Chapter 35 Part 2

“Our Little Fish sure has a sweet mouth and knows how to coax people.”

Gu Lao patted his back warmly. “Your brother was planning to return this year, but something came up and delayed it.”

“Ah…” Zhou Chiyu’s eyes filled with disappointment. “My brother doesn’t keep his word!”

Counting up, it had been three years since he last saw Gu Yuan. The most recent was during his third-year summer vacation when he and Gu Lao visited in the USA. Gu Yuan had just finished his final surgery, isolated in a sterile laboratory.

Zhou Chiyu and Gu Yuan gazed at each other through the glass for a long time. A week after confirming Gu Yuan was out of danger, they left the USA.

Half a year later, an unprecedented flu hit the USA, tightening quarantine at customs. To avoid infection, Zhou Chiyu hadn’t left the country since.

Later, Gu Yuan’s illness was cured, but he needed four years of follow-up monitoring. To prevent accidents, Bai Wenran arranged for him to study abroad.

Last month, Gu Yuan told him he’d received an offer from MIT and would continue university there.

Truth be told, though Zhou Chiyu was happy for him, he felt utterly downcast. It meant they’d be apart longer. Video calls every day weren’t the same.

“Didn’t he say he’d come back to see us?” Zhou Chiyu hung his head, his eyes reddening. “I think he doesn’t want to see me at all.”

Just then, a video call invitation from Gu Yuan popped up.

He rejected it stubbornly, slung his schoolbag over his shoulder, and went upstairs to sulk.

It had been too long since they’d talked face-to-face. The Gu Yuan on video was tall and handsome—even better-looking than movie stars. He wanted to touch him, but he couldn’t.

[Little Fish, are you busy?]

Zhou Chiyu glanced sideways at the message, frowning. “Yeah.”

[When are you free? I want to video call.]

He picked up the photo frame by his bed, tapping Gu Yuan’s face lightly with his nail. “I’m super busy. Don’t want to chat with you!”

Tossing the phone aside, he grew sadder the more he thought, his disappointed gaze tinged with grievance.

Qing University had exchange spots at MIT every year. If he applied successfully, could he be with Gu Yuan?

But what mattered was that Gu Yuan didn’t want to see him.

It had to be that!

“Stupid Gu Yuan.”

Zhou Chiyu huddled under the covers in a funk until Gu Lao came to coax him out.

“Grandpa’s business partner just opened a new club. Want to go play, Little Fish?”

“Nope.”

“Langlang and the others are going surfing over National Day. Want to join?”

“Don’t wanna.”

“You’ll be able to get your driver’s license soon. Grandpa will get you a car.” Gu Lao gazed at Zhou Chiyu’s cheeks flushed red from pouting, chuckling indulgently. “Eighteen already, and still acting like a kid.”

Zhou Chiyu kept his head down, his doll-like chestnut curls falling over his pale forehead, looking utterly dejected and heartbroken.

Gu Lao knew exactly why his little grandson was upset, but since it was Gu Yuan’s plan, he didn’t interfere to avoid spoiling it.

…

The next day, the driver dropped Zhou Chiyu near school, and he biked a shared bicycle to the second teaching building.

As soon as he entered, Chen Qixuan pulled him aside. “Little Fish, did you hear? A hot American exchange student showed up in the Math Department—handsomer than Little Leo! My friends say the whole tiered classroom is packed.”

“American exchange student?” The word “America” caught Zhou Chiyu’s attention instinctively, but it dredged up his sadness, plummeting his mood. He schooled his face into seriousness and slumped over the desk in gloom.

“Yeah, supposedly from MIT.” Chen Qixuan winked. “Let’s go check out the handsome guy.”

“I bet those girls are exaggerating.” Wu Ming chimed in. “Everyone’s got two eyes, one nose, one mouth. How hot can he be?”

Zhou Chiyu wasn’t interested in the exchange student. If it came to looks, Gu Yuan was the handsomest in the world to him.

But… from MIT?

Out of curiosity, he decided to take a look.

The hallway bustled more than usual. Zhou Chiyu overheard two girls gossiping about Jing Hua setting up flowers at Lovers’ Slope for a confession.

“I think Jing Hua likes guys.” Chen Qixuan raised a brow gossipy-style. “Heard he had a little boyfriend in high school.”

“Two guys?”

Zhou Chiyu’s eyes widened in slight confusion.

Two guys could date?

“Yeah, same-sex marriage got legalized last year.” Chen Qixuan slung an arm around his shoulders. “Little Fish, you got a bunch of love letters from girls during training. Don’t like them? Don’t tell me you—”

Chen Qixuan and Wu Ming exchanged looks. “You like guys?”

“Of course not.” Zhou Chiyu said earnestly. “My brother said if I date, I need his permission.”

“Your brother?” It was the first time Chen Qixuan heard Zhou Chiyu mention family. “You have a brother?”

“Yeah.” Though sulking with Gu Yuan, Zhou Chiyu still praised his looks highly. “If my brother came to our school, he’d get ten thousand love letters.”

“Whoa? That good?” Chen Qixuan clearly didn’t buy it. “You’ve got brother-tinted glasses.”

“No way, my brother really is—” Midway, Zhou Chiyu noticed Jing Hua approaching with flowers.

He stepped aside in the hallway corner to let him pass, but Jing Hua stopped right beside him.

He looked up, a flicker of incredulous panic in his eyes.

“Zhou Chiyu, I want to tell you something.” Jing Hua took a deep breath and slowly held out the roses. “I like you. It was love at first sight.”

The crowded hallway seemed to slow dramatically. Whispers spread as everyone stared at Jing Hua and Zhou Chiyu.

“But I—”

“But—”

Zhou Chiyu timidly pushed back the roses, awkward and at a loss.

It was his first confession from a guy.

Chen Qixuan and the others froze, eyes wide with gossip and confusion. They could tell Zhou Chiyu was super nervous and didn’t want to accept. A crowd trailed Jing Hua, there to cheer him on.

“This is way too much pressure.”

Chen Qixuan cracked his knuckles, ready to step in and help. Just then, gasps rippled from the hallway’s end. He turned and saw a powerfully charismatic, devastatingly handsome guy approaching.

“Who’s that? So alpha!”

“He’s gotta be six-foot-three. Killer build.”

“Too handsome!!”

Chen Qixuan stared blankly, subconsciously touching his nose and stepping aside. He’d seen plenty of hot guys, but this was prime-grade perfection.

To his shock, the handsome guy slowed and stopped right behind Zhou Chiyu.

“Sorry.”

The guy’s gaze was cool and distant as he took Zhou Chiyu’s hand and glanced faintly at Jing Hua. “He’s already engaged.”