Yu Le: “I want to tell him.”
Deskmate: “Tell who?”
Yu Le: “My deskmate.”
Deskmate: “Tell him what? That you scored 68 on the math exam at the end of sophomore year?”
Yu Le: “No.”
Yu Le: “Tell him that I like him.”
Deskmate: “Oh.”
Deskmate: “Hmm???”
Deskmate: “What the heck?! Why are you bringing this up so suddenly? Last time I said you were acting strange, you didn’t even admit it!”
Yu Le: “I didn’t refuse to admit it. I just made some excuses.”
Deskmate: “Then why aren’t you making excuses now?”
Yu Le: “Because I’ve figured it out and I think you were right.”
Deskmate: “……”
Deskmate: “You’re really something.”
Yu Le turned over on his bed, happily accepting the compliment.
Deskmate: “Alright, then when are you planning to tell him?”
Yu Le: “Now?”
Deskmate: “So soon? Only a three-year-old would be so impatient to put candy in their mouth right after getting it! Can’t you hold off a bit?”
Yu Le: “I’m a kid.”
Deskmate: “……”
Yu Le: “And I’ve already been holding off. Faraway friend.”
Deskmate: “Holding off where?”
Yu Le: “Otherwise, I would have said it a couple of days ago.”
Roughly calculating, it’s been about three days since he confirmed his feelings for Lu Yao, and he has managed to keep it a secret for three days. He feels that’s quite an achievement.
Deskmate: “…… I’m at a loss for words.”
Deskmate: “So what exactly do you want? Do you hope he’ll be your boyfriend? But have you considered what if he doesn’t like you?”
Yu Le: “I don’t know.”
Deskmate: “Then why are you even considering it?”
Yu Le: “I have to tell him anyway.”
Deskmate: “I’m not Sister Li. Why do you have to say it right now?”
Yu Le: “I like him, why can’t I say it?”
Deskmate: “No, I don’t mean you shouldn’t say it, but you shouldn’t be so hasty. Can’t you observe the situation a bit more, see what he thinks of you, and only confess when you’re sure he likes you too?”
Yu Le: “Wow, so troublesome. Can’t I just say it and then observe?”
Deskmate: “If you’ve already said it, what’s there left to observe?”
Yu Le: “On the contrary, what if he’s also observing me? If I don’t say anything, how will he know I like him?”
Deskmate: “…… Even paramecia don’t need cellular analysis. Do you still need to observe?”
Deskmate: “Forget it. Do what you want. In your situation, it probably doesn’t make a difference whether you say it or not.”
Deskmate: “You’re really a beacon in the world of romance! If all couples were like you, melodrama would probably be long gone from the world.”
Yu Le: “He even agreed to apply to the same university with me.”
Deskmate: “How did you tell him?”
Yu Le: “I just told him honestly.”
Deskmate: “You said you wanted to go to the same university?”
Yu Le: “Sort of. I said I don’t want to be separated from him.”
Deskmate: “……”
Deskmate: “Ah, just say it! Go tell him right away! No more delay!”
—
Lu Yao was browsing an online bookstore, and his shopping cart already had several high school senior-year revision materials added.
A notification popped up in the bottom right corner of his computer screen—a message from the class group chat where Mr. Liu had posted an announcement.
The autumn outing that was canceled back in October had somehow been rescheduled. It’s set for next week, Monday and Tuesday, but due to the tight schedule for seniors, it’s only on Monday.
[It’s almost winter. Why have an autumn outing?]
[Then don’t go. We’ll all leave you alone in the classroom. Awkward.]
[Just a complaint. I’m not that dumb.]
[Great opportunity! Da Hui can confess to the girl he likes during the outing!]
[Come on, Da Hui is too scared. Stop egging him on.]
[It’s always your bad ideas. Not reliable. I’m not listening to you anymore. @Lu Yao, give me some advice. Should I confess or not?]
Lu Yao: “Up to you.”
[No, don’t be casual. Brother Lu, if it were you, would you confess?]
Lu Yao: “No.”
[Why?]
Lu Yao: “Brother Lu must think you’ll definitely be rejected, so it’s better not to confess, haha.”
Lu Yao: “Senior year is not the time for dating. It affects your studies.”
[Huh?]
[What? Brother Lu actually said that?!]
[It was typed out.]
Lu Yao: “Grades are already not great. Adding distraction won’t help with college exams.”
[…… Brother Lu, you’re so strict. Did your account get hacked?]
[But Da Hui likes that girl and her grades are pretty good, she’s in the top 50.]
[Think about it. Brother Lu is definitely referring to Da Hui!]
[Yeah, but once we’re in college, I won’t see her anymore.]
Lu Yao: “Apply to the same university.”
[Apply to the same university?]
[That’s good. I think it’s feasible. Da Hui, good luck!]
[College is a year away. What about now?]
Lu Yao: “Hold on.”
[…… Simple and to the point.]
[Brother Lu, honestly, after hearing your analysis, I’ve decided to analyze it some more.]
[How can he hold back when the one he likes is right in front of him? Haha.]
[It’s hard.]
Lu Yao: “Make your own decision. Unless you want to have this moment but no future.”
—
Knock, knock, knock.
The door was politely knocked on three times.
Lu Yao closed the chat window and turned his chair around. “Come in.”
The door opened a crack, and a head popped in. “Brother Lu, are you busy?”
Lu Yao: “No. What’s up?”
Yu Le nodded. “Yes.”
Lu Yao gestured to the chair in front of him. “Come in.”
Yu Le closed the door behind him and sat down in front of Lu Yao.
Lu Yao: “What’s on your mind?”
Yu Le: “I’m a bit nervous. Can you tell?”
Lu Yao: “Nervous about what?”
Yu Le: “Nervous about what I’m about to tell you.”
Yu Le sat up straight, serious. “Brother Lu, remember that day I said I wanted to go to college with you and not separate after graduation?”
Lu Yao: “Hmm.”
“Did you hear me?”
Yu Le’s clear eyes were fixed on him. “What I mean is, I don’t just want us to stay together after high school. If possible, I want to—”
Lu Yao suddenly interrupted him. “Did you see the file Mr. Liu posted in the class group?”
Yu Le was taken aback, slightly confused. “Huh? What file?”
Lu Yao: “No class on Monday. We’re going for an autumn outing.”
“Autumn outing?” Yu Le was from the north and had only heard of spring and autumn outings but never experienced them. Hearing it from Lu Yao sounded unfamiliar. “So, it’s like a field trip where the whole class goes out to have fun?”
Lu Yao nodded. “Something like that.”
Yu Le: “But isn’t autumn almost over?”
Lu Yao: “It was originally in October, but it got postponed.”
Yu Le murmured, “It’s postponed quite a bit. It’s almost winter.”
Lu Yao: “Do you know what to prepare?”
Yu Le: “No. What should I prepare?”
Lu Yao: “I’ll make a list for you later. Have you finished the physics homework?”
Yu Le suddenly felt the conversation was jumping topics quickly, so he tried to keep up with Lu Yao’s pace. “Not yet.”
Lu Yao: “Get it and finish it tonight before bed.”
Yu Le obediently got up and went to his room. By the time he returned with the homework, Lu Yao had already gone to the bathroom. Yu Le sat down at his desk and began working on the physics homework.
The original reason for his visit was completely forgotten.
Meanwhile, in the bathroom, Lu Yao was under the warm water, pinching his nose with a slight headache.
He had underestimated the situation.
Someone had reacted ahead of time.
What to do now?
—
Shen Yu walked behind them, listening to their conversation, and was completely impressed by Lu Yao’s endless patience with Yu Le.
If it were him, if someone turned into an endlessly curious kid while he was climbing the mountain, asking questions non-stop, he would have been tempted to cover their mouth, let alone patiently answering every question while pulling them up the hill.
Not only him, but even the class monitor ahead was amused, “Yu Le, is this your first autumn outing?”
Yu Le: “Yes, Wu City doesn’t have this; we didn’t have it from kindergarten through high school.”
Class Monitor: “Haha, no wonder. But indeed, northern schools rarely have spring or autumn outings; they’re mostly found in southern schools.”
Yu Le: “Do you have them every year?”
Class Monitor: “Almost, but the locations get repetitive. It’s fresh the first time, but becomes less interesting after a couple of visits.”
Yu Le turned to Lu Yao and asked, “So, have you been to this place many times?”
Lu Yao: “Three or four times.”
Yu Le: “Oh, no wonder everyone seems so indifferent.”
Today’s autumn outing schedule was simple: cook a meal with the ingredients provided by the life teacher before 2 PM, then enjoy two hours of free time within the allowed area, and finally return to school for assembly before heading home.
In groups of five, Yu Le was naturally paired with Lu Yao.
They divided the tasks clearly: some went to wash vegetables by the stream, others collected firewood from the bushes. Yu Le was assigned to assist Chef Lu, but his limited skills meant he eventually just sat on the side, watching Lu Yao cook.
“Stay back,” Lu Yao said, pushing him away. “The oil might splatter.”
Yu Le moved back, found a stone to sit on, and watched for a while. He didn’t learn how to stir-fry garlic sprouts and pork but was fascinated by the chef instead.
How could someone be so perfect?
Good-looking, excellent grades, patient, good temper, and can cook.
It’s really amazing.
Yu Le: [Good buddy, my feelings for my deskmate have increased a bit more.]
Deskmate: [What’s up /side-eye? Did you two get together?]
Yu Le: [No, we’re out on the autumn outing, and he’s cooking.]
Deskmate: [Autumn outing? Damn! It’s actually real?!]
Yu Le: [Yep.]
Deskmate: [Forget it, I’m not interested in these time-wasting outdoor activities. So, have you told him yet?]
Yu Le: [Not yet.]
Deskmate: [Why not? Aren’t you usually so eager?]
This question hit the nail on the head.
Why, Yu Le didn’t know either.
But considering how he had almost said it several times over the past few days and then inexplicably didn’t, he came to a rough conclusion after some thought:
Yu Le: [School is so busy, there are too many test papers every day.]
Deskmate: [?]
Yu Le: [And endless science exam questions too /crying]
Deskmate: [……]
“Wow, it smells so good!” Shen Yu came back from the pot and leaned close to Lu Yao, taking a big sniff. “It’s even better than what my mom makes. You’re like the top chef of this era, Brother Lu!”
Lu Yao: “Go wash your hands.”
Shen Yu: “Okay!”
After joining the other two group members at the stream for a while, Shen Yu came back just as the last dish was being served. He noticed a detail, “Oh? Brother Lu, you forgot to add the ginger. There’s none in the dish.”
Lu Yao: “Yu Le doesn’t eat ginger.”
Yu Le had just returned with disposable chopsticks from the life teacher and heard this.
He handed out the chopsticks, and before checking his phone, he couldn’t help but send two more messages to his recent contacts:
Yu Le: [Oh no, it’s getting more complicated.]
Yu Le: [How much is this capacity usually? I hope I’m not overdoing it.]
Deskmate: [……]
Deskmate: [Use your newly developed love brain to figure it out yourself. Don’t disrupt the class for those who didn’t go on the outing!]
After finishing the meal and cleaning up, it was just about 2 PM, and the free time began.
However, since most students were familiar with the surroundings, they didn’t feel like wandering around and chose to stay put. Only a few, including the newcomer Yu Le, wanted to explore.
There were two paths: one going up the mountain and one going down.
Lu Yao led Yu Le up the mountain, while the rest followed, playing around.
Lu Yao: “Say if you’re tired.”
Yu Le: “I’m not weak enough to call tired after just a few steps, right?”
Just then, they reached a steep slope. Lu Yao supported Yu Le’s elbow with his palm, “True, the person who can’t even do five pull-ups is me.”
“……” Yu Le was speechless for a moment and turned his head, “So, if I get tired, can you carry me down?”
Lu Yao raised an eyebrow, “You think I can’t carry you?”
“Hey!” Someone suddenly shouted from behind. “Look over there, is there a new path in the bamboo forest?”
Yu Le looked in the direction pointed.
“It really is. When did this open up? I remember it wasn’t here before.”
“Not just a path; before, there wasn’t even a bamboo forest, just a patch of weeds taller than my waist. You couldn’t get through at all.”
“Shall we check it out?”
“Let me take a photo and send it to the lazy ones.”
The path in the bamboo forest was paved with green stones, quite neat, though the spacing was inconvenient. One step was too short, and two steps felt awkward.
Yu Le complained, “It’s just as unaccommodating as the paths in the school’s greenbelt.”
Then fate took hold of his neck.
Lu Yao pinched him, “Want to try it?”
Yu Le: “?”
“There seems to be an open space ahead.”
“Not exactly open; I can already see some grass.” Shen Yu stretched his neck to look, and then turned back with his hands on his hips. “Hey! What are you doing?”
The comment drew the attention of the others, and they turned to see Yu Le being carried on Lu Yao’s back, with both of them close together, seemingly sharing quiet conversations.
“Oh, you two, is this autumn outing or a honeymoon?”
“What whispers? I’m a VIP on Tencent and Youku, can I listen?”
Yu Le, resting on Lu Yao’s back, blushing and holding onto his neck, smiled. “No whispers, just asking Brother Lu how long he can carry me before getting tired.”
“How long?”
Yu Le wiggled his legs: “Brother Lu told me to stay on his back and not get down.”
“Haha, a real man never says no.”
“Hey, I’m tired too. Any pure-hearted high school guys willing to let me ride on their back?”
“Get lost! Who can carry 150 kg?”
“Then I’ll randomly pick a lucky audience.”
“Damn, stay away from me! Don’t jump! If my back breaks, you won’t be able to pay for it!”
Crossing the bamboo forest revealed a grassy area, offering a panoramic view that felt refreshing. A bit further out, they could see Xuan Zhong’s sports field and part of Xuan City.
Yu Le excitedly explored the area and, upon turning back to find Lu Yao, saw him lying on a patch of grass.
Yu Le went over and sat beside him, then lay down as well. The sun was too glaring when he looked up, so he turned his head, and his view was filled with Lu Yao’s profile.
It was already good-looking, but with the added “beauty in the eyes of the beholder” buff, it was stunning.
Yu Le couldn’t resist reaching out, his fingers walking along Lu Yao’s shoulder, then lightly poking his cheek.
Lu Yao stirred.
Yu Le immediately wanted to retract his hand, but it was too late—someone had caught it and placed it over his eyes.
Feeling the soft brush of eyelashes against his palm, it seemed to transmit a sensation through his veins, tickling his heart.
The tips of the grass swayed, and not far off, several boys sat on the ground, playing around. Yu Le smelled the earthy scent in the wind, closed his eyes, and smiled.
Before sunset, everyone descended the mountain and boarded the bus back.
Yu Le hadn’t had such a high amount of physical activity in a day for a long time. As soon as he sat down, he started to feel sleepy and fell asleep within minutes after the bus started moving.
After a while, the class monitor in the front row counted heads, stood up with the roll call, and looked back. Most of the passengers were asleep, with only a few awake.
When she pointed with her fingertips, she happened to witness Lu Yao gently shifting Yu Le’s head, which had been resting against the seat, so that it now rested securely on his shoulder.
She couldn’t help but smile more deeply, covering her mouth as she turned to sit back down.
Autumn outings were really wonderful.
As the bus hit the speed bumps closer to the school, Yu Le woke up from the gentle jolt. He opened his eyes to see sunlight streaming onto the back of his hand through the window.
“Awake?” Lu Yao’s deep voice came from above.
Yu Le, still a bit drowsy, looked up. Lu Yao, with a hint of sleepiness in his eyes, was gazing down at him. The subtle curve of his lips beneath his high nose was lazy and gentle.
Time seemed to have paused for a moment. Behind Lu Yao was a view of the bustling traffic and the magnificent sunset.
Yu Le’s breath was caught.
Perhaps it was the dazzling sunset or the lingering heat of the sun that scorched his eyes.
In that moment, he felt an indescribable excitement, as if his pulse was boiling.
“Brother Lu…”
Yu Le had always been straightforward about his feelings, used to expressing everything he thought and felt openly.
Holding back a secret felt even worse to him than discovering he forgot to fill out an answer sheet during an exam.
And as time passed, this feeling would build up, waiting for the right moment to burst forth, seemingly abrupt but actually justifiably explosive.
Like now.
He couldn’t hold back any longer. His feelings of affection needed to be conveyed to him now, immediately, without delay.
“Brother Lu.”
He grabbed Lu Yao’s sleeve, trying to capture the brilliant sunset’s glow in his eyes, and pass it on to him, “Did you see? I like—”
Before he could finish, Lu Yao covered his mouth, his gaze dropping slightly, revealing a hint of helplessness. “We’re almost at school.”
Yu Le: “?”
As Lu Yao released his hand, he soothingly pinched Yu Le’s face, “You’re not fully awake yet. Be good; we can talk about it later when we’re home.”
Yu Le’s warm feelings were abruptly suppressed, like having an itch that couldn’t be scratched, leaving him dazed.
After getting off the bus, gathering, and heading home, he followed Lu Yao into the entryway, and the scene felt awkward again.
Could he confess his feelings while changing his shoes?
…Or maybe he should wait.
“Dad is working late tonight. Mom is taking Lu Xingxing to a class, so she’ll be back later.” Lu Yao hung up his coat. “Do you want to cook dinner yourself, or order takeout?”
Yu Le, distracted, replied, “I don’t want takeout.”
Lu Yao rolled up his sleeves, “Then how about sweet and sour fish? We’ll cook a couple more dishes.”
Yu Le nodded, and as Lu Yao entered the kitchen, Yu Le followed, either to help wash vegetables or just to observe alongside the cotton.
He was determined to find an opportunity to express his “itch.”
It was urgent.
He didn’t want to delay any longer.
But Lu Yao told him to go out first, “Go watch TV in the living room or play games. I’ll call you when it’s ready.”
Yu Le didn’t want to leave. “Can’t I stay here?”
Lu Yao: “What are you going to do here?”
Yu Le: “I can do anything.”
Lu Yao looked at him.
Yu Le, gathering his courage, “Brother, earlier on the bus, you said we’d talk about it when we got home. Now that we’re home, can I say it?”
Lu Yao said nothing, turned his attention back to the sauce he was preparing, adding a handful of cilantro.
Yu Le: “Brother?”
Lu Yao turned off the heat, covered the pot, and turned to wash his hands.
Yu Le pressed his lips together, took a deep breath, and decided to act.
But just as he was about to speak, Lu Yao suddenly turned around, easily picked him up, and set him down on the nearby dry counter.
He casually placed his hands on either side of Yu Le, enclosing him in his personal space.
“Little Yu, can you promise me something?” Lu Yao asked.
The sudden shift in the scene left Yu Le a bit bewildered. “Promise what?”
Lu Yao: “Promise to put your studies first before the college entrance exam, no distractions, no excuses, no laziness. Focus on getting into college.”
What kind of promise was that?
Yu Le, confused and uncertain, nodded. “I can, but why bring this up suddenly?”
Lu Yao sighed, “I initially wanted to wait until after the college entrance exams, but it seems if we delay any further, you might actually beat me to it.”
Yu Le froze, “…Huh?”
Lu Yao smiled and leaned in to give him a tender kiss on the corner of his lips. “When it comes to feelings, I think it’s better if I say it first.”
Yu Le: “!”
He was stunned by the kiss, staring at Lu Yao with wide eyes, looking like a cat that had its favorite treat snatched away.
So adorable.
Lu Yao couldn’t resist. He took advantage of the moment, pinched Yu Le’s chin, and kissed him deeply, “Didn’t you say you could do anything?”
“Then let’s start by trying to be my boyfriend.”
—The End🎀
Sleepyblue’s Corner:
Thanks for reading it ‘til the end! I’m gonna be away for quite a while (really, no kidding this time) and I prepared a lot of series you can read if you want more, so see you guys there!
Likewise, if you liked the series, please consider supporting me on ko-fi (pretty pleaseee (T v T) any amount will do). By the time I’m back, I’m considering taking on a big project (300+ chapters maybe). Until then!
🙇♀️ 
🙇♀️
