Chapter 9

He trembled with fear, terrified that Song Zhiyan would punch him.

Fortunately, Song Zhiyan only watched, then handed the phone back to Yang Le. His gaze drifted toward He Qinghuan beside Yang Le, and he smiled. "Our Wangwang said it. Watch all you like."

When Gu Wang saw him return looking relaxed and smug, he guessed it must have been about last night.

Song Zhiyan propped his legs on the desk. "Let that bastard He Qinghuan stew. That's what he gets for giving you the cold shoulder."

What Gu Wang had said absolutely belonged in a collection of fuckboy quotes, yet Song Zhiyan still sided with him, looking as though Wangwang would be doing He Qinghuan a favor by playing him.

"Do your questions." All Gu Wang could do was help Song Zhiyan and Shen Zhao get back on track. He didn't care what He Qinghuan would think after seeing that video.

He wanted nothing more than for He Qinghuan to know-for the entire school to know, even-that he, Gu Wang, had grown tired of pursuing He Qinghuan. He was sick of it. He had drawn a clear line between himself and both Jiang Chi and He Qinghuan.

Over on the other side, Yang Le put his phone away, then turned and saw blood all over He Qinghuan's fingers. It gave him a fright. He Qinghuan had pale skin, and the blood on it looked particularly alarming. "What happened?" he asked worriedly.

He Qinghuan slowly wiped his fingers with a tissue, his eyes lowered and his voice cool. "Cut myself by accident."

Oh, that explained it. Yang Le saw the knife and pencil on He Qinghuan's desk. So he had done it while sharpening his pencil.

Author's note: He Qinghuan: Who said you could get tired of it? If you kept at it a little longer, I might say yes.

Chapter 15

There were only a few days left before the monthly exams. Besides burying themselves in practice questions, their classmates would slip over whenever He Qinghuan was out of the classroom to pay their respects and touch his desk a couple of times, hoping to soak up some top-student energy. They weren't asking to soar to the top, just not to crash and burn.

Originally, Song Zhiyan and Shen Zhao had only intended to go through the motions, or perhaps they hadn't believed they could keep it up themselves. But after Gu Wang led them through two days of practice questions, they found a tiny bit of enjoyment in studying. Only a tiny bit, though-nowhere near the appeal games held for them.

For practically the first time ever, the Song and Shen parents saw their sons bringing books home. They even stopped poking their foreheads when handing over their allowances.

Only while scrolling through his social feed did Gu Dazhi learn that Gu Wang studied until three every morning, and that he hadn't been joking about wanting to go to university.

Gu Dazhi worried when Gu Wang idled his days away, but he worried even more when Gu Wang studied hard. His phone frequently pushed news stories about final-year high school students dying suddenly after staying up late revising. The Gu family even held a brief family meeting while Gu Wang was at school.

On exam day, after finishing one of his exams, Gu Wang was listening to the students around him compare answers in the hallway when his phone vibrated several times. He unlocked it and opened WeChat. His family group chat was active, filled entirely with forwarded articles from public accounts.

When Gu Wang read the titles of those articles, he was speechless.

[A final-year high school student fainted during an exam on exam day, and the reason turned out to be-]

[Late-night revision harms your health. Balance work and rest!]

[Why did a seventeen-year-old boy go bald so young? Click to read the full article for details.]

The monthly exams lasted two days, and the results came out on the third.

Song Zhiyan stared at the score sheet he had been handed, unable to recover for a long time, his expression blank. Only after Gu Wang poked him several times did he slowly turn toward him, his eyes gradually filling with disbelief. He waved the score sheet in his hand. "Wangwang, am I seeing this right? I scored over two hundred!"

Gu Wang smiled. "Four hundred next time."

Song Zhiyan was so happy he could have flown. Not even five consecutive wins had ever given him this much satisfaction. He stood up, unable to contain his excitement. "Wangwang, I'm going to see what that bastard Shen Zhao got!"

Gu Wang had known his own score as soon as the results came out. Not a point more or less: exactly three hundred.

Of course, that wasn't the full extent of Gu Wang's ability. Once he had accumulated enough points during the exams, he had deliberately filled in incorrect answers for every remaining question. Otherwise, he should have been able to give He Qinghuan a run for his money.

He Qinghuan had topped their year again, with 737.

The classroom buzzed with animated discussion. Naturally, He Qinghuan's deskmate didn't dare discuss the results with him and had long since plunged into another group.

Gu Wang glanced over at He Qinghuan a few times. He was reading, his profile smoothly defined and cool, entirely out of place amid his surroundings.

Not long after Song Zhiyan left, Gu Wang heard his and Shen Zhao's voices in the hallway. They traded insults, squabbling all the way over to him.

Shen Zhao's eyes shone, and he was out of breath. "Wangwang, guess what I scored?"

Gu Wang put down his pen, propped up his chin, and raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Shen Zhao was delighted that Gu Wang played along. "I got 297, thirty points more than Yan Gouzi! That's why he kept chasing me and hitting me just now. He was jealous."

"Really? That's going too far." Gu Wang humored Shen Zhao, who was particularly susceptible to this approach from him. After showing off to Gu Wang, Shen Zhao went back to mocking Song Zhiyan for being all brawn and no brains. They barely managed two civil sentences before grappling and hitting each other again.

Gu Wang watched them for a while. Once he was certain they were only playing around, he saw Meng Ou walk up to the lectern.

Meng Ou wore her hair in a high ponytail today. It swayed gently behind her head with every step, making her look full of youthful energy. Many of their classmates couldn't help looking at her.

She really is pretty. Song Zhiyan has good taste, Gu Wang thought.

Objectively speaking, Gu Wang admired people like Meng Ou, who always knew exactly what they wanted and were willing to work toward their goals.

Just as he looked away, He Qinghuan glanced at him, catching the exact moment when Gu Wang was smiling at Meng Ou's retreating figure.

He Qinghuan's eyes narrowed slightly. So he's taken a fancy to someone else now?

The image of Gu Wang standing beneath his umbrella last week suddenly resurfaced in He Qinghuan's mind, his long lashes laden with moisture, looking as innocent and harmless as a fawn in the woods.

What a little liar.

Author's note: Wangwang: Sorry, I can't be bothered to lie.

Chapter 16

"Does anyone have any ideas for the National Day show next Saturday evening?" Meng Ou tapped the lectern, and the class gradually quieted down.

"Ou, we can't do anything except practice questions. Why don't you just go up and sing something?"

"Remember our class choir performance in our first year? We were so out of tune. I never want to go onstage again."

"Ou, don't you know ballroom dancing? Why not find a partner in class?"

"Wow, I've never seen Ou dance! Show us a dance, Ou!"

They had been classmates for several years and got along fairly well. Meng Ou was particularly popular, and the class began egging her on.

Meng Ou smiled. "Who knows ballroom dancing?"

"Aaaah! Is Ou going to dance?"

"I do, I do! Pick me!"

"Oh, give it a rest. All you can do is bounce around in clubs."

"I remember... I think the class monitor knows how."

No one knew who had said it, but the classroom fell silent in an instant. They could tease anyone else, but He Qinghuan was the one person they didn't dare tease.

Still, they couldn't help looking toward He Qinghuan. Perhaps they simply wanted to know whether he really could dance. Besides, what if? What if He Qinghuan said he could and agreed to partner with Meng Ou?

He Qinghuan lifted his eyelids and was about to speak when a deafening shout came from the back of the classroom. "Gu Wang can!"

Song Zhiyan pushed Gu Wang forward. After shouting, he pleaded humbly with him, "Don't let Meng Ou get close to He Qinghuan. Wangwang, please."

The way Meng Ou had looked at He Qinghuan just now had set alarm bells ringing in Song Zhiyan's head.

Brothers were there to be sacrificed.

Gu Wang was speechless.

Gu Wang didn't know whether the Original Host could dance, but he could. He knew how to do quite a lot of things, all learned to make himself more presentable and fit into high society faster.

As far as Gu Wang knew, the Original Host had been pretty good at club dancing.

Everyone in class looked toward Gu Wang, including He Qinghuan. They really hadn't imagined that Gu Wang knew ballroom dancing, nor had they heard any of them mention it. A faint anticipation of a good show appeared in everyone's eyes.

First, Gu Wang might not actually know how. Second, Meng Ou might not be willing to partner with him.

Judging from the way their classmates looked at the Original Host, calling him universally disliked wouldn't have been an exaggeration. Only Shen Zhao and Song Zhiyan thought everything about Gu Wang was wonderful.

Gu Wang raised his eyes toward Meng Ou at the lectern. She was smiling warmly. She was a clever girl; even when dealing with Gu Wang, she would leave room to maneuver, both for him and for herself.

Just when everyone thought Gu Wang would joke and grin his way out of it as he always had, he tilted his head and drawled, "Sure."

Behind him, Shen Zhao stood dumbstruck. "Wangwang knows ballroom dancing?"

Song Zhiyan shot him a glance. "You grew up with him, and you don't know? Gu Wang's mom won first prize in a national ballroom dancing competition. He should know a little."

Shen Zhao said, "Should... know a little?"

Knowing he was in the wrong for pushing Wangwang into the spotlight, Song Zhiyan pressed his palms together. "This time, when Old Liu makes us copy the exam papers, I'll do Wangwang's for him."

Old Liu was their math teacher. He had no particular hobbies besides making students copy exam papers. Those who scored below 120 had to copy them five times; those below ninety, ten times.

As Gu Wang approached, Meng Ou took out her phone and put on some music. She probably really did know how to dance: the very first track she played was one commonly used for ballroom dancing.

Standing below the platform, Gu Wang held one hand behind his back, bent at the waist, and extended the other, inviting Meng Ou to place her hand in his.

Looking into Gu Wang's eyes, Meng Ou was momentarily dazed. She had never looked closely at him before, and only now realized how beautiful his eyes were.

Meng Ou slowly placed her hand in Gu Wang's palm. With a slight pull of his arm, he drew her loosely into his embrace. The entire movement was fluid, commanding, and forceful, yet utterly gentlemanly.

A collective gasp rose from the class.

It was only a few simple movements. The untrained eyes watching the spectacle merely felt all their attention being drawn toward Gu Wang.

The boy moved fluidly, his fingers clasped with Meng Ou's. All her movements followed his rhythm involuntarily. Instead of his usual perfume, Gu Wang carried a very, very faint lemon scent.

The whole thing lasted less than a minute. Standing beside Gu Wang, Meng Ou looked up at him and praised him sincerely. "Gu Wang, you're amazing."

She had learned to dance as a child, so she understood Gu Wang's skill better than anyone else present.

After a brief daze, their classmates began banging on their desks and teasing Gu Wang and Meng Ou.

Leaving everything else aside, judging by his face alone, Gu Wang actually outshone Meng Ou when they stood together.

For that moment, everyone forgot Gu Wang's embarrassing history. He stood on the platform, smiling warmly, as though he had become a different person.

Meng Ou turned toward Gu Wang. "Think about it. How about putting on a performance with me?"

Gu Wang's lips curved. "Sure."

Watching Gu Wang return, Song Zhiyan felt ready to drop to his knees before him. He wouldn't even mind calling him Dad. Gu Wang braced one hand on Song Zhiyan's desk. "How are you going to repay me?"

Song Zhiyan grinned. "Wangwang, I could offer myself to you."

Gu Wang was speechless.

A quick-fingered classmate had recorded Gu Wang and Meng Ou's impromptu performance and uploaded it to the school forum. Meng Ou was fairly well known at school. She was pretty, had good grades, and her father was the principal, not to mention her distinctive, flashy style. Putting Meng Ou and Gu Wang's names in the title was guaranteed to make a thread popular.

[That's Gu Wang? No way, no way. That's Gu Wang?]

[Gu Wang's waist is so slim. His hands are so fair, and his neck is so fair too.]

[I've never seen Gu Wang dance before. All I knew was that he was the little prince of nightclubs. I didn't expect him to be pretty handsome when he got serious.]

[He looks good with Meng Ou. Don't tell me Gu Wang's fallen for her now?]

[You're overthinking it. Song Zhiyan likes Meng Ou. How could Gu Wang go after his buddy's girl?]

[I love this version of Gu Wang.]

[Same. He's so captivating. Even when he held Meng Ou, he kept his hands respectful!]

[As a professional, I can say this impromptu performance was very professional and a pleasure to watch.]

Gu Wang himself hadn't particularly taken these things to