On the way back to school, Gu Xu spoke first: “Do you have any plans for the summer break? Travel, things like that?”
Xia Zichen shook his head. “Not for now.” Recently his father had also been especially busy. Even if he had time, he would probably choose to rest at home. The weather was getting hotter and hotter, and traveling was not a good option for Xia Zichen. He also didn’t want to end up getting heatstroke halfway through sightseeing or something like that.
“Mm…” Gu Xu hesitated for a moment before saying, “If possible, during the break I want to find some time to visit your father.”
Xia Zichen turned to look at him, his expression a little surprised. He really hadn’t thought about this at all. Gu Xu always seemed more practical and far-sighted than him. Just as he was still adjusting to their relationship as lovers, Gu Xu had already brought up meeting parents. In normal circumstances, people would more or less feel some hesitation or caution about meeting each other’s parents. Especially since he hadn’t even graduated from university yet—thinking about this now felt a bit too early.
“I still haven’t told my dad about it,” he said quietly.
Recently he hadn’t seen Xia Yuze that often. Even when they met, it was just a hurried meal before his father went back to being busy again. And he still hadn’t figured out how to bring it up. Telling his father he had a boyfriend always made him feel awkward. Sometimes being too shy really wasn’t a good thing.
“Don’t rush,” Gu Xu said without any pressure. “I’m just suggesting it. When and how, it’s up to you. We can talk about it when there’s a chance.”
“Mm.” Xia Zichen responded, feeling that it didn’t seem like such a difficult thing after all. Worst case, he would just close his eyes and say it. Thinking of his usually gentle father, he added, “You don’t need to worry about my side. My father already knows about my… orientation.”
Gu Xu raised his brows slightly, a hint of surprise in his eyes. “Didn’t expect you to be quite honest about this.”
“Better to say it early than late.” At that time his father had only asked whether he was certain. After getting a firm answer, he had simply smiled and accepted it without asking further. Thinking of that, Xia Zichen felt that even bringing Gu Xu home now didn’t seem like a big deal. “I only have my father. I won’t hide things like this from him.”
Gu Xu nodded slightly. “From now on, I’m also your family, so you can’t hide anything from me either.”
Xia Zichen laughed softly, not answering yes or no.
During that period of time, Xia Zichen continued living in Gu Xu’s dorm room. The two of them ate together, walked together, and on weekends watched movies or strolled around casually. In the tense atmosphere of final exams, they somehow created a pocket of ease and comfort, and for the first time Xia Zichen felt that exams were just… like that.
Gu Xu’s thesis defense happened earlier than Xia Zichen’s exams, but even after defending, he did not move out. Instead, he stayed and continued living with Xia Zichen. The school also did not intervene, as if silently allowing it.
Only after Xia Zichen finished his final exams did Gu Xu move out with him. Xia Zichen didn’t have much luggage—just his laptop and a few changes of clothes. The desktop computer Gu Xu had given him was also moved out together, temporarily stored at Gu Xu’s place until they found a new apartment. Bringing something like that home would be hard to explain, and it was impossible to expect his father not to ask.
Compared to him, Gu Xu had far more luggage, since he was emptying out his dorm room. He didn’t even ask his family servants to help. In the end, both the trunk and back seat were packed full. Sitting in the passenger seat, holding his own bag, Xia Zichen felt a little like he was eloping.
“Want me to walk you upstairs?” Gu Xu asked when the car stopped downstairs at Xia Zichen’s home.
“No need, I’ll go up myself.” Xia Zichen wasn’t bringing anything back home anyway; he would move everything from the dorm after school started again.
“I’ll look for a place. Once I decide, I’ll take you to see it,” Gu Xu said. Although his family owned quite a few properties here, most were either in prime locations or in quiet suburbs. There wasn’t really anything near the university. Buying one wouldn’t be impossible, but he had his own plans.
“Mm, something decent is fine,” Xia Zichen said. He didn’t have many requirements for housing—only one condition: two bedrooms.
“Alright.” Gu Xu nodded, already thinking ahead.
“Then I’ll go up first. Drive safely on your way back.” Xia Zichen unbuckled his seatbelt and was about to get out when Gu Xu suddenly grabbed his hand.
“You won’t see me for several days. Not going to show me anything?”
Xia Zichen looked at him, not immediately understanding.
“Kiss me,” Gu Xu said directly, just as straightforward as always, while still respecting his choice.
Xia Zichen paused, then looked into Gu Xu’s smiling eyes for a moment. Clearly, this time Gu Xu wanted him to take the initiative. Xia Zichen frowned slightly, then leaned in and kissed him.
Originally he only intended a light kiss like before, but before he could pull away, Gu Xu pressed a hand to the back of his head and deepened it.
The kiss carried a firm, unyielding dominance, but not rough—just controlled. His tongue traced every corner of Xia Zichen’s mouth, gently teasing, guiding him to respond.
Caught off guard, Xia Zichen panicked slightly. When he felt the unfamiliar intimacy, he instinctively tried to pull back, but Gu Xu only held him tighter. Fingers lightly pinched his ear, coaxing him to relax. That touch sent a strange electric sensation through him, scattering through his body. His strength drained instantly, and he ended up leaning against Gu Xu, unconsciously grabbing his shirt.
Gu Xu gave a low laugh and continued teasing him until Xia Zichen finally started to timidly respond.
His kiss was inexperienced, but to Gu Xu, it was enjoyable. After a while, Xia Zichen, slightly breathless, pushed him away. Only then did Gu Xu let go, lightly biting his lip before releasing him completely.
Xia Zichen lowered his head, catching his breath, face slightly flushed. Even though intimacy between lovers was normal, for someone with zero experience like him, it was still overwhelming.
Gu Xu wiped away the moisture at the corner of his lips and asked softly, “Don’t like it?”
Xia Zichen touched his burning lips and shook his head. He didn’t dislike it—just a little embarrassed. “I’m going upstairs.”
“Mm. Call me when you get home,” Gu Xu said with a smile.
“Mm.” Without saying more, Xia Zichen got out of the car.
After watching him go upstairs, Gu Xu finally drove away.
That summer, Gu Xu was extremely busy with starting his new company. Xia Zichen, on the other hand, spent most of his time at home, no different from previous vacations. Only when An Jing invited him to eat would he occasionally go out.
Although Gu Xu was busy and had said they would “not see each other for several days” that day, in reality they still met almost every day. Gu Xu worked during the day, but every night after work he would come downstairs to Xia Zichen’s place, using “walking” as an excuse to call him out. The two would stroll through the small park nearby. It wasn’t long, but it became something to look forward to every day.
Because he often worked overtime, Gu Xu usually came after dinner. If he hadn’t eaten, Xia Zichen would prepare extra food, pack a portion, and bring it downstairs for him. Then they would walk to a café for coffee before heading home.
Xia Yuze, busy with work, didn’t notice these small routines. Since Xia Zichen had been cooking dinner recently, even when extra portions were set aside, he wouldn’t realize.
That day, after returning from their walk, Xia Zichen opened the door and saw Xia Yuze already home.
“Dad, you’re back?” he said casually while changing shoes.
“You’ve been going out for walks a lot lately. Since when did you start liking walking? Trying to stay healthy?” Xia Yuze smiled at his energetic son. In his memory, Xia Zichen had never liked walking; before, even when he took him out, he had been reluctant.
“It’s nothing much. Sitting at home all day makes my body stiff. Going out helps loosen up,” Xia Zichen said with a light smile, quickly finding an excuse. “It’s cooler at night anyway. Walking is nice.”
“Mm.” Xia Yuze didn’t ask further and let him go do his own thing.
For the summer break, “Sword Soul” released a new thirty-player dungeon. Xia Zichen joined the Tianfeng Yage group to clear it several times, and it was quite challenging—they still hadn’t defeated the final boss.
Gu Xu was busy, so he had little time in-game, only logging in once a week to accompany Xia Zichen in PvP.
With Gu Xu, Baicaozhe, and Jian Lang all rarely appearing, Tianfeng Yage’s progress slowed significantly.
During the new dungeon progression, An Jing and Tang Hui regularly joined the raid team, and everyone had fun even when they failed.
As for Shen Yicheng and Lian Fei’er, An Jing rarely mentioned them. Shen Yicheng barely logged in anymore, and even when he did, they mostly played separately. Their relationship remained superficially peaceful, but after that incident, it was clear things were no longer the same. Regardless of their real-life situation, they couldn’t divorce in-game.
Sometimes Xia Zichen wondered: relationships formed for mutual benefit might seem stable at first, but once the benefits ended, they became far more fragile than expected. In calculating each other’s gains, they were also calculating their own downfall.
After clearing a dungeon run, Xia Zichen received a call from Gu Xu.
“Free tomorrow?” Gu Xu asked.
“Yeah, nothing planned. Why?”
“Want to come to the company in the afternoon?”
“It’s all set up already?” Recently he had heard that recruitment was finished and they were just waiting for an opening date.
“Mm. I want to show you first, and you can give me some feedback on my office too.”
He probably wouldn’t have much to suggest—the interior design had been done by a well-known designer—but he did want to see it. After all, it was Gu Xu’s own space.
“Alright.”
“I’ll pick you up tomorrow afternoon.”
“I’ll go myself.” No need for him to make an extra trip.
“Alright. Call me when you arrive.”
“Mm.” Even though it wasn’t officially open yet, with the Gu family’s usual style, he probably couldn’t even get in without someone guiding him.
After the call ended, Xia Zichen shut down his computer and prepared to sleep early. Even though the company had nothing to do with him, he still felt a bit of anticipation for the next day.