Chapter 30: One's worth depends on another's perception.

A bead of sweat dripped down the fair and flushed cheek of the young man wearing eyeglasses and is bending down the table.

"..." can Lan Xing drop it already? He's been staring at me for fifteen minutes straight! Hong Yue thought in annoyance as he forced a smile while a vein popped in his forehead. Is he not aware of what he's doing? "What's wrong?" he asked, trying to sound rational as possible.

Lan Xing blinked. "Did I disturb you?" he asked.

"... no." Hong Yue lied through his gritted teeth. "What is it?" he asked.

"Well..." Lan Xing muttered and stared at Hong Yue's face again.

"..." bro, can we talk this out? Are you going to start dazing again? Hong Yue balled his fists. "Really, what's the matter?" he asked. It's six and a half in the evening and they are waiting for their dinner to be cooked. While waiting, they were doing their assignments.

Lan Xing stared at Hong Yue again. "It's nothing." He answered before he lowered his gaze and resumed answering his assignment.

Hong Yue's brow twitched. You think I'll believe that? His eyes narrowed. "If you want me to answer your assignment, it's fine. I'm done with mine, anyway." He told him. He thinks Lan Xing is acting troubled to gain his pity.

"No. I'm done with mine, too." Lan Xing answered.

"Huh?" Hong Yue was surprised.

Lan Xing showed him his answers. "I'm just being lazy." He honestly said.

Hong Yue felt his balls ached. It would have been better if he said nothing! Just continue lying! He thought and looked at Lan Xing's assignment with his eyes filled with grievance.

Lan Xing noticed his wronged expression. He rubbed his nose in guilt. "I'll answer your assignments tomorrow so you can start your work earlier." He told him and looked away in shame. He didn't notice Hong Yue's lips curved in triumph.

"You said it." Hong Yu said, his voice sounded aggrieved yet his lips are curved.

"Yeah." Lan Xing said and turned to him.

Hong Yue retracted his smile. "So, why were you staring at me earlier?" he asked.

Lan Xing paused before he twirled his pen in his fingers. "That..." he said and stared at Hong Yue's face again.

Hong Yue raised his hand and covered Lan Xing's eyes. "Just answer me, will you? No looking!" he told him.

Lan Xing froze before he chuckled. He raised his hand and held Hong Yue's soft hand covering his eyes. "Okay." He said. His vision is dark yet he can feel the warmth from Hong Yue's hand travelling to his skin.

"So?" Hong Yue said, waiting for Lan Xing's answer.

"I'm thinking how can you not be worthy of her." Lan Xing said.

"... huh?"

"Huang Anyi." Lan Xing said.

Hong Yue then remembered his conversation with his classmates earlier. He remembered their dumbfounded expression. If they just hadn't reached their classroom, he would've asked them why they looked like that. However, he had forgotten it. Now that Lan Xing reminded him, he realized his answer is misleading.

"Oh." He said as he removed his hand from Lan Xing's eyes.

However, Lan Xing held his hand. "What do you mean by that earlier?" he asked.

Because he was distracted, Hong Yue ignored Lan Xing's ambiguous behavior. "I'm not worthy of Huang Anyi." He said.

"... you like her?" Lan Xing asked.

"Yes." Hong Yue answered. "As a family." He added.

Lan Xing who was about to tighten his hold of Hong Yue's hand has stopped.

Hong Yue didn't notice Lan Xing's reaction. "I highly respect her. She's just joking about being my fiancée, but even if she's serious about it, I only treat her as a family. I really respect her, and she knows that so she's acting like that." He laughed.

"This doesn't explain why you are not worthy of her." Lan Xing said.

Hong Yue looked at him before he smiled. Then, he withdrew his hand.

The warmth leaving his hand made Lan Xing feel a loss. "You can't tell me?" he asked.

"It's my family condition." Hong Yue said.

Lan Xing's brows knit. "Even if I only met her once, but I can see Huang Anyi isn't someone who would care about one's status." He said. "Hong Yue, I may have known you only for more than a week, but I can feel you are a great person. You are worthy of her. I know that." His voice is sincere.

"Lan Xing..." Hong Yue stared at Lan Xing and saw him frowning. "You are mad." He said.

"I am." Lan Xing nodded.

"Pft... hahahahaha." Hong Yue laughed.

"Tch." Lan Xing clicked his tongue and looked away. He is really mad.

"Hey... hahahahaha." Hong Yue can't stop laughing. This is the first time he had seen this side of Lan Xing. So he has a bad temper, huh. He thought and smiled as he wiped the tears off his eyes. "Lan Xing." He called.

"Not turning." Lan Xing said.

"Turn." Hong Yue said.

Lan Xing paused before he finally turned his head. He felt his heart fluttered when he saw Hong Yue is smiling at him. "W-what?" he asked before he looked away.

"Look at me." Hong Yue said. "Earlier, you're brazenly watching me yet now you are shy~" this time, it's him who's openly staring at Lan Xing.

Lan Xing's ears turned red because of Hong Yue's gaze. "Shameless!" he said and gritted his teeth before he finally turned to Hong Yue with his face as red as an apple. "What?" he asked as he forced himself to look at Hong Yue's expressive eyes.

"I'll tell you a secret." Hong Yue said.

"What secret?" he asked.

"I'm already 23 years old." Hong Yue told him.

Lan Xing's eyes widened. "What? You're lying." He told him. He's 19 years old, and Hong Yue looked like he's 17 years old. That's why he let Hong Yue call his 'ge' before.

"I am. Really." Hong Yue said. "If you want, you can check my student profile. Want me to accompany you?" he winked at him.

Lan Xing's face was covered in dark lines. "I believe you." He said and calmed his nerves. "So... your age is the reason why you think you're not worthy of Huang Anyi?" he asked.

"How can that be?" Hong Yue said. "It's because I am adopted of her father." He said.

"Then, all the more you are worthy of her. Her father acknowledged you." Lan Xing said before he paused. "Or, is it the opposite? Her father wanted for you two to be only siblings?" he asked.

"Lan Xing." Hong Yue called. "You're missing the main point here." He said.

"What is it?" Lan Xing asked as he looked at Hong Yue.

"I don't like her – " Hong Yue said. " – romantically, that is."