Don’t Try To Corrupt Me

Chapter 59

Drilling wood to make a fire, a faint spark, carried by the cold winter wind, ignites in an instant.

Yu Zuojin’s face burned, and he instinctively distanced himself from the person. He moved away from his original position, turning stiffly like a wooden man, and stood two steps away, unsure of how to face Sheng Yuan.

The words lingered in the depths of his heart as he nervously rubbed his fingertips, his heart pounding wildly.

He desperately wanted to see Sheng Yuan’s expression, but he feared embarrassing himself in front of him.

Usually, he didn’t care much about such things, but now he felt an added burden, knowing that any embarrassing action would diminish Sheng Yuan’s regard for him.

In moments when his emotions spiraled out of control, every move he made in front of Sheng Yuan required careful consideration.

How should he act so that Sheng Yuan would praise and appreciate him, and grow to like him more?

However, at this moment, Yu Zuojin was rendered completely speechless, still trapped in the phrase “it is real with you,” unable to break free.

It felt as if he was submerged in an intoxicating potion, perpetually floating in a sea of white clouds.

Yet, this silence led Sheng Yuan to believe that Yu Zuojin was still angry.

“What’s the matter? I coax and coax, and now you turn your back and ignore me,” Sheng Yuan sighed, glancing at him with a pout.

Yu Zuojin’s mind remained blank.

“So, you don’t want to go back with me?” Sheng Yuan asked.

“If I’m late, you won’t leave with me? It seems you’re not willing to let me take you back,” he added.

Yu Zuojin’s expression froze, and he turned around to explain himself.

Sheng Yuan deliberately feigned anger and refused to listen. When Yu Zuojin turned his head, he refused to show his face.

“So you don’t want to be with me.” Sheng Yuan declared.

“That’s right. You didn’t want me to pick you up in the first place. It is all my wishful thinking.”

Panic swept across Yu Zuojin’s cold face. “No.”

Sheng Yuan raised his eyes to look at him and furrowed his beautiful eyebrows, resembling an irritated little lion.

Yu Zuojin was speechless, circling around Sheng Yuan like a big stupid bear, not knowing how to coax him.

“No…”

It was hoarse, and the evening wind seemed to be mocking him playfully.

Sheng Yuan’s green tea quotations were online.

“You only know that you waited for two minutes, and you don’t care if I’m tired when I came over or if I was blown cold by the wind.”

As he spoke, he extended his hands for Yu Zuojin to see.

“Look at my red hands from the cold and my ears hurting from the wind. It’s painful everywhere, but no one cares.”

“I might as well stop being your gege and go be a cabbage in the fields,” Sheng Yuan added.

“No…” Yu Zuojin subconsciously reached out to hold Sheng Yuan’s hand. It was cold, very cold, and his heart ached as if he had been doused in sulfuric acid, corroding away.

“Not what?” Sheng Yuan inquired.

Yu Zuojin firmly held Sheng Yuan’s hand, his emotions running high, leaving him speechless. He regretted his previous indifference that had made the other person sad, but he was at a loss for comforting words.

“Let’s go,” Yu Zuojin said.

Sheng Yuan raised an eyebrow. “Where are we going?”

“Back,” Yu Zuojin replied.

His shoulders were broad, so he bent down to shield the person in front of him. He continued to rub Sheng Yuan’s hand, unwilling to let go.

His palm was dry and rough, and knowing that his voice wasn’t the best, he refrained from raising it too loudly this time.

With pitch-black eyes fixed on Sheng Yuan, he cautiously coaxed, using the softest tone he could muster, “Don’t be angry.”

“I’ll buy you strawberries,” he promised.

Those were Sheng Yuan’s favorite.

“I’ll buy the big, red ones.”

He was different from others, his voice, no matter how polished, always carried a hoarseness.

He constantly fought against his own imperfections, but those imperfections were ingrained in his bones, impossible to shed even with the most severe cramp.

He cherished Sheng Yuan. Like an ugly monster carefully caring for a fragile flower, afraid it wouldn’t withstand the scorching sun or break under his careful touch. Every movement felt unnatural, yet each one held great value.

Sheng Yuan met his gaze and hesitated for a moment before unconsciously biting his lower lip. “I’m not very angry,” he murmured, averting his eyes and refusing to look at Yu Zuojin. He pulled his hand away, his tone wiped clean of any remnants of anger, and suggested, “Alright, let’s go back to school before it gets late.”

Yu Zoujin’s gaze was fixated on his hands on the handlebars. It might have been Sheng Yuan’s imagination, but Yu Zuojin leaned a bit closer to him compared to before.

His back felt like it was attached to a stove, and dry wood was crackling and burning inside.

The street lamps created a chain of light and shadows that danced on the walls. The light, shapeless yet illuminating, paved the path for the young man before him.

How long would it be until snow came after winter? How long must the snow wait for spring? Had the camphor trees, standing strong against the cold wind, shed their leaves? These were not simple questions, but rather the youth’s exploration of their entire existence.

Like stones by the sea and stars in the night sky, they wore the same school uniform and led similar lives on campus. They got bored, slept soundly, memorized textbooks, and listened to birds chirping outside the window. No one fell on the basketball court while chasing the basketball that had rolled into the classroom. With youthful and immature faces, their hearts were vibrant and their thoughts restless. They could be reckless, filled with remorse, and though they seemed similar, no two among them were exactly alike, just like no two leaves in the world were identical.

They would always remain true to themselves, and teenagers would always be teenagers, at least in the eyes of those who truly understood. If he had to choose someone from the crowd, Sheng Yuan would be his choice.

Sheng Yuan escorted Yu Zuojin to the entrance of No. 1 Middle School, adjusted his scarf that had been tousled by the wind, and rode away. Yu Zuojin returned to room 408, opened the closet, and took out a pair of loose gray trousers before heading to the bathroom.

In the dark corner of the closet, there was a watch box with a frosted texture and a shining silver logo. He had only gotten it two days ago and hadn’t decided how to give it to Sheng Yuan.

As he stepped out of the bathroom, the loose trousers hung around his waist, and he sat on the bed shirtless, examining his hands, as if savoring the lingering touch from holding Sheng Yuan’s hand.

The job at the vegetable shop, where the old granny worked, was no longer necessary. They had agreed on a specific duration, and Yu Zuojin would only work for one more month.

The next morning, Yu Zuojin left the campus and headed to the Home Life Center. The store offered a wide variety of samples, ranging from clothes to daily necessities. Located at the intersection of Nan’an Road, it was a convenient stop for students heading to No. 1 Middle School.

Since it was still early in the morning, there weren’t many students in the store. When Yu Zuojin entered, he immediately attracted everyone’s attention with his handsome appearance and cold aura. If he didn’t engage in some frightening acts, he would surely be popular among his peers.

Without asking for directions, he glanced around and stopped in front of a display stand selling gloves and scarves.

Sheng Yuan already had a red scarf, so he decided to buy a pair of red gloves to match.

He overheard a playful conversation between two girls. “Come on, don’t tease me,” he heard one of them say. “I’m serious. If you buy gloves for him, he might not think much of it. But if you knit a pair yourself, he’ll be deeply moved.”

The girl imitated her boyfriend’s voice and exaggeratedly said, “Oh, baby, I’m so touched. We’ll be together forever.”

Yu Zuojin’s hand, which was about to grab the pair of red gloves, froze in mid-air.

“What matters most in a relationship is the heart.”

Youthful and naïve love is pure; all they seek is emotion. Emotions are mutual.

Without turning back to the gloves, Yu Zuojin followed the two girls to the handicraft section, where they sold yarn balls. While the girls focused on selecting their yarn, he also lowered his head and began browsing among the red ones.

Yu Zuojin found it difficult to decide. The row of red yarn balls had names like flame red, pomegranate red, and hawthorn red.

Weren’t they all just red?

There was no apparent distinction. He looked serious, even a little intimidating, as he pondered the options.

After a while, he finally chose the shade of red that closely matched Sheng Yuan’s scarf. But wouldn’t a single color be too monotonous? Since Sheng Yuan liked strawberries, Yu Zuojin spent another ten minutes in the wool section and picked out a ball of green yarn and a ball of black yarn. Then he joined the girls in selecting the necessary tools.

He also took a crochet hook like the one the girl had, but when he held it, he realized it was too small for his hands to handle. He replaced it with a wooden knitting needle. It resembled a pencil, but thicker and longer.

Despite being a wooden item, it could easily be mistaken for a dangerous object, especially in school, where it might be classified as a forbidden item, much like a controlled knife.

The cashier lady glanced at Yu Zuojin a few times as he checked out. “Would you like a bag?” she asked. Yu Zuojin nodded, paid the bill, and headed straight back to the school dormitory.

He took out his phone and searched for how long it takes to knit a pair of gloves. According to Baidu’s answer, it usually takes about three or four days, but if one is fast, it can be completed in two days. He decided to start making them now so that Sheng Yuan could wear them in three days.

The ball of yarn and the wooden needle rested quietly on the bed. Yu Zuojin stared at them for a long time, feeling helpless. Eventually, he decided to search for instructional videos online.

[Alright girls, class with Teacher Mian Yang is about to begin~” the video’s audio played.]

Yu Zuojin furrowed his brow, but quickly dismissed it.

He took a ball of wool and followed the instructions In the video. He spent the entire morning in the dormitory, struggling with his large hands that seemed clumsy with the wooden needle. He made frequent mistakes but carefully reviewed the video before resuming each time.

Knitting seemed completely inconsistent with his appearance and aura, much like a lion digging a rabbit hole.

After working for three and a half hours, the result was crooked and twisted.

As Yu Zuojin looked at the ugly thing in his hand, he fell silent, feeling a slight shock.

He had clearly followed the steps diligently.

It turns out that no matter how hard you work, it doesn’t guarantee success.

He discarded the defective pieces and started remaking them following the same steps. The final product was better than before, but still didn’t look good.

Yu Zuojin stared at the wool and knitting needle.

The instructional class in the video had also concluded.

[If any of you have any questions, feel free to leave a message below the video, and Teacher Mian Yang will answer them one by one.]

Yu Zuojin’s attention was drawn, and after two minutes of contemplation, he picked up his phone and looked at the screen.

He hadn’t filled In his personal information, and the platform had randomly assigned him a nickname.

3132196.

To be able to comment, at least thirty percent of the profile needed to be completed.

After some hesitation, Yu Zuojin filled in the required information, exited the page, and returned to the comment section.

His distinct joints of his fingers slid across the screen as he submitted a comment.

[I am a girl: why is my knitting so ugly?]