Unbridled 35

Ding Ji's question came out of nowhere, totally not what they'd been talking about. Lin Wuyu was totally surprised and didn't get how Ding Ji's mind jumped there all of a sudden.

That little bookshelf.

"Did you really make it?" Lin Wuyu asked. "The small bookshelf we talked about last time?"

"If you don't want it, then I didn't make it," Ding Ji said, scratching his nose.

Lin Wuyu stayed quiet for a bit, then leaned in again, "You actually made it?"

Ding Ji frowned at him for a bit before nodding, "Yep, almost done."

"I want it," Lin Wuyu said right away.

Ding Ji rested his chin on his hand, looking at him like he had questions.

Lin Wuyu leaned back in his chair and took a sip of milk tea.

He wasn't surprised by Ding Ji's reaction 'cause his own reaction was kinda weird. Most people wouldn't react like him to someone saying "I made you something."

A few seconds later, Ding Ji, smart as he was, asked, "Wuyu, you've never got a handmade gift before?"

Lin Wuyu thought for a second and coughed, "I did get handmade cards, back in elementary school. Once, we had to make one for our desk mate."

Ding Ji burst out laughing, accidentally spilling his milk tea.

Lin Wuyu chuckled too and handed him a tissue.

He didn't keep stuff from Ding Ji, didn't mind him knowing about some bad stuff from his past, even though it kinda bugged him inside.

After laughing and wiping up the spilled tea, Ding Ji suddenly stopped smiling and said, "That sucks."

"Watch it," Lin Wuyu warned, "I've got a rep in this area, you gotta be careful."

Ding Ji burst into laughter again, "Did you steal my expression pack from my Moments¹?"

"That's gotta be my special emoji pack," Lin Wuyu said, sounding a bit chilly.

"Man, you're not just some local big shot," Ding Ji chuckled, "You might be the king of the town, maybe even the whole province, heck, you could be national champ this year."

"No need for that," Lin Wuyu replied.

Ding Ji laughed for a bit before composing himself, "Hey."

"How's the bookshelf coming along?" Lin Wuyu asked, "Need to slap some paint on it?"

"Nah, no paint needed," Ding Ji replied, "It'll look better without. I'll just sand it smooth, guarantee it'll last ten years without a hitch."

"Thanks," Lin Wuyu said.

Ding Ji clicked his tongue.

Lin Wuyu was being polite, but this "thanks" was more serious than usual. It had some depth to it.

It wasn't a shock that Lin Wuyu hadn't received handmade gifts before; those were the kind of things only close pals bothered with.

He was the type who could chat and joke with anyone effortlessly. People saw him as friendly and easygoing, pleasantly surprised when they glimpsed his confident and maybe even a tad cocky side. He seemed flawless, and everyone adored him.

But for most folks, that's where it stopped. They couldn't get closer.

If Lin Wuyu hadn't said "thanks," Ding Ji's thoughts would've stopped there.

But he did say it, and sincerely too, with those two "reallys" before.

Ding Ji figured Lin Wuyu probably hadn't expected anyone to give him a handmade gift. He'd brushed off the little bookshelf on purpose, and if he hadn't brought it up again, Lin Wuyu might've never asked.

…Poor guy.

"Alright, I'll bring it over," Lin Wuyu took a bite of his pastry, "Will it fit in a suitcase?"

"Nope," Ding Ji said, "Even though it's small, it's meant for books, so it's not that tiny."

"Then I'll carry it," Lin Wuyu nodded.

Ding Ji thought about suggesting they go together, get everything sorted in one go. But he decided against it. He needed to spend more time with his grandparents; once he left, he wouldn't be back until after the New Year. He hadn't been away from them for so long since he was little. Thinking about it made him feel reluctant to even go to school.

After the exams, there'd be all sorts of activities related to picking majors, explaining choices, classmates stressing together, and young couples sobbing over their relationships. There'd also be countless graduation parties and trips.

Everyone would be bustling about.

Meanwhile, Ding Ji was chilling. His parents hadn't been hassling him lately, especially since he'd decided to apply to H University for the same major as theirs. He spent his days at home, calmly sanding down the little bookshelf on the rooftop.

"I'll take a break to visit you," Liu Jinpeng squatted beside him, lending a hand.

"Sure thing," Ding Ji nodded.

"Should we take your grandparents with us?" Liu Jinpeng asked.

"You wanna take them?" Ding Ji glanced at him, "Why do I feel a bit uneasy?"

"What nonsense," Liu Jinpeng grumbled, "If you don't trust me, who can you trust?"

"There are still a few," Ding Ji said casually.

"What about Lin Wuyu?" Liu Jinpeng smirked, "He wouldn't take your grandparents with him. Are you two that tight?"

Before Ding Ji could answer, Liu Jinpeng cut in, "No, right?"

"Hey, he's not even around, so how could he?" Ding Ji said.

"Have you ever defended me like this in front of others?" Liu Jinpeng frowned.

"Plenty of times," Ding Ji nodded, "I've lost count."

"Listen, Ding," Liu Jinpeng sighed, "I know Lin Wuyu's a good guy, smart, friendly, talented…"

"Why?" Ding Ji interrupted.

"You're like that too, smart, likeable," Liu Jinpeng said, "And you both are top students, studying stuff I can't even understand…"

"Liu Pengpeng?" Ding Ji looked at him.

"You two complement each other…" Liu Jinpeng said.

"What?" Ding Ji's eyes widened suddenly.

"Not like that, I mean… you two just get along really well," Liu Jinpeng wrinkled his brow, "You're overthinking it."

Ding Ji felt oddly relieved, though he didn't know why.

"But!" Liu Jinpeng slapped his thigh.

Ding Ji jumped, dropping the sandpaper he was holding.

"You can't just ditch me as a friend," Liu Jinpeng said, "Even if our paths diverge, but…"

"You're overthinking it," Ding Ji put his arm around him, "Lin Wuyu's… yeah, but that doesn't mean I don't value you as a friend. You're different from him, you know? We've been buddies since forever, and besides you, there's no one else like you. You're my true bro, you're practically my grandparents' grandson, you know?"

"Let's be clear, I'm not your dad's actual son," Liu Jinpeng said quickly.

"Of course not," Ding Ji said.

Definitely not.

Liu Jinping was his buddy, his childhood pal. He was willing to hang out no matter how much they teased each other, whether they teamed up to tease others or got teased themselves. Well, mostly Ding Ji teased Liu Jinpeng, but growing up together felt like family.

Lin Wuyu was different.

Lin Wuyu wasn't like family, yet labeling him a close pal felt inadequate, and simply calling him a friend seemed insufficient too.

So, what exactly is he to me?

---

"It's my way of showing love," Old Lin tapped the bag on the table, "Considering your family situation, they might not have anything ready for you when you head out to study. Even if they do, you might not accept it. So, I had to step in, didn't I?"

"Sure thing," Lin Wuyu grinned and reached for the bag to inspect it.

"Alright, focus on the important stuff first!" Old Lin pointed at the computer screen, "Go over it again! Check, double-check, and then hit submit."

"Why's it taking so long to think over this tiny bit of content?" Lin Wuyu wondered.

"Nothing wrong with being cautious," Old Lin replied.

"Got it," Lin Wuyu nodded, reviewing his application once more before hitting submit.

"Log out and log back in," Old Lin instructed.

"Why?" Lin Wuyu logged out and back in.

"Just to make sure it went through! Better safe than sorry," Old Lin leaned closer to the screen, "Looks good now. Wait for the acceptance letter. You and Xu Tianbo should be in the same batch."

"Sure thing," Lin Wuyu stretched and grabbed his phone.

Xu Tianbo had already texted him earlier, saying he'd finished his application. Aerospace engineering. If Old Lin hadn't insisted they wait until he got home before going to Xu's to fill it out, he would've done it in the morning.

He snapped a photo of the screen and sent it to Ding Ji.

[Lin Wuyu] All done.

[Ding Ji] Finished mine too.

Ding Ji hit submit for his college picks, engineering mechanics.

He snapped a photo, sending it to Lin Wuyu.

[Ding Ji] Check if it's submitted by logging out and back in.

[Lin Wuyu] Got it.

Following Lin Wuyu's advice, Ding Ji did just that, double-checking before shutting down the computer.

[Ding Ji] Keep your password safe.

[Lin Wuyu] Who's gonna know it?

Ding Ji chuckled.

[Ding Ji] Your folks, be cautious.

Lin Wuyu was straightforward, but Ding Ji didn't mind his skepticism about his parents. It was kinda funny, actually.

[Lin Wuyu] I'm good, don't worry.

[Ding Ji] Gonna pack up soon. Early train tomorrow, gotta be ready tonight.

This time, Ding Ji didn't hesitate. After all the back and forth, he decided to go with the flow. Whoever wanted to figure things out could do so. He wasn't gonna stress over it anymore.

[Lin Wuyu] Crash at my place tonight. Save you the trouble of moving your stuff twice, and I can drive you to the station in the morning."

"Grandma—" Ding Ji shouted to the living room, "Make something good for tonight. The little genius is coming over. He's staying over, and I'll give him a ride to the station early tomorrow—"

"Why's he coming at this hour?" Grandpa called from the living room.

"He's got work to do, that drone thing," Ding Ji explained, "To make some cash."

"Oh?" Grandma wandered over, "He's working now? Did he fail?"

"Nah!" Ding Ji laughed, "He's top in the province. No way he's failing."

"Top in the province, top in the province," Grandma clicked her tongue, "But are you top in the province? You're just second. Always bragging about being the best, but you're not."

Ding Ji chuckled, "So what if I'm not top? If the top guy comes over, he's here to mooch off me for food and a bed. He even wants to use my pillow."

Lin Wuyu arrived at Ding Ji's apartment with his luggage, almost half an hour early. He stood outside, debating whether to wait or call Ding Ji directly.

He hadn't expected the roads to be this empty today.

"Hey—" Ding Ji's voice echoed from the building.

It sounded louder than usual, bouncing off the walls.

Lin Wuyu looked up and saw Ding Ji's head poking out from a window.

He wanted to shout back, but it felt awkward, so he settled for a wave.

"Why didn't you call me?" Ding Ji continued.

"I don't have your number—" someone from another building replied.

"Get lost!" Ding Ji shouted back with a grin, then yelled downstairs again, "Hang on, I'll be down to help!"

"Nah—" Lin Wuyu started to protest, but after the first shout, he felt a bit awkward, so he stayed quiet.

It sounded like a flat-out rejection.

Ding Ji's head disappeared from the window, but this time, his arm came out too, pointing at Lin Wuyu as he whispered loudly, "Shush!"

Lin Wuyu nodded.

After about ten seconds, he heard Ding Ji's footsteps pounding down the stairs.

"Are you ready to rumble?" Ding Ji burst out of the doorway like a whirlwind.

"Nope," Lin Wuyu stifled a laugh, "I didn't mean to. My throat's not great…"

"Why didn't you just wait for me?" Ding Ji scolded, glaring at him.

"I was gonna tell you there was no need to come down. I could've handled it myself with just a few things," Lin Wuyu said, trying not to laugh.

"Then you could've just come up. We could've met halfway," Ding Ji suggested.

"You came down so fast, I thought you'd already be on the next floor by the time I got up there," Lin Wuyu said, "Wouldn't that have been more running?"

"If I didn't come down to scold you, I wouldn't have run so fast!" Ding Ji grabbed his suitcase and headed into the hallway. After a few steps, he burst out laughing, "Geez, your voice usually sounds so nice. How'd you manage to make such a racket?"

"I dunno," Lin Wuyu cleared his throat, "Maybe I've been hoarse these past few days."

"Later, let's have some chrysanthemum tea my grandma brewed. I dunno what kind of chrysanthemum it is, but it's so bitter, it makes me wanna cry. Help me drink half of it," Ding Ji suggested.

"Sure thing," Lin Wuyu agreed.

"Hey, the little fairy's here!" His grandma called from the kitchen, "There's fruit on the table, grab some first. Grandpa also got you a bunch of snacks."

"Got it," Lin Wuyu peeked into the kitchen, "Need a hand, grandma?"

"Nah, last time you helped, you made a mess. Cucumber bits ended up all over the ceiling. Ding Ji had to climb up and clean it," His grandma waved him off.

"…Really?" Lin Wuyu was surprised.

"You two go have fun. If you both come into the kitchen, I'll be stuck cleaning up for the next three months," His grandma shooed him back to the living room.

"Let's tidy up first," Ding Ji suggested as he entered his aunt's room, "Your drone's in here."

Lin Wuyu followed him inside, reached into his backpack, and felt the small paper bag, but didn't take it out right away.

"What's up?" Ding Ji asked.

"I made something for you," Lin Wuyu said.

"What is it?" Ding Ji came over eagerly, "You made it yourself? Handmade?"

"Yep," Lin Wuyu nodded.

"A greeting card?" Ding Ji guessed.

Lin Wuyu grinned, "You're close."

"What is it then?" Ding Ji asked, tugging at his backpack, "Take it out, let me see."

Lin Wuyu pulled out the paper bag but hesitated to give it to Ding Ji, "It's not perfect, I messed up a few times."

"Give it here," Ding Ji reached out.

"Picking the colors was tough, I couldn't decide," Lin Wuyu held onto the paper bag, "I've never been great at this stuff. Failed crafts class back in elementary school."

"Hand it over," Ding Ji insisted, shaking his hand.

"Don't laugh," Lin Wuyu warned, "It's nothing compared to your little bookshelf…"

"Just give it!" Ding Ji demanded.

Lin Wuyu put the paper bag back in his backpack, eyeing him.

"Pass it over," Ding Ji rubbed his hands eagerly.

Lin Wuyu smiled and handed over the paper bag.

Ding Ji weighed it carefully. The paper bag was palm-sized, a bit heavy, and there was something round inside, puffing it up. He pinched it through the bag.

"Oops!" Lin Wuyu quickly smacked his hand away, "Don't squash it."

"Sorry…" Ding Ji took a breath, "Be gentle!"

Lin Wuyu didn't say anything.

He lowered his head and opened the paper bag, revealing a black lump with green and red decorations.

Before he could see what it was, a familiar smell hit him. After all, he'd bragged about it.

"Plasticine?" he guessed, poking the black lump, "Did you make this? What is it?"

"You'll see," Lin Wuyu said.

Ding Ji eagerly took out the black lump and held it in his palm.

But he couldn't figure out what it was.

Black, round lump, with a red line on it, and a small yellow lump and symmetrical two green lumps².

"What's this?" Ding Ji scrunched his eyebrows and held his hand up to his eyes, scanning left and right.

"It's squashed…" Lin Wuyu reached out and gently squeezed the small yellow lump, reshaping it.

Ding Ji quickly caught on, slowly lifting his head to look at him, "Lin Wuyu?"

"It wasn't intentional," Lin Wuyu explained, "I tried other things, but they were too complex. This one can be molded into a circle. I thought of the clay chicken I sent last time; it could be a reference…"

Ding Ji didn't say anything, staring at him for a moment before reaching out to hug him. His eyes started to well up, "Thanks."