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Shen Yuan is not the type to take night walks.

Sure, most of his nights he spends awake rather than sleeping. But it doesn't mean that he likes to spend those hours of wakefulness outside of his cozy and safe apartment.

However, now sitting on the bench in the middle of the night, he begins to reconsider it.

Shen Yuan didn't really have any reason to take a night walk. It was one of those rare fits of whimsy that overtakes every person from time to time. A call to break up a routine and do something uncharacteristic.

Like taking a walk in the park at night, for example.

Shen Yuan can't say that he regrets this decision. The park is surprisingly nice at night. He is tucked in a small alley illuminated by a warm light from the lampposts. There aren't any people here, most of them preferring to stick to the main path. The air is cool and humid, feeling refreshing in his lungs. The night sky is… not very impressive. The light pollution is too strong to see more than a couple of stars. At least the moon is pretty.

It's nice Shen Yuan thinks to himself. Maybe he should do that more often?

And then a goddamn meteorite falls from the sky.

It happens too fast; Shen Yuan has absolutely no chance to react.

A flash of light. A defending sound. A shockwave.

One moment Shen Yuan is sitting on the bench, and the next one he is thrown to the asphalt. For a minute Shen Yuan just lies there shellshocked, feeling like he was slammed into a brick wall.

Holy shit, a fucking meteor just fell a hundred meters from him.

Carefully he moves his limbs. It seems like nothing is broken. Or well, nothing vital. As Shen Yuan comes to his senses, he notices that he is surrounded by tiny pieces of glass from the lampposts. He hasn't even noticed that the alley is pitch black. Man, he is really out of it. Then he realizes something. He hurriedly grabs his phone out of his pocket and… Yep. The screen is shattered.

Thankfully it isn't completely broken. Shen Yuan breathes out a sigh of relief as he turns on the screen and sees that it's still responsive. It would have been a huge pain trying to navigate his way out of the park in the darkness. He turns on the flashlight on his phone and carefully stands up. He is a bit unsteady on his feet, but he doesn't feel like he is about to keel over.

Confident in his footing Shen Yuan begins to walk. Right in the direction of a meteorite.

He almost realizes how much of a stupid idea it is. But this thought doesn't manage to reach his mind in time. Because as soon as he gets close enough, he sees a person.

The light from the phone is barely enough to illuminate the horrible picture before him. The person is lying right next to the meteorite in the middle of a crater. Both the meteorite and the crater are not very big. The meteorite is barely the side of a boulder, and the crater is maybe a couple of meters in diameter, which is a lot smaller than Shen Yuan would expect. However, despite its size, it seems to have caused enough damage. Because both the meteorite and the person are lying is something red.

His first thought is blood. What else could it be? But there is so much of it, and it's so bright it seems to almost glow in the light of his phone. How could this much blood be inside of one human? Shen Yuan shakes his head. It doesn't matter what this red shit is. He needs to help this person. And as he looks closer at their face, he realizes with horror that he recognizes them.

It's one of Shen Yuan's neighbors.

He is a handsome young man with long curly hair and shining black eyes. They don't really know each other. They had a few brief interactions here and there, however they weren't friends. The guy seemed nice enough, sweet and bright-eyed like an eager puppy. Shen Yuan doesn't even know his name.

Shen Yuan's hands desperately flutter above the motionless figure, never really touching it. He just doesn't know what to do! Should he check for injuries? Should he check his pulse? Should he turn him to the side? He doesn't know, he is not a doctor! What if he makes it all worse?!

Suddenly the man draws a sharp breath and opens his eyes. Shen Yuan yelps startled, partially from an unexpected sound, partially from the way his eyes seem to glow red in the light from the phone.

"Oh my god, you are alive," Shen Yuan takes a deep sigh of relief. "Are you alright? Any injuries? Can you stand? Do you need any help? You definitely need help..." Shen Yuan rambles, happy he isn't going to see anyone die today.

The man looks really out of it. He looks in Shen Yuan's with wide, unblinking eyes and a blank expression. Then he raises his torso on his forearms, getting closer to Shen Yuan's face. His movements seem jerky and mechanical. He doesn't seem to recognize him.

Shen Yuan hits his forehead. "Ah, I'm sorry, I shouldn't be shining light right into your eyes." He angles the phone so he can light both of their faces without blinding either of them. "Do you recognize me? I'm Shen Yuan, your neighbor. We talked a few times."

The man blinks, once, twice. Shen Yuan can see the moment recognition sets in. A blank expression morphs into something softer. A pleased surprise. "Yes, I do recognize you," he finally answers with a wonder in his voice.

Shen Yuan sighs in relief, again. Good, good, it doesn't seem like he has any kind of brain damage. He carefully puts his free hand around the man's shoulder, helping him sit. "Are you hurt? Did the meteor hit you?"

The man shakes his head slowly. "Nothing hurts."

Shen Yuan gives him a dubious glance. "Are you sure? You don't have to put on a brave face, you know?"

"You are so nice to me," the man says instead of answering the question. He speaks softly with a hint of something that sounds almost like awe.

Shen Yuan huffs, "I'm really not."

He can't help but feel nervous. The man seems a little too calm, his previous tense alertness replaced by a relaxed serenity. He really hopes it isn't a covert sign of brain damage. But then he thinks about it. Maybe it's because of Shen Yuan? After all, he calmed down when he realized there was a familiar face helping him. Maybe the man got reassured by his soothing presence? The idea of this tall, handsome man finding comfort in Shen Yuan's care fills his chest with warmth.

He is about to ask another question when he stops himself. There is a high rhythmic sound getting closer.

Shen Yuan perks up. "I hear a siren. Someone must have called the police." It's no wonder. A whole ass meteorite just fell in a public park. "Do you think you can stand up?"

The man seems to be perfectly able to stand up, but he accepts Shen Yuan's fussing nonetheless. Shen Yuan tentatively touches the man's back and winces in disgust at the wet sensation. The clothes on his back are soaked in that weird red thing. Now that Shen Yuan is touching it, he is even more conflicted about what it is. The blood would have dried by now and become crusty, but the man's back feels wet and... slimy. He contemplates investigating further but then shakes his head. Not important. He angles his phone to light the way through the dark park.

(He does wipe his hand on his jeans discreetly.)

"By the way, I believe I gave you my name, but you never told me yours."

It's a simple question, Shen Yuan thinks. Is there anything more basic than asking someone for their name? However, for some reason the man doesn't answer immediately. Shen Yuan even thinks that he must have not heard him. But when he turns his head, he realizes that the man is watching him. He can't make out his expression in the dark, but it's very clear that the man is staring. The silence stretches to the point that Shen Yuan begins squirming uncomfortably. He is about to say something else when the man finally speaks. And when he speaks, it doesn't just sound like he is telling his name. He sounds like he is making some great declaration.

"I am Luo Binghe."

The ride to the hospital is uneventful.

It isn't hard to find an ambulance. When they reach the entrance to the park, they are met with a small crowd. Policemen cordoning off the area, some people who were injured, and a bunch of onlookers. When one of the officers sees Shen Yuan and Luo Binghe limping out of the park, they immediately show them into one of the present ambulances to bring them to hospital.

If Shen Yuan is being honest, he doesn't think he needs any medical attention. Despite being so close to the impact, he doesn't feel that bad. Sure, he probably has some scraps and bruises, but he doesn't think it's that serious. Even paramedics determine that he doesn't have anything dangerous, although they still insist he should see a doctor. Shen Yuan doesn't argue.

Luo Binghe seems to appreciate his company as he refuses to unstick from Shen Yuan's side during their ride. Shen Yuan doesn't mind. After all, Luo Binghe has been through such a traumatic event. There is no way he could refuse his silent call for comfort.

And so, they ride to the hospital. Luo Binghe sticking to Shen Yuan's side. Shen Yuan firmly holding him while answering paramedics' questions and entertaining them with polite small talk. Surprisingly, Luo Binghe proves himself to be rather quiet, not willing to hold a long conversation. It's somewhat unexpected. From Shen Yuan's previous interactions with him, he always seemed to be happy to have a small chat. But then again, it must have been a long day for him, so Shen Yuan doesn't mind being a metaphorical wall between him and nosy paramedics.

After a short registration at the reception, they are brought to the waiting area.

Shen Yuan groans as he slumps down in an uncomfortable seat. The ride felt so long. And now he has to wait for a doctor. And then ride back home. God, he is so tired. "I hate hospitals," he draws miserably.

"Then why did you agree to go there? There were some people who chose not to go in the park."

Shen Yuan takes a deep, dramatic breath and turns his head to look at Luo Binghe. "And what, leave you all alone?" he huffs. "You wish. We are both in this together now, Binghe."

"You really didn't have to do that."

When he says it, it doesn't sound like a polite 'you shouldn't have.' It sounds more breathless. More like 'You didn't have to do it, but you did it anyway.'

Shen Yuan suddenly feels very bashful. They were close in the park, but it feels different now under a bright fluorescent light. Like this it's even more obvious how beautiful he is. And now he is met with an image of such a handsome man watching him with a great emotion in his black eyes, and sitting so close their legs press together, Shen Yuan wants to avert his gaze.

He doesn't. Instead, he looks Luo Binghe right in the eyes. "As if there is a possibility I could ever abandon you."

Luo Binghe recoils as if he was slapped. But he doesn't seem upset. On the contrary, he seems shocked and very happy, his eyes shining. Then he surges forward, bringing their faces very close. When he speaks, he sounds like he had a great epiphany. "I decided! I am going to keep you, Shen Yuan!"

Under such an intense declaration, Shen Yuan feels... confused. "Keep me?" he tilts his head. Keep him how?

Luo Binghe doesn't answer for a moment. He just looks at Shen Yuan some more and then he smiles. It's such a soft, fond expression, Shen Yuan suddenly feels breathless. Luo Binghe's eyes crinkle in happy little crescents, and Shen Yuan realizes that his eyes are not actually black. They are very, very dark brown, with a subtle reddish undertone. His eyes shine brightly like they are tiny copies of a pure night sky, holding countless starts. Shen Yuan forgets what he wanted to say.

Their moment gets interrupted by the arrival of their doctors, calling them to be looked over. Shen Yuan almost whistles. He assumed they would have to share the same doctor and be looked over one after the other. But it seems that being a victim of a fallen meteorite has its perks. Or maybe it's the fact that there aren't many people in the hospital at night.

Both of them go in their own separate directions. Shen Yuan goes with his doctor, and Luo Binghe with his.

When Luo Binghe comes into a cabinet, his expression changes. It goes completely blank.

The doctor says something. Asking questions about the incident, explaining how he will be examined.

Luo Binghe doesn't listen. He has already decided what he will do.

Doctors have a great access to people and a decent degree of authority. He will be a fine first step in his plan.

His eye zero in his doctor's head.

The man makes a mistake of turning his back to Luo Binghe. He doesn't hesitate. One confident lunge, and there are fingers forcing red substance in his throat.

The man doesn't struggle long.

After all, just one drop is enough.

Yesterday around 2:30 AM, a meteorite entered Earth's atmosphere and landed in a park of the XXX park, Beijing, China. The official sources report that there were no deaths from the incident; however some people who were near and inside the park were injured. The exact number is unknown but it is estimated to be around two dozen people.

Witnesses shared their story of how they saw a bright flash of light in the sky. A few seconds later people heard a loud sound like from an explosion and felt a shockwave. The shockwave exploded the glass, which was the reason for most of the injuries.

Right now the meteorite

The meteorite has been taken into a local laboratory for future study. Right now the entrance to the park has been blocked by the police and made inaccessible to the public.

Some people have already made conspiracy theories about the event. There are typical theories about the meteorite actually being an alien space ship. However, there is also a rumor that someone had sneaked into the territory of the park and saw the impact crater. The unknown source claims that not only is the impact crater abnormal, but there are also traces of an unknown substance, presumably of alien origin.

A logical step would be to disregard those rumors. However, countless space specialists have spoken up about the abnormalities of the meteorite. According to them, the damage from meteorites falling to the Earth is always much more destructive than some broken glass and two dozen people with scraps and bruises. And what's even more suspicious is the fact that the laboratory that took the meteorite refuses to give any commentary. This is all very mysterious!

So what do you think? Do you think scientists are hiding something? Or are people just seeing conspiracies where there are none?

Subscribe to the channel if you want to hear more news about...

Shen Yuan closes the video.

He isn't the type person who watches the news often. Maybe that's why he was so surprised to see that there are already a bunch of videos. Some of those have millions of views! People are talking about it. It's so strange. To think that he is going to be in one of those videos.

Well, it's exactly about him. But he was indirectly mentioned in it! He was one of the injured! He was right there, helping the man who almost got hit by that meteor to go to the hospital!

The last thought makes Shen Yuan's mind wander to Luo Binghe.

He wonders how he is spending this morning. After getting examined by their doctors, both of them were determined to be in good health and let go with no fanfares. Shen Yuan called a taxi so they could go home together. After all, they have been by each other's side so far. And it's not like they live far from each other, being literal neighbors and all that. They exchanged some niceties, wished each other good night, and 'we should hang out some day.'

Shen Yuan wonders if Luo Binghe slept well. Despite having no injuries, Shen Yuan found it difficult to sleep after so much excitement. Would it be appropriate to check on him? After their small bonding experience yesterday, Shen Yuan feels some responsibility for the young man. Surely it wouldn't be weird to see if the man you helped to get to the hospital yesterday is alright?

But then again, it's not like they are actual friends. Yes, Shen Yuan helped him. But now that the crisis has passed, would it be appropriate to assume that Luo Binghe would want to speak to him? Especially after seeing him in such a vulnerable state? Wouldn't it be logical for a strong, popular young man to distance himself from a reminder of your moment of weakness?

Shen Yuan sights. He will be subtle about it. It's not like they haven't bumped into each other before. He will wait until they see each other organically and then gently prod him to see if he is alright. After all, it's not like Shen Yuan wants to force his care onto someone.

Satisfied with this plan, he nods to himself. Now that it's out of the way, Shen Yuan stands up to get dressed.

He has a small routine. Once a week he wakes a little earlier than usual to have breakfast. Then he leaves the house to head down the street to his favorite café. It's a small local business that sells milk tea. Shen Yuan has tried many milk teas in his life, and he can confidently say that this café is the best thing on the market.

Today is not the day he usually goes there. However, he can't come up with any reason why he doesn't deserve a tasty treat after what happened to him yesterday.

He checks that all of his belongings are in place and opens his door.

"Hello, Yuan-ge."

Shen Yuan is ashamed to admit, but he screams.

Luo Binghe, who has been apparently standing in front of his door, is looking at him with a mix of slight guilt and amusement. "I'm sorry, Yuan-ge, did I startle you?"

"Actually, you did yes," Shen Yuan breathes out, dramatically clutching his chest. "Why are you doing here anyway? You weren't just standing there waiting for me, were you?"

For a short horrifying moment, Luo Binghe doesn't say anything and just blankly stares at Shen Yuan. But then he smiles softly, his eyes crinkling. "Of course I wasn't." Oh, thank god. "I was going to knock, but then Yuan-ge opened the door in that exact moment. What a coincidence."

Shen Yuan nods. Man, what a coincidence indeed! "So, erm, what did you want?"

Luo Binghe tilts his head slightly like a puppy. "To hang out? Didn't Yuan-ge say we should hand out someday?"

Oh. Oh! Shen Yuan innerly sighs in relief. So this nightly bonding experience did mean something to Luo Binghe! Good to know. "Yes, of course we can hang out. I was going to my favorite café. Do you want to come with me? My treat."

Luo Binghe's eyes seem to sparkle even more in the light of day. "I would love to."

And so together they walk to Shen Yuan's favorite café.

They didn't really have a chance to properly talk yesterday. And so as they walk, they chat, casually getting to know each other a bit better. They talk about their interests and hobbies and their life in general.

Shen Yuan realizes that he really likes talking with Luo Binghe. They click together surprisingly well. Luo Binghe is a great conversationalist, nicely balancing talking about himself and not monopolizing the entire conversation. Shen Yuan doesn't even notice how they arrive at the café.

"Which drink do you want?"

"Can Yuan-ge choose something for me?"

Shen Yuan almost rolls his eyes. Ah, Binghe, you don't have to bat your lashes at him; of course he will pick a drink for you.

He sends Luo Binghe to pick a seat while he approaches the register, where the barista is already smiling at him.

"Shen Yuan, good morning," Song Yi grins at him. She is a cheerful young woman with expressive eyes and a slightly crooked smile. "I haven't expected to see you today. Do you want your usual?"

"I will take usual," he smiles at her back. His usual is an unholy sweet concoction that only Song Yi can make correctly. Some people (er-ge) love to say that some day his love for sweets will kill him. But it's not like he is drinking it every day!

For Luo Binghe he chooses something less extreme. He isn't sure how he loves his sweet things, so he chooses a mild light tea. Best for the beginner.

Song Yi is quick without being sloppy, managing to make drinks and chat with Shen Yuan. When the drinks are done he takes both orders. With pleasure he notes that Luo Binghe picked Shen Yuan's favorite seat.

"Here," he puts the tea in front of Luo Binghe. "I really like this place. Although..." he winces as a small company of teenagers bursts into laughter, "... sometimes it gets really noisy," he rubs his neck apologetically.

He takes a large gulp of his tea. Perfect as always. "So do you like my pick?" he asks Luo Binghe and freezes at the expression on his face.

He looks really pissed off at something behind Shen Yuan. And when he carefully turns to see what it is, he realizes it's Song Yi. "Hey, are you alright? Do you have a problem with her?" He whispers the question, genuinely taken aback. Of course Shen Yuan doesn't know Luo Binghe very well. But still, this hateful glare looks really foreign on his pretty face. Oh god, they aren't exes, are they? Shen Yuan wouldn't call Song Yi unattractive, but she is no way in the same league as Luo Binghe. There is no way they are exes, right?!

For a moment Luo Binghe doesn't say anything. He just keeps glaring at the woman, worrying lower lip with his teeth. Then he takes a sip of his drink. "I think there is something wrong with my tea."

Shen Yuan blinks. "You think something is wrong? Let me try it."

"No! Yuan-ge shouldn't drink it! I think it has gone bad or something."

"Binghe..." Shen Yuan sighs. "Give me that." He snatches the drink out of Luo Binghe's hands. Honestly, this man...

"Song Yi, can you please make a new drink for my friend?” he asks politely.

She crocks her head slightly. "Of course. Is something wrong?"

Shen Yuan shrugs. "He says it tastes wrong."

"Tastes wrong?" she furrows her brows and takes a small sip. Her expression turns pensive. "Huh. Yeah, it tastes slightly off. I'm not sure why, though..." She turns her face back to Shen Yuan. "I'll make you a new one, free of charge."

"If it's not a problem."

Soon enough there is a new tea. Shen Yuan takes a tiny sip and nods at Song Yi, who beams at him. He turns his face back at Luo Binghe. He gives him a scolding look. 'See? That's what you do when someone messes up your order! No need to glare at people.' Luo Binghe doesn't look scolded. In fact, he looks ridiculously pleased with himself.

"Yuan-ge is good to me," he smiles coyly.

Shen Yuan flushes. Binghe, you don't need to glare at other people if you want Shen Yuan to take care of you! He will do it regardless. As a proof his eyes zero in on a smudge of red on Luo Binghe's lower lip.

"Ah, Binghe, see, that's why you shouldn't bite your lips."

The man in question licks the blood from his lip in a weirdly mesmerizing gesture.

If Shen Yuan had any doubts that Luo Binghe wouldn't want to continue their budding friendship, they were quickly proven wrong.

Luo Binghe immediately became a part of his routine. Texting each other, spending time together, going out. All of those things quickly established themselves as an integral part of Shen Yuan's life, like they always were there.

It's a great change for Shen Yuan. Of course he isn't antisocial by any means. In fact, he likes talking to people! He will never say no to a friendly conversation with some stranger. It's just... Those strangers never became something more. At most they became friendly acquaintances he talks to every once in a while. But actually reaching out to people? Making plans? Spending time together? Being actual friends? It's sad to admit, but Shen Yuan is not good at this stuff. Maybe that's why he has no actual friends besides his family.

Well… he had no actual friends. Before Luo Binghe.

It's a big change. However, Shen Yuan doesn't mind it. Because being friends with Luo Binghe is the simplest, most natural thing he has ever done. It feels so easy he would have called them soulmates. Is there a name for platonic soulmates? Because if there is, that's exactly what Luo Binghe is to him.

Of course they aren't glued to each other 24/7. Shen Yuan needs his alone time to read some trashy web novels after all.

He also doesn't try to take Binghe back to the café again. After all, how could he take a guy to a place where he got served a bad drink? Sure, in the end he got what he wanted, but the first impression has already been ruined. It just feels so awkward to take him again!

And so Shen Yuan keeps visiting his favorite cafe, without Luo Binghe. The man doesn't seem to mind, and Shen Yuan doesn't dwell on it. He just visits it once a week, orders his favorite drink from Song Yi, who always makes the order with a soft smile and crinkled eyes. It seems like the drink has been tasting better lately. Or maybe it's Shen Yuan's good mood? The world as a whole seems brighter recently. Even the cafe doesn't seem as noisy as usual.

Liao Jianhua looks at the video stream from the security camera. Right now it doesn't show anything remarkable. There is no one in the building besides him. It isn't what he needs. He switches to review the previous footage. The process would have been confusing for a person unfamiliar with this equipment. But Liao Jianhua has been working as a security officer for several years now. He doesn't need to think about it, just using his muscle memory, he easily accesses what he needs.

He plays the video. It shows footage from ten minutes ago. On the video he could see himself on the lower floor, talking to an elderly woman, Fu Xuemei, his mind tells him. With no emotion on his face, he watches as he explains something to her. He watches how out of nowhere she tackles him to the ground with an unexpected force. It can't be seen on the camera, but he knows, that at that moment she was shoving her fingers coated in a red substance into his mouth.

HI feels the pain from the bruises blooming on his skin. He ignores it. With no hesitation he erases the footage.

He wonders to himself if he is being overly cautious. He has collected plenty of parts, steadily becoming more. Besides, it's not like anyone is going to see this footage. But even with his exponentially growing size, he is not yet enough to forget about precautions. Later he would be able to do it right in the open, when there will be no one who will be able to oppose him. But for now it would be for the best to not attract any attention to himself.

With his tracks covered Liao Jianhua slumps in his chair with satisfaction. The goal is far from being achieved, but his job is done for the day.

As a reward, he decides he deserves a moment of small indulgence.

He thinks of Shen Yuan. He wonders what he would like to have on breakfast.

Shen Yuan wakes up to a delicious smell.

"M'rning, Binghe," he crawls out of his bedroom, still yawning but determined not to miss breakfast from his best friend.

"Good morning, Yuan-ge," Binghe beams.

It all started several weeks ago when Binghe stayed the night for the first time. That day they decided to spend the evening watching a movie. When they finished, it was already too late, so Shen Yuan suggested Luo Binghe sleep over.

And when Shen Yuan woke the next day, he was chewed up for his poor life choices. Apparently Luo Binghe was horrified at the content of his kitchen. To which Shen Yuan thinks it was an overreaction. Sure, most of the food in his fridge was prepackaged meals that were not very healthy. But it wasn't that bad!

Luo Binghe, who was determined to throw away all of Shen Yuan's meals, decided to take things into his own hands and prove how bad they actually were. By cooking him a homemade breakfast.

Shen Yuan was conflicted. Not only was it awkward to make his guest cook for him, but he also doubted that Luo Binghe would be able to force him to give up his ways. After all, there is a certain comfort in bad food.

When he took the first bite, he was forced to eat his words. The food was absolutely delicious. No, not like this. It was the best thing Shen Yuan has ever eaten. Which was remarkable considering that in his life he tasted food in the most famous restaurants. Nothing he has tried before compared to this. Shen Yuan didn't even know how his friend did it with the limited contents of his kitchen! But one thing was certain: he was completely ruined for all the other food.

It was supposed to be the end of the story. Luo Binghe proved that his cooking was superior to everything else. Shen Yuan was doomed to the life of knowing that the perfect exists just out of his reach.

But then it just… kept happening.

Now every time Luo Binghe visits, he makes it his personal mission to cook for him.

Shen Yuan tried to protest, of course. After all, what kind of friend would he be if he just let himself exploit Luo Binghe's bleeding heart for him? Plus the situation was rather embarrassing. He really tried to explain that Luo Binghe didn't have to cook for him, that he didn't have to feel bad.

Except Luo Binghe was really persistent. He bulldozed his way into Shen Yuan's kitchen ignoring all the protests. And when the food was done, well… What was Shen Yuan supposed to do? Not eat it?

And so it became a part of his routine.

“W’t you d’ing?”Shen Yuan as he peeks over his best friend's shoulder.

Luo Binghe hums, “Congee.” He leans back slightly, making his back touch with Shen Yuan's front.

Shen Yuan doesn't resist. Instead, he reaches out his hand to pat Binghe's head, enjoying the feeling of soft, fluffy curls.

Shen Yuan is completely awake by the time Luo Binghe puts the plate on the table. He takes time to savor the meal. How can someone make a simple congee taste that good?

“Do you have any plans for today?” Shen Yuan asks after finishing the breakfast and not licking the plate clean.

Luo Binghe grins. “I'm glad you asked.”

It was another addition to his routine. Shen Yuan started to go out.

Now, it's important to say that he wasn't a complete shut-in before. He left his house. He went places. It's just… While he didn't spend his every waking hour cooped up in his apartment, he didn't go out that often. And the places he went to weren't particularly diverse. And so his outings weren't very exiting.

Luo Binghe, who apparently decided to make a person out of Shen Yuan, was quick to rectify this mistake. Almost every day he would take Shen Yuan to a new place they could spend time together. Turns out that he has a superpower to find all the interesting events they can attend.

It should sound exhausting, going out almost every day to attend a public event, but surprisingly it's very comfortable to go out with Luo Binghe. He always keeps an eye on Shen Yuan to ensure that he isn't too tired or bored or overwhelmed. It would have been embarrassing to have someone looking after him like he was a child if Luo Binghe didn't take such an obvious pleasure in it. He is just that much of a perfectionist.

“There is going to be a Xianxia cosplay competition today,” Luo Binghe says with a smile, his eyes sparkling.

“What?! Are you serious?!”

Luo Binghe's smile widens.“I knew you would want to go.”

Shen Yuan huffs, “Of course I would. Who so you think I am?”

“I have already made us some snacks, so we can start getting ready.”

Shen Yuan's lips twitch. “You do know that there is probably going to be food there, right?”

Luo Binghe predictably squints his eyes at him. “You know what my opinion is on their ‘food, ’” he says darkly.

Shen Yuan snorts. Of course he knows that’s why he teased him. It's another quirk of his. For some reason whenever they go out, Luo Binghe is extremely opposed to Shen Yuan eating the food cooked not by him. It's always ‘This food is not good enough for you, Yuan-ge’ with him.

Shen Yuan doesn't really mind. Luo Binghe is correct after all. His food is much better than anything those venues can offer.

After all, sometimes this food sits out in the open. Who knows what can happen to it?

Yuen Yichen looks at the smooth water surface before her. She is inside the large water tank, one of many in the city. The tank is filled with clear, pure water, purified and ready to be delivered into households around the city.

The tank is giant. This type can hold up to several million gallons of water. This is an enormous amount of water. And yet, it doesn't really change anything. Yuen Yichen pricks her finger with a prepared blade. A bright liquid wells up at the very tip.

After all, just one drop is enough.

This is a risky move.

Not Yuen Yichen being here, of course. There are no people left who can protest against her being here. No one will burst here to stop what she is about to do. No, the risk here is not being here. The risk is letting a part of herself loose like that.

Before this moment she had been very meticulously collecting new parts. Never being rash, never making risky moves, always having a way to clear her trail. This is not that. This is exceptionally risky. Yes, it will give her an opportunity to progress in her goal. However, it will leave her open to being discovered. Still, she decided that she is willing to take that risk. By this point she is confident she will be able to suppress any noise if a couple of concerned citizens notice something wrong with their water. There are plenty of her limbs in the various positions of power at this point. He is sure she will be able to prevent the news from getting out to an internationalization level. That's what would be dangerous at her current state of development. She is confident enough she will make it work.

She looks at the tiny bead of liquid at her fingertip. It's funny how something so small is capable of such big feats. She turns her hand, fully intending to let it fall. But then suddenly she stops. She feels a strange itch at the back of her mind. A thought coming her way. She waits patiently. After all, a tip of the nose would need some time to hear what a toe wants to tell it.

She realizes.

Ah.

If she adds a part herself into a water supply, there is a risk of Shen Yuan being exposed to it.

She snatches her hand like it has been burned. To a good measure she smudges the substance on her palm and hides it in her pocket. No matter how big the possible reward is, she isn't going to risk losing Shen Yuan.

As Yuen Yichen turns on her heels to walk out of the tank, she feels a peculiar sensation in her chest. Annoyance. Body that remembers decades of belonging to Yuen Yichen, a serious, no-nonsense woman willing to go very far for the sake of results, heats up with irritation at the interruption. Like an organ that was put into a different body, still working by the routine of its old owner. Like it didn't realize yet it has a different purpose now.

The feeling is suppressed quickly. Yuen Yichen’s knowledge and perspective on thing are very valuable for the whole. However, right now it doesn't need her to be in character. She is here to do what is needed of her.

Dong Li is moping the floor of a department store. At first glance he seems to be concentrated on his work. However, it quickly becomes apparent that he is much more interested in sneaking glances at the man standing in the aisle with him. Shen Yuan.

Dong Li watches as Shen Yuan stands in front of a toothpaste stand. This morning Luo Binghe told him that they were running low.

Shen Yuan quickly scans the stand and grabs the one he is most familiar with. He then goes to the cash register. Dong Li doesn't follow. He doesn't need to.

Zeng Lei scans the paste and accepts the payment. She smiles sweetly at Shen Yuan, her eyes crinkling. She wishes him a good day, and he smiles back, wishing her the same. She feels warmth in her chest.

As Shen Yuan exists the store, Guo Ziming watches how he seems to glow in the light of the sun.

Shen Yuan walks the street in the direction of his home. He passes by many people on his way, not noticing them, completely unaware that they are noticing him.

Somewhere not so far from him, Luo Binghe sighs. His gut twists as a wave of affection violently surges through him, leaving him almost breathless. He savors the sensation, letting it fill his chest with a giddy bubbling joy. The wave passes, and he is left with his limbs shaky and weak.

He sighs again. Such a strange feeling. Such a powerful feeling. To think he hadn't felt anything at all, just a couple months ago.

He remembers the time he wasn't Luo Binghe.

Back then he wasn't a he and an it. A young hive mind drifting through space, growing, maturing, and getting ready to head into its first adventure to become more.

It remembers how eager it was, how confident in itself. It was ready to be so much more. Oh, to think how naive it used to be.

It remembers receiving the guidance from the few older members of its kind. Tips on how to not get caught, how to gather its limbs more effectively, how to spread its consciousness without losing itself.

There was another thing they told it. It remembers how adamant they were about the importance of the very first part it collects. Back then it didn't understand what they meant. After all, it couldn't control who would be the first part it will take at its own. Sure, a weak limb can create some problems at the start, but those differences should be smoothed out with more parts.

And so, as it was preparing to take Luo Binghe, it thought he would be a first step in a long stairway to its goal.

It didn't realize that it would become Luo Binghe.

Maybe it should have predicted it. After all, before it wasn't a person. It was a collection of information. An instinct to spread. A hunger for gathering new parts. A drive for being more. But it never had a personality.

Maybe that's why when it came into contact with its first being, it became him. It replaced his weak organs with itself, devouring his mind in the process. It swallowed his memories and knowledge, his fears and desires, his abilities and weaknesses.

It wouldn't be incorrect to say that Luo Binghe died that night. But it's not true that he is gone. As everything that made Luo Binghe himself has left an imprint on it, so throughout, they might have as well fused together, becoming something new. It understands now why the first person is so important. Because even after gathering almost million new limbs, after taking their memories and knowledge, it hasn't stopped being Luo Binghe.

In some way it couldn't have asked for a better person to become. It probably wouldn't have been so effective in gathering parts if it wasn't Luo Binghe. His knowledge about how the working of this world, his cleverness and intelligence, his strategy and patience of a predator. Luo Binghe is a perfect person for its goal.

Yes, of course he isn't perfect. He had his weaknesses, problems, and neuroses. But at the face of his new goal, they were easy to disregard.

Well... Except for one.

It remembers how it fused with Luo Binghe on the ground in that park. It remembers how it quickly sorted through his knowledge about the Earth and devised a primary plan. It remembers how it looked at his feelings and memories. It remembers how it realizes that Luo Binghe was in love.

And the man he was in love with was his new neighbor, Shen Yuan.

It remembers how this unfamiliar feeling flooded it. The memories of their short interaction, the emotions they invoked, the desires. So overpowering. So inconvenient. It didn't want to deal with those pesky human emotions. And even while all of its newfound personhood rebelled against the idea, initially it wanted to suppress those feelings. It probably would have succeeded if it didn't come face to face with the man himself.

By now it knows that the more appropriate word for Luo Binghe's feelings would not be 'love' but 'obsession.' After all, now, after getting the perspective of so many different humans, it knows perfectly well that Luo Binghe's behavior was abnormal. The amount of time he spent fantasizing about their future together, making elaborate plans to get closer to him, stalking him were not normal. The sheer intensity of his feelings was not normal.

Well, it doesn't matter how one calls his feelings towards Shen Yuan. Obsession or love—those are now its feelings too.

And oh, it understood perfectly well what Luo Binghe saw in Shen Yuan the more time they spent together. It was like Shen Yuan's way of communication, his ways of showing affection were made to perfectly cater to Luo Binghe. Their every interaction filled his body with so much emotion, so much love and lust and affection, he felt like he was going to burst through the seams. Even after becoming more and spreading its consciousness through more people, it couldn't say that his feelings got any weaker. It's the opposite, really. It's more like instead of diluting, this feeling only got more intense. Like with every new person, the place in his heart available for loving Shen Yuan got only bigger.

On the one hand, it was wonderful. Throughout the process of becoming more, it was so easy to get lost in it all. Being tied down to one human and being happy in his presence grounded it. On the other hand...

Luo Binghe feels a twinge of irritation. Another feeling he hadn't experienced before becoming himself. He isn't sure what caused it. Is it a remnant of his drive to indiscriminately spread to take every single being? A frustration at the object preventing him from satisfying his new instinct? Or is it his righteous anger at the blasphemous thought that his love toward Shen Yuan in any shape or form is a hindrance? He doesn't know. What he does know is that this inner conflict can be resolved very easily.

Yes, his love towards Shen Yuan doesn't let them take him as part of himself. Yes, it makes him abandon more effective means of gathering new limbs, forcing him to be much slower. But those things are not hindrances. They are challenges. Because he knows that there is one emotion familiar to every single member of his kind.

Boredom.

Right now, Luo Binghe can't say that he is bored. After all, he is in his most intense phase of becoming more. The phase when there are enough of him to be noticeable. The phase where he is already in every corner of the Earth but hasn't actually taken it to himself yet. It's the phase where he has to be careful yet decisive. It's the most interesting face. Luo Binghe can't deny it; he is exhilarated. Every time when he spreads limbs to new places, when he manages to take the entire cities, he feels excitement. Of course he does, it's the first time in his life he is doing it.

However, he can easily imagine how it could become boring for him. Because for all the risks, it wasn't particularly difficult to get to this phase.

Humans have no means of resisting him. They can't sense him, they can't prevent him from taking them, they don't even know that he exists. He has been incredibly careful. There is no challenge. Right now it's not boring. It's invigorating and fun. However, Luo Binghe can picture very clearly how the boredom could settle down in his mind. After all, this happened with every member of his kind.

This is what it always heard from the older hive minds: 'It just gets so boring after some time!' Sure, taking an entire planet is fun the first couple of times. But very soon the process becomes boring. Just satisfying the instinct becomes not enough.

That's when they make challenges for themselves.

They make the process of taking new parts more difficult for themselves. They alert themselves to the local population, letting them struggle for a while. They make their limbs act unnaturally, making their presence obvious. They create arbitrary rules for when they are allowed to take a new part. It even heard of a hive mind that made its limbs sing and dance wherever they went. (It did take the planet to itself in the end.)

And so Luo Binghe thinks to himself, is his love for Shen Yuan such a hindrance? Or is it a fun challenge? To collect every single part sans one. To ensure this one person stays oblivious. To keep this person happy.

A Hive mind’s fun lasts until it takes all the available. His fun will last for decades.

Luo Binghe sighs; a newfound confidence settles in his bones. He smiles at the feeling of a resolved inner conflict. Because his love for Shen Yuan could never be a bad thing. It's what motivates him to keep going. It's what keeps him on his toes. It's what makes it all worth doing.

Sure, sometimes those feelings are too overwhelming. Sometimes the desire to see Shen Yuan, to feel him, is too strong. Sometimes the jealousy is too strong.

But for the first time in his life Luo Binghe actually feels content in his jealousy. For the first time he isn't consumed by his urgent need to be everything for Shen Yuan.

After all, seeing how the things are going, soon he wouldn't have to be jealous. Because how could he be jealous when every single person on the Earth is him?

But that's for the future. For now he can think about Shen Yuan's happiness.

"Yuan-ge."

"Mm?"

They have been sitting in silence for some time. Shen Yuan reading one of his novels, Luo Binghe getting lost in thoughts.

It would be wrong to say that Luo Binghe has been visiting Shen Yuan more often lately. Before Binghe would pay a visit every day to cook and then take Shen Yuan out somewhere. It's just that lately he has been coming to his house for no reason. Sure, he still cooks and they go out together a lot. But now Luo Binghe can just come to Shen Yuan's house to chat, or read a book, or watch TV, or even sit in silence.

It's... surprisingly nice. Sure it's good to spend time doing something fun together, but there is also something very special about being in each other's presence.

"Let's say..." Luo Binghe begins. Shen Yuan looks at him. "So imagine that you can make every single person on Earth do something. They will do exactly as you say. What would you make them do?"

Shen Yuan puts away his phone and ponders the question.

"Well... Obviously I will try to achieve a world peace, I guess?" he shrugs. "I mean, you know how most of the world's problems could be solved if people just united? I would probably do just that. Stuff, like stopping all the wars, eliminating poverty, and doing something about global warming." He thinks some more. Then he awkwardly rubs his neck. "I'm not the best person to be given this power. I mean, of course I wouldn't use it for something selfish, but I'm not sure if I will be able to fix everything."

Luo Binghe just stares at him. Shen Yuan doesn't mind it. He does it sometimes, so he is already used to his best friend's quirks.

As expected, eventually Luo Binghe smiles sweetly at him. "What if I want you to use it for something selfish?"

Shen Yuan blinks at him.

"Yuan-ge is so noble, first thinking of other people when he is presented with such a power."

"Well, obviously that's what I would do. What am I even going to do with so many people at my disposal? Besides this is a huge power. Of course I would try to use it for the sake of humanity."

Luo Binghe pouts. "I'm not interested in humanity. I want to know how Shen Yuan would use everyone for the sake of his own selfish pleasure."

Shen Yuan rolls his eyes but thinks of the question regardless. It's not like they are deciding the fate of the world; it's just a hypothetical. However, he finds it surprisingly difficult to think of something. He could have said something like, 'I would make it that there are no lines when I want something' or 'I would make it that there are no slow elderly people taking up the whole sidewalk in front of me.’ However, he can't remember the last time he was in a situation like this. In fact, he can't remember the last time he was inconvenienced by anyone in public.

As he thinks he feels his phone vibrate in his hand. Automatically he checks it. A new chapter by his least favorite author, Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky.

"I would make it so that all the hack authors write something good for a change," he grumbles his answer.

"Is it that one author you always complain about?" Binghe asks, leaning into Shen Yuan's space and looking at his screen.

"Yes. He started out good, but by now it's obvious that he completely sold out to make some mediocre porn." Shen Yuan opens the chapter.

"So that's what you would do, if you could control every person? You would make them write better web novels?"

Shen Yuan suddenly feels flustered. He has completely forgotten the point of their conversation. Honestly, making people write better novels—what a nonsense! Surely Binghe thinks it's stupid.

When Shen Yuan turns his head to look at Luo Binghe, his face is awfully close. He is leaning against his side, his head on his shoulder. And the look on his face is not one of mockery. Instead, he looks at Shen Yuan with such open fondness, it makes his face glow. It should be reassuring for Shen Yuan that his friend doesn't think he is stupid, but for some reason he finds his face growing even hotter.

Xiang Fei never thought he was going to end up in such a situation.

He knew what kinds of people his works would attract. That's why since the beginning of uploading his works online, he has been exceptionally careful not to leave any identifying information. He had to study this shit. He had to learn all the ways people could dox him to prevent that. To prevent this situation.

There is someone at his door trying to open it.

The only reason he heard the quiet clicking inside his keyhole was because he had been writing late. The idea that he could have been sleeping right now, unaware of the danger so near, makes him feel sick.

He isn't sure why someone would try to break into his flat. He doubts it's a robber, considering that no one in this neighborhood has much money. Could it really be his fan who found his location? Or maybe it's a murder who decided to pick his apartment at random and kill him?

When he heard someone trying to open his door, he quietly leapt from his computer and hid in the closet. He knows that he shouldn't have done that. He should stand up, take his phone, and call the police. Or take something as a weapon. Or jump out of his window, broken legs be damned. Anything other than sitting in the most fucking obvious hiding spot.

And yet he realizes that he can't move. It's like he has been petrified, completely frozen in horror. He can't even force his finger to move. The idea of standing up and moving feels impossible. He is hyper aware of every little sound. His breathing. His pounding chest. Someone at his door is still trying to open it.

Xiang Fei thought he knew fear. He knew what it's like to depend on the whims of readers that could turn on him at any moment and leave him living on the street. He thought that's what it's like to fear for your life. Now he wants to laugh. Knew fear. As if! He knew what it's like to fear the numbers on his bank account being small. He knew nothing about what it's like to fear for your life.

Hysterically, Xiang Fei can't help but think that if he survives this night, writing fear will be so easy.

He doesn't know how long he sits in his closet. Logically he knows it can't be that long, but it still feels like an eternity has passed.

Then suddenly the sound stops.

Xiang Fei almost can't trust his ears when he hears voices. Two voices, to be exact. It sounds like they are having a conversation.

The wave of relief Xiang Fei is so strong he almost pukes. His body immediately starts shaking from the adrenaline he had to endure. It must be one of his neighbors! Someone must have been passing by and confronted the person trying to break into his flat. He will survive! He will live!

Then he hears a distinct sound of a key sliding into a keyhole.

"...So tomorrow is good?... Yeah... That's settled then... Yeah, yeah, I missed you too. See you!"

"Who is Shen Yuan talking to?"

Shen Yuan, who has been talking on the phone just now, jumps when he hears the voice behind his back.

"Binghe! Don't sneak up on me!"

Luo Binghe, who has just been cosplaying a character from a horror movie, pouts cutely. "I'm sorry, Yuan-ge." He scutters closer to look on the phone screen. "You didn't answer the question. Who were you talking to? I have a feeling this person is... unfamiliar to me."

"It's my sister, Shen Tang. I told you about her."

Luo Binghe appears to be thinking very hard about something. "She was... out of the country, right?"

Shen Yuan blinks. He doesn't remember telling Binghe that. He doesn't dwell on it. He must have forgotten about it. "Yes, that one. My family loves to travel, her included. She was out traveling in Europe for a while. And now she has finally came back!"

"And you... are planning to meet her?"

"Well, yes, of course. Why wouldn't I-?"

Shen Yuan pauses when he sees the expression on his best friend's face. He recognizes this look very well.

Ah, Binghe, seriously?

When Shen Yuan and Luo Binghe just became friends, Shen Yuan saw Luo Binghe as a perfect being. After all, he is handsome, has great personality and useful skills. And Shen Yuan's thoughts in this regard haven't changed. However, after spending so much time with the man, he noticed some things about him that changed the perspective from 'he is a literal perfection' to 'he is a mere mortal.'

Luo Binghe has his own flaws. He is perfectionistic to a concerning degree. He is prone to fits of anxiety. When he is with other people he is very closed off about his true feelings and tends to wear a mask. However, he has one problem that is much more pervasive. For the longest time Shen Yuan didn't realize what exactly was wrong with his friend. It all clicked when Luo Binghe opened up about his past. About the early death of his foster mother, about the abuse he suffered under the ‘care’ of his teacher, about the poverty he had to endure before he could improve his situation. It all painted a picture of a person who was abandoned at every step of the way.

So Luo Binghe has abandonment issues. Major abandonment issues. In the first weeks of them being friends Luo Binghe did a great job at hiding this part of himself. However, the more they spent time together, the more obvious it became just how needy Luo Binghe is.

And Shen Yuan... couldn't really tell that he minded it.

Sure, it was a little overwhelming at the beginning, when he just began showing this side of himself. But at this point Shen Yuan wants to say that he became rather proficient at dealing with Luo Binghe's emotions. After all, even if he has some issues, it only makes him even better in Shen Yuan's eyes. What friend would he be if he preferred the idealized mask Luo Binghe shows everyone instead of appreciating the flawed truth that only he gets to see?

Still, it doesn't mean Shen Yuan never feels exasperated with Luo Binghe's neediness. Well, that would be a wrong thing to say. He can handle some clinging. What he does find unreasonable is how jealous he is.

It could have been amusing to watch as an expression that can only be described as murderous appears on Luo Binghe's face every time Shen Yuan is out to see someone else. Except it's not funny to watch as Luo Binghe gets all withdrawn and tense. Shen Yuan tries to be understanding. He really does! But are his abandonment issues really so severe that he gets jealous of some random person who Shen Yuan sees once a year?

And what's even worse, Shen Yuan can see this exact expression right now!

"...Binghe."

"Of course Shen Yuan can go. Meet his sister. I will just stay at home. And wait for you." Luo Binghe says with flat, almost robotic inflection he gets only when he is really upset and doesn't want to show it (too obviously).

".........Binghe."

It's his sister! Sure, they have a great sibling relationship, but she is his sister! It's very different from being friends! Binghe, you don't have to worry about her replacing you!

Shen Yuan sighs. His man. He looks at his phone. An idea strikes him. "How about I invite her here? I will introduce you too. I'm sure you will like her," he proposes.

Shen Yuan remembers all the times when Luo Binghe would be jealous about someone, only to calm down when they got to hang out all together.

As expected, all the sulking has completely evaporated from Luo Binghe's face. Instead, he looks at Shen Yuan with his eyes full of stars. "This is a great idea! I'm looking forward to meeting her!"

Shen Yuan can't help but smile. "I'm sure you will like each other."

When Shen Tang finally arrives, it's a sweet reunion. There are a lot of hugs and loud complains about how they missed each other. There are some 'wow, you've grown so much!' from Shen Yuan. There are also some 'you look healthier, San-ge!' from Shen Tang which, lands then on the topic of a man standing in Shen Yuan's living room.

The introduction goes smoothly, although a bit stiff. Luo Binghe, for all his jealousy, never actually shows any of his negative emotions towards people Shen Yuan introduces him to. He always puts on a bright smile and a mask of friendliness. However, Shen Yuan, who knows Luo Binghe very well, can see the places where his performance falls flat, when his words come out as disingenuous. Shen Yuan isn't really worried about him. For all his distrust of new people, he always warmed up to them incredibly fast after meeting them.

Shen Tang, on the other hand, is also uncharacteristically stiff. It takes Shen Yuan a moment to realize why. It must be because he isn't the one to introduce her to his friends, especially those as gorgeous as Luo Binghe. It makes him want to laugh, to imagine his bold and confident little sister being so uncharacteristically shy. Still, he is sure they will like each other.

They spend the afternoon getting to know each other better. Shen Tang tells the funny stories from Europe. Shen Yuan and Luo Binghe tell her how they met. The conversation goes smoothly. And yet there is still a distinct note of stiffness in the air. Not too obvious, but enough to put Shen Yuan on the edge.

The tension snaps when they hear a door bell. The takeout must have arrived. Technically Luo Binghe could've cooked, but he has some hung-ups about cooking for other people, so Shen Yuan didn't want to force him to do something so intimate for a person he didn't know.

"I'll take it," Shen Yuan says. He stands up, leaving Shen Tang and Luo Binghe alone.

As he accepts the food, he can't help but fret inwardly. He hoped that his little sister and his best friend would like each other, but it doesn't seem like it. In fact the atmosphere doesn't get lighter at all! Those are two of Shen Yuan's most favorite people. He wants them to get along! But what if they end up not liking each other?

Anxious and tense, Shen Yuan comes back, and... he realizes that he didn't have to worry at all. In the short time Shen Yuan was gone, Luo Binghe decided to tell Shen Tang an embarrassing story featuring Shen Yuan. And so the man comes back to smug Luo Binghe and laughing Shen Tang. He tries to save the scraps of his dignity but only makes them both laugh even harder at him.

Shen Yuan pouts at them, which doesn't stop him from fussing over his meimei, who has gotten her hair all messed up after laughing so hard.

"Honesty, you are so grown already. You literally came back after traveling Europe! Where are your manners, huh?"

Shen Tang doesn't stop his fussing."San-ge is so caring."

"And what is it on your lips?"

Shen Tang cleans the bright red liquid from her lower lip with her thumb. To Shen Yuan's dismay, she puts it in her mouth. "It's a jam."

The following meal comes much more smoothly than before. Shen Yuan pouts at Shen Tang and Luo Binghe for laughing at him, but inwardly he is relieved. They really do get along.

The food is also pretty good. After being introduced to Luo Binghe's cooking, Shen Yuan was completely ruined for all the other food. It all just missed something. However, recently, he noticed that the food he ordered started to taste much better. It's like all the cooks started catering just to Shen Yuan's taste. He could even say that some of the food comes close to Luo Binghe's! None of it will ever be as good as his, of course. Nothing will compare to the homemade meal made by your beast friend. Still, Shen Yuan isn't sure why he is so lucky lately, but he will take it.

They spend their day like this, eating, chatting, bullying each other, with no previous tension in the air. By the time the evening comes, his skin is buzzing with happiness. That's when Shen Tang tells him that it's time for her to go.

Shen Yuan gives her a long hug as they stand at the front door. He is already prepared to say goodbye, when he notices something.

"What is this?" He points at the dark spot on Shen Tang's arm. He hasn't noticed it before, but now that he sees it, he can't help but think that it looks like a "...bruise?"

Shen Tang yelps as Shen Yuan pokes his finger right in the dark center, batting away his hands. "Don’t do that!"

"Where did you get a bruise? Do we need to kill someone?" Shen Yuan asks nonchalantly, still poking her arm.

Shen Tang just rolls her eyes. "I ran into a doorknob, San-ge. It was pretty embarrassing to be honest. Couldn't you leave me my dignity and not ask?"

Shen Yuan snorts. "What dignity?" Yet he does stop poking her arm and lightly rubs it instead, chasing away the ache. "I really missed you. Let's meet like this again, okay?"

Shen Tang grins at him. "Oh, we will," he goes out of the door.

Shen Tang turns her head the last time, and Shen Yuan can see her eyes crinkling happily.

One drop is enough.

One drop enters the mouth. One drop mixes with saliva. One drop slides down the esophagus into a stomach. One drop gets absorbed into a blood stream. One drop begins multiplying, replacing the original blood.

One drop is enough to replace an entire human being in less than a minute. To make them a part of something more.

The first thing to get assimilated is the periphery, the ability to move and sense.

It's a fascinating feeling really. Existing network shifts to accommodate the arrival of a new limb. The new limb learns where it fits in.

While the replacement is fast, integration takes time. As she walks another block Shen Tang still feels like her whole body is made of lead. Her legs are cottony, and she is wrecked by pins and needles. Like a leg that has fallen asleep and forgot what it's supposed to do.

Well, usually it's not that bad. But usually the integration is not that fast. That rushed.

And Shen Tang was a rushed job. Risky too. It would have been much safer to ambush her when she is far away from Shen Yuan. But what is done is done, and she can't tell that she regrets doing it.

The next thing to be integrated is the center. The mind is absorbed. The knowledge, skills, opinions, memories. It all gets looked over and then slotted into a correct place in the inner library of its mind. The person dies, and yet their perspective becomes a permanent part of the whole. Like a puzzle piece in a bigger picture.

And oh, what a wonderful new perspective Shen Tang brings with her.

She can't say that she has some exceptional knowledge or skills. She is not the master strategist or a logic, nor does she have any specialized knowledge in some filed, that can be used to become more. No, what she has is infinitely more precious.

There are so many with valuable knowledge. But it all pales in comparison with the most exclusive knowledge. Memories of the young Shen Yuan.

She gleefully sorts through her childhood memories. Shen Yuan as a child. Shen Yuan as a teenager. Shen Yuan as a young adult. Those are exclusive memories no one else could have access to. It felt good to collect a part that interacted with Shen Yuan. At first it set off Luo Binghe's jealousy, but then he realized that it doesn't matter who Shen Yuan interacted with in his past. What matters is that their memories are now his too. And he gets to have so many memories of Shen Yuan.

Shen Tang's memories, on the other hand, are something else entirely. She feels almost dizzy with joy mentally reliving some of those moments of the past that she used to take for granted.

Then she stumbles. A strange feeling fills her. Soon enough she realizes what it is. It appears that among the overwhelming adoration and love there is a hint of disgust. Like a frog's feet still twitching under the electrical current, she feels bile in her throat at the idea of having those feelings for her brother.

The emotion is thrown away. It's not useful anymore.

Instead, she thinks of something more useful. Like the location of her relatives.

After all, a good daughter should visit her family.

Min Yaping knows that she is stalling.

Procrastination was always one of her biggest problems when she was a student at University. Even after getting her job in the laboratory, she still didn't lose the habit of doing everything the last possible minute. It was one of her many peculiarities. A small quirk that never really impacted her life but created a small obstacle for her to overcome.

Right now it doesn't feel like a harmless quirk. Not when the fate of the whole humanity is on the line.

She never wanted to be in this situation. She was never the bravest or the most determined. She was always timid and shy, always anxious at the face of big problems. She had just enough strength to get what she wanted. And what she wanted was to study space. She didn't want to be responsible for the entire human population!

She was so upset when she learned that their laboratory got a hold of a meteorite while she was on her medical leave. She got even more upset when she learned that it had traces of organic matter. It was a huge discovery! A new life form from outer space!

As soon as she felt better, she instantly got holed up in a reinforced area of the laboratory and began experimenting on the mysterious red substance.

‘Reinforced area’ is its official name. However, Min Yaping thinks it would be more correct to call it a bunker. It's a small section of the facility she works in. It's equipped with everything you need to conduct your research and basic living necessities. One can comfortably live in there for months and months, completely isolated from the outer world. Originally it was made in case of a war, to ensure that researchers in their center could continue their experiments no matter what. Usually people don't use it, finding it too claustrophobic. But Min Yaping always found it weirdly comforting. That's what probably saved her. And that's what brought her into this mess.

When she realized that the strange red substance was actually an alien hive mind that has been infecting people, it was already too late. She... didn't know what to do. Assured that all her colleagues are probably dead, she did the only thing that came to mind. She closed the door to the bunker and began researching the substance.

She told herself that she is trying to gather the evidence. After all, how would she be able to prove the existence of an alien hive mind to the other scientists?

And so she studied the creature. She researched it. She watched it. She used the access her position granted her to watch the footage from the security cameras around the country. She watched as the thing replaced more and more people.

The more she researched, the more she watched, the weaker the excuse sounded to her ears. Because the more she waited ,the worse the situation became.

In the bunker she feels safe enough. It's uncomfortable, the canned food is depressing, the bed is killing her back, and maintaining hygiene is a nightmare. But despite all that, at least it's autonomic. Unless told, one wouldn't know that she is in there. She is comfortable saying that she is out of the hive's radar. But in the outside world...

Min Yaping has to be honest with herself. She isn't sure how many people are left in China. She has stalled long enough that, she is sure, she can't save her country anymore. But she still can save the earth.

Her best chance of reaching real people is to leave the country. She wouldn't be able to use any airplanes as they are likely controlled by the hive at this point, so her best bet would be to leave China by land. The hardest part would be reaching the outside of the city, where the creature has less control. After leaving the country! she would have to be exceptionally careful. She could never know how many infected people out there.

But after she tells someone else.

Min Yaping feels a surge of determination. The creature might spread fast, but the information spreads faster. She just needs to tell someone else, and then the process will be unstoppable. They might have lost many people, but it’s doesn't mean they have to give up.

She takes a deep breath. She is done stalling. She is doing it today. She is—

The bunker’s door opens.

"Ah, there you are! I have lost you!"

A wave of horror so powerful washes over Min Yaping, she feels rooted to place. She numbly watches as the body that used to belong to Tian Shufen waltzes into the laboratory.

"You know, I'll give you that: it's a great hiding place. You almost got me there."

Tian Shufen was her senior. She was a confident woman with big presence despite her small stature. She was determined and driven and so inspiring. Min Yaping is forced to admit that she had a small crush on her. She wonders if that's why her body was chosen for this job.

'Tian Shufen' smirks, "Such a hateful expression. Is that how you greet your superior?"

Min Yaping feels a wave of loathing surge through her. "My superior is dead," she growls, a sound she was unaware she was capable of making.

'Tian Shufen' just shrugs. "I guess you are right in a sense. But she is not entirely gone. She is dead and yet she is still here. I'm still here." She tilts her head, giving her a meaningful glance. "You can be with me too. We can be together."

The smile 'Tian Shufen' gives is so familiar, Min Yaping almost gives in. And yet for all the familiarity it's not the same. There is something distinctly foreign in the quirk of her lip and the crinkle of her eyes.

Min Yaping shakes her head. She reaches under the table and takes out the gun. 'Tian Shufen's' smile goes dark.

"Easy now. What do you think you are doing? You think this will stop me?"

"No, but at least it will slow you down." Min Yaping hisses through her gritted teeth.

'Tian Shufen' gives her a look over. She looks at the mess of Min Yaping's work, a can of half-eaten tuna, and her dull oily hair. Against all reason Min Yaping has to stop herself from squirming under the scrutiny of her gaze. As if her dirty hair has any relevance to the situation.

After a tense pause, 'Tian Shufen' clicks her tongue. "You know what I don't understand? What are you trying to achieve? What is the end goal?"

"As if I tell you."

"Are you planning to hide from me forever? I will find you eventually." She makes a pause. When Min Yaping doesn't answer, she continues. "Or what, are you going to stop me? Are you trying to..."

Min Yaping can't suppress the small flinch. It doesn't go unnoticed.

'Tian Shufen's' eyes widen, and her lips slowly spread in an amused smirk. She laughs mockingly. "Ah, Pingping, you know that it's too late for that, do you?"

Min Yaping's face flushes with humiliation, yet she is still silent.

"How are you planning to do it? Are you going to play a lone superhero? You do know that there is no one who can help you, don't you?"

"You might have taken a lot of people, but when the rest of humanity learns—"

"What rest of humanity? All of China is part of me now. Every country has my limb in a position of power. By the end of the next month there will be no spare parts left. There will be no people to help you."

Min Yaping stares at her in stunned silence. "But you—" she tries, and then stops, realizing that she has nothing to stay.

Is she late? Did her inaction really doom humanity? The enormity of the situation threatens to swallow her mind, and she feels something going numb inside her.

She doesn't know how long she stands there in silence when she finally finds her voice. "Can I ask a final question?"

'Tian Shufen' with an expression of patronizing benevolence gestures for her to go on.

Min Yaping takes a deep breath. "Was there ever a chance?" she asks, her voice quiet and shaky. "Was there ever a chance for humanity to stop you?"

There is a beat of silence.

"No."

Min Yaping nods.

The guilt doesn't let go of her completely. And yet her heart is light when he presses the gun to her temple and shots.

Tian Shufen blinks disoriented, her ears ringing. She shakes her head. When her hearing clears, she looks at the mess.

She should have probably expected it, but she still feels slightly disappointed. Sure, like this, she can take her body, but her mind is completely ruined. She sighs. She was really interested in Min Yaping’s thoughts regarding them. Oh well, at least she dealt with this loose end.

Satisfied with the job done, she leaves to find the cleaning supplies. After all, someone has to clean the mess. As she goes through a familiar motions, she zones out, like turning on the autopilot mod. Her attention shifts to something more pleasant.

For example, to Shen Yuan sitting in Luo Binghe's arms.

They are sitting on the sofa together. Shen Yuan is leaning his back against Luo Binghe, who hugs him by his waist. Like this, Luo Binghe can feel the vibrations of Shen Yuan's laughter.

They are watching a reality show.

One of the people on the screen does something stupid, making Shen Yuan laugh even louder.

"Do you watch reality shows often?" Luo Binghe asks, nuzzling into Shen Yuan's hair.

"No, not really," Shen Yuan answers, his hand reaching to absentmindedly scratch Luo Binghe's head. "I always found them very boring actually. I'm surprised that this one is so fun. Maybe I should watch more of it."

Pleased for having his work praised, Luo Binghe hides a smile in Shen Yuan's hair.

Wang Ju's hands are fluttering above the keyboard. In front of him there is a setup with multiple computer monitors. There are so many of them that they take up almost the entire wall, stretching up to the ceiling. But even this doesn't feel like enough.

Wang Ju would have preferred it to use more traditional materials, like a corkboard with strings and pictures, something he can hold in his hands and move around. But then certainly there would not be enough space to fit everything he needs, and he can't have that! He needs to have all those elements in check. This project is enormous; he can't afford to miss anything.

After all, it's not easy to run a planet.

Wang Ju never thought he would say it, but the time was much more simple when his only worry was collecting new parts. There are only a handful of them missing. Very soon all of humanity will be him.

And so, now instead of just gathering new limbs, he needs to think about more pragmatic, mundane things. Like how to run the place.

The most common strategy is to leave the limbs to their own devices. Like a millipede not thinking about what its legs are doing, just knowing that they are bringing it where it needs. It's the simplest strategy that doesn't require much thinking. Just let the autopilot take the rule and watch what happens. Humans are already stable enough. He can just let them run around and do their things, making any conscious decisions only when they are about to destroy themselves.

However, Wang Ju can't just let the things play out as they did before. After all, he needs to make Shen Yuan happy. And Shen Yuan wants world peace. He wants to stop the wars and poverty and climate change. And to achieve all that, he needs to do many things.

It's easy enough to stop the wars. Poverty is a little more difficult. Shen Yuan was right; there are enough resources to provide every part with shelter, food, and clothing. But it's a logistical nightmare to distribute it across the globe. Dealing with climate change will have to be a long game. However, there are many things he can do to lay the foundation.

Still, it's difficult work. Wang Ju puts his head on the table and stares at the giant diagram. So much work! He has to decide so many things!

It's all interconnected. Food, water, resources, electricity, textiles, infrastructure, even clean streets for fuck’s sake! It's all connected! He can't just mindlessly change even the small thing without it rippling through the entire system. And maybe he doesn't have to think about nebulous things like “monetary profits.” But he does need to keep his part from starving.

This whole idea of optimizing the system really creates so many questions. Because does he really need that many limbs? Should he just get rid of them to make managing them easier? Or maybe he needs even more people? It reminds him that he really needs to establish a population pipeline. Rearing children shouldn't be too difficult, as they will already be born as limbs. They will be protected from illnesses and injuries by their sticky blood, and they will have all the needed knowledge in their disposal. Wang Ju thinks about it some more. Then he sighs. He will have to make sure that there are always a number of people conducting research. Even if Shen Yuan didn't mention it, Wang Ju is sure he will want to see technologies evolve.

It's a migraine-inducing problem. It's good that at least Wang Ju has access to all of the planet’s resources, both physical and intellectual. The problem is much easier when he has millions of specialists at his disposal. It's still a monumental work.

However, for all its monumentality, there are already some fruits of his labors.

Tsang Shui watches as Shen Yuan reads something on his phone. Usually, she would have to be sneaky about it, but he looks completely immersed, not even touching the tea in front of him.

From her point she can't see what he is reading, but Xu Zhiqiang can. He squints slightly, leaning forward, before he can make out the words. He immediately recognizes the novel. It's one of his.

Xu Zhiqiang huffs quietly.

It's probably funny that the entire planet is bending over backwards to please just one man. Building up a complex strategy to ensure the comfort of one man. Millions of writers, artists, and actors are working right now to make entertainment that caters to the taste of one man.

Still, he can't be bitter about it. Just the sight of Shen Yuan sitting there, reading one of their novels and enjoying it, fills his chest with warmth.

The entire cafe lets out a long and content sigh. Shen Yuan is too immersed to notice.

In moments like this it feels like it's all worth it.

Airplane Shooting Towards The Sky is not what Shen Yuan expected.

Well, it's not like he had a mental image of him, so he didn't have a concrete expectation. But his eyebrows raise slightly when he sees the man sitting in the corner of the cafe they agreed to meet.

Airplane told him before that he was almost thirty. But looking at the man, one wouldn't think that at all. Despite his prominent eye bags, he looks surprisingly young. Paired with his horrible slouch, making him smaller, he looks more like a timid teenager than a grown man writing filthy porn for living.

Well, maybe Shen Yuan is a little unfair to him. After all, he hasn't been writing porn for several months now.

"Hey," Shen Yuan approaches the man, unceremoniously dropping into a chair in front of him.

Airplane yelps and jumps in his seat startled. He looks up with his round eyes, which remind Shen Yuan of a mouse. Or a hamster.

Finally, shock changes into recognition. However, his eyes don't get any smaller. Instead, it seems like they go even wider as Airplane takes in Shen Yuan's appearance. "Cucumber bro?" He asks hesitantly.

Shen Yuan shrugs. "The one and only."

The stupid surprised expression morphs into the sleaziest smile Shen Yuan had ever seen. "My, my! I didn't expect the guy hiding behind the 'peerless cucumber' handle to look like this. Who would have thought that my most loyal hater would be a pretty boy type?"

Shen Yuan bristles, his cheeks growing hot from anger."Who's talking?!" He snaps at him, to which Airplane only laughs.

Shen Yuan has been reading Airplane's works for the last couple of years.

It all started with a YY novel. A typical novel about an underdog climbing to the top and ruining everyone who hurt him in the past. It's strange to think that originally he thought of this web novel as promising. Sure, it was filled with cliches, torture porn, and cringy dialogs. However, there were also a lot of original ideas and a lot of plot threads ready to be resolved, and don't let him start on world building. So basically Shen Yuan liked this novel. It wasn't perfect, but it was promising.

But then something happened.

The novel was seemingly moving to its logical finish. The protagonist climbed to the top, got his golden finger, and got his revenge on the scum villain. Everything was moving in a direction of being a good old revenge story. The novel was about to end. All that was left was to write an epilogue addressing some loose ends. The novel was supposed to end here.

And then it didn't.

Suddenly, instead of addressing existing loose threads, the author began introducing new elements. And then more. And then some more! And then, instead of explaining those plot points, the novel pivoted into a completely different direction! Suddenly it was a stallion novel! Suddenly it was filled to the brim with nonsensical plots, cardboard cutout wife characters, and the most repetitive and uninspired papapa scenes.

It was awful.

That's when Peerless Cucumber got his reputation as the biggest hater. He religiously read the dreadful novel, leaving his scathing criticism in the comments. Nothing was left unmentioned, not prose, not characters, not plot.

This routine lasted years.

Until a few months ago the novel... changed.

For the first time since the novel's conceptions, Airplane took a small break. And when he returned, his writing was... different.

Of course it was obvious that it was the same author. However, the content of the novel completely shifted. Instead of collecting infinite wives, the protagonist actually began resolving the plot points. The questions that were asked in the beginning of the novel finally were receiving answers. The plot points were tying themselves together. New information appeared, completely recontextualizing the previous thousands of chapters. And there was no more nonsensical porn!

The novel was good again.

And then it ended.

Despite the utter mess that was before, the ending was good. Retroactively it made the bullshit Shen Yuan had to sit through worth it.

It's during those few months when Shen Yuan became friends with Airplane.

It's hard to say the exact moment it happened. Shen Yuan had been negative comments under Airplane's work for years, and sometimes he even got short, nonsensical responses. But then Airplane changed, and Shen Yuan for the first time in years had something nice to say. So he did. Airplane started answering his comments more often. Then they started writing each other in DMs. They started chatting more often, until their relationship morphed into a proper friendship.

It was strange. Being friends with Airplane was not at all like being friends with Luo Binghe. But it was nice.

Which brings him to this moment: Shen Yuan and Airplane deciding to meet in real life. And despite seeing each other for the first time Shen Yuan feels surprisingly comfortable.

"So you are planning to write the next novel?" Shen Yuan asks, stabbing his ice-cream with a spoon.

"Yep," Airplane answers. He stuffs his mouth with a crepe, smearing his entire face with cream in the process. "I'm in the planning stage at the moment. I wanted to take a break before starting a new novel. I think I deserve some proper rest after finishing my masterpiece, don't you agree?"

Shen Yuan hums. "You know, I was meaning to ask you a question about it."

Airplane gives him a silent 'go on,' so Shen Yuan continues. "Don’t think that I’m complaining, but your novel was hot garbage for many years. Why did you decide to make it good at the end?" he asks casually.

Airplane chokes around his crepe. "Wow, bro, you really don't pull your punches, huh? Hot garbage, really? And then I decided to start writing good? Wow, bro, you are merciless."

Shen Yuan rolls his eyes. "Don't pretend like you don't know what I am talking about. You read my comments; you know my opinion of your work." Shen Yuan sneers at him. "So what happened? Why did you decide to stop writing this bullshit?"

"This bullshit was all part of a plan! You know that it was explained in chapter 6649! You praised how it recontextualized everything!"

"Cut the crap, Airplane, we both know you didn't plan shit. The retcons, were elegant I’ll give you that. And somehow they saved your novel from being a complete waste of time. But I refuse to believe it was what you originally planned."

For a moment Airplane just chews his crepe thoughtfully. Then he sighs. "You know I had to change my novel in the first place?" His voice suddenly turns solemn and sad.

Shen Yuan shakes his head, and Airplane sighs. Then he rubs his neck. "The reason is actually quite mundane. I just really needed money."

Shen Yuan blinks. "Money?"

"Yeah. I wrote novels before, but it was the first time it really took off. All my income was completely tied to it, so when I begun coming to an end, I... got scared, I guess? I was worried I wouldn't be able to make something as popular again, so I decided to continue it to see what will happen. And surprisingly not only my did my readers not turn back from me, but my novel also became even more popular!" Airplane sighs. "To stay relevant, I wrote what my reader wanted to see, which were more wives, more porn, and bigger stakes." He shrugs with a feigned indifference. "That’s why my novel turned into what it turned."

Shen Yuan nods. "So you sold out?"

Airplane winces, "Yeah... basically."

"But it doesn't answer my question," Shen Yuan frowns. "What changed? Why did you decide to make it good in the end?"

Airplane is silent for a long time.

"Let’s say..." he begins slowly, "that the money stopped being a priority for me, " he says with a strange tone. "I got the new goal, and to achieve it I needed my novel to be good."

Shen Yuan frowns at Airplane's tone. Something about it makes it sound like there is something that he is missing. Like a person seeing two people share a private joke he is not in. He shakes his head slightly. That's none of his business. Airplane and he are friends, but they are not that close. Shen Yuan doesn't pry.

"So..." Airplane breaks the awkward silence. "You really thought my novel was good in the end, huh?"

A furious blush appears on Shen Yuan's cheeks. "I will not repeat myself," he says. "I've already said what I wanted to say."

Airplane smiles widely, and his eyes crinkle. "Wow bro, I thought you would be somewhat nicer face-to-face but it seems you are just as tsundereish as you are online," he teases.

"Who are you calling a tsundere?" Shen Yuan shouts at his as loud as he can afford to in a public place. He expects people to scold him and be quiet, but surprisingly no one does.

Airplane just laughs.

"Binghe?" Shen Yuan calls as he steps into his apartment.

"Yuan-ge?" the voice calls from the living room, as expected.

This arrangement has been going on for too long for Shen Yuan to dwell on it at this point. But he still sometimes wonders how it turned out that Luo Binghe essentially became his roommate. It had been a slow, gradual process until it became a new norm.

Luo Binghe now lives in Shen Yuan's apartment. He doesn't mind it.

His fluffy head appears from the living room, and Luo Binghe gives him a sunny smile. "How did your... meeting go?"

Shen Yuan can't help but laugh at the hint of disgust in his voice. He crosses the small distance between them to pat his head. "It went well."

Shen Yuan is actually very proud of Luo Binghe. Just a few months ago, Shen Yuan couldn't have imagined going to meet his internet friend alone without Luo Binghe becoming unreasonably distressed. Nowadays he just pouts and then asks how things went. It's a nice feeling. Both knowing that Luo Binghe trusts him and knowing that Shen Yuan fostered this trust.

Luo Binghe accepts the head pat with usual enthusiasm. He leads Shen Yuan to the living room, where he can tell the details more comfortably.

"He really wasn't what I expected. But it was nice to talk to him." Shen Yuan starts, "It's a huge coincidence that we live so close. Although..." he huffs, "Maybe I shouldn't be surprised about
at this point. My life has been horribly lucky recently, " he laughs.

Luo Binghe freezes. Then he tilts his head like a puppy, his voice sounding slightly strained. "What do you mean?"

Shen Yuan just shrugs. "I don't know. It just seems like everything in my life is just so much better down to small things. Honestly some times it feels like I have a very dedicated guardian angel. Like, for example, there is always a free seat for me when I'm taking a bus, or when I go to the cafe it's always quiet. My favorite things are never out of stock. I always manage to snag the merch that I want." He shrugs again. "Life feels so nice to me lately," he says slowly.

Luo Binghe looks... surprisingly teary-eyed. He smiles, and his eyes sparkle with unshed tears. "Do you like it? Does it all make you happy?" his voice thick with emotion.

Shen Yuan looks at his friend quizzically. "Of course I like it. Who wouldn't?"

Luo Binghe sends him a smile. So fond and sweet and full of emotion, like they aren't talking about Shen Yuan being lucky recently but about something else.

"I'm glad," Luo Binghe says, his voice wavering but undeniably happy.

Shen Yuan just smiles at his strange emotional friend. He pats his head again but doesn't think much about the conversation.

However, unbeknownst to him, at this moment every single person on this planet pauses whatever they were going.

They stand there in silence for a moment, a glowing warmth spreading through them.

They sigh, and a content smile appears on their faces.

There is only one thought on their mind.

Everything for you, Shen Yuan.