Chapter 77#
Yan Heqing was alone, and the single tent was relatively spacious. When Lu Lin arrived, it instantly became crowded.
Turning on the light, the gentle orange glow made the tent look much warmer. The quilt and pillow core were prepared by the campsite, while the quilt cover and pillowcase were brought by Yan Heqing himself, simple pure beige, emitting a faint scent of cedar.
A book lay beside the pillow.
Lu Lin glanced at the cover, “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd”, a work by Agatha Christie.
He withdrew his gaze. Yan Heqing knelt and rummaged through his travel bag for a pillowcase. There was only one pillow. He folded his coat and stuffed it into the pillowcase to make a pillow. Lu Lin quietly watched his back. Wearing only a thin sweater, he looked even more slender.
Lu Lin’s temples throbbed.
Thinking of the first time he saw Yan Heqing in the bar.
In the bizarre bar, everyone was crazy, only Yan Heqing was quietly mixing drinks behind the bar, his thin side profile showing no vitality.
Lu Lin thought at that time, if his hand was slightly heavier, he might crush this slender boy.
But he was wrong.
Yan Heqing was that white plum blossom in the crevice of the cliff rock, growing tenaciously, stronger than anyone he had ever seen.
He sat down and spoke, “I have a different version of how the story develops. Do you want to hear it?”
Patting the pillow surface, the coat-turned-pillow looked decent. Yan Heqing put it down next to his pillow, turned back with doubt in his eyes, “Story?”
After asking, he suddenly remembered, referring to the sailor and the whale.
He moved over to face Lu Lin, his expression soft, “What version.”
Lu Lin tried to look into the bottom of his eyes, “The supply ship came for that whale.”
Brief silence. There seemed to be something in Yan Heqing’s eyes, yet nothing. After a moment, the corners of his mouth curved, “This development seems not bad either.”
Not that he hadn’t thought about it.
In his mind, he had already envisioned countless possible outcomes.
The best outcome, he calculated the probability to be one percent.
So he ruled it out earliest.
He couldn’t lose.
Every step after his awakening, others could make mistakes, could afford to make mistakes, but he couldn’t. One wrong step, and what he would lose was his life.
He longed to live.
Doing his best, giving everything, he also wanted to live.
He didn’t belittle himself. What he said to Lu Lin was also true, he wasn’t that good.
At least, not as good as Lu Lin saw.
After simply washing up and turning off the light, the tent was instantly dark, not even the sound of breathing could be heard.
Yan Heqing fell asleep quickly; he was really too tired. After a long while, there was still no sound of breathing. It was so quiet that Lu Lin had to reach out and check Yan Heqing’s breath. Feeling the faint warm current, he withdrew his hand.
Adapting to the darkness, he could vaguely see Yan Heqing’s sleeping face.
Even sleeping was quiet, not deliberately avoiding him, lying flat, shoulder to shoulder, defenseless.
An indescribable desire sprang up familiarly in his abdomen.
Since meeting Yan Heqing, Lu Lin often experienced this uncontrollable situation.
What’s more, this time Yan Heqing was right beside him.
The clean and cool breath unique to the boy constantly impacted his reason. Lu Lin looked at Yan Heqing heavily, desire rising, more fierce than any previous time.
Yan Heqing slept deeply and peacefully.
That night at the bar, twice in the hospital, Yan Heqing always frowned in his sleep.
At this time, Yan Heqing suddenly turned over.
People always unconsciously seek warmth. He instinctively got close to the only source of heat.
In a daze, someone sighed heavily yet very lightly. Then Yan Heqing felt he was wrapped into a safe and warm place.
Reluctant to let go of this temperature, he also held on tightly.
When Lu Lin woke up, Yan Heqing was no longer there. He checked the time, 7:30.
Changed clothes, glimpsed a familiar stainless steel lunch box on the travel bag. He took it and opened it; it was lean meat porridge, still very hot.
He took it out of the tent. The campsite was particularly quiet, and other students were gone.
Lu Lin washed up and walked to the car. A middle-aged man walked towards him talking on the phone, “Yes, Xiao Sun got lost in the mountains with his friend last night. Caught a cold from the heavy frost, not serious. His friend just sent him down the mountain for an IV drip…”
The counselor of Bio-Science Class 2 bumped into Lu Lin, his eyes straightening instantly.
Last semester he went to watch Lu Lin’s lecture. He would never mistake him. This was the living Lu Lin!
The activity fund this time was allocated from the Lu Group scholarship. Could he be here for inspection?
The counselor hurriedly hung up the phone, ran forward and greeted enthusiastically, “Hello Mr. Lu, hello! I am Old Chen, the counselor of Bio-Science! Just give instructions if you need anything!”
Hearing he was Yan Heqing’s counselor, Lu Lin stopped and asked: “Do students have activities today?”
Old Chen nodded, “Yes, some go up the mountain to catch insects, some go to the base to observe plants.” He seized the opportunity to introduce, “Mr. Lu, are you free now? I’ll take you around our base.”
Lu Lin didn’t want to disturb Yan Heqing’s class, “What time does it end.”
“Six o’clock.”
Lu Lin didn’t stay any longer. He returned to the car to finish the lean meat porridge, took the fishing bag and entered the mountain.
Today, Yan Heqing’s group content was to enter the base to observe plants. The base their group went to was about ten minutes away from the campsite, a sunroom built in the woods.
The sunroom was full of plants, all growing particularly large, with leaves twice as big as common plants. Especially the Florentina climbing all over the flower stand, blooming a month early. The flower shape was as big as a bowl mouth, clusters of flowers crowding the flower stand, rich true red embellishing the space full of green plants.
Zhan Pingting exclaimed repeatedly, “Too beautiful! I’ve never seen such big and well-blooming roses!”
Zhao Yong smiled, “If you like, I’ll plant a yard full of roses for you in the future.”
Zhan Pingting didn’t respond, turning to talk to Yan Heqing instead.
Yan Heqing was observing a pot of green plants, holding a pen and recording quickly in his notebook.
Zhan Pingting’s open mouth closed. Today they all wore white coats. Inappropriately, a sentence popped up in Zhan Pingting’s mind, “To be pretty, wear all white (mourning clothes)”.
Yan Heqing was too suitable for a white coat!
Her eyes rolled, she took out her phone and secretly took a photo, quickly sending it to Zhou Wuyou, “Your male god! Really pure and lustful…”
Zhou Wuyou typing, “Which base, share the address.”
Zhan Pingting was a bit surprised, “Are you coming over?”
“Mn, want to confess.”
“!!!!!” Zhan Pingting was scared. So fierce?! She quickly sent the location sharing.
Zhou Wuyou arrived in the afternoon.
She looked lost, not like going to confess, more like parting forever.
Zhan Pingting wanted to tease a few sentences, but seeing her face, she immediately worried about her, “What’s wrong, your face looks so bad. How about…” She probed, “Wait until you get along for a while before confessing? The probability is higher.”
Zhou Wuyou shook her head, “I won’t hide it from you, I…” She bit her lip, then let go, “Know the result.”
Zhan Pingting was baffled, “What result.”
Zhou Wuyou just shook her head. She knew the result of the confession very well. Her confession to Yan Heqing would fail. Returning to the tent last night, she thought until dawn and finally knew what was wrong.
The atmosphere was wrong.
Others couldn’t see it, but she could. The atmosphere between Yan Heqing and his friend surnamed Lu was obviously different from theirs.
She liked Yan Heqing, she understood what that meant.
But she wanted to fight for herself once.
Still friends, she had a chance to fight.
Zhan Pingting called Zhao Yong away. Only Yan Heqing was left in the sunroom. He was observing an Arisaema, a large family of poisonous plants. The sap was poisonous, but the tuber could be used as medicine. Footsteps approached.
Zhou Wuyou called softly: “Student Yan.”
Yan Heqing closed the notebook and stood up, turning back to say politely: “Is something the matter?”
“I like you.” Zhou Wuyou spoke very fast, “I know you don’t like me, but I still want to tell you my feelings of liking you. If…” She summoned up her courage, “It would be even better if you are willing to try dating me.”
“Sorry.” Yan Heqing’s eyes were calm, “We are not suitable.”
Zhou Wuyou’s heart fell into a bottomless pit with a thud. She forced a smile, “Understand. I have something to do, leaving first. Wish you…” She held back her tears, “You find the right person!”
Turning around, biting her lip and running out of the sunroom.
Zhan Pingting was guarding outside. Seeing Zhou Wuyou running out crying, she also knew the result. She sighed and shook her head, chasing after her.
Yan Heqing held the notebook, squatted down and continued to observe the Arisaema.
Another set of footsteps approached. The person squatted down beside him, with a smile in his tone, “Met again.”
Yan Heqing knew who it was, turning his head to ask: “When are you going back?”
Lu Lin was looking at him, “Leaving soon, came to ask for something back.”
Yan Heqing didn’t understand, “What?”
“That favor.”
Long eyelashes moved, “Speak.”
Lu Lin looked deeply into his eyes, “Try dating me. One month, two months, you set the time.”
“Okay.”
Lu Lin’s black eyes were intense, “Don’t answer so fast. The dating I mean is lovers.”
Yan Heqing nodded, the corner of his lips curving into a very warm arc, “My answer is also lovers, two months.”
——
Zhou Wuyou left early, and Gu Xingye was a bit concerned. Returning to the camp, Zhao Yong, Zhan Pingting and Zhou Wuyou were already there, but Yan Heqing was missing. He thought for a moment and went to find Old Zhao.
Old Zhao scratched his head and told Gu Xingye the location of the base.
Gu Xingye walked very fast.
Old Zhao was full of wonder. Why did everyone come to ask about the base Yan Heqing went to today? Was that base particularly good?
Still not right.
Assistant Xiao Sun wasn’t in Bio-Science, and went down the mountain for an IV drip due to illness. Asking him about the base, could it be that he wanted to come back for a visit after the drip? Loving nature so much?
…
At the same time, the sky darkened rapidly. Dark clouds suddenly covered the sky. A sudden brake sounded on the mountain road.
Lu Lin’s mind was still filled with Yan Heqing’s smile just now.
The warm touch of the boy last night was vivid in his mind. Enduring for a night, fishing for another day, the desire barely retreated.
However, a simple smile from Yan Heqing easily defeated his proud restraint.
Once the suppressed beast was out of the cage, there was no turning back.
After a few seconds of silence, Lu Lin turned the car around.
Thunder rumbled, light dimmed instantly. The crackling rain smashed down heavily, falling on the large glass panes, the sound so loud as if to swallow this sunroom.
The first heavy spring rain of this year came unexpectedly early.
Yan Heqing walked to the flower stand. The switch was here. Just as he was about to turn it on, footsteps suddenly sounded at the door. He pressed it, and the light tube lit up.
Yan Heqing then turned sideways to look, seeing Lu Lin returning, his shoulder wet with a large patch.
Yan Heqing was slightly stunned for a second. He closed the notebook and wanted to step forward, “You…”
Lu Lin was faster than him, striding forward to clasp his waist and push him back. Yan Heqing’s back pressed against the flower stand. Fluttering red petals fell, like a rain of flowers.
Thunder and rain were noisy. Lu Lin reached out and turned off the light switch.
The sunroom plunged into darkness again. Lightning flashed from time to time, falling on the boy’s face like moonlight. Lu Lin lowered his head and kissed him.
“Dating involves kissing, understand?”