I Can Still Salvage It

 Pei Zhiyi carried Shen Mian into the dormitory and fortunately, it was already late. There were only white lights in the dormitory corridor and not many people could see them.

When they were young, Pei Zhiyi used to carry Shen Mian often. However, at that time, he wasn’t as tall as he is now. He used to lift Shen Mian up like lifting weights, as if carrying a large-sized doll. But when they entered junior high school, Shen Mian stopped asking him to carry him because he felt it was too embarrassing.

Pei Zhiyi gently placed Shen Mian on the bed, suspecting that Shen Mian was already asleep. But when he was about to let go of Shen Mian, Shen Mian’s arm wrapped around his neck weakly.

Though Shen Mian didn’t exert any force, Pei Zhiyi instinctively lowered his head, propping one hand beside the pillow, which sank softly.

Shen Mian gazed at him with intoxicated eyes.

The room was dimly lit, and the curtains were not drawn. Milky moonlight poured in from the windowsill, illuminating two small green plants on the bedside.

They were bought by Shen Mian and Pei Zhiyi together on the day they moved in.

Shen Mian didn’t know why he held onto Pei Zhiyi. He was just slightly intoxicated, but perhaps it was too warm in the room. The alcohol he drank steamed along with the heat, making him completely drowsy. His mind was now controlled by alcohol, and his actions were without any logic.

He looked at Pei Zhiyi lying on him for a while, then suddenly tilted his head and smiled, speaking in a hazy manner, “Brother, you’re really handsome.”

While saying that, he reached out to touch Pei Zhiyi’s face.

First the eyebrows, then the bridge of the nose, and finally the lips.

As light as a feather’s touch.

His fingers finally stopped on Pei Zhiyi’s lips, lightly pressing on the soft center. It was as if a child had received a new and fascinating toy, and there was even a smile in the corners of his eyes.

Pei Zhiyi knew that Shen Mian was truly drunk . After taking care of Shen Mian for so many years, he could tell how drunk Shen Mian was.

He knew that when Shen Mian woke up the next day, everything about that day would be forgotten.

So he looked at Shen Mian and softly asked, “If I’m so good-looking, why don’t you like me?”

Shen Mian furrowed his brows in confusion, not understanding what Pei Zhiyi was saying.

“I like you,” he responded, slurring his words. “I like you the most.”

Pei Zhiyi’s eyes were as deep as the sea. The moonlight shimmered on the calm surface of the sea, but deep below, there was a dormant volcano.

I like you.

It sounded truly captivating.

But he also knew very well that that wasn’t the kind of liking he wanted.

He lightly tapped the corner of Shen Mian’s eye with his finger and asked in a low voice, “How much longer do I have to wait?”

For you to give me the kind of liking I desire.

This time, Shen Mian didn’t respond.

Because he had fallen asleep.

Pei Zhiyi watched him for a while, got up, fetched water, helped Shen Mian wash up, changed him into pajamas, and then tucked him into bed.

Before going to sleep, he saw the lucky charm placed on the desk, a small blue pendant hanging from the zipper of his backpack.

Pei Zhiyi held it in his hand.

He was never someone who believed in deities and wishes.

But as he looked at that small object, he couldn’t help but wonder if there really were deities in the world that could bless relationships.

Whether it was studies or sports he always excelled with little effort.

Only emotions were beyond his control.

To the point where he even wanted to place his hopes on elusive wishes.

Pei Zhiyi stood in front of the desk for a while, then put down the lucky charm.

Before going to sleep, he heard 007 suddenly sound in his mind: “Random mission: Take care of the intoxicated host Shen Mian. Mission completed, 3 points awarded.”

Pei Zhiyi raised an eyebrow in surprise and said to 007, “Thanks.”

That was practically a freebie.

The next day, Shen Mian learned that he had gained 3 points when asleep.

He hadn’t slept well that night and didn’t know if it was because of the alcohol, but he had been dreaming all night.

However, he was still woken up twenty minutes earlier by Pei Zhiyi.

“Get up and take a shower. You fell asleep while you were drunk,” Pei Zhiyi said as he carried him into the bathroom, adding, “You’re not allowed to drink anymore.”

Shen Mian didn’t resist and washed up and brushed his teeth with a dejected look.

He woke up with a slight headache and immediately regretted drinking the previous night.

Even until after breakfast and the morning self-study session, Shen Mian still felt listless.

And when the morning self-study ended, he felt even more down. He heard a piece of news that displeased him.

Pei Zhiyi’s training camp for that competition would last for a week, and it wasn’t at their school. Several schools had come together and borrowed a training facility to gather those top students for training and friendly competitions.

They would depart in three days.

Shen Mian leaned on the desk, his notes scribbled messily.

Only at times like this would he hate himself for being a school underachiever. He didn’t know how to study hard, so he could only watch others go to the training camp with Pei Zhiyi.

He felt bored even when he was separated from Pei Zhiyi for two days during the National Day holiday. But now, it would be a whole week, and the thought of it made his stomach ache.

Shen Mian drew a circle with the tip of his pen on his notebook, feeling that even the teacher’s lecture, the sound of note-taking in the classroom, and the buzzing of insects outside the window irritated him.

Pei Zhiyi noticed Shen Mian’s low spirits.

“Don’t you want me to go?” he asked Shen Mian softly.

Shen Mian didn’t know how to answer. No, he really wanted Pei Zhiyi to go. It was a competition that would benefit Pei Zhiyi, and he not only wanted Pei Zhiyi to go but also wanted him to come in first.

What he hated was that he couldn’t go with him.

What he hated was that he wouldn’t see Pei Zhiyi for a whole week.

Shen Mian pursed his lips, scribbled some words on the notebook, and pushed it toward Pei Zhiyi.

“I’ll miss you, and I want to see you standing on the award stage!”

The exclamation mark was particularly prominent.

Pei Zhiyi smiled lightly, he didn’t say anything, but gently held Shen Mian’s hand under the desk.

Shen Mian slightly struggled for a moment, then gave up contentedly.

While the teacher at the front was talking about the chemical reaction of water and sodium, time seemed to slow down in their corner. The warmth from Pei Zhiyi’s palm spread to the back of Shen Mian’s hand, and his previously restless heart suddenly became calm.

The tree leaves outside the window cast faint shadows on the notebook. He wrote down the reaction equation and flipped to the next page, only to find that the notebook was used up until the last page.

On the back cover, right in the center, there was a scribbled heart.

Three days later, in the evening, the bus to the training camp arrived at the school, and Pei Zhiyi’s luggage was packed next to his bed.

Shen Mian sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the suitcase with a scrutinizing gaze, wondering if he could hide inside without being noticed.

Of course, that could only be a thought.

He still had to go to school, and the training base didn’t allow outsiders to visit.

During those three days, he received a special task again, which was to knit a scarf for Pei Zhiyi, worth 20 points.

He complained to Agent 007 while buying the thread. He hid in his room after school, diligently studying the knitting techniques from videos, even more seriously than he did for his studies.

He chose a turmeric-colored scarf and thought to himself that it would go well with Pei Zhiyi’s face though he felt that his childhood friend was truly a handsome guy, and any color would look good on him.

He was a little reluctant to part with Pei Zhiyi, but didn’t know what to say, so he tactfully changed the subject, “If my mom and Shen Yu find out I’m knitting a scarf for you, they would definitely tease me endlessly. I can’t even do elementary school crafts properly.”

Actually, how could his mom and sister know?

It was just a task from the system that he wasn’t allowed to talk about.

Pei Zhiyi lowered his head and looked at the messy ball of threads. He felt that Shen Mian was not exaggerating, and only he could see that it was a scarf.

He glanced at the time, there were still fifteen minutes until the bus would leave, and Shen Mian had to go to the evening self-study.

They would be separated for a week, during which he wouldn’t be able to help Shen Mian with basic tasks.

So, he took a step forward, lowered his head, and kissed Shen Mian.

“Let’s finish this week’s tasks first.”

Pei Zhiyi bit Shen Mian’s lips and murmured unclearly.

Shen Mian heard it, but it seemed like he didn’t quite catch it.

He raised his head, blinked his eyelashes, and gently brushed against Pei Zhiyi’s cheek.

Then, almost instinctively, he opened his lips without waiting for Pei Zhiyi’s tongue to part them, welcoming this invasion.

His hand grabbed the button on Pei Zhiyi’s chest, a white mother-of-pearl button. That shirt was a gift he gave to Pei Zhiyi the previous year, and now Pei Zhiyi was wearing it to attend the competition.

…

When the kiss ended, Shen Mian’s breath was a little unsteady.

He didn’t even realize that his face was red and he was blushing, and he smiled at Pei Zhiyi, saying, “Brother, do your best in the training and competition, you can do it.”