Song Lang's heart clenched even tighter.
He nodded, and his reflection in the glass window nodded as well, falling into Shen Zhifei's eyes.
They hadn't seen each other or spoken for almost half a month, and Shen Zhifei's voice sounded colder than usual.
"Then you should also remember that I told you that I have someone I really like, but I didn't dare to tell him because my feelings for him are not good enough for me."
The classroom was heated, and Song Lang, wrapped in a down jacket, was sweating a little.
His throat tightened, and he asked, "Who do you like?"
Shen Zhifei turned around and looked over. Song Lang was instantly rooted to the spot by his deep gaze, and his heart skipped a beat.
Their eyes met, and it felt like an eternity had passed, yet also like a fleeting moment. Shen Zhifei's thoughts were racing.
He can't tell the truth.
To win Song Lang's heart, he had to tear his burning desire apart and present it to Song Lang piece by piece.
Otherwise, he would definitely be scared away.
Shen Zhifei said, "He is very cheerful, likes to laugh, and likes to joke around with his friends. He is careless and easily gets impatient, but he is a gentle person at heart. In short, he is a guy who makes people feel very safe."
Song Lang subconsciously applied each of the words he was told to himself, and apart from the adjective "gentle," he felt that he fit the description perfectly.
A huge "Holy crap!" was brewing in his mind, but before it could fully form, Shen Zhifei dropped another bombshell: "He's a boy."
"Damn it..." Song Lang cursed under his breath, clenching his sweaty palms, and asked, "Who is it?"
A look of helpless despair crossed Shen Zhifei's eyes: "You don't know him."
Upon receiving the answer, Song Lang felt a moment of disappointment.
After waiting for a while without getting a response from him, Shen Zhifei asked, "You can't accept homosexuality?"
Song Lang shook his head: "No."
Silence fell again. After a long while, Song Lang walked to Shen Zhifei's side, looked out the window with him, and asked, "When did you find out that you were... that kind of person?"
"Hawaii".
"Is it because of those gay guys that you..."
“There’s no need to get to the bottom of it, it’s pointless.” Shen Zhifei turned to look at Song Lang’s handsome profile. “That noon I acted on impulse and mistook you for his substitute. Don’t take it to heart, brother.”
Song Lang felt very uncomfortable.
It's like the muscle soreness that lingers after running five kilometers with all your might, a feeling of tingling and numbness throughout your body, it's really uncomfortable.
I don't know if he was worried because his brother suddenly turned gay, or annoyed because he had inexplicably become a substitute.
He didn't take it to heart? How could he? He left Anru alone in the hotel because of that.
So all that agonizing and worrying he'd been doing for half a month was just a stand-in indulging in wishful thinking?!
And who was the idiot who made his brother look like a lovesick freak?!
Song Lang felt increasingly upset, with a tightness in his chest that he couldn't help but feel suffocated by.
He took off his down jacket and sweater, went to the changing room next door to get a martial arts uniform, changed into it, and beckoned to Shen Zhifei: "Let's have a match, and then this matter will be over."
Shen Zhifei also had the same idea.
He tightened the black belt around his waist, stood face to face with Song Lang in the middle of the classroom, exchanged greetings, and then began to work.
They trained together since they were little, and Shen Zhifei never missed a single lesson that Song Lang taught.
After seven years of continuous practice, they have already reached the black belt level. Although they have not yet reached the highest level of 9th Dan, their punches are powerful and have the level of professional competition.
Song Lang always softened when sparring with him, even if he knew that Shen Zhifei was at the same level as him, he would still hold back.
If you hesitate, your punches and kicks will falter, revealing your weaknesses.
Shen Zhifei showed no mercy. He lunged forward, hooking Song Lang's neck with a flying kick, using the momentum to leap into the air. His other leg followed closely, clamping Song Lang's neck between his legs. With a twist of his waist, he spun around in the air and pinned Song Lang to the ground in the blink of an eye.
"Damn it! You cheated!" Song Lang was unable to move because his neck was tightly locked by his legs. He could only slap the ground three times to admit defeat, his face flushed red: "I can't breathe, let go, let go, I lost."
Shen Zhifei released her tension and sat on the floor mat, watching Song Lang struggle to his feet. Her mood, which had been gloomy for days, finally brightened.
Song Lang got up and turned his neck. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Shen Zhifei's upturned lips. He kicked the other's toe in annoyance: "Who did you secretly learn that scissor kick from? Old Li didn't teach us that move."
"I learned it from Teacher Li in private," Shen Zhifei said with a faint smile. "Winning moves shouldn't be used lightly."
Song Lang scoffed, "Insidious and cunning."
Shen Zhifei rested her hands behind her back, looking at him with a smile without saying a word. His eyes were as bright as a galaxy, unbelievably beautiful.
Suppressing his inner turmoil, Song Lang stood up casually and held out his hand to Shen Zhifei: "Get up, go home for dinner. You were criticized by all the teachers at school all day, and then you gave you a good beating after school. Do you even want to live?"
Shen Zhifei didn't move, maintaining that posture as she looked up at him: "Is what happened that day over?"
Song Lang nodded, his face burning and ears burning: "It's over."
Shen Zhifei said, "Don't avoid me from now on."
Song Lang was losing face: "We're all grown men, why are we avoiding you? Aren't you getting up? Hurry up."
Shen Zhifei's gaze shifted downwards, settling on Song Lang's eagerly waving fingers. He smiled, reached out and grasped Song Lang's hand, using the leverage to stand up.