A social phobic can also fall in love.

Chapter 23



The day before Chinese New Year, Yan Tingmo’s uncle went to borrow a car from a neighbor and took Pei Min and Yan Tingmo to the town to buy New Year goods.

The town was unusually crowded today. His uncle couldn’t drive into the town streets, so he parked the car outside the suburbs, and they walked in.

“Here’s the shopping list,” he said, pulling out a long piece of paper. “Pei Min, you and Mo Mo go buy the roasted snacks. I’ll get the frozen goods, and we’ll meet at Huajia Plaza afterward.”

Pei Min took the list, and he and Yan Tingmo walked in the opposite direction.

Yan Tingmo tucked his chin into his scarf and carefully followed Pei Min, turning left and right.

The streets were crowded with people, and Yan Tingmo frequently had to step aside to let others pass, gradually falling behind Pei Min.

Pei Min realized that he had gotten left behind when he stopped at a roasted snack shop.

He squinted and scanned the crowd, finally spotting him in a small supermarket. Yan Tingmo looked like an ostrich, tucked into a thick white down jacket, his small figure looking fragile and helpless.

He found it amusing. After laughing, he had no choice but to go back and find him.

“Mo Mo.”

He expertly pulled him through the crowd and pulled him into his embrace. “Stay close, don’t get lost.”

Yan Tingmo weakly nodded, this time following him closely.

Pei Min checked the list and asked the shopkeeper for cashews, pine nuts, sunflower seeds, and pistachios—various shelled roasted snacks.

Yan Tingmo, holding a bag of sunflower seeds and pistachios, looked up at him. “Brother, we’ve bought the roasted snacks. What else do we need to buy?”

Pei Min casually tossed the list into the trash and thought for a moment. “Let’s go buy two sets of couplets.”

Though they had already completed Uncle’s task, Pei Min still bought a lot of other items.

Fireworks, couplets, snacks, window decorations, lanterns, stickers, glutinous rice, brown sugar, and more.

Yan Tingmo looked at the glutinous rice, puzzled. “Brother, what do we need glutinous rice flour for?”

Pei Min, who was picking out prepared foods, didn’t look up. “To make you brown sugar rice cakes.”

Yan Tingmo froze for a moment. That was a childhood memory. He couldn’t remember the last time he had eaten brown sugar rice cakes.

That evening, Pei Min soaked the glutinous rice, and by New Year’s Eve morning, he had made the rice cakes.

Yan Tingmo, wearing a festive red cotton jacket, stood in the yard feeding the chickens while eating rice cakes.

“Mo Mo!” Wu Shuyi called from the house. “Are you done with the rice cakes? If you’re done, help your brother put up the couplets and window decorations.”

Yan Tingmo quickly ate the rice cakes, mumbling, “Okay!”

Then he heard his grandma’s voice from inside, complaining, “Why are you rushing the child? He can do it after he finishes eating. Don’t make him choke.”

He overheard, and Wu Shuyi’s voice sounded helpless. “Mom, I know. You go rest inside; I’ve got this.”

Pei Min shook his head, smiling as he mixed the glue for the window decorations. “Take your time eating, no rush here.”

Despite the reassurance, Yan Tingmo still clapped his hands, ran over, and clumsily stuck up the window decorations and hung the lanterns.

In the evening, fireworks lit up the sky, and Chinese New Year arrived.

The family gathered together, each holding a glass of red wine, shouting “Happy New Year.”

After the New Year’s Eve dinner came the red envelope exchange. Although Grandma was a little biased, she still gave Pei Min a thick red envelope. “Good boy, Grandma hasn’t spoiled you enough. You’ve been working alone outside, make sure to take care of yourself, eat on time, and stay safe.”

Pei Min took her hand seriously and said, “I know, Grandma.”

When it was Yan Tingmo’s turn, Grandma just patted his head, smiling as she slipped a red envelope into his pocket. “Mo Mo has always been so sensible. You don’t have to be that sensible, Grandma can’t bear it.”

Yan Tingmo’s eyes reddened. He bent down and hugged her. “Grandma, stay healthy and live a long life.”

Then he looked at Grandpa with tearful eyes. “Grandpa, too, wish you peace and happiness.”

After the New Year, it was quiet again.

The whole family, originally together, scattered on the seventh day of the new year, heading to various cities.

After Pei Min graduated and returned to the country, he settled in southern Shanxi. Because he hadn’t seen Yan Tingmo in a long time, this time he came back with him and stayed for a week.

They returned to southern Shanxi with the special products from the Town. Wu Shuyi apologized that the house was a bit messy and hoped Pei Min wouldn’t mind.

“Pei, just leave your things in the living room,” Wu Shuyi said as she went to the kitchen to boil water, gesturing for him to put their suitcases anywhere. “You and Mo Mo can watch TV while I cut some fruit for you.”

“Auntie, it’s fine. No need to go to so much trouble,” Pei Min said.

Wu Shuyi smiled. “It’s no trouble at all.”

Yan Tingmo followed her into the kitchen to help with the fruit plate, but she pushed him out. “You don’t need to help, go, go watch TV with Pei.”

“Okay,” Yan Tingmo said, pouring a glass of hot water and taking it to Pei Min.

Pei Min patted the seat beside him. “Mo Mo, sit here.”

Yan Tingmo sat down.

Pei Min asked, “When do you start school?”

Yan Tingmo replied, “The 26th.”

“So early?” Pei Min was surprised. “That’s soon.”

Yan Tingmo thought to himself that it was indeed fast. In the blink of an eye, the New Year was over.

2024 had begun.

On the first day back to school, Yan Tingmo packed his things and prepared to leave. Pei Min, feeling bored, offered to take him to school.

“Is that okay?” he hesitated. “Won’t it waste your time?”

Pei Min smiled. “Do I look like a busy person?”

Yan Tingmo seriously said, “I saw yesterday that a company offered you a high salary to be their executive.”

Pei Min shrugged nonchalantly. “It’s nothing, just small matters.”

Yan Tingmo fell silent.

Being capable was great; big companies fought over people.

But in the end, he said nothing.

If Pei Min wanted to go to A University, then so be it. It didn’t really affect him.

However, when he walked into A University with him, he realized he had underestimated the situation.

Pei Min, tall with long legs, sharp brows, and a high nose, wore a long black coat over a turtleneck sweater. Walking into campus with his hands in his pockets, he looked like a superstar walking down the red carpet.

It wasn’t just his presence that drew attention, but the fact that he was walking side by side with Yan Tingmo.

Yan Tingmo, with his pure and alluring appearance, once attracted many fans. But over time, people gradually stopped admiring him and began to resent him, for reasons unknown, disliking and even hating him.

Perhaps this was the typical case of sour grapes: since they couldn’t have him, they would ruin him.

But then, one day, the person they hated was seen together with the campus heartthrob, Qi Xing. Qi Xing was protective of him and didn’t tolerate anyone speaking ill of him.

If someone is willing to pamper Yan Tingmo, then let them do so. At worst, they just won’t say anything.

The once peaceful group began to erupt after Yan Tingmo and Qi Xing broke up.

They isolated, excluded, verbally abused, and slandered him online.

To them, the much-hated Yan Tingmo’s actions were seen as a sign of “attracting men.”

And now, right after the breakup, another naive fool showed up.

Pei Min didn’t initially notice anything unusual. The closer he got to the dormitory, the clearer the whispers around him became.

“No way, he’s dating again?”

“Don’t say that, maybe it’s his brother or something.”

“Do you really believe that?”

“Probably his ‘brother,’ haha…”

“Don’t say that, his dating speed is pretty quick, and he always finds good-looking guys.”

“Pfft, so what? He’s still just selling himself…”

The filthy whispers clung to his ears, but Yan Tingmo had already become numb to them. He walked ahead without caring whether Pei Min was keeping up.

Pei Min glanced around, then quickly caught up, raising his voice. “Mo Mo, wait for me, there are so many flies buzzing around my ears, it’s really annoying.”

Yan Tingmo paused and waited for him with his back turned.

Pei Min soon caught up and casually remarked, “Didn’t you hear that? It’s so annoying. Next time, I’ll just slap them to shut them up.”

The few people gossiping immediately changed their expressions. Pei Min didn’t even look at them, protectively guiding Yan Tingmo into the dorm. At the last moment, he turned back, looking at them and mouthing, “This is my little brother. If anyone bullies him again, I’ll make sure they regret it.”

The group stared at each other for a few moments, then within two seconds, they scattered like cockroaches, cursing and heading back to their dorms.

Room 406.

The three roommates arrived first, their luggage scattered all over the place.

Qi Xing, dragging his suitcase in, was speechless.

The three large suitcases took up most of the already small space. Stopping at the door, Qi Xing took a deep breath and, without complaint, neatly moved the three bags to the corner. He then grabbed a mop from the bathroom and started cleaning the muddy floor.

Sometimes, he really wanted to rent an apartment off-campus by himself. His roommates were messy, and while it was tolerable for a short time, living in such a garbage-filled environment for an extended period would drive anyone crazy.

Of course, Lu Ze was more bearable, probably because he often stayed outside and didn’t return to the dorm.

With a feeling of frustration, he finished mopping the floor, cleaned up the mess, and threw away the cardboard boxes from deliveries. He exhaled heavily, lying down on the single bed with a soft mattress to rest.

He didn’t get to rest for long, though. Standing up, he opened his suitcase to pull out the bed linens.

As he was about to put the duvet on, Guan and Qian Song burst through the door.

Seeing him kneeling on the bed to arrange the bedding, Qian Song shouted, “Stop making the bed! Your Yan Tingmo got a new boyfriend!”

“Let him date if he wants,” Qi Xing continued tucking the duvet, casually saying, “It’s none of my business…”

Wait!

What did he just say?

Yan Tingmo got a… new boyfriend?

Something didn’t feel right. He furrowed his brows and looked at Qian Song. “What did you just say?”

Qian Song repeated, “It’s bad! Your Yan Tingmo got a new boyfriend!”

Guan chimed in, “Yes, yes! We both saw it just now. He’s a super handsome guy, helped him with his luggage, and even took him to the dorm.”

“Yes, yes!” Qian Song added, “I even saw Yan Tingmo smiling at him!”

“Mhm, yes!” Guan continued, “He was smiling so happily. A lot of people heard it, and that guy called him ‘Mo Mo!’”

Qi Xing’s mind exploded, and he abandoned his task, rushing to find his wife.

He ran so quickly that Guan and Qian Song couldn’t even see how he disappeared.

Guan swallowed nervously and asked Qian Song, “Do you think he will hit that guy?”

Qian Song hesitated, “He… probably won’t…”

“Ah, forget whether he will or not, let’s just follow him! If anything happens, we’ll be the ones responsible!”


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