Chapter 41:Only Him.

Out of response,Li Yunxi ran after the boy but he was too late. Gu Shan had already settled back at his seat and ordered a new set of food to eat.

"Doctor Ai, something came up. I have to go,"Li Yunxi said anxiously.

"Is it something bad?"Ai Jia asked worriedly.

"No."

"Then Doctor Ai I'm also going,"Su Liang said chuckling awkwardly.

The two bowed to them and left.

Gu Shan was busy eating totally if ignoring them. He didn't even acknowledge their farewell.

"What's wrong with you? You've been acting weird since we left the art gallery,"Ai Jia questioned observing his nephew.

"I'm just a little disoriented. I'm fine now,"he lied.

"Okay then."

*****

When Li Yunxi and Su Liang left the restaurant they walked a few kilometers before coming to a halt. They were silent all along more like Li Yunxi was no longer in the mood to talk.

"Yunxi-ge, when can I see you again?"Su Liang suddenly asked biting her lips nervously while clasping her hands.

"We agreed we won't see each other again. I only did this as a farewell. I don't want you to keep pestering me, trying new tricks thinking I will have a change of heart. The first time we slept together was because I was bored, there was nothing fun going on in my life not because I was interested in you. You were fun to talk to before you started pursuing me. I've been tolerating you all this time because I don't want to hurt your feelings.So I want to set this straight today - whatever you're doing stop, it's not gonna work on me. So this awkward I don't know funny relationship we have let's end it,"he said with finality.

Let's end it . Those words sounded familiar in his ears. It was the same thing he was told some minutes ago. He had literally taken the words out of Gu Shan's mouth.

"Don't you like me even a little?" Su Liang questioned her eyes wet with tears.

"I don't like you the way you want."

"But I like you so much. Tell me are you in love with someone else?"

"I told you I don't do love and relationships."

"Then can we be friends with benefits?"She asked desperately.

"One time is enough for me,"he declared in a serious tone,"Please take a taxi back to your apartment. I have something to do so I'm leaving first,"he said walking away from there not even glancing back at her. Su Liang was left stranded watching the receding back of Li Yunxi with tears flooding her eyes. Maybe that was her karma for cheating on Gu Shan.

*****

Li Yunxi himself wasn't in a good state when he returned to the apartment. Gu Shan's words seemed to have a greater impact on him. They were just each other's casual flings,he could just find another one. There were many girls out there like Su Liang who offered themselves to him desperately but now he didn't want any of them. He wanted Gu Shan. Only him . He didn't want to lose him so soon.

Up till now they had only managed to engage in a few intimate acts- sneaky kisses during lunchtime at the toilet, hand jobs and blowjobs which were mostly initiated by Li Yunxi. They hadn't made any progress. They had only started exploring each other but suddenly Gu Shan decided to cut off before things got more serious. Typically it felt like the end of the beginning. When he arrived at the apartment,he freshened up and changed his outfit before heading out to the club for work.

*****

Gu Shan initially wanted to stay over at his uncle's place,but changed his mind afterwards and went back to his apartment. He knew he was still acting weird and he didn't want his uncle to find out the truth no matter how close they were so he chose to escape.

Back at the apartment,Liu Daxun was cooking the evening meal when Gu Shan arrived. Gu Shan went directly to the kitchen and grabbed some strawberry milk from the fridge to comfort himself.

"What are you cooking?"

"Just noodles. I'm not that hungry."

"When are you going to your aunt's place?"

"Tomorrow."

"Let's go together,"Gu Shan said suddenly.

"Huh?!"Liu Daxun turned around in surprise.

"I said we can visit your aunt together."

"That's great!"Liu Daxun exclaimed delightedly and jumped into Gu Shan's arms making Gu Shan stumble backwards almost losing his balance.

"Sorry I got too excited,"Liu Daxun said apologetically moving away.

"It's okay."

*****

In the morning Gu Shan skived the morning run which he had grown accustomed to over the past weeks . He used to go with the others just so he could get sometime to be with Li Yunxi. Sometimes they would lag behind on their way back to the apartment,to sneak up on each other and kiss while their bodies were still wet with sweat.

"Where is ShanShan?"Xiao Hui asked curiously, looking around.

"He's still asleep."

Xiao Hui sighed and shook his head slightly.

"Let's compete guys."

The three of them raced against each other on the lanes with Li Yunxi emerging the winner.

Later that day,Gu Shan and Liu Daxun visited Daxun's aunt. Although Gu Shan wasn't good with kids he still managed to have a little fun for the rest of the day. In the evening they went back to the apartment as the following day would be Monday meaning they had to go back and prepare for the lectures and maybe complete the pending assignments.

For the rest of the week,Gu Shan remained glued to his best friend and avoided meeting Li Yunxi. Or whenever they accidentally met,he would just walk away before Li Yunxi could speak up which he always seemed like he wanted to.

"Gu..."Li Yunxi started but the boy had already walked away leaving him opening and closing his mouth like a pufferfish.

He directed Yunxi's calls straight to voicemail cutting all the means of communication between them.

The tension between them was palpable even in front of their friends. Xiao Hui had asked about it but all he got were short curt answers either 'our personalities don't click' or 'I misspoke something.' Liu Daxun also asked and the responses were quite similar to that and both of them stopped inquiring about it and conformed to the tension between the two.

Whenever the four of them were together Li Yunxi and Gu Shan would only contribute to the conversation only if Xiao Hui or Liu Daxun were the ones who brought something up. They themselves never dared broach a subject. However,to be precise the hostility was only one sided.Li Yunxi didn't harbour any negative feelings towards Gu Shan. He just wished Gu Shan had given him a chance to explain himself. It was suffocating to be glared at constantly and being given the cold shoulder. He wanted to clear things up and be in good terms even if they would just be purely friends and not friends with benefits.

"Where are you going?"Liu Daxun asked raising his eyes to Gu Shan who was already on his feet.

"I'm going to grab something to eat ,"Gu Shan said walking away.

"He's just going to get his strawberry milk,"Liu Daxun whispered to them as if he was letting them on a big secret,"He never lets me drink them let alone touch them,"he then let out a high pitched laugh.

Xiao Hui laughed along with him while Li Yunxi remained stoic,unfazed by the information.

"He's still a baby. He always pouts his lips like a baby whenever he's unsatisfied,"Xiao Hui added smiling lovingly and Liu Daxun nodded in agreement. They were leaning closer to each other whispering and giggling from time to time. When Gu Shan came back was when they moved away from each other composing themselves in the process. Gu Shan eyed them suspiciously but decided to let it slide.

Gu Shan threw three packets of snacks on the table and dipped a straw in the milk carton,sat cross-legged on his previous spot and began sipping his milk with pleasure.

"You guys can have the snacks."

"Oh,"Xiao Hui and Liu Daxun who had been acting like statues suddenly moved stretching out their hands to reach for the snacks. Li Yunxi hesitated for a while staring blankly. Xiao Hui pushed the remain packet of snacks towards his direction getting him out of his trance.The guys began munching on the snacks immediately. They were silent only the sound of their teeth crushing down the food substances was audible.

Every now and then Li Yunxi and Gu Shan's gazes met each time,each gaze holding specific emotions behind it. For Yunxi it was a mixture of plea and longing,for Gu Shan it was more like 'I hate you dude.'

"ShanShan,why do you two look like ex-lovers who can't stand each other?"Liu Daxun suddenly asked. Gu Shan spat all the milk that he had sipped a second ago.