Chapter 41 Me Too

Chapter 41: So Am I

"I didn't say anything," Fu Huan stated honestly.

Gu Shiying knew he hadn't spoken without needing an answer.

"Why are you holding my hand? Isn't it hot?" He glanced at their still-clasped hands, pulling his legs back.

Only then did Fu Huan release his hand and sit on the sofa. Gu Shiying strategically used his legs to create a small buffer between them.

"Was I making you warm?" Fu Huan was slightly surprised Gu Shiying hadn't recoiled.

"What do you think?" Gu Shiying didn't want to dwell on the topic; a subtle *àimèi* (ambiguity) was brewing between them. "Hey, do you like watermelon?"

Fu Huan nodded. "Yes, I do."

Gu Shiying immediately started putting on his shoes. "Then let's go buy some! Watermelon is sweetest when it's not chilled; once it's been in the fridge, it loses that special flavor."

Fu Huan quickly handed him the slippers he'd kicked aside. With his swollen ankle, slippers were the most practical, and it was summer, so he wouldn't get cold.

"Where should we go?"

"I'll take you. We'll use my car." When it came to food, Gu Shiying's eyes lit up, and the *àimèi* seemed to vanish.

Fu Huan hadn't expected Gu Shiying to be even more restless at home than at school. Even with an injured foot, he couldn't stay put. But Fu Huan wouldn't object, because this vibrant side of Gu Shiying was something only he got to witness.

Gu Shiying directed Fu Huan as they navigated the winding village roads on the scooter for about two or three kilometers.

The scenery here was breathtaking, nestled beside a river with rice paddies stretching along its banks. At this time of year, the rice was in that charming transitional phase between unripe and mature.

Among the rice fields they passed stood a small red-and-white house. At first glance, it felt like stepping into a Studio Ghibli animation. A gentle breeze carried the sweet scent of rice, refreshing and calming the soul.

"You don't see sights like this where you live, do you?"

"Definitely not. This place feels so peaceful and comfortable. We should be wearing straw hats instead of helmets."

"We have plenty of straw hats at home. I'll get you one tonight—you can even wear a different one every day if you like."

Fu Huan smiled. In the rearview mirror, he saw Gu Shiying's handsome face radiating youthful college energy. Perhaps it was because Gu Shiying's smile was always so infectious; even from their first meeting, his smile had stirred the stagnant waters of Fu Huan's heart.

He remembered it was just after registration. He had declined his parents' offer to drive him to school and the driver's help with his luggage, choosing to carry it to his dorm alone.

He'd expected to spend four ordinary years of college, but the moment the door opened, his world brightened.

Gu Shiying walked in, backlit, offering a shy smile as he greeted Fu Huan.

"Hi, classmate, are you also in room 540?"

"Yes."

"My name is Gu Shiying. And you?"

"I'm Fu Huan."

"Are you in the media department too?"

"I'm in finance."

The beds had been assigned by the school, with names already posted.

They found their respective beds, and Gu Shiying smiled as he spoke again.

"Our beds are right next to each other! We can even whisper secrets at night."

"Mm-hmm."

Perhaps it was the sudden encounter with someone who made his heart flutter, but he forgot how to speak normally. Later, he deeply regretted not chatting more with Gu Shiying that day. After that, their relationship remained strictly roommates. He watched as Gu Shiying made many new friends, occasionally brought milk tea to girls, joined clubs, and often took on part-time jobs. Gu Shiying's life was bustling and vibrant, while Fu Huan's own life felt bright at times because of his energy, yet lonely at others—lonely precisely because he couldn't participate in Gu Shiying's lively world.

Following Gu Shiying's directions, they arrived at a watermelon patch.

The owner of the field lived nearby.

Gu Shiying asked in the local dialect about the price. Hearing that Gu Shiying wasn't a stranger, the local offered them a very good deal.

Fu Huan placed two large watermelons in front of the electric scooter and drove Gu Shiying home.

"Why did you buy two?"

Each watermelon weighed about seven or eight *jin* (a Chinese unit of weight, approximately 0.5 kg or 1.1 lbs). It wasn't that Fu Huan couldn't carry them, but he thought two might be more than they could finish.

"One is for the neighbors. They usually look after my Grandma."

"Okay."

"I almost forgot to tell Grandma you're here."

"Will she mind?"

"No, she loves company. She'll be really happy you're here and will make a full spread of dishes usually reserved for New Year's. Last time, Zhang Zhi and his family stopped by for a meal while traveling, and she made a huge spread, even preparing special wild vegetable buns for them. Zhang Zhi's family even took some to go."

"She's so warm. My Grandma is different from yours."

"How so?" Gu Shiying hadn't heard Fu Huan mention his family before; this was the first time he'd brought it up.

"She enjoys embroidery and prefers quiet. We usually don't disturb her unless necessary."

"Is she like the legendary traditional lady from a good family?"

"Something like that."

"Is your Grandfather still around? Mine passed away quite early."

"He's gone."

"My Grandfather passed early too. So, have you been living with your Grandma all along?"

"I started staying with her more often after my mom passed away."

"Your mom passing away must have been really hard."

"Yeah, my mom and I had a very close relationship. We knew about her illness all along, and I was with her till the end. It was okay, really. It's just that without her at home, it felt too empty, so I moved in with my Grandma. The countryside is much more comfortable than the city—the air is better, and you can eat whatever you want. Speaking of which, why did you move out and live on your own?"

Ever since finding out about this, Gu Shiying had been curious. Fu Huan's family was well-off, so why did he choose to live independently?

Fu Huan told him bluntly, "Because my parents found out about my sexual orientation."

Gu Shiying: "Huh? Are your parents not open-minded?"

Fu Huan: "Yeah, they were pretty conservative before. It's gotten a bit better now—my brother talked some sense into them."

Gu Shiying: "So when they found out about your gay orientation, why didn't your brother intervene?"

Fu Huan: "He was studying abroad, so we weren't really in touch. He was busy with his studies and only came back once a year. By the time he found out, I had already switched schools and had been living away from home for a year. Plus, I was about to start my senior year, so I didn't move back home."

Gu Shiying: "Oh, so you're pretty adaptable then."

Fu Huan: "You said that before."

Gu Shiying: "Don't you like being praised?"

Fu Huan: "I like it when *you* praise me."

Gu Shiying noticed his ears turning red again. So he gets shy when he's praised? Oh, wait—it's only when *he* praises him.

Why was Fu Huan being so straightforward today? Before confessing, he was more reserved, but now he wasn't even trying to hide it.

When they got home, Gu Shiying asked Fu Huan to soak one watermelon in water to chill it, while Fu Huan took the other next door. Since no one was home at the Chen family's house, he left it at the door.

After buying the watermelons, both of them had worked up a sweat from the heat and took showers in their respective rooms.

By the time Gu Shiying came out, Fu Huan was already checking out recipes for dinner, even watching cooking videos.

"Can you really cook just by watching these?"

"Cooking isn't hard. The process is pretty similar—just adjust the ingredients to your taste, and you can usually make it work."

"Genius."

"Just call me 'Chef.'"

"Chef Fu, cut the watermelon. I want some."

"Hang on."

Fu Huan turned his back to Gu Shiying and crouched down. He had changed into a loose T-shirt and shorts, revealing more skin than his previous shirt. Gu Shiying let out a mental sigh. With him turning his back like that, he'd have to hear his thoughts all day.

Gu Shiying: "Bring it up. Let's eat while watching a movie."

Fu Huan was quick to agree: "Sure."

In just half a day, Fu Huan had already gotten the hang of the layout of Gu Shiying's house and no longer needed guidance.

While Fu Huan was cutting the watermelon, Gu Shiying found a movie to watch.

His uncle had installed a projector in the study on the third floor so he wouldn't get bored. At the time, Gu Shiying thought it was a waste of money, but now it seemed useful.

Fu Huan only cut half the watermelon, but instead of letting them each scoop out half with a spoon as Gu Shiying had imagined, he cut it into small pieces, plated them nicely, and even prepared toothpicks.

Gu Shiying looked it over for a moment, then immediately took out his phone to take a picture. There was even plating.

"Is your dream to open your own restaurant?"

Fu Huan replied honestly: "No, my family owns a restaurant chain. No need to open one myself."

Gu Shiying stabbed a piece of watermelon with a fork: "I really want to have it out with you rich people."

Fu Huan sat beside him and said seriously, "I want you to get to know my family."

Gu Shiying asked casually, "Why?"

Fu Huan: "I'm trying to win you over."

Gu Shiying nearly choked on the watermelon juice in his throat!

Covering his mouth, he glared at Fu Huan: "Cough, cough... I'm eating!"

Fu Huan handed him a tissue to wipe his hands: "I know."

Gu Shiying: "Then why'd you say that?"

Afraid he might really be angry, Fu Huan spoke more softly: "Then I won't say it again."

The movie started, and neither of them brought up the whole pursuing thing again. Gu Shiying absentmindedly ate watermelon while not really watching the movie, not taking in anything. Fu Huan's reminder made him think of the boys' love novels Chen Jian had sent him.

Half an hour into the movie, Fu Huan noticed Gu Shiying wasn't paying attention: "Are you not interested in this movie?"

"Yeah, it's a bit boring."

"Hungry? I'll go make dinner."

"Mm-hmm, go ahead. Don't make anything too complicated—it's too much trouble."

The watermelon they ate was mostly water, so after a couple of trips to the bathroom, they started feeling hungry.

"Don't worry. If there's anything you'd like to eat, just name your dish."

"Whatever, just go, go." Gu Shiying urged him downstairs to cook.

Seeing that Gu Shiying wasn't angry about his abrupt confession, Fu Huan breathed a sigh of relief.

After Fu Huan left, Gu Shiying sneakily opened up the novels Chen Jian had sent him.

Chen Jian had even suggested which one to start with.

He clicked on the first one. It had a synopsis—perfect.

Tags: School, Romance.

The story was relatively low-key, about two teenagers redeeming each other.

Gu Shiying speed-read through it quickly and found himself getting into it.

Just as Fu Huan texted him to come down for dinner, Gu Shiying had reached the part where the two boys were in the flirting stage. On Valentine's Day, the "top" was confessed to by a girl, and the "bottom" saw it from a distance. He noticed the "top" didn't seem to refuse and felt terrible.

Fu Huan couldn't have picked a worse time. Gu Shiying was furious. What's this "top's" problem? If he liked the "bottom," why didn't he say so? Did he reject the girl or not?

Downstairs, Fu Huan noticed Gu Shiying hadn't come down and went upstairs to fetch him.

As soon as he arrived, he saw Gu Shiying glaring at him.

Fu Huan saw his puffed-out cheeks and found it adorable. Smiling, he said, "Why are you so angry? I don't think I did anything to upset you."

Gu Shiying looked him up and down: "Would you string someone along if they confessed to you?"

Fu Huan glanced down at the apron hanging around his neck: "No, I'm still a virgin."

Gu Shiying's face flushed bright red.

"Shit, who asked you that?"

Being a virgin is no big deal—I am too.

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Author's note: Fu Huan: I'm going to study while carrying my wife~