Chapter 78 - Xie Zhe X Xiao Yuxin
Chapter 78: Xie Zhe X Xiao Yuxin
Going to university, you are faced with an entirely different environment and you are forced into making new friends.
The fact that Xie Zhe likes Xiao Yuxin actually wasn’t much of a secret. His closest friends all knew about it including Jiang Yang, Qin Xu and Huang Shao
When Huang Shao that guy became aware that his good friends were all bent, his reaction was very funny. With large widened eyes, the first words that came out of his mouth wasn’t him expressing disdain or him expressing his incomprehension of how they had become bent. Instead, he started suspecting whether he is completely straight after being exposed to those friends of his! He asked: “Which one of you likes me?”
Black lines appeared on all their faces.
They all very unanimously shook their heads.
Huang Shao expressed disbelief, “If you guys like men, why don’t any of you like me?! Am I not good enough?!”
That question was asked very accusingly, and it was filled with grievances. They quickly waved their hands and nonchalantly said: “No, no, no. You’re too good. We think that we’re not good enough for you.”
Hearing this, Huang Shao raised his eyebrows in satisfaction.
They had thought that it would be a very difficult experience coming out to a friend, but it ended up becoming a very relaxed conversation. Huang Shao didn’t care if his friends are homosexuals. What he was more concerned about was that when they went out in the future to play, they would be acting lovey-dovey in front of his single-dog self!
As for Xie Zhe’s situation, Huang Shao laughed at him while saying that a playboy like him who looked like he didn’t have any trouble in love is actually so timid and slow. By the time he will manage to get together with the other person, the cucumbers would have already cooled down!
Xie Zhe had thought a lot and worried for a long time about his feelings for Xiao Yuxin. At the beginning, he just simply found him interesting and liked to tease him so that he could see his reactions but before he knew it, those feelings of his had slowly changed. More and more, he wanted to get closer and he wished for Xiao Yuxin to look at him.
But when his feelings for Xiao Yuxin deepened, he also became cautious and timid. At the beginning, he had acted arrogantly but later, he started worrying about Xiao Yuxin’s impression of him. Would he think he’s being too flirty? Would he be bothered?
Of course, it wasn’t like he hadn’t considered the idea of confessing. Back in third year when they did the shouting event, after hearing someone else shouting out their confession for another person, he also impulsively shouted it out. When he was done, he was both nervous and excited. He quickly looked over to check Xiao Yuxin’s reaction but the gaze that he received back was very at loss. Then the other students who thought that Xie Zhe was only joking around started professing their undying ‘love’ to friends before laughing as a crowd.
But this fear of becoming hated after confessing gradually disappeared and had turned into inner bitterness. He didn’t dare confess to Xiao Yuxin because he was afraid of rejection and also because he understood that Xiao Yuxin is very simple. With him valuing his studies so much and wishing to get into a good university, Xie Zhe didn’t want to bother him. So, he decided that he would do it after they had graduated from high school.
Like this, it dragged on until they were almost halfway through freshman year in university.
Xie Zhe’s performance in the exam was pretty good but compared to Xiao Yuxin, there was still a certain gap. They didn’t enter the same university, but they enrolled into universities in the same district, so it wasn’t too far away, and they could easily visit if they had time.
Xie Zhe would often invite him out when he is free and use this opportunity to pursue him and test out Xiao Yuxin’s level of acceptance for homosexuality.
After visiting often, Xie Zhe and his handsome appearance had become a hot topic across Xiao Yuxin’s university. He was known as the school idol from the IT department at B University. Whenever he passes by, many girls would start gossiping with each other and his photos were also shared on the school forums. But in pretty much all the photos, he was standing together with Xiao Yuxin.
Xiao Yuxin is also well-known in the school. He had the reputation of the top student who was almost always in the library, topping almost all the exams, actively participating in competitions and someone that loves studying and actively talks to the teacher. Therefore, whenever Xie Zhe comes to find him to play, they would often hang out at the library, attend classes together, immerse themselves in the wonderful sea of knowledge………As if! Xie Zhe really wants to cry okay?! Who’s going to believe him if he says that the biggest obstacle in his pursuit for love is studying?!
Moreover, Xie Zhe noticed that despite being annoyed at first, after accompanying Xiao Yuxin for a while, he was also influenced by him and felt that if they had time to go out and play, they might as well stay in the library to study and enrich themselves?
Over time, they even grown accustomed to this form of interaction. While Xie Zhe was being basked in the holy light of knowledge, he had almost forgotten his original purpose of coming here! And Xiao Yuxin who was only eager to absorb more knowledge from the books is very dense. He only thought that Xie Zhe was a good friend.
If Xie Zhe knew what he was thinking, Xie Zhe would definitely curse out ——– Friend your mum!
Later, Xiao Yuxin saw a book that Xie Zhe liked at a bookstore and proceeded to happily purchase it. His first thought was to go to Xie Zhe’s school to deliver it to him but this excitement of his didn’t last very long. This was because when he found Xie Zhe, he and his classmates just happened to be talking about him.
A classmate said: “Do you know the study god from A University? The girls in the foreign language faculty knew about him and asked me if I had his contact information. There’s already so much disparity between genders in our science and technology faculties and now men from other universities are coming here to steal our reserves, sigh.”
Xie Zhe’s tone was calm, “Oh, so what of it?”
The classmate said: “My club wants to arrange a get together between the two schools. Do you want to attend? You can also call up the study god. I heard that he doesn’t participate in these activities.”
Xie Zhe frowned, “He’s not my friend.”
The moment this sentence fell into Xiao Yuxin’s ear, the hand holding the book slowly fell and the corners of his lips lowered. There no longer was an expression on his face.
Turns out, he had never considered me a friend.
Xiao Yuxin felt a little embarrassed about himself thinking that he was in a pretty good relationship with Xie Zhe. Even though he had become a university student, he still had a high school friend who would visit from time to time. When he was slowly getting adapted to the new environment, he had Xie Zhe with him which gave him a peace of mind. But after hearing that sentence, Xiao Yuxin started suspecting that he was just overthinking things all along.
And so, he didn’t make any noise and silently turned to leave without giving Xie Zhe the book that he had bought for him. Since then, his attitude towards Xie Zhe who came over to find him had also grown colder.
Xie Zhe isn’t dense. He would easily notice changes in another person, particularly if it is someone he likes but when he asked him about it, Xiao Yuxin would just give him a random excuse.
Xie Zhe got more and more annoyed. He was already in a bad mood because his classmate had asked him to bring Xiao Yuxin to a get together and even said that they were friends. Who wants to be friends with Xiao Yuxin? His intentions aren’t that pure! If he could, he would like to hug, kiss and touch him intimately……….Who the fuck would want to be friends! What’s so good about being friends?!
But just when his mood was bad, things got worse.
Xiao Yuxin and the school flower from the Chinese department was involved together in a rumour. There was a post with a picture of them walking side by side chatting and laughing. The poster even spoke of it as if they are already dating and that they had personally heard them admit it in person.
When Xie Zhe heard the news, he was so angry steam rose from his head. Xie Zhe ah, Xie Zhe. Look at you wasting your time away being hesitant and cautious. Now that the other person has left his single status, are you filled with regrets now?
While he scolded himself harshly, his body still rushed over to Xiao Yuxin’s school. He wanted to confirm that rumours are just rumours.
But in fact, the rumour was half true. Although they were not dating, the school flower likes Xiao Yuxin and had been secretly pursing him.
Xiao Yuxin looks were quite pure and refreshing. Although he is not as tall as Xie Zhe nor is he as eye-catching, he wasn’t bad appearance-wise. His eyes are clear and bright, his temperament is also very smooth and calm. He just happened to be the kind of white shirted, kind and handsome school idol that girls liked.
The Chinese department school flower liked this type of boy, so Xiao Yuxin just happened to hit all the right spots. Even if she is embarrassed, she tried hard to get to know him and get close to him.
When Xie Zhe found Xiao Yuxin, Xiao Yuxin was talking to the school flower. The two were wearing the same coloured sweaters making them look like a good-looking pair of couple wearing matching couple outfits. Their smiles looked very sweet and this made Xie Zhe who saw it feel both annoyed and angry,
He clenched his fists and tried his best to maintain a calm smile but with his bad mood, his face still darkened a few shades. He then walked over to them.
The school flower was a little surprised, “……….You are?”
Xie Zhe forced out a smile, “Hello, I am Xiao Yuxin’s friend, Xie Zhe. I just need him for something.”
Xiao Yuxin didn’t expect to see him so suddenly and was a little stunned. But his thoughts were mostly focused on the word, ‘friend’. Friend? Didn’t he say that we’re not friends? Why are we friends again so suddenly?
Xiao Yuxin couldn’t understand this two-faced act of his. Could it be that Xie Zhe doesn’t like him, and even hated him? But if he hated him, why would he go and find him so often? Wouldn’t it be better not to see him instead?
He really couldn’t understand it.
However, why he was still thinking over things, Xie Zhe had already angrily pulled him by his wrist and dragged him over to a secluded grove behind the teaching building. He pressed him against the wall with his palm next to his head and looked at him with a burning gaze. It was as if he had just done something unforgivable to him.
Finally, Xiao Yuxin couldn’t help but speak up before Xie Zhe could say anything, “Didn’t you say that we’re not friends?”
Xie Zhe who had his anger boiling all the way up to his throat and was ready to complain was caught off-guard, “When did I say that?”
“On the Friday afternoon the week before last. You said that to your classmate and I accidentally overheard.” Xiao Yuxin gave him a faint look. His eyes appeared calm but Xie Zhe could see a faint hint of grievance within it.
“I didn’t!” Xie Zhe subconsciously denied it first. But after thinking about it, he recalled why he said those words at that that time. He then furrowed his brows in annoyance and reluctantly admitted it: “I said it! That’s right. I have never treated you as my friend. But that is because I like you! I don’t want to be just a friend, I want to be your boyfriend, be together with you! I have liked you since second year but you had never noticed my feelings and I didn’t want to bother you while you were preparing for the college entrance examinations. But after almost a whole semester, you didn’t get the feeling that I was pursing you?! If I don’t like you, why would I come here everyday to find you, eat with you, hand out in the library with you or attend classes together?”
Xiao Yuxin was a little stunned by all the things that he had blurted out. Only after a while, he realised that it was a confession. With some disbelief, “……….It wasn’t because you wanted to learn? The library at our school is bigger…………”
Xie Zhe scoffed, “You think I’m coming here everyday to find you because I like your school’s library?”
Yes………But under his menacing stare, Xiao Yuxin was afraid to nod his head. He felt that his would be bitten the moment he admits it.
Xie Zhe then said: “You didn’t have any response when I pursed you, but you have feelings now that the school flower is pursing you?”
Based on his qualities, Xie Zhe didn’t think that he was inferior to the other person. But the school flower is female, and his biggest disadvantage was his gender. If Xiao Yuxin couldn’t accept a member of the same sex…. This time, he decided to just risk everything and clear everything up in one go.
Xiao Yuxin was even more confused, “The school flower is pursing me?”
Xie Zhe frowned, “You didn’t know?”
“……..I didn’t know.”
Xie Zhe was a little annoyed. He regretted saying all those things earlier.
Xie Zhe asked the question that he was most concerned about: “Are you going to be together with her?”
Xiao Yuxin was stunned. He then shook his head.
“What about me? I just confessed to you. Don’t think that you can act like you didn’t hear it.”
Xie Zhe had endured for a long time. When he finally said it, he felt immensely relieved, but he was also immediately nervous about his reply. He leaned forward and brought his face very close to Xiao Yuxin’s. It was to the point that they could breath each other’s breaths and this distance between them looked extremely ambiguous. Xiao Yuxin was completely enveloped by his shadow.
Xiao Yuxin’s mind was completely blank. His face reddened at a speed that was visible to the naked eye and it looked like it was about to bleed. His eyes trembled constantly as he tried to avoid his passionate gaze. He didn’t understand how the situation had changed so suddenly. He clearly thought that Xie Zhe hated him and they weren’t even friends but now he suddenly says………that he likes him?
It’s too unreal.
Also, it’s too close. Breathing is a little hard.
Xiao Yuxin raised his hand and wanted to push him away.
But Xie Zhe grabbed his hand and immediately interrupted his attempt to escape.
“You really didn’t notice that I like you? It’s so obvious. Didn’t you find out about Qin Xu and Jiang Yang very quickly?”
Xiao Yuxin was a little scared by this situation he is faced with and was a little tongue-tied, “That’s not the same………”
“What’s not the same? Do you hate me?” Xie Zhe persisted.
Xiao Yuxin shook his head, “No.”
Xie Zhe quietly breathed a sigh of relief. His voice was tense, but he did his best to hide his uneasiness, “Then would you be willing to try it out with me?”
Xiao Yuxin looked down and remained silent.
Xie Zhe’s heart sank a little. There was no light in his eyes. The hand supporting him on the wall also fell lifelessly.
But at this moment, Xiao Yuxin’s small voice could be heard, “……….Okay. Let’s try. But I haven’t dated before. If it’s you………..”
Xie Zhe’s eyes lit up brightly. He was both surprised and elated, “Do you mean it?!”
Xiao Yuxin nodded his head hard. He scratched his face with some embarrassment, “It’s just that I don’t know what to do when you’re dating……..”
Xie Zhe raised a big smile, “It’s okay. We can just do what we want to do.”
He was in an extremely good mood. He hesitated for a moment and said ———-
“But, there is one thing that I have always wanted to do.”
“What?”
Xiao Yuxin looked up with a questioning look. At this moment he was caught off-guard by Xie Zhe’s deep kiss. He was kissed until he was almost out of breath.
The two slender figures kissed in the corner. Under the sunlight, two long shadows gently blended together as if it could no longer be separated.