Chapter 39

Gu Zhao seemed to have been pressed pause — his expression went blank for a few seconds, then he slowly turned his face back.

Deep in those pitch-black eyes, a visible storm was gathering; the large hand gripping that slender waist kept tightening, and his voice turned hoarse: 'You kissed me?'

Ji Su was so embarrassed his cheeks had flushed all the way through; he pleaded in a very small voice: 'Can you let go of me first?'

On the other side of the door, Qiao Jin was still persistently pounding: 'Someone! Come open the door!'

Gu Zhao clenched his back teeth, the veins at his temples pulsing, his gaze dark and unreadable.

Ji Su was both anxious and afraid; the hand resting on the back of Gu Zhao's neck rubbed against him in a placating way: 'Gu Zhao gege...'

Gu Zhao pinched that soft cheek with one hand, his tone fierce and harsh: 'Fine. You owe me.'

Ji Su's heart loosened — he had no time at all to think about the deeper meaning of those words.

Gu Zhao held his waist and easily lifted him back to sit on the table, then turned to go open the door himself.

'Is anyone actually—' Qiao Jin, outside the door, suddenly swung at empty air.

The Dormitory door opened, and a handsome, cold face appeared before him.

'Holy shit!' Qiao Jin looked up at the Dormitory number plate. 'No way, I didn't go to the wrong Dormitory!'

'You didn't go to the wrong one.' Gu Zhao replied coldly.

Qiao Jin walked quickly into the Dormitory, exchanged a glance with Ji Su who was leaning against the table, and only then relaxed: 'Really didn't go to the wrong one!'

Ji Su recovered his composure, eager to send the man away: 'Gu Zhao, let me walk you downstairs.'

'No need.' Gu Zhao looked at him. 'Rest well. I'm leaving.'

Qiao Jin watched that tall figure leave, closed the Dormitory door, and belatedly caught a whiff of something fishy: 'Wait — what were you two just doing in the Dormitory?'

The flush that had just faded from Ji Su's face crept back up; he replied evasively: 'Nothing. Gu Zhao just came up to our Dormitory to take a look.'

'No no no!' Qiao Jin walked over, staring at him with eyes sharp as a hawk's: 'I knocked for at least two or three minutes. You two definitely have something going on!'

Ji Su: 'We don't...'

'You don't love me anymore, Susu baby.' Qiao Jin clutched his heart with both hands, face full of grief: 'You're keeping things from me now!'

Ji Su reluctantly confessed: 'Fine. There are some things you don't know about.'

'I knew it!' Qiao Jin slammed the table hard: 'Speak up, and speak truthfully!'

Ji Su deliberated for a moment, then said in brief: 'Gu Zhao said he likes me.'

'Holy shit holy shit! What did I say?' Qiao Jin wore an expression of having predicted this long ago, launching into a rapid-fire interrogation: 'When did this happen? Are you together now? How far have things progressed?'

Ji Su selectively answered the first two questions: 'It happened not long ago. We're not together yet.'

Qiao Jin was hurt again: 'Something this big, and you didn't even tell me!'

'I'm sorry Xiao Qiao, I wasn't deliberately hiding it from you.' Ji Su explained. 'At first I didn't know he was serious, and I didn't want to make things more complicated, so I didn't tell anyone.'

Qiao Jin pressed: 'Are you sure he's serious now?'

Ji Su nodded: 'Mm.'

Qiao Jin paced around the Dormitory, then asked: 'So what are you thinking? Do you like him?'

Ji Su was silent for a moment, his voice dropping: 'I don't know, Xiao Qiao.'

'How can you not know?' Qiao Jin said in surprise. 'Whether you like someone or not, you should know that best yourself.'

'You know, I've never liked anyone before.' Ji Su replied softly.

He had also never met anyone like Gu Zhao — someone who invaded his life with such forceful presence, every move impossible to fend off.

But he knew he was starved for affection; he was afraid he was only greedy for Gu Zhao's kindness toward him, only accustomed to the other's meticulous care, and not truly in love.

That would be too unfair to Gu Zhao.

'How about this — let me tell you my experience of liking someone.' Qiao Jin pulled over a chair and sat down. 'Liking someone means thinking about them every moment, wanting to see them, being happy when you do.'

Ji Su thought for a moment: 'But I'm like that with you too.'

'How could that be the same?' Qiao Jin wagged his finger. 'And the most important point is, liking someone means wanting to be physically intimate with them. Do you want that?'

Ji Su didn't answer, but his ears quietly turned red.

'Look look look!' Qiao Jin got worked up again. 'Honestly now — were you two being physically intimate just now?'

'I'm not talking to you anymore.' Ji Su's heart was in a tangle; he turned and walked toward the bathroom. 'I'm going to take a shower first.'

'Fine, I think it's right for you to think it over more.' Qiao Jin called after him. 'The way Gu Zhao looks at you is straight up wolfish, and he looks like the type who'd really wear you out — be careful, baby!'

Ji Su stumbled and nearly took a header on flat ground.

Qiao Jin added: 'If you have any questions about that kind of thing you want to consult me about, feel free to ask!'

Ji Su didn't look back: 'No!'

*

The next evening, Ji Su went with Qiao Jin to the cafeteria for dinner.

As soon as they entered, he saw Gu Zhao sitting by the window, waiting for him.

Ji Su reminded him in a low voice: 'Xiao Qiao, don't say anything random to Gu Zhao later.'

'Oh come on, don't you trust me?' Qiao Jin agreed readily. 'I promise I won't say anything random.'

Ji Su walked over and greeted Gu Zhao.

'Sit first.' Gu Zhao indicated. 'I've already ordered food for you.'

'Ooh ooh ooh!' The moment Qiao Jin opened his mouth, he was at his old passive-aggressive self. 'Who would have thought Campus Heartthrob Gu was so thoughtful.'

Gu Zhao raised his eyes: 'You have an opinion?'

Qiao Jin laughed dryly: 'No opinion.'

Ji Su: '...'

Fine. He was overthinking it.

Just as he was about to sit down, the phone in his pocket buzzed. Ji Su pulled it out and glanced at the screen: 'I'll take this call.'

Qiao Jin sat down across from Gu Zhao, racking his brain for how to probe and interrogate, when the other spoke first: 'In previous years, how did Ji Su spend his birthday?'

'Birthday?' Qiao Jin was startled. 'Why are you asking that?'

Gu Zhao looked at him expressionlessly: 'Because I want to know.'

'Oh right, Susu's birthday is coming up!' Qiao Jin finally reacted. 'You want to throw Susu a birthday?'

Gu Zhao, sparing with words: 'Mm.'

Qiao Jin's eyes rolled, and he boldly provoked: 'Campus Heartthrob Gu, that's not the attitude of someone asking for a favor.'

Gu Zhao didn't take the bait, and asked out of nowhere: 'You like Zhou Yang?'

Qiao Jin blurted out: 'How do you know?'

The moment he said it, he realized he'd just confessed without being asked, and tried to cover it up: 'No, don't talk nonsense!'

'I'm not interested in what's between you two.' Gu Zhao raised his hand and tapped the table with his knuckles. 'I only want to know about Ji Su.'

Qiao Jin was still very nervous: 'Can you not tell Zhou Yang about this first?'

Gu Zhao laughed coldly: 'Now you're the one asking me for a favor.'

'Fine, I'll tell you, alright?' Qiao Jin knew he couldn't outmatch him, and could only honestly explain: 'Susu doesn't like celebrating birthdays, so every year I just give him a birthday gift. Nothing special.'

Gu Zhao frowned: 'Why doesn't he like celebrating birthdays?'

'Because...' Qiao Jin hesitated, then lowered his voice: 'Because his family doesn't remember his birthday, so he's never had the habit of celebrating since he was little.'

His birth mother was far away abroad; sometimes when she remembered, she'd transfer him money, sometimes she was busy and forgot, and that was that.

His father had devoted all his heart to his stepmother and younger son, with no mind to celebrate his birthday.

'Understood.' Gu Zhao responded. 'I won't get involved in you and Zhou Yang's business.'

Qiao Jin immediately breathed a sigh of relief, gratefully: 'Thank you.'

Just then Ji Su came back from his phone call and casually asked: 'What were you two talking about?'

'Nothing.' Gu Zhao's gaze landed on his face. 'Who called?'

Ji Su settled into the seat beside Qiao Jin: 'A client from before — they've got a new commission and wanted to know if I'd take it.'

'It's finals already, where would you find time for commissions?' Qiao Jin picked up the thread. 'Turn it down, Susu.'

'It's fine.' Ji Su smiled. 'The commission isn't urgent — I can carve out a little time for it.'

Gu Zhao wanted to say something; the words circled his mouth once, then he swallowed them back. 'Get some rest. Don't overdo it.'

After dinner, the three of them went to the Library to study.

Gu Zhao had saved seats in the study room ahead of time; Qiao Jin had no seat to claim and could only find a corner in the downstairs lobby to read.

A little past nine, Ji Su closed his textbook and prepared to head back to the Dormitory.

The two of them left the Library and walked side by side through the quiet campus.

After a stretch of walking, Gu Zhao suddenly opened his mouth to ask: 'Starting tomorrow, you two don't have classes anymore, do you?'

Ji Su nodded. 'That's right — this semester's courses are all finished.'

He was not in the least surprised that Gu Zhao knew so precisely, given that the man had memorised his class schedule down to the last slot.

'Then would you like to come stay at my place for a few days while you prepare?' Gu Zhao proposed, his tone unhurried. 'No one would disturb your review, and you wouldn't have to run to the Library every day.'

For one brief, shameful moment, Ji Su's heart stirred.

His roommates, cramming at the last minute, had been holed up in the Dormitory reviewing deep into the small hours these past few days — and they kept coming over to pepper him with questions of every kind, breaking the rhythm of his drawing.

If he went elsewhere to study, there would be none of that.

Gu Zhao seemed to read the stirring in him and went on, adding: 'I could cook for you, too — no need to eat at the cafeteria.'

Ji Su wavered for a few seconds, then made up his mind to refuse. 'No, the Dormitory is convenient enough for me.'

He already spent more than enough hours in Gu Zhao's company each day; once the two of them were shut up alone in one room, what might happen could easily slip beyond his control...

'What are you worried about?' Gu Zhao turned his gaze sideways. 'Afraid I'll take advantage of the situation?'

Ji Su: '...'

Could he admit it? Of course not.

'How could I be?' His long, dense lashes trembled with quiet guilt as Ji Su denied it in a small voice. 'I'm afraid of troubling you too much.'

Gu Zhao: 'I don't mind the trouble.'

Ji Su held his ground. 'The exams are only a few days away — no point going back and forth.'

'I bought a bed and put it in the Secondary Bedroom.' Gu Zhao spoke again. 'You stay in the Secondary Bedroom, I stay in the Main Bedroom — we won't get in each other's way.'

Ji Su's steps faltered; his expression went faintly stunned.

He knew how hard it was for a person to overturn a fixed idea of his own — and yet Gu Zhao had simply broken the room's original arrangement, all so that Ji Su could stay for a week of finals.

Gu Zhao's tone stayed even, with no trace of insistence in it. 'Think it over a little more.'

*

After a night of turning it over, Ji Su decided the next day to go stay at Gu Zhao's Residence for a few days.

For one thing, he had genuinely been tempted; for another, he did not want to slight the care Gu Zhao had shown in buying a bed just for him.

He packed a few changes of clothes in a small bag, but mainly brought his books and his computer, and told his roommates he was going to stay at a relative's place for a few days.

That excuse might fool the other roommates, but it could not fool Qiao Jin.

Qiao Jin followed him down the stairs. 'Susu, you're going to stay at Gu Zhao's Residence, aren't you?'

'Yes.' Ji Su admitted it. 'But don't worry — I'll stay in the Secondary Bedroom.'

'You're really too naive, Susu!' Qiao Jin stamped his foot. 'The moment you step into Gu Zhao's home, you're a little lamb walking into the big bad wolf's den — sooner or later there won't be a single bone left of you!'

Ji Su: 'It won't...'

Qiao Jin's expression was hard to read. 'Just you wait and see, if you don't believe me.'

Ji Su stopped walking and said, in earnest: 'Xiao Qiao, as long as I don't agree, he won't do anything excessive to me.'

Just like the previous times — no matter how close they came, the moment Ji Su pulled away, Gu Zhao would not truly force him.

Although he would, by every means he could think of, find some other way to make it up to himself...

'Fine, then. Since you're willing to vouch for him like that, I have nothing more to say.' Qiao Jin pressed his palms together. 'Last question — if I run into something I don't understand while I'm reviewing, can I WeChat call you?'

'Of course you can.' Ji Su answered. 'But as long as you've properly memorised the key points I marked out for you, passing won't be a problem.'

'Got it!' Qiao Jin blew him a flying kiss. 'Love you, love you!'

Ji Su stepped out of the Dormitory Building, looked up, and saw a familiar tall figure waiting at the foot of the steps.

Gu Zhao strode forward to meet him, taking his suitcase with an easy, natural motion. 'Let's go.'

To make the trip back and forth to School easier, Gu Zhao had driven a car — a different one from last time.

Ji Su sat in the passenger seat, tapped into a WeChat chat, and transferred two thousand yuan to him. 'I sent you a little money — remember to accept it later.'

Gu Zhao rested one hand on the steering wheel. 'Why are you sending me money?'

Ji Su replied: 'Rent.'

Gu Zhao laughed in spite of himself. 'Rent?'

'It isn't much, but it's a small token of my regard.' Ji Su said it with great seriousness. 'Staying at your home these next few days will put you to a lot of trouble — I can't just live here for free.'

Gu Zhao glanced at him from the side and pressed down on the accelerator.

Ji Su's heart gave a jump; silently he reached up and tightened his grip on the seatbelt.

Before long the car had pulled into the underground garage of the complex.

The two of them took the elevator up; Gu Zhao punched in the code and pushed open the front door.

Ji Su walked in and changed into a pair of slippers. 'Which one is the Secondary Bedroom?'

Gu Zhao answered: 'The one next to the Main Bedroom.'

Ji Su walked further in, found the Secondary Bedroom, and pushed the door open.

Inside the room stood a large bed, its sheets and coverlet in a pattern he liked; a desk and a bookshelf were all in place — the furnishings were in no way inferior to those of the Main Bedroom.

'Have a look around — see if there's anything you don't like.' Gu Zhao stopped behind him. 'If there is, we'll change it.'

'There's nothing I don't like,' Ji Su stepped into the room and answered softly. 'I like all of it.'

'Good that you like it.' Gu Zhao walked in as well and set the suitcase down against the wall.

Ji Su set down his bag, turned around, and thanked him. 'Thank you.'

Gu Zhao walked toward him. 'How will you thank me?'

Ji Su instinctively stepped back, the edge of the desk pressing into him. 'How would you like me to thank you?'

Gu Zhao stopped in front of him and, with a lift of his hands, set Ji Su up on the desk.

Ji Su tensed at once and scrambled to change the subject. 'I-I'm a little hungry.'

Gu Zhao let out a laugh. 'I'm hungry too.'

Ji Su reached out to push him away. 'Then I'll go cook something for you.'

Gu Zhao caught the soft hand pressed against his chest and reminded him: 'Did you forget something?'

Ji Su blinked his lashes. 'Forget what?'

'What you owe me.' Gu Zhao slowly raised his hand, pressing his fingertips to his own cheek. 'A kiss.'

Ji Su pressed his lips together, righteous in neither word nor spirit. 'That... that was just a moment of desperation.'

He still did not know what had possessed him to do such a strange thing at the time — as if some part of him, beneath all knowing, had understood that a single kiss would be enough to soothe Gu Zhao.

'Whatever the reason, the fact that you kissed me is an established one.' Gu Zhao analysed it, unhurried.

The roots of Ji Su's ears flushed faintly pink; he asked in a small voice: 'Then what do you want?'

'A debt repaid is only right and proper.' Gu Zhao raised his other hand and cupped Ji Su's cheek. 'You owe me a kiss — naturally it must be repaid with a kiss.'

The flush at Ji Su's ears deepened a shade, and he tried to negotiate. 'Can it not be repaid some other way?'

Gu Zhao's gaze fixed, unblinking, on the red lips that opened and closed; his Adam's apple gave a single slow bob. 'No.'