No Ghosting Allowed

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Ge Xing, had witnessed countless relationships, but he couldn’t understand such a childish romance. He could only sigh in his heart, thinking that they’re properly matched in a strange way.

“That’s good too,” Ge Xing coughed dryly, sincerely saying, “well as long as both of you are comfortable.”

Pei You seemed to agree with this perspective, his lips curving slightly as he nodded.

“I’m not very good at interacting with people, and I don’t know how to form intimate relationships,” Pei You said, his gaze lowered slightly, looking at the crystal-clear liquid in his hand. He smiled gently and continued, “But he’s been teaching me, little by little.”

Ge Xing had said earlier that Zhou Qingbo “was like a cat climbing the pole,” and Pei You didn’t deny it, because that was exactly how Zhou Qingbo behaved.

He tested the boundaries like a cat, acting more spoiled if he was indulged. Yet, he had the miraculous ability to gauge his steps, never truly crossing the lines.”

Pei You admitted he was particularly patient with Zhou Qingbo, but upon reflection, this patience itself was a result of Zhou Qingbo’s scale of control.

He used these “lessons” and “tests” to gradually bring them closer, ensuring that Pei You didn’t have to rack his brain about how to interact with him. Their closeness happened naturally, with Pei You’s involvement seeming to be in line with Zhou Qingbo’s intentions.

The initiative in their interactions had always been in Zhou Qingbo’s hands. He granted Pei You “permissions,” then allowed him to come closer step by step. This approach made Pei You naturally get closer without having to overthink it.

Pei You began to sense the magic of companionship, experiencing the allure of “liking,” and naturally learned how to express himself and how to explore his own feelings.

“He’s indeed a great teacher,” Pei You couldn’t help but smile and say, “Although… his teaching methods might be a bit unconventional.”

Talking about Zhou Qingbo, Pei You’s expression was always gentle. Ge Xing watched him, feeling somewhat emotional.

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Ge Xing had a good relationship with Pei You’s mother, and he had known Pei You for quite some time. Compared to their first meeting, Pei You now seemed much more happy. He had always been polite and gentle before, but it had seemed like a “shell”. Now, he was more lively, approachable, and he smiled more often. He was like a flower that had bloomed, initially cold and distant, but now more inviting.

Now his entire demeanor has changed and the shell around him seemed to have been polished away, gradually revealing his underlying gentle and awkward nature.

Whenever he talked about Zhou Qingbo, he unconsciously curled his lips into a smile and his overall aura instantly softened.

Ge Xing had previously felt that Pei You’s personality and Zhou Qingbo’s would be quite compatible though he wasn’t certain. Now seeing them getting along harmoniously, he felt somewhat relieved.

Love is really something, Ge Xing couldn’t help but think. Even someone as reserved as Pei You has learned to open up.

“Well, that’s good,” Ge Xing said with a smile. “Fate is such a mysterious thing. With so many people in the world, we are all similar in terms of things like having two eyes and a mouth, but when you really think about it, there are only a few who truly match.”

“Indeed,” Pei You agreed. “I’m also grateful.”

Just as they were speaking, Pei You’s phone suddenly vibrated. He paused the conversation and gave Ge Xing an apologetic gesture before taking out his phone to answer the call.

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Ge Xing’s seat was right next to him, and his peripheral vision accidentally caught a glimpse of his phone screen, on which there was a contact name “Mom.”

Was it a call from He Ping? Ge Xing wondered. He took a sip of his drink without showing any reaction.

Pei You stepped a bit further away to take the call. The bar was too noisy, and from a distance of three steps, it was impossible to hear what anyone was saying. Ge Xing could only see Pei You with his head slightly tilted, frowning slightly as he spoke into the phone.

His smile seemed to lessen, and he appeared somewhat serious, as if discussing something important.

After three to five minutes, Pei You ended the call and returned to the bar. He gave Ge Xing an apologetic smile.

Ge Xing didn’t inquire about the call, nor did he continue the previous topic. They chatted casually for a while and discussed some investment matters.

But it seemed that Pei You was quite busy that night. Just as he had spoken for a few sentences, his phone on the table vibrated again. He glanced at the incoming call notification and furrowed his brows slightly.

That call seemed more important. Pei You only exchanged a couple of sentences with Ge Xing and then hurriedly excused himself.

“I have something urgent to attend to, I need to leave for a while. Could you please inform Qingbo?” Pei You quickly said, “Thank you.”

Seeming genuinely anxious, Pei You uttered those words and swiftly left the bar.

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Coincidentally, as soon as he left, Zhou Qingbo, who had gone to set up a table, returned. His hands were in his pockets, and he walked leisurely back from the private booth area. He swept his gaze toward the bar, and a slight surprise flashed across his face.

“Where’s Pei You?” Zhou Qingbo didn’t step behind the bar but took a seat in Pei You’s previous spot. “Did he go to the restroom?”

“No, he left in a hurry for something,” Ge Xing said.

“So late in the night,?” The relaxed expression on Zhou Qingbo’s face instantly faded a bit, replaced by a hint of disappointment. He absentmindedly toyed with Pei You’s empty glass and muttered, “Ah, these people in his line of work always love working overtime. I can’t understand the fun in it.”

“Who said he’s going to work overtime?” Ge Xing asked knowingly. He took a sip of his drink and said with a relaxed tone, “His mom called. Maybe she’s setting up a blind date for him.”

The phrase “blind date” seemed to hit a sensitive nerve with Zhou Qingbo. He sat up straight instinctively and turned to look at Ge Xing.

“That’s impossible,” Zhou Qingbo’s tone sounded uncertain. “Who goes on a last-minute blind date at this hour?”

“You never know,” Ge Xing said nonchalantly. “When I met his mom last time, she mentioned she found a new potential match for him—a young and lively guy who’s a graduate student in the field of technology, 25 years.”

Ge Xing paused for a moment and then added, “Young people nowadays stay up all night and hang out in bars, it’s not unusual at all.”

Zhou Qingbo’s expression changed. He seemed pricked by that statement. His brows furrowed slightly, and he reached for his phone to call Pei You.

Ever since the “first lesson,” Pei You had hardly ever missed any of Zhou Qingbo’s messages. But today, whether due to a poor signal or other reasons, the call wasn’t connecting, and no one picked up.

For some reason, an uneasy feeling surged within Zhou Qingbo. His chest felt like it was stuffed with cotton soaked in flames, swelling and burning his heart.

He desperately wanted to find an outlet for this emotion. At the same time, he seemed to subconsciously want to prevent this from becoming a big deal. Thus, he flipped through his phone, opened a new chat, and sent a message without much thought: “I’m asking a friend to cover your shift tonight. He’ll be here in 15 minutes. I have something to attend to.”

After sending the message, Zhou Qingbo quickly stood up from his chair, grabbed his coat and draped it over his arm.

“Are you going to find Pei You?” Ge Xing asked, knowingly.

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“Mind your own business,” Zhou Qingbo retorted almost instinctively.

“Isn’t this Pei You’s private matter?” Ge Xing’s voice remained calm as he said mysteriously, “What’s it got to do with you?”

Ge Xing’s words sounded strange. He deliberately emphasized the word “you,” which didn’t sound like he was questioning Zhou Qingbo, but more like he was subtly implying something to him.

Zhou Qingbo abruptly halted his steps.

He suddenly realized that Ge Xing was actually right—blind dates, love, and finding a partner were extremely private matters for everyone, unrelated to anyone else. Not to mention an ordinary friend like him, even one’s own parents couldn’t forcibly intervene.

Whether Pei You goes on a blind date or looks for a partner, it indeed had nothing to do with him. It was his own business, and he didn’t need to report to Zhou Qingbo, nor did he need to seek his consent.

“I…” Zhou Qingbo’s mind was in turmoil, and he subconsciously tried to justify himself. “I’m just worried about him.”

“But how do you know the person he’s meeting isn’t good?” Ge Xing rested his chin on his hand and looked at him sincerely. “What if that’s a good person—well-educated, with a good personality? Maybe they will get along well with Pei You.”

Zhou Qingbo was stumped by the question and instinctively avoided Ge Xing’s gaze.

It felt like a storm was brewing in his mind. Thunder and rain poured down, engulfed by a surging sea and turned into more silent, unexplainable things.

Ordinary friends wouldn’t care about each other’s romantic situations, let alone meddle in who they have a date with. Zhou Qingbo lowered his eyes slightly, and suddenly, a clear thought popped into his mind.

—He had crossed a line.

“Qingbo,” Ge Xing’s tone softened, and he casually said, “Could it be that you like him?”

Ge Xing generally didn’t interfere in others’ love lives, so he didn’t say more beyond this point.

However, this casual remark seemed to stir up a storm in Zhou Qingbo’s heart. The restlessness, unease, and unclear heaviness that had been confined within him suddenly found an outlet, surging through that gap like a torrent.

Before this, Zhou Qingbo had never experienced the feeling of liking someone. His emotional history was a blank slate, so he had no idea what those emotions he had noticed so many times before represented.

Yet, Ge Xing’s words were like an answer, precisely fitting the missing piece of his puzzle.

He finally understood why he felt joy when he looked at Pei You, and he finally found an explanation for all the anomalies.

In his mind, Pei You’s face suddenly appeared for no reason, effortlessly fitting with Ge Xing’s word “like,” becoming a unique and fixed answer.

“… Yes,” Zhou Qingbo turned his head to look at Ge Xing and said word by word, “I like him.”

Zhou Qingbo didn’t know when he had started liking Pei You. Looking back on the past few months, he seemed to have unconsciously intertwined with Pei You, unable to pinpoint a specific beginning.

But after a moment of silence, he suddenly thought of a scene.

He recalled a long time ago, in Qingshan, in the large conference room of the audit department. He woke up from a dream, but the person he wanted to see wasn’t there.

In that instant, a subconscious thought emerged—”keep him.”

He wanted to keep Pei You and wanted Pei You’s eyes to be only on him.

In his subconscious, he wanted to get closer to Pei You, so he continuously pushed the boundaries of their “normal friendship,” inching further and further into the territory of their unconventional relationship.

Zhou Qingbo suddenly realized that he wasn’t as pure and selfless as he had imagined. His desire to protect and possess were directly proportional. They were poured unreservedly onto Pei You.

He wanted to protect Pei You as much as he wanted to possess him.

This possessiveness had nothing to do with anyone else, only concerning his own heart.