Nonlinear Love

Su Lian: “?”

Are you, the iron straight man, very skilled in inviting a stranger to share a bed?

Su Lian shook his head and refused. “No need.”

Logically speaking, it’s not that they haven’t slept with each other before, they have been living together for a few years, and Su Lian was also very clear that there was a mole under the other party’s lower abdomen.

It’s just now, except for that face, there was no difference between Chi Wang and a stranger, so he felt awkward no matter how he thought about it.

Besides, if two big men huddled together all night, there would inevitably be physical contact.

It would be even more embarrassing if he did something habitually in the middle of the night.

Perhaps, he could go to the hotel and open a room for one night…

Now that he was penniless, maybe only getting the 250 hourly wages paid in advance could his life be saved.

Seeing the rejection, Chi Wang shrugged and didn’t force Su Lian to stay either. He asked casually, “So are you going home or sleeping on the street?”

Su Lian lowered his eyes, glancing at the watch, intending to move the pointer back to the evening self-study.

Anyway, he had already gained the follow-up results, it was confirmed that Chi Wang had done nothing wrong, so there was no need to stay.

The fingertip touched the pointer and moved it back slowly. The surrounding scenery changed in an instant, and at a certain moment, the pointer suddenly got stuck.

Almost at the same time, it was accompanied by sudden heart palpitation with dizziness, his whole person was almost breathless.

Su Lian immediately closed his eyes, suppressed the discomfort before opening them again. The pointer was stuck at twelve o’clock, and it seemed like it could no longer be moved.

This time-travel mechanism…the first few times were extremely smooth, but in this critical moment, it got stuck.

Was it possible that he could travel back and forth within the same day only?

No way, the time could be stuck, this was undoubtedly cheating. What the f*ck is all this?

He had nothing to live for, his heart was like dead ashes.

Su Lian was truly helpless, he could only move the pointer back to when he was being questioned, feeling his mentality had collapsed.

He controlled his expression, pretended to ask calmly, “Is there only one bed?”

“One each for the three of us.” Chi Wang glanced at him, put out the cigarette, threw it into the rubbish bin, and said lightly, “However, what’s wrong with two men sleeping in the same bed?”

“Wait.” Gu Anjiu wrapped his arms around himself with a look of horror. “Let me do some psychological preparation, I haven’t slept with anyone yet.”

“It doesn’t matter to me, there is a high possibility that I will kick people out of the bed.” Lin Yan explained the fact calmly.

“…” Su Lian was choked by those disgust and avoidance.

Three people under the same roof, he was forced to choose one among them.

He looked straight at Chi Wang, trying to make his tone sound mild. “Then trouble you, I’m sleepy, I’m going to sleep now.”

“So accurate, you indeed maintain good health.” Chi Wang laughed carelessly before looking up at everyone. “Thank you everyone for joining the meeting, let’s end here.”

“Don’t mention it, Master Wang. Come on brothers, let’s fight tonight until dawn.”

Not knowing who shouted this, a group of people dispersed enthusiastically.

Gu Anjiu kept the law in his mind about protecting the minors, with sharp-eyed, he quickly reached out to grab a yellow-haired boy. “You will be 18 years old next month. Go, you aren’t allowed to surf the Internet.”

“Brother Jiu, you don’t have to be so strict about age. You can close one eye and open one eye as if I’m already 18 years old.” The yellow-haired boy was dressed up coolly, yet his expression was very humble.

Gu Anjiu laughed angrily. “In that case, don’t let our gender be blocked, if you receive guests in women’s clothes, I’ll give you 250 hourly wage.”

“…I still want a face.” Yellow-haired boy softened his tone and negotiated weakly, “Just an hour? Or maybe twenty minutes, okay?”

Chi Wang walked past with his long legs and scolded in a jest, “This really won’t allow. You can go downstairs, turn right to the illegal Internet cafe next door. We won’t see you out.”

“F*ck, I also have a bottom line. I’m not going to increase the opponent’s earning!” The yellow-haired boy touched his nose listlessly.

Su Lian hooked his schoolbag and followed behind, watching the group of hooligans who restrained themselves by keeping a posture of turning the new leaf, yet looking highly of Chi Wang, the social brother1T/N: Like gangsters.

“Just ignore them.” Chi Wang raised his chin toward the end of the corridor and strode inside. “Let’s go, healthy brother. I’ll take you to sleep.”

These words sounded eccentric. Su Lian took a step to keep up, then stared back for a while. “You’re quite good.”

“I’m afraid something would happen to a fresh and pure good-looking male high school student like you when wandering around the street. At that time, I’ll feel sorry in my heart.”

Chi Wang reached out, pushed open the door of the inner room, and turned on the small light on the ceiling. The yellow light brightened up, appearing warm.

He took out the summer quilt from the cabinet and explained, “It needs to dry in the air for some time after the renovation. You are the first to come to my bed. Are you surprised and honored?”

A series of words drifted into Su Lian’s ears, making him want to sew the other party’s mouth so much.

The Chi Wang he knew spent more time doing those boring works, he was also a taciturn man, but very steady and filled with a sense of security.

Right now, It was not easy for Su Lian to get used to such a noisy appearance.

He glanced at the room, his eyes fell on the small bed, he estimated visually that the width was one meter two, which was inhumanly narrowed.

He looked around and compromised, “I’ll sleep on the sofa.”

Chi Wang lifted his eyebrows and said kindly, “The sofa is very small, you will fall.”

“I have a good sleeping posture.”

“You are also aware of this, so you must have slept with someone before?”

“How do you know that I’m not aware of it?”

Su Lian hummed lightly. At that time, he had woken in Chi Wang’s arms every day. For several years, he had never thought of changing his posture.

He had been praised countless times for his good sleeping posture, he was full of confidence. Although the sofa was small, he could definitely stay still.

Chi Wang tsked, turned his head and walked out. “Okay, whatever you want. I have to stay up for a while, don’t wait for me.”

“Wait, did you open this Internet cafe? Aren’t you underage?” Su Lian asked.

Chi Wang turned back, his gaze stopped on Su Lian’s face for a moment, then he asked thoughtfully, “How do you know I’m underage?”

“…Guess.”

“The Internet cafe is owned by Lin Yan, I’m here to give him a hand.” Chi Wang’s finger slid on the light switch with a nonchalant expression.

Su Lian thought of the time when he first met Chi Wang’s strapped-cash appearance, and couldn’t help asking, “You don’t study hard in your teens, what do you make money for? You are very short of money?”

“No, I think I’m business-minded. Besides, I enjoy the process of making money.”

Speaking of this, Chi Wang became excited as he said with self-expansion, “I’ll definitely be able to open a company that can be listed on the stock market. Do you believe it or not?”

The words weren’t small, yet this person really predicted correctly. His tone was quite mature as well.

Su Lian was speechless, and out of the doctor’s benevolence, he reminded, “I advise you to go to bed early, so as not to lose your hair in your youthful years.”

Chi Wang looked up at him. “You seem to be fond of interfering in other people’s business?”

“Get lost, only an idiot would care.” Su Lian threw his schoolbag on the sofa in frustration.

With slight force, the ID card slipped out of the pocket and fell onto the ground.

Chi Wang bent down to help him pick it up. He stared at the photo and admired it for a few seconds. “I have to say that your registration photo is quite handsome.”

The topic of the conversation changed in a flash. “Almost caught up with mine.”

“…Give it back to me.” Su Lian stretched out his hand with a little impatience in his tone.

Chi Wang looked down and stopped on a string of numbers. “Wait, September 5th, is your birthday today? So coincidence?”

Su Lian’s mood rose and fell sharply because he was troubled by the change of Chi Wang, and he almost forgot about this matter.

For him, birthday was more like a devil’s curse or probably a nightmare. The continuous reminder that tormented him over and over again.

It was raining heavily on the day of his twentieth birthday. During that period, he was tottering on the roof of the hospital, and every hope had turned to dust.

If he hadn’t run into Chi Wang who was passing by and extending his hand that day, he might have already died.

Unexpectedly, traveling back to the past, on the day of his seventeenth birthday, Chi Wang actually brought him out of the darkness.

Su Lian quite believed in God and Buddha, he thought, is this the unfinished foregone fate that the Buddha has said?

“I’m asking you, is it or it isn’t?” Chi Wang noticed that Su Lian didn’t say anything, he raised his hand and waved the ID card in front of his eyes.

Su Lian fell into a memory, unconsciously rubbing the back of his hand against the pocket. It seemed to be swollen that it was hurt within a touch.

After a long moment, he finally remembered to answer the question, “En, it’s today.”

“Happy birthday.” Chi Wang scratched his hair and chuckled. “I don’t have any cake here, how about I provide you a fire for you to make a wish?”

As he said, he lifted his hand to turn off the light in the room, and took out the lighter from his pocket.

With a click, a cluster of flames leaped up, swaying in the dark.

Su Lian lowered his eyes, suppressing his emotions. “No, I appreciated your kindness. However, it’s just my birthday.”

“It happens only once in a year, you don’t even cherish it.”

Chi Wang touched Su Lian with his elbow, shaking the lighter as he urged him, “Quick, quick, when you blow, be careful not to burn your hair.”

This person was not only stupid but also naive, far from the calm Chi Wang.

It’s just when this guy said this, the pitch-black pupils were clearly brightened by the flame.

Su Lian suddenly felt it wasn’t a bad thing for the seventeen years old boy to go around wildly and be enthusiastic.

He closed his eyes and thought to himself, no matter what, I wish Chi Wang to live a long life.

When he opened his eyes again, Su Lian blew the lighter, the flame went out, making the room fall into darkness.

Chi Wang’s sloppy voice sounded, the tone was quite sincere. “I hope your wish comes true.”

Su Lian gazed fixedly at the dim shadow inside the room. For a moment, he couldn’t tell the difference between time and space, he was a little confused.

Outside the window, the moonlight penetrated a little, the silhouette of the teenager gradually became clear, and the illusion slowly turned into reality. The face in his memory overlapped with the person in front of him little by little, the deep facial features became more youthful and sharp.

That slender hand was playing with the lighter by spinning it around in a circle boringly.

Still not the same.

Su Lian said with disappointment, “Thank you.”

“What then, the internet cafe has speakers, or I’ll give you a birthday song for free?”

Chi Wang became energetic, his voice seemed to be smiling. “Chinese, English, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, which version do you want to listen to? Maybe the song that says goodbye to all your troubles?”

This person was pretty good at destroying the atmosphere, Su Lian was very annoyed at this time. “…Please, don’t bother. I’m going to sleep.”

The Internet cafe was now crowded with people. He really couldn’t afford to be shamed because of this person and had to experience the second social death2T/N: 社会性死亡 (Shèhuì xìng sǐwáng), which is commonly shortened to 社死 (shè sǐ), means ‘social death’. It refers to a situation in which people make a fool of themselves around others or act in a way that makes them feel embarrassed. The most extreme case of ‘social death’ is that a person is so ashamed that they don’t want to go outside to see people, and momentarily wish to be dead..

Sure enough, this idiot had nothing that could be related to the person he liked.

Chi Wang ohed, his tone sounded regretful.

He bent down, grabbed the quilt on the bed, and threw it onto the sofa. He then turned around, leaving the deserted room.

Su Lian took off his shoes and laid down, pulling the quilt to cover himself, feeling everything was unreal. The biological clock had passed, his eyelids turned heavy, yet he was still awake.

What happened to Chi Wang later that could make his habit and personality change so much?

Su Lian knew he had a bad temper and was easily irritated. However, he had met Chi Wang, who was more gentle and meticulous. In those years, he was spoiled by Chi Wang which made him a little arrogant.

But now, the person that once warmed him had long gone. He seemed to have returned to the state of loneliness.

Obviously, that person took the initiative to take him in but he disappeared.

Late at night, Su Lian wrapped the quilt tightly and fell into an unstable sleep.

At 3 a.m. when Chi Wang entered the door with a yawn, Su Lian had already shifted to the edge of the sofa, on the verge of falling.

The thin quilt fell on the ground in a mess, and the hem of the white hoodie was lifted up, revealing a sylphlike waist. Further up, the cool face that had always been expressionless appeared slightly pale, almost transparent by the moonlight, which also had a sense of fragileness.

It’s just that slender arm was hung down at the edge of the sofa with five fingers clasping it, struggling stubbornly, looking rather funny.

“You have a good sleeping posture.” Chi Wang gritted his teeth, squeezing the slender wrist, and threw it back onto the other person’s lower abdomen.

Su Lian frowned slightly, he turned over his body to laid down on Chi Wang’s side, his breath was blocked by the other party’s loose T-shirt fabric, hence he muttered, “You f*cking broke your promise.”

Even when sleeping, this guy also had a bad temper.

Indescribably, got shot lying down3T/N: 躺枪 (tǎngqiāng) literally means “to get shot lying down,” and it perfectly describes a situation where you become the victim of a fight in which you had no stake in fighting. Or to get unjustly ridiculed, attacked, implicated in sth, etc while just being present., Chi Wang stared fixedly at the face that was almost buried in his abdomen. He snapped his fingers and asked in a low voice, “Hey, do you want to sleep on the bed?”

Su Lian murmured something that unable to understand, then he suddenly opened his mouth and bit Chi Wang’s finger ruthlessly, as fierce as a little wolfdog.

“F*ck, you are really my nemesis.” Chi Wang hurriedly withdrew his finger that had a rather sharp tooth mark printed on it.

Showing care and being generous, he wasn’t in the mood to do it again.

As soon as he turned around, he heard a thud behind him, a muffled sound could be heard in the quiet night.

Chi Wang was shocked, he turned his head back, only to see a certain someone lying on the floor, the other party’s hair was scattered on his forehead. His eyes were closed, yet the crease between his brows deepened.

Whoever didn’t have eyes, boasting this guy out of conscience for having a good sleeping posture must be insane.

As autumn was approaching, the floor was quite cold during the night.

Chi Wang watched for two seconds and finally felt compassion.

“For the sake of your birthday, I’ll not argue with you.” Chi Wang mumbled and turned around again.

He bent down, picked up Su Lian, carrying him in arms, then placed him on the bed carefully.

The quilt was thrown onto the bed, covering the exposed waist.

Chi Wang took off his T-shirt with his back facing Su Lian, and after that, he laid down.

He had just put his elbow under his head when his back was brushed by a shallow breath, which was a little itchy.

The breathing was mixed with the dry and sultry summer air, making a thin layer of sweat forming all over his body in an instant, hence it became sticky.

One thing was indeed true, two big men, sleeping in the same bed, were quite crowded.

After realizing there was someone beside him, Su Lian shifted to the side naturally, and said vaguely, “Good night.”

What responded to him was gentle breathing, Chi Wang had fallen asleep.

Su Lian’s biological clock was extremely accurate, and he woke up at six in the morning.

He had several messy dreams last night. Therefore, when he opened his eyes, he was confused for a moment before realizing where he was.

He blinked a few times, what greeted his eyes was a magnifying sleeping face, so close that he could see those explicit eyelashes and the sharp jawline.

Half of the teenager’s face was covered with the quilt. Whenever his eyes were stabbed by the sun, he would stretch out his hand and pull the quilt up.

What’s the situation, still in the dream?

Su Lian closed his eyes for a while, feeling the temperature on his palm was too high, which made him instantly open his eyes.

His palm was placed wildly on Chi Wang’s strong chest muscles. The fair knuckles and the healthy skin color really fit together, with some color difference, looking rather impactful.

Su Lian was shocked that he woke up in a second. “?”

He should be sleeping on the sofa, why did he suddenly move to such a place?

Could it be that he was dreaming and climbed onto the bed in the middle of the night in a stupor?

With this thought came to mind, the cool brother, who had always been calm, became a bit flustered, even the roots of his ears were red.

F*ck, how embarrassing, he’d better run away before a certain someone woke up.

Su Lian retracted his palm cautiously then lifted the corner of the quilt.

Just after raising his leg, before it could be land on the ground, Chi Wang opened his eyes out of the blue, looking at him with a smile yet not a smile.

Su Lian panicked and hastily moved the pointer.

Moving back on the same day didn’t violate the time travel rules.

However, Chi Wang, this person slept very lightly. Su Lian moved back and forth a few times, trying all kinds of simple postures in getting out of bed as well as making his movement lighter, but he was still caught head-on.

Chi Wang lowered his gaze, there seemed to be a smile in his eyes. “What are you running for?”

Su Lian was mentally and physically exhausted, the elbow that supported him abruptly lost its strength.

Making his whole body fall directly on Chi Wang, appearing quite like throwing himself into the other party’s arms.

The two looked at each other, the atmosphere unexpectedly became somewhat anxious.