california galaxy

After class, Ai Xing endured the deadly evening rush hour traffic in Los Angeles and drove to the UCI campus. It was almost seven o'clock in the evening.

On the road, he was nearly collapsed by the severe traffic jam. Ning He sent him messages from time to time, saying to drive slowly and don't worry. His voice was very gentle and pleasant, which made Ai Xing feel comfortable physically and mentally.

When Ai Xing drove to the restaurant, Ning He was already standing by the side of the street waiting for him.As soon as a car drove away, leaving a parking space, Ning He stood there and waved at him.

While Ai Xing was parking the car, Ning He paid the fare for him.Ai Xing jumped out of the car, walked over with his backpack on his shoulders, pulled Ning He into his arms in the cold evening wind, and said, "Brother, I've been thinking about you all day long."

Ning He pointed to a piece of glass window a few meters away, and there were a few people looking at it playfully.

"My teammates are also there." He turned his face and explained to Ai Xing, "I waited for you in the school library for a long time, but they met me and insisted on following. I have no choice... "

Ai Xing smiled, let go of him, and said, "It's okay, there are so many people."

Invisible is a four-member band, the soul is lead singer and keyboard Ning He, and drummer Jessica.The two of them met on an underground music website, and they were both popular creators on the site. They met in reality because of mutual admiration, and then found out that they were both students of UCI.After the establishment of the orchestra, guitarist Arno (Arnold) and bassist Zack (Zack) were recruited.Zach was a graduate student in UCI's chemistry department, and Arnold was a partner in a musical instrument store near campus and a former guitarist in another band.

Ai Xing has made up a lot of news about the band in the past six months, and of course he has seen fans' speculation about Ning He and Jessica.

As soon as they entered the restaurant, Ning He's "rumored girlfriend" Jessica stood up first, and greeted Ai Xing with a smile, "Sit here with me!"

Ning He grabbed Ai Xing, "There is an empty seat here."

Ai Xing was wearing the uniform of the school swimming team, with a backpack on one shoulder, and a pair of Nike AirForce high-top sneakers on his feet.The lighting in the Thai restaurant was a little dim, which contrasted with his handsome features.

Ning He pulled out a chair and let him sit down.Ai Xing didn't talk much, and his thin lips were slightly pursed. He listened to Ning He's introduction to his teammates calmly, "This is my brother."

The other three booed and laughed, obviously not believing it.

Jessica refused to let go, and leaned up to Ai Xing to look him up, "What's the relationship between you and A Ning?"

Jessica is a petite girl of Chinese-Australian mixed race, but she serves as the drummer in the team, which has a huge contrast with her own appearance.Female drummers have always been rare, and she is very popular because of her beautiful appearance.

Ai Xing looked down at her, without any emotion, and said, "He is my brother."

Jessica was even more curious, first raised her head and asked Ning He, "A Ning, your brother is so cool, he is my favorite, please introduce it to me!" After speaking, she immediately asked Ai Xing, "How is it? I appreciate you very much. interest."

Ai Xing glanced away from Ning He's face, then landed on Jessica's face, shaking his head at her, "Sorry, I don't like girls."

As soon as this remark came out, everyone in the audience was shocked.Ning He didn't expect him to be so straightforward, and was also taken aback for a moment.

Ai Xing calmly took the menu in front of Ning He and asked him, "Have you ordered?"

Ning He said not yet.Ai Xing asked again, "What do you eat, I ordered together."

Ning He sat down beside him and pointed to one of the fried noodles, "This is the one. Everyone else has ordered, you don't have to wait for them."

Ai Xing beckoned to the waiter, and ordered two fried noodles, one baked pineapple rice, and one basket of pre-dinner baked naan.

Ning He was a little surprised, "So much...can you finish it?"

Ai Xing looked at him with a smile, "Brother, I'm still growing."

He spoke in a low voice, but several people sitting around the table heard him.Jessica laughed so hard that her shoulders twitched and she patted the table, "A-Ning, why is your brother so cute?"

In the past love affairs, Ning He came and went freely, and never knew what possessiveness was.At this time, seeing Jessica paying attention to Ai Xing frequently, she finally felt uncomfortable, and looked at her with a frown, "What did you promise me just now?"

Jessica smiled innocently, and repeated her previous promise, "Concentrate on eating and don't gossip."

Just as Ning He was about to respond, he suddenly felt Ai Xing hold his hand under the table, and that warm feeling spread from his palm to all parts of his body.He froze for a moment, couldn't help but want to bow his head, but was stopped by Ai Xing.

The other three were already chatting on their own, Ai Xing leaned back slightly on the back of the chair, distanced himself from the person at the table, and said in a low voice, "I thought you guys had a relationship before?"

Ning He glanced at him and smiled lightly, "Me and Jessica? Never."

Ai Xing's eyes slowly passed over the three band members, "Is that the guitarist? He likes you."

Ning He was silent for a few seconds, and then said, "Ai Xing, it will be very hard for you to do this."——It didn't mean to blame him, but it seemed a bit guilty.

The waiter came over and started to serve the food, Ai Xing was still holding Ning He under the table with one hand, and took a sip of water from the glass with the other hand.Ning He let him lead him, but did not break free.

In fact, from the standpoint of the person standing, the movement under the table can be completely seen at a glance, so the waitress who looked like a migrant college student looked at Ai Xing and Ning He with unconcealed curiosity when she left.

It's time to eat next, and it's impossible to continue holding hands.But during the whole eating process, as long as Ai Xing was free, he would reach out and touch Ning He from time to time.There was no sense of blasphemy in the action, just covering his hands with his hands, or putting them on his legs, as if he only needed to confirm that Ning He was by his side—communicating with his own mind.

Ning He ate up and down after a meal, and couldn't tell what it was like.

Jessica and the others still tease Ai Xing from time to time, and talk about the band or school, but Ning He knows that the joke just now is a joke. In the eyes of his teammates, Ai Xing is just an extra legal brother after his mother remarried , No one really thought that there was any secret hidden between them.

But he knows, Ai Xing knows, and those passers-by who accidentally witnessed the truth also know.From the very beginning, they have been in a relationship that cannot see the light. No matter how deep or far they go, they can only struggle in vain in the dark.

Ning He found that it was easy for him to think too much about Ai Xing and related matters, and he had always been a person who did whatever he wanted in terms of feelings and did not care too much.

Ai Xing didn't know if he noticed Ning He's emotional strangeness, anyway, he didn't ask him about his relationship with the band members, and ate deliciously with his fried rice and fried noodles.When it was time to pay the bill at the end of the meal, Ai Xing inadvertently showed off his arithmetic ability.

The restaurant's cash register was broken, and the waiter took a computer and pressed it in his hand to help them split the bill. After counting five or six times, he still couldn't figure out how much it was.Just as Ning He was about to say that he should pay the whole amount himself, the wallet was already taken out, Ai Xing called out to the nervous waitress and blurted out, pointing to a few dinner plates on the table.

"A fried noodle with mango smoothie is $27.9, with a tip of 15%, a total of 32; a rice bowl is $22.5, with a tip of 15%, a total of 26..."

Under the gradually shocked gazes of the whole table, he reported all the shared price including tips, and then took out the credit card from his wallet before Ning He recovered, and handed it to the waiter, "We are here Three servings of staple food and one snack, plus tips, the total is 81 US dollars, let’s draw a card.”

So handsome.Ning He stared at him, couldn't help but raise the corner of his mouth, and wanted to grab the bill at the same time, but was stopped by Ai Xing.

At this moment, Ai Xing could finally hold his hand openly and said, "Brother, don't fight for this little money." Then he picked up his coat with his other free hand and put it on his shoulder, "I'm still I have to do my homework, why don't we go home early?"

God knows how much he wants to quickly get Ning He away from this group of irrelevant people, but he can't show too much urgency to avoid arousing suspicion.

Ning He saw his eager eyes, and his heartbeat suddenly accelerated. He turned to look at his teammates and said, "I'll go back first, see you in the rehearsal room tomorrow."

Guitarist Arno lowered his head and bit a cigarette, but didn't say much.Jessica and Zach waved at them.

Ai Xing and Ning He left the restaurant together, during which Ai Xing kept his head down and listened to what Ning He was saying, with a very focused expression.Jessica watched the two of them disappear outside the door, and then asked Zach who was sitting next to her in doubt, "Do you think... Aning's younger brother looks at him not as simply as a younger brother looks at his elder brother. ..?"

After the off-road vehicle drove out two streets, it encountered the first red light.

Ai Xing pulled Ning He closer to him, wanting to bow his head and kiss him.

This place is near the campus square of UCI, and the zebra crossing in front of the car is full of young students crossing the street one after another—there may be some classmates that Ning He knows.

Ai Xing asked for an opinion in a gentlemanly manner, "...is it okay?"

Their lips were almost pressed together.

Ning He's breathing was a little messy for a moment, and he said softly, "Mmm." - Ai Xing's kiss had been deeply pressed.

During the 20-second red light time, they ended the lingering lips and teeth one second before the traffic light turned green.

There are sharp-eyed passers-by outside the front of the car to watch.While starting the car, Ai Xing supported the steering wheel with one hand, and raised the other hand to slightly cover Ning He's face to avoid embarrassment.

Ning He couldn't help thinking, how could this kid do so well?

Perhaps he let go of his defenses in front of Ai Xing, and then blurted out the thoughts in his heart, "You put yourself in my shoes like this, I can't believe it's your first time dating."

Ai Xing smiled, her thin lips drew a slight arc in the shadow, but her eyes were bright.

"I'm afraid you think I'm naive, and being in love with me is too boring, so I want to do better for you."