Secretly Liking Him - Chapter 9

Chapter 9

To cover his embarrassment, Gu Xun said, “My mom doesn’t allow me and my dad to eat takeout…”

Hearing this, Shen Yanzhi nodded understandingly. “It’s unhealthy and heavy on oil and salt. It’s best not to eat it.”

Gu Xun suddenly got the feeling that Shen Yanzhi thought he was bragging. He wanted to explain, but it felt like he’d be over-explaining for nothing. To explain or not to explain?

However, Shen Yanzhi said, “If you can’t find anything, then don’t shower.”

Gu Xun wasn’t willing to give up! How could a home not have plastic wrap? Fine, skip the plastic wrap! But how could there not even be a single plastic bag? Was this even a home!

Gu Xun desperately wanted to go home and fetch some plastic wrap, but he knew that wasn’t feasible. If he went back, the chances of coming back out were probably zero.

And it wasn’t just that Gu Xun wanted to sleep with Shen Yanzhi. He let out a wail: “My whole body is sour. How can I sleep feeling all sticky!”

Gu Xun wasn’t usually a clean freak; it was mostly because his mom was strict, otherwise he’d be a mess too.

But after being managed for so long, he had grown accustomed to it. The thought of getting into bed all dirty made him feel uncomfortable down to his bones!

Shen Yanzhi said, “Just wipe down.”

Gu Xun said, “No! Not clean enough!”

Finally…

Shen Yanzhi said, “I’ve only ever given my dog a bath.”

Gu Xun: “Then just treat me like your dog!”

Shen Yanzhi: “…”

How on earth can a person say those words with zero psychological burden?

Shen Yanzhi was very confused by this question, but Gu Xun had already stripped himself bare and hopped into the bathtub.

Shen Yanzhi: “…”

Shen Yanzhi looked away. He didn’t particularly want to know the fact that Gu Xun’s butt was very white.

Gu Xun even turned back and smiled at him: “Sorry to trouble you!”

Shen Yanzhi sighed and said, “I’ll help you wash your hair, back, and arms. You wash the bottom part yourself. Be careful not to.”

Before he could finish, Gu Xun stood up abruptly from the tub. Shen Yanzhi was startled: “What are you doing!”

Gu Xun looked dazed: “Didn’t you say I should wash the bottom myself? I… I was getting ready to wash…”

Shen Yanzhi pursed his lips, holding back his reaction before asking, “Do you start washing from the bottom when you bathe?”

Gu Xun said innocently, “Whatever, anything goes!”

Shen Yanzhi: “…You’re going to wash your head and face in the same water you washed your butt and feet in?”

Gu Xun: “Uh… we have a shower at my house.”

Shen Yanzhi felt a sense of relief for some reason and said, “Sit down.”

Gu Xun sat down obediently, and then Shen Yanzhi commanded him: “Lower your head.”

Gu Xun lowered his head obediently.

Shen Yanzhi used the showerhead to wet his hair, squeezed out some shampoo, and as he slowly rubbed it into a lather, he really felt it was quite similar to bathing his dog.

They were equally obedient.

Then Shen Yanzhi’s eyes caught a glimpse under the water of that thing between Gu Xun’s open legs…

Shen Yanzhi sighed, took a new towel from the rack nearby, and threw it onto his lap.

Gu Xun had his head down, so he just felt something land on his legs. He peeked quietly and saw it was a towel. Just as he was about to ask, he heard Shen Yanzhi say, “Don’t move. Keep it covered; I don’t really want to see.”

Only then did Gu Xun realize what Shen Yanzhi was talking about. He said nonchalantly, “Everyone has one, nothing to be shy about.”

Shen Yanzhi said, “I’m not shy, I just don’t want to look at someone else’s.”

Gu Xun felt he was definitely just shy, but wisely chose not to call him out.

Perhaps because of his experience bathing dogs, Shen Yanzhi’s movements were quite fast. Before long, Gu Xun was able to finish washing up himself.

Once Shen Yanzhi finished, he went out.

As Gu Xun scrubbed his own junk, he fantasized that maybe he was just bigger, so Shen Yanzhi was shy about looking. He was quite happy with that mental image.

By the time he finally washed himself until he smelled fragrant, Gu Xun was truly tired enough to be a dog.

He hadn’t been able to sleep for some reason the night before and had gotten up very early; now he could barely hold on.

After blow-drying his hair in the bathroom, he went to Shen Yanzhi’s bedroom and instinctively crawled onto the bed.

Shen Yanzhi was leaning against the headboard on one side, reading some book. The other side was clearly left for him.

The air conditioning was comfortable. Gu Xun lay there and asked Shen Yanzhi, “What are you reading?”

Shen Yanzhi said, “Shakespeare.”

Gu Xun immediately felt that the class of a cultured person was truly different. In his whole life, aside from knowing Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet, he only knew there was something called Hamlet.

In fact, Gu Xun wasn’t even strictly sure if those two were actually by Shakespeare.

Maintaining his respect for a man of culture, Gu Xun leaned over to take a look.

After looking, it wasn’t just respect, he looked at Shen Yanzhi as if he were looking at a god.

Gu Xun: “…It’s in English?”

Shen Yanzhi flipped a page and gave an “Mm.”

Gu Xun felt that asking a question like “Can you understand it?” would definitely be stupid, so he decided to ask: “Is it good?”

Shen Yanzhi thought for a moment and said, “It’s alright.”

Gu Xun felt he couldn’t keep the conversation going; after all, this wasn’t his field. If he forced it, he was afraid of being annoying.

Shen Yanzhi took the initiative to say, “The protagonists are all quite tragic.”

Gu Xun thought his hearing was failing: “Huh?”

Shen Yanzhi turned his head and smiled at him: “The protagonists are all quite tragic, so I think the stories are alright.”

Gu Xun felt a chill down the back of his neck, realizing deeply that Shen Yanzhi was definitely a “King of Flowers” (Overlord Flower).

That clear, gentle smile might just be a total front.

Gu Xun didn’t know how to respond, so he could only silently shrink into the covers and say, “Uh, I haven’t read them…”

Better to just pretend I don’t know anything…

Gu Xun racked his brains trying to find another topic, but he was simply too sleepy. Before he could think of a new one, he couldn’t help but let out a yawn.

Seeing him so tired that tears were coming out, Shen Yanzhi put the book on the nightstand and dimmed the lights.

For a moment, only a bit of dim, yellow light remained in the bedroom.

Shen Yanzhi said, “Go to sleep.”

Gu Xun gave an “Mhm” and then went silent. Only the sound of increasingly rhythmic breathing could be heard.

This was the first time Shen Yanzhi had slept with someone. He turned his head, using the last bit of light to look at Gu Xun, seeing only a blurred outline and fluffy hair.

Surprisingly, he didn’t feel that discomfort of having another person nearby. Instead, because of that extra breathing sound, he felt very safe.

He hadn’t been sleepy, but listening to Gu Xun’s breathing, sleepiness gradually crept over him as well.

Unfortunately, just as he was about to fall asleep, the phone on the nightstand suddenly vibrated.

Shen Yanzhi picked it up and saw it was a call from Gu Xun’s house.

He answered and said softly, “Hello.”

“Yes, he’s here, asleep.”

“Everything’s fine, it’s good.”

“Hm?”

“Okay, I’ll go over with A-Xun tomorrow.”

Shen Yanzhi hung up the phone and turned to look at Gu Xun, only to find that Gu Xun had kicked off the entire blanket.

Shen Yanzhi had to climb up to cover him back up, then lay back down to prepare for sleep.

Not long after lying down, he climbed up again, grabbed the AC remote, and lowered the temperature directly.

This way, he probably wouldn’t kick the blanket off.

But what Shen Yanzhi didn’t expect was that even after the temperature dropped, Gu Xun still slept sprawled out in all directions, while he himself couldn’t sleep.

He sighed, rolled over, and hesitated about whether to go sleep in the room next door, when he heard the sleeping Gu Xun mumble: “A-Yan…”

Shen Yanzhi was stunned. He held his breath, trying to hear what Gu Xun was saying, but after a long time, there was no more sound.

In the waiting, Shen Yanzhi slowly grew sleepy again. He wrapped his blanket a bit tighter and unknowingly fell asleep as well.

When they got up the next day, both of them had actually overslept.

Shen Yanzhi looked at the time displayed on his phone in shock. Gu Xun was still sleeping like the dead.

He hurriedly gave Gu Xun a shove: “Get up! It’s eight o’clock!”

Gu Xun jumped: “What!”

This was truly disastrous.

Late on the second day of school! And both of them are late together!

The two of them began to get ready like they were in a war. If it were up to Gu Xun, he could have just thrown on some clothes and left, but he couldn’t stand up to Shen Yanzhi’s fastidiousness!

Even with the fire singeing his eyebrows, Shen Yanzhi still had to brush his teeth and wash his face, although his movements were indeed very fast.

But Gu Xun was still anxious!

Gu Xun was too embarrassed to say, “Don’t brush, don’t wash! Let’s go!”

So he could only bite the bullet and follow along. Then he discovered something: “Wait! What am I going to wear!”

They were required to wear school uniforms today!

Shen Yanzhi was also stunned upon hearing this. They couldn’t exactly go back now to get the uniform!

But he quickly calmed down and started taking off the uniform he had already put on: “You wear it!”

Gu Xun watched in a daze as Shen Yanzhi stripped. He didn’t know whether to be shocked that Shen Yanzhi’s body was even whiter than his face, or if he should ask what he would wear if Gu Xun wore his!

Shen Yanzhi’s eyes swept over: “What are you dazing for? Put it on!”

Gu Xun: “Oh!”

The two had similar builds. Although Shen Yanzhi was a bit taller, that bit of height didn’t show in the clothes at all. Gu Xun had no trouble wearing his uniform.

After Gu Xun dressed, he looked at Shen Yanzhi and saw him putting on the autumn school uniform…

Gu Xun: “…Won’t you get a heatstroke?”

Shen Yanzhi said calmly, “Probably not. I thought the summer uniform was a bit cold before, though the autumn one is a bit warmer.”

Gu Xun didn’t have the heart to ask how Shen Yanzhi could feel cold in short sleeves and shorts when it was nearly forty degrees out.

It took them nearly ten minutes to finish getting ready. The school gates closed at 8:15.

Shen Yanzhi dragged Gu Xun all the way downstairs, opened the door, and ran out.

Gu Xun didn’t think about anything; he just gritted his teeth and ran. Whether he lived or died depended on Shen Yanzhi’s speed!

They managed to get inside just moments before the gates closed. The security uncle even said, “You almost missed it! You guys!”

Gu Xun was breathless. Not only had his voice gone, he felt like his very breath was almost gone.

Although Shen Yanzhi slowed down after entering the school gate, he still dragged Gu Xun forward.

Gu Xun thought dizzily that these past two days had truly been too exciting. Then, they were caught by Great King Min.

Min Yibo asked, “Why so late?”

Shen Yanzhi said, “Slept late.”

Gu Xun couldn’t catch his breath, but he still looked at Shen Yanzhi with a shocked expression. So blunt???

Aren’t you going to make up an excuse, Big Brother!

Is this the confidence of being a top student!

Min Yibo asked Gu Xun again: “And you? Slept late too?”

Gu Xun wanted to answer, but he really couldn’t. He was huffing and puffing like a broken bellows.

Shen Yanzhi took over the conversation and said, “When Gu Xun and I left school yesterday, we were blocked by boys from another class.”

Min Yibo’s expression immediately became much more serious: “What happened?”

Shen Yanzhi directly pushed all the responsibility for their oversleeping and being late onto Hu Lei, skillfully painting them both as victimized “little white cabbages.”

In short, it was all about being forced to take action oh no, being forced to kick someone and feeling very uneasy in his heart, with Gu Xun comforting him and such, so they were late.

Gu Xun thought to himself: So it’s not that he can’t tell lies…

He’s the ancestor of lying…

Why didn’t he remember Shen Yanzhi feeling even a tiny bit of unease?

He clearly remembered Shen Yanzhi being very upright at the time, saying the other side had moved first!