Chapter 20

Zhu Shiyan pointed at himself. "Me? Why?"

"I'm afraid she won't agree if I ask her out alone." Chu Junyuan circled around to sit in Xi Fei's seat, hugging his arm and acting spoiled. "Come with me, please. If she brings her friend along, the four of us can hang out, and she’ll definitely agree."

Zhu Shiyan pushed his head away. "Not going."

But not going was out of the question. Chu Junyuan pestered him for days, acting as if he wouldn't let it go unless Zhu Shiyan agreed. In the end, Zhu Shiyan tagged along.

The date was set for Saturday. Chu Junyuan had booked an escape room, planning to grab a meal afterward.

Mi Lin was a cute girl with a sweet, curving smile. The moment Chu Junyuan saw her, he couldn't even walk straight, just standing there grinning like a fool. Zhu Shiyan couldn't bear to watch and gave him a push, lowering his voice. "What are you standing there like an idiot for? Go help her."

The two girls were racking their brains to solve the puzzles, while he just stood by doing nothing. It was no wonder he couldn't win a girl over.

"Right, right, solve the puzzles, solve the puzzles."

Chu Junyuan hurried over, trying to get close to Mi Lin. The girl next to Mi Lin, seemingly aware of his intentions, stepped aside and retreated two steps to stand next to Zhu Shiyan.

Afraid she might feel awkward, Zhu Shiyan took the initiative. "Hello, I’m Zhu Shiyan."

The girl wasn't shy at all, replying openly, "Hello, I’m Shen Suhui. I know who you are."

Zhu Shiyan was surprised. "You know me?"

"The handsome transfer student from First High? Who in school doesn't know you?"

Zhu Shiyan smiled politely. "You’re very pretty, too."

Shen Suhui laughed. "Getting a compliment from the handsome guy makes this trip worth it."

Seeing that Mi Lin also seemed interested in Chu Junyuan, Zhu Shiyan suggested they split into pairs to solve the puzzles to create an opportunity for them. Chu Junyuan was the first to agree, giving him a frantic thumbs-up behind his back. Mi Lin was shy but agreed. Since she did, Shen Suhui naturally didn't object and followed Zhu Shiyan down a different path.

With her quick, active mind, she and Zhu Shiyan finished the puzzles and exited the room quickly. When they emerged, the area was empty; the other two were clearly still stuck inside.

Zhu Shiyan bought two milk teas and handed one to Shen Suhui. "Taro milk tea. I hope you like it."

Shen Suhui paused, then took it with a smile. "That’s heart-fluttering."

Zhu Shiyan thought he’d misheard. "What did you say?"

Shen Suhui held the cup, her eyes filled with a gentle, faint smile. "Xiao Lin told me you’d be coming today, which is why I decided to come."

Zhu Shiyan froze, the cup suddenly feeling hot in his hand. "You... you like me? But we didn't know each other before today."

Shen Suhui looked a bit embarrassed, avoiding his gaze. "I’ve been watching you for a long time, ever since you transferred to this school."

It wasn't the first time Zhu Shiyan had been confessed to, but it was the first time by a high school girl. Flustered, he didn't know what to say. "I'm sorry, I don't have any plans to date right now."

Shen Suhui pursed her lips. "I know."

Zhu Shiyan began to feel restless.

Shen Suhui smiled and looked up. "I'm sorry, I scared you, didn't I? I just wanted to tell you how I felt, nothing more. I’m transferring schools soon, and I didn't want to leave any regrets."

"I... I see."

Zhu Shiyan still felt awkward. Just then, his phone rang. Grateful for the distraction, he picked it up without checking the caller ID. "Hello? Who is this?"

There was a pause on the other end. Then, a voice said, "It’s me."

Zhu Shiyan’s eyes widened, his tone rising. "Xi Fei?"

"Yeah."

"You finished your exams?"

"Yeah, I'm back."

"Back?" Zhu Shiyan was surprised. "Wasn't it supposed to be tomorrow?" He had calculated that Xi Fei would return on Sunday, which was why he felt safe going out with Chu Junyuan on Saturday.

"I came back early. The others are still at A University."

A University was one of the nation's top institutions. After the exams, the teachers wanted to take them around the campus to soak in the academic atmosphere, but Xi Fei couldn't wait a second longer. He told the teacher, bought a ticket, and headed back.

"You're not at home?" Xi Fei asked. He had rushed home, full of excitement to see Zhu Shiyan, only to find the apartment empty. It took him a while to realize he should just call and ask where he was.

"Xiao Yuan asked me out. Do you want to come? We’re going to have hotpot later."

"You? Who else is there?"

"Two girls from the class next door."

Two girls? Xi Fei's expression shifted as he gripped his phone. "Where are you?"

Zhu Shiyan hung up the phone and saw Shen Suhui looking at him in surprise. "Xi Fei? Is that the Xi Fei from our school? He’s coming too?"

"It’s him." Zhu Shiyan couldn't tell if she was happy or angry. "If you don't like him, I can ask him to eat separately from you guys."

Shen Suhui waved her hands repeatedly. "I have no issues with him. I’m just surprised he’d come."

Xi Fei was just as famous as Zhu Shiyan at school—partly due to rumors, and partly because his radical transformation had shocked everyone. Whether before or now, he was a loner who never attended social gatherings. Shen Suhui had heard that he and the young master of the Zhu family were close, and it seemed to be true.

After waiting for a while, Chu Junyuan and Mi Lin emerged. They seemed to have had some kind of disagreement; Mi Lin was fuming, and Chu Junyuan was trailing behind her, looking dejected and too afraid to coax her.

Zhu Shiyan messaged him to ask what happened. Chu Junyuan sent a pathetic-looking sticker: *She thinks I'm too stupid...* Not only could he not solve the puzzles, but he also kept getting in the way.

Zhu Shiyan replied: *... Xi Fei is back. He’s eating with us.*

*I refuse,* Chu Junyuan replied. Since Mi Lin already thought he was dumb, having Xi Fei around would only make him look worse.

*Then I’ll go eat with him separately.*

Chu Junyuan replied bitterly: *I! AGREE!*

Zhu Shiyan told Mi Lin. She grabbed Shen Suhui’s arm, seeking her opinion. Seeing Shen Suhui nod, she smiled. "That’s fine."

As soon as she finished speaking, she saw a handsome, cold-faced boy walking toward them. Even in ordinary clothes, he looked like he was on a runway. Her eyes lit up, and she tugged at Shen Suhui’s sleeve, whispering excitedly, "Xiao Si, look! That guy is so handsome!"

Mi Lin was a typical goody-two-shoes who buried herself in her studies and had never seen Xi Fei in person. Shen Suhui had seen him a few times and recognized him immediately. She lowered her voice: "Shh, that’s Xi Fei."

Mi Lin went blank.

Xi Fei walked straight up to Zhu Shiyan, staring at him without blinking. "I'm back."

Zhu Shiyan smiled and opened his arms. "Welcome back."

Xi Fei hugged him tightly. A week of longing reached its peak, finally grounding itself the moment they touched. Xi Fei sighed, his features softening significantly. Zhu Shiyan had told him to focus on his studies and stay off his phone, so he had limited himself to one message a day—a drop in the ocean compared to the depth of his yearning. He had saved every photo of Zhu Shiyan he could find, set one as his wallpaper, and stared at it whenever he finished a set of practice problems. The more he looked, the more he missed him, and the more desperate he became to return. He had never imagined he could miss someone to the point of physical ache.

They held each other for a long moment until Chu Junyuan could no longer stand it and pulled them apart. "It’s only been a week, you two are acting like it’s a life-or-death separation. Let’s go, let’s eat."

He had another reason to dislike Xi Fei: whenever Xi Fei was with Zhu Shiyan, there was an atmosphere between them that he couldn't break into. He hated that feeling of being an outsider.

At the hotpot restaurant, the tables were meant for four, but they managed to squeeze in. Three boys on one side was tight, but Chu Junyuan brazenly sat next to Mi Lin. Zhu Shiyan sat opposite him, with Shen Suhui on his left and Xi Fei on his right.

Chu Junyuan had ordered a split pot. Zhu Shiyan couldn't handle spice well, but he loved it, and soon his face was flushed, taking long breaks after every bite. Xi Fei, who lived with him, knew his habits well. Seeing him struggle, he frowned, picking the ingredients out of the spicy side and rinsing them in the mild broth before putting them in Zhu Shiyan’s bowl.

Zhu Shiyan muttered, "What’s the point of eating it like this..."

Xi Fei pretended not to hear, but every time Zhu Shiyan tried to sneak a spicy piece into his mouth, Xi Fei would wordlessly hold up the bowl of clear soup. Zhu Shiyan had no choice but to begrudgingly rinse the food.

Their interactions were natural and intimate, unlike those of ordinary friends. Shen Suhui watched from the side, her mind full of swirling thoughts. She had originally hoped to use the meal to get closer to Zhu Shiyan, but she abandoned the idea and shifted a little further away.

Across the table, Chu Junyuan had already coaxed Mi Lin back, and the two were whispering in each other’s ears, blushing like kids in the early stages of a crush. By the end of the meal, Shen Suhui felt like an innocent bystander on the street who had been kicked for no reason.