After I Turned From O to A I Became the National Male God

Chapter 20

On this chilly night, as the cold wind whispered through, Bai Yue had barely laid down when he heard a faint noise outside his window.

He rose from bed, walking to the window to peer below. A familiar figure lingered at the door, their jet-black hair almost blending with the night. Sensing something, they looked up, their emerald eyes shining even in the darkness.

The figure mouthed: "Come down."

Bai Yue drew the curtains shut and stepped out.

It was deep into the night, silence enveloping the surroundings. Not a single light illuminated the nearby houses.

Approaching downstairs, Shang Yufei stood, hands in pockets, beside the door.

Bai Yue then noticed a backpack discarded at Shang Yufei's feet, the same one he had carried upon his return.

Realization dawned upon him as he asked, "Are you leaving?"

"Yeah," Shang Yufei replied.

"So suddenly?" Bai Yue inquired.

"Got caught trying to escape," Shang Yufei sighed.

Bai Yue was taken aback.

"I have to go back now, and I won't be able to come back for summer break," Shang Yufei muttered.

Bai Yue pondered for a moment. "You said before that you had gotten permission for leave in advance?"

Shang Yufei seemed hesitant, avoiding eye contact. "I lied about that."

"The truth is, I flunked all subjects, so I have to stay back for remedial classes. But I wanted to come back to celebrate your birthday, so I just escaped. Now I've been caught," Shang Yufei sighed.

"That's embarrassing, can't even say it," he frowned.

"What's embarrassing? Failing exams?" Bai Yue puzzled, "But your grades were always poor."

"Hey!" Shang Yufei retorted.

"Sorry, I was just kidding," Bai Yue chuckled.

"It's just a birthday, whether we celebrate it or not doesn't matter," he softened, "We have plenty of time ahead of us."

Shang Yufei fell silent.

At least for this one coming-of-age ceremony, he wanted to be with Bai Yue.

However, he didn't voice those words. Instead, he reached into his pocket, hesitated for a moment, and pulled out a plain-colored box. He handed it over with a light cough.

"Here... your... coming-of-age gift," his ears turned slightly red.

Bai Yue stared at him for a moment, until Shang Yufei glared back as if questioning why he was staring, before smiling. His gaze shifted downwards, landing on the plain box.

He had noticed its presence since the day Shang Yufei returned.

"Bai Yue: "Aren't you going to help me put it on?"

Shang Yufei paused, then realized, "You already knew?"

Bai Yue didn't reply, only extending his hand.

...He indeed knew in advance.

Shang Yufei had originally hoped to see Bai Yue's surprised expression, but to his disappointment, it seemed things had already gone awry from the start.

Nevertheless, when he saw the faint gleam in Bai Yue's eyes, he decided not to dwell on it.

Shang Yufei knelt down on one knee, taking Bai Yue's hand in his, and with the other hand, he opened the small box, taking out the silver ring.