In the Same Boat

Qu Yiheng found it strange.

When he was in college, he had never been in a relationship so brazen as to walk around campus holding hands with his lover, and now in his thirties, he was actually walking around campus holding hands with a man.

It was mid-summer, and the temperature was at its peak. As they walked along the road, it felt like the heat was rising from the ground, the sun overhead was baking them, and the pavement underneath was steaming them. So, it was actually very uncomfortable to stroll around like this.

But neither of them wanted it to end.

The art college is huge, with lots of buildings, and each one has a very interesting design.

Qu Yiheng led Yao Zhan slowly and leisurely through the main entrance, introducing him to what each building was for.

When passing by a small brown building with only three floors, Qu Yiheng said, “This building is full of artists’ studios, which the institute has specially customised for our college.”

They walked along the stone path to the front of the building and saw students painting inside through the windows.

Yao Zhan looked at the people inside and asked Qu Yiheng, “Did you come here before?”

“Well, everyone likes to come here.”

By Qu Yiheng’s reckoning, it had been almost ten years since he graduated.

Time flies really fast, it leaves without leaving any trace, but it leaves countless traces on them.

Yao Zhan looked at the room and imagined Qu Yiheng as a college student painting here, “I haven’t even seen you paint.”

Qu Yiheng smiled, “You may see it later when I have the chance.”

Not too far away from that building was the piano room of the Conservatory of Music. They could hear the sound of the piano from afar. Walking on the campus like this while stepping on the notes, was somehow really romantic.

The two wandered around the school for more than an hour, and then it was too hot, so Qu Yiheng took Yao Zhan into a teaching building.

The building was fully air-conditioned and it felt a lot more comfortable in an instant.

Coincidentally, an art exhibition was being held in the hall of this teaching building, and pieces of artwork were hanging on the wall, hanging in the air and standing on a shelf.

“Art colleges are just different.” Yao Zhan casually exclaimed, “Take a look?”

Qu Yiheng was actually no longer interested in these things, but Yao Zhan had brought it up, so he couldn’t possibly say no.

After turning around, Yao Zhan laughed at himself, “I’m a mundane person who doesn’t know anything about these at all.”

Qu Yiheng smiled and said, “There used to be a saying circulating in our academy that people who appreciate paintings always feel that they can’t understand the world in the painting, but in fact, the person who painted it doesn’t understand it either.”

Yao Zhan was amused by him and laughed: “Anyway, the more abstract, the more advanced?”

Qu Yiheng turned his head to look at him and realised that he liked to see Yao Zhan laughing like this. He recalled that even in secondary school, Yao Zhan would rarely be like this. At that time, he always pretended to be cool, and showed a cold face to everyone.

“You’re not quite the same as before.” Qu Yiheng said this in a confused manner, and regretted it somewhat after he had finished.

Yao Zhan didn’t expect him to suddenly talk about this, so he asked, “How is it different?”

It was different, after all, it had been so many years.

There is a fifteen-year gap since they both met. And during those fifteen years, both had experienced too many things and met too many people, they had seen a lot of sights and suffered many setbacks. So, in the process, it was impossible for them to be the same old selves.

Both of them are very clear about this.

“I used to be afraid of you before.” Qu Yiheng felt that he might be suffering from heatstroke, speaking without thinking. He no longer sifted through what he wanted to say first, partly saying it and swallowing the other part, as he had done before.

He felt that it might also be because the two of them were still holding hands at the moment, creating an illusion for him. The illusion that came from the bottom of his heart and made him feel that they were close to each other.

In reality, this was not true.

But even if it was wrong, he said it.

“Afraid of me?” Regarding this point, Yao Zhan had not expected it in any way.

Back then, he didn’t communicate much with Qu Yiheng, or rather, only had more physical contact.

Even though Shao Wei always said that at that time, Qu Yiheng was not close to anyone but Yao Zhan, in reality, the two of them did not talk much together and spent most of their time doing that kind of thing.

Since they did that kind of thing, how could he be afraid?

“Why?” Yao Zhan asked.

Qu Yiheng pursed his lips, not sure if he should say.

“What’s wrong? You mean, you are still afraid of me now?” Yao Zhan leaned in slightly and his lips were almost on Qu Yiheng’s ear, “Afraid that I’ll eat you? But I’ve already eaten.”

The words were so flirtatious that Qu Yiheng couldn’t take it anymore.

He took a half step back, no longer looking at Yao Zhan, instead turning his head to look at the painting next to him, “At that time, I thought you talked little and were a bit mean, so I was afraid of you.”

Yao Zhan laughed and stood beside him, looking at him with smiling eyes, “I was so wronged, at that time I thought you quite liked me.”

Qu Yiheng’s palms were sweating.

At that time?

He didn’t know. Nobody knew what it meant to like somebody back then, Qu Yiheng thought.