《Blue Moonlight》


 CH 1

    1. Do you really not remember?


    Yu Xinqiao has lost his memory.


    Before receiving the diagnosis from the doctor, Yu Xinqiao thought he had just been in a common traffic accident. When asked where he was going while driving, he firmly replied, "To attend the graduation ceremony."


    The doctor asked, "Just finished an exam?"


    Yu Xinqiao nodded, "Yeah."


    The doctor asked, "Do you still remember any of the exam questions, such as the English essay topic?"


    Yu Xinqiao replied, "Learning English is beyond the classroom."


    Upon hearing this, Liang Yi''s face was full of horror. "Am I dreaming? Due to being too afraid of exams, did I think I travelled six years into the future?"


    "You missed the morning exam because of a fever," Yu Xinqiao looked at Liang Yi and evaluated him, "So, you secretly went to work again? Judging by your attire, are you currently working in real estate?"


    Liang Yi went from surprise to speechlessness, "I''m not a real estate agent. Real estate is already in a bubble these days. I''m your agent!"


    After the doctor left, two police officers came.


    Yu Xinqiao learned from them that the accident was caused by a drunk driver. The first question raised was, "Can I drive?"


    Liang Yi quickly took out his driver''s license for the police to inspect and explained, "He lost his memory and forgot that he can drive."


    The two police officers hesitated and looked at each other. One of them took out a photo and said, "Although this accident has been determined to be an accident, we still need your cooperation to confirm if you know the driver responsible."


    Yu Xinqiao looked at the photo and shook his head, "I don''t know him."


    Half an hour later, the police left the hospital room. Liang Yi said, "Let''s go and see that photo again after you recover your memory. What if someone wants to harm you? And don''t you know how much you''re worth now? You should have a driver, but look, you insisted on driving and ended up in an accident..."


    Yu Xinqiao didn''t listen to Liang Yi''s nagging. He was holding a mirror borrowed from a nurse, examining himself up close.


    His eyes, nose, mouth...except for the bandage on his forehead, everything else looked the same.


    But since it was already six years later, he should be older, right? Yu Xinqiao aimed the mirror at his eyes, grinned, and to his surprise, he didn''t have a single wrinkle. The skin around his eyes had a slight reddish tint, and it even had a fragile quality to it.


    Was this really 24-year-old Yu Xinqiao?


    Putting down the mirror, Yu Xinqiao cleared his throat and said, "You said you''re my agent..."


    Liang Yi had been talking to himself for a while and no one was paying attention to him. He was now slicing an apple by the bedside and said, "Yes, that''s what I said."


    "Then my profession is an actor or a singer?"


    "No, you''re a strip dancer at an underground bar."


    "... "


    "Privately, you call me Mama Liang."


    "... "


    "Get ready to be discharged. You still have a performance tonight, and Boss Wang requested to see you."


    "... "


    Seeing Yu Xinqiao''s dumbfounded and resigned expression, Liang Yi couldn''t help but laugh. "I''m just kidding. Did you really believe me?"


    Yu Xinqiao suddenly breathed a sigh of relief, muttering after a while, "It''s not funny at all."


    After learning from Liang Yi that he had become a somewhat famous pianist, Yu Xinqiao spit out the apple he had just bitten into.


    "Really?" he couldn''t believe it, "You''re not making up stories to fool me, right?"


    Liang Yi pulled out a document from his briefcase on the bedside and handed it over, "This is the contract that you just signed with the Capital Philharmonic Orchestra. Starting next month, you will be touring with them in thirteen cities across the country... But given your current condition, the tour might have to be postponed."


    As Yu Xinqiao scanned the document''s title, his heart started pounding.


    At eighteen, he had thought his dream was getting further and further away from him, almost out of reach. But then, one dream was shattered, only to wake up to another.


    Yu Xinqiao heard his own voice trembling, "How well do I play the piano?"


    "Although I don''t know much about music, let me put it this way: you won last year''s Xiaosai Championship, and that''s also why you''re so famous in China."


    Yu Xinqiao slowly moved his fingers, from light to heavy, from tentative to confident, before placing them on his knees.


    Perhaps because playing the piano relied on muscle memory, he still remembered the finger movements and the sheet music very well.


    Thank goodness... Yu Xinqiao breathed another sigh of relief, his face gradually calming down.


    Overjoyed, he couldn''t help but wonder, "So how did I spend these six years?"


    Liang Yi observed his expression, "Do you really not remember anything after the age of eighteen?"


    After the initial diagnosis, the doctor believed that Yu Xinqiao''s illness was selective amnesia caused by head trauma, but the specifics would have to be determined by the results of a brain scan.


    Yu Xinqiao closed his eyes and tried to remember, but his mind was blank. He couldn''t recall anything that had happened after the night of his last exam.


    He pressed his temples and shook his head in pain.


    "Never mind, don''t force yourself to remember," Liang Yi was afraid of him hurting his brain, quickly helping him lie back down, "What do you want to know? I''ll tell you."


    Unfortunately, Liang Yi didn''t know much about these six years.


    "After that exam, you transferred to a music college abroad to focus on piano performance. Anyway, you only came to our school for a transition period, and we all knew you were going to leave sooner or later."


    "You returned to the country last autumn. At that time, I was in a state of anxiety and stress due to pressure from work, and when you heard that I had a broker''s license, you asked me if I wanted to be your agent."


    "For more than five years before that, we only occasionally contacted each other through the Internet. You were usually very busy, often spending the whole day in the piano room, either participating in competitions or concerts when going out. These past few months since you returned to the country, your career has just taken off, and since I had just entered this industry, we had to be cautious about finding partners and signing contracts for your professional development."


    "Your parents are already on the plane back to the country. They now live abroad..."


    At this point, Yu Xinqiao had a reaction: "I returned to the country, but they didn''t come back with me?"


    Liang Yi shook his head: "You didn''t live with them during the years you studied music abroad either."


    Yu Xinqiao furrowed his brow. During high school, he had a bad relationship with his parents because he suddenly came out of the closet and refused to let his parents arrange his study abroad. Since he later successfully went abroad and developed fairly well, why were he and his parents still so estranged?


    Liang Yi saw his doubts and said: "In fact, your relationship with your parents has improved over the years. When you returned to the country for development, they even contacted me privately, asking me to take good care of you. During the New Year''s period, they originally planned to return to the country, but then..."


    "What happened later?"


    "Well, later you got..."


    Liang Yi hesitated, but before he could continue, there was a knock on the door.


    The results of the CT scan were out. The doctor observed that Yu Xinqiao''s brain had no obvious trauma, and the amnesia was likely psychological. If there were no other physical discomforts, his family members could sign the paperwork to discharge him from the hospital and he could recover at home.


    "When can I recover my memory?" Yu Xinqiao asked.


    "There is currently no clear treatment for amnesia," the doctor said. "We suggest you maintain a good mood and talk to those around you more often, which will help you overcome the symptoms to some extent."


    In other words, it is uncertain when or even if he can recover his memory.


    Yu Xinqiao fell silent.


    As an agent and friend, Liang Yi comforted him: "Even if you can''t recover, it doesn''t matter. You''ve essentially skipped six years of practice and can go straight to the pinnacle of your career with just a blink of an eye. That''s a huge gain!"


    To his surprise, Yu Xinqiao felt that this nonsense made sense.


    Since things had come to this, he relaxed and picked up the old, oxidized apple: "How much longer until my parents arrive?"


    Liang Yi checked his phone: "Your parents boarded the plane at 11:00 am Beijing time and are expected to land in twelve hours."


    "Do I have to stay here until tomorrow?"


    "Not necessarily..."


    Yu Xinqiao took a bite of the apple: "Don''t I need a family member''s signature to be discharged?"


    "Yes." The topic returned to the previous issue, and Liang Yi spoke with difficulty. "I didn''t have a chance to tell you earlier, but you have an additional family member."


    Yu Xinqiao was stunned, finding it somewhat unbelievable. "Did my mom remarry or did my dad get married again?"


    "No, you...got married."


    In the afternoon, a light rain began to fall outside the window.


    Yu Xinqiao got out of bed wearing clothes and looked at the daily scenery blurred by rainwater and the rooftops in the distance that were wet and reflecting light.


    As he woke up, everything that entered his mind seemed familiar, just like what he had witnessed, but when he tried to recall, he couldn''t grasp anything, couldn''t remember anything.


    The joy of hitting the jackpot initially was like a gust of wind that calmed down, leaving only a mess behind. At this moment, Yu Xinqiao was gradually surrounded by a feeling of confusion.


    Returning to bed, Yu Xinqiao covered half of his face with the blanket, listening to the sound of footsteps outside the corridor and the rain hitting the window, slowly closing his eyes.


    When he woke up again, it was almost dark outside.


    The spring in the capital warmed up quickly this year, and the air conditioning in the ward was not turned on. Yu Xinqiao sweated profusely and gasped for air fiercely as he uncovered his head.


    He also stretched out his arm, intending to roll up the sleeve cuffs and relax. Suddenly, his dangling wrist was grasped by a large hand.


    A deep and cold voice followed, "Don''t move, going from hot to cold will give you a cold."


    Almost subconsciously, Yu Xinqiao held his breath. When he realized who the person was, he slowly relaxed his grip.


    Allowing the person to tuck his arm back under the covers, Yu Xinqiao felt uneasy as he moved his body and turned his head towards the source of the voice.


    Six years later, Xu Yanhuan had a body that was different from that of a young man, taller, with broader shoulders, and a sleeve of a shirt rolled up, revealing a thin but powerful arm.


    It reminded Yu Xinqiao of the past, when Xu Yanhuan never wore a shirt, even in winter, he only wore a T-shirt under his baggy school uniform, as if he was not afraid of the cold.


    The past.


    The present.


    Clearly, he had only slept for a while, but upon waking up, everything had changed, as if he was out of sync with the world. The clock hand quietly turned round and round, everyone had moved forward by six years, and even Liang Yi had transformed from an uncoordinated teenager into a calm adult, only Yu Xinqiao remained stuck in the past.


    This feeling was terrible.


    After pouring water, and turning around, Xu Yanhuan had a moment of trance as he looked into Yu Xinqiao''s clear eyes.


    Walking back to the bedside, placing the glass on the bedside table, Xu Yanhuan glanced at the trash can on the ground, where there was a clean apple core.


    Then, Yu Xinqiao asked, "Where''s Xiao Yi?"


    Xu Yanhuan''s upward movement of his eyes paused imperceptibly.


    Xiao Yi naturally referred to Liang Yi, whom Yu Xinqiao had always called by that name when they were in school.


    "Liang Yi said he''s going to get something and will come over tonight," Xu Yanhuan said.


    Yu Xinqiao nodded slightly and after a while, he said again, "Thank you for this. Xiao Yi said you are a lawyer now and are very busy with work."


    However, Xu Yanhuan''s brow furrowed slightly after listening to his polite words.


    There was only one bedside lamp lit in the ward, casting a shadow on Xu Yanhuan''s face. This face, which was no different from before, still stirred up memories that were supposed to be sealed in the depths of his heart but had become especially clear due to the missing six years.


    Along with the uncontrollable restlessness in his heart.


    Yu Xinqiao heard Xu Yanhuan say, "No trouble."


    Immediately after, the shadow pressed down, and Xu Yanhuan leaned forward. The sudden closeness made Yu Xinqiao feel a moment of confusion.


    When he regained his senses, what he faced was Xu Yanhuan''s empty hand and a slightly stunned expression.


    Dodging was completely subconscious.


    After all, in Yu Xinqiao''s impression, they were just classmates with a normal relationship. And just "yesterday," they had torn apart the last layer of dignity, said many hurtful things to each other, and made a scene worse than a fish dying in a net.


    Xu Yanhuan retracted his hand, but his body did not back away. He looked at Yu Xinqiao with a probing gaze and something that was difficult to understand.


    His voice also lowered, as if soaked in the rain.


    "Don''t really remember?" Xu Yanhuan asked.


    Reason told Yu Xinqiao that he should answer: Yes, he didn''t remember.


    I only remember that you hated me, rejected me countless times, and avoided me whenever I was around as if I carried some deadly virus.


    But for some reason...Yu Xinqiao swallowed a breath of air lightly, suppressing his overly intense heartbeat.


    Perhaps because of the rain, or perhaps because the light was insufficient at the moment, Yu Xinqiao felt that Xu Yanhuan seemed a bit sad.


    Making him feel sad as well.


    --------------------


    Author Note:


    This work is overall bittersweet, with half of the story set in a school and the other half in a city. It alternates between timelines and is a full 1v1 story without any third parties.


    The professional knowledge involved in the text (especially the legal part) was researched through reference materials. If there are any errors, please feel free to point them out in the comments.


    To facilitate differentiation, chapter titles with a right arrow indicate the present, while those with a left arrow indicate memories.


    There are a total of five flashback sections in the entire work, and each switching point between timelines is carefully designed to be interrelated and complementary. If you are not used to this narrative style, you can follow the titles to read along the same timeline continuously; theoretically, it is not recommended to skip the flashback sections, as the two timelines do not repeat any content, and only reading the present timeline will result in missing information.

 CH 2

    2. It¡¯s called huanhuan.


    Later, Liang Yi returned to the hospital with a packed dinner for the two of them.


    Xu Yanhuan didn''t stay to eat, saying there was still work at the law firm and he needed to go back.


    After he left, Liang Yi asked, "What were you two talking about just now? The atmosphere felt a bit strange."


    Yu Xinqiao didn''t have much of an appetite and played with the food in the takeout box with his chopsticks. "We didn''t talk about anything."


    "You could talk about something. After all, he is now your, uh..." Liang Yi couldn''t find the right term, so he skipped it. "Maybe he knows more about you than I do."


    When You Xinqiao learned that the two were now living together from Liang Yi, his mood became more complicated.


    "Xiao Yi, do you remember when we were in high school..."


    Liang Yi was startled. "I used to remember, but when you call me ''Xiao Yi'', I forget everything."


    Yu Xinqiao smiled. "Then what should I call you now?"


    "Lao Liang."


    TN: Lao - Old


    "Okay, Lao Liang, do you remember that he used to hate me in high school?"


    "Of course, I remember, mainly because you were too clingy. You chased after him all day, and he would get annoyed."


    To others, the events from six years ago were unclear. However, for Yu Xinqiao, they were still vivid memories, as if they happened yesterday. After hearing Liang Yi''s description, Yu Xinqiao felt a bit embarrassed and said, "It''s not that bad. If you''re pursuing someone, you should be diligent."


    Liang Yi added, "And at that time, we all thought he was straight."


    At this, Yu Xinqiao''s expression changed slightly.


    He remembered Xu Yanhuan''s attitude towards him since they met and the events that had happened last night, which were still fresh in his memory.


    "Do you know how we got married?" Yu Xinqiao asked tentatively.


    "I don''t know how you two get along in private, but..." Liang Yi hesitated before continuing, "The reason for your marriage must be you."


    Yu Xinqiao''s heart skipped a beat. "I didn''t do anything... shocking, did I?"


    Seeing that he still had a clear understanding of himself and hadn''t forgotten his nature due to his memory loss, Liang Yi felt relieved.


    "It''s nothing, really. It''s not as bad as what you did in high school," Liang Yi said casually. "It''s just that when someone asked you about your spouse selection criteria, you looked at Xu Yanhuan and said, ''At least he should be like Lawyer Xu.''"


    ¡­..


    Yu Xinqiao fell into silence for the umpteenth time that day.


    Then, he put down his chopsticks, lifted the quilt, and slowly covered his head, creating a shell of "Don''t mind me, I just want to be alone and quiet."


    The night passed in a daze, and the next morning, a nurse came to take his temperature. It was only then that Yu Xinqiao realized that yesterday, Xu Yanhuan had not been reaching out to touch him, but to check his temperature.


    Yu Xinqiao let out a deep sigh.


    What should he do? He still wanted to stay in his shell for a while longer.


    Yu Xinqiao''s parents had already arrived. After hearing the diagnosis from the doctor, Yao Qiongying''s expression was ugly, and she even snorted as her gaze passed over Yu Xinqiao in the hospital bed.


    Yu Hanzhang, on the other hand, was as kind as ever, pulling Yao Qiongying to sit down. "You clearly missed him so much, and it''s not easy to see him, why are you giving him the cold shoulder?"


    Yao Qiongying still didn''t speak, so Yu Hanzhang expressed his concern on her behalf and asked if Yu Xinqiao was feeling uncomfortable anywhere.


    Yu Xinqiao had been "exiled" since high school and had been away from his parents for so long. With such a big change happening now, he couldn''t help but miss the embrace of his parents.


    As he spoke, he unconsciously sounded a bit coquettish, "I''m fine, nothing''s uncomfortable. I just don''t know if my playing level has declined. Liang Yi said I won the Xiaosai championship..."


    "You deserve to decline," at that moment, Yao Qiongying suddenly spoke, "We paved the way for you, but you refused to walk on it. You insisted on doing things you shouldn''t have done, and you''re getting what you deserve."


    That was a harsh thing to say, and Yu Hanzhang immediately went to pull his wife''s arm. "Xinqiao is sick, let''s not talk about this now."


    Yu Xinqiao didn''t argue.


    From the information he had now, he could basically confirm that he had not only not turned his life around in the past six years but had continued to rebel until now.


    His marriage to Xu Yanhuan may be the most outrageous of all.


    While waiting for his discharge paperwork, Yu Xinqiao took out the phone Liang Yi brought him from the scene of the accident and pressed the power button, not very familiar with the process.


    After the brand logo flashed by, he was prompted to enter the unlock password, but he entered several incorrect ones, resulting in the phone being locked.


    The feeling of powerlessness of not understanding his six years older self resurfaced, and the eighteen-year-old Yu Xinqiao even wanted to grab the collar of the twenty-four-year-old Yu Xinqiao and shake him hard, asking him what he was thinking, whether his brain had gone haywire to do so many strange things and leave behind such a mess that was impossible to handle.


    After waiting for a while and not seeing his parents return, Yu Xinqiao planned to go out and take a look.


    As he reached the door, he suddenly heard his mother, Yao Qiongying, speaking outside in the hallway.


    "I didn''t approve of it from the beginning. How can marriage be so hastily done, just because you said you wanted to get married? I knew you would run into trouble."


    Then came Xu Yanhuan''s voice: "I''m sorry, I didn''t take care of him properly."


    "We never expected you to take care of him, after all, your family situation is special and your father is..." Yao Qiongying didn''t finish her sentence and fell silent for a moment.


    When Xu Yanhuan spoke again, his tone was a little lower: "I''ve thoroughly investigated the car accident this time. Please, believe me, it was indeed an accident."


    Perhaps believing Xu Yanhuan''s words, or realizing that she shouldn''t have said that earlier, Yao Qiongying''s tone eased up: "Never mind, no one wants this kind of thing to happen."


    The attitude of the elders can be seen from this conversation - they can understand and implicitly approve of the relationship between the two, but still cannot say even a word of expectation.


    This trip back to China coincided with an industry summit, and as a company director, Yao Qiongying naturally had to attend. Meanwhile, university professor Yu Hanzhang was on vacation, so he accompanied her.


    The couple escorted Yu Xinqiao to the parking lot.


    By now, Yao Qiongying had calmed down. She raised her hand and touched the gauze on Yu Xinqiao''s forehead, feeling distressed: "If you can''t drive, hire a driver. You''re so grown up, and you still make your parents worry."


    Perhaps thinking of Yu Xinqiao''s amnesia, Yao Qiongying added, "Rest well when you get back. Don''t overuse your brain. Let nature take its course."


    Yu Xinqiao nodded in agreement.


    Facing her obedient son, as a mother, Yao Qiongying couldn''t help but be stunned.


    Brushing Yu Xinqiao''s soft hair, Yao Qiongying looked at him and said gently, "It doesn''t matter if you can''t remember...actually, it''s not bad like this."


    The rain had stopped, and they rode in silence.


    When they arrived at their destination and got off, they took the elevator up together and stood in front of the entrance. Xu Yanhuan gestured for Yu Xinqiao to try opening the door.


    Yu Xinqiao extended his right index finger and placed it on the fingerprint reader. "Beep!" The door opened.


    This property was located on the top floor of a high-end residential complex in the east of the city. The developer had provided a standard luxury decoration, and the usable area was estimated to be one hundred and fifty square meters.


    The two had more than enough space to live comfortably, but Yu Xinqiao was still somewhat surprised. At eighteen, Yu Xinqiao had grown up in a wealthy family and never had to compromise on his basic needs. Even when he was left behind in Xuncheng, he lived in the best villa district in the area.


    One hundred and fifty square meters was only one-third of the villa he had lived in before.


    As Yu Xinqiao wandered around, he wondered if he hadn''t bought this house himself?


    If that was the case, then Xu Yanhuan must have bought it. But he had just finished his law degree and started working, where did he get so much money? This was the capital''s prime real estate, after all.


    Lost in thought, Yu Xinqiao was startled by a sudden noise as he passed the bar connecting the living room and dining room.


    Looking in the direction of the sound, he saw a transparent box measuring one meter on each side in the centre of the bar. Inside was a nest that looked like a tent, with a soft cushion, a food bowl, a small litter box in the corner, and a black...hamster wheel next to it?


    And the "owner" of this luxurious temperature-regulated box, the small animal that made the noise, was staring at the human outside through an acrylic wall with its glass bead-like eyes.


    Xu Yanhuan boiled some water and came out of the kitchen, seeing Yu Xinqiao standing there stupidly, facing the hedgehog that was as big as his fist.


    After a moment of confusion, Xu Yanhuan walked over and said, "It usually doesn''t come out so early... Hedgehogs are nocturnal animals."


    After staring at it for a while, Yu Xinqiao pointed to the hedgehog and asked, not entirely sure, "Am I raising it?"


    Even though he had guessed that the hedgehog couldn''t possibly belong to Xu Yanhuan. Xu Yanhuan has always disliked small animals. Once, when Yu Xinqiao was waiting for him at the school gate and played with the cat kept by the security guard for a while, Xu Yanhuan kept his distance when he came out, didn''t even glance at it, and frowned disapprovingly when Yu Xinqiao put down the cat and caught up with him. "Stay away, you smell like a cat."


    Sniffing carefully, there was also a faint smell around the hedgehog''s nest.


    Sure enough, Xu Yanhuan responded with an "En."


    Yu Xinqiao asked, "So how do I take care of it normally? Do I need to change its mat every day?"


    Xu Yanhuan took out a pair of white gloves from the storage compartment under the bar counter and said, "Put this on before playing with it."


    "Will it hurt my hands?"


    "En."


    "Does it have a name?"


    Xu Yanhuan did not answer this question. Yu Xinqiao guessed that he probably didn''t know, after all, it wasn''t his.


    So he didn''t continue to ask. Yu Xinqiao put on the gloves, opened the side door of the temperature-regulated box, and carefully reached in.


    As expected of his hedgehog, it was unexpectedly obedient. With a gentle squeeze, the round and chubby little fellow stayed obediently in his palm, with its four legs facing up, revealing its pink belly. From another angle, it continued to stare at him with big eyes.


    Although 18-year-old Yu Xinqiao didn''t know why Xu Yanhuan hated small animals, he knew very well the reason why he liked small animals.


    Every time he was with non-speaking animals, it was as if he had erected a barrier that isolated him from the outside world, and time seemed to disappear within that barrier.


    It was more like the animals accompanied him, accompanying him through periods of self-doubt and confusion about the future.


    When he came to his senses, it seemed that time had not slipped away, but kindly paused for him, allowing him to hide all the bitterness and sorrow in the invisible crevices of time.


    But he had grown up, and the crevices could no longer hold any dust. He could no longer escape.


    He didn''t know how long it had been until the hedgehog jumped out of Yu Xinqiao''s palm and crawled into its little tent. Yu Xinqiao breathed a sigh of relief and asked the person next to him, "Can I ask you a few questions?"


    Xu Yanhuan said, "Ask."


    "Where did we meet again?"


    "At the law firm."


    "...Is it possible that I came to trouble you?"


    "You didn''t know I worked there."


    "Then how did we get married?"


    The originally smooth response was interrupted by the first glitch.


    After a while, Xu Yanhuan replied, "You proposed to me."


    Yu Xinqiao expected this, but it was far from enough to understand their current relationship, so he asked three more questions in a row, "You agreed just like that when I proposed? Did you do it willingly? I didn''t force you with some tricks, right?"


    ...


    The second glitch lasted even longer, and there was no sign of recovery for a long time.


    But Xu Yanhuan was always cold and reticent. If it weren''t for his outstanding appearance, he would definitely have been the student with the lowest presence in the class back then.


    But for Yu Xinqiao, who had lost his memory, this "back then" was just yesterday.


    Yu Xinqiao didn''t ask any further.


    He intuitively added food and water for the hedgehog, cleaned up the basin, and then bent down to look at the hedgehog hiding in its nest. He asked in a low voice, "What''s your name?"


    The hedgehog couldn''t speak human language, so it couldn''t answer.


    Yu Xinqiao yawned and stood up straight. Suddenly, he heard a human voice.


    It was Xu Yanhuan, who had already returned to the living room, speaking. It happened to be when Yu Xinqiao was yawning, so he didn''t hear clearly.


    Yu Xinqiao turned his head in confusion, and his mouth hadn''t closed yet when he said, "Huh?"


    Xu Yanhuan repeated, "*Hu¨¢nhuan."


    TN: Written in pinyin in the raws


    Yu Xinqiao was stunned.


    He couldn''t determine which "hu¨¢n" it was from the pronunciation alone, but his unreasonable intuition told him that it was "*hu¨¢n¡± from Xu Yanhuan''s name.


    TN: This character ¡°ä¡¡± is the ML''s. There are like 4 other characters with the same pinyin but different appearances and meanings. Eg: »Á (hu¨¤n) means to melt while ML¡¯s ¡±ä¡¡± means "a river flowing into a vast and open sea"


    Because in his memory, Xu Yanhuan, besides being cold and reticent, was also a bully who relied on his looks. Therefore, he had a bad temper and extremely poor patience, and he would never repeat a name two or even more times just because someone didn''t hear it clearly.


    "It''s called Huanhuan." As if afraid that Yu Xinqiao wouldn''t believe him, Xu Yanhuan looked into his eyes the entire time, "You named it."


    --------------------


    Author¡¯s Note:


    I heard that you rely on your looks and have a bad temper?


    Huanhuan: Don''t believe rumors and don''t spread rumors. (Cold face)


    The next chapter will delve into a past event.


    TN:


    Cute tiny animals? Sign me the f*ck up!


    I''ll try to do one chapter everyday for this week so that y''all can get a general idea of how the story is before doing one weekly update starting next week.

 CH 3

    You~ please ~come in~


    On the first day at Xuncheng No.2 High School, Yu Xinqiao''s breakfast was a single Red Fuji apple.


    The villa area where he lived was near the school, and while he nibbled on his apple, he listened to a phone call from his father, Yu Hanzhang. Yu Hanzhang''s voice came through the receiver, ''¡¯The housekeeper will start work next week, so you''ll have to eat out this week. If you don''t have enough money, tell dad.''¡¯


    Yu Xinqiao responded vaguely with an ''En,'' and stood by the window looking outside. The streets in the residential area were clean and tidy, and the rustling of leaves could be heard as the wind blew through the trees.


    ''¡¯What about mom?¡¯'' Yu Xinqiao eventually asked. ¡®''Is she still unable to eat?''¡¯


    A few days before being ''exiled'' to Xuncheng, Yao Qiongying had begun to experience symptoms of insomnia and loss of appetite. Yu Xinqiao didn''t know if she was feeling better now.


    ''¡¯She''s doing better.''¡¯ Perhaps not wanting Yu Xinqiao to blame himself, Yu Hanzhang added, ''¡¯The doctor prescribed her some medicine, and she''s sleeping now. You don''t need to worry too much.¡¯''


    Yu Xinqiao responded again with an ''En¡¯ and didn''t ask anything else.


    Xuncheng was located near the capital, and the climate was similar.


    Following the route he had studied the day before, Yu Xinqiao walked to the school gate. He didn''t notice anything different until he went upstairs and entered the classroom. He clenched his teeth and exclaimed from the bottom of his heart, ''Damn it!''


    In late winter and early spring, major schools in the capital still had their central heating on, but the classrooms here didn''t even have radiators. It was like falling into an ice cave as he walked in.


    Thankfully, he wore a down jacket today. Thinking so, Yu Xinqiao pulled up the zipper and covered his collar all the way up to below his nostrils.


    He sat down in a random seat in the back row.


    Even though he didn''t say anything, Yu Xinqiao quickly became the center of attention among the surrounding students. In the second half of the sophomore year, the school was strict and required all students to wear school uniforms. Yu Xinqiao, wearing an all-white down jacket, stood out among the crowd.


    There were still more than ten minutes before the morning assembly, and no one was seriously reading yet on the first day of school.


    The first person to greet Yu Xinqiao was a boy with a shaved head. He was drinking milk from a bag and sat straddling the chair in the front row, grinning at Yu Xinqiao. ''¡¯Hello, my name is Liang Yi.''¡¯


    Later, Yu Xinqiao found out that this ordinary senior high school in a third-tier city was divided into circles, just like a workplace, and his friendly response on the first day of school silently placed him into Liang Yi''s camp.


    When Liang Yi heard that he lived in the villa area, he widened his eyes and said, ''¡¯So you''re lowering yourself to hang out with us. You should be playing with Chen Yang and his group ah.''¡¯


    Yu Xinqiao had just learned from Liang Yi that Chen Yang was the class monitor and his father was the district chief.


    ''¡¯What, I can''t hang out with you guys?''¡¯ Yu Xinqiao had an *easy-going personality and didn''t feel like hopping around in student cliques. ''¡¯Can I still drink this milk then?¡¯''


    TN: ËæÓö¶ø°²(at home wherever one is) is a Chinese idiom that means "to be content with whatever one may have, to adapt oneself to circumstances, to be easy-going". It implies being able to deal with whatever life throws at you, without worrying too much about things that are beyond your control.


    The milk was what Liang Yi had just taken out of his backpack, and it was still warm."


    "Of course, you can!" Liang Yi quickly pushed the milk back, "My family has plenty of food and drinks. Just let me know if you want anything to eat in the future!"


    Yu Xinqiao thought Liang Yi was exaggerating, but during the morning break, he followed Liang Yi around the campus and walked into the crowded snack bar. He heard Liang Yi shout "Mom" to the middle-aged woman behind the counter.


    Liang Yi also brought a few familiar classmates and introduced them to Yu Xinqiao.


    It sounded like a serious scene of welcoming new members in a gangster movie, but because each male student lined up with a free snack bar sausage in hand, it looked a bit funny.


    "From now on, Yu Xinqiao is one of us," the gang leader Liang Yi mobilized everyone, "we share good fortune together and face difficulties together!"


    Yu Xinqiao didn''t have an appetite, so he gave the sausage to a muscular male student.


    As he watched him take a bite and the juice splashed onto the face of the male student opposite him, Yu Xinqiao couldn''t help but burst out laughing, the first laugh he had in Xuncheng.


    On the way back to the classroom, Liang Yi told Yu Xinqiao that the muscular boy''s family owned a hardware store, and the one who was sprayed with sausage juice was the heir to the milk tea shop at the entrance. The most special one was probably a guy named Shen Da, whose family owned a store in a certain wholesale market in Xuncheng, specializing in musical instruments.


    Yu Xinqiao asked, "Do you have a piano in your store?"


    Shen Da shook his head, "No."


    "Then what instruments do you have?"


    "Guitar, hulusi, saxophone, suona, African drum, ukulele."


    "That''s quite a wide variety."


    "Of course, it''s a ten-year-old store."


    Yu Xinqiao found that the reason they divided into small groups was not because of any disdain, but simply because they got along well. For example, everyone in this circle had parents who did business, and they had been influenced by it since childhood, all of them being social butterflies who could talk.


    Back in the classroom, the homeroom teacher came to arrange the seating order.


    Based on height, transfer student Yu Xinqiao was assigned to the third row from the back, near the aisle, and Liang Yi sat in front of him.


    After settling in, they were ready for class.


    Yu Xinqiao hadn''t received his new textbook yet and was bored, so he surveyed the entire classroom. The science class had more boys than girls, with most of the girls sitting in the front rows. It was only halfway through the morning, but he could already name one-third of his classmates.


    His gaze swept over the empty seat in the last row near the window, and he poked Liang Yi''s back with a pen, "Xiao Yi, is that seat still available?"


    Liang Yi shuddered, "Not even my mom calls me that..." he turned his head to look and couldn''t help but express his longing, "The back row by the window, Wang¡¯s homeland.¡±


    TN:


    Wang - king


    He heard that someone had already taken that seat last semester, and Yu Xinqiao was about to ask who was so arrogant when the bell rang and the teacher walked into the classroom.


    Yu Xinqiao put away his pencil and leaned back in his chair, planning to take a nap.


    There was a physical education class in the afternoon, and Liang Yi said that the sports teacher''s attendance roster was probably not updated yet. Yu Xinqiao, a transfer student who hated sports, decided to hide in the classroom and continue sleeping.


    The windows and doors were closed, and the room was so quiet that only his own breathing could be heard.


    He didn''t know how long he had been sleeping, but in a daze, Yu Xinqiao''s right ear caught the sound of tapping on the glass.


    Not too light nor too heavy, three knocks woke Yu Xinqiao up. He turned his head and leaned on his left ear, but as soon as he adjusted his posture, he heard three more urgent knocks from his left ear.


    He had no choice but to sit up and open his eyes, looking towards the window. In his blurry vision, he saw an arm wearing a school uniform, with distinct knuckles and a raised index finger, pointing towards the classroom door.


    The door was locked by Yu Xinqiao, so he sighed and stood up, pushing the chair and wobbling towards the classroom door.


    With a click, Yu Xinqiao opened the door, the person was already standing at the entrance. The tall and slender figure cast a deep shadow over Yu Xinqiao.


    "This person is so tall..." Yu Xinqiao muttered to himself as he stepped back to make way, but he accidentally stepped on a round ball pen that someone had dropped on the ground. His foot slipped, and he fell forward due to inertia.


    When his forehead hit a soft and moderately hard "human wall," Yu Xinqiao was still dazed.


    As he swayed and raised his head, he met the overexposed yet still delicately contoured face, and his consciousness disappeared somewhere.


    Holding his breath was purely a reflex. Yu Xinqiao heard himself saying, "I''m sorry... *you please come in."


    Äú (n¨ªn) - polite form of you


    The last class in the afternoon was self-study.


    Yu Xinqiao asked Liang Yi for a piece of draft paper, drew black and white keys, and played "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" on it.


    In his heart, he sang, "Twinkle, twinkle, little star, everywhere you are, please come in."


    You~ please~ come in~


    As he finished singing, Yu Xinqiao turned his head to look back, and saw a person sitting in the southwest corner of the classroom where there was originally no one.


    That person had long legs, which were somewhat cramped under the desk, and their arms were folded on the table with their face buried in the crook of their arm, apparently sleeping.


    Yu Xinqiao looked around for a while, suddenly feeling like an ancient brothel patron, staring at a courtesan behind a screen, drooling over her.


    ...A little vulgar.


    In the end, Yu Xinqiao nudged Liang Yi and lowered his voice to ask, "What''s the name of the person sitting by the window in the back row?"


    Liang Yi wasn''t studying either. He put the novel he had been reading on his desk and turned his head slightly to use a whisper to say three words.


    "Xu Yan what?" Yu Xinqiao didn''t hear clearly and wondered why the boy had chosen such a name.


    "''Xu'' from Lin Zexu''s ''Xu'', and ''Yan'' from the side of the word ''yan'' in the proverb." Liang Yi felt for the first time that his expressive ability was insufficient. "*Huan, which ''huan'' is it?"


    TN:


    ÁÖÔòÐì(Lin Zex¨²) Ðì + ÑèÓï(y¨¤ny¨³) Ñè = ÐìÑè(X¨² Y¨¤n)


    hu¨¢n - written in pinyin


    Yu Xinqiao leaned in to listen, "hu¨¢nhu¨¢n?"


    TN: YXQ uses ¡®‹Ö¡¯ which is used to form people¡¯s names and can¡¯t be used as a standalone, but the ML¡¯s character is ¡®ä¡¡¯. The pronunciation is the same for both.


    Liang Yi suddenly shuddered and didn''t care about studying anymore. He raised his voice and said, "Don''t call him that. Shen Da called him that last time and he got a scar on his forehead."


    Yu Xinqiao was surprised, "He hit someone?"


    "Not really. I wasn''t there at the time, but apparently Xu Yanhuan glared fiercely at Shen Da and scared him so much he turned and ran, tripping over a brick on the ground."


    Yu Xinqiao laughed as he listened, "Well, you can''t blame him."


    The next day during break, with Liang Yi''s explanation, Yu Xinqiao found out there was a person in their class who was outside of all the circles.


    "It seems like Xu Yanhuan doesn''t have any friends and always keeps to himself. Nobody knows where he lives." Liang Yi sneaked a glance towards the back of the classroom and quickly retracted his gaze. "He''s often late or absent from class, and sometimes he has bruises on his face. We suspect he has connections with the underworld and maybe he often helps them fight."


    Yu Xinqiao thought this speculation was unreliable, "Skipping class and fighting, isn''t the school doing anything?"


    "They are. I remember last semester he skipped class for three days, and when he came back, the homeroom teacher kicked him out of the classroom, reported him to the school administration, and gave him a punishment. He had to reflect at home and only came back to class after half a month." Liang Yi shrugged. "If his grades weren''t good, he probably would have been expelled by the school a long time ago."


    But Yu Xinqiao thought that Xu Yanhuan was more than just good grades.


    In fact, in the seventeen years that Yu Xinqiao had lived, he had friends all over the world, but he had never seen anyone like Xu Yanhuan - someone who was a scholar but could also fight, who was cold but also fierce, who had no friends but received countless love letters from girls.


    Less than three days into the new school year, Yu Xinqiao, who was sitting by the window next to the corridor, had already helped deliver a lot of things - textbooks, pencil cases, and novels - not to mention various pretty envelopes with Xu Yanhuan''s name on them.


    Even female classmates asked him to help deliver letters.


    When the literary committee member, He Tangyue, who sat in front of him, was asked why she didn''t deliver the letter herself, she shook her ponytail and said with conviction, "If he didn''t even look at it and threw it in the trash, everyone would know that I was the one who sent it. How embarrassing! If he doesn''t agree, I''ll have to switch targets quickly."


    Yu Xinqiao: ¡°... "


    Yu Xinqiao, who received the task again, was already annoyed.


    He was using his phone to search for places in Xuncheng where he could buy a piano, freeing up one hand to hand the letter to his classmate in the second row. The classmate was chatting enthusiastically with their desk mate and didn''t notice Yu Xinqiao waving his arm.


    After calling out twice without a response, Yu Xinqiao suddenly stood up and faced the northwest corner of the classroom. "Huanhuan, you have a letter!" he shouted.


    As soon as his words fell, the previously noisy classroom was as if someone had pressed the pause button, suddenly becoming completely silent.


    Yu Xinqiao''s loud shout of "Huanhuan" seemed to reverberate in the stillness.


    And in this eerie atmosphere of silence being more significant than sound, Yu Xinqiao saw the person in the back row corner, who could sleep better than him, slowly raise their head, revealing a face he didn''t get a chance to look at carefully last time.


    And the eyes that looked directly at him, just as indifferent as he remembered, but not fierce.


    Suddenly he remembered the phrase, "The back row by the window, Wang¡¯s homeland."


    Upon further thought, it didn''t make much sense, as the back row by the window on the first floor was clearly more convenient for the class teacher to come and go.


    But...Yu Xinqiao swallowed a mouthful of saliva and couldn''t help but silently acknowledge in his heart that this face was indeed quite wang-like.


    And in the half-minute of endless thoughts in Yu Xinqiao''s head, "Wang" stood up from his seat, took long strides through the crowd, and walked to the row near the corridor.


    Looking down at the pink envelope in the person''s hand, Xu Yanhuan calmly frowned as if he had encountered some trouble.


    He asked without much intonation, "Did you write this?"


    --------------------


    Author¡¯s Note:


    As we all know, "wang" is an adjective.


    .


    TN:


    Lin Zexu (1785-1850) was a prominent Chinese official during the Qing Dynasty. He is best known for his role in the First Opium War (1839-1842), during which he was appointed by the Qing government to suppress the opium trade. Lin''s actions included the confiscation and destruction of large quantities of opium, leading to tensions between China and Britain and eventually to war. Despite his efforts, China was defeated in the conflict and forced to sign the Treaty of Nanking, which included significant territorial and economic concessions to Britain. Lin was later exiled by the Qing government for his role in the conflict, but he is still remembered in China as a patriotic hero who stood up to foreign aggression.


    That explanation about XYH¡¯s name fried some of my braincells honestly.

 CH 4

    4. Can I go out now?


    "Yu Xinqiao was stunned for a moment, ''''No, I''m help-''''


    But he suddenly remembered He Tangyue''s advice, and abruptly stopped talking, almost choking himself.


    However, Xu Yanhuan had already obtained useful information. He assumed that the letter came from another class, took it over, turned around, and with a flick of his wrist, the pink envelope flew accurately into the trash can in the back row.


    He Tangyue, who was watching the whole process,"..."


    The bell rang and everyone returned to their seats.


    Yu Xinqiao felt increasingly guilty and couldn''t wait for the break. He immediately wrote a small note for Liang Yi to pass to He Tangyue in front of him.


    Fortunately, He Tangyue had cast a wide net and wasn''t bothered by just one guy.


    She replied: "It''s okay, it was just a test of luck. The next one will be more obedient~"


    The note even ended with a wink emoticon.


    Yu Xinqiao felt relieved and drew a grinning face in response.


    He Tangyue then drew a sexy big mouth, and Yu Xinqiao used a red pen to turn it into flaming red lips.


    After a few rounds of exchanges like this, Liang Yi, the "messenger," couldn''t take it anymore and wrote a few large words on the paper with a highlighter: "Can you two add each other on WeChat and chat already?!"


    The class was quiet for half a lesson, and then Liang Yi suddenly remembered something he had ignored earlier. He tore off another piece of paper and passed it to Yu Xinqiao: "Wait a minute, you called him Huanhuan and he didn''t get angry?!"


    Yu Xinqiao didn''t think too much about it. After all, Xu Yanhuan''s focus at the time might not have been on the name, but on the letter.


    Later, Yu Xinqiao secretly observed that whenever a letter from another class was delivered, Xu Yanhuan would throw it away on the spot. But if it was a classmate from his own class, he would put it in his backpack instead.


    He left some face for his own people and didn''t embarrass them in public. Maybe it was a rule on the street.


    Finally, after enduring until the weekend, Yu Xinqiao was thinking about the piano and invited Liang Yi to go to Shen Daye''s music store together.


    Although they said they were just going to browse, they arrived at the end after only two steps. The store was small, with only one row of shelves, and most of the instruments were hanging on the wall. After hearing that Yu Xinqiao wanted to buy a piano, Shen Daye''s mother put down the melon seeds in her hand and pointed in the southwest direction of the market: "There''s a shop over there that specializes in second-hand pianos, the one with a black and white door curtain."


    Shen Daye''s small two-story house was located behind their family''s store. Opening the back door and passing through an alleyway would lead you there. Liang Yi was eager to go and play Shen Daye''s newly purchased game, so Yu Xinqiao had to go see the piano by himself.


    Before leaving, Yu Xinqiao reminded the two classmates, "Daye, don''t just take Xiao Yi to play. Remember to have him help me with my homework."


    Liang Yi''s figure suddenly twisted as he turned around and shouted, "Can you change your habit of giving people strange names?"


    If you added a few more twists and turns to that "Daye," it wouldn''t be any different from how a brothel girl greets her customers in a TV drama.


    Shen Daye actually had no problem with this nickname and responded excitedly, "Hey, don''t worry, I''ll take care of it!"


    Yu Xinqiao wasn''t worried about anything. He didn''t transfer to this school to study anyway.


    Walking along the bumpy cement road to the west, Yu Xinqiao looked around at this piece of land, where rows of small storefronts and two-story buildings with different styles were built close together. It was probably a common problem with old-fashioned mixed-use buildings.


    Although it was run down, it was still a mature commercial area. Everything that Yu Xinqiao could think of for daily necessities was sold here. In addition to various department stores, there was also a small food stall on the street. At this moment, it was time for them to set up their stalls. Plastic stools and folding tables were scattered all over the ground, and smoke rose, filling the air with the bustling atmosphere of human life.


    The second-hand piano store was at the end of the street. When Yu Xinqiao entered, the owner was not there. Several upright pianos were scattered around the store, including Yamaha, Kawai, and Zhujiang, all practical and economical brands.


    It was unlikely that he could find a Steinway here, but it would be nice to be able to pick up a second-hand piano to play.


    Yu Xinqiao waited in the store for a while, but the sun was already setting and the owner had not appeared. He asked the owner of the neighboring store, who told him, "The owner of this shop stayed up all night watching football yesterday. He''s probably still sleeping at home now."


    "How do you know?" Yu Xinqiao asks.


    "How could I not know? My husband was watching the game with him."


    "... Okay."


    Helpless, Yu Xinqiao followed the neighbor''s instructions, wrote a note with his name and phone number, and stuck it on the cover of the piano. He played a few keys out of curiosity and left.


    When he got to Shen Daye''s house, Yu Xinqiao raised his arm and a piece of paper fell to the ground.


    He picked it up only to realize that it was the note he just stuck on the piano cover. He must have accidentally bumped into it while leaving the crowded shop.


    Yu Xinqiao immediately retraced his steps.


    Back in the store, he used transparent tape to stick the note to the door and checked it several times to make sure it wouldn''t fall off.


    Stepping out again from behind the black and white curtain, it was already dark outside.


    "If you''re hungry, just grab something here. The food cooked by vendors in this area is clean and tastes good," the owner of the neighboring shop said as she stood up from behind the counter, taking her keys and preparing to go home.


    She was a businesswoman, how could she not see that Yu Xinqiao was worth a lot of money from head to toe? Just the watch he revealed from his sleeve when he reached out was worth a year''s rent on this side. So what she said was well thought out. The young masters from wealthy families who come here just want to try some cheap street food, it''s almost the same as trying it out at a roadside stall.


    After all, no matter how fresh the street food is, it can''t compare to high-end cuisine made with precious ingredients.


    However, Yu Xinqiao didn''t hear the other layer of meaning in her words, or maybe he didn''t have the time to ponder over them.


    After the initial dazzle, everything in front of him appeared particularly clear under the illumination of the lights, including the person standing in front of the barbecue grill.


    Huanhuan.


    Muttering in his heart, Yu Xinqiao blinked hard, then looked again - handsome face, broad shoulders, long legs.


    ...It''s really Xu Yanhuan?


    Xu Yanhuan hadn''t planned on working today.


    His mother hadn''t fully recovered, and their neighbor had gone out again, so he was worried about leaving his mother alone at home.


    Later, his mother got up from the bed and gave him a hundred yuan bill from the drawer, saying, "It''s rare to have a break, don''t stay at home, go out and play."


    Xu Yanhuan refused to go out. His mother suggested, "How about playing ball? Didn''t some classmates used to ask you out to play ball? Or, how about watching a movie? If you don''t have enough money, I have some here."


    Seeing her stubbornness, Xu Yanhuan verbally agreed and put on a random piece of clothing before walking to the wholesale market.


    The night market on weekends was the busiest. In the past, he could always find work to do when he came, and today was no exception.


    The owner of the barbecue stand was a middle-aged man who sometimes brought his six-year-old daughter to take care of the stall. When he saw Xu Yanhuan, it was as if he saw a savior, "Xiao Xu, you came at the right time. Table 2 wants a crate of beer."


    Xu Yanhuan immediately went under the rain shelter, took off his coat, and got to work. When he opened the beer bottles, he looked at the clock tower in the distance. It was five minutes past six. He could earn 120 yuan if he worked until midnight.


    Here, he was mainly responsible for serving dishes and drinks.


    As soon as six o''clock passed, the wholesale market turned into a night market, and people gradually started to fill up. Xu Yanhuan shuttled between different tables and was always able to clean up the table within three minutes after the customers left. He also responded promptly when someone called for a drink.


    He had been working here for about six months. The owner trusted him very much and would occasionally ask him to help as the cashier when he was too busy cooking.


    Just when Xu Yanhuan was standing next to the grill, helping the owner with the accounting and collecting money, a teenager who looked out of place here stopped in front of the barbecue stall.


    Xu Yanhuan sorted the bills he received according to their denominations and put them in the owner''s iron box. He looked up and met with Yu Xinqiao''s eyes for less than half a second before shifting his gaze to other customers.


    Yu Xinqiao didn''t know why he came over.


    At first, he just wanted to say hello to his classmate. But when he got closer, he felt that he was being presumptuous. Maybe the other person didn''t want to run into him in a place like this at all.


    But since he had come, he might as well support his classmate''s business. Yu Xinqiao couldn''t stand the smoke from the barbecue stall and discreetly moved to the side before asking, "How much does the drink cost?"


    Xu Yanhuan asked, "Which one?"


    Yu Xinqiao stretched his neck to look inside and said, "The yellow can."


    Xu Yanhuan closed the iron box and reached into the plastic basket at the side with his other hand, taking out a can of drink and handing it over, "3 yuan."


    He didn''t even lift his eyelids during the entire transaction.


    Taking the drink, Yu Xinqiao searched through all his pockets but couldn''t find any money. Feeling embarrassed, he asked, "Can I use Alipay?"


    "No," said Xu Yanhuan.


    At that time, online payment was not yet popular and the store owner had not yet started to accept QR code payments.


    Yu Xinqiao was stuck. He held the bottle of locally-produced yellow drink as if it were a hot potato, not knowing whether to drink it or put it down.


    People tend to become confused when they are in a hurry, and Yu Xinqiao was no exception. He completely forgot that Shen Daye''s home was nearby and was afraid of being accused of trying to dine and dash. He quickly negotiated with Xu Yanhuan, "Can you credit the money and I''ll bring it to you next Monday?"


    Xu Yanhuan finally lifted his head and gave him a fleeting glance, "Next Monday?"


    How cold and distant his gaze was, with a hint of detachment as if he were a stranger.


    Yu Xinqiao finally understood - it turned out that he didn''t even remember that they were classmates!


    Realizing this, Yu Xinqiao was deeply shocked. Looking back at his first 17 years of life, he was not necessarily loved by everyone, but at least he had never been ignored because he looked too ordinary...


    Is it because this person is face-blind, or am I really just a nobody?


    Yu Xinqiao was lost in thought, but managed to maintain his composure on the surface, "Xu Yanhuan, we are classmates, and you and I are..."


    Before he could finish, he was bumped by someone next to him. Yu Xinqiao stumbled and almost lost his balance.


    "Xu Yanhuan, right?" A rough-voiced middle-aged man pushed forward and asked, "Where''s Xu Zhen?"


    "I don''t know," Xu Yanhuan replied coldly.


    "You''re his son, don''t you know where he is?"


    "I don''t know."


    "He hasn''t paid back the money he borrowed this month."


    "..."


    "You''re not saying anything, huh? If you don''t speak up, I''ll go to your school next time. Don''t think I can''t find you just because I''m always on the move...damn it!"


    With a loud "bang," Xu Yanhuan knocked the plastic basket and empty bottle on the middle-aged man''s head.


    Then he ran out of the aisle surrounded by the crowd and disappeared around the corner.


    Xu Yanhuan was used to running and hiding in the east and west, and his running speed was comparable to that of an athlete.


    But wait...he could still hear footsteps.


    Xu Yanhuan, who had turned into a narrow alley, looked back alertly and saw a skinny figure suddenly flash in the dimly lit entrance of the alley.


    One step forward and the streetlight at the entrance of the alley made his shadow even longer, like a scene from a movie where one person walked towards another person, a fateful moment.


    At this moment, Yu Xinqiao was thinking that he might die here today.


    He had just listened to the conversation between Xu Yanhuan and the rough-voiced man but didn''t understand what was going on, and then he found that Xu Yanhuan had already run far away.


    Before he could finish his sentence or even pay for his drink, Yu Xinqiao chased after him in confusion, running and running until he couldn''t see the fierce-looking big men behind him or hear the noise of the night market, but Xu Yanhuan still didn''t stop.


    Now, Yu Xinqiao didn''t even have the strength to question why Xu Yanhuan was running so fast. He stood still less than a meter away from Xu Yanhuan, one hand against the wall, gasping for breath.


    In his other hand, he still tightly held the can of drink as if it could save his life.


    Under Xu Yanhuan''s seemingly inquisitive gaze, Yu Xinqiao finally caught his breath and was about to speak when Xu Yanhuan covered his mouth with one hand and looked towards the entrance of the alley: "Someone''s coming."


    Yu Xinqiao''s eyes widened, and he held his breath in cooperation.


    There were indeed jumbled footsteps approaching.


    Yu Xinqiao was in a panic, thinking that if he had to choose, he would rather suffocate to death than be beaten up.


    In contrast, Xu Yanhuan calmly observed his surroundings and saw a gap between the wall and the house at the end of the alley.


    Yu Xinqiao, who could only move his eyes, also saw the gap that was wide enough to hide a person.


    The hand covering his mouth loosened, and he was about to speak when Xu Yanhuan grabbed the back of his collar and threw him into the gap like a little chicken. "Go in and don''t make a sound."


    Yu Xinqiao: "¡­"


    Fine, you''re tall, big deal.


    Although the gap was narrow, it was deep enough. After Yu Xinqiao squeezed into it, Xu Yanhuan followed.


    With walls on three sides, it was like entering a closed space without windows, and the outside noise was barely audible.


    On the contrary, every tiny detail inside the closed space was amplified infinitely, including their arms touching each other and the lingering scent in the air.


    Yu Xinqiao twitched his nose and sniffed, puzzled. Although he had just come from a barbecue stall, why was there no smell of oil and smoke? Instead, there was a light and refreshing scent, similar to a certain type of soap.


    Soap is usually used to wash hands.


    About half a minute later, Yu Xinqiao finally realized that he had just been silenced by Xu Yanhuan, and the scent was left from that moment. It lingered on his nose, cheeks, and even his lips.


    No wonder it didn''t go away for a long time.


    When Yu Xinqiao first discovered his sexuality, he had read posts on a gay forum where people described the scent of men and the feeling of being close to them. The words were bold and elusive, and he had thought those old gays were really perverted at the time.


    Now, he felt that the more perverted ones were the young gays, which included himself.


    Fortunately, Xu Yanhuan was around the same age as him and not yet a real man.


    Yu Xinqiao exhaled and tried to clear his jumbled thoughts. He listened carefully and confirmed that there was no one outside before asking Xu Yanhuan in a whisper, "Can we go out now?"


    Xu Yanhuan nodded, and the two of them began to move slowly towards the door.


    Perhaps due to holding their breath for too long or being too nervous, Yu Xinqiao lost his balance when he stepped outside, and his head fell forward uncontrollably.


    He had intended to fall onto Xu Yanhuan''s shoulder, but Xu Yanhuan had already turned around. As a result, Yu Xinqiao fell onto his neck and chest.


    This time, the sensation was warm because Xu Yanhuan was only wearing a T-shirt, and there was only a thin layer of fabric between their skin.


    "Qs it turns out, it was you," came a deep voice from above.


    Xu Yanhuan''s voice was low, and the vibrations in his chest were clearly transmitted to Yu Xinqiao''s already fragile heart.


    Yu Xinqiao looked up blankly, "Huh?"


    To accommodate Yu Xinqiao''s height, Xu Yanhuan slightly bent down and elongated his tone as he said, "You, please, come in."


    --------------------


    Author¡¯s Note:


    Xu Yanhuan, Yu Xinqiao said you''re not a real man, can you tolerate that?!


    TN:


    ML went from delinquent to lawyer. Oh how the turns have tabled!

 CH 5

    5. I want to date the most handsome boy in the school!


    Yu X¨©nqiao: "..."


    He didn''t learn anything at all. It could be said that the essence was completely lost.


    There was no need to correct him either. Yu Xinqiao cleared his throat and said, "Just knowing me is enough."


    Xu Yanhuan remained silent and instead looked at the deformed soda can in Yu Xinqiao ''s hand.


    Yu Xinqiao followed his gaze and lowered his head, his eyes lighting up.


    He happened to be thirsty.


    He raised the soda can and swiftly pulled the tab. Xu Yanhuan  lifted his hand as if to stop him, but he was too late. There was a "pop" sound, and the pressurized carbonated beverage, shaken by the release, couldn''t withstand the pressure and gushed out with a rush of gas.


    Yu Xinqiao, caught off guard, was sprayed all over his hands, chest, and face. He quickly used his other hand to retrieve tissues from his pocket and hastily wiped himself.


    After using five sheets of tissue, he suddenly realized that he had also sprayed someone else. He pulled out a new tissue and handed it over, saying, "You wipe yourself too."


    Xu Yanhuan  didn''t take it, his hands already in his pants pocket.


    Yu Xinqiao leaned over to look and saw the yellow drink stains splattered on the white t-shirt, making a distressing sight. He couldn''t stand dirtiness and almost instinctively used the tissue to wipe the stain. Just as he was about to touch it, Xu Yanhuan  retreated half a step towards the wall.


    Yu Xinqiao choked.


    Don''t tell me he thought I was trying to take advantage?


    Thinking about the "intimate contact" just now, the recently dispelled distractions seemed to return to his mind. Yu Xinqiao raised his hand and touched his earlobe. He noticed that the temperature was off and realized that the sticky syrup he hadn''t cleaned off his hand had gotten on his ear.


    "..."


    This is just too embarrassing.


    As Yu Xinqiao struggled with whether to find a faucet to wash his hands first or to throw away the dirty tissues in his hands, Xu Yanhuan  brushed past him and walked towards the alley entrance.


    Yu Xinqiao attempted to call him back, but just as he was about to say "Hu¨¢n," Xu Yanhuan , who had taken only a couple of steps, turned around, his gaze cold as he looked back.


    "Hu¨¢n, Classmate X¨²." Yu Xinqiao''s tongue took a turn, "Should I bring you the money for the drink on Monday?"


    Xu Yanhuan  stood still, looking at him intently for a moment, then opened his lips and said, "No need," before turning and walking away.


    Watching that seemingly cold figure fade away, Yu Xinqiao took a while to snap out of it.


    "No need," what does that mean?


    Was he treating me to a drink?


    There was still about half a can of the drink in his hand. Yu Xinqiao brought it to his mouth and tilted his head back, finishing it in one gulp.


    During the break on Monday morning, Yu Xinqiao walked to the corner of the classroom''s last row and took out three coins from his pocket, neatly placing them on Xu Yanhuan ''s desk.


    Just as he returned to his seat, Liang Y¨¬ grabbed him and whispered, "Why are you giving money to Xu Yanhuan ?"


    "Repaying a debt," Yu Xinqiao replied.


    "When did you owe him money? Why didn''t I know?" Liang Y¨¬ asked.


    "There are many things you don''t know," Yu Xinqiao said.


    Liang Y¨¬ felt annoyed for a while and asked, "Is it related to you staining your clothes yesterday? Did you meet him?"


    After returning to Shen Deye''s home yesterday,Yu Xinqiao immediately took off his coat and put it in the sink. Only after being reminded by Shen D¨¢ye''s mother did he realize that wool coats couldn''t be washed with water. He hurriedly took it out and sent it to a nearby dry cleaner''s.


    This flaw of lacking common sense in life was fully manifested on the same day.


    Yu Xinqiao didn''t want to bring it up again. "I did meet him, but staining my clothes had nothing to do with him. Don''t make wild guesses."


    Shen Deye, who was sitting in the front row, joined in the conversation, "What are you guys talking about? Who did you meet?"


    Liang Y¨¬ said, "Xu Yanhuan ."


    Shen Dayethought of Xu Yanhuan''s fierce gaze and the pain of falling on his head, and shivered, "Why did he go to the wholesale market? It''s not because of me calling him ''Hu¨¢n Hu¨¢n'' last time, is it?"


    Yu Xinqiao chuckled and said, "He''s not that petty."


    Liang Y¨¬ noticed something, "How do you know he''s not petty? What happened yesterday?"


    Xu Yanhuan  was like a mystery. Not only fellow students, even the teachers couldn''t help but be curious about him.


    Recalling yesterday when Yu Xinqiao saw Xu Yanhuan  working at a barbecue stall and even getting into a fight, he decided to help keep his secret.


    He first asked Shen Daye, "Hey, don''t you usually buy food from the market?"


    Shen Dayereplied, "My mom says the food at those small stalls isn''t clean, so she never lets me buy from there."


    Yu Xinqiao nodded, "I guess Xu Yanhuan ''s mom doesn''t really care about him. Yesterday, I just saw him passing by the market. He was probably going to eat something."


    Liang Y¨¬ and Shen Daye: ?


    Yu Xinqiao shrugged, "After all, the food there is delicious and cheap."


    That day, Yu Xinqiaocouldn''t go home on time after school.


    He entrusted his weekend homework to Liang Y¨¬, but this guy was too busy playing games and hadn''t even finished his own work. He only managed to complete the multiple-choice questions for Yu Xinqiao''s portion.


    They were all filled with "C." When the English teacher finished grading the assignments, she called Yu Xinqiao to her office and asked him, "Are you too lazy to even open your eyes when you randomly fill in the answers?"


    After school in the afternoon, Yu Xinqiao was forced to stay in the classroom and redo the weekend English test. During that time, he received a message from Li¨¢ng Y¨¬ on WeChat, a dog holding an umbrella for another dog. Yu Xinqiao replied with a dog taking the umbrella and said, "Thank you, I really like it," then put his phone back in his pocket.


    Actually, Yu Xinqiao''s English grades were decent. Before transferring to X¨²nch¨¦ng, he attended an international school where there were more people speaking English than Chinese. As a result, he could finish his test papers quickly and even had time to take out his earphones and listen to some music.


    He used the iPod that Yao Qiongy¨©ng gave him many years ago, with 8GB of memory. Besides piano compositions, there was only enough space for a few classic English songs.


    As a melodious song with a gentle prelude played, Yu Xinqiao relaxed his body along with the music and looked out the window.


    His gaze crossed the corridor and fell on the playground bathed in the evening sun. A young boy claimed the basketball court before it got dark, standing tall yet lonely.


    Yu Xinqiao heard the lyrics in his earphones:


    Feel my feet above the ground


    Hand of God, deliver me


    The young boy on the playground started jumping, his feet lightly leaving the ground. The basketball traced a parabola against the backdrop of the golden sunset and landed precisely in the center of the hoop.


    After packing his bag, Yu Xinqiao slowly walked outside and locked the classroom door.


    The road to the school gate passes through the playground, so when Yu Xinqiao saw the person who was shooting hoops earlier, he was now picking up his backpack from under the basketball hoop.


    Standing up straight, their eyes unintentionally met. Yu Xinqiao hesitated whether to say hello or not, but then he saw Xu Yanhuan casually shift his gaze away, just like yesterday at the barbecue stall, as if he didn''t recognize him at all.


    ...Forget it.


    Yu Xinqiao decided to pretend he hadn''t seen Xu Yanhuan and turned his face away, earnestly studying the honor roll displayed in the showcase next to him.


    It was the overall class ranking for the first semester of the second year. By chance, he spotted Xu Yanhuan''s name in the first row, fifth place.


    No wonder he can sleep in class and get into fights after class.


    No wonder so many people write love letters to him. High school students have similar aesthetic standards, and who wouldn''t like a good-looking guy with good grades?


    Yu Xinqiao now had a clear understanding of what Liang Yi meant by "decent grades" and involuntarily began to recall the accident from yesterday.


    He didn''t know what happened to that loud-voiced man. Did he suffer any injuries?


    Yu Xinqiao remembered the man saying that he would come to the school to find Xu Yanhuan, but lending money at high interest rates is illegal, so they shouldn''t dare to make a big fuss, right?


    If they really did come, the school security guards are old and have aging limbs. Can they stop them?


    Lost in thought, Yu Xinqiao caught a glimpse of the person walking in front of him stopping.


    Xu Yanhuan put down his backpack, took out a stack of unopened envelopes from it, and tossed them all into the nearby trash bin.


    Yu Xinqiao: "..."


    So, these are the love letters given by their classmates. This is their final destination.


    He wondered how long these letters had been accumulating there when he saw Xu Yanhuan swing his backpack over his shoulder and, in one swift motion, turn around, startled by a small dog wagging its tail beside him, which appeared out of nowhere.


    The reason Yu Xinqiao concluded that Xu Yanhuan was scared was because his sudden and swift step back was quite unexpected.


    He almost bumped into the trash bin.


    The dog seemed surprised by its own power, tilting its head and looking at the bulky human rummaging through the trash in front of it.


    The scene was somewhat comical.


    Yu Xinqiao chuckled, unable to hold back his laughter, and redirected Xu Yanhuan''s attention from the dog to himself.


    On Xu Yanhuan''s previously icy face, there was finally a different expression, although the change was so subtle that it was hard to describe.


    Feeling awkward, Yu Xinqiao searched his mind for something to say and brought up an old topic: "Did you receive the money for the drink?"


    When he placed the coins on Xu Yanhuan''s desk, Xu Yanhuan was asleep.


    He can sleep so much during the day, what does he do at night?


    Yu Xinqiao couldn''t bring himself to ask that question.


    Xu Yanhuan responded with a soft "En."


    Perhaps worried that the person five meters away couldn''t hear him, before turning away, he added in a nonchalant tone, "Thank you."


    Even when Yu Xinqiao returned home, he still couldn''t figure out what the "thank you" was for.


    But it didn''t matter. What mattered more was that Xu Yanhuan''s face lost color when he was startled by the "vicious dog."


    Humming a song, Yu Xinqiao went to the kitchen to prepare a bowl of noodles for himself. The cook will be on duty next week, and the housekeeper came in the afternoon. As Yu Xinqiao slurped his noodles, he wiped the table with his fingers, rubbing his thumb over it, and not a speck of dust remained¡ªa clean and tidy environment as rumored.


    In a rare good mood, his phone rang, and the screen displayed "Mrs. Yao."


    Yu Xinqiao put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth with a tissue, and answered the call with a low voice, "Mom."


    Yao Qiongying went straight to the point, "Your father told me that you want to buy a piano there?"


    "Yes, I can''t stop practicing." Yu Xinqiao said, "I''m planning to use the red packet money I saved to buy a second-hand one. If I don''t need it anymore, I can..."


    Before he could finish saying the words "sell it," Yao Qiongying interrupted him, "Seems like you''re adapting well. I thought you wouldn''t be able to handle that kind of place."


    This was the first phone call Yu Xinqiao had with his mother after arriving in Xuncheng.


    He really didn''t want to make her angry at all.


    "Xuncheng is quite nice." Yu Xinqiao tried to maintain a calm tone, "The air is fresh, classmates are friendly, and the cost of living, including meals, is cheaper than in the capital."


    He heard Yao Qiongying snort on the other end of the line.


    "You can go ahead and be stubborn with me. In the end, it''s you who will lose." Yao Qiongying was a high-level executive of a listed company, and she always had the final say, whether at work or at home. Even when facing her own son, her attitude remained strong. "Without the educational resources of the capital, without your parents'' care, I want to see what kind of situation you can make for yourself."


    Yu Xinqiao also had a stubborn spirit of not wanting to lose. After enduring and enduring, he couldn''t hold back anymore and said, "Then you just watch and see what kind of person I can become!"


    This phone call freed Yu Xinqiao from the shackles and concerns of his rebellious youth, officially entering the boiling climax.


    He first contacted his father, Yu Hanzhang, and told the two housekeepers not to come anymore. Then he sent back the bank card that Yu Hanzhang had given him through express delivery.


    The red envelope money he received from various elders throughout his life was enough to cover his daily expenses in Xuncheng, and it was even sufficient for him to buy a decent second-hand piano. As for the house, Yu Xinqiao decided to brazenly continue living in it. After all, it was a gift from his father, Yu Hanzhang, and had nothing to do with his mother, Yao Qiongying.


    Although he was still nine months away from adulthood, because he was a minor, his parents still had the obligation to support him, so it was not unreasonable for him to take advantage of them.


    Would a mother really kick her child out of the house just because he was open about his sexual orientation? Mrs. Yao, being such a mature person, not only lacked open-mindedness but also lacked understanding. She went on a hunger strike, causing him to worry for several days.


    At night, curled up in his bed, Yu Xinqiao wiped away the tears that welled up in the corners of his eyes, feeling wronged and indignant. Since you look down on my choices, I am determined to live a splendid life here!


    I will happily go to school and joyfully play the piano!


    I insist on becoming someone!


    I want to fall in love too! With the most handsome guy in the whole school!


    So, on Tuesday, other classmates from different classes knocked on the window near the corridor, asking Yu Xinqiao to help deliver love letters. Yu Xinqiao grinned widely and said, "Sorry, I can''t help."


    Liang Yi found it strange and asked why he couldn''t help. Yu Xinqiao replied solemnly, "Being kind to enemies is being cruel to oneself."


    Liang Yi: ?


    This week, they started having morning exercises between classes.


    Xu Yanhuan, being tall, stood at the end of the line.


    Normally, this position should provide a panoramic view and make it difficult for others to observe you. However, today, during a flag-raising speech followed by radio gymnastics, for about fifteen minutes, he felt like he was being closely watched.


    As a result, when they returned to the classroom, Xu Yanhuan not only didn''t lie down to sleep but also remained mentally tense, afraid that a little dog would come out and rub against his pant legs and lick them.


    Instead of the robust vicious dog, he encountered a slender... human.


    During the fourth period in the morning, when the class ended, students went out in groups to find food. Xu Yanhuan noticed a figure approaching his desk, and when he lifted his eyes, he met a pair of curved smiling eyes.


    Yu Xinqiao had big eyes, fair skin, and a contrasting dark and bright iris. When he was focused, he easily exuded deep affection.


    That day, in the alley of the wholesale market, Xu Yanhuan noticed this.


    Therefore, he had to be even more vigilant.


    Leaning back, arms crossed, Xu Yanhuan used body language to ask, "What''s the matter?"


    Yu Xinqiao didn''t beat around the bush and took out a light blue envelope from his pocket and handed it over. "For you."


    Xu Yanhuan glanced at the envelope and asked, "What is it?"


    "A love letter, I wrote it."


    Having never written a love letter before, Yu Xinqiao was actually very nervous, his legs felt weak.


    He originally wanted to place the letter on the desk but felt it was unsafe. After observing for a while, he pinched the corner of the envelope, and discreetly tucked it into the bend of Xu Yanhuan''s arms crossed in front of his chest.


    Xu Yanhuan: "..."


    In order to prevent this love letter from ending up in the trash bin next to the playground tonight, Yu Xinqiao already had a trump card in his hand.


    He leaned forward, using a volume that only the two of them could hear, and threatened Xu Yanhuan with determination, "If you dare to throw it away, I will reveal the fact that you''re afraid of small dogs!"


    --------------------


    Author¡¯s Note:


    Xu Yanhuan: You scared me. (With an indifferent face)


    The song is "Mystery of Love."


    The first half of the story has more flashbacks. Let''s return to the present timeline in Chapter 7.


    TN:


    What to take from this chapter: Being kind to your enemies is being cruel to oneself.

 CH 6

    At first, the news of Yu Xinqiao pursuing Xu Yanhuan only circulated within a small circle.


    The most shocked were Liang Yi and Shen Daye, but their focuses were different.


    Liang Yi: "You actually like guys!?"


    Shen Daye: "Xu Yanhuan is so fierce-looking, always wearing a gloomy face. What do you see in him?"


    Yu Xinqiao replied straightforwardly, "Yeah, I''m gay. He''s not fierce-looking, he''s a handsome gloomy guy."


    Liang Yi, a conservative male high school student from a third-tier city, couldn''t believe there was a gay guy around him. He Tangyue provided him with a popular science lesson on the animated series they watched as kids. When he learned that Xuetu and Taoyi were in love, it seemed like his beliefs were crumbling, and he felt uneasy.


    "But...but they''re just good friends, right?"


    He Tangyue showed him screenshots from the animation and said, "Would you feed each other and pinch each other''s cheeks with your good friends?"


    Liang Yi looked at Shen Da Ye and hesitated, "Feeding each other isn''t a big deal. We often do that, but as for pinching cheeks..."


    Shen Daye had a premonition and quickly jumped back, saying, "Don''t come near me!"


    He Tangyue laughed uncontrollably, "Why are you guys so gay gay?"


    During class, Liang Yi passed a small note to Yu Xinqiao: Are you really pursuing him?


    Yu Xinqiao responded with a funny doodle of a shy face, indicating confirmation.


    Liang Yi asked again: So, do you want to be Xuetu or Taoyi?


    Damn! He was already concerned about whether his brother was a 0 or a 1.


    After thinking for a moment, Yu Xinqiao replied: If I have to choose, then it''s Taoyi.


    Because Taoyi looks so tender and cute, Yu Xinqiao also wants to pinch his cheeks.


    This time, Liang Yi''s reply was very encouraging: Well done, no wonder you''re my bro! Go for it!! Take down Xu Xuetu in no time!!!


    The main contradiction at the moment is not about taking him down in minutes or seconds but whether Xu Yanhuan can accept a guy being interested in him.


    He Tangyue, who had been in the same school as Xu Yanhuan since middle school, said that she had never seen Xu Yanhuan in a romantic relationship with anyone on this planet all these years. This situation could either mean that he''s having a secret affair and hiding it well or he hasn''t developed romantic feelings yet, despite being so handsome.


    Yu Xinqiao thought the first scenario was unlikely. Based on observations, Xu Yanhuan didn''t even have a cell phone, so how would he stay in touch with a partner? Moreover, he attended classes and worked on weekends, leaving no time for a relationship.


    That left the second scenario, that he hadn''t awakened to romance.


    After all, how could there be a guy who isn''t curious about the contents of a love letter? If it were Yu Xinqiao himself, even if he didn''t open it directly, he would find a stall in the restroom and secretly read it.


    And besides, Xu Yanhuan didn''t refuse.


    Thinking that the love letter he wrote was already in Xu Yanhuan''s bag, Yu Xinqiao''s confidence soared, feeling that his chances of success were high.


    Awakening to romance can happen in an instant. Maybe with a little more effort, he could win over this handsome guy and hold his head high in front of Mrs. Yao.


    Dreams are abundant, but reality can be disappointing. Some efforts are destined to take time before yielding results.


    Yu Xinqiao was an action-oriented person. He went online and found "Twenty Little Techniques You Must Master to Pursue Someone," printed it out, and stuck it by his bedside, strictly following the instructions.


    For example, waking up five minutes earlier every day and buying breakfast on the way to school, placing it on Xu Yanhuan''s desk before other classmates arrive. Even though Xu Yanhuan didn''t even glance at it, the breakfast ended up in the stomach of the student in front of him every time.


    Another example is to cater to his interests. Yu Xinqiao bought a basketball and shared the same basketball court with Xu Yanhuan after school. He applauded enthusiastically when Xu Yanhuan made a three-pointer, only to be hit on the head by a stray basketball, leaving him sitting on the ground unable to get up for a while.


    For example, in order to improve himself, Yu Xinqiao persisted in attending classes attentively without sleeping, but ended up with eyes staring like copper bells and his soul drifting away. After class, he inevitably received a page of completely incomprehensible ghostly notes.


    ...


    In order to show his love for sports, Yu Xinqiao even tearfully attended the physical education class. Unexpectedly, this class was practicing long jump. Due to his cleanliness obsession, Yu Xinqiao was worried about sand getting into his shoes. After a quick run-up, he leaped and landed on the edge of the sand pit with a zero score, and was punished by the physical education teacher to run five laps around the playground.


    While panting and running, Yu Xinqiao didn''t forget to make a heart gesture to the crowd, causing laughter around the playground.


    Liang Yi and Shen Daye exchanged a knowing look and both looked in the same direction. They saw Xu Yanhuan standing with his hands in his pockets, expressionless and indifferent.


    After more than a week of struggling, Yu Xinqiao not only did not give up, but became more courageous as he was challenged. In the first 17 years of his life, he was always the one being pursued. When he first pursued someone, he encountered great difficulty, which stimulated his hidden desire to conquer and his competitiveness.


    It was like when he wanted to learn piano. His mother thought he was too impulsive to persist, but he insisted on playing and wanted everyone to know that "if I can''t do it, who else can?" Once he made up his mind, the whole world would help him.


    He deeply understood the meaning of this sentence at the second-hand piano store in the wholesale market on the weekend. Yu Xinqiao spotted a Yamaha upright piano in good condition. Just as he was passionately playing a piece by Bach, he lifted his head and saw a familiar figure.


    Students from Xuncheng No. 2 High School generally do not wear school uniforms on weekends, except for those from families with poor conditions. Xu Yanhuan was wearing a white short-sleeved T-shirt and blue school pants, which seemed inconspicuous but unexpectedly eye-catching. As soon as he entered the market, he was greeted by the owners of two shops, who asked him to help unload goods.


    At this time, it was the peak period of goods entering and leaving the market. If he met a boss with a large amount of goods and in a hurry, he might be able to earn some extra hourly wages.


    Xu Yanhuan first went to the store that sold wholesale drinks. Just as he finished carrying two boxes back and forth, the middle-aged and well-fed fat boss came over and asked casually, "Xiao Xu, how did the problem with Lao Liu''s barbecue stall get resolved?"


    He was referring to the incident last week when they were chased by loan sharks at the barbecue stall.


    "Lao Liu said there was no loss and he didn''t ask me for compensation," Xu Yanhuan said, lifting the box in his hand. "I plan to work for Lao Liu for free for a couple of days."


    The fat boss nodded, seemingly reassured. Before leaving, he warned, "I think those people may still come after you, so be careful."


    Xu Yanhuan understood that he needed to be careful not for himself, but for the goods he was carrying.


    As he carefully placed the box in the shop, in that instant of turning around, Xu Yanhuan collided with a gaze aimed towards him. Seeing the person sitting by the piano in the opposite store, Xu Yanhuan calmly and deliberately adjusted his face mask.


    Upon seeing this, Yu Xinqiao couldn''t help but feel speechless. Does he think I won''t recognize him if he wears a mask?


    Feeling a bit annoyed, Yu Xinqiao snorted, turned his face away, and continued playing. However, his thoughts were no longer on the piano. He played a short piece and couldn''t help but look outside, calculating in his mind¡ª


    If one box of 24 bottles of orange juice, each bottle being 500 milliliters, is considered, then one box weighs 24 kilograms. Three boxes stacked together would be 72 kilograms. Impressive strength, young hero!


    Looking again, there were six layers of stacked boxes, with five boxes on each layer, making it 30 x 24 = 720 bottles. That would be enough to drink one bottle per day for two years!


    The owner of the piano store, surnamed Huang, stayed up late watching a match yesterday and now he''s extremely sleepy. He slept on the recliner at the entrance and woke up to see a customer in the store, a music enthusiast who came twice to buy a piano. The enthusiast''s neck seemed to have been stretched like a giraffe''s, with his hands still on the piano keys, but his eyes were fixated on the young man moving goods outside.


    Leisurely getting up and lighting a cigarette, Mr. Huang stood at the entrance and glanced across with the young pianist. While exhaling a puff of white smoke, he suddenly said, "Do you like him?"


    Yu Xinqiao, who was caught off guard, reacted like a cat with its tail stepped on. His fingers uncontrollably played a series of random notes.


    Still trying to save face and appear calm, he said, "No," but his ears turned red with embarrassment.


    An hour later, Yu Xinqiao chose the Yamaha piano he had initially tried. After paying the bill, Mr. Huang, along with a worker, carefully wrapped the piano in a soft cloth. Then, they brought a pickup truck and called the neighboring shop owner to help. Together, they lifted the piano onto the truck.


    Worried about the piano getting damaged, Yu Xinqiao supervised the whole process. Mr. Huang asked if he wanted to go with the truck, and of course, he agreed.


    However, the pickup truck only had two seats, one for Mr. Huang and one for the worker, leaving no available seats.


    "Where should I sit?" Yu Xinqiao questioned.


    Mr. Huang extended his thumb and pointed to the back. Yu Xinqiao looked at the truck bed, which was already occupied by the piano, taking up most of the space. "Sit here? Won''t we get caught by the traffic police?" he asked.


    "We''ll take a side road," Mr. Huang, with his experienced tone, replied. "Even if there are traffic police, just lie down and make sure they don''t see you."


    Yu Xinqiao climbed up with skepticism and found a piece of stiff cardboard to sit on before taking his seat.


    The vehicle moved unsteadily towards the outskirts of the market. Yu Xinqiao overheard Mr. Huang talking to the worker about needing one more person, as at least three people were required to move the piano.


    "Doesn''t that make three people, including me?" Yu Xinqiao asked.


    Mr. Huang turned around, glanced at him through the glass, and with a disdainful expression said, "You don''t count."


    Yu Xinqiao: "..."


    They continued to search for "strong men."


    Xu Yanhuan had just finished moving for two households and was planning to find the next one when he saw Mr. Huang, who had been absent from the store for twenty-nine days, slowly driving his pickup truck. Mr. Huang reached his hand out of the window and waved, saying, "Do you have time, Xiao Xu?"


    Having helped Mr. Huang move pianos several times before, Xu Yanhuan agreed on the price. He stretched his long legs and climbed onto the back of the truck.


    Only after getting on did he realize there were other people present.


    He didn''t expect someone like Yu Xinqiao to be sitting in this kind of vehicle. He looked too much like a delicate and troublesome rich young master.


    In fact, it was true. Xu Yanhuan had witnessed Yu Xinqiao throwing a pair of dirty shoes, worn during a physical education class, into the trash bin and coming to school the next day wearing another pair of the same style but in a different color.


    He had seen those shoes in the store where he worked. They had a price tag starting with a figure in the thousands, equivalent to their family''s food expenses for a year.


    Naturally, he didn''t believe such a person could be sincere.


    It was merely a matter of finding it novel, entertaining, and using money or other benefits to exchange for the vain satisfaction of taming others.


    Xu Yanhuan had encountered too many people like that, and Yu Xinqiao was just one of them.


    With these thoughts in mind, Xu Yanhuan found an empty spot, bent his legs, and sat down. He supported the piano with one hand and leaned against the railing, intentionally avoiding any communication.


    Meanwhile, Yu Xinqiao was thinking, "I''ve been pursuing him for several days. He can''t still not know my name, right?"


    As the vehicle traveled on the smooth road, Yu Xinqiao held onto one of the piano legs and moved closer to Xu Yanhuan''s direction. "What a coincidence, Huan, classmate Xu," he said.


    Xu Yanhuan didn''t turn around or speak. Yu Xinqiao thought he hadn''t heard and moved closer again, saying, "Have you eaten?"


    Still no response.


    Through these past few days of observation, Yu Xinqiao knew that Xu Yanhuan had this indifferent attitude towards everyone. Instead of getting discouraged, Yu Xinqiao became even more interested and started talking to himself.


    "I came here to buy a piano. Originally, Xiao Yi and Grandpa were supposed to come with me, but they got caught and were taken to write on the blackboard unexpectedly."


    "You''re close with Mr. Huang, right? He''s a good person. The price he gave me was really reasonable."


    "Do you work here often? Don''t worry, I haven''t told anyone about you working outside of school."


    ...


    Xu Yanhuan pretended not to hear the long string of comments until Yu Xinqiao suddenly sat up straight. "By the way, aren''t you afraid of dogs? Are you afraid of that kind of dog?" he asked.


    Upon hearing about dogs, Xu Yanhuan glanced in the direction Yu Xinqiao pointed. On the sidewalk by the road, he saw a burly man walking a small-sized Bichon Frise that contrasted greatly with him.


    Just how small was it? It didn''t seem to weigh more than four pounds, bone and fur included.


    "..."


    Xu Yanhuan didn''t feel like talking even more.


    However, Yu Xinqiao felt encouraged by his reaction and grew bolder.


    At this point, they had reached the bustling city center, surrounded by noise. What Yu Xinqiao was about to say next was quite important, so he leaned even further forward. "Did you read the love letter I gave you?" he asked.


    As he spoke, a warm breath brushed against the edge of Xu Yanhuan''s ear. His shoulder involuntarily twitched, and just as he was about to move away, a piercing horn suddenly sounded.


    Simultaneously, an abrupt brake turned into an invisible hand that pulled the two people in the truck bed backward and forcefully pushed them forward. In his haste, Xu Yanhuan immediately lunged forward, using his body to shield the piano, especially the side near the railing.


    The piano was protected, but it wasn''t secured. In case of any impact, Mr. Huang''s efforts would likely have been in vain.


    As for the other person in the truck bed...


    Xu Yanhuan shifted his gaze and saw a furry head pressed against his right shoulder.


    Yu Xinqiao opened his arms in an embracing gesture, protecting Xu Yanhuan on both sides of his body, his eyes wide with nervousness. "Are you okay? Did you get hurt anywhere?"


    After safely transporting the piano into Yu Xinqiao''s home, Mr. Huang explained that an electric scooter had crossed the road against the red light just now. If he hadn''t hit the brakes in time, they might have been taken away by the traffic police, piano and all.


    The worker sitting in the passenger seat still had lingering fear. "And you have the nerve to say that. That sudden brake almost threw me out of the truck."


    Mr. Huang said, "The two people and the piano in the truck bed are perfectly fine. You were wearing a seatbelt, so what''s there to be afraid of?"


    Yu Xinqiao, who was covering the newly purchased piano with a dust cover, turned his head upon hearing this and said seriously, "It''s not just about the piano being damaged. What if someone got hurt?"


    Mr. Huang smiled apologetically and assured them that he would be more careful in the future.


    Before the group left, Yu Xinqiao shouted to hold on and rummaged through the coffee table cabinet in the living room. He hurriedly ran to the entrance, carrying something.


    After moving the piano inside, Xu Yanhuan went outside to wait. By now, he was starting to get impatient. When he saw Yu Xinqiao reaching out to touch his arm, he instinctively dodged and moved away.


    Yu Xinqiao''s hand touched nothing, but he didn''t get angry. He rolled up the object in his hand and stuffed it into Xu Yanhuan''s pants pocket. Then, he pointed at Xu Yanhuan''s hand and said, "You take care of it yourself."


    Xu Yanhuan lowered his head and saw a small red mark on the back of his right hand where the skin had been scraped by the door frame while moving the piano.


    Yu Xinqiao was also looking at it and made a sympathetic noise, as if feeling the pain for him. He couldn''t help adding, "Don''t forget, okay?"


    On the way back, Xu Yanhuan sat in the passenger seat.


    When he closed the car door and fastened his seatbelt, he felt a bulge in his pocket. He took it out and saw a roll of band-aids.


    Mr. Huang, in the driver''s seat, leaned over and looked, smiling with a meaningful expression. "Are you two classmates?"


    Xu Yanhuan put the band-aids back in his pocket and looked ahead without much expression. "Drive."


    Mr. Huang made a dissatisfied face and stepped on the gas pedal, prompting a loud curse from the worker in the truck bed, "Can''t you drive properly?"


    Within the residential area, there was a speed limit for vehicles. In order to take the nearest exit, Mr. Huang made a U-turn at the intersection.


    Therefore, as the car slowly passed the road they had just traveled, Xu Yanhuan saw Yu Xinqiao''s petite figure standing at the doorway, waving goodbye to them.


    When the car drove far away and Xu Yanhuan looked in the rearview mirror, he saw Yu Xinqiao still standing there, vigorously patting the dust off his body. He started from his chest, patting all the way to his buttocks and then his heels, not missing any part.


    Indeed, he was a delicate young master.


    Even the band-aids had curly-haired puppy patterns on them.


    It was dusk, and Xu Yanhuan leaned his arm on the window frame, enjoying the leisurely and relaxed feeling that he had missed for a long time.


    Bathed in the early spring sunset, a warm breeze brushed against the wound on the back of his hand. It didn''t hurt, only a slight itchiness.


    It felt as if the wind was blowing inside his heart.


    --------------------


    The truck bed is not for sitting! Not for sitting! Not for sitting! In reality, it''s important to follow traffic rules!


    The next chapter returns to the real-life storyline.

 CH 7

    7. I was willing.


    In the position with the best lighting by the window, there stood a vertical piano.


    It seemed to be regularly cleaned, as the black lacquered body showed no obvious dust. Opening the piano lid, Yu Xinqiao casually pressed a few keys, and the sound was accurate, indicating that it had been well maintained.


    So, was this room a study or a music room?


    Or perhaps it served both functions?


    However, a study requires silence, and the piano could easily be placed in the living room.


    Yu Xinqiao looked at the desk, which was piled high with thick law books and case files. It was clearly Xu Yanhuan''s exclusive territory, and perhaps he had even been working here last night.


    Could it be that I actually bought this house, and Xu Yanhuan, under the circumstances, had to agree to move the piano into the study?


    While pondering, Yu Xinqiao absentmindedly flipped through the sheet music placed on the piano and unintentionally discovered something at the bottom.


    It was the property deed, with a bright red cover that looked auspicious. Inside, it detailed the location and size of the house, as well as the names of the owners¡ªXu Yanhuan and Yu Xinqiao.


    Tucked inside were receipts for the down payment and a loan agreement from a bank, bearing a single name, Xu Yanhuan. It was a 30-year term loan with a monthly payment of over 30,000 yuan, which made even the spendthrift Yu Xinqiao''s heart skip a beat.


    Turning the page, a paper filled with English fell out, Marriage Certificate.


    It was from California, USA, and the names on it matched those on the property deed.


    Even the issuance dates were nearly the same, November 23rd of last year, the day after Yu Xinqiao''s birthday.


    He felt an urgent need to access more information through his phone.


    However, consecutive incorrect passwords had put his phone in a locked state, and if he got it wrong again, the device might automatically trigger an alarm and permanently lock.


    Yu Xinqiao, an atheist, clasped his hands together, silently recited a prayer, and sought the blessings of the Bodhisattva. He picked up his phone and pressed the screen to wake it up.


    He had tried his own birthday, his parents'' birthdays, and even Xu Yanhuan''s birthday, but none of them worked. So perhaps it was some other anniversary?


    Four fresh digits appeared in his mind, and Yu Xinqiao took a deep breath, his thumb trembling as he pressed them down.


    ...


    Unlocked.


    It wasn''t the day of receiving an award, nor was it the day of graduation.


    It was 1123, the wedding anniversary.


    Having regained control of his phone after numerous difficulties, before he even had a chance to look at it, a call came in.


    After answering, Liang Yi was pleasantly surprised. "Did you retrieve your password? Have your memories returned?"


    Yu Xinqiao replied, "The password is unlocked. The memories aren''t."


    "Take it slowly, don''t rush," Liang Yi said. "I called to let you know that the Beijing Philharmonic Orchestra has already negotiated a postponement for you this month. They will wait until you''re ready to schedule the new performance."


    "They didn''t have any objections?"


    "No, after all, it was due to unforeseen circumstances. Everyone understands. And they have a plan B, so they can still perform on schedule without you."


    Yu Xinqiao felt relieved. "That''s good."


    Speaking of the car accident, he learned from Liang Yi that the accident occurred on a road in the northern part of the city. The surveillance footage showed that he was driving out of a residential area at that time. Yu Xinqiao was stunned. "Birch Forest Residential Area? I''ve never heard of that place."


    "It''s near the textile factory. Don''t you have any impression?"


    "None... absolutely none."


    "Maybe you were going to meet a friend? Look through your chat history later, perhaps you''ll find an answer."


    Liang Yi hoped that Yu Xinqiao would recover his memory as soon as possible, so he asked him to share the discoveries he made at home. Perhaps he could help him find answers and facilitate the recovery of his memories.


    Yu Xinqiao thought for a moment. "Is the piano here mine?"


    "Of course, it''s the one you bought after returning to the country. After you married Xu Yanhuan, you moved the piano to your new house together."


    "Then before that, before I said I was going to marry Xu Yanhuan, where did I live?"


    "You lived in your own home, which is your parents'' house."


    It seemed that the relationship with his parents had indeed improved, at least not as terrible as it was in the past.


    There were still some things that Yu Xinqiao didn''t know if he should ask. "Um, do you know if the house I''m currently living in was bought by Xu Yanhuan?"


    Liang Yi was shocked. "Didn''t he just graduate? Where did he get so much money?"


    That was also what Yu Xinqiao wanted to know. Even if Xu Yanhuan could earn money and work multiple jobs, he couldn''t keep up with the skyrocketing housing prices in the capital.


    Where did he get the money to buy a house? Why did he choose to buy a house at that particular time? Was it also because of my pressure, just like the marriage?


    The twenty-four-year-old Yu Xinqiao seemed too overbearing, forcing someone to marry him, live in their house, occupying the master bedroom, and even squeezing the piano into their study.


    ...


    It was all speculation. A person with amnesia and someone unaware of the situation couldn''t discuss any useful information.


    Yu Xinqiao changed the topic. "I have a friend who set their wedding anniversary as their phone password. What does that mean?"


    There was a brief silence on the other end of the phone, and Liang Yi spoke with a frustrated tone. "What could it mean? It obviously means you still love him a lot!"


    Yu Xinqiao remained silent.


    It sounded as if I used to love him so much.


    Taking advantage of the freshness of his memories from when he was seventeen or eighteen, Yu Xinqiao carefully reviewed them and confirmed that he had never said he loved him, and even chasing after him had an element of defiance against his mother.


    In the eyes of musicians throughout history, love was a passing breeze, a medicine, a moonlit melody on the shimmering water. But for the eighteen-year-old Yu Xinqiao, time stood still, wounds hadn''t healed, and all he could hear were the fragmented sounds of moonlight breaking apart.


    So, that couldn''t be considered love.


    It seems that the end of love might be marriage, but marriage doesn''t necessarily require love.


    Yu Xinqiao planned to go out for lunch and, as someone who had "traveled" from six years ago, needed to know the surrounding environment.


    He randomly picked a set of clothes from the wardrobe, a light-colored hoodie jacket with work pants. He gestured in front of the mirror, a charming and youthful little handsome guy.


    While he was changing clothes, the other owner of the house came back.


    Not seeing anyone in the living and dining room upon entering, Xu Yanhuan changed his shoes and headed towards the master bedroom. The door was partially closed, and with a gentle push, his eyes fell on Yu Xinqiao''s bare back.


    The protruding shoulder blades swayed lightly, his gaze lowered slightly, and the faint hollows at the waistline where two dimples half-hidden by the edge of his pants seemed to contract in response, causing the rest of the lines to sway along with them.


    Hearing footsteps at the door, Yu Xinqiao quickly turned his head and swiftly put on the hoodie.


    The collar felt a bit tight around his neck, and when he looked down, he realized he had put it on backward.


    Feeling a bit frustrated, Yu Xinqiao pulled the hoodie off his body. His entire face burned, and he was about to say, "Don''t look," but when he turned around, he found that Xu Yanhuan had already left the room, not knowing when he had gone.


    After changing clothes, Yu Xinqiao searched for the keys before realizing that the door lock here didn''t require keys and could be opened with fingerprints.


    Xu Yanhuan followed him out and they entered the elevator together.


    Inside the elevator, there was a mirror on the front wall, and Yu Xinqiao saw his own face, now at the same height as Xu Yanhuan''s ears.


    It was as if the passing six years had visible evidence. At least now when he lowered his head, he didn''t bump into Xu Yanhuan''s chest but his neck.


    When they reached the first floor, Xu Yanhuan asked, "Where are you going?"


    Yu Xinqiao said, "To eat."


    Xu Yanhuan then reached out his hand in front of Yu Xinqiao as he was about to exit the elevator and also pressed the button for the basement floor.


    They were standing a bit close, and their hands briefly touched during the motion. Yu Xinqiao felt uncomfortable and quickly moved his arm, rubbing the back of his hand against the fabric of his clothes.


    He dared not look at the mirror again, only hearing Xu Yanhuan say, "I''ll take you there."


    It was only when the car was driving on the road that Yu Xinqiao remembered he hadn''t said where they were going to eat.


    The car stopped near an office building. After getting out of the car, they entered a restaurant on the ground floor and took a seat by the window.


    From a distance earlier, Yu Xinqiao already felt familiar with the signboard for this restaurant. It was as if he didn''t need Xu Yanhuan''s guidance; he just knew that this was the place to go.


    The restaurant wasn''t crowded, and the boss lady took their order personally.


    "Are you dining in or getting takeout today?"


    "Dining in."


    "That''s rare... Would you like two portions of shrimp wontons?"


    "En."


    The boss lady gave a meaningful look to Yu Xinqiao, who was sitting across from Xu Yanhuan, and then smiled before returning to the kitchen.


    Yu Xinqiao timely spoke up, "Do you often come here to eat?"


    Xu Yanhuan responded with a " En. It''s convenient since it''s below the law firm."


    Yu Xinqiao nodded. "I never expected you to become a lawyer."


    He thought that only the 18-year-old Yu Xinqiao would make such a remark. After all, at that time, Xu Yanhuan seemed indifferent to everyone and everything around him. It was hard to imagine that he would become a legal professional defending others in court.


    Little did he know that Xu Yanhuan was momentarily taken aback by his words.


    "You said the same thing before," he said, "when we reunited."


    Soon, steaming hot wontons were served.


    The aroma of the food wafted into their nostrils. Yu Xinqiao lowered his gaze, and the porcelain spoon in his hand slowly circled in the soup. "So, when we reunited at the law firm, did I say... something I shouldn''t have said?"


    He still remembered the segment of "partner criteria" that Liang Yi had relayed - at least, it had to be someone like Lawyer Xu.


    As expected, Xu Yanhuan fell silent for a moment, as if unwillingly recalling the scene of being "teased."


    Surprisingly calm when he spoke again, "No."


    Xu Yanhuan said, "You only came to the law firm to handle the power of attorney; we didn''t have any communication."


    Yu Xinqiao replied, "...Is that so?"


    Could it be that Liang Yi remembered it wrong?


    Seizing what seemed to be a suitable opportunity, Xu Yanhuan answered the question from the previous day, "And later, when we got married, it wasn''t because you coerced me."


    He looked at Yu Xinqiao, separated by the steam and six years of distance.


    "I was willing," Xu Yanhuan said.


    --------------------


    Author''s Note:


    This present reality storyline may consist of approximately three chapters.

 CH 8

    8. Only Eighteen Years Old.


    "*I was willing."


    Because of those five words, Yu Xinqiao could hardly taste the food during the meal. His mind was filled with nothing but confusion.


    TN: ÎÒÊÇÔ¸ÒâµÄ The five words


    On the way back after finishing the meal, he finally remembered to ask, "So why didn''t I choose you as my private lawyer when I went to your law firm?"


    With his career focus just shifting to the domestic scene, he couldn''t simply apply the same methods he used abroad. He needed to adapt and make some changes to fit the local context. Therefore, finding a domestic lawyer to act as a representative, responsible for answering legal questions, assessing consequences and risks, became crucial.


    "I specialize in criminal law," Xu Yanhuan replied, "and I haven''t been in the field for long, so my experience is not enough."


    ¡ªThen how much is your salary? Is it enough to cover the mortgage?


    Asking such a question was impolite, so Yu Xinqiao held himself back.


    He took out his phone and opened the lawyer information sent by Liang Yi.


    The surname was Xing, 35 years old, with ten years of experience. The exceptional business capabilities could be seen from the *surname and hairline.


    TN: Not sure about this but i think it¡¯s because the character "ÐÏ" is composed of the radical "ÒØ" (y¨¬), which represents a city or village, and the phonetic component "ÐÐ" (x¨ªng). And "ÐÐ" means profession. He also probably has a receding hairline from working too hard and under pressure.


    But do these law firms really not provide opportunities for newbies to gain experience? Yu Xinqiao began to ponder. The client was his old classmate, which meant he brought the business in, right?


    Or at least, they should give him some profit sharing, shouldn''t they?


    He would have to ask Lawyer Xing about it later.


    After dropping off Yu Xinqiao at home, Xu Yanhuan went back to the law firm.


    Realizing that he hurried back just to have lunch together, Yu Xinqiao felt a subtle and indescribable sensation.


    While feeding the hedgehog, he asked the only other informed being in the world, apart from the Yu Xinqiao with amnesia and the Xu Yanhuan who wouldn¡¯t speak, "*Baobei, can you tell me how we got along after we got married?"


    TN: Baby, treasured object, darling


    He learned from yesterday''s lesson of asking too many unanswerable questions at once, so this time he only asked one.


    However, the hedgehog didn''t buy it. It looked at Yu Xinqiao in silence, sniffing around with its nose.


    Picking up a breadworm and waving it in front of the hedgehog, Yu Xinqiao resorted to coercion and temptation, "Answer me, and I''ll give you something delicious."


    The hedgehog approached but didn''t get anything to eat. Its spines stood up, emitting a dissatisfied wheezing sound.


    Helplessly, Yu Xinqiao brought the breadworm to its mouth, watching it nibble on the food. He thought to himself that the name "hedgehog" was not misplaced; they were just as difficult to handle as Xu Yanhuan.


    In the afternoon, Yu Xinqiao practiced the piano in the study. During his break, he went online to catch up on major events that had occurred in the past few years.


    The comprehensive implementation of the two-child policy, depreciation of the Chinese yuan, the US presidential election, the Women''s Volleyball World Cup champions, the upcoming Winter Olympics in the capital... Yu Xinqiao didn''t remember any of these events.


    As he clicked on his social media feed, he found very little information. There were few traces left by Yu Xinqiao over the past six years. During his study abroad, he had only posted a few photos of the school''s buildings and pigeons on the square. The most recent update was from four months ago, featuring a hedgehog smaller than the current one, curled up in the corner of a temperature-controlled box with the caption "New Member."


    What kind of emotions did Yu Xinqiao have when he posted that update? Was he happy about the addition of a new family member, or did he feel lonely by only being able to accompany animals?


    Eighteen-year-old Yu Xinqiao had no idea.


    During the sunset hour, while watching the news channel, Yu Xinqiao felt dizzy and sleepy. He lay down on the sofa and closed his eyes for a short nap.


    In that brief moment, he had a dream.


    The sky was black, devoid of stars and the moon. Next to an old and dusty street lamp stood a slightly tilted electric pole. In the dream, he counted the hidden wires in the darkness, trying to piece together a musical staff, while stealing glances at the person beside him with his peripheral vision.


    That person was tall, and their shadow stretched long on the uneven muddy ground, appearing particularly lonely.


    It made people want to approach them, to hold them and find warmth.


    When he opened his eyes, he saw a figure with its back turned, almost overlapping with the shadow from his dream.


    Yu Xinqiao blinked slowly, and when that figure turned around, he was momentarily stunned. "Did I wake you up?" Xu Yanhuan asked.


    The facial features that were invisible in the dream filled in, and the memories that had actually happened became tangible.


    Unfortunately, those memories were from before the age of eighteen.


    Xu Yanhuan held the remote control in his hand, having just turned off the TV. Faced with Yu Xinqiao, who had just awakened and was looking straight into his eyes, he also felt somewhat awkward for a moment.


    Fortunately, Yu Xinqiao quickly regained his senses. He shook his head, sat up straight on the sofa, and said, "I accidentally fell asleep."


    I dreamt of you at the age of eighteen.


    After washing his face in the bathroom and coming out, he saw the piled-up plastic bags on the dining table. Yu Xinqiao walked over and asked, "Shall we eat out for dinner?"


    He assumed that two grown men rarely cooked at home, and eating out was the norm.


    Xu Yanhuan was putting the groceries he bought into the refrigerator. He paused at the question and turned around, saying, "Is it not good?"


    Yu Xinqiao didn''t understand. "What?"


    "The food I made," Xu Yanhuan repeated. "Is it not good?"


    It was such an ordinary question, but when it came from Xu Yanhuan''s mouth, it felt eerie.


    And if someone else had asked, it would usually imply a sense of grievance, right?


    How could Xu Yanhuan feel wronged? That was too bizarre.


    Suppressing his terrifying speculation, Yu Xinqiao tried to answer objectively, "It''s quite delicious."


    Forty-five minutes later, dinner was ready.


    It was the same simple meal as yesterday, with two dishes and a soup. No spiciness, no vegetables like carrots or onions that Yu Xinqiao didn''t like.


    It was not advisable to eat in silence, so Yu Xinqiao found things to ask Xu Yanhuan while eating. He asked how Xu Yanhuan knew how to cook, and Xu Yanhuan replied, "I used to cook before."


    In his heart, Yu Xinqiao thought, I know. You used to bring your own lunch to school frequently. But you never let me taste a single bite.


    Perhaps realizing that Yu Xinqiao was asking about the present, Xu Yanhuan added, "When I''m not busy, I cook. If I''m busy, we eat out."


    He was referring to their life after marriage. It was similar to what Yu Xinqiao had in mind. Lawyers were busy, and so were musicians. In the afternoon, Yu Xinqiao visited the official website of an airline and realized that he had been flying everywhere after returning to China. He spent at least half of each month away from home. They rarely had the chance to sit down and have a meal together like this.


    Finding a reasonable explanation for this seemingly taken-for-granted warm atmosphere, Yu Xinqiao secretly breathed a sigh of relief.


    As the sky darkened, a seemingly calm day was coming to an end.


    Yu Xinqiao held the medicine and gauze he brought back from the hospital and entered the bathroom.


    Just as he tore open the bandage, footsteps approached from afar and the slightly ajar door was pushed open.


    Yu Xinqiao was frowning at the slightly fierce looking wound in the mirror and didn''t have time to pay attention to the person who entered. "I''m not done yet. You use the other restroom."


    After a brief silence, the person standing at the door walked straight in.


    "I''ll help you change the dressing," Xu Yanhuan said.


    Perhaps Xu Yanhuan''s assertive attitude was too natural, or maybe Yu Xinqiao subconsciously didn''t want to look at the ugly wound. In any case, he handed the gauze over to Xu Yanhuan.


    Fortunately, it was widely known that Yu Xinqiao was afraid of pain.


    Even so, Xu Yanhuan seemed a bit overly cautious.


    Yu Xinqiao and he stood face to face, and at eye level, he could see the second button of his shirt collar undone, the Adam''s apple rising and falling with deliberately light breaths, and if he tilted his head slightly, he could see the tense jawline.


    The movements were as light as a feather floating down, barely feeling any pain, just a slight itch that couldn''t be scratched.


    Yu Xinqiao admired himself. At a time like this, he could still divert his attention to look at Xu Yanhuan''s fingers, long and beautiful as before, except for a dark scar on the knuckle, like a flaw on flawless jade.


    After considering it, Yu Xinqiao thought it should be okay to ask, so he spoke up, "Your hand..."


    "I accidentally cut it while chopping vegetables."


    Xu Yanhuan answered bluntly, as if he had anticipated the question.


    Yu Xinqiao didn''t pursue further, but like a professional habit, he glanced a few times at that scar.


    How could there be a knife in this world that could bear to cut his hand?


    The early spring night was both quiet and noisy.


    Yu Xinqiao leaned against the head of the bed with a music score on his knees. Sometimes he tapped the fingerings and hummed a few bars.


    He wanted to return to work as soon as possible. Perhaps being busy and using his time practically would help with his memory recovery.


    Turning the page, a knocking sound came, three knocks neither light nor heavy, reminding Yu Xinqiao of the frequency of tapping on the window glass in that spring of Xuncheng.


    This time the door was firmly closed. With permission from the person inside, Xu Yanhuan turned the doorknob.


    He had just taken a shower and was wearing a robe. In the well-heated room, he didn''t appear cold. It was Yu Xinqiao who, recalling the awkward moment when he changed clothes in the afternoon, put down the music score and casually pulled the blanket cover up a bit.


    Xu Yanhuan first went to the master bedroom''s walk-in closet and soon came out with a set of pajamas. Passing by the humidifier placed against the wall, he casually turned it on.


    Yu Xinqiao remembered that there was an identical fog-free humidifier in the study. The autumn and winter in the capital and its surrounding areas were dry, and during the only winter he spent in Xuncheng, he had a nosebleed twice.


    Thinking that Xu Yanhuan would leave after getting the things, he was surprised when Xu Yanhuan paused and walked straight toward the bed.


    Without exaggeration, Yu Xinqiao''s heart rate suddenly accelerated, and he almost panicked, trying to create distance.


    But Xu Yanhuan still approached the bed, bending over with one hand resting on the edge of the bed, leaning his upper body closer.


    Close enough for Yu Xinqiao to smell the scent of shower gel on him, the same as on himself.


    But not entirely the same. Xu Yanhuan had a unique aura. Initially, when they first met, it gave people a sense of icy distance. Later, they realized it wasn''t entirely cold, just exceptionally sharp. To get closer, to absorb that bit of warmth, one had to be mentally prepared to be hurt all over.


    This time was another misjudgment.


    Xu Yanhuan reached under the pillow and pulled out a book. Yu Xinqiao glanced at it, "Chinese Law and Chinese Society."


    It was the kind of book title Yu Xinqiao would never open, even if it appeared to be bedtime reading material.


    Bedtime reading.


    Before bed.


    Filtering out the key points, before Yu Xinqiao could fully process it, Xu Yanhuan stepped back with the book in his hand.


    He didn''t leave immediately but looked at the person lying tensely on the bed. "Sorry, I forgot again."


    Yu Xinqiao wondered, Forgot? Forgot what? Wasn''t it just me who forgot?


    Not only did I forget, but I also went crazy. When I changed clothes, I thought you were interested in my body. When you touched the back of my hand, I thought you wanted to hold my hand.


    You said you were willing, so I tried everything to prove that you really meant it, that you weren''t forced into it.


    I''ve become even more sentimental than when I was eighteen. I don''t remember anything, yet I''m genuinely delighted because I''m married to you, living in the same home with you.


    Yu Xinqiao, who had been experiencing confusion and shock since his memory loss two days ago, finally felt a different emotion beyond confusion and shock. His nose tingled, accompanied by the suppressed panic, and an unprecedented sense of desolation¡ªall transformed into a feeling of grievance


    Why did it have to be me? Why did I only lose these six years of memories? It would be better to forget everything, forget who I am, forget all the foolish things I''ve done, and start from scratch. Maybe then I wouldn''t be in such a miserable state.


    But it was his own misfortune, and he couldn''t blame Xu Yanhuan for it. So Yu Xinqiao turned his face away, using the most clumsy method to escape.


    Suddenly, he heard a soft sigh, followed by a large palm gently resting on his head.


    Compared to the complete loss of memory, Yu Xinqiao always managed to remember some useless details. For example, how beautiful Xu Yanhuan''s hands were, and how warm his palm felt, completely contrasting with his own temperament.


    Another example was the last day in his memory. If Xu Yanhuan had been a little gentler with him, just a little bit, he would disregard everything and catch up to tell him that the things he said earlier weren''t from the heart.


    He thought that all the possibilities between him and Xu Yanhuan had been completely extinguished that night. And everything that happened in these past two days was a possibility that the withered Yu Xinqiao at eighteen had never imagined.


    And it seemed that Xu Yanhuan had also realized this, repeatedly restraining his subconscious boundary-crossing actions.


    "Sorry," he lightly rubbed Yu Xinqiao''s hair, his voice carrying a hint of helpless hoarseness, "I keep forgetting that you''re only eighteen years old now."

 CH 9

    Why did you come?


    After an unknown period of time, Yu Xinqiao turned his face back and wiped away a hint of moisture from the corner of his eye.


    Fortunately, he managed to hold back and didn''t actually cry. Even as an 18-year-old, Yu Xinqiao had never shed tears in front of him.


    "I should be the one apologizing." Still unable to look at him, Yu Xinqiao lowered his eyes. "I''ve forgotten a lot of things and I''m troubling you to take care of me."


    He resumed his previous act of pretending to be calm. Perhaps in a few days, he wouldn''t even need to pretend. The 24-year-old Yu Xinqiao was a true adult who should be composed and not display all his emotions on his face.


    Xu Yanhuan slowly withdrew his hand and said, "It''s no trouble."


    Perhaps recalling that he had said the same thing at the hospital, he paused for a moment and added, "It''s not just me taking care of you all the time."


    The implication was that you also take care of me.


    Yu Xinqiao nodded, his gaze still directed downward. "Once I adapt, maybe I''ll become the way I was before."


    "No need to deliberately adapt," Xu Yanhuan said. "The way things are now is also good."


    His hand, placed on the bedsheet, involuntarily clenched. He didn''t know whether it was to convey the same "also" or the unreasonable description of "good."


    Yu Xinqiao didn''t know anything, but one thing he was certain of was that the 24-year-old Yu Xinqiao would never be so self-deluded again.


    So he lay down, let the blanket cover his head, and listened as the footsteps faded away.


    In the following days, the two of them maintained this lukewarm mode of interaction, and life went on peacefully.


    In the search for his memories, Yu Xinqiao actively participated in various activities, including but not limited to going out shopping, searching for food, studying hedgehog care methods, as well as cleaning and cooking.


    His previous laziness stemmed from being idle, and the fact that Yu Xinqiao could play the piano well proved that his hands were not clumsy.


    He began to take the initiative to handle some kitchen work. Whenever Xu Yanhuan came back from grocery shopping, he would help wash and prepare the vegetables. Sometimes, with all three stoves occupied, Xu Yanhuan''s two hands couldn''t keep up, and he would skillfully hand over a bottle of soy sauce or scoop out some salt to be added to the pot, depending on the amount of food.


    After finishing the meal, they had free time. Xu Yanhuan seemed to allow Yu Xinqiao to "adapt" on his own. He usually stayed in the study until late, and in order to avoid crossing paths with him, Yu Xinqiao started going to bed early. He felt refreshed and the wound on his forehead quickly healed.


    In addition to Xu Yanhuan''s few words, Yu Xinqiao no longer chattered as he did before, and there was little communication between them. Yu Xinqiao even speculated that maybe they got married just to live together, so they had a reason to cook more dishes every day, and they could confidently buy items on a buy-one-get-one-free offer at the supermarket.


    Yu Xinqiao began to understand a bit. Since the recovery of his memories couldn''t be rushed, he might as well adjust his mindset. Perhaps the lost memories would unexpectedly return on some early morning, giving him a pleasant surprise.


    On this day, Liang Yi passed Lawyer Xing¡¯s WeChat contact to Yu Xinqiao, asking him to communicate with Xing Lv about the matter of the will.


    Yu Xinqiao: "So, I made a will."


    Liang Yi still remembered his shock when he heard about his marriage and asked suspiciously, "Why is your reaction so indifferent?"


    "I''m tired," Yu Xinqiao said. "If I go crazy with every piece of news, this will might come in handy sooner than expected."


    Liang Yi: "..."


    Lawyer Xing¡¯s WeChat profile picture was a photo of himself, dressed in a suit, tie, and glasses, with a serious expression. He almost seemed to be crossing his arms to show how professional he was.


    However, the tone of their communication was unexpectedly "normal." There was no formality or official language. After introducing themselves, they quickly got to the point, and there was no showing off of skills. When Yu Xinqiao asked questions about some obscure legal terms, Lawyer Xing always managed to explain their meaning in the simplest and most direct way.


    Even so, going through the contents of the will still took nearly an hour.


    In the end, Lawyer Xing confirmed with Yu Xinqiao in a voice message if he had any objections, especially regarding the distribution of assets.


    After a moment of contemplation, Yu Xinqiao said, "Since this was written by me personally, let it be like this."


    This will was personally written by Yu Xinqiao last month and then reviewed and standardized by Lawyer Xing. Yu Xinqiao unconditionally trusted his 24-year-old self.


    Knowing Yu Xinqiao''s situation, Lawyer Xing said, "Feel free to contact me for any modifications if needed."


    Yu Xinqiao said, "As long as I''m still alive, am I free to make any changes?"


    Lawyer Xing replied, "Theoretically, that''s correct."


    Both of them laughed.


    After discussing the important matters, Yu Xinqiao let out a sigh. "It''s been a long time since I worked. I''m not used to such a fast pace."


    "Lawyers sell time," Xing Lv said. "So it''s not that we want to be fast, it''s purely professional instinct."


    "Should I hang up now to avoid wasting your time?" Yu Xinqiao asked.


    "No, spending time maintaining a good relationship with important clients is also within my responsibilities."


    Frank people always make others willing to approach them, and Yu Xinqiao smiled again. "So, does that mean I can ask you about things other than work?"


    Xing Lv replied smoothly, "Of course. But at this point, don''t use ''ask,'' I suggest using ''inquire.''"


    Yu Xinqiao didn''t hide it either and directly inquired about the situation when Lawyer Xing first went to the law firm.


    Lawyer Xing Lv said, "At that time, you contacted our law firm, saying you wanted to find a personal lawyer. Later, you even refused our visit and came to our law firm in person. To be honest, our law firm has only been established for five years and doesn''t have much reputation in the industry. Being able to have a client like you was completely unexpected."


    "So, the final decision to choose you as my personal lawyer, was it my decision or..." Yu Xinqiao trailed off, waiting for the other person to continue.


    "It was your decision, of course, but we also listened to other people''s opinions," Lawyer Xing Lv responded quickly. "At that time, Lawyer Xu Lv was just your old classmate. We sat around a table discussing who should take the position, and he voluntarily withdrew and recommended me. I believe you accepted his advice and chose me."


    This matched what Xu Yanhuan had said.


    Yu Xinqiao had originally wanted to ask about the "astonishing words" he said at the law firm, but he couldn''t bring himself to ask due to embarrassment.


    He had to beat around the bush, saying, "Do people at your law firm know about me and him, Xu Yanhuan, getting married?"


    "Of course, Lawyer Xu Lv is well acquainted with our managing partner. When you got married abroad, the managing partner even approved his paid leave."


    "The managing partner?"


    "Yes, the head of our law firm. You''ve met him before. Speaking of which, if it weren''t for Lawyer Xu''s good relationship with the managing partner, he probably wouldn''t have entered our law firm."


    "Why?"


    "The new law firm lacks reputation and the benefits are average. As a partner, I have to acknowledge the entrepreneurial path I chose. Lawyer Xu Lv, on the other hand, is a top-ranked graduate from the Law School. If he submits his resume, no law firm in the capital would refuse him."


    In the capital city, March was still chilly despite occasional warmth. Before leaving at noon, Yu Xinqiao stretched his hand out of the window to feel the temperature and put on a slightly bulky coat.


    The surrounding area of his residence had large shopping malls as well as quaint narrow alleys. When he walked in, he would often encounter elderly people sitting on stools and chatting. There were also cats lying on the ground, basking in the sun at noon.


    Yu Xinqiao liked being with animals. Sometimes he could spend half the day just watching cats, even if his legs fell asleep from squatting.


    Today, he had something on his mind. After feeding the three cats with the sausages he brought, he stood up and prepared to leave.


    As he turned around, he collided with a girl riding a hoverboard, holding a sturdt Golden Retriever in her hand. Both of them couldn''t dodge in time, and they bumped into each other with a loud thud.


    The girl from the capital had a bold and straightforward personality. She quickly stood up and ignored dusting off her bottom. Instead, she grabbed Yu Xinqiao''s arm and said, "Sorry for bumping into you. Can you still stand?"


    When their eyes met, the girl''s face changed, and she exclaimed, "Yu Xiaoqiao! You actually came back!"


    The girl''s name was Xiao Kaiyan, and she was Yu Xinqiao''s good friend and classmate from kindergarten to the first half of the second year of high school.


    When Yu Xinqiao came out of the closet, it was her encouragement that made it possible. However, the consequences were more severe than expected, leading to the two of them not seeing each other for seven years.


    Xiao Kaiyan took Yu Xinqiao to the underground bar she owned nearby. It was not yet opening time, and a few scattered people were cleaning inside.


    She tied the Golden Retriever at the entrance and went behind the bar counter, rolling up her sleeves, claiming that she would show Yu Xinqiao something.


    Yu Xinqiao knew her too well and preemptively said, "I still have to play the piano, so I can''t drink high-concentration alcohol."


    Xiao Kaiyan rolled her eyes and took out a bottle of Yakult from below the counter, handing it over.


    Yu Xinqiao smiled, "You even sell this in your underground bar."


    "No choice, gotta take care of the little ones."


    The two exchanged recent news. Xiao Kaiyan was still the same, going with the flow and enjoying life. After working for two years after graduation and with the money left by her parents, she bought this bar and started living a carefree life. To her, there was hardly any difference between school and society.


    Hearing that Yu Xinqiao was suffering from selective amnesia, Xiao Kaiyan was shocked and jokingly said she wanted to cut open his head to see if something was truly missing.


    "Then wouldn''t you have forgotten the embarrassing things you did in Xuncheng as well?"


    "Will it even count? That was when I was seventeen."


    "Oh, right. Did you finally manage to win him over in the end?"


    Back then, Yu Xinqiao pursued Xu Yanhuan, but after two months without any progress, he turned to Xiao Kaiyan for help in desperation.


    She didn''t disappoint. Since junior high school, Xiao Kaiyan had changed boyfriends more frequently than clothes, and she had a way with handling even her family''s male dog. It seemed like there was no male creature she couldn''t conquer in this world.


    Living up to everyone''s expectations, Xiao Kaiyan generously shared her knowledge. She had even hoped to witness Yu Xinqiao successfully winning over the aloof guy, but she lost sight of him before knowing whether he succeeded or not.


    Knowing he was in the wrong, Yu Xinqiao answered without much confidence, "No."


    "How is that possible?" Xiao Kaiyan was astonished. "With your looks and my strategies, even if he were an iron tree, he would have blossomed¡ª"


    "I married him," Yu Xinqiao interrupted. "It happened last year."


    Xiao Kaiyan facepalmed. "Qiao, can you not pause for breath while we talk?"


    After listening to Yu Xinqiao''s description of his current situation, Xiao Kaiyan took a sip of Yakult, hesitated, and spoke up, "If I were in your shoes, I would also speculate whether he was coerced or if you have some leverage on him... After all, it''s a hasty marriage, less than half a year since you got married, and considering how resistant he was to you back then, his sudden change in attitude is illogical."


    What Xiao Kaiyan said had long been pondered by Yu Xinqiao in his mind.


    He sadly realized that he hadn''t actually figured it out. Just as he had obtained some new information, he became restless again.


    Yu Xinqiao tilted his head, rested it on the bar table, and opened his phone. The screen was still on a web page, displaying "Stellar Law Firm, Lu Meng."


    The head of the firm was a female lawyer, appearing to be in her thirties from the photo. Although no longer youthful, she had an outstanding temperament and was still at the age of radiance.


    It was hard not to think about some past conflicts upon seeing her. Yu Xinqiao dropped his phone, hugged his head, and forced himself not to dwell on it.


    Suddenly, Xiao Kaiyan asked, "Hey, you said he bought the house. How big is the house and what''s the average price?"


    Yu Xinqiao mentioned the name of the residential complex, leaving Xiao Kaiyan amazed. "It''s nearby? The houses there cost six figures per square meter. Didn''t you say his family wasn''t in good financial condition?"


    "That was the case back then. Now, I don''t know." Yu Xinqiao felt weak and powerless, feeling that he had said "I don''t know" more times in the past few days than in the previous eighteen years.


    Xiao Kaiyan continued analyzing, "I think if he can put your name on the property deed, it''s enough to show that you hold a place in his heart."


    "Maybe I forced him with a knife at his throat."


    "But you two still share a bed, don''t you?"


    "I only found his book under the pillow. It''s possible that he used to sleep in the master bedroom while I slept in the adjacent room."


    "Can''t you have a little confidence in yourself?"


    "I don''t. I''ve been rejected ten thousand times. Who would still have confidence?"


    ...


    The sudden silence made Yu Xinqiao sense that something was off.


    He raised his head and saw Xiao Kaiyan placing his phone back on the table, wearing the expression of someone whose cunning plan had succeeded¡ªa look he had grown accustomed to.


    Hastily grabbing his own phone, he opened it, and the lingering screen turned into a text message. The recipient was Xu Yanhuan, and the message was concise: "Xiaoqiao got injured." The bar address followed.


    It had been read, and it was too late to retract it.


    Yu Xinqiao: "..."


    Xiao Kaiyan triumphantly said, "I''ll help you test him. If he cares about you, he''ll come within half an hour."


    "But he''s at work, he''s busy!"


    Yu Xinqiao opened the call interface and was about to press the dial button when Xiao Kaiyan asked, "Don''t you want to know?"


    His actions froze, his finger hovering less than a centimeter away from the screen.


    "Work can be done anytime, but there''s only one wife." Xiao Kaiyan shrugged. "Although it''s a bit manipulative, it''s the quickest way to test whether he cares about you."


    "Do you really not want to know?"


    How could I not want to know?


    In the following moments, Yu Xinqiao wrestled repeatedly on the edge between morality and personal desire, but ultimately the latter prevailed.


    Let me be selfish this time, Yu Xinqiao took a deep breath.


    If I get the answer, I can let go.


    Just as he had a very pessimistic assumption about the possibilities between himself and Xu Yanhuan, Yu Xinqiao had equally pessimistic expectations for the outcome of this situation.


    Therefore, when Xu Yanhuan appeared in front of him, disheveled and out of breath, his external image as a lawyer, which needed to be maintained at all times, was also in disarray. Yu Xinqiao''s initial reaction was uncertain about how to respond.


    He still didn''t know what the twenty-four-year-old Yu Xinqiao would do.


    And even though Xu Yanhuan was in a hurry, he remained as methodical as before. He didn''t ask what had happened or why he had received that inexplicable text message. Instead, he asked, "Where are you injured? Let me take a look."


    Yu Xinqiao was held by him, unable to move, and when he raised his eyes, he saw the precise-to-the-second digital clock hanging on the wall, indicating that only nineteen minutes and twenty-three seconds had passed since that text message was sent.


    At the moment Xu Yanhuan received the text message, he didn''t call back to ask for details or have time to reply. Instead, he immediately rushed over without knowing anything.


    As she was leaving, Yu Xinqiao saw the ambiguous expression on Xiao Kaiyan''s face, as if saying, "See, I told you so."


    His already chaotic emotions became even more restless.


    At the entrance, a golden retriever, unfamiliar with strangers, barked twice. Before Yu Xinqiao could react, his body instinctively stepped in front of Xu Yanhuan.


    He still remembered Xu Yanhuan''s fear of dogs.


    Yu Xinqiao hated himself, hated his own weakness.


    Now he was not only restless but also felt like destroying the whole world.


    After the stairs, before the main entrance of the bar, there was a long and dim corridor with some abstract paintings hanging on the walls, said to be bought at a high price. Xiao Kaiyan had told him to take a look when he left.


    But now Yu Xinqiao had no time to appreciate them. He just kept his head down and walked. As he reached the stairs leading to the ground floor, someone caught up with him and grabbed his arm from behind.


    Xu Yanhuan frowned, somewhat puzzled, and asked, "What''s wrong?"


    After confirming that Yu Xinqiao wasn''t injured, before he could ask anything else, Yu Xinqiao shook him off and tried to walk away. After finally catching hold of him, all Xu Yanhuan got was a question, "Why did you come?"


    Unable to escape, Yu Xinqiao looked up at Xu Yanhuan without answering, and instead asked, "I''m asking you, why did you come?"


    Xu Yanhuan was taken aback by his question.


    His voice trembled slightly, and Yu Xinqiao continued, "Clearly, you... didn''t come before, right?"


    In that moment, a gust of wind blew in from the exit above, as if the air had become heavy and pressed down on both of them.


    Revisiting old matters often made people weary.


    But what others saw as old matters had just happened in Yu Xinqiao''s eyes, with wounds still fresh and not yet healed.


    Facing Xu Yanhuan, he couldn''t ask, "Why didn''t you come?" The answer was obvious¡ªbecause he didn''t care, he didn''t like him.


    But he should question himself¡ªwhy didn''t he let go back then? Why was he still entangled in this situation?


    Yu Xinqiao began to believe that amnesia was a punishment from fate.


    Knowing that he was afraid of pain, fate made him experience the pursuit that started with impure intentions, not just once, but twice.


    --------------------


    Disclaimer: The method of testing whether a partner cares about you, as depicted in this chapter, is strongly discouraged by the author. The plot in the novel has its own special background, so please refrain from attempting it in real life!


    The next chapter will return to the memory timeline and will explain the "why didn''t you come" incident from various perspectives. Remember to come and read it~ (waves handkerchief)


    TN:


    So....what do we think so far? Personally I really like it and I''m completely hooked. I can''t wait to see how their relationship builds up and learn more about their past. Unfortunately, this is the end of the daily updates. Updates from now on will be sporadic. I need to focus more on my other projects so that I can finish one of them faster and can set a fixed schedule for this. I also need to stockpile more chapters for this in order to have consistent updates.

 CH 10

    10. He will remember you for a lifetime.


    It is said that the capital only has summer and winter, and the nearby Xuncheng is the same.


    Yu Xinqiao remembered that he was still wearing a cotton coat yesterday, but today it was so hot that he wished he could wear short sleeves.


    Turning his head to the northwest corner of the classroom, oh boy, Huanhuan had already changed into the summer school uniform. He didn''t even tell me when I saw him playing basketball yesterday.


    Speaking of playing basketball yesterday... Yu Xinqiao patted the shoulder of the front-row student, Liang Yi, and asked, "Will there be a basketball game during the spring sports meet?"


    Liang Yi turned his head and said, "There will be a basketball game, but it will be held separately from the spring sports meet. The top-ranked team in the school can represent the school and compete in the city."


    He Tangyue''s ears perked up, and she immediately brought an application form, saying, "Our class is still lacking two people. Do you want to participate?"


    Yu Xinqiao waved his hand and said, "I''ll pass. I haven''t seriously played basketball since I started learning the piano."


    As he spoke, he glanced at the application form, and coincidentally, it was the last few boys in the back row of the class.


    The only one missing was Xu Yanhuan.


    Liang Yi also leaned over to take a look and asked, "Xu Ge didn''t sign up?"


    Since Yu Xinqiao started pursuing him, they started using respectful terms for Xu Yanhuan.


    "No, I haven''t seen him play since we entered high school," He Tangyue pouted. "I remember he was pretty good at basketball in middle school."


    "He''s still good now," Yu Xinqiao said.


    "Then why don''t you help me persuade him to sign up?" He Tangyue suggested.


    "Aren''t you the literary committee member?"


    "Our class needs people, and I''m also doubling as the sports committee member."


    "..."


    Yu Xinqiao took the application form and thought it was actually a good topic.


    But he couldn''t say it outright, "I''ll give it a try."


    In addition to the sports meet, the mid-term exams were also approaching.


    The atmosphere in the class changed as a result. There was less chatting and fooling around during breaks, and more students with a look of bitterness and deep resentment holding their exercise books.


    Yu Xinqiao hadn''t managed to catch Xu Yanhuan on the basketball court for three consecutive days. That evening, he walked back and forth between the playground and the classroom, carrying a basketball net bag, until he finally found Xu Yanhuan near the flower bed near the cafeteria.


    "What are you doing here?" Yu Xinqiao walked over and asked, "Aren''t you playing basketball or working today?"


    Xu Yanhuan had gotten used to his harassment and didn''t even raise his head while holding his book.


    Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be an English workbook. Yu Xinqiao clicked his tongue in surprise and said, "I thought you study gods didn''t need to study."


    Xu Yanhuan still ignored him, flipping through the pages, fixating on a cloze passage circled in red pen, without moving for a long time.


    Yu Xinqiao sat down beside him and leaned over to take a look. "Choose option C."


    After getting the answer, Xu Yanhuan still stared at that question, as if he was in a daze.


    Yu Xinqiao understood that English was his weak subject. Xu Yanhuan didn''t score well on the English quiz last week, and the teacher even called him out during class, asking how tired he must be since he could fall asleep during English lessons.


    This was a coincidence. Yu Xinqiao slapped his thigh, thinking that his English grades were pretty good.


    With a flash of inspiration, Yu Xinqiao cleared his throat and spoke with a hint of sophistication, "Would you like to know why option C is the correct answer?"


    Finally, Xu Yanhuan was willing to raise his head and gave Yu Xinqiao a cold glance, as if saying, "Just spit it out if you have something to say."


    Seeing that the fish had taken the bait, Yu Xinqiao pulled out the basketball tournament registration form from his backpack. "If you sign up, I''ll tell you."


    Two minutes later, Yu Xinqiao had his backpack in one hand, a basketball in the other, and the registration form tucked under his arm. He hurriedly followed Xu Yanhuan''s pace.


    "You''re so good at basketball, don''t you want to show off your skills in front of your classmates? Even if you don''t want to, I heard there will be basketballs given as prizes for winning the competition. If you have your own basketball, you won''t have to keep borrowing from the equipment room, or I can give you this basketball. After all, I can''t play... Could you slow down a bit, Xu Yanhuan? Classmate Xu?"


    Classmate Xu, took even bigger strides.


    Gasping for breath, Yu Xinqiao attempted to negotiate with him, "How about this: I''ll teach you English, and you teach me basketball. Don''t judge me by how I don''t pay attention in class; my English is really good. In the last English quiz, I scored 99, and the deduction was because I filled in the wrong answer on the answer sheet. I should have had a perfect score."


    Not sure if he was outclassed, Xu Yanhuan started running, almost sprinting.


    "Well then, I''ll teach you English, and you don''t have to teach me basketball. How about that?" Yu Xinqiao was already running and said in frustration, "Xu Yanhuan, Classmate Xu , Xu ge, I¡ª"


    Suddenly, Xu Yanhuan stopped, catching Yu Xinqiao off guard, and he ran forward for several meters due to inertia.


    Hearing Xu Yanhuan ask, "What do you want," Yu Xinqiao almost thought he had misheard.


    "You aren¡¯t ignoring me?" He couldn''t free his hand to rub his ear and stood there panting, "It-it¡¯s not an illusion?"


    During these days of chasing Xu Yanhuan, Yu Xinqiao had grown accustomed to talking to himself. He had even developed a new skill: automatically imagining Xu Yanhuan''s reactions when he didn''t get a response.


    For example, right now, as he looked at Xu Yanhuan''s expressionless face, a block of ice with furrowed brows and a speech bubble extending from it appeared in his head¡ªsaying, "Say what you want quickly, don''t waste time."


    Quickly setting down his backpack and basketball, Yu Xinqiao held up the registration form with both hands. "I want you to sign up for the competition."


    Xu Yanhuan lowered his eyes and glanced at the contents of the paper but remained silent.


    The block of ice in Yu Xinqiao''s head began to recede, emitting a chill throughout his body, and his face displayed resistance.


    Seizing the opportunity, Yu Xinqiao presented a second possibility. "How about this, you date me? Regardless of which option you choose, it won''t be disadvantageous for you!"


    Xu Yanhuan didn''t choose either.


    Originally, he intended to reject Yu Xinqiao in a targeted manner, for example, asking what the other person wanted, knowing that he couldn''t fulfill any request, or asking what he found attractive about him so he could change it.


    Little did he know that this person named Yu Xinqiao didn''t play by the rules. Every time Xu Yanhuan threw a question, Yu Xinqiao would throw one back, and they were all multiple-choice questions, making one instinctively want to choose an option. He couldn''t just submit a blank answer sheet.


    Now, Yu Xinqiao used his old trick again. During the lunch break, he ran up to Xu Yanhuan''s desk, crossed his arms and pressed them against the back of the chair, shaking his chin back and forth. Xu Yanhuan''s desk also shook, forcing him to speak with his eyes¡ªwhat do you want now?


    Yu Xinqiao smiled triumphantly, his eyes forming two crescent moons. "I looked at your English test paper, and your foundation is pretty good. How about we review some vocabulary today?"


    During the afternoon self-study class, Yu Xinqiao, contrary to his usual behavior, didn''t sleep or randomly tap the desk like piano keys. Instead, he earnestly studied an English lesson plan.


    Liang Yi turned his head three times and couldn''t bear it anymore. He nudged Yu Xinqiao''s desk with his elbow. "Hey, didn''t he not agree yet? Why are you so eager to be his teacher?"


    Yu Xinqiao didn''t have time to bother with him. "It''ll come in handy eventually."


    "Did you read the novel I recommended to you last week?"


    "I did, I did. I read until the male protagonist infiltrated the Mountain God''s Temple. It was so thrilling."


    Liang Yi was furious. "I recommended to you an Eastern Xuanhuan novel, not Shui Hu Zhuan!"


    *xuanhuan(Ðþ»Ã) - A subgenre of Chinese fantasy fiction that fuses Easter and Western elements.


    *"ˮ䰴«" (Shui Hu Zhuan) is a classical Chinese novel written by Shi Nai''an during the Ming Dynasty. It is also known as ¡°Water Margin¡±,  "Outlaws of the Marsh" or "All Men Are Brothers" in English translations. It is considered one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature, along with "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," "Journey to the West," and "Dream of the Red Chamber."


    Due to Yu Xinqiao being too absorbed in pursuing someone, he neglected his good friend''s feelings. Liang Yi decided to break off their friendship for a day.


    But less than 24 hours later, unable to hold back, Liang Yi placed a past English test paper on Yu Xinqiao''s desk after school. "I''ll give you a chance to reconcile our friendship."


    Yu Xinqiao couldn''t hide his smile from the corner of his mouth. "Tell me, which question don''t you know?"


    Liang Yi, fearing the teacher and exams more than anything else, always sought salvation at the last minute.


    After today''s momentary act of desperation, he threw down his pen and stretched lazily. "*In this world, only brothers are truly good."


    *The phrase "ÊÀÉÏÖ»ÓÐÐֵܺÃ" (sh¨¬ sh¨¤ng zh¨« y¨¯u xi¨­ng d¨¬ h¨£o) is a Chinese saying that translates to "In this world, only brothers are truly good." It expresses the deep bond and loyalty between close male friends or brothers. It implies that true friendship is invaluable and surpasses other relationships.


    Yu Xinqiao glanced at the time, grabbed the paper, pen, and eraser on the desk, and hastily stuffed them into his backpack. He said, "Bro, I''m going ahead to pursue your sister-in-law."


    Liang Yi, feeling tired, lazily waved at him and watched his small figure walk to the classroom door. He questioned, "Are you really the pursuer? You look more like the pursued to me."


    On his way to the school gate, Yu Xinqiao angrily sent a WeChat message to He Tangyue: "Stop filling Xiao Yi''s head with all sorts of nonsense."


    He Tangyue, who was probably already home by now, replied quickly: "He''s just eager for knowledge~"


    After circling the main gate and not seeing anyone, Yu Xinqiao headed towards the cafeteria.


    As he casually chatted with He Tangyue, he pondered for the 999th time why Xu Yanhuan couldn''t just buy a phone. Even the cheapest old-age phone can make calls and send messages. Was he deliberately waiting for someone to write him a love letter by hand?


    After the conversation, Yu Xinqiao put his phone in his pocket. As he raised his head, he saw a few burly men standing outside the seldom-used back door of the cafeteria.


    And there was a familiar figure wearing summer school uniform and sneakers, the typical attire of 99.9% of male students on campus, but this person exuded the aura of a protagonist from a campus literature novel.


    As he got closer, Yu Xinqiao recognized one of the burly men as the rough-voiced uncle he had encountered at the barbecue stall that day. At this moment, the uncle had a cigarette in his mouth, revealing his muscular arms. He pushed with force, causing the campus literature protagonist to take a step back and almost lose his balance.


    Xu Yanhuan had already noticed Yu Xinqiao walking in their direction. He deliberately positioned himself to block the man''s line of sight.


    Since the last time they involved unrelated people, they couldn''t afford to attract attention at the school gate. Xu Yanhuan didn''t mind getting into more trouble himself, but thinking of his mother practically begging the headmaster in the administration office to give him a lighter punishment, his eyes darkened as he prepared himself to be beaten.


    Today, the rough-voiced uncle was employing a conciliatory approach. He pushed Xu Yanhuan and then grabbed his collar, pulling him back. He said, "Uncle doesn''t want to make things difficult for you, and I don''t want to come to your school. But who asked your family to move again?"


    Xu Yanhuan was already tall, so being pulled like this made everyone seem condescending. This annoyed the uncle a bit, so he let go of him and continued, "There''s a head for every unjust act. At the very least, let me have some direction. Isn''t that right?"


    Xu Yanhuan didn''t respond, but he also showed no intention of resisting. This brought a sense of satisfaction to the uncle, who had received three stitches on his head last time. He continued his conciliatory approach, "Xu Zhen isn''t worth a damn. With a father like that, and a husband like that, why do you and your mother have to desperately protect him?"


    "I''m not protecting him," Xu Yanhuan finally spoke, "I truly don''t know where he is."


    No matter how he asked, the answers were always the same. The uncle grew impatient, "I don''t believe he hasn''t contacted you and your mother!"


    Xu Yanhuan fell silent again, as if he had said everything he needed to and whether the uncle believed it or not was up to him.


    This made the uncle angry, "Then you''ll have to repay Xu Zhen''s debt. They say a son should repay his father''s debt. If I can''t find him in the future, I''ll come to you!"


    "Children who have not inherited their parents'' legacy shall bear their parents'' debts voluntarily." Xu Yanhuan calmly stated, adding an annotation, "According to the ''Inheritance Law of the People''s Republic of China''."


    The uncle was completely infuriated by his tough remarks and immediately slapped him in the face, "What? You think you can take me to court?"


    As he raised his fist, preparing to use violence, he suddenly heard a rustling sound from above.


    Xu Yanhuan and the uncle, along with his subordinates, looked up together and saw a half head hanging from the damaged wall, as if it couldn''t go any higher. It said, "Xu Ge, are you still here? Run quickly! Principal Zhu is coming this way! Don''t forget to pick up the cigarette butt!"


    Five minutes later, after the commotion subsided, Yu Xinqiao, who was clinging to the wall, trembled and climbed down with the support of Xu Yanhuan. Before leaving, he squeezed Xu Yanhuan''s hand and thought, "It feels strangely warm."


    This short performance scared Yu Xinqiao, who never violated school rules except for sleeping in class, causing him to break out in a cold sweat.


    Fortunately, the ending was satisfactory, and the villain was successfully scared away. Yu Xinqiao regained his confidence as his feet touched the ground. He patted off the dust from his body and looked at Xu Yanhuan, realizing that he had turned into a figure embedded in the twilight, no longer emitting a chilling aura.


    "No need to thank me, I just happened to pass by," Yu Xinqiao preemptively said. "If you must thank me, why not consider dating me¡ª"


    "Thank you," Xu Yanhuan timely interrupted his words.


    Failing to seize the opportunity, Yu Xinqiao felt disappointed and grumbled, "Just a thank you, and that''s it..."


    The two walked home along the same route, and as they approached the end, Yu Xinqiao suddenly realized that Xu Yanhuan was walking very slowly today, a pace that even he could easily catch up with.


    He couldn''t help but worry and glanced down, silently paying attention to Xu Yanhuan''s legs.


    Although there was no sound, his gaze was intense. Xu Yanhuan couldn''t help but follow his gaze and noticed a stain on his school trousers.


    He uncomfortably patted it off, and as he stood up straight, a hand holding an apple appeared in his field of vision.


    "One apple a day keeps illness away," the voice of the young man was as clear as the lake under the warm sun. Yu Xinqiao said, "Next time, don''t let them catch you again."


    In the season of blooming grass and singing birds, the nights grew darker.


    Walking through the uneven and narrow alleys, stepping over the foul-smelling rainwater puddles, Xu Yanhuan ascended the outdoor staircase of the dilapidated apartment building.


    The corridor, which couldn''t be considered spacious, was filled with clutter on both sides, requiring multiple twists and turns to avoid the clothes hanging in the hallway. Xu Yanhuan stopped at the entrance of a household where green onions were planted in a clay pot. As he felt for his keys, he opened the seemingly ineffective anti-theft iron door.


    With a creak, the door opened, and a slender middle-aged woman poked her head out. Upon seeing Xu Yanhuan, she smiled and said, "You''re back."


    Entering the house and closing the door, his mother Bai Wei looked out the window once again and asked, "You didn''t let those people follow you, did you?"


    The house was quite messy, with various daily necessities piled everywhere. Xu Yanhuan found a spot to put his backpack that wouldn''t be in the way and concealed the incident of being blocked at the school gate. He said, "No."


    "Then come back earlier from now on, don''t hide at school. It''s not good if your headmaster sees you," Bai Wei said, feeling slightly relieved. She reminded, "Don''t go to work for the time being either. If those people start tracking you and find their way here..."


    Xu Yanhuan responded with a simple "En."


    Put the apple on the table, open the workbook, and a blue envelope falls out of it.


    It was stuffed into his book by Yu Xinqiao during his nap, after he refused to recite vocabulary.


    At that time, Yu Xinqiao seemed to say that this envelope was different from the previous one and that he would regret it if he didn''t read it.


    Almost involuntarily, Xu Yanhuan took out a sheet of graph paper from the envelope and unfolded it.


    Unlike conventional love letters, this letter had no fancy borders, no teeth-rotting poetry. The format wasn''t even standard, with no self-introduction at the beginning and no signature or date at the end.


    There were only two lines of words¡ª


    Reason number three to suggest dating Yu Xinqiao, Yu Xinqiao¡¯s outstandingly good English grades , and Xu Yanhuan¡¯s awesome basketball skills. The two of them can form a perfect complementary relationship.


    Since this is reason number three, there must be one and two.


    Dinner was steamed buns and porridge. There wasn''t much leftover pickled vegetables at home. Bai Wei rummaged through a pile of clutter and found a small pickling jar, then pulled out a stack of envelopes from underneath and turned around to ask, "Are these still useful?"


    Xu Yanhuan took them, just about to throw them into a cardboard box for selling as scrap, but caught a glimpse of a familiar light blue color inside.


    On a rare night without work, Xu Yanhuan caught up on the courses he had fallen behind on and went through the mistakes again.


    Busy until late at night, only one English exam left. Looking at the blank spaces circled in the workbook, a frown gradually formed on Xu Yanhuan''s forehead.


    It seemed like he should go to bed early and pay attention in class during the day. After all, no matter how much time he spent after class, he couldn''t catch up with the efficiency of the classroom.


    Thinking like this, Xu Yanhuan tidied up the test paper and stationery. Just as his hand reached for the desk lamp switch, he noticed that pile of envelopes he had thrown aside.


    Just as he picked up the blue one among them, Bai Wei, who was up to use the restroom, told him to go to bed early. Xu Yanhuan responded and got up, pushing the door open to leave.


    He was accustomed to blowing cold air for a while before going to sleep. Usually, he would do it on his way home from work, but today was a rare occasion when he was at home.


    It couldn''t really be called home since it was a rented house. By this time next month, he might be moving again.


    Once outside, he realized he was holding an envelope in his hand. He lowered his head and glanced at it for a few seconds before using his other hand to open it and pull out the thin piece of paper inside.


    There were only a few sparse lines of words, not even qualifying as bedtime reading material.


    Still, Xu Yanhuan read it. Under the dim light of a street lamp, on the edge of an old-smelling residential building in the slightly cool early summer night.


    The suggestion for Xu Yanhuan and Yu Xinqiao to date.


    Reason number one: Yu Xinqiao has a good image and excellent temperament, consistently ranking in the top three on the Capital International School''s "Campus Hunk List" (Asia Division). Dating him would greatly enhance your social status.


    Reason number two: Yu Xinqiao is a devoted and loyal good boy. If you enter a relationship with him, you will be his first love, and he will remember you for a lifetime

 CH 11

    11. Like snow accumulated in the mountains.


    Yu Xinqiao felt that his pursuit plan had reached a bottleneck.


    He Tangyue laughed when she heard it. "Hasn''t it been at a bottleneck all along?"


    Liang Yi spoke up for his friend. "I think it''s still working to some extent. At least Qiao''s love letters haven''t ended up in the trash can."


    He Tangyue, "..."


    Yu Xinqiao told them about what happened at noon. "The gatekeeper adopted a stray cat, right? So, after finishing my meal, I went over to pet it. Coincidentally, Huanhuan also finished his meal and came out for a stroll. Oh, right, he brought his own lunch. I wanted to ask for a bite, but he didn''t give it to me and even glared at me fiercely... Speaking of the school gate, I called him to come and pet the cat with me, but guess what? He ran away, faster than Usain Bolt!"


    The three of them gathered around a desk, lost in thought.


    "Does he dislike cats?" He Tangyue speculated. "But cats are so cute. How can anyone not like cats?"


    Yu Xinqiao thought about the fact that Xu Yanhuan was afraid of dogs. Usually, people are afraid of dogs because they have been bitten and left traumatized. But what about being bitten by a dog and scratched by a cat? Are there people who are disliked by small animals to such an extent? That would be too unlucky.


    "Who is Usain Bolt?" Liang Yi also questioned. "Can he run faster than me when I hear the bell for the end of class?"


    Three stooges can''t become Zhuge Liang, wasting a whole recess.


    TN: Zhuge Liang(181-234) was a Chief Military Advisor in ancient China widely recognized as one of the greatest strategists during the Three Kingdoms period. He had great intelligence and foresight. He is a symbol of wisdom and strategy in Chinese culture.


    According to the initial plan, it was supposed to take two weeks to pursue someone, but unexpectedly, it had been two months already, and in another two months it would almost reach summer vacation. Yu Xinqiao became anxious. What about having a happy and fulfilling relationship? What about living with his own style and being confident in front of Mrs. Yao?


    He decided to seek external assistance.


    After ordering takeout and returning home in the evening, Yu Xinqiao messaged Xiao Kaiyan, his classmate and good friend in the capital: "Sister, I''m in urgent need of help!"


    Xiao Kaiyan directly called him. "You still remember to contact me, you little rascal?"


    Yu Xinqiao chuckled guiltily. "I''ve been busy, you know."


    "You''re so busy that you forgot about us, your old friends?"


    "I was exiled to Xuncheng, not promoted. I didn''t want too many people to know."


    Xiao Kaiyan hummed. "Tell me, what do you need from me?"


    Yu Xinqiao asked first, "Have you changed boyfriends recently?"


    He heard that Xiao Kaiyan had just successfully pursued the most popular guy in the neighboring class in less than a week. Yu Xinqiao thought this was a good opportunity and wanted her to share her experience in pursuing someone.


    Speaking of Yu Xinqiao''s coming out event, Xiao Kaiyan played a crucial role in providing encouragement, so she was very curious about the first man Yu Xinqiao had set his sights on. "What kind of person is he? Is he handsome?"


    Yu Xinqiao reminisced about Xu Yanhuan''s face. "Well, he''s definitely more handsome than those male celebrities on TV."


    "Is he really that handsome, or are you just filtering him through a boyfriend lens?"


    Yu Xinqiao blushed and said, "He''s not even my boyfriend yet."


    He poured out all the efforts he had made during this period to Xiao Kaiyan, but as he spoke, a sense of frustration emerged, and he became more and more dispirited.


    Xiao Kaiyan commented, "You''ve had it too easy in life, so when you encounter a little setback, you lose your spirit."


    Yu Xinqiao lamented, "What do you mean by ''a little setback''? I''ve been pursuing him for two months."


    "Two months?" Xiao Kaiyan chuckled. "It seems like you really like him, huh?"


    Hearing the word "like," Yu Xinqiao inexplicably felt a warmth in his ears. "I-I can''t just give up halfway, right?"


    Xiao Kaiyan summed it up for him, "En, your core competitive advantage is that you''re not bad-looking, but if the other person is also good-looking, then that''s not necessarily a bonus in his eyes."


    "Who said he''s better-looking than me? We have different types of attractiveness."


    "But you''ve tried every trick, and he still hasn''t responded, huh?"


    "..."


    "But there''s one trick that you haven''t tried. Any man would feel anxious if that trick is used."


    Yu Xinqiao was getting impatient now. "What trick? Tell me!"


    "Take a step back to move forward, be neither too close nor too distant. From his perspective, if the person who used to cling to me suddenly stops clinging, do you think he won''t be anxious?"


    Although the love expert Xiao Kaiyan herself admitted that she had never used this trick, her exact words were, "The risk is high, and it''s likely that while retreating, you may directly exit the other person''s life."


    However, Yu Xinqiao still decided to give it a try. After all, he had run out of ideas and had no other options left.


    He approached the matter with a relaxed mindset. Taking a step back to move forward meant acting aloof. If he ignored the other person, the other person would also ignore him. Being neither too close nor too distant meant showing up at the right moment, making his presence felt, and striking a chord with the other person''s teenage heart.


    Thinking that Xiao Kaiyan was so capable, with the teacher having exceptional students, Yu Xinqiao believed he wouldn''t fall behind. He started "retreating" with peace of mind. He stopped writing love letters, stopped lingering at the playground, and reduced the number of times he ran to the back row of the classroom.


    He restrained himself from turning his head back during class and secretly speculated, "Is Huanhuan staring at the back of my head, thinking, ''Man, you''ve successfully caught my attention''?"


    Yu Xinqiao did catch the attention of Xu Yanhuan because he had signed up for a basketball tournament.


    It seemed like he had no other choice. That day, Xu Yanhuan saw him practicing with a few tall classmates on the playground. The teammates collectively mocked Yu Xinqiao for his poor stamina and lousy skills. With a mournful face, Yu Xinqiao said, "I was forced to join in by Yueyue. Don''t have high expectations of me... How about I treat you all to drinks later?"


    After saying that, he turned his head, and their gazes met. Before Xu Yanhuan could turn away, Yu Xinqiao had already turned his head first, awkwardly looking in another direction as if he hadn''t seen him.


    Xu Yanhuan: "..."


    What kind of situation is this again?


    That day, the physical education class was combined with the neighboring Class Four. The physical education teacher was training the students who would participate in the sports meet, while the other students had free activities.


    Carrying a basketball out of the equipment room, Yu Xinqiao looked around but didn''t see Xu Yanhuan''s figure. However, he noticed that his own teammates were having a dispute with the students from the neighboring class.


    They were fighting over the basketball court.


    The students from the neighboring class, relying on their size and arrogance, said, "Your class won''t achieve any rankings anyway, so practicing is useless."


    The captain on this side was their own person, Wang Kun, the boy whose family owned a hardware store and was known as "Sausage."


    "I remember your class didn''t even make it past the preliminary rounds last year," Wang Kun sneered. "Don''t talk big."


    The student with the short buzz cut pointed to Shen Daye, who was also reluctantly participating, and said, "Is there no one left in your class? Even someone like him with that hairstyle is here to play basketball?"


    At this moment, Yu Xinqiao walked to the side of the court, once again attracting ridicule from the students in the neighboring class. "Here comes another one. Even with just this, you still won''t give up the court. Are we all here to watch your class''s ''elderly and weak'' play house?"


    Wang Kun gritted his teeth. "I warn you, don''t attack others personally."


    Tensions were rising, and Shen Daye, who was timid, nudged Yu Xinqiao beside him. "Let''s go."


    Yu Xinqiao also felt that it wasn''t necessary to fight over a basketball court. They could simply rent a court on the weekend for everyone to practice.


    So he took two steps forward and said, "AKun, let''s leave and give it to them¡ª"


    Before the word "play" could leave his mouth, the guy with the buzz cut scanned the crowd and sneered even more disdainfully, "Where''s Xu Yanhuan from your class?"


    Wang Kun raised his chin. "It''s none of your damn business."


    "He''s the only one from your class who can play with us. It''s a pity that he''s hiding like a cockroach again, huh?"


    Wang Kun defended his classmate and couldn''t tolerate others insulting his classmates. He pointed at the buzz cut guy''s nose. "Second warning, if you want to fight for the court, fight for the court, but don''t attack others personally!"


    "What''s the big deal? I''m just insulting him. Cockroach, cockroach, cockroach. If he treats you all as idiots, why would you consider him one of your own?" The buzz cut guy laughed. "Speaking of it, a few of us should be on the same side. Is that kind of cockroach even worthy?"


    The guy with the buzz cut was named Xie Fei, and his family owned a restaurant. According to the unwritten social hierarchy in Xuncheng No. 2 High School, he should indeed be friends with Wang Kun and the others.


    He Tangyue, who was watching, chimed in, "He''s good-looking, academically excellent, and can help improve the class average. Why isn''t he worthy?"


    Due to the competitive instinct of male beings, boys of this age particularly dislike those guys who are pursued by girls, and Xie Fei is no exception.


    He sneered, "Don''t you know where he hangs out most of the time? Last time, I saw him at the wholesale market, doing manual labor for only ten bucks an hour."


    "I heard his father is a compulsive gambler who owes hundreds of thousands to loan sharks. He acts all aloof and superior in front of us, thinking he''s something. What a loser!"


    Before Xie Fei could retaliate, Yu Xinqiao innocently said, "Sorry about that, my fellow student. I couldn''t help but try shooting since your head seems as empty as the basketball hoop."


    During the last period of self-study in the afternoon, Yu Xinqiao returned to the classroom.


    He held his arm, looking dejected and with his head hanging down.


    The homeroom teacher was absent, and half of the class was whispering to each other.


    Some were talking loudly. Wang Kun, sitting in the back row, was eating the sausage brought by Liang Yi, his mouth full of oil, vividly describing what had happened earlier to his desk mate who hadn''t attended the physical education class. "I didn''t expect Xiao Yu to be so fierce. Don''t be fooled by his skinny arms and legs; he''s quite strong. He left Xie Fei dumbfounded after hitting him."


    "I think Yu Xinqiao didn''t fare well either. Did he get beaten up?"


    "Yeah, how could Xie Fei let it slide? Once he regained his senses, he threw the ball back at him, but luckily, Yu Xinqiao dodged and it only grazed his arm."


    "In that case, Xie Fei had it worse."


    "I think so too. Hahaha!"


    After school, Xu Yanhuan was the last one to leave the classroom. To delay encountering someone looking to collect debts, he wandered around the building a few times, going upstairs and downstairs.


    When he came down from the second floor, passing by the men''s restroom on this floor, he heard familiar voices conversing near the sink area by the entrance.


    "What did the teacher talk to you about?"


    "He told me to tone it down. If we really fought with them, regardless of the outcome, it would go on our records."


    "Good thing it didn''t escalate... I heard Shen Daye say that guy bad-mouthed him?"


    "Yeah, his words were really offensive, and I couldn''t stand it."


    "But he didn''t say anything too extreme, right? Just that he works outside and his family has debts or something?"


    "They even call him a cockroach, isn''t that offensive?"


    "Hey, why are you getting so angry?"


    The more Yu Xinqiao thought about it, the angrier he became. He moved his arm, tears welling up from the pain, and grimaced as he said, "What''s wrong with working? He didn''t steal or rob anyone. Labor is the most honorable! And the debt isn''t his, it''s his dad''s! Everyone knows that those who lend money at high interest rates have a reason for their grievances. How can a seventeen or eighteen-year-old high school student be so snobbish and unable to bear seeing others doing well?"


    Liang Yi said, "...You''re talking as if you''re not a seventeen or eighteen-year-old high school student."


    With Liang Yi''s help, Yu Xinqiao washed his face and cleaned his hands, feeling relieved at last.


    While cautioning Liang Yi not to spread rumors, Yu Xinqiao strolled leisurely, bumped into someone while discussing what flavor of ice cream to have today.


    Liang Yi, quick to react, called out, "Hi, Xu Ge," and turned and ran, shouting, "I''ll wait for you at the convenience store, Qiao!"


    Yu Xinqiao thought it wasn''t necessary to be so cautious; he might just be passing by.


    After standing face to face for a minute, Yu Xinqiao cautiously asked for confirmation, "You were waiting for me?"


    Xu Yanhuan replied with a simple "En."


    Yu Xinqiao boldly guessed, "You weren''t eavesdropping on my conversation with Xiao Yi, were you?"


    Xu Yanhuan pursed his lips and seemed speechless for a moment before saying, "I didn''t eavesdrop."


    "Oh." Yu Xinqiao nodded, trying to find something to say, "So, you were openly listening."


    This was the first normal conversation they had back and forth.


    It felt so normal to Yu Xinqiao that he thought the sun might have risen from the west today. If circumstances allowed, he even considered finding a camera to record their conversation and save it on the computer, naming it "The Magical Moment When Huanhuan Learned to Use His Mouth."


    It was from this point that Yu Xinqiao realized Xu Yanhuan wasn''t socially anxious or hindered in communication. He simply chose not to speak out of laziness or a lack of necessity¡ªan energy-saving mode, so to speak.


    Xu Yanhuan asked, "Why did you hit Xie Fei?"


    Yu Xinqiao looked up at the sky and said, "Because I don''t like him."


    "Because he bad-mouthed me?"


    "That''s one reason... but mainly because he took over our basketball court."


    Yu Xinqiao''s gaze remained elsewhere, clearly not skilled at lying.


    However, since he answered that way, it would be difficult for him to change his mind. Xu Yanhuan didn''t ask any further and coldly said, "Don''t meddle in other people''s business in the future."


    "..." Yu Xinqiao felt annoyed and muttered softly, "How can you call it meddling?"


    After their conversation, the two of them walked out one after the other.


    Just walking from the teaching building to the school gate, Yu Xinqiao felt as if he were being escorted as a suspect.


    For some reason, Xu Yanhuan, who usually walked confidently ahead, had changed today. He was walking behind, neither too close nor too far, making Yu Xinqiao feel uneasy. He constantly felt as if there was an icy gaze piercing through him from behind.


    Xu Yanhuan was indeed looking at Yu Xinqiao, or more precisely, at the wound on Yu Xinqiao''s arm.


    Although he had already washed it, and it hadn''t broken the skin, the bruises of various shades of red and purple on his arm were still prominent.


    One possible reason was that Yu Xinqiao had very fair skin. Xu Yanhuan had never seen someone so fair in real life. He remembered the night when Yu Xinqiao had lowered his head and bumped into his chest, revealing a glimpse of his nape, resembling snow between mountains.


    His arms were thin as well, as if they could break with a twist.


    Xu Yanhuan couldn''t understand how someone like him dared to use a basketball to strike Xie Fei, who was 1.85 meters tall and weighed at least *180 catties.


    *About 90kgs


    As they walked out of the school gate, Yu Xinqiao suddenly realized, "He''s following me. Could it be that he''s thinking about how to thank me?"


    Yu Xinqiao didn''t like being indebted to others, and he understood that owing favors wasn''t a pleasant feeling. He thought that he might as well go the extra mile and provide Xu Yanhuan with a suggestion.


    With determination, Yu Xinqiao turned around, and Xu Yanhuan stopped in his tracks.


    The two of them locked eyes for a moment, and while Yu Xinqiao''s ears were still warm, he quickly made a proposal, "How about you treat me to ice cream?"


    Yu Xinqiao made this suggestion with careful consideration. Although he wanted to say, "How about you and me start dating," he hadn''t forgotten that he was currently in a crucial moment of "taking a step back to move forward." It wasn''t appropriate to be too aggressive at this time, as it might ruin the progress.


    Moreover, Xu Yanhuan''s family conditions weren''t that good, and it would be a bit extravagant for him to treat Yu Xinqiao to a meal. Ice cream was just right. It would give him an opportunity to express gratitude and bring the two of them closer together. It could be considered a win-win situation.


    They went to a shop outside the school. If they went to Liang Yi''s family convenience store, the money would most likely go unused.


    The shop wasn''t big, with only one freezer filled with colorful packaging and a wide variety of options. Yu Xinqiao took his time choosing and finally settled on a cute panda-shaped ice cream.


    Glancing at the prices, the one with a rose-shaped top was eight yuan, while the regular version without the shape was five yuan.


    If Yu Xinqiao were buying it for himself, he would definitely choose the more expensive one.


    But 8 yuan and 53 cents could buy three cans of drinks at a barbecue stall.


    And it was Xu Yanhuan who would be paying.


    It took him an hour of moving goods just to earn ten yuan.


    Yu Xinqiao licked his lips and thought, "It''s just an ice cream flower. It''s all show, and they taste the same in the end."


    He picked up the regular panda-shaped ice cream and placed it on the counter, saying, "I''ll have this one."


    Xu Yanhuan took some other items from the shelves and paid together.


    When they walked out, carrying the plastic bag, he took out a pen from it and put the rest in his pocket without even looking back.


    He didn''t even say "goodbye."


    The scene of eating ice cream together, as imagined, didn''t come true. Yu Xinqiao raised his uninjured arm and weakly waved it, saying, "Goodbye, see you tomorrow!"


    He watched the tall figure disappear at the corner, then turned around. Slowly, he opened the plastic bag.


    And then he froze.


    Inside, besides the panda-shaped ice cream, there was also a box of medicated plasters. Turning it over, the label listed its efficacy as promoting blood circulation and dissipating blood stasis.


    It wasn''t the plain version of the panda-shaped ice cream that Yu Xinqiao had chosen. It was a slightly more expensive deluxe version, with a lifelike rose lying on top of the crispy cone.


    --------------------


    Author''s Note:


    "A man''s money is where his love is. Do you understand now, Yu Xinqiao?"


    And it seems that the rose version of the panda-shaped ice cream may have been introduced in the past two years. This plot requires some adjustments~