Acquaintances but Not Friends

He Lezhi had been in a relationship for eight years—eight years of tender happiness, where time drifted slow and long. Yet when it was shattered by the passionate, earnest confession of his devoted boyfriend, those eight years suddenly felt like a fleeting dream. Ending a long-term relationship is like severing oneself from a union—changing homes, switching accounts, and cutting ties with mutual friends. Han Fangchi and Zhou Muyao were childhood friends, "brothers" bound by years of shared history. Among the connections He Lezhi had to sever, Han Fangchi was originally included. But Han Fangchi was different from the rest. For a time after the breakup, he remained the only friend He Lezhi still kept in touch with. Though they naturally grew distant, there lingered an unspoken understanding—a quiet familiarity that hadn’t faded. From Zhou Muyao’s perspective, they were barely acquainted. From He Lezhi’s side, it didn’t quite feel that way.