Go With the Flow
That night, the two of them talked a lot in the grove.
They talked about everything they’d seen and experienced in the month they were apart, and about Lu Xingjia’s so-called “dream.” The final bits of unease and worry in his heart finally vanished.
He thought, whether the world they were in was real or fake, those beautiful memories would never change. Even if the next second he were sent back to the world without Qin Mudong, he would treasure these precious memories and live on.
Of course, before that, he’d make sure those who hurt them paid the price.
Seeing the satisfied smile on Lu Xingjia’s face, Qin Mudong became anxious. He held him tighter and gripped his wrist, not allowing him to break free.
“Don’t think nonsense,” Qin Mudong muttered. “I’ve caught you. You’re not going anywhere.”
Lu Xingjia blinked, surprised: “I wasn’t thinking of running.”
Qin Mudong leaned over and kissed him without explaining, like some kind of large feline.
Lu Xingjia kissed him back obediently, embracing him in the dim garden.
Qin Mudong was too smart — maybe he had already sensed something odd in their earlier conversation.
But it didn’t matter. Lu Xingjia was certain: nothing could tear them apart.
….
March brought swirling willow fluff, April the blooming of photinia.
After returning from training, Qin Mudong’s life returned to normal.
The final stretch of senior year was both long and fleeting. Small quizzes every day, big tests every three days became the norm.
Stacks of worksheets piled high on the desk, unfinished, and new ones poured in like petals from heaven.
In the moment, every second felt torturous, but once it passed, it all seemed to have flown by in a blink.
On June 4th, the school officially began summer break for the college entrance exams, giving students time at home to mentally prepare.
Lu Xingjia was lucky — his exam location was at their own school. Unlike other classmates who had to book hotels, he could stay comfortably at home.
The day before the exam, Qin Mudong came over to keep him company.
But after so much review, cramming at the last minute didn’t mean much. Qin Mudong helped him practice a few integrated science questions, asked him some vocabulary, and then they put the books away and started chatting.
Qin Mudong asked, “Nervous?”
“Not really.”
Lu Xingjia leaned his head on one hand and looked at him. The desk lamp cast a soft yellow glow on Qin Mudong’s profile, leaving a gentle shadow.
Lu Xingjia couldn’t resist and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “What about you? When’s the international physics competition?”
“End of July,” Qin Mudong let him kiss him, his deep gaze resting softly on Lu Xingjia. “Another round of training in a few days — one month — then I’ll fly to Europe for the competition.”
“Can you bring family?” Lu Xingjia blinked and asked on purpose.
It was meant as a joke, but Qin Mudong took it seriously, thought for a moment, and answered earnestly, “Training probably not, we’ll be too busy to accompany you. But for the World Competition — yes. Didn’t you already get a passport? There’s still time to get a visa. A lot of people like to travel in Europe — if you’re interested, we can go together.”
Qin Mudong was always decisive. He immediately started looking up travel guides on his phone.
“July is lavender season. We can see the Rhine River and the Alps. If you prefer modern sights, there’s the Eiffel Tower, Leaning Tower of Pisa, Dutch windmills…”
His tone was calm and flat, like a glass of still water — but Lu Xingjia felt his heart racing uncontrollably.
Where they went didn’t matter. What mattered was who was by his side.
Qin Mudong probably felt the same. When Lu Xingjia didn’t respond, he closed his phone and said, “Or we can go somewhere else if you prefer. The summer holiday is long. We can take our time exploring.”
Maybe it was because the atmosphere was so good, or maybe the silent understanding between them over this period gave Lu Xingjia some confidence. He paused, then said softly, “After the exams… let’s tell my mom.”
Qin Mudong furrowed his brows slightly and intertwined their fingers. “Do you think your mom will agree?”
“I don’t know,” Lu Xingjia admitted honestly. After a moment, he smiled. “But even if she doesn’t agree now, it’s okay. Even if she doesn’t agree for a year or two, it’s still okay. If we keep working at it together, she’ll agree eventually.”
Qin Mudong turned to look at Lu Xingjia. The orange lamp light cast a warm glow across his face.
In the midst of that warm hue, the boy’s eyes sparkled like they were full of stars.
Stars always had a magical power—flickering faintly, seemingly insignificant against the night sky, but when connected, they could light up the whole night.
“Alright,” Qin Mudong said with a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
He believed in the power of stars.
Outside the slightly open bedroom door, He Xi was holding a plate of sliced apples. Upon hearing their conversation, her foot paused mid-step, frozen in place.
After a moment, she quietly shook her head, gently closed their door, and carried the plate of apples back to the living room.
She picked up a slice with a toothpick and put it in her mouth. A mix of sour, sweet, and bitterness spread in her mouth.
……
It rained again on the day of the college entrance exams. The road was muddy, the dust mixing with rainwater, splashing up with every step.
The school gates were packed with students and parents holding umbrellas. It was noisy and chaotic. Lu Xingjia carried his backpack while Qin Mudong held an umbrella for him. He Xi followed behind, watching the two talking and laughing, their eyes filled with no one but each other.
In the end, she said nothing. She turned away and began chatting about something else with Xiang Yizhi beside her.
The rain continued for the entire two days of exams. But right after the final English test ended, the sky suddenly cleared.
As he followed the crowd out of the exam hall, Lu Xingjia immediately spotted Qin Mudong.
He still held the umbrella—a long-handled one—now folded and held in his hand. His sharp brows and eyes looked cold and stern, giving off a distant and restrained aura.
Lu Xingjia quickly walked over and called his name.
At the moment Qin Mudong looked up, a smile appeared in his eyes like glaciers melting.
He Xi and Xiang Yizhi stood not far away and were also walking over.
“Jia Jia,” He Xi smiled and patted Lu Xingjia’s shoulder. “How do you feel? Tired?”
“Not bad,” Lu Xingjia replied. “The questions weren’t hard.”
So many years later, he could no longer remember the exact exam questions from that year’s National College Entrance Exam, but this time around, everything felt much smoother than in his previous life.
After all, this life he had a strong foundation from the physics competition. With the right study methods, College Entrance Exam-level questions were a natural step.
“Then do you think you’ll score—”
“Alright, the exam’s over. Let’s not dwell on it,” Xiang Yizhi interrupted He Xi before she could continue. He laughed heartily. “It’s all done—relax a little! Come on, Uncle will treat everyone to barbecue!”
He Xi quickly followed his lead and said warmly, “Almost forgot about that! Mudong, you come too.”
Qin Mudong hadn’t planned to join, but he couldn’t refuse their enthusiasm. In the end, the four of them went to a newly opened BBQ restaurant nearby.
The place was packed, full of students who had just finished exams too. Luckily, Xiang Yizhi had reserved a table in advance. After checking the reservation, the server led them to a table at the end of the hallway.
The grill was lit, oil-absorbing paper laid underneath, and the table quickly filled with warmth.
The air conditioning was cool, but the sizzling meat sent heat waves wafting through the air. When dipped in cumin and the restaurant’s special sauce, a rich, savory aroma spread through the space.
“Try it, is it good?” Xiang Yizhi handed a piece of meat to each of them.
Lu Xingjia popped it into his mouth and gave a thumbs-up. Qin Mudong also nodded slightly and said, “Thank you.”
“No need to be polite. Eat as much as you want,” He Xi said with a smile as she added more meat to both their plates.
Since Xiang Yizhi was treating, he went all out. They ordered every signature dish on the menu, and soon the table was covered in plates.
The fire in the center kept burning, the air shimmered with heat, and the four of them chatted casually as they ate.
“Jia Jia,” He Xi added a piece of meat to Lu Xingjia’s plate and casually asked, “Have you decided which university you want to go to?”
Lu Xingjia still had food in his mouth and mumbled, “I’ll decide after the results are out. You can only apply after knowing your score now anyway. I’ll see then.”
“Fair enough,” He Xi smiled, then asked, “Have you thought about what you want to do during summer break?”
Lu Xingjia instinctively glanced at Qin Mudong and met his deep, steady gaze.
At this point, there was really nothing left to hide. The truth was practically transparent—if they didn’t tear through the windowpane now, it wouldn’t hold much longer.
Lu Xingjia took a deep breath and made up his mind. “Mom…”
“Auntie,” Qin Mudong spoke before him, “The international physics competition is in July. I’d like to ask Jia Jia to come with me.”
As soon as the words fell, Lu Xingjia’s heart jumped into his throat. He opened his mouth, about to explain—but He Xi spoke first.
To his surprise, He Xi didn’t look shocked at all.
She slowly put down her chopsticks, rested her elbow on the table, and quietly observed them: “So, in what capacity?”
Lu Xingjia was momentarily stunned, not yet able to process the deeper meaning behind He Xi’s words when he heard her let out a long sigh.
The atmosphere at the table suddenly turned serious. He Xi looked at the two of them without hiding anything in her gaze and spoke calmly, “Let’s talk.”
Coming out to her went completely differently than Lu Xingjia had expected. It wasn’t them explaining things to He Xi, but rather a conversation led entirely by her.
He Xi asked if they were serious, if this could be changed, and if they had thought about what the future would look like. This made Lu Xingjia even more certain that she had done her research beforehand.
Once she finished asking, Qin Mudong reached out and held Lu Xingjia’s hand, their fingers tightly interlaced.
“We’re serious. It’s not something that can be changed,” Qin Mudong said solemnly. His usually cold face showed a rare trace of nervousness, but his voice was firm. “I only like Lu Xingjia. I’ll work hard to treat him well and protect him from gossip and rumors. Auntie, I swear on everything I have.”
He only had Lu Xingjia now—he couldn’t afford to lose him.
Lu Xingjia was stunned for a moment before tightening his grip in return. He looked seriously at He Xi and said earnestly, “Mom, I know you might not believe us right now, but please give us some time. Two boys can also build a good life together. As for other people’s opinions, we live for ourselves, not for them. I don’t care what they think.”
Their attitudes were so sincere—word for word, they seemed one step away from swearing to the heavens or kneeling to beg—that He Xi couldn’t help but feel awkward continuing the topic.
If she said anything more, she’d end up seeming like the wicked stepmother standing in the way of true love.
She coughed twice into her hand and subtly changed the subject: “Cough… if you two want to go out and have fun, go ahead. The future will sort itself out. The road ahead is still long. No need to rush.”
Lu Xingjia blinked, processing what she said. Then he realized she had given her tacit consent—for now—and gratefully replied, “Thank you, Mom.”
This was enough for now. Just a bit more time, and he was confident he could help He Xi completely let go of her reservations.
He Xi took a sip of tea and said no more.
After that, they didn’t bring up the topic again. The barbecue continued in good spirits.
When everything was over, Xiang Yizhi drove the three of them home. Lu Xingjia and Qin Mudong got out of the car first, but He Xi remained seated in the passenger seat, gripping her seatbelt distractedly and not unbuckling it.
Xiang Yizhi told the two outside to head in first, turned on the car’s interior light, and gently asked, “What’s wrong? Still thinking about the kids?”
He Xi nodded and leaned back against the seat, deflated. “I don’t know if I’m doing the right thing. But seeing how serious they are, I just couldn’t bring myself to say anything more. Especially when I think about the judgment and criticism they might face in the future, it makes me even more unwilling to be on the opposing side.”
“The road ahead is one they’ll have to walk themselves. There’s nothing we can do to help,” Xiang Yizhi sighed, unbuckled her seatbelt, and offered his broad shoulder to her. “You saw how sincere they were. They’re good kids. Don’t overthink it. Just let things take their course.”
He Xi rested her head on his shoulder and after a long, long while, finally let out a deep sigh.
“Sigh… let it be, let it be.”