PTCQT Chapter 9

Among ordinary guys, joking about physique is quite normal. Xie Baiyuan looked at Shen Chun with his usual expression and felt he must be straight; otherwise, he wouldn’t show any interest at all.

Sighing inwardly, Xie Baiyuan retrieved a short-sleeved shirt from the closet and put it on. After towel-drying his hair halfway, he took the bottle of medicine again and returned to the bathroom, spraying it in front of the mirror.

The stimulating scent of the medicine filled his mouth, and Xie Baiyuan couldn’t help but spit it out directly, his brows furrowing deeply. This medicine really is unbearable.

“President, spraying the medicine like this won’t be effective,” Shen Chun stood at the doorway, smiling.

Xie Baiyuan instinctively turned his head and saw Shen Chun leaning against the door frame. “I’ll spray it again later.”

“I was wondering why the president didn’t buy the medicine right away, turns out you’re afraid of the taste,” Shen Chun walked over, took the bottle of medicine from Xie Baiyuan’s hand, and lifted his chin with his finger. “Open your mouth.”

His face was very close, and for a moment, Xie Baiyuan almost thought he was going to kiss him. “I can do it myself…”

“President, be good. You shouldn’t be afraid of bitterness when taking medicine. Avoiding treatment isn’t a good idea,” Shen Chun chuckled lightly. “Open your mouth.”

Xie Baiyuan, feeling resigned, slightly parted his lips. Shen Chun found the affected area and pressed the pump twice, administering the medicine. Xie Baiyuan furrowed his brows again, but this time, his attempt to vomit was stopped by Shen Chun covering his mouth.

With warm hands on his face and lips, Xie Baiyuan’s heartbeat momentarily lost its rhythm, pounding as if it wanted to burst out of his chest. Shen Chun placed the medicine bottle aside and took out his phone from his pocket, checking the time. “You need to hold it for three minutes.”

“Mm,” Xie Baiyuan responded softly, “The lining…”

“I don’t understand,” Shen Chun looked puzzled for a moment but then chuckled. “President, don’t swallow it.”

His peach blossom eyes were exceptionally beautiful, always carrying a hint of a smile. When he smiled gently, they shimmered like rippling water, especially under the warm glow of the lamp, resembling the tranquil waters gently stirred by the morning light.

Xie Baiyuan felt that the palm covering his mouth seemed to be overheated, as if it had heated his heart as well. It turned out he was just an ordinary person after all, someone who also appreciated someone’s appearance.

“The time’s up, President, remember to rinse your mouth,” Shen Chun withdrew his hand, casually turning away from the bathroom. He twirled his fingers, seeming to still retain the warmth from before.

Xie Baiyuan spat out the medicine, and while rinsing his mouth, he felt a slight numbness lingering, but he couldn’t quite tell if it was more pronounced in his mouth or on his lips. His face in the mirror had a reddish hue, with the areas Shen Chun had touched appearing especially flushed, though he could somewhat pass it off as an explanation.

[Host, what are you doing?] 521 asked cautiously.

[Just doing a mission,] Shen Chun replied with a smile.

[Huh?] 521 was very confused.

Shen Chun kindly provided an answer: [Actually, there’s another way to complete this mission: make Xie Baiyuan like me. Then, the red thread between him and Xu Ze will be broken.]

[And then?] 521 inquired.

Do you want to respond? Is it time for its first host to get into a relationship?

[And then, sleep,] Shen Chun pulled up the summer cool quilt, [I’m so tired.]

521: […]

Curiosity is like cat hair floating into the mechanical heart of the system, itchy yet unable to be removed! But it shouldn’t disturb the host’s routine.

The atmosphere in room 306 became subtly tense. The two still greeted each other as usual, went to class separately, and played games together. Shen Chun’s behavior didn’t show much difference from before, but Xie Baiyuan couldn’t shake off the feeling of subtlety. It seemed like every action and every glance from Shen Chun carried profound implications.

Xie Baiyuan felt he was overthinking, yet he couldn’t break free from this atmosphere.

Not long after the start of the school year was the Mid-Autumn Festival. Even though university coursework was relatively light, having a break was still a delightful prospect. With a four-day holiday including the weekend, it was enough for those who lived nearby to go home for a visit.

“Okay, I’ll go back tomorrow afternoon. No skipping class, really, I promise you like a puppy,” Shen Chun stood by the window, talking on the phone with a tone softer than usual. “Do you need me to bring anything? Mooncakes… You really don’t eat mooncakes? Alright…”

His voice was calm and patient, which made Xie Baiyuan couldn’t help but glance sideways, speculating about the person he was talking to on the phone.

Perhaps it was his girlfriend, which explained his gentleness. It turns out, this is what he’s like when he’s in love.

A slight bitterness crept into Xie Baiyuan’s heart, but he pushed his thoughts down. If Shen Chun already had a girlfriend, then he shouldn’t disturb them or entertain any thoughts.

“Alright, see you tomorrow,” Shen Chun hung up the phone and turned around to see Xie Baiyuan’s face looking as cold as if it could freeze. “President, are you feeling unwell?”

“No,” Xie Baiyuan hesitated for a moment, then followed his inner thoughts. “You were talking to your girlfriend just now? You seem to get along well.”

The words were meant as a casual greeting, but there was an unmistakable hint of sourness in the tone.

Shen Chun chuckled, “What girlfriend? That was my mom. I haven’t even had my first love yet, President, don’t accuse me like that.”

“No first love?!” Xie Baiyuan couldn’t quite describe his feelings at the moment, probably a mix of shock and joy. “Why not?”

Xie Baiyuan was shocked that Shen Chun, looking like this, had never been in a relationship before. He was also pleasantly surprised that Shen Chun was so pure.

“Maybe because no one caught my eye,” Shen Chun pondered for a moment before smiling.

This statement didn’t quite match Shen Chun’s usual modest demeanor. While it was true, Xie Baiyuan couldn’t help but feel slightly surprised.

“In other words, no one finds me attractive,” Shen Chun sighed softly as he sat down nearby. “From childhood to now, I’ve never received a love letter. I can’t just get out of this single status by myself.”

Xie Baiyuan pressed his lips together, holding back a smile. In truth, Shen Chun was quite popular. It’s just that he was too popular—his appearance was eye-catching, his temperament gentle, and he always had a smile for everyone. Naturally, he attracted countless admirers. However, someone as dazzling as him couldn’t belong to just one person. Love letters and gifts often disappeared before they even reached him.

“Don’t worry, it will come,” Xie Baiyuan reassured him.

“President, what about you? You’re so handsome. Why haven’t you been in a relationship?” Shen Chun asked with a smile.

Xie Baiyuan met his gaze and thought for a moment before replying, “For the same reason as you—no one finds me attractive.”

He was a bit picky and didn’t want to casually start a relationship if it didn’t feel right.

Shen Chun nodded thoughtfully, “Looks like we’re in the same boat then.”

Actually, Xie Baiyuan thought to himself, he was in unrequited love. He harbored feelings for someone he couldn’t be with, whereas Shen Chun was different.

“By the way, President, any plans for this Mid-Autumn Festival?” Shen Chun asked.

“I’ll be studying in the self-study room,” Xie Baiyuan replied.

“You’re really diligent, President,” Shen Chun chuckled. “As for me, I’m heading home. I’ll bring you some mooncakes when I come back.”

“Okay, thank you,” Xie Baiyuan said with a faint expression.

Shen Chun glanced at his phone and then looked away. The influence of one’s family of origin on a child is significant. Xu Ze’s family had encountered difficulties, leading him to become very introverted. Xie Baiyuan, on the other hand, seemed capable of shouldering everything, and apart from being a bit cold at times, there wasn’t much to criticize about him. However, his own family wasn’t much better than Xu Ze’s.

With divorced parents who had each started their own families, Xie Baiyuan, originally the product of their love, became the one left out. Raised by his grandmother, even though both parents provided financial support, there was still a lack of emotional connection. This situation fostered Xie Baiyuan’s exceptional independence and diligence, and he achieved outstanding academic results and accomplishments, earning him a spot through recommendation.

Even amidst all the praise, he never gave up on his efforts. In A University, where the cream of the crop gathered, he stood out as one of the most outstanding individuals.

His decision to be with Xu Ze was perhaps born out of admiration, maybe even a sense of mutual understanding regarding their efforts. However, unfortunately, the outcome was not as fulfilling as he had hoped. Instead, it took a turn towards another extreme.

Shen Chun didn’t pity him, and someone like Xie Baiyuan didn’t need anyone’s pity or sympathy. He would rely on his own abilities and skills to change his circumstances, rather than wallowing in self-pity or blaming the world.

Shen Chun admired proactive individuals.

Classes were not much of a burden for Shen Chun. After the courses ended before the holidays, he walked out of the classroom and headed straight for the school gate. Many students’ gazes followed him, but Shen Chun calmly sat into the car waiting at the entrance.

In A City, where every inch of land was valuable, luxury cars weren’t rare, but a car worth tens of millions wasn’t something just anyone could casually drive.

People speculated about Shen Chun’s identity, but despite various guesses, no one could figure it out.

“Living the high life, handsome and wealthy.”

“Just one of his cars could take us years to earn, can’t compare.”

“Normally, you wouldn’t even think Shen Chun is that rich second generation. If I were him, with all that money and still having good grades, I’d be strutting like a peacock.”

“Hahaha, not that extreme, but with all those talents and wealth, he’ll probably end up with a beautiful and wealthy partner even without a business marriage.”

“Yeah, true…”

Among the crowd, Xie Baiyuan also happened to witness the scene. Just as those people said, you couldn’t tell Shen Chun’s wealth from his usual demeanor. His clothes and shoes were all pricey, ranging from a few hundred to tens of thousands, but it wasn’t overly extravagant, and he didn’t show off his wealth. He could eat in the cafeteria or at street stalls. Though he occasionally had picky eating habits, he always remained low-key.

Judging from the way he spoke with his mother, their relationship seemed very close. A child from such a happy family background would likely marry, have children, live a wealthy life, and wouldn’t get involved in anything too deep, like homosexuality or other complicated relationships.
It was just his imagination.

Xie Baiyuan glanced around and then turned to leave. Xu Ze originally watched Shen Chun leave, feeling a mix of emotions that were hard to articulate. Faced with such a disparity and reality, sometimes even envy was hard to summon, because the gap was just too vast. They were truly people from two different worlds.

Xu Ze’s gaze was more focused on finding Xie Baiyuan’s figure. When he saw him leaving with a cold expression, he squeezed through the crowd and followed after him.

He was worlds apart from Shen Chun, but in reality, he was much the same as Xie Baiyuan. Xu Ze didn’t dare to hope that he could be with Xie Baiyuan. Just being able to quietly like him, talk to him, and become friends would be enough.

“President, are you going home for the Mid-Autumn Festival?” Xu Ze caught up, barely managing to greet him.

Yes, he was a guy, and guys talking to each other was as normal as it gets.

Xie Baiyuan glanced sideways at the sound of his voice, then paused when he saw Xu Ze, recalling the figure he saw in the library that night. His tone was somewhat cold. “Who are you?”

Without a confession from the other party, rejecting them outright might lead to an awkward situation for both sides, so it was best to handle it coldly.

Xie Baiyuan had a cold personality, so it was normal for him not to recognize Xu Ze. Though Xu Ze felt a slight sense of disappointment, he forced himself to perk up. “My name is Xu Ze, I’m from the organization department. I’ve met you several times, President, and I’ve always admired you.”

“Okay, got it,” Xie Baiyuan said coldly. “Is there anything else?”

 

 

 

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