Chapter 373 (Updated 3731)
373:
Since Qin Cheng had already said that, Ye Qingxi didn't let him take it off anymore.
He thought that Qin Cheng might find it troublesome to wear it and would take it off himself.
However, he never expected that for the next month, two months, one year, two years, and even ten years, Qin Cheng would not take it off and would wear it for the rest of his life.
In the blink of an eye, autumn has passed and winter has arrived, with the first snow falling quietly.
Huo Zinan's birthday arrived before Ye Qingxi along with the first snow.
This was his first birthday here. Ye Qingxi was worried that he had no family or other friends and would be lonely, so she specially asked Mu Shaowu to let her celebrate his birthday with him.
He ordered a cake and a lavish dinner for Huo Zinan.
"Make a wish," Ye Qingxi said with a smile as she lit the candle.
Huo Zinan looked at him, closed his eyes, and sincerely made a wish: He hoped that he and Ye Qingxi could be good friends for life, that Ye Qingxi could always be as happy as she is now, and that when he grew up, he could earn more money than he did when he was a child, so that he could repay the debt he owed Ye Qingxi and be able to help her.
He opened his eyes and blew out the candle in one breath.
Ye Qingxi clapped her hands and wished him a happy birthday, saying, "Happy birthday, congratulations on turning fourteen."
He took out the birthday gift he had prepared for Huo Zinan, a silver-white watch with a dial divided into sun and moon sections. After a long night, the sun would slowly rise on the dial, marking the arrival of a new day.
Huo Zinan didn't know the brand of this watch, but he could tell it was very valuable just from the gorgeous dial.
He looked up at Ye Qingxi and thought to himself that he didn't need to give him any gifts, let alone such expensive ones, because his appearance was the best and most precious birthday gift for his fourteenth birthday.
Or rather, Ye Qingxi's existence is the most precious gift this world has given him.
He appeared when he was at his most desperate, painful, self-exiled, and self-loathing, giving him new life and hope, and telling him that he could also live a different way.
Thus, Ye Qingxi naturally became the most indispensable person in his heart, unrelated to love, yet occupying the most important part of his emotions.
That night, Ye Qingxi didn't rush to leave, but stayed the night to spend his most unique birthday with him.
As Huo Zinan took out a new quilt to prepare for bed, she teased him in a good mood, "You're so good to me, aren't you afraid I'll fall for you?"
Ye Qingxi: ? ? ?
Ye Qingxi was so startled that she froze on the spot, staring at him in a daze.
Huo Zinan laughed at his reaction.
He deliberately said, "You were there for me during my worst days, and you were so gentle, considerate, and caring towards me. Once you've seen the ocean, other waters seem insignificant. With someone like you around, no one else can compare, right?"
Ye Qingxi: ...Ah, this
Ye Qingxi unconsciously gripped the blanket tighter, completely unsure how to respond.
But soon he realized something was wrong. If Huo Zinan really liked him, why would she say something like that to him now?
Especially since he himself is not a frank person.
"Are you kidding me?" Ye Qingxi said.
"You can tell?" Huo Zinan asked, feigning surprise.
Ye Qingxi finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Nonsense, if you really liked me, or were planning to like me, why would you say something like that to me?"
Huo Zinan smiled and said, "That's right. If I liked you, wouldn't that be repaying kindness with enmity?"
"ah?"
"Think about it, what is your status, what is my status, and if we're together, you're truly helping the poor."
Ye Qingxi: ...
Ye Qingxi was both amused and exasperated.
He felt that it shouldn't be said that way.
Liking someone isn't determined by their status.
His uncle likes Duan Yi, so they would be a good match.
Even though Duan Yi's status was not as high as his uncle's.
“You won’t be like this forever,” Ye Qingxi said. “When you grow up, you will definitely make something of yourself and have your own identity.”
“At that time, you will still be of a higher status than me,” Huo Zinan said.
"But I don't think love needs to be judged by these things."
As Huo Zinan listened, he felt that his good friend was indeed as clear as water.
How can one not need love?
What he just said wasn't entirely to tease Ye Qingxi; at least, the saying "once you've seen the ocean, you can't be satisfied with a river" is true.
But precisely because it's true, he won't like Ye Qingxi.
Ye Qingxi deserves someone better, someone more outstanding, someone far beyond what someone like him can match.
So all he needs to do is be Ye Qingxi's friend. Friends can stay friends for life, never break up, never fall out, and never become strangers.
In this way, he can stay by his side forever, accompany him, support him, and help him.
Huo Zinan didn't want to be his lover because lovers would argue, be jealous, want to possess, and need to stand on an equal footing with him to exchange their feelings.
But he wouldn't argue with Ye Qingxi, nor would he ever try to possess him or be jealous of the people around him.
He couldn't put himself on an equal footing with him.
From the moment he appeared at his bedroom door, from the moment he handed him the little sunflower from eight years in the future, from the moment he folded the flowers left for him one by one, from the moment he led him away from his home, he had become the eternal sunlight in his heart, and he was willing to bow his head for him.
Ye Qingxi was looking at him at eye level, but he had already begun to look up at her.
Ye Qingxi, of course, had no idea what his friend was thinking. After expressing his views on love, he put the blanket on the bed.
Huo Zinan didn't say much.
To him, Ye Qingxi was always innocent and cheerful—otherwise, why would she help him so much just because they had known each other before?
Anyway, he will be Ye Qingxi's friend for life, so he will naturally see those who like him and fantasize about being with him.
If the other person is truly outstanding, then so be it.
If the other party is just a scoundrel trying to eat swan meat, then he also has ways to make the other party expose their true colors.
Therefore, Ye Qingxi can naturally continue to maintain her innocence and radiance.
—A person as wonderful as him should be able to live however he wants, as long as he's happy.
Huo Zinan helped him make the bed, and they lay down side by side under their respective blankets.
The two whispered to each other for a while until Ye Qingxi got sleepy and slowly fell asleep.
On the second Wednesday after his birthday, Huo Zinan said in a video call with Ye Qingxi that evening, "I guess I won't eat with you and your brother anymore."
"Why?" Ye Qingxi asked him.
"Of course it's because I'm embarrassed," Huo Zinan thought to himself. It's been so long, even if he didn't know before, he's guessed now. Before he came, Ye Qingxi must have been having lunch alone with Qin Cheng every day.
Now that he's suddenly here, and Qin Cheng isn't familiar with him, how can Qin Cheng enjoy his lunch?
In particular, Qin Cheng is clearly not the kind of person who enjoys socializing.
When he first arrived, Ye Qingxi was clearly very worried about him. If he refused, Ye Qingxi would only worry more, so he didn't say anything and ate lunch with them every day and walked back together.
Now, he has been here for almost a month and has met some people, so Huo Zinan feels that Ye Qingxi should be more at ease with him and not worry about him being alone without him by her side.
However, he didn't say that; instead, he used a version that Ye Qingxi would find more acceptable.
"I'd like to have a simple lunch so I can have more time to study," Huo Zinan said.
Ye Qingxi nodded upon hearing this.
The midterm exams were over. He had asked Huo Zinan about his grades, but Huo Zinan changed the subject, so Ye Qingxi knew that he probably hadn't done very well.
This is normal. After all, child stars like them spend most of their time on film sets, so it would be surprising if they did well on exams.
Now, Huo Zinan wants to save his mealtime to study hard, which is a sign of his positive attitude and ambition. Ye Qingxi has no objection. After all, he has been reborn, and in order to maintain his current position as the top student in his grade, he often does practice problems until late at night.
So Ye Qingxi agreed, "Okay, if you want to have dinner with me, just send me a WeChat message."
"Mm." Huo Zinan nodded.
The two talked for a while longer before hanging up the video call.
The next day at noon, when Qin Cheng was having lunch with Ye Qingxi, they passed by the junior high school section of No. 1 Middle School. He was a little puzzled to see that Ye Qingxi did not stop.
"Huo Zinan didn't come to school today?" he asked.
Ye Qingxi shook her head. "He told me last night that he would eat by himself from now on."
Qin Cheng: ?
Qin Cheng was puzzled. Why did he suddenly eat it himself?
However, that's not the point. The point is that Ye Qingxi has been sleeping in his bedroom lately to make up for the time he missed having lunch alone with him. Now that that time has come back, will Ye Qingxi continue to sleep in his bedroom?
At first, Qin Cheng had already accepted that he and Ye Qingxi would each sleep in their own rooms.
But Huo Zinan's appearance led Ye Qingxi to sleep in his bedroom.
Now, he has gotten used to this kind of life, but Ye Qingxi may have to sleep in her own room again. Just thinking about it makes Qin Cheng feel irritable.
People are always like this: when they don't have something, they're fine, but once they have it, they don't want to lose it again.
But Qin Cheng didn't want Ye Qingxi to be unhappy; he always hoped his younger brother would be happy and at ease.
Therefore, he can even hide his feelings and thoughts.
Therefore, Qin Cheng didn't say anything, just gave a simple "hmm".
Ye Qingxi glanced at him and saw that he was indifferent, thinking to herself that he really didn't show his emotions.
He thought Qin Cheng would be happy to hear this news, but it seems he wasn't.
He truly lives up to his reputation as a mature and steady older brother!
The two had a meal together, and after finishing, they returned to their neighborhood.
Qin Cheng pressed the elevator button, and then Ye Qingxi pressed the elevator button as well.
Qin Cheng's heart sank at that moment.
"I'm going back for a bit," Ye Qingxi said.
Qin Cheng nodded.
He reassured himself that it was nothing.
Before Huo Zinan arrived, they slept separately like this.
This is normal.
That makes sense.
After the elevator arrived, he said, "Shall I head back now?"
Ye Qingxi: ?
Ye Qingxi wanted to ask him if he wasn't going up with her.
Then she realized she wasn't a child anymore, so why should she need someone else to accompany her in everything? She nodded and said, "Mm."
Qin Cheng turned and walked out of the elevator.
Ye Qingxi then returned to her floor.
Qin Cheng entered the room and went into the master bedroom.
On the 2x2 meter bed were two pillows, two quilts, and the pajamas that Ye Qingxi had changed out of yesterday.
At first, there was only one pillow and one quilt on the bed. Later, when Ye Qingxi came, he added a new pillow and quilt.
But now, none of that is needed anymore.
Qin Cheng walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed.
He had no desire to sleep and couldn't fall asleep.
Ye Qingxi's sudden departure took away all his sleepiness.
He looked at Ye Qingxi's pajamas, wondering if he had changed into his own pajamas and was ready to sleep.
The past month has felt like a dream.
When I woke up, everything went back to how it was at the beginning.
But he himself seemed unable to accept it.
Qin Cheng unconsciously reached out and stroked Ye Qingxi's pajamas.
Just as I was stroking it, the door suddenly opened.
Qin Cheng immediately stopped what he was doing, stood up, and walked out with a puzzled look in his eyes.
He saw Ye Qingxi carrying a bag in the living room.
Qin Cheng: ? ? ?
An undercurrent of emotion was churning within Qin Cheng.
He asked, "Didn't you go back?"
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