Chapter 39 - Deeply In Love With You [Quick Transmigration]

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Arc 2: The Sea God's Gift

 

Chapter 39: Ran Away (1)

 

 

The bar's atmosphere was perfect. Gentle music floated through the air, private booths separated by beaded curtains and lush greenery created hidden little worlds. The mingled scents of coffee, liquor, and fresh flowers swirled together under the dim lighting, wrapping the space in a soft, romantic haze.

 

The murmurs of couples were drowned out by the music, only occasionally broken by snippets of TV shows or game sounds.

 

"Welcome, right this way," a voice outside the beaded curtain called. Lin Heng looked up, smiling at the newcomer. "Just showered?"

 

"Mm, I still smelled heavily of disinfectant," Zong Que said, glancing at the rows of seats before sitting down right beside Lin Heng.

 

"Next time, make sure your hair is dry before coming," Lin Heng said, his heart skipping a beat as he reached out to gently smooth Zong Que's still-damp hair.

 

"Mm. What do you want to eat?" Zong Que asked, pulling over the menu.

 

"Their specialties are this pasta and cake," Lin Heng said, pointing out the items. "And they have a mulberry wine with a really low alcohol content. Want to give it a try?"

 

"Alright," Zong Que agreed.

 

Lin Heng scanned the QR code on his phone and placed their order. It would be a little while before the food arrived, and for now, the booth fell into a hushed silence. Because of that quiet, the sounds from the neighboring booth—a couple playing a game—seemed particularly loud.

 

"Come on, come on, loot the gear!"

 

"This camera movement is making me dizzy."

 

"Just grab whatever you can, prioritize medical supplies... The poison circle's coming, run toward me..."

 

"Where are you?"

 

Several loud gunshots sounded, the virtual battle quite intense.

 

"Don't move, I'll come get you."

 

"Try this blueberry, it's really good..."

 

Lin Heng listened to the commotion for a bit, then turned to look at Zong Que, who was busy typing something into his phone's notes app. "Is it inspiration from class?"

 

"Some points I need for my reports," Zong Que said, carefully listing them one by one.

 

"Good." Lin Heng smiled at his focused expression, then idly reached out to brush the leaves of the little potted plant on the table. After snapping a photo, he looked up its species—thinking it would make a nice decoration for a desk.

 

1314, watching all this unfold, couldn't help feeling worried. It even lost interest in its favorite dramas. Writing reports during a date? Ignoring your partner? This was basically the fast track to a breakup!

 

But seeing how serious Zong Que was, 1314 didn't dare interrupt him.

 

When Zong Que finally finished organizing his notes, the server arrived with their food and drinks. "Hello, your order is complete. Please check it over."

 

"We didn't order a fruit plate," Lin Heng said, noticing the small plate of fruit.

 

"That's complimentary with your first order," the server explained with a smile. "If there's nothing else, I'll leave you to enjoy."

 

"Thank you," Lin Heng replied warmly. He placed one plate of pasta and cake in front of Zong Que, and the other in front of himself, arranging the chopsticks neatly before beginning to eat.

 

Zong Que tapped in a final period, set his phone aside, and said, "Thank you."

 

"All done?" Lin Heng asked, twirling his fork through his pasta.

 

"Mm." Zong Que picked up his own chopsticks.

 

"Then eat while it's hot. I was worried it would get cold," Lin Heng said with a smile.

 

"Mm," Zong Que murmured, lowering his head to eat.

 

They had missed the usual dinner rush, so both were a bit hungry. The only sounds in their booth were the soft clinks of utensils against plates. Meanwhile, the conversation next door grew louder.

 

"Those blueberries were good. Let's pack some to take home."

 

"Eating again tonight? It won't be fresh tomorrow. If you want more, we'll come back."

 

"Alright, but baby, I want strawberries."

 

"Get them yourself—self-sufficiency is a virtue."

 

"Feed me! You're the best, baby."

 

"Fine, fine, your sweet talk worked."

 

Lin Heng's hand froze slightly around his chopsticks. He shifted in his seat, feeling somewhat awkward. Back in high school, he had seen couples here and there, but the rules were strict—at most, they exchanged small gifts or passed notes, maybe walked together after evening study hall. Even a quick hug in a secluded corner would attract curious glances.

 

Scenes like this, where couples openly flirted and sweet-talked each other, he had only seen in the TV dramas his mother loved to watch.

 

He paused again. Zong Que also stopped eating, asking calmly, "What's wrong?"

 

Lin Heng looked at Zong Que's unflappable expression and for a moment doubted whether this man could somehow block out all the surrounding noise. "Can't you hear what's going on next door?"

 

"They're just a couple. They're not doing anything outrageous," Zong Que said after listening for a moment. Then, after a beat, he added, "Do you want me to call you 'baby'?"

 

Lin Heng choked on his own saliva, coughing until he was red in the face. It took him several tries before he managed to croak out, "No!"

 

Absolutely not.

 

Zong Que reached out to gently pat his back, helping him catch his breath. "Then, would you like me to feed you fruit?"

 

Lin Heng instinctively wanted to refuse again, but the words twisted in his mouth and came out differently: "Not really…"

 

Zong Que watched the way Lin Heng turned his gaze aside, then calmly picked up a fruit fork, speared a piece of pineapple, and held it to Lin Heng's lips. "Open up."

 

"I actually…" Lin Heng started to protest but ended up biting down on the fruit. The pineapple had clearly been chilled, sweet and cold, without any of the harsh sourness typical of the fruit.

 

"What else do you want to eat?" Zong Que asked, his hand reaching toward the fruit tray again.

 

This was the exact expression Lin Heng used to have whenever he wanted Zong Que to feed him soup.

 

"Mango," Lin Heng said after swallowing the sweetness in his mouth—sweetness that seemed to spread all the way to his heart.

 

Even though he had hands and feet of his own, this—this was what a real date should feel like.

 

Zong Que picked up a piece of mango and offered it to him. Lin Heng bit down while watching him with a slight smile tugging at his lips.

"Alright, that's enough. You should eat too," Lin Heng said warmly.

 

"Thank you, baby," Zong Que said as he set down the fruit fork and picked up his chopsticks again.

 

Lin Heng was caught completely off guard. It felt like a bolt of lightning had struck him square in the chest. His heart seemed to ignite instantly, flames licking up and threatening to burn him whole. "Zong Que! Don't call me that!" he burst out.

 

Zong Que looked at the boy's face—blushing, flustered, furious—and pulled him into his arms. "You like being called that," he said simply.

 

"I don't—!" Lin Heng tried to wriggle away, but being so close to him made his heart race uncontrollably.

 

It might sound cringeworthy to outsiders, but when it was from someone you liked... the words were unbearably sweet.

 

"Shall I call you that from now on?" Zong Que asked.

 

"No! Just once is enough!" Lin Heng said hurriedly. "Otherwise, I'll have to find a hole to crawl into!"

 

"Mm," Zong Que agreed with a soft chuckle.

 

"Hey... do you want some fruit?" Lin Heng asked in a low voice.

 

"I'd like that," Zong Que replied, watching his shy expression.

 

Lin Heng picked up the fruit fork again, skewered a plump strawberry, and, by the time he brought it to his lips, his ears were bright red. As he leaned in slightly, Zong Que lowered his head and took a bite of the strawberry—and then pulled Lin Heng into a kiss.

 

Startled, Lin Heng's eyes widened slightly, but soon his arms reached up to wrap around Zong Que's neck, responding to the kiss that carried the lingering sweetness of strawberries.

 

...

 

The quiet bar was a good distance from the dorms, so walking back gave them time to digest.

 

The campus was shaded by dense trees, and in the summer, many mosquito-repellent lamps cast a purple glow, crackling softly as they zapped insects.

 

In the shadowy paths beneath the trees, couples could occasionally be seen embracing, reluctant to part.

 

The dim lights accompanied them all the way to the dormitory, and even then, few noticed that they were holding hands.

 

"Get some rest early," Zong Que said as he let go of his hand.

 

Standing under the thick canopy of trees, Lin Heng looked up at him with a smile. "You too. See you tomorrow morning."

 

Even though they lived close, even though the academy was nearby, every parting still tugged at the heart.

 

"You go in first," Zong Que said, looking at his eyes glinting with laughter.

 

"I live closer. You go," Lin Heng smiled. "I'll go in once you're gone."

 

"Alright," Zong Que replied. He turned and walked a few steps, then glanced back.

 

Lin Heng, noticing his gaze, lifted his hand in a small wave.

 

The dormitory lights were muffled by the heavy foliage; in the shadows, Lin Heng's figure was barely visible, standing there alone as if about to melt into the dark night.

 

Perhaps, between lovers, it was always hard to part. Especially when one side loved a little more; if not met with enough tenderness, loneliness would surely seep in.

 

Zong Que walked a few more steps, checked his watch, and noted he still had enough time to finish his report before lights out—and even fifteen minutes to spare.

 

Meanwhile, Lin Heng let his hand fall as he watched Zong Que's departing figure. Nearby, another couple reached the front of the dormitories—the boys' and girls' buildings faced each other—and the couple stood under the trees, obliviously hugging and whispering goodbye with reluctant laughter.

 

Lin Heng turned to leave too—but suddenly, someone grabbed his wrist from behind.

 

Startled, he turned around and was pulled into a corner cloaked in the overlapping shadows of trees and dormitory walls.

 

"You came back?" Lin Heng asked, heart pounding with a mix of surprise and joy.

 

"I still have fifteen minutes," Zong Que murmured. He cupped Lin Heng's jaw and pressed a kiss to his trembling lips.

 

Since they were lovers now, they deserved to enjoy every privilege others did—so long as circumstances allowed.

 

"Hey..." Lin Heng's voice trembled slightly, but Zong Que only tightened his hold around the back of his neck.

 

That small ache of earlier loneliness melted into something thick and syrupy, filling his heart with an almost stifling sweetness.

 

When Zong Que was about to pull away, Lin Heng tightened his arms around him instead, chasing his lips with a soft tilt of his head, his voice light and tender: "What's wrong?"

 

"Nothing," Zong Que replied, pulling him even closer.

 

When they finally parted, their foreheads leaned together. Lin Heng gazed into Zong Que's eyes, deeper than usual, and felt his heart swell with heat. His voice carried a shimmer he himself could hardly believe: "Was that a goodnight kiss?"

 

"Mm," Zong Que answered.

 

"Then, can we always do this from now on?" Lin Heng asked boldly.

 

He liked this kiss. He liked this person.

 

"Mm," Zong Que replied.

 

"Zong Que, I love you." Lin Heng looked straight at him, his smile deep and unwavering. "I love you."

 

"Mm."

 

Lin Heng laughed softly and traced Zong Que's brows and eyes with his fingertips. "Even if you say you don't have feelings now, someday, I'll make you fall in love with me."

 

This person—he would never let go.

 

"Mm," Zong Que said again.

 

He admired the boy's courage and passion. As for whether the future would unfold as hoped—no one could say.

 

"Get some rest early." Lin Heng hugged him tightly, then released him with a smile. "See you in the morning."

 

"See you in the morning," Zong Que said, watching him walk up the steps before turning away.

 

...

 

At the first break of dawn, Zong Que laced up his sneakers and left his dormitory. The sunlight had just pierced the night, gentle and without heat, and the dewy freshness of the air brought a rare coolness to the summer morning.

 

He veered from his usual route and stopped in front of Lin Heng's dormitory building.

 

The door opened from inside.

 

Bathed in the fiery morning light, the boy's eyes curved into a bright smile. He bounded down the steps and, without slowing, ran straight into Zong Que's arms. Laughing as he was caught around the waist, he said, "Good morning, boyfriend."

 

"Good morning."

 

Their figures brushed close in a soft embrace, then began jogging together down the broad avenue, their path illuminated by the rising sun.

 

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