AD Chapter 27

After leaving, Qin Yi directly took a car to the villa.

At the villa in the western suburbs.

Fang Zhaoyi was pulling Cheng Qi to help him rank up, while Lu Ning watched from the side. “Hey, do you guys think Lao Qin suddenly left? Didn’t he say he’d come here at three?”

Recently, the five brothers had been planning to start a company together in Yunshan, involving many business matters with complicated procedures. They’d been gathered here for several days but had only finished a tiny fraction of the work.

Fang Zhaoyi smirked. “What do you think made Lao Qin suddenly change his mind?”

“Men.”

“Four great joys in life: encountering sweet rain after a long drought, meeting an old friend in a foreign land, the wedding night, and the day of success in the imperial exam.” Fang Zhaoyi tugged at Cheng Qi’s sleeve, who coldly shrugged it off without minding. He continued, “Guess which one of these Lao Qin encountered.”

A good one of the four great joys.

Lu Ning couldn’t help but laugh. “Based on the current situation, Lao Qin probably encountered 1/10th of the joy.”

Fang Zhaoyi: “Lol.”

“Take it easy.” Zheng Qing came over holding a coffee cup, smiling. “If Lao Qin hears you guys gossiping about him, you’ll be in trouble.”

“That’s how it is.”

Over the years, aside from the “success in the imperial exam,” what joy has Qin Yi had?

However, before he could finish his sentence, the sound of a door unlocking came from the entrance.

It was Qin Yi.

Dressed like an elementary school student.

Unbelievable, never seen before.

Lu Ning took a deep breath, just about to speak, when suddenly the robot at the entrance emitted a sharp alarm sound: “Data anomaly! Warning, data anomaly!”

The screen showed his heart rate was 112.

The four brothers: “…”

Did he fail to become a student and then go skydiving or something?

Qin Yi casually glanced at the robot, raised his hand to turn it off, and the warning stopped.

The room went quiet.

“Damn, this heart rate.” Lu Ning muttered under his breath, “Could it be that he encountered the second joy of life?”

Qin Yi walked up to Zheng Qing amidst the others’ hesitant gazes.

Zheng Qing pressed down on his elevated cheekbones, “I’m not laughing.”

“…It’s not that.” Qin Yi chuckled, “Can you still tell fortunes?”

“Why?”

“Help me calculate a good time for something.” Qin Yi extended his right hand, his lips curling into a shallow smile. “A lucky day.”

Zheng Qing raised an eyebrow. “What do you want to do?”

That evening, after Shen Du finished his shower, he went to the fridge with wet hair and grabbed a bottle of water. He tilted his head back and took a sip, droplets from the ends of his hair falling onto his neck, sliding down his back. Shen Du grabbed the towel draped over his shoulder and wiped it casually, then sat down on the living room sofa.

On the coffee table were the glasses and the empty bottle of mineral water.

He ended up not taking the two photos.

Half an hour ago, Qin Yi had called him, but for some reason, Shen Du missed the call. Qin Yi then sent a voice message: “I’m eating with Zheng Qing and the others here, I won’t be coming back tonight.”

Shen Du replayed the voice message and typed a response: “Are you reporting to me?”

After typing, he felt it was off and tossed his phone aside, lying down on the sofa. He turned the air conditioning to a low setting, and soon, his entire body felt chilled.

“You really don’t know, or are you pretending not to know?”

“I’ve been doing all these things today, and you didn’t notice?”

“…”

Damn!

Shen Du suddenly sat up straight from the sofa, and as he did, his vision blurred, nearly falling back down. He rubbed his arms and grabbed a blanket to cover himself.

In the makeshift conference room of the villa in the western suburbs, Lu Ning was still talking. Qin Yi sat across from him, slightly tilting his head, his expression indifferent, as if he was listening but also not, the pen in his fingers spinning skillfully.

The phone screen on the table suddenly lit up.

[Cool Cat-Shen° sent you a message]

Just as Lu Ning finished speaking and lowered his head to drink water, the person across from him stood up and left, the empty chair still spinning in place.

The group exchanged glances and smiled knowingly.

As night fell, the lights in the western suburbs were as bright as daytime. Qin Yi stepped onto the balcony, lit a cigarette, and looked down at the message.

[Shen°: Are you free now?]

They hadn’t contacted for a long time.

Since the main person was right beside him, Qin Yi didn’t open the app like he used to, repeatedly watching live stream replays.

[Dreamy Affection: Why?]

[Shen°: I have a question I’d like to ask you, not sure if it’s convenient.]

Qin Yi held the cigarette in his mouth and typed with one hand: [Is it you asking me, or your friend asking me?]

[Shen°: What’s the difference?]

[Dreamy Affection: There is one.]

[Dreamy Affection: Your question is quite convenient.]

“…”

In the living room, Shen Du turned off the lights.

He sat on the sofa with his knees pulled up, wrapped tightly in the blanket. The cold white light from his phone screen illuminated his face, his brows furrowed in a conflicted expression.

After a while, as if making up his mind, he typed.

[Shen°: I’m the one asking.]

Qin Yi curled his lips: [Go ahead.]

Shen Du briefly explained what had happened these past few days.

[Dreamy Affection: So that day, you did it on purpose?]

[Deep°: …Yes.]

That day, he hadn’t thought much about it. When he saw Qin Yi make that expression, he couldn’t help but feel a tingling sensation in his heart, and by the time he realized it, it was already too late to stop.

[Shen°: Do you think he’s trying to get back at me?]

[Dreamy Affection: The person you’re talking about, is he gay?]

[Shen°: Yes.]

[Dreamy Affection: Do you know he has a reaction to you?]

[Shen°: Yes.]

He had known from the first time they met.

[Dreamy Affection: So the answer is pretty obvious, isn’t it?]

Where is it obvious? Shen Du didn’t understand. He thought for a moment, and the image of Qin Yi flashed in his mind—when they first met, when Qin Yi handed him a cigarette on the balcony, when he explained the butterfly tattoo to him, when he took him to see the two kittens… and just a few hours ago, when he pinned him against the wall.

“I like men.”

“I thought you were scared. Because I’m gay, because I have a reaction to your voice, afraid I might do something to you.”

“I call it a lover’s kiss, representing a deep connection and soul-penetrating love.”

“I don’t like clingy people.”

“What would happen if I did something to you that I shouldn’t have?”

“A gay guy got you in the car, guess why?”

“Do you really not know or are you pretending?”

…

Those vague, ambiguous words, sealed in his memories, echoed again in his ears, one after another. The things he couldn’t be sure of, couldn’t confirm, or dared not believe, were all suddenly made clear by the words of “Dreamy Affection.”

[He wants to pursue you.]

It was like a thunderclap, and Shen Du was struck by the overwhelming truth. He hesitated to believe what “Dreamy Affection” said, yet at the same time, he found it unbelievable.

Qin Yi had seen all kinds of people, he was just slightly interested in him, like the two cats in the park, it couldn’t possibly be called love.

[Shen°: Impossible.]

[Dreamy Affection: …]

[Dreamy Affection: But it’s already so obvious. You’re telling me it’s impossible?]

[Shen°: Why are you so agitated?]

[Dreamy Love: .]

Qin Yi wasn’t just agitated, he was almost laughing in anger. How could some people be so slow to catch on? Was this what they called a straight man?

He immediately switched to his main account.

Shen Du put the water bottle and glasses in the cabinet under the TV. The cigarette pack that Qin Yi had given him last time was also there.

The phone vibrated.

[Blame: ?]

The message that hadn’t been sent earlier was still in the chat box. Shen Du deleted it all and sent back a question mark.

[Blame: Have you eaten?]

Shen Du lied: [I ate.]

The cold two words gave no hint of the other person’s attitude. He didn’t reply to the previous messages, and Qin Yi actually wanted to ask if he really ate, why he didn’t reply, what he ate, and if he had figured out what was going on with that sentence from this afternoon.

The cigarette burned to the tip, almost burning his fingers. Qin Yi extinguished it, and his shirt billowed in the wind when Zheng Qing came out.

“What’s wrong? It’s rare to see you looking so gloomy.”

Qin Yi’s expression didn’t change, he pursed his lips, looking like he didn’t want to chat. “Why are you out?”

“I came to bring you good news.”

Qin Yi locked his phone, uninterested.

Zheng Qing smiled, “Aren’t you curious what the good news is?”

Qin Yi gave a perfunctory “Mm.”

Zheng Qing grinned, “That little brother is good, looks like you’ve got him under control.”

Qin Yi silently glanced at him, and Zheng Qing immediately cleared his throat and said, “I calculated it, very auspicious.”

After that, seeing Qin Yi still in his usual deadpan mood, his joking tone faded somewhat. “What’s wrong? Aren’t you happy with the good news?”

“No, just suddenly feel like it’s not something I can control anymore.”

Zheng Qing didn’t understand. “Huh?”

“Even if it’s a bad omen, I still want to try.”

The surrounding cicadas chirped in varying rhythms, and the Milky Way illuminated the streetlights in the villa area. Qin Yi’s eyes sparkled with brilliant light.

“Whether it works or not, I have to try.”

He seemed to briefly smile, with the kind of mature, confident, and determined aura of a man, like a predator eyeing its prey, oblivious to his own hunger.

“There’s no reason to keep someone dangling.”

With that, the subtle pressure disappeared, and Qin Yi turned, gazing at the lights under the night sky, his expression casual.

Although he spoke with confidence, having known each other for so many years, Zheng Qing still understood his brother’s character.

He knew that Qin Yi was still unsure deep down.

Zheng Qing stood beside him. “Have you thought it through?”

“Which day did you calculate?”

Zheng Qing quietly mentioned a date. Qin Yi lowered his eyes for a moment, thought briefly, and said, “Can’t wait, I’ll go tomorrow.”

Zheng Qing laughed, “Alright, I support you.”

After all, it’s first love, it should be unforgettable.

Even if it fails, there will be no regrets.

After being exposed to the cold air for so long, Shen Du finally couldn’t take it anymore. He grabbed the hairdryer from the bathroom, dried his hair, and felt revived as the warm air hit his body.

His phone rang again.

It was Qin Yi.

Shen Du pursed his lips, standing still without moving.

The phone rang for a while, then automatically hung up. The room fell silent for a brief moment, but before Shen Du could breathe a sigh of relief, it rang again, as if Qin Yi wouldn’t stop until he picked up.

Shen Du sighed, and before the last ring could finish, he answered the phone.

“Boss Qin?”

The young man’s voice was clear and pleasant, just like when they first met.

As soon as he heard that voice, Qin Yi’s restless heart suddenly calmed down.

“Have you eaten?” he asked softly.

Shen Du: “Didn’t you already ask?”

“What you said earlier doesn’t count,” Qin Yi said. “Don’t lie to me.”

Shen Du fell silent.

Tonight, both of them felt strange.

He should have confronted him directly, Shen Du thought.

“Tomorrow, I won’t go to the shop during the day.”

Here it comes, Qin Yi was reporting his schedule again. Shen Du actually wanted to say, “You don’t have to do that,” but Qin Yi didn’t give him a chance to say it, continuing, “That time, I still owe you a meal, so let’s do it tomorrow. I’ll pick you up after work.”

Shen Du pursed his lips, uncertain about his intentions. But before he could say anything, he heard Qin Yi’s voice again, “Don’t reject me, okay?”

The other person’s voice was low, speaking in a tone that bordered on pleading, completely at odds with the impression Qin Yi usually gave. No one could refuse a Qin Yi like this.

Including Shen Du himself.

While inwardly cursing his current behavior, Shen Du said, “Just one minute. If you’re not here in one minute, I’m leaving.”

Qin Yi curved his lips into a faint smile. “Alright.”

Even after the busy tone came through the phone, Shen Du maintained the posture he had while answering it. It wasn’t until the skin at the back of his neck felt hot from the blow-dryer that he snapped out of it, startled, and took a few quick steps forward, raising his hand to touch the flushed skin.

Lost in thought.

He felt like something had started to change, though he couldn’t pinpoint exactly when.