Chapter 59 Yun Shu, Smile for Me

Chapter 59 Yun Shu, Smile for Me

After leaving the theater, the two revisited their alma mater.

Though they graduated from the same university, Lin Yunshu and Zhou Yu’s time together on campus was limited to a single year; Lin Yunshu enrolled just as Zhou Yu was preparing to graduate.

They also pursued different majors, meeting through a student club.

At that time, Zhou Yu was preoccupied with applying to overseas universities, largely delegating club affairs to the sophomores and juniors, and his own appearances at club activities became infrequent.

Consequently, Lin Yunshu’s opportunities to interact with him, beyond the weekly general meetings, were confined to a few private gatherings and a handful of trips.

In Lin Yunshu’s estimation, he and Zhou Yu were not particularly close friends during their university years.

To him, Zhou Yu was primarily a warm and friendly upperclassman.

And as for himself, in Zhou Yu’s eyes, he was merely an ordinary beta underclassman, possessing no remarkable qualities.

Thus, when Zhou Yu, upon his graduation, extended the first olive branch, inviting him to work at Lin'an Group, Lin Yunshu was utterly astonished.

Their true familiarity blossomed over the ensuing years of working together, day in and day out.

Initially, Zhou Yu endured considerable pressure in his confrontation with Zhou Xingde, and Lin Yunshu remained by his side, with virtually no distinction between their professional and personal lives.

That period was far from easy. Lin Yunshu admitted that his initial acceptance was indeed motivated by the attractive salary, and midway through, he had countless doubts about whether he had boarded a pirate ship.

However, after several years of mutual support, he developed genuine affection, coming to regard Zhou Yu as a true friend.

By the time Zhou Yu gradually consolidated power, Zhou Xingde’s influence waned, and everything stabilized, Lin Yunshu felt he no longer had any significant role to play in assisting Zhou Yu.

He then diligently performed his duties, maintaining his beta facade, and carefully navigated the delicate balance between superior and friend in his interactions with Zhou Yu.

Until their sudden marriage.

When Zhou Yu confessed his feelings, Lin Yunshu’s shock was no less profound than when Zhou Yu had abruptly returned from abroad, directly offering him a substantial sum to work by his side.

Even now, confronted by Zhou Yu’s occasional straightforward overtures, Lin Yunshu sometimes felt a sense of stability, yet at other times, a profound bewilderment.

He was not, by nature, a high-energy individual or quick to adapt to new things. Even when compelled to act in a fast-paced environment, his thought processes remained slow.

Consequently, Zhou Yu, with his passionate and impetuous nature, often left him feeling disoriented.

This sensation was difficult to articulate—a floating, unmoored feeling—yet, due to their profound familiarity, it never became entirely ethereal or an unattainable fantasy.

Lin Yunshu attempted to scrutinize his feelings for Zhou Yu.

"Not much has changed here," Zhou Yu suddenly remarked, pulling Lin Yunshu from his drifting thoughts.

It took Lin Yunshu two seconds to anchor himself back to reality.

Unbeknownst to them, they had strolled to the sports field.

The atmosphere of a university campus remained timeless, perpetually imbued with the spirit of youth. Students were out for night runs after class, and couples walked hand in hand.

"What a pity," Zhou Yu sighed.

Lin Yunshu looked up at him. "What’s a pity?"

"Not having fallen in love during university," Zhou Yu said, gazing into the distance. "I really should have had a proper relationship back then."

Lin Yunshu’s lips curved slightly. "How can that be? Weren't you supposed to be very popular in college?"

"Who said that?" Zhou Yu feigned modesty. "No such thing."

"Didn't you say it yourself?" Lin Yunshu wasn't indulging him. "Quite a few times, when you were drunk, you even pressured Brother Cong to acknowledge your title as the sole campus heartthrob of Shou University."

Zhou Yu’s mouth twitched. He slung an arm around Lin Yunshu’s shoulder. "That was ages ago, and you're still bringing it up. Can't you remember anything good about me?"

Lin Yunshu shook his head with a laugh. "Alright, alright, I won't mention it again. Never again."

"You can mention it if you want," Zhou Yu said casually. "You're captivating when you talk."

Lin Yunshu: "..."

Zhou Yu looked down at him, noticing he had short-circuited once more.

This often happened; Lin Yunshu’s mental capacity struggled to process overly direct verbal flirtation.

Every time Zhou Yu delivered a sudden, straightforward remark, his CPU would overheat, leaving him with that disconnected expression.

It was, in fact, quite endearing.

The lighting on the school’s sports field wasn’t great at night, but it resonated with youthful voices, and the wind carried an enchanting scent.

Zhou Yu hadn’t noticed it during his student days, but returning many years after graduation, he finally perceived this subtle, refreshing fragrance.

He genuinely began to regret not having pursued Lin Yunshu in college and experiencing a sweet, simple romance with him.

Lin Yunshu turned away, not responding to Zhou Yu’s inexplicable comment, and continued walking along the outer edge of the track by himself.

Half his face was concealed by his scarf, and at first glance, he appeared unchanged from his university days, though perhaps a bit leaner and taller.

Zhou Yu caught up, put an arm around Lin Yunshu’s shoulder, and pointed into the distance.

"Did you live in that dorm building back then?"

Lin Yunshu followed his gaze.

It was the male dormitory closest to the sports field, with lights sparsely illuminating its windows.

Even years after graduating, Lin Yunshu could still instantly locate his old room, and for a moment, his mind drifted.

"How did you know?" he asked.

Zhou Yu had certainly never visited their dorm back then.

"Easy to guess," Zhou Yu said nonchalantly. "Whenever our club held events on the sports field, you were always the first to arrive."

Lin Yunshu then smiled, his lips pursed. "Oh, so that's why."

"Has it been renovated?" Zhou Yu scrutinized the dormitory’s exterior walls.

Lin Yunshu looked again, then nodded.

Lin Yunshu: "Yes."

"It’s truly a curse that schools always renovate right after you graduate," Zhou Yu lamented. "We really missed out on the good times."

Lin Yunshu, immersed in the blend of present campus reality and past memories, felt his thoughts wander. Hearing Zhou Yu’s words, he instinctively maintained a positive outlook.

"Every time has its good points," he said. "Renovating the synthetic track isn't necessarily better; the smell is quite strong."

Zhou Yu nodded. "You're right."

·

After their campus tour, the two exited through the East 2 Gate.

It was a small gate on the west side of the athletic field, behind Lin Yunshu's dorm building, and the closest to the food street outside the school.

Without discussion, they both instinctively chose this path.

The food street was brightly lit and bustling, with the rich aroma of food wafting through the air.

Zhou Yu held Lin Yunshu close, navigating through the passing pedestrians while drawing him nearer into his embrace.

"Did you come here often before?"

The environment was exceptionally noisy, forcing people to shout to be heard. Zhou Yu had to lean down and speak close to Lin Yunshu’s ear.

Lin Yunshu turned his head. "Yes—!"

The usually composed Secretary Lin rarely raised his voice so loudly. Zhou Yu couldn't resist teasing him a little.

"What?" he feigned not hearing clearly.

The street was narrow and crowded, leaving Lin Yunshu with no room to maneuver. Squeezed among the throngs, he barely managed to grasp Zhou Yu’s collar:

"I said, yes! I came here often—"

Before he could finish, Zhou Yu pinched his chin and kissed him.

Unsurprisingly, Lin Yunshu short-circuited again.

It wasn't due to shyness in public or fear of being seen; it was purely that he couldn't process what had happened, left stunned by Zhou Yu’s sudden kiss.

It took a long moment for his lips to move. He turned away, lowered his head, and said helplessly, "Why'd you do that...?"

Zhou Yu smiled without a word, holding him as they squeezed out of the most crowded area.

Upon reaching a small intersection, Lin Yunshu took a deep breath, his compressed chest finally expanding.

"Why does it feel even more crowded than before?" Lin Yunshu asked, a profound question.

"No doubt about it," Zhou Yu said, patting his back reassuringly. "The school has expanded enrollment these past couple of years and added several new majors."

"Is that so?"

Lin Yunshu nodded thoughtfully, fanning himself with his hand.

Though winter was approaching and the night wind was biting, he had somehow broken a sweat after squeezing through the night market.

Noticing this, Zhou Yu offered him a tissue. Lin Yunshu took it and roughly wiped his face, then heard Zhou Yu sigh.

"Sometimes you're so unrefined, it's hard to believe you're an omega." Zhou Yu took out another tissue and carefully wiped the sweat from Lin Yunshu's forehead.

Lin Yunshu shrugged it off. "Well, before this year, I'd always lived as a beta."

Zhou Yu’s hand paused slightly, as if something had just occurred to him.

"Look over there." Lin Yunshu patted his shoulder.

His thoughts disrupted, Zhou Yu turned around. It was a small shop selling live octopus, surrounded by a crowd.

"What, you want to try it?" he asked Lin Yunshu.

Lin Yunshu quickly shook his head, as if recoiling from something dangerous. "No way! I was just asking if you've ever tried it. This shop has been here for years, as far as I remember."

"Of course I have," Zhou Yu said nonchalantly. "It's actually pretty good."

Lin Yunshu’s face immediately crumpled in disbelief and horror.

Zhou Yu was amused. "What's with that expression?"

"…" Lin Yunshu instantly composed himself, cleared his throat, and said, "Nothing."

Zhou Yu crossed his arms, studying his expression. "What, you don't believe me?"

"No…" Lin Yunshu touched his nose.

Zhou Yu immediately declared, "I'll eat a plate right now to show you."

Lin Yunshu: "?!"

In a flash, Zhou Yu darted off before Lin Yunshu could even grab him.

Lin Yunshu didn't dare eat live octopus. The idea of swallowing something alive felt strange to him, especially since octopus tentacles could adhere to tongues and mouths.

It was truly peculiar.

But one of his college roommates had loved it, getting some almost every time they visited the night market.

Today, he had asked Zhou Yu about it on a whim, never expecting him to rise to the challenge with such enthusiasm.

Zhou Yu had already ordered a plate and was sitting at a small table by the street. With resignation, Lin Yunshu walked over and sat down beside him.

On the table, the plate of octopus tentacles was still squirming. Lin Yunshu found it bizarre no matter how he looked at it.

Zhou Yu picked up a tentacle. "Snap a picture, Yun Shu."

"What?"

"A picture," Zhou Yu said, smiling at him. "Document this glorious moment of me eating octopus."

Lin Yunshu was both amused and exasperated. "Are you being childish?"

"Hurry up," Zhou Yu urged. "Get your phone out."

Lin Yunshu shook his head helplessly, pulled out his phone, opened the camera, and pointed it at Zhou Yu. "Alright, dig in."

Zhou Yu looked at him. "Not like that."

He put down the octopus, removed his gloves, and, using Lin Yunshu’s hand, switched the camera to front-facing mode. Then he slipped an arm around Lin Yunshu’s shoulder and turned them both around.

"Like this, a selfie," Zhou Yu said. "We'll take a picture together."

Lin Yunshu: "???"

In the next second, Zhou Yu had already put his gloves back on and brought the live octopus to his mouth. Before Lin Yunshu’s slow reaction time could process what was happening, he commanded, "Hurry, now."

Lin Yunshu: "..."

"Smile, Yun Shu, smile."

Lin Yunshu: "..."

He bared his teeth, trying desperately to control his expression, but it collapsed the moment he saw Zhou Yu eat the octopus, his face twisting into a grimace of disgust.

The shutter clicked, capturing the most peculiar moment of Lin Yunshu’s life.