Bai Ruyi was in the front courtyard, tending to the livestock and to his birds, when he caught the faint sound of footsteps from outside.
He recognized them at once, and he dropped everything he was doing to run to the gate, a blooming smile of happiness already on his face.
The gate opened just as he was reaching it. On the other side, Qing Xue stood.
In the act of taking a step forward to enter, he stopped, having already caught Bai Ruyi’s running approach.
And when the other man jumped into his arms to close the rest of the gap, Qing Xue was already prepared to catch him.
Now in each other’s tight embrace, they both laughed as Qing Xue twirled Bai Ruyi around.
Then, as if the older but smaller man was a child, Qing Xue adjusted his hold on him until one of his arms was below his b
