Chapter 33 – Boyfriend
Lin Ran’s chest ached with sour, swelling emotion. He lifted his arm and, after a brief struggle, let it fall gently onto Shi Cha’s head. Just like when they were kids, he ruffled Shi Cha’s hair.
People always said Shi Cha was aloof and proud, but only Lin Ran knew how sensitive and soft he truly was.
“That won’t happen. Didn’t you say, Brother Lin Ran, that you’d be my best friend? A best friend will always stay by your side.”
Perhaps the darkness had given Shi Cha a courage he normally didn’t possess. Still hugging his knees, he mumbled in a low voice, “But I don’t want to be your best friend.”
“They were right about me. I’m despicable. I’m just a scumbag. I lied to you. I don’t want to be your best friend, or your little brother.”
Lin Ran’s hand froze in the middle of stroking Shi Cha’s hair.
Shi Cha had spent the whole afternoon thinking. Since things had come this far, why shouldn’t he just speak the truth? If Lin Ran ultimately chose to stay away from him, he would accept it calmly.
Shi Cha looked up at Lin Ran’s blurred face.
“I’m Shi Cha, but I’m also Cun Yao. I’ve read all the CP discussions online about the two of us, and they made me really happy. I trained so hard in ‘Pinnacle’ because I wanted to one day stand on the podium beside you. The name ‘Cun Yao’ is actually a combination of both our surnames.”
“So, Brother Lin Ran, actually, a long time ago, I…”
But just as Shi Cha finally summoned the courage to speak his heart, his mouth was suddenly covered by someone’s hand.
“I… Mmph—”
Lin Ran had been stunned by Shi Cha’s words at first, but once he came to his senses and understood what Shi Cha was trying to say, he instinctively stopped him from saying anything more.
“I know what you’re about to say—but wait a moment.”
Lin Ran’s eyes were filled with laughter, and even in the dim light, Shi Cha could still see the sparkle in them, like countless stars scattered across the night sky.
“I know you’re Cun Yao. I also know about the CP people are shipping online. In fact, I even followed it with a small alt account.”
“I had planned to wait until you grew a little older, to slowly let you come to accept me. But now, just as you used to say, I guess I’ve been ‘too slow.’”
As he spoke, Lin Ran knelt down on one knee, one hand bracing his knee, the other holding Shi Cha’s hand.
“Xiao Shi, I like you.”
“I…”
Shi Cha froze on the spot. He had never imagined that one day, Lin Ran would confess to him—especially not after he had just admitted to deceiving him.
His heart thudded wildly in his chest. His mind felt like it was exploding with fireworks—vivid and dazzling—yet he suddenly seemed to have lost the ability to speak altogether.
“Xiao Shi, would you be willing to accept me?”
It took a while for Shi Cha to gather himself enough to find his voice again.
His voice trembled slightly, laced with a hint of happiness.
“Brother Lin Ran, I… I like you too.”
Even though he had just been preparing to confess himself, now that Lin Ran had beaten him to it, he suddenly felt flustered and shy.
But Lin Ran didn’t seem to notice his shyness at all.
“May I ask, Mr. Shi Cha, would you be willing to be Mr. Lin Ran’s boyfriend?”
Shi Cha lowered his head, blushing from the tips of his ears down to the base of his neck. Fortunately, the darkness helped to hide it.
He gave a small nod and quietly murmured, “I’m willing.”
But Lin Ran wasn’t finished. With a smile still on his face, he asked another question.
“May I ask, Mr. Shi Cha, can Mr. Lin Ran kiss his boyfriend now?”
Shi Cha was practically turning into a boiled shrimp, too flustered to know whether he should agree or not.
But Lin Ran’s question was just for formality.
He stood up, bent down, lifted Shi Cha’s chin with one hand, and kissed him—leaving no room for refusal.
As their lips touched, Shi Cha’s eyes flew wide open.
His heart pounded like a war drum.
If his mind had been filled with fireworks a moment ago, then now it was bursting with golden light behind his eyes.
Lin Ran leaned back slightly but still kept his lips close to Shi Cha’s, chuckling softly.
“Silly boy, if you don’t breathe soon, you’re going to pass out.”
Shi Cha, usually quick-witted, finally realized what was happening. The golden light flashing before his eyes was actually from a lack of oxygen—because he’d been holding his breath.
Embarrassed, he tried to lower his head, but Lin Ran firmly held his chin in place.
“It’s not over yet. Why are you thinking of running away?”
The soft press of Lin Ran’s lips made Shi Cha’s heart race wildly.
Then a slick “little fish” suddenly slid into his mouth, sending him into even greater panic.
“Silly boy, you have to open your mouth when you kiss.”
Shi Cha had always been a good student. Dutifully, he followed Teacher Lin’s instructions and parted his lips slightly.
And just like that, the little fish slipped in completely, playfully seeking out its partner.
“Silly boy, close your eyes.”
The words came through in a hushed, muffled voice, lips brushing lips.
Shi Cha obediently closed his eyes.
…
No one knew how much time had passed before Lin Ran finally let go of the dazed and dizzy Shi Cha.
The moment he was released, Shi Cha almost couldn’t sit upright. Partly because the kiss had left him light-headed, weak in the arms and legs—and partly because he’d been sitting too long and his body had gone numb.
Seeing his discomfort, Lin Ran slipped one arm under Shi Cha’s knees and the other behind his back, lifting him up into a bridal carry.
Shi Cha was startled and instinctively wrapped his arms around Lin Ran’s neck.
Carried like a princess, Shi Cha was gently laid down on the large bed by Lin Ran.
With Lin Ran leaning over him, their faces were barely half a foot apart. Their eyes met—and Shi Cha instantly grew flustered, his gaze darting everywhere but at the man so close to him.
Seeing Shi Cha all shy and adorable, Lin Ran couldn’t help but chuckle again.
“Boyfriend—starting now, whenever your boyfriend wants to kiss you, he’s not going to ask anymore.”
“Huh?” Shi Cha looked back at him, not quite catching what Lin Ran meant.
The next second, Lin Ran made his meaning very clear—with action.
A soft, fleeting kiss landed gently on Shi Cha’s lips, like a dragonfly skimming the surface of water.
Just a brief touch—then he pulled away.
“You get some rest. I’ll go make you something to eat.”
As he spoke, he reached out to turn on the bedside lamp—but Shi Cha stopped him.
“Wait.”
Clutching the blanket tightly, Shi Cha’s voice trembled a little.
“Don’t turn on the light. Y-You go out first. I’ll be fine in a bit.”
Lin Ran instantly understood what he meant.
The kid was embarrassed—too shy to face him right now.
“Okay.”
Just when Shi Cha thought Lin Ran was about to leave, the man suddenly leaned down close to his ear and whispered softly, “Can’t let my boyfriend go hungry, can I?”
It wasn’t until Lin Ran left that Shi Cha finally pulled the blanket over his face.
“Aaaaah! Lin Ran confessed to me!”
“Aaaaah! Lin Ran is my boyfriend now!”
He was so happy he wanted to roll around on the bed. But the moment he moved, a wave of soreness and numbness surged through his whole body, forcing him to stop immediately.
Still, the flowers blooming in his heart couldn’t be held back. He wanted to show them off to the whole world.
After leaving, Lin Ran brought Shi Cha’s phone—which had shut off from running out of battery and been left in the living room—back to him.
As soon as the phone was plugged in and powered back on, Shi Cha opened it immediately and logged into that main Weibo account with only three followers.
He posted his very first original Weibo post:
[SC: I’m so happy! I have a boyfriend now! 🎉]
they are just so freakishly adorable 😆❤️