Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Ye Jishu returned to the activity room.

The movie projection screen had already been put away, revealing the blackboard that was originally placed behind it.

On it, someone had written the words "Movie Club" in chalk, the handwriting elegant and neat, as if it had been prepared beforehand.

It was probably done by Wen Yuhe.

After all, that was the impression he gave.

Before Ye Jishu could withdraw his gaze, he suddenly felt an unavoidable gaze on him. Turning around, he saw Yan Mei standing at the doorway.

"..."

Seeing Yan Mei's expression, Ye Jishu was momentarily stunned.

His hand, hanging at his side, curled up.

Immediately, a wave of extreme discomfort washed over him.

If Yan Mei had been angry, that would have been the normal, expected reaction. But now, Yan Mei did not show that expression, instead calmly looking at him, as if... there was no additional reaction.

As the tension hung in the air.

Someone suddenly noticed his presence and then excitedly said, "You're here? Perfect timing, we were just about to play a game, join us!"

This guy turned to speak to Ye Jishu, his expression and attitude were quite friendly, but Ye Jishu recognized his voice—he was completely unexpected as the same person who had been aggressive and resentful, badmouthing others in the restroom earlier... Everyone seemed so two-faced.

This is also why Ye Jishu prefers playing games alone rather than spending time with others.

After all, people can't truly understand each other, and it's impossible to know what someone else is thinking.

Guessing just wastes energy on trivial things, leading to an endless loop of overthinking.

Still, most people aren't worth the effort.

Ye Jishu just stared silently.

"Let's do something chill; that movie was gross," another person beside him quickly chimed in when he didn't respond. "I tried spin the bottle the other day, and it was pretty fun. Since it's still early, let's just do that."

Early?

Ye Jishu glanced at his phone.

It was already nine.

His plan was roughly this:

The school's activity building was pretty far from the dorms. First, he'd walk Yan Mei back, then head to his dorm, which would take about forty minutes. After showering and hitting the bed, it'd probably be after ten.

He'd been playing a mobile game and hadn't finished his daily tasks yet, which would take about an hour.

He planned to nap for half an hour, then set a midnight alarm to jump into the new game...

Yan Mei never let him stay out after ten.

So, logically, things should go as planned.

But just now, they must have had a fight, right? Ye Jishu didn't know if Yan Mei would still care about him.

Ye Jishu hesitated.

In the past, in situations like this, the other person would always refuse on his behalf right away, but Yan Mei didn't speak up immediately, just frowned.

"Don't refuse," the first person said again, as Ye Jishu was lost in thought. "It's not every day we get to meet Yan Mei's boyfriend; we want to know more about you. Or are you not confident in your good fortune? Being with Yan Mei, you're already lucky enough, aren't you?"

As the last sentence was spoken, a strong malicious glint flickered in the person's eyes, not hiding his intention to provoke Ye Jishu.

...

However, it's not surprising.

Most people probably think the same way.

A person no one has ever heard of, probably just an ordinary member of the admissions team, actually became Yan Mei's lover. Just someone who doesn't talk much, at best with excellent grades, but no matter what, definitely from a different world than Yan Mei.

Even if their relationship is confirmed and he's brought along.

It's probably just a passing interest or a shield to fend off others.

It won't be long before Yan Mei grows bored with such a mediocre plaything.

Seeing Ye Jishu finally turn to look at him after hearing this, the person felt a surge of gleeful excitement; the thrill of trampling others made him openly display his mocking expression. He even turned to wink at the person beside him before feigning speech.

"Or do you think your luck will run out someday, so you don't want to play this game?"

Ye Jishu still looked at him expressionlessly.

When no rebuttal came immediately, a thought of disdain flashed through his mind, then he sneered and raised his head.

"Sure enough, he nailed it."

"People should have self-awareness. If they don't, they need to be made aware of it."

However, in the next moment, unexpectedly, he locked eyes with those cold, piercing eyes.

He was suddenly startled, his body trembling uncontrollably.

The words he wanted to say got stuck in his throat, and a near-suffocating tension rose within him.

Ye Jishu replied, "Probably."

"You, you—"

At such a moment, he should have felt more pride since his words were agreed with, but...

The person's voice faltered.

Because of his odd behavior, the atmosphere in the activity room turned eerie.

"Shut up."

A voice suddenly cut through the air.

Everyone was instantly attracted, subconsciously turning their gaze towards the direction of the sound.

On Yan Mei's strikingly handsome face, there was now a mix of disgust and mockery. The terrifying pressure emanating from him made people's teeth chatter and bodies tremble, not even daring to make a sound of breathing.

Even Ye Jishu had never seen him make such an expression before.

It was a terrifying expression, one that showed he had been pushed to his limit, and would make someone pay a heavy price.

"Luck?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Jishu—"

"But he is my everything."

This was an incredibly intense description.

Even the person involved could feel the air thick with a sense of possessive restraint.

...

Tuesday’s movie night ended on a sour note.

But no one dared to speak up and blame the bad atmosphere or some unspoken fear for what happened. Instead, they forced smiles and muttered, "Hope we can do this again sometime."

Despite this, many eyes still lingered on Yan Mei, their hopeful gazes unmistakable, as if they genuinely wanted him to return.

"Click."

The last person out flicked off the lights.

All the students filed out of the clubhouse and down the stairs. In the thick of the night, a few lingered under the building, cooling off in the chilly air, not ready to say goodbye yet. They split into small groups, chatting about random things.

Wen Yuhe was pretty popular.

Noisy club members surrounded him, but he showed no irritation, patiently fielding their questions about "new sneakers" and "summer vacation plans abroad."

He must come from a well-off family.

When talking about these things, he didn’t hold back, his calm demeanor showing he was used to it.

Even so, almost everyone was distracted, their eyes constantly darting toward Yan Mei.

They probably wanted to approach him and strike up a conversation.

Except Wen Yuhe.

He was bent over, listening intently to a girl’s question, his gaze never straying this way.

But in an instant, his view was blocked.

Yan Mei’s figure completely blocked his view.

He couldn’t see or hear what the others were saying, so he looked up at the person in front of him.

That person was also looking down at him, his own reflection visible in those dark eyes.

...I thought we’d be in a cold war.

But it was like the push-away incident never happened, and he approached like nothing was wrong.

"Let’s head back."

Yan Mei lowered his head, reached out, and quite naturally zipped up his undone jacket. Then, as usual, he tucked his hair behind his ear again, his hand lingering to pinch his earlobe with a slight force, leaving a mark on the pale skin with his fingers.

"Does it hurt?"

Ye Jishu: "..."

He must still be upset.

However, before he could react or at least express his feelings, Yan Mei had already leaned down, one hand cupping the side of his face, coming close and obediently apologizing, "I'm sorry."

Even though he was taller, he managed to look up at him, making him appear utterly innocent, as if making him feel down was a heinous crime.

With just that face, it was nearly impossible to refuse.

Ye Jishu: "...It's okay."

"That's good."

Yan Mei nodded slowly, then leaned in closer, his other hand firmly supporting the back of his head, preventing him from retreating, his voice still tinged with dejection, "Then, can I kiss you next time? Not on the collarbone, just the eyes—"

The words brushed against his face, creating an urge for him to close his eyes.

Ye Jishu closed his eyes.

The sentence was clearly incomplete.

But...

A sudden warmth brushed his eyelids.

The other person leaned down and suddenly kissed him.

But it was just a light touch, then he pulled back from the leaning position, not lingering for long.

Ye Jishu opened his eyes, surprised.

"Eyelashes..."

Ye Jishu couldn't blink as his eyelashes were suddenly caught between two soft lips.

"Tip of the nose."

His lips brushed the tip of his nose and kissed it again.

"Behind the ear, and places like that..."

Then, the hand gripping Ye Jishu's chin gently applied pressure, tilting his head slightly to one side, before his head dropped, burying into the crook of his neck, while a warm sensation pressed against his skin, breath brushing his collarbone through the fabric's gaps.

"Jishu is too cute, too irresistible." The voice came muffled, "Even now, there's still no expression on your face..."

Ye Jishu felt his cheeks flush.

The spots that were kissed felt ticklish.

Moreover, his heartbeat quickened at those simple words.

He thought the other would stop after a brief touch as before.

But unexpectedly, the other person didn't move away, but stayed in the position of leaning on his shoulder, arms wrapping around his waist, gently holding him, making him feel the weight of the head resting on him, the hair lightly tickling his cheek.

"Aren’t you going to touch me?" Yan Mei's voice carried a hint of dissatisfaction.

Ye Jishu paused for a moment.

He reached out and gently stroked the other's hair.

His restless heart was pounding even faster, betraying his calm, unreadable expression.

Truly the protagonist who captivates everyone.

Even though he knew how things would unfold, he couldn’t bring himself to refuse.

"...I like it."

Yan Mei murmured softly, "I really, really like it."

The words that followed were muffled, lost in the humid breeze of the sweltering summer, but the dark emotions they carried intertwined with it.

Suddenly, Ye Jishu felt the weight of someone’s gaze on them.

Not far away.

Amid the chatting crowd, Wen Yuhe was staring in his direction.

At some point, he had stopped talking to others and was quietly observing them.

At this moment.

Ye Jishu met his gaze.

When their eyes met, Wen Yuhe immediately looked away, muttered a few words to the classmates beside him, distractedly, but soon raised his head again, looking towards him and Yan Mei, a flicker of hesitation crossing his face.

As if finally making up his mind, he ended the conversation, shook his head, and under the watchful eyes of others, quickly walked over to them.

Ye Jishu hadn’t forgotten that he had recently witnessed the other’s heartbreak.

So now, he was probably still holding onto some resentment.

The crowd wasn’t far away.

Soon, Wen Yuhe stood before them.

"Excuse me," he said hesitantly, "I need to talk to you."

"..."

Ye Jishu instinctively glanced at Yan Mei.

Right in front of him...

But Yan Mei remained unfazed.

Despite this, Wen Yuhe maintained a graceful smile, his determination unwavering.

However, Ye Jishu felt something was off.

Because Wen Yuhe’s gaze wasn’t on Yan Mei, but—

The next moment, Wen Yuhe locked eyes with Ye Jishu and said, "Can I get your number?"