LNTSWJLY Chapter 63

The coldness of the ice seeped through them.

Yu Zhi barely noticed it.

Once he realized that they had only fallen and neither of them was injured, he quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

After getting to his feet, he reached out and pulled Lan Jingzhi up.

Seeing the tears still lingering in the other man’s eyes, Yu Zhi looked him over carefully, checking him from head to toe, but could not find anything obviously wrong.

“Are you hurt?”

Yu Zhi reached out to check Lan Jingzhi, but Lan Jingzhi dodged him.

Lan Jingzhi kept his mouth shut, somewhat unwilling to speak.

He was afraid he might have actually knocked out a tooth.

That would be too ugly.

He absolutely could not accept that!

He opened his mouth slightly and said in a small voice,

“Mm… Thank you for worrying about me, Little Brother Yu. I’m fine… I’m just too clumsy…”

Seeing that he could still speak properly, Yu Zhi figured he really was fine and finally relaxed.

He comforted him, “You have to take your time when learning something new. Don’t rush. You’ll get the hang of it eventually.”

Lan Jingzhi looked up at him with tears in his eyes.

“I’m so envious that Little Brother Yu can skate so well. But I’m just too stupid. My hands and feet don’t coordinate properly. I can only disappoint you after all the trouble you took to bring me here.”

That fall had given him PTSD¹PTSD – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Chinese internet slang often uses PTSD jokingly to describe developing an exaggerated fear or aversion to something after a bad experience.

His legs were still trembling.

If he were not so unwilling to embarrass himself in front of Yu Zhi again, he probably would not even be able to stand properly.

As for continuing to skate?

Absolutely impossible.

Not even if someone beat him to death.

He had originally thought Yu Zhi would comfort him with a few words.

Who could have expected Yu Zhi to simply raise an eyebrow and say meaningfully,

“Brother-in-law, you’re being too modest. I think your body coordination is actually quite good. You can do quite a few difficult moves.”

Lan Jingzhi’s face flushed slightly, and he stammered,

“You— you…”

How dare he?!

Didn’t they agree to act like strangers?!

Yu Zhi pursed his lips and chuckled softly, deliberately pretending not to understand.

“I heard Mom say that you’re a yoga teacher, so I thought this was just basic ability. Isn’t it?”

The flush on Lan Jingzhi’s face had not faded.

He secretly ground his teeth, only to accidentally hit the tooth he had knocked earlier.

Pain shot through him, and he sucked in a sharp breath.

There’s no way this man did that by accident.

He definitely did it on purpose!

Lan Jingzhi pressed his lips together in a smile and moved closer to Yu Zhi.

The two of them were standing extremely close.

Afraid of falling again, Lan Jingzhi held onto Yu Zhi’s arm.

Looking up at the man who was half a head taller than him, he leaned close to Yu Zhi’s ear and breathed softly against it, speaking in a deliberately seductive tone.

“That’s right. If Little Brother Yu wants to learn yoga from me, I’d be very happy to teach you. We could even practice all night if you want…”

Yu Zhi’s body was rather sensitive.

The tips of his ears and the side of his neck turned red where Lan Jingzhi’s breath brushed against them.

Although Yu Zhi was secretly amused at being teased by him, his expression remained completely unchanged.

He answered seriously,

“If I get the chance.”

He said it as though they were discussing something completely proper and respectable.

Lan Jingzhi could not see Yu Zhi’s embarrassed expression, so he felt a little disappointed.

He gave a soft snort and was just about to move away from Yu Zhi when a startled voice suddenly rang out.

“Brother Yu!”

The two of them looked up toward the voice.

Several young people were standing outside the ice rink up ahead.

One young man and one young woman were staring at them with their eyes wide in disbelief, while the others wore expressions of curiosity or the eager anticipation of people enjoying a good show.

The incredulous young man was the one who had called out “Brother Yu.”

One glance was enough for Yu Zhi to recognize who they were.

They were all classmates of the original owner.

“Brother Yu! How come you came to the school without telling us? If I hadn’t had such sharp eyes just now, I wouldn’t even have noticed you!”

As he spoke, the young man hurried over to the side of the rink.

There was no way Lan Jingzhi wanted to continue skating, and Yu Zhi had also decided they had had enough.

So Yu Zhi took him out of the rink.

After changing out of their skating gear, Yu Zhi finally turned his attention to the few people who had gathered around him.

“We didn’t go to the school. We were just looking around nearby,” Yu Zhi explained. “You guys came here to hang out during the holidays too?”

Xue Hai gave the other young man a sidelong glance.

“It’s all because of Jiang Yikai…”

But then he suddenly thought of something and did not dare tell Yu Zhi.

However, just because Xue Hai did not say anything did not mean that no one else would.

Jiang Yikai walked over, holding the only girl in the group by the hand.

“Wenwen and I have officially gotten together, so I invited a few close friends out to hang out. Since we happened to run into each other, don’t leave, Yu Zhi. Come have dinner with us later. I heard Wenwen say that you used to take good care of her. Now that she’s mine, I have to show my thanks somehow, so you definitely have to let me treat you to this meal.”

Yu Wenwen looked a little embarrassed, but she still smiled and said, “Brother Kai is right. Yu Zhi, we’re all friends. Come have dinner with us.”

She was speaking to Yu Zhi, but her eyes kept drifting toward Lan Jingzhi.

She had seen what happened just now.

What exactly was the relationship between this person and Yu Zhi?

From the angle they had been standing at just now, the two of them had looked as though they were kissing.

N-No, that was impossible!

Yu Zhi liked her.

How could he suddenly fall for a man?

They must have simply been standing at an angle that made it look that way!

What is so good about this man anyway?

He looks so coquettish and flashy when he smiles. He may look decent enough on the surface, but he must be promiscuous in private. Seducing a man out in public like this. He really has no shame!

Xue Hai’s fists clenched.

He really wanted to punch Jiang Yikai in the face.

The reason he had come along with Jiang Yikai today was because he wanted to take pictures of Yu Wenwen and Jiang Yikai’s true colors and show them to Brother Yu so that he could finally give up on her.

He had never expected Brother Yu to personally witness these two shameless people acting all lovey-dovey in front of him.

Brother Yu must be furious!

Xue Hai cautiously turned his head to look at Yu Zhi.

Then he froze.

Yu Zhi’s expression was completely calm.

It was as though he had not heard Jiang Yikai’s provocative words at all.

He did not even look toward Yu Wenwen.

It was as though she were not the person he had once liked, and as though there had never been a failed confession at their graduation gathering.

“Since we happened to run into each other, I suppose it must be fate. And if someone else is paying for the meal, why would I refuse?”

Yu Zhi smiled.

Then he turned to Lan Jingzhi.

“Do you want to come with us?”

Lan Jingzhi could tell roughly what was going on between these people with just one glance.

He had not expected Yu Zhi to have no intention of hiding or avoiding him in front of them.

And if there was some drama to watch, why would he pass it up?

So he nodded.

“Do you mind if I bring one more person?”

He was speaking to Jiang Yikai.

Jiang Yikai had only intended to provoke Yu Zhi.

He had never expected Yu Zhi to actually agree.

For a moment, he did not know how to respond.

“O-of course. Friends of friends are friends too.”

Only then did Jiang Yikai remember what he had just seen. Yu Zhi had been getting close to that handsome man. It had even looked like they were kissing.

Could it be that Yu Zhi having been rejected by Yu Wenwen and, after getting his heart broken, had immediately switched his sexual orientation?

He no longer liked women and had started liking men instead?

That man was pretty good-looking, though. Yu Zhi had gotten himself quite a bargain.

Tsk…

Jiang Yikai thought regretfully that if he did not only like women, then he definitely would have…

The group left the club and went to a nearby upscale restaurant instead.

Jiang Yikai put on a proper host’s act and immediately ordered quite a few of the restaurant’s expensive signature dishes.

“There aren’t really any good places around here, so we can only make do with this one. Just order whatever you like. It’s not expensive anyway.”

He said it was not expensive, but when he saw the shocked and envious looks on everyone’s faces as they looked through the menu, the smugness on his face was impossible to hide.

Yu Wenwen also looked at him with admiration.

“Brother Kai, you’re spending too much.”

Then she smiled at everyone else.

“Today, Brother Kai and I are treating everyone, so please eat as much as you like.”

She acted as though she were the hostess of the gathering.

Earlier, Yu Wenwen had still felt guilty whenever she looked at Yu Zhi.

But at this moment, as she looked at her generous boyfriend, every bit of guilt and uneasiness in her heart was swept away.

It wasn’t her fault for being heartless.

Who didn’t like money? Who didn’t want to marry into a wealthy family and live a good life?

And as for keeping Yu Zhi hanging around for two years and treating him as a backup option?

How could that possibly be the case? They had always been friends.

They were friends now, and they would always be friends in the future.

Couldn’t friends do things for each other? Couldn’t friends give each other gifts?

And as for why Yu Zhi had always given more while she had given less—

Wasn’t that simply because Yu Zhi had more money than she did? Even if she wanted to give more, she did not have the means.

The more she thought about it, the more justified she felt.

She raised her head and looked at Yu Zhi, wanting to see his reaction.

Hearing me side with Brother Kai, he must be heartbroken, right?

What a pity I can’t comfort him. After all, I only have one heart, and it can only belong to Brother Kai.

“Darling, what do you think of these steamed crabs? Last time I wasn’t feeling well, so I only ate a little. This time, I want to eat my fill.”

Lan Jingzhi leaned closer to Yu Zhi, acting intimately. His head was almost resting against Yu Zhi’s shoulder.

The two of them looked at the same menu, picking apart the dishes listed on it and pointing out this and that.

Yu Zhi did not reject him.

The moment Lan Jingzhi came closer, Yu Zhi already knew that he was planning to cause trouble, so he cooperated completely.

“Crabs are cool-blooded in nature. Your health isn’t very good, so you shouldn’t eat too many.”

“Then what about these spicy crayfish? I heard the crayfish here are absolutely amazing!”

As Lan Jingzhi spoke, he frowned regretfully.

“Never mind, never mind. I don’t like peeling shells. It gets all greasy. You always like holding my hand in bed and saying that my hands are the prettiest. It wouldn’t look good if they got covered in oil.”

Yu Zhi responded considerately, “That’s fine. I’ll peel them for you. You only need to eat.”

Lan Jingzhi looked at him emotionally.

“Darling, you’re so considerate!”

Yu Zhi wore an expression of helplessness.

“What can I do? I like you.”

He had said it so casually, yet to Lan Jingzhi and everyone else present, his words carried a kind of natural sincerity, as though this was simply something they were both accustomed to.

Lan Jingzhi felt as though Yu Zhi’s eyes were burning into him.

He hurriedly looked away, suddenly finding himself unable to meet Yu Zhi’s gaze.

A feeling of panic rose from the depths of his heart.

This kid… His acting is way too good!

And with acting this good, he still couldn’t win over his girlfriend? I wonder if that girl is blind.

Thinking of this, he subconsciously glanced at Yu Wenwen. He saw the girl looking at Yu Zhi with anger and humiliation in her eyes, as though he had committed some unforgivable crime. She looked extremely furious.

And when she secretly glanced at Lan Jingzhi, the jealousy in her eyes was impossible to hide.

Lan Jingzhi actually felt a little pleased with himself.

But then he could not help mocking himself.

I’m really getting worse as I get older. To think I’m actually competing with some little girl over this. How embarrassing.

Thinking of the person responsible for all this, he could not help secretly glaring at Yu Zhi.

Did this man put some kind of spell on me? How did I end up doing something this humiliating?

Yu Zhi noticed his gaze and asked naturally,

“Is there anything else you want to eat?”

For a moment, Lan Jingzhi was so dazed that he almost thought they were really a couple.

Fortunately, he quickly came back to his senses.

He looked at Yu Zhi with both heartache and emotion.

“You’ve already worked so hard peeling shrimp for me, Little Yu. Although I know you love me very much, that doesn’t mean I can take advantage of your love and act recklessly. I’m not greedy.”

Yu Zhi smiled.

“It’s fine. You can be a little greedier.”

The two of them continued openly displaying their affection as though no one else existed.

Everyone else in the room was left staring at them in shock, frantically complaining in their heads.

Classmates: Fuck! Yu Zhi actually likes men! And it looks like he even has a boyfriend?!

Xue Hai: Fuck! What happened to Brother Yu? Didn’t he like Yu Wenwen? When did his sexual orientation change, and when did he get such a handsome boyfriend?! I have to admit, though, these two really look good together.

Yu Wenwen: Impossible! He must be trying to deceive me! He was hurt by my rejection, so he’s deliberately giving up on himself and getting involved with a man! Yes, that’s it!

Jiang Yikai: Fuck! I’m the one paying for this meal! Why are you pretending to be so generous?!

Until the dishes had been ordered and brought to the table, the atmosphere in the private dining room remained extremely awkward.

Aside from the two people chatting and showing affection as though no one else existed, nobody knew what to say.

They could only sit there and watch the two of them feed each other bite after bite of public displays of affection, watch them openly exchange flirtatious glances, and watch the meaningful looks passing between their eyes.

When the waiter finally began bringing out the dishes, everyone felt as though they had survived a disaster. Even Xue Hai, who was closest to Yu Zhi, could not help letting out a sigh of relief.

There was no other reason. This brother-in-law was just too clingy! So clingy that it made Xue Hai’s entire body tingle with discomfort. And yet Brother Yu seemed to enjoy every second of it, looking completely lost in love.

Thinking back to how Brother Yu had treated Yu Wenwen in the past, Xue Hai even began to wonder whether Brother Yu had ever truly liked Yu Wenwen at all. After all, he had never said sweet words to Yu Wenwen. He had never peeled shrimp for her. He had never openly acted so intimate with her in front of everyone.

Then Xue Hai looked at the two people sitting so close together that they practically seemed to have grown into one. He was genuinely convinced. Only this brother-in-law could truly tame his Brother Yu.

Even the strongest steel could eventually be softened into a gentle coil of silk.

As for Yu Wenwen? She was nothing more than passing clouds. Just cannon fodder before true love.

“Brother-in-law, when did you and my Brother Yu first meet?” Xue Hai could not help asking.

The dishes had already been served, but they still could not stop him from talking.

Lan Jingzhi took the double meaning behind the way he had been addressed quite well. He began reminiscing sweetly, “It was a beautiful, clear night…”

Yu Zhi: “…”

“I was driving a red supercar, while he was riding a cool, flashy motorcycle. We met as if it were fate, then spent the entire night competing against each other in driving skills. In the end, I conquered him with my superior skills and left him unable to forget me.”

“Cough— cough, cough…”

Yu Zhi nearly choked on his water.

Lan Jingzhi hurriedly patted his back with concern. “Little Yu, are you all right? How did you even choke while drinking water?”

Yu Zhi shook his head. “I’m fine.”

It had been a long time since he had lost his composure, yet something unexpected had happened today.

He had originally thought Lan Jingzhi was just a sweet and harmless-looking green tea. Who would have thought that he also knew how to adjust his behavior depending on who he was dealing with?

In front of his elders, he acted obedient and sensible. In front of this group of little idiots, however, he completely let himself go, behaving like a sly and unpredictable fox.

The little idiot Xue Hai was still enthusiastically asking questions.

“What happened next? Did you race together? Who won?”

Lan Jingzhi opened his mouth and made up an answer on the spot.

“Of course we raced. Although I don’t know how to drive, so your Brother Yu took me racing. As for who won… there was no winner or loser, because we weren’t actually competing. But if we get the chance in the future, we can continue…”

“The food is getting cold.” Yu Zhi interrupted him and placed a peeled shrimp into Lan Jingzhi’s dish.

“Eat more.” And talk less.

Lan Jingzhi smiled brightly and leaned closer to him. Deliberately, he whispered into Yu Zhi’s ear,

“Thank you, Little Yu, for going to so much trouble to entertain me.”

Jiang Yikai: Fuck! I’m the one paying for this meal!

Seeing the area behind Yu Zhi’s ear and extending down to his neck turn red, Lan Jingzhi was satisfied. He sat back down properly and put the shrimp into his mouth. It was delicious.

Yu Zhi helplessly pressed his lips together. Amused, he lowered his voice and said, “That’s enough.”

He really did not feel the slightest bit guilty saying things like that to a child who did not understand anything.

Lan Jingzhi looked at Xue Hai’s pure, curious eyes. His adult sense of shame finally managed to take control, suppressing the little bit of malicious amusement in his heart, so he stopped talking nonsense.

Yu Wenwen watched the two of them whispering to each other. The sourness in her heart could no longer be held back.

“Yu Zhi, you’re really not being very nice. You have a boyfriend, yet you never told us. I’m your good friend! How come I’ve never heard you mention having a boyfriend before…? How long have you two been together?”

Lan Jingzhi glanced at the young girl who could barely keep her expression under control anymore. He wrapped his arms around Yu Zhi’s and said with a smile,

“This isn’t Little Yu’s fault. He didn’t do anything wrong. He just loves me too much and treasures me too much. He wanted to keep me hidden from everyone, so he was unwilling to tell outsiders.”

Outsiders…

OUTSIDERS!!!

Yu Wenwen’s expression changed again and again, becoming extremely ugly.

Although the young girl had already learned a few tricks, Lan Jingzhi did not consider them worth noticing. With just a few casual words, he had managed to make her so angry that her chest felt tight and she could no longer even maintain a normal expression.

Lan Jingzhi continued with a smile,

“Actually, I don’t want things to be like this either. I want to go out with Little Yu, hang out with his friends, and show off our relationship in front of other people too. But he’s just too stubborn, and I…”

He paused, then smiled helplessly.

“I can never bring myself to refuse him.”

Xue Hai looked at his Brother Yu with admiration.

He had originally thought that his brother-in-law had Yu Zhi completely under his thumb. But now, it clearly seemed to be the other way around. As expected, Brother Yu was still Brother Yu. Even when he was in a relationship, he was the one in control!

Several classmates: Possessive & Obsessive Top X Sweet & Gentle Bottom?! (Nosebleed.) (Nosebleed.) (Nosebleed.)

They never would have imagined that Yu Zhi, who usually looked quiet, taciturn, gloomy, and withdrawn, would have this kind of personality!

Yu Wenwen: Bastard! Liar! He already has a boyfriend, yet he still confessed his feelings to me? Could it be that he wanted me to become his nominal wife?

Jiang Yikai: Fuck, I’m stuffed.

Lan Jingzhi continued, “Meeting you all this time was also an accident. Otherwise, he definitely still wouldn’t have been willing to let me meet other people. To be honest, I was actually surprised that he was willing to bring me here to have dinner with you. He’s never done that before.”

After saying this, he gave an embarrassed little smile. “I really wanted to share our relationship with everyone, so I got a little carried away by my feelings. You don’t mind, do you? You’re all good friends of my Little Yu, aren’t you?”

Several classmates: “…N-no, we don’t mind!”

Lan Jingzhi looked as though he had finally breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good.”

He then turned to look at Yu Zhi again. “Little Yu, it turns out they really are as good as you said. You really are good friends.”

Yu Zhi held back his laughter again and again, but in the end, he could only smile helplessly. “Good. As long as you know.”

He really is dramatic. Too bad he isn’t going into show business in this world.

Still, the way he helps me bully other people is pretty cute.

Yu Wenwen’s chest rose and fell as she struggled to hold herself back. She thought she was being calm and reasonable, but in reality, she was already speaking with obvious jealousy and resentment as she confronted Yu Zhi.

“Yu Zhi, I didn’t realize you two were this close. I just wonder, how long have you two been together?”

Lan Jingzhi was just about to speak when Yu Wenwen continued aggrievedly, “We’ve been friends for so long. Do I really have to hear from someone else about something as important as how long you’ve had a boyfriend?”

Jiang Yikai instinctively touched his head, wondering whether the color of his hair had somehow changed.

Who could possibly miss the jealousy in this bitch’s tone? The sour smell is practically filling the entire private room.

At this point, Yu Zhi no longer remained silent. “It’s been a while.”

The moment Yu Wenwen heard that, she immediately found herself justified in confronting him.

“But you confessed your feelings to me at the graduation party! If you already had a boyfriend, why did you confess to me? Were you trying to have two relationships at the same time?!”

Lan Jingzhi glanced at Yu Zhi, seemingly wanting to see whether his expression would change. It did not. Yu Zhi’s expression remained completely unchanged. He did not even stop peeling the shrimp for Lan Jingzhi.

Lan Jingzhi had originally thought he would feel disappointed. Instead, an inexplicable sense of happiness and delight rose in his heart.

He withdrew his gaze and stopped looking at Yu Zhi. Instead, he turned to Yu Wenwen and deliberately put on a surprised expression.

“You mean the day of his graduation party?”

He then turned his head toward Yu Zhi.

“Didn’t Little Yu explain it in the end?”

Yu Zhi had no idea what kind of plot Lan Jingzhi was planning, so he wisely kept his mouth shut.

Yu Wenwen immediately picked up on it.

“Explain what?”

Lan Jingzhi looked at her apologetically.

“This is just a misunderstanding. Actually, a few of my friends and I were there that day too. Little Yu was actually there to accompany me while I met my friends. The class reunion was just something we happened to attend afterward.”

He paused before continuing naturally, “We played Truth or Dare together. He lost, and his dare was to confess his feelings to someone. I guess because he thought you were a good friend and would be the easiest person to explain the situation to, he chose you.”

Yu Wenwen: “…”

A dare…

A dare?!

“Why didn’t Little Yu explain it to your friends?”

Yu Zhi fed him a shrimp and answered naturally, “I hadn’t gotten the chance to explain. She started saying that we were just friends and then ran off. I was in a hurry to see you, so I forgot about it.”

Lan Jingzhi said disapprovingly, “Little Yu, that wasn’t right of you. If you couldn’t tell her in person, you could have explained it over the phone. What if it affected her relationship with her boyfriend? And, more importantly, what if she thought you really liked her? You can only be mine!”

His eyes were filled with possessiveness.

Yu Zhi looked up at him, his eyes and brows filled with a gentle smile. “Okay. I’m yours.”

Thump—thump.

Lan Jingzhi’s heartbeat suddenly sped up, and he felt his ears grow hot.

Classmates: Wow! Mutual possessiveness! I’m so into this!

Yu Wenwen became furious and embarrassed, blurting out in exasperation, “I don’t believe it! You call him Little Yu, but he doesn’t even have an affectionate nickname for you. How could you possibly be a couple?!”

Yu Zhi glanced at her. “Intimacy isn’t shown by what you call someone. It’s shown by what you do.”

Lan Jingzhi had a bad feeling about where this was going. He was just about to retreat when the man suddenly pulled him closer.

The next moment, he felt warmth against his lips.

A light kiss landed on his lips.

It did not go any deeper. Their lips merely brushed and lingered briefly at the corner of his mouth. A flash of light passed through Yu Zhi’s eyes, brilliant and dazzling like a bright river of stars.

When they parted, Yu Zhi pressed his lips together, noticing the faint taste of shrimp left behind.

Slightly spicy, with a hint of fragrance.

He casually reached up, poured a cup of tea, and held it out to Lan Jingzhi, whose head still seemed to be giving off steam.

Lan Jingzhi was still angry because Yu Zhi had kissed him without even asking.

When he saw the cup of tea Yu Zhi was offering him, he became even more embarrassed and annoyed. He turned his eyes away, pretending he had not seen it.

Yu Zhi placed the cup back down with a slightly heavier clack.

When Lan Jingzhi finally reached out to take it, he was still thinking,

Why am I even afraid of this guy?

Why am I actually obediently listening to him?

I’m obviously the one getting the short end of the stick here!

No, wait.

Yu Zhi was good-looking too. Getting kissed by him could hardly count as taking a loss, right?

Yu Zhi poured himself another cup of tea as well. He took a small sip, casually swept his gaze over the several people who were still staring at them in shock, and finally settled his eyes on Yu Wenwen.

He said calmly, “So, Classmate Yu, do you believe us now?”

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  PTSD – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Chinese internet slang often uses PTSD jokingly to describe developing an exaggerated fear or aversion to something after a bad experience