After My Childhood Friend Misunderstood That I Had a Boyfriend - Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Has Zhou Jinyan realized that I like him

The movie theater went completely dark. Zhou Jinyan could only observe Chu Xi by the faint, flickering light of the large screen.

Connecting Chu Xi’s past behaviors like a string of pearls leading up to today, they all pointed to one possibility: Chu Xi liked him.

But… Zhou Jinyan’s Adam’s apple bobbed twice as he thought of the photos Chu Xi had sent last night; his expression turned strangely uncanny.

Chu Xi seemingly had a boyfriend. If he had a boyfriend, why would he come to like him?

This was a very troublesome matter.

The movie officially began. The film’s narration disrupted Zhou Jinyan’s train of thought, making it difficult for him to concentrate on the details.

Chu Xi was very focused when watching movies. Once he became engrossed, he had no mind to strike up a conversation with Zhou Jinyan.

As the plot reached the middle, the teenagers’ flickering glances and the burgeoning ambiguous atmosphere pulled at the heartstrings of the audience. Only then did Chu Xi belatedly realize that the movie he had brought Zhou Jinyan to see was a romance film.

Chu Xi:

He suddenly felt a bit restless in his seat.

Chu Xi peeked at Zhou Jinyan out of the corner of his eye to see his reaction, only to happen upon Zhou Jinyan’s inquiring gaze. Chu Xi instantly felt like a little mouse caught red-handed.

Like the boy on the big screen, Chu Xi averted his eyes from the person he liked, his heart thumping wildly in his chest.

Chu Xi took a guilty sip of his Coke. Why did he feel like Zhou Jinyan had already realized he liked him?

His carefully planned “suggestive photos” hadn’t succeeded, but a randomly selected movie had managed to send a successful hint?

It was truly a case of “planting flowers intentionally but they don’t bloom; planting a willow unintentionally and it provides shade.”

Chu Xi took a strategic sip of water. Before he bought the tickets, he actually hadn’t known this was a romance movie at all.

When the movie ended, the two followed the crowd out of the theater one after another. Chu Xi tossed his trash into the bin at the entrance and went to the restroom to splash some water on his face to clear his head.

Zhou Jinyan was waiting for him at the door. Chu Xi walked over, and seeing him lost in thought, took the initiative to ask, “Did you think the movie was good?”

To be honest, with its youthful tones and a slow-crawling pace that spent nearly two hours on puppy love, Zhou Jinyan had almost fallen asleep.

Compared to this kind of film, he preferred exciting, fast-paced commercial blockbusters. The recently released Eye of the Storm was quite good a commercial success that was both critically acclaimed and popular. Whether in terms of personal preference or investment potential, Zhou Jinyan favored the latter.

But he couldn’t rain on Chu Xi’s parade. Zhou Jinyan said, “It was alright.”

Chu Xi glanced at him. Judging by that tone, he had a pretty good idea: Zhou Jinyan wasn’t interested in this kind of movie.

And he said he loved watching movies… ten to one he was just humoring me.

Chu Xi figured it out; Zhou Jinyan was someone whose words and heart didn’t always align.

They took the same elevator back down, though it wasn’t nearly as crowded as when they arrived.

Thinking about his guess, Chu Xi decided to see what Zhou Jinyan’s attitude would be now that he had likely realized Chu Xi liked him.

With his previous excuse already established, Chu Xi held Zhou Jinyan’s hand more naturally this time. He met his gaze and said, “This way it’s easier to stay close to you.”

Zhou Jinyan:  I’ve lifted a rock only to drop it on my own feet.

Delicate skin pressed against his somewhat rough, slightly calloused palm. Zhou Jinyan felt as if he were holding a piece of top-quality warm jade.

Zhou Jinyan looked down at Chu Xi’s hand intertwined with his. Chu Xi’s hand was a bit smaller than his. Even though Chu Xi was the one who took the initiative to hold it, from a third-party perspective, there was an illusion that Zhou Jinyan was the one holding him forcibly.

Chu Xi’s complexion was fairer than his. The contrast in skin tones brought a subtle sense of eroticism, creating a powerful visual impact.

Zhou Jinyan struggled for a moment but ultimately did not withdraw his hand.

As the elevator doors opened, Chu Xi pulled him along: “Let’s go, let’s go.”

It was past 10:00 PM when they left the cinema. There were significantly fewer people waiting for the elevator. It descended all the way to the first floor. Once the doors opened, Zhou Jinyan silently led Chu Xi out.

The elevator had too many eyes and ears. Zhou Jinyan restrained himself from asking Chu Xi if he liked him.

Just as Zhou Jinyan was about to speak, Chu Xi let go of his hand and preempted him: “Let’s go out through that door.”

Having his words cut off, Zhou Jinyan could only say, “Mm, sure.”

Chu Xi seemed to be in a good mood, humming a little tune under his breath. Zhou Jinyan tried to listen, but he couldn’t make out what it was. Instead, he was affected by the mood; the tension he had been feeling since earlier began to relax.

It’s just a matter of Chu Xi liking him. There’s no need to treat it like a formidable enemy.

I just need to make things clear with him.

Zhou Jinyan’s brow smoothed out. Seeing Chu Xi’s happy, carefree appearance, he couldn’t help but worry again: If I reject him, will he be sad?

Chu Xi had no idea Zhou Jinyan was thinking so much. His phone vibrated in his pocket. He took it out and unlocked it to see a “military strategist” suggestion from Jian Yu.

Jian Yu: “Not bad! Keep testing the waters. Actually, I’ve always felt Zhou Jinyan’s attitude toward you is quite unusual.”

Jian Yu gave a ‘tsking’ sound: “The night you brought him the materials, I was so busy trying to matchmake you two that I didn’t think carefully.”

Jian Yu analyzed: “Thinking about it now, you were just a roommate he’d met once at the time. It’s so strange that he agreed to drive a drunk you back just like that.”

Who would pick up and drop off a roommate they’d only met once?

Chu Xi actually thought it was strange too, but the happiness of being chauffeured by his crush had blinded him to the oddity.

Since following Jian Yu’s tactics had been quite effective, Chu Xi immediately asked for advice: “How so?”

Jian Yu concluded: “There are only two possibilities. Either you two knew each other before, which is why Zhou Jinyan would drive you.”

Chu Xi laughed and replied: “Does knowing him unilaterally count as ‘knowing’ each other? What’s the other possibility?”

Jian Yu said decisively: “Then it’s that Zhou Jinyan fell for your looks at first sight!”

Chu Xi’s footsteps faltered, and his heart skipped a beat. Restraining his joy, he finally replied calmly: “No way.”

Jian Yu: “Otherwise, it doesn’t make sense why he’d spoil you like this.”

Hearing him say that, Chu Xi thought: Right! Zhou Jinyan drove me to the dorm, returned to the dorm to accompany me because of one sentence I said, let me hitch a ride… come to think of it, when I was peeking at his abs, he probably knew all along, didn’t he?

He knew but didn’t call me out… it could be explained as maintaining decorum between roommates, but if anyone else were being “coveted” by a roommate, they would usually stay three feet away.

Yet Zhou Jinyan not only didn’t stay away from Chu Xi, but he also got closer and closer to the very person coveting him.

Then there was only one possibility left.

Jian Yu: “Maybe he’s enjoying it too.”

Seeing Chu Xi send an “unbelievable” emoji, Jian Yu told him to get a grip: “If you’re not confident in yourself, go check the comments section on Xiaohongshu to see all the people who love your face.”

Jian Yu thought for a moment: “How about this: go ask Zhou Jinyan what his ‘ideal type’ is. You guys just finished a romance movie; he won’t fail to understand a hint like that.”

Chu Xi felt it was a good idea. As expected, “Relationship Expert” Jian Yu had the best methods.

Chu Xi replied: “Okay, I’ll try.”

Chu Xi put his phone back in his pocket. Coming out of this door led to a large platform with a massive Christmas tree in the middle. Chu Xi was a bit surprised; Christmas was still a month away. Businesses were certainly eager.

Marveling at the sight, Chu Xi took a photo of the tree.

To the left was a staircase leading down to a plaza. Many people were sitting on the steps, listening to a street performer sing.

The desolate atmosphere of autumn was melted away by the bustle of the crowd.

No wonder there are so many people today. Chu Xi glanced at the endless crowds in front of the various stalls. There was an event today. With people coming and going around them, Chu Xi habitually grabbed Zhou Jinyan’s hand.

This time, there was no need for an excuse; both of them tacitly accepted the reason.

Zhou Jinyan looked at the beaming Chu Xi and decided to let him have a happy night: “Where do you want to go?”

Chu Xi looked around and saw a stall for free fortune-telling. His eyes lit up: “Over there!”

Zhou Jinyan: “Okay.”

The fortune-telling stall was not far from another mall entrance. Chu Xi thought to himself that businesses were truly clever at driving consumption; if someone drew a “Top-Tier Good Luck” stick, they’d be in such a good mood they might just spend money.

You might as well take what’s free. Chu Xi and Zhou Jinyan queued for a few minutes. The young lady in front of them drew a “Good Luck” stick and was so happy she took a photo to send to her friends: “Look, my fortune today is ‘Good Luck’! Do you think I should go buy a lottery ticket later?”

When it was Chu Xi’s turn, he went up and shook the bamboo cylinder. After a while, a bamboo stick fell out. He picked it up to see “Top-Tier Good Luck” (上上簽) carved on it.

Chu Xi excitedly brought it over for Zhou Jinyan to see: “Look! It’s Top-Tier Good Luck!”

“Mm, great job.” Zhou Jinyan felt that Chu Xi was a bit like a kitten that had discovered a treasure and wanted to share it with the person he liked. “Do you want a photo?”

Chu Xi was like a leaky sieve; he could never hide the things he liked.

Zhou Jinyan had been observing him all the way and noticed that Chu Xi would take a photo of anything novel he encountered, like that premature Christmas tree just now.

It wasn’t hard to guess that this photo would appear on Chu Xi’s “Moments”  someday. Zhou Jinyan had seen Chu Xi’s Moments; they were full of life, a stark contrast to his own barren existence.

The surrounding crowd was noisy, and Chu Xi didn’t hear what Zhou Jinyan said, so he asked loudly: “What did you say—?”

Zhou Jinyan looked at his sparkling eyes and repeated: “Do you want a photo?”

Chu Xi heard him clearly this time. He hadn’t expected Zhou Jinyan to understand his mind so well. He said joyfully: “Yes, please!”

Chu Xi struck a pose. The rear flash went off as Zhou Jinyan took several photos. Once finished, Chu Xi leaned in to see how they turned out.

Chu Xi didn’t know how good Zhou Jinyan’s photography skills were, so he hadn’t held high hopes. His low expectations actually made the final images look stunning: “They’re actually quite nice.”

The corners of Zhou Jinyan’s lips curled up into a faint smile: “It’s because the person is good-looking.”

His photography skills weren’t great; the photos were nice purely because Chu Xi was handsome.

Chu Xi was stunned. He looked up in a daze, only to happen upon Zhou Jinyan’s eyes. Chu Xi involuntarily let out an “Ah.”

What does Zhou Jinyan mean by this?

Did I just get flirted with by Zhou Jinyan? Chu Xi’s eyes widened, and he didn’t know what to say. Zhou Jinyan then nudged his hand.

As if he had been burned, Chu Xi’s grip loosened, making it easy for Zhou Jinyan to take his phone. They leaned their heads close together: “I’ll transfer the photos to you.”

A few seconds later, the phone was back in Chu Xi’s hand: “Ah, thanks.”

At the bottom of the steps, the singer was performing a sweet little love song. The sweet vocals were amplified through the speakers, creating an illusion of romance.

Since the atmosphere was already set, Chu Xi fiddled with the “Top-Tier Good Luck” stick: “Zhou Jinyan, what is your ideal type like?”

Ideal type?

Zhou Jinyan had never been in a relationship; he had never thought about what kind of person he would like.

If he had to give an answer… the love song just happened to enter an instrumental break. The noisy world fell into a moment of tranquility. Chu Xi’s eyes reflected fragmented light. Zhou Jinyan’s blurred fantasies were slowly peeled back by that light, revealing a clear silhouette.

His ideal type, Zhou Jinyan thought if it were someone as well-behaved and pretty as Chu Xi, it wouldn’t be out of the question.

But he didn’t like Chu Xi.

He could clearly identify his current feelings for Chu Xi as just a sense of protectiveness and responsibility toward a childhood “younger brother” figure.

But Chu Xi didn’t remember him. Zhou Jinyan’s gaze darkened as if he had found the cause of this outcome: from Chu Xi’s perspective, a strange, mature man was approaching him for no reason, being good to him, taking the initiative to get close, and showing hostility toward his male friends.

In this light, it wasn’t unreasonable for Chu Xi to misunderstand and think he liked him, using hand-holding and romance movies to test if it were true.

In the end, he couldn’t blame Chu Xi; he had to blame himself.

Perhaps he should state his attitude and stay a bit further away from Chu Xi.

Zhou Jinyan exhaled and spoke with hidden meaning: “I like someone a bit more steady, who knows how to take care of people. But… it’s better for me not to be in a relationship right now.”

Telling Chu Xi to go find someone else while explaining that I won’t be dating—killing two birds with one stone.

Chu Xi was waiting expectantly, but upon hearing this answer, he thought: Wait, it seems none of those adjectives apply to me?

Could it be that Zhou Jinyan knows I realized he likes me, so he’s intentionally describing his own ‘good points’ to brush me off?

Just as Chu Xi was about to ask what kind of answer that was, there was a sudden commotion in the crowd. A sudden gasp broke out, and Chu Xi’s attention was instantly drawn away. Following the crowd’s gaze, he saw a dozen drones forming a heart in the night sky.

Chu Xi gasped along with the crowd: “Wow!!!”

The drone formation shifted, forming a bouquet of flowers, then a ring inside a jewelry box. A minute later, it transitioned into an animation of a ring being placed on a ring finger.

People held up their phones to record. Chu Xi looked up blankly, acting as part of the “atmosphere crew”: “Amazing! Amazing!”

Another minute passed. The drones slowly retreated. In the next moment, several “whistling” sounds echoed, and beautiful fireworks suddenly bloomed in the night sky.

Chu Xi couldn’t help himself. He couldn’t resist this kind of romance. He grabbed Zhou Jinyan’s arm: “Ahhh! Zhou Jinyan! Look! It’s so romantic!!”

Chu Xi looked up at the sky. The grand fireworks reflected in his eyes, like a bright spring scene melting ice and snow.

Zhou Jinyan didn’t look at the sky. Instead, he watched the colors of the fireworks in Chu Xi’s eyes.