Ever since learning that a super handsome guy lived across the hall, every time Qin Shu went out or came back, he couldn’t help glancing at the opposite door—but he never once managed to bump into him.
Qin Shu consoled himself: If I can’t see him, then I can’t. My baby’s face is pretty good too, I can make do licking that.
After class, Qin Shu returned to the dorm in despair. He sat at his desk, dazed for a while, then—under Chu Cheng’s horrified gaze—started banging his head against the table.
Chu Cheng was tying his shoes, getting ready for his nightly run. “What the h*ll kind of fit are you throwing now?!”
Qin Shu clawed at his hair in frustration, breaking down. “I don’t want to, I don’t want to!” Then he suddenly collapsed face-first onto the desk, pretending to faint.
Chu Cheng cautiously came closer, poked his shoulder. “Hey, you okay?”
Qin Shu cracked open one eye, the corners red, nose a little pink, looking like he’d just suffered some massive injustice.
Chu Cheng couldn’t help but quip: “Who did this to you? Tell me, I’ll send them flowers, maybe buy them a skin.”
Qin Shu almost coughed blood. With a baby like this, how could he not die young?
Seeing no response, Chu Cheng realized it might be serious. He condescended: “If you need me to take you to the campus hospital, as long as you agree to move out, I might consider it.”
Qin Shu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “I don’t want to…”
“Don’t want what exactly?”
“I don’t want to be a failing student!” Qin Shu shouted.
Chu Cheng: ???
“I can’t understand anything, can’t read anything—why treat me like this! Since kindergarten I’ve never suffered this kind of humiliation.” Qin Shu wailed, “I am trying so hard to study, but, but… wuuuuuu——”
Chu Cheng stared at him like he was a lunatic.
“What did I do so wrong to deserve such cruel punishment, making me study Analog Circuits, Databases, C++… nobody bullies people like this, wuuu.” Qin Shu had only meant to whine a little, but the more he talked, the sadder he got, until his eyes were actually a bit damp.
He hadn’t touched science after his second year of high school, and he’d completely skipped first-year courses in the computer science program. Dropping a liberal arts kid with only high school-level science straight into second year at a top CS university—wasn’t that just setting him up to fail?!
If he could let go, he could just be a happy little failing student. After all, the Qin family had money—he’d never starve. But “not being a failing student” was carved into his bones. Before his parents died in a car accident, he’d promised them he would always work hard at his studies.
Chu Cheng filtered out the key information from Qin Shu’s nonsense. “If you don’t want to study this stuff, then change majors. And change dorms while you’re at it.”
Depressed, Qin Shu said: “I checked, switching majors requires grades and GPA. With the scores I can get now, forget about it.”
“Then drop out and take the exam again.”
Qin Shu shook his head. “I feel like if I retook the exam, I wouldn’t even get into your university.”
Chu Cheng, baffled: “Our university?”
“Not going to your university, how would I help you chase your wife?”
Chu Cheng: “…Hah? Say that again?”
Qin Shu took a deep breath, his gaze firming up. “But I won’t give up.” Worst case, he’d start learning from the very beginning—for the dignity of being a top student, for Baby and Ning Ning’s happiness, “All in!”
Chu Cheng, thoughtful, took out his phone and started Baidu-ing “clinical symptoms of mental illness.”
Most of the weekend, Qin Shu soaked in the library, self-studying basic science knowledge. He lost himself in the ocean of knowledge, until he received a WeChat:
【Jiang Wenyan: Brother Shu Brother Shu, Xu Ning’s going to the night market tonight!】
The name “Jiang Wenyan” didn’t ring a bell for Qin Shu. He scrolled through the chat history and saw it was all stuff like “Xu Ning went to the library,” “Xu Ning’s going to watch a movie tomorrow,” etc.
Then it clicked. The original owner, in order to chase Xu Ning, had bribed Xu Ning’s roommate. The roommate would leak Xu Ning’s whereabouts from time to time, so the original owner could “coincidentally” run into him.
Qin Shu thought this behavior wasn’t very good—kind of stalkerish. Xu Ning definitely wouldn’t want his whereabouts casually passed around.
He thought about it, then replied:
【Uncle Qin: Got it. You don’t need to tell me these things anymore, unless Xu Ning doesn’t mind.】
【Jiang Wenyan: Huh? You’re not chasing Xu Ning anymore? (shocked.jpg)】
【Uncle Qin: I am, but I’ve decided to change my approach.】
【Jiang Wenyan: Like what?】
【Uncle Qin: Haven’t figured it out yet orz】
【Jiang Wenyan: …Fine. If you need my help, just ask.】
【Uncle Qin: Thanks. (bows 90 degrees)】
【Uncle Qin: By the way, what time is Xu Ning going?】
【Jiang Wenyan: Aren’t you changing your approach?】
【Uncle Qin: Well, I already know this time anyway. (pokes fingers together)】
Of course Qin Shu wasn’t asking for himself. He’d been so absorbed in studying these past few days he hadn’t paid attention to Baby’s lifelong happiness—it was about time he lent a hand.
After getting Xu Ning’s going-out time, Qin Shu headed back to the dorm. On the stair landing he nearly bumped into a boy coming down. Before he even registered what happened, his eyes widened—ah, the power of beauty.
Xie Lanzhi stopped. “Qin Shu.”
“Ah, it’s senior!” Qin Shu’s lips curved up uncontrollably. “Long time no see!”
Today the senior was wearing a white shirt, with a pocket on the left chest, exquisite like he’d stepped right out of a shoujo manga.
“We just saw each other two days ago.” Xie Lanzhi looked at Qin Shu’s bright white teeth as he smiled, wondering how he could smile so brilliantly. “Were you looking for me?”
“No,” Qin Shu said honestly, “I just feel like I hardly ever see you.”
Lu Rulu interjected: “He doesn’t live in the dorm.”
Qin Shu looked disappointed. “Oh…” Looked like chances to admire his looks would be few and far between. “Holy cr*p! Brother Lu, when did you get here?”
Lu Rulu took a hit. “I’ve been here the whole time. It’s not like I can teleport.”
Qin Shu scratched his head. “So I’m just blind?”
Lu Rulu said numb and bleakly, “It’s not you—” As Xie Lanzhi’s roommate, he was already used to being ignored.
Xie Lanzhi, never one for small talk, said: “I’m leaving.”
“Okay, okay.” Qin Shu stepped aside, watching the senior’s departing figure. Suddenly he called out: “Senior!”
Xie Lanzhi turned back. “Hm?”
Qin Shu shyly said: “Could you help me with something? Five minutes from now, call me on WeChat.”
Xie Lanzhi gave him a questioning look. Qin Shu explained: “Once I pick up, you can just hang up—it won’t trouble you, right?”
Meeting Qin Shu’s bright eyes, Xie Lanzhi said: “It won’t.”
Back in his dorm, Qin Shu realized he’d forgotten to ask the senior’s name again. Not his fault—faced with such beauty, who wouldn’t lose a few IQ points?
Chu Cheng was doing push-ups, counting under his breath: “40, 41, 42…” His body was strong and full of power, clad in a tight black tank top, muscles outlined, radiating healthy energy.
Qin Shu stood nearby, hugging a book, smiling like a doting auntie while watching him exercise.
Chu Cheng felt goosebumps under his gaze, but forced himself to finish fifty, then jumped up and lifted his shirt to wipe off sweat, revealing sharply cut abs and obliques. “What are you looking at? Don’t look.”
Qin Shu blinked. “Do you have plans tonight?”
Chu Cheng froze. “What are you up to?”
At that moment, Qin Shu’s phone rang.
When the call connected, Xie Lanzhi was about to hang up, but Lu Rulu stopped him. In a low voice he said: “Let’s see what he’s up to.”
Xie Lanzhi: “Are you sick?”
Qin Shu’s exaggerated voice came through the phone: “What? You said Xu Ning’s going to the night market tonight?! At six?”
Xie Lanzhi: “…”
“You wait, I’ll find somewhere quiet to talk.” Then Qin Shu hung up on his own.
Lu Rulu said: “Xu Ning, that’s the school flower from Fine Arts, right?”
Xie Lanzhi: “Probably.” They were in the same club, just acquaintances with WeChat added, but not in touch usually.
“Strange,” Lu Rulu rubbed his chin, “why would Qin Shu ask you to call him about Xu Ning?”
“In this kind of case, it’s usually meant for the people around him to overhear.”
“The people around him? Chu Cheng?” Lu Rulu gasped. “Could it be, he’s trying to lure Chu Cheng to the night market? Is he really going to do something to Chu Cheng?!”
Xie Lanzhi’s voice was calm. “With an imagination that rich, why don’t you write novels instead.”
Lu Rulu, agitated: “Don’t you think it’s suspicious? Use that smart little head of yours. Qin Shu suddenly moved back, then pulled a stunt like this…”
Thinking of Qin Shu’s bright eyes, Xie Lanzhi said: “If you’re worried, remind Chu Cheng. Or call the police.”
Lu Rulu chuckled, “Isn’t calling the police a bit overboard?”
Xie Lanzhi shot him a glance. “You think it’s overboard too.”
Lu Rulu snapped his fingers, eager, “Anyway, we’re going to dinner—why not hit the night market too? Might as well see what Qin Shu is really up to. Suddenly feels kind of thrilling, like shooting a movie.”
“You shoot it alone,” Xie Lanzhi said. “I won’t join.”
The night market near campus was the most popular spot for students. Every afternoon around four or five, it woke up. Street vendors set up one by one—mostly snack stalls, small eateries, and some selling little trinkets. Hygiene aside, the food was delicious and cheap, so many students stopped by after study sessions for a bowl of takoyaki or sour-spicy noodles.
Qin Shu and Chu Cheng walked along a small path. Qin Shu was secretly thrilled but outwardly said, “Why are you following me?”
“I’m not following you,” Chu Cheng said, fully confident. “I’m here to buy food.”
Qin Shu saw through it but said nothing, scanning the street. The night market was a straight stretch; with a careful look, he should be able to spot Xu Ning.
Chu Cheng had just finished exercising and hadn’t eaten dinner yet. The aroma of the snacks was irresistible. Passing by a shop he frequented, he said to Qin Shu, “I’ll get a bowl of noodles.”
“Wait,” Qin Shu grabbed him. “What noodles?”
“Snail noodles.”
…About to “coincidentally” meet Ning Ning, and you tell Dad you want snail noodles now?! Dad will kill you, clueless little Baby!
Qin Shu groaned. “Can’t you eat something else?”
“Do I need your permission to eat what I want?”
“You’ll bring the smell of snail noodles back to the dorm. I’ll be the one suffering.”
“Even better, then,” Chu Cheng said childishly. “Smother you to death with it.”
Seeing Baby rush excitedly into the snail noodles shop, Qin Shu couldn’t resist and followed, “I’ll eat too!”
Twenty minutes later, they emerged, both smelling strongly of snail noodles. Chu Cheng was fully satisfied; Qin Shu was full of regret, inhaling the smell and reflecting on how he got led astray by Baby. Was it fatherly love or just how good the snail noodles tasted?
At this point, Qin Shu could only try to remedy things. “I’ll go buy some gum. Will you wait here?”
“No.”
After buying gum and some floral water, Qin Shu came back—of course, Chu Cheng had vanished. Qin Shu, both annoyed and amused, walked while searching, and found him at a rather empty open-air café. Unexpectedly, Xu Ning was there too.
Thinking about Chu Cheng still smelling like snail noodles, Qin Shu pinched the space between his nose and upper lip.
Calm down, don’t panic! Maybe Xu Ning has a cold and can’t smell it today.
Anyway, now that son and future daughter-in-law had met, he could retreat in success. He took a couple of steps, but still worried about his slightly scatterbrained Baby—just one look, then leave.
The two were sitting at the corner of the street. Qin Shu quietly circled around, leaning against a wall and pretending to play on his phone, barely able to hear their conversation.
Chu Cheng said, “Coming to a down-to-earth place for coffee, you city folks really know how to have fun.”
Qin Shu wanted to rush over and slap him—speak properly!
Xu Ning explained, “No, I invited someone.”
“Who?”
“Just… a friend.”
Her tone was clearly uneasy. Chu Cheng coldly asked, “Girlfriend or boyfriend?”
“Neither.”
“Then who?”
Xu Ning sighed. “Chu Cheng, I’m not obliged to tell you.”
Chu Cheng arrogantly said, “Don’t overthink it. I’m just curious.”
“Hmm, so are you leaving?”
“Why? I’m here to drink coffee.”
Xu Ning murmured, “But didn’t you just say drinking coffee at the night market is ‘city-style fun’?”
Chu Cheng didn’t respond—probably caught off guard.
Qin Shu wanted to laugh, but felt guilty in front of Baby. He tried desperately to hold it back, but couldn’t fully, and the twitching corners of his mouth eventually created a weird half-smile.
From not far away, Xie Lanzhi witnessed the scene.
The bright-smiling junior pressed against the wall, secretly watching Xu Ning and Chu Cheng talk, lips curled into a strange, half-smile.
Xie Lanzhi: “…”
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