Henry Howard used to carry candy to help quit smoking. Later, it became a habit—even if he didn’t eat it often, he’d still pick out a couple of sticks at the school shop to keep in his uniform pocket.

After they got to know each other, Quinn Shaw and the others got bolder and would occasionally come over to ask for candy: “Bro Henry, do you still have any candy?”

At the time, Henry Howard was “addicted to games” and couldn’t pull himself away. He was still that unshakable last place in the class, no matter how badly others did, holding his phone and ignoring them: “Wait a sec, I’m at a critical moment.”

Ethan Young had just woken up, lying on his side, and reached straight for his pocket.

Quinn Shaw was stunned for a moment, then realized and quickly raised her hand: “I want strawberry!”

Ethan Young replied with a rather impatient “mm”.

Henry Howard’s game was about to end, but he pretended he hadn’t finished yet.

……

Thinking of this, Ethan Young looked down at the candy in his hand, thought for a while, and finally lowered his head to take a bite.

It was cloyingly sweet.

The two of them were very close, and the pattern drawn on the sugar was barely half a palm wide.

Henry Howard leaned in and bit from the other side.

A few deep, ancient-sounding chimes rang out from afar.

At the very moment the bells sounded, the streetlights on both sides lit up one after another.

The lights stretched forward along the road they had come, accompanied by the glow of lanterns, illuminating the entire temple fair brightly.

Beyond this area, if you kept walking, you’d reach the commercial street.

Ethan Young wanted to bring something back for Ms. Gu, so he picked a shop, but after a long time couldn’t find anything suitable. There were many styles of scarves on the wall, but very few that would suit Ms. Gu.

Henry Howard, on the other hand, picked something out: “How about this? Old Howard would probably be really happy to get it… Simple but not plain, retro yet stylish.”

Ethan Young stood next to him, listening and getting a bit of a headache.

What Henry Howard was holding was a plain-looking tea mug, so tacky it was as if the rustic vibe could jump out and slap you in the face. It was a classic style from the 1980s, with blue, green, and red retro colors, and six big characters on the cup: ‘老爸，您辛苦了’.

Ethan Young: “Are you serious?”

Henry Howard: “Do I look like I’m not serious?”

“Bro, you’re amazing.”

Ethan Young glanced at the other items on the shelf and said sincerely, “Really amazing. Out of all this stuff, you managed to pick out the ugliest one at a glance.”

Henry Howard: “……”

After saying that, Ethan Young thought of how Henry Howard and his dad were cut from the same mold, and figured maybe their way of picking gifts was genetic, so he tentatively asked, “What does your dad usually give you?”

Henry Howard put the mug back, thought for a moment, and hesitated: “That’s… not something I can explain in a few words.”

Ethan Young raised an eyebrow.

Henry Howard: “Wait a sec, let me find it.”

Ethan Young watched as he pulled out his phone and scrolled for a long time, then stuffed one side of his earphones into Ethan Young’s ear.

The earphone wasn’t in properly, so Ethan Young raised his hand to press it in.

On the phone screen was a WeChat chat between Henry Howard and his dad, apparently from last year’s birthday.

[Old Howard]: Son, birthday present.

[Old Howard]: [video].

The video showed a dozen or so brightly dressed African children, with a few in front holding up a blackboard. On the blackboard, three lines of chalk read: Henry Howard, happy birthday, wishing you good health and may all your wishes come true, Dad will always love you!

Love you!

The leader would shout a line, and the group of kids would echo it. After shouting, they even did a cringey dance.

It was a double whammy of visual and auditory impact.

“……”

Ethan Young was completely caught off guard by the video and was speechless for a long time.

Before he could find the right words, Henry Howard said, “I was actually pretty touched at the time.”

Ethan Young thought for a while, but realized nothing he could say would express how he felt. In the end, he shoved that tacky tea mug into Henry Howard’s hand, completely convinced: “Your family’s genes are truly outstanding.”

On their way through the commercial street, they happened to run into Quinn Shaw and the others. Seeing it was almost time to meet up, they all headed to the meeting point together.

Henry Howard: “Qing-ge, did you buy a hammer?”

Quinn Shaw raised the massage stick in her hand and waved it in front of him: “This isn’t a hammer! I think I study too hard and need a massage…”

Henry Howard laughed and took it to play with, and on the way, with nothing better to do, kept tapping it on Ethan Young’s back.

He tapped until Ethan Young got annoyed and almost beat him up in public.

“Is everyone here?” Luke Carter stood at the front of the line, looking around. “Don’t wander off, let me count…”

After counting, Luke Carter found two people missing.

Logan Wright made a call, then hung up and said, “They’re still on their way. Let’s wait a bit longer—there’s going to be fireworks soon anyway.”

The fireworks show lasted about ten minutes that night, with the fireworks rising over the lake.

The meeting spot was right by the lake. When Old Thompson arrived, he saw Ethan Young and Henry Howard sitting on the railing, bold as ever, hands on the edge, feet off the ground, leaning forward slightly.

Facing the wind.

“Wow, so pretty.” The others clung to the railing, unable to hold back, leaning halfway out.

Maybe it was the fireworks, but the kids’ eyes were all sparkling like stars.

“No going out at night, don’t go looking for any wild nightlife. Stay in your rooms and rest, anyone caught will get a demerit,” on the way back, Old Thompson reminded them again and again, “Did you all understand?”

The group started making a racket: “We don’t need to go out for wild nightlife—Monopoly, six players, one spot left. Anyone want to join? Room 3009, waiting for a fated one.”

“Here, high-level Werewolf game.”

“Me!”

“Count me in!”

They automatically ignored the absurdly lucky Ethan Young, and called out, “Bro Henry, you in? 3009 is waiting for you.”

“Nope,” Henry Howard smiled, then added, “I’m going to play something else with Old Young.”

Because of the number of people, Westlake High had booked three hotels this time. The one they were assigned to was closer to the city center, with better facilities nearby.

Turns out, you really didn’t need to go out for a wild nightlife.

Ethan Young finished showering quickly, and as soon as he opened the door, he was blocked by Henry Howard at the bathroom entrance.

Henry Howard braced one hand against the wall, and with the other, slowly started unbuttoning his shirt, from the third button down: “So, play something else? Like me.”

This guy really would die if he didn’t flirt for a day.

Ethan Young didn’t say anything, leaned in a bit, letting the water drip from his hair, and kissed his prominent Adam’s apple, then opened his mouth and bit down—not too hard, not too soft.

That spot was too sensitive, and Henry Howard couldn’t help but hiss.

Henry Howard thought to himself, this kid always looks calm, but his ability to turn the tables is top-notch.

After that move from Ethan Young, things quickly got out of hand.

By the time he realized, the clothes he’d just put on were almost all off again.

Ethan Young’s back was against the headboard, half-sitting, with a few fingers loosely tangled in Henry Howard’s hair. But as Henry Howard worked him over, his fingers curled, unable to control the extra force.

Worried the hotel’s soundproofing wasn’t good, Ethan Young buried half his face in Henry Howard’s neck, not daring to make a sound.

Then he raised his hand, wanting to cover his mouth, but ended up biting his own knuckles.

The boy’s slender fingers were marked with a row of extremely suggestive bite marks, but he still couldn’t suppress the sounds, muffled and low. In the end, when it got too much, the last note dragged out, but he was still tough: “You, fuck… damn.”

“Don’t bite anymore.”

Henry Howard lowered his head and kissed his knuckles, his voice hoarse: “…Be good.”

So Ethan Young dropped his hand and grabbed the sheet beneath him. His skin was already pale, making the red string on his wrist stand out even more.

Afterward, when he went to shower again, Ethan Young’s legs were a bit weak.

Clothes were scattered messily at his feet.

Henry Howard wanted to say, “I’ll help you wash,” but before he could finish, the kid who’d just gotten out of bed immediately snapped back with two words: “Get lost.”

Ethan Young held onto the wall, picked up a couple of pieces of clothing, and walked barefoot into the bathroom.

Ethan Young rinsed off quickly, and as soon as he turned off the shower and the water quieted, he heard a knock at the door.

“Bro, are you in there!”

“Is it this room? It’s this one, right?”

“Bro?”

“What is it,” Henry Howard opened the door, still not fully dressed, and through the open collar you could vaguely see two scratch marks. “Aren’t you guys going to sleep?”