Xiao Cheng was furious at Luo Jingshu’s words.
If Luo Jingshu had said this earlier, or had expressed his feelings sooner, Xiao Cheng wouldn’t be so angry.
He grabbed Luo Jingshu by the collar, feeling that his earlier punch hadn’t been enough to relieve his anger. His fingers were tense, gripping Luo Jingshu’s collar so hard that it began to deform, the collar tightening against his skin, leaving red marks on his pale complexion.
Luo Jingshu ignored the pain in his body, his gaze fixed on Xiao Cheng’s face, and as he spoke, the cut on his lip split open again.
“Brother Cheng, go ahead and hit me one more time.”
Xiao Cheng had mentioned several times wanting to hit him, but had always held back because he wasn’t of age yet.
If hitting him would relieve Xiao Cheng’s anger, then maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing.
Luo Jingshu no longer thought Xiao Cheng was being merciful; what he feared was that Xiao Cheng had grown to despise him to the point where hitting him felt dirty.
Xiao Cheng gritted his teeth, “Do you really think I can’t do it?”
He had never heard such a request before.
Is Luo Jingshu crazy?
Luo Jingshu slightly closed his eyes. The strands of hair on his forehead were dusted with snowflakes, which melted into droplets and dripped from the tips of his hair.
Perhaps he was exhausted; his voice was very soft: “Haven’t you always wanted to do this?”
The response was Xiao Cheng’s fist, but he didn’t hit his face again this time.
Hitting someone who wouldn’t fight back was no joy at all; Xiao Cheng only punched him once before stopping. He wasn’t someone who liked to solve problems with violence, and once he missed the moment when he wanted to hit him the most, he didn’t feel like doing it anymore.
If he were to hurt Luo Jingshu accidentally and the latter kept clinging to him, it would be a losing proposition.
Xiao Cheng thought, let’s just consider him being sympathetic towards Luo Jingshu’s delicate face.
Luo Jingshu licked the wound on the corner of his mouth with his tongue. “Not hitting me anymore?”
Xiao Cheng rubbed his knuckles, panting as he stepped back. He steadied his breath and then coldly laughed, replying, “Your head must really be messed up, Luo Jingshu. Where’s the pride and indifference you usually have?”
Luo Jingshu wanted to ask himself how he had ended up in such a pathetic state, knowing that Xiao Cheng no longer wanted him, yet still shamelessly pursuing him.
He thought maybe this was his punishment for pretending to be a cheap shou in his previous life; this time, he willingly played the cheap role.
With his back against the tree, coldness seeped from behind him into his chest, causing his lips to turn a shade paler.
“We should break up,” he said.
Xiao Cheng exhaled silently, his voice mingling with the cold wind as it reached Luo Jingshu’s ears: “You’re the one saying this, Luo Jingshu. I hope you can stick to it.”
He paused, slightly lowering his voice. “From now on, let’s pretend we don’t know each other.”
This should be the best outcome for both of them.
Xiao Cheng only wanted to forget this failed first love. Perhaps when he grows up a little more, one day, he can talk about these past events with a smile like Bai Yiheng.
But that was for later; at least for now, he just wanted to escape.
Luo Jingshu’s palm pressed against the tree behind him, the bark digging deep into his skin. It felt like something was lodged in his throat, making it difficult to speak: “Brother Cheng , I’ll do as you say.”
Xiao Cheng couldn’t help but feel doubtful again; it wasn’t that he was narcissistic, but Luo Jingshu had just shown such a reluctant attitude, and the sudden change made it hard for him to believe his words.
Luo Jingshu felt as if his head had been stirred with a knife, and the pain blurred his vision. Xiao Cheng actually didn’t believe him even with this statement.
“Brother Cheng , I’m not lying to you.”
Xiao Cheng averted his gaze to avoid making eye contact, “I still mean what I said. I hope you can follow through.”
He glanced down and noticed that despite nearly falling earlier, Luo Jingshu hadn’t thrown away the box he was holding. This scene stirred complicated emotions in Xiao Cheng.
However, his face remained expressionless; the subtle emotions were not enough to prompt a significant reaction, and Xiao Cheng adjusted his coat collar, “That’s all I have to say. If we’re fated, we’ll meet again.”
It might be impossible to never meet again; he just hoped that he would remain indifferent when they met the next time.
After finishing, Xiao Cheng turned and walked towards the school gate, his figure quickly disappearing into the night.
The snow seemed to fall heavier, as if in response, gently covering Luo Jingshu’s shoulders and head.
He stood still, watching Xiao Cheng’s silhouette slowly fade away. It was only when he could no longer see him that Luo Jingshu leaned against the tree, as if releasing all the weight from his body.
He was dressed too lightly; he hadn’t felt cold when he first arrived, but at this moment, his body felt frozen.
White sports shoes were also dusted with snowflakes. Luo Jingshu slightly moved his feet, leaving a distinct footprint where he had stepped earlier. He stared at the messy footprints beside his own for a moment before exhaling.
The warm breath turned into white mist and slowly dissipated. Luo Jingshu’s face was hidden in the dim light under the tree, his red eyes barely visible, looking indistinct.
He lost his little grape.
When Xiao Cheng returned to the dormitory, Jiang Zihe was chatting with Xie Zhao. He had received two tickets from Xie Zhao and was especially eager to sing his praises.
[Jiang Zihe: He’s back.]
The day Xiao Cheng said he wanted to give Luo Jingshu a gift, Jiang Zihe immediately informed Xie Zhao.
He intended to have Xie Zhao intervene and stop Xiao Cheng, but by the time Xiao Cheng left, Xie Zhao showed no reaction at all.
Jiang Zihe was even more anxious than Xie Zhao. He constantly urged him on his phone and occasionally looked out the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of Xiao Cheng.
What was wrong with Xie Zhao? He was not proactive at all in pursuing someone.
Jiang Zihe thought to himself that if the person he liked might reconcile with their ex, he would be as anxious as a cat on a hot tin roof.
Because Xie Zhao rarely talked about his relationship with Xiao Cheng, Jiang Zihe was unaware that Xiao Cheng had already indirectly rejected Xie Zhao.
If he had known about this, he probably wouldn’t have accepted those two tickets from Xie Zhao in the first place.
Although he was very tempted by the concert tickets and had waited a long time without being able to buy one, Xiao Cheng was also his friend. Jiang Zihe’s decision to help Xie Zhao was based on the assumption that Xie Zhao was a good person and that Xiao Cheng might like him.
If he had known that Xiao Cheng had already rejected Xie Zhao from the start, he wouldn’t have gotten involved in this messy situation.
Now, seeing Xiao Cheng finally return to the dormitory, Jiang Zihe jumped up and rushed to the door, throwing his arm around Xiao Cheng’s shoulder. “You’re finally back.”
In reality, Xiao Cheng hadn’t been gone long; most of the time was spent walking, and he had only talked to Luo Jingshu for a few minutes.
Xiao Cheng seemed disinterested and didn’t push him away; his expression was quite indifferent, and his tone was flat, showing no energy.
“Did you reconcile with him?”
Jiang Zihe was most concerned about this, but he could also sense Xiao Cheng’s low mood, so he asked carefully.
“No reconciliation; I just made things clear with him.”
Jiang Zihe’s anxious heart finally settled.
After learning about Xiao Cheng’s breakup that day, he had secretly asked for the reason, but Xiao Cheng didn’t say. However, when he asked if Luo Jingshu had changed his mind, Xiao Cheng didn’t deny it.
From his expression and reactions, Jiang Zihe imagined a dramatic story.
Maybe Luo Jingshu was being fickle, keeping Xiao Cheng on a hook while being ambiguous with someone else.
During that time, Jiang Zihe noticed how enthusiastic Xiao Cheng was towards Luo Jingshu and how he was always available for him. He couldn’t believe that Xiao Cheng was responsible for their breakup.
Luo Jingshu was really oblivious to the good fortune he had.
He silently mocked him and felt somewhat dissatisfied with Xie Zhao too.
Previously, he thought Xie Zhao was humorous and gentle and was mainly genuinely interested in Xiao Cheng, which was why Jiang Zihe decided to help him.
But after tonight’s events, he suddenly became less certain.
Xiao Cheng might reconcile with Luo Jingshu, yet Xie Zhao still appeared unfazed. Was he really so confident that Xiao Cheng wouldn’t get back together with Luo Jingshu, or did he simply not care enough, which was why he wasn’t anxious?
As a friend, Jiang Zihe naturally hoped that Xiao Cheng could meet someone who truly liked him, so he probed Xie Zhao’s sincerity. Clearly, Xie Zhao’s performance this time didn’t meet his expectations.
Jiang Zihe decided he wouldn’t speak well of Xie Zhao in front of Xiao Cheng anymore!
“Xiao Cheng, do you have any plans for the winter break?”
Speaking of this, Xiao Cheng finally perked up.
“Yeah, I’m going to intern at the branch office in City A.”
Jiang Zihe patted his shoulder, sympathy written all over his face. “You have it so tough. Look at me; I have a brother, so I just sit back and collect money. If the sky falls, my brother will hold it up.”
Xiao Cheng couldn’t help but chuckle; Jiang Zihe’s proud expression amused him. “My sister probably thinks the same way.”
With Jiang Zihe around to lighten the mood, it was hard for Xiao Cheng not to laugh.
He especially appreciated having Jiang Zihe as a friend, who had been by his side since he had entered this story. Many times when he felt down, if it weren’t for Jiang Zihe’s company, Xiao Cheng might have broken down emotionally.
He wasn’t someone with a particularly strong mental capacity; he could also feel sad and anxious in difficult times. It was just that with Jiang Zihe around, even those heavy memories came with laughter.
Xiao Cheng gradually collected the smile from his face, his expression becoming much more serious. “I’ll treat you to skewers this weekend.”
Jiang Zihe was momentarily taken aback, then chuckled twice. “I won’t hold back.”
Finally, as if remembering something, he lowered his voice a bit shyly and asked, “Can I bring a friend?”
Xiao Cheng pretended to look hurt. “Do you have other friends besides me?”
Jiang Zihe quickly patted his chest in assurance. “You are my best friend, no one else compares.”
After the joke, he explained earnestly, “I’m talking about Xu An.”
Xiao Cheng became interested; he was always curious about gossip. “Weren’t you not interested in him before?”
Xu An had been pursuing Jiang Zihe, and Jiang Zihe had previously been quite annoyed with him, keeping him at a distance while playing basketball. Why did he now want to bring him along for a meal?
Jiang Zihe touched his nose, and his face seemed a bit redder than before. “Can I stop others from liking me?”
“I don’t like him, but as a friend, he’s pretty good.”
Xu An spoke and acted gently, with a neither arrogant nor impatient personality. When Jiang Zihe was with him, he felt his temper soften.
At first, he was annoyed with Xu An, but during a particularly frustrating time when Xiao Cheng was constantly chasing after Luo Jingshu and had no time for him, Jiang Zihe found he had no one to talk to. Eventually, only Xu An was willing to listen to him vent.
After that, he realized Xu An was good at comforting others.
Being with Xu An felt comfortable.
Xiao Cheng clicked his tongue. “You know he likes you, yet you still treat him as a friend. Isn’t that giving him hope?”
This behavior couldn’t be called anything but insensitive; it was just that the insensitivity was unintentional.
Jiang Zihe frowned. “I made it clear to him; he said it was fine.”
Xiao Cheng was momentarily at a loss for words. He couldn’t help but think of his own situation with Luo Jingshu. After thinking it over, he could only pat Jiang Zihe on the shoulder. “You should really think about your relationship with him.”
“If you truly don’t like him, it’s best to tell him clearly; don’t give him hope.”
If there are feelings, then take it slow and never be insincere.
For the first time, Jiang Zihe didn’t directly deny Xiao Cheng’s words. He was just quite troubled and murmured, “I don’t know…”
His voice was very soft, and Xiao Cheng didn’t hear it clearly.
Ever since adding Bai Yiheng as a friend that day, Xiao Cheng occasionally messages him. The conversations were simple, mostly sharing snippets of their lives.
About thirty minutes ago, Bai Yiheng sent him a photo of a porcelain white plate containing a burnt egg.
Xiao Cheng couldn’t help but chuckle: [Did Mr. Bai make this?]
Just a couple of days ago, Bai Yiheng told him he couldn’t cook.
Xiao Cheng noticed that whenever he messaged Bai Yiheng around mealtime, the latter was either eating out or ordering takeout—he had never cooked for himself.
[Mr. Bai: I tried it out and then failed.]
It seemed he really had no talent for cooking.
Xiao Cheng enlarged the picture and examined it for a while before replying: [Maybe the fire was too high; the oil temperature was probably too high.]
Bai Yiheng then sent another picture showing his arm, which had a burn blister near his wrist.
[Mr. Bai: The oil splattered everywhere, and there was still a fire in the pot.]
Xiao Cheng winced. Bai Yiheng was a kitchen disaster; cooking alone was dangerous for him.
[Xiao Cheng: How did you handle it?]
[Mr. Bai: I covered the pot, and the fire went out.]
Xiao Cheng was a bit surprised; that kind of handling didn’t seem like something someone who had never cooked before would think of. [Does Mr. Bai know this kind of common sense?]
[Mr. Bai: No, it was just that the only thing nearby was the pot lid.]
Xiao Cheng genuinely laughed this time, holding his phone as he chuckled. Jiang Zihe, particularly sensitive to his reaction, leaned over immediately when he heard the sound.
“Who are you chatting with?”
Xiao Cheng usually didn’t hide things from him, and Jiang Zihe wouldn’t shy away from Xiao Cheng either, as he easily caught a glimpse of the screen.
“Who is Mr. Bai?”
Their conversation appeared quite normal but carried an inexplicable sense of something off.
“He’s my boss.”
Xiao Cheng explained about his upcoming internship, and after thinking for a moment, Jiang Zihe suddenly revealed an expression of realization.
“Ah, it’s Bai Yiheng!”
He had thought the name sounded familiar; he had seen Bai Yiheng at a banquet once but only exchanged greetings, while Jiang had spoken to Bai Yiheng a few times.
He vaguely remembered what this person looked like.
“During winter break, you will be Bai Yiheng’s assistant?”
“Yeah.” Seeing Jiang Zihe’s surprised expression, Xiao Cheng became curious. “Why are you so surprised?”
“No, I just thought of some rumors.”
He vaguely remembered that Bai Yiheng seemed to prefer men?
It wasn’t to say that when two people who both liked men met, sparks would necessarily fly, but the chances were certainly higher than when a gay man and a straight man got together.
Jiang Zihe felt an inexplicable twinge of pity for Xie Zhao, who had finally overcame Luo Jingshu’s breakup only to face another competitor in Bai Yiheng.
Jiang Zihe didn’t know what kind of person Luo Jingshu was, but Bai Yiheng was certainly not an easy opponent; even his brother needed to be cautious around him.
What if Bai Yiheng also developed feelings for Xiao Cheng…?
Jiang Zihe shook his head vigorously, not daring to think about it.
“What rumors?” Xiao Cheng paused. “Are they about Bai Yiheng?”
As he finished speaking, his phone screen lit up again with a new message from Bai Yiheng.
Xiao Cheng felt ashamed, like he had been gossiping about someone who had overheard him. Instinctively, he flipped his phone screen down. “You go ahead.”
Jiang Zihe felt a bit awkward. “Do you know if Bai Yiheng has a partner?”
Xiao Cheng furrowed his brows in confusion. “I don’t know if he has a romantic partner, but he’s unmarried, so he probably isn’t dating anyone.”
If Bai Yiheng had a partner, He An wouldn’t be worried about him.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Zihe found the situation even more delicate. He changed the subject and asked, “So, are you thinking about dating anyone recently?”
Xiao Cheng’s smile didn’t fade, but his gaze grew deeper. He didn’t answer Jiang Zihe immediately; instead, he scrutinized Jiang Zihe’s expression.
Jiang Zihe’s face almost stiffened from the embarrassment of feeling like his thoughts were being read.
“I’m not planning to date.”
This worried Jiang Zihe; it didn’t mean Xiao Cheng might not like Bai Yiheng, but he also might not like Xie Zhao either.
“Dating is still something to consider; it’s just that you have to be cautious about your choice of partner.”
Jiang Zihe cleared his throat. “Do you prefer someone younger or older?”
He almost grabbed Xiao Cheng’s shirt, asking directly if he liked Bai Yiheng.
Xiao Cheng was smart enough to understand what he meant.
He couldn’t help but facepalm. “Mr. Bai is my boss; what are you daydreaming about?”
Did Jiang Zihe have too heavy a filter? Why did he think everyone liked each other?
“Because Bai Yiheng likes men,” Jiang Zihe said confidently. “Moreover, your qualities are quite good. What if Bai Yiheng likes someone like you?”
“He won’t. You’re overthinking it.” When Bai Yiheng chatted with him that night, he even encouraged him to date, treating him like a junior.
Their conversations these past few days had been very normal, like ordinary friends; Xiao Cheng didn’t feel that Bai Yiheng had any romantic feelings for him.
“Are you that sure?” Jiang Zihe wanted to say more, but Xiao Cheng slapped him on the face, “Stop daydreaming.”
After washing up, he suddenly remembered that Bai Yiheng had just sent him a message. Opening WeChat, he found it was a voice message.
Xiao Cheng clicked on the voice message, holding the phone to his ear. The next second, Bai Yiheng’s deep voice resonated in his ear.
“Then I’ll be waiting to taste your cooking.”
Xiao Cheng was taken aback. It seemed he had mentioned to Bai Yiheng that he could cook, and Bai Yiheng had also told him that the kitchen utensils were all new and well-equipped.
If he would stay with Bai Yiheng for two months during winter break, and someone could cook, they wouldn’t be ordering takeout every day.
[Xiao Cheng: Alright, Mr. Bai can look forward to it.]
In the following days, Xiao Cheng felt very comfortable.
After deciding not to date, his time suddenly opened up a lot, especially after submitting his competition work; he could do what he liked and hang out with friends.
On Saturday night, the four people from Xiao Cheng’s dorm and Xu An were at a barbecue near the school.
At first, Xiao Cheng didn’t notice, but when everyone sat at the table, he suddenly realized there were two couples among the five, and he was the only one alone.
Fang Hui and Du Yunshen seemed to have grown much closer recently; they didn’t seem as awkward as at the beginning. It looked like soon he would be fed dog food.
Xu An was still sticking to Jiang Zihe as before, and Jiang Zihe didn’t seem to mind as much; even when Xu An held his hand, preventing him from adding more chili, he obediently listened.
Xiao Cheng silently observed from the side, a slight smile on his face. He felt a sense of satisfaction watching his “son” fall in love.
Jiang Zihe handed a grilled chicken wing to Xu An, then turned around and suddenly saw Xiao Cheng sitting alone, sipping juice.
He thought for a moment and took out his phone to secretly send a message to Xie Zhao, along with their location.
Ten minutes later, the tall and handsome figure of Xie Zhao appeared at the barbecue shop’s entrance. Xiao Cheng had his back to the entrance and didn’t notice his arrival.
However, Jiang Zihe was the first to see him and nudged his head toward Xiao Cheng, signaling him to sit next to him.
Xie Zhao took a deep breath and walked up to pat Xiao Cheng on the shoulder. “Xiao Cheng.”
Xiao Cheng snapped back to reality and looked up at him, surprised. “Senior Xie?”
He was still holding the half-finished cup of juice, clearly not very hungry, with only a few skewers of barbecue in front of him.
Xie Zhao smiled as he met his gaze. “I’m a bit hungry and came out for a late-night snack. What a coincidence, you’re here too.”
He didn’t mention that Jiang Zihe had told him, and Xiao Cheng didn’t suspect it.
Their chosen spot was right by the school gate, and since it was the weekend, most customers in the shop were S University students.
“Senior, come sit with us,” Xiao Cheng said, reaching for a clean plate and inadvertently shrugging off Xie Zhao’s hand resting on his shoulder.
Xie Zhao paused briefly and sat down next to him.
Xiao Cheng didn’t notice it at first, but when he turned around with the plate, Xie Zhao had already taken a seat.
He blinked, not revealing any unusual expression.
He had already made things clear with Xie Zhao last time, and it seemed Xie Zhao no longer had those feelings; they were just friends.
Jiang Zihe secretly watched from the side, unable to suppress his smile. He suddenly thought Xie Zhao seemed quite nice and looked good sitting next to Xiao Cheng.
This barbecue place allowed customers to grill their food. Originally, Jiang Zihe did most of the grilling, while Xiao Cheng occasionally grilled a skewer of vegetables. Du Yunshen and Fang Hui hadn’t picked up the grilling skills, and what they made was inedible.
After Xie Zhao arrived, the task became a joint effort between Jiang Zihe and Xie Zhao.
Most of what Xie Zhao grilled ended up in front of Xiao Cheng.
Xiao Cheng rubbed his stomach and leaned over to Xie Zhao, speaking in a low voice, “Senior, you can eat first; no need to grill for me.”
He had no appetite and couldn’t eat much.
In fact, he had already refused when Xie Zhao first put food in front of him.
But Xie Zhao quickly countered him with a few words, and if Xiao Cheng insisted, it would seem too deliberate.
Xie Zhao smiled and placed a lobster skewer in front of Xiao Cheng. “You eat first. After you’re full, I’ll finish the rest.”
That sounded a bit strange.
Before Xiao Cheng could respond, Jiang Zihe suddenly shouted.
“Don’t give Xiao Cheng lobsters; he’s allergic and will have a stomachache.”
Jiang Zihe spoke before thinking and complained, “He doesn’t remember things; he knows he’s allergic but still wants to eat. Don’t give him any.”
Xie Zhao raised an eyebrow, looking at Xiao Cheng with a smile as he took away the lobster skewer.
As if looking at a mischievous child.
Xiao Cheng coughed and was about to explain when he heard Xu An ask Jiang Zihe, “How do you know?”
Jiang Zihe replied instinctively, “Last time, the person Xiao Cheng liked bought him a late-night snack, and it contained lobsters. This guy knew he was allergic but ate it anyway, resulting in a stomachache at midnight. I was the one who bought him medicine.”
After he finished speaking, the atmosphere at the table suddenly became awkward, and no one spoke.
Jiang Zihe suddenly realized that there was only one person Xiao Cheng liked.
His ex-boyfriend, Luo Jingshu, who had changed his mind.
Jiang Zihe looked at Xiao Cheng’s cold expression and then at Xie Zhao’s subdued smile, suddenly feeling that he might not survive the night.
Told you to think before you speak!
