After studying for so long, although Xie Ruan’s English scores were still hovering around the passing mark, they had improved thanks to Bo Jin’s advice. Each night, he would listen to English news or movie audio, and his language sense had developed.
Now, he could sometimes select the correct answer based on intuition rather than struggling with grammar.
When the recent quiz results were released, he astonishingly scored over ninety.
Seeing the bright red “98” on his test paper, Xie Ruan almost thought the teacher had made a mistake. He checked it multiple times before he could finally believe that the score was indeed his.
Xie Ruan instantly forgot the frustration of his past struggles with reading comprehension and proudly waved the test paper in his hand. This was what they meant by “a long accumulation leading to success” and “daily efforts paying off”!
Passing a test—what’s so hard about that?
He tried to keep his expression calm, wanting to appear nonchalant. No need to look like he was getting overly excited about a small achievement. But the joy in his eyes and at the corners of his mouth betrayed his real thoughts.
Bo Jin appeared to be playing on his phone, but his gaze was actually on Xie Ruan. Watching Xie Ruan’s cheerful look, he felt an itch in his heart, wanting nothing more than to pull him close and give him a good squeeze.
Only after meeting Xie Ruan did Bo Jin realize he had this mischievous side— the more he liked someone, the more he wanted to tease them.
The vibration of his phone interrupted Bo Jin’s thoughts, and he looked down.
In the open WeChat chatbox, a stream of messages appeared, sent in quick succession after he hadn’t replied.
[Li Fugui]: Brother Bo, are you satisfied with it? Please say something.
[Li Fugui]: [Questioning.jpg]
[Li Fugui]: Brother Bo?
Li Fugui, real name Li Yi, was Bo Jin’s colleague in the same team. His family was in the jewelry business, and he’d just graduated from university. Thanks to some family connections, he’d managed to get into Bo Jin’s team.
But he didn’t have access to the core technology, so he usually did minor tasks to build his experience.
Li Yi has a lot of respect for Bo Jin, so even though he’s a few years older, he still calls him “Brother Bo” every time.
A few days ago, Bo Jin asked him to help design a custom men’s pendant. Li Yi had agreed immediately and gathered the best designer from his family’s company. After several rounds of discussions, they finally produced a final design today.
Bo Jin opened it.
It was a small Bai Ze with horns, with smooth lines yet a fierce gaze—a mix of adorable and fierce, much like Xie Ruan’s temperament.
This was something Bo Jin had carefully considered for a long time.
Xie Ruan’s zodiac was the sheep, and Bai Ze is an auspicious beast that brings protection. The piece symbolized his zodiac and held a good meaning.
Bo Jin smiled and typed a quick response.
[Bo]: It’s good.
If he was going to pursue Xie Ruan, he couldn’t just express his feelings in words. Saying “I like you” wasn’t enough; he needed to show sincerity with a thoughtful gift.
Words alone were too cheap. Xie Ruan deserved the best.
[Li Fugui]: Got it! I’ll have it made right away. Platinum, right?
[Bo]: Yes.
Feeling pleased to have helped his “big brother,” Li Yi couldn’t resist making a joke.
[Li Fugui]: Hey, Brother Bo, most people gift gemstones or jade. Why only platinum? With your income, shouldn’t diamonds be the minimum?
Why only platinum?
Bo Jin leaned back in his chair, smiling at the message.
It was because of his own personal story.
Few people, other than some orphanage staff, knew that he’d originally named himself after platinum.
Thinking back, Bo Jin, who was usually shameless, coughed, feeling a little embarrassed.
Back then, a cook at the orphanage had a daughter getting married, and along with the usual dowry, the groom’s family had given her a platinum ring.
The cook was thrilled, singing the praises of platinum to everyone. Little Bo Jin, who didn’t understand these things, heard that platinum was more valuable than gold and thought it was the most precious thing in the world.
To him, being precious meant it would never be abandoned.
As a child who had experienced abandonment, this was all that mattered to him.
So when it came time to register his name, while other children obediently took on typical surnames, he insisted on being called Platinum.
The orphanage director, unable to persuade the clever child with excellent memory, made a compromise and gave him a name with a similar sound to platinum—Bo Jin.
Bo Jin had always thought this story was a bit ridiculous, but now…
He opened the image of the pendant again, glanced at Xie Ruan sitting beside him, and suddenly felt he had been quite prescient.
Platinum* Bai Ze.
* it is pronounced as Bo Jin
Bo Jin’s Xie Ruan.
Yes, Bo Jin smirked—fate, that’s what this was.
Li Fugui, thinking Bo Jin’s lack of response was because he had convinced him, eagerly messaged again.
[Li Fugui]: So, have you changed your mind? If you want, I can ask them to add some diamonds.
Diamonds? What diamonds.
Bo Jin chuckled, typing back quickly.
[Bo]: No [smile]
Seeing this “death smiley,” Li Yi shivered, remembering his last scolding from Bo Jin. He shrank back, no longer daring to joke.
Forget it, he’d already done his best. If Bo Jin couldn’t win his crush, he couldn’t blame him for not helping.
Li Yi, sometimes quite like He Mingjie, might just be rash enough to add diamonds at his own expense. Considering this, Bo Jin sent him one last message.
[Bo]: Follow my instructions—just platinum, nothing else.
Li Yi replied immediately.
[Li Fugui]: Got it, boss, noted, boss.
Only then did Bo Jin feel at ease and closed the chat. Just as he was about to put his phone back under the desk, he felt a tap on his shoulder.
Xie Ruan leaned in, speaking casually, though his eyes were bright with happiness: “Hey Bo Jin, let me treat you to lunch. What do you feel like eating?”
Remembering kindness and repaying it—that’s just the kind of person he was!
Bo Jin sighed inwardly, frustrated. Lunch? Really? There are so many ways to show gratitude, and he picked the most unromantic one?
Not that he was expecting a kiss, but maybe a few sweet words or even holding hands would have been better.
Bo Jin looked up lazily, uninterested. “Not hungry.”
Xie Ruan paused, but didn’t think much of it. Feeling great, he patted his chest and declared, “Just name what you want, and it’s yours. Daddy’s got you covered.”
Daddy? Bo Jin narrowed his eyes. A few days without discipline, and this little rascal’s acting up again.
Bo Jin sat up slightly, eyebrow raised with a mischievous smile. “Really?”
Xie Ruan, oblivious to the undertone, immediately replied, “Of course! A gentleman’s word is his bond.”
“Fine.” Bo Jin nodded, glancing at him with a half-smile. “Then let’s hear you call me ‘Daddy’.”
Likes playing daddy, does he? Let’s see if I can’t cure him of that.
Xie Ruan: “…”
It didn’t sound so bad when he said it, but coming from Bo Jin? Utterly embarrassing!
“Why are you so quiet?” Bo Jin’s lips curled into a mocking smile. “Who was it who just said they’d do anything for me? Just a few seconds ago?”
With a sigh, he shook his head and said, “Scum man.”
Scum Man Xie Ruan: “…”
“Pick something else,” Xie Ruan coughed, feeling a bit awkward. “I meant reasonable requests.”
“What’s unreasonable?” Bo Jin was not about to let this go. Feigning seriousness, he continued, “Didn’t I help you with questions? And give you my notebook?”
The sudden shift caught Xie Ruan off guard, and he nodded reflexively. “Yes, you did.”
“Well then.” Bo Jin smiled, thoroughly shameless. “Once a teacher, always a father. It’s only fair for you to call me Daddy.”
Xie Ruan: “…”
That’s not how that saying works!
But Bo Jin, that shameless b*stard, didn’t understand a thing about empathy. He calmly raised his chin at Xie Ruan and said, “Go on, say it.”
Xie Ruan clamped his mouth shut, determined not to say a word.
Bo Jin didn’t push him, instead resting his chin on his hand and watching him leisurely.
At first, Xie Ruan could hold out, but gradually he started to feel the weight of Bo Jin’s gaze. A faint blush spread over his pale earlobes, making it all the more obvious.
“Ha!” Bo Jin finally broke into laughter, reaching over to ruffle Xie Ruan’s hair. “I was kidding, silly. Treating me to a meal—what’s with the formalities? Just come find me if you have any questions…”
He paused, smirking at Xie Ruan as he threw his own words back at him: “Daddy’s got you covered.”
Xie Ruan: “…”
Why did he have to get the last word?
B*stard!
At noon, Xie Ruan went out for lunch with Song Xinghe.
Before Song Xinghe could speak, Xie Ruan suggested, “How about we get some spicy hot pot—the one you said was good last time?”
Song Xinghe blinked in surprise. “That place is pretty far, and don’t you dislike spicy food?”
“It’s fine,” Xie Ruan slung an arm over his shoulder, “You like it, so let’s go. I can always get the bone broth.”
Song Xinghe’s eyes sparkled with gratitude. “Good brother!”
Finding a friend like this made failing exams and being single for seventeen years totally worth it!
They walked arm-in-arm across the street to the hot pot place.
Song Xinghe loved the taste so much that he couldn’t stop eating, even when his mouth was practically on fire. Only when he’d polished off his bowl did he gulp down water. “Let’s head back.”
As they exited, Song Xinghe instinctively started towards the school, but Xie Ruan held him back. “Hold on, I’m getting a couple of sausages.”
Nearby, there was a sausage vendor whose handmade sausages were especially delicious and loaded with real meat. They were also pricier than the usual ones.
But that hadn’t stopped the students’ enthusiasm. Every day, the place was packed, and by mid-afternoon, the sausages were usually sold out.
Song Xinghe was a bit surprised. “Weren’t you full?”
He thought Xie Ruan had eaten a lot earlier. Was his study workload making him hungrier?
“Yep.” Xie Ruan replied vaguely, not offering an explanation.
“Well, let’s go then,” Song Xinghe said, pulling his jacket tighter. “It’s cold—hope we don’t have to wait too long.”
But to his disappointment, the line was already stretching out the door.
Feeling guilty, Xie Ruan offered, “How about you go back first? I’ll wait on my own.”
“No way.” Song Xinghe shook his head. “You’d be bored. I’ll stay.”
This made Xie Ruan feel even guiltier. “Then I’ll treat you to a sausage.”
“No, no, no!” Upon hearing that, Song Xinghe immediately jumped three feet high. “I’m so full I couldn’t even fit a sip of water.”
But not one to miss a freebie, he quickly grinned mischievously and added, “Put it on hold for now—next time you can treat me to Burger King. I just love their fries.”
“Sure.”
After waiting for ten minutes, they finally reached the front of the line and Xie Ruan got the sausages he had been craving.
As he paid, he asked the shop owner, “Could you wrap them up for me with a few extra plastic bags?”
The weather’s cold, so it’s normal to keep it warm. The shop owner did not think much of it. She quickly packed everything up as Xie Ruan requested.
Xie Ruan took it without missing a beat, immediately removing the scarf from around his neck to wrap it up. “Let’s go, hurry,” he said.
Song Xinghe was puzzled. “???”
Something seemed off. He stared at Xie Ruan for a moment before blurting, “Wait a minute—this isn’t for you, is it? It’s for someone else?”
“Can’t I take it back to eat?” A flicker of discomfort crossed Xie Ruan’s face, but he quickly masked it. “Stop asking, let’s just go.”
But Song Xinghe wasn’t fooled and tugged him back. “Be honest, Little Xie—this is for Bo Jin, isn’t it?”
Realizing he couldn’t dodge any longer and anxious that the sausage would cool off, Xie Ruan admitted, “Fine, it is. He helped me study; can’t I buy him something?”
Song Xinghe struck straight to the heart of it: “So, you’d planned this from the start, didn’t you?”
Xie Ruan: “….”
Song Xinghe: “…”
So much for being touched! He’d thought his friend was catering to *his* tastes! But no—turns out Xie Ruan had ulterior motives.
Humanity was overrated!
In the end, Xie Ruan had to treat Song Xinghe to Burger King plus a family meal to smooth things over.
They rushed back to school; Song Xinghe went straight to class while Xie Ruan, still on the stairs, called Bo Jin. “Where are you?”
Slightly out of breath from rushing, his voice came through clearly over the phone. Bo Jin’s heart skipped a beat, worried something had happened, so he stepped out of the classroom at once. “In class, what’s up?”
“Wait for me by the emergency exit at the end of the hall,” Xie Ruan said. “I’m almost there.”
“Alright.” Bo Jin didn’t ask any questions. He waited as instructed, his mind racing through worst-case scenarios, but as soon as he saw Xie Ruan approach, safe and sound, he let out a sigh of relief. “What’s going on?”
His emotions had swung back and forth, nearly slipping from his expression.
Just as he wondered how to give Xie Ruan a little lesson for scaring him like that, he saw him pull something out from his scarf—a carefully wrapped package.
Bo Jin was stunned.
Before he could react, Xie Ruan had already handed it to him. “Here. It’s the grilled sausage from across the street.”
Last time, when Sun Haoxiang had bought snacks for tea, Bo Jin hadn’t touched the roasted sweet potatoes or hot milk tea but only ate the grilled sausage—something Xie Ruan hadn’t forgotten.
Xie Ruan kept a casual, almost nonchalant tone, as if it was just something he’d picked up on his way back. But the quickened breath and his wind-chilled cheeks told Bo Jin it wasn’t that simple.
The sausage in his hand was still hot, just as if it had just come off the grill, having kept its warmth even after the walk back.
Bo Jin swallowed, his gaze fixed on Xie Ruan, his voice a bit tight. “For me?”
“Mm-hmm,” Xie Ruan replied, standing guard. “Hurry up and eat; I’ll keep an eye out for the teacher.”
Bo Jin closed his eyes briefly, reining in the flutter in his chest. Instead of eating, he asked softly, “Aren’t you cold without your scarf?”
Xie Ruan shook his head. “Not cold.”
In truth, he was cold, but there was no need to tell Bo Jin that.
Bo Jin didn’t listen to him. Reaching out, he lightly touched Xie Ruan’s cheek.
It was cold—colder than his hand.
Bo Jin pressed his lips together, then firmly took Xie Ruan’s hand and led him toward the classroom.
“Hey? What are you doing?” Xie Ruan had to jog to keep up, still thinking about the sausage. “Aren’t you going to eat—”
His words were cut short.
Bo Jin reached over, took his scarf from his seat, and wrapped it around Xie Ruan’s neck, carefully looping it around.
Halfway through, he paused and asked, “Is it too tight?”
Usually, Xie Ruan’s heart didn’t race when Bo Jin teased him, but now, looking into Bo Jin’s dark eyes, his heart pounded wildly. Swallowing, he whispered, “It’s fine.”
“Good.” Bo Jin’s slender fingers moved, and remembering that Xie Ruan liked things to look nice, he tied an elegant knot he’d once seen in a short video clip he’d memorized.
“Still cold?”
Bo Jin’s scarf was soft and warm, carrying a faint soap scent that was uniquely his. Surrounded by Bo Jin’s warmth, Xie Ruan’s chilled cheeks gradually regained warmth.
Feeling a bit awkward, he tugged at the scarf, looking down. “Not cold.”
“Good.” Bo Jin patted his head, took the two sausages, and stepped out of the classroom.
The sausages smelled amazing, slightly hot to the touch. Leaning against the window, Bo Jin felt warm from head to toe, despite the winter cold.
Looking at the little Bai Ze on his phone screen, he’d never wanted so much for the charm to arrive sooner.
Perhaps his wish was heard.
The day before finals, Bo Jin was eating in the cafeteria when a new WeChat notification popped up. It showed that he had a package out for delivery.
From Fengcheng, sender: Li Yi.
It had finally arrived.
Bo Jin’s lips curved in a smile. For the first time, he didn’t finish everything on his tray. He stood up, heading outside while dialing Xie Ruan’s number. “Where are you?”
He liked him too, very much—more than he could put into words.
He wanted to tell him immediately, not a moment more could wait.
