Chapter 11

Jiang Yi turned his head and saw Yang Yunran looking calm, his cheeks puffed out with chocolate. He asked, “How do you brake? Do you want more?”

It seemed unintentional.

Jiang Yi ignored that strange feeling, saw no cars coming from behind, and continued driving. “No more.”

The chocolate Yang Yunran stuffed into his mouth was nut-filled, and pistachio-flavored. It was the first time Jiang Yi had eaten it. He didn’t like sweets, but he found it not bad.

Driving past Yang Yunran’s house, Jiang Yi glimpsed a young man on the roadside holding a Samoyed.

“Is that your Harry?” Jiang Yi asked, recognizing the young man as the one Yang Yunran had tipped the other day.

So, Yang Yunran tipped him because he walked his dog?

Yang Yunran leaned over to look. “Huh? Seems like… seems like it is,” he said, recognizing Zhao Youmo, who was helping him walk the dog. “It’s okay, you don’t need to stop. Let’s go to your apartment first.”

He didn’t really want Jiang Yi to meet Zhao Youmo. Just thinking about his boyfriend in the original story becoming Zhao Youmo’s sycophant made Yang Yunran feel heartbroken.

He looked at Jiang Yi with a kind of dejected accusation. Jiang Yi’s face was expressionless, with some confusion in his eyes. “Yang Yunran?”

Yang Yunran said, “I’m fine.” He lowered his head and ate another chocolate. “The chocolate you bought is really good.”

“I’m glad you like it.” Jiang Yi checked the rearview mirror and asked, “Who’s helping you walk Harry? A classmate?”

“Sort of, a classmate.” Yang Yunran didn’t waste words introducing Zhao Youmo, and Jiang Yi didn’t ask further.

They soon arrived at Jiang Yi’s apartment. As they entered the elevator, Yang Yunran asked, “With the semester starting soon, is your roommate back?”

“I’ll send a message and ask.” Jiang Yi sent the message but received no reply. When they entered the apartment, he noticed his roommate’s suitcase and shoes in the living room, indicating he was back. Jiang Yi whispered to Yang Yunran, “Come to my room.”

Since the roommate was back, it wouldn’t be considerate to bring a stranger in without permission.

He handed Yang Yunran a pair of slippers. Yang Yunran’s heartbeat quickened as he raised his bright eyes to look at Jiang Yi. “Go to your room? Sure…”

Despite having visited several times, Yang Yunran had never been allowed into Jiang Yi’s room before. He always suspected it was either messy or held some boyish secrets.

After not being lived in for a month, the small apartment room felt lively yet cold due to the open windows letting in the chill. Jiang Yi first closed the window and then turned on the heater.

He placed his suitcase at the bottom of the wardrobe and pointed to the single sofa usually used for resting. “Sit there.”

Yang Yunran sat down and looked around: “Your room is so clean, there’s not much decoration.”

There were no photo frames, plants, or figurines on the desk, just a pile of neatly organized books. Most of them were on biology, with some social science books and a few by Isaac Asimov.

The single sofa was by the window, next to the bed. In front of the sofa was a small round table that could only fit a small laptop and a cup of coffee.

As for the bed, it was also very small, a large single bed, probably only about 1.1 meters wide, making it look difficult to get on.

Next to the wardrobe was a mini but fully equipped bathroom. The entire room was so small that it could be taken in at a glance, like an economy hotel room. However, for an international student, Jiang Yi’s room was relatively spacious.

Yang Yunran asked, “You’re a PhD student, right? This looks like a graduate dorm. Why did the school assign you here?”

Jiang Yi took off his jacket and half-knelt on the ground, his broad shoulders and back visible as he organized the items in his suitcase, putting them into the wardrobe and drawers one by one. Without looking up, he replied, “Most PhD students at the school are around thirty years old and have families. The other PhD dorms are for married students.”

He was single, twenty-seven years old, and had applied without a girlfriend, and still didn’t have one, so he stayed in the graduate dorm.

“I see.”

Jiang Yi threw the laundry into a small basket and stood up. “You have a hearing tomorrow?”

“Yes…” Yang Yunran nodded.

Jiang Yi said, “Then study for a while.”

Yang Yunran’s face fell. He thought Jiang Yi had invited him to the room for something else, but it turned out to be to supervise his studies.

Jiang Yi’s expression remained indifferent as he said, “I’m going to the laundry room. Stay in the room by yourself for a bit.”

The laundry room was communal, just a few steps away.

But it took Jiang Yi two minutes to return, carrying a mug. The room had warmed up, and Yang Yunran had taken off his jacket.

Yang Yunran leaned over, “What’s this? Hot milk?”

Jiang Yi nodded. “My roommate was making it, so I asked for a cup.” He handed it to Yang Yunran.

“For me?” Yang Yunran began to drink the milk, feeling like he was being taken care of like a child. He asked, “What nationality is your roommate? What’s his name? Should I go out and say hello?”

Jiang Yi replied, “No need. I told him I had a friend over. If you don’t want to say hello, you don’t have to.”

Yang Yunran, being a bit socially awkward, heard some faint clattering from the kitchen outside and said softly, “The apartment’s soundproofing is pretty bad. Everything can be heard.”

Jiang Yi did not comment, and Yang Yunran continued to watch him.

Jiang Yi started vacuuming and making the bed. His tall frame made the bed and sofa in the apartment seem a bit small for him.

Yang Yunran finished drinking the milk, leaving a milk mustache on his lips. Jiang Yi handed him a tissue, but Yang Yunran didn’t take it, instead leaning forward to wipe his mouth on the tissue in Jiang Yi’s hand naturally.

This action made Jiang Yi pause for a moment, but he said nothing.

He then helped Yang Yunran wipe the corners of his mouth, threw away the tissue, and planned to send him back: “I’ll drive your car to take you back and then take a cab back.”

Yang Yunran protested, “But I still want to have dinner with you.”

Jiang Yi, after such a long flight, wanted to rest for a while, but with Yang Yunran around, he wouldn’t be able to rest properly.

“You want to sleep, right?” Yang Yunran, perceptive as ever, sat up straight and said obediently, “I’ll sit here and study. I have a tablet in my backpack to read papers. I promise I won’t wake you up.” He assured.

“Okay.” Jiang Yi agreed. He stood by the wardrobe mirror, took off his sweater, and unbuttoned a few buttons of his shirt, revealing his collarbone and most of his chest. His skin was a healthy color, neither too pale nor too tan. Jiang Yi’s physique, especially his shoulders and back, was well-toned. Though he was still wearing a black shirt, his defined muscles were evident.

But from the reflection in the mirror, Jiang Yi noticed Yang Yunran propping his chin and watching him. He grabbed his pajamas and headed to the bathroom.

After all, Yang Yunran was gay.

Yang Yunran thought to himself: “What’s the big deal about changing clothes?”

What was his boyfriend pretending for?

Jiang Yi came out in his pajamas. His lifestyle was very regular, with him sleeping five to six hours every night and usually taking a fifteen-minute nap. But after thirty hours of flight transfers, he was exhausted and fell asleep within two minutes of lying down.

Yang Yunran drew the curtains, dimmed his screen, and put on headphones to watch some mock hearing videos. After a while, he looked up at his boyfriend.

Yang Yunran considered that the bed, though small, still had some space on both sides. It wouldn’t be too difficult to squeeze himself in, right?

He shifted his gaze to Jiang Yi’s face. Even in sleep, his face looked cold and detached. His features were well-defined but had a gentle maturity to them, which made Yang Yunran feel very secure.

Yang Yunran remembered asking Jiang Yi about his looks when he saw his childhood photos. Jiang Yi had told him that his mother was of mixed Chinese and Russian heritage, which explained his striking appearance.

Realizing he didn’t have any recent photos of Jiang Yi on his phone, Yang Yunran took out his phone, turned off the flash, and snapped a picture.

The photo turned out a bit blurry, but it was still recognizable as Jiang Yi.

Jiang Yi didn’t sleep for long. When he woke up, he saw the room dimly lit, with just enough light to softly illuminate Yang Yunran’s face as he studied intently. Yang Yunran’s face was small and delicate, with well-defined features, soft skin, and rosy lips.

In his drowsiness, Jiang Yi unconsciously watched him for a while. His voice, husky with sleep, broke the silence: “Still studying? What time is it?”

Yang Yunran blinked and looked up. “Five o’clock. Did you wake up already?”

“Mm.” Jiang Yi’s voice was raspy. He reached out to turn on the bedside lamp, and the room lit up. Jiang Yi closed his eyes to adjust to the light. His pajama collar was open, revealing his prominent Adam’s apple and collarbone, as well as the lines of his chest muscles. His cheeks were flushed from sleep, his eyelashes dark, and his expression cold, embodying a mix of asceticism and allure.

Yang Yunran was deeply captivated, wanting to ask Jiang Yi to take off his clothes for him to see. He wondered if this was appropriate and if the original character had ever done such a thing before.

In the end, Yang Yunran lacked the courage. That evening, back home, he still recalled Jiang Yi’s half-open shirt, feeling a bit regretful. “Why didn’t I just put my hand in? I paid for this, it’s a waste not to touch. If I told him to strip for me, he wouldn’t refuse.”

Yang Yunran furiously petted his dog. “Harry, don’t you think so?”

The Samoyed panted and looked at him.

Yang Yunran was infatuated, spending his days either reading or thinking about Jiang Yi.

But he had a hearing the next day. After finally taking a bath and clearing his mind, he saw a message from Jiang Yi.

“When should I take you to school tomorrow?”

“Nine in the morning,” Yang Yunran replied.

Jiang Yi: “Okay, go to bed early.”

Jiang Yi: “I forgot.”

Jiang Yi: “Good night.”

After wishing Yang Yunran good night, Jiang Yi went online to search Yang Yunran’s name again.

When Yang Yunran was a celebrity, he was arrogant and reckless, not very popular, and had offended many people both in front of and behind the scenes.

Several rivals joined forces, creating a buzz online. As a result, starting from early morning Beijing time, the hashtag #YangYunranAcademicMisconductHearing# topped the trending list.

“Who is this? Never heard of him, another Zhai Tianlin?”

“FYI, Deberman University is quite a joke, equivalent to a low-tier 211 school in China, easy to get into but expensive, a place for rich kids to get a degree.”

“QS80 is a joke?”

“It’s not that bad, Deberman has some prestige. Many famous people are alumni. Applying to graduate school abroad isn’t just about academic performance.”

“Academic performance is important, but so are personal statements and experiences. Yang Yunran is a celebrity; a compelling personal statement could have easily gotten him accepted.”

“Front row seats ready, selling sunflower seeds and cola, waiting for the live broadcast of the hearing. Anyone in Boston?”

“Me! I’m in Boston! Set my alarm, getting ready to watch tomorrow. Follow my profile for live updates!!”

“Finally, the day has come!! Hahaha! Yang Yunran will crash and burn tomorrow!”

“What’s a poor student doing pretending to be a top student? Serves him right!!”

“Aren’t the netizens being a bit harsh? While Yang Yunran’s academic credentials are questionable, he’s definitely better than some notorious scammers. Certain fans, stop using this as an opportunity to defend your idol.”

“Justice served, get out of the entertainment industry, 208!”

Yang Yunran himself hadn’t been following the online comments. He woke up at seven in the morning to prepare for a livestream on Whale, one of the largest live streaming platforms in China. Unsurprisingly, he saw his name trending on the hot search.

“Are you kidding me? I’m not even that famous… how did the tag blow up?” Yang Yunran looked frustrated but didn’t dwell on it. Just as he was about to start his livestream, he received a message from his agent, Xiao Tang.

“Xiao Ran, the online situation looks bad… Are you sure you can pass the hearing?”

In a hurry to start his live stream, Yang Yunran typed quickly: “Should be fine, talk later.”

In two hours, the academic hearing would begin.

Yang Yunran’s company boss gathered the agent and the legal team for a meeting. The agent, looking worried, said, “President Zhang, I don’t think Yang Yunran is confident about this. It’s a risky situation.”

President Zhang replied irritably, “He’s so foolish; the outcome is obvious! Once the result is out, he can forget about working in the entertainment industry ever again. His fate will be the same as Zhai Tianlin’s. Isn’t Yang Yunran’s contract about to expire? Terminate it immediately!”

Yang Yunran already had a few endorsements, all of which had disappeared six months ago. Plus, the contracts he signed were not beneficial to the company. In the past six months, Yang Yunran hadn’t made any money for the company. The legal advisor added, “Yeah, we’re constantly handling his breach of contract issues.”

President Zhang’s tone was decisive: “Xiao Tang, send Yang Yunran a message. Have him sign the contract termination papers before the hearing!”

Xiao Tang, who was used to being bossed around by Yang Yunran, had a strained relationship with him. They had hoped Yang Yunran would bring in profits, but since signing him, he had shown no improvement. He acted poorly in dramas, had no social intelligence on variety shows, lip-synced, and offended people everywhere. If not for his family’s money, he would have been done long ago.

Hearing this, the agent didn’t put up a fight. The legal team prepared the contract termination papers.

Around 8 o’clock, I sent the contract over.

“Termination?” Yang Yunran had just finished his broadcast, and his fans had surged to a hundred thousand. The barrage praised his divine singing, leaving him at a loss for words. He had originally wanted to end the broadcast early but couldn’t find a reason to. However, Jiang Yi had already gone out to pick him up, so he should be arriving soon.

Seeing the message, he was stunned for a moment but soon understood the reason. The company probably wanted to distance itself from him due to the negative online situation.

Yang Yunran typed: “No problem terminating the contract, Tang, please wait while I review the contract.”

Xiao Tang was surprised by be addressed so politely. Since when was Yang Yunran so courteous? Did he learn this abroad? Has he changed?

Yang Yunran started reviewing the contract and also sent a copy to his lawyer. The contract was about four or five pages long, and he checked it very carefully to avoid any traps.

But Jiang Yi was already almost downstairs. Yang Yunran hurriedly got dressed and put on his shoes, as he couldn’t be late for the hearing.

While getting dressed and petting his dog, he went downstairs. Zhao Youmo came to help him walk the dog and asked, “Roy, do you need me to accompany you to the hearing?”

Zhao Youmo had a much better impression of Yang Yunran now and almost considered him an ordinary friend.

Yang Yunran waved his hand and said, “No need, my partner will take me.”

Zhao Youmo: “Okay, then good luck. I bought you a sandwich.”

“Thank you.” Yang Yunran accepted it, though he never told Zhao Youmo that he didn’t like sandwiches.

Halfway through the contract, Professor Chen called.

“Are you on your way to school?”

“Yes, I’m on my way out.” Yang Yunran said, biting into the sandwich, opening the car door, and getting in. Jiang Yi handed him a coffee and, seeing he was on the phone, didn’t speak.

Jiang Yi noticed his shirt was on inside out, probably because he was too nervous.

Professor Chen, having seen the online comments, said worriedly, “Baby, how about I call the school and ask them to keep your hearing confidential, not to make it public, and not to let anyone attend?”

Professor Chen knew the principal and had enough influence to make this happen.

Yang Yunran: “Wouldn’t that confirm that there’s a problem? If there’s no problem, it will seem like there is one. Uncle, please don’t intervene. It’s okay, don’t worry. I’ve been studying well.”

Starting from scratch to learn a subject in just over a month is extremely difficult and almost impossible unless you have a mind like Jiang Yi’s.

Yang Yunran had a strategic method of studying. He spent a few days going through the professor’s lectures, organizing the key points, and brainstorming all possible questions that might be directed at him during the hearing.

Yang Yunran spoke firmly on the phone, “Don’t worry.”

Professor Chen was extremely anxious. He had received the DNA report and knew that Yang Yunran was not his brother-in-law’s child. He suspected that Yunran might be the child of his sister, Chen Fangzhou, with someone else, so he hadn’t told anyone.

Today, he had just taken Chen Fangzhou’s hair to compare with Yang Yunran’s DNA, but the results weren’t back yet. Meanwhile, he saw this mess on the internet.

If a series of career setbacks combined with family upheavals occurred, Yang Yunran, still just a kid, would hardly be able to withstand it.

However, on the phone, Yang Yunran sounded very confident and reassured him, beating his chest to promise that everything would be fine.

Professor Chen was still worried, “How about I ask Jiang Yi if he’s available to accompany you to the hearing?”

Yang Yunran glanced at Jiang Yi, “No need, he’s right next to me.”

“He’s taking you?” Professor Chen was even more surprised. Jiang Yi wasn’t the type to be overly enthusiastic or helpful. Even if it was at his request, no one could make Jiang Yi do something he didn’t want to do.

So, Jiang Yi must really like Yang Yunran.

Professor Chen said, “I’ll feel better with him there. Good luck with your hearing, baby.”

“Okay.” Yang Yunran replied, then continued reviewing the termination contract. After his lawyer confirmed there were no issues, Yang Yunran signed and sent it back upon arriving at school.

“Wait a moment,” Jiang Yi said after parking the car. “Don’t get out yet.”

“What’s wrong?”

Jiang Yi said, “Your shirt is on inside out.”

“Huh? Where?” Yang Yunran looked down and saw that his shirt was indeed on inside out. Last night, knowing there would be live streaming and interviews, he had specifically chosen a formal, academic outfit: a dark blue wool coat with a school badge on the chest, a checkered shirt, and an off-white striped vest underneath.

“Change in the car,” Jiang Yi suggested, glancing out the window. “There’s hardly anyone around.”

Yang Yunran nodded, quickly took off his coat and handed it to Jiang Yi, then removed his vest. His fine black hair stood up slightly due to static electricity as he unbuttoned his shirt.

The car was warm with the heater on, so it wasn’t too cold.

His skin was almost translucent white, and his waist was so slender it seemed like a single hand could encircle it. His body was smooth and alabaster-like, with a strong youthful aura.

Jiang Yi initially hadn’t thought much of it, but his eyes inadvertently fell on Yang Yunran’s chest. The sight of the reddish hue standing out prominently caught him off guard, and he quickly averted his gaze, turning to look at the trees and birds outside the window.

Yang Yunran buttoned up his shirt, put on his vest, and took the coat from the turned-away Jiang Yi, amused. “Why are you turning away? It’s just changing clothes. Are you too shy to look at me?”

“Never seen before?” Yang Yunran asked.

Jiang Yi didn’t reply and got out of the car. “Let’s go.”

He pocketed the car keys while Yang Yunran adjusted his clothes and hair, asking, “Jiang Yi, do my clothes look messy?”

“No,” Jiang Yi said, casually straightening Yang Yunran’s collar. His long fingers brushed against Yunran’s chin. “All set.”

The skin where Jiang Yi touched tingled slightly. Yang Yunran, not wearing much, shivered in the cold.

Jiang Yi asked, “Are you nervous?”

Yang Yunran’s teeth chattered, “No.”

Jiang Yi noticed his hair flying around. After a few seconds, he raised his hand to rub Yunran’s head, smoothing his hair with his fingers. In a low voice, he said, “No need to be nervous. I’ll go in with you.”

Yang Yunran shivered again, this time not from the cold, but from the sudden warmth radiating from Jiang Yi’s hand, the contrast of cold and heat. Since they were at the school and there might be people secretly taking pictures, Yang Yunran restrained himself from holding Jiang Yi’s hand or hugging him, avoiding any intimate gestures.

Just before entering the meeting room, he suddenly asked Jiang Yi, “Do I look good today?”

Jiang Yi looked down, his gaze landing on Yang Yunran’s bright face with red lips and white teeth. After a moment, he replied, “Yes, you look good.”