Yun Ci was writing the last question. Just after he had organized his thoughts, he hastily clenched the note in his palm and folded it back.
…
Returning to the exam paper, he completely forgot the train of thought he had just organized.
He stared at the question for a long time until the invigilator passed by and knocked on the desk corner, signaling him not to get distracted.
The paper ball was still in his palm.
It was burning hot from his grip.
He quietly cursed in his mind.
Thinking about how this person always did such outrageous things.
He had never cheated before, always the most focused and serious in every exam, aiming for the best score—initially just to get high marks, later for another reason, to score better than Yu Xun.
Wanting the best grades had taken on an extra layer of meaning.
Even though cheating was common in high school, and Li Yan had even bought answers, going to the bathroom to meet the seller with great effort, only to run into Yan Yue there, he had a breakdown on the spot: “Teacher, you’re also here to use the toilet?”
Yan Yue: “No, I’m the one called ‘Pirate King Luffy’ in the group.”
Li Yan: “…”
Yan Yue returned the fifty yuan to him and dragged him from the bathroom to the office: “I heard you guys buy answers for exams. I tried fishing, and you really bought them. If you cheat your way through this exam today, can you cheat your way through life in the future? Go stand in the office; I’ll be there shortly.”
Li Yan sensed something: “…Why shortly?”
Yan Yue: “Someone else to meet.”
Li Yan thought it was a kindred spirit: “Did he buy answers too? Should I wait for him and go to the office together? It’d be livelier with more people.”
“…” Yan Yue glanced at him, “He’s different from you. He sells answers.”
Just then, a voice came from the bathroom door, drawling, swaggering in: “Who’s ‘Pirate King Luffy’? Bro, I brought the answers.”
Seeing who it was, Yan Yue yelled: “Liu Zi—you barely passed last time and you still dare to sell answers?”
Li Yan, having narrowly escaped, later came to complain: “Crazy, right? You know what he said? He said although he barely passed, some in the grade needed his help.”
Back then, Yun Ci ignored him.
Until Li Yan made a sweeping comment: “Everyone in Class Seven is crazy, no wonder they hang out with Yu, they’re all abnormal.”
Hearing the name “Yu,” Yun Ci finally looked up.
“So thrilling,” Li Yan concluded, “You, who love exams, can never understand the feeling of running into Teacher Yan in the bathroom, just an ordinary exam for you—”
“No.” Someone interrupted, informing Li Yan that today’s exam wasn’t ordinary, “The class monitor almost got into a fight with Yu Xun in the exam room.”
Li Yan: “?”
A classmate: “In short, the class monitor wanted to switch seats, didn’t want to be in the same exam room as someone, but was refused.”
Li Yan: “You two in the same exam room? Last time Yu Xun didn’t show up.”
Yun Ci said coldly: “But he doesn’t miss every exam.”
He added, “And I don’t always have a high fever during exams.”
Li Yan: “So did you guys fight?”
“No, I said we’d fight outside after the exam, whoever loses leaves the exam room,” Yun Ci paused, “The invigilator called us to the hallway to take the exam.”
Li Yan: “How do you take an exam in the hallway???”
Yun Ci: “Paper, pen, exam sheet, leaning on the railing to write.”
Li Yan clapped his hands in amazement: “Awesome. I only had to go to Lao Yan’s office for a makeup exam, which is slightly less impressive in comparison.”
“…”
The bell rang, signaling the end of the exam.
Yun Ci didn’t dare open his hand until he handed in the exam paper. The paper ball lay quietly in his palm: “Is this what you call ‘cheating’?”
As soon as the papers were handed in, Yu Xun moved to sit right next to him, crossing the space between them, and said: “I knew all the questions, no need to cheat. Besides, we agreed to see who would come first, copying the ‘opponent’s’ answers would be embarrassing.”
Saying this, he explained: “I just wanted to pass you a note.”
“I had thought about it before.”
Yun Ci: “Before?”
Yu Xun: “In high school.”
Yun Ci: “Then why didn’t you throw it then?”
“Oh,” Yu Xun said, “You would have reported me.”
“…”
Yun Ci faced his inner self honestly: “I indeed would have reported you.”
Yu Xun started talking about taking exams with Yun Ci before: “I watched you for half a class, you don’t like doing calculations on scratch paper, and your exam sheet is always heavily marked by the end of the test.”
“You write very quickly, and after finishing, you habitually check from start to finish three times before handing in the paper.”
Yu Xun listed some details: “You frown at questions you can’t solve immediately, and you twirl your pen with ease at simple ones… But, you probably don’t remember me much.”
Yun Ci pursed his lips. If he weren’t with this person, he might never admit in his life: “You sleep during exams.”
“In the last ten minutes, someone from the back row would poke you to wake you up.”
Yun Ci thought for a moment and recalled another detail: “And, you draw on the blank spaces of the answer sheet.”
Yu Xun was stunned, not expecting Yun Ci to remember so much.
Then he slowly realized that from a long time ago, everything about each other had already been engraved in their hearts.
Yu Xun lightly cracked his knuckles and said: “Looks like being enemies all these years wasn’t in vain.”
*
There was still one more day of exams.
Wang Zhuang lay on the table, looking as pale as a vegetable: “I’m done for.”
Luo Sifang asked: “Didn’t you have a cheat sheet?”
“Didn’t dare to look,” Wang Zhuang said, “Afraid of getting caught.”
Cheating isn’t a good thing anyway, Luo Sifang said: “Even if you cheat, it won’t help much. You can’t rely on cheating forever.”
Wang Zhuang: “Actually, it helped a bit…”
“?”
“While copying, I memorized quite a bit unknowingly, and managed to answer some questions.”
“…”
During a break in the dormitory conversation, Yun Ci sneaked to the balcony to call Yan Yue. Everyone was busy with finals, and Yan Yue didn’t have much time either, so they only chatted briefly: “How did the exam go?”
Yun Ci said: “Not bad.”
Yan Yue: “As long as you know your stuff. When will you be back after the exam tomorrow?”
Actually, the exam was over by noon, and many people had bought tickets to go home in the afternoon.
But Yun Ci said: “In the evening.”
Yan Yue: “That late?”
Yun Ci responded with a hum: “There’s still something to do at school.”
Although Yan Yue kept in touch with Gao Pingyang, he wasn’t aware of every little activity at school, so he said: “Be safe on the way, and send me a message when you get home. I’m busy making the final exam papers, so I might be back late tonight.”
Yun Ci replied, “Got it.”
After hanging up, Yun Ci didn’t leave the balcony. He lowered his head, leaning against the railing, and looked at recent movie recommendations.
A line on the cinema poster read: “In winter, you should always have a date with someone you like.”
He and Yu Xun were dating.
So before the holiday, they should watch a movie together.
On the other side.
Yu Xun was in the store with Liu Zi, who was sighing: “University answers are hard to sell, no one buys them anymore. What’s going on? Have all those cheaters from high school grown up?”
Yu Xun, sitting at the cashier, casually responded: “You noticed?”
Liu Zi: “Where’s the saying that ‘men remain boys until death’ gone? Is fifty-one answers too expensive—”
Liu Zi kept talking but realized Yu Xun wasn’t responding anymore: “You’re looking at your phone again, all day long. Whose messages are more important than your brother’s?”
Liu Zi didn’t know one fact, which is that a boyfriend’s messages are much more important than a brother’s.
Yu Xun swiped his phone.
A system notification popped up: Received a new message.
From his boyfriend.
yc: [Tomorrow at 2 PM, East Gate of the school, wait for me.]
Yu Xun read this line and realized Yun Ci was asking him out.
—Though the message read more like a fight invitation.
So he raised his hand to reply.
yx: [Oh, how many people are you bringing?]
yc: [……]
Yu Xun jokingly replied: [Your message reads like a fight invitation, boyfriend.]
After a while, Yun Ci replied.
yc: [What fight.]
He sent another message.
yc: [It’s to watch a movie.]
Yun Ci, for the first time, took the initiative to ask someone out, and that someone was Yu Xun.
Even though this person was already his boyfriend, he still felt a bit nervous when sending the message.
He calculated the time; after finishing the exam at noon, the movie starts in the afternoon, so there was enough time to watch a movie before going back.
Yu Xun stared at the words “watch a movie” for a long time, then looked up and asked Liu Zi: “I have a question.”
Liu Zi: “?”
Yu Xun: “Which outfit do you think makes me look the coolest?”
Liu Zi: “Why are you asking such a ridiculous question all of a sudden?”
“Just asking,” Yu Xun briefly explained, “I need it for tomorrow.”
Tomorrow.
What special day is tomorrow?
Liu Zi thought for a moment and realized it was the last day of finals.
Continuing the thought, the word most closely associated with finals was a name: Yun Ci.
He quickly understood.
What’s most important in a battle? Equipment.
For finals, you not only have to outperform Yun Ci in scores but also in attire, dominating your opponent from the moment you step into the exam hall.
“That black set, the windbreaker,” Liu Zi answered seriously, “That one’s super cool.”
*
There were several cinemas near Nanyang University. The largest one was in a nearby mall, but the mall was a couple of stops away from the school. A smaller one was near the school gate, with a small cinema at the East Gate.
The next day, Yun Ci arrived at the small cinema early.
He had given one of the movie tickets to Yu Xun last night. When Yu Xun received the ticket, he said they would meet directly at the cinema after he delivered something to the store.
They agreed on two o’clock.
At 1:40, they ran into each other early at the cinema: “…”
Yun Ci: “Weren’t we supposed to meet at two?”
“I wanted to come early,” Yu Xun, still with a bit of the chill from outside on him, didn’t seem as relaxed as he appeared and said, “It’s our first date, no experience.”
After that, he asked, “Why are you here early?”
Yun Ci didn’t want to admit he felt the same way: “Misread the time.”
Yu Xun “oh”-ed, not sure if he believed it or not: “There’s still half an hour before the movie starts.” He glanced around and saw the concession stand, “I’ll go queue for some snacks.”
Before the holiday, many students came to the cinema.
Most showtimes were sold out, and the queue for popcorn was long.
Yu Xun spent almost ten minutes just queuing. After he bought popcorn and cola, the ticket checker announced, “Tickets for the two o’clock show can now be checked in early—”
Yun Ci reached out: “Tickets.”
Yu Xun said: “In my pocket.”
“But I’m holding things now, not convenient to take them out.”
Yun Ci was about to say, “I’ll hold the cola for you,” but before he could, Yu Xun added, “Get the tickets for me.”
Yun Ci instinctively reached into Yu Xun’s coat pocket.
Just as he touched the edge of the pocket, Yu Xun stopped him: “Not there.”
Then where?
Yun Ci’s eyes moved down: “?”
“Yeah,” Yu Xun’s voice lowered, “Pants pocket.”
“…”
“The coat pockets are too shallow,” Yu Xun seemed to know what he was thinking and said, “Things fall out easily.”
Yu Xun was wearing a pair of jeans, very thin, dark blue, making his legs look long—the most important thing was, the fabric wasn’t very stretchy.
Yun Ci made some mental preparation.
This was his boyfriend, a legitimate romantic relationship.
What’s the big deal about reaching in to get the tickets?
After a moment, Yun Ci reached out, his fingers went down, and he had to fumble for a while before he finally found the ticket folded into a square.
When he pulled it out, he even brushed against Yu Xun’s waist and abdomen through the fabric.
Yun Ci inexplicably thought of the line on the note: I look good in other places too.
…
Damn.
“What are you thinking,” Yu Xun’s voice floated over, “Your ears are so red.”
“Wearing too much,” Yun Ci said expressionlessly, only the reddening tips of his ears revealing his true emotions. After pulling out the movie ticket, he added, “The heater is too warm.”
They had their tickets checked and went in.
Yun Ci had chosen seats in the back corner. Both were tall, and the hall wasn’t large, so sitting in the last row was perfect.
The movie was a comedy.
Before the lights dimmed, the audience seats were almost full.
Less than ten minutes into the movie, the person next to him suddenly said in the darkness, “Xiao Ci.”
“?”
“I’m scared.”
Yu Xun said, “You probably don’t know, but I usually don’t dare to watch movies.”
“…”
“This is a comedy,” Yun Ci emphasized.
A comedy. What could be scary?
Yu Xun tilted his head, sitting casually, and casually pointed: “Oh, that person’s laugh is too exaggerated, a bit scary.”
“…”
There were so many things to complain about that he didn’t know where to start.
But before Yun Ci could organize his words, in the darkness, a hand stretched out in front of him.
“So, we need to hold hands.”
Watching a movie on a date wasn’t a great choice because, by the end, they didn’t pay attention to the movie at all. No one was watching the movie; they were both observing each other.
Being affected by each other’s slightest movements.
When something was funny, he wanted to see if the other was laughing.
After the movie ended, some students walking ahead discussed the plot: “That part where the female lead had amnesia was so funny…”
Yu Xun, holding his hand, asked as they descended the side steps: “Was there amnesia?”
Yun Ci wanted to answer but needed to clarify another question first: “Who was the female lead?”
“…”
After hearing this even more absurd response, Yu Xun, walking in front, turned around.
The cinema was still dark, and the screen’s glow reflected in his eyes.
During the eye contact, it wasn’t clear who laughed first: “Damn, you didn’t watch either.”
After leaving the cinema, they returned to the dorm to pack. Luo Sifang and the others had already left, leaving the dorm unusually empty.
In the dorm group chat, Luo Sifang left them a message: [Where are you two?]
[We packed up and left first, have to catch the train.]
[Don’t forget the dorm key, see you next semester.]
Yun Ci replied and put his phone and charger in his backpack.
He didn’t have much to take home, and his home was close, so packing was quick.
While packing, Yu Xun asked, “What time are you leaving?”
Yun Ci glanced at the arrival time displayed on his phone and said, “The bus is almost here.”
Yu Xun moved closer to him, raised his hand, and pressed his palm against the zipper of Yun Ci’s backpack, disrupting his next action: “—Are you just leaving like this?”
“?”
Yu Xun reminded him, “What do couples do when they part?”
So Yun Ci’s gaze fell on that part of his waist that had accidentally been brushed against while getting the tickets earlier.
Today, this person was dressed very lightly. After taking off his coat in the dormitory, he was only left with a thin sweater, which was very loose, faintly outlining a bit of his waistline.
Yun Ci reached out and touched him through the clothes.
The moment he touched him, Yu Xun stiffened completely.
Then, Yun Ci’s fingers slightly tightened, also moving closer to Yu Xun—hugging him.
The distance between them suddenly shortened.
At the moment Yun Ci actively approached, Yu Xun also clasped his waist in return.
Yu Xun lowered his head, his nose pressed against Yun Ci’s neck, breathing in the scent of the other person. He was like a fish smelling catnip for the first time, overly attached to a certain specific smell: “Although this isn’t what I meant, a hug is fine too.”
If I was either one of these two, I would simply melt into a puddle xksnxisjsnd they’re so cute oml