Chapter 40: Modern Continuation of the Main Story

Chapter 40: Modern Continuation of the Main Story

July 3, 20xx.

A City University, XX Campus, Men's Dormitory, Building 8, Room 502.

"A Shu, my mental domain seems to have disappeared."

Li Wuya was lying on top of Qin Shu, speaking slowly.

What the hell is this guy doing!

Qin Shu sat up in anger, trying to shove Li Wuya off, but found his body weak and limp, unable to even make a fist.

...Had his body deteriorated during the time travel too?

Suddenly, the beep of the key card came from the door.

Qin Shu's hair stood on end.

Li Wuya calmly let himself be shoved and was bundled into the thin blanket.

Shu'er's "dormitory" actually had "other people" present.

A voice called from below: "Shu'er, what's all the noise about?"

"Nothing, nothing!" Qin Shu stammered.

"Huh? Shu'er, you're not..."

Qin Shu yanked open the curtain: "No! Can you not be such a pervert? Please?"

His roommate chuckled, clasped his hands in a gesture of apology, grabbed his things, and sneaked out.

Behind him, a shadow gently pressed his shoulder, and a warm, breathy voice whispered into his ear: "A Shu, it seems you've never had those kinds of needs."

Qin Shu's expression didn't change; he reached back and grabbed the other by the throat.

-

Ten minutes later, Qin Shu led someone out of the dorm.

The person was about the same height as Qin Shu, wearing a black hoodie, hood pulled tight, with slightly long bangs that covered his eyes.

The dormitory aunt was sitting under a fan: "Good afternoon, Xiao Qin. Eaten yet?"

Qin Shu turned around and smiled: "Good afternoon, Aunt Chen. Not yet, I'm about to head out and eat."

Someone nearby suddenly approached: "Hey, Qin! Finals over? Wanna play some basketball tonight?"

"No, no, I have something to do."

"Alright, be sure to come if you're free," the boy said regretfully, then glanced at the other person. "Hey, bro, what about you? Wanna play basketball?"

Li Wuya slowly realized this Earthling was talking to him.

Qin Shu answered for him: "He doesn't play. He's a friend from another school, came to hang out today. We have something to do, so we're leaving!"

"Hey, bro, don't go! The basketball court without you is like the West without Jerusalem..."

The boy's whining voice was left behind. Li Wuya was in a very good mood now.

"What are basketball and Jerusalem?" he asked.

"Basketball is a sport, and Jerusalem is a... person," Qin Shu replied casually.

He had a headache.

Who knew time travel would be a seamless transition? Qin Shu was now just an ordinary twenty-year-old Earthling, while Li Wuya had come through in his original body!

Luckily, his mental domain was gone. According to Li Wuya, his own physical condition had also deteriorated a bit, but a Star Sentinel suddenly descending on Earth...

Sorry, Mother Earth, it was him who brought the enemy!

Qin Shu was crying inside!

Li Wuya asked: "Is this thing with two wheels your ride, A Shu?"

"Yeah, this is my electric scooter," Qin Shu patted the back seat. "Get on, I'll take you to find a place to stay."

Li Wuya sat on the back seat of the electric scooter.

He hesitated: "It's a bit cramped, A Shu."

Qin Shu started up the scooter: "Count yourself lucky you have a seat. Don't be picky. I'm just a poor college student!"

Li Wuya obediently replied, "Mm. Give me some time, A Shu, and I'll take care of you."

Qin Shu: "...When you're looking for work, make sure to read China's criminal law first."

"Okay, A Shu."

The scenery on both sides slowly passed by—very primitive technology. The people coming and going were all young and fragile, so fragile that he couldn't quite understand them.

A Shu went to school here.

A Shu was now this kind of human too.

A fragile A Shu, a cute A Shu, an A Shu who needed his protection.

Li Wuya said slowly, "A Shu, this electric scooter is slower than I am."

"Don't even think about carrying me and my scooter on a sprint! I don't want to end up on the news!"

"Oh."

-

At a hotel near the school.

"Yeah, a single room with a king bed... for three nights." Qin Shu paid reluctantly, took the room card, and went upstairs.

When he opened the door, he casually turned to block the camera pointing at the room.

The next moment, Li Wuya appeared inside the room.

Qin Shu tossed his bag onto the bed, a bit worried: "We need to solve your identity issue first. Then figure out where to live..."

Li Wuya: "Okay, A Shu."

Qin Shu turned around, stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly reached for the drawstrings of his hoodie.

Li Wuya obediently stepped forward a few steps.

"Don't kill anyone, don't disturb social order, don't do anything illegal," Qin Shu warned.

Li Wuya rubbed his nose against Qin Shu's nose bridge.

"I won't do anything A Shu wouldn't like."

Qin Shu thought for a moment. "But I can't beat you right now, so even if you did something, I couldn't discipline you..."

The sudden loss of power was pretty unsettling, but Qin Shu figured it wasn't a big deal.

"Please don't say stuff like that," Li Wuya interrupted urgently.

"I'm a huge risk—A Shu has to keep me in check," Li Wuya said, lowering his eyes. "You could put a chip in my heart, or an electric shock device. Or are there other ways to restrain me on Earth? Once I figure it out, I'll make a plan for A Shu to look over."

See, that's how it is.

-

Next, they went to eat, bought Li Wuya a phone, got him a SIM card in Qin Shu's name, and got him a new outfit.

On the way, a girl came up to flirt with him.

Qin Shu politely turned her down, then instinctively patted Li Wuya's back to calm him.

But he didn't see the pouty look he expected.

The guy stood meekly at his right side, studying the new phone, like he couldn't care less about what just happened.

Qin Shu was shocked.

"A Shu, let's add each other on WeChat... what's wrong?"

Li Wuya looked up, and Qin Shu grabbed his face.

"You're not jealous! That's insane!"

Li Wuya said calmly, "That Earth chick doesn't have the phone A Shu bought me."

Qin Shu: ...

That made sense, but why did every word feel like a roast?

Right as he was about to complain, his phone rang.

It was his mother.

With a weird, hard-to-describe feeling, Qin Shu pressed the answer button.

"Mom," he said.

Li Wuya quietly rubbed the back of Qin Shu's hand with his thumb.

-

Qin Shu's old life as an Earthling was pretty ordinary.

His father was a retired soldier, his mother a civil servant. He had a good family vibe growing up—his parents smacked him a few times, but only because he did something dumb...

Like when he was fifteen and swiped his dad's new Toyota to take his buddies for a joyride. (Don't try this at home.)

Ahem, don't ask how he learned to drive. And don't ask how his parents beat him black and blue when he got home.

Anyway, aside from those little incidents, he was really close with his parents. After crossing over, he even secretly cried in his blanket because he missed them.

And Li Wuya caught him at it.

Li Wuya got dead serious—he grabbed the gun off the table and walked out, did a patrol, and came back with a bunch of painkillers.

Qin Shu sure as hell wasn't getting a shot!

Li Wuya got even more serious, ran through a bunch of other possibilities with no luck, and almost kidnapped a high-level guide to give Qin Shu therapy.

Qin Shu was super embarrassed.

He pulled Li Wuya under the blanket, the thin army blanket covering both of them, and pressed his face into Li Wuya's shoulder.

"It's nothing, Wuya. Don't worry about it," he said. "I just kinda miss my family."

Li Wuya had no clue what to do about this.

All he could do was hold him tighter and give the emptiest comfort.

From "We'll definitely find your family" to "Your family wouldn't want you to be upset," and finally, he even said, "Let's go to the next battlefield right now and use the Star Beasts to take your mind off it."

Well, Qin Shu burst out laughing.

In the dark, they finally pulled apart a little, and Li Wuya rubbed his nose against Qin Shu's cheek.

Silence.

"A Shu, don't be sad, alright?" A low whisper, their soft breaths mixing together. "I'll look with you. As long as it exists, as long as it's alive, there's nothing in the universe we can't do."

Of course, after that, Li Wuya found out Qin Shu had "crossed over" from another world.

To Li Wuya, "crossing over" meant Qin Shu's hometown was crazy far away—at least way beyond his ability to find the family who made Qin Shu cry.

...

The night was heavy, people came and went, within the square.

He watched the slight redness at the corners of Qin Shu's eyes, watched Qin Shu put on a relaxed facade for the mother on the other end of the call.

Longing was foreign to Li Wuya, and any soft emotion was foreign to him—but if it was for Qin Shu.

Li Wuya brushed past Qin Shu's eye corner and mouthed the words.

"Now, go home?"

-

No way home.

At least not anytime soon.

Qin Shu, full of responsibility and a sense of ownership, said, "Long-distance spacecraft here all require ID. Let's get your ID card sorted first."

Li Wuya said, "I've downloaded a map app. I can walk there."

Qin Shu, typing on his phone without looking up, said casually, "No way—how am I supposed to tell my parents you're an undocumented person?"

An abrupt silence.

After sending the message to his mother, Qin Shu looked up at Li Wuya before him.

A look like he'd been struck by lightning.

Li Wuya had never had such a blank expression before.

"A Shu, you want to introduce me... to your mother and father?"

Qin Shu was bewildered: "You don't want to be introduced?"

"No, I... I never thought I'd be worthy of this..."

Qin Shu was even more confused: "You think you're that undeserving?"

"No! I..."

The rest of his explanation died on his lips, because Qin Shu pointed at his own face.

Li Wuya leaned in and kissed him.

It was a crowded place, with people glancing sideways, some gasping softly, and others pulling out their phones.

Qin Shu's expression remained calm as he put a hand on Li Wuya's shoulder. "So, you need to be introduced, right? You can't expect me to tell my mom, 'Mom, this is Li Wuya, an undocumented alien.'"

Li Wuya nuzzled against his face: "I'll become a resident of Earth soon enough."

-

Renting a house went surprisingly smoothly.

A senior student who lived off-campus near the school was about to go home. Hearing Qin Shu's request, he readily agreed to lend the house to Qin Shu for the summer break, at a very favorable price.

With the housing sorted, Li Wuya said he'd handle the identity documents on his own. Qin Shu agreed, too lazy to tag along and deal with the hassle.

He had things to do too.

After harboring an alien for a few days, his savings had plummeted. He needed to get a summer job to earn money!

As for what kind of summer job?

Before his transmigration, Qin Shu had enjoyed trying out all sorts of professions. He found everything interesting, but that novelty never lasted long—

In distant memories, he'd worked in factories, made bubble tea, worked in sales, and been a waiter. As for this summer, he'd originally planned to...

Qin Shu put on his helmet and cheerfully started up his electric scooter.

He'd originally planned to be a delivery rider for a food delivery platform!

-

Inside a tea shop.

"Is order 1849 ready?" a male voice asked.

Staff member Zhang Tianzi was busy: "Wait a moment, it's being made."

As she packed it up, she casually glanced up.

She saw a very distinctive, handsome face.

Zhang Tianzi was stunned: "Qin Shu!"

Qin Shu blinked his bright eyes.

"Damn, Qin Shu, you forgot me?"

After a moment's thought, Qin Shu awkwardly rubbed his nose. "Oh, it's the class monitor. Sorry, I'm a bit face-blind outside of school..."

"What are you doing, delivering food?"

"Just trying it out."

"...And the result?"

Qin Shu took the delivery bag, his eyes crinkling: "I think it's pretty fun."

"..."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Zhang Tianzi, who hated working, said flatly, "I'm just dazzled by your positivity."

Suddenly, a figure appeared beside Qin Shu.

Qin Shu familiarly draped an arm over the person's shoulder. "Wuya, this is my class monitor from school, Zhang Tianzi."

The man looked over at them.

"Class monitor, this is my partner, Li Wuya."

His face was cold, and with his gaze, a strangely eerie atmosphere spread.

Handsome, sure, but when did this guy come in?

After an awkward greeting, Qin Shu led Li Wuya out the door.

Zhang Tianzi realized something else belatedly: wasn't Qin Shu out delivering food? How did he have a companion tagging along?

Can you do food delivery in pairs?

-

Outside, Qin Shu kicked Li Wuya.

"I'm delivering food, why did you suddenly show up?"

Li Wuya pulled out his brand new passport.

Qin Shu was shocked.

"That fast?"

He took the passport and examined it closely.

The nationality listed was a small country Qin Shu had never heard of.

Li Wuya said softly, "I'm now an overseas Chinese; my parents are deceased. I came to China to visit my grandfather's hometown, and coincidentally, his hometown is the same as A Shu's hometown."

"A Shu, we can go home together."

Qin Shu mused, "So Mr. Li is a foreigner now."

Li Wuya hesitated: "Will I stand out too much next to you? I'll create a plausible reason for us to meet."

"No, I just think being a foreigner is a smart move. When I don't want to talk, I can just pretend I don't speak Chinese."

"Uh... yeah."

Patting Li Wuya's shoulder again, Qin Shu hopped on his electric scooter and zipped off.

The delivery's about to be late!

Watching Qin Shu's retreating figure, Li Wuya silently got into the black sedan behind him.

He actually wanted to offer to drive A Shu to make the deliveries.

But seeing how happy A Shu was making the deliveries...

Besides, a sedan can't keep up with a nimble electric scooter in the city.

Also, A Shu was doing this to support him.

He had spent a lot of A Shu's money these past few days.

Everything he had now was given by A Shu. He felt so happy.

-

Xiao O Shu.

The homepage of an account called @Record.

Scrolling down, there was a post every day, each tagged with the keyword "partner."

@Record: My partner bought me a phone and downloaded this app for me so I can record my life here. So happy.

@Record: My partner took me to eat noodles. He really likes cilantro. Before, I didn't even know this plant existed. I'm getting to know my partner better. Still so happy.

@Record: Got a temporary place to stay, waiting here for my partner to come home. So happy.

...

@Record: My partner supports me. Everything is provided by my partner. I belong completely to my partner, participating in my partner's life to the fullest. No one could be treated better than me. So happy.

There was a comment under this post.

"Is this blogger even sane??"

The blogger didn't respond.

@Record: I miss the flowers my partner gave me. The flowers with the same name here are a different variety. My partner comforted me by saying he could give me other flowers. So happy.

@Record: My partner actually went to do repetitive manual labor. It's his part-time job, and he's happy, but I suddenly realized how little value I have—it scares me.

Comment: "Blogger not happy today?" It only lasted a second before being deleted and the user was blocked.

@Record: Busy. Didn't get to see my partner today. Want to go home with my partner. When we communicated, he said he missed me too. So happy.

...

@Record: Going home today. Meeting the parents. So happy.

He typed the last word, posted it, then turned off his phone.

Qin Shu pulled Li Wuya out of the taxi.

Qin Shu lived in an old residential area. Along the way, they ran into elderly people who greeted Qin Shu.

Whether in the empire or on Earth, Qin Shu got along well with people, but perhaps on Earth he was more "integrated."

Maybe because people on Earth didn't see Qin Shu as someone to admire.

Standing in front of Qin Shu's door, Li Wuya felt unusually nervous.

"A Shu, you sure we don't need to bring anything? That doesn't seem like the custom."

"No need, why so formal?"

Qin Shu pressed the doorbell.

An elegant middle-aged woman opened the door.

"Mom, I'm back!" Qin Shu beamed and stepped aside. "This is my friend, Li Wuya. I brought him to visit!"

...

Li Wuya thought to himself calmly: So this is what "meeting the parents" really means.

-

Qin Shu's parents were both warm and kind people. They prepared a huge meal and warmly welcomed Li Wuya.

Li Wuya also brought out his best acting skills.

Qin Shu watched in shock as Li Wuya, polite and composed, chatted with his dad about world affairs, finance, and stocks, charming his usually stern and rigid father like he'd never seen.

Then he used his made-up backstory of losing his father at three and his mother at twenty to evoke sympathy from his mom. She held Li Wuya's hand and comforted him repeatedly.

"Xiao Li, it's not easy being alone in a foreign country. If you encounter any problems, don't be a stranger. Feel free to come to us for help."

Qin Shu's mother, Ms. Han Hua, pulled Qin Shu over. "It just so happens Shuer is on summer break now. He can go with you when you look for your relatives!"

Qin Shu complained, "Mom, I'm not free, you know..."

Then his mother silenced him with a smack.

An indignant Qin Shu led Li Wuya to his bedroom.

A simple bedroom with a few sports star posters on the wall, several rows of neatly arranged bookshelves, and a fully equipped computer by the wall.

Li Wuya looked at his bookshelf.

"The Legend of Chu Liuxiang, The Legend of the Condor Heroes..."

"These are my wuxia novels!"

"Three Years of Gaokao, Five Years of Practice; Complete Textbook Solutions..."

"Uh, these are the study guides I used back in school."

"My Little Sister Can't Be This Cute, Eromanga Sensei..."

"..."

Qin Shu grabbed Li Wuya by the back of his collar and pulled him back.

"You don't need to know about these."

Li Wuya silently memorized the titles, planning to look them up later.

Qin Shu sat on the bed and asked him, "My parents are good people, right?"

Li Wuya nodded seriously. "A Shu's family is wonderful."

Qin Shu stroked his chin and said casually, "I plan to wait until after college, when I have some financial stability, before coming out to them."

Li Wuya nodded obediently, "Whatever A Shu wants."

Qin Shu raised an eyebrow, "Having to wait a few more years, I thought you'd be upset."

"Not disappointed. In this world, the truth is that your parents would find it hard to accept a same-sex relationship."

Li Wuya leaned over and kissed Qin Shu on the cheek.

"I don't want to make things hard for A Shu, I don't want to ruin any bit of the family bond A Shu treasures. And besides..."

The two of them suddenly tumbled onto the bed.

Li Wuya nuzzled against his neck, the feverish warmth flushed his face again, his eyes beneath his bangs hazy and shadowy.

"I'll be part of A Shu's future, I'll touch A Shu's past. Only I have A Shu's six years in the empire, countless achievements—I'm the only witness now. Who else gets that honor?"

"...I belong to A Shu, and A Shu belongs to me. Not disappointed, very happy."

There's never been a happier moment than now.

Qin Shu laughed, "You talk normally for a bit, then go nuts again, huh?"

Li Wuya kissed the corner of his smiling mouth.

"But I will still come out to my parents. It's not about how you feel, just because... well."

Qin Shu thought for a moment, "We're gonna spend our whole lives together, so we gotta tell Mom and Dad eventually."

Li Wuya murmured, "Even if they're against it?"

"Their worries and possible objections come from love. They love me, and I love them."

"I don't quite understand."

Qin Shu smiled, "Then don't. It's no big deal. I love you too, so just do what I say."

Qin Shu's room, Qin Shu's bed, Qin Shu's first twenty years—all were filled with a light, clean mint scent, swirling around Li Wuya.

Sunlight poured through the window, seeming to land right in Qin Shu's eyes.

Even without his spiritual domain, Qin Shu's eyes were still bright and sparkling.

Qin Shu seemed to get everything, Qin Shu would never go off course.

"Okay, A Shu."

Li Wuya was content.

-

On the app O, the account called "Record" was still updating, and it was getting more and more outrageous.

"@Record: My partner always understands everything. I just need to listen to him. It's reassuring, very happy."

This post somehow got promoted, and soon a lot of people came to see.

Comments kept rolling in.

": Relatable."

": Finally got a post to load on the high-speed train, and this is what I see?"

": What did the doctor say?"

": Scrolled to the homepage and felt relieved. The blogger's just crazy."

": [Crying with laughter] If I see another one of these posts about a clingy spouse with no sense of self, I want a million tax-free."

This comment was unexpectedly replied to by the blogger.

"@Record: I'm a man."

Everyone: ??????

Whether the blogger was telling the truth or not, this post went viral.

The account suddenly gained thousands of followers. The blogger didn't care, turned off private messages, and continued recording his happy daily life.

"@Record: Work requires a business trip, but being more than twenty centimeters away from my partner makes me lonely. My partner kissed me, very happy, but already feeling lonely."

Hot comment: The world's least independent Record Guy.

"@Record: My partner agreed to accompany me on the business trip. I booked him a decent hotel. He worried about the expense. So cute. Clearly all my money should be his. Very happy."

Hot comment: Still a married man. Still happy.

"@Record: My partner likes to work. I could support him, but he still wants to work. My partner is so cute. Very happy. Bought my partner a high-performance motorcycle for work."

Hot comment: So the partner is a delivery guy!!

"@Record: Wanted to accompany my partner to work, but was rejected. Very happy."

Hot comment: This time I don't get where the happiness is.

Someone replied: Means the partner can't bear to see Record suffer. [Blogger liked]

"@Record: Forgot I was supposed to record life, I'm just recording my partner. But my partner is life. Made sweet and sour pork for my partner today. Very happy."

Hot comment: After reading so many, I actually find it kinda cute. I must be sick.

...

"@Record: Hate everything that takes my partner away. Literally everything. Date: September 1st"

Hot comment 1: The partner is still in school?! Is this an age-gap gay couple?!

Hot comment 2: Someone already wrote fanfic about a married guy who dropped out to support his partner through school. Link: https://xxx...

"@Record: Can go accompany my partner. Very happy. Date: September 2nd"

Hot comment: I have nothing to say about the study-husband anymore.

Turned off the phone.

Li Wuya had already upgraded to this year's latest phone, and they'd moved to a large apartment, with all the furniture set up by Li Wuya himself.

Of course, Qin Shu helped.

This semester's classes were just right. Qin Shu planned to become a commuter student, because there was a high-maintenance alien at home.

Fortunately, the apartment wasn't too far. Riding the motorcycle Li Wuya got him, the commute only took fifteen minutes.

Qin Shu had already changed his outfit. “If you wanna come to class with me, hurry up.”

Li Wuya walked over quickly. “Okay.”

“Are you really that free? Don't you have any work to keep you busy?”

“My business is mostly overseas. I hired a managed service agent, so I just handle things remotely.”

Qin Shu rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Honestly, the way you make money so fast feels kinda weird to me.”

“It’s legal, A Shu, don’t worry.”

He took Qin Shu’s hand and made him touch his neck.

Under the high collar was a choker, with an electric shock device hidden inside.

The “control method” he’d mentioned before.

Qin Shu had the remote, but he felt he'd never need to use it.

Since coming to Earth, Li Wuya’s emotions had been remarkably stable. Maybe it was the Earth’s feng shui that had cured his mental illness… just kidding.

Qin Shu thought it was because of what Li Wuya had said: “Only I have those six years with you back in the empire.”

Back on Earth, the vast starry sea and bloody storms felt like a dream. No matter how philosophical one is about gain and loss of power, it's hard not to feel out of place in this peaceful world.

Li Wuya had become the only one like him.

Maybe that uniqueness made Li Wuya feel safe?

“A Shu, can I give you a ride today?”

“No.”

Driving a luxury car to and from school? That's way too flashy.

But a motorcycle was fine, because motorcycles were cool.

-

After being away from school for so long, Qin Shu felt weird.

First, he felt he was way too old for school.

Second.

In the lecture hall, second to last row, Li Wuya sat to Qin Shu’s left, flipping open a textbook.

To Qin Shu’s right, his roommate poked him. “Shu Zi, your friend?”

“Yeah, my friend.”

“Transferred to this major?”

“…No, he’s just here to accompany me to class.”

As soon as he said it, Qin Shu wanted to slap himself.

Had he been brain-dead earlier? He actually agreed to Li Wuya’s weird request!

What's the point of accompanying him to class?

Li Wuya took the initiative. “Hello, I’m Li Wuya.”

“…Hello, I’m Huang Yuan.”

The roommate looked like he wanted to say something but stopped himself.

After a moment, he gestured for Qin Shu to look at his phone.

“Huang Yuan: Shu Zi, does Tang Qingfeng know about this?”

Tang Qingfeng was Qin Shu’s other roommate. Qin Shu’s only impression of him was that he was a nice rich guy.

Qin Shu was confused.

“7cheers: What about?

Huang Yuan: Just, about your friend.

7cheers: What does that have to do with Tang Qingfeng?

Huang Yuan: …”

Qin Shu watched Huang Yuan scratch his head and ears without saying a word for a long time.

Li Wuya gently tugged on Qin Shu's arm.

“A Shu, Xuexitong is taking attendance.”

Qin Shu got distracted.

-

Qin Shu was studying mechanical engineering.

He had good grades, but wasn’t top-notch. He never liked being chained to a desk, and had always been the kind of kid teachers would sigh over: “Smart enough, but not serious enough.”

That's too absolute. Actually, Qin Shu thought he was pretty serious—when he was about to fail, when he was gaming, when he was fighting.

But now, he didn’t have to worry about failing anymore.

Qin Shu yawned and glanced at Li Wuya, who was listening intently to the lecture.

He whispered, “You should just take my classes for me from now on.”

Li Wuya whispered back, “Will any of your classmates snitch? Do I need a disguise?”

“Relax, college classmates aren’t that spy-vs-spy.”

“Okay, A Shu.”

“Wuya, that girl in the front left keeps looking this way. Is she staring at me or you?”

“Probably staring at both of us,” Li Wuya said, glancing sideways.

He could easily see her phone screen.

“She's messaging someone: 'Your dream guy Shu brought a handsome guy to class. They've got this unusual gay vibe!'”

Qin Shu: ???

He flinched and immediately moved a few inches away from Li Wuya to prove he was innocent!

Then he got all gloomy.

He wasn't innocent either—there wasn't a single wrong word in what that girl said!

Li Wuya tugged at his sleeve: "A Shu, don't stay so far away from me."

"..."

Qin Shu was dying of embarrassment: "Don't say things like that in public!"

"Okay, A Shu."

-

After class, a roommate hinted that he wanted to have a private chat with Qin Shu, so Qin Shu told Li Wuya to wait for him downstairs in the teaching building.

The roommate led him to a secluded place.

Qin Shu: "What's up?"

Huang Yuan whispered: "You and that friend of yours named Li Wuya..."

After mentally preparing himself, Qin Shu said seriously: "Yeah, we're dating."

Huang Yuan's expression was like that of a straight guy whose worldview had been shattered.

"Wha-wha-what?! Shu-zi, you you you you you—"

After stammering "you" for a while, Huang Yuan hugged Qin Shu, trembling.

His voice already choked with tears: "It's okay, bro. No matter what, I'll support you!"

Qin Shu was helpless: "Bro, don't be like this. I just became gay, it's not like I'm dying..."

"What's the difference?!" the roommate wailed.

"Oh, by the way, I'm in the process of moving out of the dorm these days. I won't be living on campus anymore. Later I'll send a message in the dorm group to ask when everyone's free, and we'll find a time to treat the bros to a meal..."

Huang Yuan looked like a terrified straight guy: "What?! You're already living together?!"

"...Yeah."

"Bro?!?!!"

Qin Shu couldn't take it anymore and punched him: "We're in a normal relationship! Don't make such a big deal out of it!"

-

Well, maybe it wasn't exactly a normal relationship.

Li Wuya wasn't normal, and this relationship was pretty bizarre.

But it was definitely a relationship, right? Anyway, they were just living together.

At a certain supermarket, it was bustling with people.

Qin Shu leaned on the shopping cart, scrolling on his phone, while Li Wuya carefully picked out greens beside him.

Huang Yuan suddenly sent him a message.

"Huang Yuan: Bro, let me ask you, are you a top or a bottom?

7cheers: Huh??"

Qin Shu frowned, realizing this was a serious matter.

They had never discussed this before, so who was top and who was bottom?

After thinking carefully, he typed and sent.

"7cheers: I'm the top."

Regardless of what Li Wuya thought, Qin Shu didn't want to be the bottom.

Huang Yuan sent a "relieved" emoji.

After thinking again, Qin Shu pushed the cart over, put his arm around Li Wuya's shoulder, and asked him: "Wuya, do you think you're a top or a bottom?"

Li Wuya, holding the greens, turned his head to look at him.

Qin Shu swore he had never experienced such a serious and subtle moment. Li Wuya's unreadable gaze made him feel really awkward.

"I'm trying to understand—are you talking about positions in gay sex?"

"Uh, yeah, right."

Qin Shu didn't know why he was embarrassed, but in any case, he was embarrassed again!

Li Wuya added: "I'm fine with either. If A Shu wants to be the top, then I'll be the bottom."

"..."

"If we can do such things in the future, I will prioritize A Shu's experience." Li Wuya leaned in, lowering his head meekly. "I really hope I can make A Shu comfortable."

"..."

Qin Shu felt he was now the most embarrassed person in the world.

He quickly jumped away, pushed the cart and disappeared into the vegetable section, then after a while pushed the cart back.

"Put it in quickly!" he said.

"Okay, A Shu."

The greens were placed into the cart.

There was a moment of silence.

"Do we need to buy cond—"

"No."

"Lube—"

"No."

"Okay, A Shu."

-

The dinner with roommates was scheduled for the afternoon of the third day.

Qin Shu took his roommates out for Chongqing hotpot at a place off campus. It wasn't cheap, but it was delicious.

The school's male dorm had four beds to a room, and Qin Shu's three roommates were all good people who got along well with each other. So this goodbye dinner before moving out was full of that sad parting vibe.

Oh, and this dinner wasn't just about moving out—there was also...

Qin Shu said seriously, "I'm in a relationship."

One roommate spit out his beer.

Another roommate's chopsticks hit the floor with a slap. His voice shaking, he goes, "What?"

Huang Yuan, who already knew everything, decided between fake surprise and playing along—and just went all in on piling duck blood and beef into his bowl.

The shaky voice went on, "Shuer, congratulations. Do I get the honor of meeting your girlfriend...?"

Qin Shu said, "Qingfeng, it's not a girlfriend. It's a guy."

"Wait, what?"

"What?!"

"Your man-crush Shuer is gay!" Huang Yuan yelled, swallowing a piece of duck blood.

Qin Shu figured that since he'd decided to build a life with Li Wuya, he needed to bring him into his circle.

At the very least, his friends had to know he and Li Wuya were a thing.

Even as a gay guy, he had to be a real man!

"We knew each other before, got together over summer break, and now we're living together..." he said, sticking to the script he and Li Wuya had cooked up.

After a long silence, Tang Qingfeng laughed. "That's awesome, as long as Shuer's happy. Drink up, drink up!"

After a few rounds and the food winding down, everyone took turns telling Qin Shu they'd miss him.

Qin Shu smiled and said his goodbyes.

He really would miss them. In college, once you move out of the dorm, it's tough to stay tight with your roommates.

But it was fine, right? They were still friends—they could grab a meal together every now and then.

Everyone had their own lives to live.

After settling the bill, the night air outside was cool as water. A light breeze hit his face, clearing the booze fog a bit, and he spotted their car across the street. Li Wuya was probably standing in the shadows under that tree.

He'd been waiting for him the whole time.

Qin Shu thought, what about Li Wuya? Did he have his own life?

He couldn't even picture Li Wuya having a "life of his own."

But was it just Li Wuya's job to revolve around him?

Before he could get too deep into that thought, he felt someone behind him.

The smell of booze. A hand grabbed his wrist.

Tang Qingfeng?

"Shuer, can we talk?"

"Yeah, sure."

"..."

Tang Qingfeng's face flickered between the streetlight and the tree shadows. "I've been keeping this from you, Qin Shu. I'm gay, and I think... I've had a crush on you for a long time."

"If I'd known you liked guys, would I have had a shot? That's what I kept thinking. I..."

He probably had a ton more to say—like when he first started liking Qin Shu, how much he still liked him, and how wrecked he was after hearing the news—but Tang Qingfeng stopped himself.

Because he saw Qin Shu tilting his head, watching him.

His bright eyes had a little surprise, a little understanding, and nothing else.

After a long pause, once he was sure Tang Qingfeng was done, Qin Shu spoke.

"Qingfeng, thanks for telling me, but I'm already with someone."

He actually said thanks.

"I get it." That was all the weak reply he could manage.

Qin Shu smiled and patted his shoulder. "Head back. Let's grab a meal sometime."

Maybe that was the end of this one-sided crush?

Tang Qingfeng left acting all chill, but before he went, he looked back once.

Qin Shu walked across the street.

Over there—when did someone show up?

A shadowy figure suddenly turned its head.

Tang Qingfeng's eyes met the shadow's.

For a second, an indescribable dread nearly froze his heart, but the next moment, Qin Shu blocked his view.

They both got into the car.

-

A weird tension filled the car.

"You didn't even go over there to cut him off," Qin Shu said.

"Ah Shu admitted I'm your partner," Li Wuya replied.

He probably should've pushed for more, but Qin Shu suddenly felt too lazy to talk.

He squinted, checking Li Wuya out.

The warm yellow dome light made Li Wuya look creepily gentle, even softening his deep black eyes, but unfortunately, Qin Shu couldn't hear his heartbeat right now.

"Ah Shu, I'm really happy," Li Wuya said.

The little bit of alcohol wasn't enough to affect him, but Qin Shu suddenly felt a little dizzy.

He also felt, suddenly, that he wouldn't mind getting a bit more drunk.

"Come back and have a drink with me?"

"Okay, A Shu."

-

There's a small table and a little sofa by the floor-to-ceiling window at home, which Qin Shu personally picked out at IKEA.

Now on the table are three or four bottles of wine and two glasses.

The faint smell of wine hung in the air between them. Li Wuya sat ramrod straight, while Qin Shu lounged casually.

No matter what Qin Shu does, he has this free-spirited, easygoing vibe, yet never seems out of line. It's as if he was born to be this way—

This way, that "Qin Shu" kind of feeling.

Qin Shu is no longer drinking; he's staring blankly out the floor-to-ceiling window.

Outside the window, the city lights streamed by, gold spreading everywhere. In the Empire, you could see a better and more magnificent night view, but aside from that, there's no difference between here and the Empire.

Speaking of which, Qin Shu likes standing in outer space, gazing at the vast Milky Way.

Li Wuya says, "You can't see the real stars here."

"Read my mind, huh?" Qin Shu says lazily.

He turns to look at Li Wuya.

Li Wuya sat perfectly straight, his expression always calm, not a hint of his bizarre side showing. Just by looking at him, you'd never guess he could do anything crazy.

"Is it a pain not having the mental domain?"

Li Wuya says, "It's fine."

"Fine how?"

"Nothing's bad when I'm this close to A Shu."

Qin Shu beckons him over, and Li Wuya moves closer.

Not sure exactly what posture Qin Shu wants, he hesitates, then leaned forward, lowering his upper body a bit, and places one hand on Qin Shu's hand.

So Qin Shu runs his fingers through the back of his hair.

The light scent of fruit wine, their scents mixing together, Qin Shu spoke, his breath warm and gentle.

Half-complaint, half-joke: "You can't be like this."

Like what?

Seeing his pajamas, one button undone, his collarbone, Adam's apple, slender neck.

"I'm a very awkward person, Wuya. Whenever you show feelings, my first reaction is always to avoid it and feel lost. That's not good. You can't keep putting up with me like this."

Put up with?

Wasn't it Qin Shu who'd been putting up with him all along?

Genuine confusion makes Li Wuya utter a "no" syllable, which Qin Shu pressed back down with his thumb.

"I'm not always right, and you're not always wrong. When we live together, it can't always be you just accepting everything I say..."

The heady wine made his ears buzz.

Qin Shu's earlobe looked a little red in his vision, but he still said casually, "Wuya, what about your needs? I really want to know about you."

My needs?

A bunch of dirty desires flashed through his mind, but at this moment they all floated away, light and airy.

Having no mental domain was actually a good thing; jumbled thoughts don't trigger out-of-control reactions. Li Wuya can more easily act like a normal person.

Li Wuya says, "Can I touch you?"

Qin Shu guided his hand and placed it on his own face.

He'd never felt anything so solid and real.

When he blinked, his long eyelashes brushed against Li Wuya's pinky. The thousands of stars in Qin Shu's eyes suddenly seemed within reach.

Something soft spread through him.

"Actually, I've been secretly checking your account," Qin Shu says again.

"I want to know your thoughts, so I've been following. Since I know you want any kind of connection with me, I've been slowly bringing you around to my friends."

His eyes sparkled.

"I know your biggest wish is probably to make me happy, so you turn into whatever I want, but that doesn't actually make me happy."

"We're going to live together for a very long time. What if I want to see every part of you? Let me get to know all of you."

"Li Wuya, I want to try to fall in love with you too. Give me that chance, okay?"

How could Qin Shu say something like that?

Even though his earlobes were red enough to bleed, even though his eyes were embarrassed and misty, he still looked at him seriously.

That cold, sparkling aura now tinged with something ambiguous, the wine made everything hazy, and Li Wuya's mind went blank, and he could only clumsily utter those two simplest syllables.

"A Shu."

Li Wuya dazedly thought he must be dreaming, but even in a dream, he couldn't have imagined this. He repeats again, "A Shu."

"...A Shu."

Qin Shu didn't seem real anymore.

He tried to look serious, but the wine's sheen pulled a smile at the corners of his lips: "Calling me all the time won't help."

Although they will be together forever and are lovers in the eyes of others, he won't fall in love with Li Wuya just because Li Wuya calls his name!

Unless... well, Qin Shu hasn't figured out the unless.

"A Shu."

Li Wuya buries his face in his neck, still murmuring.

Qin Shu was used to that lingering, affectionate tone by now.

Qin Shu suddenly says, "Hey, do you want to confess to me?"

Li Wuya looks at him docilely and confusedly.

Qin Shu's beautiful eyes curve: "You haven't confessed to me in a long time. If you confess a few more times, what if I suddenly fall in love with you?"