Although the alcohol buzz had worn off, Lin Zong still felt sleepy, and seeing that Huo You still hadn’t reached out his hand, he lost his patience.
“Take it,” Lin Zong stuffed the envelope forcefully into his hand. “I’m the only one willing to cater to these inexplicable quirks of yours.”
The palm of Huo You’s hand was brushed by Lin Zong’s warm fingertips, causing him to pause and fail to return the envelope in time.
By the time he reacted, Lin Zong had already walked away, leaving only a lean, swaying back.
This was somewhat tricky.
Huo You placed the envelope on the table, supported himself on the sofa to sit down, and fell into deep thought.
What is it?
Huo You opened Taobao and used the photo-scanning feature.
Ballet-style ribbon bow Valentine’s day handwritten letter envelope romantic high-end sense.
It even had a romantic high-end sense that Zhou Yangyang’s didn’t have.
Could it be a holiday greeting card?
However, there weren’t any holidays recently. If he really had to say one, Father’s Day was a few days ago.
Huo You hurriedly stopped his train of thought.
The envelope on the table felt more like a chestnut roasting in charcoal right now, and he wondered if reaching out his hand would get him burned.
Huo You hesitated for a long time, picking it up and putting it down, putting it down and picking it up again, over and over.
In the end, he still didn’t open it.
Most of the time, he was still very good at escaping; as long as he didn’t open it, no matter what was inside, it wouldn’t affect his interactions with Lin Zong.
Even so, Huo You still suffered from his habitual insomnia.
He had the urge to pull away and create distance between himself and Lin Zong, but his skin-hunger syndrome made it impossible for him to remain rational.
By the time he was close to falling sleep, the sky was already turning pale, the morning light streaming through the incompletely drawn curtains and hitting the foot of the bed.
However, he didn’t sleep for long.
A knock on the door pulled him out of his uneasy dream.
Huo You sat up and checked the time.
Right at eight o’clock in the morning.
His eyes hurt a bit, and he blinked hard several times before getting out of bed, grabbing his crutches to open the door.
He didn’t even need to guess who it was.
Having lived here for a week or so, apart from the helper coming to knock on the door during meal times, everyone else was Lin Zong.
When his hand rested on the doorknob, Huo You felt a little more nervous.
Could Lin Zong be here to ask for his answer?
According to his usual style of doing things, upon finding out that the carefully prepared envelope hadn’t been opened yet, would he make him check it on the spot?
Knock, knock, knock.
The knocking sounded again, and Huo You had no choice but to turn the doorknob.
A smile hung on Lin Zong’s face. He had probably just finished washing up, and the hair on his forehead was still a bit damp.
The mole right under his left eye was extremely eye-catching.
“Just woke up?” Lin Zong seemed a bit surprised. “Don’t you usually wake up at seven?”
Huo You’s mind blanked for a moment.
Lin Zong actually knew what time he woke up?
“Go wash up,” Lin Zong swaggered into the room, consciously making himself at home on the sofa. “I just came to ask what you’ve decided.”
As soon as he stepped into the bathroom, Huo You was so shaken by this question that he almost dropped his toothbrush.
Was it really a love letter inside the envelope?
There was a criminal record!
He poked his head out of the bathroom to look at Lin Zong.
Unlike Zhou Yangyang, he wasn’t nervous at all, looking so relaxed from sitting to semi-reclining that even his legs were propped up on the sofa armrest.
“Why are you staring at me?” Lin Zong suddenly looked over.
Huo You withdrew half his body and silently brushed his teeth.
“This matter can’t be dragged out,” Lin Zong initiated his nagging mode. “Don’t drag it out until you miss the opportunity.”
Huo You wanted to pretend he couldn’t hear.
Missing opportunities or not, just listening to it made his teeth ache.
The electric toothbrush kept vibrating in the exact same spot, and Huo You snapped out of it, hurriedly moving it to change to a few other teeth and continuing to vibrate.
Right now, he was like a turtle on a chopping board; sticking his head out meant a slash, and pulling it back meant getting steamed.
He still had to stabilize Lin Zong first.
At least make him not so anxious.
The apartment his aunt rented for him expired at the beginning of next month, so he had to rent a place first before it would be convenient to move out of here.
As for whether he liked it or had a crush, none of that mattered.
No matter what, he couldn’t just kidnap Auntie Shen’s son after staying for a few days; that wasn’t very moral.
He didn’t want to leave a bad impression on Lin Zong’s family.
“Nod if you hear me,” Lin Zong didn’t know when he had walked over, standing at the bathroom doorway with his arms crossed. “With your grades, being able to hesitate this much over applying to A University is something else.”
Huo You looked up: “What did you say?”
The water on his face flowed downward, gathered at his chin, and dripped patter-patter onto the vanity counter.
Lin Zong stepped into the bathroom with some dissatisfaction and patted him on the back.
“I said!” he shouted. “Have you decided whether you want to apply to A University or not? This can’t be dragged out; submitting applications is just these next few days, don’t miss out.”
Huo You wiped the water off his face, his gaze finally clear.
“You,” he said with some difficulty, “have been talking about this whole time?”
Lin Zong: “What else?”
Huo You grabbed the hanging towel, buried his face in it, and only then relaxed.
Good thing.
He sighed.
Good thing.
“Actually, I’m quite curious,” Lin Zong leaned in closer. “It might be a bit intrusive, but I really can’t help it.”
Huo You pulled the towel away and uttered a “hm.”
“Is your relationship with your family bad?”
“Yeah,” Huo You replied.
“Then you should go to A University even more,” Lin Zong recommended enthusiastically, as if he were the president of A University. “Not only will your future be so bright you won’t be able to sleep, but you’ll also get to contact your family less. By then, distance might just create some beauty, and your relationship with your family might even improve a bit.”
Listening to him finish, Huo You smiled involuntarily.
Lin Zong’s family background was too good; rack his brain as he might, distance creating beauty was the only concept he could fathom.
He had never even considered the possibility of cutting ties and never speaking to each other again.
Transparent and sincere, like a jellyfish, completely exposed, with everything seen crystal clear.
“What’s that smile supposed to mean?” Lin Zong cast a sideways glance at him. “Do you also think I hit the nail on the head?”
Huo You nodded: “Yeah, I’ll think about it some more.”
Lin Zong couldn’t wait any longer. He grabbed Huo You’s arm, helped him over to the sofa, and pressed down on both his shoulders to force him to sit.
His expression and gaze were extremely serious: “I ask and you answer, no beating around the bush.”
Huo You didn’t agree.
But Lin Zong agreed on his behalf: “Why on earth don’t you want to go? Don’t tell me it’s because it’s too far.”
Huo You: “I’m afraid of not acclimatizing to the local water and soil.”
Lin Zong rolled his eyes at him: “Say it again.”
Huo You refused to answer.
“Then I’ll change the question,” Lin Zong persisted relentlessly. “What’s wrong with your eyes anyway?”
The two of them had been locking gazes, and right after Lin Zong finished speaking, Huo You subconsciously wanted to look away.
He had only turned his head halfway when a wave of heat crawled up the side of his face, followed by a force that turned his half-turned face back.
Lin Zong cupped his face with both hands, his gaze stubborn: “Tell me.”