Chapter 85

Chapter 85

They went to a hotpot restaurant near the commercial district that night. The place was packed. The original shop used to be near their medical university, but it had since opened three branches.

They only waited a short while before getting a table and had just sat down to order.

Qi Yuanhan still remembered that "No. 3" didn’t eat offal. "Go easy on the duck intestine, duck blood, and pig brain—those aren’t your thing, right, No. 3?"

His concern seemed even more attentive than Gu Jinglan’s.

Of course, in Qi Yuanhan’s eyes, Gu Jinglan and Qi Yanyu were just having a fight. The atmosphere between them always felt a little off.

Qi Yanyu didn’t deny it. He wanted water now but didn’t know where to get it. Back at Dorm 413, they usually drank beverages.

"Where’s the water? Is it a self-serve station here?" This Sichuan hotpot place looked like a no-frills spot to Qi Yanyu, though it looked clean.

It was Qi Yanyu’s first time eating here, so not knowing about the self-serve water station was perfectly normal.

Huang Shaoze helpfully answered, "It’s over by the condiment station. Oh, and you should go get your dipping sauce too."

Qi Yuanhan wasn’t about to get up and guide "the Prince."

Qi Yanyu just saw Huang Shaoze point in a direction and was about to get up to fetch a cup of water. Huang Shaoze noticed no one from 413 was leading the way, so he prepared to stand.

But Gu Jinglan had already gotten up, holding an oil-dipping dish, and casually took Qi Yanyu along.

Qi Yanyu kept his gaze lowered. Gu Jinglan led him to get water, and after a brief silence beside him, Qi Yanyu finally said, "You’re my only boyfriend."

Just then, a server passed by carrying a hotpot, and Gu Jinglan tugged him closer.

Gu Jinglan noticed he still hadn’t poured water and was just looking at him while speaking.

"Not getting water?" Gu Jinglan asked.

Qi Yanyu stared at him again, his eyes barren. "Can you just talk to me?"

With water in hand, they reached the condiment station. Gu Jinglan remembered Qi Yanyu’s preferences. But he didn’t mix it for him.

"Do it for me," Qi Yanyu said, his voice rough.

Had he been crying? It wasn’t clear.

Gu Jinglan mixed it anyway. "Garlic?"

"No," Qi Yanyu replied hoarsely.

"Cilantro?"

"A little." Qi Yanyu swiped at his eyes with a curled finger. Gu Jinglan thought he was crying and immediately turned to look, only to see Qi Yanyu’s face remained calm, his eyes still dry.

"Can you drink the buckwheat tea here?" Gu Jinglan’s tension eased as he asked in a casual, roommate-like tone.

Qi Yanyu had assumed it was plain water and took a sip. The taste didn’t sit right with him.

Seeing this, Gu Jinglan asked, "How about milk tea instead?"

Qi Yanyu rasped, "Yes."

They returned to the table with their sauces. When the others asked about drinks, they headed out to buy milk tea.

Qi Yuanhan glanced at Qi Yanyu and smiled, "Which milk tea shop are you getting it from?"

"Bawang Chaji," Gu Jinglan answered without hesitation. Of course, they were going to get Qi Yanyu’s usual favorite—Bawang Chaji (a popular milk tea chain).

Qi Yuanhan wondered—did Gu Jinglan even like milk tea before? Probably not. He just said, "Whatever's fine." Huang Shaoze also said any drink would do.

They went to get milk tea.

It was a bit cold outside the hot pot restaurant. Gu Jinglan glanced to see if Qi Yanyu was dressed warmly. They needed to cross the street.

There weren’t many people around, so they waited by the curb for the green light.

As they stepped onto the crosswalk, neon lights glowed like snowflakes, but the person beside him wore a gloomy expression. Qi Yanyu murmured, "You still mad at me?"

Gu Jinglan picked up his pace slightly—it was normal when crossing on a red light—but the other walked slower.

He asked if he was still angry. Truthfully, he wasn't as angry anymore.

"I'm not what you think—sneaking off to meet someone else," Qi Yanyu’s voice was hesitant, unlike his usual self.

After ordering, while waiting for the drinks, Qi Yanyu kept staring at the ground.

When someone came to join the line, Gu Jinglan stepped aside and tugged Qi Yanyu closer.

Unexpectedly, the person approached Gu Jinglan: "Can I add your WeChat?"

Qi Yanyu just watched as Gu Jinglan was flirted with.

Before them stood two stylish college girls in revealing outfits and another pretty girl who looked like Xia Yiyi.

"I have a boyfriend," Gu Jinglan replied curtly.

The two girls shot curious looks at Qi Yanyu, standing closest to Gu Jinglan, his face still clouded.

The girl who had approached looked puzzled. After they left, Gu Jinglan’s response should have given Qi Yanyu hope and confidence, but instead, he felt even more crushed. He shouldn’t have lied about having dinner with family:

"I didn’t mean to lie to you."

"Please don’t be mad."

Something fell—like scattered beads from a broken string.

His vision blurred, his heart aching.

He couldn’t bear the thought of breaking up over misunderstandings, even though Gu Jinglan hadn’t mentioned anything.

But he feared this would ruin their relationship.

"Please don’t be mad."

"Don’t ignore me…"

His voice cracked.

Since the shop was busy, people eyed their tension and couldn’t help staring.

It looked like a rich brat dumping his broke-but-hot boyfriend.

Gu Jinglan hardly ever saw him cry. "I’m not ignoring you," he said quickly—nothing like the cold stranger from anatomy class.

"You ignored me all afternoon."

He wasn’t as mad as he’d been earlier. How had things gotten to the point where Qi Yanyu was in tears? But the words caught in his throat—saying anything now might make it seem like he was letting Qi Yanyu off the hook for lying, like he had no standards at all.

Qi Yanyu’s tears streamed down fast. “I didn’t want you to misunderstand… that’s why I said I went out with my family…” His voice came out shaky.

Gu Jinglan took his hand, trying to pull him out of the crying spiral. “Did you even eat lunch?”

Qi Yanyu gave a small nod. The moment he did, more tears rolled down like pearls. Gu Jinglan handed him the milk tea after inserting the straw.

Between sobs, Qi Yanyu choked out, “You’re the only boyfriend I have. I don’t know what made you think I was cheating… but I’m not. I’m not cheating…”

Gu Jinglan pulled him aside by the road. Looking at him, Qi Yanyu’s eyes were red—like he’d been biting back words all through anatomy class, holding them in while they waited for the bus and their table earlier.

Gu Jinglan wiped away his tears, held his hand, and cupped his face. “Stop crying. I was wrong.”

Qi Yanyu had a face made for first loves—clean, delicate, effortlessly pretty. The picture-perfect straight-A student. Features soft and sharp all at once, eyes dark and clear.

His smile could light up a room. Even when upset, there was something vivid about him.

Gu Jinglan had seen him pale and still during a heart attack too.

When he won games, he’d melt into the couch, grinning like an idiot.

He was camera-shy when they went out, but still got hyped up and excited.

In fights, he turned ice-cold.

But it was rare to see him this heartbroken, crying like this.

It hit Gu Jinglan then—how gone he was for this guy. He brushed a kiss to his cheek, but Qi Yanyu’s hiccuping protests kept coming.

“There’s really nothing between us. I’m not the kind of person who keeps a side piece at school and another outside…”

“Don’t think of me like that,” Qi Yanyu whispered, remembering what Gu Jinglan had told him before—that he didn’t want to share a boyfriend with anyone. “Yesterday was just a friend’s gathering. Everyone else was there too.”

Gu Jinglan listened, his voice low. “Stop crying.”

They walked back with the milk tea, and Qi Yuanhan saw the life creeping back into Qi Yanyu’s cheeks.

Gu Jinglan seemed lighter now. Earlier that afternoon, he’d been frostier than a snowman. Qi Yuanhan had to crack jokes just to get a few words out of him.

Now, seeing the food already served but untouched, Gu Jinglan asked, “Still waiting?”

Qi Yuanhan smirked, playing along. “This is No. 3’s first family dinner, right? Shouldn’t we wait for him?”

During hotpot, Qi Yanyu realized Gu Jinglan had circled all his usual picks on the menu. Most of what arrived was exactly what he liked.

So maybe Gu Jinglan had just been messing with him a little. But then again, he’d probably been pissed for real.

Gu Jinglan dished out portions for the table, giving Qi Yanyu the biggest share.

Qi Yanyu, still sniffling, just shoveled food, avoiding eye contact.

Damn, that burned.

He hadn't expected it to be *this* spicy. The longer he ate, the hotter it got.

Gu Jinglan noticed he was struggling with the heat and told him, "Try dipping it in the oil—it cuts the spice."

Qi Yanyu gave it a shot, but it still burned. His eyes landed on Huang Shaoze’s cold beer, and wanting a sip to cool his mouth, he turned and said, "Can I get some of that—"

But Gu Jinglan was already up to get it for him.

Huang Shaoze hadn’t even caught what Qi Yanyu was asking for when Gu Jinglan grabbed the beer and started pouring into Qi Yanyu’s glass. “I’ll grab you a Coke,” he said.

“The beer’s good,” Qi Yanyu replied.

Seeing them relax around each other, Qi Yuanhan felt more at ease to tease. “What was your deal this afternoon? Not a single word from you. I thought someone from 413 got to you.”

Qi Yanyu instinctively wanted to dodge with some half-baked excuse, but hesitated—what if lying made him seem dishonest in Gu Jinglan’s eyes?

So, he stumbled over his words before speaking.

"Probably just hungry from lunch," Gu Jinglan offered instead, giving him an out.

"You two had lunch together?" Qi Yuanhan laughed playfully. "Wait, you guys *ate* together?"

Qi Yanyu hesitated, then nodded.

His quiet nod was kinda cute, and as Gu Jinglan recalled how cold he’d been earlier—making him cry—he regretted acting that way. He should’ve just talked it out.

Instead of answering Qi Yuanhan, he focused on piling food onto Qi Yanyu’s plate and refilling his drink. Even when he asked, “Water, or something else?” they’d already bought milk tea.

Still, he kept stealing glances at Qi Yanyu, afraid he might cry or feel upset.

His hand was already holding Qi Yanyu’s under the table.