When he heard the first half of that sentence, Shi Jing had still been slightly surprised.
By the time the second half came out, his throat tightened, feeling even more suffocated than when food got stuck.
The first time they added each other on WeChat had been shortly after the start of sophomore year.
Somehow, Jiang Yu had gotten hold of his WeChat.
When Shi Jing saw the friend request, he had felt like he was facing a major threat.
He could not understand why Jiang Yu had added him.
Crouched on the sofa, he stared at Jiang Yu’s profile picture for a long time without figuring out the reason.
Jiang Yu’s avatar was a landscape photo—moon hanging above a quiet bay.
After a while, Shi Jing accepted the request.
One minute later, he decisively deleted him.
God knew why he had suddenly been possessed and clicked accept in the first place.
After deleting him, he had felt a little guilty.
But so much time had passed that Shi Jing had assumed Jiang Yu had long forgotten about it.
He had never expected Jiang Yu to bring it up again now.
Truly vindictive.
Without hesitation, Shi Jing opened WeChat scanner and added Jiang Yu back.
It was already late. After playing a few more games, everyone returned to school by bus.
Shi Jing was the last one to board.
The bus was already full, and only the seat beside the window next to Jiang Yu was empty.
Jiang Yu had both hands lazily in his pockets. His mask had not been removed, making his eyes feel even more intense and noticeable.
Standing in front of him, Shi Jing felt Jiang Yu lift his gaze. That stare felt almost tangible.
“Move,” Shi Jing said.
Jiang Yu’s long legs were blocking the aisle completely.
“Beg me,” Jiang Yu said.
“……”
Shi Jing stayed where he was, suddenly wondering whether there was even a need for him to get on this damn bus.
He could sleep on the beach all night and still never beg Jiang Yu.
Fuming, his neck turned red all the way to his ears.
“I don’t care if you move or not,” he snapped, turning to leave.
Just then, Jiang Yu shifted his legs slightly, making space for him.
Shi Jing paused.
Going in felt embarrassing. Not going in felt even more ridiculous.
While he hesitated, his sleeve was gently tugged.
Jiang Yu curved his eyes slightly. “Sit. I was joking.”
With a dark expression, Shi Jing sat down—just as he received a message from Tao Qi’an.
Tao Qi’an: 【I saved you a seat with Lang-ge, not near the window. At first someone was sitting next to Jiang Yu】
Tao Qi’an: 【But—】
Tao Qi’an: 【That person suddenly came over and asked if he could switch seats because the window was a bit cold. WTF!!!】
Tao Qi’an: 【And then he kept talking nonsense, like how he and me and Lang-ge had met too late in life… and we were too soft-hearted…】
Tao Qi’an: 【Anyway, that’s what happened.】
Shi Jing glanced coldly at Jiang Yu.
Then he typed rapidly: 【sb Jiang Yu】
After replying, he noticed another annoying issue.
The bus seats were narrow, and his leg was pressed against Jiang Yu’s.
Although Jiang Yu wore long pants, Shi Jing was wearing shorts.
His bare skin directly touched the fabric of Jiang Yu’s trousers—thin, soft material.
Not exaggerating, even the hair on his legs stood up.
Uncomfortable. Restless.
Yet Jiang Yu sat quietly with his eyes closed.
Even when he said nothing, even when he appeared asleep, his presence still felt overwhelming.
Shi Jing forced himself against the window, occasionally shooting wary glances at him.
Everyone was exhausted on the ride back, and the bus was very quiet.
After a while, fatigue overwhelmed him as well.
Leaning against the window, he slowly fell asleep.
The steady rhythm of breathing beside him made Jiang Yu open his eyes.
There was no sleepiness in his dark gaze as he turned his head to look at Shi Jing.
He was sleeping very obediently. His long eyelashes looked like small fans.
Perhaps because he was leaning against the window, his sleep was not stable—his brows were slightly furrowed.
After a pause, Jiang Yu reached out and gently turned his head, guiding it to rest on his shoulder.
Behind them, Tao Qi’an was sitting diagonally back, chatting with his crush.
She had not replied for a long time.
Tao Qi’an put down his phone. When he glanced up by chance, he saw his “fierce roommate” peacefully asleep against someone’s shoulder.
Neon lights occasionally flickered outside the window, spilling over both of them.
It had been a long time since Shi Jing last dreamed of the past.
Perhaps because he had not been sleeping well recently, he suddenly dreamed of Chen Wei.
In a clean, bright school corridor, eight-year-old him was dragged by the collar by Chen Wei, pulled from the second floor to the first like a lifeless body.
Students from other classes leaned out of windows, their expressions both fearful and pitiful.
More than anything, they looked like they were watching a spectacle.
Pain spread through his entire body. His padded coat was still on his desk; he was only wearing a thin school uniform.
Canghe winters were bitterly cold. He curled up in the snow, his teeth chattering uncontrollably.
His homeroom teacher, Teacher Li, was a very gentle woman.
She rushed out of the office the moment she heard, not even having time to put on her coat.
“Mr. Chen, the child’s father… please talk it out properly, don’t hit the child.”
“Talk it out?” Chen Wei laughed. He spent his days in bars and gambling dens. His eyes were murky. He had once been handsome in his youth, but now had grown fat and rough.
He crouched down and slapped Shi Jing hard across the face.
A man in his thirties had immense strength. The slap made Shi Jing’s vision go black, and his pale cheek quickly swelled.
“He stole money from home. Talking doesn’t work—only beating does!”
Chen Wei was a chain smoker; his voice was hoarse and sticky.
Teacher Li froze.
Shi Jing closed his eyes, not wanting to see her expression.
He had just transferred to this school. His mother had dressed him in clean, brand-new clothes. He had a new water bottle and a new schoolbag. He had looked so clean and bright.
So many children liked him. Some girls even called him a “prince.”
That perfect image—like a dream—was destroyed by Chen Wei.
Half of the blood flowing in his body came from Chen Wei.
He could not escape this man.
Realizing that, he suddenly felt an overwhelming sadness.
Jiang Yu opened his eyes and noticed that Shi Jing’s brows were tightly furrowed, his lips pressed together—an expression of grievance and anger.
He must have been dreaming about something unpleasant.
Jiang Yu reached out his other hand and gently rubbed the furrow between his brows with his fingertip.
For the rest of the ride, Shi Jing slept peacefully without dreams until they arrived at school.
When he opened his eyes and realized he was leaning on Jiang Yu’s shoulder, he looked like he had seen a ghost. He immediately straightened up, trying to figure out why he had ended up sleeping on him.
No matter how hard he thought, he could not understand it.
Jiang Yu, however, calmly moved his arm—the one that had been used as a pillow the entire ride.
As expected of the top student in the province: calm and composed.
Not willing to lose face, Shi Jing said stiffly, “Thanks.”
Jiang Yu looked at him in silence.
One second. Two seconds. Three seconds…
Shi Jing’s heart pounded violently.
Then Jiang Yu gave a faint, unreadable smile.
“It was only right.”
With that, he put on his hat and stepped off the bus with the crowd.
Shi Jing: “……”
Only… only right?!