Xie Ruan didn’t initiate any conversation with Bo Jin for the rest of the afternoon, determined to shatter this idea of a “perfect relationship.” But during evening study, when he ran into yet another confusing point, he had no choice but to ask.
His foundation wasn’t great, and the experimental class teachers taught quickly. He could manage in other subjects, since he was smart and, now freed from following a specific book, he absorbed new information quickly. English, however, was another story—he just couldn’t get it, almost as if it was some mental block.
After thinking it over, he could only turn to Bo Jin for help.
Xie Ruan had expected Bo Jin to tease him a little, like usual, but to his surprise, Bo Jin jumped straight into explaining the topic as soon as he saw the question.
It was only then that Xie Ruan understood why the other students called Bo Jin a “study god.”
Bo Jin’s brain seemed like a precision machine; not only could he pull up vocabulary and grammar instantly, but he even remembered their exact locations on the pages. It was impressive.
Even more remarkable was that, although Xie Ruan had only asked one question, Bo Jin could connect it to several other related concepts. Before he knew it, Xie Ruan had learned much more than he’d planned.
When evening study was over, he glanced at his progress in disbelief.
Feeling like he was walking on air, Xie Ruan floated out of the classroom.
Seeing his dazed expression, Song Xinghe was instantly jealous and smacked him on the shoulder. “Look at you. Just being in the same class as Bo Jin has got you this excited?”
“Speak for yourself. What does he have to do with it?” Xie Ruan shot him a look. “I was thinking about something.”
Song Xinghe didn’t buy it. He still thought there was something between Xie Ruan and Bo Jin. Why else would Bo Jin come find him specifically?
For the past few days, there had been quite a few posts on the forum gossiping about his relationship with Bo Jin. Most of them were from students in Class Eleven, but with no photos as evidence, no one believed it, so the posts quickly faded away.
“What could you be thinking about?”
Xie Ruan was mentally reviewing everything he’d learned, and without thinking, he replied, “get/betiredof.”
“Oh, come on!” Song Xinghe stared at him in shock, blurting out a curse. “You’re serious?”
He knew Xie Ruan was trying to study seriously, but he hadn’t expected him to go this far, even practicing English while walking. His dedication was at the level of ancient scholars hanging their hair from beams to keep from falling asleep.
“What else?”
Didn’t the book say he was no better than Shen Xingyun, not to mention Ye Haiqiong? He was determined to surpass them. They were all in the same school, using the same textbooks—he refused to believe he couldn’t outdo them.
Song Xinghe looked Xie Ruan up and down like he was seeing something rare, clicking his tongue in amazement. “So, this is what they mean by ‘turning pain into motivation,’ huh?”
“Get lost!” Xie Ruan pushed him away, smirking. “I’m thrilled, actually.”
Changing direction, he added, “Want me to treat you to some ice pops?”
“Yes, yes!” At the mention of food, Song Xinghe forgot everything else, and they walked together toward the convenience store, laughing.
Since Xie Ruan had taken a few minutes to finish a question after class, the peak after-school rush had passed, so the store was nearly empty. He bought six ice pops, handing Song Xinghe two and keeping four for himself.
“You’re not afraid of getting a stomach ache eating so much?” Song Xinghe bit open the wrapper, eagerly took a lick, and immediately let out a satisfied sigh.
“No,” Xie Ruan pulled two out and put them into a plastic bag, mumbling, “These are for someone else.”
Song Xinghe gave him a sly side-eye, chuckling mischievously, “Who’s it for?”
Xie Ruan shot him an annoyed look. “Just eat your own.”
The two didn’t take the main road but instead took a shortcut through a small wooded area. Halfway through, they heard shouting and the sounds of fighting ahead.
“Let’s check it out!” Song Xinghe swallowed the last of his popsicle, eyes lighting up as he pulled Xie Ruan forward. “Ever since you stopped fighting, I haven’t had any excitement.”
Xie Ruan didn’t want to go over, worried his popsicle might melt. But they couldn’t get back to the dorm without passing ahead unless they turned back to the main road, so he let Song Xinghe lead.
As they got closer, the voices ahead grew clearer.
“Shen Xingyun, you dare to break my leg!”
“I not only dare to break it, but I’ll snap it in half.” Shen Xingyun spat out a bloody mouthful, gripping a stick with a fierce expression. “Idiot.”
With that, he swung down again.
He was already in a bad mood. Xie Ruan had suddenly decided to break up with him out of nowhere. Shen Xingyun had thought he was just being petty and would get over it in a day or two. But today, when he went to find him, he discovered that Xie Ruan had switched classes and deleted him as a friend.
In the past, Shen Xingyun was annoyed by how Xie Ruan clung to him like a loyal dog, always wagging his tail. But now that Xie Ruan wasn’t around, he felt strangely unsettled.
Whether he was eating or playing basketball, Xie Ruan’s face kept popping into his mind, distracting him from everything he tried to do.
Especially at night, he missed having someone to call on to play games. He instinctively called out to Xie Ruan, only to remember he was no longer in class eleven.
Shen Xingyun started to wonder if Xie Ruan had cast some sort of spell on him.
He was furious, and the more he thought about it, the angrier he got. This guy just happened to be in his way.
Shen Xingyun was skilled in fighting, and now, fueled by his pent-up anger, he was fighting mercilessly. Even though his opponent was tall and strong, he didn’t stand a chance and quickly took several hits.
“Too bad,” Song Xinghe whispered, hiding behind a small tree and watching the fight intently, chewing on his popsicle. “Chen Xu just can’t keep up.”
Chen Xu, the one fighting Shen Xingyun, was not known to be good, and Xie Ruan had heard of him harassing other students before.
“Tell me about it.” Xie Ruan took a disappointed bite of his popsicle. He had hoped to see Shen Xingyun take a beating, but things had turned out the other way around.
“Let’s go,” Xie Ruan said, feeling bored and motioning for Song Xinghe. “I’ve got stuff to do back at the dorm.”
Song Xinghe felt somewhat reluctant to part. However, Xie Ruan was determined to leave, so he could only follow him. He still felt a bit nostalgic, turning back three times with every step, his eyes lingering behind.
The small forest was full of weeds and tree branches sticking out. Just as Xie Ruan was about to remind him to watch his step, Song Xinghe stumbled and smacked straight into a tree.
Xie Ruan: “…”
Song Xinghe rubbed his forehead, sucking in a breath. “Ow, that hurt like h*ll.”
Shen Xingyun, hearing noises from their direction, thought Chen Xu had called for backup. He sneered, slammed Chen Xu against a tree, and looked up menacingly—only to freeze.
It was nighttime, and the school’s lights were on. Sparse beams of light filtered through the trees, falling on someone not far away, casting a soft glow over a beautiful face, as if bathed in moonlight.
It was none other than Xie Ruan.
Shen Xingyun’s mood, which had been irritated all day, suddenly improved quite a bit. It seemed that this person had heard about his fight and had specifically come to help. He thought to himself how could someone change so quickly—just this morning, they were surrounding him, fawning over him, and by the afternoon, they were talking about breaking up.
The more he thought about it, the more he was convinced. He glanced at Xie Ruan, trying to sound nonchalant. “Why are you coming over now that the fight’s done?”
Xie Ruan: “???”
Did Shen Xingyun really think he was here for him? Could he not see the giant popsicle in his hand?
Irritated, Xie Ruan tossed the plastic bag to Song Xinghe, clenched his fists, and started walking toward him, ready to teach him a lesson.
Just then, he noticed a large flashlight swinging back and forth behind Shen Xingyun. Moving closer, moving away, like someone searching aimlessly for something.
He quickly realized that it was Zhao Caiming, the teacher, out to catch students for dating.
With a quick glance at Shen Xingyun, Xie Ruan’s mind whirled, and he had an idea.
As he approached, Shen Xingyun’s smirk widened, as if he was about to say something. But before he could, Xie Ruan’s voice rang out, loud and clear: “Teacher! Someone’s over here on a date!”
Shen Xingyun: “???”
Shen Xingyun was dumbfounded.
What was he talking about? Dating? Who was dating?
He was about to ask Xie Ruan what he meant when he looked up and saw Xie Ruan and Song Xinghe running off. Right then, Zhao Caiming, like a cat catching a scent, rushed over with a flashlight. “Who’s dating here? Where are they?!”
When he arrived, he saw a boy holding another boy against a tree in a rather intimate pose.
Zhao Caiming’s face turned red with anger. “You two! What class are you in? What are you doing?!”
Shen Xingyun: “???”
Shen Xingyun: “…”
He was stunned. It dawned on him that Xie Ruan was referring to him. Looking down at the tall, heavy-set Chen Xu pinned against the tree, he nearly choked in frustration. “Teacher, you’ve got it all wrong—we’re not…”
“What’s this ‘not something’? Seeing is believing, and I saw it with my own eyes. You two were practically glued to each other. If you’re not dating, what are you doing?!”
Zhao Caiming cut him off, sneering, “Caught in the act and still trying to wriggle out of it? No way! Spit it out – your name and class!”
Shen Xingyun clenched his teeth, glaring at Zhao Caiming’s stern face, then glanced in the direction Xie Ruan had already bolted off to, frustration and anger boiling into a single, muttered curse.
“D*mn it!”
“Hahaha!” Only after they had left the grove far behind did Song Xinghe finally stop, laughing so hard he could barely stand. “Old Xie, you’re so ruthless! I wish I could see Shen Xingyun’s face right now! That was gold.”
Xie Ruan laughed too, shrugging off droplets of water from his hand as he took the bag from Song Xinghe. “Serves him right for being a pain.”
“Epic!” Song Xinghe gave him a thumbs up as they reached the dorm. “Hey, but…”
He stopped mid-sentence, noticing that Xie Ruan hadn’t followed him in. Puzzled, he asked, “Why aren’t you coming?”
Switching his popsicle to the other hand, Xie Ruan took out his phone. “You go ahead; I’ll be stopping by another dorm.”
Song Xinghe, eager to share the day’s events, just nodded and went inside.
Xie Ruan opened his chat with Bo Jin and sent a message:
【Your Xie Bro】: What’s your dorm number?
Bo Jin responded in under a minute.
【Bo】: 405. Are you coming over?
Xie Ruan sent a single word – “Yep.” Putting his phone away, he quickly made his way up to 405, knocking once before the door opened.
Bo Jin, fresh out of the shower, stood there with damp hair and a towel in hand. He stepped aside to let Xie Ruan in, raising an eyebrow. “What brings you here at this hour? Missing me already?”
After the past few days, Xie Ruan was immune to his flirty comments and, without batting an eye, handed him an popsicle. “This is for you.”
Bo Jin took one and unwrapped it with a smirk. “What’s the occasion for giving me something?” He looked Xie Ruan up and down, smiling. “Or could it be…”
He paused, drawing out his words, “that you’re trying to charm me?”
Xie Ruan: “…”
He was just trying to thank him for helping him with study questions!
Rolling his eyes, Xie Ruan said flatly, “Can’t you go a day without flattering yourself?”
Bo Jin looked at him with mock surprise. “How am I flattering myself?” Hanging the plastic bag on his bed, he smiled. “It’s called having self-awareness.”
Xie Ruan: “…”
Running out of things to say, Xie Ruan snapped, “Why can’t you ever stop talking, not even when you’re eating?”
A water droplet fell from Bo Jin’s hair onto his shoulder, leaving a darker patch on his shirt. Frowning briefly, he wiped his head with the towel, replying smoothly, “Nope, I really can’t.”
Xie Ruan rolled his eyes again and muttered, “How would you shut up, then?”
“Ever heard the saying?” Bo Jin said, savoring a small bite of popsicle, eyes half-closed in satisfaction. “Only magic can beat magic.”
Xie Ruan thought he understood the saying, but how did it relate to this conversation?
“Similarly,” Bo Jin said, leaning casually against the bed railing, “only lips can silence lips.”
Xie Ruan: “???”
Bo Jin nudged the popsicle in his mouth with his tongue, a mischievous look in his eyes. “Want to give it a try?”
Xie Ruan’s gaze drifted involuntarily to Bo Jin’s thin lips, and his ears burned bright red. “…Get lost!”
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