The boy clearly froze, and he became visibly embarrassed. He tried to save face by saying, “I just wanted to make a friend.”
Chen Qingtang felt a bit of pity for him. “I am sorry, but my phone is out of battery.”
The boy had no choice but to take the graceful exit. “Oh, then next time, haha.”
Chen Qingtang smiled faintly and brushed past him into the private room. Once he returned to his seat, he asked Shen He, “Why did you say that? You know perfectly well I am not straight.”
Shen He remained emotionless. “Is it not for the best? If people think you are straight, no other men will come to harass you.”
Chen Qingtang rested his head on one hand, looking at him with interest. “You have really cut off my romantic prospects at the source.”
Shen He met his gaze. “Do you want to date?”
Chen Qingtang arched an eyebrow, throwing back an ambiguous answer: “You guess?”
Those clear, cold eyes rippled with a captivating light, as if they could stir the deepest desires in one’s heart. Shen He’s pupils contracted, and he quickly looked away. “If you want to date, I can introduce you to someone reliable.”
In his desperation, he had said something that completely ruined the atmosphere. Chen Qingtang’s gaze grew colder. “Are you serious?”
Shen He’s hands tightened. He remained silent for several seconds, unable to utter another word. Chen Qingtang gave him one last look, then turned his back, resting an arm on the table between them. It was like raising a fence, isolating them from one another.
Shen He stared at Chen Qingtang, his Adam’s apple bobbing. But in the end, he said nothing. He picked up the remaining half-glass of alcohol on the table and downed it in one gulp, his knuckles cracking as he clenched his hands.
At that moment, the club president, Zhang Qingqing, stood up and tapped the table. “Alright! It has been twenty minutes, let us continue with the topic.”
Someone in the room stood up, spoke passionately for a few minutes, sat back down, and then the next person took their turn. This cycle repeated for what felt like an eternity until everyone had finished. Zhang Qingqing then encouraged everyone to discuss freely, eat, or play. During this time, Chen Qingtang did not give Shen He a single glance.
Chu Xi noticed him brooding and moved his chair over, swapping places with the person next to him. “What is wrong? You have a long face. Who upset you?”
Chen Qingtang said lazily, “Shen He said he wants to introduce a boyfriend to me.”
Chu Xi’s eyes widened to the size of eggs. “What? Did he take the wrong medicine?”
He leaned over, glancing past Chen Qingtang at Shen He, only to see that while Shen He was sitting there expressionless, he was clearly listless. He looked like a dejected, oversized dog—a drunk, oversized dog, with a flush running from his cheeks all the way to his neck.
Chu Xi chuckled and turned back to Chen Qingtang. “I think he is in a bad mood too. I just do not know who upset him.”
Chen Qingtang was uninterested. “Whatever.”
He did not want to deal with Shen He anymore.
Chu Xi tugged his arm. “Oh, come on, do not be unhappy while we are out. Do me a favor.”
Chen Qingtang: “Speak.”
Chu Xi leaned close and lowered his voice. “Did you see the guy who was sitting next to me?”
Chen Qingtang lifted his eyelids. “The one who looks a bit dark and is quite sturdy?”
Chu Xi nodded frantically, his eyes bright. “His name is Zhou Chen. He is in the computer science department, and I like him. Teach me how to hook him.”
Chen Qingtang stared at him. “Are you serious? Do you just want to find someone to play with in college, or do you want to be with him for the rest of your life?”
Chu Xi hesitated. “I have not thought that far ahead, but I really like him right now. I want him to like me and be with me.”
Chen Qingtang said, “If you want to truly love him, then treat him with one hundred percent sincerity. Do not play games.”
Chu Xi went quiet for a moment. “Is treating him well enough? Will he fall for me if I am good to him?”
Chen Qingtang gently took his hand. “Not necessarily. That is how feelings are; you give, but you might not get a return.”
In his past life, he had pinned his heart on Shen He, thinking the years he had given away had been for nothing. He still vividly remembered that hopeless feeling during those years. Chen Qingtang spoke seriously: “Love is a high-level product of the soul, and it is very scarce. It must be exchanged with heart, and only sincerity is worthy of it.”
Chu Xi gritted his teeth, unwilling to give up. “Is there really no way to make him fall for me immediately?”
Chen Qingtang shook his head. “If you decide you love someone, do not try to hook them.”
Chu Xi did not understand. “Then what about you and Shen He?”
Chen Qingtang lowered his eyes. “It is different. With Shen He, I have no way out.”
In his past life, he had loved Shen He for seven years, from his student days into his career. Later, through a mutual friend, they went on a blind date, and that was when Shen He officially met him. Because they felt their conditions were compatible, Shen He chose to marry him. Yet, before the wedding, Shen He had confessed that at their age, romance was unrealistic, so they were just sharing a life for the time being. Chen Qingtang had spent four more years of his life with this man after the wedding. His heart had long been accustomed to loving Shen He.
Furthermore, after being reborn and knowing that Shen He had fallen into depression and committed suicide for him after his car accident in the past life, Chen Qingtang was trapped too deeply. He could not, and would not, withdraw. So, in this lifetime, whether it was through hooking him or other means, he only wanted Shen He to love him back. Chen Qingtang had a touch of obsession in him.
Chu Xi saw the look of fragility on Chen Qingtang’s face, something he never usually showed, and held his hand with sympathy. “Alright, alright. What is your plan for you and Shen He next?”
Chen Qingtang blinked slowly. “There is one final step left before we reach the next stage.”
Chu Xi: “What is the last step? What stage?”
Chen Qingtang smiled and did not answer. It was time to give Shen He a heavy dose of medicine.
Chu Xi: “Fine, keep your secrets. May Day holiday is coming soon; Zhou Chen and I are planning to go camping. Are you bringing Shen He?”
Chen Qingtang was thoughtful. “Send me the location.”
This holiday was the perfect opportunity.
Chu Xi acted coy. “Even if Shen He does not come, you have to. I want you to come.”
Chen Qingtang sighed helplessly. “I know.”
The dinner ended. Zhang Qingqing, as president, responsibly called several taxis and counted heads to ensure everyone got back to school. As people left one by one, only Chen Qingtang and Shen He remained.
Zhang Qingqing looked at Shen He. “You do not live on campus, right? Make sure to tell the driver your address when you get in the car. Do not forget.”
Shen He nodded slowly, like a glitching robot.
Zhang Qingqing clicked her tongue. “How much did you drink? I am worried about you like this… but I have to get back to school. Dorms close soon.”
Chen Qingtang said, “President, go ahead. I will send him back. I did not drink.”
Zhang Qingqing breathed a sigh of relief. “Heaven, thank goodness you are here. Please take care of him. If it is too late, just stay at his place. Be safe.”
Chen Qingtang nodded. Zhang Qingqing gave him the license plate number of the final taxi, and only then did she leave with peace of mind.
Chen Qingtang and Shen He stood in the wind together. It was the end of April, and the weather had warmed up, but the night breeze was still cool. Chen Qingtang, wearing a mask, hunched his shoulders slightly. The next moment, a jacket was draped over him.
Chen Qingtang was startled, then pushed the hand away with his elbow, unwilling to accept the gesture, and turned to the side. Shen He paused, then followed him, trying to put the jacket back on him. Chen Qingtang dodged again. Shen He remained persistent.
Chen Qingtang could not help but laugh, though the smile did not reach his eyes. “Can you not tell I do not want it?”
Shen He stood there holding the jacket, looking at him in silence. Chen Qingtang ignored him. The man was just talking about introducing him to someone else; why bother caring about him now? Chu Xi’s mention of the past life had made him feel a bit more temperamental.
Just then, a hand reached out and gingerly hooked onto his finger. Chen Qingtang’s heart trembled. He stared at the ground, motionless, letting his finger be hooked. He expected Shen He to say something, but after waiting a long while, the man did not utter a single syllable.
The car arrived, and Chen Qingtang ducked into the front passenger seat. Through the rearview mirror, he saw Shen He get into the back. He was not that drunk after all. At least he had his reason and consciousness.
Chen Qingtang gave the driver Shen He’s home address. They reached the destination quickly, and the driver stopped the car. However, Shen He did not get out; he just sat in the back, staring directly at Chen Qingtang. After two minutes, the driver could not help but urge, “Are you getting out or not? Otherwise, I am leaving.”
Shen He finally moved and stepped out of the car. Just as the driver was about to pull away, he turned around to see Shen He standing at the window on Chen Qingtang’s side, gripping the half-open window pane tightly.
Shen He lowered his eyes to look at Chen Qingtang. “It is too late. Come to my place and stay the night.”
Chen Qingtang stared ahead, pretending to be deaf and blind, acting as if he did not see the man. Shen He’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and his voice softened. “Come down.”
Chen Qingtang said coldly, “Driver, drive.”
If he rushed back now, he could still make it to the dorms before closing.
The driver clicked his tongue at Shen He. “Do not touch the glass, kid; I am moving.”
Shen He stubbornly refused to let go, just staring at Chen Qingtang. A strange emotion was surging in his heart; he could not describe what it was, but he did not want to let Chen Qingtang leave. He did not want Chen Qingtang to spend the night harboring negative feelings toward him.
Chen Qingtang finally looked at Shen He. “Let go. We will talk tomorrow.”
Shen He paused. Tomorrow, Chen Qingtang will be willing to talk to me. Shen He finally obeyed and withdrew his hand.
The car sped away into the night. Chen Qingtang rested his forehead on one hand and let out a soft sigh. I have really lost my mind. Why am I locking horns with this person? I have ended up in a passive position for no reason.
Back at the dorm, Chen Qingtang was exhausted. He freshened up and went to bed. He did not know that someone else was watching his phone like a hawk. Shen He, still flushed from the alcohol, sat on the sofa, staring at the seconds ticking by on his phone, counting them one by one.
He did not know how long he had been counting, but finally, it was midnight. Shen He immediately switched to the chat window with Chen Qingtang and typed rapidly.
Shen He: “It is the next day already.”
Can I talk to you now?
Shen He vaguely sensed that he had said the wrong thing. He did not know exactly what he had done wrong, but if Chen Qingtang was unhappy, it was his fault. He did not like it when Chen Qingtang ignored him. He waited all night, but when no reply came and dawn approached, Shen He collapsed on the sofa and fell asleep.
The next day in class, what Chen Qingtang saw was Shen He looking like he had been beaten, with dark, heavy circles under his eyes.
Chen Qingtang could not help but laugh. “Did you go steal cattle last night?”
Wei Yan and Luo Xin, sitting in the front row, turned back to look, then laughed. “My god, Shen, did you not sleep last night?”
Shen He only looked at Chen Qingtang. His message from last night still had not been replied to.
Chen Qingtang remained calm. “Hmm?”
Shen He shook his head and said to Wei Yan and Luo Xin, “Turn around. Class is starting.”
Wei Yan: “Fine.” Luo Xin: “Oh.”
Shen He tore a strip of paper from his draft book and scribbled on it quickly. Chen Qingtang leaned on one hand, waiting for him to finish. Soon, the note was pushed over.
Shen He: “I said the wrong thing last night.”
Shen He: “I should not have introduced a partner to you.”
Chen Qingtang tapped his finger on the desk as he read. It seems Shen He has some self-awareness. Chen Qingtang threw out a lead: Why?
Shen He: “It is a private matter involving sexual orientation. I lacked boundaries and made you feel uncomfortable. I am sorry.”
Chen Qingtang: “…” I retract my previous statement.
Chen Qingtang spun his pen, thought for a moment, and wrote quickly.
Chen Qingtang: “No, you were not wrong. I really want to date.”
Chen Qingtang: “However, I only want to find someone within my circle. Since you have a good eye, help me look at my current pursuers and tell me who is suitable.”
After his reflections last night, Chen Qingtang had finalized his strategy. He would firmly occupy the active position. However Shen He had come up with the idea of introducing men to him, he would make Shen He swallow it back and regret it until his guts turned blue. He would make Shen He beg him not to look at other men. For someone as dense as Shen He, he had to use heavy medicine.
After writing it, Chen Qingtang pushed the note over to Shen He and waited with a smile to enjoy his reaction. Shen He stared at the note for a long, long time. His cold, stoic face showed absolutely no expression. Chen Qingtang felt extremely bored and turned away to play games.
After class, the four roommates headed back to the dorm talking.
Wei Yan: “May Day is this weekend. Any plans, guys?”
Luo Xin said quietly, “I am just staying in the dorm; I do not have money to go out.”
Wei Yan: “How boring! What about Shen?”
Shen He replied coldly, “No plans.”
Chen Qingtang remembered what Chu Xi had said. “Let us go camping. A friend said there is a place with beautiful scenery.”
Luo Xin’s eyes brightened, and he nodded like a chick pecking at rice. “Sounds good! Camping does not cost much!”
Wei Yan became interested too. “Sounds doable. I have never been camping; I will bring a portable WiFi so I can play games.”
Chen Qingtang looked at Shen He.
Shen He nodded. “Sure.”
Chen Qingtang smiled. “Then it is settled?”
In his plan, there was only one step left for the first phase, and he intended to close the net during this May Day break. Then, if all went well, they could enter the next phase when they returned.
The group discussed what to bring, with Wei Yan and Luo Xin being the most enthusiastic. Just then, someone called out to Chen Qingtang.
Chen Qingtang turned to see Qin Liang running toward him. Oh no, can not hide this time.
Chen Qingtang intentionally tugged at Shen He’s sleeve. “It seems you said he is straight and changes girlfriends frequently.”
Shen He: “Yeah. This guy is no good.”
Chen Qingtang agreed. “I think so too. I do not like people who are too promiscuous. Their love is cheap, and I do not want anything too cheap.”
Shen He’s brow smoothed out imperceptibly. Chen Qingtang did not miss this tiny emotional shift. Heh, let this man have his moment.
As they were talking, Qin Liang reached them, panting and smiling.
“Chen Qingtang, I saw you at the teaching building entrance, but you did not answer when I called you.”
Chen Qingtang maintained basic politeness. “I did not hear you.”
Qin Liang took out his phone. “Can I add you on WeChat this time?” He grinned with dimples. “I hope your phone is not out of battery every time I see you.”
Chen Qingtang did not like such banter and retorted, “As it happens, it actually is.”
It was not a lie this time—he had drained the battery playing games with Chu Xi in class. He did not explain, even though he knew Qin Liang would misunderstand.
Qin Liang’s smile stiffened visibly. “Then… how about I add your friend on WeChat? He can push your contact to me later.”
Wei Yan, the least observant of them all, chimed in, “You can add—.”
He barely opened his mouth before he felt a chill down his spine. Turning his head, he saw Shen He looking down at him with his chin slightly raised, his gaze several degrees colder than usual. Wei Yan’s words scalded his tongue, so he swallowed them and restarted: “Then maybe you should not. We do not add strangers on WeChat.”
The situation had reached a point where Qin Liang could not save face.
Chen Qingtang offered a timely exit. “See you next time? We are in a hurry to get back to the dorm.”
Qin Liang smiled stiffly. “Okay.”
They turned to leave. Shen He cast one final, deep look at Qin Liang. Qin Liang was stunned—what was the meaning of that look from Shen He? A warning? A provocation? Remembering that Shen He had ruined his chances before, Qin Liang felt his anger rising.
Once they were far away, nearing the dorm building, Chen Qingtang stopped in his tracks. The others stopped behind him.
Luo Xin: “What is wrong?”
Chen Qingtang touched his chin, circled around Wei Yan, examining him from head to toe, nodding occasionally. The appreciative gaze made Shen He feel quite uneasy.
The next moment, Shen He heard Chen Qingtang ask him: “What do you think of Wei Yan?”
Shen He’s knuckle cracked.