BTMDY Chapter 82

[Xiao Lin Offers Himself: Brother Lu]

 

[Xiao Lin Offers Himself: o(\*≥▽≤)ッ I wanna treat you to dinner, are you free tonight?]

 

After sending that message, Lin Wangye clutched his phone, waiting with wide eyes for what felt like forever—yet not a single reply came back.

 

It had been more than ten days since he last saw Lu Chengxuan.

 

The paperwork for studying abroad was pretty much all sorted out on Shi Yuan’s side.

 

In the end, Lin Wangye didn’t go with the plan of studying in Sigwell. Instead, he and Lin Shen both applied to Ningchang University’s School of Economics and Management, and just today, they received their admission letters at the same time.

 

School in China wouldn’t start until September, but those going abroad had to leave earlier. And since business at the hotel had been booming lately, Lin Wangye figured it was the perfect time to gather everyone for a meal.

 

After all, once this summer break ended, meeting again would become harder.

 

After letting things settle in his heart for a while, Lin Wangye had already come to terms with facing a long-distance relationship during his college years. Once he worked it through, he went back to his usual self, clinging tightly to whatever little time they still had together.

 

Owning a hotel really did make things convenient.

 

Lin Wangye wished he could stick to Shi Yuan every second of the day, even setting aside a double gaming room just for the two of them.

 

Though it had been nearly half a year since that accident, the stab wound in Lin Wangye’s shoulder had been deep, and the cut on his left hand wasn’t shallow either. Shi Yuan had seen just how bad it was back then with his own eyes.

 

Even if the injuries were mostly fine now, Shi Yuan’s worries weren’t so easy to let go of.

 

Lin Wangye, desperate to throw himself into Shi Yuan’s arms, was more anxious than a concubine waiting for the emperor’s favor.

 

No matter how many hints he dropped or how hard he tried to seduce him, Shi Yuan refused to touch him. He was terrified that if things got too intense, he might accidentally reopen those wounds and mess up the recovery.

 

But Lin Wangye wasn’t aiming for some pure, chaste love—his heart was far wilder than that.

 

He had tried every trick in the book to lure him in. Yet, no matter how hot things got, Shi Yuan always stopped short of the real deal. Somehow, he’d learned all these little moves that made Lin Wangye surrender before they even got there, collapsing into ‘sage mode’ whether he liked it or not.

 

Helpless, Lin Wangye had no choice but to push the idea aside for now.

 

Still, even when they didn’t do anything, just curling up under the blankets together to watch a movie felt cozy and sweet. Days slipped by like that, and before they knew it, they hadn’t stepped out of the room in ages.

 

When Lin Shen showed up after getting a call, he saw that the room theme was a ‘couple’s suite’ and instantly wanted to turn around and leave.

 

God only knew which spots in here were still untouched!

 

The balcony, the bathtub, the sink—

 

And that sinful, giant round bed.

 

Everywhere he looked, his brain went straight to eighteen-plus scenarios, and once it started, there was no stopping it.

 

Seriously, couples like these were enough to drive a man insane!

 

Even so, no matter how unwilling he was, Lin Shen eventually got dragged in by Lin Wangye, who hauled him along by force. The first thing he did was carefully inspect the gaming chair before finally sitting down, stiff as a board.

 

“Why are you here alone? Where’s Xu Suinian?” he asked.

 

“He went to tutor Zhao’s little brother.” Lin Wangye, just woken from a nap, pulled the curtains open and lowered the air conditioning. “It won’t affect dinner tonight.”

 

“Oh.”

 

Lin Shen muttered and turned back to boot up the computer, logging straight into the game.

 

Waiting forever without a reply from Lu Chengxuan, Lin Wangye slumped beside Shi Yuan, chin in hand, sighing in frustration.

 

“Brother Lu really is crazy busy. Every time I text him, it takes forever before he answers, and today looks like another no-show. Ugh… haven’t seen him in so long.”

 

“He’s on his way to the top, man. Bound to forget about us little guys.”

 

Lin Shen tossed the words out casually, hands still flying across the keyboard.

 

“Maybe just sending texts isn’t enough for him to notice.” Lin Wangye glanced at Shi Yuan, then turned to Lin Shen. “Should I just call him instead?”

 

“Do it.”

 

So Lin Wangye pulled up his contacts, found Lu Chengxuan’s number, and pressed dial—only to hang up immediately, face scrunched in worry.

 

“But what if he’s busy? Wouldn’t I just be bothering him…”

 

Lin Shen had enough of his nagging. He yanked out his own phone, unlocked it, and without even looking properly at the screen, tapped a few times until Lu Chengxuan’s number was ringing. He dropped the phone onto the table.

 

The line barely rang twice before a cool, clear voice picked up.

 

“Hello? What’s up?”

 

“Xiao Lin’s got something to tell you. Answer his call.”

 

The moment those first words came through, Lin Wangye had already stuck his head forward, mouth open, ready to speak. But before he could even get one word out, Lin Shen finished the second half of his sentence and hung up right away.

 

“What the hell was that for!”

 

Lin Wangye glared at him, completely stunned, then scrambled to grab his own phone and dial again. This time, when the call connected, his face instantly shifted like a Sichuan opera mask, plastered with a bright smile.

 

“Hey, Brother Lu! Are you busy? I wanted to invite you to dinner tonight—do you have time?”

 

“What time?”

 

“Whenever you’re free, we’ll work around your schedule. The three of us are all good with it!”

 

“Around nine, maybe nine-thirty at the latest.”

 

“Perfect! I’ll book a restaurant right now. We’ll go early and wait for you, so once you’re done you can just head straight over.”

 

“Got it.”

 

That was how it always went with Lu Chengxuan—quick and efficient. The call lasted barely twenty seconds before ending. Finally managing to pin down the hardest guy to meet, Lin Wangye let out a long breath of relief. While browsing restaurants for a reservation, he shot Lin Shen a glare.

 

“Why are you always so rude to Brother Lu? Did he ever actually do something to you?”

 

Lin Shen said nothing, eyes locked on the screen as if he’d been swallowed whole by the game.

 

With no answer coming, Lin Wangye didn’t push. He just booked the restaurant, tossed his phone aside, propped his chin up with one hand, and leaned over to watch Lin Shen play.

 

Without Lin Wangye around to carry him, Lin Shen’s rank had already dropped from Gold down to Bronze. His match history was a disaster, honestly the poster child for ‘trash but addicted.’

 

But after watching for a bit, Lin Wangye started to get it.

 

Sure, his dad always cursed and raged when he lost, but it wasn’t really about winning.

 

Deep down, it was his way of blowing off steam.

 

More precisely, it was his way of letting things out.

 

At first, Lin Shen had only logged in to mess around. But with Lin Wangye watching over his shoulder, he couldn’t help straightening up, trying to show off a little, determined to play seriously and pull off a few flashy moves.

 

But instead of pulling off a slick play, Lin Shen botched it and got counter-killed several times.

 

When the base finally exploded, he clicked to queue up another match—then instantly canceled, turning to Lin Wangye with an exasperated look.

 

“Don’t you have anything of your own to do?”

 

Lin Wangye blinked, shrugged with wide-eyed innocence. “Nope.”

 

“…”

 

Lin Shen had no idea how to respond to that. He glanced at the screen; it wasn’t even seven yet, still a long way till the nine o’clock dinner. He was bored out of his mind.

 

Just as he was wondering how to kill time, Lin Wangye suddenly spoke.

 

“Honesty for honesty, okay?”

 

Lin Shen turned his head, catching Wangye staring straight at him with that scheming look that screamed trouble.

 

“What are you plotting now?” Lin Shen narrowed his eyes, instantly on guard.

 

“I’ve noticed for a while—you always get weird whenever the topic of studying abroad comes up. We’d all be chatting fine in the group, but the moment someone mentions it, you go dead quiet.” Lin Wangye scooted his chair closer, face full of nosy curiosity. “Be real—deep down, you don’t want Brother Lu to go overseas, do you?”

 

The words were barely out when Lin Shen instinctively opened his mouth to deny it. But Lin Wangye quickly raised a hand, stopping him.

 

“No lying in front of the kid.”

 

He locked eyes with him, every word slow and deliberate, gaze deadly serious.

 

“Or else, don’t expect a single truth out of my mouth ever again. So think carefully.”

 

That cut off every possible escape route.

 

Lin Shen pressed his lips together, avoiding his eyes for a long time. After sorting out his thoughts, he finally gave in to the truth.

 

“You’re right. I don’t want him to.”

 

The answer was exactly what Lin Wangye had expected.

 

He leaned back, looking up at the ceiling with a long breath, then folded his legs onto the chair, turning to face Lin Shen head-on. His tone softened, both reasoning and earnest.

 

“Brother Lu isn’t like Shi Yuan. Studying abroad isn’t his only path—it’s something he can do anytime he wants. If you don’t want him to leave, just say it. He’d totally stay. All he needs is a reason, an excuse to hang onto.”

 

Lin Shen stayed calm, answering slowly, “But it’s his choice. Why should I interfere? Why should he need me to give him that excuse? If I give him a step down, who’s giving me one?”

 

Lin Wangye wasn’t wired to think in such complicated circles. He frowned, puzzled.

 

“Just tell him what’s on your mind. If you don’t say it, how’s he supposed to know what step to give you?”

 

Lin Shen fell silent for a beat, then said after some thought, “Doesn’t matter anymore. Too late to say anything now.”

 

“I get that there are things you don’t want to share with anyone,” Lin Wangye said, trying his best to piece his words together carefully.

 

“But keeping a relationship alive takes effort—it takes talking. Most of the time, someone’s gotta lower their head and offer a way out. You can’t just keep arguing for the sake of being right.”

 

“I can’t bow my head. And besides—who says I haven’t already given him a way out?”

 

Lin Wangye frowned. “How did you give it then…?”

 

“…”

 

Lin Shen didn’t answer. Looking back now, he realized there were flaws in what he’d done.

 

He’d tried to show his feelings to Lu Chengxuan by giving him the cold shoulder, but at the same time, he’d acted ambiguously with other people.

 

With Lu Chengxuan’s absolutely rational mind, it was probably impossible for him to figure out what Lin Shen truly meant.

 

Their family backgrounds couldn’t be changed—so many constraints.

 

From the start, their situation had been a trap they couldn’t escape.

 

Seeing Lin Shen fall silent again, Lin Wangye had nothing left to say. He reclined his gaming chair, closed his eyes, and muttered to himself.

 

“All he wanted was a little reassurance… So much trouble for nothing.”

 

Lin Shen kicked the leg of his chair. “What are you talking about, kid?”

 

“Nothing wrong with that.” Lin Wangye opened his eyes, full of defiance. “You just don’t want to bow your head. You have expectations of him but won’t say them out loud—doesn’t that sum it up?”

 

Caught off guard, Lin Shen lost his composure. Annoyed and embarrassed, he blurted out everything pent up inside.

 

“Of course! Asking for something makes it worthless. And it’s boring too.”

 

Hearing that, Lin Wangye shot upright from his chair, like he had something to prove, and grabbed his phone to make a call.

 

Lin Shen thought he was calling Lu Chengxuan and panicked. He scrambled to grab the phone, only to see the contact labeled ‘Husband’—not Lu Chengxuan at all.

 

Lin Wangye crossed his arms, a subtle smirk raising one eyebrow, as if he’d seen through everything.

 

Before Lin Shen could snatch the phone back, the call connected.

 

Shi Yuan’s voice came through, crisp and clear over the line, soft and intimate.

 

“What’s up, baby? What’s the matter?”

 

Lin Wangye leaned closer, speaking straight to the point.

 

“Pamper me.”

 

“Mm? What’s up?”

 

“Nothing, just… pamper me.”

 

After a few seconds of silence, a soft laugh came through, smooth and warm. “Do you want me to skip work and give you a kiss right now?”

 

“No need.” Lin Wangye grinned, his previous exaggerated bravado melting into a sticky, sweet tone.

 

“Keep working. I’ll come find you soon, and we’ll go eat together.”

 

“Okay, then I’ll hang up first.”

 

“Bye-bye.”

 

At that moment, Lin Shen had only one thought:

 

Wrap this phone in tissue, throw it from Penglai East Road to Nantian Gate, then soak my hands in bleach to get rid of the lingering stink of romance.

 

“What are you trying to prove!” he shouted angrily.

 

Lin Wangye retrieved the phone and stood up to change clothes.

“I’m going to pick up my boyfriend from work. You take a taxi to dinner later. Whether things you beg for are worth anything—you figure that out yourself. I’m not deciding.”

 

With that, he darted off like a rabbit.

 

Lin Shen, still trying to organize a string of curses, looked around dumbfounded. After a long moment, he slammed his hand on the table and angrily shouted the name of some plant.

 

He had no energy left to game. Lin Shen just leaned back his chair and collapsed onto it, falling asleep.

 

Half-awake, Lin Shen was roused by the ringing of his phone.

 

He answered with impatience, realizing it was Lu Chengxuan calling, telling him to come downstairs for dinner.

 

So, unhurriedly, he washed his face and slowly made his way out of the building. His eyes landed on a luxury car parked by the roadside—worth at least five million yuan—with the driver-side window half-open, revealing Lu Chengxuan’s sharply defined profile.

 

Lin Shen had seen luxury cars before.

 

But this was definitely the first time he’d noticed a sticker reading ‘Intern’ on the back of one.

 

It had been a long time since he’d last seen Lu Chengxuan.

 

He didn’t even know when the other had gotten a driver’s license, yet the way he sat behind the wheel, gripping the steering wheel—it exuded a unique, masculine charm.

 

Standing across the pedestrian lane, Lin Shen felt the past stretch far away, almost like it belonged to someone else.

 

After dozens of days apart, this person he had known for over ten years now felt strangely unfamiliar.

 

He didn’t show any outward reaction. He walked over, opened the car door, slid into the passenger seat, fastened his seatbelt, and closed his eyes to rest. But his mind kept replaying Lin Wangye’s words and that phone call.

 

A love so honest and open—he couldn’t deny that part of him felt envious.

 

The car started smoothly, and the cabin was unusually quiet.

 

Lin Shen’s throat moved as he swallowed, but he said nothing.

 

It wasn’t until they stopped at the first red light that he noticed a movement beside him. Slowly opening his eyes, he saw Lu Chengxuan reach over from the back seat and hand him something.

 

Lin Shen lowered his gaze. His heartbeat skipped a beat.

 

It was the admission letter from Ningchang University.

 

Recipient: Lu Chengxuan

 

*

 

Years later—

 

Lin Shen: “Who told you to hang the wedding photo here? Take it down, and hang this admission letter I framed instead.”

 

---

 

Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters.  (๑>ᴗ<๑)