Transmigrated as the Campus Heartthrob’s Cannon Fodder Ex-Boyfriend Chapter 13

Shoutout to Kari for the commission!

That look was far too smug.

Zhou Shirui lowered his gaze; the thin lenses of his silver-rimmed glasses reflected a cold light, making him appear rational and reserved.

He looked at Le Cheng with a calm expression, showing no hesitation: “No.”

Le Cheng was taken aback for a moment, then feigned anger: “So decisive?”

“Mm.” Zhou Shirui lowered his head, his voice deep and calm. “Do you think you can fool me?”

Le Cheng felt he was being underestimated, but couldn’t think of a reason to argue. He pursed his lips: “I can’t fool you…” A moment later, his eyes sparkling, he asked, “Then… could you be fooled by me, senior?”

Such a cute yet sly expression.

“Junior,” Zhou Shirui said, fixing him with his gaze as he casually adjusted his bow tie. His tone was calm. “Cheating ahead of time isn’t good.”

Le Cheng’s ears flushed slightly. “Well… isn’t it okay for you to help me cheat just this once?”

Zhou Shirui replied rather coldly, “No.”

Le Cheng gave a little “hmmph” and reached out to give Zhou Shirui’s tie a quick flick.

After flicking it, he turned and ran off like a rabbit.

Before the dance began, everyone was standing around eating and chatting. Le Cheng pushed through the crowd and found a table set with small cakes.

He picked one up and took a bite, sweet but not cloying. That’s the highest praise Chinese people give to desserts!

As he munched his way through two of them, a hand holding a napkin suddenly appeared before his eyes.

Le Cheng looked up, his dark, shiny eyes blinking in surprise: “Huh?”

The young man in front of him looked unfamiliar; Le Cheng was certain he’d never seen him before. The young man smiled: “You have some cream on your face.”

Le Cheng: “Huh? Thanks.”

The young man held out the napkin, but Le Cheng waved it off: “I’ve got one here.”

He took out a napkin and wiped his face. The young man didn’t leave; instead, he watched him with keen interest: “My name is Lin He. What’s yours?”

Le Cheng: “Le Cheng.”

“What role are you playing?” Lin He was quite talkative. “I’ve never seen you before.”

Le Cheng told him, but didn’t elaborate: “The Rose Magician.”

“Oh, that name suits you perfectly.” Lin He took out his phone and shook it. “Would you mind adding me on WeChat?”

Without a second thought, Le Cheng was about to refuse, he didn’t like adding strangers casually.

As if sensing his hesitation, Lin He said, “I’m actually a print model. You look great, so I’d like to get your contact info. If the opportunity arises, I’d love to recommend you.”

Le Cheng hesitated.

He glanced at Lin He, then lowered his head. A print model? Zhou Shirui looked more like a print model.

More part-time opportunities meant more paths to explore. Le Cheng nodded: “Sure, go ahead and add me.”

After adding him as a friend, Le Cheng turned and headed toward the next cake table.

After eating for a while, Le Cheng figured it was almost time for the dance. He sucked in his stomach, it wasn’t too tight, and his belt could hold out a little longer.

He couldn’t eat any more; otherwise, his stomach would be round and bulging, and dancing would definitely be uncomfortable.

Le Cheng didn’t know how to dance, but he’d quickly gone over the steps, so he wasn’t too nervous. With so many people there, no one would be paying special attention to him, he just had to make sure he didn’t step on Zhou Shirui’s feet.

The background music in the entire hall suddenly changed, and the lighting took on a romantic glow. Flickering lights swirled before his eyes as Le Cheng tugged at his overly long cape and made his way through the crowd.

The lights dimmed. It felt like someone had stepped on his foot, but he didn’t stop; he ran to the side. His cape was too long and a bit of a hindrance. Just as he struggled to squeeze out of the crowd, someone suddenly grabbed his arm and pulled him over.

“Huh?” Le Cheng quickly looked up. Due to momentum, he was pressed very close to Zhou Shirui. “You’re here.”

Zhou Shirui let go of his arm. “Yeah. Let’s go.”

Le Cheng followed behind him and found an empty spot in the hall. When Zhou Shirui stopped, Le Cheng came to a halt as well.

Suddenly feeling a bit self-conscious, Le Cheng cleared his throat. Even though he was clearly shorter than Zhou Shirui and dressed in flashy, flamboyant clothes that made him look like a princess, he bent over slightly, bent his right arm forward as if holding a bouquet, reached out, and said with sparkling eyes, “Zhou Shirui.”

Le Cheng asked, “Will you be my dance partner?”

His tone was very solemn. At that moment, melodious music began to play, and the lights suddenly brightened, illuminating Le Cheng’s eyes so they shone captivatingly, his skin looking fair and beautiful.

It felt as if a faint electric current had passed through his heart.

Zhou Shirui wore pure white gloves, his fingers long and slender. He gently took Le Cheng’s fingertips in his hand and whispered, “…Yes.”

Amid the shifting lights, Le Cheng felt Zhou Shirui’s other hand lightly resting on his back, applying almost no pressure.

Le Cheng’s own dance steps were beautiful, but reality was cruel.

By the time he stepped on Zhou Shirui’s foot for the second time, his cheeks were so hot he could have fried an egg on them. He longed to bury his head in Zhou Shirui’s firm chest to soothe his wounded heart. He said quietly and dejectedly, “…I’m sorry, I stepped on you again.”

His little face was downcast. Zhou Shirui, who had been stepped on so many times he’d lost his temper, said softly, “ “Listen to my commands.”

Le Cheng’s face tensed: “Okay.”

“Right foot.”

“Left foot, back.”

“Left foot.”

“Right foot, step forward.”

The deep voice lingered in his ear. Le Cheng lowered his head and listened intently, his heart racing as the fingers gripping Zhou Shirui’s hand gradually tightened.

Zhou Shirui paused briefly but said nothing.

“……”

“Okay, bring it back.”

“Turn.”

The mage’s bright red cloak billowed in the wind, tracing a beautiful, free-flowing arc, like the magnificent train of a princess’s gown.

Le Cheng’s face flushed with nervousness; he held his breath and spun in a circle that was nothing short of perfect.

He returned to Zhou Shirui’s embrace, unconsciously pressing close to him, and looked up with surprise, asking, “How was that?!”

Zhou Shirui lowered his gaze and, without giving anything away, pulled back slightly: “Very good.”

Le Cheng let out a tiny “Yay! Just as I expected.”

Zhou Shirui: “Mm, you’re a quick learner.”

Le Cheng thought Zhou Shirui was paying him a compliment, but he was still happy and praised him sincerely: “Zhou Shirui, you’re really amazing. How come you know how to dance?”

Zhou Shirui watched his dance steps: “I took lessons for a while before. Focus.”

Le Cheng immediately got the message: “Okay, I’ll focus!”

Beautiful music flowed through the hall. As the dance ended, Le Cheng, following instructions to the letter, didn’t miss a single step, performing exceptionally well. This gave him such a sense of accomplishment that Le Cheng was so happy he almost jumped for joy. He asked, “How was it? How was it?”

He tilted his face upward, his fair cheeks flushed with a lovely pink hue, the tip of his nose and his forehead glistening with sweat, yet his eye makeup remained flawless, and his jet-black eyes were crystal clear.

Zhou Shirui found himself staring at him. After a moment’s pause, he pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and whispered, “Very good. Absolutely fantastic.”

The second the words left his mouth, Le Cheng leapt up in excitement, reaching out to hug him tightly. He buried his fuzzy head against Zhou Shirui’s chest, and the force of the impact caused Zhou Shirui to stumble back a step.

The intimate gesture, he could even hear the beating of the other’s heart, left Zhou Shirui momentarily stunned. Unable to tell whose heartbeat it was, he instinctively wrapped his arm around Le Cheng’s waist.

It was a narrow waist, reminding him of the fair, beautiful back he’d glimpsed that day.

As if struck by a sudden jolt, he quickly released his grip, grabbed Le Cheng’s arm, and tried to pull him away.

But Le Cheng didn’t give him that chance.

His hands moved upward, finding the firm back muscles just as he’d hoped. Le Cheng looked up at Zhou Shirui’s reaction, his eyelashes fluttering gently. “Zhou Shirui, your heart is beating so fast.”