The morning air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of rain and the ever-present aroma of dumplings steaming from the shop. Yulan wiped his hands on a cloth, eyes flicking toward the street.
A familiar voice called out before he even noticed the figure.
"Li Wei! You here again without telling me?"
Li Wei turned, eyebrows raised. Standing there was a boy with a mop of untamed hair, wide grin, and the kind of energy that made it impossible not to smile. He jogged up, carrying a backpack slung lazily over one shoulder.
"Chen Hao," Li Wei said, smirking slightly. "Still loud as ever."
"Loud? Me?" Chen Hao feigned offense. "I'm… memorable." He spotted Yulan and paused, his grin softening slightly. "And you must be the famous dumpling maker I keep hearing about."
Yulan blinked, unsure how to respond. "I… uh… yes," he said, voice small.
Chen Hao raised an eyebrow but didn't press further. "I'll let you off the hook for now," he said, winking at Li Wei.
Li Wei shook his head, though there was a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "You always know when to appear."
"Always." Chen Hao's grin widened. "Best bros, remember?"
Yulan watched their interaction, noting the easy, unspoken understanding between them. Li Wei relaxed in a way he never did with anyone else. He realized he hadn't seen this side of Li Wei before — calm, teasing, almost human.
A Moment of Tension
Before Yulan could say anything more, the door jingled. A few customers from the street market wandered in, one of them bumping into Yulan as he turned to greet them.
"Careful!" Li Wei said sharply, moving forward instinctively.
Chen Hao clapped him on the shoulder. "Always ready to save someone, huh?"
Yulan's cheeks warmed. "I… I can handle myself," he mumbled, though his fingers still trembled slightly.
Li Wei shot him a look — part warning, part… something softer. Yulan quickly looked down, heart racing. -
Friendship Dynamics
Chen Hao didn't interfere with the tension between the two but acted as a lighthearted presence. He asked Li Wei playful questions, teased him for being dramatic about dumplings, and joked about how Yulan's precision could rival his mother's kitchen.
Yet underneath the humor, Chen Hao was perceptive. He noticed the lingering glances, the quick blushes, the subtle flinches when Li Wei leaned too close.
"Don't worry," Chen Hao said later, voice low when Li Wei and Yulan were alone behind the counter. "I'm not going to say anything. But… don't mess this up, okay?"
Li Wei smirked, a rare soft amusement in his eyes. "I don't plan to."
Chapter 4 Ends With