The Case of the Weird 'Friendship'

We reach 100 votes again this week! Thanks, guys, here's another chapter.

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Shu Chuanli found that Mo Aini and the Tiger Emperor's friendship was really strange.

He's not the only one. Everyone on this island agrees, they really are an odd pair, even more odd than seeing cats and dogs getting along!

Because their archetypes really don't fit at all! Mo Aini was this silent, introverted older student while Hu Chuntian is a well-known bully! Yet how can they get along so well?

"We're back, we can join you now on your trip."

Speaking of the devil. Just as he was thinking this in the middle of the dense forest, Mo Aini arrived with two luggages in tow. And on his back.....

"It's the Tiger Emperor!"

"Why is he carrying him? Is he injured?"

"Oi, what sorcery is this!? How is he able to carry that scary, bulky delinquent who has twice the muscle size with that skinny arms of his!?"

The students whispered and mumbled among themselves, and Hu Chuntian gave them a deadly glare. He must have heard.

But Mo Aini didn't or at least, he's pretending not to, and just smiled. "Thank you for finding us, if not for you all, A-Tian and I might have been stuck on this island forever!"

Hu Chuntian's expression suddenly changed from menacing to soft, saying, "I would love that, Da Ge~"

Mo Aini let go of one of the luggage bags, and smack him in the head with a queasy smile. "Hehe---SHUT UP."

"Okay!" Hu Chuntian wasn't bothered by the smack at all, and even seems to be more bright and cheery about it.

It's really like watching a zookeeper not only carrying a live tiger on his back, but also have managed to tame it too.

That's why, among the fellow vacationists of Liangyue Island, Mo Aini had earned the code name 'Zookeeper'. Especially when people are gossiping and spreading rumors about him and the Tiger Emperor.

Especially the girls.

The next day, Shu Chuanli heard them talking by themselves. The boys are now the one's assigned to make the breakfast, and he was ordered to take the chili peppers Wang Jing had brought from her village in Sichuan itself, that's how he overheard them in their tent.

Girl #1: "Did you see what Zookeeper did today while he was making breakfast?"

Girl #2: "No, I didn't. I just woke up. What is it?"

Girl #1: "He was the one cooking the soup and stirring the pot, right? And the Tiger Emperor never left his back since yesterday, right? Saying he slipped on some rocks and broke a bone from his hips or something, right?"

Girl #2: "Right, just spill it out already!"

Girl #1: "Well, the tiger is still on his back while cooking, and he even asked for the Zookeep to let him have a taste! And the Zookeeper did feed him, in front of everyone else!"

Girld #2: "Wahhh, really!? How shameless! Can they be any more obvious?"

Another girl joined them, Girl #3: "How did you see that? You sneaked into the boy's encampment to peep again, didn't you?"

Girl #1: "N-No! I was just going to pee and got interested in how the boys were doing with their cooking, that's all! I'm just a concerned citizen for the safety of our stomachs! Anyway, look I even got it caught on a video!"

Shu Chuanli picked up the crates of chili peppers and began to walk nearer to the girls. They were so busy laughing and giggling that they didn't even notice him. He watched the video:

"Da Ge... Mpfh..." Hu Chuntian grumbled, seeming to be half-asleep. He was still latched on Mo Aini's back like a koala.

"You didn't sleep well, huh?" Mo Aini asked.

Shu Chuanli couldn't help but admire this man's arm strength and patience. How can he just carry another man like no one's business!? While chopping carrots, no less!

"I slept well... Since you're beside me, Da Ge..." Hu Chuntian yawned. "But now we're with many people and I hate it. I want to stay in bed with you a little longer....."

"When we get home." Mo Aini briefly answered briefly as he put the minced carrots on the pot.

Shu Chuanli's eyes widened so much his glasses almost cracked. When we get home!?

The girls seem to be thinking the same thing. Girl #3 exclaimed: "These two live together and sleep together!?"

Girl #2: "I ship it! I ship it! I ship it!"

Girl #1: "Heh, you ship everything. But this may be the real thing, guys! There's no way bros speak to each other like that!"

Shu Chuanli also don't believe it..... But..... This.....

This may be a misunderstanding! After all, Hu Chuntian was so into Mo Jiagei! Everyone knows that! Why would he suddenly....

Yes, they're just friends, right? They're just bros joking with each other and fooling around! Yep, of course, that's it. He and Gou Manchu also slept once together in the same bed, this is no big deal---

"Da Ge, your cooking smells good as always! Can you let me have a taste?" Hu Chuntian asked in a coquettish tone.

"It's not even simmering in the pot long enough yet. Wait a bit." Mo Aini stirred and stirred.

Hu Chuntian waited, and eventually, his friend placed the ladle by his mouth.

"Be careful, it's hot." Mo Aini reminded him as Hu Chuntian gently slurped some.

His blue eyes immediately lit up. "Mmmm! It's so good! You try it too, Da Ge~"

He offered the ladle by Mo Aini's lips. Mo Aini did not hesitate to also taste it. The girls went wild and squealed.

Girl #2: "Kyaahhh!!!! It's an indirect kiss!"

Girl #3: "Are you sure this is real life and not just a BL drama footage!? I'm dying of sweetness, ack!"

Girl #1: "Looks like we're having dog food for breakfast, girls! Ah, what a fine couple!"

Shu Chuanli was mortified. What BL!? What couple!?

He took a few steps backwards in fright, spilling a bit of the chili papers to the ground. Then he hit something hard. "Ow!"

It was his good friend, Gou Manchu. "Sorry, Senpai! The people were asking what's taking you so long so I was sent here to look for you."

He saw the chili peppers that we're scattered to the ground, and picked them up. "Do you need any help carrying the crate?"

But instead of answering yes or no, Shu Chuanli grabbed his shoulders and asked another question, "WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT MO AINI AND HU CHUNTIAN'S RELATIONSHIP!?"

Gou Manchu's puppy eyes blinked, tilting his head to the side. "Mo Aini and Hu Chuntian's relationship?"

"Yes! They're friendship is strange, right!?" Shu Chuanli said. "They almost seem like strangers that happen to hung around each other before, and now their all touchy! Very strange, right?"

"Strange? Well..." Gou Manchu rubbed his chin. "I find nothing strange about it. I think they're lovers."

"Ehhhh?? Not you too!" Shu Chuanli felt betrayed, like an emperor who's general suddenly switched sides. "What made you think that?"

"The girls said so. I heard them talking while I was on my way here." He took the crate away from the short nerd. "Though I don't know what BL is."

"You better not know! What matters is, you can't trust girls!" Shu Chuanli insisted. "They'll see romance in everything! Especially fujoshis, we have to get more insights form actual men!"

And so, he was set on getting to the bottom of this alleged, 'Zookeeper x Tiger Emperor Affair'.

Shu Chuanli even took out a memo pad to keep track of all his investigations, and like Sherlock, he and his Watson, Gou Manchu, will solve this mystery once and for all.

Preferably before breakfast, because he's starving.

After getting mixed and unsatisfying response from guys who couldn't care any less, they decided that it would be better to ask Mr. President. He's really observant, so his words will carry more weight than the average person.

"What do you think of Hu Chuntian and Mo AIni's relationship?" He started with the standard procedure of questioning.

She Haoran was surprised to be suddenly asked this, but the roasting of duck meat takes too long anyway so there's no harm in answering. "They're very close, as far as I could tell?"

"But is it a friendship or..... do you think it's something else?"

"Something else?" She Haoran was intrigued by the worsing, taking notice of Shu Chuanli's facial features.

Gou Manchu explained for him like a good assistant. "He's asking if you think they are dating, Sir."

"It's not just that....." Shu Chuanli reddened. "Er..... Anything else besides friendship would do."

"Haha, there's nothing else besides friendship and romance to describe people who are very close without familial relations." She Haoran said wisely. "To answer your question, Mr. Shu...."

"I don't really know. It doesn't feel right to assume for people." He succinctly replied, changing his posture to lean forward to the wannabe-detective. "What I'm more interested in is why you two are asking around about this? Looking for a reference to contemplate on your own relationship? You two are just as close as Mo Aini and Hu Chuntian."

"Really?" Gou Manchu's eyes brightened. "I never thought of it that way....."

"No!" Shu Chuanli immediately denied, then coughed. "Ahem..... I mean, our relationship is clear cut as the bestest of friends, as soul brothers, unlike these two that are vague. Thank you for your time, Mr. President. We'll go ask someone else."

"You're welcome." He smiled with a mischievous glint in his eyes, truly such a clever snake.

They decided to ask the Theater Club President, next. Ma Jianyu is used to writing scripts for sappy romances or very strong, unyielding brotherly friendship, so he may know a thing or two about discerning which is which.

"Sir Taime and the Villanous Knave, hmm?" He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Though I am not entirely convinced for friendship or love to bud between them, since they really are true different forces and Sir Taime deserved much, much better than be involved with that villain... I adore relationships that stem from the impossibility, the joining of two individuals you would have never guessed from the first act.... After all, even Demetrius and Lysander see each other eye to eye at the ending of Midsummer Night's Dream...."

He's speaking in riddles again. Shu Chuanli, channeling his unbothered stone-hard detective mode, persisted. "In short, would you say it is love or friendship?"

"Love and friendship is a thin line to an outsider's viewpoint. Only those standing on that line can measure the distance...." Ma Jianyu began monologuing again, and they had completely lost him.

It was useless.

In the end, they didn't solve the case when breakfast was ready. Shu Chuanli sat on his table with a slump.

"Don't worry about it, Senpai. Maybe it'll get cleared up soon." Gou Manchu tried to comfort him. "I brought some ready-to-cook mantou with me, would you like some?"

"I don't get it....." Shu Chuanli sullenly took a mantou from him and took a large bite. "Why would Hu Chuntian's demeanor changed suddenly like that? He used to even put up traps and barricades on our seats just to get Mo Jiagei, why'd he suddenly shift to her brother?"

"I don't know. I guess people like Mo-gongzi and Senpai are just similar." Gou Manchu munched happily on his favorite food.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Mo-gongzi usually keeps to himself, but he now changed when he met Hu Chuntian. Senpai too.... You two just feel like you enjoy being alone, which I don't get because it's.... Munch, Munch.... It's really sad to be alone! But when we become friends, you don't seem like that anymore."

Gou Manchu was on his 5th mantou already. "So I guess Mr. President is right. We're just as close as them after all!"

"But it's not just that." Gou Manchu wiped the crumbs on his mouth. "You changed me too, Senpai! If not for you, I wouldn't learn so many things and enjoy watching anime and reading manga! And without Mo Aini, Hu Chuntian seemed to be always so angry, but he's happy when he's with him."

He came to his own conclusion. "So the long and short of it, is that no matter what their relationship is, they make each other happy! Just like how you make me happy, Senpai!"

Shu Chuanli felt like he was thunderstruck by these words, but recognized how true they are. Why would he need to overthink about those guys, anyway? More importantly---

WHY IS HIS BEST FRIEND THIS CUTE???? HOW CAN HE JUST SAY 'YOU MAKE ME HAPPY' SO EASILY'????

Shu Chuanli reddened so much that steam came out of his head and he fainted.

"Senpai? Senpai!" Gou Manchu shook him.

Case solved.

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