Found Him! My 'Glass-Hearted' Ex is a Pop-Up Star - Chapter 28

Ying Ruo was stunned.

The lights near the teaching building had just flickered on, casting a soft, fuzzy glow between the two of them. The shadows from the overhead branches sliced across the ground in a grid of light and dark. They happened to be standing right at the edge of the light.

Ying Ruo’s mouth remained open in disbelief. That small labium vestibulare on his lip became even rounder and more prominent due to his surprise, shimmering with a moist sheen.

My goodness.

Actually, when he first learned that they had been intimate, Ying Ruo had already been quite shocked. It was one thing to have done it after only two weeks of dating, but to have done it so much that one needed to study new techniques and positions? Just how many variations had they tried? Was it really that frequent?

Ying Ruo could not help but recall the various scenes he had accidentally glimpsed on that gay paradise website. The sofa, the balcony, the kitchen, the outdoors, the cinema, cosplay.

Wait. Did they meet through a legitimate channel? Was their play style perhaps a bit too flamboyant? What exactly had happened before he lost his memory?

Ying Ruo blinked, hurriedly clutching his laptop. His ears turned red at a visible speed, the blush spreading from the base all the way to his neck. He was too embarrassed to ask more, so after a long silence, he offered a nonsensical compliment: “You are quite fond of studying, aren’t you?”

Duan Zhuyan: “……………”

“Anyway, the person in those ads is absolutely not me. They have a lot of nerve P-ing my face onto someone with such a terrible physique. Do not overthink it. Besides, no one but you has ever seen my body.” Duan Zhuyan bared his teeth, his ears still red. He felt the whole situation was bizarre. “You have to protect my rights.”

Ying Ruo touched his cheek. His fair face showed a thin, kissable red glow under the lights. He quickly replied without much thought, “Yes, your rights must be protected. You can save the infringing interface first, and then.”

Duan Zhuyan interrupted him unhappily, “I mean you should protect my rights.”

Ying Ruo froze and pointed at himself. “Me?”

“Yes,” Duan Zhuyan said. “Who else?”

Ying Ruo rubbed his hands and said sheepishly, “I think it is better to leave this kind of thing to a professional lawyer. There should be many good lawyers in London.”

Duan Zhuyan glanced at him. “Are you not taking the ‘Media Law and Digital Rights’ course?”

Ying Ruo asked, “Hmm? How do you know?”

The man pressed his thin lips together. After a pause, he lifted his chin slightly, his eyelids half-open. With red ears, he said, “I swiped your card for that class.”

“Because we did it all night, you were too tired to get up and were going to be late. I went to the classroom early to help you swipe in for attendance.”

Ying Ruo: “……………?”

“What is so strange about that? Is it not possible for us to have been passionately in love?” Duan Zhuyan’s Adam’s apple rolled. His voice was deep, and he did not forget to complain sarcastically, “Ha, right. You have amnesia and forgot everything. You have no idea how much you used to like my—”

“Shh, shh, shh!” Ying Ruo took a step forward and grabbed his sleeve. He put a finger to his lips in a silent gesture, his face turning beet red at the man’s words. He whispered in a soft, sweet voice to stop him, “Hey, do not speak so loudly. There are many Chinese people here who can understand you.”

Duan Zhuyan looked down.

Ying Ruo’s sudden proactive closeness made him freeze for a moment. His eyes fell on the pink hands clutching him. The fingers were slender and white, with pink joints; the whole hand looked soft.

Duan Zhuyan became a bit more obedient, but only slightly. “I do not want to find anyone else. Did I not say that only you have seen it so far? Am I crazy? Why would I find more people to show it to?”

Ying Ruo muttered, “We have not fully determined the situation yet.”

Duan Zhuyan said, “I do not care. I want you.”

Ying Ruo: “?”

Duan Zhuyan simply became unreasonable and demanding. He said in a tight voice, “It is all because of you. If you had not cried so much in bed, and been so delicate and hard to please, I would not have gone online to learn this kind of thing.”

“Okay, okay, I understand, I understand.” Ying Ruo hurriedly smoothed the man’s sleeve and interrupted with a red face, “Stop talking.”

Duan Zhuyan’s face darkened. He frowned deeply, the corners of his mouth drooping, yet he still wanted to speak. “I did not.”

Ying Ruo pulled him down a bit, stopping him in time as if coaxing a preschooler. “Be quiet.”

Duan Zhuyan: “.”

Duan Zhuyan fell silent.

The man’s eye color was somber. His deep eye sockets added a touch of coldness to his gaze, but at this moment, his brows were drooping. He pursed his lower lip, making his already pale lip color appear even lighter. He lowered his head. After a moment, he lifted his eyelids to look at the person in front of him. The red flush on his ears became even more prominent. His fingers curled into the corner of Ying Ruo’s clothes—not pulling hard, just hooking them loosely. He said gloomily, “You have to take responsibility for me.”

The end of his sentence trailed off more loosely than usual, and his voice sounded a bit nasal. After saying that, he turned his face away sharply. His hair completely covered his eyes, making it hard to see his expression. He looked like a large dog trying hard to get its owner’s attention but feeling too embarrassed to make it obvious.

Seeing that Duan Zhuyan had finally become obedient, Ying Ruo patted his arm as if giving him a reward.

Sigh, what a mess.

However, what Duan Zhuyan said actually had a tiny bit of logic to it. Plus, Ying Ruo truly wanted some practical experience with a real case. Since there were no deadlines recently, it was not impossible to help him. Besides, he felt that if he did not agree, this guy would probably follow him until he did.

“I completely understand your anger,” Ying Ruo said after thinking for a while. “I will help you. Calm down. First, I will help you send an email to the website, okay?”

Seeing that Ying Ruo had finally agreed, Duan Zhuyan stopped making a fuss. He looked at him expectantly and nodded.

“I will look into it. Wait for me for a bit,” Ying Ruo said, holding his laptop as he began to search for how to write a report.

Duan Zhuyan looked at Ying Ruo, who was seriously researching. He remained still for a long time. Then, his dark eyes shifted to the side and dropped. The flush on his face faded, and he cooled down. His expression, which had just been tender, immediately darkened. His eyes were obscure; his translucent pupils were like an icy sea with undercurrents moving beneath the surface.

He displeasedly pushed his tongue against his cheek.

Which bastard was it?

Although such websites were legal abroad, they were strictly regulated. It was impossible for them to place advertisements randomly. It was obvious that someone wanted to mess with him. Normally, Duan Zhuyan would not bother to care, but this time it involved Ying Ruo. It was clearly a deliberate attempt to drive a wedge between him and his boyfriend. The intent was too obvious. Duan Zhuyan could roughly guess who was behind it.

He looked back at the young man crouching on the ground. Ying Ruo was a small ball huddled in the corner. His knees were pressed against his chest, and his laptop was spread across his lap. The glow from the screen reflected on his fair face, and his eyelashes cast fine shadows as they fluttered in the light. A few strands of hair slid from behind his ear, so he shook his head and blew a puff of air to move the hair out of his eyes.

So cute.

As Duan Zhuyan watched, his heart softened again. It was a bit mean and shameless to annoy him on purpose like this, but only at times like this did Ying Ruo give him more attention.

Ying Ruo was actually quite excited. Back home, he had done legal aid with his supervisor, which had improved his practical legal skills significantly. This was his first time applying the knowledge he had learned in the UK to protect someone’s rights. It was such a good opportunity to build his case portfolio; he was determined to handle it well.

Let’s see. He had the screenshots and screen recordings. Now he needed to draft an email. First, he had to find a clear legal basis. Could the UK GDPR be cited?

Ying Ruo was still working seriously. In the next second, a warm palm suddenly supported him under his armpit. Ying Ruo was so startled that he shrank upward. The man’s fingers happened to be positioned right at the most sensitive spot above his ribs, lifting him up with undeniable force. He was like a cat caught by the scruff of its neck, standing up involuntarily.

Duan Zhuyan picked him up from the ground and frowned. He grabbed Ying Ruo’s hand and pulled down the sleeve that had slid up. His grip softened, his thumb brushing against the thinnest skin on the inside of the wrist.

“Do your legs not go numb from crouching?” The voice from above was still cold. “Stand up straight.”

Ying Ruo: “…”

He turned around, smiled at Duan Zhuyan, and said, “I am actually fine.”

Duan Zhuyan looked at his smiling face and felt embarrassed again. After a moment, he lowered his head and rubbed his neck, unconsciously fingering the spot as if reminiscing about the slender curve he had just touched.

Ying Ruo saw that the man looked unhappy, so he stood obediently to the side, holding his laptop. Duan Zhuyan scratched his head, feeling that he had not managed to say what he wanted to say, but he could not bring himself to say another word now.

Seeing him like this, Ying Ruo decided to save him from the pain of being unable to speak. “Then I will leave first. I will go and finish writing the email.”

Duan Zhuyan: “…”

The young man tilted his head to look at him, his lips soft and shiny, looking as if he were asking for a kiss.

Duan Zhuyan stammered, “…Are you going back to that library?” He gripped his clothes and looked at him expectantly for a while. Just as he was gathering the courage to say, “Let me accompany you,” Ying Ruo spoke first.

Ying Ruo: “No, I have to go to a tutorial. The teacher is going to give us feedback on our last moot court.”

“Wait.” Duan Zhuyan immediately heard something wrong. “Moot court? With that nerd again?”

“His name is Pei Yuan,” Ying Ruo corrected him.

Duan Zhuyan did not care if it was Pei Yuan or Pei Near; he was about to explode again. “Why do you call him so affectionately? Did you not already reject him?”

Ying Ruo did not understand what was wrong with the name. Was calling someone by their full name not normal? Still, he said good-naturedly, “Yes, but there is nothing I can do. After all, we are in the same major and in the same group. It is unavoidable that we will run into each other.”

“Darn it.” Duan Zhuyan ran a hand through his hair and said irritably, “Then I am going too.”

Ying Ruo: “?”

Ying Ruo saw that the man’s eyes were dark and serious, as if he really were not joking. “Do not cause trouble. That is a class in the Law School. Why would you go?”

“I will audit. I love the law and want to learn more. Is it not okay for me to go and study?”

An unstoppable, dark jealousy enveloped Duan Zhuyan, making his entire being seem gloomy, like a cloud of black mist. He looked very difficult to deal with. Ying Ruo sighed. To wake him up, he had to call his name: “Duan Zhuyan.”

Even though Duan Zhuyan was still making a fuss, he immediately looked over when called. Ying Ruo’s eyelashes fluttered. His expression was rare and serious, and his tone was businesslike. “Should you not be going to the lab?”

Duan Zhuyan: “………”

“Is the project you are working on finished? Can a PhD student really run around outside like this all the time?” The light above shone down, making Ying Ruo’s face look snow-white and radiant. His fair, fine skin was tinged with red as he lectured the man properly.

Duan Zhuyan was somewhat speechless and hurriedly looked away. Ying Ruo’s voice was still soft, but it sounded clear and cold. “I have already promised you, so I will definitely not go back on my word. Can you please be more obedient?”

Duan Zhuyan felt defeated. He wanted to say something several times, but under Ying Ruo’s gaze, he swallowed his words. Finally, he could only turn his head away unhappily.

Ying Ruo felt that this scene looked familiar. Why was this guy so much like that strange dog he used to have? When he lectured the dog for doing something wrong, the dog would get angry and act reluctant.

However, Ying Ruo was generous. He did not forget to add: “You should remember that I said you look really handsome when you are working seriously. Go back quickly.”

Duan Zhuyan: “……………………”

Now he had no choice but to leave. Duan Zhuyan hesitated but finally left very unhappily. After all, insisting on going would truly damage his pride; it would make it look like he cared too much or was a sycophant.

But really, thinking about it, the amount of time he and Ying Ruo could spend together was too little. It felt as if that nerd saw him more than he did. The nerd could see him for several hours during class every day, while Duan Zhuyan could not.

He really wanted to install a surveillance camera, but that might be a bit too perverted. There were too many little bugs around Ying Ruo. His (ex-) boyfriend was so good-looking, so beautiful, soft, and sweet-smelling. He had a good temper and was a good student; anyone who saw him would like him. What if someone else set their sights on him?

Could he please just focus all his attention on him?

Duan Zhuyan looked at his phone, opened the chat box, exited it, typed something, deleted it, and finally gave up, throwing the phone aside.

As soon as Ying Ruo woke up in the morning, he received Duan Zhuyan’s classic text message.

BMS Duan Zhuyan: 1 BMS Duan Zhuyan: Awake?

Ying Ruo looked at the time. It was not even eight in the morning, and the sun was not yet fully up. He rubbed his eyes and replied that he had just woken up. A reply came quickly from the other side.

Come down.

Ying Ruo: “?” He sat up straight in bed.

Ying Ruo: Come down? Are you downstairs? Ying Ruo: At this hour? It is only after seven. Are you serious?

There was no immediate reply, but the screen kept showing “typing…”.

I need to discuss the case with you.

Ying Ruo did not understand what was happening so early. He changed his clothes, went to the bathroom to wash his face, took his phone, and went downstairs. To his surprise, Duan Zhuyan was actually waiting for him. He was leaning noncommittally against a very cool sports car, dressed like an idol. He was wearing sunglasses, and even his hair had been carefully styled.

Ying Ruo looked at the man who could appear before him so meticulously dressed at seven in the morning, and then at his own messy hair and disheveled self, feeling utterly lost and bewildered.

Duan Zhuyan thought he had charmed the other person and dropped a single word: “Let’s go.”

Where are we going, big brother?

Ying Ruo was pushed into the car and buckled in. The Panamera’s accelerator was pressed, and he was taken to a Chinese steamed bun shop. Ying Ruo, who was not yet fully awake, smelled the delicious aroma of food. He was then quickly fed a bunch of food he missed dearly—white congee, soy milk, and soup dumplings.

Heavens, for an international student, this was an incredibly delicious treat.

Duan Zhuyan looked at Ying Ruo, whose cheeks were bulging as he ate with sparkling stars in his eyes. He smiled and propped his chin on his hand as if posing while watching him eat. “I wanted to ask about the progress of the case.”

Ying Ruo swallowed a soup dumpling and spoke to the man with the metaphorical rose background. “Oh, that. I actually just saw the email. The website said that the advertisement was not posted by them. They never advertise externally, let alone use that type of advertisement. So I think someone might be playing a prank on you.”

“But this is quite troublesome. If you want to protect your rights, you have to confirm the identity of the defendant.” Ying Ruo took a sip of soy milk and asked, “Have you had any conflicts with anyone lately?”

Duan Zhuyan took a napkin to wipe Ying Ruo’s mouth. Hearing this, he raised an eyebrow dismissively, the corner of his mouth curving into a cold smile. “What? Do you want me to give you a list?”

Ying Ruo: “………………”

Haha, true. Given his personality, he probably has quite a few enemies.

“I think you should think about who is most likely to have done this. I will draft a pre-action letter for now,” Ying Ruo said. “But confirming the identity of the defendant is the most important thing. If we really cannot confirm it, we cannot protect your rights.”

Duan Zhuyan’s thoughts were similar; someone was deliberately messing with him.

Ying Ruo: “If you want to protect your rights, you must find out who the infringer is.”

Duan Zhuyan was still “showing off,” leaning in a bit closer as he said, “I know.”

“…” Ying Ruo looked at him, chewing on his sesame ball, and had a bad feeling.

Sure enough. Not long after they parted, as soon as Ying Ruo finished class, his phone vibrated.

BMS Duan Zhuyan: [Location] BMS Duan Zhuyan: Come here. BMS Duan Zhuyan: I need to discuss the case with you.

Ying Ruo was still wondering if he had thought of who it was so quickly. But when he arrived, he only saw Duan Zhuyan, who looked like he was walking a runway. He stuffed a cup of milk tea into Ying Ruo’s hands and said, “I still think it might not be that person. We will talk about it next time.”

Ying Ruo: “?” He went back feeling utterly confused.

Not long after, the guy came again.

BMS Duan Zhuyan: d BMS Duan Zhuyan: Discuss the case.

Ying Ruo went to the meeting. Before they could say more than a few words, Duan Zhuyan did not want to discuss it anymore and took Ying Ruo for a few laps in his car.

Ying Ruo: “??”

These few times were one thing, as the meeting times were not long and were scattered, but the guy actually became addicted.

BMS Duan Zhuyan: Want to discuss the case. … BMS Duan Zhuyan: Thinking about the case. … BMS Duan Zhuyan: Thinking.

Ying Ruo: “………”

Ying Ruo: “……………………”

Is he messing with me?

No matter how good Ying Ruo’s temper was, his patience had its limits. Duan Zhuyan had called him so many times and had not once had a serious discussion about the case. It was purely intentional.

In the evening, Ying Ruo returned home. He had just finished bathing and was about to lie in bed to look at his phone when the chat window popped up again.

BMS Duan Zhuyan: Thinking. BMS Duan Zhuyan: Cannot see you. BMS Duan Zhuyan: Let’s video chat.

Ying Ruo: “…………”

Who gave him permission to use so many abbreviations?

A few strands of his hair, which had not yet dried, were still sticking up. He did not even bother to smooth them down, and his entire being radiated a sense of unhappiness.

Ying Ruo: “…”

What is he boasting about here? He picked up his metaphorical big sword and placed a video call.