When the autumn wind blew, it carried the fragrance of sugar-roasted chestnuts. Mr. “Wild Cat” sniffed twice with his nose tip and suddenly remembered what Fourth Brother had just told him.
“Your Xiao Qi is really ruthless, you know Yong Rong is going to be severely punished as an example?”
Fu Yuhan didn’t know. Wen Yu hadn’t mentioned this to him recently, and he thought the matter had just been left unresolved. After all, from the beginning Wen Yu had told him that Yong Rong’s family had strong connections and would probably be gotten out quickly.
Unfair things happened every day in this world. Since he ultimately hadn’t suffered any substantial loss, it seemed a bit difficult to make Yong Rong pay any price.
He didn’t expect Wen Yu to still remember.
Today Fourth Brother had settled a wage payment with him, so Fu Yuhan’s wallet was bulging. He turned on his toes and walked toward the roasted chestnut shop.
The queue for sugar-roasted chestnuts was quite long. When Fu Yuhan stood there, he heard two young girls in front chattering together.
“I finally caught this shop open today! Usually by the time I get off work and come here, the chestnuts are all sold out, wuu.”
“Are they really that delicious?”
“They’re delicious! Hot ones taste the best. Last time I got two from a colleague to taste, and I’ve been thinking about them ever since…”
Fu Yuhan looked up and found that this queue not only had young people, but even elderly men and women who clearly lived nearby were lining up. It looked very popular.
It was even an internet-famous shop—this he gathered from other people’s conversations.
In that case… he planned to buy more.
Since he was already in line, he might as well reward Wen Yu for what he’d done for him.
When Fu Yuhan called Wen Yu, he had just gotten on the bus not long ago. Afraid the chestnuts would cool too quickly, he took off his jacket to wrap the chestnuts inside, then held them in his arms.
When he reached Wen Yu’s door, Fu Yuhan reached inside to feel—good, they were still hot.
“You came so fast?” Wen Yu rubbed his eyes as he opened the door, then was stunned when he saw his appearance. “What are you holding?”
“Sugar-roasted chestnuts, afraid they’d get cold.” Fu Yuhan said, “Let me in first.”
Wen Yu stepped aside to let him through.
“You haven’t washed up yet?” Fu Yuhan asked as he walked inside.
“Mm, I was just tidying up.” Wen Yu paused, then added in a way that revealed more by trying to conceal, “I’ve grown this big without ever folding a quilt myself. It took three tries before it didn’t fall apart.”
Fu Yuhan turned back to look at him.
Wen Yu: “You dare laugh?”
“I wouldn’t dare,” Fu Yuhan pressed his lips together, “Can I see your handiwork?”
“Whatever, I’m going to wash up.”
As he was about to head to the bathroom, Fu Yuhan called him back: “Wait, come eat a couple chestnuts first.”
“I haven’t brushed my teeth yet.”
“Just two chestnuts, that’s fine, right?” Fu Yuhan pulled out the paper package he’d been keeping warm in his arms all the way. “I heard other buyers say these taste better when hot, try them first.”
Wen Yu’s eyes flashed as he glanced toward the window.
Today the sky was overcast, the wind was a bit strong, and the temperature was lower than the past couple days.
No wonder he was holding that bag of chestnuts like precious treasure…
His heart was inexplicably tickled, and Wen Yu’s gaze softened: “Alright then.”
Wild sweet chestnuts were small and round, with large openings that made them easy to peel. Wen Yu walked over and picked one out, pulled it apart with both hands and popped it in his mouth: “So sweet…”
“Sweet is good.” Fu Yuhan was putting on the jacket he’d taken off during the journey.
“Mm, sweet.” Wen Yu peeled another one and held it to his lips, “Want to try?”
Fu Yuhan didn’t think much of it and leaned forward to eat it: “…It really is quite sweet.”
His slightly dry lips unavoidably brushed lightly against Wen Yu’s fingertips. He pulled his hand back and rubbed it behind his back.
“I’ll go wash up first, then come back to eat more.” Wen Yu coughed lightly.
“Then I’ll go admire your ‘labor results’—” Fu Yuhan said as he headed toward the room.
Wen Yu didn’t stop him.
After all, he had already hidden the Gundam.
This was Wen Yu’s first time folding a quilt, so naturally it didn’t look very good. After Fu Yuhan finished his inspection, he held back laughter alone in the living room for a long time. When Wen Yu came out of the bathroom, he pulled him back to the room to teach him the tricks.
After the lesson, Wen Yu changed clothes, and the two of them took the unfinished chestnuts downstairs for lunch, then went to school.
Fu Yuhan’s expression was always cold and calm, but Wen Yu inexplicably felt he was in a very good mood today.
Especially after they returned to the classroom and started catching up on homework, Wen Yu even heard him softly humming half a line of a song.
Wen Yu looked back suspiciously: “Why are you in such a good mood today… did Fourth Brother give you a bonus?”
“Got paid.” Fu Yuhan shook his head, “It’s not because of that.”
“Then what is it?”
Fu Yuhan put down his pen and looked at him: “I thought you would tell me first.”
“Huh?”
“About Yong Rong,” Fu Yuhan said, “I heard from Fourth Brother that you… um, gave him trouble.”
Wen Yu blinked.
“Oh, that. Actually I didn’t set him up.” Wen Yu thought for a moment, took out his phone and started searching. Soon he found several news articles and handed them over for him to see. “What can I do as a student? Nothing more than having similar social circles… With Yong Rong’s temper, he’s offended quite a few people. I just put out some information, and there were plenty of people willing to send him in.”
Fu Yuhan leaned over to take a look.
Those news articles roughly said that recent police work had discovered some netizens using the internet to sell controlled substances, and police from 17 cities had launched cross-provincial cooperative investigations, taking down several dens and arresting several suspects, etc.
The drug Yong Rong had given him happened to fall into this category.
“He just happened to run into this timing, don’t know if I should say he was unlucky.” Wen Yu shook his head, hesitated for a moment, “That’s why I suggested before that you go to your dad’s place—if he’s willing to sponsor your painting. Fourth Brother is also gay, and many of his clients are friends he met at bars before. I’m afraid if another person like Yong Rong appears… it wouldn’t be good for you.”
This time Fu Yuhan was relatively lucky. The drug Yong Rong gave him mainly contained psychiatric medications without addictive properties. If it had been something else… his life would have been ruined.
Wen Yu had never been afraid of anything in his life, but just thinking about this matter made his heart pound.
Such a precious little cat… even if he wanted to pick him up, he’d have to consider the cat’s feelings. If…
No, he didn’t want there to be any “ifs.”
Fu Yuhan was stunned.
He couldn’t describe the feeling in his heart: “It’s not that serious…”
“How is it not serious? Do you know how popular your type is in gay circles?” Wen Yu lifted his eyelids, his gaze looking over intensely.
“…” Fu Yuhan didn’t know, but he suddenly remembered that day outside “Blue Encounter” when people kept looking at him and whistling at him, and suddenly felt a bit disgusted.
“Speaking of which,” Wen Yu asked, “you didn’t go over there, has your dad still been contacting you?”
Fu Yuhan shook his head.
“He’s not pushing?”
“He won’t.” Fu Yuhan lowered his eyes, thought for a moment and said, “My dad actually… doesn’t put much thought into me. Before I knew my own sexual orientation, I used to think that when I grew up and had my own children, I definitely couldn’t treat them the way my dad treats me.”
Wen Yu sneered: “Your dad and my dad should meet each other, they’d definitely have a lot in common to talk about.”
Fu Yuhan looked at him.
“…What’s with that look.” Wen Yu leaned back.
The other person’s focused expression looked almost affectionate, but Wen Yu wasn’t narcissistic enough to think Fu Yuhan would suddenly fall in love with him.
Although he really hoped that look was real.
“I wanted to ask if you finished the chemistry test paper, let me check my answers against yours.” Fu Yuhan said, “Let’s not talk about these topics anymore, they’re annoying to hear. I just want to study hard now.”
“…Haven’t written it, give me twenty minutes.”
“No rush,” Fu Yuhan pulled him back, “You finished the physics one, right? I just saw it.”
“I did.” Wen Yu found the test paper and gave it to him.
–
The “advance 30 places” goal the homeroom teacher set for Fu Yuhan wasn’t hard to achieve, because he hadn’t written the essay last time.
Although after entering high school, Fu Yuhan’s grades had plummeted from a certain point, the essay writing techniques he’d mastered weren’t so easily lost, and he could still score around 50 points each time.
Getting the essay points, plus the knowledge he’d gradually picked up this month, this midterm exam Fu Yuhan’s total score increased by nearly 90 points compared to the first monthly exam, and his ranking jumped forward 101 places.
Third High had 30 people per exam room for major exams. With this jump, he basically moved forward four exam rooms.
There were three exam rooms per floor. Fu Yuhan was originally in exam room 13, but this time he could move up two floors.
“There’s still one floor in between,” Wen Yu thought silently when he saw the rankings.
Fu Yuhan, who had been a “regression example” last time, became a “progress example” this time. However, knowing there was still the essay score padding involved, he felt undeserving and declined the homeroom teacher’s suggestion to “make him a model.”
“I just want to know if what you said about tutoring still counts.” Fu Yuhan said in the office, “I want to ask for leave from evening self-study three times a week from now on.”
“Determined to apply as an art student?”
“Look at my scores,” Fu Yuhan said, “If I don’t take the art student exam, can I still get into a first-tier university?”
Zhou Wenkang looked at him and sighed: “Not easy, you finally remember you want to get into a first-tier university.”
Fu Yuhan lowered his eyes and smiled lightly: “Made a promise with someone.”
“Girlfriend?”
Fu Yuhan shook his head, thinking where would he get a girlfriend. “Just a friend,” he said.
“Which school are you planning to apply to? The teacher will help you keep an eye on information.”
“T University, Architecture.” Fu Yuhan licked his lips, “I heard it’s very hard to get into… I’ll give it a try.”
Zhou Wenkang seemed quite moved by his “turning back from the wrong path,” looking at him for a while before saying: “Then this friend of yours seems quite important to you.”
“I guess,” Fu Yuhan said, “We grew up together since childhood…”
“Good buddies.” Wen Yu walked in from outside at some point, leaning over the desk partition and finishing the sentence.
Fu Yuhan looked at him with some surprise.
“You know him too?” Zhou Wenkang was amused, looking at Wen Yu.
“My classmate from First High.” Wen Yu said, “Xiao Han and I have known each other for a long time, so when I first came didn’t I tell you I wanted to sit with him?”
Fu Yuhan: “…”
So Zhou Wenkang’s sudden crazy decision to assign him a desk mate was Wen Yu’s suggestion, this person…
Forget it.
Now that their relationship had improved, although Fu Yuhan was shocked, he couldn’t get angry.
What could he do?
He couldn’t beat up a friend he’d already acknowledged.
Zhou Wenkang called Wen Yu to the office to notify him about going out to participate in a competition this Wednesday. While they were discussing the time, Fu Yuhan was filling out a leave request form nearby.
After finishing, he handed it to Zhou Wenkang, waited a bit more until they finished talking, then left the office together with Wen Yu.
“You’re really planning to participate in the competition?” Fu Yuhan asked casually, “Won’t it interfere with your review?”
“It’s fine, it would be boring not to participate anyway.” Wen Yu glanced at him, “Hey, Xiao Han.”
“Mm?”
“If…” he rolled his eyes, saying slowly, “Yang Fan suddenly changed his mind and decided to apply to P University, what would you do?”
“He wouldn’t, right?” Fu Yuhan thought about it, “Yang Fan is someone with very clear goals. If he says he’ll apply to T University, he won’t change.”
“Then…” Wen Yu licked his lips, his steps gradually slowing down, “what if I wanted to apply to P University?”
Fu Yuhan was stunned.
He had been walking fast and was already two steps ahead of Wen Yu, so he could only turn back to look at him.
“They all want to apply to T University. If I change my mind and go to P University, I’d have to go to school alone. Although the two schools aren’t far apart, they’re still two different schools.” Wen Yu said, “Would you accompany me and change your application?”
Before, every time he used this tone to ask Fu Yuhan if he could have dinner with him, Fu Yuhan had agreed.
So now…
“But P University doesn’t have very suitable art majors, right? I remember there’s only Art Theory and Fine Arts…” Fu Yuhan frowned, “Are you really going to change your application? Why? Since you’re going anyway, wouldn’t it be good for everyone to go to school together? With your strong science background, wouldn’t T University be the obvious choice?”
“Mm, yeah.” Wen Yu smiled, “Yeah… I was just saying.”
Just saying.
Too bad… the other person wouldn’t coax him.
##
(advanced chapters available on kofi)
