After washing the dishes at Duan Chan'er's house, Zhang Zhaomu spent some time playing with September and the Barbecue.
Duan Chan'er finally had the chance to ask the question that had been bothering her since earlier.
"Class monitor, I'm not surprised Chen Zhenzhen is at your house, but why Xiang Qing there too?"
Zhang Zhaomu truthfully replied, "They studied at my house, and then because of the rain, they called home to say they wouldn't be going back today."
"Oh, I see... Wait a minute!" Duan Chan'er was suddenly taken aback, even doubting whether she had misheard. "Do you mean you're not going back? You mean you're staying at your place tonight?"
"Yes." Zhang Zhaomu nodded.
"Let me confirm for now," Duan Chan'er swallowed hard. "The layouts of our two households should be the same, right?"
"Um.
Duan Chan'er dilated in shock.
Wait... is the class monitor playing such fancy tricks?
Chen Zhenzhen is one thing, since she already had a crush on the class monitor, but what's with Xiang Qing?
Were there three of them together?
Isn't that a bit too exciting?
How did the class monitor persuade them?
No wonder when I discussed how to build a harem with the class monitor, he seemed to have a lot of feasible ideas. Was he just talking about his own past experiences?
The class monitor looks quite thin; is he sure he can handle 1v2?
Hmm, maybe he's exceptionally talented?
Countless chaotic thoughts instantly overwhelmed Duan Chan'er's mind; various limited-edition images began to play in her head.
"No! I can't keep imagining this!"
Before losing her composure, Duan Chan'er forced herself to regain her senses.
"The class monitor shouldn't be that kind of person... I guess I misunderstood."
"We really can't let those fictional works influence us anymore! The real world doesn't have that many dramatic storylines! After all, the class monitor is just a high school student!"
She gently patted her cheeks to hide her awkwardness, but couldn't resist her curiosity and asked, "If the layout is the same—a one-bedroom apartment—then... how do you plan to sleep?"
"Does the class monitor sleep on the sofa?"
This is the most reasonable default that Duan Chan'er came up with using the purest of thoughts.
"Hilarious! How could that be!" Zhang Zhaomu said matter-of-factly, "That's my house, how could I sleep on the sofa?"
Duan Chan'er dilated in shock once again!
"Then you..." Her voice trembled slightly, "... whether you sleep with Chen Zhenzhen, or with Xiang Qing? Or..." "What are you thinking!" Zhang Zhaomu interrupted her, speechless, "I'm not sleeping with either of them!"
"The three of us made a pact: none of us will sleep tonight; the dog will be the first to fall asleep."
As he said this, he picked up September and chuckled, " September, you'll soon have a big sister, aren't you happy?"
"Woof~" September barked softly.
"Hey! It barked!" Zhang Zhaomu exclaimed in surprise, " Duan Chan'er, did you hear that?"
"I heard you." Duan Chan'er replied expressionlessly.
She didn't know how to describe the complex feelings she was experiencing at that moment.
As expected, I had overthought things; the class monitor was indeed a pure person, but...
A multiple-choice question seemed to appear before Duan Chan'er's eyes.
[If two girls were to stay at your place tonight, one a childhood friend with a youthful face and large breasts who has a crush on you, and the other a stunningly beautiful new classmate who just sat next to you, but you only have one bed, who would you choose?]
[A gives up the bed to the two beautiful ladies and sleeps on the sofa himself.]
[B. Enjoying a pleasant duo queue game with my childhood friend who has a youthful face and large breasts.]
[C. Enjoying a fun duo queue game with my gorgeous deskmate.]
[D. A real man doesn't make choices; I want it all! Time for an exhilarating three-player squad match!]
[E. Urges everyone to stay up tonight! Whoever falls asleep first is a dog! And bring them to September and Barbecue for a public acquaintance.]
Would a normal person choose E? You think they're choosing a bra size?!
Duan Chan'er sighed inwardly. Sure enough, she couldn't have any expectations of the class monitor in this regard; his level of straightness was approaching the bizarre.
"Alright, I should probably head over now." Zhang Zhaomu had no idea what Duan Chan'er was thinking. He put down September and invited, "Do you want to come over and play? You're home alone anyway, it'll be more lively with more people."
"I won't go." Duan Chan'er shook her head.
As expected of a stereotypical straight man.
Didn't you sense the chaotic atmosphere at the dinner table just now?
With Duan Chan'er's keen sensitivity to emotions, she had long ago sensed the jealousy that Chen Zhenzhen was constantly radiating. As for Xiang Qing, she could also see that the other party was quite restrained because of her presence.
They clearly wanted to have a good time tonight, and even lied to their families about it. Why would you go and interfere, ruining the atmosphere? That's no different from picking a fight.
Anyway, with the class monitor, that straight-laced guy, around, nothing exciting is going to happen, so I might as well stay home and study the data myself.
"Alright," Zhang Zhaomu, not pressuring the matter.
He guessed that Duan Chan'er probably wanted to take advantage of the holiday to write more drafts, since she usually had to attend classes and didn't have much time to write.
After saying goodbye to Duan Chan'er, Zhang Zhaomu returned home.
The two were sitting side by side on the sofa, both looking over at the same time.
"What?" Zhang Zhaomu raised an eyebrow. "Why are you looking at me like that? Have I gotten even more handsome?"
"I thought you were planning to stay at Duan Chan'er's house," Chen Zhenzhen said sarcastically. "That way, Xiang Qing and I would have a bed to sleep in."
"She won't let me into her bedroom, and I have to sleep on the sofa when I stay at her place," Zhang Zhaomu casually remarked. "That sofa is the same model as mine."
"That's such a shame," Chen Zhenzhen continued sarcastically. "But you've made so much money lately, you could buy him a new sofa, so he'll have a place to sleep."
Zhang Zhaomu said irritably, "How about you buy me a new sofa, and I'll give you and Xiang Qing the bed?"
Xiang Qing looked up. "How much does the sofa cost approximately?"
Chen Zhenzhen: "?"
Zhang Zhaomu didn't dare to respond, afraid that she might actually move a new sofa into her house someday. This person's inexplicable seriousness always left people scratching their heads.
So he changed the subject, teasingly asking, " The Little Mute can talk again?"
"I've already told you I'm not Little Mute! I'm just nervous!" Xiang Qing retorted.
"I actually think 'Little Mute' sounds kind of cute." Chen Zhenzhen stared at her mischievously. "It's not good for us to keep calling you by your full name; it sounds too formal. Let's keep this as your nickname."
"No!" Xiang Qing shook her head rapidly. "I have a nickname, my mom calls me Qingqing, you can call me that too."
"That's not a nickname, that's a pet name," Chen Zhenzhen explained seriously.
"That's right." Zhang Zhaomu nodded and said, "A nickname is something you're called from childhood, while a pet name is generally given to you by others based on your characteristics; whether you like it or not is not important."
"For example, Chen Zhen really dislikes me calling her Chen Zhen, but there's nothing I can do to change that, because I have a mouth to speak."
"I should have given Zhang Zaowan an even worse nickname back then," Chen Zhenzhen said, filled with regret.
Xiang Qing pouted, looking aggrieved. "But... 'Little Mute' really sounds awful!"
"Even if you're going to give me a nickname, can't you at least come up with something nice?"
She argued logically, "Besides, you say the nickname is based on my characteristics, and I'm not mute."
"Don't you act like Little Mute in front of others?" Zhang Zhaomu teased with a wicked sense of humor.
"That's in front of other people!" Xiang Qing felt she had never thought so clearly, cutting straight to the point. "Look, I'm very talkative in front of you, so only others can call me 'Little Mute,' you can't call me that, otherwise it doesn't conform to your principle of giving me a nickname based on my characteristics!"
Zhang Zhaomu and Chen Zhenzhen looked at each other in bewilderment.
"Holy crap..." he muttered, "That makes a lot of sense... I think I'm being convinced."
"Me too." Chen Zhenzhen nodded.
Zhang Zhaomu: "It feels like a Little Mute suddenly becoming smart."
"Indeed," Chen Zhenzhen exclaimed. "And this is the first time I've heard the Little Mute speak such a long sentence in one breath."
"It seems the Little Mute really doesn't want us to Little Mute anymore," Zhang Zhaomu sighed.
"That's only natural," Chen Zhenzhen nodded again. "But I believe the Little Mute will get used to it."
Xiang Qing:
Hearing the two of them calling her " Little Mute " repeatedly, she felt like crying, "Didn't we agree that I had convinced you?"
"That's true." Zhang Zhaomu and Chen Zhenzhen exchanged a smile and said, "But if the nickname is something the person being called likes, then wouldn't it be a waste of time to give them that nickname?"
"That's right!" Chen Zhenzhen snorted. "I've been called Chen Zhen, that awful nickname, for years. How could I let you get away with it?"
"You—" Xiang Qing opened her mouth, wanting to curse.
But no.
They looked quite pitiful.
This made Zhang Zhaomu feel a pang of sympathy, and his tone softened as he said, "Don't worry, this nickname is only used when it's just the three of us. If there are strangers around, we'll still give you face."
"Really?" Xiang Qing raised her eyelids slightly, looking at the two of them with pitiful eyes.
"Of course." Chen Zhenzhen hugged her arm, pulling her close to her chest. "In front of others, I'll call you Qingqing."
"Okay!" Xiang Qing's mood finally improved. " Zhang Zhaomu also calls me Qingqing."
"He's not allowed to call me that!" Chen Zhenzhen said reflexively.
"Why?" Xiang Qing was taken aback.
"Because..." Chen Zhenzhen had been speaking faster than thinking just now, but now she couldn't think of any reasonable explanation.
Indeed, we're all friends, so why can't Zhang Zhaomu call him that?
After hesitating for a while, she finally came up with an excuse. "Because... he's a boy, and calling you that could easily lead to misunderstandings about your relationship."
"Oh." Xiang Qing nodded. "I understand."
"If my classmates hear him call me Qingqing, they'll think that my relationship with him is like his relationship with Duan Chan'er, right?"
Chen Zhenzhen: "??!!"