After Becoming Arch-Enemies with My Best Bro - Chapter 21

The next day, Wen Huihan and He Chenshuang wrapped up their three-day trip to C City and prepared to take the high-speed rail home.

Early in the morning, Wen Huihan stood at He Chenshuang’s door with his suitcase, looking energetic as he chirped a morning greeting to He Chenshuang, who had just stepped out.

“Mm.”

He Chenshuang offered a low response. His eyelids drooped lazily, and his voice was slightly raspy, the very picture of someone who hadn’t slept well.

Wen Huihan gave him a curious look. That’s odd, he thought. Shouldn’t I be the one losing sleep?

Yesterday, he had gone all out, balancing cunning with agility and hiding his schemes behind a mask of intelligence. Yet, he had dealt zero damage to He Chenshuang. Anyone else would have crumbled by now.

Even after suffering such a crushing defeat, Wen Huihan hadn’t succumbed to insomnia. So how did He Chenshuang end up being the one who couldn’t sleep?

He understood now. Sleep doesn’t disappear, it just transfers.

Wen Huihan said gloatingly, “Didn’t sleep well?”

He Chenshuang finished their checkout process and shot him a glance. “What of it?”

“Nothing. I get it. Men have those few days every month.”

Wen Huihan patted his shoulder consolingly, his eyes shining with “brotherly” concern.

He Chenshuang twitched the corner of his mouth, refusing to give him even a full smile. Wen Huihan didn’t mind, heading out the door in high spirits.

Wen Huihan had always been resilient. Though he had lost the battle last night, he’d spent his time back in his room reflecting. He concluded that there must have been a small flaw in his strategy.

He Chenshuang was the protagonist of this world, so any actions detrimental to him were bound to face some narrative resistance. In that light, his failure was perfectly normal.

It wasn’t him who was wrong, it was the entire world.

Wen Huihan never indulged in self-loathing. Once he figured it out, he felt much better. He’d slept soundly and woke up the next day at full HP.

Who said you couldn’t start over after a failure? He was going to give himself another chance.

On the high-speed train, he pulled out his phone with a flourish and began editing his “Villain Plan” in his notes.

First, a summary: last night, he had tried to let He Chenshuang “accidentally” discover him watching a BL anime. The goal was for He Chenshuang to be shocked by the discovery that his best friend was gay, triggering his homophobia and a subsequent spiral of fear, dread, and disappointment.

Unfortunately, the plan failed. Furthermore, knowing He Chenshuang was homophobic, he absolutely couldn’t proactively share the anime with him, otherwise, their “brotherhood” would look incredibly fake.

Therefore, the plan to let He Chenshuang know about his viewing habits had to be scrapped.

Wen Huihan brooded over it, feeling that his understanding of the gay experience was still a bit limited. He sought advice once more from Vincent, the only gay man he knew.

Vincent replied instantly, but his message was earth-shattering.

[Vincent: Why don’t you just kiss him?]

[Darkened Wen: ?!]

[Darkened Wen: Does it need to be that direct?]

[Vincent: Yeah. We gay men are very direct. I thought you knew that by now.]

Wen Huihan did know that. In the beginning, he had been shocked by it for quite some time.

However, he wasn’t actually gay. Though he was willing to learn, it was hard to digest all at once. That was why he had been using “flanking maneuvers” lately.

Subtly acting “gay” toward He Chenshuang through small details in their daily life—wasn’t that a much more sophisticated tactic?

[Vincent: Listen to me. One kiss, and I guarantee the “illness” will be cured.]

[Darkened Wen: And what if I’m the one who gets “cured” (killed) by him?]

[Vincent: Impossible. That friend of yours is definitely a closet case.]

[Vincent: I don’t know what kind of roleplay you two are doing, but if that day truly comes, I’ll collect your body for you.]

Wen Huihan: “…”

While he had heard the theory that homophobia is often just repressed attraction, he didn’t think it applied to He Chenshuang.

How could He Chenshuang be in the closet? He’d sooner believe he was in the closet himself before he believed it of He Chenshuang.

Wen Huihan didn’t understand why his tactics weren’t working, but Vincent’s words gave him a spark of inspiration.

Maybe he really should try it?

What kind of expression would He Chenshuang make?

Wen Huihan tried to picture it. Usually, He Chenshuang didn’t show much emotion. Most of the time, he was indifferent, radiating the disdain and mockery that a “God of Academics” feels for mere mortals.

If He Chenshuang were kissed by his best friend.

Wen Huihan thought it would probably be “embarrassing to death” literally.

He felt that He Chenshuang was the type of person who looked calm on the surface but would be equally calm while committing murder, especially against a “filthy gay man” who dared to offend him.

But Wen Huihan wasn’t afraid. Surely He Chenshuang wouldn’t actually turn against him?

Well, it wasn’t impossible.

So, should he do it or not?

Wen Huihan seriously weighed the feasibility of the idea. After thinking for a long while, he stole a glance at He Chenshuang out of the corner of his eye.

To his surprise, He Chenshuang’s eyes were closed.

Only then did Wen Huihan realize that He Chenshuang hadn’t said a word since they boarded the train. It turned out he was catching up on sleep.

He Chenshuang really must not have rested well last night. There were faint dark circles under his eyes. Now that his battery was drained, he was asleep against the headrest with his arms crossed over his chest.

Their carriage was somewhat noisy, but He Chenshuang seemed unaffected. His head was tilted slightly to the side, his breathing steady.

He looked like he was in a truly deep sleep.

A sleeping He Chenshuang looked much more approachable. Perhaps it was because those eyes, which usually radiated a cold sharpness, were now tightly shut. He actually looked soft and completely non-threatening.

A thought flickered in Wen Huihan’s mind. Since He Chenshuang was asleep, why not use this chance to test the waters?

An awake He Chenshuang was hard to deal with, but surely a sleeping one would be easy?

If he tried to kiss He Chenshuang while he was awake, there was a 99% chance he’d be dodged, a 1% chance he’d succeed, and a 100% chance he’d trigger World War III.

But right now, He Chenshuang was practically harmless. Even if Wen Huihan elbowed him in the neck, he’d probably just wake up thinking he had a stiff neck.

This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

He’d try it first. If he didn’t like it, he’d think of something else.

In just a few minutes, Wen Huihan had made a major executive decision in his head. First, he pretended to look at the scenery outside the window to calm his nerves and do some mental preparation.

This wasn’t a simple task, at least not for him.

After all, he and He Chenshuang had been best friends since high school. Back then, they sat one in front of the other. He Chenshuang topped the grade rankings every single time. Even someone as smart as Wen Huihan occasionally had to ask him for help with problems.

Over time, combined with the fact that they went to and from school together every day, becoming “brothers” was inevitable.

They had been inseparable for so many years. Wen Huihan had originally thought they would be best friends for life, but who could have known that the whims of fate would turn them into arch-nemeses?

Even though He Chenshuang was usually sharp-tongued and a bit of a jerk, actually putting his mouth on him was a bit difficult. He still had to get over that mental hurdle.

Even though he knew He Chenshuang wouldn’t know what happened, Wen Huihan’s heart was still thumping wildly with nerves.

Just a test, Wen Huihan thought.

Perhaps the string of failures had ignited a fierce fighting spirit in him, and he decided to go for broke.

Once he was mentally prepared, he took a sip of water and pulled out a tissue, elegantly wiping his moist lips.

Then, as if he had suddenly developed muscle weakness, the tissue slipped from his fingers and drifted down, landing right on He Chenshuang’s lap.

Wen Huihan paused, muttering “Oops, why did the tissue fall?” as he leaned over toward He Chenshuang.

At the moment he brushed past, his lips lightly grazed the man’s chin.

It was like a dragonfly skimming the water, lighter than a feather. If it weren’t for the momentary cold sensation on his lips, he almost would have thought he hadn’t touched him at all.

Having done the deed, Wen Huihan retreated at top speed, leaning back in his seat for fear that He Chenshuang would open his eyes the next second and demand to know what he was doing.

Fortunately, after waiting a long while, the person beside him showed no reaction. Wen Huihan finally breathed a sigh of relief and even began to reminisce… no, review.

Actually, he had moved very fast just now, so he didn’t have much of a concrete feeling.

He had deliberately avoided touching anywhere else, leaving He Chenshuang with a shred of dignity.

Though his heart was still racing after the “crime,” he realized that once he crossed that mental barrier, it didn’t seem so hard.

His confidence immediately ballooned.

What did he say? He really did have a talent for being gay!

***

He Chenshuang wasn’t actually asleep.

He just felt like his eyes were a bit sore, so he had intended to close them for a moment of rest.

During that time, he heard the rustling movements beside him, but the slight headache from insomnia kept him from opening his eyes to investigate. He only vaguely heard Wen Huihan mutter something to himself.

Then, he felt Wen Huihan leaning toward him.

He Chenshuang was sensitive to everything regarding Wen Huihan. Almost the instant he drew near, He Chenshuang sensed something soft lightly brush against his chin, so fast it felt like a hallucination.

It didn’t feel like a fingertip. It was something softer, warmer. It was gone in a flash, disappearing before he could even process it.

He Chenshuang’s eyelashes trembled slightly.

He realized immediately what it was, but it left him even more puzzled, confused, and even startled.

If Wen Huihan’s various behaviors lately were meant to test him, what was he doing now?

Revenge? Punishment? Or still testing?

Wen Huihan… what exactly did he mean by this?

Wen Huihan and He Chenshuang lived very close to each other, less than a few hundred meters apart. Usually, they shared a taxi home.

But this time, He Chenshuang said he had some things to take care of and couldn’t go together, so he told Wen Huihan to go first.

Wen Huihan didn’t suspect anything, only asking, “It’s not a big deal, is it?”

He Chenshuang said flatly, “No.”

Wen Huihan finally felt at ease. They agreed to return to school together after the holiday before he got into the car.

He Chenshuang stood there watching him leave, waiting a moment before his own car arrived.

After getting in, He Chenshuang closed his eyes again. He felt he needed some time to think calmly by himself before he could decode the puzzle Wen Huihan had left for him.

On the other side, as soon as Wen Huihan got home, he was caught by Wen Nuannuan.

“Brother, you’re back?” Wen Nuannuan poked her head out to look behind him. “Where’s Brother He? Why didn’t he come back with you?”

Wen Huihan pointedly looked at the door number. “This is my house, not He Chenshuang’s house, right?”

Wen Nuannuan said carelessly, “What are you talking about, Brother? There’s no one at Brother He’s place. Every time he came back for the holidays before, wouldn’t he come over to our place for a bit?”

Reminded by her, Wen Huihan thought about it and realized she was right.

He Chenshuang’s father was always busy with work and rarely at home. There was no one else there, so every holiday in the past, He Chenshuang would stay at their house until it was time to leave.

“Your Brother He is busy. Your actual brother is right here, why didn’t I hear you ask about me?” Wen Huihan handed her the milk tea he’d picked up downstairs. “Here, your favorite—regular ice, 50% sugar.”

Wen Nuannuan gave a surprised “Ah!” and quickly took it. Then she added, “Oh right, Mom and Dad said they won’t be back for dinner tonight. We’re on our own.”

Both of Wen Huihan’s parents worked at the hospital. Sometimes they’d have over a dozen surgeries in a day, so it was normal for them not to make it home for dinner.

Wen Huihan thought for a bit. “Let’s order takeout then.”

“My thoughts exactly. I want the hot and sour rice noodles from that place on Xiping Road.” Wen Nuannuan thought to herself that even if her brother wanted to cook, she wouldn’t dare eat it. There was only one person in the world who could stomach that kind of “poison.”

Wen Huihan dragged his suitcase toward his room, tripping over several piles of things along the way. Looking down, he saw they were all new novels Wen Nuannuan had bought, still in their plastic wrap.

He said helplessly, “Wen Nuannuan, can you put your novels back in your own room?”

Wen Nuannuan immediately hopped off the sofa. “I’m coming, I’m coming! Don’t step on them, Brother, they’re brand new.”

Sometimes Wen Huihan really wanted to get on his knees and beg his sister to read some academic books, but he usually just ended up on his knees helping her pick up her novels.

“Didn’t you have monthly exams before the holiday? Tell me your scores.”

“Ugh, let’s not talk about that. I’m going to read.”

Wen Huihan: “…”

Filled with a sense of lamentation, he shook his head and went back to his room.

Dinner was a lavish spread of takeout. Wen Huihan took a photo and sent it to He Chenshuang, asking if he’d eaten.

A while later, He Chenshuang sent a photo back. It looked like he was eating out. The dishes were exquisite—clearly from a high-end restaurant.

After sharing their dinner photos, Wen Huihan didn’t chat much more with He Chenshuang. He had plans to play games with some high school classmates and hurried online.

The gaming session lasted until the early morning. He’d been on the mic talking the whole time and eventually realized he was thirsty. He told his teammates and went to the fridge for a bottle of water.

Just as he stepped out of his room, Wen Huihan heard a strange noise.

He frowned but didn’t pay it much mind, walking straight to the fridge.

The closer he got, the more obvious the sound became. Finally, he locked his gaze on Wen Nuannuan’s room.

It sounded a bit familiar.

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