Avoidance

"No." Duan Xu found it hard to talk about something like this. "My head just hurts a little."

"Ah, yeah, mine too." Zhou Zhou turned back around and lay facedown on the desk. "I won't drink so much next time."

"Mm." Duan Xu answered, secretly thinking, I'm absolutely never drinking again!

Duan Xu slowly went to wash up. Afterward, he sat at his desk and turned on his computer, pretending to look over study materials when he was actually deep in thought.

After a whole night, he had completely calmed down, though his face still heated up whenever he thought of that kiss.

Given the current situation, there were too many uncertainties—the plot, Han Xi's feelings, Shen Yanlang's feelings, and his own. None of them could be fully determined yet.

He did not want to take risks. In this novel, he was merely cannon fodder. Even if he had awakened and gained the ability to read Shen Yanlang's thoughts, he still could not guarantee his own ending.

Most importantly, he did not want to get hurt.

What if he avoided the protagonist bottom, only to fall for the protagonist top, and in the end, the protagonist top still ended up with the protagonist bottom? What would he do then?

The moment he considered that possibility, Duan Xu felt utterly repulsed. He did not even want to think about it for another second.

Call him selfish if they wanted. In any case, he did not want a miserable ending, and he did not want his mom and dad to die.

Just as he made up his mind, Zhou Zhou suddenly cried out, "Xuxu, hurry and look at the forum!"

"What happened?" Duan Xu's heart jolted. He quickly picked up his phone and opened the campus forum.

There were several trending posts on the forum, involving Shen Yanlang, Xue Jingshu, and Han Xi. Among them, Shen Yanlang's post ranked first.

#The Guy in the Campus Heartthrob's Arms Has Been Revealed!#

Duan Xu: "..."

Could whoever wrote the title not have come up with something better?

Duan Xu vaguely guessed what it was about. When he clicked in, sure enough, he had been right.

The original poster roughly described seeing him and Shen Yanlang the night before, saying Shen Yanlang had carried him back. There was also a photo taken from the side. By sheer coincidence, Duan Xu's face was turned right toward the camera.

[Holy shit! Is this the same person as last time?]

[No idea! But seeing him sleep like that in the campus heartthrob's arms makes me cry tears of envy!]

[It's the same person! Look closely at his ankle—it's the same as the one from last time.]

[The person above has eagle eyes! Looking that closely, aren't you afraid the campus heartthrob will get jealous?]

[Hehe, the campus heartthrob won't do anything to the person above, but he might do something to the person in his arms!]

[Girl, did you get your driver's license before hitting the road?]

Duan Xu's face burned as he read. Did these students really have nothing better to do?

[I know who he is. Everyone probably remembers him too, right?]

[Definitely! Isn't he the beta who's always following the campus heartthrob around?]

[They're roommates. Is this a case of proximity breeding affection, or are they just good bros?]

[Do good bros carry each other bridal style?]

[The Cycling Club had a dinner last night. He must've gotten drunk, right? But instead of carrying him on his back, he carried him in his arms. There's definitely something going on!]

Duan Xu exited the post and patted his face. These people were too sharp, weren't they? They had actually guessed it right!

"Xuxu, done reading?" Zhou Zhou turned to look at him and teased, "So? How does it feel? Is there really something between you and Yan-ge?"

Duan Xu's gaze darted away. He simply turned his back on him and deliberately said in an unconcerned tone, "I don't feel anything. The people on the forum just have too much free time."

"Oh—really?" Zhou Zhou drew out the words meaningfully.

Duan Xu: "..."

Duan Xu opened the posts about Xue Jingshu and Han Xi as well. They were also photos from the night before. Though there were no intimate gestures, the two were walking very close together, and there was even a rare hint of a smile on Han Xi's cold face.

Duan Xu found the photo rather astonishing. Then, after looking at the replies below, he found them even more astonishing.

[Ever since the Student Council recruitment drive, Han Xi has been following President Xue around. Is President Xue grooming him to be the next president?]

[I think he's grooming him to be his delicate little wife.]

[It's not impossible. One alpha and one omega—they look pretty well-matched.]

Uh...

Duan Xu quietly sucked in a breath. Could there really be something between those two?

He suddenly remembered what had happened over water the previous afternoon and hissed softly. Xue Jingshu definitely had feelings for Han Xi; he just did not know about Han Xi...

Ah, why was he thinking so much about them? He should think more about himself instead!

Duan Xu put away his phone and seriously began looking over his materials.

*

Shen Yanlang returned that evening. He thought he had given Duan Xu enough time to process things, and he had assumed that when he got back to the dorm, Duan Xu would be like before—at the very least, it would not be too awkward.

However, he had been wrong.

Duan Xu had gotten into bed early. He was not asleep, just playing games. Even when he heard Shen Yanlang return, he did not greet him, as if he did not know Shen Yanlang had come back.

Shen Yanlang stood beside his desk, looking at Duan Xu's bed curtains with a slight frown. After a moment, he picked up his phone and messaged Zhou Zhou: [What's wrong with Duan Xu?]

Zhou Zhou was sitting at his own desk. After seeing the message, he turned around and glanced at Shen Yanlang. Shen Yanlang looked at him and gestured for him to reply.

Zhou Zhou looked away and lowered his head to type: [Nothing's wrong.]

Shen Yanlang: [Why did he go to bed so early today?]

Zhou Zhou: [He said he felt uncomfortable after getting drunk last night and wanted to sleep early.]

Shen Yanlang: [Got it. Thanks.]

After replying, Shen Yanlang put away his phone and went to the balcony to wash up.

Xuxu must still be embarrassed, which was why he had gone to bed so early. Hopefully, things would be better tomorrow, Shen Yanlang thought.

However, starting the next day, Duan Xu began avoiding Shen Yanlang. They still went to class together, but when Duan Xu spoke, he rarely looked at him anymore.

And after class, if it was not mealtime yet, he would take the laptop he had brought in advance and go to the library.

Then, when it was time to eat, Shen Yanlang would ask him to have a meal together, only for him to send a message saying: [I still have a bit left to do. You go eat first.]

The first one or two times, Shen Yanlang did not think much of it. But after it happened more often, he finally realized that Duan Xu was not embarrassed—he was avoiding him.

In the dorm, Shen Yanlang looked at Duan Xu's message and gave a soft, humorless laugh.

Duan Xu had not pushed him away that night. Shen Yanlang had thought Duan Xu felt something for him, and he had been happy for a long time. In the end, he had only been flattering himself.

Still, he would not give up!

Since Duan Xu was avoiding him and pretending nothing had happened, then he would confess directly and leave him nowhere to run.

*

On Friday afternoon, Shen Yanlang returned to the dorm and found Duan Xu was not there. He asked Zhou Zhou and Xiao Xu, "Where did Duan Xu go?"

"He probably went to the library?" Zhou Zhou replied.

Shen Yanlang gave a quiet hum, put down his things, casually grabbed a book, and left the dorm.

Seeing this, Zhou Zhou clicked his tongue twice. "I don't think what the forum said is entirely unbelievable."

Xiao Xu knew about the forum too; Zhou Zhou had told him all about it. "Maybe?"

After saying that, he glanced at Zhou Zhou. "You're going home this weekend?"

"Mm. What about you?" Zhou Zhou was already packing his things.

Xiao Xu scratched his head. "Then... then I'll go home too."

Zhou Zhou smiled with pursed lips, a hint of mischief flashing through his eyes. "Are you free tomorrow? Want to go see a movie together?"

Xiao Xu froze for a moment, then answered with a smile, "Yes! I'm free!"

"Okay, then it's settled." Zhou Zhou's smile was captivating, and Xiao Xu stared at him dumbly.

Seeing that, Zhou Zhou turned away and secretly laughed. Then he murmured, "Idiot."