He Juan coughed, feeling oddly guilty as if he had been caught red-handed doing something he shouldn’t. No, wait... why would he feel guilty? In his defense, he had not said anything about retreating to the bedroom, had he?

"Xiao Ze, fancy seeing you here!" He plastered a huge smile on his face, stood up and went to open the door wider. "What brings you to—" the rest of his words ended up being stuck on his throat once he took in Mu Yuze’s whole appearance.

Wet hair that was still dripping water, glossy dark eyes and slightly flushed cheeks... it was apparent that Mu Yuze had just taken a nice warm bath. However, that was not the thing that shocked He Juan the most.

It was the oversized black shirt he was wearing, one that hung down his knees like a dress. T–That was the shirt He Juan had lent him the first night he came here, right? To think that Mu Yuze – the grouchy and bad-tempered Mu Yuze – would consciously choose to wear He Juan’s shirt as pajamas...

He Juan gripped onto the door frame tightly as vertigo suddenly struck him on the head, leaving him slightly breathless and lightheaded. Oh, the sight of Mu Yuze in his shirt was just too... wonderful, adorable, lovely; it made He Juan want to smother him in a hug and nuzzle against him like an overexcited doggy. H–How... How could someone be so cute?!! Fortunately, he recalled in the nick of time that he still had dignity to preserve. As such, instead of sweeping Mu Yuze into his arms and tying the boy to his waist so he could take him everywhere he went, He Juan settled for leaning against the doorframe and showed a smile which he desperately hoped did not look dopey. "Is it comfortable?" he did not even realize how soft and gentle his voice had become.

"What... oh this?" Mu Yuze tugged on the shirt once he realized what He Juan was talking about. "Mn, it’s loose, soft and breathable." Then as though recalling who the shirt had originally belonged to, he peered up at He Juan through his lashes and asked hesitantly, "You don’t mind... do you?"

’I’m going to buy him another one’, He Juan thought as the visceral urge coursed through him like lightning. ’No, I’m going to fill his closet with the same shirt, two for each color. Is it enough? Should I buy three sets each?’

Outwardly, he was still the same cool and composed guy who had not nearly had a heart attack due to cuteness overdose. "Of course, I don’t mind," he grinned. "Come to think of it, I still have a few in my closet. I can give you all of them if you want."

Mu Yuze hastily shook his head. "No, there’s no need. Just this one is enough..."

’Four sets, then,’ He Juan decided.

"So," he asked in an airy tone. "What brings you here? Do you need me for something?" 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Mu Yuze shook his head again. He glanced past He Juan to see the computer that was still running. "I was just grabbing a glass of water when I saw that the lights here are still on." He lifted the glass in his hand as if afraid that He Juan would doubt him. "You... You’re still working?"

"En, just a few matters I have to run over before I sleep." He Juan reached out to wipe away a droplet of water that was hanging on the tip of Mu Yuze’s nose, smiling. "Don’t forget to dry your hair first lest you will catch a cold tomorrow, okay? Also, apply the ointment Doctor Jia has given you on your bruises. If you need help with it, just call me."

With every sentence he spoke, Mu Yuze would nod his head like the obedient boy he was. However, even after He Juan had finished nagging, he still had not budged from his spot.

"Xiao Ze...?" he called out, unsure. Did Mu Yuze need something else from him?

"You..." Mu Yuze hesitated for a while, but then his expression hardened as if he was making up his mind. He looked up at He Juan and asked, ears flushing. "Do you need my help with... your work? Your arm... you can’t use one of your arms. Moreover, earlier this noon, there was also..." he stumbled over his words, his voice growing smaller and smaller with each word he spoke, until the end he was staring viciously at his feet so that all He Juan could see was the whorl on the top of his head.

He Juan was caught by surprise. Of all things, he did not expect that this would be what Mu Yuze would say to him. "You want to... help me?"

Mu Yuze gave a jerky nod. He was holding – no, clutching – the glass with both hands now as if that was the anchor he needed to keep his feet rooted in place, his knuckles turning white. "Your arm... and also your ribs... you should take a rest. After all, it’s all my fault that—"

Oh. So that’s why. He Juan finally knew what had brought forth this sudden offer.

"Mu Yuze, stop." He couldn’t bear to listen any longer and cut off Mu Yuze’s words mid-sentence, causing the boy to lift his head in surprise. He Juan only had time to notice a flash of anxiety and apprehension in Mu Yuze’s eyes before he lowered them again, and a sickening realization punched through his gut.

Did he think that He Juan would get angry at him? Did he still not understand that He Juan was the last person who would bring him harm? Or was everything he had done still not enough to prove... to show that all he wanted was for the boy to grow up safe and healthy?

"Mu Yuze..." He Juan uttered the boy’s name again, this time softer, tinged with a hint of helplessness. He stepped aside and gestured for Mu Yuze to enter. "Gege has something very, very important to ask you. Let’s go inside and talk a bit?"

Mu Yuze looked like he was going to vomit when he nodded and brushed past He Juan to sit on the couch, his head still hanging low. He Juan followed close behind him and instead of sitting on the opposite couch, he opted to take his place beside the boy, earning him a not very subtle flinch.

"Don’t be afraid of me," He Juan found himself saying, pleading, for he felt like he was going to go crazy if he were to find a hint of fear in Mu Yuze’s eyes. "Mu Yuze, I will not hurt you. Never. So don’t be afraid of me, okay?"

"...I’m not afraid of you!" Mu Yuze snapped his gaze up and rebuked in annoyance, but he quickly lowered them again and murmured under his breath, still gripping onto the glass like a lifeline. "It’s just you... you are calling my full name. It’s a bit... intimidating."

"That’s because I am going to talk about something extremely serious." He Juan huffed out a chuckle, a tad relieved that Mu Yuze was still treating him like a... decent human being, rather than a terrifying monster he had to avoid from now on. He gently instructed, his tone firm and left no room for rebuttal. "Mu Yuze, look at me. Please?"

The manner in which Mu Yuze raised his head made it look like he was prepared for a bullet to go through his head at any time. It was amusing, but at the same time... very distressing. He Juan ached for how fragile this boy was. He really wished he could give him all the best things in the world.

He Juan let gentleness flow into his features once their eyes met, lips curving into a soft smile. However, his silver eyes were nothing but solemn, a clear proof that he demanded only honesty for what he was going to ask.

"Mu Yuze, tell me..." he slowly asked. "The reason why you want to help me, is it because you want to take the initiative to help your poor roommate or... are you feeling guilty for what has happened this noon? Have you always been thinking that it’s your fault? Hmm?"