Chapter 3179: Plane Tree Lane Bitter Summer 21

Zhang Yue returned home holding a gift box and a watermelon, searching the house for someone. She found Jin Chen sitting on the balcony, dazed. After calling out several times, Jin Chen seemed to come back from far away, stood up, and walked into the Living Room.

"How is it?" It's already the seventh day; Jin Chen had been waiting from morning to afternoon, feeling a bit down, and he replied listlessly.

Zhang Yue rushed over to Jin Chen, thrusting the gift box into his arms, "Brother! Brother Chenshu asked me to bring this to you! He said he'd be back this evening!"

Jin Chen froze for a moment, felt the texture of the wrapping paper with his hand, then sat down and slowly opened it.

The first layer of the gift box held two ceramic bowls with a warm glaze. The second layer held two tiny chibi ceramic figurines, one with a stern face, the other smiling, closely resembling him and Chenshu.

Jin Chen stared at the two little figurines for a long time, his fingertip lightly touching the smiling, curly‑haired one's face, his lips unconsciously pursing. Seeing a small cloth bag beside them, he opened it to find three pairs of earrings inside.

Zhang Yue let out a wow, leaning over the Sofa back to look, "How beautiful!"

"Brother, where did you buy this? I want one too!"

Jin Chen didn't look up, his voice soft, "He made it himself."

Zhang Yue grew even more astonished, her eyes sparkling as she looked at the ceramic pair, liking them more and more.

She cupped her chin, tilting her head to admire, her tone light and natural, "Brother, could you give me these two little plates? I really like them!"

Zhang Yue didn't think Jin Chen would refuse, after all, no matter how his parents got along with him over the years, Jin Chen had always indulged her.

So she didn't notice Jin Chen's smile faintly tightening, still wanting to reach out and take a closer look, but Jin Chen covered the gift box.

"No." he said.

Zhang Yue's hand froze mid‑air, she lifted her head to look at Jin Chen, expression a little surprised, "Why!"

Jin Chen took fifty yuan from his pocket, "Here's some pocket money—buy whatever you like yourself."

Zhang Yue hadn't expected Jin Chen to refuse; she puffed her cheeks, took the money, but still felt unwilling, "I really like that one—we can't buy it around here."

Jin Chen still shook his head, holding the gift box to his chest, and said solemnly, "I like it too."

Seeing his serious expression, Zhang Yue snapped, "Then don't! You're so stingy, Brother! I've got a watermelon from Brother Chenshu too!"

She ran to the kitchen, grabbed half a watermelon, took a spoon, scooped a big spoonful into her mouth, and mumbled indistinctly, "I had no idea you and Brother Chenshu were this close…"

Jin Chen ignored her muttering, held the gift box, returned to his room, and carefully swapped in a new pair of earrings before the mirror, feeling as if the other half of his soul had come back as well.

Jin Chen returned to the balcony, crouched, locked eyes with the mint potted plant for a moment, flicked its leaves, then said seriously, "I'm going to wait for him."

Having said that, he stood up, turned, and left.

——

At dusk, Plane Tree Lane was again shrouded in the setting sun; the old tree's shadow at the lane's entrance stretched long, covering half the road, and the leaves glittered with specks of light.

Orange‑red light streamed down from the gaps between western buildings, bathing the whole lane in a warm amber hue; the evening heat mingled with the scent of cooking drifting from someone's kitchen.

In the stairwell, the sound of suitcase wheels bumping the steps rang out, one after another, growing nearer.

Chenshu reached the third floor, found the door unlocked, smiled, and knocked; a few seconds later the door opened.

Jin Chen stood behind the door, having changed into a soft beige long‑sleeve, its collar loosely open to reveal the hollow of his collarbone; his slightly longer hair was swept behind his ears, exposing the white pearl earrings on his lobes, which glowed with warmth.

"Brother."

Chenshu met Jin Chen's bright, lively eyes, seeing anticipation and affection floating within them; he dropped his suitcase and embraced Jin Chen, "Xiao Chen, I'm back!"

Jin Chen buried his face in Chenshu's shoulder, his long fingers gripping the fabric of Chenshu's back tightly, afraid that if he let go the person would vanish; only then did he notice something, slightly lifting his head to see a man standing behind Chenshu, looking at them with a blatant smile.

Jin Chen's body tensed slightly; he instinctively pressed on Chenshu's shoulder to straighten up, eyeing the scholarly‑looking stranger with some wariness.

Brother hadn't said he'd bring someone home.

Wen Anhe was utterly unaware of the gloom rising in Jin Chen's eyes, raised his hand, and greeted him openly, "Hey there."

Noticing Jin Chen's change, Chenshu took his hand and said, "This is a friend from my academy, Wen Anhe; he's come to Lofty City to seek inspiration." Then, turning to Wen Anhe, he added, "This is… the one I mentioned to you…"

Before he could finish, Wen Anhe interjected, raising an eyebrow with a teasing smile, "I know, you're his little muse boyfriend."

Hearing the word "boyfriend," Jin Chen's anxious gaze eased a little; he glanced at Wen Anhe and then nodded seriously, "Right, that's me."

Wen Anhe couldn't help laughing, looking at Jin Chen with an appreciative gaze, then sensing the almost‑empty atmosphere between the two, he tactfully looked away and told Chenshu, "Can I use your bathroom to take a shower? I want to work up a sweat."

Chenshu agreed, telling him the bathroom was left inside the door; Wen Anhe dragged his suitcase in first.

After the door closed, Jin Chen's spine finally relaxed completely, leaning back against Chenshu; Chenshu turned, wrapped his arms around Jin Chen's waist, tilted his head up slightly, and said with a hint of petulance, "Can I come to your place to shower? I'm really hot."

Jin Chen's ears tinged red; after a few seconds he answered softly, "Okay."

——

Jin Chen followed Chenshu step for step back to his own home.

Zhang Yue was still watching TV in the Living Room; hearing the door open, she turned her head, and upon seeing Chenshu her eyes lit up, jumping up from the Sofa, "Brother Chenshu!"

Zhang Yue immediately put down the remote and ran over, rattling off a string of thanks: thanking him for the watermelon, for helping her out of a bind, and for the gift box.

Chenshu naturally knew Jin Chen was extremely anxious and craved intimate contact to ease the longing of seven days apart; he replied with a smile, "No need to thank me—you're Xiao Chen's sister, I'm naturally here to help."

His words were proper, polite and thorough, yet carried a subtle distance; Zhang Yue wanted to say more, but found herself unable to.

Jin Chen pressed his lips together, pushed Zhang Yue's shoulders to send her back to her room, "I want Chenshu to take a shower—stay put and behave."

Zhang Yue gave an "oh," was shoved into her room, and added over her shoulder, "Brother, there's still watermelon in the fridge—I didn't eat it all out of stinginess."

Jin Chen had no desire to eat watermelon, answering half‑heartedly, "Mm‑hm‑hm!"

With a bang, the door shut.

Hearing Chenshu's soft laugh from behind, Jin Chen felt justified, turned and took a few steps toward him, about to hug, but Chenshu poked his forehead with a finger, then, as before, lightly pinched Jin Chen's earlobe, rubbing the new pearl earring with his fingertip, eyes crinkling, "You changed them?"

Jin Chen nodded, burying his face in Chenshu's palm.

"Looks good," Chenshu said warmly, "I'm sweaty and hot. Shall we shower first?"

Jin Chen pressed his lips, eased his breathing, hid the surging emotions, leaned his face into Chenshu's hand that held his earlobe, rubbed against it, and said, "I'll go get you clothes—wear mine."