BTFB chapter 7

Zhao Yuan had no recollection of when he fell asleep that night.

In any case, there was only one bed in the room, and he and Bian Liming ended up sleeping together. However, when they woke up, both were neatly dressed in pajamas, lying on opposite sides of the bed.

Zhao Yuan didn’t know how to define what happened last night, some slightly inappropriate things. He also didn’t know how to face Bian Liming in terms of their relationship and status. Even though the morning sunlight streaming in from the window had awakened him early, Zhao Yuan lay quietly on the bed, pretending to still be asleep.

Bian Liming, on the other hand, slept until almost 11 o’clock, yawning as he woke up. He sat up on the bed, stretching a long and unabashed lazy yawn, boldly encroaching on Zhao Yuan’s side of the bed.

With a grumble, Bian Liming sat up, cheerfully shaking Zhao Yuan’s shoulder and calling out, “Zhao Yuan, wake up! The weather is great today; let’s go for a walk!”

Zhao Yuan reluctantly got up, and they both went to the bathroom to freshen up. Zhao Yuan didn’t even dare to look directly into the mirror.

Fortunately, the two quickly got ready and had a casual breakfast at the inn before setting off into the mountains.

Zhao Yuan was completely unfamiliar with Yutong Mountain and had no idea about any interesting places there. Bian Liming also seemed unsure where to go; they simply walked along moss-covered stone steps in the mountains.

Fortunately, before encountering any forks in the road, the two arrived at a relatively flat and open area. The towering trees were gone, replaced by some barely recognizable low weeds and a small, trickling mountain stream not far away.

Following the flow of the mountain stream, Bian Liming and Zhao Yuan walked downstream. Gradually, the ground underfoot became soft and even muddy, but the scenery became increasingly peaceful and beautiful.

A breeze swept through the mountains, causing the leaves and grass to sway. Zhao Yuan’s hair was blown into his eyes, obscuring his vision, and he slipped for a moment. With quick reflexes, Bian Liming reached out and grabbed his arm, whispering, “Be careful.”

Lowering his head, Zhao Yuan brushed away the hair in front of his eyes and nodded, continuing to walk with Bian Liming. This time, Zhao Yuan didn’t shake off Bian Liming’s hand, and Bian Liming didn’t let go either.

After walking for about fifteen minutes, a small pavilion appeared in their line of sight. Although the pavilion was not particularly luxurious, its design had a natural charm, nestled under the tree canopy like a hidden treasure.

Feeling a bit tired, Zhao Yuan suggested to Bian Liming, “Let’s take a break in the pavilion.”

Bian Liming agreed, and the two entered the pavilion, with Bian Liming finally letting go of Zhao Yuan’s hand.

After wiping the chairs in the pavilion, Zhao Yuan sat down and began cleaning the mud from the soles of his shoes on the ground.

Bian Liming sat across from him, quietly, without moving or speaking. There was a considerable distance between them, and the wind blowing between them filled the awkward silence.

Unable to scrape any more mud off his shoe soles, Zhao Yuan looked up, facing Bian Liming’s somewhat inscrutable expression, and asked word by word, “Bian Liming, do you intend to sit so far away forever?”

Bian Liming glanced at Zhao Yuan and then lowered his head again. The arch of his eyebrows, standing tall and straight, shielded the emotions in his eyes. Bian Liming, looking down, asked in response, “Then… Do you want me to sit closer?”

Taking a deep breath, Zhao Yuan, with hands on the sides of the chair, tilted his head slightly to look at the scenery outside the pavilion. “If you want to sit closer, sit closer. If you don’t, forget it. No need to force it.”

The sunlight outside the pavilion seemed to suddenly dim, and the tiny light spots dancing on the flowing water disappeared. The wind rose again, prompting Zhao Yuan to tightly wrap his coat around himself.

At that moment, Bian Liming walked over and sat down next to him. Their knees touched, and neither moved away.

Zhao Yuan withdrew his gaze, paused for a moment, then turned to look at Bian Liming’s face. “About last night… I feel it’s not something normal friends would do. We’re both men, both Betas, with the same first and second gender…”

Zhao Yuan couldn’t continue. He didn’t know what kind of conclusion should be drawn from this discourse, and he didn’t know why he was saying these words. It seemed that as he sorted through his thoughts in his mind, the words just spilled out of his mouth. However, halfway through the sorting, his thoughts suddenly became tangled, and he couldn’t continue.

Bian Liming cleared his throat in a restrained manner, and spoke hesitantly, “Actually, there’s no need to think too complicatedly.”

Bian Liming’s words slowed down, and his voice became quieter, as if he was saying something he himself didn’t quite believe.

“Drip, drip.”

Suddenly, there was the sound of water droplets falling on the top of the pavilion. In less than a minute, the rain in the mountains poured down densely. Strangely, the sun wasn’t completely obscured by clouds, and the shadow of the pavilion could still be vaguely seen on the ground.

“So…,” Zhao Yuan furrowed his brows in confusion, “what do you mean by saying this?”

Bian Liming pursed his lips, his chest rising and falling slightly with his breath, “What I mean is, don’t worry too much about this matter; just let it be. We were both awake and willing last night. Regardless of whether our first or second gender is the same, it doesn’t affect anything, right?”

Zhao Yuan’s brain felt a bit scrambled. Blinking his eyes, he stared blankly at Bian Liming.

Suddenly, Bian Liming seemed startled, and he looked at Zhao Yuan with a worried expression. “Or, do you mind what happened between us? If you mind, then…”

“No.” Zhao Yuan impatiently interrupted him, “I don’t mind. I’m just… my mind is a bit confused.”

“Oh…” Bian Liming turned his eyes and nodded slowly, moving closer, reaching out to put his hand on Zhao Yuan’s shoulder. “It’s okay! Take your time to think; there’s no need to rush. You don’t have to hide anything or be secretive about your thoughts.”

“I…,” Zhao Yuan’s heart was pounding hard, “I’m a bit tired.”

Bian Liming sat even closer, and his arm tightened. “Then rest against me for a while. When the rain stops, we’ll go back.”

“Okay,” Zhao Yuan wanted to say, but before that, Bian Liming reached out and pressed Zhao Yuan’s face into his embrace.

“Don’t you feel cold? Don’t catch a cold,” Bian Liming said.

So, Zhao Yuan closed his eyes, resisted the inexplicable urge to cry, and swayed against Bian Liming’s shoulder, shaking his head.

The sun shower soon stopped, and Bian Liming and Zhao Yuan retraced their steps. Everything went smoothly. However, upon returning to the inn, Bian Liming suddenly received a call from Bian Liqin, saying that he and their father would be going home that night.

Both Bian Liming and Zhao Yuan were in a panic. They couldn’t even find a car on Yutong Mountain, so how were they supposed to rush back?! Fortunately, the couple in the inn was also planning to leave that day. With a lot of talking and gesturing, they managed to communicate their intentions, and the couple agreed to give them a ride down the mountain.

As the couple had to return the rented car, which was not in the same direction, they dropped Bian Liming and Zhao Yuan at a more accessible location after descending the mountain. Coincidentally, they hit the evening rush hour. Sweating and anxious, Bian Liming, luckily, made it home before his father and Bian Liqin returned.

Zhao Yuan also arrived home. Unlocking the two doors with his keys, he found an empty house, unchanged since the day he left.

After unpacking his bags, smoking a few cigarettes in the bathroom, and taking a relaxing bath to shake off fatigue, Zhao Yuan, with time still on his hands, wondered what else he could do before going to bed. He decided to go downstairs, turn on the TV, and alleviate his boredom.

As soon as the TV was turned on, it was always on the news channel. Lying bored on the sofa, he listened to the news absentmindedly.

“This afternoon, the five-day ‘Yutong Mountain Conference’ officially concluded. The Chinese Foreign Affairs Department promptly expressed its views, stating that the conference marked a ‘milestone event in establishing friendly diplomatic relations between the South Hua Nation and the Independent State of Honshu.’ As known to all, the territorial and resource disputes between the two countries have been ongoing for half a century…”

Yutong Mountain… Conference?!

Zhao Yuan’s ears caught onto the repeated term. The Independent State of Honshu… the couple at the inn who didn’t understand Mandarin well… could it be…

Amazed by his discovery, Zhao Yuan, unable to wait, called Bian Liming. However, before he could dial the number, Bian Liming was already knocking on his door.

“Zhao Yuan, I’m crashing at your place tonight. I told my dad that your family invited me for dinner, don’t let me down,” Bian Liming said as he changed shoes.

Clearly more concerned about the coincidence he just discovered, Zhao Yuan asked Bian Liming eagerly, “Have you watched the news?”

Bian Liming rudely walked over to the sofa, sat down, and leaned against the soft backrest. “I know. I figured it out when I said I wanted to go to Yutong Mountain.”

Zhao Yuan was taken aback. “Ah… ah? You didn’t tell me…”

“How could I tell you something classified?” Bian Liming picked up an apple from the fruit plate, took a big bite, and continued, “My dad reminded me before he left. But, I didn’t know… I didn’t know that Bian Liqin was there too.”

Zhao Yuan’s mind was even more chaotic. Why did they decide to go out for fun back then? Why did they decide not to inform their parents? And why did they choose Yutong Mountain?

Sitting on the sofa next to Bian Liming, Zhao Yuan looked visibly confused.

But it seemed that whenever Bian Liqin was mentioned, Bian Liming became very dejected and irritable.

Bian Liming kept talking endlessly about Bian Liqin, getting dry-mouthed in the process. Finally, holding the hot cocoa Zhao Yuan made, the two went out of the room, sat by the stone table in the front yard, and continued talking.

Bian Liqin officially graduated from the International Politics major at the Military Academy last year. During his time at school, he interned at the Foreign Affairs Bureau and, now, a year after graduation, had successfully joined the Military Affairs Department of the Foreign Affairs Bureau.

No matter how Bian Liming thought about it, it didn’t make sense. How could this be possible? Clearly less than a year after graduating, Bian Liqin became the secretary to the head of the Military Affairs Department and participated in such a high-level international conference.

Was it just because Bian Liqin was an Alpha? Just because he came from the Bian family in Dongshan Street? Moreover, regarding these personnel orders, neither his father nor Bian Liqin mentioned a word to him.

It seemed like everything related to the Bian family excluded him.

Like going to Yutong Mountain; his father and Bian Liqin could stay at the Yutong Mountain Conference Center, directing the proceedings and strategizing. Meanwhile, he could only stay in the inn, playing the guitar and singing “Spring Song,” stepping on moss-covered stone steps that hadn’t been walked on in a long time, expressing his feelings for the mountains and rivers.

Bian Liming rushed back from Yutong Mountain in such a hurry. However, after returning home, Bian Liqin and their father didn’t even take a sip of water; they went upstairs to their bedroom and continued their discussion without even acknowledging him. No one cared if he had been waiting for a long time and whether he had eaten dinner.

Bian Liming became more and more aggrieved as he spoke, more and more frustrated. Even though he didn’t like sweet things, he still drank the cup of hot chocolate Zhao Yuan made, feeling disheartened.

“Ah Yuan…” his eyebrows drooped downward, his eyes resembling a wronged little dog. “I feel like I’m not at all like someone from the Bian family. Like I’m not my dad’s son or Bian Liqin’s brother.”

Zhao Yuan choked up and didn’t know what to say to comfort Bian Liming. He could only reach out and pat his shoulder and arm.

“Ah Yuan,” Bian Liming continued, “if the Bian family doesn’t recognize me anymore, would you still care about me?”

“What are you saying!” Zhao Yuan felt a bit heartbroken: “How could they not want you? You will always be their family. Whether you achieve great things or lead an ordinary life, you will always be important to them.”

“No.” Bian Liming shook his head solemnly. “They probably don’t want someone like me, who can’t achieve anything… If I can’t do something significant in the future, they won’t even look at me.”

Seeing Bian Liming’s cup empty, Zhao Yuan poured a little of his hot chocolate into it.

“You told me, life is your own. No matter what happens, you have the right to embrace life, right? Similarly, your life is your own; there’s no need to distort it for others’ opinions.”

Bian Liming fell silent for a while, lowering his head. His fingers moved back and forth on the quilt in front of him. After a moment, he softly said:

“I… I’m just annoyed. It feels like they are the only family.”

“Ding-dong~”

While Zhao Yuan was busy comforting the bowed and silent Bian Liming, the doorbell in the front yard suddenly rang loudly.

They raised their heads simultaneously and saw Bian Liqin standing at the door.

The two hurriedly got up from the stone table and walked over, greeting Bian Liqin.

“Brother? Why are you here?”

“Liqin, why are you here at this hour?”

Bian Liming suddenly changed his expression, looking shocked as he slowly turned his head towards Zhao Yuan.

Brother? What does it mean to call him Brother?

“Ah, I came to see Uncle and Aunt. It’s been a while since I last saw them…” Bian Liqin slightly bowed, smiling gently at Zhao Yuan.

“Oh… They’re not here, they’re on a business trip,” Zhao Yuan apologized, scratching his head, not noticing Bian Liming’s abnormal expression.

Bian Liming felt a bit awkward. He felt uncomfortable all over, saying he was going inside to reheat some hot chocolate and then hastily walked away.

Bian Liqin and Zhao Yuan watched Bian Liming’s back as he entered the house, but neither followed him in.

Once Bian Liming was a bit far away, Zhao Yuan turned to Bian Liqin and smiled secretly:

“Brother, who visits someone so late at night? Your excuse is too clumsy! Did you come to get your brother back home?”

Bian Liqin squinted his eyes, smiling wryly as he lowered his head:

“It’s just that.. I barely spoke to him this time coming back. I’ll probably have to wait for at least half a year to see him again. So, I came here to check on him.”

Zhao Yuan nodded at his words, speaking sincerely, “You genuinely care about Bian Liming, but unfortunately, Bian Liming… he’s just stubborn, always finding trouble for himself.”

Bian Liqin smiled again, pondering for a moment, gradually suppressing his smile, and said:

“Actually, I regret it sometimes. Back then, when he was young, he used to cling to me, but at that time, I was busy with my own things, assignments, competitions, and I always dismissed him, even found him annoying, not letting him into my room. Later, he grew up, had his own ideas, and he no longer cared about his brother.

“Think about it; even though I’ve known Bian Liming for almost 20 years, it seems like he’s not as familiar with me as you are. The first time he learned to play the piano, the first day he went to boarding school, the first friend he made who could talk to him, the first person he fell for… I know nothing about all that.”

Bian Liqin looked up at the night sky, silent with a thoughtful expression for a while. Zhao Yuan also remained silent, standing beside him, listening to the evening breeze rustling through the leaves and the sporadic chirping of birds.

“Oh, by the way,” Bian Liqin suddenly looked down at Zhao Yuan, “Has he been in a relationship? In college, many people should be pursuing him, right?”

“Ah…” Zhao Yuan’s gaze visibly panicked, “I, I…”

“Can’t say? Oh, then… does he like boys or girls? Alpha, Omega, or Beta? Can you say that?”

“Ah…” Zhao Yuan stammered, “I don’t know…”

“Really don’t know?” Bian Liqin’s face carried a bit of ambiguous amusement, “On my way here, I saw you two from afar, leaning so close… Well…”

Zhao Yuan felt his breathing had doubled, his cheeks were heating up, his mind was a mess, and his eyes darted around, involuntarily swallowing.

“I was thinking…” Bian Liqin didn’t seize Zhao Yuan’s embarrassing reaction but, as if he had already obtained the answer, continued with a calm and leisurely tone, “since you two are so close, he should tell you about his love life, right.”