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Many years ago, before Jiang Beibei had even graduated from elementary school...
Yan Qingming was studying medicine at a military academy in the city, while Tang Xizhou was attending the Armed Police Academy on the other side of town.
On his day off, Yan Qingming returned home. As he passed by the first floor, Tang’s mother stopped him, panic written all over her face.
“Qingming!” She shoved a bundle of clothes into his arms. “Hurry up! Xiao Lang and Beibei went to deliver these clothes to Xizhou, but they grabbed the wrong ones. You can still catch them if you hurry!”
Yan Qingming paused, took the clothes, and headed out.
Ten seconds later, Tang’s mother rushed after him. “Qingming, are you busy? I forgot to ask… If you have something to do, just go ahead…”
Yan Qingming replied calmly, “No, it’s on my way.”
Song Lang had been leading Jiang Beibei along, playing as they walked. It wasn’t long before Yan Qingming spotted them.
“Fourth Brother.”
“Hey!” Song Lang and Jiang Beibei each had a mini ice pop dangling from their mouths as they turned around. “Big Brother, you’re off duty today? What a rare sight—seeing you here!”
“Aren’t you supposed to be training this afternoon?”
“Yeah, we’re delivering clothes to Second Brother.”
Yan Qingming said, “You two don’t need to go anymore. The clothes were mixed up. Head back home.”
After dismissing Song Lang and Jiang Beibei, Yan Qingming registered his name at the school gate. Soon after, the instructor came to fetch Tang Xizhou.
When Tang Xizhou saw him, it was like seeing a long-lost relative. He grabbed the railing and grinned brightly. “Big Brother! What brings you here?”
“Surprised?”
“I’m so shocked I’m not dizzy anymore!”
Seeing Tang Xizhou in casual clothes, Yan Qingming asked, “Aren’t you in class?”
“No.” Tang Xizhou replied. “I didn’t feel well this morning—got dizzy when I woke up. The instructor told me to rest in the dorm.”
Yan Qingming followed up, “Can you come out?”
“Big Brother, until when are you free?”
“I’ll head back tonight.” Yan Qingming said. “If you can get out, let’s grab lunch.”
“Sure! Wait here.” Tang Xizhou dashed off.
While waiting, Yan Qingming bought a bag of candy from a nearby shop. As soon as Tang Xizhou was released, Yan Qingming shoved a piece of candy into his mouth without hesitation.
“I don’t want it,” Tang Xizhou protested, though he made no move to spit it out.
“You’ve got low blood sugar.”
“Is that so?” Tang Xizhou said. “The school doctor mentioned it too, and the instructor told me to take it seriously… Pfft, it’s not like it’s a big deal.”
“It can be serious if left untreated.” Yan Qingming replied nonchalantly.
“That’s why I hate talking to you—you’re always scaring me. It’s like you think I’ll die tomorrow if I lose a patch of skin today.”
“Health is important.”
“Yeah, okay, noted.” Tang Xizhou draped an arm over Yan Qingming’s shoulder. “Big Brother, where should we eat?”
In the end, the two settled for a small restaurant near the school. They ordered a bowl of noodles and two bottles of cheap fruit-flavored drinks.
The noodles weren’t mixed properly—the sesame paste clumped unevenly, making some bites salty and others sweet. The cheap fruit drinks were sickeningly sweet.
But despite the subpar meal, both ate with gusto.
As they chatted casually about school, classmates, and their respective instructors, women somehow never entered the conversation—except for Jiang Beibei.
Some things became unspoken truths over time.
They exchanged a glance, silently understanding each other.
Tang Xizhou talked and ate, finishing his noodles but still had more to say. Yan Qingming suggested, “Should we order another bowl?”
Tang Xizhou replied, “Just one more soda—I’ll finish up.”
Happy moments always pass quickly.
When Tang Xizhou returned to campus, they stood on either side of the railing, neither moving.
“You go ahead,” Tang Xizhou smiled. “I’ll wait to see you off.”
“You go first,” Yan Qingming waved. “I’ll watch you head back to the dorm before leaving.”
“...” Tang Xizhou suddenly said something, carried by the breeze to Yan Qingming’s ears. For a moment, Yan Qingming thought he’d misheard.
Tang Xizhou had said, “Are you seeing someone?”
Yan Qingming didn’t respond, only lowering his head with a faint smile.
Tang Xizhou turned away, waving a hand over his shoulder as he quickened his pace and ran off.
The spring breeze blew, stirring hearts.
This unspoken understanding persisted for several years, until Tang Xizhou graduated and joined the workforce. That’s when the window finally broke.
The first year was full of trial and error.
Neither was entirely sure of their feelings, squeezed between uncertainty and hesitation. They slowly tested the waters, searching for the best way to coexist and express themselves.
Contrary to what they later told Jiang Beibei—that their bond became rock-solid after six years—the reality was different.
In the second year of their relationship, they broke up for a while.
Both were lost, unable to eat or sleep, constantly questioning what had gone wrong.
But emotional issues often have no clear answers.
Their cooling-off period was obvious—even those around them noticed.
One day, Jiang Beibei asked Tang Xizhou, “Second Brother, did you and Big Brother have a falling out?”
“Who told you that?”
“Do I even need to say? Even Big Miao noticed.”
At the time, Big Miao was still a puppy, less intelligent than an adult cat. Yet even this dim-witted pup could sense the tension—he didn’t wag his tail as enthusiastically when he saw Tang Xizhou and Yan Qingming together.
Tang Xizhou sighed. “Adult matters—kids shouldn’t meddle.”
Jiang Beibei pressed on. “We’re all neighbors. If there’s tension, it’s awkward for everyone… Like, who do we smile at without offending anyone?”
“It’s not awkward.”
“I’m not saying it’s awkward for you—it’s awkward for us, the other neighbors!”
“You’re overthinking this, kid.”
“Why did you two fight?”
“...It’s a matter of feelings,” Tang Xizhou deliberately said. “We’re having relationship issues.”
Jiang Beibei, deep in her middle-school angst phase, grabbed Tang Xizhou’s hand earnestly. “Isn’t brotherhood stronger than any woman?”
“It should be—absolutely.”
“Then make up already!”
Truthfully, reconciliation wasn’t easy. But Yan Qingming noticed Tang Xizhou’s softened demeanor.
Indeed, their issues weren’t major—they stemmed mostly from differences in lifestyle and thinking.
For instance, Yan Qingming couldn’t understand why Tang Xizhou, as a SWAT officer, hadn’t developed the habit of making his bed in the morning. He waited until he had seven pairs of dirty socks before washing them and wore clothes for a week before changing. On the other hand, Tang Xizhou didn’t grasp why Yan Qingming was so cautious. Being with him felt like sneaking around, always secretive, like spies meeting in the shadows.
Upon reflection, these weren’t insurmountable problems. If they wanted to change, they could.
By the end of the second year, Tang Xizhou’s parents moved away.
At the end of January, it snowed. There were rumors of New Year fireworks by the riverside, so the brothers of Unit Two brought Jiang Beibei to watch.
Qin Yuan slung an arm around both of them and said, “Let’s make up, boys. Don’t let others come between you.”
Jiang Beibei tried to cover her tracks. “Second Brother, it wasn’t me—I swear! Third Brother figured it out on his own.”
Tang Xizhou smirked. “If you hadn’t explained, I might’ve believed you. Now I know who the ‘informant’ is.”
Still, under the cover of exploding fireworks, Tang Xizhou pulled Yan Qingming aside, smoothed his collar, and whispered with a grin, “Big Brother, don’t judge me for being rough around the edges. Your collar has never looked neat either.”
Yan Qingming replied, “I’m not judging.”
He reached into his pocket, pulled out a candy, bit it open, and popped it into Tang Xizhou’s mouth.
“In the future... I’ll help you wash your clothes when I can.”
“Promise me something.”
“What?”
“Swear to me—we’ll stay brothers forever, okay?”
“Okay.”
No relationship is completely smooth sailing. But couples who endure learn to pave roads for each other, smoothing out obstacles and filling in the gaps on their emotional journey.
Later, Tang Xizhou passed this lesson on to his sister.
But Jiang Beibei said, “Second Brother, we don’t have any gaps.”
“Nonsense! Even if you were with another version of yourself, there’d still be hurdles!”
“Well,” Jiang Beibei said, “I was blinded by his brilliance, so I didn’t see them. And Chu Yao? He doesn’t walk through hurdles—he goes around them.”
“Oh, right.”
Tang Xizhou looked at Jiang Beibei with a hint of envy.
When Song Lang sought advice on resolving relationship crises, Chu Yao had said, “Don’t try to change her. When you fell for her, she was already like this. Why should she change for you? Ask yourself if you can change. If you can, then do it. Stay calm.”
Song Lang asked humbly, “That’s too abstract—I don’t get it. Can you give an example?”
Chu Yao replied, “For instance, if she’s lazy, don’t demand that she become diligent. Ask yourself if you can be more hardworking. If she leaves things lying around, before you complain, ask yourself if you can clean them up. Life’s little issues aren’t about how she manages things—it’s about how you manage them. Act more than you talk, and most problems can be avoided.”
Jiang Beibei clapped and said, “Chu Yao, don’t expose my laziness!”
Qin Yuan chimed in, “Do you really need him to tell us? Your laziness is plain for everyone to see.”
Tang Xizhou commented, “You all should take notes—especially Mr. Yan!”
Mr. Yan shot back, “You should take notes too. Don’t expect so much from me.”
Love, in its simplest form, is quite straightforward. No matter how dazzling it starts, it always returns to the mundane rhythms of daily life. The small, ordinary moments can flow gently and last a lifetime.
And so, their story continued.
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