Chapter 39
Pearl shrimp dumplings, BBQ pork puffs, fresh bamboo rolls, beef meatballs…
The table was filled with tempting dim sum, and the waiter brought a pot of fragrant jasmine tea.
Even Chu Wenxing, who usually had a small appetite, couldn’t help but drool due to his hunger.
Yang Qu poured tea for him.
He suddenly recalled something from elementary school. At that time, the school provided healthy meals for students to prevent picky eating. The main dish would never repeat from Monday to Friday, but the side dishes were always egg rolls and seaweed.
During lunch, Chu Wenxing would peck at the food like a sparrow. At first, Yang Qu thought it was because of different taste preferences in different countries, so he got used to it.
One afternoon during a social science class, Chu Wenxing was lying on the table, looking sickly.
Perhaps it was normal for something like this to happen to other students, but Yang Qu couldn’t believe that Chu Wenxing, who always sat upright like a robot during class, would sleep during class time.
His initial concern was met with Chu Wenxing’s dismissive response of “mind your own business.”
Having been given the cold shoulder, Yang Qu naturally didn’t show any kindness to Chu Wenxing and ignored him for several days.
However, for several consecutive days during the same time, the third period in the afternoon, Chu Wenxing would lie on the table pretending to be asleep.
Yang Qu was concerned, but his tone was mocking as he said, “Since you’re napping in the afternoon, make sure to get a good rest at night…”
The words went unanswered for a long time. Glancing at Chu Wenxing, Yang Qu noticed that he was tightly clutching his stomach. Yang Qu pushed him, forcing the young boy to lift his head, his forehead covered in cold sweat with a furrowed brow.
Worried, the class monitor asked, “What’s wrong? Do you have a stomachache?”
Chu Wenxing bit his pale lips and turned his head away.
He’s throwing a tantrum even now! Yang Qu was angry, and he pulled Chu Wenxing up, ignoring the curious and astonished looks from their classmates. He carried him and ran to the infirmary.
Under the firm but gentle questioning of the school nurse, the root of the problem was revealed—
Yang Qu had initially thought that Chu Wenxing had a small appetite and would at least eat some lunch. But it turned out that he didn’t touch the lunchbox at all. He would play with the food symbolically, so by the afternoon, he would be hungry. Over time, this had resulted in a stomach condition…
What an idiot who doesn’t even know the importance of health!
And so, the responsibility of supervising Chu Wenxing’s lunch fell naturally on Yang Qu.
During this supervision, he discovered that Chu Wenxing not only had a picky eating habit but was also extremely spoiled. His dislike of eating lunch was solely because he didn’t like seaweed. He even argued with Yang Qu, saying that the lunchbox had the taste of seaweed, which made it difficult for him to swallow.
Yang Qu had a headache, but he couldn’t let go of his responsibility as the class monitor. If Chu Wenxing ended up in the infirmary again due to not eating lunch, his “reputation for a lifetime” would be ruined by this idiot!
He racked his brains and finally came up with a solution.
That afternoon, Chu Wenxing was suffering from a stomachache again. Yang Qu pretended to be calm and took out a steamed bun, saying, “I bought an extra one in the morning. It would be a waste to throw it away. You can eat it.”
Chu Wenxing looked at him suspiciously, his eyes filled with refusal.
Helplessly, Yang Qu coaxed, “If you eat it, your stomach won’t hurt anymore.”
Chu Wenxing hesitated. Maybe it was because the stomachache was really uncomfortable. After a moment of internal struggle, he finally took the steamed bun from Yang Qu’s hand.
Turning his back to Yang Qu, Chu Wenxing carefully huddled in the corner and started nibbling on the steamed bun.
Yang Qu was suddenly filled with joy and satisfaction, but he pretended not to care. He focused on his homework, secretly stealing glances at Chu Wenxing’s figure.
This guy is really cute when he behaves well…
A few minutes later, a steamed bun, or more precisely, a steamed bun skin, slowly moved over to Yang Qu’s right elbow.
Continuing from where we left off:
The sight that caught Yang Qu’s eyes was someone pushing a bun wrapper with their fingers. The person poked at it and whispered, “The bun skin doesn’t taste good.”
…(=＿=) This little brat!
Yang Qu couldn’t help but recall the mixed feelings he had at that time. To his internally mature self compared to his peers, Chu Wenxing could only be described in one sentence: childish! Immature and deserving of a good scolding!
After that incident with the buns, Chu Wenxing started bringing his own snacks to school.
Naturally, Yang Qu became aware of his preferences. Chu Wenxing had a particular weakness for delicately crafted pastries, such as sticky rice dumplings, sesame mochi, coconut bread…
He couldn’t eat a lot of one item alone, but with a variety of options, he would try each one and end up feeling satisfied.
At this moment, Chu Wenxing, who was already in his twenties, still appeared to Yang Qu like a boy full of innocence.
Perhaps he had never changed. These little habits and preferences remained intact. At least, Yang Qu hadn’t noticed him growing up. He still looked as shrewd and rebellious as he did when he was a child, but in reality, he was foolish, silly, and clueless.
Chu Wenxing nibbled on his chopsticks, his stomach already half full, but there were still more snacks coming.
Fried shrimp balls, sticky rice chicken rolls, red bean pastries…
“You ordered so much?” Chu Wenxing touched his stomach and looked up at Yang Qu.
“Eat more,” Yang Qu cut the long chicken roll in half and placed one portion in Chu Wenxing’s plate. “Whatever you like, we can order more to take away.”
Shao Rong, who had personally poured the tea, heard Yang Qu’s soft and gentle words and teasingly said, “You, greedy Yang Qu! The meal is already free, and you want to take away more? Is this how you please your wife? Are you trying to bleed your friends dry?”
Yang Qu raised an eyebrow at him. “It seems like I haven’t charged you any advertising fees yet, have I?”
Shao Rong cursed loudly, “Cunning! Too cunning!” He was definitely a sly old fox!
Ignoring him, Yang Qu said to himself, “In the future, when your sister-in-law comes to eat, remember to put the bill on my tab.”
Seizing the opportunity for revenge, Shao Rong replied, “Of course, I’ll definitely charge you double the amount, Younger Brother!”
Yang Qu just smiled and didn’t say anything.
Chu Wenxing coldly snorted in his heart: Let them boast here. I’ll come here every day and pack everything to make sure they can’t eat it all!
With one glance, Yang Qu saw through Chu Wenxing’s thoughts. He felt pleased in his heart: This little guy has already accepted me as his husband, hasn’t he?
At that moment, Han Congjie joined in the fun and countered Shao Rong, “If you say it like that, will Yang’s wife dare to come?”
Shao Rong suddenly realized, “Oh, I’m such an idiot! Sister-in-law is definitely here to save money for Brother Yang. Half price, half price! What I said earlier doesn’t count!”
“That’s hard to say. Maybe he’ll only come if you charge him double,” Yang Qu turned his head to look at Chu Wenxing and smiled, asking, “What do you think?”
With this counter-question, Chu Wenxing knew that his own thoughts had already been seen through. He blushed, his gaze shifting, feeling uneasy.
As men, there was an unspoken agreement: In front of a friend’s brother, you must give the other person an out when it comes to important matters.
So he reluctantly put on a smiling but not really smiling face and endured it.
The meaning of friendship is quite broad.
Chu Wenxing is uncertain about the nature of his relationship with Yang Qu. He feels there is more to their connection than being strangers, mere acquaintances from elementary school or college. If he were to put it into words, it would be an ambiguous bond that he himself is reluctant to acknowledge.
They first met when they were ten years old, and Chu Wenxing initially disliked Yang Qu. However, he gradually became attracted to Yang Qu’s talent and personal charm. Chu Wenxing, who was proud and resilient, had never admired or even envied anyone before.
That person was Yang Qu.
Yang Qu was surrounded by friends and could easily handle any social situation. He excelled academically, in sports, and had a good personality. He was an all-around achiever. He received awards for comprehensive development at school and was recognized as a model student in the city. Even the teachers’ attitude towards Yang Qu didn’t resemble that of a typical student.
Initially, Chu Wenxing looked down on people like Yang Qu, who seemed two-faced, as they often appeared hypocritical.
It is said that actors are heartless, and students like Yang Qu, who excel in multiple areas, are no different. They are skilled at playing different roles, knowing how to present their best side to others. They serve as examples, but no one knows what their true selves are like. Perhaps they have even forgotten their own true nature in the habit of maintaining an excellent facade.
When Yang Qu extended a helping hand to Chu Wenxing, who had just returned to the country, Chu Wenxing instinctively avoided him.
Fake, hypocritical – he didn’t buy into that.
He knew that Yang Qu was proud, and his expressions, tone, and attitude proved that he had the qualities of a standout individual.
Yang Qu was also unshakable. No matter how obvious Chu Wenxing’s disdain, resistance, and contempt were, Yang Qu would just smile it off and gradually break down his defenses.
That’s why people like him are the most terrifying!
Chu Wenxing watched Yang Qu and Han Congjie joking and having a deep brotherly bond, but he didn’t know how he felt.
He couldn’t fit into Yang Qu’s circle of friends.
Right and wrong, truth and falsehood, he couldn’t differentiate between jokes and sincerity. However, Yang Qu could stand at the pinnacle of that circle, unrivaled.
Because he couldn’t achieve that, Chu Wenxing admired and envied him.
And because of his self-esteem, he chose to act as if he didn’t care.
Everything about Yang Qu had nothing to do with him. Thinking this way made it easier for him.
Yang Qu noticed Chu Wenxing’s distraction and smoothly changed the topic. After saying goodbye to Han Congjie and the others, he took Chu Wenxing’s hand and left the restaurant.
It wasn’t far from the city center to F University. Although Chu Wenxing had never told Yang Qu where he lived, Yang Qu seemed to know it by heart. The two strolled along the main road back to the campus. The evening sunlight slanted through the gingko trees on the roadside, casting blurry shadows of the mottled leaves, creating small grids that fell on their shoulders.
Occasionally, groups of students passed by, laughing and heading to the cafeteria for dinner.
Chu Wenxing had been quiet since leaving the restaurant.
Yang Qu knew he was lost in thought and occasionally looked at him, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
Chu Wenxing held Yang Qu’s small, soft hand in his palm, obediently.
“What are you thinking?” Yang Qu asked.
Chu Wenxing shrugged his shoulders, not answering.
“…” Yang Qu chuckled. “Are you thinking about me?”
Just a simple sentence, and someone’s face instantly turned red. “No,” Chu Wenxing immediately retorted.
Yang Qu looked at Chu Wenxing, and his reaction was clear as day. He himself had no idea…
After walking for a while, Yang Qu spoke again, “Xiao Xin…”
“…” Chu Wenxing twitched, expressing his dissatisfaction with that nickname.
Yang Qu stopped, holding Chu Wenxing’s hand. They were not far from the student dormitory where Chu Wenxing lived.
Yinxing Building.
The Yinxing Building is the most prestigious student apartment in F University. It is only available for foreign exchange students, overseas Chinese students, and minority students. Due to its strict screening process, applicants are required to meet certain criteria in terms of their overall qualities and academic performance. As a result, the Yinxing Building is widely recognized as the elite building of F University.
The name of the building comes from a hundred-year-old ginkgo tree near the architecture. The ginkgo tree is not located on the main road but within a protected landscape area. It is rarely visited by anyone except couples meeting there at night, making it a peaceful and quiet spot.
Yang Qu and Chu Wenxing are standing beneath this ginkgo tree at this moment.
May is the best time for the ginkgo tree to blossom. Its golden fan-shaped leaves cover the branches, and through the evening glow, small beams of golden light scatter, casting a dreamlike color on the faces of the two individuals.
Yang Qu loosely holds Chu Wenxing’s arm and says, “Don’t hide from me…”
Chu Wenxing stares at Yang Qu, observing this man in his prime, as if the future of the world rests in his hands.
Instinctively, Chu Wenxing blurts out, “I don’t…”
Yang Qu raises a hand and touches Chu Wenxing’s lips with his bent fingers. But Chu Wenxing quickly dodges, and Yang Qu teasingly raises an eyebrow and asks, “No?”
Chu Wenxing trembles slightly, avoiding eye contact.
From third to fifth grade, from initial dislike to admiration, and then gradually developing feelings in less than three years…
If someone were to tell him, he definitely wouldn’t believe it, because he himself doesn’t even believe it.
The care and attention from the other person, along with the teasing and bullying, Chu Wenxing knows it all too well.
That’s the true nature of that perfect boy—wicked, cunning, and thoroughly bad!
From having his first kiss stolen in fifth grade to Yang Qu’s confession in sixth grade.
That was the first time Yang Qu said he liked him.
Initially, Chu Wenxing considered the other person as a friend, but he never expected things to evolve like this.
Caught off guard by this sudden change, Chu Wenxing feels completely lost.
His deeply ingrained belief—that “boys can only be good friends, no matter how much you like them”—is shattered by Yang Qu’s actions!
Childish intimacy, a kiss.
It feels as if a mischievous imp is beckoning to him, maliciously showcasing another forbidden world.
Distrustful, unwilling to believe, and subconsciously resistant, Chu Wenxing is even afraid to confront his own feelings when facing Yang Qu.
It’s all Yang Qu’s fault! He’s made him become strange, just like him…
Sadly, he is completely unaware of whether the other person is still teasing him as usual…
My liking and your liking are not the same.
Stubbornly deceiving himself, persistently holding onto his own beliefs…
Being friends at most, but you already have enough friends…
You don’t need me…
“What are you afraid of?” Yang Qu leans closer, his eyes profound, his expression impossible to read. Then he says, “Be honest, Xiaoxin, you like me.”
Chu Wenxing shakes his head frantically…
No! It’s not like that…!
He is very intuitive when it comes to other people’s matters, but incredibly confused about his own.
There’s no denying that Chu Wenxing and He Yanlu have many similarities. They both like to build high walls around themselves, preferring to be lonely rather than fake smiles. They fear facing the unknown world within themselves, and Yang Qu is the serpent in their Eden, the main culprit constantly tempting them to stray!
A true and understanding best friend, or a brother who knows them as well as they know themselves, just one is enough!
So…
“I… I…” After struggling for a long time, Chu Wenxing stammers, “I don’t like, uh…!”
Yang Qu grabs Chu Wenxing’s shoulders and decisively pushes the person who speaks with a forked tongue against the tree, leaning in and passionately kisses him.
