Chapter 40

Qiao Yanzhou sometimes felt that the world really was wonderful.

More than a week ago he was sitting at his computer every night, tired as a dog while streaming. Then more than a week later, he was on a small road near EG with his idol Gu Zixing asking if he was gay!

How wonderful, truly wonderful.

Still wedged between Gu Zixing’s fingers was an unlit Madam Cigarette. Those pale and slender fingers were not a mismatch with that cigarette.

After hearing Qiao Yanzhou’s question, Gu Zixing’s eyes surprisingly narrowed. He tilted his head and smirked at Qiao Yanzhou.

Qiao Yanzhou felt a bit numb from being stared at. Actually before he even asked the question, he was prepared for Gu Zixing to get angry and leave. He even thought of how to comfort Gu Zixing when they got back and what he would do if Gu Zixing kicked him out.

But seeing Gu Zixing’s attitude at the moment, he was not prepared for it.  

Gu Zixing silently used his finger to lightly tap on his cigarette, then suddenly laughed.

“Why are you laughing?” Qiao Yanzhou didn’t understand.

“Xiao Qiao,” Gu Zixing approached him as he suppressed his voice very deep, “When I saw you that day, my thing down there already stood up. What do you think?”

“.....”

Does this count as acknowledgement!?

But Qiao Yanzhou didn’t expect Gu Zixing to bring up that situation. His completely unguarded face immediately turned red. He hurried to face Gu Zixing and fiercely shook his head and denied, “But remember, that day I wore women’s clothes ah. This means that you still have some interest for women ba!”

“Why are you so nervous?”

“....”

Actually, today before he opened his mouth to ask Gu Zixing this question, he had already pondered over the question of Gu Zixing’s orientation countless times in his head.

Qiao Yanzhou vaguely remembered that in high school he had a classmate called Chang Nan, he was also gay. But when Chang Nan normally interacted with other people, there didn't seem to be a difference. He studied together and played games with everyone and no one ever suspected his orientation. The only thing slightly distinct was that he could draw and play guitar quite well.

However at that time everyone in the class, except for Qiao Yanzhou, were not able to detect that he was unlike the others.

When the suspicion was at the greatest, Qiao Yanzhou and Liang Dong would secretly talk about it. They didn’t talk about it too bluntly, but Liang Dong at the time didn’t detect a single thing, even saying that Qiao Yanzhou was a nutjob.

It wasn’t until the day they graduated, classmate Chang Nan held his cup of alcohol at the gathering and stood up. Facing a table full of people, he mulled over for a long time before gathering his courage to tell everyone, including the teacher siting by his side, that he was actually gay. His boyfriend was actually in the class next door and those two had already been secretly dating for two years. Last year they decided that at the end of the year, they would go to Holland to get married.

At the time, after Chang Nan finished saying this, he even called his boyfriend to come over while all his classmates and teacher were giving him their blessings.

Moreover, Qiao Yanzhou heard that this year at the start of spring, the two really did fly to Holland to start a life there.

At that time, besides giving them his sincere blessings, Qiao Yanzhou more importantly felt that his intuition was spot on.

And as it happens, this time the intuition came again, or perhaps because of this similar intuition he found the courage to ask Gu Zixing this serious and sensitive question.

If it was proven true again, Qiao Yanzhou’s intuition was pretty strong.

After Gu Zixing spoke, he turned his head to look at Qiao Yanzhou. He couldn’t help but laugh. “I seem to have heard the sound of someone’s idol in their heart shattering.”

“Nope,” Qiao Yanzhou hurried to shake his head once he got his bearings. “It was within my expectation.”

Only if Zhao Lingling finds out, afraid she would die of heartbreak, Qiao Yanzhou silently said to himself.

Truthfully he didn’t expect Gu Zixing to acknowledge it this easily. Although Qiao Yanzhou didn’t have any opinions or bias against homosexuality, but because Gu Zixing was this easy going about it, he didn’t know what what to say next.

Then did Gu Zixing have a boyfriend right now? Do the other team members know he is gay? If the team members knew, would they gossip about him behind his back? Qiao Yanzhou never felt that he was such a gossiper, but he was too scared to ask these questions one by one to Gu Zixing. Qiao Yanzhou suddenly understood how Zhao Lingling felt sometimes.

In the middle of an awkward silence, Gu Zixing lifted his hand, intending to say something when suddenly his phone started to vibrate. It was a wechat message from Gao Yang.

Clever Lamb: Boss Gu, truthfully I think that lad is very good, a perfect match with you!

Gu Zixing lifted his head to glance at Qiao Yanzhou. He didn’t know what was fermenting in Qiao Yanzhou’s mind, his eyes didn't even look in Gu Zixing’s direction.

Star: Straight.

Gu Zixing replied with one word.

Clever Lamb: Maybe not

Gu Zixing raised an eyebrow, it was unexpected. Gao Yang was normally someone who wouldn’t cause a ruckus for no reason. How come today he bit onto Qiao Yanzhou and refused to let go? Is it possible that Qiao Yanzhou bewitched them with some medicine? Gu Zixing was thinking about this as Gao Yang sent over another message.

Clever Lamb: It really might not!

Star: If you say it again I’ll be tempted.

Clever Lamb: Then do it. Aloof my ass.

Gu Zixing couldnt help but laugh out loud.

Qiao Yanzhou turned around, “Why are you laughing ne?”

“Xiao Qiao,” Gu Zixing’s line of sight went from his cellphone to Qiao Yanzhou, the smile on his face hadn’t disappeared yet.

Puzzled, Qiao Yanzhou was wondering what medicine Gu Zixing was trying to sell now. Based on past experience, when Gu Zixing called for him with this tone, it wasn’t ever anything good.

As a result Qiao Yanzhou cautiously asked, “What’s up?”

“Can I top you?”

“Can I beat you up?”

Based on what Gao Yang said. When he said “Then just do it”, if you translate word for word, it also says “then get on top”.

________

The two people walked back to their room. Just as they entered, Qiao Yanzhou wanted to pet Wotou when his phone suddenly rang.

“Hi mom!”

“Zhou Zi ah, what are you doing?”

“Just finished eating and came back.”

“Tingting?”

Here we go again. Everytime Mama Qiao mentioned Cao Ting, his head would turn heavy.

“I just got off the phone with her.” Qiao Yanzhou forced a smile, reached out to turn the volume down on his phone. Just now his voice was loud, Gu Zixing heard it on the sofa as he was teasing Wotou.

“How come you came back so late ah.” His mother’s tone had a bit of worry to it, “Don’t affect other people’s rest.”

“Not affecting not affecting ah! She wasn't even really busy for the entire day so it's fine. She can sleep at any time.”

“When you have time, bring Tingting home so we can meet her, you hear me?”

“I heard mom.”

“Pu chi.” Gu Zixing laughed on the side. He lowered his voice to ask Qiao Yanzhou, “Why are you imitating your mom?”

“....”

“Then Zhou zi you go rest ba. Mom also isn’t busy.” Mama Qiao seemed to not have heard Gu Zixing.

“Ai ok.”

Qiao Yanzhou impatiently hung up the phone and twisted his head to look at Gu Zixing petting the cat.

“Your girlfriend is called Tingting?” Gu Zixing picked up Wotou and put him on his thigh. He used his hand to rub his little face while asking Qiao Yanzhou.

Qiao Yanzhou sighed, “We broke up ages ago. We had a fight.”

“Breaking up is good ah, breaking up gives you freedom.”

“Good your ass. Everyday I have to hide it from my mother. It’s so troublesome.” Qiao Yanzhou threw his phone onto the sofa and twisted his head to look at Gu Zixing. “What about you? How come it sounds like you also just broke up with someone.”

Gu Zixing raised his head to look at Qiao Yanzhou.

“Do you have a boyfriend?” Waiting for this long, Qiao Yanzhou finally found an opportunity to ask this question he had been choking back on for half a day.

“Had one in the past, currently do not.”

Sure enough ah—

“Why?”

“Nothing, just randomly asking…” Qiao Yanzhou waved his hand and stood up. “You go rest first ba, don’t forget to close your door.”

“???” He understood the front part of that sentence, but didn’t understand the latter half. “You want to shut me inside until I die?”

“No, I forgot to save the game I was playing before so now I have to go make it up. I’m just afraid that my voice might be too loud and wake you up.”

It made him vexed thinking about those ten minutes he didn’t save when he was streaming. Don’t even mention ten minutes, every minute to him was torture. Since he wasn’t tired yet, he wanted to take advantage of tonight to make up for those ten minutes.

“What game?” Gu Zixing sat down on the sofa and straightened out.

“A horror game.”

“It's the middle of the night and you’re not scared?”

“That's why I told you to close your door. Scared that I'll scream and wake you up.”

Gu Zixing heard this, couldn't help but show a meaningful smile.

Being smiled at like this, Qiao Yanzhou felt like he was being judged. He hurried to modify his words, “I’m just joking around, would I be afraid?”

“Good night.”

The meaningful smile didn't even disappear from Gu Zixing’s face as he grabbed the cat’s paw to wave at him.

________

Qiao Yanzhou really didn’t know why he said those three words “Im not afraid” to Gu Zixing, because when he pushed the button on his computer, he deeply regretted it.

He lied to Gu Zixing, and it was a pack full of lies.

Just imagine, if he said he was afraid at that time, maybe Gu Zixing would accompany him to play. Adding a person would help strengthen one’s courage rather than to suffer by yourself.

Perhaps only one phrase could describe it well：Forced pretense, spilt water.

Something that you can’t get back.  

Qiao Yanzhou trembled by himself as he opened the game. Even though he was terrified, but for his future streaming to advance he had no choice but to do this.

At this moment in this lousy game, he didn’t have any desire for him to save someone that would give him a future teammate. His current number one objective was that in a moment when he would scream from terror, it would be soft so he wouldnt disturb Gu Zixing.

Ai, human nature ah.