HRMCF Chapter 7

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🍋‍🟩 Completed Chapter

The Iron Triangle was reunited.

The happiest among them was Zhu Ningbo. He wasn't good at socializing—his only way of making friends was by being relentlessly kind to others, giving without boundaries, a kind of friendship-begging approach. Having finally made a friend in Shen Yan—and with Zhao Linsu coming as a bonus—he felt like he’d hit the jackpot. He cherished their friendship deeply.

“Let’s have lunch together today.”

On their way to class, Zhu Ningbo made the reservation early, to avoid the awkwardness of eating alone again in the cafeteria.

Shen Yan replied, “Of course.”

Among this triangle, Shen Yan was the backbone. Zhu Ningbo followed his lead almost blindly, and while Zhao Linsu had a sharp tongue, he rarely voiced objections. Shen Yan had always silently assumed the role of the leader.

Even though, among the three, he was the youngest.

When Zhao Linsu transferred to their school, he was actually older than Shen Yan—and didn’t even have a proper student record at first.

It was thanks to his parents’ golden academic credentials that he got into their affiliated primary school first, and only later was his student status formally registered.

Back then, even Old Master Zhao had been troubled by it.

That grandson of his looked like a wildling from afar and a complete illiterate up close. Sending him to kindergarten would be a waste of time, but he was too old for it anyway. Based on his age, he should’ve been in third or fourth grade. After some deliberation, Old Master Zhao decided to start him a bit lower—putting the barely-schooled ten-year-old into third grade.

At that time, kids usually started school early, and most of their classmates were already nine. Zhao Linsu was definitely older than average.

This laid a bit of a controversial foundation for his later “academic comeback” as the top student.

He was older—so of course he did better.

Zhu Ningbo had repeated a year after failing to get into his dream university, which made him the same age as Zhao Linsu.

Shen Yan had never cared about being the youngest. He’d been a class officer since childhood, got used to playing the “leader.”

Whether it was Zhao Linsu or Zhu Ningbo, he always subconsciously felt it was his responsibility to look after them—even if he couldn’t actually protect them, he still felt the obligation.

Shen Yan was deliberately ignoring his "little brother" Zhao Linsu’s mental violations.

And he’d managed to hold it in for a whole week.

Until the final class on Friday, when he really couldn’t take it anymore.

From the first day of school until now, Zhao Linsu hadn’t missed a single day!

Dude, are you clocking in like it’s your job?

What started as a lucky draw surprise now turned into a daily shock fest—Shen Yan was numb.

Damn it, this guy daydreams about him every day—how’s his body even taking it?

Shen Yan kept a straight face, sneaking a glance at the driver’s seat beside him.

Loose jeans. A soft bulge in the fabric.

Shen Yan flinched and quickly looked away.

Too terrifying.

That night, Zhao Linsu was invited over to Shen Yan’s house for dinner.

“Shen-ge.”

“Linsu’s here,” Shen Shen said with a smile while cooking, “Get yourself some water, don’t be a stranger.”

Zhao Linsu nodded politely. Shen Shen asked a few questions about his summer exchange abroad, and Zhao Linsu answered them all.

Shen Shen sighed, “Back when you first came to our house, you barely reached my chest, and now you’re about to graduate from college. Where’s Shen Yan?”

“In the bathroom.”

“Tell him not to play on his phone on the toilet. Squatting too long is bad for the body.”

Zhao Linsu smiled, “Okay.”

Before his first visit to the Shen household, Zhao Linsu never imagined the two brothers had lost their parents three years ago.

Especially Shen Yan.

His carefree personality, his open laughter and chatter—he didn’t seem at all like someone who had lost both parents early.

“Come to my place tomorrow. My brother got some new CDs,” Shen Yan said as he used a steel ruler to dig in the flowerbed. “Stop—there it is! Quick, dig!”

The two of them spent a recess digging for earthworms. Before class, Shen Yan released the worms and refilled the soil.

“My hands are too dirty to do homework. Let’s go wash up, and I’ll come back out with you next period.”

The wild little Ding Chunqiu actually washed his hands for once, giving face.

He thought: This guy’s always grinning like an idiot, turns out he’s kind of pitiful. I won’t make it hard on the class rep.

Later he realized that pity was totally unnecessary.

The last thing this guy needed was pity. He had his own joy compass and could spread that happiness to others.

Zhao Linsu knocked on the bathroom door.

“What?!”

From behind the frosted glass, Shen Yan recognized his silhouette. Alarmed, he tugged up his pants.

“Don’t squat too long. You’ll get hemorrhoids.”

Shen Yan: …What the hell does that have to do with you?!

Chef Shen Shen's cooking was top-notch. Shen Yan ate to his heart’s content.

His brother had been so busy with his 996 job lately, Shen Yan rarely got to enjoy his cooking—today was a lucky exception, thanks to Zhao Linsu.

His brother was very impressed with Zhao Linsu, thinking he was destined for great things. They say birds of a feather flock together, so Shen Shen was more than happy to see Shen Yan hanging out with him.

Zhao Linsu, to his credit, always behaved in front of the older brother—never said a crude word, played the role of a mature young man perfectly.

Shen Yan: Yeah right. A mature man who fantasizes about his buddy every day? Please. His brother was too easily fooled.

After dinner, Shen Yan and Zhao Linsu—the freeloaders—were tasked with cleaning up.

Shen Yan washed the dishes in the kitchen while Zhao Linsu wiped the table. Soon Zhao Linsu came in and joined him at the sink.

The kitchen was small, with only one sink and one faucet. Two people squeezed together to wash dishes, and before long, Shen Yan started to feel uncomfortable.

Zhao Linsu’s arm kept brushing against him—solid bone, warm skin—and every time they touched, his heart trembled and the spot tingled like a small electric shock.

Weird.

Shen Yan pulled his hands out and wiped them dry. “You wash the rest.”

Zhao Linsu glanced at him. “Trying to take advantage of me?”

Shen Yan: Why is this guy always flipping the blame? Who’s taking advantage of whom?!

“Scram, scram,” Shen Yan shoved him back. “Fine, I’ll wash everything. Happy now?”

Suddenly a wet hand landed on the back of his neck. Cold and warm at once.

Zhao Linsu drawled, “Biting the hand that feeds you.”

Shen Yan glared at him, shaking his fist in the air behind his back.

Another sneak attack!

Zhao Linsu left the kitchen. Shen Shen waved to him from the balcony.

The two chatted there.

“Is Yan-yan doing okay at school?”

“He’s fine.”

“Oh. I thought he seemed a little off lately.”

“Probably just adjusting to the new semester.”

After a few simple exchanges, Zhao Linsu returned to the living room. In the kitchen, Shen Yan was still tidying up dishes. He wiped his hands, then rubbed the back of his neck again.

His gaze sharpened. When Shen Yan turned around, Zhao Linsu was already pretending to look at his phone.

Yeah. He was a little off.

Shen Yan escorted Zhao Linsu downstairs.

Just the two of them in the elevator.

No matter where Shen Yan looked, he couldn’t escape those two damn characters floating above Zhao Linsu’s head.

Even if he looked down, the elevator floor was reflective. It twisted the black characters into view: Shen Yan.

Strangely, Zhao Linsu’s name display was always bigger, bolder, blacker than everyone else's.

Was it special? Or was it just because it was his name?

And why could he see the reflection but no one else could? Was the universe trolling him?

Shen Yan subtly shuffled his feet to step on the name on the floor.

“How old are you?” Zhao Linsu mocked.

Shen Yan ignored him and continued his symbolic act of stomping on the name.

He’d already been the bigger person, tolerating daily mental violations. Was stepping on a shadow too much to ask?

Apparently it was—Zhao Linsu stepped on his name in return.

Shen Yan: “...How old are you?”

“One year older than you.”

“So you’re one year older and one year uglier.”

“Wow. You sound proud of your immaturity.”

“You call yourself mature? If you were so mature, you wouldn’t—”

Zhao Linsu looked at him. Shen Yan’s face was flushed, clearly holding something back. But then he chickened out. As the elevator doors opened, he bolted out.

“...watch cartoons.”

Zhao Linsu followed. “You mean the ‘cartoon’ you sent me?”

A puppy perked up nearby. Shen Yan walked past it, then doubled back to pick it up.

Zhao Linsu, a frequent visitor to the Shen household, was familiar with the dog, if not close.

To him, it was a dumb dog—no guard instincts at all. Anyone could pet it. Practically a public pet, not exactly “pure.”

“Stealing the dog?” Zhao Linsu asked.

“Taking it for a walk.”

But Shen Yan carried the dog the whole time. No leash, no real walking. His eyes kept drifting to Zhao Linsu—tall, graceful gait, leashless and obedient. Way classier than the mutt.

In Shen Yan’s head, he mentally compared Zhao Linsu to the dog—and somehow felt better about everything.

“Heh… Do you know who her ‘goddess’ is?”

“She?”

“The dog.”

Zhao Linsu lazily glanced at the mutt, then at Shen Yan. “Don’t tell me it’s you?”

Shen Yan kicked at him. Zhao Linsu easily dodged.

“I don’t know much about dogs. But seems like you two speak the same language.”

Shen Yan shot back, “Well, don’t we speak the same language too?”

The words came out too fast, and he froze. Before he could feel awkward, Zhao Linsu smoothly replied:

“Congrats. That means you still have some humanity left.”

Shen Yan: If it weren’t for that humanity, he would’ve already chopped off a certain something to cleanse his soul.

“Let’s walk around the park before heading back,” Shen Yan suggested.

Zhao Linsu didn’t answer, but his feet followed. Definitely easier to walk than the mutt.

The park lights were on—dim yellow glows sprinkled among trees and flowers. Mosquitoes buzzed around.

Shen Yan carried the dog on the jogging path, getting bitten all over.

For some reason, bugs loved him. If he was there, everyone else was safe.

Shen Yan scratched his leg with his shoe, eyes scanning ahead like a searchlight.

Zhao Linsu asked, “Are you walking the dog, or walking yourself like one?”

“Just strolling,” Shen Yan replied. “No leash.”

“Nothing to see. Let’s go.”

“No no, let’s stay. Just a bit longer.”

“Hey—”

Shen Yan lowered his voice, full of excitement. “Up ahead.”

Zhao Linsu lazily followed his gaze.

A slim girl walking a big dog. The dog moved with calm power, its sharp eyes a stark contrast to its gentle owner—very eye-catching.

Zhao Linsu turned to Shen Yan.

Shen Yan and the mutt wore the same expression—craning their necks to look, eyes sparkling.

“That’s the one.”

He jiggled the dog in his arms. “Its goddess. Ridiculous, right? Makes no sense.”

The mutt was usually quiet, but when Shen Yan had come home once with the big dog’s scent, it went crazy. And now, in the park, it just trembled in his arms—no bark, no move. Just stared.

It knew.

Shen Yan glanced sideways at Zhao Linsu.

Some people—couldn’t they at least have more self-awareness than a dog?

Zhao Linsu looked back, coolly. “Makes perfect sense.”

Shen Yan: …

So the damn dog really has no shame.