"I can see it, but this time, how long will it last?"
Jessica shook her head, "Who knows how long, but one thing’s for sure, it definitely won’t be short. Let’s just wait and see, maybe, just maybe, Ao Chen has taken a liking to Huo Qi? Falling for him isn’t out of the question. After all, Huo Qi is quite outstanding, isn’t he?"
Nobody expected Jessica’s words to come true.
After the hotpot incident, Huo Qi started to have more contact with Ao Chen.
At first, when Ao Chen reached out to Huo Qi, it was about trivial matters, and Huo Qi responded with respect due to a sense of gratitude.
Gradually, Huo Qi began to feel that something wasn’t right with Ao Chen, an oddity stemming from Ao Chen’s attention towards him.
For instance, previously, he had beaten up his roommate Lawrence, who had a decent status. He had braced himself for Lawrence’s revenge, but it never came. Not only did Lawrence not retaliate, he disappeared from Huo Qi’s life, and the school administration even spoke to Huo Qi.
They said the recent issues were due to the school’s poor management, and it was not largely Huo Qi’s fault. They reassured him that it wouldn’t happen again and told him to focus on his studies.
He was completely baffled.
Later, while he was in the bathroom, he overheard some gossip about Lawrence withdrawing from school. He heard Lawrence cursing and blaming someone with the surname Ao for ruining everything.
At the time, he didn’t think much of it, but after Lawrence personally called to berate him, Huo Qi realized that he didn’t have any trouble, and the person he disliked had left the school—all because of Ao Chen.
But in front of him, Ao Chen never mentioned a word about it, didn’t take credit for it, nor implied that Huo Qi owed him anything.
Huo Qi couldn’t fathom why someone would be unconditionally nice to another without expecting something in return or having an ulterior motive.
What could Ao Chen possibly want from him?
He was wealthy, had houses, and everything he wanted. What more could he gain from Huo Qi?
Unable to figure it out, he didn’t dwell on it.
It was only after a conversation with Jessica one day, when she complained about dealing with an uncooperative newcomer on a film set, whom she described as bizarrely twisted, that he started to think deeper into the matter.
Somehow, the conversation shifted to Ao Chen, and Jessica, with a mischievous smile, asked, "What would you do if Ao Chen liked you?"
Huo Qi’s heart skipped a beat, feeling both incredulous and bewildered.
He laughed and told Jessica, "Jessica, jokes like that, let’s not make them again in the future, it’s not very nice."
Jessica fell silent for a few minutes, then asked him seriously and somberly, "Huo Qi, do you really think I’m joking? Let me tell you the truth, Ao Chen is the coldest and most detached among us. His deep concern for you isn’t ordinary.
Moreover, have you noticed how quickly we accepted you? Do you know why? Think carefully, why?"
After hanging up Jessica’s call, Huo Qi fell into deep thought. He reflected on his own preferences, acknowledging that he indeed did not like girls, but he also hadn’t thought about spending a lifetime with a man. Maybe he had considered it in the past, but it hadn’t crossed his mind recently.
Was Ao Chen his type?
He was fond of him, but they were not a match, there was quite a difference between the two.
Not well-suited to be a couple.
And after all, this was just Jessica talking; Ao Chen hadn’t shown any signs.
Although Huo Qi didn’t believe it, he started observing the meticulousness of Ao Chen’s actions, his habits, and his attention towards him. Gradually, Huo Qi began to understand what Jessica meant.
If Ao Chen didn’t like him, he certainly wouldn’t pay such close attention to someone. Ao Chen had asked him what he wanted to do, how strong his desire was to stay in America?
Whether he planned to build his future in America, or even, to stay there permanently.
When Ao Chen asked these questions, Huo Qi cheerfully answered him and teased, "Are you saying you can’t bear to see me leave?"
He was half-probing, half-serious, but to his surprise, Ao Chen looked at him even more earnestly and intently than he had anticipated. Ao Chen said, "Yes, I really don’t want you to go."
With that statement, Ao Chen completely exposed his feelings, but he didn’t feel it was wrong at all.
He seriously told Huo Qi, "I think I might like you."
After Ao Chen’s confession, Huo Qi didn’t contact him for a long time. During this period, Ao Chen also didn’t disturb him. Perhaps, Ao Chen too was unsure whether he was Huo Qi’s type.
Davis was the first to come to the school to look for Huo Qi, under the pretext of having lunch together. Huo Qi was both amused and exasperated - someone as busy as Davis finding time to have lunch with him was unexpected. It must be about Ao Chen, or perhaps Ao Chen had sent him.