I think I've fallen for you

Shan Ye was truly starving. His mouth had felt tasteless, but even the bowl of noodles in clear broth with a poached egg that Fan Jin made tasted delicious to him.

So good.

Fan Jin sat beside him, watching him tuck into the noodles.

"Slow down," he reminded him gently.

He ate too quickly and felt full after only a few mouthfuls. Setting down his chopsticks, he wiped the corner of his mouth and turned to ask Fan Jin, "You still haven't told me why you suddenly came back."

Fan Jin lowered his lashes halfway and fell silent.

When he still said nothing after a while, Shan Ye asked again, "Then what about your grandma? Did she come back too?"

Only then did Fan Jin speak. "I asked someone to look after her."

"Then how did you know where I lived?"

"You order takeout a lot." He paused. "The address was on the orders."

Shan Ye couldn't help laughing. "You remember it that well? Did you memorize it the very first time I ordered?"

"...No." Fan Jin avoided his gaze.

"Then how did you know I was sick?"

"...You hadn't messaged me, so I called you," Fan Jin admitted.

Shan Ye guessed, "Did Yu Chuan answer?"

Fan Jin didn't deny it.

"Then wasn't having him here enough? You came all the way back from Osmanthus City?" He suddenly leaned closer to Fan Jin. "Fan Jin, and you still say you don't like me."

"Did you not like seeing me with Yu Chuan? Or were you worried about me and wanted to take care of me yourself?" Shan Ye pressed him relentlessly.

Both.

His barrage of questions caught Fan Jin completely off guard, and every one hit its mark, voicing exactly what was in Fan Jin's heart.

Fan Jin sprang to his feet. "Are you finished? I'll wash the dishes."

Shan Ye didn't stop him. Propping up his head, he studied Fan Jin's slightly flustered retreating figure. Fireworks went off in his heart. Fan Jin was so innocent when it came to love. He clearly liked him, yet still didn't dare admit it.

He was more like an eighteen-year-old high school boy.

Fan Jin washed the dishes in the kitchen. Cold water flowed over his burning skin, rapidly cooling it, but his heart kept racing.

After eating, Shan Ye grabbed a fresh set of pajamas and went to shower. When Fan Jin came out and heard running water in the bathroom, he frowned and knocked on the door.

Shan Ye turned off the shower. "What's wrong?"

"Are you taking a shower?"

"Yeah."

Fan Jin's brow furrowed deeper. "You still have a slight fever. You shouldn't shower."

Shan Ye had thought something was wrong. He laughed and replied, "It's fine. I'm healthy. I'll get better soon."

He had sweated, leaving his skin sticky and uncomfortable. A shower made him feel much better.

When Shan Ye came out, he saw Fan Jin sitting on the sofa reading his book. He walked over and asked, "How is it? Can you understand it?"

Fan Jin glanced up at him. "No." It was all in English.

Shan Ye smiled and sat beside him. "That's okay. I can read it to you."

Seeing that his hair wasn't dry yet, Fan Jin got up and went to his bedroom to fetch him a light jacket. "Put this on. Dry your hair before you come back."

Shan Ye looked at the jacket he held out. He liked it, along with Fan Jin's almost commanding tone.

"Okay. Whatever you say."

He quickly slipped into the bathroom to dry his hair and finished in five minutes. Without his usual styling, it looked fluffy. He put on the jacket Fan Jin had found for him, then ran back to the sofa.

"Fan Jin, I'm back."

Fan Jin glanced at him. "Mm. Go ahead and read."

Shan Ye smiled brightly. Sitting cross-legged on the sofa, he leaned against Fan Jin and opened the classic, written entirely in English. "Then I'll just read you a random passage."

Fan Jin listened to Shan Ye's lovely voice and fluent English. Although he couldn't understand much, Shan Ye seemed to be enjoying himself.

Shan Ye read, "By being with you, I see the world as it truly is, bright and warm. My heart has woken up at last."

When Shan Ye finished reading and kept staring at him, Fan Jin asked, "What does that mean?"

"When I'm with you, I finally see the world as it truly is, bright and warm."

"My heart has finally awakened at this moment."

Shan Ye stared at him with sparkling eyes. Fan Jin looked away and gave a feigned cough.

"Fan Jin, I feel so relaxed when I'm with you. I'm really happy you came back early for me."

"Does that mean..." Shan Ye gazed into his eyes, as though trying to see straight into his heart. "I'm not someone you feel nothing for?"

"...Yes," Fan Jin admitted.

Shan Ye's gaze froze, and he sat stunned for a long time. He hadn't expected Fan Jin to admit it so quickly. He had planned to win his heart little by little, until he fell for him.

He hadn't expected to be the one who fell first.

"Fan Jin... what-what do you mean?" Shan Ye's voice trembled slightly.

"I can't stay indifferent." He lowered his head, as though surrendering. "...I think I've fallen for you."