At the beginning of October, the weather was still scorching hot.
The blazing sun hung high in the sky. The sycamore trees on the field were wilting, their leaves curling at the edges. The track reeked of rubber, so hot it could almost fry an egg.
But even so, the heat didn’t dampen the boys’ enthusiasm for playing basketball.
As soon as the gym teacher said “dismissed, free activity,” the boys of Class 21 rushed to change into their basketball gear and headed straight for the court.
Xie Ruan had just finished a 1,000-meter run and was still catching his breath. He planned to find a shady spot to rest when he spotted Shen Xingyun holding a basketball, so he turned and headed toward the school’s convenience store.
Since it was class time, the usually crowded store was nearly empty, with only a few students browsing. Xie Ruan quickly grabbed a cold box of bottled water, worried that Shen Xingyun might be thirsty. He paid for it and jogged back to the basketball court with the water.
He had been Shen Xingyun’s boyfriend for only two days.
Shen Xingyun had good looks and came from a wealthy family. He had a unique charm, a mix of nobility born from privilege and the rebellious energy of a teenager. He was one of the most popular students at school.
From upperclassmen about to take their college entrance exams to freshmen who had just entered the school, countless students secretly admired him.
The reason Xie Ruan managed to stand out among the many competitors, aside from his stunning looks, was his relentless devotion and dedication.
He always prioritized Shen Xingyun, bringing him food when he was hungry, water when he was thirsty, and even personally washing his dirty clothes. He even extended his care to Shen Xingyun’s friends.
Birthday gifts, holiday surprises—Xie Ruan never missed a single occasion. He was thorough in every way, always suppressing his temper and ignoring the many people who flirted with Shen Xingyun, never getting jealous or causing drama.
His attentiveness and self-restraint amazed everyone, leading them to open a thread on the school forum titled:
“What Did Xie Ruan Do for Shen Xingyun Today?”
The thread had already reached 15,800 posts, surpassing Baidu searches and becoming the ultimate guide for winning over a crush, benefiting countless people.
When some of the spectators noticed Xie Ruan, they began whispering.
“Of course, wherever Shen Xingyun goes, Xie Ruan is never far behind.”
“Nonsense, he finally secured the official boyfriend position, no way he’s letting that slip.”
“Official boyfriend? Didn’t Shen Xingyun say he’s just fooling around?”
“Why does Xie Ruan even bother? I couldn’t do it.”
“He’s just naturally desperate, I guess. Loves being taken for granted.”
“Brother Yun’s the real deal though—he’s managed to tame even someone like Xie Ruan.”
“…”
Xie Ruan approached, his face cold, and dropped the bottled water on the ground with a loud thud. The gossipers immediately shrank back and shut their mouths.
Xie Ruan stuffed one hand in his pocket, ignoring them as he walked past, and found a spot with a good view of the basketball court. His eyes sparkled as he watched Shen Xingyun playing, drenched in sweat.
He truly liked Shen Xingyun. From the moment he first saw him, he was smitten, and even though he knew he wasn’t really into him, Xie Ruan didn’t care.
Not every love is mutual, after all. Feelings can grow over time. Just because Shen Xingyun doesn’t like him now doesn’t mean he won’t in the future.
Besides, his efforts over the past year haven’t been for nothing. Shen Xingyun did agree to be his boyfriend, didn’t he? In Xie Ruan’s mind, that was practically a confession of love.
On the court, the basketball was passed to Shen Xingyun. The tall, athletic boy deftly maneuvered past two defenders, adjusted his position, and leaped for a shot from behind the three-point line.
The basketball arced through the air, bouncing around the rim twice before smoothly sinking into the net.
At the same time, the game ended.
Cheers erupted, boys shouting praises and girls screaming in excitement, adding glory to the victory.
“Nice shot!” Wang Zhao came over and high-fived Shen Xingyun. “You’re a pro, Brother Yun.”
“That was nothing,” Shen Xingyun replied with a smug grin, tossing the basketball to Wang and lifting his shirt to wipe the sweat from his face.
As his shirt lifted, it revealed a lean, toned waist. The boy’s skin was covered in a light sheen of sweat from the exercise, and as he moved, droplets of sweat trickled down the grooves of his abs and disappeared into the waistband of his shorts, darkening the fabric with moisture.
A surge of energy and hormones filled the air, drawing yet another round of screams from the crowd.
“D*mn, can you not be so showy?” Wang Zhao rolled his eyes at him, unable to watch any longer. “My hundred-kilogram iron fist is clenched.”
“Hahaha, don’t worry,” Zhao Hongfu teased, wrapping his arm around his neck and making a dirty joke, “as long as nothing else is clenched.”
Shen Xingyun kicked him: “Get lost!”
“What’s up with you, Brother Yun?” Zhao Hongfu yelped, clutching his rear, “I didn’t provoke you.”
“Serves you right.” Wang Zhao laughed gleefully. “Don’t you know Brother Yun hates all that gay stuff?”
“Huh?” Zhao Hongfu looked back and forth between Shen Xingyun and Wang Zhao, completely puzzled. “Wait, isn’t Brother Yun dating Xie Ruan now?”
Wang Zhao scoffed. “What’s dating? He’s just too persistent; Brother Yun agreed to play around with him.”
“Impressive.” Zhao Hongfu gave Shen Xingyun a thumbs-up. “That’s my Brother Yun, a man standing at the top of the food chain.”
Wang Zhao’s brain couldn’t catch up for a second, and he asked instinctively, “What food chain?”
Zhao Hongfu explained, “Back then, so many people were sending Xie Ruan love letters—guys and girls alike. He didn’t even glance at them, but in front of Brother Yun, he’s practically begging to be strung along.”
“There were even girls who liked Xie Ruan?” Wang Zhao was skeptical.
“At the start of freshman year.” Zhao Hongfu’s eyes lit up, clearly excited to gossip. “You weren’t in our class back then, so you missed it. Every time there was a break, girls would crowd the hall just to see him, blocking the hallway so much it was hard to even get to the bathroom. But once Xie Ruan started chasing Brother Yun, that all stopped.”
Remembering Xie Ruan’s face, Wang Zhao found it believable. “True. I remember back then the school forums were flooded with posts about him, totally dominated.”
“Right?” Zhao Hongfu patted Shen Xingyun on the shoulder, clicking his tongue. “But what does it matter? He still couldn’t escape Brother Yun’s grasp. I bet if Brother Yun told him to jump off a building, he’d do it without hesitation.”
Wang Zhao laughed. “You’re right; it’s possible. We should try it sometime.”
They all laughed, then Zhao Hongfu suddenly frowned. “Speaking of Xie Ruan…where is he today? Didn’t he come? What’s up—lost interest now that he’s caught him?”
“No way,” Wang Zhao, ever observant, spotted Xie Ruan in the crowd and pointed. “Isn’t he right over there?”
Shen Xingyun and Zhao Hongfu looked where he pointed.
Xie Ruan was sitting diagonally in front of them on a water tank, dressed in a black-and-white school uniform. His long legs stretched out, showing a slim, beautiful ankle. His gaze was downcast, deep in thought.
Strands of black hair framed his face, highlighting his pale skin and red lips. His profile was sharply defined, exuding a natural aloofness, beautiful to the point of being almost aggressive.
Zhao Hongfu couldn’t help but sigh. “Whatever else, Xie Ruan’s face is genuinely top-notch.” He turned to Shen Xingyun, making a mock microphone with his hand. “Let’s interview you. How does it feel to be chased by such a beauty?”
Shen Xingyun tore his gaze away from Xie Ruan and grinned. “He’s too clingy. It’s annoying.”
This remark was immediately met with a chorus of boos.
“Come on, Shen Xingyun, have a heart.”
“He doesn’t know how lucky he is!”
“Send him to me! I don’t care about looks—I’m a superglue bottle brought to life. I love clingy types.”
The jealousy and admiration of those around him greatly satisfied Shen Xingyun’s vanity, softening his usual rebellious demeanor.
Then, Wang Zhao furrowed his brows in confusion. “But why’s Xie Ruan just sitting there? Doesn’t he usually rush over right away?”
Zhao Hongfu burst out laughing. “Maybe he’s still stunned by Brother Yun’s last killer move.”
“See?” Wang Zhao shook his head in amazement. “As expected of my Brother Yun.”
Shen Xingyun tilted his chin up, grabbed a basketball with one hand, and said, “Enough about him. Let’s go.”
“Let’s go, let’s go.” Zhao Hongfu waved, linking arms with Wang Zhao as they walked off.
Outside the court, Xie Ruan suddenly jolted, snapping out of his daze.
When the game ended, he’d intended to go bring water. But as he was about to stand up, something clicked, and he became acutely self-aware, realizing that his world was actually a stereotypical BL romance novel.
And he was the ex-boyfriend of the main gong Shen Xingyun—a lovesick fool who, when Shen broke up with him, refused to let go and, ultimately, jumped off a building in despair at a single word from him.
As a complete side character, he was there to highlight Shen Xingyun’s charm while adding depth to his “tragically misunderstood” character, paving the way for the protagonist Shou, Ye Haiqiong, to heal him.
After all, he only lost a life, but Shen Xingyun supposedly bore the trauma of watching him fall.
Xie Ruan: “…”
You’ve got to be kidding me.
Xie Ruan pinched his thigh hard, hoping it was just some absurd dream, that everything would be normal when he woke up. But reality told him otherwise.
His mind, once foggy, had suddenly cleared. Taking a few deep breaths, he slowly raised his head.
The basketball court was as lively as ever, his classmates animated and vibrant, with no sign of anything wrong.
But everything was different now.
He realized he wasn’t just himself—he was a lovesick cannon fodder whose entire existence, from beginning to end, had been scripted.
For example, his previous pursuit of Shen Xingyun hadn’t been his choice at all.
Honestly, he wasn’t a masochist; why would he like someone who constantly manipulated him and treated him coldly?
Thinking about what that person said to him when they broke up—things like, “Have a bit of self-awareness, would I like you? I was just looking for some fun,” and, “Did you really think you were my boyfriend? Ha—quite the nerve you’ve got”—Xie Ruan felt his fists clench.
If you don’t like him, don’t say yes. Giving him hope only to turn around and stab him in the back—who does that?
The sun had slipped behind the clouds, casting a shadow over the field. As Shen Xingyun and his friends came closer, Xie Ruan wiped his face.
To h*ll with the story, with the plot—this was his life. Now that he was free from the author’s chains, he would follow his own heart and live how he wanted.
Forget being the main gong’s tragic ex; he was done with this “infatuated cannon fodder” nonsense.
Who cared if the plot shattered? He’d been about to jump off a building—why would he care about any of that now?
“Whoa,” Wang Zhao muttered, chuckling as he saw Xie Ruan moving. “Here he comes, with his water and his devotion!”
The crowd’s gaze quickly fixed on Xie Ruan.
Xie Ruan stopped in front of Shen Xingyun and looked up.
Having just read the entire story, he hadn’t quite shaken off his emotions. Seeing Shen Xingyun now, he felt an urge to punch him.
To keep his anger in check, he clenched his fists and took a deep breath before saying, “Shen Xingyun.”
In Shen Xingyun’s eyes, Xie Ruan appeared shy and flustered, unsure of where to put his hands and feet.
The once-aloof, well-admired Xie Ruan now humbled himself before Shen Xingyun, willing to play the role of a loyal follower.
This special treatment made Shen Xingyun feel almost celestial. He responded with a casual “Yeah?” and waited for Xie Ruan to gush over him, as usual.
This routine was all too familiar.
Spinning the basketball lazily with his fingers, Shen Xingyun wondered if he should be warm or distant in his response when Xie Ruan unexpectedly said, “Let’s break up.”
