Gu Fei stared at Jiang Cheng, after Jiang Cheng said "is you", he hadn't look away.

Sometimes Gu Fei felt that in addition to having all the qualities and skills of a top student, Jiang Cheng also had some special logic that other top students didn't have. He could turn things completely upside down, and after thinking about it carefully, it seemed to make sense and you would agree with him that he didn't seem to be wrong at all.  

Gu Fei had experienced this ability of his once before when getting the tattoo. But Jiang Cheng didn't explain it at the time. Now Jiang Cheng has demonstrated his powers again.

In fact, with their current situation, the question he originally asked no longer had any meaning. No matter what the answer was, no matter what the thoughts were, it no longer mattered.

That's right, what he had hoped for at first was just a romance with Jiang Cheng, date me, it could be an attempt, it could be impulsive, it could be out of loneliness, anything was fine.

But Jiang Cheng didn't answer. It seemed he couldn't completely and accurately separate these two things either, so he chose to dive right in - I'll like you until the day you no longer need me.

As long as what you want is "me" and not someone else, I can do it.

So now when Jiang Cheng pointed at him and said it was you who wanted to date, Gu Fei felt very surprised, a little angry, and a little like laughing, but somehow felt that Jiang Cheng's logic made sense.

Yes, I'm the one who is willing to stop when you stop.

Gu Fei felt he had to say something now, but didn't dare open his mouth rashly.

Jiang Cheng's logic was strange, sensitive and impulsive. What was most frightening was that he could feel Jiang Cheng's insecurity, that constant need to cling on tightly for fear of losing something. He could often sense it.

Gu Fei, every word you say now will become evidence that Jiang Cheng keeps in his heart.

Be cautious.

A long distance relationship isn't impossible, but the environment of a top university and the environment of a steel factory will cause two people living in completely different states for a long time to gradually lose common topics and slowly fade away from each other.

Perhaps we won't make it to the day of long distance. Because of disagreements like today, we may keep arguing and exploring, and eventually get tired and go back to our own worlds.

Of course, miracles can also happen and we could make it to the end.

Some things can't be understood just by solving them like math problems. A math problem only has one right answer. No matter the process, you just have to keep finding the path that leads to the right answer. Top students can find shortcuts, poor students take the roundabout way, but in the end everyone arrives at the destination, because there is only one answer, everything else is called the wrong answer.

But for the situation they are in now, there are countless possibilities, countless answers. These are all called answers, maybe one, two three, or four, five, six, but no one can say which one is wrong and which is right.

Gu Fei looked at Jiang Cheng. Maybe he was too pessimistic and cautious, wanted to protect Jiang Cheng from even a little hurt. But Jiang Cheng was completely different from him - optimistic, impulsive, straightforward, sensitive. He was basically the "what's this little pain in the storm" type.

No matter how many times he thought it over, he couldn't say a single word of this to Jiang Cheng.

He had no way to leave. He didn't even dare think too much about the word "leave", let alone figure out how to leave. But Jiang Cheng had no reason to stay.

This was a deadlock with no solution for now. If a miracle didn't happen before they got to the step they wanted, this would become a dead end.

Jiang Cheng obviously didn't want to think about this kind of ending either. He didn't need to make Jiang Cheng face these problems that Jiang Cheng thought there was no need to consider at all.

"That's not true," Gu Fei looked at Jiang Cheng, "Do you top students only remember what you want to remember? That's not logical."

"Stop changing the subject," Jiang Cheng sneered coldly, "Gu Fei, sometimes I feel it's unfair to call you a poor student. With your thinking and reaction speed, you're definitely top student level."

"Other than asking that one question, did I say anything else?" Gu Fei kept looking at him.

"Say anything else?" Jiang Cheng squinted, looking disdainful, "I don't remember. I just remember you were also afraid to get a tattoo on your body, afraid there would still be a mark of me on you if we broke up later."

"Do you believe I'll beat you up?" Gu Fei asked.

"I'd believe it after you beat me," Jiang Cheng replied.

Gu Fei didn't say anything, stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly raised his elbow and smashed it towards Jiang Cheng's face.

But Jiang Cheng's reaction had to be admired. The moment Gu Fei's elbow went up, Jiang Cheng had already leaned back to dodge it.

Gu Fei didn't actually intend to hit his face either. His arm pressed down on Jiang Cheng's throat as he pushed him down onto the bed.

"Damn," Jiang Cheng glared at him.

"You really don't know me well enough," Gu Fei's arm pinned his throat while one leg pressed down his hand. When Jiang Cheng tried to raise his other hand, Gu Fei grabbed it, "How could I bear to smash your face?"

"Tsk, tsk." Jiang Cheng smirked.

"I'll like you until the day you no longer need me," Gu Fei pressed him down, "Did I say that or not?"

"You did," Jiang Cheng replied.

"Then why did you say you didn't remember?" Gu Fei asked.

"Because I was pissed off!" Jiang Cheng said. "When I'm pissed I don't remember anything. What, you got a problem with that? Keep it to yourself if you do."

Gu Fei opened his mouth but didn't say anything.

"Just choke it down if you think it's unreasonable," Jiang Cheng frowned for a moment then looked at him again. "I thought it was just a sweet nothing when you first said it, sounded really nice, but you can't think too much about it."

"Hm?" Gu Fei removed the arm pressing Jiang Cheng's neck and leaned down to kiss him.

"Actually what you meant is that if I want to break up with you, you'll agree. Right?" Jiang Cheng looked at him. "I hold the power."

Gu Fei didn't reply, just leaned down to kiss him again.

"It looks like I hold the power, but you're not passive at all are you?" Jiang Cheng gave him a sideways glance. "Coming and going as you please, right?"

Gu Fei sighed, "If you really don't want to be with me anymore, forcing you has no meaning."

"That's what you say..." Jiang Cheng lifted his head and bit down hard on Gu Fei's chin.

"Ow!" Gu Fei got a shock and didn't dare move. Jiang Cheng bit down fiercely and felt like he could really sink his teeth in. Gu Fei wondered if he had been grinding his teeth in his sleep, for Jiang Cheng to be able to bite so steadily, accurately and painfully.

Jiang Cheng bit for almost ten seconds before finally letting go. He put his head back on the pillow. "Gu Fei, I have something to tell you."

"Okay." Gu Fei nodded.

"Maybe I don't think things through as comprehensively as you. I just feel like going step by step, dealing with things as they come. People need something to strive for, relationships and life both need a direction so you know what you should do," Jiang Cheng said. "That's how I am anyway."

"Mm-hmm." Gu Fei nodded.

"Whatever I do, I don't like to slap an 'impossible' label on it first, you know what I mean?" Jiang Cheng continued.

"I understand," Gu Fei looked at him.

"I've said all I can say. Just promise me this one thing," Jiang Cheng stared at him.

"Tell me," Gu Fei held his gaze.

"Don't let me run away," Jiang Cheng said. "Don't just come and go as you please when I say it's over. Can you stick around a little longer? What if I regret it and turn back and you're not there anymore?"

Gu Fei suddenly felt his nose turn sour. He took a breath and forcibly suppressed that uncomfortable feeling. He didn't want to cry in front of Jiang Cheng.  

"Okay," he nodded. "But you have to promise me something too."

"What?" Jiang Cheng asked.

"I hate it when people sacrifice for me, give things up for me," Gu Fei felt this was probably the most direct thing he could say to Jiang Cheng. "I don't need that. Follow your own path, don't stop. You know what I mean? Pity, giving things up, those make me feel pressured, tired."

"Got it," Jiang Cheng pinched his chin. "I'm very determined."

Gu Fei smiled.

"Do you think you weigh nothing?" Jiang Cheng said.

"Hm?" Gu Fei was confused.

"Even if you only weigh 50kg, how much weight is your knee putting on the hand it's pressing down on? Have you calculated it?" Jiang Cheng said. "I can figure it out for you."

Gu Fei laughed and moved his leg off Jiang Cheng's hand.

"I'm getting payback," Jiang Cheng said.

"Okay, how do you want your payback?" Gu Fei said. "Press your 50kg leg on my hand for 5 minutes?"

"I'll use my 1.8m little Cheng Cheng," Jiang Cheng flipped Gu Fei's shoulder and rolled on top of him, "to f*ck you for a class period."

"....Do you have a ruler? Let me measure if little Jiang Cheng is really 1.8m," Gu Fei started laughing.

"Has it....recovered down there?" Jiang Cheng whispered in his ear.

"What?" Gu Fei asked with a laugh.

"Your ass," Jiang Cheng tsked. "Don't pretend to be stupid."

"Oh," Gu Fei laughed even harder. "It's recovered. Do you need it?"

"Damn," Jiang Cheng straddled him and slapped his arm. "I've discovered you really f*cking deserve this."

"Hurry up and f*ck me then," Gu Fei thrust his hips and hooked his fingertips down Jiang Cheng's lower belly, pulling open his pants. "Want me to impart some experience to you?"

"My learning ability," Jiang Cheng grabbed his wrist and pressed his hand overhead, "is very strong."

When you're dating, sex can resolve many issues.

Jiang Cheng actually felt their talk today didn't resolve any practical problems. The answers he wanted...he couldn't even remember clearly what kind of answers he wanted anymore. And he suddenly didn't care so much what kind of explanation Gu Fei gave either.

In a way, the things he and Gu Fei said contradicted each other, but they also mutually promised to accommodate the other person's request, even if it went completely against their own intentions.

Maybe all he needed was an outlet, a chance to vent and act out. Psychologically, physically - I have some things to say, some things I need you to bear.

Of course he knew some matters had no solution for now, but they were still together.

When he came out of the bathroom, Gu Fei was lying on his stomach playing with his phone. He went over and squeezed Gu Fei's butt. "Why are you lying on your stomach again? Does it....hurt?"

"No," Gu Fei turned his head. "Can you try using your top student observational skills? I lie on my stomach to play with my phone a lot of the time."

"Oh really?" Jiang Cheng thought about it, then lay down next to him and said in a small voice, "If it's uncomfortable don't force yourself for my sake. Recognizing inadequacy leads to improvement."  

Gu Fei didn't reply, just buried his face in the pillow laughing for a long time.

"Damn," Jiang Cheng got off the bed and sat at the desk. "That's really damaging to my self-esteem."

"Brother Cheng," Gu Fei crawled to the bed edge, reached out and stroked his leg. "I have something honest to tell you."

"Go ahead," Jiang Cheng opened his book.

"It felt good," Gu Fei said. "Brother Cheng is 2.8m tall today."

Jiang Cheng tilted his head and squinted at him. "Let me tell you, with that attitude of yours, if you were someone else I would've beaten you to death already. I can tolerate you and only you."

"I'm the same," Gu Fei said. "No matter what you do, I won't get mad at you. I'm just afraid that you'll get mad."

"What's there to be afraid of? When I get mad, I get mad, and when I'm done, I'm done. I've always had a bad temper, it would be strange if I didn't get mad," Jiang Cheng spun his pen around and lowered his head to start on the questions. "It's not like I have to get mad, it's just...I get scared."

"I know," Gu Fei sat up and rubbed his back. "I know."

"You know, Gu Fei," Jiang Cheng said as he wrote, his voice a little low. "I don't have a home anymore. I'm all alone here, renting a room, with nothing under my feet."  

Gu Fei looked at him.

"When I lean back, you're behind me, and I feel steady," Jiang Cheng kept his head lowered as he wrote. "It's not that I don't face reality, it's just when I think that if you're no longer by my side, I really will...take a step into empty air."

Gu Fei didn't say anything. He got up, straddled behind Jiang Cheng, and squeezed onto the chair with him, putting his arms around his waist.

The room became very quiet. Gu Fei rested his forehead on Jiang Cheng's back. He could hear the scratching sound of the pen on paper, Jiang Cheng's steady breathing, and if he listened closer, even his heartbeat.

It felt really good.

"I'm here," Gu Fei said softly.

"Hm?" Jiang Cheng responded, but his pen didn't stop moving.

Sometimes Gu Fei really admired his ability to chat while writing an essay without seeming to make any mistakes.

"I'm right here, behind you. I'm not going anywhere," Gu Fei said. "Don't be afraid."

"Mm," Jiang Cheng smiled.

Gu Fei closed his eyes. That's how it should be. He should learn from Jiang Cheng - some things, don't think about them for now. If you don't want to, I won't bring them up. What you think is unimportant, I won't think about either... Such beautiful memories, such wonderful experiences, maybe just this once in our lives we can indulge.  

When you want to look back, I'll be here. When you miss home, I'll be here. When you need me, I'll be here, for as long as I can stand.

No. 4 High's summer vacation finally ended. When everyone returned to school they were grumbling, dissatisfied in various ways, but no one was absent. Everyone seemed to still be in good spirits.

On one hand they complained that the vacation was too short, on the other they felt lonely without seeing their classmates every day.

Make up classes started, and so began the bittersweet experience.

No, happiness was definitely more. Jiang Cheng looked around at everyone - no one was listening to the lecture. The teacher was talking to himself at the podium while the students below chatted excitedly about their vacation experiences, not even trying to keep their voices down.

"Louder! Louder!" Old Lu waved his teaching whip. "I'm standing here and I still can't hear clearly! You there! Just you! Don't look around, I'm talking to you! You look completely dispirited! Still think you're so beautiful? Come on! Get ready to sing!"

"Didn't you hear him?" Jiang Cheng leaned on the desk as he took notes, glancing over at Gu Fei who was watching him. "He's telling you to sing while looking in the mirror since you're so beautiful..."

"You are the budding flower in the cold winter, you are Xi Shi* disturbing the spring waters," Gu Fei sang softly with a smile. "You are the grace of an angel, you are my beloved..."

*T/N: One of the four renowned beauties of ancient China.

"Gu Fei!" Old Lu banged on the podium.  

Gu Fei turned to look at Old Lu.

"Here, I have a mirror," Old Lu waved him over. "Come take a look, and sing me a couple lines!"

"...I wasn't singing." Gu Fei leaned back in his chair with a sigh.

Jiang Cheng was certain Old Lu couldn't have heard Gu Fei's soft singing. Even Zhou Jing might not have been able to hear it, but when Old Lu shouted like that, it still gave him a fright, and his heart raced for a good while after.

"You weren't singing?" Old Lu banged the podium again. "If you weren't singing, then get out!"

"Should I have sung or not?" Gu Fei helplessly got up and ambled out of the classroom, leaning on the corridor railing looking down at the sports field.

After shouting for another two minutes, Old Lu went back to teaching.

While listening to the lecture and taking notes, Jiang Cheng tested just how wide his peripheral vision was and how clear he could see. The conclusion was that if you counted the bonus effect of "really liking that handsome guy outside", the power of peripheral vision was astounding.  

He was listening to the lecture, taking notes, yet could still clearly see Gu Fei's silhouette.

Plain black t-shirt, gray athletic shorts - the most ordinary high school boy outfit, yet he could still make out his tall figure, firm waist, straight legs...

"Jiang Cheng!" Old Lu suddenly shouted. "Come up and translate this sentence!"

Jiang Cheng felt Gu Fei turn back from the hallway to look into the classroom. He reined in his wandering thoughts and stood up to go to the podium.  

After looking at the question, he picked up a piece of chalk and habitually snapped it in half on the podium before writing on the board. Old Lu shouted again, "What a wasteful habit!"

Jiang Cheng sighed and put the chalk back in the box, taking out a whole new piece instead. He started writing on the board without snapping it.

"Now that's not wasteful?" Old Lu said.

"Teacher Lu, should I keep writing or not?" Jiang Cheng looked at him.

"Keep writing," Old Lu waved his hand. "I'm just taking the chance to educate you."

"...Oh." Jiang Cheng continued writing.

When he went back to his seat after finishing the question, he could see from the window that Gu Fei had already turned around, leaning on the railing. Their eyes met and Gu Fei quirked his lips. Jiang Cheng narrowed his eyes slightly. With the whole class watching, he didn't dare interact too intimately with Gu Fei.

But just that little quirk of Gu Fei's lips already inspired at least 2GB worth of images in Jiang Cheng's mind.

He didn't know why, but even though they had some disagreement and didn't resolve anything, he still felt much more relaxed.

Make up classes were boring for Gu Fei but kept Jiang Cheng very busy.

On top of No. 4 High's review materials, Pan Zhi would send Jiang Cheng a zip folder every 2-3 days with all the review slides and materials from his old school teachers.  

Gu Fei thought Jiang Cheng was simply amazing to be able to review double the amount everyday and still find time to roll around in bed.

"Have you been secretly taking some kind of drug?" Gu Fei asked, a cigarette dangling from his lips as he looked out the window.

Today he had coaxed Gu Miao to sleep before sneaking over again. He was originally planning to keep Jiang Cheng company and pretend to review with him to put his mind at ease, but as soon as he entered the room they tumbled into bed.

Now, his mind was still lingering on the afterglow and he had completely lost any intention of pretending to study.

"Go away," Jiang Cheng said as he dried his hair and prepared to start reviewing. "As if you don't have that need."

"No, I just feel like your energy levels are really high," Gu Fei said with a smile as he straddled behind him and sat down. Despite the hot weather these days, Jiang Cheng still liked him sitting this way.

"There are two kinds of rest, active rest and passive rest..." Jiang Cheng opened his book.  

"Hm, what we're doing counts as active rest, right?" Gu Fei said.

"That's right." Jiang Cheng smiled.

"Is it okay if I nap for a bit?" Gu Fei hugged him from behind.

"Go ahead and nap," Jiang Cheng patted his hand. "I'll wake you in half an hour."

"Okay," Gu Fei closed his eyes. "Old Xu called you to his office today too, was it to encourage you again?"

"No," Jiang Cheng put down his pen. "I forgot to tell you, remember the award ceremony after the sports meet?"

"What about it?" Gu Fei lifted his head with a frown. "He doesn't want you to perform, does he?"

"He said the senior class will have two performances total, one for the guys and one for the girls."  

"What does he want you to do?" Gu Fei asked.

"Play a piece," Jiang Cheng replied. "Old Xu said you...can play guitar?"

"Lots of people can play guitar, Wang Xu can too." Gu Fei suddenly felt irritated. He knew what Old Xu was thinking - Old Xu wanted him and Jiang Cheng to collaborate on a performance. Old Xu knew he wouldn't agree to something like this, so he went to Jiang Cheng first.

"I meant," Jiang Cheng turned his head, "didn't you say you can't play guitar?"

"Did I...say that?" Gu Fei asked.

"You did." Jiang Cheng nodded.  

"I guess we weren't very familiar yet at the time." Gu Fei nuzzled his back.

"I see. So what do you think about Old Xu's idea?" Jiang Cheng asked.

"I won't participate." Gu Fei replied.