The large red sweet potato, steaming with heat, was thick and long, its surface adorned with prominent veins. It smelled incredibly sweet, and just looking at it, you could tell it was delicious.
Shangguan Yu wasn’t feeling hungry, but the sight of the baked sweet potato instantly sparked his appetite.
“Eat it while it’s still hot,” Zuo Zhou said, placing the still-warm sweet potato into Shangguan Yu’s hand. “I saw an old man selling them by the subway entrance, baked in a stove. I picked the biggest one.”
Unprepared, Shangguan Yu found the hot sweet potato placed firmly in his palm, and at the same time, he accidentally brushed against Zuo Zhou’s fingers.
Compared to the warmth of the sweet potato, Zuo Zhou’s fingers felt chillingly cold.
Shangguan Yu furrowed his brow slightly, then, belatedly, he noticed that Zuo Zhou was only wearing a thin dark green flight jacket. His nose and fingers were visibly red from the cold.
“Why are you dressed so lightly?” Shangguan Yu asked. “I saw people outside already wearing light down jackets.”
“Oh, it’s nothing.” Zuo Zhou smiled sheepishly and explained, “I don’t have many winter clothes. I only have two thicker coats, but it’s a bit early to wear them now. I didn’t expect today’s event would run so late. If it had ended earlier, I wouldn’t have been so cold coming back.”
“…” Shangguan Yu hadn’t expected this kind of answer, and a sense of discomfort lingered in his chest.
He knew that Zuo Zhou’s family wasn’t well-off, which was why he worked as a nanny to earn money. While five thousand yuan a month might seem like a decent amount for a college student, when you factored in tuition, living expenses, and occasional help for his family, it was definitely not enough.
In fact, Zuo Zhou didn’t have many clothes. The few he owned were worn out from repeated use, clearly showing signs of his family’s modest circumstances.
However, Zuo Zhou was always optimistic, bright, and sunny. He was never overly humble or self-deprecating, always remaining polite, respectful, and composed, making Shangguan Yu nearly forget about his own difficult situation.
Shangguan Yu held the hot sweet potato in his hand, and after thinking for a moment, he said, “I have some clothes that might fit you. You can wear them.”
Zuo Zhou’s eyes widened in surprise. “R-really?”
“Yeah. Anyway, I don’t go out, so they’re just sitting there unused.”
“Well, I…” Zuo Zhou hesitated, rubbing his hands nervously. He looked like he wanted to politely refuse but didn’t know how to say it.
Shangguan Yu’s heart softened instantly. During this time, Zuo Zhou had taken such good care of his daily needs that he had forgotten that Zuo Zhou was still just a 20-year-old young man.
“It’s fine,” Shangguan Yu said, his voice unconsciously softening. “I can’t wear them, so you should.”
“Alright, thank you, Brother Yu.” Zuo Zhou flashed a bright, innocent smile, his eyes sparkling. “You eat first, or it’ll get cold.”
“Mm.”
Shangguan Yu opened the plastic bag and slowly began to savor the steaming hot sweet potato.
Halfway through eating, Shangguan Yu noticed that Zuo Zhou had gone back to the hallway to change his shoes, washed his hands in the bathroom, and then headed to his room to change clothes.
“…Didn’t you buy one for yourself?” Shangguan Yu couldn’t help but ask.
“Ah, I didn’t,” Zuo Zhou’s voice floated out from his room. “Just eat it. It’s fine.”
Zuo Zhou didn’t elaborate further, but Shangguan Yu keenly sensed that he probably didn’t want to spend more money.
“Next time, when you buy food for me, make sure to buy one for yourself too,” Shangguan Yu raised his voice and talked toward the study. “These can be reimbursed along with the grocery money.”
“Huh?” Zuo Zhou paused. “But I wanted to buy this for you.”
“…Then I’ll treat you next time. Is that okay?”
There was no reply from Zuo Zhou’s side, but Shangguan Yu wasn’t in a hurry. He just continued enjoying the delicious sweet potato in the living room.
A minute later, Zuo Zhou came out of his room. He walked over to Shangguan Yu, crouched down, and casually picked up a tissue from the coffee table, handing it over to him.
“Alright, Brother Yu, thank you.”
Shangguan Yu, satisfied with the response, simply nodded. He gently took the tissue from Zuo Zhou’s hand and wiped his mouth. “Let’s go, I’ll get you the clothes.”
The two of them entered Shangguan Yu’s bedroom.
The walk-in closet in the room wasn’t very big—just enough for one person to stand comfortably. Shangguan Yu’s wheelchair could barely fit through the door.
So, Shangguan Yu stopped at the entrance of the closet and motioned for Zuo Zhou to go inside.
Zuo Zhou obediently walked in, then, under Shangguan Yu’s guidance, opened one of the middle cabinets.
“Winter clothes are all in here. See if you like any, and try one on.”
“Okay.” Zuo Zhou responded with a quiet voice, his heart filled with indescribable excitement and wonder.
Opening Shangguan Yu’s closet felt like opening a hidden door to Shangguan Yu’s heart, bringing him a step closer to him.
The closet was meticulously organized, with autumn and winter jackets hanging in a neat row, sorted by color.
Zuo Zhou thought every piece of clothing looked good and wanted to try them all on. However, he felt a bit shy with Shangguan Yu watching, so he wasn’t sure which one to choose.
While Zuo Zhou was lost in thought, Shangguan Yu suddenly spoke from behind him, “The third one on the left, try that one.”
“Okay, got it.”
Zuo Zhou obediently took out the piece of clothing.
It was a simple black, lightweight down jacket, perfect for the current weather.
“Try it on.”
“Alright.”
Zuo Zhou extended his arms and tried on the jacket, but soon realized it was too small. The sleeves and hem were noticeably short, and the zipper was very tight.
“…” Zuo Zhou looked down, “Brother Yu, this seems a little small.”
Actually, it wasn’t just small—it was much too small.
“Then try the one on the far right,” Shangguan Yu suggested. “That one should be the loose-fitting version.”
“Okay, sure.”
Zuo Zhou followed his instructions, but after trying it on, he found that while the zipper wasn’t as tight this time, the sleeves and hem were still far too short.
It was only then that Shangguan Yu belatedly noticed Zuo Zhou’s impressive height: “…How tall are you?”
“188 cm.”
Shangguan Yu, who was 12 centimeters shorter than Zuo Zhou, said: “…Then you don’t need to try it on. My clothes will be short on you.”
“Oh,” Zuo Zhou nodded, as if he understood, but still reluctantly touched the oversized down jacket he was wearing. “This one’s fine. I can wear it. Brother Yu, is it alright if I keep wearing this one?”
Shangguan Yu thought for a moment and agreed, then asked, “How much do you weigh?”
“About 75 kilograms, but I haven’t weighed myself in a while. Why?”
“No particular reason.” Shangguan Yu didn’t explain further. “You can wear it. I’m going to rest now.”
“Alright, thanks, Brother Yu.”
After Zuo Zhou left the room, Shangguan Yu moved himself to the bed, grabbed his phone, and opened the TaoTao website to browse for men’s down jackets.
Two days later, Shangguan Yu sent Zuo Zhou a message on WeChat, asking him to pick up a package from the delivery locker at the entrance of the neighborhood before heading home.
Zuo Zhou was a bit surprised, since Shangguan Yu didn’t seem to be a fan of online shopping. Usually, when it came to buying groceries or food, he didn’t show much interest, so Zuo Zhou was the one handling it. When he finally got the package, he spent a long time staring at the box.
The label on the package read “Men’s, Black, XXL.”
Zuo Zhou’s eyes flickered, and his heart began to race wildly.
When he got home, Zuo Zhou acted as if he hadn’t peeked at the label on the package. He held it up with a smile and said, “Brother Yu, I got the package!”
Shangguan Yu, who had been watching TV in the living room, pressed the pause button. He maneuvered his wheelchair to the center of the living room and said, “Mm, open it.”
“Okay!”
Zuo Zhou grabbed the scissors and carefully opened the package, revealing a neatly wrapped black down jacket.
He picked it up and handed it to Shangguan Yu, who didn’t take it right away. Instead, he said in a casual tone, “Try it on. It’s for you.”
“Ah! For me???” Zuo Zhou’s eyes widened, his expression full of surprise and excitement.
Shangguan Yu remained calm, but if you looked closely, you could see the subtle curve of his lips, as if there was a slight smile.
“Mm, your clothes didn’t fit, so I got you a new one.”
Zuo Zhou cradled the jacket in his hands with great care, like a child who had just received a rare and priceless treasure.
He looked at Shangguan Yu, and before he realized it, his eyes became moist.
It felt as though, through this short distance, he had crossed nine years of time and space, back to the moment when he first met Shangguan Yu—the young, passionate, and vibrant version of him.
He realized that, no matter how many trials and hardships he had faced in reality, the person he had loved all these years had not changed.
Even when he was in darkness, he would still try his best to light a lamp for those around him.
Shangguan Yu didn’t understand why Zuo Zhou’s expression suddenly became so complicated. Those moist, slightly red eyes seemed to draw him in, and he didn’t dare to meet them.
So, Shangguan Yu subtly turned his gaze away, lowered his head, and thought for a moment before cautiously saying, “This is a gift for you, no need to deduct it from your salary.”
?
Zuo Zhou froze for a moment, then realized that Shangguan Yu was comforting him in his own way. His eyes welled up again, but this time he smiled.
“Then, thank you, Brother Yu. I really like it. I’m very happy.”
Shangguan Yu, slightly embarrassed by the straightforward gratitude, tilted his head slightly and adjusted his hair, then said, “Then hurry up and try it on.”
“Okay!”
Zuo Zhou tore open the packaging and put on the black, lightweight down jacket.
This time, everything fit perfectly, and it was surprisingly warm.
Zuo Zhou stretched his arms and twirled in place, showing off his body like a male model.
“It fits so well! Thank you, Brother Yu! I really like it!”
“Mm.”
Shangguan Yu couldn’t help but be captivated by Zuo Zhou’s broad shoulders, long legs, and his upright, graceful figure. He found that the simple jacket looked even better on Zuo Zhou than it did on the model in the online store.
Especially his legs—long, strong, fit, and healthy…
Zuo Zhou noticed Shangguan Yu’s gaze lingering on his legs. Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind. He slowly walked over and squatted down in front of Shangguan Yu’s wheelchair. Looking up at him with a slight smile, he said, “Brother Yu, you’re the first person to treat me this well, aside from my grandmother.”
And the only one.
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