After that, Lin Hao's gaze towards him changed. Chen Junping didn't deliberately say anything. He hadn't dated in college, and after entering the workforce, he didn't want to be tied down by anything too early. But he also didn't want to reject Lin Hao's overt and covert advances.
Young people, after all, always have a bit of vanity, hoping to be recognized and appreciated, whether for their talent or charm. So after a few polite exchanges, they exchanged glances quite a bit, but neither of them dared to make the final decision.
Of course, their evasive tactics didn't mean everyone around them was a fool. Their close friends were the first to notice. Lin Hao had a large circle of friends, and occasionally he would invite Chen Junping to his gatherings under various pretexts. His unusual concern for Chen Junping naturally didn't escape the notice of his friends, and so, amidst the cheers and perhaps because he was in high spirits, Lin Hao, emboldened by alcohol, blurted out:
"This is my boyfriend."
Chen Junping's heart skipped a beat. He glanced at Lin Hao with a flicker of his eyes, but when Lin Hao looked back at him with the same eager gaze, he quickly gave a perfunctory smile and lowered his head.
Lin Hao took it as tacit agreement. How could he possibly guess that Chen Junping had other intentions?
That night, on the way back, Lin Hao secretly tried to take Chen Junping's hand, but Chen Junping subtly avoided him. Lin Hao initially thought he was just embarrassed, but then Chen Junping walked faster and faster, remaining silent the whole time. Only then did Lin Hao realize that something was wrong.
"Aping..." He stood there, watching Chen Junping's retreating figure, and called out uncertainly.
Chen Junping stopped, and after a long while, he sighed softly:
“You didn’t even consult me,” he paused, then added, “Don’t make jokes like that again.”
Chen Junping's tone was calm and indifferent, yet it left Lin Hao speechless for a moment.
A man's passion doesn't always lead to the right decisions. But some right decisions are inseparable from that passion. Chen Junping presumptuously gave Lin Hao such a way out, but that passion gradually faded away.
Lin Hao felt a little disappointed, but he didn't say anything. He couldn't figure out Chen Junping's thoughts. Chen Junping's previous actions seemed like a response; at least he didn't dislike Lin Hao's attempts to be friendly. However, just when Lin Hao mustered up his courage, Chen Junping gave him a firm but not overt rebuff. This left him confused and anxious.
After thinking for a long time, he finally put his hands in his pockets and smiled faintly.
"knew."
Some words, once unspoken, will remain unspoken for a lifetime. A single word, a pair of hands, an embrace—the distance between them can ultimately become unimaginably far.
Their relationship seemed unaffected by that night, remaining unchanged. Only that one sentence remained, like a knot in their lives, occasionally surfacing in their minds and haunting their thoughts. Although neither of them wanted to mention it afterward.
They still texted each other long messages every night, would each hide under the covers and talk on the phone for an hour, and would take turns treating each other to dinner after work. They did things similar to couples, but they never even held hands.
Lin Hao grew increasingly confused, while Chen Junping felt perfectly at ease. He was a person who liked to do as he pleased; once he was comfortable in a certain environment, he didn't want any change. He found Lin Hao's cooperation and his friends' constant teasing and matchmaking pleasant and enjoyable. However, he didn't want to consider how long this should last, nor did he want to think about what path they should take next.
"I'm still young," he always thought. "Why make trouble for myself?"
Freedom is a trap that life sets for many. Later generations have to expend more energy to take responsibility and make amends for their mistakes. This is essentially because people are afraid of challenges, enjoy laziness, and are forced to use a dishonest excuse to beautify their lack of ambition.
Anyone who doesn't know Chen Junping well would probably think he's a man with a very good temper. He never gets angry easily, and he's a man of few words and gentle manners. He's cheerful but not ostentatious, considerate but tactful. Most of the time, he's like a quiet boy next door. However, as Lin Hao gradually got closer to him, he discovered that this boy next door harbored countless sharp thorns within his heart.
That was the fortress and armor he built for his own heart over 20 years, protecting himself from harm from the outside world.
So when Chen Junping occasionally let his guard down, Lin Hao always felt a sense of pity for him. He knew this thought was ridiculous, but Lin Hao had to admit it: Chen Junping's existence had caused his patriarchal thoughts to grow wildly like weeds.
That aloofness and cold beauty, like a towering peak, lured him to climb. Having already traversed part of the journey, Lin Hao didn't want to give up; he didn't want to miss the breathtaking view from the summit.
If this relationship had a so-called "honeymoon period," then the two years they worked together as colleagues certainly added a touch of warmth to this memorable time. Unlike his wavering attitude towards relationships, Chen Junping was exceptionally dedicated and serious at work. Both he and Lin Hao were very willing to endure hardship and never refused dirty or strenuous tasks. Sometimes, when faced with difficult problems, the two would often discuss them late into the night. At these times, Chen Junping would shed his ambiguous and evasive attitude and become quite persistent. On matters he believed in, even the slightest disagreement would prompt him to argue his case forcefully, refusing to compromise in the slightest.
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