When Rong Shu came back, Shen Huaixiu paid particular attention to him. However, seeing that he was the same as usual and there was no change, he didn’t ask any further.
As school was about to end, Jiang Huan sent the investigation results to Shen Huaixiu.
Ma Sen is the second son of the Lizard Clan’s main family. He was in the second year, fifth class of the Federal No. 1 Middle School. Previously, he and his group had cornered Rong Shu in the bathroom, but when the teacher arrived, Ma Sen and his brothers were all lying on the ground, and Rong Shu only sustained minor injuries. The reason Ma Sen targeted Rong Shu was suppressed by the school. It was only known that Ma Sen was beaten badly and was taken home by the Ma family to recover that same day. As for how the situation was resolved, it was reportedly handled privately.
After reading, Shen Huaixiu put his phone back in his pocket and turned to Rong Shu, who was packing up his bag. “Where do you want to go for dinner tonight?”
Rong Shu looked up at him, surprised. “Where do you want to go?”
“I’m fine anywhere.”
Since this was the first time Shen Huaixiu had asked him out to eat, it felt like a historic breakthrough. “The cafeteria. The barbecued pork rice you bought last time was really good!”
“Sure.” Shen Huaixiu agreed and stood up.
Rong Shu patted Chen Jing on the shoulder. “I won’t be eating with you tonight.”
Chen Jing, who had overheard their conversation, grabbed his arm. “What’s this about barbecued pork rice?”
Rong Shu grinned. “Why can Xiao Ming’s grandfather live to 99?”
Chen Jing: “…”
When Rong Shu left the classroom, he saw Shen Huaixiu waiting for him at the door. “Let’s go.”
Shen Huaixiu put his phone in his pocket and walked out of the teaching building with him.
After school, the cafeteria was very crowded. When they arrived, the place was messy and noisy.
Rong Shu rarely came to the cafeteria at this time. As soon as he walked in, he found himself frowning slightly, the noise making his head ache a bit.
“You find a seat. I’ll go get the food.”
Shen Huaixiu handed his backpack to Rong Shu, who instinctively took it. “I’ll go with you.”
“No need. Just find a place to sit.”
Shen Huaixiu didn’t give him a chance to refuse and walked off to join the line at the window.
Holding Shen Huaixiu’s backpack, Rong Shu couldn’t help but smile. Even though it was just a backpack, it felt like holding something precious at that moment.
This was Shen Huaixiu’s backpack!
He found a spot in the corner and sat down, his eyes automatically scanning for Shen Huaixiu’s figure. Amidst the crowd, the tall and upright Alpha stood out.
Indeed, someone he had his eye on drew everyone’s attention.
It wasn’t long before Shen Huaixiu returned with two servings of food, and a portion of takoyaki inside a plastic bag hanging from his wrist.
Rong Shu pushed the lemon tea he had bought while waiting over to him. “Thanks for your hard work!”
Shen Huaixiu glanced at him. “No need to be polite.”
Rong Shu thought to himself that he really didn’t want to be polite. “Then I won’t be polite from now on.”
“Mm.” Shen Huaixiu looked down, his attitude indifferent, as if he hadn’t taken his words seriously, though his lips curled up slightly.
Rong Shu rarely ate in the cafeteria but this barbecued pork rice, perhaps because Shen Huaixiu brought it, tasted incredibly good.
After they finished eating, Rong Shu took out his phone. “Classmate, let’s add each other on WeChat. I’ll transfer the money to you later.”
Shen Huaixiu took out his phone and handed it over. After the friend request was accepted, he said, “No need to transfer money, just consider it a token of appreciation.”
Hearing the words “token of appreciation”, Rong Shu understood he was referring to the Zhao Yan situation. He looked down and added Shen Huaixiu as a friend, not mentioning the meal again. Instead, he pulled up a photo of a cat from his gallery and sent it to Shen Huaixiu, saying, “Isn’t this cat really cute?”
Shen Huaixiu opened the image, which showed a black cat lying in the sunlight, staring with round, amber-colored eyes, looking like a little coal ball. He replied, “Yes.”
“Then could you make it your profile picture?” Rong Shu looked up at him, his eyes full of anticipation, and his cat ears perked up and moved slightly.
Meeting Rong Shu’s gaze, Shen Huaixiu realized he didn’t want to refuse the suggestion but asked, “Why do you want me to use this picture?”
“Because it’s cute and I’m using it too!” After saying this, he showed Shen Huaixiu his profile picture, giving it a little shake.
The black cat in the picture sat on the blanket, with a pink peach blossom resting on its nose.
It was clear it was the same cat.
Shen Huaixiu said nothing more, withdrew his gaze, and with a slight movement of his fingers, changed his profile picture to the black cat: “Done.”
Rong Shu immediately leaned in: “Let me see.”
As he moved, the cat’s ears gently brushed against Shen Huaixiu’s chin. The fluffy sensation was a bit ticklish, carrying a pleasant rose fragrance that made Shen Huaixiu’s heart flutter.
Staring at the new picture Shen Huaixiu had set, Rong Shu’s lips curved up. Though their relationship wasn’t official yet, at least he had secured this person for now.
At this moment, Jiang Huan, who was waiting outside with Wu Ping for their meal, took out his phone, habitually checking before dinner. Upon opening WeChat, he was stunned.
Wu Ping noticed he had been staring at his phone screen for a while without moving and instinctively leaned over: “What’s up, what did you see that made you look so shocked… I’ll be damned, it’s the boss, the boss changed his profile picture. Who’s that up there?”
“It’s the school heartthrob!” Jiang Huan stared at him in shock.
Wu Ping’s mouth fell open, then he gritted his teeth and whispered, “Is this a couple’s profile picture? The boss and the school heartthrob… huh…”
Hearing Wu Ping’s voice rising, Jiang Huan instinctively covered his mouth and glanced around warily: “Are you crazy? Keep it down. Let’s pretend we didn’t notice this!”
“Pretend we didn’t notice? It’s so obvious!”
Wu Ping covered his chest with one hand and pointed at Jiang Huan’s phone screen with the other, his face clearly saying, “Stop deceiving yourself!”
Jiang Huan turned off the phone screen: “It’s just a coincidence. If I didn’t have WeChat with both the boss and the school heartthrob, do you think we’d have noticed? Probably, I’m the only one who has WeChat with both of them right now. So, we must keep this secret. The boss finally has someone he likes, let’s not make things difficult for him!”
“Are you sure the boss likes the school heartthrob?” Wu Ping asked, clearly doubtful, “Don’t you remember the school heartthrob is also an Alpha? Two Alphas…”
“Are you still discriminating against AA relationships? Wu Ping, I didn’t know you were so narrow-minded,” Jiang Huan said, frowning and giving him a look that said he’d better not discriminate.
Wu Ping immediately shook his head: “That’s not what I meant. I just find it a bit hard to accept. Isn’t this happening too fast? It’s only been a short time since they just got together. How did the boss end up in a relationship, and with the school heartthrob at that? I can’t even imagine it!”
“There’s nothing to imagine. With the school heartthrob looking like that, only our boss could be a match!”
Wu Ping was stunned by Jiang Huan’s statement, staring at him with wide eyes, before finally exclaiming, “Are you crazy? Were you fantasizing about this before?”
Jiang Huan’s expression stiffened. He put his phone back in his pocket and looked at Wu Ping seriously: “How I think is none of your business. I’m not affecting anyone else!”
Wu Ping took a deep breath: “You’re not wrong in what you said. I can only congratulate you for having your dreams come true!”
Jiang Huan smiled: “You’re not wrong either. Let’s add a meat dish to celebrate!”
Wu Ping, still recovering from the shock, shook his head: “You add it yourself. I need something light to calm down!”
Jiang Huan glanced at him in disdain and signaled the waiter to add a braised pork elbow!
Rong Shu and Shen Huaixiu left the cafeteria and went straight back to the dorm.
However, at the door, Shen Huaixiu didn’t follow him inside: “I have something to do outside.”
Rong Shu was momentarily stunned and turned to look at him: “So why didn’t you just… Did you come specifically to walk me back?”
Realizing this possibility, Rong Shu’s heart skipped a beat.
Shen Huaixiu tightened his lips, seeming to think about how to answer Rong Shu’s question: “It was on the way.”
Hearing those words, Rong Shu suddenly curled up his lips, smiling as he nodded: “Will you be gone for a long time? Do you need me to leave the door open for you?”
“I’ll come back before lights out. If you’re tired, you can go to sleep without waiting for me.”
As Shen Huaixiu spoke the last part, a trace of unnaturalness appeared in his usually emotionless eyes as if he were a husband reminding his wife not to wait up for him.
“I know. Be safe.”
“Okay, you too.”
Watching Shen Huaixiu go downstairs, Rong Shu closed the dorm room door and then excitedly stamped his foot.
When he looked up again, his gaze fell on the black T-shirt draped over the back of the chair. His lips immediately curved into a broad smile, his eyes narrowing as he stretched his greedy claws out toward the T shirt…
Author’s note:
Rong Shu: What a coincidence, on the way back to the dorm ^_^.