EPISODE 15

Xie Guilan didn’t speak to him again. Cen Wu muttered to himself, and as soon as the bell rang for the break, he ran downstairs to the cafeteria to buy Xie Guilan some breakfast.

His attitude was really stubborn, and although Xie Guilan didn’t want to waste words on him, he always took it but never ate it.

Xie Guilan’s cold and sharp demeanor easily hurt others.

Except for the original group of friends, most of the class didn’t harbor any ill will toward Xie Guilan. But as soon as they met his cold gaze and indifferent, rejecting attitude, no one could get close to him.

Cen Wu stared at him for a moment, then stopped disturbing him, obediently turning around to work on his problems.

Man, he’s so cold.

"Hey, Lu Wang," after the first period, the boy sitting in front of Cen Wu turned around, winked, and said in a low voice, "Want to go to Whale Sea tonight?"

The boy was Zhang Yuanzhou. Whale Sea was an internet café near No.1 High School, where many students went to play games after school.

Cen Wu quickly shook his head.

A place like an internet café was a no-go for someone with mild social anxiety.

"Just come with me," Lu Wang grabbed his arm and shook it. "We’ll stay for only half an hour."

Cen Wu was dead set on not going, but Lu Wang wouldn’t stop pestering him. Cen Wu hesitated and said softly, "W-will there be a lot of people? I can only stick around for half an hour."

"Don’t worry, it won’t be crowded," Zhang Yuanzhou assured him. "It’s only busy on Friday nights."

At 7:30 in the evening.

Cen Wu sat in the internet café with a numb expression, staring at the packed crowd around him.

Cen Wu: "..."

He was having trouble breathing, but luckily, Lu Wang seemed to sense his discomfort and gave him the most secluded spot.

Lu Wang and Zhang Yuanzhou were playing PUBG. The original owner had an account, but Cen Wu didn’t know the password, so he made a new one and wandered behind them with his sniper rifle.

When Cen Wu was headshot again, Zhang Yuanzhou collapsed back in his chair, staring blankly at the ceiling. "Is this English exam cursing our game stats?"

He had been counting on Cen Wu to help him rank up. After all, Cen Wu was a top player on the national server, but instead, he had lost two ranks because of him.

Cen Wu: "..."

He had already said he didn’t know how to play.

"Do you guys want something to eat?" Zhang Yuanzhou rubbed his face, deciding to temporarily escape the grim reality. "The ramen here is pretty good."

Cen Wu: "I-I’m fine with anything."

Lu Wang: "Same."

Zhang Yuanzhou went to the counter to buy some things, but after just a few minutes, he rushed back, face full of shock. "Holy crap, guess who I just saw?!"

"Who?" Lu Wang was puzzled.

Cen Wu followed Zhang Yuanzhou’s gaze and was also taken aback. Xie Guilan was there too, the cold, dim light of the screen reflecting on his face, making it look somewhat pale, his eyes dark and intense.

Xie Guilan was wearing his school uniform with his sleeves rolled up. His cold, fair arm was long and slender, his finger bones resting on his stomach. Maybe because of his cold expression, the nearby computers were empty.

Zhang Yuanzhou clicked his tongue a few times. "What’s the top student doing here? I thought he stayed up all night studying after school, trying to out-study the whole school."

Looks like he skipped dinner too.

"I... I'm going out for a bit." Trying not to freak out from all the people, Cen Wu whispered to Lu Wang.

"Wait, what?" Lu Wang scratched his head. "Come back quick, or the ramen’ll get cold."

Cen Wu nodded quickly and squeezed past behind Xie Guilan. The screen was showing a game. Not that there was a rule against Xie Guilan playing games here.

He went to the counter and bought a bucket of ramen, with an extra sausage and egg. He also grabbed a bottle of lychee soda before sneaking out.

Xie Guilan gripped the mouse, his sharp eyes glowing faintly. The shop owner walked over and tapped him on the shoulder, setting the ramen down. "Someone bought this for you," he said.

"…Who?" Xie Guilan furrowed his brow.

The owner smiled meaningfully and waved his hand. "They said not to tell, so just eat."

Kids these days and their lovey-dovey stuff.

With his handsome looks and tall figure, outside of Class 2, Grade 11, no one in the internet cafe recognized Xie Guilan. Still, many girls sneaked glances at him, though none dared to say hello.

Xie Guilan had to go to the hospital and work part-time at a bar, and when he was busy, he often skipped dinner.

At that moment, the ramen gave off a steamy aroma, with a gooey soft-boiled egg nestled inside. The sausage sizzled with oozing oil. Even without eating, the sharp pang in his stomach suddenly stopped.

The lychee soda beside it was at room temperature, its sweet scent spreading through the cramped space between the seats.

Cen Wu rushed back to his seat and collapsed face down. A few minutes later, he saw Xie Guilan turn his head, but the screen blocked him, so Xie didn't spot him. Cen Wu breathed a sigh of relief.

If Xie Guilan didn’t want to eat what he was given, then Cen Wu wouldn’t tell him. Problem solved.

Cen Wu checked the time; it was about time to head home. Just as he was about to tell Lu Wang, a guy burst through the internet cafe door, yelling, "Run! Baldy is here!"

Cen Wu was startled. Zhang Yuanzhou was the first to react, quickly grabbing his bag and standing up anxiously. "Hurry, let's go! We're dead if we get caught. What's going on…"

"Hasn't it been a while since they last checked this place?!"

There were several schools nearby, but most of the students who came to Jinghai were from Huai Jing No. 1 High School. As the crowd dispersed and fled, Cen Wu finally saw the shiny bald head.

The dean!

Cen Wu had only seen him when they got punished.

Since his name was Wang Qiang and he had a shaved head, everyone called him 'Baldy' because he was always catching students at the internet cafe.

Zhang Yuanzhou yanked Cen Wu and Lu Wang by the arms, dragging them toward the back door, almost crashing into a few guys head-on.

"Don't run this way," a guy hurriedly said. "Meng’s waiting to catch us at the back!"

Cen Wu was startled. How was it that their homeroom teacher was here too?

The internet cafe had three floors. The top floor had private rooms you had to pay for. It was too late to book one now, and the dean was blocking the front desk.

The first and second floors only had a few bathrooms as hiding spots. By the time Cen Wu and the others got there, they were already packed with people.

No way we’re fitting under those tables.

Cen Wu considered it for a moment but was yanked up by Zhang Yuanzhou before he could duck down. "No good. Baldy will spot you with just a flashlight. Follow me this way!"

Cen Wu stumbled after him, but halfway through, he suddenly realized that Xie Guilan hadn't left yet.

The entire internet cafe was in a frenzy, like a scene from a zombie movie. Apart from a few unafraid adults, only Xie Guilan remained seated, his expression cold and indifferent.

"You... go ahead and run," Cen Wu's calves were trembling, and he steeled himself to shake off Zhang Yuanzhou's hand.

He ran towards Xie Guilan.

Zhang Yuanzhou was anxious, afraid that Cen Wu was walking into a trap, but there was nothing he could do. He had no choice but to drag Lu Wang and run first.

Halfway through, someone patted Zhang Yuanzhou on the shoulder. He reassured him, "We're here; this restroom should be less crowded."

The person patted again.

Zhang Yuanzhou, irritated, spun around, ready to lose his temper. But before he could, his anger died as he met a face covered in thick, bulging muscles. The person wore what might have been a gaudy gold chain.

"Young lad," the man's face twitched, his knife-like eyes glaring at him, "Let go."

Zhang Yuanzhou: "Uh..."

Internally, Zhang Yuanzhou was falling apart. Wasn't he holding Lu Wang? How did he end up facing a local thug?!

Xie Guilan was typing on his keyboard, but before he could finish, Cen Wu grabbed his wrist and pulled him away.

Lu Wang discovered a large cabinet embedded in the wall. When moved, it could hide two or three people and could be blocked by the cabinet itself.

"Cen Wu!" Lu Wang waved frantically, "Over here!"

Cen Wu's throat was raw from running, but he first shoved Xie Guilan into the cabinet, then squeezed in himself. Lu Wang pulled the cabinet shut from behind, and Cen Wu's back was drenched in cold sweat.

Before he could catch his breath, the cabinet was suddenly pushed open again. Cen Wu's heart nearly stopped, but when he looked up, it was Zhang Yuanzhou.

"You're here too," Zhang Yuanzhou said in shock, his mouth wide open, as Baldy Strong was storming towards them. Zhang Yuanzhou quickly squeezed in, "Scoot over, scoot over."

Zhang Yuanzhou was followed by a rather plump male student who, seeing Zhang Yuanzhou enter, also forced his way in.

Zhang Yuanzhou pushed him hard, "No more, no more, are you trying to crush us? Get out!"

"I have nowhere else to go, let's squeeze a bit more."

Cen Wu really couldn't breathe now. He was pressed tightly against Xie Guilan, his nose colliding with Xie Guilan's collarbone, and tears almost fell from the pain.

There was a small gap in the cabinet, and the dim light filtered through. Xie Guilan looked down to see Cen Wu's pale face contorted in pain, smudged with dirt, his eyes red, and his breath coming in short gasps.

"F*ck! I told you not to come in, do you want to get us caught?!" Zhang Yuanzhou wrestled with the guy, his arm locked around the other's neck.

The guy retaliated, grabbing Zhang Yuanzhou's neck, "You can hide, but I can't?!"

Lu Wang, stuck in the middle, felt like he was about to pee his pants. The cabinet swayed, and he wanted to grab onto something, but his arms wouldn't lift.

"It's gonna be okay," Cen Wu tried to comfort Xie Guilan, "We probably won't be found."

He tried to look up at Xie Guilan, but his body was pressed so tightly that all he could see was Xie Guilan's sharp Adam's apple. Cen Wu swallowed hard.

He felt like even Xie Guilan's Adam's apple looked like it could take a punch.

Trembling, he reached out behind the cabinet, feeling around for something to grab onto.

Squeezed by Lu Wang, he couldn't turn around, so he clung to Xie Guilan's arm and stretched his other hand behind him, twisting awkwardly.

Cen Wu's pale cheeks flushed red with anxiety, his eyes misty, both suffocating and tense. With so many people pressing in around him, his vision blurred, and he struggled to breathe, finally letting out a shaky breath next to Xie Guilan's neck.

Xie Guilan turned his head. His skin was sternly pale, and the veins on his neck stood out menacingly.

The principal and Meng Liangping had already gone upstairs, but Zhang Yuanzhou and the other boy were still arguing and fighting.

Xie Guilan had had enough. He reached his arm around Cen Wu's back, grabbed his shoulder, and pressed him tightly against his chest, then reached out to hook onto a hole behind the cabinet.

His voice was cold, carrying a slight rasp from the transition between adolescence and adulthood, as he said, "Shut up."

His voice wasn't loud, but in the cramped space, it carried an undeniable intimidating presence.

Zhang Yuanzhou and the other boy immediately stopped fighting, their backs feeling as if they'd been pricked by a cold blade, their hair standing on end. They remained locked in a chokehold, neither daring to move.

Due to the position, Xie Guilan's words were almost whispered into Cen Wu's ear, startling him. Cen Wu shuddered, convinced Xie Guilan was scolding him to be quiet.

Cen Wu had always thought Xie Guilan was intimidating, and now he felt that intensity even more acutely.

Cen Wu dared not breathe. He pressed his lips together, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill over, his eyes reddening with unshed emotion. A light sheen of sweat broke out on his back, making his shirt stick to his skin. He looked like he was about to cry, his eyes brimming with tears, feeling as if he were the world's biggest pushover.

Xie Guilan slightly lowered his head and caught a faint scent of lychee from him.

"These students nowadays," the principal, holding back his anger, said, "not only do they come to internet cafes to play games, but now they're even coming here to date? I've caught three couples just tonight!"

The principal had never approved of high school romance, and recently, too many students had been pushing the boundaries. As a result, he had teachers from each class patrol the area around the school with him after school.

Cen Wu was squeezed so tightly that he was almost on his tiptoes. He looked up to see Xie Guilan's crimson, thin lips. Xie Guilan's eyes were cold, but his body was hot, radiating the intense heat of a teenager.

Cen Wu closed his eyes, not daring to look at him anymore.

Through the cabinet, he heard Meng Liangping pat his chest and assure the principal, "Don't worry, Principal. There's never been any high school romances on my watch!"

Zhang Yuanzhou was still yelling at the other boy.

"Move over!"

"Why don't you move over, you bastard!"

"Are you looking to die?!"

"Hehe."

At that moment, a boy, in his panic, ran into the cabinet. He hadn't expected it to be unfastened, and with a loud crash, both the boy and the cabinet fell to the ground.

Every head in the internet cafe swiveled toward the commotion, eyes wide with shock.

The group was awkwardly exposed. Zhang Yuanzhou and the other boy still hadn't let go of each other, both locked in a chokehold, full of hatred.

On the other side, Xie Guilan's usually indifferent expression was now crumbling, looking worse than ever.

Lu Wang, small and helpless, was sandwiched in the middle. He could only hug himself.

The principal: "..."

Meng Liangping: "..."

"Should we join in and make it a group hug?"

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