The Question

Ten minutes earlier, Xu Shuche had received a text message.

The number wasn’t saved in his contacts.

It was unfamiliar.

But the content of the message made his blood run cold.

The cheers of the crowd around him seemed to fade away.

All he could hear was the sound of his own blood turning icy inch by inch.

“I’m out. I’m at the gate of your university now.”

“I sat on a train for over twenty hours from Lucheng to the capital. Don’t be ungrateful.”

Xu Shuche’s trembling fingers hovered over the screen.

He pressed delete.

Then he kept taking deep breaths, as if that single action had drained the last of his courage.

But immediately, a second message arrived.

“Don’t pretend you didn’t see this. Otherwise I’ll tell your whole school that you like men.”

Xu Shuche’s eyes widened slightly.

He stared at the screen as if trying to swallow each word whole, nearly burning a hole through it with his gaze.

Absolutely not.

No one could know.

He had crossed half the country to study here.

Why wouldn’t they let him go?

He rose slowly and slipped out of the stands while no one was paying attention.

With every step toward the small side gate, the hand hidden in his sleeve trembled harder.

He clenched his teeth to keep himself from turning back.

A tall, burly figure stood by the door, head lowered as he played with his phone.

Hearing footsteps, he looked up.

Mockery flashed openly in his eyes as he sized Xu Shuche up from head to toe.

Xu Shuche nearly ground his teeth to dust.

“How did you find me?”

“Asked your dad.”

The man dug casually at his ear.

“Bought him a couple bottles of liquor and we were brothers in no time. Cheap.”

He watched Xu Shuche’s face turn deathly pale with evident delight.

“What? Hurt?”

“Wang Shimei, what do you want?”

Forcing himself to say the name felt like summoning the nightmare that had devoured his entire adolescence.

“We have nothing to do with each other anymore. Stop coming to find me.”

“Don’t say that.”

Wang Shimei grinned obscenely and reached to grab his arm.

“Wasn’t I your boyfriend? Don’t avoid me.”

Xu Shuche shook him off violently.

“What exactly do you want?”

“I just got out. No money.”

Wang Shimei shrugged.

“Lend me some.”

“I don’t have any.”

Xu Shuche’s voice was cold.

“Leave. I won’t give you a cent.”

“Damn.”

Wang Shimei raised his brows.

“Got backbone now? How about this—let me sleep with you for one night and I won’t ask for money.”

Xu Shuche didn’t know how to curse.

His eyes were misted with fury.

“You’re straight. Before you—”

“So what if I’m straight? Sleeping with someone doesn’t require labels.”

He reached to touch Xu Shuche’s face.

“You’re so pretty, like a girl. One night won’t—”

A hand shot out from the side and slapped his wrist away.

Wang Shimei yelped.

“Who the hell are you?”

Jian Yixun was still wearing his orange jersey.

His dark eyes were cold and sharp.

“He told you to leave. Didn’t you hear?”

Xu Shuche’s heart sank.

How much had Jian Yixun heard?

Was the secret he’d guarded for so long about to collapse?

“You think you can stop me?”

Wang Shimei lunged forward with a punch.

His wrist was caught midair.

Before he could react, he was lifted and slammed hard onto the ground.

Years ago, he had been athletic.

But after arrests and jail time, his muscles had melted into flab.

Against Jian Yixun, he was no match.

“So weak, yet you cause trouble.”

Jian Yixun looked down at him in disgust.

“Get lost.”

“I’ll tell you what he is—”

“I’ll give you money.”

Xu Shuche cut him off.

“I’ll give you whatever you want. Just leave.”

“Should’ve said that earlier.”

Wang Shimei smirked and limped away.

After he was gone, Jian Yixun finally turned to Xu Shuche.

“Why are you giving him money? He’s blackmailing you. What are you thinking?”

Xu Shuche lowered his head.

He said nothing.

“He bullies you and you just—”

“Stop.”

His voice trembled.

“Please.”

Jian Yixun froze.

This wasn’t playful pleading.

This was real desperation.

“…Alright.”

He forced himself to change the subject.

“The team’s going to dinner. Come with me. If that guy’s still around, it’s not safe.”

Xu Shuche remained silent.

Jian Yixun took that as consent and led him to the restaurant.

They were having hotpot.

The noisy group filled the place with laughter.

Perhaps the warmth and noise helped.

Color slowly returned to Xu Shuche’s face.

“Senior, do you eat spicy?” Chen Xiang asked.

“Should we get a split pot?”

Xu Shuche shook his head.

“No need, I—”

“He doesn’t eat spicy.”

Jian Yixun interrupted.

“Get a clear broth.”

Chen Xiang nodded and went to order.

Xu Shuche glanced at Jian Yixun, wanting to explain.

Explain what?

That Wang Shimei had been his ex-boyfriend?

Or that he had lied—he was gay?

Either felt impossible to say.

The pots arrived quickly.

Red oil boiled on one side.

Clear mushroom broth simmered on the other.

Jian Yixun scalded his chopsticks and started placing ingredients into the clear broth.

“You eat spicy, don’t you?” Xu Shuche asked softly.

“For you.”

Only after filling the clear pot did Jian Yixun toss food into the spicy one.

“If you eat as slowly as you do, you’ll get nothing.”

Xu Shuche murmured, “Thank you.”

Jian Yixun paused, then said nothing.

Lin Xiu suddenly tapped his bowl.

“Let’s play something.”

“Truth or dare!” someone suggested.

An empty bottle was placed on the lazy Susan.

The first spin belonged to Jian Yixun.

He flicked it absentmindedly.

The bottle spun twice—

—and stopped directly in front of Xu Shuche.

“Brother Xun, your spin, your question!”

The table erupted in teasing.

“…What a coincidence.”

Jian Yixun looked at Xu Shuche steadily.

His eyes were calm, like the sea before a storm.

“Senior. Truth or dare?”

Xu Shuche avoided his gaze.

His heart pounded wildly.

Without the usual joking tone, Jian Yixun felt distant.

Like they had always been strangers.

“Truth.”

His voice was soft.

“What will you ask?”

Even before the question came, he already knew.

His body trembled faintly.

“Can I ask privately?”

Jian Yixun glanced at the others.

“It’s personal.”

No one objected.

He leaned down, lips near Xu Shuche’s ear.

His breath was warm.

“Senior,” he whispered.

“Tell me honestly. Do you like girls—”

“—or boys?”