It was a quiet night where the moon shone on the earth gently. The town was surrounded by water. The northern temple and the southern deep well looked like a double fish diagram. It was a wondrous and intriguing sight.

Bai Wu brought Xu Lan to the temple. It was a rundown temple with grass growing everywhere. However, the carving remained impressive and the gable-and-hip roof stood as a reminder of its former glory days.

“Papa, do you like me?” Bai Wu pushed open the door and led Xu Lan in. A woman dressed colorfully was standing at the main hall.

Xu Lan felt the warmth in his body crept up his spine and froze under the gentle moonlight. He thought someone might be staring hard at him from above. He opened his mouth and felt something stuck in his throat. It was impossible to even utter a single syllable.

“Don’t you like me?” Bai Wu asked again in a pitiful tone. His eyes were red when he looked at Xu Lan.

Xu Lan closed his eyes and did not utter a word. The verbal abuse began. His muscles tightened and his stomach started to churn.

“But I like Papa! What should I do? I like you so much.” Bai Wu stood up and kissed the corner of Xu Lan’s lips. He looked at Xu Lan in despair. Xu Lan shivered and clenched his fists.

Bai Wu let go of Xu Lan disappointedly. He crawled out in tears and disappeared without a trace.

“Bai Wu! Where are you going?” Xu Lan rushed out and saw the grass growing at an unbelievable rate. In no time, Xu Lan was buried amidst the grass that was taller than him.

“Bai Wu! Where are you going?” Xu Lan called out anxiously. Besides the movement of the grass, Xu Lan did not hear anything. Dark clouds inched toward the moon and the swishing grass muted Xu Lan’s scream.

“Bai Wu! This isn’t right! This isn’t right!” Xu Lan yelled with his hoarse voice.

He was not a coward. When it came to Bai Wu related matters, he tended to overthink as he was worried that he might make a fatal mistake.

“He’s gone. He’s gone.” A sweet female voice came from the main hall. With a sad tone, she continued, “It’s scary. It’s scary being alone. Why wouldn’t he face his true self even in his dream?”

The sweet chant turned sad and dreary. Xu Lan clawed through the grass desperately only to find the grass to be growing infinitely. He could hear Bai Wu and Sheng Ya’s cheerful laughter amidst the grass, but no one answered Xu Lan’s shouts no matter how loud he was.

“Bai Wu! Bai Wu, come back! I like you! I like you very much! But… We can’t!” Xu Lan shouted desperately.

The moon showed its smiley face again. Xu Lan clawed through the last strand of grass and found Bai Wu squatting on the ground. Bai Wu looked at Xu Lan and alternated between smiling and crying.

“Do you mean it?” Bai Wu leaped forward and knocked Xu Lan over. He buried his face shyly on Xu Lan’s chest.

Xu Lan nodded solemnly. He had been overthinking to the point that he could not face himself honestly in his dreams.

After getting the answer he wanted, Bai Wu sat up in one fell swoop. He had Xu Lan sandwiched between his arms as he stared at Xu Lan with his bright eyes. Bai Wu’s red eyes had a hint of gentleness to it, his chiseled face seemed softer. Even the mole on the corner of his eye was looking at Xu Lan seductively.

Bai Wu kissed Xu Lan gingerly; It began as a light peck and developed into a passionate attempt to savor Xu Lan with his lips and tongue. Bai Wu covered the corner of Xu Lan’s eyes, lips, Adam’s apple, collarbone, and at last, his waistline. The condensed droplets of cold sweat turned into heat, emanating between the two of them.