Chapter 18: Showing a Flaw — “There are many things we can do at night.”
The corner of He Qing’s mouth twitched imperceptibly. “Do you think you’re so handsome that everyone will like you?”
Jiang Yunian touched the tip of his nose. Isn’t that the case?
There were indeed quite a few people chasing him, and Hao Meng was always nagging about it.
“So…” He twisted the lace hem of his dress and asked, “Are you gay?”
He Qing raised an eyebrow. “Hao Meng told you?”
“She said you like men…” Although it wasn’t good to gossip about someone’s boyfriend right to their face, he guiltily stated the facts. “She also said your boyfriend is very fierce…”
“I don’t have a boyfriend, and he isn’t my boyfriend.” The breeze passed through the hall, lifting a lock of stray hair on He Qing’s forehead. He suddenly hooked the corner of his lips. “What if I said you guessed right?”
Jiang Yunian’s heart skipped a beat.
It really was a case of fearing something and then having it happen. Why did he have to take a fancy to him?
Being liked should be a good thing, but he never thought it would become a burden, especially since the other party had a difficult pursuer.
“Can you not like me?” Jiang Yunian tried to reason. “I have no good points, I’m poor and blank, and there are many people better looking than me… although my grades are good, I’m not first in the major every time.” Most importantly, he wanted to graduate peacefully.
“…” He Qing’s mouth twitched even harder. “Do you think that’s possible?”
Jiang Yunian froze, then immediately realized the other was joking, though it wasn’t funny at all. “Hehe, probably not.”
He had never been chased by a boy before; he probably wasn’t their type.
“As long as you know. No need to be secretive in the future.” He Qing paused. “He won’t come again.”
Jiang Yunian’s tense shoulders instantly collapsed, and he let out a long sigh of relief.
“Why were you gone so long?” Hao Meng asked.
Jiang Yunian glanced at He Qing behind him, looking wilting. “He found out.”
As soon as he said it, Hao Meng understood what happened. She wasn’t surprised; following and shooting at such close range every time, it would be hard not to find out.
She gave two dry laughs. “I was just teasing you before. Look at Zhou Shu—he eyes him like his own eyeballs. How could he possibly like someone else?” Having said that, she quickly slipped away.
Jiang Yunian, who had been diligently guarding his secret identity and thought he hid it well: “…”
Did he also say something like “Men and women should keep their distance” today? He Qing not only didn’t expose him but played along… So they were all teasing him! Recalling every incident, Jiang Yunian held his forehead in shame. Is it too late to dig a hole and hide?
He Qing packed up his things and left. Before he walked a few steps, that eye-catching Ferrari backed up again. Zhou Shu, dressed in a casual suit, leaned against the car with his arms crossed, preening like a peacock fanning its tail, drawing frequent side-glances from passing students.
Embarrassing.
He Qing wanted to pretend he didn’t see him. But the key was still safely in his bag; turning hostile right after receiving a benefit wouldn’t be right. Even though reluctant, he walked over.
“Where to? I’ll drive you.”
Zhou Shu looked at him affectionately. Suddenly becoming so gentlemanly, He Qing was very unaccustomed to it, wondering what trick he was playing.
“Don’t you know?”
An hour ago, he had promised that he would go to Heaven on Earth tonight.
Zhou Shu, who should have been happy, couldn’t stay a gentleman for more than ten seconds before revealing his true colors. “Don’t go. Earning those peanuts isn’t enough to fill the gap between my teeth.”
“With that time, you might as well think about how to please your fiancé so you can control the financial power in the future.” Zhou Shu opened the car door as he spoke, placing his palm on the roof to signal He Qing to get in.
“That’s aiming too high for me.” He Qing turned his face to leave.
“Okay, okay, it’s my loose mouth, alright?” Zhou Shu broke character immediately, grabbing his arm and stuffing him into the passenger seat without explanation. “You’re really my ancestor!”
Streetlights lit up sporadically in the old district. Jiang Yunian walked slowly home, stepping on the mottled tree shadows. The old man in the security booth clenched a pipe in his teeth, squinting and smiling at him. The red glow of the tobacco flickered in the twilight.
Children’s laughter came from the corner. Auntie Wang walked over holding Xiao Liu’s hand. Xiao Liu’s bun-like face was flushed red; seeing Jiang Yunian, he broke free from his grandmother’s hand and launched himself like a small cannonball.
“Gege!”
Jiang Yunian squatted down to pinch his soft cheek, his mood improving significantly. Xiao Liu giggled and dodged, hiding behind Auntie Wang to peek out with half a head.
Auntie Wang asked if class was over. Jiang Yunian agreed.
“College students have it easy,” Auntie Wang sighed. “Unlike high school, evening self-study until ten every day, everyone tired as dogs.”
The smell of oil and smoke from street stalls drifted over, mixed with the sweet scent of sugar-roasted chestnuts. Auntie Wang’s expression was a bit subtle as she instructed him: “Come back early when you don’t have class at night. Don’t learn from those shady types and go drinking with escorts.”
Jiang Yunian laughed involuntarily, his shadow stretched long by the streetlight. He was poor and blank; where would he get the money for those kinds of places?
Seeing he didn’t take it to heart, Auntie Wang hesitated but spoke, “I’m not worried about you… it’s that kid Jiang Yan you need to watch closely.”
Jiang Yunian frowned: “Jiang Yan?”
“Yes, I saw it twice. Getting into a black car in the middle of the night, don’t know where he went,” Auntie Wang’s eyes revealed worry. “That kid was originally silly, don’t let him be led astray.”
Jiang Yunian’s eyelid twitched. He didn’t know at all.
Opening the door and entering, Jiang Yunian changed his slippers, still pondering Auntie Wang’s words in his heart.
Auntie Wang wouldn’t lie to him. Where would Ah Yan go so late? The strangest thing was that he hadn’t noticed at all.
He was usually busy with studies and working two jobs to support the family. Sometimes he was so tired he fell asleep as soon as he got home. If Jiang Yan didn’t say what he did, he wouldn’t ask too much. After all, Jiang Yan wasn’t a child who needed him to watch over him.
“Back?” Jiang Yan’s voice came from the kitchen.
“En.”
He responded. Two steaming home-cooked dishes were already on the table—scallions mixed with tofu and eggplant stir-fried with eggs. The aroma assailed his nose, and they looked very appetizing. Jiang Yunian touched his stomach; he really was a bit hungry.
In the kitchen, Jiang Yan, wearing a jarringly cute bear apron, was focused on pouring hot oil over the final steamed fish. Under the incandescent light, his profile was quiet and soft, looking nothing like a prodigal son who “lingered in bars and nightclubs.” Besides, Jiang Yan never liked crowds.
Jiang Yan brought the fish out and sat naturally beside him. “Taste it.”
Although hungry, Jiang Yunian didn’t rush to move his chopsticks. Instead, he pulled a tissue and wiped the fine beads of sweat from Jiang Yan’s forehead.
Jiang Yan paused, holding the hand pressed against his face, tilting his head to look at him, his gaze very deep. Jiang Yunian was scalded by that burning gaze and explained, “Sweating.”
Jiang Yan’s brows relaxed, and he lowered his head slightly to facilitate his movements. Jiang Yunian continued to wipe, careful and gentle. The fingers pressing on his face were soft, like stroking across the tip of his heart.
After wiping, he washed his hands again. When he returned, the rice was served, and the food piled up like a small hill. Meeting Jiang Yan’s expectant gaze, he tasted a few bites and gave a thumbs up. Jiang Yan’s cooking was great, and the food was delicious, but he was absent-minded.
After eating a small half bowl, he was a bit full. He put down his chopsticks, glanced at him, and asked casually, “That deskmate of yours…”
At the mention of “deskmate,” Jiang Yan raised his eyelids alertly. Jiang Yunian didn’t notice and continued asking, “How are you getting along? Have you gone out to play together?”
Jiang Yan calmly took a bite of tofu. “Pretty good. Why ask this suddenly?”
“Oh… Auntie Wang said she saw you go out, quite late too.” Jiang Yunian told him part of what Auntie Wang said. “Where do you go so late? How come I didn’t notice…”
Jiang Yan’s expression didn’t change. “En, classmate called. He was in a bad mood.”
Jiang Yunian was quite happy Jiang Yan made a new friend so quickly. To call someone out at night, the relationship naturally wouldn’t be bad. However, Wang Shen had a point. Boys at this age couldn’t withstand temptation and couldn’t guard against those with bad intentions. Jiang Yunian tactfully reminded him a few times not to go to those kinds of places to play; it was quite messy.
“Bar?” Jiang Yan frowned, seeming very repulsed. “Why would I go to that kind of place? Noisy.”
True, he never liked noisy places. But then again, if one was unhappy, what else could they do besides drinking to relieve boredom?
“Walking and getting some fresh air.” Jiang Yan blinked, his eyes clear. “There are many things to do at night.”
It was quite a lot, but… two grown men running out in the middle of the night just to take a walk? Jiang Yunian felt something was wrong. He probed, “With that deskmate of yours?”
Jiang Yan spat out a fish bone and gave a faint “En.”
That made sense.
To call someone out of bed in the middle of the night… if not a die-hard brother, it could only be… the opposite sex.
Sure enough, without anyone else pushing it, they would still develop feelings for each other; it was just a matter of time. Jiang Yan had someone he cared about very much, would run out in the middle of the night to comfort them, and even started hiding his whereabouts from him. That familiar sense of loneliness of being excluded quietly surged in his heart again.
He seemed to have turned back into the lonely man from before. Jiang Yunian sighed. He wanted to ask what stage they had reached; it seemed they hadn’t officially started yet. Perhaps the time wasn’t right, but there was no need to hide it from him.
He opened his mouth: “You and her…”
“Speaking of which.” Jiang Yan put down his chopsticks and interrupted him, his gaze landing heavily on his face, carrying a hint of scrutiny. “When did Ge become interested in makeup?”
As soon as this was said, the tension instantly turned. Jiang Yunian’s heart skipped a beat, subconsciously touching his cheek. Did I not remove the makeup cleanly?
He forced himself to stay calm. “Is there?”
Jiang Yan wiped his mouth methodically, his gaze landing precisely on his obviously trimmed eyebrows. The corner of his lips seemed to curve, the meaning self-evident.
“Maybe the dust outside was too thick.” Saying this, Jiang Yunian hurriedly shoveled the last two mouthfuls of rice and put down his chopsticks. “I’m full, going to shower first.”
Jiang Yunian took his change of clothes and closed the bathroom door. He looked left and right at himself in the mirror; his cheeks, neck, and even lipstick were removed cleanly. Where did he see it?
He leaned closer, squinting to check carefully again, until he saw the obvious traces of shaving on his eyebrows…
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