Chapter 50
Outside the window, moonlight lay all over the ground.
Countless stars were scattered across the pitch-black sky.
For Yu Chen, tonight was destined to be a sleepless night.
In his ears was the frantic pounding of his own heart.
He instinctively held his breath. The place at the tip of his heart seemed to be slowly wrapped in warmth, and the heavy stone pressing on the bottom of his heart suddenly felt much lighter.
“Mhm, me too.”
His hands crossed in front of his chest, fidgeting helplessly, afraid that He Zhen might say something else that would leave him not knowing how to respond.
Wrapped in his blanket, he turned lightly, presenting his back to He Zhen.
“But I’ll still work hard and get into the same university as you.”
The words came out a little puffed-up, carrying a faint, unconvinced stubbornness.
He Zhen answered with a gentle “Mhm.” “I believe in you.”
Those three words were like a soft feather brushing across Yu Chen’s heart, making the rims of his ears warm.
Like a little quail, he buried his head tightly under the blanket. “Boss, I’m sleepy.”
“Go to sleep.” He Zhen lowered the temperature of the air conditioner and told Yu Chen that Grandpa had agreed to buy him VR gaming equipment.
Yu Chen opened his eyes, carrying a trace of shame. “My grades are this bad, and Grandpa still wants to give me a gift?”
“Who said you’re bad?” He Zhen helped him straighten the summer quilt. “Our Fat Chenchén has been smart since he was little. Back then, you used to trick me into spinning in circles.”
Yu Chen pressed his lips together, a little guilty look surfacing. “When did I ever?”
He Zhen’s tone lifted slightly. “One day, when you grow to two meters tall, you’ll have to serve me properly.”
A faint blush rose on Yu Chen’s cheeks. He simply burrowed into the blanket and covered his ears, pretending not to hear.
He Zhen lifted the blanket and gazed at him. “Fat Chenchén, if Little Cake and I both fell into the water, who would you save first?”
Yu Chen was so embarrassed he deliberately tried to annoy him. “Of course I’d save Little Cake. All you ever do is bully me.”
A light laugh escaped from He Zhen’s throat, and he put on a deliberately melancholy air.
“In the end, I gave my heart in vain.”
“Hahaha.” Yu Chen hid under the blanket and snickered. “Boss, what’s with you today? You’re not aloof at all.”
He Zhen’s low voice carried a shallow smile. “Tomorrow’s Saturday. Want to go to the club and play baseball?”
Yu Chen hesitated for a moment. “No. I still haven’t figured out that hard problem on page twenty-four of my workbook.”
“They’ve got off-road vehicles at that club. You really don’t want to try?”
This time, Yu Chen was tempted.
“Fine. Once I finish my workbook, we’ll go.”
“Mhm, sleep now.”
He Zhen pulled Yu Chen out from under the blanket. “If you sleep like that, be careful not to suffocate.”
Grinning, Yu Chen fell asleep in complete satisfaction.
After Yu Chen had fallen asleep, He Zhen quietly got out of bed, opened the bedroom door, and went outside.
Just as he expected, Li Huan was not asleep. He was busy in the small kitchen, preparing tomorrow’s breakfast for Yu Chen in advance.
“Uncle, don’t worry. Yu Chen is asleep.”
When Li Huan saw He Zhen approach, his face was full of self-reproach. “Tell me, did I put too much pressure on him? It’s all my fault.”
“It’s not pressure from you,” He Zhen explained. “Chenchén was upset mainly because he was worried about going abroad.”
Li Huan let out a breath of relief. “There’s no rush. There are still more than two years.”
“Mhm, so you can relax too. He’s not sad anymore.” It was already late, and He Zhen was preparing to go sleep.
Li Huan suddenly called out to stop him. “Xiao Zhen, Uncle really has to thank you for talking Chenchén through things. All these years, he’s really taken such good care of him.”
He Zhen smiled lightly, then turned back and said, “I’ve always treated you and him like family. Taking care of you is only natural.”
Li Huan felt rather emotional. “At first, when Chenchén started playing with you, I was worried you wouldn’t like him. Who would’ve thought the two of you would become so close?”
He Zhen lowered his gaze. “Mhm. Our personalities suit each other pretty well.”
“Really?” Li Huan joked. “I think the two of you are quite different in personality.”
He Zhen’s tone turned meaningful. “Maybe we’re complementary. Better suited to being together.”
Li Huan echoed, “Right, complementary.”
After one weekend passed, Yu Chen was radiant with energy. During morning self-study, he was munching on the scallion pancake Chen Ru had bought, with none of Friday’s gloom left on him at all.
During the break, Xiao Yu asked him, “Fat Chenchén, why are you so happy today?”
Yu Chen wiped the corner of his mouth clean and pretended to be calm. “Over the weekend, Boss and I went to the HJ Club to play with race cars. It was super fun.”
“Just hearing that sounds fun.” Fang Jingrao was very supportive. “If I get the chance later, I want to go have a look too.”
Xiao Yu had something weighing on his mind and discussed it with Yu Chen. “Fat Chenchén, I heard this time the mutual support study groups can be freely formed.”
“Freely formed?” Yu Chen smiled. “Then we can be in the same group.”
“Mhm. It’s free pairing within the ranking ranges set by the school,” Xiao Yu explained. “For example, each group has six people, and the grades have to come from different ranking ranges. There have to be students from the top hundred in the grade, and also students from the bottom hundred.”
Yu Chen quickly pulled out his score slip. “Then let’s have a look and see whether we can be in the same group.”
The group was still chatting lively when the homeroom teacher walked in.
“Everyone quiet down. Before class starts, I need to announce something important.”
Sure enough, the teacher announced the school’s support-group plan. The content and rules were more or less exactly what Xiao Yu had said.
Yu Chen quietly showered Xiao Yu with praise. “Xiao Yu, you’re amazing. You know everything.”
Xiao Yu looked dispirited. “Mhm.”
“Once the support groups are confirmed, the seating in our class will also be adjusted. Group members will sit together.”
Seeing Xiao Yu looking listless, Yu Chen asked with concern, “What’s wrong? Did your dad scold you because your exam results weren’t good?”
Xiao Yu looked like he wanted to speak but stopped himself. “Fat Chenchén, are you really willing to be in a group with me and Fang Jingrao?”
Xiao Yu’s ranking was actually not low. This time he placed 102nd in the grade. But Fang Jingrao was miserable—he ranked over 400, nearly on par with He Zhi’an.
He Zhi’an was He Zhen’s real older brother, so no matter how much He Zhen disliked him, he would still agree to take him in. But Fang Jingrao was another matter entirely.
The teacher had just said that the group’s average score would be included in each student’s final-term total grade. If a group had too many people dragging things down, it would definitely affect the top-ranking members of the group.
If He Zhen did not want Fang Jingrao, then Xiao Yu would take Fang Jingrao and found their own sect. He definitely was not going to beg anyone else.
“When the time comes, we’ll award certificates to the excellent group leaders.” After saying that, the homeroom teacher began the day’s lesson.
Yu Chen had not yet had time to reply to Xiao Yu. He only gave him a reassuring look and planned to talk to He Zhen about it after class.
Finally, class ended. Yu Chen dragged He Zhen to the little school store to buy juice. On the way, he asked, “Boss, do you have any ideas about the members in our mutual support group?”
Before Yu Chen spoke, he had already naturally assumed that he himself would be in this group too, which was why he said our.
He Zhen stood by the shelves comparing the various additives in the juices, then finally picked out a cup of pure fruit juice with a clean ingredient list for Yu Chen. “Do you have any ideas?”
Yu Chen said, “If you ask me, Xiao Yu, Fang Jingrao, and An’an. The five of us would be just right.”
“Sure.” He Zhen asked Yu Chen, “Orange juice or mango juice—which one do you want?”
Yu Chen licked his lips. “I want both.”
A faint warning showed in He Zhen’s expression, telling Yu Chen not to push his luck. When it came to bottled drinks like this, He Zhen only allowed Yu Chen three bottles a week at most.
Yu Chen’s eyes shifted, and gathering his courage, he said, “Then I want you.”
He Zhen froze slightly, then silently took both bottles away. “The other one is for the day after tomorrow.”
The flush on Yu Chen’s face had already spread all the way to his earlobes.
He hurried after He Zhen, secretly grinning behind his back.
Back in the classroom, Yu Chen told Xiao Yu the good news.
Xiao Yu visibly let out a sigh of relief and asked uncertainly, “He Zhen wants Fang Jingrao too?”
“Why wouldn’t he? We’re all from the same gang.” Yu Chen gave him a trusting look, then began to fret. “Didn’t teacher say each group needs six to seven people? We’re still missing one.”
Xiao Yu said, “Mhm. We still need someone in the 200–300 ranking range.”
Yu Chen wracked his brains, and his gaze landed on Lin Jiashu in the last row. The day they had looked at the scores, he vaguely remembered hearing someone say that Lin Jiashu had taken leave for the last exam, so this time his results were not ideal and he had placed in the two-hundreds.
Once he had an idea, he moved fast, went over to recruit Lin Jiashu, and discussed it with him.
Lin Jiashu was not interested in this kind of mutual-support group, but faced with Yu Chen’s enthusiastic invitation, he agreed readily all the same.
Studying with He Zhen and Yu Chen sounded like it might be quite interesting.
With everything settled, Vice Group Leader Yu Chen submitted the list.
The homeroom teacher saw that their distribution of members was fairly reasonable, approved it, and reported it to the school.
The stone in Xiao Yu’s heart finally dropped. He immediately regained his energy, and during the break he chattered nonstop to Yu Chen about where to hold the group’s first gathering.
That afternoon, the group seats were adjusted, and Yu Chen got exactly what he wanted—he became desk mates with He Zhen, no longer needing to stretch left and right just to talk to him.
Like he was setting up house, he placed a snack organizer box between them, along with wet wipes, tissues, and a nap pillow.
Sitting behind them, Lin Jiashu studied Yu Chen thoughtfully. He always felt that the way Yu Chen treated He Zhen now was different from how he had during military training.
He Zhi’an had barely exchanged a few words with Lin Jiashu before. Seeing that his new deskmate was this good-looking, he became somewhat unnatural in both speech and behavior.
He asked Lin Jiashu, “Friend, how many points did you get on your high school entrance exam?”
Lin Jiashu slowly spun his pen. “685.”
“Ah? Then why were you like this this time?” He Zhi’an was stunned. “Did you mess up?”
Lin Jiashu said, “I missed the last subject.”
He Zhi’an instantly froze. So the only true weaklings here were just him and Fang Jingrao.
“Big boss, I’ll follow you from now on.”
To show goodwill toward his new deskmate, He Zhi’an handed over all the snacks and drinks in his schoolbag. “I’ll leave myself in your care.”
Lin Jiashu said gently, “You’re too polite.”
To express his gratitude to He Zhen and Yu Chen, Xiao Yu deliberately organized a group gathering on Friday night, covering all the costs himself.
Ever since Yu Chen had cried over his placement-test results, He Zhen had been paying great attention to helping him relax and had hoped he would spend more time hanging out with friends.
Inside the KTV private room, Xiao Yu introduced the place to everyone. “You can sing karaoke while eating hotpot here. Their wagyu is insanely good. Fat Chenchén will definitely love it.”
Yu Chen stared at the piles of beer stacked nearby and poked one curiously. “Who bought this? Minors can’t drink.”
“This is beer-flavored soda. The alcohol content is very low.” He Zhi’an pulled one bottle out. “It’s made at my family’s winery. You can all try it.”
He Zhen lazily lifted his eyelids and looked at He Zhi’an. “Did Auntie agree to let you drink?”
He Zhi’an looked a little guilty. “No.”
He Zhen gestured. “Put it away.”
“Fine.” He Zhi’an took it back unwillingly. “Actually, it’s fine if we just have a taste. Jiashu, want to try?”
Lin Jiashu nodded. “Sure.”
He Zhi’an smiled and handed it to him. “Jiashu, where does your family live? Is this far from your house?”
Lin Jiashu opened the beer skillfully and took a sip. “It’s alright. My home is near the Bund.”
Xiao Yu asked, “You’re from Su City next door, right?”
“Mhm. My parents resigned from their jobs and opened their law firm in Hai City, so I moved here with them.”
Fang Jingrao said, “Your parents are lawyers?”
Holding the beer, Lin Jiashu smiled lightly. “Mhm.”
“Lawyers are amazing. If I had good eloquence, I’d become a lawyer too.” Yu Chen was already impatiently beginning to swish meat in the hotpot. He had chosen the beef tallow broth, and it smelled incredible.
“Chenchén, didn’t you want to become a scientist?” He Zhi’an analyzed. “If you want to be a scientist, you’ll have to study at least to the PhD level.”
“Mhm, mhm.” Yu Chen chewed on a piping hot beef ball, puffing his cheeks and blowing at the heat. “My dad was so happy when he heard I want to become a scientist.”
He Zhen frowned lightly and helped wipe the grease from the corner of Yu Chen’s mouth. “How many times have I told you? Eating food that’s too hot is bad for your stomach.”
Ever since he was little, Yu Chen had known how to gauge the situation. Seeing that He Zhen was a little unhappy, he immediately put on a pitiful act, lowering his damp eyes guiltily and speaking in a soft voice. “I was wrong.”
After saying that, he even sniffled.
Beneath He Zhen’s deep gaze hid a trace of warmth that was hard to detect, along with a hint of regret. He helped cool some food for Yu Chen. “Alright. I didn’t mean to blame you.”
With delicate airs, Yu Chen pointed to the wagyu in the hotpot, indicating that He Zhen should pick it up for him.
Everyone present, except Fang Jingrao, wore expressions too complicated for words. Xiao Yu in particular was utterly disgusted by the way Yu Chen was acting spoiled.
“I bought a lot of game props. After dinner, we can all play together.”
Since He Zhen would not let them drink, Xiao Yu simply ordered milk tea for everyone instead. He stood up solemnly, holding his cup high. “Today is the third day since our group was formed. Here’s hoping we all improve together, and under the leadership of our two group leaders, our grades shoot upward at top speed!”
Yu Chen was very supportive. When he stood up himself, he did not forget to urge He Zhen. “Boss, hurry up and join in.”
Smiling in his eyes, He Zhen watched Yu Chen and rose, lifting his cup.
He Zhi’an said, “Among us, I’m the worst student. I hope everyone can help me improve. Thanks for all your hard work.”
Lin Jiashu was somewhat unaccustomed to this strange sort of ceremony. Looking at them all, he found it very interesting. “Mhm. Let’s work hard together.”
Six cups of milk tea lightly clinked together. Tilting back his head, Yu Chen gulped his down, and in just a few seconds, he finished the whole thing.
Xiao Yu tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Fat Chenchén, you…”
Yu Chen rarely got to drink milk tea, so of course he had to take advantage of the occasion and drink his fill in one go. Shamelessly, he picked another cup of mango pomelo sago, stuck in the straw, and with flushed cheeks, started slurping noisily.
He Zhen reminded him, “Don’t drink too fast. Your stomach will hurt easily.”
Yu Chen nodded, though his eyes had already wandered toward the next cup.
Sometimes, Xiao Yu felt that Yu Chen was both fortunate and unfortunate. Fortunate because with He Zhen protecting him, he never had to worry about anything. Unfortunate because he had to be managed in everything—he had barely even had milk tea before.
“Chenchén, have you finished the second big problem in the math workbook?” Ever since learning that He Zhen was willing to let him into the group, Fang Jingrao had been studying very diligently, terribly afraid of dragging everyone down.
“I’ve finished it.” Yu Chen sucked in hotpot noodles. “I came up with two methods of solving it and wrote both down.”
Fang Jingrao asked, “Can I borrow it to look at?”
“Go get it yourself. It’s in my schoolbag.”
Afraid he would forget later, Fang Jingrao immediately picked up Yu Chen’s schoolbag. “Chenchén, your bag is so neat.”
Yu Chen smiled awkwardly. “My boss packed it for me. When I do it myself, it’s a total mess.”
Fang Jingrao smiled. He could not help sighing that having a boss really was nice.
He pulled out the math workbook and zipped the bag back up. He Zhi’an reminded him, “Xiao Fang, I think you accidentally took something out of Chenchén’s bag.”
He Zhi’an bent down and picked it up. “Oh ho, Fat Chenchén, since when did you start liking manga?”
The moment Yu Chen heard the word manga, he did not even have time to finish chewing the noodles in his mouth before rushing over to snatch it back. “Don’t talk nonsense. I didn’t read it.”
Watching Yu Chen’s flustered reaction, He Zhi’an suddenly found it great fun. He deliberately stood up and held the manga high above his head. “What’s this manga called? Looks like it’s Reborn as the Regent Prince’s Substitute Groom Husband.”
Fang Jingrao began coughing, unable to believe what he had just heard.
This was a boys’-love manga?
Yu Chen liked this kind of thing?
Yu Chen panicked and quickly explained, “I didn’t read it. I accidentally brought this manga back from the library.”
“To borrow books from the library, every book has to be checked.” Fang Jingrao explained very seriously, “Chenchén, you really didn’t know you brought this manga back?”
Xiao Yu and Lin Jiashu were amused by Fang Jingrao’s earnestness and simply watched happily from the side without intervening at all.
Yu Chen’s face burned red. As he kept secretly glancing at He Zhen, he bounced up and tugged at He Zhi’an’s sleeve.
“Hurry up and give it back to me!”
He Zhi’an was laughing happily and continued teasing him mercilessly. “Fat Chenchén, what good boy reads this kind of book? Do you maybe have some other thoughts?”
“I didn’t read it!” Yu Chen’s face was so red it looked ready to drip blood. He practically could not bear to face everyone anymore.
He really had not read this manga. Not long after bringing it home from the library, exams had started, and he simply had not had the time.
“That’s enough.” He Zhen finally spoke. Rising to his feet, he effortlessly took the manga back from He Zhi’an and casually put it back into Yu Chen’s schoolbag.
Yu Chen felt both ashamed and wronged. Hugging his schoolbag tightly, he lowered his head and refused to raise it for a long time.
At this moment, Lin Jiashu stepped in to smooth things over. “This kind of novel is everywhere these days. A lot of people read it. It’s nothing strange.”
“Fat Chenchén, here—your favorite cod roe tofu pouch.” He Zhen picked one into his bowl and patted his head. “If you don’t eat now, Xiao Yu is going to steal them all.”
The wrongfully accused Xiao Yu felt somewhat aggrieved, but in order to give Yu Chen a way out, he loudly started making noise. “Hurry up and put more into the pot!”
Hearing that, Yu Chen immediately picked up his chopsticks and snatched several cod roe tofu pouches, though the embarrassed flush at the corners of his eyes had still not fully faded.
“Want milk tea?”
In a rare moment of indulgence, He Zhen picked out a cup of Boya Juexian. “This one seems really good.”
As Yu Chen sipped his milk tea, he secretly observed He Zhen.
He had no idea what He Zhen might think of him now.
Would he think he was strange for liking boys?
No.
He did not like boys at all.
He only liked…
Depressed, Yu Chen sucked on the straw and shot a glare at He Zhi’an.
Receiving Yu Chen’s chilly look, He Zhi’an scratched his head. Actually, he had not meant any harm. He had only wanted to stir things up a little and hint that Yu Chen liked He Zhen. He had not expected Yu Chen to be this thin-skinned now.
After all, back then when Yu Chen had performed My Boss, the rest of them had all cringed so hard their scalps went numb, yet Yu Chen himself had remained completely unfazed.
Then again, they were in high school now. At some point, a person had to develop at least a little sense of shame.
Although Yu Chen felt awkward, his mouth never stopped.
After finishing the wagyu, he moved on to mushrooms. He Zhen even forced him to eat several bowls of leafy greens, making him the number one eater at the whole table.
After dinner, Xiao Yu brought out the game props he had prepared beforehand and lifted his chin at Yu Chen. “Fat Chenchén, I’ll let you choose first—which one do you want to play?”
After reading through all the game rules, Yu Chen held up Ultimate Password for everyone to see. “What do you all think? This one okay?”
The rules of Ultimate Password were very simple. One person played the king and wrote down a number on a card. The others had to guess within the range of 1 to 100. The one who guessed the exact number in the end would receive a punishment chosen by the king.
“The punishments are here.”
Xiao Yu had prepared very thoroughly and showed them one by one. “Choose anyone in the room to kiss, do ten push-ups, truth-telling round, three cute selfies in a row, squat on a stool pretending to be constipated, post on Moments saying you’re taken… or the king can come up with a punishment on the spot.”
Yu Chen perked up with interest. “Can I be king for the first round?”
“We’ll let you have it.” He Zhi’an smiled ingratiatingly.
Xiao Yu said, “Let Fat Chenchén take the first round. For the later rounds, we’ll roll dice to decide the king.”
Yu Chen flashed an “OK” sign, then secretly ran to the doorway and, with his back to everyone, wrote down the number “25.”
Xiao Yu twitched his mouth. “Is that really necessary?”
Fang Jingrao explained, “Chenchén is the kind of person who takes games seriously.”
The game began, and everyone took turns calling out numbers. But after seven rounds, no one had guessed it right.
Everyone started feeling tense without even realizing it, afraid that in the end they themselves would be the unlucky one who stepped on the mine.
He Zhi’an especially was wound up to the extreme.
If he got picked, Yu Chen might very well take the opportunity to get revenge.
Several more rounds passed.
Then He Zhen said in a low voice, “Twenty-five.”
Yu Chen’s expression shifted in shock, and everyone immediately burst into cheers and teasing.
He Zhen lifted his eyes and confirmed with Yu Chen, “Hm?”
Yu Chen turned over the card, and sure enough, on it was written the number “25.”
A faint smile rose between He Zhen’s brows. Willing to accept his loss, he said, “Go on then. What punishment do you want me to take?”
He Zhi’an chimed in from the side, “In the end, my Brother Zhen still fell into Fat Chenchén’s trap.”
Yu Chen shot He Zhi’an an awkward glare, then began looking through the punishment cards. Beside him, Xiao Yu fanned the flames. “Fat Chenchén, pick this one—make He Zhen act out a hen laying an egg.”
Yu Chen raised his brows proudly, full of the satisfaction of holding He Zhen’s fate in the palm of his hand.
He Zhen smiled faintly, his gaze resting on Yu Chen’s hand.
“Ten push-ups, then.”
Hearing that punishment, everyone else withdrew their attention in disappointment.
Forget ten—even if He Zhen had to do a hundred push-ups, it would not be a problem. For He Zhen, this punishment was nothing more than a drizzle.
He Zhen stood up, got down on the floor, and finished them within seconds.
Xiao Yu felt a bit like iron failing to become steel.
Honestly, Yu Chen really did not know how to seize an opportunity.
After He Zhen finished the push-ups, Yu Chen trotted over and handed him a tissue. He Zhen asked, “Hm?”
Yu Chen said, “Wipe your sweat.”
Xiao Yu nearly failed to catch his breath and almost keeled over on the spot.
Although He Zhen had not actually broken a sweat, in order to make Yu Chen happy, he still made a gesture of dabbing his forehead a couple of times. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Yu Chen bent his eyes in a smile.
Since he had just punished He Zhen by making him do push-ups, he naturally had to give him a little sweetness afterward.
Fortunes changed in cycles. If He Zhen held grudges, that would be troublesome.
His boss certainly would not go too far, but what if he took it out on him after they got home?
The next round, the king was Xiao Yu.
Knowing that Xiao Yu’s mind was full of bad ideas, He Zhi’an quietly whispered to Lin Jiashu, “Be careful. Xiao Yu is hard to deal with.”
With a lollipop in his mouth, Lin Jiashu smiled deeply, his eyes curving. “Okay.”
While Xiao Yu was writing down his number, Yu Chen’s eyes secretly drifted over.
Xiao Yu immediately covered the card and narrowed his eyes in accusation. “Fat Chenchén! What are you looking at!”
Yu Chen tucked his hands away guiltily and said meekly, “My neck’s stiff.”
“If your neck is stiff, let your boss massage it for you.” Xiao Yu turned his back, quickly wrote down the number, then lifted his chin. “Start.”
Still unwilling to give up, Yu Chen stared at the tightly covered card and observed Xiao Yu’s reactions whenever everyone called out numbers.
Every time it was Yu Chen’s turn, he was terrified, afraid Xiao Yu would make him do the punishment where he had to pretend to poop.
“24.”
“52.”
“65.”
“41.”
“Who said 41?”
Xiao Yu narrowed his smiling eyes and looked at He Zhen.
Helplessness showed in He Zhen’s gaze. He glanced at the punishment cards. “I did.”
Worry hung in Yu Chen’s brows and eyes. “Ah? Why is it Boss again?”
He Zhen gestured for Xiao Yu to continue.
Xiao Yu looked at Yu Chen’s utterly spineless expression and had originally wanted to mess with He Zhen. But then he remembered Yu Chen’s love-life issues and, after struggling for a while, decided to be a good person for once.
If someday He Zhen and Yu Chen got married, he would at the very least deserve a seat at the main table.
Xiao Yu cleared his throat. “I choose truth round.”
The lazy expression disappeared from He Zhen’s face, and he signaled for him to go on.
“I want to ask He Zhen—do you have someone you like in your heart? And I mean that kind of like, romantic love. Friendship and family don’t count.”
A faintly interested smile slowly appeared on He Zhen’s face. He noticed that Yu Chen beside him had suddenly gone stiff. His long-lashed eyes were full of panic and nervousness, and even his fingers had curled tightly together.
“I…”
He Zhen deliberately lowered his voice, watching Yu Chen as the corners of his brows and eyes gradually took on a smile tinged with indulgent fondness.
Yu Chen froze abruptly, and his heartbeat slowed for half a beat.
“Of course there is someone I like,” He Zhen said with a smile.
