Su Jingming followed Wen Yan into the private dining room. He cast a lazy glance around; most of the people there were familiar faces. He had originally intended to sit next to Ren Wei, but without a word, Wen Yan pulled out a chair right beside himself and fixed his gaze on Su Jingming.
Under the collective gaze of so many people, Su Jingming sat down next to Wen Yan, his expression and posture stiff with self-consciousness. Ren Wei glanced at the empty seat beside him and sighed inwardly. *This must be the nature of male friendship—here one moment, gone the next.*
Song Yifei, acting as if he were the master of ceremonies, plopped down next to Ren Wei. "What are you looking so dejected for?"
"I’m not dejected," Ren Wei replied. "I just suddenly feel like a prize cabbage I’ve been raising for ages was just snatched away by someone else."
Song Yifei looked at Ren Wei in surprise. *Did this big idiot actually notice something?*
Ren Wei continued, "But Wen Yan’s grades are great too; he doesn't need to copy Ming-ge’s answers. When all is said and done, I’m the one who loses out the most."
Song Yifei: "..." *I must have been possessed to think for even a second that you could see how 'gay' those two were acting.*
Back when Su Jingming had been his seatmate, the guy was tough and spoke little, making the path of doing homework quite pleasant. Now that he was stuck with Li Yang—someone just as hopeless as himself—it was the difference between heaven and hell.
Wen Yan poured a glass of water for Su Jingming. He rested his hands casually on his lap, listening to Li Yang talk, his eyes suddenly crinkling into a smile. Before the smile had even faded, he leaned over and asked, "Hungry?"
Su Jingming blinked, momentarily thinking Wen Yan was asking Li Yang. It took him a few seconds to realize the question was for him. "No."
Wen Yan gave a soft hum of affirmation, then turned to Wen Miao across the table. "Weren't you just shouting about being hungry? Why don't you go hurry them up?"
Wen Miao was currently engrossed in a mobile game with one of Wen Yan’s classmates. She didn't even have time to look at her brother, answering dismissively, "I'm not hungry anymore. As soon as I saw Jingming-ge arrive, my hunger vanished."
Su Jingming: "..."
Li Yang: "Who knew you were so... filling?"
Su Jingming: "..."
Wen Yan: "I agree. Quite filling."
Wen Miao’s fingers faltered, and her screen suddenly turned grey. The high schooler beside her cried out in shock, "Miao-miao, you were playing like a pro just a second ago! How did you suddenly drop the ball?"
Wen Miao shot a guilty look at her brother and Su Jingming, then said solemnly, "Even experts have their off moments."
By the time the food arrived, Wen Miao and the boy had finished their game. As veterans of such social gatherings, Song Yifei and Li Yang naturally picked up their drinks and faced Wen Yan. "Happy eighteenth birthday, Wen Yan!"
Li Yang immediately chimed in, "Here’s hoping Student Wen becomes President Wen in the future, with a meteoric rise to success!"
"I hope my brother stops assigning me practice papers."
"I hope you successfully step into the world of adults."
"Damn it, Ren Wei, you just had to open your mouth."
Su Jingming followed the crowd and raised his drink, echoing the birthday wishes. Regardless of whether Wen Yan heard him or not, he spoke every word with utmost sincerity.
Wen Yan smiled faintly. Just as he was about to finish his drink, someone in the group started heckling, "There shouldn't be many minors at this table, right?"
Su Jingming suddenly felt several pairs of eyes turn toward him. He said dryly, "I'm not an adult yet."
Li Yang raised an eyebrow. "In that case, President Wen, why don't we bring out the alcohol? Just give the kid a soft drink."
Wen Yan suppressed a laugh. "Fine."
The "kid" Li Yang referred to and Wen Miao successfully claimed the soft drinks on the table, while everyone else had several bottles of beer placed before them. Song Yifei had a low tolerance; the solitary bottle of beer in front of him looked rather lonely.
He opened his mouth, wanting to order a few more—at the very least, he couldn't lose on bravado.
But then he heard Wen Miao, who was slowly sipping her drink beside him, say, "You’re a one-bottle wonder and you still want more?"
*Having a younger sister is truly annoying.*
As the birthday boy, Wen Yan was pressured into drinking the most. He downed the alcohol like it was water; he barely touched the food, busy as he was with the toasts.
From the side, Su Jingming watched him go glass after glass. He had never seen Wen Yan’s face flush, but now, even the tips of his ears were tinged with a faint pink.
Under the table, Su Jingming quietly tugged at the corner of Wen Yan’s shirt.
Wen Yan lowered his eyes to look at him, his throat bobbing as he swallowed. He was still holding a glass.
The person opposite them urged, "President Wen, what are you looking at? Drink up!"
Wen Yan raised an eyebrow and finished the glass. "Stop badgering me. I still have to study this afternoon."
"Damn, is this what a top student is like?"
"I feel more and more like a piece of trash."
"You’re only just realizing you’re trash? I realized I was trash a long time ago, especially in front of these two geniuses."
Wen Yan shook his head helplessly, not bothering to respond. He leaned back slightly, his chair almost touching Su Jingming’s. He tilted his head a fraction. "What is it?"
His voice was slightly raspy, and the faint scent of alcohol seemed to envelop Su Jingming, intoxicating in its own right.
Su Jingming’s hand tightened around his drink. He glanced at the surrounding classmates, most of whom were already quite far gone, and whispered, "Aren't you drinking too much?"
Wen Yan let out a soft chuckle at the words. "Are you worried about me?"
Su Jingming was at a loss for words. Wen Yan continued, "Or are you trying to... keep me in line?"
No matter how Su Jingming replied, he felt something was off.
The scent clinging to Wen Yan was slowly eroding every one of Su Jingming’s cells. Even though he hadn't touched a drop, he felt as though he were drunk himself.
Song Yifei finished his bottle and looked toward Su Jingming and Wen Yan. He let out a beer burp and asked bluntly, "Su Jingming, you really are a kid. Your face is this red and you haven't even had any alcohol."
Fearing Song Yifei might say something he shouldn't, Wen Miao quickly interrupted, "Song Yifei, didn't you say you wanted to play games with me? Come on, I'll carry you."
Song Yifei raised an eyebrow. "My dear sister, I’ve been meaning to ask—how come you never call me 'brother'? Yet you’ve barely known Su Jingming any time at all and you call him 'ge'?"
Wen Miao rolled her eyes at him and opened a game on her phone. "Which one do you want to play?"
Song Yifei was successfully distracted by Wen Miao, and the others at the table didn't pay much mind to the drunkard’s rambling.
They were a group of seventeen and eighteen-year-olds; their alcohol tolerance was mediocre at best. Before they had even drunk that much, most of them were already tipsy.
Wen Yan had drunk the most. Having received no answer from Su Jingming for a long while, he relaxed into his chair, leaning some of his weight onto Su Jingming’s shoulder.
Suddenly, Wen Yan leaned in and exhaled softly against Su Jingming’s ear.
With an intoxicating lilt, he called out: "Little Hero."
In such a setting, Su Jingming’s entire body went rigid, his scalp tingling. He looked at the youth beside him with a gaze full of uncertainty and panic. His throat felt blocked; he couldn't squeeze out a single word.
Wen Yan rarely saw such frantic confusion in his eyes. He laughed softly. "You still haven't answered me. Are you worried about me, or do you want to... look after me?"
His voice was very low, as if this small space had been cordoned off from the world. All that could be heard was their shallow breathing and the heartbeats hidden beneath their chests, like secrets being peeled away layer by layer.
*Is this Wen Yan?*
Zhang Jia’s words suddenly echoed in Su Jingming’s ears. In that instant, he seemed to understand.
Under Wen Yan’s gaze, Su Jingming met those deep eyes and whispered his answer: "Both."
For the first time, Wen Yan learned what it meant to shoot oneself in the foot. Seeing the flush on Su Jingming’s cheeks and ears, he knew the boy was thin-skinned, yet he always had the wicked urge to tease him.
But every time he did, the one who ended up unable to handle it was himself.
Wen Yan took a deep breath and sat up straight. Su Jingming looked at him in surprise as he suddenly returned to normal and began eating.
Su Jingming blinked. *Did I just miss something?*
The meal lasted until nearly three in the afternoon. The group emerged from the restaurant with unsteady steps. Su Jingming and Wen Miao, the only sober ones, looked at the pack of drunkards. Wen Yan was in much better shape than the rest.
He was still able to arrange taxis to send everyone back one by one.
By the time the commotion was over, it was nearly four o'clock.
Wen Yan and Wen Miao stood on the street, staring at each other in silence. Before Wen Yan could speak, Wen Miao said, "I feel like my brain is exceptionally sharp today. I want to go home and do homework."
"..." Wen Yan said, "Don't do homework when you get back today. Order whatever you want for delivery, play whatever you want, but don't stay up too late."
Wen Miao looked shocked. "Brother, are you planning on not coming home?"
Wen Yan lowered his eyes slightly and didn't answer. He hailed a taxi for her. "Message me when you get home."
After finally getting everyone settled, the drunken haze in Wen Yan’s eyes had mostly dissipated. Su Jingming stood rooted to the spot. *Wen Yan isn't going home tonight?*
*Then where is he going?*
*Is he going to go 'experience adult life'?*
Su Jingming’s face scrunched up. *Do adults really have to go through that kind of thing?*
Wen Yan watched the kaleidoscope of emotions on Su Jingming’s face with amusement. He reached out and ruffled the boy's hair. "What are you thinking about? Your whole face is bunching up."
Su Jingming looked troubled. "...Are you going to go experience adult life tonight?"
"..." A smile danced in Wen Yan’s eyes. "Want to come with? I'll take you?"
Su Jingming was horrified. "Better not. I'm not an adult yet."
"True. Then in two months, we'll go together?" Wen Yan spoke so casually that Su Jingming began to question his entire worldview. *So this is how you adults like to play.*
Wen Yan rapped his knuckles against Su Jingming’s forehead. "Ren Wei and Li Yang have brains full of filth; you actually listened to them?"
Su Jingming looked up, his eyes signaling: *You seem about the same.*
Wen Yan instinctively ignored the meaning in Su Jingming’s eyes. He grabbed Su Jingming’s wrist and led him toward the corner of the street.
This was the first time Su Jingming had been led along by Wen Yan like this in broad daylight, drawing the gazes of many passersby. Su Jingming struggled slightly. "We're outside... let... let go."
Wen Yan stopped and turned back. "Am I that embarrassing to be seen with?"
"No... that's not what I meant." Su Jingming was still staring at his wrist; Wen Yan’s grip seemed to tighten.
"Little Hero," Wen Yan called to him. "I'm eighteen today. Listen to me in everything, alright?"
***
