(Second)

In the end, he didn’t cry because the ceiling light suddenly went out, and his vision went completely dark without any warning. Yu Xinqiao was frightened and held onto the small stool, thinking he had cried so much that he had lost his sight.

He stood up and looked out the window. Within a ten-meter radius, everything was pitch black, with only the distant buildings flickering with lights.

It turned out that there was a power outage.

Yu Xinqiao felt around for his phone on the sink, pressed the power button, and turned on the flashlight.

He wanted to go outside and take a look. Holding the flashlight carefully, he walked out of the bathroom. Just as he pushed open the door, there was a loud “boom” above his head, and a thunderclap erupted. Yu Xinqiao immediately retracted his foot that was about to step outside.

Few people knew that Yu Xinqiao was afraid of thunderstorms.

When he was a child, during a summer camp in the wilderness, a sudden thunderstorm occurred at night. He came out of the tent to relieve himself, holding an umbrella. Just as he took a few steps, accompanied by a loud bang, he watched as a towering tree not far ahead was split in half by a lightning bolt.

Fortunately, the toilet was right there, so he didn’t have to worry about having to go urgently and risking getting struck by lightning to find a restroom.

The enclosed and narrow environment provided a sense of security. Yu Xinqiao sat down next to the toilet, thinking to himself, “Just wait a bit longer, the power will come back soon.”

But as he waited, half an hour passed, and there was still no electricity. The thunderclaps, on the other hand, grew louder and more frequent.

Yu Xinqiao completely sobered up, his heart pounding anxiously. After calling the property management, he held onto the idea of chatting with someone to distract himself. He opened WeChat and sent Liang Yi an emoji.

There was no reply from the other side, most likely because Liang Yi was already asleep.

Wang Kun and Shen Da didn’t react either. He Tangyue was a girl, and her parents were probably fast asleep by now. He hadn’t been in touch with his former classmates for a long time, so the only option left… Yu Xinqiao scrolled down and stopped at a completely black profile picture.

It was Xu Yanhuan’s WeChat. More than two months ago, after getting Xu Yanhuan’s number, Yu Xinqiao had sent him a friend request through the contacts list. There was no response for a long time until a couple of days ago when a message unexpectedly popped up saying, “XYH has accepted your friend request.”

Yu Xinqiao thought that he had remembered the promise he made when he asked for his number, so he added him to the class group chat and left it at that without further interaction.

At this moment, faced with the empty conversation box, Yu Xinqiao had the idea of leaving something there.

After all, he would be leaving Xuncheng soon, and Xu Yanhuan wouldn’t reply anyway.

What should he send? Good evening, are you still awake?

He should be working at the bar right now, shouldn’t he?

Yu Xinqiao clicked on the plus sign next to the input box, thinking about sending a red envelope.

It seemed a bit inexplicable.

(Continued)

So, there was only one person left… Yu Xinqiao looked at the camera-shaped button and bit his lip with unease.

Clicking it once would cancel it, right? He wouldn’t answer anyway. Last time, he called him numerous times at the entrance of the concert hall, but he didn’t pick up.

Confidently, Yu Xinqiao pressed the voice message button.

One second, two seconds, three seconds… Just as he was about to give up and press the red button, the beep suddenly stopped, replaced by a slightly noisy background sound mixed with lazy jazz music.

Almost instantly, Yu Xinqiao covered his mouth, his breath stuck in his throat from the shock.

About half a minute passed, and the person on the other end lost patience first. “What’s the matter?”

It was Xu Yanhuan’s voice.

Yu Xinqiao was caught in a dilemma, racking his brain for something to say. “Fifty-fifty, uh..fifty-fifty. um.”

Xu Yanhuan: “…What?”

Only then did he realize that his hand was still covering his mouth. Yu Xinqiao slowly put his hand down, and with a brave face, he repeated, “I added you to the class group chat.”

Seemingly speechless, there was silence on the other end for a long time. Yu Xinqiao felt like disappearing into the ground, and it was only then that Xu Yanhuan said, “Hmm, thank you.”

In his memory, this was already the third time Xu Yanhuan had thanked him.

As if Yu Xinqiao was a warm and friendly good person.

…Although he indeed was.

Just as he was about to say something to break the awkwardness, there was a sudden thunder outside the window. Caught off guard, Yu Xinqiao trembled, and his phone fell on the tiled floor.

Hastily picking it up, he heard the person on the other end ask, “What happened?”

Yu Xinqiao was thin-skinned and didn’t want others to know he was afraid of thunder. Trying to appear calm, he said, “Nothing, I just wanted to chat with you. Is that not okay?”

Silence fell on the other side again.

Yu Xinqiao also knew that his request was somewhat unreasonable. They weren’t even friends.

But since the call had connected, the first time it had connected, he couldn’t bear to hang up just like that.

“Well, I’ll pay you a salary then,” Yu Xinqiao came up with an idea. “How much is your hourly rate? I’ll give you double.”

Yu Xinqiao, who had never worried about his basic needs, had a little bit of the young master’s habit, such as using money to solve problems instinctively.

Of course, there were times when he hit a wall, like now. Just after he finished speaking, he heard the chaotic background noise abruptly stop, followed by a beep. The other end had hung up the voice call.

Yu Xinqiao: “…”

Beyond his expectations, yet within his expectations.

Forget it, tonight was destined to have no one to accompany him. Yu Xinqiao put down his phone, retrieved the small stool, and leaned against the sink like an old person. Amidst the rumbling sound of thunder, he closed his eyes drowsily.

He even had a dream.

In the dream, it wasn’t Yu Xinqiao chasing after Xu Yanhuan, but Xu Yanhuan longing for Yu Xinqiao. Not only did he forcibly kiss him, but he also hugged him tightly, crying and saying, “Please don’t go, okay.”

Yu Xinqiao, having achieved a victory and feeling triumphant, suddenly heard a knocking sound by his ear.

Thud, thud, thud, three solid knocks.

At first, he thought someone was knocking on the door in his dream. It wasn’t until the initially rhythmic knocking sound became slightly urgent for the third time that Yu Xinqiao, leaning against the sink, slowly stood up and walked towards the bathroom in the darkness.

By now, the thunder had subsided, and the rain had weakened. Yu Xinqiao thought it might be the property management, so without thinking, he opened the door.

Under the dripping eaves at the doorway, amidst the dense curtain of rain, stood a person.

Yu Xinqiao thought his dream and reality had blurred together, and he raised his phone’s flashlight dimly.

Xu Yanhuan squinted his eyes against the dazzling light. Yu Xinqiao saw his hair drenched and his white T-shirt soaked in large patches.

They entered the house, closed the door, and Yu Xinqiao went to the kitchen to pour water.

Noticing a beam of light following him closely, Yu Xinqiao took out a new glass, cleared his throat, and said, “It’s just adding you to a group chat. There’s no need to specially come and thank me in person.”

Xu Yanhuan held up his phone, keeping the beam of light on Yu Xinqiao’s hand, making it easier for him to see.

“I happened to be passing by,” he said in a casual tone. “Wasn’t it said that you’d give me double the hourly rate?”

So it was because of the money. Yu Xinqiao suppressed his pounding heart, feeling both disappointed and a hint of relief.

It was fortunate that Xu Yanhuan hadn’t come specifically for him. Otherwise, how could he bear to leave this place?

Yu Xinqiao poured a cup of hot water for Xu Yanhuan and fetched a dry towel.

They had agreed to chat, but fifteen minutes had passed, and they hadn’t started a conversation.

Wasting time was shameful, so Yu Xinqiao started to hurry and find a topic. “Don’t you go to the wholesale market to work anymore these days?”

Xu Yanhuan replied, “I go during the day.”

“You work during both the day and night. Isn’t it tiring?”

“It’s okay.”

“By the way, congratulations on being first in the end-of-term exams.”

“Thank you.”

“…You’re welcome.”

They couldn’t continue the conversation for a while.

Yu Xinqiao felt restless, wishing he could bring up the “magical moments of Yanhuan learning to use his mouth” that he had stored in his mind earlier and add a few words to it, changing it to “intermittent magical moments of Yanhuan learning to use his mouth.”

Yu Xinqiao thought resentfully that whoever marries him in the future will be unlucky, facing a mouth that is so stingy with words every day.

But he was also fortunate.

What kind of person would marry him in the future?

First and foremost, they must be beautiful, or else they wouldn’t be a match for him. Then they should be intelligent, able to understand his emotions even when he doesn’t speak.

It would be even better if they were rich. Thinking about how Xu Yanhuan was taken advantage of by that seemingly wealthy female customer at the bar without avoiding it, Yu Xinqiao felt a surge of sourness in his heart and thought, “I’m pretty rich too.” Although it’s not money I earned myself.

Yu Xinqiao didn’t want Xu Yanhuan to work in such a place, but he didn’t have the authority to tell him not to, so he took a roundabout approach. “Are you a formal employee at that bar?”

“No,” Xu Yanhuan replied.

Yu Xinqiao understood. “That makes sense. You’re not of legal age yet, so you can’t sign a labor contract.”

He thought to himself that Xu Yanhuan was only working there part-time and would return to campus when summer vacation ended.

With the intense study pressure in the third year of high school, he probably wouldn’t have much time for work.

Yu Xinqiao breathed a sigh of relief.

After graduating from high school, there would be university, and with Xu Yanhuan’s grades, he would definitely be able to get into a good school. By then, he wouldn’t have to do manual labor anymore or be harassed at the bar.

Yu Xinqiao pondered about the future, so deeply absorbed in his thoughts that he didn’t hear clearly what Xu Yanhuan said.

Snapping back to reality, Yu Xinqiao asked, “What?”

Xu Yanhuan sat on a chair at the dining table, still surrounded by moisture, as if sitting in a hazy mist, not quite real.

“I’ve come of age,” Xu Yanhuan repeated what he had said earlier. “It happened today.”

At 1 a.m. on August 9th, in a house within a villa area in Xuncheng, Yu Xinqiao jumped up in the dark, wanting to go out and buy a cake.

Xu Yanhuan probably didn’t expect such a reaction from him and tried to stop him. “It’s still raining outside. And at this time, the stores are closed.”

Yu Xinqiao had celebrated every birthday from childhood to adulthood amidst the blessings and joyous laughter of family and friends, so he couldn’t accept that Xu Yanhuan’s birthday would be so desolate.

He completely ignored the meaning and motive behind Xu Yanhuan telling him about his birthday. “Then I’ll order takeout.”

He picked up his phone and checked, but all the shops were closed. Yu Xinqiao anxiously said, “I’ll go out and take a look. There’s a dessert shop right at the entrance of the community. Maybe it hasn’t closed yet.”

He stood up, determined not to give up, but Xu Yanhuan grabbed his arm. “Aren’t you afraid?”

“Hmm?”

“Don’t go.”

“…”

After being reminded by him, Yu Xinqiao remembered that he had been startled by a thunderclap during their voice call, causing his phone to fall to the ground.

It’s hard to describe the current mood, but it’s similar to when Yu Xinqiao almost fell in the rain and was supported by Xu Yanhuan, confirming that he wasn’t completely indifferent to his happiness.

Upon further exploration, another feeling of sadness emerged, realizing that confirming such things held no meaning.

And at this moment, Xu Yanhuan was also not calm.

Since receiving Yu Xinqiao’s phone call and following the memory of moving the piano last time, Xu Yanhuan’s ears seemed to be filled with background noise every minute and second. Various voices were mixed in, some telling him not to go, some telling him not to restrain himself anymore, and to indulge today.

Today was his 18th birthday.

Yu Xinqiao was dressed in a shirt with curly-haired puppies, resembling an affectionate little dog and a gift that had fallen from the sky.

In the dim environment, he looked a bit sad and helpless. It seemed like he wanted to cry, but couldn’t.

“I know you dislike me, that’s why I said those things,” Yu Xinqiao said in a muffled voice. “But by acting like this, how can I dislike you?”

Xu Yanhuan thought to himself, you don’t know.

It’s because saying it that way makes you feel like I dislike you, so I say those things.

When he was very young, his mother Bai Wei had told him that on one’s birthday, they could do things they truly wanted, even if it was a bit selfish.

Xu Yanhuan always remembered that, so on the other 365 days of the year, he would only let his tightly strung string relax on this day and do what he wanted, rather than what he should do, like playing basketball or resting for a day, lying on the grass in the park with his hands behind his head and emptying his mind.

And on his 18th birthday, there was only one thing he wanted to do.

“Then don’t dislike me.”

Upon hearing these words, Yu Xinqiao first froze, then raised his head, seeing a thicker shadow descending upon him.

Then, his face was lifted, accompanied by hot breath and the sudden collision of lips against lips.

Then don’t dislike me, you’re not allowed to dislike me.

Because you provoked me first.

Author’s Note:

Anyway, the result was that Yu Xinqiao didn’t leave and stayed for another semester.

The aftermath of this kiss will be addressed in the real-life storyline, allowing them to recall it face-to-face.

Also, for the song “Starry Sky,” I recommend the version by pianist Shen Wenyu. It’s a pure piano solo without accompaniment and sounds really good.

The next chapter will transition to the real-life storyline~