Chapter 14
Gu Shuo looked at the bed with a puzzled expression, only to see Gu Juncheng lying on it, holding a pen and staring blankly at the door.
Smelling the scent of alcohol in the room, Gu Shuo frowned and asked, "Have you been drinking?"
"Mm..." Gu Juncheng pretended to respond weakly. As a result, Gu Shuo took his strange behavior as a manifestation of being drunk.
Gu Shuo asked, "It looks like there was boiled water in the kitchen. Did you make hangover tea?"
"Yeah."
"Then it seems you're not too drunk," Gu Shuo sighed. "Drink less in the future and focus on your studies during the winter break..."
After a few more nagging comments, Gu Shuo left the room and closed the door.
Once Gu Shuo was gone, Gu Juncheng locked the door and called on the Pen God to appear, but there was no response.
"Quickly change back," Gu Juncheng commanded assertively.
As a supernatural entity, Cheng Xuyuan had no choice but to obey and emotionlessly transformed back into his teenage form.
Just as he was about to question if Gu Juncheng had lost his mind, the latter pounced on him, pressing him onto the bed and continued their unfinished kiss.
Not until Cheng Xuyuan was left gasping for breath did the other let him go. Both of them were panting slightly, with the young man's heated breath falling on Cheng Xuyuan’s face, leaving him at a loss.
"You... you're drunk. Go to sleep," Cheng Xuyuan barely managed to get the words out.
"I'm not drunk."
Gu Juncheng wickedly leaned in close to his ear and whispered, causing Cheng's ears to instantly turn hot red.
"You must be crazy, right?!" Cheng Xuyuan attempted to push against his solid chest, but couldn't muster any strength. "I'm a man! I have a... you know what! Do you understand?!"
"I know," Gu Juncheng responded with a smirk, "I felt it."
"You..." Cheng Xuyuan was shocked and dismayed, realizing his own body was responding to the contact unwillingly.
Their close proximity was making Cheng feel uncomfortable. He swallowed and hoarsely managed to say, "Don't do this..."
Finally, Gu Juncheng let him go.
Once they separated, Cheng Xuyuan quickly put distance between them. He watched Gu Juncheng warily and said, "I don't know what's gotten into your head, but I'm straight. Straight!"
"Straight?" Gu Juncheng looked into his eyes. "Before I met you, I thought I was straight, too. But do you know when I see you, I just want to..."
"Stop talking!"
Cheng Xuyuan glared at him, fearing he would utter some profanity. He frantically questioned the system in his mind, "Does satisfying needs include... these kinds of needs? I protest! Protest!"
The system was silent for a moment before replying, "It seems you weren't putting up much of a fight, though?"
"Who says?!"
"You are the Pen God, why couldn't you push a mortal away?"
"That's because..." Cheng Xuyuan wanted to argue, but found his words faltering.
Cheng Xuyuan forced himself to calm down. He took several deep breaths, then said to Gu Juncheng with a stern demeanor: "No matter why you did what you did, it's not going to happen a second time. Your task is to learn. Got it?"
Gu Juncheng looked at him with a hurt expression and nodded.
________________________
However, the very next day...
"Is my solution for this question correct?" Gu Juncheng pointed at a chemistry problem and looked over at Cheng Xuyuan.
Cheng Xuyuan glanced at it and nodded, saying, "Yes, it's correct. You're really good."
"Then reward me."
Cheng Xuyuan rolled his eyes and asked, "What do you want?"
Gu Juncheng raised a slender finger and pointed at his own thin lips.
Cheng Xuyuan’s expression was one of shock: "In your dreams!"
Gu Juncheng arched an eyebrow at him. At that moment, the voice of the system resounded in his brain: "Plug-in Rule No. 3..."
And so, a brief kiss touched Gu Juncheng's lips like a bolt of lightning. The very next second, the Pen God quickly returned to his initial position, burying his head in his book as if nothing had happened.
Gu Juncheng smiled contentedly.
Since then, such episodes would take place from time to time. Gu Juncheng took advantage of the Pen God’s inability to resist him and found all sorts of excuses to steal kisses, causing the Pen God to transform back into a pen immediately after his lessons, even forgoing his little cookies.
In the face of the crumbling romance arcs between the protagonists, the system had no intention of intervening. It nonchalantly encouraged Cheng Xuyuan to persevere in his studies instead.
"Besides, you're not losing out, the leading man is so handsome," the system reasoned.
"Do you have no conscience at all?!" Cheng Xuyuan was heartbroken.
Although Cheng Xuyuan seemed resistant to Gu Juncheng's aggressive moves, he didn't actually find them repulsive. As a straight man, he initially thought he'd be very averse to such a scenario, but in reality, his heart would always race each time.
It must be because this kid is a great kisser! Cheng Xuyuan found an excuse for himself.
________________________
A week later...
The final exam results were mailed to the Gu family. Gu Shuo was even more excited than Gu Juncheng himself. He eagerly opened the envelope as soon as it reached his hands. Moments later, astonishment and joy were written all over his face.
"First in the year! First in the year!"
Gu Shuo's voice was exuberant, as if he wanted the entire neighborhood to hear him.
As for Gu Minghao, he only ranked 35th. Although it was within his normal range, it paled in comparison to Gu Juncheng. Hearing Gu Shuo's incessant praise for Gu Juncheng, Gu Minghao's face turned green with envy.
Gu Juncheng checked the year-wide results in the class group chat. His name was above Feng Linjie's, but only by 0.5 points.
Nevertheless, this was akin to a depth charge exploding in the calm waters of Nancheng No. 1 High School, sending ripples of shock across the pond.
Feng Linjie had held the title of first place in Nancheng No. 1 High School for more than two years without any challengers. Although Gu Juncheng only surpassed him by 0.5 points, it undoubtedly shattered Feng Linjie's unbeatable legend.
"Pen God," Gu Juncheng said as he sat at his desk, looking at the young man lying on the bed reading a comic. "I ranked first in the year."
Cheng Xuyuan, uninterested, replied: "Hmm, I know."
"I want a reward."
Cheng Xuyuan rolled his eyes and said, "Will this ever end?"
"It won't."
Just as Cheng Xuyuan was about to say something, a figure suddenly appeared before him. A hand took away his comic book, and the handsome pair of eyes revealed a sense of longing.
Gu Juncheng propped his hands on either side of the young man, gazing at him unblinkingly.
"What are you trying to do?" Cheng Xuyuan swallowed nervously.
"Kabedon."
Cheng Xuyuan's eyes widened in surprise, and the next second, all his words were stuck in his throat. Gu Juncheng's weight pressed down on him, leaving him almost breathless.
The lingering kiss lasted for five minutes before Gu Juncheng, reluctant to part, lifted his head. A transparent thread connected their slightly parted lips.
The gleam in Gu Juncheng's eyes was impossible to ignore. Looking at Cheng Xuyuan's slightly flushed cheeks, he spoke in a hoarse whisper, "If... if I manage to rank in the city's top five on this mock test, could you grant me one wish?"
Cheng Xuyuan decisively shook his head.
Gu Juncheng made a move to lean in for a kiss again.
"Alright, I agree! Just stop kissing," Cheng Xuyuan quickly capitulated, "My lips are already swollen..."
Nevertheless, Gu Juncheng cracked a satisfied smile and leaned in to kiss him again.
After enduring more than half of the winter vacation, Cheng Xuyuan finally resigned himself to the situation. By now, he found a bit of comfort amidst Gu Juncheng's incessant kisses, and he even found a touch of warmth in the chilly winter weather.
Had Cheng Xuyuan given in?
No, he hadn't. When he thought of the girls he had liked in the past, he still felt something. However, whenever he was with Gu Juncheng, his reactions were somewhat... out of the ordinary.
________________________
Before they knew it, New Year's Eve had arrived.
After dinner, Gu Juncheng rode his bicycle with Cheng Xuyuan to the city center of South Town. There stood a tall observation tower, providing a clear view of the crowd by the river anticipating the arrival of the New Year.
"Every year at this time, people here light fireworks to celebrate the New Year," Gu Juncheng face appeared even more coldly handsome under the tower's lights, "Soon, you will see a display of tree-like fire and silver flowers lighting up the night."
"You seem to know your classic poetry quite well."
Cheng Xuyuan had switched to a black down jacket due to the changing season. His fair skin stood out remarkably in the crowd; almost everyone gave him a second glance, losing themselves for a moment.
Disliking the attention Cheng Xuyuan was receiving, Gu Juncheng shielded him behind himself and led him to the top of the observation tower. Standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, they had an unobstructed view of the most bustling part of South Town.
Excitedly, Cheng Xuyuan flattened himself against the window, blew his breath to fog it up and then wrote the letters "CXY" with his finger.
Perplexed, Gu Juncheng asked from behind him, "What do these letters mean?"
"My name," Cheng Xuyuan replied rather pompously, looking back at him, "Of course, a god can't just tell his name to mere mortals."
Surprised, Gu Juncheng glanced at the letters on the glass window and curiously inquired, "Do gods even have names?"
Cheng Xuyuan nodded, a playful smile in his eyes.
Gu Juncheng breathed on the window next to Cheng Xuyuan's letters, and using his slender fingers, he wrote "GJC" beside "CXY." Following that, he flashed a shiny grin, revealing his small canines, and said, "Locked."
"Locked?" Cheng Xuyuan, with his straightforward personality, didn't understand the meaning of the word.
Just as he was about to inquire, the clock struck midnight, and countless dazzling fireworks burst into the night sky simultaneously.
Cheng Xuyuan stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, his eyes wide with delight watching the fireworks of all shapes and colors. Gu Juncheng, standing beside him, didn't gaze at the night sky. As the crowd gasped in amazement, his eyes remained fixed on the young man beside him.
The myriad of colors flickered on the youth's eyes, making them appear as if they contained the most brilliant constellations. Cheng Xuyuan looked stupefied, his mouth slightly agape.
Unbeknownst to him, his amazed expression had caught someone else's attention.
"I like you..."
Gu Juncheng's voice was barely audible, drowned out by the cacophonous noise of fireworks and people all around them.
Cheng Xuyuan looked up at him and asked loudly, "What did you say—"
Gu Juncheng smirked and responded just as loudly, "I said—let's—take a picture together—"
"Alright—yeah—"
Cheng Xuyuan smiled, looking delighted.
Gu Juncheng picked up his phone, switched it to night mode, and the two handsome young men leaned close to each other in front of the camera.
Cheng Xuyuan naively made a "V" sign with his fingers. Yet, his charming appearance prevailed, making him look stunning even with the devilishly tricky front-facing camera.
Gu Juncheng's looks were equally striking. As they stood side by side, he tilted his head, bringing his face close to Cheng Xuyuan's.
The moment the shutter clicked, a dazzling firework bloomed behind them, scattering stars across the sky.
In Gu Juncheng's memory, it was the most beautiful scene of their eighteenth year.
________________________
Author's note:
Hello everyone, I'm the firework behind them, and as Cheng Xuyuan said, those who click the bookmark button will get to spend New Year's with their beloved ones.
I've finished filling out the contract information and I'm waiting for the editor to mail it out; I have no idea how much longer it will take.
I truly appreciate the lovely readers in the comments section who have provided me with the motivation to continue writing daily updates. Thank you, and sending you all love hearts!!
No comments:
Post a Comment