Deeply Affectionate Male Supporting Character Topped the Protagonist 90

Chapter 90: Back to Sixteen (4)

I’ll teach you step by step how to pursue me

Xi Leng couldn’t stand his deskmate anymore!

A transfer student, yet more popular than the school’s biggest names, ignoring all friendly advances, only interested in the one who ignored him.

Xi Leng didn’t say anything, didn’t verbally acknowledge their friendship, but they went to school, went to the store, ate, and studied together, in the eyes of their classmates, they were practically best friends.

Even Luo Jiayan, who had known Xi Leng for much longer, couldn’t get close, repeatedly mocked by Min Zhi, finally giving up and joining the other cheerful and friendly students,

“See, Luo Jiayan’s feelings for you are only skin deep,” Min Zhi said logically, “Giving up so easily, he clearly doesn’t care about you.”

Xi Leng, like a righteous knight, “Don’t talk about him like that.”

Seeing Min Zhi’s annoyance, Xi Leng looked away, softly adding, “But I know, you’re different.”

Min Zhi’s anger instantly dissipated, a smug look on his face.

At noon, on the concrete rooftop of the science building, under the scorching sun.

Min Zhi leaned against the railing, his short black hair swaying in the strong wind, as free and unrestrained as he was.

Xi Leng looked at his ears, a strange thought suddenly occurring to him, it seemed like a perfect place for a few piercings.

He wasn’t used to staring at people, and after only three seconds, Min Zhi noticed, asking directly, “Why are you staring at me?”

Xi Leng’s eyes flickered, and he uncomfortably lowered his gaze, “I feel like you not only smoke and drink, but you’ll also get tattoos and piercings.”

Min Zhi paused, then after a moment, said, “You will too, but you’ll only get one.”

A flash of surprise in Xi Leng’s eyes, then a long, indescribable sense of familiarity, from a future that hadn’t arrived yet.

Their eyes met again.

Min Zhi’s expression was serious: “You’ll also grow your hair longer, long enough for a ponytail. At first, it will only be a small bun, then a low ponytail. Like a doll, long, wavy hair.”

Despite describing an unknown future, Min Zhi’s tone was incredibly certain, matter-of-fact, as if he had witnessed it firsthand countless times, It was unbelievable, even more unbelievable that Xi Leng didn’t question him.

Seeing this, Min Zhi continued, “Have you ever wondered why I’m so clingy, why I transferred here, became your deskmate, as if I’ve known you for a long time?”

Xi Leng didn’t doubt his reason for transferring, even feeling that it might be true, but it was still strange, and he frowned, letting out a soft, questioning “hm?”.

Min Zhi’s eyes curved into a smile as he looked at him and said: “I’ve known you for a long time.”

Xi Leng froze, his hazel eyes forgetting to blink.

“Run away, Leng Leng,” Min Zhi dropped the pretense and said directly, “I secretly took photos of your drawings and showed them to an art teacher. Chaoyang Art Studio, you know that place? Quite big and famous. He hopes you’ll go there to study, and also occasionally teach other students, free tuition, room and board included, and they’ll even pay you.”

“Don’t worry, just you getting into the best art academy will be worth more than your tuition, they’ll even have to give you a bonus.”

“Before running away… if anyone bullies you, remember to keep the evidence, a video recording or audio recording, anything, okay?”

He clearly knew something, and he was certain.

Having his deepest secrets and traumas seen through, Xi Leng, surprisingly, felt no resistance or discomfort, his wariness towards Min Zhi lessened even further,

“Why…” he murmured,

Min Zhi just smiled gently, feigning mystery,

After a while, he said: “There’s something I need you to do for me.”

Seeing his deskmate’s serious expression for the first time, Xi Leng was startled, becoming serious himself, “What is it?”

“New Year’s Eve, 2021, I need you to go to City T. I’ll write down the address…” Min Zhi said, “There’s an elderly lady living there… she’s very wary of strangers, it’s best if you can find a way to keep her company, if not, just tell the housekeeper next door not to leave her alone that night.”

“They might not take it seriously, so I need you to be there. If you don’t see the housekeeper come over, and you hear concert music from the house, you have to go check, to prevent anything from happening to the old lady, like a heart attack.”

“It might be a bit cold, but I can only ask you for this favor, After I leave, the me from this world will return, and he might not remember any of this, he’s too arrogant, too confident, even if you tell him, he probably won’t believe you.”

“…Will you?”

Xi Leng looked at him, a hint of helplessness in his eyes, “What’s so troublesome about going to City T?”

Min Zhi, his voice low and serious: “You have to stay there all night, and it’s New Year’s Eve, it’ll be very cold that night.”

Xi Leng was silent for a while, not needing to consider, his answer certain,

Min Zhi’s face brightened, no longer saying more, their shared understanding passing between their eyes.

His premonition of leaving this place grew stronger with each passing day, and there was one more thing he had to take care of.

It was Friday, no evening self-study. The two left the classroom as the bell rang, walking out of the enclosed high school campus, chasing the setting sun.

The bus stop near the school was crowded. Xi Leng, experienced, said to Min Zhi: “Let’s walk to the next stop, it’s not far.”

Min Zhi was naturally happy to walk with him, smiling brightly as he said, “Sure!” He then messaged the Jiang family’s driver to go back on his own.

One bus stop away was a short distance. Min Zhi deliberately walked very slowly, and Xi Leng could only match his pace. The two tall, slender teenagers walked as slowly as turtles in a race.

Min Zhi, seeing a street vendor selling fried snacks, called out to Xi Leng, “Do you want some?”

Xi Leng: “…”

“And something to drink.” Min Zhi decided on his own. “I’ll have this… you have mint lemonade.”

Xi Leng: “…”

“You know,” Min Zhi said, a piece of crispy meat in his mouth, casually chatting with his quiet friend, “I’ll become a top star in the future. Two years from now, I’ll release my first original song, it will be a huge hit, and I’ll have endorsements lined up… At 19, my first official album will sell over a million copies. At 20, I’ll get million-dollar endorsements, hold concerts all over the country, sold-out shows every time.”

Xi Leng quietly listened, not even questioning his seemingly unrealistic fantasies.

“But December 31, 2021, will be my last concert.”

Those eyes, when they met his gaze again, the usual playfulness was gone, replaced by intense regret and remorse that Xi Leng was seeing for the first time.

He didn’t know what to say, blinking a few times before speaking, “I’ll go to City T that day, the grandmother you mentioned…”

“She’s my grandmother.” Min Zhi admitted truthfully. “In my original world, she’s been gone for over three years.”

Xi Leng quickly calculated the time in his mind.

Min Zhi’s next words answered his question, “In the other world, I’m four years older than you. When we met, you were 22, and I was 25. We got together a few months later. On my 26th birthday, you were with me, and I made a wish—”

“To see you when you were young.”

“Then I came here.”

Xi Leng’s focus, however, was, “…Young?”

Clearly, no rebellious teenager would consider themselves a child,

“Well,” Min Zhi smiled, “I was 26, so when you’re 16, you could be considered young, right?”

Then he said, “I thought you’d be more curious about how we got together.”

Xi Leng, realizing this belatedly, his teenage self unable to hide his emotions, his ears turning red, his eyes flickering as he said in disbelief, “What!?”

Min Zhi just smiled, keeping the mystery to himself, letting the imaginative young artist fill in the blanks,

And as expected, the teenager’s cheeks and neck also flushed, a rare sight on the 22-year-old Xi Leng, each second precious.

“Don’t talk nonsense.” Xi Leng gripped his backpack strap, turned his face away, and walked faster,

“Hey…” Min Zhi hurriedly caught up, calling out, “Leng Leng.”

Xi Leng, exasperated, “Stop calling me that.”

“It’s not a random nickname,” Min Zhi said matter-of-factly. “It’s your own name, Xi Leng, Leng Leng is your nickname.”

Xi Leng: “I wouldn’t give myself a nickname.”

Quite clever, Min Zhi chuckled, “Indeed, so I call you baby, it’s not because we’re not close, it’s because I’m afraid you’ll find it too cheesy, right?”

Xi Leng: “…” This person was so untrustworthy!

However, a small, rebellious part of him, against all logic, was hoping for the future Min Zhi described…

He wasn’t alone anymore.

He would have someone who loved him completely, wouldn’t mind his past, wouldn’t be bothered by his coldness, whose world revolved solely around him.

Xi Leng quickly shook his head, getting rid of this unrealistic fantasy.

“I think… it’s almost time, I should be going.” Min Zhi’s voice came from behind him,

Xi Leng’s steps faltered, his heart sinking.

“After I leave, the me from this world should be back, he might not remember you.” Min Zhi’s expression turned serious. “But it’s fine, if I fall for you once, I’ll fall for you again, every single time… and, I can also give you some cheats now.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll teach you step by step how to pursue me, it’s very easy.”

“…Pursue you?” Xi Leng hesitated, blinking a few times, seeming to find this hard to believe, but also completely certain about their future relationship, instinctively following Min Zhi’s words, asking, “So in the future, I’m the one pursuing you?”

How much would he have to like someone to actively pursue them? He couldn’t imagine it now.

“Of course.” Min Zhi said confidently, “I’m a top star, you’re a fan. Naturally, you’re the one pursuing me, a celebrity chasing after a fan? Does that even make sense?”

Xi Leng thought about it silently, shaking his head slowly, uncertainly replying, “It doesn’t seem very reasonable.”

Min Zhi emphasized: “It’s completely illogical.”

Xi Leng turned his head away, hiding behind his hair, a faint smile appearing on his lips, “But if it’s you, it seems possible.”

“What…” Min Zhi frowned. “You’re only 16, we just met a few days ago? Don’t act like you know me so well, I can see through your pretense, I’m just not saying it out of respect.”

Xi Leng, his expression cold and indifferent, clearly didn’t believe him, “Oh.”

Min Zhi: “…”

No wonder they said teenage years were a period of rebellion.

The 16-year-old Xi Leng was really hard to handle.

He was already falling behind just thinking about it.

The solitary teenager didn’t immediately notice the missing person, only after being blinded by the setting sun did Xi Leng turn his head slightly, finding the space beside him empty. He stopped abruptly.

He turned around, the setting sun sinking below the horizon behind him, like a giant, melting egg yolk, enveloping him, the boy’s slender figure bathed in a soft, warm glow,

He looked at his future lover, standing in the sunset,

From Min Zhi’s perspective, the sunlight was dazzling, but the teenager standing there was also irresistibly beautiful, his gaze captivated,

Xi Leng gripped the strap of his backpack, carefully considering his words before speaking,

“You always exaggerate… like us being together in the future, me pursuing you, you becoming a top star… honestly, I don’t believe it.”

The gloomy teenager, his usually flat lips suddenly curving slightly upwards,

“But I’m already your fan now.”

-End-