When someone is in a good mood, time passes quickly.  

Although each day was the same as before - going to class, working part-time jobs after class - there was a bit more joy from listening to Zhou Chunyang complain about his middle school classmate.  

That day they really weren't on a date. According to Zhou Chunyang, it was more like "we used to be interested in each other, so I wanted to meet up to see if there was still something there." But it seemed his classmate had the same idea.  

So every day they would subtly flirt with each other back and forth.  

"We're both waiting for the other person to confess first," Zhou Chunyang tsked. "As if. My lips are sealed, even torture couldn't get me to talk."  

"Psycho," Chu Yi said.  

"It's called romance," Zhou Chunyang glanced at him. "A simple-minded guy like you wouldn't understand."

Chu Yi really didn't understand, but listening to Zhou Chunyang talk about these things every day was pretty amusing.  

Before they even realized, New Year's arrived. The holiday was a bit stingy though, only 3 days including the weekend.  

But even if there were 10 days off, it would be the same for Chu Yi. Holidays or not, Yan Hang was always busier than usual.  

And he was busier than usual too, even though he was just a night shift server at a coffee shop.  

He had no plans to go home, and no one at home asked if he was coming back either.  

But to his surprise, his aunt and uncle drove over.  

"Don't worry about us," his aunt said. "We're just passing through on our way to vacation. We made a detour to see how you're doing, so let's grab a meal when you have time."

"I can show you around," Chu Yi said.  

He was still very happy to see his aunt.  

"Our little pup has really grown up, saying things like that and offering to show us around," his aunt laughed. "What is there for a kid to show us middle-aged folks? Be good and wait at school for us to come get you!"

When Chu Yi was standing at the school entrance and saw his aunt and uncle's familiar car drive up, his heart warmed.  

"My goodness," his aunt jumped out of the car, staring at him. "Is this our little pup?"  

"Yes," Chu Yi smiled and nodded.

"You must be over 180cm now!" His aunt touched the top of his head. "At least, right?"

"Don't know," Chu Yi said.  

"Hey, come out here," his aunt called into the car. "Aren't you 182cm? Come stand next to the pup and see if he's reached 180cm!"

His uncle got out of the car, smiling as he walked over. "Stop teasing him...though he does seem about as tall as me now."

"See, I told you!" His aunt patted Chu Yi's shoulder. "He was a late bloomer, but once he hit his growth spurt, bam! Shocking."  

Even when they sat down to eat, his aunt was still going on about his height.  

"Let me get some pics of this strapping young man," she said, snapping away with her phone. "I'll send them to your grandma - who would recognize our former little sad pup now?"

"You got fat," Chu Yi said.  

"Oh, you noticed?" His aunt touched her face. "Couldn't you have pretended not to see?"

"Too...obvious," Chu Yi hesitated. "Hard to pretend."

"Brat!" his aunt said. "You've learned to be bad."  

Chu Yi smiled.

"Your school seems pretty big, nice environment huh?" his aunt said. "You get along with your dorm mates? No one bullies you right?"  

"With his size now," his uncle said, "who would dare? And he knows how to box now too."

"He's still a softie," his aunt said. "Even if he's built like an ox now, he's still our little pup inside. I worry!"

"No one bullies me," Chu Yi said, smiling. "My classmates are very nice."

"That's good. Focus on your studies," his aunt said. "Having a skill means you won't have to worry in the future."

"Mm," Chu Yi nodded. After hesitating for a bit, he softly asked, "My mom...said she wants to get...divorced..."

"She's been shouting about it for half a month already," his aunt sighed. "Who knows. Don't try to persuade her, she's under a lot of stress too. It's good enough that your grandma is still causing trouble at home and your mom hasn't run off too."  

"Mm," Chu Yi responded.  

"Are you going home for New Year's?" his aunt asked.

Chu Yi didn't reply.  

"Look," his aunt said to his uncle. "I told you something was off with their family. They took apart his bed at home. Can he even go back like this?"

"Go back," Chu Yi said softly. "I should still go back...to see. And I want to see you all too, my grandparents..."

"When you go back this time, get your grandpa one of those senior cell phones," his aunt said. "That way you can still call."

"Mm," Chu Yi nodded.

His aunt brought him a bunch of food and several sets of clothing. Although the sizes she estimated were a bit small, luckily she bought loose athletic wear that he could still fit in.

After his aunt left, Chu Yi felt a little down.  

When he brought the food back to share with his dorm mates, they all assumed it was from his family. "Family" meaning parents. His own family.  

He didn't explain further, but he truly felt a bit down.  

He liked his young aunt, and his young aunt was also very nice to him, but his young aunt was neither his parents nor grandparents, and his young aunt could also not be with him all year round.  

Some feelings really cannot be replaced.  

If he had his own family in the future...ah, his own family?  

This seemed unlikely.  

A family consists of dad, mom and kids.  

For him, it seemed impossible, even if he and...Yan Hang...

This thought suddenly made him feel somewhat embarrassed. There was no one else around, yet he still felt his face flush slightly red.  

But he could not help continuing to ponder.  

Extremely shamelessly, he could not get himself to stop no matter what, as if he was addicted.

If he had his own family in the future, with just him and Yan Hang, that would not be impossible.  

He would be the dad, and Yan Hang would be...the mom?

Thinking about it again, Chu Yi felt like laughing. If Yan Hang knew, he would probably smack him.  

He laughed out loud facing the window.

"Chu Yi, are you okay?" Li Ziqiang asked while eating the snacks his young aunt brought, "Why are you laughing facing the window glass?"

"He's in love," Gao Xiaoyang slapped the table, "Definitely in love."  

Feeling awkward, Chu Yi looked back.

"Damn, for real?" Zhang Qiang was somewhat excited, "You really got a girlfriend? Then you're the first one in our dorm to get out of being single!"

"Who is it?" Hu Biao was nervous all of a sudden, "It shouldn't be Yan'er right? Then who? Is it one of the preschool ed girls? Damn, I didn't see you chatting up any girl!"

Chu Yi opened and closed his mouth but did not say anything.  

He suddenly realized he still had a long way to go compared to Zhou Chunyang - facing the few dormmates he was so familiar with, he did not even dare to say that he would not date girls.