Bo Xiyun couldn't find a place to hide, so he could only bury himself in his palms, trying to escape from reality for a while.
But eventually, he had to face the truth.
Bo Xiyun gathered his courage several times to try to raise his head, but he didn't know how to start the conversation.
While hesitating repeatedly, he suddenly felt a warm touch on his forehead.
A hand reached over, gently massaging his forehead, and a deep voice asked, "Headache?"
At this point, Bo Xiyun couldn't avoid it any longer. He looked up into the gentle eyes of the young man.
"Much better after waking up."
The hand of the young man continued its soothing motion, and he asked with a calm tone, "Did you have a headache before going to sleep?"
With the mention of last night, Bo Xiyun found it difficult to meet the other's gaze and his eyes wandered.
However, Yi Zhongshen's focus remained on the headache.
"You had a headache before going to bed?"
Thinking back to last night, Bo Xiyun's courage wavered, and his gaze flickered.
"But I didn't drink, so how could I have a headache?"
Bo Xiyun lowered his head, admitting honestly, "I was tired... Maybe the jet lag hasn't worn off yet."
He added, "If I sleep well last night, I won't have any issues today."
The gentle massaging motion on his forehead gradually came to a stop, but the young man didn't immediately withdraw his hand.
Thus, those slender fingers remained gently pressed against the side of the youth's cheek, feeling the warmth radiating from the soft skin.
After a moment of silence in the room, Bo Xiyun still didn't know what to say. He felt like the heat on his face had melted his rationality, making it impossible to come up with a reasonable explanation for his actions.
In the end, it was Yi Zhongshen who broke the silence.
"When you're tired, you naturally want to rest early."
He reassured the youth, "When you're fatigued, your body craves sleep, which can make you clingy."
Bo Xiyun dared not lift his eyes.
He also vividly remembered the times when he had woken up earlier than Yi Zhongshen in the Q City hotel.
Each time he was a little drowsy, he found himself ending up in the older man's embrace.
Despite feeling utterly embarrassed, Bo Xiyun eventually raised his gaze.
He felt that there were some things that needed to be clarified.
"When I was half-asleep or half-awake before, I might have acted a bit, well, impolitely."
Bo Xiyun stumbled for a moment but felt that his cheeks were already burning hot, so he decided to take a deep breath and explain himself.
"This time is different. I've thought it through now."
He had clarified his feelings.
"Say it, whatever's on your mind."
Yi Zhongshen fell silent for a moment and then let out a soft sigh.
Bo Xiyun, not understanding why he sighed, asked, "Senior...?"
"I understand," Yi Zhongshen replied, repeating the same phrase from the previous night, "But there's something different now."
However, the second part of the sentence was different.
"But, no matter what I say, I can't suppress it anymore."
"Hmm...?!"
Bo Xiyun was still being serious, but suddenly, he swayed.
Before he could react, he found himself back on the bed.
There was a warm sensation at the back of his neck, and the older student had managed to use his palm to support Bo Xiyun's neck, preventing him from falling into the pillows.
The next moment, Bo Xiyun was too absorbed in something else to pay attention to these details.
He finally realized what Yi Zhongshen meant when he said, "I can't suppress it anymore" with a sigh.
And indeed, saying anything was futile.
...Begging with a nasal tone was futile as well.
Just as Bo Xiyun had woken up from his thoughts about the previous night, he was once again drawn into drowsiness.
However, compared to the tears that had been brought on by their intense moments before, this time Bo Xiyun remained clear-headed, devoid of any sense of despondency.
Because he had thought responding would be difficult.
Yet now he found that things were much simpler than he had anticipated.
In comparison to the emotions he had invested, the actions he had taken were barely noteworthy.
Yet they had made Yi Zhongshen so happy.
Bo Xiyun finally realized that emotions weren't determined by quantifiable exchanges or logical calculations.
They only required pure affection.
This time, Bo Xiyun didn't embarrass himself by fainting from being kissed, as he had on New Year's Eve.
In his slightly dazed state, he felt that he had improved.
He also faintly sensed that Yi Zhongshen had exercised restraint.
In the cozy and relaxed atmosphere of the bed, YI Zhongshen seemed to be holding back something.
However, the kisses remained gentle and didn't escalate into anything deeper.
In fact, later on, Yi Zhongshen carefully enveloped Bo Xiyun with a soft comforter, avoiding any further contact.
Bo Xiyun thought it was because they were getting up and heading out, so he didn't dwell on it too much.
He knew that the kiss alone had already revealed their heartfelt affection, burning brightly.
Bo Xiyun was aware that he was sometimes slow to perceive certain emotions, whether it was love or danger.
After being together with Yi Zhongshen more smoothly than he had imagined, Bo Xiyun's daily routine began to go more smoothly as well.
The international competition had successfully concluded, and Bo Xiyun's high school life was winding down with few tasks left.
Soon, news arrived from Tsinghua University (T university).
The school had provided early admission opportunities for these recommended students.
After receiving the message from T university, Bo Xiyun's family naturally became aware of it.
Although Gu Sheng was a bit resentful of his younger brother going to T university, he was still happy for him deep down.
"That should probably resolve any dilemmas," Gu Sheng said. His remark was in response to his younger brother's recent consideration of whether or not to participate in the college entrance examination (gaokao) again.
The adults in the family were unanimous in their opinion: they would support whatever decision Bo Xiyun made.
However, if Bo Xiyun were to take the gaokao and return to Q City for classes, Gu Sheng was secretly reluctant to have his brother go back.
So Gu Sheng thought that with the news from Tsinghua University, his brother might be able to stay in B City.
But Bo Xiyun surprised him by saying, "I've already decided not to go back yesterday."
"Huh?" Gu Sheng was taken aback. "Why?"
After all, the gaokao was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and Gu Sheng knew that his brother had wanted to participate.
Bo Xiyun explained, "If I go back to prepare for classes and attend school, it might affect my classmates' mentality."
Gu Sheng didn't understand. "Why?"
It wasn't until Bo Xiyun explained further that Gu Sheng realized the situation.
Having attended high school in B City himself, Gu Sheng hadn't experienced this perspective.
Both in terms of educational resources and enrollment quotas, Q City couldn't compare to larger cities like B City.
"Like at No. 1 High School, where they can produce one or two Tsinghua or Peking University students every year, it's already a big deal for the school to proudly advertise that," Gu Sheng reflected.
And someone like Bo Xiyun, who received a direct recommendation, was even more rare. High school seniors were often lost and uncertain about their unknown future paths. To have someone calmly and confidently decide their outcome early on would undoubtedly influence their mentality.
Bo Xiyun's decision not to return to Q City aligned perfectly with Gu Sheng's goals, so he naturally agreed wholeheartedly. This alignment made Gu Sheng sigh once again.
Bo Xiyun not only took care of his own matters but also considered others' feelings and circumstances.
In the following months, Bo Xiyun began his studies at Tsinghua University (T university). It was only after a few encounters of entering and leaving together that Gu Sheng realized something.
Yi Zhongshen was also at Tsinghua University.
With this arrangement, the two spent more time together than if they were living together. Gu Sheng, who wanted to spend more time with his younger brother second young master Gu, couldn't help but feel a bit frustrated.
Little did he know that even at night, someone would climb through the window.
Until June, when the college entrance exams ended and the long summer vacation arrived, Bo Xiyun continued to study at Tsinghua University. Aside from a few days of avoiding the summer heat by going on a trip to a southwestern city with his family, Bo Xiyun spent almost every day attending classes or studying at Tsinghua.
Gu Sheng accompanied him for a few days, but he couldn't keep up for more than a week. Waking up early during vacation was not something he could achieve, especially with the blazing sun outside every day. Gu Sheng finally gave up.
He realized that only someone like Yi Zhongshen could withstand Bo Xiyun's level of self-discipline. Those two were truly of the same kind.
A few days later, Gu Sheng received new information—Bo Xiyun, who often went to study, had unexpectedly met a faculty member and due to a shortage of personnel, had been recruited as an assistant in advance.
The word "faculty member" sounded somewhat familiar to Gu Sheng. After searching online, he fell silent. Gu Sheng hadn't remembered wrong. This distinguished professor was a national academician.
While others might find this professor's life somewhat mundane, it was quite fulfilling for Bo Xiyun. Not long after, as the summer was coming to an end, Bo Xiyun also started his own enrollment process.
On the first day of school, Tsinghua University was particularly lively. Not only were there a large number of incoming freshmen, but also many media outlets with cameras, waiting to cover the arrival of new students at this prestigious institution.
Unlike the other new students who were filled with unfamiliarity and curiosity, Bo Xiyun was already familiar with the layout. He took a detour to avoid the most crowded main streets and headed directly to his college's welcome area.
While waiting in line for registration, Bo Xiyun patiently stood at the end of the queue. During the process, occasional glances were cast his way, but when Bo Xiyun looked back, he realized they were all strangers and didn't pay much attention.
The line wasn't long, and it didn't take long for it to be Bo Xiyun's turn. As he was checking in, he still felt like he was being watched. Just after finishing the process, he heard some surprised exclamations.
"Bo Xiyun... it's really you!"
A few senior students in charge of welcoming new students were looking at him with curiosity. "You're the IPhO champion this year, right?"
Only then did Bo Xiyun realize why he had attracted so many gazes. But actually, he had misunderstood the situation.
As he walked out after receiving the instructions, a few steps away, a group of senior female students behind him couldn't help but start discussing.
"Wow, he looks even better in person than in the videos!"
"His skin is so flawless, even up close there are no imperfections. Even boys would envy looking like this..."
"Tsk tsk, this year's freshmen have really good looks."
On the other side, just after Bo Xiyun had completed the registration process, a few senior male students approached him enthusiastically.
"You're a new student, right? Go right ahead to the end to collect your dormitory supplies. By the way, where's your luggage? If you need any help..."
However, while they were asking, the new student had already spotted a certain figure coming from not too far away and even smiled.
"No need, thank you, senior."
The group of male students exchanged glances and paused for a moment before nodding, "Alright."
They had to admit that the younger student did look pleasing to the eye.
The senior students gave a couple more instructions about collecting the dormitory supplies, and the young man politely thanked them once again, leaving them with a favorable impression.
However, where was his luggage?
The young man didn't have any luggage with him, which puzzled the group of male students. Then, a surprised voice came from behind them.
"E-section?"
The male students turned around, and soon, their faces showed the same astonished expression as the girls who had exclaimed earlier.
Because walking towards them was someone they had never expected to see.
Yi Zhongshen.
Although the Yi family's business holdings in B City were considerable, Yi Zhongshen himself was quite low-key, and most of his classmates were unaware of his background.
However, the reason why these students at the registration scene recognized Yi Zhongshen was that he was the head of the External Affairs Department of the Student Union.
Furthermore, Yi Zhongshen's rare appearances like this were due to his reserved personality.
There had been no shortage of classmates or student union members who had bet on who could make Yi Zhongshen smile first when they were bored.
Yet, nearly a year had passed, and not a single person had won.
Yi Zhongshen wasn't a student of the Physics Department; in fact, his own department was quite far from here. Therefore, the sophomore and junior students responsible for the new student registration at the scene hadn't expected him to show up.
There were quite a few nearby new students in line who were also curious and watching.
After all, his appearance was quite attention-grabbing.
Yi Zhongshen's demeanor remained as cool and serious as ever. He greeted the few people he knew with a nod and continued walking. In the blink of an eye, he reached the side of the new student who was empty-handed.
Yi Zhongshen had two tote bags in his hands, filled with supplies for new students. A few senior students had just advised the new students to go pick up their items, and Yi Zhongshen had taken the initiative to collect them in advance.
It was only then that everyone realized that Yi Zhongshen was here to accompany the new student.
This wasn't uncommon; it was common for new students to be accompanied by senior students they knew when going through the registration process.
However, the surprising part was that this friendly gesture was coming from the usually icy Yi Zhongshen.
If you were talking about guiding activities or taking charge, no one would doubt Yi Zhongshen's capability.
But when it came to helping carry luggage or looking after others, at least within the entire student union and the department, no one would dare to bother this big shot.
So, after realizing Yi Zhongshen's intention, instead of averting their gazes, the onlookers were even more astonished.
They watched as Yi Zhongshen approached the new student, and the particularly handsome young man extended his hand, seemingly ready to take the tote bags from the senior.
Everyone assumed that Yi Zhongshen would hand over the bags.
However, in front of everyone's eyes, Yi Zhongshen lifted his hand, and both tote bags were hung on his right palm.
Immediately, using his free left hand, Yi Zhongshen casually held onto the young man's fair outstretched fingers.
Then, Yi Zhongshen simply held onto the young man's hand and walked away calmly, all while being watched by everyone around.
Leaving behind a crowd of people standing dumbfounded, the bustling welcome area suddenly turned quiet.
Only after walking a few steps with Yi Zhongshen did Bo Xiyun realize something was off.
Having spent so much time with his senior, Bo Xiyun had grown accustomed to holding hands and walking side by side. He had even slowed down a few beats before realizing that he had originally intended to take the items from Yi Zhongshen's hand.
However, now that he hadn't taken the items and the gazes of the people behind them had turned nearly stunned, Bo Xiyun couldn't turn back. He had no choice but to continue walking alongside Yi Zhongshen.
This kind of reaction from people at the department's welcome area wasn't new to Bo Xiyun.
Back before the summer break, when he had come to study at T University, he had often gone to Yi Zhongshen's study room.
The reactions of Yi Zhongshen's fellow students in the department upon seeing the two of them together were even more dramatic than today's situation.
However, Bo Xiyun was never affected by the presence of others, and Yi Zhongshen cared even less about how others perceived them. Therefore, despite similar situations having occurred more than once before, Yi Zhongshen had never changed his habit of simply holding Bo Xiyun's hand and leading him away.
Thinking about this, Bo Xiyun suddenly remembered the first time he met Yi Zhongshen during the winter camp.
That time when they stood by the podium, Yi Zhongshen had bent down, and under the gaze of everyone present, he had directly encircled Bo Xiyun's waist and lifted him up.
Bo Xiyun faintly sensed a connection between the two occasions.
Perhaps it wasn't that Yi Zhongshen didn't care about others' gazes. It was more like how Bo Xiyun himself would unconsciously develop the habit of being clingy.
Yi Zhongshen was the same, he would habitually show off.
While lost in thought, Bo Xiyun suddenly heard the person beside him speak.
"What did you call Feng Chao just now?"
Yi Zhongshen's voice was low, magnetic, and calm, showing no sign of anything unusual.
However, those last two words carried a special meaning that was far from lost on Bo Xiyun.
"Senior?"
"..."
Bo Xiyun couldn't help but add another thought in his mind:
'Also habitually gets jealous.'
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Tn: the ending lol
Thank God this was short so did it in about 3 hours and took 30 mins to edit it lol