A Clash of Lines

When Jian Yixun had been speaking to Xu Shuche earlier, there had still been a faint smile in his eyes.

Now his expression turned completely cold as he looked at the delicate boy in front of him.

The boy seemed to have steeled himself.

Without lifting his head, he spoke quickly.

“Senior, I know you dislike guys like me.

But liking someone isn’t something you can just suppress.

I only wrote what I wanted to say in the letter.

I didn’t mean to offend you at all.”

After a brief pause, a trace of sadness entered his voice.

“If you really can’t accept me, then I have nothing more to say.

I respect whatever decision you make.”

Jian Yixun pinched the envelope between two fingers and lifted his eyelids lazily to look at him.

“That’s your reason for giving me this letter?”

The boy bit his lip and gave him a quick, embarrassed glance before nodding.

“After the last gay guy confessed to me, I posted something on my Moments.

It got screenshotted and spread to the campus confession wall.

I thought the whole world knew I was homophobic.”

Jian Yixun placed the letter back on the table.

There was no warmth in his voice.

“And you still came looking for trouble.

What, you think you’ll be the exception?”

The boy’s tightly intertwined fingers clenched harder.

He shook his head faintly.

“Then why come asking to be scolded?”

Jian Yixun let out a cold laugh.

“If you didn’t know I was homophobic before, fine.

I explained and rejected one by one.

Now everyone knows.

And you still come pestering me.

Are you looking for it?”

The boy let out a small sob.

His doe-like eyes were already misty.

His lips trembled so badly he could not form a full sentence.

“I’m warning you, if you people don’t—”

“Jian Yixun.”

Xu Shuche interrupted him.

“That’s enough.”

He looked at the boy who was on the verge of tears.

“Let’s end it here.

Take your letter back.

You’ll meet someone you like even more in the future.

Give this letter to him then, alright?”

The boy’s mouth turned downward.

He had been holding back, but when he heard Xu Shuche’s words, his tears broke free all at once.

He wiped at his eyes with his sleeve.

“Thank you, Senior.”

“It’s okay.

Don’t be sad.”

Xu Shuche took the letter from Jian Yixun’s hand and placed it back into the boy’s.

“It’s not wrong to like someone.

But you also need to respect boundaries and not disturb them casually, right?”

The boy nodded.

He gripped the envelope so tightly that wrinkles formed across its smooth surface.

“Be more careful in the future.”

Xu Shuche patted his shoulder gently.

“Go on.

Don’t let this ruin your mealtime.”

The boy murmured his thanks again and hurried out of the restaurant without looking at Jian Yixun once.

Jian Yixun ruffled his hair irritably.

The good mood he had been in was completely gone.

He slammed the polished knife and fork onto his plate with a harsh screech.

“Why did you speak up for him?”

“He looked pitiful.”

Xu Shuche spoke calmly.

“I couldn’t bear to see him cry.”

“What’s pitiful about him?”

Jian Yixun clicked his tongue.

“Guys like that who look delicate are the best at acting pitiful.

Pout a little, shed a couple tears, and a bunch of fools fall for it.

Don’t be fooled.

Who knows what they’re calculating in their heads.”

“Did he calculate against you?”

Xu Shuche narrowed his eyes behind his glasses.

“How are you so sure he must be scheming?”

“I’ve met plenty of them.

They—”

“So because you’ve met plenty, he deserves bad luck?”

A flicker of disgust crossed Xu Shuche’s eyes.

“He didn’t harass you.

He only gave you a confession letter.

Why does he deserve to be humiliated like that?”

Jian Yixun’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“Are you blaming me?

For a stranger?”

Xu Shuche lowered his gaze to the plate in front of him.

He was not good at handling arguments.

If emotions rose too high, he would even lose control and cry.

Probably just like the kind of delicate, tearful boy Jian Yixun had mocked.

A self-deprecating smile curved at his lips.

How could he forget.

No matter how kind Jian Yixun was to him, at his core he still carried the common flaws of a straight man.

The very flaws Xu Shuche hated most.

The ordered set meal arrived, slightly diluting the tense atmosphere.

Xu Shuche did not look at Jian Yixun.

He lifted the soup bowl and took a sip.

Jian Yixun was still indignant.

“Senior, I’ve already said I don’t like men.

He still ran up to confess to me.

If that’s not messed up, what is?

I—”

“That’s enough.”

Xu Shuche suddenly raised his voice.

Anger was clear in it.

“Just because he likes you, he deserves to be insulted like that?”

“You’re angry at me for a stranger again?”

Jian Yixun seemed genuinely bewildered.

“Why do you always get mad at me over irrelevant people?”

Xu Shuche pressed his lips together.

He tried to steady the emotions that had almost spiraled out of control.

His nose and eyes felt sore.

A thin mist blurred his vision.

“What do you mean irrelevant?”

“If one day you confessed to someone you liked, and instead of rejecting you they humiliated you, how would you feel?

Would you not care?”

His voice was calm.

It did not sound like someone arguing.

“Jian Yixun, don’t forget we’ve only known each other for three days.

I’m treating you to this meal because you helped me before.

I’m grateful.

That’s all.”

Jian Yixun’s eyes remained fixed on him.

But the earlier irritation and disdain gradually softened into panic and confusion.

“I don’t make friends with people whose values are different from mine.”

Xu Shuche lifted his head.

His reddened eyes carried an inexplicable sadness.

“If you think you’re right, then I have nothing else to say.

After this meal, we go our separate ways.

From now on, just ordinary classmates.”

“Senior, I don’t—”

He was cut off again.

Xu Shuche raised his hand in a stopping gesture.

“I hate arguing at the table.

If you insist on continuing, you eat.

I’m leaving.”

He stood up, but Jian Yixun grabbed his wrist.

“Your stomach isn’t good.

You can’t skip meals.”

His voice was low and hoarse.

He avoided Xu Shuche’s eyes.

“Eat.

I won’t talk anymore.”

Xu Shuche glanced at him and slowly sat back down.

He lowered his head and began cutting his steak.

The restaurant’s utensils were not easy to use.

He was not very skilled with knife and fork to begin with.

After struggling for a while, it looked more like he was scraping the steak than cutting it.

A hand carefully reached toward him.

Xu Shuche looked up.

Jian Yixun pushed his own plate over.

On it were neatly cut pieces of steak.

Jian Yixun tilted his head slightly, looking almost ingratiating.

“Senior, eat this one.

I cut it for you.”

“No.”

Xu Shuche refused and continued battling his steak.

He was actually quite hungry.

But after arguing like that, reaching for the offered plate would feel spineless.

As if the fight had meant nothing.

Jian Yixun seemed to sigh deeply.

He shifted restlessly in his seat.

Probably the young master had never been treated like this before.

First scolded.

Then rejected even after trying to make peace.

Xu Shuche had expected him to storm off.

Instead he stayed, eating budget steak and even cutting it carefully for the one who had scolded him.

Jian Yixun was truly strange.

Finally managing to cut a piece, Xu Shuche took his first bite of lunch.

Jian Yixun pulled his own plate back, poking absentmindedly at the small pieces he had cut.

After a while, he spoke softly.

“Senior, don’t be mad at me.”

“I said it’s not about being mad.”

Xu Shuche replied.

“It’s about values.

There’s nothing to discuss.”

“Don’t say that.”

Jian Yixun leaned forward on the table, troubled.

“Senior, I was wrong.

Don’t be like this.”

Xu Shuche set down his utensils.

“You have plenty of friends.

You won’t miss me.

No need to act pitiful.”

“You’re different from them.

You’re special.”

The words left Jian Yixun’s mouth before he could stop them.

“I don’t want to just be ordinary classmates.”

The sentence crossed a boundary.

Even if he only meant friendship, it still struck Xu Shuche unexpectedly.

The fork in his hand clinked sharply against the plate.

“Eat.”

Xu Shuche lowered his eyes to hide the flicker of panic.

“We’ll talk after the meal.”

After paying the bill, Xu Shuche stepped outside.

Jian Yixun was waiting obediently at the door.

“What now?” Xu Shuche sighed.

“Senior, you said we’d talk after eating.”

“I don’t want to talk now.”

“Go back.”

“Don’t.”

Jian Yixun stuck close to him, stubborn.

“I was wrong.

I’ll reflect.

Don’t ignore me.”

Xu Shuche frowned and quickened his pace.

Jian Yixun caught up in a few strides and grabbed his wrist again.

“If you keep this up, I’ll get angry.”

Xu Shuche pulled free.

His beautiful phoenix eyes held faint fury.

“Jian Yixun, you’re so annoying.”

Jian Yixun did not let go.

“Senior, I really was wrong.”

“Go reflect on your own.”

Xu Shuche placed one hand on his hip like issuing a command.

“Three days.”

Jian Yixun released him.

“Yes, Senior.

During those three days, can I still see you?”

“No.”

Xu Shuche lifted his chin slightly.

“After three days, I’ll consider whether to talk to you again.”

“Okay.”

The sight of Xu Shuche ordering him around was a little childish.

But extremely cute.

The irritation that had weighed on Jian Yixun’s chest vanished, replaced by the good mood from earlier.

“I’m leaving.

Reflect properly,” Xu Shuche said.

“If you’re not sincere, I’ll hit you.”

He clenched his fist in mock threat.

It carried almost no menace.

Jian Yixun’s gaze lingered instead on that pale wrist.

He nodded absentmindedly.

Watching Xu Shuche head toward the teaching building, Jian Yixun let out a light whistle at his retreating figure.

Just as he was about to head to the basketball team to chat with Lin Xiu, someone clapped his shoulder heavily.

He turned around.

Qu Chao stood there, eyes shining with shyness and excitement.

“Senior, what a coincidence.

I was just looking for you.”

Qu Chao’s eyes curved as he smiled, revealing a faint dimple.

“The English Department is holding a singing competition the day after tomorrow.

Our outreach department needs to invite students from other faculties to be audience members.

I want to invite you.

Will you come?”