He loved her that much?

"Have some basic hygiene." Yao Tao pressed her chopsticks down. "Don't put food you've already eaten onto someone else's plate."

Wei Fang, who had just lifted his tray to say he would take it if He Zhen didn't want it, silently lowered it again.

"I'm not someone else." Fu Xin seemed to sense a threat. "Zhen and I have always done this since we were little."

[Damn it, you've been making him eat your spit since childhood!]

[Aaaaaah-]

[My second male lead's been contaminated. He needs washing.]

Yao Tao had nothing to say to that.

[Fine, eat it, eat it. You love her that much anyway.]

[Go ahead and eat yourself to death!]

[One bite won't kill you. Look at Qin Zhen's eyes. Go fight him to the death.]

[I don't want to eat anymore.]

[So it was my appetite getting ruined!]

[Oh, never mind, then.]

"No, I'm full. You eat it." He Zhen's refusal came slowly. "Besides, that was when we were little."

This wasn't the first time Fu Xin had noticed a change in He Zhen.

He Zhen had never turned her down in front of so many people before.

Fu Xin's expression briefly stiffened.

[Holy shit, did I hear that right?]

[Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!]

[He Zhen turned her down!]

[He turned her down!!!]

[But that's Fu Xin's spit!]

[He actually turned her down!!!]

He Zhen glanced at Yao Tao several times. Just what kind of person was he in her mind?

Was he really that pathetic?

As he turned his head, he glanced at Wei Fang, who looked just as openly incredulous.

He Zhen began to wonder whether he really granted Fu Xin's every wish.

Did he like her that much?

"I have something on this afternoon too." Qin Zhen alternated between mouthfuls of rice and side dishes. "Maybe it's the same thing you're doing, He Zhen."

The smell of gunpowder began to spread again.

[If you're jealous, go deal with it yourself. Leave our He Zhen out of it!]

[Don't drag him into this, got it, Qin Zhen?]

Yao Tao's eyes sparkled.

[What could you have on this afternoon? You just arranged to play basketball with some people.]

[What, you want to have a basketball match?]

[That could work!]

[Hurry up and ask Fu Xin who she'd cheer for in a basketball match, hahahaha!]

"So, interested in a match?" Qin Zhen struck first. "I heard you've arranged to meet some people this afternoon too. You won't be short of players, will you?"

[Woohoo!]

[Play him!]

[Then you'll lose. I'll go set up a betting pool and turn a little stake into a fortune.]

There was no way the second male lead could beat the male lead!

"Sure." He Zhen finished the last of his food too. "No problem. See you on the court."

"You're very confident." Qin Zhen looked at him.

"Why shouldn't I be?" He Zhen countered.

"All right. Fu Xin, who are you going to cheer for?" Qin Zhen tossed the question to Fu Xin.

"Both of you." Fu Xin had been pleased when He Zhen accepted Qin Zhen's challenge. "It doesn't matter who wins or loses. Winning isn't what matters, okay?"

[If winning doesn't matter, what does?]

[Damn it!]

[She dodged it again!]

[Isn't that the same as saying nothing?]

"Exactly! A friend's friend is a friend!" Wei Fang chimed in cluelessly. "Winning doesn't matter. It's a friendly match! Right, Zhen?"

"I take every match seriously." He Zhen had already put his soup bowl and chopsticks in their proper places on his tray. "Not giving it your all is disrespectful to your opponent."

Wei Fang: ?

[Oh, he's grown a spine!]

[Wait, is he playing hard to get?]

[Judging by Fu Xin's expression, it seems to be working!]

[Oh my god, it's the end of the world. My boy's learned to play games!]

[He's become scheming!]

[Is he finally done being a brainless simp?]

He Zhen's hand itched a little. He wanted to crack Yao Tao's head open.

"Who do you think will win?" He Zhen was so irritated that he laughed.

Fu Xin thought He Zhen was asking her and agonized over it. Choosing between He Zhen and Qin Zhen really was difficult.

She couldn't give a definite answer.

[Whoa, you're going straight for it!]

[You're really not giving Fu Xin an out!]

[Don't you usually feel so bad the moment she's troubled that you can't help going along with whatever she wants?]

[Have you been possessed?]

[Blink if you've been possessed!]

[Mommy will save you!-]

"Yao Tao?" He Zhen couldn't stand it anymore and called her name.

"Huh?" Yao Tao was still a little confused. "You're asking me?"

"Who do you think will win?" He Zhen had already stood up.

Yao Tao picked up her tray and stood too. "Do you want the truth or a lie?"

[You can't possibly beat Qin Zhen. You've never won against him, baby. How about we don't humiliate ourselves?]

"Is the truth that hard to say?" He Zhen tilted his head.

[The truth hurts!]

[If I ruin the fingernail-sized friendship between us, won't I be worse off?]

[Blah, blah, blah. How about I play dumb and grin?]

[A dumb grin covers everything.]

"Hehe." Yao Tao gave him a silly grin.

He Zhen: ...

"Wait, weren't you two barely acquainted just now?" Only after picking up his tray did Wei Fang remember Fu Xin was still there. "Zhen, Fu Xin's ankle is still sprained!"

He Zhen stopped.

Fu Xin looked at He Zhen. "Zhen."

She felt that something had changed.

Yet He Zhen had still looked so worried when he saw her sprained ankle earlier.

"Sorry for the trouble, Qin Zhen. We're not in the same class, after all." Thinking about it, He Zhen found himself rather ridiculous.

He had called so many times, and she really hadn't answered a single call.

He had been so anxious.

What had he been anxious about?

Just what had he been so anxious about?

What had Fu Xin been doing while he was worrying?

Laughing and chatting with Qin Zhen?

"Zhen, what's wrong?" Fu Xin asked.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of her." Qin Zhen tapped the dining table. "Hurry up and eat. Cold food isn't good for your stomach."

[Has he finally grown a backbone?]

[Am I dreaming?]

*[???]*

[What outrageous things is He Zhen saying to Fu Xin?!]

In Yao Tao's eyes, nothing He Zhen did was right.

Turning Fu Xin down wasn't right.

Giving in to Fu Xin wasn't right either.

Was that really how you used the word "outrageous"?

For the first time, He Zhen felt both annoyed and amused.

"See you this afternoon, then." He Zhen said goodbye to Fu Xin.

Wei Fang messaged Tang Zhao while carrying his tray.

One meal had left him utterly bewildered!

He needed Tang Zhao to get his brain working again.

"Huh? You're really leaving Fu Xin alone?" Yao Tao asked suspiciously.

[Really?]

[Really??]

[Is this really happening???]

She had asked the very question Wei Fang wanted to ask.

The whole school knew He Zhen liked Fu Xin, even though they weren't together.

That was how He Zhen had earned his reputation as the devoted prince.

He Zhen noticed Wei Fang looking just like Yao Tao, his eyes shining as he eagerly awaited the answer, and fell into thought again.

Was he really that much of a doormat?

Did he really indulge Fu Xin unconditionally like that?

"Qin Zhen is with her, and they're in the same class. Liang Zhizhi and Fang Yihe should be here soon too," He Zhen said. "There's nothing to worry about. She sprained her ankle. She hasn't lost the use of her leg."

Yes, a sprained ankle.

She could still hop around, and Qin Zhen had already pressed on it to check it. She didn't need to go to the infirmary.

Was it really that serious?

[Exactly! The person she bumped into even scraped their knee!]

[But why don't I believe him?]

[Won't you go soft again the second she texts you and sheds a couple of tears?]

[So he really is playing hard to get!]

Yao Tao's expression grew grave.

[My baby's making progress. He's learned to strategize?]

[He's no longer an innocent little puppy.]

He Zhen: ...

Was being called a dog a compliment or an insult?

Couldn't he just be a person?