He Ning could be genuinely annoying sometimes.

He lived his life taking everything for granted, as if he were born to be the center of the universe. Everyone had to cater to his whims. His family had money and power, so he did whatever he wanted with absolute confidence. He snatched other people’s boyfriends, skipped school whenever he felt like it, and caused trouble for anyone he disliked.

Among the smiling faces that constantly swirled around He Ning, he never used to care or rather, he never deigned to notice which ones were after the He family name and which ones were after the glittering powerhouse backing him up.

He was so used to being surrounded and carefully flattered that he never once considered what he would become if all those fake compliments vanished one day.

But nobody truly liked him. Not a single soul.

That was until the He family fell from grace.

The harsh judgments of the people around him came crashing down on his head.

It turned out that in the eyes of others, he was nothing more than a bully, a fool, and a pathetic creature whom nobody sincerely cared about. Those who used to force smiles around him did not even bother to pretend anymore. The mockery in their eyes was blindingly obvious.

For He Ning, it was love at first sight with Wen Junhe.

Even many years later, he could still vividly recall every single detail of that first meeting: the muggy air in the auditorium, the faint hum of the crowd, the piercing sunlight outside the window, the smell of cheap leather on the seats, and the person standing on the stage.

It happened during their sophomore year of high school, right at the start of the semester. Wen Junhe had been invited to speak as the star student the school had recruited, and the auditorium was packed with a dense crowd of students below.

Wen Junhe wore his school uniform neatly, though his cuffs were casually rolled up a bit, revealing his well-defined wrists. Standing before the microphone, his voice was neither too high nor too low. It carried a crisp, refreshing quality unique to youth, like a handful of snow poured into the sweltering air.

The sunlight filtered diagonally through the auditorium’s glass windows, landing on Wen Junhe’s profile and casting a small shadow beneath his eyelashes.

And those eyes—He Ning had never seen eyes like that. They were like a lake rippling under a midsummer afternoon breeze, shimmering with delicate light. They were calm, yet they seemed to hide countless untold stories.

Because his father had donated two buildings to the school, He Ning had been invited to sit in the very front row.

He Ning usually had zero interest in these kinds of events. Just a second before, he had been thinking about going out to hang with Meng Xuan and the others after school. But the moment Wen Junhe looked up and scanned the audience, their eyes briefly met.

In that exact instant, He Ning felt his heart squeezed hard by an unseen hand and then suddenly released. It felt as though blood rushed into his ears, and his breath hitched.

He fell for him just like that, without any warning and without any logic.

Wen Junhe was the kind of person born to stand in the light.

He was handsome, not with a superficial prettiness, but with a clean, sharp elegance rooted in his bone structure. His eyebrows and eyes were dark as ink, and his features were sharply defined.

He was smart, hardworking, and had a great personality. Everyone liked him.

His only flaw was that he was too poor.

He was an orphan who grew up with his aunt.

Perhaps He Ning’s gaze was simply too burning.

That day in the auditorium, after Wen Junhe finished reading the last paragraph of his speech, he looked up and accidentally caught that scorching gaze from the front row.

He Ning was staring straight at him with an undisguised intensity, like fire crashing into ice. In just a split second, Wen Junhe turned his face away, but the residual warmth of that gaze seemed branded onto his skin, impossible to shake off.

He Ning wanted to have Wen Junhe.

Meng Xuan quickly looked into Wen Junhe’s background. He told He Ning that there was nothing in this world money couldn’t buy, and if there was, it just meant the price wasn’t high enough. Since Wen Junhe was so poor, he wouldn’t refuse.

He Ning picked up the background check to read. It was very detailed. Wen Junhe and his aunt’s family crammed into a two-bedroom apartment that was less than fifty square meters. His aunt worked as a waitress, his uncle was a mover, and together they supported Wen Junhe and their own child.

There was also a photo of Wen Junhe picking up his cousin after school. The boy was riding on his back, and Wen Junhe held the kid with one hand while carrying the groceries for dinner in the other.

He Ning stared at that photo for a long time.

He had seen Wen Junhe standing straight as a pine tree while speaking on the podium, and he had seen the hem of his shirt fly up as he jumped to shoot a basket on the court. Yet, this was the first time he saw this side of Wen Junhe—carrying two backpacks, weaving through the market streets with his shoulders slightly slumped. It wasn’t out of exhaustion, but rather a quiet acceptance of a responsibility he was used to.

So, one day after school, He Ning cornered Wen Junhe at the end of the hallway. With a serious expression, He Ning handed Wen Junhe a bank card with both hands.

While other people handed over love letters to confess, He Ning was the most unusual one.

“Wen Junhe, I want you to be my boyfriend.”

The air froze for a second.

Wen Junhe’s lips pressed into a thin line, and something sharp and painful flared in the depths of his eyes. It wasn’t shyness, but raw anger and humiliation.

“Get lost.”

He Ning was rejected miserably, and he was too embarrassed to tell anyone about it.

Later, when Meng Xuan found out about it, he took some guys to harass and threaten Wen Junhe.

Meng Xuan and He Ning had basically grown up together. Meng Xuan had saved He Ning when they were kids, so He Ning’s father, He Hongxing, promoted Meng Xuan’s father. Because of this, Meng Xuan spent all his time trailing after He Ning.

He Ning only found out later exactly what was said. It was nothing more than arrogant nonsense like “don’t be ungrateful” and “it’s your good fortune that Master He likes you,” ending with a parting threat.

Wen Junhe found He Ning, absolutely furious.

Only then did He Ning realize what his lackey had done, but by that time, Wen Junhe was convinced He Ning was the one who ordered it.

“Is this fun for you? Sending people to intimidate me? He Ning, do people like you even know what love means?”

He opened his mouth to explain, but Wen Junhe had already turned and walked away, without giving him a single chance to defend himself.

He Ning felt very frustrated too, thinking Meng Xuan had spoken utter nonsense. He started pursuing him properly, bringing him breakfast and waiting for him after school. He had never acted so submissive in his entire life. Yet, Wen Junhe wouldn’t even spare him a glance. On the rare occasions their eyes met, the gaze was so cold it felt like he was looking at something filthy.

Until that one evening.

He Ning saw Wen Junhe talking to someone he absolutely detested in the school woods.

Wen Junhe stood with his back to him, facing Han Qing, the vice president of the student council who always loved to find trouble with He Ning. This guy wore thin-rimmed glasses and looked completely serious on the surface, but whenever he checked for disciplinary infractions, he specifically targeted He Ning. A slightly crooked tie meant his name got recorded, and hair a centimeter too long meant lost points.

He had stabbed him in the back plenty of times.

The two were standing very close. Before He Ning could even process what was happening, he saw Han Qing suddenly lean in and plant a kiss on Wen Junhe’s cheek.

“What are you two doing?!”

His mind went completely blank the moment he rushed out. Wen Junhe turned his head, and in the twilight, a faint, barely noticeable smile actually played on his lips an expression He Ning had never seen before.

He Ning hated Han Qing the most, and he never expected that Han Qing would like Wen Junhe too.

He Ning had long considered Wen Junhe as his own. He grabbed Wen Junhe’s arm, his fingers tightly squeezing the other man’s wrist. “Why did he kiss you?”

Wen Junhe’s skin was very cool, just like his personality, and even his frown was extraordinarily beautiful. “He Ning, let go of me.”

Han Qing pushed up his glasses, the gaze behind the lenses gleaming with a winner’s smugness. “Junhe has already accepted my courtship. He Ning, have some self-awareness.”

He Ning couldn’t swallow his anger. Since he was a child, there was nothing he wanted that he couldn’t get.

When he went home that night, he skipped dinner and locked himself in his room to sulk. No matter who came to comfort him, it was useless. The family maids kept saying what would happen if the young master ruined his health from starving, which was how his father found out he liked Wen Junhe.

He Hongxing ordered someone to unlock the bedroom door. He ruffled He Ning’s hair—the boy’s hair was fine and soft—and said helplessly, “Such a childish temper. You still have to eat your food.”

He Ning sat on the edge of the bed, the rims of his eyes red. He said textually, “Dad, I’m clearly the one who liked him first.”

He Hongxing leaned down, brushed his thumb across his son’s wet eyes, raised an eyebrow, and said with a hint of novelty in his voice, “You’re actually crying. Do you really like him that much?”

He Ning nodded vigorously.

That very night, his father made a single phone call, and the next day, the Han father and son came to their house to apologize. Han Qing stood in the living room, his usually sharp eyes completely bloodshot now.

He Ning looked at Han Qing and asked if he was still going to fight him for the guy.

With red eyes, Han Qing looked at him, lowered his gaze, and said he wouldn’t anymore.

He Hongxing leaned back on the leather sofa, casually sinking into the cushions while playing with a lighter. The flame flickered, reflecting on his well-pampered face as he mindlessly flipped the metal casing.

After a short while, he stood up, placing his broad palms heavily on the heads of both boys. He gave them a firm rub and said in a peacemaking tone, “You’re all classmates. You should get along well from now on.”

He Hongxing’s devotion to He Ning was out in the open for everyone to see. The man was in his prime, incredibly powerful, and his tailored suit wrapped tightly around a sharp, athletic frame. Just standing there was enough to intimidate anyone into silence.

Han’s father immediately bowed his waist and repeatedly agreed, saying it was just a silly squabble between children, all while fine beads of sweat broke out on his forehead.

He Ning had grown up under this kind of absolute protection since childhood.

His mother passed away early, so He Hongxing had acted as both father and mother over the years, spoiling his son to no end.

When He Ning was a kid, he frequented the hospital every few days, and He Hongxing would move right into the hospital room with him. A thick stack of past medical records documented the pampered upbringing of this precious young master.

Later on, Wen Junhe actually agreed to be with He Ning. That night, He Ning tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. He kept turning his phone screen on and off, repeatedly checking that single-word reply, “Okay,” terrified that he had misread it.

They stayed together for four years, breaking up and getting back together countless times.

Every time they argued, He Ning was always the first to back down. He went from a spoiled young master who would slam the door and leave, to someone who could crouch outside Wen Junhe’s dorm building and wait an entire night. He learned how to cook, even though he often made a total mess of the kitchen, and he learned to restrain his temper, though he still occasionally couldn’t help smashing things.

Same-sex marriage wasn’t legally recognized in the country, so during his junior year of college, He Ning organized a wedding ceremony himself. He invited his own classmates and Wen Junhe’s classmates. Compared to He Ning’s total emotional investment, Wen Junhe looked like a hired actor who couldn’t get into character.

When exchanging rings, Wen Junhe was a beat too slow, and when they kissed, he merely brushed his lips lightly against the corner of He Ning’s mouth.

In fact, He Ning had known ever since then that Wen Junhe did not love him.

He never liked He Ning being near him, never allowed him into his social circle, looked down on him as a useless rich kid, and refused to accept his gifts. Those carefully chosen presents, ranging from limited-edition sneakers to the latest luxury watches, were all returned untouched, with their packaging completely intact.

But at that time, He Ning didn’t care. He believed that one day, Wen Junhe would surely be touched by his devotion and fall for him.

On their wedding day, when he stood on his tiptoes to kiss Wen Junhe, he clearly saw the other man close his eyes. That two-second hesitation pierced his heart like a knife, but he kissed him anyway.

After a brief silence from the guests at the venue, the applause started with He Hongxing clapping his hands, and then the room erupted.

At that moment, He Ning felt like the happiest person alive. The venue was covered in light blue flowers and balloons, the green lawn was lush, and the cake was delicious. He had an open-minded father and a handsome boyfriend.

Even though the other man’s expression remained detached throughout, He Ning still believed this was exactly what happiness was supposed to look like.

He Ning’s social media feed was always full of partying and dining, until one morning when law enforcement seals suddenly covered every single door of the He family villa. His happiness was shattered overnight. All of the He family assets were seized, his father was thrown into prison, the relatives who used to be close vanished, and the friends who were once inseparable unfriended him immediately. There were even nasty rumors floating around school.

The student council members who used to flatter him now intentionally discussed the fate of a “corrupt official’s son” at the top of their lungs in the hallway.

Standing inside a bathroom stall, He Ning heard the people outside laughing and saying, “I heard that boyfriend of his was bought with money too? Now that he’s broke, he’s probably going to get dumped real soon.”

When He Ning looked into Wen Junhe’s eyes, they were completely devoid of emotion, calm to the point of absolute indifference.

There was neither pity nor disgust; he just looked at him coldly.

He Ning suddenly had a premonition that he was going to lose even Wen Junhe.

Two months prior, his father had already arranged an escape route, preparing the plane tickets, visas, and offshore accounts, and had even completed Wen Junhe’s study abroad paperwork. But He Ning had stubbornly refused to leave, having a massive screaming match with his father in the study. Looking back now, the exhausted look in He Hongxing’s eyes back then was probably already filled with signs of an inevitable disaster.

Before He Ning could process the weight of the blow, Wen Junhe took him to live in his rented apartment. He clutched Wen Junhe’s hand, saying he wanted to hire the best lawyer for his dad.

Wen Junhe looked at him coldly. “He Ning, it’s useless.”

He Ning wrapped his arms around Wen Junhe, his entire body shaking. He asked Wen Junhe, “You won’t leave me, right?”

He asked once more, his voice incredibly hoarse. Wen Junhe said absolutely nothing, only patting him gently on the back.

During that period, He Ning lived in complete darkness, curling up on the sofa of the rented apartment all day in a daze. Until one day, the doorbell suddenly rang. He dragged his feet to open it and found Han Qing standing outside.

Han Qing frowned as his eyes swept over the place, making no effort to hide the disgust in his gaze.

Just as He Ning wanted to shut the door, Han Qing slammed his hand against the doorframe, glaring at him with hostility. “When exactly are you going to let Junhe go? Before, you relied on threats, and now you’re relying on playing the victim? You can’t just take advantage of Junhe’s kindness and push your luck.”

He Ning told him he had no idea what he was talking about, his fingers tightly digging into the doorframe. “If you came here to mock me, you’ve seen it now. You can leave.”

“Of course I came to see a joke. Why don’t you go ask your father who’s rotting in prison? Back then, he used threats to force Junhe to stay with you. So many times when Junhe couldn’t stand your temper and wanted to break up, it was your great father who pressured him.”

He Ning said, “…What are you talking about?”

Han Qing pulled out his phone and played an audio clip in front of him.

It sounded like Wen Junhe was a bit drunk, and someone was advising him to drink less.

“If I’m drunk, I don’t have to deal with the harassment of that psychotic rich kid… Someone like him will never have anyone willing to be with him in their entire life.”

Another voice suddenly cut into the recording: “He treats you pretty well, though.”

Immediately after came the heavy thud of a glass slamming onto a table, and Wen Junhe said, “He’s disgusting. He’s repulsive down to his core.”

He Ning felt as though all the blood in his body had frozen instantly. Suddenly, Han Qing pulled a medicine bottle from his pocket, poured a white pill into his palm, and tilted his lips into a mocking smirk. “Have you seen this before?”

“Does Junhe have to take one of these every single time before he goes to bed with you?”

“Without the medicine, how could he even get hard when he looks at you?”

That night, He Ning sat on the sofa with his legs pulled to his chest, with only a single lamp beside him. The light was very dim, burying half of his face in his knees.

The sound of a key turning suddenly broke the silence of the room.

Wen Junhe pushed the door open and stepped inside, visibly freezing for a moment when he saw He Ning on the sofa.

“Why aren’t you asleep yet?” he asked with a frown while changing his shoes, his voice thick with exhaustion.

Under the dim light, He Ning’s face was hidden in the shadows, making it impossible to read his expression.

“Have you eaten?” He heard his own voice sound completely calm. Wen Junhe glanced at the untouched food in the kitchen; the bowls and chopsticks were neatly set, and even the plastic wrap hadn’t been torn off.

“I ate out. Haven’t you eaten?” He took off his coat and hung it on the rack, his movements as natural as always.

He Ning shook his head, saying he wasn’t hungry. He stared at Wen Junhe’s finger for a few seconds, then suddenly asked where the ring he gave him went. Wasn’t he wearing it perfectly fine before?

Wen Junhe froze slightly, saying he would look for it tomorrow. He Ning lowered his eyes slightly, thinking to himself: Was he really that impatient to throw it away?

In the past, Wen Junhe never liked wearing it either, and He Ning always had to remind him. Later, the ring was never found, and He Ning never brought it up again.

He Ning stood up that day and tilted his head up to kiss Wen Junhe. He had fallen for this person at first sight, and he had used every trick in the book to please him.

Yet, Wen Junhe showed no reaction whatsoever. His cold and exquisite face twisted into a look of sheer revulsion. “He Ning, will you die if you don’t get laid?”

He Ning was thrown onto the bed by Wen Junhe. Junhe said he was going out to fetch something, leaving the door slightly ajar.

He Ning saw him standing in the living room, pulling that familiar medicine bottle out of his pocket, taking out a white pill, and swallowing it with cold water.

The bottle was identical to the one Han Qing had shown him.

That night, He Ning shook uncontrollably beneath Wen Junhe.

Wen Junhe assumed he was trembling out of excitement, but in reality, He Ning was crying.

The cold moonlight filtered through the window, illuminating the two overlapping bodies—one venting his frustration, while the other was quietly falling apart.

Wen Junhe’s favorite position was from behind.

Only now did He Ning truly understand that it was because he didn’t want to look at his face.

Eventually, they still reached the point of breaking up.

Wen Junhe had successfully secured a government-funded scholarship to study abroad due to his excellent grades, while He Ning was barred from leaving the country because of his father’s legal issues.

He told He Ning to come find him abroad when the time came, suggesting that if He Ning didn’t want to study, he could take a medical leave first. He Ning told him to go ahead, saying he would wait until his father’s sentencing was finalized before joining him.

During the first two or three months after Wen Junhe left, he was incredibly busy. Separated by a twelve-hour time difference, their communication grew rarer and rarer.

Sometimes, the messages He Ning sent wouldn’t receive a reply for several days. During video calls, Wen Junhe always looked exhausted, with a desk piled high with reference materials in the background.

The call logs dropped from once a day to once a week, and eventually, they wouldn’t contact each other for over half a month.

Sometimes, He Ning couldn’t get a word in with him for an entire week.

Wen Junhe stood by the window of his foreign apartment, a cigarette clamped between his fingers, with a long trail of ash accumulated on it. He asked He Ning when He Hongxing’s verdict would be handed down.

He Ning said he was still waiting, and the other end of the line just gave a flat “mm.” Wen Junhe said he would buy him a plane ticket as soon as the travel ban was lifted.

Outside the window, the neon lights flashed, and the traffic looked like a glowing river.

He Ning stared at his own reflection on the glass, suddenly finding himself a bit unfamiliar.

But Wen Junhe never got to see He Ning in person; instead, he received an international breakup call

Wen Junhe’s voice on the other end was almost completely detached. “He Ning, are you sure you want to talk about breaking up?”

He Ning pinched his own arm, his nails digging deep into his flesh as he said, “…Wen Junhe, I don’t think I love you anymore… Let’s just break up. Goodbye.”

Thank you for putting up with me all these years.

Rain began to fall outside at some point, the droplets hitting the glass and blurring the lights of the building opposite.

He Ning sat in the darkness, waiting for his phone screen to slowly dim until it went completely black. Then, he popped the SIM card out.