After Becoming Arch-Enemies with My Best Bro - Chapter 23

Wen Huihan’s hunch was correct—He Chenshuang’s mood was anything but pleasant.

From the moment they parted ways at the station, He Chenshuang had been trapped in a persistent state of low pressure. He replayed every word and action of the past few days in his mind, unable to grasp where things had gone wrong to result in the current situation.

How on earth did Wen Huihan find out?

As He Chenshuang scrolled through their chat history, he accidentally clicked into Wen Huihan’s social media feed and saw a post from just a minute ago.

I am a total idiot!

He Chenshuang: “…”

The subject was wrong. He felt Wen Huihan should have been cursing him instead.

It was difficult to describe his feelings at that moment. The unease only deepened when he realized Wen Huihan hadn’t just deleted every single comment He Chenshuang had ever left, but had also changed his profile picture and nickname.

Wen Huihan was the type of person who wore his heart on his sleeve; what you saw was what you got. This sudden overhaul felt like a desperate attempt to “wash his hands” of the past and start anew, clearly trying to sever something that was causing him immense distress.

And what he wanted to sever was painfully obvious.

Initially, when he noticed Wen Huihan acting strangely, He Chenshuang’s plan was to act as if nothing was wrong. Based on his understanding of Wen Huihan, he figured the phase would pass soon enough. But for some reason, Wen Huihan had persisted for an unusually long time, displaying a level of confidence that even He Chenshuang found hard to manage.

By the time he received the dinner invitation from Wen Huihan, his mood had soured to the point where showing up at the Wen household seemed like a bad idea. He didn’t want to make things worse, and he wasn’t sure if the dinner was just another “test” from Wen Huihan.

The hardest exam He Chenshuang had ever faced was the one Wen Huihan had set for him. He lacked confidence, felt a sense of unwilling resignation, and knew he couldn’t achieve a perfect score. So, he chose to decline the warm invitation.

Wen Huihan didn’t reply, likely because he didn’t know what to say.

He Chenshuang didn’t know what kind of internal struggle the other was going through, perhaps he finally couldn’t hold it in anymore, or perhaps he just needed to vent, but late the next night, Wen Huihan finally laid his cards on the table over WeChat.

Wen Huihan wrote a lot, but amidst the wall of text, He Chenshuang saw only one sentence written with absolute certainty: I am really not gay.

He Chenshuang closed his eyes, a headache blooming behind his temples. Was there any rejection more blunt than that?

He decided right then that they needed to talk face-to-face.

Since it was the middle of the night, and despite their families living close by, he didn’t want to disturb the Wen household. He waited until the next morning, dressing impeccably before standing at their front door.

“Looking for my brother?”

Wen Nuannuan looked surprised. “He rushed back to school early this morning. I thought he’d cleared it with you.”

He Chenshuang froze. He had timed his arrival specifically based on when Wen Huihan usually woke up during the holidays, yet Wen Huihan had woken up at the crack of dawn just to dodge him?

It wasn’t even 9:00 AM yet. According to Wen Nuannuan, Wen Huihan had bolted with his suitcase at 7:00 AM.

He Chenshuang maintained his composure. “I see. Thanks.”

Wen Nuannuan tilted her head. “Brother He, you guys didn’t have a fight, did you?”

She felt something was off, but her brother had told her to stay out of “adult business,” so she hadn’t pushed. Obnoxious adults, she thought. Just wait until I’m eighteen; I’ll tell him to stay out of my business, too.

“No,” He Chenshuang replied. “Did he say anything before he left?”

Wen Nuannuan shook her head. “Nothing. He ran off so fast, you’d think a dog was chasing him.”

He Chenshuang: “…”

Scared to that extent?

It seemed the impact of the situation was heavier than he’d thought. He Chenshuang’s heart sank further. He greeted Wen’s parents, who had come to the door at the sound of voices, before turning to leave.

Wen Huihan sat on the bus, the nauseating smell of gasoline filling the air as he watched the scenery blur past the window. He never imagined he’d see the day he’d flee like a fugitive. Life was truly one giant farce.

Embarrassment, shame, and guilt swirled together in a complex mess.

Last night, he had overanalyzed He Chenshuang’s two replies. Through the cold text, he felt He Chenshuang’s refusal to accept his weak apology. When He Chenshuang said he wanted to talk, Wen Huihan lost his nerve.

After much thought, Wen Huihan felt he was beyond forgiveness. It was only natural for He Chenshuang to be upset. Since that was the case, he figured he should just do the sensible thing and get out of the way to avoid causing more trouble.

He Chenshuang clearly didn’t believe he wasn’t gay. Living under the same roof would be unbearable, and their future interactions would be nothing but awkward. His only choice was to return to school a day early and look for a place to rent nearby.

High-speed train tickets were hard to get during the National Day holiday, so he’d grabbed the earliest bus ticket and made an appointment with a real estate agent. Settling in early might help He Chenshuang cool off sooner.

As the bus droned on, Wen Huihan started to feel drowsy. He hadn’t slept at all the night before, pushing through until dawn just to make his escape.

He was hugging his backpack, eyes nearly shut, when his phone vibrated in his pocket. He jolted awake, his sleepiness vanishing instantly.

It was a call from He Chenshuang.

Wen Huihan was too guilty to pick up, but too scared to hang up. He just watched the screen until the call timed out. Then, a message popped up on WeChat.

[He Chenshuang: Why are you running?]

Wen Huihan: “…”

Terrifying. It read like a pre-murder text from a serial killer to his victim.

He Chenshuang knew he’d fled, which meant he must have gone to his house early that morning to corner him. Thank god he’d left early, or who knows what would have happened.

He Chenshuang was clearly furious. It seemed distancing himself was the right move; they both needed some space to cool down. Feeling that “cold violence” wasn’t the answer, Wen Huihan decided to reply.

[whh: Sorry, I wasn’t trying to hide. I just needed to get back to school to pack my things. I’ve already contacted an agent and will be moving out soon.]

[whh: Look, after what happened, we probably can’t be brothers anymore, but I still hope you can forgive me.]

[whh: I’m sorry >.<]

When He Chenshuang saw the reply, his furrowed brows relaxed slightly. But as he read the actual words, his breath hitched.

After what happened… can’t be brothers… moving out.

He pressed a hand to his forehead, a bitter ache rising in his throat. He couldn’t even wait a single moment? He wants to move out already? And he claims he isn’t hiding.

He Chenshuang’s expression darkened. He opened a travel app; the moment he’d learned Wen Huihan left, he had already mapped out the fastest route back to campus. Wen Huihan was on a bus, so He Chenshuang was at a disadvantage, trailing behind.

However, since Wen Huihan had only just contacted an agent, it would take time to view apartments and sign a lease. If he hurried now, he could catch him red-handed.

He Chenshuang was now deathly calm.

After several hours on the bus, Wen Huihan felt like he was about to throw up. He finally reached his destination, but between the lack of sleep and the long journey, his legs felt like jelly.

He grabbed a bun from a nearby convenience store to settle his stomach, then hailed a taxi to head back to the dorms to drop off his bags.

A-University wasn’t strict about students living off-campus; you just needed a report for the counselor and parental permission. Wen Huihan had already messaged his counselor on the bus and planned to file the paperwork the next day. Finding a place was the priority.

On the way to campus, the agent sent over several listings. He reviewed them meticulously. Even though it was a rush job, he couldn’t be too careless, this was where he was going to live, after all.

He shortlisted three and planned to meet the agent right after dropping off his luggage. He kept nodding off in the taxi, forcing himself to stay awake. It wasn’t until he arrived at the dorm that he realized he’d forgotten his room key.

Stress makes you forgetful. Wen Huihan slapped his forehead in frustration. He remembered the dorm manager should have a spare, but he wasn’t sure if she was on duty during the holiday.

He checked downstairs, but the office door was shut tight. She wasn’t there.

Did he really have to drag his suitcase to the apartment viewings? It wasn’t impossible, just a hassle. Resigned, he stood outside his dorm room and started messaging the agent.

He had just typed the beginning of a sentence when He Chenshuang’s cold voice rang out from behind him.

“Can’t get in?”

Wen Huihan’s pupils shrunk. He jumped so hard his phone nearly flew out of his hand. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say his entire spine went numb, like a criminal caught in the act.

How was He Chenshuang here already?!

Before he could even fix his expression, He Chenshuang walked up beside him. Looking down, he caught a clear glimpse of the chat interface with the real estate agent.

But He Chenshuang said nothing. He simply unlocked the door. “Go in.”

Wen Huihan was in a daze. He Chenshuang said “go in,” so he went in.

Click.

The sound of the door locking was incredibly crisp. Wen Huihan spun around to find He Chenshuang watching him with deep, unreadable eyes.

The good news: the 1v1 confrontation he had once anticipated was finally happening. The bad news: He Chenshuang looked genuinely livid.

“Angry” wasn’t quite the right word, as Wen Huihan had never actually seen He Chenshuang lose his temper. But He Chenshuang’s expression was colder than ever, his eyes were bloodshot, and he radiated a palpable sense of irritation.

This version of He Chenshuang was so rare that Wen Huihan’s nerves were on edge.

“Why did you lock the door?” Wen Huihan asked. Are you locking it so no one can stop you from beating me up?

He Chenshuang stared at him. “I was afraid you’d run again.”

Wen Huihan stammered for a while before blunting out, “…Whoever runs is a coward.”

He Chenshuang let out a short, dry laugh. “Is that so?”

Wen Huihan: “…”

Dude, do you have any idea how scary you’re being right now?

He Chenshuang clearly didn’t care. He took a steady, deliberate step toward Wen Huihan. For every step He Chenshuang took forward, Wen Huihan instinctively took one back. He was truly intimidated, babbling a frantic explanation.

“He Chenshuang, calm down! I know you’re mad, but I swear, I am really not gay! It was all just a terrible misunderstanding!”

“I know. And then?”

“If you know, then stop coming closer!”

“Then I don’t know.”

Wen Huihan’s eyes widened. Damn, he’s just blatantly playing games now. Where’s the brotherhood?

Finally, with nowhere left to retreat, Wen Huihan slumped into a chair. He Chenshuang was right in front of him.

Looking down from his height, He Chenshuang’s handsome face looked chillingly indifferent. He reached out a hand, and Wen Huihan, thinking a punch was coming, reflexively raised his arm to block. Instead, He Chenshuang simply leaned down, trapping him between his arms and the chair as if truly afraid he would bolt.

Wen Huihan awkwardly lowered his arm, pretending to rub his face.

“Wen Huihan, when?”

He Chenshuang’s gaze locked onto Wen Huihan’s nervous face.

Wen Huihan looked up, his eyes wide and clear. “Huh?”

When what? Has He Chenshuang finally snapped?

He Chenshuang lowered his eyes slightly, not wanting to miss a single flicker of emotion on the other’s face. His next sentence was like a bolt from the blue, leaving Wen Huihan completely shattered.

“When did you find out that I had a crush on you?”

Wen Huihan: “…?”

Wait, the actual gay guy was you?

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