Feng Yuan stood out strikingly in the crowd, dressed in a white short-sleeved shirt.
Qin Xun spotted him instantly.
He, too, saw Qin Xun right away.
“Qin Xun!”
Despite not having seen each other for months, Feng Yuan showed no sign of distance.
He dashed over and, just like countless times before, threw himself into Qin Xun’s arms.
Qin Xun’s strong hands firmly supported Feng Yuan’s legs as he lifted him.
“I’ve finally finished my exams!”
Feng Yuan cheered, his face beaming with a bright, radiant smile, like a little sun.
He wrapped his arms around Qin Xun’s neck, letting Qin Xun carry him to the car.
As they walked toward the car, some classmates greeted Feng Yuan.
“Yuan Yuan, don’t forget the party tonight!”
“Got it, got it. I’ll be there.”
Feng Yuan was well-liked in his class, so he definitely had to attend the party that evening.
A classmate, noticing Qin Xun carrying him, teased with a laugh, “Yuan Yuan, how old are you now? Why are you still letting Qin Xun carry you?”
Feng Yuan’s classmates were no strangers to Qin Xun.
Throughout the three years of high school, except for the last few months when Qin Xun hadn’t shown up, he had frequently visited their school and their class.
Technically, their high school didn’t allow outsiders in.
But Qin Xun was an outstanding graduate of their school.
So, he was permitted to enter. The teachers even welcomed his visits.
They had even invited him to share his study experiences with the class.
“Hehe, I don’t feel like walking! Why don’t you come carry me instead?”
“No, no, I can’t carry you.”
The classmate chatted and joked with Feng Yuan, then added, “Qin Xun, if you’re interested, you can come to our party tonight with Yuan Yuan.”
“Mm, I know. Thank you.”
After greeting a few classmates at the school gate, Feng Yuan was placed in the car by Qin Xun.
There was a driver in the car.
Feng Yuan and Qin Xun sat together in the back seat.
As soon as he got in, Feng Yuan slumped down bonelessly, resting his head on Qin Xun’s lap and asking, “Why didn’t my dad and the others come?”
“They’re at home.”
At home, preparing a surprise for Feng Yuan.
Qin Xun didn’t rush to say the latter part.
The road home was a bit congested. Feng Yuan lay there, eyes open, gazing at Qin Xun.
He suddenly fell silent.
Not hearing him speak, Qin Xun looked down at him.
Their eyes met, and Qin Xun asked, puzzled, “What’s wrong?”
Feng Yuan shook his head, wrapped his arms around Qin Xun’s waist, and buried his face against his abdomen. “Nothing.”
“Qin Xun, I haven’t seen you for months. Did you miss me?”
Qin Xun: “Mm.”
Qin Xun paused for a moment. He didn’t tell Feng Yuan that, in fact, they hadn’t been completely apart during those months.
Qin Xun had secretly returned.
He had seen Feng Yuan.
Going months without seeing him was too difficult for Qin Xun to bear.
So, he had resorted to stalking just to catch a glimpse of Feng Yuan.
“I missed you so much, too.”
Feng Yuan had also had a tough few months.
To push through the final sprint for the college entrance exams, he had made Qin Xun his goal.
Once he endured these months, he would finally get to see Qin Xun again.
That goal had kept him going for months!
As the two discussed missing each other, the driver, who was accustomed to the Li family, took it all in stride.
These two had been this intimate for years. Everyone around them had grown used to it.
After being stuck in traffic for two hours, Feng Yuan finally arrived home.
He dozed off for a while in the car.
When he got off, he was still a bit sleepy, yawning as he stepped out.
Qin Xun held his hand and led him to the entrance of the hall.
“Yuan Yuan, open the door.”
Feng Yuan: “Oh.”
Feng Yuan withdrew his hand from Qin Xun’s grasp and, still bleary-eyed, pushed the door open.
As the door swung open, a “bang” sound followed, and colorful streamers exploded over Feng Yuan’s head.
The kind of streamers commonly used at weddings was now in the hands of Eggy, Xiao Ze, and You You. Smiling, they welcomed Feng Yuan inside as if greeting a newlywed couple.
“Big brother! Congratulations on graduating!”
Eggy shouted happily, “You’re free now!”
Feng Yuan: “…”
Feng Yuan froze for a few seconds before snapping out of it.
He smiled, his eyes curving. He was about to say something when footsteps sounded from outside.
Hearing the noise, Eggy quickly pulled his big brother further inside and closed the door again.
Feng Yuan: “?”
Feng Yuan: “Eggy, what are you doing?”
Eggy made a shushing gesture and whispered, “Big brother, Rong Rong is here, too!”
Feng Yuan: “…”
Feng Yuan and Rong Rong hadn’t been in the same exam venue. He had originally planned to look for Rong Rong after returning home.
Unexpectedly, Eggy had already invited him over.
Just as Eggy finished speaking in a hushed tone, the door was pushed open again.
Rong Rong, who walked in, received the same enthusiastic welcome as Feng Yuan had moments earlier.
Both Feng Yuan and Rong Rong were graduates. To celebrate their graduation, their families had prepared surprises for them well in advance.
The spacious living room floor was now piled high with graduation gifts.
Feng Yuan was overjoyed at the sight of so many presents.
He grabbed Rong Rong’s hand. The two of them rushed over, tumbling directly into the mountain of gifts.
After hugging a gift box happily for a while, Feng Yuan sat up with a sudden movement and began unwrapping the presents.
He uncovered the latest gaming console, a tablet, and a smartphone.
Rong Rong also unwrapped an art collection he had been wanting.
“Ahhh! I can finally play games and use my phone freely!”
Throughout his school years, Feng Yuan had always been restricted when it came to gaming and phone usage.
Even though he had reached adulthood this year and passed the age for anti-addiction restrictions, he still couldn’t indulge in gaming as he pleased.
Because he hadn’t yet completed his most important exams.
But now, the hardships of school were finally behind him.
From here on, he could finally do many things he hadn’t been allowed to before!
“Dad, I love you!”
Clutching the gaming console, Feng Yuan scrambled up and hugged both of his dads.
All the gifts here were labeled with the givers’ names.
Feng Yuan’s gaming console was a gift from his dad.
Feng Qi held his grown son, his eyes filled with pride.
“Yuan Yuan, when you were little, you got spanked quite a bit for playing games.”
“From now on, Dad won’t spank you anymore.”
Feng Qi had said these last words many times before.
And every time he vowed not to punish his child, this kid would inevitably pull some major stunt, forcing him to grit his teeth and administer another spanking.
But now, Feng Qi felt certain that this cycle would finally be broken.
His Yuan Yuan was both an adult and a graduate. From now on, he truly wouldn’t need to discipline his child anymore.
After hugging his dad, Feng Yuan embraced the other adults in the family.
His family situation was unique. None of the adults were ordinary people.
Therefore, even after all these years, everyone still looked remarkably young.
After hugging the adults, Feng Yuan hugged his younger brothers. Finally, he wrapped his arms around Qin Xun.
While Feng Yuan was over there hugging and cuddling, on the other side, Eggy poked Rong Rong’s arm.
“Rong Rong.”
Eggy’s handsome face was slightly flushed. With Rong Rong’s two fathers present, he kept his voice low. “Do you want a hug?”
Rong Rong: “…”
Rong Rong looked at him, then, in the next moment, opened his arms and gave him a quick hug.
Eggy beamed with joy at the embrace.
Just as Eggy was about to hold Rong Rong a little tighter, Chi Shui, with his sharp eyes, noticed the scene.
Chi Shui walked over with a dark expression.
Eggy glanced at him and instinctively loosened his grip.
The lively welcome from the whole family and the pile of gifts weren’t the only surprises.
They had also prepared a lavish feast for the two graduates.
In addition to the feast, they arranged for a photographer to come and take pictures.
Feng Yuan sorted through the photos and eventually posted a family portrait on his social media account.
As for the gifts, he didn’t share those.
He never flaunted his wealth on social media, though he was undeniably rich even without showing off.
After spending a lively half-day at home, by evening, Feng Yuan and Rong Rong each headed to their respective class gatherings.
Feng Yuan brought Qin Xun along with him.
Their gathering was held at a beautiful estate.
The rental fee for their reserved spot alone, excluding other expenses, was 500,000. Factoring in the decorations, the banquet, and the post-dinner entertainment, the total cost started at a minimum of one million.
And today’s gathering was hosted by the class monitor.
In Feng Yuan’s school and class, a large portion of the students came from wealthy or influential families, though there were also a few classmates from modest backgrounds who had been specially admitted due to their outstanding academic performance.
Initially, these students from less affluent families didn’t quite fit in with the rest of the class.
It was Feng Yuan who stepped in and helped foster unity within the class.
After three years of high school together, those from less privileged backgrounds had grown accustomed to their classmates’ wealth.
When they received gifts or gestures of kindness from others, they no longer felt their self-esteem was threatened.
“Wow, Yuan Yuan, have you noticed how stunning all the girls in our class look today?”
Xu Jiale leaned close to Feng Yuan, sharing his observation.
Their school had uniforms. Everyone often wore them. But now that they had graduated, everyone showed up dressed to the nines. A closer look at the girls’ outfits revealed that many were custom-made gowns.
Seeing the girls looking so beautiful, Feng Yuan instinctively glanced down at his own shirt.
This white shirt of his…
He wondered if Qin Xun had recognized it.
“Yuan Yuan, I’m going to confess my feelings. I’ll do it right after dinner.”
Xu Jiale tugged at Feng Yuan’s arm, chattering on. “A lot of our classmates are planning to confess today. From what I know, several guys are going to do it.”
“Yuan Yuan, do you want to confess to someone, too?”
Feng Yuan: “No.”
Feng Yuan got along well with the girls in his class, but he had no interest in dating any of them.
Xu Jiale, who was about to confess, was incredibly nervous. He kept pulling Feng Yuan into random conversations to calm his nerves.
Feng Yuan humored him and chatted along.
During dinner, there were two bottles of red wine on their table.
The red wine was brought by Xu Jiale.
Both bottles were vintage collector’s editions.
He drank the most himself.
As he put it, a little alcohol could help boost his courage.
Feng Yuan thought that made sense, so he had two small glasses as well.
“Yuan Yuan, you shouldn’t drink too much red wine.”
Qin Xun was sitting right beside Feng Yuan when he noticed Feng Yuan reaching for a third glass, and he stopped him.
Feng Yuan didn’t actually like red wine.
He disliked the taste of all alcoholic drinks.
But Xu Jiale was right. Having a little could help boost one’s courage.
And he really wanted to summon some courage!
“Qin Xun, I can still have a bit more.”
“No, you can’t.”
“Alright then.”
Faced with Qin Xun’s refusal, Feng Yuan nodded good-naturedly and complied.
The dinner atmosphere was lively. Everyone ate, drank, and chatted without pause.
“Hey, what are your plans for the rest of summer break? Anyone want to travel with me?”
“No way, who’d want to go with you? If we want to have fun, we’ll go on our own.”
“Yuan Yuan, isn’t your grandpa overseas? Do you want to go abroad?”
“Nope.”
Feng Yuan shook his head, a hint of pride in his voice. “My grandpa is coming to visit me at home this summer!”
So, Feng Yuan had no need to travel abroad to see his grandpa.
His grandparents were absolutely delighted with the local cuisine and scenery.
The elderly couple was even considering settling down here.
After the bustling meal, everyone moved to the entertainment lounge.
The lighting in the lounge was dim and intimate, the music enchanting.
Xu Jiale wasn’t the first to confess his feelings, but he was the first to be rejected.
Classmate Hu, wearing a cheerful orange dress and a sweet smile, told him they could just be friends.
Hearing the rejection, Xu Jiale nearly broke down in tears.
“Sorry, but I can’t be just friends with you.”
His eyes red, Xu Jiale forced a smile. “I only want to be your boyfriend.”
Xu Jiale’s regretful exit left even Feng Yuan feeling a bit sad.
Just as Feng Yuan was about to go comfort him, a girl in a red dress approached him instead.
Feng Yuan: “!”
Watching the girl draw nearer, Feng Yuan’s heart began to race.
“Qin Xun.”
Before the girl could reach them, Feng Yuan urgently spoke to Qin Xun. “There’s something I want to tell you!”
“I have someone I like.”
Feng Yuan’s sudden confession not only stunned Qin Xun on the spot but also made everyone nearby instantly prick up their ears.
They subtly edged closer to Feng Yuan, eager to hear more.
Feng Yuan looked up at Qin Xun, a smile spreading across his face, revealing the small dimples on his cheeks.
“Qin Xun, I’ve decided to pursue the person I like!”
Qin Xun: “…”
Qin Xun’s breath almost hitched.
He was struggling to process it. “You… you’re going to pursue someone?”
Feng Yuan: “Yeah!”
Feng Yuan beamed. “I’m all prepared to start chasing!”
Feng Yuan only mentioned his intention to pursue someone, but didn’t reveal who.
This left the classmates listening in on the gossip growing impatient.
One by one, they dropped their pretenses, slinging an arm around Feng Yuan’s neck and demanding he come clean.
“You’ve been hiding this well! We had no idea you liked someone.”
“Spill it. Who is it? Is it someone in our class?”
“No.”
Feng Yuan replied, “It’s not someone from our class.”
As soon as he said this, the girls in the class who had crushes on him felt a pang of disappointment.
“Alright, alright, stop asking. I’ll post about it on my Moments once I succeed!”
Feng Yuan had a sharing personality.
Whenever he had free time, he’d post all sorts of updates on his social media.
His classmates knew he loved posting on social media, so they let him off the hook for the time being.
“If you make any progress, you have to let us know!”
“Yeah, we want to see what kind of person could make you pursue them.”
Feng Yuan had been a minor internet celebrity since childhood. Over the years, his looks had only improved. Compared to his younger self, he was now so handsome that he could easily outshine many of the new-generation male celebrities in the entertainment industry. Naturally, many people had developed crushes on him.
But Feng Yuan had never shown any signs of wanting to date early. He didn’t have any particularly close female friends at school either. Many in his class had whispered that he just hadn’t “awakened” to romance yet. No one expected him to quietly develop feelings for someone and even decide to pursue them.
The excitement of the graduation party swept through every thrilled graduate. Feng Yuan stayed until 11 p.m. before finally leaving. When he left, the party was still in full swing.
Qin Xun pulled him out of the crowd of lively classmates. “Yuan Yuan, let’s go back and rest, okay?”
Feng Yuan’s face flushed easily when he drank, and he was feeling a bit tipsy. He had two glasses of red wine during dinner, and his cheeks were still rosy. Qin Xun touched his face. It was warm.
“Yuan Yuan, if you want to hang out with your classmates, there will be plenty of time later,” Qin Xun said, holding his hand and coaxing him as they walked out. “We’re not missing out on anything right now.”
Before Feng Yuan was led away, everyone had been playing a card game. The game involved balancing a card on one’s lips and passing it to the next person. The boys passed cards among themselves, and the girls did the same. Occasionally, when two people accidentally kissed during the pass, it would send everyone into fits of laughter.
Feng Yuan hadn’t had a chance to join in before Qin Xun took him away.
“Qin Xun, they were having so much fun,” Feng Yuan protested softly, though he obediently followed Qin Xun. “I wanted to play the game, too.”
“When we get back, I’ll play video games with you.”
“Not video games. I want to play that card game,” Feng Yuan insisted. “I want to play the card-passing game.”
Qin Xun didn’t respond, simply guiding him into the car.
The roads were much quieter at night, with fewer cars than earlier. Qin Xun rolled down the window to let Feng Yuan get some fresh air. Feng Yuan usually fell asleep as soon as he got in the car. But this time, he mumbled and fussed the entire way home without dozing off.
The car pulled smoothly into the Li family’s driveway. Qin Xun helped Feng Yuan out of the car, wrapping an arm around him and leading him inside. By the time they returned, the adults had already gone to bed. Qin Xun moved quietly, following Feng Yuan into his bedroom.
Feng Yuan’s room was next to Feng Qi’s. As soon as they returned, Feng Qi, who was still awake, heard the noise.
“Yuan Yuan’s back,” Feng Qi said, getting out of bed. “I’m going to check on him.”
Li Sheng grabbed his arm. “It’s so late. Let him sleep. You can see him tomorrow.”
“It’s not the same. These kinds of parties always involve drinking. Kids at these events love to drink a little to show off. Yuan Yuan gets rowdy when he’s drunk.” Feng Qi knew his son all too well. He reached for his pajamas, determined to see his son in person before settling back in.
But Li Sheng stopped him. “Didn’t you hear the footsteps? Xiao Xun came back with him. With Xiao Xun keeping an eye on Yuan Yuan, you don’t need to worry.”
Li Sheng brought Qin Xun over. Feng Qi finally felt at ease.
The two adults lay back down on the bed, while next door, Feng Yuan was still fussing about taking a bath.
He wanted to bathe, but he refused to do it himself.
With his round, dewy eyes blinking, he insisted that Qin Xun help him.
“Qin Xun, you used to help me bathe before.”
The “before” Feng Yuan referred to was their childhood.
Back then, even for a simple bath, Feng Yuan would always ask Qin Xun or the adults for help.
Now, with his beautiful face flushed, he nestled in Qin Xun’s arms, his round eyes as clear and innocent as they were in his childhood.
“Yuan Yuan, you’re drunk.”
After coming to this conclusion, Qin Xun raised his hand and gently massaged Feng Yuan’s temples.
“Go take a bath by yourself. I’ll make you some hangover soup.”
“Alright?”
“No.”
Feng Yuan shook his head: “I don’t want hangover soup. I want you to bathe me.”
Qin Xun: “…”
Qin Xun: “Yuan Yuan.”
Qin Xun’s tone was already filled with helplessness.
He wanted to reason with Feng Yuan, but the little drunkard clearly wasn’t in the mood for reasoning.
As the two of them remained at a standoff, Feng Yuan suddenly blinked, a hint of mischief in his eyes. He began negotiating with Qin Xun.
“If you bathe me,”
“I’ll tell you who I like.”
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152