Qin Shu froze, inadvertently squeezing the cat’s paw harder. Snowball meowed and wriggled free, squinting as she walked away.
Xie Lanzhi’s question had already caught him off guard, and then came that form of address. Qin Shu felt himself losing control.
About the nickname: Xie Lanzhi wasn’t the first to call him that—Lu Rulu did too. To Qin Shu, Lu Rulu’s “Little Love Letter” sounded no different from “Little Qin” or “Old Qin.” But when Xie Lanzhi said those three words, his tone carried curiosity, interest, a gentle test—clearly no intention to flirt—but it left Qin Shu completely flustered, thoughts spinning, chest tingling.
Qin Shu’s name and “Love Letter” sounded nearly identical to anyone who didn’t distinguish certain nasal consonants. His name already carried a hint of ambiguity; Xie Lanzhi’s voice was so pleasant, his face so handsome… anyone would lose control. As for the question he asked…
Qin Shu steadied himself, looking innocent: “Do I?”
“You do.” Xie Lanzhi looked down at him, and under that gaze of curiosity, Qin Shu’s breathing slowed. “When you look at me, I’m your senior you get along with; but the moment your eyes aren’t on me, I become someone you’d rather keep as far away as possible—am I right?”
“…” Yes. D*mn right. Xie Lanzhi, could you not be so smart.
Qin Shu knew exactly what was going on. His main “conflict” with Xie Lanzhi was that he genuinely liked Xie Lanzhi’s face—he couldn’t help getting starstruck when looking at him. But his heart for the “ChengNing” CP was even truer, more steadfast. His resistance toward Xie Lanzhi had started before he even came to this world. Thinking that Xie Lanzhi might one day snatch his future daughter-in-law, he simply couldn’t comfortably be friends with him.
Qin Shu pressed his lips together. “Nothing like that. You’re overthinking.”
Xie Lanzhi smiled, clearly unconvinced. “It’s the first time someone’s treated me this way. I’m genuinely curious. How did I offend you?”
Qin Shu lowered his head, speaking softly: “It’s… just because your looks are too good, senior.”
Xie Lanzhi paused slightly.
“Being this good-looking makes people feel insecure.”
Xie Lanzhi pondered Qin Shu’s words, then slowly said, “I… make you feel insecure?”
“Exactly.” Qin Shu said frustratedly. Xie Lanzhi was too perfect—so perfect that whenever he talked to Xu Ning, Qin Shu felt his CP might crumble.
Qin Shu’s explanation left Xie Lanzhi even more perplexed. He wasn’t Qin Shu’s boyfriend, so why would Qin Shu seek security from him? “You…”
Lu Rulu, just coming out of the bathroom, interrupted: “D*mn Brother Lan, seriously, using the bathroom at your place is a whole different experience, nothing like the dorm.”
Xie Lanzhi replied coldly, “Thanks, but there’s no need to say that—you’re quite quick.”
Lu Rulu blinked. “Quick?”
“Came out that fast. Want me to refer you to a urologist?”
Qin Shu couldn’t hold it in—pfft—
Lu Rulu: “D*mn it, Xie Lanzhi, enough already.”
By the time Chu Cheng came out, the three were about to leave. Xie Lanzhi saw them off at the entrance, watching them put on their shoes.
Lu Rulu said, “See you in class tomorrow.”
Xie Lanzhi absentmindedly nodded, then suddenly said, “Qin Shu.”
Qin Shu breathed a sigh of relief at the return to normal address. “Yes?”
“The wound,” Xie Lanzhi nodded toward his chest. “Still hurts?”
“…” Looks like I relaxed too soon.
“What wound?” Lu Rulu asked. “Little Love Letter got hurt?”
Qin Shu forced a smile, pushing Lu Rulu into the elevator. “No, no. Let’s go—the dorm auntie’s scolding isn’t pleasant at all.”
On the way back to the dorm, Qin Shu was quieter than usual. His lively personality usually made anything unusual obvious at a glance.
Out of concern, Lu Rulu asked, “Little Love Letter, are you okay?”
“Not okay. Not okay at all.” His chest felt tight, and the scabbed-over little wound itched, but he couldn’t scratch it.
It was unbearable!
Lu Rulu and Chu Cheng exchanged a glance, then put their arms around Qin Shu. “Come on, tell us what’s wrong.”
Chu Cheng guessed, “Did running 1500 meters fry your brain?”
Qin Shu shook his head, letting out a long sigh. “Brother Lu, you can’t comfort me.” The only thing that could soothe him was sugar from the ChengNing CP—or a certain 1.86-meter-tall guy with long legs, six-pack abs, a nice voice, good grades, rich, handsome, good at comforting, and even buys him duck clavicles.
Yep. That’s exactly Xie Lanzhi.
Qin Shu, utterly drained, decided to console himself with some sugar. He looked at Chu Cheng. “Tomorrow you’re going to the gym with Ning Ning, right? Take me with you.”
“Sure,” Chu Cheng patted his arm lightly. “I’ve long found your little frame annoying anyway.”
***
Xie Lanzhi arrived at the classroom ten minutes into the lecture. It was a class of over a hundred students. Usually, someone arriving late could sneak in quietly from the back; leaving early wasn’t an issue either. But Xie Lanzhi’s arrival was far too conspicuous. The moment he appeared at the back door, girls with “handsome-detection radar” immediately turned around, causing quite a stir.
Xie Lanzhi found Lu Rulu and calmly sat down beside him.
Lu Rulu asked, “Why are you late?”
Xie Lanzhi said, “Snowball went into heat.”
“What?!” Lu Rulu lost control of his volume for a moment, drawing glances from people around them. He quickly bent down, lowering his voice. “Then doesn’t that mean you’ll have to get her spayed?”
Xie Lanzhi opened his book. “The surgery can only be done after the heat is over.”
Lu Rulu’s feelings were complicated. “She’s still just a child…”
The lecture lasted an hour and a half straight, with a ten-minute break in between. Lu Rulu scrolled through his Moments feed, spotting a post Qin Shu made last night, and burst out laughing like a pig squealing. “Brother Lan, did you see Little Love Letter’s Moments?”
“No,” Xie Lanzhi said carelessly, “what did he post?”
“‘Feeling down, played two rounds of Honor of Kings. Turns out I was in a good mood just now.’ And he attached his stats. 1-11-2, 2-5-1… tragic, absolutely tragic.”
Xie Lanzhi took out his phone, pulled up Qin Shu’s Moments, and scrolled through it once. “Why was he in a bad mood?”
Lu Rulu shrugged. “How should I know? He was acting weird when he came back to the dorm last night.”
Could it be because of their conversation yesterday? Xie Lanzhi thought about it, then asked, “Tell me, if someone treats you hot and cold, unpredictable—what would that mean?”
“Oho.” Lu Rulu’s eyes lit up with gossip. “Who is it? Using such an old-fashioned way to catch your attention. Bro, times have changed—playing hard to get doesn’t work anymore.”
Xie Lanzhi froze. Qin Shu… playing hard to get with him?
Xie Lanzhi let out a soft laugh. “Impossible. He already has someone he likes.”
“Why impossible?” Lu Rulu said. “Plenty of girls have used that trick on you before.”
“They have?”
“Of course they have!” Lu Rulu got excited. “I’ve figured out all their routines. First they’d find all sorts of excuses to talk to you every day, then suddenly one day they’d go cold—just waiting for you to come chasing after them. Though… you never once went looking for them.”
Xie Lanzhi honestly couldn’t remember any of that.
Lu Rulu knew Xie Lanzhi never cared about people unrelated to him, so he got even more curious. “Hey, hey, so who is it this time? To actually make you care.”
Xie Lanzhi’s attention returned to his book. “I don’t care.”
After his last class in the afternoon, Xie Lanzhi received a text about a delivery: the mug he bought online for Qin Shu had arrived.
He picked up the package and sent Qin Shu a WeChat message: 【Where are you.】
【Love Letter: On the way to the gym. (What do you want.jpg)】
【Shuimenjian: Is Chu Cheng at 419?】
【Love Letter: (Black-guy-question-mark.jpg)】
【Love Letter: No, he’s with me.】
【Shuimenjian: 1】
Xie Lanzhi pocketed his phone. Since 419 was empty, he’d have to make a trip to the gym. He’d heard Chu Cheng mention the name of that gym before.
Meanwhile, Qin Shu stared at Xie Lanzhi’s “1” message, completely baffled, not knowing what he was trying to do.
“Qin Shu,” Xu Ning’s gentle voice came from up ahead. “Do you need something?”
Qin Shu immediately grinned. “Ning Ning, I’m here! Nothing’s wrong!”
Chu Cheng said coldly, “The last classmate who played on their phone while crossing the street—there’s already five feet of grass growing on their grave.”
Qin Shu trailed behind the two of them, deliberately slowing down. If Chu Cheng and Xu Ning turned around just then, they would see him wearing an expression of intoxication, like he was in love.
Chu Cheng and Xu Ning walked shoulder to shoulder—not too close, not too far. Qin Shu’s eyes locked on their swaying hands, and inwardly he roared like a soap-opera actor: Hold hands! Just hold hands already! He wanted to rush over, grab a tube of superglue, and stick their hands together.
But Chu Cheng and Xu Ning just walked like normal good bros. Chu Cheng’s words were as harsh as ever, Xu Ning seemed used to his sharp tongue, listening quietly to his nonsense and occasionally replying. Not flirty, but the atmosphere was harmonious.
Qin Shu couldn’t help but shed “fatherly” tears, snapping a photo of their backs in the same frame.
The gym owner was their senior from the sports academy, and he got along well with Chu Cheng—they often trained together.
Seeing Chu Cheng bring in a new face, the owner laughed. “Bringing me new business again?”
Chu Cheng said, “I figure he won’t last a few days. Just let him try for free first.”
The owner was easygoing. “Sure.”
Qin Shu protested, “I can last!” For the sake of shipping, he could!
Chu Cheng snorted. “Talk after you finish today.”
Xu Ning said, “Come on, let’s go change.”
Inside the locker room, Qin Shu discovered there were no stalls, and his blood began to boil. No partitions—Chu Cheng and Xu Ning changing at the same time… that’s basically the same as doing it!
Awooo, no way, he was short of breath, drowning in sugar!
Chu Cheng and Xu Ning started undressing. Their builds were completely different—one all power, the other all elegance. What’s the definition of a perfect match? D*mn it, this is the definition!
After taking off their shirts, they kept going for their pants—oh my god, they were wearing the same color underwear today! Save him, he couldn’t breathe, he was going to faint from happiness.
When they were done changing, Xu Ning noticed Qin Shu’s flushed face and froze. “Qin Shu, are you okay? Why aren’t you changing?”
Qin Shu opened his mouth, his voice hoarse. “I… I’m a little thirsty. I’ll go drink some water first. You guys keep stripping!”
He dashed out of the locker room, filled a big cup at the water dispenser, and downed it in one go. But the excitement in him didn’t ease one bit.
After seeing that scene just now, he could die without regrets!
Qin Shu filled another cup, just about to drink, when a familiar figure stepped in from the door. He nearly choked to death. “Cough, cough—” Xie… Xie Lanzhi?! Why the h*ll was he here?!
Xie Lanzhi also saw him and walked over in his direction.
At that moment, Xu Ning’s voice sounded not far behind him: “Qin Shu? Are you alright?”
Qin Shu’s eyes were full of panic, as if a knife were held against his neck.
Xie Lanzhi was in front, Xu Ning was behind. So… were the two of them about to meet?!
No——!
Author’s Note: Xie Lanzhi: You use my photo as wallpaper, act hot and cold with me, play hard to get, and then you say you like Xu Ning? Heh, scumbag.
Little Love Letter (spitting blood): I didn’t, I don’t…
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