Bo Xiyun couldn't help but feel a bit puzzled. When he didn't wait for him to take a closer look, Bai Xiu's eyes lowered, and there was a genuine overflow of emotion in his expression, still maintaining his usual gentleness.
It seemed like the faintly revealed excitement just now was an illusion.
"It's getting late," Bai Xiu said proactively, "I'll go check on something at the office, so we won't have to rush later when it's time to leave work."
He smiled, showing a slightly embarrassed look.
"Our matter isn't urgent; we can talk about it later."
Bo Xiyun looked at him and suddenly remembered some words Xu Xinyi said before.
At first, when Bai Xiu was assigned to the same class as Xu Xinyi, their names were never mentioned together because of some rumors.
Xu Xinyi was unhappy about it from the start and explicitly stated to Bo Xiyun that she wasn't interested in Bai Xiu.
In the beginning, Xu Xinyi said she hardly spoke a few words to Bai Xiu during competitions. Later, she mentioned to Bo Xiyun that she felt Bai Xiu seemed a bit melancholic.
By that time, Bai Xiu had moved to Class One, and his interactions with his classmates were quite good, and no one described him as gloomy or unsociable.
However, Xu Xinyi said that Bai Xiu's smile always gave her a sense of deceitfulness.
Sometimes Xu Xinyi also said that maybe she was biased against Bai Xiu from the beginning.
Now, Bo Xiyun also vaguely felt the same.
He could easily see through the intentions of Bai Gelei or Bai Song, but he couldn't figure out the purpose of the straightforward and sincere-looking Bai Xiu standing in front of him.
Time was indeed running out, so Bo Xiyun didn't waste any more time and headed to the office.
Bai Xiu maintained a few steps of distance and quietly followed behind.
Bo Xiyun noticed, but he couldn't really force someone else to act a certain way. Besides, they were in a hurry, so he just went along with the other person.
Upon entering the office, Bo Xiyun found that several counters for household registration services were crowded with people. It seemed that a nearby community group had come to handle some business, and the waiting number on the ticket machine had already reached over twenty.
Bo Xiyun glanced at the time and furrowed his brow.
There was less than forty minutes left until closing time, and it would be difficult to get a ticket now.
He looked at the counters, but none of them showed any signs of wrapping up and calling the next number.
As Bo Xiyun was contemplating whether to get a ticket from the machine, before he could make a move, Bai Xiu called him.
"Brother, take my ticket number."
Bai Xiu held a pre-arranged ticket number in his hand.
There were several people waiting nearby saw them , and from their conversation, it seemed they were brothers, so they naturally didn't inquire further. Some others looked at the ticket with envy, as it was about to be their turn.
Bo Xiyun also looked at the number in Bai Xiu's hand and had a sudden thought.
What if he hadn't noticed Bai Xiu at the street corner just now?
Could it be that Bai Xiu took advantage of this perfect opportunity to meet him by chance?
However, it was too late to join the queue now, and Bo Xiyun couldn't go to another place since household registration matters could only be handled at the current office.
In the end, Bo Xiyun accepted the ticket, thanking Bai Xiu quietly.
"Thanks, I owe you one."
But Bai Xiu didn't seem to intend to ask for anything in return. Instead, he smiled and said, "No need, bro. You helped me a lot during the winter camp."
Before they could say anything else, a broadcast was heard from a nearby counter.
"Number 111, please proceed to Window 03 for your transaction."
Number 111 was the ticket Bai Xiu had. Bo Xiyun walked towards the counter, and the young person sitting behind it looked up at him and didn't speak to Bo Xiyun first. Instead, they said to someone behind Bo Xiyun, "You're here?"
Bo Xiyun turned around, and Bai Xiu smiled at him, saying, "This is my friend."
Bai Xiu's friend was indeed efficient in handling things. He inquired about all the necessary information from Bo Xiyun and made three or four phone calls to deal with matters and consult with superiors.
After all, Bo Xiyun's situation was somewhat unique.
After a busy ten minutes, the friend finally got in touch with the person in charge and spent a while on the phone before turning to Bo Xiyun.
"The person in charge said they need to report to their superior and may need to discuss it further. Please wait for a while. In the meantime, you can finish the remaining transactions, and we'll call you immediately once we have a response."
"Okay, thank you."
Bo Xiyun nodded, giving his seat to the next person in line.
He moved to the side and checked his watch.
Now, there were ten minutes left until closing time.
Bai Xiu also came over to Bo Xiyun and asked, "Are you done with work? It's okay; my friend will wait for this matter to be resolved before leaving. You can take a break for now."
Bo Xiyun glanced at him and said, "Thank you."
Bai Xiu smiled and replied, "You're welcome. I'm glad I could help."
Because of the earlier crowded indoor space and the heating still on, the not-so-large business hall felt stuffy, with some unknown odors lingering in the air.
Bo Xiyun felt uncomfortable from the stuffiness, and since Bai Xiu's friend had already taken down his phone number and promised to call him when there's news, he got up to get some fresh air.
Bai Xiu followed along as usual.
The sky darkened, and the streetlights outside the hall had turned on.
As Bai Xiu looked at the profile of the fair and translucent young man under the warm light, he quietly licked his lips and suddenly found a scarf from somewhere.
"It's chilly outside; let me wrap you up a bit, bro."
Bo Xiyun gave a slight cough, and his slightly damp eyelashes curled even more under the lights. He softly replied, "No need, thanks."
Bai Xiu wanted to say something else, but then he heard Bo Xiyun ask in a slow voice, "You said you miss your friends and are very lonely?"
Bo Xiyun turned his head to look back into the brightly lit hall.
"From what I see now, you seem to have quite a few friends."
Bai Xiu smiled faintly, not refuting, and said, "When someone suddenly gains a privileged family background, they will naturally have many friends."
Bo Xiyun remained silent.
"I'm someone who cherishes old friendships," Bai Xiu said softly. "So, I often stick to my beliefs and won't easily change, even in the face of setbacks."
Bo Xiyun knew what the other person truly meant to say.
But inexplicably, he suddenly thought of Yi Zhongshen.
Could it be the same for him, the senior?
The young man tilted his head slightly, gazing at the now starry sky.
The side of his face was outlined by the direct light, enhancing the soft contours, making him incredibly captivating.
Bo Xiyun pondered if what he said to the senior was too presumptuous?
Bai Xiu said he wouldn't easily change, but somehow, whenever Bo Xiyun heard about resilience and determination, he seemed to think of Yi Zhongshen.
What Bo Xiyun said to Yi Zhongshen before was, "Perhaps after waiting for some time, you'll realize that you don't need it, and you'll feel much lighter."
Now, he realized something.
Perhaps Yi Zhongshen wouldn't change after all. Bo Xiyun had made presumptions assumptions about him.
Or maybe, just by seeing him, the senior would feel more at ease.
Bo Xiyun's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a voice nearby, as Bai Xiu asked him, "What are you thinking about?"
Bo Xiyun shifted his gaze away from the sky and shook his head, saying, "Nothing."
However, Bai Xiu remarked, "You seem to have suddenly become better."
Bo Xiyun said, "Did I?"
But it seemed he couldn't avoid answering.
Indeed, he had changed.
Bo Xiyun didn't say anything more, and he checked the time. Just then, his phone rang, and it was Bai Xiu's friend calling.
Bo Xiyun answered the call and went back to the business hall. The counters were preparing to close, and Bai Xiu's friend approached with an apologetic expression, saying, "The higher-up has already left for the day. I'm sorry. I'll try to inquire about it again tomorrow."
"No need to apologize; you've already been very helpful," Bo Xiyun replied.
Bo Xiyun politely thanked them, knowing that his situation was indeed a bit complicated to handle.
Leaving the registration office, Bo Xiyun checked the time and prepared to head back to the library. He waited for the bus to the library, and surprisingly, Bai Xiu hadn't left either.
Despite having said their goodbyes earlier, Bai Xiu boarded the bus with him, saying, "It happens to be this bus as well."
(*creepy much*)
Bo Xiyun didn't entirely believe it, but he didn't ask further questions either.
During the rush hour, the bus was crowded, and Bo Xiyun stood near the back door since there were no available seats. Unbeknownst to him, the crowded bus caused him to feel slightly dizzy, similar to the sensation he experienced when he usually felt carsick. However, he generally didn't have a strong reaction while riding a bus.
Bo Xiyun unconsciously furrowed his brows and planned to wait for a couple more stops before seeking a seat at the back if he still felt unwell.
After two stops, Bo Xiyun's dizziness and nausea worsened. He even felt like he could smell the pungent gasoline scent dispersing inside the bus.
As the bus abruptly made a turn and braked, Bo Xiyun's fingers loosened their grip, and he almost stumbled into other passengers, unable to catch the handrail in time.
"Sorry," Bo Xiyun covered his mouth, coughed a few times, and apologized softly.
The passenger he accidentally bumped into was initially annoyed, but when he looked at Bo Xiyun's appearance, he visibly paused. The young man's lips were pale, and he couldn't help but ask, "Are you alright?"
Bo Xiyun weakly shook his head, not even able to say the words "I'm fine." He feared that speaking would make him feel even more nauseous.
Feeling extremely unwell, he was soon supported by someone who squeezed in beside him.
"Brother!"
Surprisingly, it was Bai Xiu.
Bai Xiu held Bo Xiyun's arm, his expression filled with concern. "Are you feeling unwell? Are you carsick?"
(*more like motion sick*)
The bus started moving slowly, and Bo Xiyun remained silent, gasping heavily. A scattering of black spots appeared before his eyes.
His condition was quite serious. The nearby passengers looked at the two of them and couldn't help but suggest to Bai Xiu, "Why don't you take your brother off at the next stop to stabilize him?"
The bus had just passed an event venue, and there were many elderly people on board. It was unlikely they would find a seat anytime soon.
Bo Xiyun lowered his head, covering his mouth, and heard Bai Xiu ask, "Brother, should we get off and get some fresh air?"
In the end, he got off the bus with Bai Xiu.
When he got off, Bo Xiyun felt like he was standing on a swaying pendulum.
He tried hard to steady himself and declined Bai Xiu's assistance.
But there was no place nearby to sit and rest. Bo Xiyun listened as Bai Xiu used the navigation to find a nearby café and led him there.
The café had a second-floor private room, which was quite spacious, like a lounge, with sofas and a bed inside.
Bai Xiu brought Bo Xiyun in, settled him down, and went downstairs to buy some 'medicine.' He took care of him very considerately.
However, amidst a relentless drowsiness, Bo Xiyun faintly sensed that something was wrong.
Why was his motion sickness so severe today?
Even though some time had passed since getting off the bus, Bo Xiyun's headache and nausea hadn't eased. Instead, he felt even more drowsy.
Bai Xiu brought the prepared 'medicine' and approached the weak figure on the sofa. He even reached out to help him up.
Before he could touch the delicate wrist, the other person spoke hoarsely.
"No need, thank you."
Bai Xiu didn't insist and instead smiled politely, withdrawing his hand and taking a step back.
"There's no other meaning, brother, just have some 'medicine'."
(*author please don't use those inverted commas it's scaring me*)
Bo Xiyun still had no strength in his body, and the smell of gasoline lingered in his nose.
On the contrary, it seemed like the faint herbal scent that had always been on Bai Xiu could dispel the gasoline smell and make him feel a bit more comfortable.
This feeling became even more apparent when Bai Xiu pushed the cup towards him.
It was as if only by taking it, he could alleviate the nauseous feeling.
"Brother, you don't feel well today, that's why you got dizzy as soon as you got on the bus."
Bai Xiu sighed gently, his tone filled with concern.
"Before, when I was uncomfortable due to asthma, you would also get motion sickness easily. If I had known, I would have advised you to take the subway instead."
(*I was a bit confused at this sentence but I tried my best*)
He encouraged Bo Xiyun to drink a bit more from the cup with worry in his voice.
"Are you feeling better now?"
The young man on the sofa looked even paler, making his delicate features appear even more finely crafted, like a meticulously drawn masterpiece.
At this moment, the young man seemed somewhat less conscious, taking a while to understand Bai Xiu's words before nodding lightly.
Just then, Bo Xiyun's phone rang.
The young man was visibly weak, and it took considerable effort for him to answer the call, saying, "Hello, how can I help you?"
The screen displayed a number with the area code of city B.
"Hello, this is the Admissions Office of T University. Can I ask you some questions about your student status?"
While the young man was in such a weak state, a teacher from T University called and asked several questions.
Bo Xiyun responded to each one, speaking softly but still sounding a bit strained.
Bai Xiu waited quietly beside him until the call ended before asking, "What happened?"
Bo Xiyun's hand, which had been holding the phone for a long time during the call, dropped weakly. His slender fingertips looked pale, and his voice sounded a bit breathless.
"It's from the Admissions Office... my student status."
Bai Xiu looked concerned. "Aren't there many other things you need to handle, brother?"
The young man furrowed his brows, seemingly too uncomfortable even to speak. He nodded lightly.
"It's quite troublesome... Did they tell you what to do?"
The young man shook his head.
Bai Xiu frowned. "Do you have to figure it out yourself? Can't you ask someone for help?"
As he said that, he suddenly remembered something.
"By the way, I know a teacher from T University who's in charge of admissions in the province. Should I call and ask him?"
The almost exhausted Bo Xiyun seemed to have let go of his previous resistance, and even his obvious reluctance weakened significantly. He replied softly, "Okay."
Bai Xiu dialed a number, and the person on the other end quickly answered.
After understanding the situation, the teacher on the phone directly said, "Oh, perfect timing. I just helped another student handle their student status files a few days ago. I'll go over the general process for you. Take notes."
The teacher's response was professional and reliable. He even provided his name and position, sounding reassuring.
Bai Xiu put the phone on speaker and placed it aside, grabbing pen and paper to start jotting down the process.
The process was quickly filled on a piece of paper. The teacher also asked for Bo Xiyun's name and competition number, saying he would check the system.
Since Bai Xiu had participated in the competition with Bo Xiyun, he didn't need to ask and directly provided the other person's number.
After the call ended, Bai Xiu breathed a sigh of relief.
"At least we have some clues now."
But Bo Xiyun by his side still seemed tense. He picked up his own phone again and, with weak fingers, opened WeChat, seemingly wanting to ask someone about something.
His WeChat interface was a bit slow, and the incoming messages were delayed.
Bai Xiu glanced at it and smiled, asking, "Who are you planning to talk to?"
"Is Brother trying to contact someone, like Teacher Yi?" Bai Xiu asked.
Hearing him mention Yi Zhongshen, Bo Xiyun, who was previously in a dazed state, seemed to become clearer. He raised his eyes and furrowed his brows.
Bai Xiu explained, "There's no other meaning, I just noticed that you've been close with Teacher Yi recently."
"So you wanted to ask him?" Bai Xiu smiled. "It seems like you rely on Teacher Yi quite a bit."
He let out a slight sigh. "But Teacher Yi is very busy."
"He has been in Q City for so many days, managing various projects with impressive progress. Everyone admires him. He's so young and yet performs so well, and he's so diligent."
As Bai Xiu spoke about Yi Zhongshen, Bo Xiyun, who seemed half-dazed and uncomfortable before, seemed to regain some energy. His somewhat scattered gaze refocused as he listened to Bai Xiu continue.
"Those who work with him know that Teacher Yi doesn't distinguish between day and night when it comes to work. Many times, he can finish three to four days' worth of work in a single day. But the only time he doesn't work overtime is from six to nine in the evening."
Bai Xiu lowered his head slightly, gazing into Bo Xiyun's eyes, and asked, "Do you know why, Brother?"
Bo Xiyun's dry and pale lips parted slightly, and his brows furrowed even more.
Bai Xiu said, "Because he wants to accompany you during the evening self-study sessions."
He sighed softly. "Brother, your actions actually make it quite hard for Teacher Yi."
"After all, his status and ours, as simple students, are different."
The young man's pale expression seemed somewhat lost, as if he truly felt at a loss because of his actions.
"And," Bai Xiu looked at him and continued, "by rejecting him like that, he might feel quite embarrassed."
Bo Xiyun's fingers curled up, and he asked in a hoarse voice, "Reject... what?"
"Isn't it true?" Bai Xiu lightly chuckled, showing a hint of understanding.
"He confessed to you, right, and you rejected him."
Bo Xiyun still frowned, staring at him, and Bai Xiu explained gently.
"A few days ago, you went out to eat hot pot with our classmates, and you met him on the way. Don't you not want to see him?"
"Among the people who were hanging out with you that day, some were my friends."
Bai Xiu lowered his gaze, looking down at the young man on the sofa from a slightly higher angle.
"I wasn't intentionally spying on you, Brother. I like you, that's why I care about you like this."
He smiled again, and his handsome face looked even more gentle.
"I'll always care about you like this."
"I'm not like Teacher Yi. Even if you reject me, I won't hold a grudge."
Bai Xiu spoke softly, as if casting a spell, but at the same time, it felt so genuine.
"If you reject me, I'll want to treat you even better."
Watching you, who have always been so calm, show a different expression.
Whether it's anger or annoyance.
Either way, it's astonishingly beautiful.
He whispered softly, "The two of us are the most suitable."
The young man leaning against the sofa looked dazed, as if he had been convinced by these words and showed no sign of objection.
It was only when Bai Xiu's phone rang again and the teacher on the other end called Bo Xiyun's name that he seemed to regain some clarity.
The teacher said, "I just checked. Your situation can be confirmed in the system. You don't need to apply from your end. Just go ahead and submit as instructed."
The teacher quickly sent a document for Bo Xiyun to fill out and asked him to send the application using his own account.
Bai Xiu received the document on his phone and started filling in Bo Xiyun's information, just like before. He didn't even ask for confirmation about the long series of numbers, such as the ID card number, and directly filled them out for Bo Xiyun.
But as he was filling it out, the young man beside him stared at the title of the document on the screen and asked in a low voice, "Application... for a major?"
"Yes," Bai Xiu continued filling out the form while explaining, "Handling your student status information with the Admissions Office is quite complicated. Once you apply for a specific major and get assigned to a department, it becomes much easier to manage."
"What major?" Bo Xiyun inquired.
"A major in the Science category," Bai Xiu finished filling out the form and directly sent it to Bo Xiyun's phone. He said, "There is a pre-admission program for it, and it's in the field you excel in the most."
The young man looked at the document on the screen. Though his gaze seemed unfocused, he still furrowed his brows.
"T University's branch campus... in S City?"
In the completed application form that Bai Xiu had filled, the major was assigned to a campus located in S City, which was thousands of miles away from B City.
"Yes," Bai Xiu lowered his voice, speaking gently.
"Isn't this a good idea? Brother, you don't want to trouble your senior anymore, do you?"
"This way, you can go to T University and avoid him."
Towards the end, Bai Xiu's tone seemed almost coaxing.
"Log in to your account, so we can confirm it early and you can rest."
The young man furrowed his brows, still showing some hesitation. Bai Xiu took his phone and opened the website, directly entering Bo Xiyun's account and password.
But the backend system required one final step, fingerprint verification.
Bai Xiu handed the phone back to Bo Xiyun and whispered, "Verify your fingerprint."
Almost in a coercive posture, Bai Xiu supervised the drowsy Bo Xiyun as he pressed his finger onto the screen —
Then came a slight buzz, indicating verification failure.
Bai Xiu frowned, and the young man's face showed confusion as well. He looked at his own finger and tried again.
"Buzz."
Still, it failed to verify.
"Is it this finger?" Bai Xiu asked.
The young man nodded, and his bewildered expression didn't seem like a pretense. His voice remained weak.
"Maybe... there's sweat."
He wiped his fingertip against his palm and tried again.
But this time, the young man's movement was slower. Bai Xiu watched him, furrowing his brows and leaning in closer, almost coaxing.
"What are you thinking, Brother?"
His tone was almost coaxing.
"There's no need to hesitate."
They needed the fingerprint verification to succeed.
Bai Xiu even prepared to take Bo Xiyun's phone and fill out the form for him.
However, Bo Xiyun's actions still showed some hesitation. Unable to bear it, Bai Xiu reached out directly, attempting to press down the slender white finger.
"Hiss!"
Yet, at the moment of contact, Bai Xiu's sense of touch wasn't the warm and soft feeling he imagined. Instead, there was a sharp, pricking pain.
It even made him involuntarily retreat.
"..."
It was only at this moment that the young man spoke softly, his voice slightly hoarse.
His reminder seemed casual.
"It's dry, easy to generate static electricity."
(*author you just said it's sweaty*)
Bai Xiu furrowed his brows as he noticed the slender, white hand of the young man holding a small gadget that looked like a keychain, with a probe exposed at the top.
Bai Xiu's pupils contracted, "You—"
A stun gun?
At this moment, with a firm grip on the stun gun, Bo Xiyun finally placed his finger on the phone and pressed his fingerprint.
"Buzz—"
An instant message popped up on the screen.
[You have failed verification three times, and the account has been locked. Please try again after 72 hours!]
The account was locked for three days and couldn't be accessed or modified.
Only now did Bai Xiu react, "Did you do that on purpose?"
Bo Xiyun intentionally used the wrong fingerprint for three times.
Instead of answering, Bo Xiyun brought up another matter.
"You just asked, what was I thinking."
The young man's face still appeared somewhat weak, and his eyes seemed moist from the stimulation, but his gaze remained calm, devoid of any drowsiness.
His voice was slightly hoarse, and he spoke slowly, yet every word was crystal clear to Bai Xiu's ears.
"I was thinking about how the senior is doing right now, whether he's feeling uncomfortable today."
Bo Xiyun propped his chin with one hand and smiled faintly.
The smile was subtle, but it exuded an aura of elegance and beauty.
"After we go back later, I need to figure out how to comfort him."
Bai Xiu felt a sense of disbelief for Bo Xiyun's concern for his senior. He might not have been able to unlock his account to apply for the major at T University, but he still cared about someone else's well-being, showing his caring and thoughtful nature.
______________________________________
Tn: Bro Bai Xiu you're worse than Bai Song. Leave BXY alone, don't force me to curse at you...
That coaxing part kinda creeped me out but thank God everything is fine.
I wasn't feeling good today so the late update...
<3