Gu Yunjue had returned to China.
Upon hearing this news, Shen Qingyan stayed excited for most of the night.
The next day, he called for housekeeping service early, had the house cleaned spotless, and stocked the fridge full of food that only needed to be heated up.
Shen Qingyan proudly patted the equipment in the room and sent Mu Weiyun a voice message.
“This thing gives a tingly sensation when used, and it feels pretty good too. Junior will definitely like it.”
Mu Weiyun was practically begging for mercy. “Please spare me, Ge. I really don’t want to be part of your play session. I’ve already checked for you. He should be coming to register at school this afternoon. Let this working slave go to work first, okay?”
“Permission granted.” Shen Qingyan chuckled, “This weekend, Junior and I will treat you to a feast.”
Mu Weiyun replied weakly, “Fine, I’m ordering the most expensive dishes then.”
At this moment, Gu Yunjue impatiently brushed off a male student asking for his WeChat. Just then, Li Xun’s call came through.
“Yunjue, how is it? Are you back at school?”
“Yeah, I’m here,” Gu Yunjue frowned, “Three guys have already asked for my contact. Do I really look that gay?”
“Pfft-” Li Xun spat out whatever he was drinking. Instead of mocking Gu Yunjue, he asked, “Well, are you?”
Gu Yunjue hesitated, “I…”
Before he could answer, Li Xun cut him off, “Yunjue, there’s something else I haven’t told you. Shen Qingyan, he-“
“Shen Qingyan?” Gu Yunjue’s pupils dilated, “I think I just saw him.”
Li Xun’s expression darkened, “What?”
“I’m hanging up.”
Gu Yunjue couldn’t care less about what Li Xun wanted to say. His attention was completely captured by the person running towards him from not far away.
Two years. He finally saw Shen Qingyan again.
Remembering something, Gu Yunjue took two steps back. He didn’t want to see him right after coming back.
“Gu Yunjue!”
But it was too late. Before Gu Yunjue could react, he was tackled into a tight embrace.
With a “clang,” Gu Yunjue’s phone dropped to the ground, its screen shattering. Li Xun’s call was forcibly disconnected.
Gu Yunjue had no time to care about his phone. His whole body stiffened, frozen in the embrace.
“Why haven’t you contacted me for so long? I missed you so much, you’re finally back.” Shen Qingyan nuzzled Gu Yunjue’s neck and couldn’t resist planting a loud kiss on his cheek.
Gu Yunjue was beyond shocked. He suspected he was dreaming. Why else would Shen Qingyan be so soft and clingy in his arms?
“Qingyan, am I dreaming?”
Shen Qingyan laughed at Gu Yunjue’s words. He released the embrace but thought he shouldn’t let Gu Yunjue off so easily. “What dream? Gu Yunjue, just how busy were you? You haven’t contacted me for almost half a year.”
Gu Yunjue felt like he was floating in clouds, “You… what do you mean?”
This reaction seemed off.
Shen Qingyan suspiciously felt Gu Yunjue’s forehead, mumbling, “You must be jet-lagged. It’s okay, I’m not angry. Come on, let’s skip school for now. I’ve already asked your advisor for leave. It’s just the first day, you should rest first.”
“You asked my advisor for leave?”
“Why did you break your phone?” Shen Qingyan picked it up distressedly, “We’ll fix it later, let’s go home first.”
Gu Yunjue felt something was wrong, but it wasn’t until Shen Qingyan brought him to the apartment that he discovered the issue.
“How is it? I renovated this apartment, isn’t it cozy?” Shen Qingyan smiled at Gu Yunjue, “You won’t be staying at school anymore, right?”
Gu Yunjue’s expression froze, “Wait.”
“Hmm? Wait for what?” Shen Qingyan blinked, puzzled, “Yunjue, I noticed you’re acting strange. Did something happen? But you just got back, so probably not, right?”
“Come on, don’t just stand there,” Shen Qingyan cheerfully made Gu Yunjue sit down, “Let’s eat first. Knowing you’d be back today, I prepared five dishes!”
Watching Shen Qingyan bustling about, Gu Yunjue felt surreal, as if he’d suddenly returned to two years ago when Shen Qingyan tried his best to please him every day.
But he had already set Shen Qingyan free, so why was Shen Qingyan still trying to please him?
Gu Yunjue felt his heart throbbing with pain.
“Yunjue, why aren’t you saying anything?” Shen Qingyan poured him a glass of water concernedly, “You really should have rested for a couple more days. I was planning to visit you this weekend, but I didn’t expect you’d come to school first. Aren’t you tired?”
Gu Yunjue numbly took the glass and finally spoke in a hoarse voice. “Because I wanted to see you.”
Actually, he knew he wouldn’t see Shen Qingyan even if he returned to school.
He just held onto a sliver of hope. What if?
Unexpectedly, Shen Qingyan was really there.
“Lucky my advisor isn’t at school this afternoon,” Shen Qingyan said cheerfully, “Otherwise I wouldn’t have time to see you. Let me tell you, I’ve been exhausted this year. I thought the year preparing for grad school was the most tiring, but turns out being a grad student is more painful. I should’ve just started working earlier.”
Shen Qingyan’s words shocked Gu Yunjue to his core.
Didn’t Li Xun say Qingyan had started working? And that he was dating someone and had long forgotten about him?
How was everything so different now?
“Qingyan,” Gu Yunjue took a deep breath, “I thought you already had someone.”
Shen Qingyan: “?”
“Aren’t you my someone?” Shen Qingyan angrily shoveled another mouthful of rice, “You think just because you didn’t contact me for half a year, I’d cheat? Gu Yunjue, you really think too little of me!”
“I’m… your someone?”
Gu Yunjue stared blankly at Shen Qingyan. Seeing him like this, Shen Qingyan couldn’t even stay angry. Why was his boyfriend so silly?
“Hey, what’s with that expression?” Shen Qingyan stood up, straddled Gu Yunjue’s legs, and hooked a finger under his chin, “You pursued me, if you’re not my boyfriend, who is? Did Li Xun say something to stir up trouble?”
What did Li Xun have to do with this?
Gu Yunjue’s thoughts scattered at Shen Qingyan’s actions.
I pursued Qingyan? Gu Yunjue unconsciously gripped Shen Qingyan’s waist, rubbing it slightly. Shen Qingyan found it comfortable and let out a few soft sounds.
Gu Yunjue swallowed and couldn’t help asking, “Qingyan, how long have we been dating?”
“Are you testing me?” Shen Qingyan raised an eyebrow with a smile, “1,082 days. If I’d known we’d have a two-year long-distance relationship, I wouldn’t have applied for grad school. Then I could have visited you during breaks.”
“1,082…” Gu Yunjue stared at Shen Qingyan in a daze, “You counted from the first day we met?”
At this point, Shen Qingyan also felt something was off, “Who was it that sent me 52,000 yuan like some emotionally stunted straight guy? Your confession was too blunt. If you weren’t good-looking with a nice body, I definitely wouldn’t have agreed.”
Gu Yunjue: “…I, I don’t know.”
Gu Yunjue’s mind was completely muddled. If Qingyan had always thought they were dating, then what had he been agonizing over for more than two years?
“Then, those rope…” Gu Yunjue’s heart was racing, “What about…”
Why bring this up now?
What game was Gu Yunjue playing? Shen Qingyan’s face reddened, “Well, don’t you find it exciting? Every time we play, you get very worked up.”
Like a thunderbolt, Gu Yunjue finally remembered. Actually, all those things were bought by Qingyan himself, because Qingyan liked them.
So all this time, Qingyan had thought they were dating?
“Yunjue, are you really okay?” Shen Qingyan realized Gu Yunjue might not be playing around this time, but actually feeling unwell. “Should we go to the hospital? You are reacting like you have memory loss. That won’t do. I’m not playing out some melodrama with you!”
When he noticed Shen Qingyan was about to get off him, Gu Yunjue quickly grabbed his wrist. “Don’t go!”
Gu Yunjue looked at Shen Qingyan with difficulty, thought for a moment, and decided to bring up something else first.
“You mentioned Li Xun earlier. What did you mean?”
Hearing this, Shen Qingyan snorted. “I didn’t want to say anything since he’s your friend, but Yunjue, I think he has bad intentions!”
Gu Yunjue’s heart clenched. “He wants to pursue you?”
After all, Qingyan was so wonderful. It would be normal for Li Xun to like him.
“How is that possible?” Shen Qingyan rolled his eyes. “Gu Yunjue, don’t tell me you never noticed. He likes you! Hmph, he even tried to steal you from me!”
Gu Yunjue stared at him in shock. “But Li Xun is straight.”
“If he’s straight, then I’m straight too,” Shen Qingyan rolled his eyes again. “In your second year abroad, he came to me saying you were just playing around with me, that you two grew up together and would definitely end up together. What a joke! If you were just playing with me, why would you send me money and buy me houses? You’d have to be an absolute fool.”
The “absolute fool” Gu Yunjue didn’t dare make a sound, and could only continue listening to Shen Qingyan ramble on. “Besides, if you two could be together, why would Li Xun need to try stealing you away? What a green tea man.”
“Qingyan, aren’t you straight?”
“After everything I just said, that’s all you heard?” Shen Qingyan found it somewhat amusing. “If I were straight, how could I be with you? Gu Yunjue, what are you thinking? But I really haven’t fooled around. Go ask around, from freshman year to my first year of graduate school, there were plenty of men pursuing me, but I only said yes to you.”
Gu Yunjue’s hands were shaking. “But Li Xun said you were straight.”
Shen Qingyan: “?”
“Something still feels off,” Shen Qingyan frowned. “Are you hiding something from me? Don’t tell me you cheated while you’re abroad?”
It was damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Gu Yunjue gritted his teeth. “Qingyan, there’s something I need to tell you.”
The result of coming clean was Shen Qingyan storming out of the house in anger.
“Damn it,” Shen Qingyan cursed. I thought you were my boyfriend, but you treated me as a victim?
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