Page 6

Lu Chi could practically hear four exclamation marks in the other person's forceful, emphatic tone. But it was all for nothing, because Lu Chi did not know anyone named Qiao Shiyu. More importantly—

"Could you stay a little farther away from me?" Lu Chi, who had a mild germaphobia, frowned and took another two steps back.

The boy: "..."

Even though Lu Chi tried his best to control his expression, the boy still read an inexplicable disgust from Lu Chi's movements.

Yue Bin, who had been the school heartthrob since senior kindergarten and carried an especially heavy idol burden, instantly bristled. He nearly jumped three feet into the air as he retorted, "What kind of reaction is that? I don't stink! I just came to find you right after playing basketball, so I didn't shower—"

Before he could finish, Yue Bin realized that his explanation did not fit the hostile atmosphere between them at all. His whole body stiffened, and his momentum inexplicably weakened. "...A-Anyway, you're not allowed to be with Qiao Shiyu! And you're not allowed to accept her confession!"

Yue Bin's words were far too overbearing, yet his actions carried an inexplicable youthful air. As a result, Lu Chi, the other person involved, did not feel particularly offended. He looked at Yue Bin as though he were looking at a child throwing a tantrum for candy, then nodded. "All right."

Yue Bin: "..."

Seeing Yue Bin standing there, looking increasingly aggrieved, Lu Chi asked in bafflement, "Is there anything else?"

Yue Bin took a deep breath, then another, then one more. Finally unable to hold it in, he roared, "How could you agree so easily?! Tell me, are you just brushing me off?!"

Lu Chi: "..." So what was he supposed to do?

As if seeing through Lu Chi's confusion, Yue Bin continued roaring, "Shouldn't you be angrily rebuking me, refuting me, saying you would never agree to my demands? Shouldn't you think I insulted your character and trampled on your dignity, so you have to duel me! And don't you think you have no right to make decisions for Qiao Shiyu?"

Lu Chi: "..."

But Yue Bin was not done being angry. "You're just casually giving up a girl who sincerely likes you because of pressure from an outsider! How could Qiao Shiyu like someone like you? You've really disappointed me!"

Lu Chi stared expressionlessly at Yue Bin, who looked grief-stricken and heartbroken, his gaze carrying the profound meaning of concern for the intellectually challenged.

Yue Bin: "..."

Yue Bin said, "What kind of look is that? Are you looking down on me?!"

Lu Chi looked at the puffed-up Yue Bin, afraid that if the other boy actually exploded from anger, he would somehow be held responsible. After pondering for a moment, Lu Chi said, "I don't know the Qiao Shiyu you're talking about."

Yue Bin: "...?"

Lu Chi said, "The Qiao Shiyu you mentioned has not confessed to me either. In fact, that student merely put up a missing-person notice on the school bulletin board, then said she would wait by the pavilion beside the artificial lake." Thinking that this boy's reading comprehension was not sufficient to determine the actual information in a missing-person notice, Lu Chi rarely took the trouble to explain.

Yue Bin, who felt as though his intelligence had been inexplicably insulted: "...!"

Lu Chi continued, "Hypothetically, even if that Qiao girl really liked me, I wouldn't agree."

Yue Bin: "???"

Lu Chi said, "Because I need to study hard and improve every day. I don't have the time or energy to date."

Unable to endure it any longer, Yue Bin complained, "Who would believe that? You're being way too perfunctory!"

No one believed him even when he told the truth. Lu Chi gave an "Oh" and went along with it. "Even if that Qiao girl really liked me, I wouldn't agree. Because you threatened me. Timid as I am, I've decided to choose life over love."

Yue Bin: "..." There were so many things wrong with that statement that he did not even know where to start.

After holding it in and holding it in, Yue Bin finally could not bear it anymore and retorted aggrievedly, "When did I ever threaten your life!!!"

Lu Chi frowned and cast Yue Bin a glance that said, You're really hard to please. Considerately changing his wording, he said, "Even if that Qiao girl really liked me, I wouldn't agree. Because I love studying. I want to devote my limited energy to the boundless sea of knowledge. Only studying can make me happy!"

Yue Bin stared at Lu Chi in shock. He had never seen anyone so shameless!

Shameless to the point of being refreshingly extraordinary!

Yue Bin hugged the basketball in his arms tightly and felt even angrier.

Lu Chi looked helplessly at Yue Bin, who was glaring at him fiercely yet looked utterly aggrieved, and felt a faint headache coming on. In fact, he seemed to be able to guess just who this "Qiao Shiyu" was. After the string of incidents that morning, Lu Chi was already a little impatient with the trouble she had caused him—he had come here to study, not to act in an idol drama!

With a long sigh, Lu Chi patiently said for the sake of future peace, "Don't worry. I promise you, I definitely won't get together with this student Qiao Shiyu. If you like her..."

Lu Chi had only meant to soothe the bristling boy before him. Who would have thought that Yue Bin would become even more furious after hearing his words? "Who told you I like Qiao Shiyu???"

Lu Chi froze, staring at Yue Bin with a blank expression.

At the end of his patience, Yue Bin viciously slammed the basketball in his hand and shouted, "Qiao Shiyu is my brother's girlfriend! She's going to marry my brother in the future!"

Lu Chi: "..." Your circle really was...

This time, Lu Chi controlled his expression very well. Yet Yue Bin still sensed that something was off from the inexplicably wistful look on Lu Chi's face.

Yue Bin narrowed his eyes and stared at Lu Chi with an increasingly fierce, serious expression. Lu Chi calmly met his gaze.

Just as the two were locked in a stalemate, a voice broke the strange atmosphere.

Having learned from her classmates that Yue Bin had brought his friends to cause trouble for Lu Chi, Qiao Shiyu ran over from Class One of the second year, panting heavily. She shoved herself directly between them and protectively stood in front of Lu Chi in an overbearing manner, scolding, "Yue Bin, I won't allow you to make trouble for him, do you hear me?"