Chapter 62
The noise around them suddenly turned muffled.
Yu Chen stared at the key in He Zhen’s hand. He tried his best to hide the delight in his eyes, completely unable to put on any fake show of refusal, and instead gripped it firmly in his hand.
In that instant, the key carried a scent that was both unfamiliar and familiar.
He tucked it into the little pocket of his backpack, placing it close together with the doll He Zhen had given him.
He Zhen noticed the doll and lowered his eyes with a soft laugh. “You carry it with you every day?”
“Mm.” Yu Chen touched it fondly, then zipped up the backpack again.
From that single glance, He Zhen noticed the doll had slight wear on it. It was obvious Yu Chen often took it out and played with it.
“You can eat the fish now.”
He Zhen broke apart his chopsticks and picked out the tenderest piece of fish for Yu Chen. “You have class at one?”
“Mm.” Holding his bowl, Yu Chen could not help the faint curve lifting at the corners of his lips. “We still have forty minutes to eat.”
He Zhen nodded, then suddenly remembered something.
“When I was outside the lecture hall looking for you just now, the one I ran into should be a classmate you’re pretty close with, right?”
“Mm-hmm!” Yu Chen shoveled rice into his mouth, his eyes curving bright. “He’s the roommate the school assigned me. He helps me out a lot.”
Seeing Yu Chen only eating meat and rice, He Zhen picked up a mouthful of garland chrysanthemum and held it out to him, though he seemed a little hesitant. “There aren’t any serving chopsticks. Do you mind?”
“Huh?” Yu Chen, cheeks puffed out, shook his head blankly. “Why would I mind you?”
“Then eat it.” He Zhen placed it into Yu Chen’s bowl and also added some leafy greens for him.
Yu Chen felt a little curious about this oddly sensitive side of He Zhen.
Could it be he had been influenced by foreign dining habits?
Not wanting He Zhen to overthink, even though he hated these vegetables the most, he still ate every last bite.
“Oh right, how do you usually introduce me to your classmates?” He Zhen took a sip of lemon tea, calm and composed. “From what he meant, he thought I came to confess to you and told me not to set my sights on you. Because—”
He Zhen deliberately paused, lifting his eyes to study Yu Chen’s expression. “You have a boyfriend far away at MIT.”
Yu Chen was chewing a big mouthful of vegetables when he suddenly froze.
A moment later, his whole face turned visibly red, and his eyes dropped guiltily.
He chewed slowly, forcing down his panic. “I only said I had a brother studying in America. I didn’t say anything else. They just let their imaginations run wild.”
He Zhen’s heated, unwavering gaze settled tightly on Yu Chen’s flushed ears.
Then he suddenly laughed. “From what he said, you’ve rejected a lot of confessions?”
“Not that many.” Yu Chen carefully chewed his rice like a little hamster. “Maybe eight or nine.”
“Eight or nine?” He Zhen repeated it once, sounding a bit like he was about to hold court and demand an explanation.
“Don’t ask me. Ask yourself.” Yu Chen suddenly stiffened with false bravery, though his eyes still did not dare meet He Zhen’s. “What about you? You must’ve had plenty of admirers too, right? I haven’t heard you mention any in the past two years. There must’ve been so many the number alone would scare me to death.”
There was a little grievance mixed into those words.
If one listened carefully, there was also a very strong smell of vinegar.
“No one confessed to me.” After picking all the bones out of the fish, He Zhen lifted his wrist and fed it to Yu Chen’s lips. “When I first got there, I listed my status as married.”
“What?” Yu Chen’s eyes widened in disbelief. He instinctively bit down on the fish He Zhen fed him and asked through a full mouth, “Married? But you were only seventeen then.”
“I told them I registered with my spouse in Canada.” A trace of sincerity rested in He Zhen’s black pupils. “You can legally register there at sixteen, as long as you have a guardian’s consent.”
“I’ll submit to no one but you.” Yu Chen raised a thumb. “Then did you make any good friends over there?”
“I did. Two of them already agreed to come work for me after graduation.” A smile suddenly appeared at the corner of He Zhen’s lips. “But the truth is, what interests them most isn’t helping me. It’s my spouse who got married at sixteen.”
The topic abruptly turned onto himself, and Yu Chen’s heart burned.
He immediately lowered his head and frantically shoveled rice into his mouth.
He Zhen’s voice was low, tinged with indulgence. “Slow down.”
Yu Chen deliberately shivered a little and ate even faster.
His boss had changed after going abroad.
How had he suddenly become so good at flirting?
After finishing two afternoon classes, Yu Chen and He Zhen went back to White Rose Manor.
Before they had even entered the main hall, Yu Chen already sensed something different inside.
Today, the whole manor carried a faint air of celebration. Even the decorations by the entrance had been polished till they gleamed, and the welcoming greenery had all been newly trimmed.
Grandpa He was sitting in the living room. The moment he saw He Zhen, he trembled as he tried to get up with his cane.
He Zhen hurried over at once and supported him.
Seeing this scene, Yu Chen’s heart felt a little sour.
He left the time to the grandfather and grandson who had been separated for years and went to the kitchen to look for his dad.
He Zhen liked the beef steamed dumplings his father made. There was no need to think—Li Huan had to be in the kitchen preparing them right now.
“Chenchén’s back.” Li Huan was mixing the filling. The moment he saw his son, he grinned from ear to ear. “Tired from class? Go rest for a bit and wait for dinner.”
“I’ll help you.” Yu Chen skillfully tied on an apron. Over the past two years, he had often studied cooking together with Li Huan, just so he could eat better once he lived on his own in the future and would not end up starving because of his picky eating.
“Dad, Professor Lin told me to try applying for the highest-tier scholarship this semester. He also said there’s a chance he can take me to Guizhou for fieldwork this summer.”
“My son is amazing.” Li Huan rolled out wrappers with practiced ease and smiled as he asked, “Did Xiao Zhen go to your school to find you first?”
“Mm.” The moment He Zhen was mentioned, Yu Chen’s face grew hot, and even his voice turned soft and sticky. “He’s so tall now. More than half a head taller than me.”
“It’s fine. You’re not short either.”
The two were chatting when He Zhen walked in.
“Uncle, I’m back.”
Seeing He Zhen, Li Huan nodded in satisfaction. “Not bad. You’ve gotten even more handsome.”
He Zhen went to wash his hands. “I always hear Yu Chen say you’re in very good health.”
“Thanks to your grandpa.” Seeing that He Zhen wanted to help, Li Huan hurriedly stopped him. “Child, go talk with your grandpa. I’ll be done wrapping these dumplings in no time.”
“My grandpa went upstairs for a nap. I’ll stay with you two.” He Zhen took an apron and looped it around his neck, then turned his back toward Yu Chen. “Chenchén, can you tie it for me?”
Yu Chen stiffened for a moment at being suddenly called out, then quickly washed his hands and stepped over to tie the strings for him.
He could not help thinking—couldn’t this be tied by himself?
Seeing that the two of them were still just as close after being apart for over two years, Li Huan smiled in relief and turned back to continue his own work.
Just then, He Zhen glanced back at Yu Chen. “Chubby baby, that’s tied a little loose.”
The tips of Yu Chen’s ears instantly turned red with embarrassment, and he quickly looked back at Li Huan. Luckily, Li Huan was humming to himself and busy with his work, completely oblivious to what was happening over here.
“It’s fine this time!”
Yu Chen let go in a huff, then quickly ran over to Li Huan’s side to keep as far away from He Zhen as possible. But Li Huan had no idea what little thoughts were racing around in Yu Chen’s mind. He nudged him and said, “Xiao Zhen just got back after so long. Go stand by him. You two should chat.”
Yu Chen’s pale face turned both shy and red.
There was no way he could tell his dad that He Zhen had been teasing him!
Meanwhile, He Zhen remained perfectly calm, lowering his head and wrapping dumplings at an unhurried pace, lifting his eyes now and then to smile at Yu Chen.
Yu Chen fanned himself, feeling more and more flustered.
Tonight’s spread was especially lavish. Although He Zhen had had a dedicated Chinese chef over there, the ingredients were still different after all. No matter what, the food never tasted quite as authentic as home.
Grandpa He kept piling dishes into He Zhen’s bowl until it was practically a little mountain.
He was especially happy today. In particular, after seeing all the achievements and awards He Zhen had collected in these two years, he almost wanted to frame his dual-degree diploma and hang it in the living room for every guest to admire.
As it happened, the formal family banquet would be held the day after tomorrow. He planned to invite all the relatives over so everyone could see just how outstanding his youngest grandson was.
When loved ones reunited after years apart, there were always countless emotions tangled up in it.
Under the doctor’s watch, Grandpa He even had a rare little sip of alcohol, his heart full of complicated feelings.
If it were not for the company, He Zhen could clearly have continued his studies. At the very least, he could have come back with a master’s degree.
Grandpa He felt a little guilty and gradually grew downcast.
Because of that, He Zhen spent a long time comforting him, and only came downstairs after Grandpa He had finally fallen asleep.
It was still early enough. Yu Chen was downstairs watching television.
When he saw He Zhen come down, he craned his neck to ask, “Is Grandpa okay?”
“He’s fine now. He just suddenly had some alcohol and started worrying about too many things.” He Zhen lifted his wristwatch and smiled thoughtfully. “Distance: zero kilometers.”
Yu Chen lowered his head and, sure enough, saw that his own watch showed the same thing. Covering it with his hand, he slipped into his slippers. “I’m going upstairs to sleep. I’ve got an early class tomorrow.”
“I have to report to the company tomorrow morning, so I want to stay at the new place.” He Zhen put on his coat and strode toward the front door.
Yu Chen suddenly grew a little anxious.
Was he leaving just like that?
Not even going to properly catch up with him a little more?
The two of them had not even had a proper chance to talk yet.
Just as he was standing there with a wronged little frown, He Zhen suddenly stopped again. “Do you want to come see the decor style of the apartment?”
Yu Chen froze at once. “Huh? Taking me with you…”
He awkwardly fell into hesitation, scratching at his hair.
It was already so late. Just the two of them, a lone man and another lone man—it did not seem too appropriate.
He Zhen simply lifted his hand and waited quietly, without urging him.
A moment later, Yu Chen had already put on his coat and hurried after him. “Fine, I’ll go take a look.”
He Zhen gripped his hand firmly, called out a greeting to Li Huan, and led him away.
Li Huan looked at Yu Chen trailing after him like a little tail and slowly folded up the newspaper in his hands.
He had heard that same-sex marriage was already legal now.
That should not affect those two children’s feelings, right?
On the way, Yu Chen discovered that He Zhen had already learned how to drive. Sitting in the front passenger seat, he kept sneaking glances at him.
“Boss, what model is your car?”
“Cullinan Black Badge.”
Yu Chen touched here and looked there. “Boss, why did you buy a Rolls-Royce? Their cars aren’t all that pretty.”
“Because someone once said that after I became a big CEO, I had to drive a Rolls-Royce to pick him up.”
He Zhen looked at him, his voice calm and light. “Do you remember?”
Yu Chen immediately shifted his heated gaze away. “I was just saying that casually. I didn’t really expect you to actually come pick me up in it.”
He Zhen hooked a faint smile at his lips and said nothing more.
Trying to ease the awkwardness, Yu Chen took the initiative to give a report. “Did I tell you? Fang Jingrao went to study in England. He always complains to us that the food there is unbelievably awful. I’ve already mailed him a bunch of hotpot soup bases and seasonings.”
“So those loving care packages of yours weren’t only sent to me?”
He Zhen’s focus was always strange in exactly that kind of way, making Yu Chen flush red.
“The things I mailed Fang Jingrao were all bought at the supermarket. What I mailed you, I made myself! How are those the same?”
At once, He Zhen’s eyes darkened, and he gave Yu Chen a meaningful smile. “So only mine count as loving care packages.”
Yu Chen’s breathing stalled. His face turned red all the way to his cheeks, and he could not get a single word out.
He Zhen withdrew his gentle gaze, resting his hands lazily on the steering wheel.
After a while, the car drove past a vast artificial lake and into the underground garage of a residential complex.
It was very brightly lit. Through the car window, Yu Chen noticed that his hair looked a little messy.
He ran a hand through it and complained, “Boss, you still haven’t said whether my tea-brown hair looks good or not.”
The car slowly came to a stop in the parking spot closest to the elevator.
He Zhen did not turn off the engine. He only said lightly, “I didn’t really get a chance to look.”
“Huh? How is that possi—”
He Zhen unfastened his seatbelt and suddenly leaned toward him. “Let me take a closer look.”
Yu Chen’s face turned scarlet in an instant. Twisting himself into the corner like he wanted to hide there, he stammered in panic, “Well, uh, it’s so dark in here, you definitely can’t see clearly. Let’s just go upstairs first.”
“Alright.” He Zhen reached over and unfastened his seatbelt for him. “Then I’ll look upstairs.”
Yu Chen followed him stiffly like a little penguin.
He Zhen kept playing with his hand inside his palm, and it was not until the two of them stepped into the elevator that Yu Chen became a little less shy.
He strongly suspected that during these two and a half years abroad, He Zhen had secretly attended some kind of dating boot camp.
How had he come back so… flirty?
If Yu Chen had not known his personality so well, he would have suspected that during his time in America, He Zhen had gone through eight hundred boyfriends.
Seeing that Yu Chen had been silent the entire time, He Zhen lowered his head to look at him. “What’s wrong? Your face is so red. Are you feeling unwell?”
Yu Chen knew perfectly well that He Zhen was asking while already knowing the answer, but he still pretended not to understand. “Oh, I was just thinking about something Xiao Yu told me not long ago. Didn’t An’an test into Jiaotong University with Xiao Yu? At the school anniversary gala, An’an’s singing and guitar performance stunned everyone, and now some boy has been chasing him hard.”
He Zhen’s tone turned cool. “How is he chasing him?”
Yu Chen answered, “Buying movie tickets, sending flowers, saving seats in the library, going to amusement parks together… just all kinds of excuses to spend time together.”
He Zhen slipped Yu Chen’s hand into his own coat pocket. “Are you envious of He Zhi’an?”
“Huh? Envious?” Yu Chen did not quite understand.
“Envious that he’s being pursued.” The emotion in He Zhen’s eyes slowly deepened as he lowered his gaze to watch Yu Chen.
“Of course I’m envious!” Yu Chen took the opportunity to retaliate, finally pouring out all the bitterness and loneliness Yu Baochuan had endured alone for two and a half years. “Everyone says university life is supposed to be so rich and colorful, but I’ve lived like some kind of ascetic monk. It was better in high school.”
The moment those words left his mouth, He Zhen suddenly pulled him a little closer.
Looking down at him, a smile quietly spread through He Zhen’s eyes. “Then… would it be alright if I pursue you? You can score my performance. Once I reach the score you want, give me a title.”
