“Nothing.”
The moment passed in an instant; Bo Jin’s emotions were quickly concealed, and he returned to his usual lazy demeanor.
He lightly grazed Xie Ruan’s hand with his fingertips, chuckling softly. “Just taking advantage of my boyfriend, that’s all.”
Xie Ruan felt instinctively that Bo Jin wasn’t being honest; something had definitely been off. Ignoring the classmates around him, he placed a hand on the back of Bo Jin’s chair, leaning in to scrutinize his expression.
“Really?” he asked, looking Bo Jin up and down with suspicion. “You’re not lying?”
“Really,” Bo Jin replied, watching him worry about himself with warmth and amusement. Any lingering negative emotions had completely faded. If it weren’t for being in class, he’d have already pulled Xie Ruan into a hug. “What could be wrong with me?”
Seeing that Sun Fuan was still at the front engrossed in discussing the test scores, Bo Jin leaned close and beckoned Xie Ruan with his finger. “Come closer.”
Thinking he had something important to say, Xie Ruan leaned in, lowering his voice. “What is it?”
“Come a little closer,” Bo Jin whispered. “We don’t want others to hear.”
Whatever he was about to say must be critical if he was being this discreet.
Obliging, Xie Ruan leaned in eagerly, ears perked up.
Bo Jin chuckled softly and murmured in his ear, “After all, you’ve already stripped me of my underwear — what more could I hide?”
Xie Ruan: “…!!”
His face turned beet red in a flash, utterly scandalized that Bo Jin would pull something so audacious in class. “You!”
He instinctively objected, “I didn’t —”
“Right, you didn’t,” Bo Jin laughed, teasing, “You just undressed me.”
Xie Ruan: “…”
Fuming, Xie Ruan stomped on Bo Jin’s foot under the desk, unable to recall their previous topic, and turned back to his workbook in silence.
Beside him, Bo Jin lowered his gaze, twirling his pen between his fingers.
Did that resolve things?
Xie Ruan hadn’t noticed that Bo Jin had purposely diverted his attention. It wasn’t until the break when he saw the unanswered message on his phone and remembered he hadn’t replied to the team leader yet.
Sunshine Orphanage rarely posted volunteer opportunities, so he didn’t want to miss out.
Just as he was about to reply, his hair was gently tugged. Without looking, he already knew the only person who’d dare do that to him. Irritated, he turned. “What?”
Bo Jin tugged at the strand of hair, like a schoolboy trying to get a girl’s attention. “Are you free this Sunday?”
“What’s up?” Xie Ruan swatted his hand away, smoothing his hair. “Do you have something planned?”
He hadn’t mentioned any plans before, so was he suggesting a movie or something?
If so, it could wait; the orphanage was more important.
“Yeah, a little something.” Bo Jin caught his finger and absentmindedly twirled it. “Want to go to the hospital with me?”
Xie Ruan was just wondering how it had only been one class, yet Bo Jin had grown even more fond of these little actions. Hearing this, he immediately grew tense.
He instinctively tightened his grip on Bo Jin’s hand and burst out with a string of questions: “Are you sick? Do you feel uncomfortable? How about we ask the teacher for leave right now and go right away?”
Bo Jin paused for a moment, then smiled. “I’m not sick; it’s just a check-up.”
He glanced at Xie Ruan’s phone and, looking considerate and sensible, added with a dignified air, “If you’re busy, it’s fine—I can go by myself.”
“No, no, I’m free,” Xie Ruan waved his hands hastily.
Although a check-up wasn’t anything major, Bo Jin rarely asked for his company. This sudden request was something Xie Ruan simply couldn’t turn down.
What’s more…
Xie Ruan looked at Bo Jin, wondering why he suddenly needed a check-up out of nowhere. Could it be that he wasn’t feeling well?
Thinking of this, Xie Ruan grew alert. “When we get to the hospital, change the email in your profile to mine.”
It usually took two or three days for check-up results to come out, and they would be sent directly to the email left by the patient. Xie Ruan wanted the email changed to his, just in case any issues turned up and Bo Jin didn’t tell him the truth.
Right now, he was incredibly attentive to even the slightest change around Bo Jin.
Seeing his almost battle-ready expression, Bo Jin laughed, “You care about me that much?”
Xie Ruan coughed, turning his face away awkwardly. “Nonsense!”
Given their relationship, wasn’t it only natural for him to care about Bo Jin?
Bo Jin felt warmth in his heart. His boyfriend might not say it outright, but he genuinely cared for him. This favoritism gave Bo Jin confidence, making him even more tempted to tease him.
“Of course,” Bo Jin nodded, “It’s about your happiness for the rest of your life, after all.”
Xie Ruan was puzzled.
It’s just a check-up; how does this involve his future happiness?
Bo Jin unwrapped a piece of candy and popped it into his mouth, lifting his chin at Xie Ruan with a smirk. “Relax, my kidney function is perfectly fine.”
He leaned back in his chair with a lazy, mischievous air, long legs stretched out. “That joke about seven times a night? You’ll see for yourself someday.”
Xie Ruan: “???”
Xie Ruan: “…”
Xie Ruan’s ears turned red as he whacked Bo Jin’s head with a math book. “Shut up!”
Behind them, Sun Haoxiang scrambled to pick up a book that had fallen, saying, “Hey, don’t go hitting him, Little Xie. That head of his is his only asset. If you break it, he’s done for.”
He looked at Bo Jin, his face full of schadenfreude. “What did you do to annoy Little Xie?”
Bo Jin lifted his eyes to give him a glance, “What’s it to you? Finished your homework? Fixed the mistakes on your last test? Reviewed the content for the next class?”
Sun Haoxiang: “…”
So he’s just here as a stress-relief target?
Sun Haoxiang was indignant and dragged Bo Jin away to lecture him on the meaning of brotherly love. Xie Ruan ignored them, pulling out his phone to message the team leader, saying he couldn’t make it this time and asking to be notified about future volunteer trips to the Sunshine Orphanage.
Bo Jin, catching a glimpse of the screen out of the corner of his eye, breathed a slight sigh of relief.
He quickly sent Sun Haoxiang on his way and then thought for a moment before contacting the orphanage director directly.
[Bo]: “Is there a lot going on at the orphanage lately? I saw you were recruiting volunteers.”
He could stop Xie Ruan once, but not every time. Eventually, even Xie Ruan, as dense as he was, would realize something was up if he kept blocking him. And he couldn’t keep an eye on him every minute, so this was a way to resolve it at the source.
The director, who was likely looking at their phone, replied quickly.
[Embracing Sunshine]: “Little Bo, aren’t you in class?”
[Embracing Sunshine]: “Not too much, just cleaning and teaching the kids a bit.”
[Embracing Sunshine]: “Why the sudden interest?”
Bo Jin hesitated, choosing his words carefully.
[Bo]: “A friend’s company wants to organize regular volunteer events at the orphanage.”
[Bo]: “I thought I’d ask if you needed it.”
[Bo]: “If so, I’ll have him contact you directly. This way, you won’t need to look for other volunteers, which would make things much easier.”
The director was intrigued by his suggestion.
[Embracing Sunshine]: “Sure, have him give me a call.”
[Embracing Sunshine]: “That’ll save us a lot of hassle, and we won’t have to go through the association for volunteers.”
[Embracing Sunshine]: “Smart thinking as usual.”
With the director’s agreement, half the plan was set. Bo Jin stepped out of the classroom, dialing a number: “Found a good deed for your company… Come on, why would I set you up?”
Xie Ruan had no idea his route to the orphanage had been thoroughly cut off. After the monthly exam, he grew even more focused, surprising his classmates and making them feel a new sense of urgency.
If Xie Ruan was improving so much and still working so hard, how could those who weren’t progressing at all think of slacking off?
Study! If you’re not going to drop from studying, study with all your might!
The learning atmosphere in Class One immediately soared, like a world apart from the laughter-filled next-door class.
One evening, as Xie Ruan was seizing a moment to memorize vocabulary, Sun Fuan suddenly walked in. “Xie Ruan, come with me.”
Xie Ruan didn’t think much of it, assuming it was a study matter, and put down his book to follow.
But instead of heading to the office, Sun Fuan took him to the small study room he and Bo Jin had used last term.
What’s going on? Xie Ruan wondered, but before he could ask, he saw the person standing in the room.
The man was tall, dressed in a deep blue suit, and holding a briefcase. He radiated a professional aura entirely unlike the school environment.
Xie Ruan tilted his head. Who was this man, and why had the teacher brought him here to meet him?
Shen Xizhou clutched his bag tightly. Despite his years of experience, finally seeing the child he had been searching for over a decade left his eyes slightly moist.
These past few days, Shen Xizhou had gathered a lot of information about Xie Ruan and seen plenty of his photos, so he managed to stay composed.
He took a deep breath, softened his voice, and steadied himself, trying not to startle Xie Ruan or make things awkward. “Little Ruan, do you remember me? I’m Shen Xizhou, your Uncle Shen.”
“I’m the one who used to come over to your house all the time for meals and take you downstairs to play.”
Seeing that Xie Ruan was a bit stunned and unresponsive, Shen Xizhou swallowed back a lump in his throat and gently added, “That set of colorful building blocks you used to love, the ones you slept with every night—that was my gift to you. Do you remember?”
It was like a key unlocking a door to memories.
Xie Ruan’s eyes widened slightly, and he murmured unconsciously, “Uncle Shen…”
He still couldn’t fully remember Shen Xizhou’s face, but he had clearly recalled who he was.
“It’s me!” Shen Xizhou took two excited steps forward, almost bumping into a nearby desk. He steadied himself, looking at the young man in front of him with deep satisfaction.
Compared to Xie Wangnian, Xie Ruan’s looks resembled Chen Wei’s more, but he still bore features of the Xie family. The straight nose and full forehead were almost a mirror of Xie Wangnian’s.
“You’ve really grown up,” Shen Xizhou said with a sigh, eager to hug this child who had been through so much, but in the end, he simply patted his head gently. “You’re eighteen now, an adult. Let’s have a good talk.”
Xie Ruan didn’t return until after evening self-study had ended.
As soon as he entered the dorm, Bo Jin pulled him into his room. “What did Old Sun want with you?”
What did he want?
Xie Ruan sat on the bed, still processing the earlier conversation.
Shen Xizhou had told him that his father had left a will, specifying an inheritance for him. He hadn’t come to see him right away because he was handling everything related to it.
After all, to outsiders, it would seem that He Jinqing and Chen Wei had raised him. In a society built on relationships, squabbling over money with them could tarnish his reputation. It was better to handle everything and then come to see him.
Shen Xizhou also said that since the money was left by his father, he should use it freely without any worries. If he ever ran out, there was no need to worry because Shen Xizhou would be there for him as his uncle.
“What are you thinking?” Bo Jin furrowed his brow when he saw him sitting in a daze. “Did he give you a hard time?”
“No,” Xie Ruan snapped out of it. “I just…” He thought it over and explained what had just happened to Bo Jin.
Growing up, he had always wanted to counter those who praised He Jinqing for his generosity, claiming that he raised him without concern for his origins. He hadn’t used He Jinqing’s money; his father had left him something.
But every time he brought it up, Chen Wei either covered his mouth and told him he was being silly or looked at him with teary eyes.
Eventually, he stopped saying anything.
Today, though, his wish came true out of nowhere.
Bo Jin was briefly shocked, then tousled his hair roughly. “That’s great news! You looked so out of it, I thought something bad had happened.”
Xie Ruan brushed his bangs awkwardly. “I just… I still can’t believe it.”
Bo Jin looked at his flushed cheeks, a thought sparking in his mind. “We should celebrate properly. That will make it real.”
“Celebrate how?” Xie Ruan was now as exhilarated as Bo Jin, a rare occasion for him to let loose.
Should they sneak out to an internet cafe or buy a box of fireworks and set them off on the playground? Both seemed like solid ideas!
Bo Jin didn’t know what wild ideas were running through his head, but he wouldn’t care if he did. What fun were these childish things? Adults, after all, have their own ways to celebrate!
Smiling at Xie Ruan, he said, “Why don’t you move in with me?”
Xie Ruan: “???”
Xie Ruan pushed him away, annoyed. “How is that a celebration?”
“How could it not count?” Bo Jin raised an eyebrow, speaking righteously. “They say ‘When one’s basic needs are met, desires arise.’ Now that food and warmth are no longer an issue, isn’t the next step obvious? Given our relationship, I’ll make a small sacrifice and offer myself as a gift to help you celebrate properly.”
Xie Ruan: “…”
