Chapter 5 – Have You Changed Your Preferences?

Guan Heng stood at the doorway, a well-known figure on campus who was also handsome. Many diners who were still eating turned their gazes toward him. Before Ye Zhou could even greet him, Guan Heng apologized first, “Sorry, I’ve been really busy lately. This is the first chance I’ve had to come over. Did I come too late? The meal ordering time seems to have passed already. If it’s inconvenient…”

“It’s convenient,” Ye Zhou quickly responded. Just when he thought all hope was lost, the man suddenly appeared. He would seize this opportunity no matter what. Subconsciously, he looked around the restaurant for any empty seats, but he noticed that many people were staring at Guan Heng. Guan Heng, who likely had gotten used to such attention, showed no reaction. But for some reason, Ye Zhou wanted to find a quieter spot for him, so he led him to sit in a corner by the window. “Sit here.”

“Alright.” Guan Heng didn’t object, sitting down where Ye Zhou directed him.

Ye Zhou asked, “What do you feel like eating? Any dietary restrictions?”

Guan Heng was easygoing, noticing that the restaurant’s business hours were nearly over. He wasn’t picky, “Anything is fine, just eat whatever there is.”

“Then…” Suddenly, Ye Zhou remembered the lobster he had left in the sink. In his heart, he apologized to Fang Ji, “Hold on for a moment, it’ll be quick.”

Ye Zhou went back into the kitchen. The restaurant staff and bar staff were separate, and the head chef was preparing to leave at this time. Ye Zhou didn’t want to inconvenience anyone further, so he personally handled the lobster. After washing it clean, he cut off the claws, halved it, removed the head, took out the sand line, then placed it on a baking tray with some vegetables. If the lobster meat was good quality, it didn’t require excessive seasoning. Ye Zhou simply prepared a sauce to enhance its flavor.

While waiting for the lobster to cook, he rummaged through the fridge for ingredients and made a simple fried rice and clear soup.

The restaurant employee stood at the kitchen entrance, dumbfoundedly watching the boss bustling about. Ye Zhou treated employees and friends well, but they had never seen him act so solicitously. He seemed like a completely different person.

Employee A: “Is the boss dating someone?”

Employee B: “I haven’t heard anything, but it looks like it.”

Employee C: “Has anyone ever seen the boss act like this before?”

Everyone chimed in unison: “No.”

Ye Zhou was busy for twenty minutes, personally delivering the mouth-watering lobster feast to Guan Heng. Unfortunately, Fang Ji, who arrived early, happened to push open the door and saw this scene.

Ye Zhou: “…”

Fang Ji first looked at Ye Zhou, then at Guan Heng seated, and then at the plate of grilled lobster with seasonal vegetables in his hand. Then, Fang Ji, seemingly quite surprised, gave Guan Heng several more appraising glances. Finally, he looked at Ye Zhou with a smile that was not quite a smile, filled with deep meaning.

Ye Zhou: “…”

Ye Zhou had already promised Fang Ji first, but now the lobster was given to someone else. He knew he was in the wrong, so after exchanging a few words with Guan Heng, he went to apologize to Fang Ji.

Fang Ji wouldn’t get angry over a mere lobster; he had seen how well Ye Zhou usually treated him. He was just a bit surprised, not knowing when Ye Zhou had befriended such a handsome man. “My lobster?”

Ye Zhou rubbed his nose, feeling guilty. “Yes.”

Fang Ji chuckled, jokingly asking, “You have nothing to explain?”

Ye Zhou wanted to explain but didn’t know where to start. He just felt that since he had waited so long for the person to show up, he couldn’t bear not treating him well. It was already past eight in the evening, and the restaurant staff had gone home. The two bosses chatted in a corner, not drawing much attention.

Seeing Ye Zhou hesitate, Fang Ji glanced at Guan Heng, who was eating by the window, and suddenly asked, “Have you changed your preferences?”

“What?” Ye Zhou was startled by his words, laughing. “No…he’s my neighbor.”

Fang Ji was surprised. “When did you have a neighbor?”

“I…” Ye Zhou forgot that, due to Guan Heng’s personal matters, he hadn’t known how to bring it up to Fang Ji, thus dragging it until now. He sighed, deciding to be honest. “Guan Heng moved in last month. Because I had some misunderstandings about him, I felt guilty and wanted to treat him to a meal.”

Fang Ji had known Ye Zhou for over ten years and knew that such a reason wasn’t very convincing. Ye Zhou was kind to his friends, but also easy-going, not forcing things. Like his previous relationships, he was serious when he was serious, but once they ended, he let go easily.

Only today, seeing Ye Zhou’s state with his own eyes, he felt the situation seemed different from before. “I’ve never seen you like this before, your eyes are shining.”

Ye Zhou calmly looked in Guan Heng’s direction. The handsome, refined man sat by the window, like a serene and beautiful picture. He said, “With such a handsome man, anyone’s eyes would light up.”

But Fang Ji still said, “It’s different.”

This “difference” didn’t need to be elaborated upon after being brothers for so many years.

Fang Ji shifted his gaze back to Ye Zhou. “If I didn’t know you’ve been single for too long, I’d think you haven’t gotten over your last relationship.”

“No, I’m just tired,” Ye Zhou reined in his smile, responding seriously. “Suddenly, I feel like dating isn’t interesting.”

Some things, Ye Zhou would only say to Fang Ji.

Fang Ji spoke with hidden meaning. “Now? Haven’t thought about giving it a try?”

Ye Zhou smiled bitterly. “Can’t you tell? We’re from different worlds, the gap is too big. Besides, we’re a match in that regard.”

Fang Ji was about to say “you’re not that bad,” but was stopped by Ye Zhou’s last words. Discussing who tops and who bottoms between straight men and gays was a little uncomfortable, as it could easily lead to unintended imaginings. But Fang Ji knew that Ye Zhou didn’t see him as an outsider, so he could speak openly about anything.

He had met Ye Zhou’s two ex-partners, both good-natured and obedient types. Ye Zhou indeed…didn’t seem like the type to bottom.

Fang Ji asked again, “How do you know the other party is exactly as you described? What if not.”

Ye Zhou: “…”

Ye Zhou couldn’t tell Fang Ji the truth, that he knew because he had witnessed it.

Ye Zhou didn’t chat with Fang Ji for too long, after all, Guan Heng had come all the way here to support him, and it wouldn’t be right to leave him alone. Guan Heng ate gracefully, but not slowly. When Ye Zhou approached, he realized that Guan Heng had already cleared his plate.

Although cooking was just a hobby for Ye Zhou, and he considered himself skilled, seeing someone finish their food still gave him a subtle sense of accomplishment. But he didn’t deliberately tell Guan Heng that he had cooked it himself, thinking it was better this way. “Was it alright?”

“Very delicious.”

“Are you full? Want to eat something else?”

Guan Heng, perhaps considering that the bar was still in operation, said, “No, thank you.”

Ye Zhou seized the opportunity to get closer to his new neighbor, sitting down to chat with him for a while, introducing him to Fang Ji, and telling him about the origins of the restaurant and bar. When Ye Zhou genuinely wanted to get to know someone, it was hard for most people to resist his warmth. Moreover, he didn’t feel inferior to Guan Heng because of his lower education level. He was well aware of Guan Heng’s excellence, but he also had his own strengths. Everyone had their preferences, no need for comparison. This attitude was truly commendable.

Guan Heng was also easy to get along with. Although he spoke less, he gave off a warm and gentle vibe, making people feel comfortable talking to him, as if he was fully listening.

Since Ye Zhou had introduced himself, Guan Heng returned the courtesy. “I’m a teacher, I teach at the nearby university.”

Ye Zhou knew how impressive Guan Heng’s resume was. Even calling him “Professor” in respect was warranted, but he merely used the word “teacher,” incredibly low-key.

In the past, when Ye Zhou was in college, he had a question: why did students still call professors “teacher” when they were clearly university professors? Later, he understood that calling someone “teacher” felt more intimate, while the title “professor” created too much distance.

Ye Zhou rubbed his nose, his fondness for Guan Heng growing. He could pretend to be hearing this for the first time, but he didn’t. He was honest, “I know, students who came here to eat mentioned you.”

By saying this, Ye Zhou indirectly admitted that he had indeed taken the initiative to learn about Guan Heng.

The biggest taboo in friendship was mutual suspicion. Ye Zhou felt he had already “prejudged” once, and this time he didn’t want to get to know Guan Heng through others’ mouths.

Guan Heng merely smiled faintly. “Aren’t you afraid I might be a bad person?”

Although neither of them explicitly said it, Ye Zhou knew Guan Heng was asking about his thoughts upon hearing the phrase “very scary.” Thinking back to that incident still embarrassed Ye Zhou. He didn’t know why he was more embarrassed than Guan Heng, the actual party involved, who remained calm sitting in front of him. But with Guan Heng’s question, Ye Zhou knew the matter was over, and there wouldn’t be any awkwardness between them in the future. So he wasn’t afraid to joke with Guan Heng, “If you’re a bad person, I’ll call the police.”