“It’s been really nice being your deskmate. I hope we can get along well from now on~(^_^).”
At night, after a busy day, Zi Yan lay on his side in bed, hugging the Spring Roll Quilt rolled up in his arms, listlessly fiddling with his phone.
Suddenly, he received a friend request on QQ from Glorious Moon.
Although the requester hadn’t left a note with their real name, the nickname Glorious Moon, along with the message, could only be from Wei Lai.
“A friend request… huh?”
Zi Yan got up from the bed and pulled a chair over to the window. He looked outside; the sky was clear, and the faint moon, unobstructed by clouds, cast a pure, bright light.
A cool breeze slipped through the crack in the window, gently brushing Zi Yan’s cheek. It felt a bit chilly but also very soft.
Are Wei Lai and I really friends?
Zi Yan accepted Wei Lai’s friend request but then found himself lost in thought.
What kind of person counts as a friend?
Someone who understands you, quietly listens to your heart, shares your joys and sorrows, soothes your sadness, and rejoices with you in happy moments. Zi Yan thought, probably only such a person could be called a friend.
After all this time with Wei Lai, Zi Yan asked himself honestly and felt that his feelings toward her were just a little more than acquaintances—barely enough to call her a friend.
Yes, that was the feeling. Far from being true friends.
Then, what kind of place did he hold in Wei Lai’s heart?
As he pondered this, his long eyelashes fluttered, and his face suddenly turned a little pale.
Here it comes again.
Zi Yan buried his hands in his pajama top and pressed them against his lower abdomen. The warmth of his palms brought a bit of relief.
Ever since a year ago, Zi Yan had been feeling a dull pain in his abdomen near the end of each month. It started off mild but had grown stronger in recent months.
Also, perhaps because of the pain, he always felt listless during that time. Like today, after pushing himself to finish the Long Holiday Homework all morning, he hadn’t even drawn his Favorite Design Drawings and had been lying lazily on the bed ever since.
What interesting thing could he do now? It was only seven in the evening—not really time for bed yet.
Of course, whether he could fall asleep was another matter.
Just as Zi Yan was considering what to do to pass the time, his phone screen lit up and vibrated.
Glorious Moon: Zi Yan, what are you doing now?
Maybe chatting with Wei Lai could count as something interesting?
Luna: Just being a couch potato.
Zi Yan replied honestly.
Glorious Moon: Oh, a couch potato… with three spoonfuls of salt—really salty kind?
“Pfft.” Zi Yan burst out laughing.
Well, chatting with Wei Lai really was quite fun.
Luna: Wei Lai, can I ask you something?
Glorious Moon: If you want to ask, just ask. We’ve known each other so long—why be so formal?
Luna: Um… if someone feels very down for a while and can’t find interest in anything, what can they do to feel better?
Zi Yan felt that someone as bright and optimistic as Wei Lai should have some good advice.
Glorious Moon: Uh… Zi Yan, is that someone you?
Luna: So what should I do? I’ve been dragging all day.
If he really was a friend in Wei Lai’s heart, then opening up and asking for help like this shouldn’t be a problem, right?
Glorious Moon: If that’s the case… well, there isn’t much that can be done… Maybe watch some funny short videos? By the way, do you feel any pain?
Eh… even someone like Wei Lai can’t help?
Luna: Yeah, it hurts a bit, on and off.
Glorious Moon: When the pain is bad, don’t tough it out. Don’t be afraid of taking some ibuprofen. Take a little if you need to. Also, definitely avoid cold drinks.
Glorious Moon: I once ordered takeout at noon and added a bottle of ice-cold cola to my order. That day, I was fine in the morning, but shortly after lunch, my stomach and abdomen cramped badly, and I was throwing up and had diarrhea. I was completely wiped out.
Luna: That serious, huh?
Glorious Moon: I won’t bother you anymore. At times like this, resting is the most important thing. Don’t dwell on any bad stuff.
Luna: Wait, there’s one more thing I want to ask.
Luna: What exactly is ibuprofen?
Seeing a line of ellipses from the other side, Zi Yan immediately pictured Wei Lai’s helpless expression as she pinched her forehead.
Glorious Moon: Forgot you’re a Belgian noble who just came to Flower Country not long ago. Ibuprofen is a painkiller you can easily buy at the pharmacy.
Oh, so it’s a painkiller.
Glorious Moon: You’re welcome. Get some good rest. I was actually planning to go out with you during the holiday.
Go out and play?
Zi Yan typed, “Although I’m happy to be invited, my body probably isn’t up for going out,” then thought better of it, smiled, and deleted the message he had just written.
Luna: Thanks, but can we wait until I feel better in a few days? Then we can go out.
Glorious Moon: No problem.
Glorious Moon: Go to bed early, and good night in advance.
Luna: Mm, good night.
Being called a noble again made Zi Yan feel a bit troubled. He put down his phone and rubbed his head.
But Wei Lai really was… someone like this caring for him made his heart feel warm. He hardly dared to refuse her invitation.
If it wasn’t a long outdoor activity, now that the weather was cooling down, it was less likely to cause sweating, and applying sunscreen wasn’t a problem anymore.
He could just hold an umbrella and manage; it shouldn’t cause any big issues.
Besides, after going through this period many times since a year ago, Zi Yan had long figured out the pattern of his body.
The abdominal pain, weakness, and low mood would always appear punctually near the end of each month and last for about four or five days before passing.
Moreover, Haizhou No. 3 Middle School had a long-standing tradition of never shifting holidays around, giving days off only on National Statutory Holidays.
So this Long Holiday combined with the Double Holiday meant a full ten days off.
Maybe now, Wei Lai’s place in Zi Yan’s heart was a little higher than an acquaintance—just a bit more.
A little higher than that, and she could be counted as a friend.