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Chapter 41: “Can I Chase You?”
Lin Zhi felt like his emotions were on a rollercoaster, with every word Lu Liu said flipping everything around. The last explosive question completely stunned him.
“What did you say?” Lin Zhi asked, dazed.
Lu Liu tilted his head and looked at him, scanning his expression, before smiling and saying, “Did you hear me clearly?”
“You mean…” Lin Zhi, realizing belatedly, felt his ears heat up. “You mean…”
Lin Zhi stuttered for a long time without finishing his sentence, so Lu Liu took over and said, “Do you think I have a chance?”
It was reversed, completely reversed. Lin Zhi stared wide-eyed at Lu Liu. He was the one chasing Lu Liu, so how did it turn out like this?
“Can I chase you?” Lu Liu asked again.
“…Chasing or not is your choice,” Lin Zhi finally managed to say. “Am I supposed to stop you?”
Just like when he decided from the moment he came back to life that he would find “Zhi” and chase him, no one could stop him.
“You can’t,” Lu Liu said with an unusually mischievous look, “Just giving you a heads-up, so you can be prepared.”
Lin Zhi lost track of how they got back to the dorm. When he came to his senses, he was lying on the top bunk with his body sprawled out in an almost [1]“five-body prostration” originates from Buddhist rituals and refers to a position where a person bows with their hands, knees, and forehead touching the ground, symbolizing deep respect … Continue reading“five-body prostration” position.
The surprise came too suddenly, and the unexpected development left Lin Zhi a little overwhelmed.
He had been mentally prepared for a long, arduous road to win over Lu Liu, but just as the journey was beginning, Lu Liu brought the destination right in front of him and made him prepare for something else.
His nose and mouth were buried in the soft pillow, and it wasn’t until he felt his chest tightening that Lin Zhi turned his head and took a deep breath.
He never knew that Lu Liu had such thoughts about him. When did this start?
In the previous life, when Lu Liu pretended to be “Zhi” and chatted with him, he was already in his second year of college. If it weren’t for Lu Liu’s drastic change this life, it would mean that “Zhi” and he had already been… involved from the very start.
Lin Zhi suddenly chuckled. No wonder “Zhi” had been so concerned about him from the very beginning. Every time he was a little upset, “Zhi” would ask him over and over about it. He was so dumb—why didn’t he ever suspect that a newly met online friend would go to such lengths?
His neck felt a bit sore, so Lin Zhi shifted positions and let out another “hmph.” He didn’t expect Lu Liu, who appeared so pure and simple, to actually have such deep thoughts. After knowing each other for so long, he had never shown even a hint of unusual feelings.
It was the same in the previous life. “Zhi” used to do things that stirred his feelings, yet was completely unaware. If Lin Zhi hadn’t taken the initiative, his memories of “Zhi” after his rebirth would have only consisted of pure friendship.
The phone under his pillow vibrated twice. Lin Zhi recalled his slightly dry but beautiful relationship with “Zhi” and, with a smile on his face, pulled out his phone.
【Lu Liu: I’ve gotten off the bus.】
So he’s starting to update his whereabouts now?
Lin Zhi’s smile deepened as he tapped Lu Liu’s profile picture. The nickname on this account was still “Zhi,” and the profile picture was still that odd billboard. When they met “Zhi” in person on October 1st after years of knowing each other, Lin Zhi changed the contact name afterward.
Thinking back on those past events, Lin Zhi returned to the chat interface and edited his message:
【Lin Zhi: You’re obviously bent, how come you chose such a ‘zhi’ name for your WeChat?】
【Lu Liu: You’re bent too, and still have a ‘zhi’ name.】
Lin Zhi: “…”
When his father helped him pick a name, he never imagined his son would grow up to like men.
【Lin Zhi: Guess we’re really quite the coincidence.】
【Lu Liu: Not really.】
【Lu Liu: When I saw that character, it reminded me of you, so I used it.】
Lin Zhi slapped his phone onto the bed, and the phone collided with the thin cotton bedding, making a soft “thud” sound.
After things were out in the open, Lu Liu became too direct, and Lin Zhi felt like he couldn’t handle it.
Actually, in his previous life, he had asked about the character “Zhi.” Back then, he and “Zhi” weren’t together yet. What had “Zhi” said in response?
“Nothing, there was a forest beside our military training ground, and there was a billboard like the one in my profile picture by the roadside. I was too lazy to think of a name, so I just used the first character.”
Big liar!
A few minutes later, the phone, which had been tossed aside, vibrated again, one notification after another. Lu Liu called directly.
Lin Zhi instinctively cleared his throat, and as he answered the call, he thought, thankfully Lu Liu didn’t call for a video.
“Hello,” Lin Zhi tried to make his voice sound as normal as possible. “What’s up?”
“Nothing much,” Lu Liu’s voice was accompanied by a rustling sound. “Just wanted to let you know, I’m back in the dorm.”
Lin Zhi: “…Couldn’t you just text me?”
“You didn’t reply to the message I sent,” Lu Liu’s voice clearly carried a hint of amusement. “So I had no choice but to call.”
“The message you sent, I couldn’t reply to it,” Lin Zhi muttered.
“Hm?” His voice was soft, and Lu Liu didn’t catch it.
“I said,” Lin Zhi returned to a normal volume, “Now that you’re safely back in the dorm, I’m relieved. Is there anything else?”
“Nope.”
“Then…” Should he hang up the phone now?
Lin Zhi swallowed the words he was about to say.
In the silence, Lin Zhi heard Lu Liu’s roommate talking to him. The roommate’s voice was distant, while Lu Liu’s voice was close.
After a few words, the roommate’s voice faded, and Lu Liu paused for a few seconds before saying, “Hm? Aren’t you going to hang up?”
Lin Zhi asked knowingly, “Are you talking to me?”
“Mm.” Lu Liu laughed. “Who else would I be talking to besides you?”
“Hmm,” Lin Zhi replied, trying to maintain composure. “It doesn’t matter if you hang up or not. I’m not busy, but will talking disturb your roommate’s studying?”
Lu Liu’s roommates were all academic overachievers, and Lin Zhi remembered that “Zhi” often went to the library with his roommates, and they often discussed problems together in the dorm.
Instead of directly answering Lin Zhi, Lu Liu turned to ask his roommate Gao Zhenghong, who was playing a mobile game, “Would it bother you if I make a call now?”
Lin Zhi didn’t catch what Gao Zhenghong replied, but Lu Liu passed the message on, “He says it won’t.”
“…” Lin Zhi was speechless. Didn’t that clearly tell the roommate that he had asked the question?
As expected, the next moment Lin Zhi heard Lu Liu’s roommate’s voice again, and this time, he heard it clearly.
“Girlfriend?”
“Sort of,” Lu Liu answered honestly. “I’m pursuing her.”
Gao Zhenghong: “Haha, looks like you’re about to succeed. Treat me to a meal when you’re single no more.”
“Sure.” Lu Liu agreed immediately.
“Hey, hey, hey,” Lin Zhi covered his other ear with his hand, feeling the heat of his palm, and couldn’t help but interrupt, “Did you forget I can hear you?”
“Of course I didn’t forget,” Lu Liu said naturally. “I was deliberately saying it for you to hear.”
Damn! Why is Lu Liu so much more skilled at chasing someone on his first try?
Oh, wait, technically, this was his second time.
References
↑1 | “five-body prostration” originates from Buddhist rituals and refers to a position where a person bows with their hands, knees, and forehead touching the ground, symbolizing deep respect and reverence. It’s used humorously or figuratively to describe someone lying face-down in an exaggerated, sprawled-out position, almost like they’ve completely “collapsed” from shock, surprise, or even embarrassment. |
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JustMeow18[Translator]
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