AD Chapter 34

This confession was different from the last time—this time, Shen Du heard it loud and clear.

He had no reason to brush it off anymore.

In truth, he didn’t want to brush it off this time.

Nearby, there was a stone bench. Shen Du used the same motion as his three-point shot to toss the water bottle into the trash can. Then he hopped onto the bench, braced his hands on his thighs, and leaned forward slightly. His damp eyes, reflecting the light, locked onto Qin Yi.

“You want me to be your boyfriend?”

The bench was a bit high, so Qin Yi, still maintaining his upright posture, had to look up at him.

He stood there, quietly watching the boy in front of him, who seemed almost fused with the surrounding light. “I do.”

The energy from playing basketball hadn’t yet subsided; Shen Du’s whole body was still overheated, his heartbeat and pulse racing. His breathing was heavy, each exhale pounding against Qin Yi’s eardrums.

“Why me?”

Though his breathing was uneven, his tone was steady. Shen Du raised an eyebrow and asked, “Why not someone else?”

This question, about “me” and “someone else,” was so contradictory that it made Qin Yi think deeply for a brief moment. But he wasn’t sure what Shen Du truly wanted to ask. “If there’s something you want to know, you can ask.”

“There are things I do want to ask, but not now.”

Shen Du jumped down from the bench and turned to leave. Qin Yi quickly stepped forward, walking shoulder to shoulder with him.

“Boss Qin.”

He used this long-forgotten title again, and it felt as if time had suddenly rewound to their first meeting at the shop. Qin Yi glanced over and saw the boy’s relaxed and lazy expression.

“Hmm?”

“Actually, even though I moved out, my dorm bed is still there. When I’m tired from class and don’t have time to go home, I’ll stop by the dorm to rest for a bit.”

“How about I take you to see my dorm?”

The basketball court wasn’t far from Shen Du’s dorm building. He led Qin Yi through a series of twists and turns, eventually arriving at a cluster of buildings. As they walked, Qin Yi couldn’t help but picture Shen Du finishing a game, joking with his classmates, and heading back to the dorm together.

During the summer break, you couldn’t enter the dormitory building without a pass. But Shen Du was familiar with the dorm supervisor. Leaning on the window, he sweet-talked her with a few sweet words, and she eventually gave in.

His dormitory was on the fourth floor, with no elevator—climbing was the only option.

The dorm room was empty; the two roommates who stayed on campus had gone to the library to study. Shen Du casually turned on the lights and pulled the curtains closed. “The bed inside is mine. You can pull out the chair and sit.”

Qin Yi placed his umbrella by the door and glanced around. The dormitory conditions were quite good now—bed on top, desk below—unlike his undergraduate days when six people shared a room with bunk beds.

Qin Yi closed the door and walked toward the bed Shen Du had mentioned. Just as he was about to pull out the chair, he froze in place. Shen Du, right in front of him, casually took off his shirt.

The heavy curtains dimmed the light even with the lamp on. The boy stood bare-chested, his shoulders and back slender, with faintly visible abdominal muscles on his flat stomach. His arms had smooth lines, with faint traces of muscle definition—lean but not frail.

There was a fragile beauty to him.

Two men, alone in a room.

The ambiguous atmosphere spread quickly, enveloping the entire space in just a few seconds.

Qin Yi’s hand, resting on the chair back, tightened involuntarily, and his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down.

“You…”

Before he could finish, Shen Du’s hand was already on his waistband, about to pull it down. Qin Yi took a deep breath and turned his back to him.

“Why are you taking off your clothes?”

Shen Du removed his pants and replied in a tone that implied the answer was obvious, “To shower.”

“Shower?” Qin Yi was momentarily stunned.

“Yeah, what else did you think?”

Shen Du struggled to suppress a laugh, kicking his pants to the side with his foot. With an incredibly innocent tone, he added, “Boss Qin, are you okay? You seem a little off today.”

Qin Yi: “…”

“I had hotpot earlier and played basketball. I reek—didn’t you notice?”

Qin Yi genuinely hadn’t noticed. Perhaps Shen Du’s unique aura masked the usual sweaty odor, leaving only a refreshing scent that was oddly pleasant.

“How long will you take?”

Because he was turned away, Qin Yi couldn’t see what was happening. But his sharp hearing allowed him to roughly gauge Shen Du’s actions from the faint sounds.

“It’s just a shower. How long could it take?”

Shen Du draped a towel over his shoulder, pondering how to get past Qin Yi.

The bathroom was outside the dorm room, and he’d have to pass by Qin Yi. Although Shen Du had acted nonchalant earlier, it was all pretense. He was testing Qin Yi’s reaction, but deep down, he was embarrassed.

As he debated whether to wrap a towel around himself, Qin Yi suddenly turned around, startling Shen Du. Instinctively, he tried to hide in the wardrobe but bumped his waist hard in the process.

However, Qin Yi didn’t even glance in his direction. He looked down and asked, “Can you smoke in the dorm building?”

Shen Du studied his expression. “In the hallway, yes.”

Qin Yi nodded. “I’ll go smoke outside. You shower first.”

He left in a hurry.

Shen Du pressed a hand to his bruised waist, a playful expression on his face.

How curious. The same Qin Yi who had once claimed he touched boys in “those places” now reacted like this.

Which version of Qin Yi was lying?

Since Shen Du often returned to rest, the dorm was well-stocked. With no one else around, he stripped completely and stepped into the bathroom.

It had been ages since he’d showered in the dorm. Amidst the rising steam, water cascaded over his body as he ran his hands across his skin. His mind replayed Qin Yi’s two confessions and the way he avoided eye contact earlier in the dorm.

Shen Du was conflicted. He couldn’t figure out what Qin Yi was thinking. If Qin Yi truly liked him, why didn’t he react to his body? Shen Du had wanted to test whether Qin Yi was only attracted to his physique, seeking physical intimacy under the guise of affection.

That’s how people in society were, weren’t they?

Pure love didn’t exist.

Everything that had happened so far seemed to prove this point.

From the beginning, Qin Yi’s desire for him had been evident.

Shen Du had thought that if Qin Yi had made a move earlier, he would quit his job, move away, and delete all contact information—a perfect excuse to cut ties.

But… reality wasn’t like that.

Which meant he couldn’t find a reason to reject him.

Yet actually being together seemed unlikely. He couldn’t gauge Qin Yi’s true intentions.

What could Qin Yi possibly like about him?

It couldn’t just be his face, could it?

Outside the dorm, Qin Yi’s previously pursed lips relaxed, and his knuckles cracked loudly as he clenched his fists.

Students passing by the hallway gave him wary glances.

Qin Yi slightly relaxed his brows and reached into his pocket for a cigarette.

When Shen Du finished his shower and came out, he saw Qin Yi standing in the hallway, one hand resting on the railing, head tilted back. The umbrella was by his feet, and his profile was strikingly handsome.

Hearing movement, Qin Yi turned his head. Through the lingering smoke, his expression was unreadable.

“Done?”

“Yeah.” Shen Du withdrew his gaze and walked over. “It’s raining.”

Qin Yi stubbed out his cigarette and waved away the smoke in the air. “I brought an umbrella.”

“Shall we go?”

He was asking him.

“Let’s go.”

From the dormitory to the school gate, they retraced their steps, passing the basketball court. Sharing the same umbrella in the rain, they walked close together. Qin Yi could clearly smell the gardenia-scented body wash on Shen Du.

The umbrella was large, but the edge brushed against Shen Du’s shoulder. From outside, through the rain, it was nearly impossible to see what was happening under the umbrella.

They walked in silence until they reached the sycamore-lined path. Suddenly, Shen Du broke the quiet.

“Boss Qin.”

Qin Yi responded, “Hmm?”

“Earlier, you asked me when I’d agree to be with you.”

“You’re a smart man. I think you already know what’s troubling me.” The sound of rain muffled the outside world, creating a small, private space under the umbrella where Shen Du could think clearly.

He still decided to lay everything out and talk.

Shen Du was never the type to enjoy overthinking. Avoiding confrontation out of apprehension was unlike him.

“…I never thought I’d like men before, nor did I intend to string you along. I’m just… just a little confused.”

Qin Yi’s expression remained unchanged, but his grip on the umbrella handle tightened.

“I’m the kind of person who’s pretty sentimental. A long time ago, I decided that if I ever got into a relationship, it would be with the intention of marriage, the kind where you always consider the other person in your life plans.”

A person who wasn’t sentimental wouldn’t have tattooed a deceased cat on their body or mourned the death of their high school class president.

His heart was warm.

And soft.

“Yes, I have feelings for you… Fine, maybe I even like you. After getting to know you, I realized my life before was a waste. Turns out, I’m a damn homosexual. Damn it.”

“When you confessed to me that day, for a moment, I wanted to say yes, but I—”

Before Shen Du could finish his sentence, Qin Yi suddenly pulled him toward a nearby teaching building.

Rain splashed onto both of them.

Shen Du was startled. “What’s gotten into you?”

Qin Yi didn’t answer. His grip was surprisingly strong, and Shen Du couldn’t shake free.

They passed through the rain with Qin Yi closing the umbrella partway. They ended up soaked. The building seemed to belong to some faculty, and there wasn’t anyone around. Qin Yi didn’t let go until they were inside, where no one could see them.

“Why did you drag me in here?”

The teaching building was spacious and quiet, unlit due to the overcast sky and rain. Shen Du shook off his hand, wiped the raindrops from his chin, and felt his heart pounding.

“It’s inconvenient outside.”

Qin Yi was also drenched, water droplets clinging to his hair and shoulders like tiny crystals. His gaze was as damp as the rain outside. “What did you just say? I don’t think I heard you clearly.”

But Shen Du didn’t want to repeat himself. Belated embarrassment consumed him, and he snapped, “Are you deaf?”

“If I didn’t hear wrong, you just said you like me.”

Qin Yi stepped closer, his voice soft, seeking confirmation. “Say it again.”

Shen Du grew more impatient. “It’s not like it’s anything good—”

His words turned into a startled yelp as Qin Yi tossed the umbrella aside and took a big step forward, pinning him against the wall. The sound of the umbrella hitting the floor was crisp, echoing in the empty building. Qin Yi’s hand pressed against Shen Du’s lower back as he leaned in, their foreheads touching, and gently nuzzled him. “Say it again, please?”

Shen Du tilted his head back, trying to evade him, but the back of his head landed squarely in Qin Yi’s palm.

At such close proximity, every emotion was magnified. Shen Du shifted his gaze uncomfortably, bracing himself and blurting out, “Fine, fine, I might like you a little, but I—”

Qin Yi suddenly pulled him forward, his arms encircling him, and tilted his head to cover Shen Du’s lips with his own.

The rest of Shen Du’s harsh words were swallowed whole.

The kiss was fiery and intense, their lips pressed together as Qin Yi’s hand moved from Shen Du’s nape to his cheek, brushing away stray strands of hair. Shen Du shuddered as if struck by lightning, trembling slightly. Qin Yi cupped the back of his head, his fingers gently caressing his face.

Shen Du’s mind went blank. He forgot to breathe, his eyes wide open, his hands clutching Qin Yi’s shirt tightly. Qin Yi, however, didn’t close his eyes. His dark, steady gaze bore into Shen Du’s, as if trying to see straight into his heart. Only when Shen Du let out a muffled groan did Qin Yi slowly pull away.

Their exchanged breaths lingered, and Shen Du’s lips were left red and swollen from the friction.

Qin Yi leaned down to kiss his hair.

“You like me, huh?”

Shen Du leaned against Qin Yi’s shoulder, gasping for air, his eyes misty. A warm hand touched the back of his neck, stroking it gently. Shen Du couldn’t take it. He wanted to escape but had no strength to do so. It was like he was suffocating, unable to voice his protests, reduced to soft, harmless murmurs.

He had initially planned to hold back longer, but after hearing Shen Du’s confession, he couldn’t wait any longer.

Qin Yi let Shen Du rest lightly against the wall, his knee slipping between Shen Du’s legs as he leaned in. Shen Du trembled, completely enveloped in the space Qin Yi had created.

Qin Yi’s fingers brushed slowly over Shen Du’s lips. “Back in the dorm, why did you do that?”

“Shen Du, were you trying to seduce me?”