Chapter 25

“That’s my phone.”

Jiang Mian’s words were, clearly, too late.

Chen Gu paused, his expression unchanged as he handed the phone to Jiang Mian. “Sorry, but the other person didn’t say anything.”

Jiang Mian took it, his expression complicated. “Because that’s my dad.”

Imagine calling your son, only to hear a strange male voice, slightly breathless, answer the phone. That was why Jiang Liaoyi hadn’t spoken.

Chen Gu hadn’t expected things to take such a wonderful turn and could only offer another apology.

It wasn’t really Chen Gu’s fault. Jiang Mian hadn’t reacted in time either.

Especially because, while waiting for Chen Gu to run for him, Chen Gu had given Jiang Mian his own phone to stave off boredom.

Jiang Mian had been watching bar exam prep videos on Chen Gu’s phone. When the call came in, Chen Gu’s phone was still in his hand. Mixing them up was completely understandable.

Jiang Mian gestured that it was fine, then finally managed to speak with Jiang Liaoyi. “Dad.”

Jiang Liaoyi, on the other end, had heard their brief exchange. He breathed a small sigh of relief, yet was still puzzled. “Are you outside?”

“Yes.” Jiang Mian said slowly, “Makeup exam for the Physical Fitness Test. Need to complete a Health Run assignment.”

“Then why was your phone with someone else?”

“He’s logging the run for me.”

Jiang Liaoyi didn’t comment on the fact that someone else was logging the run for Jiang Mian. He only tried to recall the voice. “Chen Yishen? Does he have a cold?”

Jiang Mian’s lips moved.

Telling Jiang Liaoyi it was Chen Gu wasn’t a big deal, but he felt a strange, inexplicable sense of guilt.

Jiang Mian: “No.”

His voice unconsciously lowered even more. “It’s his brother.”

Jiang Liaoyi seemed to pause, then let out a soft “Ah.” “His twin brother, Chen Gu?”

“Mm.”

Jiang Liaoyi didn’t interfere with Jiang Mian’s friendships, so he didn’t say much more. He simply informed him that he’d be back in a couple of days and asked if Jiang Mian wanted him to bring anything back.

Jiang Mian said no. The father and son didn’t linger in affection, one saying “okay,” the other “mm,” and they hung up.

Since Jiang Mian hadn’t avoided Chen Gu while on the call, Chen Gu’s voice followed immediately after he hung up. “Everything okay?”

Jiang Mian shook his head. “It’s fine.”

He put his phone away, picked up his bag. “So, I’ll head out first?”

“Let’s go together.” Chen Gu met Jiang Mian’s slightly questioning gaze and chuckled softly. “I came here to work out anyway. Now I’m done running.”

He bent down to scoop up his bag. “What are you getting for dinner?”

Chen Gu asked this so naturally that Jiang Mian automatically replied, “I was planning on Salt-baked Chicken.”

The words had just left his mouth when he faltered. “You want to join me?”

Chen Gu raised an eyebrow, looking entirely matter-of-fact. “You still owe me two meals.”

Jiang Mian: “?”

He stared at Chen Gu blankly, genuinely unable to understand how he suddenly owed him two more meals.

“Jiang Mian, you promised this yourself. Have you forgotten?” Chen Gu sighed. “You said you’d make up my birthday to me.”

Yeah, and they’d already eaten, hadn’t they?

Jiang Mian voiced his confusion, and Chen Gu launched into his sophistry. “You were making up my birthday dinner. The birthday person should treat. Those two meals we had? Those were split.”

His tone was even more serious than Jiang Mian’s. “When Chen Yishen treated for his birthday, did you split with him, too?”

Well, no.

Chen Gu spread his hands. “There you go. I didn’t even treat, how can you be done eating?”

There was truly nothing wrong with this logic.

Jiang Mian opened his mouth, then closed it.

He looked at the hint of triumph in Chen Gu’s eyes and couldn’t help but say, “But that meal at the agritainment farm, you didn’t take my money. That counts as a treat.”

The moment the words left his mouth, Jiang Mian regretted it.

It felt too much like drawing a line with Chen Gu, and that was a bit hurtful.

Yet Chen Gu’s face showed no emotion. He just smiled and asked, “Jiang Mian, was the agreement to make up my birthday made before that meal, or after?”

Before.

So it was still two meals, no change.

In the end, Jiang Mian got into Chen Gu’s car.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to eat with Chen Gu. He was just a little afraid that Chen Gu would tell him he “liked” him again.

He really couldn’t handle it.

Those two words, coming from Chen Gu’s mouth, were like an invincible shovel, easily scooping away something from Jiang Mian every single time.

Over time, the pieces scooped out could stitch together a whole Jiang Mian.

Jiang Mian didn’t get carsick, so he lowered his eyes and silently continued reciting legal statutes. Chen Gu didn’t speak, either.

He looked as if he was focused on driving, but inside, his emotions had churned like ocean waves, over and over.

That day, when Jiang Mian asked that question, he had wondered if Jiang Mian had asked it with a certain feeling. He had analyzed it countless times.

But Chen Gu was not confident.

Because Jiang Mian was too outstanding.

That someone so outstanding would have feelings for him—no one would believe it.

And Jiang Mian’s clear step back today only confirmed Chen Gu’s lack of confidence.

Chen Gu’s index finger tapped the steering wheel unconsciously. He kept telling himself to be patient.

Jiang Mian had a soft heart.

Sooner or later, he’d find a way to make him fall, unable to climb back out.

Thanks to Chen Gu’s sophistry, Jiang Mian finally didn’t suggest splitting the bill for tonight’s dinner.

Though his hand subconsciously opened DingDong and navigated to the transfer page, he backed out the moment he met Chen Gu’s amused, half-smiling eyes.

Jiang Mian and Chen Gu had very compatible tastes. At least, so far, there hadn’t been a single food one ate that the other wouldn’t—because Chen Gu also disliked sesame and unprocessed beans.

After dinner, Jiang Mian sipped on his pearl milk tea as Chen Gu suggested they set a fixed time. Before South Boundary University started, he’d help Jiang Mian finish logging the Health Run.

Jiang Mian hesitated briefly, then said, “Around two or three in the afternoon.”

That time was the hottest part of the day, but summer was practically at its tail end. At least middle and high schools had already started. Only universities started a bit later—well, some had started already.

Two or three wasn’t rush hour, so Chen Gu wouldn’t hit traffic.

It just meant, at this time, they definitely wouldn’t eat together.

But they still saw each other every day, chatting a bit. Jiang Mian also ran a few laps alongside Chen Gu as far as his stamina allowed.

And, well, exercise really was useful.

Because lately, he’d been constantly cooped up at home with the air conditioner on, always getting headaches and mild colds. After these ten days of running with Chen Gu, he felt his “sickly body” was getting better.

One day, after finishing his run, Chen Gu saw Jiang Mian studying legal statutes and asked, “Chen Yishen said you could recite all the statutes by your first year. Are you reviewing?”

Jiang Mian silently cursed a certain best friend who constantly sold him out but answered honestly. “The statutes are updated practically every year. Our knowledge base needs updating, too.”

He paused. “And I’m memorizing international ones.”

Chen Gu was genuinely surprised. “International? You’re going into international law?”

“No.” Jiang Mian told the truth. “Just memorizing for fun.”

Chen Gu: “…”

This time, he truly understood why Chen Yishen was always sighing about how Jiang Mian’s world was different.

Too much of a Study God.

South Boundary University’s Law School started on September 12th. This year’s first bar exam, the objective test, was on September 15th. So, Jiang Mian got busy.

If there was one saving grace, it was that someone had helped him cheat, completing the Health Run. Or else Jiang Mian would be even busier.

His counselor was understandably skeptical about him finishing 50 kilometers in ten days. But thinking of Jiang Mian’s disastrous fitness test score, he turned a blind eye and let it go.

After the objective test, Jiang Mian inevitably received various inquiries.

He just gave a blanket reply in the group chat—”felt okay.” After all, he wasn’t the only one in their class taking the bar exam. Everyone was discussing it.

That day, when he got home, Jiang Liaoyi also came over.

Father and son lived separately, mainly because Jiang Liaoyi’s place was practically a second office. Jiang Mian liked quiet. He really couldn’t stand it when, on the rare mornings he wanted to sleep in, he’d be woken up by Jiang Liaoyi and his colleagues’ meetings.

So when he turned sixteen, Jiang Liaoyi had gifted him an apartment.

Jiang Liaoyi also asked how the test went. Jiang Mian still said it felt okay.

But a father familiar with his son knew very well that when Jiang Mian said “okay,” it probably meant he’d place no lower than fifth, if not first.

Jiang Mian’s brain had always been exceptionally sharp from childhood.

Jiang Liaoyi cooked steak, blanched broccoli, and the two sat across from each other, quietly finishing their meal. Just as Jiang Liaoyi was about to ask Jiang Mian if he wanted to accompany him to look at a case, Jiang Mian’s phone rang.

Again, it was a phone number with no saved contact. Yet Jiang Mian instantly stood up, walking toward his room as he answered. “Hello?”

From that single word, the male voice on the other end seemed to detect a hint of urgency. He first soothed, “Don’t worry, I’m fine.”

Jiang Mian’s hand, already opening his closet, paused. “I thought you…”

“Mm, but I am calling about this.”

Hearing Chen Gu say this, Jiang Mian decisively sped up, pulling out a pair of long pants. As for his shirt, he couldn’t be bothered to change. “Are you at home?”

Chen Gu said he was. “You’re coming over now?”

Jiang Mian was confused. “Why else? Aren’t you uncomfortable?”

Chen Gu, who had originally only meant to tell Jiang Mian he’d be going abroad for a week and to ask if he could come over tomorrow to soothe him so he wouldn’t relapse overseas, smoothly changed his words. “Yes.”

He softened his voice, making it sound fragile. “But it’s late. Won’t I be bothering you?”

“It’s only eight.” Jiang Mian used his shoulder and cheek to pin the phone while changing his pants. “Wait twenty minutes for me.”

He paused. “Don’t scratch.”

Chen Gu twirled the freshly cleaned paintbrush in his hand. Smiling, he continued in his “feeble” voice. “Okay, I’ll try my best to endure.”

After hanging up, Jiang Mian hurriedly told Jiang Liaoyi he was going out to a friend’s place.

Jiang Liaoyi pondered briefly. “Should I drive you?”

Jiang Mian: “No need. The subway is faster.”

Jiang Liaoyi: “Mm.”

Jiang Mian wasn’t surprised that Jiang Liaoyi didn’t ask more questions or say anything else.

He’d been like this for years.

He firmly believed children needed enough space and freedom. The parent’s role was only to correct them when they were about to go down the wrong path.

Thus, he never interfered with Jiang Mian’s social life or his choices.

But today…

After Jiang Mian left, Jiang Liaoyi couldn’t help but walk to the window. He watched his son walk toward the main gate at a faster pace than usual. After a few quick steps, Jiang Mian broke into a light jog and disappeared from view.

It seemed to be the first time he’d ever seen Jiang Mian like this.

Jiang Liaoyi fell into deep thought.

The last time he heard someone say it was the first time seeing someone act a certain way, it was probably his own father talking about him.

Back then, he and Xiang Wei weren’t together yet. Xiang Wei had asked him out. When he came back, his father sneered that it was the first time he’d seen him so restless, like there was a fire burning behind him.

…Did he feel like his precious baby son was about to be stolen away?