LVLYA

Chapter 70: To Accept Things as They Come

They stayed at home for a day and a half, and on Sunday night, Song Yu drove Yue Zhishi back to campus. The weather remained heavy and gloomy the entire time, but it refused to rain.

As he sat in the car, Yue Zhishi closed his eyes to rest. He kept remembering how Lin Rong had looked as she hugged him, reluctant for him to leave. The trunk was stuffed full of the pastries and snacks she'd made; she'd given them so much he didn't know just how long she'd spent in the kitchen to make them all.

He was wearing the knit sweater Lin Rong had made, and placed on his legs was the book Song Jin had bought for him. He'd grown up surrounded with love and freedom — an extremely safe and stable life was laid out for him to take, and yet he wilfully, stubbornly persisted in heading towards a dead end.

On a certain level, he truly was similar to his father.

After returning to campus, they didn't go back to their dorms. Song Yu needed to leave early the next day, so for the first time, he asked for Yue Zhishi to stay — even though the way he asked remained a vague question.

"Do you want to stay overnight at the apartment?"

Yue Zhishi naturally agreed, and when Song Yu added an extra 'we won't do anything', he even said to him, "You can do anything you want."

But Song Yu really didn't do anything, and he sat by himself on the floor in their room, mounting a projector, as Yue Zhishi showered. He was very different from a few years ago, when he'd ruthlessly driven Yue Zhishi out of his room. Now, he could have Yue Zhishi leaning against his shoulder and very peacefully stay with him, accompanying him as they watched an anime movie Yue Zhishi liked.

Yue Zhishi's eyes were bright, and he earnestly focused on the projection screen. He was like an adorable little animal; whenever there was an exciting moment, he would exuberantly kick his legs within the blanket and then lift his head, wrapping himself around Song Yu's neck to give his cheek a kiss.

They often didn't need to speak — just with one simple movement, they would be able to understand what the other person was thinking. Yue Zhishi squirmed against Song Yu's neck, and Song Yu knew he was sleepy. He took away some of the pillows piled behind Yue Zhishi and told him to lie down.

Yue Zhishi fell asleep after desperately fighting to stay awake for the final after-credit scene. Song Yu embraced him from the back, and he gently kissed Yue Zhishi's fair nape. His hands held onto Yue Zhishi's arms, and he wrapped him entirely, tightly, into his arms. He was like a safe and warm protective shield, and he was also like a machine falling dormant after connecting to a power supply.

They were each other's solace, and each other's protection.

Most likely because he subconsciously remembered Song Yu needed to leave very early, Yue Zhishi woke before the sky had even started to brighten. Usually fond of sleeping in when next to Song Yu's side, Yue Zhishi fuzzily moved a hand around, and after realising Song Yu was still next to him, still asleep behind his back, his heart steadied. He got up as quietly and gently as he could, and he copied what Song Yu had done before, stuffing a pillow into his arms to pretend it was him. He then ran downstairs to clean up and to make a simple breakfast.

There were only eggs, bacon and rice toast in the kitchen, but he found a bottle of mustard. The ingredients didn't taste too bad after being put together, and he felt like Song Yu would like it.

Song Yu's footsteps were a bit hurried as he came down, pausing halfway down the stairs when he saw Yue Zhishi coming out of the kitchen with two plates. His steps only then recovered back to their usual slow and leisurely pace.

"The things I make won't be really delicious." Yue Zhishi took the chance to lower Song Yu's expectations. "Don't be picky, and don't tell me if it's not nice."