Until the end of the evening self-study session, Lin You’s face remained flushed.
Three minutes after the lights came back on, Cai Xiaoguo returned to the classroom, and no one in the class was speaking anymore, they all obediently lowered their heads to either do homework or review.
The classroom was so quiet that they could hear the sound of the wind outside.
Lin You held a book in his hands but couldn’t concentrate on a single word. The classroom was too quiet, he could hear every movement from Lu Qingyan’s side.
He didn’t want to look at Lu Qingyan, but his eyes couldn’t help but sneak a glimpse in his direction.
When school was finally over, Lin You quickly packed his things to leave.
Lu Qingyan was following behind him, neither too near nor too far away. He did what he had promised, he didn’t go home today.
On the way, some people who knew Lu Qingyan and Lin You saw the two walking one after the other and couldn’t help but ask with laughter, “What’s wrong? Is an old married couple like you two also quarreling?”
Lu Qingyan also laughed and lazily replied, “Yeah, I irked him.”
Every word of this conversation entered Lin You’s ears without missing a beat.
People used to joke that they were like an old married couple before too, and Lin You never thought much about it. But now, he felt a bit guilty.
He remembered the kiss just moments ago, and his face turned even redder. He quickened his pace while huffing and puffing.
He didn’t feel right blaming Lu Qingyan, it was he who had requested the kiss in the first place. But when he thought about that kiss in the dark, how Lu Qingyan’s tongue had entwined with his own, he wanted to find a hole to hide in.
The soap operas clearly displayed it so innocently! So why did Lu Qingyan have to be so perverted?!
He couldn’t make sense of it.
Entering the dormitory building, Lin You rushed towards the stairs, intending to slip into his room. However, Lu Qingyan didn’t give him the chance; he caught Lin You on the stairs and forced him to turn around and face him.
There weren’t many people in the south building in the first place.
And now, there were only the two of them at the stairs, even their voices were accompanied by echoes.
Lin You refused to look at Lu Qingyan, keeping his gaze downward, and his ears were still burning.
Lu Qingyan lightly touched his red ear and asked in a coaxing tone, “You’re not going to pay attention to me anymore just because of a kiss?”
Lin You remained silent.
Lu Qingyan continued, “Wasn’t it you who asked me to kiss you? I did as you requested, and now you’re regretting it.”
Lin You couldn’t hold it in any longer.
He lifted his head, and said without much confidence, “I asked you to kiss me, but did I ask you to do it in front of so many people…”
And so sexually at that.
His voice grew smaller as he spoke. He was feeling conflicted, he wanted to be angry but also realized that he brought this on himself and couldn’t blame Lu Qingyan.
But before he could finish his thoughts, he heard Lu Qingyan chuckle softly.
“So since there’s no one around right now, can I kiss you again?”
Lin You widened his eyes, and curses almost slipped from his mouth.
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.
Lbkfnfg, tf rajgfv ja Oe Hlcusjc obg j wbwfca. Oe Hlcusjc kjr j tfjv ajiifg atjc tlw jcv kjr cbk rilutais yfca bnfg ab ajix ab tlw. Llr qjlg bo lcx-yijmx fsfr kfgf ibbxlcu ja tlw klat j rwlilcu ujhf.
Olc Tbe aegcfv tlr tfjv jkjs, tlr ojmf oiertfv ilxf la kjr jybea ab fzqibvf. Ccv ogbw yfakffc tlr affat, tf rdeffhfv bea j rfcafcmf.
“If you want to kiss, then just kiss.”
He was the one who invited Lu Qingyan, he couldn’t take it back.
Lin You might not have much in his life, but he never went back on his words.
He might lose, but he wouldn’t back down.
Lin You was prepared to be kissed again by Lu Qingyan, just like when they were in the classroom.
He closed his eyes — out of sight, out of mind.
But after waiting for a few seconds, all he felt was a feather-light, gentle kiss on his forehead.
He immediately opened his eyes.
Lu Qingyan released him and stepped back.
“Goodnight.”
Lu Qingyan said with a smile, then turned and headed back to the first floor, towards his dormitory.
Lin You stood dumbfounded on the stairs for a while.
He raised his hand and touched his forehead. Lu Qingyan’s kiss was very light, so light that it tickled him slightly.
Compared to the kiss in the classroom, it was unbelievably pure.
.
In the following days, neither of them mentioned the kiss again.
It was as if it had been an accident, an unfortunate incident that happened on a blackout night. All the ambiguity and heartbeats stayed there at that moment, destined to be forgotten before the break of dawn.
Lu Qingyan’s interactions with him returned to how they used to be. He no longer distanced himself intentionally, nor did he deliberately tease him. It was as if overnight, they had become the best buddies once again.
But Lin You couldn’t help but suspect that Lu Qingyan was going to settle the score with him during their winter break.
It had been almost a month since they returned from New Year’s, and in just two days, the winter break would begin. Their families were close, so they would spend the Chinese New Year together. There was no way they could keep being awkward like this.
So, even though Lin You appeared calm on the surface, his heart was in a state of panic.
On this day.
Finally done with the last final exam, Lin You returned to the dorm to pack his belongings, moving unusually slowly, as if a king patrolling his territory, trying to find any overlooked areas.
Only when there really wasn’t anything else he could pack, did he walk out silently, dragging his suitcase behind him.
As soon as he walked down the stairs, he saw Lu Qingyan standing at the stairwell, with a suitcase identical to his own by his side.
The last time he saw that suitcase, he didn’t think much of it, but now he felt his face burned up.
Thankfully, Lu Qingyan didn’t say anything about it. He simply came over and took Lin You’s hand.
Lin You half-heartedly tried to pull his hand free from Lu Qingyan’s grip but couldn’t succeed, so he gave up resisting with peace of mind.
This really wasn’t because he hadn’t tried, it was simply that the enemy’s will was just too firm.
They walked all the way to the school’s entrance, just a few steps away from the gates when Lu Qingyan suddenly stopped.
Lin You was still lost in his thoughts and didn’t notice, so he was pulled back a little by Lu Qingyan.
He looked at Lu Qingyan in confusion, “Why aren’t we going?”
Lu Qingyan held his hand, gently caressing his fingertips, so gently that they tickled.
Lin You’s face blushed involuntarily.
Thanks to Lu Qingyan’s persistent attacks, he was no longer naive and foolish to think that Lu Qingyan was just playing around with him.
Lu Qingyan was clearly flirting with him.
He lowered his head, unable to meet Lu Qingyan’s eyes, and made a soft humming sound from his throat, “What are you doing? Just tell me if you have something to say.”
Cowardly as hell.
Not at all resembling his usual sassy self.
“Final exams are over, shouldn’t we talk about something else now?” Lu Qingyan smiled at Lin You’s quail-like appearance and was inexplicably in a good mood.
Lin You really wanted to stubbornly refuse to talk about it, but he just couldn’t bring himself to say it out loud. So, once again, he mumbled softly, “Talk then.”
“I want to ask you, can we go on a date during the winter break?” Lu Qingyan lifted Lin You’s chin, forcing him to look at him. “I’m not trying to pressure you, but since I’ve confessed to you, you should give me a chance to pursue you, right? I have to make an effort to make you like me.”
Lin You blushed even more, he had never been on a date in his life.
But looking at Lu Qingyan’s somewhat pitiful appearance, as if he had been mistreated by a scumbag a thousand times but still remained a devoted little white flower.
As the “scumbag”, Lin You’s guilty conscience made it hard for him to refuse. He could only nod obediently and say, “Okay.”
Lu Qingyan smiled contentedly, as if he had seen his prey enter the net on its own.
However, before he could make further advances and ask for more, they heard a voice calling their names, a voice they were all too familiar with.
Lu Qingyan and Lin You turned around together, only to see Lin Sizhe and Lin Siyu standing at the school’s entrance, staring at them with curious expressions.
“What are you two doing?” Lin Siyu looked at them strangely, “What’s with this posture?”
Lin You quickly took two steps back, maintaining a clear distance from Lu Qingyan.
Lu Qingyan silently withdrew his hand and lied, “There was dust in Lin You’s eyes, and I was helping him.”
Lin Sizhe and Lin Siyu didn’t suspect anything. Lin Sizhe walked over and picked up Lin You’s suitcase.
Lin You thought they were here to pick him up and happily skipped over to Lin Sizhe, acting cute, “Jie, I’m not a kid anymore. I can go back by myself. You don’t have to pick me up.”
Lin Sizhe led him towards the car and mercilessly shattered his illusion, “Who’s picking you up? I’m taking you to the airport. Our parents informed us last minute that they have to stay abroad for Chinese New Year, so we’ll be going there together and coming back after the holidays. I already told Auntie Liu and Uncle Lu about it.”
Lin You was stunned.
He stopped in his tracks and subconsciously glanced at Lu Qingyan.
Lu Qingyan’s eyes also showed surprise.
“I mean, why didn’t anyone tell me anything?” Lin You became anxious. In the past, they always spent Chinese New Year in China together with the Lu family.
“We only found out yesterday too, it was last-minute notice. And there are only six days left until Chinese New Year, it was tough to get the flight tickets,” Lin Sizhe looked at him strangely, “We’ll be back after the holidays.”
Chinese New Year this year falls on February 1st, and Lin You’s exams finished on January 24th, leaving only a few days. That’s why they had to make such hasty preparations.
Lin You pursed his lips, unable to say anything.
He didn’t know why, but just moments ago, during the exam, he had still silently hoped to delay facing Lu Qingyan as long as possible.
Yet now that he had a legitimate opportunity to avoid it openly…
He found that he didn’t want to.
“I…” Lin You’s lips moved, “I don’t like spending Chinese New Year abroad.”
Lin Sizhe had already stuffed Lin You’s suitcase into the trunk and hadn’t seen his expression. She casually complained, “You think I do? Last time, I had fried chicken for a whole week abroad, and it gave me pimples all over my face. If it weren’t for our parents, I wouldn’t go either. It’s only because our parents are too busy, they only get so little time off, and there are always unexpected things happening.”
As soon as his parents were mentioned, Lin You hesitated again.
He had always been raised freely, and every gathering with his parents was hard to come by.
A battle waged in his heart. He wanted to go abroad to be with his parents, but he didn’t want to leave Lu Qingyan here alone.
He had just promised to go on a date with Lu Qingyan.
How can he break his promise?
Before he could figure out a result, someone patted him on the shoulder.
He raised his head hesitantly, feeling guilty as he looked at Lu Qingyan.
Lu Qingyan made the decision for him.
“I’ll wait for you to come back,” Lu Qingyan said gently.
Then he hugged Lin You and patted his back as if consoling a child.
Lin You almost cried.
He clung to Lu Qingyan’s clothes and caught a faint scent of cedarwood from him.
“I’ll be back soon,” Lin You whispered to Lu Qingyan’s ear, promising, “I’ll go on a date with you when I’m back.”
He said it like it was a big deal, as if announcing some important national event.
Lu Qingyan chuckled.
Why was this silly boy so easy to deceive? Just a little bit of grievance was able to exchange for his softened heart.
If he didn’t watch him carefully, what would he do if someone else took advantage of him?
“Okay,” he replied, “We’ll go on a date when you’re back.”
MY BABIESSSSSSS AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH 🥹🥹🤍🤍🤍
I almost cried too T.T
So stinken cuteeeee 😩😩😩
thank you for the new chapter!
20 chapters to go, please get together soon 🙏🙏
As they always say, absence makes the heart grow fonder ~~
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaj’flfmsbdvdjhz !!!!
This will be a good opportunity for LY to think about his feelings