Upon hearing this voice, Song Yunshen sensed something was wrong. The next second, his breathing became rapid, and he quickly pried the guy's arm off.
"You bastard, you said you'd come play ball after you finished with your work, but you're here having dinner with someone else, huh?" Xu Zhuoyue punched him, then leaned close to Song Yunshen's ear and fiercely criticized, "You should have said you were on a date earlier, why did I even bother calling you!"
"I did go to study seriously," Song Yunshen said with a helpless expression. "If you don't believe me, ask her. Wasn't I very focused this afternoon?"
Although it wasn't the first time Xia Yunuo had seen them playfully fighting, she was still a little frightened by their actions of grabbing each other's necks and punching each other.
She nodded blankly, indicating that what Song Yunshen said was true.
Xu Zhuoyue clicked his tongue; no one would believe this bastard's words.
However, he didn't disturb his good friend's meal any longer. After venting his frustrations, he waved and left.
"Want to eat together?" Song Yunshen asked, looking at his retreating figure.
"Roll!"
If you really want to eat together, wouldn't you have called him beforehand?
It's obvious that he's not sincere.
Besides, would I be so stupid as to specifically dig out a plate to eat dog food?
I have no idea how that bastard managed to get Xia Yunuo into bed; they're eating together every day now.
Xu Zhuoyue couldn't figure it out, so he simply stopped thinking about it and hurriedly went to find his basketball buddies to have dinner with.
He had a premonition.
I'm afraid I'll be eating out with my best buddies less and less often in the future.
Women... are truly a stumbling block to brotherhood.
Song Yunshen had anticipated Xu Zhuoyue's reaction, so he only asked politely and didn't actually invite him to dinner.
After shouting, he turned back and continued eating.
"Are you... alright?" Xia Yunuo asked softly.
"Huh? What is it?"
"He seemed really angry," Xia Yunuo asked cautiously. "He even hit you just now."
"Oh, it's nothing." Song Yunshen chuckled. "It's normal between guys, didn't I tell you that before?"
"So you promised him you'd go play ball this afternoon?" Xia Yunuo a little hesitant, feeling embarrassed that she had inconvenienced his fun.
"Everything has priorities, and studying definitely takes precedence over playing ball," Song Yunshen said. "I only promised him that if I finished my work early, I would play for a while, but I got so engrossed in studying. It's all thanks to Teacher Xia's excellent teaching."
"It's not as good as you say..." Xia Yunuo shook her head modestly, and breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing his words.
She had no friends before and didn't really understand the logic behind this playful and teasing way of getting along with friends.
Moreover, seeing the boy resort to violence made her instinctively feel stressed, and her heart couldn't help but race.
It wasn't love at first sight.
It's fear.
But she dared not say these things, so she could only bury her emotions in her heart and process them on her own.
[It's all in the past, it's all in the past, don't be afraid.]
I'll never see that man again.
[ Song Yunshen and Xu Zhuoyue were just playing around, it's normal between guys, don't overthink it.]
Xia Yunuo knew very well that her emotions were probably difficult for outsiders to understand.
She had asked others for help before, but it didn't make much of a difference.
She had finally made a friend, and she didn't want Song Yunshen's mood to be affected by her psychological flaws.
But Song Yunshen paused in his eating, glancing up at Xia Yunuo's micro-expression before pursing his lips.
What's going on?
What was she really thinking just now...?
It's just playful banter, what is she afraid of?
Song Yunshen harbored this question, but couldn't bring himself to ask it.
The atmosphere between the two immediately fell silent.
"Um..." Xia Yunuo composed herself, looked up at Song Yunshen again, her expression now calm as usual, "Can I discuss something with you?"
"What?"
"Can I ask you about the math test during evening self-study?"
"Sure," Song Yunshen said with a smile. "Didn't you ask about it every day before?"
"Hmm..." Xia Yunuo gently, "But there wasn't enough time between classes, and I had problems in quite a few areas of the exam."
"Oh." Song Yunshen. "Then you can switch seats with Xu Zhuoyue. I'll explain it to you during class."
"W-Isn't this a bit inappropriate? It'll disturb the other students."
"It's alright." Song Yunshen waved his hand. "It's fine as long as you don't talk. Many problems are just missing a clue; you can just point it out with a pen."
Will Xu Zhuoyue be angry?
"How could that be?" Song Yunshen said cheerfully, "Go ask him, he'll definitely agree."
"... Wasn't it you who went to say it?"
I'll make a bet with you.
"What?"
"I'll go talk to him first, and he'll definitely refuse to agree," Song Yunshen said. "Then you go talk to him, and he'll agree immediately."
"Really?" Xia Yunuo was a little skeptical.
After all, Song Yunshen and Xu Zhuoyue had a good relationship, while she wasn't familiar with Xu Zhuoyue.
"Let's bet on a meal," Song Yunshen said. "If I lose, I'll treat you to dinner."
"Then I lose..."
"Please buy me an iced tea."
"Hmm... okay."
After the two finished eating and returned to the classroom, Xu Zhuoyue had not yet returned, so Xia Yunuo went back to her seat first.
As soon as Song Yunshen sat down, Zhong Long from the back row leaned over with a gossipy look on his face and chuckled, " Brother Shen."
"What's wrong?"
"Give me a straight answer," Zhong Long said with a forced smile, rubbing his chubby hands. "Did you and Xia Yunuo talk or not?"
"No," Song Yunshen glanced at him sideways, "I'm focused on my studies, I have no such thoughts."
After all, his future girlfriend is Xia Jinshu.
It just feels really weird to think about dating your future girlfriend's sister.
Hmm... that's kind of exciting.
"Really not?" Zhong Long, somewhat unwilling. "Then why do you eat together every day?"
"Can't classmates eat together?" Song Yunshen said irritably. "You eat with Deng Shitao every day, are you two dating?"
"Cough, cough!" Zhong Long's deskmate Deng Shitao, couldn't hold back any longer when he heard this. "Don't talk nonsense! My sexual orientation is perfectly normal!"
"Nonsense." Zhong Long said speechlessly, "You're always exchanging glances with Shen Yue, do you think I don't know?"
"Damn it! What did you say?" Deng Shitao's face turned red. "It's not as exaggerated as you're making it out to be!"
" Shen Yue always brings you water when we play ball, right?" Song Yunshen chimed in, adding fuel to the fire. "Tsk tsk tsk, I bet they're already planning to go on dates and hold hands during the summer vacation."
"More than that," Zhong Long chuckled. "Give me a kiss, I trust Brother Tao."
"Roll!"
After Song Yunshen changed the subject, seeing that Zhong Long was no longer pursuing the previous topic, Song Yunshen turned around and left.
At this moment, Xu Zhuoyue finally arrived.
Xia Yunuo had obviously been keeping an eye on Xu Zhuoyue's movements. When she saw him return, she turned to look at Song Yunshen, and their eyes met in mid-air.
Song Yunshen raised an eyebrow at her.
Xia Yunuo immediately turned her head away, a little embarrassed.
At this moment, Xu Zhuoyue had already taken a seat with a bottle of iced tea.
"During evening self-study, take one class period to come out," Song Yunshen said, patting his shoulder. "Switch seats with Xia Yunuo; I need to explain some problems to her."
Xu Zhuoyue: "???"
"Still going to explain the problem? You think I won't tell the teacher?!"
Upon hearing that Song Yunshen was planning to flaunt his relationship in his seat, Xu Zhuoyue flew into a rage, yelling, "Dream on!"
Song Yunshen blinked, not surprised at all.
In reality, although Xu Zhuoyue said he wouldn't allow it, he would definitely give up his position if he were really asked to do so later.
It's just a matter of venting now.
But Xia Yunuo still thought Xu Zhuoyue was genuinely unwilling.
Seeing Song Yunshen wink at her again, Xia Yunuo immediately became shy and awkward.
Having finally mustered her courage, she got up and walked to Xu Zhuoyue's desk. Encouraged by Song Yunshen, she asked Xu Zhuoyue, "Um... during the last self-study period later, can we switch seats?"
When asked to do this by the prettiest girl in the class, Xu Zhuoyue's brain went blank. He stammered for a long time, not knowing where to put his hands.
"Y-yes, sure... no problem! I can switch to three different classes!"
Xia Yunuo blinked, still a little dazed.
You agreed just like that?
"Looks like I've lost," Song Yunshen said to her with a smile.
Xia Yunuo blushed a little from the stares of those around her and hurriedly turned back to her seat.
Only then did Xu Zhuoyue realize what had happened, and he turned his head suspiciously, asking, "What did you lose?"
"You lost the money for the meal, but won at life."
"... Are you kidding me?"