After My Childhood Friend Misunderstood That I Had a Boyfriend - Chapter 25

Chapter 25:  It’s not like they could have phone s

Fearing that Zhou Jinyan might not notice the tiny, bean-sized Border Collie needle felt on the table when he returned, Chu Xi even took a photo and sent it to him.

Chu Xi: Does it look like Jellybean? Image

In the photo, the Border Collie was smiling foolishly at the camera, looking quite dazed. When Zhou Jinyan opened the image, he couldn’t help but think: Does the creation really resemble the creator? This dazed look was exactly like Chu Xi at certain moments.

Before he could reply, Chu Xi impatiently sent another message: “When will you be home? Remember to look at the note I left under the Border Collie once you get back.”

A note under the Border Collie?

Knowing Chu Xi’s personality the kind of person who could never keep a secret Zhou Jinyan raised an eyebrow. His intuition told him that Chu Xi had prepared some kind of surprise. A stir of excitement rose in his heart as he began to look forward to what was written on that note.

The flickering streetlights reflected in Zhou Jinyan’s eyes, illuminating his softened gaze.

Zhou Jinyan replied to Chu Xi: “Okay.”

His car moved along with the flow of traffic. Looking out at the thousands of brightly lit homes beneath the elevated bridge, he rolled down the window. Even the night breeze felt a bit tender at this moment.

Chu Xi had made his getaway before Zhou Jinyan reached home. After showering and changing into his pajamas, he checked his WeChat and saw Zhou Jinyan’s reply.

Brother: Okay.

It was sent exactly when he had arrived home. He had been too busy with other things at the time to check it.

Chu Xi plugged in the hair dryer, preparing to dry his hair. Suddenly, his “drama queen” tendencies flared up, and he sent Zhou Jinyan a message: “Check-in!”

Chu Xi: Beagle kicking door.jpg

Chu Xi: What are you doing!

Chu Xi: Let me see.jpg

The buzzing of the hair dryer drowned out the WeChat notification sounds. It wasn’t until Chu Xi finished drying his hair and checked his phone that he saw Zhou Jinyan’s reply from three minutes ago.

Brother: On the way home Image

Chu Xi clicked on the photo. He was very familiar with the road in the picture; he had walked past there not long ago while walking Jellybean and heading home.

Wait, so Zhou Jinyan is almost home?

Does that mean he’s about to see the note?

Chu Xi’s mood instantly became lively. His fawn-like eyes blinked. Remembering a “drama queen” post he had read earlier—about acting extra to see if your boyfriend would indulge you—he, a romantic at heart, immediately decided to follow suit.

A hint of mischief played in Chu Xi’s shallow smile. Having finished the “check-in,” the text he sent now was even more dramatic.

Chu Xi wrote in a demanding tone: “Not enough, not enough! Send me another one while making a peace sign!”

So incredibly entitled. Gosh, I’m being such a drama queen, he thought.

Chu Xi was very satisfied with his results. He put away the hair dryer and started fussing over his face with a pre-sleep wet mask. A moment later, his phone chimed. Sure enough, it was a message from Zhou Jinyan.

In the chat interface, Zhou Jinyan had sent a photo of himself making a peace sign in front of his door.

In the photo, his two extended fingers looked long and powerful. Even though his arm was partially covered by clothing, one could still see the lean, firm muscle and the prominent veins on the back of his hand. It exuded an inexplicable sense of sexiness.

Ah!

Chu Xi stared at the photo for a long time. His heart suddenly began to throb without warning, and a flush crept up his cheeks.

He suddenly recalled when they were on their movie date; these broad, warm hands had rested on his shoulders. The palms were large enough to completely envelop his shoulders, and the grip had been firm, carrying a hint of irresistible strength…

Chu Xi only realized in hindsight: Were we already that ambiguous back then?

While he had intentions of flirting, he didn’t mean it that way at the time! How did it develop into this…!

Chu Xi rubbed his burning face. Zhou Jinyan’s tactics must be too high-level!

Otherwise, why was he only noticing it now?

Chu Xi suppressed his racing heart, saved the photo of Zhou Jinyan’s peace sign, and waited a moment for his mood to calm before replying: “Are you home now?”

After sending the text, Chu Xi felt typing was too slow and simply started a voice call.

After a few rings, the call connected. The first thing he heard was the steady breathing of an adult male. Listening to the frequency of his breath, Chu Xi could almost imagine the rise and fall of Zhou Jinyan’s chest.

“Baby.” Across the screen, the man murmured Chu Xi’s name in a low voice and called him “Baby,” his tone carrying a hint of a smile. “What are you doing?”

Having not been home for a week, the cold atmosphere the house should have had was melted by the “vividness” left behind minutes ago.

After entering, Zhou Jinyan had casually tossed his trench coat onto the sofa. On the table, there was an open bag of chips and a bottle of peach-flavored juice. The air still held a faint, lingering fragrance.

Zhou Jinyan stared at the indentation on the sofa. Chu Xi had been sitting right here eating chips not long ago. The bottle of peach juice still had a small amount left, and it was still cold to the touch, as if just taken out of the fridge.

The entryway, the kitchen, the living room, the sofa… everywhere was marked by Chu Xi’s presence, loudly telling Zhou Jinyan that the person he missed had been in his home just moments ago.

Zhou Jinyan looked up and saw the foolishly grinning Border Collie needle felt on the table and the words written on the note.

Brother, let me see your abs 

Oh.

Zhou Jinyan rubbed the paper with his thumb. Intending to tease him, he spoke in a casual, suggestive tone: “Why didn’t you stay the night?”

If Chu Xi had stayed, he could not only see them but would also be allowed to get “handsy.”

Ugh!

Zhou Jinyan really was too good at this!

Zhou Jinyan’s voice seemed to possess magic. His words drifted into Chu Xi’s ears like an electric current. Starting from his ears, his body began to feel hot and tingly. Chu Xi instinctively held his breath.

His body was heating up.

If just hearing his voice was like this, wouldn’t things definitely “misfire” if he had actually stayed over?

Just imagining it made the air in the room feel stiflingly hot. Chu Xi’s breathing became ragged; his head was so full of “dirty” thoughts that he didn’t know how to respond.

What was even worse was Zhou Jinyan’s low, slightly amused voice coming through again: “Baby, why aren’t you answering me?”

Ah!

How was he supposed to answer?

His mind was a complete blank, and his breath was trembling.

Zhou Jinyan was really annoying.

But leaving him hanging wasn’t great either, Chu Xi took a quick breath and opened his lips to end the topic: “I… I’m a bit sleepy. I want to go to bed.”

Chu Xi’s voice got lower and lower. What the heck, why is my voice trembling too!

If one listened closely, there was even a bit of a whimper in his voice. Pathetic! So pathetic! Waaaah, he was now a male college student who was not only shameless but also pathetic!

“I saw the note.” Zhou Jinyan’s voice came through the screen, distorted yet clear, dragging Chu Xi back from his attempt to hide like an ostrich.

His tone held a hint of regret: “Sleeping so early today?”

That’s right! I’m sleeping early today.

Chu Xi folded his pillow in half and covered his ears.

Zhou Jinyan laughed again, his tone enticing: “Baby, you don’t want to see anymore?”

Chu Xi’s grip on the pillow loosened slightly. A moment later, he was screaming “ahhh” in his head again. What is Zhou Jinyan doing! I already said I wanted to sleep, why is he suddenly pushing so hard!

It wasn’t like he could have “phone sex” with him! They weren’t even together yet, how could they do that kind of thing first?

Chu Xi shouted: “Not looking, not looking, not looking, not looking!”

He was so clearly embarrassed and angry that Zhou Jinyan decided to quit while he was ahead. He placed the note back next to the Border Collie and actually began to reminisce about that night Jellybean had caused chaos. Zhou Jinyan said: “Okay, if Baby doesn’t want to see, then don’t see.”

What does he mean, “if Baby doesn’t want to see”?

Did he think Chu Xi wanted to see that badly? Chu Xi was truly embarrassed and angry now. He threatened him fiercely: If you talk about this again, I’m hanging up!”

Chu Xi thought to himself: I’m doomed… that didn’t sound like a threat at all. Instead, it exposed the fact that he was being completely led by the nose.

So annoying!

“I’m stopping. I need to sleep.” Annoying, annoying. Chu Xi didn’t even bother to find an excuse. He wanted to hang up, but then Zhou Jinyan’s low chuckle came through the receiver: “Okay, then I won’t disturb Baby.”

Chu Xi lowered his eyes, his hand hesitating for a moment before hanging up.

“Goodnight, sweet dreams.”

Chu Xi closed his eyes in resignation and collapsed onto the bed. His head was propped up by the pillow, his face buried in it as he spoke in a shy, muffled voice: “Got it. Goodnight, goodnight.”

The voice call ended.

The room was quiet for a moment.

A while later, Chu Xi suddenly sat up, grabbed the nearby lamb plushie, and buried his face in it: “Ahhhh!”

He! Was! So! Doomed!!

Autumn wasn’t over and winter hadn’t arrived, so why did it feel like spring had come?

Why did he start having “visions” the moment he heard Zhou Jinyan’s voice!

The more he thought about it, the more it bothered him. Forget it, forget it. Sleep, sleep.

Chu Xi lay back down in self-abandonment, pulling the covers over his head. He closed his eyes to summon sleep, but as soon as he did, all sorts of messy thoughts came rushing in.

Today was Friday, tomorrow was Saturday… there didn’t seem to be any plans. Wait—no!

Chu Xi’s eyes snapped open. Tomorrow was Zhou Siyuan’s birthday party!

No wonder Zhou Jinyan rushed back today. It was his sister’s birthday; there was no way he, as her brother, wouldn’t attend. And according to what he had told him about their family atmosphere, all the other family members would be there too, right?

In that case… wouldn’t that be a “meet the parents” in disguise!!?

Chu Xi was completely wide awake now. He scrambled up anxiously to check if the gift wrap for the birthday girl looked okay. Then he got anxious about whether his outfit for tomorrow would be too flighty or not steady enough, leaving a bad impression on the elders.

After thirty minutes of anxiety, Chu Xi told himself: It’s okay, it’s okay… it’s just meeting the family. Be relaxed! It’s not an official meeting!

He was just attending Zhou Siyuan’s birthday party as her friend.

But he was still so nervous.

Waaaah, it was all Zhou Jinyan’s fault. If he hadn’t suddenly flirted and made him think crazy thoughts, he would have been asleep by now. If he was going to be anxious, he should have been anxious the next day.

It was probably really late now.

Chu Xi started getting anxious about how late he was staying up. He unlocked his phone to check the time, but his finger slipped and clicked on the message Zhou Jinyan had sent.

The page loaded for a few seconds. It was Zhou Jinyan reporting that he had just finished showering.

Brother: Just finished my shower.

Brother: Image

Wait, why do you need to report that you’ve finished your shower… eh… ehhh? Once the image loaded, Chu Xi saw a fresh photo of abs. There were even water droplets clinging to them, seemingly about to fall. And looking further down—why was he only wearing a loosely tied towel!!

It was a “lute covering half the face” kind of tease, making one’s heart itch. Chu Xi blinked. He was wrong; Zhou Jinyan was the truly shameless male college student!

How can he seduce people in the middle of the night!