AMTWPICL Chapter 12

After rubbing his frozen hands to restore some dexterity, Song Linchu continued to message Tan Yue.

Little Songlin: [I won’t let you!]

Little Songlin: [Thank you, gege! I really like them!]

Tan Yue: [Not mad anymore?]

This question was quite insightful.

He had no right to control whom Tan Yue watched, let alone be so irrational about it. They had never had any ambiguous relationship, and even if he had the right, Tan Yue had only watched a performance and did nothing else. Even if he was jealous, he had no power to take away his right to watch.

If he thinks about it from Tan Yue’s perspective, would he have to ask permission from him every time he wanted to watch the Spring Festival Gala or a TV drama?

An Jiahe was not that weird.

**An Jiahe is a fictional character in the TV series “Don’t Talk to Strangers “. He is a famous surgeon in Xiamen City, but because of his distorted personality, he suspected his wife was having an affair and kept beating her up.

Little Songlin: [The person before me stole my boyfriend by relying on his cross-dressing, and he has many admirers because of it. I thought that…]

Little Songlin: [(pointing a finger)]

Tan Yue: [Many people like him for that?]

Little Songlin: [Yes, yes, he has a lot of admirers!]

Song Linchu did not lie about this. A certain game company held a comic exhibition with their school, Su Zhan dressed in a black silk maid outfit and attracted many male students who liked it.

Such as Tan Mingqing.

Thinking about Tan Yue and Tan Mingqing’s similar preferences, Song Linchu couldn’t help but tentatively ask.

Little Songlin: [Gege, don’t you like it?]

Tan Yue: [No.]

Song Linchu secretly breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this decisive refusal. It seemed that Tan Yue and Tan Mingqing were still different.

His mood immediately became elated.

Little Songlin: [It’s late, gege. Shouldn’t you rest?]

Little Songlin: [I have no class tomorrow. I’ll bring you some medicinal food!]

Tan Yue: [Okay.]

After saying goodnight to Tan Yue, Song Linchu dragged his nearly frozen body back to the shop.

Everyone was a little surprised to see him go empty-handed but come back with a bouquet of flowers, and Song Linchu explained that it was from a friend.

Seeing how he cherished the flowers, they knew something was up and tactfully refrained from playing matchmaker between him and the girl from the aviation university.

The group of friends had a good time until the dormitory curfew was about to be enforced, and they parted ways after sending the girls back. Su Zhan did not come back at night, so they did not know if it was because he lost the competition and did not want to come back to be teased.

Even though no one gave him any extra thoughts.

On the following day, Song Linchu went to the market to buy a fish head and made a medicinal soup with it.

In the ward, only the man named Brother Yong was guarding at the door, and Cheng Bin and the nurse were nowhere to be seen.

After Song Linchu entered the ward, he noticed that the door leading to the room was ajar. He knocked and received permission before pushing the door open.

Tan Yue was standing by the French window with one hand in his pocket and the other holding a glass, looking outside. His hospital gown did not affect his bearing, and the aura of superiority made his back look cold and arrogant, making others afraid to offend him easily.

Song Linchu was dumbfounded in place and his mind was filled with question marks. He thought that Tan Yue was already paralyzed by illness, so who was this handsome man standing upright in front of him?

“Why aren’t you coming in?” Tan Yue turned around and asked when he saw Song Linchu standing at the door.

“I…You, you can stand up?” Song Linchu asked dryly.

Tan Yue lightly rubbed the rim of the glass with his fingertips, “Mhmm,” he paused for a moment before adding, “the surgical incision has healed.”

So that’s how it is. He thought that Tan Yue was paralyzed, but it turned out that he had only undergone surgery and could not walk temporarily, so he had to rely on a wheelchair.

Seeing Tan Yue’s obviously improved complexion, Song Linchu guessed that his condition had been effectively controlled after the surgery and he could probably last for another year or two.

In fact, Song Linchu didn’t want Tan Yue to have any problems. He even secretly hoped that he could live a long life and not let Tang Mingqing get his inheritance. However, illness was something that could not be effectively controlled just by his wishes. He used to hope that his mother could recover every day, but she still left him in the end.

Thinking of his mother, Song Linchu felt a little sad.

Just then, he felt something warm touch his cheek, pulling his attention back. He looked up and saw Tan Yue’s hand retracting the cup.

“Did you get bullied again?” Tan Yue asked.

The use of the word “again” was quite apt.

Song Linchu quickly restrained his expression and suppressed his sadness, saying, “No, I just remembered something.”

Tan Yue lowered his eyes slightly and looked at his black hair.

“Okay ,” he said, without inquiring about what it was.

“So, are you going to eat now? Do you want to eat here or in the living room outside?” Song Linchu asked.

Tan Yue said, “Living room.”

The two went to the living room together. Song Linchu noticed that although Tan Yue had said he was fine now, his walking posture was still a bit stiff.

Cheng Bin was not there, so Song Linchu went to the disinfection cabinet to get the dishes and brought out the food, muttering to himself that rich people were really fussy.

After all this trouble, not only did he have to wash the lunch box, but he also had to wash so many dishes. Wasn’t it just more trouble?

But then he thought again, it’s not like Tan Yue washes them himself, so of course, he wouldn’t feel like he being troubled.

Damn capitalists!

Tan Yue ate slowly and elegantly. Song Linchu never understood why so many people liked watching people eat on video. What’s so good about watching others eat when you can’t eat it yourself?

But watching Tan Yue eat made him experience that kind of pleasure.

Especially when he thought that Tan Yue was eating what he made himself, his sense of satisfaction exploded.

He could even watch a series!

“Why is your hand like that?” Tan Yue suddenly asked.

“Huh? Oh! Maybe I got cold last night and it was a bit itchy.”

It’s easy to get frostbite in the frosty weather. He was outside in the cold wind chatting with Tan Yue for so long last night, and his hands were numb.

When he woke up today, his hands were swollen and itchy, but his hands were originally slender, so the swelling wasn’t noticeable.

Tan Yue frowned and said, “There’s a box over there, bring it to me.”

Song Linchu looked in the direction that Tan Yue pointed and indeed saw a light blue box. He brought it over and handed it to Tan Yue.

Tan Yue opened the box and took out what was inside, and Song Linchu then noticed that it was a pair of gloves.

A pair of light and thin gray gloves.

“Try them.” Tan Yue handed the gloves to him.

Song Linchu quickly said, “No need, I have my own.”

As he spoke, he took out the gloves from his pocket to show Tan Yue.

The city was damp and cold, which was a disaster for someone like Song Linchu who’s physically weak. He often gets cold hands and feet, which he can’t warm up for a long time, so he has all the necessary warm clothes.

Yesterday, he was harassed by those girls and left in a hurry, forgetting his gloves at the table.

Tan Yue glanced at the gloves on his hands and said, “They’re not warm enough.”

????

Song Linchu looked at Tan Yue’s thin gloves, which were as thin as a layer of gauze, and thought, ‘You’re wearing such thin gloves and still have the nerve to criticize me?’

Seeing his hesitation and doubt, Tan Yue simply said, “Give me your hand.”

Song Linchu: !!!

Does he mean to help him put on the gloves?

Without hesitation, Song Linchu stretched out his right hand, the back facing upwards, with five slightly spread fingers— the posture of being ready to have the gloves put on.

Tan Yue, who only intended to put the gloves in Song Linchu’s hand: “…”

Tan Yue’s lips twitched, but he still picked up the gloves and helped him put them on.

It was obvious that ge had never taken care of anyone before, and his movements were not skilled. In addition, the gloves were not a loose style, so it was a bit tricky to put them on.

Tan Yue’s fingertips occasionally touched Song Linchu’s skin, bringing a scorching heat. Song Linchu tried to endure it and did not reflexively withdraw his hand, but his ears turned red.

It seemed like a century had passed before Tan Yue finally finished putting on the gloves.

“Is it too hot?” Tan Yue asked, noticing the redness on his face.

“…” Song Linchu felt that this steel man was beyond redemption.

“No, “ Song Linchu lifted his hand to observe the gloves on his hand and couldn’t help asking, “Can this really keep me warm?”

The gloves looked elegant on his hand, but the warmth retention effect was probably questionable.

“It can. Give me your hand again.”

Song Linchu reached out his hand again, and Tan Yue’s fingers stretched to the edge of his wrist. Then one finger pressed a buckle that looked like a decoration at the wrist.

After a moment, Song Linchu felt a warm sensation spreading through his hand, and suddenly realized, “So it’s electric.”

“Yeah, try using your phone.”

Song Linchu took out his phone in confusion and swiped the screen with the gloved hand. He found that he could still use the phone screen with the gloves on, just like with his bare fingers.

This is so convenient!

“This is too convenient!” exclaimed Song Linchu, unable to resist raising his hand to examine the gloves. “Are they made of some special material?”

At first glance, they appeared to be a pair of ordinary gloves, except for their stylish design. There was nothing else that seemed out of the ordinary.

“Superconducting material,” Tan Yue handed him the box, “the charger is inside, keep it safe.”

Song Linchu hastily waved his hands, “This is too precious, I cannot accept it. Please keep it for yourself, I can buy one for myself.”

Aside from its functionality, the gloves were exquisitely designed, complementing one’s elegance and sophistication. One could wear them to a high-end gala without looking out of place, so they were undoubtedly expensive.

Song Linchu was embarrassed to accept such an expensive gift.

However, he could buy a similar one with the same functionality but at a cheaper price from an online store.

Just as Song Linchu was about to take off the gloves, Tan Yue’s fingertips stopped him.

He looked up at Song Linchu and said, “It’s a product for friends to experience. I also got it for free.”

If Cheng Bin were here and heard this, he would probably feel a twinge of jealousy.

The hardships that went into purchasing these gloves were probably only known to him.

However, Tan Yue’s tone was nonchalant as usual, making it hard for people to doubt him.

“Oh, I see. In that case, you should keep it for yourself,” Song Linchu said. Tan Yue was a terminally ill patient, and he needed the gloves more than him!

“I have another pair,” Tan Yue said, his tone still indifferent. “Do you want me to just throw it away?”

With this, he really did try to toss the packaging box into the nearby trash bin.

Seeing that Tan Yue was serious, Song Linchu hurriedly took the box and said, “Don’t throw it away, I want it!”

A faint hint of amusement flickered in Tan Yue’s eyes.

Song Linchu realized that the gloves Tan Yue gave him were really warm. Although it wasn’t snowing now, there was frost every day, and there was a constant bone-chilling frost wind that penetrated his bones.

But on his way back, even though the cold wind blew onto him, his hands didn’t feel too cold. Instead, there was a steady stream of heat, like a hand warmer.

When he got back to school, it was already past seven o’clock.

As he was approaching the dormitory, a couple of lovers who were playing and laughing didn’t look where they were going and ran into Song Linchu. Song Linchu stumbled, and the glove packaging box fell to the ground.

“Sorry, I wasn’t—”

The person who was apologizing didn’t finish his sentence and got stuck.

“Linchu, it’s you.” The boy scratched his nose awkwardly.

The person who bumped into him was none other than his scumbag ex-boyfriend, Tan Mingqing.

Song Linchu silently rolled his eyes. They say that enemies meet on a narrow road. How come he still run into idiots on such a wide road?

He was just about to pick up the packaging box when Tan Mingqing quickly picked it for him. But at the moment he was about to hand it to Song Linchu, his action froze.

Song Linchu was taken aback. Was there anything special about these gloves? Did Tan Mingqing recognize that they were Tan Yue’s?

If he went and told Tan Yue about their past relationship, Tan Yue would definitely guess his motives for getting close to him. Wouldn’t that be…

Alarm bells rang in Song Linchu’s mind, and just then, Su Zhan ran over.

He stood between Tan Mingqing and Song Linchu without hesitation. Su Zhan looked like he had already bounced back from yesterday’s disappointment of being eliminated, smiling slyly as he said, “Sorry, Linchu. We were having too much fun and didn’t pay attention. We didn’t mean to run into you.”

Then, he turned his head and coquettishly said to Tan Mingqing, “Mingqing, give the things back to him.”

But Tan Mingqing ignored him and asked Song Linchu, “Where did you buy these gloves? Can you tell me where to buy them? I’ve wanted to buy them for a long time, but I can’t find them anywhere.”

Song Linchu breathed a sigh of relief. It turned out that he didn’t recognize them.

He snatched the packaging box from Tan Mingqing’s hand and said coldly, “They were a gift.”

Tan Mingqing eagerly asked, “Can you ask the person who gave them to you where they bought them? Please!”

Song Linchu couldn’t be bothered to deal with him and turned around to leave.

Tan Mingqing wanted to chase after him, but Su Zhan pulled him back.

“What are you doing?” Su Zhan asked angrily, “Look carefully, who is your boyfriend?”

“Tsk, no, I want to know where he bought those gloves from so I can give them to my uncle.”

Su Zhan didn’t care much: “It’s just a pair of gloves. It’s not like they’re better than Lady Xiang. Wouldn’t it be too shabby to give your uncle such plain gloves?”

Tang Mingqing looked at him speechlessly: “Do you know how much those gloves cost?”

“How much?”

Tang Mingqing stated a number, and Su Zhan was shocked, but then sneered, “He doesn’t have any friends besides you who are that wealthy, so it must be fake.”

“I just noted down the box number. Let me check if it’s fake.”

Tang Mingqing took out his phone, opened the official website of the gloves, entered the number and checked it, and the page that popped up showed that it was authentic, with a picture that was exactly the same as the gloves worn by Song Linchu.

It was dusk now and Su Zhan, who had just seen the gloves in dim lighting, didn’t get a good look at them. But when he saw the image on the website, he realized that not only were the gloves expensive, but they were also very beautiful, elegant and fashionable, and could be worn while using a phone. He became envious.

“Honey, I want them too,” Su Zhan said, shaking Tang Mingqing’s arm and acting cute.

Tang Mingqing replied calmly, “Even if you want them, I can’t buy them for you, and even if I can afford them, I can’t afford to give them to you. You’d better stick to your Lady Xiang gloves.”

“…,” Su Zhan felt even more jealous.

But he also knew that although Tang Mingqing was rich, he couldn’t afford such an expensive gift for him.

‘So what?’ Su Zhan thought. He just had to wait for Tang Mingqing to inherit his uncle’s inheritance, then he could have anything he wanted!

Meanwhile, Tang Mingqing couldn’t help but look at Song Linchu’s figure as he walked away.

Perhaps influenced by the singing competition yesterday, when Su Zhan came between them earlier and turned back to scold him, the two of them (Su Zhan and Song Linchu) appeared side by side and he realized how big the gap in their looks and temperament was.

Calling it an insurmountable chasm would not be an exaggeration.

How could he have been so foolish back then…

Tang Mingqing couldn’t help but clench his fist, suppressing the regret boiling up inside him.

———————-

Aikang Hospital.

After finishing his meal, Tan Yue sat down at the desk by the window to handle company affairs. Due to his hospitalization, there were quite a few affairs that had piled up and needed to be addressed. Fortunately, his health was not a major concern, and after a few more days of rest, he should be able to return to work.

While he was looking at a project report, his phone suddenly buzzed. It was his grandfather calling him.

Without taking his eyes off the report, Tan Yue picked up the phone and answered it.

But before he could even speak, he heard his grandfather’s vigorous voice on the other end of the line: “Tan Yue, you bastard! You didn’t add that person on WeChat, but you lied to me saying that you had a good conversation with him. Are you trying to kill me with anger? Ah!”

Tan Yue: “?”