ACBAM 63: First Meeting

When Gu Weiyang met him, it was at a rest area halfway up the mountain.

Because he was carrying over a hundred pounds of goods while climbing, even someone as physically strong as Gu Weiyang felt his energy waning after making a round trip in the morning. By the afternoon, his stamina clearly couldn’t keep up, and he had to take several breaks along the way.

Coincidentally, at the rest area halfway up the mountain, Gu Weiyang spotted him at a glance amidst the crowd.

Su Shijin appeared to be an eighteen-year-old youth at the time, wearing a clean white shirt and standing by the stone railing, gazing at the distant scenery.

He seemed to have come with friends, as there were a few other boys around his age sitting casually nearby. Occasionally, one of them would look up and say something to him, and he would slightly lower his head to respond.

Gu Weiyang couldn’t quite understand why he had noticed him at that moment. Maybe it was because of his outstanding looks, or perhaps it was because of the kind of aura he had—an aura that Gu Weiyang greatly admired but would never possess in this lifetime.

In the end, Gu Weiyang felt that he had fallen in love at first sight.

Some people say that love at first sight is all about the face, and Gu Weiyang felt that this saying was spot on.

After all, this slender young man, who was unknowable whether he was an omega or beta, indeed had a beautiful face that was hard to categorize as either masculine or feminine.

Even many passersby were drawn to his appearance, and some people around his age even tried to ask for his contact information.

Yet he turned them all down.

Gu Weiyang also wanted his contact information because after twenty-two years of being single, it was the first time he had ever felt attracted to someone, even though it was the first time he had met him.

Without hesitation, Gu Weiyang took out his phone, ready to muster up the courage to ask for his contact information. After all, if he let this opportunity slip by, who knew when he would have the chance to see him again.

It was no big deal if he got rejected; Gu Weiyang wasn’t afraid of rejection.

Yet when Gu Weiyang took out his phone, he saw his own hand.

His fingers were long and slender with smooth lines. Whether they were curled or stretched out, they exuded a unique sense of strength.

This could have been a pair of very beautiful hands.

Because Gu Weiyang often engaged in physical labor, these once-beautiful hands had become darkened by the sun. The palms were covered in rough, thick calluses, looking dirty and impossible to clean.

Then, Gu Weiyang looked down and saw his worn-out sneakers covered in dirt, and his old clothes soaked through with sweat.

Gu Weiyang suddenly couldn’t bring himself to go.

He knew very well that if he missed this opportunity to ask for his contact information, there might never be another chance to meet again in this lifetime.

Yet that step, the one to approach him, became impossible to take when Gu Weiyang saw his own clothes and noticed the occasional pitying glances from passersby, as if they were sympathizing with how hard he was working.

Gu Weiyang had worked for so many years and never felt ashamed of his job, and this time was no different.

But he didn’t know what that young man would think. Would he be teased by his friends for asking for his contact information? Would his approach become something others would gossip about?

Gu Weiyang could handle being mocked by others for overestimating himself, but he didn’t want to bring that kind of attention to the young man.

So, instead of taking a step forward, Gu Weiyang took a step back. He pressed down the brim of his cap and sat down on the spot, leaning against the goods.

He sat there, watching for as long as Su Shijin and his friends rested.

After about ten minutes or so, the young men had regained their energy. They sprang to their feet with enthusiasm and called out to Su Shijin, urging him to continue climbing.

Gu Weiyang got up and stretched his legs, which had become stiff and sore, before hoisting the pole and slowly following behind them.

In fact, following behind them and climbing slowly was much more exhausting than climbing at his own pace because they would stop and go, occasionally pausing to take pictures of the scenery.

Gu Weiyang lagged a few meters behind them, and whenever they stopped, he would slow down too, just wanting to take this final opportunity to glance at the young man a few more times.

It seemed that the young man’s friends misunderstood something when they saw him. They thought they were blocking his way by walking too slowly. Noticing the heavy load he was carrying, they quickly made way for him.

One of the girls even kindly said, “Sorry for getting in your way, please go ahead.”

In that instant, Gu Weiyang felt like he was about to choke on his own frustration. He really wished these kids weren’t so polite. He just wanted to follow behind them quietly.

Since they had said that, Gu Weiyang couldn’t refuse. He could only softly say thank you, then side-stepped through the gap they made, hoisting the pole over his shoulder.

As he passed by Su Shijin, Gu Weiyang slightly lifted his head and glanced in his direction.

Unfortunately, at that moment, Su Shijin was looking down at his phone. Gu Weiyang only had time for a fleeting glance before quickly lowering the brim of his cap and moving past him.

A few steps up the mountain, Gu Weiyang heard someone behind him say, “Oh my god, he’s amazing, carrying such a heavy load up the mountain.”

“Yeah, and look at his arms, they’re so muscular.”

“I just caught his gaze for a second. He looks so manly—must be an alpha.”

“I feel like one punch from him could send me to the afterlife.”

“Well, I’m a bit stronger than you. He could land three punches, but I’d only need one to send him to the afterlife.”

Gu Weiyang: …

Sometimes, he really couldn’t understand the logic of these kids.

Gu Weiyang slowed his pace, trying to catch whether the beautiful young man said anything but unfortunately, even as he continued up, he didn’t hear any other voices.

At that moment, Gu Weiyang felt a bit regretful, so he quickened his pace, thinking that maybe on the way back, he might have a chance to see him again.

Sometimes, fate plays tricks on people. Gu Weiyang finished delivering the goods as quickly as possible, yet on his way back, he never encountered the young man again.

Maybe he had left before reaching the top of the mountain, or perhaps he had wasted some time when he was calculating the goods earlier.

In any case, Gu Weiyang felt like he had completely missed his chance with him.

Earlier, when Gu Weiyang passed by him, he caught a glimpse of the shoes the young man was wearing. It was limited edition, with the price inflated to ridiculous levels. They were shoes that Gu Weiyang couldn’t even afford after three months of continuous work.

And yet, this young man was casually wearing those expensive shoes while climbing the mountain. It was easy to imagine that his family must be either rich or prestigious.

Maybe it was right not to go up and ask for his contact. An alpha like him, with damaged glands and nothing to his name, had no right to get close to him.

Though it was a bit painful, life always moves forward. Gu Weiyang had no choice but to adjust his mindset and continue working hard to make money.

He needed to earn enough to support his lazy, good-for-nothing family members, pay for rent and food, and also save up for the treatment of his damaged glands.

Gu Weiyang was busy—so busy that he barely had time to reminisce about his short-lived first crush. The only times he would think of the young man were occasionally during his breaks, when his mind would wander, and he would find himself unknowingly remembering him.

As time passed, Gu Weiyang gradually began to forget the young man’s appearance. In his memories, only a vague silhouette remained.

Yet, it was this indistinct figure, one whose face he could no longer clearly recall, that helped Gu Weiyang get through countless difficult and sleepless nights.