Gu Fei looked at Jiang Cheng. At this moment, he felt it was very difficult to even give a surprised or bewildered expression, let alone answer.

How many times has this happened already? Jiang Cheng asked him so suddenly again without leaving him any time to think.

He asked Jiang Cheng to come over only because he wanted to reassure him. After Liu Fan, Li Yan and the others bandaged his leg in a fake cast and left, he immediately texted Jiang Cheng because he didn't know Jiang Cheng's situation but knew Jiang Cheng would be worried after seeing him fall on the rooftop. He just wanted Jiang Cheng to come over and see that he was fine and not worry.

But he didn't expect at all that Jiang Cheng would suddenly ask him such a question.

In a split second, his mind spun tens of thousands of times with thoughts that could fill up a stadium.

Whether intentionally or not, Jiang Cheng's question left him plenty of room. At least he didn't ask, "Are you willing to date me?"

No matter how he answered, Jiang Cheng still had room to maneuver.  

But he knew very clearly what kind of answer Jiang Cheng wanted. Although the question seemed to leave a lot of space, there could only be one answer in reality.

Yes, I've thought about it. I want to be with you.

Gu Fei really wanted to give a direct answer like this, but at this moment, the words that should have easily rolled off his tongue were incredibly hard to say.

Because he didn't know what kind of boyfriend Jiang Cheng wanted. Jiang Cheng probably hadn't thought about it either.

In fact, it was normal at this age to not think too far or too long even when considering it. I like him, yes I like him now, I'm willing now, I want to date now... What else is needed? Nothing else right?

But he had thought about it, thought about it too much.

Maybe Jiang Cheng was impulsive, or maybe he wasn't impulsive at all, just that he chose a seemingly impulsive moment.

But in any case, Gu Fei felt that he couldn't determine Jiang Cheng's thoughts in such a short time, or express his own thoughts. What kind of boyfriend do you want? What kind of relationship do you want?

No matter how he answered in this situation, it would be too casual.

He felt the only thing he could do now was to buy some time, so that Jiang Cheng and he himself could figure out each other's thoughts.

"Underage... dating?" Gu Fei said and then shut his mouth.

"Did you just hit your head?" Jiang Cheng looked at him with a hard-to-describe expression, like he was compassionately caring for a mentally disabled child, making Gu Fei feel this was an upgrade in stupidity after he had grinned foolishly in the darkness at a building earlier in the night.

"What I mean is..." Gu Fei wanted to explain further and quickly organized his words.

But Jiang Cheng suddenly stood up.

Gu Fei reflexively stood up with him. He didn't want Jiang Cheng to leave like this, and even less for Jiang Cheng to feel he would hesitate about this issue after they had done so many things beyond the scope of "classmates".

Before he could speak, Jiang Cheng frowned and retched sharply again. But nothing came out.

Gu Fei felt quite shocked. His words actually made Jiang Cheng nauseous to this extent?

"Bathroom?" Jiang Cheng asked him through gritted teeth.

"Over there," Gu Fei pointed, "Next to the kitchen..."

Before he finished speaking, Jiang Cheng had already rushed out and ran to the backyard.  

Gu Fei quickly grabbed a bottle of water from the shelf and followed him.

When he entered the bathroom, Jiang Cheng was bracing his knees and staring blankly at the toilet. He hesitated and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Suddenly felt like throwing up," Jiang Cheng said.

"Which sentence of mine was so..." Gu Fei was a little speechless, "So impactful?"

"Get lost," Jiang Cheng said briefly and retched again, but nothing came out.

"Are you feeling unwell somewhere?" Gu Fei was a little worried, "Caught a chill? There are still people on duty at the community hospital, let's go take a look?"

"No need," Jiang Cheng took a breath and straightened up, "This is just a side effect of my fear of heights."

Gu Fei was stunned for nearly ten seconds before asking again: "Fear of heights?"

"Yeah," Jiang Cheng said as he walked to the faucet and washed his face, "Is it that surprising."

Gu Fei didn't speak.  

Jiang Cheng wiped his face and turned to look at him, "I know it's not very appropriate to say this in the bathroom, but strike while the iron is hot. Since I've already started, the timing and location don't matter anymore."

"Okay," Gu Fei responded.

"Think about what I said tonight," Jiang Cheng said, "I'm going back first. I suddenly feel very sleepy and want to sleep. Call me when you get up tomorrow."

"Alright," Gu Fei said.

"Good night," Jiang Cheng waved his hand at him and turned to walk back into the store towards the entrance.

Gu Fei wiped the water that had been splashed on his face and followed behind him.

Jiang Cheng was suave and graceful in his words and actions until he reached the door, and just the two times he bent over and failed to pull up the rolling door destroyed his cool image.

"What's wrong with your door?" Jiang Cheng bent down and glanced at him with a displeased expression.

"Let me do it," Gu Fei went over to help pull up the door.

Jiang Cheng didn't wait for the door to fully open before slipping out. He said again outside, "Good night."

"Good night," Gu Fei said, holding the door and watching him leave.

Jiang Cheng rode away without looking back.  

Gu Fei closed the door again and plopped down heavily on a small stool next to it, spacing out for a long time.

Jiang Cheng wanted to just go to bed as soon as he got home, but considering he had climbed around a rooftop covered in dust and trash all night, he forcibly made himself take a shower first.

As he fell into bed, before his head even touched the pillow, he felt like he had already fallen asleep.

His body felt heavy but his heart felt light, so light it was like floating.

Maybe because everything was over, what needed to be done was done, what needed to be thought about was thought about, what needed to be said was said. The things weighing on his heart, whether he had feelings about them or not, were all gone now.

What would happen tomorrow and how things would be, none of that mattered anymore.

Comfortable.

This comfortable feeling could probably rival the "sleeping especially soundly after being beaten up by dad like getting a massage" state that Pan Zhi had described.

He rested his head on the pillow and turned up the corners of his lips.

For the first time, Jiang Cheng's biological clock malfunctioned in the morning, not waking him up from his deep sleep. He could hear birds chirping outside the window, old ladies going out for morning exercises, children excitedly screaming all the way while going out to play with their parents...

But he didn't wake up at all. This feeling of knowing you're asleep and sleeping deeply and comfortably was truly wonderful.

Not until his phone rang a second time did he reluctantly open his eyes.  

Second time?

Ah right, second time. The first time was probably when the old lady went for morning exercise.

He groped for his phone and with great effort, merged the double vision on the overly bright screen before he could see clearly that the call was from Gu Fei.

Gu Fei?

...Gu Fei!

He was instantly fully awake, and his vision also immediately became clear.

He didn't care at all about Gu Fei's answer last night. It seemed he just wanted to express that he really liked him, and it would be great if they could date.

He just wanted to throw out this feeling, to Gu Fei. And regardless of Gu Fei's response, he didn't care anymore, or rather, he hadn't imagined Gu Fei's response at all.

But now, when thinking that Gu Fei's call might be to give him an answer...

Suddenly nervous.jpg.

He stared at Gu Fei's name for a long time before remembering to answer the call, but just as he reached out, the call dropped before he touched the screen.

Good good good, very good, dropped, great that it dropped.

He tossed his phone aside and sat up, glancing at the time. It was just past 8 o'clock.

Gu Fei actually got up so early on a Sunday morning? Then that earlier call... He picked up his phone again, wanting to see who the previous call was from.  

Gu Fei sent a message over.

- Not awake yet?

Jiang Cheng didn't reply, and checked missed calls first.

6:45am, Gu Fei.

"Fuck?" Jiang Cheng was stunned for a moment. Gu Fei got up before 7am?

That was too amazing. Jiang Cheng checked the time again to make sure it was indeed sent in the morning, it was at 645am, not 1645.

- Just got up

He replied to Gu Fei.

He had just stood up when his phone rang again, a call this time instead of a message. It was Gu Fei.

Jiang Cheng answered the call.

"Do you want to date me, or want to have a relationship with me?" Without even waiting for his greeting, Gu Fei asked straight out.  

Jiang Cheng took several seconds to drive out the chaotic noise in his brain: "You're not worried about underage relationships anymore?"

Gu Fei didn't speak.

"Is there a difference between the two?" Jiang Cheng said, "I just wanted to tell you that I've thought about it and confirmed that I... really like you, so if you're willing..."

"Come down," Gu Fei interrupted him.

"What?" Jiang Cheng was stunned.

"I'm downstairs at your building," Gu Fei said. "Come down for breakfast, boyfriend."

It took Jiang Cheng more than a few seconds to dispel the chaos in his mind: "I still need to wash my face and brush my teeth and get dressed."

"Okay," Gu Fei said, "That breakfast place we went to yesterday, I'll go get us a table first."

Jiang Cheng hung up without another word. He spaced out again for a while.

What the fuck does this mean?

With just these few sentences, their relationship changed just like that?

What the fuck?

Feels a bit magical... He tossed his phone aside, and went to brush his teeth in a bit of a daze. Looking at himself in the mirror while washing his face, he had a boyfriend now? Doesn't look any different... Still as handsome as ever.

No no, there were some differences. He had lost all logic.

When he opened his closet after washing up, he suddenly didn't know which clothes to wear.

Although he always agonized over choosing an outfit when going out, picking the one that best showed off his "most handsome today" aura, today he couldn't even make a shortlist.

"Fuck," Jiang Cheng cursed standing in front of the closet for a while, before grabbing a random pair of pants to put on. Then he closed his eyes and tugged out a T-shirt, and haphazardly grabbed a light jacket before leaving.

Walking downstairs, from far away he could already see Gu Fei. Gu Fei was quite eye-catching normally, and even more so today with the cast on his leg that could be shot with a slingshot from twenty meters away.

He quickened his pace and walked over. At this time it was no longer the breakfast rush hour. Gu Fei sat alone at a table already covered with food. Jiang Cheng plopped down heavily across from Gu Fei.  

"Took you long enough," Gu Fei glanced at him.

"Us top students always dress with care when going out," Jiang Cheng glanced back, "If I remember right, you didn't even change your pants, did you?"

"Yeah," Gu Fei looked down at the cast, and said softly, "This cast is wrapped on so professionally, I can't get my pants off."

"Dude," Jiang Cheng couldn't help laughing, also speaking softly, "You should take the cast off first."

"Too lazy to deal with it now," Gu Fei said, "I'll do it tonight."

Jiang Cheng didn't speak further, and lowered his head to drink some soy milk.

When the conversation halted, the atmosphere suddenly became very strange.

Even the way he held the bowl felt awkward the whole time he drank his soy milk, when for over ten years he had held bowls the same way.

After one sip of soy milk, he couldn't even taste if there was sugar.

Nervous, awkward, a little panicked.

But it didn't feel bad. He snuck a glance at Gu Fei. Gu Fei was holding an fried doughstick and biting it, looking at him expressionlessly.

"Do I have soap on my face?" Jiang Cheng asked.

"Just looking," Gu Fei smiled, "I always look at you a lot normally too."

"Oh, look then," Jiang Cheng said, as he picked up his chopsticks to grab a steamed bun. He suddenly felt this strange awkward feeling was quite comfortable.

What's wrong with me.

"Right," Gu Fei finished the fried doughstick and took a paper napkin to wipe his hands while speaking, "I have a... small gift for you."

"Hm?" Jiang Cheng was surprised.  

Gu Fei looked around to see if there was anyone who knew them, then took something out of his pocket and handed it over, "Consider this... a Labor Day gift."

"A Children's Day gift sounds so much better," Jiang Cheng took it and glanced down. It was a large, soft lump.

"Children's Day is a bit too early," Gu Fei said, "I still need to prepare something for Er Miao then. You two can each get one that day."

"Piss off," Jiang Cheng answered briefly. Looking closely, he saw it was a blue yarn ball, with a blue string attached. He held the string and dangled up the yarn ball, surprised, "A little sunny doll*?"

*T/N: A small doll believed to help stop the rain and guarantee that tomorrow will be sunny.

"Hope you have sunny days everyday," Gu Fei said, "It was supposed to be white, but I remembered you bought that ball of yarn last time and hadn't used it, so I knitted this..."

"What's inside?" Jiang Cheng squeezed it, soft.

"Also yarn, the leftovers I stuffed inside," Gu Fei said, "There's still some left actually, I'll give it to Er Miao to play with, not enough to knit anything else."

Jiang Cheng didn't speak, just looking down at the blue little sunny doll.

The doll also had eyes, probably knitted from blue yarn too. Eyes are hard to knit so Gu Fei had sewn on two small buttons at where the eyes would be instead.

Student Jiang Cheng!

Please control your emotions!

Please do not cry at a small breakfast place where you're sitting on low stools eating!

It would ruin the atmosphere and look extremely silly!

"You were too lazy to take off the cast and pants last night," Jiang Cheng pressed the round head of the doll into its eyes and looked up at Gu Fei, "You didn't sleep at all, did you?"

Gu Fei just smiled without answering.  

"You didn't need to go that far," Jiang Cheng didn't know what to say as he clutched the doll tightly, "Grabbing some snacks from the store would've worked too..."

"A lot went on last night, and I probably wouldn't have been able to sleep well anyway," Gu Fei said, "I was thinking, if I came over and brought flowers... you'd probably shoot them down with a slingshot before coming over. So I made this instead, it was easy."

"Oh," Jiang Cheng looked down and squeezed the doll again, lifting it by the yarn on its head and shaking it gently. The doll was at least three times bigger than a regular little sunny doll, swaying like a cute penguin, "Then let me give you a small gift too."

"It's not meant to be exchanged," Gu Fei said.

"Are you rejecting it?" Jiang Cheng looked at him.

"No," Gu Fei immediately replied.  

Jiang Cheng grabbed his own backpack and opened it.

"Really a top student," Gu Fei marveled, "Bringing a schoolbag even when not going to class."

"There aren't any books in it," Jiang Cheng said, putting the doll into his bag, "I'm just used to carrying a bag, it's reassuring, and stuff doesn't bulge out of my pockets awkwardly."

He took out the slingshot from his bag and placed it in front of Gu Fei, "Give this to you, commemorating the day of your award-winning acting."

Gu Fei laughed and picked up the slingshot to look it over, pulling the rubber band back, "Then you won't have one to play with?"

"I'm guessing Pan Zhi will bring me one when he comes," Jiang Cheng said, "Last time he came he brought me a whistle, so if he's bringing something small this time, it'd be a slingshot for sure."  

“When’s he coming?” Gu Fei pocketed the slingshot.  

“May 1st,” Jiang Cheng said. “Just a few more days. Anywhere fun around here? He’ll probably stay 3-4 days. Can’t just take him shopping downtown every day.”

Gu Fei glanced at him silently.

“Hm?” Jiang Cheng looked back.

“Thinking,” Gu Fei said.

“Best to be nearby, not too far or hard to get around,” Jiang Cheng added.

"Mm," Gu Fei thought for a moment, took a dumpling and ate it slowly. After a while, he finally said, "There's an amusement park in the new city area. They built a new haunted house last year that's supposed to be pretty interesting. It was even in the news for being scary."  

"Is it big?" Jiang Cheng was immediately very interested and asked.

"It's quite big. It goes underground up to three floors above ground, with a large area," Gu Fei said. "But I haven't been there."

"Let's go together then," Jiang Cheng said. "I didn't expect there to be a haunted house in this crappy place."

Gu Fei didn't say anything, just ate dumplings and made some chewing noises.

"Do you have any objections?" Jiang Cheng smiled.

"No objections," Gu Fei said. "To be honest, if not for this haunted house, I wouldn't really know what to suggest. There's a mountain nearby too, but with the snow melted there's not much to see."

After finishing breakfast, Gu Fei stood up and stretched lazily: "You're not studying today, right?"

"Mm," Jiang Cheng responded. "Do you have any plans?"

"No," Gu Fei thought for a moment. "How about we go...watch a movie?"

"How will we get there?" Jiang Cheng glanced at his leg and said softly, "Do I have to pretend to support you?"

"No need, I rode my bike here." Gu Fei said.

"Damn, aren't you afraid people will see?!" Jiang Cheng panicked, grabbed his wrist and pulled him over, putting his arm over his own shoulder. Then he put his arm around Gu Fei's waist, "If someone sees, wouldn't your acting yesterday be wasted?!"

"...I pedaled with one leg," Gu Fei leaned against him. "Very realistic."

Jiang Cheng supported Gu Fei as they walked to his bike.

It felt... strange.

He had touched and squeezed Gu Fei's waist before, but this was the first time openly and publicly putting his hand on Gu Fei's waist on the street.

Gu Fei's waist was very firm. When he hopped on one leg, Jiang Cheng could feel the muscles flexing under his palm.

He couldn't help pinching it lightly twice.

"Ah," Gu Fei straightened his back, grabbed his hand, "I'm ticklish."

"Let go!" Jiang Cheng quickly glanced around. With Gu Fei's current look, having an arm over his shoulder and around his waist was normal, but holding hands was a bit intimate.

Gu Fei didn't let go, grabbing his hand and stuffing it into his pocket.

Jiang Cheng didn't say anything more. Gu Fei's jacket was loose, with big pockets. With his hand stuffed in like this, no one could tell unless they stared.

And he didn't really want to take his hand out anyway.

This state where everything felt the same as usual yet also different, with an undercurrent of excitement, made him feel very comfortable.

"What movies are playing today?" Jiang Cheng squeezed Gu Fei's pinky in his pocket.

"Don't know," Gu Fei put a small round candy in his palm. "We'll just see whatever's playing. The main goal isn't to watch the movie anyway."

"...Damn," Jiang Cheng glanced at him. "What are you planning? Don't you know theater cameras use infrared?"

"I actually hadn't thought of that...That's not it," Gu Fei looked at him in surprise, then laughed after a while. "Brother Cheng, aren't you thinking too much?"

"Screw off!" Jiang Cheng gritted his teeth.

"I was thinking more simply..." Gu Fei said.

"Shut up." Jiang Cheng sighed.

"I just want to find a dark corner," Gu Fei said, "to be with you."

"...Why does it have to be a dark corner?" Jiang Cheng let go of Gu Fei and took the bike keys from his pocket. "Should I ride us there?"

"Mm." Gu Fei nodded.  

"Why does it have to be a dark corner?" Jiang Cheng asked again, unlocking the bike and straddling it.

"Like at breakfast earlier," Gu Fei said. "If I touched you a bit, wouldn't you leap onto a lamp post?"

"Oh," Jiang Cheng was stunned for a moment. "Damn, you're not thinking any less than me!"

"Really?" Gu Fei patted his back. "I feel like what you meant was big actions clearly visible on infrared, like holding hands or touching legs. No need to worry about infrared for small things."

"Let's not talk about this anymore." Jiang Cheng tsked.

After riding forward several meters, he suddenly stopped and looked back at Gu Fei: "There's something I still want to say properly, though I think I've said it once before."

"I really like you," Gu Fei said. "I'll keep liking you until you no longer need me to."

Jiang Cheng stared at him, unable to get any words out. His head buzzed hearing Gu Fei say that.

Hearing Gu Fei say "I really like you" made him somewhat dizzy.

"What did you want to say?" Gu Fei rubbed his back.

"...Forgot." Jiang Cheng said.

Gu Fei smiled without responding.

"Oh," Jiang Cheng rubbed his nose. "I remember now. Just... I really like you. I've never liked someone like this before."

Author's note: Continuing tomorrow.

The author holds their coffee with a bewildered smile, kneeling on the ground without saying anything.

Is this what it's like to date? Is this what it's like to date?! The fluffy black creature yelled loudly.

Chirp chirp <(ˉˉ)>, the little black fluff said.