Agreed to Just Once - Chapter 18: This Side Too
Chapter 18: This Side Too
Guo Jian took his birthday celebration seriously. To make things convenient for everyone, he arranged two vehicles to wait directly at the school gate.
Unexpectedly, while his arrangements were thorough, his invited friends proved less reliable—one after another tried to bail at the last minute.
Guo Jian vented his frustrations in their group chat:
The cars are here! Where are you guys? We agreed to gather at my place, and now you’re suddenly claiming prior commitments? Cut the excuses—the meal’s on me! Hurry up!
Just as he finished typing, he looked up and spotted He Wenshuo approaching from a distance, pulling someone along with him.
The temperature had dropped recently, carrying a chill in the wind. Both He Wenshuo and his companion wore matching long-sleeved windbreakers and trousers, resembling couple outfits.
At the sight, Guo Jian’s lips curled into a wide grin. It was rare for He Wenshuo to bring his girlfriend along to such gatherings. Today, he was determined to find an opportunity to dig into how the two had met and started dating.
As they drew nearer, Guo Jian waved. Over here! The car’s this way.
Mm, He Wenshuo replied briefly, without further pleasantries, and guided Jiang Yinian to the back row of the seven-seater.
Guo Jian had no time to chat further, returning to his group chat to urge the others: Come on, hurry! I already told my mom I had a bunch of buddies coming. If you all back out now, I’ll lose face…
Inside the vehicle, Jiang Yinian, who had worn a cap out today, settled into his seat, leaned back, and tugged the brim down for some peace and quiet.
Noticing this, He Wenshuo fished a handful of candies from his pocket and pressed them into Jiang Yinian’s palm.
Jiang Yinian flexed his fingers. What’s this?
Candy, He Wenshuo answered.
Peeking through the gap under his cap, Jiang Yinian saw an assortment of fruit gummies in various shapes. They looked appealing.
He unwrapped one shaped like an orange and tasted it.
The fruit flavor was rich, the texture soft and chewy—sweet but not cloying, thoroughly enjoyable without any hint of cloyingness.
Strawberry, apple, grape… each flavor was delightful. With every bite, his mood seemed to lighten further.
He Wenshuo collected the candy wrappers from Jiang Yinian and handed him a Bluetooth earpiece. It’ll take about an hour to get there.
Mm, Jiang Yinian acknowledged, munching on the gummies while cycling through his favorite songs, his spirits considerably lifted.
Agreeing to pretend to be He Wenshuo’s girlfriend hadn’t been a spur-of-the-moment decision.
Lately, he’d been quietly observing He Wenshuo—not just casually, but with careful attention.
And then, he began to wonder… or rather, he started to suspect.
He suspected that He Wenshuo might have feelings for him—the kind that went beyond friendship. Or perhaps, he was falling for the female persona Jiang Yinian was portraying.
The car departed from the city center, heading straight for the suburbs, and eventually halted before a large compound with whitewashed walls. By then, it was already 5:30 in the afternoon.
Jiang Yinian followed the others out of the car and took in the full view of the courtyard from the entrance. A sign for the Agritainment hung above the gate, and the spacious yard featured a long fish pond on the far left, lush green vegetable sheds on the right, and several simple pavilions occupying the central area, each furnished with large round dining tables.
Guo Jian, the birthday boy, had ushered everyone to their seats but then vanished without a trace.
The group chatted idly at the table, remarking on how elaborate Guo Jian’s birthday celebration was—wishing they’d splurged more on gifts—and admiring the plump fish in the pond and the fresh-looking vegetables from the sheds. They filled the time with light, scattered conversation.
Tao Hao grinned cheerfully, his gaze unintentionally drifting toward Jiang Yinian, who wore a baseball cap. He Wenshuo always kept his girlfriend well hidden, and with the relaxed atmosphere, Tao Hao itched to pry into their relationship—badly. But before he could utter a word, He Wenshuo’s sharp glare shut him down.
Tao Hao clicked his tongue and reluctantly shelved his curiosity. Fine, he’d leave it alone for now. He turned his attention back to the lively discussion about the fish in the pond.
Everyone was enjoying the conversation.
Jiang Yinian found the meal unusually relaxing. With little presence at the table, he quietly observed each dish as it was served. Initially, he hadn’t expected much from the birthday feast after seeing the rustic Agritainment setting, but one bite changed his mind.
Every dish was delicious! The cold appetizers were refreshing, the hot dishes fragrant and savory, the soups perfectly balanced, and even the desserts were crispy, sweet, and flawless—each portion at least twice the size of those served elsewhere.
Jiang Yinian loved good food but had a small appetite, so he limited himself to a bite or two of each dish to savor them all.
He Wenshuo scooped a small bowl of soup and slid it toward Jiang Yinian. How is it?
Jiang Yinian nodded, still basking in the joy of the tasty meal, but his expression faltered slightly when he met He Wenshuo’s eyes.
He Wenshuo had invited him along, seemingly just to treat him to a good meal.
Leaning closer, He Wenshuo asked softly, Feeling a bit better now? He’d noticed Jiang Yinian seemed weighed down lately.
That subtle unease stirred again in Jiang Yinian’s heart.
Did his mood really matter that much to He Wenshuo?
By the end of the meal, everyone was full and satisfied.
The sky above had darkened completely, with only the colorful string lights in the pavilions casting a faint glow.
As the guest of honor, Guo Jian blew out the candles, cut the cake, and made a wish amid everyone’s cheers. Finally, he invited the group to step outside and watch the fireworks.
We set off the fireworks in the corner of the yard. If you stand too close, you might breathe in the smoke. It’s better to walk out through the gate and down the road a bit—you’ll get a fuller, clearer view from a distance.
Sure, sure.
Got it, we’ll find a good spot.
He Wenshuo had long wanted to get Jiang Yinian away from those gossipy faces. Hearing this, he decisively pulled Jiang Yinian out of the courtyard gate and found a quiet roadside spot where no one would disturb them.
He didn’t notice that Jiang Yinian beside him was lowering his head, silently watching their joined hands.
That subtle feeling resurfaced in Jiang Yinian’s heart. He shifted slightly and withdrew his hand from He Wenshuo’s grasp.
The sudden emptiness in his palm made He Wenshuo immediately turn to look at Jiang Yinian.
Jiang Yinian stuffed both hands into his pockets and stared nonchalantly toward where the fireworks were about to rise.
So He Wenshuo didn’t overthink it, reminding Jiang Yinian: We’re standing far from them, they can’t hear what we’re saying.
Throughout the journey here, Jiang Yinian had only nodded or shaken his head without uttering a single word. He Wenshuo was worried he might suffocate from keeping silent.
Jiang Yinian slowly shook his head: I have nothing I want to say.
In fact, if he had appeared in his usual male attire, he might have been able to chat with Tao Hao and the others for a bit. But appearing as He Wenshuo’s girlfriend made any conversation unnecessary.
He Wenshuo: Are you still unhappy?
Jiang Yinian: Not at all.
Not long after, explosive sounds of ignited fireworks burst from the corner of the courtyard. Beams of light shot upward and exploded in the air, forming brief yet magnificent patterns that illuminated the surroundings.
In recent years, fireworks had long been banned within the city limits, but regulations were slightly more relaxed in the suburbs, allowing limited displays.
This was probably why Guo Jian insisted everyone accompany her home for her birthday – this kind of atmosphere simply couldn’t be matched by pool halls or KTVs.
Jiang Yinian looked up at the fireworks. They were truly beautiful, though the smell was a bit overwhelming from this close proximity.
He Wenshuo looked down at Jiang Yinian, whose eyes were now sparkling with the reflection of the blooming fireworks, making them particularly captivating.
After watching the fireworks intently for a while, Jiang Yinian turned his head inadvertently and discovered that He Wenshuo wasn’t watching the fireworks, but was staring motionlessly at him.
After several dozen seconds of eye contact.
He Wenshuo suddenly leaned in close and gently kissed Jiang Yinian’s cheek – briefly, just a touch before pulling away.
Jiang Yinian’s breath hitched, asking incredulously: What are you doing!
He Wenshuo had never seen Jiang Yinian this angry before.
Not once since they were children.
From the latter half of the fireworks display to the car ride back to the city, Jiang Yinian didn’t speak a single word to him, not even granting him a complete glance.
The car stopped at the residential complex entrance.
Jiang Yinian got out from the back seat without waiting for He Wenshuo, striding quickly toward the apartment building.
He Wenshuo got out a step later, quickly catching up after two brisk steps. Niannian, Niannian, wait for me, don’t be angry, I was wrong.
Jiang Yinian kept his eyes forward, his steps never faltering, irritation churning in his chest. What exactly were you wrong about?He Wenshuo honestly reflected: I shouldn’t have kissed you without your permission.
During the fireworks display, his mind seemed to short-circuit. He had originally just wanted to see if Jiang Yinian was happy or not, but then Jiang Yinian looked so beautiful that he couldn’t help but lean in and kiss him.
Jiang Yinian was furious that he dared bring it up: Why did you kiss me? How could you kiss me!
Why couldn’t he? He Wenshuo rolled the words on his tongue before swallowing them back. He felt saying it out loud might make Jiang Yinian even angrier.
He remembered he had kissed him before too, but that was when they were still young.
He Wenshuo: I’m sorry, I know I was wrong. I didn’t expect you to be this angry. I won’t do it again next time.
He would definitely restrain himself next time.
Jiang Yinian’s mind was in chaos: This isn’t something a simple apology can fix. Did you ever consider my feelings?
Before they knew it, they had reached the entrance of their apartment building.
He Wenshuo’s disappointment was palpable: Does one kiss make you feel this terrible?
Jiang Yinian: It’s not about feeling terrible, it’s just…
He truly struggled to put this helpless feeling into words.
He looked at He Wenshuo, whose face showed tension, regret, and apology.
Clearly, He Wenshuo completely failed to understand this sense of powerlessness he was experiencing.
The distance from the building entrance to the main gate wasn’t far, and they soon arrived.
Jiang Yinian used facial recognition to unlock the door, then turned to He Wenshuo who was following behind him: Go back to your own home.
He Wenshuo reached out to stop the closing door, Niannian, don’t be angry. I won’t do it again next time, I promise you. Really, I can even swear to you.
Jiang Yinian turned around and silently looked at the persistently following He Wenshuo.
After a long moment.
He beckoned to He Wenshuo: Come here.
Huh?
He Wenshuo didn’t understand why, but complied, his tall figure standing before Jiang Yinian.
Jiang Yinian: Lower your head.
He Wenshuo lowered his head to look at Jiang Yinian, noticing that he didn’t seem as angry now, but his expression looked like he was wrestling with something.
Jiang Yinian clenched his hand, deciding to give him a taste of his own medicine, and kissed He Wenshuo lightly on the cheek.
It was gentle, and he pulled back quickly.
Jiang Yinian stared at He Wenshuo and asked: How does it feel?
Of course it felt good. Without hesitation, He Wenshuo offered his other cheek, This side too.
Author’s note: