51 : I like you

 Chen Zhoumu frowned as he looked at the sudden message, and then immediately asked.

M: [What does this mean?]

These past few days he's been thinking about moving out. Even if someone finds out, they should find out he's doing this, it can't be Song Shi.

The person on the other end quickly replied: [I just saw Song Shi outside the school. When I got closer, I heard him talking to someone else, they were looking at houses.]

After reading the message, he immediately called the other person, but Song Shi didn't answer. He abruptly put down his chopsticks, then picked up his plate and left.

Zhang Qianyi and the others were still discussing the post when they suddenly saw the person who had just been sitting next to them quickly leave with his plate. They stopped discussing as they watched his back.

"Where is Brother Mu going?"

"Does it even need to be said? I think it's because of this." The person who spoke glanced meaningfully at the phone still on the table.

“Yeah, Mu-ge and Song Shi are so close. Now that he suddenly finds out the other guy likes guys, he'll definitely go and ask him about it.”

“They get along so well, if it were me, I definitely wouldn't accept it right away.”

Zhang Qianyi raised an eyebrow as he listened to their conversation, then picked up his chopsticks again and casually put something in his mouth.

He casually added, “That's not necessarily true.”

At that moment, Song Shi had been stood up by his landlord, who had something come up and couldn't come. So he was on his way back, thinking that since he

was moving out soon anyway, he might as well go back and pack his belongings. He had to move out sooner or later, so it didn't matter when he packed. Fortunately, he didn't bring much stuff. He

had a lot planned for today, and he thought that if he had just met with the landlord, he would have already signed the contract and cleaned the room tonight.

But that plan had to be postponed for a day, so he hadn't even turned on his phone yet.

So he didn't know anything about the post online or the call Chen Zhoumu had made to him. After returning to his dorm, he sat down to rest and planned to pack his few personal belongings later.

He had just turned on his phone when Chen Zhoumu's call came in. Song Shi hesitated for a moment but didn't answer, watching the other person's name slowly fade away.

At least now, with the move imminent, he couldn't afford any mishaps. The other person had probably already seen the message. Chen Zhoumu's photo on the lock screen resurfaced in his mind.

He sighed softly. He didn't want to contact anyone right now. His finger tapped the screen to open the photo album. There weren't many photos; most of the earlier ones were unimportant, followed by photos of his older brother, including some selfies of Chen Zhoumu.

But in the most recent row of photos, a video suddenly appeared. The video was completely black, with no visuals.

Song Shi didn't recall ever filming such a video; in fact, he almost never filmed videos. He tapped the video; it showed it was over twenty minutes long.

This length made him even more puzzled. He had no choice but to open the video, which had no pixels. The black screen remained still until a minute into the video, when sound began to appear.

It sounded like plastic bags, followed by the sounds of cans being placed and opened.

Song Shi's eyes were glued to his phone, patiently refraining from scrolling. After a while, a knocking sound came from inside, followed by the soft rustling of clothes.

Before he could listen any further, there was a real knocking on Song Shi's door. He turned to look at the door, put his phone on the table, and went to open it.

The person outside rushed in, panting as if they hadn't stopped. Chen Zhoumu quickly reached out and held the door shut to prevent the other person from closing it.

He lowered his head slightly to catch his breath, then looked up and, before Song Shi could even open his mouth to ask a question, forced the person inside.

With a bang, the door slammed shut by the person who followed. Chen Zhoumu first glanced around the room, relieved that they hadn't started packing yet, then turned his gaze to the person opposite him.

No, he should say, thankfully, the person was still here and hadn't run away.

He approached Song Shi step by step: "You're moving out? Why didn't you tell me first? If you don't want to live at school, I can find a place to live."

Song Shi stared at the approaching man without moving, then licked his dry lips: "Why should I tell you? I have my own plans."

"We can move out together. I'm already looking. If you don't want to live with me, we can get two rooms. I can find a small house or a big house. If you want to live further away from here, we can live on the outskirts of Yangcheng. If you want to live closer, we can find one near the school gate."

The two were very close. Song Shi felt that the other person was obviously angry, but he didn't know what Chen Zhoumu was angry about. The interrogative tone also made him feel irritated.

His tone was also a little impatient: "Why us? Don't you understand that I want someone else?"

"I don't understand!"

The distance was too close, so close that he couldn't help but step back, but when he took a step back, he found that his back was already pressed against the wall. Their breaths mingled. Song Shi didn't understand what the other person wanted to do, and then he heard the other person start talking.

Chen Zhoumu felt his emotions rising, so he took a breath and said, "So why did you move out?"

He saw the other person bite his lip without speaking, then he continued, "Isn't it because you like boys? Is that important?"

Song Shi closed his eyes slightly. He was still embarrassed by being caught off guard by this, and a feeling of wanting to escape rose in his heart.

But all his paths were blocked, as if he was being forced to admit that everything he had said before was a lie, a fig leaf to cover up the vile thoughts in his heart.

"Look at me, Song Shi." His face was gently lifted again, and his eyes, inexplicably, opened to look at him. He heard him continue, "Is this your reason for wanting to move out?"

"Do you think this is a big deal? So big that you feel like hiding whenever it's mentioned?"

Song Shi took a deep breath, his voice trembling slightly. "I don't think... it's a big deal. I just think... I'm not normal."

Chen Zhoumu's hand, which had been holding his face, paused. Looking at the other's current state, Chen Zhoumu felt a pang of indescribable emotion. He would definitely find out who that person was, that unfamiliar number.

Perhaps this was what had been threatening Song Shi, which was why Song Shi felt it was so difficult to talk about, even to the point of being forbidden.

Chen Zhoumu then changed his attitude. He removed his hand from the other's chin and braced himself against the wall behind him.

"Then why are you treating me like this? I've never cared about anyone like this before. I've never been in a relationship. Why have you been so cold to me again and again after agreeing to this? And now you're pushing me away?"

Song Shi, leaning against the wall, went blank upon hearing the other person's words, only mechanically uttering, "What...does it mean?"

"What what do you mean? Are you trying to play dumb and pretend that night never happened?"

"What happened?"

Before Chen Zhoumu could speak, the video on the phone on the table, which hadn't paused because Song Shi had gone to open the door, continued playing, though no one had noticed because the two were talking so intensely.

Now, with the sudden silence, the voices began to fill the room, where only breathing could be heard.

Familiar voices drifted out, one by one.

"I want to ask you some questions."

"Do you like me? Not just the liking between friends, but the liking between lovers."

"Yes..."

"Then...do you want to date me? Since you like me, I'll say yes."

Song Shi heard every word, her pupils dilating slightly. When did all this happen?

But Chen Zhoumu wasn't going to give him a chance to explain: "It's about this, did you hear me? Or do you remember? I don't care if you remember or forget, I remember and there's no going back."

He then reached into Song Shi's pocket and pulled his hand out, just like that night, and Song Shi squeezed between his fingers.

"Song Shi, I want to say, if you think liking a boy is abnormal..."

Their fingers intertwined.

"Then make me abnormal too."

Song Shi felt his hand being slowly lifted, then his palm was turned over, feeling a slight warmth—Chen Zhoumu kissing his palm.

Then he grabbed it and pressed it against Song Shi's face. Song Shi's face was soft, and Chen Zhoumu rubbed his hand against it, causing a ticklish sensation.

His voice came in a muffled tone: "So I want you to tell me when you're sober."

"I like you."

"I want to be in a relationship with you."

Song Shi stared blankly at him, his mouth opening and closing, unsure what to say. His mind seemed to be stuck.

He felt like he'd been struck by Cupid's arrow, enveloped and surrounded by the next few sentences.

He could only manage a dry, hoarse voice: "What...did you say?"

"If you didn't hear me, I promise you'll hear this every day, whether you want to hear it or not, I want to say it to you."

"Song Shi, I like you, I like you so much, so much, so don't think you're abnormal."

"Now do you hear me? I don't care if you remember that incident or not, you already promised me, we've been dating for two days now."

"So," he turned his head and buried his face in Song Shi's palm, his breath pressed between his nose and Song Shi's hand, "can you not move out?"

"Even if you move out, I'll always follow you, so don't stray from me."

"I just want to say, you'll never get rid of me in this lifetime, because you were the one who said you liked me first, boyfriend."

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