The Return

The next day, everyone in the villa woke up very late.

They had watched a horror movie together.

After the New Year countdown, they connected game controllers and played games until very late before finally going to sleep.

Xu Shuche had been terrified by the horror movie.

He grabbed Jian Yixun’s sleeve and asked if he could sleep in the same room as him.

If this were any other time, it would have been something Xu Shuche would absolutely never do.

The movie was called “Coherence.”

Rather than a typical horror film, it was more like a science fiction movie.

But precisely because it mixed science fiction elements into the story, it became deeply unsettling when you thought about it carefully.

And in the film, seven or eight good friends gathered in a villa.

That made the situation feel even more immersive for them.

Throughout the entire movie, Xu Shuche shrank close to Jian Yixun’s side.

He clutched Jian Yixun’s clothes tightly, as if afraid Jian Yixun might secretly be a “duplicate” from a parallel universe.

Actually, Jian Yixun was also terrified.

Ever since he was young, he had been afraid of ghosts and supernatural things.

Whenever he saw horror story sections in magazines, he skipped them immediately.

In high school, his friends once tricked him into watching a horror movie.

He forced himself to walk out of the theater with stiff legs, pretending to be calm.

But in reality, his back had been soaked with sweat from fear.

But now he couldn’t show fear.

Because he had already bragged that he would protect Xu Shuche.

Even though his palms were full of cold sweat.

Even though halfway through he wanted to jump up and run away.

Jian Yixun clenched his teeth and endured until the end.

Xu Shuche seemed to notice his body trembling.

He whispered softly.

“Are you scared?”

“Me? Scared? Ridiculous.”

Jian Yixun felt that if he were ever cremated, the only thing left would be his stubborn mouth.

“It’s not scary at all.”

“Why would I be scared?”

He stubbornly endured the entire one-and-a-half-hour movie.

When it finally ended, he secretly let out a long breath and slowly unclenched his fists.

The others handled horror movies quite well.

Unlike the two of them—who were practically allergic to horror elements.

After the movie ended, they only felt a brief lingering chill before excitedly connecting game controllers to the television.

But even the games couldn’t help Xu Shuche escape from the eerie atmosphere of the film.

He hesitated for half the night.

Finally, when everyone got sleepy and announced it was time to sleep, he tugged Jian Yixun’s sleeve again.

His voice was full of pleading.

“Jian Yixun… can I sleep in the same room as you tonight?”

“I’m really scared.”

After saying that, he suddenly remembered Jian Yixun used to be homophobic.

Embarrassment flashed across his face.

“Actually… never mind.”

“You aren’t…”

“I’m not.”

Jian Yixun answered immediately and decisively.

“I don’t mind.”

“You can sleep there anytime.”

Xu Shuche was both sleepy and frightened.

He didn’t carefully consider how strange Jian Yixun’s words “come sleep anytime” sounded.

He simply followed Jian Yixun to his room.

He slept until past ten the next morning.

It was the first time he hadn’t woken up according to his usual biological clock.

The price of their indulgence the previous night was cleaning the house the next morning.

Being polite and reasonable was a virtue among modern college students.

Although the villa owner had only reminded them not to damage appliances and never explicitly asked them to clean up, everyone woke up and voluntarily began washing the pots, bowls, and dishes from the previous night.

Feng Zhou rolled up his sleeves and scrubbed grease from the plates.

He looked up at Xu Shuche and greeted him.

“Good morning, senior.”

“It’s not early anymore.”

Xu Shuche had just poured himself a cup of hot water and held it in his hands.

“Let me help.”

“No need.”

“I’m almost finished.”

Feng Zhou waved his hand.

Then his movements paused.

He leaned closer and asked quietly.

“Did Jian Yixun make up with you last night?”

Xu Shuche was slightly stunned.

“Huh?”

“I saw you talking to him again.”

“I guessed you forgave him.”

“That’s great.”

He sighed in relief.

“Finally I won’t be harassed anymore.”

“Harassed?”

Xu Shuche asked curiously.

“How did he harass you?”

“Well…”

Feng Zhou’s normally calm expression suddenly showed a hint of mischief.

“He kept asking whether you moved back to the dorm.”

“How you were doing in the research room.”

“And whether you still didn’t know how to take care of yourself.”

Xu Shuche’s cheeks warmed slightly when he heard this.

“He just likes interfering in things like that.”

“Sorry for bothering you.”

“It’s fine.”

Feng Zhou spoke gently and understandingly.

“Come back and live in the dorm.”

“I won’t stay in the dorm next semester.”

“I’m moving outside.”

“That way two beds will be empty.”

“You two can stay there perfectly.”

Before Xu Shuche could respond, Feng Zhou lowered his head and continued washing dishes.

It seemed as if he suddenly lost interest in the topic.

“Senior, what are you doing?”

Jian Yixun suddenly peeked into the room from outside.

“If you’re not busy, do you want me to walk you home?”

Xu Shuche originally wanted to refuse.

But when he thought about the cigarette butts he had seen outside his door earlier, his heart sank slightly.

He nodded gently.

Jian Yixun came from a wealthy family.

He had never really experienced what a “rented apartment” was like.

When he arrived at the entrance of the old residential community with Xu Shuche, he almost thought they had come to the wrong place.

“Senior… you live here?”

Xu Shuche nodded quietly.

“Yes.”

Jian Yixun stared at the peeling walls and felt uneasy.

“I’m not trying to curse anything.”

“But this place looks like it might collapse.”

“It’s really not safe.”

He kept complaining nonstop.

Even when they passed the security booth, he continued.

“Look at your security booth.”

“Who could it even stop?”

“The guard is sleeping inside.”

“I’m not an owner or tenant.”

“I walked right in and nobody stopped me.”

Xu Shuche sighed and rubbed his ears.

“Jian Yixun.”

“You’re very noisy.”

Jian Yixun blinked.

He couldn’t tell whether Xu Shuche meant it seriously.

So he obediently stopped complaining about the neighborhood.

After walking quietly for a while, he suddenly spoke again.

“Senior… since it’s like this…”

“Then move back.”

By then they had reached the entrance of Xu Shuche’s building.

Xu Shuche stood on the steps and looked down at him.

“But I rented it for three months.”

“I have to stay until February.”

“Then come back to school.”

“Stay in my dorm.”

From that angle Jian Yixun had to tilt his head upward to look at him.

His eyes were full of expectation and pleading.

Like a puppy asking for praise from its owner.

“Feng Zhou told you, right?”

“He’s moving out next semester.”

“So I’ll move back to the dorm too.”

“It’ll be perfect for the two of us.”

Xu Shuche chuckled softly.

“How is that perfect?”

“Aren’t you someone who doesn’t like…”

As he spoke, the topic slowly circled back to the argument they once had.

Both of them realized the conversation had entered an uncomfortable territory.

They fell silent at the same time.

The stairwell remained quiet for a long moment.

Finally Xu Shuche spoke softly.

“I’m going upstairs.”

“Thank you.”

“Okay.”

Jian Yixun exhaled irritably.

“Senior, stay safe.”

“Send me a message when you get home.”

After saying that, he suddenly slapped his forehead as if remembering something.

“Oh right.”

“Add me back on WeChat.”

“It’s been so long since we talked there.”

Xu Shuche agreed.

He climbed the stairs step by step.

Actually… moving back to school wasn’t impossible.

It would make going to the library and researching much more convenient.

And most importantly…

As he thought about it while walking, the strong smell of cigarette smoke suddenly hit his nose.

He stopped and looked up.

His eyes met a pair of fierce, vicious ones.

Wang Shimei leaned against the door, smoking.

When he saw Xu Shuche, a malicious grin spread across his fleshy face.

He threw the cigarette butt onto the ground and crushed it hard under his shoe.

His voice sounded greasy from several sleepless nights.

“Well, well.”

“Back from having fun?”

All the color drained from Xu Shuche’s face.

He staggered backward and almost fell down the stairs.

“Why are you here?”

“Why am I here?”

Seeing Xu Shuche afraid made Wang Shimei grin wider.

He stepped forward.

“You promised to give me money.”

“Where is it?”

Only then did Xu Shuche remember the promise he had made.

After arguing with Jian Yixun that day, he had completely forgotten about giving Wang Shimei money.

Now he finally remembered.

“You think you can fool me?”

Wang Shimei grabbed Xu Shuche’s collar and dragged him forward.

“I waited outside your door for days.”

“I couldn’t even see you once.”

“What were you doing?”

“Selling yourself?”

“Otherwise why were you gone every night?”

The collar tightened painfully around Xu Shuche’s neck.

He couldn’t speak.

Only faint choking sounds escaped from his throat.

“Did you forget how I beat you before?”

Wang Shimei’s filthy mouth spewed sour cigarette breath.

“You gays are all disgusting trash.”

“You just love getting beaten, right?”

“Then today I’ll beat you to death!”

He raised his hand to strike.

Suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his abdomen.

Wang Shimei released Xu Shuche and stumbled backward.

He stared in disbelief.

“You—”

Xu Shuche’s cheeks were flushed from suffocation.

But the anger in his eyes far outweighed the fear.

Even rabbits bite when cornered.

Let alone a human being.

“I’m not afraid of you anymore.”

Xu Shuche’s voice still trembled.

But his eyes were firm.

He tried desperately to suppress the fear inside him.

He hadn’t expected himself to resist.

But when Wang Shimei grabbed his throat, he suddenly remembered the birthday surprise from the villa the night before.

After all… he had just turned a year older.

Maybe it was time to step out of that dark alley.

Even if he couldn’t completely escape it.

He should at least take a step forward.

Even if it was only a tiny step.

Wang Shimei roared and lunged forward again.

Xu Shuche instinctively closed his eyes, preparing to be beaten.

But instead, his back collided with a warm chest.

“Are you insane, you bastard?”

Jian Yixun’s furious voice exploded beside his ear.

“Last time I didn’t beat you to death out of mercy.”

“Today I’ll beat you until you call me dad.”

“If I don’t, I’ll take your surname!”