Truth or dare

Jiang Chunian took out the cards and enthusiastically added to the rules. "Fifteen cards in total, ace through king, plus the big and little jokers. If you choose dare, you can pick a card at random to interact with. After all, this is a fifteen-player game. We should maximize participation between players."

She enunciated "interact" and "participation" especially clearly, her eyes smiling as she looked straight at Song Yu and Xie Sui.

Most of the girls knew exactly what Jiang Chunian was up to, and they all laughed.

"Enough, just start. Keep yapping and I think you're going to get beaten up."

Jiang Chunian said, "Okay, okay, let's not waste time. Draw your cards, draw your cards. Don't be shy."

The boys were equally enthusiastic.

"No peeking."

"Hurry up. Don't waste the time I could spend holding the king card."

One card each, and they were all gone in an instant.

Nobody dared casually reveal their cards after drawing them, lest they get singled out and called up to "interact." How unlucky would that be?

Song Yu drew a king.

Ma Xiaoding hadn't looked at his yet. He leaned over. "Brother Yu, Brother Yu, what card did you get?"

Song Yu dodged him and drawled, "A card you can't afford to mess with."

Ma Xiaoding said, "Whoa!"

Xi Bowen adjusted his glasses and exposed him on the spot. "Brother Yu, quit pretending. The only card you can't mess with in this game is the king card, and I have it."

He laid his card on the table. Sure enough, it was the big joker.

"Heh." Song Yu wasn't embarrassed at being exposed on the spot. Leaning back against the couch, he turned his head and quietly asked Xie Sui, "What did you get?"

Xie Sui showed him his card outright, smiling. "Ace."

Jiang Chunian had checked hers too. "I have a number card. Come on, our first-round joker player can step forward."

But nobody spoke.

Everyone exchanged glances before their eyes settled on Ma Xiaoding, who had refused to look at his own card while nosily fussing over everyone else's.

Ma Xiaoding held his card. "???"

"Fuck, I can't be that unlucky, can I?" He quietly backed away and squinted at his card, then wilted.

"Fuck!"

He slapped it onto the table. Sure enough, the little joker.

He turned around and put on a ferocious expression. "Mess with me and you're dead!"

At a time like this, Song Yu had to step in to uphold fair play. Holding his shoulder down, he smiled at Xi Bowen. "Ask whatever truth you want, give him whatever dare you want. Having fun is what matters most."

Everyone burst out laughing, and the boys started egging him on. "Dare! Ma Xiaoding, are you even a man if you don't pick dare?"

With Song Yu's hand still on his shoulder, Ma Xiaoding felt rather intimidated. He glared at them, then declared decisively, "Truth."

"Pfft-"

Everyone jeered in unison.

Xi Bowen chuckled. "Truth? Then I'll ask you straight out. If you had to choose someone in this room as your girlfriend, who would you pick?"

Ma Xiaoding: "..."

Song Yu hadn't expected Xi Bowen to have such potential as a matchmaker. Anyone who knew Ma Xiaoding could more or less tell how he felt about Jiang Chunian. This was practically giving him a chance to confess.

But Brother Sadako was Brother Sadako, after all, and completely failed to seize the opportunity. He glanced toward Jiang Chunian and flushed. "What kind of shitty question is that? Ask something else."

With a question like this, his behavior only seemed suggestive and suspicious. Everyone's eyes instantly lit up as though they'd discovered a new continent.

The girls' thirst for gossip blazed.

"Ooh, something's fishy. Who's got you this shy?"

"What a coincidence. Looks like there's a name you can't say in this very room."

Ma Xiaoding remained stubborn. "I'm just worried you girls will start fighting over me." Then, embarrassed and angry, he told Xi Bowen, "Hurry up and change the question!"

Once Jiang Chunian had laughed enough, she said, "Mr. Joker Player, could you have a little self-awareness? Since when did you get to make the rules?"

Xi Bowen looked at Ma Xiaoding disdainfully, his expression saying one thing: You're beyond help. But as a good deskmate, he kindly said, "Then take a penalty drink and I'll change it."

Ma Xiaoding readily opened a can of beer and poured himself a glass.

Xi Bowen racked his brains and finally asked a rather flat question. "Here's one. Um, what type of girl do you like?"

That got Ma Xiaoding going, and he launched into a speech. "I'm a guy who doesn't care about appearances." Although that first sentence alone earned him countless merciless jeers, he stayed immersed in his own dreams and kept blathering. "I like quiet girls with substance, cute and bookish, who've read lots of classics and can recite lots of texts, who like writing essays and can talk with me about everything under the sun, life, dreams, poetry, and songs."

Once his speech was over.

The boys were ruthless. "Okay, doesn't exist. Next."

The girls collapsed onto the table laughing. "Hahahaha, someone dedicate 'Waking from a Dream' to this guy."

Ma Xiaoding snorted, not bothering with these philistines.

In disbelief, Xi Bowen quietly asked him, "Where did you see any of those qualities in Jiang Chunian?"

Ma Xiaoding scratched his head, rather embarrassed. "Isn't she the Chinese class representative? I have a natural fondness for girls who are good at Chinese."

Xi Bowen: "..."

So you like a girl just because she's the Chinese class representative?!

Hahahahaha.

He decided never to worry about Ma Xiaoding's love life again.

Like her, his ass. All Ma Xiaoding had ever loved was Chinese.

As the game got livelier, everyone kept choosing truth, so Jiang Chunian simply changed the rules on the spot: after three consecutive truths, the next round had to be a dare.

This round, Jiang Chunian got the king card, while her deskmate got the joker.

Jiang Chunian couldn't stop laughing. "Truth or dare, Yingying? Oh, sorry, you don't get a choice. Dare."

Liang Yingying gave a dry laugh and gritted her teeth.

Jiang Chunian pointed outside. "Sweetheart, go get a cute guy's WeChat and take a photo together while you're at it. Don't come back to me without them."

Liang Yingying stuffed a potato chip into her mouth, her gaze murderous. "Playing that dirty? You'd better not fall into my hands!"

Jiang Chunian said, "Oh, sorry, I fear nothing."

Liang Yingying stormed out, only to run back blushing like a bunny. Mortified after returning, she covered her face for ages before the heat finally faded.

Everyone grew increasingly engrossed in the show, and more people started picking dare. Ma Xiaoding drew the king card, while another boy got the joker. Shaking off his dejection, he shouted, "Didn't we say we'd interact? Whoever has the three, come out, gaze lovingly into our joker player's eyes, and hug him." The player holding the three was another boy, who didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He stood up cursing. "Ma Xiao Gay, just you wait."

This round, Song Yu drew the king card, while a girl drew the joker. Her face flushed with excitement, and she eagerly volunteered for a dare. "Brother Yu! I'll do anything for you!"

The boys in the room hooted. "That exciting?!"

The girls covered their faces. "You little brat, you're embarrassing us."

But Song Yu only smiled. "No need for that. For your dare, recite a passage of 'Qinyuan Chun' for me."

The girl: "???"

The boys roared with laughter. "Brother Yu's heartless scumbag-oh, no, top-student persona remains intact."

Finally, one round, Xie Sui got the king card, while Song Yu held the joker.

When they revealed their cards, the entire room fell silent for a second, the atmosphere growing tense.

Jiang Chunian sat bolt upright as though injected with adrenaline, clutching a cushion.

"Aaah, Brother Yu, hurry up and pick! Truth or dare?"

Waaah, why wasn't this a mandatory dare round?

Holding the card between his fingers, Xie Sui lowered his eyes and asked with a faint smile, "Which one?"

Song Yu frowned in thought for a moment. "Truth, I guess."

Xie Sui nodded and asked mildly, "Did you sleep well last night?"

The entire room: "..."

Jiang Chunian and all the girls practically had their hearts shattered! God Xie! Such a good opportunity-what are you doing?!

Song Yu was bewildered too. "Pretty well. A rare dreamless night."

After all, whenever he dreamed about things involving Xie Sui, he never slept very soundly.

Xie Sui's lips curved into a smile, and he tossed his card back onto the table. Whatever secrets of Song Yu's he wanted to know, he would investigate himself. Naturally, he would also be the only one to know them.

But in the next round, Song Yu had terrible luck and drew the joker again.

This time, the king card went to Jiang Chunian. Having nearly sunk into despair just now, she sprang back to life!

She had been brimming with questions like "How do you feel about God Xie?" "Is there someone you like?" and "Where does your deskmate rank in your heart?" But the instant she met Xie Sui's cool gaze, she wilted. Rubbing her cushion pitifully, she listlessly asked whatever came to mind. "A dreamless night? Brother Yu, were you having nightmares all this time before?"

Song Yu simply assumed they were mindful of his status as the school bully and didn't dare give him a hard time. He answered honestly, "Not nightmares. I just kept dreaming about someone."

Everyone: "???"

Xie Sui paused, his eyes narrowing slightly, the smile at his lips turning a little cold.

Jiang Chunian: "!!!"

Fuck! How many ups and downs was her heart going to endure today? "-Who was it?"

Song Yu realized he had let something slip and regretted adding that last sentence. Luckily, he could still salvage things. He leaned back. "I don't have to answer that, do I? That's a second question."

Jiang Chunian eagerly gathered the cards. "Quick, quick, quick! Shuffle again. Draw, draw, draw."

She was determined to find out who that person was today.

Xi Bowen got the king card again.

And Xie Sui drew the first joker of his life.

Xi Bowen both respected and feared Xie Sui. "God Xie, truth or dare?"

Xie Sui said, "Truth."

Xi Bowen didn't know what to ask, either.

But every gaze landing on him was threatening. He felt that if he failed to get anything out of him, he would get beaten up.

So he could only ask something carefully measured. "God Xie, is there someone you like right now?"

Xie Sui smiled, his peach-blossom eyes curving, his voice growing a little gentler. "Yes."

"Whoa!!!"

One stone stirred up a thousand waves. Now boys and girls alike were howling!

Even Song Yu froze. Xie Sui liked someone? Who? Who had Xie Sui met without him knowing?

But it was the same situation as Song Yu's last round. They knew there was gossip, but had no chance to ask another question. They could only keep playing, itching with curiosity.

The game continued.

This time, Liang Yingying got the king card.

And the joker-went to Xie Sui again.

Everyone sucked in a breath, their hearts rising into their throats. If word got out about who the school heartthrob liked, it would surely shake the whole school.

Liang Yingying's card-holding hand was trembling. Naturally, she lived up to expectations and asked what everyone wanted to know. "God Xie, who do you like?"

But Xie Sui only smiled. "I choose dare."

Everyone: "..." They'd forgotten that move existed.

Liang Yingying was deeply disappointed. "Oh... okay."

She looked back at Xie Sui and instantly felt a little intimidated, not daring to make any particularly excessive demand.

"Then... God Xie, why don't you recite a passage of 'Qinyuan Chun' too?"

Beside her, Jiang Chunian rolled her eyes. "Yingying, you're hopeless. Copying Brother Yu even for a dare."

Liang Yingying: "..."

She looked down at Jiang Chunian, suddenly remembering the embarrassment and mortification of asking someone for their WeChat earlier, as well as her bold declaration back then.

Inspiration struck.

She chuckled. "You're dead."

Jiang Chunian: "???"

Liang Yingying turned back. "Actually, no, God Xie, I've suddenly changed my mind. No reciting 'Qinyuan Chun.' Let's read something instead? I recently found a really well-written novel, and as luck would have it, the main character has exactly the same name as you. How about you read a passage for me?"

Everyone: "..."

Jiang Chunian: "..."

Author's note: But every time I finish writing, I have no time left to organize the comments, and the little bonus skits are so hard to come up with too (ノへ￣,) I actually read all your comments, but replying to them one by one is too hard qaq and there are verification codes too. As long as you know I love you.

I'll win you back with red packets instead. While comments are closed, fifty red packets per chapter.

For the first thirty commenters and the last twenty as of whenever I send the red packets out (the time varies).

Mua~

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Song Zhaoxing., 38 bottles; Shisan Ye Zhi Yan and Xiao Wang Xiao Wang Sha Dou Wang, 20 bottles each; Madam Li, 19 bottles; Dengzi, 14 bottles; Xue Wanwan, Ting Ye, ihg, and 35572537, 10 bottles each; Chang'an Yi Jiu, Wo Kan Hao Ni O, Yun Ling, Mo Anying, Si Wen, Shiguang Yu Ni Jie Nan Shou, Chuan Ze, and Chengnan Dabao, 5 bottles each; 35225304, Di Za, and Jizhi De Xiao Rong'er, 3 bottles each; Mo Mo Qian Xing, 31588052, and 38575487, 2 bottles each; Jiujiu, Uncle Lan, Chi Lizhi Ya, Na Ying, Liu, and Adishka, 1 bottle each;

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