Chapter 24

Chapter 24

“Xie Guan, I’ve truly had enough! What exactly do you want from me?!”

Lin Xingshu’s eyes were rimmed red, his fair face flushed crimson with indignation, the redness spreading to the tear mole beneath his eye. His gaze blazed with fury, yet glistened, his body trembling slightly from sheer rage.

Before him stood a young man of similar age.

The youth was strikingly beautiful, his dark eyes swirling with an unreadable intensity. Faced with Lin Xingshu’s accusations, he slowly curved his lips into a smile, the small mole at the corner of his mouth enhancing his already exquisite features.

“What are you smiling at? You must be so pleased with yourself! Not only my classmates and teachers, but even my parents have defected to your side. Xie Guan, what did I ever do to offend you? Why must you snatch everything away from me?!”

Lin Xingshu’s eyes burned red with anger, his hands clenched tightly into fists at his sides. The night wind swept past, tousling his disheveled black hair.

The youth opposite him suddenly moved. He reached out and, under Lin Xingshu’s stunned gaze, gently tucked a stray lock of hair behind his ear. His fingertips lingered suggestively, tracing the curve of Lin Xingshu’s ear before audaciously pinching his earlobe.

A shiver ran down Lin Xingshu’s spine. He slapped the youth’s hand away, snarling, “What are you doing?! Get lost! You’re disgusting!”

Instead of anger, the youth merely laughed—wildly and unrestrainedly. He slowly advanced, forcing Lin Xingshu to retreat until his back pressed against the cold wall, leaving him with nowhere else to go.

“Ah Shu,” the youth murmured, his voice low. “Do you know how long I’ve waited for this day?”

Lin Xingshu looked up in shock, only to meet the youth’s inky black eyes, which were fixed on him with an unsettling, obsessive devotion.

“Now, finally, there’s only me left around you. You can only look at me, only me…”

*

“No… don’t grab me, don’t—!”

Lin Xingshu jolted upright in bed, his clothes drenched in sweat. He gasped for breath, his heart pounding like a war drum, the dream’s images still vivid in his mind. Exhausted, he pressed his hands to his face.

That dream again.

From his first year of high school until now, in his third year, the same nightmare had haunted him every night.

In the dream, he always saw a youth his age—his gaunt frame, his clothes saturated with blood, kneeling on the ground, clutching desperately at Lin Xingshu’s legs, begging him not to leave.

The youth wept as if his heart would break, his voice hoarse from crying. Lin Xingshu wanted to see his face clearly, but it was as if it were shrouded in a dark cloud, no matter how hard he tried.

The youth was pitiful. Lin Xingshu wanted to reach out and help him up, but his body moved against his will, performing actions contrary to his inner desires.

He actually kicked the youth away and mercilessly snarled:

“Demon! Don’t think you can fool me! You just want to devour me! After all the trust I placed in you, after everything I did for you—you betrayed me! You even want my life!”

“No! That’s not true! Let me explain—”

Sobbing, the youth crawled toward him, tugging at his trousers, wanting to speak, but Lin Xingshu kicked him away again. Cruel, cutting words spilled from his lips uncontrollably:

“There’s nothing to explain. My family already told me everything. You’re just a man-eating demon. Listen well—from now on, we’re through. Don’t ever come near me again!”

With that, he turned and walked away without looking back. The youth’s desperate cries followed him, wanting to catch up, but something seemed to hold him back, preventing him from reaching Lin Xingshu.

“Don’t go! You promised me—we were going fishing together, climbing mountains together! You said we’d always be friends! Did you forget…? Why are you breaking your word…?”

“Weren’t we the best of friends…? You said so yourself! Don’t leave me, don’t leave me… You’re all I have…”

“I’ll find you. I’ll find you—I swear I will! You won’t get away from me! Never—!”

The youth’s voice tore through the air behind him. Lin Xingshu glanced back slightly—the dark cloud over the youth’s face thinned, but his features remained indistinct. Yet his eyes were clear.

What kind of gaze was that?

A viscous mix of tenderness and searing hatred intertwined, like a dagger thrust straight into his chest.

That was never the kind of gaze one should direct at a friend.

He wanted to flee, but his body refused to move, locked in place. Tilting his head slightly, he watched helplessly as the youth broke through an unseen barrier and strode toward him.

A vast spiderweb descended from the sky, completely entangling him. The threads writhed like living things, slithering through his clothes and coiling tightly around his body. The thick, unidentifiable fluid coating the threads quickly soaked through his clothes…

Remembering this, Lin Xingshu shuddered.

This was the third year he had been haunted by the same nightmare.

He had told his parents, but they dismissed it as stress, brushing it off as nothing serious.

To this day, he still didn’t know who the youth in his dreams was. He had no memory of anyone like that in his life—no impression at all.

“Hiss…”

The wound ached again.

Lin Xingshu lowered his head and pushed up his sleeve. The long-healed scar on his wrist throbbed with a scalding ache.

It was a scar he’d had since middle school. He vaguely remembered it being from some kind of insect bite—something poisonous, though he couldn’t recall exactly what. That was why the scar still hurt even now.

Perhaps it was all in his head, but it felt like his pre-high school memories were foggy. It was as if he had forgotten something important, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t remember—including that youth.

Perhaps his parents were right. Maybe he really was under too much stress. Once he got through the second half of his senior year, he’d have to go get some therapy.

*

September, the first day of school.

The campus was filled with students in blue-and-white uniforms, chatting in groups, their faces lit up with laughter.

“Hey! Look, isn’t that Lin Xingshu from Senior Class 1?”

A girl with a ponytail suddenly nudged her friend, who looked up and followed her gaze. Her face instantly flushed beet red.

At the school gate in the early morning, a youth in a blue-and-white uniform pushed his bicycle alongside his classmates as they entered the campus. His skin was fair, his lips red and teeth white when he smiled, his eyes curved into crescents, his lashes thick and long. A tear mole beneath the corner of his eye lent a hint of melancholy to his otherwise gentle demeanor.

He looked like a warm, easygoing youth.

“Wow, your face is so red! You’ve got a thing for—”

“Shut up!”

The girl scolded, her cheeks burning, as she stole another glance at Lin Xingshu’s retreating figure, a strange sense of loss lingering in her chest.

“Senior Lin is top of the honor roll every semester—his grades never drop. And he’s so good-looking too. As if someone like me could ever have a shot! Don’t let anyone hear you say that.”

“Sigh, someone as outstanding as Senior Lin has a million admirers. We’d better not even try. Come on, let’s go to class for morning self-study!”

Lin Xingshu walked side by side with his classmates, chatting and laughing, completely unaware of the girls’ conversation.

“Class president, did you hear? A transfer student is joining our class today.”

Lin Xingshu raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Now? With the college entrance exam coming up?”

His classmate shrugged. “Who knows? But I heard this transfer student is from Jing City—aced everything. Otherwise, the homeroom teacher wouldn’t have agreed to let them join our class at this stage.”

Lin Xingshu’s frown was barely noticeable. The city they were in was barely considered a second-tier city—why would a student from Jing City transfer to their school?

Top grades…

He gritted his teeth. At this critical juncture in their senior year, everything hinged on academic performance—a single point could determine whether one surpassed hundreds of others. If this transfer student had better grades than him…

Anxiety crept up on Lin Xingshu, and by the time he reached the classroom, it had peaked.

The morning classroom was already packed with students, buzzing with excited whispers—not from morning readings, but from eager discussions about the new transfer student.

“Did you know? I saw the transfer student when I passed the office earlier!”

“Quick, tell us what he looks like!”

“Ah, he had his back to me, so I didn’t get a clear look. But he’s really tall, and he seems like a really good-looking guy…”

“I heard his grades at his old school were amazing. Why would he transfer to our class, of all places?”

Lin Xingshu walked to his seat and greeted his classmates with a smile. But unlike usual, they only responded with absent-minded nods before eagerly resuming their chatter about the incoming student.

His smile froze, then slowly faded as he withdrew his hand.

For the first time, he felt what it was like to be ignored.

Since his first year of high school, he had always been the top student in the class, even elected as class monitor by both the teacher and his peers. He took pride in being capable—never clashing with anyone and maintaining good relationships with everyone.

At the start of previous school years, he had always been the center of attention. But this semester was different. His friendly gestures were met with indifference, not even a polite response.

A sense of unease settled in his chest. He could tell—this transfer student might very well become his biggest rival.

*Knock knock—*

A sharp knock at the classroom door silenced the chatter instantly. A stern female voice followed:

“What’s all this noise first thing in the morning?”

The once-noisy classroom fell dead silent. Lin Xingshu looked up—only to lock eyes with dark, inky ones. The moment their gazes met, the youth smiled slightly, his eyes curving into crescent moons.

A sudden, sharp pain shot through Lin Xingshu’s forehead. He let out a soft hiss, clutching his head as scattered, blurry memories flashed through his head—too indistinct to make out, but he had the vague feeling that he’d seen those dark eyes somewhere before.

This youth named Xie Guan felt strangely familiar.

“Class, let me introduce our new transfer student for this semester—Xie Guan. He’ll be with us for the next half-year. Let’s give him a warm welcome.”

The second the teacher finished speaking, the class burst into cheers. The homeroom teacher, usually strict and rarely smiling, was beaming at Xie Guan with unprecedented warmth. The atmosphere was electric, filled with excitement—but Lin Xingshu frowned almost imperceptibly at the sight of his classmates’ over-the-top excitement.

Something wasn't right. Really not right.

Their homeroom teacher was a middle-aged woman known for her stern demeanor and notoriously bad temper. Out of all the students, she had only ever treated Lin Xingshu with mild favor—yet today, her attitude toward Xie Guan was excessively friendly.

And it wasn’t just her.

Even though this was their first time meeting Xie Guan, the students were acting overly enthusiastic. Their eyes lit up with excitement as they stared at him, their smiles eerily synchronized, as if they were trying to stare right through him with their gazes.

In the entire class, Lin Xingshu alone remained indifferent.

Was some transfer student really worth all this fuss?

Xie Guan lowered his head slightly, surveying the room. It was only then that Lin Xingshu noticed just how beautiful—yes, beautiful—Xie Guan was.

The youth stood tall on the podium, his posture straight, his skin so pale it was almost translucent. From Lin Xingshu’s angle, he could even see the faint blue veins beneath Xie Guan’s neck.

His features were striking—deep-set eyes, a high nose bridge, and lips red as lipstick. As he scanned the room, his chin lifted slightly, his dark eyes moving from face to face with a cold, almost disdainful gaze.

Strangely, such an expression on such a beautiful face wasn’t off-putting.

But then, after a brief survey, Xie Guan’s gaze landed squarely on Lin Xingshu. His lips curled into a smile, tugging at the small mole at the corner of his mouth, his dark eyes gleaming with mysterious amusement.

Xie Guan’s stare was unsettling—cloying, oppressive, as if Lin Xingshu were trapped under an inescapable net. Discomfort churned in his gut, and for some reason, every instinct told him to stay away from Xie Guan.

“Hello, everyone. My name is Xie Guan. From now on… please take care of me.”

The moment he finished speaking, the classroom erupted in cheers again. The homeroom teacher affectionately threw an arm around Xie Guan’s shoulder and asked warmly, “Where would you like to sit?”

“Xie Guan, sit with me!”

“Xie Guan, be my deskmate!”

The students practically climbed over each other, desperate to become Xie Guan’s neighbor. Lin Xingshu could only stare at them in disbelief; the whole thing seemed ridiculous.

Seating arrangements in their class were determined by academic rank—the lower the grades, the farther back one sat. No one got to choose.

Yet the moment Xie Guan arrived, the teacher had tossed the rule aside. Even the students seemed to have forgotten it entirely, practically begging to be his deskmate.

The classroom vibe was getting weirder by the minute. Whether it was the homeroom teacher or his long-time classmates, they all seemed like different people—weirdly obsessed with this transfer student named Xie Guan.

“I’d like…”

Xie Guan hesitated, his dark eyes locking onto Lin Xingshu. A bad feeling shot through him.

Lin Xingshu quickly glanced at his deskmate—only to find him already packing up his belongings. His eyes widened in shock.

“Wait, where are you going?”

“This seat is great. I should give it to Xie Guan.”

His deskmate answered without hesitation, his face blank, his smile empty, like a puppet.

“What? No—hey, don’t just leave!”

Lin Xingshu tugged at his deskmate’s sleeve under the desk, trying to bring him to his senses, but the youth didn’t react. Once his bag was packed, he immediately vacated the seat.

Lin Xingshu stared, mouth agape. They had been thick as thieves for three years, telling each other everything. How could he just give up his seat for Xie Guan without a second thought?

He'd had enough. Just as Xie Guan was about to sit beside him, Lin Xingshu shot to his feet.

“Teacher, I don’t think this arrangement is appropriate. Aren’t seats assigned based on grades? I get we should help the new kid out, but letting him choose freely isn’t fair to the others.”

He thought his argument was reasonable, but the reaction wasn’t what he expected.

The room went dead silent instantly. Every pair of eyes turned to him, all their earlier excitement gone, replaced by blank stares—as if he were some outsider.

Meanwhile, Xie Guan calmly took the seat beside him as if nothing had happened. Propping his chin on his hand, he watched Lin Xingshu, lips quirking in amusement, his fingers drumming absently on the desk.

Then, his now-silent deskmate suddenly spoke:

“Hey Monitor, I appreciate you sticking up for me… but I think Xie Guan would be a better deskmate for you.”

The moment the words left his mouth, the whole class murmured agreement—not one voice of dissent. Even the homeroom teacher chimed in, her normally stern face all smiles now as she sided with Xie Guan.

“Well, if we’re talking about grades, Xie Guan had excellent academic performance back in Jing City. How about we have him sit next to you for now? We can figure it out after the monthly exam results come out—it’s not too late then.”

Lin Xingshu opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end, he remained silent and sat back down without a word.

Everyone was all excited right now, fawning over this transfer student. It was normal, he told himself. Yes, nothing unusual about it.

Lin Xingshu gritted his teeth, pushing down the bitter feeling.

Whatever. It's just sitting together, after all. No sweat… As long as he scored higher than Xie Guan in the next monthly exam, everyone’s attention would surely return to him.

“Then it’s settled. Lin Xingshu, make sure to keep an eye out for Xie Guan. After class, show him around the campus so he can get familiar with the school.”

“…Got it.”

Seeing how warmly their usually mild-mannered homeroom teacher treated Xie Guan, that jealous feeling bubbled up inside him again. He could only grudgingly agree.

The teacher soon left the classroom, and the chatter picked right back up. Some students even broke the rules, leaving their seats to crowd around Xie Guan’s desk, falling all over themselves to greet him.

They squeezed tightly into the already cramped space, their chattering voices buzzing nonstop in Lin Xingshu’s ears:

“Xie Guan, are you from Jing City? I heard you’re really smart—can I ask you for help if I don’t understand something?”

“Xie Guan, do you have any contact info? Can I add you?”

“Where are you staying now? If we live close, can we go to and from school together?”

The students bombarded Xie Guan with endless questions. Xie Guan wore a gentle smile but never answered any of them. Instead, he propped his chin on his hand, watching Lin Xingshu while his other hand tapped idly on the desk.

Lin Xingshu got goosebumps from that stare, a creepy shiver running down his spine. He couldn’t help but complain to himself.

Why was this transfer student eyeballing him like that? They didn’t even know each other…

“Class monitor.”

One of the students suddenly spoke up, dragging him into it:

“Xie Guan is a new student and your deskmate. Why aren’t you talking to him?”

Lin Xingshu stopped dead while turning the page. You kidding me? They were dragging him into this now? What was wrong with these people?

Even with his normally easygoing nature, his anger was nearing its limit. He snapped through gritted teeth, “Morning self-study is for reading, not chatting. As for the new student, I’ll handle him when I need to!”

His neck and ears flushed red with fury, his dark eyes burning with anger. His lips pressed into a tight line, making him look like a pissed-off kitten.

Xie Guan’s fingers, which had been lightly drumming on the desk, paused. The students exchanged glances before silently returning to their seats and resuming their studies.

Lin Xingshu slammed his book shut, jaw clenched so tightly it ached. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became—he was about to explode.

He had never realized his classmates were like this!

As class monitor, he had spent nearly three years with them, day in and day out. Yet, they were all over this new guy, who had just arrived, more than him!

Just because he hadn’t shown Xie Guan enough enthusiasm, they actually called him out!

Lost in his thoughts, Lin Xingshu failed to notice Xie Guan eyeing him with clear amusement, his finger drawing lazy circles on his book, eyes brimming with interest.

“Class monitor…”

Xie Guan suddenly piped up in a fake meek voice. Lin Xingshu’s brow twitched imperceptibly before smoothing out. He pasted on a polite smile and turned his head, “Yes? What is it?”

The youth beside him glanced up like a startled bird, then quickly lowered his lashes, his thick, delicate eyelashes hiding the cunning glint in his eyes.

When he looked up again, his pretty face was all hurt-looking, his fingers nervously tugging at the hem of his sleeve.

“Do you… hate me?”

“Does me sitting next to you bother you? If… if you don’t want me here, I can talk to the homeroom teacher…”

“I’m sorry for disturbing you. I know… you must think I took his seat, but he was the one who offered it to me. I didn’t mean to take it from anyone. I’m sorry…”

His voice trembled as if he had suffered some great injustice—anyone listening would think Lin Xingshu had been bullying him. Lin Xingshu stared at him, eyes widening slowly. Two words flashed through his mind:

*Green tea.*

Top-tier green tea.

That look, that tone, that affected way of speaking—what a faker! And… was he imagining it?

Did Xie Guan just use a baby voice on him?