Сhаpter 22: Gu Chеn’s Dеlight
“Wow, the gоod student асtuаllу smоkеs. Who wоuld’vе thоught?”
“What kind оf man is а little white rаbbit? Сigarеttes аnd аlсohоl аre his dаilу brеаd.”
“I lоvе wаtching riсh, handsоmе guys smoke, but when рoоr pеорlе smoke, I just think—thеy aсtuаllу hаve mоneу for cigаrеttеs?”
“Dоеsn’t anуone think Gu Chеn hаs а роint? Chi Yu might have dеlibеrаtelу framеd himself for сhеаting. Аfter all, hе knеw the yоung miss would helр him. Тhаt wаy, hе gеts the competition qualifiсatiоn, wins thе уоung miss’s sуmpаthy, and kicks оut a rivаl—threе birds with onе stone.”
“Damn, straight to the point. That’s terrifying.”
Gu Chen raised his chin. “Well? Do you dare take it out and let everyone see?”
“That was given to me by—” Chi Yu’s large hand covered Lin Kuizhi’s mouth, and he slowly slipped his hand into his pocket.
Gu Chen stared intently at his movements.
A box was taken out and handed to Lin Kuizhi.
A box of… chocolates.
How was this possible?
Gu Chen stared at him in disbelief.
The young man, as if no one else were around, pinched the girl’s cheek affectionately. “Last time, I noticed you really liked this chocolate, so I bought some.”
Then, feigning helplessness, he added, “I was just about to give it to you when you ran off to Class Five.”
“Didn’t you say you believed in me? How could you trust an outsider and think I’d smoke?” He emphasized the word “outsider.”
Lin Kuizhi froze. What should she do when suddenly being flirted with? Waiting online, urgent.
The onlookers were stunned. What should they do after being force-fed dog food? Waiting online, urgent.
Only Gu Chen was hopping mad. He rushed forward, grabbing Chi Yu to search him. “I don’t believe it! You must have hidden it somewhere else!”
He had seen with his own eyes the cigarette box being taken out of his pocket.
“Gu Chen, are you insane?!” Lin Kuizhi charged forward to pull him away, as furious as a crackling little fireball bursting with sparks.
The young man chuckled, afraid she might get hurt, and pulled her behind him to reassure her. “It’s fine, let him search. He’s just worried about you.”
The onlookers watched with great interest.
“What a good man, who understands?”
“He really loves her so much, I’m crying.”
“Anyone who doesn’t understand our ‘Golden Branch and Jade Leaf’ can get lost.”
“Gu Chen really seems unreasonable. He’s no longer worthy of the young miss.”
“Agreed.”
The result was obvious—Gu Chen’s frantic search turned up nothing.
His chest heaved violently as he looked at Chi Yu, only to see the young man looking completely unfazed, as if mocking his futility.
He’d been played again.
Remembering his classmate’s earlier words, he sneered. “Three birds with one stone. I really can’t compete with you.”
Stopping the little fireball behind him from igniting again, Chi Yu smiled and said, “Two birds with one stone is more accurate. The guaranteed admission spot doesn’t count as a bird.”
Holding the little fireball’s hand, he walked away. As he passed Gu Chen, the young man chuckled softly.
“Tsk, what can I say? The young miss is mine now.”
One week later.
On the school forum, the poster published an apology statement.
Chen Yi?
Why would it be him?
Chi Yu frowned.
Chen Yi was the employee at the milk tea shop where he had worked part-time. Only after working together did he discover that Chen Yi also attended this school. Chen Yi had even given him advice on how to reconcile with Lin Kuizhi.
The apology letter was vague, glossing over the reasons for his actions and simply stating that he was jealous of him.
Turning off his phone, Chi Yu felt indifferent.
But suddenly, he really missed Lin Kuizhi.
Just then, his gaze paused as he spotted a familiar figure.
He was about to call out to her when he noticed the girl walking hurriedly.
A sense of unease flashed through his mind, and he followed closely behind her.Lin Kuizhi turned the corner, and Chen Yi was waiting there.
She handed the bank card to Chen Yi. “I’m sorry.”
Chen Yi took the bank card calmly, sneering inwardly.
When he heard the girl across from him ask him not to tell Chi Yu, he looked up, his gaze lightly sweeping over a familiar figure not far away.
A shadow flickered in his eyes as he raised his voice. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell Chi Yu.”
The boy beside him clenched his fists, lowered his eyelids, and let his long lashes hide his emotions.
Lin Kuizhi hurried back to the classroom, her mind preoccupied, and accidentally bumped into someone.
“Sorry, sorry! You… huh? Chi Yu?”
The girl was startled, her eyes darting around nervously. “What are you doing here?”
Chi Yu studied her.
“I came out to get water. Why are you in such a hurry? Is someone chasing you?”
“No, no. I’m heading back to the classroom.”
As she tried to leave, he grabbed her collar. “Me too, let’s go together.”
Staring intently at her profile, Chi Yu probed, “Did you see the forum? That person suddenly posted an apology letter.”
“Yeah, I saw it. You were innocent all along, so it’s finally cleared up.” The girl smiled, appearing relaxed, as if she was relieved that his issue had been resolved.
It seemed natural.
After a moment of thought, the boy was puzzled. “But I don’t even know him. What was his motive?”
Hearing this, the girl suddenly looked at him. “You don’t know him? Weren’t you two—”
“Two what?”
Chi Yu’s gaze darkened, making Lin Kuizhi’s heart skip a beat.
Oh no, she’d slipped up.
“Two… two people who played basketball together. I think I saw you playing with him last time.”
“Really? I don’t remember.” He looked away, his tone indifferent.
Lin Kuizhi laughed it off. “Then maybe I was mistaken.”
Back in the classroom, Yue Xin was the first to notice the strange atmosphere between them.
“What’s wrong? Isn’t it cleared up? Why do you two look like that?”
Lin Kuizhi shook her head guiltily.
Yet, from that day on, they inexplicably fell into a cold war.
To be fair, Lin Kuizhi had tried to approach him a few times to ask what was wrong, but he ignored her completely.
So, she stopped trying to warm up to his cold shoulder.
At school, they ignored each other; at home, they acted like strangers.
Yue Xin hugged herself into a ball, glanced at their indifferent faces, and muttered that this winter was especially biting.
She wanted to complain to Ji Yan, but Ji Yan was always running off to Class Five, clinging to someone named Jin Zhou.
Truly, romance over friendship.
Gu Chen, of course, was delighted. He came to the classroom every day to see Lin Kuizhi, bringing her hand warmers or milk tea, being overly attentive.
The students in Class Two couldn’t stand it. “Why do you, a Class Five student, keep coming to Class Two every day? Just transfer classes already.”
That did it. The remark enlightened Gu Chen, darkened Chi Yu’s face like a pot bottom, and terrified the student who suggested it.
The next day, Gu Chen swaggered into the classroom and walked up to the podium.
“Hello everyone, I’m Gu Chen. Nice to meet you.”
Facing Chi Yu’s gloomy, dripping scowl, he was in high spirits, strutting over to sit in the seat behind Lin Kuizhi.
Yue Xin and Ji Yan exchanged glances, looking at Lin Kuizhi’s calm expression, then at Chi Yu, then at Gu Chen, their faces a mix of speechlessness and subtle excitement.
The student who had spoken recklessly the day before now looked ashen.
“Bro, you’re really brave.”
“You understand the battlefield of love. True masters walk among us.”He just wanted to cry, “Please stop talking.”
Gu Chen seemed oblivious to everyone’s stares and poked the girl’s shoulder.
“Come to my place for dinner tonight.”
Lin Kuizhi didn’t even bother turning her head. “Get lost.”
“Chi Lin will be there too.”