Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 103: Confession

When Wu Sheng turned in his papers for 7/23, he was mentally prepared for all possible reactions from Xu Wang. However, Xu Wang didn’t mention a word about “the romantic storyline of Optimistic Classmate B and Detective C”.

Back in Beijing, he had convinced himself to stop thinking about it. A two-day business trip to Hebei, where he barely slept due to urgent client work, helped him calm his last bit of restlessness, leaving him tranquil. But then Xu Wang brought up the topic again, skipping the preliminaries and going straight back to an incident ten years ago.

The letter from ten years ago, a past Wu Sheng had dared not use even in his stories, was now being uncovered, its frosted filter removed to reveal its clear, original form.

It was already dark outside. The streetlights were bright, and the streets were bustling with traffic.

But the living room was quiet.

So quiet that Wu Sheng could hear his own heartbeat, Xu Wang’s breathing, and even the slight blink of Xu Wang’s eyes as he waited for a response.

In the rainy night classroom ten years ago, Xu Wang had looked at him in the same way, the only difference being that back then, his lashes were wet with tears.

Wu Sheng thought to himself that he always seemed to upset Xu Wang.

The air was so still it almost solidified. Xu Wang’s impulsiveness gradually subsided in Wu Sheng’s silence.

He lowered his head, staring at his knees, mustering the last bit of courage to ask again. “Can’t you write it simpler…”

His voice was so faint that it was almost inaudible.

Finally, Wu Sheng’s response was low and slightly hoarse. “I’m afraid.”

Xu Wang’s heart trembled.

He had never known that Wu Sheng could also be afraid.

They were sitting close on the sofa, so close that Xu Wang had to turn slightly to see Wu Sheng’s face.

But Xu Wang dared not move.

“I was afraid, but at the same time, I also hope that you would notice.” Wu Sheng looked up at the wall in front of him. It was so blindingly white that it dazzled his eyes. He smiled mockingly, as if, through the white wall, he could see his foolish and hesitant past self.

Xu Wang’s heart pounded painfully in his chest.

He had never heard Wu Sheng’s “heart”, giving him a surreal feeling. He clenched his fists, trying to calm his breathing, afraid that breathing too heavily would burst the beautiful soap bubble.

In a daze, Wu Sheng’s sigh reached his ears. “I don’t know what to say anymore. If you don’t speak up, this conversation might end prematurely.”

Xu Wang turned his head instinctively, only realizing he had been tricked when he saw the smile in Wu Sheng’s eyes.

Wu Sheng liked seeing him annoyed. Normally being too “sly”, he found it especially cute when Wu Sheng got a bit puffed up.

Without thinking, Xu Wang reached out to touch Wu Sheng’s head gently and tenderly. “I wrote the letters, and I was the one rejected. Can’t you at least show a bit of arrogance in dumping someone?”

Xu Wang hesitated to brush off the hand on his head, but upon hearing this, he was completely stunned. “When have I ever rejected you? It was you who stopped writing to me!”

Upon saying this, Xu Wang realized how much he cared about this matter.

Wu Sheng was momentarily confused, as if realizing something was amiss, but it didn’t affect his recall. “In the fifth letter, you asked me not to ask anymore.”

“The fifth letter?” Xu Wang couldn’t even remember what he had replied. How could it be interpreted as a rejection?!

Wait.

Xu Wang steadied his heart, recalling the five letters lying in the bedroom next door.

He didn’t remember his replies, but he knew Wu Sheng’s letters by heart.

He asked Wu Sheng “not to ask anymore”?

That must mean Wu Sheng had asked something in the letter…

Xu Wang suddenly looked up, finally finding the same sentence in the fourth and fifth letters.

[Have you finished reading ‘Walden’?]

He stared at Wu Sheng, his voice uncontrollably rising. “Have you finished reading ‘Walden’?!”

Wu Sheng sighed, his eyes carrying a “resigned and relieved look of someone rejected”. “You remember now.”

“……” Xu Wang covered his chest, feeling a stabbing pain worse than when he knew there was a code in the letter.

Thinking too much when he shouldn’t and overthinking when he shouldn’t—how did Wu Sheng manage to miss every correct answer in the love story?

And himself, for falling in love with such a Wu Sheng, what great sin did he commit in his past life…

“Until today, I had no idea there was a code in the letter!” Xu Wang turned his entire body towards Wu Sheng, wanting to throw every word in Wu Sheng’s face to reshape his thought process!

Wu Sheng really hadn’t thought much. “I thought you were just bringing up the past, using criticism as a key to start today’s topic.”

Xu Wang felt choked. “Can’t you think like a normal person!”

“But I mentioned ‘Walden’ in two consecutive letters. Wasn’t that an obvious hint?”

“……”

Under Xu Wang’s furious gaze, Wu Sheng’s survival instinct kicked in, and he lowered his ashamed head. “It was indeed a bit obscure.”

Xu Wang’s trust was completely shattered. No matter how good Wu Sheng’s attitude or how innocent his eyes were, it was useless. “Format all your ‘what you thought’ now!”

Wu Sheng cooperated very well, silent for a moment before quickly reporting. “Formatted.”

“When I said don’t ask, it was just simply not to ask if I had read that book.” Xu Wang wanted to soften his tone, but the more he thought, the more aggrieved he felt, and failed. He threw every word at Wu Sheng’s face. “Moreover, listen well. I did finish ‘Walden’, checked the dictionary, didn’t miss a page, read it all!”

After saying this in one breath, his chest heaved violently, but his gaze never left Wu Sheng.

Wu Sheng looked at him in astonishment, his face showing several emotions, unclear whether he was more happy or bitter.

Xu Wang stared at him, his eyes red.

The living room suddenly quieted down, leaving only their heartbeats, each like a drum.

Wu Sheng’s throat tightened, and after a long time, he found his voice. “Did you like the book…”

Xu Wang stiffly replied, “Boring as hell!”

Wu Sheng said, “But you still read it all.”

“……”

Because you gave it to me.

These words rolled in Xu Wang’s heart, but he couldn’t bring himself to say them.

He blinked hard, trying to hold back the warmth in his eyes, but it was unsuccessful. Instead, it caused the moisture to cling to his eyelashes, blurring his vision.

Suddenly, Xu Wang felt a hand gently caressing his face, the palm warm.

This unexpected warmth spread from his cheek to every limb in an electrifying moment.

Wu Sheng gently wiped the moisture from Xu Wang’s eyelashes with his thumb, his heart aching with regret. “I’m sorry.”

“You have more to apologize for,” Xu Wang murmured with a hoarse voice as he listed grievances one by one. “You called me stupid, said I only know how to fight without thinking of the consequences, you pushed me, and you wrote me those incomprehensible love letters…”

Wu Sheng’s lips curved upward involuntarily, realizing for the first time that being scolded could also make one’s heart blossom with joy and brightness.

After enumerating all his faults, Xu Wang still felt a heavy blockage in his heart. He couldn’t stop thinking about the “what ifs”.

What if Wu Sheng hadn’t used such an unfathomable method? Would their present be different?

What if he had used his brains a little and deciphered the mystery in the letters? Would the outcome have changed?

What if he had taken the initiative when Wu Sheng suddenly cut off communication?

What if Wu Sheng had tried again after “assuming” he was rejected?

He stared at Wu Sheng, trying to sound indifferent, but couldn’t help the redness rimming his eyes. “The only love letter I’ve ever received in my life, and you used a code…”

Wu Sheng cupped his face, gently blowing into his eyes, as if trying to disperse the redness.

“I’m here now, aren’t I? I’ll make up for all the love letters you want.”

Xu Wang looked at him huffily, like a child seizing an advantage to demand more candy. “And what about the ten years of youth?”

“I’ll make up for those too,” Wu Sheng replied confidently.

Xu Wang paused, not understanding his meaning.

Wu Sheng leaned in and planted a kiss on his forehead.

It was a kiss of solemn reverence.

“I love you.” For the first time, he laid bare his heart without any defenses.

Xu Wang froze, his mind going blank, heat rising rapidly in his eyes. Before he could suppress it, a tear rolled down his cheek.

Before these three words, he had always reminded himself subconsciously that Wu Sheng’s “affection” and “love letters” were things of the past. Although it seemed that Wu Sheng still harbored such “affection” now, these “seemings” and “perhapses” could never truly bring peace of mind.

He feared being presumptuous again.

He feared that after the joy, there would be nothing but emptiness.

“I’m going to pursue you now,” Wu Sheng declared very formally, so much so that he felt a bit embarrassed after saying it, but he kept his gaze firm and unwavering on Xu Wang. “Starting now, I’ll chase you. If ten years aren’t enough, I’ll chase you for twenty years. If twenty years aren’t enough, I’ll chase you for thirty, compensating you for your youth with interest.”

Xu Wang sniffed, feeling like a cunning businessman for a moment.

He had never told Wu Sheng he liked him—never said he loved him.

With an unfulfilled kiss, he had won someone’s heart.

Fool.

After whispering this in his heart, Xu Wang lunged forward, firmly kissing Wu Sheng’s lips.

Wu Sheng froze, just like the first time they met in the “Owl”.

But this time, Xu Wang’s kiss was longer, deeper, and more passionate.

When they finally parted, Wu Sheng’s lips were red from the kiss.

Xu Wang was pleased with his handiwork. “I agree to let you chase me.”

He wanted to sound serious and earnest, but as soon as he spoke, his voice was soft, sweet, and happy.

“You have to chase me properly, with all your heart… No, not too earnestly. No, no, earnestly is fine; just don’t overthink…”

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Kinky Thoughts:

My heart is melting. When Wu Sheng confesses, he does say [wo ai ni] (我爱你), so it’s a love, not a like.

It must be exasperating to love someone like Wu Sheng whose thought process is so out of this world… but that makes him all the more endearing.

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