Chapter 17

Several girls from their class came laughing out of the classroom's back door. Gu Wang only recognized Meng Ou's voice. Not wanting anyone to misunderstand, he knocked He Qinghuan's hand away and moved aside, putting a considerable distance between them.

Meng Ou saw him, and He Qinghuan too. She smiled at him. "Wangwang, when are you leaving?"

Gu Wang didn't want to stay with He Qinghuan any longer. "Right now." Ignoring He Qinghuan, who hadn't moved, he went around him and returned to the classroom through the front door.

Soon, he came out carrying his schoolbag. Seeing his empty hands, Meng Ou called out, "Wangwang, don't you have an umbrella?"

Gu Wang turned his face halfway toward her. "I lent it to someone."

Before Meng Ou could even speak, the girls beside her scrambled to offer their umbrellas for her to give Gu Wang. Meng Ou grabbed one at random and was about to take it to him, but he had already gone down the stairs.

She frowned and looked out beyond the balcony. The rain suddenly grew heavier.

Meng Ou had no idea that Gu Wang was fleeing He Qinghuan in a panic.

He didn't know why, either. He could face anyone else in the book calmly and handle them with ease. He Qinghuan alone was someone Gu Wang couldn't manage.

It was strange.

Just as Gu Wang was wondering how he should get along with He Qinghuan from now on, someone came around the corner and stopped in front of him, his gaze sinister.

Jiang Chi hadn't gone home. Squatting on the first-floor steps, he simply couldn't understand how He Qinghuan had fallen for Gu Wang, so he decided to corner Gu Wang again.

He watched Gu Wang come downstairs in his school uniform, its zipper neatly pulled up to his collarbones rather than left open with that roguish air he used to have. With that fair, clean-cut face, he looked likable no matter how Jiang Chi looked at him.

Jiang Chi blocked his way and spat through gritted teeth, "Pah!"

He was jealous, but he wasn't going to show it.

Gu Wang: "..."

I didn't hit him in the head earlier, did I? Jiang Chi seemed a little abnormal.

Jiang Chi watched as Gu Wang merely paused for a moment before walking around him and leaving without so much as a sideways glance.

He turned, unable to suppress the malicious urge rising inside him, and shouted gleefully at Gu Wang's retreating back, "Gu Wang, I know a secret, but I'm not telling you!"

Gu Wang definitely didn't know that He Qinghuan had already taken an interest in him. Only Jiang Chi knew, but there was no way he would tell Gu Wang. He wanted to watch these two drag things out like this-preferably until they died.

Gu Wang raised an eyebrow. He had absolutely no interest in Jiang Chi's secret. His steps didn't even falter as he completely ignored Jiang Chi's blustering behind him.

Gu Wang wondered how Jiang Chi, who would eventually become a CEO who dominated the business world, could be so impetuous and brainless now.

Still young.

He Qinghuan stood by the rearmost classroom window. The glass had been wiped bright and clean, showing the outside exactly as it was.

With a slight turn of his head, he saw the boy standing at the school building's entrance make a phone call. After saying a few words, he held his schoolbag over his head and plunged straight into the rain.

A barely noticeable gloom lingered in He Qinghuan's expression. Only after Gu Wang disappeared through the school gates did he withdraw his gaze and prepare to gather his things.

As he passed Zeng Xiao's desk, the hem of his shirt accidentally brushed against the glass she had left on top. With a crash, it fell to the floor and shattered, spilling water everywhere.

The few nearby students who hadn't left jumped in fright and looked over. He Qinghuan smiled at them. "I knocked it over by accident."

As soon as he finished speaking, a student on cleaning duty nearby hurried over and swept up the glass. He Qinghuan thanked them, took out his phone, and transferred money to Zeng Xiao.

Zeng Xiao was on her way home when her WeChat notification sounded. She checked it and saw that the class monitor had said he accidentally broke her glass and had sent compensation. She covered her mouth, so damn excited. She had added the class monitor on WeChat two years ago, and this was their first conversation. That lousy glass had been well worth breaking!

She sent him a cute sticker. Although He Qinghuan didn't reply again, she was still delighted and thought the class monitor was really polite.

Gu Wang developed a fever the night he got home. Dizzy with it, he got up to pour himself some water and ran into Gu Dazhi, who had just returned from a business engagement. Gu Dazhi had been drinking, and his face was bright red. He stared wide-eyed and saw that his son's face was red too. "?????"

"When I picked you up, I saw you didn't have an umbrella. Didn't you hear me tell you to take some Ganmaoling before bed?" When Gu Dazhi had seen his son without an umbrella, he had asked where it was. Gu Wang said he had given it to a classmate, and Gu Dazhi had thought his son was incredibly kind. Now, seeing Gu Wang running a fever, he thought boys were better off being a little bad.

"No," Gu Wang said.

Gu Dazhi then thought boys were better off being a little more obedient.

Gu Wang's fever stirred up the entire family. Grandma Gu poured water and made soup, Gu Dazhi called the family doctor, and Du Liping lay on the sofa in Gu Wang's room... sleeping.

Auntie watched them bustling around. There wasn't a single thing left for her to help with!

The fuss lasted until two or three in the morning before Gu Wang finally coaxed Grandma Gu into going to bed. At her age, how could she stay up with him all night? Grandma Gu reluctantly returned to her room. Gu Wang turned his head and saw that Gu Dazhi and Du Liping hadn't left either.

"It's just a fever..." Gu Wang's voice was a little hoarse. He thought they had made far too much of a fuss tonight. Original Host's lawlessness had its reasons: the people behind him truly were solid pillars of support. At the end of the book, after Gu Wang had dragged the Gu Family down to ruin, Du Liping had worked as a private tutor and Gu Dazhi as a chauffeur. Even then, they had never uttered a word of blame against their son.

They wanted to save up to buy Gu Wang a better burial plot.

Du Liping and Gu Dazhi made do on the sofa in Gu Wang's room for the night. When Gu Wang's alarm rang the next morning, Gu Dazhi woke up too. He took out his phone. "You're not going to school today. I'll ask your teacher for leave."

Gu Wang touched his forehead, threw back the covers, and got out of bed. "The fever's gone. You two sleep a little longer. I'll have the driver take me to school."

Gu Dazhi's eyes widened, and he was about to protest when Du Liping caught his arm. "Old Gu, listen to Wangwang."

Gu Dazhi: "..."

Still worried, he stood at the front door in his pajamas with a coat draped over him, insisting on seeing Gu Wang into the car before reluctantly going back inside.

The sky was clearing. This morning was much brighter than the previous two days.

Although Gu Wang's fever had broken, he had practically every cold symptom-hoarseness, coughing, and sneezing. He was coughing as he climbed the stairs when Song Zhiyan and Shen Zhao caught up behind him, their arms slung around each other's shoulders. They were startled when they saw his complexion.

Shen Zhao cupped Gu Wang's face, his big eyes blinking. "Wangwang, how did you get sick?"

Song Zhiyan turned his head away, unable to bear the sight.

His throat sore, Gu Wang said he had lent his umbrella to a classmate.

Song Zhiyan immediately started making a fuss. "You only had one, and you gave it to someone else? And why did you even come to school when you're like this?"

Gu Wang smiled. "It can be a little more inconvenient for girls than for us."

Song Zhiyan kept protesting. "We're all people. What's inconvenient about it?"

Shen Zhao frowned in disdain. "You don't even know that? Girls shouldn't get caught in the rain when they're on their periods."

"..." Song Zhiyan couldn't wrap his head around it. "Wangwang, how did you know she was on her period?"

As a friend to women, Shen Zhao said incredulously, "God, were you actually going to ask her, 'Are you on your period? If you're not, I won't lend you my umbrella'?"

"If Meng Ou ever likes you, I'll livestream myself eating dog shit!" Shen Zhao concluded.

Gu Wang couldn't help laughing aloud.

Shen Zhao had hit Song Zhiyan where it hurt. Song Zhiyan chased him, hitting him all the way to the classroom.

Gu Wang arrived a little later than he had on previous days. By the time he entered the classroom, He Qinghuan was already in his seat.

Zeng Xiao waved when she saw him. "Wangwang, come here! I brought you breakfast!"

Several boys nearby started teasing her. "Ooh, Xiaoxiao, you're coming on pretty strong!"

Normally, Gu Wang might have responded, but today he couldn't muster the energy. He walked straight to He Qinghuan's desk. He Qinghuan showed no intention of moving aside on his own, but he knew Gu Wang was there, although his eyes weren't on Gu Wang-or on anything in particular.

"He Qinghuan, move over." Gu Wang's voice was nasal.

The boy's soft, hoarse voice sounded to He Qinghuan almost like a show of submission and a plea for mercy.

Author's note: Gu Wang: I wasn't acting cute or begging for mercy. You heard wrong.

Chapter 24

He Qinghuan's expression relaxed for a moment before he moved his legs aside.

For some reason, the chair in front of He Qinghuan had been pushed much farther back today, leaving barely enough room for one person between him and his desk. Gu Wang didn't feel right moving someone else's desk and chair, so he steeled himself and squeezed past He Qinghuan.

But it really was too narrow!

Gu Wang regretted it with his very first step. He should have pushed He Qinghuan's desk forward a little before trying to get in.

It was still only early autumn, and both wore their thin autumn uniforms. The friction between the fabrics and the slow transfer of body heat sent a tingling shiver over their skin.

Gu Wang felt top-heavy and unsteady. His foot caught, and he toppled toward He Qinghuan, falling straight into his arms.

He Qinghuan caught Gu Wang swiftly, supporting his waist with one hand. When his palm settled fully against the side of the boy's waist, his eyes flickered.

So thin.

At that realization, He Qinghuan lowered his lashes. In his panic, Gu Wang had braced both hands against his shoulders: prominent wrist bones, slender wrists, and deeply hollowed collarbones, though only a small section was visible.

For all his bluster, Gu Wang had an exceptionally delicate frame.

Zeng Xiao, who had been about to hand Gu Wang the breakfast she had bought, slowly widened her eyes. Her mouth opened so wide her jaw nearly dropped. She covered her mouth and gasped. She was going to faaaint. What had she just seen?!

What an absolutely gorgeous sight!!

Gu Wang had a cold and had taken cold medicine before leaving that morning, so his reactions were sluggish. Belatedly meeting He Qinghuan's eyes, he was dazed for an instant by how close they were.

The faint mint scent slowly entering his nose briefly cleared Gu Wang's head. He pulled out of He Qinghuan's arms and dropped straight into his chair, then slumped over the desk as though drained of strength, burying his head in his arms.

The roots of his ears visibly flushed red.

He Qinghuan withdrew his hand. The warm sensation in his palm had yet to fade completely. He lightly rubbed his fingertips together, waiting a long while before picking up the pen he had set aside.

Lying on the desk, Gu Wang was still bewildered about having fallen into He Qinghuan's arms. When he looked up and saw Zeng Xiao wearing an expression of "Wow, this is way too exciting," he was even more confused.

With his face buried where no one could see, he lowered his long, raven-feather lashes, concealing the bewilderment in his eyes.

He Qinghuan's eyes hadn't held their former disgust when he looked at him just now. And then there was what he had said while covering his eyes last night.

"I don't hate you."

His eyes had been covered, so he didn't know what expression or look He Qinghuan had worn when he said it. But Gu Wang could tell from his tone that He Qinghuan hadn't lied to him.

Behind him, Zeng Xiao poked Gu Wang's back. "Wangwang, do you still want breakfast?"

Gu Wang raised his head, looking listless. "I don't have an appetite. Eat it yourself."

"Okay," Zeng Xiao said helplessly. After watching Gu Wang for a while, she suddenly thought of something and poked his back again. "Wangwang, did you catch a cold in the rain because you gave me your umbrella yesterday?"

Gu Wang didn't turn around. His voice was dispirited. "Probably."

"Ah..." Zeng Xiao's face fell, filled with guilt.

Gu Wang sniffled and coughed twice, not forgetting to reassure Zeng Xiao. "Catching a cold occasionally helps strengthen your immune system."

Zeng Xiao's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Really. I'm not lying."

Zeng Xiao leaned over her desk and said with a grin, "Then I'll go buy you a hot milk tea after class at noon."

The two kept talking back and forth without end. Zeng Xiao was especially chatty around people she liked, and she liked a great many people-anyone handsome. After listening for a while, a certain someone found it rather noisy.

Only when Li Shuya came in did the classroom gradually quiet down. She stood at the lectern and gestured for everyone to stop talking.

"I have an announcement." Li Shuya cleared her throat. "From now on, day students will need passes. Each pass needs a two-inch photo of its holder, with one pass per person. After morning self-study, every-"