Jiang Xun whipped his head around.
The campus path was empty, lined with tall trees on either side. A cold wind swept past, sending yellowed leaves spiraling slowly to the ground.
A young couple approached hand in hand. Jiang Xun gave them a couple of odd looks. They weren't the ones following him.
Just as he was about to look away, the girl, whose face was covered in pimples and freckles, suddenly clutched her boyfriend's arm in fear. "Honey, that guy is staring at me. I'm so scared," she said in a sickly-sweet voice.
The boy had a pointed mouth and narrow cheeks, making him look like a monkey. He pulled his girlfriend into his arms and soothed her with endless cries of "baby," then glared viciously at Jiang Xun. "What the fuck are you looking at? Keep staring and I'll poke your eyes out!"
The corner of Jiang Xun's mouth twitched. He continued scanning his surroundings, ignoring them.
A pair of lunatics.
Once the couple had gone, Jiang Xun's gaze finally settled behind a large tree up ahead, and his eyes narrowed slightly.
Whoever it was had hidden well, but when the cold wind blew past just now, he had seen a corner of fabric flutter out from behind the tree before quickly falling back out of sight.
Just which bastard was following him? Jiang Xun picked up a fist-sized rock from the ground and casually walked toward the tree.
Before he could get close, the person hiding behind it stepped out of his own accord.
Jiang Xun stopped short. A flicker of surprise passed through his round, dark eyes when he recognized him.
Little Bitter Melon?
In weather this cold, Bitter Melon stood there in nothing but a thin school uniform jacket, an old black backpack slung over one shoulder. His long, rough hand gripped the strap, and his frame was tall and lean.
He had neat, short black hair, and his handsome face still held a trace of youthful immaturity. His deep-set eyes showed little emotion, his thin lips were pressed together, and a fresh scrape marked his cheekbone, lending him a wild, untamable air.
If Jiang Xun hadn't saved him before, he would have thought he was here to pick a fight.
Jiang Xun tossed the rock aside, slipped both hands into his pockets, and strolled over. He studied the boy with a peculiar look. "Have you been following me these past few days?"
Counting carefully, twenty days had already passed since their first meeting.
He had nearly forgotten the whole thing. If not for his mission, he really wouldn't have wanted anything to do with any of the original novel's protagonists.
Bai Lian was all right, but Ji Yuntian was a real headache.
Bai Lian looked at him, his lips still pressed together, and said nothing.
Jiang Xun had forgotten that this kid had another nickname: Mr. Silent, a clam who never opened his mouth.
"Why are you following me?"
"Has your injured foot healed?"
"Not talking? Then I'm leaving."
Jiang Xun turned to leave as soon as he finished speaking. A second later, the boy's slightly husky, low voice reached his ears. "I've been looking for you for a long time."
Jiang Xun turned back, a question in his eyes.
Bai Lian unzipped his backpack, took out a stack of red banknotes, and held it out. His tone was stiff. "There's twenty thousand here. I'll pay back the remaining ten thousand as soon as I can."
Jiang Xun raised his eyebrows ever so slightly. Bai Lian had been secretly following him all this time just to pay him back?
Jiang Xun kept his hands in his jacket pockets rather than reaching for the money.
"What I gave you is yours. I don't need that little bit of money."
"Keep it."
Jiang Xun sounded carefree and easygoing, but the difference in their heights meant he had to tilt his head back slightly to meet Bai Lian's eyes.
He had assumed that, stubborn as Bai Lian was, he would insist on paying him back no matter what.
His mind immediately played out the sort of tug-of-war reserved for old men and women: he refused, Bai Lian insisted on shoving it at him, he shoved it back, Bai Lian shoved it at him again... until someone's pocket finally tore.
Who knew Bai Lian would simply murmur an assent and put the money back in his backpack?
Jiang Xun: "..."
Bitter Melon wasn't following the script.
Jiang Xun nearly laughed at himself. "If there's nothing else, I'll be going." As he spoke, he had already turned and started walking back.
Bai Lian silently watched the figure recede into the distance. Then he licked his dry lips and followed, keeping some distance between them.
When Jiang Xun looked back, he saw the boy trailing him more than ten meters away.
He stopped, and the boy stopped too.
He walked, and the boy followed, silently keeping after him.
Jiang Xun really couldn't figure out what Bai Lian was thinking. The matter of the money was settled. What else did he want?
He stopped beneath an osmanthus tree, kicked a pebble off the path, and casually beckoned to the boy, who had also stopped a short distance away.
Only then did Bai Lian come over. His steps were steady, so his foot seemed to have healed. With that scraped-up handsome face, he watched Jiang Xun through dark eyes without saying a word.
Jiang Xun raised an arm and ran his long fingers back through his bangs, frowning in irritation. "Listen, kid, what else do you want?"
Bai Lian pressed his lips together. After a long pause, he finally uttered a sentence. "My name is Bai Lian."
Of course Jiang Xun knew his name was Bai Lian. "Yeah, and?"
Bai Lian looked at the person before him, who was nearly half a head shorter. "What's your name?"
Jiang Xun looked at him in amusement. "Don't you already know?"
Bai Lian did know. He had been following this person from the shadows for days; finding out his name hadn't been difficult.
He even knew Jiang Xun was the true heir in a wealthy family's switched-at-birth story. While following him, he had happened to overhear several passing students discussing it.
This person was the central figure in that wealthy-family gossip.
After Jiang Xun took him back to his rented room that day, Bai Lian had used the money he gave him to cover that month's debt payment and obediently spent some time recovering.
Once his foot healed, he wanted to find the person who had saved him.
He knew neither his name nor his background. They might never meet again in their lives.
Guessing that he was a student at nearby A University, Bai Lian had wandered around its campus for several days in a row. A few days later, he had actually found him.
Seeing Bai Lian fall silent again, Jiang Xun swept his gaze over him, taking in the fresh injury on his face.
"Listen, kid, don't tell me you skipped class to come here. Are debt collectors after you again?"
Bai Lian's Adam's apple bobbed. His voice was hoarse. "No."
He had indeed skipped class, but no one was chasing him for money. He had simply fought a group of school thugs who had come looking for trouble.
"Xingye, I just saw Jiang Xun hanging out with some guy. He had a short buzz cut and a scraped-up face. Pretty handsome, pretty wild-looking."
His friend ran over from a distance, panting, and draped an arm over Chu Xingye's shoulder with a suggestive look. "Isn't he your fiancé? You don't think he's hooking up with someone behind your back, do you?"
Chu Xingye was walking along the campus path, listening to rock music through his Bluetooth earbuds.
He frowned and elbowed his friend away, displeasure crossing his fair, handsome face. "Fuck off."
"I have nothing to do with that little shorty. Quit talking shit."
His friend pursed his lips. "Fine, then."
What crawled up his ass? Why's he so touchy?
His friend grumbled inwardly, then eagerly pulled out his phone and leaned over again, holding the screen in front of Chu Xingye.
"Look, I even sneaked a photo of them!"
Chu Xingye lifted his eyelids, and the image on the screen came into view.
Jiang Xun and a tall boy stood facing each other beneath a towering osmanthus tree.
The shorter one had his eyes slightly narrowed and his head tilted up, while the taller one looked down a little.
At first glance, they actually looked rather well matched.
Fuck it, this is good. Now he won't keep pestering me. So annoying.
Chu Xingye gave a quiet scoff and withdrew his gaze with an utterly indifferent look. He tucked his hands into the pockets of his black outdoor jacket and continued striding toward the campus exit.
His friend called out and hurried after him.
"Xingye, why are you walking so fast? Wait for me!"
The rock music pouring into his ears suddenly became harsh and grating. Chu Xingye frowned irritably, yanked out his earbuds, and stuffed them into his pocket.
He walked all the way to the campus gates with a dark expression. Just as he stepped outside, he abruptly stopped.
The oppressive air surrounding him felt almost tangible. He turned toward his friend behind him, a crease forming between his brows.
"Where did you see them?"
Bewildered, his friend rubbed the goosebumps on his arms, thinking there was something off about Xingye.
"Just across from the Third Teaching Building. Not far."
Before the final word had even faded, Chu Xingye was already striding forward at speed.
He had all the presence of a rightful partner off to catch a male homewrecker.
His friend rubbed the tip of his nose and jogged after him to enjoy the show.
Before reaching the Third Teaching Building, Chu Xingye spotted Jiang Xun approaching from a distance, along with the boy in a blue-and-white school uniform trailing more than ten meters behind him.
Chu Xingye stared at the boy, whose looks and height were on par with his own, and coldness flashed in his eyes.
As though sensing it, Bai Lian also looked up. Across the crowd, he met the gaze of the fashionably dressed young rich boy, his expression utterly cold.
Something seemed to clash invisibly between them.
Jiang Xun broke the standoff. He had also spotted Chu Xingye up ahead, and his round puppy eyes immediately curved with happiness. He waved at Chu Xingye and jogged over.
"Xingye, did you come here especially to wait for me?"
Some of the darkness between Chu Xingye's brows faded. He curled his lips instead, offering a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Getting pretty good at this, huh? Found someone else to torment?"
Jiang Xun turned to look. Bai Lian was still standing some distance away, following wherever he went without saying anything. With that cool, handsome face, he had attracted the attention of who knew how many female students.
Jiang Xun couldn't guess what he was thinking.
Jiang Xun pitched his voice sweetly. "What are you talking about, Xingye? You're the only one in my heart."
"Oh, please."
Chu Xingye glanced at Bai Lian out of the corner of his eye, a warning in his gaze, then turned and left.
Jiang Xun rolled his eyes inwardly. Chu Xingye's thoughts were much easier to read.
He hurried after his conquest target, sticking close behind him all the way to the campus gates.
Across the road from the campus entrance, a black Bentley sat in a temporary parking space, its license plate ending in 11111.