Chapter 54: This Also Means They’ll Soon…

Lin Zhi, looking satisfied, lay back on the sofa, his sweatpants undone and hanging loosely around his hips, exposing a third of his mermaid line. He half-opened his eyes and watched Lu Liu open the window to ventilate the room, then turn around to pick up the tissues scattered on the floor, throwing them all into the trash bin.

For a moment, Lin Zhi thought the cleaning staff wouldn’t rummage through the trash after they left.

But to be safe, he pulled up his pants and grabbed a few clean tissues to cover the trash.

The movie had played for quite some time, and they’d missed a lot of the plot while doing other things. Lin Zhi and Lu Liu no longer focused on the movie, their gazes almost magnetized to each other.

Lu Liu couldn’t help but laugh at Lin Zhi’s obvious attempt to cover things up and said, “Doesn’t covering it up so thoroughly just make people more curious about what’s underneath?”

“It’s better than making it obvious right away,” Lin Zhi replied, then suddenly remembered something and turned his head, glancing around the room. “Do you think there are any cameras here?”

“You’re only thinking about cameras now?” Lu Liu asked, “Since they’ve already put a condom on the table and prepared a bed, maybe there aren’t any cameras.”

“Oh,” Lin Zhi plopped back down beside Lu Liu, glancing at him and quickly averting his eyes. “Let’s hope so.”

“What’s wrong?” Lu Liu laughed, reaching out to lightly pinch the back of Lin Zhi’s neck. “Why the sudden modesty?”

Lin Zhi didn’t look directly at him, perhaps because their intimacy had reached another level. Although they hadn’t gone all the way, Lin Zhi felt a strange shyness in his heart amidst the still-accelerating beats of his pulse.

“Did I make you uncomfortable?” Lu Liu asked.

Whether it was uncomfortable or not was another story, but using someone else’s hand was far more stimulating than using his own. Lin Zhi cleared his throat and was about to answer when Lu Liu asked, “Or is it that you didn’t last very long, so you’re embarrassed to face me?”

“…” Lin Zhi gritted his teeth, “Get lost.”

Lu Liu had been tactful in his words, but it wasn’t just a short time. Lin Zhi had barely lasted a few minutes before feeling unable to hold back. At one point, Lu Liu’s hand tightened slightly, and in his excitement, Lin Zhi had confessed…

“It’s my first time, I had no experience,” Lin Zhi defended himself. “Next time, with more practice, I’ll last longer! I can last for half an hour!”

“Poof—” Lu Liu laughed and then grabbed Lin Zhi’s right hand, rubbing his palm and fingers. “Your hand must be sore, let me massage it.”

Lin Zhi: “…”

Lin Zhi’s “next time” came very quickly. That night, Lin Zhi and Lu Liu slept in each other’s arms. What young lovers who had been intimate would only chat in bed? In the middle of the night, they couldn’t resist and ended up hugging and going at it again.

This time, Lin Zhi was less reserved, and after they finished, he held Lu Liu’s face and kissed him repeatedly.

Outside, the cold winds of winter howled, but inside, the atmosphere was heated, with their hearts racing.

The next day, Lin Zhi was woken up by a phone call. He had the habit of putting his phone under his pillow while sleeping, but today, when he reached for it, he couldn’t find it.

Lu Liu had already woken up and had watched the whole process. Lin Zhi, too lazy to open his eyes, was about to get angry for not being able to find his phone. But seeing Lin Zhi struggle, Lu Liu supported himself on one side, reached over Lin Zhi to grab the phone from the bedside table, and shoved the cold, still-ringing device into Lin Zhi’s hand.

Lin Zhi barely opened one eye and saw that the caller ID was “Yao Wenjing.”

“Hello,” Lin Zhi’s voice was hoarse and bubble-like from still being half-asleep. “Xiao Jing?”

Lu Liu raised an eyebrow and, under the covers, pulled Lin Zhi tightly into his arms again.

“Lin Zhi, aren’t you awake yet?” Yao Wenjing’s voice came through the phone.

“Mm, what time is it?” Lin Zhi saw that Lu Liu hadn’t gotten up either and assumed it was still early.

Yao Wenjing hadn’t had a chance to respond when Lu Liu interjected from the side, “It’s almost 11 o’clock.”

They were so close that Lu Liu’s voice was clearly heard through the phone, reaching Yao Wenjing’s ear.

There was a brief pause before Yao Wenjing tentatively asked, “…Xiao Zhi, where are you?”

“I’m at Lu Liu’s school,” Lin Zhi replied, giving Lu Liu a playful glare. “You should come here to find us later.”

Yao Wenjing and Lin Zhi shared the same home, so they would naturally meet up together. However, Lin Zhi and Lu Liu couldn’t be separated, meaning Yao Wenjing would have to reluctantly play the role of a third wheel.

Originally, they had planned for Yao Wenjing and Lu Liu to come to Lin Zhi’s school at noon, and the three would then go to the train station together. However, Lin Zhi had decided last minute to come to Lu Liu’s place earlier and forgot to inform Yao Wenjing.

After hanging up, Lin Zhi tossed his phone aside and leaned over to kiss Lu Liu on the face, saying, “You’re so childish, getting jealous even over a phone call. Xiao Jing is practically your half brother-in-law.”

Before, Lu Liu had dined with Yao Wenjing as Lin Zhi’s boyfriend. Throughout the meal, Yao Wenjing had been very serious, and when Lin Zhi went to the bathroom, Yao Wenjing had earnestly told Lu Liu, “Lu Liu, I can tell you and Xiao Zhi really like each other, and I know you’re excellent in many ways. I hope you take your relationship as seriously as you do your studies. To be clear, if you do anything to hurt Xiao Zhi while you’re together, as his good friend and younger brother, I won’t let you off easily!”

According to Lu Liu’s account, Yao Wenjing had even emphasized his words several times to ensure his point came across, then added, “Of course, if Xiao Zhi does anything wrong, you can teach him a lesson, but no hitting. Although you’re both guys, it’s normal to rough each other up sometimes, but domestic violence is unacceptable. I believe Xiao Zhi always has his reasons for doing things, but if you hit him, I won’t let you off either!”

Having said all this, Lu Liu didn’t even want to imagine what kind of impression he made on Yao Wenjing. He just responded with a simple “I won’t” to both points and was further convinced of how close Lin Zhi and Yao Wenjing were.

Yao Wenjing was like Lin Zhi’s brother with no blood relation, but he still acted as a protector of Lin Zhi’s interests, making it hard for Lu Liu not to feel jealous.

Thinking of this, Lu Liu muttered, “Half brother-in-law? If he were really a brother-in-law, that would be better… oh wait, I mean, little brother.”

“Little brother my ass,” Lin Zhi laughed and shoved him. “Get up.”

The seating arrangement was similar to when they came, but this time, instead of Lin Zhi and Yao Wenjing sitting on one side with Lu Liu across from them, Yao Wenjing was sitting across from them, and Lin Zhi and Lu Liu sat close together, their hands intertwined under the coat.

After getting enough sleep, neither Lin Zhi nor Lu Liu felt tired. They leaned their heads together to watch the same movie, while Yao Wenjing, not sure if he was really tired or just pretending, wore a mask and closed his eyes, reclining and seemingly asleep.

The train arrived in J City late at night. As they neared the station, Lin Zhi and Lu Liu both wore slightly nervous expressions. Lin Qingye and Lu Liu’s parents were already waiting at the station to welcome their children, which meant they were about to meet the parents in a more indirect way.

Lu Liu gently squeezed Lin Zhi’s palm under the coat and said, “I guess my parents have already started talking with your dad.”

Before the start of school, both families had exchanged contact information, and Lin Qingye had mentioned a few days ago during a call with Lin Zhi that he had arranged to meet with Lu Liu’s parents at the station.

Lin Zhi, feeling nervous yet a little gleeful, leaned toward Lu Liu and whispered, “Do you think it’ll be easier for us to come out if they’ve already gotten along?”

“It will be,” Lu Liu answered confidently. “Actually, my dad probably won’t mind much. He’s a university professor, and I remember once when we were having dinner, he mentioned that a debate on ‘homosexuality’ was held in his department.”

“What happened?” Lin Zhi asked. “Which side won?”