The bell rang, signaling the end of class. Shen Tangmo quickly gathered his teaching materials and hurried out of the classroom. The students seized the short break, either catching up on sleep or chatting with friends.
“Have any of you ever seen Mr. Shen with a guy?” one student asked in a hushed voice, glancing around to make sure Shen Tangmo was already out of earshot.
“Last time after school, I went to the snack street and saw them buying skewers together. They were wearing matching earrings!”
Her deskmate, who seemed to know a bit more, chimed in, “That’s Mr. Shen’s younger brother.”
“Oh so it’s his brother? I thought.” The student’s face fell with disappointment.
“But I heard Mr. Shen was adopted, so they’re actually stepbrothers. I remember there were rumors about them among the upperclassmen before.”
“I know about that! Apparently, there were rumors that the brothers didn’t get along and were fighting over inheritance. Mr. Shen even beat up the person who started the gossip.”
“What? Are they fighting over a throne or something? Hahaha!”
A melodious chime echoed through the hallway, though to the students, it was anything but pleasant the bell for the next class had rung, marking the end of their brief break.
The idle chatter came to an abrupt halt. Meanwhile, the subject of their conversation had just returned to his desk in the office, letting out a sigh of relief as he tucked his teaching materials into a gap on the bookshelf.
A colleague looked up and spotted him. “Hey, Xiao Shen, finished with the substitute class?”
Shen Tangmo nodded, picked up his cup to dump out the leftover tea, and walked over to the water dispenser to refill it with hot water. “That was the last one.”
“That’s great! No more running halfway across the school to teach their classes.”
The young man gave a noncommittal hum in response. Holding his cup, he stood by the window and caught a glimpse of his reflection the small silver fox earring dangling from his earlobe.
Next week would be Shen Huaiyun’s eighteenth birthday.
He had been thinking about it for a long time but still hadn’t decided what to give Huaiyun as a birthday gift. Over the years, he had already given him many things he liked. Besides, Huaiyun now had his own income and could buy whatever he wanted. In fact, he had even gifted Shen Tangmo a few small things himself.
What should he give him? The question lingered in his mind.
He walked back to his desk and pulled open the drawer. Tucked away in the corner was a small jewelry box that had been hidden there for two months. He opened the lid, and the rose-gold pair of lovebirds inside shimmered softly under the light.
“In heaven, we shall be like birds flying side by side; on earth, we shall be like trees with branches intertwined.”
When Shen Tangmo bought it, he had been unable to resist the impulse. And when he hid it away, it was out of fear.
But now, he understood the other’s feelings. Besides, Shen Huaiyun was about to turn eighteen.
Once this birthday passed, he would no longer be a minor in the eyes of the law, stripping away that excuse for avoidance. Any choices between them would require them to take responsibility for themselves.
Shen Tangmo closed the lid, then opened it again.
He knew exactly what giving this gift would mean. How would Huaiyun react when he received it? If he wasn’t ready yet, if he, like Shen Tangmo, was hesitating for various reasons, would this earring become a burden an invisible pressure?
But if he didn’t give it.
He thought of that day in the mental landscape, where the fox had joyfully wrapped its tail around Huaiyun’s dog’s tail.
His spirit was more honest than he was.
Shen Tangmo let out a soft sigh and carefully put the jewelry box away.
Two days later, after returning home, Shen Tangmo went to his parents’ room and found brand-new, unused red envelopes. He placed the bankbook he had prepared for Shen Huaiyun since starting work inside one of them, then hid it away, waiting to give it as a gift on the birthday.
In the end, he decided to keep the ear studs hidden for now, but he knew that in the near future, there would surely be an opportunity to give them.
For now, there was something more important making a cake.
Last time, on his birthday, Shen Huaiyun had made the cake for him, and he had only helped with some cream decorations at the end. Although both of them were decent cooks, Shen Huaiyun was more skilled when it came to desserts.
The ingredients were bought and laid out on the kitchen counter. Shen Tangmo had never made a cake base before. After watching several tutorials, he still wasn’t entirely confident, so he decided to give it a try first.
Shen Huaiyun felt that his brother had been acting mysteriously these past few days.
He had clearly said that his substitute teaching was over and he no longer needed to prepare lesson plans at night. Yet, even after Shen Huaiyun finished his training, took a shower, and came out of the bathroom, his brother still hadn’t returned to the room. He didn’t know what he was tinkering with, only returning after a while, carrying a scent that seemed like. chiffon cake, barely masked by the smell of floral water?
While Shen Tangmo was washing up, Shen Huaiyun went to the kitchen to look around and could roughly guess what he was doing. Returning to the room, he pretended to know nothing, only making a casual remark.
“Brother, did you get bitten by mosquitoes? Why do you smell so strongly of floral water?”
Shen Tangmo brushed him off: “Yeah, they were vicious left two big bites.”
“Should I plug in the electric mosquito repellent?” Shen Huaiyun tried hard to hold back his laughter, pretending to be serious.
To keep up the act, the young man actually went and plugged in the electric mosquito repellent.
But by the next evening, his cover was blown.
Training had already been extended that day, and Ning Yanfeng wanted to discuss future arrangements with Shen Huaiyun, so he told Shen Tangmo to go home first.
After preparing dinner, Shen Tangmo thought he could take this opportunity to finish making the cake so he could present it directly on the birthday the next day. He went to the kitchen to whip the cream.
When Shen Huaiyun arrived home, he heard noises coming from the kitchen and went to check. He happened to see a messy countertop and Shen Tangmo struggling to clean up the spilled cream.
Even his mental tentacles had gathered into the shape of hands, holding a cloth to wipe the chaotic mess of cream on the counter.
His eyebrow twitched: “What happened?”
The young man wiped the floor once more before reacting, clearing his throat awkwardly: “Uh, well… I accidentally spilled the cream.”
“…” The younger boy sighed and rolled up his sleeves. “Let me help you.”
Naturally, helping meant assisting with the cake as well.
Shen Tangmo felt guilty, but Shen Huaiyun didn’t mind. He saw it as a reversal of roles the two of them switching tasks and thought it was a kind of fate.
Before bed, Shen Huaiyun reflected on how, recently, whether intentionally or not, Shen Tangmo seemed to always show his vulnerable side in front of him his moments of embarrassment, his drunken state he had seen them all.
Maybe it was his own dark thoughts, but he truly felt that after seeing these sides of Shen Tangmo, his fear of a failed confession had diminished greatly.
People have many sides. In front of others, Shen Tangmo was always steady, reliable, gentle, and strong. But in front of him, it seemed like every side of him was laid bare.
Whether there were other intentions, Shen Huaiyun couldn’t say for sure, but at least he knew one thing: Shen Tangmo still trusted him deeply.
As for when exactly to confess his feelings.
The birthday isn’t suitable; another time must be chosen.
He needs to confess to his parents first, hoping they’ll go easy on him for the birthday boy’s sake.
Later, Professor Ning will arrange more team training sessions for him with virtual AI teammates, and the training load will also be adjusted. He wonders if a suitable time can be found in the upcoming schedule.
It seems he’s about to get busy. He frowned slightly but soon relaxed.
Haste makes waste there will always be an opportunity.