19: Birthday Wish

“——November 17, 2015, clear weather.

A month has passed, and I still haven’t held Yu Yue’s hand.

Today, when we went out together, I asked him if we could hold hands.

He didn’t say anything, but his ears turned really red.

Yu Yue bought two movie tickets.

Originally, we weren’t planning to watch a movie today.

But suddenly, he said he wanted to watch a movie and randomly bought two tickets.

Then he let me hold his hand for two hours in the cinema.

He said he would feel embarrassed outside.

I said, then let’s come to watch movies every day in the future.

His ears turned even redder.”

Maybe he hasn’t overcome some psychological barriers yet, or it might be pure shyness. Yu Yue has never told anyone that he’s in a relationship, especially with a guy.

When Xu Yuanzhe and Yu Yue go out together, Yu Yue is still the same as before.

At first glance, everything seems the same as before.

But in reality, upon closer observation, there are subtle differences.

Xu Yuanzhe knows that Yu Yue is thin-skinned, but he didn’t expect Yu Yue to be so shy. Even a teasing remark makes him blush for a long time.

The two went to browse a bookstore together. Originally, Yu Yue accompanied Xu Yuanzhe to pick up some books for his performing arts major. It was mentioned by a teacher, but these were not compulsory purchases—Xu Yuanzhe just wanted to take a look.

Later, as Xu Yuanzhe was picking out books, Yu Yue had already run off to another section to read manga.

When Xu Yuanzhe found Yu Yue, he saw him sitting in a corner surrounded by manga books, reading with great interest, completely forgetting that he had a boyfriend elsewhere.

Holding a book, Xu Yuanzhe sat down next to Yu Yue.

Yu Yue was too engrossed in reading, not even noticing there was someone beside him.

Xu Yuanzhe just watched Yu Yue like this. The sunlight streamed in through the bookstore’s glass windows, shining gracefully, making the dust particles in the air sparkle like fairies.

Xu Yuanzhe observed Yu Yue’s profile, from his brow bone to his eyelashes, then to his nose, and finally to his lips. He thought, this is his boyfriend, the little prince he successfully pursued after two years of silent admiration. The person he liked so much, he truly needed to cherish.

After watching for a while, Xu Yuanzhe couldn’t resist any longer.

He leaned in and, at the same time, lifted a book to cover their faces.

Xu Yuanzhe’s lips landed on Yu Yue’s cheek.

A very soft touch and an immediate withdrawal.

But Yu Yue’s body suddenly stiffened.

He turned back, looking at Xu Yuanzhe, his face reddening like a ripe tomato, the color spreading gradually from his neck upward.

Xu Yuanzhe met Yu Yue’s gaze.

Yu Yue quickly raised a manga book, covering his face, revealing only a pair of clear black-and-white eyes.

He shielded his flushed face and asked Xu Yuanzhe in a low voice, “What are you doing? What if someone sees us?”

During that time, Yu Yue’s most common phrase was, “What if someone sees us?”

Although this often made Xu Yuanzhe feel like Yu Yue’s secret lover, he wasn’t upset or uncomfortable because he knew that when Yu Yue said this, it wasn’t that he didn’t want any contact with him, but simply that he was feeling shy.

Xu Yuanzhe reassured Yu Yue, saying, “No one is here.”

Yu Yue still used the book to cover his face, raising his head and glancing around the space. Interestingly, this corner was indeed secluded, with no one around, and there were no surveillance cameras.

After checking, Yu Yue seemed to relax.

His clear and vivid black-and-white eyes peeked over the book’s pages, looking at Xu Yuanzhe.

Xu Yuanzhe said, “Alright, I won’t tease you anymore. Continue reading your book.”

To express his sincerity, Xu Yuanzhe withdrew his gaze, lowered his head, and started flipping through some of his professional books.

A rustling sound of fabric rubbing against each other came from beside them.

It felt like Yu Yue was leaning closer to him.

Before Xu Yuanzhe could react, a shadow suddenly approached.

At the same time, his cheek received a light and quick peck.

When Xu Yuanzhe turned back, Yu Yue had already sat back down to read manga, behaving as if nothing had happened. He lowered his head, except for his reddened ears and the trembling eyelashes indicating his inner unrest, there was nothing unusual.

In late December, the temperature dropped sharply.

B City was a northern city, with distinct four seasons and a long, cold winter.

When Xu Yuanzhe went to Yu Yue’s school to find him, a few days ago, Yu Yue was still wearing a thin jacket. Today, however, he was wrapped up like a little bear.

Yu Yue ran out from the school, wearing a scarf and a thick down jacket, gloves on his hands, completely bundled up.

He ran towards Xu Yuanzhe, his face turning rosy from the wind.

“Why are you dressed so lightly?” Yu Yue looked at Xu Yuanzhe, who wasn’t wearing a down jacket or a thick coat, nor had he wrapped himself in a scarf or gloves. So, he couldn’t help but frown.

Xu Yuanzhe said, “I’m not cold.”

He raised his hand and lightly touched Yu Yue’s cheek with his fingers. His hand was much warmer than Yu Yue’s face.

It really didn’t seem cold.

Some people were naturally sensitive to the cold, while others were not.

Xu Yuanzhe belonged to the latter category.

Since Yu Yue looked very cold, Xu Yuanzhe took him to indoor places that day, such as shopping malls and bubble tea shops.

As it was time to head back, once they left the shopping mall, Yu Yue started shivering again.

He huddled close to Xu Yuanzhe and whispered, “Aren’t you really cold?”

Xu Yuanzhe extended his hand again.

Yu Yue looked at Xu Yuanzhe’s hand for a while, then took off his gloves and reached out to touch Xu Yuanzhe’s hand.

Indeed, it was warm.

Without saying anything, Xu Yuanzhe held Yu Yue’s hand, putting both their hands into the pocket of his windbreaker.

Xu Yuanzhe felt Yu Yue’s icy hand curling up in his palm.

But soon, there was no resistance.

It was probably too cold.

Xu Yuanzhe didn’t know if this counted as the first time they held hands outside.

Holding Yu Yue’s hand in his pocket, Xu Yuanzhe slowly warmed up Yu Yue’s hand. Yu Yue no longer complained about being cold and, when he turned around, Xu Yuanzhe saw Yu Yue’s blushing ears.

Perhaps it was the wind that made them so red.

On the bus back to school, Xu Yuanzhe and Yu Yue sat side by side in the back row. Yu Yue, feeling a bit drowsy, leaned his head on Xu Yuanzhe’s shoulder, and one of his hands rested in Xu Yuanzhe’s palm.

Not in the windbreaker pocket but placed on Xu Yuanzhe’s lap.

As people boarded the bus, Xu Yuanzhe reflexively prepared to withdraw his hand.

But the next moment, his hand was grabbed even more firmly.

It seemed like Yu Yue was still half-asleep, leaning against Xu Yuanzhe’s shoulder with closed eyes. His fingers, however, tightly held onto Xu Yuanzhe’s hand, not letting go.

Outside the window, the night was lit up with neon lights, and the surroundings were unusually quiet.

Suddenly, the bus made an abrupt stop. Passengers on the bus were almost thrown out, and Yu Yue was no exception. His head nearly hit the front seat, but Xu Yuanzhe protected him in time.

Yu Yue didn’t hit his head, but he rubbed his forehead.

At this moment, Xu Yuanzhe suddenly realized that Yu Yue had followed him on countless bus rides.

It was also at this moment that Xu Yuanzhe suddenly wanted a car.

If he had a car, he could make Yu Yue sleep more comfortably in his car in the future.

Although Yu Yue had never minded taking the bus with Xu Yuanzhe.

But Xu Yuanzhe still wanted to save money to buy a car.

Back at school, Xu Yuanzhe only then noticed that Yu Yue had been holding his hand all along, or rather, he allowed Xu Yuanzhe to hold his hand without letting go.

It was the same on the bus just now.

Thinking about this, Xu Yuanzhe, although not showing any expression on his face, felt his heart racing faster than ever.

Yu Yue’s hand was warm and soft now, holding it made people reluctant to let go.

Approaching the school gate, in the dim light of the deserted streetlamp, Yu Yue suddenly asked Xu Yuanzhe, “When is your birthday?”

Xu Yuanzhe was momentarily stunned.

He answered, “January 19th.”

After hearing this, Yu Yue felt a bit uneasy, “Isn’t that during winter break…”

Xu Yuanzhe hadn’t thought much about it before.

But with Yu Yue’s comment, he realized it might be an issue.

During winter break, Yu Yue would definitely go home.

“When you’re on winter break,” Yu Yue raised his head, looking at Xu Yuanzhe, “won’t you come back to A City? If you come back, I can visit you, be with you every day, and celebrate your birthday with you.”

Xu Yuanzhe looked at Yu Yue without saying anything.

He couldn’t tell Yu Yue that he no longer had a home in A City. If he went home, he could only go to his mother’s place, stay at his grandmother’s, but he wasn’t close to his mother at all. The term “mother” was just a stranger to Xu Yuanzhe.

Xu Yuanzhe didn’t plan to return to A City; he wanted to stay in B City, work part-time, earn money, and save up to buy a car.

Seeing that Xu Yuanzhe didn’t speak, Yu Yue probably guessed that Xu Yuanzhe didn’t plan to return to A City.

So he asked again, “How about I come to B City to find you? On your birthday.”

Xu Yuanzhe told Yu Yue it was too far, not to come.

But Xu Yuanzhe didn’t expect that after winter break, on January 19th, Yu Yue really took a three-hour flight from A City.

When Yu Yue appeared downstairs at Xu Yuanzhe’s dorm with a cake, big snowflakes were falling from the sky.

Xu Yuanzhe brought Yu Yue into his dorm.

The roommates had all gone home, leaving only the two of them in the dorm.

Yu Yue’s down jacket had a fluffy collar, looking very cute.

The dormitory had heating, so it wasn’t cold at all.

Xu Yuanzhe was in a single layer, and Yu Yue also took off his coat.

As there was no table and chairs to sit face to face, Yu Yue opened up one of Xu Yuanzhe’s roommate’s small tables, placed the cake on it, inserted candles for Xu Yuanzhe, and lit them.

Only at this moment, with the lights turned off and the candles flickering with the number “20” on the cake, did Xu Yuanzhe realize that the person he thought didn’t like him that much had traveled from afar to celebrate his birthday.

He turned his head and looked at Yu Yue, watching the candlelight illuminate Yu Yue’s face. Tears welled up in his eyes.

However, Yu Yue didn’t notice and urged, “Make a wish, make a wish! Hurry, the candles are about to burn out.”

So, Xu Yuanzhe closed his eyes and started making a wish.

What should he wish for?

In the few seconds after closing his eyes, Xu Yuanzhe didn’t know what he wanted to wish for.

But soon, Yu Yue’s face appeared in his mind.

In the end, Xu Yuanzhe thought, he would wish to save money for a car first, then have another house, even if it’s rented, it doesn’t matter.

Lastly, he wished for a long-lasting relationship with Yu Yue.

Later, looking back, Xu Yuanzhe would also think, did his birthday wish that time put a long-lasting relationship with Yu Yue at the end of his desires?

So, the first two wishes came true, but the last one did not.

However, at that time, the twenty-year-old Xu Yuanzhe wouldn’t think so much.

He knew material things were important; without them, nothing else mattered. So, he had to work hard to earn money. In the future, he and Yu Yue would get better and better.

Xu Yuanzhe opened his eyes.

The candlelight illuminated this small corner of the dorm.

Yu Yue was about to ask Xu Yuanzhe to blow out the candles.

But the next moment, Xu Yuanzhe reached out and gently held Yu Yue’s hand.

In that instant, any words Yu Yue was about to say were silenced.

In the candlelight, Xu Yuanzhe looked at Yu Yue, very close. Both of them could hear each other’s deafening heartbeat, thumping over and over, shaking the world.

Xu Yuanzhe lowered his eyes to look at Yu Yue.

Seeing Yu Yue nervously bite his lip, Xu Yuanzhe knew that Yu Yue could probably guess something.

Outside the window, snowflakes were falling heavily. Xu Yuanzhe slowly approached, and his nose lightly brushed against Yu Yue’s nose. His voice was low and somewhat husky as he asked Yu Yue, “Can you fulfill my birthday wish?”

He had lied to Yu Yue.

Because Xu Yuanzhe’s birthday wish did not include kissing Yu Yue.

But what does it matter?

It’s just an excuse.

Yu Yue remained silent.

The candles were truly about to burn out, and the flames began to flicker.

Finally, Yu Yue’s eyelashes trembled violently, and he closed his eyes in front of Xu Yuanzhe.

In the cramped dormitory, Xu Yuanzhe turned his head slightly.

His lips touched Yu Yue’s soft lips. It was in that moment that he realized both sets of lips were trembling slightly. However, this tremor was quickly engulfed by the surging passion that followed.

Large snowflakes fell like goose feathers, winter’s silence prevailing. In the dim light of the dormitory, the candle flames cast a soft glow, reflecting the silhouettes of the two. The fire gradually burned out, but for Xu Yuanzhe and Yu Yue, their youth had just begun.