TECSBRO | 71 | The End |
After Rong Que's deskmate left, Lu Xu and Rong Que were left alone, and an awkward atmosphere began to linger between them.
It was the first time Lu Xu had been called "sister-in-law," and he only then realized that, in the eyes of Rong Que's classmates, they were seen as having that kind of relationship.
Even Rong Que's usually calm and composed expression showed a slight crack.
He tilted his head slightly, and the redness at the tips of his ears hinted at his inner feelings.
"Xiao Lu, don't listen to his nonsense," Rong Que said.
Hearing this, Lu Xu couldn't help but chuckle, "Then why is Brother Rong Que so shy?"
Lu Xu deliberately shifted his body, turning his face directly toward Rong Que.
Rong Que tried to avoid his gaze, but Lu Xu cupped his face with his hands.
Their eyes met, and Rong Que had no choice but to look directly into Lu Xu's eyes, though his own gaze wavered slightly.
Although the two of them did everything together and were inseparable on a daily basis, they had never experienced such an ambiguous atmosphere before.
Seeing Rong Que's face grow increasingly red, almost resembling a boiled lobster, Lu Xu finally decided to let him off the hook. "It's the first time I've seen Brother Rong Que with this expression."
As Lu Xu released his hands, Rong Que seemed to realize he had been teased. He reached out, pulling Lu Xu by the waist until their bodies were almost pressed together.
Lu Xu's face flushed instantly as he saw Rong Que's face suddenly so close. He tried to lean back, but their abdomens were already touching.
Seeing the intense, unreadable heat in Rong Que's eyes, Lu Xu had a feeling that something not so good was about to happen.
However, perhaps remembering they were still at school and there might be passing students, Rong Que didn't do anything.
Instead, he simply smiled strangely upon seeing Lu Xu's slightly panicked expression.
Then he let go of Lu Xu.
Lu Xu took a moment to calm himself. His heart had been beating so fast, as if it was about to leap out of his chest.
Rong Que, having turned the tables, seemed to be in a much better mood.
"It's almost time for class. Let's head back," Lu Xu said, changing the subject. He was afraid that staying any longer would make him lose his composure even more.
Fortunately, Rong Que didn't say anything, and they walked back together.
When Lu Xu returned to the classroom, his deskmate leaned over with a gossipy look. "Did you two make up?"
Lu Xu gave him a strange look. "Is it that obvious?"
The deskmate nodded quickly, his eyes gleaming with the excitement of someone who loves drama. "Don't you think you two are just like the class monitor and the sports rep from the neighboring class when they had that fight?"
"But they're a couple," Lu Xu couldn't help but retort.
"So what? There are so many fujoshi in our class shipping you and the top student in our grade. They're calling it 'the cold, scheming genius x the beautiful but clueless art student,'" the deskmate said. As a self-proclaimed "women's best friend," he spent all his time in various girls' group chats.
His words were quite credible.
Lu Xu's face turned red, and he couldn't help but defend himself, "I'm not clueless."
Hearing this, the deskmate immediately put on a sly, gossipy expression. "Tsk tsk tsk, you didn't deny the relationship."
Knowing he couldn't win against his chat-addicted deskmate, Lu Xu simply opened his book and pretended to be engrossed in it.
The deskmate secretly took out his phone and began live-updating the group chat about the progress of the top couple's relationship.
In the group chat:
"The top student in our grade has confessed to the beautiful but clueless art student. Yesterday, the art student seemed to be angry, and they were in a cold war for a day."
"Today, they sneaked out together. It must have been a domineering kiss that made up for it. I saw the top student forcefully pull the art student away."
One group passed it on to another.
By the end, it had turned into: "The top student and the beautiful but clueless art student are already living together. The art student might be pregnant and is in a bad mood because of it."
When the latest version of the rumor came back, Lu Xu's deskmate laughed hysterically.
Lu Xu's face turned green. As a guy, he couldn't believe he was being portrayed as pregnant, which just showed how absurd these gossip groups could be.
That night, as the two slept together, Lu Xu couldn't help but think about the exaggerated version of the rumor circulating in the group.
They really were living together, weren't they?
Feeling shy, Lu Xu buried his head under the blanket. When Rong Que asked him what was wrong, he playfully bumped his head against Rong Que's chest.
The next day, Lu Xu created a new account.
Too embarrassed to ask his deskmate to add him to the group, he searched for a long time before finally joining one.
Coincidentally, the group was buzzing with new gossip.
Someone had secretly taken a photo of the top student in their grade, who always seemed to glance at the class of the "dumb beauty" whenever he spoke.
They must be secretly exchanging glances, the group speculated.
Unable to resist, Lu Xu used his new account to comment: "Isn’t it just because that class is right in the middle?"
But the excited gossipers ignored him.
A familiar avatar, who happened to be the group admin, revealed that once, after Lu Xu ran 800 meters in PE class, he got dehydrated and turned pale. Rong Que, who was in a neighboring class, carried him to the infirmary for an IV.
The rumor grew even more outrageous.
They claimed Lu Xu had run 800 meters while "recovering from childbirth," and the top student got so angry that the school replaced the PE teacher.
The admin turned out to be his own deskmate.
Lu Xu couldn’t help but explain again: "That’s because the PE teacher was on maternity leave…"
The group members started to get annoyed with Lu Xu, thinking he was just jealous of their "perfect love."
Lu Xu thought he was about to be kicked out, but instead, the admin—his deskmate—muted him for 999 years.
The admin added, "Hmph, I won’t kick you out. You sour lemon, just suffer in silence while you watch their perfect love."
Lu Xu: "…"
Fine.
He lurked in the group for months, during which some literary geniuses started writing novels about a "little wife running away with a baby."
There were several versions: a teenage abortion story, an ABO dynamic, and even a domineering CEO forcing love.
Lu Xu opened a few to read, and some even included steamy scenes.
Just reading the descriptions made him blush, especially since the protagonists were him and Rong Que.
Thankfully, Rong Que hadn’t seen any of this.
But then again, Rong Que was unlikely to join such chaotic groups.
Lu Xu reassured himself.
Until one day, he noticed Rong Que scrolling through dense text on his phone, his face slightly red.
When Lu Xu approached, Rong Que tilted his phone away, looking guilty.
Lu Xu playfully tried to grab the phone, teasing, "What kind of adult content are you reading, Rong Que, my genius?"
He wasn’t as tall as Rong Que, who held the phone high, making it impossible for Lu Xu to reach.
Lu Xu didn’t actually care much about seeing it; he was just teasing Rong Que.
After they finished playing around, they sat on the couch to rest.
Rong Que opened his phone and exited whatever he was reading.
Lu Xu caught a glimpse of the group’s unmistakable avatar.
Lu Xu: "…"
He opened his alternate QQ account and checked the group members.
Searching by the first letter of Rong Que’s nickname, he quickly found a new member with a "lurker" tag.
That familiar avatar.
Rong Que, taking advantage of the fact that few people at school had his QQ, had boldly joined the group with his main account.
The group members probably never dreamed that the two subjects of their gossip were both lurking in the group.
The summer vacation of their sophomore year was hectic.
Rong Que was attending a summer camp to secure a recommendation for college admission.
Meanwhile, Lu Xu was participating in an intensive art class.
It felt like they were locked in separate prisons.
Exhausted every day, they could only exchange a few words at night.
A week before school started, Rong Que went home first.
Lu Xu followed half a day later.
Qi Sui, who was rarely at home, prepared a big cake to celebrate for the two of them. In the evening, he took them out for a lavish dinner, followed by a few hours of karaoke before heading back.
Both of them had been exhausted for a long time, so they indulged in a carefree night.
As soon as they got home, they eagerly went to take a shower and prepare for bed.
After tidying up, they collapsed on the bed, enjoying the air conditioning in the room and the fresh fruit that the housekeeper had just brought.
Lu Xu stared at the ceiling and sighed, "I never imagined I could live like this when I was in kindergarten."
"It will get even better, Xiao Lu," Rong Que said, reaching out to hold Lu Xu's hand.
The weather was hot, and even with the air conditioning, Rong Que's palm was still warm.
When it touched Lu Xu's skin, which had been cooled by the air conditioning, it felt particularly noticeable.
For some reason, Lu Xu felt his heart racing again.
He turned to look at Rong Que, only to find Rong Que staring back at him.
Lu Xu wanted to avert his gaze, but Rong Que spoke first, "Xiao Lu, your skin looks so pink after the shower, like a peach."
"Is that all the vocabulary the top student has?" Lu Xu laughed.
What kind of description was "like a peach"?
Rong Que also blushed a little and tapped Lu Xu's forehead, "Don't call me that."
"I will," Lu Xu said mischievously, tickling Rong Que's armpits, "Top student, top student!"
Rong Que couldn't stand the tickling either, and the two of them started wrestling on the bed.
It ended with Rong Que pinning Lu Xu's mischievous hands down on the bed.
Lu Xu, unwilling to give up, started using both his hands and feet. He bent his knees, trying to kick Rong Que away.
Rong Que dodged to the side and then pressed down, preventing Lu Xu from squeezing his legs between their chests.
Lu Xu's slender legs ended up hooked around Rong Que's waist.
They had been playing around and getting a bit warm, both of them laughing, but suddenly they realized something was off.
Something had touched somewhere.
But Lu Xu's thigh felt something unusual.
As a young man full of vigor, Lu Xu immediately knew what it was.
The lively atmosphere from their playfulness suddenly turned awkward.
Lu Xu's face turned red, "Get off me."
Rong Que looked at Lu Xu's flushed cheeks, which had become even more rosy from the playfulness, and for some reason, he couldn't help but swallow. His voice was unexpectedly hoarse as he said, "No, you'll cause trouble."
Lu Xu tried to pull his hands free, but the difference in their strength was too great; he couldn't move them at all, "I promise I won't tickle you anymore, okay!"
Rong Que still didn't let go.
Lu Xu remembered that every time he called Rong Que "brother," Rong Que would obediently listen, so he tried the same trick again.
He dragged out his voice in an exaggeratedly coquettish manner and called out, "Brother."
Rong Que glared at Lu Xu and suddenly let go of him.
"I've worked up a sweat, I'm going to take another shower."
With that, he got up and went to the bathroom.
But his robe seemed to be tented at an angle.
Lu Xu's face turned beet red.
He must have been out of his mind to call him "brother" at that moment.
Wasn't this just like the stories those people in the group wrote?
Lu Xu covered his face, unable to face it.
Rong Que took a long time in the shower.
Long enough for Lu Xu to force himself to sleep to escape the awkward atmosphere.
He said he was asleep, but he wasn't deeply asleep.
Lu Xu woke up a bit when he felt Rong Que get onto the bed and the mattress sink under his weight.
He felt Rong Que gently place a hand on his waist.
Then came Rong Que's soft, husky voice, "Xiao Lu, on your eighteenth birthday, let's be together, okay?"
Lu Xu had initially planned to pretend to be asleep.
But the words whispered close to his ear sent tingles through him.
Knowing his ears were probably bright red, continuing to feign sleep would seem too deliberate.
Lu Xu turned around and, before Rong Que could react, pressed his lips to Rong Que's forehead. "Don't go back on your word, okay?"
Rong Que was momentarily stunned, then chuckled, "You little rascal, pretending to sleep and eavesdropping, huh?"
Lu Xu smirked, "You confessed first."
Rong Que cupped the back of Lu Xu's head, leaning in closer, his voice even lower and huskier, "You started it."
For some reason, Lu Xu was reminded of that fanfiction about the domineering CEO.
"Brother Rong Que, are you imitating that top-ranked domineering CEO?"
Rong Que: "..."
The mood was instantly ruined.
He pulled the cool blanket over Lu Xu's head and growled, "Go to sleep."
After that night, the two grew much closer.
At that age, full of youthful vigor, and sleeping together every night, they would kiss for several minutes each evening until Lu Xu was breathless, then hold each other tightly as they fell asleep.
They had done everything except the final step.
Their daily interactions also became more intimate.
Even Qi Sui noticed something was off.
But there was nothing he could do about it.
Everything was progressing in a normal direction.
There was no reason to interfere without cause.
Besides, it had been a long time since the fragments of Rong Que's past life had flashed through his mind in middle school.
No one brought it up, and Rong Que had temporarily forgotten about it.
At their graduation ceremony and coming-of-age celebration after the college entrance exams, Rong Que couldn't wait until Lu Xu's eighteenth birthday.
Their birthdays were on Halloween, still a few months away.
The summer after the exams was the most relaxed time. If they weren't together now, when would they be?
So, at the school auditorium's coming-of-age dance, the two openly became dance partners.
Their affectionate demeanor made it seem as though they had been in love for a long time.
The gossip group chat exploded.
Who would have thought that the high school pastime of writing novels and gossiping would become reality?
But their classmates weren't surprised.
After the start of their senior year, despite being busier, the two had clearly grown even closer.
They had probably already confirmed their relationship.
During the free time after the dance, Lu Xu and Rong Que shared a small cake.
They sat on a bench outside the auditorium, eating and catching some fresh air.
Lu Xu had also snuck out a glass of red wine.
They weren't the only ones; many young couples were taking advantage of the night to date outside the auditorium.
Everyone was intimate in their own way, not bothering others.
When the dean passed by, they would instinctively sit apart.
But most of the students had graduated and were now adults.
The dean didn't bother to intervene.
Once you're an adult, you're responsible for your own life.
Lu Xu ate half the cake and felt it was too sweet.
He took a sip of the red wine.
Then, his eyes sparkled as he turned to Rong Que, "Brother Rong Que, are you thirsty?"
Rong Que, unsure what Lu Xu was up to, held back a laugh and said, "Not thirsty."
"Just say you're thirsty."Rong Que couldn't resist Lu Xu's acting cute and went along with it.
He wanted to see what Lu Xu had in mind.
To his surprise, Lu Xu took a sip of the red wine and then pressed his lips directly to Rong Que's.
Caught off guard by the gentle collision, Rong Que's lips parted slightly, giving Lu Xu the perfect opportunity to take advantage.
After transferring the red wine, Lu Xu intended to pull away and mock Rong Que.
But to his surprise, Rong Que immediately cupped the back of his head.
Their lips intertwined, and the bittersweet aroma of the red wine grew richer as it swirled between them.
Lu Xu choked and pulled away from Rong Que, a trickle of red wine escaping the corner of his lips.
Once Lu Xu finished coughing, his damp eyes glared fiercely at Rong Que. "You ambushed me."
Rong Que couldn't help but laugh. "Wasn't this what Xiao Lu wanted?"
Lu Xu, as if in a huff, downed the red wine in one gulp and raised his eyebrows triumphantly. "Now you can't pull that trick again."
Rong Que sighed. "Drinking like that will get you drunk quickly."
"I won't," Lu Xu retorted stubbornly.
Under the moonlight, Rong Que could still see the sparkle in Lu Xu's eyes.
They were as beautiful as rubies.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box.
Opening it, he faced Lu Xu. "Xiao Lu, will you be my boyfriend?"
Lu Xu's face flushed red from the sudden confession.
He stared at the ruby necklace, its color matching his pupils, and stammered, "Yes."
Rong Que personally fastened the necklace around Lu Xu's neck.
Under the moonlight, Lu Xu's face looked even more like a porcelain masterpiece.
With their relationship confirmed, Lu Xu became even more audacious, playfully placing his legs on Rong Que's knees and feeding him cake.
They took turns feeding each other until they were nearly done. Rong Que disposed of the trash and returned the wine glasses.
When he came back, he found Lu Xu leaning sideways on the armrest of the chair.
The aftereffects of downing a glass of red wine had kicked in, and he was already quite drunk.
Rong Que, resigned, helped him up and hailed a cab home.
Lu Xu babbled incoherently the entire ride.
Saying things Rong Que couldn't understand.
The driver, familiar with such scenes, remarked, "Every year around this time, some kid gets drunk and starts rambling in my car."
Rong Que engaged in small talk.
Suddenly, Lu Xu tilted his head up and sealed Rong Que's lips with his own. "Don't talk to anyone else!"
Because it was dark, the driver, seeing Lu Xu's long hair hanging down and hearing his hoarse, drunken voice from the rearview mirror, assumed they were a young couple.
He clicked his tongue in admiration and stopped talking.
When they arrived home, Rong Que could no longer support Lu Xu.
Lu Xu was like a limp rope, constantly sliding down.
Rong Que simply scooped him up and carried him inside.
Fortunately, he had already informed the household not to wait up for them, as there was a school event.
Although the lights were on, the villa was empty.
Rong Que, having been forced to take a sip by Lu Xu, felt a bit lightheaded himself.
After tidying up, they fell asleep together.
But neither of them could have anticipated.
Upon waking, both had regained memories of their past lives.
In the morning, Rong Que's eyes snapped open.
His head was throbbing with an unbearable pain.
It felt as though something had forcefully invaded his mind.
Rong Que splashed cold water on his face.
Then he looked up, staring blankly at the mirror.
He was now unsure of where he was.
With the sudden return of his past life memories, Rong Que's mind was overwhelmed with an intense desire to kill Lu Xu.
Yet, the love and attachment of this life were equally genuine.
Especially since they were already together.
Rong Que frowned.
The complete memories of his past life allowed him to feel the hatred with utmost clarity.
Meanwhile, the love that had just been confirmed was boiling within him.
It felt as though he was being torn in two.
Rong Que glanced back at Lu Xu, the necklace he had personally gifted shimmering beautifully around his neck.
He couldn’t face Lu Xu at all now.
Without hesitation, he turned and left.
After Rong Que left, Lu Xu also woke up.
He opened his eyes.
In truth, he had already woken up when Rong Que went to wash his face.
But the flood of memories from his past life made him too afraid to face Rong Que.
The burning hatred in Rong Que’s eyes in their past life had almost killed him.
Lu Xu didn’t know if Rong Que had also regained his memories.
Otherwise… why would he have left the house in such a hurry early in the morning?
The sorrow and loneliness from their past life drained Lu Xu’s energy.
He stayed in the studio, painting day and night for several days, and only then did he feel slightly better.
When Lu Xu stepped out of the studio, he saw the concerned look in Aunt Li’s eyes. He forced a smile and asked, “Aunt Li, has Rong Que not come home these past few days?”
Aunt Li hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
Everyone in the house could tell that the two of them had had a serious falling out.
Lu Xu lowered his head and let out a self-mocking laugh.
Still, he mustered the courage to send Rong Que a message.
Pretending as if he hadn’t regained his memories from their past life, he asked, “Rong Que, where have you been? Why haven’t you come home?”
It was all too fake.
If he really hadn’t regained his memories, he would have sent a message the first day he woke up.
Lu Xu stared at his phone for an hour, but there was still no reply.
In their past life, he had suffered greatly.
His hatred for the world had driven him to want to destroy it.
But in this life, Lu Xu had grown up surrounded by love.
He wouldn’t do something like that again.
His only wish was to be with Rong Que…
But how could Rong Que, who had regained his memories and now despised him, ever forgive him?
Lu Xu returned to his room.
It was already a miracle that Rong Que hadn’t killed him outright.
He had only managed to escape…
His phone screen lit up.
Lu Xu opened it without much hope.
But to his surprise, it was a message from Rong Que: “I’m interning at the company, so I won’t be coming back.”
Lu Xu smiled bitterly.
Rong Que could still come up with a normal excuse to avoid him.
The entire summer passed without the two of them meeting once.
With Rong Que gone from the house, Qi Sui also rarely came home.
Only when school was about to start did he return to check on Lu Xu.
Lu Xu’s face was pale, and his body had grown thin.
Even Qi Sui’s eyes showed a hint of emotion.
He called Lu Xu into the study and asked if he had also regained his memories.
Lu Xu hung his head, unsure how to answer.
He knew that in Qi Sui’s eyes, if he didn’t have his memories, he was innocent—he hadn’t done those things, he hadn’t killed him.
But now, it seemed that he had regained his memories.
Lu Xu suddenly felt that everything was meaningless.
It seemed like he was back to his previous life, abandoned by everyone.
"Thank you, Mr. Qi Sui, for raising me... I’ve already regained my memories from my past life. You can take revenge on me however you want."
Lu Xu's voice was choked with sobs.
He felt wronged, both in his past life and now.
He had always been the victim from the start.
But it was also true that in his past life, Lu Xu had killed someone important to Rong Que.
Perhaps only his death could repay the debt.
Qi Sui clenched the armrest of his chair, looking up into Lu Xu's eyes. "You haven’t done anything now. I have no reason to take revenge on you."
Tears fell from Lu Xu's eyes.
He crouched down, covering his face as he cried out, "But..."
Lu Xu couldn’t finish his sentence.
Qi Sui didn’t stop him.
He just said softly, "Rong Que can’t forget you. Don’t let anything happen to yourself... he wouldn’t be able to handle it."
Hearing this, Lu Xu looked up in shock.
He only saw Qi Sui deliberately turn his head to the side, revealing his profile.
His expression was unreadable.
Lu Xu said thank you and left the room.
He should give Rong Que time...
To decide whether to seek revenge or accept him.
Lu Xu prepared his things, and the driver uncle accompanied him to register before leaving.
Lu Xu was tidying up his belongings in the dormitory.
Their dorm was a four-person room, and a few out-of-town students had arrived a few days earlier.
They greeted Lu Xu warmly.
Before coming to university, Lu Xu had learned to hide his ears.
Coupled with the fact that people in the art department were more accepting, they thought his long hair and red eyes were just part of his unique style.
Lu Xu and Rong Que were in the same university, but different departments.
The next day, everyone gathered in class to hear the teacher’s arrangements for the upcoming military training.
The training locations were announced, and Lu Xu saw that the neighboring class was from Rong Que’s physics department.
He felt a surge of excitement—would he finally get to see Rong Que?
On the day of the training, everyone was dressed in camouflage uniforms and hats, making it hard to tell who was who at a glance.
Lu Xu turned to look at the physics department’s position.
The physics department had three large classes, and he wasn’t sure if Rong Que would be in the neighboring one.
Seeing Lu Xu frequently glancing over, his roommate standing beside him teased, "Looking for your girlfriend?"
Lu Xu thought for a moment, then said sadly, "He’s probably my ex-boyfriend."
The roommate was taken aback, seeing that Lu Xu’s sadness seemed genuine.
He awkwardly rubbed his nose, "I didn’t mean to bring it up. What’s done is done. You’re so good-looking, you won’t have trouble finding a girlfriend... or a boyfriend."
Lu Xu lowered his eyes, "I only like him."
The roommate fell silent.
He thought to himself, why do the more attractive people tend to be so love-struck?
They’ve already broken up, yet he still can’t let go.
As the training was about to start, Lu Xu finally caught sight of Rong Que.
Even though everyone was dressed the same.
With Lu Xu’s understanding of Rong Que, he could recognize him at a glance.
He nervously clenched his fingers, stealing glances at Rong Que.
But throughout the entire session, Rong Que never turned his head.
It seemed he hadn’t noticed him...
Lu Xu felt disappointed.
But every day during breaks, he would still sneak looks at Rong Que.
Rong Que seemed to be doing well, surrounded by many friends every day.
A week of training passed, and the two hadn’t exchanged a single word.
Not even a glance.
By the second week of training, Lu Xu couldn’t hold back anymore.
He was indeed very handsome, and since military training required his hair to be tied up, he was often mistaken for a girl after dismissal, with people posting on the confession wall asking for his contact information.
Even so, Rong Que showed no reaction.
He didn’t even send a message.
Rong Que would occasionally be featured in memes as well.
The confession wall was always the liveliest during military training every year.
But every time Lu Xu wanted to approach Rong Que to talk after dismissal, Rong Que was always chatting with someone else.
Lu Xu spent two days mentally preparing himself but ultimately didn’t dare to go.
On the third day of the second week, a sunshower began to fall.
Since the rain was light at first, the head instructor didn’t allow dismissal.
And the sun was still out.
Only when the rain grew heavier did they permit everyone to take shelter at the edges.
Everyone cheered as they walked under the eaves.
Adjacent classes crowded together, and this was the closest Lu Xu had ever been to Rong Que.
But he didn’t dare to initiate a conversation.
Because of the rain, everyone moved around to chat with friends, passing the time.
Before he knew it, Lu Xu was squeezed next to Rong Que.
Their arms accidentally brushed, and Lu Xu instinctively wanted to look up at Rong Que.
But he was afraid of seeing a look of disgust in Rong Que’s eyes, so he forced himself to stop.
The two stood quietly for half an hour without exchanging a single word.
The rain stopped.
The sun was scorching once again.
Everyone sighed and returned to their positions to continue military training.
Lu Xu had been a bit slower when the rain intensified, so he got drenched more than others.
Now, under the sun, he felt the coolness of the evaporating moisture on his body.
He rubbed his arms, planning to change into a fresh set of camouflage clothes during the lunch break.
Everyone was exhausted from training, so they all fell into a deep sleep during the break.
When the bell rang, Lu Xu was the only one who didn’t wake up.
His roommate called out to him several times, but when Lu Xu didn’t respond, he touched his forehead.
It was frighteningly hot.
They had to split up—one roommate went to ask for leave, while the other two tried to help Lu Xu to the infirmary.
Lu Xu was delirious with fever, and the school nurse hooked him up to an IV for fever reduction before stepping outside.
Sleep was restless during a fever, and he woke up every few minutes.
Each time, he checked the clock and found only a short while had passed.
It felt like an eternity.
The cold sensation from the IV was also uncomfortable.
Lu Xu kept his eyes closed but suddenly felt the chill on his hand lessen.
He cracked his eyes open slightly and saw a familiar face just ten centimeters away.
Lu Xu murmured to himself, “I must be hallucinating from the fever.”
Hearing this, Rong Que frowned. “It’s not a hallucination. Rest properly.”
Lu Xu widened his eyes, as if trying to confirm whether Rong Que was really there.
Rong Que’s eyes were filled with concern.
His love for Lu Xu had never been fake.
During the time he disappeared, he had been tormented day and night by nightmares from his past life.
Rong Que had missed Lu Xu too.
He realized that ever since he saw Lu Xu again, the nightmares had stopped.
He still couldn’t live without Lu Xu.
Lu Xu was actually very tired, his eyelids heavy, but he refused to close his eyes.
Rong Que said softly, “Rest. You need more sleep when you’re sick.”
Lu Xu shook his head slightly. “If I fall asleep, you’ll disappear.”
Hearing this, Rong Que felt even more guilty.
He pushed the memories of his past life aside and gently kissed Lu Xu’s eyelashes. “I’ll never leave you again, Xiao Lu.”
But as he spoke, he saw tears welling up in Lu Xu’s eyes.
Lu Xu’s tears streamed down his cheeks. “You’re lying.”
After speaking, Lu Xu could no longer withstand the fatigue in his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
This time, he slept more peacefully, likely due to the fever-reducing medicine taking effect.
When he woke up, the sky was already tinged with red.
It was almost evening.
The cold liquid was no longer being administered into his hand, and his head felt a bit better.
However, the empty hospital room made him feel particularly desolate.
Was it all just a dream...
Lu Xu lowered his lashes, thinking of getting up to pour himself some water, when the door suddenly opened.
"Xiao Lu, lie down properly, don't catch a cold again."
The familiar voice made Lu Xu pause.
He turned his head and saw Rong Que entering with a bowl of porridge and his favorite dishes.
Lu Xu stared blankly, then rubbed his eyes.
"I told you, I won't leave Xiao Lu again."
Rong Que said gently, looking at Lu Xu, who had noticeably lost weight since the start of the semester. He couldn't hold back any longer.
Rong Que sat beside Lu Xu, feeding him porridge, and even handed over his phone for Lu Xu to check.
To see if he had been contacting anyone else during this time.
Lu Xu saw the message Rong Que had sent him: "I went to buy food, I'll be back soon."
Those few simple words made Lu Xu couldn't help but smile.
Rong Que fed him, saying with heartache, "You've lost so much weight, I'm sorry, Xiao Lu."
Lu Xu pursed his lips, "It's me who should apologize to you."
"No." Rong Que immediately interrupted, "I just didn't have time to face myself. You didn't do anything wrong; it's my fault."
Lu Xu fell silent, and the two tacitly decided not to bring up their past life again.
In the evening, Rong Que walked Lu Xu to the dormitory entrance before leaving.
When Lu Xu's roommate saw him return, he quickly winked and said, "Got back together with your ex-boyfriend?"
Lu Xu blushed deeply, "Sort of."
Actually, they had never officially broken up.
The roommate laughed, "We went to see you during dinner and saw that guy staring at your face the whole time. We didn't dare disturb you, hahaha."
Lu Xu rubbed his face. Had Rong Que been staring at him while he slept?
"You two are so in love, how could you have had such a long cold war before?" Seeing that Lu Xu was fine, the roommate couldn't help but gossip.
Previously, they thought Lu Xu was a lovesick fool who had broken up with his ex.
But when that guy found out Lu Xu hadn't come to military training, he immediately asked them to help him take leave.
Then, somehow, he managed to get leave and rushed straight to the infirmary.
The anxious look on his face made them guess it was Lu Xu's ex-boyfriend.
Lu Xu didn't know how to explain, so he just said, "It was a misunderstanding, but we've cleared it up now."
For the next four years, everyone saw this same-sex couple eating and walking together every day.
There were already few same-sex couples who were openly together on campus, and both of them were top students in their respective departments, not to mention their striking looks.
For four years, no one ever saw them fight or separate.
After graduation, Rong Que used his savings to start a business, while Lu Xu had already become a famous painter before even graduating.
Qi Sui and others had also adapted to this life and no longer held any grudges against Lu Xu.
When Rong Que's company went public, he used all his assets to propose to Lu Xu.
The union of these two powerhouses became a legend at their alma mater.
Whether it was their university or high school inviting them back to give speeches, they never shied away from acknowledging their relationship.
After marriage, Rong Que became a devoted husband who never worked overtime. Despite being able to afford the best live-in nanny, he insisted on cooking dinner himself every night.
Even when he had to go on business trips, he would personally instruct the nanny to prepare Lu Xu's favorite dishes.
Lu Xu's divine body did not age.
When they were both forty, despite Rong Que's efforts to maintain his health and fitness, wrinkles had already begun to form at the corners of his eyes.
Holding the still youthful-looking Lu Xu, he said with a hint of sadness, "When I die, you can find someone else."
Lu Xu bit his lip and replied, "I won't."
The next morning, Rong Que noticed that Lu Xu had developed a faint wrinkle around his eyes, making him look more like someone in his thirties.
Feeling guilty, Rong Que thought his words from the previous night had worried Lu Xu.
He immediately arranged for the best skincare specialist to come to their home for a facial treatment.
Lu Xu couldn't help but laugh and explained that he had done it on purpose to look more compatible with Rong Que.
For the rest of their lives, Lu Xu maintained the same aging pace as Rong Que.
When Rong Que was nearly sixty, he handed over all his company responsibilities.
Then he took Lu Xu on a world tour.
They watched the sea, climbed mountains, took photos, and explored various scenic spots and cuisines.
After two years of traveling, Rong Que said he was feeling a bit tired.
After all, he was getting old and couldn't keep up with the pace anymore.
Lu Xu brought Rong Que back to their home country.
Rong Que had always been very health-conscious and looked much younger than his peers, with hardly any gray hair.
But he was still human.
After returning home, he began to feel a bit worn out.
They found a beautiful mountain villa, bought a plot of land, built a house, hired a nanny, and started their retirement.
This continued until Rong Que was in his eighties. The usually healthy old man took a fall and could no longer stand up.
A year later, Lu Xu handled Rong Que's funeral arrangements.
Then, using all his divine power, he made a wish, "In the next life, and for all eternity, I want to meet Rong Que again."
After that, he disappeared from this world.
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