Chapter 32: Finally managed to calm the person down.

Qi Mu thought to himself, “I’d be more than happy to be his brother for life, but he’s not willing!” Over such a trivial matter, he’s been sulking for over a month!

Tyrant Qi was dejected and had no interest in doing anything.

Xu Xiaoming was busy writing greeting cards with great enthusiasm. He was really putting in the effort, remembering all those girls’ names.

With nothing to do, Qi Mu watched him write furiously. Xu Xiaoming, without even looking up, asked, “Want one?”

Qi Mu’s mind stirred as he recalled that he had indeed secretly taken one of Xu Xiaoming’s greeting cards.

Xu Xiaoming suddenly became excited. “Let’s play a game!”

Qi Mu, lacking enthusiasm, responded, “Hmm?”

Xu Xiaoming suggested, “Let’s each write a greeting card, just make something up. We’ll give it to the first classmate we see outside who isn’t from our class. How about that?”

Qi Mu gave him a look of disdain. “Boring.”

“Come on,” Xu Xiaoming said, “You’re just sitting around anyway. I want to see who’s lucky enough to get a card from Brother Mu.”

Qi Mu said, “I’m not playing. I don’t want to give out greeting cards.”

Xu Xiaoming said, “Come on, come on. With the final exams approaching, everyone’s all tense. Since we’re just sitting around, let’s give everyone a little surprise.”

Qi Mu replied, “Are you sure it’s a surprise and not a shock?”

“A shock works too,” Xu Xiaoming smirked, “It’s all about stirring up emotions and livening up the atmosphere.”

Normally, Qi Mu wouldn’t play along. Such random antics didn’t fit his Tyrant Qi persona. Although he wasn’t aloof, he never played pranks on others. However, his antics in the first year had been so extreme that they had earned him a reputation that left the entire school in shock.

But now, as he looked at the greeting card, he oddly agreed.

Qi Mu’s eyes flickered. “I have a condition.”

Xu Xiaoming, bored and willing to accept any condition as long as Qi Mu played along, asked, “What is it?”

Qi Mu said, “The greeting card has to be given to the first person we see after school.”

Xu Xiaoming didn’t see any problem with that. “Sure, let’s make it a bit more interesting. We won’t limit it to classmates. If we see a teacher, we’ll give it to them too!”

Qi Mu nodded. “Alright.”

Xu Xiaoming happily handed him a greeting card, specifically picking a pink one with a string of tiny hearts and little rhinestones on the corners, almost dazzling Tyrant Qi’s titanium alloy straight male eyes.

Qi Mu asked, “What’s with your taste?”

Xu Xiaoming said, “Girls all like this!”

Qi Mu opened his mouth to say, “Change it to that one…” He was about to ask for a light gray card but then remembered that someone seemed to really like pink, especially when they were younger. Even though they might not like it now, they could still have a fondness for it deep down.

Xu Xiaoming wanted to see him use the pink card. “No way, I’ve already written on those!”

Qi Mu didn’t insist any further. He bit the pen cap and began to think of words.

Xu Xiaoming encouraged him, “Write something passionate!”

Qi Mu lifted his eyes to look at him. “Write on your face?”

Xu Xiaoming’s face turned pale, and he wisely kept quiet.

Qi Mu stared at the greeting card, hesitating for a long time before putting pen to paper. Xu Xiaoming couldn’t stay quiet for even three seconds before leaning in to take a peek.

Qi Mu didn’t even look up. “If you get any closer, I might just use this pen on you.”

Xu Xiaoming backed off, afraid Qi Mu might actually treat his face like a greeting card.

After finishing, Qi Mu let the card dry for a while and then shut it before lying down to sleep.

With two classes left before school ended, Xu Xiaoming was on edge, itching with curiosity, and extremely eager to see what Qi Mu had written!

It was already unusual for Qi Mu to play this game with him, but to his surprise, he actually took the time to write a greeting card. What did he write?

Who would have the great “fortune” to receive this card? Xu Xiaoming was extremely curious!

Meanwhile, Qi Mu was as steady as a mountain, keeping the card hidden for both classes and sleeping without moving a muscle.

Xu Xiaoming couldn’t sleep. He anxiously counted the time, wishing he could speed up the clock so that the school bell would ring faster.

In fact, Qi Mu wasn’t really asleep, at least not during the first class. He drowsily listened to half of it, but the English teacher’s endless chatter put him to sleep. When the class bell rang, he jolted awake.

Xu Xiaoming couldn’t contain himself anymore. He went out to find Fang Junqi and chattered away, while Qi Mu buried his head on his desk, holding his phone.

He hesitated for a long time, and even when the bell rang, he hadn’t sent the message.

Since Yin Xiuzhu wouldn’t check his messages during class, he could only send them between classes. Now that the break had passed, he wouldn’t see it if he sent it now.

Qi Mu thought for a moment, then put his phone away. He decided not to send it. If Yin Xiuzhu came over, he would give him the card; if not, he’d tear it up! The game was just an excuse; he really just wanted to give Yin Xiuzhu a greeting card and only wanted to give it to him.

When Xu Xiaoming returned from Class One, he saw Qi Mu in a calm and aloof sleeping pose.

Ah… Xu Xiaoming was on edge, wondering which girl would win Tyrant Qi’s favor.

Finally, the school was out, and Xu Xiaoming jumped up as if his butt were on fire, with the teacher unceremoniously tossing a piece of chalk at him.

Injured, Xu Xiaoming sat down and began to groan, “Brother Mu, wake up, it’s time to leave!”

Qi Mu replied, “……” He didn’t want to wake up; he wanted to keep sleeping.

Xu Xiaoming dared not speak too loudly and could only call out in a whisper.

Qi Mu wanted to slap him but didn’t want to reveal that he was pretending to be asleep, so he let Xu Xiaoming continue.

After the teacher assigned homework and gave a long list of instructions, he finally left.

Xu Xiaoming, unable to contain himself, reached out to push Qi Mu. “It’s time to go, let’s…”

Qi Mu, still lying on the desk, said quietly, “Try moving me again and see what happens.”

Xu Xiaoming: “……” Damn! That scared him!

Qi Mu ignored him and continued to sleep.

Xu Xiaoming decided not to provoke him, fearing he might have a bad temper when waking up.

As people came and went outside, Xu Xiaoming watched, almost losing hope. He wondered if Qi Mu really didn’t want to play the game or if he was just teasing him. He had been excited for two classes for nothing!

Qi Mu couldn’t really sleep. He was almost done pretending to be asleep: it had been twenty minutes since class ended, and Yin Xiuzhu still hadn’t come to find him. Did that mean if he didn’t go looking for him, Yin Xiuzhu wouldn’t come? Did he just leave on his own if Qi Mu didn’t wait for him after school?

Although he had accepted the reality that he wouldn’t get additional tutoring, they had agreed to do their homework together. Was it all just Qi Mu’s concern? After all, without him, Yin Xiuzhu would have had an easier time with his homework.

Qi Mu felt uneasy, and his position on the desk became increasingly uncomfortable.

Just then, a familiar voice came from beside him. “Qi Mu, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?” Yin Xiuzhu’s voice was gentle, addressing Xu Xiaoming.

Xu Xiaoming looked dejected. “I don’t know. He’s been sleeping through two classes. There are hardly any people left outside, and he’s still worried about a greeting card!”

Yin Xiuzhu frowned slightly and reached out to touch Qi Mu’s forehead…
Before his hand could reach Qi Mu, Qi Mu lifted his head, looking at him sleepily.

Yin Xiuzhu froze, retracting his hand and averting his gaze awkwardly.

Qi Mu, playing the part of someone just waking up, said, “Is it already after school?”

Xu Xiaoming, with a pained expression, replied, “It’s been half an hour since school ended!”

Qi Mu responded with an “Oh,” scratched his head, and stood up. As he got up, the pink greeting card he had kept hidden for two classes was revealed.

Yin Xiuzhu’s eyes widened in shock as he saw the pink greeting card. His pupils constricted sharply: a pink card, and who gave it to Qi Mu?

Then, he felt as though a needle had pierced his heart, a growing wave of bitterness swelling in his mouth. Qi Mu, who had never been confessed to before, was finally receiving a confession.

Who was this fortunate person?

Yin Xiuzhu’s gaze darkened.

Xu Xiaoming groaned, “Brother Mu, are you going to give this card or not?”

Qi Mu acted as if he had just remembered and, glancing at Yin Xiuzhu, said, “Yes, I’ll give it.”

Xu Xiaoming asked, “To whom? Almost everyone’s left already!”

Qi Mu picked up the card and casually handed it to Yin Xiuzhu. “It’s for the first person I saw after school who wasn’t from our class.”

Xu Xiaoming was left speechless.

Yin Xiuzhu stared at the pink card in his hands, unable to process what was happening.

Qi Mu said, “That’s right, isn’t it? The rule was to give it to the first person I saw after school who wasn’t from our class. And since Yin Xiuzhu is the first person I saw, and he isn’t from our class…”

Xu Xiaoming, looking extremely frustrated, confirmed, “That’s right.”

But that’s not the result he wanted to see! He had hoped to see Qi Mu give the pink card to a female teacher, or at least a female classmate. What’s the point of giving it to Yin Xiuzhu? With their relationship, giving a card is nothing—he wouldn’t be surprised if it were something more intimate!

Qi Mu slung his backpack over his left shoulder and said, “I’m leaving. Heading home.”

Yin Xiuzhu followed, his voice low, “About the greeting card…”

Qi Mu didn’t turn around, casually replying, “Xu Xiaoming insisted I write a card and give it to the first person I saw after school.”

Yin Xiuzhu gripped the card tightly.

Qi Mu cleared his throat and added, “Since you came over, it’s yours.”

Yin Xiuzhu couldn’t help but ask, “What if it had been someone else?”

Qi Mu, unable to hold back his amusement, said with a grin as he left the teaching building and shrugged off Xu Xiaoming, “If it had been someone else, I’d have torn it up.”

At the end of December, the days were getting shorter. By around five o’clock, the sky was already filled with red clouds, with darkness approaching.

Yin Xiuzhu stood on the steps of the teaching building, eyes fixed on the boy in front of him.

He was wearing the most ordinary blue and white school uniform, with a black backpack casually slung over his shoulder. As the cold wind blew, his slightly curled hair stood up a bit more, but nothing could overshadow those bright eyes or the dazzling smile.

He stood there, the setting sun turning into morning, replacing the night with daylight.

Yin Xiuzhu clutched the greeting card tightly as if he had just received an oxygen tank after being submerged deep in the sea.

He read the words on the card—“Yin Xiuzhu, Merry Christmas. I hope we can be good friends for a lifetime!”

Signed, Qi Mu.

From the beginning, this card was meant for Yin Xiuzhu; it was Qi Mu’s gift to him.

The message was simple, broad, and perhaps a bit awkward and formal, but those words pierced deeply into Yin Xiuzhu’s heart.

When he was ten, Qi Mu celebrated Yin Xiuzhu’s first birthday with him.

They shared a small cake in the classroom, and Qi Mu had given him a pink card with a similar message, but it had been for his birthday instead of Christmas.

Yin Xiuzhu remembered, and now Qi Mu remembered too.

The card he had lost had been a lingering regret for Yin Xiuzhu, but now Qi Mu had given him another one.

Good friends for a lifetime.
Yin Xiuzhu stared at the three words “for a lifetime,” unable to tear his gaze away.

This was fine; being able to stay by his side for a lifetime was already his greatest wish.

Qi Mu finally saw Yin Xiuzhu’s long-awaited smile, and he felt a wave of relief—he had finally managed to make things right! At that moment, Qi Mu’s nose felt tinged with a strange emotion, realizing how difficult it had been to mend things. He promised himself never to make Yin Xiuzhu angry again!

On Christmas Eve, which happened to be a weekend, Dong Jisheng returned from abroad.

Xu Xiaoming, who was seething with anger towards him, quickly rounded up everyone with a phone call.

Seeing everyone gathered, Dong Jisheng was quite excited. “Looks like everyone missed me.”

Xu Xiaoming shot back, “Missed you? I missed the chance to punch you!”

With that, he swung a punch at him. Dong Jisheng, who had bulked up from two years of eating hot dogs, hamburgers, and fries, laughed heartily. “What’s up, Xiaoming? Haven’t I treated you well?”

Xu Xiaoming glared at him. “What did you bring me?”

Dong Jisheng, looking innocent, replied, “Isn’t it good? It’s all the latest releases. I’ve seen them and thought they were awesome, so I got them for you.”

Xu Xiaoming’s expression was one of pure frustration. “Awesome? Really? Are you planning something with my butt?”

Qi Mu, Fang Junqi, and Yin Xiuzhu exchanged glances, their expressions speechless.

Xu Xiaoming’s reaction was startling, proving once again that when he was upset, it was a force to be reckoned with!

Dong Jisheng was bewildered. “What’s this all about?”

Xu Xiaoming, never one to hold back, quickly spilled the beans about the pornographic films Dong Jisheng had brought.

Dong Jisheng was left speechless.

Xu Xiaoming confronted him, “Spill it—do you have something going on?”

Dong Jisheng, laughing helplessly, asked, “What did the cover look like?”

Xu Xiaoming described it in detail. Dong Jisheng was silent for a moment before replying, “I get it now.”

Xu Xiaoming pressed, “Get what?”

Dong Jisheng reassured him, “Don’t worry, your butt is safe. It’s me who needs to be careful.”

It turned out that the disc had been given to him by a senior. Dong Jisheng had seen that disc before, but since it was not from the senior who had originally given it to him, he passed it directly to Xu Xiaoming after thinking that it was a duplicate.

Xu Xiaoming understood: “So this senior has feelings for you…”

Dong Jisheng wasn’t too concerned: “He’s bisexual. From the looks of it, he probably has some feelings for me…”

“Bisexual?” Xu Xiaoming was hearing this term for the first time and was very curious, “How does that work?”

Dong Jisheng chuckled and explained to his sheltered friend: “Don’t be so narrow-minded. Love isn’t just between a man and a woman.”