Chu Feng was 1.84 meters tall and handsome. By any standard, he was considered good-looking. But compared to Shen Chenxi, he was like a fresh flower stuck in the mud. It wasn’t that Chu Feng wasn’t attractive, it was simply that Shen Chenxi’s beauty was too extraordinary.
Chu Feng said while naturally rinsing Shen Chenxi’s dishes and pouring her tea, “In the future, don’t say things that could easily cause misunderstandings.” He had been doing these little things for three years already. It had become muscle memory, a reflex that he carried out without even thinking.
Across from him, Shen Chenxi tilted her head slightly, her starry eyes flashing with confusion. Chu Feng didn’t explain further, only gestured around them. Shen Chenxi followed his eyes and noticed that the dozen or so people in the shop were all staring at her and Chu Feng, every gaze filled with disbelief. Though she didn’t care much, she also didn’t continue speaking.
Just then, Shen Shuanglong suddenly stood up. His face was red as he walked toward the counter and said, “I’ll go hurry the boss, and order another bowl of spicy noodles while I’m at it.”
His actions were strange. The shop was small—if he wanted to order, he only needed to call out. There was no need to walk to the counter. But Shen Shuanglong was under too much pressure. Originally, Chu Feng, Li Fei, and Shen Shuanglong had sat at a four-person table. Chu Feng and Li Fei sat together, while Shen Shuanglong sat across. But when Shen Chenxi came, she naturally sat directly across from Chu Feng. That put Shen Shuanglong sitting right next to her.
In class, this would have meant they were desk-mates. Though Shen Shuanglong had fantasized about this countless times, when he actually sat beside Shen Chenxi, a girl of such stunning beauty, his heart felt like it would jump out of his chest. So he used the excuse of ordering to escape.
Li Fei also got up. “Hey, let me add a sausage.”
Now only Chu Feng and Shen Chenxi remained at the table. Shen Chenxi was silent for a while before sighing softly, “Chu Feng, tell me, why is it that aside from you, every other boy seems to hate me?”
Chu Feng froze. He couldn’t understand why she thought this way. “How could that be? Everyone likes you too much.”
“Really? Zhao Shuangshuang hates me. I can feel it in her eyes. And Shen Shuanglong hates me too, he didn’t even want to sit beside me. Li Fei as well.”
“Zhao Shuangshuang doesn’t hate you, she’s jealous. Shen Shuanglong… sitting with you puts too much pressure on him. As for Li Fei, he already has someone he likes.”
“Oh~” Shen Chenxi had no doubt about his words. She picked up the tea cup in front of her, intending to drink something to ease her hunger, but Chu Feng quickly stopped her. “Wait, it’s hot.” This story is hosted at g.com.
Naturally, Shen Chenxi handed the cup to him. Instinctively, Chu Feng took it, blew on it gently, and then froze as he realized what he was doing. In the past, as Shen Chenxi’s ultimate bootlicker, Chu Feng had been attentive to every detail, even testing tea temperature for her. Shen Chenxi was used to it and didn’t think much.
But now, with Chu Feng’s hesitation and the surrounding eyes filled with disbelief, Shen Chenxi suddenly realized this atmosphere between them wasn’t ordinary at all. It even felt… ambiguous? Only real couples would do such things for each other.
Couples? At that thought, Shen Chenxi’s heart skipped a beat. She tilted her head slightly and asked, “Chu Feng, why are you so good to me?”
Of course, the real answer was the 10,000 yuan stipend from Tianhua Entertainment every month. But Chu Feng wouldn’t say that. Keeping a straight face, he said, “Because I like… cough, because we’re classmates. Classmates should care for each other.”
Since his first year in high school, after receiving Tianhua Entertainment’s mission, Chu Feng had confessed to Shen Chenxi over a hundred times. He had said “I like you” countless times. But back then, his confessions were just part of the act, no sincerity behind them—like saying “good morning,” they held no meaning.
But now, the deal was over. “I like you” was something Chu Feng no longer had a reason to say.
Shen Chenxi’s eyes widened. In three years, this was the first time Chu Feng hadn’t confessed. Before, she had always rejected his words without hesitation. But now that he didn’t say them anymore, she suddenly felt an emptiness inside. She didn’t understand why. It was as if something important in her heart was slipping away.
Love? Impossible. She was a favored daughter of heaven, receiving countless love letters and confessions daily. She knew too well that people only liked her for her looks. If one day her beauty faded, they would be the first to abandon her. To her, love was poison, something she always kept at a distance.
So Chu Feng no longer confessing should have been a good thing.
“How much was last month’s breakfast? I’ll transfer it to you.” Shen Chenxi didn’t like owing anyone. She had always remembered the costs of his breakfasts and settled with him monthly.
She pulled out her phone and transferred 20,000 yuan to Chu Feng.
“That’s too much.” Chu Feng liked money, but he still had principles. Making breakfast for her cost about 5,000 yuan a month. Two times the amount was already generous, but 20,000 was excessive. This chapter was copied from novelping dot com without permission.
As he was about to return it, Shen Chenxi suddenly grabbed his hand and said seriously, “Don’t send it back. The extra is my thanks for your care these past three years.”
Since she insisted, Chu Feng happily accepted the 20,000 yuan tip. He said calmly, “Alright, from now on, we’re even. Neither of us owes the other anything.”
He took a deep breath. To him, this final closure with Shen Chenxi meant he was one step closer to living freely. “Once the college entrance exams are over, everything will be better,” Chu Feng muttered to himself, his lips curving into a bright smile as he imagined the future.
Across from him, Shen Chenxi watched him smile. This was the second time today she saw him smile from the heart. Before, though he had always hovered around her, he seemed troubled, always frowning. Now, seeing him genuinely happy, Shen Chenxi felt her own mood lighten as well.
She said seriously, “Chu Feng, has anyone ever told you that you look really good when you smile?”
…
Li Fei and Shen Shuanglong returned carrying bowls of spicy noodles. Both froze when they saw Chu Feng and Shen Chenxi’s backs. Li Fei’s jaw dropped. “Am I hallucinating? Did the Iceberg Goddess just say Chu Feng’s smile is good-looking? My smile is bright too, why didn’t she praise me?”
Shen Shuanglong stretched his lips into what he thought was his brightest grin, then walked forward with full confidence. But Shen Chenxi didn’t even lift her eyelids.
Crushed, Shen Shuanglong glanced at Chu Feng, his heart full of complicated feelings. “Why does it feel like Shen Chenxi has become Chu Feng’s bootlicker?”