Chapter 990: Chapter 800: Brilliant Sparks—Only Deep Feelings Must Not Be Betrayed

But without all the family disputes and mess, some things became much easier to try.

Reading together, riding bikes together, playing the violin together.

They were as green as every first-love couple, no overstepping at all; in fact, in the first few days, they didn’t even touch hands.

But for two people feeling that first flutter of attraction, just trying this much was already more than enough.

Sweetness, days like pink bubbles. Either at the Feng Family Villa or at the Qi Family’s, or down by the sea, or in the square.

The more time Gu Zixi spent with Qi Xuesha, the more in sync they became.

He read documents in French, she would translate the sentences; when she needed to tune and practice, he would wrap his arm around her and teach her to play, bit by bit.

On the sixth day, in the Feng Family Villa garden under the ivy, Gu Zixi looked at Qi Xuesha and finally couldn’t help it; little by little, he lowered his head and kissed her.

It was such an innocent kiss, without the slightest hint of seduction. Qi Xuesha’s heart leapt, and the hands behind her back unconsciously clenched around the wooden pole.

Gu Zixi stared fixedly at Qi Xuesha, until he was gazing at the rosy clouds on her face and the starlight in her eyes. He paused, then wrapped his arms around her waist and, only then, deepened the kiss with certainty.

Qi Xuesha also slipped her arms around his neck.

For a moment, in the whole spring-warmed, flower-filled garden, there was only the soft kissing of the two of them.

Do you believe love will come to you in the purest way?

Maybe for Gu Zixi and Qi Xuesha, it was exactly like this.

With the failed, painful love stories of the older generation laid out in front of them, no one seemed willing to obstruct or torment their relationship anymore. Things went so smoothly that they were just like any teenagers in puberty, not needing to consider any external factors, just following that faint flutter in their hearts and choosing the sweetest love of their lives.

Even with kissing, they were too shy to ask the other for more, or to move any faster.

Their lips just brushed lightly.

He chuckled low. She blushed shyly.

He rasped, "I gave you my first kiss."

She answered bashfully, "Me too..."

She paused, then added, "And... I’ll save that... for you as well."

Then his eyes curved as he laughed, shoulders shaking with a soft snort...

...

In the garden, Gu Zixi and Qi Xuesha’s figures were holding each other tighter and tighter.

But in the bedroom, as Yu Xi watched them, his heart felt like it was bleeding, drop by drop.

His hand clenched tight around the window frame; he didn’t even know how he had managed to squeeze a splinter off that thick wooden frame and once again drive it deep into his palm.

He turned his back, paused, grabbed his boxing gloves, and went berserk on the rooftop.

It could only be called berserk—

Because that day the soles of his feet had been full of glass shards; it took ages to pick them all out. He hadn’t felt much pain that day, but in the following days, as the wounds slowly healed, he finally understood the daily, blood-seeping pain beneath the bandages.

Including the fingers he’d cut open; because of infection and because he himself didn’t really take care, every time they touched water, there was a deep, stinging agony.

He reached the boxing room.

He didn’t care about those bleeding places at all, just shoved his hands into the gloves again and pounded the sandbag over and over like a madman.

Letting the sweat drip, letting the bloodshot glint of tears in his eyes spread with every bout of venting.

He didn’t stop.

After all... how could he?

If he stopped, he wouldn’t be able to help replaying the scene of Gu Zixi kissing Qi Xuesha.

If he stopped, he’d keep mocking himself again and again. You like men? And you’re jealous, too! Feng Yuxi, are you out of your mind!

And in the end...

Even if he could stop, he would never be able to face Gu Zixi and say those three words, "I like you"...

Gender!

When that word flashed through his mind, Feng Yuxi felt the most pathetic thing in his life was liking someone yet never being able to say it out loud...

"Bang, bang!" The crazed heavy blows thudded through the room.

His tears mixed with blood and sweat as, like a beast in slow motion, he roared in this equipment room, splitting open from the inside.

Until the tears finally streamed out.

Blending into the scorching air, dispersing.

Until he punched himself out, swayed, then lay on the floor, motionless, a bitter smile on his face, laughing until he had no strength left, until his laughter blurred together with his tears...

...

When Gu Zixi came up to look for Feng Yuxi, it was just at dusk.

By then, Feng Yuxi was already sitting slumped in a corner. He had turned off the air conditioner in the equipment room, letting the chill slowly seep into the room, and he was sitting sideways, staring at the sunset outside, motionless.

What’s up with this guy...?

Gu Zixi frowned, thinking hard, but he really couldn’t figure it out.

He paused. Knowing that Feng Yuxi had been acting off these days, he stepped forward, hands in his pockets, and asked with a smile, "We’re about to eat. Why aren’t you coming down?"

According to the schedule, Gu Zixi could only stay in Rong City for two more days. The new term was right around the corner; even if he wanted to stay, he had to go back to the United States. At noon today, the Qi Family had all come over, and even Gu Qingfeng and Qiu Yuan had arrived in Rong City from Beijing. Tonight’s big family dinner was Gu Zixi’s farewell banquet, and of course, it might also be a sort of "quasi-engagement" dinner to firm up the future between Gu Zixi and Qi Xuesha...

Hearing this, Feng Yuxi lifted his dark eyes.

He looked deeply at Gu Zixi a few times but said nothing, only thinking that if he went down now, he’d just see more of Qi Xuesha with him.

Bitter, he gave a faint smile. "I’m not the main character anyway. Going down a bit later is the same."

That tone...

Gu Zixi frowned again.

He paused. Originally, he’d planned to ask once; if Feng Yuxi didn’t come, he’d just go back down. But now he thought for a moment, glanced around, found a mat, and dragged it over to sit beside Feng Yuxi.

That movement made Feng Yuxi extremely uncomfortable, especially with the always-pleasant scent on Gu Zixi’s body. Even though he knew very well they were both men, he still couldn’t help being bewitched.

He shifted away slightly, just enough that Gu Zixi wouldn’t notice.

After sitting down, Gu Zixi noticed a dozen empty beer cans scattered at Feng Yuxi’s feet. His frown deepened. "Aren’t you injured? Is drinking a good idea?" 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

That gentle tone...

A deeper cut split open across Feng Yuxi’s heart. He forced back the redness welling up in his eyes, turned his head away, and said, "Shouldn’t you, at this hour, be downstairs with the Feng and Qi families, discussing what to do about you and Miss Qi? I’m just going down a bit later, it’s not like I’m not going. Is it really a good idea for you to stay up here with me?"

Gu Zixi really didn’t understand Feng Yuxi’s tone.

But he still smiled, shook his head, and said, "My situation’s easy to sort out. All we’re really discussing is how to handle the long-distance part. I definitely have to go to the United States for school. As for her, we’re seeing whether she’ll keep studying in France or come to the States with me. It’s way too early to get into engagement or marriage. But you... your mood hasn’t been great lately. I’ve wanted to ask you so many times but didn’t know how to bring it up. Yu Xi, what’s wrong?"

Those last six soft words in the air made Feng Yuxi’s gaze tremble; he couldn’t hold it back, and moisture gathered in his eyes...