Translator: Ryn
Double release today! Special thanks to Brooke for the ko-fis! 
Btw, this is one of my most fav chapters. Enjoy~~
By the time Qi Feng arrived at the cafeteria, the three of them had already finished their meals, and was waiting for him to arrive to unmask the mystery of the girl’s identity.
After sitting down, Qi Feng struggled for a moment before admitting: “She’s my high school classmate.”
“F*ck, really?” Xie Qibao was shocked, “But didn’t you say there was only one other classmate who had passed F University’s entrance exams, besides you?
“It’s this person…” Qi Feng said with difficulty, “I didn’t recognise her at first, because… her appearance completely changed.”
It took a while for the three to digest this new information, before they finally understood what Qi Feng meant by “change in appearance”.
Especially Xie Qibao, who immediately recalled the other person’s abnormally large eyes and stiff expression.
“She had plastic surgery?” Gao Junfei couldn’t help asking.
“Yeah…” Qi Feng’s face showed signs of exhaustion. “She said, she did it for me…” After saying this, he sighed, closed his eyes and rubbed the space between his eyebrows, not wanting to say anything else.
Everyone could tell that Qi Feng was under immense pressure. They exchanged glances and tactfully dropped the topic.
Gao Junfei stood up and urged Xie Qibao to return to the dorms together, with intentions of giving Qi Feng and Ling Ke some time to speak alone. Yet, before leaving, Xie Qibao senselessly asked Ling Ke if he wanted to leave with them, causing Gao Junfei to become speechless, almost wanting to smack him on the back of his head.
Fortunately, Qi Feng held Ling Ke back in time: “You stay with me for a while ba, I have something to tell you.”
Gao Junfei quickly took the opportunity and said: “That’s fine, then we’ll leave first.”
However, even after Gao Junfei and Xie Qibao had left, Qi Feng remained silent, not saying anything to Ling Ke.
He propped his elbows on the table and held his chin on his knuckles. It was unknown what he thought about…
“Are you hungry?” Unable to tolerate the silence, Ling Ke couldn’t help asking, “Do you wanna eat something first?”
“… Hmm?” Qi Feng looked up at him, and then nodded, “Okay.”
After Ling Ke got up, he felt Qi Feng’s gaze following him, making him feel nervous and feel somewhat strange.
He bought a self-selected meal for Qi Feng, alongside a bowl of winter melon pork ribs soup before returning to the table.
Qi Feng looked at the food on his tray. Seeing that every dish was one that he liked, he couldn’t help revealing a smile. Although his smile seemed a bit tired, his whole person looked a little more relaxed.
Ling Ke sat across Qi Feng and quietly watched him eat.
Qi Feng’s posture while eating was very elegant. Normally, when they ate together, he still loved conversing, but he would always ensure he didn’t have any food in his mouth when talking. He would only eat mouthfuls after finishing his sentences, causing him to eat very slowly. Hence. whenever they ate together, it was always Ling Ke who finished eating first, and had to wait for him to finish.
But today, Qi Feng didn’t say anything. One mouthful after another, he finished his food relatively quickly.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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It’s just, there were many people coming and going within the cafeteria, and it didn’t help that the two of them were the most closely watched individuals on campus. It was inevitable for the people around them to look and point towards them. Hence after he finished his meal, Qi Feng passively suggested that they go for a walk.
He said “go for a walk”, hinting that they were not returning to the dorms, and intended to have a walk around with Ling Ke.
The weather at early November was already slightly chilly. The two of them slowly wandered along the pathwalk with their hands in their pockets.
It was completely dark, except for a few street lights on campus that illuminated the hurried faces of some students. No one was able to recognise them.
Passing through the Literary Garden, Qi Feng turned and said in a low voice “Let’s go this way”, and he then led Ling Ke into the garden.
“Her name is Sun Man. She said, she has liked me for six years.” Qi Feng’s voice sounded faint. Akin to an autumn leaf that suddenly fell from the sky, he breached the subject without giving any opening remarks. Yet, as soon as these words were spoken, they melted into the night air.
However, the “six years” in Qi Feng’s words were like needles that struck deeply into Ling Ke’s heart.
He thought back in a daze, how many years has he liked Qi Feng?
If he were to count from the time at the end of his 2nd year in middle school, it’ll probably be around five years now… or perhaps even earlier?
After a while, Ling Ke replied with a single “En“, indicating for Qi Feng to continue.
“But I didn’t know her until the first term of my 2nd year in high school… At that time, my friends and I were heading back to the school building after playing basketball. I wasn’t paying attention while walking and bumped into her, causing her to scrape her knee and bleed. It looked so serious then… and I was so anxious at the time. I carried her to the infirmary, stayed with her while she was bandaged and then personally sent her back to the classroom…. A few days later, I went to check up on her, and even bought her some food…” Qi Feng prattled, occasionally stopping to recall, “Because of this incident, there was a rumour in school claiming that I was interested in her…”
Ling Ke suddenly understood why the girl was so obsessed with Qi Feng.
He had seen Qi Feng’s gentleness, from the time when he helped the girl who fell down in the dining hall on the day they reported to university, or the time when he helped the girl who fainted from heatstroke during military training… Qi Feng could treat complete strangers with such gentleness, let alone a girl who had gotten injured because of himself.
Some people would have thought that this behaviour of Qi Feng’s was just a manifestation of his fickle heart, and previously, Ling Ke had thought the same. Afterall, with his cold, indifferent nature, it was difficult for him to understand why Qi Feng showed such unnecessary compassion towards others.
But now, he thought differently. After he had seen Qi Feng secretly hiding in the washroom crying after watching the abduction movie, he finally understood that there was such a kind of person in this world. Call him a holy mother, or someone flooding with compassion. Just as Ling Ke was born to be indifferent, Qi Feng was born with a kind heart; it was a personality trait that was naturally carved into his bones.
Moreover, it just so happened that Qi Feng was born to be good-looking. Unaware of his own charms, his kindness ended up becoming the instigator of his sins.
“You should know, these sorts of rumours have always followed me, and I have never taken them to heart,” Qi Feng said this sentence in a slightly rushed tone, “After that, there were no further interactions between me and her, and so the rumours quickly passed. But I never expected for this incident to have led to such a profound impact on her… She thought that I had stopped looking for her because she wasn’t pretty enough.”
Qi Feng closed his eyes, seemingly having difficulty understanding the other’s thoughts and three views.
After a two-second pause, he continued: “She said that the girls who had passed the rumours around at that time, had even joked saying that she was the ugliest girl I had ever taken an interest in, hence, she made up her mind to undergo plastic surgery… During the summer holidays a couple of months ago, she did her eyes, nose and all kind of changes to her face. She completely changed her appearance, thinking that I would fall for her if she became prettier.”
Ling Ke had seen extreme cosmetic surgery cases on the Internet before, but did not expect to encounter one himself.
“I explained to her for a long time why it wasn’t possible for me to like her, but she still didn’t want to give up. She kept crying while apologising, and confessed to me, saying that she likes me… Aih.” Qi Feng let out a long sigh.
If it was anyone else saying this, these words would’ve sounded pretentious, however Ling Ke could tell that Qi Feng was indeed very distressed over this matter.
Ling Ke could fully envisage the sticky situation whereby Qi Feng was anxiously trying to persuade the other. If this was seen by others, they’d most probably mistake Qi Feng as being heartless, causing the girl to cry over a broken heart.
“I really don’t know what she likes about me. This face?” Qi Feng pointed to his face. Within the depth of the gardens, he finally poured out his unhappiness before his most trusted friend, “Apart from the time when I bumped into her, she didn’t have many interactions with me and doesn’t understand the kind of person I am. Yet, she repeatedly stressed that she had started liking me since six years ago… Then, if another person were to have this same face as me, would she have liked that person just the same? If so, what qualifications did she have to claim that the person she likes is ‘me’?”
Hearing this, Ling Ke’s felt as if a hammer was puncturing through his heart. Despite knowing that Qi Feng’s question was directed towards the girl, couldn’t it just as well have been directed towards himself?
Fortunately, he had already reflected upon himself when Qi Feng had spoken about having a twin brother. Otherwise, he would most probably doubt himself due to this sudden questioning, becoming extremely ashamed.
Looking at the ground beneath his feet, Ling Ke replied as if talking to himself: “A person, besides his face, also has a type of aura that he can’t personally perceive himself. Some people may describe it as a temperament or a personality trait, some people may describe it as a sort of personal charm. These things are intangible. They are not only expressed through one’s looks alone, but also from your smile, your tone of speech, your self-confidence that comes from your surrounding environment, your usual vigour when interacting with your friends, as well as your every movement and gesture.”
Ling Ke glanced at Qi Feng, and finally said in a slow, unhurried tone: “To her, what attracted her, was most probably the you who was… brilliant and dazzling, one who clearly stood out from the masses.”
— Just like when you suddenly appeared before me in the waiting room of the Music Conservatory six years ago, bringing along with you an irresistible sense of passion and enthusiasm, and allowing me to bathe in the warmth of your sunny smile.
At that time, I hadn’t known what love was.
Even after that, your every bits and pieces that I paid attention to, was still unable to allow me to distinguish what it really meant to truly like someone.
Perhaps what I previously regarded as “love” was merely your appearance while wearing a white T-shirt, running around on the basketball court. Yet even such shallow feelings of love, akin to a seed being buried within the depths of one’s heart, could take root and sprout within the long periods of one’s adolescence, blooming into a flower.
He hadn’t expected for this flower to bloom, but from then on, the people that he’d fall in love with will most probably share a similar fragrance.
Qi Feng stared dazedly at Ling Ke, a little surprised that the other would suddenly explain in such a long passage of words. Furthermore, these words brought about a literary sense to it, a far contrast to Ling Ke’s usual rational style of speech.
The two’s line of sight entangled in the air for a moment, before Ling Ke immediately retracted his gaze, not daring to say any more.
He was afraid that his feelings would be exposed, and he would in turn become the next Catherine, receiving Qi Feng’s direct rejection and being ruthlessly scrutinised by Qi Feng — Afterall, this was the most realistic attitude of a normal person towards those who were foolishly in love with them.
Unknowingly, they reached the Lovebirds Lake, passing by the bench where they had once sat on.
Ling Ke still remembered the first time people had publicly gossiped about him and Qi Feng. It was due to their photos being secretly taken here.
During this short duration of two months, the unexpected changes in their situation astounded Ling Ke — They obviously weren’t dating each other, yet now they have seemed to have made themselves more conspicuous compared to actual gay couples.
Qi Feng glanced at him and asked, “Let’s sit for a while ba?”
Ling Ke used actions to indicate his agreement.
After sitting down, the two stared at the lake that glimmered in the nightlight, remaining silent for a while, before Qi Feng suddenly asked Ling Ke in a tone filled with deep meaning: “Do you want to know how I convinced Sun Man to give up?”
“… Huh?” Ling Ke suddenly had a bad hunch.
Qi Feng continued: “I told her that… I am gay, that I like men.”
Ling Ke’s heart skipped a beat. For a moment, he couldn’t tell if Qi Feng was serious or if he was joking.
In the next few seconds after that, Qi Feng did not speak, allowing a trace of ambiguity to spread between them.
Ling Ke took advantage of this time to calm his mind, and immediately denied this newly heard information in his heart…Gay? How is it possible?
“You… lied to her? She believed it?” Ling Ke asked apprehensively.
Qi Feng did not reply, and instead continued: ” I also said that I am already dating someone.”
Ling Ke: “…”
Qi Feng gave him a deep look, wearing a somewhat odd smile on his face: “Guess what she said next?”
Does this still need to be guessed? The rumours between the two of them have already been spread throughout campus. Even if Qi Feng didn’t say he was gay, with such an obvious hint, isn’t he unsubtly reminding the girl of their supposedly non-platonic relationship?
Even though Qi Feng was stringing him along bit by bit in this way, still, Ling Ke was hooked and his heart couldn’t help stirring and itching.
“What?” he asked, playing dumb.
Enunciating every word, Qi Feng responded: “She asked me if my dating partner was the one using the same toothbrush cup as me, and I said yes. She also asked me if he was the one occupying the dormitory desk next to mine on the left, and I said yes. She said that she thought everyone was just joking, and the rumours weren’t real, and I said that while all the previous rumours related to myself before wasn’t true, but this time, it was…”
Ling Ke had severely underestimated Qi Feng’s ability in speaking words of love.
A question that could’ve originally been said with a simple phrase “Is it Ling Ke?”, was split into a long paragraph of words by Qi Feng, meticulously reiterated in such detail for him to hear.
Moreover, when Qi Feng said these words, he looked straight ahead, and not at him.
But even in this way, Ling Ke had almost lost his bearings.
Each time Qi Feng said “yes”, his heartbeat increased.
“You should know who she was referring to ba?” Qi Feng asked, knowingly.
Ling Ke was speechless, his defensive walls completely torn down, unable to release a single word.
“Hey…” Qi Feng finally turned towards him. With his pair of profound eyes looking deep into Ling Ke’s, and the corner of his lips slightly hooked upwards, he whispered, “How about, you become my boyfriend?”
【A brief interlude】
Catherine: “If I was prettier, would you have liked me?” (Q_Q)
Qi Feng: “No, I wouldn’t…”
Catherine: “No, I don’t believe you! That’s how it’s usually written in novels! Our encounter, was like a scene straight out from a novel!” (Q_Q)
Qi Feng: “Even if the person I have bumped into at that time was a girl with peerless beauty, I still wouldn’t have liked her ah.”
Catherine: “Why! Tell me why!” (Q_Q)
Qi Feng: “Because I am gay ah… For me to like the other, the person that bumps into me must be a handsome man, for example, someone like Ling Ke. ”╮(╯_╰)╭
Catherine: “Pfft…!” *spits a mouthful of old blood* (=皿=)
……
Catherine: Author, you come out! Let’s talk about why I’m playing in a scene of a BL novel! ●_●
Author: *shivers*
Argh don’t string him along 😭
I know you think he’s straight and he thinks you’re straight but this, to us omniscient readers, seems cruel
Thanks for the chapter ❤
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I really liked how Ling Ke explained Qi Feng the reasons to be liked. He was almost confessing himself!!
Thanks for the chapter!
me tooo! ahhh, the feels~~
& thanks for reading! ~
Same here. If someone I like ask me why I like them, I’d give them Ling Ke’s answer. 😂
I’m still just waiting for the revelation that LK became interested in him those years ago… and then it’s about QF’s brother lolol (But, well, LK already said why someone could like QF xD)
Thx for the ch (≧▽≦)/
“Hey…” Qi Feng finally turned towards him. With his pair of profound eyes looking deep into Ling Ke’s, and the corner of his lips slightly hooked upwards, he whispered, “How about, you become my boyfriend?”
IM DEAD!!!
😍😍
Thank you for the chapter!
I’m just hoping he doesn’t misunderstand and thinks it’s a pretend-boyfriend play. my goodness, i couldn’t take it if it were like that.
I would be screeching like a wailing spirit if it weren’t for my family nearby 😔