Chapter 32

He was hard to dislike, but he kept people at a distance.

He shook off He Qinghuan's hand and quickened his pace, reaching the front in a few strides without giving He Qinghuan time to react.

This time, He Qinghuan had practically spelled it out. It was no longer the hazy ambiguity of before, which had pressed down on Gu Wang until he could barely breathe. And this time, Gu Wang had given him a clear answer too.

He wasn't willing.

He wouldn't agree.

Author's note: He Qinghuan: I don't know how.

Yue Feng: You seem pretty good at it to me.

He Qinghuan would have to suffer everything Gu Wang had suffered, every last bit: the ID photo, the mint candy, the scratch paper, and being forever faithful to you.

Chapter 37

Give He Qinghuan a chance? Who would give the Original Host a chance?

Gu Wang's phone had been confiscated, and he planned to write a self-criticism tomorrow to get it back. When he got home that evening, he pulled open a drawer. This might have been a habitual action of the Original Host's after having his phone confiscated. Several barely used phones lay inside, each with its own SIM card.

He had only just turned one on when Shen Zhao started a group video call.

Gu Wang answered and got quite a fright from Shen Zhao's huge face pressed right up to the camera. Song Zhiyan moved his phone farther away in utter disgust.

Gu Wang told them that He Qinghuan had confessed to him. What he had said tonight counted as a confession.

Neither of the two in the video reacted for a long while. Gu Wang laid his phone facedown on the desk and tapped it. "Did it freeze?"

Shen Zhao said, "No, no! My brain froze! Say that again!"

Song Zhiyan nodded along. "I need you to repeat that too, Wangwang."

Their antics dispelled much of the heaviness in Gu Wang's heart. "He Qinghuan confessed to me tonight."

There wasn't the slightest hint of excitement in his voice. If it had been the Original Host, who knew how happy he would have been? Gu Wang's nose stung, and tears threatened to spill again. Unable to hold back a curse, he tipped his head up toward the ceiling light and forced the tears back.

Song Zhiyan couldn't make sense of it. "Why? Why the fuck is this happening? You fucking chased him half to death and he barely acknowledged you, but now that you don't like him, he confesses? I don't get it."

Shen Zhao dismissed him outright anyway. "Don't say yes. Make him chase you to death."

Song Zhiyan said quietly, "What if he doesn't chase him?"

Shen Zhao snorted. "Even better. Our Wangwang can be beautiful all by himself. Our homeroom teacher said there are loads of hot guys at university! There'll be no shortage of people who like him. Who needs He Qinghuan?"

Song Zhiyan got sidetracked by him. "Oh, give me a break. Loads, my ass. My second brother's university is full of sleazy guys in big shorts and flip-flops. Fresh-faced, cute guys like us would get snapped up."

Shen Zhao said, "You're a fresh-faced, cute guy? Would you dare let Meng Ou see your leg hair?"

Song Zhiyan exploded. "Why the fuck are you dragging Meng Ou into this?"

Shen Zhao ignored him and asked Gu Wang, "You didn't say yes, did you, Wangwang?"

Gu Wang shook his head. "No."

Song Zhiyan and Shen Zhao let out sighs of relief at the same time.

Shen Zhao said, "Thank goodness. Actually, I've thought you two weren't right for each other for ages. Even if you got together with He Qinghuan, it wouldn't last. I think he must be really possessive."

"Shen Zhao, could you stop being such a hindsight expert? You were practically their CP fan leader back then." Song Zhiyan punched at the camera, then asked, "But how could you tell He Qinghuan is possessive? I don't think he would be. He seems like the sort who's above worldly concerns, looks down on everything, and doesn't care about anything."

Shen Zhao waved a hand. "Read it in novels. Nobody's perfect."

Gu Wang and Song Zhiyan: "..."

"Seriously, though, seriously. Wangwang, if you really still like him, we won't stop you. But you have to love yourself a little more. Even if you say yes, you should at least make He Qinghuan pursue you for a year or six months first." Song Zhiyan rubbed his chin as he analyzed it rationally.

Shen Zhao raised his hand in agreement. "Wangwang, we respect your choice."

Gu Wang nodded. "I know."

New messages popped up in the chat-

Shen Zhao patted "Gu Wang."

Song Zhiyan patted "Gu Wang."

Shen Zhao patted "Song Zhiyan."

Song Zhiyan patted "Shen Zhao."

Gu Wang was older than them and found this rather pointless. The two kept patting away in the group without end. He hesitated for a moment.

Gu Wang patted "Shen Zhao."

Gu Wang patted "Song Zhiyan."

[Gu Wang: Go to sleep. I have new questions for you tomorrow.]

The two in the group immediately vanished without a trace.

He was just about to turn off his phone and go to sleep when Li Shuya's profile picture popped up in the class group chat. [Our class is responsible for tomorrow's flag-raising ceremony. Here is the list of the host and flag bearers: host-He Qinghuan; flag raiser-Gu Wang; flag guards-Wen Ting, Meng Ou. @everyone]

It wasn't late yet. Before long, Wen Ting and Meng Ou replied one after the other to acknowledge the message. After Gu Wang replied, He Qinghuan followed right behind him with an "Okay."

He Qinghuan generally didn't speak in the group. Teachers would contact him privately if they needed anything, and the teacher must have given him the hosting script long ago. This was only a formality, and He Qinghuan didn't need to reply.

But he had replied. He had waited until after Gu Wang's reply to do so.

On Monday morning, after morning self-study and breakfast, thirty minutes had been set aside before the first lesson specifically for the flag-raising ceremony.

Shen Zhao went to his class's designated area, while Song Zhiyan was grabbed by the PE teacher to move equipment. Gu Wang stood on the sports field in his school uniform, the zipper neatly pulled up to just below his neck and his collar tidy. The morning sun had only just begun its lazy climb into the sky, scattering golden dust over people and making them shine.

All students and teachers had to attend the flag-raising ceremony, apart from a few who were on leave or otherwise occupied.

Gu Wang was in his second year. Among those looking his way, besides students in his own year, even some first- and third-years were sneaking glances at him.

Fuck, why hadn't they noticed how good-looking Gu Wang was before?

Then again, if Gu Wang was this good-looking, why hadn't he managed to win over that person on the podium? Did he not have a heart?

Wen Ting waved at him from nearby. "Wangwang, come over and carry the flag!"

While Gu Wang was practicing with Wen Ting and Meng Ou, over on the school forum-

[Is Gu Wang single?]

[Here we go again, again, again. Don't you people study?]

[I study when I have time! Can anyone answer my question?]

[He's single, but he seems to have become much more low-key lately. I haven't heard of him doing anything. That makes him pretty hard to pursue.]

[A girl pursued Gu Wang before and almost got hit. I advise you to think twi││

"Did you get burned?" He spoke unhurriedly, his tone mild, but his eyes held only Gu Wang.

"I'm fine." Gu Wang's tone was flat. He pulled free of He Qinghuan and stood a little farther away.

Yue Feng followed them over, looking utterly casual. "Watch where you're going, little sister. Our Wangwang has to raise the flag today. What's he supposed to wear now?"

The girl stammered, her face bright red, looking thoroughly mortified. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. How about you wear mine?"

"..." Gu Wang looked at the girl. He estimated she was no taller than 160 centimeters, while he was 178 centimeters, after all. Besides, it was already early autumn. He couldn't make a girl take off her jacket for him. He told her it was all right. "I'll find someone to borrow one from. Go back to your class."

The girl left, wiping her tears. She had been frightened too. Gu Wang used to have a bad reputation at school. If a girl angered him, he would turn on her just the same.

He had even nearly hit someone before, so she was scared. Only when Gu Wang let it go did she and her friends breathe sighs of relief.

Wen Ting leaned over to take a look and frowned. "I'll borrow one from someone else in class."

"No need. Wear mine. Mine's new." Yue Feng started unzipping his jacket as he spoke.

He Qinghuan glanced at him. "Wear mine."

"..." Although Wen Ting didn't know what was going on between Gu Wang, their class monitor, and the new transfer student from the next class, He Qinghuan belonged to their class. But He Qinghuan was the host. She hesitated. "Class monitor, don't you need yours?"

"I'll wear Yue Feng's," He Qinghuan said mildly, as though stating something perfectly natural and obvious.

Yue Feng: "??????"

Although she didn't understand why He Qinghuan was making things so complicated, Wen Ting's thoughts wound through countless twists and turns before she finally asked Gu Wang quietly, "Wangwang, how about wearing the class monitor's? You know him well."

Beside them, Meng Ou was holding back laughter. Yue Feng wore a look of utter despair that said, "Never mind whether I live or die, as long as you're happy."

Gu Wang couldn't hold everyone up because of himself. He lowered his lashes and nodded. In He Qinghuan's eyes, he looked incredibly obedient.

He Qinghuan took off his jacket and handed it to Gu Wang, then turned his head toward Yue Feng. "Give me your jacket."

Yue Feng: "..."

Author's note: Wangwang patted the darling readers.

Yue "the tool" Feng: "I owe you."

Chapter 38

Just like the school uniform jacket He Qinghuan had given Gu Wang last time, it was a little big, but he could still just about wear it.

It was better than Yue Feng's. Yue Feng had deliberately ordered his uniform a size larger, so it would only be even bigger on Gu Wang. But more than that, He Qinghuan very, very much minded Gu Wang wearing anyone else's clothes.

Only after watching Gu Wang obediently put on the jacket did he turn and leave.

Wen Ting leaned close to Gu Wang's ear, helping straighten his collar as she did. "Wangwang, is He Qinghuan, you know...?"

She had phrased it discreetly, but they both understood.

Gu Wang rolled up the flag. "No."

Wen Ting chuckled twice, wearing an expression that said she understood, and it didn't matter if he wouldn't admit it because she had already seen through everything.

Gu Wang: "..."

The classes lined up, homeroom teachers made their rounds, and the Discipline Inspection Department and the director of teaching affairs checked everyone's attire. A faint electrical hum came from the speakers, and the sports field fell utterly silent.

Yue Feng stood at the very back of the line in a T-shirt. With his hands behind his back and a thermos in his hand, Zhou Hu stuck out his big belly as he inspected the classes' attire one by one, starting from the far end.

"Mm, good. Very good this week. Everyone's wearing their school uniforms."

"Zip that up. Why are you leaving it open like some hoodlum? Don't you know what occasion this is?"

"Those of you with your trousers rolled up to your knees, are you planning to plant rice later?" Zhou Hu picked out each inappropriate detail. When he reached Shen Zhao's class, at a glance,