Lu Jingcheng had been in a foul mood lately because he felt like his brain just wasn’t keeping up.
Yes, his brain wasn’t keeping up—otherwise, how could he fail to understand the discussions between Ye Qingyang and Zhan Chengbo?
This had been going on for three days straight. Each day, Lu Jingcheng felt like an outsider, watching Ye Qingyang and Zhan Chengbo debate passionately, tweak data, and refine their project, while he could do nothing—couldn’t even join the conversation or lift a finger.
Lu Jingcheng was frustrated. For the first time in his life, he felt inferior, even questioning if he was simply… dumb.
When Ye Qingyang and Zhan Chengbo returned to the dorm after their discussion, they saw Lu Jingcheng unusually focused on solving calculus problems.
This was extremely rare for him. Since getting into the same university as Ye Qingyang, he had completely let himself go. Unless it involved his own interests, he wouldn’t even glance at a book.
Ye Qingyang had always been tolerant of Lu Jingcheng. Even though Lu Jingcheng’s attitude toward studying was lackadaisical, he never failed any classes. Ye Qingyang knew his strengths lay elsewhere, so he never pressured him.
But seeing him study today caught Ye Qingyang off guard.
He sat down next to him. “Why are you being so obedient all of a sudden?”
Lu Jingcheng didn’t even look at him. “You and Zhan Chengbo finished discussing?”
Ye Qingyang nodded. Recently, there had been a provincial creative competition. The winner would receive a cash prize and media coverage. Zhan Chengbo wanted fame; Ye Qingyang wanted the prize money. So the two had teamed up, determined to win.
“Once I get the prize, I’ll give you a gift.”
Lu Jingcheng didn’t care about the gift. What bothered him was, “After this competition, you won’t keep interacting with him, right?”
Ye Qingyang nodded. “We were just temporary partners anyway.”
He wasn’t particularly close to Zhan Chengbo, despite being in the same class. Initially, Ye Qingyang himself didn’t understand why Zhan Chengbo had approached him for this project. Later, when he asked, Zhan Chengbo had paused for a moment before saying, “Because you’re the smartest. You’re always first. If you want to win, it’s best to work with you.”
Reasonable. Convincing.
After a few days of collaboration, Ye Qingyang noticed Lu Jingcheng seemed unhappy. He had even offered to skip the competition and not work with Zhan Chengbo, but Lu Jingcheng had refused, saying, “It’s just a month. No big deal.”
Lu Jingcheng’s frustration was palpable, yet his generosity remained intact—a consistent pattern. Ye Qingyang didn’t insist on dissolving the partnership. But now, seeing him sulking, he realized his boyfriend was still annoyed.
“You’re usually present for every discussion with Zhan Chengbo. Why are you upset?”
This only made Lu Jingcheng feel worse. The problem wasn’t that he wasn’t included—it was that he was there and yet couldn’t participate, which was far more frustrating.
“Zhan Chengbo’s grades are pretty good, right?”
“Yes, top three in the class.”
Ye Qingyang realized something and looked at him. “You’re not upset because your grades are lower than his, are you?”
Lu Jingcheng: …
Ye Qingyang laughed heartily. “Our little Jing actually cares about grades now?”
“I just think… I’m smart, so I shouldn’t be ranked lower than him.”
Ye Qingyang nodded. “Of course, Jing. If you put your mind to studying, you’d definitely outperform him. You’re just not focused on that.”
Lu Jingcheng sighed, staring at the calculus problem before him. But he knew it wasn’t so simple. Zhan Chengbo could probably score full marks in calculus—he couldn’t.
“Want me to teach you?” Ye Qingyang nudged his arm.
“No need.”
“Then ask me if you get stuck.”
Lu Jingcheng said nothing, lowering his head to continue solving the problem.
Ye Qingyang chuckled to himself quietly, finding him adorably childish.
A few days later, Ye Qingyang and Zhan Chengbo competed in the provincial contest. Though it took effort, they won first place.
Zhan Chengbo was ecstatic. During the media interview, he eagerly invited Ye Qingyang along, but Ye Qingyang had no interest. “I don’t want to go. You go. Keep the prize money for yourself; I’ll stash the rest in my bag.”
He waved and ran to Lu Jingcheng waiting outside.
Zhan Chengbo, watching his figure, felt inexplicably disappointed.
Ye Qingyang treated Lu Jingcheng to a meal and bought him new headphones before returning to the dorm together.
Along the way, Ye Qingyang was cheerful, and Lu Jingcheng couldn’t help but smile at his happiness. He wrapped his arm around Ye Qingyang and kissed him lightly.
“You’re amazing, Yangyang,” he praised.
“Of course I am.”
“Maybe one day you’ll become a scientist.”
Ye Qingyang laughed. “I probably won’t. I’d rather be a businessman and make more money.”
“Then you can manage a company with me.”
“I want to start my own business or join a company I’m interested in,” Ye Qingyang said seriously. “Xiaojing, if I don’t work at the same company as you, will you be upset?”
Lu Jingcheng was surprised. “You’re not going to manage a company with me?”
Ye Qingyang nodded. “I want to build my own independent career. You’ll probably run your family’s company after graduation, but I want to struggle on my own for a few years.”
Lu Jingcheng didn’t oppose the idea of him being independent. He was just worried. “But you’re so smart. If you work at someone else’s company, helping them, wouldn’t our family lose out?”
“The benefits go to outsiders,” Lu Jingcheng said.
Ye Qingyang laughed. “True. Then I’ll start my own business. If it fails, I’ll join your company. That way, no benefits go to outsiders.”
Lu Jingcheng agreed. “That works. And you’re so smart, you’ll definitely succeed. I believe in you.”
“Do you want me to succeed?” Ye Qingyang asked. “If I succeed, I won’t join your company. We won’t work together.”
Lu Jingcheng sighed, ruffling his hair. “I’m not that selfish. I hope you’re happy first, and only then do I wish to always be with you. If your business fails, you’ll be upset. I won’t be happy either.”
If possible, Lu Jingcheng wanted Ye Qingyang’s life to be smooth forever, free from setbacks. That way, the one he loved could live without worry, always under his protection.
Hearing his words, Ye Qingyang looked at the tenderness in his eyes and kissed him.
Over the years, they had grown slowly—but in some ways, not at all. They had gone far, yet remained at the starting point, circling around each other as the center of their world.
Ye Qingyang liked it that way. He liked Lu Jingcheng just as he was and the life they shared.
He smiled at Lu Jingcheng, took his hand, and they slowly returned to the dorm.
The next day, Zhan Chengbo, as usual, came looking for Ye Qingyang, hoping to go to the library together. Ye Qingyang refused.
He came back the next few days, still rejected.
“Why?” Zhan Chengbo asked.
“I don’t want to go to the library.”
“Then where do you want to go?”
“I want to watch a movie or have a meal,” Ye Qingyang said casually.
“I can go with you.”
“I already have plans with Lu Jingcheng.”
“Then maybe I can join,” Zhan Chengbo persisted.
Ye Qingyang sighed. “We’ve already bought tickets and reserved seats. Forget it.”
“Next time, can I come?” Zhan Chengbo asked. “I can watch movies or eat with you too.”
Ye Qingyang: …
He realized this was trickier than he thought. “You can go with someone else. Most of the time, I’m with Lu Jingcheng, so I probably won’t be able to join you.”
Zhan Chengbo frowned. “Your social circle is only Lu Jingcheng?”
“Of course not,” Ye Qingyang found him odd. “It’s just that I’m close to Lu Jingcheng, we go to the same school, so we naturally do things together.”
“You and I are classmates too,” Zhan Chengbo urged. “We could be friends, do things together.”
“Ye Qingyang, don’t you think we have more in common? I’m more suitable for you than Lu Jingcheng?”
Ye Qingyang: !!!
Damn, does Zhan Chengbo like him?
He was startled. “I don’t think so.”
“You’re always with him, always considerate of his thoughts, but he doesn’t even deserve you. You could have better. You’re smart—why waste your time on him? He’s just wasting your time.”
Ye Qingyang: …
“So you think he’s unworthy, and you’re worthy?”
Zhan Chengbo sat across from him. “I can discuss science, math, and chemistry with you, your inventions, future plans. I can eat and watch movies with you. I like you—I think I’m better for you than Lu Jingcheng.”
He smiled. “I know your relationship with Lu Jingcheng. I saw him kiss you. Ye Qingyang, give me a chance. We spent almost a month together. Haven’t we gotten along?”
Ye Qingyang finally understood. “So that’s why you approached me before—your intention was to get close to me, wasn’t it?”
“I just wanted to create an opportunity for us. The fact proves we could be together.”
Bullshit.
Ye Qingyang rolled his eyes. “You’re overthinking, Zhan Chengbo. Getting along? We were just professional. Punching in and out.”
“You say you like me, do you think you’re the only one? I’m smart too—don’t others notice? If someone likes me, wants to start as friends, my friends could circle the city twice.”
“It’s obvious. You treat others nicely but don’t like them. I’ve seen your interactions—you don’t get excited at all. Even when you say you like me, it’s annoying. Who gave you the confidence to think you’re better for me than Lu Jingcheng? Don’t you know I hate it when anyone criticizes him?”
Ye Qingyang stood, grabbed his backpack.
“Also,” he added, “stop underestimating people. Lu Jingcheng is far smarter than you. He just doesn’t like studying. Yet he got into the same university as me. Who are you to think you’re superior? You just work harder and enjoy studying more.”
He turned and left the classroom, leaving Zhan Chengbo frustrated and helpless.
He couldn’t understand why, despite being gentler, smarter, and more considerate, Ye Qingyang still preferred to hang onto Lu Jingcheng.
Was it because Lu Jingcheng was better-looking?
Zhan Chengbo sighed and walked to the window. Outside, he saw Lu Jingcheng waiting in front of the academic building, head down, seemingly on his phone.
Ye Qingyang, however, didn’t approach him directly. He tiptoed behind, tapped his shoulder, then peeked out from the other side.
Lu Jingcheng, familiar with this little trick, didn’t reflexively turn to the side Ye Qingyang tapped. Instead, he looked the other way, catching him right in the act.
Ye Qingyang’s eyes curved into a smile, bright and warm—not at all like the cold expression he had used with Zhan Chengbo.
Zhan Chengbo suddenly recalled Ye Qingyang’s words: “When I see you two, I don’t feel any emotional fluctuation at all.” Yet seeing Lu Jingcheng, Ye Qingyang was genuinely happy.
He sighed, jealous but powerless.
Ye Qingyang didn’t even notice Zhan Chengbo observing them. He only looked at Lu Jingcheng, looping his arm through his.
For him, only Lu Jingcheng was special.
Others’ affection was flattering but unnecessary.
Only Lu Jingcheng’s love affected his emotions, leaving him unable to let go.
“Xiao Jing, what does 521 mean?”
“I love you,” Lu Jingcheng replied casually.
Then he realized what he said and shot Ye Qingyang a sidelong glance.
Ye Qingyang smiled softly. “Mm, I love you too.”
Lu Jingcheng pouted in mock exasperation, gently pinching his face, and they walked forward together.
The road ahead was long, but thankfully, they were always by each other’s side.