CH 18

Xin Yi did not come as frequently as before, probably because he was about to have his exams, he always came in a rush, and left in a rush.

After that, Zhou MuHui also told him to leave, but the little kid’s eyes would turn red when he was told that, looking at him pitifully with his hands behind his back, asked, “Zhou MuHui, do you dislike me?”

Zhou MuHui furrowed his brows, he obviously just needed to say that he disliked the little kid for him to go, but no matter how many times, he couldn’t bring himself to really say that out loud.

Xin Yi was very obedient, every day after he was done he would silently follow behind him, and would pull on him when he was about to go into the bar, asking him if he could come on the next day. Sometimes Zhou MuHui told him to do as he pleased, sometimes said he couldn’t, but most of the time his tone was too casual, Xin Yi couldn’t make the difference, always mixing it up.

Then on the second day, Zhou MuHui said no, appeared in front of him, looking at him with anxiety and fear, asking, “Zhou MuHui, do I have to go?” 

Zhou MuHui said yes, he would really obediently leave, then sneakingly reappear two or three days later, asking if it was ok today.

Only that he was really too afraid, around the tenth of January, he was panicking with sweat all over his head, his pair of hands tightly gripping his backpack, his knuckles turning white.

Zhou MuHui thought, if he said no, Xin Yi would probably cry.

Thus he temporarily became quiet for a while. 

Xin Yi caught on to his silence, and lifted his head to beg him, “Zhou MuHui, I’m just staying for a while, is it ok?”

Zhou MuHui thought that he was a bit strange, because he noticed that he couldn’t bring himself to refuse, fortunately, the little kid was also stupid, only caring about being happy, not doubting his unusual answer.

Xin Yi was very busy, maybe because Zhou MuHui’s silent agreement gave him the guts, Zhou MuHui was working, so he found a table at the restaurant next door to write his homework, and when Zhou MuHui finished busying himself around, he would chitty-chatter following behind him, accompanying him on the way to the bar. 

On the week before his exams, Xin Yi said he couldn’t come, the little kid pursed his lips feeling wronged, standing in front of him and mumbling, “I have to revise well, I cannot mess up this time.”

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He probably hoped that Zhou MuHui would say something to encourage him, but Zhou MuHui stared at him for half a day, only nodded in the end, and said one word, “Hm.”

Xin Yi with his hands behind his back, and looked up at him.

It was winter, he was wearing a lot, a wide down jacket carefully wrapped around him, Zhou MuHui was rarely dazed, he thought that kids around this age should all want to be good-looking, how come only he was always wrapped like a ball, and moreover still look so… 

His thoughts abruptly came to a stop in the next second, ZhouMuHui frowned, forcefully restraining the inexplicable swaying heartbeat he felt just then.

“Then I’ll come to find you once my exams are over.”

Xin Yi said, “Zhou MuHui, can I text you during these few days?”

“You can’t.”

“… Ah?”

Zhou MuHui’s eyelid kept twitching, he did not keep looking at the kid before him, doing his best to forget the strange thought he just had now.

“Need money.”

Zhou MuHui said.

Xin Yi looked at him for a long while, and said while feeling wronged, “Oh.”

He felt disheartened, and lowered his head in grief, “Then I’ll go.” 

He was like a little kid, turning his head at every step, Zhou MuHui looked at him for a while, then became aware of his mistake, but before he get to turn around, Xin Yi came running back.

“……”

“I’ve forgotten it!”

Xin Yi smiled at him, his snow-white little face was bright and beautiful, Zhou MuHui’s fingers quivered, and his heart felt alarmed for the first time, but Xin Yi held his hand before he got to do anything. 

“Not allowed to take it off.” Xin Yi bounced back, waving his hand at him, “Wait until I’m done with my exams!”

He ran very fast, he was gone without a trace after a short while, Zhou MuHui lowered his head, looked at the soft hand-knitted gloves on his hands, and blinked quietly.

Too childish, just like a little kind.

Zhou MuHui thought, he wouldn’t have used it even when he was a teenager. 

But even after the bar’s door was pushed open, he did not take off that pair of gloves. 

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Xin Yi came very late after being done with his exams, Zhou MuHui until the end of work, only saw him at the end of the alley outside, the little kid’s face was full of sweat after running, seeing him coming over, hurriedly ran over, calling him, “Zhou MuHui!”

Zhou MuHui hasn’t said anything yet, he rapidly looked at him, and said, “I, I came late.”

Indeed a bit late, usually it would be almost time for him to go home at this time. 

But Zhou MuHui only hummed, and did not ask why.

Xin Yi saw that he wasn’t speaking, was a bit flustered, following behind him letting a slip of tongue, explained to him while stuttering, “I’ve forgotten to take my backpack, only noticed after I walked there…”

And could only turn back, and as a result, wasted two hours going back and forth.

Zhou MuHui looked at the backpack behind him, pausing for a while, “No need to explain.”

Xin Yi slowly nodded, then felt a bit disheartened, not even chitty chattering like usual. Zhou MuHui heard a sob coming from behind him when he was almost at the bar, he stiffened, turning his body around.

The kid was secretly wiping his tears, the corners of his eyes were red to death, and tears were still hanging on the thick lashes, he probably did not think that Zhou MuHui would turn around, maintain the same position, and look at him slow wittily, Zhou MuHui frowned, his mood wasn’t very good, “What are you crying for?”

Xin Yi did not dare to speak, only hurriedly wiped off his tears, his wet fingers were still with tears, Zhou MuHui saw that, and his eyelid violently twitched.

“You…” 

“I, I think I messed up my exams.”

The hem of his clothes was grabbed by someone Xin Yi lifted his head to look at him, doing his best to hold back his tears, only the corners of his eyes turned redder and redder, his voice gradually carrying a sobbing tone.

“My classmate compared their answers with mine, a lot of them were different.”

Xin Yi was so upset that he was about to cry, holding the hem of his clothes without letting go, he was almost unable to hold back toward the end, big drops of tears falling down, unable to wipe off all of them no matter what.

He was really afraid, afraid that he hasn’t done well, afraid that he wasn’t diligent, he was already this stupid, if his grades were any worst, he won’t be able to go to university.

Furthermore… furthermore if they (grades) were very bad, he won’t be able to come to find Zhou MuHui regularly.

He cried until his face was full of tears, not being able to see anything clearly, and didn’t notice that the man before him was quiet for a long while, until a big hand dropped on the top of his head. 

The owner of that hand seemed to be struggling with words, Xin Yi stopped his tears, and looked up at him, the man’s good-looking brows furrowed, through the water mist in his eyes he couldn’t see why, but in the next second the other party opened their mouth, their voice low, “Won’t.”

The man stiffly caressed Xin Yi’s hair, Xin Yi didn’t dare to say anything, didn’t dare to move either, afraid that he would wake an unusual Zhou MuHui, until a long while after that, he secretly leaned toward Zhou MuHui’s body, and nodded carefully and feeling aggrieved.

“En!”

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Probably because Zhou MuHui successfully gave him confidence, when Xin Yi got his grave report he was so happy that he couldn’t find the North, he couldn’t stop his excitement when he went to find Zhou MuHui and kept hovering around Zhou MuHui for a whole night. Zhou MuHui wanted to ignore him, but he didn’t care either, he just laughed on his own, and squatted beside Zhou MuHui to give him a hand.

Zhou MuHui didn’t stop him, the little kid seemed to have eaten excitement drug today, told him to stop but he won’t, and when it was time to go to the bar, he got so many guts that he directly held his hand, Zhou MuHui was stunned, his eyes stopping on his soft back of the hand.

“……”

Xin Yi let go of his hand at the speed of the light, looking at him innocently.

“Don’t be like this.”

Zhou MuHui said.

Xin Yi blinked, nodded obediently, then after a few seconds secretly pulled him.

“… Xin Yi.”

The little kid didn’t let go of his hand anymore, looked up at him with an obedient expression, “Just for one minute.”

Zhou MuHui frowned, but Xin Yi wasn’t afraid, genuinely held his hand for a whole minute, then let go of his hand feeling perfectly content.

“I’m going to go!” Xin Yi laughed, “During these few days I am going to do all my homework, then I’ll come to find you.”

He pursed his lips into a smile, “Zhou MuHui, you have to wait for me.”

Zhou MuHui looked at him, putting the back of his hand that just got touched now behind his back, coldly replied to him, “Not waiting.”

As if Xin Yi believed him, Zhou MuHui was completely different from his appearance, Xin Yi was less and less afraid of him.

“Next time take off your mask alright.”

Xin Yi said in a low voice, “I want to see.”

His demands were more and more numerous, Zhou MuHui was too lazy to pay attention to him, turning around to leave. 

“……”

Xin Yi’s mouth deflated, “Then I want to text you.”

He ran back after saying that, not giving Zhou MuHui the chance to refuse, until the footsteps behind him have completely disappeared, only then did Zhou MuHui return to his senses and took a step, he stood in front of the back door of the bar, someone pushed open the door and came out, seeing him standing there, asked him, “Brother Zhou, what are you doing?”

Zhou MuHui paused, and replied in a low voice, “Nothing.”

But the hand that hung down at his sides ground his fingers together, then carefully closed up.