A few weeks later, Ji Mian heard from the system that Song Yu and He Chang had gotten back together.
He felt a slight sense of relief. After one last act, it would all be over.
At the end of September, on a Friday during the last class of the day, Song Yu was paying close attention. As class neared its end, the teacher asked the students to review the material, which was really just a few minutes left to pack up.
As Song Yu lowered his head to put his things in his bag, he glanced up at the glass window on the classroom door and suddenly froze.
Even though the boy outside the door was standing a bit far away, only casting a shadow, Song Yu still recognized him; it was He Chang.
He coughed lightly, discreetly raising his knees under the table.
As soon as the class bell rang, Song Yu grabbed his bag and went out.
He Chang suddenly heard the classroom door open and turned his head, surprised to see that Song Yu was the first one to come out.
"What are you doing here? Don’t you have class?"
"I don’t," He Chang took Song Yu’s hand. "I checked your class schedule; you don’t have class tomorrow since it’s Saturday, so it’s okay if you don’t sleep early tonight, right?"
Song Yu looked confused. "What’s the matter?"
"I’m taking you out for dinner. I saw on your WeChat moments that you wanted to eat seafood."
Song Yu felt a bit embarrassed. "That was posted months ago."
"Anything you want to eat is fine."
"…"
He Chang knew Song Yu’s concerns and added, "Don’t worry about me. I have money, really, a lot of money."
He Chang knew he was poor, but he didn’t believe he would be poor forever. During the two years he didn’t study hard in high school, he tried every way to earn money and had successfully saved a sum.
Back in high school, he had been strict with his savings, almost to the point of being stingy. He had worn his school uniform until it was torn but was reluctant to buy a new one.
That money was originally intended for starting a business in the south right after graduating high school. But because of Song Yu, his life had been directed onto a path he once thought was unimaginable.
Now, that money he had set aside for business wasn’t needed for several years.
Additionally, in the two months after this year’s college entrance examination, he had also earned quite a bit working part-time. After covering tuition and living expenses for four years of university, he still had some left over.
He Chang used to dream of a life of struggle and wandering, thinking it would be so free. He admitted his aspirations were rather mundane; he just wanted to make money and be a boss.
But things were different now; he had Song Yu.
As they spoke, the students in the classroom began to trickle out. When Ji Mian and Xie Heng exited, they saw He Chang holding Song Yu’s hand and whispering to him.
"…"
Ji Mian stopped in his tracks.
Xie Heng, who was behind him, also came to a halt.
At this moment, the two people a few meters away noticed them.
Especially He Chang, who, upon seeing Ji Mian, was somewhat surprised and said, "It’s you?"
"Thanks for helping me that day," He Chang added, remembering Ji Mian’s year, and then added, "Thank you, senior."
Although He Chang was slightly older than Ji Mian, he still addressed him as "senior."
Ji Mian remained silent.
"Do you know each other?" Song Yu asked.
"Yeah, on the day of enrollment, he was the one who told me where the School of Management is," He Chang replied.
Ji Mian looked at the hands they were holding, his eyelashes lowering apathetically, his lips tightening bit by bit, remaining silent.
"…"
Song Yu’s expression turned awkward.
"Let’s go," Xie Heng was the first to break the silence.
He took a step forward, grasped Ji Mian's wrist, forcing him to look at him, and then asked softly, "Shall we go?"
Ji Mian followed him.
On the way, Xie Heng walked silently beside Ji Mian.
He knew that seeing Song Yu with someone else was even more painful for Ji Mian than being rejected after confessing. At least before, Ji Mian still had a little bit of hope.
"Ge, I want to drink."
Xie Heng couldn’t bring himself to refuse.
"I’ll accompany you."
—
There were many small restaurants near Xie Heng’s place, serving white liquor and beer, and some fancier places even had red and white wines.
Ji Mian casually found a less crowded restaurant and walked in, asking the owner if they sold alcohol.
The owner was a straightforward northerner and directly asked, "Yes, do you want white or beer?"
Ji Mian had only ever had a bit of wine before, and his experience wasn't good; he hadn’t touched it since.
He shivered slightly but gritted his teeth and said, "White."
【Drink within your means,】 the system reminded.
"Just white."
Seeing Ji Mian’s forced composure, the owner understood: this guy must have just gone through a breakup.
Xie Heng glanced at him but said nothing. As long as he was there, if Ji Mian drank until he passed out, he would carry him back.
The owner then looked at Xie Heng. "What do you want, little brother?"
"Two cans of beer," Xie Heng replied, and also ordered two dishes to accompany the drinks, to prevent Ji Mian from drinking liquor on an empty stomach.
When the owner brought the items over, he gave Xie Heng a meaningful look, indicating that he should keep an eye on Ji Mian and not let him drink too much white liquor. If it were anyone else, he wouldn't care so much, but he could see Ji Mian's face and knew he couldn't handle it.
The cups for the white liquor were the smallest size available.
Ji Mian immediately downed two cups. After the two shots, aside from the slight burn going down, he felt nothing much.
The system warned: 【No more than three and a half cups. If you can't drink anymore, pretend to be drunk.】
It thought, since this was the final act, let Ji Mian handle it.
【Okay.】
Just as Ji Mian was about to pour himself another drink, Xie Heng opened a chilled beer and pushed it toward him. "Drink this."
Ji Mian hesitated for a moment but accepted it.
After a couple of gulps, the bitterness made his face change. It was worse than the white liquor…
He looked at the person opposite him with a pitiful gaze: why did he want to harm him?
He took a few bites of food to mask the bitter taste, tossed the beer aside, and poured himself another cup of white liquor.
After finishing that, Ji Mian felt he was about done and prepared to pour himself another drink, planning to follow the system’s advice and drink half before pretending to be drunk.
But he didn't even need to pretend; he already felt tipsy, and his body was slightly heating up.
He reached for the bottle.
After watching him down drink after drink, Xie Heng finally couldn’t hold back and pressed his hand down. "Are you trying to kill yourself?"
Ji Mian turned his head and stared at him for a few seconds before his eyes suddenly turned red.
Suddenly, a tear fell with a soft plop.
The person holding his wrist froze.
The system whistled, expressing admiration for Ji Mian's increasingly impressive acting skills.
Look at this—he can cry without even having to pinch his thigh.
After finishing his crying scene, Ji Mian started to wail, “Aoo!!”
Xie Heng, still lost in Ji Mian's tears, was taken aback by this sudden shout, causing his hand to tremble.
“Wuwu…”
“What’s so great about that big idiot? He’s not even as handsome as I am!!”
When Xie Heng saw Ji Mian’s tears, his heart ached almost to the point of numbness. But hearing Ji Mian's ghostly wail now brought a hint of amusement to his eyes.
Ji Mian slammed his glass down on the table, fists clenched in frustration as he pounded the surface twice. “Brother Heng, is he as handsome as me?”
“Is he? Is he?”
Xie Heng raised his hand to wipe Ji Mian's tears and coaxed, “No, you’re more handsome.”
After a while, the boss approached with a smile and said to Xie Heng, “Young man, if he’s drunk, you should take your friend home. A few girls at the next table were scared and just reported it to me.”
Upon hearing this, Ji Mian immediately fell silent.
The restaurant's decor was quite exquisite, with two rows of seating separated by a screen-like partition. When they entered, only one table of men was seated in the outer row.
He hadn’t expected to scare anyone.
“Come back with me, okay?” Xie Heng coaxed like he was talking to a child, getting up to support him.
Realizing he had frightened someone, Ji Mian didn’t resist and let Xie Heng help him. He wasn’t sure if it was due to the alcohol or if he had really yelled too much, but as he stood up, he felt a little dizzy and stumbled.
Fortunately, Xie Heng held onto his arm, preventing him from falling.
As they walked out from behind the partition, Ji Mian indeed spotted a few girls at a nearby table.
With red-rimmed eyes, he apologized to the startled girls, “Sorry.”
【You’re slurring your words.】 The system sighed.
It seemed he really was drunk; it had warned him to know his limits earlier.
When the girls saw that the ones screaming were actually two very good-looking guys, and the one apologizing looked rather cute, they responded graciously, “Cough, it’s fine, it’s fine…”
The closest entrance from the restaurant to the school took about ten minutes to walk.
Ji Mian realized after a few minutes outside that the dizziness he felt in the restaurant wasn’t an illusion; the effects of the alcohol were finally hitting him.
Knowing he might really be a bit drunk, Ji Mian didn’t dare to speak.
The screams he had let out in the restaurant were just for show; he didn’t want to actually act drunk in front of Xie Heng.
Then the person supporting his arm suddenly stopped.
“Hmm?” Ji Mian turned his head in confusion, forced to stop in his tracks.
Xie Heng looked at him, leaning down slightly.
Ji Mian felt that the distance between him and Xie Heng had suddenly become very close. The reason he used “seemed” was that he wasn’t sure if it was an illusion caused by the alcohol.
Xie Heng smiled, “You’re walking in a way that you might trip over yourself.”
Ji Mian: ?!?
But he was walking in a straight line!
【No, you’re walking in an S-shape.】 His legs were twisted like pretzels.
【……】
“I’ll carry you on my back.”
Ji Mian was taken aback and hurriedly refused, “No need!”
Xie Heng stared at him for a few seconds, then imitated Ji Mian's usual tone, saying, “At worst, when we get back, you can carry me.”
“……”
Before Ji Mian could react, Xie Heng had already grabbed his right arm. With a firm grip, Ji Mian found himself securely placed on Xie Heng’s back.
This straightforward way of carrying him reminded Ji Mian of Lu Ge.
During the first half of the journey, Ji Mian could still manage to stay somewhat awake.
But lying on Xie Heng’s back, the rhythmic sway of his movements combined with the effects of the alcohol soon made him drowsy.
He felt like the journey was very long, as if they had been walking for ages.
Only the system knew that this was not Ji Mian's illusion.
Because Xie Heng had passed by the school’s west gate just over ten minutes ago.
After going around half of the school, Xie Heng looked over at the east gate in the distance.
The person on his back had steady breathing, clearly asleep, with his breath smelling of alcohol drifting onto Xie Heng’s neck and ear…
They had never had such an intimate moment before.
Xie Heng hesitated, pretending not to see the large stone at the east gate marked with the school emblem, and continued to walk along the dim path.
System: 【……】
This little brat.
Ji Mian had completely fallen asleep.
He didn’t know who he was dreaming about, but he rubbed his hot cheek against Xie Heng’s neck.
Xie Heng jolted, the sensation traveling from his neck to the base of his spine, nearly causing him to drop both himself and Ji Mian.
“Brother…”
He heard the person on his back whisper.
【Hey, you called the wrong name.】 The system reminded Ji Mian in his mind.
That one word suddenly jolted Ji Mian from his dazed thoughts.
He quickly corrected himself, “Song, Song Yu…”
The air was silent for a long while.
Xie Heng suddenly spoke softly, “Do you like him that much?”
“……”
Ji Mian buried his head low on Xie Heng's back, knowing the other couldn’t see him. He simply remained silent, pretending to still be asleep.
“What is it about him…”
Xie Heng's chest vibrated with his words, and Ji Mian could distinctly feel the subtle tremors against his back.
“What is it about me that’s not as good as him?”
As the words fell, the powerful rise and fall of Xie Heng’s back did not stop.
It transmitted through their tightly pressed skin all the way to Ji Mian’s heart, stirring up a fierce storm.
Ji Mian wrapped his arms around Xie Heng's neck, his thigh pressed against Xie Heng's waist, completely stiffening up.
Xie Heng slowed his pace, feeling Ji Mian's legs tremble slightly against his waist.
He bit his lip, continuing to walk forward as if nothing had happened.
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