Chapter 6: Didn’t Brother Chen Take Good Enough Care of You?

Chen Ruxiu tossed a towel onto Fang Yiran’s hair, symbolically helping to rub it a bit, then reminded him, “Make sure to dry your hair thoroughly. It’s already getting a bit chilly, and if your hair isn’t dry, going out into the wind could give you a headache.”

“Then you dry it for me,” Young Master Fang began to act spoiled, “You’re my little brother, so it’s perfectly normal for you to help me dry my hair, right?”

Chen Ruxiu thought about it, found the logic sound, and didn’t refuse: “Get changed first. Once you’re done, I’ll help you dry it.”

Fang Yiran dug through the bag that Chen Ruxiu had brought: “You really brought everything. Are all these your clothes? Definitely not my style. T-shirts, jackets, pants… underwear.”

“…They haven’t been worn, just washed once.”

Chen Ruxiu didn’t even know why he felt the need to explain that. After all, no normal person would give someone underwear they had already worn, right?

“I know, I can tell.” As expected, Fang Yiran mocked him, “You’re not that kind of person.”

“That kind of person”? What kind of person? Chen Ruxiu found the comment rather unsettling.

Young Master Fang encountered a new problem: “I can’t change my clothes; I can’t keep my balance standing on one leg.”

“You can lean against the wall,” Chen Ruxiu suggested.

“The walls of the public changing room are too dirty,” Young Master Fang complained at this moment. “Touching them makes me uncomfortable.”

“…Then I’ll support you.” What else could he do? Chen Ruxiu resigned himself to offering up one of his hands.

Fang Yiran couldn’t think of a better solution. “Sorry for the trouble. I’ll try to be quick.”

As the wet clothes hit the floor, they made a sharp “slap” sound. Chen Ruxiu, with his keen hearing, could still imagine Fang Yiran’s current state even though he had turned his head away to avoid looking.

Fang Yiran did try to speed up as promised, but the more rushed he became, the harder it was to get things right. In his haste to put on his pants, he lost his balance and, with a soft “ugh,” his entire body fell against Chen Ruxiu.

A few water droplets from Fang Yiran’s hair fell onto Chen Ruxiu’s face due to the momentum, and with the weight of another person pressing against him, Chen Ruxiu was completely stunned.

Fang Yiran’s situation was even worse. The pants he hadn’t properly put on slipped down to his hip bones, revealing a small edge of his underwear, and his whole body pressed closely against Chen Ruxiu, inseparable.

After a long moment, he finally reacted, propping himself up to create some distance, and said with a hoarse voice: “…I lost my balance and ended up pressing on you.”

“No, it’s fine.” Chen Ruxiu’s entire face turned red, with a noticeable pink spreading across his porcelain-like skin.

Since when did Fang Yiran become so attractive? It felt a bit strange.

“Why are you blushing?” Fang Yiran asked, frowning.

Fang Yiran felt even more uncomfortable as he looked at Chen Ruxiu. He instinctively reached up to tug at the collar, but then, realizing that he was wearing Chen Ruxiu’s clothes, he eased his grip, feeling as though he might catch fire any second.

Chen Ruxiu’s face turned an even deeper shade of red, and he became completely flustered. “…It’s nothing.”

Noticing a distinct change in his own body, Fang Yiran’s expression darkened completely. After pulling up his pants properly, he didn’t dare look at Chen Ruxiu again.

Trying to calm himself down, Fang Yiran spoke in an unnaturally distant tone, “I’m dressed. Please help me out.”

Sensing the obvious change in Fang Yiran’s attitude, Chen Ruxiu assumed that he disliked the contact from earlier.

Maybe Fang Yiran would look down on him now? The thought left Chen Ruxiu feeling a bit despondent.

As expected, Fang Yiran called out as soon as he left the changing room, “Li Qian, come over and give me a hand.”

Li Qian, unaware that anything significant had happened earlier, joked, “What’s the matter, Young Master Fang? Didn’t Brother Chen take good enough care of you?”

“Cut the nonsense, think before you speak. There’s nothing between me and Brother Chen; don’t make it sound so dirty.” Fang Yiran snapped back all at once, leaving Li Qian stunned by the scolding. He quickly looked toward Chen Ruxiu for help.

“Brother Chen, maybe you should keep helping Brother Fang. I’m not very gentle with my hands…”

“You take over,” Chen Ruxiu’s tone was equally cold. “I need to go back and continue studying for the CET-6 exam. Make sure to take him to the infirmary for a check-up, don’t ignore the problem.”

“Wait.” Fang Yiran, still feeling awkward, sensed that something wasn’t right, though he couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was. “I’ll wash the clothes and have someone return them to you.”

“No need.” Hearing what he had to say, Chen Ruxiu’s expression grew even colder. “It’s just a set of clothes. You’ve helped me so much, I’m not so poor that I need to take them back.”

Chen Ruxiu thought that Fang Yiran was looking down on him, which is why he changed his attitude and wanted to send him away.

In reality, not only did Fang Yiran not look down on him, but he also felt… a strange feeling. He was in a hurry to send Chen Ruxiu away to prevent him from noticing his own awkward state.

Chen Ruxiu’s mind was a mess, so he didn’t notice Fang Yiran’s physical condition and hurriedly left.

As soon as Li Qian took over, he sensed something was off. Fang Yiran’s breathing was so heavy that it was a bit alarming. He glanced down and said, “Seriously, Brother Fang, you changed clothes and ended up excited?”

“It’s just a normal physiological reaction.” Fang Yiran clicked his tongue, cursing himself inwardly for being so useless. “You don’t have to say everything that comes to your mind just because you’ve got a mouth.”

Perhaps it was because Chen Ruxiu was two centimeters shorter than Fang Yiran, but wearing Chen Ruxiu’s clothes made Fang Yiran feel they were too tight, almost suffocating, leaving him struggling to catch his breath.

By the time he was lying alone in bed, that feeling of suffocation had transformed into something else entirely.

He opened and closed his eyes, exhaling hot breaths, and after holding back for a long while, Fang Yiran finally gave in to his impulses and loosened the elastic band around his waist.

In his imagination, he was back in that narrow changing room, but this time, there was no sprained ankle.

And what he was holding onto was no longer the other’s arm, but the smooth, beautifully contoured curve of his waist.

That usually cool and distant face finally showed a nearly dazed expression, leaning weakly against his shoulder as they kissed, completely dependent on him.

“…Chen Ruxiu.” This fantasy lasted for more than half an hour, and when it ended, he opened his eyes, staring up at the pitch-black ceiling, and resignedly whispered the other’s name, “I admit it, I’m done for.”

—

Due to the unhappy end at the swimming pool that day, both of them had been deliberately avoiding each other in the days that followed.

Fang Yiran was experiencing the stirrings of first love and didn’t know what attitude to adopt toward Chen Ruxiu. Chen Ruxiu, on the other hand, simply assumed that Fang Yiran disliked him, so he withdrew from Fang Yiran’s sight, feeling hurt.

However, behind the scenes, Fang Yiran was still diligently looking after Chen Ruxiu’s mother’s illness. He finally found a kidney donor, and even the surgery date and the lead surgeon were matters he personally inquired about.

On the day of Chen Ruxiu’s mother’s kidney transplant surgery, Fang Yiran kept a close eye on his phone, and as expected, Chen Ruxiu called.

Fang Yiran eagerly picked up: “Hello?”

Chen Ruxiu didn’t speak for a long time, and the two remained silent for a while.

Then he finally spoke, “…The doctor said that there are risks with the kidney transplant surgery.”

“So you’re scared right now, aren’t you?” For the first time, Fang Yiran was able to sense someone else’s emotions so keenly.

“Hmm,” Chen Ruxiu responded, “I’m really scared.”

“Then do you want me to come and keep you company?” Fang Yiran asked.

Another long silence followed. Chen Ruxiu found himself wanting Fang Yiran’s presence, yet he was afraid that Fang Yiran might find him repulsive.

Fang Yiran thought for a moment and rephrased his offer: “If you don’t refuse, then I’ll come and stay with you.”

Chen Ruxiu didn’t say anything; his silence meant he wasn’t refusing.

Fang Yiran grabbed his car keys and headed out, decisively speaking into the phone, “Wait for me, I’m on my way.”

In the corridor outside the operating room, Fang Yiran found Chen Ruxiu sitting alone. Without a second thought, he sat down beside him and held his cold hand.

“Your hands are too cold,” Fang Yiran sighed, “Let me warm them up for you.”

The two of them leaned on each other like that until the door of the operating room finally opened. The doctor came out and said, “The surgery was very successful, and the patient is in good condition. She will now be transferred to the intensive care unit. Family members cannot visit her directly, but you can take a look through the glass, then head home to rest.”

“That’s great, Auntie is fine.” Fang Yiran breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Chen Ruxiu with a smile. “Now you can relax too. I’ll go with you to see Auntie, and then you can come back to my place for some rest.”

“Alright.” The heavy burden in Chen Ruxiu’s heart was finally lifted.

—

After following Fang Yiran back to his home, Fang Yiran continued to ramble, “The doctor said Auntie is in great condition, she should be discharged within fifteen days. I’ve already found a place for you, the rent is very low, so you can stay there for now. Slippers are in the shoe cabinet on your left…”

Chen Ruxiu’s lips trembled, and after a long moment, all he could say was, “I’m sorry.”

“Why are you suddenly apologizing to me?” Fang Yiran was taken aback.

Chen Ruxiu looked at the person in front of him and asked, “I like you. Do you think I’m particularly disgusting?”

“You, you like me?” Fang Yiran was so shocked by the words that he felt like his soul had left his body. “No, you like me, how could I find you disgusting?”

Chen Ruxiu just gave a sad smile. “If you don’t find me disgusting, then why did your attitude change so suddenly that day in the changing room? Wasn’t it because I blushed when I looked at you?”

Although he felt a bit embarrassed and even like a bit of a scoundrel, Fang Yiran still thickened his skin to explain, “…I just had a physical reaction and didn’t want you to notice.”

Chen Ruxiu was stunned. He was naturally reserved and had never experienced anything like this before, so he could only dumbly repeat Fang Yiran’s words, “A… reaction?”

“Yes,” Fang Yiran admitted. “I had a reaction back then, and later that night too… Luckily, you didn’t make me return your clothes.”

Hearing this, Chen Ruxiu’s ears felt warm, but he couldn’t help feeling a bit happy.

It’s really wonderful, he thought. His mother’s illness was treated, and the person he liked also liked him back. How could everything turn out so perfectly?

And all of this was because of Fang Yiran.

“Do you… still want it now?” Chen Ruxiu asked, forcing himself to endure the embarrassment.

“W-what… are you talking about?” Fang Yiran seemed to realize what Chen Ruxiu was implying, but he could hardly believe it.

“I don’t have much to repay you with.” Chen Ruxiu lifted his face and tentatively offered a kiss. “If you don’t find me unworthy, then I’ll repay you with myself.”

“I don’t want repayment, I want you to like me,” Fang Yiran said stubbornly, pressing his lips together.

Chen Ruxiu said with a gentle tone, “When it comes to you, it’s always been liking.”

When the stirrings of first love begin, it can really spiral out of control.

—

“Hey, have you guys noticed that the top student and the second-place in the grade haven’t interacted for the past couple of days?”

“Chen Ruxiu’s gaze toward Fang Yiran seems a bit off, like something’s going on.”

“I remember Fang Yiran’s family is pretty wealthy. Could it be that Chen Ruxiu wanted to cozy up to Fang Yiran, but he wasn’t interested?”

…

“That’s all nonsense! It’s pure exaggeration! Aren’t Brother Chen and Brother Fang doing just fine? How could they have stopped talking?” Li Qian was very upset when he heard the rumors and immediately reported to Fang Yiran, “Brother Fang, how can you stay so calm? The entire grade is talking about it, saying that Brother Chen has a crush on you but that you don’t feel the same way. What are you two planning to do?”

Fang Yiran was peeling a sweet potato for Chen Ruxiu. He turned his head and consulted with Chen Ruxiu, “The sweet potato is hot, and your skin is so fair—it looks like you can’t handle the heat, like ice cream that would melt right away if exposed to high temperatures. How about I peel it for you and feed you, hmm?”

“Alright.” Chen Ruxiu still showed little expression, but when Fang Yiran reached out to feed him, he would open his mouth to accept it.

Li Qian, seeing this scene where “the emperor isn’t anxious but the eunuch is,” sighed helplessly, “Brother Fang, Brother Chen, someone’s damaging your reputation, and you’re both this calm about it?”

Chen Ruxiu listened for a moment before speaking, “Actually, they aren’t entirely wrong.”

This statement shocked Li Qian so much that he stuttered, “Wh-what do you mean they aren’t wrong?!”

“I do like your Brother Fang, and I do want to cozy up to him.” The aloof and unattainable figure revealed a mischievous smile, turned around, and asked the man beside him, who was peeling the sweet potato, “It just depends on whether this thigh is willing to let me cozy up or not.”

Fang Yiran, holding the sweet potato, felt that his sweet potato-peeling task had been interrupted. He frowned but, since it was Chen Ruxiu asking, he kept his patience and replied, “Of course, you can. Forget just my thigh; I’m entirely yours.”

The only one hurt by this was Li Qian: “So what do we do now? It turns out Brother Chen really likes Brother Fang, and Brother Fang actually likes Brother Chen too.”

“What else can we do?” Fang Yiran’s patience was clearly wearing thin. “These people are such a nuisance. Just tell them that the two of us are already together.”

As he got worked up, his fingers sank into the sweet potato, crushing a piece of it.

Chen Ruxiu observed this, finding it a bit amusing, and asked, “Could it be that Young Master Fang is peeling a sweet potato for the first time?”

“So what if it’s my first time? I’m proud of my first time, it’s an honor.” Fang Yiran replied confidently, though there was a hint of shyness. “…The first time I peel a sweet potato for someone, it’s for you. You should feel lucky.”

Chen Ruxiu couldn’t help but laugh, “I can be openly happy about it.”

Fang Yiran peeled the sweet potato unevenly, and Chen Ruxiu pretended not to notice. When Chen Ruxiu was almost finished eating the sweet potato, Fang Yiran finally spoke up, “This is my first time peeling a sweet potato for someone. Don’t you think you should give me a reward?”

Chen Ruxiu found this reasonable. “Go ahead, what is it?”

“Could you… could you maybe…” Fang Yiran’s voice grew quieter as he spoke, and his ears turned redder and redder.

Chen Ruxiu patiently asked, “—Could you what?”

“Could you… kiss me again?” Fang Yiran whispered, “Just like last time in the classroom.”

Unexpectedly, this guy would make such an innocent request. Chen Ruxiu had no reason not to fulfill it. Taking advantage of the moment while Fang Yiran was speaking, he leaned in and kissed him directly on the lips.

Only now did Fang Yiran realize that the sweetness he tasted last time didn’t come from the soy milk, but rather from Chen Ruxiu himself.

The declaration from last time took on a new form at this moment. Under the astonished gazes of those around them, Chen Ruxiu solemnly said:

“With you, I can ignore anyone’s opinions.”