Chapter 28 A-28

Chapter 28 A-28

Given the other party's tact, Yun Xiu reluctantly accepted Jiang Tinghan's apology.

Half an hour later, Yun He texted that he'd arrived at the school gate.

Yun Xiu asked him to wait ten minutes, saying he was heading down. After making a slight concession, he reminded Jiang Tinghan, "Don’t forget what you promised me."

Only after receiving an affirmative answer did he leave.

Yun He, having pulled overtime for several days, finally remembered his younger brother at home was waiting for him. The lanky youth, carrying the warmth of midsummer sunlight, slipped into the car, bringing with him the faint, fresh scent of sun-dried herbal laundry detergent.

Since Yun He was looking from below upward, the swollen, reddened lips were the last thing he noticed.

Yun He’s eyes narrowed, his brows furrowing. "Did you just eat something spicy?"

Facing his older brother’s scrutinizing gaze, Yun Xiu felt his scalp prickle, not understanding the sudden seriousness. "No, why?"

Yun He studied him intently and after a moment said, "It’s nothing."

Yun Xiu: "..."

Brother, your expression really doesn’t look like it’s nothing.

Yun He did have something on his mind.

The kid might be seeing someone on the sly.

That was his judgment.

Because the usually pale pink lips now looked as if tinted with rosehip—vividly red. Not only that, the beautifully shaped lips seemed to have been kissed repeatedly, slightly swollen and glistening with moisture, as if tender to the touch. Only a long kissing session could have left them in such a state.

This should be a good thing. After all, their marriage was practically a sham, more of a formality—a method he had used to put Yun Xiu at ease.

If Yun Xiu could find someone with whom he could truly open his heart and speak of love, he should be happy for his younger brother and graciously offer a divorce.

His hand, resting on his thigh, involuntarily clenched. Whether it was his subconscious or his inability to openly ask who the other person was, it all spoke to the fact that he wasn’t as magnanimous or selfless as he had imagined.

Their marriage had been agreed upon by their parents, known to other family members, and could be uncovered by those with ill intentions. A rash divorce could shake Yun Corporation’s stock. Moreover, it was still unknown who Yun Xiu liked, whether that person was reliable, or whether they would accept that Yun Xiu had been married before.

As an older brother, he needed to properly screen them for his younger brother.

Even now, Yun He was unwilling to face what he really felt.

Yun Xiu’s backpack accidentally fell under the seat. As he bent down to pick it up, he brushed it off a couple of times.

The brilliant sunlight poured in through the car window, making the rose-red kiss mark on his porcelain-skinned, delicate nape particularly striking—just like the mark he had seen that night.

The color and location were exactly the same.

As if blatantly proclaiming—

No matter who you are or what your relationship with him is, now, he is mine.

Suddenly, an unreasonable fury surged in Yun He’s heart.

Yun Xiu had long noticed the covert glances directed at him.

At first, it was fine, but then that gaze gradually tinged with an irritation he couldn't figure out.

Yun Xiu: "…?"

Big brother's moods are as fathomless as the sea.

He never made things difficult for himself. Since his older brother refused to say, he would simply act as if he didn’t know.

Meanwhile, Cheng Zhu arrived at the National Youth Team’s training base.

As soon as his teammate saw him, he came over and gave him a shoulder bump, laughing heartily, "You really went back to school to be a good student for a week! I thought you wouldn’t last and would come back halfway through!"

Cheng Zhu laughed and scolded, "Get lost! You’re the one who can’t stick it out!"

The reason he had returned to the dorm was that midterms were approaching, and he needed to hit the books last-minute.

His teammate tossed the ball to him, wearing a teasing, needling look. "The coach has been waiting for you for a long time. He said he wants to check if your form has slipped. If it has, he’s going to put you on extra drills."

"Extra training it is, then." Cheng Zhu caught the ball. "I just haven’t been training with the team, but I haven’t forgotten my regular training at school."

After trading a few more barbs, his teammate asked with a sly, gossip-hungry look, "I heard your school has lots of good-looking guys and girls, all high-achievers. Are you really not planning to date anyone these two years?"

He was three years older than Cheng Zhu and had a stable girlfriend. Seeing his friend, who had been an adult for so long, still single despite his excellent conditions, he couldn’t help but turn into a mother hen, getting on his case.

He said earnestly, "You’re still young. Don’t think it doesn’t matter whether you have someone or not. If you really like someone, make your move! It’s easier in university. Once you graduate, your circle shrinks, and it becomes much harder to find someone outstanding!"

Cheng Zhu scoffed at this. He wasn’t some helpless baby who needed constant companionship.

But his teammate’s words brought to mind a hazy image—someone with good looks, skilled at using his assets to charm people. If that were all, he wouldn’t have paid them any mind.

Yun Xiu thought of himself as a mediocre artist with low actual painting skills, but that was only his own opinion.

In every exam or assignment, Yun Xiu’s scores always outscored the second-place student by a mile. His teacher had once asked if he wanted to pursue grad school, but after the original refusal, the teacher stopped pressing him. Meanwhile, his classmates, in awe of the Study God’s rep, dared not approach him.

This created the illusion that his professional skills had never attracted anyone’s attention.

"...Hey, I’m talking to you. What are you so lost in thought about?"

His teammate asked, rather puzzled.

Cheng Zhu jerked back to the present. Anyone could see his mind was elsewhere. "Nothing."

His teammate suddenly grinned mischievously. "Do you really have someone you like? Even if you don’t, you’re definitely interested in them. I’m telling you, pursue them early and get married early, so you don’t regret it later if someone else snatches them away!"

"You’re especially chatty today." As if that word had touched a sensitive nerve, Cheng Zhu’s smiling face suddenly darkened, as if a storm was brewing. "I don’t have anyone I like, and I don’t want to get married."

Without waiting for his teammate to respond, he strode into the training hall with the ball, leaving his teammate standing there in confusion.

Not interested…? But from the look on Cheng Zhu’s face, it clearly seemed like he was green with envy.

If he wasn’t interested, why would he be jealous?

*

Every time Yun Xiu’s impression of Cheng Zhu worsened, the latter would do something to improve it.

For example, this time, although Cheng Zhu had discovered their intimate moment, he hadn’t spread the word, which surprised Yun Xiu.

It did serve as a reminder: if he was going to help his roommate alleviate his condition in the dorm, he needed to make sure the other two roommates were truly gone and wouldn’t suddenly return.

Thus, half attending school and half staying in the dorm, two weeks passed in the blink of an eye. Yun Xiu’s request for Jiang Tinghan to look into something had also yielded some clues.

Jiang Tinghan found a time when both Fang Zicheng and Cheng Zhu were in class and handed the compiled materials to Yun Xiu.

"Both you and Yun Qian were born at A City Hospital, but it wasn't the hospital your family invested in. Back then, Yun Qian was negotiating business in south city—a much less developed area compared to the north. Mother Yun, whose due date was still two weeks away, decided to accompany him and stay there for a few days. It was during that time that she slipped and went into early labor."

"As for the intentional baby switching you mentioned, it's certainly possible. While I haven't found concrete evidence yet, I did manage to access the hospital's room records."

"Despite other rooms having available beds and Mother Yun having paid for a private room, the hospital still put the two mothers in the same room. Considering your mention of 'no available rooms,' I suspect someone was bribed to arrange this intentionally."

Setting aside the benefits of swapping the babies, the only person who profited from this incident was the one who accepted the bribe at the hospital. So, I had someone follow the trail, and they actually managed to track down that person.

The person in question was the director of the department at the time, now retired. Thinking Jiang's people were sent by the Yun family, he feared facing legal consequences in his old age, which could affect his grandchildren's future. Without much questioning, he spilled the beans.

It was indeed Zhao Limei who bribed the director, arranging to share a room with Mother Yun. While the other was resting, she switched the identity tags of the two babies.

Coincidentally, during that period, Mother Yun was suffering from postpartum depression. Yun Qian, busy with work and taking care of his wife, was overwhelmed, wishing he could be in two places at once. It wasn’t until they hired a postpartum doula that his burden lightened.

By then, however, the baby swap had already been carried out. No matter what happened afterward, no one would suspect the babies had been switched.

Yun Xiu had already anticipated this, so hearing Jiang Tinghan's words didn’t affect him much emotionally.

He asked Jiang Tinghan to anonymously send all the clues and evidence to Yun Qian. Whether his second brother wanted to investigate further was up to him.

He himself felt no maternal bond to Zhao Limei, but he couldn’t say the same for Yun Qian.

Jiang Tinghan replied, "I thought you’d want to investigate it yourself before sending it to him."

That way, he could show he had no ill intentions and earn Yun Qian’s trust. If anything happened in the future, Yun Qian would likely help him out of gratitude.

Yun Xiu shook his head. "It's too much trouble."

Helping the real son uncover his origins wasn’t part of his mission. He was only doing this because he felt guilty about his second brother bearing the blame unfairly and wanted to make it up to him.

Jiang Tinghan found him even more adorable and affectionately touched his earlobe.

Yun Xiu turned his head away, displeased. "Don’t touch me. I don’t have anything else to ask of you... Hey classmate, cut it out!"

If it weren’t for the fact that investigating the origins was such a distant and difficult task, he wouldn’t have agreed to such an excessive request last time.

Outside of therapy sessions, any touching or hugging would cost extra!

Jiang Tinghan chuckled, about to say something, when his ears perked up at the sound of intentionally heavy footsteps outside the door, as if warning whoever was inside that he was coming in.

Jiang Tinghan paused, the smile on his face vanishing instantly, replaced by his usual cold demeanor when interacting with others.

Cheng Zhu opened the door and came in. Seeing the two of them talking half a meter apart, his mind flashed to some unsavory images, and his frown could kill.

Yun Xiu rolled his eyes, saying nothing but speaking volumes.

The dorm atmosphere became tense, with no one speaking.

Cheng Zhu didn’t seem to care, simply grabbing some clean clothes and heading to the bathroom to shower.

Jiang Tinghan glanced at his phone. "My advisor wants to see me. I need to step out for a bit. I’ll have someone send the anonymous email to Yun Qian before tonight."

Yun Xiu nodded, saying, "No rush." After Jiang Tinghan left the dorm, Yun Xiu took out his drawing tablet, planning to work on something good.

Although he had shares from the Yun family, with large dividends deposited into his account every year, he couldn’t guarantee that the money would still be his if he were sent to Africa. Not sure whether "exile" was a noun or a verb, he decided to take on some commission work to save up. If he ended up having to live in Africa for a while, at least he’d have some money to fall back on.

He had already decided what to draw—there were plenty of inspirations around him. He could pick someone and add his own imagination, and the result would likely be decent.

Lately, he had been spending more time with Yun He, so he planned to draw him first.

In an era where clout is everything, he needed to build a brand for himself online. With a following, it would be easier to get commissions. After much thought, he decided to become someone online that he couldn’t be in real life.

He wanted to learn from the "Eight Fish King" and become a player.

Just as he finished the rough sketch, with the character starting to take shape, Cheng Zhu came out of the bathroom.

Perhaps feeling hot, he wasn’t wearing a shirt, only a pair of loose shorts, revealing his defined chest and eight-pack abs. A drop of water trailed down his Adonis belt, disappearing into his gray sweatpants.

"What are you looking at?"

Noticing Yun Xiu’s gaze, Cheng Zhu asked gruffly.

Having a boyfriend yet still checking out others—how shameless!

Or perhaps... Jiang Tinghan couldn’t satisfy him?

Cheng Zhu never hesitated to assume the worst about Jiang Tinghan, especially since the latter’s slender build was clearly no match for his own.

"If you weren’t looking at me, how would you know I was looking at you?"

Yun Xiu thought he was just starting trouble. He was thinking about the bathroom, looking at the bathroom—even if he wanted to admire a good physique, he wouldn’t bother with someone he didn’t get along with!

To be honest, Cheng Zhu hadn’t intended to argue, but Yun Xiu’s words were so irritating that they easily made him angry.

Yun Xiu raised an eyebrow, flashing a mischievous grin. "Besides, what’s wrong with me looking at you? Wearing so little on purpose—isn’t it meant to be seen?"

Cheng Zhu had only seen this kind of talk online, usually from punks disrespectfully teasing girls. But hearing it directed at himself, he didn’t know how to respond.

Yun Xiu, having resolved one matter and feeling in a good mood, couldn’t resist causing trouble. He felt mischievous.

He casually walked up to the tall man, stopping less than half a meter away—closer than the distance Cheng Zhu had seen between him and Jiang Tinghan earlier.

Yun Xiu’s body was only 176 cm tall, while Cheng Zhu stood at 196 cm. With a 20 cm height difference, Yun Xiu’s face was level with Cheng Zhu’s well-defined, muscular chest.

His light breath brushed against Cheng Zhu’s chest, like a feather lightly brushing his skin—tingling and suggestive.

Startled, Cheng Zhu took half a step back. "What are you doing?!"

Yun Xiu stepped closer, closing the distance again without saying a word, just staring at him.

Although Cheng Zhu often argued with Yun Xiu, he had to admit the other had good looks.

A small, oval face, a straight and elegant nose, pale pink lips—every feature was exquisite. Especially those clear, bright eyes, with their rounded corners that gave him an innocent, vulnerable look.

Even if he did something wrong, when he looked at someone with those eyes, they couldn’t bring themselves to yell at him.

Cheng Zhu’s back pressed against the cold wall, a stark contrast to his unexpectedly warm body.

Suddenly, Yun Xiu stood on his toes, leaning closer. Afraid of losing his balance, he grabbed hold of Cheng Zhu’s sturdy arms. Just as their noses were about to touch, he let out a soft laugh.

"Your face is so red."

"Your ears are red, and your neck is red too."

He leaned in even closer, their noses brushing. With less than ten centimeters between them, almost close enough to kiss, he asked, "What are you thinking?"

The scent of the same gender reached Cheng Zhu’s nose, and surprisingly, he didn’t dislike it. Instead, he subtly deepened his breath, drawing in that faint fragrance.

Faced with his roommate’s flirtatious words, Cheng Zhu’s face flushed deeply, the veins on his neck standing out. His gaze fixed somewhere, he stood frozen in place, as if eagerly anticipating the touch of soft lips.

Yun Xiu: "Have you ever heard a saying?"

Cheng Zhu grunted: "...Huh?"

"A boy’s blush says more than any love confession." Yun Xiu grinned like a mischievous child who had just pulled off a prank, ignoring his companion's embarrassment. "And you still claim you’re not in the closet? Do you like me but don’t dare admit it?"

Cheng Zhu’s face flushed completely red. Stripped of the careless facade he had worn when they first met, what remained was a surprisingly pure interior.

He hemmed and hawed for a long moment before finally managing to say, "...I don’t."

Yun Xiu quickly slipped away, sidestepping him toward the restroom, his tone light and cheerful. "Well, if you don’t, you don’t~"

Seeing this, Cheng Zhu, who was leaning against the wall, finally understood that he had been teased. His face turned from red to dark, then to pale, changing colors more vividly than Yun Xiu’s paint palette. Yet, in the end, he didn’t say anything like "shameless."

When Yun Xiu came out of the restroom and saw Cheng Zhu lying fully clothed on the bed, he thought triumphantly to himself:

When I was a second male lead, I’ve encountered more seemingly rakish but innocent types than the number of people I’ve ever liked. People with this kind of personality have one thing in common: they may act wild on the surface, but deep down, they’re more conservative than anyone. Often, a little teasing is enough to make them get flustered.

...

After most students had successfully got through midterms, the school allocated funds to support various clubs. Everyone chose a night with a bright moon and sparse stars to hold a club fair on the sports field.

The most popular was the Cooking Club, with the aroma of barbecue filling the entire field.

If it weren’t for the requirement of coupons to exchange for food, the Cooking Club’s tent would have been swarmed by students.

Yun Xiu avoided outside food, so he browsed other clubs with Jiang Tinghan. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure, but when he turned to look more closely, it was gone.

Jiang Tinghan followed his gaze and asked, "What’s wrong?"

Yun Xiu: "I thought I saw someone I know. Must have been my imagination."

Both dismissed it as nothing and didn’t think much of it.

Rarely did they have such a lively event to attend. The sports field was a sea of people, jostling shoulder to shoulder, the crowd surging like waves, spreading out in all directions.

Above the four corners of the field, blazing white lights lit up brilliantly, ensuring students could see clearly and avoid any stampedes.

Yun Xiu looked around with great interest. When he saw that the Weightlifting Club was offering snacks and drinks in exchange for deadlifting specific weights, he turned to Jiang Tinghan with a smile and said, "I want that giant swirl lollipop in the middle, the one bigger than my face. With your strength, winning one for me shouldn’t be a problem, right?"

However, when he turned around, Jiang Tinghan was gone—they had likely been swept apart by the crowd.

About a meter away, a man he recognized stood silently, staring at his back with a spaced-out look, as if he had been secretly following him for who knows how long.

They were in the center of the field, where the light was dimmest. Cheng Zhu stood behind him like a sinister statue, startling Yun Xiu. Once he realized who it was, he said irritably, "Why are you following me? Where’s Jiang Tinghan?"

Cheng Zhu snapped back to reality. "I don’t know."

Yun Xiu glanced around for a moment but realized that with so many people, he wouldn’t be able to spot Jiang Tinghan. He gave up on the idea of getting the lollipop.

But while he was ready to let it go, Cheng Zhu wasn’t. "You want that lollipop?"

The colorful candy, clearly packed with enough dye to kill a horse, seemed like something only a child would like—petite and with childish tastes.

Yun Xiu cut him a look. "You’re going to get it for me?"

The lollipop required a 100-kilogram deadlift. Even though Yun Xiu didn’t work out, he knew that 100 kilograms wasn’t a weight just any guy could lift.

Cheng Zhu didn’t reply. Instead, he walked straight over to the Weightlifting Club members to ask.

Most people attending the club fair came in pairs. The lower-tier prizes for 10kg and 20kg lifts had already been claimed, leaving the higher-weight challenges untouched, since no one wanted to embarrass themselves in front of their friends or partners.

As a result, after the initial rush, the club members had little to do.

When they heard someone wanted to try 100 kilograms, they eagerly crowded around to help load the weights, not even bothering to ask if Cheng Zhu was confident.

Cheng Zhu wasn’t on the weightlifting team, but basketball training included strength exercises. 100 kilos was nothing to him.

Soon, a commotion rose from the Weightlifting Club, and Cheng Zhu returned with the lollipop Yun Xiu wanted.

Yun Xiu’s face brightened as he reached for the candy. "Thank you!"

Cheng Zhu held his hand back. "I want something in return. If you agree, I’ll give it to you."

Yun Xiu: ?

The joy on the young man’s face vanished instantly, replaced by a scowl. "Then I don’t want it!"

Cheng Zhu stepped in his way, pleading, "Wait! You haven’t even heard what it is. What if you’re okay with it?"

Yun Xiu cocked his head. "Fine, let’s hear it."

Cheng Zhu didn’t want an audience and suggested they talk somewhere quieter, like the gymnasium. Yun Xiu suspected it wouldn’t be anything good.

But after glancing at the beautifully wrapped lollipop, he hesitated for a few seconds before agreeing.

100 kilograms—seemed like it was worth it.

Actually, Cheng Zhu just wanted to figure out one thing:

Did he like guys or not?

When he asked his friends this question, they were so shocked they stared at him like he’d seen a ghost. Eventually, they offered him a half-baked idea.

The fact that Cheng Zhu was asking meant someone had shattered his worldview.

To untie the bell, one must seek the one who tied it, as the saying goes. Rather than wondering whether he liked guys, it was more about whether he liked the guy who had made him question over two decades of convictions.

That guy was Yun Xiu.

So, Cheng Zhu, who had never been afraid of anything, decided to make a bold move.

Since everyone was at the club festival, the gymnasium was deserted, especially the more remote areas.

Yun Xiu crossed his arms and prompted, "Well? Can you say it now?"

Cheng Zhu laid out the whole story from beginning to end and offered a sincere apology.

Yun Xiu gave him a weird look. In all his life, he’d never heard someone ask him to determine if they were into him.

He wasn’t a lie detector—how was he supposed to prove it?

Cheng Zhu seemed to realize the flaw in his request and, on a whim, blurted out, "How about you let me kiss you again?"

Yun Xiu: "...Are you crazy, or am I?"

Cheng Zhu seemed convinced this was the way. "A kiss will make it clear."

They had kissed once before, but it was only on the cheek—no more than a peck, like a Western cheek kiss. It made sense that he hadn’t minded it then.

If they kiss, he could figure out if he likes guys.

Yun Xiu was speechless, no longer wanted the candy, and flat-out refused.

Cheng Zhu refused to give up, promising to buy him more of those candies or even let Yun Xiu name his price.

Content with what he had and lacking nothing at the moment, Yun Xiu wasn’t about to jump at the chance to kiss someone. "Nothing you say is gonna change my mind. I’m going home—find someone else to kiss."

Cheng Zhu: "No, I’ve only ever kissed you. You have to take responsibility for me!" he insisted.

He wasn’t the type to be particularly articulate, and the two didn’t bicker often; most of the time, Yun Xiu did the talking while he listened.

Cheng Zhu followed him all the way to the school gate and only turned back to his dorm after watching Yun Xiu get into a car.

Witnessing yet another young man seeing someone off reluctantly, Yun He looked sullen and remarked coolly, "So, how many is that now?"

By his incomplete count, this was the third one. How many is he stringing along? Can he even handle that many?