Gu Yuan brought Zhou Chiyu home that night, and the two huddled closely together in the car. Gu Yuan could sense some fluctuations in Zhou Chiyu’s emotions, but every time he lowered his head and saw those clear, round eyes, the words he wanted to say died on his lips.
His intuition told him that Zhou Chiyu could handle it himself.
“Bro, I’m preparing to sing this English song for the Top 10 Singers Final. Want me to sing it for you?”
Gu Yuan lowered his eyelashes. “It would be my honor.”
[I almost lost my mind] (TL: Lyrics from “I Dare You” by Rascal Flatts)
Zhou Chiyu’s voice had a unique quality, at least to Gu Yuan. His trailing notes carried the fresh sweetness of a mint candy—refreshing, with just the right touch of sweetness.
Gu Yuan turned his head and stared at the red mole behind Zhou Chiyu’s ear. His originally calm chest gradually filled with the sound of his pounding heartbeat.
When had he started liking Zhou Chiyu?
Perhaps it began after he was sent to the USA, during countless unbearable nights of pain, accompanied only by the recordings of Zhou Chiyu’s voice on his stuffed toys.
Or maybe it started when he saw those postcards Zhou Chiyu sent him, each expressing longing.
He knew he loved Zhou Chiyu, and he knew their bond went beyond romance—familial and friendly affections even surpassed the love.
He could see how good Zhou Chiyu was to him.
But upon deeper reflection, most of the reasons behind Zhou Chiyu’s actions stemmed from familial duty.
Yet those confessional lyrics Zhou Chiyu had just sung assured him that this time, the “love” contained no trace of familial affection.
Zhou Chiyu seemed to be loving him more and more.
[All I see is you…] (TL: Lyrics from “I Dare You” by Rascal Flatts)
[Baby run… baby run…] (TL: Lyrics from “I Dare You” by Rascal Flatts)
This was an unabashed love song, expressing the singer’s bold pursuit of their beloved while hinting at a thread of entanglement and confusion.
But the song’s ending was a happy one: the two broke through all obstacles to bravely claim their love.
Gu Yuan gradually lost himself in those glassy eyes.
Even as a child, he had believed Zhou Chiyu’s eyes could speak.
Outside the window, the streetlights’ halos blurred into colorful smears. Those colors fell onto Zhou Chiyu’s slightly curly hair, dyeing the tips vibrant.
At that moment, Zhou Chiyu curved his lips toward Gu Yuan—a scene like an oil painting meticulously crafted by the creator, with Zhou Chiyu beautiful beyond description.
Gu Yuan dazed for a moment. When he came back to himself, the boy in front of him stood dazzlingly on the stage of the Top 10 Singers Final.
This final was not only recorded by the school’s new media team; many media outlets had been invited to the event.
The previous controversy was no longer mentioned, but Zhou Chiyu remained one of the most spotlighted contestants that night.
He stood against the light in a pure white suit, like a sculpture cast from moonlight—pristine, without a speck of impurity.
In this competition, Zhou Chiyu wasn’t fixated on the results. He just wanted to stand there and sing a love song to Gu Yuan.
Chen Qixuan and the others were in the audience cheering him on. Those who knew about the previous drama were aware that Zhou Chiyu had a boyfriend who loved him. And it was obvious who this love song was for.
As Zhou Chiyu sang the final line, the stage lights flashed on like a galaxy of stars cascading onto his hair tips.
He raised the microphone and said only a few simple words: “Thank you to my supportive friends, and to my most beloved boyfriend. Thank you, everyone.”
With those last words, thunderous applause erupted from the audience.
After the competition, all forty-plus singers returned to the stage for a group photo, including the staff who prepared the event. Zhou Chiyu stood in the back row and sent Gu Yuan a text. By the time the photographer adjusted the lens, Gu Yuan had entered the frame.
“What’s wrong?”
Gu Yuan noticed that Zhou Chiyu’s hair was dusted with glitter, and he was furtively hunching over to avoid the camera.
“So sneaky.”
Gu Yuan gently brushed away the few strands of colorful ribbon stuck to his cheek, his gaze tender. “Why’d you suddenly call me up here?”
“Please have all singers prepare!”
“One, two, three…”
The stage lights wove a net of firefly-like glows. The audience below raised their phones and cheered. As the photographer called the final count, Zhou Chiyu dodged the camera and suddenly hugged Gu Yuan’s waist.
Gu Yuan’s expression was inscrutable. The moment he leaned down to look at Zhou Chiyu, a warm kiss landed on his lips.
Cheers rose and fell, filling Gu Yuan’s ears. He blinked, and Zhou Chiyu had already released him, flashing a triumphant smile.
Gu Yuan lifted his fingertip to touch the lingering warmth at his lip corner. The heat in his throat grew thicker.
That night, Zhou Chiyu went to the photographer to get the negatives and quietly took the least noticeable version of the group photo.
In the picture, Gu Yuan was clearly visible looking down. Those who didn’t know would think he had missed the shot for some reason, but on closer inspection, one could see Gu Yuan’s waist tightly encircled by a pair of slender arms.
On the back of the photo, Zhou Chiyu wrote a few words:
[I guess you dare to like me.]
…
The temperature had dropped lately, and Zhou Chiyu didn’t like winter—he hated the cold—but he couldn’t quit ice cream. Under Old Master Gu’s strict supervision, he couldn’t touch cold drinks in winter at all.
Gu Yuan’s departure date back to MIT was set: early February next year.
The HBV monitoring report had come back, and Gu Yuan hadn’t been infected. Zhou Chiyu took the opportunity to visit Grandma Chen while accompanying Gu Yuan to pick up the results.
Their Group was recently preparing a neurological disease research project and was establishing ties with MIT’s brain institute. If Grandma Chen agreed to be a volunteer for the project, it could save on exorbitant treatment costs. However, with no children and few lucid moments, whether her signed consent form held legal validity still needed further determination.
When the two returned home from the hospital, they found the courtyard filled with cars. The butler said Old Master Gu had invited many friends over for a dinner gathering that day.
In the dining room, Zhou Chiyu spotted Miss Lin by the window at once. He glanced at Gu Yuan and said sourly, “Your arranged marriage partner is here.”
Gu Yuan chuckled and led him over to greet the guests and elders one by one. As Gu Yuan’s nominal little brother, Zhou Chiyu naturally followed along with the fancy honorifics.
He admired how Gu Yuan remembered all these people he’d only met once.
Gu Cheng and Bai Wenran were there too. Hearing that Gu Yuan’s checkup report was fine, Bai Wenran was in a good mood and chatted with Miss Lin’s mother about architectural design.
At first, Bai Wenran had opposed Old Master Gu arbitrarily setting up Gu Yuan with someone, but after an afternoon talking with Miss Lin’s mother, she felt that if the two kids really hit it off romantically, it would indeed be a good thing.
“Little Yuan, come sit.”
Bai Wenran waved him over. “Miss Lin is very interested in your Astronomy Hut. Why don’t you take her to visit it?”
Zhou Chiyu froze across from them, opening his mouth as if to speak but holding back. His fingertips silently picked at the sofa.
Though the Astronomy Hut belonged to Gu Yuan, he had gifted it to Zhou Chiyu when he was five. It was their Secret Base.
During the years Gu Yuan was away, Zhou Chiyu had personally decorated and cleaned it. Whenever he missed Gu Yuan, his parents, or Grandpa, he would go look at those stars.
His rosy lips paled slightly, but Zhou Chiyu held back his words.
He knew Gu Yuan was in a tough spot and hid his grievance deep in his eyes.
“Sorry, Mom, Aunt Lin, Miss Lin.”
Gu Yuan looked at them squarely, his voice neither high nor low. “The Astronomy Hut used to be open to friends’ visits in the past, but many years ago, I already gifted it to my little brother. That room isn’t part of the public areas—it’s my brother’s private space, like a bedroom, so it’s inconvenient to show visitors.”
Author’s Note:
The three instances marked [Note] in the text are all from the English song “I Dare You” by Rascal Flatts.
