Yu Chuan watched his reddening ears, the amusement in his eyes deepening. He rarely met a man who was simplehearted yet had a mature air about him. Shan Ye was one.
After returning to shore, they browsed the little shops along the old street. Shan Ye spotted a shop selling pastries unique to Jiangnan, and his eyes lit up. He went straight inside. "These are delicious. I'll take a few extra boxes." He picked one up, his eyes sparkling, completely oblivious to Yu Chuan staring at his profile.
"Buying that many?" Yu Chuan leaned against the counter, his tone casual. "Are they gifts?"
Shan Ye paused. "Yeah, they're gifts." He needed to bring some back not just for Fan Jin, but for Zhang Nan and Tan Yi'an too.
Back at the hotel that evening, Yu Chuan knocked on Shan Ye's door with two boxes of local Pineapple Cake in his hands. "I bought these when I passed by just now. Try some. They're even better than the ones this afternoon."
Shan Ye had just showered. His hair was damp, and his loose pajamas made him look especially sweet. He accepted the Pineapple Cake and thanked him. "Thanks. Sorry for the trouble."
"No need to be so polite with me." Yu Chuan stepped inside and leaned against the doorframe, looking at him. "Let's hike up the mountain out back tomorrow. I heard you can see the whole Osmanthus Forest in Osmanthus City from the summit. It's supposed to be beautiful."
Shan Ye thought for a moment, then nodded. "Sure."
He had no other plans. He had come out to unwind, so he simply followed wherever Yu Chuan went.
Yu Chuan smiled, his gaze lingering on Shan Ye's face for a few seconds before he turned to leave. "Get some rest. We'll be up early tomorrow."
Once the door closed, Shan Ye sat on the edge of the bed and looked at the Pineapple Cake Yu Chuan had brought. He didn't particularly feel like eating any, so he set it aside.
He took out his phone and opened his chat with Fan Jin. Fan Jin hadn't sent him a message today.
Not even a single greeting.
Shan Ye felt a little hollow inside. His fingers moved over the screen for ages, but in the end, he still didn't dare send a message.
He tossed his phone aside and lay back down, but no matter how much he tossed and turned, his mind kept returning to Fan Jin. He desperately wanted the holiday to end so he could go back to Muzhou. He wanted to drink Boss Fan's coffee too.
Early the next morning, Yu Chuan arrived right on time to wake him, and they went to hike up the mountain together.
The trail wasn't steep, and osmanthus trees lined both sides, their fragrance accompanying them the whole way. Shan Ye had thought he was already quite the chatterbox, but Yu Chuan turned out to be even chattier, talking nonstop all the way up.
Their conversation revolved around the history of British and American literature. Since it touched on their field, Shan Ye was interested too.
Halfway up, Shan Ye grew a little tired and braced himself against a tree trunk to catch his breath. Yu Chuan immediately unscrewed a water bottle before handing it to him. "Take it slow. There's no rush. Let's rest a while."
Shan Ye took the water, drank a couple of mouthfuls, and looked up at him. Sunlight filtered through the leaves onto Yu Chuan's face. His smile was gentle, his eyes curved with it, and he really was pleasant to look at.
Yet Shan Ye felt a faint unease.
After resting for a while, they continued climbing and reached the summit just in time for sunrise.
The sky spilled its brilliant colors over the entire Osmanthus Forest in Osmanthus City below. Everything glowed gold, fragrant breezes drifting past. It really was just as breathtaking as people online had said.
Shan Ye stood by the railing, entranced by the view, and couldn't resist taking out his phone for a photo.
Just then, Yu Chuan suddenly came up beside him and slipped an arm gently around his waist, his voice tender and earnest. "Shan Ye, I think... I'm really happy when I'm with you."
Shan Ye jolted so hard he nearly lost his footing. Yu Chuan tightened his arm around him and steadied him.
Once he regained his balance, Shan Ye stared at Yu Chuan in disbelief. "What... are you talking about?"
Yu Chuan raised his eyebrows. "You're not into women, are you?"
"..." Shan Ye didn't deny it. He turned his head away.
"Don't be nervous. I'm not trying to do anything, and this isn't a confession."
"It's no big deal. Even Socrates championed homosexuality. What's so unusual about you or me?" He looked at Shan Ye as he spoke, utterly serious.
Shan Ye looked back at him and paused. "That doesn't bother me. My sexuality doesn't scare me either. But even if two people are the same sex, they still need to connect and like each other, don't they?"
He was already dropping hints. He didn't like Yu Chuan and had no romantic interest in him. They were colleagues who would keep seeing each other at work. Unless absolutely necessary, he didn't want to make things awkward over this.
Yu Chuan smiled. "I understand. I'm looking for that connection too. For true love."
"So... could you give me a chance?"
Talk about blindsiding me. You just said this wasn't a confession, Shan Ye cursed inwardly.
He closed his eyes briefly. "...Yu Chuan, you're my colleague."
"So what? I can change jobs."
"..." Did being a doctoral student mean he could be this cavalier about work?
He pressed his lips together and explained, "It's not about work. It's just... it's just..." It's just that I don't like you. Can't you tell??
Yu Chuan had cornered Shan Ye so thoroughly that he couldn't squeeze out a complete sentence. He was screaming inside while still trying to maintain some composure on his face.
So this was what it felt like when someone you didn't like confessed to you?
Was Fan Jin just as torn...?
"What is it?" Yu Chuan leaned slightly closer, his smile harmless, though the pressure he exuded was anything but.
Shan Ye took half a step back, avoiding that overly direct gaze as his fingers nervously picked at the edge of his phone. "It's just... there's already someone in my heart."
The moment he said it, he startled himself.
Before he had even fully sorted out his feelings, he had already claimed Fan Jin as his own so decisively.
Yu Chuan's smile faded a little, but he didn't look embarrassed. Instead, he raised an eyebrow with interest. "The one who called you that day?"
Shan Ye nodded. "...Yeah."
"How does he treat you?" Yu Chuan asked directly, without beating around the bush.
Shan Ye instantly went blank.
How did he treat him?
He was as cold as a stone that never warmed, went days without sending a single message, spoke so blandly it was almost ridiculous, and didn't even trust Shan Ye's feelings. Yet as Shan Ye counted it all up, he found he didn't harbor the slightest resentment.
He pressed his lips together and defended him softly. "He treats me very well."
One look at his expression, and Yu Chuan understood.
He chuckled, withdrew his hand, and stopped pressing so hard. "All right. I get it."
Shan Ye let out a huge sigh of relief, his knees nearly going weak.
Thank goodness. At least he hadn't wrecked their working relationship so badly that they'd never speak again.
Who would have thought Yu Chuan's next words would leave him stunned all over again?
"I'm not forcing you to say yes right now." Yu Chuan leaned against the railing, facing the sunrise, his tone easy and open. "You're not together with him anyway. Fair competition isn't asking too much, is it?"
Shan Ye's eyes widened. "???"
Wait, hadn't he just made everything clear? How had they circled back to this? Nothing got through to this guy.
"Don't look at me like that." Yu Chuan's grin was infuriating. "You're genuinely my type. Just looking at you feels nice."
Shan Ye shook his head helplessly. He stopped paying Yu Chuan any attention and hurriedly raised his phone, snapping photo after photo of the scenery.
He quietly planned to rush straight to the café the moment he got back and stick close to Fan Jin.
Otherwise, if Yu Chuan kept pestering him like this, something was bound to go wrong sooner or later.
They stayed at the summit a little longer as the wind grew colder.
Shan Ye gave a small sneeze.
Yu Chuan naturally took off his jacket and handed it over. "Put this on. Don't catch a cold. You still have to drive back."
Shan Ye hesitated, then returned the jacket. He wasn't used to wearing other people's clothes, except Fan Jin's.
Deep down, it was still Fan Jin's scent he craved.
They walked down side by side, and Shan Ye kept checking his phone the whole way.
There was still nothing from Fan Jin.
The little pang of disappointment that had only just been soothed quietly surfaced again.
What on earth was Fan Jin doing...?
If he didn't get in touch soon, Shan Ye really was going to end up with his colleague clinging to him.
Before you continue