A phone call interrupted Zhou Zhuoli’s train of thought.
Zhou Zhuoyuan was in the middle of chatting with He Qinglan and assumed it was him calling, so he picked up without even glancing at the screen. “Hello?”
It clearly wasn’t the person he’d hoped for. “Didn’t I tell you not to call me except on Sundays?”
“Who said that?”
“I’m already on my way back to school. Everything’s fine now.”
“I don’t want it. Don’t buy stuff on your own.”
“What are you waiting for? I already said no. I have so many scarves I could change them out every day. Hello!”
The line went dead. Zhou Zhuoyuan looked thoroughly annoyed, though it wasn’t the same sharp irritation he’d directed at Zhou Zhuoli the other day. This was more a weary kind of helplessness.
Zhou Zhuoyi piped up. “Who was that, bro?”
Zhou Zhuoyuan went back to his chat with He Qinglan. “You wouldn’t know them even if I told you.”
Zhou Zhuoli finally spoke. “Put the phone away. It’s rude.”
Zhou Zhuoyuan shot him a glare. “Sorry, but I’m not gonna be polite about it.”
“Pfft.” Zhou Zhuoyi burst out laughing. “That’s great, bro. Seeing your spirits back up is just fantastic.”
Zhou Zhuoyuan’s fingers paused mid-tap on the screen. He glanced into the rearview mirror at Zhou Zhuoyi’s utterly sincere expression. The new shoots sprouting from him drooped quietly, and a few leaves drifted loose.
Zhou Zhuoyi wasn’t some fragile white lotus. For him to stay so friendly toward someone as prickly as Zhou Zhuoyuan meant he was the real deal—a true saint at heart.
~~~
When they pulled up to the gate, Zhou Zhuoli grabbed Zhou Zhuoyuan’s backpack, ready to walk him inside. Zhou Zhuoyuan wouldn’t have it and yanked on the strap. “I don’t need you walking me in!”
Zhou Zhuoli couldn’t win that argument, so he stayed in the car and watched Zhou Zhuoyuan trot off with a spring in his step.
Zhou Zhuoyuan paused at the guard booth and called out. A tall young man emerged, and Zhou Zhuoli narrowed his eyes. The guy looked familiar—somewhere, sometime before.
The young man fumbled in his bag and pulled out a scarf. The bag bore the logo of a mid-tier luxury brand, one renowned for its quality scarves. This wasn’t some cheap throwaway to check a box.
He draped the scarf around Zhou Zhuoyuan’s neck, yanked the backpack off his shoulders, and ambled toward the school grounds. Zhou Zhuoyuan swore a couple times after him and broke into a jog to catch up.
He wouldn’t let Zhou Zhuoli see him in but was fine with this guy doing it.
Lin Boxu.
Zhou Zhuoli recalled the name.
After bringing Zhou Zhuoyuan back into the fold, the Lin family had visited Zhou Zhuoyi a few times, but they’d never brought Lin Boxu. The guy was too detached from family ties and too unreliable—they worried he’d blurt out something reckless.
Zhou Zhuoli had only met him once, back before the recognition, at the Lin family home while Zhou Zhuoyuan was out. Lin Boxu had turned red in the face, neck veins bulging, ranting about why Lin Yuan got to live the high life in some fancy clan. The Lin family had mentioned the two had scrapped since they were kids, so Zhou Zhuoli figured they hated each other’s guts.
So why the sudden buddy act? Was Zhou Zhuoyuan that desperate for a big brother’s affection that he’d settle for a flake like Lin Boxu?
~~~
Zhou Zhuoyuan had figured Zhu Wan sending lunch would mean the driver or one of the house staff. He hadn’t expected Zhou Zhuoli.
Walking shoulder-to-shoulder with He Qinglan to their meetup spot at the cafeteria, he spotted Zhou Zhuoli and nearly spun on his heel to bolt.
He Qinglan felt the awkwardness too. Zhou Zhuoli was one of the city’s more notorious tall, rich, and handsome types—he’d heard the rumors.
Meeting the big brother-in-law totally unprepared…
Zhou Zhuoyuan blurted, “Why are you here?”
Zhou Zhuoli shot back, none too pleased. “What’s your problem with it being me? Who else were you hoping for? Mom to deliver it herself?”
He Qinglan had been at a loss for words in his anxiety, but that flipped a switch to outright defensiveness. He stepped forward, putting himself between them. “Big brother-in-law, Little Yuan didn’t mean anything by it. No need to bite his head off, right?”
Zhou Zhuoli blinked. “?”
What the hell?
Big brother-in-law?
Zhou Zhuoyuan’s face went beet red. “What are you calling him?!”
Zhou Zhuoli’s expression darkened. The food was enough for two, but Zhou Zhuoyuan didn’t bother asking if he’d eaten. Instead, he and his little boyfriend sweetly polished it off together.
Seemingly pleased with the menu, Zhou Zhuoyuan dabbed at his mouth with a napkin. “Thanks for the effort. Just have the driver handle it next time.”
Arms crossed, Zhou Zhuoli figured the meal was over—he could finally grill them about whatever was going on. But Zhou Zhuoyuan, stuffed and satisfied, simply got to his feet, grabbed He Qinglan by the arm, and marched right out of the cafeteria without another word.
That little shit!
Zhou Zhuoli had seen Zhou Zhuoyuan kick away the ladder before, but he’d still deluded himself into thinking the kid might actually sit still for a talking-to.
~~~
With Ji He out, after evening self-study let out, He Qinglan relocated to his desk. He had another competition coming up soon—two or three more days without seeing Zhou Zhuoyuan—so he made the most of every moment to stick close.
Pei He’s eyes stung fiercely from watching them, and the moment class ended, he retreated to the dorm alone. At that point, he still fancied himself the brooding male lead in some angsty coming-of-age tale, blissfully unaware that his true nightmare was only just beginning.
He Qinglan was a competition student, which meant his regular workload was light. Worried that his own idleness might throw Zhou Zhuoyuan off balance, he sat ramrod straight, pretending to study while stealing sidelong glances at him.
Zhou Zhuoyuan was utterly absorbed in his studies, his long, curled lashes fluttering delicately with every blink. When he hit a tough problem, he tormented his lips—nibbling one moment, pursing the next—leaving them soft, plump, and glistening.
An unbearable itch bloomed in He Qinglan’s chest. He shifted restlessly in his seat but didn’t dare make a sound that might disrupt Zhou Zhuoyuan’s focus.
At long last, Zhou Zhuoyuan finished up, and the two of them joined hands, slipping out into the enveloping darkness.
They hadn’t gone far when He Qinglan could no longer hold back. “Little Yuan,” he murmured, “can I kiss you?”
