That night, Chen Yishen didn’t come back. He went on a date with Zhou Yuhui. Why he didn’t return to the dorm, Jiang Mian didn’t need to ask.
But the next day was an 8 AM class. Jiang Mian proactively sent Chen Gu a “morning”—he woke up at six; Chen Gu was definitely not awake at this hour.
After eating at the cafeteria alone, Jiang Mian went to the classroom.
It was a mandatory course today; Chen Yishen would definitely come back to attend.
What Jiang Mian hadn’t expected was that the first thing Chen Yishen asked upon seeing him was: “Jiang Mian, what exactly is going on between you and my brother?”
The thirst for knowledge and burning gossip fire in his eyes hit Jiang Mian full force. Coupled with the fact that this silly roe deer forgot to lower his voice in his excitement, the classroom already had quite a few people. Hearing this question, many who’d been watching Jiang Mian since he walked in cast their gazes over.
Actually, from the moment he left the dorm this morning, Jiang Mian had felt more eyes on him than usual, but he’d paid it no mind.
Jiang Mian: “What’s up?”
Chen Yishen pulled out his phone: “The forum.”
He showed Jiang Mian the thread he hadn’t yet exited.
Jiang Mian glanced down at it. The title read: “Ahhh! The Law School’s two heartthrobs came to the Library! Although I know cys has a girlfriend, I still really want to low-key ship…”
Jiang Mian: “.”
Actually, regarding people shipping him and Chen Yishen, he and Chen Yishen had known for a long time.
The first time they discovered it, they’d stared at each other speechless for a long time. Jiang Mian didn’t really feel anything, but Chen Yishen repeatedly swore to him that he was truly straight and wasn’t playing him to chase him.
Only when Jiang Mian said to ignore it did the matter barely pass.
Later, after Jiang Mian helped Chen Yishen successfully pursue Zhou Yuhui, the strange looks nearly disappeared whenever the two of them appeared together. Jiang Mian thus assumed these people’s bizarre thoughts should have lessened.
He truly hadn’t expected that, even with Chen Yishen in a relationship, there were still people…
Jiang Mian furrowed his brows slightly.
He felt this was disrespectful.
Where were these people putting Zhou Yuhui?
Chen Yishen reached out to return to the main thread for Jiang Mian to see: “Look, they even took photos.”
In the photo were Jiang Mian and Chen Gu, sitting in that library corner.
Jiang Mian couldn’t quite tell the exact time, but Chen Gu was looking at him, smiling brilliantly. Under the sunlight, he appeared gentle.
If it were just that, it’d be fine.
Jiang Mian looked at the zoomed-in photo and paused briefly.
Because in the photo, he too was very faintly smiling. The atmosphere between the two held a bit of ambiguity and tenderness.
What had been said… that made him smile too?
Jiang Mian had absolutely no recollection.
And besides this stolen photo, the main post also had text: “Come to think of it, haven’t seen cys in a long time. Since when did he grow long hair? So handsome!! And is it just me, or does he seem much more solid than last semester?”
Jiang Mian reached out and scrolled down. Not everyone saw Chen Yishen every day. The front comments indeed didn’t recognize this wasn’t Chen Yishen. But midway, someone said they saw Chen Yishen with short hair just that morning, and another person posted a string of question marks saying they’d seen Chen Yishen and Zhou Yuhui at an amusement park half an hour ago—this thread was posted yesterday afternoon.
Thus, the entire thread’s direction became surreal. The original poster was also accused of photoshopping to force a ship and got cursed out for dozens of floors. Until past the 200th floor, someone spoke up: 【That’s his older brother, Chen Gu】;
Initially, everyone just marveled at how alike they were. But within a few more floors, the thread’s direction went exactly as Jiang Mian had anticipated.
People started with various “Eh, I think that…”, “Um, am I the only one who feels…”, “Isn’t this so weird…”—at first veiled, but later becoming somewhat unbridled.
Jiang Mian’s gaze lingered on the word “substitute,” and he pressed his lips together.
Chen Yishen, his good friend for many years, saw his frown and knew he was displeased. He immediately put the phone away: “Ah, Jiang Mian, ignore them.”
He muttered, also somewhat angry: “I know you didn’t mean that. These people are really too idle. Isn’t university activities enough to pass their time? They just like gossiping about this stuff.”
“It’s fine.”
Jiang Mian’s tone was flat, but he could only say these two words to try and comfort Chen Yishen.
He had long predicted this scenario. Jiang Mian thought he was mentally prepared, but seeing it for real, he finally understood that sometimes even with preparation, one couldn’t face it calmly.
Chen Yishen wanted to say something more, but a classmate called out: “Jiang Mian, the Counselor wants you to register something.”
Jiang Mian got up and left directly.
Chen Yishen could only swallow his words for now.
He scratched his hair, a bit annoyed, not knowing what to do.
Song Wen came over with Jiang Mian’s notebook. He nudged Chen Yishen’s shoulder teasingly: “You saw the forum stuff?”
Chen Yishen responded sulkily.
Song Wen laughed: “I was just saying how come Jiang Mian only gets along so well with you… Is he really gay?”
Hearing this, Chen Yishen immediately swept a cold glare at Song Wen.
He snatched Jiang Mian’s notebook directly from Song Wen’s hand and sneered sarcastically: “Why does he only get along well with me? Isn’t it precisely because he knows you all act so nice on the surface, but behind his back, you just gossip? You look for him when you need help, but treat him as after-dinner entertainment when there’s nothing. Does that seem fun to you?”
He hadn’t felt this way before. He’d just thought Song Wen and the others were curious about Jiang Mian, since Jiang Mian was synonymous with ‘mysterious’ in many people’s eyes.
Now he finally saw through these people.
They borrowed Jiang Mian’s notes, asked Jiang Mian to explain questions. Jiang Mian had helped them a lot academically, yet this was how they treated him.
Song Wen, unexpectedly scolded several times in a row, looked at Chen Yishen in disbelief, as if meeting him for the first time.
The other classmates who’d been watching them from their seats were also dumbfounded.
In their eyes, Chen Yishen was a big boy with a great personality. Such a side of him was genuinely seen for the first time.
Song Wen, feeling humiliated by this scolding, opened his mouth: “Did I say anything about you? Why are you so worked up? Could it be you and Jiang Mian really are like the forum says…”
Song Wen never finished that sentence, because Chen Yishen directly grabbed him by the collar and slammed him hard against the desk.
When the loud bang rang out, the few who had been watching the drama up close instantly scattered and ran away.
“I suggest you watch your mouth.” Chen Yishen looked at him with disgust. Even though he was already twenty, growing up in a happy family, Chen Yishen’s mind was still full of that somewhat chuunibyou notion of “brothers above all else”—childish but warm: “Jiang Mian is my brother, my one and only, best friend.”
He paused, leaned down closer to Song Wen, and warned in a voice only the two of them could hear: “You haven’t forgotten who Jiang Mian’s brother is, have you? What the Rong Family means in South Boundary—I think we, of all people, know best, right? And… you don’t actually think my brother is some nice guy, do you?”
“Remember A Zhuo, after our Moot Court ended during summer break? His throat was hoarse and he couldn’t speak for over a month?”
Chen Yishen said coldly: “Why don’t you guess who did it?”
Song Wen’s eyes widened in shock. Chen Yishen had already released him and raised his voice: “We’re all studying Law. Defamation and harming someone’s reputation can lead to criminal detention and a lifelong record—surely you know that?”
The classroom instantly fell silent.
Chen Yishen dusted off his hands, turned, and left the classroom to go tell Chen Gu about this.
Actually, regarding that matter with A Zhuo, Chen Gu hadn’t told him either, but Chen Yishen wasn’t brainless. He’d guessed a bit.
That day during Moot Court, A Zhuo had impatiently snapped at Jiang Mian. That very night, Chen Gu said he’d help edit the video and asked him for that person’s name.
Within two days, A Zhuo was crying in the small group chat that he didn’t know what he ate, but his throat went hoarse, and it hurt terribly to speak.
Chen Yishen knew Chen Gu wasn’t a good person.
Because he’d seen him trick someone into the boxing ring, beat them half to death, and finally toss down a sum of money enough to shut them up before walking away coolly.
And he did it only because that person had laughed at him, calling him a sissy for having long hair and studying art.
Before Chen Gu returned to South Boundary, Chen Yishen had very few meetings with him. Most times, Chen Yishen went to find him to play.
Although he’d take him to have fun, he was always detached, never really caring about what he liked.
Chen Yishen always felt that Chen Gu’s eyes couldn’t hold anyone.
But Jiang Mian was the only person Chen Gu had ever asked about.
Just as Chen Gu was the only person Jiang Mian had ever asked about.
Chen Yishen’s EQ was a bit worrisome, but he’d also gotten into South Boundary U through his own hard work.
The Law School’s entry requirements at South Boundary University were not low.
After seeing that forum post, he’d carefully analyzed for a long time, finally connecting all the dots he’d previously overlooked, and discovered this secret that actually hadn’t really been hidden at all.
——
When Jiang Mian came out of the Counselor’s office, he found Chen Gu had messaged him.
It wasn’t even 8 yet; this shouldn’t be the time Chen Gu woke up.
Chen Gu had left a message saying, if convenient, call him back when he saw the message. So Jiang Mian directly stood in the hallway and picked up.
“Hello?”
The voice on the other end was still a bit drowsy, carrying the hoarseness of just waking up: “Sir Jiang, I think I understand why you wanted to hide me away.”
Chen Gu’s voice held a smile, as if completely unbothered by this, which gradually calmed Jiang Mian’s originally somewhat rippling heart: “You found out?”
Chen Gu didn’t hide it: “Chen Yishen called me.”
“No wonder.” Jiang Mian said quietly: “You don’t usually wake up at this hour.”
Chen Gu raised an eyebrow, his mood seemingly good: “Unhappy?”
Jiang Mian looked down and mumbled: “You slept in the wee hours. Him waking you up now means insufficient sleep, which isn’t good for the heart.”
Chen Gu paused for two seconds.
After a brief silence, he laughed despite himself: “Jiang Mian, that’s not what I was asking.”
Belatedly realizing what he was asking, Jiang Mian: “…”
He also fell silent for two seconds, trying to salvage: “A little, but it’s fine.”
Jiang Mian’s tone was indifferent: “No need to care about those people. They can’t affect anything.”
“Jiang Mian.”
Chen Gu seemed to sigh softly, his tone a bit helpless: “Who taught you to say that?”
Jiang Mian paused.
Before he could say anything, Chen Gu’s slightly deep voice came through the phone’s speaker: “Unhappy means unhappy. You can care. You can say it out loud. Because I’ll find a way to make you happy.”
Jiang Mian stared at the patterns on the floor tiles. For a moment, he couldn’t say a word.
He heard Chen Gu’s voice again, tinged with the static of electronics: “So, do you care?”
Jiang Mian didn’t know why. Maybe he’d been blowing the AC too much lately and was catching a cold.
He actually felt a bit of stuffiness in his nose, accompanied by a faint, weak sourness.
“Mm.”
“Then I’ll see you soon.”
Jiang Mian paused: “What?”
Chen Gu chuckled lowly: “I’m coming to cheer you up.”
