Chapter 27: Come on

But as soon as the gender changed, the atmosphere seemed completely different!

Jian Mingzhou thought vaguely: Is it because Xie Jing didn’t emit the silver bell-like laughter?

“Uncle,” someone called him from the side.

He turned around and saw Xie Jing, with long arms and legs, leaning on the recliner, tilting his head. “How is it still comfortable?”

Jian Mingzhou collected his thoughts and said, “It’s acceptable.”

Xie Jing just hummed, his tone slightly teasing, “Then, how about dinner?”

Jian Mingzhou was still immersed in the current atmosphere, lowered his head, and glanced at the manga: Aren’t we eating already?

Xie Jing paused for a moment, then pointed to the dining table.

With patience and a soft voice, Xie Jing said, “Not in a spiritual sense, but in terms of your… physical presence.”

“…” Jian Mingzhou stood up, “Oh.”

The two walked towards the dining room together.

As soon as Jian Mingzhou returned home, he was struck by the newly established vacation fortress and hadn’t noticed that the meal was already prepared on the table. At the moment, following someone like a cloud:

No need to cook at home; no need to wash dishes; snacks to eat; manga to read…

In the trembling sense of happiness, he grasped a trace of clear rationality:

It seems like something is encroaching on his life!

…

At the dining table, there were three dishes and a soup for two.

Jian Mingzhou looked at the pot of radish and tofu soup and pulled out a chair. “Is this soup intentional or accidental?”

Xie Jing smiled. “I guessed you wanted to drink it at the moment I poured water.”

“…”

Just as they had sat down and hadn’t taken a few bites, the phone suddenly rang.

Buzz… twice. Xie Jing glanced at it and answered, “Hello, Uncle.”

Xie Chi? Jian Mingzhou looked up from the opposite side.

No need for hands-free; Xie Chi’s voice came through the earpiece, “Xiaojing, have you had dinner? Are you going to participate in the competition this weekend?”

Xie Jing, “Yes.”

The conversation paused for a moment, and Xie Chi spoke weakly again:

“…Your parents are flying out of town this week. I originally planned to come and support you, but I just received a call, and something came up on Saturday…”

Xie Jing remained silent for two seconds, then lowered his eyes and said, “It’s okay.”

He looked calm, as casual as usual. Jian Mingzhou glanced over and felt a sudden dullness in his heart.

It’s as if Xie Jing is used to this kind of thing.

His hand holding the chopsticks tightened slightly. Just as he was about to speak, Xie Chi suddenly had a whimsical idea:

“Hey? How about Uncle putting your photo as a screensaver in front of you, accompanying you with telepathy?”

“…”

Silence fell over the dining table.

This move exuded a strong sense of familiarity in the midst of suffocation.

Xie Jing slowly looked at Jian Mingzhou, and Jian Mingzhou slowly averted his gaze: …Don’t look at him; it has nothing to do with him.

After a while, Xie Jing said, “No need; my uncle will accompany me that day.”

“Ah? Mingzhou, right.” Xie Chi was puzzled for a moment, then shouted loudly, “Hey, Mingzhou! Are you nearby?”

Xie Jing turned on the speaker, and Jian Mingzhou replied, “Yes.”

“Sorry, Mingzhou; luckily, you’re there to accompany…” Xie Chi said again, “Xiejing! Mingzhou is really good to you. He doesn’t like going out normally.”

Xie Jing paused and raised his eyes. “Uncle, you don’t like going out?”

Jian Mingzhou focused, “…Not anymore.”

He glanced at his phone. It’s enough, Xie Chi; no need to reminisce about the past!

However, the other side had already opened up a conversation basket, “Yes! When we were in college, seven days a week, as long as there were no classes during meals, three days a week, I brought him meals!”

Jian Mingzhou stared, “…Xie, Chi.”

As if sensing his discomfort, Xie Jing tactfully comforted him, “It’s okay; there are still four days.”

Xie Chi: “Then those four days will be the turn of the other two people!” Doing it all seven days will exhaust him!

Xie Jing, “…”

Jian Mingzhou, “…”

The call was hung up.

What should have been a complex family entanglement for the Xie family inexplicably ended with Jian Mingzhou’s youthful years.

Jian Mingzhou closed his eyes lightly, still immersed in the faint embarrassment of being exposed.

Beside him, there was silence for two seconds, and then suddenly, Xie Jing said calmly:

“Uncle, now that I’m your roommate, I can bring you meals every day of the week.”

Jian Mingzhou raised his eyes and saw Xie Jing looking at him.

The crystal light above the dining table cast a gentle smile in Xie Jing’s eyes.

A touch in his heart, Jian Mingzhou was moved: “Xiaojing, I… am not that useless.”

“…”

–

The next day was Saturday.

Jian Mingzhou had promised to bring some merchandise for He Yu when she visited. Hearing that she was coming this weekend, he went to the editorial department and grabbed a bunch.

Passing by, Qian Qian asked, “Are you going to sell them?”

Jian Mingzhou, “Giving them away.”

Qian Qian stopped and gave him a side glance. “… Your younger wolf?”

She suddenly remembered, “Hey! Last time at the dinner, wasn’t he hanging ‘Teacher’ merchandise on his backpack?”

“He also reads BL, and it’s the one you gave him as an assistant editor, right?”

“…” Jian Mingzhou’s gaze was silent.

But no matter how he explained it, it felt inexplicable. After a pause, taking away the merchandise, he left a sentence, “A gift from heaven.”

…

Saturday arrived with clear skies.

The competition venue was the Xin Pai Park Stadium.

Xie Jing and the others followed the team together, while Jian Mingzhou took a taxi directly.

Many people had already gathered in the park.

Around the open field of the competition, there were park trails, lush tree canopies, and green lawns. Contestants were gathered in groups of two or three, some with their teams and some with family and friends.

Jian Mingzhou looked around and quickly spotted Xie Jing.

Xie Jing was standing alone in front of the steps, with a backpack and a loose coat over his competition outfit.

From a distance, Jian Mingzhou saw He Yi, Zhou Xuyang, and others seemingly with their families, an unfamiliar lady, and also his sister He Yu.

Jian Mingzhou walked over and said, “Xiaojing.”

Xie Jing turned around, the side of his face cast in the shadow of the tree canopy, and sunlight suddenly sprinkled into his eyes. He smiled and said, “Uncle.”

“Why are you alone here?”

“Oh, they are all with their families and friends. I’m waiting for my uncle.”

Jian Mingzhou was stunned, and his heart felt a light thump. “Sorry, I was late due to traffic. How long until your competition starts?”

 Xie Jing said, “Different events. He Yi and Zhou Xuyang are in the 4×100 relay first, and my individual 400 meters is a bit later.”

“I see.”

As they were talking, a familiar and energetic shout approached from a distance:

“Ming! Zhou! Brother——!”

Jian Mingzhou looked up and saw He Yu rushing towards them.

Just as he was about to greet her, something caught his eye in his peripheral vision. He glanced sideways, and the pendant on Xie Jing’s backpack caught his eye.

Oh my God! It’s “Teacher”!

BL manga merchandise. It might work for He Yi, but He Yu might not be so accepting!

Seeing that He Yu was about to reach them, Jian Mingzhou quickly grabbed the pendant in his hand.

Xie Jing was pulled down and turned his head. “?”

He turned around to see the backpack turning half a circle with his movement, and Jian Mingzhou followed suit.

The small pendant on the backpack seemed to have turned into a large one, and Xie Jing chuckled. “…Uncle, what are you doing?”

Jian Mingzhou looked solemn. “Shh.”

He was dealing with an impending crisis!

The two locked eyes in an intertwined posture. When He Yu arrived, she stopped abruptly.

“…Did I disturb you?”

“It’s okay.” Jian Mingzhou handed her a bag of merchandise. “Here, He Yu.”

“What is this… Ah!” He Yu’s attention immediately shifted. He opened it and looked inside, dancing with excitement. “Wow, thank you, Brother Mingzhou! I love you, meow——!”

Xie Jing lowered his head and whispered, “Meow?”

Jian Mingzhou, “A cute particle.”

“Brother Mingzhou, you’re so good!” He Yu continued to fiddle with it, moving to tears. “Not only can you accept BL, but you also brought me merchandise, sob, sob…”

“It’s nothing.”

“Many guys are very resistant to it!”

After she finished speaking, Xie Jing casually commented, “What’s the big deal about that?”

He Yu’s teary eyes contracted, looking around. “You think it’s nothing; you really think it’s nothing…” Her eyes gradually brightened. “Oh~ hehehe…”

“…”

Jian Mingzhou tightened the pendant. Far from thinking it’s nothing, Xie Jing almost brought the entire bookstore back.

And there’s still one in the backpack now.

–

In no time, the 4×100 race was about to begin.

He Yi’s team headed towards the competition area, passing by Jian Mingzhou, and his golden hair bounced.

“Brother Mingzhou, remember to cheer loudly for us!”

Zhou Xuyang patted his head and asked, “When did you ever hear Brother Mingzhou shouting loudly?”

Jian Mingzhou: “I will cheer for you with a moderate volume.”

They soon went to the competition area.

He Yu also rushed to find He Yi. Jian Mingzhou took the opportunity to slip the pendant into the backpack seam.

Xie Jing couldn’t help but smile. “He Yu wouldn’t mind if she saw it.”

Jian Mingzhou reasoned, “But she might blow a whistle that you can’t bear.”

They found a suitable place in the stands.

On the field, the athletes took their positions, poised for action. The surroundings fell silent for a moment, with only the rustling of leaves outside the field. Jian Mingzhou, who was originally taking photos, also unconsciously held his breath.

With a gunshot, bang!

The first leg of the relay started—

The stands erupted into cheers!

He Yu shouted loudly beside him, “Ah, ah, ah, brother, go, go, go!!”

Jian Mingzhou, not forgetting his purpose, also raised his hand to cheer, “Come on, come on!”

Beside him, Xie Jing turned his head: …

After cheering three times, Xie Jing couldn’t help but speak, “Uncle, your support is indeed ‘equal’ for everyone.”

With few words and low volume.

Jian Mingzhou put his hand down, affirming, “Of course, I treat everyone equally.”

…

The 4×100 ended, and He Yu went to find them.

Xie Jing also prepared to go to the field. As he stood up, his tall and outstanding figure attracted many eyes.

He took off his coat and bent down, handing it over. “Uncle, help me hold this.”

Jian Mingzhou reached out to take it and said, “Okay.”

The coat was large and soft. He held a full armful. “Is there anything else you need to take?”

Xie Jing paused for a moment, then raised his eyes at the height of handing over the coat. With the sunlight behind him, his eyes were particularly bright. He smiled and said,

“Uncle, the cheering you give me should be louder than what you give He Yi and others.”

…

The 400-meter solo race quickly started.

The feeling of the 400 meters seemed different from the just-concluded 4×100.

Jian Mingzhou looked from the stands and saw Xie Jing already standing at the end of the track. Even among the athletes, his upright figure was quite eye-catching.

He was not sure if he was nervous about someone.

Jian Mingzhou watched Xie Jing on the track, feeling his heart pound faster. The surrounding voices seemed to have quieted down compared to before.

Unconsciously, he stood up and walked to the front.

Athletes took their positions, and the referee raised the gun.

Bang! A gunshot pierced the air above the track.

Figures behind the white line rushed out like arrows! The crowd in the stands erupted into waves of shouts, cheers, and waves, pushing towards the center of the field.

The names of other athletes on the field were mixed in, mingling with the summer sun and layers of heat waves.

Xie Jing’s figure left a trail on the track, approaching in an instant. Suddenly, it was like the first time he had seen him pass by—

 The chest cavity of Jian Mingzhou suddenly surged with excitement.

“Charge, ah!”

“Come on, come on, come on!!!”

The surrounding voices were noisy, filling the eardrums, and the edges of vision became blurry, leaving only the central figure of Xie Jing.

He was just inches away from the person in front.

Jianming Zhou’s nervous and surging heart reached its peak in the instant when Xie Jing’s figure flashed before his eyes! His voice surged, breaking through his throat.

“Xie Jing—”

The figure in front seemed to suddenly accelerate, surpassing the person ahead and breaking through the finish line.

First place!

The stands instantly roared with sound. Amidst the deafening cheers and astonished discussions, Jian Mingzhou’s heart calmed, and he turned joyfully towards the exit.

There, Xie Jing had just come down from the track.

He Yi’s family and other teammates were also there.

Before Jian Mingzhou could call someone over, Xie Jing looked up and walked straight towards him.

As if carrying the wind from the track, sweat dripped from his forehead. He took a few steps and then, with a seemingly exhausted posture, leaned on Jian Mingzhou’s shoulder with a thud—

Jianming Zhou’s heart skipped a beat, instinctively catching him.

Xie Jing’s forehead brushed past, bringing a coarse and warm breath. “Uncle, let me lean on you for a moment.”