CH 76

The kids these days matured early. Feng Ci had already started receiving love letters before he was 10 years old. How could he be completely unaware?

However, perhaps due to the fact that he was too familiar with Pei QianYue, the habitual feelings of protectiveness and possessiveness lulled Feng Ci until only recently when he finally vaguely figured out his true feelings towards Pei QianYue. 

Feng Ci wasn’t the type of person who beat around the bush. After figuring it out, there was no reason to keep avoiding it.

It was rather noisy inside the convenience store. Only the dining area was quieter in comparison. However, there were still plenty of young girls secretly watching them. When Feng Ci leaned closer, he even heard suppressed squeals behind him.

Compared to getting closer to the boys they liked, the girls of this age seemed to enjoy it more watching two boys interact intimately.

Who knows what kind of strange interest this was. 

But if they knew what Feng Ci had said just now, they probably would feel even more shocked.

Feng Ci thought randomly in his head as he did his best to ignore the increasingly rapid heartbeats inside his chest.

Although he didn’t plan to hide it, this was the first time he has given such a direct indication. He didn’t know how Pei QianYue would feel about it.

What if he didn’t feel that way towards Feng Ci?

What if he…… disliked it a lot?

Feng Ci suddenly understood why most of the girls, who gave him love letters, have such anxious expressions on their faces. After getting to know Pei QianYue, this was actually the first time he felt such an intense sense of uncertainty. It even gave birth to cowardly thoughts of running away.

He shouldn’t have been so impulsive.

At least, he should have made some preparations, for example, writing a letter? Or perhaps preparing a sincere and heartfelt confession? 

In any case, it shouldn’t have been inside this noisy convenience store.

Feng Ci stuck close next to Pei QianYue’s ear, his gaze flitting around, not daring to look at the person in front of him. However, regardless of how flustered and anxious he felt inside, he still didn’t cower.

To his surprise, Pei QianYue only acknowledged with a soft ‘en’.

That sound was very soft, almost covered up by the noise inside the convenience store. 

Feng Ci blinked skeptically.

That’s it?

The youth sat upright on the high stool from the convenience store. In fact, while Feng Ci said those things, he didn’t even stop eating. His movements were measured and controlled, elegant as if he was in some kind of high-class restaurant rather than eating an instant bento that’s a dozen yuan on the side of the street.

However, he wasn’t completely without any abnormalities. 

Feng Ci looked up and finally noticed that the roots of Pei QianYue’s ears had quietly turned red. His skin was very white. This faint little pink color looked particularly obvious.

The sight made Feng Ci feel like something was itching in the depths of his heart. He practically wanted to carry out the agreement right now.

Throat slightly dry, he suppressed his voice and asked: “Then that’s a deal?”

Pei QianYue gave another ‘En’. 

Both deep and soft. Who knows if he was deliberately being seductive. Feng Ci pressed his lips together, practically unable to control the excitement in his heart. He still wanted to say something when Pei QianYue interrupted him: “There’s 15 mins left.”

“Ct?”

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Teachers and tests, forever the biggest hindrances to dating early.

Pei QianYue’s promise was more useful than any teacher or guardian’s persuasion and advice. From that day onwards, Feng Ci’s temperament suddenly changed greatly. Not only did he stop interacting with his delinquent friends in school, causing trouble and getting into fights, or getting distracted and slacking off in class, everyday he carried a pile of practice questions and did them all day and night. This studious trend was even more aggressive than Pei QianYue.

One of his followers couldn’t hold back from asking him the reason. Feng Ci didn’t hide it either.

“If I don’t test well in the high school entrance exam, I won’t be able to pursue my wife. Of course I have to do my best.” When he said these words, it was during lunch break. Feng Ci just finished a set of exercise problems. As he flipped the pages to compare answers, he casually glanced at Pei QianYue, who was sitting diagonally in front of him not too far away. 

Pei QianYue was also doing practice problems. Hearing Feng Ci say these words, his pen clearly stopped for a moment.

Feng Ci purposely did not lower his voice. He had said it just for the other to hear.

“Boss, you have someone you like?”

“Which class? To actually raise such a request.” 

“When are you going to take us to see big sis?”

The crowd asked with everyone talking all at once. There was even someone who tried to fan the flames. He asked Pei QianYue loudly: “Pei QianYue, you are closest to boss. Do you know? Give us a slight hint, alright?”

Hearing this, Pei QianYue turned his head around and met Feng Ci’s smiling gaze.

“I know.” Pei QianYue said calmly. 

“You really do know! Who is it?”

“Hurry up and talk, don’t keep us in suspense.”

Pei QianYue withdrew his gaze: “Not telling.”

The crowd hooted noisily. Feng Ci only gave a faint smile and then chased them off. 

After that day, there didn’t seem to be any change between his and Pei QianYue’s relationship. They still entered and left the classroom together as before. On the weekend, they went to each other’s house to eat and study together.

Yet something was also subtly different.

For example, Feng Ci would secretly switch Pei QianYue’s cup and writing utensils to be the same as his. Or for example, occasionally when he went to other’s house and forgot to bring extra clean clothes to switch into, Pei QianYue would directly grab a black t-shirt that he wore regularly from the wardrobe to give to Feng Ci.

There were less reasons to mention the matching couple’s trinkets that were hidden under their heavy school uniforms normally, which no one else knew about. 

Like this, the two people passed their last year of middle school in silent agreement.

The day that he received the acceptance letter was a bright and sunny morning. Feng Ci just woke up from a dream, groped around drowsily to grab his phone and take a glance, then he instantly woke up.

Turning around and sitting up, he first sent Pei QianYue a message.

[Feng Ci: Are you up? Are you up? Are you up?] 

Pei QianYue seemed to reply instantly.

[Pei XiaoYue: Awake?]

[Feng Ci: Just woke up.]

The screen showed that the other party was currently typing. Feng Ci also started to type swiftly, wanting to share the good news to Pei QianYue. He altered his wording several times. Before he even managed to send a single sentence, Pei QianYue’s text arrived first. 

[Pei XiaoYue: Come downstairs.]

Feng Ci almost threw his phone away.

His room was right by the window. Feng Ci yanked open a corner of the window curtain and instantly saw the youth standing downstairs.

Feng Ci: “Damn.” 

[Feng Ci: When did you get here???]

[Pei XiaoYue: Been waiting for almost an hour for you.]

[Pei XiaoYue: Come downstairs.]

[Feng Ci: ……] 

Downstairs, Pei QianYue looked at the series of ellipses that Feng Ci sent and couldn’t help but laugh.

Feng Ci only used ten minutes to dress and head out the door. He didn’t even waste time waiting for the elevator and went directly down the stairs.

“How come you didn’t wake me up when you arrived?” Both hands propped on his knees, Feng Ci panted for breath heavily.

Pei QianYue patted him on the back to help him breathe better: “It’s vacation, I wanted to let you sleep a bit longer.” 

Feng Ci, exasperatedly: “Then why did you come over so early?”

Pei QianYue: “Wanted to see you.”

It was early summer right now. The morning weather was still pretty cool and refreshing. There were plenty of people doing their morning jog in this district. Just one sentence from Pei QianYue was enough to make Feng Ci stir restlessly inside. He took a deep breath of the fresh morning air and yanked Pei QianYue into a concealed little path.

The concentrated vines of the grape stand covered the light. Bundles and bundles of under-ripe green grapes dangled downwards. Feng Ci pressed Pei QianYue against the grape stand and asked quietly: “Is it only to see me?” 

Pei QianYue was already a bit taller than Feng Ci. Feng Ci tilted his head upwards slightly and looked into the other’s eyes, which carried something inexplicable inside them.

“Pei XiaoYue,” Feng Ci stared at him unblinkingly: “I waited for you a year already.”

Pei QianYue acknowledged him quietly.

He leaned against the grape stand, the spots of sunlight landing on his handsome face. His eyelashes were slightly lowered, but they couldn’t conceal those clear bright eyes. 

“But I’ve been waiting for you for not only just a year.”

Feng Ci was stunned.

He was flabbergasted for a moment before understanding the deep implications behind these words. Blood rushed into his brain. When his thoughts finally cleared, he had already moved in and touched Pei QianYue’s lips.

Neither of the two had any experiences. The little things they learned from movies weren’t useful in practice at all. Feng Ci could only follow his instincts to press close to the other. Clearly, this was a brand new experience, but he felt a sense of familiarity and deja vu. 

As if they should have done this a long time ago.

After a moment, Feng Ci moved back slightly and pressed against the other’s forehead: “How come you didn’t tell me earlier?”

“When did this happen?”

“If I didn’t say anything, were you planning to not say anything either?” 

In one breath, he shot out a series of questions. Pei QianYue only laughed softly and said quietly: “If I said it, it’d be called dating early.”

As if not saying it made any difference.

Feng Ci gave him an angry bite: “Does it not count anymore right now?”

“Of course not.” Pei QianYue compliantly allowed him to kiss, voice vague and unclear: “It was you who insisted on discussing conditions with me, I couldn’t do anything about it.” 

“High school requires living on campus. If we’re not in the same school, we won’t be able to see each other regularly, only once a week. We might not even be able to see each other if we’re busy.” Pei QianYue looked down at Feng Ci, his pretty eyes filled with a hint of grievance: “I’d go crazy.”

Feng Ci couldn’t feel angry anymore.

He has never been able to deal with this person.

Feng Ci sighed slowly and asked him: “What next then?” 

“Find a place to celebrate?” Pei QianYue: “I’ll pay.”

Feng Ci agreed cheerfully: “Okay.”

Pei QianYue held Feng Ci’s hand and walked outwards.

The morning sun was perfect. The two passed through the little cobblestone path that was lined with grape stands. Feng Ci looked down at their clasped hands and asked: “Then right now we…… can count as dating early right?” 

“No.” Pei QianYue answered seriously: “The Municipal Key School is very strict. If we get discovered, we’ll get expelled.”

Feng Ci: “……Then what are we supposed to do?”

Pei QianYue: “Continue to wait.”

His tone was actually even very indifferent. 

Feng Ci has no doubt that if he didn’t poke a hole through this equilibrium previously, this person could have restrained himself until the end of the college entrance exam

“Then I want to kiss my fill before school starts.” Not allowing Pei QianYue any time to speak, Feng Ci leaned in and bit down on his lips.

Pei QianYue laughed, circled his arms around Feng Ci’s waist, and deepened this kiss.