The parent-teacher meeting wasn’t ending anytime soon, and students weren’t allowed back inside the classrooms. In the chilly weather, standing outside became unbearable. Eventually, the students got fed up and decided to sneak off in groups.
They figured it was already break time, and even if the teachers wanted to scold them, it wouldn’t make a difference. By the next semester, no one would remember such trivial things.
As Xie Ruan and Bo Jin returned from the garden, they ran into Sun Haoxiang and He Mingjie, who were dragging Pan Yu toward the school gate.
“Oh hey,” Sun Haoxiang teased when he spotted them. “Did you two sneak off for a little one-on-one time?”
Though the comment was casual, Bo Jin didn’t mind, but Xie Ruan’s ears turned red immediately.
With Xie Ruan’s fair complexion, the blush was all too noticeable.
Looking at him curiously, Sun Haoxiang said, “Hold on, Little Xie, why’re you blushing? Could it be you and Brother Bo really…”
Before he could finish, Xie Ruan kicked him in the shin, prompting him to gasp, “Ouch! Easy there! You’ll break my leg.”
He Mingjie snickered. “Serves you right for running your mouth.”
Finally, someone reasonable among them. Xie Ruan was about to nod in agreement when He Mingjie continued, “What kind of ‘one-on-one time’ are you talking about? That’s outdated. They were on a date—a date!”
Xie Ruan: “…”
Xie Ruan closed his eyes briefly, then shifted direction mid-step and went straight for He Mingjie.
He Mingjie was quicker on his feet than Sun Haoxiang, dodging just in time with a backward leap, and then shot Xie Ruan a cheeky grin. Infuriated, Xie Ruan chased after him, determined to get in at least one good hit.
Bo Jin stood by, hands in his pockets, watching Xie Ruan’s angry figure with a grin he couldn’t suppress.
“You two made it official?” Pan Yu asked, adjusting his rumpled uniform.
Bo Jin just raised an eyebrow, saying nothing.
Pan Yu immediately understood. “Got it. So, you haven’t sealed the deal yet.”
“What’s the rush?” Bo Jin replied, pulling out two candies from his pocket. He handed one to Pan Yu and popped the other in his own mouth, clearly satisfied. “It’s only a matter of time to be my family.”
Glancing around, Bo Jin didn’t spot a trash can, so he naturally handed the candy wrapper to Pan Yu.
Pan Yu: “???”
Pinching the wrapper between his fingers, Pan Yu deadpanned. “An explanation?”
“What’s there to explain?” Bo Jin replied, lazily flicking his tongue against the candy. His gaze never left Xie Ruan’s figure. “I gave you candy, so obviously, you throw away my trash.”
With that, he nonchalantly walked over, grabbing Xie Ruan by the collar. “Let’s go. It’s freezing—let’s find some shelter from the wind.”
Pan Yu: “…”
Pan Yu looked at Bo Jin, whose tone had softened by several degrees, then glanced at the candy wrapper in his hand. With a dry chuckle, he turned away expressionlessly.
Old sly dog—hope he still can’t win him over even after graduating high school!
Sun Haoxiang wiped the sweat from his brow. “Are you two seriously heading back? Just come along with us—no family members around, so why play the good students?”
“Who says none?” Bo Jin smirked, putting his arm around Xie Ruan’s shoulder and pulling him closer. “I’m right here.”
Sun Haoxiang, He Mingjie, and Pan Yu: “…”
Even at a time like this, he still found a way to be romantic. This old flirt really lived up to his reputation.
The others couldn’t be bothered to deal with him anymore. If he didn’t want to go, fine—they didn’t need to watch him and Xie Ruan flaunt their affection. So, joking and jostling, they walked off.
“Could you stop saying random stuff?” Xie Ruan freed his hand from Bo Jin’s grip, exasperated with him.
Most people in young relationships would be trying to keep things under wraps, afraid of teachers catching wind. But him? He seemed ready to broadcast it across the entire school before anything even started.
“How am I saying random stuff?” Bo Jin unwrapped a candy and popped it into Xie Ruan’s mouth, crumpling the wrapper and putting it in his pocket. “Does a future partner not still count as a family member?”
Bo Jin’s fingertips, slightly cool, grazed Xie Ruan’s lower lip. Xie Ruan felt a shiver run through him, taking a moment to shake off the sensation and understand Bo Jin’s meaning.
Where did he get this confidence that Xie Ruan would definitely say yes? Feeling a bit slighted, Xie Ruan turned his head. “Don’t count on it—I haven’t agreed yet.”
Bo Jin pushed open the glass door of the school building to let him in first, chuckling. “So hard to win over?”
Xie Ruan felt victorious for once, a small smirk on his face. “Glad you understand.”
Seeing Xie Ruan’s triumphant look, Bo Jin held back and then couldn’t resist ruffling his hair. He laughed before Xie Ruan could get mad. “That’s fine. I’ll chase a little longer, but you’ll have to give me a taste first.”
Xie Ruan was just about to ask what he meant by “taste” when Bo Jin clasped his hand firmly.
“You!” Xie Ruan’s first reaction was realizing they were in the school building, with parents and teachers everywhere—what if someone saw? He tried to pull away. “Let go!”
Unfazed, Bo Jin kept hold of him, leading him up the stairs. “Come on, you don’t know how this works? Even a donkey needs a carrot dangled in front to keep going.”
Xie Ruan burst out laughing. “Are you calling yourself a donkey?”
Bo Jin stopped, looking him over with a smirk. “Which part are you referring to?”
Xie Ruan froze, his face flushing deeply from his neck up.
Oh god, this guy…
“Look at that skin.” Bo Jin clicked his tongue, amused at how a simple tease had turned him so red. How was he going to handle things later if he got this flustered so easily?
Looked like Bo Jin would have to step up and “toughen him up” a bit.
He took out a key and opened a small classroom door, pushing Xie Ruan inside. Knowing he’d teased him enough for today, he shifted to a serious tone. “Got everything you need packed? I’ll help you carry it over after the parent meeting.”
Xie Ruan nodded and poured some hot water into a paper cup to warm his hands. After a moment, he poured a cup for Bo Jin as well.
Bo Jin took the cup, letting the warmth seep through his hands, a soft smile in his eyes.
The parent meeting lasted a bit over two hours, finishing just before noon. Parents gradually filed out, some smiling, others looking concerned—their expressions easily revealed how their children had performed.
With his backpack ready, Xie Ruan said goodbye to Bo Jin and then took the subway home.
It was lunchtime, and the house was filled with the scent of food as Chen Wei cooked in the kitchen. He Zhanqing was sprawled on the sofa, lazily smoking a cigarette, ash scattered all over the coffee table.
He Chen was playing a game on his phone next to him. When he heard someone come in, he looked up, his eyes lighting up as he spotted Xie Ruan. Trying to hide his excitement, he pocketed his phone and walked over with a deliberately serious expression. “You’re back, big brother.”
Xie Ruan put his backpack on the shoe cabinet, bent down to change his shoes, and responded with a simple “Mm.”
This was just how Xie Ruan always was with He Chen—neutral, not overly friendly nor distant. He Chen was used to it and wasn’t bothered in the least; he was simply happy to see his brother. Seizing the moment, he grabbed Xie Ruan’s backpack.
Despite his young age, He Chen had built up some strength from his Taekwondo and fencing classes, and he handled the overstuffed backpack with ease.
He Zhanqing looked at his son fawning over Xie Ruan like a puppy and felt a surge of irritation. No matter how much he lectured He Chen in private, the kid kept gravitating toward Xie Ruan.
He Zhanqing crushed out his cigarette and called out, “Chenchen, come over here. Let your brother carry his own backpack.”
Why should his son be carrying anything for that freeloader?
He Chen ignored him and happily trotted along with the backpack.
The little rascal! He Zhanqing was almost fuming. But he was already in his thirties when he’d finally had a son, and he couldn’t bear to scold him. Instead, he cast a look of annoyance at Xie Ruan.
He glanced around, spotted the ash on the floor, and came up with an idea. Standing up, he called out, “Little Xie, since your mother’s cooking, why don’t you grab the mop and clean up?”
Mopping wasn’t hard work, and in the past, Xie Ruan would have done it without a word.
Being part of a blended family was hard enough, and he didn’t want to make things difficult for Chen Wei.
But now… Xie Ruan’s eyes turned cold, and he gave a faint, mocking smile. If he wanted it done, he could do it himself.
He took his backpack from He Chen and headed straight to his room. “I have homework to do.”
His refusal, soft-spoken yet firm, instantly enraged He Zhanqing. “Hey, hold on there! Is that your attitude? After feeding and housing you, all we get in return is resentment?”
Chen Wei had just finished cooking and turned off the exhaust fan. Hearing the commotion, she hurried over with a spatula in hand. “What’s going on?”
“Just look at the son you raised!” He Zhanqing was fuming, his anger now directed at Chen Wei. “I ask him to do a bit of work, and he acts all aggrieved. After raising him for so long, even a dog would wag its tail in gratitude!”
Chen Wei already felt guilty for having let Xie Ruan down that day, so she quickly interjected, “He just got home; let him rest. I’ll do the mopping.”
“See? You’re the one spoiling him!” The more Chen Wei defended Xie Ruan, the angrier He Zhanqing became. “He’s no good at studying, no good at chores. Let’s just have him graduate and get a job already. We don’t need him freeloading here.”
Chen Wei glanced at her furious husband, then at her eldest son with a cold expression, feeling torn. Finally, she hesitantly said, “Xing Xing, how about you go and mop the floor…”
Before she could finish, Xie Ruan interrupted, “Are you saying I’m freeloading in your house?”
He looked at the dark green jade bracelet on Chen Wei’s wrist, speaking in a calm tone that carried a stormy undertone, making everyone feel uneasy. “Mom, if I remember correctly, that bracelet was something Dad bought for you, right? How much was it?”
His gaze moved up, landing on Chen Wei’s intricately crafted gemstone earrings. “And your other jewelry—should we count up the cost of those too?”
Xie Ruan had never cared about money or liked to haggle. Those pieces of jewelry were gifts from his father to his mother; he never thought about taking them back—as long as things didn’t go too far.
Chen Wei froze, and He Jinqing looked as if someone had grabbed him by the throat, unable to speak.
Xie Ruan smiled coldly. “I may have been young back then, but I wasn’t clueless.”
After saying that, he tossed his backpack forward, letting it brush past He Jinqing and land heavily on the coffee table with a loud thud. Casting a chilling glance at He Jinqing, he warned, “Don’t mess with me,” and turned away, heading for his room.
He Jinqing was so shaken by that look that he almost thought Xie Ruan would punch him.
He Jinqing was the type of petty man who acted tough at home and was afraid of anyone who stood up to him. While he loved to sound fierce, he backed down faster than anyone when things got serious.
The living room fell into a deafening silence. After a long pause, He Jinqing finally tamped down his fear, cursing loudly, “D*mn brat! Should’ve thrown him out ages ago!”
After being exposed so bluntly, Chen Wei’s face turned a mix of red and white, but she didn’t stop He Jinqing from ranting.
Soon, the house was filled with his angry insults.
“Stop cursing my brother!” a child’s shrill voice interrupted He Jinqing. He Cheng, with tears in his eyes, stared stubbornly at He Jinqing, repeating, “Don’t curse my brother!”
“You!” He Jinqing, who could be ruthless when it came to berating other people’s kids, was suddenly at a loss for words with his own son.
With teary eyes, He Cheng picked up Xie Ruan’s backpack and hurried off, leaving He Jinqing and Chen Wei staring at each other.
Even though Xie Ruan had locked himself in his room, the sound of He Jinqing’s curses easily traveled through the walls. Too lowly for him to respond to, he considered recording it and sending it to Bo Jin for laughs, only to hear He Cheng’s voice standing up for him.
Xie Ruan was slightly taken aback. He knew He Cheng liked him but didn’t expect the kid to stand up for him in such a moment.
There was a knock on the door, followed by He Cheng’s muffled voice. “It’s me.”
Xie Ruan took off his headphones and said, “Come in.”
He Cheng walked in with his head down, put the backpack on the bed, and turned to leave without saying anything.
As he turned, Xie Ruan caught sight of his red-rimmed eyes.
This kid… Feeling unexpectedly touched, Xie Ruan stopped him. “Wait.”
He Cheng immediately halted but still didn’t say a word.
With a chuckle, Xie Ruan rummaged through his bag, finally pulling out a few pieces of peanut nougat.
They were a gift from Bo Jin, and he had been saving them.
Clearing his throat, a bit uncomfortable, he tossed the candies to He Cheng. “Here, take these.”
His big brother had bought him candy!
All his frustrations and upset feelings vanished in an instant as He Cheng tightly clutched the candies, his expression awkward yet filled with joy, just like Xie Ruan’s. “Th…thank you, brother.”
“Mm.”
The encounter had its effect; from that day forward, He Jinqing stopped ordering Xie Ruan around nonstop, and Chen Wei refrained from lecturing him about “it’s all for your own good.”
However, the atmosphere in the house was tense, especially during meals. The discomfort was almost tangible.
Spending so much time with Bo Jin had taught Xie Ruan some of his thick-skinned attitude, so he acted oblivious, retreating to his room to play games whenever he wasn’t eating.
After a stressful semester, the sudden break made him relax completely. For three days straight, he played games with Song Xinghe, thoroughly enjoying himself.
One morning, as he was sleeping soundly, his phone suddenly rang.
Having stayed up until three the night before, he was still half-asleep, and without opening his eyes, he reached out to silence the call.
But the caller was persistent, redialing each time he ended the call.
Frustrated, Xie Ruan groggily grabbed the phone and answered with an irritated “Hello?”
A familiar low chuckle came from the other end; it was Bo Jin.
“It’s nine o’clock. Still asleep?”
Half-asleep, Xie Ruan barely responded with a “Mm.”
“Gaming all day and night, huh?” Bo Jin’s casual tone sent a shiver down Xie Ruan’s spine, waking him up completely.
“Not bad, Xie Ruan. Three days of break, no calls, no replies to my messages,” Bo Jin teased. “Trying to make me come to your place and drag you out of bed?”
“I…” Xie Ruan’s throat felt dry as he sheepishly replied, “I replied, didn’t I?”
Bo Jin lit a cigarette, chuckling. “Why don’t you check for yourself?”
Quickly sitting up, Xie Ruan checked their chat history, only to see that he actually hadn’t replied.
How was this possible! He could’ve sworn he did.
“Well…” Xie Ruan cleared his throat and awkwardly defended, “I replied with my mind.”
“Oh? Then did you also use your mind to agree to my confession?” Bo Jin teased, lazily dragging on his cigarette. “Go on, call me husband then.”
Xie Ruan: “….”
“You!”
Bo Jin smirked. “What about me?”
“I was wrong.” Xie Ruan couldn’t handle this routine of his anymore, especially since he really was at fault. He’d been so caught up in gaming the past few days that he’d gone overboard, and for the first time, he admitted his mistake without hesitation.
“Too late.” Bo Jin leaned back on the couch, stretching out his long legs lazily. “Anyone can talk sweet. Show me some action.”
Xie Ruan had a gut feeling nothing good was coming, but he knew he was in the wrong first, so he could only brace himself and go along: “What action?”
Bo Jin replied, “The moment you’re on break, it’s like you’re a free spirit, nowhere to be seen.” Then, he paused, raising the stakes, “To put it mildly, you’re not focusing on your studies; to put it harshly, you’re giving up on your future.”
Xie Ruan: “…”
How on earth was he giving up on his future?!
Xie Ruan insisted, “I’m not, I haven’t! I’ll start studying right away.”
“A man’s words when he’s still in bed aren’t to be trusted.”
Xie Ruan: “???”
He ran a hand through his messy hair, his mind still a little hazy from sleep, instinctively following Bo Jin’s lead: “Then, how would you believe me?”
“Seeing is believing,” Bo Jin bit down on his cigarette holder, leaning back with a sly smile. “Come over to my place, so I can see if you’re lying.”
