Chapter 38: Green Tea

Chapter 38: Green Tea

Cen Wu sat down next to Xie Guiluan, and true enough, no one was messing with his leg anymore. He had briefly suspected Xie Guiluan, but why would a straight guy like Xie Guiluan touch his leg?

How could he suspect his brother like that?

He Yao had finally managed to chat with Cen Wu for a bit and didn’t want him to leave. If the mountain won't come to me, I'll go to the mountain. He picked up his backpack and was about to sit next to Cen Wu when he looked up and met Xie Guiluan’s ink-black eyes.

Xie Guiluan’s prominent brow bone cast dark shadows under his eyes, making him look like a cold-blooded predator lurking in the dark.

Pure hostility.

How could anyone have eyes like that?

He Yao felt a chill crawl up his spine, his legs went weak for a moment, and he had to sit back down, holding onto the chair. Xie Guiluan then lowered his long lashes and casually looked away.

“Why… why aren’t you eating?” Cen Wu had polished off another small plate of meat and, noticing Xie Guiluan hadn’t picked up his chopsticks, poked him.

Nobody dared to snatch meat from Xie Guiluan’s side. Everyone was following the rules, picking one piece at a time. Unlike earlier, when people would snatch food right out of each other’s mouths.

Cen Wu felt a bit of social anxiety seeing this and didn’t dare to eat much, but no one dared to snatch from him either.

Xie Guiluan took a clean plate, served Cen Wu some food, and helped him boil a portion of duck blood. He said calmly, “I’m not hungry.”

He Yao, being carefree, was startled by Xie Guiluan but didn’t mind too much. He continued drinking with Zhang Yuanzhou and the rest of the guys. Except for the class monitor, Zhou Wenqing, most of them had a drink or two.

They didn’t stay out too late. By 10 PM, after dinner, everyone headed home.

He Yao was treating everyone that night. When he went to settle the bill, he found out that Xie Guiluan had already paid for his and Cen Wu’s shares. A night breeze hit him, and He Yao shivered, sobering up quite a bit. It suddenly hit him.

What the hell?!

Was he about to steal Xie Guiluan’s... boyfriend? When did those two even hook up?

The neighborhood near No. 13 High School wasn’t the safest, so Zhou Wenqing and a few boys planned to escort the girls home. Cen Wu was on the same route as Xu Lingling and offered to see her home too.

But just after Cen Wu waved goodbye to Xie Guiluan, he noticed Xie Guiluan taking long strides to follow them.

“I’m coming too,” Xie Guiluan said.

Cen Wu: “……”

Was it just his imagination?

Why did it feel like Xie Guiluan was following him?

Xu Lingling’s eyes sparkled. Anyone would be excited to be escorted home by two handsome guys. To avoid awkward silence, she brought up the upcoming school anniversary party with Cen Wu.

Talking was too much effort for Cen Wu, so he just clapped like a seal, silently cheering her on.

The shadows of the night stretched long. Xie Guiluan had his black backpack slung over his shoulder and carried Cen Wu’s bag in his hand. Walking behind them, Cen Wu managed to step on Xie Guiluan’s shadow with every step.

Not wanting to leave him out, Cen Wu occasionally reached back and squeezed Xie Guiluan’s fingertips. Xie Guiluan’s dark eyes looked down, his finger bones bent slightly, wanting to hold Cen Wu’s hand, but Cen Wu pulled away after comforting him, like a player who leaves after getting what he wanted.

Xie Guiluan: “……”

Xie Guiluan’s Adam’s apple bobbed coldly.

Xu Lingling’s parents had gone to work in another city and hadn’t returned home for over a decade. She had been raised by her grandparents, but her grandfather passed away last year. Now, only she and her grandmother were left.

Her home wasn't far from Xie Guiluan's rented place. Under the night sky, there were several old, dilapidated buildings marked with bright red "demolish" signs.

Cen Wu had originally planned to leave after dropping her off at the ground floor, but seeing the dark stairwell, he decided to accompany her upstairs to make sure she got home safely before leaving.

"The second young master, Bro Xie," Xu Lingling waved energetically from the doorway, calling out to them. Behind her, the warm yellow light from her home illuminated the scene. Although the stairwell was dirty, the girl wore an innocent smile as she thanked them. "Thanks, you two should head home early too," she said.

Xie Guiluan didn’t react much, leaning against the stair railing while waiting for Cen Wu, who waved back at Xu Lingling.

Cen Wu thought Xie Guiluan would finally leave this time, but he didn’t. He ended up following Cen Wu all the way to his house. Cen Wu had no choice but to look at him expectantly and say, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Xie Guiluan replied.

Cen Wu turned and ran toward the villa, but unbelievably, by the time he reached the entryway, Xie Guiluan still hadn’t left.

He ran to his bedroom, and only when the light came on did Xie Guiluan, standing under the dark night sky, pause for another minute before finally leaving.

Bro, what’s up with you?

Cen Wu found Xie Guiluan's behavior strange that night. They had already said goodnight, so he didn’t message him again. However, at 11 PM, his phone buzzed.

"Xie Guiluan: ."

"Cen Wu: ?"

Cen Wu was utterly surprised. If he remembered correctly, this was likely the first time Xie Guiluan had ever initiated a message with him.

"Xie Guiluan: ."

Xie Guiluan didn’t say anything, just kept sending messages. Cen Wu, lying on his bed, couldn’t figure out what Xie Guiluan was thinking. He kicked the blanket away and suddenly realized something.

You’ve got to be kidding me?

Tentatively, he typed.

"Cen Wu: Goodnight!"

"Cen Wu: Cat tucked in bed.jpg"

Xie Guiluan finally seemed satisfied and replied.

"Xie Guiluan: Goodnight."

Cen Wu: "..."

Cen Wu suddenly felt a dangerous vibe, like he was being drawn into some kind of web.

-

It was already late September, and next week would bring both the sports meet and the school anniversary celebration. After the typhoon, Huai Jing finally had a few clear days, but of all days, it started raining again on the day of the physical examination.

The school arranged routine check-ups for students every semester, with each class going in turn. By the time it was Class 3's turn, it was already the last period of the afternoon.

Zhang Yuanzhou stretched his neck to look at the rain outside and said to Meng Liangping, "Bro Meng, can we postpone the check-up until tomorrow? By the time we’re done, we won’t make it to the cafeteria for dinner."

Many in the class agreed, the noise rising in agreement.

"Exactly."

"Damn it, I wanted to grab those sweet and sour pork ribs from the second floor of the cafeteria. The first-years get out five minutes earlier and always beat me to it!"

"I didn’t bring an umbrella. How am I supposed to go out?"

"Why the rush?!" Meng Liangping said, pulling a long face. "Come on, it's just a bit of rain. And it's not even pouring. Can't you handle this little challenge? When I was your age..."

Before he could finish, students in the classroom started getting up one after another, covering their heads as they hurried out. Those with umbrellas crammed three or four people under each one, while those without umbrellas either put plastic bags on their heads or used their jackets to shield themselves from the rain.

The sky outside was already quite gloomy, but with dozens of students in uniform running out and laughing under their umbrellas, the gloomy atmosphere no longer felt oppressive.

Meng Liangping, with his sharp eyes, noticed a boy from the neighboring class acting suspiciously near their classroom door, handing an umbrella to a girl sitting in the front row. He shook his head but said nothing.

Holding his teacup, he leaned against the corridor railing and watched these youngsters walk forward.

Cen Wu hadn't brought an umbrella either. He was about to take off his school jacket to cover his head when someone next to him handed him a warm school jacket.

"The second young master," Xie Guiluan said to him, "use mine."

"Tha-thank you."

Cen Wu didn't bother being polite. His knee scrape hadn't fully healed yet, and he had just recovered from a high fever, so he couldn't afford to get drenched again. He assumed Xie Guiluan was just worried he might fall ill again.

But this meant Xie Guiluan would have to go out in the rain without any cover. The loose school jacket couldn't protect both of them, and although Cen Wu wanted to pull Xie Guiluan under the jacket with him, Xie Guiluan had already turned and walked into the rain.

Lu Wang hadn't come to school yet, so Cen Wu had to head out alone. By the time he reached the laboratory building for the health check-up, many boys and girls were shaking their umbrellas at the entrance. Xie Guiluan was there too.

Xie Guiluan was half-soaked, his black T-shirt clinging to his body. The young man had broad shoulders and a narrow waist, and his chest muscles, though not exaggerated, were perfectly shaped. His handsome, cold face was also covered in raindrops, and he wiped his face with the collar of his T-shirt.

His finger joints were slender, looking even paler against the black T-shirt. When he lifted his shirt, his abs were faintly visible, revealing a trim waist. Many people were sneaking glances.

But Xie Guiluan pulled his shirt back down after just three seconds.

Top of the male ethics class.

Some boys from other classes tried to imitate him, but trying too hard to show off just made them look sleazy. Besides, with just one visible abs muscle, there wasn't much to see. The crowd that had gathered on the first floor dispersed in disappointment. Cen Wu silently shook his jacket and ran to find Xie Guiluan.

Left alone in the cold, rainy wind.

Boy: "..."

Feeling slightly humiliated.

Most of the health check-up stations were on the third floor. Cen Wu handed his jacket to Xie Guiluan, who put it on, and they headed upstairs. They overheard people discussing the Qingyue Cup.

"Damn, did you know?! The score tampering at the Qingyue Cup wasn't a one-time thing. It's happened before."

"I saw it too. Someone filed a formal complaint. Even though Bro Xie's name was cleared, the person who tampered with the scores had their results canceled. He was among the top three in his grade, but after the incident, his grades plummeted, and he even developed mental health issues."

"It's been almost ten years now. How many decades does a person have?"

"A mother is always a mother. I knew it! Guan Xingxue canceling the endorsement must have been related to the Liao family. They're the sponsors of the Qingyue Cup trophy, right?"

Guan Xingxue and Cen Junshan were famously close.

Actually, Guan Xingxue didn't want to marry Cen Junshan at first. But during the filming of a disaster movie about an avalanche, the crew went up to a snowy mountain for shooting and actually encountered an avalanche.

The crew was trapped in a relatively safe area but lost contact with the outside world. Cen Junshan thought she had been buried under the snow and joined the rescue team to search for her.

His feet nearly had to be amputated due to frostbite.

When Guan Xingxue and the others were found, Cen Junshan was already on a stretcher, about to be sent to the hospital. Seeing Guan Xingxue by the ambulance, he wiped away his tears and said, "As long as you're safe, nothing else matters."

Guan Xingxue later accepted his marriage proposal.

The Cen family has also become the go-to choice for reincarnation, a family not only known for its wealth, power, and status but also for its loving family dynamic. This led many to jokingly call Guan Xingxue "Mom," envious of the protagonist's good fortune.

The original owner had even gotten angry about this, and Cen Junshan bought him an island to play on, which barely managed to calm him down.

He was genuinely scared; while others just joked, he had indeed taken over another person's life, stealing more than a decade that belonged to someone else.

A deep-seated resentment.

Cen Wu went for a physical examination before Xie Guiluan. After his check-up, he secretly observed Xie Guiluan getting his height measured. He thought Xie Guiluan seemed to have grown a bit taller, and indeed, his height had become 1.9 meters, but Cen Wu remained 1.78 meters, the same as in his previous life.

But it didn’t matter; by the time he turned eighteen in his previous life, he had already grown to 1.8 meters.

After all, he had learned to wear height-increasing insoles.

After Xie Guiluan's check-up, they went to the cafeteria. The experimental building had free umbrellas available, and Cen Wu grabbed the last one. But as soon as he walked downstairs, his steps suddenly halted.

Xie Shangjing was waiting for him.

Xie Shangjing was around the same height as Xie Guiluan, but his appearance was more delicate yet fierce, coldly staring at Cen Wu and Xie Guiluan.

Cen Wu thought he was about to snap.

Indeed, Xie Shangjing knew everything. The Cen family's involvement in Xie Guiluan's affairs couldn't be hidden from him. The Cen family wouldn't help for no reason; it was probably because Cen Wu had begged his family to assist Xie Guiluan.

Not to mention the matter of the racetrack.

Cen Wu had been worried that if he ran away in the future, not only would the Cen family and Xie Guiluan chase him, but Xie Shangjing would also seek revenge, which was why he didn't want to offend Xie Shangjing.

But if it was unavoidable, he wouldn't mind tearing down the facade. He was already prepared for Xie Shangjing to lose his temper.

"I didn't bring an umbrella," Xie Shangjing said with a dark expression, but he didn't go crazy, just staring at Cen Wu and saying, "I'll go with you."

Cen Wu was a bit troubled. He didn't want to leave Xie Guiluan behind, but since Xie Shangjing didn't seem to want to argue, there was no need to unnecessarily offend someone.

The classmates passing by wore expressions full of gossip. They didn't know that Xie Guiluan was the illegitimate son of the Xie family, but they knew that Xie Shangjing was the eldest young master of the Xie family and was close to Cen Wu.

What a mess.

"Wuwu," Xie Shangjing called him, "come here."

Cen Wu: "..."

He remembered that Xie Shangjing's grandfather was a famous domestic orthopedic expert. Was this forbidden romance really necessary?

Cen Wu felt caught between two dangerous situations, both threatening to drown him. Before he could finish hesitating, Xie Guiluan suddenly spoke.

"The second young master," Xie Guiluan looked up. The cold light from the rain made his face even paler, his eyes dark as if drenched in water. "You two go ahead."

Cen Wu was startled. "It's still raining."

He didn't want Xie Guiluan to get wet in the rain.

"It's okay," Xie Guiluan's deep peach blossom eyes looked at him, turned his head, and lightly coughed. "It's not that cold."

Cen Wu was already feeling guilty. Xie Guiluan had given him his jacket, yet he was hesitating about walking with someone else under an umbrella.

It seemed like Xie Guiluan might have caught a chill, and he immediately stopped hesitating, worried that Xie Guiluan might get sick. He grabbed Xie Guiluan and left, then turned to Xie Shangjing and said, "Brother Shangjing, he... he seems to be sick. I'll take him back, and then come back for you."

"The second young master," Xie Guiluan's thin lips pressed together, his eyes lowered. "Is this not inappropriate?"

Cen Wu urged him to put on his school uniform jacket. "What's not good about it? Don't worry about it, just come with... with me."

Xie Shangjing: "..."

What a manipulative person.

Xie Shangjing stood there, twisted in place. Was Cen Wu blind? How could he not see anything?!

Cen Wu led Xie Guiluan to the cafeteria for a meal and even got him a bowl of hot soup, telling him to drink a few sips to warm up first.

Xie Guiluan accepted it but didn’t drink. With cold, thin eyelids raised, he asked casually, "The second young master, aren't you going to pick up my brother? Why haven't you gone? He should be waiting for you."

Cen Wu was stunned for a moment, almost not reacting to who this 'brother' was. Apart from when Xie Guiluan first arrived at the Xie family, this was probably the first time he had called Xie Shangjing 'brother.'

"You... you have a fever?" Cen Wu felt his brain might be broken too, as he reached out to touch Xie Guiluan's forehead.

Xie Guiluan didn’t dodge. Like a tamed dog, he let Cen Wu touch him without flinching. He gazed at Cen Wu's murmuring lips, very thin and soft, red, and the finger pressed into them.

Cen Wu didn’t go to find Xie Shangjing. He paid ten yuan to have someone deliver an umbrella to him.

Only then did Xie Guiluan pick up the bowl and drink all the soup.

When they arrived at the classroom, some students who had finished eating were rehearsing again. They were performing a love triangle, but every one of their works had adaptations. This version was also gender-bent, making the female lead run out in the rain, agonizing over whom she truly loved.

Cen Wu watched intently; he had always been drawn to filming these passionate, tormented love stories. *Butterfly* was also a love triangle.

Xu Lingling was directing beside them, heartbroken. She spoke to the male lead, "Be jealous! Be jealous!"

"Do you even understand what jealousy is?!"

"Distorted!"

"Dark crawling!"

The male student stood up and twisted his face fiercely.

Xu Lingling: "..."

Xu Lingling: "I didn't tell you to contort your face!"

"I... I think the second male lead is also good," Cen Wu pulled up a chair and sat in the last row with Xie Guiluan, speaking softly to him with regret, "If only... if only I could have them both."

Xie Guiluan's dark eyes lifted, his tone still calm but with undercurrents of tension. "Anyway, you're not the only man in the world who has fallen in love with two people at the same time."

As soon as Xie Guiluan's words fell, Xu Lingling whipped her head around, twisted, wild, and filled with jealousy.

"Bro Xie!" Xu Lingling, tears streaming down her cheeks, "That's the vibe! Can we do that scene again!"

That was textbook-level performance.

Xie Guiluan was gloomy and cold. Noticing his reluctance, Xu Lingling didn’t dare call on him again, instead continuing to passionately critique the others.

But this group was hopeless. Xu Lingling, tired, waved her hand and had to switch to the next group.

It happened to be Cen Wu and Xie Guiluan.

Cen Wu and Xie Guiluan could both dance. It wasn't that they danced particularly well, just the ceremonial social dance, but it was enough. The issue was that Xu Lingling wanted them to perform a classic scene from *Gone with the Wind* after the dance, complete with a waist-holding kiss.

Xu Lingling, worried they might mind, said, "We can use camera tricks!"

Cen Wu was a bit dumbfounded, his ear tips turning red as he said, "Let's... let's not."

He thought Xie Guiluan would refuse as well, but to his surprise, Xie Guiluan said, "I'm fine with it."

Cen Wu was torn again. It was rare for Xie Guiluan to agree to participate in class activities. This might be the only time in high school he'd join in. If Cen Wu didn't cooperate, and the performance wasn't perfect, what if it left a regret in Xie Guiluan's high school life?

While Cen Wu was still hesitating, Xu Lingling had already pushed him forward. They moved a few tables aside and began rehearsing in the middle of the classroom.

Most of the class had finished dinner and returned. It was raining outside again, so they couldn't play basketball. A group of twenty to thirty classmates watched them eagerly. Cen Wu's palms were sweating.

Xie Guiluan wrapped his arm around Cen Wu's waist and pulled him close. Some boys nearby started to whistle and cheer.

"Kiss! Kiss!"

"Bro Xie, are you up for it?!"

Cen Wu's eyes welled up with a watery mist, and his snow-white ears began to flush. What was this? They were supposed to do a trick angle!

He panicked a little and wanted to push Xie Guiluan away, saying he didn't want to do it. But before he could, Xie Guiluan's other hand was already on his shoulder, pulling him closer. Cen Wu's face flushed red.

His mind went blank, his eyelashes fluttering as he stared at Xie Guiluan's lips.

Xie Guiluan's lips were thin but a deep red, softening the coldness around him, making him seem both alluring and indifferent.

Cen Wu's calves began to tremble, thinking for a moment that Xie Guiluan was really going to kiss him. But just as their breaths were about to meet, everything suddenly went dark.

His mind buzzed, unable to process what had happened. The collective sigh of disappointment from the class let him know that there had been a power outage.

Class monitor Zhou Wenqing went out to check and soon returned, saying, "The whole school's lost power. The dean said there's a fault, and it might take half an hour to fix."

The whole class erupted in excitement. For students, there was nothing more thrilling than a power outage.

Cen Wu also breathed a sigh of relief and pushed Xie Guiluan away.

Xie Guiluan leaned back against the table but didn't seem angry. He followed Cen Wu back to the last row and sat down.

"You... you," Cen Wu rubbed his burning cheeks, his watery eyes especially bright in the dimly lit classroom, and after a long hesitation, finally asked in a low voice, "Isn't it weird to kiss a guy?"

He had heard about boys' dorms and how even straight guys might help each other out, but kissing was too much. Cen Wu couldn't imagine how straight guys could kiss each other.

The entertainment industry was chaotic, and he couldn't say he was completely innocent. During times of extreme pressure from filming, he had considered finding a steady partner, someone to sleep with but not date or kiss.

But in the end, he couldn't cross that line in his heart.

To him, these were things you did with a boyfriend. Besides, there hadn't really been anyone good-looking enough for him to be interested in. He was picky, even more so than his previous self. Xie Guiluan was incredibly good-looking, but Cen Wu avoided straight guys.

Xie Guiluan's deep-set, alluring eyes looked at him, not answering his question but suddenly leaning closer. In a low voice, he asked near Cen Wu's ear, "Hey, want to feel my abs?"

The boy's low voice sent shivers down Cen Wu's spine.

Cen Wu was confused, "What... what did you say?"

"Touch my abs." Xie Guiluan repeated in a low voice, afraid Cen Wu hadn't understood. He took Cen Wu's hand and, through his school uniform, placed it on his waist.

Scorching and solid.

Cen Wu's mind buzzed, thrown off by Xie Guiluan, and he almost forgot they were still in the classroom.

Cen Wu immediately wanted to pull his hand back, but no matter how hard he tried, it felt like a kitten scratching to Xie Guiluan, not enough to break free.

Xie Guiluan grabbed his hand tightly, lifted his shirt tail, and pressed Cen Wu's palm against his abs. Now there was nothing between them, and Cen Wu directly felt Xie Guiluan's burning-hot abs, which moved rhythmically under his palm with every breath.

Cen Wu was utterly stunned, his lips quivering, unable to utter a word, not even knowing what to ask. Xie Guiluan didn’t release him, instead guiding Cen Wu’s hand over his body.

Xie Guiluan's breath brushed against his cheek as he spoke in a hoarse voice, "Can you delete all of them for me, the second young master? If you do, I’ll let you touch me anytime you want, okay?"

Even if he wasn’t the first one, who cares? At least he could be the last. It didn’t matter if he wasn’t Cen Wu’s first crush, but he couldn’t keep waiting in line any longer.

He seemed to... like Cen Wu.

In the future, Cen Wu should only have eyes for him.