Mr. Li was taken aback for a moment, then slapped his thigh before saying, "...It's that boy who lives next door to you, right? Yi Zhongshen."
Mr. Li furrowed his brows, and if it weren't for the eagerness in Gu Sheng's expression, he would have suspected that Gu Sheng was genuinely asking this question.
Isn't this something obvious at first glance?
In confusion, Mr. Li asked, 'You don't know?'
When Gu Sheng heard the three words 'boyfriend,' his brain seemed to be flooded for a moment. It wasn't until he heard Yi Zhongshen's name that the tense nerves finally relaxed a bit.
(Tn: 男朋友" (nán péngyǒu). three characters are used for boyfriend)
It was at this moment that Gu Sheng gradually heard the buzzing noise in his ears dissipate.
Mr. Li's earlier words really startled him.
Gu Sheng visibly breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Oh, you're talking about Zhongshen? He's my younger brother's senior, and we're just friends. You've misunderstood."
Mr. Li heard this, but looked at Gu Sheng with a rather strange expression.
"...Just friends?"
Gu Sheng continued to explain, "Yes, Zhongshen is also my friend. I understand him well. He's the typical straight guy and doesn't have any romantic inclinations."
Mr. Li looked at him, his mouth twitched, and he really wanted to say,
'You're even more straightforward than he is.'
But Mr. Li swallowed those words back, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he asked,
"When I mentioned boyfriend earlier, why did you seem so nervous?"
Gu Sheng rubbed his nose and replied, "It's not that I was nervous, it's just... I didn't expect it. My brother never mentioned it before."
Feeling unsure of how to put it, he hesitated for a moment before continuing, "Anyway, if my brother genuinely likes someone, I wouldn't stand in his way."
However, even though he said that, he glanced back to see if Ms. Song, who had come back with them, had overheard.
Fortunately, Ms. Song was in the front yard making a phone call and seemed unaware of their conversation.
Mr. Li, catching onto what was going on, guessed, "Are you worried that the parents might not approve of early relationships?"
Having been a teacher for so many years, he had seen similar situations before, and the people in the Gu family didn't seem like overly strict parents.
"Sometimes, parents are more understanding than you think, so there's no need to worry too much."
Gu Sheng paused for a moment before shaking his head, "It's not about understanding."
His tone had returned to calmness.
However, since the two were standing in the courtyard's corridor, all of what Gu Sheng said was easily heard by Bo Xiyun, who was still in the kitchen.
"We all know that Xiyun is very capable and has good judgment, so the people he accepts must also be outstanding."
They have given great trust to Buo Xiyun.
Gu Sheng seemed to smile and said,
"But as his family, we inevitably worry more—afraid that he might not be happy, afraid that he might get hurt."
"Xiyun is so great that even the slightest setback, I don't want him to experience it again."
Originally, Bo Xiyun, who was considering whether to go out or not, was startled upon hearing this.
Soon after, he heard the voice of Teacher Li.
"Well, I believe in a concept, the conservation of luck."
Teacher Li also chuckled softly.
"For ordinary people, the share of good luck and bad luck in their lifetime is equal."
Teacher Li naturally heard about Bo Xiyun getting lost before, so he said,
"Some people experience a lifetime of misfortune early."
"From now on, the road ahead will be filled with good luck."
*
In the end, Bo Xiyun still didn't find an opportunity to go outside.
It wasn't until after Gu Sheng saw Teacher Li off from the front yard that Bo Xiyun finally stepped out of the kitchen.
He went out through the back door and got into the waiting car.
As the car door closed, the cold wind was instantly shut out.
Sitting in the passenger seat, Bo Xiyun was still somewhat dazed, continuously replaying the words from earlier, spoken by Gu Sheng and Teacher Li.
...Boyfriend?
Bo Xiyun remembered very clearly that he had hardly ever discussed anything other than studies with Teacher Li, and he and the senior hadn't engaged in any ambiguous behavior in front of the teacher.
But Teacher Li had assumed that he and Yi Zhongshen were boyfriends.
Bo Xiyun wasn't sure why.
If it were before, he would have thought the same as Gu Sheng, that it was just a misunderstanding.
However, now Bo Xiyun was well aware of his own feelings for the senior, and he also knew how perceptive Teacher Li was—just from problem-solving approaches, the teacher had deduced Yi Zhongshen's influence.
So, Bo Xiyun no longer deceived himself.
Teacher Li indeed thought that way.
Bo Xiyun couldn't help but wonder again.
...Is the way the senior treats me really that obvious?
"What's wrong?" came Yi Zhongshen's voice from the side.
Naturally, he had noticed the change in Bo Xiyun's demeanor after the young man returned.
Bo Xiyun snapped out of his thoughts, hesitated for a moment, and then recounted the incident that had just occurred.
Yi Zhongshen listened attentively, showing no surprise.
"Teacher Li has always been perceptive," he commented.
Seeing the slight confusion in the young man's expression and sensing his worries, Yi Zhongshen added, "You don't need to worry too much. With Gu Sheng's family explaining things, they won't overthink it."
Bo Xiyun was briefly taken aback.
He hadn't expected the senior to say that.
Yi Zhongshen seemed to only care about the fact that "Bo Xiyun won't be affected."
But he hadn't considered himself at all.
In fact, Bo Xiyun had realized a long time ago that the senior had never asked for anything from him.
It was as if the senior thought that silently liking him was enough.
Even earlier, Yi Zhongshen had to keep his silent feelings hidden, not showing even a hint of affection.
Afraid of Bo Xiyun being annoyed by him.
But Yi Zhongshen wasn't that kind of person.
Setting aside his usual cold and tough exterior, even during the New Year's Eve kiss...
As Bo Xiyun contemplated this, he remained unaware, but his ears turned soft and warm, silently burning.
That night, Senior had wanted Bo Xiyun to experience firsthand his desire, to use their bodies to convey the answer, leaving nothing hidden.
The tenderness remained, but it was irresistible.
It was as if he wanted to leave his mark in every tender place, inch by inch.
That's how Bo Xiyun came to understand the truth about Senior.
And now, he felt that Senior had been restraining himself all along.
He was someone so cold and dominant.
Yet, he never asked for anything.
Moreover, even if Yi Zhongshen's feelings were just silent affection, it was completely different from what Bo Xiyun had imagined before.
Bo Xiyun had also held a seemingly unanimous belief—that liking someone was a one-sided affair.
That one-sided affection seemed to require only his own happiness.
But Yi Zhongshen was different.
He had been silently giving, all for Bo Xiyun's comfort and future.
Even in the absence of any response, he remained unmoved like the sea.
Bo Xiyun had initially wanted to ask Senior about being mistaken for a boyfriend, but every time he tried to speak, his voice got stuck in his throat.
Because he finally realized that this was his own issue.
It was Bo Xiyun who hadn't figured it out yet.
He hadn't fully accepted these feelings.
The young man gazed ahead somewhat dazedly. The lunar New Year hadn't ended, and the streets were still filled with festive joy.
But the temperature suddenly warmed up yesterday, and the willow branches seemed to show a hint of spring.
Winter was about to pass.
Bo Xiyun didn't want to keep Senior waiting alone in the wind and snow for too long.
He rubbed his eyes and realized that he really needed to seriously consider their relationship.
After getting the medicine from the former national player, Bo Xiyun and Yi Zhongshen had dinner together before returning home.
Once home, Bo Xiyun went back to his room to study as usual.
Yi Zhongshen accompanied him.
As the sky darkened, Yi Zhongshen received a work-related phone call and went out to the courtyard to answer.
Originally, he wouldn't be busy with work during this time, focusing on studying with Bo Xiyun instead. But Bo Xiyun was worried about taking up too much of Senior's time, so Yi Zhongshen decided to combine work and keeping him company.
Yi Zhongshen had thought about it and realized that if he just kept staring at the young man, he might end up doing something that could affect them.
The young man's skin was delicate, easily stained with color. His originally pale lips would turn a rosy hue with just a bit of pressure. A slightly firmer kiss would make them blush.
And the young man had gotten quite skilled at explaining to his family that he had eaten something spicy to explain his redness and puffiness. By now, he was quite adept at using cold compresses.
But after applying the cold compress, his skin felt cool and soft.
It made him even more pleasant to kiss.
Yi Zhongshen continued his call in the cold weather, and just as his mind was cooling down from the interruption, he hung up the call and looked up to see that Gu Sheng was approaching.
Gu Sheng had come to deliver a fruit platter, and the sparkling, plump strawberries still looked enticing in the slightly dim evening light.
Seeing Yi Zhongshen standing in the courtyard, Gu Sheng didn't immediately go inside. Instead, he called out to him.
"Hey Zhongshen, perfect timing. I have something to ask you."
After delivering the strawberries to the young man's bedroom study, Gu Sheng returned to his own room with him.
"Have you submitted the data for the model?"
Gu Sheng had come to ask about the modeling competition. Even though the submission window on the official website had just opened, knowing Yi Zhongshen's personality, he probably had already finished it.
As expected, Yi Zhongshen nodded. "Yeah."
So, as Gu Sheng consulted with his friend, he also organized his team's work and submitted it.
After finishing up, Gu Sheng casually pushed the plate of strawberries from his own room and asked, "Want some?"
Yi Zhongshen declined, saying, "No need."
Gu Sheng didn't think much of it. He knew his friend had cleanliness preferences and rarely shared food with others. His question was just a casual one.
Pausing for a moment, Gu Sheng thought again. It seemed that when Yi Zhongshen was with his precious younger brother, he wasn't so particular about cleanliness?
Thinking of the events from earlier in the evening, Gu Sheng jokingly mentioned, "Oh, by the way, someone thought you were my younger brother's boyfriend today."
Yi Zhongshen remained unfazed, as if he already knew about it. "Teacher Li."
Seeing the calm response from the young man, Gu Sheng couldn't help but relax a bit, laughing, "Teacher Li is quite funny. I told you, it must be a misunderstanding."
However, after saying that, Gu Sheng couldn't help but feel a bit puzzled. Why did he feel relieved? Why was he nervous earlier?
Could it be that this misunderstanding wasn't a misunderstanding after all?
Gu Sheng chuckled to himself.
Just as Gu Sheng was trying to shake off this completely unreliable thought, he heard Yi Zhongshen say, "I do like Xiyun."
"..."
Gu Sheng stared at Yi Zhongshen in a daze, his expression as if his friend had suddenly grown three heads.
After a while, Gu Sheng finally managed to find his voice. "... Is it April Fools' Day?"
"Haha," he forced a dry laugh, "but this is not funny at all..."
Yi Zhongshen's voice remained as steady and cool as usual, like the cold wind of a winter night, invisibly forcing one to be clear-headed.
"It's February now."
And Yi Zhongshen's cold demeanor and tone left no room for jokes.
"I'm telling the truth."
Gu Sheng couldn't help but be engulfed in a tremendous sense of confusion.
In reality, he couldn't even explain why he had brought up Teacher Li's matter just now. Perhaps, when Gu Sheng chose to ask, his subconscious had a tinge of probing.
After all, Yi Zhongshen had broken all his usual patterns and revealed everything to Bo Xiyun.
Even so, Gu Sheng never expected this kind of result.
It felt as if the whole world had turned upside down.
"How... I've been with you both all this time, how did I not notice at all?"
Yi Zhongshen: "..."
Yi Zhongshen truly understood the feelings of being an older brother, so he had always engaged in conversations with Gu Sheng seriously. However, there was just no answer to this particular question.
Gu Sheng seemed quite dazed, leaving only the green stem of a strawberry in his hand while the red flesh was discarded.
After a while, Gu Sheng finally managed to come up with an explanation amidst his jumbled thoughts. He convinced himself that it must be because his friend's personality was too introverted, hidden so deeply that he had never noticed it.
Gu Sheng used this reasoning to persuade himself, thinking about Yi Zhongshen's usual behavior. However, he soon realized something was amiss.
"Then, why would Teacher Li think you're a couple?"
Given Yi Zhongshen's personality, he definitely wouldn't say such things to outsiders.
Gu Sheng was puzzled. "Did Teacher Li see the two of you interacting... I've seen you more, right?"
"Not only that."
This time, Yi Zhongshen finally answered.
"When Xiyun was solving problems, Teacher Li noticed that the approach seemed to be a fusion of two styles, one of which resembled mine."
Gu Sheng knew about Yi Zhongshen coming to B City to receive tutoring from Teacher Li during the previous vacation, so Yi Zhongshen didn't elaborate further, simply saying, "Xiyun mentioned that I guided him."
It was only now that Gu Sheng fully realized. "So you influenced... is that right?"
Yi Zhongshen nodded.
A deep silence filled the room, even the slightly hurried breaths Gu Sheng had earlier disappeared.
After a moment, it was still Yi Zhongshen who broke the silence.
"I won't disturb because of this sentiment."
Gu Sheng waved his hand, though his expression had transitioned from earlier confusion and surprise to one of complexity.
"For you... things have changed."
Gu Sheng was skilled at pinpointing key issues during conversations, and this time was no different. He had been questioning Yi Zhongshen the entire time, but hadn't mentioned anything about Bo Xiyun's reaction.
In reality, it was a form of subconscious avoidance.
Even so, Gu Sheng had a clear understanding of his younger brother's response.
"Both of us are well aware of how independent Xiyun is and how resistant he is to others' influence."
Gu Sheng lowered his head, burying his face deeply in his open palms.
"If you don't respond... how could I have influenced you?"
Gu Sheng suddenly felt himself plunged into a profound sense of powerlessness.
They had missed out on too much, to the extent that even worrying about Bo Xiyun seemed like an insufficient qualification.
The fact that their child was lost for fifteen years weighed heavily on the Gu family's hearts.
If not for that, Gu's elderly lady wouldn't have been so deeply saddened upon learning the convoluted route of his disappearance.
(Tn: Grandma Gu)
If they had found their child earlier, if they had done things a little better, if they had pursued more relentlessly...
Would today's outcome be different?
The Gu family didn't dare to entertain such thoughts.
Yet, they repeatedly pondered over it a thousand times.
Perhaps they wouldn't have missed out on so much.
Perhaps they wouldn't be as lost as they were today.
With his face buried in his palms, Gu Sheng's breathing grew gradually heavier.
Before the buzzing in his ears overwhelmed him once again, he heard the soft voice of Yi Zhongshen.
"There are more reasons, and they don't rest with me."
Yi Zhongshen said.
"It's the Gu family that's healing."
Gu Sheng suddenly looked up, his eyes tinged with red, and he asked somewhat bewilderedly, "You mean... it's true?"
Yi Zhongshen's voice was deep, "I've been unchanging before to protect myself."
"There wasn't a choice."
The young man had been consuming his own strength, walking forward on the path he had chosen, with calm determination.
(Tn: The young man is Bo Xiyun)
But now, the Gu family had given him another option.
They revealed that people can accept goodwill.
They showed that the child could be indulged and cherished by the whole family.
"However," Yi Zhongshen lowered his gaze and said softly, "it will take a bit longer."
In reality, Yi Zhongshen knew all too well that these were not his words to say.
The Gu family members felt guilty towards Bo Xiyun, and Yi Zhongshen, as an outsider, had no right to speak about it.
But he couldn't hide it, he couldn't conceal it.
Despite his usual reticence and aloofness, between the lines of his words, he bared Gu Sheng's emotions.
Hearing these words, Gu Sheng's eyes turned slightly teary, "We've been waiting for so long... for so long."
"As long as we're okay, that's what matters."
After saying that, Gu Sheng also realized that he sounded just like Yi Zhongshen.
Subconsciously, he had also assumed that Yi Zhongshen wouldn't hurt Bo Xiyun.
If it were any other pursuer, Gu Sheng wouldn't say those words filled with wishful thinking.
In the past few days, Yi Zhongshen's attitude towards Bo Xiyun had made it clear to everyone, whether they were perceptive or not, that he was protecting Bo Xiyun in a special way.
Gu Sheng fell into a complex silence for a while before finally asking, "Are you two really dating now?"
Gu Sheng felt that his brother wouldn't accept it so quickly, but he also thought about how noticeable the changes were after his brother was influenced, so...
Yi Zhongshen gave an expected answer.
"Not yet."
Yi Zhongshen had the same attitude towards both the Gu family and himself.
"It will take a long time to think it over."
Just like when Bo Xiyun asked if he liked him, Yi Zhongshen's answers weren't just for himself:
"Whether it's me or the Gu family."
"Liking him has always been a happy thing."
He had always considered things from Bo Xiyun's perspective.
Never had he taken his own feelings and placed them prominently in the forefront.
This statement left Gu Sheng momentarily stunned.
"But then you'll have to wait..."
Yi Zhongshen's tone remained calm.
"Being good at problem-solving is one thing, but considering emotions doesn't have to happen so quickly."
During the evening when they were on their way to the home of the former national champion, the teenager had remained quiet for a while. Yi Zhongshen didn't ask, not because he hadn't noticed, but because he didn't want to rush.
"No matter how long it takes."
The young man's voice was steady, with no emphasis.
Yet, it made people feel so certain for no apparent reason.
"I will continue to wait."
Even Gu Sheng was somewhat surprised.
It was as if Yi Zhongshen, who appeared so cold and assertive, had no defenses when it came to the delicate matter of love.
He willingly handed over the reins of control, calmly ensuring that every step the young man took would never be a misstep, forever walking on solid ground within his heart.
*
On this night, Gu Sheng and Yi Zhongshen's conversation was not known to Bo Xiyun. He was still contemplating his relationship with his senior.
His life remained quite routine and orderly. In the blink of an eye, it was already Lantern Festival day.
At noon, the family had a reunion meal at the hospital, and after eating, the adults went off to their respective tasks.
In the evening, even Mrs. Song, who often stayed at home, called to say she had to work late due to a meeting.
So, in the evening, Gu Sheng took Bo Xiyun to the lantern exhibition after dinner. Yi Zhongshen was there too, having arrived before dinner. As soon as Bo Xiyun saw him, he asked, "Did you get your medical test results?"
Since the improvement Yi Zhongshen had shown on New Year's Eve, his stress reaction hadn't recurred. When they had gone to the hospital together for a check-up, Bo Xiyun had heard the doctor say that Yi Zhongshen's stress was still due to mental pressure, and his physical condition was relatively normal.
However, Bo Xiyun was still a bit worried. So, he had urged his senior to undergo a comprehensive medical examination.
Due to the extensive range of tests, it took a while for the results to be ready. It wasn't until Lantern Festival day that the medical report was available.
"I got them," Yi Zhongshen said. "The doctor went through them and there's nothing serious."
Seeing that Bo Xiyun was still looking, Yi Zhongshen took out his phone and tapped a few times.
Soon, Bo Xiyun's phone vibrated. He opened the message and saw that it was from his senior, containing the online version of the medical report.
Bo Xiyun opened the report and scrolled down to the doctor's analysis, confirming that most of the indicators were within normal ranges. The doctor's recommendations were mostly related to exercise and regular check-ups, indicating that there were no significant issues.
With a sigh of relief, Bo Xiyun was about to scroll back up to read more when he suddenly heard a faint cough beside him.
"Ahem, ahem."
It was Gu Sheng clearing his throat.
Bo Xiyun looked over, a bit surprised. "Is your throat not feeling well, Brother?"
"It's okay," Gu Sheng smiled and replied, "Just a bit dry."
"Should we go to another place then?" Bo Xiyun was still concerned. "If your throat is dry, maybe you shouldn't eat something spicy?"
The place they came to tonight was a grilled fish restaurant known for its signature spicy and sour flavor with Sichuan peppercorns.
"It's fine, no need," Gu Sheng reassured. His throat suddenly didn't feel dry anymore, feeling a bit sweet from his younger brother's care. "I'll just order a cup of tea."
Upon hearing this, Bo Xiyun immediately waved over a waiter and ordered a cup of throat-soothing tea for Gu Sheng. He also made sure to ask for a less spicy flavor when ordering the food.
Gu Sheng's heart felt even warmer.
Then, he looked up and met the gaze of the person beside his younger brother.
Yi Zhongshen was looking at him expressionlessly.
"..."
Gu Sheng quickly focused on drinking his tea.
Fortunately, this strange atmosphere wasn't noticed by the young man beside. While the fish was being prepared, Bo Xiyun said a sentence.
"Bro, there's something I want to ask you."
Gu Sheng immediately responded, "What is it?"
"It's about the gift boxes I've been organizing in the closet," Bo Xiyun said.
With so many gifts from family, the young man had opened quite a few.
Just opening the gifts wasn't difficult, but Bo Xiyun would carefully arrange each gift, then seal and store them back in the gift boxes, writing down the source and details. So, it took a fair amount of time.
Gu Sheng nodded.
He understood this matter. In fact, almost everyone in the family had noticed.
In addition to clothes, shoes, and bags, there were also items like Bluetooth earphones and silver trouser chains that appeared around Bo Xiyun.
This made the family particularly happy.
It was like a series of surprises.
The gifts we had carefully selected before were all accepted by the child and he really liked them.
Bo Xiyun continued, "I noticed that each gift box contains a greeting card or letter."
The card carries the sender's name, the time of the gift, as well as some wishes and messages.
This is the basis for Bo Xiyun's organization of gift sources.
On the thin pages of paper, there is handwritten text, and between the lines are filled with the young one's hopeful aspirations.
As Bo Xiyun reads these greeting cards and letters one by one, it's as if he's transported back to the day the gifts were prepared.
Especially Gu Sheng, the handwriting on the cards gradually matures as Gu Sheng's age advances.
The gifts invisibly erase the distance.
As if they grew up together with Bo Xiyun.
However, what Bo Xiyun wants to talk about today is another matter.
"I found an unsigned set of gifts in those gift boxes."
Gu Sheng is also somewhat surprised, "Unsigned?"
Bo Xiyun nods, "And it seems like there's one every year."
The reason it's referred to as a "set" rather than "one" is precisely because of this.
It doesn't seem to be an occasional oversight, but rather one person consistently not signing.
"That shouldn't be."
Gu Sheng rubs his chin and says, "I remember every year, everyone would write you greeting cards. When it's my turn, my mom would even remind me every year."
Gu Sheng thought for a moment and asked, "Could it be that the greeting cards slipped out? For example, the cards might have been attached to the outside of the gift box and only wrapped in packaging paper, so they would fall out when opened."
Bo Xiyun furrowed his brows and shook his head.
"I didn't see separate greeting cards in the cabinet," he said.
"Ah..."
Gu Sheng became even more puzzled.
Yi Zhongshen, who was standing on the side, suddenly chimed in, "Have you already organized the signed gifts? Is anyone missing?"
Gu Sheng also realized.
Oh, the number of family members is fixed, so by figuring out who's missing, they should be able to identify who the unsigned gift is for.
Bo Xiyun nodded.
Just as Yi Zhongshen suspected, the young man had indeed compiled a list of gifts received each year.
But he added, "No one is missing."
"And besides, some of the elders send more than one gift box each year."
With this, it became difficult to confirm the identity of the unsigned gift through process of elimination.
After discussing further, Gu Sheng said, "Let me go and ask Grandma and Grandpa about it."
Bo Xiyun nodded, "I'll go back and look again, to see if there are any missed cards."
The hot pot was served, and the three temporarily ended that topic, focusing on their meal.
After finishing their meal, they prepared to go see the lantern exhibition.
The lantern exhibition was quite grand in scale, held in a large botanical garden, which meant the location was somewhat remote.
Because of this, the three of them had even adjusted their dinner time. It would take about half an hour or so to drive from the shopping mall where they had dinner.
However, as the three were heading towards the underground parking lot, Gu Sheng suddenly received a phone call.
The call was from a friend. At first, Gu Sheng didn't say much, just telling the friend to handle the matter themselves.
But when the call came for the third time, even Bo Xiyun noticed.
"Is there something wrong?"
"There's something going on with the live stream," Gu Sheng said.
Bo Xiyun had heard before that his older brother had been doing game live streams during the vacation, and the data seemed to be quite good.
He also knew that holidays like this were good times for live streaming.
But Gu Sheng seemed somewhat unwilling now, "I want to go see the lanterns. Let them handle it themselves."
He needed to accompany his younger brother.
Just after hanging up the third call, another call came in.
Gu Sheng's expression became more and more conflicted. Seeing this, Bo Xiyun tried to console him, "Brother, why don't you go handle things for now, and we'll take photos later."
Given the current situation, even if Gu Sheng went, he would probably be distracted.
Gu Sheng seemed to hesitate.
Bo Xiyun continued, "You can come over after you're done, or if it's too late and you don't want to come, I can video call you and show you around."
Gu Sheng sighed.
In reality, the lanterns weren't a big deal; he had seen light shows even more magnificent than tonight's.
The main thing was that he wanted to be with his younger brother.
However, there was indeed something happening with the live stream. Helpless, Gu Sheng had to send his younger brother off in a friend's car.
Still feeling uneasy, he reminded them, "Make sure to stay safe and pay attention to any temporary traffic restrictions."
"Okay," Bo Xiyun sat in the passenger seat and agreed, "You too, Brother."
As they were about to leave, the young man obediently waved goodbye, saying, "Happy Lantern Festival, Brother~"
Gu Sheng, who had been feeling quite down for a while, was instantly comforted by those words.
Hehe, my little brother is so well-behaved.
Smiling and waving, Bo Xiyun said, "May you be happy too."
After Gu Sheng left, Bo Xiyun realized that he hadn't said that phrase to the person beside him yet.
Hastily making up for it, he said, "May you be happy today too, Senior!"
Yi Zhongshen glanced at the young man beside him and nodded in response.
He didn't mind receiving the well-wishing a little later.
Because they had the whole night ahead of them.
Arriving at the botanical garden, the timing was perfect. There weren't too many visitors yet, and as the sky grew darker, the colorful lanterns became even more vibrant.
After parking the car, Yi Zhongshen and Bo Xiyun followed the park's guided tour and began their exploration.
Although there wasn't a strong cold wind tonight, the winter evening temperature was still low enough to make one feel chilly.
After walking a few steps, Yi Zhongshen took off the gray scarf draped over his coat and tied it around the young man's neck.
Bo Xiyun had actually brought a scarf himself, but it was just a thin one tied around his coat. Compared to the cashmere scarf that directly shielded the cold wind, it was indeed inferior.
And the young man did realize the difference in their constitution. Not to mention their body sizes or strength, just the fact that Yi Zhongshen was wearing only a stylish, seemingly not-so-warm overcoat, yet his fingers that tied the scarf were still warm, highlighted the disparity.
On the other hand, looking at Bo Xiyun himself.
Wearing a thick down jacket, a knitted hat, and gloves, his lower jaw and cheeks were still somewhat chilly from the breeze.
Yi Zhongshen securely fastened the scarf and glanced down at the young man he covered, suddenly raising one hand with his palm open.
"Give me your hand."
The young man immediately obediently placed his hand in Yi Zhongshen's palm.
The soft and warm fleece-lined gloves landed in Yi Zhongshen's hand, yet the young man didn't clench his fingers tightly around them.
Instead, he used his other hand to reach into the bottom of the glove, sliding his fingers inside.
"Hmm...?!"
The sudden sensation startled the young man. The unexpected touch made him involuntarily flinch due to the tickling sensation.
Whether it was from the back or the front of the hand, he couldn't curl up to evade, and Yi Zhongshen's long fingers pressed even tighter against him.
Moreover, once two hands were awkwardly fit into the fixed-size gloves, there was nowhere to hide in the suddenly constricted space.
Bo Xiyun was forced to endure the sensitive tips of his fingers being meticulously touched, bit by bit, on the back of his hand.
The warmth of the young man's voice fell on his ear, and the warm breath made his fair earlobe inadvertently shiver.
"Cold."
Bo Xiyun paused for a moment before snapping back to reality.
His senior had just said that his fingers were cold.
The young man's constitution was weak, and even though he wore thick gloves, his fingers were still not warm.
"Feeling cold?"
Although he was asking verbally, Yi Zhongshen had already acted.
He removed Bo Xiyun's glove, held the slightly cool and slender fingers in his palm, and then put their joined hands into his own pocket.
Bo Xiyun's fingers were initially enveloped in a familiar warmth, then they were shielded from all the cold winds and comfortably nestled in warmth.
Not only his senior's palm but also the body heat transmitted through the windbreaker, it was all pleasantly warm.
The young man blinked his eyes.
Not just because of the warmth, but also because of his senior, he didn't reject it in the end.
The two of them continued walking hand in hand, passing by lantern after lantern.
The sky had completely darkened. The diverse and dazzling lanterns all around didn't make anyone pay attention to the strangers blending into the night.
Even if someone got close enough to notice, they might just assume that they were a couple walking together.
The lanterns scattered all around were each more dazzling and magnificent than the other, and they each had their own unique shapes.
Animals, plants... there were even festive lantern clusters formed like floats, with lively designs that left visitors amazed and in awe.
Bo Xiyun and his senior had entered the garden relatively early, and since they weren't fixated on waiting in line for photos beneath any specific grand lantern, they naturally ended up walking at the forefront of the crowd.
After passing by two more lantern areas, the number of people around gradually diminished.
Bo Xiyun's hand had been held this whole time, and he had even taken off his scarf to chat with his senior earlier. Now, with the surroundings quieting down, he found himself lost in thought, pondering about something.
He had been contemplating their relationship, but Yi Zhongshen hadn't explicitly asked about it yet.
And now, it was the perfect time for the two of them to be alone.
Perhaps today...
While lost in thought, Bo Xiyun suddenly noticed a bright area not far away.
Even though he hadn't examined the guide details closely before entering the park, he immediately recognized it at a glance.
"Starry Sea in the Forest!"
The young man was quickly captivated, pulling his senior along as he walked over.
Originally a corridor within the woods, it was now adorned with long strands of warm yellow star lanterns hanging from the top of the stone columns along the sides of the corridor. The starry lights converged into a sea of stars, creating a breathtaking scene that looked as if a brilliant galaxy had descended to the mortal world.
This particular installation, the "Starry Sea in the Forest," was indeed one of the highlights of the lantern exhibition.
Arriving early, there weren't many people gathered at the Starry Sea in the Forest yet. As they walked over, there were only a few scattered visitors exploring the area.
Bo Xiyun gazed up at the starlit corridor before him, the warm light casting onto his face, enhancing the beauty of his features with a gentle golden radiance.
Yi Zhongshen wasn't looking at the lanterns; his gaze was solely fixed on the young man.
It wasn't until the sound of laughter and chatter came from nearby that his attention was drawn away.
Two young girls were approaching. They seemed tired from walking, with one of them propping up her knees and waving her hand.
"No more, my face hurts from laughing."
The other girl asked, "Really?"
As she spoke, the questioning girl reached out and pinched her friend's face.
Then she pinched it again.
"Wow, your face is so soft when pinched."
After saying this, she quickly withdrew her hand, skillfully dodging her friend's playful swat.
The two of them continued to laugh and play as they ran off together.
Yi Zhongshen lowered his gaze, his attention similarly focused on the young man's cheeks.
Although there was a halo of light shining upon him, beneath the soft breath he exhaled, the delicate cheeks were still slightly pale from the cold.
At this moment, Bo Xiyun also noticed Yi Zhongshen's gaze. Without any reason, he suddenly recalled the incident of his gloves being taken off earlier.
With that experience in mind, the young man subconsciously wanted to cover his cheeks back up.
However, before he could do so, a hint of warmth was felt on his cheeks.
Yi Zhongshen used his other hand to shield the side of the young man's face, gently warming the slightly cool cheek.
In the cold winter night, nobody would resist seeking warmth.
Initially a bit surprised, the young man didn't resist the touch. The familiar warmth transferred to him, making him blissfully purse his lips.
The few remaining visitors had finished taking their photos and moved on, leaving no one around.
The distant sounds of chatter were completely separated from them.
In the quiet starry sea, only the two of them remained.
Under the gaze of those eyes that shone like stars, Yi Zhongshen couldn't hold back any longer. He leaned down and in a very soft, magnetic voice, he asked, "Are you cold?"
Immersed in a sea of warmth, the young man had intended to speak, but after a moment's thought, he simply tilted his head back.
Taking a cue from Professor Yi.
He used actions to reply.
Immediately, Yi Zhongshen felt a faint, soft touch on his jawline.
The gesture was delicate, carrying a slight tremor of inexperience.
Yet, like a spark that ignites a wildfire, it set the whole forest ablaze in an instant.
As the soft touch hesitated, unsure of how to proceed, and seemed about to withdraw, the kissed young man suddenly lifted his chin and captured that delicate jawline with his fingers.
And then he leaned in for a kiss.
The fiery warmth finally ignited intensely in that moment.
Yi Zhongshen's nose was prominent and well-defined, with strong lines that seemed almost commanding when pressed down. Yet, as the kiss descended, it was so tender, devoid of any harshness.
The familiar scent of frost and snow enveloped them, and the young man suddenly recalled a long time ago when he had fallen asleep in his senior's car due to slight motion sickness.
Back then, he had caught a whiff of this scent and had a vague sense of déjà vu.
As if long-frozen ice was being set ablaze.
And now, after all this time, what the seemingly cold senior had given him had never changed.
It was pure, without any impurities.
All it ever held was warmth.
Beneath the deep night sky, thousands of lanterns gathered here, as if immersing people in a real starry sea, allowing them to wander and marvel in a dreamlike state.
Dots of starlight, all falling into the mortal realm.
How long the kiss lasted, Bo Xiyun couldn't tell. He only knew that he was thoroughly warmed, his previously icy cheeks now burning hot.
His ears were filled with the rapid beats of his heart, and it wasn't until he was released that he reluctantly returned to reality. He faintly heard the voices of people not far away.
Startled, he hadn't even noticed that someone had approached them so closely.
It wasn't until they had walked a few steps away, and his cheeks were unintentionally even hotter, that Bo Xiyun finally realized what had happened.
Senior had actually kissed him in a public place.
The young man hurriedly walked ahead, not daring to linger under the starry sea any longer.
And Yi Zhongshen, who walked beside him, didn't say anything either. He just held onto the young man's hand that had been in his pocket all along.
Even when the kiss left him breathless and his voice slightly nasal, the young man didn't think to pull his hand away.
If anyone else were aware, or if they saw through Yi Zhongshen's current façade, it might expose his "Versailles secrets."
(Tn: "Versailles secrets." refers to hidden or lesser-known information. Like the secrets of Palace of Versailles)
However, at this moment, Yi Zhongshen was lost in his own thoughts, silently sighing.
The young one was so obedient, sometimes a sweet vexation.
"Senior..."
The young man hesitated slightly, calling out to him in a soft voice.
The faint, gentle trailing note in his voice was utterly irresistible.
So, taking advantage of the late night darkness, Yi Zhongshen stole another forbidden kiss.
It wasn't until the young man's voice became even more nasal from the kisses, and he seemed hesitant to call out, that Yi Zhongshen finally stopped his actions and soothingly pinched the young man's soft palm.
"What's wrong?"
Bo Xiyun instinctively pursed his lips, immediately ceasing his attempt at speech.
Though the darkness of the night obscured the view, his lips had already swelled a bit.
But in this moment, the young man had no room in his mind to worry about that. His focus was solely on this moment of complete honesty.
"The two of us..."
Bo Xiyun began to speak, but he got stuck on his words and only managed to say one more.
"...apologize."
His lips were lightly brushed, not causing any pain. Yi Zhongshen used his fingertip to lightly tap.
Yi Zhongshen said, "I don't need to hear those words."
But it seemed that the young man became even more bewildered as a result.
It wasn't until the continuous warmth spreading through his palm revived his fingertips, which had turned cold again, that the young man finally managed to voice his thoughts.
"My feelings, it seems, are only one-sided."
Bo Xiyun's voice had become even lower and huskier than when he was just kissed.
"It's like I just want to make myself happy."
Before, Bo Xiyun had never considered romantic relationships. Such a mode of liking wouldn't have caused any trouble.
"It's..."
Now, with Yi Zhongshen in the picture, how could this kind of affection match up?
So, that's why Bo Xiyun cared so much about Yi Zhongshen's feelings after the kiss on New Year's Eve.
He didn't want it to be just for his own comfort.
The young man asked in a soft voice, his eyes slightly red and his voice even more nasal.
"What are you going to do?"
"My feelings... seem too selfish."
Yi Zhongshen fell silent for a moment.
No matter how long the silence lasted, Bo Xiyun wouldn't be surprised. With this knot in his heart, he had been pondering it for many days.
However, Bo Xiyun hadn't expected that in just a brief moment, perhaps even less than half a second, Yi Zhongshen would come up with an answer.
Yi Zhongshen took out his phone and started searching for something.
Bo Xiyun stared at Yi Zhongshen's cold yet illuminated face in the pale light. Soon, his view was filled with a white light.
Yi Zhongshen turned his phone towards Bo Xiyun.
On the screen was Yi Zhongshen's medical report.
"Before, there were some details you didn't see," Yi Zhongshen said, pointing at a line of black text on a white background.
Bo Xiyun's vision was still slightly blurred, and he blinked his eyes slowly before reading the words one by one until he understood.
"Suspected... hormone insensitivity."
For a moment, the young man didn't even understand. It took a while for him to finally realize.
"...Insensitivity?"
Yi Zhongshen nodded.
"Yes, when it comes to hormone-based medications, they have a slow effect on me."
Bo Xiyun was stunned.
Perhaps he knew that his thoughts were in disarray at the moment, or maybe it was because Yi Zhongshen had always been patient like this.
Yi Zhongshen explained slowly, one word at a time.
"So, your previous speculation that we both lacked a certain type of hormone and needed to complement each other was probably the wrong direction."
Bo Xiyun was still processing, but he had already started to think along these lines.
His own speculations didn't match the reality.
Yi Zhongshen's medical report indicated that he didn't lack hormones, and his response to external hormones was delayed.
Furthermore, in the past, Bai Xiu had suggested a more direct idea - that Yi Zhongshen only developed feelings because of his unique contact with Bo Xiyun.
Similar stories also had this element of emotions evolving from physical entanglements.
But none of that was Yi Zhongshen.
The truth of the matter was finally revealed by Yi Zhongshen himself.
"It's because I like you that your presence soothes me."
It was at this moment that Bo Xiyun realized just how slow he had been to comprehend—
Why Yi Zhongshen had germophobia but only accepted Bo Xiyun's touch.
Why Yi Zhongshen's distress was only alleviated by Bo Xiyun's comforting.
Why did the extensive scars on Yi Zhongshen's body nearly disappear after the kiss?
As it turned out, there were no physiological analyses or scientific explanations.
There was only a fervent and scorching love.
"Xiyun."
Yi Zhongshen softly spoke.
Gently, he guided Bo Xiyun to unravel this seemingly unsolvable tangle.
"Liking you makes me a better person."
"This isn't selfishness."
"This is what love looks like."
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Tn note: Fortunately it was easy to edit it because of less mistakes, so the early chapter.
Today a foolish thing happened to me...
I was walking and suddenly felt conscious of my walking style so I tried to walk in a proper way and then poof, my brain went off and I forgot how to walk properly lol
And so i limped the entire way putting the entire weight on my right leg and feeling embarrassed the whole way