Avoidance

"No." Duan Xu found it hard to talk about this kind of thing. "My head just hurt 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, thinking to himself, I'm absolutely never drinking again!

Duan Xu slowly went to wash up. When he was done, he sat at his desk, turned on his computer, and pretended to look through materials while actually thinking seriously.

After a whole night, he had completely calmed down, though his face still flushed and his ears still burned 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 feelings were all far from settled.

He did not want to take risks. In this novel, he was only cannon fodder. Even though he had awakened and gained the ability to hear Shen Yanlang's thoughts, he still could not guarantee how things would end for him.

Most importantly, he did not want to get hurt.

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

The thought alone made Duan Xu reject the possibility completely. He was unwilling to dwell on it for even another second.

Call him selfish if they wanted. He did not want a miserable ending, and he did not want his father and mother to die.

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

"What happened?" Duan Xu's heart skipped a beat. He hurriedly took out his phone and opened the campus forum.

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

#The Person in the Campus Hunk's Arms Has Finally Shown His Face!#

Duan Xu: "..."

Did the person who wrote that title even know how to write titles?

Duan Xu vaguely guessed what it was about. When he clicked in, it was just as he expected.

The original poster had roughly described seeing him and Shen Yanlang the previous night, saying Shen Yanlang had carried him back. There was also a photo taken from the side. Duan Xu's face happened to be turned directly toward the camera.

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

[No idea! But he gets to sleep in the campus hunk's arms like that. I'm crying tears of envy!]

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

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

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

[Sis, did you get your driver's license before getting on the road?]

Duan Xu's face grew hot as he read. Were these students really so free?

[I know who he is. You guys probably remember him too, right?]

[Of course! Isn't he the beta who's always following the campus hunk around?]

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

[Would good bros carry each other bridal-style?]

[The Cycling Club had a dinner party yesterday. He was probably 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 good at this, weren't they? They had actually guessed it right!

"Xuxu, done reading?" Zhou Zhou turned to look at him teasingly. "So? How do you feel? Is there really something going on between you and Brother Yan?"

Duan Xu's gaze darted away. He simply turned his back to Zhou Zhou and deliberately said in an unconcerned tone, "I don't feel anything. People on the forum just have nothing better to do."

"Oh—really?" Zhou Zhou drew out the words with particular meaning.

Duan Xu: "..."

Duan Xu opened the posts about Xue Jingshu and Han Xi too. They also contained photos from the previous night. Though the two had not done anything intimate, they were walking very close together, and there was even a rare trace of a smile on Han Xi's cold face.

Duan Xu found the photo rather amazing. The replies beneath it were even more amazing.

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

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

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

Ah, this...

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

He suddenly remembered what had happened when they drank water that afternoon. He hissed softly. Xue Jingshu definitely had feelings for Han Xi; he just did not know about Han Xi...

Why was he thinking so much about them? He should think more about himself!

Duan Xu put away his phone and seriously began reading his materials.

*

Shen Yanlang returned that evening. He believed he had given Duan Xu enough time to process things, and he had thought that when he returned to the dormitory, Duan Xu would be like before, or at least would not make things too awkward.

But he was wrong.

Duan Xu had gone to bed early, though he was not asleep. He was 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.

Standing beside his desk, Shen Yanlang stared at Duan Xu's bed curtains with a slight frown. A moment later, he took out his phone and messaged Zhou Zhou: [What's wrong with Duan Xu?]

Zhou Zhou sat in his seat. After seeing the message, he turned and glanced back. 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 is why he went to bed so early. Hopefully he'll 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 he spoke, he rarely looked at him anymore.

After class, if it was not yet time to eat, he would take the laptop he had brought in advance and go to the library.

Then, when it was time to eat and Shen Yanlang asked him to have a meal together, he would message: [I still have a little left to finish. Go eat first.]

Once or twice, Shen Yanlang did not think much of it. But after it happened repeatedly, he finally realized Duan Xu was not embarrassed. He was avoiding him.

In the dormitory, Shen Yanlang looked at Duan Xu's message and gave a cold laugh.

That night, Duan Xu had not pushed him away. He had thought Duan Xu had feelings for him and 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 hide.

*

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

"Probably the library?" Zhou Zhou replied.

Shen Yanlang gave a quiet hum, put down his things, casually picked up a book, and left the dormitory.

Watching him go, Zhou Zhou clicked his tongue twice. "I think those things people said on the forum aren't entirely unbelievable."

Xiao Xu also knew about the forum posts. Zhou Zhou had told him all about them. "Maybe?"

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

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

Xiao Xu scratched his head. "Th-then I'll go back too."

Zhou Zhou pressed his lips together in a smile, a trace of mischief flashing through his eyes. "Are you free tomorrow? Let's go see a movie together."

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

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

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