Morning And Evening Chapter 18

Chang Ming’an unlocked the car door and was just about to step inside when someone called out to him, prompting him to turn around.

It was He Jun, who was slightly out of breath after arriving late. He had come downstairs to pick up Miaomiao from the small group of children waiting for their parents, inadvertently intercepting He Mu as he made his way toward Chang Ming’an’s car.

He Mu turned his head to see He Jun holding Miao Miao’s hand and offered a polite nod. Though his expression remained composed, it was noticeably gentler than usual, his brow soft and the corners of his lips curving upward slightly. He Jun smiled, taking Miao Miao’s hand to wave at him, and said, “Sorry I’m late. The little girl mentioned you stayed behind to keep her company.”

He Mu nodded in response, prompting Miao Miao to offer a playful wink that brought a warm smile to his face.

He Jun was momentarily taken aback. The last time they had shared a meal, He Mu had seemed distant, reserved, and thoroughly uncomfortable. He had not expected to see such a gentle side to him today. “Should we add each other on WeChat?” he asked.

As He Mu hesitated, Miao Miao excitedly pulled out her toy phone and piped up, “I have one, I have one!”

He Jun laughed heartily, his bright white teeth showing, and asked again, “Mind if I add you?”

Refusing now would seem terribly impolite, especially since He Jun was one of Chang Ming’an’s students and they appeared quite close. In the end, He Mu nodded and swapped contact details. He waited patiently for the request to go through, then accepted it right away. Throughout the exchange, he kept glancing toward Chang Ming’s car, but the reflection on the glass made it impossible to see inside. Feeling a bit restless, he said softly, “Well, I should probably get going…”

He Jun followed his gaze and realized, “Oh, isn’t that Professor Chang’s car?”

A sudden wave of embarrassment washed over He Mu at being caught looking, leaving him stammering and unsure of how to reply. He Jun stepped over toward the driver’s side, and Chang Ming’an rolled down the window, offering a brief greeting before signaling for He Mu to get in.

He Mu quickly took the passenger seat and pulled his seatbelt across. He waved goodbye to Miao Miao while Chang Ming’an bade farewell to He Jun, rolled up the window, and set off toward home.

“I’m sorry,” He Mu murmured, clutching the strap across his chest, “I made you wait so long.”

“It’s fine.”

Chang Ming’an offered only that single brief response before slipping back into silence. He wore his glasses while driving, keeping his eyes firmly fixed on the road ahead and checking his rearview mirror every now and then. The heater filled the cabin with gentle warmth. Chang Ming’an had rolled his sleeves up slightly, revealing a watch on his wrist and well-defined knuckles that looked striking against the steering wheel.

He Mu stole a couple of glances before looking away, focusing instead on the scenery outside. “The weather is lovely today.”

“Mm.”

He Mu felt entirely deflated. Chang Ming’an clearly was not in a mood to talk, as though something was bothering him, even if his expression gave nothing away. With no other choice, He Mu fell silent, turning his attention to the yellow ginkgo trees blurring past the window.

The drive was brief, and they arrived home in no time. Chang Ming’an parked the car and walked ahead while He Mu trailed behind. He Mu’s mind raced the entire way, wondering if Chang Ming’an had grown impatient from waiting or if he was planning to leave for the night. His mind was in a complete state of turmoil, yet he could reach no conclusion.

Since Chang Ming’an was noticeably taller than him, He Mu had to quicken his pace to keep up with his long strides. Just as they stepped out of the elevator, Chang Ming’an seemed to remember something and abruptly turned around. He Mu, who was focusing solely on keeping up, bumped straight into him. Both of them recoiled slightly, hastily adjusting their posture.

“Are you feeling any better?” Chang Ming’an asked.

Asking only after they had walked all this way felt a little late. Having worked up a sweat during his dance class and walked in the warm sunshine, He Mu felt perfectly fine. He shook his head and replied, “I feel fine.”

Chang Ming’an reached out a hand as if to check his forehead. He Mu froze on the spot, his heart pounding as he stared at the approaching hand. But halfway there, Chang Ming’an pulled back, pulled his keys from his pocket, and unlocked the front door, speaking as he turned the handle: “Let’s check your temperature first.”

Feeling a quiet wave of disappointment, He Mu followed him inside. He obediently took his temperature, which showed he still had a slight fever. They ordered a simple, light meal through takeout, after which He Mu took his medicine and was sent straight to bed by Chang Ming’an. Perhaps because his body was still recovering, He Mu fell into a deep, comfortable sleep, free from the exhaustion that had weighed on him the day before.

They did not have dinner together that evening. Before Chang Ming’an left, he instructed him, “Eat properly and don’t catch cold. I’ll be back later.”

Hearing those words brought an instant sense of relief to He Mu’s heart. He had a simple bowl of porridge at the cafeteria for dinner, washed up early, and threw a thick, long-sleeved robe over his usual pink nightdress. After a moment’s thought, he put on the slippers he usually disliked wearing, wrapping himself up snugly before sitting on the sofa to scroll through his phone.

He opened the chat with his newly added contact, He Jun. They had exchanged basic greetings, but nothing more. He Jun’s feed was full of life, packed with student club activities and academic projects that seemed vibrant and engaging. Scrolling down a few days, He Mu even spotted a photo featuring Chang Ming’an.

The two were standing side by side. Chang Ming’an was slightly taller, looking as though he had just stepped out of a lecture when He Jun caught him off guard with a selfie. Behind his glasses, his eyes seemed a little bewildered, unsure of where to look, giving him an unexpectedly endearing charm. He Mu saved the picture, cropped He Jun out completely, and kept only the side with Chang Ming’an.

He had not even added Chang Ming’an on WeChat yet.

As time ticked by, Chang Ming’an had still not returned, and drowsiness began to settle over He Mu. Giving up on waiting any longer, he crawled into bed to rest. He knew that if Chang Ming’an promised to come back, he would honor his word. Just as he had promised to wait downstairs after class, he had actually stayed, which offered a comforting sense of security. It was as if no matter where He Mu went, a simple promise meant Chang Ming’an would always be there whenever he turned around.

Waking in the middle of the night, He Mu switched on the small bedside lamp and peered through a slight crack in the bedroom door. He spotted a subtle outline resting on the sofa: Chang Ming’an had returned. He Mu lingered for a moment before tiptoeing back to bed, wrapping himself tightly in the blankets, yet sleep eluded him. His thoughts drifted back to Chang Ming’an once more. As he lay there thinking, he pulled out his phone to gaze at the cropped photograph. For some reason, his mind wandered back to that night, recalling how he had clung to Chang Ming’an, his fingers slipping beneath his trousers to grasp that heavy warmth, before Chang Ming’an flipped him over onto the mattress and pinned him down.

The memory sent a wave of heat coursing through his entire body. Clutching his pillow tightly, He Mu lay on the mattress, unconsciously shifting his weight against the sheets. He reached down to trace the soft silk of his nightgown, an act that only heightened the swell of excitement inside him.

The connection between them remained so painfully ambiguous, hovering at times as distant as the horizon, and at others as close as a single breath.