Chapter 103
Summer had only just begun, but the days were getting hotter by the minute. By the time the college entrance exams rolled around, the sun was blazing. Some parents fretted over their kids, fanning them, carrying thermoses of mung bean soup—though they didn't dare chill it, afraid that cold soup might upset their child's stomach.
Uncle Quan brewed a pot of mung bean soup too, and also packed some anti-heatstroke medicine.
The day before the exams, Lu Yang went to check out his test site—only because Qi Cheng remembered to ask about it.
Lu Yang said he'd already looked it up and knew where it was. Qi Cheng asked, "You haven't been there? No, that won't do. You have to go."
Uncle Quan chimed in as well, "Yeah, you should go take a look. It'd be terrible if you couldn't find it at the last minute."
Even Fanfan, who didn't understand a word, bounced around on his chubby little legs, nodded his head, and made faces along with his daddy.
Lu Yang had no choice but to go with Qi Cheng. The exam site was an hour's drive from Yuntai Villa, with no direct subway—three transfers, plus a walk.
"That won't work. If you're late—"
Lu Yang said, "I'll leave an hour early."
"But that cuts into your sleep!" Qi Cheng was full of worry. He also checked and saw that his studio was far from there too.
As they chatted at the school gate, Qi Cheng overheard other parents of exam-takers calling hotels to book rooms, and it suddenly hit him—they could just get a hotel. When Qi Cheng took his own exams, he'd just gone with the flow; no one had ever fussed over him like this. But by now, nearly every hotel nearby was fully booked.
The only places left were shabby hostels with poor hygiene and lousy conditions.
"Don't worry so much. I usually wake up at 5:30 anyway. Two hours is more than enough time to get there—I won't be late." Lu Yang rarely spoke this much in one go, but Qi Cheng had really worn him down.
"Stop stressing."
Qi Cheng: "I'm not stressing! No way. I trust you completely."
His little buddy taking the exam really brought back memories of his own college entrance days. He couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief and thought, Thank goodness I'm a lazy bum now. I don't have to relive that senior-year hell. Whatever happens, happens.
It just goes to show—if no one pushes you and you give in to comfort, you lose your drive fast.
Qi Cheng reflected on just how much of a salted fish he'd become. But once he got into his little red sports car and felt the A/C blow, he was happy again.
Fine, I'm a little salted fish. As long as I'm happy.
The original plan was to get to exam site early. But when they got back, Liu Sinian had already arrived.
"Sinian's been here for a while. He knew Xiao Lu has his exam tomorrow and came specially to check in," Uncle Quan said.
People from older generations really appreciated these kinds of thoughtful gestures. When someone made the effort to visit and show they cared during important life moments, it meant a lot. That was exactly why Uncle Quan had a good opinion of Liu Sinian.
Qi Cheng walked in to see his husband holding their little goose in the living room, entertaining Liu Sinian. The moment the little one spotted him, he started flapping in his big daddy's lap—Daddy's home! Daddy's home!
Big goose!
"Let me wash my hands, then I'll hold you," Qi Cheng said, then turned to Liu Sinian with a smile. "Hello, Mr. Liu."
"Hello to you both. Did you go check out the exam site?" Liu Sinian looked at Lu Yang.
Lu Yang just grunted in reply and didn't say anything else. From the bathroom, Qi Cheng called out, "It's pretty far—about an hour by car with traffic and lights. All the nearby hotels are booked solid."
Uncle Quan chimed in, "Oh dear, that's a lot of time on the road."
When Qi Cheng came back from washing up, he overheard Lu Yang dissing his driving skills to Uncle Quan: "...He drives too slow, that's why it takes so long."
"!!!" Qi Cheng huffed. "You know what my stage name is? 'Fujiwara Orange'!"
[Fujiwara Takumi is the legendary tofu-delivery boy from Initial D who masters mountain drifting in his iconic white Toyota AE86 and becomes a street racing icon. Orange is Qi Cheng's nickname]
Bai Zongyin nodded thoughtfully. "Chengcheng's driving is decent."
Qi Cheng felt pleased at first, but then he sensed something off in his husband's tone. He shot him a suspicious look, but his husband just handed over the little goose, as if they'd been having a perfectly normal conversation about driving skills.
Did I overthink it?
Fanfan snuggled in his daddy's arms, his little chubby hands wrapped around his daddy's neck, babbling away. Qi Cheng gently tugged at his son's little paws while getting comfortable and said, "Starting tomorrow, you're getting a ride from me—Fujiwara Orange."
Lu Yang: ...
How did he know I was planning to take the subway?
"I actually have a place near that school," Liu Sinian spoke up. "It's cleaned regularly. If you're worried about the commute, Xiao Lu could stay there tonight. I just checked—it's about a ten-minute drive from the exam site."
Lu Yang shot it down immediately. "No."
"That could work!" Qi Cheng said at the same time.
Uncle Quan: "Would that be too much trouble? But it does make sense—if you're closer, you can leave later and get more sleep."
"It's no trouble at all. The college entrance exam is a big deal. If you trust me, I'll drive him there tomorrow morning, and he can even nap there at noon—no way he'd get good rest in a car." Liu Sinian smiled.
Uncle Quan thought it over and agreed, especially about the nap. The weather was scorching, and without a midday rest, he'd be sluggish for the afternoon session. "Alright, Sinian. Can you cook there? I could come over—"
"No need, Uncle Quan. I'll just buy something outside," Lu Yang said. He didn't want Uncle Quan running around in the heat.
"Street food isn't clean. You're taking the biggest exam of your life—what if you get an upset stomach?" Uncle Quan still wasn't reassured.
Any other time, eating out would be fine. But for something this important, they had to be careful.
Liu Sinian added, "I'll cook. Don't worry, Uncle Quan. Leave Xiao Lu to me—I'll make sure he's well taken care of these two days."
And before Lu Yang could even say a word, he found himself standing there with his backpack on. Uncle Quan was double-checking his admission ticket, ID, and document pouch, while Qi Cheng held Fanfan and walked him out to the car—where Liu Sinian's car was already waiting.
Lu Yang: ???
He felt a little lost.
"Good luck on the exam! I'll pick you up tomorrow at noon!" Qi Cheng cheered.
Uncle Quan: "Looks like you've got everything—nothing missing. Sinian, we're trusting you with Xiao Lu for these two days. We'll have you over for dinner after he's done."
"Of course." Liu Sinian smiled, opened the car door, and took Lu Yang's backpack, placing it in the back. Lu Yang thought for a moment, then got into the passenger seat—he couldn't very well treat Liu Sinian like a chauffeur in front of Uncle Quan.
"Little Goose, wave goodbye to Uncle Xiao Lu~"
At the command "wave," Fanfan started flapping his little arms in his daddy's arms like a baby goose taking off, giggling with his tiny rice-grain teeth, babbling softly: "Fwy~"
It's "wave," silly. Silly goose.
Qi Cheng sighed internally, then gave his son a smooch on the cheek.
At 10 PM, Qi Cheng texted Lu Yang.
—Asleep yet? You settling in okay? How is it?
—Sleeping. Fine.
Qi Cheng: !!!
Caught him. Look at the time—still on his phone.
—Get to bed early. Good luck tomorrow.
—Ok.
At 11, Qi Cheng finished his shower, gave his husband a quick kiss, and groggily grabbed his phone to text: Are you asleep?
And got a response again.
This kid is still awake.
—Sleeping. What is it?
Qi Cheng: !!!
—Go to sleep! No more phone! You said you were sleeping at 10 and you're still up!
— ...
—Don't stress like this when Fanfan takes his exams.
Qi Cheng: ...
He turned and stared wide-eyed at his husband. "Am I being that anxious right now? Am I going to be a total wreck when our little goose takes the college entrance exam?"
Bai Zongyin had been working, but seeing the young man burrowed under the covers, clearly tired yet still glued to his phone, he got up, climbed into bed, pulled him close, and kissed him. "Chengcheng is just caring about his friend. But if it were Fanfan—honestly, I think you'd be just as worried when he starts kindergarten."
Qi Cheng's face immediately fell into a worried frown.
"Husband, don't even say that. Before we had him, I used to think how fun it'd be when he starts kindergarten. But now that I think about it, I'm already sad—he's so attached to us..."
His emotions shifted fast, jumping from one thing to another.
Bai Zongyin couldn't help but laugh softly. He kissed Chengcheng, long and deep, then pulled back, his gaze warm and full of love. "Everyone has their own path to walk. But you have me, and I have you—that's enough."
Fanfan will grow up, make new friends, find his dreams, and meet someone he loves.
But through the long, slow journey of life, the only ones who will truly support each other, day in and day out, are the two of them.
Qi Cheng understood. His eyes grew warm, and he burrowed into his husband's chest. All that worry and anxiety just melted away—his husband's embrace felt like the safest, warmest place in the world.
"Good night, Husband."
"Good night." Bai Zongyin kissed the young man's lips.
The next day, they left Fanfan with Auntie Zheng. Around 10 AM, Qi Cheng and Uncle Quan set off to visit Lu Yang. Uncle Quan brought mung bean soup but didn't pack too many snacks—afraid Lu Yang might eat something that upset his stomach.
The road in front of the school was already blocked off; cars had to detour. Qi Cheng parked a bit farther away and walked over with Uncle Quan. Good thing he'd brought a parasol.
"So hot."
"Sure is warm this year," Uncle Quan agreed.
A thought struck Qi Cheng. "Uncle Quan, was it hot when my husband took his exams?"
"Zongyin? He never gave me a single worry." Uncle Quan chatted as they walked. "Zongyin got early admission. Back when he was in high school, I used to ask around the neighborhood to see what I should prepare. But he got accepted into a top university a whole year early."
Qi Cheng heard this for the first time and stared in disbelief.
"So he started college at seventeen?"
Uncle Quan nodded. "Well, he took a year off after the car accident, but he caught up fast. Then in college, he graduated a year early, had some kind of thesis—and for grad school, foreign universities were fighting over him. I don't really understand what he researches, but Zongyin's always been brilliant. Since he was little."
Of course he is—my husband is a future big-shot Northern tycoon with a genius-level IQ!
They kept walking and chatting until they reached the school gate. Under the dense shade of the trees, the street was packed with parents. Everyone looked the same—umbrellas in hand, water bottles slung over shoulders, faces full of concern, eyes scanning the gates.
"So many people," Qi Cheng marveled.
Uncle Quan said, "A parent's heart is the same everywhere."
The bell was still a while off. Qi Cheng and Uncle Quan found a shady spot to wait. Since everyone there was a nervous exam parent, they quickly fell into conversation.
"My kid's always careless. I told him before he left—check everything carefully, no rushing."
"Did you see that boy this morning? Such a handsome kid. He forgot his admission ticket, went all the way back home to grab it, and by the time he got here, he was already late. They wouldn't let him in. It was so heartbreaking—he just broke down and cried right there on the spot."
Qi Cheng's heart jumped—please, please don't let that be Lu Yang!
Oh wait, it probably wasn't. Xiao Lu would never cry in public like that.
That kid's too proud for that.
I really hope that latecomer gets into his dream school next year.
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