TCBHIWAF Chapter 29

Chapter 29: Returning to Alma Mater

Having arrived at the restaurant, Lin Qingfeng was already seated at the head of the table. Seeing them come down, a kind smile bloomed on his face, and he greeted them warmly, “Xingchen, come quickly and eat. We’re just waiting for you two.”

Lin Yu and Ye Xingchen exchanged a look, smiles on their faces, and walked to the table to sit down.

At that moment, Bai Shiya steadily brought the last soup dish to the table, saying gently, “Don’t just stand there, quickly taste if my cooking has improved.”

Bai Shiya then patted Lin Yu and said, “Son, quickly take care of Xingchen! It’s rare for him to come.”

“Okay!” Lin Yu said, picking up a spare rib for Ye Xingchen. “Xingchen, quickly try this braised pork rib that my mom made. The taste is pretty good, have a taste.”

He kept picking food for Ye Xingchen, constantly saying, “Xingchen, also try the braised pork my mom made, and this stuffed tofu…”

Soon, Ye Xingchen’s bowl was piled into a small mountain. He said with a smile, “Enough, enough, Yu, I can’t eat that much.” But his face was full of happiness and contentment.

Lin Qingfeng and Bai Shiya looked at the two boys interacting, feeling very gratified.

Lin Qingfeng couldn’t help but tease, “You and Xingchen have such a good relationship, better than real brothers.”

As soon as he said this, Lin Yu was stunned, and the action of picking food stopped in mid-air.

Ye Xingchen was equally stunned, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

After a brief silence, Lin Yu was the first to react, smiling and saying, “Of course, Xingchen and I have been best buddies since we were little.”

Ye Xingchen quickly echoed, “Uncle and Auntie, Yu and I have always been good.”

Although they said so, both of them felt a different kind of flavor in their hearts because of the sentence “better than real brothers.”

They looked at each other, and that look hid complex emotions that only they understood.

After the meal, Ye Xingchen stood up, smiling and saying, “Uncle and Auntie!” As he spoke, he took out a carefully prepared invitation from his pocket and handed it to Lin Yu’s parents, “Uncle and Auntie, tomorrow is my birthday, please do me the honor of attending.”

Lin Qingfeng accepted the invitation, his face full of joy.

Bai Shiya said kindly, “Xingchen, you must have a good birthday. Auntie and Uncle will definitely be there on time tomorrow.”

At this time, Lin Yu said from the side, “Dad, Xingchen and I have an activity later, we need to go out for a while.”

Lin Qingfeng quickly waved his hand, laughing heartily, “Go, go, we’re relieved when you two are together.”

“Then we’ll go out first!”

“Young people should go out and play more!” Bai Shiya said with a smile, urging, “Go quickly!”

They walked out of the Lin family villa and got into the car.

After the car drove for a while, Ye Xingchen suddenly stopped the car, his face somewhat gloomy, and said, “Yu, I don’t want to hear people say we’re brothers or friends.”

Lin Yu was stunned for a moment. He naturally knew that Ye Xingchen was referring to what his parents had said at the dinner table.

After a moment of silence, he slowly said, “Xingchen, I understand how you feel, but we can’t right now…”

Ye Xingchen interrupted him, his voice raised a few notches, “Why can’t we? I don’t want to keep doing this secretly, hiding things!”

Seeing things getting more and more out of control, Lin Yu sighed helplessly!

“Xingchen, don’t be impulsive, give me some time, I’ll find a way.”

Ye Xingchen turned his head to look out the window, no longer speaking, and the atmosphere in the car instantly became oppressive.

Lin Yu looked at his attitude, both angry and helpless.

Fortunately, he was leaving on Monday, otherwise, he really wouldn’t be able to hold him back.

What Ye Xingchen wanted would only increase, and he couldn’t afford it…

How great it would be if they were still friends! But they could never go back.

After thinking about this, Lin Yu reached out and tugged at the hem of Ye Xingchen’s clothes, but he was in a fit of anger and remained unmoved, not even turning his head.

Seeing that he couldn’t coax him, Lin Yu angrily pulled him over, forcing him to face him.

“Who was it that wanted to be with me in the first place? Who was it that changed the nature of our relationship? Do you think I want this?”

As soon as Ye Xingchen heard this, tears instantly filled his eyes.

“Then you don’t want to be with me anymore? You clearly said just now that you love me too.”

Lin Yu smiled bitterly, “Does love necessarily mean being together? Love can be silent protection, love can be you being well, that’s all that matters. Love can also be like you, insisting on forcibly possessing…” He almost squeezed out the last words from his mouth.

As soon as he finished speaking, Ye Xingchen’s tears burst out, and his emotions completely collapsed. He roared, “Are you blaming me for forcing you?”

Seeing him so aggrieved, Lin Yu hugged him tightly, feeling distressed.

“Xingchen, I don’t blame you, I really don’t blame you…”

He just couldn’t accept this version of himself…

Ye Xingchen sobbed in Lin Yu’s arms, and Lin Yu gently stroked his back.

“Xingchen, don’t cry, it’s all my fault.”

After a long while, Ye Xingchen’s emotions gradually calmed down, and he raised his head from Lin Yu’s arms, staring at Lin Yu with a pair of red, tearful eyes.

“Then promise me, no matter what, don’t leave me.”

Lin Yu’s heart ached, but in order to stabilize him, he could only agree.

“I promise you.”

Seeing him agree, Ye Xingchen’s emotions finally eased a little, but a faint unease was still hidden in the depths of his eyes.

“Okay, stop making a fuss. Look how many times you’ve argued with me this morning.” His tone was low and gentle, mixed with a hint of helplessness.

Then he coaxed softly, “Xingchen, didn’t we agree to go out and have fun? Don’t be angry with me.”

“Where do you want to go?” Ye Xingchen’s voice still had a bit of a nasal tone after crying.

Lin Yu looked ahead, his eyes a little dazed.

“I want to go see our alma mater.”

Ye Xingchen started the car directly, heading to Royal Noble Academy.

Along the way, the car was filled with an oppressive silence, and both of their thoughts were as chaotic as the fleeting scenery outside the window.

When they arrived at the academy gate, looking at the familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar campus, those past memories were like sharp thorns, piercing Lin Yu’s heart with pain.

They walked into the campus side by side, each step seemingly stepping on past memories.

At this moment, the passing younger students saw them and couldn’t help but exclaim, “Wow, it’s them! They’re two figures on our school’s honor roll!”

“So handsome! I didn’t expect to see them in person! Pinch me quickly.”

The girls were even more excited, whispering to each other, “Oh my god, they’re even more handsome than the legends say!”

“They’re simply gods walking out of a painting!”

…

Ye Xingchen and Lin Yu seemed to be immersed in their own world, deaf to the surrounding noise, simply continuing to walk forward silently.

Not long after they stepped into the Royal Noble Academy gate, the news instantly spread throughout the entire campus, and the principal rushed to greet them in a hurry.

The principal’s face was full of smiles, and his forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat. His tone was flattering yet cordial, “Young Master Ye, Young Master Lin, welcome back!” His eyes were full of awe and flattery, after all, the largest shareholder of this school was the Ye Corporation.

Ye Xingchen simply nodded slightly, his expression indifferent.

Lin Yu smiled politely and said, “Principal, don’t be so polite.”

The principal quickly responded, “It’s what I should do, what I should do. Young masters, we have always carefully preserved the things you two had in school.”

As he spoke, he led them towards the inside of the school, introducing the school’s new changes as they walked, but Ye Xingchen and Lin Yu’s minds were clearly not on this.

The principal talked incessantly, “In the past few years, the school has built two new teaching buildings, and the teaching facilities have also been fully upgraded. But the honors and achievements of the two of you in those years have always inspired generations of younger students.”