Yu Han and Jiang Shao sat at the last bench of the classroom, while, Professor Lin, a man whose voice possessed the unique ability, to lull a stadium to sleep, was lecturing on The Intricacies of Capital Adequacy and Basel III Requirements.
It was, by any measure, the most mind-numbingly boring subject in the entire finance curriculum.
Yet, three benches ahead, Yang Zi sat ramrod straight, completely focused on each word of professor Lin.
Meanwhile, Yu Han's gaze was fixed on the back of Yang Zi's neck, tracing the delicate curve where his hair met his collar.
He hadn't heard a single metric or risk assessment ratio Professor Lin had uttered. His mind was consumed by regret and the desperate need to bridge the physical and emotional chasm that lay between them.
This wasn't just a fight; it was an exile.
They had fought countless times over trivial things—who finished the milk, who played too much online—but those skirmishes lasted hours, maybe half a day at most. This time, Yang Zi had not spoken a word since yesterday evening. He was punishing Yu Han with silence, and it was far more effective than any shouted accusation.
The fact that Yang Zi was actually paying detailed attention to the lecture—a man who usually slouched next to Yu Han, sketching caricatures of the professor—was the clearest indicator of his fury. He was projecting an image of academic absorption, demonstrating just how irrelevant Yu Han had become to his immediate environment.
Since morning, Yu Han had attempted to interact with him but he met with calculated avoidance. If Yu Han appeared in the hallway, Yang Zi would pivot and walk into the nearest restroom. At the cafeteria, he sat with strangers. His lips seemed sealed tight, a refusal to even acknowledge Yu Han's existence.
Jiang Shao, bless his oblivious heart, was perched next to Yu Han, trying valiantly to focus on his notes, but his curiosity won out. He momentarily glanced at the professor, then at the desolate figure of Yu Han, and finally at the stiff silhouette of Yang Zi.
He leaned in, tapping Yu Han's elbow sharply, his voice dropping to a barely audible rasp that still held a hint of mischievousness.
"Hey," Jiang Shao whispered. "Did your wife finally decide to leave you? What happened this time? Yang Zi's sitting three rows up; that's grounds for divorce."
Yu Han let out a long, weary sigh, his shoulders slumped. "He's furious. Hasn't uttered a single syllable to me since yesterday."
"Ah, that explains it," Jiang Shao muttered, nodding sagely. "He wouldn't respond to me either when I greeted him outside. I thought I'd offended him, but it was just residual anger from your mess, huh?"
Jiang Shao risked another glance at Yang Zi, who was meticulously highlighting a paragraph about credit default swaps. "What did you even do to deserve the full, high-definition Silent Treatment? It must be serious."
"It is." Yu Han ran a hand through his hair, glancing nervously toward the front of the room. "It's a long story, Shao. A really long one."
At this point, Jiang Shao ceased pretending to study. The promise of drama was far more compelling than the fluctuating interest rates.
"I don't care if the story spans a trilogy," he blurted out, slightly too loud. The student in front of him shushed him. Jiang Shao winced and lowered his voice. "Just tell me, Yu Han. I'm your emotional support system. Lay it on me."
"I can't. Not here." Yu Han sighed. "First, I need a chance to talk to him. I need to apologize properly."
Hearing this dismissal, Jiang Shao felt genuinely slighted. His voice was laced with exaggerated hurt. "Wow. You guys really don't consider me a friend, do you? I'm just background noise. That's great. I guess I'm the only one trying to hold this dysfunctional friendship together."
A pang of guilt hit Yu Han. He reached out and patted Jiang Shao's arm reassuringly. "Don't be stupid. We're in the middle of a class where people are sleeping, not a dark alley. How am I supposed to whisper the details of my massive screw-up without alerting the entire room?"
Jiang Shao looked around at the dozen drooping eyelids. "Hmm. Yeah, you're right. Sorry." He slumped back, mollified. "Okay, fine. After class, you owe me the full, uncut version."
The mundane lecture continued for what felt like an eternity. When Professor Lin finally clapped his hands and announced, "We will continue our discussion on leveraged transactions tomorrow," the relief was palpable.
The room, instantly energized, erupted into a chaotic symphony of scraping chairs, rustling notebooks, and relieved chatter.
In the middle of the deluge, Yu Han saw his opportunity. Jiang Shao, eager for the gossip, was hot on his heels.
Yu Han moved quickly, pacing toward Yang Zi's bench. Yang Zi was still seated, painstakingly putting away his pen and closing his textbook, giving the impression that he had nowhere else to be.
Yu Han stopped beside him, his throat dry. He coughed nervously to get his attention.
"Yang Zi..." he began, his voice shaky, pitching it low so only they could hear. "... please just listen to me for one minute. I know I messed up."
Yang Zi slowly lifted his head. His eyes were cold, distant, and sharper than Yu Han had ever seen them. He shot Yu Han a look of absolute venom, a clear, silent instruction to stay away. Then, without speaking, he swiftly stood up, gathering his bag.
He was about to step past them when Jiang Shao, in a desperate attempt at mediation, moved quickly and slung his arm around Yang Zi's shoulder.
"Come on, Yang Zi, don't be like this," Jiang Shao pleaded, trying to physically anchor him. "At least listen to him. You two are like husband and wife; how can you ignore him over this? Look at him, he's practically drowning in regret."
The words of 'husband and wife' usually brought a faint blush or a playful shove from Yang Zi, but today, they had zero effect. Yang Zi tensed, his expression hardening further.
He practically yanked Jiang Shao's hand off his shoulder as if it were contaminated, and hustled out of the classroom, refusing to utter a single word or even glance back.
Yang Zi, you are honestly the most stubborn man.
Jiang Shao stared after him, bewildered, ready to pursue, but Yu Han reached out and gripped his friend's wrist.
"Jiang Shao, leave him alone," Yu Han said, the defeat heavy in his voice.
"But... look at how angry he is!" Jiang Shao protested.
"He's angry only because of me," Yu Han cut him off gently. "I don't want him to take it out on you, too. This is between us. I'll talk to him when we get home."
He sighed, watching the spot where Yang Zi had disappeared. "I just hope he hasn't thrown away all my clothes yet."
The college day drew to a tranquil close, students lingering, as their laughter echoed across the campus grounds as they savored the last moments of freedom before the evening.
Jiang Shao, however, was not among them; he remained behind, for some duties of upcoming college event.
As dusk began to paint the sky in hues of orange and purple, Yu Han glanced at his watch. It was almost time for his part-time shift at Mr. Wu's Restaurant.
He bid Jiang Shao goodbye, his steps heavy as he started his walk toward his apartment. He pulled out his phone, and with a familiar ache in his chest, he tried Yang Zi's number, only to be met with the curt message that the number was blocked. Again.
A heavy sigh escaped Yu Han's lips, the sound lost in the growing quiet of the evening. His heart was a leaden weight in his chest.
"What should I do now? How can I make things like before? Yang Zi, please talk to me! " Yang Zi was more than a friend; he was the only family Yu Han had ever truly known. And now, because of his own foolish mistakes, he had pushed Yang Zi away. The thought was unbearable. He couldn't just let Yang Zi slip out of his life.
Lost in his despair, Yu Han turned into a silent, and narrow alley, a shortcut he often took.
His hands were shoved deep into his pockets, his backpack hanging loosely over one shoulder. The old streetlights flickered erratically, bathing the alley in an alternating glow of sickly yellow and oppressive darkness.
"Fuck!" Yu Han muttered, his frustration bubbling over. "Now what? Even these damn lights are making me irritated."
He took a few more steps, but an unsettling prickle ran down his spine. A subtle, and unfamiliar rhythm echoed behind him, a faint thump-thump that didn't quite match his own stride.
His heart gave a nervous flutter. Instinctively, he quickened his pace, and not dared to look back. The footsteps behind him mirrored his acceleration, growing louder, and more distinct. "Someone is definitely following me."
Dread began to coil in his stomach. He tried to catch a glimpse from the corner of his eye, and his blood ran cold.
Two shadowy figures, clad entirely in black, moved with an unnerving stealth. Their faces were obscured by dark masks, their heads covered by baseball caps.
"Calm down, Yu Han," he whispered to himself, his voice barely audible above the frantic thumping of his heart. "It's not what you're thinking. They're normal men, maybe our paths are just the same."
Yet, even as he tried to reassure himself, a chilling certainty settled deep in his gut: he was in danger. He didn't slow down.
Then, a deep, gravelly voice sliced through the silence of the alley, making him jump. "Hey, you... young man!"
"Fuck! They're calling me!" Yu Han's breath hitched, his heart leaping into his throat. A cold sweat broke out across his skin. His mind screamed, What do I do now?
He couldn't stop. He wouldn't. Fuelled by pure terror, he broke into a desperate sprint. Just as he expected, the two figures behind him surged forward, their footsteps pounding in pursuit.
"What the hell do they want from me? Fuck! I don't even have money! Just my phone, and I can't give that to them! Ah, God, save me!" Panic choked him, making his lungs burn.
The men behind him were relentless, their shouts echoing ominously. "Hey, young man... stop right there!"
"Fuck, stop following me!" Yu Han cursed, pushing his legs to their absolute limit. But they were like seasoned predators, closing in with chilling efficiency.
He risked another glance over his shoulder. They were too close. "No... no... stay away from me!" His voice was a ragged gasp. He was breathless, his body screaming for him to stop. His vision blurred at the edges, his muscles screaming.
"God save me! Next time, I'll definitely take my physical health seriously!" He was panting heavily, gasping for air.
They were almost upon him. Just as one of them lunged, his hand reaching for Yu Han's collar, Yu Han instinctively ducked, and twisted away.
With a desperate surge of adrenaline, he unslung his backpack, converting it into a makeshift weapon. He swung it wildly, desperate flailing that caught one of his pursuers off balance.
"Go away, you bastards!" he screamed, his voice raw with fear and exertion. "I don't even have ten yuan with me! I'm just a student, go find a rich man!"
But his cries were met with chilling determination. These men had a different motive, far beyond petty robbery. They refused to let him go.
Suddenly, a sharp ring pierced the frantic chaos – his phone. In a moment of sheer desperation, Yu Han put all his remaining strength into one last shove with his bag, and caught both men off guard. They stumbled, and fumbled on the ground for a precious second.
Yu Han didn't hesitate. He fumbled for his phone and answered,"Li Hao… Li Hao…" he gasped, trembling.
On the other end, Li Hao's casual evening was shattered. "Yu Han, what's wrong? Why are you panting like this?" he asked, in concern.
He had been standing outside Yu Han's apartment, waiting as usual, but the sound of Yu Han's ragged breathing sent a jolt of fear through him.
"Li Hao... some men... some men are chasing me..." Yu Han choked out, still running, his voice laced with terror. "I'm... I'm stuck here... in the back alley..."
Li Hao's heart hammered against his ribs, and a cold dread seized him. He knew that alley. "Yu Han, don't be afraid!" he shouted, his voice tight with desperation.
He was already sprinting, his feet pounding on the pavement. "I'm coming right now! Stay on the call with me, Yu Han!" A chilling premonition gripped him – a sudden, icy fear for Yu Han's safety. He had to keep him talking. He had to get there.
But then, the line went dead. The call disconnected. Li Hao's breathlessly cried o
,"Yu Han! Hello? Yu Han!" but he only met o with silence.
He redialed frantically, but the phone was off. His heart hammered, a sickening drumbeat of terror and helplessness. He ran faster, pushing past the pain in his lungs, his mind screaming Yu Han's name.
Meanwhile, a few alleyways away, Yu Han lay sprawled on the cold, and hard ground, a blossoming crimson stain darkening his hair. Blood trickled down his temple, obscuring his vision.
The two men loomed over him, their dark silhouettes menacing against the flickering streetlights. Yu Han was drenched in sweat, his eyes half-lidded, struggling to stay conscious.
One of the men kicked him roughly in the stomach. "Damn, you made us run kilometres, you little shit. We're fucking exhausted because of you."
"Hey," the second man warned,"Don't do more. He's barely conscious. He'll die if you beat him more."
"Huh! Fine. Let's just get him in the car."
Yu Han heard their words, distant and distorted, as if filtered through water. His eyes blurred further, the world spinning into a dizzying vortex.
Then, slowly, irrevocably, everything began to fade to black. Just before the darkness swallowed him whole, a fleeting silhouette flashed across his blurring vision – a familiar shape, distinct and terrifying, just like the night he witnessed a man shot in the convenience store.
With the last vestiges of his strength,he whispered for the person he knew would come.
"Li... Li... Hao..." And then, nothing.