"I dreamed I turned into a tiger and caught a wolf."

On New Year's Eve, firecrackers have been going off since the afternoon.

Every time the firecrackers go off, it means another family has begun their New Year's Eve dinner.

Perhaps in anticipation of the first day of the Lunar New Year, Wu Lin didn't feel lonely on New Year's Eve for the first time.

He puts up the couplets early, then cuddles up in bed and sleeps soundly, occasionally awakened by the sound of firecrackers, rolls over, and continues to dream.

A dream over day.

Wake up, the night is noisy, and all the houses are lit up.

Outside, it sounds more lively than during the day, and Wu Lin glances at the clock to see that the Chinese New Year party has already begun.

But he didn't turn on the TV.

He hadn't watched the Spring Festival Gala for many years, and the atmosphere of family fun, after the laughter, only made people more lonely.

Turning off the apartment's overhead light, leaving only a nightlight on, Wu Lin opened his laptop and found a documentary on wolves that he had been favoriting but hadn't yet had a chance to sit down and watch.

There are five episodes in total, mainly about the Gray Wolf.

In fact most documentaries about wolves favor the most widely distributed population in the world.

But coyotes and gray wolves are close, so Wu Lin watched it as a science fiction movie about his own family.

The neon outside the window and the night lights inside the house outline a soft and colorful atmosphere.

As the documentary begins, a picture of the wolf world unfolds with the narrator's low, magnetic voice ......

"A member of the Canidae family, the gray wolf species has 39 subspecies and is found almost everywhere in the Northern Hemisphere, whether it's in dense forests, open plains, barren ice fields, or the frigid Arctic ......"

"They hunt as a group and work with each other, with members going in and out of their respective roles ......"

Wu Lin watched carefully, gradually, the sound of firecrackers outside seemed to become very distant, instead, the sound of the wind, the sound of the forest, the sound of wolves running, and the sound of a low or high-pitched wolf cry in the documentary was close to his ears.

The apartment seemed to become a cabin in the woods, and the wolves seemed to be all around, playing, frolicking, hunting.

When an episode finishes playing, it automatically advances to the next episode.

Wu Lin watched intently, but comfortably, and occasionally even wanted to howl like the handsome alpha wolf in the movie.

Until the third episode--

"Wolves have a highly complex social structure led by a single alpha wolf ......"

"Wolves are monogamous, and in a pack, only the alpha wolf and his mate have reproductive rights ......"

"Coyotes that are born will grow up in the care of the entire pack, but after two to three years, some of the younger male coyotes must leave the pack ......"

The scene focuses on a coyote who is old enough to leave the pack, but he won't go.

The voice-over didn't fluctuate, remained as low and smooth--

"This coyote won't leave, but the pack no longer accepts him ......"

"Several adult male wolves bared their fangs at him ......"

"Coyote tries to get close to its mother, only to be drank back by the alpha wolf with a low growl ......"

The entire episode was a constant attempt by the coyotes to keep the pack away.

Wu Lin watched as it tried again and again, and then fled in the dust, week after week.

Finally, it gave up.

At the end of the third episode, the pack hunts around a frozen lake in tight, organized unity. The coyotes, however, can only leave in silence and head for the unknown forest.

The documentary crew probably shared Wu Lin's concern for the fate of the coyotes.

Starting in the fourth episode, the camera follows the coyote completely.

"A coyote that leaves the pack will try to join other wolves, and it sniffs every part of the jungle, the dirt, the grass, the rocks, the tree trunks, looking for the scent of its companions ......"

"It seems to have found it, however finding it doesn't mean you can join it, most wolves are very exclusive ......"

For the rest of the day, the coyote became the absolute star of the documentary.

Wu Lin and the film crew are clearly tied to its destiny, in different times and places, but with the same inability to let go.

They watched him find a new pack, only to be rejected again, and watched him survive alone and resilient in the forest, continuing to look for other wolves ......

He's only an adult, with a keen sense of smell and youthful strength, which allows him to hunt alone without starving to death until he finds a pack that will truly accept him.

But like a repeat of when he left the original pack, the coyote finds a new pack again and again, and is rejected, and twice of those times he is even injured in clashes with the wolves.

"Coyote finally meets pack willing to take him in ......"

Near the end of the entire documentary, the narrator for the first time has a subtle emotional fluctuation, as if the long dark night finally ushered in the dawn, even the calm low voice seems to gently breathe a sigh of relief, more than a little relief.

"The female alpha wolf acquiesced to her approach, which usually means that the pack has accepted a new member ......"

Wu Lin is also happy for the coyote, perhaps because he has followed the whole journey of the coyote's struggle to survive in the forest, and at this moment, he is even a little bit excited that his eyes are sore and his heart is hot.

"However the coyote seems to be hesitating, he approached the pack and got permission from the head wolf, but he is now backing up again ......"

Wu Lin was slightly stunned, staring unseeingly at the coyote in the picture, as bewildered as the wolves.

"It retreated to a rock and began to howl, such a yell that it was loud enough to travel through the entire forest ......"

"It's not a demonstration, it's a farewell, and at this moment when it's about to be accepted into the new pack, it gives up on fitting in and chooses to become a true lone wolf ......"

"After howling, the coyote turned and ran off into the forest beyond ......"

The camera left the forest, and there was no more chasing, as the coyote's silhouette faded away at the end of the plain.

The final narration is calm and quiet: "He left the society of wolves and ran into the wilderness where he belonged."

The sound of firecrackers outside the window was suddenly focused and violent.

Wu Lin awoke from his trance.

Looking up, the hour and minute hands on the clock overlapped at twelve o'clock, where the second hand had just passed.

The old year, passed.

But Wu Lin himself had little sense of reality, and throughout the rest of the night, as he listened to the bustle outside his window, all he could think about was the coyote.

The moon sets and the sun rises.

The sunlight pours down on the earth, and the riverside villa is covered in the morning sunshine.

A family of four was sharing breakfast at the long dining table.

Last night just after New Year's Eve, the New Year's Eve dinner was eaten, and dumplings were cooked, but on this morning's table, a little of the joy of the Spring Festival could no longer be found.

Complete with a Western breakfast, Auntie put down the last plate of freshly baked European bread and returned to the kitchen to continue her busy schedule.

The silence in the restaurant was so oppressive that the only sound was the clash of knives and forks against the plates.

Ye Wang ate a few slices of ham, then put down his knife and fork and got up, "I'll go find my classmates."

My father didn't look up, still concentrating on the newspaper, occasionally taking a sip of coffee.

My mother wiped her mouth with a napkin and faintly admonished, "Be safe."

Only Jincheng Wang, who was sitting on the side, raised his voice as if he was picking a fight: "Running away on the first day of the New Year."

Ye Wang narrows his eyes and locks onto him.

Jincheng Wang scowled, and, remembering the fear of being punched in the face - too many times to tell - didn't squeak.

He is one year younger than Ye Wang, his eyes look like his mom, his nose and mouth look like his dad, and anyone can tell that he is the son of Haici Wang and Rui Tian. Unlike Ye Wang, it is said that the first child is more like the parents, but Ye Wang does not resemble anyone, and when he was a child, Jincheng Wang always said that Ye Wang was not his real brother, which made Haici Wang and Rui Tian suspicious, worrying about whether there was a mistake in the hospital during the birth, although they had found the best hospital, but the day of the hospital gave birth to several boys. Although they went to the best hospital, several baby boys were born that day.

The two of them actually took Ye Wang for a paternity test, and it was confirmed that he was the real one.

Ye Wang at that time has remembered, but at that time do not understand, and later grew up, back to taste, but also not too much feeling, occasionally think about it, only feel especially funny, two in the shopping mall all life, what the Yu I have experienced, and finally let Jincheng Wang a child, coaxed to the cup of snakes and snakes.

"Mom, I want to go out too." Unable to get a break from Ye Wang, Jincheng Wang switched gears.

Sure enough, Rui Tian's expression was much richer than just now, and his tone was a bit more spoiled: "Don't be naughty, you're crazy outside every day, but you can't stay at home with mom on New Year's Eve."

"Oh..." Jincheng Wang trailed off, his triumphant eyes flickering over to Ye Wang's side as if he was deliberately showing off.

Ye Wang walked out of the restaurant before turning around and saying, " Jincheng Wang, come here."

Jincheng Wang was a little afraid, but thought that Ye Wang would not dare to do anything because his parents were there, so he went over there with courage.

As he approached, Ye Wang swept the man up, kissing him like a brother, then whispered in his ear, "Dumbass."

Garden Apartment.

It wasn't until there was a knock on the door that Wu Lin realized he'd been sitting in front of the window, staring at the laptop on his desk, for the entire second half of the night.

"Pah-"

There was only one knock on the door, but it was as thick and forceful as a fierce ghost tapping on a door.

Open the door.

Ye Wang stood in the doorway, sport coat, board shoes, simple and sharp as if it was already March outside.

"You are really not afraid of the cold." Wu Lin let the man in.

Ye Wang walks into the foyer and changes shoes while surveying the apartment, "So small?"

Wu Lin wanted to page him with slippers, "You buy me a big one, I'll come as I am."

Ye Wang looked around and saw nothing but computers, "What did you eat last night?"

"I was going to cook dumplings," Wu Lin thought of the two boxes of frozen dumplings still lying in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator, "and then I forgot."

"And this morning?"

"Haven't eaten yet."

Ye Wang then realized that Wu Lin was a bit listless: "What have you been doing all night?"

"Uh," Wu Lin hesitated, raising his eyes to Ye Wang, "would it seem a bit bleak if I said I watched a science documentary on wolves all night?"

It's not a matter of bleakness.

"You watch science documentaries on New Year's Eve?" This kind of unthinkable hard-learning behavior is completely over the top with Ye Wang.

"Not your average documentary," Wu Lin must say to do justice to the time and dedication he put in, "it's particularly thought-provoking."

Ye Wang nods, "Well, not eating is just the thing."

...... Could you have made this topic switch any simpler and rougher!

Wu Lin was convinced of the stubborn resistance of the scum to intellectual topics, but in the next second he reacted to what the other party said and froze, "You didn't eat it either?"

Ye Wang said, "Eat."

Wu Lin: "You brought me food?"

Ye Wang: "No."

Wu Lin : "...... Then you happen to what!"

Ye Wang reached out and fished out the down jacket Wu Lin had put on the sofa and threw it over, "Take you out to eat."

Wu Lin rolled his eyes, "Where's a restaurant open on the first day of the year."

Ye Wang said, "Oh, it's all open downstairs in your house."

Wu Lin: "......"

Below the garden apartments, breakfast places were hot and bustling with customers, fast-food chains and convenience stores were still open 24 hours a day, and there were evening sign lights on the doors of some stores, and I wondered if the clerks had forgotten to turn them off and they were still lit up in the rising sun.

Wu Lin and Ye Wang found a congee store.

Although Ye Wang said he had eaten in the morning, when a pot of congee with pork ribs was brought up, he consciously took a bowl for himself without being asked to do so by Wu Lin.

Wu Lin looked at him with good teeth and appetite and was quite impressed, "No wonder you're a tiger."

Ye Wang glances at him, "Know why the coyotes are skinny?"

Wu Lin: "Why?"

Ye Wang: "Talkative."

Wu Lin: "......"

The tiger bullied the wolf, there are no lions and elephants or something out to control ah!

Wu Lin is not a man of the world, he just keeps quiet and focuses on his ribs.

In fact, without Ye Wang, Wu Lin can still eat well on his own.

But it feels different when you have people to eat with.

The heat smoked watery mist on the cold windowpane as the two men drank porridge against each other.

It was cold and the porridge was hot.

"What's next?" Wu Lin yawns on a full stomach after breakfast, his eyelids a little heavy.

Ye Wang followed suit with a yawn and asked rhetorically, "What do you want?"

Wu Lin continued to yawn, "Shouldn't you have made a playdate ahead of time when you came to play with me?"

Ye Wang continues to yawn, "What the hell was that?"

Wu Lin: "......"

Ye Wang: "......"

Wu Lin: "Shouldn't we go to bed?"

--8:00 a.m., the standard sleep time for the Like a Wolf combo.

So on this fine first day of the year, the two students who had finished breakfast went back to the apartment together and, summoned by their animal instincts, both slept through the night.

Luckily, the two-meter double bed in the apartment was big enough for Wu Lin and Ye Wang to share, so there was plenty of space.

But this serene harmony lasted only until falling asleep.

Wu Lin was woken up by someone stomping him under the bed.

It was twelve noon.

He sat down and looked at the bed, finally realizing what it meant to have two tigers on the same mountain.

Ye Wang was lying in the center of the bed in a big shape, breathing leisurely, his chest rising and falling regularly, if there was aura in heaven and earth, and the essence of the sun and moon, it would absolutely have to run to Wang.

This isn't even turtling anymore, this is plainly taking over the mountain!

Wu Lin was so angry that his teeth were itching.

What's the old saying, a vicious tiger can't stand up to a pack of wolves, and he had to maintain the dignity of their wolf family.

With this in mind, Wu Lin rose up in anger and headed for the Tiger Mountain again.

Reaching underneath Ye Wang, he flipped the man to the side with all his might.

Ye Wang rolls along, lying on his back into a prone position.

I can't believe I'm not awake.

Wu Lin is convinced of the quality of his sleep.

Taking advantage of the space, Wu Lin immediately lies down, also in a big shape, occupying most of the double bed, one side of his arms and legs resting directly on Ye Wang as he stretches out.

Cool.

Wu Lin closed his eyes, somewhat understanding the joy of the King of Beasts.

With this joy, Wu Lin goes to sleep.

It wasn't until late afternoon that he struggled to open his eyes in a fit of chest suffocation.

Ye Wang was still on his back, but this time on top of him, his head in the crook of his neck, his body weight on top of him, like a tiger on top of a tiger, Wu Lin felt like it was a miracle that he had woken up alive.

As if sensing the restlessness underneath him, Ye Wang woke up as well, slowly lifting his head and looking sleepily at the face up close, frowning for a long time before he grunted, " Wu Lin ah."

Wu Lin struggled to pull off a wide fake smile through the oppressive breathlessness, "If not me, who else could it be?"

Ye Wang said, "I dreamed I turned into a tiger and caught a wolf."

Wu Lin grinded his teeth and said, "If you're a tiger and don't catch rabbits or deer, why do you want to catch wolves?"

Ye Wang huffs sleepily, "Challenging."