“No way. You stayed out all night and he still hasn’t given you a title?” Yang Jiayang gnawed on an apple, his eyes practically spelling out the words scumbag man.
Su Yi’an tugged down the corners of his mouth and defended him softly. “We just spent one night outside. Nothing happened.”
“You’re still speaking up for him?” Yang Jiayang said, exasperated, like someone lamenting over iron that refused to turn into steel.
Su Yi’an buried his chin into the throw pillow, looking as dejected as a frostbitten eggplant, utterly listless.
Unable to bear seeing him so downcast, Yang Jiayang offered a suggestion. “Why don’t you just take the initiative? Find a chance to confess. If it works, everyone’s happy. If not, at least you won’t keep getting strung along.”
Su Yi’an thought about it and found the idea reasonable. Teacher Bai had kissed him, he must like him. If he hadn’t said anything outright, maybe it was because of some concern. Whatever the reason, he had to know.
The worst possibility was that Teacher Bai had never intended to date him at all. At least then he could give up early. There were plenty of good men in the world, surely he would meet another someday.
But those people wouldn’t be Teacher Bai.
Su Yi’an’s shoulders slumped and he curled into the corner of the sofa like a tiny mushroom.
Since he had decided to confess, then he would charge forward without hesitation!
That evening, while walking Nuomi in the park, Su Yi’an asked the man beside him, “Teacher Bai, are you free tomorrow?”
Bai Yunchi turned his head to look at the boy, who had lowered his head so that only the crown of his hair was visible.
“I have to go home tomorrow.”
“Oh… alright.”
A hint of disappointment crossed Su Yi’an’s face. After playing a game of throwing frisbee with Nuomi, he asked again, “What about the day after tomorrow?”
Just as Bai Yunchi was about to answer, a video call from Madam Xu came through.
Not wanting to interrupt, Su Yi’an led Nuomi ahead to play.
“Madam Xu, you’re still awake this late?”
On the other end of the screen, Xu Lerong was applying a face mask. Seeing her son wandering outside so late at night, her expression brightened.
“Son, are you dating someone?”
Bai Yunchi glanced at the boy playing with Nuomi. “No.”
Xu Lerong’s sharp eyes caught the movement. “Who are you looking at? Is someone with you?”
“Walking Nuomi.”
Hearing that, Xu Lerong leaned back into her chair.
“Tomorrow your Aunt Zhao is bringing Shuangshuang over. You two should meet.”
Bai Yunchi raised an eyebrow. “A blind date?”
Afraid he might refuse and not even come home, Xu Lerong kept her tone light. “Not really. Just a simple meal together.”
Bai Yunchi nodded. Mother and son chatted a little longer before ending the call.
Looking up, he saw the boy crouching absentmindedly beside a flower bed. Nuomi nudged his palm with her nose yet he showed no reaction. Walking over, Bai Yunchi asked, “Is Nuomi bothering you?”
Su Yi’an shook his head and rubbed his eyes. “I’m tired.”
Bai Yunchi escorted him home. The boy’s expression before closing the door lingered in his mind all night. The next morning, after preparing breakfast, he rang the doorbell next door but there was no response and worry crept in.
[An’an?]
Su Yi’an lay sprawled across the bed, lips pressed together as he stared at the message Bai Yunchi had sent.
He had been awake for a while. When Bai Yunchi rang the doorbell earlier, a flicker of happiness had risen in his chest but the memory of the phone call he overheard last night quickly extinguished it. Now he didn’t want to see him at all.
“You’re already going on a blind date, so why come looking for me?” he muttered, both angry and heartbroken.
[I have to go home for a bit. I made breakfast, remember to come over and eat after you wake up.]
Su Yi’an’s lips drooped even more. “I’m not going. Who wants to eat the breakfast you made? Save it for your future girlfriend.”
He tossed his phone aside and turned over, burying himself deep into the blankets.
Feeling miserable, Su Yi’an lay in bed all morning. Hunger finally drove him up and he climbed out of bed to grab a slice of bread, chewing on it absentmindedly.
“Did sister put on makeup? She looks so pretty. Unlike me, I don’t even know how to do makeup.”
Holding his phone, he muttered in complaint, “What a green tea act. How does she not know makeup? That’s clearly a full face.”
The short videos quickly lost their appeal. With nothing else to do, he got up, changed into fresh clothes and went out to find his two friends.
Song Xiangchen had originally been at Yan Yi’s place. The moment Su Yi’an said in the group chat that he wanted to hang out, Song Xiangchen immediately grabbed his backpack and asked Yan Yi to drive him over to meet up.
Yan Yi draped an arm around him, refusing to let go. “Where are you going? Take me with you. Otherwise, I’ll lock you in the room and not let you leave.”
Song Xiangchen looked troubled. “An’an just got dumped. I want to go comfort him. You’re Teacher Bai’s friend, if An’an sees you, he’ll only get more upset.”
“Dumped? What happened?” Yan Yi looked utterly confused.
“Teacher Bai went on a blind date.”
Yan Yi was stunned. “A blind date? How do I not know about this?!”
Song Xiangchen replied, “It’s true. An’an heard it himself.”
Still unconvinced, Yan Yi drove him to the destination but didn’t leave. Parking by the roadside, he dialed his childhood friend.
Bai Yunchi was accompanying his mother’s best friend at the moment. Madam Zhao looked at him the way a mother in law examines a prospective son in law, pulling him aside to ask endless questions.
Yan Yi’s call arrived at the perfect time. Using school leadership as an excuse, Bai Yunchi finally managed to slip away.
“Hey, Lao Bai, you went on a blind date?”
Bai Yunchi closed the balcony door and leaned an elbow against the railing.
“How did you know?”
“Damn, so it’s true! No wonder little Su suddenly went out to drown his sorrows in alcohol. Turns out he’s been toyed with by you, you scumbag!”
Bai Yunchi frowned. It seemed An’an had overheard last night’s phone call.
“Where is he?” he asked, grabbing his coat.
“At Jiusi Renjian.” Yan Yi added fuel to the fire. “He’s already had several drinks. Crap, some guy just went over to hit on him! Lao Bai, you-”
Before he could finish, the call abruptly disconnected.
Yan Yi stretched lazily. “That’s all your brother can do. If you still can’t win him over, you might as well grow old alone.”—
By the time Bai Yunchi arrived at Jiusi Renjian, more than half an hour had passed. Su Yi’an was slumped over the bar counter, clutching a glass, while a middle aged man beside him kept urging him to drink.
Bai Yunchi’s gaze darkened. Striding forward, he positioned himself in front of Su Yi’an, shielding him.
The man holding a glass glared at him, clearly displeased. “Who are you? Didn’t you see I’m drinking with my friend?”
Bai Yunchi looked at him expressionlessly. “A friend whose name you can’t even call?”
“Dayang, I think I saw Teacher Bai,” Su Yi’an murmured. He hadn’t drunk much but his tolerance was poor; one glass was enough to leave him dizzy. Seeing Bai Yunchi now, he thought he must be hallucinating from being drunk.
Yang Jiayang released his hold on Song Xiangchen’s hand and whispered, “See? No need for us to rescue him. His Prince Charming is already here.”
Realizing they knew each other, the man pretended he had mistaken Su Yi’an for someone else in his drunkenness. Scratching the back of his head, he slunk away awkwardly.
The person beside him tilted his head, staring intently. Bai Yunchi lowered his gaze to meet the boy’s watery eyes blinking up at him, his speech slightly slurred as he exclaimed in surprise, “You look so much like Teacher Bai.”
Su Yi’an let out a soft hiccup. “The more I look, the more you resemble him but you can’t possibly be Teacher Bai.”
“Why can’t it be?”
Su Yi’an’s lips drooped, the brightness in his eyes fading. “Teacher Bai went on a blind date…”
He gently swirled the empty glass in his hand and held it out, clearly intending to ask for another drink but Bai Yunchi stopped him.
“Bad person.”
Sniffling softly, he looked at Bai Yunchi with a face full of grievance. “You’re just like Teacher Bai, both of you are bad people.”
The tip of the boy’s nose was flushed red and his eyes shimmered with unshed tears. The sight made Bai Yunchi’s heart soften and his voice unconsciously turned gentler.
“You’re right. Teacher Bai is a bad person.”
Su Yi’an’s brows knitted together tightly. “You’re the bad one.”
Bai Yunchi sat beside him, offering a quiet self reflection. “I’m bad. I shouldn’t have hesitated and overthought things, making you this upset.”
Su Yi’an turned his head to stare at him. After a long moment of silence, he finally spoke.
“Then… do you like me?”
✦ ✧ ✦
Fleurveil
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
You clicked all the way to the end. That deserves one final button press. ☕
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
← PreviousNext →
ChaptersChapter 1 · New neighborsChapter 2 · Let’s just wash it.Chapter 3 · Pretty little girlChapter 4 · It’s impossible for us.Chapter 5 · Not as handsome as Teacher BaiChapter 6 · Happy cooperationChapter 7 · Making breakfastChapter 8 · LostChapter 9 · He’s hopelessly in love.Chapter 10 · Three CloudChapter 11 · Am I Old?Chapter 12 · Victory celebration banquetChapter 13 · Power outrageChapter 14 · Online dating meetupChapter 15 · Am I really that bad?Chapter 16 · Boyfriend?Chapter 17 · ConcertChapter 18 · Use Privileges.Chapter 19 · A night AloneChapter 20 · Do You Like me?Chapter 21 · The End