Chapter 19 - Deeply In Love With You [Quick Transmigration]

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The Gift

 

 

"What is it?" Lin Heng asked as he turned, facing Liao Yan directly.

 

Liao Yan didn't look well. Even after receiving a scholarship, his expression had remained clouded.

 

His fingers tightened ever so slightly. Sunlight filtered through the vines in the garden, casting delicate halos of gold onto Lin Heng's figure.

 

Even when standing under the spotlight on the awards stage, Lin Heng had remained calm and composed.

 

An exceptional family background, striking looks, flawless manners, outstanding grades, a loving family… The world really could be unfair sometimes, piling all the good things onto one person and refusing to spare even a sliver for the rest.

 

"Liao Yan?" Lin Heng frowned at his silence. "Did something happen at home? Is your mom okay?"

 

"She's alright. Still needs time to recover though." Liao Yan finally unclenched his fingers and pulled a scholarship voucher from his certificate. "Lin Heng, can I borrow some money from you? I'll leave this with you for now. I'll pay you back once my mom gets better and I can collect the scholarship from the school."

 

The school required parents to collect scholarship funds in person—too many cases in the past where students had been tricked or scammed after collecting it themselves. The policy had since become ironclad.

 

"Eight thousand?" Lin Heng asked.

 

"There's also a private scholarship—five thousand more," Liao Yan said, body taut like a wire. "Is that alright?"

 

Those people only cared about money. The debt his father left behind had come due, and repaying what was owed—well, that felt like justice.

But that man had better never return. If he did… Liao Yan didn't know what he might do.

 

"I don't have that much on me." Lin Heng checked his account. "I'll ask my mom for a bit more."

 

"Maybe just lend me the eight thousand first." Liao Yan's voice was strained, pale with worry. He didn't want Lin Heng's mother to know about any of this.

 

Lin Heng looked up at him. "Don't worry. I won't tell her why."

 

"Oh… alright." Liao Yan lowered his head.

 

Lin Heng sent a message and transferred the money. "Check if it's gone through."

 

Liao Yan glanced at his phone, then handed the voucher over. "I'll write you a promissory note later."

 

"Alright. Tell your mom I said hi." Lin Heng smiled.

 

"Mm… thanks." Liao Yan spoke with difficulty, drawing in a deep breath before turning to leave. "I'll head back to the classroom now."

 

He had come in a rush and left in the same haste. When Lin Heng stepped out of the garden, Zong Que walked out from the shade to join him.

 

"Finished talking?"

 

"Mm. Let's go check the results in the classroom first," Lin Heng said with a smile. "Then my mom wants to invite you and Grandma to have a meal with us."

 

"Alright. I'll let her know," Zong Que replied.

 

The final rankings had been released, and now the focus was on analyzing performance. Lin Heng's mother gave his certificate a few words of praise—clearly used to his achievements—but his grandmother held Zong Que's certificate in her hands, admiring it with unconcealed joy.

 

"It's really a second prize!"

 

"Yes. Fourth in the class, tenth in the entire grade," Lin Heng added.

 

"Incredible. Thank you so much." The old woman turned to Lin Heng, grateful. "It's really all thanks to you."

 

"Not at all. He worked incredibly hard on his own," Lin Heng said, smiling.

 

The elderly woman kept the certificate in her hands even through dinner. When both families parted ways afterward, she went home and immediately started mixing glue to paste the certificate onto the wall.

 

"Xiao Que, how about putting it right here?" she asked, pointing.

 

The golden sheet stood out sharply against the plain wall—but it was rare to see her this happy. As he scrolled through the list of things he planned to buy, Zong Que said, "Looks good."

 

The old woman beamed as she carefully pressed it into place and stood back to admire it. "And today Lin Heng's family even treated us to dinner. You'd better return the favor next time, alright?"

 

"Okay," Zong Que answered.

 

He chose the gift and placed the order.

 

There were nearly two months of break after the term ended, and naturally the school had assigned plenty of homework. On the third day home, Zong Que received a message from Lin Heng.

 

Lin Heng: How's the homework going?

 

Zong Que put down what he was doing: Just getting started.

 

Lin Heng tapped on the box beside him and typed back: Want to come over and work on it together? It's easier to stay focused with someone else around.

 

Zong Que wiped his hands: Your place?

 

Lin Heng replied almost instantly: Or I can come to yours.

 

It was sweltering in the summer heat. Zong Que's room now had an air conditioner, courtesy of the scholarship money—but the desk was narrow and awkward to use. The alley where he lived ran deep, and it wouldn't be safe returning late.

 

Zong Que: I'll come to yours, he answered.

 

Lin Heng thought for a moment: We'll go to the place across from school. The competition prep class starts in a few days anyway—it's more convenient there.

 

Zong Que: Mm.

 

Besides regular lessons, First High also offered special training for competitions. The physics competition usually took place in December, while the biology one varied, but both required early preparation. Their break would be much shorter than most students'.

 

Lin Heng smiled slightly: See you tomorrow.

 

Zong Que replied: See you tomorrow.

 

In July, the sun rose as early as five or six. The old woman was an early riser, and Zong Que, taking advantage of the cool air, also got up, turned off the air conditioner, and went to wash up.

 

"It's summer break—sleep in a little. Why are you up so early?" she asked when she heard him stirring.

 

"Just used to it. I'm going to Lin Heng's to do homework in a bit," Zong Que replied as he packed up.

 

"That little class rep's place?" the old woman asked, beaming.

 

"Mm." Zong Que nodded.

 

Breakfast was simple. She had steamed several trays of large, fluffy buns, made a pot of congee, and laid out pickled vegetables and salted duck eggs—it was all surprisingly appetizing.

 

"You should bring some buns with you," she said as she packed a few. "No idea if your class monitor likes them or not."

 

"He…" Zong Que hesitated for a moment. "He's not picky."

 

Though he had a fondness for junk food now and then, he never fussed about meals.

 

"That's good. I made plenty—bring him a few more," she said with a warm smile.

 

"Mm." Zong Que agreed.

 

After switching buses, he arrived in front of Lin Heng's apartment building before the heat had fully set in. He knocked a few times but no one answered. Lowering his eyes, he made a call.

 

It rang for nearly a full minute before being picked up. A sleep-heavy voice, muffled and dazed, came through. "Who is it…"

 

"It's me," Zong Que said simply.

 

There was a pause on the other end, and when the voice returned, it was noticeably more awake, accompanied by hurried footsteps. "You're here already?"

 

A massive yawn followed. The door opened from the inside, and just as Zong Que was about to hang up and step inside, he caught sight of a boy in a white T-shirt and shorts, almost glowing in the morning light.

 

His hair was tousled and sleep-mussed, clearly just out of bed. Still drowsy, his usually bright and gentle eyes shimmered with a misty wetness, as though on the verge of tears.

 

"I came too early," Zong Que said, hanging up and turning his gaze away.

 

"No, I just thought you'd sleep in over the break," Lin Heng said, catching the subtle turn of Zong Que's face and feeling a curious flutter in his chest. After letting him in, he closed the door behind them. "Did you eat yet? If not, give me a minute and we can grab breakfast together."

 

"I ate. I brought buns." Zong Que stepped into the house, slipping on indoor slippers with one hand while handing over the bag with the other.

 

"So many?" Lin Heng took the bag with one arm braced to balance it. "Are these from a good place?"

 

"My grandma made them this morning. She wanted me to bring you some," Zong Que said.

 

Lin Heng placed the bag on the dining table, his smile tinged with curiosity and delight as he opened it. "They're huge! What's this leaf wrapping them?"

 

"Corn husk. Keeps them from sticking," Zong Que said after a glance.

 

"They already look delicious." Lin Heng tossed the bag aside and headed into the bathroom. "I'll wash up real quick, then we can eat. You can sit for a while."

 

"I'll just wash my hands." Zong Que followed into the bathroom, where Lin Heng, toothbrush in hand, shifted aside to make space.

 

Still, with two people, the narrow bathroom felt noticeably cramped.

 

Lin Heng glanced sideways at his profile. Even when woken from a dream, just seeing him there in the morning brought an unshakable sense of calm and warmth.

 

"How many can you eat?" Zong Que asked, drying his hands as he looked at him.

 

Caught in that gaze, Lin Heng snapped out of his thoughts. "Just one's enough."

 

The buns were almost double the size of his palm, after all.

 

"Alright, I'll heat one for you." Zong Que left the bathroom, took one bun from the bag, and set the rest aside with the opening left loose to cool before storing them in the fridge later.

 

The soft crackle of the stove flame filled the quiet space. Lin Heng quietly spat out the toothpaste, rinsed his mouth, and even his face-washing felt rushed now.

 

Breakfast was served. Steamed buns always had a warmth and heartiness that microwave-heated food lacked. The salted duck egg was rich with oil, and the bun stuffing was generous and flavorful — incredibly satisfying.

 

"These buns your grandma made are amazing," Lin Heng praised as he cleared his plate.

 

"I'll let her know," Zong Que replied, already seated at the desk and taking out his assignments.

 

The leftover buns were tucked into the fridge. Lin Heng changed his clothes and picked up a small box from his bedside, sitting down beside Zong Que.

 

"The school's competition prep class starts next Monday. We should be able to finish all the homework in three days," Zong Que said, organizing his papers. "That'll give us a free day."

 

"Mm, I'll go with whatever you plan." Lin Heng placed the box in front of him with a smile. "Here — your reward."

 

Zong Que set down his pen and opened the box. Inside lay a sleek, mechanical-style wristwatch — matte black, weighty in appearance, and clearly designed with young people in mind. "Thank you."

 

His expression gave little away. Lin Heng asked, "Do you like it?"

 

"Mm." Zong Que fastened the watch around his wrist. "I like it very much."

 

Though it didn't match his usual understated style, a watch like this was undeniably practical.

 

"I'm glad." Lin Heng's eyes lingered on the letters engraved on the face of the watch — ZL. Nothing overt, nothing that would invite suspicion… yet in some way, it felt like he had quietly marked this person as his.

 

"Yours… I'll give it to you in a few days," Zong Que said, picking his pen back up.

 

"Mm? What is it?" Lin Heng looked intrigued.

 

"You'll find out then."

 

The more he refused to say, the more it itched at Lin Heng's curiosity. "Give me a little hint?"

 

"Don't you like surprises?" Zong Que countered.

 

Lin Heng: "…"

 

"Let's get back to homework," Zong Que said, lowering his head again.

 

In that moment, Lin Heng began to understand what it meant to dig one's own grave — yet a small part of him also wondered if this guy was doing it on purpose.

 

But someone as oblivious as Zong Que couldn't possibly be that calculating… could he?

 

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