The livestream camera caught his profile. Firelight warmed his pale skin, softened the coldness of his brows, and turned the natural red of his lips into something almost tender. For once, he did not look like a blade.

He looked like someone sitting beside a fire, holding his child’s words in his heart, and slowly realising he no longer had to freeze to survive.

The bullet comments quieted.

【He looks peaceful now.】

【Not happy exactly. Just… less alone.】

【Lu Jingheng is holding his hand under the blanket, right?】

【I think so.】

【Good. Hold him tighter.】

【Today’s question was too cruel.】

【But Xiao Nian and Xiao Heng answered beautifully.】

【Forgiveness belongs to the person who was hurt. I will remember that.】

The night recording ended at nine, and the families returned to their rooms one after another.

Room Four was small but warm.

After washing up, Xiao Nian and Xiao Heng climbed into the child bed together. As Lu Jingheng predicted, the bed was technically large enough, but Xiao Nian liked to curl sideways, while Xiao Heng required “defined personal boundaries.”

After three minutes of negotiation, Xiao Heng used a folded blanket as a dividing line.

Xiao Nian accepted it solemnly.

Five minutes later, Xiao Nian rolled over the line and hugged Xiao Heng in his sleep.

Xiao Heng opened his eyes and stared at his brother. Then he sighed like a tired adult and closed them again.

Shen Qingyu watched from the large bed and silently covered his mouth.

Lu Jingheng turned off the bedside lamp. In the dimness, he sat beside Shen Qingyu and checked the bandage on his fingers again.

Shen Qingyu whispered, “If you check again, it will heal from embarrassment.”

Lu Jingheng lowered his voice. “Does it hurt?”

“No.”

“Truth?”

Shen Qingyu looked at him.

The room was quiet except for the twins’ soft breathing.

After a moment, he said, “Not the hand.”

Lu Jingheng went still.

Shen Qingyu leaned back against the pillow, his eyes lowered.

“I thought I didn’t care.”

Lu Jingheng listened.

“I didn’t answer their messages. I didn’t want to see them. I don’t want to go back. I don’t want to forgive.”

His voice was very soft.

“But when Xiao Heng read that card, I still felt…”

He stopped.

Lu Jingheng took his hand, avoiding the bandaged fingers.

“Angry?”

Shen Qingyu smiled faintly. “That too.”

“Sad?”

A long silence passed before Shen Qingyu said, “A little.”

Lu Jingheng moved closer.

He did not kiss him immediately. He only sat beside him, shoulder against shoulder, letting the quiet wrap around them.

After a while, Shen Qingyu leaned into him.

It was a small movement, almost nothing, but Lu Jingheng lowered his head and kissed his hair.

Shen Qingyu closed his eyes.

“Don’t do anything,” he murmured.

Lu Jingheng said, “Mm.”

“Just hold me.”

Lu Jingheng carefully gathered him into his arms.

There was no heat and no urgency, only the steady scent of cedar and snow, restrained and gentle in the warm room.

Shen Qingyu rested against his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

Outside, the village was silent. Inside, the twins slept with their blanket boundary completely destroyed.

For the first time that day, Shen Qingyu allowed himself to feel sad without turning it into a weapon.

Lu Jingheng held him through it.