Wen Ruheheng, Want to Date?

"My name is Wen Ruheng. Little Pomelo, you can just call me Big Brother."

From secret affection to confession, across the twenty-four years of their lives, the tiny sapling from back then grew into a towering tree, while Wen Ruheng occupied more than a decade of Xu Youzhi's life.

*

Wen Ruheng was as beautiful as fine jade, warm and radiant. Everyone adored him, flowers bloomed in his presence, and he received so many love letters he could barely hold them all. Yet he'd never dated anyone. As Chen Shu put it, there was a guard dog who wouldn't let anyone near his food: Xu Youzhi. He was only two years younger, but was everywhere, like a ghost.

From middle school through university, he took care of every little thing, even buying Wen Ruheng's underwear. Even Wen's mother teased them, asking who was the older brother and who was the younger one.

It's perfectly normal for a younger brother to be good to his older brother, Wen Ruheng thought.

The only thing he regretted was that, after the two of them had a huge fight when they were ten, Xu Youzhi stopped calling him Big Brother.

The little ingrate had no respect for his elders.

*

Xu Youzhi was the illegitimate son of the head of the Lin Group. After the old man fell ill and went looking for his son, he secretly sent people to protect him. The bodyguard dutifully drove the young master to school in a luxury car, only to watch as the young master didn't even look at it and headed straight for a... bicycle?

A boy was riding behind him. He looked sleepy, but had striking features and an elegant air, and leaned against the young master's back to catch up on sleep.

The bodyguard felt as if lightning had struck him.

Sir, your son... seems to be gay!

Xu Youzhi confessed his feelings to Wen Ruheng four times in total.

The first time was on May 20. Xu Youzhi spent his earnings from a part-time job on ninety-nine roses for him. Wen Ruheng raised an eyebrow and didn't take them. "What does this mean?"

"A secret admirer gave them to me. It'd be a shame to throw them away. Don't you like tinkering with flowers and plants?" Xu Youzhi said calmly.

The second time was at the high school graduation dance. Wen Ruheng had gotten completely drunk after his friend Chen Shu kept pouring drinks for him, so Xu Youzhi carried him home. They chatted on and off along the way.

"The moonlight is beautiful tonight," Xu Youzhi said.

Unfortunately, the person on his back was already fast asleep.

The third time was in college. Wen Ruheng mistakenly thought Xu Youzhi liked someone and was asked to help him rehearse a confession.

Xu Youzhi brushed a hand over his cheek, his gaze deep and intent.

"I love you," he said.

He said love, not like.

A warm sensation touched Wen Ruheng's lips, then vanished at once. Blindfolded, Wen Ruheng froze. Huh? Was that part of the rehearsal?

The fourth time, Xu Youzhi finally decided to break the stalemate.

"Can I pursue you?" he asked, then added, "I'll spoil you."

Wen Ruheng remembered the day before high school graduation, when the three of them had talked about romance on the rooftop. Chen Shu had asked why he didn't date anyone. He'd stretched lazily and said, "I don't like having to spoil people."

Later, Xu Youzhi rode him until he was utterly spent. The young man leaned down, caught his earlobe between his lips, and smiled wickedly. "A-Heng, let me hear you call me Big Brother."

Wen Ruheng: "..."

*

Name origins:

"A gentleman like jade, radiant in feathered robes": Wen Ruheng, nickname Hengheng.

"On the hill grows a tree, and on the tree grows a branch. My heart delights in you, but you don't know": Xu Youzhi, nickname Pomelo.

Handsome x handsome / top student x top student / strong and doting gong

Easygoing * popular * very handsome * broad-minded * older gong who's not much like a big brother x younger shou who spoils his big brother to the ends of the earth, and isn't much like a little brother

Theme: A love where both people choose each other.