GTAS Arc 1 Ch.18

On the way back to the apartment, Song Qihan was explaining to Yuan Feng for Shen Liyu the whole time. He was still obviously intoxicated, with his tone slurring every once in a while. He did admit to them that he had drunk a bit too much at the celebration and had only rushed back to the office when he remembered that he still had to check Shen Liyu’s test paper. However, it was too late for him to realize that he wasn’t in the proper state to check those papers after all, and now he was bothering Shen Liyu to take care of him.

Then, in front of Yuan Feng, he turned to look at Shen Liyu, who was helping him support his sluggish body. He then apologized in a deep voice, expressing his sincerest gratitude to him right after.

“Junior Shen, I’m really sorry for troubling you in this matter. Having such a good junior like you, Senior Brother really appreciates it.”

“It’s no trouble,” Shen Liyu softly mumbled with his head lowered. However, in his heart, he couldn’t help but feel that there was something more to his words when he heard them. 

Was Song Qihan implying that he was happy and satisfied to have such a bold and proactive junior like him who always throws himself into his arms and seduces him?

Tsk tsk! Truly worthy [1] for being known for immersing himself in academia for several years! Despite the lewd nature of the words coming out of Song Qihan’s mouth, he was still able to retain his gentlemanly bearing…

Yuan Feng frowned as he watched Shen Liyu, who had been speaking incoherently just now, suddenly become both obedient and docile. Right then, he felt a wave of confusion and frustration. He was confused as to why Shen Liyu would let him misunderstand him. Why didn’t Shen Liyu try to explain or clarify things when he misunderstood? Why did he just let him speculate freely?

Even if he thought Shen Liyu was such a filthy person, Shen Liyu…wouldn’t he bother to care at all?

“Junior Yuan, it’s really not necessary for you to come along. You should head back… Junior Yuan?”

By this time, they had reached the entrance of the apartment building. It was only when Song Qihan spoke that Yuan Feng snapped back to reality. He then looked at Shen Liyu with an unnatural expression before assuring them in a loud voice. “It’s alright, Senior Song. Since I’m already here, I can just go back with Shen Liyu.”

Shen Liyu, upon hearing this, lifted his head. He gave Yuan Feng a puzzled gaze, who remained standing there and insisted that he could just go back to their dorm with him. But when did he become so close to this self-righteous guy? Why was he not even aware of this sudden development?

Song Qihan looked even more unnatural. After hesitating for a moment, he finally cleared his throat. As he shook off Shen Liyu’s little paws that was still supporting him, he spoke in a deep voice, “Then, in that case, Junior Shen, you can go back with Junior Yuan…”

Before Song Qihan could even finish his sentence, Shen Liyu suddenly reached out and grabbed his sleeve. He looked up at him with his delicate face, his beautiful eyes pleading. “Senior Song, I’m still worried about you! How about I stay tonight to take care of you? I-I can make hangover soup for you! I swear!”

Hearing Shen Liyu’s words, both Yuan Feng and Song Qihan were taken aback.

“Uhm, alright…”

Yuan Feng then watched Shen Liyu’s figure disappear around the corner of the staircase with Song Qihan. At this moment, the street lamp above Yuan Feng flickered on and off while the cold night air made Yuan Feng shiver involuntarily. His face was mired with a trace of loneliness.

He clearly wanted to be alone with Shen Liyu for a while, hoping to apologize to Shen Liyu for his previous excessive behavior…

As soon as he settled himself inside the apartment, Song Qihan leaned his body against the sofa. However, he was still a bit dizzy, finding the lights on the ceiling too bright for his liking. At this moment, he had already taken off his dark suit jacket, leaving his white shirt bare. As for the tie, he had already loosened it, placing it on the table beside him. Removing his gold-rimmed glasses, he then raised his arm to rest it on his smooth forehead in an attempt to shield his gaze from the glaring lights, squinting his eyes in the process, which were still obscured by a drunken haze.

Shen Liyu suddenly emerged from the kitchen, wearing an orange apron over his clothes. Seeing Song Qihan’s current state, he immediately walked straight to the doorway and turned off the living room light.

Song Qihan then lowered his arm as he murmured his gratitude in a low voice.

“Don’t push yourself too much. If you’re feeling uncomfortable, you can sleep for a while. I’ll call you when I have the hangover soup finally prepared.”

Shen Liyu’s soft, gentle voice rang in Song Qihan’s ear. Then he watched his small figure in the darkness return to the brightly lit kitchen. It didn’t take too long for the sound of running water to eventually ensue.

Song Qihan couldn’t help but smile. Just now, Shen Liyu didn’t address him as “Senior Song.” Even such a small difference made Song Qihan feel as if he were lying on a soft cloud, feeling like he was in a dreamscape…

Ever since he saw Shen Liyu’s pitiful appearance at the hotel, Song Qihan’s heart and his whole being had been completely occupied by him the entire day. It was something he had never experienced before!

“Because I like you, Senior Song~ Have you never noticed it?” 

Even now, Song Qihan still couldn’t forget about his confession. And although he tried to maintain a calm exterior, only he knew how fast his heart was beating at that moment!

But when he saw the somewhat desolate figure of Shen Liyu walking out of the office with his test papers, Song Qihan suddenly felt a sense of fear. He feared that because of his rejection, Shen Liyu would finally stop liking him…

As for the promise to help the female teacher in dealing with their lesson plans and computer repair, Song Qihan regretted it right before he even reached her desk. He didn’t even stay longer by her side. He immediately hastily apologized and rushed out of the office, wanting to make amends with Shen Liyu; but he couldn’t see his small figure anymore.

In the end, he was informed by a passing student that Shen Liyu had gone to the playground with a few other people.

It wasn’t that Shen Liyu was a popular student who attracted attention from a lot of people, but those students he was with were well-known troublemakers on the school campus. Seeing ordinary students with those troublemakers would naturally lead passersby to associate such sights with bad things, such as campus violence…

That’s why Song Qihan appeared in the playground restroom.

The consequences of a momentary impulse left Song Qihan unsure of how to face Shen Liyu. But just as he made up his mind to talk to him, he overheard a conversation between some students and accidentally learned about the scandalous posts posted on the school’s website

Because he rushed to the hotel, it could be said that he was one of the first eyewitnesses on the scene. No one knew better than him what had exactly happened. So he immediately blacklisted the account that posted the thread, deleted the comment, and compelled that account to repost an apology to Shen Liyu.

He then used his own account to directly reply to the post, claiming that Shen Liyu had stayed at his apartment that night because he was tutoring him, and he could prove evidence that the contents of the original post were absolutely false if needed.

Furthermore, in dealing with this matter, he traced the real identity of the person who had posted the thread through the backend data of the campus website. It turned out to be Zhang Yong. He had intended to teach Zhang Yong and his gang of unruly students a lesson during tonight’s self-study session, but it was delayed due to the principal’s celebration, and he also got drunk because of his colleagues’ rounds of toasts…

Everything that happened in the office afterward was essentially an unconscious act of him following his heart.

Now thinking back, Song Qihang really felt that he was simply devoid of conscience and not worthy of being human!

The little joy he had just experienced in his heart disappeared without a trace…

Just at the same time when Song Qihan was engulfed in self-blame and misery on the sofa in the living room, his “innocent and ignorant” junior brother Shen Liyu was in the kitchen, contemplating whether to take action…

“Little Six, what did you just say this thing is used for?” Shen Liyu asked in confusion as he looked at the packet wrapped in white paper that suddenly appeared on the table out of nowhere.

【Host, this can be said to be an extraordinary item, which can quickly ignite the spark of love between you and Song Qihan. Consider it as my meeting gift to you. I hope it can help you conquer Song Qihan a little bit faster. 】

Shen Liyu raised his eyebrows upon hearing this and thought loudly to himself, Stop being so mysterious about it. Just speak to me in human terms.

After Little Six explained it in a more proper manner, Shen Liyu instantly understood what this was all about. The item was simply a love potion. His face turned extremely ugly. “Do I have to use all of this?”

【 Please wait a moment for the amount. I will have to make a follow-up on this 】

Shen Liyu responded with a hmm in his mind before looking at the item with some curiosity in his gaze. He was a bit worried that it might contain a strong herbal scent, which could be problematic if Song Qihan noticed and asked about it…

With this thought in mind, Shen Liyu lowered his small head and intended to smell the item to see if it had any herbal scent. Just as he was about to bring his nose closer, a deep voice suddenly spoke abruptly behind him.

“Liyu. I’m really sorry for troubling you, but I think I can actually do without the hangover soup. I just need some rest.”

As soon as Song Qihan finished speaking, he saw Shen Liyu’s figure suddenly stiffen. Shen Liyu also seemed to mutter a curse under his breath as he had his back turned to him.

Song Qihan immediately rushed over to check, thinking Shen Liyu had burned his hand just now. To his relief, he found nothing amiss other than a piece of white paper floating in the soup pot. He still breathed out a sigh. Reaching out his hands, he gently pressed them on Shen Liyu’s slender shoulders. He then gently cautioned Shen Liyu to be careful.

“Be careful.”

Shen Liyu’s current expression was as if he had eaten dog sh*t just now. His beautiful peach blossom eyes were full of bewilderment and shock. He really should have been a bit more careful! But since the whole packet of the item had just been spilled into the pot, it might be too late for him to do anything now…

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[1] 真不愧 (zhēn bù kuì)” can be translated as “really worthy” or “truly deserving.” It’s often used sarcastically to express disbelief or disappointment in someone’s actions or behavior despite their background or reputation.