HRMCF Chapter 18

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🍋‍🟩 Completed Chapter

The fruits from the basket had scattered all over the floor. Shen Yan bent down to pick them up, his eyes fixed on Zhu Ningbo's face as he did so.

Zhu Ningbo's face was deathly pale, as if he had lost his parents. He looked even more devastated than when he had discovered he was Zhao Linsu's fantasy object.

An apple that had fallen on the floor was cracked, and juice had splattered out. Zhao Linsu picked up the apple and threw it into the basket Shen Yan was holding. "I'll go get a mop."

"Go ahead," Shen Yan said softly.

It seemed that the scene just now had been a significant blow to Zhu Ningbo.

He just didn't know if it was the shattering of the image of a serious teacher or something else.

Actually, Shen Yan was alright. After all, he had seen many men fantasizing about other men.

Speaking of the men around him who fantasized about the same sex, Liang Keqing was the only one whose fantasy completely matched reality.

This suddenly gave Shen Yan the real feeling that "so there really are gay men around him, his superpower finally has some reliability."

It was still a bit shocking.

Shen Yan went over to Zhu Ningbo with the ravaged fruit basket and patted his back. "Bo'er?"

Zhu Ningbo's eyes were vacant, his soul seemed to have flown out of his mouth. Shen Yan's pat caused him to spin around limply.

Shen Yan: "..." Dude, that's a bit exaggerated.

Zhao Linsu came out with a mop and directed, "Fork him inside."

Shen Yan silently supported Zhu Ningbo's arms, helped him into the house, and sat him down on the sofa.

Zhu Ningbo collapsed onto the sofa as if all his strength had left him, his leg even twitched once, like he had been shot.

Shen Yan shook his head and took a banana from the fruit basket.

Luckily, the banana wasn't smashed.

Zhao Linsu came in with the mop. Shen Yan had finished the banana and was peeling the smashed apple.

"Is he alright?" Zhao Linsu asked.

"What do you think?"

Shen Yan finally had the chance to throw those three words back at him, but his mood wasn't light at all.

It was obvious that Liang Keqing was a genuine gay man.

And one who was openly and completely unashamed.

Could it be that Zhao Linsu was influenced by Liang Keqing?

His gaze quietly followed the figure putting the mop back on the balcony. Shen Yan shook his head again. In his understanding, Zhao Linsu wasn't the kind of person who would be easily influenced by others.

But Zhao Linsu's attitude just now was too calm!

Even he had been quite startled.

Mainly by the impact of that scene.

A man—embracing another man.

That scene probably only lasted for a tenth of a second, but it was still deeply etched in Shen Yan's mind.

Actually, it was quite common for men to hug each other. When they got too excited playing basketball, Shen Yan would often walk off the court arm in arm with someone for quite a while.

But this was completely different.

That kind of sticky, excessive intimacy and strange atmosphere was vastly different from ordinary same-sex contact.

It easily led to associations.

Shen Yan shuddered and took a big bite of the apple.

Associations? What associations!

When Zhao Linsu came in from the balcony after putting away the mop, Shen Yan was still biting his apple and vigorously rubbing the goosebumps on his arms.

"Is it that bad?" Zhao Linsu said faintly.

Shen Yan couldn't speak with the apple in his mouth. After meeting Zhao Linsu's gaze, he slowly stopped his movements, took the apple out of his mouth, and took another bite. "Uh, it's okay."

He looked very embarrassed and forced.

"How is it? Should we call 120?" Zhao Linsu raised his chin.

Zhu Ningbo lay limply on the sofa, obviously still not recovered.

"Forget it," Shen Yan glanced at Zhu Ningbo, "Just cremate him directly."

Zhu Ningbo still had no reaction.

Shen Yan hadn't expected Zhu Ningbo's reaction to be so strong.

Whether he was scared out of his wits by the gay thing or... whatever, it shouldn't make him look like he was about to die, right?

Shen Yan finished the apple and called Zhao Linsu to the kitchen to talk.

"Does Teacher Liang do that often?" Shen Yan lowered his voice.

Zhao Linsu leaned against the kitchen counter, his palms resting on it. "Do what?"

"You know, that."

Shen Yan tilted his head and fluttered his eyelids wildly, the implication fully conveyed.

Zhao Linsu smiled. "Don't understand."

Shen Yan: "..." You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?

The kitchen suddenly fell silent, the atmosphere becoming a bit stagnant for a moment.

Shen Yan turned his head. "Since you knew about Teacher Liang's situation, why didn't you tell us before we came? We could have prepared ourselves mentally."

"Was it necessary?"

"Whether he's gay or not, it doesn't seem to affect the teacher-student relationship, does it?"

What Zhao Linsu said was of course correct, but Zhu Ningbo—okay, Shen Yan admitted to himself: he suspected that Zhu Ningbo was actually in love with Liang Keqing!

Mainly because Zhu Ningbo was really bad at hiding things.

He hadn't thought about it that way before.

Once his thoughts were on the right track, the train immediately started whistling.

Zhu Ningbo would always be particularly nervous before Liang Keqing's class. If he was just purely afraid of Liang Keqing, why would he always dress up specially for it?

Every single time, Zhu Ningbo would wear a new outfit—new clothes, new pants, new shoes—to Liang Keqing's class!

Even today, he was all new.

Although in Shen Yan's eyes these outfits looked no different, that was indeed the case.

Moreover, Shen Yan had also noticed that whenever Liang Keqing coldly criticized Zhu Ningbo, Zhu Ningbo's expression would seem ashamed, but after sitting down, the light in his eyes seemed to have a hint of secret joy.

In short, there were really too many clues.

If Shen Yan had only suspected it a few days ago, Zhu Ningbo's recent series of actions was practically an admission without saying a word.

Shen Yan turned around and turned on the faucet to wash his hands. "Forget it, it's already like this anyway."

Shen Yan walked out of the kitchen to call back the soul.

Zhao Linsu was still leaning against the counter, his gaze cast towards the living room.

Shen Yan pulled Zhu Ningbo up and unceremoniously hugged the big guy to comfort him.

Zhu Ningbo cried.

They say men don't easily shed tears, but Zhu Ningbo's tears were worthless.

Shen Yan's mouth twitched. "Alright, alright, don't be too sad."

While crying, Zhu Ningbo kept calling Shen Yan's name, making it sound like Shen Yan had ruined him.

Shen Yan felt his hair stand on end as he patted Zhu Ningbo's shoulder. "It's not a big deal, Bo'er, take it easy."

Zhu Ningbo obviously couldn't take it easy. After crying for a while, he burrowed out of Shen Yan's arms, held his head, and started crying to himself.

Shen Yan didn't have much experience comforting people and was momentarily flustered, not knowing what to do.

A light pat on his shoulder made Shen Yan look up.

"Let him have some time alone."

The two of them went to the balcony.

The sky was completely dark, and scattered lights had turned on in the complex. The evening breeze was still very refreshing. Shen Yan ruffled his hair a bit irritably and looked back at the living room again.

In the living room, Zhu Ningbo was hunched over, crying and trembling uncontrollably.

Shen Yan had never seen Zhu Ningbo like this and couldn't help but feel a bit melancholic. He turned his face, his gaze sweeping over Zhao Linsu. Shen Yan's heart suddenly skipped a beat.

"What are you thinking about?" Zhao Linsu suddenly asked.

Shen Yan tensed up, holding his breath for a moment. "Did you see it?"

Zhao Linsu crossed his arms on the balcony. This time, he didn't deliberately tease Shen Yan. "Even a blind person could see it."

Shen Yan also rested his arms on the balcony. "What do we do?"

"What can we do?" Zhao Linsu said casually. "Zhu Ningbo doesn't have a chance."

Shen Yan was surprised. "Why?"

"Didn't you just ask me if Teacher Liang is always like that?"

Zhao Linsu turned his face and smiled at Shen Yan. "Yes."

"And the people he brings home are never the same."

Shen Yan was dumbfounded.

"Seeing it with his own eyes is also good," Zhao Linsu's tone was still very indifferent. "A swift cut ends the confusion, he can give up more thoroughly."

Hearing these words, Shen Yan's mood was a bit complicated.

"So you saw a long time ago that Zhu Ningbo felt something for Teacher Liang..."

"Mm-hmm."

Zhao Linsu looked at the treetops, his voice faint. "You think everyone is as slow as you are."

"..."

Shen Yan turned his face, letting the evening breeze blow through his hair.

He didn't know if he was overthinking again, but he always felt that there was something more to what Zhao Linsu had just said.

A full half hour later, Zhu Ningbo finally recovered. He apologized and thanked Shen Yan and Zhao Linsu incoherently.

Shen Yan didn't say much. Anything he said now would just be rubbing salt into Zhu Ningbo's wounds.

Zhao Linsu first took Zhu Ningbo to the subway station and then drove Shen Yan back.

The car was very quiet. Shen Yan supported his face with his hand, feeling a strange pang in his heart for some reason.

"Did Teacher Liang ask for a suspension because of this?"

"Probably not."

Zhao Linsu turned the steering wheel. "His sexual orientation isn't a secret among the school's higher-ups."

"...Okay."

He was overthinking again.

Shen Yan pulled down his seatbelt, his gaze wandering around the car. He tentatively asked, "You seem to be taking this whole Teacher Liang thing quite well?"

"Otherwise?" Zhao Linsu said. "Rent is one month's deposit and three months' advance. Breaking the lease costs money."

"..."

Shen Yan scratched his hair and continued trying to steer the conversation in that direction.

"Zhu Ningbo cried pretty badly today."

"I really didn't expect him to feel that way about Teacher Liang... Heh..."

Zhao Linsu didn't reply.

Shen Yan glanced out of the corner of his eye. Neon lights flashed outside the car window, colorful and quickly sliding across Zhao Linsu's face.

"Actually, I think sexual orientation doesn't really matter. No matter what, Bo'er is still our good brother, right?"

His long eyebrows slightly raised, his well-defined eyes looking straight ahead without wavering. After a moment of chaotic silence, Zhao Linsu replied.

"Mm-hmm."

Shen Yan got out of the car and waved at the back of Zhao Linsu's car. Lowering his hand, he couldn't help but sigh again.

Tonight, Zhu Ningbo's crying had been so heart-wrenching that it had left him feeling a bit strange.

He remembered that he hadn't cried like that even when he was dumped. He had just eaten barbecue with Zhao Linsu, drunk two beers, and complained a bit. The terrible thing was that he seemed to have gotten drunk after just two beers. Could it be that he had also gone crazy like Zhu Ningbo after getting drunk?

No, it shouldn't be possible. If he had really been that out of control, he bet Zhao Linsu would have recorded it as evidence and mocked him to death.

His situation was different from Zhu Ningbo's.

Zhao Linsu's situation should also be different from Zhu Ningbo's, right?

Compared to the erratic Zhu Ningbo, Zhao Linsu could almost be considered normal to an extreme degree.

Shen Yan adjusted his bag strap and turned to walk into the residential complex.

Perhaps because he had cried too much the day before, Zhu Ningbo sent Shen Yan a message the next day, Monday, saying that he needed to take a few days off and wouldn't be attending classes starting today.

【sy: Okay, I'll send you the class notes after class.】

【定风波: Thank you.】

【定风波: Shen Yan, thank you.】

The two "thank yous" obviously had different meanings. Shen Yan sent another WeChat message back.

【sy: What are you being so polite for? We're all brothers.】

His peripheral vision caught the approaching black SUV. Shen Yan quickly waved. The car pulled up beside him. Shen Yan opened the car door and got in. "Today, rice balls for breakfast."

"Whatever."

Closing the car door and separating their breakfasts, Shen Yan placed one portion on the center console. Zhao Linsu turned his head, their eyes met, and Shen Yan was momentarily stunned before revealing an undisguised expression of surprise.

"What's wrong?" Zhao Linsu asked.

Shen Yan closed his slightly open mouth and then said, "Nothing."

Zhao Linsu ignored him and drove with a rice ball in his mouth.

Shen Yan stared blankly ahead with his breakfast in hand.

The familiar roadside scenery rushed towards them. Shen Yan turned his head and glanced at Zhao Linsu again.

Empty.

Today, Zhao Linsu's head was empty.

Clean and clear, without 【Shen Yan】.