The journey was four hours long. Barely halfway through, Ning Wen already felt the heaviness behind his eyes. The gentle rumble of the bus and the steady wind from the window weren't helping either. He looked calm, composed—but his body screamed for a nap.
"Doc Ning, you look tired. Want some water?" Tang Zeyan's voice came from beside him.
Ning Wen turned, and there it was—a cold bottle held out toward him. He didn't protest protest. "Thanks," he murmured.
Tang Zeyan twisted the cap open before handing it over, watching him drink with that same easy smile.
"Would you like some snacks? I've plenty."
Before Ning Wen could respond, Tang Zeyan held up his travel bag, which looked suspiciously stuffed—with snacks, not clothes.
"I'm fine—"
Too late. Tang Zeyan was already dropping packets of chips into his lap like a proud kid offering treasure.
Ning Wen blinked, sighed softly, and decided it wasn't worth arguing. He opened a packet and began eating, crunching quietly. "Thank you," he said with the kind of politeness that barely hid resignation.
Tang Zeyan beamed. "Would you like a cold drink too?"
"No, I—"
"What about cookies?" Tang Zeyan asked before Ning Wen could finish, pulling out another packet. "Do you like sweets? Or spicy stuff? How much spice can you handle? Do you think the camp is really in the middle of a jungle? Are there wild animals?"
His words tumbled out in one breath, voice bright and curious, eyes gleaming like a kid on a field trip.
Ning Wen lowered his head, lips twitching somewhere between laughter and despair. Just when he'd thought the boy was thoughtful and quiet, he'd turned out to be a walking, talking question mark.
'So much for peace and quiet,' Ning Wen thought. 'He's like caffeine with legs.'
Tang Zeyan was still talking, his tone bright and easy. "Being a doctor must be tough. Always busy, always tired, right? Brother Ning, you're really so amazing." His eyes practically sparkled with admiration—or mischief. It was hard to tell.
Ning Wen sighed, rubbing his forehead with two fingers. He could already feel another wave of questions incoming, relentless as a caffeine rush. He wasn't sure if Tang Zeyan genuinely admired him or was just enjoying the torment.
Meanwhile, a few seats behind them, Liang Yue was facing a crisis of his own.
"What are you doing?" Tang Ruihan's low, smooth voice broke the silence. His gaze followed Liang Yue's movements as the older man tried—very unconvincingly—to shove several snack packets deep into his bag and cover them with spare clothes.
Liang Yue froze. "Hiding my snacks in case you ask for them," he said automatically—then immediately realized what he'd just confessed. "Oh crap, I wasn't supposed to say that…"
Tang Ruihan blinked once, then laughed softly. The sound was warm, deep, the kind of chuckle that could melt steel. "Don't worry, Brother Yue," he said, lips curving into an easy smile. "I won't steal your snacks. You can have them all to yourself."
Liang Yue's heart betrayed him with a loud thud. "I—I didn't mean that. I mean, you can have some if you want... I just—ugh, whatever. Could you not talk like that?"
"Like what?" Tang Ruihan asked, voice calm as ever, resting his chin on his palm.
Liang Yue threw his hands up. "That! That smooth, mature thing you do. You sound like you've got your life together. Stop it. I'm the older one here—I should be the composed one. So please, act like a proper twenty-three-year-old and stop being so... so fine."
Tang Ruihan chuckled again, softer this time, his eyes glinting. "Alright, Brother Yue. I'll act however you want."
Liang Yue blinked rapidly, face heating up. "No! You're still doing it! Just—don't talk and don't keep looking at me." He hugged his snack bag to his chest and smacked his cheeks lightly, as if that could restore his sanity.
Tang Ruihan's lips curved into a quiet smile. He leaned in slightly, his arm resting behind Liang Yue's seat, his gaze lingering on the flushed man beside him.
Then the bus jerked sharply.
Liang Yue, unprepared, lurched forward—but before his head could hit the seat in front, a firm grip caught the back of his shirt.
Tang Ruihan's hand.
He held Liang Yue effortlessly, posture still calm, still maddeningly perfect. "Doctor Yue," he said with a gentle smile, "be careful. Don't get hurt."
And then he smiled again—dimples flashing.
Liang Yue froze, heart pounding so hard it was embarrassing. 'This man's a menace,' he thought miserably. 'Someone please save me before I do something stupid.'
The journey was long and the road unending, and at this point, Ning Wen felt like his brain had turned into soft tofu. His grip on the phone had gone slack, his expression frozen somewhere between polite and lifeless while Tang Zeyan's voice continued like a cheerful radio that didn't have an off switch. Every time Ning Wen thought the younger man was done talking, another question followed, his tone full of sunshine and curiosity.
And then, as the bus jolted.
The driver hit the brakes too suddenly, and Ning Wen—whose reflexes had long since given up on existing—lurched forward. His heart skipped as he realized his head was about to collide with the window—until a warm palm stopped him.
The hand fit perfectly against his head, steady, shielding, gentle. Tang Zeyan's palm.
For a second, Ning Wen just stayed like that—his head resting against the younger man's hand, heartbeat loud in his ears. The warmth spread faster than he wanted to admit, making his ears heat. He straightened immediately, awkward and flustered, brushing imaginary dust off his sleeve.
Tang Zeyan didn't tease. He only smiled softly, eyes calm and voice low.
"Brother Ning, if you're tired… you should rest for a bit. We still have a while before reaching the camp."
Ning Wen blinked, hesitant, but the exhaustion tugging at his eyelids was stronger than pride.
"I'll wake you up once we arrive," Tang Zeyan added with a smile that was far too gentle for his own good.
Ning Wen finally nodded, slipping his earphones back in. The soft hum of music filled his ears as he leaned against the seat, adjusting his head so it wouldn't fall again. Within minutes, the world blurred around him—the hum of the engine, Tang Zeyan's faint humming, the cool air through the bus window—and Ning Wen drifted off, clutching his bag like it might anchor him from whatever storm was quietly beginning in his chest.
Ning Wen slept soundly, unaware of the quiet chaos unfolding right beside him. His breathing was calm, lips slightly parted, the faintest crease between his brows softening as the bus rocked gently along the road.
Tang Zeyan hadn't taken his eyes off him once. He leaned just a little closer, unable to help it, studying every small detail like it was a scene out of a dream he didn't want to wake from. The sunlight slipped through the window, catching on the soft strands of Ning Wen's hair and the faint flush on his cheeks. His eyelashes—long, dark, unfairly perfect—cast tiny shadows under his eyes.
Tang Zeyan swallowed hard, the corners of his lips twitching as he mentally scolded himself for staring too long…yet he didn't stop. When Ning Wen's eyelids fluttered from the sunlight, he moved instantly.
The younger man stood quietly, sliding the window shut and pulling the curtain just enough to block the harsh rays. Then, with his usual easy smile, he borrowed a small handheld fan from an girl doctor behind—who, upon seeing his smile and charm, handed it over without hesitation.
"Thank you, big sister," he whispered, bowing slightly before sitting properly.
Ning Wen hadn't stirred.
Tang Zeyan switched the fan on, holding it up just far enough that the soft breeze brushed across Ning Wen's face. The effect was immediate—his expression relaxed, the tension melting away as he nestled deeper into his seat, still clutching his bag.
Tang Zeyan rested his chin on one hand, the fan steady in the other, a faint smile lingering on his lips. He didn't care that his arm was getting tired, or that the bus kept shaking slightly. He just kept watching—quietly, endlessly—as if guarding something precious that didn't even realize it was being protected.
"Ha! I saw it!" Liang Yue suddenly blurted out like someone who'd just cracked a top-secret code.
Tang Ruihan turned his head slightly, his calm gaze landing on Liang Yue's animated face. "What did you see?" he asked, his tone amused, already knowing this was going to be good.
Liang Yue pointed toward the front seats with a look of pure scandal. "Your cousin… why is he holding a fan for Ning Wen? What does he want, huh?" he demanded, eyes wide like he was narrating a crime scene.
Tang Ruihan's lips twitched. "Maybe he's just being kind. It's hot, and he doesn't want Doctor Ning to get uncomfortable."
Liang Yue squinted suspiciously. "Hmm… he sure is kind then." He turned back to Tang Ruihan with an accusing glare. "Why aren't you being kind then?"
Tang Ruihan blinked slowly, the corner of his mouth lifting. "Oh? You want me to be? I thought you'd dislike that."
Liang Yue immediately scowled, face flushing slightly. "No need. I was just saying. Don't get ideas." He huffed and pulled out his phone, clearly trying to ignore him as he started playing a game.
Tang Ruihan leaned back against his seat, half-turned toward him. His gaze followed every small movement—Liang Yue's furrowed brows, his little gasps of frustration at the game, the way his lips pressed together when he focused.
A faint chuckle escaped Tang Ruihan's lips as he rested his chin on his hand. The trip wasn't boring at all. In fact, just watching Liang Yue being his chaotic, dramatic self was entertainment enough.
By the time the bus finally stopped, the long ride came to a slow, gentle halt.
Liang Yue was dead asleep—phone still resting on his lap with the game blaring quietly, his head tilted back, lips parted slightly, on the verge of falling sideways.
Tang Ruihan caught his head just in time, steadying it with a gentle hand. He leaned closer, his voice low and smooth. "Brother Yue… wake up. We're here."
Liang Yue's lashes fluttered before his eyes opened—and immediately widened when he found Tang Ruihan's face way too close. His heart jumped into overdrive.
"Ah!" He yelped, jerking up so suddenly he nearly headbutted Tang Ruihan. The younger man moved just in time, lips curving into a quiet laugh.
"We're here," Tang Ruihan said, voice as soft as ever.
"Ah… I-I see…" Liang Yue mumbled, rubbing his forehead like that would calm his racing heart. His gaze dropped to his phone. "No way! My level dropped! I fell asleep mid-game—why does life hate me?" He groaned dramatically, clutching his phone like it was his dying pet.
Tang Ruihan chuckled under his breath, rubbing his chin as he watched him panic. "Tragic," he murmured, clearly entertained.
Meanwhile, Ning Wen stirred awake from his seat. He blinked, a little dazed, as a soft pat landed on his shoulder.
"Brother Ning, we've reached," Tang Zeyan said, smiling down at him.
Ning Wen nodded, rubbing his eyes and straightening up. "Alright…" he said, voice still faint with sleep.
"Did you sleep well?" Tang Zeyan asked, his tone careful—gentle, even.
"Yeah," Ning Wen answered, stretching a bit before standing. "Let's get going."
Tang Zeyan nodded and immediately grabbed both his own bag and Ning Wen's.
"Hey, I can take it myself," Ning Wen protested.
"I know," Tang Zeyan said, already stepping off the bus with both bags in hand. "But you've been taking care of me all this time. Let me return the favor, or I'll feel guilty." He smiled—simple, sincere—and kept walking.
Ning Wen blinked, caught off guard. For once, the usually talkative boy's words left him completely speechless.
As everyone began filing out of the bus, Ning Wen lingered near the back, stretching his neck a little. His eyes caught Liang Yue still dramatically mourning over his game like someone who'd just lost a national championship.
"Get up already," Ning Wen muttered, tone flat but eyes faintly amused.
Liang Yue didn't move at first, still half mumbling curses at his phone. Ning Wen noticed Tang Ruihan sitting beside, that quiet smile playing at his lips as he watched Liang Yue's every exaggerated move. The moment Ning Wen approached, Tang Ruihan straightened up, expression cooling like he'd just been caught doing something mildly illegal.
"I'll get going too," Tang Ruihan said smoothly, picking up both his and Liang Yue's bags before walking out of the bus with calm steps.
Ning Wen watched his back for a second—composed, confident, maddeningly polite—before looking back at Liang Yue, who finally got up with a dramatic groan.
"Guess what?" Liang Yue said.
"What?" Ning Wen sighed, half-expecting nonsense.
"I deserve an award. For surviving all that teasing, those looks, those smiles. And also… I need a full medical explanation for the kind of heart issues that guy caused me," Liang Yue said, clutching his chest like he'd just escaped a love-induced heart attack.
Ning Wen blinked, too tired to even fake a reaction. Mostly because—if he was being honest—he kind of felt the same.
Liang Yue squinted at his silence, then grinned. "Seems like we're in the same boat."
"Yeah, it's sinking fast though," Ning Wen muttered, lips twitching.
Liang Yue laughed and threw an arm over Ning Wen's shoulders. "Then let's sink together, partner."
Ning Wen shook his head, unable to stop a small smile. "What a great start," he murmured, half amused, half dreading whatever came next.