Ch15 - Process of Falling in Love

Sunnyshies: I saw many of you in the comments were so confused! Hahaha, the flashbacks will answer every questions you have!

When did Shu Jin discover that he liked Sheng Xinghe? 

It was about seven or eight years ago.

During that time, several times, he couldn’t help but secretly look at Sheng Xinghe’s face. It’s not surprising that boys that look good attract attention, but Sheng Xinghe does not belong to this category.

Almost everyone feels uncomfortable when they see Sheng Xinghe’s face for the first time. Such a good-looking face, but the beauty was completely destroyed by that turbid and terrifying gray right eye. This attracts all the attention and makes people unconsciously imagine what kind of tragic experience this young man has experienced.

If they are not very familiar, ordinary people cannot openly set their eyes on Sheng Xinghe’s face. They would worry whether such a gaze would make Sheng Xinghe uncomfortable, and worried about being misunderstood, since they are all looking at his broken part. 

Shu Jin did the same at the beginning.

But during that time when he came back to his senses, he would find himself staring at Sheng Xinghe for a long time—— Sheng Xinghe is always so indifferent. He accepts everything and embraces everything. He felt at ease with it, and he really didn’t look like a person who came from a poor family in a small town.

Shu Jin thought, what does it matter if one of his eyes is blinded?

Sheng Xinghe is so good, he is many times better than many healthy people. People who like him shouldn’t care about this at all.

Having peeked at him more often, Sheng Xinghe would occasionally turn his head by intuition and ask Shu Jin: “What are you looking at?”

Shu Jin was caught, his heartbeat missed a beat, and he said indiscriminately: “Who’s looking at you? I’m scolding you in secret!”

Sheng Xinghe rubbed his head: “I just can’t see, I’m not deaf!”

Shu Jin’s face and ears were red. 

Later, Sheng Xin He’s occasional words would also cause his heart to race. If what he said was a compliment, then he would even unconsciously recall it before going to bed, curling his body in excitement and having trouble sleeping.

Sometimes while Sheng Xinghe does his exam questions, Shu Jin would be next to him drawing pictures.

He stuffed the fruit auntie cut into his mouth from time to time, making his cheeks bulged: “Brother, do you think this design is perfect?”

His design ideas are fantastic oddities of every description. It has everything, from the cup to the house, he draws whatever he could think of. 

Sheng Xinghe stopped writing, and looked over. He smiled and asked: “Are you planning to be an architect?”

Shu Jin said: “It’s okay to be an architect, but I’m afraid I won’t pass the exam. However, it doesn’t matter if I fail to pass the exam, I can still be an interior designer, landscape designer, product designer or whatever.” He then pointed to the picture and couldn’t wait to ask, “What do you think?”

Sheng Xinghe looked at it seriously and said: “I really like this kind of house and want to live in it.”

Shu Jin responded, then took the paper back. He imagined Sheng Xinghe living in it, and quietly modified the drawing according to his personality, and then quietly clipped it into the book. He took it out during class, and recalled Sheng Xinghe’s calm profile when looking at the blueprint. 

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

After Sheng Xinghe went to college, Shu Jin was already aware of his own feelings, and was afraid of having his feelings known.

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Sheng Xinghe: “How can that be?”

Shu Jin sullenly said: “I don’t want them to stare at you.”

When Sheng Xinghe first came to school in high school, someone would always go outside of his classroom and stare at him, Shu Jin hated that situation.

“No one is staring at me.” He can’t see Sheng Xinghe’s face, he could only hear his voice, “Then if someone really bullies me, can you still come over?” 

“Of course.” Shu Jin said, pretending to be fierce, “I will bring Puffs and let it bite them to death.”

Sheng Xinghe smiled over there.

Finally, he said, “The students in the dorm are very nice, very helpful and polite.”

Shu Jin was sad. 

He used to be the only one around Sheng Xinghe, but now he’s in a place he can’t see, making friends with other people, and no longer needs him to “back him up” at school.

The longer they were apart, the more he missed Sheng Xinghe.

Gradually, he learned that this feeling is called liking.

He missed Sheng Xinghe’s eyes, fingers, and smell. The feeling of walking side by side when they walked the dog together, and the many nights they spent in each other’s company in the audio-visual room on the second floor. 

Shu Jin faintly knew that this was wrong.

He was only a teenager, he didn’t dare to tell anyone, nor did he dare to share such feelings with anyone.

The frequency of phone calls changed from often to occasionally. Sheng Xinghe was busy studying, while Shu Jin also kept himself busy. Two months have passed, as if everything has returned to the period when Sheng Xinghe did not ever come. He did not miss Sheng Xinghe much anymore, and it unexpectedly felt like his heart was like water.

Maybe it was just an illusion, he told himself, and he was deeply relieved. 

Until one night, after the end of the evening study, Sheng Xinghe held the dog waiting for him in front of the school.

The students came out in a line. Standing under a tree, Sheng Xinghe seemed to stand out among a group of students. When Shu Jin saw him at glance, his heartbeat instantly lost control, beating like a drum: Why did he come back suddenly? Has he grown taller?

Did he see me?

His friend also saw Sheng Xinghe and pushed Shu Jin: “Hey, your brother is here.” 

Shu Jin: “…”

His friend sighed: “Even if he only have one eye, your brother is really handsome——”

Shu Jin had already rushed over.

“Brother, why did you suddenly come back?!” Shu Jin’s hair was messed up, and the strap of his school bag was pressed against the one side of his school uniform collars, “You didn’t even tell me!” 

Sheng Xinghe pulled out his collar casually: “I came back this afternoon, and when I heard that a section of the street light at the entrance was broken, I figured I’d come to pick you up.”

Shu Jin’s heart was pounding, and his eardrums were also clamoring with excitement.

Not knowing how to react for a moment, or what would be more natural, he reached out and took the dog leash: “Puffs!”

The dog lifted his paw on his lap, then he rubbed the dog’s head indiscriminately, and the two of them led the dog on their way home. 

Only after he walked to that section of the road did he find a bit of his composure and said: “The street light went out yesterday, and there were stones on the road, and I almost fell last night.”

When they were walking toward the villa area, there were only a few cars, so the road was dark.

Only the city lights in the distance reflected the sky.

Sheng Xinghe flashed a flashlight with one hand, and pulled Shu Jin with the other: “Walk more steadily.” 

It’s not like the two of them haven’t held hands before.

It’s obviously just a normal contact, but the moment Sheng Xinghe’s fingertips touched the back of his hand, Shu Jin almost jumped up: “I, I will go to your right!”

Sheng Xinghe: “No.”

Shu Jin bit the bullet, and said: “You can’t see here, it’s safer.” 

Sheng Xinghe did not force it any further.

They’re walk did not take too long. Shu Jin would occasionally reprimand Puffs for trying to pick up something on the road, and pulling it back on it’s leash.

The two did not speak much.

It was as if the two-month separation had made them change a little subtly, and Shu Jin couldn’t tell why. 

When they got out of this section, the view was filled with light again, and they were bathed in bright light. Shu Jin then realized that Sheng Xinghe was looking down at him, as if he had something to say, but again there seems to be none.

Shu Jin couldn’t help but wonder whether Sheng Xinghe happened to like him a little too.

He knew that such though was shameful, and instinctively believed that there should not be any other boys who like the same sex, let alone such clean and proud Sheng Xinghe.

Sheng Xinghe turned off the flashlight and said flatly: “Let’s go.” 

Shu Jin led the dog behind him.

When they returned home, Shu Zhaoyuan was also there, and when he saw them coming back, he said: “Why is Xiao Sheng also back?”

Sheng Xinghe called “Uncle” politely.

Shu Jin asked: “When did you come back, dad?” 

“I just arrived. Xiao Sheng came back just in time!” Shu Zhaoyuan smiled, “Uncle was about to call you, now it’s better to talk in person like this.”

Shu Zhaoyuan received a new order. In recent years, his deeds of continuously funding outstanding poor students have attracted the attention of the local town government of Lingjiang, and they have been listed as cooperative enterprises. The development of the factory is no longer the same as before.

The business was doing well, and Shu Zhaoyuan was busier than before. Shu Jin often didn’t see him for a month.

Shu Jin went to pour water for Puffs, and when he came out, he heard Shu Zhaoyuan say to Sheng Xinghe: “Uncle will be here, there will be a personal interview in this newspaper, and it will take up half of the page! They said that they wanted to contact you, and will do a small interview. It’s faceless ones, and they will just ask a few small questions and let you talk about your growth experience over the years. When do you think you are free?” 

Shu Zhaoyuan did not ask “if you can”, but directly asked “when are you free”.

The living room was quiet for a few seconds.

His father’s inquiry made Shu Jin feel very uncomfortable.

But Sheng Xinghe said: “Is it okay the day after tomorrow? I’m going to visit Grandpa’s grave tomorrow and have to go back to Lingjiang.” 

Only then did Shu Jin remember that these days happened to be the life sacrifice of Sheng Xinghe’s grandpa. He would also go back at this time before, so it’s no wonder he suddenly came back.

Shu Zhaoyuan promised: “Yes, you can, then I will trouble you. Remember to answer the phone!”

He patted Sheng Xinghe on the shoulder and went back to the room.

Shu Jin was dissatisfied: “Why did you agree? I don’t want you to be in the newspaper. Those people will just ask you all sort of messy questions!” 

What’s the use of those kinds of interviews other than digging up the past experiences of the people involved to highlight the good deeds of the main characters?

Sheng Xinghe said, “It’s okay, this is what I should do.”

Sheng Xinghe’s attitude made Shu Jin angry all of the sudden, but he couldn’t tell what he was angry about, so he went upstairs angrily, and said as he walked: “Then let others laugh at you! I don’t care about you!”

The author has something to say: 

The next chapter is also a flashback.