Brother, you smell good - 92

 

| BYSG | Moving | 92 | Extra 7

When he was young, Shen Yu received quite a few love letters from girls, but he had no interest in them.

As Cheng Mofei put it, hanging out with his good brothers was already fulfilling enough, plus he had to focus on studying and getting good grades, so he had no interest in dating.

Shen Yu, on the other hand, keenly noticed that he didn’t seem to have any feelings toward the opposite sex. 

After his exams, his mother bought him his own phone, and by chance, he came across certain things on it. As he delved deeper, he gradually realized that he might not be straight.

At that time, he was only fifteen, still confused and somewhat avoiding the thought.

With his final year of high school approaching, where he needed to devote himself entirely to studying, he had no thoughts of dating, regardless of gender, and decided to set this matter aside for now.

However, ever since Cheng Mofei moved into his house and started sharing a room and even a bed with him, Shen Yu slowly began to develop some inexplicable feelings toward him.

At first, out of curiosity, Cheng Mofei played a video of a man and a woman in their room. After watching for a while, they both inevitably felt a little embarrassed. 

In the end, it was Cheng Mofei who, feeling unimpressed, hastily turned it off while exclaiming, "There's nothing interesting about this!"

That night, Shen Yu had an erotic dream, and the other person in the dream was Cheng Mofei.

When he woke up, Cheng Mofei’s arm was draped over his waist, still fast asleep. Shen Yu’s mind went blank for a long time before he scrambled to the bathroom to clean his pants in a panic.

After that, he had no choice but to admit—he wasn’t just not straight; he had also developed inappropriate feelings for the childhood friend he was closest to.

Fortunately, at that time, their days were filled with studying and competitions. Almost all their break time was spent catching up on sleep, and by the time they finished evening self-study and returned to the dormitory, it was already close to midnight. 

There was hardly any time or energy left to dwell on such thoughts.

Maybe it was just the effects of teenage hormones, and once this phase passed, things would go back to normal, Shen Yu tried to convince himself.

One year passed. Then another. Then a third.

Damn it, those so-called hormones didn’t fade away. Instead, they only grew stronger.

They were best friends. No one treated him as well as Cheng Mofei did.

Since Shen Yu was from the south, when they first started high school, he was shorter than some of the northern girls in their class. Plus, he had been calling Cheng Mofei “Brother Fei” since childhood. Cheng Mofei had taken care of him in every possible way.

When they first started high school, Cheng Mofei swapped his bicycle for a more convenient electric scooter. Every morning, he would give Shen Yu a ride to school, and every night after evening self-study, he would take him home.

Actually, Cheng Mofei preferred motorcycles, he thought they were cool. But there was no choice; high school students weren’t allowed to learn how to ride them, and they weren’t exactly safe either.

With the electric scooter, the two of them inevitably sat close together. Sometimes, when Cheng Mofei braked suddenly, the inertia would cause Shen Yu to crash straight into the taller boy’s growingly broad back, making his heart race uncontrollably.

At those moments, Shen Yu was immensely grateful that he was sitting in the back, so the person in front wouldn’t notice anything.

They always ate together in the cafeteria. Whenever they got tired of the food there, Cheng Mofei would take him off-campus for a meal on his scooter.

Shen Yu had a habit of taking afternoon naps, and the school had special dormitories arranged for that.

Sometimes, when he suddenly craved a specific snack, all he had to do was mention it casually. By the time he woke up from his nap, he would find that Cheng Mofei had sneaked out of school at noon just to buy it for him.

Some of the boys in their class who were secretly dating couldn’t even treat their girlfriends as well as Cheng Mofei treated him.

But being treated this well wasn’t necessarily a good thing, it only made things harder.

Shen Yu knew that Cheng Mofei simply saw him as a younger brother to take care of, just as he always had since they were kids.

And he, relying on this identity, on the fact that Cheng Mofei was unaware of his feelings and his hidden thoughts, selfishly continued to bask in his kindness.

Later, during their senior year, the mounting pressure started to weigh on Shen Yu. 

Without a second thought, Cheng Mofei bought two tickets to a nearby seaside town, grabbed Shen Yu, and dragged him out of school, skipping class without hesitation.

At that moment, Shen Yu had been resting his chin on his hand, staring absentmindedly out the window. In the next second, Cheng Mofei took his hand, pulled him out of school, and led him onto the bus heading for the coast.

When they arrived at the beach, Cheng Mofei even went out of his way to rent a helicopter, and the two of them took a ride over the vast ocean.

Inside the helicopter, neither of them had even changed out of their blue-and-white school uniforms.

“How is it?” Cheng Mofei sat beside him, his voice carried away by the wind. “Feeling a little more relaxed?”

The sea breeze was salty, yet Shen Yu tasted a hint of sweetness.

He stared at the endless expanse of the ocean below and murmured, “I kind of want to jump in.”

He wanted to see if the seawater was really salty, maybe swim a little, and most importantly cool down his racing heart.

He hadn’t expected his words to startle Cheng Mofei so much that the boy immediately wrapped an arm around his waist, as if afraid he would unbuckle his seatbelt and leap out at any moment.

Not long ago, a senior from their grade had taken their own life due to overwhelming stress. That was precisely why Cheng Mofei had brought Shen Yu here, to help him unwind. 

After all, mental and physical well-being were the most important things. Shen Yu’s words really scared him.

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

Shen Yu saw the serious expression on Cheng Mofei’s face and couldn’t help but laugh. He turned his head away to avoid his gaze and said, “I was just joking.”

He wasn’t that desperate—but… he was inexplicably happy.

As the helicopter landed, Shen Yu kept his gaze fixed on the endless horizon of the sea and sky, making no move to break free from Cheng Mofei’s hold.

…

On the night after the college entrance exams, their class held a gathering. After dinner, those who stayed behind went to a KTV to sing and play games.

Near the end of the meal, there was a small incident, one of the boys in their class confessed to his longtime crush. The two left the restaurant together, presumably to have a private conversation. 

Whether or not they would end up together was anyone’s guess.

Later, at the KTV, people were still buzzing about the confession.

Now that high school was over, everyone would soon be going their separate ways. If they didn’t seize the chance to confess their feelings now, they might never get another opportunity.

But Shen Yu was different. Even after graduation, he would still have plenty of chances—chances that he knew he might never be able to take.

During a round of Truth or Dare, a male classmate drew a dare, to kiss the person sitting directly across from him.

By sheer coincidence, the person sitting directly across was Cheng Mofei.

“Oh, Old Cheng, come here~” The boy grinned mischievously, inching closer toward Cheng Mofei.

Such playful antics like this were common among high school boys.

Cheng Mofei instantly tensed up, fully on guard.

After a brief struggle between the two, the other boy couldn’t overpower him and ended up settling for a quick peck on the back of his hand instead.

Without hesitation, Cheng Mofei went straight to the restroom to wash his hands—using body wash, no less.

Shen Yu followed him in.

As Cheng Mofei scrubbed his hands, he chuckled and muttered in distaste, “Ugh… disgusting. Getting kissed by a guy, tsk.”

Shen Yu stood beside him, silent.

He had never once tried to probe Cheng Mofei’s thoughts on homosexuality, because he was afraid. Afraid that if he did, he might accidentally reveal his own feelings.

But Cheng Mofei was probably not the type to be openly repulsed.

Even if he wasn’t against it, he had never shown any inclination toward being anything but straight.

After that moment, Shen Yu lost interest in playing and curled up on the KTV sofa, zoning out.

Before long, Cheng Mofei sat down beside him, concerned. “Tired of playing?”

Shen Yu let out a muffled “mm.” The dim lighting in the KTV room helped conceal his emotions.

Without hesitation, Cheng Mofei said, “Then let’s go home.”

But Shen Yu stood up on his own. “You keep playing. I’ll take a cab back.”

Cheng Mofei’s grandmother had been recovering well, and by the second half of senior year, she had already returned to Yancheng City. However, Cheng Mofei had gotten used to living and studying with Shen Yu. 

With college entrance exams approaching, he didn’t want to disrupt his routine, so he had continued staying with Shen Yu.

It wasn’t until after the exams that Cheng Mofei finally moved back home.

Even so, a good portion of Cheng Mofei’s belongings were still in Shen Yu’s room.

Once he left, he should probably ask Cheng Mofei to take everything with him over the next few days.

Shen Yu knew this road wasn’t an easy one. He didn’t want to drag Cheng Mofei, who was naturally straight into something he’d never asked for. More than anything, he feared that in the end, they wouldn’t even be able to remain friends.

A friendship that had lasted over ten years, there was too much at stake.

Without looking back, Shen Yu walked straight out of the KTV, flagging down the first cab he saw. Just as he finished giving the driver his home address, the car door suddenly swung open.

It was Cheng Mofei.

Without a word, he slid into the seat beside Shen Yu, repeated the address to the driver, and said casually, “We’re going together.”

Shen Yu pressed his lips together and didn’t say anything.

The car started quickly. Seeing Shen Yu leaning against the seat with his eyes closed, Cheng Mofei wanted to ask something but hesitated, not wanting to disturb him.

He had naturally noticed that something was off with Shen Yu’s mood.

After all, they had grown up together, Shen Yu didn’t even need to say a word; just a single expression was enough for Cheng Mofei to read him like an open book.

But this time, he had no idea what had caused Shen Yu’s shift in mood.

Had something happened tonight that he hadn’t noticed? Had a classmate said or done something to upset him?

Cheng Mofei carefully replayed the evening in his head but couldn’t find any clues.

Before long, the car pulled up in front of Shen Yu’s apartment building.

They got out together and headed upstairs.

When they reached the door, Cheng Mofei naturally pulled out the key from his pocket and unlocked it as if it were his own home.

After all, Cheng Mofei had been staying at Shen Yu’s place for three years, so it was only natural that he had a key to the apartment.

Shen Yu glanced at the small orange charm hanging from Cheng Mofei’s keychain, then his fingers brushed over the little hamster keychain Cheng Mofei had given him. His heart swirled with mixed emotions.

Although their college entrance exam results hadn’t come out yet, it was almost certain that both he and Cheng Mofei would get into Yanda University. After that, they’d continue to maintain the close friendship they’d always had.

Even though they wouldn’t apply for the same major, Shen Yu knew Cheng Mofei well enough to predict that his family would pull some strings to get them assigned to the same dorm.

After all, they had been best friends since kindergarten, they are closer than brothers.

It was because of this bond that Shen Yu knew he shouldn’t develop such feelings for Cheng Mofei.

As they were changing shoes, Shen Yu closed his eyes for a moment, as if making up his mind. He turned to Cheng Mofei, who clearly seemed to be preparing to stay the night, and said, “I want to sleep with my brother tonight. It’s been so long since we’ve shared a bed.”

Cheng Mofei froze for a moment, his lips moving as if he were about to say something, but in the end, all he managed to say was one word: “Okay.”

He rarely disagreed with Shen Yu’s decisions. If Shen Yu wanted to sleep with his brother, there must be a reason for it. He figured they could talk about it tomorrow. 

If Shen Yu’s mood hadn’t improved by then, he would have a proper conversation with him.

After taking a shower, Shen Yu went straight to Ning Que’s bedroom.

Ning Que was studying at Yanda Medical University, and had been staying with them for a few days because of the college entrance exams. He hadn’t left yet.

“Brother, I’m hungry. Is there anything to eat?” Shen Yu quickly scanned the room as he entered.

It was already late, and after dinner, he hadn’t had anything else to eat, so he was starting to feel hungry.

“There’s only some pine nuts, do you want them? There should be some fruit or something in the living room, or we could order takeout.” Ning Que shrugged, explaining that since he had only been staying at home for a short time, there were no snacks in the room.

Shen Yu shook his head, then moved to the desk and began peeling the pine nuts.

Although he was a little hungry, he didn’t really have an appetite. He just wanted to eat something casually to distract himself, and the pine nuts were fine for now.

"Why do you suddenly want to sleep here tonight?" Ning Que tossed his phone aside.

Shen Yu didn’t answer immediately and instead asked, "Isn’t it normal to sleep with my brother?"

It’s normal, normal... But his younger brother and that Cheng Mofei had the best relationship. As long as Cheng Mofei was around, he was completely forgotten.

—It couldn’t be helped. After all, they were around the same age, had grown up together, and had always been in the same class. They were the type of friends who could open up to each other the most.

Tonight was definitely unusual, though.

Cheng Mofei obviously didn’t go back home tonight, and they had just finished the college entrance exams, yet Shen Yu had left him alone and come to his own room.

Ning Que raised an eyebrow and blurted out, "Did you two have a fight?"

“No.” Shen Yu didn’t want to explain, nor did he feel the need to. He just kept peeling the pine nuts.

Ning Que thought to himself that they really had fought, and he became intrigued.

He’d known Shen Yu and Cheng Mofei for so many years, and as far as he knew, they had never fought. Their relationship was so close, it was like they were inseparable, yet now, right after the exams, something had happened. 

What could have caused it?

Ning Que purposely said, “If you don’t want to talk, I’ll just go next door and ask Xiao Cheng myself.”

Shen Yu: “……”

Shen Yu didn’t feel like responding. He knew Ning Que was just trying to tease him. Even if he didn’t answer, Ning Que wouldn’t actually go and ask Cheng Mofei.

Seeing Shen Yu’s resistance, Ning Que decided to switch tactics and try a softer approach: “You came here to sleep, didn’t you want your big brother to give you some advice?”

Shen Yu shot him a look that clearly said, “You’re overthinking it.” He replied, “I just wanted a place to sleep, that’s all.”

He hadn’t told anyone about his sexual orientation, not even Ning Que.

At first, when he was confused, Shen Yu had actually considered telling Cheng Mofei and Ning Que about his feelings. 

But then, he realized that his feelings for Cheng Mofei weren’t exactly pure, and that made him too scared to confide in anyone.

“Two days ago, you two were fine, so something must’ve happened tonight. You went to a class reunion tonight…” Ning Que continued to speculate, “Class reunions are great for confessing to your high school crush, especially since you’re about to go off to college. If you don’t confess now, you might not get another chance.”

Shen Yu’s heart skipped a beat, fearing that his brother might have figured something out.

Ning Que concluded, “Could it be that you two like the same person? A love triangle, maybe?”

Shen Yu: “……”

That really made his heart drop.

Shen Yu quickly replied, “Stop watching soap operas.”

He didn’t want to continue this conversation, so he grabbed the pine nuts and left for the living room, planning to sleep on the couch for the night.

It was early June, and the weather was already getting hot. The soft, plush sofa was quite comfortable to sleep on.

Ning Que, who had lost the company of the pine nuts, could only remain silent.

Forget it, he thought. It wasn’t worth arguing with someone who was in a bad mood.

He didn’t chase after Shen Yu.

Shen Yu didn’t want to talk, and asking any more wouldn’t help. He hoped they would figure things out on their own.

Ning Que wasn’t too worried. After all, their bond was so strong, a little friction wouldn’t be a big deal. They’d probably make up in a few days.

...

In the other room, Cheng Mofei was wide awake, unable to sleep.

Hugging the hamster plushie he had given Shen Yu, Cheng Mofei tossed and turned in bed, wearing his headphones. He couldn’t seem to fall asleep, no matter how hard he tried.

He went over everything that had happened tonight, even messaging a few of his close classmates to ask if they knew what had made Shen Yu upset. But, there was no response. No one seemed to know what had caused his bad mood.

He opened WeChat and clicked on the conversation with "Little Hamster Brother," thinking about sending him a few messages. But then, he realized Shen Yu was probably already asleep, so in the end, he didn’t send anything.

He felt so worried, but there was nothing he could do about it. He could only hope that Shen Yu’s mood would improve by tomorrow and that he’d tell him what had happened.

Cheng Mofei wondered what had caused Shen Yu to feel this way.

He didn’t know when exactly he fell asleep, but it was probably very late.

...

The next morning, Cheng Mofei had just finished washing up when he saw Shen Yu walk into the room. 

Shen Yu neatly folded the blanket he had messed up during the night, placed the hamster plushie at the head of the bed, and picked up the orange plushie Cheng Mofei had brought him.

Just as Cheng Mofei thought Shen Yu's mood had improved, he suddenly saw Shen Yu turn around.

"You’re moving out. Pack up your things in the room and take them with you."

Cheng Mofei felt as if he'd been struck by lightning.

...Did Shen Yu just tell him to leave?

Was he the one who had upset Shen Yu last night?

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