"Let's hold the exam tomorrow." With that, Wu Changkong left the classroom.
After Wang Jinxi and Zhang Yangzi confirmed they would transfer, the atmosphere in the classroom turned especially heavy. The two returned to the dormitory to pack their things, said goodbye to everyone, and left Eastsea Academy.
"Come on, let's go cheer Tang Wulin up." Xie Xie nudged Lin Chen, who was chatting with Gu Yuena beside him.
The three of them were looking for Tang Wulin. The good news was that they found him; the bad news was that Ouyang Zixin had taken him away.
Xie Xie scratched the back of his head, looking utterly bewildered. "Well, I was wondering how we were going to cheer Wulin up, but Ouyang-senpai just whisked him off to have some fun."
Lin Chen watched the two figures walking farther and farther away, then said blandly, "Na'er, Xie Xie, let's go follow them and see what they're up to."
At his words, Gu Yuena turned her cool, delicate face and glanced ahead with her violet eyes. She quietly fell in beside Lin Chen.
Xie Xie's eyes lit up, and he perked right up. "Follow them? Sounds good! Let's see where they're going to unwind. We might even stumble across something fun."
Gu Yuena said, "You only ever think about having fun. If you don't pass tomorrow's second exam, you'll learn your lesson."
Xie Xie immediately stuck out his chin and protested, "We're only going to wander around for a little while. It won't affect the exam, and one day won't make a difference."
The two bickered back and forth. Watching them squabble, Lin Chen's mouth twitched slightly. He gently took Gu Yuena by the wrist and said, "Come on, stop arguing. The show's more important."
Gu Yuena's violet eyes flickered with surprise. Warmth spread from her wrist, and a faint blush crept over her ears. "O-okay..."
Lin Chen didn't think anything of it. Xie Xie, standing beside them, rolled his eyes and followed.
As Lin Chen led her along, Gu Yuena thought to herself, I can't have been reading all those guides for nothing. I should be the one to take the initiative.
Thinking this, she gently pulled her wrist free from Lin Chen's grasp, deftly slipped her fingers between his, and laced them tightly together.
The moment their palms met, Lin Chen's steps abruptly stopped. He froze in place, then instinctively turned to look at the girl beside him. Gu Yuena's ears were faintly flushed, and her shimmering violet eyes had turned aside, unable to meet his gaze.
He lowered his eyes to their clasped hands. The girl's palm felt soft and delicate against his. His face reddened, and he thought to himself, No, as a man, how can I let a girl take the initiative?
His palm, which had been slightly loose, quietly tightened around Gu Yuena's fingers. Her shoulder trembled ever so slightly, and she dared even less to turn her averted gaze back toward him. The flush at her ears deepened.
Up ahead, Xie Xie kept his eyes on Tang Wulin and Ouyang Zixin, muttering to himself as he imagined where the two of them might go next.
Suddenly, he sensed something strange in the atmosphere behind him and instinctively looked back.
At once, he spotted Lin Chen and Gu Yuena holding hands, fingers tightly interlaced. They were standing very close together; the girl's cheeks were flushed as she lowered her eyes, while the boy had turned his head away, unable to look at her.
Xie Xie's eyes widened, and his mouth fell open. "Come on, guys! I only looked away for a second, and you two have already gotten to holding hands? So I'm the only one who has to watch this whole drama unfold?"
Caught in the act when Xie Xie suddenly turned around, Gu Yuena's cheeks burned even hotter. She glared at the flustered Xie Xie with her violet eyes. "What's it to you?"
Lin Chen didn't pull away. His face red, he said, "Exactly. Don't worry about us. We have more important things to do."
The two of them left Xie Xie speechless. He looked utterly aggrieved. "Well, if I'd known, I wouldn't have turned around. Then I could've spared myself a mouthful of lovey-dovey nonsense."
The three followed them all the way to a barbecue restaurant and watched Wulin and his senior enter. After observing them for a while, they saw Ouyang Zixin looking surprised inside.
Lin Chen turned to Gu Yuena beside him and stammered, "Na'er, should we... go in and get something to eat too? We can't just keep watching them."
Gu Yuena answered softly, "Okay."
Lin Chen suddenly remembered that Xie Xie had been left out on the sidelines. He turned and saw the boy crouched in a corner, drawing circles on the ground. He called out, "Come on, let's go in and eat together."
Xie Xie, who had looked dejected just moments ago, sprang up as if someone had plugged him in. "You got it, Captain!"
The three walked into the barbecue restaurant together, the aroma of grilled meat washing over them. Pretending not to know Tang Wulin was there, Lin Chen and the others turned around in unison. Lin Chen said, "What a coincidence, Wulin! You're here too?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Xie Xie and Gu Yuena spoke almost at the same time. "You two carry on. After we've eaten, we can head back to the academy together."
Their voices collided, making the scene rather funny.
Lin Chen held Gu Yuena's hand as they chose an empty table not far away. Xie Xie plopped down beside them without ceremony and called over the server to bring them a menu.
They were in the middle of enjoying their meal when a voice came from nearby.
Everyone looked over. Ouyang Zixin quickly stood up and walked over. "Senior, are you here to eat too?"
Tang Wulin's view was blocked, but the three at the next table could see everything clearly. Xie Xie tapped the table across from him. Gu Yuena, interrupted while eating, glared at him resentfully. Xie Xie whispered, "Lin Chen, Gu Yuena, isn't that the ice-staff guy from the riotous Spirit Ascension Platform the other day?"
As luck would have it, the other person heard him. He turned around and saw Lin Chen and Gu Yuena. The words died on his lips. Xu Xiaoyan, who was following behind him, had also noticed them. She tugged on Xu Xiaoyu's sleeve. "Brother, don't they look like the people we saw at the Spirit Ascension Platform that day?"
Ouyang Zixin invited the Xu siblings over. "Senior, Xiaoyan, why don't you sit down and eat with us? It'll be livelier with more people."
Seeing this, Lin Chen beckoned to Tang Wulin, who was sitting all alone. "Wulin, come over. Let's talk about tomorrow's final exam."
Tang Wulin had been feeling a little awkward, but Lin Chen's invitation immediately put him at ease. After greeting his senior, he got up and walked over to the table where Lin Chen, Gu Yuena, and Xie Xie were sitting.
Xu Xiaoyan's lively eyes curiously sized up everyone in Class Zero.
After everyone had eaten their fill, they got up and headed toward Eastsea Academy.
Tang Wulin walked beside them with his head bowed, an air of dejection radiating from him.
Seeing this, Lin Chen teased him, "What's wrong, Wulin? Look at your face. You look like you've just been dumped."
Tang Wulin hurriedly waved his hands in protest. "Don't talk nonsense. I'm not. I just feel a little down after seeing Wang Jinxi and Zhang Yangzi off."
Lin Chen glanced at Gu Yuena beside him and quietly released her hand. Then he slung an arm around Tang Wulin's shoulders. "Come on, stop moping."
His tone softened. "You have an exam tomorrow. If you keep feeling so gloomy and discouraged, there's no way you'll perform well."
With Lin Chen's solid arm around him, Tang Wulin's tense, dejected body relaxed a little. He slowly raised his drooping head, though a lingering sadness still clouded his eyes.
Xie Xie chimed in from beside them. "Exactly, Wulin. Wang Jinxi and Zhang Yangzi are only transferring schools. It's not like you'll never see them again. If it comes to it, Lin Chen and I can help you find a girlfriend."
As soon as he said that, Tang Wulin's face turned bright red. He hurriedly waved both hands, refusing over and over. "No, no, no! I don't want one! Don't go sticking your noses into things!"
Gu Yuena's cool voice held a hint of disdain. "You're the only one who can turn a perfectly good attempt to comfort someone into this."
Lin Chen patted Xie Xie on the back of the head. "Stop making trouble. Wulin's just sad that his classmates are transferring. It's not like he's missing a girlfriend. Besides, with Wulin's looks, what does he have to worry about?"
Xie Xie rubbed the back of his head and muttered, looking aggrieved, "Yes, yes, Captain. Wulin and I are both so pitiful and lonely. Unlike you and Gu Yuena, who keep feeding us dog food every chance you get."
At those words, Gu Yuena's face instantly flushed. She glared at Xie Xie in embarrassed irritation. "Xie Xie! Are you itching for a beating? All you ever do is gossip!"
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