Translator: PKitty
Editor: Espada
Quality Checker: Tezuka
First Published on Chaleuria
“Are you afraid? Afraid of how people would judge?” It was the wee hours when Zhang Heng suddenly stopped the car in the middle of the road.
“…” Gu Zhun was still level headed and advised: “Drive the car to the side and I’ll explain it to you.”
After thinking about it, Zhang Heng felt that he was right. Even though not many cars would be passing by at night nor was there a traffic camera along this stretch, he still obediently parked the car where it was legal.
“Can you tell me now?
“… Yes.”
Zhang Heng grabbed Gu Zhun’s shoulders: “Why are you afraid? Is it because I am unable to give you a sense of security?”
“No.” Gu Zhun shook his head to deny it.
Zhang Heng’s eyes were slightly red. What was the exact reason?
Seven years ago, I met you. I liked you and it was the first time I realized that I like you. Regardless of whether you are a man or woman, I’ve never doubted this love. I persevered and kept persevering until I secretly hired you as my assistant and kept you by my side.
After experiencing so much along the way, could it be that you still don’t understand my feelings?
My feelings wouldn’t change just because of some gossip and criticism. That was because I love you deeply.
What about you?
“… Gu Zhun, I dared to bring you back to the Zhang family and asked for grandfather’s consent, which means that I am not afraid of all this gossip.”
Gu Zhun nodded his head. After pausing for a few seconds, he frowned and looked at Zhang Heng, whose eyes were still red: “I know, I am not afraid of gossip aimed at me. I am afraid of those gossip and criticisms that would be against you. You are a president. You need to pay attention to your image in public. I don’t want to see people pointing their fingers behind your back.”
Zhang Heng pulled Gu Zhun and embraced him: “I know that you are concerned and worried about me, but I am not afraid. Instead, I am worried about you.”
Gu Zhun buried his head in Zhang Heng’s chest: “Thank you.”
“Promise me that you’ll tell me no matter what happens. I will always be by your side and ready to listen.”
“Yes, I know. Sorry, I tend to hesitate and keep things to myself.
“It’s alright.”
Perhaps, it was because he liked him for a long time so he understood the other party’s temper really well. Seven years ago, it was uncertain, but Gu Zhun might have liked this playful, young boy? Seven years later, Gu Zhun realized his feelings for Zhang Heng while they were working together. Their feelings allowed them to better understand each other.
Subsequently, Zhang Heng had to ponder about how to propose. What if Gu Zhun didn’t like being proposed to? After all, a proposal was just a formality. As long as two people were sincere about being together and their hearts were one, what was there to be afraid of? Why would they need to fear that there wasn’t any proof of formal and superficial guarantees?
However, he still wanted to ask for Sister Gu Li’s opinion regarding this. After all, she was the one who understood Gu Zhun best.
“Sister Gu Li, do you think that I need to do things like marriage proposal?”
“Why would you think about it?”
“It’s because previously… I talked to Gu Zhun and discussed about getting married. However, he switched the topic and I’m unsure if he did it on purpose…”
“I don’t think you need to propose to him. Instead, you should just prepare a grand wedding as a surprise. It would be easier for Gu Zhun to go along with it.”
“Shouldn’t the wedding be prepared by the both of us?”
Gu Li nodded her head and didn’t deny it: “Gu Zhun is a person who likes simplicity. You’ve been paying attention to him since the second year of junior high. You should know about it, right?”
That seemed like the case when Zheng Heng thought about how Gu Zhun was like during their school days. The first time that Zhang Heng met Gu Zhun during their second year, he noticed that the pen that Gu Zhun used to do his homework while at the pavillion, had been with him even until they were promoted to their third year. Gu Zhun had always kept it in his pencil case.
There was once when Zhang Heng was curious about the contents of Gu Zhun’s pencil case. He opened it and discovered that Gu Zhun’s pencil case had been used since he was in primary 4. Why was it used for such a long time? It was because Gu Li helped Gu Zhun sew a few words inside the pencil case — ‘Nurture Talent Primary 4 Class (1) Gu Zhun’
Don’t you think that it was… pretty impressive?
After that, he observed that the gel pens inside were of the same brand and color. There was a set of pen refills that contained red, black, and blue refill.
“Why don’t you change the other pens’ ink to red and blue instead?”
“I’ll change it when I need to use them.”
“That’s so troublesome…”
Zhang Heng mumbled as he stretched out his hand, wanting to place the red pen refill into his pen that had ran out of ink. He intended to give it to Gu Zhun but was stopped in the end.
“There is nothing wrong with my homework. It doesn’t require any correction.”
“…” Zhang Heng was at a loss for words as he looked at Gu Zhun with wide eyes. Gu Zhun’s words were like swords. Everything that he had said pierced him; it was too painful.
“In that case, I’ll change it to the blue refill.”
“There is no need for that. Previously, the literature teacher commented on my notes and suggested using other colors instead of black to highlight the main points. I only bought the blue refill because of that. Now, I don’t use it since the teacher doesn’t collect our exercise notebook.
“…” Zhang Heng was rendered speechless. He flipped through Gu Zhun’s notebook and it was densely filled with black characters. It was as though there were thousands of spiders crawling on the book and it made him dizzy. Indeed, it was true that some blue words within that dense darkness were beautiful.
However, Gu Zhun was a minimalist. It was absolutely impossible for him to see eye to eye with those classmates, who liked to use colorful pens and highlighters.
“… Haha, as long as you like it.”
Ever since then, Zhang Heng did not force Gu Zhun. However, he would occasionally buy colorful refills from the stationary shop opposite their school and passed it to Gu Zhun at school.
Inside the stationary shop, a bunch of girls stared at Zhang Heng as they mused that a boy would surprisingly use bright pens to make colorful notes. Zhang Heng felt uneasy bumping into his classmates at the shop.
“Wow, I didn’t expect that a bad student like Zhang Heng liked making colourful notes…”
“…”
When he returned to school, Zhang Heng handed those colorful refills to Gu Zhun: “Take it.”
“… Huh?”
“Don’t ask questions, just take it.” Initially, Zhang Heng didn’t want to say anything but he thought that it would be a waste if Gu Zhun didn’t use it. Thus, Zhang Heng made up a lie, “Aren’t we in the same study group? Your black notes gave me a headache whenever I looked at it… Next time, just use it to circle or underline those main points and common mistakes so that it would be easier on my eyes.”
“…” Gu Zhun thought about it and felt that Zhang Heng was doing it for himself. It was right for him to accept these refills so that the next time Zhang Heng wanted to see his notes, he could absorb it easily, “Alright, but I still think that the most important thing is the ability to comprehend.”
“… That’s none of your business!”
Zhang Heng wasn’t lacking in focus. He was more focused than anyone else when he looked at the notes or Gu Zhun’s picture. However, he was just a little slow.
“Pfft.” Zhang Heng was amused when he recalled the past. He covered his mouth and tried to restrain himself, but a faint laughter slipped out.
“What’s the matter?”
“Hahahahaha… Nothing… I just recalled something amusing… Hahahaha…”
Gu Li shook her head helplessly and looked at Zhang Heng as if he was a fool: “Sigh… Since young, you have always been so silly. Such an innocuous innocence.”
“Thank you Sister Gu Li, you’re right. I think I know what to do now.”
“Alright, set your heart and do it. If you require my help, don’t hesitate and tell me.”
Zhang Heng recalled something and asked: “Sister, why aren’t you staying at brother-in-law’s house?”
“Silly, this is called returning to the bride’s home. Moreover, the two of us pooled our money together to get a house in the urban area. The renovations have been completed, but we are just waiting for the smell to dissipate before moving in.”
“Oh! Wouldn’t I have to pack another red packet?”
“There is no need for that. Just coming over for a meal will do.”
They continued their conversation with some pleasantries before bidding each other goodnight. Before that, Gu Zhun had already went into the room and fallen asleep. Zhang Heng entered the room and joined Gu Zhun.
Gu Zhun’s bed was still the same single sized bed that was bought ten years ago. It was quite a squeeze for two people to sleep on it. However, Gu Zhun and Zhang Heng didn’t voice anything about it. No one said things like: “It’s hard to fall asleep in such a squeezy bed.”
It was comfortable as long as you are by my side.
In order to secretly prepare something and hide it from Gu Zhun, Zhang Heng had to wake up early in the morning and rush to the company.
“Hello, Wen YiHong?”
“Yes… What’s the matter with you? It is not like you to call me early in the morning…”
“I… I just want to tell you good morning.”
Wen YiHong didn’t take his words seriously: “Forget it, don’t lie to me. Just tell me directly what do you want me to help you with. If I don’t help you, I lose.”
“…” Zhang Heng pursed his lips. This punk is trying to catch me off guard and make me admit that I lied?
Fine. For Gu Zhun’s sake, I shall not argue with you.
“I admit defeat. I need you to help me out with something. Right now, it isn’t a good time for me to explain things to you. I will inform you about the details during noon… In any case, this afternoon wait for me at XXX restaurant.”
Afterwards, Zhang Heng made a few calls to different people and arranged the meet up at the same XXX restaurant.
During afternoon, Gu Zhun asked Zhang Heng as per usual: “What do you want to eat? I’ll go down and buy it for you.”
“No need for that. I’ll be going out to eat.”
“I don’t have much money in my pocket. Let’s eat something cheaper these few days.”
All the while, Zhang Heng and Gu Zhun would go dutch whenever they eat out. This was a rule that Gu Zhun had set. Before they officially become husband and wife, they should have a clear line between each other’s assets.
Zhang Heng nodded his head and took his phone and wallet before walking out the door. Suddenly, he remembered something and turn around to tell Gu Zhun: “Go ahead if you want to eat out. These few days, you don’t have to buy my meal for me.”
“…”
What happened? In the past, whenever it was lunchtime, Gu Zhun would go down to the company cafeteria and buy takeout. They would gather around the small coffee table in the office and happily have their meal. Somedays, Zhang Heng would bring Gu Zhun to eat out at a restaurant. However, it was strange today…
Zhang Heng didn’t want to eat the cafeteria food with him in the office nor did he want to eat out together.
Why?
Why?!
Gu Zhun was unable to think of anything.
He only had one conjecture: Was Zhang Heng hiding something from him?
It was also the only conjecture that was the most plausible.