Chapter 35

Meng Yuxiu was stunned. When he saw Han Shuo's even more bewildered reaction, his mind suddenly cleared.

In the brief silence, the clashes and developments between him and Han Shuo seemed to connect one by one.

From the moment Han Shuo sent him tea eggs, oranges, and noodles, he always thought it was because Han Shuo had flirted with him first and liked him first, so he was gradually moved and fell in love with him in return.

So much so that on Han Shuo's birthday night, he always thought that he couldn't help but confess his feelings because of Han Shuo's affection. When Han Shuo gave him the same response, he thought that it was a mutual attraction between them.

But at this moment, he realized that perhaps he had been deluding himself all along.

He suddenly understood why he had always felt insecure about Han Shuo. From the moment he met Han Shuo until now, from confessing his feelings to sleeping together, Han Shuo had always been there for him, praising him as the best. At the time, he had subconsciously assumed it was because Han Shuo liked him that he felt favored.

Now, thinking about it more carefully... Meng Yuxiu dared not think about it too much.

He couldn't blame Han Shuo, after all, Han Shuo had never lied to him, and Han Shuo's intentions were clear from beginning to end: he wanted to complete the mission.

In fact, he himself was always very clear about this, but he simply added Han Shuo's feelings for him to that clear understanding.

He stared at Han Shuo's face, as if a thorn was stuck in his throat, unable to utter a single word.

He couldn't act like a wronged husband, questioning why the love letter wasn't written by Han Shuo. Nor could he ask why the love letter wasn't signed; it was his own carelessness that led him to mistakenly believe it was from Han Shuo, and Han Shuo was naturally innocent as well.

For a moment, Meng Yuxiu felt a tightness in his chest, a heavy and oppressive feeling in his heart.

Han Shuo noticed that Meng Yuxiu had been staring at him for a long time, observing the changing emotions in his narrow eyes and the tightness of his lips. Han Shuo was puzzled. He had just been asking about love letters, so why did his expression suddenly change after he found out who Jiang Xiaowen was?

After pondering for a while, even a roughneck like Han Shuo belatedly realized what was going on. Damn! He immediately widened his eyes in surprise, and combined with the love letter, Jiang Xiaowen's attitude, and Meng Yuxiu's attitude, he thought, "Holy crap!"

So this kid thought he wrote those two love letters?

For Meng Yuxiu, this was a frustrating and distressing situation, but for Han Shuo, it was like accidentally discovering Meng Yuxiu's embarrassing mishap by chance. In fact, the two were already so close that Han Shuo didn't think Meng Yuxiu's mishap was anything special; it was just like an interesting thing in ordinary life.

So what happens when Han Shuo encounters something interesting in his daily life? He'd definitely laugh uncontrollably, so much so that he wouldn't even notice Meng Yuxiu's darkening expression.

"Hahahaha, damn it!" Han Shuo laughed so hard he slapped the table, tears welling up in his eyes. "Hey Meng Yuxiu, don't tell me you thought I wrote that love letter? Hahahaha! I can't take it anymore, how can you be so funny?"

"Hey, don't you ever read the signatures on love letters?" Han Shuo sensed something was off and asked again, "Don't tell me there's no signature? Wow, Jiang Xiaowen's love letter writing is pretty unprofessional."

Then Han Shuo clicked his tongue repeatedly and said, "But you and Jiang Xiaowen are both quite interesting."

If Han Shuo hadn't reacted, Meng Yuxiu would have just slowly processed the frustration in his heart. But Han Shuo's words, especially his indifferent expression and detached attitude, only deepened Meng Yuxiu's suspicions. Perhaps Han Shuo didn't even like him.

He suddenly felt angry, his eyes fixed on Han Shuo's grinning face.

Han Shuo, oblivious to the danger, leaned over and grabbed his arm, saying, "You usually seem like a pretty smart person, how could you make such a basic mistake? Even a fool would know it couldn't be me, what a joke, how could I possibly write that kind of pretentious stuff?"

Meng Yuxiu's face suddenly darkened to an icy point, and he forcefully flung Han Shuo's hand away.

Han Shuo thought he was slightly embarrassed and angry because he had been caught out, but he still laughed and teased him: "What's the big deal? It's okay. Only you and I know about this. Don't worry, I won't tell Jiang Xiaowen, hahaha."

Han Shuo's laughter pierced Meng Yuxiu's heart. He closed his eyes tightly for a moment, and when he opened them again, his eyes were chillingly cold.

"roll."

"..."

Meng Yuxiu got angry again. Han Shuo knew it was because of the love letter, and even the slow-witted Han Shuo realized that this time his anger was different from any other time, but he couldn't quite put his finger on why.

At the same time, he was speechless. She had only mistakenly thought the love letter was written by him and was teased a little. Was it really worth getting so angry? It had been several days already.

To be honest, Han Shuo had been feeling very uncomfortable these past few days. Although he could eat and go home with Meng Yuxiu by clinging to him, he just felt something was off.

He remembered clearly that when Meng Yuxiu was angry in the past, although he was cold, at least his eyes would show disdain and impatience. In short, he could still give him a look with all sorts of emotions.

But this time, those eyes were so cold that it was as if Han Shuo was no longer a living person, not even a cat, dog, flower, or tree, but air, colorless and odorless air, unable to evoke his liking or disgust.

"Tsk." Han Shuo felt a tightness in his chest and shortness of breath just thinking about it, and he felt particularly uncomfortable.

Evening self-study hadn't started yet, and the classroom was noisy, which made him even more irritable.

He suddenly realized that he was acting strangely this time as well. Before, when Meng Yuxiu ignored him, he didn't feel much emotionally. But now, just thinking about Meng Yuxiu made him inexplicably angry.

He seriously doubted that he was a bottom, and after being slept with by men, he also became pretentious. No wonder there are so many effeminate gay men.

"..." Damn, Han Shuo suddenly felt a chill. Could it be that he would inexplicably end up on this path in the future?

Han Shuo was immediately startled and quickly cleared his mind, turning his gaze to the dark window.

"Hey Han Shuo," Pi Dan asked him, "how are you going to get home after your final exams this week? Is your brother coming to pick you up?"

Han Shuo: "Why should he answer?"

Doufu turned her head from the front row and asked, "How are you going to take your books back? And your blankets and stuff from the dorm?"

Han Shuo had completely forgotten about this. Back in the 21st century when he was in college, he could simply throw his blankets away during holidays and order more things online when the new semester started.

That wouldn't work in those days; every household was extremely frugal, even with just a needle and thread.

Han Shuo asked Pan Xiaodong, "Xiaodong, do you still have any snakeskin bags at home? Bring me two over on the day of the exam."

"Sure, do you want a carrying pole? If so, I'll get you one too."

"No need for a carrying pole, I can't carry that stuff anyway."

“Okay.” Pan Xiaodong readily agreed. He opened the books he was going to review during evening self-study, then suddenly remembered something and mysteriously waved to Han Shuo and the other two.

Pidan leaned closer and asked curiously, "What's wrong?"

Normally, Pan Xiaodong and Han Shuo are equally thick-skinned, but today he was actually a little embarrassed. He whispered to the three of them, "Um, are you guys free during the first month of the lunar year?"

Tofu: "During the first month of the lunar year, you have to visit relatives. If you don't visit relatives, you have nothing to do."

Pidan, being an impatient person, hurriedly asked, "What's wrong? What happened?"

Pan Xiaodong chuckled and said, "I'd like to invite you to my wedding."

Han Shuo was taken aback and asked, "Attending a wedding banquet? Whose is it? Don't tell me it's your wedding banquet."

Pan Xiaodong: "Otherwise, why would I call you?"

The preserved eggs and tofu caused a stir, and Pan Xiaodong was bombarded with questions.

When Han Shuo heard Pan Xiaodong say she was going to marry a man, he couldn't help but frown and bare his teeth, "You're getting married so early? Can't you wait until you graduate high school?"

Pan Xiaodong said nonchalantly, "Isn't it the same whether we get married sooner or later? Besides, I've been dating my girlfriend for a year, I can't keep him waiting, can I?"

"Is your partner a student?" Han Shuo asked.

"No, he works at the county supply and marketing cooperative."

The preserved egg and tofu excitedly remarked from the side, "Your partner is quite a catch!"

"Who else in the class did you invite to your wedding?" Tofu asked.

“The whole class called out, as well as the homeroom teacher and several other teachers who teach our class.” Pan Xiaodong nudged Han Shuo next to him with his elbow and said with a nod of his chin, “Why don’t you call Meng Yuxiu too?”

Han Shuo said irritably, "Why would I call him? Are you that close to him?"

Pan Xiaodong: "I'm not familiar with him, but aren't you two dating? I've already invited you, so shouldn't you bring your partner to the wedding banquet too?"

"Ha, who's dating him?"

Pan Xiaodong had a knowing look on his face. "Whether you call me or not is up to you. Anyway, my wedding banquet was very lavish, with lots of fish and meat. You might as well eat it."

Han Shuo looked at him and said with amusement, "It's like I'm eating money that isn't yours."

The bell rang for evening self-study, and the homeroom teacher entered the classroom to make an inspection. Pan Xiaodong quickly sat down in his seat, while Han Shuo idly flipped through his review materials.

He just couldn't concentrate. He had already successfully diverted his attention, but a single sentence from Pan Xiaodong made him unhappy again.

"And you even called Meng Yuxiu along? What a load of crap!" Han Shuo cursed inwardly, flipping through the book in his hands with a rustling sound.

As they flipped through the pages, everything suddenly went black, and at the same time, gasps of surprise erupted in the classroom.

The homeroom teacher told everyone to be quiet, suspecting that the power outage was caused by aging wiring, and then she hurriedly left the classroom.

With the homeroom teacher gone and it pitch black, the students were both excited and thrilled. Their howls and screams could be heard throughout the entire teaching building. Some students waved their flashlights around aimlessly, while others ran into the corridors or visited other classrooms.

Han Shuo looked at the flickering light in the darkness, then glanced at the shadowy corridor. A flicker of emotion crossed his eyes for a moment, then he abruptly stood up and rushed out of the classroom.

Because it was so dark and his vision was obstructed, he felt a slight sense of floating as he walked. Han Shuo felt his way down the stairs, his ears filled with the sounds of students playing and laughing all the way.

He groped his way to the back door of Class 1. The situation in Class 1 was similar to that in Class 7. When the power went out, few people could remain calm in their seats.

Several students were chatting outside the back door of the classroom. Han Shuo couldn't see them clearly, so he just grabbed one of them and asked, "Meng Yuxiu?"

"I am not."

Han Shuo pushed one aside, and while reaching towards a familiar spot, he grabbed another person and asked if it was Meng Yuxiu.

Han Shuo stopped when he touched the cold surface of the desk, then moved his hand to the side, until it reached the warm and firm arm.

He bent down and leaned closer to the man, "Meng Yuxiu?"

The man didn't speak, but Han Shuo was already certain it was Meng Yuxiu. In fact, the environment was so dark that even the location of a person's eyes and nose was indistinguishable, yet Han Shuo was absolutely certain he had found the right person.

"Who is it? They're crowding me." Meng Yuxiu's deskmate nudged Han Shuo.

As he grew closer to Meng Yuxiu, he found himself increasingly unable to tolerate Meng Yuxiu's cold attitude towards him. So, before Han Shuo arrived, he had already planned to rush into Class 1's classroom and, taking advantage of the power outage, give Meng Yuxiu a romantic talk or a wall slam, just like in TV dramas.

Meng Yuxiu, however, did not give Han Shuo any face and remained firmly seated in his position.

Han Shuo had no choice but to forget his original purpose for coming. He leaned close to his ear and whispered a threat: "Come outside with me and let's talk. If you don't come out, I'll pin you down on the table and kiss you right here."

"..." Meng Yuxiu frowned slightly, but he felt that Han Shuo was capable of doing such a thing. As long as it wasn't a matter of who was on top or bottom in bed, Han Shuo didn't care about losing face.

He had no choice but to stand up and let Han Shuo grab his arm and lead him out of the classroom, out of the teaching building, and onto the steps leading to the playground.

Just as they arrived, they heard cheers from the students inside the teaching building, which was also brightly lit.

Damn, the circuit was fixed so quickly? Han Shuo looked at Meng Yuxiu's indifferent expression and felt very frustrated. He hadn't even started to create a warm atmosphere yet.

Meng Yuxiu said expressionlessly, "Go ahead and speak."

Han Shuo gave him a sheepish smile, then moved closer to him, standing shoulder to shoulder.

"Are you still angry?"

Meng Yuxiu withdrew his gaze from Han Shuo's face and instead looked at the empty and deserted playground.

"Don't be angry." Han Shuo moved even closer and tilted his head slightly towards him. "You've been pregnant for several days now, and final exams are coming up soon. After the final exams, we'll have to go our separate ways and go back to our respective homes. Then it'll be Chinese New Year, and we won't be able to see each other for a long time."

As if he had touched a nerve with Meng Yuxiu, Han Shuo saw his eyelashes tremble for a moment, so Han Shuo pressed on, "Be good, don't be angry. It was my fault that day, I shouldn't have made fun of you."

But then, for some unknown reason, a word struck a nerve with Meng Yuxiu, and his previously visibly moved expression instantly turned cold again.

Having no other choice, Han Shuo had to resort to his ultimate move; he refused to believe he couldn't subdue this kid tonight.

He looked around to make sure no one was behind him, then half-hug, half-embrace Meng Yuxiu, almost biting his ear as he asked, "Don't be angry... How about this, I'll let you fuck me, okay?"

He deliberately used a certain word in a very explicit way, and while speaking, he secretly glanced at Meng Yuxiu's pants. Sure enough, even the most detached young monk could not resist the temptation of his first sexual experience.

Seeing Meng Yuxiu gently roll his Adam's apple, Han Shuo inwardly clicked his tongue in disdain. Still giving me that cold look? He's got a hard time, though. Let me give you another dose of that spice, and see if your legs go weak.

Han Shuo leaned in and slowly, delicately kissed Meng Yuxiu's long neck, asking between kisses, "Do you want to?... Hmm? Do you want to fuck me, hmm?..."

Meng Yuxiu moved, but he didn't show the shy yet eager expression Han Shuo had expected.

Meng Yuxiu gently pushed Han Shuo away, creating some distance, and then stared into Han Shuo's eyes and asked, "Why did you let me fuck you?"

Han Shuo was taken aback. "Huh?"

"Why are you fucking me?" Meng Yuxiu repeated.

Han Shuo's lips twitched. What the hell? Why is he suddenly asking why? No, does he even need to ask why? The reason he was able to be with Meng Yuxiu was obviously because the two of them had pre-arranged a second task, wasn't it?

No, he himself had previously been asking, "Han Shuo, when are we going to do the mission?"

Why are you asking such a strange question again?

"It's just because of a mission," Meng Yuxiu said.

Han Shuo couldn't immediately tell whether it was a question or a statement, so he blankly said "Ah".

"You like me?"

Han Shuo could definitely answer this question. As always, if he hesitated on this kind of question at a time like this, he might as well be an idiot.

Without hesitation, not even for a second, he replied, "Of course I like it, is that even a question?"

Meng Yuxiu didn't speak. He stared intently into Han Shuo's eyes, as if trying to discern something within them.

Han Shuo felt uneasy under his gaze.

"What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Meng Yuxiu stared for a long time, so long that when Han Shuo waved his hand in front of his face twice, he frowned, looked away, and then coldly said, "No need," before turning and walking towards the teaching building.

This really angered Han Shuo; it was completely inexplicable. He was furious and decided not to bother trying to appease him anymore.

Damn! What is this? He said he didn't need it, making it sound like he was so desperate, offering himself up and getting rejected. The more Han Shuo thought about this, the more uncomfortable he felt, as if he had been slapped in the face in public.

He strode over and gave Meng Yuxiu a hard shove.

Meng Yuxiu was not paying attention and was pushed so hard that he stumbled.

Han Shuo pointed at his nose and started cursing: "Damn it! Who do you think you are? I've been trying so hard to please you, and you still give me that sour look. What do you want?!"

Meng Yuxiu stared coldly at Han Shuo, his chest heaving violently, but he tried his best to control his emotions and still gritted his teeth and turned around.

Seeing him leave again, Han Shuo's anger flared up even more. With a mix of anger and inexplicable anxiety, he quickly chased after him and shoved Meng Yuxiu hard once more.

"You fucking tell me! What the hell do you want?!"

After being pushed twice in a row, Meng Yuxiu finally lost his temper. He heaved his chest heavily a couple of times, looked at Han Shuo, and gritted his teeth, saying, "I want you to like me!"

Han Shuo was taken aback.

What the heck?

"Don't I fucking like you?" Even he himself thought the conversation was pretty stupid.

For someone as proud as Meng Yuxiu, it was already the limit for him to vent his innermost thoughts, but human intuition is also very accurate.

Even if Han Shuo stood there and told him he liked him many times, he still couldn't get what he truly wanted.

Han Shuo looked at Meng Yuxiu's slightly reddened eyes. He had been talking until his throat was dry, but Meng Yuxiu insisted that he didn't see any affection in his eyes.

He was truly speechless. Were all young boys these days so sensitive? He had already said he liked it so much that even he himself thought it was true love.

Seeing Meng Yuxiu turn to leave again, Han Shuo was both annoyed and exhausted. It seemed that he had really spoiled him and was becoming more and more lawless. He even peed on his neck.

He cursed at Meng Yuxiu's retreating figure, "Think what you want, I'm not putting up with you anymore! Damn it!"

Meng Yuxiu paused for a moment, but after a couple of seconds, he continued walking forward.

Han Shuo felt a tightness in his chest, as if he had endless anger. He rushed forward, grabbed Meng Yuxiu's shoulder, and said fiercely, "Since you don't want what I offer you, then give me back my money! Give me back my two yuan!"