"The school will be holding a National Day gala. Meng Ou, organize something. Every senior class has to put on a performance."
Meng Ou, the Chinese class representative and arts committee member, said, "Got it!"
Gu Wang was working on problems.
Song Zhiyan finished a round of his game, turned his head, and saw Gu Wang scribbling on scratch paper. He leaned over and watched for a while, but understood none of it.
Song Zhiyan said, "Wangwang, you're serious?" He had thought Gu Wang's promise to study hard was the same as every other time-just words, like shouting a slogan. Once he was done shouting, he would go right back to fooling around.
But Gu Wang didn't seem to be joking this time. Song Zhiyan hadn't seen him copying homework lately; he had been doing it all himself.
Gu Wang forced himself to work through a problem on scratch paper several times when he could get the answer at a glance. His expression was numb. "What else? I promised my dad I'd get into... college."
He had meant to say A University, but Gu Wang was afraid Song Zhiyan would think He Qinghuan had driven him crazy, so he changed course and said college instead.
Just looking at those symbols and formulas gave Song Zhiyan a headache. "Just buy your way in. Wangwang, are you really planning to take the entrance exam?"
That was what the three of them had always said. If they couldn't get in, they would buy their way into a college and coast until they got a diploma. It wasn't as if their families couldn't afford to support them.
He expected Gu Wang to agree, but Gu Wang merely gave him a mild glance. "Song Zhiyan."
Song Zhiyan had never seen Gu Wang look so serious. He really wasn't used to it. "Huh?"
Gu Wang put down his pen, propped up his chin, and said unhurriedly, "You're an only child. If something happens to your family someday, you'll have to shoulder it. Ask yourself: could you?"
The Song family would run into plenty of trouble later, yet Song Zhiyan knew nothing beyond eating, drinking, and having fun. He was utterly undependable, and he even drove the Song family into a dead end because of Gu Wang. Although Gu Wang wasn't the Original Host, now that he had become the Original Host, he had a responsibility to help Song Zhiyan and Shen Zhao avoid all the suffering the Original Host would bring them.
For instance, the male lead, Jiang Chi.
For instance, the unattainable love, He Qinghuan.
Song Zhiyan was only a boy of seventeen or eighteen, after all. He had never thought that far ahead. Looking at Gu Wang's solemn expression, he guiltily averted his eyes and stammered, "W-Wangwang, I... I haven't thought that much about it."
"Then start thinking about it now."
"Oh. Okay."
Although they had never said it outright, their trio tacitly revolved around Gu Wang. Song Zhiyan still hadn't quite figured it out and didn't think it was all that necessary, but since Gu Wang had spoken to him seriously, he muddled along and did as he said.
It was nothing like the swagger he showed when fighting other people outside.
At noon, while Gu Wang was reading a problem, he felt his hair getting in his eyes and told Song Zhiyan he wanted to get a haircut after classes that evening.
Song Zhiyan was gritting his teeth as he copied vocabulary words. The moment Gu Wang started talking to him, he put down his pen, seizing any chance to slack off. He looked at Gu Wang's hair and said, "Didn't you say you wanted to grow it out and tie it in a little ponytail? You're not growing it out anymore?"
Gu Wang said, "..." That was the Original Host, not me.
Long hair tied in a little ponytail suited handsome boys with feminine features better. It didn't suit Gu Wang. At first glance, he looked like a well-behaved kid, a good student, and he even had two dimples when he smiled.
If anyone were to grow his hair out, Shen Zhao would be quite suited to it.
Song Zhiyan asked the girl in front of them for a little hair tie. "Tie it up for now. I'll go with you to get it cut after school."
The Original Host really hadn't liked getting haircuts, and Gu Wang really did feel the hair poking his eyes. He gathered his bangs and haphazardly tied them into a little sprout sticking straight up.
Song Zhiyan grinned at the sight. "Wangwang, you look just like a little kid."
Gu Wang had no idea what he looked like now. He told Song Zhiyan to get back to copying his vocabulary, and felt an inexplicable sense of satisfaction when Song Zhiyan's face turned miserable in a second.
His eyes curved with his smile. As he looked away from Song Zhiyan, his gaze happened to meet He Qinghuan's as the latter entered through the back door.
Gu Wang said, "..."
He wasn't sure if he was imagining it, but he saw an almost imperceptible hint of amusement in He Qinghuan's eyes.
What was so funny?
Shen Zhao was browsing the school's online forum when he unexpectedly came across a post about Gu Wang. In the past, posts about Gu Wang usually featured memes, and the replies mocked him for aspiring to someone far out of his league.
This post was different. Instead of memes, the original post featured photos of Gu Wang himself. Judging from the angles, they had all been taken secretly.
[Sorry, girls, I'm going from hater to neutral for now. Gu Wang tied his hair into a little sprout today, and it got me. /image/image/image]
[OP, are you serious? Gu Wang's a scumbag. Wake up!]
[I bet the pictures haven't loaded for the person above. You've already made up your mind. Gu Wang looks so sweet with his hair tied up!]
[I heard Gu Wang doesn't like He Qinghuan anymore. Is that true?]
[Nope, he's just changed tactics. I have reason to suspect he'll keep pursuing He Qinghuan all the way to college.]
[Then there's nothing to worry about. He Qinghuan's definitely going to A University. As for Gu Wang... yeah, he should just go back to being a spoiled wastrel.]
[There's no need to go that far. Gu Wang hasn't done anything that terrible. Those girls willingly went for his money themselves, and he wasn't dating several people at once. Have any of you seen him flirting with anyone else all this time he's been pursuing He Qinghuan? I think Gu Wang's pretty decent.]
[The person above nailed it. I've never thought Gu Wang had any character issues. I don't know why you hate him so much. Do you resent rich people?]
And so Shen Zhao watched the entire thread change direction before his eyes. One group insisted that Gu Wang had character issues and was an irredeemable scumbag; the other, having been argued with, simply took Gu Wang's side outright.
Shen Zhao finished reading their flame war before scrolling up to look at those photos of Gu Wang with his hair tied up. How handsome could he possibly look? He had grown up with Gu Wang. He was sick of that face by now.
After the images buffered for a few moments, Gu Wang's face came into view.
Although they had been taken secretly, the photos were surprisingly sharp. Even the length of Gu Wang's eyelashes was clearly visible. The boy in the photos had a little tuft of hair sticking straight up and was saying something to his roguish-looking deskmate. In profile, his nose had a high bridge but a small, delicate tip. His eyes curved upward at both corners, and when he smiled, even the sunlight beside him couldn't outshine him.
Shen Zhao said, "!!!"
Wangwang's so handsome. I'm all in!
Author's note: Shen Zhao: I'm sick of it. I'm really sick of looking at Wangwang's face!
A few seconds later, Shen Zhao: "Aaaaah, I'm all in! I'm all in!"
Chapter 14
The post about Gu Wang's little hair sprout was quite popular. Shen Zhao even saved the photos and sent them to Gu Wang privately.
Gu Wang was also stunned for a moment when he saw the photos. He looked up and surveyed the classroom. Everyone had their heads down, reading or doing homework. There wasn't the slightest sign of anyone slacking off.
Who was bored enough to take secret photos?
Ignoring Shen Zhao's extravagant praise, Gu Wang was about to talk business with him. He had brought Song Zhiyan on board, so naturally he couldn't leave Shen Zhao out. Shen Zhao was loud and excitable, and particularly attached to Gu Wang. He practically did whatever Gu Wang said, which was also why he had suffered the worst in the book.
Gu Wang had died on the operating table, and for Shen Zhao, it had been as if the sky had fallen. Behind his family's back, and behind Song Zhiyan's, he had copied people online who had lost loved ones, buying over a hundred thousand yuan's worth of funeral wreaths and filling the entire villa compound where Jiang Chi lived with them. Shen Zhao had sat outside Jiang Chi's front door in mourning clothes. Jiang Chi was a man of some standing. Perhaps he could have turned a blind eye if Shen Zhao had simply thrown a tantrum, but doing this...
Jiang Chi had hired people to deal with Shen Zhao. It had been pouring that day, and Song Zhiyan had received a call and taken Shen Zhao away. When Shen Zhao woke up again, his leg was crippled. He would be disabled for the rest of his life. If the Shen family hadn't fallen, he would still have had a comfortable life, but with his family gone, he had ended up barely scraping by delivering takeout.
Shen Zhao was much easier to handle than Song Zhiyan. He thought everything Gu Wang said was right. Another reason was that, with both Gu Wang and Song Zhiyan planning to become good students, being the only slacker wouldn't be much fun.
After lunch, Gu Wang and Shen Zhao returned from the supermarket, each holding a cup of iced lemon tea. Shen Zhao chewed his straw, his words muffled.
"Wangwang, are you really done messing around?"
Gu Wang nodded. "I don't feel like it anymore."
Shen Zhao was shocked. There were actually times when his Wangwang didn't feel like having fun?
Although Shen Zhao didn't understand what studying hard was for, if Wangwang wasn't going to mess around anymore, neither would he. Suddenly, a possibility flashed through his mind.
When Gu Wang saw Shen Zhao stop abruptly, he stopped too. "What's wrong?"
Shen Zhao looked rather grave. "Wangwang, tell me the truth. Did He Qinghuan get to you?"
Gu Wang said, "..."
He had discovered that the protagonist's halo really was powerful. No matter how Gu Wang tried to hide, he couldn't escape He Qinghuan. There was always someone constantly bringing him up in his ear.
He said helplessly, "No. I really don't like him anymore. I swear!"
As he spoke, Gu Wang actually raised his hand toward the sky, his expression solemn.
Shen Zhao lunged over theatrically and covered his mouth. "Baby, I won't let you curse yourself!"
Gu Wang: ...
"I just think there's no point pursuing someone like that. It only makes you seem cheap." Gu Wang lowered his eyes and slowly walked on by himself, looking quite like someone nursing a broken heart.
Shen Zhao's heart tightened. He hurried after him to offer comfort. "There are plenty of handsome guys out there. Wangwang, it's not like He Qinghuan's your only option. Once we get to college, we'll switch guys every month and collect all twelve zodiac signs!"
Gu Wang couldn't help laughing. Although everyone in the book apart from the Original Host's family, Shen Zhao, and Song Zhiyan had treated the Original Host terribly, at least those who treated the Original Host well had truly done so without reservation.
Only when he saw Gu Wang smile did Shen Zhao relax. He immediately changed the subject. "Wangwang, do you think we should hire a tutor, then? We don't even know how to solve quadratic equations."
They couldn't even solve equations...
Before Gu Wang could speak, Shen Zhao answered his own question. "It's fine if we don't. You're smart, Wangwang. You can learn it first and then teach me and that Yan Gouzi."
Gu Wang nodded with a complicated expression. Shen Zhao really had a lot of faith in the Original Host.
He parted ways with Shen Zhao in the corridor. Before he even entered the classroom, Song Zhiyan was shouting, "Wangwang, get over here!"
Gu Wang set the lemon tea he had brought Song Zhiyan on his desk. "What's wrong?"
Song Zhiyan spread open his exercise book. It had been smeared with correction fluid and stripped with tape until it was a mess. He stuffed his pen into Gu Wang's hand. "Why does this X equal six? How did you work it out?"
Gu Wang wanted to say he had done it in his head.
After a moment's consideration, Gu Wang circled the formula. "You forgot to change the sign when you moved it from the left side to the right."
Song Zhiyan slapped his forehead. "Fuck, I knew there was a reason I couldn't get it."
Gu Wang said, "..." The world of a bad student was just that simple. Gu Wang had said he studied until three every morning after getting home, and even scheduled posts on his social feed. Song Zhiyan and Shen Zhao believed him completely.
This wasn't just to keep Shen Zhao and Song Zhiyan from growing suspicious; it was also for the people in the Original Host's social circle to see. Gu Wang had quite a few WeChat contacts. A handsome young master from a rich family had no shortage of friends.
Gu Wang had set all the Original Host's old posts to private rather than deleting them. He couldn't erase the traces of the Original Host's existence.
His first post was simply that he was done being a lovesick doormat, just five Chinese characters. It had over a thousand likes. Gu Wang hadn't read the comments. They were all just there for the spectacle.
Slowly, little by little, he would change the Original Host, and when everyone was watching for entertainment and waiting to laugh, he would give them a resounding slap in the face.
If he suddenly ranked first in his year, not only would nobody believe it, someone might actually suspect he wasn't the Original Host.
"I don't like him anymore. I've had my fun. Do whatever you want..." Someone's phone was playing aloud, and in the quiet of noon, the video's audio reached everyone's ears.
The sudden voice interrupted Gu Wang's train of thought. To his surprise, he found the words familiar-not just a little familiar. It sounded like something he had said.
Song Zhiyan dropped his pen and rushed over to Yang Le, who was still playing the video, in a few strides. Yang Le jumped in fright. By the time he reacted, Song Zhiyan had already snatched his phone.
It was what Gu Wang had said to Jiang Chi downstairs the previous evening. Someone had been bored enough to hide by the stairwell and record it, then posted the video on the forum today.
Yang Le was rather afraid of Song Zhiyan. Song Zhiyan was only pleasant to Gu Wang; he never had a friendly expression for anyone else in class.