Morning And Evening Chapter 21

After dinner, He Mu got ready to leave at the time he had arranged with He Jun.

It suddenly got cold today, so the two of them turned on the induction cooker for dinner and made hot pot at home. They weren’t fussy at all. Each of them had a pair of chopsticks and they were scooping things out of the pot, creating an indescribable sense of intimacy.

He Mu was in charge of preparing the ingredients, so Chang Ming’an volunteered to clear the table and wash the dishes. He looked up at He Mu, who was about to leave, and asked, “Going to class?”

Since starting his junior year, He Mu hadn’t had any evening classes. He shook his head, but didn’t want to tell Chang Ming’an what he was going to do. He wanted to go see a play with Chang Ming’an at Christmas. It was like a secret expectation in his heart, and he felt embarrassed to reveal even a little bit of it. He could only do it secretly, and when the time was right, he would casually take out the tickets and invite him, so that it would feel natural.

Seeing that he didn’t seem inclined to say anything, Chang Ming’an felt a little uneasy. He gathered the chopsticks they had used together and said, “It’s getting colder. Come back soon.”

He Mu breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that he wasn’t asking anymore. He took down the scarf that Chang Ming’an had lent him from the coat rack in the entryway, wrapped it around his neck and half his face a few times, and said in a muffled voice, “Okay.”

The black box theater that He Jun mentioned wasn’t on campus, but it wasn’t far either. When he arrived, He Jun’s cast was already rehearsing. The stage setup was quite interesting, with three large white curtains hanging on the stage. After the stage lights were turned off, the floor lights behind the curtains were turned on, casting the actors’ shadows on them.

Seeing that everyone was busy, He Mu started watching from the side. The play was already finished, and he had pieced together the plot bit by bit, which was much more vivid than just reading the script.

A lonely girl who lost her mother at a young age forcibly keeps the person she loves, a wandering painter, in her castle. She says there is no pain in the castle, only happiness, because it is a “utopia.” But the painter wants freedom, even if freedom is painful. He wants to move the girl with his vibrant paintings.

When the rehearsal came to an end, everyone finally noticed that He Mu had arrived, and they all looked at him as if he were their savior.

In the middle of the play, there is a scene where the female lead reminisces, which requires an actress to perform a solo dance of about two minutes. He Jun explained the tone of the play to He Mu and also explained the requirements. Everyone looked at He Mu expectantly. He Mu thought for a moment and did not make a full statement. “I will go back and think about it, and I will try it next time I come.”

Apart from He Jun, no one present recognized He Mu. Their eyes showed disappointment and doubt. He Mu felt a little apologetic, put his hands in his pockets, and remained silent.

He Jun quickly replied, “No problem. I’ve seen you dance before, and you dance very well. We’ll try it next time we come.”

He was clearly the leader here, and the others readily agreed. He Mu was very grateful for his kindness, so he pulled his scarf down to reveal his face and sincerely thanked him and said goodbye.

He Jun reached out and patted his head, saying, “It’s up to you now.”

He Mu knew that He Jun was trying to get closer to him, so he refrained from avoiding the gesture, nodded, wrapped his scarf tighter, and turned to walk out of the small theater.

After watching it on and off for quite a while, it was completely dark. The winter wind blew in gusts, making He Mu’s ears and nose feel icy cold, as if they were about to fall off. He quickly pulled the scarf up a little higher and realized that after wearing Chang Ming’an’s scarf for the past few days, it no longer smelled like Chang Ming’an, but instead had taken on his own scent.

He Mu usually doesn’t wear makeup when he’s not wearing women’s clothing, and he hardly uses any skincare products. He only applies moisturizer in the fall and winter, which has a pleasant plum blossom scent. But now he thinks that the fabric softener scent on Chang Ming’an smells better.

As they approached the school campus, He Mu reached into his pocket and realized he hadn’t brought the spare key Chang Ming’an had lent him. Worried that Chang Ming’an might be showering and wouldn’t hear him when he rang the doorbell, and that calling would seem like overreacting, he sent a WeChat message asking Chang Ming’an to open the door for him in about ten minutes.

He stuffed his phone into his pocket, breathed on his hands, which were red from the cold, and strode forward against the wind.

Passing by the school cafeteria, and walking a little further, he was about to reach the building. The pedestrians on the road were all in a hurry. There was a person standing under the dim streetlights by the roadside, waiting. Because it was cold, he would stomp his feet from time to time.

It was Chang Ming’an.

He Mu’s eyes widened, and he walked over in a few steps, saying, “Why did you come down?”

Chang Ming’an exhaled a puff of white breath and said, “You didn’t bring your keys.”

“Just open the door for me upstairs.”

Chang Ming’an looked at He Mu and saw that He Mu’s face was hidden in the scarf, with only a pair of wide eyes showing in confusion. He couldn’t help but smile and said, “I was afraid I didn’t hear the doorbell and made you wait downstairs for a long time.”

It seemed to make sense, yet it also seemed not to.

He Mu could only let out a blank “Ah!” and hurried downstairs. Chang Ming’an walked ahead, his tall figure blocking most of the wind. The two finally stepped into the warm stairwell and got into the elevator. In the elevator, He Mu took his hands out of his pockets and kept trying to warm them up, as his hands got cold easily in the wind.

Chang Ming’an was about to speak when he sneezed, then sneezed again.

He lent his scarf to He Mu, leaving the rest of his scarves at school, where the cold wind was seeping into his collar. He Mu glanced at him and asked, “Are you feeling cold?”

Just as Chang Ming’an was about to say “no,” he sneezed again. He Mu hurriedly took off the scarf around his neck and tried to wrap it around Chang Ming’an’s neck, but Chang Ming’an quickly grabbed his hand and said, “We’re home.”

He Mu then realized what was happening, blushed, and tried to pull his hand back. Chang Ming’an’s hand was much warmer than his.

It’s always warmer inside than outside, but since they live in the south, winter nights without underfloor heating are always a bit tough. Chang Ming’an put an electric blanket on the bed in the bedroom, which was the kind they used in previous winters. He Mu could warm the bed before going to sleep at night and didn’t feel cold. But Chang Ming’an, who was sleeping on the sofa in this weather, felt a bit cold no matter how healthy he was.

Upon entering the house, Chang Ming’an sneezed several times in a row, his nose turning red. Compared to his usual composed demeanor, he looked rather disheveled and adorable. He Mu quickly poured him some boiling hot water, but just before handing it to him, he took it back and mixed it with cool water, making it lukewarm and easy to drink.

He Mu looked at him worriedly. “Why don’t you go to bed too?”

As soon as the words left their mouths, they both paused in unison, as if they were both remembering what had happened the last time they lay in the same bed. He Mu felt a little disappointed mixed with a little bit of inexplicable expectation, while Chang Ming’an thought of more, lowered his eyes guiltily, and finished drinking the hot water.

“Okay.”