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[Extra 001] A Pair Of Rings
This was the luckiest year for First High, having both top scholars for Science and Humanities come out of the school. Reporters came in throngs for interviews, and the principal of First High was all smiles in front of the cameras. The reputation of First High rose even higher once more.
Lu YunFei had been prepared for his boyfriend to snag the position of the top scholar in Science. What he hadn’t expected was for his good friend to be the top scholar in the Humanities, “The young master’s broken through? How astounding!”
Li YuanQing gave him a side eye, “That’s because you hadn’t seen him making an effort during the last semester. Back then, I’d even wondered if that guy was aiming to get the spot of top scholar for the Humanities, looks like he really was.”
“How did I not notice?” Lu YunFei bemused.
“Good question,” Li YuanQing hit the table, “In the final semester, did you notice anyone else apart from Bian JinYuan? Favouring lovers over your friends!”
Lu YunFei smiled sheepishly and decided to change the topic.
When Wen MingYi arrived, Li YuanQing and Lu YunFei were chatting about their school aspirations. Seeing him, they asked him where he had applied to.
Wen MingYi said calmly, “X University.”
“X University?” Lu YunFei and Li YuanQing looked at each other in shock.
Even though X University was the best school in X city, and was among the top schools in the country, it was still ranked significantly lower compared to Beijing University. Moreover! Even though X University taught Science and Humanities, it heavily focused on Science. What was Wen MingYi doing there as a Humanities student! With his grades, he could have chosen any school, but he chose not to enter Beijing University or others, adamant on entering X university. This was aggravating the First High principal to death.
Wait a minute, why was this situation so familiar? Lu YunFei instantly recalled, oh right, Si JunDuo had done the same thing. With a score of 746, the highest in the region, everyone had assumed that he would have his pick between TsingHua University or Beijing University. However, he had chosen X University. Back then, Lu YunFei had secretly asked Wen MingYi, “Why did your gege choose to go to X University?”
Wen MingYi hadn’t reply him. He had spent the entire day in low spirits.
Who would have thought that after so many years had passed by for him to encounter the same situation, “You’re not going to Beijing University?” Lu YunFei asked softly.
“Not going.”
“Then what were you studying so hard for?” Li YuanQing didn’t understand, “You could’ve entered X University with your eyes closed, and didn’t have to study so hard near the end.”
“Whether I chose not to go and whether I’m unable to go are two different concepts,” Wen MingYi drank his milk tea and stated.
Li YuanQing: …
Li YuanQing glanced at Lu YunFei, who shot him a meaningful look. The both of them shook their heads and silently swallowed their postulations.
Wen MingYi planned to stay here, Li YuanQing prepared to head South, and only Lu YunFei planned to head North. He looked at his two good friends and felt a twinge of sadness.
Li YuanQing grabbed ahold of his shoulder to say, “Don’t worry, this is only a temporary parting. Also, you’ll have Bian JinYuan with you.”
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Wen MingYi nodded, “It’ll be fine as you’ll be back during the holidays. We’ll be here and won’t be going anywhere.”
Lu YunFei lowered his head to smile and said, “Then let’s meet up here after we’re done with university.”
“Sure,” everyone said jovially.
That afternoon, the few of them went for karaoke.
They sat on the sofa in the KTV room holding the microphones to sing:
“Youth is sitting hand in hand
The train that never looks back
We’ll all be old one day
As long as there are no regrets we’ll be OK.”
It was a youthful song which encompassed their tenacity, fearlessness, and joy, opening a new chapter of their growth.
On the day that Lu YunFei and Bian JinYuan reported to Tsinghua University, the entire Lu and Bian family mobilised.
Mother Lu looked at Lu YunFei and exclaimed, “In my lifetime, my daughter went to Beijing University, while my son is going to Tsinghua University. It could be said that I’ve been entirely fulfilled.”
Father Lu went along with it, “That’s right.”
Bian Jie pointed to the Tsinghua University school gates and said to Shuang Shuang, “Shuang Shuang has to study hard too, so that you can come here.”
Shuang Shuang obediently nodded his head, “I’ll come here to look for gege.”
Bian JinYuan smiled, “Gege would have graduated by then.”
Shuang Shuang wasn’t fazed, “Then I’ll look for gege‘s desk.”
Hearing this, Lu YunFei thought of something and said jovially, “Then in about two days, I’ll ask your ge to carve out the word ‘morning’ in class. This will make it easier for you to search for it.”
Bian JinYuan and Lu YunShang both laughed at his suggestion.
Shuang Shuang who had obviously no knowledge yet about university nodded his head sincerely, thinking that what Lu YunFei suggested was logical, and replied sweetly, “Then YunFei gege please remember to do so.”
“No problem,” Lu YunFei promised.
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The Lu and Bian family took the kids to play for a round, and then went back together, leaving students Lu YunFei and Bian JinYuan.
Before the both of them welcomed their romantic life, they received an invitation from Yuan Shuo, who had bought Bian JinYuan an apartment upon hearing that he was intending to apply to Tsinghua University, in the area where he was based. He had even furnished the home, and Bian JinYuan only needed to sign for it.
Bian JinYuan didn’t accept his apartment. He had intended for himself and Lu YunFei to search for places on their own time after entering university.
Yuan Shuo tried to persuade him, but Bian JinYuan was unmoved, and so Yuan Shuo was left with no choice but to accept his decision.
However, Bian JinYuan had a meal with him and the two Yuan elders. He had also agreed to visit the Yuan family home at the elders’ request.
Mother Yuan pointed to a room and said, “We prepared this for you.”
Bian JinYuan replied politely, “Thank you, but I probably won’t stay here.”
Mother Yuan didn’t mind, and said in a friendly manner, “It’s okay, whether you’re staying or not is one matter, whether it’s there or not is another,” she pulled Bian JinYuan’s hand and gently said, “Jin Jin, your grandfather and I have your father as our only son. Our things will be left to him. And his things will be left to you sooner or later. This is your right, you can accept it.”
Bian JinYuan looked at her eyes full of love underlying a sense of serenity and benevolence. He said, “This is not a right that I deserve.”
Mother Yuan smiled and patted his hand as she replied warmly, “Oh you, you’re too mature.”
Bian JinYuan didn’t reply as he slowly lowered his eyelids.
Ever since Lu YunFei started school, he had been the focus of attention. He was good-looking, had a good personality, his grades were good, and to add to that, he came from a wealthy family. Wherever he went, there would be girls silently crushing on him. Now that he was in university, the young girls had shed off the restrictions of “early romantic relationships”, and got a bit bolder. In the month when he underwent military training, Lu YunFei had already rejected five girls.
Bian JinYuan noticed all the flowers blooming by his side. After the military training ended, he gave him a ring on his own birthday.
Lu YunFei was shocked: “This… are you proposing to me this early?”
Bian JinYuan laughed and hugged him as he kissed him and said gently, “Of course not, how could the proposal ring be so plain, this ring is merely to mark you so that those flittering bees and butterflies would steer clear from you.”
Lu YunFei understood. He looked at Bian JinYuan and said in delight, “Are you jealous?”
Bian JinYuan lightly bit on his lower lip and continued kissing him as he muttered: “Very jealous.”
Lu YunFei sat in his arms and pinched his face, thinking that a jealous Bian JinYuan was so explosively cute.
He let Bian JinYuan put on the ring for him, and advised, “A lot of people wear rings as accessories nowadays, so if you want people to stay away from me, me just wearing it isn’t enough.”
Bian JinYuan raised a brow, and said, “Oh?”
Lu YunFei took out his phone, snapped a photo of his ring, and posted it to his friends circle with the caption “My partner’s gift ~”
Of course, he made sure to restrict everyone from the Lu family in this post.
The hearts of numerous girls were broken as they reposted it in sorrow, and one of the bolder ones even sent a WeChat message to ask him directly: Lu YunFei, you’re attached?
Lu YunFei replied succinctly: I’ve been attached since a long time ago.
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Only then did the other party give up, and even gave him her well wishes.
After Lu YunFei was done replying the WeChat, he realised something and asked Bian JinYuan, “What about you? Don’t couples usually get matching rings?”
Bian JinYuan smiled and said softly, “I want you to gift me one,” he looked at Lu YunFei, his eyes bright. He scooted closer, his gaze never losing focus, and his voice laden with honey as he cajoled, “Is gege willing to buy one for me?”
Lu YunFei’s heart exploded. He could only feel that his boyfriend was too amazing. Forget about rings, even if Bian JinYuan requested for a beach villa, he would also be willing to buy one for him!
He moved closer to kiss Bian JinYuan, face slightly flushed as he nodded, “Buying! I’ll buy whatever you want.”
Bian JinYuan reached out to hug him, his heart full of happiness.
The ring that Lu YunFei gifted him was similar to what he wore, a simple band. The only difference was that the ring that Lu YunFei bought was more expensive and studded with gems, scintillating a bit more. He chose to gift it to Bian JinYuan on his own birthday, and when he put it on his finger, he asked, “Do you like it?”
According to Bian JinYuan’s personality, he would prefer something simple and without any frills, a low key kind of accessory. However, Lu YunFei much preferred the contemporary trends such as this. Bian JinYuan looked at the ring that was obviously a contrast to his style and smiled as he nodded his head.
He really did like it. He liked having a splash of Lu YunFei appear on his body, just like how he belonged to Lu YunFei.
He lowered his head to kiss Lu YunFei and said, “I like it very much, thank you Fei Fei.”
Lu YunFei smiled as he clasped their hands together. Looking at them closely, the two rings displayed completely different styles, yet had a similar form, and so they looked coincidentally harmonious.
Lu YunFei held his hand and weaved their fingers together. The two rings glimmered under the light, and Lu YunFei lowered his head to kiss the ring on Bian JinYuan’s hand. He looked up at him and said joyfully, “Since you’re wearing my ring, you’re mine now!”
Bian JinYuan chuckled, “I’ve always been yours.”
On Christmas, Bian JinYuan who seldom posted to his friends circle, finally posted his third post of the year: My partner’s gift [heart], accompanied by a photo of a ring. Numerous girls shockingly realised that the study god also posted to his friends circle, followed swiftly by heartbreak after reading the description carefully.
Of course, Bian Jie and Yuan Shuo never knew about this, as they were outside of the friends circle.
The girls who didn’t believe it tentatively asked Lu YunFei the next day in class, “Bian JinYuan really has a partner?”
Lu YunFei was very truthful, “He does.”
“What’s his partner like? Attractive?”
Lu YunFei was all smiles, “Very attractive.”
“Gentle?”
Lu YunFei thought about it, “Quite gentle I guess.”
“Are they compatible?”
“Very compatible.”
“What kind of family background?”
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“Pretty good.”
The other party heard this and furrowed their brows, “A fair, wealthy beauty?”
Lu YunFei nodded without changing his expression, “More or less.”
And so the other party gave up, and now it was Lu YunFei’s turn to ask her, “Why did you ask me these questions instead of asking Bian JinYuan directly?”
The girl smiled and said in embarrassment, “He’s only ever ignored everyone except for you. If I had asked him, he would never have answered. So I figured I might as well ask you. After all, you’re both close, so you would definitely know things regarding him.”
Lu YunFei knocked on the desk and said smilingly, “Not necessarily. If you ask him about his partner, he might very well answer you.”
“Huh?”
“You could go try it out,” Lu YunFei instigated.
And so, laden with curiosity, the girl stopped Bian JinYuan at the entrance of the library and asked hesitatingly, “Student Bian, do you have a girlfriend?”
Bian JinYuan silently raised his hand to show her the ring on his finger, its meaning clear.
“I see. Then, what kind of person is she?”
Bian JinYuan thought for a moment before replying her: “A very good person whom I like.”
The girl hadn’t expected for him to actually reply her, and said in surprise: “When did you two meet?”
“High school.”
“Ohhh, so you’re considered to be in a long-distance relationship?”
At this, Bian JinYuan smiled slightly and said to her, “I’ve got to go in.”
Saying this, he went around the other person and headed towards a nearby cubicle.
The girl saw how he had headed straight to the cubicle where Lu YunFei was, froze momentarily, before jolting as if from a dream to send Lu YunFei a WeChat message: He really answered my question!!! And he even smiled at me!!!
Lu YunFei replied: I wasn’t lying to you right.
The girl continuously nodded her head: You’re definitely the one who understands him most!
Of course! Lu YunFei said proudly.
He had guessed that this would happen earlier. If not for the fact that the both of them were male, Bian JinYuan would probably really want to post to his friends circle, to tell everyone that they were together. Even someone as low key and mature as Bian JinYuan would have things that he wanted to show off. And now, because what he wanted to boast about couldn’t be said aloud for some reason, if someone asked him about it, he wouldn’t shy away from the question, and would answer it sincerely. Lu YunFei thought about this, and thought that his Bian Bian was truly so cute!
And so he took advantage of the fact that students were concentrating on studying, and that they were seated on the last row with his seat against the window, and intentionally dropped his pen under the desk. Lu YunFei lowered himself to pick up the ballpoint pen to tap against Bian JinYuan. Bian JinYuan looked down and asked: “What’s wrong?”
Lu YunFei crouched between the desk and the seats and beckoned him to come closer with his hand. Bian JinYuan lowered his head towards him, his eyes full of questions.
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And then, Lu YunFei pressed his hand up against the seat and raised his body to kiss his lips under the cover of the desk.
Bian JinYuan was surprised, but Lu YunFei had already seated himself properly, without an indication of what had just transpired, leaving Bian JinYuan looking at him in surprise, feeling as if there was something sweet in his mouth.
Bian JinYuan couldn’t help but smile, as he quietly held the person beside him.
Quack Notes
The next extra chapter will be about cohabitation! Don’t worry, one of the extras will mention the Tmall Genie.