Chapter 33: Private Meeting Caught in the Act – Someone watches a movie alone, someone accompanied by a beauty…
Since that stolen kiss late at night, everything seemed to have changed. Jiang Yunian, who was never vigilant at home, started going to bed early and locking his door, trying to create distance this way.
He was obtuse, cowardly, and dared not bring it out in the open. He was afraid that once the bubble burst, his orderly life would go completely off the rails, and even more afraid that he and Jiang Yan wouldn’t even be able to be brothers. He could only hint clumsily, hoping the other would back off.
It would be best to pretend nothing happened, so they could go back to how they were before.
At first, Jiang Yan, who was leaving early and returning late, didn’t notice the anomaly. By the time he visited again with honey water only to find a door that wouldn’t open, it was already two weeks later.
But clearly, Jiang Yunian on the other side of the wall realized too late that it was futile to guard against the wolf coveting him now.
On Saturday, Jiang Yunian had just finished a tutoring session and was rushing to the next student’s home. Seeing the bus he needed to take pulling into the station, his phone suddenly rang. He sandwiched the phone between his shoulder and ear, answering while fishing for his bus card:
“Hello?”
“Ge, it’s me.”
Jiang Yan.
Jiang Yunian paused in taking out his card and silently moved to the back of the line. “Is something up?”
“A classmate gave me two movie tickets. Are you free?”
The other’s tone was normal. He mentioned a title that was very popular recently; Jiang Yunian had seen it online, a romance art film starring a top celebrity.
Two men watching a romance movie? Was this a disguised date?
If it were before that night, Jiang Yunian could have gone on a “date” with him openly, but now he just felt uncomfortable all over. “I’m outside, I have to tutor a kid today.”
There was silence on the other end for a few seconds. “I didn’t say today.”
Passengers behind him urged him to swipe his card. Jiang Yunian hurriedly swiped it, mumbling that tomorrow… tomorrow he might have class too, and he had to get on the bus.
“Mmh.” Jiang Yan sounded a bit disappointed. “Then I’ll have to…”
Beep beep beep…
The phone was hung up in a hurry.
“…watch it alone.”
Jiang Yunian sat on the bus seat, holding the darkened phone, looking at the streetscape flying by outside the window. The disappointment in Jiang Yan’s tone seemed to linger in his ears.
He didn’t lie to Jiang Yan; he really had something to do tomorrow.
Hao Meng had arranged to go shopping with the junior, Tao Jingxuan, and had invited him along.
It was awkward to talk about; blame his lack of experience. He had added the junior on WeChat for two whole weeks, but their communication was limited to awkward text chats. Apart from major-related topics, it was all pointless nonsense like “Have you eaten?” or “Nice weather.”
Neither intentionally tried to get to know the other deeply; it seemed they really just knew each other for the sake of knowing. He didn’t know her intentions, but at least that’s how he felt. Frustrated by his own dullness in relationships, coupled with the confusion from Jiang Yan’s kiss that night, he couldn’t get to know a girl without any burden. But it was too late to regret now; having promised, he had to follow through.
The next day, Jiang Yunian arrived at the meeting place half an hour early, waiting at the entrance of the pedestrian street. He earned praise from Hao Meng and a shy smile from Tao Jingxuan. He silently followed behind the two girls, acting as a dutiful “bag-carrying little brother.” He couldn’t insert himself into the girls’ topics, only chiming in appropriately when Hao Meng cued him.
After a round of shopping, Jiang Yunian was laden with bags, a full harvest. The sky grew dark, and all three were a bit hungry. Hao Meng suggested eating at “Chef Zhang” in the nearby mall; she had coupons, and Tao Jingxuan liked the taste there too. The girls had no objections, and Jiang Yunian dared not have any.
While waiting for the elevator, Tao Jingxuan, who had been quiet and elegant the whole way, looked at his hands full of shopping bags and reached out apologetically. “Senior, let me carry some.”
Jiang Yunian, who had carried the bags the whole way without a single complaint, only realized his arms were sore after her reminder. He nodded and passed two of the lightest bags to her.
At this moment, the elevator doors in front of them swooshed open. The person inside saw this scene, and his eyes darkened instantly.
“Isn’t that Jiang Yan?” Hao Meng tugged at Jiang Yunian’s arm. “Your brother is shopping too?”
Jiang Yunian was stunned. He turned his head to meet an ashen, handsome face.
The other’s cold gaze swept over the large and small bags in his hands, then landed on Tao Jingxuan, who was very close to him. He stepped out. Tao Jingxuan was intimidated by his imposing aura and couldn’t help but back away.
“This is the tutoring you mentioned?”
Jiang Yan’s voice was suppressed very low, so only Jiang Yunian could hear clearly. It sounded like an interrogation.
“…”
Jiang Yunian was tongue-tied for a moment. He could only stiffly change the subject, asking why he was there.
“Watching a movie,” Jiang Yan spat out the words lukewarmly.
Jiang Yunian was slightly taken aback.
Watching Jiang Yan walk out of the elevator all alone, he felt terrible inside. The freshman course load was heavy, and Jiang Yan worked part-time at night. He had managed to squeeze out time to invite him to a movie, only to be fobbed off with a casual excuse.
“You’re alone?” Hao Meng asked.
“No.” Jiang Yan’s gaze remained locked on Jiang Yunian’s face. “Two people.”
Jiang Yunian looked up.
“Then where’s the other one? Didn’t come?”
“He came.” Jiang Yan pulled the corner of his mouth, somewhat mockingly. “He didn’t want to watch.”
“Why is he like that?” Tao Jingxuan, standing aside, couldn’t help but speak up. “Why agree if he didn’t want to watch?”
Jiang Yan didn’t answer, only staring at a certain someone who had lowered his head pretending to be a mushroom.
“Maybe something more important came up suddenly,” Hao Meng said casually, comforting him. “Don’t be unhappy, your brother is here, isn’t he? You haven’t eaten yet, right? How about joining us?”
Jiang Yan’s gaze lightly skimmed over Jiang Yunian’s hanging bangs and landed on his slightly uneasy face. He said indifferently, “Sure.”
“Let’s go then.”
Hao Meng entered the elevator first, followed by Tao Jingxuan. Jiang Yunian couldn’t free his hands, so he had to quietly shuffle closer, whispering an explanation: “I made plans with them a long time ago.”
Jiang Yan didn’t speak, his pitch-black pupils bottomless.
Jiang Yunian pursed his lips. “What about the movie tickets?”
“Tore them.” Jiang Yan dropped the sentence and walked into the elevator expressionlessly.
The mall on the weekend was overcrowded; they waited an hour to get a table. During this time, Jiang Yunian tried to talk to Jiang Yan several times, but the other party only responded with a lukewarm “Mmh” or simply remained silent. That invisible low pressure made Jiang Yunian sit on pins and needles.
“Let’s go.” Finally, it was their turn, and Hao Meng beckoned.
Jiang Yan stood up, not even glancing at the bags in Jiang Yunian’s hands, and walked straight inside.
Jiang Yunian sighed, resignedly picked up everything, and followed.
Unexpectedly, as soon as they entered the restaurant, they bumped into the person they wanted to see least.
Zhang Hao.
“Enemies really do meet on a narrow road,” Hao Meng teased.
Zhang Hao’s eyes lit up when he saw Hao Meng, but then he saw the handsome faces one after another behind her—especially Jiang Yunian’s eyesore of a pretty-boy face, and the beautiful junior beside him. Jealousy surged immediately.
But since this was his turf, he couldn’t flare up on the spot. For the sake of appearances, he pretended to be magnanimous and invited them to sit. “Rare guests! Why didn’t you tell me in advance you were coming? If I knew you loved the food here, I’d send it to you every day, never repeating a meal!”
Hao Meng was surprised. “Your family opened this? Chef Zhang… no wonder… you kid, hiding your light under a bushel!”
“Chef Zhang” had a good reputation in the past two years, affordable and delicious, deeply favored by Nanda students.
Focused on showing off, forgetting he was currently applying for a scholarship, Zhang Hao quickly backpedaled. “Sigh, a distant relative opened it. I’m just basking in the reflected glory, helping to keep an eye on things.”
He enthusiastically ushered everyone to their seats, rattling off a bunch of signature dishes from the menu. It was so much that even Hao Meng couldn’t stand it, but Zhang Hao waved his hand generously, telling them not to be polite, boasting that he guaranteed they’d want to eat it again.
With such warm hospitality, Hao Meng felt embarrassed to chase him away, letting him stay and act on his own initiative.
Soon, dishes were served one after another, filling the lazy Susan. Zhang Hao sat diagonally across from Jiang Yunian. Seeing the only two girls getting close to Jiang Yunian while he looked like a serving boy, he felt unbalanced and started talking nonsense.
He spun the turntable, stopping the plate of brightly colored braised prawns in front of Jiang Yunian. “This is the local specialty braised prawn. You surely haven’t eaten this before, right? Taking a scholarship, you probably can’t bear to taste this. You’re lucky today, come, try it quickly!”
The thorns in his words were too obvious. Jiang Yunian, eating quietly, only frowned slightly upon hearing this. No one present was stupid; Hao Meng looked unhappy. But before she could speak, the turntable moved again, and the plate of prawns instantly spun to the corner in front of Jiang Yan.
Jiang Yan deliberately picked up a shrimp, took a bite of the leg, and spat it directly onto the plate without chewing.
“Not fresh.”
“Brother, you can’t say that carelessly.” Zhang Hao’s face changed. He knew he was picking a fight intentionally, but with girls present, he suppressed his anger and laughed dryly, not wanting to offend everyone. “If it’s braised too long, the taste is like that. I don’t blame you for not being able to tell. I’m just clumsy with words, don’t take it seriously, come come, keep eating.”
With a chuckle, he glossed it over.
To show “sincerity,” Zhang Hao didn’t use his chopsticks much, just turning the dishes for them. Hao Meng told him to stop fussing, but he said he was still full and would wait a bit. When the spicy beef, which Jiang Yan usually loved, spun around, Jiang Yunian subconsciously wanted to pick a piece for him. Just as his chopsticks extended, Jiang Yan happened to pick up his water cup, and red oil from the beef splashed right into the cup.
Jiang Yan frowned, put the cup down indifferently, and didn’t touch it again.
The flavors today were indeed a bit heavy. Jiang Yan had a sweet tooth and couldn’t handle too much spice. Jiang Yunian said he would go get another cup. Seeing Jiang Yan didn’t look too good, Hao Meng thought he had been spiced, so she told him to give him his own water first to clear his throat and ask the waiter for another.
“Yo,” Zhang Hao interjected with a strange tone, as if finding something amusing. “Does this count as an indirect kiss?”
Jiang Yunian’s hand, which was about to push his half-full cup over, froze abruptly.
“Just a joke.” This pretense of being an innocent virgin looked very disdainful to Zhang Hao. “What? Student Jiang’s reaction is so big, could it be… your first kiss is still there?”
“…”
Almost instantly, the kiss stolen late at night surfaced in his memory. Jiang Yunian glanced at Jiang Yan unnaturally, then hurriedly looked away.
This guilty and flustered appearance falling into Zhang Hao’s eyes practically confirmed a certain guess. But he hadn’t heard of him having a girlfriend in the department?
Zhang Hao’s suspicious gaze swept back and forth between Jiang Yunian and Jiang Yan, finally freezing on Jiang Yan’s god-awfully handsome face. He hadn’t looked carefully just now, but looking now, he suddenly reacted, slapping his thigh. “I remember now, aren’t you that guy from the seminar that day?”
Hao Meng: “?”
Tao Jingxuan: “?”
Jiang Yunian: “…”
Jiang Yan: “…”
Zhang Hao raised his eyebrows and covered his mouth exaggeratedly. “That day at the AIDS prevention seminar, holding hands with Student Jiang—the photos went crazy on the forum!”
“So it wasn’t a rumor. No wonder you were so skilled at putting on a condom that night, must have practiced a lot, huh? By the way, how long have you two been together? When do you plan to go public? I’ll give you a like on your circle of friends…”
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