Chapter 100

Chapter 100

Chi Ya was in a daze, not even knowing how he responded.

When he came to his senses, he was already being ushered into the car by Gu Huai Zhang, his shoulders firmly held.

Gu Huai Zhang fastened his seatbelt, asking softly, "Where to?"

Chi Ya, still dazed, subconsciously gave the address of the small villa.

After driving for a while, Chi Ya suddenly said: "You, you like me, yet you scold me!"

And even threatened to wreck my bike!

Gu Huai Zhang was silent for a few seconds, then said: "I was angry."

"?" Chi Ya widened his eyes, "You, why are you, angry!"

"It's fine if the second brother didn't have a gift." Gu Huai Zhang's face was stern, "But why didn't I have one?"

"..." Chi Ya clutched his backpack tightly, stammering, "I, I'm angry too!"

Gu Huai Zhang glanced at him, his lips pursed in silence.

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After a few minutes of silence in the car, Gu Huai Zhang said: "Sorry."

Chi Ya quickly turned to look at him, while Gu Huai Zhang, steering the wheel, his profile sharp and resolute, his Adam's apple barely visible at the collar's edge, said: "I shouldn’t have scolded you."

Chi Ya, with a pout, huffed arrogantly and turned his head to look at the scenery on the other side.

The bright car window glass faintly reflected his slightly upturned lips.

As the car approached the entrance of the residential area and couldn't enter due to a foreign license plate, Gu Huai Zhang got out to retrieve the bicycle from the trunk, holding the handlebars as he watched Chi Ya approach with his backpack and violin.

Chi Ya slung the violin over his shoulder and took the handlebars from him. Gu Huai Zhang looked up at the residential complex and asked, "You rented a place here?"

Chi Ya shook his head: "This is our studio."

Gu Huai Zhang asked, "Then where do you live?"

"I live here..."

Gu Huai Zhang frowned slightly, thought for a moment, and said, "I have a house nearby. I'll have someone clean it this afternoon. You can stay there."

Chi Ya immediately shook his head without thinking: "No, thank you."

It was one thing to be at Nanhu, but going to a man's own territory was another matter entirely – he might lose everything he had. Moreover, accepting favors makes one indebted...

"Chi Ya, I'm pursuing you. Whatever I give, just accept it without feeling embarrassed," Gu Huai Zhang said earnestly, looking at him. "Didn't we agree on this?"

"..." Chi Ya, regretting his impulsive nod from earlier, pursed his lips and avoided Gu Huai Zhang's gaze. "Then, I also have the right to refuse, right...?"

He muttered softly under Gu Huai Zhang's gaze, "Wasn't this also agreed upon?"

Gu Huai Zhang's gaze darkened slightly as he watched him.

After a moment of silence, he said, "Of course."

Chi Ya cautiously glanced at him, sensing that Gu Huai Zhang seemed a bit unhappy.

But then...

Sigh, he had impulsively agreed, but he really wasn't prepared to accept Gu Huai Zhang, so he couldn't bring himself to accept his kindness.

Chi Ya bit his lip and, pushing his bicycle, said, "Then, I'll be going..."

Gu Huai Zhang remained silent, watching him enter.

Chi Ya pedaled into the complex, unable to resist looking back.

He saw Gu Huai Zhang still standing there, a tall and imposing man alone beside his car, his eyes calm and focused on him.

Chi Ya turned back, pedaled slowly a few times, then suddenly turned his bike around, rushing back to the car. He pulled open his backpack, took out a small notebook, and handed it to Gu Huai Zhang.

The notebook was a hardcover with removable pages, its cover a lush green watercolor mist, elegant and exquisite.

Gu HuaiZhang paused, glancing at the notebook in his hands before lifting his eyes to him, a slight smile involuntarily forming on his lips, "Is this for me?"

Chi Ya's ears turned slightly red, and he glanced at Gu HuaiZhang, “It’s for, for Aunt Zhang.”

Gu HuaiZhang: “…”

The smile at the corner of his lips vanished instantly, and Gu HuaiZhang coldly said, "Oh."

Chi Ya, with his head lowered and not looking at him, hastily zipped up his backpack and turned to pedal away quickly on his bike.

Gu HuaiZhang watched his figure disappear behind the lush greenery of the neighborhood, then glanced at the notebook in his hand and tossed it casually through the car window.

He leaned against the car door and lit a cigarette, then opened the door and got into the car. The Maybach smoothly slid out of the parking space, merging into the flow of traffic on the street.

Gu HuaiZhang absentmindedly twirled the steering wheel, casting a cold glance at the notebook on the passenger seat.

After a while, he glanced at it again.

The red light came on, counting down from 120 seconds. Gu HuaiZhang tapped his fingers lightly on the steering wheel, staring expressionlessly at the red light for a while before reaching for the notebook beside him.

He just wanted to take a glance, not secretly possess it.

But as he opened the notebook, the first thing he saw was a photo—a picture of two glasses of mint tea placed together. The tall glass cups revealed a clear golden tea color, filled with ice cubes, with a small sprig of bright green mint perched on top of the ice at the rim. The sides of the glasses were misty with frost, beading with droplets of water, and a touch of sunset light happened to fall on the tea table beside the glasses.

It looked so familiar, almost as if he could hear the bright, smiling voice of a young man in his ears: “This is what you call, capturing life!”

Gu HuaiZhang pursed his lips, his gaze dropping to the neat, elegant handwriting of Chi Ya beneath the photo.

It was a detailed recipe for mint iced tea.

It felt as if a tiny cat's paw was tentatively poking at his heart. Gu HuaiZhang's Adam's apple bobbed slightly as he turned the page.

This page displayed a photo of a bowl of crucian carp tofu soup with noodles. The soup was rich and creamy, topped with golden fried eggs and bright green scallions. The edge of the photo also captured a bit of dark black fabric—it was his black shirt.

The third and fourth pages... sweet and sour pork ribs, chicken noodle soup, squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, scallion pancakes... each page accompanied by a photo and meticulously detailed cooking methods.

The handwriting was Chi Ya's own, and the photos were from times they had spent together.

As the red light countdown neared zero, Gu HuaiZhang closed the notebook, gently stroking its exquisite cover.

Wrongly discarded, I'm sorry.

With cars honking impatiently behind, Gu Huai Zhang gently placed his notebook back onto the passenger seat, turning the steering wheel while unable to suppress a smile.

For Zhang's mom?

Doesn't matter, it's his if he saw it.

The wind rushed in through the half-open car window, carrying the warmth of the sun. The sun has come out.

Gu Huai Zhang's lips curled up unrestrainedly, laughing silently to himself all the way.

Is this what liking someone feels like? Easily melancholic and easily joyful, emotions that were once calm and steady breaking through decades of barriers, suddenly becoming so vivid.

Now, even a stone seems to brim with life to him.

·

Chi Ya hurried up the stairs with his backpack, tossing his stuff and kicking off his slippers, he dove onto the thick carpet, his face flushed as he laughed muffledly.

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The shop owner, watering plants with a spray bottle, looked at him puzzled, "Has this kid gone mad?"

Mo Shi peeked out silently from behind a computer. Guan Jing adjusted his glasses with a pen, and Liu Xia paused her makeup video, turning around, "Tsk tsk, such a joyful laugh."

Chi Ya's head moved, peeking out an eye from the pillow, and said to the owner, "You are, right."

"I must be right," the owner raised his spray bottle, performing an elegant hand gesture, "By the way, what am I right about this time?"

With a flushed face, Chi Ya smiled and shook his finger, "It’s a secret not to be revealed."

Liu Xia stroked her chin, "I see the face of love in our guest. Is it romance? Wait—you were going to break up with young master Gu, right?"

She scrutinized Chi Ya, "Are you back together?"

Stuttering, Chi Ya said, "No, no. We've already, broken up."

"And... and," Chi Ya pursed his lips, "it's impossible to, get back together."

Liu Xia immediately said, "Then there must be a new love interest? Who confessed to you?"

"?!?" Chi Ya's eyes widened, exchanging glances with Liu Xia. After a few seconds, he let out a gasp and buried his face back into the pillow.

Is it really that obvious?!

"Hmm," Guan Jing pushed his glasses up again, "A huge leak of heavenly secrets."

Chi Ya: "…"

The owner was startled: "Giao, I've just realized it!"

Everyone turned to look at him simultaneously.

The owner looked at Chi Ya: "May you speak of it?"

Chi Ya: "I cannot!"

"Okay," the owner smiled, "It seems it really is the uncle."

Everyone in unison: "What?!"

Liu Xia turned her head sharply in shock, "The uncle? Don't tell me it's who I think it is!!"

The owner's smile deepened: "Why shouldn't it be?"

Everyone: "!!!!"

Chi Ya: "…………"

Chi Ya chose to close his eyes in peace.

Instantly losing interest in work, everyone stood up and surrounded Chi Ya. Mo Shi paused, closed his laptop and followed, nudging Guan Jing's arm, "Make some room."

Guan Jing shifted his seat: "Sure."

The owner nudged Chi Ya's bottom: "Hey, confess for leniency, resist for severe punishment."

Chi Ya, covering his bottom, pretended to be dead, while Liu Xia poked him with a finger, "Chi Xiao Ya, get up and tell us, let us have our fill of gossip, no, let us give you advice."

Chi Ya rolled over, still covering his face with the pillow, "You're all so, so nosy!"

Suddenly feeling his pillow being taken away, Chi Ya protested. The owner clicked his tongue, full of disapproval: "How can this be mere gossip? This is a group of strategists!"

Chi Ya, with flushed cheeks, couldn't help but laugh at the circle of people sitting around him: "Wha-what strategists..."

Just a bunch of chubby monkeys in a melon field!

"Clearly you've never lived in a dorm in college," Liu Xia said with a smile, "Don't you know that behind every couple, there's a pair of dorm strategists fighting side by side?"

"Exactly." Guan Jing adjusted his glasses, a sharp glint flashing across the lenses, "Love is a war, a war between two dorms!"

Mo Shi frowned: "Then why didn't we have that?"

“Tch, back then you were always running around with a camera, never settling down. Where did you even go?” the boss said proudly, puffing out his chest, “I've paired up quite a few couples myself!”

“……”

No wonder the owner's radar was so sharp. Chi Ya muttered under his breath, "But he didn't have, didn’t have a... strategist group either."

"Then what's there to worry about?" The owner waved grandly, "Us one, two, three… five against one! Are we afraid we can't win over Gu's dad?"

Chi Ya giggled again, his neck turning red with embarrassment, "I didn’t, I didn’t really plan on... winning him over..."

Mo Shi sat cross-legged beside him, hands on his knees: "Then why are you blushing like this?"

"That's what you rough men don't understand," Liu Xia chuckled, glancing at him, "Being liked by someone like Gu's dad, and even confessed to, even knowing it’s impossible, would make anyone overjoyed!"

Chi Ya blushed and remained silent.

Isn't that the truth.

Even knowing the gap between them was too great, that a real relationship was impossible, being confessed to by Gu Huai Zhang, so gently and sincerely asking to pursue him, still made him uncontrollably excited.

It was probably a case of vanity being thoroughly satisfied.

Being liked by someone so wonderful felt like momentarily becoming the protagonist of a fairy tale.

He dared not think about it last night. This morning, being confessed to by the river, he was dazed, as if in a dream, until just now at the entrance of the neighborhood, when he turned his head while riding his bike and saw Gu HuaiZhang still standing there watching him. That moment made his heart skip a beat, racing dangerously fast.

He couldn't help but go back and give him the journal he had prepared for a long time.

But still too shy to admit it, he lied and said it was for Zhang's mom, not sure if Gu Huai Zhang peeked.

Sighing, Chi Ya acknowledged that saying it was for Zhang's mom wasn't entirely wrong, as it contained foods and drinks he thought Gu Huai Zhang would enjoy, hoping Zhang's mom would make them for him once he left Nanhu.

When creating the journal, he genuinely considered the man his elder brother, little did he know Gu Huai Zhang harbored such feelings for him...

Ahhhh!

Just the thought of Gu Huai Zhang confessing to him sent Chi Ya's heart racing uncontrollably, as if he wanted to shout, laugh wildly, and jump up to the sky!

"Stop laughing, stop laughing," urged Liu Xia impatiently, "Quick, tell us how Gu's dad confessed to you!"

Chi Ya coughed, trying to compose himself from his silly laughter, but seeing their sparkling eyes, he couldn't help but burst into laughter again, burying his face in the pillow.

The owner and Guan Jing laughed too, nudging each other, "He hasn't said anything yet, why the heck are you laughing so foolishly!"

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Guan Jing said, "I don't know either, just felt like laughing along."

Liu Xia couldn't help but laugh too, sighing, "Ah, Chi Xiao Ya makes it all seem so innocent, makes me want to fall in love too."

Being liked by someone is such a beautiful thing.

So beautiful that it made her, a person deeply hurt before, still inevitably envy those who are loved by others.

All the single men in the room exchanged glances, suddenly feeling sour.

Chi Ya took a moment to regain some composure and stutteringly recounted the morning's events, exciting the young men and women, with the owner slapping the table, "You didn't agree to that?!"

The atmosphere in the room was electric, and Chi Ya couldn't help but break into laughter several times.

It was as if even the heavens couldn't stand his pretense of indifference in front of the man that morning, determined to make up for it in full force.

It was like swallowing a gulp of liquor, not feeling it for a long time, until after a long delay, the alcohol forcefully and dominantly invaded every vein, making him realize the potency of this strong drink.

He didn't expect to be so thrilled by Gu Huai Zhang's confession, feeling dizzy, his cheeks burning, as if he were walking on clouds, lightly floating in the sky.

But amidst all the laughter, there was a tinge of sadness.

If only Gu Huai Zhang wasn't Gu Huai An's brother, if only he himself were a bit more outstanding.

Outstanding enough to stand confidently by Gu Huai Zhang's side, then maybe he would actually consider accepting Gu Huai Zhang's feelings.

In the brief span of a few decades that constitute a human life, so many simply find a suitable partner, marry, have children, and live through the mundane routine of daily household chores.

Yet, in such an ordinary and uneventful life, even a brief romance with someone as exceptional and handsome as Gu Huai Zhang can make a difference.

The author has a message:

Ah, how I miss those days when four or five of us girls in the dorm would stay up until dawn, brainstorming advice for a roommate.

Thanks to all the little angels who voted for me or nourished me with their support from 2023-10-03 00:59:15 to 2023-10-03 23:58:41~

Special thanks to the little angels who nourished me: Sai with 25 bottles; Gu Su Lan Wang Ji with 10 bottles; Wangning with 2 bottles; Tao Hua, Ji Huai with 1 bottle each;

I am very grateful for your support and will continue to work hard!