Chapter 60

Chapter 60

On the eve of the winter break’s end, Zhang Chun visited Yi Jiahe.

The moment he stepped inside, he saw Yi Jiahe on the sofa, leaning back against a soft cushion, an opened pack of cigarettes on the coffee table before him.

Zhang Chun’s eye twitched. Closing the door, he said, "Why are you smoking at home? Your parents will beat you if they find out."

Yi Jiahe crossed his legs, exuding a lazy air, his usual aloofness now tinged with dejection.

"They’re not home, so how would they know?" he retorted. "Besides, I’m an adult. Sit down, what brings you here?"

Zhang Chun fell silent for two minutes, finding it difficult to speak. The room was thick with quiet and a hint of awkwardness.

It had been a long time since he last spoke to Yi Jiahe.

Back when he and Cheng Mi had stumbled upon Yi Jiahe and You Nan at school, he’d been shocked, unable to accept that his good friend would be involved with someone he disliked.

After that, he’d avoided Yi Jiahe. Nearly two months had passed before he finally sorted out his own feelings and came to see him.

"What’s going on between you and You Nan?" Zhang Chun asked, trying to keep his tone calm, hoping to appear composed.

Yi Jiahe’s eyelashes fluttered slightly. "Nothing. We just know each other."

Zhang Chun didn’t believe him. "Just know each other? And you were holding him?"

Both he and Cheng Mi were well aware of Yi Jiahe’s germaphobic tendencies.

Yi Jiahe always maintained a certain social distance around them, disliking physical contact.

When had they ever seen Yi Jiahe initiate physical contact with anyone else?

His special treatment of You Nan was blatant and unprecedented.

Yi Jiahe didn’t answer his question. "What do you want to say?"

Zhang Chun’s voice lowered. He bowed his head and rubbed his forehead a couple of times. "I think I’ve fallen for Jiang Songen."

He confided in his friend, hoping for some feedback, but even after straining to hear, he heard nothing from Yi Jiahe.

Zhang Chun looked up and saw no surprise on Yi Jiahe’s face—only calmness.

Zhang Chun was stunned. "You knew about my feelings for Jiang Songen."

His tone was certain.

Yi Jiahe took a cigarette from the pack and lit it.

The curtains in the room were half-drawn, and the sky outside was gloomy. The faint light coming through the window caressed the boy’s well-defined profile, smoke curling from his fingertips. In his handsome, refined features, the air of world-weariness grew heavier.

The model student everyone knew had another, hidden side.

Yi Jiahe suddenly laughed. "Anyone could see it. Only you were in the dark."

"I was wondering if you’d sort out your feelings before graduation."

Zhang Chun’s face flushed.

He thought of all the embarrassing things he’d done, unconsciously following his instincts to attract Jiang Songen, and he couldn’t stand it.

How could he have strutted around like a peacock in a mating display, flaunting himself in front of him?

He had even stopped Jiang Songen several times, spouting nonsense.

At this thought, Zhang Chun’s face paled. He was afraid Jiang Songen would hate him because of it.

Zhang Chun clenched his hand, then suddenly locked eyes with Yi Jiahe on the sofa. "Do you like Jiang Songen or You Nan? What exactly is the relationship between you and You Nan?"

Zhang Chun hadn’t been able to settle his mind all winter break. During the New Year, he’d eaten too many rich foods, dreamed of Jiang Songen several times at night, and woken up with stained underwear in the morning.

Even if he didn’t understand love, he now knew his own forbidden feelings for Jiang Songen.

Zhang Chun wasn’t stupid. Once he sorted out his emotions, it was like his eyes had suddenly cleared, and he could see everything.

He remembered the familiar smile on You Nan’s face that day and the satisfied look on Yi Jiahe’s.

A theory had been forming in Zhang Chun’s mind.

Yi Jiahe also liked Jiang Songen.

Even Cheng Mi did.

That day, Cheng Mi’s reaction upon seeing You Nan had been intense—it didn't seem like shock, but more like the humiliated frustration of discovering that his usual close friend and he liked the same person.

Yi Jiahe tapped the cigarette, and the burnt remnants crumbled slightly. "I like You Nan."

Yi Jiahe’s definite answer took Zhang Chun by surprise.

But soon, he heard him add, "Before that, I liked Jiang Songen."

"You Nan was originally just bait I kept by my side to lure Jiang Songen. Jiang Songen paid quite a bit of attention to him, and their personalities rubbed off on each other. Sometimes, he has traces of Jiang Songen."

Yi Jiahe spoke frankly, but Zhang Chun’s world was shaking.

"I just didn’t expect that, after spending so much time together, I’d fallen for You Nan."

Yi Jiahe lowered his eyes, his expression hard to read through the smoke.

It took Zhang Chun a while to find his words again. "I see."

They fell into silence.

Zhang Chun had come today with a purpose.

He wanted to ask Yi Jiahe to hand someone over.

Zhang Chun liked Jiang Songen, but he felt he had already done many things Jiang Songen disliked and didn’t want to make him hate him.

He wanted to find someone to practice with.

He had seen the results of You Nan being shaped by Yi Jiahe.

He thought he might as well try it himself.

But now, Zhang Chun couldn’t muster the courage to ask.

He had struggled with this decision for many days.

His mind kept dwelling on what to do if Jiang Songen found out about him looking for a replacement, but he never considered the possibility that Yi Jiahe might refuse.

Yi Jiahe was as cold and aloof as his appearance suggested.

You Nan was just a flavoring—if a brother wanted him, Yi Jiahe wouldn’t think twice about giving him up.

But now, Zhang Chun realized he was wrong.

He had misjudged how people’s emotions could change.

It never crossed his mind that Yi Jiahe could possibly develop feelings for You Nan.

Feeling uneasy, Zhang Chun didn’t stay long before making excuses and leaving, fleeing in a near-panic.

The gaze Yi Jiahe fixed on his back made it impossible for him to turn around and face him calmly.

He felt as if all his inner thoughts had been seen through, torn open, and laid out in the open.

It made him flustered, even making him paranoid.

Once inside his family’s car, Zhang Chun broke out in a cold sweat across his forehead.

He pinched the webbing between his thumb and index finger.

In the rearview mirror, the Yi family home faded farther and farther into the distance, gradually disappearing from sight.

Had Yi Jiahe already guessed that he wanted to approach You Nan, and that’s why he spoke so directly?

But no one would ever give him the answer to that question.

.

The winter break passed quickly—visiting relatives, doing homework, scrolling through his phone, going on trips—it was over in the blink of an eye.

You Nan slung his backpack over his shoulder again and resumed biking to take his younger brother to and from school.

At the start of the new semester, the school held an exam.

The test consisted of randomly selected questions from the homework assignments they had completed over the winter break.

You Nan scored perfect marks in several subjects.

Only his essay was docked a few points as usual.

The class rankings were posted soon after, and this time You Nan placed within the top thirty—a remarkably high ranking.

The teacher praised You Nan in front of the whole class.

“When You Nan first transferred to our class, his grades were at the bottom of the grade. By the end of last semester, he had risen to the middle-to-upper tier. Now, in this new semester exam, he’s cracked the top thirty!”

“Don’t say these are questions you’ve done before—if you’ve done them, why couldn’t you get full marks?”

You Nan sat quietly, head bowed, studying the class notes Jiang Songen had given him.

His foundation from sophomore and junior years was weak, but Jiang Songen had spent the winter break reviewing everything with him again. You Nan had committed it to memory; all he needed now was plenty of practice.

Before, it was often Yi Jiahe who gave him custom practice problems.

But Yi Jiahe wasn’t around during the break, and You Nan didn’t want to see him, so the person giving him exercises changed.

Now, Jiang Songen was around You Nan the most.

The two had grown closer.

After class, Jiang Songen came to find You Nan. A crowd in Class 2 watched, their eyes practically popping out.

Some nosy person secretly ran to Class 1 to find Zhang Chun.

Zhang Chun was agitated and unsettled.

During the exam, he had been staring at Jiang Songen’s back the whole time, unable to focus on the questions. He scored his worst ever, completely humiliated. He crumpled up his test paper and stuffed it away somewhere, not even caring where.

Now, hearing someone mention Jiang Songen and You Nan’s names to him was like having his sore spot stepped on. He shot them a fierce glare.

“If he wants to go, let him go. Why are you telling me? His legs are his own—he can go wherever he wants. What’s it to you? You’re always stirring up drama, reporting every little thing. Are you some kind of gossip monger?”

Zhang Chun’s sharp words drew snickers from others around him.

The student who had slipped over to tattle, hoping to see some excitement, turned red with embarrassment, his intentions exposed.

“Get out of here. Don’t embarrass yourself!”

Zhang Chun snapped.

The student hurried away, afraid that if he lingered, the furious, explosive Zhang Chun might grab him and throw punches.

In the final semester of senior year, the Class 2 students noticed that You Nan no longer spoke to their class president.

And the vibe around Yi Jiahe was… off.

A cloud of gloom seemed to hang over him, unshakable.

Meanwhile, Jiang Songen from Class 1 often came over and took on the role Yi Jiahe used to play with You Nan, appearing in their classroom every noon to help You Nan with schoolwork.

No one in Class 2 knew what was going on.

But they didn’t particularly care.

As long as Yi Jiahe wasn’t cold to them, it was fine.

But the student behind You Nan didn’t see it that way.

Their class had no seatmates; each person was separated by aisles.

The closest were the desks in front and behind.

The front desk couldn’t see what the back desk was doing, but the back desk could clearly see the front.

Yi Jiahe was the physics and chemistry class representative, responsible for collecting homework every day.

Whenever he approached You Nan’s desk, the student behind him could see his front desk neighbor stand up obviously and walk toward the back door.

Only when Yi Jiahe had left the area and wasn't returning would You Nan return from outside the classroom.

Once or twice might be a coincidence, but after many times, it was obviously intentional.

You Nan was probably waiting by the doorway, waiting for Yi Jiahe to finish collecting the homework and leave.

You Nan simply didn’t want any interaction with Yi Jiahe.

That little act of his was easy to see through.

The classmate behind him noticed that Yi Jiahe had also found out.

After a few experiences, Yi Jiahe stopped rushing off after collecting the homework.

The handsome, distinguished boy would either sit in You Nan's chair chatting with others, casually touching You Nan's desk, You Nan's pens and rulers, or stand in the aisle leaning against You Nan's desk while talking to people.

It was as if the only place in the entire classroom where he could rest was around You Nan's desk.

And every time You Nan returned after Yi Jiahe left, he'd always use the alcohol wipes Jiang Songen bought for him to clean the things Yi Jiahe had touched.

Watching the undercurrents among the three of them, the classmate behind him grew uneasy, as if noticing a little more would lead to some bad outcome.

The unspoken dynamic between Yi Jiahe and You Nan was obvious to anyone with eyes.

Cheng Mi caught You Nan after class and directly invited him to eat on the cafeteria's upper floor.

You Nan didn't know him well and politely declined.

He was afraid Cheng Mi might ask him to do something he couldn't refuse, just like when he faced Yi Jiahe.

Cheng Mi wasn't angry about the rejection. "My uncle has seen your recent grades and thinks you've improved a lot. He asked me to keep an eye out for you at school. He's looking forward to handing you the scholarship personally after the college entrance exam."

You Nan's eyes widened in surprise.

He hadn't expected that the teacher who had sponsored him would be Cheng Mi's uncle.

Cheng Mi smiled at him, and You Nan looked at him.

The delicate, handsome features of the beautiful youth did bear some resemblance to the teacher in his memory.

You Nan pursed his lips and said, "Maybe tomorrow? I've already made plans with someone today."

Cheng Mi's expression darkened immediately, the change so rapid it was startling.

Cheng Mi walked up to You Nan, who then realized the other was even taller than him.

Cheng Mi had a gentle appearance, often accompanied by Yi Jiahe and Zhang Chun, both tall, long-legged boys with toned physiques, which made him seem almost frail.

But when he grabbed someone, the other person couldn't pull away from his grip.

Cheng Mi resented You Nan; he detested how You Nan was taking up all of Jiang Songen's attention and focus.

Moreover, now You Nan was bragging in front of him that Jiang Songen was going to eat with him.

Did You Nan have a death wish?

Cheng Mi's gaze turned sharp as he scrutinized You Nan.

He showed no mercy, gripping You Nan's wrist so hard that You Nan yelped in pain, "Ah!"

"What do you think you're doing?"

You Nan panicked, demanding loudly of Cheng Mi, hoping someone would step in to stop it.

But when he looked around for help among the nearby students, no one dared to meet his eyes.

They all hurried away, leaving the area for Cheng Mi to settle his private business.

Cheng Mi grabbed You Nan's hand and pulled him close.

His lips neared You Nan's ear, his voice light and sweet—if someone who didn't know them saw, they might think they were exchanging sweet nothings.

"Today at noon, cafeteria fourth floor. I'll be waiting for you."

What should have been a simple meal invitation sounded more like a "don't leave after school, let's fight" kind of confrontation.

Cheng Mi released You Nan's hand, and You Nan looked down at his wrist, now clearly reddened.

Even a slight movement brought a faint pain.

You Nan's eyes watered; he raised his unhurt left hand to cover his eyes, hiding his expression.

Cheng Mi might appear gentle on the surface, but his influence at school was greater than Yi Jiahe's and Zhang Chun's.

The Cheng family had total say at this school; no one dared to say "no" to Cheng Mi.

If Cheng Mi didn't want something that happened at school to be revealed, no one would dare gossip about it.

When You Nan returned, Yi Jiahe was sitting in the classroom writing something. Amid the mixed smells in the room, he immediately noticed the familiar scent of laundry detergent.

The boy's posture didn't change, but the corner of his eye involuntarily glanced over.

And with that look, Yi Jiahe saw something was wrong.

You Nan's eyes and wrist were red. It was clear he had been bullied.

Yi Jiahe squeezed too hard for a moment—with a "snap," the pen in his hand snapped.

You Nan used his phone under the desk to message Jiang Songen.

You Nan: "I don't really want to eat at the cafeteria today. Not very hungry. Want to sleep in the classroom."

After sending it, he waited for Jiang Songen's reply.

Jiang Songen might not have seen the message. You Nan waited a while, and when there was no response, he bit his lip and tucked his phone away.

The classroom of Class One was completely silent now; no one dared to make a sound.

Half a month into the semester, Zhang Chun and Jiang Songen hadn't been butting heads as much as before. Combined with what Zhang Chun said to others last time, the students in Class One thought they had reached a truce.

Little did they know it wasn't a truce but the calm before the storm.

Zhang Chun, frustrated that he had finally fallen for someone but had unknowingly made many mistakes, felt stifled and irritable, like a ticking time bomb ready to explode at the slightest touch.

After school started, Zhang Chun's head wasn't in his studies.

He sat in the back every day, keeping his eyes locked on Jiang Songen.

After half a month of this, he had reached his breaking point.

Zhang Chun wasn't one to avoid confrontation; he acted on impulse.

Young and impulsive, he never thought about consequences.

He couldn't resist just now and went to call Jiang Songen to go out with him.

Jiang Songen didn’t want to go out with him, so Zhang Chun tsked a few times, his mouth reflexively wanting to say something nasty.

He said, "Whenever You Nan from the next class calls you, you go out without question. But when I call you, you refuse. You act like a little puppy around him, always at his beck and call."

Then Jiang Songen punched Zhang Chun.

That punch knocked Zhang Chun senseless. His eyes turned red, his hands moved faster than his brain, and with his pride wounded, he threw a punch right back.

Everyone in Class One immediately scattered, afraid of getting dragged into their fight.

"Jiang Songen!"

An alarmed shout came from outside the window. You Nan had come looking for someone and unexpectedly stumbled upon this scene. He immediately shouted, "Zhang Chun! Stop it!"

You Nan rushed into the classroom of Class One.

The moment Jiang Songen saw him, he shoved Zhang Chun hard away, keeping a safe distance.

"You Nan!"

You Nan stood in front of Jiang Songen, spread his wings like a mother hen protecting her chicks. "Zhang Chun, that's too far! How could you bully Jiang Songen?"

You Nan didn’t even need to ask anyone what had happened—he knew it must have been Zhang Chun who started the provocation again.

Jiang Songen had a good temperament and was gentle with people. Someone like him would never pick a fight!

You Nan had seen the storyline—he’d lost count of the times Zhang Chun had picked fights just to get Jiang Songen’s attention.

Jiang Songen, on the other hand, had never initiated any of it.

It went without saying what a hothead Zhang Chun was.

You Nan ached for what Jiang Songen had to endure.

Jiang Songen looked down at the person standing in front of him.

You Nan was shorter than him, with a slender neck and thin wrists that looked like they could snap with the slightest pressure.

So delicate.

And it seemed the only thing he could do was protect him—not have You Nan protecting him instead.

Jiang Songen’s gaze suddenly locked onto You Nan’s swollen wrist.

While You Nan was facing off with Zhang Chun, his hand was gently lifted.

Jiang Songen pushed up You Nan’s sleeve, revealing the red mark on his wrist.

The boy’s voice betrayed no hint of the emotions he was suppressing. "Who did this?"

You Nan glanced over, his lips moving slightly as he softly uttered a name.

Jiang Songen heard it, and his eye twitched.

Struggling to control his rage, afraid that You Nan would see his furious expression and be scared, the veins on the back of his hand bulged from the strain.

Zhang Chun couldn’t stand seeing the two of them so close. He took a step forward, but when Jiang Songen lifted his head and shot him a sharp, burning look, Zhang Chun’s steps suddenly froze mid-step.

He had never seen Jiang Songen like this before.

Jiang Songen took You Nan straight to the infirmary, and the two of them openly skipped afternoon self-study.

The nurse handed You Nan a bottle of medicated oil that was already opened and mostly used. "It’s swollen. Rub it in hard—it might hurt a bit, just bear it."

Just as You Nan was about to do it himself, Jiang Songen took the medicated oil from his hand.

"I’ll do it. You're busy."

The nurse recognized Jiang Songen’s face.

Seeing that the two were close, he agreed and went out to stretch.

Honestly, boys just have sensitive skin. The injury looked worse than it actually was—it would be better by tomorrow.

After the nurse left, only You Nan and Jiang Songen remained in the infirmary.

Jiang Songen dabbed a little medicated oil onto his hand, then held You Nan’s hand and began applying it.

You Nan hissed—it hurt badly.

Not just the pain from the surface injury, but something deeper, bone-deep.

"Did my bone get dislocated?"

The nurse, hearing You Nan’s voice, turned around and came back in. "Let me take a look."

Earlier, with Jiang Songen blocking the way, he’d only had time to glance and hadn’t touched it.

The nurse examined it and set You Nan’s bone.

You Nan was in so much pain that tears rolled down his cheeks.

Jiang Songen stood nearby, his gaze tense. The intensity put pressure on the nurse.

He brought out bandages and ointment, gave Jiang Songen some instructions, and after double-checking that everything was fine, left the room to them again.

Jiang Songen took care of You Nan. He applied the medicated oil, put on the ointment, and wrapped it in bandages to keep the bone stable. Then, he sat statue-still by the bed.

His eyes were downcast, consumed by self-blame.

He knew You Nan was being bullied because of him.

If You Nan weren’t close to him, he wouldn’t be caught up in this.

"You Nan," Jiang Songen spoke after a moment of silence, "I’m sorry."

You Nan blinked in surprise. "What are you apologizing for?"

Jiang Songen explained, "I don't get along with them. Since you’re always with me, they bully you."

As he spoke, thinking about the possibility of You Nan and him going separate ways in the future, his heart felt like it was being ripped apart, filled with pain and sorrow.

Suddenly, You Nan was drawn into Jiang Songen’s arms, enveloped in his scent.

You Nan’s heart hammered. He felt like this shouldn’t be happening, but he couldn’t pinpoint the source of this resistance.

"It’s not your fault," You Nan said, with his good hand to gently rubbed Jiang Songen’s back. "It’s theirs."

"If Li Qiutian hadn't called in sick today, he would definitely have stood by your side too. It's their fault, not yours."

You Nan patted Jiang Songen's shoulder.

The tall, long-legged boy bent down, contorting himself into an awkward position to bury himself in You Nan's embrace.

Jiang Songen closed his eyes, allowing himself to be enveloped by the faint laundry detergent scent and You Nan's comforting presence.

The two leaned against each other, leaning on each other for support.