Chapter 3: Secret Love
After the military training ended, there was a three-day break.
Xie Yang chose not to go home but to stay at the school.
His only residence was in the countryside of S City, a house left to him by his grandmother, far from the city center.
Just the round trip alone would cost him quite a bit in transportation fees.
Moreover, since his grandmother passed away, Xie Yang had been working in the city and rarely returned to the countryside.
The house was filled with traces of his life with his grandmother, and he feared memories would overwhelm him.
Xie Yang tried contacting the manager of the part-time job he had before school started, at a cake shop near S University.
He remembered that the cake shop had been constantly hiring part-time staff, but he wasn’t sure if they were still hiring.
Originally, it was just to try his luck, but unexpectedly, the manager agreed.
From now on, on Saturdays and Sundays off, he could come to the cake shop to help out.
He had to work harder.
Just tuition and accommodation fees had already used up most of his savings.
Even though he had been frugal enough, the expenses were still significant, and as his bank balance decreased little by little, Xie Yang became increasingly uneasy and anxious.
He was very grateful that the manager was willing to give him this job, so he worked particularly hard during his part-time job, gradually learning to make various kinds of small cakes.
The cost of living in S City was high, and even getting a haircut in a small alley was not cheap.
The experienced master who had been in the business for decades cut his hair very short and neat.
Every time Xie Yang looked at his unfamiliar self in the mirror, he felt a bit uncomfortable.
His bangs, which had almost covered his eyes, were cut much shorter, revealing his forehead.
He still wore thick-framed glasses, but simply taking them off or putting them on made him look like two completely different people.
By chance one day, after the manager noticed he wasn’t wearing glasses, she suggested he try not wearing them during business hours, saying it might attract more young ladies to buy cakes.
Xie Yang felt a bit awkward with her teasing, but still followed the manager’s suggestion and wore contact lenses to work.
Until the third day, the last day of the holiday.
While the other staff in the shop were busy baking, Xie Yang was the only one helping out.
A customer approached the cashier to pay, and Xie Yang momentarily didn’t notice the new customer who entered the cake shop.
“Could you help me pack this, please?”
Upon hearing the familiar voice, Xie Yang froze instantly, unbelievably lifting his head to look in the direction of that voice.
It was Qi Xu.
Leaning lazily against the cake display window, eyebrows slightly raised, Qi Xu quietly watched Xie Yang.
In the split second their eyes met, Xie Yang couldn’t help but feel flustered and unsettled. He quickly lowered his head, avoiding Qi Xu’s gaze.
“Please wait a moment.”
Xie Yang fumbled while ringing up the previous customer’s bill, his hands shaking.
Unlike the overwhelming joy he felt when he saw Qi Xu from a distance, this unexpected encounter with the person he liked brought chaos that only he knew.
How was he dressed today?
Was there anything inappropriate?
He felt a wave of anxiety and nervousness, wanting to make a good impression in front of the person he liked.
With this rare chance to interact with him, what attitude and tone should he use to avoid seeming awkward?
After sending off the previous customer, Xie Yang took a deep breath, holding a tray, and nervously approached Qi Xu.
With a mix of excitement and joy, he tried to calm his racing heart and spoke slowly.
“Hello, may I help you with anything?”
He tried to stay composed, but his slightly trembling voice was noticeable.
Qi Xu glanced at him, slightly surprised.
Xie Yang grew even more nervous, his fingers gripping the tray turning white from the effort.
Was he too nervous, making Qi Xu notice something was off?
Fortunately, Qi Xu didn’t seem to mind. He casually pointed at a few small cakes in the display and said calmly, “Please pack these cakes for me, thank you.”
“O-okay, you’re welcome.”
Xie Yang carefully placed the cakes Qi Xu pointed at on the tray.
Standing before Qi Xu, knowing Qi Xu was just behind him with less than a meter between them, was a proximity they had never experienced.
Xie Yang’s heart raced, and the tension in his mind grew, lightly coloring his ears with a blush.
Qi Xu followed Xie Yang to the cash register.
His gaze unintentionally swept over Xie Yang’s face, noticing the shy expression that appeared. Qi Xu’s eyebrows furrowed slightly, but he quickly relaxed.
He had encountered similar situations countless times.
This young cashier seemed vaguely familiar, but he couldn’t place him.
And he wouldn’t dwell on such trivial matters.
“That’ll be fifty-four yuan. I’ll scan your code.”
While Qi Xu opened the payment code, Xie Yang took the chance to sneak a glance at him, his eyes lingering on Qi Xu’s stern, handsome face.
This face, he had envisioned countless times in his mind.
Initially worried that he hadn’t had the chance to see Qi Xu even once at school, he was now thrilled by the sudden opportunity.
Ding——
The sound of the WeChat payment notification broke Xie Yang’s thoughts. He quickly handed the bag with the cakes to Qi Xu with both hands.
Xie Yang instinctively said, “Please visit us again.”
Qi Xu softly replied, “Hmm,” and turned to leave the cake shop.
Xie Yang watched Qi Xu’s departing figure, lost in thought for a long time.
His excitement had not yet fully subsided.
He suddenly remembered that he had cut his hair and wasn’t wearing glasses. Even he found his appearance somewhat unfamiliar now, so Qi Xu probably couldn’t recognize him either.
Thinking about this, Xie Yang paused.
Even if he hadn’t cut his hair, still had his high school hairstyle, and wore those same glasses—if he stood in front of Qi Xu wearing the No.1 High School uniform, would Qi Xu recognize him?
Probably not. Qi Xu likely had no impression of him at all.
They had always been two people with no interactions.
The only connection was that every time exam results were released, his name always appeared right below Qi Xu’s.
That’s all.
While arranging the small cakes in the display case, Xie Yang suddenly remembered that the cakes Qi Xu had just bought were all sweet and cute varieties, typically popular with girls.
And he remembered that Qi Xu didn’t like sweets.
It seemed Qi Xu had taken photos while choosing the cakes.
Xie Yang’s earlier excitement slowly dissipated.
Were they for his girlfriend?
Was he taking photos to show her and ask which ones she liked?
Xie Yang couldn’t hide his disappointment.
He had been too greedy.
Because he wanted more, he felt sadness.
He couldn’t help but despise himself.
He was a very selfish person.
Whenever he heard that a classmate was confessing to Qi Xu, he would get very nervous, fearing that Qi Xu might accept.
But when he heard that Qi Xu had rejected someone, he couldn’t help but feel happy.
He always hoped that Qi Xu would stay single.
That way, he could secretly admire him without any burden.
In the evening, Xie Yang dragged his tired body back to the dormitory.
The cake shop wasn’t far from S University, just in a nearby neighborhood.
It was only a twenty-minute walk back to school, so Xie Yang planned to work at the cake shop whenever he had no classes.
When Xie Yang returned to the dormitory, Su Huai was already back from home.
Su Huai circled around Xie Yang, curiously inspecting his new haircut. “You got a haircut?”
Xie Yang nodded, embarrassed.
Su Huai smiled, “Not bad, you look much fresher and more handsome now. It would look even better if you changed your glasses.”
Xie Yang’s current glasses were quite old and really needed replacing. He had just been trying to save money.
Hearing Su Huai’s comment made Xie Yang want to change his glasses.
Xie Yang said, “Next time I get new glasses, I’ll ask you to help me choose.”
Su Huai replied, “Sure, I’ve got a good eye for these things.”
As the sky darkened, Song Xingyu and Xi Rui also returned one after the other.
Xie Yang had just finished his shower and saw Su Huai setting up a table in the middle of the dormitory, filled with various delicious foods.
“These are all made by my family’s cook. She said to bring them back for my roommates to try.”
“You guys haven’t had dinner yet, right?”
Xie Yang hadn’t eaten yet. He had planned to make do with a cup of instant noodles.
Song Xingyu placed the watermelon he brought from home on the table, looking at the table full of seafood, and joked, “Wow, looks like a wealthy family.”
“Isn’t it?” Xi Rui added, placing a bottle of cola on the table. “Perfect timing, I’ve got some ice-cold cola here, just bought it, still chilled.”
Su Huai opened the lid of the crayfish container and smiled, “Awesome, crayfish, watermelon, and cola—the perfect summer combo.”
Xie Yang felt a bit embarrassed because he hadn’t prepared anything.
Noticing his hesitation, Su Huai called him over to join them. “Xiao Xie, grab some napkins. We’re out here.”
Xie Yang quickly responded, “Sure, right away.”
“Hurry up, hurry up, the S League is about to start.”
“This screen is too small. Should we bring a projector?”
“That’s a good idea. Watching the match on a big screen would be awesome.”
“Alright, I don’t have many classes tomorrow, so I’ll bring one from home.”
“Hey, Xiao Xie, have you ranked up yet?”
Suddenly questioned, Xie Yang almost choked on his chili oil, nervously replying, “Not yet. It’ll probably take some more time, but I’m working on it.”
In reality, he hadn’t even logged into the game.
Song Xingyu: “You’d better hurry up. I’m almost at Master rank.”
Su Huai: “What?! How did you get to Master?”
Xi Rui: “What?! How did you secretly rank up to Master without us?”
Song Xingyu coughed, “Well, over the break, I got a winning streak by teaming up with a pro player.”
Su Huai: “What?! Which pro did you hook up with? D*mn, you should have included Xiao Xi and me!”
Song Xingyu: “Alright, next time he’s online, I’ll bring you guys along.”
Xie Yang stayed silent. His game account was ranked Silver V, and even reaching Gold was challenging.
He thought he should practice more in his free time. He didn’t want to hold them back if they played together in the future.
The food on the table was quickly devoured. Su Huai, clutching his stomach, slumped in his chair and burped. Remembering the class committee’s inquiry, he said, “By the way, did you guys sign up for the school’s welcome party?”
Xie Yang shook his head.
Song Xingyu: “I declined.”
Xi Rui: “I didn’t add them on WeChat, so they couldn’t find me.”
Su Huai: “Wow, you can do that?”
Xi Rui: “I only added you guys. I didn’t plan to join the class group chat in the first place.”
If anything comes up, they can call or text me. I’ll just say I didn’t notice.
It’s not like I can say I didn’t check WeChat.
Song Xingyu: “They contacted you? For a freshman performance?”
Su Huai: “Yeah… They asked if I play any instruments. At first, I didn’t realize it was for the party, so I told them, and then they signed me up to represent our class.”
Xi Rui: “Did you agree?”
Su Huai, exasperated: “Yeah, I did. They talked to me for so long that they convinced me.”
Later, he thought it over and realized he had been manipulated by the class committee.
But it was too late to regret it; the committee said they had already submitted his name, and it couldn’t be changed.
Although he suspected that the class committee might be lying to him, he had no other choice but to reluctantly agree.
Xie Yang: “…”
Silently offering condolences.
He had added the class committee members on WeChat and joined the class group.
But being so inconspicuous, the class committee wouldn’t think of him.
In contrast, Su Huai had a handsome yet cute appearance, fair-skinned, and stood out in any crowd.
He was the complete opposite of Su Huai.
Song Xingyu: “So, what talent did you sign up to perform?”
Su Huai sighed, “Cello. I even brought my cello back.”
Xi Rui: “Wouldn’t singing be simpler?”
Su Huai gave him a helpless look, “I’m tone-deaf.”
Song Xingyu burst out laughing, “Then there’s nothing you can do. You better work hard, it’s a matter of our class’s honor, after all. Thanks for your effort.”
Su Huai: “D*mn, you sound just like the class committee. Are you two in cahoots1?”
Xie Yang patted his shoulder in consolation.
Su Huai stared at Xie Yang for a while, then wailed, “The performance is in just a week. Xiao Xie, you have to accompany me.”
Xie Yang nodded.
S University had a dedicated performance hall, complete with backstage makeup rooms and rest areas, even practice rooms.
Apart from preparing his performance, Su Huai often had to communicate with the class committee about his position on stage, the lighting, and so on.
So, Xie Yang often sat alone in the corner of the practice room, holding Su Huai’s cello, waiting for him.
He was small and thin, sitting in the last row, sometimes hidden by the curtains, making him even less noticeable.
Xie Yang, holding Su Huai’s cello, dozed off in the corner.
Suddenly, a heated argument woke him up.
“Please, brother, just this once.”
Qi Xu coldly refused, “No.”
“What’s so bad about playing a piano duet? The pretty girl even asked you what piece you’d like to play. She’d go along with whatever you choose.”
“It’s just a piano piece, a few minutes long. Just think of it as a formality.”
Qi Xu: “I can’t accompany her. I don’t play piano.”
“Do you really expect me to believe that?”
Qi Xu: “I’ve forgotten how to play.”
“Bullsh*t.”
“Be kind, just agree this once.”
Qi Xu: “No. I don’t like playing piano duets, and I’m allergic to her perfume.”
The person standing in front of Qi Xu rolled his eyes, “I’ve never heard you say you were allergic.”
“What does she smell like?”
“You were standing five meters away from her, how could you smell her perfume?”
“Can’t you come up with a better excuse?”
Qi Xu: “…”
Who knows what she smelled like. He just said it on the spur of the moment. But that day, the strong scent of her perfume nearly choked him.
Xie Yang had been quietly listening from the corner. He hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but they hadn’t noticed his presence.
He had attended the same high school as Qi Xu for three years and rarely had the chance to hear Qi Xu conversing with others like this.
Qi Xu’s words made Xie Yang laugh.
A light chuckle broke the conversation between the two.
The two of them looked in the direction of the sound and saw Xie Yang sitting in the corner.
Xie Yang immediately suppressed his smile and nervously lowered his head.
Fortunately, the two didn’t pay attention to his presence and continued their conversation.
“Come on, I’ll call you ‘Dad‘ if that helps. Just perform something, even if you just walk across the stage.”
Qi Xu: “Out of all the people in the class, you had to choose me?”
“It’s what the people want.”
Qi Xu: “That’s nonsense.”
“You’re handsome. The class voted and specifically chose you.”
Qi Xu: “Why should I go on stage to perform for your amusement?”
At least performers get paid, but these people want to use him for free?
“…”
“How is this performing for money?”
Qi Xu: “Stop wasting time. I’m not interested in these performances.”
“You’re already here.”
“There are so many instruments in the practice room. Just pick one.”
“Alright, alright, no more piano duets. No one will bother you.”
“Just sing a song, any song. Even a nursery rhyme will do.”
“They’re just going to look at your face anyway, they don’t care what you sing.”
“If you agree to this…”
Qi Xu impatiently glanced at him and said, “After this, don’t ask me for anything for the next few years.”
“Fine, fine.”
“Just agree.”
Let’s get him on board first.
Hearing Qi Xu’s agreement, Xie Yang couldn’t help but show a bit of anticipation on his face.
He hadn’t been interested in such performances before.
But knowing Qi Xu would be performing, his expectations for the event skyrocketed.
Before leaving, Qi Xu glanced back at Xie Yang sitting in the corner.
Xie Yang’s eager gaze met his.
They looked at each other for a moment.
Qi Xu withdrew his gaze expressionlessly and turned to leave the practice room.
Xie Yang bit his lip.
Qi Xu seemed unhappy.
Was it because of him?
Did he recognize him this time?
Did he remember seeing him in the cake shop?
He hadn’t meant to eavesdrop on his conversation.
Xie Yang felt a bit frustrated.
Had he left a bad impression on Qi Xu?
Unfortunately, he didn’t even have a chance to explain.
Xie Yang felt a pang of sadness.
He always seemed to mess things up.
It seemed like Lady Luck never favored him.
He looked towards the door and sighed softly.
Hopefully, Qi Xu wouldn’t remember him this time.
Note :
- “Are you two in cahoots?” means “Are you two working together secretly, possibly for a deceitful purpose?” ↩︎