When Lu Ze woke up in the morning, he sat on his bed in a daze for quite a while, feeling like everything that had happened yesterday was too surreal—almost like a dream.
Mao Xin looked up at him from below and said, “Ze-ge, what are you thinking about? We’re going to be late.”
“Probably meditating,” Sun Zhuoyu joked.
Lu Ze jumped off the bed, washed up quickly, and sent Liang Xiao a message: [Good morning, Xiao-ge. Are you up?]
Liang Xiao: [I’m up, having breakfast—soy milk and fried dough sticks.]
Lu Ze smiled. Being in a relationship really made things different. He no longer had to ask questions one by one like squeezing toothpaste: [Then I’ll have fried dough sticks too.]
Liang Xiao: [Do you still have time for breakfast?]
Lu Ze glanced at the time and quickly replied: [I do. I’m heading out now.]
Liang Xiao: [No more stomach issues, right?]
Lu Ze: [Nope.]
Sun Zhuoyu slung an arm around Lu Ze’s shoulder from behind. “Hurry up! Stop grinning like that, or you won’t have time for breakfast.”
“Alright, alright,” Lu Ze said.
Grabbing his bag and slinging it over one shoulder, Lu Ze walked out while sending Liang Xiao a voice message: [What are you planning to do later?]
Liang Xiao replied with a voice message too: [Looking for a job.]
It was just four simple words, but Lu Ze listened to it three times. Mao Xin couldn’t help but comment, “Ze-ge, why are you two suddenly so lovey-dovey?”
Lu Ze ignored him, and Sun Zhuoyu laughed. “You don’t get it. A little bickering strengthens feelings—they just made up, so being clingy is normal.”
At the cafeteria, Lu Ze got himself a bowl of soy milk and two fried dough sticks. He took a picture and sent it to Liang Xiao, who replied with a photo of two empty bowls.
Lu Ze: [Are you outside? Weren’t you looking for jobs online?]
After a while, Liang Xiao responded: [I’m finding some temporary work first.]
Lu Ze paused and switched from voice messages to text: [Isn’t Fool’s Bar your temporary job?]
Liang Xiao: [Fool’s Bar starts in the evening. I have nothing to do during the day.]
While sitting in class, Lu Ze found himself distracted. Compared to his previous job, Liang Xiao’s current situation seemed much more exhausting.
He had to wake up early for temporary work during the day and then stay up late working at Fool’s Bar at night. Even after all that effort, he probably wouldn’t earn half as much as before.
Lu Ze didn’t know exactly how much debt Liang Xiao still owed, but based on how he spoke with his creditor—a friend—it seemed like there wasn’t any immediate pressure to repay. However, Liang Xiao was clearly anxious about it; perhaps he simply hated owing anyone anything.
If Lu Ze wanted to help pay off the debt for him, Liang Xiao would undoubtedly refuse. And if it was a large amount of money, Lu Ze’s savings from New Year’s allowances might not even be enough—he’d have to ask his family for help, which would make Liang Xiao even less willing to accept.
Although Lu Ze didn’t know Liang Xiao deeply yet, his instincts told him what kind of person Liang Xiao was—someone inherently cool and self-reliant.
Perhaps Liang Xiao hadn’t even wanted to tell him about working during the day. But since Lu Ze kept messaging him, there was no way Liang Xiao could hide it for long—so he chose to be honest instead.
During the break, Lu Ze asked Liang Xiao: [Did you find a temporary job?]
It took Liang Xiao over ten minutes to reply: [Yes, it’s work I’ve done before. Handing out flyers in the morning, then working at a sushi restaurant at noon.]
Lu Ze frowned as he glanced out the window at the scorching sun. Once the teacher’s gaze shifted away, he quickly replied: [It’s too sunny. Find some shade or wear a hat.]
Liang Xiao: [Got it.]
As soon as Lu Ze’s class ended at noon, he sent Liang Xiao a voice message: [Are you still handing out flyers?]
Liang Xiao’s voice trembled slightly, clearly walking as he spoke: [I’m done handing them out. On my way to the sushi restaurant now. Did your class just end?]
Lu Ze: [Yeah, just finished. You haven’t eaten yet, right? Will you have time to eat when you get to the sushi restaurant?]
Liang Xiao: [It’s fine. I’m not hungry yet. I’ll eat after the lunch rush.]
Before Lu Ze could reply, Liang Xiao added: [I’m almost there. Go have your lunch.]
Lu Ze: [Message me when you’re not busy anymore.]
Liang Xiao’s tone remained cheerful: [Alright.]
—
Liang Xiao was very familiar with working at the sushi restaurant. Before Jiang Qing fell into debt, he often worked there as a temp, earning hourly wages that could be settled daily.
The owner happened to be in the store today and greeted him with a smile. “Xiao Liang, finally! Business hasn’t been the same without you.”
Clearly joking, Liang Xiao smiled and replied, “With so many customers here, saying business is bad will make the owner across the street furious.”
After chatting briefly, Liang Xiao got to work. He kept his phone in his pocket but was too busy to check it.
It wasn’t until after 2 p.m., when there were fewer customers, that he had time to grab some bread from a nearby convenience store.
The sushi restaurant provided meals for full-time staff who worked monthly shifts, but temporary workers like Liang Xiao weren’t included.
It had been a while since he’d done this kind of server work, and after several hours of busyness, he felt quite tired. The pay couldn’t compare to what he earned before, but Liang Xiao was in an exceptionally good mood.
Plugging in his earphones, he called Lu Ze. The call was answered instantly, and Lu Ze’s first question was: “Have you eaten?”
“I’m eating now,” Liang Xiao replied.
“Next time, eat before you go,” Lu Ze said with concern in his voice. “Otherwise, it’s too late by the time you eat.”
“Alright,” Liang Xiao agreed quickly.
“How much longer do you have to work?” Lu Ze asked.
Glancing at the time and thinking for a moment, Liang Xiao said, “Probably until six. After that is the evening shift.”
Lu Ze paused for a moment and immediately understood Liang Xiao’s schedule. “…You’re going to Fool’s Bar tonight? So soon?”
“Mm.”
“Will you have time to eat in between?”
“Yes,” Liang Xiao replied immediately. “I’ll have nearly two hours.”
Lu Ze was silent for a moment before saying, “I’ll come to Fool’s Bar tonight to see you.”
“No need. Tomorrow’s Saturday—I’ll come to your school instead.”
Lu Ze froze for a second before hearing Liang Xiao chuckle and say: “I don’t need to work every day. Monday through Friday while you’re in class, I don’t have much to do anyway. On weekends when you’re free, I won’t work so I can spend time with you during the day.”
“Xiao-ge…” Lu Ze said softly.
Liang Xiao waited for a moment but didn’t hear the rest, so he asked, “What’s wrong?”
“You’re working too hard like this,” Lu Ze said.
Liang Xiao chuckled lightly, his tone relaxed. “It’s not that bad. I still get two days off every week. Back when I was entertaining clients, that was real exhaustion—no breaks and constant fake smiling. By the end of the day, my face would be stiff.”
Lu Ze smiled as well. “Don’t exaggerate. Entertaining clients can’t be more tiring than working at a sushi restaurant.”
“It’s true, I’m not lying to you. It’s mentally exhausting,” Liang Xiao replied. “Besides, I don’t plan on doing this for long. Once your summer vacation starts, I’ll take a break.”
Lu Ze wanted to ask how much debt Liang Xiao still had left to pay off but swallowed the question. Instead, he asked, “Have you finished eating?”
“Yeah, I need to head back to the restaurant.”
“…I’ll come see you tonight. Let’s have dinner together,” Lu Ze said.
“Sure,” Liang Xiao replied softly. “Are you missing me already?”
Lu Ze clicked his tongue. “Yeah, aren’t you missing me?”
“I’ve been missing you since we parted last night,” Liang Xiao said.
It took Lu Ze a long moment before he responded, “Xiao-ge, how are you so good at this?”
“Hmm?” Liang Xiao chuckled. “Good at what? I’m just being honest.”
“Then I’ve really hit the jackpot,” Lu Ze said with a laugh.
—
That evening, when Lu Ze arrived at the sushi restaurant, Liang Xiao was just stepping out. Lu Ze looked up at him for a moment before Liang Xiao quickly walked down the steps. “What are you looking at?”
“Just checking if my new boyfriend has gotten tanned,” Lu Ze said with a grin.
Liang Xiao touched his face. “Maybe a little darker. Want to return me?”
Lu Ze raised an eyebrow and walked backward a couple of steps while facing him. “You can be returned?”
Liang Xiao cleared his throat. “Technically, yes, but it’s not great to return something after it’s been used.”
Lu Ze stopped in his tracks. “When did I use you…?”
Liang Xiao smirked and looked at him knowingly. Lu Ze leaned closer and lowered his voice: “You mean because we kissed?”
Liang Xiao hummed in agreement.
Lu Ze laughed and clicked his tongue. Liang Xiao quietly said, “I want to kiss you again.”
“Now?” Lu Ze glanced around quickly.
Liang Xiao also looked around and sighed helplessly when he saw the crowd of pedestrians nearby. “Forget it.”
Lu Ze reached up and pinched Liang Xiao’s earlobe lightly. “I didn’t realize before how cute you are.”
Liang Xiao smiled faintly. “To be honest, I didn’t realize it either… What do you want to eat?”
“You decide!” Lu Ze patted him on the back playfully. “If you say ‘whatever,’ I’ll just eat you! After all those restaurants you’ve been to with clients, pick something!”
“Do you like Japanese food?” Liang Xiao asked.
“I love—” Lu Ze started but abruptly stopped himself mid-word, realizing that good Japanese food wasn’t cheap.
Liang Xiao tilted his head and looked at him. Lu Ze said, “I love it, but…”
“Let’s pick something else,” Liang Xiao said at the same time.
“Huh?”
“You just had a stomach issue yesterday. I forgot earlier. Let’s wait a couple of days before eating it,” Liang Xiao explained.
“Alright, so what should we eat? Something simple—we don’t have much time.”
After thinking for a moment, Liang Xiao suggested, “How about braised pork?”
Lu Ze snapped his fingers. “Perfect, let’s go.”
As they exited the subway station, the previous train had just left. Suddenly, Lu Ze asked, “Do you need to use the restroom?”
Liang Xiao looked around and pointed. “Over there.”
When they reached the restroom entrance, Liang Xiao stopped moving. Lu Ze noticed the absence of footsteps behind him and turned around, confused.
Liang Xiao hesitated for a moment before following him inside, his tone uncertain. “I’ll go with you…”
Lu Ze stood still and stared at him for a long moment before bursting into uncontrollable laughter. He laughed so hard he couldn’t stand straight and crouched down.
Liang Xiao reached out to steady him and chuckled. “What did I do to hit your funny bone this time?”
Lu Ze couldn’t even speak as he clutched his stomach, laughing silently.
Liang Xiao patted his back. After about two minutes, Lu Ze finally managed to speak: “Damn… I’m dying of laughter… Did you seriously think I wanted you to come with me to the bathroom?”
“Wasn’t that it…?” Liang Xiao replied hesitantly, still not entirely confident.
Lu Ze started laughing again as an older man emerged from one of the stalls and gave them a strange look.
Once the man left, Lu Ze whispered, “I’m not a kid! Why would I need you to accompany me to the bathroom?”
By now, Liang Xiao had realized his mistake. Holding back his own laughter, he said, “Sorry about that. I’ve never done this before—I didn’t think it through.”
“What do you mean by ‘this’?” Lu Ze raised an eyebrow at him. “I haven’t done it either! It’s not like I can go into the women’s restroom.”
“Well… go in then,” Liang Xiao said.
Lu Ze glanced at his watch. “The next train is probably coming soon.”
Liang Xiao pushed him toward the restroom. “A few minutes won’t make a difference.”
Once inside the stall with the door closed, neither of them spoke for a moment as the air grew quiet.
Since Lu Ze had always been the one initiating kisses before, this time he didn’t move. Liang Xiao raised his hand gently to touch Lu Ze’s face before leaning in for a soft kiss on his lips.
It was so light that Lu Ze barely felt anything.
Amused by his own cautiousness, Liang Xiao chuckled softly before leaning in again for a proper kiss.
Although the restroom was quite clean, Lu Ze still didn’t want to lean against the door. Sensing this, Liang Xiao wrapped an arm tightly around his waist so that both of their weight rested on each other.
Lu Ze had chewed on some gum Mao Xin gave him earlier, leaving his mouth with a sweet taste. As Liang Xiao kissed him deeply and sucked on his lips, he felt as though he’d absorbed that sweetness too.
After a while, their lips parted slightly. In a soft voice, Lu Ze said, “Self-taught master…”
Liang Xiao kissed him again and said, “I had a teacher.”
After leaving the stall, they both pretended to wash their hands. Liang Xiao pumped some soap into his palm, and Lu Ze held out his hand. Liang Xiao smeared a bit onto his palm.
“We’re such good actors,” Lu Ze said with a laugh.
“You touched the door handle,” Liang Xiao replied.
“And after touching the door handle, you touched my waist!”
Liang Xiao chuckled. “Well, can’t help it now.”
After washing their hands, Liang Xiao pulled out a paper towel for Lu Ze. When Lu Ze reached out to take it, Liang Xiao naturally started wiping his hands for him instead.
Lu Ze froze for a moment, thinking this must be a habit Liang Xiao picked up from his previous work.
So thoughtful.
Even Lu Ze, who had been someone’s boyfriend before, had never done something like wiping his girlfriend’s hands.
150 yuan per hour for high-quality service really was something else, Lu Ze thought, even feeling that Liang Xiao had underpriced himself.
Liang Xiao carefully wiped off the water droplets on Lu Ze’s watch face as well. “This watch is pretty cool. First time I’ve seen you wear it.”
Surprised that Liang Xiao noticed so quickly, Lu Ze felt a tinge of jealousy melt away. Smiling, he said, “Of course—I wore it just for you.”
“Handsome,” Liang Xiao complimented.
When they arrived at the braised pork restaurant, the owner greeted Lu Ze warmly and then glanced at Liang Xiao. “This is that handsome guy from last time, right?”
Lu Ze grinned proudly. “Yep! So handsome you remembered him.”
“Hard to forget,” the owner joked. “Too bad I only have a son and no daughters…”
Both Lu Ze and Liang Xiao froze for a second before bursting into laughter. After sitting down, Liang Xiao asked quietly, “Do you know his son?”
“No,” Lu Ze quickly replied. “I saw him a few times when I was little, but I don’t even remember what he looks like.”
After two seconds of silence, he glared at Liang Xiao and added, “I wasn’t gay back then!”
Liang Xiao chuckled softly. “I know—I was just asking casually.”
He helped set up Lu Ze’s utensils and poured him a glass of water.
Lu Ze said, “You don’t have to—”
“Hmm?” Liang Xiao looked up at him.
Lu Ze sighed inwardly. When he used to go out with girlfriends, he’d do these things too—but not as smoothly as Liang Xiao did. It was like muscle memory for him; Lu Ze didn’t even have time to react.
But now he didn’t have a girlfriend anymore, and Liang Xiao wasn’t serving female clients either—they both needed time to adjust.
Seeing Liang Xiao’s questioning gaze, Lu Ze clarified, “It’s not that I don’t want water… I just wanted to ask—are you gay?”
Liang Xiao paused for a moment before replying: “I’m with you now—what else would I be?”
“I mean… have you always been gay? Is that why you’ve never liked girls?”
After thinking briefly, Liang Xiao said, “Honestly, I’m not sure. Before meeting you, I never thought about relationships—I didn’t feel anything for anyone.”
Lu Ze smiled and lightly snapped his fingers in front of Liang Xiao. “I get it—you’re Lu-sexual, just waiting for me.”
Liang Xiao was momentarily dazed by the smile on Lu Ze’s face, and suddenly, he thought of the Tagore poetry collection he had read in the library that day.
With a gentle tone, he responded, “That’s right.”
For this moment, it feels like I’ve been waiting for a long time.
So I really don’t want to miss it.
![Fake Sweet Omega [BL]](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/僞裝甜O.png "Fake Sweet Omega [BL]")
