Chapter 64: Their Birthday
After dialing 120, the ambulance that rushed over quickly took Ye Chen, whose consciousness had fallen into a deep coma, to the hospital.
“So… what exactly happened?”
After the alternating screams and chaotic commotion, this birthday party could be considered ruined.
Gu Yang, the person at the center of it all, asked expressionlessly.
He had been sitting calmly in his room when Lu Ji suddenly burst in without knocking. He rushed up to Gu Yang, lifted him from under the shoulders, and inspected him up and down.
Then, somewhat strangely but with relief, he sighed: “Nothing’s wrong.”
“Nothing’s wrong my foot.” Gu Yang jabbed Lu Ji’s head and pushed him aside.
In the emergency room, the medical staff were still racing against time. Outside, a few classmates sat waiting, bound by the little camaraderie they had. Before Lu Ji could explain, Qi Lecheng squeezed past him, as if claiming credit, and approached Gu Yang.
“Gu Yang, Ye Chen was trying to set you up. He secretly put drugs in your drink to take inappropriate photos of you, but I poured it out behind his back.”
Gu Yang showed no reaction, his expression calm as he studied Qi Lecheng.
“You… poured it out?” Xu Qingfeng looked surprised. “Then nothing would have happened, right? So why did you dispose of the drug…”
Qi Lecheng was startled, too. The information ran through his mind a few times before he sheepishly smiled: “I was too nervous at the time, didn’t think that far ahead.”
Xu Qingfeng was even more shocked. He silently took a step back, putting distance between himself and Qi Lecheng.
This guy was just… too unpredictable.
So scary.
“Take pictures of me, huh?” Gu Yang slightly curled the corner of his mouth. “Then who would take them?”
That question struck the core of the matter.
Qi Lecheng immediately stopped smiling. He clenched the edge of his shirt. “Ye Chen approached me a long time ago. I agreed only to monitor him.”
Not used to speaking much, and now under everyone’s gaze, he was even more nervous, unable to organize his words properly.
“I see,” Gu Yang said lightly. “Then I should thank you.”
“If it really was like you said.”
The sudden reversal in tone carried a sharp edge. Qi Lecheng shivered.
He felt like Gu Yang had seen right through him.
Indeed, he had been tempted. Ye Chen’s proposal had been alluring.
He could have had an unresisting Gu Yang, able to control him at will, capturing that eternal moment from the angle he desired.
The future could have been so lucky for him, but since it had already been exposed, he would have to recreate it through his own efforts.
Yet, when the moment came, the image of Gu Yang’s smile in the classroom suddenly surfaced in his mind.
It had been so beautiful. The sunlight streaming in seemed to outline the shape of his very soul.
At the time, he had regretted that the person on the opposite side wasn’t him but Ying Jiayi.
He would have instinctively captured it with his camera, freezing that perfect moment.
Coming back to reality, he poured out the drink, quickly replaced it with a similar one from nearby.
Perfectionistic by nature, perhaps from that moment on, he wanted to capture not only Gu Yang’s appearance but something deeper.
At this moment, Qi Lecheng felt electrified, a shiver running through him that was both terrifying and exhilarating.
It reminded him of when he first met Gu Yang, who had pointed out the true meaning hidden in his work.
He wanted to explain, wanted Gu Yang to talk more, but Gu Yang had already withdrawn his gaze.
Gu Yang returned to his own world, the surrounding people fading into emptiness. Qi Lecheng, straining to enter his sight, seemed like a meaningless object.
He Ming’an finally stepped forward, separating them. In a gentle voice he said, “Alright, Ye Chen is still being treated inside. There’s no need for so many people to crowd here.”
“It’s taking so long… is he okay?” Lu Ji, though disgusted by Ye Chen’s low tactics, did not want him to actually be in danger.
“He’s fine. He said this drug wouldn’t harm him.” Qi Lecheng, now having learned to answer quickly, whispered a self-serving addition: “I checked it myself.”
Lu Ji’s expression was subtle.
He really wanted to explain to Qi Lecheng that drug efficacy and dosage are not the same thing.
It wasn’t about fearing stupidity—it was about fearing that a stupid idea could suddenly become dangerous.
At this moment, Ye Chen’s father finally arrived, accompanied by Gu Yuhui, who had managed everything from start to finish.
He seemed to already know the situation. He didn’t ask about Ye Chen immediately but calmly thanked Gu Yuhui first.
“Whatever happened?” Ye Chen’s father asked. “He was fine this afternoon. Just a few hours, and now he’s in the ER?”
His tone clearly carried some blame.
Gu Yuhui’s eyes darkened. Since this happened at his house, he had to provide an explanation but didn’t want to take responsibility himself.
While he calculated silently, Qi Lecheng spoke first: “Uncle Ye, it’s all my fault.”
The event couldn’t be reversed. Ye Chen’s father had initially intended to leverage this for some gain, but his son’s classmate had stepped up. He squinted. “You mean…”
“Ye Chen was under too much stress, so he bought some drugs through unofficial channels. He accidentally took too much today, which caused this.”
Taking advantage of Ye Chen’s inability to speak, Qi Lecheng quickly pinned the blame on himself.
“If you don’t believe me, you can check his transaction records. They should be there,” he added, as if still unsatisfied.
“That bastard…” Ye Chen’s father’s face darkened. At this point, there was nothing left to believe or doubt. “Didn’t go to a doctor, learned this from who knows where… what nerve.”
Lu Ji’s mood grew even more complex.
Ye Chen’s father reminded him of Lu Zhenxing. There were indeed similar bad traits between them.
But that didn’t mean he wanted to sympathize with Ye Chen. His actions were despicable enough to make him nauseated.
Xu Qingfeng glanced at Ye Chen’s father, then at Qi Lecheng. As the only one who witnessed everything, he didn’t dare speak a word.
He truly thought Qi Lecheng was terrifying.
“My child was foolish and caused trouble for you all,” Ye Chen’s father said.
“I don’t mind. Our little Yang was supposed to have a normal birthday today, but suddenly this happened… bad luck,” Gu Yuhui tossed the matter back casually.
Ye Chen’s father forced a smile, and with Gu Yang, offered a few polite words of apology.
During this time, Ye Chen finally passed the critical period, though he remained unconscious and required hospitalization for observation.
By this point, it was essentially over. Ye Chen’s father allowed them to return and rest, saying there was no need to linger.
Before leaving, He Ming’an asked if Gu Yang felt unwell or wanted a checkup.
After all, Qi Lecheng’s words were one-sided, and other issues might remain.
Gu Yang shook his head. After all the fuss, he didn’t want to stay any longer.
On the way back, Gu Yuhui chatted continuously. Gu Yang responded half-heartedly, but when Gu Yuhui mentioned holding a birthday party for him another day, he immediately refused and closed his eyes.
Gu Yuhui, seeing him silently disengage in the rearview mirror, smiled helplessly and didn’t press further.
Back at home, the guests had already left, and the servants were tidying up. He instructed Gu Yang to go upstairs and rest.
Although it wasn’t late, Gu Yang didn’t feel sleepy.
He took a quick shower, changed clothes, and lay down without turning on the light.
The room was pitch black, and the soundproof walls made him feel as if he were in a separate dimension.
He hugged a pillow to his chest, curling slightly.
The only light came from the electronic clock.
11:31 PM.
Gu Yang watched the seconds tick by, realizing his eighteenth birthday was passing in tangible numbers.
He had already turned eighteen.
Gu Yang thought silently. He didn’t really feel his age; he just let time pass year after year.
Bored, he counted time to avoid sleeping.
He actually resisted deep sleep at night, one reason for his insomnia.
Surrendering his mind to the subconscious made him uneasy—he didn’t know what he would see in dreams, and he had no control over it.
Time continued, ticking away, and after today would come tomorrow…
Tomorrow was Song Yinxing’s birthday.
Gu Yang curled up tighter.
His resistance to sleep suddenly took on another meaning.
Once his birthday ended, it would be Song Yinxing’s.
The coincidence carried an inexplicable, almost suggestive feeling.
Suddenly, Gu Yang sat up. His eyes brightened like a child with a brilliant adventure in mind. Sliding off the bed, he began dressing.
He quietly opened the door; the house was dark, and the other servants were asleep.
His heart raced.
The first phase: leave the house without anyone noticing.
It was his first time being this careful, and it felt novel. He tiptoed, making no sound.
Once outside, he hailed a car with his phone.
Even in the car, his heart still raced.
He opened the window; cold air rushed in. At this hour, the streets were empty, only warm-colored streetlights illuminating the way. A few small night stalls still lingered.
These familiar elements left impressions in his mind, blending together like facets of a gem, flashing colors in his thoughts.
The taxi slowly arrived at his destination.
Song Yinxing had just finished a test. He exhaled, stretched, walked around, and loosened his stiff shoulders while glancing at his phone.
In the chat, he had pinned his conversation with Gu Yang. The last message was from minutes ago, asking if he had slept. He responded with a photo of his cluttered desk and a crying yellow bean emoji.
Gu Yang hadn’t replied. Song Yinxing thought he was just nudging him out of boredom.
The previous message, sent at exactly midnight, wished him a happy birthday. Gu Yang instantly replied with a handmade plush cat waving emoji.
At this time, Gu Yang should be with friends and family.
Song Yinxing imagined this, but a bittersweet feeling welled up.
He pictured Gu Yang surrounded by many people, a cake taller than them being brought out, everyone clapping and singing happy birthday.
He closed his eyes, forcing himself not to imagine further.
Opening them, the imagined warmth shattered. The harsh white light hurt his eyes.
In a few minutes, it would be his birthday.
He continued looking at his phone. Song Zihan sent him a message:
“Bro! Tomorrow’s your birthday, happy early birthday!”
“By the way, for a big occasion like this, want to go out for a meal? (dog head.jpg)”
Song Yinxing silently flipped his phone face down, too tired to reply.
He stayed like that for a while.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
For some reason, his heart leapt at the sound. He walked to open it, forgetting to check the peephole.
Opening the door, he saw Gu Yang standing there, smiling, holding a cake.
