Li Yu adjusted his clothes, awkwardly wiping the seat with tissues.
Jian Suiying turned his face away, his fingers stiff as he tied his tie.
The action he usually performed with ease felt impossible today. His fingers felt frozen stiff, and no matter how he tried, he couldn't
Li Yu pursed her lips. "You should still tie it. Your front button is undone. Tying it will keep your shirt from gaping open."
Jian Suiying pushed the car door open roughly, ready to get out. "I'll leave it open if I want to."
His shoe was still half-slung off his foot.
for over an hour just to offer himself up to her. What kind of mentality was that!
Li Yu called out softly, "Hey, are you hungry? Let's grab a late-night snack."
Jian Suiying opened the car door without looking back. "No. Just get me out of here." With that, he slammed the door shut.
Instead, Li Yu drove him around in circles before stopping at a small spicy hotpot stall. Jian Suiying glanced around. Damn it, they were still on campus grounds.
Li Yu got out and tapped on his window.
Jian Suiying rolled down the window. "Why did you bring me here? I told you I'm not eating." "Have a bite. You must be starving after burning so much energy."
Jian Suiying scowled, baring his teeth. "Don't flatter yourself. With your speed, I'm not the least bit tired."
Jian Suiying glanced at the small shopfront, his spoiled-brat syndrome flaring up. He muttered under his breath: "You've got some nerve bringing me to
a place like this for dinner?"
"What's wrong? It tastes pretty good." Li Yu suddenly reached into his pants pocket, pulled out the tie, and deftly
wrapped it around his neck.
"What are you doing? I told you I don't wear one." Jian Suying slapped his hand away forcefully.
"Let's go." Li Yu pulled him out of the car's shadow and steered him toward the spicy hotpot restaurant.
Perhaps because it wasn't a weekend and it was nearly noon, the crowd wasn't too thick.
, you'd have to wait in line.
Li Yu grabbed a tray at the entrance and piled it high with food. The two of them then picked a corner table to sit down.
Jian Suiying glanced sideways at the small shop with peeling walls plastered with outdated celebrity posters. The low plastic stools under her butt
low plastic stool under him no matter how he shifted.
Seeing his awkwardness, Li Yu couldn't help but say, "You're so spoiled." "Spoiled? Worrying about food safety is spoiled? Are you out of your mind?"
."
Jian Suiying hummed in response, neither confirming nor denying it.
He was actually quite hungry himself, and after Li Yu's encouragement, he buried his head in eating too.
By the end, both were stuffed to bursting. When it came time to pay, he watched as Li Yu handed the cashier a fifty-yuan bill. His eyes widened
as the woman handed him back over ten yuan in change.
In all his years, Jian Suiying had never been treated to a meal that cost less than thirty bucks—especially by someone who’d just put him through the wringer. His feelings were beyond words.
He couldn't exactly blurt out, "You bastard, you took advantage of me, then treated me to a thirty-something yuan spicy hotpot at a street stall. Are you ashamed? Have you no shame?"
But damn, he was seething inside. Even if the analogy was off, he felt his "market value" was way too
low.
Li Yu, completely oblivious, yawned and said, "Let me walk you out." Jian Suiying shot him a glare before slamming the car door shut with a bang.
Li Yu stared at him, utterly baffled.
Jian Suiying followed Li Yu's car for a few minutes until they reached the main gate he'd entered through. He slammed his foot on the gas pedal, shot out of the campus gates, and sped away.
He was staring blankly at the computer screen when Jian Suilin knocked and entered.
He came by once or twice a week now, whenever he could spare the time. Li Yu, too, had changed his routine—he'd worked a full day the day before yesterday, but Jian Suiying hadn't bothered to see him.
her usual pattern by working a full day the day before yesterday, though Jian Suying had been too lazy to see him. Jian Suying shifted his focus back to work. "What is it?"
"Hmm, put it down. I'll take a look first."
Jian Suilin slowly set down the documents, his eyes fixed intently on Jian Suying's neck. Noticing he hadn't left, Jian Suying looked up and asked, "What else do you need?"
Jian Suilin pointed awkwardly at his own neck. "Brother, this spot here."
Jian Suiying touched the spot, remembering a hickey that seemed to surface occasionally. He shrugged indifferently, "Oh." Then he pulled his collar up slightly.
Jian Suilin leaned across the desk and adjusted his collar himself, making sure it covered it completely. His movements were stiff, but thankfully it wasn't
too complicated, and it was done quickly.
Jian Suiying brushed his hand away. "Mind your own business."
Jian Suilin took a deep breath and said calmly, "Bro, you haven't been home for dinner in ages. Dad asked you to come back when you have time."
"
"Yeah, when I have time." "Brother, thanks for the car you gave me."
"Oh, you could buy a better one." "No need. I'm still in school."
"Yeah, good to see you're thinking ahead." "I'm heading out now."
"Xiao Linzi."
"Yeah?"
"Do you often go see Li Yu?"
Jian Suilin paused, the image of Jian Suying kissing Li Yu on the beach flashing through his mind. After a moment's consideration, he replied, "We
meet occasionally."
Jian Suiying blinked, finding his nervous expression both amusing and exasperating. "What are you thinking? Do you really think I'm
worried you'd steal my man?"
Jian Suilin's face darkened slightly as he pressed his lips together in silence.
He was confident that Xiao Linzi obeyed him completely.
Jian Suilin forced a smile. "Haven't met the right girl yet." He deliberately emphasized the word "girl."
emphasized the word "girl."
"Yeah, that really depends on fate. You know Dad gets pretty anxious sometimes, worried I might have a bad influence on you or something. If you had a girlfriend, it'd ease my pressure a bit."
Jian Suilin lowered his gaze slightly, saying nothing.
"Alright, get back to work. My schedule this week..." Jian Suying flipped through her calendar. "Friday. I'll
I'll head back."
"Alright, I'll head out then." "Go ahead."
Jian Suilin had already reached the doorway when Jian Suying suddenly called him back. He turned around.
Jian Suiying hesitated before asking: "Kids your age all love eating from those filthy street stalls?"
The question caught him off guard.
"Uh... it's like that... Sometimes after playing ball, a bunch of us all go eat together, it's pretty fun."
Jian Suiying tried to recall his own experiences at that age, but the memories were hazy—after all, it had been nearly ten years ago.
At least it eased his mind a little, sparing him from agonizing over whether Li Yu had been neglecting him.
After Jian Suilin left, Jian Suying sighed again.
That awkward, embarrassing feeling—the kind you wouldn't dare share with outsiders—was beyond words.