Chapter 26

Bai Huia’s belt is not on his waist.

Bai Huai’s belt is tied to Jian Songyi’s left wrist.

The aloof, celibate, gentle scum tied the arrogant young master’s wrist with a brown belt, and his white and delicate skin is showing some red marks because of it.

Ahem.

Yang Yue felt that he had read a lot of ancient dog blood.

In short, Bai Huai tied Jian Songyi’s relaxed left hand and his right hand tightly together with a belt, wrapping it around their arms to tie their elbows close together too. And then fastening it with the buckle.

As such, it basically equates to losing a hand and being restrained by each other. Activity scope and ability are directly reduced by more than half.

Do they think that the course is too easy that they need to torture themselves more and needed to upgrade this activity to hell mode?

What are they? Monsters? Devils? Perverts?

On the training ground, the backs of the two big animals are almost in sync, and the amplitude and the frequency of their step are almost the same.  

In fact, they went through the piles and trenches quickly and crawl through the low pile net as if they were not even handicapped at all. With only one hand crawling each, they’re no slower than a single person.

Then there’s the single-log bridge. Bai Huai and Jian Songyi went up to the bridge sideways. They walked through it so fast, that the log didn’t even move at all. And when they thought that the two men won’t be making it through the wall, Bai Huai grabbed the rope in one hand and climbed through without breaking a sweat. Jian Songyi followed him by stepping on the side of the wall and making a light jump to pass over.

Finally, they trotted forward to the high platform and at the same time jump decisively from a height of 2.5 meters.

Clean, smooth, and precise actions from the two of them while still looking handsome and concise. With their heroic posture, they finished the course as if it were just a normal stroll at school.

The total time is 1 minute and 48 seconds.

It is the shortest so far.

The crowd looked up at the sky. Are these two descendants of God?

Brother Song used to be able to show, but after Bai Huai came, they are almost equal in force may it be academics, looks, or physical.

But two Alphas can’t be too in sync with each other unless someone is probably pretending to be one. 

There’s just so much tacit understanding going on. Is this another level of cultivation of the sentimental love story of the third generation? Rumor has it that these two have fought each other to death. If that’s true, then what the hell is this? What the heck is happening now?

The most important thing to take note of, though, is the fact that these two people had never failed. Never. They’re like two mountains that are just so tall to overcome by anyone.

At the end of the day, the audience could think of a thousand words and try to converge them into a single sentence of praise in their hearts.

After Jian Songyi jumped from the high wall, he stepped and landed at the edge of the cushion. It tilted his ankle a little. It was not a big problem and he had gotten himself back on his feet. But because this mistake was uncalculated, Bai Huai that was tied to him made an error as well, resulting in them falling over each other.

Because their arms are tied together, there happened to be no gap between their bodies. Bai Huai’s light brown bangs hang down Jian Songyi’s forehead.

They use the same shampoo and body wash, making them smell the same. But then, the other one is warm while the other is cold. At this moment, their breath blends with a sense of affection.

Jian Songyi was the first to turn his head to the side awkwardly and let his gaze peer away from Bai Huai. “Why are you so fucking heavy? Get up!” He complained.

If they’re in a much more exclusive area then Bai Huai might’ve teased Jian Songyi a little bit more. It’s a pity that they are in the training ground with a crowd of people. Although they’re in a blind spot due to the high wall, Bai Huai decided not to risk it. He is not that shameless and disrespectful after all.

He leaned his hand on Jian Songyi’s side and tried to stand up, but because his other arm is tightly tied to Jian Songyi’s he had to bear the weight of two people to stand up. And to make the matter worst, he couldn’t find a suitable point of focus at all since Jian Songyi’s legs are just straightened with no gap at all for momentum. Bai Huai tried to stand up several times, but it turned out to be useless without friction.

Friction generates heat.

After several attempts, Bai Huai felt that there was something wrong with Jian Songyi now, so he took a glance at him.

Someone’s blushing.

Bai Huai chuckles, “Spread your legs.”

“What?” Jian Songyi snapped back to reality.

Bai Huai answered directly. “You’re lying here motionlessly because you are expecting me to pick you up with one hand? Or do you think that this is a good position that you wanted to enjoy for a while? If you don’t give way, then how can I make an effort?”

Jian Songyi did not say a word but did oblige.

Bai Huai finally found a point of strength as he then managed to kneel on one knee between Jian Songyi’s legs. He straightened himself up and pushed hard. Meanwhile, Jian Songyi relaxed his waist and abdomen until he can sit up. Afterward, he stepped on the ground and stood up alongside Bai Huai.

 After standing up, Jian Songyi didn’t boast about his success for 60 seconds as he usually does but instead looked down as if his belt is the most amusing thing to watch at this moment. He said nothing and contemplated.

Bai Huai looked at him silently, and when Jian Songyi noticed, he tilted his chin and glared back at Bai Huai: “What are you looking at?!” He snapped.

Bai Huai calmly answered. “I am not looking at you. I was just thinking… why didn’t we untie the belt around our arms first before getting up? Wouldn’t it be much easier?”

“…..”

Bai Huai is right.

It’s such a simple solution and yet they unexpectedly missed that and opted for a more heart clenching and complicated approach. He did not manage to think of it just because he is under the pressure of being underneath Bai Huai. While his body is busy reacting, his mind could only go blank

But Jian Songyi is unable to admit all these things, so his mouth stayed zipped.

He thinks he is being unreasonable right now.

In the past, he and Bai Huai had never fought each other nor there was something wrong with them, but since they differentiated, they are starting to react against their brothers seriously as if they have some serious effect on each other.

Although the reaction was not that obvious and the feeling soon faded, he still felt like an animal as if he had done something wrong.

He is ashamed of himself. How can he meet the Bai family after this?

Fortunately, Huang Ming came in time when the embarrassing situation is all over. “What’s the matter with you two? Why would you increase the difficulty and risk the task without an authorization? And why didn’t you ring the bell after you finished the task? Why didn’t you return to the team in time? You simply regard discipline as nothing!

Jian Songyi nodded approvingly: “the instructor is right.”

“Huh?” Huang Ming, who was used to being attacked, looked at Jian Songyi in confusion.

Jian Songyi then cleared his throat. “So for those of us who regard discipline as nothing, our results and achievements should be invalidated.”

Huang Ming: “…..”

The first and second exemption qualification was extended to Lu Qifeng and Huang Fuyi.

But no one cares.

Only the glorious deeds of the two kings blow all over motherland with the spring breeze of reform. It was miraculously spread in a blink of an eye that the admiring public basically kneels whenever they see them.

As for the subtle and ambiguous minutes behind the high wall, it was only regarded as a deliberate delay by the two bosses in order to form a team with Yang Yue.

And the obscure emotion of the teenager surging under the calm water in those few minutes was a tacit secret for both of them.

 Jian Songyi was caught in a deep sense of self-condemnation and self-doubt.

Even when he tutored Yang Yue in target practice that afternoon, he was still absent-minded that Bai Huai had to step over. Bai Huai took over the burden and helped Yang Yue train so that she can stay in the fourth or fifth ring. 

During dinner, Bai Huai and Yang Yue continued their training. Jian Songyi didn’t accompany them and followed Lu Qi Feng instead.

Bai Huai faintly looked at their backs walking away from him with no emotions in his eyes.

Yang Yue poked him in the arm before saying carefully: “Master Bai, what’s wrong? You quarreled with Brother Song?”

Bai Huai withdrew his sight from them before answering Yang Yue, “No. Tuck your abdomen. Keep your body close to the ground. Concentrate and don’t get distracted.”

‘Sir, yes sir.” Yang Yue responded and began to practice seriously again.

Lu Qi Feng is a person with high EQ.

Since Bai Huai came back, Jian Songyi ate with the Bai family for all the meals in a day. What’s left of the previous trio is only himself and Zhuo Luo. He was almost caught up with Peng Minghong’s puppy love even.

Now, this empathetic plastic boy is thinking of himself again. Jian Songyi and Bai Huai must be having trouble again.

Lu Qi Feng broke the silence first. “You and Bai Huai cooperated very well today. Do you normally do that kind of stunt?”

“No. We don’t practice that to do it normally. It just so happens that when we were around seven or eight years old, we began to fight a lot. Because of this, my grandpa and grandpa Bai had gotten tired of us and thought we are only capable of giving them high blood pressure. So they just ended up tying us together and throwing us into a training ground. They will leave us there alone. We eventually get bored and start to make all kinds of trouble. We had gotten so used to it that we take it as a game now.”

“You two have the potential to be animals since your childhood days. However, you haven’t seen him in years and yet you two are still perfectly in sync. What kind of earth-moving socialist brotherhood is this?” Lu Qi Feng asked, both half-joking, half-serious.

Jian Songyi ignored him and grabbed the food on his plate. He pulled a chopstick and stopped for a while as if he is in a daydream. Then ever so slowly, he placed his chopsticks down. “Lu Qi Feng, come and give me a hug.”

Lu Qi Feng looked at him in confusion. “What? Did you break your head by jumping off that high platform today?”

“Stop whining. Come here.”

“Fine. fine. But after I finish eating this drumstick. Also, can we go somewhere else? Imagine, the two of us hugging each other in public. Are you not afraid of being nauseous because I am. Bah. Don’t be so sick. Look at those innocent onlookers, they can’t even eat anymore.”

Jian Songyi poked his chicken leg with his chopsticks.

Bai Huai will not be afraid of nausea.

Bai Huai is loyal and brotherly enough.

Lu Qifeng gnawed at the drumstick and suddenly raised his chin behind Jian Songyi: “Why is Huang Ming sitting at a table with Yu Ziguo? Is it that if you don’t bully enough people in the Alpha class, then you will go to the Beta class to find a soft persimmon? “

Jian Songyi looked back, then turned around and said, “it’s all right. He won’t bother Yu Ziguo. Have you finished eating? Once you are done, we are going straight to business.”

The goal is to make Lu Qi Feng hug Jian Songyi.

After they eat and walked away from the crowd, the two men hugged each other. How did Lu Qi Feng put his arms around him? Why did Jian Songyi feel like this is wrong? He managed to circle his arms around Jian Songyi’s torso. Jian Songyi’s body quickly stiffens as a brick. He really wanted to kick Lu Qi Feng’s body away from him.

But he held it back and hugged him for a while. Jian Songyi found out that he still wants to kick Lu Qi Feng, so he puts it into action.

Lu Qi Feng covered his knees. “What the hell is wrong with you? You want me to hug you and then you will kick me? Do you think I am willing to hug you? You are soft and good, but you’re not as soft and good as Zhuo Luo.”

Jian Songyi ignored him and breathed a sigh of relief in silence.

Fortunately for Jian Songyi, he did not feel anything at all despite hugging Lu Qi Feng for so long, indicating that he doesn’t like Alpha, let alone his brothers.

In Bai Huai’s case, it was just a normal reaction since they were too close earlier. Plus, it took them off guard.

At this age, it is easier to feel flustered.

It’s okay.

Jian Songyi suddenly felt lucky.

The only thing left that is bugging him is whether Bai Huai discovered it at that time. If Bai Huai found out that he is more flustered than normal, would he think more about it like he had?

The feeling of rejoicing and irritability overflowed from the tip of his brows. Meanwhile, Lu Qi Feng keenly observed his expression and then tried to patch it up with the series of things that happened today. And with that, he vaguely has some bold guesses in his heart.

 Before Lung Qi Feng’s speculation surfaced, Jian Songyi took a pre-emptive strike and turned to face him with a suspicious look. “What did you just say? Is Shuo Luo soft and well-behaved in your arms?” He questioned.

Lu Qi Feng: “…..”

“Keep your distance from me in the future and never touch me again.”

Lu Qi Feng: “…?”

What the hell? Why the fuck would he want to do anything to an Alpha that is more Alpha than him?

Jian Songyi ignored Lu Qi Feng’s skeptical facial expression. He then turns around and packs two meals and brings some snacks and drinks. Afterward, he made his way to the training ground.

The military training ends at eight o’clock every evening, and as soon as it is over, a group of dying people wriggles to the dormitory.

The training ground was empty, leaving only Jian Songyi, Bai Huai, Xu Jiaxing, and Yang Yue.

They should seize the time to turn a lovely fat woman into a flexible fat woman.

By this time, it has nothing to do with whether they will be classified as excellent or not anymore. This is about pride, dignity, and the unyielding temper of young people their age. They have something they want to prove.

There’s just no reason not to do it.

If Yang Yue can’t do it alone, Jian Songyi and the others are there for her.

After all, they won’t let others take them lightly.

Yang Yue did the warm-up and vowed to win this hurdle.

As soon as she was ready to start the training, Yu Ziguo hurried over with a plastic bag at hand. He went all the way to Yang Yue and opened the plastic bag: “These are band-aids and gloves.”

It is easy to get hurt in the 400-meter obstacle run, especially when Yang Yue will have the most difficulty in crawling over the low pile nets and pulling the ropes on the wall, which will easier to scratch her hands.

Yu Ziguo is always more careful and attentive that the young masters.

But Yu Ziguo is a person who is reluctant in buying milk bread in a snack bar, but he bought a box of bandaids and a pair of gloves for Yang Yue. He may have gnashed his teeth for that.

Yang Yue understood this, but she didn’t carelessly accept these things and then waves. “I just bought a lot of snacks and put them over there, but Brother Song asked me to lose weight and forbade me to eat them. Take them away or I might get greedy and eat them all.”

Yu Ziguo nodded earnestly. “Then I’ll take it and put it away for you. When do you want me to return it to you?”

“…..” How could this child be so honest? Yang Yue pinched her belly fat and showed him. “I won’t need it until I’m as good as Brother Song.”

“Ah? Then it would end up getting expired if we waited that long. Will you still be able to eat it?”

“…..”

Being too honest can hurt people. Yang Yue almost stumbled but still went along with it. “Then you should just eat it to not waste food.”

Yu Ziguo scratched his head. “Why is everyone in such a hurry to bring me food today?”

“Everybody?”

“Yes, instructor Huang Ming walked up to me at the dinner table and told me that he has too many drumsticks and then gave me two so that I can finish it and not waste food.”

“…..”

There was a brief silence on the training ground.

Yang Yue patted him on his shoulder. “It’s just that you can’t waste good food in the first place. Besides, you’re so thin, you should eat more. You should take the snacks and then go back to the dormitory first. We have to train quickly. You won’t be of help here.”

“Mhmm.” Yu Ziguo replied as he quickly picked up the snacks and then left.

After walking two steps, Yu Ziguo stopped in his tracks to turn over to Bai Huai and Jian Songyi. He gave them two thumbs up: “You two match each others’ clothe like a couple!”

Just say it and run.

“…..”

“…..”

Damn it. Aren’t there three to four hundred people dressed in the same military uniform that they are wearing?

 Jian Songyi was unsure whether to find it funny or treat it as an insult.

“This Yu Ziguo is really ignorant and fearless. Not to mention bold.” Xu Jiaxing commented. “But Huang Ming can still be a thoughtful man. How come he be so mean to us?”

“Normally, everyone has a likable and annoying side. It just turns out that we are annoyed at him and he is pissed at us too.” Bai Huai said faintly.

However, even people who have suffered too much will feel inferior and conceited in the face of those who go well with the wind, but they will also want to take care of children who have been the same as themselves.

No one is as good as he thought nor as bad as he thought.

Bai Huai understood these principles at the age of fourteen.

When Jian Songyi heard Bai Huai’s remark, he suddenly turn his head and squinted his eyes toward him. “Then tell me, what’s the annoying side of me?” He asked with a dangerous tone underneath his voice.

“I do not seem to have found it yet.” Bai Huai smiles softly. 

“…..”

“What about you? What’s my annoying side?”

Jian Songyi quickly withdrew his eyes from him. He tried to keep a straight face, acting as if he is cool as usual.

“Everything.”

Bai Huai thinks the word ‘everything’ is a bit of a foul.

But somehow, it sounds better than ‘none’.

He can’t help but raise his lips into a smile.

Looking away from Jian Songyi, Bai Huai found Yang Yue and Xu Jiaxing looking at them in horror and dullness. Their gazes darted over him and then Jian SOngyi.

“You. You guys just… Are you two flirting?”

A bad cop.

Bai Huai smiles. “Yang Yue, train with 5 kg sandbags.”

Yang Yue: “huh?”

Why is she the only one who gets hurt again?

Forget about it. She tied it around her waist as she ran and practiced. This is the way of life: Some have looks, intelligence, good family background, and favor. While some have only fat. Thus, she should never give up!

All through the night, the lovely fat mushroom rolled about, while the fat mushroom’s friends slandered him and accompanied her.

When she finally reached the eight-minute standard time set for him, Fat Mushroom buried herself in the bunker for silent and autistic mitosis, while Bai Huai was still discussing the safest tactical arrangements for tomorrow with Xu Jiaxing.

Jian Songyi, on the other hand, had nothing to do. So he pulled the rope and went up to the platform to lay down. He put his hands on the back of his head, tilted his legs, and watched the sky hide blue.

Nancheng is located in the South wherein the urban plain areas are surrounded by mountains with flat and thick clouds in the sky. Because of this, they rarely see the starry sky at night.

Now here in the mountains, the wind is clear and the sky seems so near. This made the stars shine brighter than he had ever seen.

The night breeze of September brings the sweet fragrance of sweet-scented osmanthus flowers to the mountains through its flowers, leaves, and even insects.

It is said that once started singing, then the spring is coming. But when the insects do son, then the autumn is paving their way. Autumn is probably really coming.

Autumn is coming.

When Jian Songyi thought of this sentence, he immediately thought of Bai Huai. 

In a few days, he must remember to buy a bunch of grandiflorum.

Bai Huai’s Omega father likes it.

Jian Songyi was just thinking about Bai Huai when the devil pulled the rope and climbed up the platform as well. Bai Huai jumped lightly and landed next to Jian Songyi.

Jian Songyi quickly stood up. He was about to speak when Bai Huai spoke. “Hiding from me?”

Jain Songyi paused for a while and then slowly laid down to return to his original position. “No.”

It is no secret to himself already that if he happens to be alone with Bai Huai, he will eventually remember what transpired this morning and his reaction to it. It will always be a little bit uncomfortable for him.

Bai Huai laid down by his side and copied his position. “It’s no use hiding anyway. After all, we sleep in the same room at night. You can’t throw me to sleep in a bathroom like a husband and wife in a love quarrel.”

Jian Songyi felt that Bai Huai’s metaphor is taking advantage of him, but now is not the time for him to make him feel guilty for Jian Songyi is too embarrassed to find fault in his sentence.

But he was also afraid that Bai Huai would think about what had happened and figure him out. So though he was ashamed, he started talking: “I didn’t wait for you for dinner. I saw that you were training with Yang Yue, and I do not think it would end anytime soon. I wanted to go and buy you some hot food and bring it back as soon as I can.”

But then again, boys’ friendships aren’t that fragile, unlike girls, who question who has dinner with whom, who has gone to the toilet with whom, and who has whispered with whom.

So this explanation is somewhat irrelevant, clumsy, and unnatural.

Bai Huai raised the corners of his lips out of Jian Songyi’s sight and said softly, “I know, I’m not that stingy.”

“‘That’s good to know, but there’s something else.”

Jian Songyi hesitated to speak.

He has always been unforgiving and could easily turn a blind eye, but today, his tongue doesn’t seem to like to listen to him. Some words and sounds have been turned on the tip of the tongue several times, but they cannot be sent out all the time.

Bai Huai was in no hurry, and asked slowly and gently, “What else?”

“And … in the future, we have to pay attention to the discretion between the two of us.”

Bai tilted his head and looked at Jian Songyi.

His delicate and beautiful face looks much softer than usual. His eyes cease clearer and brighter under the moonlight while the tip of his ears is bright red. 

Whenever Bai Huai looks at him this way, he couldn’t help but realize how pure Jian Songyi is.

He did not know whether Jian Songyi is aware of the feelings he tried so hard to hide. His heart suddenly clenches feeling like Jian Songyi is rejecting him in disguise. It’s as if he is a cotton ball in an earbud  ever so slowly being drawn out of the strand just like that. 

He tried to make his voice sound more gentle: “Why?”

Jian Songyi thought about it for a while before saying in a very low voice: “The two of us grew up together, like brothers, and some of our actions are intimate and habitual, and there are many habits that are not easy to change. But I am an Omega right now, so don’t you think this is the right way?”

After saying that, he looked away, pretending to look at the two fools rolling in the sandpit not far away.

Bai Huai was frozen for a second and then he inclined back to look at the night sky before letting out a forced and light laugh. “Yes, you’re right.”

On some early autumn night, under the stars, in the scent of cinnamon, a cute straw bug evolved slightly before being sprayed to death with salt soda.

……….

Author’s Note: 

Bai Huai: My wife is arrogant and pure, and she kinds of misses the sun is all.