t want a single dog brother. Mom will get you a real dog!”
Mu Ye: “…”
Song Jianchu: “…”
The call ended, and Song Jianchu felt complicated.
Mu Ye buried his face in Song Jianchu’s shoulder, pretending to be sad. “Chu Chu, what should I do? I don’t want to go home.”
“…” Song Jianchu pursed his lips and comforted him, “Auntie was just speaking in anger.”
“It’s…” Mu Ye’s tone was low and desolate as he comforted himself, “Anyway, I’m not a single dog. My significant other is also very cute.”
“…” Song Jianchu couldn’t accept that adjective.
But seeing Mu Ye’s distress, he didn’t argue either.
Mu Ye sent New Year’s red envelopes in the group chat again.
[MY: Happy New Year, everyone.]
Pei Shinian grabbed it instantly, Bai Xingyu and Lu Shen also received the red envelopes one after another.
The three of them also sent red envelopes in the group.
[Pei Shinian: New Year’s blessings are the bond between you and me. Love is expressed in words, and feelings are unforgettable tonight. Please accept my sincere wishes and let’s continue to write a new and happy chapter for our friendship.]
[Pei Shinian: Happy New Year, everyone! Let’s organize more gatherings this year!]
[Bai: Happy New Year!]
[Lu Shen: Happy New Year.]
[Pei Shinian: My brother, when can Jianchu be discharged from the hospital? Can we go visit then?]
[Bai: It’s been half a month in the hospital. Is he doing okay?]
Mu Ye turned his head and asked, “Are you going to say something too? They are really worried about you.”
Song Jianchu replied, “Hmm.”
Song Jianchu also sent a red envelope in the group.
[Song Jianchu: Happy New Year.]
After the news of his hospitalization was revealed, Song Jianchu finally spoke in the group after half a month of silence.
[Pei Shinian: !!! Jianchu, you finally said something!]
[Pei Shinian: Brother Mu Ye doesn’t let us disturb your rest. When you’re discharged, brother will take you out for a nice meal and make up for it.]
[Bai: Take good care of your health. Don’t worry about the show.]
[Song Jianchu: Thank you all for your concern.]
After a simple greeting, when it was time to take the medicine, Mu Ye took away the phone and said, “It’s time to rest. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
Song Jianchu lay down, and Mu Ye wiped his face with a warm towel, smiling and saying, “You look much better today.”
After going out for a while, Song Jianchu’s eyes were too tired to open. “Mu Ye, you should rest early too.”
Today, Song Jianchu underwent several tests again, and Mu Ye helped Song Jianchu run around all day, but there was no sign of fatigue on his face.
Mu Ye patted Song Jianchu body and coaxed, “You go to sleep first, I’ll go out for a bit, I’ll be back soon.”
Song Jianchu closed his eyes and fell asleep quickly.
Once Song Jianchu was sound asleep, Mu Ye quietly got up, turned off the lights, and left the ward.
Dr Zhao was on duty at the hospital on New Year’s Eve.
“Doctor Zhao,” Mu Ye asked, “Has the compatibility test result come out yet?”
“We still need to wait a few more days. It’s already being expedited,” Dr Zhao said, “The situation with Jianchu is not very optimistic. Although there aren’t any obvious symptoms, he has developed several severe complications and may be transferred to the ICU at any time.”
Mu Ye closed his eyes slowly.
“This child can endure so much. His willpower is incredibly strong,” Dr Zhao sighed and said, “With the emergence of so many complications, his body must be in a lot of pain.”
Although Song Jianhu didn’t show it, Mu Ye could hear his suppressed breath every night.
Mu Ye asked in a low voice, “Are there any ways to alleviate his pain?”
“We’re already using medication targeted at his symptoms. Right now, the most important thing is to keep his mood positive,” Dr Zhao nodded.
Mu Ye nodded as well.
Dr Zhao said, “I hope he can continue to hold on until the bone marrow transplant.”
“And the person who came for compatibility testing is not a direct blood relative,” Dr Zhao informed him in advance, “The chances of a successful match are also higher.”
Mu Ye didn’t contemplate the results of a failed compatibility test, but he still needed an answer.
With closed eyes, Mu Ye’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down, and he asked in a hoarse voice, “Can you estimate how much longer he can hold on?”
Dr Zhao sighed, “For a typical patient in the acute phase, at this stage, they can receive a critically ill notice at any time. You should be mentally prepared.”
The late-night hospital corridor was quiet. Mu Ye sat on a cold iron chair for a long time, silently staring at the door of the ward.
The sound of the electrocardiograph broke the silence of the corridor, causing Mu Ye’s eyelashes to tremble. He abruptly stood up.
Just as he took a hesitant step forward, the door of the neighboring ward opened, and a middle-aged woman cried out, “Doctor! Nurse! Come quickly!”
Mu Ye hurriedly entered and pressed the call button, looking at the young boy wearing a hat inside, whose pupils were trembling.
The boy was also in his teens and happened to be staying in the neighboring ward. Mu Ye had interacted with him a few times. The young boy was also a fan of his and had asked for his autograph just two days ago.
The woman collapsed by the bedside, wailing, “Son! Wake up! My son!”
The nurses and doctors quickly rushed into the ward to perform emergency treatment.
Mu Ye forgot to leave and stood there dazedly not far away, his lips gradually turning pale.
After fifteen minutes of resuscitation, the boy’s vital signs were restored.
The doctor glanced at his watch and announced, “Time of death, 12:36 am.”
The woman cried uncontrollably and showed signs of fainting, and the nurses immediately supported her.
Family members and other patients who had heard the commotion had gathered outside the room. Everyone’s faces were heavy, and silence filled the air.
This floor was filled with leukemia patients, many of whom had been hospitalized for a long time and were already familiar with each other.
Almost every day, someone would leave, and they had become accustomed to scenes like this.
The boy’s body was covered with a white cloth and wheeled out of the ward. The crowd instinctively made way.
Mu Ye went to the ward and stood at the doorway for a few minutes, his fingertips trembling faintly by his side.
He slowly raised his gaze and looked at the bed, illuminated by the warm light of the humidifier.
He walked slowly to the bedside, lowered his gaze, and looked at the peacefully sleeping figure. He sat down beside the bed and gently leaned his ear against the boy’s chest, dressed in a blue hospital gown.
Listening to the heartbeat inside, Mu Ye’s breathing gradually steadied, and he buried his face in that warm chest.
Mu Ye lay down next to Song Jianchu, hugging him tightly, and sent a message to Gu Jiaming on WeChat.
[MY: Are you asleep?]
Gu Jiaming was still busy dealing with the postponement of the concert in the studio. He put down his coffee and read the message.
[Gu Jiaming: I’m planning to postpone the first concert until May. What do you think? I’m worried that fans might get upset with a longer delay.]
Looking at Mu Ye’s brief reply, Gu Jiaming was momentarily stunned.
[MY: No need for a postponement. Proceed as planned.]
…
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, firecrackers sounded outside in the early morning.
Song Jianchu woke up at the sound and found himself trapped in Mu Ye’s embrace. Mu Ye held both him and the blanket, and he had slept outside the blanket for the night, already changed into his pajamas.
Having fallen into a deep sleep last night, Song Jianchu didn’t even notice when Mu Ye came up.
Mu Ye woke up as my breathing changed and smiled lazily, his voice hoarse, “Did I wake you up?”
“Why don’t you get under the blanket?” Song Jianchu frowned, “Aren’t you cold?”
Mu Ye nuzzled against Song Jianchu ear and suddenly asked, “Don’t you want to go out and play?”
After being in the hospital for a long time, Song Jianchu did feel a bit bored. “Can we go out?”
Mu Ye said, “We can stop taking the medicine today.”
Song Jianchu tilted his head slightly and asked, “Where are we going?”
Mu Ye kissed the bridge of his nose and warmly said, “Anywhere is fine, take me on a date.”
“But it’s the first day of the Lunar New Year,” Song Jianchu expressed concern, “There will be a lot of people outside, and we might be recognized.”
Mu Ye’s eyes filled with a touch of resentment as he gently said, “But I already have a date.”
Unable to resist Mu Ye’s early morning coquetry, Song Jianchu set aside his worries and thought to himself, “Just be cautious.”
After changing into suitable clothes, both of us put on hats and covered our faces with masks and scarves.
Mu Ye pushed the wheelchair over and offered to carry me.
Song Jianchu sat on the bedside wearing a thick coat and looked at the wheelchair for a moment, a disdainful expression in his eyes. “I don’t need the wheelchair.”
Mu Ye raised an eyebrow. “Then should I carry you?”
“No need,” Song Jianchu stood up, smiling. “I can walk just fine.”
“Okay,” Mu Ye lowered his head and kissed my knitted hat. “Let me know if you get tired.”
When we got into the car, Mu Ye helped Song Jianchu fasten the seatbelt and asked eagerly, “Where are you taking me?”
Song Jianchu wasn’t sure what couples normally did on a date, so he suggested, “How about watching a movie?”
Mu Ye gladly replied, “It seems like Old Bai’s New Year comedy-action film is releasing today. It’s a collaboration with Qin Fang. We can go support it.”
Song Jianchu said, “Let me check the movie schedule.”
Song Jianchu took out his phone, and Mu Ye leaned against his shoulder to look at the screen.
Mu Ye asked happily, “Do you want to book the entire theater?”
Song Jianchu paused with his finger on the screen. “What?”
“Do you want to book the entire theater?” Mu Ye repeated with a proud smile.
Song Jianchu looked at him in surprise. “And have a private screening?”
Mu Ye wrapped his arm around mine and helped me navigate the nearby theaters on the phone screen, saying with a hint of pride, “When you’re on a date with the richest person on Weibo, I want to show some grandeur.”
Song Jianchu chuckled. “Alright.”
After checking all the nearby theaters, we found that the New Year’s comedy film was highly popular, with most screenings already sold out. Only a few theaters allowed private bookings.
“They’re all sold out,” Song Jianchu ended the call and sighed. “We can book a private screening another day.”
Mu Ye regretfully and stubbornly said, “Then I want a couple’s seat.”
After a considerable effort, we finally found a theater with available seats and managed to secure the last two seats in the back row.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, everyone was out enjoying themselves, causing heavy traffic on the way to the cinema, which took us an hour to get there.
When we arrived at the cinema, it was packed with people—couples and families with children, all here to watch the New Year’s comedy film.
After collecting our tickets, Song Jianchu and Mu Ye joined the queue to buy popcorn.
The advertisement board featuring Mu Ye endorsing a bubbly beverage was placed right in front of the concession stand. Song Jianchu felt nervous, afraid that Mu Ye would be recognized and cause a commotion.
The couple in front of them were also buying snacks.
The girl hugged the boy’s arm and said, “Honey, I don’t want the couple’s combo. I want the bubbly water endorsed by my idol.”
The boy teased, “Who knows if it tastes good? Stick to cola.”
“I don’t care, I want that one,” the girl stared at the life-sized standee of Mu Ye and exclaimed, “Mu Ye is so handsome.”
Song Jianchu discreetly glanced at his surroundings.
Mu Ye’s cashmere scarf covered half of his face, and his hand, which held onto Song Jianchu’s, was in his coat pocket. He leaned close to Song Jianchu’s ear and said, “Baby, I don’t want to drink that bubbly water. I want the couple’s combo.”
Song Jianchu’s lips twitched, holding back a smile as he nodded, “Sure.”
The couple in front reached the concession stand, and the attendant said, “With the purchase of the bubbly water combo, you’ll receive a Mu Ye-themed mug. Would you like that?”
“Ah, Mu Ye-themed merchandise,” the girl exclaimed excitedly, “Yes, yes, I want it. Give us a couple’s combo with the bubbly water.”
The boy said sourly, “And also a separate cup of cola.”
The girl gave him a peck and laughed, “My jealous baby, feeling sour?”
The boy’s expression softened, “Hmph.”
The young couple walked away, holding their combo.
Song Jianchu took a step forward, and the attendant mechanically repeated the promotion, “With the purchase of the bubbly water combo, you’ll receive a Mu Ye-themed mug. Would you like that?”
Song Jianchu stared at the display of Mu Ye-themed mugs, hesitating, and then nodded, “Yes.”
Mu Ye lowered his head, using the brim of his hat to cover his eyes, which were the same color as the standee beside him. He secretly urged Song Jianchu with a pinch on his hand in his pocket.
Song Jianchu quickly made up his mind and said, “We’ll have the couple’s combo and also a bubbly water combo.”
“Alright, that will be 198 yuan in total. Please present your payment code.”
Song Jianchu handed over his phone with the payment code.
The attendant went to prepare the popcorn, and Mu Ye happily kissed my cheek and whispered, “Boyfriend’s money is really nice.”
Song Jianchu curled up his lips.
Mu Ye held the couple’s combo with delight, while Song Jianchu held the bubbly water combo. We stood at the end of the line and waited to have our tickets checked for entry.
Once inside, we took our seats in the last row of the couple’s seat section. The theater was fully packed, and coincidentally, the seats next to us were occupied by the same couple from earlier.
After sitting down, Song Jianchu leaned back in his seat for a moment, closed his eyes, and let out a soft sigh.
Mu Ye immediately observed his face and asked in a low voice, “Are you feeling uncomfortable?”
Song Jianchu raised his head and smiled, “I’m fine.”
Mu Ye opened the bottle of sugar-free bubbly water and handed it to him, saying, “Have some water.”
Song Jianchu took a sip after receiving it.
As the movie began, the lights in the theater gradually dimmed. Qin Fang’s face appeared in close-up on the big screen, speaking with a plaintive accent, “Big brother, how many times do I have to say it? My name is Yuan Zhong, not Yuan Zhong the scapegoat.”
The entire audience burst into laughter.
Mu Ye leaned against my shoulder and chuckled softly, while Song Jianchu also pursed his lips and joined in the laughter.
The movie was very entertaining, and laughter filled the theater.
However, the young couple next to us seemed quite distracted and not fully focused on the movie.
The girl whispered, “Honey, give me a kiss.”
The boy, engrossed in the plot, replied, “After this scene.”
The girl coquettishly complained, “I want a kiss.”
A few seconds later, the sound of a moist kiss could be faintly heard.
Song Jianchu kept his gaze fixed on the screen, trying to ignore the ambiguous sound. Mu Ye shook the fingers he held and raised his head from his shoulder.
Without even turning his head, Song Jianchu understood what Mu Ye meant.
This was a public place, so we shouldn’t pay attention to it.
The ambiguous and heated gazes from the people around us, accompanied by subtle hints, urged us softly, “Darling, give me a kiss.”
Blushing, Song Jianchu quickly scanned the seats in front, but the high-backed seats of the couple’s section made it impossible to see what was happening behind.
Song Jianchu pulled down his mask and leaned in to give Mu Ye a quick kiss.
Just as Song Jianchu leaned back in his seat, Mu Ye leaned in and kissed him again. It wasn’t a simple innocent peck like last time. The kiss was deep, involving the rubbing of lips and tongues, bold and passionate.
Song Jianchu leaned into the corner of the seat, and with his hand, he held the back of Mu Ye’s head, tasting the sweet popcorn flavor on his lips.
Amidst the soft sound of our kisses, our breathing became rapid.
The lighting on the big screen alternated between brightness and darkness. When Song Jianchu opened his eyes, he saw a slight hint of red at the corner of Mu Ye’s eyes. He closed his eyes while kissing, fully focused.
Song Jianchu also closed his eyes and wholeheartedly responded to his passionate lips and tongue.
The sound from the neighboring seats gradually faded away.
The girl blushed and glanced suspiciously to the side, only to see her boyfriend turning his face towards her.
It wasn’t until the end of the movie that his face was still flushed.
Mu Ye held my hand and walked out, suddenly saying, “We won.”
After the long kiss, Song Jianchu head was still a bit dizzy, and he turned his head in confusion.
“They were all absorbed by the movie,” Mu Ye smiled slightly, with a hint of pride, “We kissed until the end.”