"Isn't that enough?"
Chen Zhenzhen tried her best to ignore the gazes fixed on her from all over the classroom. "I feel like you dragged me over here just to show me off!"
"My bro's good-looking, so why can't I show her off?" Zhang Zhaomu replied as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Besides, this is the fruit of my labor too. My sense of accomplishment is off the charts right now!"
"So you do know I'm just your bro?" Chen Zhenzhen had the urge to stomp on his foot. "If we stay any longer, your classmates will definitely think there's something improper going on between us!"
"The innocent have nothing to fear." Zhang Zhaomu looked unconcerned. "Who cares what other people think? As long as our own consciences are clear, isn't that enough?"
Chen Zhenzhen's earlobes reddened slightly, and her voice grew a little weaker despite herself. "That's true. Anyway, my conscience is definitely clear!"
"I just think this might affect your chances with the girls in your class later. Once they get the wrong idea, it'll be a pain to explain."
Zhang Zhaomu raised an eyebrow. "Whatever. Why should I care about something so boring? I already said even a dog wouldn't bother dating. Right now, all I want to do is make a ton of money!"
At that, he looked pained. "You went way overboard ordering food earlier. If I can't earn that money back, I'm in for a miserable month."
"Serves you right!" Chen Zhenzhen gave a little huff. "You used me as something to show off, so shouldn't I get some compensation somewhere else?"
"But four dishes for two people was a little too extravagant..."
"And you have the nerve to say that? Didn't you eat more than I did?"
"You ate plenty too. Nearly that whole fish head with chopped chilies went into your stomach." As Zhang Zhaomu spoke, he glanced at Chen Zhenzhen's slightly rounded belly.
Chen Zhenzhen hurriedly sucked in her stomach, her face reddening. "So what if I love fish head with chopped chilies? I'll have it again next time! Two portions!"
"That's your business. I'm not paying, anyway." Zhang Zhaomu waved a hand. "All right, go back to your classroom. I'll come find you after evening self-study. You still have to go to my place and change-"
"Keep your voice down!" Chen Zhenzhen hurriedly raised a hand to cover Zhang Zhaomu's mouth. "Watch where you're saying that, you bastard!"
Chen Zhenzhen noticed that several girls seated near the front door had strange expressions on their faces.
This is so embarrassing. Sometimes this guy's obliviousness is enough to drive you to despair. Saying something like that to a girl is more than enough to make people's imaginations run wild, isn't it? Sure enough, even though he keeps saying we can't go back to how things were, he still doesn't see me as a girl, does he?
Chen Zhenzhen recalled his curious analogy from before.
Garen wearing an Ahri skin or whatever. He wasn't joking at all-maybe he really convinced himself of that! That's why he adapted to my new look so quickly, and could even drag me out to show me off without feeling the slightest bit awkward!
"Look at my Ahri skills! Aren't they badass? Surprise! It's not Ahri at all! Take my big sword! Demacia!"
For some reason, the image of him saying that popped into her head, and a feeling of helplessness rose in Chen Zhenzhen's heart.
She glared at Zhang Zhaomu in frustration and hurried down the stairs. When she reached the door to Class One, Chen Zhenzhen hesitated again.
Zhang Zhaomu might not see her as a girl, but other people wouldn't think that way. She looked so different today that it was hard to imagine how her classmates would react.
"Whatever! Who cares what other people think? As long as I'm happy, that's enough." She silently repeated Zhang Zhaomu's words to herself, then finally took a deep breath and stepped inside.
Numerous gazes converged on her. Chen Zhenzhen ignored them and sat down in her seat.
"Um..." Wang Qianzi, who was sitting beside her, said quietly, "Are you in the wrong class?"
"It's me."
Chen Zhenzhen tried to keep her expression calm. "What? You don't recognize me after I changed clothes?"
"Huh?" Wang Qianzi's eyes widened. "You're Zhenzhen? How did you change so much over a single lunch break? I really didn't recognize you at first."
She was the type to get familiar with people right away. She immediately leaned over and couldn't resist reaching out to poke Chen Zhenzhen's bun. "Your hair is so cute! It's so lively and makes your face look so small. I always thought you were pretty; it's just that your old hairstyle didn't suit you at all."
"Promise me you'll weld this hairstyle to your head from now on!"
Chen Zhenzhen slapped her hand away. "Stop poking it. If it comes undone, I don't know how to tie it back up."
"Hm? You didn't do it yourself?"
"Someone else helped me."
"Someone else, huh~" Wang Qianzi teased. "Who else could it be? It was Zhang Zhaomu, wasn't it?"
"He picked out the clothes too, right? You can tell at a glance it's the kind of style boys like."
"Don't get the wrong idea," Chen Zhenzhen hurriedly explained. "He's planning to start a makeover business, and I just agreed to let him practice on me first and see how it turned out."
"Well, it turned out amazingly." Wang Qianzi marveled. "I didn't expect him to be not only handsome, but talented at this too... Oh, right, didn't you agree to put in a good word for me with him last night?"
"I asked, but he isn't planning to date anyone for now."
"You really asked?" Wang Qianzi was smiling. "Could it be that someone couldn't bear to let him go, so she never brought it up at all?"
"How could that be?!" Chen Zhenzhen avoided her gaze, feeling a little guilty. "He said even a dog wouldn't bother dating!"
Although I really didn't bring it up, those were Zhang Zhaomu's exact words. Even if I had asked, the result would have been the same, so I'm not lying. Yes, that's right!
"All right." Wang Qianzi didn't look particularly down. She was even studying Chen Zhenzhen's expression with interest. "Looks like he's not interested in me. What a shame."
"A guy that great really would have higher standards. I wonder which girl will end up getting lucky."
In a casual tone, she said, "I heard there are quite a few beauties in his class. Duan Chan'er is in Class Nine, and there's also a transfer student named Xiang Qing. Even the study maniacs in our class who usually think about nothing but studying couldn't resist running up to the third floor to get a look. When they came back, every one of them acted like they'd seen a fairy."
Chen Zhenzhen pressed her lips together. For some reason, she felt a little inexplicably jealous. "That has nothing to do with me."
"True. After all, you and he are just purely friends, Zhenzhen." Wang Qianzi placed deliberate emphasis on "purely friends."
"But I don't think you look any worse than they do now, Zhenzhen. Especially to boys, you'd definitely be more popular than them. After all, you have a big advantage."
"What advantage?" Chen Zhenzhen almost didn't catch on, until she saw Wang Qianzi's teasing expression.
She immediately cried out in embarrassed anger, "Wang Qianzi, what's wrong with you?!"
"Ooh, Zhenzhen, you're even cuter when you're embarrassed. How can Zhang Zhaomu stand to be just friends with you? If I were him, I'd have grabbed you and ravaged you ages ago."
Girls were much more direct with one another than they were with boys. Chen Zhenzhen really couldn't handle her perverted deskmate and lay down on her desk to escape the subject.
But her thoughts began to wander again despite herself.
That guy Zhang Zaowan is a pervert too. He actually wanted me to wear white stockings before. Could that mean he isn't really that oblivious either?
Does something like pure friendship really exist?