Extra 1  Online dating, little brother?

When Lin Zhi packed up his bag and was about to head to the library, one of his roommates woke up from a bladder emergency, looking dazed as he got out of bed to relieve himself.

“Lin Zhi?” The roommate raised one eyelid with a grimace and asked, “Are you going to the library to study again?”

“Mm,” Lin Zhi said as he ran his fingers through his hair in the mirror, “Yeah, I’m off. Bye.”

The door to the dorm made a creaking sound every time it was pushed open or closed. Lin Zhi tried to be as quiet as possible, not wanting to wake the other two still asleep.

Before the door was completely shut, Lin Zhi vaguely heard his roommate muttering, “Not even sleeping in on weekends. So diligent.”

Lin Zhi sighed silently. He didn’t want to be this diligent either, but with the subjects he was retaking, he had a lot of exams this semester. “Zhi” didn’t allow him to slack off.

Just as he reached the first floor, his phone, which was in his pocket, vibrated twice.

【Zhi: Have you left yet?】

Lin Zhi pinched his phone out of his pocket with two fingers and typed one-handed:

【Lin Zhi: Yeah, I’m on my way to the library.】

【Zhi: Go eat breakfast first.】

Lin Zhi had originally typed “I don’t want to eat,” but then thought better of it, deleted it, and retyped “Okay” before sending it.

After spending these past few months with “Zhi” day and night, Lin Zhi had a pretty good sense of his personality. Although “Zhi” usually spoke gently, once Lin Zhi said something negative or tried to do something bad for his health, “Zhi” would nag him relentlessly until he felt so guilty, as if he had committed a serious crime.

Lin Zhi often joked that “Zhi” was like the ^[1]Tang Seng (or Tang Sanzang) is a central character in the Chinese classic Journey to the West. He is a Buddhist monk who embarks on a pilgrimage to India to retrieve sacred Buddhist scriptures. In … Continue readingTang Seng from Journey to the West, and “Zhi” would reply, “Then you must be Sun Wukong.”

Lin Zhi wasn’t like Sun Wukong, he felt more like one of the demons and monsters the group encountered on their journey, wanting to eat Tang Seng, but the focus was on Tang Seng, not the meat.

After slowly finishing breakfast, Lin Zhi sauntered into the library, and it was already nearly nine o’clock in the morning.

He went up to the seventh floor, but his usual spot was taken. So, he settled for sitting across from that spot.

Sitting across from him was a very pretty girl, a conclusion Lin Zhi came to after zoning out countless times.

The advanced math was too hard. He was too slow, after doing just a few problems, his mind would wander.

Once he snapped back to attention, he forced himself to continue working. He read through the questions twice, and yep, he still didn’t know how to do them.

Lin Zhi copied the problems onto a blank piece of scratch paper, unlocked his phone, and took a picture. He then sent the photo to “Zhi.”

【Lin Zhi: Top student, how do I solve this problem?】

The top student probably didn’t have time to check his phone, since the phone was on silent in the library. While waiting, Lin Zhi idly tapped on a mobile game. He hadn’t even played two rounds when “Zhi” replied:

【Zhi: Wait a minute.】

【Lin Zhi: Okay.】

Now he had an excuse to slack off—Zhi told him to wait.

Less than three minutes later, “Zhi” sent back a picture, with the solution to the problem laid out in detail on the same white scratch paper.

Lin Zhi had just finished reading it when “Zhi” sent another image. It was a similar problem, with the following message: “If you understand this, solve this one.”

Wow, is this an exercise in drawing analogies?

Lin Zhi obediently noted down the problem-solving method and then solved the next problem, sending the answer back to “Zhi” for review.

【Zhi: Good, keep going.】

Lin Zhi continued at the same pace, completing a set of problems with a decent efficiency, and decided to reward himself by going for an early lunch.

【Lin Zhi: I’m hungry, going for lunch now.】

Lin Zhi knew that “Zhi” wouldn’t oppose this, so he didn’t wait for a reply before leaving the library.

At the beginning, “Zhi” had sent him a lot of motivational quotes, and as they got closer, he started sending more positive energy messages, often reminding him to “eat well” and “sleep well.”

Lin Zhi didn’t understand why “Zhi” thought he wasn’t eating or sleeping properly, but he figured out “Zhi’s” way of thinking and began to slack off under the pretense of needing to eat or sleep. Even when he slept in class, “Zhi” never scolded him.

Sure enough, as Lin Zhi neared the cafeteria, he received a message from “Zhi”:

【Zhi: Mm, go ahead, eat more.】

Lin Zhi almost laughed.

Eating more wasn’t possible, just being full would do. Lin Zhi bought a plate of pork ribs and sat down at a table near the pork ribs counter.

He had only taken a few bites when a stainless steel tray landed on the table opposite him, containing two meat dishes, two vegetables, and a mound of rice.

Before Lin Zhi looked up at the person’s face, the person spoke: “Hey, are you eating alone?”

The voice sounded somewhat familiar, but not familiar enough for Lin Zhi to recognize the person by voice alone. The next moment, the person sat down across from him.

Oh, it was one of the classmates he had met during a public elective course in the past few weeks. What was his name again?

Lin Zhi had forgotten, maybe he never asked. He hadn’t even asked “Zhi” for his name after knowing him for several months.

Ever since Lin Qingye passed away, Lin Zhi had often been too unmotivated to do anything or get to know anyone. If someone spoke to him, he would respond, but he rarely took the initiative.

This person was very friendly, though. During the first public elective class, Lin Zhi had sat next to him, and ever since, he had always saved him a seat in every subsequent class.

“Mm,” Lin Zhi, feeling in a good mood today, casually said, “I’m afraid sitting here alone would scare others away.”

The friendly person was momentarily taken aback before realizing what was said and laughing, almost dropping his chopsticks.

Lin Zhi gave him a speechless glance and then focused on his food.

“No way,” the friendly person cleared his throat a couple of times, “I didn’t know you could joke around?”

“I can’t,” Lin Zhi answered calmly.

“Alright then,” the friendly person smoothly changed the topic, “Do you always have lunch this early on weekends?”

“No,” Lin Zhi replied truthfully, “I just came from the library.”

“What a coincidence,” the friendly person said, “I came from there too!”

Lin Zhi gave an “oh.”

“Hey,” the friendly person sighed, “You guys in Economics must be like us, so many things to memorize. We have to spend a lot of time in the library. Looks like we’re in the same boat.”

What was his major again? Lin Zhi had also forgotten.

“Not bad,” Lin Zhi thought about the work he’d done that morning, “I think advanced math is the hardest.”

The friendly person let out a “hey” and laughed, saying, “Fortunately, our major doesn’t require advanced math.”

“That’s great,” Lin Zhi genuinely admired, “What’s your major?”

“Law.”

“Law?” Lin Zhi looked up and seriously stared at the friendly person, “Law majors don’t have to study advanced math?”

“Yep.”

“Then why…” Lin Zhi wondered to himself, why was “Zhi” so good at advanced math? He was also studying law.

This question lingered in Lin Zhi’s mind until he finished his meal and returned to the library. He still couldn’t figure it out, and the most likely possibility was that “Zhi” was pursuing a double major. But “Zhi” had never mentioned this to him.

Actually, Lin Zhi had a vague suspicion, or perhaps hope, in his heart, and he decided to ask directly.

【Lin Zhi: I’m back.】

“Zhi” responded quickly this time.

【Zhi: So early? Aren’t you going back to your dorm to nap?】

Lin Zhi’s excuse came effortlessly.

【Lin Zhi: No, I’m not sleeping. Advanced math is too difficult, I want to spend more time studying.】

【Zhi: It’s fine, you can nap. Ask me anytime if you don’t understand something.】

Lin Zhi’s heart grew more unsettled.

【Lin Zhi: Why?】

【Zhi: Hmm?】

【Lin Zhi: Why are you so good at advanced math?】

Before he received “Zhi’s” reply, Lin Zhi quickly edited the message and clicked send.

【Lin Zhi: I just found out today that law majors don’t have to study advanced math. Why did you study it?】

“Zhi” was silent for about five minutes, and Lin Zhi didn’t know what he was thinking. But the longer “Zhi” stayed silent, the more Lin Zhi’s suspicions were confirmed.

Lin Zhi waited patiently, and fortunately, “Zhi” didn’t disappoint him in the end.

【Zhi: Didn’t you say you couldn’t learn it? I figured I’d learn it first and teach you later.】

So, “Zhi” had learned advanced math for him?

Lin Zhi suddenly buried his face in his arm. He didn’t want the pretty girl sitting across from him to think he was crazy, grinning foolishly at his phone.

【Lin Zhi: I see. Thanks a lot.】

Lin Zhi thought that seeing “Zhi” say this would be enough for him, but human desires are endless. Once someone experiences warmth, they want more.

That night, after the dormitory lights were turned off, Lin Zhi lay on his bed holding his phone, hesitating for a while. Eventually, he couldn’t resist and took the first step himself.

【Lin Zhi: I’ve always had a question I wanted to ask you.】

【Zhi: Ask away.】

【Lin Zhi: Did you choose the WeChat name “Zhi(知)” to mean you’re “straight”?】

【Zhi: No.】

Lin Zhi felt a little sore in his hand, so he turned over to lie on his side, facing the wall, and tried to make his tone sound as normal as possible.

【Lin Zhi: Hahaha, so you’re gay then?】

On the other side, Zhi was silent for a few minutes again, before sending back a simple “Hmm.”

Lin Zhi’s fingers curled slightly, and for a moment, his thoughts stopped. Without thinking, he borrowed the words the friendly person had said at lunch.

【Lin Zhi: What a coincidence.】

【Lin Zhi: Me too!】

【Zhi: Really?】

Since both had come out, Lin Zhi shamelessly started asking more personal questions, inquiring if Zhi had ever had a boyfriend. No? Well, did he want one? Hadn’t met the right person?

【Lin Zhi: Do you think I’m a good match?】

【Zhi: What do you mean?】

Lin Zhi gritted his teeth, thinking that since Zhi couldn’t see him now and had no idea that he was blushing in the dark, he reached up to rub his hot ears and typed with one hand:

【Lin Zhi: How about online dating, handsome?】

The words Lin Zhi blurted out in a moment of impulse didn’t receive an immediate reply. When his blood cooled down and he was about to cover up his disappointment with “I was just kidding,” Zhi sent a long message.

The message was really long, taking up two-thirds of the phone screen, and covered Zhi’s understanding of Lin Zhi and the distance between them.

After estimating the time it would take Lin Zhi to read that message, Zhi sent another message: “Do you still want to online date me?”

Lin Zhi admitted that he didn’t think as much as Zhi did, but he didn’t want to leave himself with regrets.

【Lin Zhi: Yes.】

【Zhi: That’s good.】

Lin Zhi didn’t fully understand at first, so does this mean… Zhi agreed to it? Did they just start an online relationship?

Zhi’s next message confirmed it.

【Zhi: It’s late, go to sleep now, boyfriend.】

Damn… how is he supposed to sleep now?

【Zhi: You need to wake up early tomorrow to go to the library, don’t be late.】

Damn! What’s the difference between online dating and not?