BTMDY Extra 22

“Time to get up~”

 

“Strange, why did you sleep in so long today…?”

 

“Come on, get up, get up~”

 

A deliberately lowered voice drifted into his ears again and again, slowly pulling Shi Yuan out of sleep. His awareness came back sluggishly, leaving him dizzy, like his soul hadn’t fully settled into his body yet—light, hollow, and a beat too slow.

 

He’d lived alone for far too long.

 

On normal days, the little contact he had with people was mostly through phone calls. It was rare to hear such a real, close voice right by his ear. For a moment, Shi Yuan wondered if it was his work assistant, but the voice didn’t quite match.

 

He was sure of one thing—this voice was incredibly familiar.

 

And yet, it felt like it belonged to some far-off memory, one that hadn’t surfaced in a very long time.

 

After only a few seconds of thought, Shi Yuan opened his eyes and sat up, tossing the blanket aside as he moved to the edge of the bed. Out of habit, he reached for the cup on the bedside table.

 

The moment he lowered his gaze, he froze.

 

In his hand was a cute ceramic mug, steam rising from it in soft curls—nothing like what he’d expected.

 

He had a habit of drinking warm water as soon as he woke up to soothe his stomach. Because of that, he always filled a thermos with hot water before bed and set it by the bed. He would never use a cup like this, one that would go cold so quickly.

 

Not to mention, this cup wasn’t his style at all.

 

Shi Yuan lifted his arm and studied the mug more closely. The craftsmanship was a bit rough, not like something churned out on a factory line. It looked more like a handmade DIY piece, done by someone who wasn’t all that skilled.

 

Staring at the cartoon puppy on the cup—its tongue sticking out at him—Shi Yuan couldn’t help the faint tug at the corner of his lips. But in the blink of an eye, that barely-there smile vanished, and he silently lowered his hand.

 

The mattress beside him dipped slightly.

 

Only then did Shi Yuan remember that he’d been woken up by someone.

 

He slowly turned his head. A warm palm covered his cheek, fingers gently brushing his skin with the softest touch.

 

The boy’s eyes were bright. He tilted his head a little, his voice filled with clear concern.

 

“You don’t look very energetic today. Have you been too busy lately? Are you worn out?”

 

Facing the vivid, very-much-alive Lin Wangye in front of him, Shi Yuan didn’t show any surprise.

 

The boy wasn’t appearing in his dreams for the first time.

 

To Shi Yuan, this was a rare kind of relief. Even if it all vanished the moment he woke up—fading away like smoke, forcing him to lose everything all over again and face that cracked, lifeless reality—he was still willing to treat this dream as a hallucinogen kindly handed to him by fate.

 

He cherished every moment of getting something back after losing it, even if it was only temporary.

 

Given the nature of their relationship, touching someone’s face was an intimate, almost teasing act. In the past, Lin Wangye had never done anything like this. But Shi Yuan didn’t take this slightly over-the-line gesture to heart. Instead, he couldn’t help setting the cup down, reaching out to pull the boy into his arms for a hug. He closed his eyes, rested his chin on the boy’s shoulder, and let out a low “Mm.”

 

Chinese-style aesthetics had long since become an international trend. As a designer focused on traditional Chinese style, Shi Yuan had always loved sharing the charm of Chinese culture with the world.

 

Freelance design work was never steady to begin with.

 

When it was busy, it was insanely busy. When it was slow, it was really slow.

 

The first day of the Lunar New Year had just passed. There were official holidays at home, but outside the country, that idea didn’t really exist. On top of that, design work burned through mental energy. You had to calm down and focus, and that alone was exhausting.

 

Shi Yuan’s life revolved around Lin Wangye. To spend more time with him, he didn’t take on jobs very often.

 

Still, no matter the year, there were always a few days when his brain felt completely fried, when he just wasn’t in the zone.

 

So Lin Wangye didn’t notice anything strange about him. He hugged Shi Yuan back, gently patting his back in response, and spoke softly in that same slow, calm tone he usually used when comforting others.

 

“Leave yourself more time to enjoy life. Don’t work yourself so hard.”

 

“Mm.”

 

After a long while, Shi Yuan felt a light push against his chest. Lin Wangye pulled himself out of the hug, picked up the cup from the bedside table, and placed it back into Shi Yuan’s hands. Then he stood up and stretched lazily.

 

“It’s already ten. Usually I’m the one who sleeps in—you almost never get up this late. Guess you really are tired. I already had breakfast, but I just made another one for you. It should be almost ready. I’ll go get things set up. Wash up and come out to eat soon, okay?”

 

As he spoke, Lin Wangye naturally walked out of the bedroom.

 

Only after he disappeared did Shi Yuan react. He quickly set down the cup without taking a single sip and followed after him. He chased him to the bedroom door, and only relaxed after confirming that Lin Wangye hadn’t vanished the moment he left his sight, but was actually busy in the kitchen. Then Shi Yuan turned toward the bathroom in the bedroom and went in to wash up.

 

In the kitchen, Lin Wangye lifted the lid, bent down, and took a deep sniff of the mushroom and seafood soup that had been simmering for a long time. Just as he happily stirred it with a spoon, he suddenly sensed some movement behind him.

 

When he turned around, he saw Shi Yuan leaning against the bedroom doorframe, staring at him without blinking.

 

The noise from earlier had been the sound of brushing teeth.

 

Lin Wangye grinned, hands on his hips, and said cheerfully, “What? Can’t be apart from Xiao Lin for even a second?”

 

In the past, whenever Shi Yuan dreamed of Lin Wangye, the scenes were always familiar—either at the Lin family home, at school, or at his own place. It was rare for him to be in a completely unfamiliar house like today, one he had never seen before.

 

Still, this place felt warm, and it carried a sense of realness that seemed to come from deep inside.

 

The robot vacuum that only started working after he woke up. The matching cups on the sink rack. The cartoon wall-mounted automatic toothpaste dispenser. The fresh flowers on the dining table.

 

Things like these—his dreams were usually blurry or even abstract, never filled with this many tiny details.

 

In theory, dreams weren’t supposed to have this much detail anyway.

 

But Shi Yuan didn’t want to think too deeply about it. He instinctively resisted digging into it, because the moment he started taking it seriously, it would be easy to force himself awake.

 

He didn’t want to wake up. He even hoped this dream would never end.

 

With toothpaste still in his mouth, Shi Yuan couldn’t reply to Lin Wangye’s teasing, so he nodded hard instead, using his eyes to pass along his smile.

 

To Lin Wangye, this was just an ordinary day.

 

The response Shi Yuan gave was something he’d seen plenty of times before, so he naturally blew a kiss through the air and winked at him.

 

“Xiao Lin loves you~”

 

This time, Shi Yuan still didn’t respond, but he continued to look at him with a gaze full of gentle warmth. After finishing brushing his teeth, he turned and went back into the bathroom.

 

Lin Wangye didn’t mind the lack of response at all.

 

His goal was always simple—to express his love, not to demand one in return.

 

When Shi Yuan came out of the bedroom again, the food on the table was already set.

 

“Come try the soup I just learned to make! I taste-tested it already—it’s super ultra mega insanely good!” Lin Wangye ladled a bowl for Shi Yuan. When Shi Yuan walked over, he eagerly pulled out a chair for him, then sat down across from him, propping his face in his hands, eyes full of anticipation.

 

Under his hopeful gaze, Shi Yuan sat down, picked up the bowl, and out of habit stirred it a couple of times. He carefully scooped up a spoonful, blew on it to cool it down, and brought it to his mouth with a serious look. He’d only meant to act earnest so Lin Wangye wouldn’t be disappointed—but to his surprise, the taste genuinely caught him off guard.

 

The fresh, clean flavor of the mushrooms blended perfectly with the rich sweetness of the seafood. It tasted really good.

 

Shi Yuan was a little stunned that he could taste something so real in a dream, but he didn’t dare think too much about it. Instead, his first instinct was to give Lin Wangye the approval and praise he was clearly waiting for.

 

“It’s really good. Xiao Lin, you’re amazing.”

 

“Right? Right? It’s good, isn’t it?!”

 

Lin Wangye never cared whether praise sounded fancy. Even a simple ‘it’s great’ or ‘very good’ was enough to make him happy to the max. Beaming, he said,

 

“I followed an online tutorial step by step. I even used a kitchen scale for the seasonings—super exact! One-to-one copy! The process was kinda annoying, but I’m smart. Do it a few more times and I’ll get the hang of it. If you like it, I’ll make it for you anytime you want!”

 

A heart that had been numb for years, aching and dull, felt a long-lost warmth spread through it.

 

Holding the bowl, Shi Yuan listened patiently to the boy’s nonstop chatter. When Lin Wangye finally finished and looked at him with those bright, blinking eyes, waiting for an answer, Shi Yuan realized his throat had gone tight.

 

His Adam’s apple bobbed as he forced out a stiff, rough sound.

 

“Okay.”

 

Lin Wangye blinked a few times, faintly sensing that something was off.

 

But since the person in front of him had never hidden anything from him before, he didn’t think much of it. He just figured Shi Yuan had been too busy lately and wasn’t in the best state, so he went on, “Then hurry and eat! This was pretty troublesome, so I didn’t have time to make anything else. Um… or should I toast some bread for you?”

 

For Shi Yuan, choosing not to climb out of pain, choosing instead to drown himself in memories as a kind of self-punishment, meant that no matter how normal he looked on the surface, his mind couldn’t possibly be fine.

 

To keep his body functioning, his life was filled with all kinds of antidepressants.

 

With their harsh side effects, he usually had no appetite at all.

 

Being able to eat anything was already rare.

 

The reason he could drink this bowl of soup was probably because Lin Wangye had made it with his own hands.

 

As for toast—that was something Shi Yuan often used to just fill his stomach when he was alone, when he really couldn’t work up any appetite. He was afraid he wouldn’t be able to eat it, so he shook his head at Lin Wangye.

 

“No need. Isn’t it almost lunchtime? I’ll just have a little to tide me over.”

 

“Alright.”

 

Lin Wangye nodded obediently, then sat across from him, propping his face in his hands and smiling as he stared at him.

 

Seeing that he hadn’t grabbed any utensils for himself, Shi Yuan asked, “You’re not eating?”

 

“I want to, actually, but I’m really not that hungry.”

 

Lin Wangye puffed out his cheeks a little, then let out a breath, blowing his bangs aside. Resting his chin in one hand, he said, “I woke up a little after eight this morning. You were sleeping really deeply, so I didn’t wake you up. I ate breakfast by myself. Then Old Lin said he’d gotten some seafood flown in and told me to come eat at his place, so I ran over and stuffed myself. Ended up eating way too much…”

 

The boy loved sharing little bits of daily life. Even boring stuff like eating and drinking made everything feel calm and peaceful, like time itself had slowed down.

 

It had been a long time since Shi Yuan felt something like this.

 

He was feeling a bit emotional when a certain name suddenly caught his attention. As soon as Lin Wangye finished, he spoke up, “Lin Shen?”

 

Lin Wangye curled his lips in annoyance. “Yeah! The shrimp and dried scallops in the soup came from him. He scolded me forever, saying I finally came back to my parents’ place and didn’t bring anything, and instead just took stuff. Like, he’s the one who told me to go eat! Don’t you think he’s crazy?”

 

When he finished speaking, Shi Yuan fell silent for a few seconds before saying, “After you finish eating, let’s go see him together.”

 

“Sure~” Lin Wangye grinned. “It’s the second day of the New Year. By tradition, you’re supposed to visit your family~”

 

Lin Shen and Lin Wangye rarely appeared in Shi Yuan’s dreams at the same time.

 

Maybe it was because their friendship had always been about watching each other’s backs, with no lingering regrets or unresolved feelings. Lin Shen barely showed up in Shi Yuan’s dreams at all.

 

Shi Yuan hadn’t expected to get a chance to see his friend again. He smiled slightly at Lin Wangye and unconsciously sped up his eating.

 

Once he was full, Shi Yuan wanted to change clothes, but before he could, Lin Wangye—still in his pajamas—grabbed his hand, pulled him out the door, rushed down the hallway, and started pounding on the door across the hall.

 

Only then did Shi Yuan realize that Lin Shen seemed to live right across from them.

 

The door opened quickly. The moment Shi Yuan locked eyes with Lu Chengxuan, his brain short-circuited for a split second. After a rapid reconnect, he immediately heard Lin Shen’s loud voice coming from the living room.

 

“Who is it? Did that idiot son come back to visit?”

 

Lu Chengxuan hummed in response and stepped aside, gesturing for the two of them to come in.

 

Before Lin Wangye and Shi Yuan could even step inside, they heard Lin Shen shout again, “Did you two bring anything for me? Milk, walnut drinks, fruit baskets, brown sugar tangerines, whatever—if you didn’t—then take whatever you’re holding and get lost back to where you came from.”

 

They were already at the door. If the one opening it had been Lin Shen, he might’ve actually kicked them out on the spot. But Lu Chengxuan obviously wouldn’t chase people away. He kept the same posture, calmly motioning for them to come in.

 

Lin Wangye dragged the still-dazed Shi Yuan inside without a second thought. He charged straight toward Lin Shen, who was sitting on the couch watching TV, then ‘thump’—dropped to his knees and started kowtowing on the floor.

 

“Dad! Give me some money to spend! Red envelope!”

 

“Damn it!” Lin Shen clutched the pillow in his arms and rolled across the couch to dodge the direction of the kowtows, throwing punches and kicks at him from afar. “Get lost! You already milked me yesterday and you’re still at it today?!”

 

Seeing that Lin Shen showed zero intention of paying up, Lin Wangye’s eyes snapped toward Lu Chengxuan, who was walking over from the entryway. He spun in place and—‘bang bang bang’—knocked his head on the floor three times in a row.

 

“Mom! Happy New Year! Give me some money to spend!”

 

The moment he yelled that, Shi Yuan felt even more dazed, while Lin Shen instantly pulled off a Sichuan-opera-level face change—breaking into a huge grin and clapping wildly. He waved a big hand at Lu Chengxuan. “Give him some, give him some! It’s the New Year—since he’s already here!”

 

Lu Chengxuan didn’t say a word. He pulled out his phone, tapped on it for a bit, then turned the screen toward Lin Wangye.

 

The screen showed the Nice Bank app, right on the transfer page where you enter the amount. Lin Wangye didn’t hesitate at all—he raised his hand and typed in six ‘6’s, then scrambled up from the floor and jumped onto the couch, plopping down next to Lin Shen.

 

“What’re you watching?”

 

“A science show. Says there’s gonna be some once-in-decades five-planet alignment. You know this stuff can let you time travel, right? When the time comes, you and I should travel back to the Qing dynasty. If I become emperor, I’ll make you a high-ranking official.”

 

“I wanna be the empress dowager!”

 

“Get lost!”

 

Father and son slipped straight into casual banter with just a few words. Seeing Shi Yuan still standing there, Lin Shen flicked away a piece of melon seed shell and asked casually, “Why are you just standing there like an idiot?”

 

The scene in front of him felt warm—and absurd.

 

To Shi Yuan, this version of Lin Shen wasn’t unfamiliar.

 

It was just… far too distant.

 

So distant that he had to trace it all the way back to his middle school days.

 

It was as if fate had deliberately gathered everyone at their very best and placed them all into the same dream.

 

Shi Yuan stayed silent for a long time. Just one second before Lin Wangye was about to sense that something was off, he finally spoke, unable to stop himself from saying to Lin Shen, “Long time no see.”

 

Lin Shen stared at him for a few seconds, then awkwardly looked away.

 

“Long time my ass. Weren’t you here yesterday with this brat scamming me for red envelopes? You’ve really got some nerve coming back to your parents’ place empty-handed. Get your ass to the supermarket at the compound gate and buy me a box of Six Walnuts.”

 

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