Chapter 40: Waiting for You After Class
“Mmm.”
Xie Yang was sleeping soundly when Qi Xu embraced him.
He woke up suddenly, groggily opening his eyes. Seeing nothing amiss, he assumed Qi Xu had a nightmare and gently patted his back, trying to comfort him.
“Don’t be afraid, brother.”
Xie Yang mumbled, and sleep soon overtook him again.
Qi Xu looked at his peaceful sleeping face, half amused and half distressed, then let go of him to let him sleep more comfortably.
Learning about Xie Yang’s long-standing crush left Qi Xu’s emotions in turmoil.
The hidden Moments posts filled Qi Xu’s heart with love and warmth.
Sweetness welled up inside him.
He had so much he wanted to say to Xie Yang, to express his love, to be tender and intimate with him, to…
Seeing the dark circles under Xie Yang’s eyes, Qi Xu restrained his thoughts.
He gently brushed Xie Yang’s bangs aside and planted a tender kiss on his face.
…
The next morning.
Xie Yang slowly opened his eyes, still nestled in the warm embrace.
He loved the feeling of being so close to Qi Xu, being held tightly gave him a sense of security.
He snuggled deeper into Qi Xu’s arms, reluctant to get up, planning to doze off again.
But with enough sleep, Xie Yang found it hard to fall back asleep. As his mind wandered, he suddenly recalled the events of the previous night.
Flashes of countless fragmented memories made him suddenly open his eyes in shock.
He remembered.
Last night, when Qi Xu picked him up, he had told Qi Xu everything in the car.
He had confessed his long-hidden crush.
He remembered the comforting words Qi Xu had said to him.
Tears welled up in Xie Yang’s eyes. He turned over in Qi Xu’s arms and hugged him tightly around the waist.
His longing had been reciprocated.
His secret crush had been acknowledged.
Xie Yang’s movements woke Qi Xu.
Qi Xu pulled him back into his arms, resting his chin on Xie Yang’s forehead, his voice still hoarse from sleep. “Baby, sleep a bit more.”
Xie Yang buried his face in Qi Xu’s chest, quietly listening to his steady heartbeat.
A few minutes later, Qi Xu’s warm kiss landed. He looked at Xie Yang and softly laughed, “Can’t sleep?”
Xie Yang didn’t respond, but the sound of his quiet sobs couldn’t be held back.
Tears gradually soaked Qi Xu’s chest.
Qi Xu gently stroked his tousled hair.
“I like you even more today than yesterday.”
The early morning light filtered into the bedroom, accompanied by the man’s gentle whispers. Soon, the room fell silent again.
…
“Next stop, City First High School. Passengers, please prepare to alight.”
There weren’t many people on the bus, and the carriage was quiet.
Xie Yang, wearing his high school uniform, sat at the back of the bus with Qi Xu.
They shared a pair of earphones, listening to Jay Chou’s song “Waiting for You After Class” on the phone.
Qi Xu leaned against the window, the breeze ruffling his hair, sunlight casting a golden glow on his profile.
Xie Yang held his hand, his mind flooded with countless fragments of memories.
He dazedly watched the passing scenery until the bus’s system announcement rang out again:
“City First High School, please exit through the rear door.”
“We’re here.”
Qi Xu turned to look at him, his cool smile overlapping with the face in Xie Yang’s memories.
Returning to their alma mater, everything felt surreal.
Qi Xu pinched his dazed face, “Why are you spacing out?”
Xie Yang snapped out of it and shyly smiled, “I didn’t expect you to plan this kind of date.”
Time couldn’t be rewound, and they couldn’t go back to the past.
Perhaps it was an attempt to make up for some lingering regrets.
Early in the morning, Qi Xu had pulled him out of bed, made him put on his old high school uniform, and said they were going out on a date.
Then he checked the bus route he used to take, taking a long detour to ride the bus together back to their high school.
Xie Yang suddenly understood Qi Xu’s intention.
Maybe he wanted to make up for the two and a half years they missed in high school.
Qi Xu, holding a camera, took a photo of them together at the school gate, his arm around Xie Yang’s waist.
Looking at the shy Xie Yang in the photo, Qi Xu smiled, “We actually have many photos together, all with the dean.”
Xie Yang blinked, “From the award ceremonies after exams?”
Qi Xu: “Yes.”
To be precise, not just of the two of them but with the third-ranked student as well.
Xie Yang swallowed and mumbled, “It’s okay if we don’t have those photos.”
Back then, he didn’t look good and instinctively didn’t want Qi Xu to see that version of himself.
He hoped Qi Xu would remember him as he was now.
Qi Xu raised an eyebrow, “Too late. The dean has already agreed to give them to me by tomorrow.”
He had guessed what Xie Yang was thinking, but he considered those photos precious and worth keeping.
Xie Yang’s troubled expression amused him.
Qi Xu teased, “Should we print one out and hang it in our room?”
Xie Yang’s face turned green, and he pulled Qi Xu’s hand, trying to change the subject as they walked into the school, “It’s been a long time. Let’s look around.”
The school was on break, with only the security guards on duty. With the dean’s permission, Qi Xu and Xie Yang had free access.
As they walked, they returned to the floor where their senior-year classrooms were located.
The classroom doors and windows were closed, and they didn’t have the keys, but most of the window locks were broken and could be easily opened. Qi Xu climbed through a window, jumping into the classroom, and opened the door for Xie Yang.
Qi Xu sat at a front window seat, smiling at Xie Yang beside him, “Did you use to sit here?”
Xie Yang was surprised, “How did you know?”
Qi Xu didn’t reply but handed him the camera, “Take a photo of me.”
Xie Yang was puzzled.
Until Qi Xu walked down the corridor and glanced back at him.
Xie Yang pressed the shutter and suddenly understood the significance of the photo.
Qi Xu was in Class 1, and Xie Yang was in Class 3. The restroom was near Xie Yang’s classroom, and this corridor was Qi Xu’s daily path.
Every time Qi Xu passed by, Xie Yang couldn’t help but secretly watch him.
Every time.
He even looked forward to the ten-minute break between classes.
It was his chance to see Qi Xu.
Realizing this, Xie Yang felt as if his little secret had been completely uncovered by Qi Xu. Watching him approach, his face turned red with embarrassment.
Qi Xu pulled him up from his seat and made him sit on the desk.
He sat on the chair, positioning himself between Xie Yang’s legs, wrapping his arms around his waist, and resting his face against Xie Yang’s stomach. In a soft voice, he said, “If only we had known each other earlier.”
Xie Yang gently stroked his head, comforting him, “It doesn’t matter that we didn’t meet earlier. Loving you makes me very happy.”
Both Qi Xu and Xie Yang knew that even if they could turn back time, even if they could go back to the past…
The timing wasn’t right, and they wouldn’t have been together.
So, everything had worked out for the best.