Chapter 2

Gu Chen lay there lifelessly without saying a word. Huo Mingzhang kept up a one-man comedy routine all the way as he carried him to the campus clinic. The school doctor examined Gu Chen over and over for ages but couldn't find anything wrong with him.

Huo Mingzhang rubbed his chin and asked doubtfully, "Nothing's showing up. Are you faking sick, or are you terminally ill?"

Without waiting for Gu Chen to answer, Huo Mingzhang went on, "Your physical condition is awful. How about starting tomorrow, you practice basketball with me?"

Gu Chen was about to refuse outright when the pain in his body suddenly doubled. In the haze, Gu Chen seemed to understand something. He couldn't refuse Huo Mingzhang. He had to follow the plot.

"You shouldn't bully Gu Xiu." To test his vague premonition, Gu Chen cautiously spoke up.

Huo Mingzhang hadn't expected Gu Chen, even looking half-dead like this, to still have the leisure to stand up for someone else. The key was that this kid hadn't said anything at the time, only to bring it up afterward. Did he think Huo Mingzhang was easy to push around?

Huo Mingzhang sneered. "So his name is Gu Xiu. He does look pretty delicate."

Then he asked Gu Chen, "How did I bully him?"

"You flirted with him." Gu Chen quietly stated the fact. The instant the words left his mouth, the pain inside him abruptly eased.

Huo Mingzhang watched the obvious improvement in Gu Chen's complexion and narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "You're not really faking sick, are you?"

If he was, his acting was pretty good.

Gu Chen said nothing and continued testing the waters without much confidence. "If you dare bully him, I won't let you off."

If you sounded any more timid, or looked any less certain, I might actually believe you.

Even his tough talk came out so hesitant. What a coward. Huo Mingzhang was both annoyed and amused. "Are you putting on a show for me?"

Gu Chen ignored Huo Mingzhang. After speaking those two lines, the pain in his body suddenly vanished. Faintly, Gu Chen felt as though he had figured out the details of the plot's restrictions. It was as though the other party didn't care whether his words were sincere. As long as he followed the plot and completed the process, his body wouldn't experience that crushing, internally tearing sense of rejection again.

It was like the idol dramas on television. No matter how terrible the actors' performances were, as long as they cooperated and finished the plot, the director wouldn't call NG.

So even if I was lucky enough to be reborn, I still can't escape the plot. I can't escape the fate of being loathed, cursed, mocked, ridiculed, and tormented by everyone.

Gu Chen's eyes reddened. He gave a self-mocking smile, his expression bleak and sardonic.

Huo Mingzhang was startled by the intense despair radiating from Gu Chen. "What's wrong with you? I haven't even said anything!"

Seeing Gu Chen turn his back on him and refuse to respond, Huo Mingzhang scratched his head. "Don't try to pin this on me. I didn't do anything to you, did I?"

Why did he look so despairing, as if the sky had fallen and he was about to die? What a drama queen!

Gu Chen couldn't be bothered with Huo Mingzhang. Looking utterly dejected, he climbed off the single bed in the campus clinic and headed back with a thunderous expression. Huo Mingzhang followed behind him, and the two returned to the dormitory building one after the other.

When Gu Chen returned to the dorm, he saw Gu Xiu sitting inside with red-rimmed eyes, surrounded by the two roommates who had just moved in. The moment he saw Gu Chen return, Gu Xiu sprang to his feet and shouted at him, "Where did you go? Do you know how worried I was? If you weren't feeling well, why were you running around? What if you fainted outside?"

The two new roommates chimed in as well. "Exactly! If you weren't feeling well, you should've just rested in the dorm. Gu Xiu was really worried just now—he nearly cried. He searched around the dorm building for you several times. If you hadn't come back soon, we were going to get campus security."

"I went to the campus clinic." As Gu Chen spoke, he took off his jacket. With a sharp eye, he noticed that the bedsheet he had just put on had been replaced.

Sniffling, Gu Xiu said, "I changed your bedsheet. You lay down on the bed without even taking off your jacket and pants. Aren't you worried about getting it dirty? I found the laundry room. Later, take off your clothes and I'll wash them for you while I'm at it. Oh, and I made you some dough-drop soup."

As he spoke, Gu Xiu pointed at the bowl of dough-drop soup on the table, which had already gone lukewarm. "When I went to get water earlier, I stopped by the cafeteria. A University's cafeteria is huge, and there are so many dishes. The food's pretty oily, though, and I heard it's a little salty too. I was worried you wouldn't be used to it while you weren't feeling well, so I specially begged one of the cafeteria chefs to let me into the kitchen to make you a bowl of dough-drop soup. I wanted you to drink it while it was hot, but it's almost cold now."

As soon as Gu Xiu finished speaking, the two roommates immediately sighed. "Man, you're so lucky! Your little brother is so good to you."

Gu Chen glanced at the dough-drop soup. After a moment of silence, he softly thanked him.

Gu Xiu looked at Gu Chen in slight surprise. "What's wrong with you today? Why are you being so polite with me?"

Gu Chen didn't say anything. After all the fussing around today, he really was a little hungry. He pulled over a chair, sat down, and finished all the dough-drop soup Gu Xiu had made.

Gu Xiu carefully noticed that Gu Chen's movements while eating had suddenly become refined and pleasing to watch. They were completely different from the way he used to wolf down food. Gu Xiu found it a little strange but didn't dwell on it. He simply figured Gu Chen was eating slowly because he wasn't feeling well.

After he finished eating, Gu Xiu urged Gu Chen to shower and change clothes. He filled a washbasin with the dirty clothes they had changed out of and prepared to test out the washing machines in the apartment building.

"Dry your hair before you sleep," Gu Xiu reminded him before leaving. Then, unable to resist asking, "Where's the campus clinic? You just got to A University. How do you already know where everything is?"

Gu Xiu didn't want to admit that he had nearly gotten lost while fetching hot water earlier. A second-year senior had been the one to guide him back.

Gu Chen said, "I don't know where the campus clinic is either. Huo Mingzhang carried me there."

Gu Xiu said, "Who?"

Gu Chen said, "That Ferrari who flirted with you at the school gate."

Gu Xiu snorted. "So you know he was flirting with me. And you didn't even help me. Some brother you are! Just wait until I tell Mom and Dad."

Gu Chen said nothing.

Gu Xiu had only been casually complaining and didn't take it to heart. Before leaving, he washed the large bowl that had held the dough-drop soup. He had borrowed it from the kitchen staff and needed to return it.