AD Chapter 32

The next morning, as soon as the flying disc alarm clock went off, Shen Du shot out of bed at lightning speed, picked it up, put it back in place, and then darted back under the covers.

The entire process was smooth and seamless. He didn’t even open his eyes much—it was all muscle memory.

Just as his head hit the pillow again, his phone pinged. It was a message from Qin Yi, which he caught a glimpse of through his groggy eyes.

[Y: Want some roast chicken?]

The timing was impeccable, right as his alarm went off.

Shen Du had fallen asleep very late the night before. He struggled to lift his heavy eyelids. The room was dim, and the phone’s screen was glaringly bright. He closed his eyes to adjust for a moment before getting up to open the curtains.

After opening the window, Shen Du turned on the air conditioner, tossed off his pajamas, and, shirtless, went to the wardrobe to find clothes.

He had bought several outfits while shopping earlier but hadn’t worn them yet. Now, they were buried at the bottom of the wardrobe. Shen Du pulled them all out, laid them one by one on the bed, and snapped a picture with his phone.

[°: (photo)]
[°: Which outfit looks good?]

No one in the group chat responded—probably still asleep. Shen Du tossed his phone aside and chose an outfit based on his own judgment: a pale yellow short-sleeved shirt with a white collar, paired with blue knee-length shorts.

As he placed his hands on the waistband of his shorts, Shen Du paused, glanced at the bright window, and decided to go back and close the curtains.

The night before, Zheng Qing and Lu Ning had pulled an all-nighter to prepare the necessary documents. Fang Zhaoyi and Cheng Qi weren’t idle either. Although they couldn’t help much, they stayed up all night in solidarity.

The five brothers, minus one, were still in sync. Zheng Qing had just handed over the project proposal and was about to grab something to eat when Fang Zhaoyi started tagging Qin Yi in the group chat.

[Fang Zhaoyi: @Y, pulled an all-nighter and I’m starving. When can we have a meal cooked by our big brother?]
[Fang Zhaoyi: @Y, miss you, big bro. When are you coming to the villa to see us?]

In the car, Lu Ning, who was using a tablet to coordinate a project, glanced at the messages and said, “Weird. Weren’t you the one who told Lao Qin to focus on chasing that little brother?”

Fang Zhaoyi rolled his eyes. “Do you know what this is called?”

Lu Ning genuinely didn’t know. “What’s it called?”

Cheng Qi, who was lightly dozing in the passenger seat, didn’t even open his eyes. “It’s called being a masochist.”

“…”

Qin Yi placed the chicken into the air fryer and opened the group chat to take a look before exiting again.

The day before yesterday, he had bought a new blender. Last night, he soaked some beans, which were now ready for soy milk. Just as he scooped up the beans, his phone pinged again.

[Fang Zhaoyi: @Y, say something.]
[Fang Zhaoyi: Come on, did you manage to win him over?]

Qin Yi kicked him out of the group chat without hesitation.

Two seconds later, Fang Zhaoyi let out his first curse of the day, followed by laughter.

The doorbell rang. Qin Yi turned on the blender and went to open the door. “Don’t you know the password?”

Shen Du stood at the door. “That would be rude.”

Yesterday, he’d had no problem letting himself in.

There was a faint smile in Qin Yi’s eyes. Shen Du averted his gaze, tugged at his collar awkwardly, and sidestepped him to walk inside. Qin Yi followed closely behind. His gaze was so direct and intense that Shen Du couldn’t help but turn back to meet it. “What are you looking at?”

Qin Yi complimented, “Looking at how good you look.”

Shen Du rolled his eyes.
“Since when don’t I look good?”

The kitchen needed attention, so Qin Yi quickened his pace. “It’s different.”

Shen Du pressed his lips together and coughed lightly before following him into the kitchen. Breakfast was almost ready. Qin Yi took out the roast chicken, plated it, and handed it to Shen Du. “Take this out.”

Shen Du obediently took it with both hands. “Okay.”

While making the soy milk, Qin Yi added some ice cubes for the perfect texture. He used a strainer to filter out the residue and poured the smooth soy milk into a cup.

Shen Du returned just in time. Qin Yi placed a cup onto the tray and said, “Wash your hands and come eat. Bring out those two plates of sauce while you’re at it.”

“…Okay.”

Shen Du washed his hands, went to grab the sauces, and couldn’t help but glance a few more times as he passed the cabinet. That familiar minty scent seemed to reappear, along with the haunting words Qin Yi had said before.

The thoughts he had painstakingly suppressed last night surged back. Shen Du patted his face, warning himself not to dwell on it.

At the dining table, Qin Yi set out the utensils. When he saw Shen Du approaching, he naturally pulled out a chair for him. “Sit.”

Shen Du placed the sauces down and thanked him.

Neither of them had the habit of chatting while eating, so the meal passed in silence.

Shen Du finished eating first. He grabbed a wet wipe to clean his hands and waited for a moment. When Qin Yi finally set down his chopsticks, Shen Du said, “I’m going to school tomorrow to play basketball with Lin Yan and Jin.”

Qin Yi nodded. “What time?”

“In the afternoon,” Shen Du replied. “But we agreed to eat at that hotpot place near the school gate, so I probably won’t come back for lunch.”

“Okay,” Qin Yi nodded. “Need me to drive you?”

“No, I’ll just take a cab.”

After the meal, Shen Du habitually took the dishes to wash. When he came out, Qin Yi had just finished showering. They exchanged glances for two seconds before Shen Du looked away first. “I’m leaving.”

It was still early. Shen Du turned on the robot vacuum to clean the house. Just as he was about to push his mobility scooter out the door, his phone rang.

It was a local number from Yunshan.

Shen Du answered, and it turned out to be a nurse from the pet hospital.

“Hello, Er Mao’s dad. Xaio Mao is recovering very well here. We just gave him a bath. Since you mentioned wanting to neuter him, we’re calling to confirm—are you sure? Male calicos are very rare.”

Shen Du didn’t respond immediately. “What does the doctor think?”

“When Dr. Yan examined him earlier, she found that he is fertile. She asked me to inform you so you can decide.”

Shen Du glanced at his phone. “Are you open now? I’ll come take a look.”

“Yes, we’re open.”

Shen Du hung up, decided against riding his scooter to the clinic, turned off the robot vacuum, and left the house.

The temperature was rising, and people who had been exercising in the park were heading home. Shen Du stopped by a nearby supermarket to buy a bottle of iced water and walked to the pet hospital.

“Mr. Er Mao’s dad, you’re here?”

Shen Du nodded. “Where’s the cat?”

“He’s eating inside.”

The nurse led him to find Da Mao and Er Mao, who were happily eating. Despite having two bowls, they were fighting over one.

“Da Mao and Er Mao get along so well. They even sleep together at night,” the nurse said. “Last night, we planned to give them both baths. Er Mao was very well-behaved, but Da Mao bared his teeth the moment he touched water, so we didn’t dare proceed.”

“We also called Da Mao’s dad earlier. He said to wait until he picks them up and not to worry about it for now.”

Shen Du had been playing with Ermao but froze when he heard that. “Da Mao’s dad?”

“Yes, that’s what it says on the registration card.”

The guardian and contact information for Da Mao was listed under Qin Yi, while Er Mao’s was under Shen Du.

Speaking of Qin Yi, the nurse became a bit excited. “Is he your friend? He seems so impressive, like a celebrity.”

Realizing she might have sounded too infatuated, the nurse quickly added with an embarrassed smile, “You’re very good-looking too—so handsome! It makes sense that handsome guys would be friends with other handsome guys.”

Shen Du didn’t feel comforted. He knew there was a big difference between a mature professional and a student.

When someone calls a student handsome, it’s probably genuine. But when a grown adult is called handsome, there’s often an underlying implication—something understood as “adult nuance.”

It was almost 9 a.m., and Shen Du didn’t have much time. Seeing that the cats were in good condition, he felt reassured and decided not to stay long. “If there are any issues, just call me. Once they’re ready for discharge, I’ll come pick them up. Thanks.”

As he left the hospital, Shen Du planned to hail a cab to the store. But just as he reached the roadside, the Jeep he had ridden in two days ago pulled up in front of him.

Shen Du got in and buckled his seatbelt. “Why are you only heading out now?”

What he really wanted to ask was why Qin Yi was here.

Boys’ thoughts often showed on their faces or in their tone. Qin Yi started the car and said, “The nurse called me earlier. I guessed you’d be coming and figured you’d take a cab to the store, so I waited here for you.”

One sentence answered both questions.

Shen Du recalled the term “Da Mao’s dad” and turned to him. “Are you planning to keep Da Mao?”

“Yeah.”

“But didn’t you say you don’t like clingy pets?”

“Shen Du, people change.”

Every time Qin Yi called his name, Shen Du felt as if a cat were scratching at his ear. No matter how many times he heard it, he couldn’t get used to it. Qin Yi’s way of calling him was different from others—his tone carried various emotions. From the moment they met until now, each time felt unique.

Thinking back, perhaps Qin Yi had always been special to him.

Saturday was a sunny day, and the heat started as early as 7 a.m.

Shen Du wanted to sleep in. The night before, he had messaged Qin Yi, saying he wouldn’t have breakfast. Qin Yi agreed, mentioning he would visit Zheng Qing and the others and could pick him up on the way back.

Shen Du didn’t respond. Feeling bored, he started a live stream, joined a voice chat with viewers, and played games all night.

It wasn’t until [Dreamy Affection] sent a comment telling him to go to sleep, threatening that [Star Sea] would keep sending gifts if he didn’t, that Shen Du lost interest. What was wrong with young people staying up late? What was the point of living so regularly?

The result was that he struggled to get up in the morning.

After the alarm went off, Shen Du wrestled with the decision to bail on Lin Yan and Jin or to sleep in. The internal debate woke him up. He got up, washed up, threw on some clothes, grabbed his phone, and rushed to the door.

Once he got into the taxi, Shen Du finally had time to check his messages. Lin Yan and Jin had been tagging him for a while. Shen Du skimmed through the chat logs, found them filled with meaningless chatter, and decided not to bother reading further.

[°: Got in the car. Hurry up and leave; let’s meet at the store entrance.]

Being on four wheels had its advantages. By the time Shen Du arrived at the store, the others had just left the school gates. The weather was hot, and Shen Du didn’t want to stand around waiting, so he went in first to find a seat and order food.

The shop was small but bustling, though the air conditioning was barely functional, as if it weren’t on at all. Every time they ate here, Shen Du and his friends would end up sweating buckets, reeking of hot pot afterward. But what did it matter? Compared to delicious food, those issues were trivial.

Apparently, many others thought the same. Even during summer break, the shop was packed, mostly with Yun University students who stayed on campus.

Lin Yanjin had reserved a table in advance. Following the server, Shen Du was led to a spot deep inside, right by the ventilation.

Sitting here for a while would make anyone smell like hot pot. Shen Du asked the server, “Can we switch seats?”

“The restaurant is fully booked. If you want to switch, you’ll have to wait.”

Shen Du nodded, saying he understood. He found a relatively ventilated spot, sat down, and messaged the group: [°: Where are you? No good seats left.]

[°]: [Photo]

[°: By the end of this, I’ll turn into Hot Pot Guy.]

[Lin Yanjin: How could this happen? Didn’t I ask the owner to save us a good spot? I’ll go talk to him later.]

[Xiao Pang: Looks like even your influence isn’t enough, haha!]

The four of them were riding electric scooters. Sisi carried Xiao Pang, while Xiao Jia carried Lin Yanjin.

[°: Enough with the jokes. Hurry up and get here.]

Shen Du tossed his phone aside and started browsing the menu. His phone buzzed again. Thinking it was more group messages, he ignored it. Two minutes later, Qin Yi called.

Shen Du answered, feeling puzzled. “Why are you calling?”

Qin Yi paused. “You’re awake?”

“Yeah, awake. What’s up?”

Qin Yi replied, “If you’re awake, why didn’t you reply to my messages?”

Shen Du said, “I genuinely didn’t see them this time.”

Qin Yi asked, “So the previous times were lies?”

“…”

This conversation was going nowhere.

Shen Du disliked being interrogated and responded curtly, “If you’ve got something to say, say it. If not, I’m hanging up. I’m busy ordering food.”

There was silence on the other end. Shen Du checked the phone to confirm the call was still connected and added, “Should I hang up now?”

Qin Yi said, “Alright, have fun. I’ll pick you up later.”

Qin Yi had mentioned picking him up yesterday, but Shen Du hadn’t agreed. Now that he brought it up again, Shen Du replied, “Suit yourself.”

After flipping through the menu three times, Lin Yanjin and the others finally arrived. They were easy to spot, causing a commotion as soon as they entered. Xiao Pang seemed to recognize some classmates from another department and was busy shaking hands and chatting. Lin Yanjin and the others stood around as well. Shen Du propped his chin on his hand, watching coldly from his seat, waiting to see how long it would take them to remember him.

Suddenly, Xiao Pang waved at him.
“Shen Du! Over here. My friends just freed up a table. Let’s eat here!”

Shen Du frowned slightly, grabbed his phone, and walked over. “What’s going on?”

“They reserved a large table, two tables put together. They’re letting us have one. Didn’t you say the other spot was too stuffy? This is better.”

Xiao Pang’s friend was a clean-cut, good-looking guy. Shen Du couldn’t figure out how the two had crossed paths.

Whether they shared a table or not didn’t matter much. What mattered was that Shen Du didn’t want to smell like hot pot, especially since he’d be out all afternoon.

“Alright, this works. Let’s order quickly; I’m starving.”

As soon as Shen Du sat down, the guys at the other table greeted him warmly.
“We all know you! Xiao Pang posted your photo in his Moments. The star of the Literature Department! Finally, we get to meet you. Later, you’ve got to drink with us.”

Friendships among guys formed quickly. A few casual words could lead to a good time together.

By the end of the meal, everyone got along well. When they heard about the basketball game, the others were all excited, insisting on going to cheer them on.

They had arrived as four people but left as a noisy group. Shen Du found them a bit too loud but couldn’t help smiling the entire time.

Forgetting about nearly a month of part-time work, Shen Du felt that this was more like his true self. For a moment, he even felt a bit nostalgic.

West Suburb Villa.

Lu Ning carried a cup of coffee to Zheng Qing’s side and patted him on the shoulder. “Aren’t you going to do something?”

Zheng Qing glanced up briefly. “There’s nothing I can do.”

Across from them, Qin Yi sat in front of a computer, holding his phone in a daze. He had been in this position for a while, ever since taking a call. It was unusual for him.

Lu Ning, always the worrier, said, “Maybe we should ask his brother. What’s going on between them? Lao Qin seems like a completely different person.”

“I’d advise against it,” Fang Zhaoyi said, casually playing with a slingshot, his legs propped up on a chair. “Don’t meddle in other people’s relationships. If something goes wrong, can you handle the consequences?”

“I think this version of Lao Qin is good. He needs to be tempered a bit. Otherwise, it’s all tattoos and paintings with him—how boring.”

The group exchanged glances but said nothing.

Finally, Cheng Qi, always impatient, broke the silence. “I don’t get it. What’s there to agonize over?”

Before Qin Yi could respond, Fang Zhaoyi spoke first. “That’s why you’re bad at relationships. With your temperament, it’s no wonder you’re clueless.”

Cheng Qi ignored him and turned to Qin Yi. “Why don’t you just ask him directly? If it’s a yes, great. If it’s a no, move on. What’s the point of keeping things ambiguous?”

Fang Zhaoyi sneered. “One willing to chase, the other willing to be chased. Why are you so worked up?”

Cheng Qi retorted coldly, “Which is why you go through so many partners every year?”

Fang Zhaoyi narrowed his eyes, cracking his knuckles loudly. Cheng Qi rolled his eyes at him. “Am I wrong?”

Seeing that the two were about to start a fight, Lu Ning quickly stepped in to play the peacemaker. “Hey, hey, hey, what’s going on? Weren’t we talking about Lao Qin? Why are you two arguing?”

Fang Zhaoyi gave an exaggerated eye roll. “Who’s arguing with him? He’s the one who started talking about me.”

“Alright, let’s hear what Lao Qin has to say.” Zheng Qing stopped them from continuing and put down what he was holding, turning to Qin Yi.

The cold white light of the computer screen reflected on Qin Yi’s face, his expression indifferent. “What do you want me to say?”

Zheng Qing replied, “Tell us what you’re thinking.”

“There’s nothing much to think about. I just feel like I need to wait.”

“He’s still young, and he hasn’t been through much before. I broke the ice without warning; shouldn’t I give him some time to process it?”

“…”

Lu Ning hadn’t expected this answer and couldn’t hold back his question. “Is this reliable?”

Why did it seem like this guy was gambling?

“Reliable or not, this is the only way to handle it.”

Qin Yi said, “Rather than him agreeing to me in a muddled state, I’d prefer that he gives it some serious thought.”

Whether Shen Du admitted it or not, Qin Yi could tell that he did have feelings for him.

The key was whether Shen Du could figure it out for himself.

Just like he had said before, Qin Yi had always been someone waiting for judgment.

He handed the decision-making power over to the other person.

He wanted Shen Du to understand his own feelings.

He wanted something long-lasting with Shen Du.