Chapter 51

This sentence allowed Jiang Chen to have an exceptionally good sleep.

He Xiaoyun was merely a reference, without even the qualifications to compete.

However, Jiang Chen immediately regretted something upon waking up. Why did he bring up Plato? Why did he have to fight He Xiaoyun? Now, with only ten days or so until the exam, he was being watched by his brother, making it impossible to see Ling Sheng. Furthermore, with the exams approaching, his brother wouldn’t believe him if he said he was going to Eternity to be a model.

Fortunately, He Xiaoyun hadn’t been bothering Ling Sheng lately.

The cooperation agreement with the He Corporation was finalized quickly. As soon as Jiang Chen finished his exams, he was asked to go straight home. Although unwilling, Jiang Chen agreed, as Ling Sheng told him to be good recently, especially with the New Year approaching, and not to upset the elders at home.

But he hadn’t seen his boyfriend in eleven days.

Even though they were in the same city, even though it only took twenty minutes to drive to Ling Sheng’s place, it felt like they were in a long-distance relationship.

When he entered the house, he saw that they actually had a guest.

He Xiaoyun was sitting in their sunroom, drinking tea and chatting with his dad and brother, looking quite content. When he saw him, he even greeted him, “Little Chen, you’re back.”

Jiang Chen put down his bag and walked over, “Dad, Brother, He Zong.”

Jiang Jian gestured for him to sit down. Jiang Chen didn’t know what He Xiaoyun was up to, but remembering the cooperation project Jiang Jian had mentioned, he assumed that was the reason for the visit, so he sat down.

Jiang Jian said to Jiang Chen, “Apologize to He Ge.”

Jiang Chen clenched his fist under the table. But then He Xiaoyun spoke first, “It’s okay. I heard that Little Chen had studied Sanshou, and I rashly wanted to try it out. I didn’t expect to actually get hit.”

He Xiaoyun raised his hand and patted his shoulder, “Nice moves.”

Jiang Chen smiled at He Xiaoyun and then said to Jiang Chen, “Call me ‘Ge’.”

Jiang Chen endured it. But remembering what Ling Sheng had said, and appreciating that He Xiaoyun had helped him out of a bind, he called out, “He Ge.”

He Xiaoyun seemed like a different person, not mentioning Ling Sheng or asking any questions that would be difficult for him to answer. He drank tea, discussed business matters, and inquired about his major and future plans, acting like a perfect older brother.

For someone like him, it was too easy to gain someone’s favor. Jiang Chen was even more convinced that He Xiaoyun had deliberately made things difficult for him before.

Now that the contract had been signed, they were not only partners but also, because of his grandfather’s friendship, destined to interact for a long time. Therefore, He Xiaoyun came to the Jiang family as a guest after signing the contract.

“Little Chen is turning twenty-two after the New Year, do you have a girlfriend?” He Xiaoyun asked casually.

Jiang Chen instantly became a little nervous, and he gave He Xiaoyun a warning look. “No, I’m preparing for graduate school and don’t have that much time.”

He Xiaoyun smiled. “Little Chen has such good grades, you don’t need to worry too much about studying. Could it be that your uncle doesn’t approve?”

Jiang’s father laughed. “Although I’m an old fossil, I still believe this matter should be voluntary and depend on him.”

Jiang Jian then steered the conversation back to He Xiaoyun. “What about He Zong? We haven’t heard any good news from He Zong either.”

He Xiaoyun glanced at Jiang Chen and smiled. “Maybe good things are coming soon?”

“That’s great news.” Jiang Jian poured him tea and said with a smile, “I wonder which family will have the good fortune.”

Jiang Chen watched them go back and forth. Usually, he could chime in with a few words, but now he was constantly wary of He Xiaoyun, afraid that he would reveal the matter with Ling Sheng directly. But He Xiaoyun didn’t continue the topic, and at five o’clock, he stood up and said he had to leave. Jiang’s father asked him to stay for dinner, but he said he had an appointment and prepared to leave.

Jiang’s father didn’t insist. He Xiaoyun looked at Jiang Chen, and Jiang Chen immediately stood up and said, “Dad, Brother, I’ll see He Zong off.”

The two walked to He Xiaoyun’s car. He Xiaoyun lit a cigarette, leaned against the car, and his expression changed from the warmth of just now to coldness. He looked at Jiang Chen. “You haven’t come out to your family?”

He hadn’t revealed the matter to his family, which meant he still had a conscience. Jiang Chen was honest with him. “Ling Sheng won’t let me.”

He Xiaoyun suddenly laughed when he heard this. He exhaled a puff of smoke. “He’s still the same. But you’re really obedient.”

Still the same, really obedient.

Jiang Chen was a little annoyed by these words and asked him, “What exactly are you here for?”

Looking at his appearance, He Xiaoyun instead felt that he understood Ling Sheng’s enjoyment. So, he curled his lips into a smile. “To scout out the enemy’s situation.”

Jiang Chen’s expression visibly cooled, but unexpectedly, he didn’t get angry or irritated like before. He crossed his arms and said in a cold tone, “He Zong, Ling Sheng has already told me about your past with Ling Sheng, and I don’t consider you to be within the scope of my rivals. Your behavior is at most harassment.”

It seemed like he had already coaxed the person well.

He Xiaoyun simply raised his eyebrows, smiled, opened the car door, and got in.

Jiang Chen thought He Xiaoyun was going to stop. He stepped back to let the car out. He Xiaoyun then opened the car window, revealing half of his face. His eyes were familiar, with a clear hint of mockery, as if he wanted to provoke something. “Since I don’t even count as your rival, then did you ask him?”

What?

Jiang Chen didn’t understand.

He Xiaoyun twitched the corners of his mouth, looking leisurely as if watching a play, “Why doesn’t he turn on the lights when he makes love?”

Jiang Chen was stunned by his question.

That night, when the two had a conflict over this issue, Ling Sheng told him a lot, but it was all about He Xiaoyun. Later, it was always because of He Xiaoyun’s problem that he had overlooked this question.

Ling Sheng had never told him why.

He Xiaoyun wasn’t surprised at all. Jiang Chen was smart, but too naive. When He Xiaoyun saw him, he wasn’t surprised that Ling Sheng would like him, after all, Ling Sheng’s preferences and aesthetic leanings had always been this type.

“Little friend, your rival is indeed not me.” He Xiaoyun placed one hand on the steering wheel, and stretched one arm out of the window, looking casual. “It’s the person who has been through your boyfriend’s entire adolescence, gave up dignity, and is still unwilling to confess.”

Jiang Chen was really stunned now, he even needed a moment to digest this sentence.

Throughout the entire adolescence.

Give up dignity.

A person unwilling to confess.

Looking at his blank expression, He Xiaoyun added another blow, “Oh, right, the same type as you.”

Jiang Chen didn’t come back to his senses until the car drove away. He instinctively wanted to ask clearly, and took a few steps in the direction the car left, but stopped.

Reason told him that he couldn’t believe it unless it came from Ling Sheng’s mouth.

But emotionally, he was asking himself, why did Ling Sheng avoid the issue of turning on the lights, why did He Xiaoyun know so clearly? What did it mean to be the same type as him?

Jiang Chen stood outside for a long time, until Jiang Jian came out to find him, and he found him standing there alone, called out to him, and he then came back to his senses.

Jiang Jian was a little puzzled by his distracted look, “What’s wrong? Did He Xiaoyun say something?”

Jiang Chen shook his head, “Nothing, we just chatted.”

Jiang Jian realized that his younger brother was hiding more and more things from him lately. Before walking into the restaurant, he paused, “Little Chen, if you encounter anything, tell your brother.”

Jiang Chen had been immersed in his own thoughts. When he heard this, he came back to his senses and looked at Jiang Jian. Seeing his concerned gaze, a long-lost sense of grievance suddenly surged in his heart.

When he was a child, if he caused any trouble, and his dad wanted to beat him, his brother would definitely stand in front of him. The two brothers had always had a good relationship. For a moment, he really wanted to tell Jiang Jian everything completely, but he quickly resisted, and just smiled, “What could happen to me? If I really encounter something I can’t solve, who else can I turn to but you?”

During the meal, Jiang Chen excused himself, saying that he was too tired from studying for the recent exams, and only ate a few bites before stopping and going upstairs.

Back in his room, he received a message from Ling Sheng on WeChat.

Baby: 【Are you home?】

Jiang Chen looked at the message on his phone, staring at those five words for five whole minutes, but in the end, he still didn’t reply. He threw the phone aside, lay on the bed, and spaced out for a while before going to take a shower.

The shower took a bit long this time, and he didn’t come out until thirty minutes later. After blow-drying his hair, he looked at his phone again, and it was still the same message.

Before, it was always him who couldn’t help but send messages to Ling Sheng. At first, he was afraid of disturbing him, but after discovering that Ling Sheng didn’t mind at all, he wanted to send him a message about everything, big or small, whether he saw a good-looking cat or ate a delicious meal.

Ling Sheng might not reply in time, but he would definitely reply. He was the same. The only difference was that even if Ling Sheng didn’t reply, he couldn’t help but continue sending him messages, but if he didn’t reply to a message, Ling Sheng wouldn’t keep sending them one after another like he did.

Jiang Chen sat there and looked for a long time before slowly typing: 【Yes, at home.】

At this point, fifty-five minutes had passed since Ling Sheng’s message.

Ling Sheng’s message was quick, but very short: 【Good, coming over tomorrow?】

Jiang Chen’s hand paused on his phone for a long time as he thought about how to reply.

He wanted to know what He Xiaoyun’s words meant, but last time, Ling Sheng had already changed the subject, and his meaning was very clear: he didn’t want to answer, and he didn’t want to bring up the past.

The person who had been throughout his entire adolescence, and who he still didn’t dare to confess.

Jiang Chen hesitated for a long time before throwing his phone aside, lying down for another ten minutes, and finally replying: 【Something came up tomorrow, not coming over for now.】

Ling Sheng’s reply was quick but short: 【Okay.】

He was always like this. Jiang Chen looked at that one word and remembered that when he confessed to Ling Sheng that night, Ling Sheng had also replied to him with such a simple word.

Simple, concise, and exuding rationality.

He liked the maturity in him, but sometimes, he hated the sense of distance that this maturity brought.

Jiang Chen slammed his phone hard onto the bed. He lay on his back on the bed for ten minutes, as if he had made a decision, rubbed his face hard with his hands, got up, found his phone, and found He Xiaoyun’s WeChat. This was the one he had added when He Xiaoyun had forced him to be a tour guide that day, but he had never sent a message.

JC: 【He Zong, do you have time tomorrow to meet?】

As soon as Jiang Chen sent it, a new message came, it was Ling Sheng.

He opened it and saw a message in the chat box.

Baby: 【But I miss you so much.】