MGRMFL Chapter 18 (Extra)

After Yan Linjian and Qi Jingzhi got together, they celebrated several holidays together. On ordinary holidays such as Christmas, New Year’s Day, and Chinese New Year, they would simply go out for a meal together and call it a day. They didn’t even exchange gifts. Neither of them lacked money, and there was no material shortage in their lives. Rather than wasting time picking out presents, they preferred to spend time together doing things they enjoyed. 

Qi Jingzhi’s birthday was in February. Yan Linjian gifted him the latest mechanical keyboard, and Qi Jingzhi liked it very much. But his birthday had only been a week ago, and Valentine’s Day was already around the corner.

Yan Linjian was having a headache choosing a gift. Qi Jingzhi had very little material desire. Yan Linjian had never seen him show any particular interest in anything. It had taken him half a month just to choose a birthday gift, and now Valentine’s Day was already here. This was going to be the death of him.

“What do you guys usually give your girlfriends for Valentine’s Day?” Yan Linjian asked his two roommates while Qi Jingzhi was out of the dorm.

Miao Xin: “I gave her an in-game skin, her favorite lipstick, and a bouquet of flowers.”

Qi Jingzhi had already bought the in-game skin himself. He did not wear lipstick, and he probably would not like flowers. 

Shen Yang: “I gave her a warm hug.”

Yan Linjian should not have expected anything useful from him: “You’re so stingy.”

Shen Yang grinned shamelessly: “Young Master Yan is rich. Why not just transfer money directly?”

Yan Linjian had considered that, but Qi Jingzhi’s card already had several extra zeros, he really did not lack that bit of money. And part of Yan Linjian’s anxiety now was that Qi Jingzhi had taken that card back. Yan Linjian could guess Qi Jingzhi was planning to buy him a gift even if he thought about it with his toes.

That money had been saved to buy a house. Yan Linjian was genuinely afraid Qi Jingzhi might get carried away and spend several million on some flashy but impractical watch. But he didn’t dare ask directly, so he could only hint at the topic, telling Qi Jingzhi that he didn’t like those gaudy things and that buying something like that would be worse than just taking him out for a good meal.

Qi Jingzhi only nodded. It was unclear whether he really took it to heart. In small matters he followed Yan Linjian’s words obediently, but in certain things he could be incredibly stubborn. For example, Yan Linjian still had several ex-girlfriends on WeChat even after breaking up with them. Qi Jingzhi deleted every single one of them. Afterwards, he even came to Yan Linjian looking pitiful and complained that one of Yan Linjian’s exes had added him on WeChat and started talking trash, but he refused to say which one it was.

Following the principle of better to kill by mistake than let one slip through, Qi Jingzhi grabbed Yan Linjian’s phone and deleted all of his ex-girlfriends’ contacts.

Yan Linjian didn’t care much about him deleting the contacts. What he cared about was that someone had secretly gone behind his back to curse at Qi Jingzhi.

His family might not be considered a top-tier wealthy clan, but they did have some standing in Jingdu. Quite a few people wanted to curry favor with them. His older brother was cold and hard to approach, so those people set their sights on Yan Linjian instead. Among his so-called friends, quite a few relationships had already broken off because of this.

The matter with the ex-girlfriend reminded Yan Linjian of something. He grabbed Qi Jingzhi and pressed him for answers: “Besides this, has anyone else strange tried to add you?”

Qi Jingzhi said no, but the way he lowered his eyes gave him away. Yan Linjian immediately flew into a rage. He went into several of those messy group chats filled with his old drinking buddies and cursed them out before quitting several groups, leaving only a few smaller ones with the people he was actually close to.

A friend who had previously helped mediate between the two of them privately messaged him, telling him there was no need to go this far.

【No need? I just asked them if anyone had been harassing my boyfriend, and you saw their attitude yourself… It’s only because my boyfriend is generous and didn’t make a big deal out of it that I’m just finding out now.】

Friend: 【But they didn’t mean any harm.】

【If they didn’t mean any harm, why are they spreading my boyfriend’s WeChat ID everywhere? If they did have malicious intent, then what, would they have posted our bed photos instead?】

Friend: 【Well, what they did was wrong, but think about it. Your boyfriend’s WeChat ID couldn’t have been spread around for no reason, right?】

【Oh right, I’ve already looked into it. That guy surnamed Zhu paid three thousand to buy it from a student in our department. What a bastard. My boyfriend’s WeChat is only worth three thousand? If he’d paid thirty thousand, maybe I’d respect him a bit more.】

Friend: 【It was him? Fuck, I’m blocking him right now.】

Friend: 【If you really plan to stay with your boyfriend long-term, you should also do something to show your commitment. Otherwise, they’ll just think you’re just playing around again.】

Yan Linjian thought to himself that he has already come out to his dad, doesn’t that count as showing his commitment?

With no one around him to talk to, Yan Linjian could only go ask his sister-in-law for help. He Nianjun told him: 【Ignore those busybodies. You just need to give your boyfriend enough sense of security.】

Sense of security. The internet is full of that phrase, but Yan Linjian still didn’t understand how to actually do it.

He had never hidden his relationship with Qi Jingzhi. He made it public on his Moments and QQ Space. During winter break he even brought Qi Jingzhi home to meet his parents and had gone so far as to say they planned to get married after graduation, which nearly got him beaten by his dad…

Marriage. Yan Linjian silently repeated the word.

Although he and Qi Jingzhi were not old enough to get married yet, he could fulfill his responsibilities as his partner in advance. A spark of inspiration flashed through Yan Linjian’s mind, and he thought of a very cliché but meaningful Valentine’s Day gift: rings.

Rings were a kind of contract. They meant that in this lifetime I entrust myself to you, and likewise, you belong to me.

Now that Yan Linjian had figured it out, he planned to have a pair of couple’s rings custom-made. But with only a week left, where was he supposed to find a designer?

He Nianjun recommended someone to him: 【This person is really good (thumbs up emoji). The rings your brother and I have were designed by her. A week is enough for her.】

Having found a reliable designer, Yan Linjian paid extra to place an urgent order and received the rings on the night before Valentine’s Day.

That night, he and Qi Jingzhi discussed what they should do the next day. The two of them squeezed together on Qi Jingzhi’s bed. Yan Linjian had one leg draped over his and was leaning against his shoulder while playing a game.

Yan Linjian: “Tomorrow we sleep until we wake up naturally, have lunch, and then… there aren’t really any good movies lately. Is there anything you want to do?”

Qi Jingzhi seemed a little distracted: “No. You can decide.”

Yan Linjian wanted to suggest going to a hotel, but the moment he thought about all those news stories about hidden cameras in hotels, he dropped the idea. He and Qi Jingzhi had been dating for nearly half a year and still hadn’t properly done it. The dorm was too cramped for that, and at Yan Linjian’s home, they had to worry about his parents. At most they just kissed, hugged, and used their hands and mouths a little.

Yan Linjian didn’t know whether monks suffered from abstinence, but he was already at the end of his patience after sleeping in Qi Jingzhi’s arms night after night and only being able to fool around a little.

Even when Shen Yang and Miao Xin weren’t in the dorm, Qi Jingzhi never went any further. Yan Linjian was full of pent-up frustration and nowhere to vent it. Qi Jingzhi is a male college student! Didn’t he have any desires at all?

“Tomorrow night my parents are going out to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Come over to my place.”

Yan Linjian traced little circles on his clothes. Qi Jingzhi’s body stiffened instantly. The reaction was obvious.

So the desire was there. It was just that his desires were too easy to satisfy.

Yan Linjian shifted positions and kept drawing circles. Qi Jingzhi let out a low groan and grabbed his hand. His breathing grew heavier beside Yan Linjian’s ear: “The round has started.”

“So boring.” Yan Linjian tilted his head and kissed the corner of his lips, then turned back to focus on the game.

Qi Jingzhi took several deep breaths and wrapped his arms around Yan Linjian’s shoulders from behind. “After eating tomorrow, come with me. Don’t go to your place… I want to take a walk near the school.”

Form is emptiness, emptiness is form. Yan Linjian silently recited it a few times, then suddenly bit down hard on Qi Jingzhi’s wrist. Gritting his teeth, he said, “Fine!”

On Valentine’s Day, Yan Linjian carried the ring he had spent a fortune custom-ordering as he walked with Qi Jingzhi through a park near the school. The lights were dim and the atmosphere ambiguous. The small woods on both sides were dark, and the people passing by were all either young couples or flower vendors. Some of the bolder ones were even kissing directly under the streetlights. No wonder the park’s official account had advised parents to avoid bringing their children here today if possible.

Qi Jingzhi held Yan Linjian’s hand tightly. Yan Linjian’s other hand was tucked into his pocket, gripping the ring box as he wondered where the brightest spot of light would be so he could give it to him later.

The two of them wandered aimlessly along the stone path. Yan Linjian felt Qi Jingzhi press his palm slightly and looked up: “What’s wrong?”

The streetlight outlined the perfect profile of Qi Jingzhi’s face. He lifted Yan Linjian’s hand to his lips and kissed his palm: “Have you thought about moving out next semester?”

“Yeah, I was thinking of renting a place nearby.”

Qi Jingzhi had already sold the old house, but because the location was bad and the building was old, it didn’t sell for much. It definitely wasn’t enough to buy a new place in the city center. Yan Linjian could have paid for it, but Qi Jingzhi refused. He wanted to earn the money himself to buy a house.

Yan Linjian: “Let’s rent for now. When we’ve earned enough money, we’ll buy a new place. We can make it our wedding home. I also want to raise a dog, maybe a corgi. Their short legs are cute.”

Qi Jingzhi didn’t say anything. His hand tightened slightly, easily changing the direction they were walking in. Yan Linjian let himself be led along, completely unaware. 

“Oh right, you’re not afraid of dogs, are you?”

“No, but I don’t want you to raise one.”

“Huh?”

“Raising me is enough. Don’t raise other dogs.”

Yan Linjian laughed: “You admit you’re a dog?”

Qi Jingzhi lightly bit Yan Linjian’s wrist, exactly where Yan Linjian had bitten him last night. “If I’m a dog, then you are too. Only dogs like biting people.”

“It doesn’t even hurt, and you clearly like it.”

“Mm, I like it a lot.”

Yan Linjian snorted: “I knew you’ve got a bit of an M trait¹M trait – Masochistic tendencies/Masochistic traits. Where are we going?”

Qi Jingzhi pulled him along faster and faster. Gradually they left the park and arrived at a residential area. Two apartment buildings stood opposite each other, with a few rows of lights scattered across the tall buildings. Qi Jingzhi led him to the entrance of one of the buildings. The security guard stood up and glanced at them but did not step forward to stop them.

“Qi Jingzhi, you didn’t secretly buy a house behind my back, did you?”

Yan Linjian’s brain spun quickly. Qi Jingzhi could not possibly have chosen the apartment layout by himself. He must have been tricked by Qi Jingzhi to choose one at some moment.

Only after they got into the elevator did Qi Jingzhi let out a long breath. He held the back of Yan Linjian’s head and kissed him. Qi Jingzhi’s kiss was more domineering than usual. By the time they got out of the elevator, Yan Linjian was already a little unsteady on his feet, but he still didn’t forget to ask: “When did you trick me?”

“During winter break. One night you lost eight matches in a row. While you were cursing your teammates, I had you choose it.”

At the time, Yan Linjian was in the middle of raging and had all his attention on cursing the bad players, so he did not notice what he had just chosen.

Yan Linjian thought back carefully, and his expression changed: “You certainly know how to pick the timing.”

Qi Jingzhi smiled slightly and unlocked the door with the key: “The interior was also done according to the style you like.”

Seeing the room filled with familiar furniture, Yan Linjian laughed: “I was wondering why my mom kept asking me to help choose props during that time. So it was you.”

“I should thank Auntie for that.” Qi Jingzhi took the property certificate out of the coffee table drawer and placed it in front of Yan Linjian. “During winter break I took on a big order. I never told you about it. The house was bought in full, and it’s under your name. I know you’re not short of money, but I thought that this way, even if one day the two of us are no longer together, you might still let me stay the night out of pity that I’d have nowhere to live.”

“Pei, pei, pei²To take back or cancel the words.. Don’t say such unlucky things.” Yan Linjian raised his fist and punched toward him, this time aiming straight for his face.

Just as the fist neared Qi Jingzhi’s eye, it suddenly opened, revealing a delicate box: “Ahem, even though we’re not officially married yet, you don’t mind if I stamp you first, right?”

Qi Jingzhi froze for a moment. His eyes slowly reddened as he stared fixedly at Yan Linjian’s palm. At Yan Linjian’s urging, he opened the box, revealing two rings overlapping each other.

“We both studied computer science, so I had the designer engrave the twenty-six English letters on them. YLJ and QJZ are on the two rings, right where our fingerprints are… Don’t think you’re the only one who knows how to set things up. I got your fingerprint without you noticing too.”

Yan Linjian showed the rings to Qi Jingzhi like he was claiming credit: “Raise your hand. I’ll put it on for you.”

Qi Jingzhi’s hands were trembling. Yan Linjian tightly held his wrist and put the ring engraved with his name and fingerprint onto Qi Jingzhi’s finger: “When the time comes, just use the ring as your Moments background. That way no one will be foolish enough to come and bother you.”

Qi Jingzhi stared blankly at his finger, not moving at all. His hand was still trembling slightly. He lowered his head and reverently placed a kiss on the ring: “Thank you.”

“Why kiss that? Kiss me!” Yan Linjian pounced on Qi Jingzhi. “I’m definitely topping you today! You prepared the stuff, right? Even if you didn’t, I’ll force it anyway.”

Qi Jingzhi nodded: “In the bedroom drawer.”

“Then let’s go to the bedroom.”

Yan Linjian had not paid attention for only a moment, and their positions were flipped. Qi Jingzhi easily picked him up and walked toward the bedroom.

He wasn’t particular about who topped or bottomed. In terms of size and length, Qi Jingzhi was more suitable to be on top. Yan Linjian was excited, but the moment he saw the bed he chickened out and started muttering: “I’m afraid of pain, afraid of pain, afraid of pain. I’ll bite you if you dare hurt me. Damn, I suddenly think watching a movie together on Valentine’s Day would be pretty nice. How about we do this next time?”

Qi Jingzhi closed the door and smiled: “That’s not up to you.”

End. 

• 1
  M trait – Masochistic tendencies/Masochistic traits
• 2
  To take back or cancel the words.