That's fine...
Lexi sighed and fell into an endless darkness.
Shi Lu looked helplessly at his own surging passion, then at Le Xi, who was sleeping with his head tilted to the side. There was no other way; self-sufficiency was indeed the golden rule. So he could only lean against Le Xi and gently embrace him, letting his passion be released as well. After cleaning them both up, Shi Lu lay down beside Le Xi, listening intently to his even breathing, carefully observing his childlike, innocent face as he slept. This person, as beautiful as the most exquisite porcelain in the world, was as sensitive and fragile as a delicate porcelain doll. When he held Le Xi's hand on the playground that morning and saw the sadness and vulnerability hidden deep in his eyes, he suddenly felt a sense of fear. That look of imminent collapse made Shi Lu feel as if Le Xi had suddenly drifted away from him, almost unreachable. That's why he had gripped Le Xi's hand so tightly, with only one thought in his mind: hold on to him, absolutely hold on to him, never let go. He really didn't want to see that expression again. He never wanted him to be unhappy again.
Shi Lu gently stroked Le Xi's smooth forehead and leaned down to place a kiss on her forehead.
Please believe me, it's all over now.
Let's do it!
After military training, classes were about to begin. During this time, the school organized physical examinations for the new students. Lexi, embarrassed by her fear of blood, hid in the restroom, only to be caught red-handed by Pan Ge. Pan Ge had already been elected class monitor, and as a responsible monitor, he would naturally pay attention to organizing the class's physical examinations in an organized and disciplined manner. The teacher had specifically instructed that because many students were participating in the physical examinations, liver function blood tests should be done as soon as possible in the morning. Pan Ge led the students to the testing station for their blood tests, looking around for a while before realizing Lexi wasn't there. After searching around, he found her in the restroom!
Le Xi, his face pale, said he was afraid of blood and asked if he could skip the blood test. Pan Ge laughed at him, saying that even girls were terrified of him, and that it was alright, a real man doesn't care about blood, it would be over in a second. He then shoved and dragged Le Xi out of the restroom and escorted him to the blood test site. But Le Xi was unexpectedly terrified; he started trembling as soon as he sat down. The nurse told him to roll up his sleeve and applied disinfectant to his arm, but he immediately pulled his arm back. Pan Ge sighed, then called two boys from his class to hold him down, saying with a grin, "Yao, don't be afraid. It'll be over in a minute, it won't hurt." His tone was exactly like a parent comforting a child getting a shot.
Le Xi was somewhat amused and exasperated, while the girls watching the commotion around him secretly chuckled. He composed himself, tightly closing his eyes and biting his lower lip in a gesture of heroic sacrifice, trying his best not to watch the nurse's actions. Unfortunately, the nurse was also a recent intern and lacked experience in injections. She missed the vein on the first try, withdrew the needle, and tried again, finally succeeding on the first attempt. After drawing blood, she pressed a cotton swab against the puncture site and said to Le Xi, "Don't let go, keep pressing, otherwise the bleeding won't stop."
It wouldn't have been a problem at first, but the nurse's last words were crucial—that warning about the unstoppable bleeding left Lexi without even the strength to hold down the cotton swab. As soon as the two boys holding him down released their grip, he slumped against a girl having her blood drawn next to him. His face was deathly pale, even his lips were as white as a frostbitten eggplant. The girl was startled and jumped up screaming, shouting at Lexi who had collapsed to the ground, "Someone fainted! Help! Someone fainted!"
So on the day of the physical examination, Lexi became a well-known figure at Xingzhi Academy. However, the incident that made her famous was not so glorious, and was even somewhat ridiculous.
After receiving Teacher Zhang's call, Shi Lu rushed to the infirmary. When he arrived, he found that Le Xi was actually awake, as could be seen from his slightly trembling eyelashes. However, he seemed unwilling to open his eyes, remaining lying in bed pretending to be dead. Shi Lu found this somewhat amusing, so he moved a stool and intently examined the seemingly lifeless figure on the bed. Five minutes later, with utmost care, he pulled the blanket over the headboard, carefully covering Le Xi and tucking the corners in, muttering to himself, "Le Xi, don't catch a cold. Cover yourself well, or you'll get a fever again." Then, leisurely, he crossed his legs, watching for any signs of the seemingly lifeless figure resurfacing.
September weather, though already autumn, was still very hot; the saying goes, this kind of weather is called "Indian summer." So, Le Xi lay in bed covered with a thick blanket, truly enjoying sauna-like treatment. Sure enough, in less than five minutes, Shi Lu was "gratified" to find that Le Xi's previously slightly pale face had become exceptionally rosy, practically dripping with sweat—well, okay, sweat… Then her long eyelashes trembled slightly, and she finally slowly opened her eyes. Her eyes were extremely beautiful, sparkling, and she gave Shi Lu an extremely innocent look before her face turned as red as a ripe apple. She simply pulled the blanket over her head and howled from under the covers, "I'm so embarrassed today! I don't want to see anyone!" Shi Lu laughed so hard he almost fell off the chair.
"Alright, alright, aren't you hot under the covers? Come out now. Quick! Be good!" Shi Lu went over to pull the blanket off Le Xi, who squirmed and complained, "You covered me with it! Now you're taking it away! Are you bullying me?"
"Lexi, be good, don't be stubborn." Shi Lu helped him sit up, gently wiped the sweat from his forehead, and smiled, "How can you be so big and still act like a child?"
"I embarrassed myself today," Lexi said with a distressed expression.
“You’ve been shameful for a long time. Tell me, how many times have you fainted in front of me?” Schru suppressed a laugh. “Why are you only feeling ashamed today?”
"Me...you...how can that be the same? There are so many people here today!"
"Alright, alright, don't be angry! You're weak, and you just had surgery not long ago, so you need to recuperate! If you get better, you won't be as embarrassed as you are today," Shi Lu said gently, trying to comfort her.
"I'm going to go for a run every morning from now on!" Lexi said angrily.
“Yes, that’s right, let’s run. I’ll run with you.” Shi Lu nodded.
"I eat two bowls of rice at every meal!" Le Xi raised her fist.
"Okay, eat, eat more. Just don't eat yourself into a little pig." Shi Lu smiled.
"I'm going to volunteer at a special education school with Yan Shuang! Let them look down on me, I'll look down on them, hmph!" Le Xi frowned and made up her mind.
“Yeah, volunteering, I despise them!” Shi Lu helped him out of bed and carefully put his shoes on.
“I’ve already decided that I’ll volunteer to teach them sewing so they’ll have a skill for the future. Also, I’ve found out that art and design colleges offer fashion design courses, and I plan to audit them.”
"Okay, listen, listen." Shi Lu followed Le Xi outside, listening to her chatter on and on. Actually, his mind wasn't on what Le Xi was saying; instead, he thought Le Xi was especially cute today, so he stared intently at her and even secretly kissed her when no one was around. Le Xi was focused on her future plans and kept talking, unaware that she had been kissed. Shi Lu's eyes crinkled with laughter.
Without further ado, Le Xi and Shi Lu went to find Yan Shuang early on the weekend morning. Zi Jie originally wanted to stay in bed, but Le Xi woke him up with five consecutive phone calls, asking him to come with her to the special education school.
Yan Shuang has been very busy lately. After the company was acquired, the big boss took direct management. She worked overtime for 17 consecutive days to reorganize the business. Afterwards, she flew to the headquarters in City C for training. In Yan Shuang's words, "I feel like throwing up just hearing the word 'overtime'."
When Le Xi met Yan Shuang, she had just returned home. To be so energetic after working so long—women are truly incredible creatures!
Yan Shuang, without makeup, ran over to Shi Lu and Le Xi and gave them big hugs. Le Xi was a little surprised to see her rush into his arms, and almost stumbled and fell to the ground. Luckily, Shi Lu reacted quickly and grabbed him, otherwise he would have definitely made intimate contact with the ground. Yan Shuang looked at Zi Jie and laughed until her stomach hurt when she saw him backing away with his arms crossed. Le Xi was held tightly in Yan Shuang's arms, and under her strict interrogation, they introduced themselves to each other.
"What are you doing!" Shi Lu glared at Yan Shuang in annoyance and pulled the octopus-like Yan Shuang off Le Xi.
"Oh, so protective! You prioritize romance over friendship!" Yan Shuang chuckled mischievously, then cupped Le Xi's face in her hands and said with concern, "Hmm, you haven't lost weight. Shi Lu took good care of you!"
"Mmm..." Le Xi's face was taken advantage of by Yan Shuang, who held it in his hands and squeezed it wantonly. She could only turn her head and make a muffled protest.
"What are you doing!" Shi Lu snapped again, pulling Yan Shuang away.
Yan Shuang nodded meaningfully to Shi Lu, then beckoned him to come closer. Shi Lu, unaware of what was going on, listened to her with a mixture of belief and doubt.
"Not bad! They've already become a harmonious couple. They have a bright future!"
Shi Lu's face twisted as he looked at Yan Shuang's smug smile, and he felt a strange urge to cry.
Yan Shuang is truly incredibly resilient. After rubbing Le Xi, she chuckled and went into the bathroom to put on makeup. In no time, she transformed from a white-collar worker into a friendly older sister next door.
The special education school was in poor condition, and due to limited resources and a shortage of teachers, a vicious cycle ensued, leaving Lexi and Zijie deeply saddened. After explaining their situation to the principal, he quickly agreed to arrange for Lexi and Zijie to volunteer. Lexi taught the children sewing, and Zijie taught music; these two practical courses allowed children who didn't have the opportunity for further education to acquire a skill.
“Aren’t you still a child yourself?” Shi Lu said with a smile as he looked at Le Xi.
"What do you mean? I'll be twenty soon!" Le Xi said discontentedly. "Besides, isn't eighteen an adult? What's with all this talk about kids?"
“Yes, yes!” Zijie chimed in, “Stop talking like an old man. How old are you?”
"I'm almost thirty, after all," Shi Lu said smugly, arms crossed. "I've eaten more salt than you've eaten rice!"
"Tch! You're just bragging! Is your next line about crossing more rivers than you've walked roads?" Yan Shuang chimed in.
“Aren’t you the same? You’re almost thirty too!” Shi Lu glared at her.
"Sigh, even though I'm almost thirty, I still have the heart of a young girl." Yan Shuang exaggeratedly struck a pose, making everyone chuckle.
Lexi's classes at the special education school were scheduled for Wednesday afternoons and Saturday mornings, with a total of 17 classes. Because he didn't know sign language, the school assigned him a sign language teacher, but he also started learning sign language to better teach his students. Besides his work at the special education school, he also audited fashion design courses at an art college, keeping his schedule packed. Therefore, Shilu saw Lexi very rarely each week; when they bumped into each other in the school building, they only exchanged glances. However, because his life was more fulfilling and Lexi paid attention to physical exercise, he looked quite well and was more lively than before. Especially at the special education school, Lexi had become a veritable leader among the children, surrounded by them playing games. Two children in his sewing class, who were taller than him, bowed respectfully to him, and Lexi's shy yet proud expression was quite amusing.
Chen Song from Zijie's family would often call, but after only a few words, Zijie would get very angry and yell at them, the last time almost smashing the phone. After that, Zijie started looking for a place to live, seemingly planning to stay in L City permanently. Lexi initially thought Zijie was just looking for a place to stay, but she was still shocked: it turned out he wasn't looking for a place to live, but had rented a shop right next to Yan Shuang Bookstore!
"Why are you renting this shop?" Lexi rushed into the shop, staring wide-eyed at the large storefront with an incredulous expression.
"Nonsense! Of course, I'll open a shop!" Zijie sat on an abandoned sofa in the shop, smoking a cigarette and looking at Lexi with a leisurely air, looking every bit like a hoodlum.
"Open a shop? What kind of shop are you opening?"
"clothing store."
"A clothing store?!" Le Xi exclaimed. "You know absolutely nothing about this industry, why would you open a clothing store?"
"You understand, right?" Zijie exhaled a smoke ring. "I've been thinking about it. You teach tailoring at the special education school. The clothes you make can't just sit there. If we sell them, we can buy them some equipment, and we can also earn some income."
Le Xi frowned and smiled bitterly. Zi Jie was still thinking of him, knowing that his surgery had cost a lot of money, and if he didn't find something to do, he would probably be penniless before graduation. Although Le Xi had experienced poverty when he was young, all his expenses at Aunt Lan's place were on par with Qi Hui's. The year he spent indulging in a dissolute lifestyle afterward had also led to some minor bad habits, and coupled with frequent illnesses, the expenses were not insignificant.
"Thank you, Zijie." Lexi squeezed Zijie's hand, wanting to give him a warm hug, but Zijie laughed and pushed her away: "Don't be so mushy, okay? I'm not interested in you!"
It would have been better if she hadn't said that, because as soon as she finished speaking, Lexi giggled and pressed herself against Zijie's cheek, giving her a quick "kiss." This caused Zijie to scream miserably and try to dodge away.
"Thud!" Zijie, who was dodging around, bumped into someone. This person was tall, burly, and strong, and the impact immediately made Zijie dizzy. Lexi's eyes widened, her mouth formed an "O" shape, and her finger trembled as she pointed at the person: "Chen...Chen...Chen Song..."
Zijie looked up and met Chen Song's amused smile. Chen Song said, "Wife, what were you playing with him just now?"
Zijie froze, while Lexi stuck out her tongue, thinking, "This is bad..." Her smile was somewhat like a guilty conscience, and she quickly waved her hand, saying, "No, we didn't do anything. Really! I swear to Chairman Mao." She even raised her right hand as if to swear, but seeing Chen Song's mocking face, she knew this was the calm before the storm and quickly slunk away.
The special education school mentioned in this article has no connection whatsoever with any real special education school in L City; it is entirely fictional. Please do not attempt to identify it as a real person!
The Japanese devils are coming!
Le Xi started renovating the shop three days later. Chen Song didn't approve of them opening the shop and initially tried to stop them in every way possible. Finally, under Zi Jie's pressure, he reluctantly invested, personally selected the renovation company, and, under Zi Jie's supervision, reluctantly paid a year's rent in one go, without even haggling. The slovenly owner was beaming from ear to ear. Actually, it wasn't just the owner who was happy; even Yan Shuang was overjoyed, like she'd married off her daughter. She'd arrive at the bookstore promptly after get off work every day, but instead of focusing on her work, she'd run next door to chat with Le Xi and the others. Some girls from Le Xi's department also came to see what was going on. However, the girls didn't seem very interested in the shop itself; they were more interested in the three handsome men inside. The gossipy girls even started discussing their roles as the seme and uke. After a heated discussion, they both agreed that Yao Le Xi was "a perpetually seductive uke who can never escape the allure of even his breath." Zijie is a "queen-like bottom who fiercely suppresses the top," while Chen Song is a "super weak top who is usually timid but has a small burst of power at crucial moments, causing those who want to counterattack to fail." Fortunately, Shi Lu is a teacher in the department, so no one dares to act recklessly, thus "escaping disaster." However, compared to the seductive bottom himself, Shi Lu is more interested in his shop. The nameplate is wrapped in red silk, looking mysterious, with only the "又" radical showing, making it impossible to guess. Later, after some coercion and enticement, he finally learned that the name is "Twin Cities."
In the hotel bathroom, the two entangled individuals were biting and tearing at each other with insatiable hunger, embracing each other as if they wanted to embed the other into their own bodies.
"Zijie, say it, say you love me. Say it now." Chen Song breathlessly pecked at Zijie's lips.
Zijie hugged the other tightly, his mouth slightly open as if he were sighing, but he didn't say those three words. This annoyed Chen Song, who bit his earlobe and said resentfully, "You're just so stubborn, you just won't say it, will you?"
Zijie turned her head away, staring blankly at her reflection in the mirror, her face flushed crimson with desire. Only after being bitten did she whisper, "I hate you."
"What did you say?" Chen Song turned Zhang Zijie's face, forcing him to look at him, and said through gritted teeth, "Say it again!"
"You think I'll just say whatever you want me to say? What do you take me for?" Zijie sneered.
"Try saying it again?"
"I can't be bothered with you." Zijie pushed Chen Song aside and slowly walked to the showerhead to wash up. Then she slowly put on her bathrobe and walked out, leaving Chen Song staring at her, thinking he could scare the other party.
"Good, very good!" Chen Song practically roared as he rushed out of the bathroom, quickly walked to Zijie's side, pushed him down onto the sofa, tore open Zijie's bathrobe, and roughly rubbed and kissed him.
"Slap!" A resounding slap landed on Chen Song's face. Zi Jie sneered, "Chen Song, you think your arrival solves the problem? I must have been blinded by greed, thinking you'd resolved everything before coming to me. Turns out you're still keeping your wife at home while having affairs on the side! With your fiancée by your side, you come here to vent your lust. Let me tell you, I'm not some hole waiting for you! Don't be greedy, you'd better go back home to your mother and your wife, I don't want you!"
"I told you we can't rush this, we have to take it slowly. Don't you want my parents to gradually accept you?"
"Accept me? How do you accept me? Accept a man to be with you? Accept my past? I used to sell myself, how are you going to tell them? Do you think I'll believe your nonsense?"
"Zijie, please don't be like this. Weren't we fine yesterday? Why are we arguing again?"
"You think I want to argue with you? I don't want to see you anymore, I don't want to anymore, go back."
"Come back with me."
"No. I never intended to go back when I came here with Lexi."
"Come back with me."
"don't want."
"..." Chen Song deflated like a punctured balloon, helplessly lit a cigarette, silently took two puffs, then looked up at Zhang Zijie with a very serious expression, "I'm serious, don't think I'm joking with you."
"Who's joking with you? I've said it for the nth time, no~ no!"
“Zijie,” Chen Song carefully considered his words before speaking cautiously, “Qi Hui has come to L City. I’m sure he’s back to find Le Xi. I don’t want you to get involved in this mess.”
Zijie stared wide-eyed, speechless for a moment, before finally coming to her senses: "He's here?"
"Yeah, I heard it from a friend. He said he bought a huge apartment here and also found a shop. You know how big a fuss it is when high-end shops in the city center are renovated. Everyone passing by is watching, so it's definitely not a bad deal. Besides, the name of his shop is 'Twin Cities'."
“‘Twin Cities’…it’s exactly the same name as our clothing store…” Zijie stared in disbelief.
“Yes! That’s why I wanted you to come back with me. Qi Hui is too ruthless. Back then, his parents died at the same time, such an embarrassing scandal, and in the midst of the crisis, no one could touch Fei Yu in the slightest. This person is too…” Chen Song hesitated, thought for a moment, and carefully considered his words, but could not continue.