It was a little past nine in the evening.
As Chen Ye walked Luo Hongli home and reached the steps below her building, he saw a familiar figure sitting by the side of the road.
Cheng Ziwen?
What was this kid doing sitting near Luo Hongli’s home in the middle of the night?
Although there were several other apartment buildings further up the steps, Chen Ye just had a bad feeling about it. Luo Hongli had once said that she had never brought anyone from class home, so how did Cheng Ziwen know where she lived?
A coincidence?
Highly unlikely.
"Um, my hands are a bit cold. Could you warm them up for me?"
Luo Hongli had been looking down at her toes as she walked. She didn’t know what was wrong with her tonight; she felt strangely lightheaded. She looked up at Chen Ye, startled. The bump from the door had left her mouth slightly swollen, and while it wasn't a major injury, a single glance made it obvious that her lips and the tip of her nose were unnaturally red.
"Chen Ye, do you think I’m easy to bully? If you keep forcing me to do things, I’ll fight you to the death!"
No sooner had the words left her mouth than a large, warm hand clamped firmly onto her small one.
She stared at him, lips pursed, words seemingly stuck in her throat, unable to utter a single sound. Chen Ye ignored her "trembling" and continued to lead her forward.
"Stop squirming. Look how cold your hands are. I’m just trying to do a good deed and warm you up—am I in the wrong for that?"
"If you keep acting up, I’ll tell the homeroom teacher tomorrow that you want to date me. It doesn’t matter to me, but you’re the top student in the class, hmm?"
Luo Hongli felt her capacity for patience being pushed to the limit by Chen Ye’s shamelessness.
*Wait, I’m the one being taken advantage of here!*
*Why is he the one acting so righteous!*
*God, please just strike this bastard down with a bolt of lightning!!!*
A second later, as she turned her head, fuming, to look straight ahead, she went blank.
The class monitor? Cheng Ziwen?
Why was he here?
There was no time to think; Chen Ye had already smugly struck up a conversation with him!
*Bastard! Wouldn’t it have been better to just play dead and walk past him!*
*Ahhh!!!*
"Yo, Monitor, what a coincidence."
Cheng Ziwen slowly raised his head. The light in his eyes shifted from sadness and helplessness to shock, and finally, anger.
*Damn, he’s a waste of a career if he doesn't become an actor.*
"You, you two, you..."
Chen Ye grinned, openly lifting the hand he was holding. "Oh, she said she was cold. You know me, I love being helpful—I’m known all over No. 8 Middle School for my kindness. What are you doing out here so late with a chain in your hand?"
Cheng Ziwen stood up, taking a deep breath. His eyes appeared red-rimmed.
*How, how could she do this!!*
*She clearly told me when she rejected me that she wouldn't date anyone before college!*
*Yet now, now she’s holding hands with Chen Ye?*
*It’s nine o'clock already—did Chen Ye go to her place for dinner? Did they go for a walk up the mountain?*
*They wouldn't have gone somewhere deserted, would they...*
At this thought, the helplessness of having his bike stolen and being unable to find it, combined with the fury of being "betrayed," surged to his head.
Luo Hongli wanted to explain that it wasn't what he thought. But she tugged a few times and couldn't break free. *Stupid Chen Ye! Why is he so strong!*
*Fine, let him talk. I’m not close to Cheng Ziwen anyway. I'll just play dead.*
"Luo, where did you two go?" Cheng Ziwen forced a smile, praying for a miracle.
Unfortunately, Luo Hongli ignored him.
She just nodded at him slightly. *Nodded?*
Chen Ye grew even more smug at the sight. "We went to my place to study. Unlike you, Monitor, coming out to exercise with a chain in the middle of the night—that’s truly inspiring!"
"Monitor, have you ever heard of one-on-one, guided tutoring?"
Cheng Ziwen’s fists clenched, his strength feeling as if it had been drained away.
*Why?*
*A scumbag who cheated on Su Lili, a piece of trash who won't take responsibility even when someone is pregnant!*
*She’s actually dating a guy like this?*
Cheng Ziwen gritted his teeth and said, "My bike was stolen! I’m out here looking for it, not exercising!!!"
This time, it was Chen Ye’s turn to be stunned. He asked, appearing puzzled, "You locked your bike to this lamppost, too?"
"Yeah!"
"What a coincidence, me too."
When Cheng Ziwen heard this, he felt a momentary surge of hope—his bike had been stolen too, ha!
*Wait?*
*His bike was stolen too? Here?*
*Then why did he lock it here?*
With so many apartment buildings up the mountain, there was only one explanation.
*Damn it, he’s been going to Luo Hongli’s place for a long time!!!*
*They’ve been having an affair!*
Cheng Ziwen’s world collapsed. He felt like a complete clown.
Chen Ye didn't want to break the innocent boy’s spirit entirely, so he offered a bit of kindness. "Monitor, let’s go buy new bikes together another day. We can get a group discount. Anyway, we’re off. See you when school starts tomorrow, bye~~"
"Luo Hongli, why didn't you even say hello? Did you eat too much of my mom’s cooking tonight?"
Seeing Chen Ye still yapping away, Luo Hongli kept her head down and rushed up the stairs, pulling him along.
She flew up those hundred-plus steps as if it were flat ground; her physical condition really was incredible.
Reaching the second landing, Luo Hongli shook off Chen Ye’s hand. "Are you that immature? Did you know he had confessed to me, and you did that on purpose?"
Chen Ye looked blank. *Holy crap, Cheng Ziwen confessed to her?*
"I should have gone easier on him just now—I should have kissed you right in front of him just to piss him off..."
"Chen Ye! What are you muttering about? Are you listening to me? What if he tells the teacher we’re puppy-loving tomorrow!"
*So she isn't worried about Cheng Ziwen, just that.*
Chen Ye spread his hands. "Are we dating?"
Luo Hongli pouted, her angry expression looking exactly like a fuming little kitten. "You did that on purpose!"
"I’m not admitting to anything. My primary goal was being helpful. I haven't even mentioned that your palms were sweating."
"You! You... I’m home, stop following me!"
Luo Hongli was rendered speechless by his arrogance and ran off, fuming.
Chen Ye watched her back, dropping his playful expression. He muttered, "That should help take your mind off things, right? You little crybaby."
By the time he came back down from the mountain, Cheng Ziwen was nowhere to be seen.
A week passed by in the blink of an eye.
The puppy-love report Luo Hongli had been so worried about never came. Chen Ye even gained a sliver of respect for the kid—he wasn't so vile as to want to ruin her if he couldn't have her.
In the classroom, Lin Feng kicked Chen Ye’s chair. "Brother Ye, are we hitting the internet cafe over winter break? You’ve been a different person lately—ever since you started sitting next to Luo Hongli, you’ve changed!"
Chen Ye glanced at his buddy. "Your head is getting bigger again. Stop masturbating so much; it's bad for you. I’m going to take you to make some extra cash over the break. We’re at the age where we should be saving up a dowry, and you’re wasting time on games."
"Luo Hongli, what should I do if he’s disturbing my studies?"
Lin Feng nearly spat out a mouthful of blood. *Listen to that—is that even human language!*
*He’s only seventeen, and he's talking about dowries?*
*Who would even want him?*
But why was Luo Hongli’s gaze so terrifying? It looked like her mother’s expression at home. He felt like he heard her say, "I’m counting to three." It was terrifying.
"Luo, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I was just trying to discuss the mysteries of study with Brother Ye."
Luo Hongli watched Chen Ye scribbling on his test paper. It was a mature, neat handwriting. She had always thought the boys and girls sitting in the back row, like Chen Ye, Lin Feng, and Qin Ru, had no redeeming qualities. She hadn't expected Chen Ye’s handwriting to be so nice. Moreover, he was smart and learned things incredibly quickly—especially English, which he didn't even need to review; his pronunciation was more standard than hers.
Only his foundation in math and the sciences was a bit weak.
"Chen Ye, I feel like you’ve been playing games with me all along."
Luo Hongli bit her lip and whispered the question, though her voice was very soft.
Chen Ye finished the last math problem and turned his head to look at the beautiful girl.
*This is the life.* He used to sit next to Datou; what kind of miserable life was that? This was so much better—look up, see beauty. And he could put his hand on her leg for a little relaxation now and then. Even if he’d get hit a few times, he figured that since it was the power of love, what did a little bruise matter?
"What did you say? Rest tomorrow, final exams the day after. Come to my place for dinner tonight. My mom said she misses you and told me to bring you over. If I don't, she’s going to beat me to death."
"Oh, then just let your aunt beat you to death."
Luo Hongli gave a huff of annoyance. *Bastard, pretending not to hear me and not answering my question!*
Just then, their homeroom teacher, Gao Xiaoqin, appeared at the back door of the classroom.
"Chen Ye, come out for a second. Someone is looking for you. And Hongli, you come too."
The whole class immediately turned to look toward the back. It was common knowledge in school that when a boy and a girl were called out together, it was never for anything good.