Chapter 26

Sure enough, another one with a screw loose.

Ruan Zhen was utterly speechless, not even wanting to acknowledge the other party.

Was this guy complimenting the quality of the lock?

He cut straight to the chase, “If you’re hitting on me, I’m sorry, but no.”

Upon hearing this clear rejection, Song Shuling didn’t seem too discouraged. Instead, he defended himself, “No, that’s not what I meant…”

He wasn’t hitting on Ruan Zhen.

Ruan Zhen pressed on, “Then why did you ask about my relationship with your Eldest Brother?”

The usually laid-back man was now sharp-tongued.

Song Shuling felt as if someone had grabbed his heart, staring into those gray-blue eyes, momentarily speechless.

He wasn’t sure what his current state of mind was.

Was it really because he was attracted to Ruan Zhen’s appearance? Not entirely. If Song Shuling were the type to be captivated by physical beauty, he would have had a harem long ago. When he saw Ruan Zhen take off his shirt, he averted his gaze. More importantly, his heart raced not because of the shirt slipping off but because of the bright eyes that shone even with the scars.

The ball had eaten the ripe fruit and passed out in the man’s arms. When he walked through the dilapidated alley and flipped through the yellowed photos and memories, he felt as if he had been infected by the animal, becoming tipsy.

Yes, it was a feeling that couldn’t be described, like being drunk.

It made sense. The first time he looked at Ruan Zhen with a scrutinizing eye, he was behind a two-way mirror, sipping red wine from the table.

The aftertaste was too strong.

His head was still spinning.

“I don’t know.”

Song Shuling spoke honestly, “I’m sorry.”

He was past the age of putting on a show. Whether in business or social interactions, sincerity was often the most powerful tool, and it was the last resort when the truth was revealed.

Sure enough, Ruan Zhen’s expression softened, “You don’t know why you asked me that?”

“Right.”

“Sir Song,” Ruan Zhen changed his address, “We haven’t known each other for long, have we?”

He put away his aggressive demeanor and looked at Song Shuling seriously.

The giant fish tank reflected a deep blue, filling the room with a dreamy atmosphere, making one breathe softly, afraid to disturb the sacred silence.

“Just consider me being overly sentimental.”

Ruan Zhen seemed relaxed, as if chatting with an old friend, “Firstly, I have no relationship with your Eldest Brother. That old man is purely… sorry, I shouldn’t… forget it, I’ll curse him if I want!”

That scoundrel, Ruan Zhen considered it a favor to curse him.

He laughed, “Anyway, whether legally or emotionally, we have no relationship. You can see that, right?”

“I don’t know if you’re a bachelor, but I’m not. I don’t mind intimate relationships. The reason I haven’t been in a relationship is that I haven’t met the right person, and maybe, there’s already someone in my heart.”

Ruan Zhen lifted his wrist, showing the red string to the other, “Here, this.”

The red string, with a small peach basket, was old and faded.

Song Shuling looked down, pursing his lips, “He gave it to you?”

“No,” Ruan Zhen shook his head, “I was bullied, and it broke. He tied it back on for me—when I was young, I was pretty stupid. I thought this brother was tall and handsome, but I didn’t think anything more of it. It was only later, at school, that I saw him again.”

At that time, Ruan Zhen was in his second year of high school.

Before evening study sessions, everyone would gather on the playground, playing badminton, running, or having their first kisses. Ruan Zhen usually avoided such crowds; he didn’t like sweating. But that day, for some reason, he lazily followed his friends and passed by the basketball court, glancing up.

A beautiful shot.

The basketball shoes squeaked on the plastic floor. The man’s forehead was drenched in sweat, and he brushed it back, revealing his sharp features. The next moment, he turned and dribbled the ball, bouncing high.

Ruan Zhen’s heart skipped a beat.

It was too fast to see his face clearly, but he knew it was the brother who had helped him and carried him home.

It couldn’t be anyone else.

It was a fateful encounter. Some people only need one glance to feel their hearts race.

Amid the crowd, he casually asked his friend, “That… isn’t he a teacher at our school?”

He looked older than the students.

“Definitely not,” his friend replied sourly, “He’s too showy. Who plays basketball in a shirt?”

That’s right. The young man had grown into an adult. He must have just finished work, wearing a crisp white shirt. Playing with the school’s physical education teachers, the summer night made him sweat, and the damp shirt clung to his body, showing off his perfect physique.

It drew cheers from the crowd.

That night, Ruan Zhen had his first adult dream.

He had developed slowly, being short, but not due to malnutrition. Zhang Laotou forced him and the yellow dog to drink milk every day, but the lazy child wasn’t in a hurry. It wasn’t until he was sixteen that he started to have romantic thoughts.

Dreaming of being held in someone’s arms.

The body was warm and comfortable.

Ruan Zhen was always cold.

He snuggled deeper, his restless hands exploring. After a while, he was caught, and a pleasant male voice, laughing, asked if he liked it.

He liked it very much.

The next day, when he washed the sheets, his face was still red.

What a waste.

If he had known it was a dream, he would have touched more.

The dream was too vague, and he couldn’t remember the feel of the chest muscles.

Later, Ruan Zhen tried to find out the man’s identity, but strangely, he found nothing.

The physical education teachers who played with him that day didn’t know him, only that he was a friend of the principal, who had invited him to play because they were short a player. He was unexpectedly skilled.

When he asked the principal, the man adjusted his glasses and dismissed him.

At that age, Ruan Zhen didn’t understand the implications.

Growing up, he realized it meant, “Don’t ask. He’s not someone you can know.”

A different world.

Ruan Zhen didn’t give up, but he was a little sad, like a butterfly landing on his heart. It was so beautiful, and he tried to catch it, but his hand was empty.

So, even now, he wasn’t sure if he liked the man.

Or his sexual orientation.

The madness of this world seemed to be concentrated in the Song family, from father to son, all of them bisexual.

Ruan Zhen didn’t like men or women.

He just had an unforgettable attachment to that teenage dream.

It was perfect for dismissing Song Shuling.

“So, I have someone in my heart… just consider me being overly sentimental. We’re just chatting,” Ruan Zhen waved his wrist, “See, I’ve been thinking about it for so long.”

Song Shuling looked serious, his lashes lowered, his gaze focused. After a moment, he raised his head, “Does it still hurt?”

Ruan Zhen was confused, “What?”

“The mark from the string,” Song Shuling continued, “I thought it would be gone by now, but it seems to be getting worse.”

It was turning purple, looking alarming, a reminder of how forcefully he had been tied up the previous night.

Ruan Zhen opened his mouth to speak, then closed it, pulling his hand back.

He wasn’t showing off that!

But since the topic was open, he couldn’t just brush it off. Next time, he might not have such a good opportunity. Ruan Zhen steeled himself, “Sir Song, do you understand what I mean?”

“Yes, I understand.”

Song Shuling’s brows furrowed slightly, still concerned about Ruan Zhen’s injury.

Ruan Zhen, feeling cornered, went all in, “So, am I being overly sentimental?”

As soon as he finished speaking, he felt Song Shuling take a step closer.

Ruan Zhen froze, instinctively leaning back, holding his breath.

Song Shuling looked into his eyes, his gaze dropping to the corner of his lip, where a small wound was visible.

His response was ambiguous.

“Alright.”

He smiled politely, looking gentle, “I don’t really mind.”

If Song Shuling set his sights on someone, a mere unrequited love wouldn’t stop him. Even if the person wasn’t single, he would wait patiently like a wolf, ready to pounce.

Under his elegant exterior, he was confident and determined.

His only moral boundary was not to actively poach.

But Song Shuling was patient.

When the opportunity arose, he would strike.

Besides, if he liked someone, a lingering unrequited love was nothing.

He would pry it out.

A moment later, Ruan Zhen almost fled.

He dashed upstairs, Song Shuling following closely behind, trying not to laugh.

“Don’t run so fast, you might fall.”

“It’s not the same room as last time. Come, this way to the bedroom.”

Ruan Zhen had already rushed into the room from last time, but was pulled out by the collar and pushed into a strange room at the end of the corridor. The door opened to reveal a small, cozy guest room.

“Bang!”

Song Shuling nearly got his nose hit by the door.

He stood at the doorway, unable to hold back a low laugh.

“Good night, then?”

No response.

Ah, he’s shy.

Song Shuling raised his hand, touching his burning ears.

Forget it, no one is laughing at anyone tonight.

The footsteps at the door faded, and Ruan Zhen lifted his face from the pillow.

He almost suffocated himself.

He quietly stood up, put his clothes in the laundry basket, and went to the bathroom to shower and dry his hair, then wrapped himself in a bathrobe.

He sat on the edge of the bed for a while, finally yawning.

Ruan Zhen lay down, tucking the covers around him, and closed his eyes to sleep.

The bedding was freshly changed, sun-dried, and had a faint fragrance. The blackout curtains were drawn, and the room was quiet, with only the sound of his shallow breathing.

After a while, Ruan Zhen turned over.

A bit later, he sat up.

If Song Shuling were there, he would have laughed at his tousled hair.

Ruan Zhen rubbed his face hard, pulling at his lips, which hurt.

He puffed up his cheeks and punched the pillow.

It was too soft to vent his frustration, so his tone was particularly harsh.

“…So annoying, good night!”