He Nuo really didn’t expect that he could fall asleep. He has never slept during the day for no reason before, yet not only did he fall asleep, but he had also slept quite soundly because he actually woke up later than Shi Yan.

As long as the energetic Shi Yan took a short nap, he would immediately feel refreshed. He looked at the person next to him, and his side view made him look even skinnier as his narrow waist looked like a mere thin layer. Shi Yan wondered where all the supplements he fed him had gone to. He thought about the dinner they had on New Year’s — if he eats that little all the time, then it would explain his current bony, stick-like figure.

As he pondered over it, his hand was already on He Nuo’s waist. He opened his hand up and measured it, then moved it over to his own waist for a comparison. It really was pitiful. He gently laid He Nuo flat down on the bed, and for some reason he got engrossed in looking at him. Aside from the time they first reported to school in their first year when Shi Yan discovered the beauty underneath all those worn out and tattered clothes, this was the second time Shi Yan was looking at him this carefully up close. He had black and glossy eyebrows, yet they didn’t make him look fierce and instead had a gentleness to them similar to that of He Nuo’s. His long eyelashes looked even more curly in contrast to his sunken eyes as he slept, and the colour of his lips was slightly dull. Because of his body’s condition, his lips were even covered with a layer of frost, yet it still didn’t affect the perfect shape of his lips. This face had changed a lot ever since they first met — it was much thinner than before, and his face that had no fat to it in the first place looked so sharp now that it would make your heart ache.

Shi Yan thought about how he wanted He Nuo to put on some weight before he covered him properly with a coat and stood up. He had wanted to take out a book to read and sit next to He Nuo to wait for him to wake up, but his interest was suddenly aroused so he opened He Nuo’s cabinet. There wasn’t anything exotic inside that could attract Shi Yan’s interest, it was mostly filled with He Nuo’s worn out clothes, but he saw his conch sh.e.l.l — and it was still wrapped up in its package. Shi Yan had carefully selected that wrapping paper, so he remembered what it looked like very clearly. He took it out and opened it up as he sat in front of the table to appreciate it, and the more he looked at it, the more he thought it suited He Nuo. Shi Yan was very pleased with his own taste. He casually picked it up, but there was a sound? He placed something inside? He Nuo opened up the top half of the conch sh.e.l.l, and was greeted by the sight of a golden heap. He picked up a piece and looked it over in doubt. After he recognised what it was, Shi Yan suddenly lowered his head.

Shi Yan pinched his face a few times, then when he looked at the golden pieces again, adoration could clearly be seen in his eyes. He walked over to the bed; the unconscious sleeper had the purest soul, he would forever remember the good points of others and what they had given him, but he had never thought about how little he had received, or how much he lacked. Shi Yan’s hand automatically caressed his face tenderly; kind He Nuo, we will be friends for all eternity. Brother, I’ll definitely treat you well, and I’ll definitely treat you best!

He Nuo was awoken by the touch on his lips. When he woke up, he saw Shi Yan sitting beside him with one hand on his lips. The groggy He Nuo took his hand off and sat up. Shi Yan knocked on his head, “Have you had enough sleep? Get up already, go and set off some firecrackers with me at night.”

He Nuo got off the bed and put on his shoes, “There’s no one at home, do you want to eat dinner at my house today?” Then he suddenly saw the conch sh.e.l.l on the table, so he immediately stammered, “You, you took it out.”

“Why did you keep those? Crazy.” Shi Yan picked up the bottle caps of the Apollo and Royal Jelly supplements; they were cut around the edges, so they were all round in shape.

He Nuo was embarra.s.sed, “You’re the one who treats me the best, I wanted to leave them as a souvenir.”

“You idiot, it’s not like I’ll be unkind to you in the future.” When Shi Yan heard He Nuo’s words, his heart overflowed with a tender and bitter feeling that twisted even his intestines; the He Nuo who had experienced his vicious bullying would actually say that he’s the one who treats him the best.

They weren’t alone when they ate at He Nuo’s house. His parents and younger brothers weren’t coming home today, but his Fifth brother returned when they were halfway through their meal. Shi Yan didn’t need even need a keen eye for detail to notice He Nuo’s sudden restraint and tension. He Nuo scooped a bowl of rice for his brother, then introduced Shi Yan as his schoolmate who had came over to play with him, so he had asked him to stay for dinner. The underlying implication that He Nuo was trying to explain his presence here made Shi Yan a little unhappy.

His fifth brother politely greeted Shi Yan, then ate dinner without bothering with the both of them. But He Nuo wouldn’t take food for Shi Yan anymore, and Shi Yan noticed that He Nuo really ate vegetables only. When He Nuo carefully asked when they would be releasing crackers at night, Shi Yan answered that the firecrackers that were sent to his house had caused disasters — from the night of the 30th till the time they had dumplings for supper, everyone wasted all the firecrackers they wanted and yet they still had some boxes leftover. His mother wanted him to wipe them out as soon as possible, because more might be coming over on the 15th.

This topic attracted Fifth brother’s attention. After he scrutinised Shi Yan a few times, he enthusiastically asked where his parents worked, and what they worked as. After he knew of Shi Yan’s family background, he patted his younger brother affectionately, “He Nuo, the two of you truly built your friendship through your fists! To be able to make such a good friend through fighting is really quite amazing of you.”

He Nuo looked uneasy, but Shi Yan was the one who who was truly shocked. How did he know about the “human sandbag dates” he had with He Nuo? Did He Nuo tell him? Then if he knew how he had bullied He Nuo, were his words sincere, or sarcastic? Shi Yan didn’t know how to reply him, because he didn’t understand the true meaning behind Fifth brother’s words.

Fifth brother,” Shi Yan felt this awkward for the first time, then he mumbled, “That, that time”

“But Shi Yan is really magnanimous and tolerant. He Nuo, have you apologised to Shi Yan’s parents yet? Since Shi Yan has forgiven you, then you shouldn’t act like such a delinquent anymore. He’s such a good friend and yet you still bear to hit him?” Fifth brother had continued on with the conversation by himself, and after he scolded He Nuo, he turned around and put on a smiling face in front of Shi Yan, “I really didn’t expect that the two of you would become friends after he came back, for you to not care……”

“Wait, Fifth brother, why does he need to apologise to my parents? There’s nothing I need to forgive him for?”

And now it was Fifth brother’s turn to be speechless. Shi Yan looked at He Nuo’s nervous appearance, “My, my brother is talking about our fight in our first year.”

“The fight in our first year? Ai, how could that be called a fight? Why does even Fifth brother know about that?” Shi Yan felt relieved. If it wasn’t the human sandbag incident that had been exposed, then he didn’t need to feel guilty right now.

“I told my brother.” He Nuo quickly answered.

“Your mother came to our house.” Fifth brother answered synchronised with his.

Shi Yan shot He Nuo a suspicious look, then he grabbed He Nuo’s hand under the table tightly. What had he missed? What had happened without his knowledge?

“Fifth brother, why did my mother come over? Don’t tell me she came here to complain?” Shi Yan flashed him a harmless smile.

“You were hurt so badly, how could your mother not be worried? Of course she came here to get even with He Nuo.”

He Nuo tried to pull his hand away as he opened his mouth to speak, but Shi Yan’s grip on his hand tightened and he gave him a stern warning with his gaze.

“How did she get even with him?”

“After your mother left, my dad beat He Nuo up for several days. After he admitted his mistake, my family sent him to the village, but afterwards I thought that the quality of teaching in villages aren’t up to par so I suggested to my dad to get him back here, which was why He Nuo didn’t need to stay in the village anymore. Or else ah, this guy would still be in the village right now, and might have just stayed there forever.” Fifth brother ended the conversation in what he thought was a humorous way.

Neither He Nuo nor Shi Yan spoke. They didn’t listen to whatever Fifth brother said after that, and only knew when he had left.

Shi Yan’s mind was abuzz, he stared at He Nuo, “I’m the one who treats you the best?”

T/N: The next chap is a lil’ longer than the rest….. I’ll try to get it up later…….. Brb hibernating

Also……I’M SO EXCITED THAT THE TRUTH BEHIND THAT FREAKING INCIDENT WAS FINALLY REVEALED