Unbridled 33

"I'm kinda scared of just the thought of liking someone."

Ding Ji was puzzled by this, but he didn't push for more details. They were chatting about Lin Wuyu's pretty boring love life, and even though Ding Ji didn't have any exciting stories of his own, he didn't want to pry too much into someone else's business.

Lin Wuyu didn't let the conversation drag on anyway. After he finished packing up, he washed up and hit the sack. Before he went to bed, he yelled over, "You better hit the hay too; we've got to get up early tomorrow!"

Totally something my grandpa would say.

"Got it!" Ding Ji called back.

Lying in bed with his eyes shut, Ding Ji could hear from Lin Wuyu's breathing that he wasn't asleep yet on the top bunk.

"You gonna head over right after you fill out that form?" Ding Ji asked.

"Yeah," Lin Wuyu replied, "there's nothing fun about hanging around here. Plus, the school's probably gonna keep us busy."

"Fair point," Ding Ji said, opening his eyes. "Think they'll put you on TV if you win first place?"

"I'd rather they didn't. It'd be super awkward," Lin Wuyu grumbled.

"Tough break," Ding Ji sympathized.

"Think you'll manage to dodge it?" Lin Wuyu asked. "With how chill you are, you don't really act like the typical student. If you land in the top three, they'll definitely parade you around as the poster child."

"I might not even make it," Ding Ji shrugged.

"You will," Lin Wuyu assured him, dangling his arm down from the top bunk for a handshake. "Believe in the study god."

"Always," Ding Ji said, shaking his hand.

Lin Wuyu laughed, "What a load of crap."

"You've totally led me astray," Ding Ji chuckled and then sighed. "I think this is the first time I've ever heard you talk nonsense."

"Yeah," Lin Wuyu flipped over, "after all we've been through together, getting into scraps and making narrow escapes, a little nonsense is the least of my worries."

Ding Ji quietly chuckled to himself for a bit.

That night, Lin Wuyu managed to sleep pretty well, without his head dangling off the bed for once. But Ding Ji, who had had a few drinks, accidentally bumped into Lin Wuyu's leg sticking out of the bed when he stumbled to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

This dude really ought to just sleep on the floor. He'd have all the space to roll around as much as he wants.

Somehow, Lin Wuyu was always spot on with waking up on time. Ding Ji hadn't even heard the alarm the past few mornings; it was Lin Wuyu who had been waking him up.

That morning, by the time Lin Wuyu woke him, he had already washed up.

Half asleep, Ding Ji staggered into the bathroom. Before starting to brush his teeth, he managed to mumble, "Don't you get tired?"

"Tired," Lin Wuyu admitted, "but if we miss our train, are you gonna pay me back for the tickets? You know you owe me."

"…You're the one who bought the tickets!" Ding Ji protested, not bothering to rinse before he spoke, toothpaste foam and all.

"Oh, right," Lin Wuyu agreed, picking up his phone. "I should note that down… minus what you owe me…"

"Forget it!" Ding Ji yelled.

"I just got sprayed with toothpaste," Lin Wuyu remarked.

Feeling a mix of amusement and resignation, Ding Ji went back to rinsing off the toothpaste. Just as he did, Lin Wuyu commented, "Looks like you've got a long way to go in paying off your debts."

Ding Ji just rinsed his face without a word.

Alright, awake now.

Once they were on the bus, they ended up sitting next to each other, with Ding Ji snagging the window seat first. "Can I borrow your little banana…"

"Huh?" Lin Wuyu gave him a look. "Show some class, it's not even a banana."

"Starfish! Starfish!" Ding Ji corrected himself loudly. "I meant to say starfish! Can I borrow your little starfish?"

Lin Wuyu pulled the little starfish toy from his bag and handed it over. "Make sure it's facing out."

"Got it," Ding Ji said, examining it.

"I cleaned it before we left," Lin Wuyu mentioned. "The side facing you is always cleaner."

"That's pretty meticulous of you," Ding Ji positioned the little starfish by the window. "And here I was, wondering how you managed to drink from my water bottle without any fuss…"

"When it comes to food and drink, I'm not so picky," Lin Wuyu shrugged.

"Fair enough," Ding Ji agreed.

Using the little starfish to lean against was surprisingly comfortable. Ding Ji felt like he hadn't been doing much lately, but as soon as he nodded off on the bus, it felt like he was catching up on a week's worth of missed sleep. He spent most of the trip asleep, only waking up when Lin Wuyu nudged him to eat some food and drink some milk he had brought.

After eating, Ding Ji leaned back against the window and drifted off again.

He wondered before dozing off: 

Would Lin Wuyu end up resting on his shoulder without the little starfish?

Would he find it uncomfortable?

He got his answer when they were nearing their destination. Ding Ji woke up to find Lin Wuyu still asleep, but in a completely different posture from when he was in bed.

Now, Lin Wuyu was seated upright, arms crossed, with a slight tilt of his head back, and for some reason, his mask was hanging off his chin.

Trying to mimic that masked superhero, maybe? For all you know, that guy might not even be related to you.

Ding Ji watched him for a bit and realized Lin Wuyu was actually out cold. It was impressive how he could snooze so upright without needing the little starfish for support. Maybe that starfish was more of a comfort thing than a necessity.

Suddenly, there was a bright flash from the seat next to them.

Ding Ji shot a look over and saw two girls huddled over a small table, completely absorbed in their phones, oblivious to the world. They had obviously tried to sneak a photo and forgot to turn off their flash.

Amateurs.

They were likely aiming to snap a pic of Lin Wuyu. Ding Ji checked out his own reflection; the imprint of the little starfish had left half his face red, and his hair was a mess.

But Lin Wuyu was a different story. Taking another peek, Ding Ji noticed just how striking he looked – those sharp features, from his forehead, over his brows, straight down to his nose.

Ding Ji looked away quickly, worried Lin Wuyu might wake up and catch him staring, which would be super awkward.

"I'm scared of liking someone."

That line floated back into Ding Ji's mind, trailing an image of Lin Wuyu's face.

What's so scary about liking someone?

Considering Lin Wuyu's preference for men, liking someone might not be straightforward for him. But is he really afraid? Ding Ji pondered this, thinking that fear might apply to others, but not to someone as bold as Lin Wuyu. He just seemed indifferent.

So what could he be afraid of?

Ding Ji took a sip of water.

Or maybe… is Lin Wuyu talking about someone else?

The thought caught Ding Ji off guard, nearly causing him to spill water on Lin Wuyu's hand.

"Hmm?" Lin Wuyu blinked awake.

"You up?" Ding Ji put down the water bottle.

"Just in time?" Lin Wuyu stretched lazily.

"The announcement said we're almost there," Ding Ji glanced at him, "why the mask?"

"Sitting like this, it's easy to end up slack-jawed," Lin Wuyu tugged down the mask, "so I wear this to keep my chin up…"

"Feeling the pressure of being a celebrity, Study God?" Ding Ji was surprised.

"I wouldn't need it if I had the little starfish," Lin Wuyu glanced at him, "but you took it."

"Here you go!" Ding Ji tossed the little starfish onto his lap.

Lin Wuyu stowed the little starfish back in his bag and nonchalantly offered a lollipop, "Want one?"

Ding Ji hesitated momentarily, then accepted the lollipop, asking, "Why are you still carrying these? Weren't they always left in the living room?"

"I tossed a few in my bag just in case you needed one in a pinch," Lin Wuyu explained.

"I'm not that jumpy," Ding Ji said, unwrapping the lollipop and feeling oddly reassured.

When they disembarked at the station, Ding Ji snapped back to reality. He'd spent a week with Lin Wuyu, and now, seeing him head for the taxi line, he felt an unexpected reluctance.

But why did such a mundane trip make him feel this way? It puzzled him.

During past summer breaks, when he traveled with his grandparents, Ding Ji used to miss Liu Jinpeng. He'd even send postcards and letters from various places. But as he grew older, that childish yearning faded.

Sometimes, spending too much time with Liu Jinpeng got on his nerves. If Liu Jinpeng stayed over for more than three days, they'd often end up bickering over trivial stuff…

Ding Ji silently followed Lin Wuyu, lost in thought.

"Do we need one car or two?" Lin Wuyu hesitated. "Let's just get one; it can drop you off first, then I'll head back to school."

No need!

Get two cars!

Let’s go separate ways!

Ding Ji quickly made a decision and then nodded. "Okay, let's go with one car."

Despite being in the same city and likely attending the same school soon, Ding Ji felt a distinct sense of separation as they got in the car.

It made him uneasy, so he glanced at Lin Wuyu.

"Hmm?" Lin Wuyu looked at him.

"Are you heading home?" Ding Ji had initially wanted to ask for another lollipop but changed his mind. "Did you tell your parents you're back?"

"I'll go home tomorrow," Lin Wuyu said. "Tonight, I need to sort things out – not just with Lin Zhan but also about my mom's health. I may not be able to do much, but I won't ignore it."

"There's something I've been hesitant to ask, especially with the money I owe you," Ding Ji lowered his voice. "How are you paying tuition? Since you're not on good terms with your family, can they afford it?"

"I've got it covered," Lin Wuyu replied softly.

Ding Ji nodded and refrained from pressing further. Lin Wuyu only said he had it covered, without mentioning whether his family could provide the money or how much he had. Ding Ji didn't want to pry.

But he felt the weight of the situation pressing down on him.

The car dropped him off at his grandparents' house first. Ding Ji hesitated by the window, unsure what to say.

"Send my regards to your grandparents," Lin Wuyu said. "I'll call you before I leave to come pick up my things."

"Sure," Ding Ji nodded.

He turned away smoothly, hurried into the building, and felt a twinge of annoyance at Lin Wuyu's words. Lin Wuyu had skipped over the application process and showed no intention of meeting before leaving.

Ding Ji suddenly felt foolish. The thoughts he'd been dwelling on seemed trivial now.

Is he still a child prodigy? Where'd all that intelligence go?

Ding Ji flopped onto the sofa, feeling a bit lighter after getting home, especially seeing his grandparents. "Got some random snacks from the supermarket," he announced, "but I've got no clue what's in there."

"If you don't know what's in it, why bring it home?" His grandma chided, giving him a playful tap.

"It wasn't me. It was Lin Wuyu… He even paid for it," Ding Ji said, his annoyance towards Lin Wuyu easing slightly as he mentioned this, "I've got no idea what he got; just open it and see."

His grandma, though she called it a waste, eagerly opened the box and started pulling out various odds and ends. "This is candy, this is dried fruit… Oh, what's this? Let me see… Is this a fan for Grandpa? It looks nice…"

"What's this little box?" His grandpa inquired.

"This box is gorgeous," his grandma remarked. It can't be ours; it must be something Little Ji bought as a gift. Who'd give such a stylish box to a couple like us?"

"Huh?" Ding Ji leaned in. He didn't recall having such a fancy box.

His grandpa handed him a red square box.

He'd never seen it before, and it definitely wasn't from the supermarket. Curious, he opened it and found semi-transparent paper inside.

And then it hit him.

It was a clay figure.

When he and Lin Wuyu were out looking for snacks, they passed by a clay figure shop. Inside, there were tons of adorable little clay figures, and they ended up reminiscing about Ding Ji's skill in making small animals with plasticine as a child.

… This was a gift from Lin Wuyu.

But when Lin Wuyu got it, Ding Ji had no clue.

Suddenly, a strange feeling welled up inside him.

He carefully lifted the paper layer, revealing a small clay… rooster.

"What in the world!" Ding Ji placed the box on the coffee table.

His grandparents glanced at it, bursting into uncontrollable laughter.

"Is this from the little genius?" His grandma chuckled, "It's so cute. Quick, put it somewhere safe, don't let it break."

Reluctantly, Ding Ji took the box to his room, standing in front of his desk for a moment. He switched on the lamp, took out the clay rooster… or was it a hen?… and set it under the light, inspecting it closely.

It was undeniably adorable, with its round head and a tiny crown perched on top.

A rooster, huh?

Ding Ji placed it on the small shelf on his desk.

Almost instinctively, he reached for his phone, intending to snap a photo to send to Lin Wuyu. But after hesitating for a moment, he set the phone back down. 

Forget it, let's just leave it for now. We can discuss it when Lin Wuyu's bookshelf is ready.

Back at the dorm, Lin Wuyu didn't head home. He ignored his father's calls, letting the phone ring until it stopped on its own. His mother's surgery went smoothly, and he'd arranged for her hospitalization. He'd also reported to his father about searching for Lin Zhan, giving inaccurate information about not finding him or anyone resembling him.

There was no need to answer his father's calls or maintain any contact with them anymore. In two days, the exam results would be out. Lin Wuyu glanced at the big box by his bed, holding his remaining clothes; everything else was at Ding Ji's place. Once he finished his application, leaving would be easy.

Whether Lin Zhan turned up or not, he didn't want his parents involved in his life anymore. Spending his days in the dorm wasn't uncomfortable for Lin Wuyu. He read, played with his phone, wandered around the campus, and occasionally shot hoops at the basketball court when it was empty.

But what puzzled him was Ding Ji's silence. Ding Ji must have seen the little rooster he'd stashed in the box, yet he hadn't said anything. Could he be upset over such a trivial thing? Ding Ji could be hot-headed, but surely it wasn't about a clay figurine.

It likely stems from his own attitudes.

Lin Wuyu had no plans to reach out to Ding Ji. Ding Ji was perceptive and detail-oriented, and in this scenario, Lin Wuyu couldn't decipher Ding Ji's thoughts. He didn't understand Ding Ji's stance, the reason for this reaction, or whether Ding Ji still desired to maintain their friendship.

Well, let's leave it at that for now.

On the result day, Lin Wuyu woke up unusually late, feeling calm yet somewhat smug. He couldn't fathom why he managed to sleep so much. His slumber was interrupted by the incessant ringing of his phone.

It was his father calling. Lin Wuyu answered, greeted by his father's excited voice, "Lin Wuyu! Have you seen your grades?"

Hearing this, Lin Wuyu deduced that his father must have already checked his scores. All his academic information was with his father, and judging by the tone, his results should be stellar.

"Let me know once you've seen them," Lin Wuyu replied with a smile.

"You're still so composed?" his father exclaimed, "If you knew your score, you wouldn't be this calm!"

"How much?" Lin Wuyu had always been confident about his performance, not overly anxious.

But in that very moment, he suddenly felt a surge of nerves, as if he had just woken up.

His hand holding the phone started shaking uncontrollably.

"Why don't you check for yourself?" his father suggested, "What if my old eyes are deceiving me?"

"Your grandchild hasn't even been born yet," Lin Wuyu quipped, "your vision shouldn't be failing you just yet…"

"732! Dear!" his father couldn't hold back, shouting before he could finish, "My dear! Dad loves you! Did you hear? 732! You're the top scorer this year! It's you, it's you, it's you, it's you, it's you!"¹

"…I heard," Lin Wuyu said, feeling that if he didn't speak up, his father might start singing.

"Are you in the dormitory?" his father asked.

"Yes," Lin Wuyu said.

"Wait for me, don't leave!" his father's voice was a bit panting, "I'm coming to find you right now. Wait for me in the dormitory!"

"Okay," Lin Wuyu responded.

After hanging up the phone, he stood in the dormitory for about ten seconds before coming back to his senses. He slammed the phone onto the bed fiercely. Then he pounced on the table, banging on it about ten times. After that, he turned around and ran in circles, kicking the legs of the bed while running.

After a few laps, he jumped onto the empty bed next to him, vigorously stomping and jumping on the bedboard. The force made the bedboard crack. Finally, he flopped back onto his own bed, smashed the bedboard a few more times, buried his face in the pillow, and cried out loud. He cried loudly, feeling that he was making a lot of noise.

While crying, he kicked his legs a few more times, accidentally hitting the iron bedpost. He stopped only after hearing a cracking sound.