Extra Chapter: Back to Childhood

The morning sunlight streamed into the bedroom, gentle breeze blowing as it pushed aside the curtains. The aroma from the kitchen wafted into the bedroom.

Unconsciously, Xie Yang sniffed the enticing smell and slowly opened his eyes.

“Grandma,” he softly called out, pushing aside the mosquito net and carefully getting out of bed.

Calling out to his grandma, Xie Yang walked towards the courtyard.

Hearing Xie Yang’s call, grandma responded, “Good boy, grandma is here.”

Xie Yang ran over and hugged grandma’s legs.

Grandma lifted him up and wiped his face with a warm towel. “Are you still sleepy?”

Snuggling in grandma’s arms, Xie Yang cuddled her neck and cooed, “Not sleepy.”

Grandma placed him on a chair and brought him a bowl of small wontons.

Xie Yang swung his short legs and quietly enjoyed his breakfast.

Grandma packed three sets of small clothes and his snacks. After Xie Yang finished the wontons, grandma poured him a glass of milk and pointed to a small sapling in the yard, saying, “Would you like to plant this little cherry tree with grandma?”

Xie Yang nodded, asking, “What kind of tree is this? Will it bloom?”

“It’s a cherry tree, and it will grow beautiful white flowers,” grandma replied.

With an iron shovel, grandma dug a hole in a small piece of land in the yard, letting Xie Yang place the cherry sapling in it and cover it with soil.

Grandma held Xie Yang’s hand and used the hose to water the sapling.

Curiously, Xie Yang asked, “Will it grow big if we water it every day?”

Grandma smiled and said, “Yes, when you grow up, we can eat cherries.”

After tidying up the yard, grandma took Xie Yang’s hand and left the house.

Xie Yang curiously pressed against the bus window, looking at the scenery outside.

Grandma touched Xie Yang’s hair with some affection.

Xie Yang was obedient, quiet, and sensible; she hardly had to struggle to take care of him.

He never misbehaved at home or when outside. Since there was no one to take care of him, grandma took him with her when she went out.

Fortunately, Xie Yang was really obedient.

When she was busy, Xie Yang would sit quietly beside her and not run around or touch other people’s things.

Today they were going to the home of a local wealthy man. The villa was located halfway up the mountain and had a large area of land.

There was a tea plantation on the hillside.

Because grandma had learned tea-making when she was young, she got the job.

It was a seven-day short-term job, and she needed to help with tea picking and frying.

While grandma was busy in the tea plantation, Xie Yang sat quietly in the pavilion, reading fairy tales.

The security system here was very good, so grandma didn’t worry about Xie Yang getting lost. It was hot, so she didn’t want Xie Yang to stay in the tea plantation with her.

Xie Yang doodled on the fairy tale book with colored pencils.

“Who are you?”

Xie Yang heard a voice and looked up. A cool-looking boy stood in front of him. Xie Yang hugged the book and got off the chair, whispering, “Hello, big brother.” He looked cautiously and timidly at Qi Xu.

Xie Yang was cute and fair-skinned, very lovely.

Qi Xu had never seen such a beautiful child before. He curiously sized up the little boy who was a head shorter than him, looking at the fairy tale book in his arms. “Can I have a look?” he asked.

Xie Yang nodded and hesitated for a while before handing him the book. “Big brother, you can read it.”

Qi Xu opened the old fairy tale book. The pages were yellowed, and there were various doodles by Xie Yang inside.

“Did you draw these?”

Xie Yang nodded, shyly looking away.

“You only drew mom; where’s your dad?” Qi Xu pointed to the little people he drew, curious.

Xie Yang was stunned for a moment and explained in a low voice, “This is grandma.”

Qi Xu asked, “Then where are your mom and dad?”

Xie Yang looked at him blankly, then shook his head. “Only grandma.”

Qi Xu pursed his lips upon hearing this. So he didn’t have parents.

“Do you want to read the book?” Qi Xu asked.

“I want to,” Xie Yang replied.

“Then let me take you to read it,” Qi Xu suggested.

Xie Yang shook his head and refused, “I want to wait here for grandma. She will be scared if I’m gone.”

“Then let me take you to find your grandma. We can tell her, and I live nearby. You won’t get lost,” Qi Xu said.

Xie Yang wanted to play with this cool big brother.

He held Qi Xu’s hand and ran into the tea plantation.

“Grandma.”

“Good boy, what’s wrong?” Grandma heard his voice and responded.

She wiped the sweat from her face and looked up to see him holding a little boy coming over. She was curious; where did this child come from?

Hearing this, Qi Xu silently remembered the term “good boy” in his heart.

Xie Yang held Qi Xu’s hand and walked up to her. He explained to grandma, “This big brother said he lives here and wants to take me to read. He said I won’t get lost and will bring me back.”

Grandma took a glance at the little boy standing behind Xie Yang.

Although somewhat worried, she could feel Xie Yang’s anticipation, so she didn’t discourage him. She just reminded him, “Go ahead, but remember to thank the big brother.” Xie Yang nodded happily.

Qi Xu brought Xie Yang back to the main house, which wasn’t far from the tea plantation.

On the second floor, an entire level was Qi Xu’s playground.

There were all kinds of toys inside, as well as various coloring books, picture books, and everything else.

It was the first time Xie Yang had seen so many toys.

They would doodle on books, build with blocks together, and play marbles.

Xie Yang was very well-behaved; whatever Qi Xu played, he would accompany him.

After playing for a while, Xie Yang took out the little biscuits grandma had prepared for him from his small backpack.

Xie Yang handed the biscuits to Qi Xu. “These are grandma’s homemade biscuits, very delicious.”

Qi Xu took a bite and nodded. “Not bad.”

Xie Yang said, “Thank you for playing with me today, big brother, but I have to go back now, otherwise grandma will worry. Could you take me back to where we were just now?” Qi Xu asked in surprise, “So soon?”

Xie Yang nodded.

Although reluctant, Qi Xu still escorted him back to the tea plantation.

Xie Yang rushed into grandma’s arms, cuddling her arm.

Qi Xu watched him, a smile on his face.

Grandma said, “Say goodbye to your big brother.”

Xie Yang smiled sweetly at Qi Xu. “Goodbye, big brother.”

On his way back, Qi Xu kept turning back. He really liked this little boy who called him big brother.

Hearing that the people in the tea plantation would be staying overnight at home for a few days, Qi Xu came back to the tea plantation early the next morning.

He found Xie Yang eating biscuits under the pavilion.

Xie Yang saw him and greeted happily, “Good morning, big brother.”

Qi Xu couldn’t help but pat his head.

Xie Yang handed him a biscuit. “Would big brother like to have this?”

Qi Xu shook his head. “How about big brother takes you to swing?”

“Okay,” Xie Yang agreed. “Wait for me, big brother. I need to tell grandma.”

“Sure.”

Xie Yang ran into the tea plantation, and Qi Xu watched his small figure shuttle through the tea garden.

He felt inexplicably fond of him.

During their time in the tea plantation, Qi Xu would come to play with Xie Yang every day, take him home, teach him to read and recognize characters, and play various small games with him. The two were inseparable.

Until the seventh day, when grandma’s work in the tea plantation ended, they had to go home.

Qi Xu held Xie Yang’s hand, unwilling to let him go.

“Can’t you stay?” Qi Xu asked.

Xie Yang’s eyes moistened as he looked at Qi Xu reluctantly.

He really liked this big brother he met in the tea plantation.

Although it was only a short seven days.

But the big brother played various small games with him every day, told him fairy tales, and painted with him.

Grandma touched Xie Yang’s head, somewhat sadly saying, “Say goodbye to your big brother.”

Xie Yang choked out, “Goodbye, big brother.”

Before leaving, Qi Xu left grandma’s phone number.

Qi Xu liked to call Xie Yang. Gradually, they became good friends who could talk about anything.

Until the year Qi Xu graduated

Qi Xu came to Liuli Village with a gift to bid farewell to Xie Yang. They hadn’t seen each other for many years.

Xie Yang still looked fair and lovely, a head shorter than him.

“Big brother.”

Qi Xu lightly responded.

He came to say goodbye to Xie Yang. He was going abroad and might not be back for a long time.

So he gave Xie Yang a mobile phone, with a WeChat account registered inside and his own WeChat already added.

“Let’s use this to keep in touch in the future.”

Unfortunately, due to the time difference, they gradually reduced their contact.

Especially in the second year after Qi Xu went abroad

Xie Yang was left alone.

At that time, all his spare time was spent on part-time jobs and studying. Occasionally, he would chat with Qi Xu, but gradually they lost touch.

Later, when Xie Yang wanted to message Qi Xu, he would hesitate, finding even a simple greeting unusually difficult.

After graduating from high school, Xie Yang was busy with part-time jobs every day.

He hardly checked WeChat, so he missed the message from Qi Xu returning to China.

“Welcome.”

“Hello, may I help you with…”

Xie Yang looked towards the door, words stuck on his lips.

Looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar figure, overlaid with the face in his mind, Xie Yang suddenly froze in place.

Qi Xu held a bouquet of beautiful roses, walking towards him step by step.

“I’m back.”

---

Extra Chapter: If Return to High School Junior Year

The scorching summer sun bathed everything in blazing heat, even the slightest breeze carried warmth.

Cicadas in the trees chirped incessantly. Inside the classroom, the small fan on the desk kept squeaking.

The teacher droned on about mundane math problems from the podium. The sound of pages flipping and pens scratching against paper filled the stuffy classroom, leaving everyone feeling a lingering sense of fatigue. “Qi Xu, can you answer this question?”

Qi Xu lay slumped over his desk, deeply asleep.

Sheng Fei, seated beside him, gently nudged him. “Qi Xu, wake up. The teacher is calling on you to answer.” The classroom was stifling, and many were struggling to stay awake, forcing themselves to pay attention.

The math teacher glanced at the students in disappointment and shook his head.

Qi Xu rubbed his tired eyes, feeling disoriented by his surroundings.

Sheng Fei whispered beside him, “The multiple-choice question on the blackboard.”

Qi Xu glanced briefly and confidently answered, “A.”

The math teacher shot him a disapproving look, signaling him to sit down. He then earnestly advised, “You’re about to enter your senior year. This is not the time to slack off.” Qi Xu sat back down, gazing at the familiar math teacher and classmates he hadn’t seen in a long time, feeling a sense of confusion.

Had he time-traveled?

Or were the past two years just a dream?

Could a dream feel so real?

No, the moments between him and Xie Yang couldn’t be fake. He could still feel the warmth of their embrace, that soft touch.

Seeing Qi Xu lost in thought, Sheng Fei whispered, “What’s wrong? Still half-asleep?”

Qi Xu looked at Sheng Fei’s black short hair, which overlapped with memories of his bold red hair. Unable to restrain himself, he grabbed a handful of Sheng Fei’s hair. “D*mn!”

Sheng Fei yelped in surprise, catching the teacher’s attention. He quickly lowered his head.

Only when the math teacher returned his gaze to the textbook did Sheng Fei mutter, “Qi Xu, are you crazy? Why pull my hair?”

Hearing Sheng Fei’s pained cry, Qi Xu murmured softly, “So it wasn’t a dream after all. I really did travel back to sophomore year.”

Sheng Fei touched his own hair, saying with concern, “What are you talking about? Of course, it’s not a dream. Why don’t you pull your own hair instead?”

Just as Qi Xu was about to stand up, Sheng Fei stopped him, whispering, “Qi Xu, what are you doing? We’re still in class.”

The math teacher cleared his throat, and Qi Xu composed himself.

He was still in class now, just as Xie Yang was still in class. He couldn’t possibly go to Class Three and drag someone out.

Gradually, Qi Xu calmed his mind.

He didn’t understand why he had traveled back to high school two years ago, what triggered this time travel, or how he could return to the future. And he didn’t know if Xie Yang had also traveled back with him.

Beyond the realm of scientific phenomena, he was powerless.

What could he do now?

Should he seek the timeline from two years ahead, or should he accept the current situation and start over?

If the purpose of this time travel was to relive his high school years, what regrets or missed opportunities could he make up for?

There was one.

As soon as this thought emerged, Qi Xu thought of it.

He had regrets.

During those two years in high school, Xie Yang had secretly liked him, and he had no idea.

If it weren’t for that one time Xie Yang got drunk and told him, he might never have known.

Throughout high school, Xie Yang had silently admired him.

Thinking of the pain Xie Yang must have endured because of his unrequited love, Qi Xu’s heart started to ache intensely.

He couldn’t wait to see Xie Yang,

to tell him about his feelings.

It was the first time Qi Xu had felt such torment. He stared at the time on his wristwatch, silently counting down.

Unfortunately, the teacher of this class loved to drag things out; he enjoyed giving assignments only after class ended.

Every minute and every second was unbearable for Qi Xu.

After the teacher finally dismissed the class, Qi Xu rushed out of the classroom.

Sheng Fei had just wanted to say a few words to Qi Xu. Before he could get his words out, he only saw Qi Xu’s back.

He quickly gathered Qi Xu’s backpack and ran after him from behind. “Old Qi, wait for me!”

When Qi Xu arrived at Class Three, Xie Yang had already left.

He anxiously searched for Xie Yang’s figure.

The male students in Class Three who were cleaning up were a little surprised to see Qi Xu. One of them greeted him, “Who are you looking for?”

Qi Xu asked, “I’m looking for Xie Yang. Is he here?”

The boy looked even more surprised when he heard the name. “We finished school early today. Xie Yang should have left a while ago.”

The weather in June was unpredictable. Just as school ended, they faintly felt a storm brewing. His classmates had all dispersed; Qi Xu worried that he might get caught in the rain if he didn’t leave soon. Upon hearing this, Qi Xu immediately hurried towards the school gate.

Sheng Fei hadn’t caught his breath yet before he chased after Qi Xu’s figure again, shouting from behind, “D*mn, who are you looking for? Does he owe you money?”

“Even if he did owe you money, there’s no need to be in such a rush. Dude, you’re not short of money.”

Qi Xu hurried down the stairs and arrived in the lobby on the first floor. It had already started raining outside.

There were many students gathered in the lobby on the first floor. Qi Xu scanned the surroundings, and Xie Yang’s figure he couldn’t miss. But he wasn’t among them.

As he hesitated for a moment, Sheng Fei finally had the chance to catch up to him. He reluctantly spoke up, “Hey Old Qi, who are you in such a hurry to find? It’s after school; can’t you wait until tomorrow? I’ve known you since we were in diapers, and I’ve never seen you this anxious.”

Qi Xu didn’t find Xie Yang and felt somewhat disheartened. “Looking for my wife.”

Sheng Fei widened his eyes in shock and quickly asked, “Who? You mean, who’s your wife?!”

Qi Xu gave him a look with no patience, saying, “My wife, Xie Yang from Class Three in sophomore year.”

Sheng Fei stared blankly, his eyes full of disbelief. After a while, he finally reacted, “No, you… hey!”

He stopped Qi Xu and let out a slight scream, “I go to school with you every day. When did you have time for a relationship that I didn’t know about?!”

“Get lost.” Qi Xu couldn’t be bothered to explain to him right now. He was in no mood to explain these things to Sheng Fei.

Sheng Fei quickly caught up with him and followed his footsteps, “Wait for me.”

The light rain drizzled down, and Qi Xu was burdened with heavy thoughts.

Arriving at the school gate, the driver was already waiting for him.

Just as Qi Xu was about to get into the car, he suddenly felt inexplicably compelled to look back.

There, in the corner of the school gate, he spotted Xie Yang, sheltering from the rain in his white school uniform, already drenched. Clutching his backpack, Xie Yang stood under the eaves, trying to avoid the rain.

Sheng Fei had been rambling on about Qi Xu leaving him behind earlier, but seeing Qi Xu staring intently at the school gate, he followed his gaze. “What are you looking at…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Qi Xu snatched the umbrella he was holding.

Sheng Fei exclaimed, “Hey, Old Qi!”

His shout also startled Xie Yang, who was hiding in the corner from the rain. He lifted his gaze slightly, following the direction of the voice, only to see Qi Xu walking towards him step by step.

Xie Yang stood frozen in place, rainwater dripping into his eyes from his hair, making him think it was just an illusion.

Rubbing his eyes, Xie Yang realized Qi Xu was already standing in front of him.

The umbrella tilted towards his position, rain and wind falling on Qi Xu.

Xie Yang’s heart skipped a beat, his mind bewildered as he stared at Qi Xu, stepping back in surprise.

Qi Xu took another step towards him.

Xie Yang rooted himself to the spot, unable to comprehend why Qi Xu was here, why he was standing before him right now.

And he didn’t understand what Qi Xu was doing at this moment.

Qi Xu stared at him attentively, not missing a single expression on his face.

This face was even younger than the one etched in his memory, those bright eyes filled with surprise and timidity, like a startled fawn. There was a hint of hidden admiration in his eyes, but more so confusion and panic.

He wanted to embrace the person in front of him, to feel his heartbeat piercing through his chest.

But Xie Yang’s eyes told him that the person standing before him right now was not the Xie Yang who would fall in love with him two years later.

The Xie Yang two years later wouldn’t look at him with those eyes.

The Xie Yang two years later, well taken care of by him, would smile sweetly every time they met.

The Xie Yang two years later would be leaning into his arms right now. Coquettish, rather than stepping back in fear.

Without saying much, Qi Xu took Xie Yang’s hand. Startled, Xie Yang’s hand trembled slightly, but he didn’t pull away.

His hand felt just like he remembered it, cold in his palm, with a thin layer of callus.

Qi Xu furrowed his brow, handing the umbrella to Xie Yang and instructing him, “It’s slippery in the rain. Be safe on your way home, take a hot shower soon, and prevent catching a cold.” Xie Yang held the umbrella handle in a daze, lips slightly parted, unsure of what to say.

He was too shocked.

Every move Qi Xu made, even this sentence he said, left him utterly stunned.

They didn’t know each other, did they?

Or did Qi Xu know him?

Even if they knew each other, Qi Xu had never spoken to him before this. They had never interacted.

Why would he give him an umbrella? Why would he say such things?

Xie Yang’s thoughts were blurry, unable to think straight.

Seeing him in this stunned state, Qi Xu wanted to gently pat his head as before.

But he couldn’t do it.

Xie Yang must be frightened by him right now.

He couldn’t even say a few comforting words.

Qi Xu rushed out of the school gate and back to the car.

Upon seeing him, Sheng Fei immediately started complaining, “D*mn, Old Qi, are you crazy? It’s pouring rain, and you took my umbrella to give it to someone else, leaving me to get soaked with you?!”

Qi Xu replied, “That’s not someone else, that’s my wife. Besides, what does it matter if you get wet? Just don’t let my wife get soaked.”

Sheng Fei retorted, “You took my umbrella to please your wife? Do you have no shame? That’s my umbrella, mine!”

Qi Xu clicked his tongue, “How much is an umbrella? I’ll compensate you.”

Sheng Fei looked at him speechlessly.

“That’s not about money, is it? Tell me honestly, when did you start dating, and when did you turn gay? How come I didn’t know?! Wasn’t it just a few days ago you said you weren’t gay? Just a few days ago, a guy confessed to Qi Xu, and didn’t he reject him and say he couldn’t possibly be gay?

Just a few days have passed, and you’re already proving yourself wrong?

And just a few days ago, no, until he woke up from that nap during his afternoon math class, he was clearly still single!

How can you wake up from a nap and suddenly have a wife, bending yourself like mosquito coil?!

What kind of dream was that, a wet dream?

Qi Xu: “Of course I’m not gay. I only like Xie Yang. If he’s a guy, then I like guys; if he’s a girl, then I like girls.”

Sheng Fei: “Wow, so your s*xual orientation is all because of Xie Yang, huh?”

Qi Xu lazily responded.

Sheng Fei marvelled, “Then why don’t you take your wife home, especially in this heavy rain?”

Qi Xu: “I’m afraid I’ll scare him.”

It’s not that he didn’t want to take him home, but with their current relationship, it’s not quite appropriate.

Sheng Fei: “Listening to you, you two don’t seem to be in a relationship. Is he really your wife?”

Qi Xu nodded nonchalantly, “Not yet, but in two years, he will be.”

Sheng Fei: “Are you making this up? So you’re just pulling my leg?”

“No wonder this wife looks like a ready-made find.”

Sheng Fei handed him his phone, “Here, your phone. You were in such a hurry just now, did you forget about your phone?”

Qi Xu opened his phone and looked at the WeChat interface. Suddenly, he remembered something important.

He opened WeChat’s contact list, found the [New Friends] feature, scrolled down a long way through many [friend requests] and finally found that familiar WeChat account.

Inside was a simple friend request message: [Hello, I’m Xie Yang.]

With this simple sentence, Qi Xu could imagine how long Xie Yang struggled before summoning the courage to add him as a WeChat friend. Unfortunately, at that time, he hadn’t noticed Xie Yang’s existence, missing every opportunity, making Xie Yang secretly sad for a long time.

Time had passed too long, and that friend request had expired.

Learning from Xie Yang’s example, Qi Xu took the initiative to request him as a friend, and in his friend request message, he simply wrote: [Hello, I’m Qi Xu.] Then came the long wait.

But it didn’t matter how long he waited. Because Xie Yang, without his knowledge, was also waiting anxiously and disappointedly for him every day.

Lost in his thoughts, Xie Yang returned home.

For him, what had just happened felt like a dream.

He didn’t understand why Qi Xu had approached him proactively. He thought about it for a long time but couldn’t find an answer.

Before this, they hadn’t exchanged a single word.

Qi Xu himself didn’t even know he liked him.

After finishing his homework and before going to bed, Xie Yang habitually played with his phone. He opened WeChat, intending to search for Qi Xu’s WeChat ID as usual, but noticed a red dot in his contacts and curiously tapped on it. A simple letter nickname, along with that familiar black and white profile picture and blank personal signature, caught his eye.

Looking at the friend request message, Xie Yang’s pupils widened slightly. His hands trembled uncontrollably as he repeatedly opened the request message, confirming it wasn’t his imagination.

Qi Xu…

Had actually proactively added him as a friend.

Xie Yang’s eyes suddenly reddened.

Wanting to be Qi Xu’s WeChat friend had been his wish all along.

He had actually waited for a long time, knowing that the friend request had probably drowned in his numerous friend requests.

He also knew it wouldn’t be appropriate to reapply and disturb him.

But Xie Yang hadn’t expected things to turn around so suddenly.

With trembling hands, he hesitantly accepted Qi Xu’s friend request and hesitated for a long time on how to greet Qi Xu. He repeatedly typed out a string of text, only to delete it word by word until Qi Xu took the initiative to send him a message.

QX: [Have you eaten?]

Xie Yang almost eagerly replied, [I’ve already eaten.]

He was so excited that his hands trembled as he typed. After sending this message, he regretted whether his response was too cold. He quickly sent another message, [And you, have you eaten?]

QX: [Yeah, I saw you got caught in the rain today. Take care of yourself and don’t catch a cold.]

Xie Yang pursed his lips tightly. He really didn’t know how to chat, especially with the person he liked. Every word seemed to end the conversation.

He really wanted to chat with Qi Xu a bit more, but didn’t know how to find a topic. He was afraid that frequent chatting would be too presumptuous.

While he was feeling tormented, Qi Xu had already changed his WeChat nickname to [Wife]

Qi Xu curiously clicked on Xie Yang’s Moments, finding only a few sparse posts. There were few updates in his Moments.

Xie Yang sent another message at this time: [I’ll return the umbrella to you before class tomorrow.]

QX: [Okay.]

QX: [Rest early, it’s already late.]

Qi Xu glanced at the current time.

At this hour as usual, Xie Yang had already started to doze off.

However, Xie Yang misunderstood his intention; he thought Qi Xu didn’t want to continue chatting.

Although somewhat sad, he still followed Qi Xu’s lead and bid him farewell.

Xie Yang repeatedly looked at his chat history with Qi Xu. He still couldn’t believe that he had actually added Qi Xu on WeChat.

Although he didn’t chat with Qi Xu for a few more words, Xie Yang was still very happy.

So are they officially acquainted now?

There were too many surprises today, and Xie Yang even had sweet dreams when he slept.

He began to look forward to tomorrow.

He wanted to see Qi Xu.

…

The next day.

Xie Yang got up early.

He packed up the umbrella that had been dried and took the bus back to school early in the morning.

There were not many people in Class 1 at this time. Xie Yang knew where Qi Xu’s seat was, but he didn’t dare to enter Class 1’s classroom rashly. He just handed the umbrella to a classmate in Class 1 and asked him to return the umbrella to Qi Xu.

He didn’t dare to return the umbrella to Qi Xu in person. He didn’t have the courage yet.

Although Qi Xu acted like he knew him and was familiar with him yesterday.

Qi Xu knew that with Xie Yang’s personality, he would definitely return to school very early, and maybe he would wait for him all the time, so he returned to school very early.

When he saw the umbrella on the table, he still couldn’t hide his disappointment.

He originally thought that he could come back early, meet Xie Yang, and let him return the umbrella to him personally, but he didn’t expect that he was still a step late.

In fact, he probably guessed that Xie Yang would not return the umbrella to him in person. He was timid and cautious, and maybe he thought that the enthusiasm he showed to him yesterday was just a whim.

He put the umbrella away and put it in the drawer.

Sheng Fei: “Hey, isn’t this my umbrella?”

Qi Xu snorted: “It’s my umbrella now.”

Sheng Fei: “…”

It’s just my wife’s used one, look at how capable you are.

Sheng Fei looked at his watch and sighed: “You got up so early today, I’ve never seen such a thing.”

Usually Qi Xu came to school for class on time, just one or two minutes earlier than the teacher.

There were still two minutes before class.

Qi Xu couldn’t sit still.

Sheng Fei called him: “It’s almost time for class, where are you going?”

Qi Xu: “The bathroom.”

Sheng Fei: “Now?”

Qi Xu: “No?”

Sheng Fei: “That’s not impossible.”

Qi Xu has walked the road to the restroom countless times.

He looked at the row of students in Class 3 near the window as he remembered, and he saw Xie Yang, who was reading with his head down.

And the moment he looked at Xie Yang, Xie Yang happened to raise his head.

The moment their eyes met, Qi Xu couldn’t help but smile.

Xie Yang was slightly startled, and he froze completely when he saw the smile on Qi Xu’s face.

It wasn’t until Qi Xu walked away that Xie Yang reacted, and his heartbeat seemed to miss a beat, and then it beat rapidly again.

His whole face flushed quickly at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Was Qi Xu greeting him just now?

Sheng Fei looked at Qi Xu for a long while and couldn’t help but complain: “Who were you smiling at just now? You smiled so flamboyantly.”

Qi Xu glanced at him.

Sheng Fei: “It’s like a peacock spreading its tail.”

Qi Xu: “Tsk.”

The bell for class rang, and Sheng Fei urged: “Didn’t you say you were going to the bathroom?”

Qi Xu washed his hands casually and wiped them with a tissue: “Let’s go.

Sheng Fei: “? ? ?”

What’s going on?

Sheng Fei looked at Qi Xu’s gaze towards Class 3 again, and suddenly understood: “You didn’t come here just to see your wife, did you?”

He remembered that Xie Yang was from Class 3, and when Qi Xu passed Class 2, he didn’t stop for a step. When he walked to Class 3, he wanted to stop and take a look.

Qi Xu: “How did you become smart.”

Sheng Fei choked, he was smart, okay.

“No, buddy, are you serious?”

Qi Xu: “When did I lie to you?”

Sheng Fei asked in confusion: “But you didn’t have a relationship before yesterday, you can’t wake up with a wife.”

Qi Xu was too lazy to talk to him.

He couldn’t tell anyone about time travel, and no one would believe it.

After finally getting through school at noon, Sheng Fei stretched and looked at Qi Xu beside him, saying: “What to eat at noon? Go home or what?”

Qi Xu packed up his books and said without hesitation: “In the cafeteria.”

Sheng Fei looked at him in astonishment: “When did you like the cafeteria? Didn’t you think the school cafeteria was bad?”

Qi Xu: “I’m happy to.”

Sheng Fei: “Then I’ll go see what to eat today.

Qi Xu frowned: “Don’t follow me, I’m going to find my wife.”

Sheng Fei: “? ? ?”

What kind of talk is this.

Sheng Fei didn’t give up, he firmly believed that Qi Xu had slept and made himself stupid.

He followed Qi Xu and watched him order a few dishes that he would never eat normally, and then walked straight to Xie Yang who was sitting in the corner.

Sheng Fei: “…”

Qi Xu couldn’t have been bewitched by Xie Yang.

He looked at Xie Yang carefully, and didn’t understand why Qi Xu liked this type.

With thick bangs and a pair of heavy glasses, he looked weak and timid. The only good thing about him was that he was very white.

But there were many white and beautiful girls, both boys and girls, who confessed to Qi Xu, and he didn’t see him having any feelings for any of them.

Sheng Fei felt it was very strange.

In fact, not only him, but even Xie Yang found it incredible.

Seeing Qi Xu sitting in front of him, he was a little shocked.

There were obviously many empty seats nearby, why did Qi Xu choose to sit opposite him.

He was so nervous that he couldn’t even eat.

Qi Xu looked at the food he ordered, which was even less than what Xiao Lihua ate, and there was not even a few pieces of meat. No wonder he was always so thin.

Xie Yang hesitated for a long time, but still greeted him timidly.

“Student Qi Xu.”

Qi Xu nodded, frowning slightly.

This made Xie Yang a little uneasy.

Since Qi Xu sat here, Xie Yang vaguely felt that the atmosphere around him was much more lively, and he could also feel that many eyes were on him, which made him very uncomfortable.

But he was reluctant to leave, because the person sitting in front of him was the one he liked.

Xie Yang was slow to eat, and when Qi Xu sat in front of him, he ate even slower.

He wanted to stay with him longer, but was also worried that his eating manners would not look good.

Qi Xu: “I accidentally ordered too much food just now, can you help me eat some?”

Xie Yang subconsciously looked at his plate, which had eggplant, shrimp, and his favorite braised pork, all of which were his favorite dishes.

But he didn’t understand it a little, he remembered that Qi Xu was a very clean person.

Sharing food is a bit presumptuous and intimate, but Qi Xu acted very calmly.

Are they already so familiar with each other?

While Xie Yang was still in a daze, Qi Xu put half of his meal on his plate.

Xie Yang hesitated to speak.

Finally, he whispered thank you.

Qi Xu: “Tomorrow is Saturday, I want to go to the library to read, do you want to join me?”

Xie Yang looked up at him suddenly and was stunned on the spot.

Is Qi Xu asking him out?

Why?

His mind was in a mess, and he even forgot to chew the rice in his mouth and swallowed it directly.

Without giving Xie Yang a chance to refuse him, Qi Xu quickly finished his meal and said to him before leaving: “I’ll wait for you in the library.”

Xie Yang looked at his back and was stunned for a long time before he realized that Qi Xu had gone far away.

He actually didn’t think about refusing.

He was even very happy.

It’s just that he thought about it for a long time and couldn’t figure out why Qi Xu suddenly approached him.

Xie Yang didn’t know what purpose Qi Xu had in approaching him, but he didn’t care.

No matter what the reason was, he couldn’t refuse Qi Xu’s approach to him.

He was even pleasantly surprised.

…

Saturday, library.

Xie Yang came early, he didn’t want Qi Xu to wait for him.

He chose a quiet corner and started doing math papers.

The final exam is coming soon, there is a lot of homework, the math teacher handed out three papers before school was over yesterday.

When Qi Xu came, Xie Yang was biting the pen cap, calculating math problems with a sad face.

He put the milk tea next to Xie Yang.

He remembered that Xie Yang liked this brand of milk tea very much.

Xie Yang was startled by him, and then he was full of joy. Looking at the cup of milk tea on the table, he whispered: “Thank you.”

Qi Xu sat down next to him, and their seats were very close.

When Xie Yang thought of this, he couldn’t help but feel shy.

His heart beat fast, and even his breathing became rapid.

He rarely had the opportunity to get so close to Qi Xu.

He felt timid and wanted to retreat, but he couldn’t help but want to get closer.

His thoughts became messy, and he unconsciously drew a bunch of lines on the draft paper.

Qi Xu looked at the solution ideas he made on the draft paper, and then looked at the math problem on the paper. He took out a pencil and drew a circle on Xie Yang’s paper: “This is wrong.”

His sudden approach made Xie Yang freeze.

Qi Xu whispered to him about the part he had just calculated wrong.

Xie Yang’s mind was blank and he couldn’t listen at all.

Qi Xu looked at him still in a daze, and couldn’t help but chuckled: “Do you understand?”

Xie Yang pursed his lips slightly and collected his thoughts bit by bit.

This was the picture he had imagined, and he shouldn’t be distracted at this moment.

Qi Xu explained it to him again. Xie Yang tried to calm his mind and deliberately ignored Qi Xu’s breath getting closer and closer to him.

The faint scent of gardenia, fresh and pleasant.

Xie Yang thought, he would remember this smell forever.

Qi Xu helped him check the paper, circled all the wrong questions, and then explained to him in detail how to calculate these questions.

Xie Yang listened carefully and didn’t notice that the distance between the two people was getting closer.

It was not until he calculated all the wrong questions and heard Qi Xu’s gentle laughter in his ears that Xie Yang realized that the distance between them was very close.

His shoulder gently leaned against Qi Xu’s arms.

The faint scent of gardenia surrounded him.

His face quickly turned red, and the whole face was like an attractive peach.

Qi Xu naturally noticed his changes and couldn’t help swallowing his saliva when looking at his face.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t even touch it now.

From this day on, Qi Xu and Xie Yang became much closer.

There seemed to be an invisible tacit understanding between them.

No one took the initiative to break that layer of paper.

They would have lunch together every day and study together in the library on weekends.

Since the third year of high school, they have been almost inseparable.

Xie Yang occasionally noticed that Qi Xu’s eyes looking at him were hiding some love.

He was happy and didn’t dare to ask for too much.

It seemed that everything had changed for the better.

He was no longer alone. Qi Xu would appear by his side at any time.

The study life in the third year of high school was not so boring.

He gradually became popular from a small transparent existence in the class. Students would often come to him with their papers for advice.

Students around him would occasionally pull him to discuss various difficult problems encountered on the papers.

He also began to learn to get along with his classmates and slowly made many friends.

His world changed from black, white and gray to colorful little by little.

Until the end of the college entrance examination.

All the classmates were crying excitedly.

Xie Yang’s eyes were red quietly.

“Xie Yang.”

Hearing Qi Xu’s voice, Xie Yang looked out the window.

He ran out of the corridor and smiled in surprise: “Why are you here?”

Qi Xu handed him the pink envelope in his hand.

“Xie Yang, please date me.”

---

Extra Chapter: If Line High School

Ding ling ling.

The bell for the end of class rang.

The math teacher, already hoarse from lecturing for one session, assigned homework and left the classroom without looking back.

Xie Yang looked at the problem-solving methods left on the blackboard by the teacher and flipped through the notes he had taken during class, his face filled with worry.

Annoyed, he chewed on the cap of his pen. Math had always been his weak spot. He needed time to absorb the content the math teacher had just taught. Diligence can compensate for a lack of talent, so he could only brush up on practice questions during the spare time after class.

His seat was by the window in the corridor, near the direction of the restroom. So, every time after class, the corridor was always noisy, preventing him from concentrating.

“Tomorrow’s exam. I didn’t understand a single thing the teacher just taught. If I mess up this time, I wonder how my dad will scold me.”

“If you didn’t stay up all night playing games, things would be better.”

“Geez, why do you talk as if you’re not the one staying up all night playing games with me?”

“I didn’t sleep during class.”

From outside the window came a deep, pleasing voice. It sounded casual, like the summer breeze, carrying a hint of laziness. This familiar voice made Xie Yang’s heart suddenly skip a beat, his heart pounding uncontrollably.

In his mind, there were only two words: “He’s here.“

He raised his eyes and looked out the window, and in an instant, he saw the face he had been yearning for.

The cool face of the boy exuded a hint of shallow smile, his lips slightly upturned, softening his entire face.

This was the first time Xie Yang had seen him today.

This was also why Xie Yang could tolerate the noisy noises outside the corridor.

Because only by sitting by the window, he could openly watch the person he liked pass by every day.

Perhaps his gaze was too obvious, too intense, as the boy felt something and curiously glanced at him.

At the moment their eyes met, Xie Yang quickly lowered his head to avoid the boy’s gaze.

He clamped his lower lip tightly, stiffly staring at the contents of the textbook.

His heartbeat quickened rapidly, causing his face to blush instantly and spread quickly.

The boy only managed to see his fair neck and reddened ears.

It was as if the gaze just now had been an illusion.

After the boy left, Xie Yang finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He never dared to make eye contact with the boy.

This was the boy he had secretly admired for two years, Qi Xu, a classmate from Class 3 of Senior 3.

A few minutes later, Qi Xu passed by again.

Silently, Xie Yang watched his back until his figure disappeared from his sight, then he returned his gaze to the textbook.

The bell for class rang again.

Xie Yang absentmindedly thought to himself: “Tomorrow’s exam. Is there a chance we’ll be in the same exam room?”

Every exam disrupted the list of students. In the past two years, he had only been lucky enough to be in the same exam room as Qi Xu once.

He hoped this time it would be the same as he wished.

School ended at five o’clock in the afternoon.

To reach the school gate, Xie Yang’s teaching building had to pass through the basketball court.

With a heavy backpack on his back, he walked toward the school gate.

“Hey, watch out!”

“Quick, get out of the way!”

“Hey, that male student over there!”

Xie Yang walked straight along the school road, not noticing that they were shouting at him from the edge of the basketball court.

When he came to his senses, the basketball had already hit him.

A sharp pain instantly came from his shoulder. Xie Yang was knocked down by the force and fell to the ground.

“Are you okay?”

“Did you get hurt?”

“Classmate, are you alright?”

Several boys surrounded him, bombarding him with questions about his injuries, their eyes fixed on him.

Xie Yang felt stars in his eyes and wanted to quickly escape from this place.

He was timid and introverted by nature, rarely interacting with others, even seldom chatting with the classmates around him.

Now surrounded by a crowd of boys, he felt uneasy.

He shook his head in a panic towards them, “I’m fine, it’s okay.”

“Maybe you should go to the school clinic.”

A familiar voice rang out, and Xie Yang suddenly looked up at the boy.

Qi Xu reached out to him, wanting to help him up. “Can you still get up?”

Xie Yang looked at the hand extended to him, his gaze somewhat vacant. He glanced timidly at Qi Xu, then immediately looked away.

His heart couldn’t help but flutter. Suppressing his confusion and panic, he whispered softly, “I’m fine.”

More and more people gathered around him, and he felt increasingly suffocated, unable to catch his breath. His face turned pale, enduring the pain as he quickly stood up.

Due to being too nervous, his voice was stuttering, “I-I’m fine, I’ll go first.”

He liked to review his lessons at home, so he often carried many books home. The heavy backpack pressed against his shoulders, making him feel painful, causing him to stagger. But he cautiously walked out of the crowd and quickly left the area.

He had to visit the school clinic before the exam tomorrow.

Fortunately, the door to the school clinic hadn’t been closed yet.

The school doctor glanced at the bruise on his shoulder while applying medicinal alcohol. While wiping his brow, he asked, “Did you get into a fight with another student?” Xie Yang winced in pain, nervously explaining, “It was an accident, not a fight.”

The school doctor glanced at him and muttered quietly, “I see. Looking at how well-behaved you are, it doesn’t seem like you’d get into fights.”

The alcohol was evenly spread on his shoulder. First, a cool sensation spread out, replaced by a burning sensation as the school doctor massaged the wound. Xie Yang bit his lower lip in pain, clutching his clothes tightly and remained silent. Seeing this, the school doctor eased his grip, then handed him the bottle of alcohol, “Take this back and apply it. Fortunately, the injury is on your left shoulder, so it shouldn’t affect tomorrow’s exam, or you’d be in trouble.

Xie Yang thanked him repeatedly.

When he came out of the school clinic, it was already quite late, but fortunately, he had avoided the peak time after school, and there weren’t many people at the bus stop.

He carried a strong medicinal smell on him, not pleasant. He sat in the back row by the window.

He opened the window for some fresh air and happened to see the car coming to pick up Qi Xu. Although he didn’t know what brand of car it was, judging from the license plate number starting with “5888”, he knew it was quite expensive. There were several times when he heard bits and pieces from classmates about Qi Xu, and he had a rough idea of his background. Thinking of the gap between them, Xie Yang sighed sadly and turned his eyes away.

Thus, he missed the glance Qi Xu cast his way.

Qi Xu looked at the small figure curled up in the back seat of the car, always reminded of the glance he saw in the corridor this morning.

Like a feather falling into his heart, every time he saw Xie Yang, that feather would pluck at his heartstrings.

Restless.

Driver: “Young Master?”

Qi Xu withdrew his gaze and got into the car.

“Let’s go.”

Perhaps it was just a momentary impulse.

…

Next day.

Xie Yang arrived at the designated exam room according to his admission ticket.

With a quick glance, he saw Qi Xu sitting near the window.

Xie Yang froze in his tracks, feeling a sudden surge of joy.

He hadn’t expected to be so lucky as to end up in the same exam room as Qi Xu. However, he was seated in the front row while Qi Xu was in the back, so he didn’t have any chance to steal glances at him, not even to turn around, as it would seem too deliberate.

Still, he felt very happy.

Because the exams were spread over three days, he would have a chance to see him each day.

Just being in the same exam room as Qi Xu made him feel content.

The three days passed quickly. After finishing exams on Friday and having teachers mark papers over the weekend, the results would be announced on Monday.

Although the teacher had already told him his results early, Xie Yang still wanted to see for himself on the bulletin board.

Squeezing through the crowd, he found his name on the bulletin board, just below Qi Xu’s name.

For three years, nothing had changed.

The classmates around looked at the rankings on the list, sighing.

“Qi Xu is first again this time, first in the grade for three years straight, truly deserving of being a study god.”

“The second place is always just ten or twenty points behind, but has never caught up.”

“Look at this, the third place hasn’t caught up with the second in three years. The ranking hasn’t changed at all.”

“I heard from Class 1 that after Qi Xu finishes the exam, his family is arranging for him to study abroad.”

“Doesn’t sound surprising, right? His family is so wealthy; studying abroad is quite normal.”

Xie Yang’s heart tightened, his blood seemingly freezing.

He had forgotten this important matter.

He had wanted to know which university Qi Xu would choose, but he had suddenly forgotten there was also the option of studying abroad.

Xie Yang returned to the classroom in a daze.

But he quickly regained his composure. This was the college entrance examination, and he didn’t want to waste time on youthful emotions.

Right now, all he needed to do was make a final sprint.

Because this was his most important answer to life.

Xie Yang set aside all distractions.

After the college entrance examination ended, while everyone was celebrating or discussing where to go on vacation, Xie Yang summoned up the courage to find Qi Xu with a long-sealed love letter. He just wanted to ensure that, regardless of Qi Xu’s choice—whether to study abroad or elsewhere—they wouldn’t miss a chance to meet again.

Many students were reviewing their answers, while several were around Qi Xu.

For a moment, Xie Yang hesitated. Just as he was undecided whether to step forward and hand the love letter to Qi Xu, another boy appeared. He beat Xie Yang to it and handed the love letter to Qi Xu, saying, “Qi Xu, I like you.”

The boy hurriedly placed the love letter into Qi Xu’s hands and ran off before anyone in their group could react.

The boys around Qi Xu came to their senses and started teasing him.

“Old Qi, how come guys are still confessing to you?”

“Is Old Qi now charming enough to attract everyone, young and old, male and female?”

“Tsk, isn’t this boy from Class 7? I heard he’s gay. Never thought he would fall for Old Qi!”

“Old Qi can’t be gay! What are these people thinking?”

“Didn’t you know that there were guys who confessed to him before? I still remember his expression back then, it was like he had swallowed a fly.”

“Old Qi, I remember you’re straight, right? Please share your feelings.”

Qi Xu just smiled lightly and didn’t say anything.

Xie Yang’s eyes reddened. He tightly squeezed the love letter he had prepared to give away, but in the end, he put it back into his pocket.

Yeah, Qi Xu doesn’t like guys. If he knew I liked him, he would definitely find it disgusting, right?

“Hey, who are you looking for?”

A boy suddenly patted Xie Yang’s shoulder.

Several boys surrounding Qi Xu immediately looked towards the direction of the voice. Xie Yang staggered back a step. “No, I was just passing by.” Xie Yang turned around and quickly left.

He was in a hurry and didn’t notice the envelope had fallen out of his pocket.

“Weird… Wasn’t he looking for someone?”

The boy muttered to himself. Just as he was about to leave, he noticed the dropped letter on the ground.

He picked up the letter and was about to call Xie Yang back, but Xie Yang had already run far away.

The boy was a bit puzzled. He looked at the name written on the envelope and glanced towards Qi Xu not far away.

“Qi Xu, this letter seems to be for you.”

Qi Xu recalled the face that had flashed by just now and said in slight surprise, “For me?”

The boy handed him the letter. “It was left by the guy who just ran away. Your name is written on the envelope.”

The boys around Qi Xu started teasing again.

“Wow, another one?”

“That guy just confessed to Qi Xu?”

“Why did he leave again before delivering the letter?”

“Maybe he overheard us and got scared away?”

“I told you, Qi Xu, how do you always attract guys?”

“Why is this letter so crumpled?”

“Should we open it and see?”

“I’m curious too, how does a guy write a love letter to another guy?”

“How about reading it aloud?”

Qi Xu smoothed out the wrinkles of the letter and put it into his backpack, saying calmly, “Let’s go.”

After the college entrance examination, it started raining.

June weather was always unpredictable.

Xie Yang ran to the station in the rain, soaked through and looking disheveled. Just as he was about to take out his transit card, he realized that the love letter he had put in his pocket was nowhere to be found. He frantically searched through his backpack and all his pockets but couldn’t find the letter.

His face turned pale. That letter had both his and Qi Xu’s names on it.

Xie Yang didn’t know where he had lost it, but he knew that letter couldn’t be seen by anyone else.

He retraced his steps, following his memory’s path over and over again to find the letter. He searched everywhere he had been, but still couldn’t find where the letter had fallen. Xie Yang felt utterly defeated.

Instead of going back to his mother’s home, Xie Yang went straight back to the countryside.

Xie Yang clumsily opened the door of his home, the only sanctuary he had, and finally allowed himself to cry.

The college entrance examination, unrequited love, and the lost confession letter.

Because he caught a cold from being soaked in rain and not drying off in time, Xie Yang had a fever for three days.

He didn’t have time to be sad. He urgently began looking for a summer job.

Near S University, he found a part-time job at a bakery.

He needed to save enough money for his university expenses during the summer vacation.

Days at the bakery were fulfilling. Xie Yang learned to make various desserts under the guidance of the bakery’s owner every day.

However, during his occasional free time, he would still think about the confession letter that he hadn’t delivered and the face that was deeply engraved in his mind.

Every day, he missed him more than the day before.

Until August, when school was about to start, he met someone he had longed for at the bakery.

“Welcome.”

Xie Yang looked towards the bakery door, and the person at the door looked at him at the same time.

Their eyes met, and both of them froze in place.

“Welcome.”

Until the doorbell rang again, breaking the silence.

Qi Xu… Why is he here?

Wasn’t he supposed to be going abroad?

By now, shouldn’t he already be overseas?

Xie Yang lowered his head and quietly patted his chest, trying hard to calm his excited emotions, making his voice as steady as possible. “Hello, may I help you with something?”

Qi Xu’s voice was faint, devoid of any discernible emotion. “A caramel pudding, please.”

Xie Yang’s lips trembled slightly, and he quickly responded, “Sure.”

He took out the caramel pudding from the display window, packed it at the counter, his flustered demeanor betraying him.

“That will be ten yuan.”

Xie Yang struggled to restrain himself, but Qi Xu could still hear the slight quiver in his voice.

Qi Xu silently paid, his gaze fixed on Xie Yang.

It turned out that the feather had always remained in his heart, never leaving.

As long as he met Xie Yang, he would wantonly pluck his heartstrings.

He read the letter over and over again in the past two months.

He has always been curious about what kind of person Xie Yang is.

In his few memories, it is difficult to piece together Xie Yang completely.

A subtle feeling lasted throughout the summer.

Until today.

He suddenly realized that such a feeling is called missing.

Xie Yang handed him the packaged caramel pudding: “Welcome next time.”

He kept his head down from beginning to end, so that Qi Xu could not see his expression clearly.

Qi Xu took a deep breath and said lightly: “Classmate Xie Yang, can I add your WeChat?”

Hearing this, Xie Yang suddenly raised his head, looked at him in shock, and then quickly lowered his head.

It was also at this moment that Qi Xu saw the clear traces of tears on his face.

Qi Xu was silent for a few seconds, and did not take the caramel pudding. Instead, he said: “Can you wait for me?”

Xie Yang nodded blankly. He was still shocked that Qi Xu not only knew him, but also called out his name accurately.

Qi Xu left in a hurry and returned after more than ten minutes.

He ran very fast, panting heavily, holding a pink envelope in his hand.

He handed the letter to Xie Yang in his puzzled and shocked eyes.

“This is my reply.”

Xie Yang looked at him, his eyes were obviously a little dull.

Qi Xu explained: “On the day after the college entrance examination, the confession letter you dropped was picked up by me.”

Xie Yang’s pupils widened, and he opened his lips slightly, but he couldn’t say a word.

His slightly red eyes were misty again, and big tears fell.

Qi Xu: “I haven’t been able to contact you since that day. I want to hand you this reply letter in person. Today I finally found the opportunity.

Xie Yang looked at the letter he handed over and couldn’t believe it.

Why, Qi Xu wanted to write him a reply.

Why, Qi Xu wanted to hand it to him in person.

His mood has been messed up since the moment he met Qi Xu.

Until now, his mind is still blank.

He didn’t take it, and Qi Xu kept holding it like this.

Xie Yang took the envelope with trembling hands.

He wanted to speak, but at this moment it was so difficult that he couldn’t say a word.

Qi Xu: “Will you be here tomorrow?”

Xie Yang nodded.

Qi Xu: “Then can I come to see you tomorrow?”

Xie Yang nodded again.

Qi Xu breathed a sigh of relief and smiled: “See you tomorrow.”

He left the space for Xie Yang.

He knew Xie Yang needed to calm down now.

Until he left, Xie Yang couldn’t help but open the letter.

There was only a simple sentence in the letter:

Xie Yang, can we date now?

---

The author has something to say

The key points are said three times: high school, including exams, etc., are all privately set × 3

This is a high school line without online love, which has been modified a little bit based on the original plot.

In addition, there is a line of rebirth back to high school (double rebirth or one of the rebirths, I won’t reveal it for now hahaha)

---

Chapter 57: Conclusion

“Do you want to come home together?”

Qi Xu held Xie Yang quietly, tenderly.

Xie Yang quickly refused, “I want to go back to the dorm.”

Under the current circumstances, could he even sleep at home tonight?

He might not even wake up in time for early classes tomorrow.

“Don’t you want to come home with me?” Qi Xu’s voice was heavy, unable to conceal his disappointment.

Xie Yang wouldn’t fall for it again, nor would he be swayed.

He insisted on going back to the dormitory alone.

Qi Xu helped him get dressed again, looking at Xie Yang’s pouting face, couldn’t help but chuckle, “Still angry?”

Xie Yang sighed lightly, hugged Qi Xu’s hand, and kissed his cheek gently, whispering, “No, I’m not mad at you.”

Qi Xu hugged his waist, gently licking the kiss marks on his neck, coaxing, “You’re so cute, I can’t resist.”

Xie Yang couldn’t help blushing, feeling sweet inside, “I want to go back to the dorm to take a shower.”

Qi Xu helped him tidy up a bit, coaxing, “Can I accompany you back to the dorm?”

Without hesitation, Xie Yang directly refused, “No, it’s okay, I want to go by myself.”

Qi Xu stepped back, “Then let me drop you off downstairs at the dorm?”

Xie Yang hesitated, his gaze sweeping over Qi Xu’s clothes, wrinkled and stained with some unknown liquid.

After a long silence, Qi Xu followed his gaze and looked at his own clothes.

Silence for a moment, Qi Xu casually wiped and crumpled the tissues into a ball and threw them into the car. It was only then that Xie Yang noticed several of these small balls near his feet.

Xie Yang: “…”

Avoiding eye contact, he slowly withdrew from Qi Xu’s embrace, returning to the passenger seat, looking at Qi Xu with a hint of pity, “I want to take a shower.”

The sticky feeling on his body made him very uncomfortable.

Qi Xu helped him fasten his seatbelt again, drove him back to the school gate.

Before getting off the car, Xie Yang took the initiative to kiss his cheek, “Then I’ll go first?”

Qi Xu smoothed out his messy hair, saying, “Shall I wait for you downstairs at the dorm tomorrow morning?”

Xie Yang: “So early?”

Qi Xu: “Yeah, let’s go back early tonight and have breakfast together tomorrow.”

Xie Yang nodded, but as soon as he opened the car door and stepped down, he immediately felt weak in his legs.

Qi Xu looked at him worriedly. The distance from here to the dormitory building was not far, but not close either. He was about to get out of the car when Xie Yang quickly stopped him, saying, “You’re not allowed to follow.”

This was the first time Xie Yang had spoken to him in such a commanding tone. Qi Xu found it refreshing and obediently sat back.

“Then be careful. I’ll wait until you get back to the dorm before I leave.”

Xie Yang didn’t expect Qi Xu to be so obedient. Back in the car, he kissed his face again, “Okay, I’ll message you when I get back to the dorm.”

Since it was late at night and there weren’t many people at the school gate, Xie Yang quickly got out of the car and headed towards the dormitory. His steps were uneven, but the oversized clothes covered his awkward walking posture, making it barely noticeable.

Qi Xu watched Xie Yang slowly disappear in the rearview mirror, feeling a bit reluctant.

Only when Xie Yang’s figure completely disappeared did he withdraw his gaze, sitting in the car repeatedly refreshing his WeChat messages.

Xie Yang walked slowly and unexpectedly saw Su Huai downstairs at the dormitory.

They exchanged glances, both somewhat surprised.

Su Huai chuckled dryly, “You’re coming back so late?”

Xie Yang awkwardly nodded.

They both glanced at each other, noticing the obvious hickies on each other’s necks, and tacitly closed their mouths.

There was even a sense of camaraderie¹ between them, like brothers in a difficult situation.

They stood at opposite corners of the elevator.

Xie Yang sent a message to Qi Xu: [I’m back in the dorm.]

Clingy: [Take a shower first, we’ll voice chat later.]

Caramel Pudding: [Okay.]

Back in the dorm, Song Xingyu and Xi Rui had already returned and cleaned up the dormitory.

Seeing Xie Yang and Su Huai entering the dorm one after another, Xi Rui smiled, “What a coincidence for you two?”

Su Huai replied first, “Yeah, we had dinner together.”

Song Xingyu added, “It’s so late, are you two having supper together?”

Su Huai replied, “Um, you could say that, right, Xiao Xie?”

Xie Yang quickly agreed, “Yeah.”

The dormitory’s bathroom was on the balcony, with two separate toilets, so Xie Yang and Su Huai didn’t dare to chat too much with Song Xingyu and the others.

They opened their suitcases, found their pajamas, and went straight to the bathroom to shower.

They closed the balcony door and chatted quietly across the wall.

Su Huai said, “I thought you weren’t coming back tonight.”

Xie Yang replied, “I have early classes tomorrow.”

If he went home with Qi Xu, given the circumstances, they wouldn’t get home until late. Qi Xu wouldn’t let him sleep early.

He wouldn’t be able to wake up tomorrow.

“It’s the first class of the semester tomorrow, and the professor will take attendance.”

If he skips or takes leave tomorrow, the professor will definitely make a note of it.

Su Huai teased, “What if you didn’t have early classes?”

Xie Yang blushed slightly and asked him back, “Then why did you come back so late?”

Su Huai’s smile froze on his face. He was supposed to return to the dormitory after dinner, but Xia Heng said he wanted to take him to see a movie, and he believed Xia Heng’s nonsense.

Little did he know that Xia Heng actually meant to take him home to watch a movie.

The movie was playing all along, and he didn’t even get a chance to glance at it.

It wasn’t until the movie ended that Xia Heng finally brought him back to school.

He really had a lot of tricks up his sleeve.

Once again, they tacitly chose silence.

After finally enjoying a comfortable hot shower, Xie Yang made his bed, lying on it unwilling to move.

He put on his Bluetooth earphones and called Qi Xu.

Once the voice call was connected, Xie Yang placed his phone next to his pillow and closed his eyes.

“Have you arrived home?”

His voice was soft, sounding very weary.

Qi Xu: “Hmm, just finished showering. Are you going to sleep?”

Xie Yang: “A bit tired…”

Qi Xu instinctively lowered his voice: “Go to bed early. Goodnight.”

Xie Yang didn’t respond.

After two minutes, faint and steady breathing came through the earphones.

Qi Xu listened for several minutes before reluctantly ending the voice call.

…

At seven o’clock in the morning, the alarm clock rang on time.

Xie Yang got up groggily from bed.

It had been a long time since he had woken up so early. Throughout the entire winter break, he had almost always slept until he naturally woke up.

He could sleep until three or four in the afternoon, wake up to food, and then Qi Xu would always be there to keep him company.

The whole winter break had left him languid under Qi Xu’s care.

His body clock couldn’t adjust, and he vaguely remembered Qi Xu saying they would have breakfast together.

He stumbled out of bed to freshen up.

Receiving a message from Qi Xu, Xie Yang quickly changed clothes and headed downstairs.

The dormitory building was bustling with people, and Xie Yang immediately spotted Qi Xu in the crowd, quietly leaning against the wall and looking at his phone.

Xie Yang’s head still felt fuzzy. He walked towards Qi Xu, threw himself into his arms, and muttered, “So tired.”

He buried himself completely in Qi Xu’s embrace, taking a deep breath of the familiar scent of gardenias on him.

Qi Xu held his shoulders and said, “Let’s sit in the back during class and you can rest.”

Xie Yang thought it was a good idea, but unfortunately, their professor was known for being strict during class. Regretfully, he said, “I dare not sleep in the professor’s class.”

Holding his hand, Qi Xu led him towards the cafeteria. “What do you want to eat?”

Xie Yang hugged his arm, leaning on his shoulder lazily. “Youtiao, soy milk, buns, dumplings… I want to eat everything.”

Qi Xu left him comfortably as he went to line up for breakfast.

By the time Qi Xu returned with breakfast, Xie Yang had fully awakened and was looking at his phone with a conflicted expression.

Su Huai: [Freshly posted forum photos, envy-inducing sweetness.]

Xie Yang clicked on the link Su Huai shared with him.

[On the first day of school, I received a sweet attack from my CP. Who understands?]

1F: [Truly worth waiting a month for, even the dog food tastes sweet.]

2F: [I saw it right in front of me! Little cutie took the initiative and jumped into the arms of the old gong! So sweet, my CP must be sweet!]

3F: [Seeing Qi Xu’s worthless appearance again, I’m once again spitting blood in frustration.]

4F: [Can tell they’re deeply in love. Lighting a cigarette.jpg]

5F: [Please write a book, Xie Yang. I’ll definitely buy it!]

6F: [Still don’t know how he managed to turn Qi Xu around. Seeking someone with insider information.]

7F: [Attempting to tag @Sheng Fei, also looking for contact information.]

…

111F: [Upstairs once again performing “Too Bad I’m Not So-and-so” “Turns Out He’s Not Cold, He Just Doesn’t Like Me” “Icy School Genius Falls from Grace” “Although He’s Handsome, He’s Blind to My Charms”]

Xie Yang scrolled through the posts, feeling a bit regretful looking at the photos of him and Qi Xu that the OP had posted.

How tired and unclear-headed had he been to act so affectionately with Qi Xu in front of so many people?

Quietly, he clicked on the report button in the top right corner.

Qi Xu placed the breakfast in front of him, smiling. “What’s wrong? You look troubled.”

Xie Yang shook his head, choosing not to mention such trivial matters to Qi Xu. He changed the topic instead, saying, “I’m really not used to early classes. When I was bored at home, I looked forward to school starting, but now that it has, I’m already looking forward to the holidays.”

Back when he was working part-time, he had to wake up early.

Now, he was finding it difficult to adjust, perhaps because people tended to feel lethargic once they had too much free time.

Qi Xu handed him a peeled tea egg and said, “Will you come home for dinner after school? After eating, you can take a nap.”

Xie Yang took a bite of the tea egg from his hand, frowned, and refused to take another bite, muttering vaguely, “I’m going back to the dorm to sleep at noon.”

Qi Xu finished the half-eaten tea egg and glanced at Xie Yang’s slightly guilty expression. He calmly said, “There’s no class tomorrow morning.”

Xie Yang choked, quickly drank a large cup of soy milk, and slowly replied, “The new season has started, and I’ve made plans with Su Huai to play ranked games in the afternoon.”

Qi Xu paused for a moment, then continued, “So, are you going to leave me aside and play sweet duo with someone else?”

“No.”

“It’s not like that.”

Xie Yang quickly denied it, then explained, “I’ve already told him I’m walking the duo path with you.”

Qi Xu asked, “Then why not play games at home?”

Xie Yang hesitated, feeling conflicted.

Qi Xu pressed on, “Auntie told me she bought crabs, salmon, and various seafood. She wants to try making sashimi. If she starts in the morning, we can eat it in the afternoon.”

Xie Yang swallowed hard, starting to waver.

Qi Xu continued persuading, “She also bought lots of cherries and loquats. I remember there’s also coconut juice that you like.”

Xie Yang hesitated, feeling tempted by all the foods he liked.

In the end, Xie Yang couldn’t resist the allure of the food and compromised.

“After school, wait for me.”

Qi Xu smiled contentedly.

Xie Yang glared at him discreetly while biting his chopsticks.

After finishing breakfast, Qi Xu escorted him to the classroom door.

As they parted, Qi Xu intentionally kissed him, which many classmates noticed and started teasing about.

Blushing, Xie Yang couldn’t help but feel embarrassed, wishing he could disappear into the ground. He shielded his face with a book and sat down next to Su Huai.

Su Huai chuckled, “You really make others envy you. No wonder I always smell the sour scent of love.”

“If you envy it so much, I’ll have Qi Xu pass on a message to Xia Heng that you want to kiss him,” Xie Yang retorted.

Su Huai playfully tapped him with a pen. “No, no, no. I don’t envy it at all.”

The early morning class at 8 o’clock lasted until 11 o’clock noon, leaving Xie Yang feeling stiff and dizzy.

While packing his bag, Su Huai asked, “Where are we going for lunch?”

“Oh, um…”

Xie Yang hesitated, bit his lip with embarrassment, and awkwardly said, “I’m going home with Qi Xu for lunch.”

“Xiao Xie! You’re betraying our revolutionary friendship! Didn’t we agree to dine alone and let those two smelly guys play on their own?!”

“Well…”

Xie Yang trailed off, unable to find the right words.

“Su Huai, your boyfriend is looking for you!”

Someone with a loud voice shouted, causing Su Huai to stiffen and look towards the classroom door.

Xia Heng was standing there waiting for him.

Su Huai muttered softly, “Is Xia Heng in cahoots with Qi Xu? I told him not to come find me at noon.”

Xie Yang nodded in agreement.

Su Huai couldn’t resist poking his arm. “You knew, yet you willingly leaned towards Qi Xu.”

Xie Yang pretended to be oblivious and smiled.

With a few books in his arms, he walked out of the classroom and looked down the corridor.

Qi Xu was waiting for him downstairs.

He jogged up to Qi Xu and waved. “Hey.”

“Hello, Qi Xu.”

–End of the text–

---

Note :

1. “Camaraderie” refers to a feeling of mutual trust and friendship among people who spend a lot of time together or who are part of the same group. ↩︎

---

ry’s note :

It’s over 〔´∇｀〕

I hope you guys enjoy this story~ (ᗒᗨᗕ)

See you in translation story~ (´⌣`ʃƪ)

---

Chapter 56: Intoxicating Gentleness

Night fell.

The streetlights in the parking lot near the school had not been repaired for a long time, leaving everything in darkness.

The entire parking lot was shrouded in the night, rarely ever visited by students.

A black sedan was parked at the far end, hidden in the darkness.

Xie Yang’s shoes were nowhere to be found, his knee-high white socks dangling loosely, his clothes a crumpled mess.

He slumped in Qi Xu’s arms, his chin resting on Qi Xu’s shoulder, struggling to straighten his posture.

Sweet, sticky whispers mixed with trembling sobs echoed in the cramped car.

…

Moist, warm kisses fell on his ear.

Xie Yang’s pupils dilated as he tilted his neck back, breathing heavily.

…

Finally, Xie Yang could only lie in his embrace, slowly calming his emotions.

Qi Xu opened the car window, letting the gentle evening breeze dissipate the smell inside the car.

Until the faint fragrance of gardenias filled the car again.

Qi Xu stroked along his waistline, feeling his breathing gradually steady in his arms, softly saying, “Are you okay?”

His voice was lazy and husky, tender and intoxicating.

Just as Xie Yang was calming down, he was again bewitched by Qi Xu, feeling a bit hot.

Qi Xu chuckled softly, his voice tinged with pleasure, “Don’t…”

Xie Yang instantly stiffened, abruptly lifting his head to look at Qi Xu, like a startled deer.

Unconsciously tensing up.

Qi Xu swallowed, his breath becoming heavy, gripping Xie Yang’s waist, his voice hoarse, “Didn’t you say you were tired?”

Xie Yang’s heart raced, his eyelashes fluttered lightly, his cheeks blushing red, lips slightly parted as if to explain, but more afraid of Qi Xu sensing his restless thoughts.

Qi Xu pulled him closer, his gaze burning into his face, his intense stare as if devouring him.

“Babe, are you… for me?” His voice was deep and seductive.

Xie Yang shook his head shyly, blushing, “I’m not.”

Qi Xu held him, took a deep breath against his neck, coaxing, “Want to come home with me?”

“Tomorrow is the start of school, with early classes.”

Xie Yang wanted to quietly get up, but Qi Xu held him close.

“Mm.”

The tingling sensation flowed through his limbs and body.

His exclamation was drowned out by Qi Xu’s kiss.

---

Chapter 55: Soft and Fluffy Again

The spring rain drizzled down gently as March arrived as scheduled.

The roads, refreshed by the rain, looked completely renewed, with moist mist lingering in the air.

A cool breeze followed the rain, bringing a chill. Xie Yang wore an oversized hoodie, sitting on a suitcase while Qi Xu pushed him along.

Their journey back to the dormitory attracted the attention of many students.

Xie Yang, belatedly aware, quietly pulled the hood of his hoodie over his head, covering his face.

But it seemed futile, as Qi Xu had such an ostentatious face.

He wondered if it was just his imagination, but moments ago, he thought he heard the click of a camera shutter.

He hoped whoever was trying to photograph Qi Xu remembered to crop out or blur him accidentally appearing in the shot.

But these were just his psychological comforts.

In reality, without surprise, he and Qi Xu would likely appear on the forum’s front page again tonight, becoming the topic of discussion among their classmates.

At this moment, Xie Yang earnestly hoped that sophomore year would arrive sooner, so these onlookers could shift their focus to the incoming freshmen.

Having been away for two months, the dorm had accumulated quite a bit of dust. Just as he opened the door, dust billowed out and nearly choked him.

Qi Xu quickly grabbed his waist and pulled him back, closing the door again.

Xie Yang coughed uncomfortably a few times; he hadn’t expected so much dust.

Qi Xu fetched a bottle of milk from the suitcase for him and settled him back on top.

“Sit for a while. I’ll open the windows and let some air in,” Qi Xu said.

Xie Yang nodded, surprised to find the dorm empty. He hadn’t expected to be the first one back.

He had thought he was already quite late.

When Qi Xu returned and saw Xie Yang sitting on the suitcase, obediently drinking milk while holding the suitcase handle, he teased, “Can I have a sip?”

Xie Yang hesitated and replied, “I’ve already used the straw.”

Qi Xu glanced at the milk stain around his mouth, his eyes darkening slightly, his voice husky, “And then?”

Caught off guard by his gaze, Xie Yang shivered slightly and said, “I’ll get you a new one.”

He was about to get a new bottle of milk from the suitcase for Qi Xu when Qi Xu pinched his cheek and kissed him on the lips.

The sudden kiss disrupted Xie Yang’s thoughts. He closed his eyes and let Qi Xu’s kiss descend upon him.

Until a sudden exclamation from afar snapped him back to reality, and Xie Yang quickly pushed Qi Xu away.

Only then did he realize they were still in the dormitory corridor.

Blushing, he hurriedly got off the suitcase and dashed back into the dormitory.

Qi Xu leisurely dragged the suitcase and followed him into the room, casually closing the dormitory door behind him with a loud “bang.”

Xie Yang jumped in surprise at the sound.

Glancing at Qi Xu, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t quite right.

There was a faint scent of danger emanating from Qi Xu. Xie Yang quickly fetched a basin of water from the balcony and started tidying up the dorm, wiping down the dusty tables and chairs, trying to please Qi Xu as he said, “It’s all clean now. Why don’t you sit down first? I’ll tidy up the bed.”

“No rush,” Qi Xu replied, sitting on a chair and pulling Xie Yang into his arms with a tug on his arm.

“Ah,” Xie Yang exclaimed in surprise, falling uncontrollably into Qi Xu’s lap.

In the next moment, Qi Xu embraced his waist firmly, imprisoning him in his arms.

Before Xie Yang could say anything, Qi Xu impatiently kissed his lips again. His slightly parted lips offered easy access.

Qi Xu’s warm tongue ventured in, beginning an assault.

Xie Yang was kissed until he was out of breath. Qi Xu finally let him go, licking away the milk stain from his lips bit by bit.

“So sweet,” Qi Xu remarked with a grin.

Xie Yang’s heart raced wildly. Avoiding his gaze, feeling uneasy, he tried to push Qi Xu away.

Qi Xu looked down at him, a lazy smile in his eyes. “I was talking about the milk.”

Xie Yang didn’t believe a word he said.

Qi Xu held him close, seemingly about to kiss him again.

Suddenly, Su Huai and Xia Heng’s voices came from outside, seemingly engaged in conversation.

As their footsteps approached, Xie Yang snapped back to reality, struggling to push out of Qi Xu’s embrace and jumping off his lap, standing beside him, and letting out a shallow breath.

“Weren’t we supposed to have lunch together at noon? What are you…” Su Huai’s voice abruptly cut off.

He thought he was the first to arrive and didn’t expect to see Qi Xu and Xie Yang in the dormitory.

The atmosphere between the two seemed rather strange.

Looking at Xie Yang’s slightly swollen lips, the lingering blush on his face, and his wandering gaze, he appeared shy as if caught in an intimate moment.

Qi Xu, with an indifferent but slightly displeased expression, also noticed.

Suddenly, Su Huai realized: had he and Xia Hang accidentally interrupted something between them?

Su Huai smirked ambiguously.

Xie Yang nervously greeted him.

Xia Heng, standing beside them, glanced at Qi Xu, then at Xie Yang next to him. Suddenly, he recalled the recent gossip buzzing in their circle.

Xia Heng: “Long time no see.”

Qi Xu raised an eyebrow slightly. “Doesn’t seem like it’s been that long.”

Taking advantage of their conversation, Xie Yang and Su Huai slipped out onto the balcony, cleaning up while discussing whether to have dinner together.

Su Huai complained quietly to Xie Yang, “Is Qi Xu always this clingy to you? I’m going crazy. Xia Heng is like a clingy puppy, always wanting me to hang out with him.”

Xia Heng’s possessiveness seemed unusually strong.

He’d say he felt insecure, demand video calls if they didn’t meet, and spent almost every day together over the Spring Festival.

Xie Yang silently wiped the balcony railing, finding Su Huai’s complaints eerily similar to his current situation.

Glancing at the two still chatting inside the dorm, Xie Yang quietly closed the balcony door and whispered, “Yeah, a little.”

Actually, more than just a little.

Qi Xu was incredibly clingy.

He just couldn’t bring himself to tell Su Huai the truth.

But unlike Su Huai, he rather enjoyed being stuck to Qi Xu.

Maybe it was because during his secret crush on Qi Xu, he rarely had the chance to interact with him. Even catching a glimpse from afar was satisfying.

Now that he was with Qi Xu, being stuck to him all day, though uncomfortable at times, was something he liked.

He didn’t have many friends to begin with. When Qi Xu wasn’t around, he’d retreat into his own little world, playing alone.

The world he saw was like shades of black, white, and gray.

But with Qi Xu around, his world became vibrant and colorful.

Although sometimes it felt like a sweet trouble, it was much better than being alone.

Su Huai scrutinized Xie Yang carefully, his gaze lingering on the faint kiss marks on his neck, and chuckled, “Your clothes seem ill-fitted. Is this Qi Xu’s?”

Xie Yang nodded. It had been chilly when he left in the morning, and his own clothes were too thick.

So he rummaged through Qi Xu’s wardrobe, finally finding a slightly undersized shirt. It was loose on him, making him feel like a kid wearing adult clothes.

Su Huai leaned closer, eyes gleaming with curiosity, “Do you two live together? Separate rooms?”

Xie Yang replied dryly, “Yes, I stay in the guest room.”

Sometimes when they stayed up late and Qi Xu was too lazy to tidy up, he’d carry Xie Yang to the guest room to sleep.

How wasn’t that considered living in separate rooms?

Su Huai asked, “Really?”

Xie Yang nodded firmly.

Su Huai: “Alright, how about we have dinner together tonight?”

Xie Yang: “Aren’t you supposed to have dinner with Xia Heng?”

Su Huai grumbled discontentedly, “Who wants to have dinner with that guy?”

After dinner, would he still be able to return to the dorm?

Xia Heng had just tried to coax him back home. If Xie Yang hadn’t been so resolute, he might have fallen for some handsome guy scheme.

Su Huai: “We have early classes tomorrow, and I don’t want to struggle to get up.”

With that, Su Huai gave him a meaningful look: you know what I mean.

Xie Yang: “…”

He wasn’t sure he wanted to understand, but Su Huai did have a point.

Although Qi Xu agreed for him to return to the dorm tonight, he hadn’t agreed for him to stay there for the night. It seemed like Qi Xu was just helping him move his luggage back to the dorm.

If Qi Xu also planned to take him back to the apartment after dinner, he probably wouldn’t be able to wake up in time for class tomorrow.

Thinking quickly, he nodded, “Sure, let’s have dinner together tonight. It’s been a while since we’ve eaten together.”

Su Huai glanced at him teasingly, “Qi Xu agreed to let you come with me for dinner?”

Teased by him, Xie Yang shyly pursed his lips, not directly addressing the question, “It’s cold today, how about hot pot?”

Su Huai smiled, “Sure, should we go to the cafeteria on campus or eat outside?”

Xie Yang: “Either works for me, up to you.”

The two leaned on the balcony railing, their backs to the door, discussing what to eat and chatting happily, unaware that the balcony door behind them had quietly opened.

“Your stomach isn’t good, eat less spicy food.”

Qi Xu suddenly spoke up, startling both of them.

Xie Yang looked up at the man standing beside him and whispered, “When did you arrive?”

Qi Xu: “Just a couple of minutes ago.”

Su Huai glared at Xia Heng standing next to him, embarrassed and angry, “You shameless person, eavesdropping on my conversation with Xiao Xie!”

Xia Heng clicked his tongue and swept Su Huai off his feet.

His long legs hooked the balcony door with a “bang,” closing it and cutting off Xie Yang’s and Qi Xu’s line of sight.

Xie Yang looked bewilderedly at the suddenly closed door, then glanced up at Qi Xu, “What’s going on?”

Seeing his puzzled expression, Qi Xu gently flicked his forehead and chuckled, “They have some private matters to attend to; we shouldn’t disturb them.”

Xie Yang seemed to understand something and his face quickly turned red.

He felt embarrassed for his own awkwardness.

Suddenly, Qi Xu spoke again, “What if Xia Heng and I switch over to your dorm? How would that be?”

Xie Yang was taken aback, quickly interrupting Qi Xu’s idea and looking at him with wide eyes, swallowing nervously, “That wouldn’t be appropriate, would it? Xi Rui and Song Xingyu wouldn’t agree, right?”

Qi Xu: “What objections could those two have?”

Taking a deep breath, Xie Yang advised, “But it wouldn’t be very convenient.”

Qi Xu couldn’t help but chuckle, “I just thought it would be easier to take care of you that way. Where did you think I was going with this?”

Xie Yang: “…”

He was overthinking.

Qi Xu reached out and hugged his waist, looking down from the balcony at the bustling crowd, the bustling traffic, and said, “We still have three years until graduation.”

Xie Yang: “Graduation?”

Qi Xu chuckled softly, “After graduation, we can live together all the time.”

Xie Yang understood the deeper meaning behind his words, blushing like a ripe persimmon, feeling soft and tender.

Qi Xu pinched his cheek, his voice tinged with a hint of coaxing, “So, are you coming home with me tonight?”

---

Chapter 54: His Wish

In the yard, the cherry tree was in full bloom with white flowers at the onset of early spring.

Perhaps sensing a familiar scent, the little stray cat would come to this cherry tree every day and frolic underneath it.

Every time Xie Yang came to water the cherry tree, he would see the ground covered with fallen white petals.

He could only catch the little cat and repeatedly give it moral education lectures.

Because Xie Yang liked flowers, during his days at home, Qi Xu had people deliver various types of flower seedlings. They planted these flowers and plants together every day.

It served as a distraction for Xie Yang and shifted his attention.

After Xie Yang had just dewormed the roses, he pointed to a bare patch of ground nearby and said, “It would be nice to plant a patch of daisies here. In the summer, you’ll see a whole field of daisies swaying in the wind, very beautiful. And they are quite resilient; just scatter some seeds and they’ll grow into a large field of daisies.”

Qi Xu carefully washed the dirt off his hands with a hose and said, “I’ll have the seeds delivered tomorrow. Is there anything else you’d like to plant?”

Xie Yang shook his head, “We’ve planted quite a lot of flowers already. By this time next year, the whole yard will be full of flowers, it will definitely be very beautiful.”

Next year seemed distant, but he was already looking forward to it.

Since the day he finished his call with his father, his phone had been off, and he felt much calmer overall.

Being with Qi Xu meant he didn’t have to stare at his phone all day; he never felt bored.

During these days, he spent most of his time taking care of plants in the yard, feeding the fish, playing chess with Qi Xu when bored, or practicing calligraphy quietly.

There was a small movie theater at home, and Auntie would thoughtfully bring him many snacks, various fruits that couldn’t be finished.

There was also a game room, with games like the ones Xie Yang had mentioned before, like 4399 games, Golden Miner, Super Mario, Bomberman, etc. He played them with Qi Xu.

He was very happy living at Qi Xu’s house, especially suitable for him, a social phobia.

Playing at home every day, he didn’t have to go out.

But Qi Xu didn’t want him to stay at home all the time, and there were a few days left until the holiday when Qi Xu took him out to change his phone card.

Originally, he had promised his mother that he would go back to the city to have a meal with her, so he simply made an appointment for the same day.

After changing the phone card, Qi Xu sent him to the restaurant where he had arranged to meet his mother.

The car stopped in the underground garage, and the car was silent.

Xie Yang coaxed the unhappy man sitting in the driver’s seat, with a sweet smile on his lips, pleasingly saying, “I’ll call you to pick me up as soon as we’re done eating, it won’t take long.”

With the matter settled, and his mother having something to do this afternoon, they had scheduled to meet only for lunch.

So after lunch, he could go home.

Qi Xu had not said a word, but Xie Yang could feel his unhappiness.

It was as if when Qi Xu wasn’t around him, he would feel lonely and lost.

But Qi Xu’s situation seemed a bit worse.

Xie Yang could feel that Qi Xu had a slight separation anxiety. Once he left Qi Xu’s sight, it would make Qi Xu feel anxious and uneasy.

Observing this situation for a while, it seemed that it hadn’t improved, but had become more serious.

So every time Xie Yang went out alone, he would coax him for a long time and keep in touch with him.

Qi Xu tightly held his hand, in the dim light, Xie Yang couldn’t see his face clearly.

But because of this, Xie Yang inexplicably imagined his pitiful appearance.

After thinking about it, he held his hand back, soothing his emotions, “How about you come with me? After all, Mom has seen you before, it’s okay. Do you want to come with me?”

Qi Xu: “Can I come?”

His voice faintly carried a hint of surprise.

It made Xie Yang feel a bit sorry for him.

He confidently replied, “Of course you can. Let’s hurry, so Mom won’t have to wait long.”

The restaurant was chosen by Xie Yang and served his favorite Thai cuisine.

Rong Man wasn’t picky about food, and basically left the arrangements to Xie Yang. She was never disappointed; she agreed to whichever restaurant Xie Yang chose.

She had ordered several dishes in advance, and estimated the time, knowing Xie Yang would be arriving soon.

After waiting a few more minutes, she saw Xie Yang entering the restaurant hand in hand with Qi Xu. She was slightly surprised but quickly adjusted her expression, refocusing her attention on Xie Yang. She scrutinized him for a while and suddenly smiled, “Have you gained a bit of weight recently?”

Before, she hadn’t taken good care of Xie Yang, busy with work and showing little concern for him. She had thought Xie Yang didn’t like to eat and was tired from studying, hence why he was so thin.

Since their meeting at the end of last year, she noticed Xie Yang gradually improving.

Not only in appearance but also in character, he had become much more cheerful.

A lover can be like a gardener; his little boyfriend took good care of him.

Now Xie Yang looked healthy, fair-skinned and tender, clearly someone who had been cherished and cared for with great care.

Just from this, Rong Man was very satisfied with Qi Xu as her son-in-law.

Upon hearing the word “fatter,” Xie Yang remembered how Qi Xu would hug him every day to check his weight. He had weighed himself this morning before leaving and had already reached 106 pounds.

If he hadn’t gone to tidy up the garden as a gardener a few days ago, he wouldn’t have realized how much he had gained.

Originally, he thought it was easy to get dirty with flowers and plants. Though Qi Xu had bought him clothes that didn’t show their brand, he could tell from the fabric that it was of high quality, well-made and possibly custom-made.

He was unwilling to get his clothes dirty, thinking he would change into the old ones he bought himself, only to find they no longer fit.

The loose pants were now tighter, making him realize how much weight he had gained.

He was also a little relieved that at least he hadn’t developed a beer belly; it seemed like he had gained weight evenly.

Even his face had plumped up a bit; he used to feel like his cheeks were sunken, but now they felt chubby when touched.

Seeing Xie Yang’s shy smile, Rong Man was genuinely pleased, “You were too thin before. You look so much better now. Another ten pounds or so, and you’ll be just right.”

Ten pounds more?

Xie Yang widened his eyes.

How could that be?

He secretly decided that he would control his diet after returning home.

During the Spring Festival period, Auntie in Qi Xu’s house always liked to feed him various afternoon tea snacks. On normal days, there were never any shortages of fruits and milk.

They even had stewed soup at night, as Qi Xu’s mother ordered the kitchen to nourish him.

They all said he was too thin and needed to be supplemented.

No wonder he had gained so much weight.

Although Qi Xu had previously mentioned that he was light, he still worried that if he gained more weight, Qi Xu might not be able to lift him anymore.

Qi Xu seemed to guess what he was thinking and chuckled softly in his ear, “I work out every day. How can you think that with your weight, I wouldn’t be able to lift you?”

Xie Yang’s thoughts were seen through by him. Feeling guilty, he glanced at him and whispered softly, “That’s not what I meant.”

Qi Xu snorted lightly, “Do you want me to hold you tonight…”

Xie Yang panicked and covered his mouth to stop him from saying any more, glaring fiercely at him.

“Mom is still here, what if she hears!”

Rong Man watched them play-fight and chuckled softly.

Suddenly, she remembered a few days ago when Xie Chuan called her, brazenly asking about the property certificate. They had a lot of grievances between them, and even though they hadn’t been in contact for over a decade, they argued fiercely after just a few sentences on the phone, ending the call without reconciling.

Rong Man didn’t care. She had never expected to get that money anyway, but now that it had fallen into her pocket, she had no intention of letting Xie Chuan have a share. Finally, after so many years, she could finally hold her head high in front of Xie Chuan.

After insulting him for a while, Rong Man felt much more comfortable this year.

Especially when she found out about Xie Chuan’s company going bankrupt, she laughed even more wantonly.

The year she married Xie Chuan, she met a friend near Liuli Village, who had been in intermittent contact for many years. That friend worked in the company of the woman with whom Xie Chuan had an affair. Suddenly, a few days ago, the friend contacted her, saying that Xie Chuan’s company was facing bankruptcy and closure due to the economic downturn in recent years. They had been struggling financially for a while, and despite having a large order lined up by year-end, the collaborating company unexpectedly terminated their relationship, refusing even to compensate them for the deposit.

These deposits couldn’t cover the materials purchased from the collaborating company, and the debt owed to them was substantial.

Normally, delaying the final payment wasn’t a big deal; they could have managed it by next spring when the funds came in.

They had operated like this for many years.

But for some reason, this time the collaborating company pressed particularly hard, initiating legal proceedings within days without giving Xie Chuan a chance to breathe.

His company also attempted to sell products at a loss to other clients, even halving prices compared to competitors, but no one wanted to cooperate.

The friend worked in the finance department and knew a lot about the company’s affairs. She quietly told Rong Man that the company had offended someone powerful, which explained why all their business partners suddenly cut ties. A senior boss who had been their long-time collaborator revealed at a dinner that the company had indeed angered someone influential. If even he couldn’t help Xie Chuan, no one else would lend a hand either.

Xie Chuan continued to inquire, but the senior boss could only say vaguely that he didn’t know whom they had offended, despite asking around extensively.

Upon hearing the news about the land sale in Liuli Village, Xie Chuan couldn’t wait to find Xie Yang and retrieve the property certificate, aiming to get the demolition compensation. He urgently wanted to use this fund as a buffer. That’s why he was so eager, even resorting to trying to coax Xie Yang into handing over the property certificate, but it turned out to be all in vain.

Thinking of this, Rong Man glanced at Qi Xu, who was meticulously removing fish bones for Xie Yang.

Xie Chuan might not know, but Rong Man couldn’t possibly be unaware that the actions didn’t stray far from the young man before her eyes.

Though still somewhat immature, given time, he would definitely stand atop S City’s pyramid.

With such a family background and character, he was not to be underestimated.

Perhaps in this bankruptcy of Xie Chuan’s company, he had merely lifted a finger to help Xie Yang vent his frustration.

Maybe even Xie Yang himself wasn’t aware of what the young man had done behind the scenes.

And the young man wouldn’t tell him.

Originally, she had intended to remind Xie Yang about the dinner they were supposed to have today and incidentally inform him about what had happened to Xie Chuan’s company.

She hadn’t expected his boyfriend to tag along, making her reluctant to broach the subject.

Now it seemed unnecessary to tell Xie Yang about it.

Since the young man wanted to keep it quiet, she would go along with it.

Some things were better left unknown to Xie Yang. His gentle nature and kind heart would burden him even if Xie Chuan treated him poorly.

This wasn’t the outcome she and the young man hoped for.

Rong Man felt this arrangement was ideal. Under the young man’s wings, Xie Yang could live carefree.

That’s what they wanted to see.

---

Chapter 53: Myriad Lights

Sunlight streamed into the bedroom, gently falling on Xie Yang’s sleeping face under the covers.

The glaring light made Xie Yang furrow his brow slightly. Unconsciously, he whimpered a few times and pulled the blanket over his entire face.

“Ugh.”

“So sunny.”

He was so exhausted that there was no sign of him waking up.

Qi Xu pressed the remote control to draw the curtains closed again, blocking out the sunlight to let Xie Yang rest undisturbed.

He pulled Xie Yang’s blanket down and tucked him in again.

The warmth of his fingertips landed on Xie Yang’s face, gently smoothing out the creases between his brows.

Xie Yang habitually rubbed his hand against his.

Qi Xu tenderly stroked his cheek, brushing lightly over his slightly swollen lips.

The cool ointment eased the sting of the wound, and Xie Yang, in a daze, bit Qi Xu’s fingertip.

Qi Xu gazed intensely at his lips, allowing him to s*ck on his fingertip.

Unable to resist, he pinched Xie Yang’s chin, watching his pink t*ngue, tasting lightly.

Just as Xie Yang was beginning to wake up, he let go of him again.

Qi Xu leaned over, pressing him down beneath him, deeply inhaling the medicinal scent on him, looking at his peaceful sleeping face, unable to resist kissing his thin lips again.

Gentle kisses fell, but Xie Yang was completely unaware, breathing steadily and deeply asleep in the familiar scent.

“Sleep well.”

Qi Xu quietly left the bedroom, closing the door behind him.

They had only slept at three in the morning last night, and now it was only eight in the morning. According to Xie Yang’s recent sleep habits, he wouldn’t wake up until at least the afternoon.

Let him rest well.

Following Qi Mother’s daily routine, the Qi family generally had breakfast at eight o’clock.

Qi Xu arrived late, and Qi Mother was already having breakfast. Seeing only him, she asked curiously, “Yang Yang hasn’t woken up yet?”

Qi Xu replied lightly, “He’s still sleeping.”

Qi Mother was about to show concern, but she glanced at the faint mark on his neck and smiled knowingly, “Then let him sleep.”

Young couples are young and can’t resist temptation. Qi Mother didn’t think much about it; after all, the child was grown up and should have a sense of propriety. She added, “Hmm.”

Qi Mother scrutinized her son carefully. Seeing his satisfied expression, she couldn’t help but scold, “You’ve just returned for a day, and you’re already so eager. Aren’t you afraid he’ll run away?”

Qi Xu didn’t reply, just smiled lightly.

If he had been eager, Xie Yang might not have attended last night’s banquet.

Qi Mother continued, “I quite like this child Yang Yang. Our family doesn’t value pedigree. But with his gentle and quiet temperament, even if he enters our family, he might be easily bullied. You should take good care of him normally.”

Qi Xu nodded, “I know. With me around, no one will bully him.”

Qi Mother teased, “Then don’t bully him yourself. Don’t think I don’t see through you. You’re just taking advantage of his affection for you, so you dare to tease him like this.”

A faint smile curved Qi Xu’s lips as he casually recalled Xie Yang crying in his arms. He replied nonchalantly, “How could I bear to bully him?”

…

Ding!

The phone rang, disturbing the quiet atmosphere of the bedroom.

Xie Yang covered his ears, burying himself deeper under the covers, trying to block out the annoying sound.

The unanswered phone persisted in ringing again and again.

Finally, Xie Yang sighed and reluctantly pushed aside the blanket, hoarsely calling out, “Brother, answer the phone.”

Unable to hear any response, Xie Yang, feeling weary, closed his eyes and fumbled for his phone in the direction of the sound.

With bleary eyes, he answered the call without looking at the caller ID, and immediately a voice filled with annoyance came through.

“Why didn’t you answer the phone?!”

From the moment Xie Yang picked up the phone, the other person launched into a tirade, not giving Xie Yang a chance to explain, even interrupting him.

Listening to this familiar voice and tone, Xie Yang lifted his heavy eyelids, rubbed his tired eyes, and glanced at the caller ID.

He interrupted the ceaseless scolding, his voice hoarse from just waking up, “What’s the matter?”

Hearing Xie Yang’s impatient tone, Xie Chuan stopped himself.

He suddenly realized that his earlier anger had upset Xie Yang. Now that he still needed Xie Yang’s help, he had to swallow his anger.

Hearing Xie Yang’s voice sounding even hoarser than usual, he first expressed concern about his health, “What’s wrong with your voice? Are you catching a cold? Although the weather is warming up lately, it’s still cold. You should wear more clothes and not catch a cold; it’s not worth it.”

Xie Yang didn’t like his insincere concern, finding it hypocritical.

He replied lightly, “If there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up.”

Rarely speaking a few caring words, Xie Chuan was ignored by Xie Yang, and his face couldn’t be saved. His voice contained a hint of anger, “Dad has something to tell you.”

Xie Yang asked, “What is it?”

At this time, Xie Chuan was in the Liuli Village. The lock on the yard had been changed, so he couldn’t get in. Furthermore, someone had come to open the door and dug up the cherry tree in the yard. He wanted to find out what was going on, but those people completely ignored him, even blocking his entry. After the cherry tree was dug up, those people also locked the door and left, giving him no chance to enter the yard.

Thinking of this, Xie Chuan became increasingly dissatisfied with Xie Yang’s attitude: “Didn’t you come home for the New Year? Why aren’t you at home? Why did the locks at home change? What’s the matter with those people digging up the cherry tree at home?”

These consecutive questions made Xie Yang’s still groggy mind even more confused.

He rubbed his temples, trying to wake himself up quickly.

He knew about the cherry tree. Qi Xu had told him a few days ago that the tree would be dug up and brought back soon, but he hadn’t expected Qi Xu to act so quickly.

It might already be on its way back now.

When Xie Chuan saw that he didn’t say anything, he asked again if he had changed the lock on the yard.

Xie Yang didn’t want to maintain superficial relations with him anymore and spoke with a hint of sarcasm, “When I came back, I found that thieves had broken into the house a while ago and messed everything up, so I simply changed the locks.”

Both he and his father understood very well who these “thieves” were referring to.

Xie Chuan fell silent for a moment, then shifted the topic nervously, “Where are you now?”

Xie Yang replied, “I’m staying at a friend’s house.”

Xie Chuan cleared his throat lightly, with a hint of pride and condescension, “Staying at a friend’s house is inconvenient after all, especially during the New Year. What kind of disturbance is this? Why not come to Dad’s house? Auntie has prepared a room for you long ago. Come home during holidays from now on.”

“No need.”

Xie Yang hugged Qi Xu’s pillow, gathered his courage, and decided to confront his father directly, no longer hiding his feelings.

Xie Chuan asked, “What?”

Xie Yang took a deep breath and said, “Auntie and I have had years of estrangement, which won’t disappear overnight or be resolved with a few words. She clearly doesn’t like me, and Father knows I don’t like her either. There’s no need to keep saying things that both Auntie and I find disgusting.”

Apart from Auntie, there was also Xie Yuan.

He didn’t like Xie Yuan, even disliked him very much.

Especially after their last meeting, Xie Yuan occasionally sent him some inexplicable text messages.

He found it disgusting and really should change his SIM card.

He had thought blocking him would be enough, but now it seemed like changing the SIM card would be better.

Xie Chuan didn’t expect Xie Yang to suddenly break off relations so bluntly.

He was so angry that he almost couldn’t catch his breath. “What nonsense are you talking about?!”

Xie Yang’s heart was pounding erratically. It was the first time he had spoken so harshly to his father, and he even felt a hint of satisfaction.

He spoke again, calmly: “All the living expenses you’ve been sending me over the years, I’ve stored on the bank card you gave me. I gave that card to Mom, asking her to pass it on to you. Also, the property deed you wanted is with Mom too. You don’t need to keep asking me for updates, or pretend to care about me. It’s exhausting.”

Xie Chuan’s hypocritical facade was ruthlessly pierced by Xie Yang, infuriating him to the point of shouting, “How dare you speak to your father like this?! I’ve raised you all these years, and this is how you treat me?!”

Xie Yang cut him off, mocking lightly, “My birth was from my mom, my upbringing was from my grandma. What right do you have to say such things?”

Xie Chuan erupted in anger, “You ungrateful child! Without me, where would you be?!”

“The property deed was left to me by Grandma. How could you give it to an outsider?!”

Xie Yang replied calmly, “The property deed was meant for Mom by Grandma. She never intended to leave it to someone disloyal and unfilial like you.”

As the words left his mouth, even Xie Yang was stunned.

Xie Chuan exclaimed, “What did you say?!”

Xie Yang’s heart trembled slightly, and boldly he said, “Since it’s come to this, let’s not contact each other anymore.”

Xie Yang immediately hung up the phone and turned on airplane mode on his phone, finally feeling relieved.

Quickly connecting to the home hotspot, he messaged his mother on WeChat: [Dad has been looking for me. I told him about the property deed being with you. He might come to you in the next few days.]

Rong Man replied: [I know, don’t worry. Leave it to me to handle.]

Xie Yang continued: [I’ve changed my phone number. I’ll contact you proactively later.]

Just then, with a click, the door opened.

Xie Yang turned around and looked at the door. When he saw Qi Xu, he couldn’t help but burst into tears.

It was as if he had finally found a refuge.

Qi Xu took a few steps forward, embraced him, and gently patted his back. “What’s wrong?”

Qi Xu had intended to tell Xie Yang that the cherry tree had arrived.

He hadn’t expected to see him so distressed, with tears falling heavily on Qi Xu’s heart.

It hurt.

Xie Yang wanted to tell him that he had done something brave, but he couldn’t speak, only choked with emotion.

Qi Xu kept stroking his disheveled hair, holding him tightly, and comforting him, “It doesn’t matter what happens. I will love you like Grandma does, forever.”

Xie Yang could hardly speak in his embrace.

Qi Xu continued, “From now on, this is your home. Mom and Dad really like you, and I really like you too.”

Xie Yang knew.

He had always known.

Amidst the warmth of home, there was one lamp lit for him by Qi Xu.

It took a long time for Xie Yang to calm down.

Thinking about how he had cried so embarrassingly just now, he quietly lay his head on Qi Xu’s shoulder.

Qi Xu wanted to cheer him up and said, “The cherry tree has been brought back. Shall we plant it in the yard together?”

Xie Yang softly replied, “Okay.”

Just like in the old days, when he and Grandma planted the cherry tree together.

Now, he and Qi Xu were guarding this cherry tree together.

He had found someone who loved him deeply.

---

Chapter 52: Once Is Not Enough

Bang—

A loud noise shattered the silence of the night sky, and brilliant fireworks bloomed one after another, dazzling in the sky.

“So beautiful.”

Resting against Qi Xu’s embrace, Xie Yang stared intently at the splendid fireworks, feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the visual feast.

He had never seen such beautiful fireworks before.

Qi Xu had said these fireworks were specially arranged for him.

Holding onto Qi Xu’s arm, Xie Yang kissed his cheek and looked at him with sparkling eyes, saying, “Thank you.”

Qi Xu smiled indulgently, pinched his chin, and kissed him on the lips. “As long as you like it.”

Originally, he had done it to please Xie Yang.

Even though it was spring now, the weather was gradually warming up. Xie Yang had just taken off his coat during dinner because he felt hot, but now, standing in the courtyard and feeling the evening breeze, he felt a bit cold. His nose tickled, and he sneezed.

Qi Xu quickly took off his own clothes and draped them over Xie Yang, looking somewhat nervous. “Let’s go back to the room. You can see the fireworks from there too. Don’t catch a cold.”

Xie Yang had a weak constitution, and he would catch a cold if he got slightly cold.

Qi Xu remembered that during their online dating days, Xie Yang had gotten sick a few times.

Xie Yang nodded obediently. He couldn’t help but sniffle and didn’t quite understand why Qi Xu was shielding him from the wind. Couldn’t he bear it?

Back in the room, Qi Xu had the maid make a bowl of ginger soup and sent it to his room.

Xie Yang’s face instantly fell. Without thinking, he knew this was for him to drink.

Qi Xu pinched his cheek, looked at him seriously, and said, “Drink the ginger soup to dispel the cold. Otherwise, if you catch a cold and have to take medicine or get a shot, which one do you prefer?”

At the mention of getting a shot, Xie Yang frowned. Reluctantly, he said, “Then I’ll drink the ginger soup.”

Although he didn’t like the taste of ginger soup, it was still better than going to the hospital for a shot.

The ginger soup was quickly delivered. The maid at Qi Xu’s house was very skilled. She sliced the ginger thinly and fried it over high heat. Although Xie Yang didn’t like ginger, he could still feel its strong fragrance and richness. The soup also contained slices of meat and brain flower, and the aroma of wine mixed with the taste of ginger, giving a pungent sensation.

The maid brought a large bowl of ginger soup and placed it in front of Xie Yang. Qi Xu stood beside him, watching him drink.

Xie Yang wrinkled his brow and took a sip. The ginger wine flavor was strong, but it wasn’t as bad as he had imagined.

However, he was still worried about finishing such a large bowl of soup.

He served Qi Xu a small bowl, mimicking his serious tone, and said, “You’ve been out in the courtyard catching cold winds, so you should drink some ginger soup to drive away the cold. If I catch a cold, I might pass it on to you.”

Qi Xu raised an eyebrow but didn’t expose his trick. After the ginger soup cooled a bit, he gulped it down in one go.

Xie Yang: “…”

How did he finish it so quickly? There’s still a large bowl left.

He’s relentless.

Xie Yang tried to ladle another bowl for Qi Xu, hoping to share the burden, but Qi Xu silently watched him. In the end, Xie Yang slowly finished it himself.

With a large bowl of ginger wine in his belly, Xie Yang felt warm all over, even breaking out a light sweat and sporting an unnatural blush.

He went to the bathroom, brushed his teeth several times to wash away the taste of ginger wine. He had rushed into the bathroom earlier and forgotten to bring his pajamas, so he had to find a robe to wear.

When he emerged from the bathroom, he hurriedly went to the wardrobe. He carefully selected a pair of pajamas and took a long time finding a decent one. Just as he was about to take it out, Qi Xu grabbed his hand.

“The fabric of this one isn’t comfortable. Let’s change it.”

Xie Yang didn’t understand. “But I find it quite comfortable.”

It was made of real silk, smooth to the touch, definitely comfortable to wear.

Qi Xu randomly picked another one from the nearby row of clothes—a pink, hollowed-out strap nightgown, very short, barely reaching Xie Yang’s thighs.

“This one suits you well.”

Xie Yang swallowed and looked at the almost transparent dress with difficulty. “It doesn’t look good. How about another one?”

He knew Qi Xu wouldn’t pick anything conventional for him.

There were still a lot of pajamas in the apartment that he hadn’t unpacked. Unexpectedly, there were also so many weird clothes here.

Qi Xu put back the pink nightgown from earlier and picked out a white one instead.

Xie Yang: “…”

This one is worse than the pink one earlier.

The white halter-neck nightdress had a bit more fabric than the previous one, but it was almost transparent, more like a see-through outfit.

Xie Yang: “Let’s change it for another one.”

Qi Xu raised an eyebrow, flicked through the clothes on the rack, and paused on a stranger piece. Xie Yang quickly said, “I still prefer the pink one from earlier.”

Finding the pink nightdress, Xie Yang said, “Let’s go with this one. I think it’s good.”

In the evening, he had a hard time because Qi Xu didn’t see him change clothes.

This time Xie Yang learned his lesson and didn’t chase him out again.

Just now, he didn’t bring clothes into the bathroom, and he didn’t wear anything underneath. If he changed clothes in front of Qi Xu, wouldn’t that be…

Xie Yang was about to untie the belt of his robe but suddenly stopped.

Qi Xu: “Why not continue?”

Xie Yang hesitated and didn’t know how to speak. The blush that had faded from his face gradually returned.

Qi Xu leaned close to his ear and chuckled ambiguously, “Want me to help you?”

Xie Yang avoided his gaze, his heart pounding. He resisted his confusion and blurted out, “I’ll do it myself.”

Qi Xu looked at him with interest after hearing this, his gaze filled with inexplicable meaning.

Xie Yang felt the air grow tense. He could clearly feel his cheeks burning up, and even his usually cold hands were warming.

He slowly untied the belt and put on the pink nightdress.

During this time, he felt Qi Xu’s eyes on him, a burning sensation washing over him.

His breathing became unstable, and he shyly turned his head to look into the closet, trying to find a pair of shorts to wear. The dress was too short, and every move might reveal more than intended.

Qi Xu lowered his head to look at him, his eyes lazy and filled with a playful smile. “What are you looking for?”

Xie Yang pursed his lips slightly. He felt that the atmosphere was not right. Qi Xu seemed like a hunter quietly waiting for prey to fall into his trap.

And he was futilely struggling under the hunter’s gaze.

He lowered his eyelids and whispered, “Didn’t we already… earlier in the evening?”

Qi Xu’s lips curled into a shallow smile. teasingly, “Just once, isn’t that enough?”

Understanding his meaning, Xie Yang froze in place.

Just once… Wasn’t that enough?

Qi Xu didn’t give him a chance to refuse. He picked Xie Yang up horizontally and placed him on the bed in the bedroom.

As his actions unfolded, the extremely short nightgown on him now slightly rolled up, revealing his allure without reservation.

Xie Yang hurriedly grabbed at the hem of his clothing, attempting to cover himself.

Qi Xu knelt on one knee on the bed, chuckling softly, his voice carrying a seductive tone: “I’ve been waiting for this moment since you lay on my bed this afternoon.”

He was someone with a strong cleanliness habit, but as Xie Yang’s presence gradually filled his room and occupied a corner, he felt a satisfying sense of being filled.

Especially when he saw Xie Yang lying on his own bed, this sense of satisfaction reached its peak.

Xie Yang curled up, hugging his own legs, his gaze wandering, as if trying to conceal inner unease and shyness.

Qi Xu leaned closer, his whole being exuding a dangerously enticing aura, lightly picking at the strap of Xie Yang’s shoulder.

Xie Yang timidly glanced at him, their eyes meeting briefly before he quickly averted his gaze, softly pleading, “Don’t do this.”

Qi Xu moved his hand downward, his voice almost bewitching as it echoed near his ear again: “How about now?”

Xie Yang blushed and turned his face away.

Unable to resist, Qi Xu lowered his head to gently kiss his fair neck, leaving behind a trail of moist kisses.

The strap slipped off at some point, and Xie Yang bit his lip tightly, the stinging sensation of kisses and his rapid heartbeat leaving his mind blank.

…

Suddenly, it started raining outside.

The patter of raindrops drowned out all other sounds.

Under the eaves, the rain trickled down, forming a curtain of water.

The garden, baptized by the heavy rain, turned its dry soil into moist earth.

…

The delicate flowers wilted under the onslaught of the pouring rain.

…

The downpour eventually ceased.

Qi Xu held Xie Yang tenderly, burying his head in the crook of his neck, gently licking the marks left on his neck.

…

With a “bang,” fireworks outside sporadically lit up again, startling Xie Yang with their loud noise. He glanced at the window.

Qi Xu carried him to the glass window.

Every step was an excruciating torment.

Xie Yang weakly pressed his hands against the window glass, struggling not to collapse.

“I… I don’t want to look,” he whimpered.

Qi Xu chuckled softly, his quick breath surrounding Xie Yang’s ear, “I thought you wanted to watch. Isn’t it beautiful? Or perhaps you’ve changed your mind?”

Before Xie Yang could fall, Qi Xu tightly embraced his waist.

He slumped in Qi Xu’s arms, turning his head to kiss his cheek desperately, pleading, “Not here, please?”

Qi Xu asked, “Then where do you want to?”

Tears in his voice, Xie Yang choked out, “Anywhere.”

Qi Xu pondered briefly. Regardless of the cloakroom, bathroom, or every corner of the bedroom, he had experienced them all. Gripping Xie Yang’s waist, he turned him to face him, step by step opening the bedroom door.

Xie Yang clung fearfully to his neck.

Step by hesitant step.

Xie Yang couldn’t help but cry, “Someone might come.”

Qi Xu softly reassured, “Don’t worry. At this hour, without my consent, no one dares to come up. No one will see.”

Xie Yang bit Qi Xu’s shoulder deeply, nervous, “Where are you going?”

Qi Xu opened the door to the piano room, sitting with him at the piano. His warm breath fell on Xie Yang’s ear as he pressed the keys, coaxing, “What song do you want to hear?”

Xie Yang was driven nearly mad by him.

Qi Xu pulled him back slightly, letting him lean against the keys.

The piano immediately produced a discordant melody.

Xie Yang could only hold Qi Xu tightly, leaning into his embrace.

Qi Xu suppressed the surge in his eyes, gently laughing near his ear, “Baby…”

Flushed, Xie Yang wanted to refuse.

…

Xie Yang shook his head, tears that had been welling up in his eyes for a long time finally fell uncontrollably.

Qi Xu stared at his face for a while, then lifted Xie Yang into his arms and walked back to the bedroom with measured steps.

Xie Yang was completely unaware of what Qi Xu had done.

He just felt very tired, limbs limp and powerless.

---

Chapter 51: Don’t Push Me Away

The scent of gardenias permeated the entire room, carrying a faint sweetness.

Xie Yang groggily sat up in bed. The large room was empty except for him; Qi Xu was nowhere to be seen.

The unfamiliar environment made him feel uneasy.

He glanced around Qi Xu’s bedroom and slowly walked to the closet, intending to change his clothes.

From the state of the wardrobe, it was clear that his belongings had been unpacked. His clothes were neatly arranged alongside Qi Xu’s.

A subtle feeling grew in his heart.

Just like in the apartment, it seemed this place would gradually become his home too.

As Xie Yang was about to change, Qi Xu walked in.

“So this is where you are.”

Xie Yang hastily closed the wardrobe and said nervously, “I just wanted to change my clothes.”

Qi Xu sat on the sofa and smiled, “Go ahead, change your clothes, and then come downstairs to eat.”

Feeling Qi Xu’s teasing gaze on him, Xie Yang pressed his lips together. “You need to leave first.”

Qi Xu replied, “Why should I leave? This is my room.”

Xie Yang twisted the hem of his dress with his hands, staying silent.

He was wearing a camisole nightgown that Qi Xu had put on him before bed. The dress was very short, barely covering his thighs, and any large movement would expose him.

Seeing Qi Xu approach, Xie Yang instinctively tugged the hem of the dress down.

Qi Xu’s gaze lingered on his straight legs.

His fair skin had a faint pink hue, very enticing.

Xie Yang’s rounded toes curled up, and as Qi Xu got closer, Xie Yang nervously took a step back, bumping into the wardrobe door with a thud.

Qi Xu pinned him against the wardrobe, his hands on either side of Xie Yang’s head, staring at him for a long moment, his voice husky. “What are you afraid of?”

Xie Yang lowered his eyes, his heart pounding, his voice trembling. “N-nothing.”

Qi Xu lifted his chin, forcing him to meet his gaze. “You say you’re not afraid, but are you scared I’ll eat you up?”

Xie Yang swallowed, his eyes darting nervously. “Aren’t we supposed to eat?”

Qi Xu wrapped his arms around Xie Yang’s waist, pulling him closer. He laughed, “So you want to eat first?”

Even through his clothes, Xie Yang could feel the heat radiating from Qi Xu. He shrank back, fighting the urge to panic. “I didn’t mean that. Let me go so I can change.”

Qi Xu held his leg and smiled, “No rush, we have time.”

Xie Yang’s expression tightened, just as he was about to refuse, Qi Xu kissed him on the lips.

…

The cold wardrobe door rubbed against his back, causing him discomfort. He looked at Qi Xu with a pitiful expression.

Qi Xu looked at his face, took a deep breath, and finally bit deeply into his neck.

“Ouch.”

Xie Yang pounded on his chest, trying to push him away.

Qi Xu kissed his earlobe and his voice was husky, “Don’t push me away.”

“Ugh.” Xie Yang couldn’t help but whimper softly, his legs weak and powerless, finally collapsing limply into Qi Xu’s arms.

An hour later, Qi Xu carried him out of the bathroom and back into the dressing room.

Xie Yang buried his face in Qi Xu’s chest, his cheeks flushed.

Qi Xu handed him clothes and said, “Do you want to change into this outfit?”

Xie Yang glanced at it. Qi Xu always had good taste, and he didn’t object.

But suddenly, he seemed to understand—if he had let Qi Xu help him change clothes from the beginning, maybe he wouldn’t have had to endure so much.

…

On Chinese New Year’s Day, the Qi family hosted a banquet.

As Qi Xu led Xie Yang downstairs, they heard the lively noise in the hall on the first floor, indicating a gathering of many people.

Xie Yang stopped in his tracks, nervously looking at Qi Xu. “Did we invite a lot of guests today?”

Qi Xu replied, “It’s usually a banquet today, and we came back just in time.”

Xie Yang muttered, “…”

This didn’t seem like the right time at all!

Why did it feel like Qi Xu intentionally brought him back today?

Qi Xu led him towards the stairs.

Xie Yang stood still, frowned slightly, and hesitated. “With so many guests today, is it really appropriate for you to introduce me like this? Maybe I shouldn’t go down.”

Qi Xu reassured him, “They are all relatives, it’s okay. They know about your existence.”

Xie Yang timidly said, “But I have social anxiety.”

Even though he was with Qi Xu, the thought of meeting so many people triggered his social anxiety.

Qi Xu squeezed his hand sympathetically. He knew Xie Yang was timid, but he needed to take this step and move forward.

“Don’t worry, you don’t have to interact with them. This is Mother’s wish.”

Xie Yang asked, “Your mother?”

Qi Xu nodded, “She wants to officially introduce your status.”

Xie Yang was puzzled. He didn’t fully understand what Qi Xu meant by that and asked blankly, “Why?”

Qi Xu ruffled his hair and chuckled, “I’ve told you before, she really likes you and is very satisfied with you as her daughter-in-law.”

So, taking advantage of today’s Qi family banquet and the presence of guests, Qi’s mother was eager to introduce Xie Yang to everyone. It was also a way to remind others that the selection of the Qi family’s daughter-in-law had been decided, and there was no need for further inquiries or matchmaking attempts. She found those tiresome.

Blushing slightly, Xie Yang could feel Qi Xu’s mother’s affection for him, especially after their long chat in the afternoon.

Qi Xu said, “Let’s go.”

As their footsteps echoed on the stairs, the guests in the hall downstairs curiously looked towards the staircase.

Qi Xu led Xie Yang to appear in front of everyone. Xie Yang, shy and nervous, kept his head down, sticking closely to Qi Xu’s side, following his steps.

“Yang Yang.”

Hearing Qi’s mother’s voice, Xie Yang quickly looked up at her and replied, “Auntie.”

Qi’s mother waved at him, patting the empty seat next to the sofa, smiling, “Come and sit here.”

Xie Yang glanced at Qi Xu, as if seeking his opinion.

Qi Xu patted his hand, “Go ahead.”

Xie Yang nodded and took a seat beside Qi’s mother.

The onlookers had various thoughts, but they maintained neutral expressions, even uttering a few pleasantries to please Madam Qi.

Never had they expected that the illustrious Qi family would accept a male spouse, and moreover, treat him with such importance.

Although homosexuality was not uncommon in this era, for such a prominent family to openly acknowledge such a “scandal” was truly unheard of.

During the banquet, Xie Yang sat next to Madam Qi.

Qi Xu said, “This restaurant’s seafood is the best. Eat more. After dinner, I’ll take you to see the fireworks.”

Xie Yang picked up a shrimp and fed it to him. “Hmm, delicious.”

Qi Xu teased him softly in his ear, “Is it the shrimp that’s delicious, or is it because I peeled it for you?”

Glancing around discreetly and seeing no one paying attention, Xie Yang whispered back, “It’s delicious because you peeled it.”

Qi Xu smiled satisfactorily, dipped a freshly peeled shrimp in sauce, and held it to Xie Yang’s lips.

The affectionate interaction between the two naturally did not escape the notice of the others at the table, though everyone tacitly ignored it.

As Madam Qi had said, “Children are shy and easily embarrassed.”

Madam Qi sighed acidly, “I raised you and nurtured you all these years, yet I’ve never eaten shrimp peeled by you.”

Qi Xu replied, “If you want to eat, you should ask Father.”

Qi Father gave him a stern look and repeated Madam Qi’s words, “I raised you and nurtured you all these years, yet I’ve never eaten shrimp peeled by you.”

Xie Yang discreetly tugged at Qi Xu’s sleeve, awkwardly smiling, and quickly peeled two shrimp into the bowls of the aunt and uncle.

Madam Qi chuckled, “Yang Yang is so thoughtful.”

Qi Xu playfully tapped Xie Yang with a crab leg and hmphed, “You’ve never peeled one for me.”

Xie Yang felt that Qi Xu’s action of tapping him with the crab leg was becoming more skilled.

He could only helplessly appease him, “Don’t tease.”

However, Xie Yang still earnestly peeled a few shrimp for him.

Qi Xu was finally satisfied.

Madam Qi muttered, “Even at this age, still so childish.”

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