Since that night when Liang Xiao was discovered by Lu Ze, he had stopped accepting Lu Ze’s chat requests, always claiming he was too busy.
Lu Ze, having never pursued a guy before, felt utterly powerless. His first experience as a gay man had led him to someone like Liang Xiao, leaving him with no outlet for his efforts.
Sun Zhuoyu and Mao Xin exchanged glances as they watched Lu Ze frowning, nearly stabbing holes in his plate.
Sun Zhuoyu: “What’s wrong with him lately?”
Mao Xin: “No idea. You ask.”
Sun Zhuoyu: “You ask.”
Mao Xin: “Why me?”
Sun Zhuoyu: “I’m not single. It might rub salt in the wound.”
Mao Xin glared at Sun Zhuoyu for a few seconds, realizing he had a point. Reluctantly, he spoke up. “Ze-ge, are you in a bad mood?”
Lu Ze looked up at the two of them. “Is it that obvious?”
They nodded in unison.
Mao Xin cautiously asked, “Did you have a fight with Xiao-ge?”
Lu Ze let out a cold laugh and snapped, “Fight? I wish! He doesn’t even give me the chance to argue.”
Mao Xin was baffled, while Sun Zhuoyu pondered for a moment. “So… are you two giving each other the silent treatment?”
Lu Ze sighed heavily. They weren’t even at the stage where they could argue or have a cold war. Liang Xiao wasn’t even his fake boyfriend anymore—he was busy being someone else’s boyfriend.
Distracted by thoughts of Liang Xiao during lunch, Lu Ze didn’t even notice what he ate. After afternoon classes, he returned to the dormitory and started having stomach issues.
With both Sun Zhuoyu and Mao Xin absent, Lu Ze was alone in the dormitory. After several trips to the bathroom, his legs were so numb that walking became difficult.
He slumped into his chair, pale-faced, clutching his stomach with one hand while messaging Liang Xiao with the other: [Liang Xiao, where are you?]
Liang Xiao: [What’s up?]
Cold and indifferent—perfect.
Lu Ze angrily typed: [I ate something bad and feel awful.]
At this moment, he desperately needed a boyfriend—even a fake one would do.
Liang Xiao’s typing indicator appeared several times before he finally replied: [Posting it on Moments?]
Lu Ze: [? The hell would I post that for?]
Liang Xiao: [Oh. Drink some hot water.]
Lu Ze frowned deeply. Was this really the same person who used to be his fake boyfriend? Sure, it was fake, but did he have to act so straight?
Lu Ze: [????]
Lu Ze: [Fine! Posting it!]
Liang Xiao quickly followed up: [Is it serious? Do you have a hot water bottle? Have you drunk hot water? Taken any medicine?]
Liang Xiao: [Forget it—don’t burn yourself. I’ll come over right now.]
Finally! That’s more like it.
Another wave of stomach pain hit him as Lu Ze clutched his abdomen and endured it for a while before making yet another trip to the bathroom. When he came out, he searched around but found neither hot water nor medicine.
Lu Ze picked up his phone again and noticed that after Liang Xiao’s two messages, there had been no further response. He frowned—was Liang Xiao just messing with him? Could he really have been serious about posting on Moments?
Lu Ze: [Liang Xiao?]
No response.
After waiting a bit longer: [Where are you???]
Liang Xiao: [?]
Frustrated, Lu Ze slammed his phone face down on the table. Did Liang Xiao not care about him at all? Or was he determined to avoid being with him?
After a moment, Lu Ze picked up his phone with a blank expression and headed out the door. He messaged Liang Xiao: [I’ll be at your place in about 20 minutes.]
Liang Xiao: [I’m not home.]
Lu Ze: [Then I’ll wait for you at your door.]
Today, Lu Ze was determined to see Liang Xiao. There were things he wanted to say face-to-face.
Standing in the old hallway, his stomach still aching, Lu Ze had nowhere to sit or lean, so he stood there stubbornly. Even though he could’ve waited at a nearby convenience store, he felt that wouldn’t show enough sincerity. So he stayed put outside Liang Xiao’s door.
To his surprise, Liang Xiao returned faster than expected. Lu Ze had thought he’d be standing there until nightfall, given how cold Liang Xiao had been over WeChat. But soon, he heard hurried footsteps from downstairs and guessed it was him.
When Liang Xiao looked up and saw Lu Ze standing at his door, he stopped in his tracks. His forehead was slightly sweaty, and his chest rose and fell as he caught his breath.
Lu Ze glanced down at him. Even in the dim light of the hallway, Liang Xiao could tell that Lu Ze didn’t look well.
After steadying his breathing, Liang Xiao climbed the stairs in a few quick steps and stood in front of Lu Ze. In a low voice, he asked, “Didn’t you say you had a stomachache? Why did you suddenly come over?”
Lu Ze tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Because you wouldn’t come to see me.”
Liang Xiao stayed silent for a moment before saying, “Let’s go inside.”
He pulled out his keys to unlock the door but struggled to fit the key into the lock, frowning in frustration.
Lu Ze stifled a laugh internally but kept a straight face as he said calmly, “Got the wrong key?”
Liang Xiao froze for a second before looking down carefully—damn it, it really was the wrong key.
Switching keys, this time he unlocked the door on the first try.
After entering, Lu Ze stood by the doorway without moving. As Liang Xiao tried to step around him to grab slippers from the shoe cabinet, Lu Ze suddenly turned around and blocked him against the door.
With his back pressed against the door and nowhere to retreat, Liang Xiao found himself face-to-face with Lu Ze. In a deep voice, Lu Ze called his name: “Liang Xiao.”
Liang Xiao’s lips moved slightly, but before he could speak, Lu Ze said, “Listen to me first.”
Lowering his gaze with nowhere else to look, Liang Xiao’s eyes landed on Lu Ze’s collarbone instead.
“That night, everything I told you was true. You have many qualities I admire. When you were my boyfriend, I genuinely felt happy and comfortable. So, it’s only natural that I would fall for you.”
Lu Ze winced as his stomach pain persisted, pressing his hand against it. Liang Xiao said, “Why don’t you sit down for a bit? Did you take any medicine?”
“No, let me finish,” Lu Ze said seriously, looking directly at him. “I know you have concerns—debts you haven’t paid off yet. But those debts are for your family, not something like online loans or gambling. That’s why I don’t mind.”
“That’s what I told you,” Liang Xiao said with a complicated expression. “What if I lied to you?”
Lu Ze paused briefly before replying firmly, “You wouldn’t. You’re not that kind of person.”
Liang Xiao pressed his lips together without responding, so Lu Ze continued, “And your job—it’s also to pay off your debts. You won’t keep doing this forever. Once your debts are cleared, you can switch to a normal job. I don’t mind that either.”
“So, do you have any other concerns?”
Liang Xiao stared at Lu Ze for a long moment before asking, “What about now? While the debts aren’t paid off? Do you still not mind?”
Lu Ze hesitated, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he frowned and struggled to answer. Finally, he said with difficulty, “I… well, it’s not like you’d ever like them anyway…”
Liang Xiao’s gaze locked onto him as he pressed further: “Do you mind or not?”
Lu Ze exhaled sharply and admitted, “I mind.”
Liang Xiao let out a helpless laugh and lowered his eyes. “That’s the point. Because you mind, and I mind too, we can’t be together.”
Lu Ze stepped closer in frustration and said anxiously, “It’s fine if we’re not together now! I can wait for you—wait until you’ve paid off your debts and changed jobs.”
“It’ll take at least a few more months,” Liang Xiao replied in a low voice. “During those months, you’d like me and I’d like you—but then watch me go out with clients every day? Is that what you want?”
Hearing Liang Xiao admit he liked him should’ve made Lu Ze happy, but instead, his mind raced to find an answer to this question.
Before he could respond, Liang Xiao continued: “You’ve always liked girls. Maybe in just a few months, you’ll already like someone else. There’s no need—”
Liang Xiao’s words were abruptly cut off because Lu Ze leaned in and kissed him.
His mind went blank instantly as he froze in place, unable to react.
A few seconds later, Liang Xiao felt his heart start pounding wildly. He closed his eyes obediently and gently placed his hand on Lu Ze’s waist, pulling him closer into his embrace.
For a brief moment, Lu Ze thought to himself: Good—your body is much more honest than your words.
The two of them stood there with their lips pressed together and arms around each other for an indeterminate amount of time—innocent and awkward like teenagers sharing their first kiss.
Though it truly was Liang Xiao’s first kiss, it wasn’t Lu Ze’s. Yet even he was so nervous he forgot what to do next.
The world seemed to shrink until all that remained was the sound of their racing hearts, Liang Xiao’s breath so close by, and the warmth of lips that didn’t belong to him.
After a long while, Lu Ze pulled back slightly. Liang Xiao opened his eyes; they were still so close that they could clearly see the emotions reflected in each other’s gaze.
In a hoarse voice, Liang Xiao murmured: “Lu Ze…”
“Wait a second,” Lu Ze interrupted, frowning in exasperation. “I need to go to the bathroom first.”
Liang Xiao froze for a moment, then chuckled as he watched Lu Ze’s retreating figure. After laughing, he felt a pang of concern and followed him, standing outside the bathroom door. “Did you not take any medicine? I’ll go out and buy some for you.”
“No need!” Lu Ze shouted from inside. “You’re not allowed to leave! Just wait right there!”
Awww 😂😭