Chapter 73: Don’t Force Me to Tie You Back
The ambiguity in those words was too obvious. He Yu’s gaze changed completely, and his fingers at his sides instinctively clenched into fists. “You—”
Wen Yuhuai, however, didn’t hear anything wrong. In the past, Lin Shiyu indeed came to sleep with him from time to time; there was nothing wrong with saying that.
Of course, things were different now. He wouldn’t squeeze into a bed with him anymore. He smiled at He Yu. “Don’t listen to his nonsense. He’s leaving right now; he’s not sleeping here.”
He Yu’s expression improved, and he curled his lips at him. “Then get some good rest, Brother Wen. I’ll head out first. Oh, and don’t forget to drink the chicken soup while it’s hot.”
Wen Yuhuai gave a casual response and pushed Lin Shiyu out with him. He waved goodbye to both of them decisively. “Bye.”
The door slammed shut before their eyes. Lin Shiyu’s expression finally turned completely cold, his gaze filled with heavy gloom. He spared a sideways glance at the person beside him, casually lit a cigarette, and walked out unhurriedly.
He Yu’s lips were pressed into a line, and he followed with a wooden expression.
Lin Shiyu stopped in the courtyard, leaning loosely against a pillar. A spark of crimson burned at his lips, and smoke blurred his features and gaze, which had suddenly sharpened.
He Yu stopped in front of him, his gaze heavy. “What do you want to say?”
Lin Shiyu just held the cigarette between two fingers and let out a disdainful snort, his tone incredibly casual.
“Tuck away those thoughts you shouldn’t have. Look at yourself—what kind of person are you? Not in eight hundred years would you be worthy of him.”
He Yu’s fist tightened, and his gaze instantly darkened. But soon, he relaxed again, a hint of a half-smile on his lips. “I’m not worthy of him, but what about you? Even if you are, he might not necessarily like you.”
Lin Shiyu looked down at the ash that had fallen onto the back of his hand due to the wind and brushed it off indifferently. He gave another soft laugh, his tone very dismissive. “Even if he doesn’t like me, it’s only temporary. What happens between us is none of your business.”
He Yu pressed his lips tight, unable to speak.
He could see the closeness and familiarity between Wen Yuhuai and the man in front of him. The atmosphere between them, which no one else could break into, was what made him most jealous.
He also knew that Wen Yuhuai wasn’t an ordinary person. He could tell from the first moment he saw him; that grace in his movements and the noble aura from being raised in a wealthy environment weren’t things an ordinary person could have.
Sure enough, Lin Shiyu’s appearance today confirmed his suspicion.
People always like beautiful things; he was no exception. From the first moment he saw Wen Yuhuai, his heart had stirred uncontrollably. Before this, he never knew he could be gay.
Lin Shiyu looked down again at the young man who was at a loss for words. Perhaps he shouldn’t be called a young man; he was too young. Every thought was written on his face, making it clear at a glance that he was a fledgling who hadn’t left school or experienced society.
It was only because Wen Yuhuai hadn’t thought in that direction that he hadn’t seen through him. Otherwise, he would have kept his distance long ago.
The cigarette between his fingers had burned to the end. He casually extinguished it and let out two more contemptuous laughs. “Of course, you can choose to confess. See what his attitude toward you will be. It’s not easy to like someone this much, especially someone so excellent. It’s boring to keep it buried in your heart.”
With those words, he tossed the cigarette butt into a nearby trash can and turned to leave elegantly.
He was intentionally provoking the boy. Boys this age usually can’t stand being provoked. Perhaps he would actually go and confess in a heat of the moment. Then Wen Yuhuai rejecting him and keeping his distance would be a small matter; he might even move out and leave this place.
Wouldn’t that give him a chance? A life of living together—he was looking forward to it.
He Yu stood there silently watching that tall back fade away. It wasn’t until the soft sound of a car door closing came from outside that he finally released his clenched fist, turned, and walked back into the house.
About half an hour later, Wen Yuhuai’s phone on the nightstand began to vibrate incessantly. He was in the bathroom showering; by the time he came out, an unknown number of messages had piled up.
Wen Yuhuai was still drying his hair with a towel as he frowned and clicked into the chat app. As expected, it was a message bombing from Lin Shiyu.
Scrolling all the way to the top, there were glaring transfer records—200,000 RMB. That was the daily limit for WeChat transfers.
[Give me your bank card number. Since you’re not willing to move in with me, let me at least send you some money.] [I can’t even stand to see you living such a hard life. Don’t force me to tie you back.] [I suggest you move. Once construction starts on the resort after the New Year, the noise will be loud. It’ll disturb your daily life.] [If you don’t want to live with me, that’s fine. I’ll buy another apartment for you right next to mine. That way you won’t have any concerns, right?] [Where are you?] [If you don’t speak, I’ll take it as agreement.] … …
Wen Yuhuai put down the towel and replied to the messages, ignoring his still-dripping hair.
[No need to buy a house. We’ll talk when I really can’t stay here anymore.]
Then, he scrolled back to the top and accepted the 200,000 RMB without any psychological burden. In the past, this was just the cost of one of their watches or a meal. Since he accepted it, he accepted it. He really needed it now; there was no need to act coy.
After taking the money, he continued typing. [I don’t have a bank card. This money is enough for me for a while. Don’t send any more. Sending too much will make it easy for them to track you.]
He didn’t know if those two had given up looking for him. He didn’t want to see those two unlucky faces during the New Year. It was better to be cautious.
The other side didn’t reply again. Perhaps he was busy. Wen Yuhuai put down his phone to charge and went back to the bathroom to blow-dry his hair.
The hairdryer was noisy. Besides the sound of the wind, he couldn’t hear anything else. Thus, when Wen Yuhuai turned off the hairdryer and came back out, several missed calls had appeared on his phone.
Just as he was about to call back, the phone rang again—a video call from Lin Shiyu.
Wen Yuhuai accepted without much hesitation. But soon, he felt it was inappropriate when he saw himself on the screen.
Since he had just showered, he was loosely wearing a bathrobe. The front wasn’t closed tight, revealing a large area of his fair chest. It felt like nothing when he was alone, but seeing it on the phone screen felt too flippant.
He placed the phone face down on the bed, pulled his bathrobe tight, and picked it up again. “Is something up?”
The background behind Lin Shiyu looked like hotel decor; he must have returned. He was leaning lazily against the headboard, his eyes half-squinted. “Yeah. The day after tomorrow is New Year’s Eve. Come back to Haishi with me tomorrow, okay?”
Translator’s Note:
Terms in this chapter:
- Fledgling / Chick (雏鸟): A term for someone inexperienced.
- Keep a distance (退避三舍): Literally “retreating three she.” An idiom meaning to keep a respectful distance or give way to someone more powerful.
- New Year’s Eve (大年三十): Literally “Big Year 30.” The most important night of the Lunar New Year.
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