Chapter 218

Chapter 218

The examination hall was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop, with only the cicadas outside the window as the only background noise, along with the faint rustling of papers and the scratching of pens.

After double-checking his calculations on the draft paper, Tian Ruan finally filled in the answer.

The three-day exams came to an end. After the final test, everyone’s minds went blank for a moment—a decade of hard work all came down to those few sheets of paper.

Some started crying right then and there, some sighed in frustration, while others left the hall with anxious expressions.

Tian Ruan belonged to the remarkably composed crowd. Observing his surroundings, he noted that those as composed as him were either slackers who'd checked out long ago or top students who knew they aced it.

Parents crowded outside the examination hall waiting to pick up their children. They looked proud, happy, or anxious, and they held various items—water, food, clothes, umbrellas, or signs with names.

Tian Ruan scanned the crowd and immediately spotted Yu Jingmo, who stood out in both looks and presence. The thought that his "parent" was his husband made him feel a little embarrassed.

Yu Jingmo had this invisible force field that repelled others wherever he went. With him as the center, a three-meter radius remained empty. Thus, Tian Ruan easily stepped into his territory and found himself holding an armful of flowers.

"Congratulations," Yu Jingmo said with a smile.

Tian Ruan hugged him openly. "Thank you."

Yu Jingmo took his hand and led him into the car, driving the soon-to-be college student home. "How was it?"

"Not bad."

"'Not bad' means you crushed it." Yu Jingmo interlaced their fingers, their hands a little sweaty. "Got your eye on any colleges?"

Tian Ruan felt a little warm but didn’t let go of Yu Jingmo’s hand. "I'm putting Suzhou University as my top pick."

"Not going for Tsinghua or Peking U?"

"Suzhou is nice," Tian Ruan said. "I’ll study there for two years, then go abroad for an exchange program for another two. Suzhou's got everything set up already, so it’s more convenient."

Yu Jingmo chuckled. "Don’t worry about the trouble. I’ll arrange everything for you."

After a moment of thought, Tian Ruan replied, "I’d rather rely on my own abilities and see how far I can go. Mr. Yu, just give me the occasional nudge and I'll be happy."

"Now that you’re about to be a college student, even your way of talking's different," Yu Jingmo teased with a sigh.

Tian Ruan pinched Yu Jingmo’s palm. "I’m becoming more mature, Mr. Yu. You should be worried."

"What?" Yu Jingmo raised an eyebrow. "Do you think you’ll meet someone better than me?"

Tian Ruan leaned closer with the flowers and asked deliberately, "You think you're God's gift or something, Mr. Yu?"

"I don’t have to be the best," Yu Jingmo turned his head and kissed the young man’s smooth forehead, "but I can be downright terrible."

"How bad?"

"Every day..." Yu Jingmo leaned in and dropped a filthy line into his ear, audible only to the two of them.

Tian Ruan’s ears grew warm. He glared at him and fell silent.

Yu Jingmo chuckled, giving the young man's thin cheek a pinch. "You don’t need to be mature. Just be yourself around me. I’ve said it before—I've got you covered."

Tian Ruan collapsed against Yu Jingmo, lifting the flowers so they framed his face. "I won’t meet anyone better than you, Mr. Yu."

Even if such a person existed, the one Tian Ruan loved most would always be the man before him.

Yu Jingmo booped the young man's nose. "Hmm."

The future is not constant, but what you believe in your heart can be eternal. Love can traverse thousands of years, just to reach the shore of their dreams.

He had completed the gaokao, and now, his life officially entered the next phase. What remained unchanging was that Yu Jingmo was there for every stage of his life.

...

The long summer vacation ended, and Tian Ruan got his wish to enroll in Suzhou University, majoring in translation. He studied the fundamental theories of linguistics and literature, studied multiple languages, mastered different translation techniques, and underwent basic training in written translation, interpretation, and simultaneous interpretation.

The curriculum was jam-packed every week. Tian Ruan didn’t live on campus, commuting daily between the university and the manor, which gave him more freedom but also more stress compared to others.

The high school class group was still active, with everyone sharing updates—with one exception, Lu Qiuyan.

Tian Ruan posted in the group: "At Suzhou University."

Classmate A: @Tian Ruan, with your grades, you could’ve easily gotten into Tsinghua or Peking U. Why stay in Suzhou?

Tian Ruan: Suzhou's good.

Classmate B: I’m at Suzhou University too, but just a second-tier university. The upside is it’s close to home, so everything’s convenient.

Classmate C: Yo, anyone in the UK? Save me from this terrible food!

Classmate D: I’m in the UK too… You really want my cooking to save you?

Classmate N: Did the president go to the UK?

Yu Shang: In the U.S.

Classmate M: President! What are you eating?

Yu Shang: I brought my nanny.

Classmate C: This is so unfair. I’m alone in the UK, and my parents don’t even care.

Classmate D: Bro, I’m coming to find you. Get your place ready—though my cooking sucks, I’ve got a ready-made jumbo sausage. Want some?

Classmate C: …Fuck off!!

Nan Huaiju: Truly typical fag UK. You go there and turn gay.

Female Classmate: Look who's here - Nan Huaiju! How’s Nan Mengyao doing?

Nan Huaiju: My cousin’s doing great. Studying at some fancy university in the U.S… Same as Yu Shang, right?

Everyone: !!! Fate brings people together across miles. President, go get her!

Tian Ruan: ...

Nan Huaiju: @Tian Ruan, what do you mean?

Tian Ruan: Yu Shang already likes someone. No need to worry.

Nan Huaiju: Who? Is she prettier than my cousin??

Tian Ruan: DM me.

Switched to DMs.

Tian Ruan: Quit your bullshit, don't you know who Yu Shang likes?

Nan Huaiju: …Who? Don’t tell me it’s you!

Tian Ruan: It’s Lu Qiuyan!

Nan Huaiju: Holy shit, really?!

Tian Ruan: How are things with you and Hai Chao?

Nan Huaiju: Drowning in schoolwork. School sucks—that professor just goes on and on… total fucking nutjob!

Tian Ruan: Oh.

Nan Huaiju: You still there?

Tian Ruan: Later, grabbing food.

Nan Huaiju: …

The group chat was popping off as everyone excitedly discussed the pros and cons of universities abroad, mostly just bitching—like how difficult certain professors were, what legends the schools had, or which famous alumni they’d produced.

Wang Weiqi: Why is no one mentioning me? Why does no one care about me?!! /crying

Wang Weiqi: Whatever, don’t bother. I’m at Su City University too! /sunglasses

Classmate A: Bullshit!

Wang Weiqi left laughing. Aside from Tian Ruan, no one knew this guy had spent millions just to get into Su City University as an athletic recruit for the track and field team—though he mostly played men’s soccer.

Everyone knows how terrible the men’s national soccer team is.

When Weiqi wasn’t at practice, he’d bug Tian to chill.

If Tian Ruan was busy, Wang Weiqi would entertain himself—dicking around, never acting serious. It was like he wasn’t here to study but to find love.

Despite Wang Weiqi’s scruffy, tanned look, his thick eyebrows and big eyes somehow landed him a stacked girlfriend.

This girlfriend lasted only a week before scamming him out of 112,400.20 yuan (about $16k) and ghosting him.

“Why? Did I treat you bad or something?” Wang Weiqi demanded.

Girlfriend: “You don’t even like me—you like your bro!”

Wang Weiqi: “???”

Baffled but whatever, Wang Weiqi didn’t hold a grudge. He hadn’t liked her that much anyway—just putting on the lovesick act for fun—so he happily went back to following Tian Ruan around like a puppy.

“Bro, let’s go clubbing this weekend!” Wang Weiqi suggested.

Tian Ruan, remembering the last time he went clubbing and ended up face-to-face with a drug lord, shook his head so hard it might fly off and firmly refused.

“Then let’s go hiking, fishing, or camping!”

Wang Weiqi shotgunned ideas one by one, only to be rejected each time. Defeated, he whined, “Fuck, college blows worse than high school!”

Tell me about it. Deyin was a private elite high school, while Su City University was public—its courses focused purely on practicality, a night and day difference from the refined curriculum of a prestigious institution.

As for those fluff classes? Unless you were an art student, the rich kids did that shit privately.

Tian Ruan privately signed up for piano lessons with a music professor. The school looked the other way regarding such side gigs, so every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon when he was free, Tian Ruan would go to the piano room to practice.

He wasn’t aiming for certifications or anything—it was purely to cultivate a classy vibe, and the piano was the best choice for that.

On Saturdays or weekends, when Yu Jingmo had time, he would also give Tian Ruan lessons at home.

"If you're bored, why not just get back out there?" Tian Ruan said.

Wang Weiqi thought this made perfect sense, so he dove headfirst into chasing a goddess—as for Nan Mengyao, who had gone to the U.S., he was totally over her by now.

Less than a month later, Wang Weiqi had a new girlfriend.

Tian Ruan was weirded out—how did people keep falling for Wang Weiqi? It hadn’t been this frequent in high school.

Wang Weiqi proudly brought his new girlfriend to meet Tian Ruan. "Bro, this is my girlfriend, Leisi."

"Lace?"

The girl smiled sweetly. "Nice to meet you."

Tian Ruan smiled politely in return. "Nice to meet you too."

Wordplay could be accidental elsewhere, but in this world, it was definitely a bad sign.

Sure enough, one day, Wang Weiqi got dumped. Again.

Wang Weiqi whined, "I saw her getting close to another girl—who knew that’s what was up?! She never let me kiss or hug her, and I thought she was just reserved. But then she was all over that girl, saying she’d scammed a total sucker! Once she had money, she’d buy her an iPhone 18!"

Tian Ruan: "...Rough break."

Wang Weiqi: "Wahhh... I might as well have gotten played like a fool! So much cash wasted! If I ever meet another 'Lace,' I’ll smack one if one comes, smack two if they come as a pair—let them suffer together!"

Tian Ruan didn’t know how to console him. If college was like this, society would only have more scammers. With Wang Weiqi’s IQ, he was bound to keep falling for it.

Over two years in college, Wang Weiqi had five relationships, each ending for some bizarre reason.

The most common line from his exes was: "Wang Weiqi, you’re not straight at all—you’re into your bro."

Once or twice, Wang Weiqi brushed it off, but after hearing it repeatedly, he lost it: "I’m 100% straight!!"

Then he’d go right back to still being glued to Tian Ruan’s side.

Tian Ruan: "..."

Honestly, even Tian Ruan could see that Wang Weiqi seemed kinda sus.

Of course, Tian Ruan didn’t want Wang Weiqi to be going gay over him, so he encouraged him: "Dude, there are plenty of fish in the sea. You’ll definitely meet someone better."

Wang Weiqi clenched his fists. "You’re right! There are tons of great women out there. I’ll definitely find my goddess."

Tian Ruan thought to himself, *Bless his heart, thank goodness Wang Weiqi is this dumb—otherwise, I’d be in danger.* He really didn’t want a good friend suddenly turning gay and developing feelings for him.

Before you knew it, Tian Ruan was preparing for an exchange program abroad.

Wang Weiqi was waterworks city. "Bro, I can’t go with you this time. Live it up, and have fun, okay? Waaah..."

Tian Ruan patted his shoulder. "I will."

Wang Weiqi wriggled like a worm, rubbing his shoulder. "Damn, you still hit like a truck."

Over these two years, Tian Ruan received only a handful of letters from Lu Qiuyan, but he knew Lu Qiuyan’s military life was fulfilling and healthy, full of passion and drive—spending most of his days training and watching revolutionary films at night.

Only during holidays did he get short leaves.

But Lu Qiuyan didn’t return home. He chose to stay in the army, continuing his rigorous training.

In his last letter, Lu Qiuyan mentioned he had transferred to an elite forces unit, so letters might become even rarer. But he said he often thought of Tian Ruan, so they wouldn’t truly be far apart.

Tian Ruan wrote back: “I’m going to study in France. Once there, it’ll be even harder for us to communicate. But I’ll keep you in my heart too, so no matter how vast the sky or how many mountains and rivers lie between us, we won’t truly be far apart.”

He also updated Lu Qiuyan on Yu Shang’s situation.

“Yu Shang only comes back during the New Year. He’s grown much taller, but he’s not too thin. Don’t worry—he eats and sleeps on schedule, as regular as clockwork. He takes good care of himself. You should take care of yourself too, so when we reunite, we’ll still recognize each other.”

Tian Ruan filled pages with everyday news.

“…Liu Ma hasn’t forgotten you either. She always says that when you come back, you can still enjoy her homemade osmanthus cakes. The osmanthus flowers were from last year—she collected so many. I stood under the tree and was caught in a shower of osmanthus petals. It smelled amazing.”

“I told Mr. Yu I miss you. Don’t be angry. The Yu family has some connections in the military, so they know a bit about your situation—whenever I want to know. But I didn’t do it on purpose. I just miss you. If you’re mad, I’ll treat you to a KFC bucket meal when you’re back.”

“I don’t know if you’ve gotten darker, but I sent you a box of sunscreen—all brands I’ve tried myself. They work really well, so you can share them with your comrades.”

“All the best. If you ever miss home, don’t cry.”

He stuffed the thick stack of letter paper into an envelope, stuffed full, and sealed it himself, affixing three stamps.

The window was open, and the newly bloomed osmanthus swayed in the breeze, a golden glow. A few petals drifted onto the envelope, carrying its sweet scent across continents.

It was the scent of homesickness.

The letter and Tian Ruan’s luggage flew to different countries on the same day, landing on separate continents, separated by vast oceans.

…

When Madam Du learned Tian Ruan was going to France for an exchange program, she moved the whole family back to their hometown, planning to accompany him for two years.

With his family by his side, Tian Ruan didn’t feel too lonely, even if he could only see Yu Jingmo once a week.

He thrived in the foreign land. The Du family was wealthy, ensuring he had personal escorts to and from school. Wherever Tian Ruan went, safety was the top priority.

The only incidents were having his phone snatched once while visiting the Louvre and accidentally making eye contact with a man on the subway who immediately propositioned him—naturally, the man ended up beaten by the bodyguards. Otherwise, life was peaceful.

Yu Jingmo traveled back and forth between the two countries, occasionally flying to other places, always busy but never missing a single scheduled meeting with Tian Ruan.

Even if flights were canceled or storms delayed him, Yu Jingmo would find another way to come, flying thousands of miles to see him.

Only later did Tian Ruan learn how dangerous flying in rain or snow could be. Horrified, he said, “Mr. Yu, if your flight gets delayed next time, don’t rush over. Your safety is the most important thing.”

Yu Jingmo replied matter-of-factly, “I have the golden touch. Nothing can take me down.”

But Tian Ruan was serious. “It’s better to be safe than sorry. Now that Yu Shang is gradually taking over, you’re not invincible.”

Yu Jingmo pulled the young man close and kissed his forehead. “Alright, I’ll listen to you.”

By the time Yu Shang had taken over half of the Yu family’s business, Yu Jingmo finally had time to relax and began accompanying Tian Ruan in France.

Now it was Yu Shang who was swamped. He called once: “Dad, when are you coming back?”

Yu Jingmo, relaxing in the garden with his sweetheart, enjoying afternoon tea and living the good life, replied calmly, “Next week.”

"Which day next week?" Yu Shang's voice was almost unrecognizable to Tian Ruan, now so deep and magnetic, completely shed its adolescent tone.

"Sunday."

"..." Yu Shang seemed to take a deep breath. "Dad, things are hectic back home."

"I know. You're handling it," Yu Jingmo said. "Your other dad and I are fine here. Don’t worry about us."

"I’m not worried about you."

"Good. Talk to you then." Yu Jingmo ended the call without hesitation. He never wavered—if he said Sunday, it was Sunday.

Tian Ruan tactfully remarked, "Mr. Yu, you’ve been here for a week already."

Yu Jingmo gazed at the garden’s bare but oddly charming scenery, sipping his black tea elegantly. "I’m taking two weeks off."

"Isn’t that too long?"

"Not at all." Yu Jingmo was confident. "Yu Shang can manage. It’s a good opportunity for him to gain experience."

Tian Ruan nodded. "Hope he doesn’t screw it up."

Yu Jingmo pinched the young man’s cheek. "Yu Shang’s filled out. Why are you still the same?"

Tian Ruan: "..."

This was a sore spot for him.

He had watched as some around him grew awkwardly, others steadily, while he remained exactly the same.

In three years, he’d only grown one centimeter taller. His face and downstairs hadn’t changed at all.

Tian Ruan had once hoped that growing up would bring certain… upgrades, but that dream was dashed. Every time Yu Jingmo fiddled with him, it lasted forever, like he was some kind of cute little toy.

"...It’s your fault," Tian Ruan grumbled, directing his frustration at Yu Jingmo. "You got to me too early. That’s why I’m underdeveloped."

Yu Jingmo didn’t argue. He knew the young man was just venting, and it wouldn’t cost him anything. "Sorry. But even if I could go back, I’d do the same."

Tian Ruan: "..."

Yu Jingmo sliced a bagel, spread it with blueberry and cream cheese, dusted it with powdered sugar, and garnished it with a tiny yellow flower before presenting it to Tian Ruan. "Peace offering."

Tian Ruan turned his face away. "Not hungry."

"This bagel costs 30 euros. The tea is 100 euros. The tea set is around 3,000."

"Okay, fine." Tian Ruan obediently ate the bagel and drank the tea. He wasn’t one to waste food.

Days drifted by, lazy and ordinary. After Yu Jingmo returned to China, He Lansi and Du Henbie unexpectedly moved in.

Thus began Tian Ruan’s chaotic days.

He Lansi took up a role as an art consultant at Tian Ruan’s university. Just sitting there painting made him a total knockout.

A crowd of admirers swarmed this Eastern beauty, leaving Tian Ruan invisible in the crowd.

Tian Ruan tried to avoid He Lansi, but their paths kept crossing. He Lansi always sat beside him, shooting the breeze, joking around, and talking trash.

He Lansi: "That pretentious foreigner thinks he’s God’s gift. If he weren’t a professor, I’d knock his teeth in."

Tian Ruan: "...Why did you come here?"

He Lansi: "For fun."

Not long after, Tian Ruan understood He Lansi's intention. Back in their home country, though he was beautiful, people weren’t so bold as to approach him every day—folks there were more reserved. But abroad, especially in France, even a glance was taken as interest, so He Lansi was instantly surrounded by crowds.

Whenever Du Henbie came to check on him, smiling on the surface, he’d take He Lansi home and give him a thorough 'punishment'.

Tian Ruan didn’t understand their kind of fun. One day, when he went to Du Henbie for help with a problem, he heard the sounds from his room and took off running in fright.

He Lansi was roughed up so badly he couldn’t attend class and had to take leave. Since Tian Ruan was free, He Lansi needled him instead.

After messing with Tian Ruan, He Lansi moved on to pitting crickets, roosters, and dogs against each other, painting their heroic poses.

Tian Ruan: "..."

Tian Ruan: "Mom, look at him!"

Madam Du smiled gently. "Xiao He is so lively, just like you."

Tian Ruan thought, *In He Lansi’s eyes, I’m no different from those chickens, ducks, and crickets—how infuriating.*

When Yu Jingmo arrived, He Lansi turned his bickering toward him.

Yu Jingmo parried lightly: "You should go fight bulls instead."

He Lansi: "?"

Then, to capture the bull’s heroic stance in a painting, He Lansi actually went bullfighting—only to get rammed by the bull, breaking a rib and stuck in bed for days.

Those were the quietest days Tian Ruan had ever known. He felt at peace.

Before he knew it, his study abroad life was coming to an end. Tian Ruan wrote his final letter from abroad to Lu Qiuyan.

"The last time I wrote to you was also in autumn, when the osmanthus was in bloom. It’s been a while since we last spoke, but just knowing you’re doing well comforts me. I’m returning home, writing this letter from across the Atlantic—there’s no osmanthus here, only ginkgo leaves."

"I once wished for you to return in five years. I spent two years at Su University and two in France, but now I suddenly want to shorten that wish—to see you as soon as I’m back."

"It’s unlikely, but that’s alright. I just wanted to say it. I miss Su City’s red maples, its osmanthus, and that autumn where everything began and ended."

"I plan to return for grad school. I have a guaranteed spot, but I want to take the exam myself. Life’s path is long—might as well see where it leads. Like the many roads you’ve taken, none were right or wrong, just scenery along the way. You hold the kite strings—you choose whether to let a butterfly kite, an eagle kite, or just an ordinary one take flight."

"You envy others’ hearths and homes, while I envy your free-spirited flights. Lu Qiuyan, there’s also a light waiting for you here."

Tian Ruan slid a ginkgo leaf into the letter and let it fly across the Atlantic to the other side of the world.