EAY Chapter 26

by Volare

The Possessiveness of Friendship

Seeing that Shi Ran was about to misunderstand again, Qi Ye quickly waved his hand, “No, no, I’m not that particular. You can step on it if you want.”

“Really? You’re really not angry?” Shi Ran stretched his head closer, wanting to carefully discern whether Qi Ye was being sincere.

“Really not.” Too close, Qi Ye quickly lowered his head, found the zipper on the quilt cover, and pulled it open with a zipping sound, skillfully tidying it up.

Qi Tianyi, on the opposite bed, leaned against the bed rails of the upper bunk, looking over inquisitively, “Are you two really the best of friends? You’re so polite when you talk.”

Shi Ran said, “This is respect. Even the best of friends need respect.”

“Bullshit, when my childhood friends come over, they can collapse my bed and take away all the things they fancy,” Qi Tianyi snapped his fingers. “That’s the treatment for the best of friends.”

“You’re used to being blackmailed since you were a kid, aren’t you?” Meng Nan said abruptly from below.

“You guys don’t understand the feelings between us,” Qi Tianyi said with infinite longing, “If those guys were here, I wouldn’t have to do anything myself.”

Shi Ran shattered his daydream, “They can’t come over. Hurry up and get it done, or you’ll be sleeping on the bed slats tonight.”

Qi Tianyi really didn’t want to move. “Hey, uh, classmate Qi Ye?” He looked at him with a flattering smile, “After you’re done helping your best friend, can you help me too? Please!”

“No way!” Before Qi Ye could speak, Shi Ran had already refused him outright. “Qi Ye needs to rest after he’s done with mine. He’s tired.”

Qi Tianyi still didn’t want to give up. “Just help me make the bed. I really don’t want to sleep on the bed slats tonight.”

Qi Ye was wavering, but Shi Ran seemed to anticipate his thoughts, turning his head to hiss at him, and then said to Qi Tianyi, “Give up, do it yourself.”

Just kidding, with Qi Ye’s easygoing nature, if he was taken advantage of right from the start of school, one could imagine what he’d be ordered around to do for the next four years of university.

Currently, Shi Ran’s impression of Qi Tianyi was okay, but since he didn’t really understand him yet, he couldn’t be too friendly.

Qi Ye also came back to his senses and nodded, “Try it yourself, it’s very simple.”

“Two people bullying me, that’s unfair,” Qi Tianyi cried out miserably, and hummed as he shook out the bed sheet.

Seeing that he really didn’t know how to do it, Shi Ran suddenly felt, had he been too stingy?

Actually, helping him out wouldn’t be a big deal. Shi Ran could help him, as long as he didn’t mind the comforter core being sideways.

But Shi Ran didn’t want Qi Ye to help.

These little thoughts surged up all at once. Shi Ran couldn’t say why, but he inexplicably felt a little embarrassed. To get rid of this emotion, he offered, “Do you guys want to drink milk tea? I’ll go buy some.”

Li Tianyi immediately raised his hand happily, “I want a ‘A Little Tea’!”

Meng Nan said, “Anything is fine for me, thank you.”

Shi Ran said to Qi Ye, “Let’s go together, I also want to eat something.”

“Okay.” Qi Ye folded Shi Ran’s quilt neatly and put it back, following him and stepping on the ladder to jump down from the bed.

The weather was still hot and muggy, and the campus was bustling with people coming and going. Everywhere, there was the sound of luggage wheels rolling on the ground. Shi Ran told Qi Ye that his Grandpa insisted on sending him to school this morning, but Shi Ran refused, and the old man even got angry.

“How could I bring him with the carpool I booked in advance? And there are so many people. When I saw that the dorm was on the sixth floor and we had to climb stairs, I was even more glad that I didn’t let him come,” Shi Ran said with a smile. “I’ll take him back when I return for National Day. By then, I’ll have a good understanding of our school, so I won’t have to wander around like a headless fly.”

Qi Ye said that made sense.

“During the summer vacation, Grandpa asked about you several times,” Shi Ran glanced at him. “He kept thinking about having you over for dinner again.”

Thinking of this, Qi Ye felt a pang of regret and lowered his head guiltily, “I’m sorry.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about, no, you should be sorry. Cutting off contact without clarifying the situation is too hateful,” Shi Ran said with his arms crossed, and then bumped him to the side. “But I’ve always been generous, so I’ll forgive you.”

“Thank you,” Qi Ye said sincerely. “I’ll make it up to you.”

Shi Ran waved his hand. “No need. You’ve helped me so much, and I haven’t repaid you for anything yet.”

Qi Ye thought for a moment and said, “How about we just call it even? I don’t need to make it up to you, and you don’t have to think about repaying me for anything.”

Studying with Shi Ran had always been his own choice, and it was the happiest thing in his entire high school life. There was absolutely no need for Shi Ran to do anything else for him.

“Feels like I’m taking advantage,” Shi Ran muttered.

“Really not,” Qi Ye said with a smile. “From now on, we’re roommates. We can just get along well.”

“Yeah.” Shi Ran nodded, and as they walked, he suddenly asked, “I just said in front of those two that we’re the best of friends, you don’t object, do you?”

How could he object? Qi Ye spoke the truth, “A little surprised, but I’m very happy.”

After buying milk tea, the two chatted and laughed as they returned to the dorm. Shi Ran had a flash of inspiration. He knew what those unclear little thoughts in the dorm that made him feel embarrassed were.

It was the possessiveness of friendship.

Although Shi Ran had never lacked friends since he was a child, and he had always been surrounded by many people, none of them were like Qi Ye, who made him so concerned. Of course, Qi Ye was not just any friend, not just someone who would drag him to eat, drink, and have fun, but someone who sincerely hoped for his well-being and did his best to help him.

Shi Ran drank his milk tea, looking around at the beautiful campus environment, and couldn’t help but think that if he hadn’t met Qi Ye, how could he have come to such a good place? His state of mind wouldn’t be as full of hope as it was now. Instead, he would have been muddling along with a group of equally confused friends.

Although muddling along wasn’t something to be criticized, and everyone had their own way of living, Shi Ran still felt that after striving, going to see different scenery with friends was the way of life he wanted.

At the same time, he couldn’t help but exclaim that becoming friends with Qi Ye was really lucky.

Qi Ye also felt that heaven was really taking care of him. He had done something stupid once before, and thought that his real youth was over. But it was because the person he liked was Shi Ran, who was so generous and didn’t hold grudges, that he still wanted to be friends with him.

How many people only made one mistake that led to an irreversible result, yet he had a second chance. Thank heaven, thank Shi Ran.

If such inner thoughts were heard by others, they would definitely think he was silly, but Qi Ye didn’t care at all at this moment. Someone once said that happy people always had a bit of silliness about them.

Shi Ran turned his head and asked Qi Ye, “Let’s confirm again, we’ve really made up, right?”

Qi Ye nodded, but his expression seemed a little uncertain.

“Why do you look so hesitant? You still don’t want to make up with me?” Shi Ran pressed.

Qi Ye said, “I think it’s better if Shi Ran is still a little angry. That way, I won’t feel too guilty.”

“Huh?”

“I always feel that just making up like nothing happened is a little too thick-skinned.”

Shi Ran rubbed his head helplessly. “What? Didn’t we just say we’d call it even? Why are you changing your mind all the time?”

Qi Ye hesitated, “Then, whatever you like is fine.”

“I think so too. You’re too willful, seemingly without any demands, but actually doing everything according to your own wishes,” Shi Ran put his arm around his shoulder, which was a little difficult since he was shorter. “Don’t mention anything about the past, let’s just enjoy our university life.”

Qi Ye was nervous and awkward, and didn’t forget to bend over a little to walk with difficulty, “Okay, okay.”