The person reading the message furrowed his brow slightly.
Yan Chen: [Why are you suddenly asking this?]
Ye Wenyu: [I remembered you and Maoqiu seem really close. Is she your girlfriend?]
‘Maoqiu?’
That ID was both familiar and unfamiliar. Even Yan Chen had to take a full three seconds to remember who this “Maoqiu” was and he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Yan Chen: [No, I don’t have a girlfriend.]
Ye Wenyu: [But she seems to know a lot about you.]
Yan Chen: [We were just neighbors when we were kids. We get along, and if there’s anything you feel uncomfortable telling me directly, you can talk to her.]
Yan Chen: [Wenyu, I don’t have any girl I like.]
Ye Wenyu didn’t really understand what he could possibly have that he couldn’t say directly to Yan Chen and had to trouble an outsider to relay. Then he saw the last sentence and instantly felt relieved. His heavy heart bubbled back up to the surface.
But Yan Chen’s next message made his expression freeze.
Yan Chen: [You’ve asked your question. Now it’s my turn.]
Yan Chen: [Why did you ask that?]
Ye Wenyu: “?”
‘I just asked because I wanted to, why care about the reason?’
His brain glitched, and he couldn’t think of a response, so he chose to reply with:
Ye Wenyu: [Do you need me to bring water for your competition later? I can drop it off.]
It was the most awkward change of topic imaginable. There was no technique, just pure emotion.
Yan Chen indulged him and went along with the shift, not pursuing the earlier topic.
Yan Chen: [No need. I was just about to tell you that the competition has been postponed.]
‘Postponed at this hour?’
He’d been counting on Yan Chen winning the competition and getting a gift to boost his mood so that when he found out about the deception, maybe he’d be angry for only two days instead of four.
But then again, if it hadn’t been postponed, he probably wouldn’t have time to prepare any gift either.
Ye Wenyu: [Postponed until when?]
Yan Chen: [Next Monday.]
Oh, then there was still a weekend left, enough time for him to prepare slowly.
He had already been hiding it for so long, there was no rush now. It was indeed better to be thoroughly prepared.
Ye Wenyu: [Okay, then I’ll come find you on Monday.]
Seeing this, Yan Chen couldn’t help but click his tongue.
Why wait until Monday to see him, was it illegal to meet on Saturday or Sunday?
Before he could think of how to reply, a burst of hurried knocks came from the door, followed by boys shouting noisily; it was the group of troublemakers from next door.
Yang Liang ran over to open the door, mumbled something with them, then closed the door and turned back: “Old Dong, Yan ge, do you want to go over and drink with the guys next door tonight?”
The dorm next door was a mixed dorm, with one from the sports department, and three from other majors. The four of them got along like a house on fire and were friendly with the surrounding dorms.
In a densely packed school, any event would spread like spiderwebs, so it was inevitable that idle times turned into gossip sessions.
The noisy chat went from the “mutual consent” incident to how Zhen Lin had once loudly and boldly chased after Yan Chen, and eventually shifted to Liu Bingran.
“With everything blowing up like this, there’s no way Liu Bingran doesn’t know, right?”
“I haven’t seen him show up or say anything. They probably broke up already.”
“If not, then they’ll have to be in a long-distance relationship. This kind of scandal spreads fast and it’s bad for the school’s image. Even if Zhen Lin is shamelessly enough to stick around, the school won’t keep him.”
“Two troublemakers have been solved in one go. Isn’t that a double blessing?”
“Yeah, come on, let’s drink to that!”
“Oh right, another thing. Yan ge, isn’t there a vacant space in your dormitory? I have a junior who wants to change dormitories. Can we discuss it?”
“No vacancies.” Yan Chen stood a fallen beer bottle back up and said, “Someone’s moving in.”
Yang Liang’s ears were sharp at this moment, and he immediately sat up: “Who? Who’s moving in? How come I didn’t know?”
In contrast, Dong Xi was only mildly surprised for a moment. Then a knowing look flashed in his eyes, and he calmly tugged at Yang Liang: “What are you so excited, calm down.”
Yang Liang quickly turned to him: “What, you’re not curious?”
“Me?” Dong Xi drew out the syllable, smiling mysteriously. “Not really. We’ll know in a few days anyway when they move in.”
“Alright then, I’ll tell my junior to keep looking, it’s not a big deal. Come on, let’s continue…who was up for the card draw?”
“Yan ge, it’s your turn. Come on, pick one you like. It’s your fortune card for tomorrow.”
A deck of playing cards was laid out in front of him, and Yan Chen casually picked the one in the center.
“Let me see, let me see.”
“Wuhu! Edge card, girls should marry, boys should propose, perfect time for early romance and confessions. Yan ge, you drew the Peach Blossom card! You’re super lucky, congrats.”
“Okay, get to the point. So how do you play this card?”
“Let me check. The rules say: the person who draws this card must have a glass of wine with someone of the opposite sex if there’s one present. If not, confess to the first person in their contacts list. If neither, they must turn over the card and take the punishment… plus drink an entire bottle.”
Where would there be girls in a boys’ dorm?
The first option was out. That left the second.
“Yan ge, what do you choose?”
“Who’s first in your contacts? Boy or girl? Are they suitable for a confession?”
Yan Chen opened another bottle of beer and drank it in one go.
“Hey, why did you just drink it? Boring.”
“666, you’re one to talk, didn’t you skip yours just now?”
“Didn’t you see what I drew! I had to cluck like a cock at dawn and wake up the whole building. Who made that up, I’m speechless.”
“It’s easy, Yan ge, just send a message saying ‘I like you’, then explain it was a joke later. It’s definitely better than getting punished for drinking.”
Yan Chen: “I can’t explain it.”
“Huh?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean now’s not the right time.”
Yan Chen set down the bottle and didn’t give the thick-headed crowd time to digest his words: “Say it. What’s the punishment?”
–
Ye Wenyu was hesitating between picking goggles or swim trunks when he got a call from Yan Chen.
It was already lights-out at this time. Originally, the dorm was lit only by the glow of a computer screen, but now the dim light from the phone screen has been added to it.
Chi Dongting’s bed was quiet, his curtain drawn tightly shut. Ye Wenyu wasn’t sure if he was asleep, so he picked up the phone and tiptoed to the balcony so as not to disturb him.
“Yan Chen?” He answered the call.
There was silence on the other end for a while before a voice slowly came through, carried by the current: “Wenyu.”
It was like fine sand slipping to the bottom of a river, hoarse and gentle.
The sound of insects rustled up and down in the greenery outside. Ye Wenyu pressed his ear close to the phone and his earlobe touched the cold metal. Suddenly, the night felt especially quiet.
“I’m here,” he responded to Yan Chen.
Yan Chen: “Did I wake you up?”
Ye Wenyu was about to say no, when he heard Yan Chen continue: “It wasn’t on purpose. I just wanted to talk to you.”
It was an apology, but the tone didn’t sound entirely apologetic. It sounded lazy, casual and relaxed, like he was awake but not fully alert.
There was also a hint of clinginess he couldn’t quite describe.
It felt like someone was gently scratching at his eardrum. Ye Wenyu instinctively looked out into the dark, but the West Gate and South Gate were separated by too many buildings, so he couldn’t see the cluster of lights where Yan Chen was.
Ye Wenyu: “Did you drink?”
Yan Chen let out a low hum, and an image immediately popped up into Ye Wenyu’s mind; Yan Chen with half-squinted eyes, like a big dog waiting to be patted on the head.
He couldn’t help but rub his fingertips together. It felt a little itchy.
“I wasn’t asleep. I can talk with you.” He lowered his voice, as if coaxing, “What do you want to talk about?”
Yan Chen: “What are you doing?”
Ye Wenyu answered sincerely, “Talking to you.”
As soon as he said it, he heard a soft and short low laugh.
Ye Wenyu’s ears suddenly grew warm, and he corrected himself a little bashfully, “No, I was picking out a gift for you just now.”
Now it was Yan Chen who fell silent, surprised that such a casual question had gotten him a pleasant surprise.
After a moment, he asked, “What kind of gift?”
Ye Wenyu: “I haven’t picked it yet.”
Yan Chen: “Why do you want to give me a gift?”
Ye Wenyu: “I can’t say yet. I’ll tell you when we meet.”
Yan Chen: “When can we meet?”
Ye Wenyu: “Your competition is on Monday, I’ll come then.”
Yan Chen: “What about the weekend?”
“The weekend?” Ye Wenyu asked, “What about the weekend?”
Yan Chen: “Can’t we meet on the weekend?”
‘Can’t we meet on the weekend?’
‘Of course we can meet on the weekend.’
Ye Wenyu just didn’t understand the logic behind Yan Chen’s question. But thinking about it, someone drunk probably didn’t have anything called logic. That was understandable.
In any case, it was better to just go along and coax him.
Ye Wenyu: “We can. I’ll come find you tomorrow. How much did you drink tonight?”
Yan Chen gave a measurement: “A little.”
Ye Wenyu didn’t believe him: “How many littles?”
Yan Chen seemed to laugh again and mimicked his tone: “It should be quite a few littles.”
Ye Wenyu still remembered that Yan Chen had poor alcohol tolerance: “Did they force you to drink?”
Yan Chen: “They did.”
Ye Wenyu frowned: “Then you…”
“I didn’t finish it,” Yan Chen said. “I said I’d save it for next time.”
“Save it for next time…” Ye Wenyu repeated, not approving: “But that means you owe them now. Next time they’ll force you to drink even more.”
“I don’t owe them,” Yan Chen’s voice carried the chill of the wind, “I only owe you.”
Ye Wenyu didn’t understand: “Owe me what?”
“I owe you a…” Yan Chen paused, and stopped there, not continuing: “I’ll tell you when I can make up for it.”
Ye Wenyu admired him very much for being able to keep people in suspense even when he was drunk.
The wind was strong at night and clouds moved quickly. After covering a group of stars, they raced toward the next group, scattering and shrinking as they went, leaving behind only fragments after a stretch.
There was a rustling sound behind. Chi Dongting was probably deep asleep now, he was tossing in bed with his blanket, and one leg stuck out past the bed curtain.
The balcony door wasn’t fully closed, leaving a gap. Afraid his voice would leak through and disturb him, Ye Wenyu turned to push the gap shut.
His hand had just touched the handle when he suddenly heard Yan Chen, who’d been quiet for a while, call him: “Wenyu.”
“Yes.” Ye Wenyu gently pushed the door shut.
Yan Chen: “I have a competition next Monday.”
Of course Ye Wenyu knew, but he didn’t feel annoyed hearing the same message repeated again: “Mm, your competition is on Monday.”
Yan Chen: “Are you coming?”
Because of the other party’s tendency to remember the first sentence but not the second, Ye Wenyu’s lips curved slightly: “Yes, I’ll go watch you take first place.”
Yan Chen’s tone also lifted at the end: “First place?”
“You don’t have confidence in yourself?”
Because he had too much confidence in Yan Chen, Ye Wenyu blurted out this sentence subconsciously. Only after speaking did he realize it might put pressure on the other party. He was about to change his wording when Yan Chen already replied.
“No.” Yan Chen slowed his pace of speech, and said unhurriedly: “It’s not that I’m not confident.”
“I was just thinking, if I get first, will there be a reward?”
