Fu Si Heng found him adorable like this and chuckled. “You’ve worn it before.”
“…”
Y-Yes… but…
“No.” Tao Zhi’s voice was soft but firm.
Before, it had been for money, and even through a phone screen, he’d felt ashamed.
Let alone now, right in front of Fu Si Heng.
Tao Zhi shook his head like a rattle drum.
“How about this.” Fu Si Heng pulled out his prepared lines. “For now, things stay the same as before. You know, at my age, finding a girlfriend isn’t easy. Gone just like that—I can’t accept it.”
On the surface, he couldn’t accept it; in reality, it was to preserve the relationship and more conveniently pursue Tao Zhi, bend him.
If he said boyfriend now, the little straight guy wouldn’t agree.
Tricky.
He could only take the roundabout route.
“What do you say?” Fu Si Heng asked.
…Ah?
Finding a girlfriend wasn’t easy for Fu Si Heng? Tao Zhi was stunned by his words, eyes widening round.
He didn’t quite believe it.
So handsome, great figure, rich, a big CEO…
“Mm.” Fu Si Heng kept a straight face, as if guessing his thoughts, and smoothly added, “Of course it’s not easy. I’m old, boring, don’t know how to coax kids, have a generation gap with you young people—no one would like me.”
“No, no.” Seeing Fu Si Heng’s tone grow more downcast, Tao Zhi hurriedly denied it.
Fu Si Heng: “Good, thanks for the compliment.”
Tao Zhi: “?”
Ah? What compliment?
Didn’t get it.
Tao Zhi stayed quiet for a while.
“You mean… you want me to keep pretending to be your girlfriend?”
“Boyfriend or girlfriend, doesn’t matter.” Fu Si Heng’s voice was casual. “Just can’t suddenly have none. Sweet as honey one day, single the next—what a blow to me.”
“I’m very hurt. Stay with me until I can accept being single again.”
Tao Zhi: “…”
Such strange logic.
Tao Zhi couldn’t quite follow, his head buzzing.
But he tried to find the part he could grasp. “Then how long until you can accept it?”
It couldn’t be forever.
“Is there a deadline?” Tao Zhi was cautious now.
Fu Si Heng thought for a moment. “Pretend until you have two hundred thousand.”
A college student wouldn’t earn two hundred thousand quickly. In that time, Fu Si Heng was confident he could bend Tao Zhi.
“But no working odd jobs everywhere, no borrowing from Fu Zheng, no more being his little brother to make money.” Fu Si Heng said.
Uh.
Harsh conditions.
Tao Zhi blinked. “Then how do I make money?”
“Saturdays, half-day tutoring, five hundred an hour, ten to twelve, then back here for lunch.” Fu Si Heng was prepared. He leaned in and pinched Tao Zhi’s cheek. “Afternoon, make me dinner—I’ll give you a thousand.”
“The pay’s a bit low, so your living expenses and other costs will be covered by me. Use my secondary card directly. But it’s not free; it’ll be added to your debt.”
Tao Zhi: “…”
He’d never earn two hundred thousand at this rate, probably owing Fu Si Heng even more by graduation.
Tao Zhi was troubled.
–
But no matter what, the immediate crisis was resolved. He’d figure out earning money later.
Anyway, once he had two hundred thousand, all debts to Fu Si Heng would be cleared.
Tao Zhi reached that conclusion and agreed to Fu Si Heng’s terms.
Work started right away.
Lunch, dinner, plus weekend lunch—easily three thousand in hand, more profitable than being Fu Zheng’s little brother. Only one day of work a week, and Fu Si Heng pitched in, so he barely did much.
Another benefit of coming clean: Fu Si Heng no longer kissed him whenever and wherever.
After all, he was a boy now… neither was gay.
Intimate contact naturally… stopped.
He’d turned disaster into fortune.
No beating, new job, no more kisses.
Tao Zhi could hardly believe it.
That Sunday afternoon, Fu Si Heng drove Tao Zhi back to school.
“Send me your class schedule.” After coming clean, Fu Si Heng dropped all pretense. “I’ll come find you during free periods to supervise if you’re doing side gigs.”
When he was still his girlfriend, he hadn’t had the right to visit Tao Zhi’s school.
Now he did.
Whenever he had time, he could come.
Each had their own relief.
“Okay.” Tao Zhi responded dryly. “I’ll send it later.”
Fu Si Heng: “Mm.”
He was still a bit reluctant to part.
Fu Si Heng stared at Tao Zhi for a good while before opening the car door.
Endure it.
Just endure a bit longer.
Tao Zhi was oblivious to what the older man was thinking.
He got out of the car and waved goodbye to Fu Si Heng.
After Fu Si Heng left, Tao Zhi stood in place, watching the car disappear from sight, finally exhaling in relief.
Trouble solved, solved!
Next, just save up two hundred thousand, and he’d be free from pretending to be anyone’s boyfriend/girlfriend!
Tao Zhi beamed with joy and had just turned—
His phone rang abruptly. Tao Zhi paused for a second, took it out, and answered, “Hello—”
“You’re not in the dorm?” Fu Zheng cut him off hurriedly. “Where are you?”
“Huh? Me?” Tao Zhi paused. “I’m not, I’m outside. What’s up?”
Fu Zheng: “Where?”
Tao Zhi: “…”
Tao Zhi: “Just… near the school gate.”
“Then go to the parking lot now.” Fu Zheng sounded very urgent. “I have a place to take you.”
“Oh.” Tao Zhi knew this evening slot belonged to Fu Zheng.
But.
“Isn’t it still early?”
It was only three in the afternoon.
Fu Zheng: “Go early.”
“…”
Fine.
The busy little rabbit had finally returned to school, only to rush off to the next battlefield without even entering the dorm.
